Unique Totes! Limeade Handmade :)

A video review of this is long overdue, but I have been so busy with school that I've hardly had any time for YouTube! I thought I would write a quick blog review until I have time to film the review it deserves.

A few months ago, I was contacted by a woman named Liz about a new business she was starting, featuring handmade totes and unique bags. She also has a beauty channel on YouTube which is great! Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/bargainbeauty365

Her business is called "Limeade Handmade," which is an adorable name that reminds me so much of my childhood, for some reason! Here's the link to her Etsy store, which I really hope you visit and browse!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LimeadeHandmade

She sent me a tote of my choosing, and I picked a bold floral pattern that has almost a tribal influence. The first thing that came to mind when I spotted it was one of Vera Bradley's bold, colorful prints, so I was excited to try it out.

My favorite thing about the bag is that the print is very transitional. When paired with a cute sundress in beige, cream or another neutral color, this tote is perfect as a casual, beachy spring/summer accessory. At the same time, the beautiful burnt reds and oranges in the color scheme allow to to also function as a great fall or winter accessory. This tote lends an unexpected and intriguing pop of color to any outfit. I can see matching this with a pair of adorable red flats and a statement headband with a red fabric flower!

Here are some other designs that I really love:


I love this unique, abstract neon design! I would pair it with a pair of dark-washed boot cut jeans, a fitted white ribbed tank under a light black cardigan, and black flats. The outfit itself is pretty basic and casual, but this would create a burst of visual interest.


This design is simple and sweet, and perfect for spring. I would pair it with a white sun dress for another one of those pops of color. I can also imagine using this as a beach tote paired with a neon-green bikini (neon looks great on tan skin!) underneath a white jersey tube dress.


Let me say that I love almost ANYTHING that has paisley! This bag, to me, has a country feel to it. I would wear it with a girly white sundress and a pair of black cowboy boots to really play off of that western vibe. I would also wear it with a flowy black top, a pair of dark-washed denim shorty-shorts, and a pair of simple black flats or flip flops to add some visual interest to a casual ensemble.

Another great thing about this company is that whatever you purchase from it will be virtually one-of-a-kind. There are a ton of beautiful, unique prints to choose from in varying color schemes and patterns ranging from simplistic and modern, to fun and whimsical. Liz has also mentioned that she would open to working with you on custom orders -- through Etsy, you can message a seller and request specific fabrics, patterns, color schemes, etc., and the seller will let you know whether your vision can be made possible. This allows you to find the bag that expresses your personality 100%.

The quality of the bag is fantastic. The straps are sewn sturdily and there has been absolutely no wear and tear, even though I've lugged the tote all over the place! These are a far cry from the cheap, disposable totes you can buy for 1-2 bucks at Forever21, and are going to last you forever as long as you take good care of them.

All her totes are hand-sewn and come in various sizes - small, medium and large. I have the small size, which is ideal, as I use it as a makeup bag. I am constantly transporting makeup back and forth between my dorm and my boyfriend's, depending on where I'm filming. This bag fits both of my Coastal Scents 88 palettes, a plastic zipper pouch full of my lipsticks, concealer, foundation and other cream products, and all the makeup brushes I need.

Since I use it as a makeup bag, there is always the chance for spillage and smudging -- you girls all know what I mean! I've ruined at least one good bag due to a lipstick melting over the interior on a hot day. What's great about Limeade Handmade is that most of her totes are washable, so this problem is easily fixed.

Finally, the bags are very reasonably priced. The largest ones cost $15, which is a great deal considering the time and effort Liz pours into every project. It's also a very reasonable price to pay for a bag that will be completely unique to you! The small-sized bags cost $10 apiece, again very reasonable.

In short, I really recommend you check out her Etsy shop and both her YouTube channels. She is a great person and really deserves attention and support from the beauty community in her endeavors! I always like to help shine a spotlight on women who take the initiative to pursue what they love.

Thanks so much for reading this review! Till next time! :)

Rave! Mea Culpa Body & Bath

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll probably know that my latest obsession has been handmade bath and body products off of Etsy. I've discovered so many great sellers, but one has stood out in particular. I am planning on filming a video review and *possibly* hosting a mini contest with this company's products, but I thought I would create a blog post anyway!

