Hello and Goodbye

Hello loves

I said my first goodbye yesterday; I'm not ready for this part of studying abroad.

It was honestly really sad, I'm so close to my friends and family. It's going to be a rough three months, but I'm sure it will be so worth it.

EXCITING NEWS THOUGH!!

I finally have a good camera.

Normally I would use my Nikon Coolpix [which has a broken piece on it, so it's really annoying to use], my iPhone, or photobooth, which is why my photos are usually not the best quality.

I got my birthday present early and I'm so unbelievably happy.

I had to convince my parents that this is an investment, and how essential it will be for traveling [and obviously blogging]

My new Canon Rebel t3i

Thank you so much mom & dad <3

I thought I'd do an outfit of the day today
It's nothing special, but it was really comfortable and good for running errands.

Details-- Necklace: Forever 21. Tank: American Eagle. Jeans: American Eagle. 
Sandals: Michael Kors. Watch: Fossil. Ring: H&M.

Thanks so much for reading!

Talk to you soon

XO Kara

Makeup Essentials

Happy Friday!!

How is everyone doing? Any exciting plans for the weekend?

I did a little bit of shopping and got some tops for fall. I think I found some good versatile pieces. Next I'm on the hunt for some bottoms, maybe a couple pairs of flats and also some heeled booties. I can do a haul if you'd like?

BUT the most exciting purchase I made

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I GOT THE REBECCA MINKOFF BAG!!

I have had such a rough time finding a bag for fall and was about to give up when I saw the perfect Michael Kors bag at Marshall's. It was a great price, tan leather, had a crossbody strap and was structured; everything I wanted. As I decided I was going to get it, I thought I would take one look to see if the Rebecca Minkoff bag was still there and it was... FOR $100 CHEAPER.

I'm clearly a little excited. But I'm just so so unbelievably happy.

Yay!

Anyway, I thought I would show you guys what I think are some essential makeup items. The products I have listed are what are perfect for me, but the items themselves are what I think are essentials, if that makes sense.

The perfect moisturizer 

My favorite: Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer.

Definitely one with SPF is a must. For me, I like this one because it reduces redness and doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy.

The perfect foundation

My favorite: Chanel Vitalumiére Aqua

Find one that matches your skin tone perfectly, and read reviews to see if it will work well with your skin type. If you have oily skin, look for a mattifying foundation. I have normal to dry skin and this foundation is my absolute favorite. It's light to medium coverage but leaves a flawless finish.

The perfect under eye concealer

My favorite: Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer

To make your face really glow, look for a lighter shade and one that is supposed to brighten. Even if you're not wearing much makeup, you can look a lot more put together if your under eye area looks bright.

The perfect brow powder

My favorite: Elf Eyebrow Kit

I think the best way to fill in brows is with a powder. Pencils almost always look too harsh. Make sure you buy a powder that is slightly lighter than your brows to keep the look natural. Use a small angle brush and small strokes to gently fill them in.

The perfect champagne eyeshadow

My favorite: Sephora Eyeshadow in Exciting Safari

This is the most useful eyeshadow color anyone can buy. No matter what your skin tone is, a champagne color will look lovely. You can wear it on it's own for a light wash of color, throw a brown in the crease for a daytime smokey look, or add any other color. It's just a great staple color to have.

The perfect eyeliner

My favorites: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner, Elf Liquid Liner, Drugstore Pencil Liner.

This one you have a choice with, my favorite changes depending on what kind of mood I'm in. It's really just what you're most comfortable with. As far as color goes I prefer black, but maybe for your skin tone you prefer brown.

The perfect blush

My favorite: Mac Lip & Cheek Color in Have A Lovely Day!

I prefer a cream blush to a powder one, at least for summer, but that's up to you. The key here is to find one that compliments your skin tone and can be worn many different ways. This one gives me a nice flush without taking away from my other makeup.

The perfect "your lips, but better" lipstick and gloss combination

My favorites: Mac Lipstick in Modesty and Revlon Gloss in Sunbaked

This one is definitely essential. You can wear either just the lipstick or the gloss or combine them. You can wear it just for running errands, with a simple eye look or a very dramatic one. Definitely a must have.

The perfect red lipstick

My favorite: Chanel Gabrielle

This is probably the most difficult product to find. You need to know if a more pink tone or a more blue tone red would look good on you. Do you want it bright or more dark, matte or glossy. I'm still searching for the perfect red, I think this one is a bit too bright for me, but it's good for now. Finding the perfect red lip definitely takes trial and error.

So that's it! All of my essential makeup items.

I hope you guys enjoyed and I'll talk to you soon!!

XO Kara

Reality Check

Happy Monday!

I can't believe it's already the start of another week.

Time flies.

One month from today I will be flying from Chicago to London.

It's coming up so fast!!

I'm nervous about traveling and keeping all of my possessions safe.

I'll be with my mom and one of her friends for a week while we travel from London to Paris and then to Spain. After that they're leaving me and I'll be in Spain for 3 months.

I think I'm a pretty logical person and I have common sense, so that's a big part of keeping my things safe, but I'm still nervous about pick pocketing, etc.

