Things I've Been Loving: October Favorites

Now I know most bloggers wait until the end of the month for this type of post, but let's face it; I'm not most bloggers. Firstly I don't update often enough, I don't have a professional camera, and I don't make my writing and reviews all sparkly-shiny-happy... I just write what I'm really thinking. I've got a bunch of stuff on my mind and I've been so busy trying to get my life in order and figured out, so now I think I should get back to blogging. Writing. An outlet to get some of my thoughts out of the creative, messy, jumble that is my brain! I've been living in California 6 months now. I can barely believe it really happened, me moving here. It's hard to be away from friends and family, and I definitely get homesick.. but I still feel like I've barely scratched the proverbial surface of Northern California sights and adventures it has to offer. (Confessing to spending some days off on Scandal marathons instead of using my time productively.) Therefore, I must carry on, and be grateful for the life I've made for myself and how much more I have to gain and grow in my career and my passions and my relationship and my adventures here in the bay.

Current Favorites: Skincare & Routine

Lately, my skin has been in it's best condition since before I hit puberty. With everyday wear and tear of applying, removing and reapplying makeup, sweating and sun exposure, touching my face with dirty hands and phones and natural oils, your skin is probably just as exhausted as mine. I've recently found that taking just that little bit of extra time to dedicate some love to my face has really proven a huge difference in how my skin feels, and as a result, how my makeup looks (as well as how much I really need. I haven't used concealer for anything except under my eyes in weeks!) That being said, I have splurged a little bit more lately on what products I am using to keep my face looking healthy and blemish free, but that may not always be necessary for you to do. These are just the products I have picked up and have been trying out lately. What works for me may not work for you. We all have different skin types but luckily, I think most of these products would be effective across the board.

1. Clarisonic Mia 2 -  ($150) This is a newer purchase for me, I have been using it for a little over a month now. I personally don't have huge breakouts often, just the common blemish here and there around that girly time. But I have always had an issue with clogged pores and little uneven bumps, especially around my jaw and chin line. This Clarisonic really has diminished those little bacteria clogged areas, almost completely at this point. My skin no longer has annoying little bumps and pimples around my chin, and I've even noticed my pores seem to be visibly smaller in problem areas like on my cheeks, etc. I am currently working with the sensitive head brush, which is just fine for my skin type. They do make ones designed specifically for acne, deep pores and even body brushes. I was amazed (and disgusted) to see after I removed my makeup and washed my face as I normally do, how much residue and makeup was still on my skin after following up with the Clarisonic. It really deep cleans and removes all the bad stuff left on your face. *I did notice a bit more of a breakout here and there for the first week or so, probably because this is such a deep down intense cleaning system, that my skin wasn't used to. So beware, but don't give up. This is a common occurrence for many users.* I use the Mia2 on average once a day, that works best for my routine.

2. First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads - ($14/28 pads, $30/60 pads) Described as a gentle daily renewal treatment, these face pads are said to "contain just the right amount of lactic and glycolic acids to make them safe and effective for daily use. Cucumber and Indian gooseberry tone the face, while lemon peel and licorice root leave the skin bright and glowing. First Aid Beauty's facial radiance pads are free of harsh chemicals and colorants." I will say, I do NOT like the smell of these, but it isn't so prominent that I can't get past it (not like the Bare Minerals night serum, blech). But I really have enjoyed these for a quick face refresher, I use them in the morning or even after washing my face at night. My skin seems tighter and brighter and they also have an exfoliating surface which seems to have helped a bit with my dry spots. A bit pricey but they seem really handy and nice to me.

3. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream - ($12/2 oz., $28/6 oz.) Now, I am always trying out new moisturizers because I have prominently dry skin, so I got the smaller size of this product to try out. But I enjoy this nonetheless, although I wouldn't say it's really a huge stand out product to me in terms of moisturizers. I haven't found one yet that I am completely in love with, to be honest. It has a nice whipped consistency, but does feel a little thick, you only need a pea-sized amount to go a long way. If you have oily skin I would say this probably isn't for you, as it could come off a bit greasy, but I don't have an issue with that. It's described as "a thick, rich, emollient product that hydrates deep down with exceptional penetration. This cream is for anyone with severely dry, scaly skin due to harsh winter weather, aggressive cosmetic treatments, or any of the following conditions: atopic dermatitis, irritant eczema, allergic eczema, and keratosis pilaris. With the help of colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, soothing eucalyptus oil, and ceramides." Now, I do not have any diagnosed skin conditions, but as I said, I usually have super dry and sometimes flaking skin around my nose and chin, especially in these brutal winters. This lotion seems to soak up instantly into my skin, and no peely gross patches are left on my face or visible through makeup! Viola.

