Repurchases & Discoveries: Ulta Haul

This past week, I ran out of two staples in my make-up bag and knew that I would have to make a trip to Ulta soon, so I did just that. And, it should come as no surprise that while I ventured to Ulta to replace my must-have products, I stumbled across a couple of new discoveries that I couldn't leave behind. 

The items that I purposefully ventured into Ulta to retrieve were my Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation, which I've raved about before, and the Aveeno Ultra Calming Makeup Removing Wipes which has been my go-to option for makeup remover for over a year. These wipes are oil-free and swiftly remove even the most waterproof of mascaras with little effort. After using the Aveeno wipes,  my skin feels calm and clean. Best yet, the air-tight packaging ensures that all of my wipes stay moist (ugh...) until the very last one! 

Now onto the unfamiliar, but exciting purchases. 

I snagged my very first It Cosmetics item, the Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector. I became fascinated with this product after I repeatedly heard a favorite blogger of mine, EssieButton, sing its praises. I definitely trust her opinion, and I was right to do so. The consistency of the cream is surprisingly lightweight while simultaneously delivering natural color correction and coverage. I've only dabbled with this product for a couple of days, but I'll keep you posted on how I get along with it. 

Finally, I picked up the Benefit Gimme Brow in an effort to find a quicker tool to get my brows done in the morning. The tinted brush-on fiber gel is delivered to your brows via a tiny spoolie, which is adorable, by the way! From my first foray with it, it gave my brows a very natural and kempt look. I could see myself getting very friendly with this product. Stay tuned!

Head Trip Thursday: The Moschino Rucksack

Today is an exciting day and I'm so glad that you're here to join me in introducing my first recurring series on the blog, Head Trip Thursdays. Head Trip Thursdays will be a weekly post on Thursdays featuring a fashion item that I'm completely lusting after. The item, in most scenarios, will have a "when pigs fly" type of price tag association...ergo, the head trip. Together, we'll fantasize and discuss the item in question, reasons for infatuation, how to style the item and lastly, I'll share an in-real-life attainable dupe for the product. Now, let's get straight to it!

It seems that between the influx of tattered jeans and spotting celebs like Rihanna donning bucket hats, the 90s are headed this way and they want their real estate in your closet back. I've been resistant to jumping head first into the returning trends, that is until a certain throwback item repeatedly began to catch my gaze as I flitted through and my favorite fashion stalking mediums. That item is the rucksack.

I know, I know, considering that I have a certain affinity toward handbags, this isn't a shock. However, the main draw for me is the non-traditional character that rucksacks bring to your look. It's youthful, practical and effortless but in the most charming way possible. My rucksack of choice would be the Moschino Rucksack, an enticing multi-utility quilted black bag adorned with darling gold details, that would cost me about $1,745. No way would I invest that kind of money in an item that most likely wouldn't stand the test of time, however, let's fantasize that my banking account isn't a factor here...this is how I would style my beautiful bag.

This style creation totally speaks to me because it's flirty with the sleeveless crop top and pairs so well with a dainty mid-length skirt and lace pumps, but the Moschino rucksack adds that bit of unexpected edginess to the entire look. I love it! The items used to create this outfit are also really sensibly priced, with the exception of the rucksack.

If you really like this look, you can totally just swap out the designer rucksack for a more affordable version. I've spotted a rucksack that's just as alluring as Moschino's version. Zara's Quilted Rucksack, which has the spacious utility aspect that I love, detailed quilting and contrasting canvas lining. Best yet, this rucksack comes in at a feasible $69.90.

What do you think of the rucksack trend? Are you onboard or is this trendy item not high on your fashion priority list? I'd love to know what you think and please comment letting me know if you like the new series!

Until next time - XOXO

What I picked up at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: Clairsonic Mia2

I think I can speak for all of us that when it comes to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, we can collectively say that "we came, we saw, we conquered." Yes, it's gone for a whole year, but we have shopping bags full of goodies to hold us over until it returns!

I, personally, am quite proud of the amount of self-control I exercised while shopping the sale. I only came away with one major purchase and it's something that I've been dying to own for a long time. As you can tell from the title of this post, that item is none other than the Clairsonic Mia 2.

Nordstrom was offering a superb deal on the Mia 2 during the sale by forming a comprehensive set of goodies in the offering. It included items like a replacement brush head, the Clairsonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser, a travel case for the Mia 2 and a travel bag.  I got all of this for $149, which is quite the deal considering that under normal circumstances I would shell out over $200 for the complete list of provided accessories.

I decided to grab the vibrant rainbow-colored Mia 2 because it looks impeccably cheerful and is exactly what I need to see first thing in the morning when washing my face. I've mentioned I'm not a morning person, right?

I think I've had my Clairsonic Mia 2 for about four weeks now and I have to say that I adore this little gadget. After the first time I used it, I knew I had started a love affair. My skin was incredibly smooth because the Mia 2 had been busy dusting off dead skin and buffing out dull spots. A month later, I've noticed the texture of my skin evening out and troublesome areas of discoloration adjusting back to my normal skin tone.

