Holiday Sets I'm Excited For

While the weather is just starting to cool down here in North Carolina, every store has already begun its preparations for Christmas. Hobby Lobby is decked out in trees and tinsel, Yankee Candle is starting to break out the Christmas scents, and make up companies are finally releasing their much anticipated limited edition holiday collection. 

Holiday collection are a great way to try out brands and colors for cheap since they usually contain a lot of shades in deluxe sample sizes.cHere are some collections I am looking forward to seeing!

1. Lorac MegaPro Palette - $59

With 32 shadows, this palette is Lorac's largest yet, with double the amount of shades in previous Pro Palettes. The price isn't bad when you consider the Lorac Pro still runs at about $40 for 16 shades. Lorac has always done a great job with shadows, and I prefer the Pro Palette to Urban Decay's Naked Palettes because they have the perfect amount of shimmer without being too glittery.

I love the diversity of shades between colorful and neutrals, and I am specifically looking forward to the berry colors (Merlot looks amazing). However, while I am a sucker for neutrals, it does seem some of the neutral shades are a little too close to each other to show a huge difference when applied.

The Lorac MegaPro Palette comes out on Lorac's website and Amazong on October 7th, so mark your calendars and set your alarms, because I have a feeling these are not going to take long to sell out!

2. Tarte Kiss & Belle Deluxe LipSurgence Lip Set - $34

This set seems like an amazing value to me. I have been eyeing the Tarte lip colors for quite some time and $34 for such a wide variety in shades and finishes seems like an amazing deal to me. 

This set comes with  four lip tints (Dreamy, Alluring, Innocent, and Dainty), 2 matte lip tints (Eternal, and Fancy), and 2 lip glosses (Kiss and Belle). If you are on the fence about trying Tarte lip products this is a great starter set (as the full size lip tints run about $18).

I do wish they had included at least one darker berry shade, but overall the colors seem to be worth it. This is definitely on my holiday wish list and it is already available online and in stores!

3. Too Faced Melted Kisses - $30

I have seen a lot of positive reviews of the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks, and while I have not had the chance to try them out for myself, this holiday set might just be the think that lets me.

This set comes with four deluxe sized shades (Nude, Peony, Berry, and Fuschia). I like the broad spectrum of nude to dark berry and from what I have heard and seen they are long lasting.

I honestly don't think I am going to make it through the season without picking this up because I have had my eye on them for quite some time. These are available at Macys and Sephora!

4. Tarte Chic to Cheek Deluxe Amazonian Clay Blush Set - $34

I truly am a sucker for Tarte so it is only natural that they appear again on my holiday wishlist. I have previously used the Tarte Cheek Stain and I loved it, but I have been looking to expand my blush collection for the upcoming winter months. The Amazonian Clay set is amazing and every time I have walked into Ulta I have debated picking up a shade, but every time I seem to talk myself out of it.

This set comes with four deluxe sample sized blushes in the colors Amour, Classic, Prim, and Daydream. I like the variety because I want to be able to switch things up whenever I want. The packing is beautiful without being unnecessarily bulky like some blush sets (I'm looking at you, Benefit!)

Just like the lip set, this collection is already available online and in-stores!

While this is just the beginning of the Holiday Collections, I think I have found some winners that are going to end up in my makeup drawer before 2014 ends!

Reasons Why

It's been quite some time since my last post, and while I hate to make excuses here are a couple of reasons why I have had such a quiet blog lately:

1. I was on vacation in for a week in August. I did not really have a lot of relevant things to blog about so I took the week to enjoy just laying around.

2. School started at the end of the month. Since I am now a senior things are getting pretty intense for me so I have been trying to keep up in these first few weeks so I don't fall behind on anything and mess up my semester. It is vital that everything goes perfect this semester so I can start student teaching in the fall and graduate on time in May!

3. I moved! I finally moved off of my college campus and into my very first big girl apartment. It has been a huge adjustment since I have spent so long being a Resident Advisor, but it has been exciting nonetheless. I finally have all of my furniture and I even managed to put some stuff on the walls.

