Breakfast at Gracey's

Inspired by: Eeyore!

2012-02-09T13:59:00.004-05:00

I'm back! I'm so sorry I started slacking on my blog, just like I suspected I would. I finally finished all of my college applications, so that's out of the way at least. Hopefully I'll be back on a regular posting schedule now that things are slowing down a bit.

But for now, a new "inspired by" post, inspired by Eeyore! :)

It's kind of hard not to think gloomy and grey when you hear "Eeyore". But he actually has a nice soft color scheme going on. He even has a cute pink bow on his tail. This outfit would be pretty perfect for a rainy day, or even a not rainy day! In order to keep the outfit from looking depressing, I added some soft colors and of course the sparkly Toms! :) And of course, the cute "fantasy" necklace from Disney Couture!

This outfit is a little darker for night time, but also has some soft accents like the first outfit. There are also some little Eeyore details, like the bow on the shoes and the teardrop necklace. That Dior eyeshadow palette also screams Eeyore colors to me.

Well that's it for this inspired by post. I think I'm going to do a lot on Disney characters because they are really fun and tend to have awesome color schemes and details to work with. I'm also going to try my hardest to not be a slacker (in my blogging life and school life) and get some more posts up more frequently! I'm so sorry it's taken me this long! Oh and I'm still going to do that Breakfast at Tiffany's book/movie comparison!

What is your favorite Disney character or Disney movie?

Where Have I Been?

2011-12-02T14:57:00.003-05:00

Wow I haven't posted in a while! I am incredibly stressed out still. I am not doing too well in a lot of my classes and I'm worried that it will affect what colleges accept me. But, I believe everything will work out.

I am going to try to do a giveaway sometime soon, hopefully before Christmas but it might end up being after.

Keeping me entertained and quite distracted, stumbleupon has been my favorite website ever. If you haven't heard of it, say hello to procrastination. I'd like to think it's part of the reason I'm doing poorly right now but I know it's probably just me being slack.

I hope everything is going well for everyone :) try to stay un-stressed.

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Oh and happy December! I do feel a little better now that it's approaching Christmas, because Christmas always makes me happy.

I finished Breakfast at Tiffany's so I'll do either a review or a book/movie comparison. Let me know which one you would rather see!

Hope everyone is doing well :) Have a great beginning of December!

Against the Grain

2011-11-21T18:51:00.000-05:00

Hudson - Against The Grain from Dropbear on Vimeo.

Happy Monday :)

My Winter Skincare Must Haves

2011-10-25T15:25:00.003-04:00

My skin always gets a little drier in the winter months, but this year it just FREAKED out for some reason. I've never had such dry skin in my life (mainly on my face).

I had to change 2 main things in my makeup/skincare regimen: my cleanser and my foundation.

I was using the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, which worked well for my skin in the summer (it get's dehydrated a lot), and MAC Pro Longwear foundation. My skin was starting to get very dry when it started getting cold, but once I switched from my Revlon Colorstay foundation to MAC Pro Longwear, my skin was very unhappy.

But on the bright side, I think I found the products that make my winter skin happy!

1. Mario Badescu Facial Spray- I've been using this since the summer, and it just works wonders. I only use night cream every other day, and in between days I just spray my face with this before I go to bed. I learned this trick on Youtube: If your skin gets little flakies on it throughout the day, take a makeup brush (stippling, powder, foundation, or whatever), spray a little makeup setting spray on it, and brush it over the flakey part. It won't get rid of the problem completely, but it will temporarily make the flakes less noticeable.

2. Body Moisturizer- The rest of my skin also gets pretty dry in the winter, so I make sure to moisturize after I get out of the shower because the hot water tends to dry out my skin more. My favorite is the Secret Wonderland scent from Bath and Body Works!

3. Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer- I got this as a sample when I filled out the skin care analysis questionairre on the Mario Badescu website, and I bought the full size of it when there was a Mario Badescu Hautelook sale. This is probably one of my favorite moisturizers because it doesn't make my skin too greasy, absorbs quickly, and has an spf of 15. It also works well for me in the summer and winter so I don't have to switch moisturizers (like I did for facial cleanser).

4. Yes to Carrots Nourishing Cleanser and Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser- I had used this before but I stopped using it during the summer because my skin didn't need the extra moisture like it does in the winter. This was the main thing that saved my skin, the only dry parts I have no are around my nose and above my eyebrows, as I do year round. I am in LOVE with this cleanser during the cold months. I also bought the exfoliating cleanser to use a few time a week just to get rid of any dead skin cells.

5. A good lip butter/balm- My lips need a little extra attention in the winter time. I always keep a chapstick, lip butter, lip balm, etc., with me when I'm out and apply it when they start to feel dry. I also apply before bed and when I wake up in the morning. I have so many different ones I use I can't even choose a favorite, haha :)

6. A lip scrub- This is especially important to get all of the dead skin off your lips. If you are applying lip balm to your lips but don't get rid of the dead skin cells, the lip balm won't do much. There are tons of DIY lip scrubs you could do, but I'm kind of lazy and I use Sara Happ's the Lip Scrub.

7. Revlon Colorstay Foundation- Since I couldn't afford to get the foundation I wanted (Vapour Organic Beauty foundation), I switched back to my Revlon Colorstay for normal/dry skin. It was a lot nicer to my skin than the MAC Pro Longwear was, I'll have to use that one in the summer instead.

Well that's all of my winter skincare items. Well not all of them but the most important ones :) Does your skin get dry in the winter? What helps you keep it hydrated and healthy?

Products and Brands for Halloween Makeup

2011-10-24T23:07:00.003-04:00

As you can probably tell from all of my Halloween related posts, I'm pretty freaking excited for Halloween this year! It's a few days after my 18th birthday and I actually did not wait until the last minute to get a costume and makeup this year. I found a few specific brands and products that you might want to check out if you're looking for some good makeup items, whether you're being a scary zombie or a pretty fairy.

1. L'Oreal HiP

As I said in a previous post, I'm being an alien this year, and I needed to find a lot of metallic and glittery silver makeup. I bought a silver eyeliner and one of their metallic shadow duos (in Platinum, if you were wondering). I was actually VERY impressed by both of these items. They are incredibly pigmented. The eyeshadow is exactly the opaque, metallic silver that I was looking for and the eyeliner is creamy and applies so easily. I haven't tried any other products from this line, but if they are up to par with these 2 then I would recommend checking them out.

Just a side note, I tested the eyeshadow before I got in the shower (no primer) and when I got out of the shower there was still a very nice amount of color and shadow on my eye.

2. NYX and LA Splash Glitter

This was also another "first" purchase from both of these brands (I got the Glitter on the Go by NYX and the Body/Face Glitter from LA Splash). Both of these products can be used on your face, body hair, nails, and anywhere else you want, and you get a very nice amount of product for a cheap price. I can't speak for the other glittery products from these brands though, because I haven't tried them. But if you're like me and you don't wear glitter a lot, these are great because they have a huge variety of colors and are very affordable. Just make sure you have a good glitter adhesive or primer (LA Splash has a really good one that's a lot cheaper than the Two Faced Glitter Glue, and from what I've read it works better too!).

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3. Liquid latex (eyelash adhesive) and/or toilet paper

This is good if you are doing any sort of injury or zombie makeup. You can either just spread some liquid latex on your skin and kind of pick it apart and go over it with makeup, or apply the liquid latex to your skin, apply toilet paper over that, and then apply makeup on top of it all. Good makeup would be flesh tone makeup so it doesn't look like you just have toilet paper stuck to your face, fake blood, dark red lipstick, dark blue or purple eyeshadow (bruises), or food coloring.

4. Tape

Regular scotch tape or whatever you have at home will do. This is good if you need to do any sort of sharp or precise lines anywhere on your face. I used this trick a few years ago when I wanted a really dramatic, drawn up sharp cat eye look. It's pretty fierce.

5. Fishnet Stockings

I'm considering using these for my makeup but I haven't decided exactly what I'm going to do yet. This can be used to create the effect of scales. All you have to do is cut a portion of the fishnet off, and spread it over wherever you want the scales to be. The only thing is, you can't pick up the stockings once you've started and place them again, because it would be extremely difficult to get all of those lined up perfectly. This would be especially good for a mermaid, alien, snake, or fish type of costume.

Example: (no, it's not me. she's gorgeous though!)

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I promise I'll start doing non Halloween related posts soon, haha. I'm just too excited :) What are your Halloween plans?

Lovely Links Halloween Edition

2011-10-18T22:07:00.003-04:00

Halloween is quickly approaching! I'm almost done with my costume, I just need to find a shirt to wear (I'm going as an alien by the way). Here are some helpful links to inspire you and help you prepare!

Having trouble getting into the Halloween spirit? Here are 8 ways to help you out.

21 Gross Halloween Recipes if you are throwing a party!

Transform your house into a spooky haunted house.

Another fun party idea: throw a pumpkin carving party!

Check out these awesome Halloween makeup tutorials: Audrey Hepburn, mermaid, alien, Nicki Minaj, and Maleficent.

Well that's it for now. I have all of next week off from work so hopefully I'll get some good posts in! Hope you all have a great rest of the week :)

Stressed out!

2011-10-11T16:31:00.004-04:00

Life is really stressing me out right now. I think this is one of those posts that I'm using to vent with, so feel free not to read it, hehe.

The biggest thing that's stressing me right now: COLLEGE APPLICATIONS! Oh my gosh, I feel so overwhelmed filling these things out. And I haven't even taken the SAT yet! I feel like I'm kind of running out of time. I know there is always the option of taking a year off, which I feel might not be a bad idea, but I don't really have anything to do for a year except for work at my current job. Our school expects us to apply to at least 3 colleges by November 1st and I haven't even submitted one application yet. I've started them, but I haven't finished yet.

School is also pretty stressful. Physics is absolutely killing me this year, it makes NO sense to me at all, no matter how much I go for extra help or study. Hopefully that won't hurt me too much though.

And then of course there's work and all that fun stuff. On the bright side, my birthday is in a few weeks :D

Sorry for the random rant, I just had to do it, haha. If you've been stressed lately, feel free to vent in the comments. I know it feels good to let it out, so go for it!

Halloween Inspiration: Where's Waldo?

2011-10-06T13:41:00.002-04:00

I got the inspiration for this costume inspiration (hehe) from my mom, who needs a more toned down costume for work. Most costumes you will find at a Halloween store are probably not appropriate to wear to work or school or if you just aren't comfortable wearing anything too flashy.

This costume is easy to create because you may already have some of the items in your closet, or you can reuse them on a regular basis if you have to buy new items. You're makeup can also be very neutral and easy, so you probably won't have to buy any new makeup for this either. This is perfect for work, if you don't want to spend a lot on a costume, or if you don't feel like going all out this Halloween!

Once again, let me know if you have any good costume ideas or what you are going to be this year :) Also, if you have a pet, do you dress your pet up for Halloween? If so, as what?

Halloween Inspiration: Robot/Alien

2011-10-05T16:01:00.003-04:00

When I first started creating this, my intention was to create an alien costume (not you're typical ugly green alien either), but the more I looked at it the more it looks like a robot. So, take this however you see it. I am personally going to be an alien this year, wearing a costume somewhat similar to this :)

click the picture for product info

Tip: if you want to look more alien-esque rather than a robot, try to do some cool effects with your makeup. Check out this video tutorial for some ideas.

You could also try to find some green clothes instead of silver, but while I was shopping silver was MUCH easier to find.

Check back soon for some more Halloween costume ideas! :) Let me know if you have a suggestion or let me know what you are going to be this year!

Who is your favorite author?

2011-09-24T19:08:00.002-04:00

I have to read 1,000 pages a quarter this year (so 4,000 pages by the end of the year), and I'm looking for some really good, interesting authors and books. So I was wondering: Who is your favorite author? What are some of your favorite books from this author? What are some of your favorite books in general?

I've bought a few that I'm excited to read. I'm STILL reading Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, and I just bought another Capote book, In Cold Blood. I'm really excited to read both of them. I also have The Outliers by Malcom Gladwell and A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron on the list. On the next trip to the book store I'm thinking of picking up Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman.

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I've gotten so bored with the typical (and I quote the Barnes and Noble headers) "teen paranormal romace" books, and I need recommendations for good, easy to read books. I refuse to read Hemingway. I know he is a great author and all but I just don't find his books interesting while I'm reading them. Sorry to offend anyone! Truman Capote on the other hand, is probably one of my favorite authors (and not just because he wrote Breakfast at Tiffany's).

So, please leave your book/author recommendations below. Have a great weekend everyone :)

Weekly Inspiration: Fall Time

2011-09-23T18:24:00.002-04:00

I am so terribly sorry for the lack of posts since school has started! School + work has been kicking my butt. I'm going to try to do better and get up at least one post a week. The weather has been cooling down, and the end of September has arrived. I'm pretty excited because my birthday is next month and so is Halloween! Here is some fall/autumn/Halloween inspiration to get you all pumped!

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I'm having such a hard time coming up with a Halloween costume. Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? If so, as what? What are you looking forward to most this fall?

What I'm Loving: August

2011-09-06T18:50:00.002-04:00

Wow, school and work has really been taking up a majority of my time lately. I'm so sorry for being slack! I figured since it's already the beginning of September, I need to do a What I'm Loving for August!

1. Morn Creations Shark Backpack- Yep, I did end up buying it. I made a lot of purchases with my last paycheck and this was definitely the one I was most excited about. Sharks are my favorite animal and this bookbag is just so adorable! I was a little worried that it was going to be too small, but it's a great size for me. I'm a small person anyway so it's a great size for me. It doesn't hold as much as previous bookbags I've had, but it gets the job done.

2. RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up- This has become a new staple product for me. First of all, the ingredients are great, natural, and safe. Second, the coverage is great and it looks very natural. RMS beauty makes their products so you can use them many different ways. I use this as a concealer for under my eyes and on any trouble spots, and also to touch up my makeup throughout the day.

3. Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation- I use this foundation with the Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector (a face primer by the same brand). At first I didn't really know what to think. It was a very odd product for my first few uses. When I applied the primer the texture felt slightly oily and gross. Then after I applied the foundation, my skin looked very dry in spots it didn't look dry before. When I looked in the mirror a few minutes later, it looks absolutely amazing. I don't know how but it did. And it was so natural looking I couldn't even get over it. Favorite foundation ever! It also has great safe ingredients. The only complaint I have about it is that it isn't as long wearing as I would like, but I carry my RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up with me to touch up any spots that need it.

4. Korres Lip Butter- This is probably one of the BEST lip butters I have ever used. It is incredibly moisturizing and it really sinks into my lips instead of just sitting on top of them. It smells great, kind of like fruity candy, and has a perfect flush of color. I will be repurchasing multiple times as I go through these!

5. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara- I did a full review on this mascara here, but in case you didn't read it, I LOVE this mascara. Since switching to more natural and chemical free beauty products, this was one of the fist I tried. It's a lengthening mascara pigmented by fruit! It smells like fruit, and I mean real fruit not synthetically scented. It makes my lashes extremely long and it doesn't smudge or flake throughout the day!

6. Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm- I've tried many products to help my hair be less frizzy, more shiny, and straight especially for when I let it air dry. Most of them weren't bad, but not the special product I was looking for either. I got this as a sample in an Ulta sample bag and I've absolutely fallen in love. I use this every single time I get out of the shower. It keeps my frizz tame and it helps straighten my hair. I take my showers at night on school nights and wake up and straighten it. Sometimes I'll wake up late and not have time to, but when I use this I feel like I don't need to sometimes. Before I used this, my hair got pretty out of control even if I let it air dry overnight. I definitely recommend this for anyone who has straight/wavy, frizzy hair.

That's all my favorites for this month! Let me know if you've tried any of these products. I'm going to try my hardest to keep up with my blog this semester. Physics is absolutely killing me haha. Gave a great week everyone!

rms Beauty Cream Eye Shadow in Lunar

2011-08-28T19:17:00.008-04:00

I've heard a lot of good things about rms beauty. The premise behind this line is basically skincare with color. All of the products nourish and hydrate your skin, and you can put them anywhere. So if you get a cream eye shadow you could use them on your lips, cheeks, or anywhere else you could think of. They are made with clean, natural, organic ingredients.

That being said, I love the idea behind it and the ingredients. I even love some of their other products, but this one was not my favorite. I love cream shadows so I REALLY wanted to like it. And please excuse the lack of pictures, I included this in the sample pack I purchased from Spirit Beauty Lounge (which I'll post about later), and there wasn't much to take a picture of.

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I did really love the color and when I applied it to my eyes it was gorgeous! It was a gorgeous champagne nude color, comparable to Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten but a few shades lighter. However, before I even left the house it had started creasing! As the website suggested, I just tapped it away and it looked better. Not long after it was creasing again! By the end of the day I basically had no color left over.

I tried using it with no primer, a MAC paint pot, the Korres eye primer, and Urban Decay Primer Potion. I got the same results every time! I even tried to put an powder shadow over it and it still creased!

But, if you have drier eyelids this might be the product for you. Since it's like skincare and makeup in one, it moisturizes the eyes which I think was my issue. I have pretty oily eyelids and wear primer with whatever eye makeup I have on that day. Until I find an alternative I'll have to stick with my Stila Smudge Pots and Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadows.

