RACHEL
Denim Vest
     Considering Tessa and I frequently end up wearing nearly identical outfits, it should come as no surprise that I've chosen a denim vest. I added this to my wardrobe this past summer and have essentially worn it year-round since. This is fantastic to throw over a zip-up hoodie during the cooler, rainy days of spring. However, it's also helpful to bring along to pop on over a t-shirt if things are a little warmer. I even pair it with summer dresses when I want to keep my look casual. A vest allows me to layer up, without completely masking my outfit underneath. Sorted. (P.S. - see it styled here).



TESSADenim/Hoodie Jacket
     This jacket has been a well-loved staple in my wardrobe for about a year and spring is no exception to breaking it out. I've found that it's the perfect layering piece for when the weather is starting to warm up but it's not quite time to rock a t-shirt or tank top solo. The mix of fabrics give a laid back vibe to any outfit, and the fact that it's light denim and grey means it goes with pretty much my entire closet. I usually pair it up with leggings and a longer tank top or oversized t-shirt or dark wash jeans and a basic t-shirt with a statement necklace.



TORI
Ankle Boots
     I bought these at Forever 21 awhile ago and have been wearing them constantly. They are easily dressed up or worn casually. They are perfect for the spring transition because they can be worn with pants (like shown) or with shorts or a dress. Bonus: they are clicky. Who doesn't enjoy a good shoe that clicks?

This may seem a bit like an oxymoron, but hey, it happens. You buy all of the things, you want to try them out, your forever favorites get moved to the bottom of the drawer. I recently was gifted a really nice makeup storage, by storage I mean it is seriously a small dresser, by my mom. Anyway, the whole reorganization of makeup allowed me to rediscover some long-lost loves.

Anastasia Brow Whiz in Ash Blonde
I have seen numerous people talk about this in their videos or just use it in general. This lead me to dig mine out of the drawer and give it another go. I had been madly obsessed with using my MAC paint pot or my Hourglass Arch Sculpting Pencil but wow. When I used the Brow Whiz again, I couldn't stop. It honestly gives you the most natural looking brows. I find I can really shape them with this and then I will typically go over them with the Benefit Gimme Brow just to add some color.

MAC Eyeshadow in Cranberry
I picked this up last fall because I felt like I needed a wine colored eyeshadow in my life (helloo, I have green eyes). Annyywhooo, it wouldn't be a complete post if I didn't mention MAC at least once. This eyeshadow is perfect on it's own blended out or it can be used in a more complex look. When I wear it to work I typically just blend it out and call it good. At first the color kind of seemed daunting but it's actually extremely wearable. Let's be honest, it probably seemed daunting because it wasn't a neutral.

Em by Michelle Phan Lipstick in Nude
I actually received this in my ipsy bag quite awhile ago and it seemed to fall into the bottom of one of my many lipstick bags rather quickly. Yes, there are multiple, there's even a drawer now that doesn't even contain them all (oh, the perils of life). The first thing that I remain impressed about this nude is that it doesn't make me look like a corpse. It's the perfect shade, and it adds just enough to your lips without having to wear a gloss. The finish is really lovely. That being said, if you're looking for something long lasting, this isn't it. With this being a nude shade, it's extremely easy to reapply at work or school. I may be in it just for the shade, but who can blame me.

What makeup has made a comeback in your routine?
xx Tori

TORI
Bambi- Tokyo Police Club
     Tokyo Police Club has been an old favorite of mine and they made their way into my Spotify playlist and I haven't stopped listening to Champ (2010). They have an interesting sound; it's not super indie, but I really am not sure how to describe it. Wow, not helpful, I know. Anyway, it was pretty difficult for me to pick a song because I have just been listening to this album straight through. This is actually a band that I can listen to while studying; which is pretty weird because I need absolute concentration, no vocals, while I'm studying.


TESSA
Salute - Little Mix
      So I'll be honest, I was not on the Little Mix bandwagon at first. In my book, nothing could (will ever) beat the Spice Girls so I was a little reluctant. Not to mention I have insane hair envy of all of them. Perry was actually one of my inspirations to go back blonde. Anyway, I started listening to their newest album after I became obsessed with Move, which is ridiculously catchy, much like the rest of their album. As per usual, I'm obsessed with the beat of this song and it's an awesome one to blast with the windows down. This has been making the rounds as one of my most played for about a month now. If you want a glimpse into how talented these girls are, listen to Boy off this album. A freaking plus, ladies.


