ipsy Review - July 2014

Sooo. I didn't quite make it to church today. Between having family in town, and having a pretty rough couple of days with the baby, it just wasn't going to happen, but since I hate to disappoint, here's my July ipsy review instead. I know it's not quite as much fun, but it's something, right?

The theme for this month is "Sensationally Sunkissed" and I can't tell you how pleased I am that they DIDN'T send me some kind of bronzer or self-tanner. I just won't use that stuff. I was quite happy with most of what they did send me.

We'll start with the good.

Pur-lisse Pur-protect Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 (sample size)

If you've been reading my BIRCHBOX and ipsy reviews for awhile, you may have noticed there are a couple of items I'm really picky about. One of them is mascara, another one is moisturizer. I've got my favorites and products have to be pretty amazing in order to surpass those. This moisturizer is one of those pretty amazing products. It moisturized, it smoothed, and it protected. I even went on a couple of walks with it on in the heat of day and not even the slightest hint of sunburn. For my sensitive, pale skin that's a pretty big deal. It wasn't oily or heavy. It was perfect. The only downside? The price tag. I can't see myself paying $55 for a 1.7 oz bottle of moisturizer. That's too bad.

Bare Minerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow Broad Spectrum in SPF 15 (sample size)

Yes that's the whole name of the product. I received it in Barely Nude. I was skeptical as I am with most eye shadow, not because I have a favorite, but because I feel like most eyeshadow is pretty much the same. I know some of my makeup artist friends are gasping at me right now for that, but I'm just not that picky. This however, was fantastic. It was easy to put on with the applicator, easy to blend, and stayed on without any weird creasing or smudging. The nude color was subtle enough to make a difference without making me feel like I was wearing too much color.

Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm (sample size)

I received this in Unique Pink which is supposed to work with your PH to show up in your own personal pink color. I'll be honest, it pretty much had no color on me. I don't know if that's because my PH created such a sheer pink that it didn't show (which makes me think there's something wrong with my PH. I'm talking about PH like I understand the science behind it. Spoiler alert: I don't) or if that is just a fancy gimmic and it's more for a placebo effect of "oh look at my own personal pink!" Either way, the balm part of it really did moisturize my lips and it smelled nice. Overall it got my lip product seal of approval.

There wasn't anything in the bad category so we'll go on to the meh.



Clear Clinic Laboratories Vanished Clear Spot Treatment (sample size)

I'll be honest, this is in the meh category because I haven't had a chance to use it. I've been lucky enough to be breakout free for awhile so I had no spots to use the spot treatment on. It could be a fantastic product. It could be a terrible product. I have no idea, but since I can't use it right now, it's meh.



Model's Own Nail Polish in Red Sea (full size)

Normally I'm super excited about nail polish, so why so meh about this one? I don't do glitter polishes. It's just not my thing. This nail polish is perfectly acceptable as a nail polish. I just don't see myself ever wearing it.

Overall this was a pretty good month. Any month where there's nothing in the bad category is a good month, and there were more products that I loved than products that I didn't care for. Yes, I think that fits the definition of a good month. It's not exactly rocket science. High five ipsy.

If you're interested in joining ipsy, use my link here. I'm told if you use a referral link, you skip the waitlist, but I can't confirm that. I think it's worth the $10.

What I Wore To Church - Roses Are Radiant Skirt

Skirt: ModCloth Roses are Radiant Skirt
Top: LOFT Shirred Linen Tee in Perfect Navy
Shoes: ShoeDazzle Sailor (from a few years ago)

Wow. Just wow. That's the best way I can describe this skirt. It is seriously gorgeous and super photogenic. I only took a few pictures today because it was raining, but my eyes were just drawn to the skirt in all of the pictures. I didn't even notice that I forgot to put on makeup. The pictures still turned out great! Wouldn't you know I got it on sale? It was only $27! There's still some available in a 4X if you're that size, but it does run a tad small. The only thing that would make it better is pockets. I kept trying to put things in them all day and was disappointed every time when I realized they didn't exist.

You may notice I'm not wearing one of my signature cardigans. With the wow factor of the skirt, I wanted to keep the rest of the styling as simple as possible. I paired it with a simple linen tee from LOFT in a dark color to keep the print from becoming overwhelming, and simple flats in coordinating colors.  It's one of the easiest outfits I've put together, but already one of my favorites.

I'm trying to squeeze in as many florals as possible while it's still summer. I'll be sad to see them go (or at least have to tone them down) but I'm super excited for fall colors! Fall colors are a redhead's best friend, and I know I'll be wearing a ton of them soon. I need to start stocking up!

