Now that Spring is here, it's time to shave those legs and break out the allergy meds. Spring beauty for 2014 means fresh faces with light and natural looking makeup, loose up-dos, groomed brows, gold touches, and rosy or pastel tints. If you haven't already, now is definitely the time to find a good primer and the perfect BB cream for your skin tone because this Spring is all about showing off gorgeous skin. Moisturize everyday and use products with SPF in them for protection when you finally get to go on that picnic you have been dreaming of all winter! Add some pop to your spring beauty routine with a bright lipstick or a fun nail color. My favorite nail colors for this season are Butter London Marbs (a gorgeous metallic gold), Jaffa (a bright melon tone), Hen Party (a pale opal), and Two Fingered Salute (a soft grey for those who still want to retain a little edge). 

I am constantly getting inspiration for new beauty looks to try by watching the models in various fashion shows and magazines. One of the looks that really stood out to me recently was the hair and makeup from Calla Haynes' SS14 collection. To keep with the California girl theme, models wore fishtail braids made to look slightly unkempt and interlaced with a neon orange ribbon. The makeup was fresh and natural looking, highlighting the model's youthful and glowing skin. Groomed eyebrows, a hint of blush, a touch of highlighting around the eyes, and a natural looking lip was the perfect look for this streamlined but laid back collection. 

Images by Billy Rood 

Happy Halloween everyone! If you guys read my last beauty post then you know that Beauty Box 5 offered to send me one of their boxes to review! I was super excited when it arrived last week and have been enjoying trying out the products so that I could give my honest opinion on the value of the box. I found Beauty Box 5 when I was researching box subscriptions and trying to find one that was around $10 - $15/month and that came with a variety of products. A monthly reoccurring subscription to Beauty Box 5 is $12 per month and comes with five samples in each box. Samples range from full-size to sample size and could be luxury products, drugstore brands, or even vegan products!   

With so many products available to us, sometimes it is difficult to choose which ones we want to invest in, especially for the more high-end products. After all, who wants to spend $100 on a face mask and then find out that you hate it or that it doesn't deliver the goods? Not I. Right now, there is a growing trend of monthly subscriptions to boxes that feature everything from snacks to beauty products. There are beauty boxes that focus specifically on skin care, hair, makeup, all natural products, luxury products, nail care, or a combination of products. This is a great way to try samples of products that you may not have otherwise tried. Many of these sites also offer bonus perks such as discount codes to purchase full-sized products that you love, referral rewards, and free shipping. 

Here are some of the more popular ones in alphabetical order: 

• Beauty Army - $12/month for a choice of 6 beauty products. One of the few sites that lets you choose which specific products you want from a limited selection. Mostly sample sizes. Chance to earn discounts through referrals and reviews.
  
• Beauty Box 5 - 5 travel, deluxe, and full-sized samples each month for $12/month. Free shipping. Wide range of products from luxury to vegan. SheKnows 2013 Beauty Awards Finalist. *See below*

Hi everyone! Just wanted to share with you guys some of the beauty products that are currently on my "to try" list. I am planning on minimizing my wardrobe and beauty routine soon in order to simplify my life and rebuild my collection with a focus on quality over quantity. For me, Fall and Winter are all about renewal and getting a fresh start...and dry skin haha. I will be looking at lots of new moisturizers next month! Please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite beauty products are. Have you tried any of these? If so, how did they work for you? 

1. Alpha-h Liquid Gold with Glycolic Acid - So many people swear by this stuff, including the model Ruth Crilly from A Model Recommends (i recommend you check her blog out). I'm dying to try it but it is definitely not cheap so I've put it on hold. Also, Glycolic Acid is suppose to be great for your skin
2. RMS Beauty Un Coverup - Organic ingredients and claims to "melt into the skin for a virtually undetectable finish".
3. Earth Tu Face Skin Stick - An all purpose, organic skin salve for the face, lips, and body. Promotes cellular healing and comes in an earth-friendly tube.
4. Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque - Fragrance free and paraben free. I have read reviews from other beauty bloggers who say this is the most moisturizing face mask they have ever used. Perfect for people like me who have really dry skin, especially since Fall is upon us! 
5. ILIA I Put a Spell on You - Full of lovely ingredients and vitamin E, this convenient stick can be used to add some color to your eyes, lips, and cheeks!  
6. Egyptian Magic - Made only of Honey, Beeswax, Olive Oil, Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen and Bee Propolis. No additives, preservatives, fragrances, chemicals or parabens. I have read several interviews with models/celebrities who claim that this is their "secret" to great skin. Been wanting to try this for a long time so maybe I finally will.
7. (Not Shown) RMS Beauty Living Luminizer - A creamy skin highlighter made with organic ingredients. Doesn't this stuff just look heavenly?

Have a great weekend xx

Let me just say, I use to be AWFUL about remembering to remove my makeup before I went to sleep every night. I didn't even start wearing makeup until my senior year of high school, and then I would often stay up late and pass out in full makeup without thinking anything of it. Now that I am more educated on such matters as skincare, I realize how bad this is. It can lead to breakouts and can cause your skin to age prematurely because your pores are crying for air and moisture! Sometimes I just get lazy though. Which is why it is important to have a good makeup remover that makes things very simple and pleasant. For me, it is also important that it is not overpriced, as many beauty products are. After much research, testing, and gathering opinions from friends, family, and other beauty reviewers, I have compiled a list of 10 of the best budget makeup removers. These can all be found in local drugstores, Target, Ulta, Walmart, or online and they are all under $15. Here we go!

1. Neutrogena Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion - The makeup remover is getting some serious buzz lately. For around $7 it is suitable for all skin types, removes even waterproof mascara,  conditions the skin rather than drying it out as some removers do (contains aloe and cucumber extracts!), and is fragrance free! If you are hesitant to try a lotion remover, this one is inexpensive enough to test and you will probably never switch back to liquid ones. Also, do not be afraid to try this one even if you have oily skin. Many people with oily skin seem to think they should not moisturise but that is so wrong (will probably do a post on this and other skin myths soon)!  

If you are looking for a really good beauty blogger to follow, go check out Ruth Crilly's A Model Recommends website and subscribe to her YouTube channel. Ruth Crilly is a model who has appeared in editorials worldwide for Elle, Vogue, Cosmo, Glamour, etc. She has been modelling for over ten years and since looking good is how models make a living, she knows what she is talking about. She chooses to blog about products to give viewers an honest, unbiased opinion. She is completely sweet and does reviews on both high-end and inexpensive products, as well as health tips and such. Below is her most recent video which is all about her skin care routine. Be sure to check out her monthly favorites videos as well! She lives in the UK so some of the products she mentions can not be purchased in the U.S. but for the most part they are things you can find anywhere or buy online, and she almost always posts links to the products that she talks about.