JENNY
Days - The Drums
    My music has been in desperate need of a pick-me-up now that spring has finally arrived. Since my favorite band for the summer is Best Coast, I created a Spotify radio station (no commercials, unlike Pandora) for the band. Cue a ridiculous amount of new bands to listen to! I came across this song by The Drums and was immediately hooked.








RACHEL
People Are Strange - The Doors
     It's been a bit of a stormy week in KC, so I was all about a laid back musical selection. Not to mention I'm just ever so slightly yet totally over school all together. So in comes The Doors. "People Are Strange" is obviously one of their most popular tracks but it's always been a favorite of mine. Don't quite know where you've been if you've never heard it, but don't worry it's easily accessible on Spotify. Big shout out to "Wish You Were Here" from ma home boys Pink Floyd too.

TORI
MAC's Pink Nouveau
    I really tried to pick a lipstick that wasn't MAC, but here I am. After yesterday's post I thought I would go ahead and pick a spring lip color that wasn't massively bold. Pink Nouveau is a really nice shade of pink. It is just opaque enough to really show through but not in a bubble gum, Barbie pink way. The formula of this is amazing and is actually pretty versatile with different shades of lip liner. My favorites would be Shock Value (MAC) , which will get you to a really bright, neon pink, and Dynamo (MAC).

    Here at FBG, it seems that we have all been getting on the lipgloss bandwagon (and I fully blame Essiebutton). At first it was a bit of a struggle to balance everything out and figure out just the right pairing for makeup. I would guess about 90% of my lip color involves stains or a matte finish, so gloss seems downright crazy. Instead of going straight into buying a lot of glosses, I thought I would incorporate products that I am already comfortable with just to help me get used to them. This involved lip pencils. I know a lot of people seem to be terrified of them because they automatically think the colors don't match and they will look like something out of the 80's or 90's. If used correctly, they really enhance the colors in whatever you are using.
     The gloss that really got it started for me was the YSL Glossy Stain. I know I have talked about this before, but it really is just amazing. It does have a bit of that glossy stickiness to it when you first apply it but that quickly sets into a really nice liquid lipstick kind of texture. I only own one of these but I already have a couple more colors that I am eyeing. I own the color 16 Pourpre Preview. I thought I would just show you guys how I typically would wear this. The lip pencil I am using is Dynamo by MAC. This lip pencil just enhances the glossy stain and takes it to a vibrant magenta hue that is just really nice for spring. Not to mention, the lip pencil makes the glossy stain last a bit longer.


What color combinations are you guys loving?
xx Tori

TESSA
Get Me Some of That - Thomas Rhett
I'm not exactly sure what took me so long to post this song because this is my JAM. Seriously, anytime this song comes on it's an automatic reflex to blare it and sing at the top of my lungs. I just don't think it's possible to find a better song to put you in a great mood. For whatever reason it reminds me of my freshman year of college and since I'm verging on starting my final year in just a few short months, I'm all about living it up as much as possible throughout the next year. Which means reverting to my freshman habits, and I'm not even mad about it.





TORI
Never Matter- Toro y Moi
     At the beginning of the week was I was suffering from a bit of post concert depression. That being said, I had to stop listening to that band and pull myself back up (post concert depression is a real thing, okkaii?). Anywho, Toro y Moi and Blood Orange definitely did that for me. I actually haven't listened to this song in awhile, but once I started, I haven't been able to stop. If you've ever heard Blood Orange (which I hope you have because Dev Hynes is wow), Toro y Moi sort of along the same line.





jenny
Fineshrine - Purity Ring
     I stumbled across this band because a good friend of mine added them to one of his playlists I follow on Spotify. I think I heard about 30 seconds of this song before realizing I had a new obsession. This is the perfect study music for me. It's electronic, it's chill, it has ethereal vocals, it's perfect. The entire album has a similar vibe to it as well. I highhhhhhly recommend them if you're looking for a new band to discover and place on repeat for the next four days.

