April 30, 2014

Currently Craving: Pastel Polishes


It's finally starting to feel like spring in the Northeast, and I'm so ready. Winter is actually my favorite season, but my first winter in Boston has been rough. Typically, I'm by the books when it comes to my nails. Dark shades in the fall and winter, light shades in the spring, and bright shades for summer. It's my favorite time of year for nail polishes and I'm ready to break out my personal favorites.

Shop my suggestions above for springtime ready nails.

April 28, 2014

Review: The Handle Bar in Boston, MA

The Handle Bar is an indoor cycling studio with two locations in Boston, MA. I headed to the newly opened Fenway location, located at 1330 Boylston Street for a 10am class yesterday morning.

Jess Bashelor, Founder of The Handle Bar was the keynote speaker at the Her Campus National Pre-Collegiette Conference on Saturday where I was a panelist, hence the partnership and reason I was able to attend this class.

They hooked me up with special biking shoes ($2 per rental) and I headed in to set my self up on a bike. My instructor Sarah was great and knew it was my first time so she helped me adjust my bike to the right settings for me. The studio is kept pretty dark which is great because it really gets you in the mood with the music to go your hardest.

During the workout, the instructor matches the moves to the music, with a playlist including Beyonce, Iggy Azalea, Britney Spears, and more! As the workout comes to a close the red overhead lighting is switched to a more calm shade of blue as the music slows down. You definitely get an intense workout, but I surprisingly was not sore afterwards because I made sure to stretch ahead of time and our instructor had us stretch after the bikes.

Typically at the larger South Boston location which is two years old, five classes are offered daily, and at the thee week old Fenway location, currently four classes are available daily, but they fill up quickly. Each class is $20 and shoe rental is $2 per ride. Package deals are available if you're really hooked!

They also run an awesome blog which I would recommend checking out. It includes playlists that you might spin to in class, healthy snack ideas, fitness tips, and more.

I would definitely recommend going to The Handle Bar if you're in the Boston area and looking for a fun workout. Make a reservation for your bike up to 7 days in advance online, in person, or over the phone.


Her Campus partnered with The Handle Bar to provide panelists and attendees of the Her Campus National Pre-Collegiette Conference (which I spoke at this weekend) with a free class, but that in no way alters my opinion.


photo credits: northeastern.edu

The Handle Bar

April 27, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of April 27th

Gilt:
  • Spring Makeover: Top Picks for Flawless Skin (Sale begins Noon ET 4/29)
  • Spring Makeover: Top Picks for Hair & Cosmetics Essentials (Sale begins Noon ET 5/2)
  • The Ultimate Spring Makeover (Sale begins Noon ET 5/3)

HauteLook:
  • Perricone MD, Lightning Whitening (Sales begin 8am PT 4/27)
  • Hair Tools Blowout (Sales begin 4pm PT 4/27)
  • nailuv Gel Nails, Vincent Longo Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 4/28)
  • Josie Maran, TEI Spa (Sales begin 8am PT 4/29)
  • Hairdo Hair Extensions, Oscar Blandi Haircare, SPAfrica Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 4/30)
  • Beauty's Most Wanted, Vivo Per Lei Diamond Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 5/1)
  • NuTika Hair Tools (Sale begins 8am PT 5/2)
  • Bioelements Skincare, Smileactives (Sales begin 8am PT 5/3)

  • $39 & Under: Beauty Essentials (Sale begins 9am PT 4/27)
  • A Garden Party: Beauty Essentials (Sale begins 9am PT 4/28)
  • Luxe Skincare Feat. Clarins (Sale begins 9am PT 4/29)
  • Fragrance Gifts For Her (Sale begins 9am PT 5/2)
  • Pamper Her: Slippers & Spa Products (Sale begins 9am PT 5/3)

  • butter LONDON (Sale begins 11am ET 4/28)
  • Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare (Sale begins 11am ET 5/1)

April 26, 2014

Link Love: April 20-26


Advice! Tips on How To Save Money Living in NYC (or any city) [Katie's Bliss]


9 Perfect Light Jackets For The Perfect Date [The Gloss]

Grace Coddington on Nudes and Being a Hoarder [Wall Street Journal]

Instagram Insights [Cupcakes & Cashmere]

Rotisserie Chicken Naan Pizza with Spinach, Queso Fresco, & Fire-Roasted Tomato-Mango Chutney Sauce [Ambitious Kitchen]

The Women of Netflix are Upending Business as Usual in Hollywood [Marie Claire]

April 25, 2014

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: April 2014

Partition by Beyoncé: If you haven't heard Beyonce's latest album (are you living under a rock?) this is the song I would recommend everyone listen to. It's super catchy and makes you feel Sasha Fierce.

