DIY: Homemade Citrus Lip Scrub

Hello girls! Decided to write another DIY because they are so fun and simple! This one is a homemade Citrus Lip Scrub. It's absolutely divine! Lip Scrubs are great for exfoliating! The end result is soft, supple lips. Keep reading for directions on how to make this cheap lip scrub.

What You Need:
- 1 tablespoon of white sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil (preferably joba joba oil to avoid an olive oil taste!)
- 1/2 teaspoon of fresh orange or lemon juice
- a pinch of lemon or orange zest

- a spoon
- a small container

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients in a small boll. You can add more or less of each product to get the desired consistency!  Apply it to your lips. Then, you can use a toothbrush or your fingers to exfoliate. Once done, wipe the residue off and rinse. A lot of people eat the scrub off their lips, but whenever I think of that I imagine them swallowing all the dead skin they just exfoliated off! Kinda gross. Your choice though... Scoop any extra product into your small reusable container. Store in your fridge! It should last about a week.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Please follow and comment! Thanks so much for over 60 follows and thanks for reading. Bye guys <3

BACK TO SCHOOL SERIES- Essential #1: Backpacks!

Hey guys! Luckily, the place I am currently staying at has internet! I may not post as frequently because I am technically still away, BUT I will try my best!

In this post I am listing the most important back to school essential, a backpack. This is part of another series that I am doing: back to school preparation. Enjoy! PS: There will be a relevant beauty and fashion post, I promise! I chose to do backpacks first because it is the most basic and essential item :)

A backpack, satchel, or any container of some sort is one of the most important thing to have for school! Choosing a backpack really depends on the amount of books or workload that you have. Backpacks keep all of your belongings together as well as organize all of your books and other essentials!

Backpack

Heavy Duty

Heavy duty backpacks are designed for students who plan to carry a large amount of stuff. They are the sturdiest and have the most space. I would recommend a backpack that is not as "fashionable" and go for a Jansport or Swiss Army backpack if you have to take heavy textbooks home. Trust me, anyone would rather be comfortable with a practical large backpack that fits all belongings rather than a purse that barely holds anything! A luggage shop or Target has great options. 

Jansport Turqoise Backpack, North Face 'Borealis' Backpack

Cute Totes

If you have a second set of books at home, have a tote for in between classes, or just a light amount of work, a cute tote is the way to go! Henri Bendel has a great canvas tote bag with a ton of space for books! One negative aspect- tote bags can be uncomfortable! The weight on only one side causes some pain on my shoulders. If it does not bother you, then go for it! Here are some cute ones.

Juicy Couture 'Live For Love & Juicy' Canvas Tote, Victoria Secret 'Slouchy Tote'

Boho Satchel

These are cute too! Urban Outfitters and similar boutiques have these great backpacks that have a looser construction. I like these as well because they have plenty of space and provide a boho chic effortless look. Make sure you find one with plenty of compartments! 

Urban Outfitters Ecote 'Canvas Rusack', Urban Outfitters Kimchi 'Blue Rose Garden Backpack'

I hope this was helpful guys! Please comment on what you think about this post and follow! Thank you so much for your support and for reading this all the way through. Love you!!!

**REMEMBER to follow... giveaway if I get 100 follows by the end of the summer**

Update: 7/22-8/3 I Will Be Away! :(

Hey guys! So I have some news for you! For about two weeks starting tomorrow, I will not be present on this blog because of a quick vacation. But don't worry, I have a bunch of awesome posts following my return. Stay tuned for more tutorials, beauty advice/tips, and so much more! I love you guys so much, and thanks for your support! I can't believe I reached 60 followers, I am in shock. I actually have 59 but maybe someone will follow soon..? ;) Also over 4000 views on this blog! Unbelievable! Thank you thank you thank you. And REMEMBER... 100 follows by the end of the summer means a kick butt giveaway is coming your way :) I'm going to miss you guys... BYE <3

My FAVORITE Summer Scent! :)

