Hashtag... No Filter!

      "No filter, just camo." That's the catch-phrase of the new E.l.f. Camo CC Cream. I received a full size tube to test out from Influenster, and y'all already know I ripped open that box and got right to testing it! A little background information you might care about... the Camo CC Cream is formulated with collagen, peptides, and niacinaminde. Collagen is a protein found in the body naturally that helps with suppleness (among other benefits); peptides are small chains of amino acids... which are also naturally occurring in the body and benefit many aspects of it, especially when it comes to the skin; and niacinamide, which is a form of vitamin B, is exceptional for acne.

     Moving on, this product also contains broad-spectrum SPF 30, and just incase you didn't know... you need sunscreen (even when it's cloudy). There are currently 20 shades in the range and it is full coverage with a natural finish. Lets move on into the photos and incite, shall we?

     Packaging? A+. It is user-friendly, sleek, and I love the pump... it makes it so much more sanitary! As for the color, I selected and received shade Fair 120N (with neutral [N] beige undertones). I think this is a great color for me. It appears quite yellow in the camera swatch; however, it is a true neutral because I see both yellow and pink undertones depending on where I am standing in natural light. It blends out like a dream and feels velvety soft without any tackiness. It definitely has a natural finish. It does not appear matte or dewy, but it isn't a satin either. I'm actually very impressed with this. You can check out the Camo CC Cream on Elf Cosmetics website, where they provide swatch photos and I must say... it is very inclusive toward deeper skin tones... so hats off to you, E.l.f.! You can, of course, also find E.l.f. Cosmetics at Ulta and your local drug store!

     Have you tried this product yet? If so, what was your opinion of it? Pros/cons? Let me know in the comments!

We're All Mad Here

     Happy New Year! Well, nothing has changed besides the calendar date. Coronavirus is still lingering and things in the United States have people asking for a refund on their 7-day free trial. It's a mess. Now, politics aside... if you happened to read the title of my post, you may know it to be from Alice in Wonderland (a quote from the Cheshire Cat to be exact). Who else is apart of Alice in Wonderland? The Mad Hatter! That's what we are here for today, yall... my hats!

     There happens to be a hat craze among us. I see them everywhere and unfortunately, some of the most flattering "fashion blogger" hats are nearly $100, if not more. I don't know about you, but I would be up out of my mind to pay that for a hat. I am sure they are of great quality, and clearly the designs are gorgeous... but let's be real, I'm not a well-to-do fashion blogger and I don't have $100 to drop on a single hat. 

     Welcome to the budget-friendly hat hoedown showdown! Where did I find these beauties? Target! All made by Universal Thread, and I am obsessed! I love this particular style of hat, and I cannot wait to see what color-way they launch next. I'm hoping for a soft tan. Universal Thread, can you hear me? A soft light beige-tan! 

Olive Green/Brown: Women's Wide Brim Felt Fedora (my particular color way is no longer available)

Blue: Women's Wide Brim Felt Fedora

Rust: Women's Guitar Strap Band Wide Brim Fedora

     If y'all have one or buy one, please let me know how you love it... and how you style it!

The Dream Team

    

    

     Hello. Good day. Happy end of the year! I am here to share the ultimate body dream team! I love Soap and Glory so much. If you have not tried it, these are the must haves... absolute must haves. The scent... holy macaroni... it is heavenly. 

     The 'Clean On Me' body wash is my numero uno holy grail from them. It makes me feel like pure silk and I smell like ... wow. I also love the exfoliator ('Scrub of Your Life'). I use this at least once a week and after that, it's time for 'The Righteous Butter'! In total combination, I just cannot stop sniffing myself. I smell so dang good. Too good, even. Lastly, 'Heel Genius' gives you baby soft feet. It does not have a noticeable scent, but girl... it works!

     Though this brand used to be in Sephora... they can now be found at Target, Ulta, and probably your local drug store. I love the change up. Have you ever tried Soap & Glory products? If so, tell me your favorite!

Clean On Me: Click Here

Scrub of Your Life: Click Here

The Righteous Butter: Click Here

Heel Genius: Click here

Supplements and Skin Care

      Welcome, welcome! If you have followed me for awhile, you know I have struggled with my skin in the past. If you are new here, search "Balance" in the side bar and check out my skin through different stages of taking a supplement that really benefitted my acne-prone skin and all the flare ups that typically came with it. Having a bunch of gastrointestinal issues and PCOS, I started treating my skin internally by way of Alani Nu's product called Balance. That product greatly helped me, but I also narrowed down some external skin care that has me embracing my bare-face too! 

    

    

    

    

     Lets start with my morning routine! First, I go in and wash my face with Bioelements Decongestant Cleanser... the key to using this is to massage the gel-like soap in your hands until it gets white and foamy before applying it to your face. After rinsing that off, I will apply The Ordinary HA 2% + B5 under my eyes (applying from outer corner to inner corner). My final step is to spritz the Mario Badescu Facial Spray (the aloe, cucumber, and green tea type) all over. I keep it nice and light so my skin has time to breathe.

     My night time routine is a little more product-heavy. I feel as though the body has time to really work on itself while we sleep in terms of recovery, so I give it a little extra boost with a number of products! My night time face cleanser is the Beekman 1802 Milk Bar + Retinol (this has been wonderful for my acne... it's life changing). My second step is a toner... I more recently added in a second one which I have been enjoying. I will first use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner on a cotton round and then spray over my face with the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. After that, I apply The Ordinary Squalane under my eyes (from outer corner to inner corner) and the Rose Hip Seed Oil goes all over my face (pat that in real good). My final step is applying the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream all over my face and neck. I feel that that just seals everything in and ensures my skin is getting the moisture it needs. 

     In the end, if you look like a glazed donut... you did everything right! I swear by all of these products and I have a back-up supply of most of them. I just want to treat my skin right and do the best I can to keep my acne at bay. If you are oily or acne-prone, don't be afraid of oil and yes... you still need a moisturizer! If your skin is dry or dehydrated, your sebaceous glands will try overcompensate for what you are not supplying. Do you know what that means? YOU WILL PRODUCE MORE OIL! Take some time to learn your skin type and what works for you. Give yourself grace and time. If any of these products are part of your routine... let me know which ones and why you love them!

Alani Nu: Balance
Bioelements: Decongestant Cleanser

The Ordinary: HA 2% + B5

Mario Badescu: Facial Spray

Beekman 1802: Goat Milk + Retinol Cleanser

The Ordinary: Glycolic Acid Toner

Elemis: Soothing Apricot Toner

The Ordinary: Squalane Oil

The Ordinary: Rose Hip Oil

First Aid Beauty: Ultra Repair Cream (comes in various scents)

Ain't No Shame In My Purple Pant Game!

 

     Hey y'all! Long time no talk! I have a tiny bit of updated information since we last spoke. Last year, I dropped everything social... slowly, but then all together. I really just felt so uninspired and lost... and it didn't help that I got screwed out of a position at work. Late 2019, I decided it was time to focus on myself... starting with a career I could see myself loving. I decided to go back to school. That's right... I packed up my life and flew across the country to Oregon and attended school for esthetics. As you are clearly all aware, after completing my freshman courses, the pandemic hit. Great times, great times. With that being said, I hope you are all healthy and doing well.

     I graduated and passed my state board exams in August and flew back home in September. This is where things get a little funny. COVID-19 is still in full swing, so I went back to work at my old job one day a week (for now) and still felt like I was missing something. I picked up my social media again. I really do love it. So, I'm back and I'm sticking to it. I post most often on Instagram, but I did just join TikTok, and of course I'm here! I plan to try post once a week on my blog at bare minimum. This is my space, I created it and I need to nurture it. I'm doing what I can with what I got and I hope you all visit often!

    As for the photos above, I got some new pants! They cute, huh? I purchased this black, ribbed turtle neck from Mango and these mom jeans from Zara... but they are limited edition so get them while you can, if you can! As for the shoes... those were a random grab at JCPenney. They are platform vans in the traditional black and white color way; however, I am still debating on keeping them, especially since Trevor thinks they're "too young" for me. I mean, I'm grasping at all the strings of my youth so they might have to stay. What do you think?

Top: Ribbed Mock Neck (no longer available in black) *

Pants: Z1975 MOM FIT JEANS (random restocks occur as of 12/5/2020*)

Shoes: Vans® Ward Women's Platform Skate Shoes (got mine from JCPenney but they are not available online) *

* Represents an affiliate link!

- Talk soon! Kelly