From the first Caboodle makeup holder I received in late elementary school, I've been obsessed with beauty products. New lotions, potions, hair masks...I'm here for it all. But I also consider myself pretty low maintenance with my looks. I don't get my eyebrows or lashes done. I don't go for manis or pedis. I'm at at-home, DIY, on a budget kind of girl. I'm okay with splurging for products that work...but I want to get the most out of my money.

I'm taking some of the guess work out of your beauty routine by racking up my Sephora points...and giving the newest products a try. Learn from my loves and leave-its below. (Links are to Amazon, which I am an affiliate for, so I get a small commission if you buy using my links. But I always post products I've tried and ACTUALLY love). 

I came across this setting power that is SO MUCH MORE on influencer Sydney Schiffer's page. The secret is to get the Cherry blossom variety. And yes, it's pink...but for my pale girlies, this one is the BOMB. Literally.

Since losing weight, my 30-something wrinkles around my eyes are so much more noticeable. I've been working all summer on a concealer routine that will mask my dark circles without accenting my fine lines. This powder is a lifesaver. It literally blurs your skin and makes your pores/wrinkles disappear with just a tiny bit. And it smells amazing.

Check out my non-filter photo below (ignore the wonky eyeliner...it's been a morning). It also comes in a mini size, which is nice if you want to just give it a try.

My salon recommended this as a heat protectant for my hair, and I'm obsessed! It not only protects your hair but also gives you mega shine! I will say to be careful when spraying because it makes ceramic floors SLICK (My Great Dane won't walk past my vanity now because the floor is perma slippery). But the shine makes it my favorite heat protectant to date!

Find yours here.

If you want your makeup to look smooth, sometimes it's all about the skincare. This exfoliating scrub is a perfect addition to my routine about twice a week. It's gritty, but not like the exfoliating scrubs I used as a teen. It's gentle but still sloughs off dead skin for a better makeup application. And this one is super budget friendly (around $14). Click here to check it out.

A co-worker recommended this leave-in spray, and I'm a fan! I use it twice a day. You can spray it on damp hair, or I even spray it on dry hair for a refresh because it smells AMAZING. Like amazing amazing. And it lasts forever.

Just shake it up, spray, and your hair will be so soft and smell heavenly. It also doubles as a detangler, which I love. Check itout here.

My co-worker also got me hooked on Good Molecules products. They're super budget-friendly, work well, and are cruelty-free. I have so many of the serums, but my favorite product is the mineral sunscreen. It gives you protection without being greasy at all, and is less than $12. Click here to grab yours...I wear it every single day! (I also love their brightening serum). 

When I decided to go darker with my hair for summer, I wanted to make sure to keep it popping. I bought Matrix Keep Me Vivid. And it works great on my locks...EXCEPT my bangs.

If you've got Taylor Swift bangs going, this product is NOT for you. Or at least not for your bangs. I couldn't figure out why my bangs constantly looked greasy, no matter what I did or how much I washed them. And then I sorted out it was this shampoo. 

So if you're going to give it a go, be sure to use a different shampoo on your bangs.


Alright, that's all for now, everyone! Happy summer, happy shopping, and be sure to let me know what you think if you grab any of the products above!

Xoxo,

Lindsay (L.A.) Detwiler

Winter is officially here....at least for you Game of Thrones fans.

With the launch of Season 8, Urban Decay jumped in on the fun and released a brand-new Game of Thrones collection that fans went wild for. I hopped on the website an hour after the line dropped, and almost everything sold out. However, as of Saturday, Ulta and Sephora had the items in store. At my stores, again, almost everything flew off the shelves. I did manage, however, to snag four items from the collection:

• The eyeshadow palette
• Dragons Blood and Lip Cheek Stain
• Mother of Dragons Highlighter Palette
• Longclaw Eyeshadow Brush

The items in the collection are far from budget-friendly. But the main question is: Are they worth it?

I'm not a makeup expert. I'm just an every day, working professional who loves to experiment with new products. Read on to find out my honest review of these four products and whether or not you should shell out your hard-earned cash to look like Khaleesi. 

At $65, I felt quite a bit of guilt over this palette. There is a cool throne pop-up feature, but I was more concerned about the shades. Would I be able to pull them off for day looks?

I was shocked to find out that these shades are super wearable for day looks. I'm a teacher by day, and I found that even the White Walker section and the Lannister reds worked for day without scaring away my co-workers and students. There are some really fun shades you can use to play up your look and have some fun, but even the muted colors add a pop of excitement to your typical beauty routine. 

Honestly, I have been wearing these shades almost every single day since I bought the palette. I use the four sections. A video on Youtube is what sold this palette to me because to be honest, I was lost at first.

Check out Makeup.Just.For.Fun and her easy-to-follow steps for making this palette not only work, but work super well!

Mother of Dragons is my favorite character...so I was super pumped about this $36 palette. 

I'm not one for highlighting....and after buying this one, I'm not certain it was worth the investment. The pink color and the gold color, however, are really pretty on my pale skin. You can see the effect in the photo above. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the darkest shade, so I'm not sure this was completely worth it. Still, if you're a highlighting queen, you might want to give this super shimmery palette a try.

The other downfall? It was really tough to find a good Youtube tutorial to help me out with the looks. 

I love a bold lip, so I was super excited for this bright red lip stain that comes in a blood vial.

However, this was my least favorite item from the collection. It goes on basically clear. I was hoping for a vibrant red. At $26, I feel like it really wasn't worth it. And as far as a cheek stain, I can't imagine it blending in and looking good.

​I'd pass on this item if you're all about noticeable lips.

This eyeshadow brush ($28) is really just a fun piece. It doesn't offer any added benefits than looking super cute. I do feel a bit badass using it, I'll admit.

It does help, however, with holding the brush at the right point (Did you know you should hold it at the end for blendable looks? Holding it near the bristles gives you more control, but also harsher lines).

I wouldn't say this is a must-have unless you've got extra money to splurge with.

I still have a few items from the collection I want to grab, but for now, my favorite is definitely the palette. That would be the item I would recommend investing in because I think you can get a lot of use out of it. Plus, some of the transformer shades could actually be used as highlighters, so you sort of get two in one.

Have you tried the collection? Drop me a comment and let me know what your favorites are, and which items you wish you would've passed on. 

Also, be sure to join me on Facebook and Instagram to keep the conversation going.