These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: June 2015

Earned It by The Weeknd // Fresh Fig Apricot Eau de Parfum // Batiste Wild Dry Shampoo // Voluspa 'Pink Citron' Maison Metallo Candle // Project Social T Textured Knit V-Neck Tee // Game of Thrones // Special K Protein Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch Cereal

Earned It by the Weeknd: I still haven't seen Fifty Shades of Grey, but this song is great, especially when in the shower or in a car and you can totally belt it out.

Fresh Fig Apricot Eau de Parfum (℅): I picked this up during a recent visit to the Fresh store on Newbury Street and couldn't be more pleased with it! It is light and sweet, and perfect for summer.

Batiste Wild Dry Shampoo: I was never a big dry shampoo user, or so I thought. I've found a friend in this dry shampoo and have been using it several times a week since picking it up. The scent is amazing, and it gives my hair the perfect amount of oomph. 

Voluspa 'Pink Citron' Maison Metallo Candle: This smells amazing and looks amazing in my room and I can tell it will be one I re-purchase for the apartment I'm prepping to move into in September. 

Project Social T Textured Knit V-Neck Tee: These are perfect light and easy summer t-shirts. Throw on a bralette, this tee, a pair of jean shorts, and you're good to go.

Game of Thrones: I began watching this at the beginning of May with my best friends and have been hooked ever since and I just finished last week! I was thankfully never spoiled the entire time while I watched it (mostly because

Special K Protein Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch Cereal: I'm obsessed with this cereal! It tastes just like a less than healthy alternative that you probably had as a kid, but this is high in protein.

Her Campus Internship // Gabriellle's Graduation & London Announcement

If you didn't already know, I'm interning this summer at the Her Campus office in Boston. I just finished up my first month and couldn't be happier! I'm working under Katherine of Style Tab as a Blogger Network Management Intern and have gotten to work on a lot of great things so far and can't wait for what's to come over the next two months. Plus, I'm working alongside my friend Ingrid of smilingrid, a friend from school, and a friend from Harvard, in addition to all of the other interns who are great as well! Follow along with what I'm up to day-to-day on twitter and instagram.

Another huge event this month was obviously watching my sister graduate from high school. She makes me so proud to call her my little sister and I can't wait to see what she'll accomplish next at Pace University in the fall. Gabrielle and I have wanted to start traveling together for quite some time and had initially wanted to travel to the Bahamas this summer, but instead, I surprised her with a trip to London! It will be the first time in Europe for both of us and both of our second times traveling outside of the United States, and our first time traveling together. If you've been to London, I'd love to get some recommendations on what we should see and do while we're there.

Beauty Sales Week of June 28th

Gilt:

• Mario Badescu (Sale begins Noon ET 7/2)
• Luxe Beauty: Up to 80% Off (Sale begins Noon ET 7/4)

HauteLook:

• BECCA Cosmetics, Hera Hair Tools & Haircare (Sales begin 8am PT 7/1)
• Boo-Boo Cover-Up, Dermelect Cosmeceuticals (Sales begin 8am PT 7/2)
• Algenist Skin Care, TEADORA Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 7/3)
• Go 4th and Score: Beauty Blowout, LightStim LED Light Therapy, L'Reve Luxury Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 7/4)

MYHABIT:

• Summer Best Sellers: Beauty feat. Bliss (Sale begins 4pm PT 6/30) 
• Sleek Summer Locks (Sale begins 9am PT 7/1)
• $25 & Under: Beauty (Sale begins 9am PT 7/2)
• Up to 80% Off: Beauty & Fragrance (Sale begins 9am PT 7/3)
• Spa Worthy Finds feat. Basq (Sale begins 9am PT 7/4)

Rue La La:

• The Beauty Bar: Essentials for Prettifying at Home (Sale begins 11am ET 7/1)

Link Love: June 21-27

4 Ways to Master Difficult Conversations at Work [Levo League]

6 Glamorous Decorating Tips [Lovely Little Style]

How to Capture the Perfect Outfit Selfie [Derby City Darling]

How Two Sisters Are Changing The Way We Namaste [Refinery 29]

She Makes: Easy Acai Bowl [Creating She]

This Artist Takes Fashion Illustration To The Streets [Huff Post Style]

Four Under $40: Tassel Jewelry

BaubleBar Acid Tassel Drop Earrings // Shashi Lilu Seed Bracelet // Sole Society Tassel Multistrand Necklace // BaubleBar Festival Tassel Drop Earrings

Happy Friday friends, hope you had an awesome week and are looking forward to something exciting this weekend! I'm headed off to New York for a work trip with my family and packed lots of statement jewelry to accessorize some less exciting outfits. Tassel jewelry is so fun and all of these pieces are under $40. 

