Categories
Fabulous living

Favorite Beauty Finds

Hi Everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start. This weekend is my college’s homecoming weekend which will be a lot of fun and then next week is fall break! I cant believe I am almost to the halfway point of my last semester.

Today’s post is about things that everyone, especially women, LOVES and needs, I’m sharing my favorite beauty finds that I love and don’t break the bank. Sorry guys, this may not be an exciting post for you. 

My new favorite products

Before, I get into this post, I got all these products from Marshalls, but this post is not sponsored by Marshalls. I also wasn’t looking for these products, I was browsing the shelves and found them and they were all impulse buys, but I have been so happy with them. Also, I didn’t break the bank by purchasing them either. 

  1. Face scrubber
Front of the brush
Back of the brush

I have been looking for a face scrubber for the longest time. I didn’t want a brush that was too rough or hard. When I got this face scrubber, I couldn’t wait to try it. I love how there are two sides to the scrubber, a nylon bristle side and a silicone brush. The nylon side cleans deep and unclogs pores. The silicone side exfoliates dry or dead skin. I typically only use this one my face once or twice a week so I don’t dry out my skin. I also love how it feels after a good deep cleaning. I didn’t break the bank with this purchase, and I am happy with the result of it so far.

  • Jade Roller
Jade roller

I have heard about jade rollers for the longest time and when I finally got a jade roller, I couldn’t wait to try it out. The purpose of the jade roller is to revive tiring skin and recharge your skin for a natural glow. It’s great for priming skin before applying creams and lotions. It also promotes anti-aging, eliminates toxins, tones muscles, reduces puffiness and wrinkles, and stimulates blood flow to the skin. I use it a 4-5 times a week typically at night after I wash my face. I also put it in the fridge for 30 minutes before I use it to cool my skin. I have been so happy with the results of using this product. Not only does it have all these benefits but it’s a soothing way to relax and add to my skin care routine before bed or when I want to relax. Also, just want to point out that I don’t have an elaborate skin care routine, I use products from over the counter and it takes less than five minutes to do this routine, I’m all about making life simpler not more complicated.

  • Makeup brush cleaner 
Make up brush cleaner

Ever since I started wearing makeup in high school, I always had an issue with cleaning my brushes, whether it was how often to do it, what products to use, or cleaning them so often that they would break. Well, thanks to Marshalls, I found a game changer when it comes to cleaning my brushes. I got this make up brush scrubber and I have been loving it. It is silicone so it cleans easily at it has four different areas depending on deep you want to clean your brushes. Also, it has suction cups to stick to your sink, so you aren’t worried about it sliding around when you are cleaning them. This saves me time when I am cleaning my brushes and I know that they are getting a good deep cleaning. 

These are three beauty finds that I have been wanting to try for a while and I’m so glad I did. They all impressed me and I was pleased with the results. Lastly, I was happy that they were affordable and worth my time and money. What are some beauty products that you are loving and you would suggest? Sound off in the comments below!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #122

LOTD

Hi everyone! Happy Thursday after a hectic week I am looking forward to catching up on the return of my favorite fall shows…hello TGIT!

 Well it’s officially fall, even if it doesn’t feel like it quite yet. I am looking forward to wearing some of my favorite fall colors and transitioning my wardrobe. I started to change over my clothes these past few weeks. The weather has been hard to plan for, some mornings its 45 degrees when I leave for class and then by the afternoon it is hot and humid. In order to battle this challenging weather, I have found the key is to wear long pants and a short sleeve top or shorts and a long sleeve top. 

Today’s look is an example of one of those outfits. On this particular day, I have a few meetings that I had to attend so I wanted to keep it professional while also comfortable. I also wanted to get into the fall mood by wearing darker colors. 

Off to class

I first opted for dark black leggings. What I love about these is that they feel like leggings but don’t look like them. I got these from Target and I’m on the hunt for a new pair. 

Full outfit

I matched the pants with my dark black slip on sneakers, also from Target. I wanted the comfort of a sneaker but not the look of a sneaker and these did the trick.

In order to dress up the outfit, I wore a silver blouse from Francesca’s Boutique with the outfit. I also accented the outfit with black and silver jewelry to add a pop to the outfit. 

Up close of make up and jewelry

Due to the darker shades in my outfit, I wore a darker lip shade, but kept my makeup light and loose. I didn’t want too dark of an outfit for September.  I also did a darker shade for my nails. I went with a deep red to get into the fall mood.

