Subscription Showdown: February 2017

Hello friends! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. It's been feeling particularly spring-like in these parts and I'm loving every single second of it. There's definitely a part of me that's a little perturbed by the fact that it was 70 degrees in Connecticut before the end of February, but as someone who hates cold weather I really can't complain. Anywho, back to the reason you're here! It's time yet again to unbox some beauty goodies and see which of my $10 monthly subscriptions brought their A-game.

For those of you that are new to these parts, I'm a huge fan of monthly subscription boxes and have tried quite a few different ones over the years (you can see which ones here). At the current moment the only two beauty subscriptions I'm receiving are Ipsy and Sephora Play, both of which are $10 a month and contain 5 deluxe sized beauty samples. While these two subs seem pretty identical on paper, they do each have their own unique flair. And that's why I created this series! Not only am I personally nosy and love seeing what other people are getting in their bags, but I also want to give you some perspective on the kinds of products you can expect to receive from each of these subs so you can figure out which one might be best for you!

Final Farewells: My Fall 2016 Empties

Friends, it's time yet again to go through my beauty trash. I love filming empties videos, but I also totally can see how strange the whole concept probably is to someone who isn't as immersed in the beauty world as my crazy self. Because really, who else hoards expired makeup and empty bottles?

In all seriousness, the reason I think empties posts are so awesome is that when you've used a product to the very last drop, you really know how you feel about it. It's like a relationship. In the beginning its all excitement and newness, and you're probably willing to overlook the little flaws and annoyances. But time goes on, and when the honeymoon phase is over you've either found yourself a beautiful partnership, or end up realizing that that product...er...person...isn't as awesome as you originally thought.

It's been a couple of months since my last empties round up, so I've got A TON of products to share with you guys. Did I find true love? Or was I already checked out of our relationship? If you want to know, grab yourself a snack, cozy up, and get ready for some real talk (beauty style).

Trending Now: Glittering, Metallic Eyes

Trying to mentally prepare myself for fall is never an easy task. Don't get me wrong. I'm all about everything pumpkin spice, plaid shirts, and being able to dig my beloved boots out of hiding. But the change of seasons is always bittersweet. Winters here in New England are brutal, and fall sometimes feels like a pretty little distraction from the impending dark and cold. But, before I get myself too depressed thinking about Connecticut mid-February, let's put the focus back on what we've got to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Fall makeup might just be my all-time favorite of the entire year. Vampy reds, lush berries, rich chocolate tones...it's basically the season for extra sultry glam. While blindingly bright highlighters were all the rage this summer, the sparkle factor appears to have transferred to the eyes for fall. Whether you're just adding a bit of shimmer to the lid, or incorporating serious metallic shine into a full-on smokey eye, there are tons of options popping up at every price point to unleash your inner MUA.

As someone who's always had a soft spot for glitter, I'm welcoming this trend with open arms. The combination of a warm, inviting fall color palette with intense sparkling shine is especially gorgeous, and has me totally inspired to create some killer eye looks. If you're as into this trend as I am, here are some product recommendations to get you started!

Shop the Stash | Concealers

Hey friends! It's time for another shop-my-stash installment. For those of you who're new to the Little Blushing Birdie scene, I've been on a mission to sort through my makeup collection. To swatch, play, and rediscover old flames in an attempt to curb those urges to go out and haul more goodies. A few weeks back we delved into my bronzer collection, and today I'm busting out makeup's magical eraser. The eradicator of dark circles. The banisher of blemishes. The nemesis of redness. Yes, today we're chatting about the little miracle that is concealer.

Orange Crush

As a warning, this post may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I seriously CANNOT get enough of orange colored lips. There's something so fierce and energetic about a firey pout that it basically gives me an instant boost of self confidence every time I rock one. Plus, orange just screams summertime. Spicy lips, bronzed skin, beachy waves...what's not to love?

Today I wanted to share five of my favorite lip products for channelling my inner sexy salsa dancer. If orange seems way outside your comfort zone, I challenge you to take the plunge and give it a try! It's an extremely flattering color on light and deep skintones alike, but much like its oh-so-basic cousin pink, it's all a matter of finding a shade that works right for you.

