I saw this at Nordstrom and loved it, but thought it was a little pricey. Then, when I checked it out online and saw: “Whether zipped or not, you look 10lbs lighter when you are wearing this jacket.” in the product reviews, I knew I had to get it.

I really like Nordstrom’s Zella workout line. I have another sweatshirt (seen here) that I got last year for my birthday.

Ps: Click through to see the full image with a photobomb from my kitty cat? I just got her a few weeks ago :).

I talked about J Crew’s Silk Cami back here, but the I’ve been wearing the pink one all summer so I had to mention it again.

I paired it with this jacket  from Ann Taylor, white jeans, and this beautiful necklace that was a birthday gift from my thoughtful friend, Kerry! 

 The Parson’s Desk is a popular piece in the blogosphere and I’d been wanting one for a while. I picked up the glossy white during a West Elm sale and I use it as a makeup vanity.

How cute are these little sleep shorts from Aerie?!

I got a new fancy eyeshadow from Chanel – the Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminious Eyeshadow in Mirage.

1. REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser: I alternate between this and the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. I think the Liz Earle does a little bit of a better job but this one smells so good I like to keep it in the mix.

2: SHISEIDO Facial Cotton: I picked these up at the Sephora VIB Rouge sale in March. I use them with Bioderma to remove face/eye makeup before I use my cleanser.

3. Sunday Riley Good Genes: Love love love this stuff. It has lactic acid to exfoliate, and I’ve found that using it morning and night has made my skin a lot less congested.

4. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser: This is such a nice cleanser. It’s super gentle and smells very herbal.I kept hearing about it on YouTube but it was hard to find in the states. Now, Birchbox carries it and offers free shipping.  I use the muslin cloths it comes with but also heard about using baby washcloths so I picked up some of those too. They’re tinier and softer than regular washcloths so I alternate those in with the muslin so I don’t have to do laundry as much.

5. Bioderma Crealine H2O: Simple and gentle. I like that it has a watery texture vs. the oiliness of most make-up removers. It’s a French drugstore product that’s hard to find here, so I order it on Amazon.

6. Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Eye Cream: I used up a jar of this and didn’t repurchase, instead opting to try the Kiehl’s Creamy Avocado eye cream. I didn’t care for it’s sticky/thick consistency so I came back to this, which is light and nice for underneath concealer.

7. Algenist Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Gel Moisturizer: Super light gel texture. I think this is my third jar of this stuff.

Here are a few of my favorite local places to shop for clothes in Richmond.

Wardrobe: I came across this shop in between finishing a workout at Richmond Barre and heading to sweetFrog. It was already closed for the evening, but I could tell just from peeking in the window that I would love it so I made a point to make a trip back out there. I followed them on instagram and lucky for me, caught a post about their 1 year anniversary sale. Everything in the store was 50% off, so I picked up these earrings and this Amanda Uprichard dress. (PS it’s available on 6PM for $66, down from $220. (They only have size large but even if you’re a small or medium the loose style is forgiving and you could make it work).

Nellie George: I love this place and want almost everything in there. It even smells fabulous thanks to a candle they always have burning. There are a lot of designer tops and dresses in the front of the store, along with some cute accessories. The designer jeans, swimwear and kids’ clothes are in the middle, and the sale section is all the way in the back. That’s where I got these two dresses.

 Image via Nellie George Facebook Page.

Need Supply Co: This place is super well known both here in Richmond and all over because of their online store. My favorite shirt of all time, a drapey top from Piko, is from here. I was walking by one day and noticed they were having a huge sale, which is where I got this dress. That’s my friend Liz from I Heart Vegetables trying it on as a potential rehearsal dress.

Image via architecturerichmond.com

PS: For Men’s clothes, Ledbury is amazing. They have gorgeous men’s shirts/blazers and accessories.

Image via Garden and Gun.

I saw my friend Robey wearing this gorgeous dress and I was surprised when she told me she got it at Forever21. I ordered one for myself online, and it just arrived.  I love it! On the site it says this runs large, but I actually found that it ran small and had to exchange it for a size up.

I picked up Chanel’s Vitalumiere foundation the other day in Nordstrom. I tried Dior’s Diorskin Nude BB Cream, thinking it would be like the Diorsnow BB cream that I love. I wasn’t a fan. The Diorskin version was too watery and didn’t have good coverage, so I’m taking it back. (Did you know you can take back makeup that doesn’t work for you? Should I do a post about that?)

One of Youtubers I follow, Vivianna, swears by this. I heard her talking about this in several videos so it had been on  my list of things to try. The girl at the counter was super helpful in shade-matching me. I was matched to shade 20 beige. She explained that the foundation sometimes wears funny and people complain that it turns yellow after a few hours.I haven’t experienced that at all. I love the way this smells and feels. It covers much better than the BB cream but still feels light. You have to shake the bottle before you use it a big to mix up the formula. The way I’d explain the way it feels when you put it on is when you wash your brush and it doesn’t dry all the way before you use it to apply your foundation. It’s watery, but in a good way. Anyway, I highly recommend.

Since this post on my favorite delicate jewelry,  I picked up a ring from Colby June. Cupcakes and Cashmere had a post on Etsy jewelry favorites, which is how I heard about the Colby June line.  Nail polish in the top photo is from this set, in the bottom photo it’s CND Shellac in “Lobster Roll.”

