LORAC PRO Eyeshadow Palette Giveaway!!

LORAC Pro Palette Giveaway

Hi Beauties! Over the past several months I've been seeing more and more people rave about the Lorac Pro Palette, and even though I don't own it myself (God knows I don't need anymore eyeshadow), I thought it'd make a great giveaway prize! I've swatched the palette in-store and the eyeshadows are soft and pigmented, and because the shades are mostly matte, it makes for a perfect every day palette. To see the palette swatched, check out Makeup And Beauty Blog.

The Winner will Receive:

• The Lorac Pro Eyeshadow Palette which contains (16) ultra-pigmented eyeshadow shades along with a mini Lorac Eyeshadow Primer. ($42 value)
• Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara as an added bonus! ($7 value)

How to Enter:

• Leave a comment on this post about anything you'd like! Some examples are: If you went out for breakfast, what would you order? What's the weather currently like where you live? Do you have any plans for Valentine's Day? Do you have any phobias? What's your current favorite makeup product? Or, simply write Enter me!

Receive an additional Entry:

• For an additional entry, you can follow me on my instagram account @missnattyngeorge. Once you have followed me, please let me know in your comment/entry so you will receive credit for both entries.

Terms and Conditions: 

• This giveaway will run for one week (and one day), and the deadline to enter will be on Thursday February 7th at 11:59 PM (CST). 
• For fairness, the winner will be chosen at random using random.org.
• Winner will be announced within 48 hours of the deadline. 
• This giveaway is open internationally. I will ship anywhere in the world.
• You must permission from a parent or guardian to enter if you are under the age of 18 in most states (with the exception of Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
• The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Thank you all so much for your daily comments and continued support! :)

Jewelmint Ascot Race Ring Review with Photos!

Jewelmint Ascot Race Ring

Jewelmint Ascot Race Ring is a re-make of the popular gold Royal Ascot Ring that was featured on Jewelmint in early 2012. It's the same exact ring, but this time, it's in silver (silver-plated). The design of the ring is equestrian, or horse riding inspired and is a simple wrap of two buckles, or what looks to be horse saddle stirrups.

Whenever I look down at my finger I can't help but be reminded of the signature Gucci buckles that you see on their sunglasses and bags.

I think it makes for a good every day ring because of it's simplicity, but if you prefer something a little more dainty for every day, this ring does take up about an inch of my finger. It reaches my knuckle on my ring finger, but it's not at all uncomfortable.

As usual, the quality is great and I think it will last me a long time.

Jewelmint Starstruck Ring Review with Photos!

Jewelmint Starstruck Ring

At around Christmas time, there was a promotion running on Jewelmint for three rings of your choice for the price of one (or $9.99 each). I ended up getting three rings, so as always, I'm going to let you know my opinion of them.

Jewelmint Starstruck Ring is a really fun silver-plated two band ring -  one thick and one slim ring the are connected by two fine chains. It also has a little etched star with a small rhinestone in the middle to add a little something extra to an otherwise very plain ring.

I really like items of jewelry that are "different" and I've never seen anything like this ring. It goes in hand a bit with the dainty knuckle ring trend as the second band lays pretty high on the finger. The top band is also adjustable, so you can wear it as tight (or loose) as you want it.

I've worn it several times so far, and even though it might not seem like it would be comfortable, it's actually very comfortable and doesn't bother me or get in the way throughout the day.

(As someone mentioned, the thin band on my ring has the opening on the front instead of the back. I think it was an error on Jewelmint's part, but I still wear it as is and don't mind it at all!)

From what I can tell the quality is very good, and it's a ring I'd definitely recommend!

All items from Jewelmint are $29.99 with free shipping, but there are promotions very often so I wouldn't recommend paying the full price. Currently there is a promotion for 70% off your first item, which would bring the total to $9.99 with free shipping. The code is 70FIRST.

New in at Sephora - Dolce and Gabbana Makeup!

Maybe I'm slightly behind on news, but I upon looking at what's new on Sephora, I was really excited to see some items from Dolce and Gabbana. From word of mouth I heard that it will be available in select stores, but for now it's available for purchase at Sephora.com.

I've only tried a few items from Dolce and Gabbana, and I've really enjoyed them. In fact, I've been wearing my Dolce and Gabbana Passion Duo Lipstick in the shade Darling regularly. I'd be really curious to try additional shades.

