Sunday, December 1, 2013

Decorate, Organize, and Wear Blush. Plus a Haul!

A few topics that do not really fit with each other. But I had really no other way to bring it up and I dont want to make a blog post for each video. It would be too many videos and not enough actual blog post. Lucky enough for you, you will learn my favorite drugstore blushes, the brushes I like for those particular blushes, what things I bought recently, how to organize on a budget, and what to do with all of those empty Bath and Body Works candle jars all in one shot! What better way to spend your Sunday? Unless your going to church. Or going to your family's. Or if your going sled riding with your friends. Whatever. Enjoy!



If you don't already subscribe to my You Tube channel, you totally should! I make videos frequently and its another way to channel my creativity and learn a thing or two. If you have been a fan of Mind Body Beauty, then you will surely love the Erica Jackson {thats me} channel. That sound's weird, doesn't it?





♥♥More written reviews, swatches, comparisons.♥♥
ELF Studio Blushes Review







yah no what? Just for kicks, let's throw in my October Favorites Video too!




Monday, November 18, 2013

Pop Beauty Lip Crayons: A Love Story

 A true tale of love, lost. Then found again.

Once upon a time in July, I got an Ipsy bag. In that bag was a Pop Beauty Lip Crayon in Rose Romance.

That lip crayon made it as far as my August Favorites.

Then this girl went on this Vacation.

All of the sudden, Rose Romance was gone!

How could it be?

I lost the damn lip crayon. And that lip crayon is $10. I don't buy lipsticks for that much. Well, I take that back. I try not to. But ever since I lost Rose Romance, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

What's a girl to do? Hop on the Ulta.com of course! I realize Ulta is having a sale that is you spend $25 on Pop Beauty you get a free lip crayon in.......{drum roll please} Rose Romance!

So I ended up getting 5 full sized Lip Crayons for $25 and a back up of my beloved Rose Romance- for free!

Now that you've heard that love story, let's get on with the review.

These Lip Crayons are really nice. Even though they look like a crayon/pencil, you don't need to sharpen them. The colors of the actual tubes can be deceiving. I will get into that later. They are all creamy and mostly moisturizing. I would call them a moisturizing lipstick. They have a slight mint scent but do not taste like anything. Some look like a stain. Others look like a lip stick. And some seem to accentuate the cracks on my lips. Maybe I applied too much?

Apricot Adore:
Last week I wore this to work and it seemed to make the lines in my lips more noticeable. They actually felt a little dry after a while. It was an isolated incident and if im being fair, my lips were chapped as I had a cold. On other days I have used this, I haven't had that problem. The tube looks like a tomato red. On the lips, it's a nice peachy pink color. It has a brightening aspect to it. Looking in the mirror, it didn't look so streaky. In the photo, it's another story. So it has some flaws, apparently. This is my second favorite color, regardless.



Coral Crush:
This one has power. It is really pretty bright coral and right up my alley. This would have been awesome for this past summer. This is one of them that seems to have a staining quality. After the lip crayon wore off, the color was still there. Wait. This one might be my favorite.


Rose Romance:
You guys already know how I feel about this one. This is a nice nude color that can look like a nude pink but I call it a nude. This one is the creamiest one. It goes on the smoothest and feels the nicest, for whatever reason.


Petal Passion:
If I went into Ulta blindly, never to have experienced Rose Romance, I would have thought this was the perfect color for me. I love nude pinks. But this one guys, is the worst. Think of it as a clear lipstick. I think of this one as a clear chap stick. It's nothing special, really. Maybe it would be good for using over a more drying lip crayon {or lip products in general} but I wouldn't buy this one solo or anything. Unless any of this appeals to you, of course. I have no clue why they decided to put the word "passion" in the name. There is no passion. There is just blandness. And sorrow. And death. 



Fuchsia Flirt:
I thought this would be the brightest color in the box, but turns out it's not. This one reminds me of Apricot Adore, but this one is a little more pink- a medium pink.


Barely Bitten:
this one is a little bit of a darker nude than Rose Romance. And Rose Romance has more pink to it. If your looking for a brown nude, you have found it. I never would have bought anything in this shade for my lips but it turns out that I like it a lot on my lips.