Note: I found that if I skipped moisturizing my lids, it did stay a bit longer. The eye shadow is like a moisturizer so I just skip it and moisturize around my eyes at night.

I may purchase the full size version just because I do love the color and the concept, and just bring it with me to touch up throughout the day. But I would give them a shot if you have drier or not oily eyelids :) Don't let this turn you off from the brand though, I tried some of their other products that I have fallen in LOVE with! Be on the lookout for those reviews soon. Oh and my Lovely Links will also be up soon!

Giveaway Winner!

2011-08-26T10:35:00.003-04:00

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my giveaway! I love having giveaways so there will definitely be more in the future.

The winner of the Emma Kisstina MAC Print and a MAC lipstick or their choice was...Melanie from Adorabeauty!

Congratulations Melanie, I will be emailing you for your shipping address and your lipstick of choice shortly.

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Giveaway & Update

2011-08-23T09:00:00.002-04:00

The giveaway has officially ended! Thanks everyone for entering, I'll be posting the winner asap!

This week is going to be very busy, so I'm sorry if I'm a bit MIA. I have my senior pictures today, and I start school tomorrow. I STILL have a book and a paper to write, because I have procrastinated like no other this summer.

I just wanted to let you all know that I haven't forgotten about the giveaway, I'm just busy :)

In the mean time, enjoy this adorable picture:

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End of Summer Wishlist

2011-08-22T00:25:00.003-04:00

At the beginning of summer, I posted my Summer 2011 Wishlist. Now that summer is pretty much over for me, it's tine for and End of Summer Wishlist!

1. Honore de Pres Love Coconut Perfume- I was browsing on my new website obsession, Spirit Beauty Lounge, and I saw this adorable perfume. The cute coffee cup is what caught my attention. I can't say for sure that I'm set on the smell because I haven't smelled it in person yet (I'll be ordering a sample soon!), but I love coconut scented things and it's an organic perfume so it sounds pretty perfect!

2. Grey Wolf Spirithood- I saw a photo of someone wearing a Spirithood once but I never knew what it was. Then I saw one in Seventeen magazine this month and I fell in love. I'm definitely going to get one for the winter months this year. They even have a program where if you buy a Spirithood with the "Problue" logo on it, they will donate a portion of that sale to the charity of the animal you bought. I really like the husky and the grey wolf, but the grey wolf has the Problue logo so I'm pretty sure I'll get that one.

3. A new wallet/keychain- If I don't keep my keys and my wallet with my ID in it, I'm bound to leave the house without one of them so I have to keep them together. I've been using Vera Bradley ones since I started driving but I'm starting to look at other brands as well.

4. A pair of navy TOMS- I'm getting a navy pair of toms and a custom shark painted on them by Kelli Smith on Etsy. I'm so excited, because they will match the shark backpack I ordered for school this year! :)

5. A Balenciaga Wallet- Since a Balenciaga purse is very much out of the question right now, a wallet seems more obtainable. I love this fun, bright pink one. I'll just have to convince myself to keep track of my wallet and keys if they are ever separated.

6. More time!- Summer went by way too quickly! I start school in 2 days and I haven't finished all of my summer work. I still have to read 2 books, write 3 papers, and finish some math sheets. Procrastinating before school even starts, I see how this year is gonna be.

Just a reminder, my giveaway ends TODAY at midnight! So enter while you can!

What do you think? What's on your wishlist now that summer is over?

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara in Blackberry Review

2011-08-20T12:14:00.008-04:00

During my search for more green beauty products, I ran across a brand called 100% Pure. The first thing I saw that caught my eye was that they have fruit pigmented cosmetics! I was so intrigued just buy the concept. I contacted the company about them and they agreed to send over some products to try! The first item I tried and loved, the fruit pigmented mascara!

I got the color Blackberry, which is described as a "shimmery black plum". I didn't really notice any shimmer, but it was a very deep plum color. The color isn't made with synthetic dyes either, it's pigmented with fruit! The first thing I noticed when I opened the tube was the smell. It smelled like blackberries! Not synthetically either, it literally smelled like I had a bowl of blackberries in front of me.

It's a very lengthening mascara and it separated my lashes like any other of my favorite mascaras. I didn't notice any smudging or flaking throughout the day so that was a definite plus! And keep in mind I live in very humid weather. There was some very minor clumping when I first applied it, but I just brushed my lashes with a clean mascara wand and they looked great! I really couldn't find anything bad about this mascara, except maybe the price. It's $18 for the big tube and $12 for the mini tube. Not a typical drugstore mascara, but that's a small price to pay for a good quality, natural, cruelty free mascara!

The packaging is also really pretty, and I'm a sucker for pretty packaging.

The wand has a little groove in it, which helps to curl your lashes. I can't speak for people that have hard to curl lashes (my eyelash curler rarely gets used), but my lashes were curled and lengthy all day. (My camera makes the mascara look a little grey, but it's definitely a deep plum color!)

It didn't irritate my eyes at all, and I wear contacts so that's another plus.

This mascara is definitely a win for me, and I will be repurchasing!

The only bad things I can think of is the price and accessibility. I don't particularly like buying things online, and the only 100% Pure stores right now are in California. There may be other stores that sell it, but none around where I live that I know of.

People have requested a picture of the mascara on, so here it is! If anybody has tips on taking pictures of your own eyes, please let me know. It was so difficult to get a good picture!

What do you think? Have you ever used any fruit pigmented cosmetics from 100% Pure? Have you ever used a natural mascara?

Lovely Links

2011-08-19T18:52:00.004-04:00

Hello! Sorry I've been kind of busy with some last minute summer work before school starts and I've been slacking on my posting! I'm going to try my hardest to post every other day during the school year but sometimes I do get behind. So sorry in advance for that! It's Friday again, which means link time!

I'm a bit too scared of needles to do it, but have you ever gotten acupuncture?

Are you shy? Here are some tips to overcome your shyness so you can face the new school year a new person!

Ever been a bridesmaid? Here's what your bridesmaid dress color may have said about you!

The Gloss shows us how to wear all one color without looking crazy.

If you have trouble sleeping, try these tricks to help you fall asleep.

If you managed to get your hands on the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette, Keiko Lynn shows us how to wear the brighter colors in the palette!

Elle Sees shows us how to recover from a vacation!

That's it for this week! I have some reviews coming up from Korres and 100% Pure that I'm excited to post!

Also don't forget to enter the giveaway! It ends in 3 days!

Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Natural Pink Review

2011-08-16T23:02:00.010-04:00

My Korres package came in the mail yesterday! I was so excited to try out my new goodies. I bought this lipstick, a lip butter, a lip butter glaze, a shower gel, and a sample of their eye primer. More reviews coming when I have more time to fully test everything out.

Let me start by saying this: I HATE wearing lipstick. As I mentioned in my July favorites post, I was loving Revlon's Primrose. It's a really pretty color and I still wear it, but this kind of blows that out of the water.

One of the main reasons I hate wearing lipstick is the formula just feels so heavy, waxy, thick, sticky, etc. on my lips, and also tends to put a spotlight on dry patches on my lips. I've always been one to play up my eyes and add some drama up there, and keep the lips natural. My lips naturally have a nice little tint to them, so I never found lipstick really a necessity for me.

-dramatic music- UNTIL now. The Korres Mango Butter Lipsticks (well at least this one, I can't say if they're consistent or not but I hope so!) don't have that nasty heavy feeling that most lipsticks do. The best part? It feels so moisturizing and doesn't show off my dry spots! Thank you mango butter!

When I first opened it, I was actually pretty disappointed because the color looked kind of on the red side, which isn't a bad thing but keep in mind the color is Natural Pink. It must have been the lighting though because I opened it to use the next day it didn't look that way at all.

It's not very opaque but you can build up the color. I usually don't build up my color because like I said, my lips don't need that much drama or attention. It also leaves a nice glossy sheen on your lips. I now understand what people mean when they say "my lips but better".

It's formulated without mineral oil, silicones, propylene glycol, and ethanolamines. (Not sure what the last 2 are? But that's what the Korres website said).

I wore it to work and I'd say it lasted about 2 or 3 hours maybe? I'm not really sure. So not the best staying power but I can work with that.

My camera fails at getting swatch pictures, the coloring is always a little off so this was as close to real as I could get.

I still don't consider lipstick something I would wear every single day, but when I do this is my new favorite lipstick. I will definitely be repurchasing!

Have you ever tried any Korres Products? Do you have a favorite lipstick?

Also, don't forget! You can enter my giveaway to win a MAC lipstick of you're choice and an Emma Kisstina MAC lipstick print! Giveaway ends August 22nd!

Inspired by: The Roaring Twenties

2011-08-16T12:40:00.004-04:00

I've always loved the 1920's. I think the only time I'm truly interested in history class is when we talk about the 1920's. It was such a new era for women, where they branched out from what society wanted to see from them.

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click image for product info

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I read the Great Gatsby in middle school and hated it, then read it again in high school and I loved it! Gooood book.

Are you inspired by the 1920's? What's your favorite time period in history?

Sites to Help You Go Green

2011-08-15T11:05:00.007-04:00

Going green has been a bit difficult for me. I'm on day 2 of being a successful vegetarian (well pescetarian technically since I still eat fish). It's harder than I thought not to eat meat. Not because I crave it when I can't have it, I'm just so used to not having to filter what I eat that I'll slip up and not even realize until later that night when I go over in my head if I did good or not.

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I've found some great sites that are helping, though.

Joining Eco Emi is going to help alot, so that I can get introduced to more brands and learn more about going green. They have a lot of info on their site about why you should go green, and brands and sites that they love.

I discovered No More Dirty Looks last night, and it's a very cool site! It's written by Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt. The blog actually came from their book, No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, which I will definitely be picking up!

Sephora has a "Natural" tab you can click while shopping. Also they have created their own natural seal, so that you know when you are buying something that is high in vitamins, antioxidants, and other good things and also low in GMO's, parabens, and other bad things.

Etsy has a bath and beauty section where you can find TONS of beauty products that are eco friendly. I can't speak for all of them, but most of the products are free of harsh chemicals and don't test on animals.

If you have a blog or a website, make it carbon neutral! It's so easy!

Upurea has all of your green beauty needs all in one site! If you are just starting out like me, this is a great way to find new brands that will fit your green needs.

Of course, TOMS has to be on this list! Everything about these shoes is great, they are eco friendly (and have vegan versions too!), they are comfy, and when you buy a pair of TOMS they give a pair to a child in need! I'm buying my first pair for back to school :)

I will be making a list of my favorite natural and green brands (once I test them and find out at least). So that may take a while. Some brands that claim to be natural aren't actually very natural at all *cough* Neutrogena Naturlas *cough*. It's important to read the ingredients.

That's about it for now! Do you have any favorite green brands? Do you make an effort to go green? Have you ever tried being a vegetarian?

Lovely Links

2011-08-12T18:29:00.003-04:00

That time of the week again. Time for some linkage!

A bit of a history lesson, 7 things women invented first from All Women Stalk.

Snooki seems to be doing it all these days. Partying, writing a book, designing slippers, and launching a perfume!

I don't need more reminders that I'm going back to school soon, but this DIY notebook paper tee is super cute!

College fashion has a rundown on the fall 2011 fashion trends for back to school!

It's no shock that Kate Middleton made it on the list, but here are 5 people that made it on Vanity Fair's best dressed list.

The Beauty Department does a breakdown of the different kind of eye brushes.

That's all for this week. One last thing, I hit 200 followers :D I'm so excited, you all are awesome!

NOTD- Essie Borrowed & Blue + INM Base Coat Review

2011-08-10T15:23:00.006-04:00

Ok this is actually like NOAFWA (Nail of a Few Weeks Ago) because I painted my nails this color when I did this haul. I was able to paint my nails that day (boo for not being able to wear polish at work!), but had to take it off the next day. But I still wanted to share :)

Blue is one of my favorite colors. This was a really pretty light robins egg blue that I got at Bed Bath & Beyond. It was such a pretty summer color, so I'm pretty sad I didn't get to wear it much. I also painted my toes with it and it looked fab :) I'm a fan of Essie nail polishes in general, I don't know why I always seem to gravitate towards them in the store, along with China Glaze. Oh and please excuse my not so good self manicure skills.

Also, I used my INM Clear Bond Base Coat I also mentioned in the haul. I tested one hand with the base coat and one without. Unfortunately, the hand with the base coat had a streakier application, but after applying a second coat it was fine. But, when I went to take the polish off, it was sooo easy to remove, while the hand without the base coat I had to scrub a little harder to get it off. Not a bad purchase, but I'd like to find one that doesn't give me streaks when I paint my nails.

What was your favorite nail polish this summer? Do you have a favorite base coat? Do you feel a base coat is necessary?

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway if you want a chance to win an Emma Kisstina MAC Print and a MAC lipstick or lipglass of your choice!

Going Greener: Fortune Cookie Soaps

2011-08-08T15:01:00.006-04:00

I'm trying to make an effort to be more green, both in food and lifestyle choices, including my beauty products. I'm trying my best to find brands that don't test on animals, and are free of harsh and harmful chemicals. I signed up for Eco Emi, which will help a lot. If you don't know what Eco Emi is, it's basically an earth friendly version of Birchbox. Except it's a lifestyle box so you generally get a few beauty products along with things like food, tea, things to clean your house with, etc., that are all cruelty free, green, free trade, eco friendly, and all that good stuff.

I've been eyeing Fortune Cookie Soap for quite some time, but never got around to buying anything. All of the products are "gunk free" and they don't test on animals. Plus they are super cute! They recently had a summer sale and I bought an "In the Loop" bar soap.

It's probably one of the cutest soaps I've ever seen. It looks so much like Froot Loops in milk, and smells EXACTLY like Froot Loops. And it's a pretty decent size, too, I'm sure I'll be using this for a while. I usually prefer body wash over bar soaps, but this was on sale, cute, and is helping me go greener in my life so, why not! I haven't used it yet but I'm really excited to.

I'm going to be making a list of all natrual, green, chemical free, cruelty free, etc., brands and websites that I find. I'll probably put it in the sidebar or make a new page and link it or something. I'm not sure. But anyway, Fortune Cookie Soap is definitely going on that list. This is my first "green find" in my journey, haha.

I also received a free sample of their "Love Doctor" bath melt. It melted a little bit in the mail box, but it still smells really good!

Update: I was a bit too excited about my soap and described it to my coworkers tonight (which happened to be all guys) and they thought that sounded super amazing and badass. So your male friends may love Fortune Cookie Soaps as well :P

Have you bought anything from Fortune Cookie Soap? What are your favorite "green" beauty brands?

My Beauty Must Have

2011-08-07T22:01:00.003-04:00

No matter how much time I have in the morning or how much makeup I decide to wear that day, mascara always makes it into my beauty routine somehow. It's one of those magical products that opens and brightens your eyes, and makes you look more awake.

I know it's not just me thinking that too, because I went to work and forgot to put mascara on and you wouldn't believe how many people asked if I was ok, asked if I was sick, tired, etc. I don't know about you, but the sickly/tired look is not what I generally go for!

I find that drugstore mascaras work just as well as the high end mascaras (with the exception of MAC's Haute & Naughty, my only full size, high-end mascara purchase!). Not saying high end mascaras are bad, I just wouldn't shell out the money for them unless they come with a product I'm already buying.

What are your favorite mascaras? Do you have a beauty must have that you wear everyday?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

My Thoughts on Vita Coco Coconut Water

2011-08-05T23:38:00.004-04:00

At the beginning of summer, I posted about my summer resolutions for this summer, and drinking coconut water was on the top of my list. After extensive (well, what I consider extensive) research and reading several reviews, Vita Coco seemed like the way to go for coconut water drinkers. Most said that it tasted sweet, kept them hydrated, and talked about other health benefits of drinking coconut water in general.

I went to GNC and picked up the Peach and Mango flavor. I stuck it in the fridge before work to chill it, and took it to work with me.

I happened to be running very late for work that day, and had to park far away because of some event that was going on. I literally had to RUN to work in the awful Charleston summer humidty/heat, wearing long pants. Being the out of shape bum that I am, under normal circumstances I would have passed out by the time I got to work and/or felt absolutely awful. Lucky for me, I had my coconut water and drank it on my run to work. I felt wonderfully hydrated when I got there. Just a little hot (thank god I work in an ice cream shop...) and a bit worn out.

However, it wasn't the taste I was expecting. Considering it was coconut water, with peach and mango mixed in, I was expecting it to taste fruity and sweet. But it tasted like...tomato juice, like V8. It didn't taste bad necessarily, but not what I was expecting. So the taste wasn't good but tolerable because of all of the benefits of coconut water.

By the end of my shift, I had gotten a HORRIBLE headache, which I assumed was just from the running. I had gotten tired of drinking my coconut water and decided to switch over to regular water. (I gave the rest of my coconut water to my coworker who LOVED the taste. So I guess it's an acquired taste?)

I went back to GNC and got 2 other flavors, the regular coconut water and one with acai berry.

