Holiday Haul

I'm a nosy person and always enjoy watching "What I Got for Christmas" YouTube videos and reading blog posts, so I figured I'd share a few of the items I acquired over the month of December.

This year, I spent Christmas at my parent's house. I grew up without a fireplace, finally seeing my stocking hung properly was so nice.

It's tradition for us to receive new pajamas on Christmas eve.

My sisters know I'm into beauty products.  I received a Joico K-Pak gift set and homemade candy cane facial scrub from them.

My "big" present from Santa was a heated blanket.  I've been wanting one for awhile.  I usually stay cold and hate sleeping in a lot of layers or thick clothes so this blanket is so perfect.  Being warm helps me go to sleep a lot faster.

After Christmas is usually when all the stores offer their deals so I took advantage of the sales and got a lot of new clothes.  From BCBG, I purchased two sweaters, a shirt, leggings, and a $5 canvas tote which is probably my favorite purchase.  I'll most likely use this as my school bag next semester.

H&M had a really great sale.  Since I don't have a H&M in my city, I went a little crazy.  I mostly picked up basic layering pieces and accessories. This $15 peplum dress was the best deal.

I've been eyeing the Target + Neiman Marcus collection ever since it hit stores on December 1st.  However, I didn't think the low-quality materials with the designer labels matched the high price tags.  But after Christmas when everything finally went on sale I grabbed a few pieces.  With Target gift cards, I purchased the Marc Jacobs black scarf, and Proenza Schouler sweatshirt & iPad sleeve.

As for cosmetics, I only purchased one thing.  Unfortunately, the LUSH Cosmetics store in my city closed, so I definitely had to purchase my favorite facial scrub: LUSH Ocean Salt.  I don't have a free-standing MAC store near me, so I made sure to pack all of my empties for the Back 2 MAC program.  I much prefer eyeshadows over lipsticks (Counters only offer lipstick trade-ins.)  I choose the colors All that Glitters and Charcoal Brown.

I've heard some people treat themselves to a new item for the first of the year... maybe as a good luck charm or something to remind them self of a fresh start.  I liked the idea and decided to do the same this year.  Since my Michael Kors purse is over a year old and nearly falling apart, I knew I was going to have to purchase a new purse soon anyway.  I purchased the Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. in black with silver hardware.  It can be carried three ways, has a lot of organizing compartments, and best of all: it's much larger than I was expecting and can definitely hold all the necessities.

pajamas & Christmas sales,
-Kaitlyn

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December Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month.

Aquaphor
I forgot how much I liked Aquaphor.  I traveled over the holiday and the 40-something-tempature I was used to, changed to around 10 degrees.  Needless to say, my skin freaked out.  Aquaphor is great for any part of your body.  I mainly use it on my lips and feet.  It's a little greasy but supplies a lot of moisture.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner
I purchased this lip conditioner and a travel size cleansing water on sale (duo set - $8.00) at Sephora.  Since the lip conditioner is $12.00 on its own, I thought it was a great deal and I've been wanting to try Caudalie products for awhile.  This lip conditioner really reminds me of MAC's Lip Conditioner in scent and texture but Caudalie's wears a little bit longer.  I also really like the fact it's in the shape of a lipstick rather than a chapstick.

Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Cleansing Wipes
I've always been a fan of Olay, but I drifted away to other brands.  When Nicole raved about these wipes, I added them to my beauty wish list and purchased them as soon as I was out of my beloved Neutrogena Night Calming Wipes.  I really like the Olay wipes - they're textured and seem to get a lot more makeup off than the Neutrogena wipes.  They smell great.  Best of all, you get 30 wipes compared to most brands than usually only sell 15-25 per package.

Girls
Since I've been on winter break, I've had a lot more free time than usual and decided to watch a few different television series.  My favorite out of the few I've watched has been Girls.  In some ways, It reminds me of Sex and the City for the average Joe.  It's so funny and relatable because the majority of the things and plots in the show could actually happen to you in real life.  Get ready to laugh and cry in the same episode. There are only ten 30-minute episodes in Season 1, so you could easily catch up in no time.  Season 2 airs January 13th.  I'm very impressed with Lena Dunham's writing, directing, and acting.  The soundtrack is pretty great, too.

laughing & crying,
-Kaitlyn

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The Sock Bun

I discovered the sock bun months ago, I cut up multiple socks and still couldn't make my hair look presentable. I came to the conclusion I had too much thick, long hair and the sock bun wasn't for me.

