20 random facts about me

Hey guys!

I thought this would be kind of fun to post to let everyone get to know me beyond the makeup! Hope you enjoy and learn something new... here goes nothin'.

ME! Where it allllll started :)

ME! Where it allllll started :)

1. I could actually live on chips and guacamole. (I make a mean guacamole) It's literally my FAVORITE snack that I could never get sick of.

2. I loooove to cook. People aren't lying when they say its therapeutic. It also allows you to be creative.... and I'm pretty good at it if I do say so myself :D

3. I'm not a cat person at all. There's been some that don't really bother me that much, but DOGS ALL DAY EVERYDAY.

4. My sister is my BFF. As corny as that sounds, we're very close and are together constantly. Probably the closest thing you can get to twins without being born on the same day.... or looking alike lol.  <3 LOVE YOU SISSY <3

5. I've never had a cavity. 

6. I'm the opposite of OCD. Nothing I have is organized and to even hear the word "organizing" makes me cringe... it's actually a quality I wish I could change but for some reason I can't haha

7. I own way more gym shoes/sneakers than I do heels.

8. Coffee has no effect on me. It doesn't wake me up or become more alert, but I still think I need it and have it just about everyday. Maybe it's just the taste? 

9. My nail left thumbnail fell off in elementary school after I slammed it in my grandma's car door. It was truly disgusting.

10. Dark chocolate >>> milk chocolate. White chocolate is nasty to me. 

11. I definitely want to travel to more places in Europe. I went to Italy last year for the first time and it was AMAZING, but left me wanting to see more. 

12. I hate winter, especially winter in Chicago. They're long and miserable. If I never saw a single snowflake for the rest of my life, I couldn't care less. 

13. I hate floral perfumes. One whiff can ruin my whole day and give me the worst headache. 

14. I was named after both of my grandmothers. Lena is my dad's mom and my middle name, Joanne, is my mom's mom.

15. When I was younger and someone would put on a scary movie at sleepovers, I would pretend to fall asleep so I would't have to watch and get scared LOL

16. My very first concert was the Backstreet Boys. My dad surprised my sister and I with them after school one day and we left to see them that night. 

17. I am seriously blind. My prescription is -6.25. Anyone who I let put my glasses on might as well be wearing drunk goggles. 

18. If I can see any artist in concert, living or dead, it would be Michael Jackson. HANDS DOWN

19. My finger/toenail polish HAVE TO MATCH. Always. 

20. My grandpa went to England when I was younger and brought my sister and I back those huge Spice Girls platforms. I'm pretty sure I didn't take them off for a week. I was obsessed. 

Hope you all enjoyed this! Have a great week <3

xo, Lena

First blog post. yayyyyyy *skin care must haves*

Hey, everyone!

Sorry its taken me so long to finally post, today is the first day that i finally have nothing going on... I'm new at this so bare with me! 

So as we all know, perfect makeup starts with beautiful skin. Of course we all have our lazy days here and there, but I really try my best to keep up with my skincare regimen. Let me tell you a little bit about my skin: so for the most part its balanced. I do get the occasional blemish from time to time but thats pretty much it. I would classify my skin as normal/combination because I definitely see some oiliness only in my T-Zone area throughout the day... but other than that its pretty normal with regular sized pores. Its mid February in Chicago so everyones skin is a little more dry than normal, but I do think these products below really help out with that.

Here are some products that I absolutely LOVE and would recommend to you if you have a similar skin type as me:

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser - 16 oz $36


This is my holy grail cleanser. Seriously THE BEST. It takes every trace of makeup off without even having to use an eye makeup remover. I would say any skin type can use this, honestly. It doesn't leave your face feeling dry or "stripped" of natural oils even though it takes everything off. I use this with my Clairisonic or alone with a wash cloth. I typically buy the 16 oz one which is one of the larger sizes because everyone in my house uses it. You can also use it to clean your brushes! This can be found at Macy*s, Ulta, Sephora, and Nordstrom for sure. Can't live without it!


Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate - 30 ml $67

So this is actually a new product for me, but so far so good. I got it as a sample at Sephora, but I have a feeling I may purchase the full size. The purpose of this serum is to rid your skin of the effects of pollution or free radicals that can be found in the air and to prevent premature aging. Yes, it is a splurge... but a little goes a long way. You need a pump and a half for your whole face. MORNING AND NIGHTTIME USE. If you're in your 20s, like me, you can use this alone before your moisturizer and after your cleanser/toner. If you're a mature woman who uses other anti-aging products, you would use this before your targeted serum. I've been using this for about a month and a half now and have definitely noticed a change in the overall texture and firmness of my skin. The only thing is this product is pretty heavily scented, so if thats something that will bother you I wouldn't recommend this. I picked this up at Macy*s but is sold at other fine retailers and Sephora. 

Lush Cosmetics Celestial Facial Moisturizer - 1.5 oz $25.95

LOVE this stuff. So as I mentioned before, I do get oilier in the T-Zone area. I'm extremely picky with moisturizers. I don't really like super heavy ones because I feel like it just adds excess oil to my face. I still want them to get the job done without feeling greasy. I find that with this one I'm getting the moisture I need without feeling like I dipped my head into a vat of oil. It has a light, fresh scent and is very concentrated, so you don't need a lot. It comes in a jar container instead of a pump, so it can be easy to use too much product. Try to be conscious of that. I will say that this is a bit heavy for the summer months. The minute its starts to get warmer out I will probably not use this but its PERFECT for the fall/winter months in Chicago. You can purchase this at Lush retailers or online at their website. 

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment - 0.5 oz $24

This exfoliator will have your face as smooth as a baby's butt... LITERALLY! I use this a couple times a week and it really sloughs off all that nasty, dead skin without being harsh on your face. If your skin is sensitive, I would probably only use it once a week because it does tingle a bit. If you leave it on for a couple minutes after applying, it will really penetrate and work even better. this is sold at fine department stores and Sephora. 

Fresh Rose Hydrating Eye Gel Cream- 0.5 oz $41

This eye cream instantly brightens up my eye area making me appear more awake. It has a nice glow to it and love how its a gel cream formula. I feel sometimes pure creams are too greasy. This is great for someone young who wants an eye cream to brighten and de-puff. It doesn't help that much with wrinkles, but thats not too much of a concern for me now... definitely in the future, though! I got this at Sephora. I don't really love the rose scent (hate florals, gross) but I look past it cause I love this so much :)


There you have it! I really hope this helped some of you! I will probably do another skincare post about my favorite masks... stay tuned! Now get off your phone/computer and enjoy this gorgeous weather. Love yousss <3

xo, Lena