I got several compliments (Thank you!!) on a dress I wore last night that I picked up from a local boutique called Nellie George. I picked this up in the sale section, so I’m not sure they have any more in stock. BUT, I did find it online at Revolve Clothing, and it’s on sale for even less! Heads up, it runs a little small.

PS: My lipstick is Stila’s Beso, picked up in this kit around the holidays. I always see this color on Altantic Pacific.

Thanks to these little ladies, I will be needing new curtains. Should I get these?

Hopefully your summer plans include some traveling. Here a few things I think would be worth packing.

Sephora’s “summerstash:” I love that this comes with a mini NARS laguna bronzer and the Josie Maran Cheek Gelee. I’ve been wanting to try that.

My favorite dry shampoo.

How cool is this bag? It folds out into a flat surface and then you just push everything to the middle and scrunch it up when it’s time to go.

I’ve mentioned this REN cleanser before because I love it. I think this verses a liquid cleanser would come in handy if you’re traveling on a plane.

These are fun if you know you’re going to have some downtime (maybe you’re traveling for business and staying in a hotel alone) and you want to do a mask while you’re away from home.

 My friend was wearing these adorable sandals today, and when she said she got them from H&M, it inspired me to check out their site. Here are a few of the cute things I found.

1. Striped crop jacket.

2. Sandals.

3. Pumps.

And now for the home stuff…

4. I have no idea what this little bag is for, but isn’t it cute?

5. Sweet little glass jar.

6. I’ve seen glasses with this design a lot or places but never a pitcher.

7. Pretty pink vase.

8. A candle in a teacup! 

How fab are these Joss & Main chairs?

Loving this stuff so far.

Love these shirts from express. They’re super easy (machine wash and dry) while still looking professional.

Here’s how I dressed up the one I have in white last week for work and then an informal after work function. 

 I think this one’s my favorite. I like to wear it with this pink mini skirt from The Limited.

PS: Express has sales alllll the time so it’s worth waiting to snag these when they’re BOGO and $15 off.

Just picked this polish set up. My friend bought the “Happy Birthday” shade for me a couple of years ago and “Candy Shop” is similar but with a pink base. Adorable. And… I just read about “Shape of My Heart” being one of the best pink shades. How sure is the little pouch? This would be such a good gift. I might buy an extra to keep on hand.

I want it.

I saw a white perforated tote that would have been perfect for summer from Kate Spade’s Saturday line, but I didn’t think it was worth $170. Then, I spotted this beauty from Nordstrom’s semi-annual sale and snatched it up. 

Here’s the one I originally wanted:

Update: This silly bag is BLUE? Doesn’t it totally look white? I’m sending it back and on the hunt again.

Here are a few things I’ve been reaching for now that the weather’s warm.

1. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed: I first talked about this here. I have a lighter version of this product but this rose gold shade looks amazing when with a little bit of a tan. I put this on my cheekbones, cupid’s bow and a just a little on my forehead and chin with a fan brush like this one.

2. St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse: I’m so excited to have found this! I love the way a spray tan looks and I like to get them before special occasions but found making the time to get an appointment inconvenient. I bought the little mitt to use with it and I just apply it when I get out of the shower. It’s super easy to use and looks great, but it doesn’t last quite as long as a spray tan from the salon.

3. Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 : Another product I’ve mentioned before; his stuff has been a game-changer. I love that it’s got built in SPF.

4. Roses de Chloe: I loooove this scent.

5. Essie “Wicked”: I saw a girl wearing a dark burgundy polish recently with all white and thought it looked so cool. I love that it’s unexpected.

6. Make Up For Ever HP Pressed Powder: I don’t normally need to set my makeup but I started adding this as a last step in my routine to help my makeup last the whole day.

7. Diorsnow BB Cream: This stuff feels so luxurious, but it only comes in one shade so I can really only wear it if I’ve been using self tanner. Even though it has SPF 50, it doesn’t have that sunblock smell. I add this under my foundation when I know I’m going to be outside a lot. (When I’m at the pool, I use Algenist’s Ultra Lightweight SPF 50 to touch up.)

I love the “Call Me” pumps from Enzo Angiolini. They’re the perfect matte nude shade and they’re comfy! This is my second pair.

While I love the scent of roses for skincare, perfume, candles (just about anything,) my favorite flower is actually the peony. My friend Lauren is an amazing artist, and she painted me this beautiful piece:

I’m so glad the wait is over and that they’re back in season. I was lucky enough to find some beautiful light pink and white ones at the local Farmer’s Market from Grow RVA.

Look how beautiful!

And I was happily surprised to see that Target had a new version of the Meyer’s hand soap in a peony scent. Lovely!

How sweet is this summer dress from LOFT?

I’ve repurchased this several times, and it’s been my go-to for a couple of years.

The skin around my fingernails is always super dry, and I found an awesome hand cream in this one from L’Occitane. I originally tired in a sample size when I got this freebie from Sephora. I picked up the full size (which is GIANT) and a scrub with Shea oil that’s also supposed to be good.

If I had seen it before, I would have gotten this set, which would have saved me a few bucks and scored me a couple of extra products. (Note: the hand cream in the set is 2.5oz vs. the 5.2oz. size I got individually.)

