Julie May, The Salt Life Wife. Welcome to the end of June! The month of July will be here in an hour, and I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce this month's featured blogger. I've been featuring a blogger at the end of my posts the past few months, and I think it's a wonderful way to introduce you to bloggers I have been loving lately.
Julie May blogs as The Salt Life Wife. After the closing of 2030 Glam, Julie May decided to start over again under a new name, one more fitting to her personality and lifestyle. The Salt Life Wife. Blogging all the way on the other side of the world from where I live, Julie has come to be one of my dearest friends. You will not find a sweeter soul on this earth. She would literally drop her life to help people. She's done it before, and for that I admire her so very much.
The Salt Life Wife is a blog filled with posts ranging from beauty reviews, lifestyle posts and vlogs, and everything in between. She takes you into her home and her life, and if you need a little escape from your own busy world, take a step into Julie's world. You'll see beautiful sunsets and beaches, take a peak into a sunshine-filled life, but you'll also see her struggles. We all have them, and though we may not all be able relate to her infertility struggle, we know how it feels to want something so desperately, so out of reach that we will do almost anything to get it. As a mother, my heart burns for Julie's struggle to conceive a child, but this woman is a fighter like no other.
Now that I've spilled a little on the awesomeness that is Julie May, hop on over to her blog and Youtube channel for some real life. The Salt Life.
MAC Pedro Lourenco Collection, Ruby. MAC has tons of collections out right now - Kelly and Sharon Osbourne, Moody Blooms, Pedro Lourenco, and more! There literally is something for everyone. While I don't try to buy from every collection, I do like to browse around and see if something catches my eye. This lipstick caught my eye - and my wallet, obviously.
MAC Ruby
Packaged in a sleek, rubberized black tube with gold metal accents and MAC Pedro Lourenco embossed on the side of the bullet. This makes it really easy to identify among the sea of lipsticks on my desk. Ruby is one of my more sophisticated lipsticks to date. Keep in mind that the packaging is similar to NARS packaging, meaning it catches oils and makeup easily.
Ruby is an amplified formula, meaning it is more pigmented yet still remains creamy. It is opaque in one swipe, which means this lipstick will last a while. Leaning towards the orange end of the red spectrum, Ruby is my first orange-toned lipstick, and I have to say that I really like it. I didn't think I'd suit orange tones, but it doesn't look too bad! It applies smoothly and isn't too drying.
I like to apply this with my Real Techniques Accent Brush for precise application. Lasting power is pretty decent at 3-4 hours with eating, but you will need to touch up. I ate a whole roll of oreos and milk and only needed minimal touch up. Perfect!
Have you picked up anything from the MAC collections lately? What do you think of Ruby?
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
This #blogger Life. As you know, I'm in the mood the create shirt designs lately, and I really wanted something to honor this blogging lifestyle. After reading so many posts and watching so many videos about how supportive bloggers are (most of them) towards each other, I wanted to make a shirt that showed how I feel about this lifestyle. I love it.
This #blogger Life
I think I really love this shirt, and I don't even have it yet. I'm going to place an order for myself, so I wanted to extend the invitation to you all, if you wanted to grab one for you or for a friend. These terms apply:
- This is a PRE-ORDER. Payment will be collected prior to t-shirts being shipped out to you.
- Billing: You will receive an invoice when payment is due. Estimate of 4-6 weeks give or take a few, depending on demand.
- T-shirt description: American Apparel Girly Jersey T-shirt, fitted. Order a size up if you would like a looser tee. I wear a Small, but I prefer a size Medium for a looser fit.
- Cost: $18.00 each, includes free shipping (USPS First Class) to US destinations.
- International orders: $18.00 each, $8.00 shipping. I can combine orders if you prefer. Grab a friend, talk it out and order together! :).
If you have any questions, shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment below. What do you think of this design? I'm hoping you all order with me so we can wear them together! :)
In case you're wondering why I'm selling shirts, it's because I like designing them, and I like sharing them. If I could give you all a free shirt I would, but I'm not a millionaire. If ever I become one, I'll give you a free shirt. For now, I charge the lowest prices that I can, considering the work and time that goes into doing this. Thank you for supporting me. I am always grateful!
