'Scuse My Absense...But Here's A Haul To Make Up For It

I haven't written much lately and I really started to miss it. Work's been busy and I'm getting ready for my summer classes to start again so I've been preparing for those, but I of course managed to find time to shop. 

Mostly makeup and nailpolish, with the exception of some shoes (another one of my obsessions), a beautiful watch that I've had my eye on now for a few months and some clothes (once I get better at photographing the simple things, I'll tackle the clothing).

First, I always find myself in Target. I don't know why. I don't know how. The store is like a magnet to me. Anyways, they had a few new colors of Essie so I had to buy them. Actually, I didn't have to buy them, I just wanted them. I use that reasoning all of the time. I even noticed they had some new (new to me) patterns of different nail strips. One in particular I'm dying to wear this summer. I also had to stop into Sally's Beauty Salon because I wanted to try some new dry shampoo, but wouldn't you know it....more nail polish.

I picked up this amazing neon orange called Mayhem Mentality from Orly and I think it's going to look great for a pedicure. It's BRIGHT. Next from Essie, I have been looking for weeks for this gorgeous blue, In The Cab-ana. Every time I looked for it, it was sold out everywhere. Then onto Shake Your $$ Maker, which is a bright green. Nothing unique in terms of color, but green polish is always pretty to have. The bright, almost neon (the picture doesn't show the true color) is DJ Play That Song. Super creamy and I love the way it applies. The next one I had to get called Bottle Service just because of the name. I've got a ton of dark magenta shades like this but the name...I love. Along with Boom Boom Room (I freaking love the name), which really is a barbie pink in my opinion. Bright and creamy and good to go in 2 coats. Finally, Sunday Funday. It's another orange but it's got such a pretty, slight shimmer to it. You can see it once you pick up the bottle and once the light hits on your nails, it shows up even more.   

 I love these nail strips simply because of the ease of them. And the selection of colors among the different brands can't get much better. The first one is from Sally Hansen and it's such an awesome rainbow of zig zags, or triangles, I'm not really sure. Either one works I guess. The next 2 are from Kiss, the first being super blingy. Black base with different colors and different sizes of rhinestones attached. Not a bright summer color pattern but I couldn't pass up the colorful rhinestones. Last but certainly not least, my favorite of the 3. NEON. Pink, orange and lime green with some silver rhinestones. Now these are the ultimate summer colors for me. I'm so excited to wear these. 

Wet-N-Wild bronzer, blush in Luminoso, and one of their new lipsticks in Nude Creme.

 Surprisingly, these are my very first Wet-N-Wild purchases, with the exception of some nail polish, and although I haven't really tried the bronzer, so far I'm impressed. I am in love with the lipstick. It's more of a darker nude so it doesn't completely blank out my lips. It's easy for me to apply even without a mirror and although on me it doesn't last quite that long, I don't mind reapplying as I don't have any problems of it drying out my lips. As far as the blush, I've heard so many people rave about the color, Luminoso and I have to say, for my lighter skin, it's quite pretty. It's very powdery though but the color pay off is great and it gives me a nice glow.

Hmm, besides the nail strips, the 2 items above just might have been my favorite Target purchases. The first is the Sonia Kashuk makeup bag. I don't know why I have a love affair with makeup bags. They're just one of those things I can't get enough of. I love the color of this one and I love how it has so many compartments. The smaller 2 clear pouches are attached by Velcro so they can easily be removed and carried to and from the bathroom or wherever else I do my makeup. While in Target, I tend to gravitate towards the shoes. It's just the woman in me. With my new watch I purchased, I've been on the hunt for some cute rose gold sandals and success! These are from the Sam & Libby collection and one, the rose gold straps are gorgeous, and their very comfortable. They have some slight cushioning so the few times I've worn them, I've been surprised that they aren't like normal sandals with the hard flat bottoms.

 This was the sole reasoning of going to Sally's Beauty in all honesty. I always like trying new dry shampoo to see which ones really work better for my hair and so far, although this is one of the better smelling ones, I don't see much of a huge difference. I did get $2 off because of the dent in the can though. Amazing shopper right here. 

And last but not least, my all time favorite purchase in quite a while. I really could hear angels sing as I handed the lady at Nordstrom my debit card. I've had my eye on this Michael Kors watch for months and decided that this was what I wanted my parents to get me for my birthday as it does have the blue stones, which is my birthstone. It came in rose gold and gold, but I do have a gold Fossil watch that I love so I wanted to jump on the rose gold trend. Is that still a trend actually? Oh, the best part....it was 40% off. Yep. I paid a little over $200 for this beauty. When originally it was $325. I'm an amazing shopper. Now you see why I had to get the sandals. Now I just gotta figure out what I want for my birthday LOL. 


