The Winter Blues...!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all a wonderful holiday! I desperately needed this break from school! I was able to spend great quality time with all my friends and family which felt necessary after the fall semester rollercoaster. I will be heading back to school in a few days and the craziness will once again begin. However, I know a nice degree will come at the end of it all so I have to keep reminding myself that "Punam you gotta do whatcha gotta do". 

For New Years, my cousin came to visit from North Carolina. She is a year older than me but we used to spend almost every single holiday together when we were younger. However, now as we are older and with her also being in pharmacy school, our conflicting schedules for the past 4 years made it so difficult to spend the New Years together. I am very thankful that it all worked out this year! 

She always comes up to my family home so this time I wanted to show her around the wonderful city of Philadelphia where I go to school. We celebrated New Years up there and did touristy things such as eat, see the Liberty Bell, eat some more, Love Park, eat until we couldn't fit into our pants, and go to Magic Gardens!

With the temps in the low 20s on our way to Magic Gardens it was a serious hassle to doll up and look cute. Thankfully when I opened my suitcase, I saw that I had packed my blue coat and a faux fur stool. This winter, colored coats inspired by men's blazers are very popular and luckily, if you head over to your Forever 21right now, there should be a huge selection on dramatic clearance. I bought this coat, amongst others, for only $14.99! With the holidays over with, stores are trying to get rid of the pre-Thanksgiving stock.

For the rest of the outfit, I wore a matching baby blue shirt and two basic leggings, yes two -- double up girls before your legs fall off. To cover my neck, ears, and mouth when I was walking, I wore the faux fur stool which I now probably owe my life to--it was incredibly warm! All in all, bundling up warm served to my advantage as the "garden" was outdoors. If you are ever in the area, you MUST visit, it was absolutely gorgeous and the artist Isaiah Zagar is extraordinary talented!  

I hope you enjoyed this post! Have a great 2016! 

All About My Makeup Routine!

Hi Beauties!

I hope your holidays are going well! I have been hanging out and getting ready around many friends and family this holiday break. Common questions that I have been receiving and have received many times before are "What order do you put your makeup on?" "What highlighter do you use?" "Wait, what is that orange gunk that you're using under your eye?"

All of these are questions that I find myself asking other girls when they are applying their makeup, too. I was going to compile these questions in a "Beauty Chit Chat," but I thought it would be more informational if I dedicated it its own post! 

Disclaimer: I am by no means a makeup expert. I am a regular girl that loves and finds it therapeutic to experiment with new makeup and looks. I have a lot to learn and would love to hear your personal tips! 

What order?

My makeup order depends on whether I am going for a full-face look or a casual daytime look. My full face/night-out look requires more products in comparison to my casual daytime look.

Full Face Order: Moisturizer, primer, corrector, concealer, foundation, concealer again (to highlight), eyebrows, bronzer (to contour), blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, highlight, and lipstick

Casual Face Order: Moisturizer, corrector, foundation, eyebrows, eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lipstick

PS: If you are wondering what I mean by "corrector", please refer to my Beauty Chit Chat post from last month! |HERE|

What brands are you using? 

Primer: NYX

Corrector: Orange Shade NYX

Concealer: Maybelline 

Blush: City Color Cosmetics

Foundation: Kat Von D

Bronzer Contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills

Eyebrow Pomade: Anastasia Beverly Hills

Mascara: Maybelline

Gel Eyeliner: Maybelline 

Highlighter: The Balm Cosmetics

Makeup Tools:

I have realized over the years that your makeup is helpless without the right proper makeup tools. My favorite and most frequently used tool is the Beauty Blender. I literally use this sponge for everything, from blending out my concealer and foundation to applying my contour and blush. I have essentially stopped using face brushes completely! 

For the eyes, I use an angled eyeliner brush to apply my gel liner and to conquer the brows, I use an even thinner angled brush to apply my dipbrow pomade.

I hope you try out some of the products that I mentioned above. If you can only try one, you must try the Balm Cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter! Please tell me your makeup order and favorites in the comments!

Beauty Chit Chat: Winter Skin Battle!

#13

♥Can I still use foundation on dry winter skin?

No matter how dewy a foundation may be, it will never look good on dry winter skin. The flakes beneath will poke through your foundation and look obvious. Before applying foundation, exfoliate your skin with an exfoliating scrub to get rid of the dry skin and apply a thick moisturizer. The thicker, the better. Leave it on your skin for at least 15 minutes before applying your foundation. If your skin is too greasy after 15 minutes, wipe the excess off with a makeup wipe or toner. 

♥How can I fix my rough, cracked hands?

This happens to the best of us, don't worry. If you need extreme repair, apply a thick layer of hand lotion or body butter and cover your hands with a pair of tight winter gloves overnight or as long as you can. This will help lock in the moisture. For daily care, apply lotion after each hand wash and a little cuticle oil around the nail beds at night. 

The dry winter air can take such a toll on your skin so stay warm and moisturized! 

Timeless Jewels Under $50!

