What's in my purse

Hey Everyone,

I wanted to do a quick "what's in my bag" post and give some suggestions on what to bring with you. With ladies' handbags getting heavier and heavier these days, I have a couple of tips on how to streamline and declutter your handbag.

I have something of a reputation for being both minimal (as little as five items total) while being prepared when it comes to my handbag. Tape measure, anyone?

For my life on any given day I can have two to three bags. A purse, a laptop bag, a tote bag, etc. You can adjust the items to fit your needs; a mother of a infant would need to carry diapers, a single 20-something, hopefully, does not! These are just some general ideas so feel free to mix and mingle and add your own!

For me right now I'm pretty much down to a two bag rotation. I'm working from home at the moment, but I have done and am still a part of the professional circuit (think suits, laptops, and desk lunches) so if you'd like some ideas for a work tailored carry-all, let me know in the comments!

My everyday purse is the Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac. I love it. It's very convenient for me (hands-free), mugging resistant link chain and on the go size meshes perfectly with my no-fuss personality. It's small size is limiting, but personally I like that fact. It could not be any more me truth be told. Plus...fringe!! <3  

What I carry in my purse:

On a day to day basis, like running out the door to run errands I have my:

Brighton Wallet
Sephora Mirror
Nutri-Grain bar
Burt's Bees tinted lip balm in Hibisus
Star Wars gummy fruit snacks - two of my favorite things in one! Yes I am an adult.
Rimmel Perfect Match concealer
Rimmel Soft Kohl Eyeliner
Nars lip gloss in Super Orgasm
Ms. Manicure mini emery boards and bobby  pins
Band-Aid
Hair Tie
Not shown - cell phone, pen, car keys and
Personal Protection Item: Mace, knife, gun, personal protection ring, defensive app on your phone, etc. Even a loud whistle! Pick what works for you - but have it!

In my tote bag:

Clinique Makeup Bag
Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer in Midnight Pomegranate
Mini knife/flash light/tape measure + level
Mini screw driver
Lint roller
Kleenex
Band Aids
Mini knife and flash light (you can never be too prepared!)  

Eye drops
Travel sized conditioner
Razor -This seems a bit extreme but I have fair hair and I've been out and about when I've noticed I missed a spot! Not a good look!
Colgate Wisps
Wet Wipe
Travelo perfume atomizer
Both and Body Works travel sized lotion in Daisy Dreamer
Crest toothpaste and tooth brush
Peppermints or gum
Tampon
Aleve/etc
Dove Deodurant
Sunscreen
Headphones
Not shown- First aid kit and some snacks and water - not only is it healthier and less expensive than always buying a quick snack during the day, but for example if you leave in a climate where winters are really bad, having some emergency supplies on hand if your car gets stuck isn't a bad thing!

If I'm spending the day away from the house I'll bring my purse and a tote bag with all my goodies. It can almost double as an overnight bag. I am of the mind set 'always be prepared'. I've been stranded over night unexpectedly many times and my tote bag always comes in handy.

What do you carry with you??? Are you walking around with a twenty pound purse or are you able to get away without one at all? Let me know in the comments!!

Best wishes.

Elisabeth xo <3 xo

Safety Tips: Driving alone and vehicle maintence

Hey Everyone,

I wanted to have a quick post on safety. Specifically vehicle safety. Not on your driving; though turn signals and reasonable speeds aren't bad things! Instead, I want to focus on safety and a women alone. 

Sorry to any men out there reading this, but statistics put females at greater risks.

Women tend to get distracted and to be too nice. Traits that can be extremely dangerous to a woman alone.

A woman alone with her child in a parking garage is a target. A single female in a parking lot is a target. Now is not the time to have headphones on or be oblivious to your surroundings.

In addition to trying to make sure you are safe while entering/leaving your car, there is also making sure your vehicle is well maintained to help ensure your safety.

Parking:

Avoid parking where there isn't a lot of traffic or light. Dark, lonely spots like parking lots and parking garages can be extremely dangerous places.

Be aware of your surroundings. Do you feel like someone is following you? Try to be alert when getting into and out of a vehicle - it is a opportunity for someone to attack you while you're distracted.
Is there a car parked next to you that gives you some unease? Try getting in through the passenger side. 

