Tag: Beauty

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Blog Health + Beauty

Josie Maran Argan Milk | Review

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I’ve been incorporating the new Josie Maran Argan Milk into my nightly skincare routine and I’m excited to review it. I love the Josie Maran Argan Oil and I love how Josie Maran Cosmetics uses organic ingredients in all of its products.

Packaging

The Josie Maran Argan Milk comes in a sleek 1oz bottle for $56. Similar to the Josie Maran Argan Oil, the Argan Milk is dispensed through a glass dropper. The construction of the rubber-squeeze end of the dropper is more solid that the older bottles of Argan Oil — the stopper in my little bottle of Argan Oil sometimes pops out of the top :/ But the Argan Milk bottle has a substantial weight and the dropper seems durable much like the new bottles of Argan Oil.




muffinchanel josie maran argan milkIngredients

Aqua (Water)** (and) Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil* (and) Propanediol** (and) Glyceryl Caprylate** (and) Glyceryl Undecylenate** (and) Phosphatidylglycerol** (and) Sodium Benzoate** (and) Xanthan Gum** (and) Citric Acid**.
*ORGANIC **NATURAL

Essentially, this Argan Milk is just Argan Oil and water. The Argan Milk doesn’t contain any parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. Yay!

Use

Apply 3 -5 drops of the Argan Milk day and night. The applicator is similar to the dropper that comes with the Argan Oil, but the dropper part is slightly more tapered off so you can really control how much is released. It’s recommended that you follow with a few drops of the Josie Maran Argan Oil/Argan Oil Light.

Consistency

MC MuffinChanel Josie Maran Argan Milk Review Application ResultsThe Argan Milk is lightweight, smooth and silky feeling. I try to lightly spread the Argan Milk all over my face with my fingers before pressing it lightly into my skin. The Argan Milk’s silkiness quickly absorbs into your skin and leaves a slightly tacky feeling. The Argan Milk absorbs like a serum, but with a slightly more creamier consistency than a gel-like consistency.




Results

The Argan Milk really preps the skin for the Argan Oil/ Argan Oil Light. It’s quick-absorbing and definitely hydrating. My skin’s texture is more even and those winter dry spots are gone! I’ve actually been using the Argan Milk on the back of my hands as a treatment the last couple of nights and following with the Argan Oil. Even my hands are looking and feeling softer! If you aren’t a fan of the Argan Oil (which is amazing! Try it if you haven’t!), then I still think the Argan Milk would be a good addition to any skincare regimen as a way to get the benefits of Argan Oil without sacrificing your regular moisturizer.

I’ve been using the Argan Milk as a night serum, but I think this would also be great for the day time as well. Again, it’s so light and absorbs quickly, that I think it would work well under makeup. Overall, I love the new Josie Maran Argan Milk. It’s the perfect way to get the added benefits of Argan Oil and long lasting hydration.

❤ Bonus: Even Svetlana loves Argan Milk!

muffinchanel svet love josie maran argan milk review

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Blog Health + Beauty

2014 Nighttime Skincare Routine

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

One of my resolutions this year has been to wash my face every night. I’m usually really good about it, but we all have had those late nights where you just want to fall into bed rather than washing your face. On nights like that, I would sometimes use the Neutrogena makeup removing face wipes which seemed to get the job done. But this year, there will be no excuse for being lazy and not washing my face.

Your body repairs itself while you are sleeping; how can you expect optimum results when you are leaving a mask of the day’s dirt and bacteria on your face all night? I’m sure everyone’s heard the saying, “The best makeup is good skincare!”

To remove my makeup and cleanse my face, I start with my trusted Clarisonic Mia and Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple cleanser. I recently got the sensitive brush head for the Mia and I am really liking it.

muffinchanel-clarisonic-mia-philosophy-purity-made-simple-night-skincare1-1024x785After using the Clarisonic on my face, I’ll use my fingers and some more of the Purity to gently remove my eye makeup/cleanse my eye area.