Best of 2015 Beauty: My Makeup Picks

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe, but 2016 is already here. It's amazing how quickly 12 months can fly by and all of a sudden its January again. While 2015 was a relatively low key year for me in my personal life, I feel like it was pretty exciting for me blog-wise. I started out my first affiliate partnerships, revamped my YouTube channel, worked with some great brands, and tried SO. MANY. PRODUCTS. I wrote 171 posts (that's more than the two previous years combined!), totally revamped my site design, and have finally started to figure out this whole social media thing. In the end, blogging is definitely a labor of love, but I couldn't be happier about investing my time and energy into creating this space that I can share with all of you. I've got so many plans and goals for the coming year, and hope that you'll all be up for joining me on that journey.

But, before we get to ahead of ourselves, I want to give 2015 a proper send off. I've spent the last few weeks rifling through my cabinets, digging through my drawers, and perusing my old blog posts to come up with an epic list of my most favorite beauty products from the past year. For a moment I considered making one short list encompassing my best-of-the-best products, only to quickly realize that it's kind of impossible to just pick one favorite makeup or skincare item from the hundreds that I've tried. So instead, I offer you this. Over the next few days I'll be sharing my best beauty discoveries of 2015, with each post focusing on a particular group of products. So let's start things right by talking about everyone's favorite beauty addiction - makeup.

December 2015 Favorites

It's hard to believe the final month of 2015 is already almost over! With all of the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas the weeks have seriously flown by, although I have definitely managed to still have my fair share of experimenting with fun new beauty products. Today I've got a round up of 10 goodies that I have been absolutely loving as per late and would highly, highly recommend you check out.

Holiday Preview: Palette Envy

When it comes to the holiday wish list of a makeup junkie, there's a good chance at least one palette will make the cut. This year there are some seriously enviable options to choose from, so much so that it may be hard to pick just one! To get you started, I've rounded up 9 of the most hyped face and eye palettes on the beauty scene as well as a few dark horses that I think could very well steal the show.

September 2015 Empties

September was apparently a majorly productive month for me, because I've got a TON of empties to share. I've got a little bit of everything - from makeup, to skincare, to hair, even to tea and candles. There were definitely some hits, and also some misses, and I've got no shortage of opinions on either. Since I had SO many things to talk about, I thought it might be fun to film another video for you guys instead of writing up an epic-ly long post. So get cozy, grab yourself a snack, and get ready for some serious beauty ramblings!

Get Your Glow On: Highlighters to Love

If you've been paying any attention to the buzz in the beauty world as per late, you may have heard that "strobing" is the new contouring and seen everyone going bonkers over getting super glowy, radiant skin. Being real, strobing is just a fancy word for highlighting, which is an age old beauty technique for drawing light to the high points of your face. While I may be giving the ol' side eyes at everyone who's pretending that strobing is some kind of beauty breakthrough, I do still love a good highlighter and the way they can illuminate your complexion. Here are some of my favorite formulations, as well as a few tips for how you can get your glow on!

Bright & Bold: How to Rock a Statement Lip

As much as I appreciate neutral, classic, work-appropriate makeup, nothing gives me as big a confidence boost as a bold statement lip. In the cooler and darker months I'm all about rich berry tones and velvety reds, but when the temperatures are rising and the sun is shining I find myself reaching for fierce fuchsias and vibrant corals. If you're worried that a hot pink lipstick will take you into clown territory, relax. I promise it's much easier to rock than you might think! For me, wearing a statement lip is all about balance - keeping your other features looking flawless and polished, but not competing for attention. Today I'm going to introduce you to a few of my favorite lipsticks for summer, as well as the makeup look I like to sport whenever I wear them!

Rose Gold Glow

I adore soft, feminine makeup. Sheer washes of color, glowing skin - nothing too overdone or overly complicated. Pinky nudes and rose gold hues lend themselves perfectly to this kind of look, warming up your natural features while still managing to look natural. Here are some of my favorite products to do the job.