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
Essie Nail Polish Collection. Do you always end up in the makeup section and walk out with a bunch of nail polishes or lipsticks and then get home to see that you already have similar shades? I'm sure that's not just me, right? After filming my Essie nail polish collection, I realized that I have a thing for pinks, greens, blues, and purples. I have a problem, but I just can't stop!
Essie has a tremendous range of nail polish shades, and I do believe their formula has improved since the first time I ever bought an Essie polish a couple of years ago. Want to have a peak at my collection? Check out my video!
PRODUCTS MENTIONED
Essie Over the Edge
Essie Sexy Divide
Essie Bikini So Teeny
Essie Avenue Maintain
Essie In the Cab-Ana
Essie Mint Candy Apple
Essie Turquoise & Caicos
Essie First Timer
Essie Go Ginza
Essie Under Where?
Essie Bond With Whomever
Essie Madison Ave-Hue
Essie Fun in the Gondola
Essie Cute as a Button
Essie Come Here!
What nail polishes do you love? Have any Essie polishes? What are your favorite shades? Share! <3
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer. Every day is a battle against the heat and humidity, and even though it would make more sense to not wear any makeup at all, I refuse to give in! Being a huge fan of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (review here), I was really excited when they came out with a concealer to add to the range. I've been trialling it for a couple of months now, and here are my thoughts.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer
When they say Double Wear, they mean business. This concealer is full coverage with no shimmer at all. It dries quickly, and it dries matte, just like the Double Wear foundation. The formula is thick and creamy, which does result in cakiness if applied too thickly. What I like to do is swipe a stripe on my hand, take a small fluffy brush (like an eyeshadow blending brush), dip it into the concealer, and apply to under my eyes and any areas that need extra coverage. When used lightly, it doesn't cake up and settle into lines.
I got the shade 10 Extra Light. Choosing a shade was somewhat difficult, since I'm a combination of the shades Light and Extra Light, so I went with the lighter shade. It wouldn't make much sense to go with a darker shade of concealer anyway.
Lasting power is at least 8 hours of the day. I've used this for over 10 hours, and it shows a bit of fading, but not enough to warrant a touch up. If I have a stubborn blemish or acne scar, this concealer will cover that sucker up like no one's business. Good-bye spots! This is not meant to be used for highlighting as it's a bit too thick, but covering up dark areas and spots, it does the trick.
Have you tried Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer? What's your favorite full coverage concealer?
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in Black Velvet. A couple of months ago, I received a sample size of the new Velvet liners from Urban Decay, and I was really excited to try it out, since I am a total fan of their liners. The packaging is similar to their original liners with the exception of a matte/velvet finish on the colored portion of the pencil.
Black Velvet
The Velvet pencils are meant to be a more powdery version of the original liners, perfect for blending and creating that sultry smoky eye. Upon application, Black Velvet did seem more powdery and less smooth. However, bits and pieces of the liner kept falling into my eyes causing some pain... I'm not sure if I received a dud, since I have been hearing positive things about this liner, but I'm not really too keen on having chunks of liner in my eyeballs. It really hurt, and I've stopped using it. As for lasting power, I have greasy eyelids and found that at the end of the day, some of the liner has transferred down to my lower eyelid and lower waterline. Sadly, I don't like it at all, but I will keep using the original formula of their liners. Now those are amazing.
Have you tried the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencils? What do you think?
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
JUNE 2014 IPSY GLAM BAG. I've been pretty disappointed with the past few Ipsy Glam Bags, to be honest, because there were just a whole bunch of things that I don't use/need/like. I hate to complain, but I think that when Ipsy provides a quiz that is so detailed, they should at least honor the options, especially when I review the bags I get each month. Anyway, enough of that, this month's bag was a nice treat containing a really nice bag and a product that I have been dying to try but too lazy to go out and buy. Well, now I don't have to.
