DISAPPOINTING PRODUCTS

Happy Friday friends, we finally made it to the weekend (hallelujah)! With as many hauls as I highlight here on Southern Lights, I thought it was time to shed some light on a few products that just didn’t work for me. Let me start by saying that this is in no way a knock on these brands; these particular products just didn’t work out for one reason or another! If you love these products, that’s awesome, I’m so glad they ended up working for you, I certainly wish they had worked out for me! I only have a few, so let’s just jump right in!

* Aussie Total Miracle 7N1 Dry Shampoo ($3.47): It’s no secret that I live and die by dry shampoo; I absolutely hate washing my hair so anything that extends the life between washes, I’m all about! I have tried COUNTLESS dry shampoos and have liked almost all of them. Of course I have my favorites (Batiste, Not Your Mothers…etc.), but almost all of them have done the job! However this dry shampoo didn’t do ANYTHING for my hair…other than making it look worse than it already did. This product doesn’t leave a white cast (I know that’s important to some), but it also doesn’t leave my hair feeling refreshed; in fact, it makes it feel much worse. It feels more like a hairspray than a dry shampoo; it has a sticky texture that makes brushing through your hair feel impossible. I love trying new dry shampoos and usually have pretty good luck, but next time I’ll pass on this one!

* L’OREAL Pure-Clay Exfoliate & Refine Mask ($12.99): You guys know that I’m a skincare junkie, I’ve mentioned it numerous times here on my blog! So when L’OREAL came out with their pure-clay line I was beyond excited. Y’all know that I live by my Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Masque ($47) but I was itching to try something new. All three versions of the mask received great reviews and I was hoping this was going to be my next holy-grail product…unfortunately it was not. I certainly don’t hate this product; I think if you have normal, non-sensitive skin, you would love this. Unfortunately I have the world’s most sensitive skin and I had a terrible reaction to this mask. The first time I used it, I only left it on for about 5 minutes and it didn’t seem to bother me. The next few times I used it, I tried leaving it on for 7-8 minutes (the instructions say to leave it on for 10-15 minutes) and noticed that my skin was red, itchy and just plain uncomfortable. If that wasn’t enough, when I woke up the following morning I had a bunch of little bumps in the areas where I had applied the mask (nooooooooo!!). I think my skin is just a little too sensitive for this product, but I definitely think it’s worth a try if you have more even-tempered skin!

* Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream ($34): I know that I’ve spoken about this product before but I thought I would include it anyway. I was in the market for a new eye cream and was going back and forth between a couple of different options. As fate would have it, this bad boy went on sale during ULTA’s 21 days of beauty (is that what it’s called?) and I did what any normal person would do in that situation and immediately snatched it up! Unfortunately this didn’t work for me at all. It dried out my under eye area and created a crazy red rash that took a few days to clear up. Again, if my skin wasn’t so sensitive I think I would really love it! Since I can’t use it, David has taken it over and seems to really enjoy it. He has pretty normal skin and says that it’s soothing and feels hydrating under the eyes!

* Burt’s Bees White Tea Extract Facial Cleansing Wipes ($5.99): Ok maybe it’s just me, but I don’t like these at all. I don’t love the scent and I didn’t love the texture of the wipe, it almost felt too soft, like it was going to rip if I wasn’t careful (does that make any sense?). They don’t feel incredibly saturated which I’m sure is a pro for some, but definitely a con for me. I found myself tugging at my skin more than usual to ensure that all the makeup had been removed and I think by doing that, I ended up irritating my skin (especially around my eyes). Have you guys ever tried any of the Burt’s Bees facial cleansing wipes? Am I just using the wrong kind? Let me know below if you have any experience with them! For now I will just stick to my Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes and good ol’ coconut oil!

* L’OREAL Pencil Perfect Eyeliner – Espresso ($9.99): After seeing numerous YouTubers create eye looks that showcased a brown liner against green eyes, I decided to go out and grab a brown pencil for myself. I didn’t want to buy a high end liner because I rarely wear it and wasn’t sure that it would be worth the money, but let me tell you, this pencil wasn’t worth the $10 dollars I paid for it. It was impossible to actually get it in my waterline, and on the off chance that it showed up, it would NEVER last. I know a lot of people really like this liner so maybe I just got a dud, but either way, it didn’t work for me. I eventually went back to ULTA and picked up the Maybelline Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil in Glazed Toffee and have had much better luck with that!