First off, I want to mention that everything I'll mention here was purchased with my own money or given as a gift by my boyfriend. I know people tend to be suspicious of sponsored reviews. Not that my opinion would change even if this were sponsored -- but I just want to get across that I paid for all these products and I think they're worth every single cent and more!

The company is called "Mea Culpa Body & Bath." It's owned by a woman name Jasmina, whom I've talked with via YouTube and Etsy convos, and she seems like a really cool person! You can tell she really loves what she does and she is always glad to help answer your questions or help you create a custom order on Etsy. Check out the shop here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MeaCulpaBodyandBath

And her YouTube channel here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/meaculpabodyandbath


Now let's get into reviews of the products I've tried.

1) "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" Face & Hand Cream w/ Shea Butter


This is designed to be a dupe for the "Honey I Washed the Kids" scent by Lush, and it is very very similar, though not 100%. I almost like this fragrance better -- it's a little less "edible," and a little more floral, in my opinion. Very feminine! The cream itself has a fantastic whipped texture. I use it on my face at night and in the morning right after washing my face and it moisturizes incredibly without leaving the greasy feel I associate with store-brand lotions. It has not broken me out AT ALL, which is great, because the original soap from Lush caused a horrible breakout all over my chest/back. This comes in a variety of scents, and I HIGHLY recommend you try it out!

2) Blackberry Amber Handmade Skin Softening & Conditioning Soap



I received this as a free sample with the cream above. It isn't a scent I would have ever picked out on my own - typically avoid "amber," musky and herbal scents and stay toward brighter, fruity or floral fragrances. But I am so glad I received this! It lathers very well and is incredibly moisturizing, as the title claims. Best of all, the scent clings softly to the skin. This is the best soap to shower with right before bed, because the amber scent really relaxes you and lulls you to sleep, in my opinion.

3) 1/2 oz samples of goats milk soap in the following fragrances:
Brown Sugar
Midnight Pomegranate
Very Sexy (Victoria Secret Type)
Pink Sugar
Christmas Cookie
Code (Georgio Armani)
Pink Sugar
Happy Men
L'eau d'Issey Miyake

She sells all of these fragrances and more in her Goats Milk Soap section. I simply couldn't decide on which fragrances to get, so I asked her if there were any way I could get samples. She happily created a custom listing, and sent me samples of these fragrances. Each came in an adorable little heart shape with a floral design in the center. I've used almost all of them at least once -- and even though they're tiny, they've lasted me a good 3+ washings apiece. I use a loofah and simply store them in a dry space afterwards.

The bottom two are men's fragrances which I bought for my boyfriend. I love them both, but prefer Happy Men and will probably repurchase him the full sized bar. Both smell exactly like men's cologne and make him smell incredible. :) If you ever want to pamper your boyfriend, I recommend one of the men's fragrances. Specialty soaps are something that most men probably wouldn't have the guts to buy for themselves, but I guarantee you they will love it as a gift. :)

My three TOP favorites, which I 100% know I'll repurchase in full size bars, are "Brown Sugar," "Midnight Pomegranate," and "Very Sexy." More details:

Brown Sugar


I am really big into "edible" type scents -- chocolate, coffee, cake, fruits, etc. -- and this one is honestly my all-time favorite. It smells exactly like brown sugar with maple-y, caramel-y undertones... I seriously want to take a bite out of it! The full-sized bar contains brown sugar to exfoliate the body, which I think is ingenious!


Midnight Pomegranate


This is a perfect dupe for the Bath & Body Works fragrance. It smells sweet yet sophisticated and the scent clings to the skin long after bathing.


Very Sexy


This is a dupe for the Victoria's Secret Very Sexy fragrance. I'm typically not a perfume fan, usually opting for body splashes or body sprays. This soap has a distinctly "perfume"-y fragrance, but I find myself in love with it anyway. It makes me feel beyond feminine and incredibly pampered. This is another scent that really holds onto the skin for hours. I love it!

That's it for my mini blog-review of Mea Culpa Body & Bath. Check out her shop and if you purchase anything, tell her Sarah sent you. :)


FTC: As I mentioned, all products were purchased with my own money or received as a gift from the BF. :) I'm not affiliated with this company -- just a huge fan! I'm not being compensated for this review, and every statement is 100% genuine. Photographs of products were used from her Etsy site, listed above, and are not my property.

Blog Sale

PLEASE READ BEFORE SHOPPING:

Pricing: Prices are non-negotiable.

