This Week I'm Loving...

Hello again, dearest friends. I am certain that this will be the start of some fairly sporadic posting by yours truly. My schoolwork has been extraordinarily stressful- I forgot how horrid it is. Expect some swatches next week. For now, take my This Week I'm Loving... post as a promise that I will return.

Music:

Avril Lavigne- Avril Lavigne: The eponymously titled fifth album from our pop-rock princess hits new highs and lows. Tracks like Give You What You Like showcase an emotional maturity not usually associated with Avril, but following songs Bad Girl and Hello Kitty remind you why. Other than those songs, it's pretty great.

Pure Heroine- Lorde: I've owned this CD since it came out two months ago, but even now I don't think I'm getting all of it. Marvelous, truly excellent. Ella has a gorgeous voice and a lovely sound, with honest lyrics and transparent delivery. Personal favorites- Glory and Gore, 400 Lux.


Books:

In the name of total honesty, I haven't read a single book other than assigned reading since school started. Instead I've been watching tv. I'm deeply ashamed. Last week I watched all four seasons of The Vampire Diaries. Does this point to some extreme mental issues?

Beauty:

I've fallen back in love with my MAC Dollymix blush, it's perfect for that rosy flush. Also, the Wet N Wild Fergie eyshadow primer is completely wondrous. It keeps my eyeshadow in place so much better than Primer Potion, NYX, Essence... Just great.  Finally, also from MAC, Cranberry has been fun to work into some seasonal looks. I'm moving out of my comfort zone into darker looks for daytime. Today I'm rocking a purple smoky eye, for example.



Much love,

Elizabeth Rose

Testing-

This may mark a potential, part-time return to the blogosphere. Stay tuned :)

This is... Goodbye

And it's breaking my heart. I won't be able to keep posting during the school year. This was a fun experiment, though. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back next year :)

-Elizabeth Rose

My Playlist- First Day of School

When I think first day back in school, I think upbeat. Even though it's a sad time, it helps to listen to peppy music. So, here are my first day back picks.

Burn- Ellie Goulding
What the Hell- Avril Lavigne
Wings- Little Mix
Slow Down- Selena Gomez
I Gotta Feeling- The Black Eyed Peas
Royals- Lorde
Spin- Cherri Bomb
Never Underestimate A Girl- Vanessa Hudgens
Everywhere- Michelle Branch
Long Live- Taylor Swift (and anything else by Taylor... they just scream high school)

Review- POP Bright Up Your Life in Naturally Bare

I had good intentions. I really did. But when I went to Ulta, this palette was calling my name. And since I am severely lacking neutral eyeshadows (muffled snort) it came home with me. What can I say? I am weak.

That all being said, I don't regret for a second buying the POP Beauty palette in Naturally Bare. Why? Perhaps you need some pictures.

First, the packaging is adorable. Flimsy, yes. But adorable, so it's forgiven. The shadows come in standard round pots. The bottom is rubber, that NARS-esque rubber that traps dirt and makeup like you wouldn't believe. Luckily, it's the bottom. Now, on to the shadows. All are swatched without primer.

The first color is a shimmery white. To me, it's reminiscent of UD's Venus, perhaps less warm. A nice shimmery highlight. It's pigmented and applies smoothly.

Next is a light pink shimmer. It has a very light look, less pigmented but seemingly purposefully. Again, applies smoothly.

Third (and my personal favorite) we have this gorgeous shade. At first seeming a light taupe-y shimmer, a brilliant gold duochrome comes out at the right angles. Plus, it goes on like buttah.

The fourth color is less a shimmer than satin. It's a warm medium brown color that's great for the crease on minimal makeup days.

 Rounding out the top row is this salmon shimmer. It's lovely for all over the lid. It's very soft, and very pigmented.

Starting in with the darker colors is this cool toned shimmery brown. Reminds me of the middle shade from a Wet n Wild Trio... Sweet as Candy. These darker shimmers all have beautiful formulas.

This is the most warm-toned color you'll get in the palette. It's a dark peach that looks nice dusted on the lower lashline, or paired with gold. No problems.

