Category Archives: Beauty

November Finishes

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November Finishes

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! The month of November has been a really busy one but it has brought me beaucoup bottles of finished beauty products to discuss with you. I am actually so happy about all of these empties because they were the ones that were legitimately taking forever to finish. Thanks to these completed products seen below I can now break out goodies that I have been waiting an eternity to use, like my cocoa butter from The Body Shop and my pink grapefruit St. Ives cleanser. Happy day! So now, without further ado, take a look at my November Finishes and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Pure & Basic Creme Brulee lotion: YES!
  • Bath & Body Works Mango Mandarin spray: YES
  • St. Ives Indulgent Coconut Milk body wash: YES
  • St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask: YES
  • Jergens BB Hand cream: YES
  • The Body Shop Aloe night cream: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin E moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

Pure & Basic lotion: This Creme Brulee scented lotion smells freaking AMAZING! It literally smells like you are rubbing yourself down with vanilla cake batter and I can definitely get down with that. I got this huge bottle of Pure & Basic lotion at TJMaxx for a whole six dollars and it has lasted me well over three months. This lotion absorbs quickly but is highly moisturizing and I would totally recommend and use it again.

My mom actually taught me a fun trick after I was done with the bottle of Pure & Basic this week and was lamenting over the extra product that gets stuck in the bottle. She told me that when this happens, she puts some water in the bottle and then shakes it up to use as a body milk in the shower the next day. So clever!

B&BW spray: Normally I’m a Country Apple girl when it comes to my Bath & Body Works perfume sprays but I love the Mango Mandarin! I got myself six bottles during their throwback sale in the summer at three dollars a bottle and I am so pleased with that purchase! My favorite thing to do is to layer this spray with my Satsuma spray from TBS for a longer lasting fragrance. It took me about six months to finish this perfume.

St. Ives body wash: The Indulgent Coconut Milk body wash by St. Ives is so delicious. I really enjoy their products and this is probably my favorite body wash by them. It smells completely delectable – even better than The Body Shop’s coconut fragrance, which is really saying something! It also lathers like a dream which provides you with a shower or bubble bath that is purely pampering and relaxing. It took me about three months to finish this product.

St. Ives scrub: Like I just said, I really really like St. Ives products so of course I loved my oatmeal scrub! This product is a really gentle exfoliater so it won’t dry out your skin which is great during the chilly winter months. It smells great and it left my skin looking perfectly peaches and cream afterwards. My scrub lasted me about a month and a half and now I am on to using their pink grapefruit scrub which I am sure will be discussed soon! Spoiler Alert! It smells AMAZING.

Jergens hand cream: I blogged about this wonder cream before so for the full article please check out the link provided! If not, I will say that this is hands down the best hand cream that I have ever used. As a hardcore germophobe and hand washer, it is not hard for my hands to become extremely red and raw within a few days. This cream has provided me with relief as well as a formula that is non greasy and fast absorbing so that I can use it again and again with no lingering residue. I have used this product off and on since February and cannot recommend it enough.

TBS night cream: I really liked the Aloe night cream! I got it for free with an online purchase a few months ago and it made my skin feel so lush before bedtime. I had never used anything from the Aloe line before and I would use it again but I still prefer Vitamin E over it. What I did like was that the cream was a heavier texture but it still absorbed well which is exactly what I look for in a night cream. It took me about a month and a half to finish this product.

TBS moisturizer: I have been an avid lover of The Body Shop’s Vitamin E line for quite some time now. I think that this moisturizer is simply the best and am so happy that I have another jar of it in back stock so that I can continue using it daily. If you are looking for a moisturizer that is light, nourishing, and sits well under makeup than look no further. The Vitamin E moisturizer will leave your skin looking and feeling like a million bucks. It took me about a month and a half to finish this product.

I am SO happy with all of my empties this month, 1) because they were all effective and fabulous and 2) I am looking forward to using more new products! Most of my finishes from this month have been with me for a long time now so I am happy to retire these bottles and move onto some new bath and body and skin care goodies in December!

