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Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years.

HI! Remember me? :] I have been beyond MIA lately. Missed you guys, swear it. So I have a quick little video for you guys, it’s kind of a review of some liquid eyeliner along with my suggestions. Fascinating, I know. Just a quick little video to remind you how much you’ve missed me. Kidding, of course. Maybe? I’m not. I hope to make a video soon all about shopping for maternity clothes. Believe me, it may sound stupid, but it’s a freaking bitch when you are a young, first time mother. Finding flattering maternity clothes when you’re 23 is like trying to find love at an EDM festival with all those weirdos rolling on E feeling everyone up in their neon tutus. Well, you catch my drift. So! here we go. Enjoy all four minutes of it, I worked hard! And Baby R (also known as Charlotte, also known as Boogie) has a cameo, woo! I’m making her a youtube star! I’ll be back soon. Kisses.

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Weekend Look

Well this past weekend was St. Patrick’s Day, and how did I celebrate? With a taco and fajita night! Just screams Irish pride right? Of course. So I only went to my cousin’s house for a taco and game night, but I haven’t been able to do anything in forever that didn’t involve wearing a football jersey so I figured I’d dress up a little bit. I’ve been doing yoga so my balance is on point lately and I decided I’m wearing heels while I still can. I’ll be wearing them to the hospital probably hah.. Peep my look.

From this angle you’d never even know I had a big ol’ baby bump…. buuuuttttt…

voila! There it is!
Outfit: 
Blazer – Express
Shirt: A Pea in the Pod
Jeans: Indigo Rein
Booties: Marc Fisher

Jewelry:
Earrings: Express
Bib Necklace: H&M
Bracelets: (Left hand)  Skull bracelets in white and gold and black and silver; Molly & Zoe – Tiffany’s Silver Ball – (right hand) wrap bracelet from Aruba
Watch: Michelle

You will recognize my hair from my how to curl your hair tutorial! I spiced it up by doing a deep center part instead of my usual. I also got new eyeshadow this weekend, which I am obsessed with! Take a closer look at how I did my eyes.

I used Midnight Cowboy all over my lid from lash line to eyebrows and then worked Scratch (both by Urban Decay) into the corners. I added a little solid black into the outer corners and there ya have it. Scratch was the new shade I got this weekend. After I took this picture I added a little bit of my Just Bitten lip stain in Flame from Revlon and that pretty much completed the look.

It’s pretty funny… I’ve always wanted a pair of those bright blue jeans and I wait til I’m pregnant to buy them, hah. So there ya have it, folks. A pregnant girl’s guide to looking somewhat presentable on the weekends. How do you think I did?

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Festive Makeup for some St. Patrick’s Day Festivities

I went back and forth on actually posting this because I’m going to be honest with you… it’s embarrassing. You are about to see some throwback pictures of me from 2007. Back when I was a freshman in college, a high school friend of mine had a big party for St. Patty’s day, and of course, I went all out. I didn’t want to go overboard with the green, so I actually wore a lbd with a cute green sweater. My makeup was really the key player in my look this night. What I thought was gold and green actually ended up being the Irish flag, as the gold translated a little more orange. It wasn’t intentional, but it actually didn’t look that bad, hah. So here are some pictures from way back in the day… don’t judge.

My friend Tanya took this picture after we realized I was wearing the Irish flag on my eyelids, hah, but it’s not so bad in other shots.

Want to recreate this look? (In a much, much better way?) Here’s all ya need!

The three colors I used are all by Urban Decay; Vert (the green), Midnight Cowboy (middle shade), and Baked (the gold).

Start out by swiping Midnight Cowboy all over your lid from lash line to eye brows with a thick eyeshadow brush. Whenever I want to go big with my makeup and make it bold I wet the eyeshadows. It takes it from a light shadow to almost a liner, or cream shadow. Actually, you can use any eye shadow as a liner if you wet the tip of an eyeliner brush. But I don’t use an eyeliner brush. ANYWAY, I am getting off track here. For the gold I used a regular old eye shadow applicator and wet it. Swipe the gold all over your lid from your  tear ducts to the outer corner (but don’t go above the crease). Now take vert (or any green you have on hand), and work it in to the outer corners. To make the green more bold you can apply it wet as well. Do the same thing on your bottom lash line, line it with gold and green. Polish it off with a brown or black eyeliner, some bold mascara and BOOM. You are all set for some festive Irish partying. Actually, if you’re feeling particularly bold, you can line your lids with a green or gold liquid liner. I have a green liquid liner from Wet n’ Wild that actually looks pretty awesome on. And if your night is anything like my St. Patrick’s Day was in 2007, your eyes will be closed most of the night to show this look off, haha.