Up close of nails

I will probably wear an outfit similar to this in the winter when it gets colder, but until then I am going to adjust my clothing to the weather. 

Have a great weekend everyone and do something the speaks fall to you!

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Shows to Start Watching

Hey everyone!

Happy Tuesday! I don’t know about you, but this week is one of my favorite weeks of the entire year…what makes the last week of September so great?! Fall shows are starting back up again! As much as I love binge watching series, there is truly nothing better than following a series week to week, year to year. Call my old school, but I love watching a show and being on the edge of my seat until the next episode airs next week. 

I started getting invested with tv series and “my shows” when I was in middle school. I think the first show I remember watching weekly was LOST…what a throwback, but still such a good show. Since then I have watched shows on all the major networks, everything from dramas, to comedies, procedures, and limited series. I have a few shows that I have watched from the early seasons, but I also find new shows to get into every year. I am so excited for the lineup of shows for this year. Here are a few that I am most excited for and why…

  1. This is Us
This Is Us

I love This is Us, it’s one of those shows that is so relatable, from family issues, to relationship struggles, and the every day life. You have to watch from the beginning, so you don’t get confused with the time jumps. I am excited to see where they go this season, they added a lot of new cast members and not only have they been going back in time, but now they are going forward in time. It premieres TONIGHT at 9 pm on NBC.

A Million Little Things

I got into A Million Little Things right after the first episode aired. It follows the story of a group of friends coping with their “perfect” friend’s suicide and how his friends and family are handling it and moving on. However, there is a lot to uncover following the sudden death. The first season was so well done, I am looking forward to seeing what direction season 2 goes in and what other storylines it explores. It premieres this Thursday at 9 pm on ABC.

How to Get Away with Murder

Another Shondaland show that keeps you on the edge of your seat. After 6 years of getting away with murder, will Annalise Keating and her crew finally have to pay for their crimes?! When I first started this show when it premiered, I was immediately drawn in with the murder and mayhem. There has been a lot of secrets, covering up, and death through the years but I’m anxious to see how it will all end up. The FINAL season premieres this Thursday at 10 pm on ABC after A Million Little Things, all part of the TGIT lineup. 

Outlander

If you followed my blog this summer, you know I was obsessed with Outlander this summer. I am so happy they finally announced that season 5 will be back on Starz starting February 16 at 9 pm on Starz. Although, season 4 didn’t leave us on a huge cliffhanger, I can’t wait to see what has been going in the late 1700’s in America, plus who doesn’t love Claire and Jamie?! I can’t wait until February! Luckily, I have these shows to hold me over until it comes back on!

The Masked Singer

So far, we have a mix of some drama and some intense shows, we clearly need a bit of reality tv!! Enter, The Masked Singer. I watched some of last season and fell in love with it, it takes who’s under the mask to a whole new level. I love trying to guess who is performing based on the clues they give and their singing abilities. Can’t wait to see who is on the show. This premieres TOMORROW at 8 pm on Fox. 

There you have it, a brief recap of a few shows I am most looking forward for this upcoming season. DO you have any favorites that didn’t make the cut?! Let me know in the comments below! I am always open to new shows, even if my schedule doesn’t allow it…haha! I will make it work, that’s a promise!

Have a great week everyone and watch some tv!

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Uncategorized

Look of the Day #121

LOTD

 Another week is behind us. I can’t believe we are halfway through September. This month needs to slow down. I am trying to enjoy every day and be present in everything I am doing in this season of life. One thing I am looking forward to in the next few weeks is for the weather to be a bit more consistent. Last week it was in the high 80’s and this week it’s much more manageable with the 70’s. I know this is something so many of us struggle with, but picking out outfits that work for the chilly mornings and hot afternoons can be hard to put together. I try my best to pick outfits that are versatile and work in different weather conditions. 

Today’s look of the day is an example of one of those outfits.

Quick mirror selfie before class

It was cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon. I had fall on my mind so I wanted an outfit that would give off the fall vibes but also be comfortable. 

I first opted for this velvet gold short sleeve top from Old Navy to start off the outfit. I love this top for the color as well as the different ways to wear it. I have worn it previously in the winter with black skinny jeans

Wearing this top in the winter

and  in the summer with dress pants,

Or in the summer

but I really like how it works with navy blue jeans and brown boots. It made my get more into the autumn season with gold hues. I also like how it is short sleeve, therefore it works for the warm days in September.