The 30% off for card members deal (The frequent 40% off deals don’t apply to the “Monogram” collection) at Banana Republic ends today and I had a few rewards to spend so I ordered this silk blouse I’d been eyeing.

I love the way the pockets look:

There weren’t any photos with the sleeves rolled down, so I’ll be interested to see what this looks like in person.

UpdateL not a fan :(. Sending it back.

I totally copied an outfit from Cupcakes and Cashmere to go to my friend’s baby shower this weekend.  I don’t feel too bad about it though, she said in her blog that she copied it from someone else in the first place. 😉

Bobbi Brown eyeshadows are my current favorite. I love their size, how they pop in and out of palettes, and how they wear. Here are a few of my favorite shades:

Left to right: Sable 18, Wheat 30, Cement 20

I keep them organized by the shades I like to wear together. This grey combo is my favorite.

Left to right: Heather 15, Grey 6 (obviously well-loved), Slate 16. I like to wear Grey n my lids with a little bid of Slate and Heather in the crease.

Here’s the Nectar and Nude Palette. 

Left to right: Pale Cream, Soft Buff, Golden Bronze, Pink Bellini, Earth, Rich Caviar 

I bought this on an impulse for the shimmery shade in the middle (golden bronze) and the dark shade on the end (Rich Caviar,) and those are the shades I’ve been using the most. This palette is beautiful, but I were doing it again I’d just pick up the black and shimmery shades on their own in full sizes and pop them into my palettes. I am tempted by this one though.

PS: I always use NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base underneath.

I got my haircut! I wanted a blunt “lob,” so I took in this creepy thorough set of Olivia Palermo images.

Here’s what I was working with:

And here’s how it turned out!

I really love it. Shout out to Trip at Bombshell in Carytown for doing an awesome job!

When I’m taking a break from work wear, here’s what I like to hangout in:

I saw this hoodie on a girl at the mall was surprised when she told me she got it from American Eagle. That store is sometimes overwhelming with it’s neon and crop tops, so I can see how I missed this. I ordered it online and I love it -super soft!

 This top is one of my favorites. I think I wore it every week of the winter. I picked up my first one at Need Supply Co. and went online to look for more colors. They had  it at boutique called Minx in Asheville NC. They had tons of colors and even a dress version. I picked up a black and another white one for my friend Emily.

 I feel like I found the perfect tee in Gap’s Short Sleeve Crew Tee. I love loose fit and the distressed look.

 Ann Taylor LOFT recently started carrying a new line called Lou and grey that I LOVE. I picked up this soft moto jacket in sweater material that I wear around the house and to run errands.

 I love this sweatshirt. It’s the Zella (Nordstrom’s workout line) “Flattery Cowl Neck.” It’s sold out now but you can try to  snag one it eBay.

And as far as bottoms go, J. Crew’s Pixie pant is perfect for weekend wear.

What are your favorites to lounge around in?

Sephora had there biannual sale a few weeks ago so I picked up a few things I’d been wanting to try:

1. Clinique Uneven Skin Tone Solutions Kit. I was talking to one of the salespeople  about how to even out my skin tone (acne scarring/fairly pale skin,) and she recommended this. So far, it feels/smells nice and doesn’t make me break out, but I’m not supposed to see result for a few weeks I think.

2. Beautyblender Solid Sponge Cleanser: This was kind of an impulse buy. I just thought having a solid bar sitting on my sink to cleanse my brushes would be a lot easier than liquid soap. I’m a little suspicious about it though so far. It smells/looks like cheap hotel bar soap but we’ll see how it does.

3. WEN Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner: Another impulse buy. I have always heard great things about this stuff and decided to give it a try. I have super long hair and am always looking for a product that makes it feel super clean. I do wish it gave my hair a little more volume.

4. GlamGlow Thirstymud Hydrating Mask: I had been wanting to try this for a long time and I’m so glad  got it. I heard about it on YouTube from Jaclyn Hill who raved about it. It was different than I expected and I love the coconut scent. I like to wear it overnight on my forehead and cheeks

5. Better Than Sex Mascara: This is so embarrassing, but kind of hilarious. Too Faced definitely chose this name to get people talking, and I guess it worked. I asked one of the sales people working at Sephora if I should try diorshow mascara and she told me to try this instead. I actually really like it. I always go for volume in a mascara and usually use this one from bareMinerals (which I still love.) But, this sale is such a good excuse to try something new.

6. Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner: Because I love the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner for my top lids, I decided to go with this stuff for my waterline. I haven’t tried it yet because I don’t do my waterline for every day – only when I’m getting real “done up.”

7. Tarte Positive Energy Skintuitive Lip & Cheek Set:  I honestly just picked this up because it was only ten bucks but I really love it. The lip tint is very similar to the Dior Addict Lip Glow but I like it better because it’s more subtle. It looks like a really sheer pink but turns darker when you put it on. The cheek stain matches perfectly. I’m not in love with the texture; it feels a little greasy. I apply it with a stippling brush and set it with a pink blush like this one or this one. The set is no longer available, but you can buy a full-size of the lip tint here. 

8. Shiseido Facial Cotton: I don’t know why I felt like I needed designer cotton pads but I did. Maybe I’m crazy. They do feel soft though.