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore to Church - An Unusually Fall Outfit

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Camel
Skirt: ModCloth Breathtaking Tiger Lilies Skirt in Stem Green
Scarf: Zulily
Shoes: ShoeDazzle Omaira (from a couple years ago)

I'll be honest. I did not plan my outfit to look this "fall" and now that I see the pictures, I'm kinda kicking myself for not trying to work with different colors.  I was inspired by my sister's outfit last week. She looked so good in her scarf, and it made me want to plan an outfit with a scarf. I've had this cute summer scarf that I bought on Zulily for awhile now but I hadn't found anything to wear it with. It's so airy and light and I love the floral pattern. Also, I love infinity scarves because I'm too lazy to figure out how to wear the non-infinity ones.

Long story short, I tried on about 3 different combinations of skirts and cardigans and this is the one I liked the best. Now that I see the pictures, it definitely looks like a fall outfit. Oh well. I still thought it was cute. Just wrong season. Sigh. Well I guess I can't get it right every time.

Despite the season mismatch, I love this skirt. The last time I wore it I was pretty pregnant, but that just tells you how comfortable this skirt is. It's got an elastic back and pockets! I desperately want it in the mustard color, but it's been sold out of my size forever.

Should I talk again about the cardigan? I'll spare you. Hopefully by now you're well aware of my love for the Charter School cardigans and this is no exception.

Moral of the story, sometimes it's good to just dress in what feels good and ignore the rules.  In my world, fashion is about having fun and feeling confident. My world may not be the real world of fashion, but I'm ok being delusional.

Julep Review - July 2014

For the first time in a long time, I didn't skip Julep. I haven't been feeling them lately because I'd usually like one color, but not the other, or I wasn't interested in the extras, or I just didn't feel like paying the $20 that month. This month, not only did I want both colors, but I found 3 add ons that I wanted. Their Poolside Collection is a lot of fun!

We'll start with the polishes.

Lorenzana (Shiitake Creme)
Tamara (Lipstick Red Creme)

These were the colors included in the original Boho Glam box. I loved the taupe because I can wear it to work and it looks subtle but (forgive the pun) polished. I needed a good red as well so this box was perfect for me.

Lissa (Tumbled Turquoise Creme)
Vicki (Pink Flamingo Creme)

These were 2 add on colors that I chose because they just looked fun, bright, and summery. I'd been on the hunt for a good turquoise, and who doesn't love flamingo pink?

Since the lighting in my house sucks, I also took a picture outside in natural light. Lorenzana (taupe) and Vicki (pink) required 2 coats.  The other 2 were good with just 1.

Bare Body Milk

This was the additional item other than the polishes that came in the Boho Glam box. My hands were super dry today and I didn't put on lotion all day (totally on purpose because I knew my box was coming, right? Just kidding, I just kept forgetting to put on lotion but it worked out in your favor FOR SCIENCE) About a dime sized amount and my hands are moisturized and smell amazing. The dryness and cracking are gone. This stuff is legit.

Clean Slate Polish Corrector Pen

This was my third add on. These things are great! I usually use a q-tip to touch up my nails but this is so much more precise.  Plus, you may notice it comes with extra tips for when the end gets too dirty. Awesome! Now I can make it look like I did my nails right the first time instead of it looking like a toddler attempted it.

Octavia (Smoky Indigo Creme)
Soraphine (Classic Sheer White Creme)

This pretty set came as a gift because I chose 3 add ons! I was pretty excited about that.

(Wow, the lighting in my house is really bad.) Both colors took 2 coats. Clearly Soraphine is meant to just be glossy and not really a color.

So overall, I got 6 polishes, awesome hand lotion, and a polish corrector pen for $33. Sounds like a pretty good month to me!

If you're interested in trying Julep, use my link here. They are a subscription service but you can pick and choose which box you want each month and you can skip months! You can get your first box free with code FREEBOX (totally original, right?). Just pay shipping.

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Happy Independence Day!

My Outfit

Tank Top: H&M Lace Trim Tank Top
Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Navy
Skirt: eShakti Gold Buttoned High Waist Skirt
Shoes: ShoeDazzle Marva

Crystal's Outfit

Tank Top: Gap Essential Rib Tank
Cardigan: Tilly's Essential Elbow Sleeve Cardigan
Skirt: Navy Exchange
Shoes: JustFab Lainey
Scarf: Jersey Loop Scarf

Happy 4th of July! In honor of our nation's birthday, I decided to attempt a pin-up look by featuring yet another eShakti skirt that I got in their overstock section. I loved the high waist and the gold buttons, and of course I appreciated the fact that it had pockets. While dealing with an infant at church, I've realized that pockets are practically essential. Where else am I going to put her pacifier when she decides she doesn't want it? If I put it in my bag, it'll get lost in the bottom buried, under burp cloths and diapers. Clearly that's an item that you need within arms reach, but I digress.

