My Favorite Skincare Line: Genove

Hi readers!! So today I wanted to dedicate a whole blog post to my favorite skincare line: Genove! Genove is a Spanish company that specializes in a whole array of hair and skincare products, and they are especially good for those with sensitive skin.  To my knowledge, the only place where you can purchase these items is from their website: genoveusa.com

I have been exclusively using Genove for my skincare needs for YEARS and I can't imagine using anything else for my face.  I have very sensitive skin, that is sometimes dry and these products are just perfect.  So, I thought I would go through the items I use everyday from this line!

1. Let's start with the Fluidbase Moisturizing Face Cream.  This comes in special formulas for either dry or normal/combo skin.  I usually go for the one for normal skin.  I use this moisturizer every morning or always right before makeup application.  It also has SPF 10, which is a plus because I know I will personally never use a moisturizer without SPF since I'm so fair skinned.

2. Next is the Fluidbase Oatmeal Facial Cleanser.  The formula is great for all skin types, but especially for those with sensitive skin because it is very hydrating and is SOAP FREE! Yes you read correctly, it is soap free. Its main ingredients are oatmeal and Avena Sativa, which absorbs any impurities in the skin. The oatmeal basically prevents dehydration and keeps skin soft.  Just a side note: when using this product, since it is soap free, it will not lather as much as a regular face wash.  This is normal! It will clean your skin as well (or better) as any other wash.

3. The Genove Lip Balm.  It has a delicate scent, which is great for those who do not like highly fragranced facial and beauty products.  I used to use this constantly when my family and I would go skiing during the winter.  The dry wind and snow would always leave my lips so chapped so I knew I had to invest in a great lip balm.  It's perfect for me now still because it saves my lips during the harsh Northeastern winters!

4. Last but not least is the Fluidbase Retinol facial cream with Vitamin C.  I use this baby every night before bed, and I always wake up with beautifully soft and luminous skin.  This is an anti-wrinkle cream that minimizes and fine lines.  I apply it all over my face, but concentrate mainly around my eye area.  This is by far my favorite product, it just leaves my skin so soft!!

Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed and possibly inspired you to try one of these great items! Again, their website is: genoveusa.com so check them out! They are also on facebook.... just click HERE to view their page.

Thanks for reading!!

Miriam <3

Nominated for the Liebster Award!!

So I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by two very lovely ladies: Bekka and Jasmin! Thank you guys so much for nominating me, this is so much fun! The Liebster Award is a great way to reach out to other bloggers, while promoting smaller blogs!

So here goes:

The Liebster Award is an award given from blogger to blogger to help get recognition for blogs with less than 200 followers, and it is the perfect way to get more involved in the blogging community by passing the award on.

Basic Rules
1. Link back to the blogger who nominated you.

2. Tell us 11 facts about yourself.

3. Answer the questions that the blogger who nominated you asked

4. Nominate 11 other blogs that you love.

5. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.

11 Facts About Me:

1. I have two cats named Jasmine and Lexi.

2. My family is Cuban.

3. I was born and raised in Miami, went to school in Orlando, then NYC, now live in Philadelphia.

4. I got married on April 13, 2013.

5. I met my husband, who is from the UK, online in October 2007.

6. I am obsessed with Greek yogurt.

7. I have an MA in Art History.

8. I get really bad allergies, especially when the seasons change (and I'm allergic to cats of all things!!).

9. Spanish was my first language, but I can barely speak it now (but I understand perfectly).

10. I love to cook, and I basically taught myself (okay, and a little help from hours of watching the Food Network).

11. I LOVE daytime TV talk shows!

Bekka's Questions:

1. Your favourite quote? Probably the one I used for my high school senior year quote: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." It's from the BEST movie ever, Ferris Bueller's Day Off :)

2. Your top 3 favourite books? The Ruby Ring by Diane Haeger, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer (kind of not a "book" but it counts!)

3. Why did you start blogging? I was inspired by my favorite bloggers, and I thought it sounded like lots of fun! And I was right haha.

4. What is your favourite thing about blogging? Meeting new people who love all the same things as I do :) Oh and having an excuse for buying lots of makeup!!!!

5. Do you have any pets? Yes sir two cats.

6. List 3 tips you have learnt from blogging. Always try to be entertaining, be honest, and develop good camera skills because you will need it!

7. Who inspires you? Tanya Burr is definitely my favorite blogger/YouTuber.  She is just perfect and played a huge role in my inspiration to become a blogger.