4. Sorority recruitment took over my life. Guys, this is no joke, recruitment takes a lot out of you. It is a lot of long nights and practicing songs and preparing beautifully elaborate rooms and spending time with your sisters while also trying to find new women to add to your wonderful sisterhood. I am very happy to say that after all of our hard work Sigma Kappa took in a wonderful pledge class of amazing women tonight.

However, while it might take another week of getting everything settled, I should be back to blogging regularly within the month and I am looking forward to the next items to swatch. I am eyeing some of the newest holiday sets that are beginning to preview so look forward to that!

Wet N Wild Megalist Lipstick

So since I have been obsessed with experimenting with new colors but I really don't have the money to try on every lipstick in the world (sadly enough), so I decided to raid Walgreen's Wet N Wild section  awhile ago for some $2 lipsticks that I could play around with.

1. Wet N Wild Megalast Lipsticks in Bare it All and Purty Persimmon

Now all of the lipsticks I bought are mattes because I have so many different lip butter colors and I wanted something different.

Bare it All is a brown tinted nude that is really nice. The color stays pretty well and it is easy to apply. Now I do recommend using a lip balm under all of the Megalast Colors because after awhile your lips will start to feel a little dry, but it is honestly not too bad.

Purty Persimmon is my favorite Megalast Color that I own because it is perfect for summer. It is a orange lipstick and like the others it applies very well and stays for a decent time. 

Now while I do love the color I do not love the fact that this color seems to stain my lips purple-y/pink. I honestly don't know why it stains that color when the actual color is so far off, but the staining will stay all night.

2. Wet N Wild Megalast Lipstick in Cherry Bomb & Wet N Wild Fergie Collection in Pagan Angel

Cherry Bomb is the perfect fall and winter color in my opinion. I found this color to be the smoothest of all of the ones I have and it once again stays for a decent amount of time. However, you have to make sure to blend it well with your finger after you apply it so it doesn't look splotchy or patchy. Just like Purty Persimmon, Cherry Bomb is very staining and will leave your lips a purple tinted pink color basically all night (no matter how much you try to get it off).

Now Pagan Angel is a different story! It is very thick and it is really hard to apply evenly. I had to try over three times to get an even coat and it required a lot of blending with my finger (which is awful with a black lipstick because it is hard to get off your skin). It also smells very strongly of crayons which is very off-putting.

I don't see myself keeping this color around in my regular makeup circulation. Instead, I think this lipstick is going to go where all of my makeup goes to die: the Halloween makeup bin I keep around for face painting and costumes.

More Burt's Bees Lip Crayons

So I posted yesterday about picking up two of the six Burt's Bees Lip Crayons and how absolutely in love with them I was and as it turns out that my boyfriend saw my post and went out and got me the other four colors which means I HAD to swatch them for you guys!

1.  Burt's Bees Lip Crayons in Sedona Sands and Carolina Coast

They both apply just as well as Niagara Overlook and Napa Vineyard. Sedona Sands is a pink with a slight brown tint and Carolina Coast is a very light pink.

Out of these two Sedona Sands is my favorite because it doesn't apply streaky and it is a great muted color. Carolina Coast can be a bit streaky (which I think is because it is so light colored) but it can be fixed by blending it a little with your finger.

2. Burt's Bee Lip Crayons in Hawaiian Smolder and Redwood Forest

Hawaiian Smolder is a perfect pink color that doesn't apply streaky like Carolina Coast and Redwood Forest is a brownish red.

Redwood Forest is actually my favorite out of all of the lip crayons because it has a beautiful tint without being overbearing and it really would go well with almost anything. If I had to rank my favorite colors it would be:

1. Redwood Forest

2. Niagara Overlook

3. Hawaiian Smolder

4. Napa Valley

5. Sedona Sands

6. Carolina Coast

Some Vacation Lip Finds

I am currently on a weeklong beach vacation so I can try to relax a little bit before school starts next week; and while I haven't been wearing many lip colors to the beach I did recently pop into a Walgreens for some drinks when I came across some lip displays that I couldn't bring myself to leave without. So instead of just leaving with a drink and maybe a snack, I left with three different lip colors too!