I'll be bringing a DSLR camera, and that's one of my main concerns. I'm planning on buying a camera cube to keep it safe inside my purse, rather than bringing a camera bag.

If you guys have any tips on traveling I'd love to hear them!

But anyway, I'm looking forward to doing a bit of shopping before I leave. Here are some things I have my eye on at the moment.

Dresses and pants: H&M. Wedges: Target. Booties: Urban Outfitters.


I'm also looking for a new foundation for fall. I was thinking of the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. Do you guys have any recommendations?


Talk to you soon!
XO Kara

Lazy Girl :: Tutorial

Hello friends!

Some people see getting ready as a chore, but honestly I spend as much time as I can doing it. I think it's so fun to be able to play up certain features and mask others. You can go from looking like an innocent girl one day to a total diva the next. While I love getting ready, some days I don't feel like using a bunch of different brushes to apply different shadows. While this look still uses several brushes, I feel like I'm taking a short cut by not switching to a crease brush. I hope you guys enjoy and I'd love to see a picture if you re-create it!

 First I applied my Smashbox eyeshadow primer, then packed Sephora's eyeshadow in Exciting Safari all over the lid with my Sigma E55 brush.

 Instead of using a dark shadow and having to worry about blending it completely, I added Chopper from my Naked2 pallet, which is a very pinky gold, to my crease with the same brush. This adds a bit of dimension but in a very easy way.

 Using the same brush again, I added a small amount of Half Baked, an intense gold to the inner fourth of my eye to shape it even more.

 I chose YDK, a dark rose gold shadow and applied that to my lower lash line instead of eyeliner. For this I used my Sigma E30 brush.

 To highlight my brow bone I added Foxy, a matte cream color with my Sigma E40. This will also get rid of any harsh lines.

 Next I added a thin line of my Elf liquid liner and I winged it out, as always.

 You might remember I mentioned in a post during winter how I used to neglect filling in my brows. Not the case anymore. I feel like my makeup isn't complete until I do them. I simply use the powder from my Elf Brow Kit and fill in my brows with my Sigma E65 brush using short strokes.

 I have been using the Clinique High Definition Lashes mascara lately. The dual sided brush is what caught my eye in the department store. It has a normal side, but also a very firm, short side to really separate lashes. First I curled my lashes, then applied several coats.

 This photo doesn't do the eyes justice; it's more pigmented in person.

I finished the look by applying a Bouncy Blush in Pink Frosting, and my Buxom Lipgloss.

Sorry I don't have a better quality photo, but this is the finished look!!

Talk to you dolls soon

XO Kara

Template

Happy Monday all!

These weeks have been flying by.

I hate when you have so many plans for summer and there simply isn't enough time to get them all done.

Today I'm going to 6 Flags with a couple friends though! I'm really excited. I love roller coasters. Do you guys?

Anyway, these linen shorts are definitely some of my favorites for this summer. They're light, which is perfect for hot days. They also have a laid back feel with the loose fit and tie waist, but the dark color keeps things polished.

One of my favorite ways to style them is with a loose button up that I tie at the waist. This is kind of a template I go back to and find different ways to accessorize it.

The first look I kept really simple. Similar colors with a pop from the leopard shoes. I wanted to mimic the shape of the neckline by adding a necklace. It's delicate but adds dimension to the outfit. I also went for my go-to top knot when the weather is so warm. It's nice to get all my hair out of the way, but also do it in kind of a chic manner. This casual pairing is perfect for running errands and shopping.

Details-- Shirt: Old Navy. Shorts: Hollister. Loafers: MIA. Watch: D&G. Necklace: Forever 21.

This is another no fuss pairing. This time I chose a lighter shirt with some dark detailing. I added a few more bracelets with the same watch and a straw sunhat to give this similar look a different vibe. I left my hair down and sprayed in some salt water to add texture and create beachy waves. Overall this is really laid back and perfect for just hanging out with friends.

Details-- Shirt: PacSun. Shorts: Hollister. Sandals: Michael Kors. Bag: Coach. Watch: D&G. Bracelets: Lucky Brand. Hat: Forever 21.

Thanks so much for reading dolls!

I'd love to hear how your summers are going. Have you done anything exciting?

Talk to you soon

XO Kara

Recap

Hello blog friends!

I've been terrible at posting lately and I'm mad at myself for it. I'm sorry :(

A good way to keep up with what I've been doing [and eating] recently is through Instagram. My username is ktimmel.

Here are some things I've been loving lately!

amaretto & coconut gelato

bright colors & floral patterns 

 picking up lunch from the grocery store

 sneaking my favorite denim shirt into my summer wardrobe

 waking up, reading & having my coffee while getting some sun

 kayaking

sushi

 gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff bag that is STILL and Marshalls and is still tempting me

DIY chair to complete my makeup desk 

wheat bagel with garlic & herb cream cheese, turkey, lettuce, onion, & sun-dried tomato spread

having a great time at Summerfest

editing photos with the app "Diptic"

So that's a little peek into what I've been doing lately!

What have you been up to?

Love you all

XO Kara