9. Derma Doctor Wrinkle Revenge Facial Cleanser: I picked this up to try out since I usually just use this balm and wanted to try a cleanser with Glycolic acid to exfoliate once a week. I think it’s OK so far – nothing amazing. The sales person told me this one could also be used as a mask so I’ve tried that too.

10. Murad Oil Control Mattfier SPF 15 PA++: I did a post with more details on this here.

11. Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Eye Palette: I totally didn’t need this. I even tried to cancel the order after I felt buyer’s remorse but it was already processing so I couldn’t. Oh well, it’s lovely.

One reason I love watching YouTubers is finding out about cool new things first. It’s where learned about BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector, GlamGlow face masks, Soap & Glory Righteous Body Butter and almost all of my favorite products. One of the girls I subscribe to, Michelle, just made a video comparing Old Navy’s new “Pixie Pants” to J. Crew’s Minnie’s. Now, I can’t wait to try them. J. Crew’s are around $90 bucks, and Old Navy’s are $25. Michelle even said the quality of the Old Navy pants is better.

Here are the Old Navy Pixies:

And here are J. Crew’s Minnie Pants:

Check out Michelle’s video here:

And to add to the confusion, J. Crew also has a Pixie Pant (which I LOVE) but it’s a little different from these. Here’s a review comparing the J. Crew Minnie and the J. Crew Pixie. Side note: I don’t usually order petite sizes, but I had to get a short in these to get the right length. Also, when you buy full priced items at J. Crew I believe they do hemming for free.

Even though I had to combat dry skin all winter with oils like this one, as soon as Spring hit my  foundation started to slide off and wasn’t lasting through the day. I thought I needed to switch foundations and was ready to try Make Up For Ever’s Mat Velvet + when I walked into Sephora. Then, the girl helping me showed me Murad’s Mattifying Primer.I pat it on with a foundation brush (like this) after my serum and moisturizer and before my foundation. It’s been a game changer. I didn’t have to switch up my foundation and it’s been lasting all day. I find that it also helps keep it from transferring. Because of the shininess, I had been blotting my face with a tissue mid-day. I did it out of habit my first day using the Murad primer and was surprised to see none of my foundation came off on the tissue. I like that it has SPF too. I love that I can just add this into my routine  in the warmer months and keep the same foundation year-round.

I was SO excited to see beautiful pale blue top at LOFT.  I had just bitten the bullet and paid too much for this one from Vince that I talked about in an earlier post. When it arrived and ended up being too small, I was secretly grateful; I wouldn’t have had the will power to return it if it had fit. The Vince is 100% silk and feels more luxe, as it should. But, the LOFT one is machine washable (bonus!)

Here’s the  Vince blouse…

… and the LOFT look-a-like:

As my friend Lauren says, LOFT is on point these days. Definitely check it out if you haven’t been in lately.

I’ve been thinking my all-white place needs more art. (You can never have enough art in your life.) I came across these pieces on One Kings Lane and I love them! Which one should I get? Both?

Update! I decided I like the first one best, but it’s sold out. I checked out the artists website, though, and she has tons of fun stuff for sale. The painting (Navy GEO) I liked even comes in a phone case! How cute is this?

I’m going to look into getting a print, but I need to figure out the difference between matte rag paper and a canvas roll.

 I’m so excited about this steal from Ann Taylor. I got this collarless tweet, 3/4 sleeve jacket for just $10. The online price is $79 (minus 60%) and the original price was $129. It’s crazy how much better the prices are in-store.

They only had the grey in my size at my local store, but I called another store and ordered the navy too (for $10, why not, right?)

I just noticed that my favorite lipgloss brand came out with a TON of new colors. They’ve always used women’s names for the color names, but before they had only had a couple (Krystal, Dani, Stella, etc.) Now, I’ve seen my own name, Shannon, Erin and a bunch more.

I picked up Erin because I liked the bubblegum pink color and I picked up Christina because, well, you know.

I think they’d be so fun to give out to friends.

Today was the Sephora VIB Rouge “Spring Social.”  They opened up the store a couple of hours early for a private event and everyone got 15% off. I happened to be up in McLean for work this weekend, so I checked out the Tyson’s Corner store. The girl in the front greeted me excitedly, checked me in (I pre-registered online,) and gave me this cute name tag. They had all kinds of goodies like  breakfast pastries and coffee from Panera and they had tons of people working so everyone was really helpful.

They had a ton of services to sign up for – everything from hair to brows to makeup. I wanted my hair done, but got shade-matched while I waited. The guy who matched my shade ended up doing my whole face, and I forgot I was even waiting to get my hair done. He tried the new Becca foundation on me as well as a Kat Von D blush and a Marc Jacobs bronzer. Selfies were encouraged…

I stocked up (I’ll review what I got in another post) and of course I didn’t leave without a touch of the “color of the year,” Radiant Orchid:

If you get an email about an event like this I recommend going. It was a fun experience.

Totally gaga over this clear acryllic table from CB2. 

I’ve never had a pair of pantyhose last me more than two or three wears. They ALWAYS get a run. Then, I tried these ones from Target that totally took me by surprise. I’ve worn them several times, they’ve survived the washing machine and they’re still going strong. They even got a tiny, tiny snag from my bracelet, but even that didn’t cause a run. Anyway, I just had to share. Have you tried these? They’re the ASSETS brand by the maker of SPANX. I think $16 is a steal.

