Tuesday, October 28, 2014

4 EASY & STUNNING HALLOWEEN IDEAS


Halloween is in three days- what?! (aka where-the-heck-did-October-go?)

If you're looking for inspiration/ideas for makeup or a costume, check out some of my favorite photos and some amazing tutorials below, there's one for everybody. xx












For the Foxy:

The Wonder Forest/Flickr/BitsFashion
Spice it up with a little bit of a warm woodland inspired makeup and costume look.


For the Colorful:
Crafty Morning/Lady Gaga/Sephora
Add a pop of color for an unforgettable look (and accompanying decorations!)



For the Queen:

Cut Out and Keep/Once Upon a Time in Wonderland/Pretty Gossip
Drawing inspiration from the Once Upon a Time Character for a modern look, channeling the inner-queen is easy. (I'm going to be the Queen of Hearts for Halloween, and I'm for sure doing my hair and makeup like the Red Queen's.)


For the Model:

Barney's/Burberry/H&M

Can't forget about Cara! This is one of my personal favorites- super easy to make and do! For makeup, keep it simple with a touch of a warm blush and nude lip color, and accentuate the eyes with a brown smokey eye and bold brows. (Plus, the costume is probably already in your closet!)




What are you going to be for Halloween? xx

Monday, July 28, 2014

10 SONGS YOU'LL HAVE ON REPEAT


I sometimes have those days where all I want to do is sit in the air conditioning coolness (or on the beach, even better) and listen to music. These ten songs are some that I've been enjoying lately, some popular, and some that deserve to be! (And, of course, you've gotta have some music for your summer parties!)





Which is your favorite? Tell me below in the comments!


xx

Friday, July 25, 2014

REVIEW: EMBRYOLISSE LAIT CREME CONCENTRE

Hey guys!  I've got my Europe Haul coming up shortly (yay!) but since my camera has been uncooperative lately, I'll be reviewing the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre moisturizer that I picked up while I was in Paris.

This facial moisturizer has been mentioned by tons of models and makeup artists, along with YouTubers like Amanda Steele (makeupbymandy24), so I had to give it a try. (Also, French "drugstores", which are pretty much just a ton of heavenly skincare and beauty products are just amazing. I could spend days in there.)

This is really an all-in-one moisturizer, it can also be used as a makeup primer, hair texturizer, or can be used to lighten your foundation or added with your sunscreen.  I've personally been using it as a moisturizer and primer, and I'm happy to say that it does almost as good as a job as the Too Faced Primed Poreless primer, which is the best primer, ever!


Lait-Creme Concentre roughly translates to "condensed milk cream," and that's really how it feels.


This moisturizer has shea butter, beeswax, and aloe vera, and the texture definitely allows you to feel it. The texture is so creamy and smooth, I felt like I wanted to cover my entire face with the whole bottle, it's that good. The aloe vera also gives it a bit of a cooling feeling, which feels great after  a long day. (Summertime swimming, anyone?) With my type of dry skin, the consistency is just right- not too watery, but not suffocatingly thick! 

Girls with oily skin might want to use a little bit less, since it is on the thicker, creamier side, but a little bit goes a long way in general, the pea sized amount above on my fingers is enough to cover my entire face TWICE. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you happen to be stopping in Paris anytime soon (or if you live there, lucky you!) go get this right now! This is the holy grail lotions of all lotions, and for $15, who can say no? It's cheaper than Clinique, and if you're still not sure, your skin deserves a treat. Trust me. ;)

Embryolisse is available at almost all the French drugstores, and for us American chicks, you can find it at IMATS/makeup conventions, or online.


xx,
Julia

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Skincare 101: Fighting Acne with Your Routine



The order that we apply our products seems really unimportant, but really, it can make or break your skin. You wouldn't put on sunscreen after you just put on foundation, so why would you moisturize before you take off your makeup? I hope you find my chart useful! 

I'll be posting more Skincare 101 soon, including my own skincare routine. I'm working on clearing up my acne, so if it works, I'll definitely be writing about it. xx


Friday, June 13, 2014

Airplane Essentials! What's in My Cary-On? ✈





*queue squee's of happiness* It's officially summer! And of course, with summer, for a lot of us, comes vacation time! As I hinted at before, I'm going to traveling quite a bit this summer, and these are my airplane essentials that I can't live without!

