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chronic style

chronic style

Spring Style Look Book

Disclaimer: This post is done in collaboration with Firmoo.com. I have worked with them before and I adore their products. I received a coupon code for a free pair of frames but I purchased the lens as well as the addition two pair of glasses featured in this look book with my own money. As someone who wears glasses regularly, I want comfortable and stylish glasses but I don’t want to pay a fortune so Firmoo is the answer. As you know, transparency is my highest priority and I would never support and write about a brand that I was not 100% in love with. Now that that is out of the way, on to the fun stuff!

Spring Style Look Book 2016

Spring is here finally and warm weather is upon us! Thank the Lord! It is getting warmer but there is still some cooler temps. You know where is cool in the morning, hot in the afternoon, and then cool again so layers are a must around my area so I tried to incorporate that into a lot of these looks.

Work Look:

Edgy Work Look For Spring

Outfit Details:

Pantsuit – Cato Fashions

Heels – Poshmark

Blazer – Forever 21 (similar)

Necklace – Cato Fashions

Clutch – Bongo Clutch from Kmart

Sunglasses – Firmoo

 

Date Night:

Edgy Date Night Look for Spring 2016

Outfit details:

Jacket – Bongo Moto Jacket from Kmart

Tank: Mossimo Swing Fit Tank from Target

Skinny Jeans – Old Navy Rockstar Jeggings

Shoes – Poshmark

Handbag – Aliexpress

Glasses – Firmoo

Casual Weekend Looks:

Casual Weekend Look for Lipstick Lovers

Lipstick Lovers Unite

Outfit Details:

Top: Lipstick Addict Top from Jane.com

Jeans: Old Navy Rockstar Skinny Jeans

Shoes: JustFab Carmella Sneakers

Glasses: Firmoo

Necklace: Made just for me by FFJ Creations! I am so in love it says “Live Boldly”

Lipstick & Compact: Sephora Disney Minnie Mouse Collection

Spring Weekend Look 2016

Outfit Details:

Top: Marshalls (similar)

Shorts: Old Navy Boyfriend Shorts

Sandals: Boss Sandals by Blowfish

Necklace: FJJCreations

Casual Weekend Outfit for Spring 2016

Outfit Details:

Top: Old Navy Layered Tank

Short: Old Navy Boyfriend Shorts

Sandals: Viorica Sandals by JustFab

I have to say that I am in love with all of these outfits! They are all so comfortable and most importantly I feel like they are all very ME. I finally feel like I’m coming into my own and figuring out my own style. My husband just shook his head at the “Black Is My Happy Color” tank but its so true! I love the color black and that doesn’t mean I’m a creepo. Black lovers unite! The most important thing I learned by putting together these outfits is that accessories make all the difference in the world! You can take a super comfy and basic outfit but add a few accessories and BAM! You’ve got the perfect outfit! Jeans and t-shirts are my style default but I’m learning to use that foundation and take it up a notch. For example, the last outfit: those studded sandals are everything. I could easily throw on flip flops and be completely beach ready but by adding the studded sandals and some spiky bracelets, it gives it a much different vibe. I am totally digging all of the shoes in these outfits. The white sneakers from JustFab* with the silver sequins on the heels are life!

I am also learning I can use my glasses to add spunk to my outfits as well (both regular eyeglasses and sunglasses). Normally I wear contacts the majority of the time but since discovering Firmoo*, I’ve been able to find stylish glasses that add spunk to my outfits and because their glasses are ridiculously affordable, I can own more than one pair so I can mix and match with my outfits.

So here are my quick spring shopping tips:

1- If you are shopping online, always, ALWAYS use Ebates*. You are crazy if you don’t. You get cash back just from shopping online and there is now a browser plugin so you can earn cash without even thinking about it. Hello?! Who doesn’t want free money? Almost all of my favorite stores use Ebates and since being a spoonie means a lot of online shopping, I figure I might as well earn some cash back while I’m at it.