1. Burt's Bees Lip Crayons in Napa Vineyard and Niagara Overlook

Now I have been hearing a lot about these new Burt's Bees Lip Crayons but every time I went to a Target to pick one up they were already sold out! However, down here in Florida they happened to have all of the colors and let me tell you it was very hard picking which colors to grab because they all so pretty. I ended up settling on Napa Vineyard and Niagara Overlook because I have been hear Napa Vineyard is the best color and I thought Niagara Overlook would be a great "my lip but better" shade.

These lip crayons are absolutely amazing! They don't feel drying at all and they are truly matte. They have great staying power through both eating and drinking and they apply really evenly and smoothly. I like that I can use these without a lip balm and my lips still look and feel great.

Napa Vineyard is a great red and doesn't move around once applied. I found that it didn't really leave a lot of marks on things like coffee cups. It does take some work to get it off your lips at the end of the day but it is not terribly hard if you are using a washcloth and rub in small circles. What I really like is that when I took it off it didn't really stain the rest of the skin around my mouth (which a lot of red lipsticks seem to do for me).

Niagara Overlook is pretty much the same as far as application and staying power goes. It is definitely my perfect "my lip but better shade" and it is really smooth as well. They were both about $9 each but they were definitely worth it.

2. Wet n Wild Lipstick in Just Peachy

There was a huge display of Wet n Wild Lipstick at Walgreens because they are currently donating a portion of their lipstick sales to the American Cancer Society. These were only $2 a piece and I decided to try and exhibit self control and only pick out one shade, Just Peachy.

This lip color is also truly matte and is really easy to apply. The color payoff is great and while it doesn't last as long as the Burt's Bees crayons do, they do last for quite some time. It is smooth to apply and really easy to make even and the color is really nice.

I do recommend using lip balm under the lip stick because while it is not particularly drying on the lips it is not hydrating either. I also really enjoy the shape of Wet N Wild lipsticks because I find the flat and rounded top a lot easier to apply than typical lipstick shapes which tend to have that point on the top. I will definitely be popping back by Walgreens to pick up some more of these colors.

Mixing NYX Cairo with Other Colors

So I've recently posted about how much I hate NYX Matte Lip Cream in Cairo because it's way too light, it's drying, and it makes me look like I have concealer lips. I commented to someone earlier that I would probably never wear Cairo out of the house because I just didn't like it, but later on I had an idea: What if I took my most hated lip color and mixed and matched it with some of my other less used products to try and create something good?

That thought led to this mini-experiment with lip color in which I used Cairo as a base for my lip color to try and create other lighter shades of two different products I had (but didn't really use that much): Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Cocoa and NYX Chunky Dunk in Pomegranate Margarita.

Now I got Cocoa a long time ago as some kind of Burt's Bee Lip Shimmer set, but I never really used it because I didn't like how shimmery it actually was and I thought it was way too brown for me so it just sat around in my makeup drawer.

Mixing this color with Cairo made a very pretty nude with a slight shimmer. Since the Lip Shimmer has a minty taste and feel it covered up the gross smell of the NYX Lip Cream and left my lips feeling nice and smooth. Honestly, I think that these two made a great pair.

I bought this NYX Chunky Dunk not too long ago because I love the color, however, I don't wear it much because no matter how hard I try I think it looks patchy when I applied it.

When I first applied the Chunky Dunk over Cairo it made this really pretty muted pink (which I have a feeling I am going to be wearing a lot). Since the Chunky Dunk is hydrating it took away the dryness brought on by Cairo and having the cream under the Chunky Dunk made it a lot easier to move it where I needed to without making it look patchy and uneven.

While I really liked the color, I thought that it didn't bring out enough of the purple in Pomegranate Margarita, so I applied another coat of the NYX Chunky Dunk over Cairo and it came out with a darker, more purple tinted color which was still very wearable. It still felt hydrating without feeling too wet or glossy.