8. Something you cannot live without. My husband, family, pets, makeup, clothes, and my computer.

9. Favourite beauty product I'd have to say foundation.  It's so important to start out with a good base for any makeup look. And you have to figure out which one works best for you! I cannot stress how important that is.  Oh and I am obsessed with cream eyeliner.

10. What is your favourite joke of all time? What do you call a pile of kittens? A MEOWNTAIN!! :P

11. If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it? Definitely go on vacation for like a year!

Jasmin's Questions:

1. What is the one makeup product you couldn't live without? Probably cream eyeliner.

2. What did you want to be when you were growing up? First I wanted to be a teacher, then an astronaut, then a doctor.

3. Favourite brand of makeup? Drugstore: Milani or Rimmel, High End: Benefit.

4. Favourite brand of skincare? Genove for sure.

5. What are your hobbies? Blogging, yoga, nail art, cooking.

6. What country would you most like to visit? It was always Italy, but I finally went there! Now probably Germany.

7. Favourite film? Marie Antoinette, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, A Knight's Tale.

8. Why did you start a blog? Because it sounded like a lot of fun, and I was looking for a new hobby!

9. Favourite thing about yourself? My creativity.

10. Are there any blogs that inspire you? Tanya Burr, Zoella, Clothes Encounters, Inthefrow...

11. If you could live off one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Probably pizza (I know, I'd be dead within a year lol).

And here are my questions for my lovely nominees:

1. What was your favorite vacation?

2. What is your favorite season?

3. How would you describe your style?

4. What was your favorite cartoon growing up?

5. What do/did you study?

6. Which blogs inspire you?

7. Where do you love to shop?

8. Gold or silver?

9.  What is your best childhood memory?

10. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

11. What is your favorite beauty product?

aaaaannnnndddddd *drumroll* ......... my nominations are (click on their URLs to visit their blogs):

1. http://beautyosauruslex.blogspot.com/

2. http://www.thesassyblogger.com/

3. http://leblogdemimipompon.blogspot.com/

4. http://amorinmay.blogspot.com/

5. http://www.youwishyou.blogspot.com/

6. http://www.helloemma-xo.blogspot.co.uk/

7. http://officialflowerbusiness.blogspot.com/

8. http://simplecharmbeauty.blogspot.com/

9. http://lyuscorner.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

10. http://curiositesduciel.blogspot.com/

11. http://prettylittlethingsmcr.blogspot.co.uk/

Again, thanks to Bekka and Jasmin who nominated me! Remember to check out their blogs, as well as my nominations. Thanks for reading :)

Miriam <3

New Makeup Tutorial

Hey everyone! So I was going to make a new post about my Everyday Makeup look, but then decided to make it into another YouTube tutorial.  I just think it's easier to show you instead of typing it! So anyways! Watch my super easy everyday makeup look now on my channel.  Leave me a nice little comment and don't forget to subscribe!

Watch it here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMPT2c4W4-Y&list=UUE9lmK5FkyzJbG1LBsKNDsw

As always, thanks for watching and reading!

<3 Miriam

Sundress Weather TAG!

Hey everyone! I just uploaded my very first TAG! Hear all about my favorite things about Spring! I would really love it if you could subscribe while you're there!

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-fGLALvl-g

Enjoy!!

<3 Miriam

Boots No. 7 Fanomenal Lash Serum Review

Hello everyone!! The time is finally here..... time to review the Boots No. 7 Fanomenal Lash Serum! 8 weeks ago I said that I would come back with my before and after pictures and here they are.....

So uhhhh...... did this product work?? A few weeks ago I really felt like my lashes were a lot longer and thicker, but now that I look at the pictures, I'm kind of disappointed.  Ok, I think maybe they are a little bit darker or thicker, but they're the same length for the most part.  Do you agree?  I'm also disappointed because I LOVE this brand and everything else that I have tried from them is great! I use their Cleansing Water to remove makeup before showering and it's a great product.  It smells good, it's light and not greasy, and it works.  So I don't know! I don't want to put anyone off from using the Lash Serum, maybe it works for some people! I just don't think I got the results I really wanted.

Anyway, what do you guys think? Do you see a difference, even a small one? And are you interested in trying the Fanomenal Lash Serum?

If you are reading this, don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' and check out my YouTube channel at youtube.com/miriamcpratt and subscribe!!

Thanks for reading!

<3

You Guessed It..... New Video!!

Hey y'all! New video up! Just showing a bit of what I bought during birthday shopping last month! Let me know if you want me to do a beauty haul too :) 

Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-jayroOyDk

Like the video and leave the comment if you enjoyed it! And don't forget to subscribe :D

Miriam

Battle of the Highlighters & New Video!

