Beauty Sales Week of May 31st

Gilt:

• Best of Beauty: Skincare Essentials (Sale begins 9pm ET 5/31)
• Summer Makeup feat. Paula Dorf (Sale begins Noon ET 6/6)

HauteLook:

• Smile Sciences, Vole Hair Care (Sales begin 8am PT 5/31)
• Royale USA Hair Tools Blowout (Sale begins 4pm PT 5/31)
• #ManiMonday: UV Nails, Tweezerman (Sales begin 8am PT 6/1)
• Dermatologic Cosmetic Laboratories, RG Cosmetics Hair Care (Sales begin 8am PT 6/2)
• Being True Cosmetics, Ooh La Lashes (Sales begin 8am PT 6/5)
• DFI Anti-Aging Skincare, Million Dollar Tan (Sales begin 8am PT 6/6)

MYHABIT:

• $8 & Up: Alison Raffaele & More (Sales begin 9am PT 5/31)
• $19 & Up: Age-Defying Skincare (Sale begins 9am PT 6/1)
• About Face: Makeup feat. CARGO & More (Sale begins 9am PT 6/2)
• 70% Off: Anti-Aging Favorites (Sale begins 9am PT 6/5)
• $9 & Up: Bath and Body Bestsellers, New Markdowns: Beauty Tools, Under $29: Makeup Favorites (Sales begin 9am PT 6/6)

Rue La La:

• The Scents of Summer: Fresh Floral Fragrances (Sale begins 11am ET 6/1)

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: May 2015

Turn It Around by Lucius // Jergens Natural Glow Daily Firming Moisturizer // MAC Margin Blush // Fresh Sugar Lip Polish // MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow // TOMS Black on Black Canvas Slip-Ons // Stride Sour Patch Watermelon Gum

Turn It Around by Lucius: I had never really listened to a ton of Lucius' music up until this month before I got to see them live at Boston Calling. This song has definitely become one of my favorites and has been on repeat this month.

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Firming Moisturizer: It's officially Jergens season! This is my favorite one to apply a few times weekly after I shower to start to build a bit of color, even though I have already gotten some just from spending so much time outside this month!

MAC Margin Blush: This is a super pretty peachy blush that I've had for a while but have only just started to really get into using this month.

Fresh Sugar Lip Polish (℅): I've tried so many different lip treatments over the years but this one definitely takes the top spot in my book.

MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow: This has been my go-to quick all-over shade this past month when I just need a fast and easy look.

TOMS Black on Black Canvas Slip-Ons: I had a few pairs of TOMS in high school but they got a little beat up from so much use. I needed a pair of easy slip-on shoes for the summer and I love this black on black pair.

Stride Sour Patch Watermelon Gum: How could I turn down one of my favorite candies in gum form? It tastes exactly like the candy, definitely try it out if you're a fan.

Boston Calling

I attended Boston Calling's final day last weekend and had so much fun with my friends. I've lived in Boston for almost two years and have only been to a few concert since my move. Lucius was my favorite (see my favorite song above!) of the night and Tenacious D definitely got the crowd going the most. I decided to keep my outfit simple since it was a pretty hot day, and when I found this dress at Brandy Melville, I knew I had found the perfect easy dress to wear with my black Toms.

Summer Music Festival Essentials

Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid-Lotion // Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 // Milly Riley Backpack // Oliver Peoples Annetta Sunglasses // CamelBak EDDY // Sour Patch Watermelon Gum // mophie juice pack air

This past weekend, I attended my first Boston Calling music festival, which didn't disappoint. There are so many summer music festivals coming up around the country and you need to be prepared with a fully stocked bag of all the essentials.

Quote du Jour: Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly

Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada

By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me. 

Details of your incompetence do not interest me. 

Oh, don't be silly- everyone wants this. Everyone wants to be us.

image via crushable.com

Beauty Sales Week of May 24th

Gilt:

• Your Signature Scent, Decoded (Sale begins 9pm ET 5/24)
• La Roche-Posay (Sale begins Noon ET 5/27)
• Beauty: Up to 80% Off (Sale begins Noon ET 5/30)

HauteLook:

• Billion Dollar Brows, Hemp Nation (Sales begin 8am PT 5/24)
• Memorial Day Steals: Cortex Hair Tools Up to 80% Off (Sale begins 4pm PT 5/24)
• #ManiMonday: Butter London, YouLab (Sales begin 8am PT 5/25)
• Chocolat Fragrances, Hairdo Hair Extensions (Sales begin 8am PT 5/26)
• Face Base, Jet Stream Hairbrushes, Macadamia Natural Oil Haircare (Sales begin 8am PT 5/27)
• Crown Brush, Infinique Organic Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 5/28)
• Algenist Skin Care, Stila (Sales begin 8am PT 5/29)
• Jolie Femme 24K Skincare (Sale begins 8am PT 5/30)

MYHABIT:

• Made in France: Panier Des Sens, Up to 70% Off: Makeup & More (Sales begin 9am PT 5/24)
• Biotherm, $15 & Up: Skincare Picks (Sales begin 9am PT 5/25)
• Beach Bod feat. Bliss, New Markdowns: Haircare Bestsellers (Sales begin 9am PT 5/26)
• Christina Dior Makeup, Summer Fragrances: Gift Sets & More (Sales begin 9am PT 5/27)
• $49 & Under: Hair Tools (Sale begins 2pm PT 5/28)

Link Love: May 17-23

Deathbed Thoughts / #5MFU [Ingrid Nilsen]


7 Ways to Be Productive Every Morning of the Week [Levo]

Cookies and Cream Cake [Cupcakes and Cashmere]

How I Learned To Not Give A Crap About The Social Pressure To Be Thin [Refinery 29]

How Jessica Alba Went Form A Teen Star To The Founder of a $1 Billion Company [Huffington Post]

Tulle Circle Skirt DIY [A Beautiful Mess]

Page Turner: #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso

#GIRLBOSS by Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso has inspired a social media revolution using the book's title as inspiration. Her story is personal yet universal, telling her tale of a rocky path to success and what it means to be a #GIRLBOSS.

At the age of 22 she was broke, committing petty theft, and dumpster diving among other things, when she sold her first thing online- a stolen book. From there, she began selling vintage clothing items on eBay, and the rest is history.

Today, Amoruso is the CEO, founder and creative director of Nasty Gal, one of the most popular online clothing stores that has over 350 employees, and of course, she's a #GIRLBOSS. Her first book tells her unique path to success filled with humor and pitfalls, all while including tips that prove that you don't have to know what you want in life early on to find your success and happiness.

And don't forget, in the words of Amoruso, "Don't ever grow up. Don't become a bore. Don't let The Man get to you. OK? Cool. Then let's do this."

Review: Actifirm Renovation Serum

Actifirm Renovation Serum ($77 for 50 mL) is an antioxidant-rich serum that hydrates and soothes your skin. Containing Japanese green tea extracts that target skin-harming free radicals, aloe vera to moisturize and soothe, hyaluronic acid and squalene to attract and bind moisture, and an anti-aging tri-blend of goth kola, echinacea and rosemary leaf extracts that have been proven to promote collagen synthesis and increase skin firmness.

I purchased this at the spa where I work after hearing months of rave reviews from coworkers, estheticians and clients about how it truly renovates your skin, and they are totally right! Somehow, it makes my skin look and feel more hydrated which I didn't think was possible because besides coffee, the only thing I drink is water.

If you're able to get your hands on this (check out your local spa!), definitely give it a try. While I wouldn't recommend it if you have fine lines or wrinkles you want to target, this is a great product to get you introduced to the world of serums.

Beauty Sales Week of May 17th

Gilt:

• Best of Beauty: Pro Tools (Sale begins 9pm ET 5/17)
• Summer Beauty Travel Essentials (Sale begins Noon ET 5/21)

HauteLook:

• Brilliance New York Haircare, Dazzle Pro Teeth Whitening (Sales begin 8am PT 5/17)
• Hair Tools Blowout (Sale begins 4pm PT 5/17)
• #ManiMonday: nailuv Gel Nails, Father's Day Fragrances, HighTech Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 5/18)
• Miracle Skin Transformer (Sale begins 8am PT 5/19)
• Burberry Fragrances, Osmotics Cosmeceuticals, T3 (Sales begin 8am PT 5/20)
• Pur Minerals, Solyvia Organic Essential Oils & Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 5/21)
• Joey New York Skincare, LightStim LED Light Therapy, SPAfrica Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 5/22)

MYHABIT:

• A Winning Smile feat. Bliss (Sale begins 9am PT 5/17)
• 70% Off & More: Anti-Aging Skincare, Beauty for the Beach (Sales begin 9am PT 5/18)
• $9 & Up: Beauty Steals (Sale begins 9am PT 5/20)
• L'Reve Skincare, St. Tropez (Sales begin 9am PT 5/21)

Eileen Fisher at Copley Place

On Tuesday to attend a celebration of Eileen Fisher's move to a new location within Copley Place with some lovely ladies from Blog and Tweet Boston.To be honest, I always thought Eileen Fisher wasn't a brand for me but after perusing the store and new collection, my opinion is totally changed.

