In The Land of Jen

Riveria Maya Mexico

2017-05-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Vlogs are often my favorite type of videos to watch, I love getting to see everyday life or amazing trips around the world. If I start watching one I will generally find myself sucked into a binge watch of vlog after vlog. My love of watching vlogs has led me to try my hand at vlogging a bit more and recently my BF and I went to Mexico for a wedding. I made a short vlog of our time their and hope you all enjoy it!

We stayed at Generations Riviera Maya, It was a nice resort with pool balconies right outside our hotel room. The rooms were spacious with a mini living area and large bath with shower and Jacuzzi tub. Our stay was relatively short only a few days so we did not venture much outside of the resort but took walks along the beach and relaxed pool or ocean side.

The food was decent although not the best I have had. With an array of restaurants and rooms service to choose from we gravitated to the Chef Market which had a beautiful atmosphere with huge glass windows for walls that let you look out over the ocean.

A few details on what I wore, per usual I over packed but ended up wearing the 2 dresses I initial bought for the trip. For the rehearsal dinner I wore a French Connection dress that was perfect for a beach wedding. It had a tropical leaf print with birds and had pockets (always a plus in my opinion).

For the wedding I went with a baby blue lace overlay midi dress from the brand Alexia Admor. I bought both on Ruelala which is my go to online store to find affordable dresses for any occasion. Both of these dress were around the $60 mark.

We had a great time in Mexico and I hope you enjoy the vlog! P.S. have you been to an all inclusive in Mexico? If so tell me all about it in the comments!

Purple Monochromatic Spring Tutorial

2017-05-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Lilac purple is one of my favorite shades for spring and I had a look in mind for quite a while that involved shades of this nature and my biggest inspiration came from a single product. The Milk holographic highlighter in Supernova is a creamy highlighter with the most beautiful purple to pale blue and pink holographic shift that leaves you mesmerized by your cheekbones.

With the Holographic Stick as my main inspirational product I decided to go with a monochramtic purple look and broke out my new Tarte Make Believe In Yourself palette to use on my eyes.For my lips I decided to finally use a product I have been loving offline and use it in a video... the Lancome Le Metallique Metallic Lip Lacquer in Lavender Patina is the perfect lipgloss that gives a beautiful metalic shine.

Overall I found this to be an extremely easy and wearable look.

Check out the full video below to see how I achieved this!

Sephora VIB Haul

2017-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I always try to practice self restraint when it comes to making purchased during the Sephora VIB sale and sometimes I am more successful than others (ahmm fall VIB you get me every time with those holiday kits). This year during the Spring VIB Sale (15%) I picked up a few items that had been on my list for ages and also tried out some new brands for products I had previously ran out of.. you know the necessities like face wash.

The one Item I was dying to get my hands on were the Stila Magnificent Metals glitter eyeshadow! I have been trying to get my hands on these since they were first released and every time, EVERY SINGLE TIME, the shades I was most interested in were sold out. I was so happy when I was able to finally pick a few of these amazing shades. I ended up choosing Rose Gold Retro, Sea Siren and Violet Vixen.

A few other highlights from this haul were the Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep conditioning mask along with a recent favorite of mine. Their Rosarco Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Creme. The Briogeo brand is quickly becoming a favorite line of hair products!

Did you pick anything up during the Spring VIB sale? Let me know down in the comments and be sure to check out my entire VIB haul down below!

Friends and Family Haul | Tarte & Bobbi Brown

2017-04-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

When it comes to sales in the beauty world we typically only hear about the Sephora's twice a year VIB sale but we often times forget most companies will have their own friends and family sale. These sales are the perfect time to stock up on old favorites or try new released products. I typically see the discounts being greater than during the VIB sale so I always keep an eye on my favorite brands websites for these F & F sales to hit. I even ran across YSL Beauty having their F & F sale it took some serious restraint on my end to not place an order immediately
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I happened to be browsing on Ebates the other day and stumbled across the fact that both Bobbi Brown and Tarte Cosmetics were having their F & F sale. The discount at each was 20% off (plus cash back of course) and I managed to stock pile on new foundations, skincare, and I picked up a lot of the new releases from Tarte.

