I love changing up my beauty with the seasons. The greiges of fall, metallics & earthy tones for winter, pastels in spring, bright shades in summer…it is jut too fun! Changing up my routine & colors is a natural progression of seasons for me but I think spring/summer are definitely my favorites! I love transitioning into the more cheery color palette because I grew up in California…winter/fall just wasn’t all that extreme. Now that I’m in Nebraska….well lets just say we appreciate good whether a ton more now!
Click here to read more…..>>>

PR Sample.

My new camera strap is glorious, seriously. This beauty is from Magpie Accessories, an online specialty boutique carrying beautifully detailed goods. You’ll find purses, technology accessories, guitar straps, & various other items in beautiful shades & unique prints. I never thought I would stumble upon a camera strap so fitting for me personally! For those that don’t know I have a grouping of orchids tattooed on my shoulder. Plus…my plain ol’ Nikon camera strap just clashed with my bright & cheery work!
Handcrafted in our Yorkshire studio out of the finest locally sourced leathers, we specialize in commissions and work with you to create exquisite bespoke pieces to meet your requirements.  Our classic  range is growing all the time with new designs, and comprise of large weekender totes and messenger bags to small clutch purses and washbags.  Our range for men features laptop bags, guitar and camera straps, smartphone and cuffs.   Travel accessories feature Passport Cases, Kindle, Ipad and Laptop sleeves.  Personalization is key, with embossing available on many items making them the perfect gift.  All orders are beautifully gift-wrapped in eco-papers with luxury ribbons in a colour of your choosing, and a personalised message can be added to your gift.
We will be adding a vegan range to our collection, coming soon.

The camera strap I selected comes in many different patterns but naturally the Lime & Pink Orchid Buckled Camera Strap was the choice for me…although if the Gerald the Giraffe Buckled Camera Strap had been available when I was perusing I likely would have had an awful difficulty choosing! Giraffes are my favorite animal & it is positively adorable! If you don’t prefer the buckled options I also wanted to point out they have some with split rings & studs as well.

From Magpie Accessories:
A fabulous gift idea for the hard-to-buy-for photographer.
A lovely soft yet thick and sturdy leather has been useed to make this simple yet classic camera strap. It is pretty much waterproof, as it has a slight coating to the leather. You can also polish it with beeswax to make it extra waterproof.
* It is simply designed yet functional and comfortable.
* There is a antiqued brass buckle on each end of the strap which makes it even more secure to use.
* It works on old and new cameras just the same, digital or 35mm, and its strong and comfortable.
* Other colours available, please ask for more swatches to be sent to you.

My camera strap arrived feeling luxe & soft. Magpie treats their leather with organic beeswax & organic conditioning sprays which also makes it splash proof which is great if you work outdoors & have it around your neck in the humid heat like I do. This slight sealant is supposed to last about 6 months & then they recommend you treating it again yourself.

There is a different design on each side of the strap so I included all 4…& they’re all lovely of course.

You can purchase Magpie Accessories products from their site directly or for us US Etsy loving folks through their Etsy Shop. They also have quite a bit more goods on Etsy so be sure to check there first! & I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for the future vegan line, love that!

This is a brand completely new to the blog & I am so glad to have the opportunity to share it with you! I have a blush, a lipgloss, & 2 eyeshadows to show you today & I think you’re really going to like them! Great pigmentation, sleek packaging, & wearable shades? Yes! We See Beauty also donates a portion of all makeup sales so you can feel good stocking up too!

From We See Beauty: Our shop includes a curated selection of products across Design, Film, Printed Matter, and Well-being and speaks to the things we value: quality, craftsmanship and good design; promoting collaboration, sharing and social good. All products are socially or aesthetically-minded, meaning we personally select everything sold on the site whether a scarf made by artisans in South America, cooperative-made products or an inspired read. One-third of all sales from the shop will go to support the We See Beauty Foundation because we believe it’s important to reinvest in communities and people creating positive change.

Not tested on animals, oil-free, talc-free, fragrance-free, paraben-free, hypoallergenic.

We See Beauty Blush in Geisha- This shade was love at first swatch. This looks more peach online but it is much more pink in person. This is a soft pink toned coral shade with very nice pigmentation. This has a satin finish but it looks really natural. Gorgeous!

We See Beauty Luminous Lip Gloss in Akoya Pearl #5702- This is a soft pearly rose gold nude with peachy shimmer. I have really become attached to this gloss! It smells/tastes of peppermint oil & applies nice & thin for an even application. The wand has a rounded, flattened shape that makes application easy. This gloss lasts a good amount of time (I think because it is thin!) but it is packed with the shimmer so you really don’t need much & it lasts longer because it isn’t slipping around either. I really like this shade in the middle of the lip to draw light!

The swatches are the gloss on its own on the left & over Milani Red Label on the right since I usually wear it over lipstick.

I’m hoping to show you more from this line because I really enjoyed these products! They have all kinds of innovative products as well like a matte/dewy duo, brow sculpting duos, gel eyeliners, & I definitely want to get my hands on some of the brighter pigments & molten eyeshadows! What do you think of the intro to this line?

PR Sample

I was really excited to try this City Color Cosmetics Baked Blush in Pink since this is the time of year when I reach for more baked products for a glowy look. Unfortunately…very mixed opinions. I really liked the lipstick I reviewed in the cute rose packaging & was surprised by the palette as well but this one just wasn’t for me. Keep reading to see if maybe you’ll have better luck!

This blush comes in no-muss no-fuss kind of packaging with a simple label on the back. This is labeled as cruelty-free as well! Although the plastic packaging isn’t fancy, it definitely closes securely & has held up fine mixed in with my other products.

Upon swatching I really like this shade. It is pink & baked so it has that glowy shimmer to it. This is after applying with my fingertips.

The issue I have is that it buffs away completely when I go to blend with a brush. Then I tried to use a brush to apply then & it was really hard to pick up. Like really hard. It only picked up a little but then it was pretty much gone. Boo. Definitely not going to get the pigmentation I want with my usual fluffy brushes.

You’ll need to use a denser brush with a rougher texture on the tips that will pick up more product. Even then this is more of a highlight even on my fair shin & on darker skintones it wouldn’t work as a blush. Although it isn’t what I thought it was going to be, it is pretty. But still, I wish I could get the same look that I got from my fingers with a brush.

You can purchase this blush for $2.99 on the City Color Cosmetics website.

**PR Sample