If I have any blemishes or problem areas, I’ll use a pump of Grease Lightening from Lush. It’s called a cleanser but it works more as a toner or spot treatment for me.

muffinchanel-lush-grease-lightening-toner-cleanser-tea-tree-night-skincare-routine1-662x1024The newest addition to my nighttime skincare routine is the Josie Maran Argan Milk. It works with the Argan Oil to be an intensive hydrating treatment. Full review here.

muffinchanel-josie-maran-argan-milk-intensive-hydrating-treatment-night-skincare-argan-oil1-638x1024

I use the Josie Maran Argan Oil right behind the Argan Milk — just a few drops for your face and neck. I kind of pat/press it into my skin so it really sinks in. Check out some other ways I useArgan Oil here.

muffinchanel-josie-maran-argan-oil-night-skincare-face-neck-398x1024

Next up is my under eye area. I find that I don’t really like the feel of a night cream under my eye, but I really love the Lancome Genifique Yeux eye concentrate. It’s like a cooling serum to help de-puff and brighten the eye area. The secret is in the application because the wand has a pivoted “pearl” at the end that helps gently massage the under eye area.

muffinchanel-lancome-genifique-yeux-light-pearl-eye-illuminating-serum-night-skincare1-657x1024I then seal everything in with my favorite night cream ever — the Lancome Absolue Night Cream. It smells amazing and isn’t too thick or greasy.




muffinchanel-lancome-absolue-night-premium-night-recovery-cream-skincare-routine-1024x807Then to moisturize my chest and the rest of my body, I use Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil. This stuff has been amazing for me! Click for my review. This is the jumbo sized jar from QVC in the unscented version.

muffinchanel-josie-maran-whipped-argan-oil-ultra-hydrating-body-butter-night-skincare-1024x741

And, of course, I couldn’t forget the Dior Creme de Rose lip balm. I use this at night as a lip treatment and, as you can see, I’m going through it pretty quickly. See my full review here.

muffinchanel-dior-creme-de-rose-lip-balm-night-skincare-routine-lip-treatment-1024x486And that’s it for my nighttime skincare routine! It may seem like a lot, but skincare is important to me. No matter your age, it’s never too early to start really taking care of your skin. What’s your current skincare routine?

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Blog Health + Beauty

Josie Maran Complexion Care Package

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I was so excited when I saw the Josie Maran Complexion Care Package on QVC. The set comes with 5 full sized products:

muffinchanel-josie-maran-argan-oil-5-piece-complexion-care-package-qvc-1024x750

  • 1.7-fl oz Argan Tinted Moisturizer
  • 0.1-oz Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon
  • 2.2-fl oz Infinity Cream Intensive Creamy Oil
  • 1.7-fl oz 100% Pure Argan Oil
  • 0.55-oz Argan Color Stick in Dreamy Pink

I already love the Argan Oil, but I was interested in trying some of the cosmetics. The set was the Today’s Special Value when I ordered it, so I got everything for $59 + tax/shipping (retail value: $156). I’ll get a few more uses out of everything before I do a review.

UPDATE: Full review here!

The packaging is nice and I’m pleased with the value. I’d never tried the Infinity Cream or any of the Josie Maran makeup.

muffinchanel-josie-maran-argan-oil-5-piece-complexion-care-package-qvc4-1024x893muffinchanel-josie-maran-argan-oil-5-piece-complexion-care-package-qvc2-813x1024Each of the cosmetics is infused with Josie’s signature Argan Oil and all of the products are cruelty free and paraben free. ❤

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Blog Health + Beauty

DIOR Crème de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm | REVIEW

CREME DE ROSE PACKAGING

muffinchanel-dior-creme-de-rose-lip-balm-smoothing-plumping-2-1024x768
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here.

The Dior Creme de Rose lip balm comes in a .25oz white, circular pot inside of a small box. The white pot is quite sleek and feels substantial but not overly heavy. There is a nice filigree around the edges of the lid of the pot and the ‘CD’ initials are engraved in the center. Very simple but it has a quality feel. The lid twists on/off and when you first open it, there is a thin protective layer of plastic covering the balm.

muffinchanel-dior-creme-de-rose-lip-balm-smoothing-plumping-4-1024x768There’s always the concern of potted balms not being hygienic because you’re dipping your fingers into the same pot and then smearing it on your lips, but I think it’s fine as long as you’re keeping your hands clean. You really should avoid touching your face at all unless your hands are clean but sometimes that’s just not practical. In the end, I’m more concerned with the results, so back to the review!