Same thing with both flavors: I felt hydrated and healthy, if that makes sense. But the taste wasn't quite right and I got awful headaches both times.

Needless to say, I got tired of the headaches and after the third coconut water I realized I got them after drinking coconut water, so I stopped drinking them. As I thought, the headaches stopped after I gave up coconut water. I have an allergy to most fruit (nothing fatal, just itchy mouth, throat, lips, tongue, etc.), so maybe coconut water was no different for me. Someone suggested I may not be allergic to it but I have an intolerance to it, like some are lactose intolerant.

Final thoughts:

-If you go to the gym or play a sport and drink sports drinks like Gatorade, this could be a healthier alternative to keep you hydrated.

-The taste wasn't as fruity as I expected, but it wasn't too bad. Others love the taste.

-Had horrible headaches after drinking it.

-Other than keeping you hydrated, coconut water has many other health benefits.

Do you or have you had coconut water before? Did you like the taste? What did you like/dislike about it?

Boyfriend Series: Picking out a Present

2011-08-05T17:15:00.003-04:00

Hellooo everybody! On the 18th of this month, my boyfriend and I will have been together for a whole happy year. Yay! I'm kind of having a difficult time picking out a present for him (and I still owe him a graduation present).

I've offered to take him out to dinner instead of the other way around, because he's taken me out several times throughout this lovely year. It only seems fair that I take him out for a nice dinner for a change.

At first I was considering getting him gift cards. To thinkgeek.com, because he loves all that nerdy stuff. Or from americanmuscle.com because he has a Mustang and is constantly wanting things to buy for it.

My second thought was to get him DJ2GO because he likes to dabble in the DJ world. But it's kind of a cheaper and smaller version of this DJ setup, which I would buy him if I had $280 to spend. Buuuut I don't.

image via apple.com

And my third idea was an engraved butterfly knife. He had a butterfly knife (you know those cool ones that you flip around and stuff?) that his friend got him for his birthday but I kind of took and haven't given it back yet. So I thought it would be cool if I got him a new one and get it engraved. The problem with that is, I don't know where to get that done.

It's not really that big of a deal, but he deserves the best I can get, so I want to get it right haha.

SO basically I need suggestions, what would you get your boyfriend for a 1 year anniversary? I need help haha.

Shark Cupcakes!

2011-08-03T01:11:00.002-04:00

My boyfriend came over last night to watch Shark Week with me, and we made shark cupcakes! Or sharkcakes as he likes to call them. We didn't wait for them to cool before we put the icing on, the icing melted on some of them. But they turned out very yummy :)

What you'll need:

Cake mix (and ingredients needed for making a cake, like eggs, oil, etc. We used red velvet)

Blue icing

Construction paper and scissors

Peach rings (or small powdered doughnuts and red fruit rollups)

Cupcake cups and a cupcake pan

When I took the picture the batter looked more like spaghetti than red velvet cake mix so I had to edit it a bit. Anyway red velvet seemed appropriate because of the bloody tint to it, plus it's delicious!

The shark fins! Boyfriend had to draw me a model shark fin because the one cut out looked like Jimmy Neutron's hair (anyone?).

We used gummy peach rings to resemble one of those life preserver floats. You could also use mini powdered doughnuts for the float and cut strips or red Fruit Rollups for the red stripes, but we figured this was easier and less messy.

Well that's it for today :) I hope you all are thoroughly enjoying Shark Week if you watch it. You can find the inspiration for the cupcakes here.

Also don't forget to enter my MAC lipstick and print giveaway! Ends August 22nd!

Do You Use Toners?

2011-07-31T14:17:00.007-04:00

When I got my Mario Badescu samples, a toner was included called the "Special Cucumber Lotion". I hadn't used a toner really before, except a while back I did use a Clinique toner that stung like crazy! I looked over my samples, and noticed the second step after cleansing was to use this Special Cucumber Lotion. I knew it was a toner, but I had no idea what the purpose was. So, I referenced my handy little booklet they included and looked up the mystery product.

"Refreshing, disinfecting and deep cleaning astringent that is effective in drying up existing acne blemishes while preventing new eruptions. Sulfur and soothing Cucumber help to fight against oily build-up and bacteria that can cause acne."

Alright, so it cleanses my face...after I already cleansed it? I was pretty confused at this point. So I decided to skip this step my first few days of using the skincare line. Unfortunately, it was around that time of the month, which meant that minor breakouts were starting to appear around my chin. Not huge pimples, just several small whiteheads. I figured I'd give the Special Cucumber lotion a shot. I used it in the morning and at night after cleansing. The first thing I noticed after the first day of using it, my skin wasn't as oily as usual! When I woke up the next morning, my whiteheads were pretty much gone.

Then I looked at the rest of the toners and astringents listed in the booklet, and there are so many options for different skin types! So I learned, toner is not necessary in one's skincare regimen, but it's definitely something to look into if you have problem skin! It's like one of those products (like face primer for me), where you don't realize or think it's necessary until you stop using it, and then you really see what a difference it makes.

After further research, I learned that toners are supposed to get rid of any residue the cleanser may have left behind, so that moisturizer will be more effective. If you get dehydrated skin like me, you may want to look into a good toner (with no alcohol! Don't want to add to the problem).

Toners can also help balance the pH of the skin after you cleanse it, so if you get oily skin throughout the day, a toner could help you out.

My toner isn't going to be one of those products that I HAVE to repurchase as soon as I run out, but I definitely notice it benefits the overall condition of my skin.

*Arielle commented and wanted to know if there was a difference between a toner and astringent. From what I've gathered, an astringent is much more harsh and generally contains more alcohol than a toner, and can dry or irritate skin more. Toners are more for everyday use and astringents are for a few days out of the week. That was kind of a grey area so please comment and let me know if this is wrong :)

Do you use a toner? Do you feel it is necessary? What toner do you use?

Split Personality

2011-07-31T01:26:00.003-04:00

So lately I've been observing a certain...trend, if you will, of things being half one thing, and half another. Now I know this is nothing new really, but it's just becoming more obvious to me and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

It's just a bit baffling to me. It's like this trend is pin pointed at indecisive people like myself. "Oh I can't decide if I should wear this dress or this dress. Oh I know! I'll wear both...at the same time!" So odd.

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Ok in terms of beauty, I don't mind this trend so much. Both of these ladies did a fabulous job of making it wearable. Just enough change so that you have to take a second look at it to make sure you are seeing correctly. If I could get away with it in real life, I would probably rock that eye look. The lips are more color blocking so I do like the lips. I'm not much of a bold lip person myself so I personally wouldn't wear it, but it looks great on her.

The clothes (and the MAC brush??) are the most odd to me. What do you think of this trend? Have you rocked any of these styles before?

Lovely Links

2011-07-30T00:33:00.008-04:00

I'm finally jumping on the link roundup bandwagon. Here are some cool/interesting/odd/funny/etc. articles I've found this week!

The Huffington Post presents, bizarre alcohol combinations! Most sound pretty freaking weird, but the Skittle infused vodka sounds pretty interesting.

Ew, 10 icky facts about bedbugs from Refinery29. I never knew they were so widespread!

Senior pictures are coming up (for those of us still in high school), and Beautylish provides great tips on how to look good in HD

Something I'm still trying to master, Keiko Lynn has a great tutorial for winged liner!

From All Women Stalk, 9 bags to style up you LBD. The last 4 on the list are my FAVORITES. So pretty!

Also from All Women Stalk, 8 Great Summer Diet Snacks. My favorite is lemon ice, my friend and I used to make it all the time using Crystal Lite!

Just in case anybody else is having a Shark Week party (and by party I mean my boyfriend is coming over to do shark activities with me when he gets back from Florida), here are some shark cupcake ideas, a shark bowl party drink recipe, and a shark fin ice tray to keep those drinks cold!

Have you ever eaten sea urchin? Seems pretty odd to me.

These 8 makeup tips you haven't heard before, are actually ones I haven't heard before! The deodorant trick sounds pretty interesting!

Nothing is worse than when your boobies hurt! Find out possible habits that could be making them hurt!

Well that's it for this week. I hope you all have a great weekend! Also don't forget to let me know if you've ever eaten sea urchin, because I'm quite intrigued. Also don't forget to enter my giveaway :)

Do You Use a Skin Brush?

2011-07-29T18:14:00.002-04:00

The first time I heard about something like this was when I was introduced to the Clarisonic. It's kind of expensive so I haven't bought one for myself yet, but my facialist uses it on me and it feels like it's doing a good job at deep cleaning my skin. Other brands have come out with similar, more affordable tools, but from reading reviews Clarisonic still seems to be in the lead.

My question is: Do you use a skin brush tool? What brand do you use? Do you feel it is worth it?

My (very unobtainable) Wishlist!

2011-07-28T18:02:00.006-04:00

I've been doing a lot of online shopping and browsing lately. And I've also become kind of addicted to Polyvore so I'm sorry if my little Polyvore creations show up in a lot of posts that are coming up. I just wanted to make a wishlist, however unrealistic, for you all (and Santa Claus maybe? Hehe) to see.

click on the images for product information :)

There is probably a lot more but I didn't want this post to get out of hand. What is on your wishlist lately?

P.S. don't forget to enter my giveaway! You could win a MAC lipstick or lipglass of your choice and an Emma Kisstina Pretty in Pink print!

What I'm Loving: July

2011-07-27T19:30:00.004-04:00

It's about that time again! Time for what I've been loving during the month of July. Woohoo!

click on the picture for product information

1. Revlon lipstick in Primrose- Being the beauty junkie that I am, I find it surprising that I don't like lipstick. Yeah, I said it, I don't like lipstick. It just feels so thick and heavy, and most of the time highlights the driest parts of your lips (which I happen to have a lot of). Plus my lips have a nice color to them on their own, so I never really found the need. I've been trying to get into lipstick though, and my favorite so far is Revlon's Primrose. It's a nice pink color with a bit of mauve in it. It's so great for everyday wear!

2. Philosophy Fresh Peaches with Cream Shampoo, Shower Gel, & Bubble Bath- As mentioned in my Summer 2011 Wishlist, I did end up getting this little gem. My boyfriend bought it for me when we went to Ulta (hehe) and I absolutely love it. It is the PERFECT summer shower gel. I use it every time I shower, and it's a huge bottle so it will last a long time. I haven't used it as a shampoo or a bubble bath yet though, so I'm not so sure how well it works for those purposes. If you like the smell of peaches, this may be your new best friend.

3. Mario Badescu Facial Spray- I'm not writing out that long ass name, haha. But it's the only facial spray as of right now that Mario Badescu has. I LOVE this stuff. My skin tends to get dehydrated, and I've run out of my SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 gel sample, and I refuse to pay $70 for the full size. This has done a great job at keeping my skin hydrated, and its only $7! I spray it on at night sometimes before and sometimes after moisturizing. I also spray it on my face after I apply my setting powder to get rid of that powdery look I'm often left with. If they ever discontinue this stuff, I'm buying like 100 bottles of it.

4. Honey Bunches of Oats cereal- I used to think I didn't like this cereal (before I even tried it) because I like my super sweet cereals. Yeah, I still eat Lucky Charms. But I stayed at my boyfriend's house for a couple of weeks while we were waiting for our new place to be ready, and his mom buys a lot of healthy foods and this was the only cereal they had at the time. I was surprised that I actually really liked it! It's also way healthier than those sugary things that really shouldn't be sold as breakfast, haha. I also tried the one with cinnamon bunches which was good, but I like the original better.

5. Garnier Fructis Anti Dark Circle Eye Roller and MAC Pro Longwear Concealer- I used to just use these by themselves, but I had some serious dark circles one morning and the Garnier Fructis eye roller alone just wasn't gonna cut it! So I added some MAC Pro Longwear concealer over it and those puppies were GONE. The only thing I don't like is that Pro Longwear concealer dispenses waaay more product than I need, so I end up wasting it. I haven't gotten around to MAC to ask for some sample containers to put it in yet.

6. Dunkin Donuts- 99 cents for any size sweet tea? Uhh yes! They also combined my 2 favorite doughnuts and made them into one- the Captain America doughnut! Vanilla frosted + jelly filled = YUMMY! I'm so sad it's only going to be there for a limited time though! If you haven't tried the Captain American doughnut yet, get your butt to DD right now!

7. Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette- Did I really need to spend $60 on this? No, but of course I just happened to be online when they released them on Ulta.com and I freaked out and bought it. The colors are gorgeous though, and are all new limited edition colors (even if some are similar to ones I already have). I'm kind of a palette addict, I prefer buying palettes over individual colors unless there is a specific individual color I want. The packaging is pretty but it kind of bothers me. The top gets fingerprints alllll over it, and the plastic surrounding the eyeshadows is purple and mirrored, which also kind of annoys me for some reason. It might just be me, but it makes it harder for me to see the true color of the shadow. Overall I do love the palette and I've used it pretty much everyday since I got it.

Well that's about it for this month! Don't forget to enter my Emma Kisstina MAC lipstick print giveaway! Do you love any of these? What are your favorites this month?

Emma Kisstina Pretty in Pink Print + MAC Lipstick Giveaway!

2011-07-25T11:09:00.010-04:00

Yep, time for another giveaway! Emma Kisstina has me absolutely obsessed with her prints. They are so girly, fun, and unique. If you like anything beauty or fashion related, check out her prints. She has some very cool Breakfast at Tiffany's inspired prints too! I recently bought a print of a pink MAC lipstick, called Pretty in Pink, and she was awesome enough to send a smaller version of the print for one of you to win + a MAC lipstick of your choice!

The print is about 13cm X 18cm, so I believe that would be 5in X 7in. It comes wrapped in plastic wrapper for protection. Read on below to find out how to win :) UPDATE: The winner will also receive a MAC lipstick (or lipglass) of their choice!

How to enter:

1. Be a public follower of Breakfast at Gracey's

2. Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite color lipstick or lipgloss is (it doesn't have to be MAC, I will contact the winner and ask what MAC lipstick/lipglass they want).

Additional entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway. +1

2. Do a blog post about the giveaway or put it in your blog sidebar. +3

3. Use the mini editor tool below to create a look on what you would wear a pretty pink shade of lipstick with. I tried to include many different options for you all to use, but there was a 100 item limit so sorry if it's a bit hard to create something. But don't worry, I'm not judging on what your outfit looks like, as long as you do it you get credit. +5

(in order for it to show up you have to hit publish)

Make sure to let me know which additional entries you did

Get your own Mini Editor from Polyvore

This giveaway will end on August 22nd! Good luck everyone!

Normal Gaga?

2011-07-25T02:48:00.006-04:00

I was meandering around Refinery29 just now and stumbled upon this article, showing Laday Gaga arriving in New York looking actually quite normal, which is a big shock coming from her.

image via refinery29

I'm a Gaga fan in general, so while I do think her crazy outfits are very out there, I give her props for them. I mean, it would be hard to pull off her outfits in everyday life, but it gives me inspiration to try new things (in terms of fashion and beauty) and think outside the box. But I also think it's a nice change up to see her in some normal clothing. She kept it pretty simple with all black with bright red lips and nails. I approve! But the question is: is this a one time thing or will she downplay her outfits more often?

My take on her normal outfit:

click on the picture for product information.

What do you think? Do you like Lady Gaga in her crazy outfits or something more normal like this? Do you think she will continue to "dress down"?

Another Haul + Giveaway Preview!

2011-07-23T23:36:00.005-04:00

Apologies for yet another haul post, but there are a few exciting things I got this week that I wanted to share. I'm also having another small giveaway and I want to go ahead and show you the the prize (No, it's not all of this haha. Sorry!)

1. Lady Gaga Critical Mass Fashion by Lizzy Goodman

I'm a bit obsessed with Lady Gaga. My boyfriend and I had to go up to North Carolina yesterday, and on the way back we stopped at a big mall in Myrtle Beach. We went in Spencer's and we found this book, which I probably wouldn't have bought if it wasn't on sale for 50% off, but I'm so glad I did. I haven't read much of it yet but from what I can tell it has some awesome pictures which will be great for some makeup inspiration and for making this year's Halloween Costume.

2. Pretty in Pink print by Emma Kisstina

Since I'm somewhat redoing my room, I've been on the hunt for some cool artwork to hang on my walls. I found Emma Kisstin'as Etsy shop and absolutely fell in LOVE. She has the BEST girly prints I've ever seen, it was so hard for me to choose one. Seriously, check out her shop if you like fashion or makeup prints. She even has some amazing Breakfast at Tiffany's prints! I'm going to buy some more makeup ones to hang over my vanity when I get paid again. She was nice enough to send a smaller version of the print I bought to give away to one of you! More info on that below.

3. Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette

So I told myself I wasn't going to buy this because I REALLY don't need it, but I follow Christine (Temptalia) on Twitter and she tweeted that it was available on Ulta, so I freaked and bought it. I haven't had a chance to play around with it yet, but they colors look great! The only problem I have with it is the packaging, I kind of hate it! Everybody else seems to love it but it just doesn't work for me. It gets finger print-y so easily and it's driving me crazy. Also the plastic holding/surrounding the colors is purple and mirrored. When I'm trying to look at the colors it makes it hard to see the true color, and the light reflects off of it and I just hate to look at the colors. But it's probably just me being picky.

