21st Birthday…Atlantic City Styleeee

My birthday was July 19th, but I had a huge birthday party in Atlantic City this past Saturday.  It was without a doubt the best night of my life…all of my best friends were there from when I was 4 year old to the amazing friends I’ve met in college. It was pureee perfection and couldn’t have gone any better!   We stayed in the House of Blues Suite at the Showboat Casino and I had VIP at Jay Z’s 40/40 Club…aka I have the best mommy in the world!  It was the ultimate in fabulousness, and all of my girls looks GORGEOUS, and my boys super handsome. 
It was so hot and sticky out my hair did not last long at all, but whatever.  My dress is from Express (in indigo), I was beyond surprised when I saw it in the store and even more impressed when I tried it on.  My clutch is the Sutton by Michael Kors, and my shoes are Ivanka Trump from Bloomingdales!  I was calling them my Cinderella heels, not so comfortable but whatever.
This weekend made me realize the amazing friends I have.  People coming from D.C., Chicago, Georgia and even just the two hour drive in Jersey meant the world to me!  I honestly have the best friends ever, and just like they’d do anything for me…I’d go above and beyond to do anything for them!

Stylish Blogger Award

Thank you so much to Jessy and Georgia (click their names to check out their blogs) for awarding me the Stylish Blogger Award!  It means a lot to me that other bloggers like my work, so thank you thank you thank you!! 
Here are the rules for receiving the award
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you.
2. List 7 things about yourself that you haven’t mentioned before
3. Tag 7 people and let them know you’ve done so!
7 Things About Myself
1. Sometimes I think I love animals more than I love humans, I volunteer with the Washington Humane Society and have two dogs of my own that I pretty much treat like people.
2. Right now my hair is black, but it’s pretty much been every color possible.  Once I died it myself and it came out orange [awful.], but I still rocked it.
3. I collect Nike dunks and have 15 pairs so far.
4.   I’m obsessed with Hello Kitty.
5. I have 14 piercings and 1 tattoo of a butterfly on the back of my neck.
6.  I’m a proud Chi Omega and I love my sisters and I’m so lucky to have them in my life.
7. My ultimate dream is to teach in an underprivileged school district and work in a spa and write about beauty on the side. 
I want to share this award with…
*I know I’m supposed to give this to 7 people, but I really like the people I nominated and I don’t follow enough people who haven’t received the award to give out 7!*

OOTD: Stayin Cool

It is so hot and gross out I just wanna lay around in a bathing suit all day and do nothing.  Unfortunately, that’s not an option. Boo.  This is an easy outfit to wear on a hot day like this, sometimes it’s easy to dress kinda bland on redic hot days, but this combination was easy and doesn’t look drab!
I’m wearing a shirt by Silence and Noise that I bought in Urban Outfitters about a year ago.  It was on sale for $9.99…lovely!  I paired it with a black belt, I’m not sure where I bought that.  I really like this shirt but you have to wear it with a high waist belt.  Why?  Well, this shirt is a size small but without a belt it looks absolutely awful, which is why I think it was so cheap.  I remember thinking when I first tried it on, ew…why is this shirt shaped so terribly..but then I thought about it and my belt plan worked perfectly!
My shorts are Calvin Klein, I bought them at Macy’s.  They are so comfortable and wash really well, I wear them all the time.
I didn’t want to wear any necklace with this, it would’ve been too much with the belt.  I just added this cuff I bought in Forever 21 a while back.  It’s simple and the blue-green matches well with the color of the shirt.
Because I’m not wearing a lot of jewelry I decided to jazz this up with these flat sandals by Jessica Simpson.  I bought these at DSW, I think they’re adorable, and they match anything!  I tried to search for them online to post on here, but I can’t find them anywhere.
Hope you like!

