Favorite Scarves!

So, one of my favorite accessories is scarves! I thought it would be fun to show you all my favorite ones in my collection and give a little of their back story.

This lovely little number right here is a favorite of mine because it is soft, and warm without being wooly. I love the scrunching/ruching and the almost Arabic vibe to it. I got this scarf super on sale at the going out of business sale for the late and great MetroPark, a store I greatly loved (rumor has it that is was bought and is going to reorganize and relaunch, but I'll believe it when I see it). I also love the little tassels on the end along with the stripes because that also gives it a semi jewish prayer shawl vibe as well.

I bought this scarf a few years ago, back when circle scarves were considered to be kinda weird. I decided to take the change on the weird concept, and little did I know would they become wildly popular. What drew me to this scarf was the delicate scallop pattern, as well as the color. I love a good white scarf, sweater, gloves, and really anything knit it white yarn. The way this hangs is also quite lovely and I think it looks really elegant. I consider it to be quite thick/wide and long for a traditional circle scarf, but I think that is why I like it so. It looks "chunky" when you wear it and is also nice and warm. It is from American Eagle.

I have no idea about the origins of this scarf because my mother gave it to me and there is no tag or designer mentioned on the scarf. She has a rather nebulous and mysterious bedroom and closet which every now and then spits something out that my mother thinks I will enjoy. This is silky (I have no idea if it's real silk.. probably not) and I love the floral pattern! I don't really own very many things in floral because while I love it, I'm afraid of having things that either look too old/matronly or, now because it's "in," too trendy. I think this falls in the "just right" category because it isn't a paisley like floral, and the scarf is kinda shorter than your normal scarf so it doesn't go crazy with the pattern. I will admit that I semi-dorkishly like to wear this in the fluffy stewardess style tucked into the neck of a sweater rather than hanging like a regular scarf. Is that weird? Am I the only one that thinks it looks lovely with this scarf? haha :P Let me know below!

Anyone who knows me personally knows about my great love of TJ Maxx. Well this scarf is proof of my love and semi re-initiated my love of the store. I got this sometime at the beginning of my law school career and feel so in love with it, I have yet to reemerge from it even after 2.5 years! At the nice price I got it for, which I'm not sure what it was exactly but I know it was likely less than $20, I think the fact that I STILL love it makes it worth almost a ridiculous price like maybe $30 or $40. I love the feathers (I can never have enough feathers) and the way it just goes so well with the chain pattern. Scrunched up when you wear it I just love the way the feathers peak out with the chains. Simply amazing. Also, this image is of the scarf folded in half because the pattern is mirrored on the other half. I have no idea what the brand is because I cut the tag off long ago because I didn't like to see it when I wore the scarf, haha. And, after examination the designer did not work their name into the design anywhere.

What are your favorite accessories? Have a favorite scarf? What does it look like, where is it from?

Purge 9

1. Pantene Pro-V Restore Beautiful Lengths Shampoo
I liked the smell of this, a lovely violet-y floral, but I can't say it did anything different than any other shampoo that I have tried. I liked that it was a squeeze-y tube, but I am not sure if I would repurchase it. I am going to try out a different shampoo next, and maybe return to this one sometime in the future if I find some horrible shampoos haha.


2. Pantene Pro-V Restore Beautiful Lengths Conditioner
I don't think this was anything spectacular. The bottle kind of annoyed me because I used more conditioner than shampoo so the squeeze-y tube aspect is annoying for conditioner because it tends to squish up when I want it to squish down, haha! The results where eh, and the smell was eh. Didn't make my hair feel weird or anything but didn't notice it doing anything. It was meh, and I feel like I like other meh conditioners better that I wouldn't return to this one if I have to resort to a meh conditioner sometime, haha.


3. Nivea A Kiss of Recovery
It worked fine, but I feel like it always applied thick when I didn't want it to and that the results weren't that great for something so thick. Nothing notable about the smell. Too meh to repurchase, but would consider getting a different Nivea chapstick in the future.

4. Philosophy Happy Birthday Beautiful! Vanilla Birthday Cake Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath
This was a fun little birthday perk but I don't know if I would ever buy it for myself. The bubbles aren't that great for bubble bath and I don't feel that it is an effectively cleaning shampoo at all, but I did enjoy it as a shower gel. Even though I wouldn't repurchase it, I would enjoy getting it again as the Sephora birthday perk. :) Fabulous little size too, was perfect for my holiday vacation.