I really would recommend this little kit to anyone that wears lipstick, really. I think we tend to stick to what we think is right for our taste and skin tone as far as makeup goes. Considering you get to try 6 different shades with this kit, you really get to see what you should be wearing as opposed to what you like. I have said time and time again Rose Romance and I have a thing. Looking at the photos, I think I look way cuter with a couple of the other colors. Rose Romance doesn't really up the ante on my face as much as, say, Coral Crush. 

I almost forgot to add these swatches! This will give you even more insight. I do like lip swatches but I also love seeing them swatched on hands/arms just to compare them side to side.

 

So yeah, the love story I guess isn't a love story ending in girl meets lip crayon (hm?). I ended up loving every crayon in the box. Well, most of the crayons.

One thing I learned with these particular lip crayons is that you should never apply too much or else you will surely accentuate the wrinkles and lines on your lips.

What are your favorite lip crayons?

 Any beauty products in general that your bizarrely in love with?

xoxo
Erica

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

My Favorite Fall Outfit

So lately I have been into fashion more so than makeup. You ever get into those moods? I got my Philip Lim bag on my birthday from Philly {thank you Philly!}. After that, I found some really good deals at JC Penneys. I have been wearing a variation of this outfit a couple times a week. I play it out.

So, I bought a tri-pod and thought this was the perfect time to do an OOTD- video style. Philly usually helps me with my photos for my OOTD's but he hasn't been around as much as he used to be. So it was up to me to make it all happen. A one women show around here. I wish I had some better shots in picture form. But my thumbnail is even a screen shot. Regardless, I think it turned out pretty good. It's my best one yet if you don't mind me saying so.

OOTD:
Autumn Beach Breeze



Boots: Old Navy: $12
Jeggings: JC Penney's: $12 (still in stores)
Shirt: JC Penney's: $7 (still in stores)
Fitted Blazer: Body Central: $10
Lion Head Necklace: Charlotte Russe: $5 (still in stores)


I really love the way the over-sized super casual tee shirt looks with the fitted blazer. I think since it is fitted, it gives it a more relaxed look that pairs well something more casual- like the tee. The jeggings are a cool toned taupe color. They are so pretty! Is that weird to call jeggings pretty? They are stretchy and really comfortable for a day of shopping or running errands. I bought the boots at old Navy last year after Christmas. If your shopping for yourself, I recommend waiting it out until after Christmas, especially at Old Navy. They start marking things down to like %90 off. Including boots and shoes. To give the outfit a little bit of attention I thought the Lion Head necklace was perfect. It gives it just enough.

I usually buy 2 bags every year. One in the spring and one in the fall. I will wear this bag with any outfit, but i think it looks especially cute with thie particular OOTD. To go hand in hand with my OOTD, I filmed a "What's in my Bag Tag"


If your liking my videos, don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel! I also am always active on Instagram. I posted my OOTD before even uploading the Youtube video.

 ♥ Twitter. @MeetMissJackson ♥ Instagram @MeetMissJackson

xoxo
Erica

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Top 6 Fall Trends

Hi! Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Except when it starts dropping down to like 30-40 degrees. I think I just like it because of all the changing trends. Weather it be makeup, fashion, other beauty items, fragrances, TV, food. Not to mention my birthday is October 8th. And I also love fall because we are so close to Christmas, then NYE. But before we get into all of the wintery stuff, here are my favorite fall trends for 2013. These are all things I have been loving and seeing around.



Top 10 ELF Favorites

♥ Products Mentioned ♥
♥ Wet n Wild Blush in Mellow Wine
Hard Candy Matte-ly in Love Top Coat
Nicole By OPI Khloe Had a Little Lam Lam
ELF Essentials Lipstick in Gypsy
Mally's Lipgloss in Raspberry
♥ Avon Glimmersticks Lip Liner in Simply Spice
Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Volumizing Mascara
Mally's Volumizing Mascara
♥ Milani Eye Tech Liquid Eye Liner
Mally Age Rebel Eyeshadows in Jade and Burnished Violet

What is your favorite fall trend?

 xoxo
Erica

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

A Sculpted Face {feat Wet n' Wild}

You all know how much I love both Wet n Wild lipsticks and eye shadows. Both of which are greatly pigmented for the cheap price. learn more about those by clicking the links. Today I want to talk about some Wet n Wild face products. I have never gave Wet n Wild's face products a second look- until now. I have really been into face makeup lately. It's fun to try out different techniques with different products and brushes. The three face products I have here have been in my beauty bag box ever since I bought them weeks ago. And they are also some of the cheapest face products I have in my collection

Here I have a highlighter, a bronzer, and a blush.