Full look at the outfit

I opted for a pair of navy-blue denim boot jeans from Old Navy as well. These jeans worked great in the chilly morning, plus they are slimming, and I love the style of them. I can’t it to wear them more in upcoming fall and winter months. 

Lastly, I wore my favorite fall peep toe boots with this outfit. Once again, it has the fall feel with the brown leather, but at the same time it has an open toe which works great for warm weather. 

I also opted for more neutral and natural looking make up. Due to the gold top, I wore more gold hues with my bronzer, highlighter, and then for a lip color I went for a bare nude color.

Make up details

I love rewearing tops and bottoms in different outfits and finding what outfits I can create without breaking the bank. What fall trends are you looking forward to with the upcoming season?

Categories
Fabulous living

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! 

I don’t know about you but I LOVE a good recipe to kick off my week. Back by popular demand I will be having more of my favorite foods on the blog in the next coming months. This summer my go to order whenever I was out was seafood tacos, whether it was fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or even lobster tacos…I loved mixing my two favorite foods of seafood and tacos together! After I ate and tried A LOT of tacos this summer, I decided to make up my own version of shrimp tacos.

  • Lobster roll
  • Fish tacos
  • Shrimp Tacos
  • Lobster flatbread

This is a light and flavorful meal, that can be assembled in less than 15 minutes depending on the prep. It was perfect for summer but still could be enjoyed in the early fall or even late spring. Plus, making this recipe now reminds me of the carefree days of summer!

Here’s what you need:

White flour tortilla shells

Grilled shrimp (for extra flavor)

Salsa (I love the peach salsa for something extra fruity)

*Lettuce

*Tomato

*Cheese

*Sour cream

*Guacamole 

*all of these are optional for extra flavor

Homemade Shrimp Tacos

To Prepare:

To begin you need to prepare your shrimp. I typically buy a frozen bag of shrimp and use it when I need it for a recipe. I begin to thaw it the night before I need it, then in the morning I boil them in a pot full of water with sea salt until they turn a light pink, typically between 12-15 minutes, once they are cooked to my liking, I drain the water and rinse them with cold water before storing them in the fridge with a few fresh cut lemons for flavor. 

Now, if you prefer to just have shrimp that’s not grilled you can begin to assemble your tacos, but I personally like extra flavor, so I remove the shrimp from the fridge and season it with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. I mix in a bowl with shrimp and olive oil.  Then begin to grill them for a few minutes into the are golden brown.

Once they are done on the grill, it’s time to assemble the tacos. I personally like a few pieces of shrimp, peach salsa, and a pinch of cheese. 

Who doesn’t love a flavorful taco?!

If you want a healthier version, ditch the tortilla and make a shrimp salad with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and shrimp. 

In retrospect, I should not have been writing this post when I am craving shrimp tacos and can’t make them at the moment. But, if you are a seafood lover or loves to try new tacos then this is the recipe for you!

What’s your favorite meal that’s fast and easy?

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #120

Hey friends! It’s Thursday, I hope your week was filled with productivity and some fun. 

Although, we are in the midst of September, it doesn’t feel like fall yet, it’s still warm in the 70’s with some cooler air. I’m soaking up as much warm weather before it’s boots and sweaters. But, who am I kidding, I will be excited to start changing my wardrobe for the new season. Today’s outfit is one that is perfect for the pre-fall days. I have started wearing darker colors to get into the fall mood. 

Transitioning summer into fall

I have worn this top for more business casual outfits for the office, but I love how you can dress it down with a pair of jean capris and sandals. I got this blue beaded top from Francesca’s Boutique. I love the material and the gold accents. 

I decided to match this top with blue jean capris from Old Navy, my go to denim. I am thinking about adding a pair of skinny jeans to the mix this fall. 

Even though it is the end of fall/ beginning of fall, I am still wearing these cute gem sandals when I wear jeans or sundresses. 

This fall, I’m still wearing more neutral makeup as I am back to school. I loved the way my skin felt in the summer by wearing minimal makeup and I want to try and continue to do that in the fall. I am mixing in more darker hues and deeper pinks and plum colors in my lip color or eye shadow. By slowing adding darker colors into my makeup and wardrobe, I am getting into the fall mode.

