The 5 Best Drugstore Mascaras (summer '13)

I for one am intimidated by the number of options for mascara that exists in the drugstore. Ones that claim to lengthen, ones that claim to thicken, and the supermascaras that claim to do both. And of course there's the colorful packaging (*cough* Maybelline *cough*). I get overwhelmed with all the options and often forget the mascara I came in looking for. I'll buy something else, regret it, and be right where I started, staring at all the mascara. I swear, the CVS next to my house stays in business solely because of my mascara consumption.

But no fear, I'm here. Here are the best mascaras available in the drugstore for summer 2013. And for those of you wondering, Maybelline is definitely my favorite drugstore brand for mascara, but these aren't listed in any order. 

Maybelline the  Rocket ($6) - lengthens, holds, curl, doesn't flake ( I do not like the waterproof  
version at all though) (review here)
L'oreal Carbon Black Voluminous ($8) - doesn't clump, easy to build up, volumizes (review here)
Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes ($6) - curved wand, subtle but still enhances lashes (review here)
L'oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions ($10) - lengthens, 'fase lash effect', (review here)
Maybelline the Falsies Flared ($6) - volumes, lengthens, holds a curl (review here)

So those are all my favorite mascaras! Even though I link to other reviews, I have tried them all out and agree with everything the linked reviewer says. What are your favorites?

First image from here. All other images from corresponding links. 

Frame Wall Gallery Decor

I’m a perfectionist, but something about this messy, unsymmetrical array of photos just gets me. It’s unorganized, but yet so organized. It instantly adds warmth to a room, and a little bit of personality. Find a diverse group of mismatched frames, some unique artwork or photography (or leave them empty — artist’s choice), and voila, you’re own little dysfunctional, yet oh-so perfect home decor. Perfect to stare at over the breakfast table, with your first cup of coffee, while you’re still trying to figure out up from down. Maybe you won’t even notice the slanted frame.

Enjoy your morning coffee! And your day!

I own no images, I found them all over the inter web (mostly Pinterest).

How to Get Fresh, Glowy Skin

It's summer and that means lots of laying by the pool & beach or just being outdoors in the warm days. We all know how the basics of having tan, glowy skin - lather ourselves in sunscreen and hope you come out with a toasted glow rather than tomato red skin. And if all else fails, we'll pick up a bottle of Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs (read a review here) and hope for the best.

But the real secret to glowy skin starts before you leave the confinements of your bathroom. After the five basic steps of exfoliate, shave, wash, moisturize, sunscreen you'll be left with soft, dewy skin.

1. Exfoliate. This is such a holy grail step in my skin care routine. Your skin feels so soft and and clean after the exfoliater has swept away all the dead skin cells, dirt and the other yucky things life leaves on your skin. By sweeping away the outer layer of your skin, it'll provide a smooth canvas for a clean shave.
           I recommend St. Ives Invigorating Body Scrub (review here), and the Soap & Gory Flake Away (review here). You can use the St. Ives on your face too, but I recommend only using it once a week because it is a little harsh.

2. Shave (with a good shaving cream). Well, obviously, to achieve soft smooth skin you need to shave. But the key isn't as much in the razor as in the shaving cream. Choosing a thicker cream, over a gel will moisturize your skin better and prevent razor burn.
            I recommend EOS shaving cream (review here). It super thick, and smells really good. It actually comes in multiple different colors and flavors (scents?), so pick what you like.

3. Moisturizing Body Wash. I found the biggest difference in my skin when I switched from a bar soap to a body wash. Lather it up in a loofa and scrub away. Do this after you shave to get any excess hair or shaving cream off and to really moisturize the skin.
          I recommend Olay Ultra Moisturizing Body Wash , or the Lush Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie ($35; review here). The Olay lathers up so well and is inexpensive too. The last one is a little bit of an investment but I think it's worth every penny and it'll last you a little while.

4. Moisturize. As you can probably tell, fresh, glowy, skin is all about moisturizing. So it needs to go without saying (but I'll say it anyway), moisturize with a thick body butter or lotion.
        I recommend Vaseline Total Moisture (review here), The Body Shop Body Butter (review here), and the Laura Mercier Soufflé (review here) (priced from lowest to highest) to provide plenty of moisture. And from someone who's first impression of a lotion is purely based on the smell, these all have A++++ in that category.
 

5. Sunscreen, SPF, the works. If you are spending any amount of time in the sun, remember to protect and take care of your skin. If you forget the sunscreen, all the hard work you put in for the past four steps will go to waste. Instead of being left with soft tan skin, you'll be left with itchy sunburned skin. Any sunscreen will do as long as it has plenty of SPF. I recommend using the Hawaiian Tropic After-Sun Lotion (review here) after you are in the sun. It has aloe vera in it that soothes the skin from the sun. I can't tell you the number of times that this has saved me from coming close to have a sunburn. And if you want extra shimmer or glow (or maybe bring out your inner Edward Cullen), use the sparkly version

That's it ladies!! Go enjoy your fresh dewy skin!!

I do not own any images. Original image from here. All other images are from corresponding links.