I’ve got my eye on these black scalloped shorts from ASOS.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is another product that I heard about from Lisa Eldridge on YouTube. She uses the liquid version in a lot of her videos either as a base or to mix with foundation. It comes in Pearl (white pearl), Moonstone (pale gold), Opal (golden opal pearl) and Topaz (golden bronze pearl) and it’s gorgeous. The Becca line only recently became available at Sephora (It’s a British brand,)  and it’s not carried at my local Sephora, so all I had to go off of were Lisa’s recommendation and the photos on Sephora.com. Lisa usually used the pearl shade a lot so I ordered that one online.

Pearl has been great for either mixing with my Make Up For Ever HD Foundation or applying to my cheekbones. When you mix this product with your foundation, it gives the most beautiful, dewy finish. I loved doing that for days in the winter when my skin was looking dull/dry but usually I prefer to just dab a little on my cheeks instead of my entire face. It has SPF 25 and there’s something about the subtle sunscreen smell of this product that I love. I wouldn’t recommend mixing with foundation if you have oily skin, as it can make it too dewy. This is one of the reasons why I also wanted to get the pressed version. 

Since I couldn’t see the shades in the store, I was going back and forth and couldn’t decide whether to get Opal or Moonstone. I wanted a pretty gold shimmer, so I  chose Opal. When it arrived, I was not in love. In the packaging, it almost looks like a rose gold. I had a limited edition bareMinerals “all over color” that I wanted this product to mimic, but it was slightly off. I decided I’d send it back and ordered the Moonstone. Then, while I was waiting for the new shade to arrive, this one sat on my vanity so I tried it out and really liked it. Moonstone definitely more of what I was looking for, but I like Opal now too. It’s so hard to tell from the photos on Sephora’s website, and I couldn’t find any reviews or swatches. Moonstone is more of a true highlighter that I like to use on my cheekbones, down my nose and on my cupid’s bow.

I know it’s a little bit hard to tell from the photo, but Pearl is the top swatch, then Moonstone and Opal is on the bottom. Opal grew on me and I ended up keeping both.

Photos by Lauren Campbell.

I’m gaga over this Nili Lotan Pullover I saw on Gal Meets Glam. It looks so soft and perfect!

Update: I found a look-a-like at Forver21! It’s more of a waffle knit, but it’s still super soft and gives the same affect.

I also loved this short-sleeved version:

I’m loving this dress (on sale!) from ASOS.

With a little help from Marshalls, I updated my living room for spring:

before: 

after:

I have always loved using face masks. You feel like you’re doing something fun to treat yourself AND you also get instant, dramatic results that you can’t with your regular daily products. Most of the masks I use are for exfoliating, since I don’t use any products in my daily routine that do that.

Photo by Lauren Campbell. (Thanks, Lauren!)

Photo by Lauren Campbell.

I heard about Demalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant from Lisa Eldrige on YouTube (love her.) It exfoliates with lactic acid, so it’s creamy and smooth rather than gritty.  It’s super gentle and great for if your skin is feeling sensitive/breaking out or a little dry, but you still want to slush of some dead skin on the surface. I apply it to my dry face, usually right after a shower, and leave it on for 20 minutes. This one has the least dramatic results of all the masks in this post, but I like to have it because it’s so gentle.

The Resurface Microdelivery Dual-Phase Peel from Philosophy is great. I don’t use it super often because it’s two steps and I need to bring my iPhone into the bathroom to time it.  The first step is a really gritty scrub that smells like oranges. It says not to “scrub” but I totally scrub. The second is a liquid that you place on top of the scrub. It’s supposed to foam up, but that doesn’t usually happen for me. I leave that liquid on for a minute. After I’m finished, my face is a little red but super soft – definitely awesome results.  I picked this up for 40% off at a local boutique called LeVisage but they also carry it at Sephora and Ulta. It’s pricey but it’s lasted me a long time.

The Boscia Intensifying Moisture Pack + is a moisturizer and a mask. This stuff is perfect for when you’re SUPER dry. I’ll get dry around my eyebrows, the sides of my nose and around my mouth. So, I layer this on pretty thick over night on top of my regular moisturizer. I also like to use this after with the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant so it soaks in. You can wipe it off, but I usually leave it on. I wouldn’t recommend using this before you use your makeup unless it’s just a small area that’s super dry because it might make your foundation slide off. This is a really thick gel with a strong scent. I love it but I can definitely see how it could be polarizing. This is definitely one of my stand-by products. I’ve repurchased it about three times.

The Glam Glow YouthMud Tinglexfoliant Treatment is my favorite. Everyone has been talking about this one, and I see why. I LOVE using this. It makes my skin super soft and it smells awesome. It’s  dark gray, a little gritty and has flakes of something (seaweed?). I layer it all over my face, wait until it dries and then scrub it with wet hands for about 30-45 seconds before I rinse off. I get blackheads and not-so-smooth skin around my nose, so I focus extra attention there and this stuff takes care of it. I use this mask the most frequently of all these mentioned because I like it so much. I purchased it from the Glam Glow website on sale and it’s a special Breast Cancer Awareness version (pink packaging.) It’s also carried at Sephora. This is one of those “it” products right now, so Sephora.com is always offering samples, and they have a smaller $19 size online. Those are two options for trying it before investing in the $69 jar. When this runs out I’ll definitely be repurchasing.