TRESemmé 7 Day Keratin Heat Activated Treatment: I used up a sample of this throughout the month, and I can definitely see myself purchasing this once I use up my other hair oil. This left my hair super silky and really cut down on the amount of fly-aways, even on the second day!

The SFP LookBook: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2014 Collections (℅): This is the latest book from Schiffer Publishing and it's a must-have for fashionistas looking to the runway for inspiration this spring. It includes glossy photos of over 125 designers seen at Fashion Week.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy La Fleur: I recently purchased a sample duo of this scent along with the original Viva La Juicy which I recently finished up. I'm loving this fresh scent for spring along with it's classic counterpart.

Always Dailies Sheer Liners (℅): Always recently sent me their Spring mailer including their newest product, the Dailies Sheer Liners. They come in convenient purse packs so they're easy to put into your purse (like my new summer bag, see below!) and with their thin and seamless design, you might forget you're wearing a liner. They offer no feel protection and keep you fresh all day long, not just at that time of the month!

Cambridge Satchel Comapany Mini Classic Satchel (℅): I was recently gifted this by Always and I can't stop wearing it! Granted I do get stares from some people on the streets of Boston for carrying a neon pink bag, but I can tell this will be my summer go-to purse.

Watermelon: I've never been much of a fruit eater but I've recently fallen back in love. I'm trying to get at least two servings of fruit per day and I'm loving the seasonal sweetness of watermelon.


Tomorrow is the Her Campus Pre-Collegiette Conference at Northeastern University in Boston, and I couldn't be more excited to be a panelist! The conference is targeted towards high school girls eager to learn more from real collegiettes all about college. If you're attending, I'd love to meet you- I'll be speaking on the Roommates and College Academic Panels (it's my first time speaking on panels so I'm a little nervous!) and walking in the Collegiette Fashion Show at the end of the day. Follow me on twitter and instagram for updates throughout the day and search #HStoHC on social media for more!

April 23, 2014

Spring 2014 Trend Report: Mules

Olivia Newton John as Sandy (1978) // Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw (2000) // 10 Crosby Derek Lam S/S 2014 Collection (2014)

In the early 1950s, Marilyn Monroe popularized the mule and it experienced a lot of popularity throughout the 50s and 60s. It re-emerged in the 90s in open-toed form, the "slide," and emerged on the September 2013 runways once again in many designers Spring/Summer 2014 Collections.

Here are a few of my top mule picks.

French Connecrtion 'Randy' // Vince Camuto 'Jaso' // Jeffrey Campbell 'Druid' // Sergio Rossi 'Norma J.' // 10 Crosby Derek Lam 'Katy' // Stuart Weitzman 'Herenow'

April 21, 2014

Sponsored: BIC 4-Color Pen

This post brought to you by BIC 4-Color pen. All opinions are 100% mine.


With exams coming up for many college students like myself, it’s time to start studying. Personally, I’m a big fan of my colored pens, it makes me stand out from a sea of black pens and boring pencils and makes some of my more boring classes a little more enjoyable. BIC® is bringing back inspiration to the everyday with their 4-Color™ pen.

As part of their ad campaign, they’ve given each of the 4 Inseparable Colors in 1 Pen their own unique personality. You can watch the colors in the videos below that really show off their personalities, and also by following BIC® on Facebook and Twitter for more fun aspects of the campaign like giveaways!

Blue is the superstar, Green is jealous, black is the brooding brother to blue, and then there’s red.

I’m definitely red! Red “likes it when things are correct. When matches are parallel and books are well aligned on a shelf. His favorite moment of the day? When it is 11:11 sharp on his digital watch. His passion in life? He has many: spelling, grammar, conjugation, calculation.”



You know you want one of these for yourself, so swing by Amazon or Staples to get your own 4-Color™ Pen!


