- rainbow tag!

It's a pretty gloomy Monday here in the Midwest, so I thought on this rainy day the Rainbow Tag would be absolutely appropriate! For those of you who haven't heard of this tag (it's all over YouTube) - I've picked some of my newest/favorite products in every color of the rainbow. Side note: This is a bit harder than it looks finding each color!

YesTo Tomatoes Clear Skin Towelettes. This is not the first product I tried by this brand. They have a whole line of different fruits/vegetables all with a different purpose. I first tried these towelettes in the Cooling Cucumber scent and I loved them so much I had to seek out this pack that is specifically for acne. I have very sensitive skin and this line is all natural which means it is super kind to my face!

YesTo Carrots Lip Butter in Melon. What do you know, another YesTo product! This little guy actually came attached to the product above as a little freebie. I had the same thing happen when I bought the cucumber towelettes but got a lip butter in a different scent. I love the smell of this one and it goes on really smooth.

Sunshine by GAP. Yes you're thinking correctly, the store GAP. I love their perfumes! My favorite is probably "Blue" but when I went to GAP on Black Friday this past year this little bottle was on sale for $9. It's a very spring-y scent. Floral with a hint of something I can't really put a finger on. Either way, I love it and I feel sunshine-y every time I spray some.

Physician's Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara in Ultra Black. I just bought this mascara two days ago because as I previously mentioned, my skin - including my eyes - is really sensitive. Generally Physician's Formula works really well for being a drugstore brand and my skin reacts well with the product. I like this mascara, but it does seem to run a little bit. That may be from my allergies, my eyes are constantly watering lately, so I think I'll give it a few more days until I decide my final opinion on it.

Calgon Fresh Start Shimmering Mist. The day I discovered this stuff I was killing time in Walmart and smelling all the yummy things in the fragrance aisle. When I picked this up and took a whiff I was so shocked because it literally smells JUST like Victoria's Secret Fresh & Clean Body Spray. Now, my lady friends know that body spray costs $18, and though it's well worth it, this Calgon is only $4. Seriously. A fourth of the price. The only thing that bums me out is the only bottles left were the shimmering spray (which means some other smart women noticed how awesome it smells, too!) and I don't really like to be covered in glitter. Either way, I love this stuff.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Night Calming Cleansing Towelettes. Have you noticed yet that I'm really into wipes as of late? These smell like lavender to me, which explains the "calming" part. I really like that these wipes don't feel super wet on your face after you use them. They take off your makeup and leave your skin feeling really calmed and refreshed. Plus the package is a lovely purple color.

There you have my product interpretation of ROY G. BIV (minus "I" because I have nothing that would qualify as indigo). I would love to see you guys do your own Rainbow Tag! If you end up doing it, link me to your post or let me know so I can see some of your favorite things :)

- beauty box 5 july unboxing

Hello my long-lost lovelies! It has been a while. I took a bit of a hiatus to figure out some possible upcoming projects that I may be taking on and I didn't feel right posting things for you guys that I wasn't absolutely 100% committed to making look good! On that note though, I did receive my second box from Beauty Box Five, and I'm happy to say I'm much more excited about this one than last month's. Let's a take a peek! 

No pretty shredded paper in this one :(

This month's contents!

*1 Every Beauty Foot Smoother. I love that this is a sponge-y product because most of the products I've used that are similar to this one are handheld or pumice stone type products. The fact that it's a sponge also helps in reaching areas that are usually limited. I can't wait to try it! It comes in one size and retails for $8.99.

*2 Jean Pierre Cosmetics Nail Polish Remover Wipes. When I opened this I thought these wipes were like those moist towelettes you get at restaurants but I was pleasantly surprised to find out they're actually soaked with nail polish remover. I've never seen anything like this but the portability and ease of use really piques my interest. They contain no acetone and are packed with vitamins like E and B5 to help nourish nails. Plus you get all 10 fingers done in one wipe. This product retails for $3.99 for a pack of 10 wipes.

*3 H20 Plus Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment. The description of this product says "Younger skin is just a day away" and I'm not so certain I really need my skin looking younger, but the hydrating aspect of this little tube has me intrigued because my skin is naturally very dry. The full size product retails for $36.00 for 1.7 oz.