4. Chanel N5 pocket mirror

Also by Emma Kisstina, I bought a cute little pocket mirror to keep in my purse/makeup bag. I got the Chanel N5 design, but she has some other really cute ones too (Manolos and Louboutins? Yes!)

5. A boring pair of shoes--that were on sale!

I have a pair of black suede flats that I wear to work everyday, but in the middle of my crazy room designing and moving, I've seemed to have lost one of them. The only other work friendly shoes I have are WAYY to small for my feet, and after putting through that torture for one day I was NOT going to do it again. So 15 minutes before work I ran down to Nine West and got these babies on sale for $17! Yes, it did hurt to wear brand new shoes at work, but not nearly as bad as the way too small ones.

Now, the giveaway preview! Official details coming soon!

Emma Kisstina included a smaller version of the print I purchased to give away to one of my readers! I got the medium print of a pink MAC lipstick, so one of you will receive a small print of the pink MAC lipstick. The print is 5.1in X 7.1in (I think? I used a cm to inches converter. 13cm X 18cm) so be on the lookout for details on that :)

Well that's all for now. If you have the UD 15th Anniversary Palette, please let me know if you're annoyed by the packaging too or if it's just me, haha. Also stay tuned for giveaway details!

Lovin' the Lace

2011-07-21T11:17:00.006-04:00

I've always been a big fan of lace, whether it's a big trend at the time or not. It's so delicate and pretty and adds a little bit more to a piece of clothing or an outfit. It's popped up on the fall 2011 runways and will be big for fall/winter this year!

images via style.com and glamour.com

Now, here are some cute lacey pieces you can add to your outfits this fall!

Click on the image for product information.

What do you think? Will you be rocking lace this fall? What fall/winter trend are you most excited about?

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin

2011-07-20T16:07:00.002-04:00

Before I went to get my facial, I just thought I had combination skin, where I was dry in some areas and oily in others. Well I found out that my skin was actually dehydrated, and I also learned that dehydrated skin and dry skin are two different skin issues! I'm not a dermatologist or anything, so all of this information is the result of what I've gathered from my facialist, research, and person experience. Warning: post may be long.

That chart pretty much sums it up for you lazies, so that you don't have to read multiple paragraphs trying to figure out what I'm saying. Basically, any skin type can become dehydrated, including oily skin. It's caused by external factors, where dry skin IS your skin type, and that's just the way it is.

Before I got this facial, I noticed that my skin gets somewhat oily throughout the day, like normal, but random dry patches were showing up on my face. I would get dry around my nose, mouth, eyebrows, and hair line. I think the cause of my dehydration was the cleanser I was using (Yes to Cucumbers Calming Facial Cleansing Gel), because I switched over from the Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser and did not have a problem with dryness at all.

Exfoliating is essential. You can moisturize all you want, but if you don't get rid of the dead skin cells, your moisturizing will only help the dryness on the surface.

If your skin gets dehydrated often, it might be good to invest in a good facial hydrator, which is something you either mix in or put on before your apply your moisturizer. The hydrator will help replenish nutrients in the skin and pull your moisturizer deeper into your skin so you get maximum moisture. The only one I've tried is the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, and it worked amazingly for me but I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives.

Drink a lot of water. Probably didn't need to be said.

Stop using any facial products that may be harsh on your skin. Look especially for products with hyaluronic acid in them, which will help the water bind with your skin. I started using CeraVe's Hydrating Cleanser with hyaluronic acid and it's definitely helped to keep my skin hydrated throughout the day. Look for other products such a moisturizers or skin boosters that contain hyaluronic acid.

I hope this helped clear up some confusion! Has your skin ever been dehydrated? What products do you use to keep you flake-free?

Sweets on a Stick

2011-07-19T21:27:00.006-04:00

I went to Starbucks recently and noticed that they are selling cake pops now. They're so cute, so tiny, so...expensive? .99 cents for one cake pop? Or something ridiculous like that. I did get one, and it was delicious, but here are some other bite sized recipes you can make at home!

Via Bakerella, red velvet cake pops! Mmm!

Bring the camping spirit inside with s'more pops!

Now you can eat Pop Tarts on a sick!

Hope you all enjoyed this post :) I'll hopefully try out the s'more pops soon, since they seem the easiest. What are some of your favorite bite sized recipes?

I Tried It! Mario Badescu Skincare

2011-07-18T23:46:00.003-04:00

Ever since I tried that Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater (looong name!), I've been very interested in the Mario Badescu skincare line since it seem fairly affordable and I've read some good reviews on that line. (My experience with the facial spray also confirmed that it was a good brand, but a separate post on that later).

I filled out the skin care analysis on the website, and got an email asking if it was ok that they sent free samples (yes, every one of you can do this too! Just fill out the questionairre and put a valid email address). A week or so later I got my samples, which included the Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Special Cucumber Lotion, Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream, Collagen Moisturizer (spf 15), a Flower and Tonic Mask, and a Kiwi Face Scrub.

I've tried all but the Flower and Tonic Mask and the Kiwi Face Scrub, and I am so impressed! I haven't been committed to a skincare regimen for a while now, mainly because I haven't found one that totally works for me. I have dehydrated (NOT dry skin), which can be hard to work with at times. I'd been using a sample of SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel that my facialist gave me (retails for $70!) to keep my skin under control.

During the time I've been using these samples, I haven't had to use the B5 gel at all! If I can find products that are cheaper than $70 that do the same job, you best believe I'm going to invest!

The only problem I ran into was when I first started using these samples, a few whiteheads popped up around my chin. They were gone within 2 days though, and didn't turn into horrible mountainous pimples :)

With the samples, a little booklet was included that listed ALL of their products, what their purpose is, what skin types they are good for, and prices. They also send you a card that lists products they recommend for you, day and night skincare instructions for the products they sent, and how to apply each one.

I am definitely considering ordering some of these products when my samples run out. (Things like the Special Cucumber Lotion and the Ceramide Herbal Eye cream will last a LONG time, because you don't have to use a lot of them). Good products and good customer service, I'm pretty much sold. I would definitely recommend anybody to go fill out the skin care analysis online and see how you like their products.

What do you think? Do you use Mario Badescu? What is your favorite skincare line?

Inspired by: Sharks

2011-07-16T18:47:00.006-04:00

In the spirit of getting ready for shark week, and just loving sharks in general, I decided to do an inspired by sharks post! You all already know how much I love sharks and what not (post on it here). Also, congratulations to Tori who won the giveaway! Thanks to everyone who entered! I'm going to have another giveaway coming up soon so be on the lookout for that one. Anyway, hope you like the shark outfits :)

Yes, I am in fact buying that book bag for the upcoming school year. This outfit is a perfect "going to class" outfit, complete with the super cool shark book bag!

I love the gold shark ring! They also had a bracelet but I liked the ring better. Screw you small fingers, that's now TWO shark jewelry items I can't wear because of you!

Well I hope you enjoyed this post! Click on the pictures if you want more information on the items.

MAC Melon Pigment + Stila Smudge Pot Kitten Swatches and Review

2011-07-15T14:39:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned in my haul, I recently purchased MAC's pigment in Melon and Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten. Jessica suggested that I do a swatch of the pigment or do a look wearing it. Well, I did a whole look with it and let's just say I need to practice photographing my eye. It's a lot harder than it looks! So instead I did swatch them both and I'll let you know what I think of them!

MAC pigment in Melon

Melon is a very pretty golden peachy color and has a very pretty sheen to it. I'm kind of confused on this product, because other websites say it's party of MAC's permanent line, but yet it's not on the website or at my MAC counter. If anybody knows whether it is or not, please let me know so I can give a correct review :)

This is a gorgeous color that I like to wear over my Kitten Smudge Pot for a pretty wash of color that is perfect for summer. I haven't used it as a highlighter yet, but I've seen looks with people who do and it looks very pretty! I think it would look better on darker skintones, though. If you have the Hello Kitty Lucky Tome Palette, I think it would be really pretty to do a look with combining Melon with Creme Royal and Paradisco (Paradisco is part of the Permanent line). Maybe if I can teach myself how to take good pictures of my eyes, I'll do a look using these colors!

Overall, I am very happy I purchased this pigment and I would definitely repurchase it (though it comes with so much product and you don't have to use a lot at all, I don't really see myself running out anytime soon!).

Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten

I've mentioned my obsession with cream eyeshadows and I'll mention it again! I bought this at Ulta, when I was really looking for Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadow in either R.S.V.P or Birthday Suit, but they were both sold out :( so, I wandered over to Stila, because I wanted to get the regular Kitten eyeshadow, but decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and get the Stila Smudge pot!

It is intended to be an eyeliner, but can be used as an eyeshadow as well. For the purpose of being a liner, I wouldn't use this particular color on my upper lash line, just because I like darker colors to make my lashes stand out more. I do like to use this on my lower lash line if I'm using it as an all over sweep of color, I just kind of bring it down under my eyes to make them pop. Like I said earlier, I use this a base for my Melon pigment, as well as an inner corner highlight. The only problem i ran into was that it can be a bit clumpy, but it was nothing so major that it would dissuade me from repurchasing.

Overall, this is a great product if you don't mind a little bit of minor clumping (it doesn't clump or anything when you apply your eyeshadow or throughout the day, just upon initial application until you blend it out better). I would definitely repurchase!

Again, I had issues with my camera getting a good picture of this one. Check out Temptalia's blogpost on it if you want a better idea of what the color looks like :)

What do you think? Have you used Melon or Kitten? What are your favorite MAC pigments?

What the haul?

2011-07-13T10:55:00.003-04:00

I got paid this past week, and I was good(ish), I put a portion in the bank and kept out a smaller portion for me to spend. I still have a little left over so I can pay my credit card bill, and buy some pictures for my room (more on that later!). So, this is my haul for the week!

1. Essie nail polish in Borrowed & Blue

I was at Bed Bath & Beyond looking for things to store my makeup in, but of course I got sucked into the beauty section. I saw this polish picked it up immediately. Blue polishes are my favorite to wear, and this isn't like the blues I already have. Borrowed & Blue is like a really nice light sky blue color. I haven't worn it yet since I've been working all week (boo for no nail polish at work!) but I'll post a picture when I try it out!

2. MAC's Melon Pigment

This is actually my first MAC pigment! I was at CCO looking for a blush/other face products but I ended up spending a lot of time looking at the pigments. I thought Melon was a very pretty color, especially for summer. I wore it yesterday and I LOVE it! I appied it using 2 products I got in this haul, the Stila Kitten Smudge Pot and the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater. Whew, long name! But more on that when I mention those products.

3. Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

This facial spray is very multi purpose. First of all, it smells very pleasantly of roses. I don't normally like flowery smells, but I do like this one. First, I sprayed this on my makeup brush before applying MAC's Melon pigment to my eyes, it works kind of like Fix+ from MAC I assume, though I've never tried Fix+. After I apply my powder to my face after foundation, I spray my face once with this to get rid of that powdery look it sometimes leaves me with. I didn't notice my makeup staying on any less than it would if I just used powder, and it gives you a more dewy look (not oily though!). It's also good just to "freshen up" your makeup throughout the day or just if you are hot and need a good mist! And it's only $7!

4. Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten

My obsession for cream eyeshadows continues. I was originally going to get Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow in either R.S.V.P or Birthday Suit, but my Ulta was out of stock of both! So, I ventured over to Stila and picked up Kitten. It's a really pretty champagne gold color. I used this as a base before I applied the Melon pigment to make it stick and last longer.

5. INM Clear Bond Base Coat

I've been out of both my base coat and my top coat for a while now, and since I don't paint my nails very often I never thought to pick one up. I bought this with the Essie nail polish, because when I do paint my nails (especially darker colors) it stains my nails pretty badly and it's a pain to get off! I haven't tried this yet either, but I might post a review when I do!

I know everybody is probably tired of hearing this, but the giveaway ends in 2 DAYS! (on Friday). So enter if you haven't already!

What did you buy this week? Have you tried any of these items? Let me know your opinions!

Shark Week

2011-07-11T11:13:00.009-04:00

Yes, I am already getting amped for Shark Week this year! I am completely fascinated by sharks, and Shark Week definitely feeds my obsession every year. I would LOVE to go cage diving with sharks, which is what I'm hoping my parents will get me for graduation (probably not, but I can dream!). I saw the Shark Week preview and the Lady Gaga song they chose was perfect!

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Does that not look fun?! I think I can honestly say I would rather to cage diving with sharks than swim with dolphins. If I don't get this for graduation, it's definitely #1 on my bucket list.

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I don't think I could handle this, but it looks cool! They really are fascinating creatures. But, I'd rather be in the cage than out in the open. Too scary!

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I am so mad that rings don't fit my fingers! This ring is $160 and was on sale on...either Ideeli or Hautelook, I don't remember which one, for I think $70! If it would've fit my finger, I DEFINITELY would've bought it!

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I saw this and just had to put it up :) so cute!

What do you think? Do you/are you going to watch Shark Week this year? Would you go cage diving or regular shark diving?

Color Inspiration: Pink & Green

2011-07-10T23:09:00.005-04:00

Time for another color inspiration :) I'm feeling pretty bright and happy today, so I thought pink and green would be appropriate. Enjoy!

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Hope this made your day a little brighter! The travel giveaway ends in 5 days, so enter while you still can!

sayanythingbr00ke's giveaway for charity!

2011-07-08T20:48:00.004-04:00

I've mentioned before about watching beauty videos on Youtube, some of the girls on there have amazing talent and great advice. I saw this video from sayanythingbr00ke about having a huge giveaway for a charity. I got so excited when I saw that the charity was for a local animal shelter! Well local for her, not me.

But anyway, I wanted to share this video and cause because she had a good point, I could use that money I was going to spend on something I really don't need and give it to someone/something that actually does need it. And I like that she recognizes she has a bit of "power" and is using it to actually do something good! There are also some GREAT prizes you could win. You are not required to donate to win, but it would be really really great if any of you did. Here is the video:

Click here if you want to donate! :)

Arm Candy

2011-07-08T01:31:00.006-04:00

As I was unpacking today, I noticed that I had a lot of handbags, but not a lot that I would actually take out on a daily basis. They are ones I got years ago that I've sort of outgrown, I guess you could say. Either that, or they've broken or are falling apart. So starting this fall, I'm going to invest in some higher quality, cute handbags.

Be&D Kitty Studded Satchel, which sells for a whopping $1350. I think this might have to be a Christmas present, or two...

Oh, and image via Purse Blog, which is slowly becoming my new best friend to feed my purse hunger.

Chiara, I envy you in every way possible. Her entire wardrobe is worth more than, oh I don't know, my LIFE. I would kill for her Balenciaga bag (or in her case BAGS), especially in this color. Or any Balenciaga bag really. I've picked out 4 that I want so far, but I'm pretty sure that would cost more than my car. But these little babies have been at the top of my list for a while now and I'm determined to get my hands on one!

via Longchamp

Yep, the good ole Longchamp Le Pliage. This has also graced the top of my list for a while now, and this is much more attainable and affordable ($145 for the one above). I'd probably be boring and get it in black and use it as an everyday bag.

via Nordstrom

Ok, the color got me on this one. It's so bright, pretty, and girly! At $350 for this lovely, it's more expensive than the Longchamp but way less scary than the Balenciaga and Be&D. Yet another thing to add to my Christmas/birthday list. Though, a Balenciaga would be nice...

Do you have a favorite purse? Any purse you are lusting after at the moment?

***I'm extending my travel giveaway for another week! It will end on Friday July 15th so don't forget to enter!

Mark. Ibiza Sol Collection Review

2011-07-07T13:28:00.007-04:00

Hellooo! We finally got our cable and internet hooked up :) Sorry for the lack of posts, but I'm happy with the giveaway so far and I'm glad everyone likes it! It ends TOMORROW so don't forget to enter if you haven't already!

Mark. Cosmetics had a Facebook contest and I was lucky enough to be one of the winners! They sent over some products from their Ibiza Sol line as a prize, so I'm going to review them! I've been meaning to try Mark. for a while now but never got around to buying any, so this was a great way for me to test run them!

The nail polishes

I was pleasantly surprised with these nail polishes, I honestly wasn't expecting them to be very good. They come in very small bottles (.09 fl oz.) which would make them good for traveling. They come in Tango, which is a hot orangey-red, and Mojito which is a minty blue-ish green.

They are very opaque and have no shimmer. I applied one coat of Tango and got the result above, which was really awesome. I had to apply 2 coats of Mojito though because it was just a tad streakier, but nothing too terrible. They are $7 each, which for that price or a few dollars more you could get an OPI or Essie or something, which comes with more product. I paid $8 for a set of 2 mini Essie nail polishes, both of which were bigger than these. But like I said, good quality and good for travel.

Marbleized Lip Glosses

I have nothing bad to say about these really. The packaging is cute and sleek, and they give a nice sheer wash of color and shine. However, the first time I tried these out I had my Nivea a Kiss of Moisture on my lips already, and putting these on top of that burned my lips like crazy! I decided to give them one more shot this morning, when I was not wearing anything on my lips already, and they felt fine. These are $9 a piece and come in 3 shades, but I only got 2 to swatch.

