2014 In Review: Instagram

1. i started the year off with one of my high school friends erin at a low key house party. its sad to see that i probably haven't had a real conversation with erin since that night. we had a great time and i miss her!

2. this year i found my people at school, my frat. i have gained some of my best friends from my fraternity and that night was our bidcel where we got to party with the new pledges

3. we had a ridiculous amount of snow january and february where we got around 3-4 days off of school because we had so much snow

4. spring semester 2014 I was officially a brother in my fraternity and got to take my first little! he's been pretty much perfect, he's so chill and is like an over-protective brother to me. that was the day the little found out who their bigs were, i accidentally ruined my surprise earlier that week.

5. i went to what was most likely my last IUPattys weekend ever. We defiantly went out with a bang! I got to dance on the bar on country night and witnessed a riot. was definitely the best IUPattys weekend ever

6. About 3 weeks before spring break my friend holly and I decided to plan a spring break trip to puerto rico! this picture was on the first day we arrived and went to the private island the hotel had.

7. this picture was taken on the last day right as we were about to get on our shuttle to the airport. the trip was amazing and very relaxing.

8. i have really been taking a liking to hockey. I get very into it and going to the games and being able to sit 10 rows back from the ice has been amazing!

9. printmaking has been an amazing class for me, I have been able to make some really cool things in the class and actually sell some print as well.

10. this year i was able to try benny's pizza which is practically a slice of pizza the size of your face for $4. its the best pizza ever!!!

11. my best friend graduated from college and I was able to drive down to CNU and watch her walk across the stage. She is now at JMU with me at their grad school

12. during the summer I made the usual rounds around the country concerts at Nissan with some amazing friends and was able to see some old friends from high school!

13. I took a 3 day internship job with a photographer to be his assistant photographer in DC. unfortunately I was ridiculously sick had didn't have as great as a time as I expected, but it was an experience

14. Of course I made the usual trip(s) to georgetown for some cupcakes and went into the new macaroon shop and was able to try my first macaroon

15. this year my sister graduated from high school (huge surprise seeing as she never went to class). After her graduation we went to the national harbor and had lunch and road the ferris wheel

16. bailey was able to get pit tickets to the fall out boy/paramore monumentour and had an extra ticket so I was able to go with! We were so close to the stage and the concert was awesome.

17. I spent most of my summer at the beach working again at the frozen yogurt shop, I was able to be their "social media consultant" I got paid to run their facebook, instagram, and twitter as well as work there

18. my parents became empty nesters this year when kristen and I went to college. They also had to start collecting a lot of purple and gold things since mine and my sisters colleges school colors are purple and gold!

19. living with my best friends has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Its great to always have someone there to talk to and be goofy with

20. this is the first year my whole family came to visit for family weekend. we went to the JMU game, which we won!

21. I started growing my family by taking a second little and my first little taking 2 littles which makes them my glittles! I seriously love my family, they are one of the best things to happen to me this year, and yes... they are all guys.

22.  I attempted to make one creative halloween costume this year and go as a piñata and my friend go as a mexican. well turns out once i put my costume on it all fell apart... and i had only 30 minutes to come up with a new costume! so i thew on some minnie ears and called it a night!

23. This was the first year my fraternity ever did beer olympics and it was one of the best events we have ever put on!! I was apart of team USA and had one of the most dope shirts I found at good will

24. Semi this year was at a beautiful cottage in the middle of no where! I had the most perfect dress I bought from nastygal and some cute cobalt blue heels!

25. one of the hardest parts this year was at the end of november, my family had to put our dog hoss down. He was the most precious and most loved dog ever, I don't know one person who didn't love him. It was a huge loss for the family and my dad took it the hardest. To this day he really misses having a chubby buddy to lay with him while he does his work. So during thanksgiving break we went to a bulldog farms to check out some puppies! we are going to get a new one for sure but its a bit to soon. But expect to see a little one running around in early 2015!

this year has probably been the worst year of my life. going back through my instagram you can't really tell but obviously no ones posts sad posts on instagram. My family started 2014 out with almost losing my grandfather to a horrible illness that landed him in the hospital for about a month, the middle of the year my dad found out he needed surgery on his back and ankle, and now were ending the year without our dog hoss. I'm incredibly grateful for the good moments I was able to have in 2014 but I'm ready for this year to end. I'm hoping 2015 will bring better memories and more adventures!

Influenster Dean's List VoxBox #DLVoxBox

About a little less than a month ago I was surprised to receive a beautiful green package at my door! Yes, I know... I'm so incredibly late on this review but school has been incredibly busy this semester. But I'm here now and happy to be back on my blog writing a review of these lovely products! This was my second VoxBox and it was nice that this time I got to review multiple products rather than one. Although I do love my Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail polish. 

Since I am a college student I qualified for the Dean's List VoxBox. All of these products are supposed to help you get through your college days and make it a bit more exciting. The products in this box included: Airhead Bites, Pilot FriXion Clicker, Sinful Colors No Text Red, KISS Looks So Natural Lashes, Luden's Watermelon Throat Drops, Softlips Cube, and Playtex Sport Fresh Balance. If you're curious about any of the products, read on!

Lets start with my guilty pleasure, candy. The new air head bites remind me of the original air heads that I used to eat as a kid. These are just pop-able bite sized candy form of the originals. Nothing to special but these but they came in handy when I was craving something sweet while late night studying.

I loved getting the Pilot FriXion Clicker pens because as a designer you can never have to many pens! Its America's first retractable, erasable gel ink pen! They make taking notes and drawing so smooth and its perfect that if I ever make a mistake I can erase it. Once the ones I have run out I'm going to have to get some more! I highly recommend these pens.

