Nail Polish Essentials Vol. II

Kaixo everybody,

As I spend my morning sipping tea and watching Netflix and retouching my nails, I have come to the realization that from back when I wrote about my nail polish essentials of 2015, I have only consistently returned back to two of them! Merino Cool and the All in One base coat and top coat are still going strong. I don't feel as passionate about the former as in 2015, but it's still a nice demure color that I use in the fall. However, my other choices have changed. Not because I didn't like those shades (I'm looking like crazy for Pansy), but they did their job and I can find something better.
Here are my current choices from Essie:

From top-left to bottom-right:
- Midnight Cami: The one I have had the longest, this shade is great for fall and winter. Now that I'm in Spain for summer, I didn't bring it, but it's easy to apply and easier to fix.
- Play Date: This one I don't have anymore (because it got destroyed on my trip to Costa Rica, RIP), but good lord, I could NOT STOP LOOKING AT IT. This is one I'm planning to get again eventually.
- Forever Yummy: I had A-List for a while (also got destroyed on a trip, wtf) and when deciding for a new red shade, I went with this one. I try to get a darker shade of red to complement my fair skin, and this one is great!
- Bikini So Teeny: If this isn't the most basic Essie shade there is, lmk lmao. My sister loves it, and I like it a lot better than Borrowed and Blue, but I'm pretty sure that once I'm done with it I'll go for a shade that's darker.
- Ballet Slippers: This one doesn't look great on my skin, is kinda difficult to apply because it's a tad sheer, but the QUEEN wears it and that's enough for me to love it. More than Fiji.
- Lovie Dovie: I literally just bought this, but so far so good! I was looking for some Barbie pink, and in the absence of Pansy, this will do!

While this seems an ad for Essie, I gotta say that I just really love the colors and the brand!! However, I do have favorites from other brands too!

- O.P.I. Black Cherry Chutney: I got this one from a hair styling set, and honestly, it has the best formula ever, and it can go on for weeks, unchanged. I love wearing dark hues like this, particularly in colder temperatures. I did bring it back to the Basque Country with me for the summer, though!
- Chanel Fiction: I got this one on a whim from a store that was closing for good, and I am honestly pretty pleased. The formula isn't fantastic, and I doubt that I would purchase this full-price, but it's a nice color for my current collection!

Anddd this is it for my 2019 nail obsessies (lol I HAD TO, K?) so far. There are some colors in my radar right now, but I'll probably get them once I get back to the US.

Love,

- Ane

Luscious Hair with Maple Holistics

Kaixo everyone,

Let me start by saying that while fashion plays a central role in my life, beauty has always lagged behind. Whenever I'd buy a fashion magazine à la Teen Vogue, Cosmo, Glamour, etc., I would always go for the fashion pages and kind of forget about those on hair treatment, beauty regimes, skincare, etc.

You see, the company my dad works for manufactures shampoo, gels, moisturizer, etc., so whatever he would bring home is what we would use (and we still do!), especially shampoo. I started to branch out a little when I was a teen (basically because I smelled Head & Shoulders Lemon shampoo and I fell in love). Now that I don't have access to my dad's company's products in the US, I tend to rely on the typical drugstore brands like Garnier, L'Oréal, Head & Shoulders or Pantene for my hair. I'm so simple it hurts.

Enter Maple Holistics. Maple Holistics produces all-natural, cruelty-free self-care products ranging from hair care, bath and body products to food products. They graciously sent me the Tea Tree Oil Shampoo to try it, and I am honestly sold.

I just got back from a backpacking trip in Peru, and my hair routine was kind of all over the place there (and by all over the place, I mean my hair got gross just by looking at it. And also with dust, lots of it). I relied on hotel shampoo, samples, and everything I could find in old travel-sized shampoo bottles. Now that I'm back in the States, I have started using this shampoo, and I feel my hair to be two times softer, lighter and easier to style.

As I mentioned before, I started using Head & Shoulders Lemon shampoo just because I loved how it smelled. I am very picky with how the products I put on my hair/face/body smell, so whenever a shampoo does not smell amazing or does not stay, I tend not to buy it again. The scent of this shampoo is incredible, and I can smell it in my hair all day long! It contains tea tree oil (duh!), jojoba,  argan oil, lavender and rosemary. Now, I'm not biologist/perfumer/Jean Baptiste Grenouille and I have no idea how this mix works, but I just know it does.

