Ballerina Flats: California Heatwave

Autumn is refusing to visit California. There has been a heatwave throughout the state that is keeping the temperature unseasonably warm and so instead of shopping for boots as I would normally do around this time of year– I’ve decided to add to my collection of ballerina flats instead.

Sam & Libby Chelsea Bow Flat from Target, $29.99

Sam & Libby Chelsea Bow Flat from Target, $29.99

G.H.Bass, NATALIE FLAT, $58

G.H.Bass, NATALIE FLAT, $58

TheBalletBird at Etsy.com, $110

TheBalletBird at Etsy.com, $110

Anthropologie Highbow Suede Skimmers, $208

Anthropologie Highbow Suede Skimmers, $208

The shoes that I ended up purchasing:

G.H.Bass, WHITNEY II BALLET FLAT, on sale for $29.99 from $78

G.H.Bass, WHITNEY II BALLET FLAT, on sale for $29.99 from $78

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Review: TARTE Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen

I’ve been needing to find a new foundation for about– oh, maybe a year or two. Yes. I actually loathe trying new foundations so much that I will put it off for as long as possible. Just to let you know: I’ve been using Nars Sheer Glow and Sheer Matte, and if I am perfectly honest with you– neither has ever really sat well on my skin. I know some people swear by Sheer Glow and I totally believe that it works for them. However, I have a terrible time blending it, it oxidizes throughout the day, and I have to actually mix two separate shades together to get the right color.

Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen

TARTE Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen

Two months ago, on a whim– I snatched up a new foundation at Ulta. Now, up until this point I had never even thought about trying a Tarte foundation. I don’t particularly like the look of the packaging (an opinion I regret allowing to guide me in hindsight and that would make my kindergarten teacher shake her head in shame) but the top of the box read: light neutral, and that was good enough for me. Because, yes, I have a neutral skin tone, meaning that I am equal parts pink and yellow, which makes finding foundation shades an absolute screaming nightmare at times.

So, I didn’t even look at all of the things that this foundation claims to do because in my mind I figure that it can’t be any worse than what I’d previously put myself through. But let me state that this a buildable, full coverage foundation with broad spectrum SPF 15. It is also formulated without all of this yucky stuff: parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfates, gluten (and Tarte is a cruelty free brand).

Conclusion: It isn’t perfect. But it is really, really close. I get nine instead twelve hours out of it but the color matches flawlessly, the foundation sets beautifully and actually looks natural considering its ability to cover. After eight weeks, I am only about halfway through the tube and use roughly a little more than a pea-sized amount each day. I really wasn’t sure about using a squeeze-tube thing but it turns out that it is actually easier and less messy for me to use than a bottle– even with a pump. All in all, I’m ready to have a long lasting relationship with this foundation.

And I am also planning to venture out and explore the Tarte brand a bit more because I really need to know if the rest of their products are this awesome. If you have any recommendations for me, please leave them in the comments! I am thinking of trying the Maracuja Oil next, so especially make sure to let me know your thoughts if you’ve tried it.

Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation box

TARTE Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation box

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Small Sephora Haul: Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette, Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat, Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lipstick in Nude Beach

I was so excited when Urban Decay’s Naked 2 Basics palette came out and now I have it! It seems surprisingly small to me for some reason, which will make it super easy for travel and, interestingly enough, I found it up by the register instead of by the other Urban Decay palettes. I’m not sure if that was because of its size? No matter, it has a way broader range of colors between light and dark than the first Basics palette, which seemed to go from super light to dark without many transition colors between. Yay for matte shadows!

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Palette

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Palette

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette: Skimp, Stark, Frisk, Cover, Primal, Undone

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette: Skimp, Stark, Frisk, Cover, Primal, Undone

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette, with flash

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette, with flash

Yves Saint Laurent, Touche Éclat

Yves Saint Laurent, Touche Éclat

Alright, let me be completely honest with you– I have never particularly liked highlighters  or illuminisers, in powder, cream or liquid form. When YSL’s Touche Éclat was first released, it was easy to ignore all the raves I read online because I don’t see the point for everyday makeup. However, a good friend finally convinced me to give it a shot. I have to say, it’s not a bad product but I still don’t understand all of the mania. I could take it or leave it and at $40+? I will definitely leave it next time.

Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lipstick in Nude Beach

Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lipstick in Nude Beach

After being so absolutely pleased with Naughty Nude, I ended up grabbing Too Faced’s La Crème Color Drenched Lipstick in Nude Beach. While I do like the color and the texture, I will definitely grab a berry or plum shade next time because I think it will look amazing with this moisture-packed formula. If you have any recommendations for shades, let me know in the comments!

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Fall Plums, Part One: Clinique Plum Pop Blush, MAC Media and Plumful lipsticks, Sephora’s Make Up For Ever birthday gift

Can I just say how happy I am that plum is still in this year? I was just recently regretting that I hadn’t picked up many plum pieces last winter, not sure if I would see the same variety of plum-colored clothing this year. Thankfully, plum still seems to be everywhere– including make up.

I recently went to Sephora to specifically pick up a Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum. Though I was really curious to try this blush when it came out, I felt that I already had too many blushes to justify the purchase at the time. However, I’ve recently hit pan on quite a few and so I finally got the chance to pick one up. I am not disappointed. The product has great staying power, is buildable, and didn’t change color on my skin throughout the day.

clinique plum pop

Clinique Cheek Pop

clinique plum pop 1

Clinique Plum Pop

I’m also looking forward to breaking out some of my more dramatic lipsticks this fall; two of my favorites are MAC’s Plumful and Media.

mac media and plumful

MAC lipstick in Media (left) and Plumful (right)

MAC lipstick in Media (left) and Plumful (right), with flash.

MAC lipstick in Media (left) and Plumful (right), with flash

And while I was at Sephora, I also grabbed my birthday gift which was this nifty Make Up For Ever set. I’m a huge fan of the lip color, which in the bullet reminds me of MAC’s Captive. I haven’t tried the mascara yet and to be honest, I really hope that I can remove it with my ordinary cleanser. If you’ve tried it, please give me your thoughts in the comments.

make up for ever sephora birthday gift

Make Up For Ever, Sephora’s birthday gift

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Free Online Yoga Classes: Resources for Your Practice

Find time on the mat!

A cherished place: on the mat!

First off: I’d like to welcome back Autumn. It is a joy to be with you again.

Secondly: I’m in need of new Yoga pants and while I thought that I might make a blog post about my favorite brands and styles (super sweat friendly for me!)– I had a shocking, renewed realization about just how expensive Yoga can be. Actually, as I looked at the cost, I began to wonder if I really need new Yoga pants at all (I do).

Eventually, once the sticker shock wears off, I’m sure that I will get around to blogging about my favorite Yoga pants but for now I thought I would share some tips on how to save money while getting your practice on.

Seven or eight years ago, I had the opportunity to take classes with Fiji McAlpine. She is an amazing Yoga instructor who made a strong impression on me and my practice. All of these years later, I remember two very distinct moments that happened in her class: 1) I learned to soar in Virabhadrasana III under her guidance, in a way that I am still grateful for to this day, and; 2) she shared some very important points about compassion for the self and for others that I really needed to hear.

Imagine the glee I experienced when finding her offering free classes at www.doyogawithme.com while searching for workshops to attend. This web site offers multiple videos with different instructors, styles, breathing, meditation and anatomy for FREE. As Autumn begins again and we find ourselves shedding the old for the new, our habits, rituals, and maybe even our pants included, take a moment to check out www.doyogawithme.com and see if you can’t find something that ends up being a fresh, healthy habit this season.

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