Laura Mercier: Secret Concealer

Photo: Laura Mercier 
Laura Mercier is my favorite makeup brand, I’ve been obsessed ever since I went to Blue Mercury literally 4 or 5 years ago.  A Laura Mercier rep was there and begged me to let him do my makeup.  I loved everything he did and ended up buying almost all of it, including some brushes.  It was the first time I ever really paid attention to the quality and application of my makeup, and I was thrilled with the results.
One product that has become a staple in my everyday makeup bag is the Laura Mercier Secret Concealer.  I have gone through so many of these little pots, it’s ridiculous…but necessary.  It is by far the best concealer I’ve ever used, Benefit’s Erase Paste is a close second…but I’ll save that for another time.  In my opinion, concealer is (next to mascara) is the most important part of any daily makeup routine.  
I use the Secret Concealer in #2, and if I’m darker than that, like in the summer, I just make sure I have bronzer on.  This formula is very dewy on the skin, and while it’s recommended for under the eyes only, I occasionally use it to cover up a breakout (it’s a thick formula so it covers everything perfectly), but I make sure I layer a little extra finishing powder on top.  Anyway, I really only use this for under the eyes, and trustttttt meeeeee it makes a huge difference in your overall appearance.  It makes me look alive and bright whether I was up all night from studying…or partying.
Layer this concealer on after your tinted moisturizer or foundation, it settles and looks much better this way.  I usually apply with my ring finger (FYI: this finger applies the least pressure, so try to only use your ring finger around the sensitive under eye area!) by gently pressing and blending the concealer into the eye area.
I really love this concealer, but it needs to be applied correctly in order to make it work.  It can be thick, so I always remember that less is more with this product…seriously.  If you’re looking for something new to try, I suggest this product!  Go to Sephora or any department store to try it out first and find your color.

Shop It To Me…Literally…

Photo: Shopittome.com
 I’m a part of this wonderful online shopping community called Shop it To Me: Your Personal Shopper.  Basically you create a profile where you choose your favorite brands or stores, put in your size (you can choose multiple sizes), price range, discount range, and categories (accessories, shoes, dresses, etc).  Then, Shop it To Me sends you an email, you choose how often you want to receive it, filled with sales from all the stores/brands you chose!  Clearly genius.
I have mine set up to send me a compilation twice a week and I also receive their VIP emails which have secret sales for members.  Also, Shop It To Me members can save on shipping or additional discounts with various coupon codes that are in each email.
You can also constantly update your profile, so if I want to add a store or brand…for example I recently added Express to my list…it’s super easy to do so and that store’s sales will be in your next email!
If you want to sign up send me your email address and I’ll send you an invite! 
Here are some FAQs on the website if you want to read up on it some more!

#ManicureFriday: CND Shellac

I got my nails done today!  I got my nails in CND’s Brilliant White #502, and my toes in a regular white that my nail salon had.  The CND polish can only go on nails because it is a gel polish, or if your familiar with the term, Shellac polish.  Shellac manicures have been all the rage lately (especially with celebs) because they last for…forever. Literally, you could stretch it to two or three weeks if you wanted too…compared to a week, or week and a half, with a regular manicure. 
I already have gel tips, so I typically get a gel polish color, but you can use Shellac nail polishes on your regular nails too!  These polishes seriously don’t chip [or more importantly, ruin your nails], and you don’t have to wait for them to dry because the gel is instant under UV ray hand box thingy (I really don’t know how to describe that better…) that your nail salon has.
Also, whether you’re cleaning a lot (i.e. doing dishes, work outside) or doing anything that would wreck your nails, have no fear...this polish is indestructible…not even nail polish remover can take it off!  My nail techinican takes it off with the drill when I get my gels filled in every 3 weeks, but here’s a video from CND on how to get the Shellac off!  Not gonna lie, the video kinda reminds me of videos that put me to sleep in chem class last semester (when I went…), but it’s still interesting to hear how this stuff works!
Next time you go to the nail salon, give Shellac a try.  I think it’s a little pricier than a regular manicure, but just try to once to see how you like it, or before you go on vacation or something to make sure your hands look great the whole time!  Also, you wouldn’t need to get your nails done as often, so the pricing kinda works out!
I’m trying to upload a picture of my nails from my phone, but for some reason it’s being stupid!  I’ll put one up as soon as it’s working!!

[Update]: Here’s a picture!! Now, let me explainnnnn…I messed up the index finger nail on my own, it was not a result of the application of the gel polish.  It wasn’t fully dry and I nicked it on the table.

Now I’m going to get a spray tan to offset the white, and thennnn it’ll be a perfect day!

