Beauty Review: It Cosmetics Anti-Aging "Bye Bye Under Eye"! A Must-Have for Dark Circles!

Hey ladies! 

Oh my GOSH! I have found the holy grail of all under eye concealers! Where has this amazing product been all my life?!

Let me start by saying I have wicked genetic dark circles. There isn't any amount of sleep, or under eye cream that helps with this hot mess I have going on. Those dark circles are exacerbated by my two children, namely my littlest one who has yet to sleep through the night. It has been about a year and a half since I've had a full nights sleep. I am one tired mama. And it shows dramatically under my eyes.

I have tried every under eye cream, concealer, high end, drugstore, old wives tale, or natural remedy, known to (wo)man. Nothing has worked. If I got the coverage I was looking for, I ended up with those icky creases or that crepey looking skin. You know what I'm talking about. If it was smooth and creamy and left my skin dewy and fresh looking, the coverage was minimal or it was sliding off my face. There was no magic product. 

Until... (drum roll please) "Bye Bye Under Eye" Anti- Aging Concealer by It Cosmetics! 

I will never EVER not have this product in my life again. I tried it on a (very skeptical) whim. Of course I read reviews, as I always do, and they claimed this product was amazing, but I'd read similar reviews on other products that were a flop for me and my dark circles. 

But first, how did this product come into my life? I try to keep up with all that's new in beauty, but sometimes I miss things. So, I did an internet search for best under eye concealer's (2016) and was sad to see I'd tried nearly all of the products mentioned. Except the It Cosmetics "Bye Bye Under Eye". After reading countless user reviews, I decided to take the plunge! 

I went to my local Ulta but was super disappointed to find that they didn't carry this product in store, at least not in my local store. I really wanted to test it out before purchasing it. The sales associate on the floor was a lovely help and suggested another product and even offered to apply it for me, I knew immediately I didn't like it. It creased before I was out of the chair and it gave me that dry crepey look before I was out to my car. So I went home and ordered "Bye Bye Under Eye" online. Luckily Ulta ships super fast and I had it in less than a week. Also, Ulta has an amazing return policy, so I knew if I hated the product, I could return it. I hate doing that though, so I always try to get things in store where I can swatch and test them out if possible. 

It was love at first sight for me and this concealer. Having used it for about a month now, I can offer a well informed review. 

The consistency of this concealer is unlike any that I've tried before! It has a tacky, almost sticky, feel. I hate to say that because it sounds unpleasant, but I promise it isn't. That tacky feel, accounts for why this stuff does NOT move. After I applied the concealer with just my ring finger and lightly blended the edges with a beauty blender, I set it with the thinnest layer of translucent powder. It lasted all day with zero creasing! It didn't age me one bit either! I've since applied it without setting it with any powder and the finish was equally as amazing. It literally erases my dark circles!

Before and After 

It comes in a tube which I prefer to a pump because I have even more control of exactly how much product I am using. I don't necessarily mind doe foot applicators, but I'm not a huge fan of using something on my skin and then constantly returning it to the container. I applied the TINIEST amount to the back of my hand. And ladies! This tiny smaller-than-a-pea sized drop, was too much product for my intense dark circles! This product is going to last FOREVER! 

I highly recommend giving this a try if you struggle with dark under eyes. Especially if you're like me and you've struggled with this issue your whole life, or you just want something to wake up your face. It's a game changer for me and I am an It Cosmetics fan for life now. I can't wait to try out some of their other products, if they're all as amazing as this one, I feel like I've found a pot of beauty gold! 

Like the box says, "you are beautiful" (dark circles and all)!

That's all for today! 

Love, 

Kate

*For reference I am the shade light* 

Shop! 

Beauty Blender (What I used to blend but the color was an almost exact match to my skin tone and blended beautifully)

Nail Polish I'm Wearing: Chanel Rouge Essentiel *Perfect for the Holidays*

Lipstick I'm Wearing: Mac Ruby Woo! 

Totally Tartan!

Hey ladies!

In case you couldn't tell by the title, today's post is all about tartan! It doesn't get much more classic than a nice tartan blouse or scarf. Tartan has really made its way in to other wardrobe staples. For quite some time, I didn't think I could pull off any kind of tartan clothing. Being of larger, curvier build, I was afraid I would draw too much attention to areas of my body, I didn't want to draw attention to. If you've had the same concerns, let me assure you that you CAN wear tartans, and you can look totally fabulous doing it!

I love the look of just about any tartan. When you think of tartan, you probably think of Scottish kilts. However, the earliest evidence of tartan was found in the Hallstatt culture which is linked to ancient Celtics. Different patterns represent different clans. Which is still true today. Black Watch is without a doubt my favorite tartan. It originated in 1881 worn by the Black Watch Royal Highlanders. It is still worn at present by the 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland! While that's all very interesting, I personally love it, because navy is my signature color and that's the dominant color in this particular tartan. And I just find it so very classy.

As you know, if you've been following me for any length of time, I'm continually inspired by Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, aka Kate Middleton. She is the ultimate style icon in my book. Well, several years ago she wore a stunning bespoke coat by Alexander McQueen during a visit to her old school, St. Andrews prep school. You can read all about it on one of my favorite blogs, "What Kate Wore". Click here, to see my inspiration. That coat was love at first sight for me. I knew immediately that I wanted to try to "repli-Kate" her look! Since I'm not a princess, I can't exactly hire the ever so talented Sarah Burton (head of design at Alexander McQueen) to create beautiful designs for my closet, nor can I drop close to eight grand on a ready to wear item from the McQueen line that inspired Kate's look. But there are endless ways to take inspiration from the Duchess without copying her to a T. That's the whole idea behind being inspired anyway, to take a look you absolutely love, and make it your own. Make it suit your needs and your lifestyle. Make it you.