All natural with a touch of pink for end of summer

As much as I am enjoying this warm weather, I will be happy when it’s all fall, all the time! Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the changing weather!

Categories
Fabulous living

Jonas Brothers Concert

Hi everyone!!

Happy Tuesday! I told myself going into my last semester of college that I am going to do as much as I can and last week was no exception. I finished with classes on Tuesday and headed to Pittsburgh for a concert. Even though I bought tickets months ago, the date crept up on me with classes getting back in session, so this was a fun way to spend a Tuesday night.

Post classes, pre concert

My two friends and I headed to see the Jonas Brothers when they were in town, I never saw them when I was a preteen and never thought I would see them in my 20’s, but boy was I glad that I did.

We are Here!

 I travelled up to Pittsburgh on Tuesday afternoon with my one friend and we met our other friend there. We grabbed dinner before heading into the city for the show. We got there plenty early to secure our seats and buy our merch before it began. Jordan McGraw opened along with BeBe Rexah, I enjoyed both of their performances but was more than ready to have the show begin. 

Jordan McGraw

The fan favorite trio came on stage around 9:00 and played for two hours straight. They interacted with the audience from time to time and had two costume changes but other than that it was just them performing. 

Opening

They played tons of songs from their new album, Happiness Begins as well as old throwbacks from their early days as a group and their Disney days. Some songs I hadn’t heard in 10 years but I still remembered all the words. It was crazy to hear them sing throwback songs from the Disney movie, Camp Rock, and then perform a song from 2019.  Some of my favorites were Hesitate, Burnin Up, SOS, Love Bug, Only Human, and Year 3000.

Our view of their second stage

The fans were loud, cheering and singing along the whole time. They went back and forth from the main stage, to the two cat walks and then walking through the crowd to a smaller stage (we were so close to the smaller stage and it was so cool to see them interact with their fans). It definitely wasn’t a normal Tuesday night, but an incredible one for sure. It was so cool to relive my teenage years in my 20’s and with some of my good friends.

Another outfit change

Thank you Joe, Nick, and Kevin for a phenomenal night! Now the next question remains…what will be next concert be?!

Thank you for an incredible Tuesday night
Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #119

LOTD

Good morning friends and happy Thursday!

Have you enjoyed the shortened four day week It’s always so nice to start the school year off with a long weekend to ease into the new year. 

I love September for so many reasons, one of them includes the fact that fall is around the corner. However, it can be a challenging month with weird temperatures, sometimes it’s cold in the morning but then warm in the afternoon. I like to choose outfits that work for these weird weather days. I also like to start bring more fall colors into my wardrobe, goodbye blush colors and whites, and hello all the goldens, reds, and browns. 

Do you ever have that dress/ skirt/ pants that you are constantly finding new ways to mix and match with different outfits? That happened to me when I bought this dress last fall. I’ve blogged about it before and I’m going to blog about it today with a new style in mind.

I wore it in the fall last year with boots and a scarf.

Last fall

 I wore it in the spring with peep toe boots and a jean jacket. 

Last Spring

Now I’m wearing it today with sandals for a great outfit to kick off the school year with! The weather was warm and sunny. I opted for the dress with no jacket or scarf since it was still warm. I got this versatile dress from Old Navy. 

This Summer

I did ,however, accessorize with this dark red necklace to bring out the fall colors. I also kept the gold consistent with earrings and a ring. My earrings and necklace came from Francesca’s Boutique and my ring is from Alex and Ani. 

Accessories

Lastly, I wanted to keep the dark color scheme going with navy blue sandals from Old Navy. This outfit is perfect for the classroom or a casual weekend excursion. 

Simple sandals

I love that I have worn this outfit in every season, not sure if I can pull it off in winter, but we shall see! 

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

How I am Staying on top of my Schedule

Hey hey friends! Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had an enjoyable and fun Labor Day weekend. Although, I was at school, I did have a fun weekend with friends, and it was a great way to say goodbye to summer. Although, school started back last week for me, I’m still trying to find a good routine. Last week was all about getting adjusted to a new schedule, classes, work time and organizing all the appointments. This week is weird since we had off yesterday and tonight I’m going to a concert with friends. I’m trying my best to soak up every moment at school this semester.

I know I’m late to the game, but I am finally on the band wagon with using the calendar on my phone and laptop….I know I know, it’s a long time coming. Before I get started on how and why I am using this system now, I want to give a little bit of background on how I stay organized. 