Shipping: Shipping is free of charge for North American residents. For other international buyers, I will charge only as much as necessary to send the items to you. Smaller items will come in a plain white envelope wrapped in tissue paper to ensure safety. Larger items will arrive in a bubble mailer.

Acceptable forms of payment: PayPal or Debit/Credit Card.

How to purchase: E-mail me at ciaobella059@gmail.com listing the items you would like to purchase. I will send you the invoice as soon as I receive your e-mail. First come, first served.

Return policy: No returns. I will not be held responsible for lost/damaged items.


Items for sale:

1) Covergirl Eye Enhancers Single Eye Shadow: Shimmering Onyx
Used 5x
Retails at: $3.15 + tax
My price: $2.00




Reason for sale: I have a million other shimmery black shadows among my Coastal Scents and other palettes. This is excellent for a shimmery, dramatic smoky eye. Very pigmented!


2) Revlon Matte Eye Shadow: Rich Sable
Swatched 2x, Used 4x
Retails at: $5.00 + tax
My price: $3.00



Reason for sale: This was kind of an impulse buy - it's a really great product, but I already have a few dupes of this color in other palettes. Perfect for your everyday, neutral eye.


3) Empyre Boot Cut Jeans w/ Back Flap Pocket: Midnight Blue, Size 3
NEVER WORN, TAGS STILL ATTACHED
Retails at: $40.00 + tax
My price: $25.00






Reason for sale: I received these as a Christmas gift, but they were the wrong size so I could not return them. I tried them on but have never worn them anywhere. I love the wash and the pocket design and would love them if they were only my size!


4) Aeropostale Bootcut Jean w/ Embellished Pockets: Light wash, Size 0 SHORT
Worn 2x
Retails at: $39.50 + tax
My price: $17.00







Reason for sale: These are too small for me! I received them as a gift and, again, really wanted to make them work, but they just don't fit. They're adorable jeans, very sturdy denim, with super cute embellishments on the back pocket to add a little something special. Please note that they are short sizing. I'm 4'11" and they are still a little long on me.

4) ELF Makeup Kit (PENDING)
Retail price: $3.00
My price: $2.00

Includes:
-Brightening Eye Quad: Ethereal
Used 1-2x
-Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder: Warm Tan
Swatched 1x
-Liquid Eyeliner: Black
Used 1x






Reason for sale: I have dupes of all these products and just never found myself using them. This is a good opportunity for those of you who don't have ELF available at nearby Targets to try out the products without having to order online and pay the $7 shipping fees!


5) Maybelline New York Stylish Smokes Quad: Amethyst Smokes (SOLD)
Used 4-5x
Retails at: $5.00 + tax
My price: $3.00




Reason for sale: I have dupes of basically every color in this quad in my Coastal Scents palettes.





6) Milani Powder Mosaics Blush: Sweet Cheeks (SOLD)
Used 4x
Retails at: $8.00 + tax
My price: $4.00




Reason for sale: I love this blush, but have so many others in my collection that I hardly found myself reaching for it.


7) Milani Sunset Duos Blush & Bronzer: Sunset City (SOLD)
Swatched 3x, Used 1x
Retails at: $5.00 + tax
My price: $3.00




Reason for sale: I like this, but I found myself reaching for other products more. Both products have a beautiful sheen, perfect for the dewy spring/summertime glow. This product was recommended by popular beauty guru emilynoel83.


8) Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Foundation SPF 18: Natural Ivory (SOLD)
Used 2x
Retails at: $9.00 + tax
My price: $4.00




Reason for sale: Yet another impulse buy. The consistency and coverage is great, but it is completely the wrong color for my skin. Too light and has reddish undertones, whereas my skin has yellow undertones. I really wanted to make it work by overlaying bronzer to darken it up, but it was more trouble than it was worth.


9) Milani Glimmer Stripes All-Over Color: Honey Glimmer (PENDING)
Used 5x
Retails at: $8.00 + tax
My price: $4.00




Reason for sale: These are absolutely gorgeous shimmery colors, but since I purchased this I have purchased dupes for practically all the colors and use those more. This can be used as eye shadow for a beautiful pink or bronze look, or can be used as face products - includes a cheek highlight, a shimmery blush, and shimmery bronzers. Very multifunctional product.


10) Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick: Kasbah (SOLD)
Swatched 1x, Used 1x
Retails at: $5.00 + tax
My price: $3.00




Reason for sale: This color simply doesn't go with my skin tone. I love how it looks in the tube, but not on me. I've only worn it once, for a contest look where it didn't necessarily have to match my skin tone! I have 4 other Rimmel lipsticks in different colors that I love and use all the time, so I can attest to the quality. This color just was a miss with me.

Spring Dress Haul!

Hey y'all! It's been forever since I've written an actual beauty-related blog, so I decided I would give my blog followers a little sneak peak of the spring dress haul I'll be filming hopefully in the near future. This past week I placed two orders on Amiclubwear, a site with inexpensive yet cute clothing that many of us learned about from Juicystar07's review last summer.

One of my favorite ways to shop is to scan clearance sections, and I found a lot of cute dresses. Many weren't in my size or were sold out, but I managed to find 4 that I really loved. They were all incredibly inexpensive (each under $15), and they're all very different from anything I've ever owned, so I'm excited!

Dress #1
I love this dress. It's very mature yet fun. The print is beautiful and it's something that could be worn probably at any time of the year. It also looks incredibly light, which is ideal for the hot California climate in which I live. I'll probably wear this dress with this cute pair of black satin flats I own from Rocketdog.



Dress #2
This dress I'm a little lukewarm about, because I don't typically wear red. But I know I can make it work somehow. On its own it definitely isn't something I'd wear on an everyday basis, but I'm thinking of pairing it with a black cardigan to make it more daytime-appropriate, and probably the black flats I mentioned before.



Dress #3
I am absolutely in LOVE with this dress. It also came in pink but it wasn't available in my size. Again, yellow isn't a color I wear very often, since I tend to think it brings out the yellow undertones in my skin. However, I was so in love with the dress I couldn't pass it up! I love the strapless design and the bubble skirt. It doesn't come with the belt, but I think I'm going to try to find a similar white belt (or maybe cognac to mix it up?) because I like the effect it gives.



Dress #4
This is similar in design to the last dress, but I love the colors. It's a little more nighttime-appropriate to me, and I could see wearing this on a date with my boyfriend, along with some black platform pumps and a little black clutch. I could also dress it down with the black cardigan and flats I mentioned before. I love transitional pieces!



Also, keep in mind that the blond model especially is very busty. :) I have a more modest frame, so I expect that these dresses will look a lot less "clubwear-ish" on my body than on hers, and more suited for your regular warm spring day. We'll see when the order comes in! I will definitely post a haul video with my first impressions and model the dresses when they arrive.

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Sarah <3

FTC: Even though this isn't YouTube, I thought I should mention that I paid for all these dresses with my own money. I'm not affiliated with AmiClubwear. Also, the pictures of the dresses are from their website. I hope it's OK that I included them in my blog. :)

Giveaway Honorable Mentions

I just posted the 9 winners to my latest giveaway. I cannot tell you how difficult it was to narrow down just 5 hand-picked winners, and I honestly wish I had the resources to send all of you prizes. You really captured the spirit of makeup and put it into words.

While I was reading all the entries, I copied and pasted my favorites into a Word document, and then picked the top 5 winners from that. Here are some excerpts from the other entries that made it into that document - unfortunately I couldn't give you all prizes, but you definitely deserve kudos!

Honorable Mentions:

BornDance

I truly love makeup because it is a temporary way to change the way you look. so many things these days are permanent, so it is nice to have a way to change your look and something about you and then be able to wipe it off at the end of the night.



fashionloverxx

i love makeup because it allows me to express my personality in a very artistic, feminine and fun way and everyone has their own way of expressing it, whether it may be a rock-and-roll style or even a plain neutral look. :) it just helps me appreciate my features more by enhancing it.



ClocksInMyPlace

Makeup celebrates style, beauty, being a girl, woman and feminine.



lovetasticful

Whatever i'm feeling that day, I can express with my makeup. It makes me feel free to be able to do something different everyday. Makeup to me is a way to enhance your natural features and express your emotions



mapetitepomme

It provides an artistic outlet for woman all over the world, and what they create is something that makes them feel beautiful and confident



genahwang

makeup gives confidence by creating the appearance you want others to see and building your self worth through the confidence gained.



makeupshakeup13

think of makeup as truly and honestly a form of art. ... makeup is a way to express yourself. It can be explanatory for things you cannot explain in words.



