How I Painted my Kitchen Counters

Finally another kitchen update! A while ago I posted the final look of the kitchen and promised I would do a more detailed post on my experience with painting the counter tops! So here it is.

This idea was controversial to a lot of people.  We knew we didn't want to replace them due to the work and renovation process.  My husband and I after flipping our first house, renovating the basement in our new house as well as completely overhauling the bathroom (pics coming soon on that I promise!), are totally sick of renovations right now.  We aren't sick of house projects - we LOVE those! Just the idea of ripping things out, multiple trips to the dump, possible drywall repair, etc ... you get the idea.  

We know one day we will completely renovate the kitchen but now is not the time.  I did look into the counter top refinishing kits sold at Home Depot (made by Rustoleum) but just wasn't interested in the look and colors.  I also read they had a pretty potent smell meaning the kitchen would need to be well ventilated.  It still being pretty cold out at the time didn't really allow for that.  When comparing painting vs. the counter top kids they seemed to wear down the same way so again, I opted for the painting idea.  

Here is how I did it! 

1. Tape Edges

I usually don't use painters tape on edges when painting regular walls.  I would much rather buy a good quality paint brush and just be careful rather than taping it all.  I love to paint so over the years this has gotten much easier.  However, for this project there were a lot of little corners to get into and I wanted to make sure it was even so I just decided to tape all of the edges.  

2. Prime Counters

Next step is to prime the counters.  A good thing to do first is sand them down just to give the primer something extra to stick to.  I actually skipped this step due to being a little too excited to get started haha!  Plus this primer is awesome - it literally sticks to anything! I have even used this to prime vinyl flooring to prepare it to be painted and it was totally durable, no scratches.  I absolutely love it and it is always my go to.  

2. Paint!

Next step is to start painting!! I used the color "Swiss Coffee" by Behr - a nice classic white with a warmer undertone (wanted it bright and white but not 'cold').  I used regular latex kitchen & bathroom paint and a small foam roller.  I painted three coats to get a nice even color.  My original plan (and something you might want to do depending on your tastes) was to sand in between coats.  For this, the best is to use 220 sandpaper and lightly sand in between each coat once it is dry.  After sanding, use some tack cloth (a sticky cloth pictured below) to wipe off any of the dust.  This will provide a nice smooth look, however after my first coat I decided I really liked the textured look.  I thought the little bumps that the roller gave actually made it look like a real textured counter-top so I went with it!  

3. Protect

To protect the counters I used Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish.  I went with this water based protector because it will stay clear rather than taking on a slight yellow tone over time (that would only be noticeable with using white paint so it was appropriate in this case).  Due to the water base, the Polycrylic also has a less intense smell and dries faster so it was a win-win!  I painted three coats of this with a good quality paint brush.  I tried using a roller but found with the white paint, little bits of dust were attaching to the roller and showing up. Using a brush was definitely the best way to go in this case.  I originally planned on doing more coats for maximum durability but figured I would stick with three and see how it wears (if I get chips I can just touch up at that time).  

This all took me about three days but that was because I did it in between working full time. If not for that I could have done it in about two days if you take in to account drying time.  

So far we only have two little chips on the edge of one counter.    I am totally OK with this as I hated the counters before that much that I don't mind a couple touch ups here and there.  Plus the little marks are things only we notice - no one else would probably even see them!  Otherwise we have been letting ourselves use the counters as normal.  In the beginning we were so cautious and careful but figured I can always touch up so let's use them as normal and see how much they can really take.  So far so good! 

If you have any questions about my process in doing this let me know!  I would be happy to answer anything for you.  Overall we are so happy with this project.  I will post an update in a few months or so when we see how they continue to wear over time! 

Hopefully this post helps you if you have a kitchen project in mind or are planning on painting anything where you need that extra durability (a bathroom counter, a vanity top, a desk, etc ...)  

Have a wonderful day and as always, thanks for the support! 

The Power of a Lipstick

www.breakupstomakeup.com

Last week I spent some time with my cousin/bestie in California after going through a rough couple of weeks. 