5. Banana Boat Protective Tanning Dry Oil SPF 15
Loved this product. I used it while tanning on vacation and it really is a "Dry" oil. I have another Banana Boat spray sunblock that is absolutely greasy and sticky, but this Dry Oil formula is fabulous. Just enough SPF so that I never got a sun burn, and I enjoyed the crazy banana coconut Banana Boat classic smell, perfect for a tanning atmosphere haha. I would buy again because I had no problems (other than I felt that the bottle didn't last me too long, but I think the regular lotion would have lasted about the same), and I recall that I got a fabulous deal on it during the summer when I bought it. I would definitely consider buying this again next season, especially if it was on sale or on BOGO.

6.  Garnier Nutritionist Nutri-Pure Oil-Free Detoxifying Wet Cleansing Towelettes
Not sure I would repurchase but I won't suffer through the 2nd package that I already have. I enjoy the smell, and the texture of the cloth is nice and soft while still being scrubby enough to take off makeup. The only thing I didn't like was that I felt like I still had to wash my face after using this to remove makeup which is annoying because I bought them for the purpose of taking of my makeup on a lazy night and not having to go wash my face. Oh well. I came to find later that it is a nice refreshing cleanse in the morning before makeup or just before sunblock since I never wash my face in the morning anyway. If I am going to be putting on sunblock anyway, the wanna-wash-my-face feeling doesn't bother me because of the layer of sunblock being thick anyway, haha.

7. Oscar Blandi Jasmine Protein Mist
For a review of this product click here.

8. Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Weightless Anti-Frizz Serum
For a review of this product click here.

L'Oreal 24 Hour Infallible Eye Shadow

L'Oreal 24 Hour Infallible Eye Shadow!!

I don't know about you guys but I have been DYING for the drugstore brands to kick their cream shadows up a notch when it comes to choice and quality. I know of a few drug store cream shadows but I have never heard many amazing things about them from bloggers and gurus who seem the most like me.

I vaguely recall hearing about this product a while back but never saw it around because I think it only was released in the US fairly recently. Needless to say, when I saw this product at CVS I had to buy it despite my Kill It Quest because I didn't know if I would ever stumble upon them again! Haha. I'm going to justify the purchase with the fact that I don't own any cream eye shadows and I was looking for something to replace Wet 'N Wild Brule for when I kill it totally soon.

I for one am stoked that it was L'oreal that decided to take the first real plunge into higher quality cream shadows. I haven't used may of their products myself, but I always hear good things and I have always meant to try them out as they always seemed high quality drug store to me.

The colors that I chose were 888 Iced Latte, a champagne shimmery shade, and 899 Endless Pearl, a matte beige shade. First I will say that the name "Endless Pearl" is misleading because it acts like a matte shade for me so I dunno why it has the word "Pearl" in it, when that makes me think of shimmer, but maybe that is just me? Also, if you stumble upon the display for this product you will notice that these are basically the 2 most neutral shades as a lot of them are quite bold.

REVIEW: I found that these cream shadows were dryer and more powdery than I expected, especially when compared to something like Make Up Forever Aqua Creams, but I don't think that it affects the performance of the product. I actually think that allows one to use less product when applying because it makes it harder to pick up too much.

I found that the Endless Pearl shade to be quite similar to Wet 'N Wild's Brule but more of a yellow undertone while Brule has a warmer pink undertone.

Iced Latte is like a true champagne color without being that cliche "pinky peach" color. It makes Stila Kitten look really peach and orange in comparison and makes Sephora Peach Beige look almost silvery and pink. Despite all three colors being quite similar and in the same champagne family, there is some noticeable different when put side by side. Also, the shimmer in Iced Latte is quite fine and subtle whereas Kitten has a strong shimmer quality that makes it feel like it is a larger shimmer but still not at the level of glitter. When compared to Sephora Peach Beige which is also a fine shimmer, some how Iced Latte is subtler, almost as if  the shimmer is less dense but in a good way because sometimes over application of Peach Beige can start to look foil-y by accident.

