September Favorites!

I feel like I'm a bit late on this post, but the last week has been pretty busy for me, so you'll have to excuse the late-ness of this post. September has been a pretty good month for beauty, so let's jump right in!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick -- Black Cherry & Milani Color Statement Lipstick -- Sangria. So this is actually a color combination that my friend Jas introduced me to, and I am obsessed. Together, these two lipsticks make the perfect deep oxblood color. I keep looking for a color like this, and it seems that I can only find the perfect shade when I mix these two together! I always apply Sangria first, then Black Cherry on top, to ensure maximum opacity. And of course I had to include pictures from Tumblr of when I first tried this combo on.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Lacquer -- Black Dahlia. Obviously, I've been loving the oxblood colors this month. But this color is absolutely incredible. If you are looking for an almost-black red nail color, this is the perfect color! The formula is incredibly creamy and fast-drying, and it has a pretty decent staying power. Keep in mind that most nail colors don't last on me because I work with my hands so much, so if you don't spend every day sewing for 4+ hours, then this will probably last even longer on your nails!

Maybelline The Rocket Mascara & Maybelline The Mega Plush Waterproof Mascara. This is another combination I've been wearing nonstop this month, and when I try to go for each of these mascaras alone, I notice a definite difference. I always apply The Mega Plush first, then The Rocket second. What I love about this combination is that The Mega Plush really separates my lashes, and acts almost like a primer for the super volumizing effects of The Rocket!

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette -- Triple Fudge. So being brilliant as I am, I forgot this palette at home back in California before moving out here to North Carolina. Go figure. Andrew sent a big care package to me, and he sent me my beloved palette in the box! Of course, I've raved about this palette for almost a solid year now, but I didn't realize how much I missed the shade Triple Fudge until I was left without it for almost two months. This is my go-to brow shade, and my brows are definitely loving having it back!

Mossimo Harmony Combat Boots. I featured these boots in the Fall Lookbook I posted not too long ago, and the reason is because I wear these boots almost every day. They are so easy to wear, and they don't do that weird sock slipping thing that a lot of boots I own tend to do. When I first saw these boots in Target back in August, I fell in love with them completely. I love the strappy studded detailing, and they're super easy to slip on because they zip right up!

What have you been loving this month?

- D.

Fall Lookbook

The leaves are starting to change here in North Carolina. This is the first fall I have had away from home, and it's the first REAL fall I think I have ever had at all! This past weekend, Andrew came to visit for my school's fall break, and we went exploring and sight-seeing here in this little college town of mine. I definitely live in a beautiful town, but it gets pretty chilly here, especially compared to what I'm used to! As the cool weather sets in, my wardrobe changes quite a bit, so I thought this would be the perfect time to do a quick fall look book to help inspire you!

This first outfit is perfect for a lazy school day, without looking like you just rolled out of bed (even if you did). The color scheme of this cozy thermal sweater is perfect for the fall weather. Something you can't see, though, are the adorable red elbow patches! For me, you can't go wrong with moto boots, especially ones that you can just slip on, zip up, and head out. I also paired a gunmetal watch with this outfit, so I'm never late to class! And of course, to tame your mane on a windy day, a cute beanie is a total must.

Beanie: Charlotte Russe - I actually bought this beanie years ago, so they no longer have this exact color, but here is a link to a very similar style!
Sweater: JCPenney
High-waisted Jeggings: Aeropostale
Moto Boots: Target
Watch: Charming Charlie - unfortunately, they no longer sell the gunmetal color, but they do still have this style!

This outfit is great for a cool night. It's perfect for when you want to look a little more dressed up, without being over the top or freezing! The girly floral print of the dress is balanced by the edgy flair of the black faux leather jacket, and of course, you can't go wrong with some tights to keep you warm, and some chunky heeled lace-up booties! To pull everything together, I added some dainty cream rose stud earrings.

Faux Leather Jacket: Aeropostale - I bought this years ago, so they no longer have this exact style, but Aero does some great high quality faux leather pieces that I have linked.
Dress: Target 
Booties: Forever21 - they no longer sell this specific style, but you can find a very similar pair at Target
Earrings: Forever21

This last look is great for anyone who wants to channel their inner 90s chick on one of those strange freezing-in-the-morning-but-scorching-in-the-afternoon days that I know places like California are notorious for. I went with a warm flannel shirt that you can easily just wrap around your waist when it gets warm for that laid-back 90s style, plus a basic white v-neck, some black shorts, and black tights, to keep everything else simple. To complete the look, I added some rings and some chunky cut-out boots!

Flannel Top: Aeropostale - another piece I bought years ago, but flannels are so in style right now. The most similar one to this that I have found is from Hollister, but of course you can always look at places like Forever21, Wet Seal, and American Eagle, which all have great selections.
V-Neck: Forever21
Shorts: Forever21
Tights: Walmart
Rings: H&M - their website has a terrible selection, so I would definitely suggest going into your local H&M and checking it out in person!
Boots: Tilly's

Of course I had to stop to pet a cat, and this photo is the only one that had a good shot of these boots!

I hope this helped inspire you and get you in the mood for fall! Halloween is just around the corner, then of course the holiday season comes up right after that, which I am so excited for.

What is your favorite fall trend?

- D.

Five Minutes to Fall

I was browsing the aisles of CVS the other day, and the display for the fall collection by Wet n Wild caught my eye. Of course, it was nearly empty! I decided that was a good sign that I should check it out. The entire collection is just what you would expect from a fall collection -- lots of deep colors with warm undertones. As I was playing with the palette I picked up, "Melrose at Night," I realized just how quick and easy these palettes are for an on-the-go smokey eye! It only took my five minutes to apply the shadows, and this palette is so easy to just throw in your makeup bag and head out there door.

To find this collection near you, Nouveau Cheap has this awesome Interactive Sightings Map that can help you out!

To start this look out, I used the Maybelline Color Tattoo Leather in "Creamy Beige" all over my lids as a base. From here, I moved onto the palette. I used the Wet n Wild Color Icon 5-Pan Eyeshadow Palette in "Melrose at Night," and obviously, completely ignored the labels that were embedded in the shadows. I used the pink "Crease" shade all over my lid, staying under the crease. Then, I mixed the brown "Eyelid" and taupe "Browbown" colors together, and rocked that into the crease lightly. I didn't want the crease to be overly defined, so I made sure to really blend these colors out.

For my liner, I used the blackened purple "Definer" shade (which reminds me so much of "Blackheart" from the Naked 3 palette, by the way) and smudged this along my upper lash line. I also winged it out slightly, pulling the color into the crease and feathering it out. I also used this shade on my lower lashline, then used the creamy "Base" shade to highlight my brow bone as well as the inner corner.

And that's it for the shadow! This palette makes everything so quick and easy. After I finished with the shadows, I tightlined my upper and lower waterline with the L'Oreal HiP Color Chrome Eyeliner in "Black Shock," which was actually my favorite black liner for the majority of high school. Of course, I curled my lashes, then applied one coat of my Maybelline Waterproof The Mega Plush Mascara, followed by my Maybelline The Rocket Mascara.

On my lips, I used the limited edition Mega Last Lipstick in "Sunset Siren." I was so shocked by this lipstick. While I usually love the original Mega Last Lipstick, it does tend to be incredibly drying. The formula of this is still matte, but so much more comfortable on the lips. The texture actually reminds me a lot of the Maybelline The Mattes Lipstick collection that just came out! Because the eye look is so neutral, you can definitely get away with a bold lip, and "Sunset Siren" is perfect for that classic vintage red lip that is always popular around the holidays.

- D.