Minty Tingle!

Hi everybody! Well, we made it to the end of November! I think the Non-Stop November blog posts went pretty well! (We'll forget about the 2 days I missed due to crazy work schedule/migraine headache, etc., right?) It was definitely good for me to get consistent with blogging... even when the blogs were just something small like sparkly tweezers or a new nail polish. I'm going to try to stay consistent with it. I mean, it can be pretty hard to do it daily, but I'm going to make it my mission to not have any lengthy gaps. As always, I'll update Twitter and Facebook when there is a new post. Meanwhile... on with the current blog! 'Tis the season for minty beauty products! I've rounded up my favorites...

Mint seems to be one of those polarizing scents in the beauty world. Some people love it, and others can't stand it. Judging by the amount of products I sifted through in order to find my favorite minty beauty products... I'd say I'm a fan! It's the time of year when a lot of limited edition mint-scented products come out, but I also have some minty things that are sold all the time. Here's a quick rundown of the products you see pictured above (left to right as they appear...)

• Philosophy Candy Cane Foaming Bubble Bath & Shower Gel... Talk about a STRONG mint scent! I got this for Christmas last year, and it's definitely an invigorating product to use in the shower! It'll clear your sinuses and leave you feeling crisp & clean. I know it's available at QVC.com, and probably other retailers where Philosophy is sold. FYI- Suave recently came out with some limited edition body washes for less than $2 apiece at Wal-Mart. One is a mint scent... and judging by the quick whiff I took in the store, it's very comparable to Philosophy's Candy Cane. (I purchased Holiday Pear & Candy Apple... more to come on those in a future blog).
• Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Triple Moisture Body Cream... This is a super popular seasonal scent at B&BW. I must say, I really like it too. This lotion is really rich & feels almost tingly on the skin post-shower.
• Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Body Mist... In my mint craze of 2010, I also picked up the body mist from B&BW. I just used this... it strikes me as less of a strong mint, and more of a sweet mint scent. I sense some vanilla in it, but not too much. It's a very clean, refreshing scent.
• Crest 3D White tooth paste... Here's my no brainer! But I seriously love this toothpaste. I don't really use whitening products anymore... just this twice a day. There's nothing exceptional about the minty qualities of this toothpaste... it just tastes/smells like mint and I happen to love it- so into the blog it goes!
• EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Sweet Mint... This is the little light-green ball you see in the picture. It's the lip balm I keep on my bedside table and use every night before bed. Much like the Twisted Peppermint Body Mist, this isn't a strong, clear your sinuses mint. It's softer, sweeter, and has the fantastic texture that many of us love EOS lip balms for... they're moisturizing without feeling greasy. Plus they just look awesome! I find EOS balms at Walgreens, Wal-Mart, and various other drug/discount stores. (Caution: cats may mistake these for toys!)
• ChapStick Candy Cane Lip Balm... I found this limited edition balm at Walgreens. All I can say is... mint wimps might as well steer clear of this puppy. It's STRONG. You will feel quite the tingle on your lips, and I like it! Despite the super minty scent & flavor and the festive packaging... it's the same texture as the classic Chapstick balms.
• Bare Escentuals Buxom Lip Gloss... This Sephora product is known to leave lips looking plump, shiny, and colorful... but also quite minty! You will feel the tingle with this one. It's not a painful tingle by any means, but it's noticeable. When you smell it, it's not like a classic peppermint scent... in fact, I think it just smells more sweet than minty, but the FEEL of mint is totally there. The color shown here is "Denise"... I got it in a gift set last year. These glosses are a little on the thick side, but I find that they have terrific staying power.

I know there are other products out there that are minty, but these are my favorites. Do you like minty scents/flavors in your beauty products?

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• Have you ever eaten out to keep from dirtying your freshly cleaned kitchen? That was me & Tyler tonight.
• Posted a video today on "Rediscovered" favorites. I think I'll be doing more of this.
• I interviewed a woman on the morning show today who brought in a paralyzed opossum.
• I could always feel that the bottoms of my feet were getting dry & rough, but I just caught a glimpse... DANG! I need to do something about that.

20 Questions!

Hey everyone! I thought it'd be fun to do a blog post based on the questions YOU want answered... but they can't be makeup-related! :) I asked for questions on the Beauty Broadcast Facebook page- and I have plenty to work with! I thought I'd just go through & find 20 and maybe save some of the ones I don't get to for a rainy day (it'll probably come soon, it's very rainy here.)

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1. Erica: "Favorite sandwich ever?"

• A restaurant in my area called 17th Street has the best pulled pork sandwiches!! :) I also love a Whopper Jr.

2. Lauren: "Not too random, but what do your news co-worker people think of your Beauty Broadcast YouTube life?"

• The people I work closely with - the morning crew- all seem to be very supportive of it. I kind of wonder if others at the station watch... I don't hear a lot about it from them and I'm not sure if they really understand what it is that I do! I have gotten good feedback from our station's owners.

When Tyler proposed... there's a video on that!

3. Lyndsay: "What made you fall in love with Tyler?"

• A great sense of humor, smart, good morals, good looks, and all the little things about him that make him different from me. We balance each other out, and I could tell early on that he'd be loyal to me and do anything for me. And he loves me even with all of my quirky interests like makeup and cats. I got really lucky :)

With my co-anchor Kevin. He has a blog and YouTube channel about wrestling!

4. Kevin: "Who's your favorite co-anchor of all time? :D"

• Wow, that's tough. I guess I'll go with Kevin ;)

5. Sharon: "If it's not too personal to answer, do you and Tyler plan on having children?"

• Yes! We definitely want to have a family at some point. I don't think I've ever gotten much more in-depth in my answers to this question, so here goes... It's something we've thought about a lot, but there are a lot of factors that come into play... when we choose to have children, I want to be a very hands-on mom. If it became difficult to juggle my unusual hours along with a child, I'd have to ask myself if I'd be prepared to step away from my career, or at least scale it back somewhat. I don't know if I want to do that right now. I've also had exciting potential opportunities come my way based on what I've done on YouTube, and if I don't give myself a chance to see where those lead, I'll be forever wondering. Tyler also has some great things happening with his job right now that are keeping him busy. My mom always says, once you have kids, your life will change forever. I know I'll want that change at some point, but I don't think I'm ready for it right now.

back in my cheerleading days!

6. Katy: "What was your first job?"

• I taught gymnastics and tumbling to 3 to 5 year olds at the YMCA near my hometown. I did that during the spring/summer in high school and college. It was so fun, plus it was an awesome place to practice tumbling for cheerleading! I remember leading a warm-up for the kids known as "Mousercize"- we'd pop in a tape and Mickey Mouse's voice was leading us through. I think I still remember how it goes...

7. Kate: "When are you going to do a US road trip so I can meet you? (Is that not the best idea EVER???)"

• That IS an awesome idea! Beauty Broadcast on tour! Maybe Simon Cowell would let me borrow his tour bus. That thing is pimped out!! This would seriously be a dream one day :)

8. Angie: "If you were not a news anchor, what other job would you like to do?"

• Probably a teacher. I come from a family of teachers and I have TONS of respect for what teachers do. I'd have to have a mandatory makeup tutorial class though. LOL.

