My Every Day Makeup Routine

I'll be honest, lately I have been super lazy about wearing makeup on a day-to-day basis, aside from mascara and brows of course.  Have I mentioned that I have become obsessed with brows lately?  No?  Well I have, and I've been trying out a ton of different products that I'll be sharing in an upcoming post.  But for today, I wanted to share my go-to makeup routine, as seen in

this

post.  I love this look because it is so versatile!  By keeping the eyes pretty neutral, you can change out lipstick colors like it's going out of style.  If I'm not feeling bold enough for that, though, I'll stick with this lipstick, which is one of my favorites.

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Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation 

This foundation is amazing.  Period.  It holds up all day, even on my combo/oily skin.

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Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer

To brighten up my under-eyes, I always use this.  At a drugstore price, you can't beat it.

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Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

Another amazing drugstore find, this powder does wonders for setting your makeup without looking cakey.

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light

This is like a photo filter in powder form, giving your skin that beautiful blurred effect.

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Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Exposed

I love the mauve color of this blush for something a little different.  It's super pigmented and lasts all day.

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Nars Laguna Bronzer

I like to do a subtle contour along my cheek bones and the sides of my nose, and this is perfect for that.

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Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

I've been trying this out for the first time from a recent purchase, and I really love how easy this is to apply with the doe-foot applicator.  Your eyeshadow won't budge with this.

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Lorac Pro Eyeshadow Palette

With a good balance of matte and shimmery shades, I find myself reaching for this day in and day out.

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Maybelline The Rocket Mascara

Even though this is bit stubborn to remove, it also won't go anywhere during the day!  You'll get thick, separated, curled lashes with this mascara.

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Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner

I was always scared to try liquid eyeliner because I could never get it right with a pencil, so why bother?  Well, this is so easy to apply and you can get right up on the lash line for a polished look.

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo

Like I said, brows are my new obsession, and there's a reason why this is the best brand in the brow game.

My go-to application is Lt Bronze on the lid, Taupe in the crease, Champagne on the inner corner, Pewter on the outer corner, and White as a brow bone highlight.

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Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Fig

This is an amazing my-lips-but-better shade that you can never go wrong with.

What are some of your go-to makeup products?

xoxo,

Amanda

Etsy Gift Guide 2014

This year I've been all about online shopping, which is a complete 180 from my usual in-person retail therapy indulges.  I think it's because it's like a double dose of Christmas.  You come home to a package at your door and get to open it, and then you wrap it up pretty and get to watch your friend or loved one open it too!  As a hand maker myself on Etsy, I have definitely been supporting local businesses this season both through Etsy and stores in my hometown.  I already shared a gift guide

here

, but I wanted to also share one especially for handmade items.  These are some of my favorites that I plan on purchasing for special people in my life, and some that are on my wish list too!

1.

Dapper Fox Hoop Art by bohointheround

2.

Wooden iPhone Speakers by Bloodwood

3.

Foldover Clutch by maddiekayhandbags

4.

Felt Succulent Planters by theYarnKitchen

5.

Zipper Pouch by dozi

6.

Follow Your Heart Print by WhatThePrint

What handmade items are on your wish list?

xoxo,

Amanda

Shades of Blue

I know what you're thinking.  How am I wearing so much blue if I'm a Cards fan?  Kidding!  (But if you're from Kentucky then you totally get it.)  Well for one, it's not

that

shade of blue.  And secondly, I really love how all of these shades come together to create a cohesive look.  Next to gray and black, I would say I have more blue in my wardrobe than anything.  It's almost like another neutral to me and pretty much goes with anything.  And can we just talk a minute about the turtle buttons on this J Crew cardigan?  This was an amazing thrift store find but I'm sure you could DIY it to any cardigan you already own!  I've also been rocking my new duck boots a lot lately.  They're not something I would normally go for, but given the winter weather we've experienced the last couple of years, I wanted to be prepared with appropriate footwear.  And in the meantime, I can give them a little stylish flair ;)

Cardigan || J Crew (thrifted)

Chambray Blouse ||

Loft

Jeggings ||

Loft

Duck Boots ||

Sperry Top Sider

Necklace ||

Francesca's Collections

(different color)

Bag || Michael Kors

Photos by

Chelcey Tate

xoxo,

Amanda  

Finding Inspiration When You're in a Rut

Sometimes when I go to sit down and write a post, I stare at a blank screen until my eyes go blurry and never get that magical aha moment.  Whether it's because I have nothing to say about the topic or I just don't know what to write about in general, I never like to force myself to hit that publish button if it's not something I'm completely happy with.  I've had ups and downs since starting this blog, from not caring that I haven't posted in over a week to ideas oozing out of my pores faster than I can keep up.  I'm currently on one of those peaks and I am so excited for the month to come!  Today I wanted to share my tips for finding inspiration to blog when you may be stuck in a rut.

1. Take a break. 

It's ok to get a little off schedule with your regular posting routine.  This is something that's really tough for me because if it's in my planner, then by gosh I am going to write a post!  But what I've learned is that it is more important to write authentic content than something forced.

2. Look to what's happening in your life right now. 

I get so many ideas from things I'm going through or fun experiences I want to share.  And I find that my voice comes so much more naturally when I'm writing about life, almost like I'm just talking to a friend.

3. Remember why you started. 

For me, I started this blog as a creative outlet to share all things beauty, fashion, and life that I love when I'm not crunching numbers as an accountant.  Whenever I find myself fishing for inspiration, I just remember that and then the creative juices start flowing again!

4. Try something new. 

I hadn't really planned on having a heavy focus on fashion when I first wanted to blog.  In fact, I considered myself much more of a beauty junkie than fashion junkie.  But then Chelcey wanted to get back into photography, and thus a beautiful venture was born.  Every week when we go out to take photos, I find myself already looking ahead to the next shoot and what fun outfits and ideas I can put together.  Moral of the story, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and do something different!

5. Keep a notebook nearby.

  I carry a small notebook with me every day so that if I have one of those light bulb moments of inspiration, I'll be able to jot it down and not forget about it.  You really never know when an idea may just suddenly pop into your head.  If your brain works anything like mine, some crazy connections can be made between every day experiences and post ideas.

What are some of your tips for finding inspiration to blog?

xoxo,

Amanda

According to Amanda: Mascara Hack

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is fully recovered from the turkey-coma.  If you braved the crowds at the mall yesterday, then I hope you've rested up from that too!  I opted to sleep in and deck the halls with all things Christmas, and let me tell you, it was totally worth it.  I did go shopping in the afternoon but nothing really struck my fancy (except for Bath and Body works candles ... so many candles).  I think I'm losing my retail-therapy touch, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  Since this whole past week was a little off with the holiday and long weekend, I wanted to post something short and sweet today. 

I recently ran out of my Benefit They're Real! mascara and decided to just go pick up one of my drugstore favorites, The Rocket by Maybelline.  If you've tried either one of these, then you know just how stubborn and difficult they both are to remove.  That's probably why I like wearing them so much, because I know I won't have racoon eyes or little mascara flakes all over my face at the end of the day, but at the same time I dread when I have to try and take off the stuff.  Plus, I'm a girl who really likes to pile on the mascara. 

I've already talked about how I really don't like to use oil-based eye makeup removers because I feel like I'm tugging too hard at my eyelashes and not much ends up actually being removed.  The lotion-based remover that I do use does a pretty good job, but I still have to go over each eye a couple times to get it all, and even then there's still some residue.  When I received a sample-size mascara from a recent Sephora purchase, I decided to try layering that mascara under my Maybelline.  That night, it was soooo much easier to remove!  Since the stubborn mascara is not applied directly to your eyelashes, it makes all the difference.  I haven't had any problems with the wear of my mascara since doing this either.  It's also a great way to use up those samples or mascaras that you might have purchased but didn't like so much to wear on their own.

What are some of your tried and true beauty hacks?

xoxo,

Amanda