Besame Cosmetics: How to Apply Cake Mascara

It's been some time since I've posted anything makeup/beauty related, so I'm excited to talk about my newest obsession: Besame Cosmetic's Cake Mascara!  Cake mascara is great because it doesn't expire, it's more hygienic than traditional mascara, and doesn't clump or flake off.  Since cake mascara can be a bit intimidating, I've included simple step-by-step instructions on how to apply it.  Enjoy!



First, you'll need to add a few drops of water to the mascara cake.  I like to use the applicator that comes with the mascara to add the water in.  I'd say 2-4 drops does the trick.  Then use the applicator to gently rub the water into the cake in a circular motion.  Once you have a nice, creamy consistency, you're ready to apply!

Besame's Cake Mascara is designed to work with any applicator, but I've chosen to use the one included in the package for this tutorial.  Make sure to wipe any excess mascara on a dry section of the cake before you apply it to your lashes.  Much like any other mascara, apply from root to tip.



Here's a picture of one eye with one coat of cake mascara and the other without:

You can apply as many coats as you'd like, and because it's clump free, you don't have to worry about "spider lashes".  Just make sure to wait until the coat dries before you apply another one.  I tend to go with 1-2 coats for a regular day, and glam it up with one more (and some eyeliner) for special events.

Hair flower- c/o Niccoco Creations

Lipstick- Besame Cosmetics Wild Orchid and Cherry Red
Top- c/o Hearts and Found

There you have it!  If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

xoxo

Ashley

What's On My Radar: Current Loves

I just can't get my mind off of spring!  Doesn't it feel like it's right around the corner?  Spring brings in lots of my favorite things: less layers, fun colors, and gorgeous floral prints.  I'm really excited to see all the new collections from my regular shopping sites (some of them have already debuted) and I've composed a list of few of my favorites so far.  Read about all my picks below!

Hearts and Found

1. Dolly Dress "Up, Up and Away" in Hot Air Balloon Print
2. Lana Dress in “Lovely Lavender” in a Lavender Purple Checkered Gingham Print
3. Madeline Sundress "Rosewall" in Large Blue Rose Print
4. Grace Dress "Livewire" in Dark Red Chainlink Fence Print

Without a doubt, Hearts and Found is one of my favorite online shops.  Not only does Marjorie have a huge selection of prints and styles, she supports a small tailoring shop in Vietnam to make her products.  Everything is custom made and she's such a joy to deal with!  These are my four current favorites and I may or may not have placed an order for a few of them yesterday.

Target

1. Garderobe Belle
2. Beast
3. Belle
4. Lumiere
5. Celebration Belle

Anyone else as obsessed with Beauty and the Beast and Funko Pop as I am?!  I love the new versions of Belle (I want to collect them all) and Target has an exclusive Garderobe Belle that I've obviously already purchased.  As someone who's loved this movie since I was a small child, I'm more than excited about all the new merchandise you can now buy everywhere!

Trashy Diva

1. Psychadelic Ferns Helena Dress
2. Remix Dara Sandal in Black
3. Dogwood Lena Sarong Dress
4. Dogwood Rockabilly Baby Posey Dress
5. Remix Anita Heel in White
6. Venice Nights 1940's Dress
7. Remix Veronica 2 Heel in Red

Trashy Diva will always have my heart and pairing these gorgeous pieces with Remix Vintage Shoes is just perfection!  Here are some of my dream outfits, complete with matching shoes.  I need to get Bianca the Dogwood dress stat!  I feel like it would be perfect for Easter Sunday.

Stephanie Buscema

1. Piccolo The Pygmy Pachyderm
2. Anita Web
3. Deer Sweetheart
4. A Walk Through Wonderland
5. Madame Inferno, The Fire-Eater
6. Black Kitty Queen
7. The Mad Tea Party

As I'm sure you already know, Stephanie Buscema is one of my favorite artists.  I love her style so much and she's also sweet as pie.  While she's currently working on a different venture, Kitschy Witch Designs, you can find her most-loved prints and fun trinkets here at Stephanie Buscema Mart.  I decided to feature my favorite prints above.  I'll be adding an Alice print to Bianca's bedroom art collection very soon!

Sephora

1. Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain
2. Sephora Collection Double Time Double Ended Brush Set
3. Deborah Lippmann Sweets For My Sweet Pastel Nail Polish Set
4. Show Beauty Divine Thickening Lotion
5. Bésame Cosmetics Boudoir Short Hair Contour Brush
6. Sephora Collection Bounce: Large Round Thermal Ceramic Brush
7. Bésame Cosmetics Cake Mascara

I spend waaaaay too much time adding goodies into my Sephora cart.  I've now learned the importance of proper makeup brushes and I'm obsessed with this Sephora Collection set.  And if you haven't tried cake mascara yet, you have to!  I'll be reviewing it in a beauty post very soon...