Marbleized Eye Shadow Sticks

These were just alright. They look really pretty when I swatched them on my hand, but on my lid I had to press down pretty hard and really work to get a good color payoff, which is not what I want in an eyeshadow stick. I read some reviews online before I even got these, and people were complaining about how to sharpen them because they are packaged in plastic. You CAN sharpen them, you just need a pencil sharpener that will fit the pencil. I already tested mine out and it sharpened just fine. For $10 each, these are not worth the price.

(I promise my hand doesn't normally look like a dead person hand, it was just weird lighting I guess)

Hope this helped for any of you who were wondering about this collection! I was just excited to get it because I want to go to Ibiza so badly. Have you tried Mark. cosmetics? What do you think of them?

P.S. Don't forget, giveaway ends tomorrow!

Travel Giveaway!

2011-07-01T01:03:00.004-04:00

Yay it's finally here! We will be moving in to our official new home on Sunday, so I figured I would go ahead and get this post up since I may be without internet for a few days. Here it is! :D

I got the bag at Target, it's a pretty good size and everything fits nicely in it.

The products!

Keep in mind that everything I included is under 3fl oz. so that they are "travel friendly" I actually had a hard time finding some higher end travel products (except for like the SUPER high end ones, which would've costed me like $75 a kit haha). Anyway I've taken some of the products out of their box so they could fit, but none of the products have been opened or used.

1. Clean & Clear Morning Burst Scrub (1 fl oz)

2. Sample of Bumble and bumble Bb. texture

3. Neutrogena Moistureshine Lip Soother (.35 oz) and mini Healthy Volume Mascara (.16 oz)

4.Yes to Cucumbers facial towelettes (10 towelettes)

5. Hawaiin Tropic sheer touch lotion sunscreen spf 30 (2 fl oz)

6. Benefit Posie Tint sample (.08 fl oz)

7. Mini Tweezerman tweezers

8. Victoria's Secret So Sexy Style smooth & glossy shine serum (1.7 fl oz)

9. Benefit Bad Gal Lash (.14 oz)

10. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Organics Sheer Lip Tint (.5 oz)

11. Kerastase Resistance Bain Volumactive (Shampoo, 1 fl oz).

12. Benefit the Pore fessional Sample (.25 fl oz)

13. Nivea a Kiss of Milk & Honey (.17 oz)

14. Ultra Swim Chlorine Removal Shampoo (2 fl oz)

15. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Buffer

The rules:

1. Be a (public) follower of Breakfast at Gracey's

2. Leave a comment saying where you are travelling to this summer, or where you would like to travel this summer. (Make sure you leave an email address so I can get in touch with you!).

Extra Entries:

1. Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway (make sure you @reply Graceyloo252, or make sure I see it somehow) +2

2. Put it in the sidebar of your blog and link back to the giveaway +3

3. Do a blog post on this giveaway (make sure you link me to either of these) +3

If you do any extra entries, please make sure you tell me in the comments so I know. This giveaway will end in 1 week, on July 8th. Thanks for reading/entering and good luck! :)

UPDATE: I'm extending it another week so it will officially end on Friday July 15th!

Boyfriend Series: Our Top 5 Spots

2011-06-30T12:03:00.002-04:00

Continuing with my boyfriend series, I thought I would share some of our favorite places to hangout, mainly places to eat. We live in Charleston so you may not have the exact places where you live (but if you do you should definitely go check them out!), but you may have something similar.

1. 32 Degrees

We LOVE getting frozen yogurt. 32 Degrees is our favorite at the moment, even though there are several other frozen yogurt places around. I think Yogurt Mountain might be good too but we haven't been there yet. He always makes fun of me for putting waaay too many toppings on my yogurt.

His friend Alex's yogurt is on top, mine is on the bottom left, and his is bottom right. This is a bad example because this is probably the ONE time he went overboard on toppings.

2. IHOP

Yes you are probably thinking this is gross, but we love the IHOP. Well, I love it and he tolerates it for me I guess. I'm not really sure his real opinion on it. I always either get the Cinn-a-stack pancakes, or original pancakes with blueberry syrup and a side of hashbrowns. Yummy! And unhealthy, but still yummy!

3. The beach

This is probably cliche. The beach is always a good option. You can tan, you can swim, you can walk, it's just a fun place to go!

4. Taco Boy

Right near the beach is a restaurant called Taco Boy. I'm not positive but I think their only locations are in Charleston. If you are ever in Charleston, you need to go to Taco Boy! There's a location downtown and on Folly Beach. I always get the nachos that are tooo big for me to finish by myself. Oh and if you get tacos, get 2 because they are kind of small.

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5. The movies

Typical boyfriend/girlfriend place to go. He LOVES movies so we frequent the movie theater a lot. We saw Transformers last night, it was so good! Another cliche location for us :P

I think those are our top 5 most visited places. I probably missed some. Let me know if you've ever eaten at a Taco Boy, or if you have anything similar. Where are your favorite spots?

Blog Awards!

2011-06-28T22:58:00.003-04:00

So I've been kind of slack with "accepting" and passing on blog awards, so I figured I would lump them into 1 long post before I do another "boyfriend series" post. So first up...

Thank you so much to Gemma Louise from Fashion is Beauty Beauty is Fashion for awarding me the "Top 10" blog award. If you haven't seen her blog, go check it out! It's awesome!

The rules are:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you

2. Pick 10 bloggers to give this to

3. List your 10 favorite products

I'll pick the other bloggers at the end because I think I'll pass both this award and the other award on to the same people (because it's late and I'm lazy)

1. John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream

2. MAC Prep + Prime Skin

3. Benefit's creaseless cream shadows

4. Garnier Fructis Anti Humidity Hairpsray

5. Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towlettes

6. Maybelline Falsies

7. e.l.f. HD powder

8. Lip balm (Yes to Carrots, C.O. Bigelow, Nivea)

9. Urban Decay 24/7 liners

10. Urban Decay Primer Potion

And also thank you so so much to Lauren from Antiqued Gold and Sara from 21SaraLoves for the Best Blog Award! You both have amazing blogs!

The rules for this one are:

1. Link back to the person who awarded this to you

2. Share 7 random things about yourself

3. Award to other bloggers

4. Answer the questions below

Whoo this will be a long post. Sorry everyone! 7 random facts:

1. My favorite colors are aqua blue and pink

2. I hate feet

3. I'm constantly hungry

4. I love cinnamon and peaches (not together)

5. I love going to concerts

6. Ulta is my weakness on payday

7. My favorite candy is Sour Punch Straws. Chocolate is a whole different story

The questions:

Favorite color: Pink and aqua blue

Favorite song: ahh can't pick! I love Hair by Lady Gaga right now though

Favorite dessert: anything dark chocolate

What is pissing you off: Nothing at the moment. But annoying customers were earlier

When you're upset, you: take it out on my boyfriend. Sorry! and eat

Favorite pet: I love them all!

Black or white: Black!

Biggest fear: Feet.

Best feature: Eyes I suppose

Everyday attitude: Chill

What is perfection: Being generally happy with my life. And frazzle bagels are perfection too :P

Guilty Pleasure: IHOP!

I pass these on to:

Abby from Robots in Trouble

Erika from Cafe Fashionista

Holly from Busyxbees

Berniice from Things happen just livelaughlove & learn

Arianne from Arianne Cruz

Ashley from Ashley Brooke

Savannah from Glamorous Girl 2014

Minnja

Raji from What Raj Wants

M & Em

What I'm Loving: June (early)

2011-06-27T01:08:00.004-04:00

I'm going to be moving into our official new house at the end of the week, which also happens to be the end of the month so I figured I should do what I'm loving for June a little early.

1. Ice Breakers Ice Cubes in cool Lemon- I have been SERIOUSLY addicted to this gum this month. I'm like a chain smoker when it comes to this stuff, when a piece looses its flavor, I'll spit it out and put in another piece. I can go through probably 2 packs of this in a day if I wanted to. It tastes like fresh squeezed lemonade, and it even has that cooling effect which is PERFECT for hot days!

2. Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadow in Flatter Me- I picked this up at Ulta so I could get that little gift set with 3 of their mini products that I could include in my giveaway. I've been wearing this pretty much every day. I use to just wear MAC's painterly, which is great for concealing and going for the "no makeup look", but this is for the days when I want a little color on my lids. So easy to apply! Also works great as a base.

3. Winnie the Pooh Quotes- I've always been a Winnie the Pooh lover. A.A. Milne definitely has a way with words! You can read some of the Pooh quotes here. They are just so sweet and so inspiring :)

4. The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ- My lips get very dry and flakey if I don't take care of them properly. I think there are good DIY versions of this that are just as good, but I'm kind of lazy and fail at most DIY things, so I like the convenience of this :) Plus I got the Cinnamon Sugar flavor because I LOVE cinnamon. I exfoliate my lips with this at night and my lips are so soft and flake free in the morning!

5. C.O. Bigelow Lemon and Black Cherry Lip Balm- I got this at the Bath and Body Works sale for like $2! So cheap! This is one of my favorite daily lip balms, for giving my lips a little moisture throughout the day. The best part is it smells SO GOOD! It moisturizers just as well as the Nivea a Kiss of Moisture, but has an added amazing smell and sweet taste.

6. My Ray Bans- Sunglasses are a must have for summer and my favorites are still my Ray Ban Wayfarers! Very classy and simple, and awesome quality. I always keep them in my car because the sun likes to blind me, and I'm often too short for my visor to do anything for me :P

7. Garnier Fructis Anti Humidity Hairspray- I mentioned this in my how to fight summer humidity post. My hair is straight on most days and I spray it with this hairspray to lock in my sleek style and keep the humidity out. I have the flexible control one, so it doesn't weigh my hair down at all or make it stiff, and smells incredible. I don't usually use this for curling my hair though, I need something much stronger.

8. Victoria's Secret So Sexy Straight & Silky Styling Mist- Long name, but works wonders for my hair! I spray this in my hair before I blow dry it (if I blow dry it, I try to avoid that as much as I can). It's my favorite heat protectant and my mom's favorite too! It keeps our hair smooth and straight as well as protects it from our heat products!

9. Breakfastatgraceys.com!- Yep, I finally paid the $10 and got my custom domain switched from breakfastatgraceys.blogspot.com to breakfastatgraceys.com. Yay!

What are your favorite things this month?

Inspired by: Sushi

2011-06-23T15:03:00.004-04:00

Sushi? What an odd thing to be inspired by. I think it's fun to find inspiration in out of the ordinary things. Like my iced passion tea lemonade outfits, and Sarah from Shades of Sarah who gets inspiration from buildings such as Grand Central Station. And sushi is one of my favorite foods, so I decided to do some outfits inspired by it!

By the way, aren't these the cutest?! Plush sushi! My boyfriend got me the shrimp one and it is so cute! I named him Martin :)

This was such a fun post to do because I adore sushi. What do you think about sushi? What random things inspire you?

Travel

2011-06-22T22:42:00.002-04:00

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Where are you travelling to this summer?

Get pumped for my travel giveaway! No I haven't forgotten, I need to buy a few things still!

Summer Resolutions

2011-06-19T16:52:00.005-04:00

Summer is a great time to set goals for yourself, because you have more time on your hands (if you are still in school, that is), and no real excuses for not doing things or slacking off on anything. Here are my goals for this summer :)

1. Drink coconut water

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I do drink water everyday and keep myself hydrated on a normal basis, but there are a lot of health benefits that come with drinking coconut water (hello, hangover cure!). I know I get tired of drinking plain water sometimes, and coconut water comes in a few different fruity flavors that is a good switch up. Perfect for the beach!

2. Read more books

I love to read if it's something that is my choice to read. Reading for school is such a chore for me. Even though I enjoy reading, sometimes I get caught up in everyday life and I don't give myself time to read. I'm going to try to relax myself more this summer by reading!

3. Yoga

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Another relaxation thing for me, I've always wanted to do yoga. Not like one of those videos I can do at home (tried it, never did it), but actually get a friend to go to yoga class with me.

4. Don't wait until the last minute to do my summer reading

I do this EVERY summer. I can't really enjoy the last few weeks of my summer because I'm scrambling to get summer reading done. Even though I say this every summer, this time I'm actually going to try to get it done on time.

5. Save my money and not blow my paychecks on beauty products

I buy so much makeup it's kind of ridiculous (and a pain to pack up and move). From now on, my goal is to put a portion of my paycheck in the bank to save for an iPad, and keep a portion out to pay for food, gas, some clothes, and anything else that's NOT makeup.

That's about it for now :) Do you have any goals for this summer?

How to: Get Smooth Lips for Summer

2011-06-18T11:33:00.009-04:00

I have problems with dry lips, and I definitely have to work to get them to stay smooth. I think I've finally found a lip routine that keeps them moisturized and flake-free!

1. Exfoliate- Get all the dead skin cells and flakes off of your lips! My favorite lip scrub is Sara Happ's The Lip Scrub, but at $24 it is a bit expensive, so you can find a list of DIY lip scrubs here. I like to do this step at night because it can make your lips a bit red.

2. Super Moisture- I mean a very intense lip treatment here. As much as I hate the smell of Clinique's Superbalm lip treatment, it works wonders. I also use this in the winter when my lips get super chapped. I've heard good things about the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1, but I've never used it.

3. Daily Moisture- For moisturizing throughout the day whenever your lips are feeling dry. C.O. Bigelow's Lemon and Black Cherry Lip Balm and Nivea a Kiss of Moisture are my favorite daily lip balms.

4. Spf- One of the most important steps, especially during the summer! Even if you don't realize it, your lips burn very easily, and the sun can dry them out making them very dry or chapped. Find a lip gloss or balm that has spf in it, like Nivea a Kiss of Protection, Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss with spf 15, or MAC's tinted lip conditioner.

This may be common sense for a lot of people, but I know my mom had never thought to exfoliate her lips so I thought I'd share :) Let me know what your favorite products for keeping your lips smooth this summer are!

Boyfriend Series: How We Met & First Date

2011-06-15T22:24:00.005-04:00

I know I've mentioned my boyfriend briefly in a couple of posts before, but I think it would be cool to share with you all more about us and whatnot :) This will be a series, starting with this post about how we met and our first date.

^not on our first date, but I thought a picture of us together was necessary.

We met through mutual friends actually, and when I first met him I didn't really think we would eventually date. My friend Amanda dated Joe, who is friends with both Jonathan (my boyfriend) and I. Joe was always over at Jonathan's house and Amanda and I would drive over there to pick him up all the time but would usually stay in the parking lot. One day we did go up to his house to hang out. I ended up falling asleep on his bed, so it's not like we did much talking or anything.

One day over the summer I was bored and saw he was online on Facebook, so I decided to chat with him and see how he was doing and if he remembered me (he did). We ended up talking for a while and I started to see how cool he was, since I didn't really get to know him at his house. He's really into paintball and I mentioned that I like paintball too, even though I kind of suck at it. We decided to play together one day, and I didn't know at the time but this ended up being our first "date".

When he picked my up from my house, he brought me a huuuge jar of pickles with a bow on top, because every time he asked what I was doing I was usually eating, and usually eating a pickle. It was so cute! :) We went and played paintball, which was painful and fun, and then went to a movie after. At this point I knew I definitely liked him.

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About a week later, he said there would be a surprise for me after school. So, after school, I went home and waited for it. He sent me flowers with a poem asking me out :) I was so happy, and obviously I said yes. We are still happily together, going on 10 months in a few days! Yay! He's treated me amazingly from the beginning and still does, and I don't think I could ask for anything more :) and I know he's probably reading this. Love you baby :)

On a side note, the travel themed bag was the winner for the giveaway prize. I've already started buying some things, so be on the lookout for that within the next few weeks!

100 Followers!

2011-06-11T15:56:00.003-04:00

Yay we made it to 100 followers! Thank you to all of you who comment, follow, read, etc., I love hearing from all of you! Now that I have 100 followers, you know what that means...giveaway time!!

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I still haven't settled on a prize yet so I figured since one of you will be receiving it, I'd let everyone vote since I do have a few ideas. I'm just very indecisive. Anyway I'll list my ideas below and please comment and tell me which one (or ones) you would be most interested in.

1. Fill out a "beauty profile" and I'll pick out some products that I think would work well for your skin, hair, etc. I'll try to keep them kind of small or not full sized so that if you don't like some of them, you aren't stuck with a huge bottle of it.

2. A feather earring (or pair of feather earrings) from Edge of Urge.

3. A travel themed bag of goodies. Maybe like a makeup bag filled with airplane safe beauty products (drugstore and high end mixed) and some other travel necessities.

4. Other. If you don't like any of these post another idea in the comments!

Thanks again to all of you! Please make sure you vote, I want to give you all something you want and would use!

The Verdict

2011-06-08T00:39:00.003-04:00

I've had time to try out my 2 new products this week, and I think it's time to share my thoughts on them!

