about going nude for the summer.

Nude makeup that is!

Hello Friends! 

Nude makeup is a massive trend this summer. I’m not usually one to follow trends but I can’t deny that I love the look of nude lips and clean makeup. I decided to put my reservations aside and jump on the bandwagon for once. These are the nude products that I currently own and my thoughts on them.

 Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in 005 Nude

I was so excited when I saw this brand of eyeliner in a nude color. I already own the 001 Black kohl pencil and I love how easily it applies and that you can smudge it across your waterline for an edgy look. I also have the Soft Kohl pencil in 071 Pure White, which I use as an inner eye highlighter and on my waterline to brighten up my eyes. However, I just recently tried the nude version for the first time and I have to say it doesn’t do much. It did cover up the marks my mascara left in my tear duct area but other than that I didn’t really notice a difference. It’s almost as if you’re not wearing eyeliner at all which, maybe that’s what it’s supposed to do but why pay money for a product when you can just simply not wear eyeliner in the first place? Maybe I’m missing the point but it seems rather redundant to me. It is a nice eyeliner and I’m sure I’ll use it simply because it sits in my makeup bag but other than for a natural, nude look I’m not sure what more you can do with this one.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 14

This lipstick is very misleading. It’s gorgeous under the bright lights of your nearest drugstore, but I wish I’d read the reviews on it before buying it. I have extremely pale, nearly see-through skin and this color does nothing for me. If you apply more than one coat it turns brown/beige and looks too harsh. However, I found that if I apply a small amount then finish it off with a pink colored lip-gloss it works perfectly. The downside is that you have to be extremely careful applying this especially if you’re out somewhere. This isn’t a lipstick you can apply without a mirror unless you like that dark, back from the dead look. The upside is that this tube will probably last me a lifetime because of how sparingly I apply it.

Maybelline Baby Lips in 030 Peach Kiss

Okay, so I’m guilty of being a fan of Baby Lips since before I discovered this shade. I also have the peppermint one that I use constantly. This nude color is exactly what I was looking for in a lip color. Now this is a color you can apply on the go, without a mirror and without worrying that you’ll look like you just dug your way out of a grave. The formula is so creamy and moisturizing and the color is buildable so you can choose how much or little you want to display. This tube has made its home in my purse and I have to say I find myself picking this over my Kate Moss lipstick most days. It’s an effortless, fun color and that’s exactly what I was looking for

Almay Liquid Lip Balm in 200 Nudetrients

This is the pink lip gloss that I’ve been applying over my Kate Moss lip stick. This lip gloss which is actually called a liquid lip balm over on Almay’s website is lovely. It’s light and cheery enough to use on it’s own but also pale and sheer enough to enjoy as a glossy coating over your favorite color. This color is on the edge of nude/baby pink and I adore it. It helps that there are subtle sparkles in it to pick up the light on a warm spring/summer day. Also, it smells like icing, if that doesn’t sell you I don’t know what will.

 

 

Here are some pictures of me wearing the Rimmel London eyeliner pencil and the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm on a night out! 

See you soon friends, 

Lynn

she has a salt addiction.

Hello Friends!

I want to tell you about something that I’m completely obsessed with: Himalayan Salt!

 

I’ve just recently discovered these products and now I’m seeing them in more and more stores and I cannot tell you how happy it makes me. 

Well, maybe I can because I’m about to.  

So, it all started this past Christmas, when my aunt asked me what I would like as a gift. I told her that I’d seen these lamps recently, I had no idea what they were for, I had no idea what they did but that I really wanted one. So, soon after that we took a trip to our nearest Walmart and we found one for about $15. Now, these lamps are pretty heavily packaged, there’s no telling what yours will look like until you get it home and unwrap it which adds an element of mystery when purchasing one. Usually, I’m not someone to buy something sight unseen but this is how badly I wanted one of these lamps. I got it home, unwrapped it and discovered my little plump, crystal lamp sweating slightly from being confined for so long. I was so excited to plug it in and light it up. To me it looked like a dragon egg with fire pulsing from within and I stared at it for about 3 hours straight. That’s when I knew I was hooked.

 

Shortly after that I discovered food grade Himalayan salt in a grinder that you can use in place of your regular table salt for added health benefits and a cute pinkish color on your food. I just recently tried this salt (along with a generous amount of butter) on corn on the cob and it was delicious. I’m planning to research more ways that I can use it because this salt is seriously taking over my life.

 

Today I went to HomeGoods for the first time ever which, I have to say, what an amazing store. They have everything you could ever need when decorating your home. I even saw a bright red London telephone booth bookcase that I wanted to take home with me. Alas, I am poor so the other thing that caught my eye was a small votive candleholder made out of (you guessed it) Himalayan salt. It was the only one I could find in the store and it was only $4 so I knew it had to come home with me. As soon as we got home I put it right next to my Himalayan salt lamp with a dimmer switch (something the lamps at HomeGoods did not have which is really a bummer) and lit them both up. Together they sat glowing happily, casting a cheery pink light over the walls and I could have sat there photographing them for hours. They are my absolute favorite things.

 

I really like the look of the more natural, raw Himalayan salt lamps and candleholders. I prefer them to look like giant chunks of salt that have been carved out of the earth instead of the polished versions in unnatural shapes, like circles, squares, etc. They even sell a version shaped like an elephant, no thank you.

 

These lamps come in a few different natural colors, the ones I have are a nice peachy pink color but I’ve also seen some darker almost plum purple and translucent white ones. From what I’ve read online, these lamps are supposed to act as air purifiers and clear the space of allergens and pollutants. They are also used to calm and relax the mind and body. Despite whether or not you believe all this you can’t deny that they’re lovely to look at. I do find myself feeling calmer and happier while watching my lamp or candle glow but we already know that I’m biased.  

See you soon friends,

Lynn

directions are the key to successful skincare.

Hello Friends!

If you’re anything like me and/or you’ve been living under a rock you might not know that there’s this thing called moisturizer for your face. Well friends, I did not know this. Rather, I did know this but I thought moisturizing your face was just simply putting lotion on it. So, over the years I’ve just been plastering my face with my daily body lotion, which is currently Lubriderm Shea and Cocoa Butter formula. 

Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion Shea + Enriching Cocoa Butter

During the cold, dry winter months this actually helped to smooth out my dry skin but as soon as it started heating up outside I started to notice a lot of breakouts on my face. I decided to take a stroll down the lotion aisle at our nearest Walmart and was excited/baffled/completely confounded by all of the different choices. I finally decided on a brand that I’ve been wanting to try for a while, Simple Skincare. 

Simple Skincare Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15

I’ve been seeing this brand advertised everywhere lately and of course they’re from England (if you know anything about me then you know I’m obsessed with the Motherland) so I was beyond excited to try it out. I love this lotion. Not only does it moisturize without leaving that greasy, oily film behind but it also has SPF 15 in it so it’s perfect for wearing alone on a no makeup day in the sun. I’ve actually noticed my skin having less breakouts since I started using this lotion. Another thing that I love is that you can wear makeup over this lotion without feeling like you’re suffocating. You literally cannot tell you’re wearing anything once the lotion settles into your skin. If I had to find a downside it would have to be that the lotion smells strongly of sunscreen when you first apply it. Now, I’m not a major fan of the smell but seeing as it’s summer it doesn’t bug me that much. Chances are if you’re taking care of your skin you’re going to smell like sunscreen anyway so it really isn’t a big deal.

Unfortunately friends, my lesson is not over. Another product that I’ve been using completely wrong for oh, I don’t know about 10 years, would have to be my beloved Neutrogena Foaming Scrub. 

Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Foaming Scrub

For the past decade I’ve been using this product religiously. It’s my holy grail, go-to, never fail product and I just recently read the actual directions for the first time ever. Boy, was I in for a surprise. 

Directions: 

“Squeeze scrub into wet hands. Rubs hands together. 

Add more water and rub hands together to work into foamy lather. 

Apply to face and rub gently, avoiding contact with the delicate eye area.” 

So for about ten years I’ve been slapping this scrub right onto my face, rubbing it in, washing it off and wondering why it wasn’t working all the time. Firstly, before you state the obvious, no I’ve never asked myself why it was called foaming scrub when there was no foam. Except now that I know how to use it properly there is tons of foam and you know what it actually does what it says it should. Lesson learned: read the directions and save yourself time and embarrassment. I’m pretty sure I heard my toothbrush snicker at me. 

See you soon friends,

Lynn

we're going to be good friends :)

Hello Friends! 

This is my personal blog where I’ll bore you to death with my opinions and day-to-day trifles.

 

I’m 23 years old and living in the most beautiful state in the USA, Maryland.

I have three dogs who are like my little furry kids and who are spoiled beyond all reason. Yes, I bake for them. Yes, they take over my bed at night. Honestly, I don’t think I could get to sleep without their furry little bodies kicking me and making my muscles cramp up in weird angles because we’re a pack and we stick together.  

Ella, Aladdin and Todd

I’m definitely someone who likes to dabble. I’m obsessed with all things nature related. As I’m writing this I’m currently chasing a stray beetle around my house with a glass jar so that I can release it back outside. I believe in the Live and Let Live thing. You can always find me with a stack of books that I’m currently reading and I write when I feel like I have something worthwhile to say. I play video games because shooting zombies is therapeutic to me. I bake way too much for both humans and animals alike. One of my all time favorite pastimes is just hanging out with my friends. Yes, we drink on occasion (Wine Wednesday is an occasion). Yes, we’re loud and inappropriate (a.k.a. extremely fun to be around). I can be a bit morbid sometimes. I love all things paranormal and go on ghost tours whenever I’m in an area that offers one. Skulls, black cats, skeleton keys, black ravens, red roses, that’s all me. I think Edgar Allan Poe and I would have been best friends.

I’m one half of something called Buns on the Run, what’s that? You don’t know what that is? Don’t worry you will. My best friend Christa and I have always liked to dress up (and by dress up we mean dress up, just wait and see) and bake together. One day in 2011 we decided to start recording ourselves. Fast-forward to a few years later and we now have a YouTube channel and a food blog where we can broadcast our recipes and opinions. We’ve recently expanded into making videos about makeup, skincare and the random ideas that pop into our heads. You can find us on just about every social media that’s out there and you should definitely follow us because we’re fun and it makes us smile.  

Okay, I think I’ve rambled enough for our first introduction. 

I hope you’re not asleep drooling on your keyboard by this point.

See you soon friends,

 Lynn