*4 Be A Bombshell Lip Gloss in Last Call Girl. I was a bit shocked when I took this out of the box and saw the color. It's definitely a far cry from my classic red and generally I don't go for glosses (I much prefer matte) but I figured I would give it a try anyway. When I put it on, the color isn't near as bright or rich as it appears in the tube, but it is still bright pink. If the shade wasn't glossy, I'd probably like it better, but the quality seems to be nice. This is the full size and it retails for $14.00

*5 La Fresh Travel Lite Antibacterial Wipes. Okay, guys, any of you that know me personally know I am a germ freak. I have two different bottles of hand sanitizer and a travel-sized can of Lysol disinfectant spray in my purse (100% serious). So when I opened this I was so excited to see them! I've heard quite a bit about this brand from other Beauty Box Five subscribers and collectively it's been really widely positive. These are perfect for on-the-go use and I really like the packaging. They retail for $1.99 for a pack of 8 wipes.

I have to say it again, that this month's box was much more successful than last month's. Admittedly, I only used one product out of that one. I'm excited to see what August's box will contain. As always, let me know if you're subscribed and what you got in your box or if you have any questions on Beauty Box Five!

- stitch fix round one

Happy fourth everyone! I know it's been a few days since I last posted, but I've been waiting for my box from Stitch Fix to come in the mail so I could share it with you! I've seen a few different bloggers participating in this subscription box, and as you could probably tell by my post on BeautyBox, I love getting things in the mail (even if I'm technically the one who purchased it) and I felt Stitch Fix was pretty unique and right up my alley.

The rules are pretty simple. Stitch Fix sends you five items of clothing/accessories hand-picked by a  stylist who decides what to send you based on your style questionnaire (which is super detailed and awesome!). You can choose what price point you want your items to be at - I picked the lowest possible - and what types of items you want included in your fix. Once receiving the box, you can try on all the items, which is my favorite part because since you have it at home, you can put pieces together with your existing wardrobe, and decide which ones you want to keep. If you keep all five items, you receive 25% your entire purchase - which in my box this time would save me $45. If you don't like anything, you can simply send it back in the pre-stamped bag within three business days and receive no extra charge. Also, anything you buy you get a $20 credit, which is how much you spend for the subscription, toward any item(s). It's really pretty incredible. But, enough chatter, and on with what I got in my box!

Isn't the packaging so pretty?

The first thing you receive is an envelope personalized to you with a reminder of how the box works and an itemized list of everything in your fix.

On every item there is a styling guide provided by your stylist to give you ideas on how to wear each item and what to pair it with.

Honey Punch Jackson Striped Racerback Dress $38. This dress is super soft and really lightweight. The picture doesn't show it well (because of course I had to take these myself) but the straps are about an inch thick and the hem hits right about mid-thigh. I really like that the waist is defined and gives the dress some shape.

Everly Denay Watercolor Print Sleeveless Top $38. When I first took this out of the box I wasn't sure how I felt about it because it seemed a bit shapeless. When I put it on and paired it with a black pencil skirt I have in my closet, I fell in love with it. I really like the watercolor print. As you can see it's pretty sheer, but with a bandeau top and a cardigan it's perfectly work appropriate.

Lovposh Cora Pleated Detail Shorts $48. I cannot explain how excited I was to open the box and find high-waisted shorts. They were a bit wrinkled from the shipping process, but I seriously did not want to take them off. The fabric is so soft and they can be dressed up or down. Even better, they're not super short and actually cover my "assets." The neutral color goes with everything.

Colourworks Gaia Mesh Trim Jersey Tank $38. This was probably the only thing I really didn't care for in my box. The fabric was so soft and pretty that I wanted to like it, but as you can tell in the picture it's extremely baggy on me. The mesh just isn't my taste, either.

Adia Kibur Chevron & Solid Enamel Bangle Set $38. These bracelets are really adorable and I'm surprised at how well they fit me. Usually I tend to shy away from bracelets because my wrists are really tiny and they just hang off. I love chevron lately (who doesn't?) so I was glad to see there was some included in my fix. Generally I don't like gold too much, but paired with the black I really didn't mind.

