Perfectly Pink

What's red and pink and fabulous all over? The contents of my lipstick bag. 

Truth, I have a serious problem when it comes to lipstick. I have a weird hatred of bare lips, so as a result, whether it's a gloss, a stain, or simply chapstick, there is always, always, always something on them. 

Since it's Valentine's Day Eve, (yes, really) my favorites have centered around the bright pinks and the fire-engine reds, but I have to say my most favorite everyday choice is currently Dior Addict Lip Glow. 

It feels like chapstick (since, hi hello I'm all about comfort) so it isn't sticky but it's always the perfect shade of pink. This is because it literally changes colors based on your pH or body temperature or something like that. I don't bother myself with the science, all I know is, it works wonders no matter the occasion: gym, work, date night, or plain ole sitting at home.

Subscription Prescription

Like clockwork, the postman delivers a glossy, perfect-bound happy to my door, and just like that, everything (the cold weather, exhaustion when it's only Tuesday etc) is okay again. 

I have a deep appreciation for the written word and an ever fonder affection of magazines. I cannot help myself. Specifically, this obsession has found its muse in InStyle. It's by far my favorite magazine, and I think it will always be (sorry, Vogue, I know this is a mortal sin). Last night, I found the March issue, featuring cover girl Nicole Kidman, and couldn't help but smile. At a whopping 616 pages without front of back covers, I'd say print is definitely not dead (if you care to learn more about my feelings on this, look at the last page of the December 2013 Memphis magazine). Lucky for me.

I haven't nearly had time yet to read through the whole thing but just from skimming I've found a few favorites ranging from the visually beautiful to the practical and helpful.  

The perfect medicine for a blah day.

Little Things

Happiness is truly a choice, and even on this freezing, rainy, miserable day, there are some bright spots. A few of the things that have kept me smiling today are:

-Bright pink lipstick (specifically this shade which I'm wearing)
-This article from Levo League featuring Your Coffee Break
-That the sassy sisters of Georgetown Cupcake are the "Guest Bartenders" at BaubleBar
-That I get to wear my moss green hunter wellies (not to be confused with the fabulous pink ones Sophie and Katherine rock).
-That there's a tiger game tonight

I'm sensing my obsession with the color pink growing. So even though my editor just said "It's literally flash flooding outside," and there are icicles hanging off our steps, I'm smiling.

Botox in a Bottle

{the coveted bottle that travels between my bathroom and my mom's}

I think Emily Maynard said it best when she said she'd be "living under a bridge wrinkle free" when it came to spending money on skincare. You only get one crack at your skin... so I think it justifies spending a little extra moola on the good stuff, and this, my friends, is the good stuff. 

I was first introduced to Nerium AD when my sweet baboosh, EZ E, brought it on our Memorial Day beach trip. She said she'd found this ah.maze.ing. new cream we all had to try. Everyone was skeptical, but me being a junkie for anything beauty-related, I gave it a whirl. I remember saying it smelt like apples. Not bad, eh?

After the trip, I didn't think much of it until I started noticing my forehead wrinkles grow increasingly more visible. I'm one of those lucky gals that has overly expressive eyebrows anyway, and that, paired with arching them every day when I put on my mascara started to take its toll at the age of 23. yikes. 

Then, a funny thing happened. I started noticing Nerium AD pop up everywhere. Molly and Sally swear by it on A Piece of Toast, Catheirne Giudici of the Bachelor even has people wining cars selling it! I was 100% sick of looking like grandma wrinkles in my 20s and decided to give it a try. Baboosh was sweet enough to send me a bottle to try (fo free). I used it, and instantly fell in love. I've recently gotten compliments on my skin, and my mom said she noticed that my forehead wrinkles had nearly disappeared, even when I raise my eyebrows! 

This stuff is that good. I'm even sharing with my mama to see what kind of results she gets.

I agree with Molly when she says this stuff is truly "botox in a bottle," and I'd be willing to guess it's less expensive and more natural-looking than it, too. 

So, maybe I'll living under a bridge since I spend my paycheck on skincare and beauty products, but at least I'll be wrinkle free... and in good company (cough, Emily Maynard).

Happy Friday!

TGIF. I've been dragging this week and getting my days all out of order (Wednesday felt so much like Tuesday I nearly forget my scheduled appointments, and yesterday was a definite Friday...or so I thought). Thankfully, tomorrow really is the weekend, and this calls for some fun!

