Skincare Overhaul

The day I started following Caroline Hirons, the skincare God, I should have shredded my credit cards. She's bad on your bank account but sublime for your skin. I haven't had someone indirectly speak to my skincare soul in a long time. (Yes, your skin has a separate soul). This woman has captured my heart and my skin has thanked me for her wisdom.

My skin: acne-prone, sensitive, combination, fair.

The most important thing in my skincare routine has to be my prescription strength Retin-A. The stuff is a pain in the ass to get used to. I've been using it for over a year and my skin still goes berserk if I apply too much of this stuff. It is great for scarring, acne, and for anti-aging. My skin is not mature, but I do like to think of it as a preventative measure.

REN No.1 Cleansing Balm/ Balance Me cleanse and smooth face balm/ REN Hydra-calm cleansing milk/ REN Clear-calm Clay Cleanser/ REN Clarifying Toning Lotion/ Retin-A 0.1% Cream, Mario Badescu Aloe, Herbs and Roewater spay, Hydraluron/ REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream/ La Roche Posay Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid/ Dermalogica Gentle Cream Cleanser.

Here is my new-er morning routine:
1. Wash face with non-foaming cleanser.I prefer either REN Hydra-calm Cleansing Milk or Clear Calm Clay Cleanser. (I'm not the biggest fan of foaming cleansers.)
2. Spritz toners, currently using Mario Badescu Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater Spray or REN Clarifying Toning Lotion.
3. Hydraluron
4. moisturize, REN Hydra-calm Global Protection Day Cream
5. sunscreen, La Roche Posay.

&Night Routine:
1. Balm Cleanser: REN No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm or Balance Me.
2. 2nd Cleanse either Cleansing Milk or Clay Cleanser mentioned above.
3. Spritz face with toner(s)
4. Hydraluron
5. moisturize
6. wait a few minutes, than apply half a pea sized amount of Retin-A nightly or bi-nightly.


This is a REN heavy routine. I cannot help that I love their products. I purchase all of my products with my own money. Retin-A is a prescription only product. Contact your GP or dermatologist if you feel that your skin might need it. For me it was either Topical Vitamin A or Accutane. I chose the topical because of the nightmarish side effects of Accutane and my uneasiness around needles and medical offices. :)

I find that this routine keeps the skin clear, makeup free, not as clog prone (sometimes I won't have active acne but am susceptible to blocked pores), hydrated, glowing, and healthy looking.


Are there any products that you would suggest? How does your skin regiment look?
Should I do a body regiment next? It's pretty darn simple...

Nordstrom (Anniversary) Haul

I blame this haul on Discover.  Because of their Back to School cash back promotion Nordstrom went from 5% cash back to 10%. Thus, I felt justified in my spending. The products have not yet been sent to me, so I do not have a proper review on the items. I'll probably do a little round-up in August.

Here is my little haul:

1. Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush: Needed a good brush that didn't say Conair. Yes, I've been using the same brush since middle school and decided it had pulled my hair out years ago. Switched to the Tangle Teaser & still feel like I'm balding after every brush-out session. I have really fine, long hair that seems to love to fall out or break off. I'm hoping the Aveda brush wont pull as much hair out and might even stimulate my scalp. Shameless Frapperies blog post made me want this brush.
2. MAC 217: Soft brush that's been calling my name for over a year. I convinced myself that if I liked the eyeshadows I already own more because of this brush, I wouldn't see the need to get more. Do you see the flaw in this logic?
3. MAC 226: Purchased for gel eyeliner and filling in my brows (?).
4. The butter LONDON 'Lips & Tips' set was a total impulse buy. I had my eye on the mauve color and just went for it seeing that it was an "exclusive set". I normally would care less about nail polish. I only have 9, and most of them were stocking stuffers from past Christmases or from Birchboxes. Although I am not a polish addict, I like the idea of putting Trout Pout on my toes and putting it on one nail on each of my hands as an accent color paired with Yummy Mummy on the other 8 fingers. Does this idea make sense? I could also get crafty and use Trout Pout to make polk-a-dots on top of Yummy Mummy. I'm also looking forward to the coral lip gloss.

I thought about purchasing the Bobbi Brown Telluride Glow Set, but after seeing the eye-shadow palette in person I thought it looked chinsey and overpriced for the amount of product you get (4 grams, I think).

Have you checked out Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale? Anything catch your eye?