4. First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser - ($20/5 oz.)  A cleanser similar to any other, but then again I am not super impressed with any face wash I've used. I found the consistency close to that of Cetaphil, a whipped and shiny type of look, that lathers up pretty nicely used with your hands or your Clarisonic. It seemed a bit light for my typical cleanser preference, but it does the trick to remove makeup and get my skin squeaky clean. The good thing I liked about this cleanser is that it's pH balanced and really did seem to calm down any flare-ups of redness or irritation I have.

5. Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser - ($28/5 oz.) This is literally a BLACK gel cleanser. A little scary at first look, especially when washing your makeup off, the foam is black and bubbly and weird. But it is warming, gentle, smooth and lathers up nicely. The smell is a strong peppery scent, that I don't mind but it does take some getting used to. I don't notice this drying out my skin, and I really do enjoy the intense warming sensation. Sounds sexy, I know.

6. Murad Hydrating Toner - ($27/6 oz.) I've only used one other toner before this, so I am not exactly the toner expert. I just never thought it was necessary to incorporate to my beauty regime. Now, I still don't think it's a 100% needed product, but it does have it's benefits for sure, and you can definitely get a cheaper version with the same effects. I spray it on as a mist, and let it soak into my skin, where it seems to refresh and rehydrate my face all around, after washing it or before applying makeup. I use the toner before applying my moisturizer and it really seems to lock in the moisture and leave my skin looking supple and healthy. This also has a pretty lovely smell to it. I purchased this in September and I still have over 60% of product left.

7. Origins Drink Up Mask - ($24/3.4 oz.) - This is like a thick, super super thick moisturizer, that goes on heavy and white, and rubs in smoothly to your whole face. It is a bit sticky and you will need to rinse your hands after applying it, but it doesn't bother me while it's on my face. The color clears up and it absorbs quickly, just remaining shiny on the surface. The scent is plesant, and it really super-hydrates dried out skin. It's almost too intense to put all over your whole face as a normal mask would be, and it doesn't dry up like most masks either. It stays moist until you rinse it off. I sometimes just use it really sparingly in trouble areas, and although it says 10 minutes, I want to sleep with this on! It makes my skin so juicy and smooth, it's like youth's elixir in a bottle.  

A little picture of my naked skin fresh out of the shower! Looks pretty even, eh? Next up on my wishlist is the GlamGlow ThirstyMud Masque! It's quite pricey but I've heard such good things. What are your skincare favorites? Do you want to try any of these products now? 

xx Chelsea | instagram | twitter | tumblr

HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT: Macadamia Deep Repair Masque (and review)

So for those of you that know me, my hair journey has been a long and confusing one. I literally have had every color hair (except like, rainbow colors) ranging from bleach blonde to bright red to jet black and even some phases of pink and purple here and there. Two August's ago, I cut my hair off completely; see inside for a photo :

Steal My Style! #1

So I recently have been a bit naughty and have purchased way too many things for myself. But hey, I'm adding to my fall wardrobe, right? Plus I had a 20% off one item coupon to use at H&M... and uh.. uh.. that's really my only logical reasoning. So anyway, I thought maybe a few of you would be interested in some of my choices to add to your fall wardrobe!

So here are some instagram shots of my most recent purchases (like in the last week). The sheer peach/black blouse is from Forever 21, as is the necklace, the leather bomber jacket, and metallic powder blue sweater. The metallic gold shirt, the gloves and the hat are from H&M. I will do a seperate post reviewing and just crying over how beautiful and amazing my MAC x Marilyn Monroe Products are! But there's a quick snap of what I got.

