August 31, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of August 31st

Gilt:
  • Nuxe Paris (Sale begins 9pm ET 8/31)
  • Pro Beauty Tools Feat. T3 (Sale begins Noon ET 9/3)
  • Mario Badescu (Sale begins Noon ET 9/4)

HauteLook:
  • Fragrance $25 And Under, Terre Mere Organic-Vegan Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 8/31)
  • Hair Tools Blowout (Sale begins 4pm PT 8/31)
  • #ManiMonday: China Glaze & Seche Vite, Miracle Skin Transformer, Rae Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 9/1)
  • B.Kamins Laboratories, LORAC Skinny Palettes, Macademia Natural Oil (Sales begin 8am PT 9/2)
  • Cattiva Cosmetics, FLO Beauty Tools, MDSolarSciences Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 9/3)
  • Dermatouch Cosmetics, Flirty Eyes Mink Lashes, Tarina Tarantino Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 9/4)
  • La Femme Actuelle Diamond Infused Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 9/5)
  • Million Dollar Tan (Sale begins 8am PT 9/6)

  • $19 & Under: Skincare, Haircare & More (Sale begins 9am PT 9/1)
  • About Face: Makeup & Skincare (Sale begins 9am PT 9/4)

  • Corioliss, dr. brandt skincare (Sales begin 11am ET 9/1)
  • Best Face Forward: Skincare by L'OCCITANE & More (Sale begins 11am ET 9/2)

August 30, 2014

Link Love: August 24-30


My Current Empties & Product Reviews [herlatenightcravings]


Barbie Is Instagram's Newest Style Star And We Are Thrilled [Huff Post Style]

Crispy Pesto Baked Zucchini [Love and Lemons]

How to Find an Apartment in NYC [College Prepster]

The Ultimate Brunching Guide To NYC [Refinery 29]

These College Students Are Making A Nail Polish That Changes Color When Exposed To Date Rape Drugs [Buzzfeed]

August 29, 2014

Currently Craving: Black Booties

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With fall quickly approaching, I'm thinking about my wardrobe. Shoes are something I seem to always struggle with and usually opt for classic brown riding boots with almost every fall outfit. I'm on the lookout for a great pair of black booties for everyday wear and also nighttime. What's your go-to fall shoe?

August 24, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of August 24th

Gilt:
  • Vichy Skincare (Sale begins 9pm ET 8/24)
  • Beauty Brands We Love, Gilt City Presents: Bliss Spa (Sales begin Noon ET 8/25)
  • Fall Beauty Stock-Up, Gilt City Presents: Bliss Spa (Sales begin Noon ET 8/27)
  • Beauty Essentials: Up to 80% Off (Sale begins Noon ET 8/30)

HauteLook:
  • Pur Minerals, Topganic Professional Hair Care (Sales begin 8am PT 8/24)
  • #ManiMonday: Londontown, Dr. Brandt Skincare, LORAC (Sales begin 8am PT 8/25)
  • CROC Paris, Diptyque Paris (Sales begin 8am PT 8/26)
  • Beautisol Self-Tanners, clariSEA: Sea Salt Solutions, Fresh Look Masks (Sales begin 8am PT 8/27)
  • Murad, W3LL People (Sales begin 8am PT 8/28)
  • dedra beauty, gelliebeans Gel Nails, Gold Elements Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 8/29)
  • Amir Argan Oil, Boo-Boo Cover Up, Skinn Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 8/30)

  • Luxe Haircare Feat. Kérastase (Sale begins 9am PT 8/27)
  • Stunning Skin: Face & Body Care (Sale begins 9am PT 8/28)
  • Back In Stock: Favorite Fragrances (Sale begins 9am PT 8/30)

  • Tweezerman (Sale begins 11am ET 8/25)
  • Erno Laszlo Skincare (Sale begins 11am ET 8/26)
  • Clarisonic & More: Cleanse Your Skin At Home (Sale begins 11am ET 8/28)

August 22, 2014

All Things Pretty: Tassels


Even though summer is coming to an end, I couldn't help but share the tassel trend I've been noticing, especially in jewelry. These tassel jewelry pieces are such a fun way to add a little something extra to an outfit, and the tassel garlands (perfect for dorms) are a great way to add a splash of something shimmery to a blank wall.

