Road Trip OOTD | May 30, 2014

Friday, May 30, 2014

Road Trip OOTD


So it's Fashion Friday here on my little blog. I figured I would do a quick OOTD post. I'm about to go on a road trip to Dallas to spend the weekend with my sister, her husband, and their two kids. Dallas is 4 hours away from me and although a lot of people will be like "Wow! That's so far!", it's really not. Living in Texas makes you kind of immune to distances and such because everything is so far away. I have also driven 15+ hours with my friend (a couple of times it was 30 hours), so 4 hours is a piece of cake. :)


Outfit:
Top- Texas top from Cotton On
Cardigan- Cotton On
Shorts- Charlotte Russe High-Waisted shorts
Hat- Bowler/Fedora hat from eBay
Shoes- White converse from Kohl's

 
Makeup:
Eyebrows- Lancome Powder Pencil in Taupe
Eyeliner- Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner
Mascara- Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express
Eyeshadow- Smashbox Full Exposure Palette (M2 & M3)
Concealer- Revlon Colorstay in 01 Fair & Maybelline Instant Age Rewind in Fair
Foundation- Maybelline BB Cream in Light
Powder- Maybelline Fit Me in 110 Fair
Bronzer- Wet 'N Wild in Ticket to Brazil
Blush- E.L.F in Peachy cheeky
Lips- Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in 201 Unapologetic


I did upload a YouTube video about this outfit. Maybe go sneak a peek? 


In the comments below, let me know what you wear on road trips :)

Thanks for reading.
xoxo

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Sunburn Tips and Tricks

Thursday, May 29, 2014

My Sunburn Tips and Tricks

It's been almost two weeks since I got my severe second degree sunburn (and a bout of sun poisoning) and I am almost all healed up. I just have some peeling on my arms and my shoulders are extremely dry/cracked. I only took photos of the redness on the first and second day because it was way too gross to take photos of my blisters and burnt skin peeling. And by peeling, I meant that my shoulders had brown skin peeling off because the second layer of skin was burnt also (at least that's what I think happened)

So here's a photo of the first and second days and then I will get into how I treated it.

First day on the left; Second day on the right
First day on the left; Second day on the right

So as you can see, my burn was extremely bad to already be that red on the first day. The first week after the burn I pretty much stayed holed up in my apartment sleeping, watching Netflix, and standing in cold showers. I didn't blog/vlog at all and didn't really interact with anyone. I did have to take my dad to the airport on Tuesday (3 days after I got burned) and that sucked. I put on a baggy sweatshirt so the sun wouldn't get to my red skin, but the rubbing from the sweatshirt was almost unbearable. 


For the first 2 or 3 days I used Aloe Vera that I had gotten from the Family Dollar Store that's down the road from my apartment. I really didn't like it because it was so difficult to put on my back by myself and the fact that it would get everywhere. It did help start the healing process for my sunburn though.

I also noticed that I didn't have much of an appetite and I had a fever. So I started drinking A LOT of water. And I do mean, a lot! My skin was so dehydrated and the water I was putting into my body helped a ton.


I then talked to my sister about it because I noticed I had blisters and they were opening by themselves and she told me to get a spray bottle and use the lavender essential oil diluted into water. This was a lifesaver for me. I was able to get it on my back easily and it worked so well. Lavender essential oil is a really good oil to use for burns and skin irritations. It has other uses which you can find here. I also put a couple of drops of my Peppermint essential oil because it is also said to help with bacteria and healing.


On the third/fourth day, I began moisturizing with my Curél Fragrance Free body lotion. I have sensitive skin so I can't have fragrances in my lotions. Also, I don't think it would be good to have a scented lotion when moisturizing a sunburn.

To re-cap, here's what you need to do if you find yourself with a sunburn.
  1. Take cold showers (don't use body wash/soap for the first couple of days, this will irritate your sunburn further)
  2. Apply Aloe Vera. Use the plant if you have it. If not, go to the store and get one that says 100% Aloe Vera.
  3. If you have essential oils, put 3-4 drops of lavender oil into a spray bottle (with water) and spray on your sunburn every 15-30 minutes. As your sunburn heals, you can spray your body 3-5 times a day. It's really up to you. :)
  4. Drink lots of water. This will help keep you body hydrated and help your skin heal faster. 
  5. Don't forget to moisturize! This is a key part in the healing process.
  6. And last, but not least, never forget your sunscreen again.
Hope y'all enjoyed these tips. Let me know in the comments below what your worst sunburn was and if you have any other tips/tricks.

