my fall 2013 beauty and style haul!

over the past several weeks, i've been collecting some new goodies…

wanna see??

oh, just fyi, i created the collages kind of randomly {and not everything is pictured}, but i know you'll get the idea…

take a look…

first, i have to blame thank Emily {she's fabulous!} for my current Wet n Wild product obsession. and she may have also had some influence on some all of the e.l.f {blush/bronzer duos, lashes, brushes} purchases i've recently made….

most everything from wet n wild is fabulous, so pigmented and they apply gorgeously! 

i've collected all of the blush/bronzer contouring powders from e.l.f. as well as some of their lashes, makeup brushes {their $1 eye shadow and crease brushes from the Essential line and the Complexion and Small Stippling brushes from the Studio line}; also added to my makeup collection: a couple of wet n wild palettes, blushes and liners…

sweet, cozy scents are essential this time of year. so, of course, the fact that i've bought some new candles should be no surprise. i'm sure you've already made at least one purchase from Bath and Body Works yourself! in addition to pocketbac hand sanitizers {must-haves when on-the-go and/or you have kids}, i chose the candle flavors Leaves, Marshmallow Fireside, Frosted Cranberry and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin. other candles i've purchased {a great wallet-friendly option, but just as happy-making and fabulous} came from Glade  {Apple Cinnamon Cheer, Fall Hayride, Sweet Holiday Treat and Ginger Bread Jingle} they're small, but big on yummy fragrance, and shouldn't be passed up if you see them!

other lovely fall beauty purchases:

e.l.f eyelid primer {i'm testing it out to compare to higher-priced primers; look out for that review soon!}; Cover Girl's classic Super Thick mascara {fab for volume that's not too over-the-top}; Maybelline nail polish in Impeccable Greys, a great deep gray shade; Chi and Rusk hair treatment minis i bought from Cosmoprof;

OPI polishes: Every Month is Oktoberfest {from last fall's Germany collection}; Miami Beet, a gorgeous beet-purple that was released way back in 2009 and i somehow never bought until now. and from Mariah Carey's holiday 2013 collection: All Sparkly and Gold, self-explanatory, and Warm Me Up, a shimmery brown-grey, i also bought these at Cosmoprof.

two pretty holders for the candles from Bath & Body Works, above, and two from Target that i decided to use as containers for other things ~ you can see one with some makeup brushes in the pic, below...

also hauled hair treats...nail polishes...lashes…accessories…you know, just the usual…

i have to blame YouTube beauty videos again for my lash purchase, ha! but really, it's been so long since i've used them. i'm so looking forward to throwing them into the mix and dressing up my look this season! the Sally Hansen nail polishes {pictured top right} came as a set found at Target. and i'm so late to the party, but i just started using Jordana Best Lash Extreme mascara…have you tried it?? it's fab! i can't wait to try more products from the brand.

love my little owl earrings and this ceramic Sweet Dove container, both from Forever 21…

in the style category, i've bought a couple of scarves, more than a few pair of earrings, some rings and necklaces; a hat…

these skinny jeans {love the zipper at the back of the ankle!} and flowy top from Target…

 
two Mossimo jackets {discovered on the 50% clearance rack ~ yay! ~ from Target}...

 a couple of casual tops from H&M...

 as well as other pieces from various shops. i'll have to share those on another post...

this isn't too much, is it?? in my defense, it wasn't all one big purchase. it started in september…maybe august…

and finally, i just have to share, this tea called Matcha Maker from Good Earth. i already love their Sweet and Spicy teas, so i was incredibly happy to find it! it's an amazing, sweet blend of green and matcha teas infused with orange, ginger and other warm, citrusy goodness…so yummy!

:)

tell me: what have you hauled for yourself this fall…so far?
please share in the comments ~ i'd love to know!!

all items shown were purchased by me; pics taken by me :)

my favorite nail polishes for fall!

hello, beauties ~ hope you had a fabulous weekend! i certainly did {at-home pampering, shopping for beauty goodies with my daughter, etc}, and today is holiday {thank you vets!}, so i have no complaints...

i'm here, as you already know from the title, to share the polishes i'm currently loving for this time of year. not all of them are new, but they're the shades that i'm truly in love with ~ it's a fun, random mix…

take a look!