tori
Revlon Color Enamel in 211 Charming
     I think my love of lilac polish goes back to a video I saw where Lisa Eldridge was wearing one (lame, I know). It just looked like the epitome of spring. Even though it's actually snowing right now, I have some pastel love going on. I've had this polish for quite some time and I just keep going back to it because it is just the perfect shade for my skin tone. Like other Revlon polishes, the formula on this is A+.

tessa
Ruby Wing Color Changing Polish in Peony
     I'm not so sure that I'm in love with the color changing aspect here, but I do love the color it applies as, which is a beautiful pastel-neon coral (which changes to a dusty rose with sun exposure, btw). It's a bit more summery than spring, but I'm skipping seasons at this point and don't even care. I'm in love with the whole neon-pastel trend. Honorable mention to Birchbox & Color Club for their collaboration collection last year because that was on point in that regard. My only complaint about this polish is how it applies. It took me about 4-5 coats to get the opacity I wanted and even then it was still streaky near the base of the nail. Setting that aside, I love everything else about this polish, and I think it will definitely be one to live on my nails this season.


jenny
Essie Nail Polish in Sunday Funday
     As most nail polish purchases are in my life, this shade was an impulse buy while in the beauty department of Target. That is a dangerous store, I tell you. I'm not a huge fan of pink as far as wearing it in my clothing (except for scarves) but when it comes to beauty, pink and I are best friends. During the summer and spring I tend to get tan due to my wonderful Italian genes and this nail polish really pops against the darker skintone. As of right now, it's popping against my translucent skin but that's alright. This shade is a bright pink with a bit of shimmer in it and it applies pretty opaque. I would still recommend two coats, however.

Hey y'all, we had some beautiful weather today, which of course meant I needed to be outside and enjoy it. I had some errands to run and whatnot and I thought I would show you how I did my makeup today. xx Tori

TESSA
Sing - Ed Sheeran
I have had over 2 years to prepare myself for Ed Sheeran to release new tracks, and I'm still not ready. Ed is by far one of my favorite artists but he's also pretty painful to listen to. And I mean that in the same way as when I say it's painful to listen to One Direction. They all just make me mad. I had actually been avoiding listening to Ed's new single but driving to class ended up hearing it by accident. It's a different feel from his last album, and it took me listening to it about 3 times in a row to actually get a good hold on it and decide that I like it. So if you'll excuse me I'll now be dying until June.



RACHEL
Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations
      This week has been dragging on, so I seriously needed something to revive me. My brother put together a MoTown Spotify playlist and that has essentially been all I've listened to this week. It is a good switch up from the typical boy bands I turn to when I'm tired of productivity, but still have several hours of work/school left. The Temptations are catchy and awesome, which is obviously all I need from music. Otis Redding's These Arms of Mine was a strong contender this week. I really can't believe I don't listen to it more often. Spotify has a few good MoTown albums which could substitute for this playlist.

TORI
MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NC15)
     I know I've mentioned my struggle of finding a good concealer before and I still haven't found my holy grail product. The Studio Finish Concealer is the closet I've come though. I typically use the Revlon Photo Ready concealer for redness, but Studio Finish is great for under the eyes. I'm convinced that nothing will ever completely cover my dark circles, but this does a fine job. It has SPF 35 which makes me feel pretty good about this product. Using a moisturizing under eye cream is necessary when using this product to ensure it doesn't look cakey. I really like applying this with the tip of my Real Techniques Sponge.

JENNY
Sonia Kashuk All Covered Up (01 Porcelain)
     Soooo I apparently completed spaced that the Tuesday Talk this week was on concealer since I did my post on concealers last week (oops). However, this time I uploaded a picture so y'all could get a better understanding of the consistency f this product. It's a little wetter than MAC Studio Finish but I feel that they could be comparable. This product blends well and matches my skintone almost perfectly but I believe there are only four different colors. I usually just use my finger (I know, poor form, but I'm a girl on the go). It also has pretty nice packaging for the drugstore, albeit a little bulky for the amount of product inside. However, this has been my favorite concealer recently but like Tori, I still haven't found my holy grail.