I wasn't the one to try out the SinfulColors No Text Red because as I said in my last VoxBox post I'm not a huge ran of the color red on my nails. My roommate went to a formal and wore this and she really liked it! The reasoning behind this polish is to paint your thumb red as a reminder to not text and drive. I'm a big believer of no texting and driving so I fully support this campaign. 

I haven't worn the KISS Looks So Natural Lashes yet because I haven't had anywhere to wear them to. I plan on wearing them next weekend to my fraternities semi formal. These lashes are made with Tapered End Technology so the lash strips blend seamlessly with your own lashes. I have used KISS lashes before and have really enjoyed them, they have always looked nice and really highlight your eyes. I can't wait to wear these to semi next weekend!

When I received this box I was just getting a cold so the Ludens Watermelon Throat Drops came in handy! I'm not a huge fan of the taste of watermelon so after I tried one I gave them to my Professor because she was also getting a cold. The throat drops soothed my sore throat but I just wasn't a fan of the flavor. 

Once I saw the Softlips Cube I got incredibly excited! This 5 in 1 lip care combines an advanced formula with an innovative new cube-shaped package. I love Softlips products so seeing this incredible cool shaped lip product excited me. The shape reminded me of EOS balls which I buy just for the shape but their product isn't very moisturizing. I now have a cool shaped lip balm that also is moisturizing! 

Finally there is the new Playtex Sport Fresh Balance. This tampon is designed to neutralize odors for ultimate freshness on and off the field. To me tampons are tampons and it depends on the person whether they like it or not. But I have used the Playtex brand before and I do like their tampons.

As you can tell I was happy with this box. The two products that I was really happy with was the the Softlips Cube and the Pilot Clicker Pens. The rest of the products I enjoyed but was not as excited with them as I was with my two favorites. I'm always excited to receive a box from Influenster, hopefully I will be able to receive another box from them soon! 

Have any more questions about the products? Did you receive this box or different one? Let me know in the comments I would love to hear about it!

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes

Influenster Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Voxbox #MiracleMani

The other week I was sent my first Influenster Voxbox! I was excited to see that it was about the new Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail polish. I'm somewhat of a nail polish hoarder, so this box was right up my alley.

I was excited when I received the box but not so excited when I opened it. I received the miracle gel kit with the gel polish Redgy and the clear Gel Top Coat. The color Redgy is somewhat of a red-orange leaning more towards the red side, it is somewhat of an odd color. So I did not try it myself, I let my mom wear it while she was visiting. But I'll get into that later... lets talk about what Sally Hansen Miracle Gel is.

Sally Hansen recently launched the Miracle Gel line saying that it is "the only true 2-step gel manicure with no light needed!" The collection is over 45 shades, although the bottle resembles the the Salon Complete Manicure line the formula is different. This gel manicure doesn't need a UV/LED light but promises to last up to 14 days of color and shine. A downside to the at home gel polish with no UV/LED light means that you do have to wait for the polish to dry like any other nail polish.

(my mom didn't want me to take a picture of her hand so I had to use my nail wheel)

The formula is is easy to apply, I was able to get a complete opaque look with just one coat but decided to do two to ensure the color. I absolutely love the Sally Hansen wide brush they use in their nail polishes because it makes applying the gel polish so much easier! One thing i noticed is that it isn't as thick as a normal gel polish is (which I enjoy because I know there is no possible way it will chip) 

So I bet you're saying "This all sounds great... BUT DOES IT WORK?!" I realized some chipping around the tip of the nail after about a week, so I don't believe that it will make it to the 14 day mark but for an "at home gel manicure" I think it manages! I think a thicker top coat would make this more gel-like and possibly last longer. I do plan on getting some different colors (Malibu Peach, Sugar Fix, and B Girl) and trying it out myself because I think with maybe some practice and extra products (possibly a base coat) I can really get this polish to stay! But I do really enjoy this nail polish line and do recommend others to try it!

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes

How To Detox Your Life

Recently I moved into a new apartment and I told my best friend that I needed a life detox before I start classes. Luckily moving into a new apartment was a perfect step in the right direction. While moving into my new apartment I was able to get rid of all the clutter and things I was holding onto (I'm somewhat of a secret hoarder) in the apartment and I was also able to go through my closet and if I hadn't worn it in a year I donated it/sold it. Also if you can't tell this life detox includes my blog, hoping to make changes soon! I have 4 things that I do to help detox my life, I hope these work for you as well!

1. Clean Out the Clutter
Go through and get rid of things that are catching dust in your house. I clean out my closet and if I haven't worn that item in a year its out. You can donate or sell them. Next I clean out my makeup collection, I have posted expiration dates for makeup so you can decided weather you need to save or toss. Having a clean house always takes the stress out of my life.

2. Get Rid of Toxic People
I know this can be hard if the person is a good friend, but if this person doesn't add value to your life they don't need to be in your life. Negative people, judgmental people, and people who put you down do not deserve to be in your life. You need to kick them to the curb. Spend time with positive people because it will help you have a more positive look on life and make you feel good!

3. Me Time
After all that work you need some time for yourself. Pamper yourself, read a book, go on a walk, catch up on some much needed sleep. Take an hour, a day, a week, a month off! However long you need to feel fresh and rejuvenated!

4. Get the Ball Rolling!
After all this you should feel great and want to get things going! Start setting goals for yourself whether those goals are a week or a month out. This is the time to start a new chapter in your life!

Hopefully these tips help you start or inspire you to detox your life. After these "steps" I always feel better about my life and can finally think clearly and it motivates me to get things going!

Instagram Account to Follow: @pen_friend

I'm a huge instagram lover. I'm one of those people that probably take instagram to serious. I make sure all my pictures are "instagram worthy" and edited perfectly. When I'm bored and finish scrolling through my feed I usually click over to explore to see what insta has suggested for me. Recently they have started doing "based on people you follow" or "based on a photo you liked" which is how I stumbled across penfriend.