Hi!! OMG I am loving this scent so much! I wear it basically everyday during the summer. Escada's "Sunset Heat" Perfume is honestly delicious! This perfume is my favorite daily scent. It is very tropical with floral notes and unique in it's own way. When I say "tropical", I do not mean the basic coconut sunscreen scent. It has it's own aroma that is very delightful. Some of the notes listed on a website I found say that there is "Papaya, Lemon, Mango, Pineapple, Watermelon, Peach, Hibiscus, Sandalwood, Musk, and Amber Crystals." The longevity is awesome, and the bottle is cute. This is kind of random, but the perfume bottle is INDESTRUCTIBLE. This bottle has literally flown off my bathroom counter and landed without a crack! Anyways, love this... you should go check it out. I am pretty sure I have seen it in stores but not sure about online. I could not find a full size of this specific scent on any major department store shops online, but it is available on fragrance sites and other websites.




Thanks for reading this short random post! Please follow and comment what you think of this scent if you have it! Love you guys... <3

Review: Maybelline One By One Volume Express Mascara

Hey readers! Today I am reviewing the Maybelline One By One Volum' Express! I have now owned this mascara for two months. I have had quite a while to experiment and test the product so I thought it would be a good time to do a review. I will be assessing the formula, packaging, and wand! Keep reading for "Before and After" pictures!

A Purse Essential: Hand Sanitizer

Hi lovelies! This post is about my newfound habit, carrying hand sanitizer in my purse! I never used to care about hand sanitizer because I never knew the severity of germs. One day, after doing some public service, I woke up the next morning feeling sick and horrible. It turns out I caught a nasty sickness at the place I was doing community service at! I literally stayed sick for ten horrible days. That's when I realized I needed to wash my hands and sanitize constantly to prevent future sicknesses. But to me, boring Purell Hand Sanitizer was not an option! I had heard great things about Bath and Body Works Mini Hand Sanitizer, so I went to my local store and checked them out. The scents are fabulous! There are like 500 choices, and the mini size is great to carry around. I love these so much. I picked out two, and headed home with a big smile on my face.

My two favorite scents that I picked out are "Fresh Market Apple" and "Island Nectar." "Fresh Market Apple" has a very concentrated tart apple smell and "Island Nectar" is a sweet mango and peach scent. I love these so much! 

IMPORTANT: Do not overuse hand sanitizer!! A negative trait about hand sanitizing products... The chemicals dry out your hands and strip off essential oils. That is why I recommend to use it in moderation and in small quantities. Remember to limit yourself and keep a hand lotion nearby! 

I still believe in keeping one in your purse because you never know if you will ever touch a random sticky service or shake a sick person's hand! I hope this was helpful and gave you some ideas about what to keep in your purse! Thank you so much for reading. Please follow and comment what your favorite hand sanitizer is! Love you guys <3

A Hot Pink Lipstick I Am Currently LOVING!

Estée Lauder 'Pure Color' Long Lasting Lipstick in

"Candy"

Estée Lauder 'Pure Color' Long Lasting Lipstick in "Candy"

Net Weight: 0.13 OZ

Company: Estée Lauder

Where to buy: Nordstroms, Bloomingdales

Link: Nordstroms

Price: $24

I have been loving this lipstick! It is a hot candy pink with tons of frost and shimmer. It has a nice texture and applies very evenly! Lipgloss is not even needed because this lipstick radiates on its own. I love that it has a creaminess to it as well. The longevity is pretty good. The pigmentation stays but the gloss does decline as time goes by. This is not the most neutral lipstick so I would not wear it to on a daily basis. It is awesome for a sweet sixteen or night out. I love love love it. Packaging is beautiful too. 

I hope this quick review was helpful! Please follow and comment telling me whether you like this lipstick or not! Love you guys!

DIY: Soothing Oatmeal Bath

Hey readers! Back with another DIY! I am going to try to get in a "Do It Yourself" post at least once every 3 weeks. Since I've focused on hair and face already, I thought I should do something for body! This oatmeal bath is extremely simple, residue free, and baby/kid friendly! If your skin needs an extra kick of moisture or something to soothe a rash, this is your go to recipe. Skin Care benefits, ingredients, and directions are listed below so keep on readin'! Love you guys.

