I'm Back | Life Changes

    Oh hey! Was I gone for years? Yes, yes I was. I needed a break from blogging and I also became too busy with work so I never had time to blog. So what has changed in my life?

I moved from Pennsylvania to South Carolina five years ago. 

    My brother and his wife moved to SC and when they were expecting my first nephew they asked if I would move to work as his nanny so they had someone they trusted watching him. It was also the height of the pandemic so obviously they didn't want to send him to daycare when they had to return to work. My parents and sister eventually moved down too. And my sister finished high school here. My second nephew was born about two years ago. So watching two very active boys you can imagine how busy I have been. 

I found a job I love.

    I was looking for part time work when I saw my now manager looking for bridal stylists in the local Facebook page. I immediately sent my resume and shortly after I received a message requesting I come in the next day for an interview. It was the easiest interview I've ever had. A few days later I got a text saying I had the job and could start that Saturday. I've worked there now for over two years and I absolutely love it. My goal is to work there full time once I'm no longer watching my nephews. I always wanted to work in the wedding industry thanks to The Wedding Planner and Say Yes to the Dress. 

I came out

    I struggled for years, but at 27 I came out as Asexual. I didn't understand the importance of being able to come out until I was the one coming out. I needed my family to know and understand that I was still the Kara they knew and loved but relationships are different for me. 

I want to open an Etsy shop

    I've been getting back into art. Especially now as my work load is lightening up. I have more time to work on it and obviously the blog. But I would love to try opening an Etsy shop so I can sell stickers and prints of my art. I've wanted to do it for a while but I feel major imposter syndrome. So I'm just going to do it and figure it out as I go!

So what's my plan with the blog?

    I'm definitely going to blog about beauty related topics still but I want to talk about other things. I would love to talk about wedding dresses, art, nails, sourdough starters, going gluten free. Honestly anything that interests me and I probably have ADHD so there are a LOT of topics that I'm interested in. I'm going to try to post on Fridays. But this is going up Saturday since I am off today. I hope you stick around and enjoy what's to come!

Mikasa Beauty Brush Review + Coupon Code

Photo provided by Mikasa

About the Brand

Mikasa Beauty is a new makeup brush company that is located in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia. As a new brand, we are focused in delivering essential brushes with the finest quality. In order for us to compete with established brand names, we limit our marketing and product line extensions. We are fully committed in mastering our craft for essential makeup brushes, and to retain very affordable pricing.

By working with beauty industry experts, and professional makeup artists, our makeup brushes undergo demanding quality tests. Our brush hair, handles, and ferrules are all using top of the line materials to ensure professional quality. It is our mission to provide the right tools, for a flawless experience.

Mikasa Beauty contacted me with an offer for a discount code and an invitation to become an affiliate. I agreed to try some of their brushes and if I loved them I would become an affiliate. I ordered the Lemon Drop sponge and Large Blending Brush and they were kind enough to send me their Concealer Brush. It was perfect timing because my Real Techniques sponge needed to be replaced and I needed new brushes for wedding makeup.

The Lemon Drop sponge does an amazing job blending my foundation. It is also really soft and it doesn't absorb all of my foundation. My skin looks flawless when I use it. Even when I use a brush I go back in with the sponge. I am so happy I bought it. It is $11 and I think that is completely reasonable especially since the Beauty Blender is $20.

The Large Blending Brush also quickly became a new favorite. I don't know how but I didn't have any large blending brushes before this one. It does a beautiful job of blending out my shadows I also use it to apply my base shade. The quality is amazing and I think it will last a long time. This brush cost $12 and once again it's cheaper than most professional brushes. 

I don't use the Concealer Brush very often or for concealer, but it's so nice to have when I do need it. I have used it to blend the hard to reach areas and even just getting products out of samples so I don't make a huge mess. If you are looking for a brush like this you won't be disappointed. This brush is $12.

I enjoyed testing these brushes and I plan on getting more. They are such great quality and I know they will last for a while. If you would like to try Mikasa Beauty you can use my coupon code for 25% off. The code is KARAELIZABIZ25

Morphe 35O Review + Swatches

This review is LONG overdue. But hey it gave me more time to use the palette and improve my blog so it will look way better than it would have. Silver linings am I right? And yes I bought this palette because of Jaclyn Hill.

It is the Morphe 35O Eyeshadow Palette

There are 35 shadows in the palette hence 35O. It cost $23 and if you do the math it's about $1.50 a pan. The individual pans on their website are $2.50.

There are no shade names so I numbered each one. When I mention my favorites and whenever I do a tutorial you will know exactly which shadow I am talking about. 

The packaging is about the same size as an ipad. It's not too bulky it's just not the most travel friendly palette. If I had something I could put it in that would cushion it I would travel with it more often. Have you seen the way airline workers toss bags around? My palette would be shattered. 

Before getting this palette I always thought about how much I wanted a palette with every shade of brown possible. Every palette I owned didn't have the right shade of brown I needed. So when Jaclyn Hill mentioned it in a video I knew I needed to try it. I also loved having warm shades to experiment without committing to a warm palette. I am now obsessed with warm shades. 

It's a wonderful everyday palette. As you can probably tell by some of the swatches down below some of the mattes aren't as pigmented but most are buildable. The rest of the shades are beautiful especially the shimmers. I keep looking at the pictures of the swatches I love them so much. Everything blends beautifully and I love the looks I can create with this palette. I used it along with the Naked Smoky palette for wedding makeup. 

Some of my favorite shades are 5, 11, 18, 20, 21 and 23. Overall it is a really nice palette and if you are looking for something like it you should try it. 

October 2017 Ipsy Unboxing

September 2017 Ipsy Unboxing

August 2017 Ipsy Unboxing

July 2017 Ipsy Unboxing