NYX Avant Pop Eyeshadow Palette | Surreal My Heart

Confession. I'm a total eyeshadow palette junkie. If you've been following my blog for any length of time, you're probably already well aware of my obsession with sparkly metallics, matte neutrals, and everything in between. Even if most days I keep things fairly simple, I love having the option to go colorful or full-on glam at a moments notice. And like any true beauty enthusiast, even though I've already got a pretty bangin' collection of palettes at home, that doesn't stop me from wanting to try and discover new ones to recommend to you guys.

Enter, my latest find: the NYX Cosmetics Avant Pop Shadow Palette in Surreal My Heart. Inspired by the bold, colorful feel of Pop Art paintings, the Avant Pop Palettes are designed to help you unleash that inner Makeup Artist! Each palette contains a selection of vibrant, unique shades while also providing you a few softer, more subtle options if you'd prefer to tone things down. Ever since these palettes launched last summer I've heard nothing but good things, and I've been dying to give one of them a try. My general pragmatism has held me back so far ("Lauren...do you REALLY need more eyeshadow?") but a 5X points offer for NYX from Ulta gave me that final push to say "No...BUT I'M GONNA DO IT ANYWAY!"

Product Fails | More Things That Disappointed Me

Anyone who's been around these parts for a while knows I enjoy spreading the love and positivity. I get somewhat irrationally excited about new beauty products I've discovered and can't wait to share them with you guys. Unfortunately, one of the consequences of trying a whole lotta makeup is that you're bound to encounter a few duds. And, as your resident beauty enthusiast, I feel that its my civic duty to give you guys a heads up to the things that I wasn't a huge fan of. I want you to be better informed before you head to the store, and avoid the tragedy that is buyers remorse. And while I understand that throwing some shade at much loved products may offend a few, hopefully you can still at least appreciate my honest feedback.

So, if you're not already cozy, I recommend getting yourself a snack, maybe a cup of tea, and snuggling up for another epic beauty rant session with yours truly.

Shop the Stash | Eye Primers

Hey guys! It's time for another round of Shop the Stash. If you're new to this series here on my blog, it's all about taking stock of my current makeup collection and rediscovering old flames as an alternative to going out and hauling new products. I'm going to pull out everything I own of a particular category, show you guys a side-by-side comparison, and see if I've been neglecting any hidden gems. So far we've already sorted through my bronzer collection and my concealers, both of which ended up being incredibly helpful for me. I've been loving my Cargo Water Resistant Bronzer this summer, which had previously been buried in the back of a drawer somewhere, and I was able to say goodbye to a few tubes of concealer that were either old or mostly used up.

This time around I've gathered together all of my eye primers to see how they stack up against one another. Primer is a must-have for me if I'm going to create any kind of intensive eyeshadow look. However, I've definitely realized that not all formulas are created equal. Let's see how these ones compare!

A Little Birdie Told Me...Vol. 5 | Insta-Obsessed

Every time I run into someone who says they aren't a fan of Instagram, I can't help but wonder "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!". Twitter can be a little OTT for sure, and I get that Snapchat is silly, but to not like Instagram?! My brain has trouble wrapping itself around the concept.

As a blogger I feel like I'm constantly trying to boost all of my social media efforts, but hands down my favorite platform to invest time and energy into is Instagram. It's one of the easiest places to discover other people who share your hobbies and to support their efforts, it isn't overly spammy (my biggest gripe with Twitter), and most of all, it's a place filled with oh-so-much pretty. As someone who follows almost exclusively MUAs, fashionistas, and my fellow beauty bloggers there are a lot of gorgeous pictures to be had. After a few minutes I'm almost always feeling inspired - be it to experiment with a new look, write a new blog post, or add a new product to my wish list.

I've been thinking a lot recently about how I kind of let my A Little Birdie Told Me... feature fall through the cracks, and that it's totally a shame. There are so many other amazing people out there in the blogging and YouTube world, and for all of the support and positivity I've gotten, I think I'm long overdue to give some back. And so, what a more perfect way to bring back this series than by cluing you in to nine amazing ladies you seriously need to start following on Instagram. And if you're one of those aforementioned people who don't see what the insta-fuss is about, perhaps they'll be able to sway you better than I can!

Makeup Must-Haves for Oily Skin

Fellow oily skinned friends. Tis the seasons of our greatest struggles. It's funny, because after another long New England winter I was starting to believe that I could call my skin combination.

LOL...yeah no.

As soon as I start needing the AC my oil glands kick it into hyper drive, and all of my winter and spring makeup routines leave me looking like the greasiest of greaseballs. Fortunately, my years of testing and trying various beauty products have led me to a few wondrous shine-controlling bits that I always rely on come summertime. If you've ever watched your foundation separate or break up right on your face, seen your eyeshadow crease into oblivion, or notice your t-zone turn into an oil slick, these five products ARE LIFE. Even just incorporating one or two into my makeup routine makes a huge difference. So if you're ready to be enlightened in the ways of matte-ness, let's take a closer look.