Reserve Your Cabana
Color Icon Bronzer
The Highlight:
It is marketed as a bronzer, but I don't think I have ever seen anyone that could possibly use this as a bronzer. It's a nice warm {but very light} color. If Stila's Kitten eye shadow was transformed into a highlight, I think this would be it. When applied to my cheek bones, it looks like it has a satin finish: not shimmery but also not matte. I love both kinds of highlights but because this one is somewhere in the middle, makes it unique to anything I have seen at the drugstore- anything I have at least. I honestly can apply this with a flat top kabuki brush {tapping off the excess of course} and still great a finish and look out of it. Yeah. Crazy right? It's not because it isn't pigmented. It just works somehow. Blending it out is a cinch. I just use that same kabuki brush. This is my favorite highlight to date.

Bikini Contest
Color Icon Bronzer
The Bronzer:
This is a red based bronze color and I honestly think that red-based bronzer's can look a little more natural for people with red/pink under tones. Every year before I tan I tend to burn since my skin is pink rather than olive. That's why these kinds of bronzer's work really well for me. This also has a slight sheen and I think would qualify as a satin finish. I personally like it for contouring my face. I use Sigma's F40 Large Angled Contour brush to do so, but any angled blush brush will work for contouring.

Heather Silk
Color Icon
The Blush:
Unlike it's bronzer counterpart's, Heather Silk is a matte blush. This is a really pretty bright pink that can almost look a little intimidating in the pan. This blush is surely going to give you color. I slightly tap my brush in. Then tap of the excess, then lightly apply to the apples of my cheeks. Then I will wipe off the rest of the blush on the brush and blend it out upwards near my temple. It is so rich and pigmented. This blush will probably last me a life time. If your looking for a great mid tone pink blush that packs pigment, I think you have found it! Also the brush that this came with is a thin angled face brush. It has been perfect for contouring my nose with using Bikini Contest.

Here's some swatches:

Here's everything applied to my face:


 Side Note:
Before I end this blog, I wanted to update you all on the status of Mind Body Beauty. I obviously haven't been writing here as often as I used to. Before I started doing videos, I had my full time job and my blog. Now that I have been making videos so much, it is hard for me to juggle all 3 things (blog, Youtube channel, and my job). I just wanted to let you all know that my blogging time is less apparent and I would rather make videos it seems. Sie la Vie. So, yeah! Let me know what you think. Expect around 4 blog post's a month. Maybe more, maybe less. This doesn't mean this is the end of Mind Body Beauty. No way, Jose! More like a new beginning. A lot of my videos are and will be going hand in hand with this blog, so I am upgrading. Lately I have been feeling really bad about not posting to MBB as much as I used to. So this little paragraph makes me feel better that I don't have to bust out 3-4 blog post's every week. If I had all the time in the world, I totally would! I'm going down to being committed to 1 blog post a week, like I mentioned. Now I dont have to feel as bad now that I made it official. If you miss me too much I have an Instagram and Twitter account both @MeetMissJackson. Obviously you can find me on my Youtube channel. Any video I ever do that has to do with anything I talk about here on the blog, I will post here. Feel free to subscribe to my channel if you want my video's in real time, but please still follow MBB because I can make my video's a little more interactive around here. Plus, I am still  going to do normal blog post's with photos and words too. Things that have nothing to do with videos. I would hate if this place became just another place to promote my channel. Youknowwhatimean? It works for some people but for me, I feel like I have serious roots on this blog and I would feel like I am selling it down the river or something weird. That doesn't go for everyone! Just how I feel about my content, my channel, and my blog. Hopefully one day MBB can just be a place where I post no videos and it's all photo and word content. But until I get my channel off of the ground, this is how it will be. Long winded, unedited, talking-from-the-heart explanation. This is gunna be fun! Let me know what you think about it! Thank you kindly for all of your support!

