Essence January Beauty Box Review: Soulful. Colorful. Beautiful.

So it's a brand New Year which means we all have these fabulous resolutions that we need to try to stick to. I don't know about you, but every year I try to tell myself to relax, and just continue doing what I'm doing - working as hard as I can everyday. Realistically, it's just another day that ends with a new number right? Since I'm always working, I hardly have time to go out and pamper myself, so I was excited to hear that the January Essence Beauty Box was a Pamper Party Box.

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If you guys remember from my other posts, the Essence Beauty Box is a beauty subscription box that was designed for women of color by the experts from Essence magazine. Each box will contain 5 deluxe samples and you can sign up for $15 a month, however, they have been running sales for $10 a month.

As for the January box, it contains 5 deluxe samples that was curated together to create the ultimate pamper party box. First, there is a deluxe sample of SheaTerra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Facial Wash. This is designed to gently exfoliate your skin and remove dead layers without any harsh ingredients - which is great if you have sensitive skin.

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Next, there is a fat lip pencil by Laqa & Co. There are three different shades that are floating around online that people have received in their box and I received this orange shade that has subtle hints of red in it. It's a cute color and I love the thickness of the pencil itself, however, I did not like this shade for my skin tone. Personally, I do not favor lipsticks that have an orange shade or undertone to it. I mostly go for lipsticks with more of a blue based undertone just because I find that it suits my complexion better. I would love to be able to include these personal preferences to the subscription box.

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The next sample is from tgin - Thank God It's Natural Green Tea super moist leave in conditioner. Now this is my favorite product in this month's box because I love trying new leave in conditioners to moisturize my curls and this is one of the quickest and most affordable ways that I've been able to test out new products that may or may not work for my hair.

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A pamper party box wouldn't be complete without a nail polish for a manicure. This box included the Julep Jess nail polish. It's kind of like a brown color with hints of red in it. I've tried a lot of the Julep nail polishes before so I know that they have a great formula, however, I wasn't a big fan of this color. Lately, I've been more into the bright and holographic colors so I'm not going to get much use out of this product in the box. It is a great color though if you're looking for something a bit more subtle.

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Lastly, the box included a Baby Soft Foot Mask by Leaders Insolution. This is a rejuvenating foot mask that has aloe vera extract and bees wax in it and I'll be honest, in the winter time, I tend to neglect my feet -  I know I'm not the only one! This is going to rejuvenate the skin and leave your feet feeling as smooth as butter!

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Did you guys get the January box? What did you think about it? Don't forget that if you sign up, please use my referral code 992-4D8B-00F2.

xoxo1

MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick Comparison Video Review

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Hi lovebugs!

I wanted to stop and do this really quick video review for you guys to compare the new MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Ariana Grande lipstick to a few other MAC lipsticks that I own - Riri Hearts MAC Talk That Talk and Instigator. Turn your volume up, press play and get the details!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu9gk8TE0Qk

xoxo1

 

MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick & Lipglass - First Review

Hi loves!

So last year, we all heard the news that MAC Cosmetics chose Ariana Grande as the new VIVA GLAM spokeperson.* The news spread like wide fire on social media - not only because of the support of the cause - but because of the trendy story behind the colors. 

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick ($17.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a "matte plum." It's a deep, dark plum with a satin finish.

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipglass ($15.00 for 0.17 fl. oz.) is described as a “shimmering pink.” It’s a sheer, pink-tinted lipgloss with gold and pink sparkles.

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When I first saw the promotional pictures, it immediately reminded me of Riri Hearts MAC Talk That Talk lipstick and the Clear Water Lipgloss from the Alluring Aqua collection. So I wanted to do a few comparisons to help you...

