For many years of my life, all I used was drug store makeup because that is simply all I could afford. Once I started esthetics school, I was introduced to a whole new world of high end products, none of which were in my budget unfortunately! I have, of course, build my stockpile up in the years since I graduated and started my business. I love Glo minerals, Urban Decay, and Tarte! There are, however, still those certain drug store products that I can't do without, so I wanted to share some with you!

​This. I use Maybelline Instant Age Rewind every single day and could not love it more! I use it for my horrid under eye circles, to touch up my lip borders with a bold lip, and for a highlighter on the go. Fair is the perfect color for my skin tone, and with a little touch of a finishing powder, this stuff will do the trick for a full day out and about. As an added bonus, it's only about $10!

I have tried Milani Baked Blush in a few different colors and have loved them all! Offering great a color selection range, this $8 blush is pigmented and could easily be mistaken for Nars which runs around $35. My color of choice recently has been Rose D'Oro for summer. I'm almost ready to pick my color for fall!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder is my go to for bridal clientele! It's a perfect drugstore find. It keeps your makeup in place all day, absorbs the oils that your skin puts off, and only costs about $5. It comes in a few different colors, but I use the color translucent because it offers no pigment. I mostly just like it to set the foundation. 
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Milani could take up an entire blog with the array of products you can find right in your local drugstore! I absolutely recommend trying Milani Stay Put brow pomade. It comes with a doubled sided brush, and you can buy it in two colors. For myself, I use the lighter of the two. It truly does stay put and paired with their brow pencil to outline the brow, perfectly shaped brows are a breeze!

Have any of you tried these products? If not and you decide to, please let me know what you think! I'm dying to hear if you love them as much as I do.

​-TJ 

You guys!!! I have been trying to take a break from thrifting so frequently because my closet was getting overrun with awesome deals! (is that really a bad thing?) I have been finding a lot of things online and of course, still shopping at my favorite spots. Moving forward, I want to concentrate on building my fall wardrobe around what I saw on the runway at Fashion Week. Here are three of the super wearable trends that were common:

How beautiful are these ruffles?? I love the romanticism of this look. While the middle look is definitely more dramatic and probably wouldn't be seen walking down East Washington Street in Greenville, the idea is just gorgeous. Movement is key in fall! I love the fluidity of the ruffle look, especially when done in an unexpected color. I wouldn't choose the dusty pink color for a fall look right off the cuff, BUT as you will see below, it's a color trend in it's own right! Imagine a beautiful white ruffled shirt with a pair of neutral tan or grey denim and a great pair of booties with a bold lip. What  perfect combination!

I love this unexpected look for fall. The yellow is, obviously, more common. However, yellow paired with this dusty pink or mauve is genius. Brunettes definitely have an advantage with this combo, as it may wash us blonde girls out. My absolute favorite of these three is the sheer lace dress with the pop of yellow underneath. I love the more muted yellow or mustard tone on the brunette. This also definitely fits into my fall thought process of layering. I don't think this combination would have as much impact if they were together on one shirt or long skirt. Beautiful, yes; just not as dynamic and modern.

I was so happy to see shades of tan as a trend, because I LOVE neutrals. My closet is dripping with winter whites, greys, black, and browns. I have bought 5 thrifted pairs of boots in the last month, all in shades of tan. Yesssss! From camel to more of a tobacco tone, tans bring a lot of class to any ensemble. I especially love grey and tan together, such as the middle look. That combination can be so beautiful and professional, but also perfect for a casual fall day! And who doesn't love a tan trench coat? 

Which of these (or other) trends are you going to try and implement into your style this season??

I love to read reviews of products before I buy them. Buying from Ulta and Sephora is always great because you are allowed to return the product even after you have used it. That makes me feel better about spending a lot more money on higher end products! The less the risk, the better. So, I'm beginning a Product Spotlight series where I'll discuss, in short, a stand out product in my life. This week:

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Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo

I use this product every single day, even after I have just washed my hair. I was blessed with very soft, baby fine hair (can you sense the sarcasm) that has absolutely no texture to it. After a wash and conditioner on the ends, I dry my hair and spray this at my root all over my head. It works wonders to give a little lift to my lazy hair. 

My hair is also very dry, especially in winter, so I don't wash it every day. However day old hair can sometimes look less than attractive, so I always make sure to spray this to absorb any oils that have made their way from my scalp to my roots. It isn't powdery, smells delicious, and is the best I've found. Some dry shampoos can be visible at the root, or worse, not do anything at all. This is my go- to. Hope you give NYM's a try! 

Happy September 1st! This year doesn't seem like it should be 3/4 of the way over, but bring on Christmas! 

I don't know about you, but my work has been absolutely crazy. I'm too busy for my own good, and I'm sure most of you are too. I usually post about my business or my favorite makeup, but I wanted to do a quick post about the things that are must haves for me at this point in my ridiculously busy life!

It's a 10 Miracle Super Hold Finishing Hairspray-
​This is my go-to hairspray right now. It just takes a little bit to keep my short-but-growing-out hair in place for a really long work day. It smells great and doesn't make my hair feel like straw. Win win!

Dr. Bronners 4-in-1 Sugar Peppermine Organic Pump Soap-
This is what I use to wash my makeup off every night. I used it one evening when I ran out of my regular face wash, and.....I can't do without it now! My skin has never been clearer or more evenly balanced. Love it!

 I get my nails done every two weeks when time allows. I'm notorious for getting very bored, but CND Shellac in the color Rubble is my fall back, always and forever! It screams fall (my favorite season) and is so beautifully neutral. I love to do a sparkly accent nail or appliqué to spruce up my mani. 

Favorite wedges ever. Hands down! I bought these last year and find myself wearing them in pretty much every season, but doesn't the color just call for fall?? These shoes from Target are comfortable enough to wear for work and cute enough to wear to dinner downtown.

We got our Amazon Echo (Alexa) as a gift from my father-in-law. I had no clue what it was at first. However, we use it now, almost daily!! It's so convenient to listen to music from different artists while I'm cooking dinner and the quality of the speaker is amazing! You can have a weather update, do a workout, and have lots of questions answered. There are many uses for this voice command device. 

I bought this NYX Epic Black mousse liner on a whim one day and couldn't be happier with my decision. It glides on with ease, doesn't move all day long, and is easily removable with a face soap at the end of the day. And you can't beat it for the price!

These are a few of my current go to products from my long list of LOVES. Which ones will you try?

​-TJ