My 4-step skin care routine!

Well, it's Monday....again. What better to read about this Monday then how I get my skin feeling squeaky clean and refreshed each evening? I'm bringing you my daily four-step skin care routine that I do every night to remove my make-up and prevent breakouts.

*disclaimer: everyone's skin has different levels of sensitivity to skin care products, my skin is extremely acne prone but is very dry in the winter.  This routine could easily be tailored to your skin type, but I cannot guarantee that everyone will respond to these products the same way (obviously)! It may be a good foundation for a skin-care routine for most people:

I always start my routine by taking off the bulk of my make-up with a make-up remover wipe (like these here) & taking off my eye make-up with eye make-up remover (simple is by far my favorite brand for sensitive skin!)

I then quickly exfoliate my skin to remove any left over make-up and prevent dry skin.  I usually pair my clarisonic with some "simple" foaming cleanser.  I find the simple line to be the only cleanser that is not overly drying while still preventing severe breakouts for me. I have rosacea and acne both of which have been well controlled since I started using this cleanser / brush system! If the hefty price of the clarisonic is not in the budget right now, then I could also recommend the olay cleansing brush system which also works well! 

After exfoliating I quickly swipe the olay oil minimizing toner over my entire face (found here); it evens my skin tone well and my pores have seemed quite a bit smaller since I started using this product

I finish up my routine with the simple light moisturizer (spf 15!) and my RoC retinol correxion eye cream (which has been working WONDERS after only 2 weeks of use! I will do a follow-up to this further in the future!) Moisturizers & eye creams are SO important even if you are young and don't have visible wrinkles yet...if you develop a good routine at a young age then you can keep your skin looking ageless for as long as possible (and my mother is living proof!) 

Taking off your make-up in the evening is so important for revealing healthy, evenly toned skin with a clear complexion...what better palette do we have for our make-up besides healthy luminous skin? Hope you all have a wonderful week!

What are your staple skincare products?

xo Kay

Sunday antiquing!

Happy Sunday ladies! Today I just could not stay in the house! I worked a short shift in the morning and then when I got home I convinced my partner in crime to go on an adventure with me! We went to an awesome (and huge) antique center in downtown New London, CT - this place is GIGANTIC.  

I am always fascinated with antiques - I get that from my parents.  I just am so curious to understand how an item gets to that point of sitting in a musty antiques building waiting for the next person to add to its story.  This awesome camera - while being beaten down an broken - still gives off such an awesome vibe when you're standing there admiring it.  I didn't have any worthwhile purpose to purchase it so I left it for someone to purchase who could really use it.  I did, however, have some awesome scores! A few of my favorites of the day:

Coach wallet - 10 dollars

Tea pot - 5 dollars

Cat mug - 1 dollar

While not all of these items are considered antique by any means, they are perfect for my quirky collection of mugs and teapots.  The coach wallet was just a steal!  Hope you all have a great week - be on the look out for a review soon! 

Top 10 "Must-have-in-my-bag"!

Happy Friday! Today I am bringing you a little sneak peak inside my bag - my daily must haves! These are the things that I always keep inside my purse in case of a beauty emergency or things I may need to reach for on a regular basis in my bag:

1. Galaxy note 8.0 tablet: I got this tablet for Christmas this year and it is a great accessory for any student, blogger, or business person.  It has a stylus and I can easily take notes for class or ideas on it.  I have this with my every day and use it for everything!

2. Matrix Biolage nourishing hand cream: I have this in the small 1 oz tube and it cost my about 4.99; this hand cream is AMAZING! A small amount goes a long way - I find myself constantly reaching for this during the winter months.

3. Bath & body works hand sanitizer: you can get these hand sanitizers in almost any scent very inexpensive at bath & body works - this is certainly a must-have during the winter flu season! Another huge plus with the bath & body works hand sanitizer is the fact that it doesn't dry your hands (though I keep my matrix hand cream close by anyway!)

4. Revlon just bitten kissable lip stain: if you've read my previous review (see it here!) you understand why - my go to is the color smitten!

5. EOS lip balm in sweet mint: I. LOVE. THIS. LIP BALM.  I know everyone has been saying that, but really, I do. It's a great way to freshen up your lip color in the middle of the day when it starts to dry out a bit (especially in these cold winter months brrr!)

6. Agadir argan oil spritz styling finishing spray: This is the perfect on the go spray - I use this when I am finding my hair is struggling to stay tamed and I just need a little bit of hold & shine...it is flexible, it smells good, and it only takes a small amount to get my hair back in check! 

7. Hair ties & bobby pins: I NEED to have hair ties & bobby pins in my emergency kit; I LOVE these hair ties from goody that have little gold beads on them for interest (they are designed to be worn as a bracelet as well).  I am constantly either needing to pin my bangs out of my face for work or throw my hair up to get things done! Tip: keep your bobby pins in an empty tic tac container to keep them tidy!

