I've Moved!

Hey y'all, I've MOVED! 


You can now find me at alyarmstrong.com. 

Please go check it out and comment with feedback ❤

Cheers! 

Giveaway Winner! (Yourmomdesigns necklace)

I just wanted to write a post to congratulate the winner of the Yourmomdesigns crocheted necklace! 

Congratulations to: 

@Kimhardy17 aka Kimberlee Stclair

I will be sending you a DM on twitter to get your address to send you a necklace!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks again to all who entered the contest! This definitely won't be the last one :) 

Cheers ❤

Products I Won't Repurchase

I enjoy reading posts about products that people have tested out and either like or don't like; I feel like it is a great way to see what products are actually worth spending your well-earned money on and which ones you should just skip. 

So today I'm writing about a few products that I have tried out multiple times and didn't end up liking. I hope you find this helpful!

Tarte Cosmetics Lock and Roll 12-Hour Eyeshadow in 'Rose Gold' ~ $10

I don't know anyone who doesn't like products to be quick and easy, especially when you're working with very little time to get ready in the morning...

I thought this product was going to be amazing, "it's going to be so simple!" I thought, but no, it's a hot mess trying to work with this dual ended, cream shadow on one side, powder on the other, eyeshadow stick

Let me go on record, however, and say that the colors are stunning (I'm a sucker for rose gold) and I truly wish that I loved this product, but unfortunately the consistency of the cream and the fall-out/inconvenience of rolling the powder out makes this product something I will not be repurchasing.  

MAC's Magically Cool Liquid Powder in 'Truth and Light' ~ $30

I loved this product at first, it has perfectly light coverage and a nice shimmer, and most importantly it had this really neat "cooling" property when applied to the skin (which is perfect during the Summer). 

Unfortunately, though, this product doesn't maintain the "cooling" property, which was a huge bummer because that was the main purpose of it.

I just used it as a highlight after the "magically cooling" effect wore off , which was fine, but I definitely wouldn't spend another $30 to buy it again.

Almay Smart Shade Concealer in 'Light' ~ $8.99

Out of all the products I'm showing in this post this one is definitely the most hated.

I bought this one because I was in a hurry at the store and I needed a new concealer, so I just decided to try it out. Plus, it looks pretty cool because it's supposed to adjust to your specific skin color to cover up any blemishes or under-eye circles. . . but this product is ridiculously bad. It starts out white and once blended slightly changes color, but it's hard to deal with because it's so liquid-y and barely has any coverage (and a concealer should actually... conceal, you know?). 

Definitely not a fan, and I'll be sticking with my MAC Mineralize Concealer in NW15 from now on.

E.L.F.'s Studio Matte Eyeshadow in 'Nude' ~ $3

I wasn't really expecting much from this product since it is so cheap, but I thought I would try it out since I typically like ELF products and they sometimes surprise me with their quality. 

I'm not a fan of this eyeshadow, however, because it's just so. . . messy. There is a ton of fall-out once applied and trying to get it out of the packaging is such a hassle and it gets powder everywhere, so  it's not really even worth the three bucks.

E.L.F.'s Essentials Eyelid Primer in 'Sheer' ~ $1

Lets be real, $1 for a eyeshadow primer is fan-freaking-tastic, and totally perfect for someone who is  just starting out with makeup, but for someone who is used to using Urban Decay's Primer Potion or Two Face's Shadow Insurace, this primer just doesn't cut it. 

It's creamy and blends relatively easy and doesn't leave any streaks, but it simply is not long-lasting. I tried this multiple times and regretted it every single time because my eyeshadow would start creasing and fading, so I'm definitely not buying this again.

That's it (for now at least)! I hope this post was helpful and gives you a better idea of what not to buy when shopping around. 

What are some products that you regret buying and won't be repurchasing? Let me know in the comments! 

 Cheers ❤

If you haven't already seen the giveaway with Yourmomdesigns that is going on until August 15th, please go check it out here! 

Flower Girl Details

Top - TJ MAXX (brand is Paper Crane)

Skirt - Nordstrom BP (brand is Frenchi)

Ballet Flats - TOMS (these are from last year's line, but you can find some similar here)

Bag - Expressions NYC

Headband - Forever21 (something similar here)

I don't know about you, but I love most anything with flowers on it. I think it just makes me happy, so I love wearing floral print because it instantly brightens up my mood. 