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I ran out of my MAC Prep + Prime Skin (favorite face primer ever!) and decided to try out the Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer since I had store credit at Bluemercury. I did notice a difference in the way my makeup looked and the staying power throughout the day. I didn't get as oily as I did when I used no primer, and my makeup did stay on longer. However, I still think the MAC Prep + Prime Skin made my makeup stay on a bit longer and kept me even less oily throughout the day. I applied powder twice during the day with MAC Prep + Prime (once in the morning, and another time in the middle of the day), and I applied powder 2 or 3 times during the day with the Laura Mercier one (Morning, and 2 or 3 random times throughout the day). I do like that it's a squeeze tube though, so I can get the most out of my product and control how much I get out.

Packaging Winner: Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer

All Around Winner: MAC Prep + Prime Skin

Now onto the foundations. Before I was using the MAC Pro Longwear, and when I ran out of that I decided to give the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation a try. This is going to be a very hard decision for me because I love both so much but all for different reasons! Pro Longwear has amazing staying power, as in alllll day. I don't do a lot of sweating or running around, so I can't speak for you active people. It has medium coverage which is good to cover my redness and acne scars, and it has a natural looking finish to it. The bad thing is, I HAVE to set it with a powder otherwise it will feel kind of sticky. The blending is so-so, it dries pretty quickly. Now onto the Vitalumiere Aqua. It does not stay on ALL day but it does make it through most of it. It's light to medium coverage so this would be good for girls who don't need a lot of coverage. It feels amazing on the skin and blends so effortlessly. I've always heard people say it's like putting on a second layer of skin, and I have to agree! Since there were a lot of things to consider, I'll have to do multiple winners on this one.

Staying Power Winner: MAC Pro Longwear

Low Maintenance Winner: Vitalumiere Aqua

Winter Winner (feels a bit heavier and more coverage): MAC Pro Longwear

Summer Winner (doesn't feel like you're wearing anything but not a lot of coverage): Vitalumiere Aqua.

All Around Winner: ...Tie! I like them both a lot, it just depends on what I'm looking for that day!

And once again sorry for not posting! I haven't been around internet too much but I will when we get moved into our new house! Thanks for being patient, you guys are awesome :) And 2 more followers until 100! Yay!!!

New Favorite Store and Update!

2011-06-01T22:28:00.004-04:00

Hello! I just wanted to do a quick update post on what's been going on these past couple of days. I found a new favorite store! I've always wanted to try a lot of products from high end brands, but we don't have a Sephora here and the makeup counters in department stores are a bit slack. I was walking downtown one day and I saw a sign that listed a bunch of makeup brands, which is what drew me into the store in the first place. I was so excited when I walked in, because now I can try these higher end brands without having to buy online and pay shipping and whatnot. Oh the store is called Bluemercury if you were wondering.

I bought 2 things from Bluemercury (high end brands don't agree with my tiny budget, but I'm hoping these will be worth it!).

First of all, I got the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. I ran out of my MAC Pro Longwear, and I've heard this is a really nice light foundation so I decided to try it out, plus I've never bought a Chanel beauty product before! When I ran out of my MAC Pro Longwear, I went to Walmart (this was before I discovered Bluemercury), and got the Revlon Colorstay foundation. I actually really did like this foundation because it stayed on for most of the day like my MAC one did. What I didn't like about it was that it makes my foundation brush smell odd...like hospital or doctor's office. Does anyone else have this issue or am I just weird?

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Anyway, the second thing I bought was the Laura Mercier oil free primer. Since I ran out of my MAC Prep + Prime Skin, which was mentioned in my May favorites, my skin has not been agreeing with me. My foundation doesn't stay on as long and my face got very oily throughout the day. Actually, the reason I got this one instead of the MAC one was because I originally bought the NARS multiple in Orgasm (yes, finally), but returned it and they only offered store credit. I wasn't too impressed by the Multiple in Orgasm. I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't that amazing product I was looking for. Plus I don't wear blush that often, and I wear primer everyday so I felt this made more sense. Hopefully it will do me proud!

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The move is finally done, we are staying at my mom's friend's house at the moment and either Friday or Saturday I'll be staying with my boyfriend for a while. That's pretty much it, nothing new here! Oh and sorry I didn't take the photos myself, I wanted to get this post up and my camera is dead and my batteries are packed away in some box :/

Let me know if you've tried either of those products and what you think of them!

What I'm Loving: May

2011-05-30T23:38:00.004-04:00

I finally got connected to the internet in this house! Yay! Hopefully I'll be able to do some posts while I'm here. Like I mentioned before, starting next week I'll be living in between my mom's friend's house and my boyfriend's for a month. So sorry again if posts are sparse!

I figured since it's almost the end of the month I needed to do a What I'm Loving post for May! Hope you enjoy. By the way, any thoughts on how I've been doing these kinds of posts lately? With the numbered pictures and then a description underneath? I figured it makes it easier for you lazy people who don't like to read a lot but do love visuals. Anyway, if you are one of those people who actually read the blog post let me know what you think :)

Click the picture for info on products

1. Essie Mint Candy Apple- To me, this color looks a little more blue in real life than in the picture. But that is perfect because I love kind of blue-ish green colors, especially during the summer. It's kind of a Tiffany Blue color, but not as spot on as China Glaze's For Audrey is. Anyway this is my favorite summer nail polish (even though I can only wear it for like, 2 or 3 days at a time because we can't wear nail polish at work! Sad face).

2. The House of Night books- Reading before going to bed is one of my favorite ways to de-stress. I'm currently reading the House of Night series, and I'm on book 2 (Betrayed). It's such an interesting series and great if you like vampire books (which I actually don't. I hated Twilight). I lost my first copy somewhere in the move and had to buy another, unfortunately.

3. Nivea a Kiss of Moisture- My favorite lip moisturizer/balm used to be the Yes to Carrots one (which I still use and love by the way!), but this one is just a notch higher on the list. It glides on super easily and isn't as heavy as the Yes to Carrots one. Plus it has SPF 4 in it. I put it on every night before I go to bed and every day before I do my makeup. Then I take my Yes to Carrots with me to moisturize throughout the day.

4. Extra Strength Tylenol- Moving has definitely been stressful, and I get awful headaches and migraines, especially when I'm stressed. I actually have one right now but I'm just too lazy to go downstairs to get my Tylenol. I don't always use extra strength but for migraines I definitely need it.

5. Mac Prep + Prime Skin- I didn't realize how much of a difference this primer made in my makeup until I ran out of it. I noticed that it helped my makeup apply a lot smoother and evenly. But once I ran out, I also noticed my makeup wasn't lasting as long and my face was way more oily at the end of the day than normal, even if I apply powder throughout the day.

6. Moleskine notebook- These journals are kind of expensive, so I wouldn't normally buy them but they were on sale at Target and came in cute bright colors, so I just had to :) I got a pack of 2 pink ones and they are the perfect size to write down blog ideas, to-do's, reminders, monthly favorites, etc. I take one with my in my bag and leave one at home beside my bed to refer to while blogging or to write down random thoughts.

7. Maybelline Falsies- This is my favorite drugstore mascara at the moment. I've tried the One by One and I love it for lengthening, but I need some definition in my lashes as well and this gives it. I also love the curved want. Mac Haute and Naughty is my other favorite mascara, but it's more budget friendly to buy the Falsies.

8. Mac paint pot in Painterly- This has been so necessary in my summer makeup routine. Sometimes I don't even worry about eyeshadow and just wear this with some eyeliner and mascara. It matches my skintone and it evens out and covers any discoloration around my eyes and on my eyelids, which I have a lot of (bye bye veiny eyelids!) It helps with the whole "no-makeup look" I like during the summer.

9. John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream- This was mentioned in my How to Fight Summer Humidity post, and has been a favorite of mine for years now. It makes my hair just look more "done", and tames the frizz and helps keep it not frizzy throughout the day. It also smells pretty good. Love love love this stuff!

That's pretty much if for this month. Let me know if you are loving any of these too, or what your favorites for this month are! And let me know your thoughts and the whole "picture with description under" thing I've been trying out. And yay 90 followers! Closer to the 100 follower giveaway! :)

Apology in Advance

2011-05-29T09:01:00.002-04:00

We are moving today! Nowhere really new or special, just another house. But our new place won't be ready until July so I will be living in between my mom's friend's house and my boyfriend's house for a month, so it will be kind of hard to do blog posts all the time until I get settled. So in advance, I'm sorry for the lack of blog posts!

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Also, we are super close to the 100 follower giveaway! That will still be happening I promise but I might have to wait until I'm settled to do the actual giveaway. I hope you all understand! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

How to: Fight the Summer Humidity!

2011-05-27T12:48:00.003-04:00

Living in Charleston, I've definitely learned how to fight the humidity when it comes to my hair. If you've ever visited Charleston, especially in the summer, you know that the weather is two things: hot and humid! These are my tips for keeping my hair un-frizzy in the summer!

click the picture for product information

1. Moisturizing Shampoo: Frizziness if often caused by dry hair that is "reaching out" for the moisture in the air, at least that's how my mom always explained it to me. Pick a good moisturizing shampoo that will replenish moisture in your hair! I use Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo (it's a HUGE bottle so it lasts such a long time)

2. Conditioner: Conditioner will also add moisture to your hair and keep it smooth. I used to use the Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight conditioner, but since they changed it to the Touchably Smooth conditioner I've been using that. (Tip: the Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner by Herbal Essences is great for moisturizing your hair, I just need to use this conditioner up before I get that one).

3. Leave in Conditioner: Another great step for leaving your hair silky, shiny, and smooth. The Garnier line has great anti-humidity and anti-frizz prodcuts. I really love their leave in conditioner because it smells AMAZING and it leaves my hair very smooth.

4. After you've styled your hair (I recommend using as little heat as possible and if you do use heat, use a heat protectant spray!), use a finishing cream that will set your style and get rid of fly-aways. I've been using the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon cream for years and it is still my favorite! This is probably my favorite product for non frizzy hair. I definitely notice a difference in my hair on the days when I do use this vs. the days I don't.

5. Hairspray- I straighten my hair on most days so I always use a flexible hold hairspray to keep the humidity out while still letting my hair flow freely. My absolute favorite is the Garnier Fructis Anti-Humidity Hairpray, because it is formulated to fight humidity, it's flexible hold (they also have stronger holds if you prefer those), and it also smells so good!

That's about it! Pretty easy. And my main tip would be when in doubt, use the John Frieda finishing cream! It's so amazing. Leave your own tips for fighting frizzy hair in the summer below!

P.S. my followers seem to have disappeared, anybody else having this issue?

Updating blogroll and tag!

2011-05-26T12:50:00.004-04:00

Helloooo! I'm going to be updating my blogroll this weekend because it's kind of outdated. So if you would like me to look at your blog to possibly put on my blogroll, just leave any comment below. Also I would greatly appreciate if anyone would add Breakfast at Gracey's to their blogroll :) sharin' the love!

Also, Berniice from Things happen just LiveLaughLove & Learn tagged me in a tag post, so it's tag time!

The Questions:

1. What is your name and the name of your blog?

2. What is your blog url?

3. Write: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog

4. Favorite Quote

5. Favorite Song

6. Favorite bands/singers

7. Say anything you want!

8. Pass it along to a few other bloggers

The Answers:

1. My name is Gracey and my blog name is Breakfast at Gracey's

2. http://breakfastatgraceys.blogspot.com/

3. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog

4. "Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." -Christopher Robin. Gotta love Winnie the Pooh! :)

5. Favorite songs...ah they change so much. Pretty much all Lady Gaga songs and right now I'm loving Lights and Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding.

6. Favorite bands and singers also change a lot! Ummm obviously Lady Gaga and Ellie Goulding, Bassnectar, Chiddy Bang, Pretty Lights, the Glee Cast, Mimosa, LIGHTS, Sam Adams...and I'm just gonna stop because this could go on forever :P

7. You're beautiful! :)

8. I tag anyone who wants to do this tag!

And because I'm OCD about having at least 1 picture in every post:

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I love Reese Witherspoon! Anyone seen Water for Elephants?

Wedding daydream

2011-05-25T16:56:00.005-04:00

I don't know why I started thinking about weddings during work today. It was really random. But you know how people, little girls in particular, dream about their perfect wedding dress and everything? Well, I've always dreamed about my perfect ring. The Tiffany round brilliant ribbon ring!

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I've been obsessed with this for so long, like ever since I saw it. You know how when you're wedding dress shopping, (well I wouldn't know because I've never been wedding dress shopping. But I watch Say Yes to the Dress!), and there's that one dress that you see and you love, and nothing else seems to compare to it? I feel like that with this ring! No idea why though!

Ever since I saw Allison from La Dolce Vita's post on the Tiffany themed wedding, I've been dreaming about something similar, only not so big. The blue is such a nice color for wedding things in the first place. You can see all pictures via Martha Stewart.

via Marth Stewart

So I think I'm going to start a wedding themed series. Not exactly sure what I'm going to include, since none of my friends really get married since we are still in high school. But I'll figure it out :)

What do you think? Do you dream about your wedding? If you're married, did you get you're dream wedding? Do you know what dress, ring, cake, venue, etc. you want? Let me know :)

Summer 2011 Wishlist

2011-05-24T17:15:00.009-04:00

(click on the picture for information on the items)

1. Tommy Hilfiger Tote- I love nautical colors and themes for summer, and this tote would be perfect for going to the beach or any type of summer event. Here's what I don't understand though--it sells for $78, and it was on sale for $20 at TjMaxx and I DIDN'T buy it. What is wrong with me?!

2. Floppy sun hats- I've never been much of a hat person, but my scalp always seems to get sunburned no matter what I do. I try to put sun screen up there, put my hair in a pony tail, but I still get burned. These floppy summer hats are great for accessorizing AND protecting the old scalp from being burned. They have sort of a Holly Golightly feel to them, in my opinion. Just tie a white ribbon around it and you're in business :P Although Miss Golightly's was not quite so floppy, but still.

3. Peaches!- A few weeks ago I was obsessing over cinnamon, this week I'm onto peaches. I would absolutely die if I could soak in Philosophy's "fresh peaches with cream" bubble bath/shampoo/shower gel. And it's a good thing that my work always has something to satisfy my cravings. When I was on my cinnamon kick, they had the cinnamon crumb cake ice cream. Now that its peaches, I can munch out on the Georgia peach ice cream! Heck yesss!

4. NARS The Multiple in Orgasm- It's been on my wishlist for so long, I don't know why I keep forgetting to buy it! Such a wearable color. Need I say more?

5. Chunky summer wedges- I'm thinking that I can possibly pull off a maxi dress IF I get some super cute wedges to give me some height and just add a bit extra to it. I love these wedges because they have the pretty turquoise detail on them!

6. Big statement necklaces- I have one statement necklace, and it definitely makes a statement. The only problem is that it isn't too wearable for everyday, it's very flashy and diamond-looking. I want one that I can throw on with a t-shirt or a cute simple dress to add some WOW to it. I'm definitely loving coral jewelry lately so this one from Simply Soles is perfect!

7. Breezy dresses in summery prints- This dress is perfect for a few reasons: 1. It's a one shoulder dress. Totally loving those right now! 2. It's in one of my favorite shades of blue. 3. It has a super cute summer print. It looks kind of like palm fronds. I want it sooo badly!

What do you think? Are you lusting after any of these items? What's on your summer wishlist right now?

New Camera & Mini F21 Jewelry Haul

2011-05-24T09:31:00.007-04:00

I asked my boyfriend if I could borrow his camera for graduation pictures since mine is awful, and he said yes. I told him later that night after I'd played around with it that I loved it and I wasn't giving it back, jokingly of course. But he said I could keep it because he never uses it. So yay! Thank you boyfriend! <3

Anyway, I seem to get the best lighting in my bathroom during the day, but I'll be moving soon so I'll have to re-adjust to my new place.

Ok, now to the haul. I've spent the last, I don't know how many paychecks on beauty and makeup things. I noticed that I really needed to go shopping because my clothes and accessories were looking kind of drab. Here are a few of the accessories I got at Forever 21, the clothes haul will most likely be coming soon too.

The 3 amigos. Told you it wasn't much. Just 2 necklaces and a bracelet :)

I love this color for summer! I Don't really wear orange clothes but in accessories I love the color! They also had an aqua blue one that I wanted to get and I might go back and get. I rarely buy bracelets because my wrists are TINY and they never fit me, but this one seems to fit pretty well :)

UPDATE: I went back today to get the blue one, and it didn't look very aqua the second time around, just basic blue. But I still got it :)

^tiny wrist :P

I couldn't get a full shot of this necklace because it is super long. The website says 56" approximately. But it is so cute and I love wearing it with the orange bracelet.

And last but not least, this little baby. It is just so cute and pretty! Nothing too flashy but it would add a little something to an outfit, even if it's just a t-shirt.

Hope you enjoyed it! This was kind of a test run for my camera (Nikon Coolpix in case you were wondering). It's not the best camera in the world but it's definitely better than my old one.

And finally, I can say: All pictures taken by me. haha :)

Lucy Loves Feathers

2011-05-23T13:53:00.007-04:00

Don't want to permanently (well, semi-permanently I guess?) have feathers in your hair?

I love Lucy Hale's take on the "feathers in hair" look!