Do you all keeps tabs on these types of sales for your favorite Beauty Brands?! If so let me know which ones!

Click on through below to watch the Haul!

April Subscription Box

2017-04-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's time again to open up my monthly subscription boxes. This month I received my usual BoxyCharm and also decided to receive my Julep Maven Box. There were a few stand outs from both of these boxes this month so be sure and watch my video below for all the details!

BoxyCharm Contents:
1. Meaurable Difference Concealer Palette - $20
2. PUR Blend Squad- $36
3. OFRA Cosmetics Highlighter in Rodeo Drive - $35
4 Cargo Cosmetics Lip Gloss - $16
5. Project Beauty Hairgurt Strawberry Banana Smoothing Yogurt Shampoo - $10

Julep Maven Contents:
1. Feels Like Velvet Full Coverage Eyeshadow Duo in Cinnamon & Spice - $20
2. When Pencil Met Gel Eyeliner in Smoky Taupe Shimmer - $16
3. Stardust Finish Polish in Sherri - $14
4 . Polish in Jenny $14

Spring Confetti Bar Cookies

2017-04-15T12:36:00.003-07:00

With tomorrow being Easter I thought there was no better time than now to share these spring confetti cookies with you all. I found the recipe while browsing pinterest and was immediately drawn to them for their fun pop of color and the ease of the recipe it's self. The recipe comes from Chelsea over at Chelsea's Messy Apron, if you haven't checked out her blog I recommend giving it a go as she has a never ending supply of amazing recipes.

I actually made these for Easter last year and never got around to sharing the recipe and these shots. Usually I would be trying something out new this year but being sick with both the flu and strep throat I figure I am better off taking a rest this year.

What you will need:

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups white flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cups white chocolate chips separated

3 cups miniature marshmallows

3/4 cup spring M&Ms

3 tablespoons sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. combine butter and both white and brown sugar in medium bowl. Mix together until creamy and fluffy.

2. Mix in egg and vanilla until incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the four, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Stir together and slowly add the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until combined.

4. Stir in one cup of the white chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough into a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

5. Bake the cookie dough for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

6. Remove from oven and immediately top with the miniature marshmallows and M&M's. Return to oven for 1-2 minutes until marshmallows become puffy.

7. Remove and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips and sprinkles over the bars.

8. Let cool completely and then cut with a wet knife.

You can check out a quick video tutorial on the recipe over on Chelsea's blog.

3 Looks | Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette

2017-04-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

Too Faced well known for their fun, creative, and scented eyeshadow palettes with their "chocolate bar" series being one of their most popular. Recently they came out with the Sweet Peach line which included this lovely palette perfect for spring. The line also includes several coral and peach shades of lip gloss blush and highlighters.

I was mostly drawn to this palette for its peachy and bronze warm tones. I also hadn't bought a new palette in quite sometime and thought this would be the perfect purchase. This palette contains 18 shades of matte and shimmers. It's full of peachy pinks, corals, bronze, warm transitions shades, and even a pop of green and purple.

When I opened up the palette I browsed through the how-to guide that gives 3 looks that can be achieved solely using the shadows in this palette. I thought it would be fun to test out the guide and get a good impression of the shadows at the same time! With that I promptly set up my camera and went to filming!

I hope you enjoy!

Thrive Creative Conference

2017-03-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

I have a new Vlog for you all!

Over last weekend I went to my first ever blogging/creative conference! I was really excited to be there to learn and grow with other creative types like me. I had a great time and really loved the conference environment I am even looking at maybe attending another one this year.

Have you ever been to a creative conference? If so which one did you attend and was it worth while? Let me know down in the comments!

The Thrive Conference's Key Note speaker was Emma Chapman Co-Owner of the Lifestyle and DIY blog A Beautiful Mess. Her message was all about being a boss babe and called it 3 traits of being boss. Here is a high-level overview of these traits.

1. Set measureable goals OFTEN! Give yourself permission to dream and start now!

2. Embrace learning and failure. Real life has failures and is just a step on the path to success.

3. Power through negativity. Negativity can come from ourselves, close relationships, and the "peanut Gallery".

Other speakers included Christina Scalera ho spoke all about the legal basics and the importance of protecting yourself and your business. The amazingly talented Dominique Broadway who was one of my favorite speakers who shared the financial side of things and how to make money work for us. There were also panels which were covered working with your spouse and . All the speakers were wonderful and I feverently took down notes to review later.

