Monday, April 22, 2013

Shopping Spoils -- OOTD

Happy Monday everybody!  I'm back on schedule again after a wonderful weekend away.  If you're curious what the three of us got up to our time consisted of lots of chatting, a little shopping, and maybe a tad too much to drink... Or more than a tad (;

You'll probably never guess which store I found most exciting (Forever 21, what!?)

I've been trying recently to branch out a little with my style choices.  I feel that I live in jeans and that its been that way basically my whole life.  Style progresses with maturity, and because I've done a lot of growing up over the last few years I've pushed my fashion choices to do the same.

My goal this weekend: find something different.  Try something new.  So I did!



Outfit:
pants: Forever 21
blouse: Forever 21
sandals: Payless
necklace: Forever 21
bag: H&M

I had to take this in low lighting. I've been so busy today I didn't get a chance until 6 o'clock!  The angle is kind of awkward but I think you get the general idea.

I finally bought a "sock" for a sock bun.  I really like how it looks and its so quick and easy to use. The whole outfit comes off better in real life, promise (:

What do you think about the high waist trend? And tie tops? I've seen them everywhere!

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Weekend Antics!

I completely planned on posting yesterday but was too busy getting places. Jacy and I are spending the weekend with a friend so we're pretty occupied with catching up on lost time. 
I'm posting from my mobile Blogger so I'm not sure how this will be formatted. Yesterday I really liked my outfit/makeup/hair but didn't get a great pic.  I tried a bow-bun and looooved it even though I was skeptical.  


What do you guys think? Would you wear this style?

I'll be back in a few days! Have a wonderful weekend <3

Thursday, April 18, 2013

NYX First Thoughts

About a week ago Tyler coyly asked me, "would you like to buy some makeup?" 

Well, obviously YES was the answer.  He is really into buying records at the moment so he bought a few frames through Urban Outfitters, but needed to meet the minimum purchase for free shipping.  So I decided to help him out a little (:

I've owned a couple of Nyx products in the past and I liked them pretty well.  I've heard a lot of good things about their jumbo eye pencils and I already know I like their blush & lipstick.

So this is what resulted when Tyler told me he needed five more dollars to reach the limit...

L to R MLS15 Whipped Caviar, MLS13 Angel
 I love these matte lipsticks!  They are highly pigmented, go on super smooth, and have a nice even, matte finish.  They are slightly drying but its nothing a little balm/gloss can't cure!  They're better than most matte products in that regard.

L to R: 611 Yogurt, 605 Strawberry Milk
The texture of the pencils is amaaaazing.  I love how creamy and smooth they glide on.  Definitely won't tug on your eyelid during application!  They do require a sharpener.

TWBS01 Tango and Highlight
 I was really excited for this product.  I wanted a highlighter but not anything too light.  This highlighting bronzing stick is really beautiful on the skin and gives just a hint of bronze.

L to R: PB03 Angel, PB10 Sand
 I couldn't believe how finely milled these blushes were, especially Angel. They are soft, pigmented, and seem really blendable as far I can tell!  I haven't used them yet so we'll see (:

Now for swatches...
L to R: Angel, Whipped Caviar, Strawberry Milk, Yogurt

L to R: Angel, Sand, Tango and Highlight
I know Nyx products are really nothing new on the beauty scene but I'm just now getting around to really trying out what they have to offer.  So far I am pleased with the quality especially for the price.

What are your thoughts on these products?

Let me know in the comments, I love to hear your voices (:  Till next time!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Summer 2013 Color Tattoos

Maybelline recently came out with a new collection of limited edition Color Tattoos for Summer 2013.  I stumbled upon the display with my sister during a recent outing and couldn't resist (limited edition... come on!)

We didn't pick up all six shades, just the four pictured below.  Jacy mentioned these in her "Lil' Haul" post which you can view here. The excluded colors are a yellow and green shade which I just wasn't too hot on!

There seems to be some confusion going around about what colors are available for the new collection and so on. Unfortunately, I'm not here to clear that up.  I couldn't find anything about the Summer 2013 collection on Maybelline's site... But here is what we have (:



35 Cool Crush

45 Lavish Lavendar

20 Waves of White

40 Seashore Frosts

L to R: Seashore Frosts, Cool Crush, Lavish Lavender, and Waves of White

I think these colors should be referred to as "The Mermaid Collection" because that is exactly what they remind me of.  They all have different base colors but with a beautiful sheen of blue/green/purple/copper.  Absolutely gorgeous and perfect for summer!

