Just Fab: Countess Handbag Review

Countess from Just Fab 

Around November of last year I heard about Just Fab. I know most of you already know about it but if you don't it is a monthly subscription service and stylist create a boutique for you and you can shop what is in your boutique or anything on the site. If you decide to skip that month you aren't charged but if you don't skip and don't pick anything out you will be charged on your credit card but you will have a credit on your account so be forewarned that you will have to keep an eye on your account etc.

Anyways I found a cute bag back in November from Just Fab called the Countess

Adorable bow!

It is a satchel bag with a removable shoulder strap, it has two small bows on the front along with some contrast piping. I couldn't resist the bag. Seeing as I bought the beige color I decided to hold off using the bag until the spring time. Well it is spring now, and I wanted to mention the bag because it is terribly cute and I think a pretty good deal. The bag is made from PU and I can already tell the problem with the bag is going to be the black piping on the edges of the material. That type of piping tends to peel off. That being said the bag is so unique to what I could find out in my local stores and if you are like me and you have a lot of handbags having a few that aren't made the best should be just fine.

You can see where some of the pipping is coming off (this is the backside of the bag)

If you want a bag from Just Fab to be your everyday bag in my opinion the Countess won't hold up, I can't speak to the rest of the collection but I imagine that all of the bags are about the same quality. If you are like me and own ALOT of bags and rotating them often you shouldn't get too much wear from using a short period of time. I think the styles offered at Just Fab are worth the price. I have skipped every month since my first one, the next time I want a unique bag I will check out Just Fab before I hit my local mall though. 

Have you bought a bag from Just Fab? How was the quality?

Here is a link to Just Fab.com if you want some more information 

XOXO,

Katie 

*Merchandise was bought with my own money and all of these opinions are my own. 

Best of Spring Lipsticks!

As I am sure you are all aware bright lips are the biggest trend right now for spring. Over the past six or so months I have gotten really into lipsticks so I thought I would share my favorite bright/spring time ones.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain, from Top to Bottom is Rimmel London Moisture Renew, Maybelline Vivids, Maybelline Color Whisper, Revlon Lip Butter and Revlon Lip Butter

Firstly I love the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish 015. I had been using Honey and wasn't all that impressed with it, it isn't quite the right tone for me, the other day I took Cherish out of my collection and opened it for the first time. It is the perfect color for spring I think.

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Coral Shimmer 120.This one isn't that bright but it can be built up to a brighter color. I really like the lipsticks I have tried from Rimmel and they are so inexpensive which is a bonus. 

L-R Rimmel London Moisture Renew Coral Shimmer, Maybelline Vivids Pink Pop, Maybelline Color Whisper Oh La Lilac,  Revlon Lip Butter Sweet Tart,Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain Charish

Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart 090. This is another one that you can build up to be really bright or more subtle if you choose.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Oh La Lilac 90. This is the only color I have in the lilac family and I love it. This color isn't the brightest (it isn't neon) but the tone of the lipstick is bright and can be built up for a bolder pay off.

Last is my favorite and the brightest of the bunch. Maybelline Vivids in Pink Pop 860. This is a great color if you like the Barbie pink tones. Best of all if you want something that only takes one swipe to get the color you want this does it. I have worn this as a bold statement and I have worn it really sheered out. Since I am still experimenting with bold lips I prefer to wear this lipstick sheer and with gloss on top.

L-R Revlon Lip Butter Sweet Tart, Maybelline Color Whispher Oh La Lilac, Maybelline Vivids Pink Pop, Rimmel London Moisture Renew Coral Shimmer, on the bottom is Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain Charish

Oh La Lilac and Pink Pop are my two favorites right now!

What are your favorite lipsticks for spring? 

XOXO

Katie

*Everything mentioned above was bought by me and these are all my own opinions. 

March Ipsy Review

So this is my 5^th Ipsy Bag and the nautical theme bag is by far the cutest one I have received. Seriously I LOVE it. The contents are a mixed result for me though.

LA Fresh Towelettes- I was very excited to receive this because I just ran out of my current makeup remover towels and I have yet to find my go to brand. Unfortunately this brand isn't it for me either. The wipes work fine but the sheets are a little thin so they were starting to break apart before I was done using them. They also stung my eyes a little.

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist- I have never used a mist like this before so I was interested in trying it. The size of the bottle is what has me the most excited, the spray itself is alright. I feel like the way it sprays out isn't quite right so I tend to blend out the product on my face. This would be nice if you find yourself with a very dry face since it is quick to use.

Yaby Eye shadows  These are my least favorite thing from the bag. I got seashell which is a cream color with shimmer and azalea petal which looks like a nice brownish-purple in the pan but no color shows up on my skin.

