Product Love {Primer & Foundation}

I no longer have the fresh, dewy, even skin of my youth. There are many aspects of aging that I actually enjoy, however my skin showing the signs of it is not one of them. I am constantly in search of products that will brighten this and hide that when it comes to my face. A huge lover of makeup makes this a fun process. Lately I have been on the search for a great medium coverage foundation. I don't need a ton of covering up but enjoy an even skin tone as much as the next girl. Here are two (three if you count the beauty blender which I have mentioned before!) products that I have fallen in love with and have each made my morning routine something to look forward too.

Even on my 5 minute face days, I use a face primer. Face primer evens out your skin tone and helps your foundation blend easier and stay on much longer. I have tried MANY primers from high end to drugstore and have landed on one that works well and has several features that I just love. This is the Flawless Beauty Primer from Pixi. This brand is sold at Target. I tried the primer first in its trial size and knew almost immediately that I would purchase the full size when it ran out. There is the tiniest bit of shimmer in this product that gives the face a gorgeous glow. It dries to a smooth finish is the perfect prep layer for foundation. 

Finding the perfect foundation can be a daunting task. You want one that covers well but doesn't look like its covering too much. I enjoy a medium coverage foundation that does not break down during the day and doesn't oxidize (turns orangish) on my skin. I try a lot of foundations and have settled on a few of my favorites. New ones come out all the time though and I feel compelled to try them out! One that recently come out on the market is the Ready, Set, Gorgeous line from Cover Girl. I usually am not a fan of Cover Girl because I feel like they have a scent to their products that is a turn off for me. However, I tried this foundation after a beauty guru recommendation and I absolutely LOVE it. This foundation is definitely more for people with oily skin which I do not have. However I tend to sweat on my face (its a long story....) and I need a foundation that won't break down under those conditions. I apply the foundation with my Sigma F80 or my beloved beauty blender. It dries to a pretty matte finish and really stays put the whole day. Best part? It is only about 6 bucks! 

Let me know if you try these out! 

Surviving Winter

Anyone who knows me knows that I DESPISE the winter season. Living in Minnesota seems like an absolutely ridiculous thing for someone like me but I don't have much of a choice about it. Winters here are looooong and coooooold (last year we had 6 days off of school because it was too COLD to go outside--like -30 too cold) and can really bring a gal down. Pretty much the only thing I kinda enjoy about this season is the fact that I can wear all my favorite pairs of boots for a really long time. That's about it though. I don't like to drive in it. I don't like to dress for it. I don't like what it does to my skin and hair. I really am not trying to be a Debbie Downer here...just keeping it real folks. Maybe it would be different if I enjoyed some winter sports or hobbies but I am not into anything that requires a temperature below 32 degree Fahrenheit to be successful. I can't guarantee that I will stop complaining about the winter weather altogether (sorry babe) but I have made it my goal to make some sort of truce with winter this year. Someone once told me that there was no such thing as inappropriate weather, just inappropriate clothing. Well....here are my tips for surviving what could be a long winter.

1.  Invest in a good coat. 
For me this meant owning a dressy and functional coat that were both warm and fashionable. I scored this season and found this adorable wool polka dot coat from Target on sale. What you can't see from the picture are the amazing, vintage style buttons all down the front of the coat. My other more functional coat is a Michael Kors puffer coat in navy that I got on major sale at Burlington Coat Factory. Key factor with both of these coats is that they cover my bum!

2. Boots
I can't live with out my Bogs. These boots are rubber outsoled and are guaranteed to keep your tootsies warm to below zero! They are essential for running errands after a big snow. My feet stay perfectly warm and dry. They look adorable with skinnies and leggings too. I also recently invested in a pair of Uggs. I'll be the first to tell you that I don't think they are very cute. However, they are super comfy and unbelievably warm. I wear them to work and then change into my flats or heels once I get to school. Warm feet go a long way in keeping me winter happy.

3. Winter Accessories
Now that my feet are warm my hands are getting jealous. I am one grumpy camper if my hands get too cold in the winter. I swear by my Eddie Bauer mittens and have gone through at least two pair over the last few years. I also have a pair of glittens so I can expose my fingers for my smart phone. The last thing I throw on to stay perfect and toasty is a chunky knit scarf---my faves are from Old Navy or I do knit a few for myself. For me, a scarf adds a good ten degrees to my overall winter temperature. I never leave the house during the winter without one! Here's to maybe not just surviving but actually thriving this winter!

Share in the comments below how you survive winter! 

OOTd {Fave Floral Fall Dress}

I kept eying this dress at Target over several shopping trips. My hesitation centered on the fact that I am not really a "floral" person. Animal print. Of course. Houndstooth? Sign me up. Floral?? Ummmm...? I am not sure what it is. Maybe its my fear of looking like a set of curtains, or a table cloth, or a couch from the seventies. Floral print is HUGE right now and I really wanted to attack it one way or another. This dress caught my eye for two reasons- (1) I enjoy the navy background. Navy is my go-to neutral as of late. (2) The floral print seemed large enough to not seem busy but small enough to not seem like I should come with a scent of some sort. The tipping point on the scale was actually SEEING it on someone else at a school event. SOLD! I have styled this dress so many different ways over the last few weeks that I am so glad I didn't skip on purchasing it! I also wore it for our fall family pics! Sneak peak at the end!

{Shop the Style}

Dress: Target 

Sweater: Target

Necklace: The Limited

Boots: Steve Madden

Socks: Target

Belt: Old

My hubs is sooo handsome ;)!

OOTD {animal print}

No one is going to be sporting their shocked face when I profess my undying love for animal print. I have it in so many clothing pieces that it feels like animal print and I should be besties seeing how we spend so much time together. I stumbled across this amazing cardigan at Target and realized I had always wanted a  black based animal print cardigan but didn't even know it until I saw it. It's a wonderful caramel color and it fits blissfully true to size. I paired it with my favorite leather trimmed pixie length pants from the Limited. Adding heels for my shoes really brought the whole outfit up a notch. If I was wearing this to teach in however, I would sport some leopard print flats for sure. A double necklace takes the guess work out of layering jewelry and adds the perfect final touch.