Make Up Collection July 2013

Thought you might want to see my makeup collection because I have just purchased the amazing Muji 5 drawer acrylic and 2 drawer acrylic with a lid. It's amazing and looks so organized. I'm very pleased with my purchase. I was using empty Birchbox Boxes in a drawer that was nowhere near where I do my makeup.
I took pictures with my Iphone and my room tends to have poor lighting. I hope this will not detract from the purpose of this post.  Without further ado....

Here is an overall view of my collection and storage. On top I have a mirror from Muji that fold's out, Daisy Eau So Fresh, and a container for cotton swabs. On the left side I have brushes, foundations and tinted moisturizers, concealers, face primers and eyelash curlers.


In the first drawer of my Muji 5 drawer acrylic I have bronzer, setting powders, and highlighters.


MAC Soft and Gentle/ Rimmel Stay Matte in Cream Natural/ Tarte Smooth Operator 100-pt Sephora Perk/  Physicians Formula Happy Booster in Translucent/ Benefit GWP's Sun Beam and Watts Up/ Inglot Bronzer in 76





Second Drawer Houses Eye Products:

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Bikini-Tini, RSVP, & Birthday Suit/ Bare Escentuals Eye Color in Devotion, Madras, Fascination, Pink Posy, & Violet Sky/ Bare Escentuals High Shine Eye Color in Glisten/ Inglot Eyeliner Gel in 77 (Matte)/ Cargo palette that broke, some shadow fragments put in those Sephora trial size pots/ Elf Mineral Eyeshadow in Naughty/ Bourjois Eyeshadow in 25 Argent/ Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Midnight Cowboy/ Urban Decay Primer Potion/ The Balm Put a Lid on It Sample/ Elf Eyelid Primer/ NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil's in Iced Mocha, Cottage Cheese, Yogurt, & Rust/ MAKE eyeshadow sample in Burnt Umber

Third Drawer: Blusher, Eyeliner, Mascara, Eyebrows
NARS Madly, Luster, Deep Throat, & Sex Appeal/ Elf Blush in Tickled Pink/MUFE Aqua Eyes in 19 (Deep Purple), 21L (Gray/Silver), 23L (Cream pink/white), 12L (Blue), 0L (Black), & 2L (Brown)/ Bare Minerals Big and Bright Eyeliner in Espresso/ Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner in Purple/ Sonia Kashuk Eyebrow pencil in Taupe/ Anastasia Clear Brow Gel/ Bare Mineral Brow Color in Dark Blonde/Medium Brown/ LASHEM sample/ Model Co. Lash Extend Extreme Black Lengthening Mascara/ L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara/ Benefit They're Real Sample/ Benefit Bad Gal Lash Sample

Fourth Drawer Blush:
MAC Well Dressed/ Tarte Peaceful, Glisten, Blissful, & Dollface/ Benefit Coralista & Dallas/ Bare Minerals All Over Face Color in Rose Radiance

Fifth Drawer: Lips
Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake & Sugar Frosting/ MAC Creme Cup (& Plink not shown)/ Revlon Super Lustrous in Apricot Fantasy/ Elf Lip Balm in Nude/ Maybelline Superstay 14-hour in Ultimate Blush & Ravishing Rouge/ The Balm Stainiac sample/ Revlon Just Bitten in Dawn/ Revlon Just Bitten Kissable in Precious/ Buxom Lip Gloss in Katie sample/ Benefit Sugarbalm lip gloss sample/ Bare Minerals lip gloss in Wild Honey/ Victoria Secret Shiny Kiss/ Elf Hypershine Gloss in Pink 1, Berry Bliss, Va Va Voom, & pale pink (sticker cam off)/ Stila Lip Glaze in Kitten



2 Drawer Muji Deep Drawers:
Top Drawer (pictured in 1st pic)
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation/ Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation/ Revlon Colorstay/ Cargo One Base/ Sonia Kashuk Tinter Moisturizer/ Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer/ Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer/ Bare Minerals Original Foundation/ Bare Minerals Illuminating Mineral Veil/ Benefit POREfessional Sample/MUFE Primer Travel Size/ MAKE Face Primer Sample/ Nutella Cup recycled  to hold brushes.

Bottom Drawer
Sleek Oh So Special & Storm Palettes/ MUA Undressed, Undress Me too, & Heaven on Earth Palettes/ Inglot 4-eye quad/ MAC Dipdown fluidline/ Pencil sharpeners.





On the side:
Z-pallete with Stila Kitten/Mac shadows/ Cargo shadows/ Clinique Blush...
Inglot 10-pan eye palette/ Elf Palette

 And that'd be the collection! Feels like so much after writing it all down. Am I lacking anywhere? What are your favorite makeup products?

