Monday, June 16, 2014

Neon



Top: Hot Mama (here)
Necklace: Hot Mama
Jeans: Express
Bag: Charming Charlie 

I recently bought this neon yellow shirt, and instantly knew I had to do a post with it. The necklace was made for this skirt, I love the pop of coral/orange. Also, my boyfriend and I are now engaged!! We are both very excited, and cannot wait for the big day. I am going to try my hardest to keep posting, wedding planning can sure take up a lot of my time. I hope everyone is enjoying the hot summer days =)

xoxo
Simona

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Monday, May 26, 2014

Sundays





Top: Express
Jeans: Hot Mama (here)
Handbag: Charming Charlie
Sandals: Steve Madden 

I haven't blogged in a while, so it is nice to get back at it. Between my two jobs sometimes it's hard to find the time, I am telling you, there are not enough hours in a day! The weather here in Chicago yesterday was amazing. It was about 80 degrees, but wasn't humid at all (me and humidity do not mix well)! Joe and I did nothing but relax and sit outside =) we also grilled some hotdogs. I hope you guys enjoyed your weekend and spent some time outside.

P.S. I desperately need a tan, before I start blending in with the wall!

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xoxo
Simona

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Makeup brushes you need in your collection

 

1. Fluff Brush: for applying your eyeshadow onto your eye lid. You can either sweep on the eyeshadow or pat it on. If you pat on eyeshadow you will have less of the shadow ending up under your eyes! My favorite is the M.A.C 213 fluff brush.

2. Flat Top Foundation Brush: I love a good flat top brush for a flawless foundation look. They are so easy to use. I first use a circular motion and then I pat everything in. Stay away from "sweeping" your foundation with this type of brush, it makes it look very streaky. My favorite is the Costal Scents flat top brush.  

3. Kabuki Brush: I use a kabuki brush for powder. ALWAYS pat your powder instead of sweeping it, sweeping causes you to remove product off your face instead of applying. So always PAT on your powder to lock your foundation into place. My favorite is the Sedona Lace kabuki brush.

4. Blending Brush: This will be your best friend when it comes to eyeshadow. A blending brush is perfect for blending out those harsh lines and making everything look flawless. My favorite is the M.A.C 217 blending brush.

5. Contour Brush: You need a brush like this for applying bronzer, especially when you are contouring your face. A small contour brush will give you more precession and help you get into the hollow places of your face. If your brush is too big you will not get the same results you would if you were using a small brush. My favorite is the M.A.C 109 small contour brush

6. Angle Brush: This brush is perfect for so many different uses, it is amazing for sharp precise lines.I use a small angled brush for brows, applying shadow under my bottom water line and also creating a cat eye with a gel liner. My favorite is the M.A.C 266 small angle brush

7. Blush Brush: Everyone needs a blush brush =) I like using a smaller blush brush so a have more control over where the product goes. If you do not like using a smaller brush, you can also get a large blush brush, whatever works best for you! My favorite is the e.l.f. studio mineral powder brush

8. Sponge aka Beauty Blender: The most amazing brush you will ever own. A sponge gives you an absolute flawless foundation finish. If you have a foundation you think makes you crease a lot or just is not applying the right way, try using a sponge (beauty blender). When using one you can either use it dry or damp, use a patting motion not a dragging motion. It comes with a round and pointed part (the one pictured here has a slanted top), the pointed part is perfect for those hard to reach places such as: under your eyes and around the nose. You NEED this in your collection! My favorite is the Real Techniques miracle complexion sponge.

I hope you guys found this helpful, let me know what your favorite brush is! 

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xoxo
Simona


Thursday, May 1, 2014

For Mothers Day



1. These beautiful pillows would be a nice touch to any home. (here)(here)
2. Simple but cute handbag.
3. A fun statement necklace.
4. Always bring flowers.
5. A fun scarf, that will spice up any look. 
6. Beautiful table runner.
7. The Body Shop lotion/body set.
8. A refreshing tea blend.
9. Tea kettle for the tea.  

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Happy Mothers Day
xoxo
Simona

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Skirts, the perfect fit for you.

With summer right around the corner I have been looking at many skirts to add to my closet. Some people love skirts and some hate them. I thought I would put together a little guide on different types of skirts. Hope this helps! 


1//2//3  

1//2//3  

1//2//3

1//2//3

What is your favorite? I personally love maxi skirts, they are just so easy to wear and are so flattering. I also did a guide on shirts as well. Click here to check it out!