All in all I think I might have just re-introduced some products into my regular makeup bag so I feel like this was a win. While Cairo isn't great on its own, it does make a great base for lightening up lip colors.

My Current Favorite and Least Favorite Lip Colors

So recently I have been obsessed with different lip colors and products and have been buying a lot more of them lately to try and find the perfect colors for every occasion. However, my summer has been kind of hectic which means when I put on my make up I am literally throwing it on and running out of the door, which means that I have been neglecting to wear a lot of lip color besides the occasional tinted lip balm I find in my bag.

I though that the fact that summer classes are coming to an end was the perfect reason to swatch some of my recently bought (and sadly neglected) lip colors.

These are the NYX Lipsticks in Doll and Margarita. I love Doll, it is definitely one of my favorites. The color is perfect for me and the formula is so smooth and it only takes one coat to get full coverage. The color stays for a decent amount of time and it doesn't feel drying at all.

However, I hate Margarita. The color is actually frosted and it goes on really chunky. It makes my lips look and feel really dry. I also think it makes my lips look like they are flaking, which is awful. I will probably never wear this color, which is a shame because the in store swatch I did with the tester looked like it was going to be a nice coral-ish color.

This is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cairo. I honestly do not know how I feel about this product at all.

I think the lip cream smells sickly sweet (like synthetic vanilla) which is very off putting. I also think that this color applies very streaky no matter what I do and in the end it just looks like I have rubbed a concealer stick on my lips which I think it makes my lips look like I am dead. In addition to that it settles into all of the creases in my lips and very drying.

However, this stuff is truly matte and it really does have some staying power; but I find that the only way to wear this color is to apply a coat of clear gloss to the top to reduce the streaky and drying appearance. The clear gloss makes it look like a prettier, wearable nude instead of concealer lips.

This is Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Fig Jam. This is nothing new, but it is definitely one of my favorite lip butters and one of my favorite colors (it definitely beats the NYX Lip Butters). It looks really dark in the tube, but it applies to what I like to think of as a candy apple color (not to be confused with the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple). I think it is a great fall color without being too dark.

However, while I do love this shade I sometimes become weary of how wet it looks and the staying power isn't that great (but the way it glides on the lips does make it nice to reapply it).

In the future, I would love to add some more lip crayons to my lip collection, but right now I am making due with what I have.

Friday Favorites 8.1.14

It's the first day of August which means that it is only 18 more days until the first day of the fall semester and 16 days until I move into my new apartment! I have to say I am ready for fall classes to start so I can get some more structure in my life...

Speaking of structure my number one favorite thing this week is:

1. My Lily Pulitzer Jumbo Agenda in Trippin' and Slippin'

I am not a huge fan of Lily Pulitzer clothing because it is all a little too bright and busy for me. However, I cannot deny that Lily Pulitzer makes some amazing planners.

I am an Education major and I hold a position in my sorority which means I have to keep up with all kinds of different dates and deadlines. The jumbo planner is big enough that I have enough room to write everything out, however, it is not too big that it is a hinderance to take it with me.

I love the fact that is has a hardcover and comes with little save the date stickers for a variety of occasions, and while I don't see myself decking out in head to toe Lily anytime soon, I can see myself carrying around these planners for awhile!

2. Co-Optitude on Geek and Sundry

If I could make Co-Optitude my favorite every single week I definitely would because I am absolutely obsessed with it. In this YouTube show on Geek and Sundry, Felicia Day and her brother Ryon Day play various video games with varying degrees of success.

It comes out every single Monday and it is absolutely hilarious, so I highly recommend you check it out. Their sibling banter reminds me of long nights with my little sisters yelling at each other and the tv while playing Donkey Kong Country on the SNES.

3. Crunchyroll

Now I have been out of the anime game for quite some time lately. With all of my schoolwork, sorority things, and general life I haven't really been able to keep up a regular anime schedule like I used to be able to when I was in high school. Lately, I have found myself wanting to get back into anime and I have been loving the Crunchyroll free trial.