Spring 2015 Wish List - Prestige Makeup Picks

After yet another snowy morning commute to work, I am SO ready to welcome any sign of spring. Given that there are still mountain high piles of slush and ice everywhere I turn, I have a feeling it might be a while before I see any flowers budding or greenery growing. My solution? To distract myself with pretty pastels, sheer shimmers, and petal hued cosmetics that have me daydreaming of sunshine and warmer weather.

Lips & Nails to Match Your Valentine's Day Mood

Whether you're going out for a night on the town with your girlfriends this Valentine's Day or heading to a fancy restaurant with your hubby for dinner, I've got four amazing nail polish and lipstick pairings to suit your mood.

Holiday 2014 Wish List - Eye & Cheek Palettes

With October coming to a close, the holiday season seems to be right around the corner. Maybe it's just me, but it's never too early to start making those Christmas lists, or to stash away gifts for friends and family. If you or someone you know is a makeup junkie, you should check out these 10 amazing palettes for eyes and cheeks. They'll surely be some of the showstoppers for the holidays! And with many of them being limited edition, you'll want to make sure you grab them quick before they're gone forever!

Budget Beauty Alternatives

Beauty splurges - we all have them from time to time. Sometimes it's worth spending the extra dollar for that super-smudge-proof eyeliner, or foundation that perfectly matches your skin tone. But let's be practical. A lot of us out there have the kind of budget that is much more suited for shopping at the drugstore. That's not to say that our cosmetic bags need to be lacking in quality products. More than ever, drugstores are carrying affordable alternatives to popular prestige products. Need some proof? Here are a few of my latest budget-conscious finds that will make you think twice about dropping tons of cash on their high-end counterparts.

March 2014 Wish List

While logically I know the start of spring is only a few weeks away, the never-ending cold weather has started to make me feel like I'm going to be eternally stuck in wintery despair. A mountain of snow still looms in front of my condo, with no chance of melting in sub-artic temperatures. But, since getting Mother Nature to cooperate doesn't appear to be an option, I've decided to try and stay positive by focusing my attention on other things. Namely, making a wish list of all the beauty products I'm currently lusting after.

Fall 2013 Shopping Spree

So...I may have gone a bit crazy with beauty shopping in the past couple of weeks. Between the sales and coupons and gift cards I had, it would have been silly to resist. I'm planning on writing more detailed posts reviewing all of the products I got, so be sure to check back most likely over the weekend when I have a chance to finish that project up. In the meantime, I did a quick (okay, so maybe it's not so quick) overview of my Sephora and Kohls hauls and my first impressions of the products I've tried so far.

October 2013 Favorites

Hi everyone!

So I know it's a bit early in the month, but I've got a bunch of October favorites to share. I'm leaving for California tomorrow (squee!!), and I tried to take advantage of the free time I had this weekend to film. I made the executive decision to not take my laptop to the west coast with me, so I won't be writing any posts until after I get back. I will, however, be bringing my camera and my phone, so keep an eye on my twitter and instagram feeds if you want to see what I'm up to in sunny southern Cali.

I am also bringing my Kindle fire, with the intention of reading the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy (it's been on the to-do list forever). We'll see how well that goes.

Anyway...beauty products!

Garden Party & A Fresh Summery Makeup Look

It's Monday.

I'm not exactly thrilled that the work week has returned. I had such a lovely and relaxing weekend, and I really wasn't ready for it to end. 

A friend of mine threw a get-together on Saturday at her parent's house. They have a spectacular back yard. My inner photographer was seriously geeking out. Now, when I say spectacular, I mean complete with an abundance of picturesque plants and vegetation, a Koi pond (with mini waterfall, of course), a pergola, and an enormous vegetable garden. So, on top of being constantly inspired to take beautiful pictures, I also got to sit back and enjoy the beauty of nature with a glass of wine in my hand, surrounded by the company of good friends.

I can't really think of much else better in life.

So, without further adieu, here are some of my favorite shots of the day.