1. Redken All Soft shampoo and conditioner

2. Redken Satinwear 02 Ultimate Blow Dry Lotion

3. Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Weightless Healing Dry Oil spray

4. ELF Studio Cream Eyeliner in Coffee

5. ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Celebrity and Sweet (the pictured brown is actually Sassy from the site, but MUCH closer to Celebrity in person)

6. Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof mascara in Black

7. Pink & Pepper Racer boot in Taupe

8. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub

This week is a short one for me, since it’s Thanksgiving in the US on Thursday.

Inspired by Linley‘s newest addition, and her wanting to link up other bloggers who were interested in doing FFF.

1. Polyvore
I’ve been using Polyvore for a while now, but I’ve never really gotten into it like some people (I envy those people). I love lists and planning, so when I was trying to figure out what to pack for our trip up north next weekend, I had this beautiful epiphany to plan outfits with Polyvore. The visual element makes it better than just trying to write things down, and more organized than tossing pieces of clothing on the bed (as long as you can find stuff you own).

2. ELF flat-top powder brush
I know this is a powder brush, but I actually use it to put on my liquid foundation. I saw someone do it in a YouTube video and had to try it–it actually works really well (and is faster/better for the environment than using sponges). Plus, the brush is SO soft!

3. legs pyramid
I actually have a love/hate relationship with this–the first time I did it, I thought I was going to die. I was sore for three days afterwards, but it felt good, and is actually really fast and easy to do. I added a kettlebell to the squats and wore ankle weights, too. Because I hate myself, haha.

4. Matchbook Mag’s classics checklist
I love love love this! I’ve been working on getting “classics” in my closet forever now, and having a checklist (they also have a visual version) is awesome.

5. Doctor Who
My nerdiness knows no bounds! On recommendation of several friends, Josh and I started Netflixing Doctor Who. We love it! (But no spoilers, please, we’re still on the Tenth Doctor!)

I never used to be a makeup junkie; I still deny it, since I cull my collection pretty frequently when I realize that I’m not using things. This is probably the most makeup I’ve ever owned at one time.

I don’t use all of this at the same time (obviously).

1. Clinique Redness Solutions foundation SPF 15 – I LOVE this stuff. I have never, ever been a liquid foundation girl, but figuring out the best way to apply this and a better skin care routine means better application. This definitely evens out my skin tone/reduces redness, and I can definitely tell that it’s improving my skin.

2. E.L.F. Studio blush in Pink Passion – This color is not nearly as scary on as it is in the pan–it actually gives me a gorgeous, natural flush and brightens up my face quite a bit.

3. CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Blasting waterproof mascara in Very Black – This stuff gets mixed reviews, but I’m on my third tube and have never had problems. I love the silicone brush, and it looks amazing on. It never flakes or smudges, is totally waterproof, and comes off easily with Clinique eye makeup remover.

4. Sephora Nano Eyeliner pencil in 06 Glitter Brown – This color has sadly been discontinued, but it’s a MAC Teddy dupe (although I might go for UD 24/7 in Bourbon). Gorgeous dark brown with copper shimmer (not glitter), perfect for blue eyes.

5. Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero – I use this to line my waterline, and it has great staying power.

6. ELF cream liner in black – For my typical fancy winged liner look.

7. Carmex strawberry tube – I use this year-round (it gives a nice shine and smells AMAZING), but this is my savior in the winter.

8. ELF plumping lip glaze in Babydoll – My “my lips but better” shade. It looks really light in the picture, but it’s a bit darker/peachy pink in real life. Gives me a subtle plump and a nice shimmer/shine.

9. Sephora Collection rouge cream lipstick in Valentine 09 – When I want to go a little crazy (because I’m a lip balm girl), I slap some of this on. I wish I had the courage to wear this all the time!

10. ELF mineral shadows in Elegant and Celebrity – The swatches on the ELF site are off, so I had to snag the more color-accurate ones. Elegant is a light, shimmery gold, and Celebrity is the darker, shimmery beige. I’m not much of an eye makeup girl (I normally just go for a bit of liner and mascara), but these colors are pretty and perfect for blue eyes.