A while back I purchased this lovely Black Watch scarf from Nordstrom. It is one hundred percent cashmere and let me tell you, it is so luxurious. It is one of my absolute favorites. It's so cozy and provides a hint of that tartan sophistication to any look! Here I am wearing it with my most treasured navy blue trench coat by Dorothy Perkins. You can learn more about this trench coat here.

I wanted to incorporate Kate's look into something more casual, but that still screams class and elegance. I took a blouse by J Crew Factory in a beautiful Black Watch tartan, over the top I wore a navy blue V neck sweater, and then to add even more depth and texture to the look, I wore the newest addition to my puffer vest collection, this stunning Black Watch vest! This would be a perfect ensemble for an outdoor holiday adventure. The blouse underneath plays peekaboo at the bottom of my sweater and at my wrists. It ties the look together nicely in my opinion. It's classy but functional and comfortable.

To keep it casual I wore my trusty LL Bean duck boots, which were a Christmas present from my husband last year. A pair of these boots usually have to be ordered months in advance, as each pair is exquisitely hand made and the quality is incomparable. I've noticed though, that you can order now and receive some sizes and colors in under a month! I have the eight inch, navy blue version. Many brands have tried to copy these classics, and you can certainly get the look for less, but in my opinion, nothing compares to the original. They are a worth while investment because they will last FOREVER. And they're comfortable to boot (no pun intended)! 

Now if that was just too much tartan for you in one look, lose the vest! Take it one step further and lose the sweater. Want to really glam it up? Add a statement necklace for some glitz that's sure to bring some holiday cheer! This stunning statement necklace by Mirina Collections really adds beauty and an element of regality to any look! You can read more about this necklace here. 

Want to add a little trend to this classic look? I wore the same blouse, with the navy v neck sweater, under my favorite camel blazer, which you can read more about here.  A pair of distressed boyfriend jeans add a trendy element to an otherwise classic look. 

A multi stand pearl necklace for a bold, but minimalist approach to accessories.

Leopard print calf hair wedges by Tory Burch finish it off with an extra element of fun. 

You could also pair the blouse with a nice skirt. I chose this black wool sidewalk skirt from J Crew Factory. I went with black tights and black heels to keep the blouse the focal point of the look. 

This blazer from J Crew Factory is to die for! It's gorgeous and I'm so happy to have it in my closet. It really makes me feel beautiful. So sophisticated and classy. Like I said above, take your inspiration and tailor it to your specific style, get the look and feel of your inspiration, while staying true to your personal style. Here I paired this gorgeous blazer with my go-to classic "Curvy" jeans by Ann Taylor. The deep navy pairs beautifully with the blazer and the classic white button up shirt breaks it up a bit. I went with classic pearl earrings by Mirina Collections for accessories. 

I wore my beloved Chanel ballerina flats, which you can read more about here. 

Button details on the blazer.

 And the surprising little detail under the pocket flap, a hint of red! 

Lose the white button up and throw on a holiday inspired graphic tee for a fun but classy look! My son loves this reindeer shirt, it allows me to have a little fun, but still feel put together. For more on how to style graphic tee's check out my previous blog post here. 

Last but certainly not least, again, I was inspired by my favorite Duchess when she wore this beautiful coat by Diane Von Furstenburg. DVF designs are pricey and not always accommodating of my large bust and curvy frame, and while you can find incredible deals on her beautiful lines, I once again found myself on the hunt for a more budget friendly alternative. Imagine my delight when I found this similar coat at Old Navy, it even has a lovely ruffle detail (while more understated) that I just adored about Kate's choice. 

The ruffle detail is my favorite part.

A black scarf by Kenneth Cole to really bundle up.

If there's one thing I learned during this blog post, it's that darker tartans are very difficult to photograph. Hopefully this photo in direct sunlight allows you to better see the beautiful design. 

The ruffle detail.

Obviously Black Watch has become my favorite tartan. But there are endless patterns. With the holidays approaching this couldn't be more relevant. Tartan's with reds and greens, just make me think of the holidays. Check out some previous looks I've done with other beautiful patterns! 

For details on this look click here. 

For details on this look click here. 

For an entire blog post on this tartan blanket scarf, click here. 

For the details of this look, click here.

So although tartan started out as a representation of the Celtics clans and culture it's become commonplace among high end and every day fashion. 

If you decide to give tartan a try in your wardrobe and have been inspired by any of these looks, tag me on Instagram @classicallycurvy

That's all for now!
Love,
Kate

Shop!

Shop LL Bean Duck Boots here

Similar Cashmere Scarf

Printed Drapey Tuxedo Shirt

Puffer Vest

Blazer 

Black Wool Sidewalk Skirt 

Multi Strand Pearl Necklace 

Mirina Collections Statement Necklace

Use Discount Code MIRINAGIRLS for 20% off at check out

Mirina Collections Double Sided Pearl Earrings 

Use Discount Code MIRINAGIRLS for 20% off at check out

Deer Graphic Tee

Plus Size Specific Black Watch Shirt (Hurry Supplies Limited!)

Plus Size Specific Plaid Blazer

There are endless options to suit your personal needs. Have fun finding tartan prints that work for you and your personal style. I hope that I was able to give you some inspiration for your closet! 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan