My New and Favorite "Foundation"- a review

I use shade 06-Deep Beige

About two weeks ago I went to Sephora on the hunt for a foundation or something along the lines of that.  I told a stores associate the kind of coverage I wanted (light to medium-- I want an even complexion) and my skin type (dry-- and oily on some parts of my face.)  She used the Color IQ 

 device on me-- I was pretty excited as it was my first time.  After the device came up with my results, we limited the options by coverage and skin type.  One of the last options was Big Easy by Benefit Cosmetics.  I was hesitant to buy this at first because I have not used Benefit products in some time.  The sales associate told me that this was a great product because this product turned into a powder and it also already had a primer.  I asked if I could apply this product with my fingers instead of a brush (I don't like to use brushes-- I feel that it takes too much time-- she said absolutely!  So I was sold and decided to take Big Easy home with me.

After using it for two weeks I can say that I absolutely love it.

• Great coverage--my skin tone is more even now.
• It covers blemishes.
• Stays all day
• Does not dry out my face
• Matte skin -- no traces of oil
• I love that it turns into a powder-- I get to skip a step in my routine because of this!

I apply this with my fingers and I think it looks better than if I were to use a brush.  However, you have to spread this product quickly so that it does not streak.  The woman who helped me at Sephora told me to apply moisturizer before applying this product.  This is because I have dry skin, and if my skin is not moisturized I will risk it caking up.

I highly recommend this product.  

-Diana 

Plans for Winter Break

So apparently, I have made it through my first trimester of college, and I have no idea how.  I took my last final this morning and am now incredibly sad that I am on winter break--What? I actually really like college and I am going to miss it for the next six weeks that I have off.  But, I will also take advantage of all of this time.

Looking ahead to these three few weeks.

• I have a job now, so I will be trying to work a lot so that I can save up some cash money!
• I will read a lot!! I am so disappointed in my lack of reading lately.
• I will write--anything, just as long as I am being creative.
• I will blog regularly--sorry I have been lacking in posts these past few weeks.
• I will bake and or cook.
• I will study/read/ prepare for my classes next trimester.
• I will reorganize my room--things are a bit misplaced right now.
• I will do christmasy things.
• I will relax-- but not too much, I don't want to waste my time. 
• I will do yoga, even if it is simple and short, but so long as I am moving!

This winter I will also be going to Mexico for the Holidays.  I will be there the last 2-3 weeks of my winter break.  I will be visiting family and also going to the beach (Puerto Vallarta).  I will make sure to take you along with me and show you my adventures.

I have made a list of things that I want to do because I do not want to waste my time.  I want to try and get some things done over break.  I thought the best way for me to do this was to start by writing it down and being honest with myself and the things that I can actually accomplish.  The list above is made up of what I truly hope to accomplish.  For some it may seem simple, but for me, its small things like this that will keep me from sleeping and watching Netflix all day.

-Diana

Shopping for a Cause

Two days ago, Target (my personal Mecca) and TOMS teamed up together to create a collection that is not only cute but also gives back to people in need.

The collection is not only limited to shoes, there is: homeware, clothing, and accessories. And each item has a specific item that will be donated such as shoes, blankets, or meals. I think this is a fantastic collaboration because not only is it relatively cheap (everything is under $50) but it is cute and functional. Plus, there is a chance to make a huge difference in peoples lives with the items being donated since Target is such a big corporation and a lot of people shop there.

Let me show you some of my favorite pieces of the collection that I will be picking up this Thanksgiving Break...

$16 each; Gives one week of meals to Americans in need

Mugs are either $12 or $15; each give on week of meals

Blankets are $30; each gives a blanket to a person in need 

Scarves are $20 and Beanies are $16; each give a blanket to someone in need

Candle is $15; gives one week of meals to someone in need 

Set of Journals are $10; give one week of meals to a person in need 

All of these items are great as gifts for people for the Holidays or as a gift to yourself! Most of the collection is neutral so it works with everything and can appeal to anyone's tastes. There are a lot of great other items for men, children, homeware, and accessories. Please check out the entire collection here. And remember don't feeling guilty, because you are shopping for a cause!

-Emily

P.S. Sorry I have not been blogging much, I am trying to get a lot of work done before this upcoming (and much needed) Thanksgiving Break! 

My go-to jacket

Fall has been cut short.  The weather in Chicago this week has felt like the middle of winter; and, many parts of the country have already experienced snow!  But, I like to embrace every season and face any kind of weather.  I have found that one jacket in particular has been perfect for the sudden changes in weather.  So I must thank my navy blue quilted jacket!  I love quilted jackets because I find them to be stylish and classic.  They are not something trendy that will go out of style quickly.