ROSE SCENT

The rose scent is amazing; not synthetic. I love roses and this smells just like the flower, but it’s subtle. I know some people aren’t a fan of rose scents so this may not be the product for you. The scent does, however, seem to wear off after 15-20 minutes.

BALM TEXTURE

The balm is light pink but is sheer on the lips. When you open the pot, the surface of the balm is quite firm; it’s like a barrier on the top because the balm is more creamy once you break through that layer. I don’t recommend just ramming your finger through the top layer though. Just keep using it like you’d use any balm, lightly rubbing your finger over the top. Otherwise, you’ll just end up wasting product and creating an unattractive crater in the balm.

The balm is thick, but not sticky or greasy. It feels smooth and silky on the lips — less waxy than Chapstick, but thicker and creamier than Rosebud Salve.

APPLICATION

You can use the Creme de Rose balm as a treatment — applying a thicker layer at night to the lips and area around the lips. When I wake up, my lips are always soft and feel hydrated; it really soaks into the lips.

Use as an everyday balm. Creme de Rose has SPF 10, so your newly soft lips will be protected from the UV rays. The balm penetrates deep down into your lips so you don’t need to reapply often to get that moisturized feeling.

Or you can use the balm as a primer for your lipstick or lipgloss. I like to use the Benetint lip stain on my lips and then apply the Creme de Rose on top. My lips feel great, but I have a festive red shining through without having to think about reapplying color throughout the night.

MY RESULTS

muffinchanel-dior-creme-de-rose-lip-balm-smoothing-plumping-3-1024x768I’ve been loving this balm! During these winter months, my lips have been smooth and soft which is amazing for me. My lips were always peeling or cracking before and I definitely didn’t help the situation by peeling the skin; gross, I know. My lips seemed to be really sensitive too. I’d been on the hunt for a hydrating/healing lip product and used all types of drugstore products, even medicated products, from Blistex to BabyLips with only temporary relief. So, the Creme de Rose lip balm definitely makes good on the “smoothing” claim.




As far as “plumping” goes, I don’t see my lips looking fuller, but I do feel that slight tingling feeling (very slight) that you feel with those plumping lip glosses. If anything, I can see how a healthier, more moisturized lip could appear fuller and plump.

I recommend Dior Creme de Rose to anyone who has dry, chapped lips or someone just looking for a nice hydrating lip treatment. I’ll continue to use it for many years to come.

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#Sephora Giveaway (Marchesa) – I Won!

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

If you follow me on Twitter, you may already know that I recently was one of three #SephoraGiveaway winners to win a Marchesa prize package! For three days in November, Sephora would tweet out a question related to the Marchesa brand. If you answered correctly within one hour, you were entered into the drawing to win and I won! So exciting!

notte-by-marchesa-dress-white-with-black-lace-straps-muffinchanel sephora giveaway winnerSephora sent me a Direct Message that I’d won and I emailed them the information they requested. About 2 weeks later, I received a box with the Marchesa Parfume D’Extase 1.7oz fragrance, the 1oz fragrance, and the rollerball (the Hair Mist was not in the box 🙁 ).

marchesa-sephora-parfume-dextase-fragrance-muffinchanel-1024x725Then, about two weeks after I received the fragrance, the dress arrived! The Notte by Marchesa dress is all white silk with black lace straps and detailing around the neckline.

notte-by-marchesa-dress-white-with-black-lace-straps-muffinchanel-536x1024I found these images of Katie Lowes wearing the dress at ELLE’s 20th Annual Women In Hollywood Celebration (10.21.13) on katrinapavela’s tumblr.

I’m really excited to have won! Thank you, Sephora and Marchesa! Super excited to wear my dress and fragrance over the holidays!

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Blog Health + Beauty

VIB Rouge – Special Surprise Gifts

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

The top tier of Sephora’s Beauty Insider program is VIB Rouge. I recently became Rouge level with my haul from the VIB sale last month and have been excited for all the perks that come with Rouge status — invites to exclusive events, free shipping, free access to the beauty studio, and special surprise gifts.

muffinchanel vib rouge vibr special surprise gifts vib sephora free

I am very happy with the free shipping. I haven’t used the Beauty Studio at all (and don’t think I will) (have any of you used the Beauty Studio services?) but it’s nice that the option for a free makeover is available. I think it’d be fun to go to a VIB Rouge event, but I was really excited/curious about these “surprise gifts.”