Make sure you carry your keys in between your fingers or have your cell phone ready to dial 911 if you're someplace you feel unsafe.

Don't tarry after you get in your car. Women have a tendency to stay in their vehicle while it's parked. This can give an attacker a chance to break in. If you do stay in your car while it's parked, make sure the doors are at least locked!

Hide your valuables. It can be as simple as storing your cds/iPod and making sure your shopping bags are hidden, but your car is more likely to be broken into if thieves can see easily transported items just laying around.

Check your back seat before you get in the car. An attacker can hide in your back seat and after you're on the road take you hostage.

Keep your doors locked and windows up when parked. Even at a stop light attackers have been known to jump into an unlocked car or to reach through an open window.

Maintence:

• Get your tires rotated.
• Change your oil.
• Check your gas gauge.
• Make sure all your lights in the car work. This means headlights, brake-lights, taillights, turn signals, etc. 
• Pay attention to your brakes. This is not a part of the car that failing to work means a minor nuisance.
• Are your tires in good shape? Not only are damaged tires dangerous, tires that are in poor shape can cost you money.
• Check the fluids in your car.

Most of these things are simple enough you can do it yourself (don't tell me you can't check a light and make sure your tank is full!) and things like checking your fluids or changing your oil aren't difficult to do yourself. If you don't feel like getting your hands dirty or don't feel confident, just about everything here is relatively inexpensive. And maintaining your car means money saved in the long run and makes sure it won't break down, leaving you stranded in a bad location.

Keep a few supplies in your car at all times, just in case of an emergency. You can't plan for every possible outcome, but you can think ahead for some. Such as; keep a few non-perishable snacks and some water with you when you travel. 

A blanket is very useful, even when it's not an emergency! I use mine for naps when someone is driving, picnics and to tuck over my shopping bags/purse when I leave them in the car. 

Flares and jumper cables are inexpensive and invaluable to have on hand. There are even complete emergency car kits you can buy.

My last tip is one my parents taught me. If you are ever pulled over by a police officer and something doesn't feel right -it's rare, but there have been cases where attackers have posed as police officers - ask to follow them to the nearest police station. A real officer will be willing to let you. 


These are just a few tips - there are many more out there! I don't want to you feel afraid, I want you to feel confident that whatever situation you are in, you are able to handle it. Be prepared!

If you have any other suggestions or advice, please leave a comment! I'm a female who drives by herself a lot of the time too!

Best wishes,

Elisabeth 

Madcap Makeup Monday

Madcap Monday Madness

Hey everyone! I hope you had a good weekend and are going to have a great week! It's been getting ever hotter here and I've been using less and less makeup some this week's collection is pretty streamlined. I re-discovered so old favorites from last summer (I'm looking at you Revlon Lip Butters) that I've fallen for so hard again, I'm wondering why I ever left them.

Oh that's right, because I'm a fickle slave to beauty products.

Oh well. 

My go-to look for the week has been a bright pink lip - especially Temptress by Covergirl. It's a shimmer-free bright, Barbie neon-pink and I love it with a bit of a tan. I got several compliments on the color, which is always nice :) I've been pairing it with a little bit of blush and bronzer, a touch of concealer and powder; some long, defined and flirty eyelashes and a itty-bitty line of gel eyeliner. It's simple, wears well and cute for the summer.

What's your go-to July look???

Have a great rest of the day!! XO Elisabeth <3

Madcap Makeup Monday

Madcap Monday Makeup 

Welcome to a new weekly blog post. Recently I have gone on an over-hauling of my behaviors. I am trying to lessen the desire to constantly need something new,to avoid having the things I already own pile up into an unused mess. I've been streamlining everything and my wardrobe, bathroom cabinets and makeup have not been left behind hence....Madcap Monday Makeup! Mad*cap adj : likely to do something mad or reckless : done for fun without thinking. 

Sounds like a good description right? 

I did not have a that large a makeup collection, but it was much larger than I needed. So far I've gotten rid of five or six (at least) one-gallon bags worth of makeup. 

I'm still buying makeup, but I'm trying to make sure it's something I truly want and not go shopping as frequently. And I'm trying to use up what I do have before buying more. Waste not want not! 