JUNE 2014 IPSY GLAM BAG
There were 3 full size products and 2 sample size products in June's Glam Bag. This month's theme is a summery Pretty in Paradise, and the bag was designed by Rebecca Minkoff. I've given away every single Ipsy bag that I've gotten, but I think I'm going to be keeping this one for myself. Hehehe. I'll review the products completely after I've tried them out. For now, we'll just go through them quickly.
Products:
Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray (retails for 8.99/4.2 oz) 1.52 oz sample - $3.25
Be a Bombshell... Lash Out Mascara (retails for $15/0.25 oz) full size - $15
Laneige BB Cushion (retails for $34/0.5 oz) sample sizes in 3 shades 0.21 oz - $14.28
Nicka K Shimmer Eyeliner in Green (retails for $4.99/0.1 oz) full size - $4.99
NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel (retails for $4.99/0.23 oz) full size - $4.99
Total Cost: $42.51
Ipsy Glam Bag Cost: $10 includes shipping
Savings: $32.51 + shipping costs
Thinking of joining Ipsy? Check it out here! That's a referral link - I think I get points if you sign up using it. If you don't want to use it, that's ok too, just search for Ipsy, and you'll find it. :)
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
How to Style a Statement Tee. I'm not much of a "blouse" girl. I really do love my soft t-shirts, and the ones with bold statements can pack a punch. Even better, is one that I've created on my own. Back in April (I think...), I shared with you some of my ideas for statement tees. I had around 4 people vote (thank you ladies!), and decided to mock up a sample tee. Last month, my computer crashed, so I lost all the fonts and files and had to create new themes, but I didn't mind. I really like the one I came up with and have already gotten compliments on it. Thank you so much!
I am a person with few spoken words. I grew up the quiet girl, and still, the people around me don't understand why I don't talk as much as they do. There's nothing wrong with being the quiet type. It doesn't mean we're shy or weak or not opinionated. It means that we think very hard before we speak. It means that we only find the need to speak when there is something to be said. And there is definitely nothing wrong with that.
However, it gets really easy for us to just sit in the background and disappear. Our minds are swirling with thoughts unsaid and feelings turning inside out. SPEAK YOUR MIND was designed to inspire you to speak up when you have something to say. Don't let others' decisions dictate how your life will play out. Your words, your thoughts and ideas are important. You are important. You deserve to be heard.
SPEAK YOUR MIND
Style #1: JEANS & FLATS
Pair statement tees with a comfortable pair of jeans and some bright flats to add some personality. A bright handbag and accessories would add a nice touch as well!
Style #2: CARDIGAN, SHORTS, & WEDGES
A patterned or textured cardigan paired with shorts and wedges keeps it looking casual but still feminine. I like soft, lightweight cardigans to keep the chill away without trapping heat.
Style #3: STATEMENT NECKLACE, SKIRT, & HEELS
Statement necklaces go really well with statement tees, and I like a good solid gold necklace paired with a white tee. Skirts add some class, and I love this ruffle skirt, because it makes me feel pretty and very girly! Also, champagne heels with gem details add some sparkle and extra oomph.
WATCH THE VIDEO!
WANT A SPEAK YOUR MIND TEE?
Exciting news! We are currently taking pre-orders for the Speak Your Mind Tee! We are trying to keep the prices of your statement tees as low as possible, so we will be placing the order once the minimum has been met (24 shirts). You will be updated every step of the way. I'm shooting to order the shirts by July 1, 2014, so please help to spread the word! :)
SHIRT DETAILS:
Price: $18 per shirt, includes free shipping (US Domestic only) International shipping cost: $8.00* see note below
Type of Shirt: Gildan Ladies Soft-Style Junior Fit V-Neck
Material: 100% Preshrunk Cotton
Available Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
For reference purposes, I am wearing a size M in the photos and video above. I like my shirts a little loose. If you do too, I recommend you order a size or two up.
If you are one of the ladies that voted - there are 4 of you, you get a free shirt! You can choose to order the Speak Your Mind Tee or wait for another design. If you want this design, just fill out the form and select Payment Sent (I will know who gets the free shirts).
