Happy Days Begin and End with Kate Spade

This is a wonderful day. Why you ask? Because my new Kate Spade was waiting for me at home after work!

Everything about Kate Spade makes you feel good. Beyond the fabulous product, you feel like you're opening a present from your best friend.  Every little part of the shopping experience is fun--cute daily emails (especially when the sample sale has hit), adorable packaging, happy store visits...I could go on and on. Sorry lovelies, I have a degree in marketing and feel obligated to gush about good business when I see it.

Drum roll please...!

There's my new Kate. Worth every penny. Now I'm just trying to decide what outfit I'll wear to debut (less than 12 hours to figure it out)!

And, as Mary says, there's me looking like "Christmas" with new Kate. By the way, that dress is probably the second most favorite dress I own. Not surprisingly, it's from Anthro. I'll post some better outfit pictures when I've styled it more thoughtfully (end-of-the day look here). 

Time to call it a day!

xoxo,
Sarah

Falsity

So I'm just a little obsessed with false eyelashes right now. I'm fortunate to have naturally thick, long lashes, but sometimes I feel like more drama. Besides, with all the Christmas parties and get-togethers this past month, I decided it would be a fun little something extra. I definitely hit up Forever21 for pretty much every pair (only $1-3/pair).

While I'm sure I'll probably continue wearing false lashes here and there (as special occasions allow), I stick with Falsies Mascara by Maybelline on a daily basis. I wouldn't be surprised if I was one of the first thousand customers of this lash magic makeup. I grabbed it the moment it hit stores and have never felt the need to switch since then. And believe me, I'm known for always switching my mascara out of want for trying something new. Currently, there are three versions of Falsies: 
Original
Black Drama
Flared
I have all three, but I'm using Flared the most right now because it was most recently introduced. I think Black Drama is my favorite though - absolutely high on the drama.

Love your lashes, lovelies!

xoxo,
Sarah

Natural ACNEdote by Alba Botanica

When I was out on my spontaneous adventure a little over a month ago, I came across this skincare line. The clean white bottles looked promising, so I picked one up, smelled it, read about the ingredients, and debated purchasing. As a girl who has tried practically everything that is out there for acne, my skin can handle and needs strong acne-fighting solutions. And since my skin becomes somewhat immune to various cleansing treatments after a while, I try to switch up my products when I can. In need of a switch is right where I found myself when I discovered ACNEdote by Alba Botanica. 

But I didn't purchase the product(s) that day, even though I probably should have. I needed some time to research the ingredients, check out reviews, and compare prices online (yes, I'm one of those shoppers). Plus, even though my current skin care system (at the time) was beginning to lose its effectiveness, I still liked it and wasn't ready to risk having painful breakouts or allergic reactions from a brand I hadn't ever used. However, it was becoming pretty expensive to invest in every three months. So when I returned home, I started researching and quickly became very impressed with the Alba Botanica brand. I liked their use of natural ingredients--something I had surprisingly never tried for skincare.  

The key ingredients in ACNEdote are willow bark extract (natural source of salicylic acid), lemon balm and parsley extracts (for deep cleansing and oil control), and green tea (to calm irritated skin). One of these ingredients makes the system smell really good. My sister walked by the bathroom when I was treating my skin and could smell the aroma, so it's quite a strong scent. Your face feels clean, refreshed, cooled, and tingly right after, which is something I certainly love.

Currently, I am using the following products from the line:

* Deep Pore Wash, $7.47 - I thought I wouldn't like this foaming wash because it doesn't exfoliate your skin, but it does an amazing job cleansing. It also leaves your skin feeling soft while cutting down the oiliness.

* Deep Clean Astringent, $6.97 - This is the product that makes your skin cool and tingly. It might feel slightly harsh the first couple times, but you just have to get used to it. I look forward to putting it on my skin everyday.

* Oil Control Lotion, $11.47 - I love using this as my moisturizer. It works so well with my acne fighting foundation during the day.

* Invisible Treatment Gel, $6.97 - For those target areas where you have a spot, this gel is perfect. I really have seen great results within a few hours, as promised on the packaging.

Since ACNEdote has passed my test with flying colors and I still miss a little exfoliation, I am ordering the face and body scrub to complete the system. All of the products, except the scrub, are available at Wal-Mart on the natural beauty product aisle. Obviously, it's very affordable for everyone!

Anyway, I highly recommend this skincare line for anyone with acne-prone skin. In the month that I have been using it, my complexion has improved tremendously. Three cheers for clearer, smoother, softer, and happier skin! 

xoxo,

Sarah