Try this out for your parties this weekend and let me know what your looks come out like!

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Feb Faves

Recently I’ve picked up a few new goodies that I want to talk a little about. I’m loving some of these products and others are well….. just getting me by hah. I’m going to talk about a couple of things that aren’t pictured here as well.

Product numero uno: Milani Baked Bronzer

I am a big lover of bronzers and I have tried them all….. allllll of them! I am actually a big fan of Physicians Formula baked bronzer, but I have recently run out and haven’t been able to find the same one since! I tried a Bare Minerals bronzer recently as well but for the money it runs out kind of quickly. So I saw this baked bronzer and decided to try it. I will say this isn’t as good as my fav Physicians Formula, but it is close! Baked Bronzers are my favorite because they apply so evenly and stick to your skin all day. This isn’t the most expensive product I’ve bought, but I will say it works just as well. It comes in three different shades so you can best match your natural tone and it gives just the right amount of shine to make it look like you’ve been out in the sun all day. Mix it with my favorite blush – Super Orgasm by Nars and you have the perfect glow!

Product number two: L’Oreal Paris Ever Sleek Smoothing Deep Conditioner 

I can always use a wonderful deep conditioning treatment. My hair is naturally curly, very curly, and frizzy. I am constantly blow drying, flat ironing, curling, and sometimes my hair just needs a break. This deep conditioning treatment is a god send! Apply to your hair in the shower and don’t be afraid to really paint it on. Leave it in your hair for 3 to 5 minutes, comb it through, then rinse it out completely. You could also leave it on your hair, step out of the shower for a minute, put a shower cap on and put some heat on it with a hair dryer for a minute or so. After that hop back in the shower and rinse it out. This stuff is a miracle worker. It’s the next best thing to actually getting a hair cut and chopping off the dead ends that are weighing your hair down. I use it about once or twice a week, it’s not a daily conditioner.

Product numero tres: L’Oreal Ever Sleek Super Sleek Intense Serum 

This is a great product to use before straightening. It is sulfate free (as well is the deep conditioner) which is great if you have color treated hair, it won’t touch the color. This is a good serum to put in your hair before flat ironing or blow drying, it does a great job of releasing a lot of the frizz and smoothing your hair out.

Product number four: Almay Moisturizing and Hydrating Makeup Remover

I really hate washing my face before I go to bed and I’m not going to pretend like I’m someone who actually does it every night. By the time I’m ready for bed, I am ready to pass out. Brushing my teeth takes enough energy. As I’ve posted in the past, I am a really big fan of Say Yes To… facial wipes. In addition to those, I love this makeup remover. It doesn’t matter what I do to my face, I feel like I can never get 100% of the makeup off, especially in the shower. I feel like I scrub and scrub and I still step out looking like a raccoon sometimes. This makeup remover is fantastic. I put just a little bit on a cotton square and let it go to work. It removes makeup I thought I had already removed. It’s perfect. It can be a little on the oily side though, so when I’m all done, I use a dry cotton square and wipe off the excess remover.

Product number five: Skinny Girl Lip Plumper Gloss

One of my obsessions is the Real Housewives…. of any place. I love them all. Recently Bethenny Frankel launched a cosmetics and beauty product line and I came across them one day. I picked this lip gloss up because I really liked the color, ha. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized it was also a lip plumper. Now… do I think that it’s really plumping my lips up? I don’t think so. It does tingle when I apply it, so it’ll make you feel like it’s working, but I’ve only been using it for a few days and I can’t see any results… so we’ll see. I’ll have to post another update later.

Product numero six: Skinny Girl Mommy Conditioning Belly Butter

This one is for all my other pregos out there. Sorry to everyone else, ha. This is another great product from Bethenny’s Skinny Girl line, only she has a side line now solely for mommies. And I mean, look at her, she’s a hottie, so this stuff has to work! I actually haven’t spotted any stretch marks yet but I figured applying this early on would take care of that if it does become an issue. When I first opening this jar I was like OH MY GOD! If I didn’t know any better I would think it was a little bucket of cupcake icing, it smells amazing! I actually tweeted that with my cravings it would be hard to keep myself from eating it, it smells so good! hah. It goes on smooth and I apply it all over my tummy (and my boobs, cause they’re growing too!) after every shower.