August 20, 2014

Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My dad is a huge oatmeal raisin cookie fanatic but since I'm not too keen on raisins and my whole family can agree on liking peanut butter and chocolate chips, this is a great happy medium cookie! It was super easy to make, and took only 10 minutes to bake.

August 18, 2014

Outfit: Casual Wedding


My cousin got married two months ago in a small ceremony and this weekend she and her husband held a small dinner party for the family to celebrate their marriage. This was obviously a little more casual for nighttime, but this type of outfit is definitely one you could wear for a daytime wedding, to the church, or to a nice dinner.

August 17, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of August 17th

Gilt:
  • By Terry Cosmetics (Sale begins 9pm ET 8/17)
  • FACE Stockholm (Sale begins Noon ET 8/20)
  • Baby Quasar: Light Therapy Devices (Sale begins Noon ET 8/21)
  • Flawless Complexion Feat. DermaBlend (Sale begins Noon ET 8/23)

HauteLook:
  • Elizabeth Grant Skincare, La Fresh Travel Wipes (Sales begin 8am PT 8/17)
  • #ManiMonday: nailuv Gel Nails, tarte (Sales begin 8am PT 8/18)
  • iTech Ionic Tourmaline Hair Dryer Set, Terax Haircare (Sales begin 8am PT 8/19)
  • Genie Beauty, Men's Designer Fragrances, Perricone MD (Sales begin 8am PT 8/20)
  • Mally Beauty, Suki Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 8/21)
  • Crown Brush, Koh Gen Do, NuTika Hair Tools (Sales begin 8am PT 8/22)
  • GlamNatural, Travel & Mini Fragrances (Sales begin 8am PT 8/23)

  • C'est Magnifique: French Beauty (Sale begins 9am PT 8/20)
  • Ahava Skincare, Best Face Forward: Skincare Essentials (Sales begin 9am PT 8/23)

  • Royal & Langnickel Makeup Brushes (Sale begins 11am ET 8/18)
  • Chanel & More: The Best of the Beauty Counter, Save Face: With Products by Guerlain & More (Sales begin 11am ET 8/20)
  • Prada Sunglasses & Perfume (Sale begins 11am ET 8/21)
  • Bring the Salon Home: Products by Oribe & More (Sale begins 11am ET 8/22)
  • Protect & Bronze: Skincare Featuring Shiseido (Sale begins 11am ET 8/23)

August 16, 2014

Link Love: August 10-16


An Announcement… [Cupcakes and Cashmere]


23 Lessons From Robin Williams Movies [ELLE]

Can Psychology Explain Why Olivia Pope Wears White Coats? [Refinery 29]

This DIY Lemon Coffee Facial Scrub Will Have You Feeling Squeaky Clean [College Candy]

'Vogue' Put Three Models On Its September 2014 Cover [Fashionista]

Whipped Marscapone & Fig Pie [The Broken Bread]

August 15, 2014

Back to College 2014

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Brita for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I can't believe it's almost time for me to go back to college. My freshman year flew by and I made amazing memories, and even more amazing friends in my first year. It's been a long 3.5 months that I've been home (aside from 10 days in Israel) and the next 2 weeks until I go back on September 1st are feeling the longest of all. Now that I've done a year in college already, I know what is best to bring versus what not so good to bring back to school this fall.

If you're looking for a little advice on how to decorate your dorm, check out my post on how I decorated my dorm last year. Stay tuned for this years tour of my dorm once I get settled in!

Leggings: While I'm not one to say leggings are pants, I do wear them if I'm in a hurry because there are ways to wear them tastefully like with knee-high boots, and a long sweater (even if your leggings are 100% opaque, which they should be). My personal favorites are from Lululemon, and don't let the price tag scare you because they are a real investment. I can't tell you how many times I've needed to run to the dining hall, food store or library late at night and instead of showing up in grungy sweats, wearing the outfit described above can save you some embarrassment if you run into a special someone or professor.