Visit Sponsor's Site

April 20, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of April 20th

Gilt:
  • Skincare & Cosmetic Essentials: Up to 75% Off (Sale begins Noon ET 4/22)
  • Designer Fragrances (Sale begins Noon ET 4/23)

HauteLook:
  • Dazzle Pro Teeth Whitening, HerStyler Hair Tools (Sales begin 8am PT 4/20)
  • Alterna Haircare, Laura Geller, Orly Smart Gels (Sales begin 8am PT 4/21)
  • Danny Seo Reserve Global Fragrance Collection, Gorgeous Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 4/22)
  • La Fresh, Mica Beauty Mineral Makeup (Sales begin 8am PT 4/23)

  • Designer Beauty: American Edition (Sale begins 9am PT 4/21)
  • Naturally Beautiful: Face & Body Care (Sale begins 9am PT 4/22)
  • Beauty Boost: Tools, Makeup & More (Sale begins 9am PT 4/23)

  • Bond No. 9 Women's & Men's Perfume (Sale begins 11am ET 4/21)
  • Tweezerman (Sale begins 11am ET 4/22)
  • Makeup & More for Your Spring Beauty Routine (Sale begins 11am ET 4/24)

April 18, 2014

Review: Influenster Uni VoxBox

Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! 
For Influenster Nation!
Instagram, post and blog
the UniVoxBox
on Pinterest and blogs!
Glory to Influenster Nation!
NYC New York Color 'Forever Fuchsia' Expert Last Lipstick: Ready to take your lips to the next level? Try our NEW Expert Last Lip Color in twenty tantalizing shades. Get intense amplified color and shine that lasts up to 6 hours! Our moisturizing formula glides on easy for a silky, smooth, velvety finish for all day wear. 

Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation: Lightweight liquid mousse texture leaves skin shine less, yet feels weightless & cake less. The weight is over - finally, shine has met its matte. Available in 8 shades. 

Broadway Nails imPRESS Manicures: imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails is the revolutionary way to achieve a flawless manicure in seconds. Just peel off, press on, and you're done-NO glue needed! High-shine colors, trendy designs and glam glitter nails that last up to a week! Available at Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Kmart, Rite-Aid, & Target.

Pilot Acroball Pure White: Acroball PureWhite combines a glossy white barrel with Spring Pantone inspired grip colors and smooth writing advanced ink, which combines the vibrant color of gel with the quick drying benefits of ballpoint ink, so you can write effortlessly. 

Red Rose Real Tea Premium Water Enhancers: Finally - a water enhancer with no dyes or coloring that's made from real brewed tea. Make boring water taste tea-rrific with REAL TEA from Red Rose!

Playtex Sport Fresh Balance: Play without Limits. Introfucing NEW Playtex Sport Fresh Balance with Odor Shield technology. It's designed to neutralize odors for ultimate freshness on and off the field. Combined with a 360 design for Sport Level Protection, you can go the distance. Play On.


Please note: I did receive these products for free, but am not being compensated in anyway to share my opinions.

April 16, 2014

Sweet Sale: Shopbop Friends & Family Sale


Get 25% off your purchase at Shopbop.com through April 17th 11:59 PM PST with the code INTHEFAMILY14.

April 13, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of April 13th

Gilt:
  • Laura Mercier (Sale begins Noon ET 4/14)
  • Luxe Skincare Feat. Revive (Sale begins Noon ET 4/15)
  • Face Stockholm (Sale begins Noon ET 4/17)
  • Beauty Essentials Under $50 (Sale begins Noon ET 4/19)

HauteLook:
  • BH Cosmetics, Booty Parlor (Sales begin 8am PT 4/13)
  • Kinerase Skincare, Sephora by OPI (Sale begins 8am PT 4/14)
  • Belletto Studio Airbrush Makeup, Brilliance New York Hair Tools (Sales begin 8am PT 4/15)
  • COACH Fragrances (Sale begins 8am PT 4/16)
  • Mother's Day Fragrances, Skin & Co. Roma Italian Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 4/17)
  • Stila, TanTowel (Sales begin 8am PT 4/18)
  • DermaHeal Skincare, Chaaco-ca (Salees begin 8am PT 4/19)