9. Roshni: "What do you dress like when you're at home?"

• Extremely casual! I change out of my dress pants almost immediately when I get home from work. 90% of the time when you see me doing a makeup video, I have sweat pants or yoga pants on my bottom half!

10. Blanca: "Emily do you ever get recognized on the streets while doing random things such as shopping or anything else?"

• Yes... around here it's usually because of the news. I like it when people say hi! Usually their next comment is, wow- you're shorter than I thought! (gotta love the adjustable chairs on the set that make me as tall as my co-anchor Kevin!) There have been some times where someone knows me from YouTube. One of the strangest moments was at a bar when a guy came up to me saying he recognized me from when his daughter watched me on YouTube. haha!

11. Veronica "What are you afraid of?"

• I'm afraid of anything tragic happening to a family member.

12. Roni "Would you rather ride a unicorn or a wooly mammoth?"

• Definitely a unicorn! Who could turn that down?

13. Dyna "What's the weirdest comment you ever got on YouTube?"

• Anything pertaining to plastic surgery. Questions about if I've had a boob job, nose job, botox, etc. I always wonder... what's making someone ask that question?? FYI, the answer to all of the above is no.

14. Lisa "What are your favorite non beauty-related things to do on your down time?"

• Napping, watching TV (X-Factor, Breaking Bad, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are some of my current favorites), going shopping or going out with Tyler, cooking, and playing hide & seek with Cupcake (yes, she'll really come find me!)

15. Jessica "How many pillows do you use when you sleep?"

• I have 2 under my head and then a big pillow that I "hug" -kind of like a body pillow. I go to bed early because of my job, so the large pillow fills in before my 6'6" human body pillow named Tyler comes in. And at some point, a small furry pillow named Cupcake appears on my body somewhere.

One of my favorite pictures.

16. Jennifer "Would you ever get a second pet and what would it be?"

• We would... but Tyler is on "team dog" and I'm on "team cat" right now. I'm gonna say Cupcake is also on "team cat" so it's 2 versus 1!

17. Jennifer "Are there ever days (not work days of course!) that you don't wear any makeup at all & just go natural?"

• I pretty much wear makeup every day. When I'm not wearing it for news, I'm wearing it because I'm shooting a makeup video. And I don't do it reluctantly! I honestly love putting on makeup and trying new things. I love those off days when I can really take my time and have fun with it. I'd be ok with walking out of the house without makeup, but I just really enjoy the act of putting it on. That's why YouTube and blogging never seems like work :)

18. Maricela "You always seem so proper, it's one of my favorite things about you! Do you ever get a momentary sailor mouth?"

• I don't swear a lot, but yes, it'll happen every now and then! I can't let it fly too often... if I get in the habit of it, I'd probably let a bad word slip on the news!

19. Megan "What's your favorite cocktail?"

• I'd go for a draft Bud Light (I often find myself in a group of guys), a Washington Apple shot, or a Daquiri of some sort. I can't handle a whole lot of sweet stuff. The Skinny Girl drinks are pretty good too!

20. Erica "How do you fit in your day work schedule and all the blogging/videos? Must be exhausting :)"

• Well, I can't remember the last time I sat around and said I was bored! :) I don't always do everything in one day. Sometimes I'll shoot a video and edit it- and then upload it on another day. Or spend a day coming up with ideas and a "strategy" for the video- and then doing all the rest on another day. So splitting up the tasks seems to make it easier on me. Just uploading can take as many as 4 hours, so it's something you kind of have to plan out. But I'm definitely doing something beauty-related every day. Usually for hours. And it's because I absolutely love it. I sincerely enjoy the creative process, and also the interaction I get to have with people whom I respect and enjoy. So many positive things have come from the YouTube/blogging world. It's a real blessing to get to pour so much of myself into something I love. It's amazing that people have responded with so much interest and kindness!

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• As if you wanted to read one more thing about me! LOL.
• Been drinking lots of water today, go me!
• I like Pad Thai better when it's room temperature as opposed to piping hot.
• Gotta upload Shopping List Ideas tomorrow... tried to do it today but the internet was NOT my friend!

Random, Yet Awesome Eye Brushes

Hi everyone! It's always great to find all of the brushes you could possibly need in a single brush set... wait- has that actually happened for anyone? Come to think of it, that hasn't really happened for me. Don't get me wrong, I've found some brush sets that I love & use constantly... but there are always those few brushes you don't have.

So I thought I'd blog about a few eye brushes that supplement my Sigma Complete kit, as well as a couple of other ELF brushes that are just great ones to have. They're all really inexpensive. They aren't necessarily the ONLY brushes you need... I mean, that's more of a personal decision for everyone- but you need to have a fluffy crease brush (those usually come in big kits). Hope this is helpful to you! Bullet points below explain the brushes as they appear from left to right..

• Essence of Beauty Crease Brush Duo... These brushes have been favorites of mine for a LONG time. You can find them at CVS drugstores for between 5 & 7 dollars. After years of use and many cleanings, these have held up wonderfully and I haven't had to repurchase. They're great for working color into your crease and creating outer V's... giving you the control to get the color right where you want it. I might use the larger of the two brushes to get color throughout the crease- and the smaller to define the shape. If you have small eyes and feel like most crease brushes are just too big- I think you'll really like these.
• ELF Essentials Brushes- Crease & Eyeshadow... The next two brushes shown are $1 brushes from the ELF Essentials line. You can check out these brushes and others at Target, as well as eyeslipsface.com. The first brush is called the "Eye Crease Brush"- and to me, it's sort of a hybrid between a crease brush and a pencil brush. It can be nice for smudging color- and it's a great shape for a medium-sized crease brush. It's not quite as precise as my Sigma pencil brush... but sometimes that's what I want. The second brush tends to come standard in most brush kits- but I wanted to mention it... since you can't beat the $1 price tag! This is the "Eyeshadow Brush"- great for just packing color on the lid. It's dense, soft, and surprisingly good quality. It's another brush I've loved for years!
• Sonia Kashuk Smudge Brush... My description for this brush: small but mighty. I have a LOT of brushes... but nothing quite like this. I love using it to smudge a powder shadow on my lower lashline... this brush provides a softer application than a sharp-angled liner brush. You could also get a smudgier application of cream liners with a brush like this. While this brush isn't very wide- it has a little more thickness to the bristles than angled liner brushes. It's only $4.99 at Target, and I think you'll find a lot of ways to use it!
• Coastal Scents Mini Brush... This teeny tiny brush has been great for getting a really controlled application of color wherever you want it. I use it most often to get a light shade in the area around the tear duct. One small problem- as I started blogging about this brush, I realized I couldn't find it anymore on the Coastal Scents website. I think it technically was called the mini contour brush- which doesn't make much sense to me... but still- I couldn't find it. I did find this brush though- which seems pretty similar and less than $3.

