International Makeup Swap

Back in August Katie from Subtle Coral was looking for someone in The United States to do a box swap with. I immediately responded since I had been following her blog, and of course I wanted to get my hands on some UK products. Katy did an amazing job with everything she picked out for me. I love it all and have been enjoying using all of the products / eating the candy. Here's what she got me, if you'd like to see what I got her then head over to her lovely blog!

I think the only specific items I wanted were the Barry M Gelly nail polishes. They are amazing quality just has I had hoped. These colors are my favorite. The rest was up to her, and she did a fabulous job!

The items were wrapped in pretty wrapping paper which was a very creative detail (wish I had thought of that!). It was really fun opening everything - it felt a bit like Christmas. 

I ended up sharing most of the candy with my little brother and cousin. They were with me when I was opening everything were "ooohing" and "ahhing" at everything. They actually told me to go get more candy from the UK, I was like sure..I'll drive there..aha.

Have you done a box swap before?

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Pastel Pink Pants / OOTD

 

Pastel pink has grown on me this year, under no circumstance would I have ever worn pink before - it's just a color that doesn't suit me well. However, in pastel or salmon shades it seems to work well and complements my skin tone. One of the easiest ways for me to implement color into my outfit is through my jeans. I think it's because I like my long legs and I find it easier to pull any color or pattern with the right top. Here is my very simple outfit of the day for going to class, and running a few errands. 

Top - Forever 21

Pants - JcPenny

Boots - Delia's

Have you been wearing pink this Autumn / Winter? 

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Currently Loving | Music

 Friday, the end of a long week. Unfortunately for me I have a midterm and quiz today so I thought I'd do a fun post. I'm giving you all a glimpse of my soul by sharing some of my favorite songs. Music gets me through my toughest times and happiest times. I would be completely lost without it. Here we go :

1. Bath is Black - Marika Hackman

2. Say Yes - Elliot Smith 

                             
                                                          3. Million Dollar Man - Lana Del Rey

4. Dark Horse - Katy Perry

5. Team - Lorde 

6. Blood - Middle East

                                         

Let me know if you listened to any or liked any. What are your favorite songs? 

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Hairspiration Katy Perry

                 *images from google

I really want to do something different with my hair. For the past three years I have had it different shades of red, and I am very bored with it. For now I am trying to match my natural hair color which is really difficult because the hair dye fades back into streaks of red. It currently looks ombre because the bottom is a brownish red and the top a darker brown.

I have strayed away from bangs because they don't really suit me that well. I feel they hide my entire forehead which is already small and flat.. I really like Katy's hair. It's quite dark like mine, and her middle parting is perfect. I will soon be investing in a hair straightener because most of the time my hair is a little wavy and messy looking. I love Katy's curls so I will be trying to do my hair more often too.

Lastly I'd love to bleach sections of my hair to dye them a nice purple like in the first photo. I think it looks really nice, and different. For now I will be trying to get the dark color nicely all over my hair so we will see what happens after that.
                                      Who do you look towards for hair inspiration?

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Coats

As winter approaches I have decided to prepare myself by purchasing a coat. I used to think I didn't need one because most of the time the weather is hot, but occasionally there a are a few weeks that are freezing cold. A girl can't just have one coat. I picked these two up from Macy's after noticing they were fully stocked on their winter attire. They both have a hood and are incredibly warm. I can't wait to wear these two and my other tartan coat this winter. Now I am the proud owner of three coats.
                                        What kind of coats are you wearing this season? 
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Mac Diva Lipstick

 

My favorite lipstick this season is Mac's Diva. I've been talking about it quite a lot on twitter recommending it to anyone that is looking for a new A/W lipstick. This lipstick made it into my collection by fate. I never used to wear bold lip colors, but one day while gazing at a Mac counter I thought "Why not?",  and poof I ended up with an amazing lipstick. It was love at first sight. The color is a deep reddish plum almost burgundy. It is  perfect for the colder months. I've been wearing it quite often with minimal eye makeup. It is a matte finish so it is important to really hydrate the lips prior to the application especially in the colder season. The color of the lipstick accenuates dryness by creating black spots on the lips (is it just me and my chapped lips?).
There is not much need for retouching because it is very pigmented. It lasts all day, and survives a meal. I like to occasionally take a clear lip balm and go over it when my lips are feeling dry throughout the day. I've been feeling really sick lately, and this lipstick has been doing a great job distracting eyes from the rest of my face (see photo above). 

                      Would you wear Mac's Diva? What are your favorite bold lipsticks? 
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Organization

I used to be the messiest person ever. I found it very difficult to keep up with school when I crammed everything into one folder, my bag was always messy, and my room was chaotic. It's the worst way to live. Being orianized has made my life ten times easier. Sometimes my desk gets a bit untidy, but I quickly clean it. It is safe to say I'm becoming a huge neat freak. Every weekend I move all of my furniture around to properly sweep and mop my floors.

For my classes I have three individual folders. Each have dividers to create sections where I can store my notes, homework, and quizzes. I also like to buy sheet protectors to place my syllabi in because they are important and I need them all quarter. I have planner which reminds of what I need to do every week, and what classes I don't have to go to. I also write quiz dates, appointments, and midterm dates.
For very important dates I will also set reminders on Evernote and my Calendar on my cell phone. I like to keep individual notebooks for keeping notes when I run out of paper and writing rough drafts of essay or journal questions. Sometimes I scribble blog posts as well.

