Emily M's Winter Beauty Routine

Possibly the worst thing about winter, is how unbelievably DRY my skin gets. Anyone else experiencing this?! You go from freezing cold outside, to heat inside, to cold again.  It gets even better because the air is also dry (my hair thanks the Lord for the lack of humidity, my skin, however, does not).

Then you go through the daunting task of trying to pick out the best moisturizer and night cream that won't be too oily or make you break out. The vicious cycle never seems to end. 

I think I have finally figured out the perfect balance for my skin and I hope that this helps some of you as well! (Including a few of my beauty secrets!)

1. Clinique 3 Step System-This is one product I tend to stray away from, but always come back to. I just haven't found anything else that leaves my face feeling clean, but not overly dry.

2. Clarisonic- As big of a splurge as this product is, it. is. worth. it. I will wash my face, then use this and will still find some left over make up on the brush! It also helps your other products absorb much more (meaning they'll be more effective and work better). Just giving some of you a heads up, if you are getting one of these for Christmas, you may break out a tad more than usual the first week you use it. This is pretty normal and is actually just a lot of crud coming to the surface of your skin, so don't fret haha.

3. Clinique Moisture Surge Intense- Okay, so here was my dilemma with night creams. I either found one that would make me break out or ones that didn't make me break out, but my skin would still peel in patches. Clinique Moisture Surge Intense has been able to moisturize, but isn't heavy so it doesn't clog my pores. So far I love it and feel like I have found a Christmas miracle in a jar.

4. Vaseline- I say this is a cure all because, well, it is. Chapped lips? Vaseline. Peeling cuticles? Vaseline. Cracked feet? Put some Vaseline and socks on them at night and wake up to soft feet. If you don't already have Vaseline in your bathroom cabinet, I suggest you go buy some and save yourself some money on a multiple of products.

5. Clinique All About the Eyes- Sticking to my Clinique regimen, I use this eye cream at night and have noticed that the bags underneath my eyes are not nearly as bad in the morning. I also use Fructis' Skin Renew Anti-Puff roller in the morning, which helps me feel more awake and refreshed. Dab on some Fresh's Rose Hydrating Gel Eye Cream and it looks like you just woke up to 12 hours of sleep...even if you did only get 4.

6. Burt's Bees Lip Balm- I have one in my purse, on my nightstand, and in my bathroom. My favorite chapstick, hands down.

7. Fresh's Black Tea Age Delay Lotion with SPF 20- The clouds have opened up and I have finally found the perfect sunscreen! Best part is it doesn't smell like sunscreen and makes your face look radiant! Added bonus, is it is great underneath make up.

8. Castor Oil- This one may sound a bit odd to you, but if you're looking for a natural alternative to Lactisse, this is it. Using a spoolie (mascara wand), swipe this stuff on your eyelashes before bed. I promise you that after a few weeks your eye lashes will look thicker and healthier! And shoot, why just stop at your eyelashes? Trying to grow out your eyebrows? Put some on them too!

If you still struggle with dry skin, try drinking a lot more water and sleep with a humidifier. A humidifier will put back some of the moisture that was lost in the air from having the heat on (I learned this tip from my dermatologist!) Also, splurging on a silk or satin pillow case can help prevent wrinkles AND hair splitting!

Do you have any beauty tips? I'd love to hear them!

Keep Celebrating!

Matte About You

A beauty trend that I am currently loving for fall and winter is the matte look. It seems like every time I turn around one beauty product or another is coming out with matte version (matte foundation, matte powder, matte blush, matte lipstick... you get the idea).

I don't know if I'm completely sold on  matte powder since I feel like it makes my face look more dry during the winter months, but if you tend to have oily skin this is perfect solution for you. Primer can also help give you a matte look and help your makeup stay on longer! I love Smash box's photo finish, but Bobbi Brown and Mac also carry some great primers. Using a primer can be a game changer  when added to your make up routine and just using a tad can go a long way!

What I am currently OBSESSED with is Essie's 'Matte About You' top coat. You can pair this top coat with any Essie nail color of your choice, and the best part is that it dries super fast!

I used Essie's Bahama Mama nail polish then painted the 'Matte About You' on top.  I love how it turned out and I have gotten several compliments on it!

(Photo from always_heidymua Instagram)

My second favorite matte product is matte lipsticks! I saw a coworker wearing Maybelline's Creamy Matte Lipstick in Divine Wine and fell instantly in love. I had to go to  Wal-Mart and two Targets to finally have this colored lipstick in my possession (I was a girl on a mission!). It was definitely worth the search! It is the perfect color for fall and winter (no wonder it was so hard to find).

This lipstick goes on smoothly and stays on pretty well through out the day (basically, I'll probably be buying a few more in different colors!)

Do you like the matte trend? Do you have any matte products that you like this season? I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Celebrating!

When the Clock Strikes 12...

Bah! Ok, so I feel like all of my favorite TV shows AND my favorite Disney princess have come together to make one (and from the looks of it) spectacular movie!