thank you so much for reading!
xoxo
Erica


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

All About Blonde Hair

As of summer 2013 I am officially blonde. It only took me a little over a year to get the color blonde I achieved. I have read up on so many blogs and websites. Watched so many tutorials and catch all videos. Asked hair dressers, professionals, and enthusiasts alike. And let me tell you, there is plenty of info to benefit from out there! I must say I am quite happy with my hair right now. That goes for color and the health of it. It could stand to be a little thicker but that is sacrifice for over-processing your hair. Otherwise, my hair is healthier then I ever thought it could possibly be as a blonde.

This video encompasses everything I know about blonde hair.
How to achieve the color
Avoiding Bleach
Repairing Your Hair
Smoothing the cuticle
Keeping it soft and shiny
Keeping it healthy and gorgeous



Never go to a salon again! This is how I went from a darker brown all the way to platinum blonde. Here's everything you need to know!

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Products Mentioned:
.Ion High Lift Color 305215 High Lift Natural Blonde HL/N 12.0
.Salon Care Professional 40 Volume Creme
.Garnier Nutrisse Extra Light Ash Blonde {White Chocolate} 111
.Garnier Olia Lightest Cool Blonde
.AG Sterling Silver Shampoo Mild Toning Shampoo
.Redken All Soft Conditioner
.Mane and Tail Conditioner
.Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum {or any serum for that matter}
.Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Dramatic Repair
.Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray
.Silk Elements Heat Protection Spray

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References. Learn More!
The Natural Haven Bloom
Black Girl Long Hair
Natural Beauty Wellness
How to Get Bleach Blonde Hair At Home. Maintain Platinum Blonde Hair
Drugstore Dye Job - How to Dye your Hair Blonde At Home

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If you have any questions leave them down below.
If you have some other tips, leave those in the comments too!

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Disclaimer!!!!
Yall know I am just a normal who went from a dark color to light blonde at home, right? Obviously, I am not a professional. But don't worry! I learned all of this on my own and did all the experimenting for you so you don't mess this up- You can do it! Please watch the videos and read the blog post's I have listed here for you. If you want to take care of your hair, these are great places to start!





I know all my of beauty bloggers have some great tips. Leave them down below? 

Thank you!

take care,
Erica


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Bath and Body Works in the FallTime

When I went into Bath and Body Works a week or so ago, I was kinda bummed. I didn't find anything that appealed to my nose and that I couldn't leave the store without. I think I was bitter about the Cinnamon Sugared Donut fiasco. They aren't carrying that candle this year. That's ok I guess. But I was not having it last week.

So then I went back into Bath and Body Works a couple days ago and this time, I took my time. I tend to read the candle name and if it doesn't have any variation of a baked good on it, I won't even smell it. I smelled all of the Pumpkin candles and was expecting to leave with Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, or Pumpkin Cupcake, or Blueberry Pumpkin Patch. That last one was really interesting. It smelled like a fully ripened blueberry on the vine (do blueberries grow on a vine?). They oddly pin pointed what a blueberry would smell like on the brink of crisp weather when they are fully ripened and about to die. Just go give it a sniff next time and you will know what I mean.


 Cider Lane
Then, I smelled Cider Lane. I hope they have a Wallflower in this scent because I want to put it in my kitchen and let it live there forever. It smells just like caramel apples. Forget the description. You can smell the top note of apple cider right off the bat. But then, you get that bottom note of the sweet, buttery caramel. I was so intrigued at that last second that I picked it back up to give it a whiff again. And when you burn it? The caramel is just as prevalent as the apple cider scent. Amazing. Must try. I think it is the sweetest candle this year.

"As sweet as a trip to the local apple orchard each year, a delicious fall blend of mulled cider, warm caramel and sweet cinnamon."

 Roasted Pumpkin Butter:
The name sounds like it wouldn't be the most sweetest scent of the bunch, but it is sweet and also has that buttery note in there which was exactly what I was looking for. It smells like a sweet cinnamon pumpkin butter. Now I want to duplicate this in the form of a muffin. The cinnamon and sweetness is in there but it smells more butter and pumpkin than anything. It doesn't have as high of a scent throw as Cider Lane but it does fill up the living/dining room. 