Zoya Riley is a fab red raspberry creme that looks good with everything. it has a bit of a purple undertone and is simply stunning.

Wallis, the metallic olive gold from Butter London is an absolute must-have! how i fell in love with this shade was such a surprise to me when it was first released and it remains a favorite.

another from Butter, is Giddy Kipper... i love this shimmery indigo.

 FingerPaints Bare No Secrets, a sparkly neutral that i love and it just so happens to have been created by my blogger friend, Michelle from All Lacquered Up.

Wet N Wild Bite the Bullet is a dusty purple, just neutral enough to look fab with anything.

Sally Hansen Pat on the Black, the perfect deep plum-black. a classic!

essie Parka Perfect
new for winter 2013, i received this recently from the brand's PR and it's gorgeous. i hope you can see the shimmer. this icy blue is really making me happy; it's not a deep shade, but obviously a perfect one  for the cold weather months.


what are your fall nail polish faves?! please share in the comments or tweet me @thebeautygirl :)

my latest drugstore buys from CoverGirl, NYC, Wet 'n' Wild and more!

i've been quite enamored with the current offerings from drugstore brands these days. suffice it to say, i've had to make quite the effort to keep myself from buying everything i see!

you understand, right?

in any case, over the past couple of weeks i've purchased goodies from Cover Girl {nail polishes}, NYC {lip balms, eye liners}, Wet N Wild {a palette and lip liner}...

ok, you get it...

let's take a look at what i've hauled!

Cover Girl glosstini polishes from the limited edition Capital collection in Pyro Pink, Seared Bronze and Scalding Emerald ~ all so incredibly cute in size and so fabulous in color. these will definitely be worn a lot this season!

NYC Applelicious lip balms have stolen my heart; they're so yummy smelling {Caramel Apple, Apple Blueberry Pie and Apple Blossom}, highly moisturizing and just fun to wear {swoon}. i also picked up 2 eye/brow liners, in dark brown and taupe.

along with a lip liner {Chestnut}, i bought a Wet N Wild Color Icon palette {in the very fitting name, Comfort Zone}, an amazingly convenient collection of easy-to-wear, highly pigmented shades; they're already labeled for where-to-apply-in-case-you're-not-sure, which is perfect for young users {like my daughter, 13} or the makeup novice, but still work well enough for the more-than-experienced-beauty-gal who wants to add quality shadows to her collection without breaking the bank.

housed in sleek little compacts are the e.l.f. contouring blush & bronzing powder. i seriously don't know what rock i've been living under, but i just discovered them ~ they're amazing! the three i bought {Turks and Caicaos, Antigua and St. Lucia} are beyond fabulous, not to mention so affordable. for the price, you get two cheek-enhancing shades that will help create gorgeous makeup looks to take you from day to night...

 the brand i held out on simply because of my personal store snobbery is Flower Beauty. i'm a huge Drew Barrymore fan, so learning that she had created a beauty line was fantastic, exciting news to me. but, i confess, it's because it's sold exclusively at Walmart that i stayed away for as long as i did {i'm not going to lie, i'm not a fan}. it was all the positive buzz that finally changed my mind. i had to {had to!!} try the products for out myself. i decided on the Stick Foundation {shade SF7}, Lip Butter {Princess and the Peony} and On Your Mark Liquid Eye Liner {LL1 black}. the consequence for my caving in? i'm now a fan {!!!} and there are still other products in the range i want to try {nail polishes, blushes, eyeshadows, etc}. so now not only will i have to go back when i run out of those things {insert whiny voice here}, i'll have to go back to get the other things i want...oh, beauty girl problems.

you can find all these beauties at your local drug and mass retailers. so, what have you hauled recently? share in the comments!

i purchased all products featured; pics taken by me :)

beauty on a budget: wet n wild nail polishes

with a wide variety of colors and fabulous, wallet-friendly prices, wet n wild nail polishes are ideal for staying on trend, showing off your personal style, and keeping within your beauty budget ~ i don't know about you, but i definitely appreciate this!