  • Oscar Blandi Haircare & More (Sale begins 9am PT 4/13)
  • Bottled Bliss: Designer Fragrance (Sale begins 9am PT 4/15)
  • Luxury Skincare Essentials (Sale begins 9am PT 4/17)
  • Panier Des Sens (Sale begins 9am PT 4/19)

  • Signature Scents: Designer Perfume for Spring (Sale begins 11am ET 4/15)
  • Khuraira Cosmetics (Sale begins 11am ET 4/17)
  • ISO Beauty Hair Tools (Sale begins 11am ET 4/18)

April 12, 2014

Link Love: April 6-12


Coachella Fashion and Beauty Must-Haves! [Lo Bosworth]


Breaking News [Eveything Bobbi]

Hearst Titles Go Head-to-Head With Miley Cyrus Covers [WWD]

Spinach Tagliatelle with Gorgonzola Sauce and Pine Nuts [TrendLand]

The 14 Emotional Stages Of Shopping A Blowout Sale [Huff Post Style]

The New Ugliness of Mad Men [The Atlantic]

April 10, 2014

All Things Pretty: Pantone Color of the Year 2014


Purple has always been my favorite color, so I was very excited to see that the 2014 Pantone Color of the Year was Radiant Orchid. To be honest, I think my love for all things purple stems from my Barney obsession as a child, not to mention it's the color of royalty. These are my top beauty picks to make you a little more radiant this spring.

April 8, 2014

Tech Talk: Boutikey App

Boutikey is a new app that is changing the way fashion boutiques drive business by enhancing the ability to interact with their customers.
  • See what items are trending on a live feed of stores you follow
  • Discover the latest offers, sales, and events so you'll never miss out on another deal
  • Earn reward points for every dollar you spend in your favorite boutiques

(Two of my favorite boutiques in the city!)

Here in Boston and the surrounding areas, there are countless adorable boutiques, and it's hard to keep track of them, but Boutikey makes it easy.

Like Instagram for fashion, with rewards and deals, and 53 total boutiques are using Boutikey right now, currently available for the iPhone and coming soon for Android's.

To all the stylish Bostonians who don't have time to shop all the stores in advance, this is the app you've been waiting for!

Boutikey on Facebook
Boutikey on Pinterest

I partnered with Boutikey through the Her Campus Blogger Network but am not being influenced by any opinions but my own.

April 6, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of April 6th

Gilt:
  • ByTerry Cosmetics (Sale begins Noon ET 4/7)
  • Toning Devices Feat. NuFace (Sale begins Noon ET 4/8)
  • Panier Des Sens (Sale begins Noon ET 4/12)

HauteLook:
  • Elchim Professional Hair Tools, Fusion Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 4/6)
  • Luminess Air, Stila Travel Palettes (Sales begin 8am PT 4/7) 
  • blinc, Osmotics Cosmeceuticals (Sales begin 8am PT 4/8)
  • gelliebeans Gel Nails, Laura Mercier (Sales begin 8am PT 4/9)
  • NuMe Style Hair Tools, RSVP Skincare For Men, Truth in Aging (Sales begin 8am PT 4/10)
  • Donna Bella 24K Gold Skincare, CLEAN Fragrance, HauteLook Lip Beauty Bag (Sales begin 8am PT 4/11)
  • Swissco (Sale begins 8am PT 4/12)

  • All About Eyes: Serums, Creams & Gels (Sale begins 9am PT 4/8)
  • All About Hair: Tools, Shampoos & More (Sale begins 9am PT 4/9)
  • Pamper Yourself: Bath & Body Picks (Sale begins 9am PT 4/12)

  • Juice Beauty Organic Makeup & Skincare (Sale begins 11am ET 4/8)
  • Best Face Forward: Skincare by Derma MD & More (Sale begins 11am ET 4/9)
  • Clarins (Sale begins 3pm ET 4/9)
  • Kashmir Hair System (Sale begins 11am ET 4/12)

April 3, 2014

Her Campus Blogger Network x Microsoft Surface Event

On March 28th, the Her Campus Blogger Network hosted an exclusive event at the Microsoft Store at the Prudential Center in Boston, and I was lucky enough to be invited to attend.

The afternoon was spent sipping sparkling water, eating chocolate covered strawberries, playing Just Dance with fellow bloggers, Her Campus writers, and the Her Campus team, and playing on our new Surface tablets.

