2012 : A Year in Review

Hello Beauties!!

So, wildly enough, there's only 1 day left of 2012! I absolutely adore New Years (hello fresh start!), and I wanted to take some time and make a post reviewing 2012 ; the ups, the downs, the lessons, and all of the amazing things that happened to me this year. I would absolutely love to see others do this post, so be sure to link your blogs below!!!!!

I think I will first go through every month and lists the highlights of that month, then talk a little more about the year as a whole.

2012 Highlights by Month :

January -
I was blessed enough to spend some quality time with my family before making my big move.
I moved to Germany from the United States to be with my now husband.
My husband and I started the process of making our apartment a home.

February-
I begin my German language course.
My husband and I remodel our living room.
My husband and I go on several memorable dates.

March-
My husband receives his permanent license.
My husband celebrates his birthday with a big party.
My husband receives a contract for a job he had been hoping for!
We get engaged!!!!

April-
I celebrate my first Easter in a foreign country.
I purchase my wedding dress, and a lot of wedding planning happens this month.

May-
My husband and I celebrate 1 year of being together! :)
I am able to start making investments in my wardrobe ;)

June-
My husband receives his diploma from school.
We attend several fun events including concerts and family functions.
I complete my German Course.

July-
After months of preparation,  we finally get married on July 27, 2012 :)
I learn I have a job offer!

August-
I begin my new job.
My new husband and I spend a lot of quality time together during his vacation.

September-
My husband begins his new job.
My husband and I attend a few formal events! :)

October-
We welcome our first furry edition to the family - Nugget the bunny :)
We both receive raises :)
I turn 21 , and am very spoiled!
I receive my diagnosis of Celiac Disease. This is hardly a highlight, but I finally found out what was wrong, and am able to get my health on track.

November-
I reach a milestone at work- I train 2 new employees.
I complete the 30 Day Shred, and meet a weight loss goal.

December-
I prepare for my first Christmas that I am physically with my husband!
My husband and I attend many holiday parties and events.
I spend my very first Christmas physically with my husband, and experience the new traditions of German Christmas.


As you can see, 2012 was VERY good to me. I have truly had a wonderful year! A few downs included being homesick, a few injuries, and a nasty lung infection, but all in all, 2012 was the time of my life, and I couldn't be more pleased with how it went.

I feel like I became a better person in 2012. I learned to be non judgmental. I learned to accept all opportunities that came my way. I tried a lot of new things, and stepped out of my comfort zone. I learned to forgive and forget, and gained so much confidence within myself. I have loved harder than ever this year. I am so proud of myself that I took such a giant leap to move to a foreign country, learn (and become fluent in) a totally new language, and become part of a whole new culture. It was a brave move on my end, and I can't believe I did it!
Lastly, I have had such an amazing time with my blog. It has become a hobby and passion of mine. I may not have many followers,  but I do have quite a few views, so I know that someone, somewhere is listening. Thanks to anyone and everyone who has taken the time to be apart of my blog. It means the world to me!

Stay tuned for my 2013 Resolutions post!
How was 2012 for YOU?

X's and O's,
Amanda

Brand Review :E.L.F

Hey there, Beauties!

Today, I want to review the brand E.L.F. I was originally going to review products from the brand, but there were so many, I thought I would review the brand as a whole. So here it goes...

The biggest attraction consumers have to this brand is very clear: the ridiculously cheap price tag on all of the items. Now more than ever, people are always on the hunt for the best bargain they can get. Especially with beauty products. With tighter budgets, alot of drugstore makeup is considered expensive. And don't even talk about department store brands. When a 8 dollar drugstore foundation is expensive to you, you'd fall over at the sight of department store prices! So women are looking for the best deals they can get at their local drugstores. E.L.F has been the most inexpensive brand I have seen to date (you can get a 100 piece shadow pallete for 10 dollars). But is it really a bargain? Are you getting what you pay for?

I have mixed opinions. Sure,  it's awesome that you can buy makeup brushes for a dollar each. But just how good of quality are those brushes/lipglosses, etc? Here are some mini review on various products:

Brushes: In my experience, it's really a hit and miss with elf brushes. I have some brushes from the brand that I have had for a while now, and are still going strong. On the same token, I have purchased brushes that lasted for a week, or fell apart after 2 washes. I bought 2 of the same shadow brushes, and one was flexible and soft, the other was stiff and a little rough. I will say that the brushes from their studio line are awesome quality, and I have never had an issue.