2- Basic pieces are important to every wardrobe but its important to find certain pieces that really speak t you. Whether you stick to basic clothing items and focus on unique accessories such as shoes and jewelry, that’s awesome but its important to really feel like you and feel confident and spunky when you get dressed. Affordable ways to find these unique pieces include shopping stores like Marshalls or Ross where you can find higher end pieces at a lower price, hitting up thrift stores, or shopping sites like Poshmark. I adore Poshmark. You can find a lot of NWT items but there are a lot of second hand listings as well so it is a great place to find some great deals on second hand items (I sell on there as well! You can find my closet here!)

There are a few of my favorite looks for spring and a few quick shopping tips! What are yours? What are your must have items for spring?

Disclaimer: Again, this post was a collaboration with Firmoo.com and while I received one pair of frames free to facilitate a review, I purchased all other glasses on my own (as others that are not featured in this post) and all opinions are 100% my own. Thanks to the generosity of Firmoo, they have provided a discount code “ANEWKIND2” which will cover a complete pair of eyeglasses from this selection of glasses for the first 10 users and is valid through April 20, 2016! Shipping and handling are extra and you must be a first time customer but that is amazing and thank you so, so much Firmoo! As another side note, any link marked with an * throughout this post indicates an affiliate link. All about transparency here y’all. 

chronic style

Loved & Loathed Beauty Products: March 2016

Loved & Loathed Beauty Products: What I've Been Loving (& Loathing) in March 2016

It is so hard to believe that the month of March is already over which means its beauty favorites time! This month seemed to have flown by! Of course, when you’re bed-bound 80% of the time as I have been the last several months, its easy to lose track of time. Lately, doctors appointments are what have helped me keep track of days. So, so sad. Hopefully that is changing soon. Fingers crossed. Power of positive thinking. Game on!

That being said, I don’t have a HUGE amount of products to share with you this month and there are ZERO loathes but I just hauled a bunch of new products so the April installment may be completely different! I did want to share with you a few amazing beauty favorites that have totally rocked my socks off this month.

Loved & Loathed Beauty Products: What I've been loving (& loathing) in March 2016

1. Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Cream Bronzer

I have heard tons about this product on YouTube and finally bit the bullet and gave it a try. I was a little leery as I’m not too great with cream bronzer/contour products but this one was so easy to use! I got it in the shade Rich Bronze which is the darker of the two shades which may seem surprising considering I’m an uber pale princess but the Rick Bronze shade was more cool toned so it made for a more natural contour and went along better with my skin tone. I picked it up at Target for $10.99 and supposedly it is a dupe for the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Makeup with a whopping $50 price tag. I think I’ll stick with Sonia Kashuk!

2. L’Oreal Infallible Makeup Extending Setting Spray

When  you deal with hot flashes, makeup setting spray is a must. Not only are setting sprays supposed to help keep your makeup in place, they often help bring a nice, finished look to the face by mattifying the skin or giving it a dewy or radiant finish. I have tried many different setting sprays and this is most definitely one of my favorites. It is $16.99 which seems pricey for the drugstore but you can catch it on sale (especially at Ulta where they often run BOGO 50% Off sales plus a store coupon for $3.50 off a $10 purchase and if you shop online, you can also earn cash back through Ebates*). Definitely recommend checking it out as warm weather starts to move in (yay!)

3. NYX Color Correcting Liquid Primer (Blue)

I have tried a lot of primers (A LOT) of all varieties and this one definitely tops my list. This line of primers has different shades to do different color correcting tasks. The blue shade helps to add radiance to fair/light skin. Because I have been so sick and lost so much weight, my skin has been looking extra pasty and dull and this primer helps to even out my skin tone and give a beautiful, healthy glow to my skin. It makes my skin feel so smooth and helps my foundation go on like a dream. Definitely worth the $13.99 but again, be sure to shop the sales!

4. Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick (115)

This is the only non-drugstore item (plus the matching powder) that you will find on this list. I am a drugstore girl through and through but I had heard so many amazing things about this foundation that I saved up and gave it a whirl. They were not lying. It is the best foundation I have ever tried. It goes on so easy and evens out my skin like a dream. The coverage is perfect and it feels like you are wearing nothing. I apply this with my oval face brush (#11) and I can have my face done in less than a minute. Plus it is actually light enough and pink enough to match my skin tone perfectly which is so easy feat. At $43, it is definitely an investment but worth it in my opinion. My best advice is to shop Sephora through Ebates* so you can earn cash back (and its even better when its a double cash back day!)

5. Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder (110 Pink Porclain)

This is my perfect finishing powder. It sets my foundation and adds a touch of coverage without becoming too cakey or powdery. I also love that it is so cool toned and pink. I have a problem with a lot of foundations and powders oxidizing on my skin so I end up orange looking by the end of the day but this powder is perfect and the perfect match to the MUFE Cover Stick. Definitely a match made in heaven!

6. Z Palettes (Large)

I have absolutely fallen in love with Z Palettes. They make storing your makeup so much easier! You de-pot your product from its original packaging and using magnets, store your products in a palette. You can use these for eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers, highlights, etc. It makes everything much more streamline. You can store like items in each palette or you can create a custom palette for when you travel of specific blushes, shadows, etc that you want to take. I happened to pick up two of the limited edition lipstick prints before they went out of stock but they have a lot of different color and size options. If you hate having to dig to find specific products, you may want to check these out!

7. Wet N Wild Color Icon Ombre Blushes

When it comes to looking for affordable (and quality) makeup, Wet N Wild is a great place to start. You would think because of the prices that the products would be terrible but while I’ll be honest, there are a few duds here and there, there are tons of hidden gems. These blushes are gems. They are beautifully pigmented, especially if you are fair skinned. If you have a deep skin tone, these may or may not show up well on your skin. They bring a radiance to your skin without being glittery. I have all three shades – top row: In A Purple Haze, Mai Tai Buy You A Drink; bottom row: The Princess Daiquiris. These blushes are well worth $4.99!

8. Makeup Revolution Beyond Radiance Palette

Makeup Revolution is a UK brand that has recently made its way into the US at Ulta and they have some amazing face products. Their highlights are to die for so when I found out that they had them in palette form, I jumped on it quick. These three highlight shades are gorgeous, the packaging is nice and sturdy, and it comes with a large mirror which is perfect for travel. This is definitely a prized piece in my makeup collection! The palette is $15 but like the rest of the drugstore beauty brands, sales at Ulta are frequent and you can always use the coupon!

9. ELF Total Face Palette

This is such a handy (and beautiful!) palette to have in your collection, especially for travel. It contains two blushes, a bronzer, and a highlight shade in a beautiful, silver compact. For only $8, its a no brainer. If you see it, grab it!

10. BH Cosmetics Studio Pro Beauty Sponge

I love using makeup sponges to apply foundation and concealer. Up to now, I have been faithful to my Real Techniques Miracle Sponge (which is still absolutely amazing) but I recently discovered the BH Cosmetics Sponge and oh my goodness, it is amazing. It works flawlessly to blend in concealer underneath my eyes with no creasing or getting cakey. It becomes so super soft when damp that it can make the heaviness foundation buff in like a dream. I still have my RT sponge but I’m not sure I’ll be going back. Shhhh! Don’t tell!

11. Oval Face Foundation Brush

If you watch any YouTube beauty videos, you may have seen a new brush start to make an appearance. Its a large oval face brush and the original brush is by the brand Artis and comes with a $65 price tag. OUCH. I feel faint just thinking about paying that much for ONE brush. I will admit that I was intrigued by the look of the brush but a certain hot place would have to freeze over before I would ever, EVER consider spending that kind of money on a makeup brush so when I came across a similar style brush on Aliexpress for $10, I jumped on it and I am so glad I did. It makes blending in foundation easy and quick. This brush + my MUFE Cover Stick = my foundation dream team.

Those are all of my favorite beauty products for the month! Like I mentioned earlier, I have recently hauled a lot of new products from some brands I’m just discovering so hopefully I will have a lot more products to share in April! Some may be loves and some may not turn out so well! I also hope that along with April showers, comes a more consistent posting schedule and a lot more fun! As far as the Chronic Style series goes, I will start sharing more product review, highlight affordable makeup brands that you may not know about, and hopefully add in some tutorials as well! I am beyond ready to get myself put back together and regain some sense of structure so I am excited for a new month which means lots of new opportunities! Yay!