Demos on the Surface by Lily from Microsoft

My Surface tablet

Playing Just Dance

With the other amazing bloggers and Her Campus Correspondants and our tablets (image ℅ Semirah at Sound of Charm)

Goodies

I was given my Surface tablet to test-drive for a month ℅ Microsoft and Her Campus but this post includes only my own ideas.

April 1, 2014

Products I've Used Up #3

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips: This did a great job of hydrating my lips but it did leave them feeling sticky so I could only use it before bed.

Clean & Clear Blackhead Eraser Scrub: I've really enjoyed using this as an exfoliator. But I do think it's time to try something new since I've had this for over 6 months.

Number 4 Haircare Non Aerosol Hair Spray: I thought I would like this because it's non aerosol and I'm not a huge fan of hairspray. Unfortunately, if you spray it too close to your hair, it definitely feels stiff and doesn't leave it feeling soft.

Revlon Photoready Foundation: It's time to throw this out because 1. It's super old, 2. I'm just not a fan anymore. I don't like the shimmer in it, even though it is really slight and it just doesn't make my skin look that good. I'm not even bummed that there is barely a dent in it because I was never using it.

Aquafresh Extreme Clean Whitening Action Toothpaste: After a while, I think my teeth got used to this and it did not really do much when it came to whitening toothpaste, so it's time to move on.


ModelCo 'Berry Pink' SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss: This is one of my all-time favorite glosses, I received it in a Birchbox a while back and for a few months I used it everyday. I switched back to using it regularly so I can use it up to clear some space in the lipgloss drawer of my train case. I may or may not re-purchase this right away because I really want to try using up glosses that I have right now.

Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens: It felt like even if you just dabbed this where you were shiny the entire paper was suddenly blotted, these were paper thin and not durable enough for shiny days.

Ketancolanzole Shampoo Prescription: I have to use this prescription shampoo, and as much as it sucks, my hair is always clean, and using a great conditioner makes up for any negative effects it has on my locks.

Maybelline The Mega Plush Mascara: Overall, I am a fan of this mascara. It separates and lengthens without leaving my lashes looking spidery or fake.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion: Best lotion hands down! If you haven't tried it yet, definitely try it out!

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes: After not using these for a little bit, I found that when I returned to using them, I'm not a huge fan of the scent. Unfortunately, I think I have one extra pack that I need to use up before trying something else out.


Bath & Body Works Frosted Cranberry Candle: This smelled very festive P.S. I'm so dedicated to showing you all of my empties that I brought this back to school with me from Spring Break when I used it up so it could be included!

Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Conditioner: I used to love this, so when I found this mini version in my hair product stash at home, I figured I'd give it a try but I found I don't like it as much now. It felt too thin and didn't really feel like it did much to moisturize my hair.

Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder: I bought this a few years ago and wasn't really a fan. I broke it back out recently because I typically use a skin-colored powder and a loose HD powder to set my makeup so I thought I would like this, but I'm just not a fan.

Lush Creamy Candy Bubble Bar: I picked this up before heading home for Spring Break at the end of February because a luxury I took for granted when living at home was my bathtub. It felt great to use an old favorite and have a night to myself when I went home.

Skintimate Shave Gel: Not much to say about this one, I've been using Skintimate for years and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.


Dove Clear Tone Skin Renew Deodorant: This really didn't make much of a difference in the darkness under my arms or do a good job of preventing under arm odor or wetness. I won't be re-purchasing this and instead will get a real antiperspirant.

Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter: This will always be a staple product for me, especially in the winter months because it's amazing at hydrating dryer parts of your body like elbows, knees, feet, and cuticles. (PRO TIP: Don't throw these containers away! Bring back 5 clean LUSH pots to get a free face fresh face mask!)

Soap & Glory Pulp-Friction Foamy Fruity Body Scrub: This is my all-time favorite body scrub. It smells amazing and really sloughs off dead skin and leaves your skin feeling amazing.

Maybelline One by One Masacara: This is one of my favorite mascaras, but it was way to dry and time to go. I'm trying out a new Maybelline mascara right now that might replace this in my heart.

Bliss No Zit Sherlock Oil Control Moisturizer: This was my favorite moisturizer to use at night and I have been rationing it since you can't purchase it by itself anymore but only in a kit.