Which brings us to this post. I keep my most reached for makeup on my dresser and at the beginning of every week I go through to see what I reached for and store what I didn't use. It also gives me the opportunity to keep the space neat and make sure what is in my 'stash' gets used. Throughout the week I may grab something from my stash and add it to the box, and I try to make sure to pull a few things out while I'm storing others, just to make sure everything I have is getting used or gets moved on. 

This past week I did a lot of traveling and ended up keeping my looks pretty simple. However I am categorically unable to wear the exact same look twice. Ever.

So, even though I'm trying to go from ten blushes to three and fifteen mascaras to two - I avoid the same makeup.  

And after this monster intro -

The tri-section box I keep my makeup in. Exciting no?

Read My Lips:

First set of Swatches From L-R:

Maybelline Lipstick in Glisten Up Pink 815

Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick in 10

Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Lipstick in 101

Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Lipstick in 105

Maybelline Color Whisper in Orange Attitude

NARS Lip Gloss in Super Orgasm

Mrs. Fields Lip Balm in Cinnimon Sugar

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus

Second set of Swatches From L-R:

Sugar Rose Lip Balm 

Rimmel Stay Glossy Lip Gloss in Unlimited Gold 050

L'Oreal Colour Riche Color Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Endless Red 190

NARS Lip Gloss in Super Orgasm 

The Eyes Have It:

From L-R:

Stila the Natural Palette

Too Faced Liquif-Eye 

Too Faced Naked Eye

Too Faced Glamour to Go 

Too Faced Galaxy Glam Baked Eye-shadow in Deep Space

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige

BareMinerals Glimpse Loose Eye-shadow in Cupcake

Boots No.7 Eyeliner in Brown

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Taupe 004

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Black 001

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Turquoise 007

Too Faced Perfect Eyes Eyeliner in Perfect Storm

Boots No. 7 Eyeliner in Bronze

 Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara in Black

Maybelline the Flasies Flared in Black

Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in Expresso

Face to Face:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess

Tarte Amazonian Clay Bluch in Dollface

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer in Light

Rimmel Perfect Match Concealer in Light/Fair

Sonia Kashuk Powder

Clean and Clear Blotting Sheets

Mirror

True Religion for Women Perfume

Bath and Body Works Wild Berry Tulips Body Spray

The Body Shop Vanilla and Tonka Bean

Abercrombie and Fitch 8 Perfume (Not a fan of the store-but I still like this scent!)

Boots Day Moisture Lotion with Rice Bran and Honey 

Sally Hasen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips: Stripe-Tease

Hello lovelies! I hope you're having a great day! I did my nails last night with the Sally Hansen Nail Effect Nail Strips (such long names for products these days!) I have 5 different designs and I've tried 3 of them so far. Each time has had a slightly different experience so I thought I'd share the latest one!

1st time: I have a review here

2nd time: I put on a set of sparkly pink with black skulls. I don't know what went wrong but they ended up being nearly as thick and inflexible as acrylics and popped off within a day or so

3rd time...

To start with it was late at night.

Somewhere nearby a man was playing a saxa-uh, no that's the murder scene from Bandwagon. My bad.

It was late though, which was probably a bad idea but I foraged ahead anyway.

I read the instructions (yay me!)

I gathered my tools.

I striped.

Wait, what?

It says STRIPED, people. Geez, like a tiger. Dirty minds ;P 

I followed the instructions, but I still found these to be more difficult to apply than the others. First of all they were a bit thinner and stickier. I had to keep peeling them up to try and reset them. And getting stripes to stay straight is tricky!!

I had some of the strips wrinkle (not cute!) some look like I was drunk applying them (I wasn't) and some thankfully did turn out semi cute.  

Conclusion: They are a pain, but for the 99 cents I spent on them it's still less of a headache then painting the damn stripes on and I like the look.

What do you think of stripes for your nails? Are the strips worth it? Are the stripes worth it? Gah, I'm punny.

Review: Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer

Rimmel Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer 

I love this concealer! I like it much better than my Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer or YSL Touche Eclat. I have deep, dark, creviced under-eyes (and I'm pretty young to already have them) and this covers with hardly any product needed. It is a dream to blend, I don't have to struggle or reapply to actually cover the damn things. 

