affordable, beauty, diy, dollar tree, easy, helpful, hint, hobby, how to, lipstick, make up artist, makeup, nail polish, swatches, tip, trick

DOLLAR TREE DIY: Make Your Own Swatch Book

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I’ve got a helpful DIY that you can do this weekend while you’re watching Netflix, TV, or YouTube.

I just posted a video on my YouTube channel. (find it here). That video is all about how you can swatch your beauty products and organize those swatches in a book. This is a great way to organize your makeup and know exactly which shades you have or don’t have. I like to take this lightweight book with me when I go shopping. When I see a lipstick I want to buy I can instantly check my collection to see if I have that shade. How great is that?!

This is also good to have if you are a makeup artist. Your clients can easily see which shades they have to chose from.

Additional tips:
~Cover each swatch with clear tape to keep the product from transferring onto the plastic covering of your photo album pages.
     ~You could also laminate the swatch sheets
~Swatch anything you want! You can swatch lipsticks, nail polishes, eye shadows, or blushes.
~You could handwrite each product name but I think it’s best to type up the names. Then again, I have bad handwriting. Haha
~Share your swatch book with a friend so they can see swatches of products they might be interested in purchasing.
~Another option is to print out photo swatches from the internet of your products.
~Instead of swatching items on your hand in-store; bring a blank sheet of paper to make swatches. You can add a category in your book which has swatches of products you would like to buy in the future.

Check out my video below:

Let me know if you have other  video or post requests. Thanks for stopping by!

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30 before 30, beauty, bunny, challenge, christmas, love, makeup, photo a day, photos, pictures

One Photo A Day: December 2014

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Happy New Year!! I am sorry this is a few days late but I’ve been traveling.

Here are my December photos. Enjoy!

December 1-Piyo class

December 2-Taking Luna to the vet

December 3-Out to get some rays of sun
December 4th- Stepping outside of my nail art comfort zone.

 December 5- Christmas trees and tiny bottles of champagne.

December 6-High end beauty at low end prices!
December 7- Vlogmas continues!
December 8- Luna and her freshly washed blanket.
December 9-New book and a cup of joe.
December 10- New makeup from the drugstore
December 11- Bunny love from Anthropologie.

December 12- Christmas work party

December 13- Experimenting with healthy pizzas.

December 14- Wisdom from Audrey.
December 15-Luna is banana crazy.
December 16- Working and caffeinating.
December 17- Extreme Couponing!

December 18-Healthy hot chocolate

December 19- Visiting the animals at the Humane Society

December 20- Holiday party outfit
December 21- Making health date and coconut treats.
December 22- Detoxing my skin
December 23-Working beachside
December 24- Travel makeup preparation
December 25 (BONUS) Merry Christmas!

December 26-Love
December 27- Luna snuggling with her daddy

December 28- Handmade Christmas gift from my friend, Lauren.

December 29- Testing out my new heart rate exercise monitor

December 30-Luna gets a house upgrade.

December 31- Happy New Years!

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beauty, bublble wand, curling wand, curls, easy, hair, hair style, haircare, how to, quick, style, tutorial, waves, youtube

Bubble Curls: Quick and Easy Hair Tutorial

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Today I combined two of my Black Friday finds to create a hair tutorial for you all.

If you follow me on Instagram (courtney.val) then you may have seen my new camera (yay!). I spent all of yesterday taking photos of my rabbit so today I thought I would branch out and give the video function some love. I also found a new hair curling device at a Black Friday sale yesterday and after I tested it out I was so happy with the result I just had to *try* to film a hair tutorial. This is my first tutorial so I hope it is easy to follow and you all enjoy it! 