Amid all of this brush talk- please don't forget that sponge tip applicators (that some people will tell you to just throw away when you get your eyeshadow palettes) are NOT worthless. They're great for packing color on the lids, and even with a lot of brushes at my finger tips- sometimes the sponge tip just works best! It's also great for applying baked shadows wet! :)

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• I know I've already put this on Twitter & Facebook today, but who cares... I GOT TO SEE A ZEBRA TODAY! For a morning show segment. Even though it was rainy & cold and I left the place smelling like farm- it was awesome.
• Thinking about making my next Shopping List Ideas a "rediscovered" shopping list ideas video. All this blogging and less makeup shopping this month has caused me to uncover some hidden treasures in my own collection.
• Tyler's latest sweet potato endeavor: mashed sweet potatoes... with just a little salt & butter. Huge success! I told him he must post a guest blog about all his sweet potato stuff.
• Time to have some dinner. Have a nice night everyone!

Holiday Candle Haul!

Hello friends! With the Christmas season comes a new round of special candles from Better Homes & Gardens at Wal-Mart! These big 18-ounce jar candles cost right around $5... but for a few dollars more you can get a slightly smaller candle (14.5 ounces) with a cute ceramic lid.

I've been buying these candles for a year or so now, and most recently I was obsessed with the fall Country Kettle Corn scent. I love these candles because they're big & burn a long time... but they also truly smell-up a room! (is that the right terminology? haha) After they burn for awhile and some hot wax develops at the top of the candle- they're just so fragrant. And I love my flameless candles... but I still really enjoy the look & scent of one of these lovely candles!

There are a number of great new holiday scents, but I picked up Frosty Peppermint Snow (which I haven't burned yet, but it smells AWESOME! I don't think I've ever had a minty candle before!), and I also have Spiced Apple Wreath. I burned that one while shooting my latest makeup tutorial and it was just delicious. The green color is also really pretty. When I was in Wal-Mart the other day, this lady looked at my cart and said- where did you find those adorable candles?! :)

And here's another cool thing... those nice ceramic lids will fit ANY of the large Better Homes & Gardens candles as well! I purchased a couple of them last year, and it's nice to know that just because you've used up the candle, you can still re-use the little lamp-shade type lid (which is obviously open at the top.) Those can also make a nice protective barrier from your cats! :) Still, I don't burn candles when Tyler or I aren't in the room.

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• All holiday decorating is done... and the outdoor garland situation is solved. I put on a new string of lights & it's all good :)
• Using Candy Cane Chapstick. It's so darn minty!
• Currently wearing: sweatpants, v-neck t-shirt, and Turbie Twist. Fresh out of the shower!
• I love how my mom calls me after she sees my new videos. She always likes them :)

Eye of the Day: Soft & Smokey

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a good Saturday. Just wanted to take a minute to share today's eye look with you. Instead of using one palette, I was just playing around and pulled in a lot of random products (including one of the first eye palettes I ever used from Cover Girl!) The pictures don't really give off the warmth that this eye look has... but hopefully by seeing the products you can get a pretty good idea of what's going on. I see this as a good day or night look.

On my lips- I'm wearing Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee, MAC lip pencil in Whirl, and MAC Lip Glass in Nymphette. The lip butter provides a nude base, the liner deepens things up a little, and the gloss gives a gold-toned shine.

On the eyes- I started with Urban Decay primer potion... but forgot to throw that in the picture!

Step by Step...

• Following primer, I used my Mally Evercolor Shadow Stick in Saddle Shimmer (a brownish bronze) all over my lids, and also on my lower lashline.
• Then I used the center shade in the Cover Girl Shimmering Sands trio all over my lids.
• Using a fluffy crease brush, I blended the deepest shade in the CG trio in the crease.
• I used the NYX single shadow in Sensual (the square shaped shadow in the pic) to create a bit of an "outer V" toward the outer corner of each eye.
• MAC Twinks is a pretty warm brown with shimmer- so I blended that just above the crease with a fluffy brush so it would be barely visible with my eyes open. (it's the round single furthest to the left)
• I used MAC Handwritten- a matte brown- with a pencil brush on the outer part of the lower lashline for some more definition on top of the Mally Shadow Stick.
• I highlighted just under the brow and around the tear duct with the lightest shade in the CG trio.
• I lined my waterline & upper lashline with Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips eyeliner for brown eyes... it came in a trio- and I used the black one for this look. Then I used a pencil brush to top the upper liner with NYX Sensual- it made the liner look a bit softer.
• On my upper lashes, I used a sample size of Estee Lauder Sumptuous mascara... it did a nice job of providing length without the "funky ends"- as I call them.
• I used Maybelline Lash Discovery mascara on my lower lashes for clump-free definition.

♥

Hope you enjoy this look! It was definitely the result of having some extra time to play around with my makeup application this morning... something I don't always have the chance to do on weekdays! It's after 5pm at this point- and I must say, this eye look had really good staying power. I credit the Mally Evercolor Shadow sticks... you can put them on the lower lashline & they'll stay without adding anything else... and yet if you DO put something on top of them, they help it all last longer. And I never have creasing issues when I use them on my lids. Woohoo!

Daily Nuggets...

• Finally got batteries back in my flameless candles around the house!
• Got most of my outdoor Christmas decorating done... it's nothing too extensive. But when it came to the lighted garland I put around the front door- half of it wouldn't light. :(
• Been watching the Alabama-Auburn football game... gotta say, it's not very exciting.
• Started hearing Christmas music again on the radio this afternoon! :)

Christmas Wishlist!

Hey everyone! Just got the Christmas tree up and pretty much the whole inside of the house decorated today! Haven't had a nap- so I'm exhausted- but I just had to see it all get finished up! Much like last year, our tree has a lot of red and gold on it. Here's a pic- (plus Tyler's feet haha)

Since I worked today- I didn't go shopping for Black Friday... but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gone anyway! We had a lot of coverage on the morning show today of the long lines and people waiting in the cold... not really my idea of a good time, but if you shopped and found some great deals- more power to you! I did, however, browse some of my favorite beauty websites, and found a few items I'm very interested in for myself! I thought this could also be a fun wishlist blog tag if others want to do it too! :)

I've been debating about the Clarisonic for a REALLY long time! There's a good deal on the Mia 2 today on QVC. I would really like to try it and see once and for all if it's as good as everyone says! If you're not familiar with this product... it basically claims to give your skin the most thorough cleansing possible. I have tried the Philosophy Purity cleanser that comes with this, and I know I like that! Plus I LOVE this cute black & white leopard print with the red button... it'd look great in our bathroom!

I've gotten so many questions about the new "ready" shadows from Bare Minerals. Unlike the loose Bare Minerals shadows that have been around for years- these are pressed and I've heard rave reviews. This 8-shadow palette on QVC called "Cocktail Hour" looks really pretty. I think it'd be a nice way to try a range of shades.

After mentioning 2 items that would be brand new to me- I know these Philosophy lip shines are something I love. I remember years ago when my sister bought me Cinnamon Buns and I fell in love. Now Sephora is selling a 4-pack for $20- a great deal! The scents are all mouthwatering... Marshmallows for Toasting, Cinnamon Buns, Tinsel Town, and Peppermint Bark. In my experience with these- the lip shines offer sheer color and lots of shine, but what's really outstanding are the realistic scents (much like their 3 in 1 shower gels).