So there you have it, my November Finishes! What beauty products have you used up this month? What beauty product can you not live without during the winter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Taking Steps To Improve Your Self Confidence

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Taking Steps To Improve Your Self Confidence

Self-confidence is such an important thing to have in life. It has a significant impact on your happiness and also determines how much you are able achieve. Having the mindset of ‘I can’t’ due to confidence issues means that you’ve failed before you’ve even tried. It can be a tricky thing to build but if you know that yours isn’t the best, it’s something that’s always worth addressing. Here are some of the steps you can take to build up your self-confidence.

Address Your Physical Issues: Learning to love and accept ourselves as we are is fantastic in theory but not as easily done in practice. So if there’s something you can do about whatever is bothering you, it could be worth taking steps to change it. For example, if your weight is something that makes you feel self-conscious, you could aim to lose a few pounds (if you’re overweight) and tone up. If your teeth have always bothered you, you could see a cosmetic dentist. It could be a whitening treatment to correct the color, Invisalign treatment to correct any crookedness, or veneers to make everything look nice and even. There’s nothing wrong with saying ‘actually, I’m not happy about this part of myself and I’d like to change it’. Providing you’re not striving for perfection (since this doesn’t exist) or are going about things in an unhealthy way. If these changes can boost your self-confidence and make you feel great, why wouldn’t you?

Take Up a Hobby: Have you got a talent or skill? Even if you’ve not had any hobbies for many years, think back to what you were good at when you were younger. Were you always top of the class in art lessons? Or did you have a knack for sports? Whatever it is, trying your hand at it again is a great way to go. When you’re good at something, it really helps to build your confidence. Plus having hobbies is great for your mental health and could lead to meeting new friends. Even if it’s just people who share the same interests on Twitter and Facebook, the social aspect is very positive too. Having a hobby means you’re investing time in yourself. You’re showing yourself that you do matter, and it’s enjoyable, too.

Push Yourself Out Of Your Comfort Zone: As they say, a comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there. It’s only when you push yourself beyond the limits of what you know and is ‘safe’ to you that you grow and develop as a person. Nervous about meeting new people? Sign up for an evening class! Scared of failing? Set yourself a new challenge! Even if you don’t succeed, you’ll have learned a valuable lesson – that there’s no shame in failure and you can always pick yourself up and try again.

Speak To Your Doctor: If your self-confidence is so low that it affects your daily life, it’s worth talking to your GP. It could be a sign that something else isn’t quite right and point to things like anxiety or depression. Getting to the root of this will allow you to access the right treatment and will put you on a path to feeling better.

What do you do to boost your self confidence? What is something that makes you feel confident? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pexels

Banish Dry Winter Skin

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Banish Dry Winter Skin

Every season presents challenges when it comes to keeping our skin healthy, but winter has to be the worst. Cold weather and winds topped off with drying central heating can lead to painful chapped lips and dry, uncomfortable skin. Thankfully there are some things we can do to protect against this and keep our skin healthy and in good condition throughout the colder months. Here’s how to go about it.

Physically Protect Your Skin: No one wants to stand outside in horrible weather but when you have no choice try to physically protect your skin. This means wearing gloves to stop hands from becoming sore and dry. Wear a scarf and pull this up over your lower face and lips. Shield yourself from the wind whenever it’s possible. This could mean standing with your back to the wind while you wait for the bus or finding shelter in a coffee shop or bookstore when the rain or snow begins to come down heavily.

Switch Up Your Skincare Routine: Fall and winter require heavier, richer products that are intensely hydrating. These provide much-needed nourishment to stripped skin and also help to protect it. Your day cream can be a little lighter as it still needs to sit well under makeup but your night cream should be rich and buttery. Choose a product that states that it’s highly nourishing and hydrating. Another essential product in anyone’s skincare routine but particularly in winter should be a good eye cream. This will keep the delicate eye area hydrated and also protect from damage and premature aging. There are more skin care tips on sites like Thank Your Beauty.