Also, I've always kind of wondered about their foundations. The Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation looks like a really interesting product, and it has pretty good reviews. I'd also be curious to try their bronzer, but God knows I don't need anymore.

Have you tried any D&G makeup? Have any recommendations for me to try?

Click here to check out the line

Weekly Poll Results - How Many Days of the Week do you Wear a Full Face of Makeup?

How Many Days of the Week do you Wear a Full Face of Makeup?

Hope you're all having a great Thursday! Just hang in there - the weekend is close by. I have another weekly poll for you!

This week I asked all of you how many days a week do you wear a full face of makeup. This for me would include foundation, concealer, brow filler, blush, bronzer, eye and lip makeup. But maybe for some of you a full face could include more or less products.

I typically wear a full face of makeup every day, unless I'm not planning on going out. When I have more time to get ready, I tend to pull out more products (face and eye primer, contour and highlight, etc), but when I'm short on time, I skip certain things (setting powder, highlighter, eyeshadow, lip liner, etc). I suppose it does vary for me by week, because there are weeks where I might only wear makeup a few days. On average, I probably wear a full face 5 to 7 days of the week.

The Results Are:

7 days - 51 votes (14%)
6 days - 46 votes (13%)
5 days - 88 votes (25%)
4 days - 26 votes (7%)
3 days - 27 votes (7%)
2 days - 29 votes (8%)
1 day - 23 votes (6%)
0 days; I don't typically wear makeup - 25 votes (7%)
It varies week to week - 31 votes (8%)

This poll is based on 346 votes.

The answers were pretty evenly distributed across the board, but 5, 6, and 7 days of the week have the most votes, with the number one answer being 5 days.

Are you the type of person that applies a full face of makeup in the morning regardless if you're going out or not? Or do you only do your makeup when you have to be somewhere? Do you mostly wear a full face of makeup on the weekend only or do you take a break from the week and leave your face bare on the weekend? Is it essential for you to wear makeup to work?

Ideally, I'd love to wake up and get ready first thing, but the truth is, if I'm not going anywhere, my face is pretty bare. Although when I'm not going anywhere I still like to fill in my brows and wear mascara for the sake of not looking too crazy when I walk past a mirror. LOL!

I'd love to hear your answers!

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara Review, Photos and Before & After!

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara ($7) is a new mascara by Covergirl that promises volumized lashes (apparently 200% more volume to be exact) with zero clumps. The result? Big lashes that are separated.

In general, I like Covergirl mascaras, and with this mascara having a striking resemblance to one of my all-time favorites Covergirl Last Blast Mascara, I was really excited to give this mascara a try. I love the formula of Last Blast, but I'm not a huge fan of the mega-big, stubby bristled brush.

The Covergirl Clump Crusher on the other hand has a really good, effective brush. It's not as large, the bristles are a bit longer to help separate the lashes better, and the actual brush is curved so it hugs the base of all of your lashes for more even coats. It also works really well at catching those little corner lashes.

I tend to favor wetter formulas, and this one isn't very wet (but it's not very dry either) and it doesn't over deposit product on the lashes, which I think is one of the big factors as to why it doesn't get clumpy. 

I find that this mascara holds pretty true to it's claims and volumizes the lashes without clumping them together. It separates my lashes really well like Maybelline One by One or Make Up Forever Smokey Lash, and builds volume really well without looking clumpy, crispy or spidery. I wouldn't really consider it to be a lengthening mascara, as I don't notice much length, but I think it'd layer good with a lengthening mascara if you like combining mascaras.

Although I rarely ever wear mascara without a mascara base anymore, I tried this mascara both ways. As with any mascara, I prefer using a base prior. With a base, my lashes look a bit longer, and I'm able to achieve the look I want with two coats. Without a base, it takes me 3-4 coats to build my lashes up to my desired look.

This mascara holds up really well throughout the day without becoming sticky (some mascaras cause my top and bottom lashes to stick together.. so annoying!) and there is no smudging or flaking.

Also, it keeps the lashes fairly soft, so it isn't such a pain to remove. There is nothing I dread more than removing a crispy mascara.

Before and After

What's in my bag?

What's in my Bag?

I haven't done one of these posts in a long time, so I thought I'd dump out my bag and let you know what I keep inside! Haha.. This post has actually been requested quite a bit. I think they're fun, and I like to see them too!

