Ipsy Glam Bag February 14'

Hello!

I missed Thumbs Up Thursday this week. Work has been hectic. I am so excited to say the long awaited camera

Has arrived!!!

It got here Friday afternoon and I've been playing around with it. I also recieved a few of my subscription boxes Friday. I thought what a perfect opportunity to test out my new toy. I've got some awesome unboxings for you! 

Although I missed my thumbs up this week, this is definitely 2 huge thumbs up and an exciting new chapter in my adventures. YouTube videos are just on the horizon!

Let's dive into the February Ipsy Glam Bag. 

This subscription is my favorite when it comes to trying new makeup. They usually send 5 deluxe samples and at least 1 of them a full size product. The subscription is $10 per month and the value of the bag always surpasses the cost.  This months collection is quite lovely and includes a little bit of everything to create a complete look from head to toe.

On the left is a decent size sample of IPKN NewYork BB Cream. The full size retails for $35. I haven't tried this yet but I like to get these kind if products to find the perfect solution to accentuate my skin. Ipsy sends a different Zoya nail polish frequently and that's OK in my book. These nail polishes retail for $9. I'm not sure if this is the full size or a a smaller bottle but it is definitely an ample size for nail polish. This color in Dot seems to be the perfect soft pastel pink. It seems to come out opaque, which I like (I apologize for my terribly chipped nails!). This is a great shade for the upcoming spring months. Alone these 2 products have already made up the cost of the bag and there's still 3 more items!

This is a full size City Color Be Matte Blush in color Fresh Melon. This is A LOT of blush! These retail for $2.99. The shade is a bright pink and would probably look nice on my pale skin. I don't have too many matte blushes and hopefully this formula won't cause any breakouts. 

On the left we have a shadow tint from 'Tini Beauty in shade Ambrosia. This is a full size item as well and retails for $18. I live this shadow. It is a gorgeous shimmery plum color and seem like it would make a really great base to build other shadows. The formula is creamy and once dry does not budge. On the right is a deluxe sample of POP Beauty Plump Pout in Peony Petal. The full size retails for $16. I am just now getting used to wearing pink shades on my lips as I am used to either a nude lip, my natural color with a light balm, or a deep red. I haven't played with much inbetween. This is a welcome product and I can't wait to see how well it feels and holds up on my lips. The packaging is fun and although smaller it is nearly identical to the full size packaging. I like the slim design as I usually carry my lip product in my pocket for work and this should prove a sleeker alternative. 

Here are swatches of the blush, the lip color, and the shadow. The shadow is definitely the star of this bag and I am most excited to try it out. 

I am very impressed with the items Ipsy sends out each month and find the $10 cost highly justified. They also send a small makeup pouch each month and those come in useful not just for makeup but I luse them for holding chargers and electronics cords when traveling also.

I hope you enjoyed seeing what was in the Ipsy bag this month and I encourage you to try it out if you aren't already a subscriber. 

Check it out here!

Let me know if there's any looks you'd like to see, or any ideas for videos I should post. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish

Outfit of the week

Hey guys! 

I've put together another round of work week outfits for you. 

This is my favorite, comfy, relaxed but still pulled together look. This tunic top is from Nordstrom Rack and I also have it in olive green. If I could wear them every day I would! They are polyester and the fabric drapes nicely. I love to pair these with black leggings and a long tank top for the ultra relaxed comfortable outfit. Here I have the blue tunic with my NYDJ grey denim pants. They have a bit of stretch to them and a panel inside to help minimize the tummy pooch. Shortly after I ordered these from Hautelook one of the back pockets completely fell off! I kept it to sew it back on someday but for now I'm just rocking the single back pocket. It'll be a new trend. I still love these pants even with this flaw and feel snug as a bug in a rug. This necklace is from Lane Bryant and compliments the blue in the top. The shoes are slip resistant bow flats from Payless. 

I always get compliments when I wear this wrap sweater. It was gifted to me by my good friend Hayley and I do not know where it is from. It is a unique piece being one long fabric rectangle with arms attached. When you put it on you cross the ends and wrap around. I always secure this look with a belt (this brown braided one is from Charming Charlie) but it can probably be left open and draped. The shirt underneath is a black mixed fabric Converse One top from Target with a half zip front closure. This top is very comfortable and versatile. The black skinny pants are from Forever21, and the black boots are from Payless.  

I usually like to throw in a blazer at least once a week. This blazer I got on sale for $10 at Target and is a black with a hint of shimmer texture. It's a slightly stretchy material and has a single button closure in the front. It is a bit long but I think the length on my 5'7 frame works. Underneath I have a teal short sleeve top also from Target with an open zigzag pattern, and a black tank top from Old Navy. The pants are my NYDJ grey denim comfy pants. This necklace was an added gift to a Popsugar MustHave Box I received and I love how easily it wears with any outfit. It's tiny silver triangles with rhinestones and the perfect length for daily use. The earrings are a silver drop aqua blue stone that I picked up from World Market. I usually find some great earrings and necklaces from them and they always have great sales and coupons online. The shoes are black patent flats from Ross. This hairstyle is my go to everyday updo. A side twist pinned bangs and a messy side bun that I usually braid first then twist and secure with bobby pins. 

I am planning to purchase a fancy camera to start YouTube videos very soon. I cannot wait to get it all figured out and be able to start posting some awesome vlogs. I also had another recipe for penne pasta bake to post with step by step and ingredient photos but being a novice blogger I forgot to take photos of the finished product! I even made it twice and told myself to remember on the second time to get the last shots needed... Only to realize once we were finished eating I hadn't taken any! I really think this waking up at 2am for work every morning is giving me a severe case of short term memory loss. 

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Stay tuned for great things to come!

Til next time,

Trish

Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hey guys!

I realized some time ago that a friend and  I send selfies to each other and thumbs up are usually involved! I'm pretty sure that's why my favorites posts are labeled Thumbs Up.  I've got several fun things to share this week.

I purchased the Revealed palette by Coastal Scents in a special package that included a travel brush set, a blush palette, a kabuki brush and a black liquid eyeliner for $24.95! This palette alone retails for $19.99. I got an incredible deal and am quite pleased with all of the items I received, but the main reason for the purchase was for this palette. 

It comes with 20 shadows in mostly nude/brown/gold tones. These shades are comparable to the colors in the Urban Decay Naked palettes. I do not own any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes so I can't exactly say how the quality/texture/finish adds up. I do however feel that for $19.99 this palette is awesome. Most of the colors are very pigmented and apply smoothly. The shimmers are beautiful and it includes several mattes to blend. 

These swatches are in order from left to right. No flash or primer was used. The black is definitely not too pigmented but would work for a smokey eye. The matte cream color on the top furthest left mostly blends into my skin tone but would be great for blending or a matte brow bone color. The shimmer cream next to it is a beautiful soft highlight. None of the shimmers have glitter chunks and they all give a nice glow to the eyelid. These shadows are very versatile and this palette is going to be part of my daily routine. 

These lip glosses from BH Cosmetics are creamy, glossy, give a bit of color to the lips and come in a great variety of colors to go with any occasion. I believe I picked them up for $2.95. 

Top left: Classy Gal, top right: Plain Jane

Bottom left: Studious, bottom right: Copper Crush.

Plain Jane is an amazing nude gloss. I ware it on bare lips and pair it with dramatic smokey eyes. Copper Crush is very glam. It has a slight metalic shimmer to it. This is a great girls night out shade. Classy Gal is a bright fun color and is great for the upcoming spring and summer months. The color looks more red in the tube but it translates to a poppy pink color on my lips. Studious is that perfect petal pink for when you want a kiss if color without feeling overboard. It's still a very natural color and I find myself grabbing this one to take to work with me. These glosses keep my lips hydrated and last well without having to constantly reapply. 

This nail polish is Mint Chip from Forever21. It was on sale for $1.95 and the prospect of mint chip ice cream nails was just too cute to pass up. This is such a fun color and applys fairly well although you do need at least 3 coats to make the mint opaque. I can't wait to play with different looks using this color. I'm thinking red hearts with gold heart stud for valentines? I'll have to test it to see how it looks, but will post if that combo works out. 

Thumbs up to this restaurant that just opened recently near my work. This amazing combo of fresh fruit cocktail (papaya, strawberry, grape, blackberry, pineapple, blueberries) with plain Greek yogurt, honey drizzle, and chopped pecans is my favorite breakfast. I eat it almost every day! 

At the end of a long day I love to unwind with a hot soothing cup of chamomile tea. I found this blend by Celestial Seasoning that includes spearmint and lemongrass with natural vanilla flavor. It's called Sleepytime because the combination of these herbals should promote relaxation and help fall asleep easier. I have found I seem to sleep deeper the nights that I drink this tea before bed. Since I have been drinking it nightly I wake up easier too because I think I am getting better rest at night. Maybe it's all in my head but if it works or not I still absolutely love sitting with the piping, sweet cup of tea while my body and mind relax from the days events. I also have a mug addiction and any excuse to use one of my lovely mugs is welcome in my book. Thumbs up to the mint colored hand glazed owl mug I found on ModCloth. I think it was around $12 and was offered in a few colors. I am just infatuated with the sheer cuteness of him. 

My thumbs down this week was a product that several years ago I had given a huge thumbs up to and worked great for me. 

I first received the Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes waterproof eye makeup remover in a gift set for Christmas about 5 years ago. It was a small deluxe sample size. As soon as I used it I fell in love. It worked amazing at removing all of my eye makeup and did not irritate my eyes. At the time I did not have the funds to purchase the full size which retails for $24. Just recently I had a gift card for sephora and decided I wanted to purchase this product because I loved it so much years ago. I have no idea if their formula changed, or if my skin changed, but there were several things wrong with this remover. It does not seem to remove any of my mascara from my lashes without having to rub vigorously. I noticed the more I used this the more raw my eyes felt and the skin around my eye began to sting and turn red. I did not have this problem before and I am extremely disappointed that for some reason it just doesn't work out any more. 

My #TBT this week is from my "little" brothers graduation!

I'm 5 years his senior and he's 5 ft taller than me! This was 3 years ago or so. 

Hope you enjoyed my favorites this week, I know I did!

Thanks for stopping by!

Til next time,

Trish

Whelp!

So I am probably ages behind but I have JUST figured out how to use Instagram! (In my defense, I never really took the time to do it sooner)
I am such a goober.

Follow me @trishmessmer

Outfit of the week

Hey guys!

Time for another #ootw. Each week I choose 3 of my work outfits to share with you. I realize the lighting is terrible but this is the only full length mirror I have access to (someday I will have one at home to take photos before I go in!) I do feel pretty silly taking selfies at work sometimes. Having to be to work by 3AM I hardly ever get to work on my makeup/hair. Once I'm more set up for these posts from home I will be able to take photos of other outfits throughout the week.  

This combination was prett effortless and quite comfortable. I paired my favorite black skinny jeans from Target with a cream and olive striped top from Ross. Finished with a black rhinestone embellished cardigan from Target. These shoes are my favorite black patent flats from Ross, and the spike studs are from Forever21. I love how these earrings add an edgy touch to any outfit. 

I am really enjoying this slightly metalic black blazer I picked up for $10 on sale at Target. It has just a hint of stretch and is very comfortable. There is one button closure and I like the shape it creates. Underneath I have a fuchsia button up top from Old Navy. These pants are a charcoal grey work pant that I found at Nordstrom Rack. The heart charm necklace is from Zulily, and the shoes are the same patent black from Ross. 

I love this Angie patterned top from Hautelook. The color compliments my eyes and the pattern is reminiscent of peacock feathers. It super soft. I chose this tan colored blazer I found at  Burlington Coat Factory and my heathered brown Gap pants to complete this look. The brown Clark's shoes are from Ross. The spike necklace and jade earrings are from World Market. I have found some of my favorite accessory pieces from World Market and I love their home goods too. 

Thanks for stopping by today. Again I look forward to a better set up where I can take better quality photos, play more with outfits, makeup and hair, and bring you more exciting looks. 

Til next time,

Trish

5 Pepper Pot of Chili

Hey guys, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, I've got a kick-ass chili recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser and is a breeze to whip up just in time for kickoff. 

I have tweeked a recipe found in The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook* to suit our chili preferences. 

The ingredients you will need are 

-2 TBS olive oil (not pictured)

-2lbs lean ground beef (we like to use 90/10) 

-1 large onion chopped

- a variety of green peppers chopped (here you can add as much or as little as you like. We like about 2 cups of peppers added and I chose poblano, Anaheim, and Serrano for my green peppers)

- 2 large garlic cloves

- a teaspoon or so of Crushed red pepper flakes (also to taste)

-(2) 16oz cans of tomatoes (diced, crushed, or whole cut up)

-1/2 cup chili powder

-1tsp of salt

-a few dashes cayenne powder (depending on if the peppers aren't hot enough for you)

- a few shakes of garlic powder

-(2) 16oz cans of pinto beans

- My Secret Ingredient (not pictured, read below)

Rough chop your peppers and onion while your oil is heating on medium high heat in a 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot. 

Sauté the 2 together about 10 minutes until tender and just barely turning translucent.

Add the ground beef and garlic and cook until all the meet is browned.

At this stage you will add your tomatoes with their liquid and all your spices. Stir to combine, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour, sitting occasionally. 

After 1 hour add your pinto beans with their liquid and allow to heat through 15-20 minutes. This is where the secret ingredient comes in. Take 1-2 pickled jalapeños (depending on how much heat you want) dice and add them with a tablespoon of the juice. This touch adds great flavor and really ties the dish together. During this last cooking stage throw together a quick batch of cornbread muffins (we like Martha White cornbread mix, and just follow the directions on the pouch). Once your muffins are ready the chili is good to go. Top each bowl with shredded cheddar cheese.

Voila! 

Hardy and delicious, great for cold winter nights, this chili will keep you toasty warm. Impress your friends with this football season traditional meal and cook up a batch of this chili.  