I have finally organized a majority of my makeup into containers. I really want to get clear acrylic drawers, but for now these will do. I finally have some where to put all of my brushes so I am not constantly losing them or misplacing them.  I've separated my favorite products from the rest of my makeup for easier access. Now I do not have to rummage through my entire collection. I like having them out on top of my drawer so when someone walks in they can see it (show off much?). I'm very proud of my ever growing collection. I've also cleared out old makeup that could no longer be used because I've had it for too long.

                                                   How do you stay organized? 
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A/W Outfit #2

Hello everyone! I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you that follow my little blog! I reached 50 gfc followers and 110 Bloglovin followers which is unbelievable to me because I didn't think anyone would read my posts! *virtual hug*.
 So, I thought I'd do another outfit post because my first one was so popular. I apologize for the lint in the pictures. This morning I woke up at 5 A.M and since it was so dark I didn't notice the lint until I came home. I think I lost my lint roller after I used it to kill a bug a few days ago so we are stuck with lintastic pictures. Anyway, it actually rained on Wednesday which was really surprising and amazing. I love the rain. There is something magical about it and when it rains that only means one thing one. Coats. Yes, it isn't everyday that I can wear a coat and actually enjoy it in the cold weather. Last week it was very hot. My arms were burning/tanning while I was driving. This week on the other hand has been very cold!
I immediately pulled my new tartan coat I bought a week or two ago. I love it, but I have never owned one so styling it has been a bit of a challenge. I don't usually mix patterns together, but I was watching New Girl on Netflix and Jess was wearing a tartan coat with stripes and I thought it looked great so I gave it ago. I personally love it, they don't mix in a bad way. I find tights are warmer than jeans and also more comfortable, and of course I needed my boots! I can't deal with wet feet, they freak me out.
The whole outfit was inspired a little by Jess. I love her style and personality.

                                      Green/Navy Tartan  Coat - Jcpenny
                                      White/Navy Striped Shirt - H&M
                                      Navy Skater Skirt - Forever 21
                                      Tights - Macy's
                                       Boots - Lulu's

                             What do you wear when the weather is cold? Would you wear this outfit? 
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Review // Mac Mineralized Skinfinish - Gold Deposit

For months I gazed towards Gold Deposit while strolling through Macy's. I knew it was something I wanted, but it took me a while to convince myself. I already own and love Soft & Gentle so I thought I would choose something different. I decided to go for Gold Deposit because of its orange gold shimmery color. It is perfect all year around in California. I wanted something that would help me inject color to my face as well as shimmer.
The Mineralized Skin Finishes are my favorite Mac products. Each are different and one of a kind. I believe most of them are limited edition with the exception of Gold Deposit and Soft and Gentle. Of course.. I would choose the two that are always available.
There is a lot of product here in the pan. It is definitely worth the money because it will last a very long time. It is also very pigmented. A light hand is highly recommended. I use it as highlighter during the day and when I'm out I can get away with using it as blush. If you don't like shimmer then this one isn't for you. Applying too much can cause the disco ball effect, but applying just right amount can create a warm bronzey glow.

                   Have you ever tried Mac Minzeralized Skin Finishes before? Which are your favorite? 
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September Favorites // 2013

 Another month, another favorites post! September flew by, it feels as if yesterday I was taking my driving test, or celebrating my birthday. Towards the end of September I've began to use a lot more makeup than usual, but for most of the month it was all about the hair, cheeks, and lips.

L'oreal EverCreme Shampoo and Conditioner
I picked these up when during late July because I had been very unsatisfied with old current hair care. My hair was very damaged resembling dead grass. I heard of these on a few blogs and decided to try them out. I've reviewed them here. Both the shampoo and conditioner are very moisturizing. My hair quickly became silky and shiny.

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer
After waiting for so long I finally got my hands on the Show Off Lip Lacquers. They are incredibly pigmented glosses that last for ages. My two favorite are Celestial and Big Bang. They are a bit messy when trying to get a precise application, but I have mastered the technique that work for me.

Mac Blush Coy Girl
As the colder weather approaches I have started to reincorporate blush into my makeup routine.  Coygirl looks very purple in the pan, but on my skin it is a beautiful pale pink. It makes my skin look flushed and naturally pink. I love rosy cheeks at the moment they make me want to be around a warm fire.

That's it for the month of September, nothing too exciting. I'm looking forward to the month of October!
                                     What were your favorites from September? 
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Essie It's Genius

I would like to apologize for not having my favorites post up as it should be. I was writing it during these past few days, but I am dissatisfied with the photography. I will have the post ready later in the week once I retake the pictures. It's been a really hectic past few days so it feels good to be back on the blogging scene. I had noticed that my nail polishes that I was using didn't exactly scream "Autumn". I dug deep in my drawers and discovered "It's Genius" by Essie.

It is a beautiful violet/burgundy color with gold shimmer. The formula is thin yet very opaque. I can get away with only one coat, but I prefer two so the polish lasts longer and hides the awful condition my nails are in. "It's Genius" is very easy to wear. I had previously mentioned being unimpressed with Essie, but I think it was because the nail polish I had used was old and the formula became runny. This is a newer polish I picked up during the summer so it's consistency is really good. I think I will be using more Essie polish for this Autumn season.
                            What nail polishes are you using for A/W? Any recommendations?
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