Happy Holidays! 

Last year, I complied a trillion gift guides for anyone in your life. This year, I have really been into quality and timeless jewelry pieces that I can cherish and wear for years. Quality and timeless comes for a hefty price at times, however, I scoured the internet and found pieces that would make perfect presents for a friend or even yourself for under $50. If you accessorize all the time, sometimes, or only once in a blue moon, these pieces will serve you year after year!  

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT

I hope you find something you love from here! 

TOP 8: Fall & Winter Trends!

Happy Thursday!

I have officially finished my third semester in pharmacy school and I could not be happier! Being a busy-bee with school, I was not able to upload as much as content as I intended to. However, I am excited for this break because I have so much to share with you from my favorite skincare line to my thoughts on a popular drugstore makeup brand. Today we will begin with eight Fall/Winter Fashion trends that you should add to your wardrobe...or maybe even put on that Christmas wish-list?

Ponchos: I like to think of them as open-front women capes! The weighted knit is awesome at creating an image of a slender body figure underneath. Style them with a pair of heeled boots and black skinny pants, you'll be golden!

Buttoned skirt: The first buttoned skirt that we all were introduced to was the tan buttoned skirt on Instagram. All the bloggers were wearing it and now they come in so many different styles and colors. 

Long vest: Reminds me of one person, Victoria Beckham so, I mean, it's definitely in. 

Faux fur stool: I just love the way the hair and makeup can glisten neck above a faux fur stool, is that kinda weird? I don't care because it is so true! The warm and fuzzy stool is very elegant and formal and would look great on a cold winter day with a heavy coat. 

Turtle Neck: These sweaters are back and look comfier than ever.

Open- Front Coat: The coat was inspired by classic mens blazers. I have one without the flaps in the front and it looks so clean and proper with a basic color ensemble.

Formal Satin Joggers: Perfect for a night-out look for the cold chilly nights. I love wearing my camo-green pair of joggers with a solid colored top and a pair of wedges, open toe heels, or even small booties.

Over-the-knee boots: They are in, everywhere! I especially love the skinny over-the-knee boots that give any outfit a classy touch.

My favorites from this list have to be the faux fur stools, open front coats, and buttoned skirts! What are yours? Let me know down below! 

Bearpaw & Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse Holiday GIVEAWAY!

Hi Fashionistas!

First off, there is a SURPRISE giveaway at the end of this post, so stay tuned!

I hope you all are conquering the cold and staying warm this fall. I have learned to appreciate the fall weather over the years. It is that conditioning period before the winter blizzards smack you right in the face. Living in a city without a car, walking is the best source of transportation so it is important to have comfortable and warm shoes to accompany me on my travels.

For the past month I have been on the hunt for a certain pair of gray BEARPAW boots (Emma) that I was eyeing on www.Bearpaw.com. After searching online for nearby stores, I was so lucky to have found a store called Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse that not only carried BEARPAW boots, but also a wide range of other shoes!

OBSW seemed like a perfect store for someone like me who hates shoe shopping and is on a tight budget. I prefer everything to be under one roof, all brands, all styles, and all for great prices. Google maps told me that there was an OBSW store near me, but I had no idea what to expect.  Their website is the epitome of shoe heaven but I could not imagine all those shoes under one roof.

But boy, was I wrong...

I knew immediately that this was going to be the most dreamy shoe shopping experience when I saw the following:

1. an endless tundra of heels greeting me at the door
2. a pair of gray Converse for $26!
3. a plethora of high-end brands on clearance for 40-70% off!
4. best of all, a fully stocked BEARPAW boots display front and center

I literally ran in and grabbed all the BEARPAW styles I could find in a size 8 and mocked my own little runway (see below lol). Overall, I am now a proud owner of the gray EMMA boots that were for sale for a ridiculously low price of $59! Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse is definitely on the top of my list for all my shoe shopping necessities. The store was incredibly organized, up-to-date with the trends, offered awesome brands like BEARPAW, and this was all for discounted prices! Definitely check out their selection. They offer coupons and discount codes as well so you're definitely going to be saving on your next pair of shoes -- CRAZY SAVINGS HERE!

GIVEAWAY BELOW! 

After I bought the boots, I had to wear them the very next day. The weather was beautiful, but a little chilly, so I decided to take the Emma boots on a little stroll to a historic part of Philadelphia near the Liberty Bell. Yes, my bun is cray...please look past it, whoops! 

           

GIVEAWAY TIME! 

Now for the fun part! BEARPAW and Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse wanted to give all my readers an opportunity to have the same great shopping experience that I had by sponsoring a giveaway! They will be giving one (1) reader a pair of Bearpaw boots AND a $250 gift card to Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse! 

Rules: EASY, just comment underneath on this blog post with your holiday plans, favorite christmas song, or whatver! 

The giveaway will run till 12/04/15 and a winner will be chosen SATURDAY 12/05/15! 