1) My phone! I don't have a 5s, but I have to say, those are pretty fancy.

2) Headphones- perfect for listening to music and for watching movies.

3) Moisturizer- I use Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief- definitely recommend it for airplanes and anyone with dry skin, since the airplane air literally sucks the moisture right out of your skin. 

4) Facial Towelettes- when you need to refresh your face without using the bathroom water.

5) Hairbrush- pretty self explanatory.

6) Scarf- airplanes tend to get really chilly, especially at night, so make sure to have a warm scarf on hand! (TIP: they're also great for tying your travel outfit together.)

7) Notebook and pens- for writing down any thoughts or doodling.

8) Body/Hand Lotion- what does it better than BBW?

9) Lip balm- chapped lips are the worst, and always are part of the airplane package deal.

10) FOOD! (because I get hungry a lot.)

11) Water- Probably the most self-explanatory on this list. (I don't get it until after security, though!)

12) Socks- there is never a bad time to wear Bath and Body Works's shea-infused socks.

13) Books & Magazines (I'm bringing City of Heavenly Fire, Days of Blood and Starlight, and some magazines like Teen Vogue.)

14) Ribbon hair ties- these don't crease your hair, and are a lot comfier when you sleep, and also, it's always good to have some on hand, because my hair tends to have a party when I'm traveling.



There you have it! I'll be having some more travel-related posts up soon, so make sure to follow and check back! Also, on unrelated news, this is my 100th post!

xxx

Friday, May 30, 2014

Things I'm Loving Friday



As I mentioned a couple posts back, I've decided to start Friday Favorites! Every Friday, I'll be sharing some of the things I've been loving for that week. Let's get started, then! :)

Clinique High Impact Mascara


I think I may have found my favorite mascara. Ever. I have pretty thick eyelashes, but they're not too incredibly long, and on the brownish-black side. This mascara gives the perfect amount of curl, length, and blackness! It also doesn't clump and the brush is really soft on your eyelashes. I usually wiggle it at the base of my lashes, then quickly swipe it up. Love!







If I Stay by Gayle Forman 


 There's been a lot of media hype going on with this book, so I decided to pick it up at the bookstore a couple days ago. I haven't had too much time to make much of a dent in it, but it's already so great! Some of the language is a little bit dull, (but after all, how can any book compare after seeing how Marcus Zusak wrote The Book Thief?)












Bath & Body Works World Garden Collection


 I just picked up the Tokyo Lotus & Apple Blossom Shower Gel, and it is seriously one of Bath and Body Works's best collections. Ever.




Grace Ciao

Photo: graceciao.com

I saw this on Lauren Conrad's blog, and oh my gosh, isn't this amazing? Grace Ciao uses really flower petals to illustrate her designs- I really hope that these get made into physical dresses one day, because I would love to see them! (and own, but chances are she's going to be a famous designer and it'll be expensive! New life goal: save up to buy one). It makes me so happy that there's people like this out there.




That's all I've got for right now, this has got to be the shortest post in a long time! Either way, I've got a ton of special things planned (giveaway, anybody?) so make sure to check back soon!
Ciao!

Monday, May 26, 2014

Summer's Must-Have Fragrances



Summer is almost here, and it's just about time to break out all your flowy sundresses,  those killer shades, and of course, your go-to-summer scent. In Cali, at least, the weather has been extremely difficult, with one day being windy and drizzling and the next has everyone sweating under the AC. Lovely. Either way, here's my favorite must-have perfumes for the summer.











Saturday, May 24, 2014

Summertime Serendipity


It's pictures like this that make me long for the summer and trips to the beach, and those plane rides that despite being trapped in a metal object for 16 hours in the sky, make your stomach flutter with excited anticipation of the destination.

There's just something so effortlessly beautiful about travel and the culture and fashion of the people there.

Speaking of which, despite being in the endless whirlpool of crop tops and short-shorts, effortless always wins.  I really can't understand why we pay more money for less product. $40 for a crop top that's actually size of a bra? Just no.