Crunchyroll is basically Netflix for anime, which is great since Netflix lost a good portion of its anime awhile back (bring back Mushishi ;_;). It's a little under $7 per month for a HUGE selection of anime, which is nice because I get to watch it on my tv (with the PS3 app) and I get to go at my own pace instead of having to search a million years for links to slow streaming spam filled sites on the internet.

Shows I am Currently Watching: Attack On Titan

My Obsession with Coupons (Part 3)

 I have given tips and tricks on how to obtain and organize coupons, but I thought wrap this how-to up with some tips and tricks to remember while shopping with your coupons.

Just because you have a coupon for it, doesn’t mean you have to buy it.

This is actually one of the most common problems I have seen with people using coupons. A lot of people think just because they have a coupon for it, they have to buy it. However, if you keep this mindset you might end up spending more money on things you don’t actually need.

Try to only clip coupons for the things you use frequently in the house, or on the things that you enjoy and might want to treat yourself to. Make a concise list before going to the store keeping in mind the coupons you already have and plan to use.

Make sure to read the coupon fine print and expiration dates.

When I was a grocery store employee this was one of most annoying things to encounter. People would have coupons for items and have the item in their cart, but failed to read the fine print stating they need to buy two of the item to use the coupon, or certain products are excluded to use the coupon and they need to run back to switch out the item therefore holding the line up.

Prevent this from happening by always reading the fine print of the coupon to make sure your items are eligible for your product. You should also make note of when your coupon expires for the same reason! That is another reason why my list is so helpful, I know when each coupon expires and the condition to receive the discount without having to go through my entire list!

Look out for store specials (Double Coupons, etc.)

Stores like Harris Teeter and Lowes Food occasionally have specials such as double coupons where all coupons up to $1.98 double (meaning a 1.50 coupon would actually save you $3.00) Specials like these really make your couponing efforts worth it. I have frequently gotten items for free with specials like this (having a coupon for $0.75 off one small bag of m&ms double meaning my m&ms are free!)

Keep an eye out for deals like these by looking up your local grocery stores to see if they have specials like this or keeping an eye on the paper!

Coupons aren’t just for groceries

You can find coupons for just about any product or service out on the market. Make sure to check store websites and e-mail newsletters for coupons for your favorite products. Stores like Victoria’s Secret and the JC Penney make-up counter post coupons quite frequently for free trial products or little freebies such as lip gloss or underwear.

Restaurants also have coupons available to make your night out a little easier on your wallet! Check websites for deals such as free appetizers or free desserts!

Hopefully, these tips and tricks will maximize your savings with each trip to the grocery store and leave your wallet feeling a little heavier than it used to.

My Obsession with Coupons (Part 2)

Now that your floor is covered in coupons that you have clipped and printed and now you are trying to get them all into one spot you are going to have to find some nice ways to organize them. No problem, there are tons of way that you can keep your coupons handy and available for your next shopping trip!

Burlap Accordion File Container by Esty Seller: Divine Joy Cards

Mini-Accordion Folders

These mini accordion folders are nice because they are small enough to fit in your bag and be completely portable, yet they have different sections so that you can quickly thumb through them and find the coupon you need. I find it helpful to separate my coupons based on category (for example: one for frozen, one for bath and beauty, one for cereals and crackers).

I recommend making a master list of the coupons you have, their specifications for use (for example: buy one, get one), and their discount price so you don’t have to spend all day thumbing through the folder while at the store. Instead you can quickly check off each item and keep moving quickly and effectively.

Where to find them: You can pick these up at any office supply store. They have a variety of colors and patterns to suit your style and flavor. Etsy also has some very cute ones, if you are looking for a little something extra. Some of my favorites are: here, here, and here.

Envelopes

When I first began couponing, I used regular postal envelopes labeled with different grocery sections. Then when I went to grocery shopping and I was looking for coupons while waiting in the grocery line, I could quickly flip through the different folders and pull out coupons.

Just like the accordion folder, I recommend making a master list of all your coupons (or at least the coupons you plan on using) before heading to the grocery store.

Where to find them: Again, you can find these at any office supply store or even any drug store! You could also make your own (with plain or patterned paper if you want to be flashy) by folding some paper and securing the ends with a glue stick.