I knew we would be doing some major retail therapy and one item on the top of my list was a new lipstick.  I didn't want just any lipstick ... but a fancy lipstick.  I am a lip product lover in general but I knew a designer brand would be a way to feel kind of luxurious without totally breaking the bank.  Most designer lipsticks retail anywhere from $35-$45 (brands like Dior, YSL and Chanel, for example).  I could have purchased something else from one of these lines but to me, a lipstick was something I could use every day.  It is something I can pull out of my purse regularly and just feel a little more fancy while doing so.  

While discussing this, my cousin Paula reminded me of the story of the "Lipstick Effect".   The lipstick effect is something that happened during the recession a few years back when most retail sales seemed to decrease but surprisingly lipstick sales rose.   According to researchers at Texas Christian University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Texas at San Antonio and Arizona State University, the more insecure the economy, the more money women spent on beauty products.  Check out this arcticle from The Huffington Post for a little more info behind this theory.  

I didn't know about any of this but in my mind just knew a designer lipstick would be a fun new purchase.  I decided on a YSL "Rouge Volupte Shine" in the shade "8 - Pink in Confidence", a dusty pale pink that is perfect for every day wear.  I think when spending a lot of money on a lipstick you may as well get a shade that you can get a lot of use out of.  I didn't want something like dark red or hot pink that I would only wear on special occasions; I wanted something that I could put in my purse and be able to wear with any look.  Why spend $40 on a lipstick that I would only wear once a month!?   Although this was expensive, I know I will be purchasing more since the quality is so great.  The color is perfect and the formula is so creamy and comfortable on the lips.  It has long staying power and a beautiful shine to it.  I absolutely love the gold packaging and it definitely feels luxurious when I pull it out.  It almost reminds me of being a little girl and watching my Mom or other ladies pull out a fancy lipstick from their purse.  Being a lover of makeup my whole life, I remember being excited for when I got old enough to carry and wear a pretty lipstick.  

I've been wearing lipstick for a long time and have too many MAC lipsticks to even count, but this is my first designer lip product.  Maybe you think lipstick isn't your thing, but I'm telling you ... next time you're down, treat yourself to a new lipstick and see if it gives you that pick-me-up you might need.  Yes there's more to life than just lipstick and yes lipstick doesn't solve the world's problems ... but sometimes life doesn't need to be so complicated and it's OK to accept the fact that yes, a lipstick might make you feel better.  My new lipstick didn't solve my problems but it does make me feel confident when I put it on and that's good enough for me. 

Wishing you all a happy weekend! 

    

I'm Baaacckk!! Spring Favorites

Hello lovelies!

Wow ... it has been a while since my last blog post!  A lot has been going on in my life these past  few months but I figured the best way to get back to being myself is to get back to beauty blogging! 

Since I am two months behind on monthly favorites I figured I would share some Spring Favorites and take you through the things I've been loving this season! 

This is a long one ... so grab a coffee, grab a snack and let's get started!!

1. Sephora Formula X Nail Polish

I have heard a lot of raves about this polish and being the nail junkie that I am I knew I had to try it.  This stuff is absolutely amazing and the hype is definitely worth it!  I am tempted to just sell all of my current polishes and buy every color of these (there are SO many to choose from)!  

Let me tell you something about me ... I have been searching for the perfect pink/nude/white/neutral nail color basically my entire life (first world problems, I know).  I have every Essie and OPI in that sheer pink shade just searching for the right one but am never totally satisfied.  I always find them too pink, too nude, too sheer, too opaque, etc.  With most, I need three to four coats to get the shade I want and then am stuck with nails that never dry and end up being forever tacky.  Ohhhh the hardships in life!  Well, enter Sephora Formula X in the shade "Remarkable".  In just two beautiful , easy and fast-drying coats I found myself praising the angels from above for sending this heavenly polish to find me (okay, okay, the dramatics can stop now).  Basically, I'll just end this now with .... try this polish people!! It's amazing!  I promise you won't be disappointed.         

2. Too Faced - Chocolate Bar Eye-shadow Palette

Photo Credit: Sephora.com

This is a recent favorite of mine as I only picked it up about two weeks ago but found I have been reaching for nothing else.  I love how versatile this palette is with mainly chocolate inspired browns with some pops of color mixed throughout.  I'll usually use one of the lighter brown matte shades in my crease and accent the outer corner with one of the darker shimmers. The bonus is this really does smell like chocolate since they use cocoa powder in their formula!  These colors blend SO beautifully and I have gotten many compliments on my eye looks with it that are so easy to create.  The palette also has two highlight shades (matte and pearl) that are in a larger pan.  I love this because those shades always get used the most as they typically can get put all over the lid or even used in other areas of the face for highlighting.  Check out my picture below with swatches of all the shades!  

