My Holy Grail Makeup Palettes

akeup is truly my favorite thing to purchase. Now, I don't wear anything but mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow, so my wishlist or knowledge on other products are slim. I've never been one to use foundation or even lipstick for that matter. So, my eyeshadow palette collection has grown immensely over the years. When I was thirteen, first wearing makeup, I only purchased single powdered eyeshadow from BareMinerals. Then I discovered the beauty of palettes. I love how easy they are to use, plus travel with.

For today's post, I thought it would be fun to introduce my collection through the perfect palette tag!

Favorite "Naked" palette?
Naked2 has some beautiful glitter shadows. I love that it has a wide range of neutrals and pinks! 

Best packaging
The very first Naked palette is so beautiful with it's velvet packaging!

Best color names
The Naked Smokey palette has a few fun names, like whisky, high, & dirty-sweet.

Most versatile
BareMinerals is the brand I go-to the most for a classy eye look. This palette is a dream and the large mirror is like any other.

Least used
I was so excited over the Naked Heat palette, but once I tried to play around with it, the colors are very pigmented. I feel very intimidated while using these colors.

Biggest regret
Honestly, I don't have one! Sorry.

Best for traveling
Mac has always been on my list, and I just purchased my first palette from this brand! I love it so much. It's small, best for travel, and has 9 different colors. The pigment is beautiful.

Most used
BareMinerals has beautiful compact palettes, and this one was a favorite for a long time. I've even hit pan!

Wishlist palette 
Ahh, I just saw this new palette on Urban Decay's site! Isn't this gorgeous? I love those rich pinks! The name for the palette is perfect, cherry!

A Makeup Find | Cream Eyeshadows

very time I go to Carlsbad my makeup collection grows, haha. The outlets have a BareMinerals shop with great deals, so swiping my credit card is easy to do! This summer I have enjoyed the simplicity of cream eyeshadows. I feel like I don't have to worry about darkening my crease line. I just put the cream eyeshadow all over my lid and it's good to good!

Do you have any favorite go-to cream eyeshadows? I would love to add more into my makeup routine! A neutral color palette makes everything look so flawless. Light browns just seem to compliment my skin tone.

My detail shader brush works perfectly to apply a creamy texture (instead of using your finger to dab it on). Many don't use brushes for application, but I find it helps everything look more smooth.

My Summer Hair Care

Summer hair care is no joke! It's the one time of the year I adore my hair curled to take photos next to flower bushes (like this one above), yet I hate the process of sweating in my room after a hot shower and heat via a blow dryer on your head for the next 10 minutes. For those of you who are in the south, than you'll understand this completely.

Anyways, here are a few tips I've been using. My hair has never been super long like most girls who have it mid-back length, but this length right now is really long for me. I have thin hair and growing up it's always taken forever to grow. Everything I've shared below has help my hair stay healthy, shinny, long, and even strong. I hope they help you too, especially for the summer time when you want to skip those morning styling sessions!

One // Use purple shampoo.
If you are a blonde like me, this makes such a difference! It protects and makes the color last, instead of rinsing out within the first couple of weeks.

Two // Skip the heat during the week.
Blow drying my hair is the worst in the summer. Being hot and sticky after my shower doesn't make me want to be under the hot dryer for another 10mins. So, skip the heat when you can. Only curl or blow dry your hair when you're going out for the night.

Three // Deep condition once a week.
My favorite conditioner is called K-Pak from Joico. It has strengthened my hair more than anything before. My hair is no longer weak or stringy. Now, my hair stylist says it is shiny and healthy!

Four // No hair ties for bed.
Split ends are bound to happen, but they are worse when I use tight hair ties for a cute up-do.

Five // Wash right after the pool.
Dirty lake water or the chlorine in pools are the worst for my blonde coloring. Just take care of your hair if you are constantly soaking in the summer water!

Six // Be careful with necklaces. 
I know this one seems weird, but whenever I wear necklaces all the time it can pull out my hair. I have to be careful, so I don't like to wear them unless I'm going out.

Everyday Jewelry Wears

ewelry is my favorite way to dress up an outfit look. Over the years, I've finally found my go-to pieces that make me feel comfortable and cute. Growing up, I never thought I'd have a love for gold jewelry but boy was I wrong. Other than a wedding ring perhaps, you'll never see me in silver pieces.

You'll find that my pieces are dainty, gold, and simple. Much like my outfit choices, I enjoy my jewelry to look timeless. No matter the latest trends they will always seem to match beautifully. Layered necklaces or bangles are the pieces I reach for daily. Other than hoop earrings, I never seem to wear anything else. I'm also a lover of knuckle rings (mostly because my fingers aren't a size 6) so thanks to Forever 21 my collection now offers a variety.

Anyways, here are a few items + brands that I adore! What are your favorite pieces of jewelry?