Let me know if you would like to see any other types of tutorials and I will do my best to film them. 
Watch here:

Have a great weekend! 
Other places to find me:
Instagram: courtney.val
Twitter: @courtneywval
YouTube channel: Click Here
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affordable, beauty, blush, high end, Inglot, lippie, lipstick, long wearing makeup, Macys, makeup, pigment, youtube

Affordable High End Makeup Splurge: Inglot

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I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Today I uploaded a new video on my YouTube Channel sharing with you some high end makeup products I purchased semi-recently. While I was in Chicago this past September I stopped by the Inglot counter at Macy’s and picked up some new makeup goodies to try. I am sorry this post is so late but it just slipped my mind. Opps! Check out my video to see what I picked up and I also share some mini reviews of the products I’ve already used.

You can watch the video HERE or below:

As promised in this video I took some high quality photos while playing around with my dad’s Cannon T5 camera when I was visiting home. Check out the photos below. ** Their products have numbers instead names.

Overall view of my beauty splurge.

Empty Freedom System Palette.

Blush in shade #55 and face powder in shade #55

 Eye shadow trio in shade # 112R

Lip paint in shade #64
Eyeliner in shade #77
Thanks for stopping by! Leave any comments or questions below. 🙂

Follow Me Here:
Instagram: courtney.val
Twitter: @courtneywval
Email: courtneywval@gmail.com
Youtube: Click here

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bblogger, beauty, budget, contact information, fashion, fitness, health, inspiration, social media, travel, wellness, youtube

New Social Media And Contact Info!

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Hey there!

Some big changes are coming to my blog and a few have already happened. I want to make it easier for people to find me and my content so I have created a special Instagram and Twitter for all things Courtney!

Follow me!
Instagram: courtney.val
Twitter: @courtneywval

I already had a personal Instagram and Twitter but I know some of my family and friends don’t really want to constantly see pictures of meals, make-up, etc. So follow me through the accounts listed above!

Other types of posts you can expect on my new social media sites:
~Photos of sales, discounts, or bargains I see while shopping
~Motivational and inspirational content
~Pics of my bunny, Luna
~Mini-product reviews
~Beauty content
~Fashion content
~Budget-friendly and affordable ideas for every day living
~Travel content
~ and more!

I also have a new email address for comments, questions, business inquires, and vidoe/blog requests.  Email me at courtneywval@gmail.com

As always you can also connect with me through my Youtube channel .

Thanks for stopping by!

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afforable, bargain, beauty, blush, budget, concealer, dollar, dollartree, eye shadow, haircare, haul, nail care, Physician's Formula, price comparison, shopping, value, youtube

Dollar Tree Haul Price Comparison

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Hello Everyone!

I just posted a new video on my YouTube Channel. It’s another Dollar Tree Haul and this time I really found some great bargains. After I purchased the items from my haul I did some research to compare the actual value of the items to what I paid for them. I found these prices by doing a simple Google internet search so if you search yourself it is possible you will find prices that vary by $1-2. 

Below are the items from my haul with the quantity I purchased along with the total retail value. As you can see I saved 89% off of the retail value! That is amazing and so far all of the items I purchased at Dollar Tree have performed really well. 

 I encourage you to stop by your local Dollar Tree next time you are out shopping to see if you can find some great deals too. 

3 Fembody vitamins= $66  
3 Physician’s Formula spf 50 powder foundation=$30
3 Physician’s Formula Rose Quartz lip gloss=$21
2 Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips=$14
2 Physician’s Formula concealer pen=$14
2 Physician’s Formula baked eye shadow=$16
3 Physician’s Formual Mineral Blush-$30
1 Sports muscle ache cream=$9
2 Claudia Stevens Overnight Lip Plumper =$12
2 Claudia Stevens Plumping Lip Balm-$12
1 Raid Fly ribbon-$10
1 Got2b Smooth Operator Hairspray-$7
1 Got2b Fat-tastic Volumizing Hairspray= $9
1 Neon index cards=$3
1 Quinoa conditioner=$2
2 Sassy and Chic nail set= $2
1 Chalkboard labels= $4
3 Soft T-shirts=$18
1 2 count Soft Lips-$3
1 Sally Hansen Mineral Foot Soak=$9
2 Fing’rs Nail Polish Strips=$12

Total Value:$303
Total Paid: $38
89% savings!