Beccaliciousxxx

I believe that makeup is just an extension of yourself, and allows you to enhance your natural beauty!



budgetbeautiful

makeup motivates me to get up and get on with my day! I love that I can create any look I want based on my mood, or my outfit. I love trying to challenge myself to create new looks by just using certain products

Wish-Haul: MAC!

I decided to do something a little different from the traditional haul and share with you instead my current wish list. This is just a list of some products I am really dying to have right now and why. Of course, I probably won't get many of them any time in the near future, but a girl can dream, right?

#1: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in "Soft & Gentle"
This would be the perfect shimmy highlight to apply to my cheekbones and temples for that dewy, glowy springtime skin.

#2: MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer
I've heard so many great things about this concealer. Even though I'm in love with my Coastal Scents Camo Quad right now, I would still love to try this out - especially for my under-eye circles.

#3: MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot
Again, this is a product I've heard a million good things about. MAC's site describes this as a "golden peach w/ gold pearl" and a frost finish. I would love to use this as an everyday eye base. I could also see myself patting a tiny bit of it along my cheekbones for a beautiful frosty golden highlight.

#4: MAC Blushcreme in "Lady Blush"
This is a product I heard about from Meganheartsmakeup - it's her everyday blush. I love cream blush formulas for the springtime to achieve dewy skin. MAC describes this as a "demure cool pink flush."

#5: MAC Powder Blush in "Pinch Me"
A sheertone blush described as a "medium dirty rose coral" on the MAC site. I adore coral-colored blushes and lipsticks - something about the color gives such a soft, glowy appearance. It's also a color that flatters pretty much any skin tone.

#6: Fix+
This is one of those products that I thought was a huge gimmick for the longest time. Why would I pay so much for what appears to be enriched water? But I've heard a lot of great things about this product - some use it to set their makeup, to dampen brushes and apply shadows wet, and I've even heard of some spraying it into their hair after the shower to use as a detangler. I would love to try this out, but it's still one of those things that isn't super high on my "things-to-buy" list.

#7: MAC 217 Brush
I need this brush. Enough said!

Personal Vlog 1: Art!

Hey all!

Until this point, this blog has been 100% devoted to beauty, but I realized I could also use it to write about my life. Since I don't have a Vlog channel - and probably won't get one until I have quite a few more subscribers and more interest - I've decided to write "Personal Vlogs" on here whenever the mood strikes me.

I'm really awful at updating my Twitter - I don't have a cell phone with all the fancy internet capabilities, so I can't Tweet on the go like most do. Blogging about it at one time seems to work a lot better for me.

So what's going on in my life right now? I'm probably happier than I have been in a long time. I came to college planning to follow the pre-med route with a major in psychology. Before that, I had toyed around with being a lawyer or a civil engineer. All of these paths seemed like the "obvious, safe" routes, and I thought I could torture myself with years of boring schooling if it meant being financially secure in my future.

Then something happened. I started making YouTube videos in early January, and the support I got from all of my viewers and subscribers made me realize how much makeup art really meant to me. It was something about which I was passionate, something that got me up in the morning. I couldn't wait to log into my YouTube each morning to see if I had any new subscribers or to answer any comments or messages I may have received overnight. It sort of became an obsession.

What does my makeup obsession have to do with my future or my educational path? Well, a lot. My makeup addiction really is a subset of a greater passion of mine - art. I've loved art for as long as I can remember, since I was a little girl whose favorite gift was a new sketch pad or a carton of Crayola crayons (the more colors the better). I would sit on the floor on my stomach for hours trying to draw duplicates of the front covers of video cassette cases. I would make life-sized 2D figures out of construction paper and tape them to the walls.

That's what makeup is, really: art. And art is what I love and always have loved. When I was little and teachers asked what I would be in the future, I would say, artist, author, singer. I was born to create. So as noble a pursuit medicine may be (or law, or engineering), it just isn't for me.

A few days ago I went out to the Cheesecake Factory with my boyfriend for dinner, and as the waiter seated us I had an epiphany. I decided in that instant to leave the pre-med track (goodbye needless years of chemistry, biology, cadaver labs) and double major in Studio Art and Psychology. That night I was simply giddy - I planned my schedule out for the next 3 years. Next year I get to take two introductory courses in drawing and oil painting, a course on color and composition, and a few art history courses, along with some other GER-fulfilling courses. I could not be more excited.

So that's the most important development in my life lately. I'll keep you all posted. :)