 So online, I found the original link for the gloves and necklace I got, they're the exact items I have! I am sure these styles are everywhere though, so you can really vary where you get them. The wool/faux leather detailed gloves are warm enough for the chilly fall and chic enough to have me looking pretty and proper with those little bows and classic fit. I purchased them at H&M. To be honest, I really want to go back for the coral color too! Or green.. or camel.. or all of them. The necklace is an awesome arrangement of different size gold chains and a black satiny fabric woven through them from Forever 21. It's quite sturdy and heavy too, not cheap looking but very cheap in price! Although my hat is from H&M and has these lovely little gold leaf charms on it, there was a really similar one listed on Nasty Gal if you can't find it in stores yourself! Blogger Melanie from Style to Stage has a whole post with beautiful pictures of her wearing the hat here!! And finally my new OBSESSION is any knit with some metallics in it! Flecked, sewn, stitched, coated, I love me some sparkle. My sweater is from the Forever 21 Love 21 Contemporary section, but this amazing chunky, sandy colored one is by Rag & Bone. So there you have it! A start to my fall wardrobe selections... What are you counting on as your autumn wardrobe staples this year? And for good measure... here's two of my nails of the week shots! Follow me on instagram: harlotstarlet

Left is Revlon in Fearless and right is OPI "Get Me To The Taj On Time" with a layer of Essie "Stroke of Brilliance" over the top!

Skin Care I've Been Using Lately!!

 To be completely honest with you guys, I used to have HORRIBLE acne in my teens. Once I got to like, say, my senior year of high school it started to clear up, and got almost completely better by college. I accredit the clearing up of my skin a LOT to lifestyle changes... aka being healthier in my personal choices and also my eating habits. Drinking water a ton is great for your skin too! I try to drink at least 3-4L of water a day. Add lemon for flavor! I also try not to pick at my face or touch it a lot during the day. Taking time doing your makeup and using products you love sure helps with this issue, you don't want to mess up the perfect piece of art that is your face now do you?! If there is a particularly nasty zit that I need to get rid of in order to go in public without terrifying passerbys, I use a warm clean washcloth to do the trick. Basically, in the morning, I wash my face with the Best Face Forward Daily Cleanser (got this at Ulta) and moisturize with The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream, followed by my primer and then makeup for the day. At night, I remove my eyemakeup with Ponds Cold Cream, and then wash my face with either the cleanser, or with St Ives Apricot Scrub. I like this because it has all natural ingredients. *SALICYLIC ACID IS FOUND IN MOST FACE WASHES, AND IS A CHEMICAL THAT CAN SEVERELY DRY OUT YOUR SKIN, CAUSING IT TO PRODUCE MORE NATURAL OILS IN AN ATTEMPT TO STAY MOISTURIZED, WHICH LEADS TO MORE BREAKOUTS!* So if you are prone to oily skin, I don't care how shiny it is, you STILL need to moisturize! Then use a matte foundation or setting powder to take away that shine later. Your skin needs it! At night I use The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream. I have been having pore clogging and breakouts along my chin and lower cheeks lately, and I am starting to think it's from my MAC Studio Fix Powder, has anyone else had this reaction?? I am going to lay off it for a bit and see if that helps... About once a week I use the mud masque but it kind of really is TOO tingly I can't keep it on for too long! But my skin feels really pure and clean after I do use it, I usually paint my nails while I wear it around the house looking scary! I change up my routine about once a month and always like to try new products! What are your favorite skin care products?? Oh, Winnie wanted to get in on the picture taking ---> :)

Some of My Favorite Shoes

Here I am showing off just a few pairs of my absolute favorite shoes from my collection. I have way too many shoes to post them all but these are the pairs that I seem to wear most often, and have out on display, rather than in their boxes or under my bed. I need a shoe shelf! My room just isn't really big enough at my parent's house. I can't wait to move out again and get a new apartment that will have a room dedicated solely to my shoes and clothes. My ultimate dream room is like DulceCandy's office/closet. It's amazing! Anyway here's a little bit about each pair of shoes pictured:

Top Left: Pink suede and gold studded platform wedges from Forever 21.
Top Middle: Jeffrey Campbell Lita's in distressed black leather, ordered from Free People.
Top Right: Black suede Mary-Jane platforms, Forever 21.
Middle Left: Cheetah platform lace-up booties, Forever 21.
Middle Right: Jeffrey Campbell Woodies, purchased new with tags for only $35 at Buffalo Exchange in BK.
Bottom Left: Bakers multi-color glitter platform heels.
Bottom Right: The only pairs I didn't show close-ups of are the black satin peep toes front left from Forever 21, far right front row gold, black and wooden platform heels from Target, and far right back row grey suede platform pumps which are Candies.

Last night,  I broke my no shopping til October rule and bought an adorable pair of flats I just could not resist.. See them behind the cut.... :3