Glam RX magnetic palette- I was the most excited to receive this since I have been wanting a Z-palette but they are so much money to invest and I wasn't sure how it would work out. This is a great chance to try the concept and buy a larger palette if I like the whole de-potting my eye shadows  The size of the palette is a bit small but great if you have mini eye shadows like Yaby or last month’s Coast Scents. I am looking forward to trying to de-pot some of my single eye shadows and put them in my Glam RX.

Overall I liked the bag. Not quite as exciting as other months but the cute nautical themed bag and the Glam RX magnetic palette made up for that! 

For more info about Ipsy go here! http://www.ipsy.com/

Are you part of a monthly subscription service? 

XOXO Katie 

*I pay for the monthly subscription myself, this is my honest opinion of the bag. 

Jasmine Eyeshadow Palette's

I LOVE Disney, I always have and I always will. I dropped the ball with the Cinderella collection and was only able to get the Midnight Hour Eyeshadow Palette from Sephora. For the Jasmine collection I jumped at the chance to buy the two eyeshadow palette's.

This is the outside cardboard packaging for both palette's

I bought the Magic Carpet Ride Eyeshadow Palette ($30 from Sephora) and the Storylook Palette Vol. 2 ($55 from Sephora).

Storylook Palette Vol. 2

Magic Carpet Ride Eyeshadow Palette

I think the interior packaging for both of these sets are so cute, I will have these out on display. 

Here is a look at the colors inside the Storylook palette

                                      

                                                    Here is a look at the colors in the Magic Carpet Ride Palette 

                                                     

Both palettes have lots of shimmer. I haven't had a chance to play too much with these. I decided to swatch the Magic Carpet Ride Eyeshadow Palette to see what the color pay off is like. I was surprised how the colors look, this will be great for the spring! 

I am hoping to get a lot of use from these eyeshadows but lets be honest I bought these for the novelty not the actual wear of the shadows. If the eyeshadows look great then that is a bonus in my opinion. 

For the complete collection go to Sephora's site or to your local Sephora. 

What do you think of the Disney collections from Sephora?

XOXO Katie 

*I bought these products with my own money and all of the opinions are my own! 

Fresh Brewed Beauty by Laura Geller

As many of you probably know Ulta is doing their 21 days of beauty. I love a good deal and they have a lot of other items at good prices as well that aren’t part of their daily specials. I couldn't resist Laura Geller’s Fresh Brewed Beauty set for $39. It comes with Balance-n-Brighten in the shade medium, Baked Impressions Blush in Mauve Mocha Latte, Baked Highlighter in French Vanilla with a two sided sponge brush, Baked Impressions Eye Palette in Espresso Yourself and Color Drench Lip Gloss in Café au Lait. Plus the packaging looks just like a bag of coffee beans which is so stinking cute. 

Looks just like a bag of coffee beans!! So cute. 

I have a few of LG’s products and I have always been impressed and I knew that $39 for this kit was an amazing deal plus I LOVE coffee so how could this kit be wrong. Let me tell you I did my whole face in this set the next day after I got it and was so impressed with the look, it is such a natural look which is something I never thought I would like. Usually when people create natural or no makeup type looks I am not that interested. This is a gorgeous look that really works for my coloring. 

The Blush and Eye shadow have coffee bean impressions on them. So cute. 

I already own Balance-n-Brighten in Medium which is a shade too dark so I have to use this powder foundation lightly.

Mauve Mocha latte- wears on the skin like a soft mauve. 

The Baked Impression Blush in Mauve Mocha Latte is gorgeous, this shade for me is the perfect blushing shade that looks really natural and can be built up. I sometimes like a bolder blush look it makes  me look more awake. This is a matte blush shade which I don’t have many of so this is a great one for any collection. 

The shades read like a soft cream, medium brown and a soft dark espresso brown

The Baked Impressions Eye Palette in Espresso Yourself is three neutral brown and cream shades. The three shades are matte and make a great everyday look or would be great to pair with shimmer colors as well to make a more dynamic eye color. I see this palette being great for travel because it will help create any look you may need.

The Baked Highlighter in French Vanilla with the brush was the big reason why I wanted this set. I had heard about her highlighters before as a great multi-tasker. I am so glad to have gotten it in the set because it is exactly what I wanted. It gives a very subtle highlight. I have a few highlighters and they are all very shimmery which is great but not for everyday. The sponge applicator is something I have never seen before and I think what makes this highlighter system very unique. Since this powder is baked it looks creamy on the face which I think is flattering

The color here looks much pinker then it does in person.

The Color Drench Lip Gloss in Café au Lait is a deeper nude lip shade which like the rest of the kit is great for work and everyday wear. The color also lasted pretty well on my lips, it leaves marks on cups but it almost seemed to stain my lips so even after drinking some coffee I had the gloss color left on my lips. Which was a pleasant surprise and I will likely wear this on its own or layered with other glosses for varied looks.