Brita® Water Pitcher available at Target : I bought my Slim Water Pitcher after realizing that I no longer had the convenience of filtered water from my refrigerator soon after moving in. The Slim Water Pitcher by Brita® is the perfect size to fit inside your mini-fridge door without taking up as much space or killing the environment as much as plastic water bottles would. The Brita® Pitcher makes it easy to fill up your favorite tumbler before and after class to keep you hydrated when filled with water, or even !

Stylish PJs: Similar to leggings, these are a staple. I can't tell you how many times I've gone down the hallway early in the morning or late at night needing to use the microwave in the common room and been thankful I was wearing cute pajamas over something a little less stylish.

Mini Drying Rack: Another thing I took for granted before going to school is a proper washer and dryer. I have become much more cautious of what I put into a testy dryer and become very thankful for my drying rack. Get this mini one so it won't take up much space in what I'm sure is an already tiny room.

Silverware: Trust me on this one, eating in your room is convenient but what if you forget a fork or spoon? Having at least one set of silverware will make things much easier if you're craving a late night bowl of cereal or cup o' noodles.



Visit Sponsor's Site

August 13, 2014

Blogging Business: Behind the Gram


I've been seeing a lot of these posts lately, and thought it would be fun to do one of my own! I find it interesting what people (bloggers especially) choose to share on social media and these posts are just too funny because don't we all try to post an "artsy" instagram every once in a while?

Instagram: OOTD and a green smoothie
Real Life: I really was drinking that smoothie but figured I should change out of sweats for the photo, and proceeded to spill said smoothie on the top of my pants and struggled for a good 20 minutes to take a photo from a good angle before washing the jeans.

Instagram: A pretty cupcake and a magazine
Real Life: I bought that cupcake from a food truck earlier in the day and was thinking of the best way to instagram it, and it just so happens that I got that magazine in the mail that day so why not post them in a photo together?

Instagram: A pretty donut
Real Life: I was driving out of NYC and when my sister saw the Holey Donuts, we pulled over, jumped out, and ran inside. I wasn't even hungry for a donut/planning on instagramming but saw how cute they were and knew I had to do it.

Instagram: Posing on an mosaic wall
Real Life: I was driving in Philadelphia with my mom and when I realized we were about to pass the Magic Gardens, I knew I had to take a picture since I hadn't instagrammed in a few days, so I pulled the car into someone's driveway for five minutes, had my mom take some photos, and drove home.


I hope this gives you some insight into what the life of a blogger is, which is not as glam/cool as it may seem through the lens of social media. 

August 10, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of August 10th

Gilt:
  • NuFace: Facial Toning Device (Sale begins 9pm ET 8/10)
  • La Roche-Posay (Sale begins Noon ET 8/13)
  • GHD: Pro Hair Tools (Sale begins Noon ET 8/14)

HauteLook:
  • Dermovia Anti-Aging Systems, Divaderme (Sales begin 8am PT 8/10)
  • #ManiMonday: Haute Polish, ybf Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 8/11)
  • Designer Fragrance For Her, Medpeel Skincare, Travalo Atomizers & Rollerballs (Sales begin 8am PT 8/12)
  • blowpro, The BrowGal by Tonya Crooks, V.Swish Salon Solutions (Sales begin 8am PT 8/13)
  • Eve Pearl, NuMe Style Hair Tools, Tini Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 8/14)
  • Donna Bella 24K+ Caviar Skincare, TanTowel, The Lip Bar (Sales begin 8am PT 8/15)
  • GRATiAE, ANSR Sole (Sales begin 8am PT 8/16)

MYHABIT:
  • Panier Des Sens (Sale begins 9am PT 8/10)
  • Mad for Makeup (Sale begins 9am PT 8/11)
  • Youthful Glow Feat. Bliss Beauty (Sale begins 9am PT 8/13)
  • Good Hair Days Feat. Oscar Blandi (Sale begins 9am PT 8/15)
  • Bath & Body Faves Feat. Bliss Beauty (Sale begins 9am PT 8/16)

  • Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare (Sale begins 11am ET 8/10)
  • Best Face Forward: Skincare by Sisley & More (Sale begins 11am ET 8/11)
  • Get Salon Locks: Tools by BaBylissPRO & More (Sale begins 11am ET 8/13)
  • Beauty Must-Haves for Fall: Lipstick & More (Sale begins 11am ET 8/15)

August 8, 2014

All Things Pretty: Trinket Trays

I absolutely love my lucite tray that sits atop my dresser in my room at my parents house (I won it in a giveaway from Sequins & Stripes about 2 years ago), but it's a little too big for my small dorm that I'm prepping to move back into in a little less than a month. I'm looking for the perfect trinket tray to hold a bottle of perfume or two, a few favorite jewelry pieces, and as a general catch-all for pretty odds and ends that are often left without a home.

August 6, 2014

Outfit: A Day in NYC





H&M Top // Joe Fresh Shorts // Longchamp 'Large Le Pliage' Tote // Jack Rogers Sandals // Stella & Dot Earrings // Brandy Melville Ring // Essie 'After School Boy Blazer' Nail Polish

Sometimes it seems all I do is go to New York in the summertime. I spent this Monday afternoon with a friend exploring Brooklyn since I had never been there before. It was a great day to take a stroll around Park Slope, so we ended up walking through Prospect Park, grabbing a bite at Bareburger, and observing a bit of the Boardwalk Empire filming. 

I did a bit of walking around before meeting up with my mom for dinner at Arno Ristorante in midtown before going to New Jersey to meet with my sister and her friend who had been at the One Direction concert. 

August 4, 2014

Products I've Used Up #5

Herbal Essences Hydralicious Conditioner: I believe in using less expensive products in the shower (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc) and splurging more on products to apply after (moisturizers, hair oils) so this was just another conditioner for me.

TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo: I've had this for quite some time but left it at home when I went to college and to my dismay when I returned home this summer, it had turned into an extremely cold and opaque white spray instead of how it had behaved previously. I've got another dry shampoo to use up so we'll see if I go back to this one.

Betamethasone Lotion: My post-shampoo lotion I use in combo with the Ketancolanzole shampoo.

Ketancolanzole Shampoo: I've talked about this before, but this is just the prescription shampoo I use. Sorry for the lack of enthusiasm in talking about this. :)



Garnier Clean+ Blackhead Eliminating Scrub: I really enjoyed using this scrub! It has charcoal in it (which is so in right now for skincare) so it really purifies your skin. I have another scrub I'm finishing now and a second that I want to try next, so we'll see if I end up re-purchasing this one.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel: I brought this with me to Israel since it's my favorite moisturizer but realized it makes more sense to next time just fill a travel container from my full size since the value on the small size isn't as good.

Olay Fresh Effects {Everything Off!} Makeup Remover Wipes: These are some of my favorite makeup remover wipes to use but buying these individually can get expensive!

Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes: Just your run of the mill makeup removers that I'm not a huge fan of because they do sting a little bit, but nothing I can't deal with.

CVS Cleansing & Makeup Remover Towelettes: These weren't anything special, I bought them because I knew in Israel I would feel gross and didn't always have time to shower before going out at night so these were a big help.



Nature's Bounty Fish Oil x2: I've been taking these daily for a little over a year now and am pretty much loyal to this brand.

Plus White Xtra Whitening Toothpaste: I tried this out after getting a recommendation to try it and while I did see results initially I didn't continue to see those results.

White Barn Lavender Vanilla Candle: Lavender is one of my favorite scents and this is the perfect candle to unwind with after a long day.

benefit Boi-ing Concealer: This was nice at first, but after a while it definitely dried out before I even hit pan so finishing it off didn't give the nicest application.



Skintimate Dry Skin Shave Gel: I'm pretty much loyal to using Skintimate shave gels and use any of the scents in their line, so this is a no-brainer that I'll repurchase.

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub: While I did enjoy the scent of this and it did a decent job at exfoliating, it always left my skin feeling too slick and almost oily afterward and like the dead skin had just been smoothed over and not exfoliated.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion: This is my favorite lotion of all time and it's already been repurchased.



Marc Jacobs Dot Mini Rollerball Perfume: This smells really good and was a great not-too-sweet, not-too-musky scent to carry with me in my makeup bag.