* Wet n Wild MegaLast Liquid Catsuit Lipstick ($3.49 – 4.99): After seeing numerous reviews from some of my favorite YouTubers I decided to try a couple of these out for myself. I’ve mentioned before that liquid lipsticks are a struggle for me because my lips get so dry, but so many people said they were a comfortable matte, so I bit the bullet…boy do I regret that! I bought the shades Nudist Peach & Berry Recognize and didn’t have any luck with either. They went on incredibly streaky and were too drying for my already alligator lips. Maybe I chose the wrong colors (I really wanted to try Rebel Rose), or maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. For now I’ll stick with my Maybelline Color Jolt in Stripped Down when I’m looking for anything more than a lip balm!

* Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36): I spoke about getting this in my most recent Sephora haul and I can already tell you that it’s not working out like I had hoped. I mentioned how a few years ago I had a reaction to the Smashbox products I used on my face for my best friend’s wedding and how I decided to swear off the brand for the past 4+ years…extreme, I know. But since I didn’t REALLY know which product it was that broke me out, I decided to give this bad boy another try. Well I can tell you with (nearly) 100% certainty that it was the primer (maybe the foundation too). I tried it out the day after receiving it in the mail and when I took my makeup off I had tons of little bumps and redness in the areas where I applied the primer. Fortunately it was a 100 point perk and didn’t actually cost me any money (hallelujah). I’m sad it didn’t work out; oh well, I guess I’m still on the hunt for the best primer. For now I’ll stick with the Too Faced Primed & Poreless or the Benefit POREfessional. What’s your favorite primer? Anything you think I should try?!

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? Do they work for you? Are there any cult favorite beauty products that you just can’t make work for one reason or another, I’d love to know!

-B

 

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

Happy Friday Eve, friends; we are one day closer to the weekend (yaaasssssss)! I really wanted to hop on here and talk about something that has been on my heart lately. With everything that’s going on in our society today, we need to show (and receive) grace and support more than ever. From the moment I decided to start blogging regularly, I was fearful of what those closest to me might say. People can be relentless in their judgment of others and tend to look down on those who choose a more non-traditional career path. I’m fortunate enough that the majority of my friends and family have been more than supportive; however there have been a few that think my blog is nothing more than a “hobby,” and that my dream of turning this into a legitimate job is a dead end and will lead nowhere. As I’ve mentioned before, my dream is to be a stay at home wife (despite not being married yet) with the ability to work from home. I took a step back and decided that I should put my all into something that I love and am passionate about as I truly believe my happiness is far more important than the dollar amount on my check. I mean obviously I recognize that I need to make enough money to meet my daily needs (bills, groceries, gas, etc.,) but I don’t want to be a part of the “get money” rat race; it’s just not for me. While I still have a “regular” job that I attend Monday through Friday, 8-5, I hope to one day be able to turn this “dead end hobby” into my everyday norm. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been met with skepticism surrounding the passion and excitement they have for their art, but I hope that all of you know that I believe in you and everything that you’re doing. Why is it that we can support our favorite celebrities Instagram page, blog, YouTube channel etc., but we can’t support our friends who have a similar dream?! Seems silly doesn’t it?! I know the market is over-saturated with influencers and content creators which can make it seem like you’re drowning without ever being seen; but I’m here to tell you that I SEE YOU! I see your hard work and dedication, and I appreciate all of the effort that goes into the content you create! I hope you never let people minimize your dreams and tell you that they are silly, because they aren’t. And to those of you who have friends with lofty dreams, support them; do whatever you can to make sure that they have all of the tools they need to succeed! After all, success tastes much sweeter when you have people to share it with!

-B

MINI SEPHORA HAUL!

Happy Wednesday guys and gals, we are halfway to the weekend! So as most of you know, I recently had a birthday; because of this I may have placed a small order on Sephora.com…after all, I needed to get my free birthday gift from them anyway! A good friend of mine gifted me a Sephora gift card and I thought this would be the perfect time to pick up a couple of things I had been itching to try! While I don’t have a full review of all of the products, I thought I would pop on here and give you guys my initial thoughts and first impressions! Along with showing you the items that I purchased, I will show you all 3 Sephora birthday gift options and link everything below!

SEPHORA BIRTHDAY GIFT OPTIONS

* Caudalie Moisturizer & Serum Set – This is the gift that I chose and the set includes the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($79) & the Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet ($39). I have only used these products once but I loved the way they felt on my skin. They are soothing and left my skin feeling moisturized without being greasy! So far so good!

* Jack Black Moisturizer & Cleaner Set – This set includes the Deep Dive Glycolic Facial Cleanser ($20) & the Clean Break Oil-Free Moisturizer ($30). Both products have great reviews on the Sephora website and the cleanser can also be used a mask to help with the appearance of pores & uneven texture. It is said to help control excess oil without over drying the skin!