I posted about the REN Glycolic Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask a little while ago when I picked it up in this kit from Sephora. I had sampled this before and really liked it. It’s a little bit similar to the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant in how it works but the texture is slightly different. The smell and color are similar to Step 1 of the Microdelivery Peel. But, instead of a scrub, it exfoliates with acid. I’d say this is my favorite skincare line and this is a great mask.

I’m so excited to try the Ole Henriksen Power Peel Professional Spa Grade Kit. I saw one of my favorite people. Hannah, using it and I had to pick one up. I love that you can buy a mini pack of two treatments for $16. This one has three steps –  an almond polish, lemon strip and chamomile comfort. Sounds luxurious. I think it’ll be most similar to the Microdelivery Peel but we’ll see! I’ll let you know how this one goes!

What are your favorite masks?

This Vince blouse is gorgeous. The color is so awesome – the prettiest light blue. I saw it in the store and I keep checking Nordstrom.com to see if it’s gone on sale. Fingers crossed!

Up until recently I associated clear purses with beach bags, the 90s and those bags you’re forced to carry in some schools/stores so security can make sure you’re not bringing in anything sketch. Then, I came across this clear clutch in a YouTube video from Dulce Candy. They look so chic. I can’t believe this one is less than $20 from Love Culture (Have you been there before? It’s very similar to Forever21)

This one from ASOS is great too. I love the wooden clasp.

I also love the idea of adding a fabric pouch so everyone can’t see everything you have in there (Which I think is a lot of peoples’ hesitation about these.)

AND… I found this tutorial from Pop Sugar on how to make your own!

What do you think? Would you carry a clear clutch?

I was flipping through an issue of Glamour when I came across these beauties. How cute are they? They’re at DSW by Jessica Simpson. Should I get them?!

I saw that Sephora was doing a delux sample of Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum with purchase (code: DIORMAX) so I wanted to do a quick post letting you know my thoughts about it.  It’s a game changer. I picked this up while I was Black Friday shopping in 2012 and just picked up my second tube. I know, I know – you’re apparently supposed to replace your mascara every three months. I don’t follow that rule.  I actually still had some product left in the tube but the brush was getting funky. See the photo (my old one’s on the left.)

This stuff seems pricey at $28 when you consider you still have to use mascara on top. However, it makes your lashes look SO much bigger and it’s lasted over a year. I think it’s definitely worth it. If you use the code “DIORMAX” at checkout, Sephora will add a sample of it to your cart.

Thanks so much to my friend Lauren from Brave Young Thing for taking fun shots of me and my place this past weekend. Check out a little sneak preview and keep a lookout for some of her shots in future posts!

Here’s the makeup I carry with me.

1. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone: Such a beautiful shimmer. I apply the liquid version in the morning but use this to touch up on-the-go.

2. Bobbi Brown Tri-Pan Palette with Pale Pink blush, and eyeshadows in Grey (lid) and Slate (crease): vrevre

3. bareMinerals Soft Focus Shadow Brush: Perfect for the lid and the crease so I don’t need to carry separate brushes.

4. Smashbox Brow Tech in Dark Brown: There’s a trick to using this product that I didn’t learn until a few months into using it. You have to dip your brush into the wax, then into the power and back and forth before applying. This creates a mixture that lasts on your brows.

5. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner in jet black: I recently switched to this from Fabuliner. I find that the staying power is slightly better.

6. Angled brow brush – this is from bareMinerals but I couldn’t find it online so I think it’s discontinued.

7. bareMinerals Heavenly Liner Blending Brush: I’ve never seen another brush like this one. The first one I had fell apart and I repurchased. After I apply the Stila liner, I like to run over it with the darkest shade in the Smashbox Brow Tech palette.

8. Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in Vanilla 5: I would prefer not to ever leave the house without this.

9. & 10. bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara: I’ve been using this for years. I’ve tried a lot of mascaras and can’t find one I like better. This looks even layered over Dior Lash Plumping Serum (It’s like a primer for your lashes.)

11.Buxom Full-On Lip Polish: My favorite lip gloss of all time. My favorite shades are Katie, Kystal, Dolly, Samantha, White Russian and Pink Lady

12. E.L.F. Complexion Brush: I love E.L.F. brushes. This one is super soft and perfect for touching up bronzer and blush. It’s available at Target.

13. NARS bronzing Powder in Laguna: obviously.

14.Bvlgari Rose Essentielle Purse Spray: This is my go-to scent.

15. Carmex Lip Balm in Strawberry: my tried and true.

My bathroom just underwent a dalmatian transformation!

I talked about wanting a dalmatian rug for my living room in a previous post  after being inspired by this office. Well, I switched gears and decided my bathroom walls would be the perfect place for the print. The next step was  the hunt for the tutorial.  It turns out this is wallpaper, but two bloggers had  a DIYed version.

First, I came across this tutorial from Lauren at Make it a Double blog. I love it so much!

Lauren’s post led me to Chrisann at Ducklings in a Row blog, who talks through how she stenciled her way through the project for less than $30 here. Check out how gorgeous it turned out!