Some other products I feel like are worth mentioning are Dove Heat Protecting spray and Revlon Just Bitten lip stain. I always, always, always have a bottle of the Dove heat protecting spray on hand in my bathroom. I don’t know if it actually works, but after I was my hair and plan on drying it, I drench my hair with the stuff. I truly feel like I’ve seen a difference in the health of my hair when I’m using it versus when I wasn’t. And hey, it never hurts to be too safe with your hair! As for this lip stain, why I really love it is because it’s also a gloss! I used a lip stain on my wedding day and I hated it. It was literally a stain and anything I put over it either changed the color or made it sticky. This is the perfect stain and gloss combo because the gloss itself is super smooth and silky and my hair doesn’t stick to it when it’s windy out. haha.

So these are some of my favorite products so far! You can pretty much find any of these in a drug store and they are all affordable and completely worth it. Get your hands on some and let me know what you think of them! <3 byee.

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Coming Soon…

Coming this week: I am going to do a review on some of my favorite beauty products and some recent purchases I’ve made. I”ll be talking everything from hair to skin so check back later in the week for that. :]

On another note… did everyone have a great Super Bowl Sunday? Because I did! My cousins hosted a nice little get together and everyone brought a little food. I made two batches of my buffalo chicken dip because they go fast. I had two choices: mild and spicy! Between the heat of the dip and the anxiety of the game I was a sweaty mess the entire time haha. What a great game though! I’m just glad all that’s over with… now bring on baseball season!

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Winter Favorites: January

It is CHILLY out there lately. I’m not even sure if chilly is a good enough word. It’s so cold in New Jersey that my bones hurt when I’m outside for too long. And not even that long. The short walk from my car to the grocery store is enough to knock the wind out of me. Is that a good enough visual for you? It’s cold. So here are a few of my favorite things to keep me warm this winter… and a few things that in no way keep me warm but still make me happy.

 

1. ChapStick brand Medicated chapstick: I am a little bit of a chapstick addict. Like, no joke. On any given time I have no less than 6 different kinds of chapstick on me. However, when it’s super cold out and I feel like my lips are chapped beyond repair, I always turn to this particular chapstick. It may be all in my head, but I feel like it heals my lips within minutes.

2. A cute beanie with embellishments: I purchased this exact hat from Forever 21 and I adore it. It’s a slouchy beanie but somehow actually stays on my head, which pretty much never happens with hats like this. The bow is just an added bonus of cuteness that I love.

3. Nars Blush in Super Orgasm: I have been on an epic quest to find the perfect blush. Something not too red, not too orangey, and not too pink. Well fellow women on the same epic quest, you can stop searching. This blush is a game changer. I assume by the name, it’s supposed to make you look flushed, as if you have just finished having the most amazing…. well… you know. I adore this color. It’s pure perfection.

4. Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:  I am an iced coffee addict. I will forever hold a place in my heart for Dunkin Donuts iced coconut coffee. However, as the weather plummets to the teens and I have to start lessening my intake of caffeine for the baby, I find myself drinking more and more of these salted caramel hot chocolates. They’re delish and warm me right up! But extremely filling. I can never finish one!

5. Extra long wool trench coat: Matt got me one from Express for Christmas and I practically live in it this winter. It’s super warm and not over-the-top bulky like some of those puffy marshmallow coats can be. Like really… is there any way to look good in one of those? I think not.

6. Urban Decay eyeshadow in Midnight Cowboy: I love this shade! I’ve eyed it up for years and never bought it, because I had a shade that I thought was too similar. Fortunately for me, it ran out recently, so I picked up this bad boy and I love it! It’s the perfect shade to highlight a NYE smoky, shimmery eye. There’s also Midnight Cowboy Rides Again which has a little glitter mixed in and seems to be a little darker. I like it, but I’m not always a fan of the added shimmer.

7. Ugg Boots; Bailey Button Tall in Chestnut: Another Christmas present from the Hubbs this year, I live in these things. No joke. I had the same exact boots but the short version which I like to wear with jeans. These fit perfectly with my ‘i’m pregnant and can’t fit into jeans anymore’ leggings that I wear every day. They’re incredibly warm and comfy, but I mean, obviously, they’re Uggs!

8. Gloves: This is pretty much a no brainer for the winter, isn’t it? These Coach gloves have been keeping my fingers nice and toasty for years now and I will never part with them!

9. Nars nail polish in Super Orgasm: So I bought all three of these things together; blush, nail polish, and lip gloss, in super orgasm. I adore them all. This nail polish is super sheer but packed to the gills with glitter. I like layering it over a light pink polish.

So those are some of my favorite things this winter! Think I’m kidding about my chapstick addiction? Hardly. Check this picture out, I took it today. :] There’s even one missing from the picture, but I didn’t notice until it was too late. haha Also, here’s a picture of me (below) in my beanie that I featured. Unfortunately, it’s from the wrong angle and you can’t see the adorable bow, but you get the picture.