A few years back, I did a post about staying organized with school. You can read about it here.

Let me break it down for how I stay on top of things, I have a feeling this may change once I graduate from college, but for now this is what works. 

  1. Big Desk Calendar
My desk calendar

I love to see everything laid out in front of my on my desk. I have everything color coded. Certain colors for classes, Green for school things (tutoring, dinners, meetings), Blue for Work (staff meetings, when things are due), Red for when I work, and then purple for anything else that comes up. I like seeing the month as a whole and this helps me plan better when I have new things to put on the calendar. I got this planner from the Simplified Collection by Emily Ley at Target. I put everything on this calendar- it’s basically my master one-school, work, home, family, friends. It all goes here. 

  • Small Planner

This comes in great for assignments and school work. I got this planner from Staples with the At a Glance collaboration with Simplified by Emily Ley (do you see a pattern here?!- You better believe I am getting the 2020 Simplified Planner when they Launch tomorrow!)

This has the week layout. Every day is split in two columns (The My Day and To Do). In the My Day is where I put any meetings, events, test dates or things to remember. In the To Do is where I list all my homework assignments.

What my weekly spread looks like

This is the first year that I used the monthly calendar too. Although, I love my desk calendar I was scheduling things without looking. I only write the important things in the month section like tutoring, meetings, scheduled events just so I have a reference. This planner is mostly used for school things-homework, exams, meetings for school and work things for school. 

The month of September as a whole in the month section of calendar
  • iCalendar 

This past summer, I started to use the calendar app on my phone and laptop to keep track of work things and events happening with family and friends. Since I wasn’t in school I wasn’t using a planner and since I spent most every day on my laptop it made sense to have my calendar in front of me, now I am loving it. It’s so easy to use and I LOVE how you can sync your phone and laptop calendars to be the same. I am also able to customize when I put things on the calendar and color coordinate them too. Also, the best part, by using iCalendar it keeps all my blog posts in order and I can schedule things better too.

For this calendar its divided by four topics: school (blue), blog (purple), personal (yellow) and important (red).

My four categories of what I put on the calendar

For school I only put important meetings, appointment and work commitments( no homework, no tests, no when my classes are), for blog I put down what posts are being published when, personal is activities and things with friends and family, and important are basically when the big things are due like credit card statements. This calendar is the big picture stuff, I refer to this when I am planning an event or meeting to see if I have conflicts and I always have it with me, unlike my desk calendar and planner which aren’t always on me. 

The whole month at a glance

Is it necessary to have all of these? Probably not, but it’s what works best for me. I am a super organized person, so I like to do all this and keep myself on top of everything. I am thinking once I graduate about ditching the desk calendar and just keeping a planner and using the calendar on my phone. Thoughts from any recent graduates about what works best for you? After I graduate, I want to focus on simplifying my life more and I know once I am done with school a lot of these activities will be done too, so for now I am enjoying my life with my three color coordinated calendars!

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #118

LOTD

Hey guys! Happy Thursday! I am almost through with my first week of classes. Is it just me or does the first week of a new year/ job/ semester always seem to drag and be disorganized? I am looking forward to getting ahead on work this weekend and taking advantage of the long weekend too. 

Since it is almost Labor Day, it’s almost time for all the white to be put away until next spring. Today, I’m sharing one last summer white look of the day, that allows us to hold on for summer while also transitioning to cooler temperatures. 

Last of the whites for the summer

Let’s start with this white cotton dress. By far, one of my favorite purchases. It’s so easy to throw on for a date night or shopping trip, light weight for packing, and can be layered as well as dressed up or down. I purchased it from Old Navy a few years back and while I don’t wear it all the time, it’s nice to pull out to wear something different.

I wore it recently on a cooler morning, so I knew layering was a must. Instead of just a pink or navy sweater, I opted for a jean jacket. This is my favorite one from Old Navy. I love the way the cotton and jean jacket work well. It kept me warm while also being stylish. 

To finish off my look, I wore my go-to pink loafers. DSW is my go-to for all unique shoes, like these! I love the detail and design and they look so fun to add to solid outfit, not to mention that are very comfortable. 

Up close of the details in the dress and jacket

Although, I’m sad summer is coming to an end, I’m so glad we have warm weather here to stay! Just because we are putting white away doesn’t mean we are saying goodbye to summer outfits! Have an wonderful extra-long weekend!