happy friday, y'all!

Happy Friday, y'all! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! 

1. Me and Benjamin made two years on Tuesday. I'm so grateful for two wonderful years with my hunny, and I'm looking forward to mannnyyy more. Can't wait for our date night on Saturday! 

2. Trying out Michael Todd Skincare now that I've completely used up my current cleanser and toner. Look for a review once I've had a chance to try it out for a while. 

3. Gray nails for gray skies. These days I feel like I live in Seattle. Rain, rain, and more rain to come...

4. If there's one good thing about the holidays being over, it's that it's finally Mardi Gras Season in South Louisiana! Mom and I made this wreath with some leftover mesh and party store items. I thought it was pretty good for a first-time wreath maker. 

5. Finally got some quality time with my Carter Bear last night. Can't wait to spend more time with my little man (and Thomas... the train) this weekend. 

How was your week?

See more H54F posts on Lauren's blog!

xo, Mal

12 beauty favorites of 2012

Looking back, 2012 was a great year for discovering new products. I have a lot of favorite products form the year, but only a few that I will re-purchase over and over again. It's hard to even pick an absolute number one makeup product or tool. 

So, here are my "top 12 of 2012." 

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

A lot of people ask if both palettes are necessary. I personally love the Naked 2 better than the original. I use them both, but I reach for Naked 2 more because it has cooler colors that are perfect for everyday subtle looks. 

Maybelline Color Tattoos

I can't say enough about these. The longevity, pigmentation and price. Amazing. More on these cream shadows here.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream

Ah, it was the year of the BB creams. Smashbox got it right. It evens out my skin tone, provides light coverage, and lasts all day. Perfect for days in the sun or traveling. 
My post dedicated to this BB cream is here. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

This powder is a savior for girls with oily skin. Apply it in the morning over your foundation and you're good to go for the rest of the day. For $6.00 at the drugstore, you can't beat it! 

Maybelline MasterDrama Eyeliner 

This year I finally found the only eyeliner that does not smudge throughout the day. This has better staying power than Urban Decay 24/7 glide on pencils, and you don't have to sharpen these.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

This is a creamy concealer that really brightens the under the eyes. I like it better than the YSL Touch Eclat concealer (which is $45). See my blog post on this amazing concealer!

Soap & Glory Hand Food Lotion

This is amazing stuff. This is the only lotion that doesn't leave a greasy feeling after applying.  Use before bed and your hands feel so silky and soft in the morning. 

Mary Kay Timewise Moisturizer

I've been using this since late 2011, but I never realized how much I loved this moisturizer until this year. I tried to stray, but I can't find anything like it. Hey, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. More on this moisturizer here. 

Maybelline Babylips in Quenched

The most moisturizing lip balm at the drugstore. They’ve since come out with some new colors that I’m dying to try. Read my post on Babylips here.

Clarisonic Mia

The Clarisonic has kinda changed my life. I’m not really sure how I ever washed my face before. I use it with a gentle Neutrogena cleanser and it gets every spec of makeup off. If you don’t have one, and have been on the fence about getting one, I say do it. It’s definitely well worth the money! 

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Foundation

I know I've mentioned it before, but the Revlon ColorStay whipped foundation has ousted the liquid version as my holy grail foundation. I'm on jar number 3 in just 6 months because I use it so much. It's the longest-lasting foundation with the most natural finish.
More on this foundation here. 

Sultra Bombshell Curling Wand (1 ¼”)

I can honestly say that this curling wand has changed my hair life. I prefer a curling wand over a curling iron because the curls last… for days..and days. If only I was one of those girls that could go a week without washing my hair. But, by day 3 I need a wash and I’m always sad to see the wavy curls go. I highly recommend using a curling wand over a curling iron now. There are some great inexpensive ones at Ulta and Target. You can find the Sultra Bombshell at Sephora.

What were your favorite products of 2012?

xo, Mal

beauty resolutions for 2013

I hope everyone is having a nice start to the new year. I know some people think resolutions are silly, but I like to think of them as goals for the new year. So, I just wanted to share some of my beauty-related goals for 2013. Let me know in the comments what your goals/resolutions/plans are for 2013!

Continue removing my makeup every single night. 

Unfortunately, washing our face in the morning and at night is just not as fun as the Neutrogena commercials make it out to be. Regardless, no matter how tired, exhausted, or crazy of a night I’ve had-- makeup must come off. I made this resolution last year. And I can say that out of the 365 days in 2012, that I stuck to it 99% of the time. The key is just to make it routine. I don’t always go through a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer routine, but at the very least I do use makeup remover wipes before calling it a night.  And I’ve seen what a huge difference taking that 5 minutes to properly cleanse before going to sleep can do for my skin. Therefore, this routine will continue for 2013!

Drink more water. 

I also made this resolution last year. I didn’t follow through until about October when I quit drinking Diet Coke. I have my fix about once a month, but I’ve stuck to mostly water and Gatorade. Again, my skin is thanking me, but I just need to stick to only water. I’m getting there, slowly…

Toss makeup every three-four months. 

