DRUGSTORE BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

There are few products that I feel that I must simply have in my makeup bag. These are the tried and true, five star, work like a dream beauty products that I need to have in my makeup bag at ALL TIMES! 

1. Blistex Lip Balm 

So let me start by saying that I am currently wearing Blistex Lip Balm on my lips... right now... as I type. This stuff is amazing. I will warn you though, it does have that medicated salve-y scent to it; so if that isn't your thing, then this might not be for you. I love this lip balm though, and I actually like the scent. It moisturizes, it repairs, and if it's winter than you better believe I am putting this on every night before bed. 

2. Physicians Formula Conceal Rx 

I feel like the job of a concealer is to completely mask whatever it is that you are trying to conceal...hence the name. Nothing aggravates me more than buying a conceal that does literally less than my foundation does when it comes to coverage. If I have a blemish, I need something that is going to completely cover it, and continue covering it for the duration of the day. I don't want it melting away with the Florida heat. This concealer fits the bill! It is FULL coverage, but not too thick, and can be blended for a lighter more natural finish. It's not a one trick pony either where you can only use it under your eyes, or on your face. This is an AND product. I use it for my under eye circles as well as any blemishes/redness that I may have that day. It's one flaw is that it can settle in creases from time to time so make sure you set it with a powder and you should be good to go! A little goes a long way and you definitely get your money's worth out of this product. 

Moving right along! 

3. Rimmel London Stay Matte Setting Powder

Do yourself a favor and just go buy this product right now. It is SOOO inexpensive and does a beautiful job at setting foundation. As you can see, I have hit pan on mine and will soon be making my way back to the drugstore to pick up another because I can't go a day without it! Why spend tons of money on a powder when this one does an amazing job for a fraction of the price. Try it out, you wont regret it!

4. Revlon Colorstay 24 hr Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin

Medium/Full coverage with a beautiful finish...Isn't that what most people want in a foundation? Well this is it. Although I had taken a little break from this product over the summer opting for a lighter BB cream, I find myself reaching for it during these cooler days or want to go for the porcelain skin finish. For a girl with combination skin who lives in Florida, it is extremely VITAL to find a foundation that wont run off your face throughout a hot, humid summer day. I can always count on this foundation and actually wore it on my wedding day. 

5. Wet n' Wild Eye Shadow palette in Walking on Eggshells

This is by far the best product you will find for the price you will pay. All of Wet n' Wild's eye shadow palettes have incredible color payoff, they are velvety to touch, wear beautifully, and are SUPER affordable (not to mention they also put coupons in the paper to make it even more affordable). I use this product for my everyday makeup and have for the past year. I have hit pan but it has lasted me an incredibly long time! I will most definitely be making a trip to the store for another in the very near future! 

Well those are my Drugstore Beauty Essentials! Let me know if there is anything that will never leave your makeup bag, or if you have tried any of these products and what you thought of them! 

Until next time :)

MODERN TAKE ON OLD SCHOOL DESK

I’m back with another project that I have completed!

Behold my new end table! I know what you are thinking…”Is that a school desk?” Why yes, yes it is. I wish I could say that I thought of this on my own but I actually got the idea from a tour I saw on Apartment Therapy. 

I get TONS of inspiration from the house/apartment tours on Apartment Therapy.com, one of my favorite blogs of all time! Most of the time when I’m browsing through different tours, I’m making mental notes of things that I want to recreate in my own home one day. I came across a tour that I absolutely loved which ironically enough was called "Jesse's Modern Bachelor Pad." The last thing I am trying to create here is a bachelor pad... I'm just trying to convey more of a mature, put together home. But this house tour is one of my favorites. It's modern, but cozy... a hint of Scandinavian design....it is just simply GORGEOUS! 

 Photo from Apartment Therapy 

As you can see, I was inspired by this old school desk that was re-purposed into a nightstand. So when I came across an old school desk at a thrift store for $2.99... I just could not leave it behind. 

I loved that I could adjust the height of the desk to fit the low profile sofa that we have, and how I could incorporate more natural wood into the space. 

I basically just cleaned up the old desk, painted the base, removed the top and replaced it with a piece of birch plywood that I bought at Lowes. Then I just put a satin clear coat on top to protect the wood. The table top matches the Ikea Poang chair's frame perfectly and also the legs of the sofa (It's the Karlstad from Ikea).

I decided to add the geometric cut out on the top to make it easier to use the storage area underneath since the only way the end table fits in our small apartment is up against the sofa. 

It was definitely a fun project and let's face it... who can beat an end table for $15! My husband was definitely a fan of the price! 

Stay tuned for my next project! I'm going to be building a Mid Century inspired coffee table!