Happy things:

I went to bed last night singing this for some reason; so there's that.


This newly caught my eye since the ladies of PLL (while annoying because after 4 years you'd think they would've learned to not venture into a dark alley/wooded area/basement/ or warehouse alone) display excellent fashion sense while hunting for clues. Now you, too, can find their wardrobe pieces. 

Speaking of fun wardrobe pieces, how fun are these bright blazers (here, here, and here are my favs from GMG's blog post today)?! I'm always looking for ways to make my work wardrobe reflect my youth/fun side while still being appropriate.  

February's InStyle mag has the "15 Best Beauty Apps" listed in their print issue (with the fabulous SJP on the cover), so please excuse me while I download and try them all. 

Happy weekend, y'all!

I'll try anything once

I'll pretty much try anything once, whether it's food, a style trend, or in this case, a healthy habit. I've seen people post about various tricks and thought to myself "hey, I could do that." Well, that thought turned into action last night as I was wandering through the organic foods aisles of my neighborhood Kroger. Partially because they were fresh on my mind, and partially because I was just plain curious (and the aloe water was on sale) I tried two of my "what ifs."

Aloe Gloe:
After seeing this instagram from the oh, so lovely Hilary Duff I was nearly obsessed and searched high and low for the ingredients for this healthy skin shot (since her skin is near flawless as seen here and here). But, like most things do, once out of sight it was out of mind. Until I stumbled upon this variation yesterday. They were 2 for 1 and I thought what the heck/what could it hurt. It can't be any worse than the coconut water everyone raves about (yep, tried that too, many moons ago. It was grotesque). 

I tried the white grape flavor last night, and to my surprise it was actually good. Really good. And obviously it's too soon to tell if it gave me glowy skin yet (fingers crossed), but hey the placebos don't hurt.

PB2
I've seen this stuff everywhere, and honestly was mildly freaked out that peanut butter can even ever be a powder. But, in an attempt to get healthy, I bought the chocolate kind (I doubt anything with chocolate in it will be bad) for my afternoon snack with carrots (don't judge... I found I liked the combo wile on le cleanse).

Any other goodies I should try? I'm game!

Black Honey

I'm way late to the party, but glad I arrived. Much like with Zara, once I find these gems (that apparently everyone uses but never talks about) I wonder how I ever lived without it. Enter: Clinique's almost lipstick in Black Honey. 

It's basically the grown up version of Dr. Pepper Chapstick. It gives your lips the right amount of color, looks great on everyone, and feels like (you guessed it) Chapstick. It's also a steal at $15. Seriously, how did I ever live without this stuff?? If you're wondering what lip color I'll be wearing through the holidays... look no farther. 

On the first day of..

Glitzmas, I gave to myself....

one. golden. manicure.

{sung in First Day of Christmas tune}

I seriously cannot believe there are only 12 days 'til Christmas (or Glitzmas, whichever you prefer). Technically, I think there are only 11 days since I count Christmas Eve as Christmas proper, but nevertheless... it's quickly approaching. 

As a reward for getting all of my Christmas shopping done (and nearly everything wrapped) I allowed myself to go all out for a festive Christmas mani. 

How are you prepping for the holidays?

Flower Power

It's no secret I have a crush on Drew Barrymore. She's the epitome of a carefree, happy-go-lucky chick who is open about her past and optimistic about her future. All admirable traits. 

Among her accolades are being born into an uber famous Hollywood family, getting her big break in E.T., Charlie's Angels, being my favorite Cover Girl, and being hilariously funny in general. She also has a line of wine, a handsome hubby, a cutie daughter and a bebe on the way. So just when you thought she couldn't get any cooler... she goes and creates a make up line--Flower Beauty (of which I am now obsessed).

Now, I already knew about her line, because my mind weirdly only absorbs and retains knowledge of the celebrity nature, but an instagram from Nikki Reed about how fabulous the make up made me take the plunge. Nikki Reed is a new-found celeb obsession of mine I'll address at a later date, I'm sure. Nevertheless, the winter weather has brought with it the return of my "vanilla" skin-tone, and I figured, as long as I was buying new make up... I might as well try cheaper first.

Lo and behold the Flower Tinted Moisturizer, which I'm currently wearing (along with cream blush and berry lip butter). It's seriously amazeballs. And for only $10, I broke my ban of never venturing into Wal Mart again.