 Mini Small Coupon Organizer / Binder Holder Sleeves Pages by Etsy Seller: JWIllustrations

Coupon Page Protectors & Binder

This is perhaps my favorite way to organize my coupons because it gives me the ability to see what each coupon requires for use while I am shopping. The page protectors have slots for each individual coupon which you can then stick into a small one-inch binder (complete with tab dividers if you want to get really fancy) and thumb through them when you are preparing your lists or while you are at the grocery store.

Where to find them: These are a little harder to find than the envelopes or the accordion folder. You may be able to find them at some office supply stores (some places may even call them trading card protectors, but they are basically the same thing). You can also find them here on amazon for relatively cheap.

Hopefully, with these tips your coupons will find themselves a cozy, organized home without leaving your floor a paper-y mess. Make sure to look out for Part 3, where I will wrap up with some helpful tips to remember while shopping with coupons to make sure you get the maximum deals possible!

My Obsession with Coupons (Part 1)

I have no “normal” hobbies. I can’t sing, I can’t dance, I can’t swim, I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.

However, just because I am uncoordinated and unskilled in many disciplines doesn’t mean that don’t have any hobbies. I have tons of hobbies: I browse the internet, I blog occasionally, and sometimes I even manage to accidentally pick up a book and read the entire thing without forgetting about it half-way through. One of these hobbies I’ve picked up over the last few years working in a grocery store is couponing. As a broke college student, it is definitely one of the more useful skills I’ve acquired.

Working in a grocery store through much of my high school career, I have seen my share of coupon kings and queens who manage to buy 15 bottles of ketchup for only $0.15, and after carefully watching and mimicking what I’ve seen, I have managed to compile a list of useful tips and techniques to help even the most casual couponer save money! 

 

The Sunday Paper is a Goldmine

I have found that the Sunday paper holds some of the best and most useful coupons. Sadly, you do have to pay for the paper (which is around $1.50-2.00 in a lot of places) but the potential coupons you uncover will definitely earn you your money back tenfold. You can always thumb through the paper at the store before purchasing to see if the coupons for that week are going to be useful to you before purchasing the paper.

Pros: The number of coupons in here is extraordinary and you will also find a ton of coupons from local businesses you might not find anywhere else.

Cons: You have to buy the paper.

The Internet Has Tons of Free Coupons

If paying for a Sunday paper is not within your budget, there are tons of free coupons available online. These coupon sites allow you to look through their database of coupons and virtually “clip” them. When you have looked through all the coupons you simply click “Print Coupons” and all the coupons you have clipped and collected will be printed.

My favorite online coupon sites are: CouponSuzy CouponMom Redplum

Pros: Absolutely free.

Cons: You do have to print them (which can be done for free at your local library). You also have to download the “coupon printer,” which takes a few minutes. However, I have found the coupon apps of the sites I have listed to be harmless.

Mail Flyers and Newsletters 

I know a lot of people see these flyers in the mail and think “ugh, junk mail” but if you look carefully some of these hold some pretty amazing coupons while also alerting you to some of the local deals. One of my favorite mail flyers is the redplum one I get in my mail box about every two weeks.

Pros: Just like the online coupons, these coupons are absolutely free.

Cons: They might appear to junk up your mailbox and you can’t control when they come.

Writing the Company 

This one may seem a bit weird, but trust me, it actually works. With some companies, if you write them either 1) asking for coupons directly or 2) commenting on their services they will send you complimentary coupons!

Pros: Absolutely free

Cons: It takes a bit of work to write them as well as the fact that you might have to pay for postage if you are sending a letter. Also, there is no true guarantee that the company will respond with coupons. I really only recommend this one if you are either bored with nothing to do, or if you like a product so much you are willing to take the gamble.

