"She tucked her coral lipstick away, and floated back to the party" - Kate Spade

Every summer all of us ladies go and stock up on our gear for the new HOT season.....

I decided to start my summer spending spree with a new hand bag and some accessories.

I got my first Kate Spade bag for Christmas 2013 and absolutely loved it! Its a striped cross body bag, and perfect for throwing a little fun into a simple outfit.

 

So when I was thinking of what designer I wanted for my next handbag, Kate Spade sprang to mind. I love my bag above, but I wanted something with a more classy look from Kate. So I purchased this beauty.

                                       (I tend to make all my pictures LARGE :)
I am in LOVE!! Its large, but not heavy and It can go with so many clothing options, as far as colors! Is it weird that I want to sleep with it next to me tonight? It has tons of storage space! TONS! Which is perfect for me, on special occasions where I like to bring 700 pieces of my favorite makeup out!

Kate Spade bags always have the cutest fabric designs inside of them!

*Polka Dots!*

 

Also this bag is going to pair excellent with my Armani Strappy Heels this summer :)

 

Along with the bag, I purchased some Kate Spade Earrings. They are my favorite summer colors! Mint and a Pale pink!

 

 

The necklace isn't Kate Spade. But its new too and will most likely be worn with these earrings :)

 

 

 

<3 

 

Updated Vanity Room!

Since I've started this whole blogging thing, I usually lay in bed with my laptop and post my blogs.
Then I saw the cutest desk and chair and thought that it would be a perfect addition to my vanity room, and perfect spot to blog! Something about sitting at a desk while using the computer, just makes things feel more organized and official! :)

I am so happy with the outcome, and really proud of myself for putting it all together, and creating a spot in the house that is just mine. Also moving my vanity infront of my windows, allows me to get ready in the natural sunlight, which is the best light to get ready in of course!

Here are the pictures :) (and I make them super big so you can see everything lol)

This first picture is just hung at the top of my stairs....but I love it.

Now here is my updated vanity room.....

Citrine Crystals

So lately, I've been doing some reading on crystals and the type of energy they can bring you. Of all the reading I did, citrine crystals stuck out to me the most....

Natural Citrine is a premier stone of manifestation, imagination, and personal will. Carrying the power of the sun, it is warm and comforting, energizing and life giving. It stimulates the chakras like the sunlight of spring, clearing the mind and stirring the soul to action. Its frequency awakens creativity and imagination, and sustains the process of transforming dreams and wishes into tangible form. With its pure yellow energy, Citrine encourages fullness of life, fresh beginnings and new pursuits.
Natural Citrine does not hold or accumulate negative energy, but rather transmutes, dissipates, and grounds it, making it extremely protective for the environment. It works out problems on both the physical and subtle levels, transforming negative thoughts and feelings into positive ones. It is one of only two crystals on Earth that never needs to be cleared or cleansed. The other is Kyanite

I also read that it brings a lot of confidence and joy. So I asked my boyfriend to purchase me a pair of citrine crystal earrings....and waa laa......here they are......

 

 

I truly love them. They are a perfect everyday wear. They blend right in and gleam beautifully in the sunlight. I also really like the shape of this pair.

Like I said they blend in....but in the sun.....super gorgeous color! Now lets see if these bad boys do what they claim to do! :)

                                                                          <3

Mysterious Virgo

I am a Virgo, and very much believe in the accuracy of sun sign descriptions of people.
I am not as private as some Virgo's, when it comes to my personal life, but with my feelings I can be extremely private. That is one of the most common Virgo traits and it comes across as being shy. But I recently saw this quote, and It really spoke to me. So I wanted to share it here on my blog.

 

I recently went through something that really changed me. Because it caused me sorrow. All the things in life that have given me pleasure, have taught me nothing. I believe that pain makes people change, and not always for the worse. I believe it will make people change for the better. As odd as it sounds, I am thankful for this recent sorrow I went through. It taught me to appreciate things more, and not take things for granted. I will probably re-read this at some point and be a little uneasy about posting this for anyone to read. But what's a blog, without a little piece of the real you.

 

 

Bat those lashes ; )

Everyone in life needs options, and I love having them when it comes to my make up look for the day.

There are a billion mascaras out there, but these four are my favorite, for the time being....

Product #1 - Dior Iconic - This mascara goes on really smooth, thick, and separates well. It will probably always be an option in my make up collection.

Product #2 - Mac Cosmetics Extreme Dimension - This will definitely help give you length and give you a natural false eyelash look.

Product #3 - Bobbi Brown - Extreme Party Mascara - Despite the name, this mascara goes on very light and separates extremely well. I really like this for a more subtle day time look.

Product#4 - YSL Shocking - This is my "go to" at the moment. It gives all of the above. Volume, Length, Thickness, Separation. Be careful though, it can be quite "shocking", a little goes a long way.


If you are looking to have a little fun and give a more dramatic/playful cateye look, I'd suggest using Duralash By Ardell - Single Lashes. They are very subtle, natural, and no one will suspect a thing :)

                                                                         

                                                                           <3

Candy Yum Yum

This post will be short, sweet, and pink.