Lush’s H’Suan Wen Hua Hair Treatment

Photo: Lush.com
Last night I put the incredibly popular hair mask, H’Suan Wen Hua by Lush, on and I absolutely love it!  I have super long hair so I used almost the entire pot, but it was def worth it.  My hair is also extremely colored treated, base color and highlights, so I was skeptical on whether or not this mask would have an obvious effect.
Since it’s kinda thin (I heard it was super thick…so, I’m slightly confused…but whatever), it was a little bit messy but no big deal.  I left it on for 12 hours (they recommend 20mins, but I’ve heard the longer you leave it in, the better).  I decided to just go to sleep with it in, then I shampooed and conditioned normally when I woke up.  I just pinned up all my hair, and covered it with my Hello Kitty ;] shower cap, it was fine and comfortable all night.
So far, I’m loving the effects on my hair.  I added the products I normally do right after I wash it, and I can tell there’s a difference from the texture of my hair to just the way its falling today as its drying.  It feels light and overall just looks healthier, shiner, and softer.  The smell lingered a little bit, a mix of cinnamon and bananas..I hate bananas…but I don’t mind this at all.  
This hair mask contains tons of natural ingredients (what Lush is known best for)…free range eggs (the main ingredient) bananas, avocados, watercress, bay leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and cinnamon oil.  It also has some chemicals in it, but just from the consistency and overall effect I can tell how natural and pure it is, which is exactly why I like it so much! 
I’m giving the rest of the pot to my mom to try, she has short, color treated, curly hair.  I’m interested to see the different effects (if any) the mask has on our two different hair types!
Overall grade for the Lush H’Suan Wen Hua Hair Treatment: A+  Everyone should def try it if there hair is needing a little love!  You can find it at any Lush retail store or Macy’s Lush store for $18.95.  I rather spend $19 than hundreds at my salon to get a hair treatment, so it was well worth the money!

Clean Those Brushes!

Clean. Your. Makeup. Brushes.
Seriously, this cannot be stressed enough!  It’s so crucial to clean your makeup brushes…and often.  I’m not gonna lie, I’m not always so perfect when it comes to thoroughly washing them every week like you’re supposed to.  BUT, I do spot clean them constantly with the Sephora cleansing wipes.  I love these wipes and they’re so handy to have around.  For example, if I’m using dark shadows, I don’t want to mix those dark colors with my neutral ones the next day…duhhh…and it gets rid of any potential bacteria brewing about.
Photo: Sephora.com
There are abuncha reasons backing up constant brush cleaning…bacteria being the most obvious and yuck.  This bacteria can cause mayjahhhh breakouts — especially on concealer brushes that were used on a breakout.  Also, if you don’t wash your brushes, or at least use wipes on them often, you’re mixing up colors and you may not get the results you want…which would be sad.
Photo: Sephora.com
Now, there are different ways to wash your brushes.  You can use any mild shampoo on them, I like to use the Sephora purifying brush shampoo.  It has an anti-bacterial in it which is super important, and it’s very gentle which is alsooooo veryyyy important to make sure the bristles on the brush are a-okay through washing.
Some quick tips
-Don’t use too much cleanser, you don’t want to have any excess dry up in the brush
-Always point the brush down while washing it, water can get into the brush handle, which isn’t cool and will ruin the brush
-Don’t play with the bristles too much, move them around enough to get out all the makeup and clean them, but try to do this while keeping the shape of the brush
-Hang your brushes off the side of a counter…you don’t want to dry them on a towel, I’ve read that mildew can build up in them if you do this…yuckyyy  
After writing all this, I’m gonna go clean my brushes now!!

Burt’s Bees Lip Balm

I just wanted to put up a quick post about my favorite lip balm.  I ran out of it today, and it made me think about how many of these I go through…I think I’m addicted. 
This stuff is amazing.  I wrote about it in my beach bag post, but I would just like to reiterate how fabulous I think this lip balm is.  I’ve used all types of lip balms/ chapsticks…Blistex, Rosebud Salve (which I still love), Softlips, and Carmex.  But, for some reason I love the texture of the Burt’s Bees the best.  I also like that I can feel the pomegrante oil, and I really think that has helped keep my lips protected in both the winter from the harsh cold, and the summer from the strong sun.  Lastly, this lip balm uses all natural ingredients which I prefer and has an SPF of 20.
Which remindssss meeeee, it’s SO important to make sure your chapstick or lip balm (whatever, they’re the same thing) has SPF in it.  Usually making sure your lips are protected from the sun is the last thought someone has while at the beach ready to get their tan on.  Howeverrrrr, your lips don’t tan, duh, so they must be protected from the harsh rays.  So, make sure you have a lip balm wth SPF 15 or higher, I’d always opt for the higher.  
PS: Sorry I haven’t updated in a few days, life has been super hectic the past week!