I recently posted about my new obsession of typography so when i stumbled upon penfriend I was sold. I scrolled through almost every one of her posts fascinated by her amazing skill and creative quotes. Penfriend is run by a woman named Sharna who is a graphic designer who has always been infatuated with typography. Her penmanship is beautiful, I love looking at everything she creates. Her prints are filled with inspiring quotes.

From her instagram I visited her website and found a couple prints I have on my wish list. She is an Australian based artist which means shipping to the states is $15 and for a college student like me I must spend my money wisely. But I do have them written on a wish list for possibly my birthday or if I every have money to splurge! She also posts when she's having a sale so thats always a great time to buy a print!

Follow penfriend on instagram at @pen_friend and check out her website to view all of her lovely prints on sale.

MAC Alluring Aquatic: Lorelei Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

I told myself last month that I was going to stop buying makeup. I own to much and barely use what I have... but I caved a couple weeks ago. Once I saw the launch of the MAC's Alluring Aquatic I knew I would love it. I always need to get at least one product from MACs S/S collection because its always some beachy theme and I'm obsessed with anything that has to do with the beach. 

The first thing that always draws me into their S/S collection is the packaging which is exactly what happened here. I mean look at it! How could I resist? The collection has a beautiful metallic teal/turquoise package with textured droplets on it that resembles water. Its stunning. Even the box it came it was textured water droplet package (I admit I'm saving the box). I always fall for beautiful packaging. 

Once I got past the packaging I finally saw the product. I bought the Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Lorelei. It is described as a "golden beige". Its a light coppery-peach with warm undertones. I think this is the most perfect color for summer. I'm going to be wearing this non-stop!

Someone please tell me that I'm not the only one that falls for beautiful packaging, and its not just makeup... its anything!

A Little Hand Lettering Never Hurt Nobody

L to R: Must Be A Mermaid, tsch_lettering, Smile it's finally here, I Woke Up Like This Mug

Recently I have been really into hand lettering. I'm completely fascinated by what people can make with their hands. I am constantly searching hand lettering on pinterest and getting inspiration. I also feel like hand letting is becoming a huge deal in the design world. 

Most everything has become digital to hand letting gives a human feel to the design which seems more inviting to the viewer. More and more people are seeking a hand made aesthetic. It looks like products with hand lettering are getting more attention by consumers. 

I have made it my goal this summer to practice hand lettering. I don't really think I have great handwriting but many people have also complemented me on it, which makes me believe if I practice I will probably be able to have great looking hand lettering eventually. Next year in my final year at school I want to be able to hand letter for some of my projects so why not start practicing now! If I have any worthy final products I'll be sure to show it on my instagram and on here. 

DAY TWO 6/13 & THREE 6/14: Photographers Assistant

Day 2:

I woke up around 6:45 to make breakfast at 7:15, turns out breakfast wasn't until 7:45 so once I finally realized I just laid back in bed until breakfast. I didn't have any medicine for the day so at breakfast the photographer let me run up to the hotel gift shop to buy some medicine, he obviously could tell I wasn't feeling as well.

Once I got back I set up the computer in the office and worked a bit on editing some of the pictures we took yesterday. I then joined the photographer back at the conference and just sat around. There wasn't much need for me that day so he let me leave for about an hour and a half to rest. I went to the local rite aid to get some nose spray because I was really congested. I then went back to my room and chilled out.

We were then asked to photograph the karaoke party that night. We got to the party and no one was there! We waited around but it was hard to get the shots they wanted. Once we got out of there we went back to the office I set up and helped edit the final pictures of the day. We finished around 9:30 and I headed back to the room and went to sleep. I wanted to rest up so I would hopefully feel better and could be of more help.

Day 3:

We didn't have to wake up as early and we only had to work until 2. Well it turns out the nurses at the conference were voting most of the time we were just sitting around waiting until for the voting to be done and the award to handed out. Turns out they were running an hour behind so we had to wait even longer! The awards ended up only lasting like 15 minutes long so once that was over and we packed up our office and rushed out of there!

It felt so nice to get out of the hotel, I felt like I hadn't seen daylight in 3 days. Mind you that it was raining for the first 2 days so to have it 75 and sunny out was a nice change! I got back home and was exhausted.

I learned so much from my first time assisting a photographer. One thing that stuck out to me is when one of the production members said "you go where the money is" which I had to disagree with him. I think that you should be doing something that you love. I believe that if you're not doing something that you love you are just waisting your time. I understand the need to get paid but after doing that job I wasn't having fun. Yes, getting paid was nice but why would i want to do something I didn't enjoy doing. It was definitely and eye opener!

DAY ONE 6/12 : Photographers Assistant in DC

My moms friends husband is a photographer and asked if i would like to help assist him at a nursing conference in DC. It paid really well and I figured it would be a great way to get some experience.

I woke up a day before the shoot feeling like I was about to get a cold, sore throat... let be real, I sounded like a man. We got to the hotel a night early so we could have a meeting and discuss what he expected me to do and what needed to be done. I was feeling pretty nervous, i didn't know what to expect. I sat through the meeting just trying to soak everything in. We met with the rest of the production team and everyone was really nice! I left the meeting to go to bed because day 1 was an early morning and I figured I would need all the sleep I could get.

I woke up the next day around 6:25 and felt sicker than I did the day before. I pumped some medicine in me and went off to the first shoot. We spent the day running from room to room getting shots of general activity and important speakers. And by we I mean him... I was there to pretty much carry the equipment, and in no way am I complaining! It was just awesome to be there. Since I was a bit sick carrying bags all day did wear me out a bit.