Apart from the awesome scent and softness, Maple Holistics does not break the bank! This shampoo usually costs 25$, but it is now available at 8.95$. Moreover, they offer free samples! If you trust my opinion (which, let's be honest, you should), don't walk, RUN!

Love,

Ane

This post is sponsored. All opinions on the products are honest and my own. The product described was provided to me by Maple Holistics. Thank you for supporting Maple Holistics and the brands that support Basque Prep!

Thanksgiving Break Haul

Kaixo everyone,

Guess what's fantastic: November being my birthday month. Black Friday being in November. Guess what's even better: No sales tax in Oregon.

Basically, my Thanksgiving Break shopping was off the charts AMAZING. Shopping in Chicago before flying to Oregon, Black Friday and Cyber Monday meant lots of money spent but also LOTS OF DISCOUNTS!

Here's what I got:

Chicago: Chicago shopping is one of my favorite because you can find hose shops that you don't find in any mall everywhere. As I said, November is my birthday month, and there are some really awesome discounts for it, like the 50$ off from Tory Burch if you sign up for their e-mails for your birthday, or the half off for your birthday month for one Kendra Scott item. I kept it simple and efficient in Chicago due to my early departure the next morning. I went to the stores above to take advantage of the birthday discounts, and to Uniqlo, which just opened in Chicago and was offering 5$ off for your first purchase in store.

You guys, the best buys ever. These jeans are my favorite, I had a pair that broke and I took the chance to buy the exact same. As for the earrings, I own the Danielle earrings in Magenta, and I love them, so I decided to get another pair of Danielles. I was gonna get the Turquoise ones, but I decided to get the White Howlite ones, and I'm so happy I did, they go with absolutely everything! And one of the best buys of the year, the Miller sandals, which I paid 145$ (+ tax) for. I'm sorry, but it screams DEAL!! You can't use the 50$ discount for the Reva flats, of the Minnie flats, but Millers are not mentioned there so I took advantage of it and BOOM! So weather appropriate! At least I'm ready for summer!

Jeans: Uniqlo // Earrings: Kendra Scott

Sandals: Tory Burch

Black Friday: It all boils down to the Sephora stop, as usual. I got presents for my family, and presents for myself. As it was my birthday present, I got two awesome Nars lip-liners for free! And I restocked on pretty much everything: Make-up, perfume, 10$ deals, etc. I also had the chance to stop by a Kate Spade store, where I bought an adorable coffee (in my case tea, let's be honest coffee is a no-no in my taste buds) mug that I've been using non-stop and the cutest table book, which has some awesome tips and recipes, I highly recommend it. Another great buy were Nikes at 40$ instead of 100$ at Ross, since Kelly works there and had a discount! Macy's had really nice door busters too, like the Tory Burch lotion that smells AMAZING.

Birthday present for Beauty Insiders in Sephora

Rollerball: Tory Burch

Pore Perfection Black Friday Set: Boscia

Foundation: Bare Minerals

Mug: Kate Spade

Book: Kate Spade

Sneakers: Nike

Lotion: Tory Burch

Cyber Monday: Something that I was sad about when Black Friday passed was that I had to pass up the most beautiful wristlet in Nordstrom. Nordstrom has a 30% off sale for Tory Burch like in the website, but only in certain items, and this wristlet was not one of them. I was determined not to spend a dime in Cyber Monday, like in previous years, but cue Bloomindale's and their sale... ALL by Tory Burch had a 25% off, plus I added a 10% off from signing up to their mailing list, and boom! The wristlet was 45 dollars off! And I couldn't be happier, it goes with everything, has plenty of space (well distributed space) and I feel like a diva whenever I use it.

Wristlet: Tory Burch

Overall, I'm very happy with my purchases. Thanksgiving break is the best time for me to get presents both for me and my family for Christmas, so I do go a little overboard with shopping. How about you?
Love,

- Ane

Mascara Roundup

Kaixo!