3. Orla Kiely Garden Weekender Travel Bag (from Target)

Photo Credit: Target.com

 

This is a non-beauty favorite but is used to hold beauty products!  In the last two months I have traveled to both Florida and California and this bag was great for both trips.  As you can probably tell from this blog I like to use a lot of products so it can sometimes be hard for me to pack light - but this bag holds so much in a nice compact way.  It also has a brush holder in the middle which was great in helping me pack a smaller makeup bag.  I love the pattern and the fabric has a very nice and durable feel to it.  Since purchasing this bag I have also picked up two more in different styles that I'm loving just as much!  I recommend anything from the Orla Kiely line for Target and can definitely see myself getting more! 

Photo Credit: Target.com

4. Too Faced Perfect Lips Liner in Perfect Nude 

I find my natural lip lines kind of fade at the edges so this lip liner is great to just fill them in and create a nice natural looking line.  I have some other lip liner favorites (Stripdown from Mac is one) but I have found this one looks the most natural - it really is the "perfect nude"! Whether you have the same lip fading issue as me or you just need a new lip liner I think anyone would be very pleased with this one!  This is great with a nude lip but I use it with all of my everyday colors and it works as a perfect base.  The construction of this pencil is great too with a twist-up tip to always stay sharp and a comfort grip to help with precise lines.     

5. Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Fig

This is for sure a new holy grail lip color for me - the perfect neutral, rosy "your lips but better" pink.  Not only is this shade beautiful but the formula is in my top two favorites (MAC is my #1!).  One of my favorite parts of this brand is they use all food grade ingredients that are actually healthy enough to eat!  Considering we end up eating so much of our lip products this is pretty cool.  I find I'm always skeptical about "all natural" products actually working well but this is amazing ... I might even dare say they are better than MAC!  The formula is SO rich and creamy yet long wearing.  I find a lot of lipsticks can be very drying but haven't found that with Bite.  I had a chance to look at all of their shades the last time I was in Sephora and they are all beautiful!  If you are looking for the perfect nude I would check out "Retsina", and "Quinta" for another really pretty and neutral pink.  I wanted to purchase these shades but unfortunately the Sephora I was at was out of stock on many of them - a testament to this brand's popularity!

        

6. Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick

This is another great lipstick I recently tried and is wonderful for fuss-free everyday looks. The colors are very pigmented and bright but aren't too opaque so they aren't difficult to apply.  The term "butter" is so bang on as it literally feels like butter on your lips!  They have a minty feel/taste to them so they are almost a bit refreshing for summer.  I picked up the shades "Pink Peony" and "Watermelon" and my cousin purchased "Poppy" while we were out shopping.  These are all gorgeous bright summer shades and I have some swatches below.  The next one on my list is "Angelic Nude" - so pretty!  Oh ... and can we take a minute to appreciate the adorable packaging!  Too cute!! 

7. Caudalie Beauty Elixir

This is one of those products that is hard to explain.  This is a very expensive and fancy facial spray that I fell into the hype of.  I tried not to ... I tried to resist it and tell myself it was a ridiculous product that I did not need.  (Ok, maybe I didn't try that hard!)  I did pretty good and bought the travel size bottle (still, $20 for a small bottle is kind of crazy!) and, well, I fell in love.  I can't say what this has done for my skin, if anything ... but what I can say, is that when you need to freshen up your makeup halfway through the day, or if you need that extra pick-me-up for an early morning, or just that spa-like feeling after a great face mask ... this stuff is for you!  This literally smells like a spa.  Like ... if there were a perfume invented called "Spa" ... this would be it.  Last night for example, I was heading out to Target (as per usual) and felt like my face just needed to be refreshed.  I had worked a full day and was at the point where I just wanted to wash my face, but wanted to wait until I got home.  I simply sprayed some of this super sheer mist on and just felt so much better!  My makeup just looked fresh again and no longer felt so heavy.  Again, this could be all in my head but either way, I love it and it makes me feel good which is all that matters to me. :) 