There’s no need to keep makeup past its prime. Especially mascara, eyeliner and lipstick. Those products can become full of bacteria fast. I’ve been pretty good about cleaning out my drawers a couple times a year, but I need to make it a habit more regularly.

Use up my products in “storage.” 

The closet that should hold towels, linens and toiletries is now just a storage closet for half-empty hair and beauty products. I’m making it a goal to completely use up my products before purchasing new ones. If I don’t like it, or if it breaks out my skin, then I’ll be tossing them. Other than that, it’s time to just use what I have.

Happy New Year! xo

Tips for Your New Year's Night Out!

Happy Friday, y'all! 
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I've been enjoying some time off of work by stepping away from the computer and just enjoying a break! But today I wanted to share a few tips I'll be using on New Year's to help my makeup last all night long.

My friends and I have a fun night out planned for New Year's Eve. I'm looking forward to being with my friends-- getting ready, doing our hair & makeup, and seeing how much glitter and sequins will cover the floors of our hotel room by the time we are ready to leave. Even if you aren't planning to do anything on December 31, you can use these tips for any night out! 

Exfoliating Face Wash

The first step is starting with a fresh face. Use an exfoliating face wash. I prefer to use the Neutrogena Deep Clean daily scrub. It contains rice protein, which soaks up excess oil and keeps you shine-free for hours. 

Foundation Primer

I feel like I can't preach the benefits of using foundation primer enough. Primer is key for helping your foundation adhere to a fresh face. Without a primer, your foundation can more easily fade away throughout the day/night. Especially if you have oily skin. I recommend Smashbox or Prestige primer.

 Eyeshadow Primer
Just like foundation, your eye shadow also needs a base to stick to in order for it to last. Many brands make an eyeshadow primer. Urban Decay primer potion (in Eden) works best for me. It has a light neutral color to it, which cancels out redness and discoloration on my eyelids, and creates a nice base for eye shadow. Using a lighter colored base will also help your vibrant, shimmery shadows pop just a little bit better. Another tip-- apply a little primer under your lower lashes to keep eyeliner in place.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

If you wear a liquid foundation, you should set it with a powder to “lock” it in. This powder will instantly mattify your foundation and concealer without it looking cakey. Do yourself a favor and pick up Rimmel Stay Matte at your nearest drugstore if you haven't already! 

MAC Fix + (or just plain water!)
MAC Fix + is a versatile product. Its most popular use is as a setting spray after you've applied all of your makeup. However, if you plan to use glittery eyeshadow and want to prevent major fallout, I suggest spraying your shadow brush with MAC Fix +, then pick up the glitter, and apply to your eye lids. You can get a similar effect by just wetting your brush with running water. 

Makeup Setting Spray
The last step to ensure long-lasting makeup is using a setting spray. Urban Decay makes the All Nighter spray that you can get at any Ulta or Sephora. Just spritz a little bit all of your face after your makeup is done and you're good to go. 

What should you keep in your clutch? 
I'm not one to touch up my makeup throughout the night. After using a few extra steps in your makeup application, you really shouldn't have to! But I do like to pack just a few things in case I'm in the restroom and need to do a quick touch up. You just never know! Aside from the usual necessities, I'll have my NYX blotting sheets to keep oil at bay, my favorite lip balm, lip stick, eyeliner and some mints! 

What products or tips do you use for long-lasting makeup?
What kind of NYE plans do you have? 

Have a great weekend and... Happy New Year! 

happy friday, y'all!

It's.finally.Friday. I'm looking forward to quality time with my friends and family over the next couple of weeks. It's much... much... much... needed. 

1. This week marked two years since I became an LSU grad. And today is the day that my Kateepal comes home for the Holidays from London. If I could type my excitement, it would looks something like this: aslmfiwje;po!!!!;lasjfpwioej!!!palpqpajwfvl;qweior!!ahhhhhh!!!!!!!! Okay I'll stop.

2. There's something about getting a fresh mocha from a cup and saucer that just makes it feel so legit and necessary when it's cold outside. Thank you mother nature for finally realizing it's December. 

3. 'Tis the season to eat gingerbread cookies for breakfast for a week straight, right? Oh... it's not...?

4. As if Target wasn't the amazingness that it is already, all of the Neiman Marcus collection is 50% OFF! In stores and online. I took advantage of this and got the Tory Burch "printed container/thermos/what the hell is this" for $12.00. This sale is for a limited time only, so if you had your eye on something and couldn't justify the price, now is the time to check it out! 

5. How did this little guy get in here? In all seriousness, after the Newtown tragedy last Friday, I am loving on this boy more than I thought possible. I can't wait to spend Christmas with him and the rest of my family. 

I hope you're all having a wonderful Holiday season! We have a lot to be thankful for. 

What kind of plans do you have for the holidays?!

See more H54F posts on Lauren's blog!

xo, Mal