MUSIC: Summer playlists

*some of my current favorites*

So with summer in full swing here in Maine (hey, the A/C is in the window...it's legit!) I have begun to craft my summer mix!  With an hour drive each way to work and countless days spent at my mom's pool, I need to have a good selection of music...something most people don't realize is that I simply cannot have what we as a society call "silence" (as a music major I do not believe that silence exists) around me.

So I thought as something fun, I would share my work in progress with you guys, and hope you guys share some awesome suggestions as that's what makes a mix more fun!

Head past the jump to see what's going on in my playlist right now!

(pictured in the photo:  Jefferson Airplane "Surrealistic Pillow", Steely Dan "Aja", The Who's Tommy, Scissor Sisters "Magic Hour"

Updated Skincare [DRY]

Just a quick little update as I swap out my skincare products once they're used up (remind me to take a picture of the BAGS of skincare I have sometime and you'll understand where I'm coming from when I say I'm not always loyal to my products...I promise!)

sorry about the photo quality...iPhone is not my favorite camera...

Not pictured is my current cleanser and toner which varies depending on the day/what I've got on my face already.

My Current Routine [6/29/12]

Cleanser:  Boscia Makeup Breakup Oil or Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Exfoliation: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

Serum: DDF Restoring Night Serum and Perricone Intensive Pore Minimizer

Day Cream: Ole Henriksen Nurture Me

Night Cream: Clinique Youth Surge Night

Eye Cream: Lancome Renergie Microlift

I do want to mention that there is a product in this routine that I'm not 100% positive that I love.  Specifically it's the Clinique night moisturizer...I'm not a huge Clinique skincare fan and I do receive a lot of products from my job so I feel obligated to test them so I know how they function and work.  I'm sure you'll know how I feel one way or the other eventually ;) haha.

Past Skincare Routines:

MARCH 2012

Thoughts: Clinique Even Better Foundation SPF 15

I am going to start out being 100% honest.

Clinique and I [generally] do not get along and I am not a fan.  Especially of their skincare.

3-step?  No.  I don't think you can pigeonhole people into one whole line of cleaners/toners/moisturizers.  I dislike the cleansers, the toners have WAY too much alcohol in them, and the DDML/DDMG (aka Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion/Gel respectively) quite frankly, suck.

Now.  That being said.  I understand that for many people the 3-Step program works wonderfully.  I am not here to dispute this.  I simply am stating my opinions based on personal trials as well as feedback from others.

HOWEVER

Then there comes a product or two that for one reason or another will just blow you out of the water.  I have 2 such products from their cosmetics range (most of which underwhelms me too, for the record) and I will probably love these 2 products until either a) they're discontinued or b) i die.  One is a mascara will will be included in a Mascara Madness post when I open my new tube...and the star of the post today is Clinique EVEN BETTER SPF 15 Foundation!

Head pas the jump to see my thoughts and opinions on this product!

Mascara Madness: Lash Primer Love! My Holy Grail!!

I know I give a lot of time to lashes...but 2nd to eyeshadows, mascara is probably my most favorite beauty item.  A mascara can completely change a look just depending on what it claims to do.

I know I said in my last mascara review my thoughts on lengthening and thickening and how every mascara can do both...and I still firmly believe this to be true (unless of course the lengthening has fibers in it which is a completely different story).

Something I haven't mentioned however is how I feel about lash primers.  I'm pretty sure everyone at one point or another has tried the drugstore equivalent with their double ended tubes of white primer on one end and blackest black mascara on the other.  My major issue with those is that no matter what, the primer and mascara combined leave your lashes one of two ways...clumpy or gray.  Neither of which is my personal favorite mascara look, but if it's yours by ALL means please keep going with it :)

I've been jaded about primers.  I've tried the Dior one, I've tried the Lancome one...both of which fell short on my priming expectations.  I was resigned that a primer just wasn't for me.  Which is perfectly fine - I'm not saying that like a face primer a lash primer is something that is completely necessary.

Enter:  Tarte multiplEYE Lash Enhancing Primer.

Head past the jump for my thoughts on what is now my holy grail of lash priming.

Mascara Madness: Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara

I'm going to wholeheartedly admit that I am one of THOSE PEOPLE when it comes to mascara.  I have the ones I love...and then I have a graveyard area where I toss the rejects to save just in case I need one for theater/I run out of my favorite and I need something until I can get another one.

But when it comes to Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes mascara...it kind of lives in this weird limbo area between the two.  I simply cannot decide one way or the other about it.

Head past the jump for more of my thoughts and photos of application!