oh em gee.

MAC "To The Beach" Collection

Summer 2010
I want it ALL.

"There is fun in the sun, to be sure, but to the beach is more of a sensual state of mind – a pleasure we all feel near the sea. The girl and boy from Ipanema, from Cap D’Antibes to West Palm Beach…All around the world, the seaside has a romance, and a kind of golden, sexy alchemy we’re all drawn to. This collection encapsulates it, with a new, lapping-wave Lip-Pencil and High-Light Powder in coral shades, Nail Lacquer – A Scorcher! – Eye Shadow, Kohl, and Powder Blush to get away from it all effortlessly. Sandbags, seashells, the magic of marine life decorating packaging in the most soothing sultry shades of summertime. Close your eyes, and go To The Beach!

The face must be protected at all times! But we have ways to bronze and beautify…fake it, but get colour that looks sun-kissed! A safe way to evoke the golden glow of a glorious walk on the beach, the magical moodiness of sunsets all over the world, colours shifting from glowing gold to glorious bronze to sundown brown. The Chic Glamour of faraway places, a ticket to paradise inspired by the dream of a life lived sur la mer. Bronzing Powder, Cream Bronzer, Lustre Drops, Bronze Body Oil, and our stylish City-To-Seaside to the beach bags…wherever you are, see you at the beach!" - http://www.temptalia.com/mac-to-the-beach-collection-for-summer-2010

i better get crackin.

Summer Bucket-List

keep in touch with all my college friends here
continue eating healthier foods
stay fit; whether it be swimming, running, or even brisk walking 3-4 times a week
find a house and make it a done deal
make up for lost time with all my close friends from back home
take a ton of pictures
attend at least two concerts
go camping with some girlfriends at least once
do something nice for a stranger everyday
get back that california tan that i miss oh so much
do something different with my hair... maybe add a little blonde again
go on a hike out in the mountains
spend some quality time with my family
buy an iphone... the new one preferably
go on multiple road trips to anywhere sunny and warm
talk to my boyfriend everyday (we'll be apart for a good, month and a half)
continue trying new foods
get a bicycle
go hotel pool hopping
have picnics at the beach
eat less bread
blog at least once a day
do something for a cause
attend every event that i am invited to
go big for my 21st birthday :)
spend as much time as i possibly can with my two best friends
stay positive; no matter what happens

pet peeves and recommendations!

So I realize that I've been doing extremely poorly on updating my blog as often as I'd like but with the last week of finals and classes ending... there has been a lot going on! So please, excuse the delay. I don't have very much to say on this blog today, but there are a few things that I'd like to touch base on.

Advisory Note: I read my pet peeves section to my boyfriend and he made a comment that made me realize that my input could be taken completely the wrong way that I intended it to. I deeply apologize if any of what I say down below offends anyone in some shape or form. That was not my intentions in any way! It is purely based off of certain circumstances that pertain to my personal life and surroundings. None of which is trying to poke fun, judge, or make someone feel less of themselves. Again, PLEASE know that nothing I say is trying to cause any negative connotation towards anything or anyone. Most of which I was going about in a joking matter.

First: I want to share with you all some of my BIGGEST pet peeves when it comes to fashion. My first one has to be muffin tops. I don't understand why so many women out there are not purchasing the right size pants, but trying to squeeze yourself into pants that are 3 times too small for you is quite unflattering. It can happen accidentally, I understand that. I am also aware that there are some ladies out there who are unaware of what a muffin top even is. Let me show you!


This is a constant view of what I see on a day to day basis. It doesn't matter if you are a size 0 or a size 20... please just do me a favor and buy the right size fit for your body. It may not be the number that you love seeing on the tag, but it can make you look and feel SO much better about yourself. If the number really kills you, go ahead and snip that bad boy off once you purchase them! No one will ever know :) Plus, I can't imagine that being squeezed all day in teensy tiny pants is a comfortable feeling.

Second pet peeve would definitely have to be leggings with ugg boots. Or even worse, legging capri's (or any capri's for that matter!) with ugg botts. I'm not anti-uggs in any way... I love them with jeans and when it's freezing outside! But some women are wearing them smack in the middle of summer with khaki, camouflage, and legging capri pants. I'm not going to go too far into this one, but in my opinion that is an absolute fashion no-no.

These are god awful

This too... it's not much better for men.

Let me clarify though, I am not speaking against ALL leggings with ugg boots... they can look cute if worn the right way. I've also found that genuine real uggs look 10 times better then the knock off "fuggs". Some of those styles look two times too big, giving your foot a much wider appearance. An example of what I think looks more acceptable...

