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Review: Sample Society June 2015

June was the last month that this would be the Sample Society box. I was hoping for a nice ending before they switch to being the Allure Beauty Box solely, and this didn’t disappoint.

St. Tropez Self Tan Express – Full Size $44

I love St. Tropez, and have purchased other products in the line, so I was ecstatic when I saw this in the box.

ESalon Perfect Ending Leave In Conditioner – Full Size $15.00

This smells FANTASTIC! And I really believe it helps my hair feel softer. Total Win.

E.L.F. Studio Small Stipple Brush – $3

I like E.L.F enough, but I always question the quality. I will probably swap this brush.

Lauren B. Beauty Nail Couture in Polo Lounge Punch – $18

Gorgeous color! I can’t wait to try this in an upcoming pedicure.

Completely Bare Wax Strips for Face, Bikini, Body – $12.99

I can’t use wax of any kind because it usually makes me break out. I will be swapping these as well.

Cotz Face Sunscreen SPF 40 in Natural Skin Tone – Full Size $19.99

I haven’t tried this yet, and can’t decide if I will purely because I have so many sunscreens for my face.

Can’t wait to receive this month’s box!

Summer Fun: Festival Style

Two weeks back a group of us went to the Big Barrel Country Music Festival in Dover, Delaware. The festival is the sister to Firefly, which also takes place in Dover Downs, just with more mainstream artists. I was so excited for Big Barrel, and it was my first festival experience. I had NO idea what to really bring, and should have prepared better beforehand. Firefly was the weekend before, and the storms were so bad they had to evacuate. We were SO nervous about how to cope if it rained. (And it certainly did!) So I wanted to put together a post about what I brought/wore, and what I should have had with me!

Day One: Blake Shelton

The night before we discovered that there would be a ton of mud because of how bad the storms were. We went out and bought rain boots/sneakers to help us get around. I bought some fun tank tops before the concert because I really wanted to be festive! Below is the one I wore to Blake Shelton, and I bought it on Etsy. The temperature dropped a bit, and we couldn’t even wear shorts. If I didn’t wear jeans, I would have been pretty cold that night. Also, I chose to bring a backpack to have a hands free night. This wound up being great, and made it very easy to tote along all that we needed.

* Make sure to bring camping chairs! Double check they are allowed at other concerts, but we loved having them because they didn’t sink in the mud.

Overall the first night was so fun! We took pictures, and began to sample all of the different food trucks. [BBQ was amazing…] and my non-country music loving boyfriend really got into the Blake Shelton concert! Major win.

The Etsy shop is InkLabPrinting, and the shirt was PERFECT! Big thanks!

My backpack is from Macy’s made by Steve Madden ( I got it on major sale and paid much less!)

Day Two: Miranda Lambert

It POURED all day. I bought ponchos from Walmart before we left for Delaware, and made sure we had the thick kinds with hoods. And boy did we need them. We were staying near the outlets, and I stopped at the Bass outlet and picked up a pair of shoes for $30 which was the cheapest we could find. I got them so nasty with the mud, I wound up leaving them in the parking lot after the third night. A hat was also something crucial. It kept the rain out of my face, and allowed me to see in the storm. I bought a shirt from Etsy for this night, but wound up wearing a more comfy t-shirt because it was raining so hard. Below is what I originally bought. I purchased the hat from Marley Lilly!

The rain subsided for Miranda Lambert, and we were able to just relax and watch the concert. We were wiped that night!

Day Three: Carrie Underwood

This was by far, the most gorgeous day of them all. We got there very early, and everyone got to see their favorite performers. We went and bottle fed some goats and lambs, saw the Budweiser Clydesdales and then secured our spot for Carrie Underwood. We wound up getting bumped to VIPS and were only a few feet from the stage.

I bought a shirt in a boutique in NYC that I thought reminded me of Carrie Underwood’s style, and was so excited to wear it! If I can find a link, I’ll be sure to add it!

We had the BEST weekend, and can’t wait to go back next year! What are your concert must-haves?!

Review: Birchbox June 2015

SO sorry I didn’t post this last month! I’m working on a regular posting schedule. Last month I wasn’t super thrilled with my Birchbox, and ultimately was the reason I forgot to post.

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner – Full Size $11

This came in a gray color. Not my style – to swap it goes!

Supergoop! Everyday SPF 50 with Cellular Response Technology– Full Size $19-$48

I actually like Supergoop! so I think this will be great for the summer.

Temple Spa Shampoo and Conditioner – Full Size $14 each

This smells ok, and I’m glad I got both the shampoo and conditioner. I figure I can use these deluxe samples for travel.

W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara – Full Size $23.50

I wasn’t really into the brush when I first examined this. Much too small for my liking. This too goes to swap!

L. Erickson Narrow Grab and Go Ponytail Holder – Full Size $12

I can always use another, so this was a good extra!

It would have been much better to have more summery products. I think they were trying here, but it didn’t quite deliver, in my opinion! How were your Birchboxes last month?

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?

Favorites: May 2015

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?!

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)

GabGoesGlam

Beauty. Lifestyle. Fashion.