TESSA
Covergirl Fresh Completion Under Eye Concealer in Classic Ivory
Well, what a surprise we have here. I think I've used this concealer in every video I've posted (which if you aren't subscribed to our YouTube channel go do so now.. New videos every Saturday!). Much like Tori, I don't think I'll ever find a product to actually help my under eye area, but this comes pretty darn close. It has a really creamy consistency and it actually just a tad too light for my skin (a real feat to accomplish) so it has a highlighting effect that makes it look like maybe I did sleep for 8 hours last night. Of course I have yet to find a concealer that I love enough to repurchase, I think I'll forever be on the hunt. Suggestions welcome.

RACHEL
Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Fair
     I'm not sure that I've ever actually mentioned this product, but it has been a game changer for me. The price tag is a little steep unfortunately. However, if you are ghostly it can be quite the challenge to find a concealer that is actually fair enough. This is the right shade and undertone for my skin, and works well for dryness. If you tend to be oiler, it may slide around a bit on you. If you find that concealer tends to look cakey and dry, give this a go. I find it can work on both blemishes and the under eye area. It is densely pigmented, so you only need a minute amount. Paired with a tapered eyeliner brush this is perfect for some Lisa Eldridge pinpoint concealing.

TESSA
Donald Trump - Mac Miller
Spring has finally and officially arrived here in the Midwest, as marked by the appearance of tornado warnings and watches, and now of course I'm just ready to fast forward to summer. I've been on a throwback of what I listened to last summer, namely Mac and Wiz Khalifa, and throwing in Chance the Rapper and Childish Gambino for good measure. I honestly forgot how much I love Mac Miller and his reentering into my life has been a welcome one. So if you need me, I'll be desperately wishing it was summer so I can drive around with my windows down blaring music.



RACHEL
A Certain Romance - Arctic Monkeys
     Is there really anything to not like about this song? Answer: of course not. I haven't listened to this album in a while and I quite enjoyed its return. I've been a little short on the new music front lately so I've been revisiting a few of my older Spotify playlists. Also, can we just talk about the new app redesign? Round of applause. Anywho, this has definitely been the musical highlight of my week. Tracks like She's Thunderstorms and Black Treacle have also snuck in when I want something slightly more laid back.




TORI
You Are The Stars- Yellow Ostrich
     I know I've talked about them before (relatively recently), but that won't stop me from doing it again. The more I listen to this album, the more I love it. Each song as a completely different feel to it, which is kind of different from their first album. This song is just beyond beautiful and you can tell that Alex's voice has matured a lot since their start. The lyricism is reminiscient of the EP Ghost (which I absolutely loved). Like I've said before, I cannot wait to see what else this band has in store. If only they would have a show in KC or Lawrence so I could see them live.





JENNY
Bad Girls - M.I.A.
     I'm not sure why I've never listened to M.I.A. before other than her famous song Paper Planes buttttttt this song is the shit. I've been plowing through homework with midterms coming up and this song makes me feel like such a badass. She has such a different beat and feel that anyone else in the industry and that's what really draws me to her. There's also just such a swag to her music that I allllmost feel like I might have some (we all know I do). But really, go check out some of her other work. You won't regret it.

     If you've been a little out of the loop with FBG as of late, every Tuesday we post collaboratively. We blabber on about anything from makeup to movies so be sure to tune in dudes. Since the spring season finally seems to be creeping up on us, we're here to share our favorite fragrances to don this time of year.

 
      In my last post, I mentioned both of these products. They are pretty similar in packaging and formula and I thought a comparison post would do nicely for them. Maybelline advertises this product as a gel with pigments for see-through color. The Revlon Lip Butter claims to be a gel-like butter that gives a sheer color to the lips. I was actually kind of confused because I didn't really think of these products as gels.
     I own two of the Maybelline Color Whisper Lip Colors; Made-it Mauve and Berry Ready. I absolutely love Made-it Mauve. It is a perfect nude color for me. It's not super light and doesn't have a lot of brown tones, so it doesn't make my skin look muddy. The formula of this is really nice. I don't feel like I need a lip balm under it like I do with matte lipsticks (or lipsticks in general). That being said, I do use my ELF Lip Lock Pencil to help with staying power. I've noticed that with using that, it stays on for about an hour and half.
    The Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter is just as moisturizing as the Color Whisper Lip Colors. I will say that the color on these is a lot more sheer. The Maybelline lip colors are extremely pigmented, so if you are wanting a vivid shade but something pretty sheer, I would go for the Revlon product. I use the ELF Lip Lock Pencil with this product as well and it has about the same lasting power.

