beaute basics 24 pc. professional brush set

 I ordered a brush set off of groupon before christmas.  It was 30$ for a 150 $ brush set I couldn't pass it up.  I had to share the quality and review it for you guys.  This is the roll it came in.

This is how it came packaged. 

There are three eyebrow tools a comb/brush a spoolie and a angled brush.

there is a eyeliner brush a smudger angled brush and a flat brush.

These are the eye brushes.a angled brush, a small fan brush ,a pencil brush, a few flat shader brushes (one is a lip brush but I wouldn't use it for that), a few fluffy angled brushes, some fluffy blending brushes, and fluffy shader brush.

These are the face brushes. a powder brush, a blush brush, a large fan brush, another blush brush, a paddle foundation brush, a concealer brush, and a medium fan brush.

The quality is good I did notice some shedding during the first washing but I think it is just for the first washing.  I could have gone with a few less fan brushes and angled brushes and add some blending brushes and some foundation blending brushes like a rounded kabuki or flat top kabuki.  Other then that a great buy for the money for sure. 

favorite home diys

I thought I would do a post showing some of my favorite diy refurbs from over the years.  I know I have done posts on some of them in the past if there is a before and after post I will have it linked ;).  They aren't in any certain order and I am going to to fast because I want to get this done before my little man wakes up from his nap..

my dresser This was a refub from a few years ago it was a process over time but I love this it was 25$ from goodwill I love this piece.

 This is my hubbies dresser it is beautiful and I love it too I haven't found knobs I would like to change it out with yet so I have just painted the original ones.

 My cedar chest I drug out of a barn at a antique shop.  I looked for one to go at the foot of my bed for ages this one was 30$. 

 My sofa table this was one of my original projects.  It was a hand me down from a gf.  I love the curves and the way it turned out.

 This isn't furniture but I loved this diy so much.  I took the pics my gf took and blew them up on plain printer paper and decoupaged them to wooden boxes.  The top is chalkboard.

 My lace side table.  I took my time and found lace that I really loved the pattern on and then used a pray adhsive to keep it still while I painted the silver paint over it.

 cabnet make over  This was a hand me down from my gf pat last year.  It took some vision to see what this could be compared to the original . By this point I had ribbed the card board out that covered the openings.

 kitchen table.  For sure one of my all time favorites.  This was a 5$ find at the goodwill.  My hubby thought that I was crazy when I gave away our kitchen table and brought this guy home.  It was in quiet a state back then. 

 And this little area by the front door.  The shelf and mirror were more goodwill finds.  I painted them I have some milk glass gifts from my knit gurus, a bouquet from my wedding and a p I covered in twine.

Well Those are some of my favorite diy/ refurbs from around the house.  I hope you enjoyed them

oragnizing and protecting my ornaments

 I have been taking tons of picture and have tons of ideas for posts to share with you guys but I have a high maintenance little boy on my hands.  He currently has rsv and is sick because a coworkers children kept coughing on him last week!!!  I am a FIRM  believer in teaching your kids to cough and sneeze into their elbow (no one wants your germs people) So now this is what I have beside me at the very second in my bed. 

One thing I wanted to share with you guys is how a reorganized storing my christmas ornaments. I have been doing some hard core down sizing and reorganizing around here to help streamline things.  This was one project I wanted to get done. I normally wrap them all in tissue paper and it is a hot mess to deal with.  This year I grabbed a few apple boxes from my hyvee and cut them into pieces and hot glued clear cups onto them.  I stored all the smaller breakable ones on one

 Then stacked some of the non breakable flat ones on top

 then I had two peices of box left and I used these for the taller ones that are higher then the cups.

 I then stacked the other piece on top to protect these

After that i had a few pieces from inside the apple boxes and I used them for some of the bulbs and less breakable ornaments.

 Stacked the other on top.

 I stacked the cup/ cardboard pieces first then the apple box pieces this helps protect them more. 

It worked out soo well it was prefect.  I have them all in there safe and sound.

eye makeup haul and swatches

I bought myself some great eyeshadow palettes and had to share my thoughts and swatches.  

The coastal scents revealed palette I had to get this after I saw emily noels blog post about how 17 out of 20 are dupes for urban decay naked shades.  It was sold out and I signed up to know when it was back in stock not only did it come back in stock but was half price at 10$!!!  Beats paying 50 some for a urban decay palette! 

 Here are what the dupes are

 Here are swatches sorry so messy lol the left side is the top row and the right is bottom side.

Now another thing Emily had posted forever ago was that there was a forever 21 palette that had urban decay dupes but they no longer sold that one so I saw the Natural palette and thought it looked promising.  I believe it was 6$ and omg it is AMAZING quality.  The shadows are literally like butter and crazy pigmented.  I am in love.  I can't find it on the site but this looks more like what emily metioned

The last one I ordered was the nude tude palette by the balm from haute look It was on sale for 18$ 

Now tell me how freakin cute is this palette!!

 They are smooth, pigmented, great quality also.  I enjoy these.

Today I am rocking the forver 21 palette.  I also ordered some adorable stocking stuffers from there but I can't share those until after christmas :)

 Well I am off to have lunch with my handsome boys my hubby has 10 days off starting today!!  So we are going to enjoy the day with only Max James.  Have a great one guys.

best drugstore bold red lips.

