Top 5 - Travel Edition (Denver)

Happy Monday all and Happy Labor Day to all my US folks! I so do not want to go back to work tomorrow. Dah well. Let's talk about Denver and some favorites shall we?

I wasn't expecting much going to Denver. Usually when we travel for work we peg some restaurants to go to and maybe some sites to see if we have the time. But nothing really came to mind since I've never associated Denver as a "food city" and there wasn't anything I really wanted to see. Well let me tell you Denver has some good food! Even the food at the hotel I was staying at was really good. Downtown Denver was pretty nice with a lot of shops, restaurants, and people playing music. The view of the mountains was pretty as well. I will say being at a higher altitude did a number on me while I was there. I was like oh I'll be ok. Yea not so much. I didn't sleep well, I had very bad headaches and I felt like I couldn't get hydrated. So if you ever travel to Denver take the necessary precautions and drink LOTS of water.

As always I try not to take a lot of beauty stuff but then I'm gone a week. So it is what it is once I pack it all up. Here are the five items that stuck out the most.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let's Go Crazy

First of all I love the name of this lippie. Shout out to Prince. Let's Go Crazy is definitely in my top 5 of Prince songs. I think I got this as a point perk from Sephora. It is described as a vivid pink. NARS lip pencils are very nice. They are not drying on the lips and wear nicely. Since it's NARS they are on the pricey side. I would love more colors but the price gives my pause. These lip pencils are $27?!?!!! So whenever I can grab a deluxe sample size with points I jump on it if I like the color.

philosophy Microdelivery Wash

This stays in my travel bag and I use it as am morning face wash. This is a long time favorite and I have been debating if I want it back in my routine on a regular basis. I don't know if it was because of the drier air in Denver or just the stress from traveling or the meeting but my face was like YES the week I used this. It really helped smooth out my skin and in turn my serums and moisturizers absorbed into my skin nicely. My foundation application was also very nice. Getting that layer of dead skin off your face is major key to any skincare routine. If you're looking for a face scrub that is not abrasive then this is the one you want to try. You can catch some nice deals on the various sizes so keep your eye out at various retailers.

Butter London + Pantone Color Of The Year Nail Lacquers 

I go these polishes some time ago from Ulta and hadn't used them. I don't see them on Ulta's site anymore so I guess they've sold out. But looks like they are still available on Buttler London't website and on sale. When I got them I was kinda annoyed by the fact that these are the normal full size Butter London polishes and I paid the normal full sized price. I was going to return them but that's a hassle in itself. So I kept them. I picked up Greenery (vibrant, yellow green crème), Caramel Cafè (warm caramel brown), Rich Gold (warm golden shimmering beige). All three are very nice. My favorite of the three is Rich Gold. I think I may have found my holy grail gold nail polish. It's not super bright which I like and it very flattering on. I'll get a post on these up in September. There's also a palette in this collection that I've had my eye on. Let's see if it ends up in my hands.

NYX Perfect Filter Shadow Palette in Golden Hour

I went back and forth, round and round and everything in between on what doggone palette I was going to take with me. It was very annoying! I really need to decide on set eyeshadows, blush and lippies that I will take with me when I travel. We'll see if that actually happens. I don't know how I decided on the NYX Golden Hour Palette but I was happy with my choice. I also took the 4 matte NYX eyeshadow (mention in my June 2017 Top 5 post). They are good companion shadows for this palette. I mentioned this palette back in my February 2017 Shop My Stash post. I thought I had mentioned this as favorite. Guess not. If you're look for an inexpensive warm neutral palette check this one out. The shadow quality is very nice and I enjoy the mix of shades in this palette. Also you can catch NYX on sale at various stores, so you can get this for less than the list price of $19.99. I picked up another Perfect Filter Shadow Palette that's a perfect Fall palette. So stay tuned for that.

Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion

When I used up my favorite Neutrogena toner this was next on my list to use. I got this in a giveaway with a bunch of other Mario Badescu items. I had never tried anything from the brand. When I was packing up my skincare items a thought came to me. Maybe it isn't a good idea to take a new skincare item. What if I have a reaction???! I was like well whatever, we'll go with it. I did not have any issues and really like this cleansing lotion. It smells really nice and feels refreshing on the skin. Here are the claims from Ulta's website:

"Refresh and re-balance combination, oily skin. Natural astringent and skin-softening properties found in cucumber extract help minimize T-zone shine while nourishing skin with essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Oily skin gets the cooling, clarifying cleanse it needs to look healthy and revitalized."