I can't really speak personally for everyone, but don't we all want to achieve that naturally beautiful, effortless look? Wearing tiny pieces of clothes and too much blush and eyeliner gets attention, but it's often not the kind that any of us really want. All girls want people to look in their direction and say "Wow, she looks amazing," not "Wow, she looks like a [insert word of your choice here]."

Let's all be chic, not crummy, and not be afraid to step out of the Forever 21 norms, because there are so many things that we just choose not to look at because not everyone else is. (It's easier to dress badly than to actually put a legit outfit together.)


Back to Summer.



But, can we please talk about these promotional photoshoots that are in the catalogues? I feel like this is one of Michael Kors's best seasons in a long time,  that Reese satchel is TO DIE FOR.

If any of this is any sort of indication, yellow and blue are going to be the summer's biggest pairing, so move over, radiant orchid, along with simplistic and floral prints.

New York & Company , Urban Outfitters, Michael Kors

(Also, do check out the Kate Spade #travelcolorfully sweepstakes and make sure to tag your photos on Instagram with it, and you will be entered in the drawing for $250 Kate Spade gift card!)












Sunday, May 18, 2014

Introducing Infinitely Chic + Exciting News!



I am so excited to do this post, you have no idea! I've got a ton of news to share, so let's get into it.

Le Renifleur is Going International!
While I can't give away all the details right now, in mid-June, you're going to be seeing a lot of surprises! (think: the Fashion Week Four). There's going to be a TON of photos of a ton of different things, and I am super excited! On top of that, I'm also going to be putting together my airplane skincare routine, what I pack in my carry-on, the outfits I'll be bringing, and of course, posts related to the things I'll be seeing. (I've got everything from Euro-Chic street style to clandestine societies planned.)

I can't wait!

Monthly & Friday Favorites:
Starting end of May, I'll be doing a new type of post, monthly favorites. Also, on Fridays, I'll be doing an on-going mini series on things that I've been enjoying/things that I've been enjoying, like music and other blogs to new summer arrivals in stores. (Kind of like a subcategory of the monthlies.)

Blog Layout & Design:
If you haven't noticed yet, I have revamped the central parts of the blog, the header and the background. I'm still tweaking with things, but I'm working on making the entire blog match, so if something is out of place, I'm working on it.


10,000 Pageviews!
A couple days ago, Le Renifleur hit 10,000 page views! Thank you so much!



Part 2 of the exciting news:





A couple days ago, some friends of mine and I launched a new Instagram page, InfinitelyChic, covering everything from makeup, to hair, to fashion, and travel.

I've gotten the Tuesdays and Fridays slots, (Tuesday: Travel & Street Style.) (Friday: Fashion), and I can't contain my excitement to start doing Outfit of the Day's just report back on runway happenings.

Here's a rundown of the schedule:
Monday: Makeup by (S. & D.)
Tuesday: Travel & International Street Style (by me)
Wednesday: Hair (by SH.)
Thursday: Accessories (by Brittany)
Friday: Fashion (by me)

It's going to be really cool, so make sure to check it out! (and follow, since that would be pretty cool. ;) )


(Note: Infinitely Chic is not related to Le Renifleur, it's a separate co-project of mine I think you will enjoy!)


Ciao!

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Little Mix by Collection: Get the Looks!





Hey guys! As I may have mentioned before, I idolize everything Little Mix. Every. Little. Thing. Especially their makeup line, which is currently only available in the UK, but still!

On the Collection website, they show that they have tutorials coming soon, but it's been a while now, and still no tutorials! Even if we 'Muricans can't get our hands on the makeup until later, we can recreate the looks with the things we have here. After some googling and searching, I found the tutorials! The only one I wasn't able to find was Leigh-Anne's daytime look,
but I'll update this post as soon as I do.

I tried embedding the videos into this post, but it didn't work out too well, so here are the links below! Sorry about that!







ALL Evening Looks:
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/fashion-beauty/350908/EXCLUSIVE-VIDEO-How-to-get-Little-Mix-s-evening-makeup-looks

(Click the names below for daytime looks!)