After a couple shoots we went off to Capitol Hill to take some photographs with the nurses and the senators. We got there kinda early so there was a lot of sitting around but I needed it. Once we got the shot and met the senator (adorable old lady). We then went over to the Cannon building to meet some more nurses, turns out someone switched the times and never told us. We quickly called the person and charge and was able to make it to other nurses in the building. When we got there we had to wait a little because the senator was running a little behind in the meeting. In her waiting area there was a large chalkboard that I got to sign! I felt super special to have my name on a wall. We got a quick lunch and headed back to the conference.

Once we got back is when I started to feel uber gross, the medicine was probably wearing off. We took a couple generic shots of the awards and reception and then went back to the office to upload and edit. Luckily the photographer felt bad that I wasn't feeling well so he let me go. I went back to my room, took a quick shower and went to bed.

It was a super exhausting day and I feel terrible that I can't help more but this cold is more draining than I thought! Assisting is no joke, but I have already learned so much and its only day 1!

BIG Changes Ahead

*i apologize if this post seems all over the place. my brain is on a high of a twitter chat!*

About a week ago I rediscovered Whitney's blog. It came at the perfect time, I have been so uninspired and timid about my designs. I spent a couple hours "stalking" her blog and once I got my inspiration back I redid my portfolio website (still needs some work). During/after my second semester of classes I was ready to give up on myself, I didn't believe in myself. After I won the "gold metal" for The Real Show it really brought my confidence back up. I started to look to design blogs for inspiration and remind myself that I'm doing what I love which is how I came across Whitney's blog again. Looking at how successful her blog is and how she started up her own business really inspired me. 

Since Whitney was a huge inspiration to me i did what any normal person did, followed her on every social media network as possible. Last night she teamed up with The Creatives Club for a twitter chat using the hashtag #creativeschat and #heartarrowcritique. It was my first time joining a twitter chat and let me tell you, it was the best! First of all Whitney critiqued my blog (it was amazing to get recognized by her), second she followed me on both of her accounts, then I was tweeted and followed by the creatives club! Its just such an awesome feeling being able to connect with some awesome and creative people! 

So now for the big change. I feel like my blog has been in limbo. Its been a lifestyle, beauty and sometimes fashion blog. I have said it before that I was posting for viewers I wasn't posting for myself. Blogging was no longer fun for me. Once I focused on becoming a beauty blog, my bank account would slowly begin to emptied and I was buying products to review not because I wanted them. And as much as I love makeup I think I need to focus on posting for me and developing a brand. Which is why I'm thinking about stepping back from makeup and focusing more towards the lifestyle & design aspect of my life. I'm still going to post about makeup because lets me real, I'm obsessed. But I'm no longer going to buy things just to review them. I need to post things that make me happy, I want to blog because I love it. 

I hope you all will accept the change and still love the content I post. With it being summer I hope to post a lot more. I need to start branding my blog and I want to not be afraid what people will think about my blog. I want to get my blog out there and have people enjoy my blog and connect! I want to soon be able to join The Creatives Club. I hope you all will come on this journey with me.

ps. i would love to hear what are some of your favorite things about design blogs. i'm hoping to do a couple freebies here and there!

Etsy Finds

One of my favorite things to pass time is search through etsy. These are a few things I have next on my list to purchase. Recently I have been really inspired to create thanks to a couple blogs so I'm hoping to follow through with some of that inspiration.

Hand Illustrated Monogram Notebook by OHNORachio: i am such a scatter brain and come up with so many ideas or things i want to do at random times i need a notebook to come around with me everywhere.

Circle Leaf 2 Rubber Stamp by whitneyraepaper: i have no real rhyme or reason why i need this, i like it. i think its cute. therefore i want.

Triangle Washi Tape by PrettyTape: i'm a total washi tape hoarder. i am always trying to find different ways to use it and decorate things. i try to add different patterns to my collection when i can.

What Would Beyonce Do Gold Foil / Black Print by CharmAndGumption: as i move into my new apartment i'm looking for new prints to hang and this my friend, is actually perfect. i'm usually not a huge fan of gold but i may need to change that just so i can incorporate this into my room.

Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask

I have always had a love for masks and recently there has been a lot of talk about charcoal masks. I was roaming around the drugstore during the winter and my face has been incredibly dry so I figured I would look for a mask. I ran across this bad boy and the only thing that stuck out to me was the word charcoal so I figured I would pick it up to see what all this fuss was about.

When picking this up I thought it was going to be something like an AfterGlow Charcoal Mud Mask, yeah not quite. I totally forgot about the black sugar scrub aspect of this facial mask. With that being said if you have incredibly sensitive skin or if your skin is prone to redness because this is more of a harsher scrub.

Those with dry, flaky dry patches will absolutely love with. This sugar scrub mask helps exfoliate the skin and absorb excess oil. I put a thick layer all over my face and leave it on for 5-7 minutes. After I massage my face and rinse with warm water.

The formula is a thick and grainy with a fresh scent. Since the texture is so grainy it can be somewhat harsh on the skin. I recommend using this about once a week, maybe twice if you have oily skin. My face is left smooth but very red so I usually do it at night. After the Charcoal & Black Sugar Mask to calm the redness I use Freemans Acai Purifying Clay Mask. After the combination of these my skin is left baby soft!

With this product only being $4 you can't beat it. It leaves my skin super soft and smooth and brings a natural glow to my skin. I also notice my foundation goes on perfectly after I use this product. If you haven't tried it yet I suggest you do! You definitely won't regret it!

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm Coral Twist (235)

The CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm launched as a part of their spring 2013 collection. These twist up chubby tinted lip balm is available in 16 different shades. This lip balm is "fortified with shea and mango butters for a smooth look with a hint of color".