I love pairing floral print with different patterns or textures, and lace happened to work perfectly today. The headband is nice too because, while it does have flowers on it as well, I don't feel as though it's over doing it, and flower headbands have been so on trend lately.

I know as Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada" would say, in her ever so sarcastic voice, "florals for Spring? Groundbreaking," but I think florals actually can be groundbreaking (and not just for Spring... obviously), especially if the pattern is unique. Florals also work for most anyone, which is hard to say about some patterns like leopard, snake, zebra, stripes, so on & so on...

What do you think: Are you a fan of floral print as well? What do you like pairing it with? Let me know in the comments! 

Thanks, as always, for checking out my blog! Make sure to follow if you liked this post!

Cheers ❤

 p.s. Have you seen the giveaway that is on my blog right now? If not go check it out here! 

 

 

Giveaway with Yourmomdesigns! *CLOSED*

If you couldn't tell from the title, today I am bringing you a pretty sweet little giveaway from my sister's Etsy shop: Yourmomdesigns! 

What am I giving away? 

One of these crocheted t-shirt yarn necklaces in the color of your choice (up to a $20 value)!

Here's how to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it! It's pretty simple right? On August 15th I will randomly select the winner and get in contact with them via twitter or email.

*My sister was also sweet enough to give y'all a coupon code for 15% off a purchase of $6 or more at her Etsy shop! Just enter SIMPLYME when checking out*  

Thanks for checking out this giveaway! I hope you enjoy ❤

Cheers! 

 P.S. This giveaway is being sponsored by my awesome sis, who just so happens to be the owner of YourMomDesigns! 

Favorite Summer Lip Products

From L to R: MAC Cremesheen in "Hibiscus", NYX in "Narcissus", Revlon lip butter in "Strawberry Shortcake" Maybelline "Fifth Ave. Fuchsia", Maybelline Vivid in "Shocking Coral." 

From L to R: EOS lip sphere in "Strawberry Sorbet", Maybelline Baby Lips in "Pink Punch", Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Romantic", Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Lovesick", NYX mega shine lip gloss in "Pink Rose."

Closer look at NYX's mega shine lip gloss in "Pink Rose."

In the summer I tend to gravitate towards brighter colors, and this summer has been no exception. I love the colors and formulations of all of the lippies shown which is pretty important to me since I'm pretty picky about lip products. 

Here's where you can get these lip products: 

MAC's Surf Baby lip stick in the color "Hibiscus" was limited edition, so It's sadly not available.

NYX Round Case Lip Stick in "Narcissus" can be found here

Revlon Lip Butter in "Strawberry Shortcake" can be found here

Maybelline Color Sensational in "Fifth Avenue Fuchsia" can be found here 

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in "Shocking Coral" can be found here

EOS lip sphere "Strawberry Sorbet" can be found here

Maybelline Baby lips in "Pink Punch" can be found here

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in "Lovesick" & "Romantic" can be found here

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in "Pink Rose" can be found here

*I have a more in-depth review of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains here*

 What are your favorite colors and lip products for summer? Let me know in the comments because I always love trying new products! 

 &&  

If their are any in-depth reviews you would like me to do on any of these other products please let me know! 

Thanks for checking out this post! I hope y'all are having a fabulous Tuesday! 

Cheers! ❤

Brighten

Dress - Ross (brand is "Just Love")

Cardigan - Merona from Target

Sandals - Sam Edelman

Bag - NYC Expressions (Mint color is sold out)

Necklace - Freedom Firm

Glasses - Warby Parker: "Bensen"

 I'm so in love with maxi dresses for Summer; I would wear them all the time if I could! This one is especially fun since it's so colorful, and it's amazing for days when I want to look nice but still want to be comfortable and have something easy to move around in (which is helpful today since I have to tackle cleaning out my closet).

Ooh! And here's something new: I'm going to start a "schedule" for my blog! Sundays are outfits, Tuesdays are beauty related, and Thursdays are whatever I feel like (DIYs, fashion, beauty, etc.).

Anyway, I hope y'all are having a fabulous Sunday and a great week! 

Cheers Y'all,