Makeup artists and associates were available from Follain, an amazing beauty boutique with two Boston locations (South End and Beacon Hill) that specializes in the highest quality natural skincare and beauty products. They were all extremely knowledgeable about the product range and had some amazing products available to try out.

I loved these looks from their latest collection! Especially the high-low tops and the leather shoes that are amazing. I ended up winning the instagram contest (see other entries with #EFCopley) so I have $100 gift card burning a hole in my pocket that's ready to be spent.

Review: Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatments

Fresh's Sugar Shine Lip Treatments (℅) ($18.50 for 0.2 oz) are hydrating lip treatments that enhance your natural lip color and are currently available in four different shades. The three shades I've been trying are Nude, Tulip and Berry and will be available June 1.

What I love about these glosses is that they're not marketed as glosses, but lip treatments that work to moisturize, promote suppleness, and improve lip definition with a subtle color. My favorite shade is definitely Berry, because even though it looks dark in the tube, it really sheers out when applied.

I probably wouldn't have tried these out if I was in the market for a new gloss at Sephora, but I'm so glad I had the ability to try them out from Fresh! I love that Fresh is focused on creating better quality lip treatments among other products, and not just making another lip gloss. I would definitely give these a try!

I was given these for consideration from Fresh but am not being influenced by any opinions but my own.

Olives & Grace Shoot and Style Event

On Saturday morning, I headed to the South End to the most adorable and unique store, Olives & Grace. As the daughter of a small business owner, I wholeheartedly love shopping in small and local stores. What's even better is that Olives & Grace features strictly local and handmade products made by skilled craftsmen, whether it be a candle from Pennsylvania or chocolate from Maine.

Meg of Bread + Barrow and Betty of Le Jus d'Orange hosted the event and gave all of the attendees informative tips on incorporating edible flowers into your cooking as well as shooting and styling your food while we sipped on lavender mimosa's and munched on rose scones and Scoopsies ice cream.

Aside from instagram, I'm not an amazing food photographer, but thanks to Meg and Betty I feel more comfortable with shooting recipes for my blog in the future.

Beauty Sales Week of May 10th

Gilt:

• Best of Beauty: Skincare Essentials (Sale begins 9pm ET 5/10)
• Beauty Best Sellers (Sale begins Noon ET 5/12)
• T3 (Sale begins Noon ET 5/15)

HauteLook:

• Olivia Garden: Professional Shears (Sales begin 8am PT 5/10)
• Brilliance New York Hair Tools: Up to 90% Off (Sale begins 4pm PT 5/10)
• #ManiMonday: gelliebeans Gel Nails, Appeal Cosmetics: Lips & Mink Lashes (Sales begin 8am PT 5/11)
• Blend Mineral Cosmetics, Donna Bella Hair Extensions (Sales begin 8am PT 5/12)
• Jouer Cosmetics, Hydroxatone Anti-Aging Skincare, Tommy Hilfiger Fragrances (Sales begin 8am PT 5/13)
• Deep Sea Cosmetics, Wink Lash & Brow Serum (Sales begin 8am PT 5/14)
• Tropic Spa Tan, Urban Decay (Sales begin 8am PT 5/15)
• Dads and Grads: Anthony for Men (Sale begins 1pm PT 5/15)
• Donna Bella 24K & Caviar Skincare, Simply Spoiled Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 5/16)

MYHABIT:

• Spring Scents for Him & Her (Sale begins 9am PT 5/10)
• $35 & Up: Anti-Aging Skincare (Sales begin 9am PT 5/11)
• Fine Fragrances feat. Hanae Mori (Sale begins 9am PT 5/12)
• $9 & Up: Haircare feat. Phyto (Sale begins 9am PT 5/13)
• Summer Palettes & More feat. Laura Mercier (Sale begins 9am PT 5/14)
• Clear Complexion: Skincare feat. Air Repair (Sale begins 9am PT 5/15)
• Made in France: L'Artisan Parfumeur & More (Sale begins 9am PT 5/16)

Rue La La:

• Lancome (Sale begins 11am ET 5/10)
• Derma MD (Sale begins 11am ET 5/11)

Link Love: May 3-9

Fashion Illustration + Hairdos with Meagan from Travel, Write, Draw! [lobosworth]


7 Banking Mistakes You Might Be Making [Domaine Home]

Lime Cream Cheese Cookies [Tutti-Dolci]

The Freelancer's Guide to Budgeting [Career Contessa]

The Perfect Lightweight Jackets You Need Now, When It's Not Quite Cold and Not Quite Warm [Huff Post Style]

This Season's Biggest 70's Trends - & How to Pull Them Off [Refinery 29]

Reflections on Sophomore Year

Yesterday, I attended my last final of my sophomore year of college. aka I'm now a junior. aka I'm halfway done with college. At this time two years ago I was interning as a Web Styling Assistant at the Urban Outfitters HQ in Philadelphia and anxious to graduate from high school, and now I'm dumbfounded that college is halfway done. In about a month, I'm flying home for a few days to see my sister graduate from high school, which is all too surreal for me to think about.

A lot of changes are coming in the upcoming months. I'm living in Boston this summer to intern at Her Campus and continue working at my job, which means I'm subletting an apartment. And in the fall, I have lease starting on an apartment with two friends. I'll miss the convenience of living directly on campus for the past two years, but this is a more inexpensive option for me and I'm pretty excited to have an apartment.

I feel like I really found myself this year. Last year I found out a lot about myself as well, because that's what freshman year is for, but I really found my groove this year. I have a job that I love, I've made some amazing new friends that I cherish, and took on new positions on campus. Something my dad has been telling me throughout my life is to not base my happiness on other's approval, and this has definitely been something that I have had to remind myself countlessly this year.

Thanks to all the amazing people who have helped me find my way over the past school year.

Review: Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream ($30 for 0.5 oz.) aims to brighten and de-puff your under eye area while reducing the appearance of dark circles. I've made a lot of changes to my skincare routine lately, and one of the first things I knew I needed to get was a new eye cream. I decided to pick up this one for mornings, and was gifted a night time one from Fresh (review coming soon!), since I have used a sample of this in the past but had never gone for the full size.

Overall, I think that this is a great morning eye cream if you're not looking to specifically target fine lines or wrinkles but are just looking for something to brighten your eye area in the morning. I thankfully don't have any issues with under eye bags, puffiness or dark circles yet, but this brightens up my eye area regardless and makes my peepers look just a bit more awake in the morning.

Beauty Sales Week of May 3rd

Gilt:

• Best of Beauty: Haircare & Makeup (Sale begins 9pm ET 5/3)
• Wedding Season Beauty Essentials (Sale begins 9pm ET 5/6)
• DERMAdoctor (Sale begins Noon ET 5/7)

HauteLook:

• Absolute Hot New York Hair Tools, Protective Nourishment Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 5/3)
• Warehouse Blowout (Sale begins 4pm PT 5/3)
• #ManiMonday: Ginger & Liz, Morphe Brushes (Sales begin 8am PT 5/4)
• Epilady: Hair Removal & Facial Tools, Russell Organics (Sales begin 8am PT 5/7)
• Fake Bake, Lord & Berry Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 5/8)
• LASHEM (Sales begin 8am PT 5/9)

MYHABIT:

• New Markdowns: Beauty Tools (Sale begins 9am PT 5/3)
• Caroline Chu, L'Occitane (Sales begin 9am PT 5/4)
• $24 & Up: Skincare for Face & Body, Fragrance Gifts for Mom (Sales begin 9am PT 5/5)
• Fragrance Gift Sets feat. Cartier (Sale begins 9am PT 5/7)
• Sunny Outlook: Beauty Essentials (Sale begins 4pm PT 5/7)
• Under $10: Makeup (Sale begins 9am PT 5/8)

Currently Craving: Pastel Pieces

Parker James Top // Matiko My Jellies Gladiator Sandals // BCBGMAXAZRIA Jane Skirt // Velvet V Neck Maxi Dress // Love Quotes Knotted Tassel Linen Scarf // Elizabeth & Jamies Corlyn Jacket // Rebecca Minkoff Sunnies Pouch

There's something about the start of May that always symbolizes spring, despite living on the east coast where it's still a bit too chilly on most days to break out warm weather attire. You can still incorporate spring shades and pastel pieces into your wardrobe even if it's still a bit chilly outside.