teenage grunge | dramatic red + purple eye look

I love the red eyeshadow trend that's been going around right, mostly due to the fact it totally reminds me of my wanna be goth/scene phase in high school. I was never really brave enough to go for it back then, but now I just want to pay homage to my teenage self. I think this would have gone great with a lot of my angsty band tees I used to absolutely obsess over. Ah, to be 14 again.

 I dove head first into a true red eyeshadow for this look, but once I started adding more color and blending, they all ended up pulling really purple on me, so I just went with it. To be honest, that's just how it goes most days, am I right?

This look ended up being a bit more pink/purple than I had anticipated, but I liked the dramatic result anyway! This isn't exactly something I'd wear out, but I sure had fun creating something I had never done before. I also love the way reds and purples pair with brown eyes, and I'll definitely be trying something like this again--if not a bit more wearable for everyday.

I used my Coastal Scents original 88 palette for this look because I really don't have any colors like this in my everyday collection. That's why I absolutely LOVE these big eyeshadow palettes from Coastal Scents! There are so many options that you can create ANY type of look you want, and they're super affordable. They're great quality for price as well. I love the way these all blended together. The only gripe is when working with bright colors like this, fallout can tend to be a bit of an issue.

FACE

| Revlon Colorstay Foundation: 180 Sand Beige |

| The Balm Bahama Mama bronzer |

|The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer highlight |

BROWS

| MAC fluidline gel eyeliner in Dipdown |

| ELF brow gel |

EYES

| Coastal Scents Original 88-color palette |

| Lancome Art Liner liquid eyeliner |

| Covergirl Lashblast volume mascara (purple tube) |

LIPS

| NYX Nude retractable lip pencil |

| Revlon Soft Nude lipstick |

(I can't believe Revlon discontinued this lipstick because it's so god damn pretty. Why must cosmetics companies do this to us?!)

Thanks for reading!

xo

Becca

Current drugstore favorites

I'm a die-hard drugstore makeup lover.

Most of my go-to products on an every day basis are available at Target or just a few clicks away online at places like Ulta or ELF.  I love a good Mac or Sephora haul as much as the next girl, but let's be real—I'm on a budget. I wanted to share some of the products I've been reaching for a lot lately, so let's fuel your makeup addiction and keep your wallet full, shall we?

Revlon Colorstay

(wearing Revlon Colorstay foundation, Wet n' Wild Pearlescent Pink blush, Elf Eyebrow kit, Rimmel Nude Delight lipstick)

I always go back to Revlon Colorstay because it's so easy for me to wear. It's a true HG for me! I love it all year round and recommend it to everyone. 180 Sand Beige in Oily/Combo version is SUCH a great match for me in the fall/winter, and the formula somehow works beautifully with my super dry skin. I don't even bother trying to figure it out..but it works.

Wet n' Wild Blush in Pearlescent Pink

This blush from Wet n' Wild is probably one of my favorite drugstore blushes ever (wearing it above). It gives me a perfect mix of pink and peach on my cheeks and it warms up my complexion in the best way. You can't beat $3 for a pigmented, smooth and gorgeous blush.

ELF Eyebrow kit in Medium

My brows are everything to me. I alternate between my ELF eyebrow kit & MAC Fluidline in Dipdown. To be honest, I get compliments on my brows when wearing either one of them! But the main difference is I get a more natural look a lot more easily with this eyebrow kit, and it only cost $3! I love the wax and powder you get with this duo. I use the wax to define and lengthen the tail and fill in the rest with powder. 

Maybelline Pumped Up Colossol Volum' Express

Could this have a longer name? Whew. This isn't the most AMAZING mascara I've ever used, but I've been loving it a lot lately! It gives me that full, more "lush" looking lashes if that makes sense...they're less spikey and fibrey and more thick and soft. I can layer this up for a dramatic eye, but I do have to be careful not to overdo it because this stuff is thick! I do think I'll like this even more when it dries out more because I prefer a drier formula.

Wet n Wild Nail Polish Black Creme

My life isn't complete without my black nail polish. Wet n Wild recently repackaged their Wildshine polishes and I think they're so cute! As far as the polish goes, I haven't been able to figure out yet if they're "reformulated" too (granted, I haven't looked into it at all becuase...lazy). This polish is $.99 and I always have a few in my collection at all times!

Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask

I love this Freeman mask at the end of a long week. I'm by no means a "mask" person, I really only use them a few times a month when I break out. This one is a really great exfoliant for my dry skin and I have to admit I love the consistency! It's gentle enough for my sensitive, acne-prone skin but still leaves me feeling super refreshed and clean. You may not know this about me now, but you will--black is my favorite & go-to color and something about putting this sugary-sweet black mask on my face just makes me happy! 