IMG_0908 copy(L) Riri Hearts MAC Talk That Talk (R) MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick IMG_0926 copy(L) MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipgloss (R) MAC Alluring Aqua Clear Water LipglossIMG_0928 copy

I'll admit that I said "Wow" when I swatched them. It's a beautiful color alone and with paired with the lipgloss. However, it is a bit patchy, so make sure that you grab a matching lipliner - try it with Vino perhaps? It will be in-stores and at-counters on January 21st, 2016.

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*The VIVA GLAM Lipstick was originally created in 1994 to raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS at a time when the pandemic was dramatically affecting fashion and beauty communities in particular as well as the wider world. What makes this so historic is that 100% of the purchase price of any VIVA GLAM product goes towards the M·A·C AIDS Fund which is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS.

*Purchased. All opinions are my own*

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipsticks Review and Swatches On A Woman of Color

Hi Loves! So I wanted to try a little something different for these swatches of the new Urban Decay Gwen Stefani lipsticks. Mind you, I will be making a switch into more videos for these reviews as soon as my glam room is done but you know what's going on. Anyway, back to the collection.

Made with Repix (http://repix.it)

There are eight shades in this collection. Here are a few swatches on a woman of color so you can get a better idea of what they may look like on your skin tone. 

714, is a bright red mega matte lipstick. Surprise, surprise that the first one that we talk about is a mega matte :-P. This one kind of pulled orange/red on me which I don't mind but in comparison to the other reds in this collection...well let's just say I have a few other favorites. 

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Ex-Girlfriend, is a sheer nude-rose with a pink shimmer. Legit, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one. I was expecting a typical "nude" lipstick which as women of color we all know how that goes. However, this one is a brownish-pink and surprisingly, I reallllly love it! In this picture, I am wearing it with the matching UD Gwen Stefani 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil. 

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Firebird, is a deep fuchsia cream lipstick but on me it pulls more of a bright magenta color. It's a great shade to wear all year round. I especially like to wear bright colors like this during the Winter because it gives me an instant pick me up. FireBird copy

Phone Call, is a sheer bright coral cream lipstick (exclusive to the Urban Decay website). This is a great lipstick for the Spring and Summer, especially because it's so light weight and comfortable, I just didn't get a lot of payoff from it so I recommend using the matching lipliner before applying the lipstick.Phone Call copy

Plaid, is a sheer deep berry lipstick (exclusive to the Urban Decay website). I like the light pop of color that it gives me - kind of similar to a gloss without the stickiness.Plaid copy

Rock Steady, is a deep red wine cream lipstick. This is fall packaged into a tube of lipstick. Literally, the perfect merlot shade.Rock Steady copy

Spiderweb, is a satin red cream. Can we say this is the perfect red shade for Valentine's Day ladies?SpiderWeb copy

Wonderland, is a dark pink-red cream lipstick. On me, it does off a bit more rosey pink on me. Wonderland copy

Now that we've seen half/full face swatches (I said I was trying a different style) which one is your favorite? My top 3 in order are Ex-Girlfriend, Spiderweb, and Firebird - cue the gasps that the nude lipstick topped them all for me.

You can pick up these lipsticks ($18 USD) and the rest of the Gwen Stefani collection on UrbanDecay.com. If they are sold out, you can pick up some of the collection from Sephora.com. Let me know what you end up getting!

xoxo1

Britney Spears Maui fantasy Fragrance (Limited Edition)

  If you're a fan of Britney Spears (and I know that you are - remember the last time you sang "Oops, I did it again"? Exactly!) get ready because she has released a new limited edition fragrance! Here are the details...

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Britney Spears Maui fantasy

The Fragrance

Infusing elements of Maui’s natural beauty with the key notes found in original fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ fragrance, Maui fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ Limited Edition conveys Maui’s allure and charm through scent. The combination of luscious, tropical fruits and flowers exudes the warmth of Maui’s climate and the spirit of Hawaiian heritage.

Top Notes

Bird of Paradise mingles with luscious Pink Grapefruit and Passion Fruit, drawing you in with their mouth-watering sensations.

