What I've Been Reading: June 2012

Hi everyone, happy Friday! I couldn't be happier that the weekend is here, lots of fun plans ahead. To close out June, here is the monthly question: Why do you blog? Has the reason changed over time, and if so, in what ways?

For me, blogging isn't about how many followers I get (although I appreciate every single one!) or how many companies contact me. I rarely get sent anything for free. I don't have a photographer to take my pictures, nor do I even have an awesome professional camera. I don't use this platform to share too much of my personal life, and honestly, that's the way I prefer it. Now, that's not to say that every little thing I blog about isn't autentically me. Anyone that knows me in real life would surely attest to that. I share the part of myself that makes me the happiest, and that's my love for beauty and fashion. As much as I enjoy writing and taking pictures for Beautygirl24, I enjoy reading your blogs even more! You inspire me to try new products, steer me clear of bad purchases, and put a smile on my face when I need a good pick-me-up throughout the day. I only hope I do the same for you.

So...I blog because I love reading and writing. I want to share my passion for pretty things (as frivolous as that may seem). I blog because it serves as an escape. But mainly, I blog because I love it, and because I love connecting with you. That has never changed, and it never will.

Via

• Beautygirl24 - Noelle has enjoyed styling outfits using unexpected color combinations. Mint and hot pink are surprisingly versatile!
• Ella Pretty - Ella's "What's in my Bag" post features her new Marc Jacobs Single bag.
• Lilly's Style - Lilly is mixing bright colors.
• Pearls and Green Tea - Jiye's back from Paris - and she has a "mini" surprise.
• Saltwater Dreams - Andi's reviewing her recent beauty purchases, check out what makes the grade here.
• Schnelle Couture - Danielle is embracing her love for all things nautical.
  
• Sequins and Stilettos - Skylette is sporting leopard as a neutral here with bright yellow pants!

Now I ask my readers: Those of you with your own blogs, why do you do it?

Thank you for reading :)

♥ Noelle

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Summer Makeup

When the temps rise, I think the last thing we all want to do is wear a ton of makeup. I generally wear less makeup in the Summer then I do in the colder months, but I love the look of bronzed skin, flushed cheeks, and fruit-colored lips. There is nothing sexier! The key is to use a light hand, apply plenty of sunscreen, and focus on a dewy glow rather then caking on powder. It's going to get hot, so don't fight it! Just go with it! Let your natural skin show, let your hair down. Use a setting spray like Urban Decay's All Nighter to seal in your makeup, and when possible (like on weekends), let your hair air-dry. The beauty of Summer is ease and simplicity; I do admit that I look more like myself this time of year :)

I went through my beauty stash last night, and there are some obvious colors and products that I use on a frequent basis now that I have a light tan. Here are some favorites, but I suggest using any products  you may have that are similar in color. Think bronze, gold, warm browns, and taupes for eyes. Watermelon, coral, hot pink, and peach for lips.

Top: Revlon Colorburst l/s in Fuchsia, Bare Escentuals eye glimmer in True Gold, Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain in Lovesick

Bottom: Inglot eyeshadow. I'm so sorry, I don't know the number. It is a very stark gold, with a copper finish.

I love yellow gold or copper eyes and bright pink lips. Gorgeous!

Buxom lip cream in White Russian, MAC plushglass in Fashion Fanatic, and NARS duo in Rajasthan.

You can never go wrong with a lip plumping gloss. These feel minty and cool, very refreshing on a sweltering day! Pair them with lighter smoky shadow for a great evening look.

Lancome Rouge in Love lipstick in Corail in Love, MAC mega metal shadow in Dalliance.

It's no secret that Corail in Love is my favorite coral. I like to dab it on and press it into my lips for a stained look. A single sweep of pewter shadow and some black liner with mascara is all you need. Easy!