Popbasic Salut Collection July 2013

I recently placed an order with Popbasic just to try it out. I paid the full price of $85 for the Salut collection and in my opinion it was worth it. Popbasic is a monthly subscription company that releases collections on a monthly basis to allow women to have versatile and classic pieces in their wardrobe. The company is San Francisco based. I live 40 minutes from SF and was excited to hear that the company existed. I have never used a monthly online-based clothing company before. 

Here is my honest review of the collection:

The long sleeve striped shirt is unbelievably soft and the stripes are a dark navy. It's really flattering and not super tight, it has a comfortable fit. I was unsure of what size I would be, but luckily Popbasic lists the measurements and they are exact. 

Next in the lineup was an oversized tan leather "clutch" bag. It's beautiful, made well, can fit quite a lot of things, and is a very versatile bag.

The necklace was what I was most worried about. The chunky gold chain necklace seemed chic online, but left me wondering if it would brake upon wear. I don't have good luck with necklaces, they get caught in my fine hair and destroy it. This necklace, however seems sturdy. It ties in with the shirt and the bag beautiful and really dresses up the outfit. I can see myself wearing this ensemble to work because of the necklace's added sophisticated pop.

Overall this was an amazing shopping experience. I received the package in 2 days, got a hand written note,  and beautiful wardrobe pieces all for $85. I think Popbasic will appear on here again :).

I will do an Outfit of the Day soon. This post is mainly an unboxing and first impressions. 

Ulta Haul

My Ulta points have accumulated to a ridiculous number lately, so after much research I finally went on an all expenses paid shopping spree. The best kind of shopping spree in my opinion.

Benefit Dallas:
It's a beautiful red-dusty shade of blush that I like to use in my contour. I am extremely pale, burn red, and never tan. Red based bronze-y products give me the, I just been outside look which is perfect for summer. I bought this based off of Hannah Georgina's recommendation and Beauty Broadcast's post on Benefit blushers.

Benefit Coralista: This is a lovely coral-pink shade that I have been eyeing for years. Yet again, this was influenced by Hannah, Beauty Broadcast, but also, Tanya Burr and Estee of Essiebutton.
It's a beautiful blush that works great on fair skin. It complements Dallas well or can be used on it's own for a pick-me-up.

Benefit Creamless Cream Eyeshadow in Bikini-Tini, RSVP, and Birthday Suit:
I had never used a cream eyeshadow before picking these up. I love them, because I can use my fingers to apply them, which means one less day of dirty-ing my brushes. The colors can be used by themselves or layered over a regular eyeshadow. I haven't determined yet if they actually are creaseless, I might be applying them wrong, but they do crease on me a tad. This was another one of those purchases based off of other beauty bloggers.

What do you think of my loot? Worth the Ulta points or passable?

My current loves of the haul are RSVP and Coralista. I've been using MAC Wedge when I want to contour lately, thus Dallas hasn't been given as much love.

So this blog thing is happening

After year of debating, I've decided. I'm beauty blogging.
BeautyBritter: britter is one of my various nicknames. when your name is 8 letters and has 3 syllables, people get lazy. Let's get started. 

My name is Brittany. Brit-ta-ny. Not, brit-ny. I wasn't given an extra few letters for nothing. :)
You may call me Brit if it's easier. Or Britter. Britty. Brittness. Britter Critter.... you catch the drift.


So, as I said, I am Brittany. I just got my BA in European History and am focused on getting into Law School and currently work at a small law office. When not serving people via mail, I study for the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) and surf the web looking at beauty blogs, youtube, Pinterest, and various online retailers. I try to keep my beauty obsession to a minimum, but you know how that goes.

What drew me in to the online beauty community?
I stumbled upon the Youtube "Gurus" when I was 18. I simply just typed in "eyeshadow look" and BAM I was up until 2am watching videos of women whose confidence I admired. I don't have formal makeup training, I just watch videos and practice my consumer abilities.

While I'm only 20, I hope that this blog can somehow be insightful and worth-while. It most likely will focus on beauty, some fashion, and slightly on my ever-evolving life. Let's just roll with it. 

Photo of the quintessential-5 product face. I took a note from the French and went fairly au naturel.
(Bare Essentials Original Foundation, Clinique Blush, Eye shadow, and mascara.)

Cheers, 
Brittany Simmons

My Pinterest
Check out the videos I've recently watched on Youtube