I love my quilted jacket because it matches basically every outfit that I wear.  It also isn't too bulky, which has to be my favorite part about it.  If it is a more frigid day then it is also easy to just layer up with a quilted jacket.

So you gotta love Burberry for it's classic designs.  But, you can find similar quilted jackets at other places too!--And for a much more affordable price. I bought mine at H&M this past September and I am sure you can find one at many other stores this season.  

I love how quilted jackets can be styled with many outfits.

They also look great on men!

  -Diana

On the hunt!

Good Morning people of the internet!  Lately, I have been obsessing over finding a foundation.  Yet, I have not actually tried to look for one.  For me foundation is so overwhelming.  There are so many to choose from and I am afraid that some products may not be the right ones for me.  How will I ever find the right one?  I have never been a fan of putting foundation on my face, but for some reason I now feel that I need it.  I want a more even complexion, so I feel that light coverage will suit me.  But still, I have no idea how to go about this.  I think I am just going to walk into Sephora soon (hopefully this weekend) and take a swing at it, and buy whatever they recommend for me.

I'll be sure to let you know what I end up purchasing and I will also do a review.

Makeup can be so stressful--can't a fairy come and tell me what will work for me--?

-Diana

Petite Moment: Going Home for the Holidays

I was just innocently listening to my Pandora on shuffle, when suddenly Michael Bublé's version of 'It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas' came on and it got me thinking about how excited I was to go home for the holidays. There is just something so nostalgic about Christmas music and winter time. I have always been a homebody and always spent most of my winters shacked up in my house. This led to me hanging out with my family way too often, so now that I am in college and don't get to do that, I really miss it. 

I am super excited to go home for Thanksgiving Break in a couple of weeks, it's going to be a week of catching up on sleep, eating, seeing old friends, and being with my entire family (and homework, but let's not talk about that...) I wouldn't call what I am experiencing "homesickness" because I am completely okay and not sad, but being away for college has given me a deeper appreciation of my home. Before, I used to take that comfort for granted since it was all I knew but now I am thankful when I go home and treasure every moment of it. Winter Break is also coming soon so that will give me about a month to really soak everything from home in. Also, I would like to mention that I am seriously missing the city!! I have always been a city girl at heart and the other day I watched this video on Facebook that seriously gave me the chills. The city of Chicago is so beautiful and filled with life. So I am definitely going to have to visit all of my favorite spots for shopping, eating, and etc. 

So the lesson of this post is: never take anything good in life in granted, because one day (for various reasons) it won't always be available. 

Are you in college or away from home and experiencing similar things? Let me know below!

Have a great weekend!

-Emily

Petite Moment: I Voted!!

Hey! I haven't posted in over a week... ahhh so upsetting!  I hope that you all find yourselves doing well!

Starting college has been great, and although it is not the "real world," it is a step closer.  Starting college has allowed me to feel more free and independent.  There are more responsibilities, but also more opportunities to have fun and enjoy life.

Voting is another great responsibility that I have encountered during my first year of college.  Today when I was at the polls I was excited and super happy.  When I was filling out my ballet, it finally hit me, that I am making a difference and contributing to society.  Voting is a simple task, yet, it is extremely important.  Voting today made me think about all the time I spent retaining facts about history and learning about our nations Democracy.  We learn as young children about our Nation, but we are left waiting until we are 18 to vote.  Today it felt great to not be a kid anymore and actually have the opportunity to have a say in the direction that our country is headed.

Dear College Students,
VOTE!  We are young and have a lot of time ahead of us to live in this country.  Let's start voicing our opinions now, for a better future.  Its crazy to think about how sheltered we were not too long ago, but I promise we are ready to vote.
p.s. So it might be too late to vote today, but next time --> make sure you vote!

Did anyone vote this year?  If it was your first time, how did it feel to vote?

-Diana

Petite Moment: Weekend Recap

Hello everyone! Hope you had a great Halloween weekend! Today I just wanted to give you a quick recap of how my weekend went.

Friday:

My friends from home came to visit me for the weekend, so we all went out together. My roommate and I were Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, I think it was pretty much a hit to everyone who is a Spongebob fan (which is like the whole world, right?)

Saturday:

We spent the day hanging out and eating and napping (typical). And again at night we went out but this time my roommate, my friend, and I decided to be the 3 blind mice. 

Sunday:

Again the day time was spent hanging out, eating, and napping until our friends had to leave to go back home. After they went home, my roommate and I cleaned the disaster that was our room after the weekend. Then the rest of the night was dedicated to homework and catching up on American Horror Story. 

I had a great weekend filled with good times, laughs, and new and old friends! 

How was your Halloween weekend? What were your costumes?

I hope you have a great week!

-Emily