8.  Fekkai Brillian glossing styling creme: this was a recent addition to my daily must haves...and it is INCREDIBLE! A small amount of this creme goes a long way in laying down the fly aways, revitalizing my curls, and adding brilliant shine to my hair! You never know when you might need to just spruce up your hair in the middle of the day!

9. Beyonce heat rush sparkling body mist: every woman should have some kind of body spray in her bag (along with some deodorant) to freshen up on the go if needed.  I like the slight shimmer this body spray gives...it reminds me so much of summer which is welcomed during these freezing temperatures.

10. Secret outlast deodorant in sport fresh: I think deodorant is one of the more underrated items to have in your bag! Just a travel size of deodorant can do wonders - whether it's because you were rushed and forgot it in the morning (whoops!), you have an unexpected meeting/ date, or your just need to freshen up on a summer day every woman should have some with her!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend 

& comment below with your bag must haves!

Outfit of the day & easy dinner recipe(s)!

Part un - outfit of the day!

Hi ladies! I hope you're all having a fabulous Thursday! Today I'm doing a two-in-one type post, the first of which is my outfit of the day! 

1. Leopard infinity scarf
2. Sweater - Marshall's (15 dollars)
3. Calvin Klein jeans
4. Black ankle bootie

Part deux - recipes!

Well, it's 15 degrees here without the windchill...and what's better on a cold day than a veggie chili with sweet & spicy corn muffins on the side? ...that's right, not much (except maybe some tea, always tea.)  So I am bringing you TWO - yup, you read right - TWO recipes.  Now, since I'm a college student and I just went back today I really need easy, quick recipes...and that is exactly what these are!

Sweet & Spicy Corn Muffins:

1. 1 package corn muffin mix
2. 1 egg
3. 1/4 cup apple sauce
4. 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
5. 1/4 cup chopped pineapple slices (drained)
6. 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapenos (drained)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• blend ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 4-5 minutes (it should be clumpy - make sure ingredients are blended but be cautious not to OVERblend)
• Spray muffin pan lightly with cooking spray
• Fill muffin tins HALFway 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes
• Serve & enjoy!

Veggie Chili (fast!)

1. 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
2. 1 can corn
3. 1 can garbanzo beans (chic peas)
4. 1 can black beans
5. 1 can of green diced chilies 
6. 1/4 cup jalepenos chopped (if desired)
7. 1 medium onion
8. 1 green pepper
9. 1/2 tsp oregano
10. 1/2 packet chili seasoning (or desired seasoning)
11. 1/2 tsp basil

Directions (4 steps!)

Very simple, very straight forward, perfect for a winter day!

Enjoy! 

Hope you all are have a great rest of the week!

Where can you find me?

Email: beyourownkindofpretty@gmail.com

Twitter: twitter.com/Ownkindofpretty 

Google+: Kayla Marie

Blogs that I adore!

These are blogs that I truly adore! Check these ladies out :)

We love Shopping!

Well, I woke up this morning to quite a bit of snow, and with snow comes a day off! I am off to my last semester of college classes this week (yay!) and today was supposed to be the first day.  Instead, I tried out a new eyeshadow palette that I acquired from my mom (thanks mom!) - it is a wet & wild palette....and unfortunately that's all I can tell you.  No where on the packaging could I find the name of the palette or the shades (possibly removed by the previous owner, I can't prove it).  Anyway, I LOVE the palette, the colors are vibrant and pretty and I went out all day and came home and to NO creasing! I had heard good reviews previously on these palettes, but it went above and beyond my expectations! I also used my Tarte gifted mascara (a holy grail of my collection), my revlon liquid liner, and I have been trying out (and LOVING) the Rimmel scandal-eyes pencils...I will do a further review on that at a later date.

More importantly..I went SHOPPING! I love shopping almost as much as I love tea (though, not much can really beat tea, and I even got something tea related).  Anyway, I went to Marshall's (in case you don't know of marshalls it has discounted clothing similar to TJmaxx or Tkmaxx in Europe).  I have been dying to get some cozy sweaters, I have one that I really love (my old man sweater from a previous post!) but I really wanted a few more, hence, I went shopping:

Now, these photos don't really do the sweaters justice at all...but the one of the left is a sweater by a company called August Silk - nothing really too special but it was super comfy and it was only 15 dollars. The one on the right was from another no name brand but it is so amazing! It is almost the material of a sweatshirt, and I got it in grey, it has super long sleeves (which I need for my freakishly long arms) and it comes down in the back covering my bottom and drapes nicely in the front...SO comfortable and cute with leggings and boots.  