So if you're in the market for new beauty goodies, I highly recommend Flower. And basically anything Drew puts her stamp of approval on.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Merry Christmas, Darling

 

(inslee haynes illustrations)

 I know, I know, it's Thanksgiving! And I fully appreciate that... while mentally thinking ahead to the festivities that await. Whether it's a cookie exchange, a family get-together, a cocktail party or a night out... holiday looks are one of my favorite things about the holidays. And what better way to accessorize than with a fresh face? Any excuse to dress up, wear a red lip and/or fur and I'm in! Current looks I'm loving for holiday outings:

 

And to top it all off (pun intended)... these tanks (perfect under a fabulous fur coat... but appropriate for the blazing (fire-roasted) indoor temps once inside. Maybe it's time for me to address my obsession with black and white...

 

Left: $45 // Right: $25

 

Left: $25 // Right: $39 

 

Left: $25 // Right: $50 

Worthy Words of Wisdom

God made a very obvious choice when he made me voluptuous; why would I go against what he decided for me? My limbs work, so I’m not going to complain about the way my body is shaped. 

Drew Barrymore

Thanks to Bekah for these encouraging words on a rough Monday back in the reality.

*sidenote, I'm obsessed with Drew almost as much as I am Katy Perry. Congrats on bebe #2.

The Eyes Have It

This time of year, these last few weeks particularly, I've been running in a million different directions. Don't get me wrong, I love fall, but the transition from relaxing summer to busy autumn has always been a tough one to master. 

With no rest for the weary in sight, and my first event for MBQ as project coordinator (and still assistant editor of the publication), I've been tasked with creating a phenomenal breakfast event for Memphis big-wigs in my spare time (which hasn't been much).

My hectic schedule wouldn't bother me so much if the signs of it weren't starting to show up... on my face in the form of dark circles and less-than-sparkling eyes. Not cute; especially when you'll be greeting the equivalent of Memphis dignitaries while making sure table linens are pressed, table arrangements are on mark, and the script and program run smoothly.

Thankfully, I have a few secret weapons to help stave off unwanted puffiness, dark shadows, and lackluster ojos. I give you my magic potions.

 

Save: Roc Retinol Correction Eye Cream $20

*I use this as part of my nightly regimen, but usually only every few nights since it's strong and I have uber sensitive skin. Can be found at you neighborhood Walgreens, Utla and the like. P.S. this stuff will last you for.ev.er. A little goes a long way and I still have a nearly full bottle after a year.

Splurge (on the real deal): La Mer Eye Balm Intense $185

*Thankfully my dearest Merebear got me samples from Nordstrom because the real deal would have beyond broken my piggy bank. Although, I'm running out and considering asking for it for Christmas/my bday. This stuff is that good. It's gentle enough to use day and night even on my sensitive skin, and seriously helps with the puffiness.

These weapons + some gold shimmer shadow (try "half baked" or "snakebite" in this lil lifesaver) + Maybelline Great Lash Mascara + a matte red lip (my new favorite is MAC Retro Matte in Dangerous) = my go to look these days. 

Easy way to look polished, on trend, and best of all...awake.

{case and point: last night's Flyer party with Sara}

  

Cheers to the Amurica Photo Booth and looking rested when there's no rest in sight.

Jump Then Fall

Labor Day is has officially come and gone (and with it, the first of the TNB's turned 24, I went on my very first camping trip, and it's officially football time once again), and you know what that means? Bring on the best season ever -- fall.

I've never been shy about my affinity for the season (as told here, here and here), and this year is no different. In hopes of ushering in the cooler temps, colorful foliage, and pumpkin muffins (for recipe click here) with haste, I wore my (Minnetonka) moccasins (a steal from Marshalls at $30) and wine-stained lip gloss (from the oh-so-lovely YSL) today. 

*yes, the title of this post is a TSwift song

Match Point

You've probably heard it said that,

 "comparison is the thief of joy." 

Well, it's been on my mind a lot lately. Why must we always want what we don't have? Why does the grass always seem greener on the other side? Enough is enough. My new goal for myself is to enjoy every minute of every day and not try to match my life up to others. My mom, wise woman that she is, has told me that if everyone in the world dumped their problems into a pile, you'd probably grab yours right back. So, it's time I started living as such.. by dwelling on these helpful reminders:

 

Wise words from Dita Von Teese. 

It's literally impossible to please everyone.

 1 Peter 3:3-4