8. The Balm Blush in Frat Boy

I've had this blush for a while and meant to mention it in previous favorites but then kind of forgot about it.  With the warmer months finally arriving I have been pulling this out more and find this shade really pretty for summer!  It looks great with natural skin tones or with a tan.   This finely-milled formula applies really smooth and creates a beautiful natural look.  This shade in particular is a peachy-coral matte but has a slight hint of shimmer to help give you a gorgeous glow.  The Balm  also has adorable packaging so that doesn't hurt either ;)

9.  Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

I picked this up a couple weeks ago because I needed a new body scrub and once you get one sniff of this you literally cannot leave it in the store.  I was happy to find out it actually works too so it's more than just a pretty face ... or ... pretty smelling scrub? You get the idea. :) 

The description of this from Soap and Glory is pretty great so I'll skip my attempt to describe it and just show you theirs:

Soap & Glory’s cult-classic Sugar Crush™ Body fuses freshly-squeezed sweet lime, 

sparkling lemons, sweet vanilla musk and almond oil, with sea salt, smashed brown sugar,

 glycerin and macadamia oils to leave your skin feeling smooth, supple, and sexy.

It smells amazing ... it works ... what more can I say!  If you are in the market for a new body scrub (especially with summer coming!), check this one out!  

10. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

I had to save the best for last here.  
 
First, a little back story for you: 

I have been wanting to try the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders forever (ok, since Christmas ... so 6 months - but that feels like forever to a makeup lover!) but didn't know if I wanted the price tag that comes along with them (one powder retails for $52!).  I also could never commit on a shade so didn't want to spend that much if I wasn't sure on what shade I wanted.  Basically the ambient lighting powders are super soft and finely milled setting powders and highlighters that mimic certain shades of light on your face.  To give you an idea, the shade names are; dim light, incandescent light, radiant light, diffused light, ethereal light, mood light and luminous light.  Check out Sephora's website for a great description of each.  

Well, when the limited edition palette that came out at Christmas had an online re-release due to popular demand (you get three shades in a palette for $67!) ... and it was my birthday month ... well it was basically like the heavens aligned just for me!  It was like, "Ohhh hey Alison, no big deal but we just re-released this palette you have been kicking yourself for not getting at Christmas just for your birthday ... you're welcome!"  Eeeek! Happy birthday to me!! 

Anyways ... back to the actual product.  The palette comes with Dim Light (a soft beige powder great for setting foundation and blurring imperfections), Incandescent Light (a beautiful highlighting pearl powder that is not at all shimmery but gives the most beautiful glow) and Radiant Light (a sun kissed golden beige to add a nice warmth to the complexion).  

I have to be 100% honest and say the first time I used these I didn't notice much of a difference.  I mean I noticed a subtle glow but nothing life changing.  I did notice they felt absolutely amazing on the skin and the packaging itself felt very luxurious. I knew the result was going to be natural and subtle and I didn't think it was something anyone else would take notice in.  I was starting to doubt the hype ... until one day after finishing my makeup and giving the powder another try,  ... my husband noticed it!!  Now, don't get me wrong he is very sweet and always compliments my makeup since he knows it's my passion.  He definitely always notices bigger changes like extra eyeliner, a different eye technique, a bolder lip ... but something subtle like this I wasn't expecting him to notice.  

He didn't know anything about this powder and had no idea what the purpose of it was but when I came downstairs told me my face looked like "beauty face".  If you have used a newer Samsung phone, you know what beauty face is.  Beauty face is a photo filter that basically softens your face, evens skin tone and blurs imperfections.  Hmmm, doesn't that sound exactly like my description of what this powder is meant to do!!???  Little did my sweet husband realize that he just convinced me that I now NEED every single ambient lighting powder!!  Sorry hubby ... your fault! ;) 

So after that extremely long winded explanation of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders, I will say that I am in love with these and they are totally worth the hype! 

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That's it for my Spring favorites!!  Hope you enjoyed this extremely long post and are inspired to try out some new products too!  I promise I have a lot more fun posts planned and coming your way soon!