Click the play button to watch my 2nd Dollar Tree Haul!



Thank you for stopping by and please leave any comments, questions, or blog/video requests in the comments section below. 

Have a great day!
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beauty, bright, coral, lacolors, lipstick, makeup, matte, new, pink, red, reviews, rose, shimmer, swatches, youtube

L.A. Colors New Lipstick Packaging (Review+Swatches)

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Hola!

A new video just went live on my YouTube Channel about the new revamped lipsticks from L.A. Colors. In that video I showed 6 of the colors on my lips so if you’re interested head on over there to check it out.

I found these at my local Dollar Tree but you can visit the L.A. Colors website  to see a complete list of stores that carry their products. Below I have included a full review and swatches of each lipstick. There are A LOT of colors in this line but I only found 6 colors at my local store. At $1 each I decided to get all 6 to show you. It was all for you! 😉

Bright Pink
This color is the most matte of all the shades I picked up. There is still a good amount of shine and it doesn’t make your lips look dry like some matte lipsticks I’ve tried. The color comes off quite bright on the lips and there is definitely a hint of purple or fuchsia in the shade.  This shade also makes your teeth look whiter.
Nectarine
This is another bright, daring color. In the tube it looks like a coral color but on the lips it comes off pretty orange. Orange-toned lipsticks are super trendy right now so this might be a good way to sport the trend without spending a lot of money. The finish is very silky with a little added shine.
Sorbet
This color is a really flattering rosy pink shade. I call this type of lipstick a “throw in my bag” color because I can just throw it in my purse and apply it wherever I am. You don’t need a mirror to get a nice application. The color is sheer but build-able. 
Dusty Rose
At first glance Dusty Rose and Sorbet look very similar but on the lips they look quite different. Dusty Rose is a more purple-toned color with a tiny bit of shimmer to it. It doesn’t look glittery though. This color also seems very flattering for a wide range of skin tones. The coverage is more opaque than Sorbet. I would say this is a medium coverage lipstick. 
Mauve Glaze
This color is the most neutral toned of all the shades I picked up. At first I thought it was a bit too mature for me but after applying it I think it looks nice for any age. You can build up the coverage on this one too. The finish is creamy and there is no shimmer or glitter. 
Luscious Wine
This last color is one of my favorites. In the tube it looks more berry than red but on the lips it has a nice blue-toned red hue. The finish is not matte but it’s also not super shiny. This shade is very pigmented so I would recommend using a lip brush for best application. This is another shade that makes your teeth look whiter. 
Here are the swatches I tested on my arm:
From top to bottom: Bright Pink, Nectarine, Luscious Wine, Mauve Glaze, Dusty Rose, & Sorbet

Overall I love these lipsticks and for the price I love them even more. The pigmentation is amazing and they glide on so smoothly. According to the packaging they all contain vitamin E and aloe. They feel like a lip balm but have the pigmentation of a lipstick so it’s the best of both worlds. While some of the shades stain your lips I was able to remove the majority of each color with a make-up wipe. I would definitely  recommend these lipsticks to women of any age.

Have you tried these or other L.A. Colors products? Let me know your thoughts or experience! You can comment down below, tweet me@imperfectperla, leave a comment on my YouTube channel here or even email me at cwlinguistics@gmail.com

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Courtney

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afforable, all natural, antioxidant, bblogger, beauty, budget, face, hydration, moisturize, nourish, primer, review, serum, skincare, smooth, trader joes, unisex, update

Review Update: Trader Joe’s Nourish Antioxidant Face Serum

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Hello again!

About a month ago I did a review video on my YouTube channel and in that video I reviewed a skincare product from Trader Joe’s. I also told you in that video that I would update you on how it was working after I used it for a bit more time.