11. ELF mineral booster powder in sheer – For days when I don’t want to wear foundation, I brush this on over my sunscreen. It has a slightly pinkish cast and gives me a light, even finish.

I’ve never been an eyeshadow girl, except for neutrals (hey, I have blue eyes, which pop with browns!). I’ve always been jealous of the pretty, colorful makeup looks that I see in magazines (and on friends), but never brave enough to try them. However, because I’ve worn my makeup basically the exact same way for at least five years now (read: black mascara, shimmery brown liner, blush, lip balm), I (with Josh’s encouragement) finally decided to step outside of my tiny little makeup pouch. It helps that I’ve gotten a lot braver fashion-wise, too.

So, the last time that I placed an order with E.L.F., I picked up some of their mineral eyeshadows in, wait for it:
- Elegant – light, shimmery gold
- Celebrity – beautiful, shimmery neutral beige
- Sassy – warm, shimmery sienna
- Confident – dark, shimmery, bark brown
ALL neutral shades! (To be fair, this was before I decided to try something new.) They are GORGEOUS. Seriously, I was absolutely giddy at how amazingly shimmery these are–they look like metallic car paint. Then they had a 50% off sale, so I HAD to pick up more of these (I mean, come on, they’re only $3 each normally).

My second order came with:
- Sweet – shimmery, pretty coral pink
- Girly – shimmery pinky-lilac
- Flirty – shimmery medium purple
- Dreamy – beautiful, shimmery, bright turquoise blue
- Smoldering – gunmetal
- Enchanting – warm, matte terra cotta
- Seductive – matte black-grey
(and, um, a lip gloss–mineral gloss in Wild), and they, too, are breathtaking. Naturally, I had to immediately play with them and show them off to Josh to get his opinion. We both loved them, so I now have eleven eyeshadows to play around with.

First impressions:
- GAH. Gorgeous.
- AMAZING color payout. I only needed the tiniest bit to get a beautiful wash.
- They feel really nice going on, smooth and even.

After continual use:
- Good staying power, especially when used with the E.L.F. primer.
- New staple, definitely.

I like to order online, since most stores only carry a small E.L.F. selection. These babies are $3 each, unless you can find one of their offer codes (which is easy).

Since spring apparently HATES Michigan (seriously, we had two inches of snow on Sunday/Monday), and school is apparently not going to end, I thought a list of things that I love right now might cheer me up.
ELF Studio Blush in Pink Passion – this is a SUPER bright pink blush, and my new favorite. I’m pretty pale, so I only need the smallest bit to give me a pretty flush.

ELF Makeup Mist and Set – this has been a LIFESAVER to me lately. I bought this on a whim and never used it until I started using liquid foundation. I have super dry skin, so I spray this on after my makeup is done, and not only does it give me that extra bit of hydration, but it sets my makeup to a dewy finish.

ELF Plumping Lip Glaze in Babydoll – I’m not normally a lip gloss kinda girl, but I love this stuff. I have naturally very pigmented lips, so most lip color looks weird on me, but this color (which, in real life is a pretty, shimmery coral) is perfect for me. The plumping side (the white) is awesome and gives a subtle plump with a little tingle, too.

Goody Spin Pins – I don’t wear my hair up…ever, but when I do, my first inclination is to put it up in a messy bun with a hair tie. These things, in addition to looking pretty cool, are an awesome alternative to elastics, since they don’t tangle and damage your hair, AND they’re easy to use. My hair is pretty long (mid back) and thick, but two of these puppies hold it up all day (I’m geeked to have these for the summer).

American Eagle jeggings – I didn’t want to like jeggings; in fact, I still hold that most of them are hideous. These I bought on a whim, and I’m not sure that I will ever wear “real” jeans ever again. They look just like my other AE jeans (boyfriend couldn’t tell the difference), but are at least ten times more comfortable.

zoe&zac Orchard flats – I’ve been looking for the perfect, slightly more than basic brown flats for forever now. I’m not really a shoes kind of girl (I know, I know, GASP), but I can’t wear sandals all the time. I love the color and texture of these, as well as the criss-cross and bow at the toe cap. And they’re eco-friendly!