Mid Notes

At the heart is an intoxicating blend of fresh beachside florals – Hibiscus Petals, Cyclamen, Orange Blossom and Hawaiian Monoi – blooming in the golden sun.

Base Notes

From the background, the warm, sensual aura of Vanilla and Coconut radiates with soft Blue Musk, White Amber and beachy Blonde Woods.

The Packaging

Embodying the essence of Hawaii, the Maui fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ Limited Edition bottle takes inspiration from the captivating crystal blue waters surrounding the island, with a frosted-aqua hue. The bottle features a bright pink Hibiscus flower, one of the many symbols of this tropical escape. Blending the Hawaiian symbols with the iconic shape and collar design of the classic fantasy bottle makes this new scent a fun and exotic addition to the fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ fragrance collection.

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Product name

Packaging/Content

Price

Maui fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ Limited Edition

Eau de Toilette

30 ml/1.0 fl. oz.

$31.00*

The scent will be available at Kohl’s in January.

New Years Eve Nail Tutorial Featuring Butter London Polish and Shoedazzle Pumps

Hi guys! For New Years, I wanted to create a look for my nails that was inspired by my new Raziel glitter pumps from Shoedazzle and Desire by Dolce & Gabbana - one of my favorite fragrances. Hopefully, you'll be able to find a little bit of inspiration for your next look from some of your daily style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzFb6kaA5hw

Products Used: Butter London Union Jack Black Nail Lacquer Butter London West End Wonderland Nail Lacquer Butter London The Black Knight Nail Lacquer Raziel Pumps from Shoedazzle.com Desire by Dolce & Gabbana Fragrancexoxo1

Introducing "Love Your Shade" The Social Movement For Color Variation In The Beauty Industry

I wanted to take a minute to talk about the new project that I’ve been working on with @lipstickjunkieforever. For the past few months, you guys have seen us swatch various makeup products from lipsticks, blushes, highlighters, eyeshadows etc. on different skin tones. (Her MAC Cosmetics foundation shade is NW20 and mines is NC50.) We wanted to find a space that would really bring awareness to the fact that there is a lack of variety in color cosmetics industry and work towards filling the void. I’ve remained pretty quiet over the past few weeks over the issue because of this…As a woman of color – especially as a woman of color in the industry – it’s seriously disheartening to me that this is still an issue that is seemingly being ignored and brushed under the rug. When new collections are released, essentially the only swatches that showcase the color or shade of the product are normally done on one skin tone; which is great, but I’m left wondering what the color is going to really look like on me. There have been too many times that I’ve falling in love with a lipstick only to have purchased it to find out that it’s a completely different color on me because of my skin tone and undertone. I have completely skipped by new releases of products because it was only showcased on one skin tone and not marketed with any other “color model” in mind.

I’m not saying this as a black and white thing. I’m saying this as an all beauty thing. I want to see the products showcased on all skin tones: pale, fair, medium olive, brown, dark brown, ebony, chocolate. Everyone from Asians, Hispanics, Caucasians, Native Hawaiians, African Americans, Indians, Pacific Islander, Women, Men…Everyone needs to be represented and marketed to in the industry. We all have money to spend. Give us a reason to.

Let’s continue to destroy the standards of beauty. Join the movement on @loveyourshade. #LoveYourShade [wpvideo cCwuVho2]

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Blush Fragrance

Dear Mr. Marc Jacobs, I'm writing this open letter to you because I am really going to need you to stop creating these gorgeous fragrances that I have to add to my collection simply because of how cute the bottle is!

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This is a shot of the new and rumored Daisy Dream fragrance in Blush that is supposed to launch in February.* There is also news floating around of two other new fragrances called Daisy Blush and Daisy Eau So Fresh Blush! I'll keep you updated on any new news once I receive it!

*Date subject to change.

xoxo1

Ricky's NYC is Now On Gilt City - Get An Insane Deal on OCC, LA Girl Cosmetics, Morphe, Coloured Raine and More!

