Spring into Fall

Cozy over-sized sweaters, refreshing rain, hot chocolate, crunchy colored leaves, crisp air, spicy pumpkin flavored and scented everything, Halloween (Hocus Pocus!!!!), rich seasonal desserts, oh yes, Fall is coming! 

My typical fall nail fashion is usually deep reds, burgundys, purples, browns and grays.  This year I am feeling something different, where I still foresee some deep hues here and there, my fingertips will mostly be wading through pink cold cream and ballerina tutu-esque shades all the cold season long.  In my mind I am already styling grays, pinks, blacks, golds and silvers with dashes of red in my clothing, accessories, and makeup this Fall & Winter season. Classy, sophisticated and streamlined/minimalistic looks seem to enchant me these days.  

Pictured below is a display of my nail polish palette for the months to come.  I may incorporate some designs such as black strips, a few glittery nails or rhinestones for dimension. 

Sheet Masks

My love affair with Korean sheet masks has been pretty steady for the past 8 months or so and doesn't look like it will come to a close anytime soon!  The more I use them, the more I love them.  I love knowing my skin just bathes in a luxurious serum for a considerable amount of time, and I see and feel immediate results. Throughout the post are photos of masks I am currently loving or about to try for the first time...

Last winter I popped into a Daiso Japan store for the first time and immediately made my way into the small beauty section where I discovered the Beauty Treats sheet masks.  Naturally, I bought one in every available type from Collagen, Green Tea, Aloe Vera, Cucumber, and Q10.  I really liked the minimal yet effective ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, cucumber extract, chamomile, vitamin E, peptides, arbutin, rose, seaweed extracts, to name a few.  
Twice a week I would run a luxurious bubble bath and after cleansing and exfoliating my face, applied a mask of my choice, allow my skin to drink up the rich serum (15-20 mins), remove the mask, then press the remaining fluid into my skin.  Loved how my skin simply glowed and looked revitalized! (I applied the remaining serum in the packet to my neck, decollete, arms and legs post bath!)

Soon after I started seeking out Japanese and Korean skin care shops or grocery stores in my area to broaden my sheet mask horizon!  So far Beauty Treats, My Beauty Diary, Leaders Insolution, and My Scheming work amazingly well for my skin, and I can't wait to cast an even wider net!

Masks are wonderful treatments for the skin to help any condition you may be experiencing.  From dryness, dehydration, excessive oil, acne, hyperpigmentation, laxity and scarring, there's a mask remedy.  Since one mask alone is not created to satisfy all conditions at once, having a variety of masks on hand is a good idea. Begin by looking at your skin and identifying what you would like to address to help you select the best type of mask(s) for you. 

Whether the sheet mask material is of cellulose, hydrogel, or fabric, I love sheet masks for the sheer convenience of the portable and disposable packaging.  Perfect for travel on planes where the air is poor, on road trips when skin can start to look and feel dull, with your friends, while doing your nails and toes at home, in a bubble bath, movie night in, or whenever you want to relax and do nothing at all.  

Some random details...

I will spare you the scary image of me wearing one, but I will say that when you apply the mask, make sure it lays flat and smoothed out against your skin. :) 

It's best to cleanse and exfoliate prior to treating your skin with any mask, as the ingredients will absorb that much better without lifeless skin cells impeding the nutrients. 

I will still apply an eye cream and moisturizer on top of the absorbing serum if I do the mask at night before bed.  If I happen to do a sheet mask treatment during the day I will apply an eye cream, moisturizer and SPF.  

Some evenings I will even sleep with the mask sheet on my face.  It's not necessary but I love the feeling. 

You may or may not have heard of the 'one mask a day' saying, but I would caution against that as you may be infusing your skin with too much nutrition and possibly cause breakouts.  I would say allow one to two days in between for your skin to properly metabolize what it has been treated with.  (Think small bites when you are eating to prevent choking, kind of thing.) 

Price points vary per brand.  I have seen them ranging from $1.50 to $6 per individual mask or boxes (4-15 ct.) from $10-$80.

Now let's go ahead a judge a book by its cover, shall we?! Not only are these masks super effective, but the packaging is très jolie too!  Much like how the content of each mask varies from one to the next, so do the exteriors.  From glossy to matte, colorful and child-like to clinical and sophisticated, the exterior design, look and feel doesn't reflect the efficacy or potency of the mask inside! 

I am anxious to explore other brands' masks and venture out into the eye, lip, neck, decollete, etc. masks as well!  

Holographic Everything

Loving the holographic design for Summer!  The color combination reminds me of the 80s, Jem and the Holograms, shiny metal, the ocean, mermaids, shiny glass, fire & ice, city lights at night, Las Vegas, you know, fun things like that!

I love the colorful glow so much, I decided I wanted to see glimpses of it often.  Forever 21 has had a variety of holographic cosmetic bags lately, so I selected the one below.  It fits all of my beauty products nicely and I just get so excited to pull it out of my handbag and rummage through it, the interior is black.  

This clutch has the most beautiful and radiant glow, it would wake up any outfit.  I found this one on Amazon.com, and bought the medium with gold chain attached.  Perfect for a cell phone, skinny wallet, and a lip gloss, the absolute essentials ;) (It also has a black interior)

This bracelet I made is not exactly holographic, though it has many gorgeous facets that shine beautifully in the light giving off that array of vibrant colors. Thank you Swarovski! 

And of course, what do I see more than anything all day?  My own hands!  I applied little cutouts of a rainbow-ish cellophane to all of my nails, and sealed them with two coats of clear polish.  I love it so much, I constantly find myself rocking my hands side to side to see how the light hits the colorful little strips ;)

These colorful leggings from Ross make me feel like I am looking at an AB Swarovski crystal, so naturally I had to have them!  No they are not holographic, but they might as well be :) 

This print looks like a holographic painting!

This is just a giant holographic bow!  I bought it because the colors purely mesmerize me, I just had to have it!

I am still on the lookout for a wallet, shoes, handbag/tote, and t-shirt with some sort of design...all holographic.  Such a cool and refreshing look! 

e.l.f. Gotta Glow Lip Tint

Who doesn't love a pretty baby pink lip tint encased in sleek silver packaging?  Yeah, I couldn't think of anyone either...

When I first saw this, I gasped and wanted to sink my teeth into it because of the shiny luscious shade of bubble gum pink.  When I first bought this I was hoping for this exact color payoff on lips, but was fearing the result actually being more like the tacky mood lipsticks from the 80s/90s, which it turned out to be. So in short, the swatch color is what appears on my lips, if this is the look you are going for, look no further.  

Not particularly shiny, but gives a smooth texture, smell is almost non-existent, wears off within 10-15 minutes, wish it was more hydrating, my lips feel thirsty, so happy I didn't get the Dior one...these are the random thoughts I have had while trying to give this a fair chance.  Do you need it? Probably not.  Ooooooooooh, but the packaging is so cute!! Oh alright, if you haven't added this to your beauty arsenal, you might as well, maybe.