What’s In My Travel Makeup Bag.

Hey there, bow friends!

I know summer is starting or has started soon for everyone and that’s a time where everyone goes on trips.  I thought I’d share with you what I keep in my travel bag as far as makeup goes.  I did a post way back when of what brushes I travel with if you’re interested and they haven’t changed!

My makeup bag is actually one of four clear bags in the Mary Kay Travel Roll-Up bag which my Grandma got for me as a gift!  It’s super handy and I love the clear pouches.  It holds so many products which makes it ideal for travel.

Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray/Almay Clear Complexion Concealer/Maybelline Baby Lips in Peppermint/Q-tip Travel Pack/NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker/Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Brown and Nude/MAC Mystery Eyeshadow/Estee Lauder Eye Shadow in Tea Biscuit/Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting concealer in Buff/Cover Girl LashBlast Fusion Waterproof in Very Black/Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze/Wet N Wild Megalast Lip Color in Sugar Plum Fairy/L’Oreal Colore Riche Le Balm in Nourishing Nude/Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess/MAC Face and Body in C4/Wet N Wild Eye Shadow Trio in Silent Treatment/e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzer Duo/Maybelline Great Lash in Clear/Urban Decay Eye shadow in Half Baked

A lot of these products like Tea Biscuit and Mystery shadows are multi use.  Multi use products allow for you to pack less and not sacrifice how good your makeup looks.  All of these products fit well in my bag and offer a variety of looks.  I think it’s important to pack a nude lip as well as a statement lip just in case you’re feeling more demure or saucy.  Cream shadows like the Color Tattoo can stand alone or work well with other powder shadows.  I’m pretty happy with the products I’ve narrowed my travel bag down to as I was always an intense over packer.

I hope this was helpful in some way or offered some insight on how to downsize that makeup pouch.

I hope you all are doing well!  We shall talk soon.

-Tara Joy ❤

Bites with Beau: Guacamole Love.

Hey there, bow friends!

Today I’ve got something a little different for you all.  As I mentioned on my beau’s birthday, he loves to cook.  I definitely caught the cooking bug when we started dating.  One of our all time favorite things to do is cook together no matter what it is.  I’ve never been well-known for something I cook, but one thing beau gets really excited for me to make is guacamole.  Truth be told, I had hated guacamole for most of forever…up until 2 years ago when I basically started living at Chipotle.  Even better, beau likes to have chipotle at least 1,047 times a week. One day, I thought I would have a crack at making some guac since it is just so freaking delectable.  I thought I would share how I do it with you all since it’s such a hit with beau.

Ingredients:

-2 Hass Avocados

-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

-1 Whole Small Yellow Onion

-1/4 Teaspoon Rosemary

-1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder or Minced Fresh Garlic for Onions, 1/4 for Avocado

-1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

-2 Small Limes

-Salt to Taste

-Black Pepper

First things first!  Let’s get things prepped.  I slice the absolutely scrumptious looking avocados in half and get started on chopping onions.  I slice them thin rather than dice them because-next step- 2 tablespoons of olive oil go into a sauté pan on medium heat.  Sometimes, I’ll stick the onions with the olive oil into a bowl first to coat them, but no need to dirty another dish.  The chopped onion goes into the pan with a dash of rosemary and a 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.  This is about the time that beau will come and give the pan a good shake to coat the onions.  I cook them for about 5-6 minutes or until they become translucent.

While the onions are getting warm and cozy, I use a spoon to scoop out the avocados into a bowl, grab a fork or masher, and get to mashing.  I keep mashing away until I get a creamy lump-free consistency. Because I’ve got no fear and much love for garlic, I’ll add 1/4 teaspoon garlic to this avocado as well as 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro.  When the onions are ready to go, they’ll get thoroughly mixed into the avocado mash.

Lemon or limes, I’m not picky when it comes to my guacamole.  Recently we opted for limes and used 1 and a half limes worth of juice for the avocado mixture.  It really brings out the freshness of the avocado.  Lastly, a dash of black pepper, possibly some crushed red pepper flakes if I’m feeling extra vivacious, and salt to taste.  After a good stir, that is that!  I like to serve it chilled for chips or maybe salad.

My favorite thing to get at Chipotle is a salad with fajita veggies (vegetarian option- but also!  Chipotle is going to start serving tofu! Woo!) and all the fixings.  I love the honey vinaigrette they give with it, but in our own version we opted for a squeeze of lime juice with some salt.  With so much flavor from the other components, no need to over power it all. When I make guacamole we tend to put it over brown rice or quinoa (we like the black kind), beans, some kind of tomato and corn relish, and lettuce.  This time we opted for Spinach leaves and zero rice to keep it light.