Like I said, the dark shimmers all have impeccable formulas. This one leans warmer and more golden than the previous.

The final shimmer shade, and second to last overall, this is a dark bronze. Lovely.

The only shade with any formula issues, the final dusty brown is nearly matte (probably lending itself to the issue). It suffers from patchiness, and features holographic glitter. Perfectly workable, but not up to the standards set by the rest of the palette.

Consensus: You need this palette. Lovely colors, near perfect formulas, and easier on the wallet than any other full price high-end palette you'll find. Oh, I didn't mention it was only 26 dollars, did I :)  You might not want it if you don't like shimmer, but perhaps you'll find something more your speed with the other two palettes in the collection. I know I've got my eye on both, especially the brights.


- Elizabeth Rose

This or That Tag

Hello

This has been going around for quite a while now, and I thought it would be a fun way for y'all to get to know me better.

Makeup-

Blush or Bronzer?
Blush.

Lipgloss or Lipstick?
Lipgloss

Eyeliner or Mascara?
Mascara, duh.

Foundation or Concealer?
Concealer.

Neutral or Color Eyeshadow?
NEUTRAL! I'm boring.

Pressed or Loose Eyeshadows?
Clean color or fallout?

Brushes or Sponges?
Brushes

Nails-

OPI or China Glaze?
OPI, I guess.

Long or Short?
Medium

Acrylic or Natural?
Natural. They damage your nails, yo.

Brights or Darks?
The brighter the better.

Flower or No Flower?
What are they even asking?

Body-

Perfume or Body Splash?
Parfum

Lotion or Body Butter?
Lotion

Body Wash or Soap?
Body wash.

LUSH or other Bath Company?
Never owned anything from LUSH. (cue horrified gasps)

Fashion-

Jeans or Sweats?
Jeans

Long Sleeve or Short?
Short. Even though this is Minnesota.

Dresses or Skirts?
Dresses.

Stripes or Plaid?
Stripes

Flip-Flops or Sandals?
Sandals

Scarves or Hats?
Scarves

Studs or Dangles?
Dangles. Have I told you I make jewelry?

Necklaces or Bracelets?
Necklaces. Bracelets make me want to tear them off with my teeth. Just me? Ok...

Heels or Flats?
Comfort over height. I'm already tall enough.

Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots?
Riding boots

Jacket or Hoodie?
Jacket

F21 or Charlotte Russe?
Forever 21!

Abercrombie or Hollister?
Ew.

Saks or Nordstrom?
Pretentious and overpriced.

Hair-

Curly or Straight?
On me, straight. On Emmy Rossum, curly ;)

Bun or Ponytail?
Pixie.

Bobby Pins or Butterfly Clips?
Bobbies.

Hair Spray or Gel?
Hair spray

Long or Short?
Short.

Light or Dark?
Depends on the person. For me, light.

Random-

Rain or Shine?
Rain

Summer or Winter?
Winter. Summer is so stifling.

Fall or Spring?
Fall, even though that's not very long here.

Chocolate or Vanilla?
In ice cream, cake, and frosting vanilla. Elsewhere chocolate.

East or West Coast?
Oregon coast. So, west.

Whew! It doesn't seem so long on the YouTube videos. If you made it this far I congratulate you.

-E. Rose

Jean Skirts- Fashion Do?

If you think of jean skirts, the first thing that pops into your brain is probably this:

Image from Wikihow. Belongs to original owners.

But during my time in France, I saw many women wearing jean skirts. The punchline? They seemed... fashionable. (jaw drops). Since then, I've been trying to style denim skirts in a way that made them less repugnant.

Rule No1. No black cap leggings! Just don't do it. Only ten year old girls are allowed to.

Rule No2. Don't go too short! Miniskirts are rarely a good idea, but unless styled with the most tasteful hand they seem slutty. Not to say you can't handle it, but as a general rule keep them near the knee.

Those are the only "rules". If you follow those, denim skirts can be a great staple that go with anything.

Here are a few styling suggestions:

http://lepetitelemon.blogspot.com/2011/06/outfit-16-pfc-8-spinning-favorite.html

I just love how she paired the somewhat long skirt with the tight, tucked in, black top. The belt "ties" everything together.