I started researching online about what the gifts were & how frequently they were given, but no one seemed to have gotten anything. In fact, the VIB Rouge forum at sephora.com was full of girls who were upset about not yet receiving anything.

But I got an email today about getting $20 off your purchase of $50 or more that’s “exclusive” for VIB Rouge and VIB’s (thanks for the info sdbeautyjunkie and prettytrippy) whereas BI and VIB level will receive a $15 off $50 coupon. Check your email if you are a Beauty Insider — the coupon starts today and goes through December 16th.





muffinchanel vib rouge vibr special surprise gifts vib sephora free coupon 20I went to Sephora today and was pleasantly surprised to receive another special surprise gift!

muffinchanel vib rouge vibr special surprise gifts vib sephora free mirrorSince I am VIB Rouge, they were giving out a cute mirrored compact and a holiday/thank you card. So cute!

muffinchanel vib rouge vibr special surprise gifts vib sephora freeThe compact is black on the top with “SEPHORA VIB ROUGE” in red lettering. I opened the mirror and it had a cute note inside:

“DEAR VIB ROUGE, THANK YOU FOR BEING ONE OF OUR BEST CLIENTS. BEAUTY ADDICTION LOOKS GOOD ON YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, SEPHORA BEAUTY INSIDER TEAM”

muffinchanel vib rouge vibr special surprise gifts vib sephora free note…and inside the card





muffinchanel vib rouge vibr special surprise gifts vib sephora free cardYou can get the compact online as well by using the code: ROUGELOVE.

What a cute little gift! I wasn’t expecting anything, so this was perfect. I actually really like the mirror and will carry it in my purse. It’s little things like this that make you feel extra special.

Have you gotten any VIB Rouge gifts? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

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Top 10 – November Favorites

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Landon Austinlandon austin muffin chanel muffinchanel once in a lifetime

When I first heard about Landon Austin on Youtube, I thought he used auto-tune on his voice. He has a really unique sound, accompanied by an acoustic guitar and his songs are pretty mellow. I am really liking Once In A Lifetime. Even though it’s a slower song, I like to listen to this when I’m running.

The Hunger Games – Catching Fire

catching-fire1This movie was much better than the first. The Capitol establishes new rules in order to surpress a rebellion encouraged by Katniss Everdeen’s breaking the rules in the last Hunger Games. Peacekeepers are enforcing more rules on the different Districts and Katniss and Peeta must fight again in the 75th Hunger Games. If you liked the first movie, you’ll really like the second. By the end, I was holding up my three fingers and whistling the Mockingjay tune!

Chipotle

sofritas

I’ve been loving Chipotle so much in November. I get a burrito with: white rice, fajita vegetables, sofritas (only served in select states/locations), the green salsa, corn, sour cream, and guacamole. MMMmmm. So good. I’ll sometimes get the chips and guacamole on the side, but only if I’m super hungry.

Nike+ Running

nike-running-personal-records-training-for-a-half-marathon-muffinchanel

I’m still training for a half marathon, and I’m using the Nike+ Running App to track my runs. Just the other day, I logged my farthest run – 7.25 miles! Yay. I’ve still got a ways to go and a lot more conditioning, but I really like how the Nike+ Running App lets you create goals how you can “race” with your friends. Add me (MuffinChanel) and we can race!

Lush Baths

photo-1photo-21I love Lush baths; especially during the colder months. Relaxing underneath a blanket of bubbles is so perfect. My favorite combination at the moment is The Comforter bubble bar and Think Pink bath bomb & to make it extra amazing, I add a dropper of Josie Maran’s Argan Oil! With this bath ^, I used Sandstone soap to exfoliate and Sweetie Pie shower jelly. Amazing!

Starbucks Holiday Star Dash

screen-shot-2013-11-29-at-8-27-45-pmI’m so excited that I was selected to participate in the Starbucks Holiday Star Dash. As you can see, I earned my 16 stars and will get the $10 eGift! Yay for those Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers!

Photojojo Macro/Wide Lens

I got this lens for my birthday and it’s awesome. If I have to choose from the three they offer, this is the one I choose. I love it because it is both Macro and a Wide angle lens — just unscrew it to get the Macro.