Shadows: I own the 100 piece palette from the brand, and I do like it. It was 10 dollars, which was stupidly cheap. I feel like the palette contains a good mix of matte and shimmer shades, and while it has every color you could imagine wearing on your eyes, alot of the colors are very wearable for everyday. The pigmentation is also pretty good.

Eye Primer: I wasn't overly impressed with the eye primer, but for a dollar, I couldn't complain. It does work, however I found that my shadow started creasing around the 4th hour . Will it work for a long day? probably not. But it does its job of saturating shadow colors and helping them last. I reccomend Using a powder on your lid to set the primer before you apply shadow. This will help prolong the primer.

Lipgloss: Personally, not a fan. The colors are nice, but the formula is awful. Very thick and VERY sticky.

Cream Liner: The cream liner is good, however the angled brush they provide is poor quality. I  defintely reccomend using your own brush. Also, they don't last long. Mine hardened after a few weeks with the lid tightly secured. Hmm..

Mascara: WORST.MASCARA.EVER. ok, so it is probably ok for a 12 year old who is starting out with makeup, but I was not a fan of the brush or formula!

Conclusion: All in all, I think the brand is a good one. Is it stellar? I wouldn't say so. However for the price you pay, it's pretty decent. Some products were really good, and others not. I would suggest checking out the line to younger girls who are just begining with makeup. It is affordable, and the products are more appropriate for people who are younger. But I also suggest everyone try it for themselves, because let's face it, if you buy a product for a dollar and you hate it, it's no biggie!

What do you think of this brand? What is your favorite product by E.L.F? Let me know!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Review: Maybelline's Falsies Mascara

Hey there, Pretties!
Today, I am going to do another review. I am so excited about this one. Today, I will be reviewing Maybelline's Falsies Mascara. This is my holy grail mascara. I ONLY use this. I use it everyday, and I can't seem to find another mascara that compares!

If you've seen the commercials, this mascara is supposed to give you that false lash effect that every one seems to lust after. Sounds like a gimmick, right? I mean, a LOT of mascaras promise to make your lashes longer and thicker . Falsies really does accomplish this. I have naturally long, and decently thick lashes, but when I apply Falsies,BOOM! People ask all the time if I am wearing false lashes. It comes in a normal and waterproof formula, and the waterproof formula is not flaky at all. The wand is the real magic worker, here. Its "S" shape really lifts and sculpts your lashes. I could go on and on about this mascara, but you'll really just have to try it to see for yourself. I doubt you'll be disappointed. The price is also appealing. It runs around 5 dollars, and works like a charm. I am in love with this mascara. I have been using it exclusively for about 2 years now, and I have yet to find a mascara that delivers the same results! So if long, false worthy lashes is what you lust for, this is for you!

If you try it, let me know what you think!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Review: Clinique's Superbalanced Makeup

Hey Cutie Pies,

So today, I am going to do  a review on Clinique's Superbalanced Makeup. This is a foundation that I use daily, and I am completely in love with it!
I cannot say enough good about this makeup. It gets its name because it absorbs excess oil where there is, and moisturizes dry patches on your skin. Superbalance! I like to call it "Smart Makeup". The formula is creamy, and blends like a dream. It is good for dry, oily, normal, and combination skin! I think the colors are beautiful as well. The coverage is light, and does not feel heavy whatsoever. I have combination skin, and I am really impressed. It NEVER shows patching(sighhhh of relief!), and I never look greasy. It is foundation perfection!

The only downsides are that it is a light coverage, and depending on your budget, pricey. Light coverage is perfect for me, but if you need a heavier coverage, this may be too light for you. A bottle costs $21.50. This bottle usually lasts me about 3 months or so, and I feel like it is worth the price. I have heard beauty gurus say foundations are "inexpensive" at this rate. While I personally don't find it to be too expensive, everyone's budget is different. I defintely remember when I was younger and didn't have much money- $12.00 drugstore foundation seemed like a lot to me. However, if this is within your budget, I defintely reccomend giving it a try! I adore it, and use it every day:)
Now to do the fun stuff, like iron my boyfriends laundry and unload the dishwasher:p
X's and O's,
Amanda