On to the next: Visible booty dimples... not the cute ones that are above the butt, but the ones that are hanging out ON the butt. I think tiny women and large women are all beautiful, but I do not enjoy seeing them in pants where you can literally see every crevice and wrinkle in their behind. Everyone has fat stored in some places they don't like, but work with what you DO have and flaunt your body in a positive way that compliments your shape and size! Every women has the option and the right of wearing clothing that make they feel comfortable and sexy in, just make sure it's the right size and is flattering to your body.

Next... the extremely large too-huge-for-your-face bug eye sunglasses! I'll admit, the mild form of the style is okay in my book. But when I see girls who have very small framed faces with glasses that take up half of their face... I don't know, I want to let them know that not everyone looks the same in a single pair of sunglasses. Whether they saw them in a magazine and bought some for themselves or if they are borrowing them from a friend. My tip to you all: Figure out what shape of face you have, and go from there. There are many different styles of glasses that can compliment your frame. Just because it looks great on one person, does not mean it looks amazing on everyone else. You know how they say, the bigger the better? Not always the case ladies!


Lastly, sandals and socks. Enough said.

I have a few more, but I don't want this entire blog to be so negative! So now that I have a few of those out there, let's move onto something a little bit more up lifting. I have a couple summer must haves for you :)

1. Dove's Summer Glow Beauty Body Lotion. I am not 100% sure, but there is a slight chance that this product was just recently discontinued. I have not been able to find it at any of my local drug stores but this has to be the best gradual self tanning lotion that I have had for the price that you pay. I don't spend a lot of money in self tanners, but if you're looking for something inexpensive... this is a great one! If anyone knows anything about it being discontinued or any other alternative recommendations... please let me know! The only other one I see is Jergen's Natural glow self tanner.. but I wasn't as in love with the scent as I was with this one.


2. Fun, Flirty, and Colorful Nail Polishes. I'm not a huge fan of bright colored nails, but when it comes to be summer... I'd say it's very do-able! One that I have been dieing to try is China Glaze's Peachy Keen. I just recently saw a review on this one, and I want it. If anyone has this one, pleaaaaase let me know how you feel about it!


3. Olay's Active Hydrating Face Lotion. I absolutely L-O-V-E this stuff. It's extremely light weight and it does not clog your pours. The smell is pretty basic, if you've ever smelt regular Olay face lotion... it smells very similar to that. It has a very fresh scent to it though! That's the only way I can really verbally describe it. You can find it at stores like Target, and it usually goes for about 6-9 dollars a bottle... depending on the size.

4. Victoria's Secret Dream Angels "Divine". If you've never smelt it before... go into your local Victoria's Secret store and give it a try. It's not for everyone, but I have gotten many compliments on it. The body spray is a steal, usually about 22.00 a bottle. Sometimes there are deals though, so be on the look out for those!

warm weather hair secret.

Today, I felt like sharing one of my favorite ways to wear my hair these days. In warm weather, the last thing I want to do is wear my hair down, or put hot tools to it. It's much more of a look I go for when I'm in a rush or in the mood for something easy and out of my face. I'm sure many of you ladies know how to achieve this hairstyle, but if you don't... I'll give you some pointers. Like I mentioned before though, it's extremely easy! All you need are some regular bobby pins, twist bobby pins, or if you are going for a more creative look... find some cute ones with jewels or sparkles on it.

All three would do:

This is the hair style I am talking about today.

It is very much like a regular twist bun, but it lies more flat on the back of your head. This is a great look if you have a beret that you'd like to wear as well. It keeps your hair up and away from your face, but it doesn't give you that funky bump in the back that a regular bun would.

So, the first step would be to obviously have clean hair. You can do this look with wet or dry hair, but I'm just going to assume you're working with dry hair here. Basically all you do is pull your hair back into a ponytail without securing it with anything, and loosely twist your hair til you get to the end. Swirl it around in a clockwise or counter-clockwise (whichever you prefer!) and make sure it's sitting pretty flat on your head. Obviously everyone has different types of hair so you just got to work with what you have :) After that, start securing the outsides of the twisted bun with bobby pins and where you feel like loose hair may come undone. I usually use anywhere from 5-10 bobby pins. It doesn't take very many for me, but I don't have extremely thick hair. Sometimes I put a few in the middle or even crossing a couple for an extra hold. It's really up to you as far as the bobby pins go, just try and keep them as hidden as you can so you don't have a million on the back of your head.

latest obsessions.