Rainbow Loom

rl-heroMy little cousins shared their Rainbow Looms with me over Thanksgiving! They taught me how to make the Starburst and Fishtail bracelets! You can get the Rainbow Loom at Michael’s for $17 and each Rubber Band Pack of 600 bands is $4.

photo-2Grand Theft Auto 5

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I recently bought GTA 5 and it’s so much fun. I have GTA 4 (but I never even finished the story mode), but GTA 5 is so much better. You play as three different characters in story mode & the online mode is so much fun; I’m already on level 16!

Living Proof – Restore

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I bought this in my Sephora VIB Rouge haul to try it out and it’s awesome. My hair looks and feels softer and healthier. I’ll repurchase the larger sizes when I run out. I do like these small bottles though; perfect size for traveling.

What have you been loving this November? Let me know in the comments.

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Blog Health + Beauty

Makeup On The Go

What makeup do you bring with you when you leave the house? I know some people carry a “go bag” with everything they’ll need for a full face of makeup and others who bring just powder and lipstick for touchups.

I like to carry a few lip products, sunscreen, highlighter and a hand cream. Quick and simple. If you do bring a “go bag” with everything, how often do you reapply your makeup?

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Blog Health + Beauty

Why I’m NOT buying the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

The Urban Decay Naked 3 palette is out sold out already on UrbanDecay.com and will be available at Ulta and Sephora in December (the manager at my local Sephora invited me to the “release party” for the Naked 3 on in-store December 11 & online by December 6), but I won’t be purchasing it. The internet is abuzz with excitement about the “rose gold” themed palette, and sure the colors are pretty, but the Naked 2 will always have my heart.

muffinchanel naked 2 palette urban decay

I have the original Naked palette and it’s nice, but I love all of the colors in the Naked 2. The Naked 2 is what the original palette should have been; the perfect blend of neutrals with some awesome shimmer colors. With a wider range of colors, from a light matte cream to a dark matte black, Naked 2 stays true to its taupe-y base.




muffinchanel naked 2 palette urban decay

  • Foxy (cream bisque with matte finish)
  • Half Baked (golden-bronze with shimmering finish 
  • Booty Call (shimmering cork)
  • Chopper (copper shimmer with silver microglitter)
  • Tease (creamy pale brown with matte finish)
  • Snake Bite (dark bronze shimmer with metallic base)
  • Suspect (pale golden beige with shimmering finish)
  • Pistol (light gray-brown with shimmering finish)
  • Verve (oyster with shimmering finish)
  • YDK (cool bronze shimmer with metallic base)
  • Busted (deep brown with shimmering finish)
  • Blackout (blackest black with matte finish)

You can never go wrong with a neutral look. Every one of the Naked 2 colors is amazing for every skin tone. The original palette had random blue and greys that didn’t look quite right on me, but the Naked 2 is perfect in every way. I use my Naked 2 every day and I will repurchase it when it’s gone.

muffinchanel naked 2 palette urban decay swatches

The Naked 3 palette seems a little too pink for my liking. How many pink looks can you create before it’s too much pink? (Can there be too much pink?) I’m just not a pink eyeshadow person. I wear a lot of earth tones — browns and greens — and the Naked 2 compliments every look.




The reason I won’t be buying the Naked 3 palette?  The Naked 2 palette already has me covered; I don’t need anything else. 🙂

If you are more interested the Naked 3 palette, check out these swatches by Musings Of A Muse, or this review by Phyrra, or this review by Temptilia. Whatever Naked palette you are interested in, it’s sure to deliver Urban Decay’s highly pigmented shadows that are soft and easy to blend.

Comparison of all three palettes
Comparison of all three palettes without packaging via ADOORBLEAZN

Is the Naked 3 palette on your holiday wish list? Let me know what your favorite Naked palette is in the comments! ❤

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Holiday Travel Essentials | Beauty

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Many of you may be traveling for the upcoming holidays. It’s always fun to go somewhere new or see friends & family, but it can be difficult deciding what to pack or just carrying everything you want.

I always try to pack just the “essentials” so my bags aren’t loaded down and I’ll have room in case I get a few souvenirs. You really need to ask yourself what you want; try to only bring products that have multiple uses. For example: with makeup, see if you can find a blush you like that can double as an eyeshadow. Or a dark eyeshadow that you can also use to fill in your brows. With beauty items, it can be a little more tricky. You don’t want to neglect your skin while you are on holiday, but you don’t want to carry your full sized bottles either.