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• I love decorating for Christmas. I even put up my little tree decorated with pink stuff in the Beauty Broadcast room :)
• Tyler & I have been drinking Kroger brand Diet Lemon Lime pop like it's going out of style! I don't even like it that much! lol
• Shot, edited, and posted my Beauty Stocking Stuffers video today!
• I brought out my animated singing Christmas chipmunk and played it for Cupcake today. Her reaction was priceless! I must shoot a video showing this- it's hilarious!

Nails of the Day: Peachy!

Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!! It was sort of like a normal work day for me... but that's ok! I'll be heading in to work tomorrow also. Glad I got to see my family this past weekend. This evening I did some much needed nail painting... my last color was getting really chippy. You know what a great activity is while you wait for your nails to dry? iPad games. In between games of Angry Birds, I painted my nails with Essie Van D'Go.

It's the perfect creamy peach color. I've really gotten in the habit of wearing bold, fall-type colors on my nails lately, or really sparkly shades. So I was just kind of craving a more subtle, light nail look. I love this shade :) You're looking at 2 coats of this polish, topped with a clear top coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine (my favorite top coat). Overall, I like Essie polishes, though I find that they take awhile to dry. There's a great color selection, and I find that I'm usually drawn to the pale colors in the brand. So here's my question... do you stick to traditional fall type shades this time of year, or do you like to throw in something light?

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• Spent part of the afternoon working on my latest video. I did some planning for it yesterday too... stocking stuffers!!! I'm so excited.
• I covered a story at a community Thanksgiving dinner today. 120 volunteers help put it on! So many sweet people.
• I plan to start getting out the Christmas decorations tomorrow after work!
• Turns out, it's not the tryptophan in turkey making you tired (you'd have to eat the whole turkey yourself to feel the effects!), it's all the Thanksgiving dinner carbs!

5 Daily Use Products

Hi everyone! I just spent about 10 minutes standing around in my makeup room trying to figure out what to blog about for my daily post! Seems about right... after all, we're on day 23 of Non-Stop November! I decided it might be fun to pick out 5 products that I tend to use every single day, no matter what. I have a large makeup collection with a lot of products to choose from... I'll switch out foundations, concealers, eye makeup, cheek colors, and lip colors almost daily. But I realized, there are some products that I continue to use every day, regardless of the other products I change. I'd wear these products if it were a random day at work, a day shopping, or a night on the red carpet (if that ever happened! haha). They just work. So here you go!

left to right: Maybelline Define-a-Brow, L'oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator, Bare Minerals Summer Bisque, IT Cosmetics My Sculpted Face Palette, Mally Beauty Poreless Face Defender.

• Bare Minerals Summer Bisque... I've talked about this a lot, but it's a highly concentrated mineral powder that can be used alone as a full coverage concealer... my favorite way to use it is to set any cream based under-eye concealer I'm using. It instantly makes the area under my eyes bright and matte, and it doesn't settle into lines or make things look too dry. It comes in a range of shades- mine happens to be Summer Bisque. The coverage is impeccable. The few tiny granules of the product that you see here are all I have left... I'm waiting for the jumbo sized version to arrive from QVC any day now! I have a video on this product, if you'd like to check it out!
• IT Cosmetics My Sculpted Face Palette... Another QVC find... this is the palette I reach for daily to give my face more shape. It comes with 5 matte colors, including one matte highlight, and then a shimmery highlight. I often use the shade in the lower left hand corner to contour my cheeks, and the shade above that to contour any other areas (nose, forehead, etc.) The matte highlight is genius. It gives great dimension and contrast to the contours, without adding lots of shine. Great for times when I'm on air, but even when I'm not... I just don't feel right not using this! I have a video on this, too.
• L'oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator... I have this double-ended pencil in a deep purple/cream shade. I pretty much only use it for the cream-colored end to line my lower inner rim when I want to look more awake. When your wake up call comes at 1:30 in the morning, you have to resort to tricks like this. I used to use a brighter white pencil from Rimmel to do this job, but for the past couple of months, I've been using this pencil... the cream color is less stark, but REALLY opens up the eye. I also don't have any irritation in my waterline when I use it and the texture is just really creamy. I'll sometimes use the plum, but frankly, I think this pencil is worth it just for the light-colored end. You don't see many (if any) liners that color in the drugstore.
• Maybelline Define-a-Brow (dark brown)... You can't really tell by the picture, but this is a super duper fine pencil. It's just the right color for my brows, and while I don't require a ton of product on my brows (they're kind of full as-is), I still want whatever I use to look totally natural. I add some definition with this, and cover a small scar. I have no issues with the staying power, it doesn't feel greasy, and it has a little comb at one end that I'll sometimes use. I also usually finish my brow filling with a clear brow gel to keep things in place.
• Mally Poreless Face Defender... This is a one of a kind product in my makeup collection! It's the last thing that touches my face before I go on the air in the mornings, and it's also my touch-up product. Basically- it's clear and you blot it on with a sponge... the blotting- not swiping- is key. If you're starting to get oily- this seems to eliminate the oil- leaving a satin finish to the skin. Think of it as an alternative to a pressed powder that can tend to look thick when you keep adding more & more. I describe this more in my Mally Favorites video!

Daily Nuggets...

• Just watched last night's X-Factor... cried more than a few times. Can't believe how emotional some of the contestants' stories are.
• Thank you SO much for the kind comments, tweets, etc. on my Thanksgiving video! I always expect to take some jabs from at least a few people in my videos, but I'm extra grateful that people have been nice to my family members. And thanks to my family for putting up with my shenanigans!
• Cupcake is being a food snob.
• Who else is working on Thanksgiving & Black Friday? :)

Early Thanksgiving!

Hey everybody! Just wanted to devote today's post to my latest video. It's an Em's World video- which I need to get back in the habit of doing! This past weekend we visited my sister a few hours away for an early Thanksgiving... watch the video & check out the fun!

I also wanted to post this as a blog so you could easily link to more info. If you'd like to try one of the recipes mentioned in the video- check out my sister's blog! She has info (or links to info) on pretty much all of them. She also happens to be having a Print Sale on one of her watercolors... it makes a great gift & it's super affordable for her high quality work :)

Daily Nuggets...

• Woke up really tired today, with tired-looking eyes. Must get more sleep. It's only Tuesday!
• I had so much fun editing today's video. I'm really lucky to have my family.
• Cupcake sends her best... although she wishes SHE was the cat star of the video.
• Picked up a couple of mini Bodycology body sprays from Wal-Mart yesterday for a dollar apiece... one was vanilla cupcake, the other was brown sugar vanilla. Both AWESOME.