The handbag I'm currently carrying is a winter green faux leather hobo with lots of gold studs on the sides. I purchased it from Marshalls last month for around $35. It's a no-name brand, so unfortunately there's no label inside the bag where I can tell you the exact information on it. I've been carrying it all month though, and I love it!

Eyeglasses - I need to wear glasses when I'm reading or when I'm on the computer, so I usually have them them with me in my bag. They aren't too fancy or anything, but if you're curious, the  model # is Chanel 3198-H.
Sunglasses - I love sunglasses, and I always have a pair or two in my bag. Currently I've been wearing my super oversized Gucci 3157/s Sunglasses.
iPhone 5 - I got an iPhone 5 for Christmas, and I've been completely obsessed. If it's not in my hand, it's usually in my bag. I usually always get comments on my brass knuckles case, and I got it from eBay. Just search 'brass knuckles iPhone case' and you'll find tons of results.
iPhone Charger - Because I'm on my phone so much and forget to charge it most of the time, I always keep my charger on me.
Michael Kors Saffiano Leather Continental Wallet - I have a couple wallets that I rotate every now and then, but I love zip-around wallets because I can cram so many receipt and junk in them. haha! I got this wallet back in June for my birthday, and although they had this wallet in every color, I can't seem to track it down on any website. I guess it's because MK comes out with so many different styles often. They currently have very similar ones at the stores, but with a larger metal plate on the front.
Hobo Metro Slide Credit Card Holder - I usually keep my gift card in a metal card case, but because I didn't like having to pull all of my cards out each time I had to look for a card. When I saw this little card case at TJ Maxx, I thought it was the perfect little convenient case so I wouldn't have to dig around at the register.
Business Card Holder - I was looking for a glitzy business card holder and found this adorable one from an online store called Mont Bleu. I keep all of my important business and appointment cards that I may need inside.
Eccolo Little Pink Book - If I ever have anything to remember or write down, I always jot it down in this little journal. It's a mess of recipes, grocery lists, to-do lists, thoughts, etc. I purchased it a while back from Marshalls. They always have a good selection of journals.

Weekly Poll Results - Did you Make any New Year Resolutions?

Did you make any New Year Resolutions for 2013? 

I'm so sorry that the results of the last weekly poll has been so delayed! Time has literally flown by!! At the start of 2013 it only seemed appropriate to ask you all if there is anything you'd like to change/do differently this year.

No one starts a diet on a Friday right? The famous words are "I'll start again on Monday." It seems like a really silly habit, but many of us feel like to really feel good about the change we want to make, we have to start out with a clean slate - whether it be the first day of the week, month or first day of the year. While many of us can lose a bit of motivation by the end of the year, I think a good majority of us try our best to start off the new year on a good note.

I picked some really common New Year resolutions below!

The Results are: 

To eat healthier/change or modify diet - 104 votes (55%)
To work out/exercise more - 110 votes (59%)
To be more organized - 69 votes (37%)
To spend more quality time with friends and family - 35 votes (18%)
To be more outgoing - 42 votes (22%)
To volunteer/get more involved with your community - 18 votes (9%)
To be more sociable - 37 votes (19%)
To stress less - 56 votes (30%)
To manage finances better - 55 votes (29%)
To travel more - 41 votes (22%)
To kick a bad habit - 31 votes (16%)
All of the Above - 10 votes (5%)
I didn't set any resolutions - 25 votes (13%)
Other - 9 votes (4%)

This poll is based on 186 votes.

The number one answer was to work out/exercise more and eating healthier/changing or modifying diet came in at a close second!

Eating healthier and exercising regularly is the change that I wanted to make this year and instead of making short term goals (for example: I want to weigh a certain amount by my birthday in 6 months) and then quit after birthday, I want to make lifestyle changes that will carry on for the rest of my life. I want to dedicate 2013 to be the year of my health and happiness. So far, I'm doing pretty well.

How about you? Did you make any resolutions for 2013? Have you kept up with them? I've read a few articles that the success rate is typically pretty low. Keep motivated!! :)

My Winter 2012 Zara Haul!

Every year after Christmas Zara has an incredible sale on a big majority of their stock, and it's pretty much my shopping highlight of the year. I've been waiting for months for this sale to get a hold of some of the items I've been eyeballing throughout 2012, and I'm pretty happy with what I got.