I may post again later because I am on a fashion high from last night’s Golden Globes and I don’t want to wait until tomorrow and the buzz wears off! So keep an eye out for that. Speaking of tomorrow! Matt and I are in for some pretty big news… we find out if Baby R is a boy or a girl!!!!! I couldn’t sleep last night I’m so excited and I can barely concentrate on anything today. So I’m sure I’ll be a nervous wreck for the rest of the day today. AH. Wish us luck!!! 🙂 Oh & also, Happy MLK day to everyone!

Love you all, bye!

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Fashion Night Out

So this year I experienced my first ever Fashion Night Out! Oh my goodness, I had no idea just what I was missing out on! We didn’t make it into the city (I made Matt venture out into the world of Fashion with me) but we did make it to Short Hills Mall, Neiman’s specifically. There was music booming through the store, champagne and wine a-plenty, and lots and lots of fabulous goodies.

I made out like a bandit with some amazing YSL makeup I literally die for. I’ve been playing dress up every day since last week, ha. I’m terribly bummed because the eyeshadow palate I really wanted was sold out! It was uh-mazing. I guess I’ll just have to keep an eye out for that. See all my pretty colors? I love.

Along with all of this makeup I got a few more goodies and samples galore! One of my favorites was a sample of Prada’s new perfume, Candy. Don’t judge me, but it actually kind of reminds me of Brittney Spears’ perfume Curious. (which I did own at one time in my life… shhh) It smells so soft and vanilla-y. It makes me want to bake cookies and cupcakes, ha. I think that will definitely be on my Christmas list, it’s the perfect scent for cold weather! Matt loves it as well, which is a bonus, and also very rare that we ever agree on a scent… (bring back the acqua di gio, cough, I’m tired of True Religion, cough cough).

Oh! And my other favorite sample? A lip balm from Jack Black (not the Actor)! I was particularly surprised to see this, and even like it, because I thought Jack Black was all about men’s shaving creams and stuff such as that. But no, they make all kinds of fun things! This particular lip balm comes in a variety of ‘flavors’ but I got natural mint & shea butter. It makes my lips all tingly but I kind of love it. It also has a built in SPF-25 which we all know I just adore. It’s super important to protect your lips and skin with SPF ALL YEAR ROUND! So do it, if you’re not already, or I will find you and hit you. Not really…. but maybe. The only thing I don’t exactly love about it is it can be a little on the sticky side which usually drives me nuts about balms and glosses. It’s not too bad, so I make an exception but it could use a little less stick.


I did 100% of my shopping the makeup section because I am way too dangerous with a Neiman’s credit card and anything else. The last thing I need is another pair of $900 shoes (not really though, I could always use more!) haha. But I did need to give my makeup inventory a makeover so that’s precisely what I did. I also got an amazing YSL eyeliner and makeup remover. Which are prefect together because the eyeliner is freaking waterproof. So that about sums up my first FNO experience. Next year I will be making my way into the city for the night and I think I will have to bring a couple girlfriends with me as well. Not that Matt isn’t a great shopping partner, but he’s no girl.

Where did you guys spend your night on FNO and what kinds of treats did you walk away with?

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More Fall Favorites!

So I can’t believe I forgot to mention these two things yesterday as I don’t think I could survive the month without them!

1. Say Yes to Cucumber facial towelettes: These are fantastic! I am the worst at washing my face at night before I go to bed, like seriously the worst, I never ever do it. These make me feel a little less guilty about it. With the winter months approaching it is very important to keep your skin hydrated and these really get the job done. You can find them at pretty much any drug store so grab a pack for yourself. They smell just divine as well!

2. Sally Hansen Vita-E sticks: When I was growing up my mother’s cure-all was vitamin E. Much like the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Any time I complained about anything her response was “want some vitamin E?” After I grew up and moved out I stopped using it all together. A few weeks ago I was wandering through the aisles of CVS and stumbled upon this new and improved form of vitamin-e; a chapstick! It’s perfect for me considering I have a slight crack-like addiction to chapstick. I bought two; one to keep in my apartment and one to keep in my bag at all times. It keeps my lips soft and healthy and you can use it on dry skin as well. Sounds gross, but it works!

These are just a couple more things I cannot live without this month. I’m sure as more pop in my memory I’ll be posting them for you guys. Anywho! Fashion Night Out tonight baby! Where are you guys celebrating this fabulous event? I’ll be at Neiman Marcus in Short Hills! woo!

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Fall Favorites: September

Well the seasons are changing and so is my mind. I am a very fickle person when it comes to style and things I like, so it only seems appropriate to give updates monthly. These are a few of my favorite things so far for the month of September.