Happy Friday Everyone! :)

I'm sure you're all looking forward to the weekend as much as I am, it's been a long week! I was debating between whether I wanted to put up a couple more beauty product reviews or if I should share with everyone my latest obsessions. I decided to mainly go with the second one, but combine it with a review and how I feel about the item. I thought this could be interesting considering you don't know very much about me... and this would be a little introduction to my fashion and beauty must haves! Especially for the spring and summer time. Here it goes!

Number 1:
Floral prints... I am completely insanely in love with anything that has vintage looking floral prints on it. If it has lace backing, I'm in heaven! It's been a really hot item this spring, and it looks extremely cute if you pair it with the right outfit and accessories. I usually throw on a cute floral tank top with some destroyed denim shorts. Floral print dresses are also a favorite of mine right now!


Number 2:
Pureology Shampoo and Conditioner. I am not kidding you, this stuff is AMAZING! I was introduced to the product a few years ago when I started going to the salon and getting my hair highlighted professionally. They tell you that you can't buy it anywhere other than the salons themselves, but that's total BS. Not only that, you can usually find it much cheaper at well known department stores. I've seen them available at Target and even Walmart. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing shampoo and conditioner but it can be a bit pricey. I wouldn't consider it to be an everyday cleaning solution for two reasons. It isn't the largest bottle in the world (you'd run out quickly!) and the obvious price of it. At target, they run about $28.50 a bottle. With that said, the smell is delectable with a very fresh, clean, and almost minty scent. In addition to that, after leaving it on for the requested two minutes... your hair feels incredible! Super soft, and super healthy. If you have the money and are willing to put it towards something like this, I completely recommend it to anyone looking for something new and for something that actually works!


If you're anything like me, and can't afford it every time you run out... I've got another recommendation for you that is an awesome alternative! It is much more inexpensive but it reminds me a lot of Pureology in many different ways. The smell is similar but not exact. It too has a minty and fresh scent to it and it leaves your hair extremely healthy and soft... just not to the same extent obviously. The product I'm talking about is Loreal's Every Pure shampoo and conditioner. It is sulfate free and offers a lot of moisture to your hair. This product can be found at departments stores like Target as well, but it is only $4.00-$6.00 a bottle. Which is an awesome deal for what you get as a result!

Number 3:
Bohemian braids. I'm not really sure what changed, but I feel that my style has taken a very large turn within the last year or so. I think a bohemian braid in you hair can instantly change the mood of your outfit and appearance. It throws in a very laid back feel to it. Added bonus, it doesn't take much time or effort to do! Many celebrities have been rockin' the bohemian braids, so for anyone who reads fashion magazines... I'm sure they know exactly what I am talking about. It's simple and in my opinion, adorable. Here are a few different ways you can go about it!


Number 4:
Natural Makeup. With summer approaching us, I find it easier to cut back on the amount of time and effort that goes into getting ready for the day. I've really been into the natural look when it comes to makeup. Nothing is more beautiful than a woman who is proud of her natural self. I used to do the works when it came to beauty products: foundation, bronzer, blush, eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara. I've recently taken the less maintenance approach and narrowed it down to just foundation and mascara, with a tad bit of bronzer if I'm feeling it. I would agree with anyone who says that "less is more" when it comes to your face. When you have nothing but a little bit of foundation on to even out your skin tone and some mascara to make your eyes pop, you look extremely clean and refreshed. I've never been into the caked on barbie look, but that is simply just my opinion. When I think of summer, I think of the beach, laying out by the pool, shopping with your girlfriends, dinner dates, and late night hot tubbing. You're in the sun the majority of the time, going in and out of water... who wants to continuously deal with black smears coming down your face? Not me. Two words for you, waterproof mascara.


Number 5:
Nude nail polish. If someone had told me a year ago that I'd be into nude colors anywhere on or even near my body, I would most likely had laughed in their face. I was pretty picky about my nail polish and didn't go for anything that wasn't either french manicure, clear, a deep burgundy/purple, or even black. I've discovered that my whole outlook on the idea has been quite mistaken and a little close minded. This Spring, the Les Impressions de Chanel collection brought us a palette of three neutral nail lacquers ranging from sheer pink and classic nude to a grayed out muddy brown. With any nude nail polish, it is easy to go with any outfit you wear and in my opinion, you can get away with wearing it year round. Let me clarify though, I'm talking purely nail polish. I'm not into pure nude color tones on my clothing for some reason... I'm sort of weird about that.