Coastal Scents Bright Eyed

Hi friends! I've gotten more than a few questions on Twitter & Facebook on the Coastal Scents Bright Eyed eye brightener. It's available at the Coastal Scents website for $9.95. Go to this page and click your color for additional information. I have this concealer in both light and medium... the light color seems to actually have a slight peachy-salmon tint, which is great for correcting blue-toned under-eye discoloration. The medium just seems to be a deeper, skin-tone concealer. I've raved about this product here & there, but haven't posted an actual review... so here goes!

The Back-Story...

Several years ago I learned the value of a salmon-toned under-eye concealer. If your discoloration takes on a blue-ish tone, salmon is the best color to counteract it. The downside is that I've yet to find a concealer in a drugstore that has a salmon tone. I've found pink concealers... but not that peachy salmon color I'm looking for. I've found it from Bobbi Brown in her corrector... in a shade called Bisque. I've also found the color I'm looking for in Benefit Erase paste. Both are very creamy concealers, that have both coverage, and the right color. The Coastal Scents product I'm talking about today isn't technically "drugstore", nor is it a dupe when it comes to mimicking the coverage of Bobbi Brown & Benefit... but instead of costing 18 to 20 bucks, it's less than 10 and it has the right tone. So we're on the right track. If you want to experiment with a peachy-toned concealer, this might be a good place to start if you don't feel like spending double the price for a high-end concealer.

About Bright-Eyed...

I love the size of this... you really get a lot of product (20 ml), and the squeeze tube format is very helpful when it comes to getting all of that product out. This isn't really referred to as a concealer on the Coastal Scents website, but rather, an "eye brightener". It claims to have a lightweight, creamy consistency, and the site also notes that the light shade (the one I feel has that peachy tone) is ideal for beige to honey-toned skin. I consider that to be a pretty wide range.

(product appears darker in picture than it appears in real life)

Coverage-wise, this isn't the thickest coverage concealer I own. However it does do a good job of correcting discoloration, and the light texture actually allows it to wear rather well on the skin throughout the day. So while this might not be the best concealer for that stubborn sun spot on your face... it can do a good job around the eyes. I should also mention that not everyone has the same kind of discoloration around the eye... someone recently told me they have discoloration, but it's redness, not blue-toned. I'd suggest a person with redness around the eye use a skin-toned concealer- not something that puts added warmth on the area.

How I Get the Best Results...

With my fingers, I pat this concealer around my eye area... making sure to dab it on the sides of the nose, which can get dark on me, and also under the eye- right up to the lower lashline. You can build the coverage a bit without it looking cakey, however if you do have fine lines- I recommend dabbing those lines with a q-tip after applying this concealer to ensure that the excess product doesn't just sit in those lines. I do this trick with just about any concealer.

I also like to set this concealer with a product from Bare Minerals called Summer Bisque... this comes in multiple shades of bisque, but is a highly concentrated mineral powder that I find gives a really nice matte, brightened finish to the under-eye area. It basically says to the cream-based concealer, "it's ok, you can only do so much, but I can handle it the rest of the way." This technique is shown in my Full Coverage Concealer Trick video. Ever since I learned about this concept from QVC host Lisa Robertson- I've been making average concealers work so much better. I don't think you absolutely HAVE to do that trick with this concealer, but it does make a nice finishing touch for a more matte appearance. Hope this review was helpful to you! :)

Daily Nuggets...

• I went grocery shopping today and bought a lot of fresh produce (pats self on back).
• I sat with Cupcake in front of the Duraflame for awhile today... so warm & cozy!
• Sometimes people ask me if something I recommended in a video was really worth buying. I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't think it was worth it! Just sayin'.
• Angry Birds just doesn't get any easier!

Cute Kabuki Brushes from Ecotools

Hi everyone! Back home after a great weekend at my sister's place. Sorry about the odd photo layout on my last blog post... I posted the pictures from my phone & some are apparently too large for the blog layout. You probably get the point though... family & lots of food! I also shot some video so I'll have to get that edited into an Em's World soon! :)

For now- the lowdown on some adorable brushes from Ecotools! This set is the limited edition Beautiful Expressions Kabuki set. I bought it for $14.99 at Target, but I assume you could find this set most places where Ecotools products are sold. If you've been keeping up with my blogs & videos for awhile, you know I'm a fan of Ecotools brushes. They have a reputation for being made out of Earth-friendly products... they're also incredibly soft well constructed. You can also find Ecotools in stores like Wal-Mart, Ulta, and Target, so I also enjoy the accessibility. Each brush in this kit has a special purpose- as listed below... and they're made with synthetic taklon bristles and recycled aluminum handles.

left to right: conceal, bronze, contour, and buff

• Conceal (round kabuki) While I'd classify all of the other brushes as somewhat "fluffy", this brush is the most tightly packed. The info on the packaging says you can use this brush with liquid concealer or foundation... I've actually used this with my Bare Minerals Summer Bisque to set my under-eye concealer for a really matte, brightened look. The shape is really perfect for small areas, and the density of the brush provides a lot of coverage. It's soft, yet rather stiff. If you like to use mineral products, I think you'll notice a new level of coverage with this brush.
• Bronze (angled kabuki) This brush could really be used for just about anything... not just bronzer. I'm so impressed with the size of this brush- although you might think you're getting a miniature set of brushes- you're not. This reminds me of a big powder brush only cut at an angle. It's really nicely tapered, so you don't get any harsh edges.
• Contour (domed kabuki) This is definitely a great contour brush. Much less tightly packed than the "conceal" brush, so you really feel like you can blend with it. I hate trying to contour my cheeks with brushes that are too small. This brush is really a nice size for not only contouring the cheeks, but also the nose, forehead, etc. Also, I'm not sure if you can tell by the picture but this brush has a super cute peacock feather design on the handle.
• Buff (flat top kabuki) I love this brush for just an overall blender. I've tried other kabuki brushes that seem a little more stiff, and lets say you wanted a lot of coverage out of a powder or mineral foundation... you want a dense, stiff kabuki to really lay on the product. This one is just a little "lighter", and will give you a lighter application of powder products- or it could be great for blush, finishing powder, or just any additional blending you need.

Overall Impressions...

Really, really impressed with this set of brushes. I'd seen pictures of them online before I saw them in stores, and was a little worried that they'd just be a mini set of brushes that looked cute, but weren't really practical. Seeing them in person, I could tell that they were actually sizes that I could use. Don't let the small handles fool you... the brush on the end is a size that measures up to other larger brushes in my collection. Another great thing I've noticed... I've had NO issues with these shedding! It's really kind of amazing. Plus each has a different color and design on the handle- so cute! The one thing that's a little odd is that unlike most Ecotools brush sets, this one doesn't come with any little travel pouch... and I could see these little brushes taking a beating at the bottom of a makeup bag- so you'll have to come up with your own way to tote them around. Maybe use a brush guard, a small makeup pouch, or something like that. Does anyone else have this brush set? How do you like to use them?

Daily Nuggets...

• Wish I was still at my sister's spending time with my family! This weekend went by too fast.
• Cupcake was happy to see us when we came home though!
• I am now obsessed with Angry Birds. So is my dad. Thanks Pup! ;)
• Rams game is all tied up... time to check it out!

Early Thanksgiving!