For day 2 of the Conference I signed up for the instagram workshop which was given by Bonnie Bakhtiari founder and director of b is for bonnie design. This was by far my favorite portion of the convention, getting to break out into smaller groups and get into the nitty gritty of the business. We talked about how to grow your followers and how to have an engaged community. I definitly wrote down pages of notes from this class.

For the convention I stayed at the Westin woodlands waterway which is where the convention was held. I ended up booking through booking.com and got a very reasonable rate for the room. The hotel itself is fairly new so everything is in tip top shape and very nice. I would definitly recommend staying as the room was great and staff was extremely nice. I had originally booked a room with a balcony and when I had checked in they gave me a regular room. They said the error was something they have been experiencing with websites like booking.com where that room type sells out but they still have it showing available on their site. Unfortunately they didnt have any available but gave me access to the club level that has breakfast and snacks available. They worked quickly to resolve this for me and were pleasant to speak with.

I had a great time and was able to meet lots of fellow creative types! I am already looking for my next convention to attend!

Products I Travel With

2017-02-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

I recently went to a local blogging conference and turned it into a mini staycation. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share what I take in my travel bag for skincare and haircare! Plus it would be a different background to where you all usually see me.

I stayed at the Westin Hotel in The Woodlands and it was so nice and comfy. I mean look at that bed could you just jump right into it for a snooze! Ill be talking about my stay and the conference in another upcoming post so make sure you keep an eye out for that.

Now on to the beauty related bits.

When I travel I try to bring things that are 1. Travel friendly and 2. Products I know will get the job done. To me travel friendly means size and packaging are conducive to traveling. I tend to travel with a lot of products, I have my routine which I am most comfortable with when it comes to skincare and haircare and I want to feel that same level of comfort whether I am at home or away. So keeping travel size mini's of some of my favorites is key for me.

Check out my video for the full run down!

February Boxycharm

2017-02-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

Would You Be My Galentine?

This month's box was themed around valentines day and more specifically "Galentines Day". As usual this months box did not disappoint. I mean how many times can I repeat myself when it comes to how good of a value these boxes are. I have yet to find another comparable box.

What came in this month's box.

1. Sedona Lace Trio Eye Kit $39.95
2. Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Pans $12
3. Doucce Mineral Matt Lipstick $20
4. Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion $79
5. Z palette Small $14

Total Value: $165

Sign up for BOXYCHARM !

January Sales | A Haul

2017-02-13T16:11:00.000-08:00

The month of January is always a free for all in the sales department. So many stores start marking down all of the winter clothing not to mention all of the after holidays sales going on. I tend to take the opportunity to spruce up my wardrobe and start getting ready for spring.

I did a little shopping at Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor along with picking up a few beauty bits from Ulta. Check out my video for all the goods!

Pretty in Pink | Valentines Day Tutorial

2017-02-01T15:33:00.000-08:00

This Year for Valentines Day I was really into creating something that was soft and romantic. Nothing over the top sultry just a look that was feminine and pretty. I ended up deciding to stick with soft pink and purple on the eyes and pink glossy lip.

If you want to see how I created this look be sure to watch my video!

January Boxycharm

2017-01-23T20:14:00.000-08:00

It's time again to share another monthly Boxycharm box! I can never say too many times just how amazing of a value these boxes are. You get full sized products NOT sample sizes like other subscription boxes. This month the theme was the Hollywood glitz and glam of award season.

My two favorite items from this month's box is the PUR cosmetics bronzer, a radiant bronze shade that doesn't have any glitter in it but gives such a healthy glow. The other item of course is the the highlight palette! We received a highlighter from this brand in the past and it was stunning. This set is equally as fabulous.

Head on over to my YouTube channel to see everything that came in the January Boxycharm box!

best of beauty 2016

2017-01-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure if I really wanted to film a best of beauty for 2016, I felt like you could tell what I loved through my monthly favorites videos but then I realized I really didn't film that many and a lot of the products that I loved during the year would be missed. This year I feel like I focused on my skincare routine and not just trying out a bunch of products just to try them but to find products that really work for my skin and stick with them. I also found a whole slew of new make up products that will be forever staples in my beauty cabinet.