Pamper Your Skin: Along with your regular skincare routine, once or twice a week you should really pamper your skin, too. Using oils as a pampering treat is an excellent way to improve dry winter skin. These will deliver on moisture but will not leave the skin feeling greasy or clog up your pores. You could also treat your skin to face masks. Different masks are targeted to different skin concerns so do your research to find out what will work best for you. You could use a lip scrub to gently remove any loose and flaky skin and then follow up with a high-quality lip protector. Our lips lose more moisture than everywhere else on the face which is why they are the first to become dry and sore.

Use SPF: The sun’s rays aren’t just damaging in the summer. They can harm skin all year round and premature aging is just one of the adverse effects. You can prevent this by using an SPF all year round. Since this can be a tricky step to remember (especially when there is no sunshine in sight and everywhere is gray and drizzly!) choose products with SPF included. It could be in your day cream or your foundation. Either way, you kill two birds with one stone and can be safe in the knowledge that you are doing what you can to protect your skin.

What do you do to protect your skin in the winter? What are your favorite moisturizing beauty products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pexels

Love The Skin You’re In With This Guide

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Love The Skin You’re In With This Guide

Loving the skin you’re in isn’t as difficult as you probably think. Nobody is perfect but that doesn’t mean you should focus on your flaws and insecurities. By loving the skin you’re in, you’ll feel so much better and improve your life to no end. These points will help you to start loving the skin you’re in right away:

Focus On The Things You Like: Don’t even pay any attention to the things that bother you right now. Whether it’s a bump on your nose or that extra weight you might be carrying, accept them and focus on the things you like instead. This can be anything. Make a long list! The more you focus on things you like, the more things you’ll find that outweigh seemingly “negative” aspects of yourself. You’ll develop far more self confidence this way.

Pay More Attention To Compliments: People tend to pay more attention to negative things than positive things. It’s usually why we remember nasty things people have said, rather than the nice ones. Try to remember nice compliments people have given you. Pay more attention when they do in the future. When people give compliments, they tend to really mean them!

Read Self Help Books: There are so many self help books out there full of valuable tips to help you love yourself. Get reading, underlining, and changing the way you think.

Don’t Compare Yourself To Others: ** Easier said than done, but comparing yourself to others is a recipe for disaster. Somebody else’s beauty does not take away from yours. We are all beautiful and unique in our own way. Be happy with your quirks and your uniqueness. There’s only one you. Chances are, somebody has compared themselves to you in the past!

Treat and Pamper Yourself: You’re totally worth treating yourself to some new clothes or a fun new hairstyle. Although you shouldn’t use shopping or beauty treatments in the hope that they’ll fix your body image issues, you should do it when you feel like you need a pick me up or a treat. You can go to an aesthetic clinic to cater to all your wellness needs, for instance.

Exercise And Eat Right: Exercising and eating right will change you from the inside out. Remember the goal is NOT to lose weight, get the ‘perfect’ body, or look like somebody else. It’s to feel good about yourself, increase your confidence, and give you more energy. Health should come first, looks second!

Develop Yourself Spiritually: Developing yourself spiritually will help you feel more connected to yourself and others. You’ll realize that there’s absolutely nothing to fret about. By doing yoga, meditating, living mindfully, and doing other spiritual practices, you will change your life and feel awesome.

Start using these tips straight away to love the skin you’re in. You can get into the habit of doing one at a time and take it really slow, if you need to. The key is to making long-term changes that you can be consistent with to get the best results. The more you love yourself, the better your life will be!

Featured Image By: Flickr

They’re Baaaack

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They’re Baaaack

Hi everyone and TGIF! Okay, so this week’s Monday Update involved me freaking out because I broke one of my natural nails that I have been trying so freaking hard to grow out in lieu of getting acrylics. Well, two days after that, another nail broke so I said “fuck it” and went to get my claw babies back on Thursday. After about a year of being talon-free, it felt so good being back in the trusted and true hands of my beloved nail tech, Vinny.