TESSA
IV. Sweatpants - Childish Gambino
    Let me start this off by saying that it took everything in me not to post a song from Nashville this week.  I won't say which one in case I save it for a later pick. Continuing on to relevant news: how come no one told me I was sleeping on this album? It's been in my Spotify for months and I never quite got around to it. II. WORLDSTAR really got me started on this album, thanks to none other than our very own Rachel. Thus I finally gave it a proper listen and have pretty much listened to nothing else. Also now properly regretting him when he was in Kansas City. Apparently the music gods hate me.




TORI
If I Could Change Your Mind- Haim
     For some reason, I had convinced myself long ago that I severely disliked Haim. Boy was I wrong. I'm not sure I've listened to anything else the past two weeks. Any of the songs are a complete viable option, but "If I Could Change Your Mind," was probably the first Haim song to be belted out in my car. I want this to be in all caps but I'll refrain, but I am so livid that I thought I disliked them and I missed them when they were in Lawrence because I was being fucking dumbbb. That being said, you should still watch the video because it is one of my favorites of all time. Plus their style is amazing. Gahhh.


RACHEL
Teen Lovers - The Virgins
     This week is another selection brought to my attention via Spotify (P.S. - Tessa so kindly pointed out that Premium is now 50% off for students). I've actually not listened to much music in the past week, I've been much more into Audible. However, this has been all up in my speakers whilst I've strayed from a book. It's catchy, which is always a plus. And they were signed to Julian Casablancas' record label. Unfortunately (according to Wikipedia) they just split up this past November. Sad. Anyhow, this is definitely my favorite of their namesake album. I'd also recommend you check out Fernando Pando. 

Sometimees I feel like I neglect the name of the blog. A lot of products that I talk about are far from budget friendly. I have nothing against drugstore products, I just get extremely caught up in the packaging and the hype of higher end products. I thought in this post I would show some love for the products that are budget friendly and that don't skip on quality.

ELF | Lip Lock Pencil ($3.00)
In all honesty, this is my absolute favorite ELF product. I have been using this for as long as I have been interested in makeup. It keeps your lipstick from feathering or moving around and definitely helps the staying power of anything you are wearing. That leads to less touch-ups and overall frustration that sometimes goes along with the whole shindig.

NYX | Jumbo Eye Pencil ($4.49)
I own two of these. I own Iced Mocha and Milk. I love using Iced Mocha as a base color and Milk as a brow highlighter or in my waterline. I typically use a primer under Iced Mocha just to ensure that it doesn't crease or smudge. These blend in easily and I love the consistency of the product.

Revlon | Colorstay Nail Enamel ($4.99)
You guys should know by now that Revlon is probably my favorite drugstore brand. I think I say that about every time I mention it,  oops. They're nail polishes are no exception, they are a nice quality without the price of Essie or ahem Deborah Lippmann (although I would own all her polishes if I could). I have never had an issue with any nail polish I have purchased by this brand and they usually have a really nice color range as well.

Maybelline | Color Whisper Lipcolor ($4.74)
For a little bit cheaper than the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter, the Color Whisper Lipcolor offers a nice range of colors. I actually think I like them better than the Revlon Colorburst (I'm sensing a comparison post coming your way). These are extremely pigmented for a drugstore lip color. I own Made-It Mauve and Berry Ready and would reccommend them both.

Revlon | Colorstay Blemish Concealer ($4.28)
I have had a love/ hate relationship with concealers. I love the idea of concealer but have yet to find one that I am massively obsessed with. That being said, this concealer is the best one I have found and for a pretty good price. I don't really use it as a blemish concealer though. I usually just pat this in with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and it tones down any redness I may have.

What are your favorite budget friendly products?
xx Tori