Current Favorites: January 2016

Bioderma micellar water

Micellar water is sort of new to the beauty scene. Different then an oil based makeup remover, micellar water cleanses the skin without leaving any sort of residue. I picked up the twin pack of Bioderma when I visited France and it has become my go-to makeup remover just because it is so gentle on the skin. A lot of other brands are catching onto the micellar water trend so thankfully, it is becoming more accessible in the states (Garnier and Simple). 

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

I am a huge fan of Chanel foundations but am not willing to drop the money on them right now. Bourjois is apparently owned by Chanel, which is why some say there foundations are a bit similar. The healthy mix foundation is the only Bourjois one I picked up at Superdrug and I am very impressed with it. The texture is nice and smooth - not too thick! I would say it's a medium coverage and it lasts really well on the skin throughout the day.

Redken Wax Blast 10
As I am a girl with very thin and straight hair, I am always frustrated with its inability to have any sort of texture. I was complaining about this to my stylist and she recommended this product to me. The Redken wax blast is exactly as it sounds. It's a nice smelling spray wax that just kind of roughs up my hair a bit. I am a huge fan of it at the moment and I feel like it's a better alternative to the sea salt sprays that can sometimes dry out your hair and leave it feeling a bit crunchy.

Lime Crime Velvetine "Cashmere" 
Liquid lipsticks are the new thing right now. I am not a fan of them for everyday wear but the shade of this one is definitely noteworthy. Cashmere is a very cool-toned, almost lavender-grey shade. Definitely not for everyone but I am a big fan when worn with the right look.

Lancôme Hypnôse Drama mascara
Nothing much to say about this other than the fact that it has been my go-to mascara for the past couple months. It holds curl really well and gives my short lashes lots of volume, which I think has something to do with the oddly curved wand that just works so well.

Bourjois bronzing powder
Another bronzer that smells like chocolate! I also picked this up at Superdrug when I was in London and I think it's a great alternative to the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer. It blends well and is a nice matte shade that isn't too orange. 

Hope you enjoyed the beauty catch-up! Talk to you soon.

xx Michelle 

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"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -Joseph Campbell 

Ties

CROP TOP: Urban Outfitters // MIDI SKIRT: Forever 21 // SHOES: Zara // BAG: Forever 21

I hope your new year is off to a lovely start. I'm home from my semester abroad and will be talking more about it in some future posts. Sometimes the most important realizations you make about an experience are made after it's over. My first post of 2016 is featuring the look I wore for Christmas Eve. A midi skirt has been on my list for a while now and this one is actually a deep green color that is not showing up too well in the photos. To avoid looking like Betty Crocker at twenty years old I paired the skirt with a rather low cut crop top, leaving just a bit of skin showing at the midriff. This definitely keeps the look classy but still young and playful. To top it off, I wore my lace-up shoes that have a short stacked heel. Even with the knee-length skirt, I still felt a bit sexy in this look. Some may think otherwise. 

This look was shot in the dry hills of Southern California. Remember to conserve water, my friends. 

xx Michelle  

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Instagram - lifeonlotus

Twitter - @itsmemichelleg

Extras: Will Darbyshire's beautiful video on his travels in New Zealand. "Think About You" by G-Eazy & Quin. 

"For what it's worth: It's never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Tourist

COAT: Forever 21 // DENIM: Topshop // BUTTON-DOWN: h&m // SCARF: from a market in Florence // BOOTIES: from a store in Florence // SUNNIES: Urban Outfitters

I am not a model. On a rare occasion I can strike a pose but this shoot definitely lacked that moment. Anyway, I wanted to do a quick post on what I would label my "tourist" look. I did a lot of sightseeing over my semester in Europe, and this is typically what I would wear. There's not much to it - a nice coat, my favorite denim, and black booties. A good pair of black booties just does it for me and I can justify buying any pair that has a great shape and fit. It was a bit cold on this particular day because Florence has seasons. I added this beautiful red scarf to throw some color onto my monochromatic ensemble. Scarves are great, especially when they actually serve the purpose they are meant to. I am back home in the states now and I hope to get some more outfit posts up soon. Ciao for now.

xx Michelle

Follow me? 

Instagram - lifeonlotus

Twitter - @itsmemichelleg

Music: Still loving everything from Tame Impala.