3 Summer Proof Eye Products

Here's 3 great products for "summer proofing" your eye makeup. These tried and true products will be sure to keep your makeup from sliding, smearing, or smudging.

1. Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper. Not only does Lime Crime have amazing lipsticks (I need to order a few), they also have the best hands down eyeshadow primer. This stuff will keep your eye shadows in place for well over 12 with no creasing or melting. I have super oily eyelids, and this is my holy grail primer. AMAZING. It does have new packaging now. It's in a tube now instead of this little pot.  I have not found this product anywhere but on Lime Crime's website so I was skeptical about ordering. But I has so delighted after wearing it a few times, I cannot rave about this product enough. 

2. Maybelline The Rocket Mascara. This is NOT the waterproof mascara which I love. It gives your nice full lashes and holds the curl! When it gets wet it doesn't melt off like other mascaras and lasts all day. I find it a bit hard to get off with just a regular cleanser. Therefore I typically have to break out the coconut oil to get it to disappear. 

3. Last but not least, NYX Studio Liquid Liner. This liner does not move or flake! It goes on very smooth, and I love the brush. It's super easy (as easy as liquid liner gets) to do thin or thick lines and my favorite winged eyeliner. It comes in a ton of colors. I only have black and bronze right now, but I will be purchasing the blue next time I can find it at my Ulta. 

I know these three products will be getting me though the scorching Summer we have in South Louisiana. Check them out, I've linked them all!

An Old Favorite Revisitied

Good Morning Guys!

Just thought I'd share a new/old favorite of mine. That's OPI's Alpine Snow. I've loved this color for years! However, I've totally forgotten how great it looks with a tan and a pop of color like these neon sandals. 

I've been seeing a lot white nails everywhere: the beach, Pinterest, and Instagram. I think it's going to be big this Summer. Plus who doesn't want to look a little more tan?

Alpine Snow is available at Ulta for $9

These sandals are no longer available online at JC Penney's. However you may be able to find them in your local store. I scored these for only $7!

Beach Trip Necessities

I love the beach. I am a beach bum whenever I get the chance.

Everyone knows the basics to take the beach by now (swimsuit, sunscreen, towel, food/drinks).

On my recent trip a few days ago I took a few little extras that I thought I would share.

1. iHome IHM79 Rechargeable Mini Speaker, Black $49.99. These awesome little speakers are available here. These are great to play your summer playlist. I used them all weekend, and they are easy to plug into your phone or iPod. 

2. A good insulated cup with a lid. You want to keep that drink as cool as possible while out in the sun and keep the sand out too. You can usually pick these up in grocery store near any beach or you can find some fun ones on Amazon or Tervis.

3. Last but not least, an umbrella. For those of you who are a little more cautious of the sun (me) this is really important. Sometimes I really need to just get a break from the sun and this will help. You can take a nap under the shade and keep your items together and cool. Pro Performance Super Brella Beach Umbrella $49.99 is available at Bed Bath & Beyond. It's kind of like a little tent, check them out! Totally worth the price tag!

My First Glam Bag

Being an avid YouTube beauty blog watcher, I have always been intrigued by monthly beauty sample subscriptions. 

After doing lots of research (tons of unboxing videos), I decided that your best bang for the $10 monthly fee was Ipsy Glam Bag. YouTube guru Michelle Pham is the genius behind the bag. Ipsy offers samples/deluxe samples/full size products sent to you monthly. It's a great way to learn/try out new products and learn new brands. Go to Ipsy.com to learn more and get details about subscriptions.

I was super duper excited about my first bag because it was filled with lots of fun items. Some actually old favorites, but mostly new and exciting products to try.

Here's what was in my Glam Bag (awesome neon and leopard baggie btw):

1. Nyx cream blush in Boho Chic (full size). I actually have a few of these already and love them. They are awesome blendable blushes that are really affordable. I was very happy to find this in my bag and it was a shade I didn't have.  Yay! I wore it the very next day!