Just when we thought the beauty deals were over Ricky's NYC decides to smack us in the face with one! Ricky's has just launched an amazing deal on Gilt City today which will give you an incredible discount that you can use in-store or online.

So basically you can choose an online OR in-store credit on Gilt City that will get you either a $50 credit for $30, or a $100 credit for $60. That means that when you go to Ricky's NYC to purchase $50 worth of products, you'll only actually be paying pay $30, or when you buy $100 worth of products, you'll only be paying $60 since you have this credit. Make sense right? The credit will expire on 3/9/16 so you have plenty of time to shop for the holidays or Valentine's Day.

Now why is this a big deal? Well Ricky's is notorious for carrying the most popular beauty brands. You can pick up some of your favorite items from Morphe, Sugarpill, Violet Voss, Coloured Raine, NYX, LA Girl Cosmetics and much more. Let me know what you get! I already checked out for the $100 one. xoxo1

Jets vs Giants - Full Highlights

Jet up ✈️ - Gang Green has officially defeated Big Blue and it's about time! The Jets haven't defeated the Giants in the regular season since 1993. Go ahead. Think about what you were doing in 1993, I'll wait... I don't know about you but I was 7 years old and probably just coming home to curl up in front of the television to watch Power Rangers and obsess over the Green Ranger. Did that make you feel old? Yeah it's been that long.

xoxo1

Coloured Raine Liquid Lipsticks - Kylie Jenner Lip Kit Alternative

I hope you beauties had an amazing Friday. So I've been off and on all week trying to edit videos and create new social images/animations for work. Have you tried doing that while keeping up on all of the beauty news simultaneously? Yeah, it's time for some wine. So the biggest news to hit the market this week was the release of the lipkitbykylie.com for $29. Each kit includes a lip liner and a matte liquid lipstick. Now I understand that liquid lipsticks are life right now - I mean have you been following me on Instagram? - but the hype around this launch was insane! The colors are cute, but to me, they just didn't stand out enough for me to say "Oh ok, here you go Kylie Jenner." Needless to say, this woman of color did not purchase any of the kits but instead, I took to glam room and found a few liquid lipsticks in my stash that could compare.

Here are swatches of three liquid lipsticks by Coloured Raine which remind me of the colors from Kylie's lip kit! And guess what? Each of these liquid lipsticks only costs $17 and are in stock right now!

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So what do you guys think? Let me know in the comments!xoxo1

Essence November Beauty Box Review: Soulful. Colorful. Beautiful.

Hi love bugs! It's time for the November Essence Beauty Box! Now before you guys kill me, remember that I'm in the process of working on a few new projects, revamping the blog, moving content over, photography classes, social media classes etc etc etc...tons of stuff in the works to be a better content creator for you! :-)

Whew, I feel a little bit better getting that off of my chest. Now, onto the November Essence Beauty Box. Last month, I introduced you to the Inaugural Beauty Box and explained how important this was for women of color. It's a beauty subscription box that is specifically curated by a team of African-American women with African-American women in mind. This couldn't have launched at a better time for me because I've been playing back and forth with my hair and trying to decide if I should stop flat ironing it all together for a while. So let's jump into the box:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7yM4d-MipQ

 

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Berry Berry Lips for the Holidays!

Happy Sunday guys! I'm working on a few holiday pieces for you guys and I wanted to show you a sneak peek of these berry holiday lips. I used Mac Heaux and topped it off with clear water lipgloss for the glitter/shine! Let me know what other lip looks you want to see!