I have to say I'm really quite impressed with my first fix, and I'm going to have to decide which items I'm going to keep! If any of you have tried Stitch Fix, let me know how you feel about it and some of the things you've received. If you haven't, does this seem like something you'd be interested in?

- caitlin in the kitchen vol 1

Hello, everyone! It's finally Friday and time for a new feature. To those who know me, it's no surprise that I love to cook and with Pinterest readily available at my fingertips, I have endless recipes to try and share. Last night I was in the mood to make something so I went on to my "Yummy Things" board and picked a recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars!

What you'll need: 2 cups crisp rice cereal, 2  1/2 cups quick oats, 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 5 tbsp unsalted butter (make sure it's unsalted!), 1 tsp vanilla (which I forgot to picture), and 3 tbsp mini chocolate chips. I didn't follow the recipe's measurement for chocolate chips, I just used my best discretion :) 

Note to self - adding the honey last is probably the best idea, because the rest of your ingredients will stick to whatever you used to measure out the honey.

Make sure not to let it boil, the butter and brown sugar could burn, causing a burnt taste in your bars.

Coat the pan with cooking spray to avoid sticking.

These bars were delicious! The only thing is most of them kind of crumbled, which I noticed was a frequent comment on the original recipe page. I wonder if maybe letting the bars sit outside the oven for 2 hours might help make them less fragile, but I'm not too sure. Either way, they were so good and for the ones that fell apart, I'm just mixing everything together and eating them like granola. 

If you liked this recipe, you can follow me on Pinterest and take a look at my "Yummy Things" board. It's probably the one I pin to the most out of any other. You can click my icon on the side under my about me, or click here to go directly to that board.

I hope you enjoyed the first post of Caitlin in the Kitchen, I have to admit it's pretty fun to have a name that goes with the things I like to do (crafting, cooking). If you make these granola bars on your own, link me to a post or send me pictures. Let me know how they turn out for you!

- what is beautiful?

Okay ladies (and gentlemen), today's post is going to be kind of a heavy one. Did I hear a sigh? Bear with me. Usually I tend to shy away from discussing anything that isn't light in subject matter, but lately I've felt this gnawing sense of responsibility to address a topic that surrounds all of us. So, allow me to ask the question, "What is beautiful?"

I know, I know. I mean, I need to take my hair down for this one. It's about to get real.

First off let me say that maybe what I'll mention in this post is something you've heard 1,000 times before. Fantastic, then 1,001 times surely can't hurt! Also, let me add that I know my readers are mainly female, but I do have some who are male, so for those of you who feel this doesn't apply to you - please stick around because I promise you will find relevance in what I have to say.

Let's start this again - Beautiful. B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. (Did anyone else start reading that as BEA-utiful?) There are nine letters in this word but thousands upon thousands of women, young and old  alike have spent so much energy trying to "become" the definition of this word. There's a problem with that, right? (Rhetorical question, because clearly if there wasn't a problem, I wouldn't be typing this!) The problem is the "But if" syndrome. Never heard of it? That's probably because I made it up. But take for example the pictures of the women below:

I am guilty of participating in the above mentioned "But if" especially when it comes to these two gorgeous ladies. I find myself saying "I have nice eyes, but if I had Katy Perry's body I'd love myself even more." Or, "I'm having a good hair day, but if I could just look like Christina Aguilera everything else would be perfect."

Does that ring a bell to any of you? Don't be ashamed if it does, because it's a natural thing to look at celebrities (or even your friends) and think "But if..." and justify the things you think are wrong with you. Let me drop a bomb here though - these women, despite their success and obvious outer beauty - feel the same way about themselves. What? Yeah, really. I don't even know them and can tell you this because that's the way we, as women, are programmed. That's how society teaches us to think about our bodies, our hair, our lips - you get it.

I'm not going to try to preach to you about how you should love yourself, because we've all been told that and we all know it's so much easier said than done. Instead I want to share with you this realization I had yesterday while driving in my car. Sometimes when I'm by myself I just start talking and somehow end up with some coherent thoughts coming out of my mouth. This time, I said "Love should be unconditional. I love you because, never I love you despite." Pretty deep for a car ride, I know. But this applies to more than just romantic relationships. Your body, the thing that holds your organs and bones, but also encases your emotions and memories, is something you should love unconditionally.