Thanks for reading.
xoxo

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May Birchbox Opened

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

May Birchbox

This is SUPER late, I know. I don't have much of an excuse, except that I had sun poisoning and a severe second degree sunburn, which I mentioned in my last post. I'll get more into that and the products/remedies I used for tomorrow's (Wednesday) post.


I wanted to get this up as it's my last Birchbox. :( I had only wanted to try Birchbox for a couple of months and then switch to another beauty box service, as I can't afford to have multiple beauty box subscriptions at one time. I was accepted (is that the right word? Haha) for an ipsy subscription which will start in the month of June.


The first two items in this month's Birchbox was The Beauty Protector Protect & Shampoo and the Protect & Condition. I have yet to use these products, as I plan to use them during part of my trip in London in July. The sample sizes make perfect travel products. I will let y'all know what I think of them sometime in July. :) The full-size bottles are each $21.95 and are said to add shine and volume (shampoo) and to protect and detangle (conditioner).


The next two products were the Supergoop Everday SPF 30 Sunscreen with Cellular Response Technology and the LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil. The full size product of the Supergoop is $19. (I probably should have used this before I had my garage sale where I got sunburned really bad...) The full size of the lip pencil is $18. I did a swatch of it and it is really pigmented. I really like the color of it also. I'm more of a pink lip/subtle lip kind of girl. :)



The last products I got were the 32 Oral Care Effervescent Breath Crystals with IsoVoxy. A pack of 16 is $9.99 and a pack of 60 is $29.50. I have yet to use these as I think I might save them for traveling or maybe keep one in my purse in case of an emergency. To use them, you are supposed to swish them in your mouth until they begin to pop. That is how you know they are working. It kind of reminds me of those pop rocks that I used to get as a kid. Oh, nostalgia... Haha. I'm excited to try them out though. I love minty, fresh breath. :)

So that's all I got in this month's Birchbox. If you have a beauty box subscription, let me know in the comments which one you have and if you like it. :)

Thanks for reading.
xoxo

Throwback Thursday | My Sister's Wedding

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Throwback Thursday - My Sister's Wedding 

I've been MIA since Friday and I apologize. I had a severe second degree sunburn/sun poisoning and have been pretty much out of commission since Saturday.

I was going to wait till Friday to post something, but my sister's wedding was exactly 9 years ago today, so I wanted to write up this post really quickly and share a few photos from that day...
My sister got married on May 22, 2005 in Houston, TX. She married her high school sweetheart, Tony. They had been dating since 2000, when they were sophomores in High School. I've known Tony since I was six years old, so he's been my big brother for my entire life.
I was 11 years old when my sister got married and I was the Junior Bridesmaid/Flower Girl. My sister also did my hair for the wedding.

Fun fact: I forgot my shoes, so I was barefoot the entire day. Haha :)

Here's some of my favorite photos from the wedding. <3

I look like such a baby <3

This is my favorite photo, and I am currently in the process of printing it out, framing it, and putting it on my wall :)

In the comments below, let me know if you have been to a wedding and what your experience was like. :)


Thanks for reading.
xoxo

Flashback Friday

Friday, May 16, 2014

Flashback Friday

Hey everyone! Welcome back! I had a 'Week in Photos' blog post planned, but I didn't do anything this week. I mainly chilled out in my apartment and watched Netflix. Nothing too fancy... Haha. So I guess I will just share a Flashback Friday photo. :)


So if any of you know me in real life, you know I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I love watching the movies and am in the process of reading all of the books. This photo is from when I went to Harry Potter Studios in London in January 2013. My dad is also featured in the photo as we got one of the workers to take our photo in front of Hogwarts. <3

I figured I would share this photo as I was so happy that day, but also because I will be going back to London for an entire month this summer with my two best friends. We are all very very excited. We will also be going to HP Studios as they have never been, and I want to go and see it again. Haha. I can never get enough of Harry Potter.