The way I like to apply these is not much different from my go to neutral look of Brule all over, and Peach Beige on the lid (and recently I have been adding the silver shade in my Kat Von D Palette to taupe-a-fy it! It's a new love). I used Too Faced Shadow Insurance as a primer, applied Endless Pearl all over, and concentrated Iced Latte only on the lid. I think the yellow-ness of Endless Pearl is going to take some time to adjust to and work with since I have more of a warm undertone, but definitely will be enjoying Iced Latte because it looks so nice and I think it will be an easy swipe-and-go color for class next semester.

SIDE NOTE: I am so proud of my pans in Brule and Peach Beige! Peach Beige took a conscious 1.5 month effort to make that pan this fall that I actually wore it to work every day in October and November! Hitting pan on Peach Beige almost allows me to justify the purchase of Iced Latte! Haha

What about you guys? Have you been able to find this product? What do you think of it? Any other colors you recommend? Comment below :)

Beauty New Years Resolutions

It's almost new years, yay! And with new years, everyone knows, comes new years resolutions! I usually only make one specific personal resolution that I don't tell anyone, and also make resolutions throughout the year, but I thought this year it would be fun to have a couple beauty resolutions! Here is what I decided on:

1. I will not buy an eye shadow pallet unless I hit pan on two more shadows in my Kat Von D pallet (for a total of 4). I am thinking I will be able to at least accomplish this with the silver shade. The 2nd shade will be a tougher commitment. Perhaps I can find a way to make the matte brown work for me that doesn't take a huge amount of time.

2. Finish my Kill It! quest in its entirety. The BE Warmth and my Kat Von D pallet will take some commitment and will be the last ones I finish. I am seeing some progress with the bronzer, though it is slow. Kat Von D is showing a slight dip in the silver color so I'll just have to make sure to continue to use it!

3. Decrease my stash value to under $800 via using up things and cheaper and better replacements. Next semester I will essentially be living without parent help until after school so this may just happen out of necessity and I am ok with that. If anyone has any drugstore loves they would like to recommend please pass them along!

What are your new years resolutions? Any beauty related ones?

Vacation Sunblock Haul

So I had to buy new sunblock because I used up the one I was using before by Banana Boat. This conveniently happened the day before I decided to drive down to Cocoa Beach, FL and have a surf lesson so I decided to just buy a new one when I got there. I meant to buy something that the beloved Ron Jon but I actually am glad that I decided to wait until I checked out the Cocoa Beach Surf Company's store because I found this brand Sun Bum there that wasn't at Ron Jon! I will admit that what drew me to the products were the awesome monkeys. I didn't even plan to buy the chapstick but when I saw the chapstick by the register and saw that the monkey face was on the cap of the chapstick, I had to have it so I bought it to. What I came to realize later (while reading the product labels while sunbathing) was that the sunblock (but not the chapstick) is Paraben free AND is a local product made at Cocoa Beach, FL! I am a sucker for local brands, and I just find it hilarious that even without consciously doing it I was able to buy a local branded sunblock. Now that I know it is a local brand, I will be sure to buy more if it the next time I am in Cocoa Beach!

Mini Review: I like this Sun Bum block better than the Banana Boat Dry Oil block I was using before, both are SPF 15, which I use when I tan so I don't burn. Sun Bum feels lighter on the skin and doesn't have the obnoxious banana coconut smell that Banana Boat has (though I do enjoy that scent ever now at then). It has, perhaps, a subtle scent but I have never noticed it. Also, I like that this product looks less oily on your skin. The BB Dry Oil is a LOT less oily looking that their regular block that isn't the "Dry Oil" tanning type, but is still oily compared to Sun Bum. The chapstick is nice because it has spf 30 in it! I also enjoy its strange juicy fruit-like flavor, haha. It is almost a oily application though because it goes on lightly, almost like how pure coconut oil feels.

What about you guys? Have you ever heard of or used Sun Bum products? Have any cool local-to-you favorites that I should try if I ever pass through your town? Comment bellow and let me know!