You know none of my outfits are complete without the perfect cardigan to pull it together, and I'm so happy I snagged the navy Charter School Cardigan in their last sale. My other one (not ModCloth) developed a hole, and I was devastated. Everyone needs a navy cardigan, and this one is perfect. These cardigans are so soft and super good quality.

I'm not sure if I totally pulled off the pin-up look but it was fun to try. I may need some work on my pin-up posing. Does anyone have an airplane or a classic jeep that I can borrow to practice?

It was super exciting to have my sister in town this weekend, and our outfits complemented each other perfectly. PS. That was totally a coincidence. We share a brain.

I hope you and your families had a fantastic Independence Day and that you found a good sale or two to take advantage of.

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Blue Dress and Oxfords

Dress: Old Navy (last season)
Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Magenta
Shoes: JustFab Hall

It's no mystery that I love stripes, and since I bought this dress last year from Old Navy, it has been one of my faves because it's crazy comfortable (I've never met a jersey dress I didn't like). Usually I save it for 4th of July weekend and pair it with a red belt and red shoes, but I have something else in mind for next week. So, I decided to wear it this weekend and change it up with this awesome magenta cardigan from ModCloth. The look still feels mildly patriotic without being outright red, white, and blue.

Pink and blue is not something that I usually pair together but I thought it worked well. I'm going to let you in on my secret of how I decide what colors look good together. Sometimes I know there's a color combination that's hot so I'll try and figure out what I have in my closet in those colors. Most of the time though, I decide on what dress, or skirt, or shirt I have that seems fun, and then I hold it up against the cardigan section of my closet until I find a cardigan in a color that I think works.  I have the luxury of a very extensive cardigan collection (most of them Charter School Cardigans) but it's really helped me put some color combinations together that have become my favorite (navy and mustard, pink and orchid, sage and yellow, etc.). I know there are all kinds of charts out there that tell you what color families compliment each other, but really I just keep trying until I find a combo I like.

I tried something new with the shoes today too. I love these crocheted oxfords from JustFab, and I kept trying to wear them with skirts and dresses, but I just never felt like they were quite the right look. Today, I took the leap and went with it. Not only were the flats super comfortable and I wasn't worried about tripping with the baby, but I thought they looked pretty cute. My husband isn't a fan of them. He thinks they look like something you'd find in a grandma's attic. I however, love the vintage feel of them. So he can deal.

If you’re interested in trying JustFab, use my link here and get your first pair for $20. They are also doing a site wide BOGO right now so it’s worth a look-see. Standard warning applies that it is a shoe club membership so be sure to read the terms and conditions.

Also Old Navy is doing 30% off online right now. Never hurts to look. You might find your next favorite dress.

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Chambray Skirt with Mint-ish

Shirt: LOFT (last season)
Skirt: eShakti Pintuck PleatChambray Skirt
Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Jade
Shoes: ShoeDazzle Byrdie

Happy Summertime! Is that a thing people say? I'm saying it anyway. In honor of summertime, I decided to get a little matchy matchy and wear this awesome shade of minty green. It's not quite mint, but it's not a typical green. I'm sure someone will correct me on the actual shade according to the Pantone color wheel.

I don't normally wear the same color all over for 2 reasons. First, I have a hard time matching shades, and it's easier to wear complimentary colors rather than trying to match colors. Second, I think the styling of it is almost too easy (if you can get the colors right), and I usually like to get a little more creative. Obviously today I broke that rule.

I finally pulled out my non-maternity clothes in the closet and found this awesome linen shirt that I got last year from LOFT. I completely forgot I had it and immediately fell in love with it all over again. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to style my outfit around it.

The skirt was one I bought in the overstock section at eShakti last year with intentions to wear it as a maternity skirt (it has elastic smocking in the back), but by the time I decided to wear it, I was a bit too round to pull it off. But yay for it fitting now (and the elastic is still awesome). Also, POCKETS! I used to LOVE wearing denim skirts as a teenager because of the comfort factor, but they have since fallen out of style. The chambray trend has brought them back in a fun, new way. It's a lot lighter than denim so it flows better but it has the same neutral styling potential and is still really comfy!

I recently took advantage of a 30% off sale at ModCloth and picked up my favorite cardigan in a few more colors. When I bought this one, I was hoping it was going to be a good replacement for my Tilly's mint cardigan that has a hole in it, but unfortunately it's a bit darker. Still a great color though, and I was super pleased when I noticed how well it matched my stripes.

The shoes are another buy from a couple months ago that I could never find anything I was happy matching with them, but again I was thrilled with how well they worked.

Seriously, this outfit was the perfect storm of things I could never find the right styling for, but they fit together so perfectly. I have a feeling I'm going to be pleased with all of the possibilities that will emerge as I'm reorganizing my closet. I will have to get creative with a lot of it to style it on my new shape, but I bet I can come up with some fun stuff in the upcoming months. Stay tuned!

Happy Shopping!