Revlon colorburst lipgloss in Bellini, Revlon Balm Stain in Charm, MAC 3D shadow in Sweet Heat, Burberry shadow in Pale Barley

Peach and bronze are also a very soft and pretty pairing. I wear these to work a lot because they look natural, but still radiant.

Sweet cheeks: NYX body bronzer in Daydream of Lanai and MAC Hipness blush.

I use both as blush. They contain a good bit of shimmer, so although I swear by Dior's Amber Diamond (and highly recommend that), you don't need it with these.

Lastly, I just bought these two UD single shadows over the weekend. I think they are both in the Naked 2 palette, but correct me if I'm wrong. I can't wait to try these taupes with pink lips.

Verve and Stray Dog

What are your Summer makeup colors/products?

♥ Noelle



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Spearmint, Hot Pink, & Cream

Mint tee - H&M ( recent, and comes in other colors), Cream lace skirt - J. Crew factory (recent), Pumps - J Crew Mona suede (on sale), Hangbag - Kate Spade (Similar), Necklace - Express (old), Bracelets - Stella & Dot Renegade and Derng, Nails - Essie Marshmellow, Lips - Revlon balm stain in Lovesick

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was a great mix of girl talk with my best friend, a much needed pedicure, and some pool time.

Now that Summer has officially begun, everyone is out and about. Love that!

♥ Noelle

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Reader Request & Instagram

Last week, a reader asked me to do a review on the new Revlon Balm Stains. I have three: Charm, Cherish, and Lovesick.

Charm is a peachy coral, Cherish is a light blue-toned pink, and Lovesick is a deep fuchsia. Out of the three, Lovesick is the obvious shade with the most payoff. However, my favorite is Charm. It looks very light when swatched, but it reads better on the lips. It's a great shade for Summer, and it makes my skin look more tanned. Cherish is pretty also, but it's a tad too cool for me. I've been layering it with a bit of Lovesick to get a better color.

Swatches: Charm, Cherish, and Lovesick

When the Revlon lip butters came out, I raved about them every chance I got. I still like those, but I like the balm stains even more! They have a minty taste, they are moisturizing, and they really do leave a beautiful stain. They are much better than Revlon's Bitten lip stains. Those are like a marker, these are definitely a balm. I like layering these with other products, such as lip liners and glosses. They wear beautifully. They have a glossy sheen that eventually disappears, but the color stains the lips long after the shine wears off. I remember sleeping with Charm on my lips the first night I got it, and when I woke up the next day, the stain was still there. I highly suggest giving these a try. I don't see anyone being disappointed.

I love answering your questions, so please feel free to request something in the future! I read each and every comment :)



Now for some Instagram love. I'm still obsessed with it! I take every opportunity I can to take a picture now. Food, beauty products, scenery, friends, fashion...I try to include it all on my Instagram. I think it's great because you guys get a chance to take a peek into my personal life a little more then you do on my blog. I've only been on Instagram for a few short weeks, but I'm so happy that I figured out that it's not just for iphone users.  Here's the past week in pictures:

Dinner and drinks

My pool essentials.

This was actually taken a few months back on our Pismo Beach excursion. So beautiful!

The boy...so cute :)

Girls night with...the girls <3

I love the white flowers in my mom's front yard.

Tonight, I'm painting my nails with Essie Marshmellow. On Saturday, my best friend and I are going to treat ourselves. I plan on getting a pedi and using CG Shocking Pink.

 

I'll feature my photos as often as I can, as long as you don't mind!

Have a great weekend!

♥ Noelle

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Obsessed ---> Stella & Dot

By now, I'm sure all of you have heard of Stella & Dot. It's a wonderful company, by women and for women. You can become a stylist and even host  trunk parties in your home, showcasing all of the beautiful gems that they have to offer. I originally read about Stella & Dot on blogs, and ever since making my first purchase, I have been obsessed. I had a very kind reader email me about becoming my stylist, and of course I was thrilled. Here are some pieces that I'm coveting:

Serenity small stone pendant

I plan on ordering this very soon. The stone reminds me of the ocean. It's very similar to other necklaces I've seen, but much less expensive.