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xoxo
Simona

Monday, April 14, 2014

Organize it

So I figured since my face products in the bathroom were looking like a hot mess, it was time to clean it. Some Spring cleaning if you say! 

 Before 

As you can see everything is just all over the place. I noticed  myself putting the product wherever after I use it, and then searching for it when I go to use it again the next day. 

After

So I just bought some simple clear acrylic trays at the container store. These trays have helped me tremendously, now every product has a home. After I used something instead of putting it wherever I put back in it's original spot, so now the shelf doesn't look like a disaster anymore!  I just love how simple and clean it looks, and so easy to find everything. 

Have you been doing any Spring cleaning? 

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xoxo
Simona 



Monday, April 7, 2014

The order of applying makeup

1. Moisturizer: This step is very important before applying your face makeup. Some makeup can be very drying, so it is important to have a moisturized base. This is crucial especially if you have dry skin. If you notice that your foundation may leave you very dry, make sure to moisturize and you will see a difference!

2. Primer: I love using primer, it gives a base for your foundation and helps it last longer. You can also use a BB cream or a CC cream instead of a primer. I would not skip using a primer, it really does give you that lasting power you need. 

3. Foundation: Use your favorite foundation. It may take you a while to find a foundation you love, but once you do you'll see what a difference foundation makes. A good drugstore foundation is Revlon Color Stay, I HIGHLY recommend it! Haha do you think I used the word foundation enough?.....foundation.

4. Concealer: This is another very important step. Never skip on concealing under your eyes, it makes a tremendous difference. If you have dark circles or bags under your eyes, concealer will be your best friend. Also always go a couple shades lighter then your natural skin tone, you want your concealer to brighten under your eyes not make things look darker. If you have blemishes on your face use a concealer to hide them. A green tone concealer works great on toning down the redness in blemishes. 

5. Powder: Once you have given time for your foundation to set go ahead and powder your face. Powder sets your foundation in place and prevents it from sliding all over your face. Whenever you use and cream or liquid products you need to set it with a powder. Also, don't forget to set your concealer with a powder as well to prevent it from major creasing! 

6. Bronzer: Use a bronzer to warm up your face. You can contour with it or just use it to add a little bit of warmth to your face. You don't always have to use a bronzer, but it really does help give your face some demention. Sometimes when you use a foundation and do not use any bronzer you tend to look flat and bronzer helps to solve that problem.

7. Blush: Ohh how I love Blush, it makes such a difference. When we use foundation we cover up our rosy cheeks. Add a little bit of blush to the apples of your cheeks to bring back some color to your face. 

8. Highlighter: I don't always use a highlighter, but when I do use it I use it on my cheek bones (right above the apples of your cheeks). It gives your look a bit more of a glow as well as more added dimension. 

9. Setting spray: ALWAYS use a setting spray. I used to never use one, and when I started too I noticed a huge difference in the lasting power. A setting spray makes your makeup last so much longer. 

I hope you found this helpful! I promise if you use these products in this order you will see a major improvement in your makeup as well as lasting power. 

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Hope you are having a good start to your week!
xoxo
Simona

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Arbonne foundation review

I have been using the Arbonne foundation for a good month now, so I figured it was a good time to do a review. I love sharing my thoughts with you guys, and giving you an idea of what the product is like! There were things that I liked about this foundation and some that I did not.

                                          no makeup                Shade- Porcelain              with makeup

Pros
*lite-weight
*covered zit
*tones down redness
*did last a fairly good amount of time (around 6 hours)

Cons
*sets extremely powdery 
*looks heavy if you use more then one layer 
* $42.00

I did use a moisturizer as well as a primer. I would say that the foundation has medium coverage. I did try to build up to a full, but the it just looked extremely heavy. When it sets it looks very powdery, I even tried wearing the foundation without a setting powder, it made no difference. I have heard many good reviews about this foundation so I wanted to try it out myself, and I really was not in love with the foundation. Also, for that price, I have drugstore foundations that I enjoy much more. 

I have oily combination skin so I can only imagine what this foundation would look like on a person with dry skin. It would most likely cling to all your dry patches and make you look even more dry.

Over all I would give this product a 5 out of 10. I probably wouldn't buy this product again, I achieve better results with my other foundations. You may not experience the same results as me, but to me this foundation didn't really workout with my skin. 

I know its a bit hard to tell on the picture, but to me it looks very powdery. I just feel like I look very flat and the foundation isn't flattering at all.

Have you guys tried this foundation?
What are your thoughts? 