What's on your must-have list this month?  Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Ashley

Lemon Hepburn

Spring is quickly approaching and I'm ready to dress the part!  The Pretty Dress Company added another adorable print to their fan-favorite Hepburn swing dress.  It's a rich, gorgeous navy with the most perfect lemon print.  Since Unique Vintage is the exclusive US retailer for these gorgeous dresses, so you can now find a large selection of The Pretty Dress Company online or in their Burbank, California store.  If you can't make it into the physical store to try one on, read my review (complete with sizing advice) below!













Dress- c/o The Pretty Dress Company via Unique Vintage
Shoes- c/o Bettie Page Shoes
Petticoat- Malco Modes
Lipstick- Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red

The Hepburn dress is made from quality cotton with a hint of stretch.  It's fully lined, has a full box-pleated skirt, elbow length sleeves, V-neckline in the back, and a full back zippered closure.  I own a few Hepburn dresses (you can read my reviews HERE and HERE) and the sizing is always consistent.  I wear a UK8 (US4) and the fit is flattering yet comfortable.  I find myself drawn to these dresses because the quality is top-notch and they can easily be dressed up or down.  I can't wait to wear a Hepburn dress on Easter Sunday, but the question is: this one or the mint Seville print?

The storms are back in California so I'm keeping dry in the comfort of my home.  On my couch.  In my sweatpants.  Cuddling my four dogs (and a fifth that I'm dog sitting).  Monday tends to have a real effect on me, especially when it rains.  So I'll consider myself lucky that I don't have to leave the house on a dreary day like today.  I'm just conserving my energy for my family Disneyland trip at the end of the week!

xoxo

Ashley

Colvin

This "wiggle" silhouette isn't my usual look but a welcomed change.  When Unique Vintage released their beauty print Colvin top, I knew I wanted to pair it with a curve-hugging skirt.  I love the idea of wearing a modest top with a contrasting bottom.  This Vixen by Micheline Pitt skirt was the perfect finishing touch to my outfit.  To show how much I love the quality of these items, I decided to forgo any kind of shapewear for this post (even my favorite push-up bra lol).  You can read all about these items and how to take them from work to play below!













Top- c/o Unique Vintage
Skirt- c/o Unique Vintage
Shoes- Chelsea Crew
Lipstick- Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red

The Colvin top is a light, work appropriate button-down top with the cutest all-over beauty print.  It also features ties on the sleeve to create the perfect fit for your biceps (or lack thereof, if you're me).  This top is just as cute when you pop off a few buttons after work, but I love the structured look of it here as well.  The Vixen pencil skirt is a fully lined cotton skirt that somehow works magic on my mom bod.  It hugs all my curves without accentuating my insecurities.  As I mentioned above, I felt so confident that I didn't even need to break out my spanx!  I'm usually between an XS and S, and I comfortably took a small in both the top and the skirt.  I get excited just thinking about all the outfit possibilities with these pieces, together or on their own!

These next two weeks are packed to the brim with fun activities for both me and the family.  I get to meet with one of my favorite blogger friends for brunch, celebrate Kevin's birthday, go to Disneyland with the family, have a kid's day with my three closest high school friends, and book a mommy and me photo shoot.  That's not even the full itinerary!  February is always a busy month for this family and I can't wait to enjoy everything that's coming at us right now.  I can always sleep sometime in March!

xoxo

Ashley

Cool Key

Now that my weekends are work-free, family time has finally taken over.  Bianca, much like her parents, loves all kinds of animals.  We love to visit the local lake to take in the sights and feed the ducks and turtles.  As always, I took this opportunity to coordinate our outfits with Trashy Diva's Leopard collection and Restricted Shoes.  Restricted has a great assortment of retro-inspired heels and they now offer a kid's collection to match all your fashionable footwear.  Read all about my Cool Key heels, Bianca's Mickey boots, and find a nice coupon code below!











Top- Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Skirt- Trashy Diva
Shoes- c/o Restricted Shoes

Bianca's dress- Trashy Diva
Bianca's shoes- c/o Restricted Shoes (available through DSW or T.J. MAXX)

The older I get, the less I can tolerate uncomfortable shoes.  I tend to be very picky about my heels!  I'm always impressed with Restricted's options because they are just as comfortable as they are stylish.  These Cool Key heels feature a rounded toe, a cutout detail around the ankle, and a lace tie closure.  I love how you can tie the heel to your personal comfort, rather than having only a few options with a standard buckle closure.  Bianca picked out her Mickey boots and she can't get enough of them!  Even though they're knee high, the full zipper on the side allows you to slip them on and off with ease.  They're nice and padded on the inside and have a rubber traction sole to keep slipping to a minimum.  Restricted has lots of fun toddler and kid's styles which are available through DSW and T.J. Maxx.  Want to try Restricted Shoes for yourself?  Get 25% off your full price purchase with the coupon code SOCALBELLE25!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I am nowhere near prepared for the occasion.  As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to do something fun with Bianca but I hadn't quite figured it out yet.  I think I'm going to take her to a local tea house for some afternoon tea/girl time.  They also have fantastic sandwiches and pastries, I've been craving them for weeks!  She's only three, but I think she would enjoy doing something different with me.  What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

xoxo

Ashley