I can say a big YEP to this. Would I repurchase this again? Most definitely. I have quite a few toners on hand now (don't know how that happened *shifty eyes* lol!!!) so I don't really need to repurchase the Cucumber Cleansing Lotion right now. But when it's time I will get another bottle.

And here's the view that I had from my room.

My next work trip will take my to Florida at the end of October. So we will see what that brings.

Next up my top 5 for August. Slowly getting back on track here. Slllowwwllyyyy!

Top 5 - Travel Edition (San Francisco)

For my work trips I am usually gone a week. So it's hard to not take too much stuff since I am going for quite a while. I typically try to take tried and true products but I also may take something new to try out. Here are my 5 favorites from my San Francisco trip.

Garnier 5 Second Blur Instant Smoother

This was the primer I decided to take. I scooped this form Walgreens when it was on sale for like $8. I should have gone back and picked up another one. This is a really good primer. It takes down the shine on my face and smooths out my skin. Foundation goes on effortlessly with this primer.  I also wore it alone with no makeup.

Serious Skincare Creamerum Evolve

Travel takes a toll on your skin especially being on an airplane. So I added this to my morning routine before both of my flights. I continued using it for the week because my skin apparently needed the extra moisture. The keep my skin hydrated and plump!

Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks

I picked up the shades Sanctuary (nude coffee) and Crucifix (deep chocolate) during the recent Sephora sale. They came the day I was packing and I threw them in my makeup bag. I really enjoyed these shades! Sanctuary is nude perfection for my skin tone. I love good chocolate lip color and Crucifix is just that. I also think that these have been reformulated. They felt a lot nicer on the lips than some of the original shades I have. I'm tempted to get more shades but I'm trying to be good.

Tarte Palettes (Maneater and Sex Kitten)

I got two new palettes from Tarte. I got them the week before my trip. I did a couple of looks with each palette to make sure that I liked them enough to travel with. I've really been enjoying these smaller Tarte palettes. Maneater is warmed toned and Sex Kitten is cool toned. The each have seven eyeshadows and a highlighter. The eyeshadows are smooth, pigmented and easy to blend. They pair nicely together as well.

Nail-Aid Acetone Spray Remover in Keratin & Cocoa Butter

I think I saw this on Snapchat and said hmmmm this would be good for travel. It removed my nail polish without any extra effort. I really like how my nails and nail area were nicely conditioned and not dry! I'm not sure how long this would last with regular use but it's great for travel. I ordered from the company's website. Their products are at Walmart too. I'm curious about their base coats.

BONUS: Qflmy Vintage Retro Canvas Messenger Bag Crossbody Shoulder Bag

I was ready to take my Dooney & Bourke Multi Color Nylon North/South Triple Zip Crossbody, Then I decided I wanted something that could hold a little more and I didn't want to spend a lot of money. I took to Amazon and ordered the Qflmy Vintage Retro Canvas Messenger Bag Crossbody Shoulder Bag in grey. This bag is fantastic for travel or even just for everyday. It's lightweight and there are tons of pockets for organization. The shoulder strap is nice a long so I could crossbody it with ease. I may order one of the brown colors and maybe even black.

And here is a pic of the Bay Bridge lit up. I was able to get out to the Ferry Building which I highly recommend checking out if you are ever in San Francisco.

I have another trip at the end of July and possibly on at the end of October. So I'll try to do Top 5 posts for those two trips.

I still have my Top 5 for May! Stay tuned!

Work Travel Chronicles: TSA

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

Ok sooooooooo...is it me or do TSA procedures vary from airport to airport? When I went through security going to Florida, I didn't have to take off my shoes or the jacket I was wearing. I didn't have to remove anything from my tote. Also my hands were swabbed. I guess for some type of residue. When I went to the airport to come back home, I did have to remove my jacket and my shoes. The TSA agents did tell people to remove the usual items from their carry on items.

I'm like what the heck??! And you wonder why people are so confused when they go through security. It's very unsettling to me that the procedures are not the same for every airport! I don't care how big or how small. With all the loopy crap that has gone on recently! Sheesh! Or am I tripping?

Here's a view of the beach from my boss's room. Pretty sweet huh?

Work Travel Chronicles!

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

I've mentioned from time to time that I travel for work. So it randomly came to me, why not create a blog series about? Some funny things have occurred during various trips. I've been to come cool places too. So I can mention the places I liked, didn't like or were just meh to me. Of course food will be talked about! Nice change from all the pretty talk. Sound good?

Stay tuned...