 I was never a red lip girl until last fall.  I didn't think I could pull it off and it didn't look good on me.  Until I found one red lip I loved last year and I never looked back.  The great thing about a beautiful red lip is you can put on minimal other makeup some mascara and a eyeliner and you look chic and pulled together.  I have found some great drug store lipsticks that look great on everyone of all skin tones make your teeth look nice and white and there is one to fit in anyones budget.

Revlon lip butter in red velvet: it is shiny smooth and moisturizing slightly darker red. L'Oreal infallible in refined ruby: long lasting great not overly drying red lip with more of a satin/matte finish. Revlon color burst matte balm in stand out: This is a great matte long lasting nondrying lip it is a new fav.  But a great even cheaper alternative is elf matte lip color in rich red it is dirt cheap easier to apply and wears just about as well in my opinion and the remmil show off in big bang.  This is a liquid lipstick so it feels more like a gloss but is super pigmented and long lasting. On the end is a must for all bold lips a elf lip lock pencil you trace the outside of your lip and it helps prevent feathering or smudging also don't forget to exfoliate before applying my fav is the elf lip exfoliator.  It is awesome

In these pics I am wearing the revlon color burst matte balm.

 Now for those of you who just a not a red fan here is a few other great bold lip options I love.

Revlon fuchsia a great bright pink lip, wet and wild 908c (dupe for mac rebel) I love this but can be drying to balm before hand or after.  wet and wild black orchid not the longest wearing but nothing a good lipliner can't help and it is a great vampy color.

I hope you give a bold lip a try and find a option you love in here :)

favorite new drugstore steals and must haves

 I have some new products I have found that I am in love with and I have been waiting to get a chance to share them but Max has been keeping me busy.  He finally is taking a decent nap and I am sitting down to share this with you guys quick.  

Now this isn't the first time I have mentioned my dry skin and now that it is winter in Minnesota and below 0 degrees my dry skin is in full effect and I have been looking for a cream bronzer that I like for contouring.  I tried the sonia kashuk one that is around 10$ it was a bit orange for my pale skin.  Then I saw the elf cream duo.  I love the powder one and this one has been the best bronzer option cream or powder I have found in a long time.  I apply it with the elf small stippling brush and it work fabulous.

 Another thing that is amazing is the real techniques makeup sponge (you can find it at ulta) it is about 5$ and a amazing dupe for the beauty blender the closest I have found yet.  It seems to be holding up amazing I have used it allot and washed it tons and it is great!!!..

  This next drug store love it the elf lip exfoliator it is a lip scrub in lipstick form.  So you don't have to get your hands messy to scrub those winter dry lips.  It is a pleasant brown sugar scrub.  Can't beat the price I can't remember if it was 3$ or 1$ either way soooo worth it.  I do this after washing my face and top it with balm but you should also use it before...

 This amazing matte lip color from elf.  It is in rich red.  It is a prefect blue tone red that makes your teeth look white, it isn't drying, and it great to apply because it is a think pencil type instead of the fat ones you can be extra precise.  It is a great holiday color had great lasting power and is dirt cheap!!  What is not to love.

So there are my drug store finds for the last month.  I hope you give them a shot and I hope you love them  as much as I do :)

new mommy night time routine..

I think being a mom we need some daily routines to take time to make ourselves feel good and take care of our selves and my night time routine is one of those things I look forward to it most eveinings.  So I though I would share what works for me.Okay having a new born I don't wear make up everyday but at least half the week I make the effort to put on something just because I feel better and more put together when I do.  So that being said the first thing I have to do in my routine is remove my make up and I do that one of two ways.  

Option one is cold cream.  I love this I can't believe I haden't started using this years ago. I learned about on dulce candys channel (I don't add the avacado seed ).  I rub it all over and wipe if off with a wet wash cloth.  It even removes waterproof makeup!  It is great for dry skin also. 

Option two is my norwex make up remover cloths.  I love these they just require water and they scrub off your makeup.  If I have had a long day and am super tired I can lotion and stop after this step.

Next I wash my face and the current face wash I am using is this one by cervea.  I can't tell you how much I like it because it has only been a few days but so far so good.  After this I will remove left over mascara with what ever generic brand dupe for neutrogina eye makeup remover I have and a cotton round.

Anther option I add some nights is exfoliating my lips.  I am many ways I do this but my current fav is the elf lip exfoliator.  It is awesome non messy doesn't taste gross and is in a lip stick form. 

I then moisturize and I am using a cerave one that seems to be doing well.  (I am not sure this is the exact bottle because mine is blue but it has a pump)

On my way walking to bed I smooth a layer of this over my face and neck also.  It is 5$ for a giant tub and it works just as good as anything I have tried so far. 

Last but not least I have a little thing of this sitting on my night stand and I put a little on my lips to moisturize them over night :) 

Upon occasion there is a microdermabrasion or a face mask or eye cream but this was my low maintenance new mommy routine not my full out pamper routine.  What are your die hard products you use and swear by and can't skip.  I would love to hear.