L-R highlighter, blush, the three eye shadow shades and the lip gloss is beneath the powder swatches

Overall this kit creates a beautiful everyday or work day look. I would encourage anyone to give this one a closer look because the deal is amazing and the products create such a beautiful look that is one that I haven’t seen before. If you haven’t tried Laura Geller cosmetics I think this would be a great way to see the range of her products and how they work. If you are like me and don’t have a lot of matte shades in your collection this will be a nice way to add them in.

This kit is also on LG’s site for $60 but you can choose your foundation shade so that is also a place to consider buying this if you don’t think the medium shade is right for you. I decided just to buy if from Ulta since I know that the medium shade is use-able for me and if I get color over the summer it should be a better match for me. I also will use the darker veins in the foundation as a contour.

Ulta.com is out of this collection but I bought this kit on Tuesday and my store had 10+ sets left. I would suggest calling your local Ulta to see if they still have it. 

Please let me know if you have this kit or what you think about it! 

XOXO Katie 

*This kit was bought with my own money and this is my honest opinion of the kit. 

January Ipsy Review

This month’s theme is “A True Star Will Always Shine” the super star items are a Soho makeup brush which I got the concealer brush, Josie Maran Argan Oil, Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter, Big Sexy Hair hair spray, and Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Bloody Mary.

Soho Makeup Brush, I was hoping to get the crease brush so I was a little disappointed to get the concealer one instead. However I have been on the hunt for a concealer brush that will work under my eyes. So far this one is doing the trick. The packaging claims that the handle is ergonomic and this feature really makes a difference in how comfortable it is to hold. Soho brushes can be bought at Walgreens.

Josie Maran Argan Oil (.17oz) I love this stuff so I was excited to see it would be included in this month’s bag. I was beginning to get low on my current bottle which happens to be the same size. I use a small dot to mix in my eye cream, and if I want to boost up my body lotion. You can put this on your face as a moisturizer which I have done a few times but not on a regular basis. Adding a few drops to a bath or foot bath really makes a difference too.

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter (2.5 oz) smells amazing. I have a huge influx of lotion right now and to me this smells more summer like so I am going to save this until the warmer months come. The formula is really nice and you don’t need a lot to feel moisturized.

Big Sexy Hair, hair spray (1.5 0z) is a great size for me since I never use hair spray. It is something good to have on hand in case I experiment with an up do or curl my hair.  I am familiar with the brand and I am happy that it is a nicer brand of hair spray then I would have ever bought myself.

Nailtini Nail Laquer in Bloody Mary (.5 oz) is a orange red which isn’t my favorite tone but I do love having more red nail options. I tend to like the more berry toned reds so for me this may be for my toe nails or once it is the summer. I love Nailtini and I am glad to see more of it in another box (previously received a glitter top coat in November’s bag).

I am very pleased with the bag this month, they are essentials that most people will need I am most excited about the argan oil and the Pacifica lotion. I am already looking forward to next month’s bag!

If you want more information about Ipsy please visit there site here.  

*This bag was purchased by me and all of my opinions are my own. 

Getting Physical

It’s a new year and at this point some of your resolutions may have already been forgotten. So hopefully what I have to say will help invigorate your own goals. For me I want to get more fit. I know what you are thinking “Oh great another person wanting to lose weight” for me it is not about weight but how I feel. When I was working on my bachelor’s degree I worked out at least an hour every day. Since graduating life has gotten in the way and all of the weight I previously lost has come back and then some. At my lowest weight I was still very curvy and wearing a size 18, now I am a size 24. I just don’t feel comfortable in my own body. I have decided to stop letting my life go by and start working out again. So right before the holidays I went shopping for some new active wear. The best way to feel motivated about something that will be hard is to get new clothes (at least that is how I feel). All I had before were comfy yoga pants that I wear around the house so true workout pants were needed. Somehow JCPenny entered my mind so I went to their site JCP.com and OMG I am so glad I did.

I did some research on where to buy some workout clothes but the things I liked were out of my price range or in my price range but nothing I really wanted. When I check out JCP’s site I was so impressed. Usually plus size workout wear isn’t plentiful in stores or super ugly. So I was thrilled with all of the options I found on the site but what was even better I went to my local store and found almost as many options. Even the pieces I loved online were in the store. The pieces are very cute and it seems like half of the collection is on sale. Seriously I hadn’t been to JCP in years and now I am a little obsessed! It is taking all of my restraint not to buy the whole line.

I can’t wait to explore the rest of their clothing.

What are your opinions on JCP?

Do you have any suggestions of where to get great active wear? 

What I am wearing: 

Photo 1: ruched shirt, deep violet find it here

             double band pants, charcoal find it here

Photo 2: striped mesh sweatshirt, mint find it here

               loose fitting pants, black find it here
Photo 3: Dr.Scholls walking shoes find it here

All of the items mentioned above were purchased by me.