What’s In My Beach Bag???

I’m going to the beach today and since I’m up so early I figured I’d do a post on what I bring with me down the shore.  I have a lot of beach bags, but so far I’ve been using my Tory Burch one this summer.  Most of my other beach bags are from Victoria Secret, they were free with a Pink purchase.  I love those bags, they fit so much in them and they’re made well for being free!
Anywayyyy, I got this bag the day after Christmas in Bloomingdale’s, it took me forever to realize that it was printed in pink bugs.  My friend said to me, “why does your bag have cock roaches on it??” — I thought it was just pink and pretty…wrong.  But, oh well, i just ignore the bugs…whatever species they are.
Aside from my wallet, towels [I bring two, one to lay on and one for my head…makes it more comfortable] and sunglasses [with case for extra protection against sand scratches!] here are some essentials I always make sure come with me to the sand.
Most importantly, here are the two sunscreens I use while I’m at the beach.  I use Aveeno Face 30SPF, and I love it.  I’m really picky about the sunscreen I put on my face, Aveeno isn’t super oily, and I’ve never broken out after using it…which can sometimes happen to people with oilier prone skin.  The formula is light, and doesn’t leave a gross residue.  I def suggest this for your face if your looking for a new facial sunscreen!  For all over sun protection, I took my mom’s 48SPF sunscreen the other day.  It’s from Walgreens, it worked really well.  I applied every hour and still got tan without being burnt.  Since it’s not a facial sunscreen it’s a little bit thicker than the Aveeno, but it applies pretty dry which is always a plus…as opposed to streaky and yucky white goo everywhere…bleh.  It worked just fine for being a generic brand, so I’ll keep that in mind from now on! 
I prefer to read while I’m at the beach, as opposed to listen to music.  Since I’m always with my friends I think it’s more fun to read so I can still talk, rather than be zoned out in music.  Today, I’m bringing the August issue of Cosmo [Kim Kardashian…yay!] and one of the books I’m currently reading, Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl.  It’s a very cute and easy read, I’m almost half way through…I feel more like a French glam girl already!  I bought this book in Anthro a few months ago, and while I can’t find it on their website now..here’s a link to Amazon for it! 
I make sure to have a compact with me, I always need a mirror.  This compact is from the Hello Kitty collection from Sephora.  I also always carry blotting papers, I hate to feel oily whether it’s just from the heat or my sunscreen.  I really love these tea tree oil blotting tissues from The Body Shop.  I know the link doesn’t exactly look like the ones I have, but I’m 100% sure they’re the same ones!
Lastly, while I don’t wear a lot of makeup when I go to the beach, I still need to have something on.  I always put on Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer spf 20 [I use bisque] on in the morning, and I actually add the Aveeno sunscreen to that before I leave.  I don’t put much else on besides mascara [Maybelline Falsies is my new favorite], because nobody will ever see me in public without mascara on. 
I bring a bronzer with me because we usually go out to lunch so it’s nice to have a glow-y look after I’ve been laying out.  Right now my summer bronzer is MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in medium deep.  I use it as an all over bronzer or sometimes just as a blush which looks great too. And lastly, I always have my Burt’s Bees Replenishing Pomegranate Oil Lip Balm with me…everywhere.  Some people don’t like this Burt’s Bees balm, they like the original better, but I love this one.  It’s so hydrating, especially after being in the water.  
I keep my makeup in this oversize Coach wristlet I got a longggg time ago.  I don’t want to bring my everyday makeup bag since I have other unnecessary stuff in it.  Everything fits in here just fine, and with a zipper I can make sure nothing falls out of it and gets sandy in my bag!
This is all the stuff I’m bringing with me today!  Also, a quick tip…I put water bottles in the freezer the night before and wrap them up in paper towels [for when they start to super sweat from the hot sun, the water doesn’t get everywhere] to bring with me to the beach.  Cold water for hours in 95 degree weather sounds perfect to me.  It’s SO important to drink water all day when in the sun, but I’m sure you all already knew that!