This is where those sample sizes from Sephora or little mini bottles of products come in handy. I always save the samples for traveling because they hardly take up any room and you can just discard them when you are done. If you don’t have the sample sizes of the product you want to bring with you, there are always those mini travel bottles you can buy at the drugstore.

Here’s my travel makeup bag:

muffinchanel makeup holiday travel essentials genius gel marc jacobs naked palette urban decay laura mercier secret brightening powder they're real mascara lancome hypnoses drama star the porefessional prier face brushes mack amazonian clay blush tarte flowerbomb viktor rolf mars eyelash primer watts up highlighter fresh lip target bag

This bag is actually a clutch from the Marc Jacobs collaboration with Target last year; it’s a shiny metallic pouch that’s fairly large and fits all you see here ^ very nicely.

Here’s my skincare and toiletries bag:

muffin chanel victorias secret clarisonic mia samples lancome genefique vissionaire neutrogena sunscreen josie maran argan oil light 100% altoids toothbrush beauty essentials makeup bumble and shampoo conditioner serum purity philosophyThis bag was a gift with purchase at Victoria’s Secret a few years ago. It’s metallic gold, but has vertical pink stripes inside and it’s pretty large.

What’s inside?

Let me know if you have any holiday travel plans coming up and what your must-have beauty travel essentials are! ❤

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Blog Health + Beauty

10 Ways To Use | Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

There are so many ways to use Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil. I received a small bottle of the jasmine infused argan oil last year and I loved it! This year, we got a huge MEGA bottle from QVC — 6oz.! Yay!

Continue reading “10 Ways To Use | Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil”
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Top 10 – October Favorites

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

  • Oliver

oliver 1968 muffinchanelI love this movie and not just because I like musicals. This 1968 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist is fun while touching on serious issues. If you haven’t seen the movie or read the book, I definitely recommend it. This used to be on Netflix, but they’ve taken it down since 🙁

  • Philip Glass

muffinchanel october favorites philip glass days and nights big sur californiaEarlier this month, we saw Philip Glass play at the Days and Nights Festival in Big Sur, California. It was a beautiful day and the festival was so much fun. If you aren’t familiar with Philip Glass, check out some of his solo piano HERE and HERE.

  • Josie Maran – Whipped Argan Oil

muffinchanel josie maran whipped argon oil best ever yay dry skinYou already know how amazing this has been for me! Of course I had to make it one of my October favorites 🙂

  • Josie Maran – 100% Pure Argan Oil

muffinchanel october favorites josie maran argan oilSo excited about this. Review HERE, but you can use this organic oil for so many things! It’s amazing and it is perfect for all skin types! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Historically, Argan oil has been used to treat acne, stretch marks and skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis!

  • Benefit – The POREfessional

muffinchanel october favorites the professional primer benefit cosmeticsI first got a sample of this with one of my Sephora purchases and I loved it. I recently picked up the full sized version, and I got a great deal! I use this on top of moisturizer but underneath foundation. It give a smooth canvas to apply your makeup and it reduced the appearance of pores — it’s gives an airbrushed effect.

  • Sephora by OPI – French Manicure Gel Nails

october favorites sephora by opi gel french muffinchanel

I love the classic look of a French manicure; it looks great with everything. This kit from Sephora is a great value with 2 full sized gel polishes, a detailing brush, and nail decals for just $29. I’ve only had this on my nails for 3 days, but the gel formula is amazing and will last up to two weeks. Super easy to apply and several colors to choose from in-store and online.

  • Pretty Little Liars

muffinchanel pllThis show makes me think of fall. I had a Netflix marathon last year in October and tried to keep up on the most recent season online. With the most recent Halloween special, I’m excited all over again to solve more of the mystery! Are you watching? Do you think Ezra is A?

  • GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD mask

muffinchanel october favorites glamglow glam glow face mud supermud tingling exfoliate clearing hollywood californiaI got this mask in a set in my last Sephora haul. I have used it twice and there is a full review HERE, but so far I really like it.

muffinchanel the plant organic cafe october favorites vegetarian lentils avocado beets mushrooms fries mixed greensmuffinchanel the plant organic cafe october favorites vegetarian lentils avocado beets mushrooms fries mixed greens 2This organic, vegetarian “burger” was awesome. With avocado and white cheddar, the lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews & bulgar wheat pattie was delicious. It was served with a side of mixed greens, roasted potatoes, and pickles. Yum!

