For one of my final Wedding Wednesday posts before the Big Day, I have a confession to share: I'm planning to do my own makeup for my wedding day! I've done several "trial runs" of my wedding day makeup over the past few months, and I wanted to share a full list of the makeup products that I'm planning to use for my wedding day. Some are tried and true products that I already owned, and some are new higher end products that I splurged on. I also wanted to share some thoughts about what lead me to choose going this route for my wedding day beauty, versus hiring a makeup artist. Let's get into it!
I recently tried a high-end skincare retinol system that worked incredibly well for my skin! I shared a little bit about it on Instagram Stories and got so many questions about it, so I wanted to write up a quick blog post with more information.
It's been four years since I became an enthusiast of DIY manicures and ditched my costly monthly visits to nail salons. And I've never looked back! I first discovered ImPRESS press-on nails in 2019 and became obsessed. I then started playing around with different brands of nail polish wraps in 2021, and enjoyed incorporating those into my manicure routines when I wasn't using ImPRESS. Even though I had definitely found a variety of nail products that I did enjoy using at home, I kept feeling like there still might be something better out there for truly long-lasting DIY nails. And I was right! In 2022 I discovered the Dashing Diva Glaze UV Gel Nail Polish Wraps, and they are without a doubt the best nail product I've ever used. This is the magical unicorn product that I was searching for when it comes to doing manicures myself! It's about time I gave them a full review here on the blog.
I started doing my nails myself in 2019 to avoid costly trips to the salon. I was lucky to quickly find an at-home option that I loved: ImPRESS press-on nails. I still love using ImPRESS nails today, and they probably will always be my favorite DIY manicure option. (I've written two posts about ImPRESS- a review and tutorial here, and tips for making them last longer here!) Even though I'd found a great at-home option that I like for nails, I'm never opposed to still trying other new things. In the last couple years, the popularity of nail polish wraps has exploded, and I finally wanted to give those a try too! Over the past few months, I've been testing out three different brands of nail polish wraps, and I'm excited to share this review with you today.
ImPRESS Nails were one of my best new purchase discoveries of 2019, and I'm still absolutely obsessed with them today! Discovering these press-on drugstore nails completely eliminated my expensive monthly nail salon visits. It's been so much fun to hear from a lot of you since I started sharing about these nails that have also tried them! However, one of the most frequently asked questions that I get in my DMs now is how to make ImPRESS Nails last longer. There are definitely some "best practices" for application that can be the difference between them lasting just a few days, to lasting 10+ days! Today I'm sharing my best tips for making your ImPRESS Nails last as long as they can.
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that drugstore beauty products can be really hit or miss. On one hand, it is so great to find an affordable beauty product that exceeds your expectations and works well the first time your try it for your skin or hair. On the other hand, there can be a lot of flops with cheaper products, and it can be frustrating to keep trying various $5-10 items that don't work- that's when you start thinking maybe it would've been better to just splurge on a prestige brand item that would work the first time. Today, I'm sharing my holy grail favorite 10 drugstore beauty products! These are the affordable favorites that I've fallen in love with using.
Before this summer, I was convinced that my skin would never hold a warm summer glow. I was pale as could be for about 11 months of the year, and usually fighting off some sort of red sunburn for a few weeks in the summertime. But I've officially found a holy grail self tanner, it worked on me exactly how I wanted it to, and I couldn't be more pleased! Today I'm sharing all about my newfound obsession with Isle of Paradise Tanning Drops.
Last October, my life was forever changed thanks to a beauty discovery! Okay- maybe saying "forever changed" is a slight exaggeration. 😉But hey, it's been over six months now since I first tried ImPRESS nails and I'm still obsessed with them. I finally shared an IGTV tutorial for how I apply them this week, so I wanted to include some extra info to go along with that on the blog as well!
For the past few months, I've been on a journey... a hair coloring journey that is! My 25th birthday was in September, and I decided a great way to celebrate my quarter of a century would be to change up my naturally dark hair. Later in the fall, I was looking to continue going lighter with my hair, but I was also in the market for a new salon, as I wasn't in love with the first one I went to. It was perfect timing that Rituals Salon & Spa in the Richmond area reached out to me at this time! I've now been a client at Rituals for about three and a half months, and I'm excited to share a full review of my experiences and their services with you today. Make sure to read all the way to the end of the post as I have a discount code to share with fellow Virginians (or anyone if you happen to be in the Richmond area!).