Enjoy!

What to Wear Where: Summer Wedding

Keepsake Dress // Touch In Sol Lip & Cheek Tint // Bea Millen Ring // Diane von Furstenberg Clutch

The start of the summer season also indicates the start of another season: wedding season. While initially, the sight of Save the Dates on your fridge might seem overwhelming, once you pick the perfect outfit and make the choice between salmon and chicken, everything seems to fall into place. Whether your wedding is calls for a more casual look, a beachy vibe, or evening formal, here are three different outfits that will have you turning heads.

3.1 Phillip Lim Dress // Tory Burch Bag // BaubleBar Earrings // Formula X Nail Polish

Kate Spade Dress // MICHAEL Michael Kors Bag // Miu Miu Shoes // NAILS Inc. Nail Polish

Review: Josie Maran Argan Exfoliating Cleansing Powder

Josie Maran Argan Exfoliating Cleansing Powder ($40 for 2 oz.) is a gentle daily exfoliant infused with finely crushed Argan shells, rice powder, and several antibacterial and antioxidant-packed powerhouses. These active ingredients buff away dead skin, reduce the appearance of age spots and blemishes or blackheads, and even out your skin tone. It is recommended by the brand to use it as a spot treatment for blemishes, as an all over face mask or as a lip scrub.

The powder itself is fine and smells slightly citrusy, making it the perfect gentle morning exfoliant. I've only used it with water so far because I don't have a cleansing oil to work with it (water and cleansing oil are recommended for best results), and so far I like what it's done. As someone who's constantly trying out new skincare products, it's often difficult to determine long-term results, but immediate and short-term are much easier. My skin definitely appears brighter and glows just a bit more after exfoliating with this. If you're interested in trying an exfoliator outside the normal realm, give this one a shot.

I was given this for consideration from Josie Maran but am not being influenced by any opinions but my own.

Beauty Sales Week of June 21st

Gilt:

• Best of Beauty: Top Pro Tools (Sale begins Noon ET 6/21)
• 75 Beauty Bestsellers (Sale begins 2pm ET 6/25)

HauteLook:

• Salon-Worthy Shears (Sale begins 8am PT 6/21)
• BFF Hair Tools Blowout: Up to 85% (Sale begins 4pm PT 6/21)
• #ManiMonday: Gellaka Gel Nails, Skinn Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 6/22)
• Summer Fragrance $25 & Under, Viviscal Haircare (Sales begin 8am PT 6/23)
• LORAC, Travalo Atomizers & Rollerballs (Sales begin 8am PT 6/24)
• Chaacoca Moroccan Argan Oil, Silk'n Hair Removal (Sales begin 8am PT 6/25)
• Crown Brush, Selfie Tan (Sales begin 8am PT 6/26)
• Chella, Patchology: FlashPatch Skincare (Sales begin 8am PT 6/27)

MYHABIT:

• $9 & Up: Haircare Finds (Sale begins 9am PT 6/23) 
• Yon-Ka Skincare (Sale begins 9am PT 6/22)
• Instant Results: Skincare feat. Dermedicine, Up to 85% Off: Hair Styling Essentials (Sales begin 9am PT 6/25)
• $4 & Up: Beauty Tools, Skincare feat. Algenist (Sales begin 9am PT 6/26)
• $5 & Up: Home Spa Essentials (Sales begin 9am PT 6/27)

Link Love: June 14-20

Unbox with Me: Glossybox and Ipsy! #JuneBloom Day 10 [Elle Fowler]


How I Filter Instagram [Sailing the Sea of Style]

Jessica Alba Teases Honest Beauty Line; Prepare to Overhaul Your Makeup Bag [Huffington Post]

Should You Separate Your Blog And Personal Social Media Accounts? [The Blogging Brew]

The Battery-Saving iPhone Trick We've All Been Doing Wrong [Refinery29]

What Jane Austen Taught Me About Being a Strong Woman [Verily]

Curate Gifts for Dad or Grad at Fresh

On Wednesday evening, I had the pleasure of spending some time in the Fresh store on Newbury Street in Boston. I partnered with Fresh about two months ago during their Blue Box Tour and was thrilled to be invited to learn more about the Boston-founded company!