Thanks for reading!
XOXO

*All items purchased by me.

Hello San Francisco!

I recently had to go to San Francisco for a few days for work and it's definitely one of those cities that I don't think I could get enough of. There's so much to see and although I didn't have much time to really explore, I made the best of it. 

Since working for my job that I have, I've been to San Francisco numerous times as that's where our headquarters are and with any type of training or workshops we do, that's where we have to go. So I wanted to share some of my trip. And considering the time restraints, I think I managed to squeeze in some pretty darn good things. I actually went with a co-worker of mine and while the weather was actually pretty rainy/chilly, we made the most of it. 

 This post will actually be quite picture heavy so enjoy!

Our connecting flight was delayed so we hung out here for a bit.

Some of the best cupcakes I've had. Kara's Cupcakes in Burlingame, CA.

Burlingame, CA is really the cutest little town. Everyone is so friendly and it's got some of the most amazing restaurants.

San Francisco action.

My favorite part of the trip, the sea lions. I love when they're out on the planks sunbathing and playing in the water. There were probably 60 or so all scattered about.

Fish, calamari, shrimp and some cole slaw....YUM.

After that fried goodness, we had to walk off the calories, but had to stop for desert first and get donuts.

Nah, couldn't leave without some hot chocolate either. It was the perfect weather for it too. Warmed my insides up right away and I'm craving another one.

Who can fly 6 hours on a red eye without having a nightcap?

Goodnight and see ya later rainy San Francisco. It was a wonderful trip as always.

 

Watching the sun rise 35,000 feet in the sky. One of greatest things I think a lot of take for granted is actually the small things in life, like actually watching the sun rise.

Sorry this wasn't much of a more wordier post, but I wanted to share my pictures more so. Thanks for reading!

XOXO

Leavin' On A Jet Plane

Because I do quite a bit of traveling for work and for leisure, I always have to carry some essentials with me. Whether they're to make my trip more enjoyable and pass the time, or they're to help my skin retain some moisture while breathing in the recirculated air, there's a few things I always have in my carry on. I figured since I'm actually leaving in a few days for a short trip, I'd share my must have items when flying.

I have written a post about day trip essentials, but this is showcasing items that are my must haves just for the plane ride, no matter how long or short it may be.

-First and foremost, I always have to have magazines, my iPad and headphones. Since nowadays most airlines have TV's in the back of their seats, it's become necessary to have headphones. There's various channels to watch, movies you can order and some airlines even have music stations. Headphones are also helpful when you've got a flight with kids and babies and you don't want to hear their crying. 

-I also carry with me various magazines, for the outbound and return flights. I don't usually finish reading all of the magazines so I have some to read while coming home and bonus...I don't have to buy new ones.

-And of course I always carry my iPad. Along with TV, most airlines have inflight wi-fi on board. And you can sometimes even access sites like Facebook for free. I also like having my iPad while I'm staying in my hotel room to either read or of course watch YouTube videos. 

-It's no secret that unfortunately, planes are dirty. They go through quick cleanings in between flights and the ground crew doesn't have time to give it a deep cleaning. So I always carry hand sanitizer with me. The tray tables are dirty, the seat belts are dirty, even the remotes and the TV screens are dirty, so it's a good idea to clean your hands after touching these items. You can always wash your  hands in the restroom, but with as many times as I use my sanitizer, I really don't want to keep getting up and disturbing the people around me.

-In addition, because of the air recirculating, the constant use of hand sanitizer can quickly dry out my hands. So I carry a small bottle of good hand lotion. Regardless of how long the flight may be, your skin will become dry so you need some type of moisture back into it.

-Keeping along the same lines of  dry skin, I always carry lip balm or chap stick. This is especially important because I sometimes eat on the plane and I always have something to drink. So the constant drinking and wiping of your lips will make them dry, and even more so because of the air around you. So it's important to keep them hydrated.

-You'll also always find a brush in my purse/carry on as well because although I'm actually a nervous flier, I'll try to catch a few ZZZ's. Especially if it's a red eye flight. So before I get off, I always like to brush my hair because while I'm sleeping, it seems to get tangled more so. My hair becomes very dry and for me, that just causes way too many tangles. You can always carry a spray on conditioner, but be mindful, it's gotta be 3oz. or less, and remember, you're not the only one on the plane, so sprays and scents may irritate some people's allergies. I actually save my freshening up for when I get to my hotel. That way I'm more comfortable and I can properly wash my face and re-apply my makeup before going out. 