I decided to go with Lauren’s strategy. I was eager to jump right into it AND I don’t have an exacto knife/Martha Stewart stencil paper.  I already had black paint that I purchased when I originally wanted to paint vertical stripes like this. (I didn’t end up going through with it because I was too nervous about the precision it required.) I also had some brushes so I didn’t even need to go out and buy anything for this project.

I practiced the dots first on a sheet of paper. I was looking at a bunch of dalmatian prints in Google  images and trying to mimic my favorites.

Then, I started out with the safest wall. This little section of wall is behind the door and hardly visible so there was less a stake if I messed up.

Once I got the hang of it and liked how the spots were turning out, I went for it.  I used a small-ish brush and made straight on strokes and also pressed the brush against the wall on it’s side so I could get uneven looking spots. Here’s a quick video so you can see. Look at these spots!  I’m so happy with how they turned out.

Here’s a progress pic from when I was just about done. This has been a night time project  so the photo is a little dark.

And I finished all the spots! I’d say the whole thing took about 6 hours.  This project has been so spontaneous and fun. It’s still in progress – I’m going to add shelves and possibly change out the light fixtures/mirror but I’m excited about it so far! Stay tuned for the “after” shots!

According to this article, leopard print is the new black, and I’m OK with it.  As you can see, I’ve had an appreciation for leopard print from a young age.

Thankfully I’ve learned to tone it down a bit. I now incorporate leopard into my style with a little more subtlety. I choose these leopard flats (from Banana Republic outlet) or this J. Crew phone case, so I look a little less like Fran Drescher in The Nanny.

I don’t know if you can tell from the picture but the phone case actually has a faux fur texture!

I love this look from Pinterest. I’ve wanted one of these calf hair clutches ever since I saw this one on cupcakes and cashmere.  I found this one from etsy and this one from J. Crew. Do any of you have a recommendation either way?

I love how this trench coat just has the tiniest leopard detail.

For a bolder look, how fun are these leopard pants? I actually picked up a pair of leopard leggings at Marshall’s but I haven’t had the courage to wear them out yet.

I think this leopard scarf (Thanks for teaching me the difference between a snood, stole and scarf, Sydney!) with all black looks super chic.

Finally, I love the plaid paired with leopard here, but I’ve never tried to wear these patterns together. Plaid seems to also be super in right now, but the only plaid I have is this, which I don’t think would go with leopard very well.   Also, I once ordered leopard booties because they looked adorable online but they were terrible in person. Some things are fun to look at but not for me, I guess. What are your favorite ways to wear leopard?

I thought I’d share a little tip with you all. I couldn’t decide for a long time if I wanted to buy Coco Mademoiselle. I always noticed it on other people and loved it and tried it on in the store, but I have Miss Dior Cherie and I think they smell really similar. (Does anyone else think so?)

Then, my friend Dana turned me onto the purse spray. It’s perfect! I didn’t want to get a giant bottle, so this would be the perfect thing. Then, I looked into the price. It’s actually a better deal and more product than the traditional bottles. When buy the Twist and Spray ($95 at Nordstrom) you get two 0.7 oz. refill bottles in addition to the one already in the case. That’s $45.24 an oz., compared to the regular bottle which is $90 for 1.7 oz. ($52.94 an oz.) AND it’s less convenient. Now, I haven’t had to refill mine yet, so I don’t know how much of a pain that’s going to be; I’ll keep you updated.

Note: If you already know you love the perfume and you’re going to wear it for a long time, the 6.8 oz. bottle is still your best bet at $200 or $29.41 an ounce.

I love the idea of having a frame wall. It was so fun to create and it’s been even more fun building onto it over time. While I’m by no means a minimalist, I like to keep things pretty simple without a lot of decorations scattered around. This frame wall lets me add a ton of personality condensed in one spot so my small place doesn’t look cluttered.

I  was originally inspired by Young House Love,

…and then explored even more ideas on Pinterest.

A lot of the frames I already owned were black, so even though I loved the all white frame collages I saw on Pinterest,  I had to work them in. I didn’t want my wall to look too busy (my biggest fear with this project was having it turn out like the inside of an Applebee’s), I stuck to only black and white frames. I started out with only a few frame and laid them into the design I wanted on the floor. Then, I measured and put up the end frames first, filling in after with the frames in the middle.

After it was up, I thought it looked a little sparse, so I stocked up on cheap frames at thrift and dollar stores. I was always on the lookout for a good frame. The best thing about this project is that whenever I find something cool, I can add it right on. I’ve added a few silver and gold frames into the mix, and some sweet trinkets like this little elephant hook and antique key.

Here’s what the wall looked like when I first started:

I want to continue switching out what’s in the frames and I’m thinking about incorporating even more of a Richmond/Virginia theme. What do you think about this “Carry Mr Back to Old Virginia” print from Etsy?

Update 9/11/16: Here’s what my wall looks like these days:

I always tease my dad about how much he loves Kohl’s. (He thinks it’s great because everything is ALWAYS on sale.) But, I think he’s onto something! After this coat from Zara didn’t work out, I was searching collarless coats online and came across this one.  It looks so much better in person, but for some reason the arms are so tight! I had to take it back and order a size up. when I ordered this coat the first time it was $72, then I went to reorder and it was up to $120 (not happening.) Then, I checked again and it was down to $48?! The free shipping minimum is $50. One thing led to another, and this dress ended up in my basket. Make sure you keep checking back on prices when you’re shopping at Kohl’s and look for discount codes. I always check retailmenot.com before I buy anything online. When I went to the store to exchange the jacket, I saw this bow pillow and basically died. Then, Kohl’s posted these pink sneakers to instagram. Why are they doing this to me?! It’s actually funny because I never would’ve thought twice about these from the photo of them on the site, but those instagram filters are magical and make them look so bright and fun.