What are some of your drugstore faves? Make sure to follow me on Instagram for more pictures & drugstore favorites! @beccaseylar

xo,

Becca

Bonjour à nouveau!

Hello blogger friends!

It's that time of year I attempt blogging again!

Stay tuned for lots of pretty photos and a lot of (inevitable) rambles!

Beauty, fashion, DIY, food, adorable dogs, life stuff, home decor...I want to share it all here. Thanks for reading!

xo
Becca

Five (or ten) Minute Face

Ever have those days where you KNOW you need to put makeup on in an effort to not scare the small children you may see at the grocery store? I tend to have those a lot...so today I thought I'd share the makeup I gravitate toward when I literally have five or ten minutes to throw some products on my face.

I'm sure this isn't really unique to me, I know the staples in a pinch for most everyone who wears makeup are some foundation, mascara, lipcolor, etc. I tend to spend more of my time covering up my acne and hyperpigmentation so I'm usually pretty haphazard with my brows, mascara etc. But you can't always have a flawless face. Some days my main goal is to just NOT look like a corpse...

I also was too lazy to search for batteries for my camera, and my iPhone just happened to be next to me instead. It was just one of those days you guys.

 (Natural light)

 

(Clearly NOT natural light)

THE GOOD STUFF:

Face:

  Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation

NYX HD concealer

NYC Sunny bronzer

MAC Warm Soul blush

Brows: 

Elf eyebrow kit in medium

Eyes: 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Covergirl Lash Exact mascara

L'oreal Voluminous mascara

Lips: 

MAC Creme Cup

Also, shout out to my cool wolf shirt I got from Pac Sun for $2

xxx

Becca

Cleaning out my Closet!

I recently gave in and downloaded the latest buying and selling app, Poshmark. I've heard about it for a while now but never really thought I could contribute. Then I started thinking about how much my style has changed over the years and how many things in my closet I literally haven't touched since my freshman year of college about five years ago!

I've been weirdly obsessed with the idea and even downloaded ANOTHER similar app called Vinted. I started this post thinking I would just share my thoughts on Posh, but now I think I have a pretty good idea of the main differences of the apps and can let you know which one I prefer!

Both apps allow you to sell items for credit or cash and buy items with your credits or credit card! After a few weeks on both apps, I can tell you I 100 percent prefer Vinted!

The app itself is newer than Posh and not as "advanced," there are still a few bugs they need to work out. But these are the main differences and reasons why I prefer Vinted!

1. Success and ease of start-up
I'm not sure if this was just my personal experience, but I got more sales and activity on Vinted in the first few hours than I have gotten on Poshmark in 2 or 3 weeks. Let me put it in perspective: I've had Posh for three weeks and sold ONE item. I've had Vinted for 3 days and sold more than 15 items. I've noticed that Posh is a more "high-end" atmosphere with people selling Louis Vuitton bags, fur coats and designer jeans. There are SO many more users on Poshmark, that it's easy for your items to get lost. Many people have more than 10k followers on Posh, where I haven't seen anyone with more than 5k on Vinted. Vinted is more my price range and style as well. I think it is much more realistic for a younger audience that may be on a budget!

2. Vinted takes less commission
It's only a one percent difference, but who wouldn't prefer keeping even a few extra cents, amirite?
(Poshmark keeps 20% of your list price, Vinted keeps 19)

3. Shipping
On Posh, shipping is a flat rate.
 ($4.99 on orders over $25, $6.99 on all others. Extra $1.99 if package is over 2 lbs)
On Vinted, you choose the weight range of the package and the buyer pays accordingly. This means it can be a lot cheaper for the buyer!
Shipping is paid for by the buyer on both apps and they provide you with a prepaid label. On ease of shipping/use for the seller, Posh and Vinted fare equal.

4. Swapping is supported
You can swap on Posh, but it's not recommended and it must be taken OFF the Posh app. On Vinted, there is a "swap" option. You're still taking a little risk, but you can still swap within the app and get tracking and a little more piece of mind. I am not in the market for "swapping" at the moment but it seems more people swap on Vinted than Posh. It can be great for people who don't have $$$ to spend but want to revamp their wardrobe!

5. Interface and Usability
On Vinted, you can comment on items and also message users directly. A gripe of mine with Posh is that there is no messaging feature and people's negotiations and conversations flood the comments! I just generally prefer the look and interface of Vinted!

So there it is, my not so organized but honest thoughts about Vinted and Poshmark! I am still currently using both and am hoping that once I gain more followers on Poshmark I can begin selling some of my more big ticket items!