Hey everyone! I'm trying to blog from my phone since I don't have my computer with me. We traveled to my sister's for an early thanksgiving! She and Jeff made an awesome meal! Just wanted to share a few pics in this blog on-the-go!

Daily Nuggets Special & TGIF Haul

Hello everyone! I'm very disappointed in myself. I missed 2 DAYS of my Non-Stop November blog posts! I do have a reason though... starting Wednesday, this week got really weird. This first part of the story wasn't so much stressful, as it was bizarre. First off, we have a new segment this month on the morning show called "Wild Wednesday" where we feature a viewer's unusual animal. We've had an owl, a camel, and this week... a llama!

Llama Drama

I must say, I love llamas. So when this llama appeared in our newsroom- right off to the side of our set, patiently waiting with its owner... I was overcome with how cute she was! Then things got ugly. After about 5 minutes, while my co-anchor Kevin & I were anchoring... we hear the tell-tale sound of a stream of liquid hitting the floor. Yep. The llama went #1 and #2 right by my desk in the newsroom. (still anchoring) I hear the handler hustle the llama into the hallway... then we hear a major crashing sound... as if the llama kicked a hole in the wall or something (still reading news).

Ok... now we're in a commercial break- and it's almost showtime for the llama! We quickly get off of our massive desk on wheels- slide it out of the way- and prep the floor for the llama... um... where's the llama? Turns out that big noise we heard was the llama slipping and falling in its own #1 and #2 mess that it continued to make once the handler took it into the hallway.

With about a minute to spare, the handler, Dayle, gets the llama on the set, tells me about the mess, and explains why the llama is dripping wet. Gross. Fortunately, she said the llama wasn't hurt when she fell. We ended up making it through the interview with no messes.... and Kevin and our producer Weston were already in the hallway trying to clean things up- bless their hearts. I'll spare you the picture, but it was a big mess. During that next commercial break, all we could do was laugh. I mean... who could've imagined we'd be dealing with a llama mess at the TV station. Even our news director was cracking up. It'll go down in history as one of the most unusual days on the morning show.

Anchoring AM and PM

Now to the real reason why I wasn't able to find time for blogging the past couple of days. One of our evening anchors had a death in the family, so our news director asked if I could do the 5pm in addition to the morning show Wednesday and Thursday. What's another half hour of news? I said sure... and it really wasn't a super big deal. I just had to go home after the morning show and come back in the afternoon. And keep my 2am makeup job looking fresh at 5pm (possibly the biggest challenge). Anyway, Wednesday... after the llama drama... I went home, then came back, anchored the 5pm, and came home... almost immediately noticing migraine symptoms. My vision was getting blurry and rather than blogging, I had to take my migraine pill and get to bed immediately in hopes of getting up for the morning show in a matter of hours. Thank goodness, the combo of sleep and medication left me feeling only mildly bad Thursday morning... and I again did am show, pm show, and then turned around this morning for the am show. The whole time period pretty much ran together. I was glad to be able to fill in... but could've done without the migraine.

TGIF

Needless to say, I'm glad it's Friday. After a quick meal at Steak & Shake, Tyler and I went to Walgreens, where I purchased stuff I didn't need. I call it retail therapy after a rough week. I picked up this lovely pink sequined santa hat...

As well as these INSANE socks! Apparently that's a character from Rudolph? I don't even remember. All I know is I'll be seeing my sister tomorrow and I know she's going to completely crack up when she sees these socks. I couldn't even glance at them in the checkout without laughing. When I finally paid for this stuff, the cashier goes, "looks like you're getting in the holiday spirit." Um, yeah! I also got 2 more lip butters (Raspberry Pie and Cherry Tart)- Lord knows I don't need more lip products... and I got Cover Girl Super Thick Lash mascara simply because it caught my eye and I haven't tried it in ages.

♥

Anyway, these stories were probably longer & more drawn out than anyone wanted to read, but that was my wacky few days! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Nails of the Day: Purple Sparkle!

Whew! Barely got my daily blog post up! My latest video has spent the ENTIRE AFTERNOON uploading and I try not to slow things doing by doing other things on the computer. It's just processing now, so in an effort to get to bed at a halfway decent time, I'll make this post short. You know I like sparkle, and even after a less-than-great experience with the Wet n Wild limited edition polish in 24 Carats... I thought I'd give this dazzling purple/pink shade a shot. It's called "Back Alley Deals" (awesome name), and I believe this is from the Ice Baby limited edition collection as well. Unlike the 24 Carats polish that had little "sticks" of glitter that I believe resulted in premature chipping, this polish just has traditional pieces of glitter.

The polish is made up of a very fine purple glitter, paired with slightly larger magenta glitter pieces. In person, the nails actually appear slightly more pink. They're gorgeous, and they make me think "Mardi Gras" when I look at them. I've been asked if I can get away with fun nails like this for the news... since no rules on nails have been presented to me, nails are my small form of news rebellion. You really don't get a close look at my nails during the news anyway, so I'm guessing most people don't pick up on it. Fun random newscast fact: we're having a llama on the show tomorrow. If a llama is allowed... why not purple nails? I rest my case.

I applied 2 coats of the glitter polish, but something you really need to keep in mind with glittery nails is the top coat. You see, when you have glittery nails, the rough texture will open you up to tons of chips. I suggest using the thickest top coat you can find (Sally Hansen Mega Shine, or maybe Seche Vite top coat), and apply whatever you need to get a mostly smooth texture on the nail. I actually applied 2 layers of top coat. Not only will the glitter be more brilliant when it hits the light, but it'll last longer.

♥

Beauty Broadcast...

• I would love a foot rub right now.
• I would also love some sweet potato fries... anyone want to tackle these jobs for me?
• Still loving the Duraflame and will probably talk about it in a video so you can see how it works :)

Laura Geller Toast of the Town Collection

Hey everyone! I wanted to tell you about this set from Laura Geller I picked up a month or so ago from Ulta. As you know, I'm a fan of Laura Geller's baked products, and I was eager to try a new blush, as well as this eyeshadow palette. Plus, I can always use a backup of Balance & Brighten, which I love as a full coverage powder/powder foundation. The cost was $59.95, and if you want to see more info & customer ratings, check the Ulta website. I thought the cost was actually a pretty good deal considering everything is full size- except I think the Spackle primer is a bit smaller.

In limited edition blinged-out packaging, you get the Baked Eye Dreams Palette in Bellini, Balance & Brighten (my shade is medium), Blush & Brighten in Mimosa, Spackle Tinted primer in Champagne, i-Care Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Purple Paradise, and a double ended applicator- it's a sponge tip & an angled brush.

Before we get into the color products, I want to give my 2 cents on the Champagne tinted Spackle. After trying & enjoying regular Spackle, I was really excited to try something with a little added glow. Spackle has sort of a wet texture, but it dries & has a nice effect on your skin's texture. Same story with this, only there's actual bits of glitter in the champagne Spackle. Granted, it'll be buried under foundation, powder, blush, etc... but I really don't want the glitter on my face. So I wouldn't buy that again.