I think Seashore Frosts is a really interesting shade as its blue based but has a copper/green sort of sheen to it.  It didn't photograph really well but its very multidimensional.

 What are your thoughts on the new Summer 2013 collection?

See you soon (:

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Migraines

Good morning all! Or some type of morning... Today is one of those days for me where I'm not feeling up for it at all.  After a year or so without any incident, I had a migraine last night.  They really take a toll on me in many ways.

This is approximately how I look, except a lot less beautiful (:

I get migraines with auras, meaning I lose vision, sensation, ability to talk/comprehend speech, nausea/vomiting along with the traditional headache pain associated with migraines.  Accompanying my headache pain was a night full of insomnia. This recent episode was very mild, thankfully; however, I am completely drained today. 

I have the dreaded migraine "hangover", so I'm not feeling up to much blogging activity.  I just wanted to put this post out there because I know that sometimes when you have these headaches you feel alone and kind of like "why me!?" but you are not alone (:

Stay strong, you can make it through!  It may feel like you're dying, but you're really not.

Happy Tuesday everybody

Monday, April 15, 2013

Favorite Foreign Films

Something wonderful that Tyler (my boyfriend) has introduced me to is a wide range of movies, including foreign films.  We chose to watch these based on their popularity and critical acclaim.  Each one of them I fell in love with in a different way.  I think there is something here for every type of movie-goer.  These are my personal opinions of these films and are 100% subjective.

To some of you these may just be "films" (: depending on your respective countries of origin and the languages you speak.  I, however, have to use subtitles.  For those of you that speak English or other, I encourage you to watch regardless of having to read all the dialogue.  The overall messages of the movies are well worth it.

Amelie (2001)


The poster contains the original title of this film that was made and spoken in French.  Overall this movie has a really quirky vibe.  If you like laughing this one's for you (:  It has some adult content but it's nothing too out there.  Amelie is an endearing character who is too cute for words!

City of God (2002)


City of God is a very heavy movie as its based on true events although the story line followed throughout the film is fiction.  This movie is based during the 60s and 70s in Rio de Janiero and follows a group of friends from childhood to adulthood.  It's rated R for "strong brutal violence, sexuality, drug content and language" and I definitely agree that younger audiences shouldn't watch this movie.  Regardless, City of God is beautiful and I became very involved in the characters.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)


Pan's takes place during the 1940s in Spain and tells the story of a young girl and her mother.  It's filmed in Spanish and is an adaptation of  a Grimm's Fairy tale I believe.  This one is a tearjerker for sure, but personally I love those!  It also has an ending that will leave you wondering so if you like to "decide your own" then you'll love this.  As a child this film would have scared me to death though!

Check these films out and decide for yourself if they're a favorite (:

What are your thoughts on these foreign films or others? Any suggestions?

Sunday, April 14, 2013

April IPSY Bag!

For the last few months I've been a subscriber to the ipsy bag.  If you haven't heard it's a monthly subscription for beauty products, and it's only $10 a month!  Another popular option is Birchbox, but after watching multiple reviews I chose ipsy because they send more full size products as well as samples.  I do want the Birchbox as well, but for my budget currently just one will do!

This month I received THREE full size products!  I was such a happy girl when I opened my bag (:

April's theme is Pretty in Pink and included four products in a decent quality travel size makeup bag.  Really, I was very impressed by the quality of the bag because last months was very thin and I would never use it in my daily life. 


Included with my bag was coupon codes for purchase through ipsy affiliated sites, as well as an invite to Generation Beauty.  I won't be able to attend since I live hundreds of miles away, but it is a good discount.  More info here. The code I received was IPSYSUB for a $110 discount, so feel free to use it!  I'm not sure if it's limited or what qualifications are needed, but you can always try (: 

So excited!
Boxed products

The first thing I freaked out over was this Sation nail lacquer which is one of the full size products!  I'm not familiar with the brand, but I love trying new things.  This is in Love At First Byte which is a gorgeous light peachy shade.



Another full size product is this blush from Be A... Bombshell in Sweet Cheeks.  The texture is smooth and felt nice when swatching.  I'd describe the color as a sort of bubblegum pink with a  beautiful sheen to it.  Not shimmer, not matte, but somewhere in between   I know these regularly retail for around $16 so that pays for my whole bag in one product!