I was gifted some complimentary hair and spa services in exchange for today's review- but all opinions of Rituals Salon & Spa are honest and my own.
Wow- this post is super overdue!! I normally try to write four PR package unboxing posts a year (one for each season), but somehow time got away from me and I haven't written one since last summer. Time to change that!!
If you're new to these posts, this is my chance to review the packages and mail that I receive as PR from brands. Brands (especially beauty companies) love to send bloggers free gifts in hope of a positive review. I am not in a paid collaboration with any of the brands featured today- it's my choice to share these products I've received with you, as well as an honest review!
If you've been hearing a lot of buzz about a skincare and makeup brand called Beautycounter, and are curious what the hype is, today's blog post will break down everything for you! I'm not a Beautycounter consultant myself, nor am I being paid to share positive reviews (I was gifted these products but this isn't a sponsored collaboration!). I just wanted to test out these products that have been getting a lot of hype, and after testing them write a truly honest blog post review- which is exactly what's here in today's blog post!
Hi Friends! It is so good to be back on the blog today! In case you missed it, I took a blog and blog related social media break from 7/19-7/28 (yesterday) while I was on vacation at home in Maine. This break was so needed and I'm back today feeling so refreshed and motivated to create content for the rest of the year! I'll also be sharing a few posts about Maine in August on the blog. But today we're jumping back into things with a big PR Reviews post! I'll be sharing and reviewing some of the fun gift packages I've received from different brands this summer.
It's been far too long since I've done a PR package review on the blog! Over the last month, I've received some wonderful spring mailers from brands that I love, so I wanted to share and review them for you today! Here's my usual disclaimer about PR reviews if you haven't read one of these posts before: nothing that I'm featuring here today is sponsored! I simply like to share and review the packages that I get sent by brands for blogging. 😊
This blog post has been a long time coming... as in I should've posted something like this years ago! Better late than never, right? Today I'm sharing my daily makeup routine, which is what I do for work everyday, and church on Sundays. My Tuesday blog post series for March focuses on different types of routines, and I thought this would be a fun one to start with, since it's been so requested over the years! I apologize in advance for the million photos in this post, but I wanted to really show the detail of how I apply everything.
This routine takes me 15 minutes to do each morning. It's definitely a little bit longer than a very basic five minute face routine (with just essentials like concealer and mascara) - but I feel my best each day if I spend a little extra time on my makeup in the mornings! I usually start doing my makeup at 3:45 am before work- if I'm able to do this that early in the day, I promise it's not that hard! 🙂
I have always had so much fun in years past reading bloggers' posts that round up their favorite purchases from the past year! I started doing this last year, and I'm excited to share all of my best buys from 2018 with you today.
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
This year's purchases include a whole wide range of things that I loved, including a few things that I ended up loving way more than I expected. Let's get to it:
1. Sephora Beauty Amplifier Afterglow Primer:I started using this face primer a couple months ago, and I love it! I apply it each morning before putting on my foundation and other face makeup, and it provides a wonderful and long lasting base. On days that I don't wear full face makeup, it's also great just to apply this product only to add a little natural glow!
2. Lawless Seal the Deal Loose Setting Powder: Lawless is a new 100% clean beauty line, which is now sold at Sephora! I follow the founder, Annie Lawless, on Instagram, and I loved her learning about her makeup line so much that I had to try something for myself. I've actually never steadily used a setting powder before finding this one, but now I'm hooked and have to use it everyday that I do full face makeup!
3. Pearl earrings:This is crazy- but even though I'm a total jewelry aficionado, up until a couple months ago I never owned a pair of real pearl earrings! I had several fake pairs over the years but I'd always lose them or they'd break. There was an incredible Black Friday deal at JC Penney this year that had a pair of sterling silver pearl studs for like $10! I scooped it up, and have been wondering ever since why it took me so long to purchase this jewelry staple.
4. Ardell Magnetic Lash Accents in #001: One of my favorite beauty buys of the year was courtesy of my friend Niki from Nicholle Sophia! These falsies work SO much better than normal false eyelashes. Since they are magnetic, there is no glue involved which means they're much healthier for your lashes. It does take a few tries to learn to properly apply them, but once you get the hang of it you're good to go! I've worn these for as long as 12 hours, and they look great all day.
5. IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush in Je Ne Sais Quois: This has become my everyday lip gloss to wear to work! It's a beautiful pale and bright pink, and it layers perfectly over lip balm or lipstick. It smells great, and also isn't super sticky like a lot of other lip glosses! Two thumbs up for this lip product.
6. L.L. Bean Fleece Pullover: First off- I have a confession to make. Despite the fact that I'm from Maine, home state of L.L. Bean... I am not a fan of like 95% of what they sell! (Don't hate me!) Okay- now that I've shared that disclaimer, I have to say that this fleece pullover might just be the best thing they sell! I had a store credit to use at L.L. Bean after Christmas in 2017, and I ended up getting a teal fleece pullover. This is the comfiest thing to throw on going to/from the gym, and also for casual weekends or running errands! I wear it all the time, and it's held up well. (Mine is actually a slightly different style which isn't available online anymore, but I've linked a similar one!)
7. JustFab Tan Alle Block Heel Boots:I actually received these boots as apart of a collaboration earlier this year, but I love them! I previously owned pairs of grey and purple OTK boots, but I definitely wear these the most frequently out of all my pairs. They've held up extremely well for the price- at under $50 they're affordable as far as boots go!
8. Tory Burch Parker Zip Continental Wallet:My parents bought me this wallet for Christmas last year, but I didn't start using it until midway through 2018! (Does anyone else think it's so annoying to switch wallets? Haha!) I have it in a nice grey color, and it coordinates with my Tory Burch work tote, which is also in the same color. I love that this wallet has a hand strap, so it's easy to carry on its own when you don't want to bring a full purse somewhere. It's currently on-sale!
9. Talbots Haircalf Medium Shoulder Bag:This was another item that I received for a collaboration, but I use this all the time now! It's my favorite weekend bag for fall/winter. This bag is gorgeous, and I think it really looks like it could be a designer style! This bag is also currently on sale- grab it while you can!
10. Barefoot Dreams Cardigan:This was my favorite NSale purchase from last summer! I'd heard great things about these cardigans before, but I couldn't justify paying full price for one (they're over $100 normally). There were a few Barefoot Dreams styles that were heavily discounted in last summer's Nordstrom sale, so I finally got one. Oh my gosh- this cardigan is everything! Honestly I love it so much that I would maybe buy another at full price. It's the softest thing I've ever worn, and when I wear it at work it feels like a blanket!
All of my favorites from this post are linked below! I'm already kind of curious what the new things are that I'll find this year and fall in love with. 😊Did you have a favorite purchase from 2019? Please share with me!!
This post was sponsored by wet n wild as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Southern Belle in Training!
I love to share round-ups of all of the PR packages that I receive from blogging. Normally these blog posts feature PR mail and gifts from many different brands, but today's blog post is going to feature just one of my favorites: Avon! They have generously sent me many great PR packages over the last year, but the two most recent ones that I've received have just been filled full of fabulous products. I wanted to dedicate a whole blog post just to my favorite Avon items! If you're unfamiliar with my PR reviews- just a disclaimer that this post isn't sponsored!! Just wanted to share my honest thoughts about some of the packages that I receive as a blogger.
Confession time: I've been a nail biter since before I can remember. Seriously... pretty much since the time I first grew nails as a toddler, I've been biting and picking at them. It's a lifelong habit that I've tried so hard to break throughout the years. I'd always painted my nails regularly growing up, but I'd always pick or bite the polish off, which was terrible!When I got my first full-time job last year, I decided to start treating myself to regular manicures as a way to hopefully combat my habit. I figured that spending money on my nails would prevent me from getting at them.
After a year of frequent gel manicures, I had my first SNS ("Dip Nails") manicure this past spring, and this immediately became my favorite nail treatment ever! I'm sharing today about my experiences with SNS, how it's helped my nail biting, how it compares to gel, if I think it's worth the cost, and more!