Depending on our moods, we’ll add more or less of any given ingredient.  It’s up to you, really.  I’d love to add some mango or peaches to it for spring and summer time.  I love fruity additions to anything with a little kick.

Let me know if you all give it a go.  You can tell me how it went in the comments or tweet me a picture on twitter!  I’d love to see how it went.  We shall talk soon!

-Tara Joy  ❤

Wishes: Saving Face.

Hey there, bowies! Finals are complete, you guys!  I’m so happy and stress free.  My beau has moved into a new apartment so I’ve spent a lot of make up free days while helping him unpack and making frequent trips to IKEA.  I’ve been really wishing for some new face products to help keep my skin nice and fresh for summer and I thought I’d share some of them with you.

• Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector – I’ve been on the look out for a mattifying primer.  As summer approaches (although it’s already 87 and not spring at all down here) I’m looking for any way to keep the oil at bay.  This is a silicon-free primer that has an 8 hour claim of keeping things matte.  I’ve never tried a Becca product before, but I’ve only ever heard amazing things.  It has a hefty price tag at $36.00, which is the only thing keeping me from trying it right now.
• REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask – I first got the REN bug after reading this post by Kate at gh0stparties about products used for pore minimizing.  If you’ve ever watched one of Kate’s videos, you’d understand why she made me want this product.  She’s got that spunk where you just feel like you’re talking to a friend of yours who has A+ taste. Enough of my girl crush gushing.  The warm weather gets me in the mood for a detox.  A pore detox sounds so refreshing and a good mask is a nice bath tub, relaxation companion.  Anything to help clear out and shrink pores is at the top of my list.
• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Nourishing Lip Balm – I’ve never used anything from Elizabeth Arden and I think starting with their famous Eight Hour Cream products would be the way to go.  As you know, I’ve been loving my hydrating and soothing lip products, so why not add another to my arsenal?
• Bioderma Crealine H2O Ultra-mild Non-rinse Face and Eye Cleanser – Bioderma isn’t something I’m new to.  When my beau and I went to Belgium over the summer, I had many opportunities to pop into french pharmacies and explore.  Of course, I snagged some of this highly raved, blogger-loving water.  It took about a month and that travel size bottle was dry.  I have about half of a travel size of the Bioderma H2O Sebium which I don’t love as much as the original Bioderma, but I’m savoring it.  I think it’s time to repurchase and this time I want it in the biggest size they’ve got.

I hope you all are having an awesome start to summer.  If you’re still taking exams or stuck in your studies, good luck.  You can do this.  Power through.  You’ve got this.

We shall talk super soon!  I can’t wait to get back into my blogging groove.

-Tara Joy ❤

A College Life for Me: Finally Finals.

I wish I was sleeping like Faye rather than sleeping in my books.

Hey there, bow friends!

This is just a quick post to let you know that finals week is here.  I’m so stuck in a study guide rut right now.  I’ve got 4 tests coming up (Even one on Saturday at 8 am.  Can you believe that?!) and a 200 question study guide..and a 5 page paper..and another 5 page paper.  So I’m kinda, you know, busy.  Classes end today, but finals start Saturday.  I promise I’ll be up and posting again next week.  I’ll be back with a lot of beauty reviews as well as some exciting news!

Talk to you all soon! Wish me luck!

-Tara Joy ❤

Day 5 – Warby Parker x Beaus and Bows.

Hi there, bow friends!

Welcome to the final day of my collaboration with Warby Parker.  I’m so sad to see the end of this, I really had a lot of fun.  When I first got the box I knew which were my favorites.  I tried the Percey in Striped Sassafras on and didn’t want to take them off.  The last role I’ll be presenting is, well, myself. These frames feel very me.  Neutral and flattering, I think these complement my face shape the best and they’re super comfortable.  As far as outfit photos go, due to the continuously terrible weather, we couldn’t find the right space to get a photo that didn’t have a busy background.  What’s nice is that since I’m talking about me as purely myself, what’s more personal than those mirror pictures you take and never share?

This is my second no makeup post of the week!  I’m going to be honest, I have no fear of pictures of myself without makeup.  I think it’s important to feel good in your own skin.  Nothing wrong with some concealer and liner, but I like to give my skin time to breathe every once in a while.  Especially during the warmer months.

Here’s a sneak peek at beau since you don’t ever see much of him! He’s actually 6’5″ and I’m 5’3″ so he doesn’t fit into most of my mirror documentation of my outfits.