I don't know why but this was so hard to photograph.  As you can see its a eyeshadow duo from Two Cosmetics in Heartache.  These are more muted pink tones than the blush above.  I'd describe the darker color as rose and the lighter as more of a baby pink.  The light shade is shimmer, the darker is matte.  This is full size yet its extremely tiny.

As you can see I just cleaned by brushes yesterday...

Finally, I received a sample size of Powder Play texturizing powder from Sexy Hair... I cannot tell you how long I've been wanting to try this!  A few years ago a friend of mine used it while doing my hair and it gave great lift. 

So that's what I received for the month of April.  I am very impressed with their products this time around, and cannot wait for next month.

Do you subscribe to ipsy or something similar?

Thanks for reading!  I love to see what you all have to say in the comments (:

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Coffee Date & OOTD

Today my sister and I went on a coffee date with our long-time friend who we haven't visited with for awhile.  We found a new place, did a little shopping, and overall it was a great Saturday!



Outfit:
sweater: Mossimo from Target
tshirt: Mudd from Kohls
leggings: Mudd from Kohls
jellies: Fred Meyer
necklace: Forever 21

My favorite part of this whole thing is the necklace.  It is seriously the cutest thing!  My mom found it and I usually wear it with an ombre sweater that I'll probably show you all someday.

I like wearing leggings on the weekends for casual days.  They're super comfy and low key.  The shirt I'm wearing is very sheer but lightweight and I also really like wearing it with white jeans.

I didn't wear any makeup today OR do my hair. One of the perks of the weekend (:

Hope you all had an amazing Saturday <3 

Let me know if you'd like to see what I got today in another post (mostly beauty)!

Friday, April 12, 2013

OOTD Denim on Denim?

I sort of feel like I'm throwing it back today with my choice of outfit.  

Something I've found to be popular lately is denim, and lots of it.  I sampled this sort of outfit out last weekend and kinda liked it so I thought why not?  

As you may know, I work a full day on Friday's so I like to be comfy.  You also might notice that I'm rewearing a couple of pieces already featured in my OOTDs specificially this one and this one.


Outfit:
button up: Forever 21
shirt: Forever 21
jeans: Piper's Closet through Alloy
shoes: Toms
scarf: Rue 21

The print on the scarf... I love the contrast!
In hindsight I should have taken this picture before I worked all day, but oh well (:

Thanks for reading guys! 

 Do you enjoy OOTD posts?

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Favorite Espresso

Today I came to work to find a coffee waiting for me which was a very nice surprise (:  It gave me the idea that I could share a few of my favorite espresso drinks with all of you!

I never had a taste for coffee until my senior year of high school when I started working as a barista for the summer.  I still don't enjoy brew coffee, I need it loaded with milk and flavor.  Sometimes we get stuck in ruts with our drinks/dining choices, I know I do all the time, so here are a few suggestions for orders the next time you stop by a coffee stand!

White Chocolate Mocha w/Raspberry and White Coffee (iced)
If you haven't tried white coffee yet you definitely should!  It is made by grinding unroasted coffee beans.  The flavor is much lighter, and has almost a nutty undertone.  It compliments a lot of different flavors.  Be warned it packs the punch of about twice the caffeine (or so they say) than regular espresso shots.

White Chocolate Mocha with Banana (iced)
This is similar to the drink above and is good with white coffee as well.  I just love banana flavor!

Mocha with Almond (iced)
This drink is one of my go-to favorites if I feel like switching up to something totally different. At the stand I worked in we called this an "Almond Joy".  The extra flavor adds a little extra kick of yummy to the average mocha.

Vanilla Chai (hot, iced, or blended)
I prefer this drink with Big Train brand chai.  Usually the mix has coffee already in it so I never get a caffeine buzz from this.  It's very, very sweet but I like that.  The overall flavor reminds me of cinnamon Graham Crackers.  Beware that in some iced drinks the solution becomes a little grainy, but an experienced barista will know how to avoid this (:

Green Apple Jet Tea with Caramel Sauce (blended)
People often all this a "Caramel Apple".  Jet Tea is an awesome choice if you're not into drinking coffee.  It is a blend of natural fruit juice and green tea.  This combo is perfect parts sweet and sour, just like a caramel apple sucker!


As you can tell I prefer iced drinks, but these can all be made into hot versions as well (besides the Jet Tea).  Keep in mind that these drinks are available at most privately-owned espresso stands.  Things that may be hit or miss: white coffee, green apple flavored Jet Tea, and Big Train brand chai.  Otherwise everything else is pretty standard.  