What are some of your beauty favorites or style favorites lately? What should I be checking out?

 

Disclaimer: All of these products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are 100% my own. Links marked with an * indicate a referral link

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Gift Guide For Beauty Lovers (+ Giveaway!)

 

Gift Guide for Beauty Lovers & Giveaway Sponsored by A New Kind of Normal

It is that time of year and in addition to love shopping, I love shopping for others this time of year! Today’s post features this year’s Gift Guide for Beauty Lovers (ahem, like myself!). I had planned on getting these gift guides up last week but as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I got a little held up. I’ll make it up to you. I promise (hint: there’s a giveaway at the end of this post!).

Just like the focus of Chronic Style, this gift guide and the ones to follow are focused on affordable yet quality products. I know like many spoonies, budgets are limited but that doesn’t mean we can’t treat our friends and loved ones to some amazing gifts.

Enough rambling, let’s talk some amazing beauty deals in this year’s Gift Guide for Beauty Lovers:

1. Colourpop Blitzed Eyeshadows: I mentioned this set in my fall makeup wish list but it is so beautiful, it is worth mentioning twice. I am a huge fan of Colourpop. The prices are amazing and the products are out of this world (I plan to do an entire post dedicated to the brand after the New Year in a series of my favorite affordable makeup brands so I’ll try to keep my gushing to a minimum). The shadows included in this set are all absolutely stunning and one thing I love about Colourpop is that they always give swatches of the products on a variety of skintones so you always have an idea of how the color will work on your skin. All Colourpop shadows are $5 so this set of 6 is the most expensive set on the list coming in at $30 but you can use the code THANKSBABE to save $5 and they are so absolutely worth every penny!

  1. Colourpop Foxy Ultra Matte To-Go Set: This is another amazing holiday gift set from Colourpop. I have been a passenger on the matte liquid lipstick train for some time now and Colourpop Ultra Matte Lips are some of my favorites so this gift set is perfect for those who may be new to liquid lipsticks, new to Colourpop, or just enjoy a variety of lipstick shades. This set includes 5 mini-sized ultra matte lippies in some of their best selling shades for $20. They also have another holiday set called Kitty Ultra Matte To-Go which includes all new, limited edition shades. Both are equally gorgeous and on my wish list!

  2. ELF Artistry Eyeshadow Palette: This palette is a new discovery and one I cannot wait to get my hands on! If you are familiar with higher end makeup brands, the setup of this palette looks a lot like the Urban Decay Vice palettes but for less than half the price coming in at $20. ELF is another one of those brands that is very affordable but has some amazing, quality products in their lineup. This is a limited edition palette for the holidays and includes 20 shades ranging from neutral to vibrant in a variety of finishes. The palette also houses a large mirror which definitely adds bonus points in my book!

  3. ELF Illuminating Palette: Lately there are two things I cannot get enough of: liquid lipsticks and highlighting powders. I’ve already mentioned some of my favorite lipsticks so now its time to talk highlights. This palette includes four different shades of illuminating powders to suit any skin tone and for only $6, this makes a perfect stocking stuffer!

5. ULTA Sophisticated 4 Piece Brush Set: You can never have too many makeup brushes (does anyone else hate washing brushes as much as I do?) and this cute little set is a perfect stocking stuffer and is also perfect for holiday travel. The set is a $52 value but is a steal at the regular price of $20 and to make it even better, it is currently on sale for only $10 making it another perfect stocking stuffer!

  1. Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush & Contour Palette: As I mentioned a few minutes ago, I have become a sucker for highlighting which makes this palette a dream as it includes contour, blush, and highlighting powders. Makeup Revolution began as a UK Brand but has now made its way to the US in ULTA which is uber exciting as they are another affordable brand with a wide range of products. I have not gotten my hands on a lot of Makeup Revolution products yet (with a big emphasis on yet) but I have tried some of their highlighting and bronzing powders and they are stunning which is why I had to add this palette to the list! For only $10, the palette includes 8 shades of blushes, bronzer, and highlight. The palette comes in two shades: Sugar & Spice (which is described as a “pinky palette combines warm and cool tones to help you achieve your ideal demure flush”) and Hot Spice (which is described as “rusty neutrals and pinky peaches smolder with intensity in this spicy collection”). Did I mention these palettes are only $10?