i was given the opportunity to try some of the formulas {three to be exact, Mega Last, High Shine and Fast Dry} and am so impressed at the quality and wear of each variation! they all apply beautifully, come in gorgeous shades, and {i have to mention again} are so affordable. really, there's no reason to keep yourself from buying one {or 4 or 5} on your next shopping trip if that's your beauty-loving heart wants...*wink*

let's take a look at just a few of the polishes...

the Fast Dry shades don't dry as quickly as i would've liked, but are definitely faster than the others {shades shown above: Ebony Hates Chris & Teal of Fortune}

Wild Shine offers a wide range of fun colors and finishes {shown above and in another pic, below, in Dreamy Poppy}.

Mega Last polishes boast a wide, full coverage brush and are fortified with calcium and minerals; shades shown: Haze of Love {top left},  I Red a Good Book {bottom left} and Under Your Spell {bottom right}

 using Dreamy Poppy and another Mega Last shade {seen above on my pinky}, Wet Cement, this is a fun gradient design i did for week 4 of my busy girl nails challenge.

you can find these and many other wet n wild polishes at your favorite drug and mass retailers; visit wnwbeauty.com for more info or to buy {via drugstore.com}.

tell me: have you tried wet n wild polishes? leave your response in the comments! 

products featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

FOTD: My St. Patrick's Day Look

for st. patty's day, and since i'm not of fan of green lipstick (i know, ha ha), i decided to do a little green on the eyes. i haven't worn greens in awhile, so i welcomed the chance to do something a little different.

on my eyes: Wet N Wild Mega Eyes eyeshadow in Amazon Greens, L'Oreal HiP High Intensity Pigments Illuminating Highlighter (this item seems to be unavailable in stores anymore), MAC Eyeshadow in Texture, Wet N Wild Kohl Eyeliner in Deep Blue, Cargo Plant Love Eyeliner in Black, Maybelline the Colossal Volum Express Mascara layered over Maybelline Lash Stiletto (stay tuned for my video review!).

on my brows: Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Medium Ash

on my face: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup in Bronze, Hourglass Veil Invisible Powder (this is another i have yet to officially review although it has been featured many times before here on BGM).

on my cheeks: Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick as a highlight and MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Ablaze (this was a limited edition color).

on my lips: J. Lynne Cosmetics Gloss Effects Lip Glaze in Sandra




xo
pics taken by me :)

my favorite drugstore beauty buys 3.6.09

hi all! what a crummy, sick week i've had...bleh.

well, i'm almost out of the woods (i hope), but i still have that annoying lingering cough thing. yesterday i had a fever again and chills-- i seriously wanted to bang my head up against a wall, i was so mad. but thankfully it was just for a few hours, and today i had a good day. my mom even brought me some medicine (awww...).

i really hope this subsides by tomorrow-- it's my son's 6th birthday! eeek....i can't believe he's already going to be 6. i'm in denial a little bit. time keeps ticking away, faster and faster every year...

ok, so now for my favorite drugstore beauty buys...


pHisoderm Anti-Blemish Gel Cleanser is an inexpensive and effective product that i love to use for my breakout-prone skin. this one is great not only because it clears up unsightly blemishes, but it cleanses makeup off as well.



Wet 'n' Wild Wild Shine Nail Color is a little more than a dollar and comes in a fabulous amount of shades. i love these for quick polish changes, and with a good top coat my nails stay looking great with minimal chipping.



e.l.f . professional Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara isn't something i would have looked for on my own, but i read about it online, and with the good reviews, i had to find out for myself. well, the reviews were right, and i love this! it costs less than 2 dollars, keeps my brows under control and never flakes-- what more can a girl ask for?


have a great weekend!

xo

my favorite drugstore beauty buys 7.18.08

it's friday, so you know what that means, right? time for more fabulous drugstore beauty finds!

this week i am throwing in some bonus items that were sent in by a fabulous reader/blogger, so enjoy!