Skirt, Boohoo

This is an adorable denim skirt. Paired with a plain tank and chunky jewelry, it would look tres chic.

 The distressing makes these skirts fun, but the at-the-knees length keeps them age-appropriate. Put a belt over it for added interest. Bonus points for spikes.

So, that's it. Maybe I've convinced you jean skirts are the next big must-have, or maybe not. But if you're willing to give the style a shot, keep those two rules in mind. Or else you could end up looking like this!

No miniskirts with crop tops. Don't even go there.


-Elizabeth Rose

Hauling- Wags and Target

I biked to Target and Walgreens today- I know, how quaint! I picked up just a few things, three of which will definitely  be future reviews. Now, without further delay, some of my B2S necessities!

First thing is the new Covergirl "Smoochies" balm in #luv u. I never would've picked this up if I hadn't heard good things about it, as Covergirl and I aren't on the best of terms, and, quite frankly, the packaging is hideous. Here's hoping it's a winner.

 I've never owned a heat protectant, is that as horrible as it sounds? I don't use heat tools too frequently, but I'm considering growing my hair out, and I straighten occasionally, so it seemed like a good idea.

I have naturally wavy hair and have been wanting to try a curling mousse, just to see how Annie-esque it can get.

And finally, the Jordana Twist and Shine Moisturizing Balm Stains in Candied Coral and Terra Crave. Wow. That's a mouthful. But it's worth it, as I already can tell these are AMAZING. Pigmented, moisturizing, staining, and three dollars. Wow.

That's it, not a ton, but a few things I'm really excited about. Tomorrow I'll have an album review up. Until tomorrow, darlings.

-E. Rose

This Week I'm Loving...

Since I'm back, why not resume my This Week I'm Loving... posts? They're an easy way to share what I've been up to as far as my book, music, and beauty favorites.

Music:

Sentimental Journey- Emmy Rossum. A great assemblage of classics spanning from the '20's to the '60's, all remade wonderfully with Emmy's gorgeous voice.

The Blessed Unrest- Sara Bareilles. Sara brings her signature wit and vivid imagery to another album. My favorite is Hercules. The harmony in the bridge is amazing.

Volume 3- She and Him. This is my personal love from She and Him. It grabs you from I've Got Your Number, Son all the way to the end.

Books:

No Easy Way Out- Dayna Lorentz. Sequel to No Safety in Numbers, it doesn't live up to the standards set by the first, and drags on quite a bit. Nevertheless, a good read with a unique concept.

Beauty:

Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial. A pretty dusty berry color that is opaque in one swipe, lasts forever, and garners compliments. One complaint? It smells horrid!

I'm on Bloglovin!

I just claimed my blog on Bloglovin, so now you can follow me on there!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10084881/?claim=cegq4fanp2d">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

NOTD

NOTD- Revlon Fall Mood. A delightful two-coater metallic copper that I chose to welcome in autumn.

France #1

If y'all didn't know, I've been on holiday in France for the past two weeks, and only arrived home yesterday. I'll be breaking up the tales of my journey into several posts, and this is the first.

We stayed at a lovely vacation home in the countryside in the Champagne region. It was a tiny village, only 120 people, and it was so historic looking. Everything looked like it had stood for a thousand years.

I especially loved the old churches in every town. They are so romantic and gothic. Straight out of a horror novel.

I have a million pictures, so that's enough for today.

-Elizabeth Rose

My Playlist- Guilty Pleasures

Potential Breakup Song- Aly and AJ
My Happy Ending- Avril Lavigne
Born To Make You Happy- Britney Spears
Call Me Maybe- Carly Rae Jepsen
Want U Back- Cher Lloyd
What A Girl Wants- Christina Aguilera
All the Way Up- Emily Osment
Let's Do This- Hannah Montana (I know...)
Crazy Kids- Kesha
The Time Of Our Lives- Miley Cyrus
I Don't Miss You At All- Selena Gomez
Geo Ul La- 4 Minute

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag?

Since I'll be in France when this goes up, a peek inside my travel makeup bag seems perfect.