"Savor the delicious fragrance of a fall treat from the local pumpkin patch-whipped pumpkin, toasted cinnamon and creamy vanilla butter."

 Blackberry Spice
I had a survey on my receipt and if I filled it out, I got $10 off of $30! I always have a survey it seems, I just didn't know about them before until a cashier told me one time. Take a look next time at your receipt because those never expire. Anyhow, I needed something for a few more bucks. I really wanted to try maybe the coffee candle or something but since they were out, I obviously couldn't. Plus the girl raved about this one so I decided to try it out. I personally liked the Blueberry Pumpkin Patch but they didn't have a baby candle in that fragrance. Le sigh. This one is good though.

"Bring home the perfect blend of sweetness & spice - fresh picked berries, crushed cloves, cinnamon bark and vanilla cream."

I Love S'mores Pocket Bac. I have my I Love Cinnamon Buns Pocket Bac too. I Love the hand sanitizers that smell like food. They are so cool! Remember the Peanut Butter and Jelly one or the Chocolate Chip Cookie one? I Love S'mores just smells like vanilla buttercream or something.


I never do get a chance to buy the hand soaps and I have always wanted one. So I settled on Pumpkin Caramel Latte. It doesn't actually smell like the candle. It smells really good though. Like buttery.... or creamy. I can't really pin point it to be honest. Wash your hands with it one day at the store and you will get it.


I already want to go back and buy more stuff.  I have a whole list. It's a ridiculous obsession.

Did you guys buy anything from the fall line from Bath and Body Works?

xoxo
Erica

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Whats in my Ipsy Bag || Sept

I love Ipsy bags. I say this every month, but I like them better than Birchbox for the most part because I get mainly makeup. But I kind of miss the Birchbox skin care stuff. And I also miss racking up points to buy stuff with them. Birchbox has more high end stuff, most of which is deluxe sized samples. Ipsy is all full sized drug store stuff, mainly.


This month, I must say, wasn't the very best month. In fact it was my least favorite bag out of the 4 I have purchased. There are some really good points and some bad points...

It's So Big:
Elizabeth Mott
This mascara is the best thing. It is officially one of my favorite mascara's. I think I may even like it better than my holy grail Mally's Volumizing Mascara. I have been using the later all year thanks to this kit I bought last Christmas. Just like Mally's Volumizing Mascara, It's So Big knows how to volumize and lengthen really well. I can use two coats and it won't clump and my lashes will still look full and long. MVM can get a little clumpy after the second coat. Right when I pulled the wand out of the tube, I noticed the consistency of It's So Big. It was really, really creamy. Unlike anything I have ever tried. Another point I want to make is that it can really hold a curl unlike anything I have tried. At the end of the day when it was time to take off my makeup, I noticed that my lashes were still curled. Almost like I applied my makeup an hour before. This stuff is bomb.


Eyeshadow in Purple
NYX
NYX is one of my favorite brands for lipstick but I have never tried any of their eyeshadows, surprisingly. This is a nice semi-shimmery pinkish purple eyeshadow called "Purple". I have been liking using this on the bottom lash line the past few days and I even used it in my inner corner last night for a quick pop over my eyeshadow that was already there. It's not the most pigmented but it isn't the worst either.


Kohl Eye Pencil in Obsidian
Starlooks
I have tried the Starlooks lip liner and I really like it. This eyeliner is more than what I thought it would be. It is pigmented and goes onto the inner rim smoothly. It isn't the blackest black or anything. What I don't like about it is that it seems to travel underneath my eyes and makes me look a little raccoon-y.
 

Taupe Brow Pencil
Victoria Jackson
I love this the most for the name. My last name is Jackson, after all. I have been using it and liking it. I find it is a really good color for my brows being that I am a very light blonde. Use a very light hand with it! You will see in the swatch how pigmented it is. That isn't a good thing with an eye brow pencil. I don't want to look like I drew my eyebrows on with a sharpie.