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xoxo
Simona
 
*Disclaimer: I did not get paid by the company to write this review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.*

Friday, March 28, 2014

Let it rain

 
1/2/3/4/5/6 

So now that Spring is here I was in the mood to look around for rain boots and rain jackets. I searched around the web and looked for items that I want. I am actually in need of a new pair of rain boots, so I figured I would do a blog post on what I found and loved (and wish I had)! 

I have always wanted a pair of Hunter boots, but the price has always scared me away. Yikes! As I was searching around I came across these adorable short rain boots, I love that they are not tall and have the cute little embellishment. Also, they were $49.95, which is a bonus! 

What do you guys think of Hunter boots?

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xoxo
Simona 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Tops

1/2/3

1/2/3


I would say that I wear all 3 of these styles, and each cut gives you a different look. My favorite is the crewneck due to the fact that for me, it is the most comfortable. Boatneck is a very flattering and fun cut. Scoop neck is a daring but good to have in your collection. 

What is your favorite?
xoxo
Simona

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Saturday, March 22, 2014

One Year



Today is exactly one year since my heart surgery, it feels as if it just happened yesterday.       

I remember going into see my doctor in the spring of 2012 for just a simple check up, I didn’t expect to hear that I have a heart murmur. I was shocked, and at the time I didn’t really know what to think of it. I wasn’t scared, I think my initial thought was denial and that “this could never happen to me.” I went to see a cardiologist so that I can find out what was going on with my heart. After I heard the results I felt as if the world had stopped turning. I felt like I was going to throw up. Hearing my doctor say that I was going to need heart surgery was just so unreal. I just wanted to run out of that room and run to my family. Lesson learned, never go alone to a doctor’s visit when you think you are going to hear something you don’t want to.

A couple months went by and I wasn’t feeling like myself. I noticed that I couldn’t do certain things anymore, and that really bothered me. Working 8 hours a day was soon starting to become a challenge for me. I ended up having to quit my job, and that was so hard for me to do. As much as I complained about going to work sometimes, I realized how much I loved my job when I had to quit. I worked so hard to get to where I was and to have to quit just crushed me.  So now I was at home all the time and as much as I didn’t want to think about my heart condition it was constantly on my mind. Sometimes I would just sit there and cry, I just wanted to be healthy and have a normal life again more than anything in the world. As time went by I couldn’t even go grocery shopping anymore because I would get so short of breath. It was so hard not to be able to do simple things like go out for a walk, or just climb up the stairs, never did I think that this would be an issue for me.

I had more tests done on New Years day (2013) and that was when I found out that I was going to need to have heart surgery within the next two months. Meeting with the surgeons and talking to them about the surgery was so scary. Just hearing them talk about what was going to be done made me want to throw up. My heart valve was in the stage where the surgeons didn’t think they were going to be able to repair it and that I was either going to have to get a pigs valve or a mechanical valve. Never did I think that at the age of 24 I was going to have to think of what heart valve I would have to replace mine.

March 22, 2013 was the day. I remember when I scheduled my surgery day I just hugged my boyfriend and cried. I could not sleep the night before, so many things were going through my head. Was I going to wake up, will the bypass machine work, and most importantly will I wake up with my own heart valve repaired? 

Driving to the hospital seemed like the longest drive of my life. I was so nervous.  When Joe (my boyfriend) and I got to the hospital my parents and sister were already their waiting for us. Seeing my parents and sister made me happy and a little more at ease. I had the people that loved me most by my side, and that was all I needed at that moment.

Believe it or not, I actually wasn’t nervous while laying in the bed waiting to be wheeled in for surgery. I guess you can say my parents, sister, and boyfriend did a good job at keeping me calm! But of course when the time came closer I got nervous. The hardest part was when I was about to be taken in for surgery. The hugs meant everything to me at that moment, and I didn’t want to let go. My family and Joe were the ones that always told me to stay strong and not to give up. And seeing my family cry made me cry, at a moment like this, sometimes all you can do is cry and there are no other words left to be said. I am very lucky to have such a loving family, because I don’t know what I would have done without them.