OK people, real talk here. If you had to choose three make-up items to take to a desert island (being VERY generous), what would you choose? Not that many people would see your already beautiful face, but have you ever wondered? Maybe baboons are judgmental, you never know. Ok let's be more practical, you have the smallest clutch ever for going out, and your make up will (and you know it will) fade. What do you bring for touch ups? Remember when I talked about how I organize my backpack? That Chanel foundation and the Revlon lip stain are definitely top of the list. And the other item? MASCARA. Y'all, mascara is bae. I have teeny tiny eyelashes, and they need some love (aka they need to look long and luscious in order for me to channel my inner femme fatale, we all have one).

I have tried different mascaras over the years, some have been good, some have been bad, some have been amazing, and some should never hit Sephora's shelves ever again. In any case, I wanted to review the three (well 4) main mascaras of my life, and hopefully, I will hear about YOUR favorite ones. Seriously, while I know what kind of foundation, lipstick, eyeliner, etc. I like, I'm always asking about recommendations for mascaras. So here are my picks:

1) Benefit They're Real! Mascara:
I don't think I've met anyone who hasn't tried this mascara. I really love the result after applying it, lashes look fuller and longer, for sure. However, maybe this is only my case, but the mascara dries out in the bottle too fast. By the time 2 months have gone by, it's painful to apply it because the liquid is pretty solidified. And it's a pity, because I love how it looks when I put it on.

Do I recommend it? Yes, but maybe the travel size would be better for it not to dry out so quickly.

2) Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara:
This was my first "high-end" mascara buy. It was all the rage when I just started college, and since all Sephora stores had it highlighted everywhere, I decided to give it a try. At first I was smitten. My lashes looked so black, long and mature. But with time, I realized that what this mascara did to my eyelashes wasn't to elongate them, but rather to clump them all together and made me look like I was a groupie of a punk rock group. I mean, the name is BADgal. I personally didn't want to look like that, so I stopped buying it.

Do I recommend it? Not really, unless you're actually going for a bad girl look. If you are, go for it!

3) Diorshow Blackout Mascara:
A friend of mine recommended it to me, and I was definitely not disappointed. If you're looking for really black lashes, this one really works. Total "blackout", seriously. While it's true that it runs a little too easy, I like to add a coat of this to make my eyes look even more dramatic. Plus, it does not dry out!

Do I recommend it? YES!

4) Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant:
So, remember when I got the perfect ready to work lipstick with my Sephora's birthday pack? Well it also came with a travel size mascara from Make Up For Ever. I know you're supposed to use those when traveling, but truth to be honest, when looking for what mascara to wear, I always ended that reaching for this one. After my older mascaras were drying out, I took the plunge and I could not be happier. This is the perfect combination of long full mascaras with no clumping and no drying out. Seriously, I feel like a princess every time I wear it. I could write a haiku for it and everything, that's how passionate I am about it.

Do I recommend it? What are you doing that you're not going to Sephora to get it? YESSSSS

Even though I fell in love with this last one, I still haven't settled for good with mascara, and like I said before, I want recommendations. Seriously, anything you may want to recommend, please do it! Plus, who doesn't love trying make-up on in a drugstore? I know I do.

Love,

- Ane

National Lipstick Day: My lip product roundup

Kaixo!

If I heard right, July 29th was National Lipstick Day (is there a national day for everything? Can we have a National Bacon Day please?). As a person who recently started using lip products everyday, I gotta say that my relationship with lipstick/lipgloss/lip stain has been a love/hate one.

As a kid, I had the typical kid make-up kits that had a million crazy eye shadows (all pink all over the eyelid, crease and even the brow? Don't mind if I do) and lipgloss. Like a decent mother, my mom would kindly suggest that I'd only use the eye shadows at home (thanks mom) and would only let me wear lipgloss. I felt like the coolest kid and would wear lipgloss to school but I honestly got tired of it very quickly. Non-sticky lipgloss doesn't exist, don't let drugstore companies fool you. You always end up with hair in your mouth. I tried to use lipgloss again in high school and I got tired again.

Later on in college, as a mature young woman that I was (lol), I decided to be daring and bought actual lipstick. Lipstick was way better than lipgloss, but it was too much for me to go to class, and I only wore it when going out, and sometimes I even forgot about it.

Cue grad school, where you have to look presentable to be a TA. I went to Walgreens, had a discount, and lip stain it is. Life-changing. I never leave the house without it. I finally found my perfect lip essential! (clap clap clap!)