Some items sell out quickly in the Zara sale, so I usually don't hesitate purchasing items that seem to be a good deal, as I figure that If I don't like the way they look in person, I can always bring them to my local Zara store within 30 days for a refund. In fact, I actually purchased another bag that I didn't like at all in person, and I'll be returning it soon.

This haul is purely accessories, as I didn't find any items of clothing I really liked. I did get a couple of t-shirts, but I've been wearing them so I didn't include them in this haul.

Well, without further ado, here's my haul!

Don't Step on My Blue Suede Shoes.

Real original title, right? I haven't posted any shopping hauls in a long time, so I thought I'd share one of my recent Hautelook purchases that I've been loving. I've been all over the Hautelook boot events for the past couple of months because the prices are so much better than what you'd find at the dept store. During the Rachel Rachel Roy event, I purchased these cute navy suede booties. They aren't available any longer, but they are available on the Rachel Roy website - unfortunately a little more expensive than what I paid.

I love colored shoes, and I think it's a great way to spice up a simple outfit. I wear black a lot, so to keep my look from being too boring, I like to toss on a colorful accessory, whether it be a funky pair of shoes, accessory or handbag. This winter I've been sporting burgundy and forest green boots really often, and when I saw these navy blue booties, I knew right away they'd match with so many different things, and I had to have them.

Blue specifically pairs really well with black, but it's also a great color to wear with white, gray - or pretty much any solid color. Yellow, orange, red, brown - you really can't go wrong.

Rachel Roy Miramar Boots

I have a thing for tassels. :) For reference, they run true to size. I'm a 8.5, and they fit really comfortably.

I love these outfits sporting blue boots! 

(Photo credits: upscalehype, bauergriffinonline)

I have a pretty large Zara Collective haul coming up. I usually go nuts during the Zara Winter sale.. and this year is no exception. haha!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm going to go see A Haunted House at the movie theater tonight. I'm sure it's going to be ridiculous. lol What are your plans?

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer Review, Photos, Swatches!

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer ($25) is an oil and paraben free pigmented concealer that is transfer-proof and water resistant. It's described as being heavy-duty and multitasking as it not only hides dark undereye circles and blemishes, but even tattoos.

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer is available in (8) shades: 16, 18, 22, 24, 26, 28, 34 ad 36.

I received a sample of the shade 22, which is a soft beige, suitable for medium-light skin tones.

Because this concealer claims to be heavy enough to cover tattoos, I expected it to be a thick, somewhat dry consistency concealer (maybe something like the Make Up Forever Full Coverage Concealer). I was rather surprised to see that the consistency is actually pretty light (almost whipped) and very creamy. It also smooths out really well on the skin.

I'd consider it a medium coverage concealer, but it can be built to a fuller coverage when layered. One layer is never adequate coverage for me, but I like the fact that when I apply a few layers, it doesn't look heavy or unnatural. It also covers blemishes pretty well. After my foundation, I usually pat it on and then set with a powder puff.

You really don't need much, and I'd recommend starting out with less product than you think you'll need and go back to add more if necessary.

My favorite brush to apply this particular concealer is the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush, although any standard concealer brush works fine. I sometimes like using my fingers as well, but a brush seems to provide more coverage.

The only downside I've experienced is that it makes my undereyes feel a little heavy and dry. I always moisturize my undereye area with Argan oil, so I don't have any issues with it actually making my undereyes appear dry, but it's a concealer that I can feel on my skin.

It lasts really well throughout the day with minimal to no fading.

Neiman Marcus for Target 70% Off.

Maybe you knew, maybe you didn't, but starting in the month of December, Neiman Marcus collaborated with Target and put out a collection of 50 different holiday gifts by 25 top designers on the Target shelves.

I thought it was a really cool collaboration, but I personally, was left feeling a little underwhelmed by the collection when I first viewed it online, so I never ended up checking it out in stores.

A few days ago while shopping at Target I stumbled upon the collection, and was really surprised to see the amount of stock left - everything was 70% off, and there was so much of everything left. I quickly grabbed a cart expecting to get a lot of stuff, but I saw threads hanging from a lot of the clothes and the trinkets looked cheaply made - many of which were really scratched (or broken) from being handled. I ended up getting two things though that I found by Marc Jacobs, because I love him, and I thought they were a pretty good deal.