In the comments section below, let me know if you've ever been to HP Studios, or if you know of any places you think I would like to go see while I'm in London. :)

Thanks for reading.
xoxo

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Review

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick Review!


It's review time again! I recently wore the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Red and wanted to let y'all know what I though of it.

I have never really worn lipstick before as I have always been really insecure about my non-existent upper lip, but I saw Sarah Hawkinson wear red lipstick in her recent GRWM video and felt inspired to wear it. Grace (danger0usperson on YouTube) also wears a lot of lipstick and she looks fierce. Haha. 

But on to the review... 

Right off the bat, I really liked the packaging. It's very sleek and looks really nice when you slip it into your bag. :) Once I put it on, I really liked the color. My only issue is that it's very easy to stain your fingers or the outside edge of your mouth. But I mean, it's red, I'm pretty sure most, if not all, red lipsticks do that.

My other issue is that it is very drying. Within two hours, the lipstick had dried and my lips became pretty chapped. The lipstick also doesn't last very long. The color fades pretty drastically as the day goes on and you have to reapply quite often.

Overall, I doubt that I will repurchase in the future... Let me know in the comments if you have ever purchased this lipstick and let me know what you thought of it.

Here's a photo of me wearing the lipstick in one of my recent Instagram posts, it was also featured in my last OOTD blog post. :)


Thanks for reading!
xx

Mother's Day | May 11, 2014

Monday, May 12, 2014

Mother's Day - May 11, 2014

Happy belated Mother's Day to all you mothers out there. So if you didn't already know, Mother's Day was yesterday. I treated my mother (& younger brother) out to an early dinner to celebrate. We went to Olive Garden and it was fantastic. I wanted to share with y'all some of the photos I took from our dinner. My mom also gave me permission to post her picture (she never lets me post them)!

My salad.
My brother and I got the Chicken Parmesan.
& my mom got the Spaghetti and Meatballs
The yummy bread sticks that Olive Garden is known for. So good. :)
This is my beautiful mother. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you so so much :)
At the end of our meal, our waiter gave my mom a beautiful, pink carnation. He was such a sweetheart. <3

Thank you all for reading! In the comments below, let me know what you did to celebrate Mother's Day. 

xoxo

March & April Birchboxes Opened!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

March & April Birchboxes Opened!


I'm so late to getting this blog post up, that's why I have both March and April together. This won't be really a review as I haven't had a chance to use all of it, but for the products that I've tried out, I will for sure let y'all know what I thought of it. So let's get started, shall we?

March Birchbox

The first thing in the box was the little card that comes in every box that tells you exactly what each product does and how much the full size products are. 


The next thing you see when you remove the wrapping paper is the Caudalie and Coola products. The Caudalie product is a Moisturizing Sorbet. And the Coola product is a BB Cream with SPF 30 in it. I have yet to use these products as I haven't ever used a BB Cream before, but everyone raves about them. Maybe I should give it a go..? ;)


The next item in the box was a 'surprise' product, Jergens BB body for All Light Skin Tones. I've heard so many good things about this product and plan to use this for when I go to London this summer. This BB Cream is for your body and helps to correct your skin tone. 


The next item in the box is the air repair Rescue Balm. I actually have used this product. I used it when my lips were chapped and on my elbows when they were dry. The product works really well. You can use this product anywhere on your body where it is dry or chapped. While I did like the product, I'm not sure I would buy the full size as it is a little pricey.


The next product is the Agave Healing Oil Oil Treatment. I have yet to use this product, but have heard good things about it. I'm not sure I would purchase the full size though, as it is definitely on the pricey side.

April Birchbox


The April Birchbox came with a couple of products that I have used already and really like. The card that comes in every Birchbox was especially cute this month. Every Birchbox also came with a little card that gave you a tip on how to make your rainy day bright. :)


The first item was another 'surprise' item. It was the KIND Healthy Grains Maple Pumpkin Seeds bar. I haven't tried this as I have to make sure it doesn't have any nuts in it. I recently found out I'm allergic to almonds, so I'm staying away from all nuts for the time being until I can go to an allergist.