Perrie
Jade
Jesy

Have you looked at or purchased anything from the collection? Let me know what you think in the comments!

STILA Kitten (Eyeshadow Single)


Happy Easter, lovelies! I always mentally kick myself when I realize that I have forgotten to post for prolonged periods of time; I'm working on that!

Anywho, today I've got the Stila eyeshadow in Kitten sitting next to my laptop. Whispered amongst the likes of Urban Decay's Sin, MAC's Shroom, and other champagne eyeshadows, Kitten is one of of Stila's best-sellers.





Stila Rose Gold Trio's Lightest Color (left), Stila Kitten, NYX Yogurt

 Rose Gold Trio (left), Nyx Yogurt, Stila Kitten

Compared to two different yet similar colors, Kitten looks more of a sandy pink than a coral-champagne or sheer shimmer, like the others.

As the description says, "a shimmering nude pink" I think that pink sands or pink champagne is a better description than just saying that it's pink. Some of Stila's eyeshadows are really soft and creamy, while some are completely hard and powdery. 

With the pot that I got, I found that I had to apply several layers to get a large color payoff, unlike the Rose Gold Trio. It's kinda weird to me how their eyeshadows can have such different textures yet all be in the same brand, but I don't think we'll ever know the answer.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend for you guys to go check this one out, as the pink undertones may not work 100% perfect with everyone, only seeing for yourself will be able to determine that. 

I bought the Stila Kitten set at the Nordstrom Rack for $14, which included the eyeshadow, a lip glaze, an all-over shimmer duo, and a high-shine lip gloss. 

Have you tried this? Let me know in the comments below!


Saturday, April 5, 2014

Sephora Steal: Perfume + Free Minis and 15% Off!

Hey guys! I just wanted to share something with you that I took note of yesterday and thought was ah-mazing. As some of you probably know, Sephora usually puts out perfume samples from time to time. There were a bunch of sets during the holiday season, but they were all those mini sprays in the tubes that you can get as samples in the checkout line, and ridiculously overpriced.

Here's where a confession comes in. I love bottles. Boxes. Any sort of organization storage compartment, I love it. Especially when it's perfume. That's what makes this really, really, really tempting for me.


This set costs $58, which seems expensive, but is the best possible deal available right now! Layered on top of the Beauty Insider discount until April 10th, (more below), you'll definitely being saving some cash.

The set contains:
 0.25 oz Balenciaga Florabotancia dabber (Scent certificate redeems for 1 oz Spray) 
- 0.15 oz Burberry Body Tender dabber (Scent certificate redeems for 2 oz Spray) 
- 0.17 oz Bvlgari Omina Crystalline dabber (Scent certificate redeems for 1.3 oz Spray) 
- 0.24 oz Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Rollerball (Scent certificate redeems for 1 oz Spray) 
- 0.24 oz Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Rollerball (Scent certificate redeems for 1 oz Spray) 
- 0.16 oz Gucci Guilty (Scent certificate redeems for 1 oz Spray) 
- 0.17 oz Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy La Fleur (Scent certificate redeems for 2.5 oz Spray) 
- 0.14 oz Lancome La Vie Est Belle (Scent certificate redeems for 1 oz Spray) 

If you happen to be looking to buy one of these perfumes, I'd definitely recommend buying this instead. Here are the prices of the sprays that you can redeem the voucher for:

Balencia Florabotanica: $70
Burberry Body Tender: $68
Bvlgari Omina Crystalline: $65
Elizabeth and James Nirvana White: $55
Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black: $55
Gucci Guilty: $58
Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Fleur: $72
Lancome La Vie Est Belle: $58


Also, can I mention that the Nirvana ones are rollerballs? Totes Magoats amazing. 

Since some of the perfumes, like the Elizabeth and James ones, are $3 less expensive than the kit, there's a 15% off discount for beauty insider RIGHT NOW. That would bring the price down to $50, making it officialy a steal.