Ulana, the store manager was extremely knowledgable about not only the brand and its line of products, but the store in general. For instance, I probably wouldn't have even noticed the light fixture until she pointed it out and told me that it's actually inspired by a constellation (as seen on my instagram).

Aside from the light fixture, the store is also filled with a Sensorial Bar to try out different perfumes, a beautiful sink for testing out cult faves such as the Brown Sugar Body Polish, and a Love Bar for writing down what you love about Fresh to be hung on the wall.

I picked up the Umbrian Clay Mattifying Mask, Sugar Lemon Candle, and Fig Apricot Perfume. Stay tuned, I'm sure you'll see my thoughts on those in the near future! 

Even though these were all goodies for me, I couldn't resist having Ulana wrap them up for me! I love that they take the time to do complimentary gift wrapping, and what's even better is that it's a sturdy box that can be used afterwards for storing a variety of items.

Joie Top // Silence + Noise Skirt // Merona Shoes

Somehow, I always have a tendency to not smile in pictures. But I assure you, I had a great time at the store. If you're in the Boston area, I'd highly recommend stopping in the store!

photos by Austin Wilder Photography
I partnered with Fresh for this shopping trip and post but am not being influenced by any opinions but my own.

Gift Guide: Father's Day 2015

S'well Wood Grain Medium Stainless Steel Bottle // Baracuta G9 Harrington Jacket // Cause and Effect Leather Belt // Ralph Lauren Polo Coffret Holiday Set // Nixon The Time Teller Watch // Ray-Ban Clubmaster Classic Sunglasses

Father's Day is coming up this weekend and if you still haven't gotten your dad a gift, now's the time. Here are a few of my picks for the special man in your life at a variety of price points. 

This is the second year in a row that I won't be with my dad on father's day and his birthday, which is just a few days later because I'm living in Boston and last year I was in Israel at this time. I'll be with him in about 10 days for a business trip to New York so we'll get to celebrate then which will be nice. As I've gotten older, I've grown much closer to both of my parents, even though I'm not living at home, and over the past month, I've grown especially grateful for my father. My uncle passed away about a week and a half ago while I was home for my sister's high school graduation, making him the first extended family member that I've lose in over 9 years since my grandmother passed away.

This isn't meant to be a sad post, but father's day tends to get me sentimental enough as it is. Wishing you all a very happy father's day!

Review: Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Butter Healing Serum

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Butter Healing Serum ($7.99 for 6.8 oz) is an intensive, highly concentrated moisturizer aimed to deliver advanced results. Made with cocoa butter to reveal skins radiance, this non-greasy formula provides skin with 10x healing power to reverse past skin damage. Additionally, it is formulated with PPAR Activators, Elastomers, and Vaseline Jelly that work together to heal skin.

The original Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiance Lotion is my all-time favorite body lotions but when I saw this one at the store recently, I decided to give it a try and so far, I have been really pleased with the results. I think results will be more visible in the cooler months when my skin is drier and needs more moisture.

Beauty Sales Week of June 14th

Gilt:

• Summer Beauty Essentials feat. St. Tropez (Sale begins Noon ET 6/16)
• Sleek Hair Essentials feat. GHD & Theorie (Sale begins Noon ET 6/17)
• Luxe Beauty Sets (Sale begins Noon ET 6/18)

HauteLook:

• Terre Mere Organic-Vegan Beauty (Sale begins 8am PT 6/14)
• Brilliance Hair Tools Blowout: Up to 90% Off (Sale begins 4pm PT 6/14)
• #ManiMonday: ORLY Nails, Sibu Beauty (Sales begin 8am PT 6/15)
• Clean Fragrance, Dead Sea Essentials by AHAVA, Neo Hair Tools (Sales begin 8am PT 6/16)
• Le be'be' Coo Skincare, MySkin: Facial Brushes (Sales begin 8am PT 6/17)
• Mario Badescu, Zenagen Hair Care (Sales begin 8am PT 6/18)
• Aesthetica Cosmetics, TanTowel (Sales begin 8am PT 6/19)
• D'Or Skincare, Flirty Eyes Mink Lashes (Sales begin 8am PT 6/20)