Starbucks probably has these drinks on special request and perhaps a few on the menu.  I think of Starbucks and Dutch Bro's as the McDonald's of espresso, they're into fast service and quick, cheap, pre-made drink orders.  Not knocking what these types of espresso chains do (I buy from these businesses too!), but they're not as specialized as small stands.

I hope that contained a few helpful, fun tips!  I try to share a variety of things with you all on my blog (:

Do you have any suggestions or a favorite drink you'd recommend? 

See you all soon <3

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Mini Haul - Maybelline & Revlon

I was in one of those shopping moods yesterday and decided to take a peek in Rite Aid to see if there was anything that caught my eye...

Of course there was!  They have way to many sales (;

These are a few things that I haven't had before and thought looked good.  Let me know if you have any comments/concerns/questions about products.  I'd love to hear your input!


Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in 135 Make Me Pink
Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in 05 Fresh Pink
L to R: 135 Make Me Pink, 05 Fresh Pink
Maybelline Eyestudio gel liner in Blackest Black
L to R: Revlon Nail Enamel in 280 Bubbly and 250 Flirt

So far I have sampled each of the products.  The Maybelline lip color doesn't disappoint, it's as creamy, smooth, and yummy smelling as any other of their lipsticks.  The bouncy blush is a pretty color, but as I've heard the color payoff is minimal.  The gel liner is smooth, pigmented, and a little goes a long way.  I am in love with the Revlon polishes!  I have Flirt on right now and its absolutely gorgeous, but couldn't get a good pic to share.  I like the Maybelline Define-a-brow (which I have in dark blonde) as well but I couldn't get a good picture of that either!

I've been on a makeup binge lately so I have a future post in mind featuring exclusively Nyx products.  Be on the lookout...

Thanks for stopping by <3

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Another OOTD

Okay, can I just say that I am basically in love with my outfit today. Sometimes you just have those days. Originally I had planned to wear this outfit with a black peplum skirt, not white jeans, but the weather wasn't cooperating with me.

It was overcast yet so bright at the time of this picture. Apologies for the ridiculous squinting!


Outfit:
blazer - Forever 21 
bandeau - Forever 21
top - Forever 21
jeans - Paris Blues through Alloy
flats - Charlotte Russe
necklace: Kohl's

Someday this outfit will reappear with the skirt I intended to wear, but for now I think this is a cute alternative for chillier weather.

The blazer is sooo amazing, I am absolutely in love with it.  For a better reference of how it looks at all angles check the link above. In person the color is definitely neon yellow.  I think white-washing everything makes the blazer pop and really is a statement piece.

Alloy is a favorite of mine for online shopping because they carry pants with longer inseams.  I'm 5'9" (69" or 1.75 m) and have around a 34/35" inseam so they're a great resource for me.  They are also always having a sale or promotion of some sort.  This is my favorite site for coupons.  Always look before you buy... you can snag some great deals not otherwise advertised on whatever site you're using!

Thanks for reading dears!

What are your thoughts on neon this season?

Monday, April 8, 2013

Some Of My Top Picks from IMDB

I am not now nor have I ever been a movie expert.  I've always enjoyed watching movies and have had my fair share of opinions, but I'm in no-way-shape-or-form a "movie buff".

I do, however, keep an IMDb account and rate movies that I've seen in the past as well as those I've seen currently.  It seems I've racked up quite the list (374 titles) so I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorites with you.

Tyler, my boyfriend, has been a huge influence in this department as well because he IS a movie buff.  His collection is constantly growing and at last count included 265-odd movies.  He is always ordering more and that number isn't encompassing much outside of our apartment either.  We have them all stuffed in our tiny TV stand  categorized by genre and director.  Isn't that so adorable (:

So anyway... most of my 10 ratings are for Disney movies and the Harry Potter series out of loyalty and childhood affection.  Mostly what I'll be sharing my 9s.  I don't have a very sophisticated rating system but I try to be fair.  Keep in mind these are all my opinions and 100% subjective!

Black Swan (2010) - 10/10


I saw this movie when it was in theaters because I was so excited I couldn't wait.  However beautiful it is it gave me the heebijeebies!  Really though, the reason I loved this movie was how much it affected me while watching.  The main story is Natalie Portman's character going on this crazy journey into her new-found womanhood, and it's very intense.