WINNER IS:
Candace Lynn!
Thank you all for entering! Sorry for not interacting much, finals week is taking over my life but I had a great time reading all of your comments. This was the first time I hosted a giveaway on my blog, but it definitely will not be the last (HINT: Keep a look out within the next couple of months!!) PS: A random number generator (picture below) was used choose the winner. I counted down on the comments to verify!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Don't forget to enter, good luck! 

Black Friday Sales!

Hi Beauties!

Black Friday is here but if you are like me, you like the Cyber Monday and online deals better. I know, I'm a lazy shopper but I refuse to fight through the crowds if I can get similar deals online. I am just not strong enough for that life.

Currently, I'm not in the market for anything, but it's always fun to look around at the deals that stores are offering. Here are a few that you may want to check out before your credit card calls it quits this weekend.

Nordstrom
An Extra 25% off on sale items
*Now through Monday

J.Crew
40% off of some styles & 30% off everything else (including stuff that's never on sale)
*Now through Sunday 11:59 PM
CODE: HOLIDAY

Tory Burch
Spend $250 and Receive 30% off
*Now through Monday
CODE: THANKS

H&M
20% off purchases over $60 & Deals starting from $4.99 (online/in-store)
Free Shipping on website - CODE: 3265
*Now through Monday

Anastasia Beverly Hills
25% off BROW products & Free Shipping over $25

Kendra Scott 
15% off everything
*Now through Monday
CODE: SALE15

Macy's 
Free Shipping over $50 & an extra 20% off of purchase
*Till Tomorrow
CODE:THANKS

I hope you find some awesome deals! 

Beauty Chit Chat: Correct, Don't Conceal!

#12

♥What is color correcting? How is it different than using a regular concealer?

Color correcting in makeup is using a colored concealer to cancel out odd pigmentation on your face. Regular concealer only layers to cover up the color pigmentation without correcting it. 

♥What is the best way to conceal dark circles?

Using a regular concealer underneath or over a foundation works for many people. However, to achieve the most "flawless" and even-tone face, I color correct (yes, this is different). Before I apply my foundation, I use NYX's orange color corrector underneath my eyes in an upside-down triangle. This cancels out the bluish purple tones from my dark circles and makes it look natural, you won't even need the extra concealer. 

♥There are so many different color correctors at the drugstore, which one do I need? 

Simple, think of the color wheel. The color of the corrector will cancel out the color across from it. For an example-- if you have a red pimple or hormonal redness, use a green corrector. If you have dark pimple scars use a orange corrector. 

I hope that these were helpful tips and that you give color correcting a chance!

Weekender Bag's Must-Haves!

Hi Beauties!

With the holidays approaching, I am sure many of you are going to be traveling to the homes of family and friends quite often for the next month of so. Sleepovers, popcorn, and late night talks are the best with the people you love. I am always so excited to get into the car that I forget the dreaded part of packing...I HATE packing. Short weekend trips are the hardest to pack for because I always forget about those least-used but crucial items. To help you avoid leaving those back at home, I have complied a list of my must-haves that I keep in my weekender bag at all times, just in case!

**Excludes: clothes, shoes, makeup, and the basic thangs that the host either provides or you cannot leave the house with a.k.a: your wallet**

The bag:

 Henri Bendel Weekender Bag

The stuff: 

• Keep an extra deodorant, travel size perfume, and contacts/contact case in your bag at all times. You cannot be blind or smelly during your weekend stay, you will definitely regret it.
• Always have hair ties, safety pins, and bobby pins in the little side pocket of your bag. Girls probably lose an average of 321 hair ties a day so you never know when it will be handy.
• A great face moisturizer and lip balm is a must. They can literally make or break your skin so leave with great skin and make sure you come back with it too! 
• Socks and a cozy scarf---it's not your house and not your thermostat, bundle up!
• Sunglasses. It's probably just me, but I always end up using my spare in my weekender bag, super handy! 

Beauty Chit Chat: Q/A False Eyelashes!

#11

♥I want to wear fake lashes but they always peel off or just don't set right. How can I achieve the perfect lash look?

I absolutely love fake eyelashes! They make the world's difference and are perfect for special occasions. Achieving the look is easy if you follow these tips:

1.) Makesure the eyelash fits the width of your eye, you may have to trim it if it is longer

2.) Hold the eyelash with a tweezer, not your fingers

3.) Apply the glue to the back of your hand and dip the band of your eyelash into the glue

4.) Always apply more glue to the ends of your lash band

5.) Let the glue dry for 30-45 minutes on the band before sticking it on. Letting the glue "dry" will allow it to become tacky

6.) Place the lashes as close to your natural lash line as you can. You can adjust and slide it to the perfect spot with your fingers

♥What are the best brand of lashes?
Ardell, for sure! They carry many different styles and even after an abrasive cleanse with face wash, they stay true to their form. My personal favorites are the Demi 120s! ($4)

Disclaimer: I have not tried the high-end brands like Velour lashes, so I cannot speak for them.

♥Should I apply eyeliner and mascara before or after? 

I always apply both before I put on my lashes, so much easier!