I have to say that this is by far one of the best investments I've made for my skincare routine. It honestly did take my a while to buckle down and get the Clairsonic Mia 2, but I'm so glad that it's in my life now.

Have you tried any Clairsonic products? Also, was there anything that you picked up at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that quickly became a "can't-live-without" item? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time - XOXO

Bridal Duties: The Bridesmaid Proposal

"A good friend knows all of your best stories, a best friend has lived them with you." - Unknown

I know, I haven't discussed the subject much, but I'm engaged to my college sweetheart and we're in the planning stages for our June 2015 wedding! Eeek!

I wanted to start this post out with a truthful and heartfelt quote, because today, I want to talk about my best friends in this world who are also (thankfully, they agreed) my bridesmaids! One of the most important and immediate tasks for a bride is selecting her bridesmaids. These are the girls that will endure non-stop discussion of all-things-wedding related, tag along to countless appointments, pore over details of all of your pre-nuptial events, help you maintain your sanity through the journey and do it all with a smile on their face because they genuinely love you and care so deeply about this special time in your life. In short, they are saints.

Today, I'm featuring my saint, err...I mean, bridesmaids proposal that I coordinated for my little crew. I wanted to do something creative, personal and special for my proposal to them and became inspired by Style Me Pretty's DIY "Ask" Gift Idea. I secretly started out on my stealthy mission gathering supplies at the craft store and searching up custom shirt ideas for my beautiful bridesmaids and then scheduled a sneaky brunch to surprise them! I included a special note to both of them in their gift bags and thoroughly documented the event.

Pretty tote bags made by me... who'd have thought I could be crafty!

All of the included goodies...

I found this ribbon at Michael's. It says "...and they lived happily ever after..."

More fun goodies...

I also found this ribbon at Michael's that says "I Do!" with little rings

My bridesmaids reading the card that says... "Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer." - Jean de La Fontaine

They said "YES!" and we took a group photo with our cute plaques to celebrate the event

I'm a lucky girl to have these two in my life. I hope that you enjoyed our bridesmaids proposal brunch, documented in photos and ask that you to share your bridesmaid proposal story. Bridesmaid proposals are a relatively new concept, from what I understand, so I'm completely enamored with what kind of proposals are out there.

Until next time - XOXO

A New Look: Ombré Hair Edition

I'm usually not one to be adventurous with my hair, but with my 27th birthday coming up, I had the urge to go for a change. Now, let me start by saying my version of adventurous may not be drastic, but if you know me, this is quite a change.

I started out my journey by forming my "hair hit list" which is thinking about what I've seen on other people that I've adored, and cataloguing pictures and examples of styles on a Pinterest board. Here's a few snippets of my hair influences.

The first thing that came to my mind was coloring. I've never had the opportunity to experiment with different hair colors possibly because my mother always plead with me to never dye my hair; worrying about the ramifications of coloring it and keeping the integrity of my natural color. Talking specifically about color inspiration, I am completely infatuated with Shay Mitchell's ombré gradient.

Secondly, I've always wanted long and voluminous hair. My hair is naturally shoulder length, but seems to always stay at the same length...so frustrating! Looking for solutions, I've toyed with clip-in extensions before, but I loathed the fact that it's such a time-intensive task with clipping them in every morning and removing them every evening. I'm not a morning person, so this task doesn't seamlessly fit into my congested morning routine. To sum it up, I needed a more permanent solution.

Ultimately, I was led to the solution of getting sew-in extensions dyed in an ombré gradient. This effectively gives me the coloring aspect without touching my own hair color (Mom is happy) and simultaneously provides me with the volume and length that I've dreamt about! I'm so excited about the result and have to thank my stylist for her brilliant work!

Here's a few pics of the final result. I hope you love the new look as much as I do!

While we're on the subject, what are some of your adventurous hair fantasies? Anything that you've always wanted to try but have been apprehensive? I'm super curious so leave a comment below.

Until next time - XOXO

Face of the Day: Old & New Favorites at Play

So, apparently, I'm loving my LORAC Pro 2 Palette lately. Rightfully so, there's so many great color combinations to discover. I've noticed that this palette has quickly become my go-to palette replacing my almost-depleted Stila 'In The Light' palette.

In addition to the LORAC Pro 2 Palette, today's face of the day (FOTD) features a few more of my favorite products such as the Chanel Perfection Lumiére foundation, MAC's Mineralized Skin Finish in Gold Deposit and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. 

I also dabbled with a few new additions such as the Maybelline Master Glaze cream blush and L'Oreal's Voluminous Butterfly mascara. Keep your eyes here because reviews are coming soon! 

Face of the Day: Products

Stay tuned for reviews of the new products I used by following me on BlogLovin!