  • Watt’s Up – Benefit

october favorites watt's up benefit muffinchanelThis is my go-to highlighter for that gorgeous winter glow. I like the way the product glides on and it blends very easily with your fingers. The highlight is natural looking, but you can definitely see it. Perfect for holiday party time or year round.

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Blog Health + Beauty

Sephora Haul – Almost VIB Rouge!

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Another Sephora Haul! Yay! I actually purchased these items over the course of a few weeks. I had two other Sephora gift cards and a 20% friends and family coupon to use and I got some great things! I am so close to VIB Rouge!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush – Dazzled

muffinchanel sephora haul tarte amazonian clay blush dazzledI already showed a picture of this on Instagram. Instagram (Follow me! ❤) I love this color — sort of like a mauve-y rose with slight gold shimmer. I had heard lots of good things about this blush, but I decided I really wanted it after reading Vanessa’s blog: Let’s Talk Makeup. 🙂 I’ve only used it once, but so far I really like it. Review to come!

GLAMGLOW – SUPERMUD: Gift Sexy

muffinchanel sephora haul glamglow glam glow face mask clearing mud cleansing I’m super excited to try this out. I hear nothing but great things. Have any of you tried it? What did you think?

REVIEWS HERE!

Laura Mercier – Secret Brightening Powder

muffinchanel sephora haul laura mercier secret brightening powderI tried this out as a setting powder for my under eye concealer — amazing! The powder is super light; finely milled. It doesn’t settle into fine lines or make your concealer look cake. I love this so far.

Josie Maran – Moroccan Miracle Hair Duo with Argon Oil

muffinchanel sephora haul josie maran argan oil hair serum hot oilI saw this in the check out line and thought it would be nice to try this hair serum. It comes with a vile of the oil treatment which seems cool too.

Lancome – Hypnose Drama mascara

muffinchanel sephora haul lancome mascara hypnose dramaDefinitely my favorite mascara. I like how it builds without getting clumpy. The waxes seem moisturizing to the lashes and removal is super easy with my Purity cleanser.

Viktor & Rolf FlowerBomb – 250 Point Perk

muffinchanel sephora haul vib 250 point perk flower bomb flower bomb viktor rolf fragranceVIB Rouge Countdown: $34!!!

UPDATE: I unlocked VIB Rouge!

Categories
Blog Health + Beauty

Sephora by OPI gelshine |French Manicure

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I love the gelshine kit from Sephora by OPI. Gel manicures last so much longer than regular manicures and aren’t harsh on your nails like acrylics. The entire gelshine kit from Sephora costs about $160, but like I’ve told you HERE; it’s worth the price. They have 17 only 9 colors to choose from online now, but I’ve seen more of a selection in the stores.

Today, I used the French Manicure kit that I got in my last Sephora Haul. The kit comes with 2 of the gelshine colors: True Romantic and White Hot, a french tip applicator brush, and some nail decal stickers — all for $29 which is a really great deal considering that each of the polishes alone costs $17.50.




Here’s what I used to get that clean, classic french manicure look using Sephora by OPI gelshine.

muffinchanel sephora by opi gel shine french kit 1After cleansing the nails, I applied the base coat and two coats of True Romantic.

muffinchanel sephora by opi gel shine french kit 1 true romanticAfter my base was cured, I painted on the White Hot onto the tips of my nails using the applicator brush.

muffinchanel sephora by opi gel shine french kit 1 white hotI cured each nail after I painted on its tip and then I sealed everything in with a layer of the Top Coat. 🙂muffinchanel sephora by opi gel shine french kit 1 white hot true romantic

Click HERE if you want to see step-by-step how to apply the gel polish/curing.

*UPDATE: After a few days of wearing the True Romantic pink color, the pink begins to fade. It is no longer a clear bright pink, but it turns in to a almost “opaque cream” color — not pink. It looks fine with the french manicure, but it’s definitely no longer any shade of pink. You’re better off using Bare To Be Different from the same Sephora by OPI line if you want a clear/pinky color that lasts.