1. Knuckle Rings // As I mentioned I buy them from Forever 21, because they are super cheap. I'm very self conscious of my hands and fingers, but if I throw on a few knuckle rings I'm good to go! Here are a few I really enjoy and recently picked up! { solitaire midi ring set, ornate midi ring set }

2. Alex & Ani Charm Bracelets // A new find has been the brand called Alex and Ani! Their pieces are so simple, yet fun! I love wearing bangles, (again big wrists) so for a long time I wouldn't find any that flattered my hands. Everything from Alex and Ani, though, fits wonderfully. I have so many items left on my wishlist. Take a peek at the one's I currently own. { thankful, rocker beaded, march birthstone }

3. Kingsley Necklace // I've talked on the blog before about my all time favorite jewelry brand, Miranda Frye, because her necklaces are so dainty and elegant. Her pieces are the most expensive pieces in my collection, however, they clean beautifully. I know I will have them in my collection forever, as they are excellent quality. The Kingsley necklace comes matching with a bracelet, and I love pairing both. Literally, all my necklaces are from this brand, so be sure to take a look at them all (unfortunately a lot aren't up on the site anymore, so here's what I could find)!! { Kingsley, arch necklace, Ashleigh }

4. Watches // I love wearing watches and layering them with my charm bangles or Kingsley bracelet. I'm super picky when it comes to watches, and literally have only found a few at Francesca's. They have the best selection, especially for a gal who loves the big face on a clock (their website also lacks watches similar to mine, but here's one that I have my eye on). { Vanessa classic minimal watch }

5. Gold Hoops // Again, earrings are always a second thought, but my one pair of gold hoops from Free People are my favorite. Anthropologie also has a few favorites that are on my wishlist, so I'll include those as well! { fine gauge hoop, spring surprise, slender hoops }

COCONUT LEMON LIME SUGAR SCRUB

oday I'm so excited to share this DIY sugar scrub with you all! I can officially cross this off my summer bucket list, as I wanted to try out a summer inspired scrub to keep my beauty category alive! It just so happens to be the perfect way to have those smooth summer legs as well! This one smells soooo good, so if you try it let me know in the comments, you'll love it!

You'll Need...

1 cup of sugar 

4 drops of lemon essential oil 

3 tbs coconut oil 

1 tsp lemon juice 

1 tsp lime juice 

One Easy Step...

I literally just mix all of these ingredients into a bowl and stir it up. Best thing about sugar scrubs is that they take minutes to make. For the coconut oil I always melt mine before pouring it in, because then it will combine better. I've made some scrubs in the past, and have to say I love mine more grainy so I used less coconut oil this time and I completely felt a difference while using it! Easy peasy! 

14 THINGS YOU SHOULD CARRY IN YOUR BAG EVERYDAY

y purse is something I stopped carrying around with me while running errands, going to college classes, or even to work. I relied on my backpack for everything because I constantly needed my laptop, textbooks, and pens throughout the day because of my college schedule, since everyday consisted of attending my classes. I loved the system I created with my backpack, but after a while it began to be really heavy on my shoulders and back, and my work/college hours just recently lowered. Therefore, I'm not in any need of carrying my backpack around anymore, thank God! Now, that I'm on a normal, less busy schedule this summer I now have a tremendous need for my bag on a daily basis!

Oh, how I missed my purse SO much! It's so nice to have everything I need (minus textbooks) without hurting my shoulders in the process. However, now that my purse is taken everywhere, I needed to organize it in a functional way. My space is limited, unlike my backpack where I packed everything but the kitchen sink inside of it, haha!

So while going through and narrowing down the items I truly needed on a daily basis, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my list with you here on the blog. I tried to be practical, yet functional while putting together my list, so here are 14 things you should always try to keep inside your bag on the go! I love that I have this all figured out, especially before leaving for that University lifestyle!

14 THINGS TO ALWAYS KEEP IN YOUR BAG: 

1. Notebook : jot down any notes, or shopping lists. 

2. Pen - for above. 

3. Emergency Cash:  never know when you'll run into those small town stores that only accepts cash. 

4. First Aid Kit: this is where I keep a few bandaids, nail clippers, Motrin, cough drops, etc. 

5. Headphones: used for the gym, at work, or studying in a coffee shop. 

6. Mobile Phone Charger: I use this all the time, it's a life saver. 

7. Lotion: bye dry skin. 

8. Gum or Mints: used for those boring class lectures, or bad breath. 

9. Sunglasses:  a must in the summertime, and perfect to have when my car doesn't. 

10. Hair Ties & Bobby Pins: ahh, something I recently added to my bag, literally makes all the difference when I'm having a bad hair day! 

11. Feminine Products: for the time you least expect it! 

12. Mirror: check your makeup throughout the day. 

13. Day Planner: keep your calendar near to add or remove appointments. 

14. Rings: my knuckle rings instantly make me feel put together. Select your fave piece of jewelry to throw in your bag.