The next two items were the Salon Technician Color Care shampoo and the Color Club nail polish. I have yet to use the shampoo as I keep forgetting it when I get into the shower, but I have used the nail polish and I really love it. It is really easy to apply and stays on for quite awhile. I didn't use a base coat or a top coat, so I was surprised at how long it lasted until it chipped.


The next two products were the How 'Bout Them Apples? Cheek & Lip Cream in the shade Pie and the Cynthia Rowley Eyeliner Crayon in silver. I haven't used the eyeliner as I don't usually play around with eyeliner colors, but am interested in trying it out in the next few weeks. 


I have used the Cheek & Lip Cream on my lips and I really really love it. The pigmentation is really good and the product is really smooth. Also, the color is just perfect. I'm excited to try it out on my cheeks next! :)

And that's it for my Birchbox unboxing post. Let me know in the comments if you have a subscription to any beauty boxes and what you think of them. :)

Thank you so much for reading.
xx

Forever 21 Nail Polish Review

Monday, May 5, 2014

Forever 21 Nail Polish Review


Hey everyone! Before we get into the review, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am going to be posting on a new schedule! :)

Mondays- Makeup related posts; including reviews and favorite products
Wednesdays- Fashion related posts; including OOTDs and celebrity inspired looks
Fridays- My Week in Photos; including iPhone/Instagram posts and photos from my DSLR

Now that we got that out of the way; onto the review! I just recently purchased two nail polishes at Forever21 and figured I would review them for y'all.

I am in love with the one of the left. It's a beautiful coral color that I think just screams 'SPRING!' The polish goes on very nicely and I really like the brush/applicator. It also dries pretty quickly, which is always a plus.

Now the top coat... I usually never use a top coat, but everyone raves about how top coats make your nail polish last longer, so I finally gave in and purchased one. Forever21's Top Coat goes on very nicely. My only issue is it takes forever to dry. I had thought my nails were dry and I went to put on my charm bracelet and I messed up the polish on my thumb. :( Before it totally dries, it has a gel-like quality. Just make sure they are dried completely before doing anything.

Each polish is only $3 to $4, so I guess I can't ask too much from it. Overall, I really like the newest additions to my nail polish collection.

In the comment section down below, let me know if you've ever purchased any polishes from Forever21 and what colors you got. Also let me know if you liked them. I just might have to go purchase some more ;)

Thanks for reading.
xx

OOTD | May 1, 2014

Friday, May 2, 2014

Outfit of the Day - May 1, 2014

Yesterday was another lazy day. I picked my dad up from the airport in the afternoon and then went to my mom's house for a couple of hours. Because I didn't really have anywhere to be, I wanted to play around with some lipstick. I never wear lipstick, but really want to start wearing different colors and broadening my horizons. It's my first time wearing red lipstick and I am in love. I am also literally in love with the hat I wore today. I got it off of eBay and it was delivered the other day and I have just been itching to wear it. :)


Outfit:
Top- "Overdressed" crop top from Jawbreaking
Shorts- Charlotte Russe High-Waisted shorts
Hat- Bowler/Fedora hat from eBay
Shoes- White converse from Kohl's
Sorry for the dirty mirror pic. I forgot to take photos of my outfit/makeup with my camera
Makeup:
Eyebrows- Lancome Powder Pencil in Taupe
Eyeliner- Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner (top lash line) // Avon Black Eyeliner
(bottom lash line)
Mascara- Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express
Concealer-Revlon Colorstay in 01 Fair
Foundation- Maybelline Fit Me in 110 Fair
Powder- Maybelline Fit Me in 110 Fair
Bronzer- Wet 'N Wild in Ticket to Brazil
Blush- E.L.F in Peachy cheeky
Lips- Maybelline Color Sensational in Very Cherry

Hair:
Herbal Essences Naturals Dry Shampoo
Kor Straightener

In the comment section down below, let me know what lip colors you are excited to rock this Spring/Summer. :)

Thanks for reading. xoxo