For some of the perfumes that are over $50, you can take that money and go buy a new eyeshadow or mascara. It's a win-win.

http://www.sephora.com/bottled-dreams-fragrance-sampler-for-her-P385509?skuId=1605260

Monday, March 31, 2014

Mani Monday: Spring Pastels & Pandas

Hey guys! I almost never do "mani monday" related things, mainly because I suck at painting my nails, but I did the yesterday and they actually turned out... decently! (The shock, I know.)

I decided to do multicolored pastels, and of course, a panda!



Essie Mint Candy Apple
Covergirl Pink-finity
Covergirl Lav-endure
Panda: Justice


Swatches on Paper (I also added the two other colors I bought but didn't use)




These nail decorations are from Justice (I may have temporarily stolen them from my little sister...)





Mini-Reviews
Essie Mint Candy Apple: Essie, as always, has amazing quality nail polish and Mint Candy Apple is So. Flipping. Amazing.

Covergirl Pink-finity & Lav-endure: I don't really know why people say it sucks, since they work really well for me! They're a *tad* bit more watery than Essie, but still really good.

Revlon in Seashell: This one is at the bottom of my list, the consistency is so watery, it just came right off my nail! Pretty color, though.

Revlon in Jade: My sister chose this one out, and fortunately, it's not as watery as the Colorstay ones.





I hope you guys enjoyed "mani monday," maybe I'll do some more things for nails next week! Make sure to subscribe & follow to make sure you're the first to know about new reviews, tutorials, posts, and more! xx

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Bath & Body Works: Hawaii Passionfruit Kiss


Hey guys! Unlike the previous collections for BBW, I haven't really been covering too much on the Aloha collection. The last few weeks have been insanely busy, but I'm back!

The Aloha collection includes three new scents, Oahu Coconut Sunset, Maui Hibiscus Beach, and Hawaii Passionfruit Kiss. While I have WAAAAY too big of a Bath and Body Works obsession, I couldn't help but pick this up when they had the Nation Fragrance Day promotion earlier this week. 

"Lavishly splash or lightly spritz your favorite fragrance, either way you'll fall in love at first mist! Our carefully crafted bottle and sophisticated pump delivers great coverage while conditioning aloe mist nourishes skin for the lightest, most refreshing way to fragrance!
  • A sexy pairing of exotic passionfruit & papaya blossoms wrapped in creamy macadamia
Sun shines brighter. Scents smell sexier. Life gets better. Escape to beautiful Hawaii where lush, tropical flowers and exotic fruits are the perfect background to an island adventure."         -B&BW




The notes include, like the description said, (top) strawberry, guava, kona passionfruit, kiwi, (middle) pink hibiscus, pineapple, white papaya blossom, heliconia, (base) coral sands accord, macadamia, and skin musk.


When sniffed from the bottle or freshly sprayed, the perfume seems to be a completely fruity scent with a tad of floral. After that, it progresses to a bit of a darker scent, more florals (but with some pineapple) and then to a musky-fruit-floral scent. 

It's almost as if it's like the fragrance is in sync with the day, starting fresh and fruity in the morning, darker and sweeter in the afternoon, and musky-florally in the night. 

There's a certain note that stands above the others in all of the scents in the Aloha line. There's not really a word for it, to the best of my knowledge, but it's a result of the skin musk. There are two ways I can think of describing it:

1. A matte perfume. (Does that make sense?) Or fuzzy, like the fruit they used was warm.

2. Smoke. It kinda smells like there was a campfire luau and they captured a tiny vial of the fire's smoke and put it in the bottle. It doesn't smell like smoke, but the texture is there....

Because smoke totally has texture. Either way, you'll have to smell it for yourself.

The scent isn't my favorite from Bath and Body Works, but as a lot of my perfumes are either darker and sweet (like Velvet Sugar and Be Enchanted) or for the most part florally, I really like this scent and I think it's perfect for the summer time or a beach day. 

On the technical side, the staying power, unfortunately is not very long, but you can expect that with any fragrance mist, as the amount of alcohol in them disintegrates very quickly. 

I reviewed Hawaii Passionfruit Kiss in the fragrance mist form, but it's available in the following:

-Fine Fragrance Mist (what I reviewed here, travel sized and full)
-Lotion (Travel sized and full)
-Shower Gel (travel size and full
-Triple Moisture Body Cream
-Beach Glow Bronze Lotion
-Pink Sands Body Scrub
-Lip Gloss



Have you tried this perfume? Let me know in the comments if you did and what you thought! Also, don't forget to follow to make sure that you're the first to know about new posts, giveaways, and more! xx

Thursday, March 20, 2014

National Fragrance Day: FREE Full-Sized Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist!

Hey guys! Long time no posts! I'm really sorry about that, the last few weeks have been CRAZY. Everything is calming down (for the moment being) with finals, piano tests, tennis practice, etc, so I'll be posting a tonzles more. Anyway, I'll have some new things up in the next few days (so keep checking back!) but I just wanted to let you guys know that Bath and Body Works is giving away a FREE FULL SIZED FRAGRANCE MIST today only!

The coupon is valid on all of the fragrance mists, including the new Hawaii Collection. I haven't smelled them yet, so if I like them, I'll make sure to review them here!


You can get the coupon on the Bath and Body Works Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/bathandbodyworks




Sunday, March 2, 2014

Spring Outfit Inspiration #1

Hey guys! This is just a quick something I thought I would share. I'm working on spring fashion ideas for a project, and this is just a little bit of what I came up with. Enjoy!


Spring Outfit #1



Saturday, February 22, 2014

NEW Divergent Collection at Sephora (aka I've Died and Gone to Heaven)

Okay, yeah. Take a moment and read over the title again. I'm not joking. IT'S REALLY HAPPENING, GUYS. The moment when  beautiful books series crosses over with the cosmetics world is an amazing one. Sephora released some photos a couple days ago.




In the line there's the *everything* package, which has seriously some of the prettiest eyeshadows I have ever seen. There's also the smaller version (2nd photo) which is still flipping amazing. There's also a nail kit, which I don't have pictures of, but I think will be awesome!

Even better, it includes eyeshadows that are shimmery, and apparently create the illusion that the glitter is floating ABOVE YOUR EYELID. And that they change when it's applied wet vs. dry. Definitely something to check out. 

There's no official date, but check the Sephora website beginning early March, and the stuff should arrive in stores closer to the movie.



Now excuse me while I go scream into my pillow out of excitment and interrogate the salespeople at Sephora for more information.

Friday, February 14, 2014

FREE Mad About You Diamond Shimmer Mist! (TODAY ONLY)



Hey guys! Just wanted to let you guys know that the Bath and Body Works Mad About You diamond shimmer mist is available for free today! (With a purchase, I just bought a hand sanitizer. The new Sweet Shop ones are UH-AMAZING) You need you get the coupon emailed to you from the bath and Body works Facebook page.

It's today only, in stores, so check it out!

Happy Valentine's Day! (+ New Loves!)


Happy Valentine's Day! Our second Le Renifleur Vday! As you could probably tell, I didn't do the Valentine's Day coverage of things this year (I've been scoping out the new summer releases) but I do have a couple things I think you need to see. (Just a warning, you might fall in LOVE!)



Softlips Lip Balm Cubes


I've never tried the softlips brand before, but these are just so cute! They kind of look like an EOS knockoff, with the whole shape thing, but definitely worth trying! They're currently only being sold at Mentholatum, the parent company of SoftLips, and for preorder, but they're being shipped out today. I think they'll be hitting stores in a couple weeks.




Burberry Brit (Sheer)


Can we just take a minute to talk about this, please? I had a heart attack when I smelled it in Sephora yesterday. It's so flipping fantabulous, words can't even explain. It's the newest Burberry fragrance, and it's amazing. Just go smell it, okay?

Harrods Monochrome London Barrel


No, I do not live in London. I can't afford to buy basically anything at Harrods. But that doesn't stop me from looking. Not at all. This handbag is seriously perfection. It has a cross body strap, zippers, pockets, and a serious kick-butt design. THIS IS MY DREAM BAG. 


And then....the new Bath & Body Works Summer Destination Line!  I hope to have some more information to share with you guys soon, but, they are coming into stores on the 17th, so keep your eyes peeled. Check out photos HERE!