Dull to Glowing Skin

I woke up this morning to find the thermometer reading 34 degrees Fahrenheit! It's still October, but here in Jersey it is known to get chilly in the fall. Just a couple of years ago it was snowing on Halloween. Needless to say the weather fluctuates constantly and it can have serious impacts on my skin. As my beautiful readers know, I have the most sensitive and problematic skin. There are a lot of variables that can cause breakouts this time of year, so lets talk about ways we can combat those skin issues.

As we go into the colder months our skin tends to dry out quicker. The products that you use during the summer months won't be beneficial to your skin. You need to change up your routine. No matter what I always opt for a very soothing face wash because of my skin texture and how it reacts to certain ingredients. My holy grail face wash is the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Cleanser in the foaming formula. This is by far the most gentle face wash, and afterwards your face feels very fresh and clean.

As the weather gets colder and dries out our skin, we have to take extra care and make sure we exfoliate weekly. This will take care of clearing up any dry or flaky skin. I personally love my Clarisonic. I add my face wash onto the spinning brush and I use circular motions to exfoliate all over. This all helps keep my blackheads and clogged pores at bay. Exfoliating also helps lighten any hyper-pigmentation on the skin. I use my Clarisonic about 2-3 times a week. 

Since you are exfoliating, you also want to be careful with the harsh products you use on your face after cleansing. For example, you might not want to use a retinal as frequently as you did during the summer months. My skin tends to get dry very quickly everywhere except my T-zone. So I tend to opt for a more nourishing moisturizer. I use the Anti-aging and Clearing moisturizer by Paula's Choice. This is a very thick moisturizer that feels velvet soft on your skin. It doesn't leave your skin feeling oily or slick and it absorbs super quickly. 

Like I said I keep my skincare routine very very simple!! So keep that skin glowing this winter :)

Ciao !!!!

My Handbag Essentials

Alright my beautiful readers, who else here has their essentials that they always have in their handbags?! No matter how many times you change handbags, these items are always right their at your fingertips. I think over the years I have also cut down on how many products I keep in my bag. I used to keep every item of makeup in my bag, which is just way too excessive.

Understanding my skin better I also know what I products I really need to touch up my makeup throughout the day. Since I have oily skin, the only thing that really needs touch ups would be my foundation in my T-zone. Since my lips are always dry a great chap stick always does the trick. These products are also staples in my makeup and getting ready routine. I have constantly repurchased them over the years and swear by these products!

Products:

City Lips Lip Plumper (Clear)

Nivea A Kiss of Moisture

Travel Flossers 

Aloe Vera Hand Lotion

MAKEUP FOREVER Pro Finish Powder

L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara

Since my lips are always dry this chap stick truly adds moisture back into my lips in the matter of seconds. Probably by far my favorite chap stick and the only one I will keep repurchasing. Now I always like to add a little plumpness to my lips so this City Lips lip plumper has been a total life saver. It doesn't make my lips burn or hurt, yet they look plump and soft.

These travel flossers are amazing because you can get them with a minty taste and make sure your teeth are healthy and clean all day long. By far the best item to have in your handbag. Dental hygiene is crucial!

The Aloe Vera hand lotion is fantastic because its so nourishing and makes my skin super soft. I usually pick these up from my local Harmon's because the cute travel size is perfect to throw into my purse. They also carry a larger size which is great for having at home. This stuff really melts into your skin and leaves it super soft.

Since I get super oily in my T-zone I always keep a compact in my handbag. I used to have a translucent powder but noticed that it didn't apply evenly when I went to touch my makeup up. I love the MAKEUP FOREVER pro finish powder because it is super pigmented but it leaves your skin looking flawless. Plus when you touch up with this it doesn't make your skin look cakey. This stuff is worth the moneyyyyyy $$.

And of course my favorite mascara of all time, L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions mascara. This mascara makes my eyelashes look sooo luscious. I can never be without this stuff....ever!

So I hope you have a better idea of some handbag essentials that will keep you going all day long. These are items that I really do swear by and cannot go a day without. Try them out and I promise that you won't be disappointed.

Until next time my loves! Ciao!!!!

DIY Flower Crown

It is finally October and that means Halloween is almost here! This month is always filled with so many fun costumes, tutorials, and projects. It is truly my favorite time of year because the air gets crisper, pumpkin everything emerges, and there are so many fun holidays!

So this year I have a really awesome Halloween tutorial coming for you guys! Today this DIY Flower crown is part of the costume for the Halloween look I will be filming. This is great for a costume with sugar skull makeup, Lana Del Ray costume, or possibly a really cute hippy!

So let's get started!

Okay so I went to Michael's and bought 4 pink faux roses. Then I pulled at the rose and detached it from the stem. Put the stems to the side because we will need them later! These are very large roses so I only got 4 because that is all that would fit on the headband. If you want more then opt for smaller flowers.

Next, I got a very thin metal headband. I got silver because that is all I could find but a color closer to your hair color would probably be a better option.

Next get yourself a hot glue gun.

After it is heated up place your roses face down and in the shape they will be glued to the headband. Next, I glue one at a time. I really load up the headband and rose with glue from every angle so that it won't detach at any point. The more glue the better!!

I just keep doing that with each flower until they are all secure to the headband.

Take the stems and begin ripping off the leaves. Next, I took those leaves and began individually glueing them to the back of the roses so the glue and mess would be covered. Plus the leaves look really pretty poking out from behind the roses.

Once it is all dry, you are free to rock your very own flower crown! Stay tuned for my Halloween makeup tutorial that will be up later this week where I incorporate this flower crown :)

Ciao!!!!