Yes, they are making a Cinderella movie annnnndddd the trailer came out last week and I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!

First off the casting. I seriously think the casting director went hey, what are Emily's favorite shows? Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones? Ok, lets have a majority of the cast come from there.

Cinderella is played by Lily James,

who was also Lady Rose MacClare on Downton Abbey.

Now who is going to play Prince Charming next to this lovely leading lady? Good news everyone, Robb Stark from Game of Thrones lives! Yep, the handsome Richard Madden is taking on this royal role.

And what about the villains?

Oh yes, Cate Blanchette is playing Lady Tremaine the Wicked Stepmother. Also, another Downton Abbey cast sighting! Sophie McShera, who plays Daisy, has taken on the role as Drizella (the one in the yellow).

And last, but certainly not least, who else would save the day and get Cinderella to the ball then Helena Bonham Carter?

Bellatrix Lestrange turned Fairy Godmother (bet you never saw that one coming!)

If I haven't sold you on the cast, maybe the costumes will convince you otherwise. Cinderella's gown is nothing more than swoon worthy and is what fairy tales are made of (as it should be!)

Even the villains have amazing costumes! But don't just take my word for it, read all about how Oscar award winning costume designer, Sandy Powell, is revamping the wardrobe from this classic story here.

And if by some miracle, you're still not sure about this film, I'll let the trailer speak for itself.

Keep Celebrating!

Dressing for Thanksgiving (and not the food kind)

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching (Where does the time go? Seriously? It'll be Christmas than NYE in a blink of an eye), I thought of a few outfit ideas that would be Thanksgiving day and family photo appropriate. Whether your family gets dressed up, or you prefer to dress comfortably so you can quickly descend into food coma (Congratulations! It's a food baby!) I think I've got you covered!

The first look is for those of you that want to wear a dress, but still be cozy and comfortable! A sweater dress is the perfect solution. I took inspiration from Caitlin Coving of Southern Curls and Pearls blog on this combination because I just love it so much!

You can find her sweater dress here. She's wearing red Hunter boots, but you can also purchase them in a variety of colors! I've heard mixed things about these boots. Either people love them or they say that you always need to clean them, so if you are interested in investing in these willies I'd do some research first. Her scarf is from Sole Society and the earrings are Aztec Drops from Bauble Bar. And I threw in the Gigi New York clutch because it's currently on my wish list hehe. 

The second look is for the girl who likes to keep up with all of the latest trends. Class up some pleather leggings with a large camel sweater, leopard heels and a faux fur scarf. This girl will certainly be turning some heads at the dinner table. Of course I included my favorite double back 360 pearl earrings and another item from my lust list was added with the Kendra Scott Naomi Double Ring.

My third look is for the classy and preppy girl. Mixing patterns and colors are a few of her favorite things and what better than gingham and green? You can find the blouse here and the green skirt (I want one in every color!) here. Throw on a great statement necklace to your outfit and you're ready to throw a pie in the oven.

The last look is for the casual Thanksgiving with close family. With it turning into snowvember, throw on some bean boots and head outside to play with your cousins in the snow. Pair with some comfy jeans, cute sweater and vest and you're ready to tackle on the weather!

What are you planning on wearing this Thanksgiving? Do you have a favorite look? I'd love to hear it friends!

Keep Celebrating!

Oh Goodie, Goodie!

I'm pretty sure that one of my love languages is gift giving.

Not only because it's a nice way to show someone that you're thinking of them, but it's also fun to think of gift ideas and pretty packaging (y'all know my love for paper and presentation!). Although most people associate gift giving with Christmas, I also think that Thanksgiving is an opportune time to show people that you are thankful for them and that you appreciate them.

And in my eyes, what better way to show this than by food.

Bake a loaf of pumpkin bread or banana bread! Its super easy to make, and will last quite awhile. I made pumpkin bread for my good friend Mary, and she said that she ate it for breakfast for a few days! As far as gift wrapping a loaf of bread goes, I bout the bread gift bags at Wal-Mart (they'll be located with the extravagant cake decorating supplies, usually close to the craft aisle and wedding aisle), which included the ribbon. I got the free 'Thankful for Sweet Friends Like You!' tag from Lil' Luna {all things good} blog, and wrapped it with white and gold twine that I found at Target.

If you don't quite feel like making bread, or feel like your on a time crunch, there is always that wonderful thing called Nestle Tollhouse Cookie dough. Buy them precut, slap them on a cookie sheet and throw them in the oven for about 10 minutes and voila, you're a domestic goddess.

Obviously, you still want to make it look like you put a lot of time into this gift. Presentation time! I like to find pretty little gift bags and tags to snaz it up a bit.

I found these mint and gold bags from the Oh Joy! collection at Target (I'm obsessed with her stuff and was tempted to buy everything in her little corner of Target!), I also picked up these gold glittered clothe pins from their craft aisle as well. I printed out these pretty little tags from She Wears Many Hats blog, and added a pop of color to them by painting over them with pink watercolor paint.

I hope my friends love how they turned out as much as I do!

Keep Celebrating!