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She wore a big feather earring in one of the episodes of Pretty Little Liars. Only 1 though! I'm pretty sure this one is by Owlita. A bit more expensive than feather extensions, but you can take them in and out whenever you want!

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She is on the cover of the current Seventeen issue sporting the same look, except more colorful! The one she is wearing here is from Edge of Urge. I like these because they are a bit smaller, cheaper, and have some cool colorful options!

This is a great option if you like to change your look a lot and don't want to commit to having feathers in your hair for long periods of time, or if you don't want to wear them to work or something where they would not be appropriate. I'm definitely going to get some of these!

What do you think? Do you like the look of feather extensions? Would you get extensions or buy the earrings? Let me know your thoughts :)

Beginning of Summer Playlist

2011-05-23T12:47:00.002-04:00

My favorite songs for the beginning of summer :) I don't own any of the songs or the rights to any of them.

By the way, Lady Gaga's new album came out today. Have you listened to it? Thoughts? What are your favorite summer songs right now?

Teehee

2011-05-22T22:10:00.003-04:00

images from flyingkimchisoup.co.nr

Haha, funny stuff. Should be packing, but, I'm not. Oh yeah I'm moving by the way!

If You Could Spend a Holiday Anywhere in the World, Where Would You Go?

2011-05-21T16:16:00.005-04:00

I'd go to Ibiza, Spain.

It has basically everything I need for a vacation, beautiful beaches, awesome sunset views, and insane clubs and parties to go to.

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Ok the shopping could be a bit better, but just a boat ride away from the mainland of Spain and you'll be good to go. And it's a bit Jersey Shore-esque, I know, but I think it would be so fun to go for a summer.

Where would you go?

Free as a Bird: Feather Inspiration

2011-05-18T17:34:00.009-04:00

I don't know why, but lately I've been loving feathers. I got feather hair extensions about 2 months ago and I loved them, but they fell out so I have to get them put back in at my next hair appointment. So, here's some feathery inspiration :)

Of course I wouldn't wear this all at once, that would be a bit of feather overkill! But individually, I would DIE to have these pieces!

I think part of my love for feathers comes from my jealousy of birds. They are so free, they have no boundaries. I decided a few months ago that when I turn 18 (5 more months), that I want to get a tattoo. I couldn't decide of what or where, but I've decided on a feather on my neck behind my ear :) Something similar to this, even though I hate that it's on a foot. Bleh.

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Lastly, I found this really cute top at Forever21 yesterday that I am obsessed with. It's a little big on me, but I love wearing it as an off the shoulder slouchy tee kind of thing. And it will be perfect for summer to wear to the beach over my bathing suit with jean shorts!

Hope you all enjoyed this inspiration post! Do feathers and birds inspire you? What else in nature do you find inspiration from! Let me know what you think :)

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-05-18T13:37:00.003-04:00

So I've been meaning to do this post for a while now but I just keep forgetting. Fail on my part! But metroswimgal from Beauty, Brains, What Else? awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award, so thank you very much girl! Your blog is awesome!

The rules are:

1. Thank the person who gave it to you and link back to them

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Award it to recently discovered bloggers

4. Contact the bloggers and tell them about the award

Ok, well my 7 facts are:

1. I HATE feet. I don't know why, I just do.

2. I could eat sushi forever and ever

3. My favorite colors are pink and aqua blue, or more like a Tiffany blue color.

4. I spend most of my paycheck every two weeks on clothes and beauty things, which doesn't help my credit card debt

5. I like to read, but it has to be a choice read. I hate reading for school, unless I can pick the book.

6. Dr. Pepper is my favorite soda

7. I love blogging :)

Oh gosh, the hard part. Hmm...crap. Ok well, I award it to:

Ramz

Cafe Fashionista

The Fashion Spot

...but I'm mentally giving it to all of you because I LOVE reading everyone's blogs.

More posts coming this weekend, because I'm done with school TOMORROW...after 2 finals :/ bleh.

How to be work-ready after the beach!

2011-05-17T12:35:00.006-04:00

I have been absolutely dying to go to the beach, so my boyfriend, his friend, and I decided to get up early one day and go. I had to be at work at 2, meaning I had to be downtown at at least 1:30 to make sure I could find parking. We got to the beach around 9:30 or 10 and stayed until about 12. I was worried that I would look like a mess for work, since I didn't have time to go home and shower. But, doing these things really helped me look more polished and work-ready. My boss came up to me and said "Wow you look pretty! Did you come from Church?" ummm nope. My best friend who I also work with said "Wait you came straight from the beach? You don't look like you did!"

So, I guess these little things I did really worked! Here are my tips :)

1. Find some way to rinse off

For me, this was using the hose at my boyfriend's friend's house (his name is James). Just to make sure I get all of the sand off me, and especially out of my hair. I had my hair in 2 braids at the beach so it wasn't that messy.

2. Face Wipes

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My favorite are the Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes. After the beach, my face is usually pretty...un-pretty. Especially after applying sunscreen multiple times to make sure I don't burn (my face ALWAYS burns. I use spf 100+ on it). Throw some face wipes in you're bag and use these to get a clean, glowy face. Not to mention, all that sunscreen, sand, and saltwater can be harsh on your skin and clog your pores. It's best to get all that gunk out ASAP!

3. A Tinted Moisturizer

I use MAC's Studio Moisture Tint, it evens out my skin tone pretty nicely and gives me a little bit of color, because my face just does not want to tan. So it looks pretty odd when my face is white and the rest of my body is tan. This is easy because you can apply it with your fingers and it isn't too heavy. Sometimes I set it with a powder since my face tends to get a little greasier when I work, because of the humidity. But this step is optional.

4. Eyeliner

Nothing too heavy, just a thin line of brown or black eyeliner. I used the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Sparkle Liner pencil in Cosmic Cocoa. I love the Beauty Rush line because there is always the 4 for $20 deal going on.

5. Mascara

If nothing else, at least apply a coat of mascara to your lovely lashes. Mascara makes a HUGE difference in your makeup look, it makes your eyes look bigger, brighter, and more awake. You've probably already heard that a million times though. I have so many mascaras, so I don't use the same one every day. They are all drugstore (except for MAC Haute and Naughty mascara. I love it!), and I think on this day I used Maybelline's One by One mascara, it's a great lengthening mascara. The only thing I don't like about it is that it has a strange smell. I don't know if I just got a bad one, because I haven't heard anybody else say anything about it.

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Optional steps:

1. Before I applied my tinted moisturizer, I applied a light daily moisturizer under it so that my skin wouldn't dry out from the salt water and sun.

2. I used MAC's Paint Pot in Painterly to even out my eyelids and make them look less veiny

3. Hair is kind of a tricky thing to do. At work, we have to wear hats and have our hair up so I just took mine out of the braids and put it in a pony tail. There are other cute updo's that you could do that look more polished than a ponytail, like a bun or something. Here is a good tutorial from Missglamorazzi and one from Macbarbie07.

4. I don't think this needs mentioning, but a change of clothes is also necessary. So I guess this shouldn't really be under "optional steps"...oh well :P

Well that's pretty much it! Hope this helps :) Leave your own beach beauty tips below and let me know what you think!

Oh, P.S. I've been OBSESSED with TjMaxx lately! Usually when I go there it's hard to find anything I like, but lately I've found sooo much stuff! I don't know if I'm just looking harder now, or TjMaxx is stepping up there game or what. But I'm not complaining!

Oh and P.S.S we're getting closer to the 100 follower giveaway! I have some great prizes in mind :)

Update

2011-05-14T21:41:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! I know I've been slacking again but school has been crazy, it's almost exam time and teachers are cramming as many projects/tests/papers they can. But once summer starts I promise I'll have more time to blog!

I don't know why, but lately I've been OBSESSED with cinnamon! I've always liked it, but for some reason I've just been absolutely craving it. Hot Tamales, cinnamon rolls, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, the cinnamon crumb cake ice cream at work...oh my gosh I'm addicted.

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Those are actually SOAPS! They look too good to be soap!

And we are 30 followers from my 100 follower giveaway! I'm soo excited to do my first giveaway :)

Hope you all have had a great week and weekend!

Embracing Your Imperfections

2011-05-07T09:48:00.004-04:00

Every day at school, I constantly hear girls criticizing other girls for things that they don't like about them. They don't like someone's hair, makeup, shoes, weight, smile, etc. I'm working on embracing my own imperfections, and other people's too.

I'm really insecure about 2 big things--my weight and my teeth. I'm not overweight AT ALL. I'm pretty much the exact opposite. I can eat and eat and no matter what I still haven't hit 100 lbs. People always mistake me for a 12 year old, and I used to think clothes looked weird on me because I couldn't fill them out like everyone else. Now I realize that I need to enjoy it while I can, because my mom was the same way, she didn't start gaining weight until after she had my sister and I. I'm not going to be able to eat like I do forever, so I'm going to start enjoying it instead of hating it.

Second, my teeth. I've always had bad teeth, and I went through the whole braces thing. They were supposed to take my braces off for about a month or two, see how much my teeth moved and then put them back on. They didn't give me a retainer, so my front teeth stick out really far and are really spaced out. My dad has been in a bad financial situation so I haven't been able to get braces back on. I'm still not 100% comfortable with my teeth yet, but my boyfriend has really helped me a lot with it. He thinks they're "cute", even though he kind of has to say that since he's my boyfriend. But I think they make me unique, and I'm kind of coming to terms with them.

I love it when celebrities don't try to fix every little imperfection they have. Take Abbey Lee Kershaw for example. I did a blog post on her in June last year, and she inspires me because her teeth aren't perfect, but she rocks them and looks great!

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So, what are some of your imperfections that you've started to love? How'd you do it? Share!

What I'm Loving: April

2011-05-01T10:55:00.004-04:00

It's the end of April, which means time to share my faaavorites!

1. Books

This month I've started reading the House of Night series. I just finished the first book, and I must say, it's got me hooked! I think I'm going to go pick up the second book today or tomorrow. My other favorite book right now has bee Shoo, Jimmy Choo! as I mentioned in a blog post. Sooo useful!

2. Garnier anti-dark circle eye roller

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There's been a lot of hype going on around this product, so I'm sure you've heard good and bad reviews on it. I really loved this thing. When I use it in the morning, it feels so nice under my eyes, and it has a tint to it so it covers my dark circles wonderfully. They also make the anti-puff eye roller or something but I have more problems with eye circles than puffiness.

3. Berry Vanilla scent from Bath and Body Works

I was drawn to this originally because I loved the color of the bottle, but when I smelled it, ohh my gosh. It is my favorite scent for summer right now. If you like sweet and fruity scents, try this one out!

4. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder

(via walmart)

I needed a new bronzer, and this one was only like $3 so I decided to pick it up. At first I was disappointed because when I swatched it, it barely showed up on my skin and I thought it was a dud. But when I used a brush, it bronzed my face beautifully. It's a matte bronzer and doesn't make me orange, so I don't look like an orange disco ball. Definitely check this out if you want a cheap, effective bronzer.

5. Zestii.com

If you shop online for, well, anything, you need to check this site out. When you want to buy something online, search for the website on Zestii, and if they have it, click the website link through the website and you will get a certain percent of how much you spend back on your Zestii account. You can redeem it for cash or choose from their list of gift cards. And I think right now if you sign up you automatically get $5.00 added to your account!

6. Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes

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This is one of those products where when I run out, I don't really know what to do with myself until I get more. I had to wait until I got paid to buy some more, and I noticed that even though I was washing my face at night with my regular cleanser instead of these, my face just didn't look as good. It wasn't until this week that I realized how much these towelettes make the redness in my face go down. I think I'm going to switch cleansers to the Yes to Cucumbers cleanser to see if it will make my redness go down even more. Bottom line, these things are AMAZING and great if you have sensitive skin and/or redness.

7. Chocolate covered Peeps

Peeps are cute and delicious, chocolate is delicious, so chocolate covered Peeps=amazing! Too bad Easter is over :/

Well that's about it for this month. Be sure to link me to your favorites post or let me know your favorites :)

Daydreaming about Lollapalooza

2011-04-30T10:31:00.004-04:00

So I saw the lineup for Lollapalooza last night, and I think I may have died a little. It is ridiculous. I neeeed to find some way to go.

If you don't know what Lollapalooza is, it is basically "a sensory overload of 130 of the most notable and buzzworthy bands from across the globe".

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The problem for me is money, and finding someone to travel to Chicago with me haha. But I'm trying to convince my friend Elliott to go, so if he agrees then the only issue will be money. Early birthday present?? Hope so!

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If I can't go to that, I'll probably go to Moogfest in North Carolina, because it begins on my 18th birthday! That wold be really fun.

Are you going to Lollapalooza? If so I'm as jelly as a jelly doughnut. Any other music festivals you are excited about?

Being Productive...ish

2011-04-28T14:14:00.005-04:00

Right now I'm TRYING to: study for my history final, finish reading my english book and do a project on it, algebra homework, chemistry lab write-ups, makeup algebra work, and study for a Spanish quiz.

What studying (should) look like:

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What I WISH studying would look like:

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I COULD do one of those "how to pass finals", "how to not be stressed during finals", etc. posts, but who am I kidding, you don't want study advice from me. Ok I have one piece of advice and I don't even follow it: DON'T PROCRASTINATE!

Well, that's all :) Thought I would come update everyone and distract myself some more. Do yo all procrastinate too? How do you get through these last few weeks of school?

Book Recommendation: Shoo, Jimmy Choo! by Catey Hill

2011-04-26T23:42:00.006-04:00

Last semester in algebra we had to pick a book relating to probability, finance, economics, or anything math-y really. I was pressed for time, went to Barnes and Noble, and picked up some random probability book. I didn't even bother to read the whole thing, it made NO sense to me. However, I let my friend read it and he loved it and understood it all, and now uses probability to win arguments (ugh).

Anyway, this semester I decided I wanted a book I could actually benefit from and use in life. Again I went to Barnes and Noble, looked around in the economics and finance section, ...boring...boring...boring...pink!! Yeah the pink cover caught my attention

image from Catey Hill's blog (see below for link)

This book is so freaking useful! I do have credit card debt, and this had amazing tips to help me get out of it and how not to get into unnecessary debt anymore. I also learned that I am an impulsive spender and an absentminded spender, sometimes emotional spender. (I did learn a LOT more than that, but I'd rather not re-write her book on my blog)

This book has charts to fill out, and help on just about any financial situation (cars, taxes, retirement, debt, budgeting, and so on). The best part? Its easy to understand. I was never one to understand financial things when people explained it to me, but this girl can do it. (She also loves designer clothes like some of you I know out there).

If you are in debt, or even if you aren't in debt and you want to learn more financial tips that you can actually use, I definitely recommend this book!

She also has a blog that has a few tips.

I've fallen in love again...MAC Painterly

2011-04-26T16:58:00.008-04:00

So I was playing around with my camera and taking pictures and whatnot, and I'm still experimenting so excuse the poor quality and blurriness. Hopefully I'll have a new camera soon :/

Anyway, recently I've just been feeling the no-makeup look for summer, especially at work where you can't really see my eyes because of my hat. I've also been feeling pretty lazy-waking up 10 minutes before I have to leave my house for school. I use mascara always, but I feel like I need SOMETHING on my lids just so I don't look too terribly slack.

Well, I've fallen in love again with MAC Painterly Paint Pot! I've had it for a while and didn't use it much, but now I use it literally everyday!

For those who don't know, MAC paint pots are creamy eye shadows that are often used as bases for powder eyeshadow. They have one for about every skin tone, but Painterly just happens to match me perfectly (it's a nude beige color). It just makes my eyelids look even and flawless, which is good for you who have veiny eyelids like I do :P

I tried to swatch it, but it was too close to my skin tone for my crappy camera to pick up. Sorry!

What do you think? Do you use MAC paint pots? Other cream eyeshadow? Lemme know :)

Friendship

2011-04-25T08:35:00.006-04:00

I've learned a lot from my stepdad dying yesterday (Easter). But one thing that really stood out to me is the importance of having great friends, and appreciating them. Sometimes it takes a bad situation for people to realize how great their friends are, and how much they really care about you.

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My mom's friends have been great to her. They've visited her at the hospital, invited her over for dinner, offered to do her laundry, and basically anything else she needed. They have been supportive of her and told her she was strong enough to get through this. She even said that if it wasn't for my sister, me, and her friends, she doesn't know how she would've made it through this. And, as Aristotle says:

"Misfortune shows those who are not really friends"

Which is sooo right. I've been there too, noticing who my true friends are when something bad happens. I'm sure we all have though :/

Me and two of my best friends. They have been there with me through absolutely everything (and put up with me while I had an eye infection, driving me around and whatnot. Love you guys!).

So, I think we should all make it a goal today, since it's the beginning of the week, to be a friend to somebody this week. It might make a huge impact on their life. And to all those true friends out there, we love you!

Easter Inspiration

2011-04-23T12:07:00.004-04:00

Hello loves! I have to go to work in about an hour, but I thought I would do a quick Easter inspiration post!

Photos:

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Love this blog! Check out Jim's Pancakes if you haven't already seen it!

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Links and other:

Peep Sushi?! Definitely gonna make some this weekend. Thanks Lauren Conrad!