*If you are an international customer, I do apologize that the shipping cost is rather ridiculous. I made it as cheap as I could. As you know, shipping internationally is quite a challenge. What I do recommend is maybe you get together a group of friends to order with you so that you can split the shipping cost (must ship to a single address). I will squeeze in as many shirts as I can into a single package to save you as much money as possible.
What do you think? I love your comments and feedback!
Have questions? Feel free to drop me an e-mail or comment below, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
Hey Sabrina Faith & Friends Giveaway. Sabrina Dellinger is one of the most inspirational women I have met through blogging. Her story will tug at your heart and really make you think about life and what is really important. She is absolutely beautiful in every way, and I am so honoured to be a part of this anniversary giveaway. What anniversary? Check out her video to hear her story. After you watch it, celebrate with us and join in on the giveaway below!
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
MAC Lipstick in Rebel (Satin). Plums are my thing these days, so of course, I picked up the one and only Rebel. It's purple, it's pink, it's beautiful.
The formula is quite nice with a satin finish and applies smoothly to the lips. The best thing about Rebel is its staying power. This shade STAYS. I've worn this lipstick well over 10 hours, and while the color does fade as the hours and meals pass, the pretty stain left behind is a force to be reckoned with. Whenever I've swatched this on my hand or arm, I've had to scrub this sucker off. LOVE that.
I like to wear Rebel as I do any other lipstick these days - mattified. Apply, blot, blot, blot, go! You can wear it amped up or toned down, it's totally up to you. As scary as it looks in the tube, it's definitely one to at least swatch when you pass by. You might fall in love!
What do you think of MAC Rebel? Do you have it? Do you like to wear bright shades?
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder Classic Ivory. It's summer time, and the rising temperatures are urging me towards more lightweight, powder-based products rather than heavy liquids and creams. At 96F with 80% humidity every day, it's a miracle I can stand to wear makeup at all. But I do, because I really like it, as long as it's not melting off my face as soon as I step outside...or while I'm applying it, which happens all the time.
I saw the new Maybelline Dream Wonder Powders in Kmart a few weeks ago, and I heard so many good things about it, so I plopped it into my basket. I've been using this powder almost every day since I got it, and I really like it! The packaging is normal drugstore packaging made of plastic, with a mirror and sponge hiding in the bottom compartment.
The powder is very finely milled, with very little product kicking up during application. Coverage is light, but it blurs my imperfections and kind of airbrushes my face for that "photoshop" finish. I like to wear this on its own and with concealer to cover up dark spots and blemishes. It feels weightless on the skin, and in this heat, that is really important to me. Lasting several hours before a touch up is needed, I like to use this for easy days and work days when I can't be bothered (which is almost every day, ha!).
What makeup I'm wearing:
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Very Fair
Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Classic Ivory
Clinique Cheek Pop Blush Pop in Peach Pop, review here
MAC Lipstick in Rebel (Satin), review coming soon
Have you tried out these new powders yet? What kind of makeup do you like to wear for really hot days?
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
The Great Gatsby Hair and Makeup. I need to make a confession. I have yet to watch the movie. BUT I did see a whole bunch of tutorials and photos recreating the hair and makeup from that time, so I was inspired to try it out myself. Here's my take on it. Flawless base, smoky eyes, red lips, and curls.
I haven't done a proper tutorial on this look, mostly because I wasn't sure what I was going to do. So, I played around with my makeup and hair a little bit, and that is the finished look. I curled my hair and swept it to the side, and I also pinned it up with loose pieces falling around my face to see which look I liked better. I think I like it pinned up better.
If you'd like to see which photos I took inspiration from, you can view them here and here. You can also just do a Pinterest search for Great Gatsby Hair or Makeup - that's what I did. There are so many beautiful recreations that inpsire!
What do you think of this look? Have you/will you try it out?
Meet Julie, The Salt Life Wife
One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing through blogging, Julie is on a journey, battling infertility. Beauty blogging and vlogging her life helps keep her positive, and that's one of the most inspirational things, her positivity. You just can't help but love her! She's started over from scratch, so head on over to her blog and her channel to show her some #bbloggers love! <3