It works great as a illuminating highlighter -ala YSL Touche Eclat- around my eyes, cheekbones, cupids bow, etc. At the price I highly suggest you run out and try it!

The Claims: 2-in-1 Concealer and Highlighter. Skin tone adapting.

Yep. It works very well as both. It's not shimmery like a highlighter, but it's definitely brightens. And I don't notice it not matching my skin-tone. It also doesn't go that weird gray or orange tone I've had other skin-tone "matching" products turn into on my skin.

Coverage - Outstanding. Comparable to YSL. 

Length of Wear - All day. 

Creasing - I have't experienced any. I've been putting it to the test too - 80+ degree days with 90% humidity and not a crease to be seen. Which I typically have horrible creasing with my concealer so yay! *I don't use powder on top and most days I put it on after an eye cream. 

Price - $4-5. Which since I consider it to work the same as the Touche Eclat I'm saving a ton.

Packaging - It comes in a squeeze tube with a brush. If you're careful you shouldn't have a problem. I actually prefer it to the click pens as I feel it gives you more control over how much product you want. The brush is super soft too. If you are worried about hygiene you can always squeeze out a dab onto a clean brush or finger and then apply to your face.

Shaken. AKA Swatched.

Stirred. AKA Blended. 

Weekly Beauty Bests

Weekly Beauty Bests

Summer is here (finally) so I've been working on keeping my makeup routine simple. About every day of June has had me wearing a "blogger bun" -  a massive contraption of hair piled precariously atop my head and some version of light eye, flirty lashes, glowy skin and bright, juicy lips. Not exactly an original look but pretty. 

I've been obsessed with the Stila 'The Natural  palette I got from Ulta recently and I've been using it daily for both day-time and evening looks. I will have a full review of it and the other products I mention up here soon. I'd love to do a quick tutorial on the look I've been wearing too - keep your eyes open! :)

What look/products have you been using and wearing??

The Shadows:

For the day, I've been taking Pure from the Stila Natural Palette and putting it all over my lid, Linen through the crease and Innocent in my outer third. I follow with my Pixi champagne shadow in my inner corner as a highlight. 

Stila The Natural - Eye shadow palette. Exclusively at Ulta

Don't let the melding with my skin tone fool you - they are gorgeous on the eye and pigmented without being overwhelming. 

Pixi Fairy Light Solo in No.2 Champagne Glow 

The Face:
I don't wear foundation so after I moisturize I apply Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer on my blemishes and take Rimmel's Perfect Match Concealer to the dark circles under my eyes and in any areas I wish to highlight. It's an inexpensive version of YSL Touche Eclat.  

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer and highlighter.  Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer in Light

The Coloring:
I'm pale. And it's not attractive on me. I have warm undertones and when I go pale I look like a Tim Burton movie extra (which I could totally live with honestly) but to keep from being confused with Beetlejuice I use Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer and Blush to prevent ghostly comparisons. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Ave Princess and Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface.

 The Lashes:

My two favorite drugstore mascaras. For a more dramatic look I go with the Falsies, for a flirty day-time look Rimmel Lash Accelerator. 

Maybelline the Flasies Flared and Rimmel Lash Accelerator

The Liners:
My new all-time favorite eye liners - high end or drugstore. I tightline my upper lash line with the black or smudge it into my lashes for soft all-day definition. I use the turquoise on my lower lash line for a fun pop of color. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliners in 001 Black and 007 Turquoise

The Lips:
I have a lot of bright lip products I rotate. This weeks crop: Glisten Up Pink is a beautiful berry-pink with silver shimmer and over a lip balm gives the softest, prettiest shiny look.
Coral Tattoo is a great long-lasting, bright and juicy lip color. Orange Attitude and Pink Possibilities are fantastic when you're running out the door and want some color without having to think about it. I layer them over lip balm and they're soft, shiny, water-color brights.

Left to right: Maybelline lipstick in Glisten Up Pink, L'Oreal Colour Riche Color Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Coral Tattoo and Maybelline Color Whisper in Orange Attitude and Pink Possibilities.

The Tools: