march four favorites (and a fail)

Z palette (in rose gold)

Too Faced blush

Charlotte Tilbury brow pencil (in Grace K)

Clinique lipstick

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Glam Glow mask

beauty tuesday: using a Nivea's post shave balm as a primer + current foundation routine

While I love my pricey beauty products, I also really love finding an inexpensive option that works just as well. I found out about using a men's post shave balm as a primer through youtube (and only about a year late) but I've really been enjoying it! Below is how I use, plus my current foundation routine.

I'm hoping to do a few more videos in the future, so feel free to subscribe to my channel (although the videos will always be posted on here as well). I'm currently working on the lighting issue so hopefully the next video won't be as dark ;)

Nivea Post Shave Balm

Pur HydraFluid foundation in Light c/o

Laura Mercier foundation in Medium Ivory

Nars concealer in vanilla + beauty blender

Aesthetica palette c/o + Morphe brush E48

Smashbox powder in light/neutral + IT brush No. 101*

Bobbi Brown bronzing powder in natural + IT brush No. 108*
Bobbi Brown blush in Nectar + Sephora brush

Becca highlighter + Urban Decay blurring brush

Urban Decay makeup setting spray c/o

my lipstick is Clinique Pop Lip in Fab Pop 

* I misspoke in my video - these are IT brushes for Ulta, not IT cosmetics :)

beauty tuesday: my daily hair routine

I filmed a video a few years ago on how I curled my hair, but since it unfortunately was deleted in the great "switch everything to one account" of 2015, I re-filmed it (with better quality) this past weekend. This is how I curl my hair on mornings that I wash it, which is 2-3 times a week (dry shampoo is every girl's best friend!). It's not perfect, but I can generally do it in under 15 minutes total. Here's the video, and step by step (+ products) below!

• I start with semi-dry hair, usually I let it air dry while I'm putting on my make-up.
• I use Kiehl's smoothing + heat protection cream first - I have been using this product for at least three years now, and I can't imagine doing my hair without it. It smooths out my hair, makes it more manageable, and helps protect my hair from the heat. One bottle lasts me about 9 months. 
• Then I use Living Proof's style extender. I focus on the bottom half of my hair because that's where I want my hair to stay curled the most.
• Lastly I'll use my Aveda volumizing tonic (reviewed here). 
• My hairdryer is from Conair - it's alright, but I would like to eventually upgrade to something a little stronger.
• Once my hair is completely dry, I typically wait 10-15 minutes before I start curling it (I usually go have breakfast during this time). Then I will divide it in half, spray the bottom layer with Amika's texturizing spray (c/o), and back comb my hair. I find that the texturizing spray before curling really keep my curls around longer, and same goes for the back combing.
• Then I use a 1.5 inch curling iron, start in the middle of my hair, curl around, and then hold it horizontal. Holding it this way keeps it from getting too spirl-y. Once I've gone all the way around my head, I'll spray it all with L'oreal's hairspray. 
• Then I do the top layer, finish with a little more texturizing spray at the end, and that's it!

I always thought a good idea for a company would be to have women take videos of them doing their make-up or hair, and then having someone with more knowledge/experience tell them what they are doing wrong, so if you have any tips for me on how to get extra volume, how to make those curls stay, or must-have products, I would love to hear them! (and no stealing my million dollar idea please :P )

beauty tuesday: my daily make-up routine

While I don't talk about it much, I really love make-up. I'm constantly reading reviews online, and playing around with different products. Over the past few months, I've tried a few new products that have become staples for me, so I wanted to share! Here are the products I use on a daily, not-in-the-hospital, basis. I always want my made-up self to look like me, just better ;)

Let me know if you have any questions (and no judging my bare face!).

Primer: Urban Decay
Foundations: Laura Mercier (medium ivory) + BareMinerals (buttercream)
Concealer: Nars (vanilla) + Sephora brush
Powder: Smashbox (light)+ ItCosmetics brush
Bronzer: Bobbi Brown (natural) + Real Techniques brush
Blush: Urban Decay (fetish) + Real Techniques brush
Eye Cream: Charlette Tilbury (marie antoinette)
Eyeliner: Stila (intense black)
Eyeshadow: Stila + Crown brush via Ipsy
Eyebrows: Anastasia (soft brown) + Sephora brush
Eyelash curler: Shiseido
Mascara: Revlon + Too Faced
Lipstick (not filmed): Nars (roman holiday) or Bobbi Brown (pale mauve)

ps. need a new cute makeup bag? how cute are these dogeared bags? one of each please!

review: one love organics cleansing sponge + skin savior, and more

It's -15 degrees today, and so I've been fighting the good fight against my dry and flaky skin. Here are a few of my recent hits and misses when it comes to skin care for dry skin and acne:  

Amore Pacific Exfoliator: makes your face feel squeaky clean

One Love Organics Skin Savior: for those dry patches that won't go away

One Love Organics Cleaning Sponge: HIGHLY recommend this one!!

Kiehl's Spot Treatment: drying but works to bring breakouts down a notch

Peter Thomas Roth Mattifying Gel: for post break out, pre make up skin fixing

#hairspiration with vidal sassoon pro series

As a bunch of stressed out first year medical students, my friends and I don't get a lot of girly time to ourselves. We have to throw some professional outfits together in the morning, sit in lecture and anatomy lab all day, and then study into late in the night, so there isn't much time left for us to do fun things like watch our favorite TV show when it actually airs, or try out new hairstyles.

When Vidal Sassoon Pro Series offered to "host" a party just like that, we made sure to block of the night after our anatomy exam to do just that - watch our favorite TV shows (The Mindy Project and New Girl), talk hair and fashion trends, and try out different hair styles on each other. I love this kind of stuff - I've always been cutting/ coloring/ doing my friends' and siblings' hair, so I was super excited to get my hands on the gorgeous hair of my friends.

We were provided with a Target gift card to stock up on both hair supplies and treats. I bought one of every product, which worked out perfectly since each of the girls ended up taking home their favorite product. I was honestly surprised how affordable the products were - all were under $4! 

We started off the night with Kira, who has these amazing curls. My hair is pretty straight and boring, but Kira's hair just is so dang beautiful so I'm always jealous. We decided to go in the opposite direction though, just because we wanted to see what she looked like with straight hair!