I don’t remember much after the surgery, just the nurse coming in and out. Of course I heard all the stories the next day. The moment I found out that my heart valve was repaired and I didn’t have to get an artificial valve was the happiest day of my life. I don’t remember the last time I was that happy! I was so glad that the surgery was over and that I woke up, it sounds silly, but when you are put under you just worry about waking up! I was in so much pain, I felt as if I got hit by a truck and then a motorcycle ran me over. Of course they gave me a lot of pain medication, so I did a lot of sleeping. I was so happy when I finally got to come home, but I soon realized how much I missed the hospital bed. Let’s just say I had to sleep sitting up for about 2 weeks and I slept on the couch for 5 months on a mountain of pillows. I just could not get comfortable in the bed. Recovery was a long time, a very long time. Showering was so painful, it was hard to do on my own. Once I was starting to feel better it was odd being able to do daily things again. Going into a grocery store for the first time in about 5 months made me anxious, because I haven’t done it in so long!

Having heart surgery completely changed my life, it was the hardest thing I had to go through. There were many tears cried, lots of worries, and a lot of pain. Never did I think that I was going to have heart surgery at the age of 24, you never know what life is going to throw at you. Through this whole experience I realized, if you don’t have your health you have nothing. I also learned how strong I am, and to never give up no matter what. But the most important thing I take from this whole experience is to never judge someone, everyone has a story and you don’t know what that person has been through. I will never forget the day, March 22. 

 This little kitten was always by my side. 


xoxo
Simona

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Physicians Formula Super CC+



The consistency of this very much like a foundation, not a full coverage but a lite coverage.  I used a flat top foundation brush to buff it in all over my skin. I did set it with powder.

When I bought the Physicians Formula Supper CC+ cream I thought it was going to be something I wear under my foundation with pretty much no cover at all. Boy was I wrong! And it sure promises a lot of things:
Age spots
Dark circles
Blemishes
Dullness
Uneven skin tone
Redness
Dark shadows
Discoloration
Fine lines
Wrinkles
Signs of fatigue

 I don't think it does all things as mentioned above, but it definitely covered up my discolored areas and I do think it did a good job on filling in my fine lines. I do not have any age spots so I am not too sure how it would perform when it comes to that. As far as dark circles go, I never put my cc cream or bb cream all the way up by my eyes, that's what concealer is for!  

 
 Wearing nothing but moisturizer. Always moisturize before you apply any makeup!

 As you can see the CC cream did not change the appearance of my skin too much, it looks like my skin but better. The shade that I used is Light.

My over all thoughts on this product are that I do like it as a light coverage foundation. I do think it has a great staying power, but I did get oily in my T zone as the day went on. My favorite thing is that it feels so lite on my face, but yet it gives you some coverage. Would I recommend this product? Yes! 

xoxo
Simona

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*Disclaimer: I did not get paid by the company to write this review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.*
 




Monday, March 10, 2014

a gril can dream....

Every once in a while I like to roam around Pinterest and look through pictures that inspire me in any way. This time I was looking at makeup vanities, when I have a bigger space I will definitely use some of these ideas that I found. 

This has a very clean look to it. I love the simplicity of it!

I feel like I would see this vanity in a mansion, so beautiful! 

I have been obsessed with mirrored furniture, and this vanity is stunning. How fun is that chair?!

This is somewhat of  a small space, but I love the way it was designed and the white simple vanity!
 Love that mirrored dresser as well. 

This looks like heaven. Who wouldn't love their makeup room to look like this? I love the all white pieces. Having a window right next to your vanity would be a dream! 

This is simple, but cute. I like how large the vanity is, and again, I love that it is near a window. 

Such a beautiful vanity, this would look great in any space! Might not be enough enough storage but you can always get extra storage.

Simple, but cute. I love the touch of gold and the cute little garland! 

I  could probably sit and look through Pinterest all day long, and keep getting different ideas. One of these days all these pins will come to good use!

What is your dream vanity? 
xoxo
Simona

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Monday, March 3, 2014

Lorac pro tutorial: gold smokey eye


I finally got the Lorac pro palette and I cannot be anymore excited. I have been wanting this for a while now! What I love about this palette is that it comes with 8 matte shades (top row) and 8 shimmer shades (bottom row). The looks you can do with this palette are endless.

-Apply an eyeshadow base, so that your shadow lasts all day. I used the one that came with the palette.
-I used the shade Cream to highlight my brow bone.

 -Define your crease with Taupe.

-Add the Gold shade all over your  eyelid. 

-Use Deep Purple in your outer corner and smoke it out. Take your time with this step. Don't add too much in one step, work slowly and make sure to blend. 




I love the way this look came out. The gold shade is absolutely stunning, I love how shinny it looks. I hope you guys enjoyed this look!

Do you own the Lorac Pro palette? What do you think about it?

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xoxo
Simona









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