-I also like to carry a small bottle of contact solution as mine tends to get extremely dry while flying. This is when your hand sanitizer comes in handy, although I do recommend fully washing your hands first. 

-Some items of course are just for comfort, like a neck pillow, or a regular pillow or a blanket. You can buy these items on board usually but the prices are going to be higher. You're better off buying your pillow and small blanket at a place like Target so that you save some money and you'll get more uses out of it. The pillows and blankets that you can buy on board usually doesn't last quite as long especially if you wash them. 

**The most important thing that I like to carry on is a big bottle of water. Flying dries you out like no ones business and staying hydrated helps with your legs swelling, helps keep headaches at bay that you may get mid-flight, decreases puffiness and just keeps you feeling better all around. It's important to drink water through out the flight, not alcohol or soda. It's fine to have those drinks maybe once or twice during the flight (depending on flight time), but the best thing is always water. While you can't carry a big bottle through security, it's best to just suck up the airport prices and buy one right before boarding. Your skin will thank you. 

Thanks for reading and happy travels!
XOXO

February Favorites...Even Though It's March

So I really liked doing my post last month about my favorite items. It was fun and made me really go through my stash of items to see what I could use. It's like discovering new products all over. 

I actually don't have a lot of favorites this month though, makeup wise anyways. I pretty much have used the same makeup as last month but hair wise and facial wise, I've stumbled on some oldies but goodies. And some new items for me completely. 

FACE: 

1. St. Ives Apricot Scrub Blemish & Blackhead Control. I've tried this before in the past and actually just kept forgetting to buy a new container. I use it a few times a week and I love the exfoliation from it. $4.00
2. Olay Age Defying Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream. I have combination skin, so my cheeks get quite dry and this night cream is nice because when I wake up, although I wash my face, it doesn't have a leftover greasy feel to it. It's also oil-free which is a bonus for my oilier spots such as my forehead. $14.00
3. MAC'S Pearlmatte Face Powder in Veronica's Blush. This was one of my purchases from the Archie's Girls collection and it's a very nice soft highlighter that I use on the tops of my cheeks for a slight shimmer. It's not overpowering but does give a nice sheen. $30.00
4. MAC'S Cream Soda Blush. Another purchase from the Archie's Girls collection but this is a subtle peach blush. It goes well with my lighter skintone and doesn't look like I have too much product on. $22.00

BODY:

1. Victoria's Secret True Escape Body Butter. I have extremely dry skin especially on my legs and ankles so I like to use something that's very moisturizing and that's going to last. So when I found these on sale, I stocked up and bought 7 of them. I gave a few to my mom and she quickly became fond of them as well. $12.00
2. Bath and Body Works Eucalyptus Spearmint Body Cream. This is another body butter type of product, it's very thick and creamy but I use this only at nighttime right before I crawl into bed. It really does help me relax and again, it helps keep my dry skin moisturized. $15.00
3. Bath and Body Works Eucalyptus Spearmint Body Wash. I use this in combination with the body cream (obviously afterwards) but it's such a wonderful smell. Not overly fruity and sweet like the usual body washes.  $13.00

EYES:

1. L'Oreal Eye Quad for Brown Eyes in EarthScapes. My dad actually bought this for me one day and although I've told him to never buy me makeup (I actually don't like when people buy me makeup), he surprised me with this and I'm actually truly surprised. It's 4 beautiful brown/tan/golden shades and even though it's labeled for brown eyes, (I have green eyes) it looks great. They blend well and the colors compliment each other perfectly. $5.00

PERFUME:

1. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. I've been wearing this perfume now for a couple of years and it never get's old. I wear this pretty much every single day. To work and to school and it's not too strong. I try to be mindful of people around me and I know strong scents can affect peoples allergies, or even cause migraines (I'm one of those people) but I personally haven't had a problem with this scent and so far I don't think anyone else around me has. Some of the notes are amber, musk and jasmine; among others. $89.00
2. CHANEL Noir. I received this from my parents for my birthday last year and even though I don't wear this everyday, I have been wearing it more so this month. I think it's because I recently cleaned out some of my purses and this was buried on the bottom of one. But this one is stronger with notes of jasmine, rose, and Patchouli; among others. $98.00 

 Thanks for visiting.
XOXO