As I mentioned before, asides from dying my hair, getting my nails done is my absolute favorite way to pamper myself. I love being able to sit back, relax, and let Vinny work his magic and make my nails look pretty. One of the things that I love the most about long nails is how they make my hands look. Naturally, my hands are quite small and stumpy but lengthy nails make my hands look elongated and beautiful. When I had to cut my natural nails after two of them broke, I was so sad to see my hands shrink down to their bitty size right before my eyes. But now, everything is as it should be and having janky nails is one less thing for me to worry about. Take a look:

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The other main reason that I wanted to get my nails done was for my graduation which is coming up on December 15th. I told myself that if I can’t get my natural nails how I like them, then I would treat myself to my acrylics and I am so glad that I did! I do wish that they were a little bit longer but they will do for now and Vinny said he’ll take care of it when I get them filled – he’s such a gem! :*)

Now my graduation ceremony beauty check list for looking fab as I strut across the stage looks something like this:

  • Get nails filled.
  • Dye hair.
  • Get a hair cut.
  • Put together a graduation ceremony worthy outfit!

I am so happy to have my nails back but it has been a doozey of a twenty-four hours while I get used to living my life with talons again! So far, everything is going just fine minus a small scare with my car door. Other than that things are A-okay – especially now that I can put my babies to work on my laptop keyboard again! LOVE IT! ❤

I hope everyone has a super fun and relaxing weekend! What kind of outfit do you think I should wear for graduation? Who else has a passion for long nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Monday Update: NAIL HELP!!!

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Monday Update: NAIL HELP!!!

Hey everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fab weekend. So as you guys know, I was beyond obsessed with my stiletto style claws back when I was wearing acrylic nails. But, because I am ballin on a budget as a college kid, I decided to cut back on my favorite way to pamper myself besides from dying my hair. I haven’t been wearing acrylics for about a year but in the past four months I have been attempting to grow my nails out because I’ve been missing them badly.

So far, my nails have been doing pretty good. I began a regimen of taking Biotin and Calcium vitamins and I really think that they have been helping. I have also started soaking them in olive and coconut oil as a moisturizing treat. My nails are now quite strong as opposed to the brittle, flimsy mess that they were before. I am a little less than halfway to the length that I would like them to be at but then…the unspeakable happened. The nail on my thumb broke clean off yesterday. 😦

I am genuinely at a loss of what to do. There was no salvaging the nail and now I have nine long and beautiful nails and a mere stump on my right hand thumb. What do you guys do in a situation like this? Do you cut the rest of your nails and let everything start fresh? Or do you just wait it out and let the broken nail grow again? I suppose it’s a matter of preference but I have no clue what to do and I feel like I would benefit greatly from hearing what all of the amazing beauty gurus out here have to say.

As a reminder, this is where I last left my nails in acrylic land and I am a little less than halfway to that length now. Ironically enough, I’m wearing those exact same colors right now! All I need are my middle finger crosses and I’ll be all set! #thosewerethedays

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I am in desperate need of advice and also some comfort because I am so upset about this nail breaking. The worst thing, though? About an hour before the nail broke I literally told my mom “wow, it sure would suck if one of my nails broke now”. FML!!!

As of now, I’m leaning towards letting my little thumb stump grow out because it is not as noticeable as say, if the break happened on a pointer or middle finger. However, this is subject to change! So what do you do when a beloved nail breaks? Let it grow or hack off (so violent!) the rest? I want to hear from all of you, so PLEASE leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

^^^ Acrylic nail jams! 😉

Want To Look Gorgeous For Your Christmas Party? Start Preparing Today!

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Want To Look Gorgeous For Your Christmas Party? Start Preparing Today!