Hope you enjoyed this recipe, have a fun safe weekend, if you make anything exciting comment below. I like to hear what everyone else likes to cook/bake for these kind of events.

Thanks for reading!

Til next time,

Trish

*Here is the original recipe from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook 

Thumbs Up Yesterday!

::TAKE TWO::

Hey guys!

It's Friday and this would have been posted yesterday but some unfortunate technical difficulties delayed post til today. 

I've given big thumbs up to some pretty awesome products this week. 

Here is a Le Métier De Beaute Kaleidescope eye shadow set in color Pretty in Punk. These retail for $95! Granted I am IN LOVE with these ultra pigmented shadows, my budget conscious self can not possibly fathom spending that amount of money on any singular item let alone a piece of makeup.

I was privileged to receive this in my Limited edition Neiman Marcus Popsugar box and am thrilled to get to try something so luxurious.  I looked around to find the names of these colors but nothing surfaced. The website does have different color combinations for the Kaleidescope set and you can find YouTube videos about how to apply the shadows to really take advantage of the multidimensional "Kaleidescope" effect.

http://www.lemetierdebeaute.com/ in case you'd like to check them out!

The shadows were swatched with primer. I love the density of these. The light beige-gold color on the left is now my favorite highlight and inner corner color. It has a hint of peachy to it and when applied lightly just gives a nice soft shimmer. The bright bold pinks in the middle are great for the outer lid and crease and blend really well together to create a beautiful ombré effect. This black shadow is something else. I have mixed feelings here. It is finicky but oh so fierce! I have learned that I must apply this shadow before ANY other makeup due to its fallout. Fallout that cannot be simply brushed away. Fallout that smears black streaks across your face anywhere it falls. Despite this downfall I LOVE this black. It is intense, sultry, bold, and smoky. When all necessary precautions are taken to avoid streaks this black makes an awesome outer V color. Once applied it DOES NOT BUDGE. At all. All day. Seriously.

Here I used scotch tape to create a sharp cat eye with the black shadow. I used the dark pink right above the black and blended with the light pink toward the crease. I smoked out the black shadow a bit and applied the beigey golden shimmer to the inner corner and brow bone. I took these photos after an 10 hour work day and you can see the shadows are still complete, no smudging under my eye. This color combination would be perfect for a Valentines look. 

I love these shadows and I find myself reaching for them daily. 

I have always loved wine hued nail polishes. Deep burgundies reminiscent of a bold glass of Merlot. I layered this deep berry cream color from Nails Inc. with a smokey sheer black with red shimmer polish from Julep. The combination of the 2 creates a rich full-bodied burgundy. 

I received the Nails Inc polish in a Glossybox and am a Julep Maven subscriber where I get a few new polishes each month.

Both of these boxes are great and they have really made it possible for me to try out awesome products. 

While organizing my Julep collection I stumbled upon these gems that I ordered on sale shortly after Halloween. I have never used crackle nail polishes before so I picked these up to try them out. 

I decided to layer them over a hot pink base to hopefully make the crackle pop!

I love how the texture came out after only a few swipes of the brush. The orange combination is perfect for a fun beachy summer look. I think I will paint my nails with either the black or the silver for valentines day, although the white would be awesome with a red heart painted on top! 

I love food! A big thumbs up for these herbed French bread pizza toasts. I took a loaf of rosemary olive oil French bread from Target and placed them under the broiler just until the edges began to brown. I slathered each toast with a roasted red pepper tapenade, laid a few thin slices of muenster cheese, and topped each with some pepperoni slices. Back under the broiler until the cheese is hot, bubbly, and brown around the edges. Holy yum! 

This is a delicious indulgence any time of the day!

My thumbs down this week is also somewhat food related.

I grew up drinking artificial sweeteners and Splenda was always the first choice for taste. The last few years I had found a new sweetener called Ideal. It is amazing. Simply sweet and very natural tasting, better than real sugar! One day a few weeks ago I ran out and kept putting off buying more. Honey to sweeten my coffee just wasn't cutting it and I really try to stay away from refined white sugar. I finally broke down and ran to the nearest store to get more sweetener. All they had was this bag of Splenda granules. I knew I previously likes Splenda so I picked it up. When I tried this in my espresso I nearly spit it out! It was disgusting! I used the same Splenda to sweeten iced tea and it tasted fine. I don't know if the acidic nature of the bold espresso I make caused the flavor to warp or what, but very time I add it to my coffee I want to gag. 

Thumbs down to Splenda sweetened espresso! 

Even though it is Friday, I was going to include these #TBT pictures in my post yesterday so I will still add them today!

My circle of friends at our highschool graduation.

Some more of us striking a pose on our way to project Graduation.

Good times!

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

(albeit a day later)

Til next time,

Trish