* Tarte Lip & Cheek Set – This set includes the Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in Paaaarty ($29) & the Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit ($20). I absolutely love Tarte blushes, they are highly pigmented and last for hours (hence the whole 12-hour wear thing). I will be honest, I haven’t tried the creamy matte lip paints but I have heard good things about them! Have you guys tried any of Tarte’s lip products? If so, let me know how you like them below!

Along with picking up my birthday gift from Sephora, I decided to snag a couple of items that have been on my beauty wishlist for quite some time: the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer and the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder! I have heard so much about these two products that I just couldn’t wait any longer, I added them to my cart and rest is history! Oh!, and I cashed in a couple of my 100 point perks too!!

* The Caudalie Moisturizing Sorbet ($39) and the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($79) are great! As mentioned above, I’ve only used them once but I love the way they made my skin feel. You guys know that I’m a dry, sensitive girl and need all the help I can get! If these continue to perform the way they did when I first applied them, I will definitely purchase the full size in both!

* Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer ($28): I have seen this foundation all over the place; YouTube, WordPress, Facebook, Instagram…you name it, I’ve seen it! I always thought it looked really nice on other people so I decided to try it out for myself! I purchased shade 6 (Ivory) and I think it’s a pretty good match! It definitely works for the hot & humid summer months here in Atlanta, but come winter time I may need to go down a shade…or two! I used this foundation for the first time this morning and I must say, I absolutely LOVE it! It has a thicker consistency than most of my foundations but provides full coverage (IMO) without looking cakey. I will say, it dries down pretty quickly (at least on my skin) so you may want to think about working in sections (that’s what I did) to help it blend out a little bit easier. In a couple of weeks I will come back and do a full review on this foundation, but for now, so far so good!

* Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder ($26): This is another cult favorite in the beauty community that I just had to try for myself. It’s a very finely milled powder that feels like silk when it goes on your skin! It did a good job of brightening up my under eye area and so far I see why people love it! Much like the Clinique foundation mentioned above, I will come back in a few weeks and tell you all my final thoughts on this crazy hyped beauty product!

* Smashbox Photo Finish Primer ($16 – 36): Believe it or not, I have never owned any Smashbox products (except a couple of lippies), but I am very familiar with the brand. When my best friend got married my face was beat with a plethora of Smashbox goodies and while I thought it looked flawless, I did have a reaction to one or more of the products that were used. Of course since my whole face was covered in Smashbox, I didn’t really know what caused the breakout and just decided to swear off the whole brand for years (Hi, my name is Brittney and I am irrational). Fast forward 4 years and I decided it was time to give the primer another go; after all, maybe it wasn’t the primers fault that I broke out all those years ago! I decided to use some of my points so that I could get a little baby size of their Iconic primer and give it a go! I have used the Benefit Porefessional, Dr. Brandt Pores No More, & the Too Faced Primed & Poreless (to name a few) but wanted to try something different. I have only used it once so I don’t really have much of an opinion on it just yet; however check back in a couple of weeks and I’ll let you know if it’s something that I will be keeping in my routine!

* Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate ($39): I have been eyeing this bad boy for months (along with their eye cream) and decided instead of committing to the full size, I would just redeem some of my points and get a mini size to try. I haven’t used this yet but will keep you posted over the next few weeks and let you know if I think it’s worth the almost $40 dollar price tag!

Have you guys tried any of these products? Did they work for you? Do you have any holy grail items that you think I HAVE to try? Let me know down below!

-B

100+ FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!

Good morning guys and happy Tuesday! As promised I am here to talk about my 100(+) follower giveaway! I can’t believe I have finally hit (and surpassed) this little blogging milestone. I appreciate all of the love and support you guys have shown me here on Southern Lights and I just want to say THANK YOU! You guys really are the best! I absolutely love interacting with all you and have really enjoyed getting to know you guys over the last few months! Your unwavering support will never go unnoticed and I hope you guys enjoy this little giveaway I’ve put together! As for the prizes. my friend Ameera called it the Southern Lights, Atlanta Nights starter kit…and she’s totally right! This is chock-full of some of my favorite lifestyle and beauty products and I hope you guys enjoy them just as much as I do! I’m not going to tell you what you’ll be winning as I like the idea of it being a surprise, but some of the brands include: Kate Spade, Smashbox, OPI, Skinfood…etc!

**THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY AND WILL BE OPEN FOR 2 WEEKS**

RULES:

  1. Must be 18 years of age or have your parents permission to enter! 
  2. Follow my blog (www.southernlightsatlantanights.com)!
  3. Like this post!
  4. Leave a comment below telling me what you would like to see in my next giveaway!
  5. BONUS ENTRIES: follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter! (One bonus entry per social media follow)!