With the holiday season right around the corner, it is important to look your best. Work parties, family get togethers, bumping into everyone and their brother at the store – it is a time when it might seem like all eyes are on you. It may only be the end of October, but these tips will help you prep for looking your best this holiday season and all year round. Take a look.

Want To Look Gorgeous For Your Christmas Party? Start Preparing Today!

Work Christmas parties are often the highlight of the year and an occasion many people look forward to. It’s a chance for you and your work colleagues to let your hair down and enjoy yourselves after a stressful year. It’s also the perfect excuse to get dressed up and look your absolute best. While you understandably want to have fun, Christmas parties can help your career. If you stand out, network with others and impress your boss, you may have a promotion in your sights. So to give you the confidence to do this effectively, you need to feel good about your appearance.

Even though it might seem premature, there are things that you can do now to help you look gorgeous in time for your work party. Take a look at these tips to help you get prepared well in advance.

Get Style Inspiration: One of the benefits of getting ready for your Christmas party now is that you have plenty of time to find the perfect outfit. But before you hit the shops, you need to get some holiday style inspiration. To help you get started, talk to your boss and colleagues about the type of affair that the party will be. This will ensure that you choose an outfit that makes a statement while also being suitable for the activity. For instance, if you are going out for drinks at a local bar, a ball gown might not be appropriate.

So whether it’s a casual meal or a big holiday ball, you can start getting inspired by potential outfit ideas now. You can go on http://www.pinterest.com/ and look at fashion magazines and blogs. Social media is another resource you can use. You can also try on outfits at your favorite stores and boutiques to see how they look and make you feel. This can give you a clear idea of what suits you and what doesn’t. Don’t forget to look at possible accessories and shoes to accompany your outfit too!

Getting inspired before you start shopping can be extremely beneficial. It helps you find possible outfits that will suit your body type and colors that suit your skin tone. Knowing what kind of outfit you want to buy can simplify your shopping process and make it less stressful. You can also start planning how you want your hair and makeup to look. Don’t forget accessories too! Any holiday look isn’t complete without a touch of bling from paradigm jewelry. All of this information can make choosing a fabulous outfit for your Christmas party as easy as possible.

Whiten Your Teeth: A bright, white smile can make you seem more friendly and approachable to others. This is ideal if you plan to network and introduce yourself to others at your Christmas party. It can also make you feel more confident about your appearance which can make you feel amazing. So if you want to enhance your smile in time for your Christmas party, you need to whitening your teeth now. It can take weeks and multiple whitening sessions to get the results you want. This is why it’s always best to do this sooner rather than waiting till later.

The majority of dental surgeries now offer teeth whitening services to their patients. So contact your dentist to make an appointment. Alternatively, you can whiten your teeth by yourself at home. There are a number of kits you can buy that use either strips or mouth guards. These kits are easy to use and can give you excellent results but some are better than others. See http://TeethWhiteningAtHomeTips.com/ to find out which whitening strips are the most effective. It will be hard for you to stop smiling throughout the party when your teeth look so clean and bright.

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Smile!

Make an Appointment at Your Salon: As soon as the countdown to Christmas starts, hair and beauty salons will be overwhelmed with appointments. Remember that thousands of other people will be attending Christmas parties and want to look their best, too. To ensure that your hair looks beautiful for your party, you need to book an appointment at your salon now. This will ensure that you can have a consultation with your hairdresser beforehand to try out different hair styling ideas. You can also have your hair dyed, cut, and blow dried so it looks as fresh as possible for your party.

If you are unable to get an appointment for a consultation or cut at your hair salon, don’t panic. You can hire a mobile hairdresser to visit you at your home instead. But again make sure you make an appointment quickly as they too will get booked up.

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Start a New Skin Care Regime: When you are self-conscious of your skin, it can stop you from being confident and carefree. This is not how you want to feel when you celebrate the holidays. Instead of letting this continue, start a new skin care regime instead. This can help you get fresh and clear skin that makes you feel unstoppable. Makeup application can also be improved with clearer skin. It will go on more smoothly and stay in place longer. You also won’t have to wear as much because you won’t have blemishes or pimples to cover up.