The chubby sticks make a big boom in the drugstores back in S/S 2013 and continue to make a splash in the S/S 2014 collections. There are a ton of brands that continue to come out with these Clinique chubby stick "dupes". Soon after Clinique chubby sticks hit the store drugstore brands began to come out with their own versions. 

I was wondering around CVS when I realized this bad boy. It was during the winter but I figured I would pick it up for summer time. I have mainly stuck to the Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stains and haven't really branched out, as you all know I'm not a huge lip junkie. When I came across this I really liked this coral color and figured it would look really nice when I had a tan. 

These are your standard twist up chubby sticks containing .13 oz. I really love the design of the twist up chubby sticks because they are easy for travel and because of the twist up design you don't need a sharpener. 

I picked up the color Coral Twist (235) that is a true coral, leaning more pink rather than orange. This product is said to give off a sheer color, which i love. I look for products that look like you have just eaten a popsicle and it stained your lips. This product is buildable but the formula is a bit heavy. They aren't incredibly moisturizing but not as dry as the Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stains. I did realize that the product tends to enhance dry-patches so be sure to prep your lips before using this product. I finally realized why I didn't hear much about this product. It worked fine when I would just dab it on my lips for a very sheer color for that popsicle stain look but it didn't necessarily stain my lips, the longevity of this product wasn't long. They do have great color payoff though, they also claim to be a gloss balm but it seemed to be more of the cream finish rather than a gloss.

The one thing i didn't like about the packaging is the name of the color is not on the product, it does have the number but i would much rather see the color name. But this isnt a deal breaker for this product.

I don't think this product is great but I don't think its horrible. They have great pigmentation that is buildable, a wide variety of color, they are wearable for everyday use with a slightly sheer look with a bit of shine. I just don't know why I don't love this product. Have any of you tried this product? What are your thoughts on it?

The Met Gala 2014: A Tribute to Charles James

Last night was the annual Costume Institute Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There were ball gowns, structured dresses, white suites and trains... lots and lots of trains. This year honored the British-born designer, Charles James. He is known as "America's best-known couturier". He revolutionized American fashion in the mid-20th century. I wasn't very excited for this years "theme", seeing as it is to honor the designer Charles James we were expecting to have things be more toned down and polished compared to last years crazy theme "PUNK: Chaos to Couture". I usually am looking forward to some outrageous designs that we would never see worn on other carpets but for last night it was the typical red carpet wear. Though I was excited to see how designers interpreted James' sculptural style. 

Emma Stone (and boyfriend Andrew Garfield) were both dressed in Thakoon. When I first saw her in this dress I saw it pictured from the side which is where I initially fell in love with it. I don't think it is as much of a wow piece from the from but the pop of color was refreshing to see in the sea of black and white. Emma may not have stuck with the theme completely but I think the structured top was just enough to get her through. ps. she's stunning and i'm obsessed with her. 

Shocker, Blake Lively looks stunning. (sarcasm if you didn't pick that up) She is always dressed perfectly! Her and her beautiful hubby Ryan Reynolds were both wearing Gucci. Once again we have another mermaid shaped dress but I believe that Blake Lively took a very modern approach to the theme. Her completely sparkly gown gave a modern flair to the classic structured dress. 

Rihanna took this theme and gave it her own flare. She wore a tummy-baring two piece by Stella McCartney. This is another dress that I saw from the back first which is the wow factor about this two piece dress. Once again although this dress isnt exactly sticking to the theme the structured top and mermaid shape bottom gave this dress a taste of Charles James with a Rihanna sexy-chic twist to it.

Kendall Jenner looked stunning in Topshop. I first saw her dress when she posted a picture of it on instagram and I was blown away. I knew right then that she would be ones of the best dressed of the night. the cut of the dress fit her like a glove and the structured corset top was perfect for the Charles James tribute. And her hair looks so effortless but polished at the same time.

Leave it to Cara Delevigne to push the envelope in this Stella McCartney outfit. She wore high waisted trousers with a revealing black crop top. While she looks rather understated compared to everyone else she definitely stood out to me. Her outfit was well tailored, structured (in a different way than the others) and polished.

I don't think its possible to make Charlize Theron look bad. Charlize was dressed in Dior, of course. The corset black and white fitted dress hugged her like a glove. With the hair and draped jacked over her shoulders she looks like she walked out of another era.

For me when looking for best dressed I ignored the theme completely. For a night that is sometimes referred to as the Oscars of fashion, you could say that people were just dressed up for the Oscars. There was nothing to look forward to. Hopefully next year will have another exciting theme! What were your thoughts on this years Met Gala? 

Wishlist

With this semester coming to an end and all I can think about is summer. With all the summer collections releasing from both fashion and beauty companies its hard not to blow all of my money on everything! I have been obsessing over the new MAC Proenza Schouler collection, I mean look at that packaging... its to die for! I have also been lusting over the Brooklyn Hawaii Pouch, in collaboration with Samudra. Its pretty perfect for summer! I'm currently trying to decide what to spend my money on and what to pass on, the decision is practically impossible!

one: makeup geek pigment in new years eve and afterglow // two: makeup geek eyeshadow in moondust, shimma shimma, and pretentious // three: brooklyn hawaii pouch in hanging palm and moloka'i palms // four: mac cosmetics proenza schouler collection ocean city ombre blush // five: mac  cosmetics pro longwear concealer  // six: wildfox 'adventure list island' graphic tank

Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum' Express Mascara

 I recently decided to pick up the new Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum' Express mascara that recently hit the drugstore for spring 2014 because my Maybelline The Rocket was running out. I think Maybelline has some of the best drugstore mascaras, I actually use 2 in my "mascara routine"

This is supposedly a new formula from Maybelline that has a "double shot" mascara brush that "pumps up" lashes with their new plumping collagen thats supposed to give lashes 16x the volume. According to Maybelline this new formula has a "plumping formula for the most pumped up volumizing lashes ever."

Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum' Express mascara comes with an enormous oval brush that is packed with bristles. The wand itself has this wavy design to it which isnt doing much for application but it was a neat little surprise when I opened the mascara. The brush is a little on the large side but I didn't have trouble when applying the mascara.

I have read a couple reviews on this mascara after my use to compare my thoughts with others and once thing I was surprised that no one has said yet is that the formula is incredibly similar to the Maybelline Mega Plush (which I did enjoy). The formula is a tad wet but nothing that makes your lashes clump together. One the mascara set my lashes had the same soft feel to it like the Mega Plush mascara did as well. It wasn't flakey and didn't smear throughout the day but since the mascara is somewhat wet be careful not to blink to much when applying because it can leave you with a mess on your eyelids.

This mascara is marketed as a volumizing mascara but as you can see I didn't get much volume during application... well at least not the 16X the mascara promises. I do have naturally long eyelashes but this mascara did add some length to the, or at least enhanced my length. I did like that this mascara was able to separate my lashes which helped give a slight appearance of volume to my lashes.

I do have a mascara routine (3 different mascaras) and its usually my second mascara that is interchangeable and I do believe this will be a good new addition to the routine. I have used the Mega Plush as my second mascara and really liked it and seeing as I like this mascara a bit more than the Mega Plush I knew I would like this mascara. It does wear very well on its own though, I can see myself wearing this on its own when I don't feel like wearing makeup but need to run some errands. Like I said before this mascara is incredibly similar to the Mega Plush so if you liked that one you will definitely like this one.

This is my first time using a mascara from the Colossal line, i usually stick to my Falsies line. After trying this I may have to try out other from the Colossal range. Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum' Express retails between $6-$8 depending on where you buy. Maybelline definitely has some of the best mascaras in the drugstore, if you haven't checked them out I definitely think you should! Maybelline Pumped Up! may not give you the "pumped up" lashes it promises but it does give great length.

Coachella Street Style Fashion: Weekend One

out of all of the coachella fashion i looked at from the first weekend i would have to say that the "street style" was my favorite! There was just a ton of variety between everyone that was there, though everyone stuck to the classic "festival fashion". lets get into some of my favorite looks from coachella weekend one (although it was so hard to narrow down)

One thing  i love about this first look is how simple and everyday wear it is. its nothing to complex, you could see someone walking down the street wearing this. this look is incredibly practical for coachella. the cropped halter and maxi skit with a big slit looks incredibly stylish but also keeps you cool in the 90 degree weather they had that weekend. Pairing this look with combat boots and a chunky statement necklace gave this look some edge.

Watch out guys, overalls are back! apparently overalls are making a comeback, I have never seen so many people in one place wear overalls, but like i said in my last post the 90s are back and in a big way. I love how she paired her white denim overalls with a bright bold kimono and mirrored glasses, so the focus wasn't so much on the overalls but rather her bold style.

Can we take a quick minute and admire this woman's abs? alright lets move on... normally i'm not a fan of when people walk around in bandeaus or bathing suit tops (aside from the beach of course) but she styled her geometric bathing suit top right! Wearing high waisted patterned flowy pants did this outfit right, showing just the perfect amount of skin. if she paired the same top with a pair of denim shorts this outfit would not have looked right.

Usually I'm not a fan of an all print outfit, mainly because i'm bitter because I can't pull it off, but for coachella this outfit works perfectly. the bright floral crop top-skirt combo paired with boots gives this girl an outfit that made her stand out at coachella.

It wouldn't be coachella if we didn't see one fringe outfit. A wide brimmed hat with a fringe coverup kept this girl cool while by the pool at an event. this fringe outfit isnt overdoing it, one of the more stylish ways i have seen fringe done at the festival.

one thing i have noticed is that festival fashion is making it into everyday fashion. We see this everyday in magazine and online boutiques "get the festival look". mainly these looks consist of crop tops, graphic tees, high waisted shorts and skirts, which is beginning to have a hint of 90s flair to them. I expect to see a lot of looks like this during the summer, which i know i will enjoy these effortless yet fashion-forward looks!

Coachella Celebrity Fashion: Weekend One

Bring on the crop tops, flower crowns, stylish sunglasses and bindis. The first weekend of Coachella was this past weekend so lets break down the crazy fashion that Coachella brings us. The classic coachella trends usually include crochet tops, fringe, high waisted skirts and flower crowns but this year there seemed to be a bit of the 90s in the mix this year. I saw some hip-tied flannels, overalls, and fanny packs. I had a hard time finding some of my favorites from the celebrity bunch but I had a hard time narrowing down my favorite "street style" looks!

Julianne Hough helped host the Harper's Bazaar picnic lunch and wore an adorable white lace off the shoulder top and high waisted shorts, both vintage. She paired her outfit with Chloe wedges, a flea market purse and Rebecca Minkoff by Shane Baum Crosby sunglasses. She wore a classic coachella trend, a flower crown, but hers seemed to be very small and not to over the top. which worked perfectly with her adorable pixie cut. 

Its no secret that the Jenner sisters have incredible style. Both Kendall and Kylie wore an all black "goth" look that got some attention but I wasn't much of a fan, they both looked great but I'm would have liked something different than all black. A look that stood out to me was Kendall's more simple boho look she wore. She showed off her amazing legs in a pair of denim high waisted shorts with a metal belt, crop top, long white vest, a pair of cowgirl boots and some amazing mirrored ray bans (which i'm saving up for). She kept it very boho chic and very coachella. She honestly didn't have a bad fashion day, some definitely could have changes, but they would have never landed her on a worst dressed list.