With these tips you are sure to find tons of useful coupons for your favorite products and services. Look out for Part 2 for tips about how to keep all of your recently acquired coupons neat and orderly for your trip to the

NYX Lip Butter Swatch

So I mentioned in my Friday Favorites that I love NYX Lip Butters, however I forgot to include one of my favorite shades (which I have yet to find time to wear in the summer) which is Licorice. It's a nice deep purple color. My one problem with Licorice though is that as the day goes on it smudges and fades a lot faster than the other colors and because the color is so dark and my natural lip color is so light it is a lot more noticeable. However, I make sure to apply lip primer before every application and just reapply the color every couple of hours.

I also decided to re-swatch Fireball because I feel like the picture came out blurry and the color did not look right in the first photo I posted and I want to better represent the colors. It is a lot more vibrant the the first photo made it out to be.

My next adventure in lip products is to find my holy grail red lip color and to find a nice matte deep purple (a little deeper than Licorice) that lasts.

Friday Favorites 7.25.14

It's Friday so here are some of my favorite things from the week:

1. NYX Butter Lipsticks
I am completely obsessed with these lip colors. Now I am someone who has never really gotten into lip color beyond a little tinted lip balm, however, these lip colors are the shit. I ended up getting them at Ulta during their NYX sale and I could not be happier.

So far I have three different shades: Honey, Candy Buttons, and  Fireball and I love them all.

They do not dry my lips out. I used the NYX lip primer and the color stays for a decent time even though eating and drinking (although I do find myself having to reapply at least one a day).

2. Pita Bread Pizza
I have been making pita bread pizzas almost every single day of the week this week. I randomly went to the store a few days ago and got some pita bread and was like "Hmm, I can make mini pizza with this..." There are two ways I do this:

a) I just take the plain pita bread, put sauce and cheese on it and then just eat it cold like a giant lunchable. This is for my lazier days.

b) I bake the pita for about five minutes @ 350F until it gets a little firmer and then I put sauce and cheese on it and put it back into the oven until the cheese is melted.


3. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish
I am very impatient when it comes to letting my nail polish dry. I always get the urge to paint my nails at the most inconvenient times (like right before I leave to go out for the day) or I end up painting my nails and having to pee two minutes later.

This is why I love this nail polish so much, I can paint my nails and in about two minutes they are dry enough for me to do basic tasks like carry around my purse or unbutton my pants. The color pay off is pretty good considering the price and while I do wish there was more variety in colors, it is pretty decent. While I still end up reverting back to my "fancier" polishes for special nail effects (think glitter or shiny flakes) when I really want to go all out, I do like the versatility of this simple polish.

My Adventure with DIY Ombré

I have always been really into hair ombré. I love how it looks effortlessly beachy and I love how it is coloring your hair without all of the commitment to keep it up.

So I decided that after almost a year and a half of being jealous of those who got to ombré their hair, I would take matters into my own hands and do it at home. I went to Ulta and picked up the L'Oreal Intense Ombre Hair Color. When it comes to coloring hair, I am clueless so I just picked up a random box and bought it. I ended up getting the box meant for those with medium to dark brown.

I went home and immediately began mixing it together and slapping it on my hair. I had read reviews online before saying that this kit only lightened their hair a little bit, so I didn't have high hopes for an intense blonde to come from this kit.

I will admit, the applicator wasn't all that great to use, especially on thick hair. I felt like even though I was doing my hair in sections, the applicator brush was still missing huge parts of my hair. Eventually I ended up ditching the brush and began working the bleach mixture in with my fingers and a comb.

I didn't have to wait long at all (about 20 minutes) for the color to bleach to work its magic before I washed it out with the provided shampoo. I then put some leave in conditioner in my hair and blow dried and curled my hair.

My final result was something that I am currently happy with. I could have done a little better making it even in the back, but when my hair is curled the uneven-ness is really not that noticeable.

Overall, I am really happy with how it turned out and I am sure if I ever get the urge to cut my hair into a bob again having the little bit of ombre will look extra amazing.

where am I now?

As I am finishing up my junior year of college and thinking about starting my senior year I am left here thinking about how much stuff has happened to me in just this one year alone.

1. I joined a sorority.
2. I narrowed down my graduate school list
3. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life.
4. I've become a leader.
5. I'm excited about where I am going in life.