Volunteering, Southern Cooking & Travel Planning

Friday is here and I'll be traveling out of town yet again! This time just a 2 hour drive to visit my in-laws for a late Mother's Day/early Father's Day. We're also planning to hit the beach and hopefully grab some oysters and seafood.

K brought home this pretty bouquet on Wednesday. Carnations are probably my favorite flower, even more so than roses, and well anything purple just wins my heart!

I volunteered at the VA Medical Center this week and hosted a bingo night for about 18 vets, mainly from World War 2. It was such an amazing experience and will be volunteering more often now that I've introduced myself to the staff and program coordinator.

A new southern cooking restaurant opened in town called The Coop and I'm in heaven! You would think (due to geography) Florida would have "southern" food but there's really no where nearby with traditional southern cooking and, as you can see, the line is out the door at The Coop. 

 

I tried the chicken pot pie this week and will be going back again to try their chicken & waffles, shrimp & grits and all the other southern fixins.  

I picked up this new Miss Manga mascara by L'Oreal. I think the package sold me, I'm not exactly sure why.  It's comparable to Falsies by Maybelline which has typically been my go-to drug store mascara.

Kate and I have booked our trips to Chi Town in September! I'm so excited to explore the city and meet up with a couple bloggers that live in the area. The countdown is on to exploring another new city.

photo via

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

If you haven't already done so, don't forget to enter my Beauty Basket Giveaway below in my previous post!

Joining Lauren for H54F and April for Five on Friday.

Get The Look: Eyeliner Tips

I typically go for the soft or precise looks but I've really wanted to master the winged look without looking too cray cray. I have to admit I have a pretty shaky hand so I tend to keep things simple but these tips are a big help.

Sigma Beauty has every type of makeup brush for the face, eyes, brows, lips, etc. I love their eye brush collection and the E75 angled brow brush to experiment with different looks.

Happy hump day everyone!

Makeup Products & Brands I Live By

I used to mainly buy Mac makeup & cheaper pharmacy brands, but I've been testing out different makeup brands from Ulta and Sephora and now I have a variety of go-to products that I love and use on a daily basis.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow · Tarte Face Makeup · Stila Lipstick

Smashbox High Definition Concealer: ($22) This concealer works great for covering up blemishes and dark spots before applying foundation. The consistency of it is long-lasting throughout the day and the tube also lasts a long time making it worth the price.

Tarte 12-hour Coverage Foundation: ($38) I've tried a number of foundations and this one (made with amazonian clay) by far provides the most coverage which I like since I tend to apply makeup in the morning and do not have the time to re-apply during the day.

Gel Eyeliner Pencil: ($8 Avon or Ulta brand) I like how gel eyeliners apply smoothly and thicker/bolder than regular pencil liners. Even better, the cheap Ulta brand works just great for me.

The Original Naked Palette: ($52) If you're not already familiar with Urban Decay's Naked Palettes, they are the bomb! These palettes are great because they offer a great variety colors to get a casual daytime look or a more bold nighttime look.

Maybelline Falsies Mascara: ($6.99) I've tried mascaras that are 10 times this price and I always come back to this one. I use Falsies on a daily basis but I also have some Mac mascaras that I use for more bold/nighttime looks.

Stila Color Balm Lipstick: ($22) This is my most recent makeup purchase and I love the colors that they offer if you're looking for a rich, moisturizing lipstick that is long-lasting.

Clinique "True Bronze" Powder Bronzer: ($26) I LOVE this bronzer and use it every day... I literally don't leave home without it! After applying foundation, I dust a light amount all over my face to get rid of the pale/flat look that foundations can cause especially on lighter skin. This bronzer gives your face a nice refreshed glow to start the day (or night).

Mac Eyeshadow Pigments: ($15) I own a variety of these power shadows and use the lighter/neutral colors on a daily basis for work and the bolder colors for going out with friends. You can find pretty much any color you're looking for and they last quite a long time so it's definitely worth the price. 

Urban Decay Primer Potion: ($20) I don't always remember to apply primer, especially when I'm rushing in the mornings but I definitely love how it works and it really helps to prolong your eye makeup and prevent creases.


Joining Jordan today for The Glam Series.

    What face makeup do you live by?