Starry night necklace

Great for layering, or lovely on its own

Renegade necklace

This would match my favorite bracelet

Devi Bangles (on sale!)

I really love these. They would be great for stacking

Gorgeous!

Have you purchased any pieces from Stella & Dot? I think I know the answer!

♥ Noelle

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Peachy Keen

Dress - Forever 21 (recent), Cardigan - Halogen via Nordstrom, Peep toe heels - Zara (old), Necklace H&M (similar), Bracelets - Michael Kors in rose gold and Stella & Dot Renegade in gold, Bag - Kate Spade, Nails - Orly Fancy Fuchsia

I love a little dress with a bustier inspired top! Those of us with... ahem...smaller girls...can appreciate the structure for its helping hand in that department! Although, in looking at these pictures, I kind of resemble a giant creamsicle! Oh well,  I like it anyway :) This was great for dinner and drinks, a ritual the boy and I seem accustomed to on Friday nights as of late. We can never wait to get off work and get the weekends started! 

♥ Noelle

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Sunburst

Photos via my Instagram (Beautygirl24 - of course!)

This season, I've realized how drawn I am to bright shades of pink, orange, coral, and peach. I seem to be buying these sunburst inspired colors in droves! In the Summer, all I want to do is drop everything each evening and drive to the nearest beach to watch the sunset. Maybe that's why I love these colors so much. If you have any specific questions on anything seen here, just let me know and I'll be happy to tell you. I'll be back on Sunday with an outfit - inevitably in one of these happy hues :) Have a great rest of your week!

♥ Noelle

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{Still Loving} Rachel

Her Hair...

c/o The Fashion Fiend

c/o The House of Fabulous

c/o Just Jared

c/o Stockholm Street Style

Her style...

Her makeup...

Aside from  Lauren Conrad, I have a girl crush on Rachel Bilson. I've professed my love before because let's face it - the girl's got style and she is always on my radar. I would love to re-create all of the looks seen here, but somehow I think I'd fall a little short. I can definitely take some cues though: Her makeup looks radiant, she loves to wear little jackets to top off dresses, and her hair always looks soft and natural. She appears very comfortable in her own skin, something we can all admire.

♥ Noelle

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Gray, Green, & Gold

Dress - Lush, Jacket - Nordstrom Rack, Suede wedges - Merona via Target, Clutch - Elliot Lucca via TJ-Maxx, Earrings - F21, Bracelets - Etsy and J.Crew, Nails - Color Club in Blue-ming

Just a simple outfit worn Friday night when my fiance and I went out to sushi. We followed that by watching a great cover band that played all of our classic rock favorites. Friday nights are the best :)

Which begs the question: What do you wear on nights out? I find myself struggling to find something appropriate. I try to keep the outfit fun, but still classic as well.  

♥ Noelle

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Current Hair Care Loves

 

1. Pureology Volume Shampoo  - no sulfates, great for all hair types in my opinion 2. Pureology Hydrate Conditioner  3. Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo - no white residue!  4. Macadamia Deep Repair Masque  - I use this once a week and it makes my hair so soft! 5. Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Spray Mousse - I spray this into my roots before blow drying for added volume 6. Kenra Platinum Silkening Mist (I love the gloss serum, but the mist is great too)  7. Josie Maran Argan Oil - I use this as an overnight treatment when my hair needs some extra TLC. Then I wash it out in the morning. It's very nourishing.

8. TRESemme Heat Tamer Spray - great before using a flat iron to protect my hair from high heat.

~ One thing I really need help with is a good texturizing or wave enhancing spray. I want to get something to put in my hair on days when I just want to air dry, but still want to tame my natural wavy (and frizzy) hair. Sort of that beachy, bohemian look. BUT, I want one that doesn't leave my hair dry and crunchy! Any good recs? I would appreciate it!

♥ Noelle

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