It’s advantageous to start this regime as soon as you can to give your skin time to heal and adjust. Otherwise, you may not get the results you desire. There are countless products you can try to get glowing skin. But it’s vital that you create a regime with products that suit your skin type for the best results. Visit http://www.webmd.com/beauty/ or talk to beauty specialists to discover what your skin type is.

As part of your new regime, also get into the habit of cleaning your makeup brushes each week. Dirt, sweat, and old makeup can linger on your brushes and clog your pores. So using clean and hygienic brushes can benefit your skin significantly.

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Even though your Christmas party might be not be happening just yet, these preparations will ensure that you look gorgeous no matter what. The more you do in advance, the less stressful the getting ready process will be. So rather than leaving it till the last minute, start preparing for your Christmas party today. You won’t regret it!

What is your perfect holiday party look? What is your winter skin care regime? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pixabay

October Finishes

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October Finishes

Hellooo everyone and happy Thursday! I cannot believe that October is almost over already! It really seemed to fly by and I am not okay with it. The weather in Ohio has also been less than pleasant this October with temperatures raising from boiling hot to bitter cold with none of that perfect fall in between to spare. One good thing about October, though, is that some fab beauty products were used up and enjoyed so take a look at my empties and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use It Again?

  • The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream: YES!!!!!
  • The Body Shop Nutriganics Smoothing Eye Cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

Body Butter: I got my jumbo sized strawberry body butter from TJMaxx for a whopping ten dollars and it lasted me over a month. I do love the strawberry scent but sometimes it is just too sweet for my liking. Despite being wishy washy about the fragrance, there is no denying that any scent of body butter is going to feel amazing on your skin! My favorite thing to do is take a nice, long bubble bath, shave, and then literally douse my body with TBS butter. There is nothing better and your skin is going to thank you!

Vitamin E: I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this cream. It is the most amazing product that I have used in quite some time. This moisturizer literally leaves natural highlights on your skin and has you completely glowing for the entire day. My favorite thing about this cream is that if you put it on your lips, it will leave them tinted with the most gorgeous shade of bio-luminescent violet. It took me about a month and a half to finish this cream and I cannot wait to get my hands on more soon.

Eye Cream: I have been using my Nutriganics eye cream since I was nineteen or so and I have yet to see any signs of wrinkling near my peepers. The cream goes on so smoothly and absorbs quickly. What I love about my Nutriganics is how awake it makes my eyes look even if I am running on about four hours of sleep. But the best part about this eye cream is how long lasting it is. It took me about five months to finish it!

I feel so pampered this month because all of my finished products were from The Body Shop! I have yet to use a TBS product that I didn’t completely love so I would say that it was a pretty good month of empties! I think November will be even better considering I broke out my all time favorite – TBS cocoa butter after completing my jar of strawberry. I CAN’T WAIT! 😀

So there you have it, my October Finishes! What is your favorite product from The Body Shop? What products do you need to restock soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feel Confident and Look Fantastic For a First Date

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Feel Confident and Look Fantastic For a First Date

A first date is exciting and daunting in equal measures. Knowing what to wear can be a bit of a difficult one, as you want to make a good impression but without looking like you’re trying too hard! If you have a first date coming up, here’s how you can make sure you look and feel as confident as possible.

Have a Pamper Night: Before your big date, spend some time relaxing and using your favorite products. A facial, hair mask, and some exfoliating and moisturizing products will all get your skin and hair into tip-top condition. A hair removal wax such as sugaring hair removal will get your skin looking completely smooth. This is particularly important if you’re wearing an outfit that shows off your legs! Paint your nails and generally unwind with some music and scented candles. You’ll feel rejuvenated and will be looking your best when you get ready for the date.