Skin Care Benefits
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is an old trick that people have used to soothe dry/cracked skin, eczema, and rashes. It is awesome as a bath, scrub, or mask! Using this in your bath will leave your skin rehydrated, smooth, and supple. 

Milk: The most preferable choice for bathing is to use whole milk or one with high fat content. I chose to include powdered milk because it dissolves easily into your bath water! Milk is great to use because it is filled with proteins, enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants as well as Vitamins A, E, and D! Lactic Acid is also a main ingredient, which rid dead skin cells just like an exfoliant would. 

Honey: Honey is commonly used as an anti-aging ingredient! It is great for dry skin. It is considered a humectant. It rebuilds the moisture level in your skin without making it oily! 

What You Need:

- 1 cup of oatmeal

- 1/2 cup of powdered milk 

- 1 tablespoon of honey 

- A blender (ie coffee grinder, processer)

Directions: 
Put your oatmeal/oats in your blender. Blend until it has a powdery consistency. This will allow the water to soak up the oatmeal! You will get the most intense moisture through this step. If you leave your oats in whole pieces, there will be a residue on your bathtub and chunks of oats will be stubborn to go down the drain! After that step, mix in your powdered milk with the oatmeal powder. 
Now, fill up your tub with warm bath water. Add the dry mixture first and then evenly drizzle the honey into your bath. Wait around 1 minute to let the water soak up the ingredients. Jump into your homemade bath treatment and relax! 

I really hope you enjoyed! Try this recipe out and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading. Please follow! Thanks xoxo

LINKS TO OTHER DIY POSTS :)

Avocado Hair Mask
Home Facial

Taylor Swift Inspired Make-up Tutorial

Taylor Swift Red Carpet Look!

Hey!! One night I was browsing online and this picture came up. I thought it was beautiful so I decided to do a tutorial. Now, she has different skin than I and a different eye shape and color, so of course this look will appear different on me! The flash on my camera does wash out some of the color, so I do not appear as "sun-kissed and golden" as Taylor. Also, I didn't use false lashes like her! BUT the makeup is almost identical in real life...I promise! If you follow these steps you can create a similar face to Taylor's red carpet look. Enjoy!

SO! Taylor is known to wear heavy eye makeup and a bright red lip. She is sporting a warm honey brown smokey eye with thick black liner and prominent lashes. Her face is illuminated and she has a rosy bronze contour on her face. Signature red lips are sported with a berry gloss. 

Eyes: 

1. I put MAC's Bare Study Paint Pot ONLY onto my lid. I am using this as a base! Then, I took a MAC 239 brush and applied Stila's "Chloe" Eyeshadow from the It Girl palette all over my lid. Taylor is wearing yellow lids and golden inner corners so I thought this combo would be perfect. 

2. Then I used a pencil brush and put Espresso from Bobbi Brown on my outer corner only. I blended it in circular motions. 

4. I applied NYX jumbo pencil in "Milk" under my brow and in my inner corner. 

3. To define my crease with a warmer color, I used Urban Decay's "Buck" Eyeshadow. I also brought that onto my lower lash line. 

4. For eyeliner, Taylor is wearing a warm brown on her waterline and a signature black thick-winged eyeliner on her upper lash line. I applied NYX pencil in "Brown" on my waterline and Revlon's Colorstay Liquid Liner in black. I did an extremely thick line and dramatic wing. Make sure to bring the liner all the way into your inner corner waterline area!

5. Curl your lashes! Apply a curling and volumizing mascara. I used Maybelline's One by One. 

Face:

1. Apply a primer. I used Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. 

2. Taylor has a very flawless face. To achieve this use a full coverage foundation. I applied it with my fingers to melt it into my complexion to seem natural. Then I took a concealer and concealed any problem areas and my dark circles. 

3. Taylor has a very rosy bronze glow. On the hollows of my cheeks I mixed my NYC Color Wheel in "Bronze" with my ELF blush in "Glow" and applied it to the hollows of my cheeks!

4. To give a little more illumination, I dabbed a little bit of Stila's "Lillium" on the apples of my cheeks.

4. Then I took the same NYX pencil that I used as my highlight on my eyes and highlighted my cheekbones lightly! Make sure to blend!!!

