My Favorite Books

Reading has always been a passion of mine – in the car, in between classes, basically any free time during the day would be devoted to whatever book I had at the moment. There are so many books that I’ve read that I want to put in this post just because they’re so incredible (to me, at least). But if you’re looking for a good read and you’re stuck on what to look for, here’s a few of my favorite books that you should try!

Nails, Listen, Something New

//Nails//

One of the most important things you should know about me is that I don't mess about when it comes to nail polish. I actually pride myself on my nail polish collection - I have many different brands and selections but my absolute favorite line is by Topshop. The one I have on my nails now, "Disclosed," was given to me by one of my good friends directly from Topshop's flagship store on Oxford Street in London. "Disclosed" is a light blue-gray color which can change hues depending on what lighting you're in. I have been leaning more towards pastels lately and "Disclosed" is perfect. Unfortunately it's not available in the US, unless it has appeared in the Topshop stores here more recently. But if you're ever in England, swing by a Topshop and try it if you can! 

//Listen//

For my Listening section this week, I wanted to shine a light on one particular British duo that I've been a big fan of for a few years - Rizzle Kicks. These two boys (Harley Alexander-Sule and Jordan Stephens) from Brighton, England have created a sound that's catchy, unique, and it makes you want to rap and dance along. Their newest single, due out on August 12, is called "Tell Her." So far it is one of my favorite songs that Harley and Jordan have released and I can't wait to properly enjoy it in my car rather than just listening to it Youtube. The single is definitely something you will want to buy as it does have that summer song vibe. It is most certainly one of my favorite songs at the moment. 

//Something New//

The time has come for me to purchase a new agenda for the upcoming fall season. For the last three years I have had a Lilly Pulitzer agenda to hold basically my entire life and all its details within its pages. This year, however, I decided to go on a different route - a Kate Spade-esque route. I first saw Kate Spade's range of agendas last year but I'd already purchased my Lilly planner for the Fall 2013-2014 year. When I visited the Kate Spade, I decided to leave my name - just as a precaution. Not even a week afterwards, they called me to give me the great news that their new line of agendas came in. The one I purchased is a change from Lilly Pulitzer's vibrant colors and prints on almost every page. Kate Spade is known for her simplicity in the details, though I admire the design of the outside cover and the gold dots that line the inside cover. The pages are a nice cream color, and there is a pocket in the front of the planner, a list of celebrations, and a notes section. These agendas are 17-month now, instead of the 12-month ones from last year, so now you can get more use out of it now rather than wait until January. I am definitely happy with this purchase!

This may be something new that I continue with as my blog goes on. I figure it could be a quick post to read about what I could be wearing on my nails, what I'm listening to recently, a quick item I've picked up, or just a favorite that I use over and over. Please let me know in the comments if you like this idea! xx

Chanel Bronzing Base

I've just started to learn how important and necessary bronzer is in my daily makeup routine. It can light up your whole face and give you a hint of tan with just one swipe of your brush. If you're like me and want to try avoiding buying a summer shade of foundation, bronzer is a great way to try and match your body's natural tan during the summertime. I first read about one particular Chanel bronzer on another blog, so while I was at the local Chanelcounter, I asked them to try it out on me. As was expected, I fell in love with the product and bought it right on the spot. 

They applied it with a stippling brush - I loved the way the product went on and how it felt on my skin, so I bought one of those as well (it was a Real Techniques brush, if you were curious). I've had the bronzer for a little over a week now and I'm very happy with it. 

As you can see, It's very concentrated within the packaging so you really don't need too much on your brush when you go to apply it. A little does go a long way, and too much makes you look like you've consumed too many carrots (I joke). 

The packaging is so nice and it is a large compact. The girls at the Chanel counter even said that it will last me until last summer and I have to say I agree. 

It also smells really lovely and is more like a solid rather than a powder. This bronzer is one of the most unique products I've seen. 

Have you ever used this product? Or what is your go to bronzer? Comment below and thanks for reading. xx

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow

These eyeshadows are one of my most exciting things I've purchased in a while…and I've purchased a lot of things…I first laid eyes on this collection whilst at Bluemercury and was in awe of the shades. These Dual-Intensity shadows go on brilliantly; while I've only worn them wet, I've seen them applied dry and it looks amazing too. I decided to go with Dione, a shimmery silver and Himalia, a light but very shimmery gold.

Dione, on left, dry and wet, Himalia, on right, dry and wet.

The dry way, or normal way you could say, is very sheer and good for blending I can imagine. Wet is where the color's power and intensity comes out. I simply wet my brush with the water from my sink and when touched to the shadow, it almost soaks in the shadow. When I applied it all over my lid, since I've worn them alone, the color just pops with its metallic touch.

While pleased greatly with my shadows, I will say they are similar to my MAC shadow I bought from the Alluring Aquatics collection that came out this past spring. The MAC shade, Lorelai, is very reflective and is a great taupe color.

Dione

Himalia

I wore Himalia yesterday at work and it lasted all day. Shadows that last all day are very important to me, even though I use Urban Decay's Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion as my base. These shadows don't crease and do not have any fallout either.

Overall I am very happy with my NARS eyeshadows and I encourage you to find your nearest NARS counter and experience them! Hannah xx

MASSIVE Beauty Haul

So, I went a bit crazy this past weekend with purchasing some new beauty items to add to my collection. They were all mostly essential things that I actually needed - and others were just for fun (which is never really a bad thing, is it?). I was all over the board with these picks - from new makeup to various tools and brushes to body care and more! 

The Body Shop

The Body Shop Body care

I was recently introduced to The Body Shop line at Ulta last week while there with one of my good friends. She showed me one of the best body butters I've ever tried - after much deliberation, I bought a mini mango-scented one that you can find in one of those "On the Go" stands. This past week I went back and purchased the body sorbet in the same scent.

Here's a little bit of history for you - The Body Shop brand is all about being natural and pure with its ingredients. Having opened its original store in England almost 40 years ago, its expansion into America has shown its success and popularity among the public. 

These products are my first ever Body Shop purchases. I have to say I'm already very satisfied with my items. They smell exactly how The Body Shop says they do: natural and pure and free of any harmful chemicals. The mango scent of these two products smells like I actually plucked a fresh one right out of a tree!

Coming of Age

Welcome readers and visitors! This is my first official blog post on "High Street, Sea Breeze." I'm so excited to start something new that I hope will take off and be successful! After lots of talking about this idea with one of my best friends, I finally decided to do it - especially after being so motivated to write about various beauty products I've purchased and used recently. I want to say a huge thank you to my friends around me - they helped me in creating and setting up this blog, and hopefully I'll make them proud! Since I have a fondness for writing and shopping, I can combine both of my loves here on this blog!

The idea of starting a beauty and lifestyle blog first came to me a few months ago. Since I'm turning twenty next month (hence the title), I felt like I was "grown up" enough to be able to keep up with something like this. In addition to balancing my part-time job and all the other craziness in my life, I felt that this blog could be another thing that I could enjoy as much as everything else.

I hope you all will join me in this exciting adventure! Stay tuned for posts about make up, body care, and everything else in between.

Hannah xx