If you want to see everything that made it to must have list in beauty for 2016 be sure and check out my video!

January Julep Maven

2017-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

Future Fresh

The past few months I have skipped over the Julep Maven Box for one reason or another but call it a happy accident or call it fate I totally forgot to skip the January box. I am so glad I did.

This month Julep released a new beauty oil and I was ecstatic to see that it was Rosehip Oil! I have been using Rosehip Oil for a couple of years now and thoroughly enjoy the stuff. Julep's Rosehip Oil is meant to be a light weight oil making it wearable day and night. This oil claims to help balance and hydrate skin, along with helping to reduce the appearance of scars and hyperpigmentation. Julep suggests using it a few different ways, besides the normal layer on clean skin method they say adding it to your regular moisturizer or liquid foundation will give your skin a boost of hydration and radiance.

As for the nail shades that were released this month I was equally happy with the range as I was with the oil. This month saw moody dark colors with a sheer holographic top coat to amp things up when you are starting to feel a little drab. The two shades I received were. I quite frankly can't wait to pop them on my nails. You can go to the Julep blog if you want some nailspiration, they have all kinds of nail art tutorials.

Winter Box of Style

2017-01-08T21:30:00.000-08:00

The Winter Box of Style just arrived and I was so pleased with the contents! The RZ Box of Style Subscription box is a favorite of mine because you get such a great mix of beauty, fashion and life style products. They are always packed with high end products that are such a treat to receive in the mail. This time I was really blown away with the selection, I think I popped this necklace from Dylanlex on the day it came in and even wore it out on New Years Eve. The second product I couldn't wait to try out was the Sunday Riley Tidal Cream. Sunday Riley is a great skincare brand and I have been a fan of their Luna Sleeping Oil for a while and have had my eye on trying this cream since it first debuted.

Check out everything else that came in this seasons Winter Box!

What came in the box:
Dylanlex Zoey Custom Necklace $200 | 15% off "ZOEY"
Sunday Riley Tidal Enzyme Brightening Water Cream $65
Soia & Kyo Olivia Cable Knit Hat $50 | 20% off "ZOE"
D.L. & Co. Birch Candle $50 | 20% off "DLCO20"
Dagne Dover Leather Card Case $50 | 20% off "BOXOFSTYLE"
Clinique Pop lip color + primer Berry $18.50 | 25% off "ZOEREPORT"

Interested in signing up for box of style?! Check it out here: http://fbuy.me/dNr5n

A New Year & GRWM for New Years Eve

2017-01-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

I can not believe that it is already a New Year! I hate to sound so typical but seriously where does the year go, the older I get the faster the years go by. I am glad to be back on the blog and a huge goal for me this year is to start posting more frequent again. I plan on re-vamping my site so keep an eye out for that. 2016 was a busy and fun year spent with friends and family so naturally I spent the last day of the year the same way.

Get ready with me for a New Years Eve spent with friends!

Black Friday Haul

2016-12-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving sales are always the best time to pick up things you have been eyeing through out the year at a discounted price. I am a pretty regular online shopper and really tend to pick up most things this way. Now a days after Thanksgiving sales aren't just limited to crazy in store promotions pretty much every store has the same deals going online and they will typically run them for a few days. I usually keep my eye out and add items to my cart prior to the sales, then when it's sale time all I need to do is hit my cart and check out! Easy peasy and no crazy lines or over crowded malls.

This year I of course picked up a few things from Sephora but also tried out a new (to me) online retailer called BooHoo. On the recommendation from my boyfriends cousin and another friend of mine I check out the website and I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of fun inexpensive "fast fashion". BooHoo is based out of the UK so shipping to the U.S. took a little longer than I like (thank you Amazon Prime for spoiling shipping for every other company) but was really happy with all the items I had picked out. I suggest checking them out if you are looking for inexpensive fun and trendy pieces.

Be sure and check out my video to see everything I purchased!

