MAC Birthday Haul

I received some gift cards for my birthday since all my friends know how much of a ‘makeup enthusiast’ I am. I knew it was time to make a stop by MAC since I hadn’t made a proper visit in a couple months. I had so much fun during this trip by just trying out everything on my list and eventually picking out what I wanted. My picks are great additions to my eye makeup collection because of their uniqueness to my pre-existing load. My lip-gloss and eyeliner are exciting newcomers to my collection as well since I didn’t own either of these from MAC before.

Texture eye shadow: This is such a unique color and I would have never thought to pick it up until I saw it on one of my favorite blogs, Lily Pebbles. It is described as a peachy brown with some shimmer. It goes on quite warmly and looks wonderful when blended with a chocolate shade in the outer corners of the eyes.

All That Glitters eye shadow: I have seen countless recommendations for this shadow and the woman at MAC said it was a best seller among customers. I have Jest, a white shimmer, and I love it for highlighting. All That Glitters is a warmer neutral with shimmer. It looks great if you want to blend it with other colors or wear it alone for a more neutral eye. I can definitely see myself using a lot of this color.

Handwritten eye shadow: This is an extremely rich chocolate brown matte color that is great for the crease or outer corner. It adds depth with the dark brown to any eye look. It reminds me of a Hershey bar compacted into an eye shadow.

Gilded Thrill Electric Thrill eye shadow: From MAC’s newest collection, A Novel Romance, this creamy textured eye shadow pot may just be my new favorite thing. Mixed between the infamous Paint Pots and Chanel’s D’ombre eye shadows, this little shadow pot is like gold (even the color is gold!). The product is very high in shimmer, rich when applied on with your fingertip, or more sheer when applied with an eye shadow brush. I did blend Gilded Thrill over All That Glitters and loved the outcome of the eye makeup look.

Teddy eyeliner: My first MAC eyeliner and also my first brown eyeliner! This eyeliner is chocolate brown with a bit of shimmer to it, but you can’t tell once it’s on your lid. This eyeliner is very rich and blend-able if you want to build it up or smudge it out.

Nymphette lip glass: This was an actual birthday present from a close family friend. It is also my first lip gloss from MAC since I rarely ever wear anything on my lips. This color is a wonderful neutral and it seems to have a lot of different shades of pinks and oranges in it. It’s not too sticky either; it goes on very smooth and tastes amazing, just as all MAC lip products do.

Birthdays and Presents

Last Wednesday was my twentieth birthday. I'm finally twenty! It seems a bit surreal to be able to say I'm no longer a teenager, but I'm going to welcome this new decade of my life with open arms. Nothing monumental has changed, of course, but I did make some promises to myself with this new age - explore more, take advantage of things, and treat myself (within reason, of course).

Eat, Read, The Comeback

//Eat//

Sundays are meant for being lazy, right? Well, even though I had to work this Sunday, I had the pleasure of going out to breakfast with my mom. We tried going to a local place but due to the long wait time, we changed our course. We found ourselves at Southerly, a restaurant connected to Southern Season, which is a gourmet grocery store. I’ve been to Southerly for dinner in the past, before but never breakfast. After my visit this morning, I will definitely be back. After much deliberation, I ordered Housemade Cinnamon Raisin French Toast. I was only able to eat half of it even though it was amazing, but I left my to-go box on my table so I couldn't enjoy the rest at home! I guess this just means I’ll have to go back soon for another breakfast. They do have a lovely set up outside with lots of plants, a waterfall wall, and cushy booths for comfortable seating. Southerly is a great go-to for any meal with its expansive and delicious menu, definitely recommended. 

//Read//

This novel is a sequel of sorts to the finale of the Divergent triology. Four is told in Four’s, the character, perspective. If you’ve never read Divergent (which I suggest you do), allow me to give you a brief summary. Set in a dystopian future, Tris Prior is a girl confined to her plain and selfless faction, Abnegation (factions are like groups/communities in which people belong). Upon going through her aptitude test, she doesn’t receive a faction that is best suited for her personality, completely unlike anyone else who takes the same test. Instead, she receives the result of something completely different: she is divergent. Being divergent is classified as someone extremely dangerous to Tris’ world. Divergent goes through Tris’ experience in realizing what her status actually means and living her life as a real teenager.

Of course, two more books follow Divergent: Insurgent and Allegiant. Veronica Roth recently came out with Four and she has given the avid readers a glimpse into Four’s world before Tris and afterhe meets her. I read this whole book in one night. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish Roth would go on in Four’s perspective because it helps the reader learn more about him and his backstory. 

//The Comeback//

642 Things to Write About, what a genius idea for a writing book. I first picked up this exciting little bugger during the fall of my freshman year of college. I grabbed it while thinking of my English course I was taking at the time and knew my professor would love it. I also loved its ingenious writing prompts throughout the book. They were so random, ranging from absolute silliness to complete seriousness. This book makes everyone's creative writing side think in a whole new way. I knew when I bought it that I couldn’t fill it up immediately, but it was comforting to know I could come back to it. Fast-forward two years later - it's back in my hands and I’m ready to see what my pen produces this time around. This book is a unique item to own and I think everyone who has an interest in writing, or need some aid in his or her writing, should pick this gem up. I’ve seen it available at Urban Outfitters and Barnes & Noble. There is also now a sequel and other variations if this original isn’t enough for you. 

The Samples | 8.21.14

Ah samples, they are great little pluses to the visit to any makeup counter or order from somewhere like Nordstrom or Sephora. They are a great and convenient way to try out something before you decide to buy the full size. I love samples of anything and I hope you enjoy reading my reviews. xx

Many Body Shop Minis

After a flash sale on the Body Shop’s website a couple weeks ago, I impulsively ordered some bath products to try them out. I am a lover of body wash and I’m always looking to try different brands. I decided to order two body washes and scrubs and so far I have been very pleased.

Chanel Illusion D'ombre Eyeshadow

These little beauties have become my favorite things in my collection since I bought my first one several months ago. My first eye shadow, Initiation, a lovely brown shade, is where my Chanel make up collection began. After reading about it in InStyle magazine, which I normally don’t read, I was curious to find out more.

My Favorite Nail Polishes - EVER!

Topshop nail polish has to be one of my favorite things in the world. And when I say that, I’m being totally serious. I have used many various brands throughout my life but I have to say Topshop holds the top spot.

NEW Chanel Eyeshadow Quads

Chanel has recently released eight new eye-shadow quads, all hitting stores within the last few weeks. I have been absolutely lusting over them since I first laid eyes on them.