 

Thank you again for all of the love and support, you guys are the best!

-B

SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD!

Eeeeeekkkkk, you guys!!! I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by the lovely and talented Kali Brovic! She is an incredible writer and loves all things beauty, fashion and thrifting! She is so genuine and is very active in the blogging community! She always comments on my (and other writers) content and is incredibly supportive; and bonus: she is a contributing beauty editor for Bustle (how cool is that?!?)! If you haven’t checked out her page, I urge you to do so! You will NOT be sorry! Now let’s get on to these questions!

RULES:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you!
  2. Answer the 11 questions they have given you!
  3. Tag 11 people!
  4. Ask them 11 questions!

Questions:

  1. What does your blog name mean? Well, Southern Lights, Atlanta Nights is basically all the things that I love! I love the South and the way it lights up in the summertime sky. And Atlanta is my home…I’ve had a number of fun filled nights exploring my city and drinking in the stunning skyline!
  2. If you could swap lives with anyone for a day, who would it be? Probably Nicole Guerriero, is that lame? I just love her. She’s enough like me to where I wouldn’t feel out of place but has a ton more makeup (and cats) for me to play with!
  3. What is the last topic you journaled about? Probably friendships and anxiety. Tricky those things!
  4. If I could live in a book, which would it be? Oh goodness, I don’t read very much at all, but if I had to pick, I guess I would live in Lauren Graham’s book (Talking As Fast As I Can) because then that would mean that I’m friends with her in some form or fashion (at least that’s what I’m telling myself) and well, that would be amazing!
  5. What is my favorite scent? Chanel’s COCO Mademoiselle perfume. Swoon. I love it so much! Outside of perfume it would be manly scents and fall candles (the pumkin-y ones)!
  6. What is one word that describes your best friend? Loyal
  7. How many drafts are in your WordPress? 2
  8. How many makeup brushes do you own? Hmm…let me think….probably 20ish. I only use about 6-7 regularly!
  9. Where are you sitting right now? My work desk.
  10. Who do I admire most? I admire a lot of people. The Lord, my mom, David, my cousin, David’s parents, my bestie(s), my Aunt Hollie…the list could go on and on!
  11. What is the last fun thing that you’ve done? Probably my birthday festivities! I’m going to the Braves game tonight so I’m sure that will top my list after this evening!

Questions I want you to answer:

  1. What is the one makeup/beauty item you can’t live without?
  2. What is your zodiac sign?
  3. What is your favorite article of clothing?
  4. Are you a morning or night person?
  5. What is your dream job?
  6. What is your favorite place you’ve visited?
  7. What’s your favorite band?
  8. Waffles or pancakes?
  9. What is your favorite scent?
  10. iPhone or Android (or something else)?
  11. What is your biggest fear?

I NOMINATE:

  1. Lauren Rhodes – Coco For Coconuts
  2. Paradigm Shifter
  3. Becca P Beauty
  4. Nicole – I Like It Sparkly
  5. In A Messy World
  6. Just A City Girl
  7. Grace Hickson
  8. Pastel Bottle Rocket
  9. Natosha Con Amor
  10. Lauzies Lifestyle
  11. Alison Luck

Thank you again, Kali for the nomination, I greatly appreciate it! I open this up to everyone, not just those tagged above! So leave your answers below, I’d love to get to know all of you better! Until next time…

-B

 

BATH & BODY WORKS HAUL

I’m back with another haul; and this time I’m going to be talking about my other weakness: Bath & Body Works. I’m a sucker for a good candle and a nice smelling soap, surely I’m not the only one. I posted last week about their semi-annual sale and guess what?!? It’s still going on! Right now they have Signature Body Care up to 75% off, select 3-wick candles 50% off, select hand soaps for $3 dollars and if you order today they have 20% off $25 dollars with the code: STOCKUP…so let’s jump into all the goodies I picked up over the weekend; and as always, I will link everything (that I can) below!

As you can see from the picture above I had a real beachy/summery theme going….until I hit the pumpkin spice candle. Fall scents are easily my favorite and this precious little delight was on the $10 dollar table, I knew it was fate. So I quietly placed this in my bag and kept moving along. I ended my shopping trip with 3 candles and 3 soaps and they all smell divine! **There are 2 candles pictured above that they no longer have on the website; however if I can find them elsewhere, I will link them below**

* Pumpkin Spice – Unfortunately this is no longer on the Bath & Body Works website, I believe they still have it in store, but I don’t think they’ll be back online until the cooler months roll around. I was however able to find it on amazon and you can find it HERE! When I think of fall, I think of this candle. It’s a lovely mix of pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and applewood; if you like fall, please go find this (or something like it!), you won’t regret it!

