I'm back.

Hey Everyone!

You may have noticed there has been an absence of posts, but I've been out of town, and I just came back last night.

George and I took a trip to Minnesota (more work than vacation) to help my aunt move her things to Chicago. We did manage to go to a few fun places. We went to The Mall of America, which I don't think I ever want to see another mall again, or at least for a while after going there. I use to go to there almost every year when I was young, but haven't been there in about ten years. It was just so exhausting walking around for so long, but we had a nice time.

We stayed at Le Meridien in Downtown Minneapolis and it was probably the most comfortable sleep I've ever had in a hotel. Highly recommended.

We rented a Penske truck to drive my aunt's stuff back home to Chicago. I was a little nervous to be riding in a big truck for so many hours, but it went very well, and was actually a pretty fun trip back home. We stocked up on tons of goodies at several gas stations on the way.. haha!

By the end of the day, I was getting incredibly anxious to be back home. I become really homesick when I'm away - I missed my Mom and Rocky so much! ;)

Anyway, I'll be working on a few reviews and getting back to the e-mails I've missed while I was away!

Talk to you all soon! xoxoxo

eBay and CFDA Collab: You Can't Fake Fashion!

eBay and the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) are currently working together to fight counterfeit goods and celebrate original design within the fashion industry.

Combating the supply and demand for counterfeits and those who manufacture and distribute such items requires the coordinated efforts of the government, the fashion industry, law enforcement, businesses, and Internet users like you. As a major destination for fashion shoppers, eBay is committed to partnering to fight the global trade of counterfeits. (Source)

As of yesterday, March 20th, an exclusive collection of 80 handbags customized by several different designers launched on eBay. All of the designs read "You can't fake fashion". Proceeds from each sale will benefit the CFDA Foundation.

Some of the designers include: Badgley Mischka, BCBGMaxazria, Betsey Johnson, David Yurman, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Narcisco Rodriguez, Nicole Miller and more.

Every one of the designer bags are already sold out, but three of the four non-designer bags are still available. I can't find any information if the bags will be re-stocked or not, but if anyone knows, please let me know in the comments!

The sale will run to March 31st.

CFDA Duffle Tote - $45 (I'm thinking about snagging this one!)

CFDA Tote by BCBGMAXAZRIA - $200

Tote by Brian Wolk&Claude Morais of RUFFIAN - $200

CFDA Tote by Doo.Ri - $200

CFDA Tote by Kenneth Cole - $200

CFDA Tote by Peter Som - $200

View all styles here.

Cute aren't they?

You can read more at eBay's Fashion Vault.

A few products that I've been using a lot of lately.

It seems summer has come early this year and even though I'm definitely not prepared, at least my makeup bag is!

When it's hot out, I like to keep my makeup a little more minimal for the daytime. A good foundation with SPF, a light bronzer for a sunkissed glow, an illuminator to make your cheekbones glisten in the sun, a natural pink/coral blush and a little bit of mascara and lip gloss.

Shiseido Sun Protection Foundation - I've been curious about this foundation for years. I remember checking it out a couple years back and I wasn't able to find a good color match for my tan skintone. After seeing Fleur's recent YouTube video, it reminded me how much I've wanted to try it, and the fact that since I hardly ever tan anymore, I'd be able to find a good color match.

I did find a good color match and I've been using it for about a week now. I'm still not ready to give my full thoughts about it yet - all I can say is that I expected to like it a little more than I do at this moment. I am enjoying the high SPF and the lightweight feel, especially since I've been exfoliating on the regular and it's been so hot out! My full review will come soon!

MAC Prolongwear Concealer - Medium coverage with all day, no-budge lasting power. I love wearing it alone or mixed with other concealers.

Chanel Poudre Universelle Compact - I've been using this to set my makeup, and I've been really liking it. I really don't like a matte finish, but I still like to lightly set my makeup to avoid any excess shine. This powder doesn't leave my face looking like a powderpuff, and it doesn't flatten the look of my liquid foundation. It leaves a very nice natural finish, while erasing any shine.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel/Bronze Universel - I think it's safe to say that if I had to toss all of my bronzers and only keep one, I'd keep my Chanel Bronze Universel. I never thought I'd hit pan, but after three years, I finally did and I'm becoming so anxious to purchase another! I'm so surprised that it's never dried up, and still has it's original smell. It's definitely a good investment. On days where I'm not using this, I'm using Becca Flamenco. They're both light but buildable, and look very natural on my light-medium skin.

Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera - How come no one ever talks about these? I've never tried any of these prior, but I thought Gerbera would be the perfect shade of blush for the summer. All of the pinky-coral blushes I own look alike once applied to my cheeks, but this one really stands out from the rest. It's a light, warm peachy-pink that looks incredibly fresh and natural on the cheeks.

Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond - I own a ton of highlighters, but Amber Diamond is usually my highlighter of choice because of how natural it looks on the cheeks. It gives just the right amount of sheen without being overdone. I've also been using TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer on days where I want something a little more noticeable.

Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara - An old favorite. I know that when I'm wearing lash blast, I'll never have to check the mirror throughout the day for smudges. It stays put all day with no transfer - even through heat and sweat.

NYX Megashine Lipgloss in Nude Peach - Although I'm not really keen on the cherry cough syrup scent of these lipglosses, they sure have some great colors. Nude Peach is a glossy coral-pink that looks great alone or paired with any coral or pink lipstick.

What products have you been finding yourself using a lot of lately? Is your makeup bag starting to look summery?

Earth Science Deep Conditioning Masque Review!

 Earth Science Deep Conditioning Masque

I'm no hair expert, but I love trying new hair products in hopes of being able to better manage my mane. I have very thick, fine, curly, dry hair. Oddly, I have a mixture of two different types of curls throughout my hair - some are wavy and then underneath my hair, they're a bit tighter. So basically, tangles galore.

I've tried several leave in conditioners in my days, but I have never really been impressed with any of them. I suppose I've held my expectations a little too high, and most of the time expect the leave-in to act as a little genie and transform my fried hair into hair that's fit enough for a Pantene commercial.

After trying so many, I settled on using Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner on a daily basis. It's cheap, and it keeps my hair soft and more manageable.

For the past couple of months, I've been using Earth Science Deep Conditioning Masque and I really like it!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Luscious deep-conditioning masque repairs dry, damaged, colored or over processed hair. Penetrates and coats the hair shaft in natural silk protein to strengthen and nourish inside and out. Leaves hair soft, tangle free and smooth; not sticky or weighed down. no animal testing, always paraben free.

The directions are to squeeze out any excess water from your hair after shampooing, and generously apply the conditioner to your hair, letting it penetrate you hair for five minutes. Then rinse, and style as usual.

For the best results, you really have to follow the directions. I often take quick showers, and leave it in for about a minute in dripping wet hair and it just doesn't work the same.

Make sure to squeeze out excess water from your hair and then apply a good amount of product in your hair, working it through your ends. **To evenly distribute the conditioner through your hair, it's a good idea to have a wide tooth comb on hand and brush through your hair and work the conditioner through all of your hair. Often times with conditioner, you'll end up holding all of your hair together in a pony tail and distributing the conditioner to the outside of your hair, missing most of the hair that's in-between.

READ MORE!