Empties

2016-12-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

Empties video's are probably one of my favorite type of youtube videos to watch. Using a product up till its completely gone means you have really put it to the test and more than likely you really liked the product. Most people will return or give to a friend a product that didn't work for them so you know if it has made it in to the Empties video its probably a good one!

I'm finally digging through my “empties drawer” (yes I literally keep all of my used up products in a dresser drawer) to share my thoughts on all the products I have used up. It has been almost a year since my last empties video so there are quite a lot of products to go through!

Check out my video to hear all my thoughts on a years worth of used up products!

Singapore | In Photos

2016-12-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

After what felt like an impossibly long flight I finally arrived in Singapore. By the time I checked in at the hotel it was nearly 2AM so you can imagine how exhausted I was. I stayed at The Regent Hotel which was a great hotel, the rooms were nice and spacious plus the complimentary shampoo/conditioner etc. was Loccitane which is a favorite of mine.

I crashed for a few hours before meeting up with my travel partner for what would be 2 days of jam packed sight seeing.

If you watched my travel vlog than you probably already know the reason I traveled to Singapore was for work and I went along with a colleague of mine. We knew we had a limited amount of time in Singapore and wanted to see as much as we could.

After a much needed power nap we met up for breakfast and headed out to explore the city.

The hotel was located near orchard road which is a huge shopping attraction and is known for all kinds of high end shops. The city was also starting to decorate for Christmas which is always a win with me!

Most of the first day was spent walking around the city, we planned on visiting a few museums ( I plan on doing a separate post on all the museums) and wanted to see the landscape of the city at the same time so walking from place to place was key the first day. We definitely used the public transit system the rest of the time though ( highly recommend using the MRT subway system if you visit it is the most efficient way to get around).

My favorite part of Singapore was the combination of architecture and nature all through out the city, it made for such an amazing landscape!

We stopped by the Red Dot Design Museum, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting but I love the giant red building the museum was housed in. The Red Dot Design Museum houses past and current winners of the red dot design award.

We made our way to little India where we stopped for Mango Lassi before heading back out to make our way to China Town where we stopped at a hawker center and had some Teh Tarik a traditional Tea drink in Singapore and Malaysia.

While adventuring through China Town we stopped off at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

The second day of our trip we headed out to Marina Bay Sands to check out the Art Science Museum, we came back on our last night to check out the Wonder Full Water Show. I highly recommend checking the show out if you are visiting Singapore.

One of the nights we headed out for dinner and found the CHIJMES which is basically this stunning historic church that also has a giant entertainment and restaurant area built up around it, I won't lie it was a bit odd to see such a beautiful church turned into what is basically an upscale food court but I also recognize the skill it takes to incorporate history and the modern world cohesively. The CHIJMES originally started out as a catholic convent but renovations were completed in 1996 for what you see today.

After Dinner we made a quick stop by Clarke Quay as it was a frequent recommendation to visit. If you want some night life while in Singapore this is the area you want to visit. It's known for an expansive selection of restaurants and bars on the water.

I hope you enjoyed a look at all I experienced during my time in Singapore! Keep an eye out for a couple more posts I plan to share all my Museum adventures and our visit to the Gardens by the Bay.

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Him

2016-12-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

1. Ugg Men's Ascot Slippers :If you have a man in your life that enjoys the simple luxuries in life these plush slippers are the ultimate in comfort. These are the perfect house shoes, they have a sole so no worries about stepping outside for a quick walk to the mailbox you won’t ruin these slippers.

2. Close Watch : A modern take on a classic watch will bring any wardrobe. I love the brand Cluse but there are many brands out there. I love the contrast of the sleek black face and the gorgeous tan leather band.

3. Homemade Gin Kit :If you have a man that enjoys a drink or two, this at home gin kit would make for a fun gift. He will be able to create all kinds of flavored gin in his own kitchen.

4. Cashmere Eye Mask and Blanket Kit : One thing that a frequent traveler will appreciate is this cashmere blanket and eye mask. These are perfect for the frequent long haul flyer. A little comfort of home will go a long way.

5. Diana Deluxe Kit for Camera : Know a guy who is the creative type who loves photography? This Diana camera will bring a creative Lomography flair to any photo session. Go ahead and inspire a little artistic flair in your guy’s life.

6. Leather Weekender Bag : A weekender bag is an essential for anyone and a vintage looking brown leather bag is the perfect staple for any man in your life.

7. Chess Set : Know a guy that likes Chess? Or maybe they have been looking for that perfect conversational décor piece. This chess set is the perfect option. The Lucite and neon colors will add the perfect touch of coolness to any room.

8. Classic Baseball Cap : In my world, the world of sports is an easy place to look for a gift but why not step up your game and check out the selection of limited edition and vintage baseball memorabilia at Mickey’s place. They will be sure to appreciate the extra thought of tracking down a vintage baseball cap or jersey from their favorite team or player.

9. Ben Sherman

:Ben Sherman is a brand I have recently discovered and while browsing on Nordstrom Rack. They have a lot of simple and stylish shoes that can be worn dressed up or for casual weekend wear. I loved the mix of suede and leather that these shoes had.

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Her

2016-12-07T17:42:00.003-08:00

Gift giving is one of my favorite things about the holidays. I love finding the perfect gifts for all my friends and family, I always make it my mission to find that one perfect gift. Naturally I love creating these gift guides so check out some of my recommendations for this year! (check out past years gift guides here)

1. Sephora Collection face mask - This is the perfect gift to give any girl in your life that enjoys a little pampering. The Sephora Collection skin care is really great quality and a reasonable price as well. Whether you buy a set or just a single mask as a stocking stuffer these sheet masks make for a great holiday gift.

2. Colour Pop All Nighter Foursome Looking for an affordable gift for a make up loving lady? look no further than Colour Pop! It isn't a brand that you can get in stores and while it is popular amongst the beauty community it isn't a main stream brand. They have amazing quality cosmetics at extremely affordable prices.

3. Mixed Plaid Flannel Pajama Set A comfy pajama set is always a necessity but not one we tend to splurge on for ourselves, making this a great gift for any women in your life. If you want to make it extra special go for the added Monogram!

4. Cashmere Lined Leather Tech Gloves Gloves are an essential during the winter time, especially if you live in colder climates. Gift these ultra luxe cashmere lined gloves to your most tech obsessed girlfriend and she will have no worries about freezing fingers. No need to remove these to use your tech devices!

5. Paris Street Style: A coloring Book Have a fashion loving creative type in your life?! Then this adult coloring book will be a total win. Adult coloring books are all the rage right now and this one is extra chic. Gift this book with a set of these prismacolor pencils!

6. Halogen Slouchy Cashmere Beanie I have been obsessing over this beanie from Halogen. Sometimes the little luxuries just make you feel special and this cashmere beanie would be perfect for almost anyone (even a cool guy in your life). Not to mention it comes in a myriad of colors to choose from!

7. Knee High Leather Boots  A good pair of black leather boots are a classic addition to any wardrobe and will get plenty of use from just about anyone you gift them too. Maybe even ask Santa for a pair of your own if you don't have any already.

8. Quay Sorority Princess Sunglasses  Mirrored sunglasses are the perfect way to add a little fun into any wardrobe. Quay is an Australian sunglass brand that has sky rocketed in popularity over the last couple of years with some styles selling out in minutes. Unlike most fashionable glasses these are surprisingly affordable! Pick these up for your trendiest girlfriend she will be sure to thank you.

9. Nike Juvenate Sneaker Everyone can use a classic sneaker to wear on the weekends with your casual outfits. This pair from Nike is simple and clean, picking a pair in black means they can be worn with just about any outfit.

10. Voluspa Maison Holiday Tin Candles Heading to a few holiday parties? Candles always make great hostess gifts. Grab a few of these to give out and you will surely be on the guest list again next year.

11. Nest Parfum Collection  Looking for a gift for a fragrance lover? Nest is one of my favorite fragrance brands. Their scents are always long lasting and I have yet to find one I didn't love. This set gives a variety of their most popular fragrances and makes a perfect gift to give.

12. HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer Everyone knows at least one person who is Instagram and photo obsessed. This is the perfect gift for them, a portable photo printer! There are several brands that have similar printers but I loved the sleek white and rose gold packaging of this one from HP!