MYHABIT:

• Beauty Best Sellers feat. Clarins (Sale begins 9am PT 6/15)
• Philosophy Best Sellers (Sale begins 9am PT 6/16)
• Combat Thinning Hair: Nioxin (Sale begins 9am PT 6/17)
• $29 & Up: Hair Tools feat. Cortex, DFI Skincare, Strivectin (Sales begin 9am PT 6/19)
• $25 & Up: Fragrance Finds (Sale begins 9am PT 6/20)

Rue La La:

• GLOSSYBOX, Treat Your Skin with D'OR 24K & More (Sales begin 11am ET 6/15)
• BeautyDNA (Sale begins 11am ET 6/16)
• Lancome (Sale begins 11am ET 6/17)

Brand Spotlight: Jenni Kayne

Eyelet Crop Cami // Tie Bottom Dress // Windowpane Placket Tunic // Long Wrap Skirt // Chambray Painter Pants

Jenni Kayne is a young American designer residing in California with a collection of timeless wardrobe essentials inspired by organic textures, sun soaked horizons and architectural design. Through her collection, she hopes to illustrate that modern luxury is not defined by price or product, but by experience and culture.

Post-High School Thoughts & Halfway Done with College

This evening, I watched my little sister graduate from high school. Every milestone in life she hits becomes more and more surreal for me even though I'm only two years older than her, I can't help but become emotional thinking about her "growing up." On Saturday, not only are we celebrating her graduation but also my parent's 23rd wedding anniversary and I couldn't be happier to be home to celebrate with my family coming into town as well.

It's crazy to think that just two years ago, I was preparing to graduate from high school. Don't get me wrong, I attended an amazing school, but I could not be happier to have that part of my life behind me. This is something I've really realized as of recently since I'm not living in Philadelphia with my family for the summer and really only see one person I went to high school with on a semi-regular basis because we go to college together and are both living in Boston for the summer.

When you graduate from high school and everyone tells you "the best is yet to come," and "these are the best years of your life," I now know completely what they mean. I'm living in a city I love, have a great job and internship, and am surrounded by like-minded individuals who actually want to see me succeed. By no means do I mean that my family doesn't want to see me succeed, because they're without a doubt the most supportive of all, but as an extremely independent person it was time to fully leave the nest and live permanently on my own this summer.

I have mixed feelings about the fact that I'm already halfway done with college. I have had wonderful opportunities in and out of the classroom, and have met people who I can tell will be my friends long after I graduate in two years.

Products I've Used Up #10

Skintimate Lotionized Shave Gel: Skintimate is always my go-to brand for shaving cream but I don't have much of a preference between scents and variety's.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion: This is my all-time favorite body lotion, but I recently tried another product from the Vaseline Cocoa Radiant line that might replace this. Stay tuned!

Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash: This is my shower staple and definitely one of the best body washes I've ever used.

Suave Dry Shampoo: I recently began using a new dry shampoo that runs circles around this one, so I'm not even going to try finishing it up.

Bath & Body Works Black Tie Candle: I really loved this scent, it was perfect in the winter but since it's warmer out now, I'm glad this is finished up.

Bath & Body Works Frosted Wonderland PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel: Hand sanitizer is just hand sanitizer to me, but I think once I finish up the last one I have of these, I might just stick with Purell.

Olay Bright On Schedule Eye Awakening Cream: You'll begin to notice a trend in this post that a lot of these aren't completely used up, but I'm tossing them out because I've found better alternatives and that's the case with this.

Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On: Same as the above, I decided to invest in a higher quality eye cream, so it was time to say goodbye to this.

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes: I wasn't a huge fan of these, they were a bit scratchy compared to other makeup remover wipes I've used and often left makeup behind.

Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes: As I've said a few times before in previous empties posts, these are my go-to makeup remover wipes because they're inexpensive and get the job done. If you're a Costco member, definitely pick these up.

Crème Brûlée Lip Scrub by sara happ: I used to love this scrub but recently found an alternative that I love more.

NYX 'Pixie Dust' Glam Shadow: This shadow was good for a few uses but was a little too chalky and transferred more glitter than actual color onto my lids.

Benefit Eye Bright: I loved this for highlighting underneath my brows to give a more awakened look to my eye area. Unfortunately, it got a bit chalky as I used it more and more

NIVEA Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss Lip Butter: I really liked this when I initially purchased it  because it was very moisturizing, but didn't use it for a long time and it got a little bit

Revlon 'Cherish' Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain: As you'll be able to tell by the next several items listed, I went on a major lip gloss clean out recently. None of them were empty but were too old or not getting used enough to take up space in my collection.

L'Oreal 'Pink Cashmere' Colour Riche Balm: This is a mildly hydrating balm but there wasn't much color payoff to keep it around.

Revlon 'Pinkissimo' Super Lusturous Gloss: Another gloss that I used to love for a long time was this one, but it's a bit too bubblegum pink for my current taste.

Revlon 'Crystal Lilac' Colorburst Gloss: This was my go-to gloss for a long time, but now I'm less into super sparkly colors.

Estee Lauder 'Star Pink' Pure Color Gloss: This was a pretty gloss but it was definitely time to toss it since I'd had it for longer than I'd like to admit.

Chanel 161 Glossimer: As this has gotten older, the glitter has begun to outweigh the actual gloss and it hasn't been applying so well.

ModelCo 'Red Velvet' Party Proof Matte Lipstick: This was far too drying for my taste and I'm just not a huge red lipstick person.

Beauty Sales Week of June 7th

Gilt:

• Summer Beauty Trend #1: The New Natural (Sale begins 9pm ET 6/7)
• Gilt City Presents: Clinique (Sale begins Noon ET 6/12)

HauteLook:

• BlowPro, NuMe Style Hair Tools (Sales begin 8am PT 6/7)
• #ManiMonday: Red Carpet Manicure, Doll Face Skin Care (Sales begin 8am PT 6/8)
• BH Cosmetics, Designer Fragrances (Sales begin 8am PT 6/9)
• CoTZ - The Healthier Sunscreen, Japonesque Cosmetics (Sales begin 8am PT 6/12)
• Swissco Beauty Tools (Sale begins 8am PT 6/13)

MYHABIT:

• Salon Greats feat. Deva Concepts (Sale begins 9am PT 6/7)

Link Love: May 31-June 6

100 Years of Fashion in 2 Minutes [Glam]


8 Young Professionals Share Their Work Secrets [Refinery 29]

Blueberry Crostata [Tutti-Dolci]

It's Not Goodbye [Corals + Cognacs]

It's Okay to Not Be Happy All the Time [Career Contessa]

The Next Chapter [Bows & Sequins]

All Things Pretty: Minted.com

Gesture by Kelly Ventura // Garden Lights Foil-Pressed Wedding Invitations // Blousy by Katie Craig // Floral Canopy Wedding Programs // Floral Frame Letterpress Wedding Invitations
 

Looking to spruce up your space? How about purchase a unique piece of art? Or are you looking for custom stationary or invitations for your wedding? Look no further than Minted.com for all of your homemade and unique paper needs. Here are a few of my favorite spring and summer inspired pieces of art work currently available on the site.

Most recently to join the offerings on Minted are their selection of wedding invitations, and you can request a kit of curated free samples or pick your own selections until you find what's best for you and your partner to-be!

I partnered with Minted.com for this post but am not being influenced by any opinions but my own.

What to Wear Where: Summer Internship

In honor of my internship at Her Campus starting yesterday, here are a few outfits that are perfect for your summer internship that have me totally inspired. Be sure to stay tuned to my twitter and instagram where I'll try to share as much as possible about what I'm working on day-to-day. HCXO!

images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Review: Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream (℅) ($42 for 0.5 oz) is a lightweight and glow-inducing eye cream. Made with Fresh's super 7 complex, it is specifically formulated to minimize and prevent early visible signs of aging, provide antioxidant protection, revitalize eye contour, enhance radiance, and is further boosted with protective star fruit extract.

Initially, the fragrance is very florally, but I've grown to like it after using it for almost a month. I definitely see a difference in the initial smoothness and radiance of my eye are once I apply it at night. Since I'm not necessarily looking for anything to target fine lines or wrinkles (not yet at least!), this is a pretty solid evening eye cream if you're in your early 20s and just want to start preventative measures.

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