Many have named Vanessa Hudgens the "queen of coachella". She has shows up to festivals like she owns the place; and with her festival style I understand why. Vanessa definitely works the carefree, flower child outfits when she shows up to Coachella and I love everything about it. Year after year she shows up with a stunner boho look with an edge, which works for her. From her wide brimmed hat, long wavy hair to her leather booties I definitely think Vanessa has earned the title "queen of coachella" Buzzfeed actually just did a hilarious post on "A History of Vanessa Hudgens at Coachella" and the post was everything.

Shay Mitchell kept it incredibly low key during the festival so it was hard to find a good quality picture to show off her impeccable festival style this past weekend. I follow her on instagram so I was able to see her look day by day and let me say she slayed. She is so effortless but stylish at the same time. She wore a Torn by Ronny Kobo yellow "Kana” bustier & “Payton” skirt that looked adorable but my favorite look of hers that weekend was the simpler look. She wore a cream flowy ruffled crop top with Lovers + Friends jean shorts with a JustFab bag accessorized with stacked silver statement necklaces.

Sarah Hyland got into the spirit of Coachella by wearing a bright pink flower crown from american apparel on friday in Indio. Sarahs effortless lovechild outfit seemed incredibly practical for the weather at Coachella. She wore a neon bandeau from aerie under a muscle tee with denim jeans and leather booties. I loved her hair with this outfit, it gave off that coachella vibe and looked great on her.

I wasn't completely wowed by the celebs fashion this past weekend, but they all looked great. I was definitely more impressed by the street style looks that other festival goers wore. I'll be posting some of my favorites on friday so make sure to come back and check it out! 

MAC Sheertone Blush in Peaches

While one my trip to Puerto Rico I watched one of Jaclyn Hill's makeup tutorials where she used the blush peaches and I knew once I got back home I needed to pick it up immediately, and thats exactly what I did (I also picked up the eyeshadow she used). I knew right away Peaches would become one of my favorite blushes (out of 3 so it wasn't hard...) I don't buy many blushes because my cheeks are naturally pink so I usually don't try to highlight the redness in my face. But I do have my moments where I can get away with blush.

Peaches is a sheertone blush which means you are able to layer this blush to get you're desired pigmentation, works perfectly with my pigmented cheeks! but just because this blush is a sheertone blush doesn't mean its not pigmented. Sheertone blushes allow you to be as subtle or as bold as you want.

Peaches is most definitely a peach blush with subtle brown undertones. however when put next to another peach tones blush it isnt as orange as you expect it to be. Peaches has a matte finish and is very smooth do the touch and incredibly easy to blend (which is one of my favorite thing about MAC blushes) I think that this blush will look nice on any skin tone but if you're darker you will definitely need to layer it.

I can tell I'm going to love this blush for the spring/summer time. It looked especially nice when I had my tan from Puerto Rico but since that has now worn off it still looks amazing on my complexion. This blush is compared a lot to another MAC blush, Melba, which is actually the first blush I have ever owned and is my number 1 favorite. I'll most likely do a post on that blush as well and I can do a little comparison if you guys would like.

Maybelline "Dare to go Nude" Color Tattoo Spring 2014 Collection

L to R: Pure Nude, Nude Compliment, Sleek & Spice, Beige-ing Beauty

For all of those who have been following me for quite come time now know that i have a slight obsession with the maybelline color tattoos, for all of you newbies... hi i'm brittany and i have an obsession with the maybelline color tattoos. when i first read the news about the new color tattoo collection i freaked. why you ask? because it was a nude style collection. (i also am obsessed with nude colors) when i finally saw the first saw the swatches i wasn't too impressed, they felt like the same old same old and are really close in color to previous color tattoos that had been released, but nevertheless i decided to pick them up because i had some CVS coupons burning a hole in my pocket.

i picked up 4 out of 6 colors in the new spring limited edition collection. what i found surprising was that they didn't have the usual limited edition wrapper around then that they usually do, but maybelline has confirmed they are only limited edition. though these would have been a nice addition to the permanent collection, they may seen boring to some but they are great basic colors to have in a collection.

when i first swatched these color tattoos i was incredibly surprised... these felt incredibly soft, creamy, and a bit thinner than the regular formula. and i loved it. although it felt like a different formula they do have the wear of the regular color tattoos.

lets start the descriptions from lightest for darkest. for swatches of the full collection check out Musings of a Muse's post.

Pure Nude is a light pink champagne tinted beige with a golden sheen to it. it is very buildable but i think looks better when worn as a light wash over the eyes. it is incredibly similar (practically a "dupe") for barely branded. barely branded is for the "metals" collection which has a more metallic finish to it, but sheered out they are practically the same thing. if you have one i wouldn't suggest buying the other.

Beige-ing Beauty is a golden champagne/beige color with subtle gold sparkles. this color was semi-opaque which normally would be a bad thing but in this case a great thing. this color is also buildable but i wouldn't suggest it, it becomes to sparkly and looks like someone went to a rave on your eyelids. this color is especially beautiful sheered out. when purchasing this i was once again hesitant that would be a "dupe" for barely beige. but i'm here to say that its not a complete "dupe". if you take the sparkles out from beige-ing beauty than it would be, but in this case i really like the sparkles in this color so they will both be staying in my collection.

Nude Compliment is a cool-toned taupe-brown with a slight metallic finish. i think when worn opaque it gives off the more metallic finish which seems to look like a more cool-toned gray. when sheered out it seems to appear as a warmer reddish-brown color. i'm not a huge fan of the metallic look but it is still a beautiful and versatile color.

Sleek & Spice is a warm-toned reddish-brown also with a slight metallic finish. it seems incredibly similar to nude compliment but still different at the same time. Sleek & Spice does look better than Nude Compliment when completely opaque, the metallic finish isnt as in your face as the Nude Compliment.