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Paint vs Coloured Raine Rockstar

I didn't realize how much I would grow to love blue lipstick but as all things beauty...I got sucked in and now I'm obsessed. I initially posted swatches of the new Rockstar liquid lipstick by Coloured Raine ($17) and I immediately received requests to compare it to Paint by Anastasia Beverly Hills ($20). So while we work through the rest of the lip swatches, here's a comparison of both blues.  Candy Coated Closets Blue Comparison             Paint by Anastasia Beverly Hills                  Rockstar liquid lipstick by Coloured Raine

Candy Coated Closets Blue Comparison UpcloseCandy Coated Closets Blue WandCandy Coated Closets Blue Comparison Swatch

As you can see, ABH Paint is a more true blue based metallic lipstick whereas CR Rockstar is a purple blue metallic lipstick with glitter. I'm sure there are those are of you that are wondering what the heck I just :-) The easiest way to think about is to look at the undertone. CR Rockstar has more of a vibrant shine to it since it's mixed with purple and blue as opposed the ABH's Paint.

Candy Coated Closets Blue Comparison Lip Swatcher                                                                       CR Rockstar

                                                                     ABH Paint

My favorite of the two? Definitely CR Rockstar. I absolutely love the purple blue based toe to it! What do you guys think?

xoxo1

 

BuzzFeed Article Makeup Photo Feature

Normally, I would put this in my "As Seen In/Featured In" section of the blog but when one of your photographs gets picked by a BuzzFeed editor to be featured in an upcoming article...well...let's just say that all of the OMG's make it worthy enough to have it's own blog post. Buzzfeed Post

Yes, that me and my lipstick #makeupporn product shot. The full article can be found here. Thank you so much for the photo feature Nina Mohan!

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Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick Holiday Collection 2015

*Update: July 22, 2016 - This blog and I do not support Jeffree Star and/or Jeffree Star Cosmetics. This is my personal choice as I choose to feature and support brands that I believe in. I encourage you to search google for any relevant information on his brand if you would like to research his cosmetic line. Xoxo. - Cynira* Be warned before you look at this post. The new Jeffree Star Cosmetics liquid lipstick Holiday Collection might become your new obsession.

Candy Coated Closets Bundle Candy Coated Closets Bundle 2 Candy Coated Closets Bundle 3 IMG_2840Swatches in direct sunlight from left to right: Hoe Hoe Hoe, Mistletoe, Drug Lord, Doll Parts, Androgyny

First, let's take a closer look at the coveted Androgyny:

CandyCoatedCloset Androgyny Product CandyCoatedCloset Wand This is the best picture that I could get to capture the true color of Androgyny on my lips. The color is beautiful! It is an amazing mauve shade that's not too pink or too nude for women of color. It wears incredible well and is very soft on the lips. Now when I say it took me a while to capture the true color on my lips I say that because it's a very natural color on me and it's hard to pick up the mauve undertones in the picture.CandyCoatedCloset Androgyny 2CandyCoatedCloset Androgyny

Next, let's look at Hoe Hoe Hoe:

Candy Coated Closets Hoe Hoe Hoe BottleCandy Coated Closets Hoe Hoe Hoe WandThis liquid lipstick is a deep red with hints of metallic red and purple in it. In the pic on the bottom left, I tried to leave the focus from being straight on my lips and a different angle of lighting so you can get a better look at the sparkle from this lipstick. It's going to be great for holidays!

Candy Coated Closets Hoe Hoe Hoe Lip Swatch SideCandy Coated Closets Hoe Hoe Hoe Lip Swatch

Next is Doll Parts. This is a soft cool toned pink, more like a baby pink on my skin tone. I tried to shift the focus and lighting so you can see how it performs in the images to show the true color.

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Here, we have Mistletoe:

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Last, is Drug Lord:

Candy Coated Closets ProductCandy Coated Closets WandCandy Coated Closets Lip 2Candy Coated Closets Lip

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The Beautiful Kiss of Death: Happy Halloween

Now I know that I made the title of this piece overly dramatic but come on...it's Halloween! The thing that I love about Halloween is that the make up gods come out to play! This is truly one of the few times of the year that you can stun everyone with your make up artistry skills and hey, if you're like me and just want to have fun, it's the perfect time to try out some new looks without looking crazy. So I decided to do some fun lip art! I tried my best to capture it for you guys by my lighting wanted to suck!

