The Phone Apps of Champions

Ever since I got my iPhone, I realized I was dead until I got one of the babies in my hands. I didn't want one cause I am simply a person who doesn't what to go with the flow. I am an individual for crying out loud. I hate anything related to Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Vampires (of any kind), or Kartrashians (note the spelling). I didn't want to be a person who was lumped into the "iPhone groupies" demographic. It's so annoying to me. But then I got my phone and my world forever changed. Keep in mind, my phone isn't my identity. It's not permanently attached to my hand. I don't get separation anxiety when I am away from it like some people I know (hint hint). But I love it all at the same time.  My phone has really kept me organized and made me not go spaz from forgetting to do something.  So these are my iPhone apps I use almost daily. 

• Social Media: Facebook, FB Pages, Twitter, Vine, and LinkedIn- Gotta keep myself in the loop. I need to know the hottest gossip and keep in touch with my friends from all over. I feel like we never moved away. It's awesome.
  
  
  Top Left- Facebook Pages
  Top Right-Twitter
  Bottom Left- LinkedIn
  Bottom Right- Vine
  
  
• Photography: Instagram, PicStitch, Aviary, moreBeaute2-One of my favorites hobbies as of recently is photography. I have really been enjoying taking pictures and seeing things through the eye of the lens. I took my sister's headshots and took pictures for a local boutique in town of their beautiful wedding gowns. No matter where I am, I see the opportunity for a beautiful picture. I WILL whip out my phone and take a picture whenever, wherever. I don't care who is around or if they like it or not. You never know what could come of it.
  
  For those of you who have been living under a rock, Instagram is a social media site that allows for users to upload their photos/videos and apply a vintage effect to their images/videos. Everything that gets uploaded seems to have more meaning because of the effect. It's so cool. PicStitch is a way to composite pictures together so you can see multiple photos in one overall image. Aviary is a photo editing app that serves like a photo shop but on your phone. You can brighten, change color tone, add frames, change focus, crop, remove color, add text/stickers, whiten, remove red eye and blemish, and so much more. I use this app every time I take a picture. The original image I took could look like crap but when I play around with it in Aviary it somehow manages to turn out a little better. MoreBeaute2 is fairly new to my world. I was introduced to it my Melmphs on YouTube. Basically it is an app that allows for you to really edit all of those selfies and make them worthy to be in Vogue. It's a retouching application for pictures with people. You go and edit your images to make the faces in your images look flawless. What I love about it, is that there is a before and after button so you really get to see all the changes you have made.
  
  
  
  Top left-Instagram
  Top Right-Pic Stitch
  Bottom Left-Aviary
  Bottom Right-moreBeaute2
  
  
• Shopping: RetailMeNot, ShopKicks- Who doesn't love to go shopping? I don't know about you but I am a shopping freak. In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, "Shopping is my cardio." So its no surprise that I have shopping apps on my phone.
  
  RetailMeNot is a great source for all the great sales happening in the world of retail. Everytime I drive by or walk by a mall my phone instantly alerts me with the sound of a ringing cash register. It recognizes the mall and you can pull up all the deals both in the mall and online. It also works with some hotels, and restaurants. It will work with your current location to find the closest deals near you, look by categories, or the trending deals that everyone is talking about. ShopKick is basically a rewards program for you shopping habits. Yes, you heard that correctly. All you have to do is walk into your favorite store and check-in to get your points or "kicks." The app instantly logs it in and sooner or later all your purchases will be to your advantage. How so? Your kicks can add up to be a free drink at Starbucks or a gift card at Target. You can use them or save them up and get some really great rewards through the app.
  
  
  Left- RetailMeNot
  Right- ShopKick
  
  
• Pinterest- Oh yes. Pinterest get's it's own moment of glory. Pinterest is the best thing to happen to the world wide web since Facebook. Pinterest is a social media site that allows for users to post their favorite ideas, products, and more to virtual pin boards that they create and links to a website. This allows for users to post pictures of products that are then linked to their website and through your personal social media pages like Facebook and twitter. You can create a board for almost everything to products, books, quotes, DIY, photography, weddings, food, crafts and more. The sky is the limit when it comes to what you can do. I am on this thing more than Facebook some days. I just completely reorganized my boards and renamed some to keep my page fresh. This thing is completely addicting.
  
  
  
  
  My Pinterest page
  http://pinterest.com/TheRealityDiva/boards/

*Most apps are available for iPhone and Android users

To visit all of my social media pages look here or click on a circle icon on the right.

What are your favorite apps on your smart phone? I am always looking to update my phone with new apps. 

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Beauty Product Hoarder Diary: June favorites

It's that time again! 

Time to think over the past month as to what has been your most used products.