If you have children or a little sibling, take them to see Hop!

Martha Stewart of course provides us with a list of Everything Easter! Seriously, over 50 ideas!

Well, my boyfriend is coming over tonight to dye eggs with my Mom and I, which should be fun! I'm going to my boyfriend's aunt's house for lunch, then going to my aunt's house for dinner. And of course before all of that my mom is going to hide the eggs for me to find (I'm such a little kid).

*Update* - My stepdad died today :( They took him off the ventilator yesterday and he was breathing on his own but his kidneys and liver shut down. They also found out he had cancer on his liver. So, not the happy Easter I was expecting, but it will give me a chance to hang out with my mom and have a good cry with her. RIP Gary

What are your plans for Easter? Do you look for eggs too? Have a happy Easter everyone and let me know how it was!

100 Follower Giveaway!

2011-04-23T10:42:00.003-04:00

Yes, I am going to be doing my first ever giveaway! I'm not totally sure what I'll be giving away yet, but I have some ideas :)

The giveaway will happen once I reach 100 followers, to celebrate!

Some of my ideas for the prize are:

A Tervis Tumbler (you know, those really cool cups!)

A makeup bag with some of my favorite drugstore essentials

A gift card to....somewhere. Not sure yet haha.

Other?

Let me know your thoughts and if you'd be interested in entering! Remember, this won't start until we reach 100 followers!

Prom post :)

2011-04-21T13:27:00.006-04:00

Well last weekend was my junior prom. It was probably one of the most stressful things I've had to plan out. We had massive date mix ups and nobody planned ahead very well. My best friend Haleigh ended up going with my other best friend John. And I ended up taking Haleigh's boyfriend Ty. Sounds weird right? Well it worked out because we had a blast!

John, Haleigh, Me, and Ty

Haleigh and I

The only bad thing was that my hair looked really good when I left the salon and my house, but when we were taking our pictures, it was so windy that it was pretty much straight in the front and super curly in the back :( Oh well, it was a lot of fun though!

Haleigh and I. Best friends :)

We ate at Wasabi, a really nice Japanese/sushi restaurant. We were switching seats and I had to get up, and my heel got caught in my dress which made me fall. Ty tried to help me up, and I got halfway there and fell again. He didn't realize I fell again so he sat down. I could NOT get my heel untangled from my dress so I had to CRAWL to the other side of the table, in my dress, in a really nice restaurant. There was a table full of guys right next to us, and they alllll stopped eating and stared at me. It was soooo embarrassing!

Our shoes. Haleigh on the left and me on the right

Ty and I (Haleigh's boyfriend, haha)

Help!

2011-04-17T20:18:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! I need some help from all of you. I think something in my CSS is messed up, because when I try to change my font size or color it goes all wacko. But besides that, I really want a new blog layout and coding and everything. If you can help me, or can recommend me to someone who can, it would be greatly appreciated. I will pay whoever does it for me!

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The Way They See It

2011-04-14T23:18:00.003-04:00

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Slacking again I know. My mom has been going through alot, her boyfriend (who is basically my step dad) has been in the hospital in critical condition, and things aren't looking good.

Inspirational quotes always help though ^^^^^

Hmm my prom is tomorrow! I'll try to post some pictures. How's life going for everyone?

Collective Haul and Review

2011-04-10T11:26:00.015-04:00

Hey guys! Sorry for the slackness lately. But this is going to be my first ever haul post! I tried to color code it, but for some reason I'm having text issues with blogger. It won't let me change the color and it messes up when I try to change the size. Anyway, it's a pretty big haul, I got my first paycheck from my new job and kinda went crazy, plus my boyfriend got me a Bath and Body Works gift card :P Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

1. True Blue Spa Refreshing Citrus Body Scrub

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I haven't had a chance to try this one yet, but it feels like it would do a great job exfoliating! It is a sugar scrub with coconut, avocado, almond, and jojoba oil. Just from doing a sniff test it kind of reminds me of a Sprite, you know, like the soda. But it does seem like a nice body scrub.

2. True Blue Spa Nourishing Body Lotion- Tahiti, Sweetie.

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I am in LOVE with this lotion. I had been using this lotion before I bought it this time, but I'm almost out so I decided to re-purchase it before I did run out. This has been my favorite go-to lotion especially during the summer. It has such a nice summery scent, very fruity and coconut-y, even though I don't like coconut I LOVE this scent. It's great to put on after you get out of the shower, because you are supposed to put it on damp skin. Definitely recommend this product!

3. True Blue Spa Silky Smooth Shave Cream

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If you are someone who goes through shaving cream like, every month, this is probably not the best option because it will get pricey. I don't go through shaving cream that quickly, so for me this is great. I used to use the Skintimite line, which I also really liked and was very affordable. I really like the way this makes my legs feel, after I'm done they are VERY smooth and hydrated, and also makes my shave very smooth, no cuts or anything. So basically, if you go through shaving cream often, this is a good special occasion shave cream. If you don't go through it very often, you should definitely check this out!

>4. Fiji Passionfruit Body Scrub

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Another body scrub. I thought having some good body scrubs around would be good for the warmer months to get rid of dead skin cells if I happen to peel from too much sun. I really like this scrub because it's very creamy and not too harsh on the skin, but it does a great job exfoliating. It also has a very delicious tropical scent that isn't too overpowering. I try to exfoliate about 1 or 2 times a week.

5. Berry Vanilla Triple Moisture Body Cream, Body Wash, and Fragrance Mist

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I've always liked the B&BW triple moisture body creams. I was actually drawn to this because I really liked the color of the bottle. When I gave it the good ole sniff test, I realllllly loved the scent too! Its very light and summery, and not too overpowering. If I fall in love with a scent, I usually get 2 or 3 items of that scent so that I can match my lotion to my spray, and so on. The triple moisture body cream is really good for night time because it is so thick.

7. Secret Wonderland Triple Moisture Body Cream, Body Wash, and Fragrance Mist

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Same explanation as above. I absolutely fell in love with this scent when I smelled it, and again was attracted to it because I really liked the cool design on the bottle. It kind of reminds me of the movie Avatar, hehe. I really like using this scent if I'm going out at night, but I also use it during the day as well. Very versatile!

8. Essie's Mint Candy Apple Nail Polish

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I really wanted to include a picture of this polish on my nails like I did for "For Audrey", but unfortunately we can't have nail polish on our nails for work and I had to take it off before I got the chance to :( So to make up for it I will link Leesha's (xsparkage) blog post on it with photos included, here. :) I absolutely LOVE this color. I think it looks a little more blue than the picture on the Essie website. But I am so sad that we can't wear nail polish at work because it is such a great spring color!

9. Vita-C+ Exfoliating Apricot Citrus Scrub

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I found this scrub at Sally Beauty for like $7. I needed a new face scrub so I decided to try this one out because it was cheap and sounded pretty good. It's not good, not bad though. I don't get that "OMG my skin feels amazing this is my new favorite product" feeling after, but it does get rid of dead skin cells and does what it's supposed to do. Wouldn't repurchase, but I don't hate it either.

10. Hemp Argan Oil Body Lotion

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Before I talk about this product, let me just say that I know all of the harmful effects of tanning, read all the articles, etc., yet I can't stop. It's literally addicting. That being said, I try to use the best products possible to try to eliminate some of the potential future damage (i.e., wrinkles) that will come. This lotion "defies aging and leaves skin beautifully soft and bright". Well, not the best moisturizer ever, not the worst either because it left me a bit sticky. I didn't really notice a "refreshed tone" (as it claims on the back), but I can't really speak for the defying age factor because I haven't used it long enough and I don't have any really visible signs of aging on my body yet. The thing I can't get past is the smell. If you've ever used a hemp product, you know what I'm talking about. Not all hemp products smell like this, but a lot do, this being one of them. I have used other hemp products that I've loved, this just hasn't done it for me.

Well that's it for this week, sorry for the lack of variety since it was mostly Bath and Body Works stuff. What have you bought this week that you've loved/hated?

In your opinion...

2011-04-03T21:09:00.005-04:00

What is the best foundation/foundation you are using now?

I'm currently using MAC's Pro Longwear foundation, and I'm almost out. I like this foundation but I don't feel like its that perfect foundation, you know? I do love that it has SPF in it though, I try to use products that have SPF. I'm thinking about trying the Laura Mercier silk creme foundation, because I've heard great things about that. Anyway, lemme know :)

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Boutiques.com!

2011-03-28T19:52:00.004-04:00

As I've mentioned before, I really love watching beauty gurus on Youtube. I especially like Blair Fowler and Elle Fowler, who mentioned this in a video before. It's called Boutiques.com! It's a lot of fun, and an awesome way to distract yourself from things you actually need to be doing :P

To save you from reading a really long paragraph explaining what it is, I'll just link Elle's video explaining what is is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSbAe-TZA1Q

A screenshot of Blair Fowler's boutique

I've made a boutique of my own but I don't have much on it yet. If you make one, make sure you leave a link to your boutique so I can follow you, because I'm only following like 3 boutiques at the moment.

Just thought I'd share with you all, because it really is a cool website. Be expecting more posts coming this week, although I have work every day this week so they may be a bit short/late. I got my shoes for my prom dress so I'll be sure to show pictures in a post :) Have a great week!

What I'm Loving: March

2011-03-23T15:01:00.007-04:00

These are the things I have been completely infatuated with this month. Let me know yours!

1. Frozen Yogurt

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Specifically from 32 Degrees. We've gotten so many new frozen yogurt places around here its ridiculous. I've visited them all except for Yogurt Mountain, which is next. Anyway, before work if I'm craving something sweet I go to 32 Degrees and get a mix of chocolate and Tahitian vanilla yogurt, toped with strawberries, chocolate chips, and gummy bears. It is sooo good!

2. Nyquil

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And no, I have not turned into a druggie. I have been sick for quite a while, it started as a cold which was bearable, then turned into a bad fever, then all was left was an awful cough, sore throat, and stuffy nose. My cough and throat were the worst once the fever was done, but Nyquil was my best friend during those weeks. I got such a wonderful sleep, it was amazing, and it made my throat feel SO much better too. The only downside is the taste, bleh!

3. Urban Decay Naked Palette

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This palette is probably one of my favorite ones ever! The colors are so wearable, not over glittery or anything like that. Sooo many looks can be created with this, and it comes with that double sided liner. I love UD's palettes anyway, but sometimes their packaging is a little inconvenient size-wise. This however, is sleek and can so easily fit in my purse.

4. The thought of spring break

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This is pretty self explanatory, but spring break is calling my name. First weekend are awesome concerts, the beach during the week, relaxing, etc. Only 2 more days!

Well that's it for now. Be sure you all let me know what has gotten you through the month of March! Later gators!

Love, Gracey

What to buy....help?

2011-03-21T21:45:00.004-04:00

Hello hello! I'm trying to decide what to treat myself to for working so hard this semester. But I'm terrible with decisions, so I need you all to help me decide!

Idea #1: Nikon D3000 camera

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Ok, this is a recent addition to my list. I noticed Lauren from Pamplemousse always posts amazing pictures, and I asked what camera she uses and this is the one. I may do some more research before I settle on this particular one, but a nice camera in general.

Idea #2: Ipad 2 (3G or no 3G?)

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This is my other main choice. I could do so much with this thing it's not even funny, I'm sure you all know what you can do with an iPad. I also can't decide between 3G or no 3G. A lot of people say they've never had a use for 3G, so maybe I won't either? Share your thoughts, por favor :)

Those are my two main things to decide between, the other things are small like a pair of TOMS or something. So let me know your opinions, and share what you are currently saving for! Or deciding between on what to save for!

Color Inspiration: Yellow

2011-03-20T20:50:00.014-04:00

As a continuation of my Color Inspiration series, this should brighten your Monday! Well I'm posting it on Sunday, but I'm assuming most of you will see this on Monday. Enjoy!

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Yay yellow! Hope it brightened your day a bit :)

Hello again

2011-03-20T10:13:00.002-04:00

Wow! It has seriously been forever since I've posted....I'm so inconsistent :( Sorry about that guys, I need to learn how to juggle school, work, boyfriend, and blog. That'll be my goal for next year. But summer is coming up soon so I'm excited to have lots of free time to start posting again. Please comment and tell me how you all have been, I've missed reading all of the comments!

Just an update on my life and whatnot...

Spring break is coming up next weekend (yay!) And I have lots planned for the first weekend of it! I'm going to fashion week here in Charleston, hopefully at least. And then driving up to Columbia with my friend for a Pretty Lights concert, then going to a Mimosa concert the next day. Woohoo! If you've never heard of Pretty Lights, you definitely should check them out...you can download all of their music for free on their website! (P.S. They aren't paying me to say this or anything) and check out Mimosa on itunes too!

Prom is coming up soon too, I'm going to 3 proms this year. I reaaally want to get tan for prom so I'm gonna be checking out some self-tanners and gradual tanners so that I can avoid the fake-bake tanning bed...which is what all my friends are doing. I've considered it, but they really freak me out, and are super dangerous. So if you have any good self tanner suggestions let me know! I've been thinking about those Beach Sexy ones from Victoria's Secret because they are only like $12...if anybody has used them feel free to tell me what you thought of them!

Well I guess that's about it. I may have another post up later today after work, we shall seeee. Later gators!

Movie: The Social Network

2010-10-10T17:10:00.005-04:00

Alright, I admit when I went to see this movie I wasn't too excited about it. The only reason I went was because my long lost friend and I wanted to go see a movie, and this was the only movie that looked sorta good that was playing at a convenient time for us.

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Well, I was pleasantly surprised with the movie. I won't go into details so I don't spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet, but it was pretty interesting! Mark, the main character, reminds me of this guy in my class, like EXACTLY like him. He even talks like him. The humor was good too, it wasn't in your face like movies such as Step Brothers or The Hangover, but it's more...sarcastic I guess.

I wasn't a fan of the ending, just because it just kind of...ended, if that makes sense. I can't really explain it without giving it away. But, this movie is definitely worth seeing in my opinion!

Have you seen The Social Network? Did you like it? What other movies have you seen lately?

Color Inspiration: Orange

2010-10-06T22:09:00.002-04:00

Remember when I started my color inspiration series? Well, if you don't, you can find the first one here. This is just a continuation of this, and the color is orange, which is just in time for fall and Halloween and whatnot :) be inspired!

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Hope you enjoyed you're orange inspiration for the week :) what's new with you all? How are you liking fall so far?

Currently Loving: Tervis Tumblers

2010-10-02T13:20:00.004-04:00

Ok so these are not anything new really, but I just bout my first Tervis Tumbler and I am in love! They are basically like a plastic cup that you would keep in your cabinet at home, but you can buy tops for them so you can take them on the go too! They have a cup for just about everybody, whether your a girly girl or even one for your sports loving boyfriend (I sound so much like a commercial right now, I promise I'm not being paid for this haha). And they keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold. Plus they are plastic and washable so it's good for the environment!

I kind of have a feeling that these may be more of a southern thing, so those of you that don't live in the south, do you have these?

images via tervis.com

Oh, they also have reusable straws you can buy! I currently have a pink leopard print one with a pink top sitting next to me :)

If you want to browse the Tervis Tumbler website, here is the link- http://www.tervis.com/Tumblers

So, do you use Tervis Tumblers, or some other sort of cool cup? Have you even heard of them? I'm going to try to get one for a giveaway, but I can't promise anything yet, we'll have to see how the money situation is when I go shopping.

Coconut Water?

2010-09-28T21:27:00.002-04:00

I subscribe to several beauty gurus on Youtube, and I just watched this video today from missglamorazzi

I am definitely going to try this out. I don't like the taste of coconut, but if what she says is true about it not tasting like coconut, that would be amazing. Has anybody ever tried this, with this brand or another brand? I'm very curious.

BACK finally. For good this time, hopefully

2010-09-27T20:58:00.003-04:00

Oh my goodness it's been over a month since I've posted! I'm soooo slack!!! I am so so so so sorry for being gone this long, I had no idea junior year would be this busy and hectic :/ I'm slowly starting to get things in order and making some much needed "me time" which will include blogging again. Anyway, before I get back to regular posts, I'll use this post to do a quick update.

Junior year is going well so far, it's a lot harder than last year but my grades are pretty good. I have a new boyfriend and he is pretty amazing :) He is so sweet, and we have been going out for a month and...some odd weeks. I know I'm bad, I should know how long. He's good at that though, he remembers what time we started dating.

I've slowly become way more intrigued with beauty products than fashion...I think I have a new obsession. So don't be surprised if beauty posts become more popular, at least until I find a new obsession. I just bought a couple of things from MAC's Venomous Villains collection, I really wanted to buy more but money is kind of tight since I stopped working during the school year. I got the Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo in She Who Dares and the Nail Lacquer in Formidable!, which are both for Maleficent.

images via mac

Hmmm...I can't really think of any thing else exciting going on right now. My birthday is next month, which is pretty cool. I'll be 17 on October 28th. Woohoo!

Well I guess that's about it. I'm so excited to be back (hopefully for good this time) and back to reading all of your blogs. I felt so lost and out of touch while I was on my little break!