In case you didn’t see the video you can watch it here or below:

Now, on to the update FAQ style.

Q:Have you seen an improvement in your skin from using this product?
A: Over the past 1-2 months my skin has improved a lot but I think it is a combination of things. Since I have used this product in place of my primer I have noticed my pores are less clogged but I still get the same primer effect. I think this product has helped smooth my skin and hold in moisture from the daily moisturizer I use on top.

Q: What are the pros for the product?
A: It’s gentle on your skin. It’s full of great, mostly natural ingredients. It helps retain moisture and hydration in the skin. It doubles as a light primer. It is well packaged and I like the sanitary pump. It works great on bare skin or paired with a little powder for a make-up less look.

Q: What are the cons for this products?
A: It’s a bit too thick in my opinion for a serum. I also wish it didn’t have as much dimethicone as it does.

Q: Would you repurchase this product?
A: As of right now I don’t think I will immediately repurchase this product because I want to try similar products from other brands but it is something I would use again down the road.

Q: Would you recommend this product?
A: I would but with a disclaimer that it is not like traditional syrupy serums. If you are looking for a primer with the added benefits of antioxidant ingredients then this is a good product to try.

Q: Is this product worth the cost?
A: At $10 for 1 fluid ounces I definitely think this is worth the price. I have been using it generously for 1-2 months and I really haven’t made a big dent. You are also getting a lot of great ingredients for that $10. (if you’d like a full list of the ingredients just let me know and I’ll type it up.)

Q: Overall impression?
A: Overall I think Trader Joe’s did a great job developing this product. I think it mixes skincare with cosmetics and I like that a lot. Anytime you can accomplish two things with one product it’s a plus. Also, like I said in my video I feel this is a unisex product which is unique. Good job, TJ’s!

As always let me know if you have questions or comments. You can tweet me @imperfectperla, email me at cwlinguistics@gmail, or follow me on Instagram @cbwright.

Have a great day and thanks for being here!

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all natural, beauty, beet, bene-tint, blush, budget, coconut oil, diy, easy, face, food chopper, glow, how to, lip tint, make-up, moisturize, rosy, Vegan, vegetable, veggie

DIY: Make Your Own Vegetable Make-up!

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Hola!

A few days ago I posted a video on my YouTube channel demonstrating how I made some all natural, allergen-free veggie make-up. You can check it out HERE or watch below.

If you want to follow along with the video here are ingredients you will need:
~ 1-2 slices of beet
~Food processor or food chopper.** I got my little food chopper at Walmart for about $8.
~2 tbsp of water
~A small mixing bowl and spoon
~1 tsp of coconut oil heated to a liquid
~Small container to store your product
~Freezer

**You could also juice some beet if you prefer.

This product gives your lips a really nice rosy tint similar to the Benefit Bene-tint. I love it! It is also really moisturizing. It works best on your cheeks if you dab it in the area you want and blend QUICKLY. As is the case with most liquid/cream blush products you don’t have a lot of time to work. If you get a too much on or the color spreads where you didn’t want it, you can always go over that area with your foundation or powder brush.

Ok, and now for the final test….before and after!

Before:DSCN0598.JPG

After:

 

DSCN0600.JPG

Ta-da!  I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know if you try this yourself.

Have a great weekend!

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affordable, all natural, beauty, budget, cold season, gingko biloba, hair care, health, immune, nutrition, skincare, travel, vitamin, vitamin C, Vitamin Shoppe, youtube

New Health Video!

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Good Morning!

I just posted a new health related video on my YouTube channel. It’s about the current vitamins I take. I have been really good lately about consistently taking all my vitamins and I am noticing a positive difference inside and out. Check it out and let me know which vitamins you recommend.

Have a great day!

Courtney

You can check out my other videos on my channel HERE

You can also follow me on twitter HERE

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