The packaging is absolutely gorgeous! It's a shimmery gold all the way around. And it's not glitter that can flake off... it just has a slight texture to it that makes the metallic color really shine. These are the kinds of products you might want to just stack up & leave out on your vanity! :)

The Balance & Brighten and the Blush & Brighten are actually slightly domed in the packaging. And trust me, it's not hollow on the inside... these actually begin as cream products and are baked on terra cotta tiles. I recently "hit tile" on my mini Bronze & Brighten and it took a LONG time after consistent use. I can only imagine how long these full sizes will last me. Balance & Brighten is a great product to wear on top of a foundation that didn't give you quite enough coverage- it gives a nice, perfected look to the skin and the varying tones swirled through it seem to really even out my skin tone. Balance & Brigthen is also a great quick product to throw on over a little concealer. I use a full powder brush, or a kabuki brush (for more coverage) to apply it. While the shadows are also baked, they're not domed, FYI. More on the shadows in a minute...

The blush in Mimosa is a beautiful coral-pink. Keep in mind though- it has a lot of shimmer. Not like chunks of glitter... but when I use this, I usually don't use a highlight on top, because this is all the glow I need. If you want to check out a drugstore alternative to Laura Geller's Blush & Brighten products, look for Milani Baked Blushes.

The shadows are SO pretty, and I really like the configuration in this kit- especially because they threw in a pinky shade, which can make them look a little different from a typical neutral look. They go on very velvety & pigmented. Of course, there are quite a few shadows- including drugstore ones- that I feel are velvety & pigmented. I guess what I'm trying to say is- if you get this kit, you won't be disappointed by the shadows, but I wouldn't necessarily seek out this kit for the shadows in particular. They're just not THAT unique. The liner was sort of average for me. It had decent staying power, but wasn't all that pigmented and saturated with color. The double ended brush wasn't all that special, since the brush side was cut too blunt for my liking (hard to really blend with), and the other end was a sponge tip, which I have a zillion of.

Bottom Line: This is a gorgeous kit, and the big 3 baked products are great. The liner was so-so for me, and while I like Spackle, I don't love glitter in Spackle. If you're curious about Laura Geller, this could be a nice way to try the line, however I think one of the BEST ways to try her products is the Laura Geller Baked Beginnings kit. For $20 less, you get smaller sizes of Balance & Brighten, Bronze & Brighten, and Blush & Brighten. Folks, I've had this for a LONG time and I'm still going on these! They'll truly last a long time and Bronze & Brighten is freaking awesome. So that's definitely something to consider if you want to try Laura Geller! You'll see more Laura Geller in an upcoming video from me :)

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• It's mid-November and it's MUGGY out. Now it's about to start storming. Weirdness!
• Since I gave Tyler my cold, I went to Dollar General today to get him medications. Always good times at the DG.
• Our Duraflame Electric Stove Heater came in the mail today. I AM IN LOVE. This thing is too cute. Thinking about devoting a blog or video to it!
• Girl Scout cookies came in today. Samoas baby!!

Rediscovered Favorite: Wet n Wild Vanity Palette!

Hello everyone! Do you ever watch a YouTube video and then run to your makeup area because you've just been inspired? That happened to me today. Well, I didn't actually run to my makeup room. Anyway, I saw not one, but two videos QueenofBlendingMUA did on her channel using the Wet n Wild Vanity palette.

Story time! When these 6-color palettes first came out from Wet n Wild, I didn't immediately purchase this one. At first glance, I thought the colors were common and I didn't think I needed it. My mom was actually looking for matte neutral shadows, so we picked this up for her at one point, and she enjoys it. Then, time passed and I figured I could never go wrong with an even split of matte & shimmer neutrals all in one palette... so I got it for myself. It's only gotten occasional use, but after watching QueenofBlending's artful use of the matte colors, I thought I needed to give it another shot.

As you can see- the left side is matte, and the right side is shimmery. If you watched my video on the latest Wet n Wild products, you know that some of these shades overlap with the new I ♥ Matte palette. Anyway... my look isn't exactly what QueenofBlending did, but I used mostly the matte side and was SO pleased with the texture, blendability, and tone of these colors.

• I applied the lightest matte shade on the inner part of the lid, and as a highlight
• I used the medium matte brown on the center of the lid...
• Then I added the dark matte brown on the outer part of the lid, and in the outer V area.
• Blended out the darkness with a bit more of the medium shade.
• Smudged the shimmery brown on the lower lashline...
• Added a very fine line of black liner to the upper lashline & black mascara to the upper & lower lashes... I'm really enjoying Almay's Get up & Grow mascara! :)
• My lips are Revlon Matte Lipstick in Stormy Pink with a clear gloss on top.

Hope you enjoyed this look! It's just so natural and really plays off of the natural tones in your skin to create some really nice contours. Works great with any lip color you choose! I plan to do an all matte tutorial- probably using the Wet n Wild I ♥ Matte palette very soon! :)

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• I don't think I'm going to call it a no-buy... but through Christmas I'm planning to cut back on new makeup purchases. I just made a basket of things in my collection I'm going to make a point to use in the coming week.
• Hope you had a chance to see the new video I posted this morning! :)
• It has continued to be SO WINDY today! wowza!
• I think it's time for a little hot tea. Have a good night!

Glammed-up Tweezers!

Hey everyone! Super quick blog today since I have company coming soon! Just wanted to show off a special item I found at Walgreens for ONE DOLLAR last week! I think you know why these caught my attention... they're pink AND sparkly!

There was no brand name on these tweezers. There was a special section near the cosmetics that had a bunch of "stocking stuffer" type items... lip glosses, lotions, socks... and blinged-out tweezers! For only a dollar, I couldn't turn them down. Plus- it's always nice to have an extra pair. They're easy to lose... and they're one of those things that I'm likely to forget when I travel. This way I can have an extra pair in my travel bag.

I currently use some light pink Tweezerman tweezers, which I like very much. You probably can't tell by this picture, but the tip of these tweezers is slightly angled, which I like. The texture of the glitter feels just a bit gritty, but I don't mind. It doesn't seem to flake off. Despite being a dollar, they seem to work fine and handled all of my tweezing needs today... I can't go a day without tweezing my eyebrows! :)

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• Tyler's sisters- the twins- are visiting soon!
• It's very gray & windy outside... leaves are blowing around everywhere. Feels like fall!
• After you clean the house, do you ever like to just stand around and look at it? lol :)
• I edited a new video this morning- I'll try to post it early tomorrow. It was a viewer request & I'm super excited about it!

New Nail Polish Storage!

Hi friends! It's Friday- yay! Happy Veterans Day to all members of the military- I hope it's been a good day for you. For today's blog, I thought I'd show my recently re-vamped nail polish storage. Before this method, things were really getting disorganized. My new method for sorting things out is not only cheap... but it involves a kitchen item!

First off, this is my narrow white bookshelf. When we were in our apartment, our landlord offered us this leftover piece of furniture for free. In my mom's words- "you can never turn down good storage!" so we put it in the spare bedroom that doubled as my makeup room. When we moved into our house, I knew this piece was coming with us. With a fresh coat of white paint, it fit perfectly in the corner of my current makeup room. It now holds a small flatscreen TV, my beauty books, some random knick knacks, and nail stuff!