Let me use myself as an example again. I can look in the mirror and point out a few things I'm okay with about my body, but I usually find myself saying, "My butt is too big. My hands look manly. My nail beds suck." (Please tell me you got that reference). I say all of these things and then I "guess" I love myself. That's the despite part. I love myself despite my big butt and manly hands. What I should really be saying is that I love myself because I have a voluptuous behind because I can fill out fitted dresses. I love myself because my hands are big enough to carry all the things I need in usually one trip.

Along with that realization, I came across myself doodling at work the same quote over and over again.

This comes from Psalm 139:14. Maybe some of you don't share the same beliefs as I do, and that's fine, but this scripture I believe is tailored to a woman's heart. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderfully! That means you are made the way you are supposed to be. Not that you can't dye your hair, change your clothes, get tattooed, or whatever it is that makes you feel even better about yourself, but from the moment you were born, the moment you were created, you were wonderful. You are still wonderful, no conditions.

I know it's hard to keep this mindset every day, especially when you have days when you really don't even want to roll out of bed. But those are the days when it's most important for you to remember how incredible you, yes YOU, are. I hope I'm not coming off like some cheesy how-to book about loving yourself and feeling awesome, because believe me I'm nowhere near being able to give you life advice. And maybe we'll never answer the question of "What is beautiful?" but we have answered the question of who is beautiful. That would be you.

- beauty box 5 june unboxing

Happy Saturday, everyone! I was really excited to come home from a trip to the city and see that my very first Beauty Box 5 was waiting for me! I've been really into the idea of subscription boxes and this one seemed right up my alley because every month you get four-five deluxe sized beauty samples sent straight to your door. The cost is only $12/month which is reasonable, especially to try out new products. As a disclaimer: I am not being paid by Beauty Box 5 to review their boxes. I pay for my own subscription and any opinions I have are solely mine.

* Just Being Sexy Body Bronzer. Beauty Box was generous enough to give me two samples of this liquid bronzer. I've had some experiences with self-tanner that weren't necessarily the greatest (read: streaky and embarrassing) so at first glance I'll admit I'm a little skeptical on using this product. That being said, I'll give it a chance at least once to see if I can maybe make it look presentable. This retails for $49.00 for 6 fl oz. You can use the code beautybox5 on Just Being Sexy's website before July 15 and save 15%.

* Coolway Cool Cleanse Shampoo & Coolway Cool Hydrate Conditioner. After a little internet research, I found out this brand is known for helping damage prone hair by gently hydrating it. The size of these samples is perfect for traveling and I can't wait to try it on my hair. The full size retails for $25 each for 8.6 oz. You can use the code BB5 on Coolway's website before July 15 to save 15%.

* Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Facial. The first thing I noticed when opening this is that it said "rose hips." Anyone who knows me knows I love anything rose related. That being said, I was a bit thrown off by the brown, molasses colored liquid in the bottle (and the fact that there was no safety seal). I'm not sure if I can explain the scent, but it doesn't really smell like roses to me - big bummer. This is a mask, not just soap, so I'm kind of intrigued to try it despite the interesting smell and color. The full size retails for $18 for 4 oz. 

* Minxxette Brush Hanger. How ironic that this came in my box today! I just bought new brushes and brush cleaner while at Sephora so this little gadget is perfect. It's hard to see, but there's a suction cup attached to what kind of looks like a toothbrush holder. You stick it on the wall and hang your brushes in it to dry. This helps prevent the breaking down and shedding of bristles. This is the small size (which is the full size, assuming there may be a medium or large as well?) and it retails for $4.69.

Overall, I'm intrigued by Beauty Box 5 and what they have to offer. I can't say I loved everything in this box, but I like having options and the ability to explore new brands that I may not have heard of otherwise. 

Do any of you subscribe to Beauty Box 5 or any other monthly boxes? If not, have you thought about trying one? I have to say, it's pretty nice getting a little "gift" in the mail!

