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Vacation 2015: Myrtle Beach, SC

This year I wanted to take a really relaxing vacation. My parents have a summer home in Myrtle Beach, SC, and I decided to go down for a week over July 4th weekend. Luckily, my boyfriend was able to come down for a few days while I was there, and we could celebrate the holiday together. We made sure to capture our vacation with lots of photos! If anyone is headed down to MB this summer, I’ve included some places you must go!

Broadway at the Beach! Dress: Francesca’s Collections

One of the best (and most tourist-y) places is Broadway at the Beach. It is a mix of shopping, attractions, restaurants and a lot of walking. I’ve been going down to MB for years, and always make sure to stop here each time I visit. About a year ago Carolina Vineyards opened up a shop there, and we decided to stop in for a wine tasting. It is super affordable, and the wine slushies are a MUST. Later in the weekend we went for a ride on the speed boat there – I was terrified, he loved it.

Myrtle Beach State Park! Bathing Suit: Amazon

On the 4th we made sure to do a beach trip! We had gorgeous weather, and we definitely got a little tan from our time there. Later on that day we played mini golf, and went back to Broadway at the Beach to walk around and watch some fireworks. I made sure to bring red, white and blue clothes just for the occasion!

Back at Broadway for fireworks! Dress: Kohls

I couldn’t have him leave without us doing an all you can eat seafood buffet. We LOVE seafood, and I know that Captain George’s in MB never disappoints. We truly dined #southernstyle.

Dinner at Captain George’s! Top: Express

I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation! Where are you all headed for vacation this summer?

Perfect way to end vacation!

Favorites: June 2015

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?!

What’s on my iPhone June Edition

Lately I’ve kept my iPhone apps pretty status quo. I get into a routine and get used to what I have. However, I wanted to share my photo editing and Instagram friendly apps for those of you, who like me, spend forever editing photos before making a post. Click below for links to some of my favorite photo apps! SpacePaint and Picfx I use to add or adjust lighting, aviary helps whiten my photos and make them look crisp, POMELO has some pretty great filters, and Stationery has the cutest way to add text to photos! ENJOY!

SpacePaint

Aviary

Picfx

POMELO

Stationery

Review: Birchbox May 2015

Sorry for the delay of this post – I’m playing catch up with some things!

I was super excited to hear that Emily of the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere would be the guest curator for May. I adore her blog, and typically love most things she recommends. I forgot to pre-select my samples, so I wound up with the regular box. I’m not at all disappointed. While I’ll probably trade some things, I really enjoyed the theme.

*All prices are for the full size products.

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – $21

I LOVE trying new dry shampoos, and I’ve been eyeing the amika brand for a while now. It smells a little fruity for my taste, but I’m excited to give it a shot.

Benefit Cosmetics Total Moisture Facial Cream – $42

Benefit is one of my favorite brands, and I appreciated getting a generous sample. I need to be careful what I put on my face because I don’t want to break out, but the smell is so lovely, I think I’ll give it a try.

Coastal Scents Revealed 3 Eyeshadow Quad – $20

I was most disappointed by this one. I’ve wanted the full palette for a while now, and was quite upset when they cheaped out with the quad. Colors are nice, but total bummer.

Marcelle Clay Mask -$15

I haven’t had a nice clay mask in a while, so I might be willing to try this. But because I have sensitive skin, I’ll have to read some reviews before I give it a shot.

Whish Flawless Swipes – $22

These are designed to banish bumps and prevent in grown hairs. I’d rather have a lotion or creme than a wipe, but thats just me. The brand hasn’t proven effective for me in the past, but I love their ideas and the fragrances of their products. This goes to the swap pile.

How were your boxes this month?

Review: Sample Society April AND May 2015

So it seems I was slacking a bit last month. Things have been crazy and I’m ready to get back to blogging more regularly. I received both of my Sample Society boxes for April and May, and thought this would be a great place to jump back into things.

April 2015

Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper in Rio – $25

This is an itty bitty sample. The color isn’t bad though, and I definitely think it would compliment a variety of skin tones.

Benefit The PoreFessional – $30

I absolutely hate this product. I’ve used it more times than I can count, and it does nothing for me. I use it to try and use up the samples, or when I’m in a pinch, but I don’t believe it does a thing. Am I alone in this?

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream – $76 for 1.7 ounces

I’m a huge Marc Jacobs fan, but this isn’t for me.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil – $39

I LOVE this line. So happy to have another sample. It makes my hair feel AMAZING.

Mt. Sapola Lavender-Chamomile Body Lotion- $24

I love lavender, but this was a bit too strong for me. I had to throw it out because it was giving me a headache. Super bummed.

Illume Tonka Noir Candle – $20

This candle couldn’t smell better if it tried. I can’t stop smelling it, and want to use it constantly. Major love for this one.

Overall I think this wasn’t a bad box, but I know I’ve seen better from Sample Society.

May 2015

I lost my card indicating amounts and info about the products in the box, but I found the necessary information:

John Frieda Luxurious Volume In-Shower Treatment– I don’t really need this since I have gigantic hair. Definitely swapping this one.

Alterna Caviar Repair Multi-Vitamin Heat Protection Spray– I’m excited to try this. I always need something to protect my hair from my insanely hot flat iron, and I’m willing to give this a shot.

Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray – I wasn’t sure what to make of this. Anyone out there a fan? Right now it is in my swap pile!

Julep Lip Gloss in Graceful – Love Julep lip glosses! The color is super sheer, but I can use it.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask– I’m always up to try new face masks!

Versace Eros Pour Femme Perfume– This bottle is ADORABLE. Super tiny, and I definitely want to give the perfume a try too…

Verdict: Not bad! This box had some fun products for me to try, and a nice box for spring!

Review: Birchbox April 2015

This month I selected the pre-curated box from Birchbox. I already liked some of the brands in the California box, so I decided to choose that one.

I absolutely love the brand 12 Benefits and their Instant Healthy Hair Treatment is something I wanted to try. Its a healthy sample! (reg $21)

When I opened the box I immediately smelled something that smelled like soap. It was the perfume called “Clean” and it was disgusting. I threw it out. (reg $69)

I love Cynthia Rowley, so I was thrilled to receive a sample of her illuminator. (reg $28)

Laqa & Co. is a company I’ve encountered before, but never tried. In the box was their Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Honeypot and its gorgeous. Perfect for an easy, breezy type of day. (reg $20)

I’ve never heard of Not Soap, Radio. I got their Body Wash in Bathing with Sharks and am excited to try it this summer on vacation! (The nod to sharks just makes me want to save it for my beach vacay!) (reg $16)

Always a Bridesmaid…

Over the weekend I was excited to be a bridesmaid a bridesmaid for the third time. I thought this was a perfect time to show some of the bridesmaid’s dresses that I’ve worn, and talk a little bit about where I found things for the most recent wedding.

In 2012 I was a bridesmaid in my friend Katie’s wedding. She had a gorgeous ceremony at a local church here in NJ and then the reception at a nearby hotel ballroom. My dress was from David’s Bridal, and was floor length. Unfortunately I have no full length photos!

In October 2013 I was a bridesmaid in my friend Alyssa’s wedding. It had the most incredible country vibe – and I love that she wore boots to the reception (and that all of us could wear boots as well!) Her wedding was on a golf course up near Vernon, NJ. The dress was super comfortable, and was originally long. We had them cut to better fit the feel of her wedding – and it was perfect for the weather.

This past weekend I was a bridesmaid in my cousin Michael’s wedding. They had a ceremony in an adorable local church, and the reception at a really enchanting mansion in Bensalem, PA. I forget to get a picture of the back of my hair, but my girl at Blo Out in Hamilton, NJ did such a great job – I loved it! Our dresses were from Bill Levkoff and we picked them up at the Bridal Suite in Hamilton, NJ. [Note – beware of ordering from there!]

I love seeing these photos in progression! I also want to share my accessories for the most recent wedding. The necklace I wore was our bridesmaid’s gift which she picked up from Etsy. It is super cute and I’ve already worn it again! My earrings were simple pearls from Charming Charlie, and I wore bracelets from Bourbon and Bowties that I picked up at a local boutique. (I’m a HUGE Bourbon and Bowties fan!) I found a matching wrap at Nordstrom Rack ($12!) and it was perfect since the day was freezing. I did my own makeup for the day and even got a spray tan. My purse (below) was PERFECT! I picked it up from a seller on bitdazzle, but click here for her etsy store. Her work is fantastic and the purse was reasonable at $38. So many compliments on it – even the photographer loved it! It fit my iPhone 6+ without a problem. I’ve posted some pics below – the purse I purchased had a light pink ribbon. My shoes were Bandolino from Macys – just a dusty rose heel. Nothing fancy.

Where are some go-to places to pick up items for bridesmaids? I was running all around like crazy trying to find things to match.

Follow me on Instagram! @gvgp1989

IMATS and VIB ROUGE SALE HAUL

I’m so excited to share my IMATS and Sephora VIB Rouge sale haul (and a few products from CVS too)!

Brands:

Becca, Marc Jacobs, Bite Beauty, Nest, Milani, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Model in a Bottle, Esquido Mink Lashes, Z Palette, Tarte, Stila Cosmetics, LA Girl, Buxom, Benefit, Makeup Forever, Josie Maran, Smashbox, Korres

IMATS NYC 2015

Last weekend I decided to head out to IMATS, the International Makeup Artists Trade Show. It is held in various locations throughout the year, and I was able to attend the show in NYC. I wanted to write about my impressions, advice and what I would do differently next time.

I bought my ticket months in advance, and planned everything out – which vendors I wanted to hit, which products I wanted – a day or so before. I packed light, and unfortunately this time I went alone. I had a notebook with the items and the original prices so I could compare, and also kept in mind that anything I could find at Sephora I could pick up with the VIB Rouge sale that started the next day. I took a mid-morning train, attempting to beat the hundreds of people in line at Pier 94. I walked right in, and initially it didn’t seem that bad. However, once I started to head over to the brands I wanted, the lines were LONG. Some were shut down, some were an hour or longer. To avoid this, I walked around to understand the layout, and then headed over to the less crowded lines. I set a low budget for myself, and didn’t overspend because I missed some of the brands I wanted due to the lines. If I stood in the line for Sigma or NYX I would have been there all day and only left with those products. The line for Lime Crime was bad too – and Anastasia was shut down. I wanted to pick up some Ben Nye – but I can find it way cheaper on line, and I’m not in need of any at the moment.

I REALLY wanted to hit Lady Moss, but I couldn’t get a good view of the booth, and didn’t want to wait in line to see what they had.

I was able to get to the following tables:

-Tarte (all mascaras, blushes and lipsticks were $10!- I did snag a pic of their price list!)

-Zpalette

-Model in a Bottle

-Stila

-Esquido Lashes

-One table that sold LA Girl Cosmetics (I can’t remember the name of the stand!)

I made it a bunch of others, but they either didn’t have a decent discount, or were sold out of what I wanted (ahem, MUFE…)

I advise planning ahead and take a friend. If I wasn’t alone I could have waited in the longer lines. I also only stayed a few hours, but should have stayed much longer. Knowing the products you want ahead of time helps too – so you budget for what you want, and bring extra for the fun things you find on the way. Oh and DRESS COMFORTABLE! You are waiting in lines and wearing heels and fancy clothes doesn’t make that any easier. I forgot to take pics during the day – but I did snag a selfie!

My next post will be a haul!! Were any of you at IMATS NYC???

Living Healthy

Over the past few years I knew that I needed to start living a more healthy life. I wasn’t happy with myself, and needed to figure out a way to start myself on a better path. When I left college I was 10-15 pounds heavier than I ever had been in my entire life. And I had lost weight since my junior year when I was even a little healthier. The truth is that I just didn’t know what to do. Now I see what I was doing wrong, but back then I couldn’t figure it out. I over ate, ate things that made my body run poorly and hated to work out.

Ok, so who really likes to work out? I don’t mind it now, but when I was heavier I would joke that the only way I would run was if someone was chasing me. And even then, I’d say there was a marginal chance that would happen. When I turned 25 last fall I made a promise to myself to make this my best year yet. And so far, so good. Shortly after my birthday I joined a kickboxing gym, and fell in love. It is the hardest thing I’ve done in my life, but I have never felt so good and empowered. I’m so thankful I decided to give it a try because I was terrified I couldn’t keep up when I joined the class. Now I feel like I can take on the world.

Unfortunately with the ups, comes the downs. Last summer I was sick constantly and my stomach hurt terribly. After a few months and some tests I found out that I have gastroparesis. Basically I can’t digest properly and have to take medicine multiple times a day to regulate it. I also need to follow a FODMAP diet (I can do a post on my daily eating soon) and I live as gluten free as possible. No, I don’t have celiac, but I feel so great eating gluten free. And it bothers me deeply when someone dismisses a gluten intolerance. I wish those people could live my life for a bit, and see how hard it can be to eat foods with gluten, and feel like crap. I’ve seen how foods go through my body – and I can feel the aftermath often for a day or two. I’m all for eating clean, but I always indulge! And just to mention it – I’ve been out of college since 2011 and have lost 60 pounds. I’m living proof that hard work and dedication pays off!

Thankfully I have a great support system, and everyone takes care to make sure there is something I can eat when we go out. I hate making a big deal about it, but it adds unnecessary pressure to situations. I’d love to connect with others who know what its like to live this way – because while hard, its been the best life style change I’ve made, and I’d like to hear how others have done it as well. I’m going to post more about my diet, work outs and health in the future. But wanted to get the ball rolling!

The healthiest I’ve ever been!

GabGoesGlam

Beauty. Lifestyle. Fashion.