• Wet n Wild Fergie Eyeshadow Primer, For My Primas- This is the ONLY drugstore eyeshadow primer that WORKS. I swear, I have the hardest time removing my eyeshadow at the end of the day when I use this stuff. (Which is an awesome thing.) I only need a little dot to cover one eyelid. I never have to really touch up my eyeshadow during the day. Tip: Allow it a couple seconds to dry on your lid to set in place and then you can apply eyeshadow as you wish. 
• ELF Studio Blush, Pink Passion-  This has been my go to blush for a long time but because of this heat I have really been using it a lot more. I love the color and how brightly pigmented it is. 
• ELF Shimmering Facial Whip, Lilac Petal-  I first bought this a while ago when ELF products first appeared in Target (aka mecca). I thought this line has to be crap for this price. But boy, was I wrong. You cannot beat $1 for a facial highlighter. The perfect amount of shimmer and color plus it has a great fruity scent. Tip: use the small stipple brush to apply. 

• ELF Zit Zapper- I keep it by my nightstand next to my bed. When I ready to go to sleep, I run the roller ball all over my problem areas then all over my face. By the next morning, by skin looks 2x's better than it did when I went to bed. 
• Rimmel Scandal Eyes Lycra Flex Mascara-  Just all around awesome! 
• Revlon Colorstay Basecoat- I was introduced to this base coat by LaFemme5278 on YouTube. I don't use base coats on my nails. Number 1, I hated all the ones out there. Number 2, it was an annoying step. (I was already giving up who knows how much time to do them and let the dry why do I need to hassle with a step I always found unnecessary). I tried this with hesitation and was surprised. My nails do look better with a base coat. DARN IT!
• John Frieda Curl-Boosting Mousse- I have been using this for years especially during the summer when I only heat style my hair one day a week. My hair is straight and has a little curl when I get out of the shower. I let my hair air dry and then get some mousse to scrunch in. 
• Dial NutriSkin Replenishing Lotion, Extra Dry Skin-  I am picky about my lotions. They can't leave my skin feeling greasy bottom line. I have a list of lotions I like and ones I don't. This is the number 1 favorite of lotions I like. I never have the urge to wash my hands after applying the lotion. 
• Simple Eye Makeup Remover Pads- I use a regular makeup removing wipe to get rid of the majority of my makeup. I use these small makeup remover pads out of pure laziness. The thought of having to get out a cotton pad and put the remover on it. No. I like it already done for me. (College graduate right here.)

There you have it. My favorite things for the month of June. What were yours?

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Beauty Product Hoarder Diary: April Favorites

(I am starting a thing where whenever I post about beauty products or anything beauty related I am going to enter into in my diary, My beauty product hoarder diary. Let's see if I can get this problem under control. Wish me luck.)

Dear Diary,

I love beauty products. I can't lie. It's a problem.

Here are my favorite things for the month of April...

• Simple Replenishing Moisturizer- I have always been afraid of moisturizers because of my super oily skin. Well, I think I found a good product that doesn't leave my skin very oily. Hallelujah! I use this every day night after I take off the mask of makeup. When I wake up, I notice my soft skin! 
• Loreal True Match Concealer- This is my all time favorite concealer of all time. I just recently rediscovered it in the back of my face makeup drawer in my vanity. I saw beams of light appear and angels singing when I pulled it out. I LOVE this concealer. It is great coverage and matches my skin tone perfectly. But the thing that I love the most is the fact that it has a brush applicator. I don't need to pull out a separate brush. I just use its applicator to put the product on, then get rid of the excess and  blend it all in. 
• Statement Color Block Earrings- Target always hits the spot. I was in a weird mood and found myself on my way to Target. Well, I was wanting to get some replacement hoop earrings because my others have died and gone to earring heaven and I found mecca...JEWELRY SALE!!!! Those red stickers were singing my name. So many earrings. So little time. I found those blue babies that nearly jumped in my cart for $4! 
• ELF Blending Eye Brush- A eyeshadow blending brush for 1 buck. Yes, Please!!!! 
• ELF Baked Eye shadow- I have loved ELF products for a while. With their prices how can you not love the brand. I have just a lot of products eyelid primer, shimmer whip, brushes, blush, bronzer and more. But I never have tried their eyeshadows. I noticed all of the new elf stuff on Target shelves and found the baked shadows and picked up 3. (The price tag made me do it). Enchanted, Bark and Burnt plum were the colors of choice. After having these shadows for over 2 months, I use these shadows more than my others. They have great color pay off and so easy to work with. My only complaint about these shadows is that they don't have enough colors to choose from. And that is a problem. 
• Maybelline Baby Lips in Coral Crush- I keep this in my purse at all times. I use this as color as my everyday chap stick. I have other colors in the Baby Lips brand that I use on their own as a tinted chap stick but I love the coral as my everyday base coat for my lips. 
• Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Very Cherry- My go to red lipstick for when it's a red lipstick kind of day. 
• Olay Oil Minimizing Toner- Use this everyday but mostly right before I apply my makeup. I can tell a huge difference when I don't. I have very oily skin and this oil minimizing toner helps keep my oily skin under control and makes my foundation apply better. 

These have been my holy grail products for the month of April.

What have been yours?

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