 

I love the color PINK.

 

What girl doesn't? So for the bold lip trend, my favorite lip color right now (and since last summer) is Mac Cosmetics *Candy Yum Yum*

Its really bold, bright, and the perfect statement lip color. It's a matte lipstick, but you can add gloss if you wish :)

Don't forget to prime your lips first! Especially with a matte lipstick, you might look like you applied pink chalk, without the right primer. I use Lush Mint Julips and Mac Cosmetics Prep & Prime.

Now for the selfies........

 

Its also a lovely thing to pair with pulled back hair, on days where you are in a rush.

 

 

And last but not least, cats love this color as well.........

 

<3

Weekend Wind Down......

Every Sunday, after all my weekend activities, I need to wind down, relax, and re-cooperate, to prepare for Monday mornings antics.

My favorite way to relax, is by taking a nice hot bubble bath! I also like to enjoy a hot cup of Green Tea, while in the bubble bath.

Since I usually wait until night time to take my bath, I love using my Dead Sea - Calming Lavender Sugar - Salt Spa Scrub. It has such a relaxing smell, paired with the hot bath, and hot green tea, this is the ultimate relaxation for me and gets me ready for a good sleep.

Lavender is already a natural sleep aid, so to amp up the sleepiness, I have my boyfriend prepare me a cup of Sleepy Time Tea (I actually use two different brands at once) while I moisturize my skin, brush my teeth, and do all the other bedtime rituals.

Once I am nice and comfortable in my silky satin sheets, along with my Sleepy Time Tea.....it is just a matter of moments, before I drift away to dream land and awake Monday morning nice and refreshed and ready to take on the work day!

<3

Pearly Whites

When it comes to our smile we all want it to 'shine bright like a diamond!'
So out of all the teeth whiteners to choose from, which ones are the best?

According to Google, the top two were Crest 3D White Intensive Professional Effects (7 day treatment) and Plus White 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel. I really wanted to try both of them, because they both had such amazing reviews, but with one huge difference. THE PRICE.

The Crest 3D white Costs $50 (you can find other crest 3D whites for less, but I am referencing the price for this specific whitening system)  While the Plus White 5 Minute Whitening Gel is $7.

Naturally since the Crest 3D White is $50, I tried it first, thinking it would have the most dramatic/effective results. Now with this whitening system you are suppose to do it once a day for 7 days and leave the white strips on for 2 hours. I found this to be quite annoying. No matter how tight they grip to your teeth, its a bit uncomfortable, and two hours of this.

After the first two treatments I noticed my teeth were a little bit whiter (nothing crazy) but I also noticed that they were EXTREMELY sensitive as well. If a cool breeze happened to blow by on my tooth (don't ask why this would even happen) it would cause me some pain. I backed off, and didn't do another treatment for about a month. Then I tried once more and had the same sensitivity issue. I cant imagine 7 days in a row. Now, not everyone will have this problem, but I sure did. All in all, I had more discomfort with this, than I had results.

After dealing with that I didn't want to mess with whitening my teeth for a while. But now that it is summer time, I want a nice white smile to pair with my tan. So I tried the 5 minute whitening gel and its fantastic! Its quick, easy to apply, and it WORKS. You can see results the first time you use it.

The conclusion to this story, just because it costs more, doesn't always mean its better.

So if you want whiter teeth fast, without spending a lot, go to your local CVS and pick up some 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel.

War Paint

Is there such a thing as TOO much make up??

Owning too much? Never! Wearing too much .....Unfortunately, In my opinion, yes.

I don't want to use any pictures as examples, because I do not want to offend anyone. Everyone is always entitled to do whatever it is that makes them happy.

I just keep seeing these contouring tutorials and makeup videos, and its very frequent that these women are wearing 6 or 7 different products on their faces. Starting with moisturizer, then primer, then BB cream, then CC cream, then paint half your face white and the other a tan brown to contour, then blend, then apply foundation, then apply setting powder........Its A LOT! Our faces need to breathe!! Also, what are we trying to hide here? There is nothing more beautiful than a woman being confident in her natural form.

I use to be one of those people that watched the videos and actually did apply ALL that makeup, and my boyfriend would always tell me he prefers me more natural, with just a little makeup to highlight my features. Which I always do now, and am much happier with.

I LOVE Kim Kardashian and ALL the Kardashians for that matter, but I do feel that she set this standard of beauty, that we are all now trying to achieve by wearing too much makeup, false eyelashes, fake hair, War Paint.

New Years Eve, Weddings, Birthdays, Special Events....that is when I feel like it is okay to have some fun, and go all out! But fake eyelashes, Long Mermaid Extensions, and a full face of make up to go to starbucks or your local bar? Why!

Again this post is NOT to offend anyone, but on the contrary, it is to ask...why do we feel we even NEED all of that stuff to be "beautiful"?  We don't is the answer. At least it is my answer. Embrace your natural beauty, and let that also come from within. Once you get use to your natural beauty, with a little touch ups here and there with the right products, you'll never want to go back to heavy make up again!