Purge 8

1. L'Occitane Shea Butter Verbena Soap (Not Pictured)
I love this soap. I smell is divine and subtle without being too subtle. I did find that once winter came alone that it dried out my hands a little, but that could be a combination of things really. I originally got this as a Christmas gift last year and only a few months ago got around to finally using it! I have another soap like this but in another scent that I don't think I'll enjoy as much, oh well. I would buy these though because they last forever! I hope I get more for Christmas O:)


2. Lush Solid Shampoo Bar in Karma Komba (Not Pictured)
Eh, this was ok. I didn't particularly enjoy the smell, which was annoying because it definitely lingers after you style your hair. I do like the concept of these solid shampoo bars and I used up another one before back in college (I actually bought this one at the same time as that so this one has been sitting around my parent's house for FAR too long, hence why I decided to use it up.) I think I'd consider buying a solid shampoo bar again but then again, I'm not sure because I feel like I used this up pretty quickly. BUT there is a honeysuckle one... so perhaps I'll buy that one in the spring? O:)


3. Befine Lip Serum Deluxe Sample
I got this in my October birchbox and I LOOOVE it. It pretty much cured my terrible chapped lips, so I'm quite bummed that I am through with it. It has a create taste and a great smell, and I love the serum consistency to it. I think I might actually buy the full size of it if I truly miss it. Thank you birchbox :)

4. Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-Up Primer in Bronze Deluxe Sample
Before I got this in my October birchbox I had never worn a primer before. Because I was semi forced to use one, I actually learned I like primers! I don't know the point of this being tinted because I didn't notice anything different about my foundation, but the primer aspect was good. I don't know if I would buy this exact primer in full size but I know I am not adverse to primers now and will no longer flee from Sephora primer samples, haha.

5. Klorane Soothing Eye Make-Up Remover with Cornflower Water
For a review of this product check here.

6. 3D Crest White Whitestrips in Advanced Vivid Sample
I got this when I bought my tooth paste. I have tried these strips before (from other free samples from toothpaste haha), and generally I like how they whiten. However, they taste funky while you wear them and they do cause some tooth sensitivity for me. Also, if the strip sits on my gums, it kind of burns :( But, it does have the redeeming quality that there is a noticeable difference in the whiteness of my teeth even with one strip. I'm not sure if I would buy these at full price because they are quite pricey, but I do enjoy getting a free strip with my toothpaste and the time frame that goes along with getting them that way works for me.

7. Victoria's Secret Girls' Night Sheer Fragrance Mist
LOVE, TRUE LOVE. Be an this fragrance may get married one day. Haha. Seriously though, this is the only fragrance I have ever loved this much. I loved it so much that I bought the accompanying scrub, body wash, as well as a backup of the mist! And I have NEVER repurchased a fragrance in my life! Sadly this was discontinued at VS :(  We'll see how true this fragrance and I's relationship truly is when I use up the full backup I have of it and see if I resort to ebay to get another one, haha.

8. Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk
Woo hoo another hair product down! Still plenty more to go though -_-. However, deciding to use this up made me realize how much I actually love this product! I love the smell, and I swear there is no way to over use this product because I have never had that too-much-product gross feeling ever with this product and I have been quite generous in application before haha. I love how makes my hair feel after a blow dry, as well as the fresh smell and light feel to my hair when I air dry my hair. I have another formula in this line to get through, so we'll see which I like better. I really think I will repurchase this after my hair quest though because it is great and  inexpensive! Win win! :)

Blue Birchbox Nails

I don't think I ever owned blue nail polish in my life until this year when Birchbox sent me two different blue polishes! And, as life would have it, I wore them both at the same time! Haha. A girl from no blue polish to blue polish mania! I waited to try these both out until after my internship was complete because I didn't feel they were work appropriate colors. Now that I am on vacation and in Florida I knew the colors would be appropriate and feel right at home! Haha

On my fingers is Incoco Nail Polish Appliques in an unnamed super sparkley light blue color (it reminds me of the litter mermaid, haha). I received these in my September Birchbox. For more info see here. I found these appliques semi-easy to apply once I got the hang of it. Because my nails are short I was able to cut each applique in half! Now I have 2 manicures worth of this polish! Yay :) Maybe I'll save the last one for Spring Break?

On my toes is Zoya Nail Polish in Noel. I received this in my November Birchbox. For more info see here. I really like the application of this polish as it is nice with one coat but gets even better with a second coat. I also love the little sample size bottle because I know I would probably never use up a full sized bottle in this color! Haha. The only polishes I have every used up were strengtheners, and one Walmart (Ice brand?) nail polish in a thin iridescent white color (these supplemented by the couple polishes over the years that killed themselves via spilling and drying out, O:) )

I apologize if the picture isn't the best because it was with my phone because I forgot to bring my camera on vacation, oops!

What are you guys wearing on your nails? Do you have an colors that you feel are better suited for vacation or certain events/locations? Comment below! :)