Best picture of my dress (unfortunately) is a personal selfie.  This is my go-to dress for days when I have no idea what to wear.  It’s the good luck/good impression dress.  I picked it up at a boutique a few years ago and it’s survived many wears nicely.  I haven’t been able to find a similar dress online, but when I find one I’ll update you on it.  Since that one isn’t necessarily attainable or dupe-able at the moment, here’s another shameless selfie.

Boyfriend t-shirt (same shirt, different print)/Jeans (same in different color)

These frames just make me feel relaxed and comfortable.  Like this outfit which is also one of my favorites.  I love getting these boyfriend fit tops from Cotton on.  If you catch them at the right time they’re on sale for $5.  Bargainess.  These jeans are so comfortable and I’m in love with polka dot print.  On me, these are a normal length, but they’re supposed to be kind of like capris.  Short girl problems.

And that is the end of my Warby week.  I should have called it that all along.  I’ve really loved this experience and had so much fun styling all these frames.  Which do you think I should get?  Let me know in the comments!

We shall talk soon!

-Tara Joy ❤

Day 4 – Warby Parker x Beaus and Bows.

Hey, bow friends!

This week is moving so slowly, but believe it or not, I’m really loving posting so frequently.  It’s a  breath of fresh air on this research paper filled days.

Today I’m sharing with you the pair my parents liked, the Sims in Violet Magnolia. This is the perfect opportunity to show you my go-to daughtery outfit.  My parents are big on going out on family dinners and this would be something I’d wear on one of our outings for Italian or sushi.  Unfortunately, due to odd weather, there weren’t a lot of good shots of what was going on glasses wise, but I’ll include as much as I can.

The Sims are in Violet Magnolia are such a beautiful pair of frames.  The violet accents along the frame really flattered my skin tone as well as my brown eyes.  Their rectangle shape isn’t as blunt or bold as the Reynold or the Clyde, but still offers structure.

I stuck to the same, simple make up for this outfit too as I don’t feel the need to slather on a lot of makeup if I’m just going to dinner with my family. This dress, cardigan, and sandals combination is something I use constantly when I’m trying to look more “family friendly.”  This cardigan is actually a men’s Ralph Lauren wool cardigan with brown leather elbow patches.  It was a steal at $17 on sale considering it was a $245 cardigan.  It pays to look in the men’s clearance section.   Like my studded smoking slippers, these are my go-to shoes for warmer days.  I have run these sandals into the ground and they’re still going strong.  Here’s to another very hopeful 2 years!  My bag is a tapestry bag I picked up at a department store in Germany over the summer.  I’ve just taken it out of its closet retirement to take the place of my brown structured bag. Poor thing needed a break.

Creepy lip picture ohmygawsh.

The dress is plain and simple which is why I added the peter pan collar necklace to break things up and offer some more interest. I love peter pan collars and this is the first collar necklace I’ve really fallen for.  It’s not too overwhelming and isn’t physically heavy.  I think it helps amplify the retro attitude of the Sims frame.

Peter Pan Collar Necklace (similar)/dress/cardigan/Sandals (similar)

Thanks for reading, guys!  We’ve only got one day left, and I’m saving the best for last!

We shall talk soon!

-Tara Joy ❤

Day 3 – Warby Parker X Beaus and Bows.

Hey, bow friends!

So I know I said I’d be showing you all the frames my parents like in yesterday’s post, but due to technology loathing me today, I’m going to show you the ones my beau liked best – the Reynold in Revolver Black. Being someone’s girlfriend isn’t necessarily a role in life that should change who you are as a person.  Being a girlfriend hasn’t affected how I dress or do my makeup, but it has affected me greatly in other ways (I’m a very happy girl.).  It’s important to be yourself no matter who you’re with.  So for this outfit I let my beau choose.  I know, that’s a little counterintuitive, but it was kind of a way to see what he knows about my style.  I wouldn’t say it was a test, but uh..

The Reynold are a pair of rectangular shaped, classic black frames.  I’m going to be honest, I feel like an attractive librarian in these.  I love how blunt and bold they are, but I’m not sure I could see myself loving such a bold pair everyday.  Beau loves them though.

My face products are the same as yesterday’s except for my lips.  Beau, like a lot of guys, like less make up so I kept it neutral with the L’oreal Colour Riche Balm in 818 Nourishing Nude.  It’s a my-lips, but-better kind of color.

I promise I’ll practice posing in less awkward ways – gimme a break guys, I’m rusty.

Dress (different print)/ Bow (similar)/Shoes/Necklace (gift, but similar)

I think beau did pretty spectacularly with the outfit.  This is exactly the same outfit I wore on a day of Playlist live actually!  The dress is a silhouette I really like and the fun print really goes well with the simple and bold Reynolds.  It’s super comfortable and I think he hit my style spot on.

And that’s that with this short and sweet post!

I”ll let you guys in on which pair my parents liked tomorrow (God and technology willing).  I hope you’re all enjoying this collaboration as much as I am! We shall talk tomorrow.

-Tara Joy ❤

PS – The beau wanted to make sure we were all aware of how awesome that plane is!

Day 2 – Warby Parker x Beaus and Bows.

Hey there, bow friends!

Welcome to day two of the Warby Parker X B&B collaboration take over (read that in a wrestling announcer voice please, thank you).  Yesterday I styled the Warby Parker Sinclair frames in Midnight Blue in the style of the blogger.  Today we’re moving into a more publicly acceptable form of super comfy clothing – the student.

The Clyde frames in Blue Marblewood  were my pick for an everyday-in-class look.  They have a classic, vintage frame shape and the color of the frames themselves are pretty neutral.  The hints of powder blue give them a little something extra.  They definitely add some character to my outfit, which I’m in love with.

Face - Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream in Medium/Deep /Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent/Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 02/MAC Mystery Eyeshadow (used through the brows)/Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara (through the brows)/Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliner in 005 Nude/Covergirl LashBlast Fusion in Black/Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 410 Blissful Berry

When it comes to a normal day of school , make up takes the back seat.  My school makeup look focuses on two things: bold brows and bold lips.  With glasses, it’s important not to use a liquid or cream foundation, at least not over your nose.  The product will get grimy and cake onto your glasses.  This will make them dirty as well as a playground for bacteria that you’re putting on your nose.  Nasty.  So I only powdered over my nose area.  Plus, I like my glasses to be my makeup so shadow and no liner.  Nude liner in the water line will help brighten up the eyes and make you look like you weren’t watching The Office all night on Netflix.

Cardigan (same brand, but similar)/Star Wars tee (similar)/Leggings (similar)/Flats

If you couldn’t tell by my frizzy hair, it was rainy and a bit humid out.  You know what that means?  Comfy, cozy outfit to the rescue.  For this outfit I stuck to my most PJ like attire.  I am crazy about cardigans and wore this super long, black one from the Gap to help make the fact that I was wearing these awesome leggings (from DailyLook)  a little more acceptable (No bums exposed here.). I love basics from the Gap because they last ages – I’ve had this one for 4 years.  I’m going to be straight forward with you about this t-shirt.  One day it ended up in my clean laundry.  It wasn’t mine.  Wasn’t my brother’s either.  So I kept it.  3 years later, one of my brother’s friends mentioned how once upon a time he lost a Star Wars shirt after being at our house one night.  Needless to say..it’s mine now.  Dibs.  It’s so unbelievably soft and even better, I get to show off some of my Star Wars pride.

This may look posed, but I was really trying to fit in some time to get some reading done. Gotta finish a novel for next week. Ahh the life of a college student.

Now, I’m not a leggings girl.  Not at all.  Leggings as pants?  Not my thing either.  I had some credit from Dailylook at one point and I used it on these velvet leggings.  What was I thinking?  Who knows.  But I’m glad I did it.  These are high-waisted and cozy as can be.  It’s like wearing acceptable sweat pants to class.  As mentioned in my monthly favorites, these Aldo flats are my number 1 pick.  They go with every thing and add a little edge and interest to most outfits.

And that is that!  How do you like these frames compared to yesterday’s?  I love them both. Decisions, decisions.  We’ll get chatting about another glasses pairing tomorrow.  I’ll let you know now, my mama loves them.

Talk to you tomorrow!

-Tara Joy ❤

Day 1 – Warby Parker x Beaus and Bows.

Hi there, bow friends!

Remember in my last update post how I said I had to get glasses for night driving?  Well I never settled on a pair.  Shortly after my post went up I was contacted by Warby Parker who asked if I’d style some glasses my way. If you want to try some of their specs, you could go to one of their stores or you could use their Home Try-On Program. You choose 5 pairs that you think will look killer and they’ll ship them for free for you to mess around with.  The shipping was fast and it was really easy to do.  Something special about Warby Parker is that when you buy a pair of glasses from Warby Parker, they’ll send a pair to someone in need.  You’re helping your eyesight and someone who needs some visual clarity too.  Win win.

Warby Parker sent me a little snippet to include for you all to be a little more familiar and informed about what they do and how they do it.

“A collaboration between four close friends, Warby Parker was conceived as an alternative to the overpriced and bland eyewear available today. Prescription eyewear simply should not cost $300+. The industry is controlled by a few large companies that have kept prices artificially high, reaping huge profits from consumers who have no other options. By circumventing traditional channels and engaging with customers directly through our website, Warby Parker is able to provide higher-quality, better-looking prescription eyewear at a fraction of the price. In addition, for every pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses purchased, we provide a pair to someone in need.”

I wanted to share with you all which 5 pairs I chose as well as how I’d style them.  I took it a bit further than your average OOTD.  Each frame was unique in their own way and I related them to different roles I play in my life – the blogger, the student, the girlfriend, the daughter, and the friend.  So everyday for the next 5 days, you’ll get to see what these awesome pairs of glasses inspired me to wear. I haven’t done outfit posts in a while and am excited for this great opportunity to get back into them.  Let’s get into the first pairing!

Here’s a look at some products you’ll see in the future!

Bottoms/Top (similar)/Glasses

The first pair I chose were the Sinclair in Midnight Blue.  This cute blue pair reminded me of B&B in particular and I immediately decided these were definitely “the blogger” frames.  For this look, I’m giving you the sneak peek at what it’s like to be me when I’m blogging.  Instead of sitting in some cozy corner coffee shop, sipping a latte, and eating a scone in platform heels and perfect winged liner, I sit in bed in sweatpants sans make up.  What I love about glasses is their ability to be your makeup.  So here’s my bare face!  I love the slightly round, slight square shape of these frames.  They’re a classic style that would flatter a lot of face shapes.

I hope you guys enjoy this!  Another outfit post is coming your way tomorrow.  Can you handle this much Tara time?!  By the way, this silly outtake is here gracing your internet space because my beau insisted the world see my odd expressions.  He’s a keeper.

What do you think of this pair?  Do you have glasses from Warby Parker?  Let me know!

We’ll talk tomorrow!  Until then, feel free to talk to me on twitter or even shoot me an email!  I would love to make some new buddies.  Have a look at Warby Parker too!

-Tara Joy ❤

Seascape Island Apothecary Peppermint Lip Balm Review.

Hey, bow friends!

How’re you all doing? Finals are making their way into my life and I’m not going to lie, I’m getting in a slump about it. In order to take a break from avoiding my studies..I thought I’d do a review!

A few weeks ago I got an email from Seonaid of Beauty and Baggage (one of my favorite reads!) saying I had won her giveaway! Not only was I basically wetting myself because she emailed me, but I was also pumped about winning a giveaway for the first time! I received my little parcel in the mail last week and thought I’d share my thoughts.
So the little goodie I got is the Seascape Island Apothecary Peppermint Lip Balm. The packaging of the product is absolutely adorable. The box itself is embellished and embossed with teal flowers all over. When opened up, it forms into this artistic origami magical little presentation. You might not feel the same, but I was impressed. The balm itself comes in a heavy glass pot with a sturdy, screw top lid. I’ve mentioned in the past how I’m not a big fan of having to dip my fingers into products which is the downfall of this packaging for me. It comes with .35 ounces of the balm itself.

Seascape Island Apothecary is quite the beautiful brand. Their products are paraben, silicone, petroleum, and SLS free. They don’t use artificial fragrances or colors and don’t test on animals. I actually am pretty excited about the products not containing all that nasty gunk. I’ve been getting into paraben free products lately as well as just more all natural products. I think all natural and pure is the way to go for the spring and summer and I’m very lucky to have gotten this just in time. I do wish it had an SPF though. I will say, I think this is a more of a luxury brand. The lip balm runs at £10.00 or $15.24.

The lip balm has a natural peppermint scent which fades away when applied. I like to think of it as like a softening oil for your lips. It’s gentle and leaves my lips feeling extremely satiny. That satin feeling offers what I like to think of as the perfect lip primer for lipstick. I find that this actually soaks in slowly and keeps that slippery balmy feeling on your lips for a while. In order to apply it, I rub my finger tip in small circles on the surface of the balm. The heat from my finger tips kind of warms it up and gives. The balm itself is a bit stiff and initially I couldn’t get a lot of product from it, but I’ve gotten to the point where I know how long to rub my finger on it to get enough balm. I’ve been using a few different lip balms recently and this one has very easily fallen into rotation with the rest. I really love using this product through out the day and pray I never see the day when it runs out.

This is Pixel’s blog debut! He wouldn’t leave us alone while taking these pool side pictures.

And that was that! Have you ever used a product from Seascape? I think their products make great gifts or just something to get as a nice treat.

I hope you’re all doing well. I’ve been tweeting away this week and really want to get in touch with all of you! Let’s have a chat!

We shall talk soon!

-Tara Joy ❤