1. Infinity scarf from Ann Taylor Loft: I love, love, love scarves and there is something about infinity scarves that I just cannot get enough of. They are so chic and stylish and yet still get the job done. The animal print? An added bonus.

2. Sweater from Banana Republic: They just opened up a new Banana in the Short Hills Mall and I almost died when I first walked in there. Everything is gorgeous and they make the most comfortable clothes. I love the details on this sweater, cardigans can look so alike after a while.

3. Leather jacket from Express: Every BAMF needs a leather jacket. End of story.

4. Leggings from Express: I live in Express leggings. They are super comfortable and don’t give you that awkward camel toe that everyone is petrified of. Grab yourself a pair if you haven’t already.

5. Jimmy Choo ‘Biker’ Boot: Along with the leather jacket, every BAMF needs a pair of these bad boys too. Matt got me a pair as an anniversary present and I haven’t taken them off since. They are durable and lined with the softest rabbit fur on the inside which keeps your foot snug and comfy!

6. Urban Decay eyeshadow in Baked and Blunt: Gold is an amazing color for fall, jewelry and makeup alike. These are two of my absolute favorite shades for fall. I shade the lighter color (blunt) all over the lid and work baked into the creases and corners. I usually line my eyes with a deep brown liner to pull the look together.

7. Coconut Oil: I know what you’re thinking… um Rachel.. this is a cooking ingredient? But oh no friends, it’s so much more! Did you know you can use coconut oil for your skin and hair? Because ya can. So try it. This particular brand in general has directions right on the label. And it works fabulously. My skin and hair had really never felt better.

8. Yankee Candle; Home Sweet Home: Ok, this, unlike the coconut oil, is not a product that is a jack of all trades, so please do not melt the wax and rub it in your hair thinking it’s the next new Moroccan hair oil. I do not want to be responsible for that. This literally is just an amazing candle and I adore the way it smells. Home Sweet Home is the perfect name for this scent… it makes me want to pick up an Iced Passion Tea from Starbucks and go pumpkin picking. Fantastic. Take a whiff.

So! These are a few of my favorite things in September so far. I’m not quite ready to part ways with my shorts and my flip flops… but when I think about all of the things I love about Fall I’m starting to cope. What are your favorite things for Fall?

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Not your average workday… makeup.

Every beauty blog or article I read always expresses the danger of wearing too much makeup. Either play up the lips or the eyes, but never, EVER both, they say. When I hear things like that I think… who would ever choose to play up the lips instead of the eyes? In my world, the eyes are the best canvas! There are so many amazing color combinations to play with you can literally do something different every day. Well, I might be a little bias because I sincerely hate my tiny, barely there lips, but whatever, not the point. I am fortunate enough to work for a company with a very casual dress code so we don’t look silly when we come into work with sun dresses and fun makeup on. Had I worked in a stuffy office building, I’d be sticking to the neutral smoky eye and nude lip gloss every day, but that’s not the case here.

Today I’m sporting my favorite combination… it’s sort of a smoky eye but with much more color. My favorite thing about this look is that it can easily be a day or night look. For the day time, I use everything in moderation but for a going out look I vamp it up by wetting the tip of my eye shadow brush to make the shadow into almost a paste. It goes on much heavier and last longer too. And I may be guilty of adding some false eye lashes from time to time.

  [Day]                             

[Night]

For both looks I start by using Too Faced Heaven eye shadow (part of the natural smoky eye kit) and apply it all over my lid. Next I use the dark side of Too Faced Skinny Dip to work in the creases, followed by combining both sides and applying it to my whole lid below the crease. For the pop of green I combine the light and dark sides of Too Faced Lucky Charms and work it in the inside corners of my eyes. I finish the day look with a little Maybelline Define-A-Lash liner on the upper lash line and polish off the look with Maybelline Falsies mascara (my personal fav!) For the night time look I might smudge a little of the green and blue along my lower lash line and line my bottom lashes with the Maybelline liner. I tend to use a liquid liner for my upper lash line winging it out just a little at the corners and top it off with real false lashes. And voilà! A ready-to-go eye shadow masterpiece. To pull the look together I always add a little blush before I walk out the door. For day, my go-to blush for any look is Gina by Nars. It’s an amazing neutral tangerine color that, in my opinion, looks great with any complexion. For night, it’s Radiance by Smashbox. This color is, for lack of better terms, hott pink so I only use a little and make sure it’s very well blended or else I end up looking like a 3 year old that got into mommie’s makeup.

So this look is easy enough right? If you’re feeling crazy give it a shot and let me know how it goes!