Wear Something Comfortable Yet Flattering: You want to look like yourself on your date, just the best version of yourself. So if you don’t usually wear dresses or high heels, now isn’t the time to start. Instead, choose items that you’re comfortable in, but look good on you. A good tip is to pick one area to show off and keep everything else covered, this allows you to show a little skin while still keeping it classy.

You could opt for a top that shows your decolletage, collarbones, and cleavage while wearing tights or trousers and long sleeves. You could choose to show off your legs with a shorter dress and go for sleeves and a higher neckline on top. Or, you could show off your arms or back in a top while wearing trousers. Any of these combinations work well for a first date, so decide which areas that you’re happiest with and wear what will give you confidence. Then, you can look into your wardrobe and plan accordingly or even treat yourself to a brand new look by shopping Ethical Fashion for Women. Regardless of what you wear, if you are confident – it will radiate!

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 Mascara is a must!

Go For Pretty, Neutral Makeup: When you want to look beautiful, it can be easy to go overboard on the makeup. But if you’re just going to the movies or for causal drinks – strong highlight and contour, dramatic lips, smokey eyes, and killer false eyelashes are just going to look a bit much. Again wear what you like and makes you feel comfortable, but your best bet is to accentuate your natural beauty. A dewy foundation with a flattering shade of blush, light neutral eyeshadow, and plenty of black mascara, for example, will give you a radiant, fresh-faced appearance.

Wear Perfume: While this isn’t something that will impact how you look, a spritz of perfume shouldn’t be missed from your first date outfit. Research by Cosmo showed that fragrance has the ability to seduce and excite. Over a third of men polled said that gorgeous perfume will captivate their interest on a first date. It will probably give you a bit of added confidence too, which is never a bad thing

What is your perfect first date outfit? What are some of your tricks to avoid first date jitters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pexels

Destiny Boutique Charcoal Face Bar

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Destiny Boutique Charcoal Face Bar

Helloooo everyone! I have been fond of charcoal based skin care products ever since I used one of Biore’s charcoal cleansers. We all have our woes about our skin and mine is having the literal worst blackheads around my five nose piercings. With the piercings and along with the fact that I am constantly touching my nose and readjusting them, it can be easy to see how pesky blackheads have made their home base on my nostrils. BUT I have been using a new beauty bar that I have a lot of faith in that I just have to tell you guys about. Check out my new bar from Destiny Boutique and then let’s discuss:

soapAs much as I love Biore products, I do think that they are a bit pricey and I do not always have a coupon handy to cut back the cost. Therefore, I am always on the lookout for an effective but inexpensive charcoal product and I believe to have found it in this beauty bar. I have become a big fan of using bar soap for my face with complexion bars and my body with soap from Appalachian Naturals. I think that they are so economical and long lasting that you just can’t go wrong with them. That’s why I was SO happy to have found this bar laying around in the beauty aisle of TJMaxx for a whole six bucks. Score!

As soon as I saw the bar, I just had to try it and this past week of using it has left me very pleased with my purchase. First of all, let’s talk about the size of this thing! I was so surprised to see how big it was when I took it out of the package. My last complexion bar lasted me about four months and was about half of this size so I am sure that I will have this bar for close to a year! Honestly, with this size I would have been more than okay spending more than six dollars on it so I really do think this was a steal.

Second of all, this bar is fantastically effective. Within the week, I have noticed a HUGE decrease in my blackhead count on both of my nostrils and they really seem to be staying away as opposed to working their way back. My skin also looks bright and healthy and feels smooth as can be. Not only is it proving to be a powerful blackhead fighter but its scent is so invigorating! This bar smells like peppermint which is one of my favorite skin/body care scents. It smells so good and fresh and I instantly feel more awake as soon as it hits my nostrils. This extra scent boost pick me up is perfect for my five thirty mornings to get to class on time!

I am looking forward to many more uses with my new Destiny Boutique Charcoal Face Bar. So far it has been working some skin care magic and I cannot recommend it enough! What is your must have skin care product? What are some of your skin care woes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah