February was such a fun month! Early in the month we went to Disney and truly lived our best life for the entire trip. It really was a nice break from our daily responsibilities and work lives. When we came home we set more fun plans for the coming months and worked hard on some upcoming projects. I gathered up some of the things I was loving all month long.
Between having pneumonia and then things being crazy at work, my time has been pulled in a million directions. But I didn’t want to miss mentioning some of my favorite products from January! My goal is to do a favorites post every month – hoping I can stick to it!
January brought me a super random group of favorites. I made the decision not to head to IMATS again this year, largely because once you factor in the ticket price and the train tickets, the discounted makeup doesn’t seem worth it to me anymore. Once that decision was made, I decided to use an Amazon gift card from Christmas to pick up some of the items I would have picked up at the show. I’m looking to try out and explore new makeup brands, and also brands that have been pretty hyped, so this seemed like the best way to do that. One of the pieces I picked up was the Morphe blush palette (Morphe 9B The Blushed Blush Palette) that Jaclyn Hill talked about a few months back. Note: my camera massively darkened the blush colors above, see below for true colors.
I haven’t stopped using it since I bought it – the colors are gorgeous. I’ve become a blush-a-holic, and this has just fed the addiction. Conveniently I also received a Target gift card [to feed my massive Target addiction] and this allowed me to purchase the Sonia Kashuk 10 piece Facet-nating Brush set. This was put out around Christmas, and I tried forever to justify buying it. The brushes are mixed between goat hair and synthetic – I love many of the goat hair ones. It really completes a brush collection, plus the gold handles are gorgeous.
And then there was the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator in the shade Ice. I tend to like liquid highlighters, so I was excited for this one, and it didn’t disappoint. Plus, lets be real, their packaging is enough to make you buy one.
Every so often I get brave and decide to try a new dry shampoo. Strangely enough, although I’m blonde and it shouldn’t be so bad, I find they make my hair look gross. The Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-powder smells amazing, and truly does the job of refreshing your hair. Because I have natrually dry hair, a product like this is perfect for me. I know some people have problems with the idea that this is a powder and not a spray, but I actually like that. This way it doesn’t make my hair clumpy or sticky like some do.
I found the CoverGirl Eye Shadow Quad in Blooming Blushes on one of my many trips to the drug store recently. The quality of the shadows isn’t amazing, but blendable enough to really work. Plus anything with a pink smoky eye is right up my alley.
Whenever I can I like to support fellow bloggers or Youtubers that I like to watch. When I saw Dani from Coffee Break with Dani released the 5 slot clear organizer in a collab with Zahra, I was happy to pick one up. I use it to store brushes, but I’ve seen posts from other bloggers where they bought upwards of 5+. These really are great. In a recent video Dani said they are almost sold out!
And last, but certainly not least, I wanted to include two of the jewelry items I’ve been wearing on the reg lately. For our anniversary (which is at the end of December) my boyfriend got me this amazingly sparkly Michael Kors watch that I had been eyeing. It fits my wrist perfectly, and I’m obsessed with the sparkles! I was so surprised – and I know I’m quite blessed to have such a generous boyfriend. In addition he gave me the gorgeous necklace above as a Christmas gift. I’ll be sparkling year round!
What products were you loving last month??
Happy New Year everyone! I can’t believe it is already 2016. So much has happened and I can’t wait to get this new year going. Ringing in the new year brought a sense of excitement – to begin a new chapter and have a clean slate.
I wanted to do a recap of the things I loved in December, because it was a crazy busy month, but one where I felt I had a lot to love!
It isn’t pictured above, but I received a Keurig for Christmas and fell in love! I received the Keurig 2.0 Coffee Maker in the champagne color. I’m hoping to save some money on coffee purchases this year, so bringing a fresh cup with me in the morning will help cut costs. Plus, it will help me jumpstart my day! Please send any recommendations for kcups!
In the winter I loveeee masculine scents. I couldn’t wait for winter to hit so I could break out my Nirvana Black rollerball. The perfume is by Elizabeth and James and has notes of sandalwood, violet, and vanilla (according to Sephora’s website). I wear only a little perfume every day, so I usually elect to buy a rollerball, plus it makes it easy for travel.
Around early December I was on vacation in Delaware, and did a little shopping while I was there. Every store was burning the Capri Blue Volcano Candle No. 6.It has notes of tropical fruits, sugared oranges, and lemons and limes. I fell deeply in love with the scent, and made sure I went home with it. Mine is the 8.5oz size but I know I will end up with a bigger jar when mine burns out. The big 20 oz jar can be purchased at Francesca’s for $28.
Recently I realized that I had accumulated quite a bit of Birchbox points. I looked through the site and the Hudson + Bleecker Etoile Avion Cosmetic Case caught my eye. It has a gorgeous silver glitter on the outside, and is black inside. It even comes with a small pouch that detaches (I keep lippies in mine) and is adorable in a purse. It has a zippered pouch inside and a pocket for brushes. I was traveling over the holidays, and made sure to bring it along. Hudson + Bleecker hit it out of the park with this one! The glitter doesn’t come off, and it is SO stylish. I got mine from Birchbox and it sells for $64.
I have been in the market for a new foundation for a while. I had heard great things about the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation and decided to give it a try. I really love the powder formula, and it goes on well on my skin. I have it in light neutral, and I think it is a little too dark for me. When I’m through with this jar I’ll probably switch colors. The Airbuki Bamboo Powder Foundation brush is a must – even if you don’t buy the foundation. It is so incredibly dense and buffs into the skin nicely. The foundation can be found at Sephora for $36 and the brush is $28.
The last of my favorites was a little bit of a splurge – I got an iPad Mini 2. I really, really loved the 4th generation, but I really needed more storage and there was a GREAT deal on the 2nd gen. I got mine from Best Buy, and I’ve been so impressed with not only their sales but their AMAZING shipping. Everything is free shipping and arrives in 2 days. (I don’t receive anything from Best Buy for saying that, I just really love them after this holiday season.) I had a first generation regular iPad, and it was great, but very clunky. I’m in love with the mini because of its size and portability. I use it constantly. Major love for the mini.
I want to hear what all of you were loving in December!
I thought it would be fun for me to feature favorite bloggers/YouTubers that I frequent. My absolute favorite is Kristina from PrettyShinySparkly. She has a blog and is a YouTuber, and we share similar tastes. Many of the items she has recommended, I’ve gone on to purchase. I’ve linked her latest video and blog post below – check her out!
So I know – November is nearly over and here I am posting my favorites form LAST month. Bear with me on this. Have any of you suddenly looked at the calendar and the month has flown by? Welcome to my life. I was stunned the other day when I realized the month was half over.
What exactly was I loving last month?
Surprise – NO makeup!
With the weather getting cooler I am back to loving my warm scents. I’ve had my Burberry Brit perfume for years and still can’t get enough each fall. 
Two words: BATH BOMBS. Ok, so I know Lush has been famous for these for some time, but apparently I got on that train pretty late. I found the one below in Francesca’s Collections and while it wasn’t a fantastic smell it was so fun and relaxing I was super excited to get to Lush to try more!
I rediscovered my love of macarons! I was staying at a hotel for work, and saw these gorgeous treats in the window of the sweets shop and just had to help myself!
And above all else – I rediscovered my love of Disney! I was sent to Anaheim, CA for a work conference and we stayed in Disneyland. It was so much fun, and certainly a once in a lifetime experience.
What were you loving last month?
So, yet again, I’ve failed to maintain my blog for the month of June. But there have been crazy big changes in my life! I wound down my job in NYC, and accepted an exciting job back in New Jersey. It means I’ll no longer commute four hours a day to work, and will have time for more things in my life. I’ve been car shopping, picking up things for my new job, and even vacationing. Life has been busy, to say the least. But my goal here is to do a recap of things I loved over the month of June, and to do posts in the coming days around some of my experiences (ex: what to wear/bring to an outdoor country music festival). This new life change has me excited about blogging again. So what was I busy loving in June?
I discovered Audible! Okay, so I know I’m late to the game here, but this is seriously incredible. I must say that I can’t get into it when there is a narrator that isn’t the author (read: I can only listen to biographies/autobiographies or memoirs) but I’m nearly finished my first book and it has just made me fall in love with reading all over again. My first audible book was I, Justine An Analog Memoir. Her style of narration is captivating, and although I’m not super into the tech world, the book is fascinating. Everyone who signs up for Audible gets a credit, so their first book is free! It is SO worth it.
I made a series of large purchases this month. When I realized I would be leaving my job, I wanted to take the time and invest in new pieces and things to elevate me for my next position. It all started when I saw a picture of these sunglasses on Kim Kardashian:
I knew I just had to have them. I’m so into large aviators, and these Porsche Design sunnies are NO joke. They take up half of my face. I ordered them from Otticanet.com which is based out of Italy and had read mixed reviews. I have nothing bad to say. They seem to always offer a 5% discount of some kind, and even reimburse you for the charges from FedEx, because they don’t want their customers to pay international fees. I LOVE my glasses, and really want the same pair but in purple. The style number is: P8478 in the largest size 69/10/135.
The blogger/Youtuber I’m loving this month is Kristina from Pretty Shiny Sparkly. I ADORE her, and watch her videos religiously. I’m so enamoured with things she buys, I always end up picking up the same things for myself! Go check her out!
prettyshinysparkly.com
Because I knew I had several big events/vacations approaching I decided that I would get a keratin treatment on my hair. Typically these are very expensive, but because I have massive, lion’s mane type hair, my stylist was kind enough to offer a massive discount. I never realized the process until I was actually in the chair getting it done, but it is kind of weird. You can’t wash your hair for 72 hours (I think) and it was REALLY hard because my hair gets so greasy when I put heavy product in and straighten it. Overall though, my straightening time has decreased immensely, and it doesn’t pouf so much when I’m in the humidity or on the beach. It will only last a few months, but I’m going to enjoy this time of easy hair prep. If you have thick, curly, coarse hair like mine, then this is totally worth a shot at least once. But make sure to have it done by a highly educated stylist. Below are the results!
What were you all loving in the month of June?!
It has been so long since I last did a blog post! Between working tons of overtime and mini weekend trips – I’ve been busy. I wanted to post my favorites from the past month – things that made time fly and really excite me.
While I’ve been waiting for Orange is the New Black to return, I’ve become hooked on a new show. Wentworth is an Australian drama – similar in topic to OITNB. The main difference is this is pure drama. I breezed through seasons one and two on Netflix, and am now catching up on season three which is currently airing in Australia. If you are looking for a new show to marathon – this one is it.
This year I’ve been all about Lilly Pulitzer. I tried SO hard to get things from the Target collection, but ultimately failed. So instead I patrol Poshmark for affordable Lilly. I must admit I’m in love with one of their latest prints – Scuba to Cuba. I want everything in that pattern, and have already splurged on a few pieces.
I recently had to take a little break from kickboxing, which has become one of my favorite ways to work out. I’m slowly getting back into it, and it reminds me why I fell in love with it. It is intense, heart pumping and so incredibly fun, I never regret going to class. You can burn up to 800 calories – who doesn’t love that?!
Now that I’m getting tan I’m looking for new bronzer’s and blushes. I came across Becca’s Limited Edition Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Blushed Copper. Shimmery is an understatement, and a little goes a long way. But it looks fantastic with a base tan!
These are just a few of the things I’m into/loving this month! What things are you guys into?!
This month I definitely found several things I wanted to share here that have become staples in my everyday life.
Over the past few months I had seen bracelets like those from Bourbon and Bowties all over Instagram (follow me @gvgp1989). I was SO excited to find them in my local boutique. I go all the time to check out the new ones, and have been thrilled to hear that the company – which is empowering females in the process – has really taken off. The jewelry is gorgeous and very versatile. I just wish my boutique had more options!
I had been searching for a way to journal that wasn’t really “journaling” because I’m not very good at maintaining that. But I wanted some way to do a little bit of a brain dump at the end of the day to decompress. So I cam across this journal called “One Line a Day – A Five Year Memory Book.” I recently started and I’m impressed that I’ve been so into it. The concept intrigues me, and I can’t wait to see where I am a year from now!
Francesca’s Collections is my all-time favorite store. While there the other day I found this little gem, and couldn’t help but pick it up:
A few weeks back my boyfriend and I wandered around New Hope, PA. While there I found a darling little boutique with a gorgeous blue (think tiffany blue) bag. SO glad I picked it up – its a great catch-all and is so fun for spring! (The light washed it out when I tried to photograph it)
And last, but not least, I found a new anthem. It is Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song.” I think it is one of the best female anthems out today, and is so incredibly inspiring and empowering.
What were you guys loving in April?!
Every month I short list products that I’ve either discovered that month, or decided that I value but haven’t discussed on my blog. A few of these are older discoveries, but I hope that some of you will check them out and give them a shot! I only have one beauty favorite this month, but I’m hoping to have many more in April!
I commute into NYC from NJ daily, so I found that I need to have durable headphones. I discovered Yurbuds last year when I was getting more into working out, and fell in love. They have a line designed to fit in women’s ears, and I find the sound quality impeccable. When I put the iPhone earbuds back in my ears I can’t believe how different the quality really is. I tried to just use my Yurbuds at the gym, but now I use them everywhere! The only downside for me is that they were designed not to tangle, but they tangle SO BAD. Its frustrating, but I wouldn’t trade them in for anything. I even have a pair of the FRENDS headphones (the white and gold ones to match my iPhone) but they are static-y and not nearly as great as Yurbuds. Mine are in the pink color, but they have other options!
I’ve been trying to increase my water intake, and bringing a bottle of Poland Spring to work just wasn’t cutting it. Since I am a huge fan of Lily Pulitzer I noticed that the brand makes a tumbler with a straw, perfect to keep on a desk. I picked up one on Amazon (it was a little more money because I wanted an older pattern) but it is really helping me take in more fluids and try to hit my goals. Plus it is adorable!
Since I was little I’ve been a planner nerd. Seriously – it was bad. I loved decorating my planners in elementary, high school, college and even into grad school. So it is no surprise that I’m still, indeed, in love with planning. My daily planners graduated from the Moleskine (which I still use at work as my planner) to the Erin Condren, and now to my absolute favorite of them all: the Louis Vuitton PM Agenda. I can do a separate post on EC vs. LV, but for now, I’ll just say that I adore both, but didn’t realize how much I prioritize portability. I purchased a pre-loved one on Poshmark, and saved substantially. It even came with some old inserts that included the stickers, maps and address books! (All inserts need to be purchased separately from the planner when bought new). Mine is a dark purple/red vernis and I use the 2015 filofax inserts. I also bought a fisher space pen to fit in the itty bitty pen loop. So much love for the LV PM Agenda.
* Picture from Poshmark
I typically shy away from any type of shampoo that is drugstore brand, because I’m afraid it will be bad for my hair. But I found OGX’s Moroccan Argan Creme Shampoo and can’t believe how soft and shiny my hair is. Major win.
Last this month, I rediscovered a lip gloss that I purchased a month or two ago, but put in my drawer and didn’t give it a fair shot. Jesse’s Girl Liquid Glass Lip Gloss in Lip Lock is the perfect frosty pink, and I’m totally digging it for spring. I’ve heard fantastic things about their eye liner and hope to pick it up soon. In the meantime, some RiteAids carry the brand, but typically just the eye shadows and lip glass.
Let me know if any of you have tried these products, and what products I should try next!
This past month I found several products that I can’t wait to rave about. Not all of them are new to the market, some have been around for a while. But they are new to me, and I’m super excited I’ve found them!
Hempz Vanilla Plum Herbal Body Moisturizer
Typically, I’m not a lotion kind of gal. In fact, I avoid it at all costs because I’m used to greasy lotions that leave your hands with a gross film. When I was at the hair salon recently, I fell in love with the lotion they used to do my hand massages. The Hempz lotions absorb immediately, smell FANTASTIC and leave my hands feeling fantastic. The scent in the salon wasn’t the vanilla one, and I liked that one too – but the vanilla plum smells so incredible, I keep reaching for it. This brand can easily be found at Ulta.
C. Wonder Zodiac Votive Candle – Virgo
When I first moved to New York, I stumbled across a (then) new store call C. Wonder. It was owned by Tory Burch’s ex husband, and mirrored her style, but was so fun and playful. I LOVED that store. Unfortunately, C. Wonder closed down last month. Luckily I found the brand on shopbop.com and noticed that they had some adorable home decor items for great sale prices. I picked up this candle and it smells so rich that I want to burn it all the time. It also says “VIRGO” in gold on the back. A few are still on sale at shopbop – for $6ish!
The Balm – Hot Momma! Shadow/Blush
I discovered The Balm when I first subscribed to Birchbox. I had a sample of this blush and used it up so fast, and never repurchased because I was so busy trying other blushes. Recently I saw that The Balm was on Hautelook and was excited that the blush was discounted. I fell in love with this all over again. It is the perfect pink/peach shade and mixes beautifully.
Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black
During a recent trip to Sephora I wanted to try out new perfumes. After smelling what felt like the entire store, I came across this one. It smells somewhat like mens cologne, but has a feminine twist. With hints of violet, sandalwood and vanilla, it has become my perfect scent for winter. I bought the rollerball version to keep it in my bag. It is rare that I will like a new fragrance, but this one totally won me over.
GabGoesGlam 