- what's in my bag: make-up edition

Kaelah from over at Little Chief Honeybee posted a "What's in My Makeup Bag" today, and I was inspired to do the very same! I'll try to link you to each product in case you are interested in purchasing them to try on your own.

* CoverGirl Cheekers Bronzer in Golden Tan. I've had this forever (as you can tell because it's almost completely gone) and it's really cheap. I love it, but I want something more longwear, so the next time I buy bronzer I will probably end up splurging a bit.

* CoverGirl Smoothers Liquid Foundation in Buff Beige. This product is also inexpensive but I like how breathable the foundation is. My face doesn't feel cakey or heavy when I have it on and since it's mainly water-based, my skin doesn't get near as oily as it has with other products.

* Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Face Powder in Buff Beige. I have extremely sensitive skin and any time I've used Physicians Formula products they've improved the look of my skin and the sensitivity. At $12 this is almost a bit above a drugstore make-up price, but still cheap enough for someone on a budget.

I don't have any eyeliner pictured which is odd but I'm actually out! I use liquid eyeliner and I haven't really found a brand I love yet. I really would like to try an eyeliner pen like this one by Stila at Sephora.

* Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush, Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Cat Eye, Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes. These are some pretty well-known drugstore mascaras and I use all of them interchangeably. My favorite has to be the cat eye one, I love the curved brush and this one is actually almost empty. I would like to find a mascara that does it all so I don't have to use three different kinds to get my desired look.

* Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer. This product is a great base for my make-up and a must for my skincare routine. I used to never use moisturizer (which makes NO sense since my face is super dry naturally) but now I couldn't go back to my old ways. This one has a refreshing tingle due to the small amount of salicylic acid and it lasts all day long.

* Urban Decay All Nighter Make-up Setting Spray. This is my absolute new favorite beauty find. I got it on my most recent trip to Sephora right by the register (this is only the trial size) and I really didn't have high expectations for it just because I generally don't like spraying things on my face. I love it! It really extends the wear of your make-up all day through sweat and humidity. When I'm out of this one I'll definitely buy the full size product.

* Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment and Clean & Clear Advantage Popped Pimple Relief Drying Paste. Both of these products are really good. I wouldn't consider them "miracle acne removers" or anything like that, but when breakouts occur I turn to them. I've had to use them less since I got my Clarisonic Mia, but of course my skin isn't perfect.

* Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Love in Outlaw. This was on my summer favorite's list and I went out and bought it a week or so later. I love it! It goes on glossy but dries matte which is probably my favorite part. I don't like glossy lipstick. In the reviews of the product people suggest using a lip primer or lip balm to moisturize your lips before using this and I would definitely agree. The color is rich, vibrant, and longlasting but if you don't use a balm or primer your lips can get really dry. Easy problem to fix!

* Rimmel London Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner in Red Diva. I used to swear I would never use lip liner but after exhausting attempts at trying to make my lipstick perfect, I broke down and bought some. I'm really glad I did because now my lipstick looks so much more put together.

* Lipsmackers in Dr. Pepper. They don't have a specific link of this online, but I know you all know what this is! I don't wear it often, but I really bought it for the smell. It's nostalgic.

* Smith's Rosebud Salve. This could possibly be my second favorite find at Sephora. It was by the counter and I fell in love with the packaging. It smells just like roses (which may be a turn off to some) but it works wonders! I guess maybe I'm behind because Sephora calls this a "cult favorite" but I wore put it on after wearing the Kat Von D lipstick without primer and after two hours my lips were baby smooth again. Since it's a salve you can use it for anything on your skin, so I might be trying it on some dry patches and see how that works!

* I can't remember what the brand of these brushes are or if they're even the same brand, but I'm not extremely picky on my brushes. As long as the bristles don't fall out and don't hurt my face, I'm really okay with anything. The powder brush is getting kind of old (hence the crazy bristles), but the other two - contouring and foundation brush - are relatively new.

* My make-up bag is this one from Forever 21. Only $9.80 and super roomy - and adorable!

So, I hope you guys enjoyed looking through my big bag of make-up secrets (not so secret, ha!). I get paid this weekend so I'll be making a trip to Sephora, which means there will be even more goodies in here!

What's in your make-up bag and what are your favorites? Link me to a post if you do one or just comment below!