Marc Jacobs Rose Gold Pouch - reg. $69.99, sale $20.99

This pouch doesn't serve much of a purpose.. I thought about using it as a casual clutch, but since there is no wristlet to hold onto, it'd probably make a better makeup or coupon bag. I think it's cute though, and I love the rose gold metallic coloring. It's also a nice firm leather.

Marc Jacobs Scarf - reg. $69.99, sale $20.99

I'm a huge scarf fanatic, so this scarf was pretty much mandatory. It's really fragile though, so be aware of that. It can easily snag.

Both items are still available on the Target and Neiman Marcus website, as well as many other items.

Did you end up getting anything? I was going to also get the Derek Lam Slippers, but my Mom thought they were hideous, so I ended up putting them back. haha!

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation Review!

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation ($55) is a newer foundation by YSL that is inspired by their best-selling Touche Eclat Illuminating Pen. It's described as a weightless, illuminating foundation that will even out the complexion and enhance the skin's natural beauty. Contains SPF 19.

YSL Touche Eclat Foundation is available in (17) shades: B10, BD10, BR20, B30, BR30, B40, BD40, BR40, BD50, BR50, B60, BD60, BR60, B70, BD70, B80 and B90.

BR (Beige Rose) shades are for those with cool/pink undertones, BD (Beige Dore) shades are for those with warm golden undertones and B (Beige) shades are for balanced/beige undertones. It's really helpful to take a look at the Sephora site for a better description of each shade.

I purchased this foundation without doing any research and purchased the shade BD40 as Sephora describes it as being for light to medium skintones with golden/honey undertones. It ended up being way too light for my current medium MAC NC35 coloring. It's better geared for NC20. After reading reviews it sounds like BD50 would've been a better match for me.

BD40 swatched and blended on the back of my hand.

A quick update. Awaiting my new camera.

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to give you all a little update as I've been missing in action this past week. As much as I've wanted to post for you all, I've been having major lighting/camera issues this past month. My camera might look pretty snazzy, but in all honesty, it's only a good outdoor camera. Now that it's too cold and gloomy outside to photograph, I've been stuck trying my best to photograph indoors with very mediocre results. I take pride in the photos and content I put out for you all, and I just wouldn't be happy providing you all with photos that aren't good quality as well as good color accuracy, etc.

So, I'm really excited to let you know that I ordered my first SLR camera earlier in the week and I've been anxiously awaiting receiving it! I ended up choosing a Canon EOS Rebel T4i 18 Megapixels Digital SLR Camera, and I'm feeling really optimistic that I'm going to like it a lot.

I'm looking forward to doing more tutorials, as this camera has a viewfinder so I actually see what I'm photographing. I'm sure it will make doing tutorials a million times easier.

I'll talk to you all very soon! I just wanted to keep you posted, so won't think I forgot about you! ;)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!

Wishing all of you a wonderful 2013! Let this new year bring fresh starts, less procrastination, great health, prosperity and lots of love and happiness.

I'm sure all of us can say that 2012 went by so quick, and many of us can say that they don't feel like as much was accomplished as they would have liked to.

Life is so short, and each and every one of us is capable of doing so much with our lives if we just push ourselves a bit more.

I want to look back at 2013 by the next New Year and be able to say that 2013 was a great year. I'm confident in myself that I can accomplish just that.

One of my big concerns this year is looking after my health better. I'm not getting any younger and I really want to put an end to bad eating habits and lack of regular exercise. I'm very famous for yo-yo dieting, and I'll stick to a change of diet for a few months, get to where I want to be and then I'll lose motivation and go back to where I started. After losing my Dad to heart disease, it really makes me think more about what I want to put into my body. I want to live a healthy life, and starting this year, I know I will succeed.

I think the biggest thing is giving yourself tangible, realistic goals. Maybe you want to fit into a size 2 by your birthday. It seems far-fetched  but you feel like you won't be happy until you get into those size 2's. Maybe you fall off your diet for a few days and you gain a couple of pounds, or maybe you see your weight plateau, and you've lost your motivation because you feel like you'll never be able to reach your goal by the time you gave yourself. It's like trying to run on a treadmill at the highest speed for the first time. You might want to, but it takes time to build your endurance. Everything takes time. Nothing happens over night. Set smaller goals for yourself that you will be able to reach and you'll be more successful in the long run. That goes for anything.

Good luck to you all!!

Do any of you have any New Year resolutions? Share in the comments! :)