Sonia Kashuk Powder Brush is so soft and works beautifully to apply any loose or pressed powder. the quality is fabulous, and the price is low!

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Soft Plum gives a soft beautiful color to my cheeks that is buildable and lovely. i believe this would work on many different skin tones.

Covergirl Wetslick Fruit Spritzer in Guava Splash is my favorite, not too sticky lipgloss. this sheer color smells great and looks fabulous!


now for a reader's favorites...

Jen, who also writes the blog, Bare Budget Beauty, is loving Wet N Wild Ultimate Expressions Eye Palettes, Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother & Lip Boost Intense Moisture Therapy, as well as Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Moisturizing Treatment.

these all sound like fabulous products, i can't wait to try them out myself. thanks Jen!

i love hearing from you, so send me an email at beautygirlmusings@gmail.com. i would love to feature you next!

don't forget to enter the giveaway!

xo

p.s-- there are only two weeks left before the end of the spas of america contest! please continue to click on the icon at the bottom of each post, and help me be one of three winners! thank you so much!

my favorite drugstore beauty buys 6.20.08

isn't the best part about going shopping for new beauty products going up and down the beauty isles? i love perusing the cosmetic department of all stores that have them, naturally, so there are some products i discovered "on accident" and have grown to love...



Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge. ok, technically, this isn't available at every drugstore (it can only be bought at Target), but i think it's fabulous! i use it to apply my concealer and stipple my foundation over any spots that need extra attention.








Sally Hansen 10 Day No Chip Nail Color. i found this last year right before my move, and decided to give it a try. after the week of packing, painting, lifting, and all the other stuff that goes along with moving, i still had a decent looking manicure.







Wet N Wild eyeliners. who doesn't love these? the latest formula is so creamy and smooth and lasts! i love that the color selection is so vast as well. black and dark brown are staples, but i love lilac and deep blue too!









xo

help me win a spa experience and featured review on spasofamerica.com!

photos: wnwbeauty.com, walgreens.com, target.com

this is fabulous!

i believe a girl can never have too many eyeshadows. i love eyeshadow, and i think that M.A.C makes some of the best. i say some because i know that there are other companies with eyeshadows just as good on the market. one such company has created a cult following in recent years: NYX Cosmetics. they have the buzz-worthy eyeshadows, rich in pigment and long-lasting in wear. i love that these 'shadows come in singles (well over a hundred to choose from) or trios (45 combos to choose from), each retailing for less than $8. i have a few of the trios in my train case, and i can't say enough about them.

sometimes, quality is a concern when purchasing a make-up product or an item of clothing. in alot of cases, poor quality is associated with low cost. for clothes, it's usually ok to buy something for less that is a "hot trend". it won't be so hot in three months, so why spend an excessive amount of money? (of course, lately, many clothing designers are creating lines at price points for the not-so-wealthy that are very well made.) for make-up, buying a so-called "cheap" product is mostly for a novelty purposes-- a costume party or an outrageous look for a night out. it's usually not a product that will be used very often , if again. at least not for awhile. :)

such is not the case for some new 'shadows i found at my local walgreen's. it's not an new product line to me (or anyone for that matter). it's actually a brand that i associate with my childhood. can you guess? it's none other than the oh-so affordable Wet N Wild cosmetic line. shocked? you shouldn't be! wet n wild has revamped their entire line and is being profiled more and more as the inexpensive go-to brand. i have loved the eyeliners and lip glosses for years. i never thought that their eyeshadows would be so incredibly fabulous!

i purchased the Mega Eyes Eyeshadow Trio after reading a review and since each trio is only $2.99, i decided it was worth a try. wow!! i was blown away. really. these 'shadows are very pigmented, go on smooth and lasted all day. another plus: they are not tested on animals (woo-hoo!). i was so impressed, i went out and bought 2 more trios. i plan to complete my collection this week!

so, maybe price and quality shouldn't always be tied together. high priced make-up or clothing could well be poor in quality, and vice-versa. i think wet n wild is challenging M.A.C to a showdown... ;)

xo