November 2016 Boxycharm

2016-12-02T18:42:00.001-08:00

Groovy Town

Boxycharm has been killing it in the subscription box game for quite some time now but the last few boxes have definitely been well worth the $20 a month price tag. I still can't get over the amount of full size quality products come in this box. I often get asked what subscription services I use and recommend. I always and I mean ALWAYS blabber on about Boxycharm for 20 minutes regardless if the person wanted all that much detail. Its my go to recommendation and the reason is simple, no other box compares! I have even managed to convince a few of my closest friends to subscribe and now they can't stop singing its praises.

Ok so enough of me rambling about my love of Boxycharm, lets get into what came in this months box.

1. Vintage Illuminating Face Highlighter $32 | The Highlighter is also a really great addition in this months box it comes of a bit more peachy in the pan but when applied gives a nice golden glow to the tops of the cheeks.

2. Studio Makeup eyeshadow Palette $49.95 | A couple of months back we received the warm version of this Studio Makeup palette and I was really impressed with the quality in both of them. Getting these types of pallets is always welcome as you can never have to many eye shadows.

3. Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Pen $20 | I haven't given this product a test yet but I am always pleasantly surprised by the quality of the skincare products we receive. I have a feeling this one will work well to de-puff tired eyes, especially if you pop it in the fridge for a few minutes before using!

4. Bellapierre Kiss Proof Lip Creme $20 | Bellapierre is a brand we get quite a bit and their products are always great quality. This lip creme is no different and I love that we received such a wearable shade.

5. Crown Brush C513 Pro Detail Crease $12.99 | I have purchased Crown Brushes before and think they are great quality for the price point, so it was nice to receive a brush from a brand I know and use daily. Some might not like getting brushes in these boxes but really I love it. I would rather spend my money on actual makeup and skincare so I will take all the brushes I can get!

Are you as much of a Boxycharm fan as I?! Let me know down in the comments!

Sephora VIB Haul

2016-11-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

November 2016

Its officially my favorite time of year at Sephora, all the Holiday kits are out and they just had their VIB sale! I am always a sucker for a good holiday beauty kit. Its usually the perfect time to try out new products because you typically get more bang for your buck in a kit. Then of course there is the 20 percent off that Sephora does every November for their VIB members. It's not often that there is a sale on beauty items so I always end up getting a lot of new things to try along with stocking up on staple items.

See what I purchased this year in my haul video!

What I picked up during the sale:

Drunk Elephant AHA Kit
Clinique beyond perfecting foundation + Concealer
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
Cover FX Cover Click Concealer + Foundation
Laura Mercier Fall in Love Face illuminator
Living Proof Flex Shaping Hairspray
Korres Greek Yoghurt Winter Skin Rescue
Too Faced Hangover RX primer
Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner
Milk Makeup Holographic Stick
Benefit Lies Little Correctors Kit
Urban Decay Liquid Moondust Cream Eyeshadow
Kat Von D Lock it Hydrating Primer
Urban Decay Naked Weightless Concealer
Smashbox Photo finish primer water
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Aquacealer Concealer
Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation
Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Bam
Eve Lom The award winners
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Beauty Blender Two BB Clean
First Aid Beauty Winter Skin Savers
Sephora Collection Holy Sheet set
Sephora Favorites Ready Set Style Styling spray collection

2 Days in Singapore

2016-11-18T18:15:00.000-08:00

A Vlog

I was recently able to visit Singapore while on a work trip and decided to try vlogging! I was really nervous about traveling internationally for business since it was my first time but everything went smoothly and I really enjoyed my time meeting new people and getting to experience another side of the world.

as stated this was my first try at vlogging so you will have to excuse the shaky video in some parts as the stabilizer I bought clearly did not work (side note: if you have a suggestion for one I would love to hear from you!). I was only able to visit Singapore for a short period of time but really wanted to pack in as much sight seeing as possible! I wasn't able to film everything I did but have a lot more photos that I plan on getting up very soon!

The main places I was able to video were the Art Science Museum, Gardens by the Bay, Little India, M.A.D Museum, The Red Dot Design Museum, The National Museum of Singapore, and the Wonder Full light show at Marina Bay Sands.

I hope you enjoy the Vlog and let me know what you think!