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To do this look, I used MakeupForever's black lipstick rouge artist intense in 50 and Violet Voss's glitter in Paige for the purple topcoat.

What fun make up looks did you guys try for Halloween?xoxo1

Say Hello to A Little Beauty - Becca Cosmetics Champagne Glow Palette

She's finally here! I have been stalking the Sephora website like a maniac waiting for the Becca Cosmetics Champagne Glow Palette to launch. I know they gave us a specific day and time (Tuesday, October 27 at 12:00pm EST) but you and I both know how friendly I've gotten with the refresh button - umm a new F5 button please. So I was at work Tuesday morning, with my eyes glued to my web browser because I wasn't going to miss this launch. Jaclyn Hill snapped (snapchat) a few days earlier that Becca told her that they only made close to 80,000 units of this palette and I freaked! 80,000 units is not a lot of product - especially during holiday season and hello, have you heard of the JacAttack? Yeah, so I was on it. And it's a good thing that I was because it launched early! I checked out around11:37 with my two new beauties on the way.

Let's take a look shall we...

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Candy Coated Closets 3 Can't you hear Stevie Wonder singing Isn't She Lovely right now?

This is a limited edition palette with 3 shimmering Skin Perfector pressed shades (0.084 oz each) in Pearl, Blushed Copper, and Champagne Pop x Jaclyn Hill. It's sold exclusively at Sephora and costs $34.00.

Pearl is a new beautiful luminizer in pale linen white. At first, I was a little weary of how this shade would perform on women of color but I saw a few Youtubers swatch the product and they sealed the deal for me. Champagne Pop which I've tried in the full size version is a soft white gold with pinky peach undertones and Blushed Copper is a beautiful warm copper luminizer that is infused with rose gold tones.

I will have more blog posts and features of me wearing the luminizers coming up but make sure you pick this up (at least one) before it sells out! Don't say that I didn't warn you.

xoxo1

BeautyCon NYC is My New Beauty BFF

Move over ComicCon - let's stop and talk about the event of a lifetime; a beauty lover's dream; the Mecca of fashion and beauty conferences - BeautyCon NYC! BeautyCon is the world’s premiere fashion, beauty, wellbeing & lifestyle destination for fans, brands, and content creators and last week, and we had the amazing opportunity to cover this event for you! Are you ready to start fangirling?

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First up was the More Than Makeup Panel that was led by Jay Manuel himself - the expert from America's Next Top Model, who taught us how to bring our inner fierceness out to the runway. He led beauty gurus and influencers Niomi Smart, Lo Bosworth, Nikki Phillippi and Chloe Lukasiak in a discussion that helped us discover who we are beyond just makeup.

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Also, let's just say that we weren't surprised to hear that Lo Bosworth's favorite beauty item in her bag is her fragrance! Your signature scent makes you stand out in a crowd without having to put a drop of makeup on, so everyone should find a scent that captures who they are.

After watching a few of the creators and panelists speak, we got to spend some time shopping! Honestly, we love the feeling of picking out some new beauty products and fragrances!

As the day was winding down, we got to hang out in the Media Room and spend one on one time with some of your favorite stars. Oh you know, just some influencers like Sprinkle of Glitter, Jackie Aina, Chloe Lukasiak, Teala Dunn, Niki and Gabi, Naptural85 and even Angel Merino. Did we mention that we got to hang out with singer and celebrities Jojo and Chrisette Michelle? We told you. Fangirling.

Despite being on the edge of OMG every second, we walked away feeling inspired and humbled by the words of every creator in there. No matter who you are or what you want to do, remember to find the beauty within yourself and once you do, your confidence will shine through.

Thanks again #BeautyConNYC for the event of a lifetime. IMG_1274

xoxo1