2. Cailyn Gel Eyeliner in Iron (full size). This is really pretty. I love the color, sometimes black can be too harsh for some looks. This is a perfect option to lighten up the line. It says it's long wearing and smudge proof. I am testing it for the first time today so I'll definitely know by the end of the day.

3. Starlooks Lip liner in Tipsy (full size). Really nice nude/pink color. I don't use lip liner often, only with really dark colors. However, I know they can extend the time of your lipstick. I will totally try it though just haven't gotten to it yet.

4. J.Cat Sparkling Cream Pallet (full size). This is sooooooo pretty, but I'm not sure I'll get much use out of it. Good thing I'm a dancer, and it will work for performances. I plan on playing with it to see if I can create a fun night time look with it as well. 

5. Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter (full size). I love highlighter especially this time of the year. I think this one is for your brow bone, but I used it a little everywhere today. I really like the look of it, not sparkly but definitely brightening. The pencil is really soft so it's very easy to blend. I may also try to use this as a waterline eyeliner. 

Skin routine

Skin routine by ashley-russo featuring elizabeth arden

Hey guys! Just wanted to share my nighttime routine. I'm the kind of girl that doesn't put a ton on my skin every night. Sometimes I will add an item or remove one, but this is my routine as of now. My routine it simple and to the point. Hope you like!

1. I use coconut oil to remove my makeup. It's super cheap and has great benefits for skin. It also has many other uses: hair mask, cooking, etc.
2. I put just a dime size amount of of Purity on my Clarisonic. I've used Purity for at least 3 years, and I will never go back to another cleanser. It gets rid of everything without drying or irritating skin. I love this thing. It's made a huge difference in my skin, it's so much smoother and clearer. But to warn you, your skins gets worse before its gets better. Give it a few weeks, you will love the difference.
3. This step is optional. I only do it about 3 times a week as a mask for 5 minutes. The Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask. It has benzoyl peroxide with can irritate skin. Mine however is not very sensitive so it doesn't irritate mine, but it will dry it out if I use it too much. This is also great for spot treating, it really helps keep me clear when I'm having a breakout.
4. I mix my Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Cream with Glycolic Acid and Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for an amazing moisturizer. I love Alpha Hydrox products, this one gently exfoliates. I also find it was helped with blemishes. This is my second jar and its very affordable at about $12. Then I take a little more of the Eight Hour Cream under my eyes and on my lips. 

What a Weekend!

Just wanted to share the amazing gal's weekend I had with my family.

Nothing like a lil fun in the sun and some country music. We spent the weekend in a favorite place of mine, Baton Rouge. Every Memorial Day weekend they have an awesome country music festival called Bayou Country Superfest. There were some amazing bands and artists! Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry, and Lady Antebellum were among my favorites. 

Not only was the music great, but so was the company. Nothing like a girls trip!

And, I just wanted to thank all of those who gave their lives for us and this country. Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!

Let the Memorial Day Shopping Begin!

So this weekend is probably a long one for many of you. Yay! Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of Summer and many of you have Monday off.

Many retailers take advantage of this extra day off to give great discounts and have huge sales. This is a perfect time to stock up on basics or get your summer wardrobe ready.

Many stores already have some amazing deals right now and have started their Memorial Day sales a bit early. So it's time for YOU to take advantage of some of the awesome deals going on!

Here's a few places offering some great deals now.

Forever21: One of my all time favorite places to shop. They have up to 80% off their already great prices!

JCrew: Right now they are offering up to $75 off your entire purchase. See their website for info and use code SHOPNOW.

Old Navy: 15% off your entire purchase or 20% if you use your Old Navy Card. Use online code ONSUMMER

JCP: They also have a great sale going on now with up to 20% off! Check out these awesome shorts I picked up for $12.99!

And now they are only $10 online! Crazy deal, make sure you check em out! I love the cut, they aren't too short. I love that because I am a girl with a booty. They are also very on trend with the frayed bottoms and acid/distressed/faded wash. I can already tell they will be a staple part of my summer!