  2. NYX Cosmetics Rocker Chic Eyeshadow Palette: This was another item that showed up on my fall makeup wish list and since posting, I have added two out of the three palettes to my collection and I am in love. I have been a big fan of NYX for quite a while and these little palettes pack quite a punch. I own California Dreaming and Tainted Love and definitely wouldn’t mind rounding out my collection with Heart of Gold. Each palette contains five vibrant shadows that allow you to take your look from soft to rockin’ and the fact that the palettes are studded just makes my rocker heart go pitter-patter. The palettes are regularly priced at $17.99 but are currently on sale for $13.49.

  3. Essence How To Make Your Face Glow Palette: This is another great all-in-one palette to keep your face glowing at holiday and New Year’s Eve parties. Essence is another affordable brand that surprises you with many products that pack a beautiful punch. This handy palette includes a bronzer, blusher, and highlighter along with a guide to achieve different looks for only $9.99. This palette makes a great stocking stuffer or party gift for playing Dirty Santa (or White Elephant as its sometimes called).

 

Some other options include giving a gift voucher for beauty subscription boxes such as Ipsy or Birchbox to name a few (these are two of my favorites).

Of course another gift option for your beauty lover is to make your own gift box or stocking including your favorite beauty items like this:

Gift Guide for Beauty Lovers Giveaway Sponsored By A New Kind of Normal

 

 

I’ve compiled a lot of my favorite beauty items into a beautifully decorated Christmas box and one of YOU will be the recipient! The box contains some of my favorite powders, highlighters, mascara, eye shadow, eye shadow bases, lippies, nail polishes, and more! This box is full to the brim!

This giveaway is open to anyone in the US and will run through Wednesday, December 16, 2015.

To enter this giveaway:

  1. *Mandatory Entry*: Leave me a comment telling me what beauty product you would add to this gift guide for beauty lovers with a link to the item so we can all check it out!
  2. For an additional entry: Tweet about this giveaway and leave me a separate comment letting me know that you did with the URL of your tweet.
  3. For another additional entry: Share about this giveaway on any other social media platform (Facebook, Instragram, etc) and come back here and leave me a separate comment letting me know that you did with the URL of your post!

 

There you have it folks! My 2015 Gift Guide for Beauty Lovers! I hope you enjoyed it and got some shopping ideas for friends and loved ones (and entered the giveaway of course!).

Stay tuned for the rest of the week as I will be sharing my Gift Guide for Spoonies and my Gift Guide for Bloggers. See you soon!

 

P.S. If you want to save even more money while doing your holiday shopping (especially if you are an online shopper like myself), be sure to check out Ebates. You earn cash back on just about everywhere you shop online and Ebates also keeps track of current promo/coupon code offers so no more scrambling between different sites looking for the best deals. Ebates often offers double cash back which makes the deals even sweeter! There is even a plugin you can add to your web browser so it basically does all the work for you so all you have to do is shop and see your cash back add up. There is a mobile app as well to use on the go. This is not sponsored but I am a huge fan of saving money which makes me a huge fan of Ebates. I have linked my referral code (I am all about 100% transparency) so if you’d rather not use it, I totally understand but I still recommend signing up directly on the Ebates site so you get the sign up bonus & start earning cash back right away. 

P.S.S. Just as an FYI, this gift guide, nor are any of the gift guides in this series sponsored. I am just sharing my favorite products and brands with you guys and the giveaway in this post was put together by yours truly. Just want to make sure its all out on the table 🙂

disclaimer

Information posted here should not be considered medical advice. It is not intended to replace consultation with physicians or other healthcare providers. A New Kind of Normal covers my personal experience and because every person's experience is unique, it should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare.

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