My Vinted username: beccabellevie
My Poshmark username: beccaseylar

 

Happy shopping lovelies!

xo
Becca

Manicure Monday - Nude & Sparkle

I had a nice little Monday last night including my man friend, House of Cards on Netflix (if you haven't seen this yet you're not living correctly), Sleepytime tea and a manicure!

This choice of colors was SO weird for me, but I love the way it turned out. I love my black nail polish more than anything, but when black chips, it chips badly. I felt the need to do something girly and pretty afterwards

 (Luna always has to be in same room as me and she frequently photobombs...)

 

I usually don't go for nudes and beigey pinks on my nails, but for some reason I was really envisioning a nice nude with some sparkle so this is what I chose! I love the color of Samoan Sand but it is a little sheer for my taste. I can imagine that makes it versatile though, for those who just want a sheer wash of color on their nails! I had to use 3 coats to gain my desired color payoff. 

I'm also really not one for glitter or sparkle so this manicure was REALLY out of my comfort zone. But there's just something about a silver glitter accent nail that makes my hands and nails look so good. I love this Revlon polish too, it's just too pretty.

xxx

Becca

Current Skincare Favorites

I was thinking about what to post today, so subsequently I was trying to think about what I've been loving lately. I realized that just this morning I was really happy with my skin...which NEVER happens. Like ever.

For background purposes, I'll just say my skin is very acne-prone, sensitive and dry. About 50 percent of products I put on my face break me out, which is a real fucking pain, if I'm being completely honest. I also should point out I don't spend a lot on skincare. It is pretty contradictory, because you think with how many issues I have and how long I've struggled with my skin, I'd be willing to invest in products. But when there's a 50/50 chance it will break me out or I'll get an allergic reaction, I really try to save myself the grief AND the money. But enough complaining! I've learned that everyone has flaws, and one of mine just happens to be my stubborn skin. I do what I can to take care of it and control my acne the right way.

On with my current skincare products!

(I listed these in the order in which I use them)

AcneFree Oil Free Acne Cleanser

My one MUST for morning cleansers is exfoliating beads! Because my skin is dry, I really feel like I need some exfoliation in the morning to get my face really clean. This cleanser doesn't over dry my face but still is effective at controlling my acne. It's also available at the drugstore and is really affordable ($6).

Korres Face and Eye Serum

I had been eyeing this serum for a while, but never pulled the trigger. I received it for Christmas and I've been using it for a few weeks. This hasn't broken me out and I'm really enjoying it! It claims to be line smoothing and skin brightening, and I have actually noticed a difference in some of my hyper pigmentation and am excited to see if it continues to fade my spots. It's expensive, but we'll see if it actually makes enough changes in my skin to make it worth the $40!

Up&Up Moisturizing Lotion (Dupe for Aveeno Radiant Moisturizer)

 My daytime moisturizer changes all the time, I haven't really found one I've loved enough to remain loyal to. I do however require it to be moderately cheap and have SPF. I just try to find ones that are the simplest and best for my sensitive skin. This does have a sunscreen scent that I don't actually mind, and this may also have been helping out with my dark spots. I've used the Aveeno version as well and can't notice a difference. It is very moisturizing for my dry skin while not being too oily, but I can't vouch for you oily skinned people!

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser

You wouldn't think something so plain and simple could be coveted so much, but I really can't imagine my skin routine without it. It's perfect for sensitive, acne-prone skin and does exactly what it's supposed to! I use a makeup wipe (I prefer the original Ponds ones) to remove most of my makeup prior to using this, but this really gets my face clean and feeling good. I also love that I can buy the jumbo size of this for $10 and know it'll last me a few months.

Acne.org Treatment (Benzoyl Peroxide)

When I said I've tried a lot of acne systems before, I wasn't kidding. I bought this Acne.org treatment when I was trying out the Acne.org regimen (which I do still use as the basis for my skincare). It is a 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide gel that I slather on my whole face at night. This is my real acne-fighting part of my routine. It DOES dry out my skin and I couldn't imagine using it twice a day, but maybe for more oily types that wouldn't be an issue.

As far as price goes, this is one of those things I consider an investment. $36 isn't that much to some, but for me that's a few meals or a water bill! It is however, a jumbo size (16 oz), and it has lasted me about a year with the end of the bottle nowhere in sight which is actually really shocking and a bit mysterious.

 Ponds Dry Skin Cream

So I know I said I'm not particularly fussy about my day moisturizer, but for some reason that can't be said about my night cream. I am completely devoted to my Pond's Dry Skin Cream and can't imagine being without it, honestly. I love the scent and how thick and moisturizing it is. It's perfect to add in that moisture that I lose after letting my treatment completely set into my skin. When I wake up in the morning I can just tell my skin is hydrated and ready for the day. Plus it's cheap as hell and lasts me ages.

xxx
Becca