Lips

This lip is darker in person!

1. Taylor is wearing a bright red lip. I used Clinique's Lipstick in "Angel Red."

2. To give more definition and the sweetheart shape to my upper lip, I lined them with a Stila lipliner. 

3. I then used Sephora's Super Shimmer Lip Gloss in "Bronzed Beauty" to darken it up. 

Thanks so much for reading! Try this look out and tell me how it worked out! Thanks for reading guys. Please follow! Love ya :)

Nail of the Week 7/14/11 Feat: Sally Hansen Salon Effects!

Hey everyone! Just a quick post about what I'm wearing on my nails! A trend that I haven't really picked up on until now is the accent nail on your ring finger. People usually paint their ring finger with a glitter polish that matches the rest of their nails. Instead of doing the usual, I applied an extra nail sticker from the Sally Hansen Salon Effect Real Nail Polish Strips! I am content with the results, so I thought I would show you! I have done this with a lavender and hot pink. I prefer the lavender but I have pictures of the pink. I give you two suggestions that would look awesome! Enjoy :)

What You Need

OPI's "Lucky Lucky Lavender", Salon Effects "Girl Flower", Love and Beauty (F21) "Pink"

Pictures!

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you try this! Love you guys and thanks for your support! Follow please! :)

My Favorite Blushes! [Swatches and Reviews]

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted for a couple days! In this post, I am listing my favorite blushes. I wear them year round! I think I am going to do a post how certain colors of blushes and how they are applied give a different vibe for each look. I have similar posts on highlighting and bronzing. Check those out in the archive column please or click the links I give at the end of the post! Thanks so much for reading <3

We can do it!

This puppy is telling you to follow me now. C'mon almost 50 followers! WE can do it!!! I'll even bribe you guys. IF I GET 100 FOLLOWS BY THE END OF THE SUMMER I WILL DO AN AWESOME GIVEAWAY!!! <3 Thanks so much for your support and I can't wait for this blog to grow.

xoxo,
Rebecca

Top Ten Skin Care Products Tag!

Woot! Woot! Finally did this tag! I was tagged by Mieu Makeup. I was really excited to do this post because I have not done a skin care post since April when I first started blogging. You basically list the top ten skin care products you have ever used! I have only recently gotten into skin care stuff, so I do not have much experience with multiple products to know what is the best in the world. This is just what I use on a frequent basis. I purchased every product! 

Rules

- Link back to the person who tagged you.

- List your 10 favorite skincare products.

- Nominate 10 other bloggers.

I am not really familiar with many bloggers out there so I tag EVERYONE!

I have dry skin that is very sensitive. I have the type of skin where I cannot put sunscreen on my face generously or I WILL break out. I do not use that many face products though so I am including body products in this post. Enjoy!

(From left to right) Eucerin Plus Intensive Care Body Cream, Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter, Aquaphor Healing Ointment (I use it as a intense moisturizer), Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock SPF 85

(From left to right) Borghese Crema Saponetta Cleansing Creme, Chanel Mousse Douceur Foaming Mousse Cleanser, Chanel Beaute Initiale Energizing Multi Protection Fluid SPF 15, Formula 10.0.6 Ultra Cleansing Mud Mask

(From left to right) Clean &Clear Morning Burst Body Wash in SPLASH, Bath and Body Works Coconut Mango Smoothing Body Scrub (on sale now!)

I hope you are inspired to try some of these products out! These are the skin care products I am currently using! (Not all at once though.) Unfortunately I cannot find the same Eucerin Lotion at my local CVS! I am mortified because it is my all time favorite lotion. If you guys have seen it, please let me know! I do have a few other products such as bath mixtures that I wish I included. If you want I will make another post just on those! Please follow and comment what you think! Thanks so much for reading, love you guys. <3

Beauty Tricks 101: Mix and Match FOR YOUR LIPS ONLY

Hey guys! This is the conclusion to my series! Woohoo! This is going to be the shortest post out of the series because lips are pretty simple.