Les Miserables (2012) - 9/10


We watched this movie in theaters on our quest to watch every Best Picture nominee for the Oscars.  Can you say tearjerker!?  I bawled multiple times throughout this movie, but that's how I know I really love it.  Kinda funny thing I have -- I like watching moves that make me cry.  The singing in Les Mis is live (amazing) and the cast did a fantastic job with their characters.  Also, it's a classic Broadway play.   Must see!

Life of Pi (2012) - 9/10


I was so skeptical going into this movie.  Happy to say I was very pleasantly surprised!  Whatever religion you practice or if you don't practice at all, I think this movie speaks to an underlying desire that every human has: hope.  The aesthetics of Life of Pi are absolutely stunning.  After watching I decided that one day I will name a cat of mine Richard Parker (:

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) - 9/10


I couldn't find any good quality pics for this movie because I feel like nobody watched it.  Which makes me sad because it's one of the cutest movies I have probably ever seen.  The entire movie definitely has a unique and quirky vibe.  It's set in the 1960s and follows the adventure of two teen-aged loves.  Overall the movie is so precious you'll fall in love instantly.

American Beauty (1999) - 9/10


American Beauty is one of my favorites movies, and this poster is hanging on the wall in our living room.  The content is definitely adult and I'm not really sure how it got out of an NC-17 rating.  Despite all that I think that this movie is gorgeous in so many ways.  Also I am a sucker for plot twists so this is right up my alley.  If you haven't seen it and want to check it out, be prepared for a lot of graphic themes/content.

Well I think that's enough for now.  Scrolling through my list I realize that there's sooooo many movies I want to share but I also have a strong desire to make this a reasonable length.  

Thanks so much for reading!  Hope this was a good change of pace.

What are you thoughts on these movies?

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Flower Beauty First Thoughts

For the past couple months I've been itching to check out Flower beauty products.

If you haven't heard, this new line exclusively at Walmart is owned by Drew Barrymore and promises high-end quality for low prices.  I watched a couple of YouTube reviews and it seemed worthwhile to check it out so I picked up a few things shopping.


So the packaging is adorable.  It's easy to use and I love the uniformity of the whole collection.  The only thing I don't like is that they don't include color information permanently on the product so in time I will forget what I purchased!


Here's the Blush/Bronzer duo in BD1 Beachy Keen.  The packaging was designed to look like a flower. Pretty dang cute I think!  The lid is magnetic and lifts easily but stays put while not in use.  The colors are VERY pigmented but I didn't find them to be super blendable. I dabbed my blush/bronzer brush once on the surface and it picked up enough color for full application.  I really like the blush but the bronzer is so dark it kind of looked dirty until I blended a lot.  It is brown tint instead of orange though which is awesome!


The next thing I found was this Color Play Creme Eyeshadow which I believe is in CE9 Flirty Floret.  I was really excited to try this and I wasn't disappointed.  The eyeshadow has a great creamy consistency that isn't sticky at all.  It is highly pigmented and very easily blendable.  Make sure to use a good primer to avoid creasing though.


Finally, I had to try out some lipstick since I'm obsessed with lip products.  This is the Flower Kiss Stick Velvet Lip Color in what I think is LS5 Dahlia Dahling.  I love that name, but I also really like the lipstick!  The texture was very smooth, medium opacity, and sort of dried on my lips without chapping them to preserve the color.  Unfortunately my super-red lips diluted the beautiful berry color a bit but overall I am happy with it.

Swatches below...

L to R: Kiss Stick in LS5 Dahlia Dahling, Blush/Bronzer Duo in BD1 Beachy Keen, and Color Play Creme Eyeshadow in CE9 Flirty Floret.
Hope this review was helpful. Let me know if you have any questions!

What has been your experience with Flower Beauty?

Saturday, April 6, 2013

You Don't Know What You've Got...

 I'm home sweet home this weekend!  I love spending time with my family.  After I moved out for college I realized how invaluable those relationships really are.  My parents are some of my absolute favorite people in the world!

I grew up living in one town, going to one school in a small community of under 5000.  When I graduated high school I could hardly wait to get out.  Now I love to come back.

In 2009 my parents realized their long-time goal of building a home.  It was a long time coming, too!  I was four when they purchased "The Property" and 16 when we moved in.  My parents put countless hours into the land, and it finally paid off!

  The most spectacular thing about where my parents live is the view they wake up to every morning.  It is absolutely breathtaking and I am so proud of all that they've gone through to live their dream... I cannot help but share!

Now I will let the beauty speak for itself (:










What are your favorite things about home?

Thanks for reading and sharing in my love for my family <3 
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