So now that my lipstick story is out of the way, let me show you which lip products I own and my recommendations for you:

Lip stain:

1) Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain in "Honey" and "Sweetheart":
I'm in love with Revlon's lip stain. Seriously, it's the best. I wear the "Honey" shade (to the left) everyday, and if I don't I feel naked. As for "Sweetheart", it's perfect for a night out or for when you feel daring and want your inner Elle Woods out (we all have an inner Elle Woods, just FYI). I usually apply it a couple of times a day and it lasts a lifetime, plus it does not smear.

Do I recommend it? YES!

Lipstick:

1) Topshop Lips in "Rio Rio":
I love this red color!! It has orange undertones, which for a person as pale as me (nuclear white pale) is surprisingly perfect! It stays during the day and application is super easy (like clumsy-Ane-easy). Plus, since it's Topshop Beauty line's 5 year anniversary, it now has this adorable rose-gold packaging. Well a new stop for my upcoming Chicago shopping trip!

Do I recommend it? Yes!

via Miss Natty's Beauty Diary

2) Viva Glam Nicki I:
Unfortunately, if you are interested in this color I believe it is gone because it was a limited edition. I bought this lipstick on a whim on Spring Break in Los Angeles in 2012, and I wore it like crazy during that semester. However, the undertones of this lipstick are not the best for my cold-skinned tone, which go better with blue undertones. In any case, it is a very hot pink that I like to wear out when I'm feeling very, VERY daring.

Do I recommend it? Yes, but make sure it matches your skin undertones. If it doesn't, look for another shade.

3) MAKE UP FOR EVER Rouge Artist Natural in Copper Pink (nº 9):
I presume that every Sephora Beauty Insider got this in her birthday kit. My birthday is in November but I didn't try this till this summer. Big mistake, this lipstick is the perfect day lipstick! The color is very neutral and I would say universal, and even though it's does not pop it still maintains the color throughout the day. It reminds me of the neutral color my mom usually wears since I can recall and I will definitely use it for more professional settings like interviews, conference presentations, etc.

Do I recommend it? YES!

4) Nee Make Up Matte Lipstick in Red Star (nº 143):
This is my other favorite red lipstick. This one is the ultimate red color. Seriously, when you are looking for that red, this one is THAT red. However, I only use it one day a year (June 30th) because it has an enormous sentimental value for me, which would take about an entire post to explain, so I'll leave it there for a future post. In any case, I love it.

Do I recommend it? Yes!

Lipgloss: 

Honestly, all that I've own I've discarded. Except for the Britney Spears Curious one. I don't know if it's for sale anymore but I loved it. After all, it's Britney B*tch.

What are your favorite lip products? Is there anything that you'd like to recommend? Sound off in the comments! :)
Love,

- Ane

Nail Polish Essentials

Kaixo!

How is your summer going? I have been going to the beach, to the gym and to help my mom at work, so I have been fairly busy. However, I always take some me-time to pamper myself. In summer, I don't like to wear much makeup, but I pay more attention to my nails. Manicures and pedicures are a little more expensive than in the US here, so I have been doing them by myself. I usually rely on Essie for my nail necessities. There are SO MANY colors and the application is so easy, even for the clumsiest girl in the world (aka le me). Besides, I get a lot of compliments from them. :)
Here are my nail polish essentials:

Clockwise from top left:
- Borrowed & Blue: A light blue shade, perfect for summer! Also, it was one of the featured colors for Lilly for Target!
- Peach Daiquiri: This pink-orange-red color combo looks fabulous for pale girls like me, I swear by it!
- Fiji: If you are looking for the ultimate baby pink, get Fiji. Unlike others, it's not sheer, and a couple of layers are enough, trust me.
- Pansy: Another Lilly for Target pick, I imagine it as the color Barbie (aka my childhood idol/role model/obsession) would wear. A+ for that.
- Merino Cool: Now this color does not look like the usual summer color, and it's not. I usually wear it in the fall. However, for rainy and dull Basque days (again, it rains a lot here), it's a very sleek option.

I also want to make a special mention to another treasure in an Essie bottle:

THE. BEST. EVER. All in one, as in base coat and top coat in one. I bought this to see if it would make a difference in my mani-pedis and oh boy! It has been a game changer. Seriously, at 10$ a bottle, get one. Now. Here.

Which are your favorite nail colors? What other nail care products do you use? Let me know! :)
Love,

- Ane