Fantabulous Lipstick in Honeycrisp
J. Cat
When I first opened it, I thought it could have been a concealer. It's not, it's totally a lipstick. I do love my nude colors and with a light hand and a little blotting after application, it can look nice. Even with someone with such light skin like me. As for the formula, it is nice. Doesn't dry out my lips but also isn't really the most creamy lipstick. It certainly isn't my first pick in nudes. My perfect nude is Pop Beauty's Rose Romance Lip Crayon.


Here's the swatches. 
Left to right:  Lipstick, Eyeshadow, Brow Pencil, Eyeliner

Here's a very yellow FOTD but it's all I got. Why didn't I stand in front of the window like usual? I thought the first picture was way cuter but this isn't about me! It's about that mascara. The second photo shows it a little better. I am also wearing the brow pencil, lipstick, eye liner, and purple eyeshadow on my lower lash line.


So obviously this wasn't the best of the Ipsy bag's. But I absolutely loved It's So Big. You guy's gotta try it. 

What was your favorite thing from this month's Ipsy bag?

xoxo
Erica

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

A House Tour and a Ton of Simple DIY's and Super Quick Tip's

As you all know I moved and I have been shopping, DIYing and decorating like crazy! Here, I am going to give you a tour of my living room (in the video) and my room (through photos). 

In the video, while I am showing my living room, I am taking you around and showing you all of the awesome deals I got on everything. I try not to buy expensive things. I also show you the makeup I got at Ulta and Lauren Conrad shoes I bought at Kohl's. They were around $70-something and I bought them for under $20! This was a really fun day and I hope you enjoy it too!






My room is the big room up in the attic. As you can tell, I don't have high ceilings. The shape of my room is in the form of what a roof looks like. I kinda like it like that. I think it adds character. 

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And Then There Was Light:
This is my bed where I sleep at night. I got the comforter for Christmas and even though it wouldn't be my first pick, it is really comfy and looks cute. I bought my actual bed in high school and never did buy a head board to go with it. So, I made my own head board with stringy lights I bought at 5+Below. I love the light it gives off, making it look dreamy. I also hate having the big light on in any room, especially my bedroom, and try to avoid it at all costs. These type of lights are perfect for me. They are the only lights I keep on in my room. I have a different style of stringy lights in my kitchen that are colorful. They're adorable. And it's so simple. 

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Jazz Up An End Table:
My end tables were my first decor venture in this house. The end tables you are seeing were from my mom's house. She kindly gave them to me. Thanks Mom! I especially like how this one has that shelf to put stuff on. I have a notebook underneath a decorative box I got from Target in the $1 section. I throw my junk in there: reading light, a pen, makeup remover, Pocket Bac, etc. It's great because it catches junk but also looks cute. Stylish and purpose-serving. The drawer isn't a drawer. It's actually a filing cabinet. I want to use it but haven't yet. The last thing I want to do is start throwing stuff in there without any plan, place, rhyme or reason. That is how clutter starts and that is how you lose things.


Cheap DIY:
On top of the end table's, I have my bouquet's I made for $6 a piece from Dollar Tree. You can buy different fake flowers there. Be creative and put together your own flower arrangement! I think it adds a special touch. Nobody else is going to have that exact bouquet. To help the flower's stand up, you can add decorative rocks. They had a few different colors at Dollar Tree. I preferred the clear non-colored one's. They also have fake water at Pat Catan's for around $10, but I like to have the option of changing out the flowers. That glass vase is also from Dollar Tree. To me, it looks classy and stylish but I didn't have to spend a bunch of money and I also got to create something.


Instead of hanging up my wall art (bought at Ikea years ago) and make more holes in the wall, I decided to simply set them on the end tables. I think it looks cute! They are a little out dated to me so I wanna do some kind of DIY with them but for now, they look cute and totally go with the purple floral print on the comforter. I also have some silver photo frame's to go with my cool toned room, and some cute tea light holder's I bought at 5+Below for $1 a piece. They are on sale right now 2 for $1!

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Work With What You Got
My beauty dresser, as I never called it but-needed-some-type-of-name-to-differentiate-it-from-the-other-dresser, dresser. It was a surprise to me that the dresser which is darker wood went so well up against the cool toned off-purple walls. I quite like it. I made the nail polish rack myself. I bought the T-Bars at Pat Catan's {$4 and $10}. The bucket serves as another place to throw junk instead of having it laying out. My body spray's and lotions are sitting on an old candle tray I had lying around. Another Tip: Things that used to be used for one thing, could be used for something else completely another time around. I love that tip! Give something a new life.