* Spring Leaves – This is another favorite of mine that is no longer on the website; again, I was able to track it down on amazon and will link it HERE. It’s the perfect bathroom scent, as it’s fresh, with just a HINT of sweetness (nothing too crazy). It’s perfect for a spa day at home and makes my baths much more enjoyable!

* Driftwood Surf ($13.25): This candle smells amazing!!! It’s the perfect summer scent and fills the room with only 2 wicks lit. It’s a wonderful combination of that salty ocean breeze, a hint of sweet and a woodsy coconut scent…trust me, if you like summer, you should pick this one up!

* Fiji White Sands ($3.25): This smells like vacation in a bottle. The warm scent of vanilla, mixed with a hint of amber is just the right amount of beachy for this delightful little hand soap! It’s strong enough to where you can smell it but not too strong to give you a headache! I give it an A+.

* Lakeside Afternoon ($3): This smells like the South to me! It has a very light and fresh scent without smelling like clean laundry and that’s something I can appreciate (not that there’s anything wrong with clean laundry)! Breezy, with a hint of lavender and fresh rain is enough to keep me coming back for more!

* Sea Island Cotton ($6.50): This smells exactly like what you would think it would smell like. It’s a clean scent that smells like fresh cotton (NOT baby powder-y though) and warm summer air. It’s what I have in my bathroom right now and I have a backup for when I run out! I love fresh cotton-y scents but I find that they often smell like baby powder, and while I don’t hate the way baby powder smells on it’s own, I don’t really like the lingering scent of it on my body…does this make sense?!

That’s it for this Bath & Body Works haul! Not too little, not too much; I think I did just the right amount of damage! Do you guys have any favorite summer (or fall) scents? Where do you shop for candles?

-B

 

 

TAG TUESDAY – MY TRAVEL TAG

Happy Tuesday folks! I’m back with another tag post; this time it’s all about traveling! So let’s hop right in!

  1. What is your favorite place you’ve visited? Well I’ve never been out of the country (boo) so I’d have to say Chicago! The deep dish pizza was divine and Wrigley Field was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
  2. If you could visit anywhere tomorrow, where would you go? Israel, Greece, or Bora Bora. Hands down.
  3. Do you prefer a city vacation or a beach vacation? I like both. I love the relaxing by the beach but I also love exploring, so it doesn’t matter to me!
  4. Are you an over packer or an under packer? I used to be a crazy over packer but I’ve definitely gotten better. I think I land right in the middle somewhere!
  5. What is your favorite thing about going on vacation? Seeing new things and relaxing. It’s nice to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of my everyday life!
  6. What are your top 3 vacation essentials? iPhone, charger and a good pair of walking shoes!
  7. Would you rather go on vacation with family or friends? Either would be fine with me, a vacation is a vacation!
  8. What is the most adventurous dish you’ve ever tried while on vacation? Well considering I’ve never been outside of America, I haven’t really tried anything adventurous. Maybe one day!

What is your top vacation destination?!? Have you been anywhere fun recently or do you have any current plans to take a vacation soon, if so, where? I’d love to know!

-B

VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD!

I’m so excited to be nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award! <3 I would like to thank T.R. Noble from Noble Devotion Blog for the nomination; she is incredibly kind & genuine and is just the sweetest thing there is! She is especially active within the blogging community and offers amazing support to other bloggers! If you haven’t checked her out, I would definitely recommend you doing so, you won’t regret it! OK, so let’s jump right in!

Rules:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you and share a link to their blog!
  2. Share seven facts about yourself that your readers may not know!
  3. Nominate 10 blogs and inform them of their nomination!

Seven Facts About Me:

  1. I cut all of my hair (long, blonde curls) off when I was about 7 years old. When my mom came home from work and saw me playing in the yard, she thought I was a boy from the neighborhood!
  2. I hate reading.
  3. I live by Batiste Dry Shampoo…No really.
  4. I can’t see without my glasses…honestly, I can’t see a thing.
  5. I turn into a 13 year old girl when the Backstreet Boys come on my TV.
  6. I’m Team iPhone.
  7. I wore clear wedges (heels) and a shirt that had lips on it that said “luscious” when I was in high school….It was a dark time.

And The Nominees Are: 

Thank you again, T.R. for the nomination, I really appreciate it! What are some fun facts about you that no one knows, leave em’ below!

-B