I also got a pair of Calvin Klein jeans that are A-MAY-ZING...photos to come in the future...maybe I will do some outfits of the day when my photographer (A.K.A my partner in crime boyfriend) is available.  I got some super long black knee socks, some footless tights with little polka-dots, some hangers (because when you have a shopping problem you run out of room)...and finally....A MUG! Always a necessity...

"Believe in yourself" - 

the perfect mantra to start my last semester.

Hope you are all having a wonderful day! 

Snow, snow...go away!

 

If it's gonna snow mother nature better make it worth my time! We are expecting 10-12 inches here in New England this evening, and I am FREEZING - indoors, outdoors...it doesn't really matter, I'm always freezing.  So, I put on a knitted hat, and a scarf, and a sweater, and two pairs of pants, and two pairs of socks...and maybe, just maybe, I won't be an icicle.  I'm probably anemic or some odd craziness due to my lack of red meat...buttttt layers should solve that problem! This isn't a beauty post today - I am just here to tell you about my new favorite place to get my chai latte! I have a tea obsession.  it could be considered a problem, but it's definitely my solution to this cold weather we are having.  The bean & leaf is an ADORABLE little hole in the wall coffee shop in downtown New London, CT.  That area is in the process of being revitalized and this was a fantastic little addition to the area.

Not only do they have fantastic Chai lattes, but their food menu is extensive and filled with healthy and delicious choices for people with all different styles of living whether it be vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc...there is something for everyone! Another huge plus, their staff is fantastic! They also have been awarded best coffee bar by Connecticut Magazine four years in a row! If it's cold & snowy where you are, I hope you are staying warm and safe! 

Stunning red lips for 4 bucks? - Check it out!

We all want those gorgeous, luscious red lips that have a matte finish and feel smooth and creamy, don't we? No? Well, maybe it's just me, but I'm in LOVE with this look; it's like, BAM in your face - you can't stop looking at my lips - type look...a few months ago I NEVER would dare to play with this color, but hey, we all grow up some time don't we? I had gone on a bing-makeup spree recently at ulta and this just so happened to be the very last tube of the NYX stay matte lip cream in "spicy".  It spoke to me from the shelf where it sat crooked, looking like it's been picked up 10 times and put back 10 more.  I contemplated, I put it down, I picked it back up, and ultimately I brought it home, and I am SO glad I did.

So, what do YOU need to know about this stuff? A few things - first, it's dirt cheap, for about 4 bucks you can pick this baby up in store or online.  Second, it is super pigmented - the second you touch this stuff to your lips it is in your lips it is bright freakin' red.  It IS named spicy for a reason, after all.  Third, it is not exactly a long-wearing lipstick (at first)...it does dry out a bit after wearing it which may not appeal to everyone.  After a few hours I find an application of simple lip balm can re-hydrate your color and keep it going strong.  I really like this stuff for the price and this COLOR - I just cannot say enough about this red....hot, that is all.

Want soft, gorgeous curls? Find out how here!

It's Sunday Fun-day, ladies - and it is time for a haaaair tutoriaaaal (spoken in the most annoying, dippy voice you can imagine).  This is my go to look - my daily special; it's simple, it's fast, and it's everything I could ever ask my hair to do for me (which isn't much, because it's unbearable).  To begin I usually have washed & blow-dried my hair out the night before - it doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to be dry and blown out as straight as you can manage, you won't notice the little things once it's curled and pinned). I also use a heat protecting spray (suave - simplest one I could find).  

1. Placing the wand BEHIND (this is key for getting the curl to go away from your face).

2. Wrap hair around the wand and hold for approximately 10-30 second depending on your hair type - for fine hair, use a lower heat setting and hold for less time, vice versa for thick hair. As you can see in this photo I am curling the front most piece first.

3. Pin it!  I usually curl the front most piece on each side first, then I go back and pin it.  The easiest way to make it stay sit pull it back slightly overlapping the pieces, insert the bobby pin over it, and insert a second bobby pin overlapping the first bobby pin that you put in.  This ensures the bobby pins won't slip out throughout the day. You can do two sets of bobby pins (4 bobby pins total) if you are feeling the need for extra security.

4. Curl the bottom half - for this step I split my hair in two parts (left side and right side down the back of my head).  Doing the same thing I showed you in step 1 (wand BEHIND the hair) I go through and curl it in that direction on each side.  This is slightly controversial, some people prefer to change the direction every other curl. I get way to confused and some would say "ain't nobody got time for that"...so that's just how it goes down.

For step 5 I just spray some lightweight hairspray in (I don't like crunchy hair, so I just use very minimal hairspray). Then, if you want to go for a more comfortable look, you can run your fingers through the curls and loosen them up a bit. A comb would work too.  Ta-da! you have an easy every day style that wears well all day long!