Number 6:
Victoria's Secret cheekiest lace-waist cotton thong. I probably own a good, twenty or so pairs of these bad boys. Not only are they extremely cute, but extremely comfortable! When it comes to coverage, it's pretty minimal. They are most definitely low cut, but they are sexy as hell! I think my favorite thing about this product is the fact that many different women can wear this style and feel confident in the way they look. It offers a-not-so-tight fitting lace band which shows your curves in all the right ways. No more of that muffin top business that so many women complain about! They have a bunch of different colors and patterns to choose from as well, which is a major plus. Even if you're suffering from one of those god-awful bloated days, these amazing panties will keep that confidence up! I've recommended this to all of my girlfriends, and I swear by them! Another awesome thing about it... Victoria's Secret is almost always offering a 5 for $25 deal. What a steal!

Number 7:
Sushi! I'm sure many of you are probably thinking that I'm delusional for taking this long for it to become an obsession of mine... but if it weren't for my boyfriend forcing me to try all his adventurous creations, I probably would still scrunch my nose up to even the idea of eating sushi. It's filling, it's fresh, and it's GOOD! I'm still a bit of a sushi virgin, but I am working on it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)


Number 8:
Spin Class. If you are trying to whip yourself into shape, I would recommend taking a spin class. It may not be as much fun as riding an actual bike around town or up in the mountains... but if you are looking for a basic workout to go to that will make you sweat like crazy, this is for you! I have been taking a few spin classes at school and I have achieved such an appreciation for it. When I first started the class, my main goal for myself was to gain strength and definition in my legs. If you're persistent about it and determined to reach that goal, you'll get there! With that said, I am in the process of finding myself a good bike to ride around town.

reviews and anecdotes.

With school coming to an end, and summer rapidly coming our way... I have been extremely busy with classes and getting ready for finals and what not. On the bright side, I've got less than two weeks to go! Whoo! :) Anyway, I haven't been on here nearly as much as I'd like, but there are a couple things I'd like to touch upon while I have a little bit of down time.

First thing's first. Within the last couple months, I've recently had to switch over to a new mascara because the one that I'm completely in love with has been discontinued. No, it's not any fancy make up brand... it's actually drug store mascara, and I swear by the stuff! If you're anything like me and don't have the longest eyelashes in the world that go on forever... you'd absolutely love it. Sadly though, the company decided that it was best to go a different direction and replace it with another kind of mascara. In case you have no idea which mascara I'm talking about here, it's Maybelline Lash Stylist. I don't know what it is about it, but I was obsessed with it.


Contrary to their belief, I do not feel that it was a good move on their part. They've replaced it with Maybelline's new Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length mascara. Which I've tried, and I felt that it was an all around okay mascara none the less. It gave me a bit of length but not nearly as much as the lash stylist did. If you do more than maybe two coats, it begins to look clumpy and a tad bit messy quite frankly. If I were to rate this mascara out of 10, I'd probably give it a 6.5/7.


After they released the original Lash Stiletto mascara, they continued on with the idea and came up with Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara: Dramatic Length Meets Bombshell Volume. I went to the store to try and get the original but unfortunately they only had it in waterproof... which I for some reason have never been a huge fan of (it takes too long to get the stuff off!) So I went out on a whim and decided to try the "new and improved" version of the mascara that was already just okay in my book in comparison to the lash stylist. To put it bluntly, I was not impressed with the stuff at all. It offered some aspect of length but as for volume... it was not existent. I do not recommend this product if you are looking for a lot of length and a lot of volume!


If you're really wanting that dramatic effect to your eyes, my recommendation would be to use the original lash stiletto after applying a good volume mascara. It doesn't compare to the result that I got with my all time favorite, but it will get the job done. I'm really hoping that one of these companies will bring back that wand that I am crazy for.

Next, I have a recommendation of perfume that has just become another wanting of mine. I'm sure many of you either have it already or have at least heard of it. I purchased some products from Sephora not too long ago, and when I had it shipped to me they gave me the option of a few samples off their website. I for one, have never smelled Juicy Couture's "Couture Couture Spray". So I had a little bottle sample of it sent my way! I tried a little spray of it and it instantly struck my attention.


The smell lasts a long time and it comes in this gorgeous bottle. I checked out their website and as far as pricing goes.. it's a bit steep, but nothing that you wouldn't expect coming from juicy couture. 1.7 Oz bottle costs about $65.00 and a 3.4 Oz bottle costs about $85.00. If you are ever looking for a perfume to try out and have some extra money saved up, I would definitely recommend this product. It's a feminine and romantic scent, but it is wearable during both the day time and the night time. Go check it out!