Links to previous posts:
FACE  
EYES

Lips

Lipstick: If you have run out of your last lipstick or have indefinitely lost it in your purse, try blush! Yes, I said blush. This may sound weird, but for a quick fix to pale lips, dabbing some blush onto your lips will bring a beautiful pink, coral, or red flush to your lips! Sealing it with a lip balm will keep the color lasting throughout your day. If you do not care for this method, try buying a product that does both jobs! NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream works as a dual product as well as OCC's Lip Tars! They have the consistency of a gloss but have the opaque-ness of a gloss.

Lipgloss: A great makeshift lipgloss is vaseline! If you are ever at an event and are at a loss for gloss (ha) go to the bathroom and there will most likely be a tub of vaseline there! Take a q-tip or your fingers and smear it over! It is totally safe for your lips and will give a healthy shine without taking away the color of your lipstick.

My Summer Reads!

Hey guys! So I promise this will make sense as you keep reading...

I haven't been to a pool or beach once this summer! My absolute favorite activity in the summer is to swim in a hotel pool (has to be in a hotel only haha!) and then jump out, bundle myself in a towel, and read any story by Sarah Dessen or anything along those lines while drinking a hotel fruit or cookies and cream smoothie. Excuse my terrible sentence construction as well as my cheesy whining. But unfortunately I have not gotten to experience that feeling this summer! I've been annoyingly battling bronchitis and fatigue for quite a while now, so I decided to cheer myself up by reading a love story. I LOVE to read fiction. I prefer light love stories, but I do not mind heavy mysteries like "The Hunger Games" (which is awesome by the way.) On another note, I just finished "The Summer I Turned Pretty" by Jenny Han. I liked it, but didn't LOVE IT. I definitely wanted to read more and find out what happens in the future, but I was quite bothered with a lot of parts of the book. First of all, I was obsessed with Jeremiah and did not want her to end up with Conrad. Sorry if I spoiled the ending! Belly was slightly selfish, and I wished she and Cam's relationship would have ended sooner so that she could have actually built a relationship with Conrad or preferably, Jeremiah. I will read the second book, but I just wanted to get my opinion out there to see if anybody agreed!

NOW onto the post! Down below I have listed the books that I plan to read this summer as well as some all time favorites that I wish to share with you! This is not beauty related whatsoever, but it is a great option to stick in your beach bag if you do not crave freezing salty water or a magazine to entertain you!

If you are looking for a book that will fill you with happiness and slight envy of characters, check these books out! At the end of each of these stories, I have sighed with pity wishing I was in the main characters position. I love each of these stories as a quick read. 

LOVE

Mystery/Action/Adventure

This is if you are looking for a heavier read. "Burned" is a love story but it is a lot deeper and more meaningful. I LOVED every single one of these books so go read them! All of the books besides "The Lovely Bones" is a series of some sort. 

No Specific Category?

Partly love, family, friends category I guess. When I see these books I view them on their own. These are in between heavy to light. I love the authors and books and you should definitely check them out!

Thanks for reading! There are plenty more I could recommend, but I have the worst memory so I couldn't remember each book that I liked. All of these books were phenomenal though, and you won't be disappointed! Comment below if you have read any of these and what you think! Please please please follow! I really hope I reach 40 followers! Thanks so much for your support! Look forward to more beauty post as the summer rolls on.  xoxox 

(Sorry for the scatter brained intro as well...)

Summer Lookbook 2011 [Part 2]

Outfit 1

Shirt: JCrew

Shorts: JCrew

Purse: Forever 21

Shoes: Minnetonka Moccasins 

Jewelry: Leather Bracelet: Kitson?

Jade: Great Grammy <3

Outfit 2

Shirt: Forever 21

Shorts: Forever 21

Skirt: American Apparel 

Boots: Boutique 9

Belt: Vintage

Purse: Vintage Coach

Outfit 3

Dress: Topshop

Boots: Brown Ankle Boots from some place in NYC

Jewelry: Juicy Couture Charm Bracelet 

Makeup

Nails: Essie's "Turquoise and Caicos" 

Eyes: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in "Blank Ink"

Cheeks: Benefit's "Coralista" 

Lips: Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in "Papaya"