Here's a closer look at the bottom two shelves... at the very bottom I have nail accessories like files, remover, lotion and manicure kits. I also have a container filled with polishes I don't often use, along with a small container of clear polishes, base coats, strengtheners, etc.

Now this is where the fun begins! I re-did my nail polish with these clear 3-tiered spice racks that I found at The Container Store. When I went there, I wasn't sure what I'd find and I didn't take the time to measure the space I had. When I came across these tiered spice racks, I knew it was something I could work with. I just grabbed a wide one and a narrow one... not assuming they'd both fit perfectly in one shelf! Turns out the shelf is 17 inches wide, the larger rack is 10 inches, and the smaller rack is 6 inches. Perfect! I have just enough wiggle room to easily pull them out if I want. It's plenty of room to accommodate a big variety of polishes... and I probably enjoyed myself a little too much as I divided them by color. I have sections of metallics, pinks, reds, colors, and dark colors.

There are tons of different sizes of polishes, but in some cases, I can fit 3 front to back- in one level. Something I love about these racks is the raised border around each level. So if I want to slide the tray out, they won't fall off. Also, there's nothing about these spice racks that scream "kitchen!!!" They're just super basic and I could definitely see these being used for makeup storage as well... whether it's on a bookshelf or on top of a vanity.

All in all, don't forget to check the kitchen section of any store if you're looking for ways to improve your makeup storage. I've had good luck with a lazy susan turntable from Wal-Mart, as well as silverware dividers, and other random stuff! I'm sure you could find spice racks similar to these at stores other than The Container Store. If you have any other good makeup storage ideas, let me know!

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• Tyler & I went out to dinner and had the most amazing pizza at DiMaggio's in Carbondale!
• On the downside, there was a serious accident on our way home & traffic was majorly backed up.
• Tyler is watching a basketball game on TV that's being played on an aircraft carrier. How cool is that?
• I am so tired after this week. Having a cold really drains you.

Seasonal Shower Gels

Hi everyone! I'm so excited I've kept up with my Non-Stop November blog posts so far! :) I get most of my best ideas when I'm in the shower (why that is, I don't know), but that's where the idea for this blog post comes from. I'm a big fan of shower products, and while there are tons of great scents, some brands put out some special, seasonal scents now and then.

To prevent the need for a storage container within the shower (can you imagine?!), I took some of my more fruity & tropical scented body washes out, and replaced them with a couple of my favorite Christmas scents from last year. I plan to keep this kind of rotation going, because I can't get through a whole shower gel in a season, and it seems new again when I make the switch! Here are a few of the special shower gels I'm using for the season...

• Philosophy Candy Cane... I got this for Christmas last year. It smells exactly the way you think it would... smooth, strong peppermint. Probably the mintiest mint-scented thing I've smelled with the exception of Altoids. It has a little sweetness to it too, and it's just a really invigorating body wash. Use it in the morning to perk yourself up, or if you have a cold like me, take a whiff and clear your sinuses!
• Philosophy Snow Angel... This is a new body wash for me- it came in the most recent QVC Beauty Test Tube (if you can't find those on the QVC website right now- they're out of stock. I'll let you know if I see them again). Over the years I've tried a variety of yummy Philosophy body washes, and this doesn't rank high in terms of being unique, but it is something a the dude in your life could use and still feel very dude-like. It's very fresh, clean, and crisp... kind of like a breath of fresh air. Really clean, but definitely seems like a unisex scent to me.
• Softsoap Holiday Cookie... This is another shower gel I found last year... not sure if this same scent will be available this year, or if Softsoap will put out new scents. This is described as a combination of vanilla, brown sugar, and a hint of ginger. It's just a really yummy scent. I'm a sucker for products that smell like baked goods.

Question: What shower gels do you love to use during the fall/winter months?

♥

Daily Nuggets...

• I enjoyed making a Paula Deen reference in my Revlon Lip Butter video. It took me 2 afternoons to edit, but I'm so happy with the way it turned out. It was worth the extra time.
• Tyler made sweet potato fries. He makes THE BEST sweet potato fries!
• Still dealing with that pesky cold, but I think it's improving.
• Episodes of Seinfeld never get old for me.
• There's a Disney event happening tomorrow in my area, so today I got to do a segment on the morning show with Cinderella, Snow White, and a dwarf :)
• Tomorrow is Friday!

The Foundation Transformer

Hey friends! Hope you're having a good week! I'm still dealing with a cold, but all things considered, I'm ok! I wanted to write a quick blog on something I know I've mentioned before... but I thought it deserved more explanation. I think we've all tried foundations that weren't quite right for us. A common scenario for me is that I'll love the look of a foundation when I first put it on, but then it looks not so good by the end of the day. For the news, I need both coverage and staying power... and there's a certain foundation that can give me just that!

Revlon Colorstay foundation is regarded by many as a very long-wearing formula. It comes in two varieties depending on your skin type... Normal/Dry or Combination/Oily (my type). Sometimes if I wear this foundation alone, it can feel a bit thick, so I counteract that by applying it with a damp makeup sponge. The result is a really long-wearing foundation that keeps oil around my t-zone at bay. Lately, one of my FAVORITE ways to wear this foundation is in combination with other foundations that I've found to be less than long-wearing. Not only am I improving staying power, but I'm getting use out of products I initially thought weren't so great! I'll do it in one of two ways...

• Combine foundations first- Sometimes I'll just tap a little Colorstay on my hand along with a second foundation, mix them together, and then apply them all over my face.
• Pre-contour on the face- My color in Colorstay (Fresh Beige) is often just a bit light for my skin tone. So sometimes- with my finger- I'll just dot the foundation in areas I want to highlight- down the nose, center of the forehead, under the eyes, and chin. Then I'll apply a different foundation on my temples, jaw, etc. After that I use a brush (usually the Sigma F80) to blend over the Colorstay portions and then the other areas. The result not only looks blended, but really natural due to the color variation.

In case you were wondering, a few of the foundations I've successfully used with Colorstay include...

• Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse
• Maybelline Fit Me Foundation
• Cover Girl Nature Luxe Foundation
• Revlon PhotoReady Foundation
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin
• L'oreal True Match

In some cases, these are foundations that don't have very good staying power or coverage, but in terms of Revlon PhotoReady and Neutrogena Healthy Skin... I think these are good foundations on their own, but I like how they balance out Colorstay. The end result with all of these combos is a look that keeps looking fresh at the end of my work day. Thanks for reading!

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Daily Nuggets...

• Spent a lot of the afternoon editing a video that I thought would be so simple! I've noticed I have a tendency of getting big ideas and making things complicated. Hopefully it's cool when I finish & upload tomorrow!
• I recorded the Robin Roberts "In the Spotlight" special she did on several country music stars. Just watched it & really enjoyed it!
• I find this whole Penn State sexual abuse scandal so disturbing and disappointing.
• Time to take another cold pill & get some rest.