Every few months, I love sharing and review the packages that I am lucky to receive as PR mail from brands! Usually my PR reviews that I share are mostly beauty and skincare products, but for today's post there is a whole variety of fun products from lots of brands! As always- no part of this blog post is sponsored- these are all gifts from brands that I've received and am choosing to share with y'all, and my reviews are 100% honest.
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Later in today's post, I'm also sharing the details on a great jewelry sale, happening now through tomorrow! There aren't a lot of sales that I *heavily* promote on Southern Belle in Training each year, but I think this one is especially good, and I shopped it myself yesterday. Anyways- first let's do PR reviews! 😊
Up first today are some beautiful earrings from Sugarfix. This is Baublebar's exclusive line for Target, and all pieces are usually under $20! I've been receiving PR mail from Sugarfix for awhile now, and I've really grown fond of their earrings. Each season, they come out with new styles in trending colors and materials, and everything is always so affordably priced. The two pairs that I recently received are both so cute, and each priced at $12.99 Not sure which are my favorites- these crystal hoops, or these pretty ones with resin.
Time to talk beauty! I've raved in past PR reviews posts how much I love receiving packages from Avon. They are always so generous with what they send to bloggers, and have such creative themes and ideas for the their packages! Last month, I received a fun mailer that was themed all about glowing skin, in honor of the Skin So Soft Radiant Glow collection. I loved the adorable makeup bag that they sent, and I've already used it on weekend trips! The skincare products included the Illuminating Dry Oil Mist, and the Glow Skin Luminosity Polish. Thank you Avon for helping me take my summer glow into the fall!
Let's talk earrings again! I received a very unique pair of statement earrings this month, from a jewelry company called Tuleste. They specialize in pom pom and feather earrings. I was sent a white pair, which I think would be perfect for brides-to-be, especially if you're looking for a unique accessory to wear to pre-wedding events! The best thing about my Tuleste earrings is how lightweight they are. They don't hurt my ears at all, which is great for a statement earring.
Time to get organized- next up are some awesome planners! True story: I haven't regularly used a paper agenda since I was in broadcasting school (after undergrad) which was two years ago. I've shared before that I use iCal for my blog's editorial calendar, which has been the most convenient for me! However, I was recently starting to think that it might be nice to get a paper planner again, for things like work and my personal life. BlueSky must have read my mind- as they sent me TWO of their 2018-2019 planners! I especially love the cute leopard print on the larger one. I've started using one of them, and love it so far! It has a lot of space for me to write down my monthly and weekly commitments, but is still lightweight and simple. (P.S. the leopard print one is on major sale on Amazon right now!)
Skincare goodies are next! I received a package from CeraVe and had the chance to try out some of their products that I hadn't used before. I've been using the facial cleanser daily for a few weeks now- I like it so far. I was also sent micellar water and makeup wipes- two useful things to to keep around! I'm always in need of makeup remover.
I've always preferred using soap in the shower to body wash. I've had some experiences over the years with various body washes that have made me break out on my back after extended use, and I've never had that issue when I've just used soap. I've used different Dove beauty bars in the past and really liked them, but I hadn't tried the Anti Stress Micellar Bar before. Loving it so far- it's found a home in my shower caddy!
Last but certainly not least, the most fun package of liquid lipsticks from Buxom Cosmetics! They sent me four shades of their VaVa Plump liquid lipsticks, in the most fun and bright shades. I did a giveaway on my Instagram a few weeks ago to win the same colors that I received! These will be so fun to wear into fall, and give pops of color to more neutral outfits.
The PR products reviewed in this post are all linked below, if you'd like to shop any of them!
Lastly, I wanted to share quickly about a great sale on jewelry that's happening this week through Friday! Over the last couple years, I've grown to love shopping at Baublebar for fun statement jewelry, as well as some more classic and delicate pieces! This week they had a Friends and Family sale, which is still going on through tomorrow! EVERYTHING on the website is 25% off- even new arrivals! Shipping is also free for orders over $25. I treated myself to several goodies, including this ring which was already on sale (I already own a similar ring that I love, so I wanted a second similar one!), and this darling monogrammed necklace. Below are some more of my favorite sale picks:
Have a wonderful weekend! I am headed up to DC tomorrow evening and looking forward to a weekend in the big city with one of my dear friends.