This is my makeup bag. I bought it for about six dollars at Forever 21. I like it because the stripes are cute and the bag is quite roomy. It's also just about waterproof.

This is what I use to carry my brushes. It came with my Alicia Silverstone for EcoTools set, and it's just the right size to hold all of my brushes and it still fits in my travel makeup bag.

These are my face brushes- two from the Alicia Silverstone collection, my ELF Blush Brush and my ELF Flat Top Powder Brush. Call me silly, but I take my most inexpensive brushes on vacation in case I lose them or something. This applies to makeup too, you won't be seeing a lot of high end.

These are my eye brushes, one from EcoTools, my ELF C-Brush, and my Sigma Small Tapered Blending Brush.

As far as random tools, I have my Revlon Eyelash Curler, my Revlon Tweezers, a little Ulta mirror, and my Essence Eye Pencil Sharpener (not in the picture).

I brought three lip balms, my Nivea Lip Butter, my Burt's Bees Rejuvenating, and my EOS Pomegranate Rasberry "egg". I can't be the only one who calls these eggs, right?

For lip products I have my Baby Lips Electro in Pink Shock, my Rimmel Nude Delight Lipstick, the NYX Lipgloss in Beige, the Essence Lipgloss in Bubble Babe, and the Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Ruby Twist (not in the picture).

 For eyeshadow I have my Naked Basics Palette, my NYX Love in Paris Palette (too appropriate :D), and my Ulta eyeshadow in Calla Lily.

As far as face products go, there's my Covergirl Eye Concealer, my Benefit Boi-Ing, my Rimmel Stay Matte, and the Maybelline Dream BB Cream.

 For blush I've the ELF Blush in Pink Passion and my NYX Blush in Pinched.

And finally there's miscellaneous eye products. On the list are my Maybelline Rocket Waterproof, my ELF Mineral Mascara, the NYX and Essence Eyeshadow bases, four Rimmel eyeliners in black, blue, purple, and white. Last, my Maybelline ExpertWear eyeliner in Dark Brown.

Whew! What a long post! Hope you're having a good summer! I'm sure I'm enjoying my trip ;)

My Playlist- Favorites

What the Hell- Avril Lavigne
Come Along- Vicci Martinez
You Oughta Know- Alanis Morissette
Everything At Once- Lenka
Highway to Hell- AC/DC
Fairweather Friend- Vanessa Carlton
Under Pressure- Queen
Halcyon- Ellie Goulding
The Great Divide- Emmy Rossum
Empty Handed- Michelle Branch
Not Alone- Sara Bareilles
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again- Phantom of the Opera
Paper Doll- Cherri Bomb

Lust List

lust list with NARS, Urban Decay, L'Oreal

My Playlist- Road Trip

The songs that always make me think of traveling the country ;)

Ghost Riders (In The Sky)- The Outlaws
Big Sur- Alanis Morrisette
Breathe- Michelle Branch
Pioneer- The Band Perry
Love Will Tell Us Where To Go- Bridgit Mendler
Get Outta This Town- Carrie Underwood
Airstream Song- Miranda Lambert
Miles- Christina Perri
Lubbock or Leave It- The Dixie Chicks
The Sweet Escape- Gwen Stefani
My House- Kacey Musgraves
Every Time You Go- Ellie Goulding
Diet Mountain Dew- Lana Del Rey
Dear California- Vanessa Carlton

France #1

      Hey! So... this is a scheduled post, that I'm setting to go up on the 20th. Why the scheduled post? I'm off to France! We have a nonstop flight to Charles de Gaulle on the 19th. I'll be in France for two weeks, exploring the countryside, laying by the pool, seeing touristy things, and shopping in Paris. I've never been to Paris, so it's pretty exciting for me. The best part? My birthday is during vacation! Squee! Just a heads up that things will be slow. Yeah. I'm smiling just writing this :D

My Top Ten Summer Nail Polishes

*Please excuse the condition of my nails. I seriously need a manicure*

Left thumb- Sephora by OPI Domestic Goddess. A grapey purple color that at first seems a jelly but covers in two coats. Perfect formula. If you like it, pick it up now, as the line is discontinued.

Left index- L'Oreal Berry Jealous. An actual jelly that works with two coats or three, lovely formula that is prone to tip wear, unfortunately. Such a fun color that I don't care.

Left middle- Nicole by OPI Diva Into the Pool. A blue metallic shade that screams summer, it glows in the sunlight. Opaque with three coats.

Left ring- China Glaze Pink-ie Promise. I love the color, a soft purpley pink with shimmer. The downside to this polish is it bubbles like a mofo. I don't tend to have trouble with bubbling (although there seems quite a few in this photo) but this one is ridiculous. Maybe it just needs a more careful hand?

Left pinkie- Wet n Wild Sunny Side Up. I haven't explored much of Wet n Wild's nail line, but this shade was calling my name, and with the Walgreens 69 cent sale, who could resist? I'm glad I purchased it, the formula is lovely and it's such a happy color without being obnoxious.

Right thumb- Sally Hansen Green With Envy. A nice green creme, opaque with two coats. Not much to say, but a nice polish in a fun color.

Right index- Zoya Micky. A neon pink with a slight silver shimmer, really lovely, opaque in three coats. Not the greatest Zoya formula I've run across, but absolutely workable.

Right middle- Orly Coachella Bound. A muted mint-sage green with no shimmer or sparkle, it's soft, work appropriate, and dries quickly, as a bonus.

Right ring- Sinful Colors Eva So Bright. My personal favorite of the shades here, Eva So Bright is a neon melon color with an impeccable formula and shiny dry down. Plus, it's two dollars. Note: it's brighter than it seems here.

Right pinkie- FLOWER Beauty Good Bud-dy. A clean teal blue creme without any formula problems. It looks slightly lumpy here because I had to do an emergency repair.

My Top Ten Summer Eyeshadows

I love eyeshadow. Did you know that? I have quite the collection, but these are a few of my favorites for summer. As usual, they're swatched over an eyeshadow base, this is Essence I Love Stage, which I've been testing out.

L'Oreal Infalliable Eyeshadow in Golden Emerald. This is the only one I own, but I've been majorly lusting after the rest of the line. Smooth, incredibly pigmented, and such unique colors with depth. Iced Latte is next on my list. Hm. Maybe I should do a lust list sorta thing.

Ulta Eyeshadow in Calla Lily. My new favorite wash of color, it's a gorgeous pinky white color that's shimmery but not glittery, perfect for everyday. It has great pigmentation and you get a lot for the price- $2 if you can snag it on sale, like right now.

L'Oreal Eyeshadow #1 from Stacked Heels Quad. This shadow is not as pigmented as the rest of these, but it's such a lovely sheer purple with an iridescent flash, I just had to put it in.

NYX Shadow #2 from Shangri-La trio. It's a super pigmented demi-matte orange that definitely takes some guts to pull off, but looks perfect with blue eyes (unfortunately, I'm a brown eyed German). I believe this trio is discontinued, so if you can find it, buy it!

Rimmel darkest shadow from Sun Safari quad. It's a nice shimmery taupe for all of you taupe lovers out there, but since it's warm toned it's great for summer. I love the rest of the quad as well.

Revlon blue from Inspired quad. A sparkly blue that makes me think of ocean water, it's almost iridescent at the right angles. The pigmentation is decent.

Revlon green from Inspired quad. I don't suppose you can tell how much I like this quad, can you? It's another sheer color, but it's so glowy and glittery and fun.

Urban Decay's Venus, from Naked Basics palette. This shadow probably needs no introduction, but I'll rehash what you already know. It's a subdued shimmery white, perfect for highlighting or as an all over lid color.

Covergirl Flamed Out Eyeshadow in Melted Gold. It's a pigmented sparkly gold that goes on smoothly. Gold is probably my favorite eyeshadow color, and this one doesn't disappoint. I like to put it over Flower Beauty's Creme Shadow in Good as Mari-Gold.

And my only cream eyeshadow, Maybelline's Tenacious Teal Color Tattoo. A rich cream shadow with wicked payoff and a lovely shimmer, it works great as an eyeshadow, base, or an eyeliner.


Thanks for reading, and have a great summer!