Hello readers! Today I thought I would feature my favorite part of my beauty routine: highlighters! I love to highlight my cheekbones, especially in the spring and summer.  I usually achieve this look by using a moisturizing foundation with brightening effects such as Almay's Wake Up foundation (featured in my Spring Makeup Look video tutorial HERE).

In the picture above I have some of my favorite highlighters (I rotate them and use different ones each time I apply makeup).  So, if you're on the market for a new highlighter, these are some to consider:

1. NYX Liquid Illuminator: As you all know, I'm a huge NYX fan. Their products are seriously so good for the price and you can never go wrong with them.  This is a good one for a subtle glow, just use underneath foundation, and remember -- don't apply powder on top, it'll mattify it and that defeats the purpose!

2. Victoria's Secret Ultimate Glow Face Trio: I love this little compact for traveling.  It includes a bronzer, blush and highlighter (and a mirror), so it's super easy just to chuck in your travel bag and you don't have to worry about bringing too many separate products! Also, the blush color is BEAUTIFUL.

3.  Benefit High Beam: I really like this little thing, but I always pair it with the Benefit Posietint because they look beautiful together.  These two products are great for a subtle flush and glow (a lot of times, I add a powder blush and highlighter on top for a better effect). Also, as I've mentioned before, make sure you apply it on top of foundation, never on top of powder! It will not blend well and it'll just look weird.  This also goes for any other Benefit tint.

4.  Milani Illuminating Face Powder: I love this product so much, I even included it in my February Favorites video (if you want to watch, just click HERE).  This powder is great alone or over a liquid highlighter.  It's a beautiful combination of pinks and golds that work perfectly to create a natural glow. I like to apply it on my cheekbones, chin, nose, and cupid's bow.

5. Boots No. 7 Skin Illuminator: This is my FAVORITE highlighter!! Most of the time I apply it before (or after) foundation and then I go in with the Milani powder right on top.  It also has a really cool applicator.  When you open the cap, it'll reveal a brush applicator.  You just squeeze the tube and apply it using the attached brush.  Just a tip: a little goes a long way with this product, so don't go too crazy! I am obsessed -- I really suggest trying it!! 

Also, I have a new video up on my channel! Watch it HERE. Don't forget to subscribe and to leave me a lovely little comment :D

Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear some of your favorite highlighters... I'm always up for trying new ones :D

Miriam <3

New YouTube Video!

Hey everyone! I've got a new video now live on my channel! See how I created this beautiful Spring time makeup look.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zlW55LgkiA&index=2&list=UUE9lmK5FkyzJbG1LBsKNDsw

Don't forget to subscribe and leave me a comment :D

Miriam <3

Benefit Feelin Dandy Lip & Cheek Kit Review

Hello everybody! So recently I bought my very first Benefit Cosmetics kit! My sister and her boyfriend generously got me a gift card for Sephora for my birthday and I just couldn't resist.  I was so excited to finally try it so I decided to use it the other night when I went out for a casual dinner with the hubs.

So what comes in the kit exactly? You get a mini version of Posietint, High Beam, Dandelion blush, and the Dandelion Ultra Plush lip gloss.  I have tried Benetint before and I have to admit that I didn't like it.  But, I also have to admit that it's because I used it wrong!! When I finally learned, I was amazed! It was a beautiful little flush of color on the apples of my cheeks and combined with the High Beam, it brightened up my entire face.  Just in case you were thinking of trying any of the Benefit tints, remember to apply it BEFORE your powder.  Layering it on top of the powder will make it look streaky and it won't blend very well.  Also, as a warning... they dry really fast so make sure you blend it out with your fingers as quickly as possible!

And as always, the Dandelion blush is a beautiful color and perfectly compliments the Posietint when layered on top of it.  If you want the entire effect, don't forget the lip gloss! I am definitely not a lip gloss type of girl (I prefer lipsticks) and I was really surprised by this one.  Yes, it was sticky and felt like a gloss, but the color was beautiful and went perfectly with the rest of the look.

So to summarize..... TRY IT! It's actually a pretty good deal, I think it was like $28 and you get all these products in a cute little box.  Benefit products are always housed within the cutest packaging, don't you agree?

Have you tried this kit? Let me know in a comment if you have or if you're interested in trying! As always, thanks for reading :D

Miriam <3

New Video Live on my Channel!

Hi readers! I just uploaded a new video inspired by my post a while back.  Learn about my all time favorite lipsticks! Leave me a comment and let me know what you think and don't forget to subscribe :D

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dZw2-yfAVE