Sage & Fasten Common Sense Mini Rollerball Perfume: I got this a while back in a Birchbox and have been trying to make it last as long as possible because I love it! The scent is so light and perfect for spring and summer.

Viva La Juicy La Fleur: I've had the original Viva La Juicy in the past so this was a nice change of pace for something a little more floral and a little less sweet. When I purchased this mini duo set I didn't realize that they didn't come with atomizers so application wasn't always easy but I made do.

Vera Wang Princess: I'm so bummed to see this go but I can see repurchasing it in the future since it's one of my favorite scents.

Miss Dior Cherie: Another perfume I'm bummed to see go, mainly because after using up these 5 perfumes, I'm left with one the size of the Viva La Juicy so a trip to Sephora is in order. This has been one of my favorites for a few years and I don't think it's available anymore.

August 3, 2014

Beauty Sales Week of August 3rd

Gilt:
  • Deborah Lippmann (Sale begins 9pm ET 8/3)
  • Laure Mercier: Up to 65% Off (Sale begins Noon ET 8/7)

HauteLook:
  • Booty Parlor (Sale begins 8am PT 8/3)
  • #ManiMonday: Gellaka Gel Nails, DermaMD (Sales begin 8am PT 8/4)
  • Laura Geller Beauty, Pure Brazilian Keratin Treatment (Sales begin 8am PT 8/5)
  • LASHEM, Sibu Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 8/6)
  • Bellezza Hair Tools, Femme Fatale Lashes (Sales begin 8am PT 8/7)
  • Clean Fragrance, Karora, Stila (Sales begin 8am PT 8/8)
  • Amore Hair Electronics, Elite Model Beauty Tools (Sales begin 8am PT 8/9)
  • Lids & Lashes: Skincare & Make-Up For Eyes (Sale begins 9am PT 8/4)
  • Skincare Picks Feat. Freeze 24-7 (Sale begins 9am PT 8/6)
  • Bath & Body Indulgences (Sale begins 9am PT 8/7)

  • RapidLash Eyelash & Eyebrow Enhancing Serum (Sale begins 11am ET 8/5)
  • GLOSS Moderne & More: Defrizz Your Locks (Sale begins 11am ET 8/6)
  • Kerastase (Sale begins 11am ET 8/7)
  • Treat Your Skin with NUXE & More (Sale begins 11am ET 8/8)
  • philosophy Skincare (Sale begins 11am ET 8/9)

August 2, 2014

Link Love: July 27-August 2


DRUGSTORE DEAL HAUL- Madness Monday [Glam Life Guru]


10 Times Lauren Conrad Proved She Ain't No Basic Bitch [College Candy]

14 Fashion Rules That Were Meant To Be Broken [Huff Post Style]

Chocolate Chia Ice Cream! [Top With Cinnamon]

How to Take Better Instagram Photos [corals + cognacs]

The Secret of JetBlue's Social Media Success? Stay at Home Mom's, Cat Memes - and a Sense of Humor [Yahoo! Travel]

August 1, 2014

Review: Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless Foundation


Physicians Formula's Youthful Wear Spotless Foundation ($14.99 for 1.0 oz.) is a foundation serum with SPF 15 that claims to reduce the appearance of spots by 67%. The foundation comes with a brush and has a serum-style dropper applicator in a glass bottle.

Not many makeup items that I know of come with their own brush to use, unless we're talking about the flimsy eyeshadow brushes found in most drugstore shadow palettes, so it was a treat to get a brush included in the price. It's on the smaller side but applies the foundation nicely if you work with it. Initially, I thought all the foundation got sucked into the bottom of the brush and dropped on way more than I needed for my face and practically had to start over.

The shade I have (Light) appears pretty orange on my skin tone, but once topped with my favorite finishing powder, it appears virtually flawless on my skin! Take note that there are only 3 shades available so this will be harder to wear if you have very pale or very dark skin.

Overall, I don't think I've been using this long enough to see dramatic results when it comes to spot reduction, but it's an added bonus if that happens in addition to the good coverage it gives me.