The Twenties Girls Has Moved!

Hi everyone! The Twenties Girl has now moved to Wordpress, and I'm blogging under a new name. Please follow my new blog, The 219.

Thank you and happy Friday!!

Dots

J. Crew dress | Nine West heels | Coach wristlet | Vogue Sunglasses | Loft Necklace | Nicole Miller bracelet

 

 

 

 

 

It's not very often I have the opportunity to dress up in girly dresses and enjoy the sunshine. My week days are usually spent in work attire (pencil skirts, heels, blazers, etc.) followed by gym clothes after work, and by the time weekends roll around, I just want to be in a tshirt and jeans. I decided to break out of my comfy clothes and wear this cute, feminine dress to church this morning. I love how the dress is kind of a neutral palate - I can add various colors and patterns to totally change up my look, pair it with a cardigan and heels for a dressier vibe, and tone it down with a denim jacket and flats.

 

Product Review

A typical trip to Sephora involves going in for something specific, not buying it, and leaving the store with about 5 other products. I have been wanting to find the perfect nude lipstick or a couple months now, but I can't seem to find a shade that suits me best. I have a fair complexion, and I don't think nude lips work that well with my skin tone. I did find a lipstick I absolutely adore, even though it's not the shade I was looking for. I'll tell you about it in a bit.

My makeup routine is pretty much the same everyday, but I have been experimenting with new products and am trying to find the perfect ones for my skin. I'm pleased to say that the new products I have tried really have great, lasting effects! I thought I'd share my opinions of the following products because I am really happy I tried them!

Benefit Watt's Up! Highlighter - $30

 I have never used an actual highlighter before. I have always swept a shimmery light-colored eye shadow around my cheekbones, and until now, was satisfied with it. I really like how easy the Benefit Watt's Up! Highlighter is to apply. You just sweep it on and blend it in with your finger. How much easier could it be?! I also love this highlighter because it's the color of my skin, so it adds just the right amount of shimmer and light to my face. I definitely recommend it!

bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer - Brightening - $23

Believe it or not, I have never used a primer either! Because I go through phases of liking and hating my foundation (and end up trying all sorts of different ones), I thought I'd give primer a try. The problem I have with foundation is that it never seems to be enough - no matter how much I put on, I still have uneven red spots and it is worn off by the evening. Instead of buying even more foundation, I thought primer might be the answer to evening out my skin without caking on makeup. I absolutely LOVE this primer. It added a nice hint of highlighter to my face, which made me appear more alert and brighter. It also created a really great slate for applying foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, blush, and highlighter. My makeup lasted all day, and I could not have been happier with the results!

bareMinerals Active Cell Renewal Nigh Serum - $50

Even though I'm in my early 20s and have been blessed with a good complexion, I have been really trying to take care of my skin and take all preventative measures as possible. I always use a night cream with retinol to prevent wrinkles, but I wanted to take my nightly skin care routine to the next level. The bareMinerals Active Cell Renewal Night Serum left my skin feeling hydrated and soft in the morning. My face was a tad on the greasy side when I woke up, but I just rinsed my face off and that took care of it! My face sees a lot of makeup during the day, so it's only fair that I treat it right at night! So far I really like this serum, so I am going to keep using it to see if I notice lasting effects.

Too Faced La Crème in "I Want Candy" - $21

I am a lipstick fanatic. I firmly believe that a great shade of lipstick and a pair of heels can make any girl's day brighter! I am so happy I discovered the new Too Faced La Crème lipstick. My usual lipstick routine consists of exfoliating my lips, putting on a layer of Chapstick and then the lipstick. Even though I still like to exfoliate my lips before putting on lipstick (exfoliating removes dead skin and ensures a smooth application), there is no need for a layer of Chapstick before the lipstick. So not only is it moisturizing, but the color is amazing and lasts for hours! I even wore this lipstick today while I was at the gym (yes, I wear lipstick to the gym!) and it lasted throughout my workout. I will definitely be adding different shades of La Crème to my lipstick collection! 

The Basic Cupcake: Chocolate & Vanilla

I promised my co-workers I would make them cupcakes last weekend, so I quickly whipped up a batch of my favorite chocolate recipe. It's a really easy recipe to follow, and I love that it uses water to add to the moistness of the cake. As for the vanilla buttercream, I usually don't use a recipe unless I'm trying something different. I have made buttercream frosting so many times I know it like the back of my hand! I typically use a pastry bag and metal tip to frost my cupcakes (I don't know the size off-hand) and always like to top them off with sprinkles! Half of the sprinkles intended for the cupcakes usually don't make it that far - I  end up eating them - so I have learned to decorate sparingly :)

Here's the recipe I used to make the cupcakes. It's a mint chocolate cake recipe, but I have never followed through with the "mint" part of it. I've included it in the recipe in case anyone wants to make mint chocolate cupcakes (If you do, please let me know how they turn out!) You can find the original recipe here.

// Mint Chocolate Cupcakes //

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

48 Andes® Mints, divided use

// Directions //
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. 

Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Gently press one Andes Mint slightly into the surface of each cupcake. Take care to spread the batter over each mint. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched.

Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

**note: I baked mine for 17 minutes and they turned out perfect. Also, I added about 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

// Vanilla Buttercream //

Since I didn't follow a recipe for my buttercream, I have provided links to a couple different recipes that are similar to what I use!

Simple Vanilla Buttercream

Vanilla Buttercream

Billy's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla Buttercream

**note: my secret ingredient is about 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. It gives frosting a rich, creamy texture.

The Perfect Mix

J.Crew Shirt | Limited Skirt - similar here | Cosmopolitan Wedges - similar here | Necklace purchased here

I work in a casual office but still try to wear a skirt and heels during the week. I like this look because it combines the perfect mix of a couple different elements - my shirt is very casual but my shoes and skirt dress it up. I've been trying to come up with different ways to style my pencil skirts, and I definitely like the casual/dressy mix and unexpected color combination. I refuse to be a white shirt/black skirt, one-dimensional, creativity-lacking employee, so I might as well have fun with my clothes!