The shelf I hung up has all the rest of my nail stuff. Manicure scissors, emory boards, that kind of stuff. I used an old candle jar from the small candle's from Bath and Body Works to store that stuff in. Told you! Give thing's a new life. And it even looks cute. Boom.

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T.V. Dresser DIY
This is another piece of furniture from my mom's house. This actually matched my "beauty" dresser but I decided to paint it to go with the cool toned theme that is my room. I wanted an off white base with silver accented drawers and that is exactly what I got. It looked cute outside when I painted it but I am un-sure of it at this point. I feel like it may clash with itself and even then may clash with the walls. It works for now! Maybe it will be cuter when I get some drawer knobs on there. Whoops. Haven't got around to it yet. The Off White Color I used is a spray paint from Krylon called Ivory. I bought it at Wal-Mart for like $5 a piece. I used the same color base coat from the same brand. It was only $1 extra. That equaled 5 cans total, including the base coat. I have used a top coat before when spray painting furniture and found it served no purpose in the long run so I didn't use one this time around.

For the drawers, I used a metallic spray paint called Silver from the Metallic Collection by Krylon. It was also around $5 and I only used 1 can of this and even have some left over. This really sparkled outside in the day light and I am in love with this color/finish. It looks a little more toned down in the house. It does however reflect objects in my room, picking up those colors making it cohesive with the whole room. I am just not sure if it goes well with Ivory which is the color of the dresser itself. I used 3 coats for the drawers.

About Spray Painting:
I recommend spray painting furniture any day! Pick a spring or fall day where it is neither too humid or cold. It takes 10 minutes or less to do 1 coat and it takes 10 minutes for each coat to dry. Spray painting is goof proof. After the first coat you might be wishing you haven't even started it. It will look like you tried to tag up your piece of furniture but after that last coat, it looks even and opaque.

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 The Closet:
I used to organize my clothes from tank tops all the way to hoodies and then assort them by color. Since there is no door, I wanted it to look a little more aesthetically pleasing so I went with every single piece being organized by the colors of the rainbow. ROY G BIV. It's harder to find things this way so I don't know if it is going to stay like this, but for now it works.

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The Walls:

 I really wanted to go with a neutral toned silver. I went for a paint called Simple Shimmer from the Metallics line from Valspar. I bought it at Lowe's. It is a pretty penny- literally. {metallic humor} With the special paint sponge/brush, base color, and the actual paint it cost me around $100. If I could do it again, I would have went with something else. You can kind of see the strokes from the paint roller too. For $100, it just isnt worth it. They had paint similar to this from Martha Stewart at Home Depot. If your dead set on a metallic or a shimmery finish, look to Home Depot. The wall directly behind me in this photo {the wall with the closet and beauty dresser} was only painted with the special base coat paint.  After doing this wall, I kind of liked the way the base color looked and it was way less work. Luckily, we still have some left of each paint can so I need to come up with another project to play around with. You better believe I am not letting it go to waste!


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Computer Desk:
I painted this with the same method as my T.V. dresser. Only when I painted this, I used a top coat and sanded the whole entire thing. Seriously, an unfruitful venture in the worst way. This spray paint is by Krylon and the color is called Gum Drop. I used 4 cans of this but I think I could have went with less. I got a little paint happy lets just say. I painted this a couple years ago and I am not sure I would have chose this exact color to go with this room but I do actually think it work. In fact, I like it better than the T.V. dresser in this room which was thought out for this room exactly. Going with your gut isn't always the best option.

By the way, those pink drawers are from Target. I bought that for like $12 and they are also on sale right now for even cheaper. The drawers hold both my makeup and office supplies. Call me crazy but it works for me. 

That is rule #1. 
Find what works best for you. That's the best piece of advice I could ever give yah!


Writing all of this out made me think that it may have been better in a video form. I dunno. Whatever. 

So let me know what you think!
What do these room's need more of?
How awesome is that mirror and those shoes?! 

thank you for reading!
xoxo
Erica 


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