What's In My Purse? (Summer 2013)

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m a pretty nosy person, and I love to see what’s in other people’s purses. It’s kinda odd (and maybe illegal) to rifle through people’s bags and their belongings, but the ever-so wonderful Internet has provided a way for people to show what they want to show from their bags. So here I am, showing you guys all the junk in my purse! Keep reading for a full set of details on the bag, and all the stuff inside….

My bag is from TJ Maxx, which I totally recommend for inexpensive bags that are good quality, and that probably not a lot of other people will have. They might not be this season’s style but for a simple bag that goes with anything (which is what I wanted, and what I got) it’s totally the place to go. I got this cute crossbody there, designed by Nine West, for $16. It’s a silver metallic color, but the shade tends to vary depending on the light. The top kinda bends down to button, but also has a zipper. When you unbutton the top there is a little pocket (which is where I keep my phone), and then you unzip the main compartment to expose a the big section and then a small inner pocket. It’s big enough to store all necessities, but small enough that you can just throw it over your shoulder and it won’t weigh you down. It’s perfect for shopping, eating out, or for the movies.

• Basics – Of course, if you’re a teen living in the 21st century, it’s hard to go anywhere without you’re little baby, and by that I mean your phone. Carrying my phone was pretty much one of the first reasons I got a purse because sometimes those cute lace shorts just don’t come with pockets. Since I have an iPhone, I tend to bring along headphones as well because if  it’s a long car drive I can shove them in my ears and play some music or watch youtube videos. Next it’s my wallet, which is from Fossil. I got it last year so I’m not sure if it still retails,  but it’s the Weekender print if you’re wondering. Inside I store my ID, Money, Change, Library Cards, Club Cards, Coupons, Recepits, and my house key.
• Food – Obviously, gum and mints aren’t food, but they’re great for a quick pick me up when the grocery shopping never seems to end. Sometimes I might stick a Luna Bar in my bag, but that’s usually only if I’m spending the entire day out of the house.
• Hair- Now I love storing things in my purse in little pouches because it keeps the big pocket of the purse super organized. I have a small little pouch for hair ties, bobby pins, and sometimes a cloth headband for those times when I need to get my hair out of my face.
• Beauty – Again, in a little pouch I have the beauty things that I find I’ll need most during the day. My hand sanitizer is from Bath & Body Works, and I keep it just in case my hands need quick cleaning and there isn’t a restroom nearby. I keep lotion (from Bath & Body Works) as well, mainly for my hands, but also for any other dry areas. Lastly, some lip products. I have a lip balm from EOS that I find I always need as my lips tend to chap really easily, and then a lipgloss as lip products tend to wear off the fastest.

These are the things I carry all the time, but here’s stuff I might carry sometimes:

• Sunglasses – they tend to give me a headache if I wear them too long, so typically I just keep them in the car, but I might throw it in my purse for a really sunny day.
• Walking Pharmacy (Band-Aids/Feminine Products/ Neosporin/ Tylenol) – These are things that are a good idea to have, but sometimes just don’t have space for. I typically keep the first two in my bag at all times, just because there good in an emergency.
• Bobby Pins – These come in handy for zipper that breaks on a skirt, or a broken bra strap.
• Granola Bars- Again, if I’m out all day I’ll probably throw in a Luna Bar.
• Concealer, Mascara, Lipstick, Spot Treatment – just random beauty things you might need.

That’s it! Let me know what things must be in your purse before you leave the house, and what you’re favorite style of purse is!

Welcome to Sprinkle of Sequins!

Hi everyone! I've been reading blogs every morning for ages now, because what's better than doing something you love ( reading) about things you love (fashion, beauty etc.) I've always wanted to be involved in the "blogging world", but I just kept making excuses (not enough time, no one will read it). Finally I put my foot down. No, Mia. You are going to create a blog, and keep it going for a year. That's it. No more excuses. So here goes absolutely nothing... except a sprinkle of sequins. 

What is a sprinkle of sequins?

Well, I guess we should break it down.

sprin•kle    /ˈspriNGkəl/

noun. A small amount of something scattered over an area. 

se•quin  /ˈsēkwin/

noun. A small shiny, sparkly disc. 

So a sprinkle of sequins is a a small amount of shiny, sparkly things scattered around.  I intend to do this in every post. Reading my blog is just a small amount, just a sprinkle, of your day. But I intend to make it sparkly, and colorful, something to make you laugh and be happy. Because that's just what you need with your morning cup of coffee. 

Who am I? 

Well my name is Mia. I'm a high school student living somewhere in the 3,000 mile wide USA. I love art, makeup, beauty, fashion, cooking, baking -- basically everything you can find on Pinterest. (Making that another one of my hobbies. I swear I can spend hours, hours, on that site.) I also love to dance and play golf. And being a student, thus on a limited budget, I absolutely love easy DIY's. You'll probably see a mix of all of the above in posts, but I'm sure as this blog grows and changes, and I find the things I really like to blog about, it'll become narrowed. 

Well that's pretty much it. I'm sure you'll learn more about me and this blog as we grow together as readers and writers, but for now this is it. I hope you enjoy your sprinkle of sequins!