All of this stuff is in the mail and I’m excited for when it gets here. Hopefully it’s as great in person as it looks online.

Update: The things came in. Yay! Everything is great except the pillow. When I ordered it online, I though it was all white but it turned out to be grey and cream, which won’t work out. I’m taking it back to my local Kohl’s and I’m thinking about getting this one from etsy. 

Here’s how everything turned out! 

Most of the beauty products I have are just for fun or just for looks. Lip balm, however, has a job to do. There was a certain point this winter, probably around the time the Polar Vortex hit, that my lips got super chapped. Up until then, I’d been using Dior’s Crème de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm. I kept hearing about it on YouTube and reading about it on blogs. Both MakeUpByTiffanyD and AllthatGlitters21 had raving reviews.  I LOVE rose scented things so I picked it up (from Sephora – gotta earn that VIB status, y’all). It smells phenomenal and looks pretty, AND my initials are on the packaging. It’s perfect for everyday, but it wasn’t moisturizing enough.

So, I had to go back to my old favorite, Strawberry Carmex. It smells SO much better than cherry, and it gets the job done. I don’t think they carry this flavor at Target and I haven’t seen it at CVS. The only place I’ve seen it is at Walmart. Here’s my confession: I paid $2 in shipping on Amazon for something that costs $1, just so I didn’t have to go to Walmart. It’s not nearly as chic as the Crème de Rose , but it’s cheap and I love it. Bottom line, I’ll probably repurchase the Dior balm and use it when I’m feeling fancy, but always keep my Strawberry Carmex around.

Should I do a “What’s in my makeup bag” post?

Check out my recap of the Virginia Bloggers Richmond Barre event here.

I started  my delicate jewelry collection with this sweet friendship necklace by Dogeared (gifted to me by my friend, Kerry).  I’ve since up a few more pieces like this Nadri bracelet from Nordstrom and this tiny pearl ring from Etsy. I also love Nadri’s pavé bracelets (I recommend  waiting for the anniversary sale in August because they ‘re usually discounted.)

I came across this bar necklace on Pinterest today. I think it may be my next purchase ;).

I got these adorable rings from my friend Danielle as a congratulatory gift for a promotion at work. She got them from C Wonder.

Theres an adorable boutique in town called Quirk. I’ve been to a few events there and stopped in to shop a few times. 

Image via ScoutieGirl.

I just saw a post on Facebook linking to their online shop. I didn’t even know they had one! How cute is this address book?

It’s SO Soft! I’m so glad I stopped myself from buying the $80 Trish McEvoy brush that the salesperson at Nordstrom recommended and picked up this one from Target. 

Got ’em at Nordstrom.

Saw this spotted rug on Pinterest today and it got met thinking about a dalmatian print rug for my living room. How fabulous would that be?! I searched online but couldn’t find a good one. Have you “spotted” any?

I spotted this scarf from Atlantic-Pacific and thought it might be one I have from H&M. I checked it out and it’s actually from Calypso for $198.

I didn’t find the exact scarf I have when I checked H&M’s site but I did fine this one for $59.95.

Here’s one of the ways I style mine:

I love my alma mater, but I’m not crazy about having bright yellow and black  in my basically all-white place. So, I took a more subtle approach to showing my school spirit. The first piece I  got was this ram head from Target’s Nate Berkus collection. I kept coming across awesome ram sculptures online like this one (that fell of the wall, RIP) from younghouselove. Then, I found this awesome gold one at Homegoods.

I’m so glad I avoided a momentary lapse of judgement and stopped myself from buying the $80 Trish McEvoy brush that the salesperson at Nordstrom recommended

I discovered fairly recently that you can shop that the cute little boutique-like store in the mall, Francesca’s, online. They have the cutest stuff, and here are a few of my favorite things I found browsing the site today.

I got the idea to “upcycle” my Glossy Boxes into something I could reuse by adding label holders.

I found the label holders on eBay (the 5/8×2 1/2 size), and they came with tiny screws. Even though the screws were super tiny, they were still to long for the thickness of the box. I knew that glue would secure the labels holders to the box just fine, so I headed to Michael’s to find something that looked like a screw to give the finish I wanted.  I settled on tome tiny brads.

I bent the ends of the brads sideways so that they would be flush with the label holder when I glued it to the box. 

The person helping me at Michael’s suggested Gorilla Glue for securing the label holders to the box. He explained that super glue would not adhere to the box because it was paper and therefore porous.  I tried the Gorilla Glue first box, and it didn’t turn out. I switched over to super glue, and it worked perfectly. 

I put the super glue on the ends of the brads and in two small dots at the bottom of the label holders and pressed it in to the box. I held for a few seconds, and the label holders were secure. 

I’m really happy with the way these turned out. Now all I have to do is decide what to keep in them!

Thanks for reading!