However, a few weeks ago, I discovered the hair donut, a donut-shaped hair tool made out of mesh. Despite its large size, it only weighs .4 oz and is comfortable to wear.  I purchased the largest one I could find on eBay. (It was only $3.00, including shipping.) You can also find these at most beauty stores and even H&M. If the sock method didn't work for you either, try to get your hands on one of these. It definitely made a difference for me.

All you need is a hair elastic and sock/hair donut.  Bobby pins and water are optional, but definitely help.  A video explains it best:

What I like about the sock bun is its easiness, no heat, no products, and most importantly: you can get two hair styles (two days) from it.

Be sure to lightly spray your hair with water before forming the bun.  Wear it all day, sleep on it, wake up the next morning, remove the bun, and you have curls:

socks & donuts,
-Kaitlyn


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November Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month.

It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Product
My beloved Joico K-Pak liquid Reconstructor ran out, so I decided to give this a try.  It's excellent at detangling and has made my hair soft and moisturized.

Jordana Metal Rocks Eyeliner in Green Envy
I forgot how nice (and cheap) the Jordana brand is.  I couldn't turn down a $2.00 mechanical metallic green eyeliner.  I'm really happy with this purchase. For green eyes, wearing just this eyeliner and some mascara really makes your eyes pop with minimal effort.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Pink Truffle
I've had this for a little under a year now. (Original Review) I purchased a few in Pink Truffle since I loved the color so much.  I put them all aside and starting using other lipsticks.  In early November, I reached for Pink Truffle instead and have been using it since. 

TIGI Catwalk Session Series Salt Spray
(Previous Post) This is my new go-to frizz-tamer/wave-booster.

metallic eyes,
-Kaitlyn

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Beach Waves in a Bottle

Review: TIGI Catwalk Session Series Salt Spray

We all know hair scrunching is now deemed unacceptable, but we wavy-haired girls need something to boost waves and control frizz.  I think I have discovered a new Holy Grail product: TIGI Catwalk Session Series Salt Spray.

I use it on both wet and dry hair.  Either way, the results are almost as good as true beach waves.   The product is kind of sticky at first but dries to a matte texture.  I did not notice a ton of volume and shine, as promised.  However, I am still impressed my waves looked somewhat done but were not hair-spray-hard. My hair still felt light and the product didn’t cause any tangles.

I kind of think of this product as a three-in-one: waves, fragrance, and hairspray. I already mentioned the waves but let me explain the other two:

The fragrance of this product is strong. It gave me a slight headache the first day I tried it but I eventually got used to and even started to like it. I can not quite put my finger on the scent but it’s similar to a fruity summer cocktail. When I use this product, I don’t bother wearing perfume and mixing scents – I let it double as a wave-booster and fragrance.

Finally, it also worked pretty good as a hairspray.  I curl my hair with hot rollers.  My aerosol hairspray was in the back of my linen closet but the salt spray was right in front of my face – so I figured if it could boost waves, it could boost and hold curls; I was right.  My hair stayed curled for THREE days (and still looked decent after sleeping on it) thanks to this salt spray.

I really like the packaging. It's smaller in diameter than most hairsprays, so it fits more comfortably in my hand while using it, and it takes up less storage space.  The all-black bottle with silver print is really sleek and easy on the eyes.

This was the first salt spray I’ve tried, so I have no clue how it compares to other brands but I’m definitely impressed and will use this for awhile.

Product: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Packaging:5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

Retail Price: $18.95
Retailers: Ulta, salons
Overall: It's a good product in sleek packaging but doesn't do everything it promises.

Best For: Those who have naturally wavy/curly hair and need a wave booster/tamer.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.

salt sprays & beach waves,
-Kaitlyn

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