I hope this post helps you with your hunt for these products. My personal favorites are Beige-ing Beauty and a sheer Nude Compliment. If you are a newbie to the color tattoo collections i definitely would say pick these up but if you're a hoarder like I am with these things I would say its not worth your time if you have previous nude colors from the Color Tattoo line. To be honest I think I might pass on the future collections unless I find a must need color, they seem to be running out of ideas and just using old colors and renaming them. But I would like to applaud myself because the last time I bought a color tattoo was about a year ago (excluding the pigments of course).

What are your guys thoughts about the collection? Must have or are you passing on some of these?

In a Nutshell

Sometimes I forget that this blog is not only a beauty blog, but a lifestyle blog as well. I think I was so focused on beauty and trying to make my blog a success that it became stressful. I always have loved blogging and have missed it but I want to do this my way and not focus so much on the success or popularity of blogging and just do what i love.

My life this semester at school has been a disaster. I made the deans list last semester and had such an amazing semester this semester has just taken a turn for the worst. so much has been going on i even think some of my teachers are becoming stressed. i'll let you in on my life a little to show you how crazy my life has been. first of all this winter has been insane, my school has had maybe 3 or more snow days which have been somewhat nice but also have made everyone a little more stressed. teachers are trying to catch up and just pilling on work and its been really hard for me.

Also at the beginning to middle of this semester my grandfather was in the hospital and was not expected to make it, because of that my head was never in the right place. i missed a week of classes to be with my family in the hospital. my grandfather is truly a fighter because he made it out of the hospital and doing better.

A couple weeks after coming back to school and getting back into my groove my flash drive with all of my work from the past couple years shit the bed (excuse my language but thats what happened) I plugged in my flash drive during class and it didn't open up in the computer, i took it to the IT desk and they pretty much told me it was dead. As a graphic designer this is one of the worst things that can happen to you. I was a total idiot and didn't have anything backed up so i lost almost everything i have ever worked on, including projects that were due that week.

This semester has been a total stress ball but it hasn't been all bad times. I became a big in my semester and got the most perfect little. I also took a trip to Puerto Rico for spring break. It was the perfect week getaway and totally relaxing. it was exactly what i needed. I have also been working out and trying to change my eating habits and since i started i have lost about 35 lbs. I'm extremely proud of myself.

I hope to continue to update regularly but I have no idea how the rest of this semester is going to go. blogging gives me inspiration and lets me be creative and i really need that in my life because i'm starting to get lost in this "cookie cutter" graphic design major i'm in. let me know if you read any blogs that inspire you or even if you think you have an inspiring blog, i would love to check it out!

Kardashian Beauty Sea Coral En-Joystick Lip Lacquer

I know what you're all thinking... Brittany. Posting about a lip product?! NO WAY! yes, its pretty well known that I totally neglect my lips and avoid all lip products besides chapstick but i decide its time i face my fears and try a few lip products out.

my first weapon (or lip product... either or) of choice is the Kardashian Beauty (formally known as Khroma) En-Joystick lip lacquer in sea coral. I have had my eye on this product since the summer and I finally caved an purchased it.

Ulta describes this lip lacquer as a "super Intense long lasting lip color goes on like a cream and lasts through all the fun and games. Gain complete mastery over your lip color with a flick of your Joystick." 

I'm attracted to lip products that come in a stick form (chubby sticks, jumbo lip pencils ect.) because they seam effortless and like you don't need a mirror. With this joystick I think you would need a mirror for this product because it is so slim. The joysticks are retractable so you don't need to worry about sharpening them. I'm a huge fan of the packaging of this product. it comes in a plastic tube with a lid that snaps on tightly so you don't have to worry about the product opening in your purse or travel bag. the end of the tube is color coated to the product inside and is represented pretty accurately. The product itself is very rich and creamy with amazing pigmentation, that is also buildable! I don't think the product its necessarily "super intense long lasting" but the product lasts a fair amount but isnt something crazy long. I find the product to be fairly moisturizing but nothing super moisturizing and not drying. 

Sea coral is a beautiful pinky-peach (aka coral) color with a cream finish. on the lips it has a bit of a glossy-like finish. I would show you it on my lips but they are extremely chapped because i forgot to bring my lush lip scrub home on break, so i figured i would save you the horror. There are 8 other shades in the collection. I think the colors in the collection are very "kardashian" like colors, I hope they add more colors to the collection because i'm a big fan of these! i really think this color will be great for spring and summer, especially with a tan :)

The En-Joystick Lip Lacqures currently retail for $8.99 at ulta. They are actually currently on sale for buy 1 get 1 50% off which is a great deal!

The New Black Ombre Nail Polish Set in Waves

I have had my eye on the company The New Black for some time now, well ever since Demi released a nail polish line with them. For my birthday I received 2 different nail polish sets i had been lusting over! i had my eye on this turquoise ombre set for awhile now because hello, turquoise is my color. the name of the set is waves, and its the most perfect name because these nail polishes make me think a mermaid would wear them (especially the glitter color)

for me i love the packaging of these polishes. they are packaged in small rectangular bottles and on the back they have the big graphic The New Black logo on them. The brush is a classic nail polish brush that is easy to use and smoothes out the polish perfectly.

the formula of this nail polish is very creamy and pigmented, it needs about 2 coats. the set comes with a wide range of finishes. the set is intended for you to wear together, although for me i don't think i would. but they are brilliant colors on their own.

the first color in this set is a light mint cream color. second color is a turquoise color with a slight shimmer. third color is a deep turquoise/teal color with shimmer. fourth color, and my favorite color, is a glittery teal color. literally something a mermaid would have on her nails! the final color is a dark teal color with a cream finish.

You can get their products at ulta and sephora. the ombre nail sets are $22