Follow Friday

Hey guys! 

So apparently I decided to take a little blogging break over Spring Break this year, even though I had every intention to do the opposite. But oh well, I'm here now and I thought since I'm away I would do a quick Follow Friday post. 

However, this is gonna be a little different from my previous Follow Friday posts...this one's just going to be a shameless plug! :) 

Because, really, if you like what we've got going on here at Monogrammed Magnolias then I would like to think that you'd love my other social media outlets so let's get to it!

Twitter!

You can follow me, @angelmerisa23 by clicking this link ---> Follow Me!

I love Twitter and think it's a great way to keep up to date on everything from Awards Season, March Madness, or what the girl in front of you in Stats class is really thinking. Plus, Twitter has turned into my main news source nowadays. That's how I found out that my childhood favorite band's lead singer had a baby...and made a video about it...which you should so totally watch below! 

(I know that's incredibly random but it's gone crazy viral and I wanted to include it, 

plus it's is seriously the cutest thing ever!)

Instagram!

Hi, my name's @angelmerisa23 and I'm addicted to Instagram. 

I try not to be a typical white girl but sometimes you've just gotta post a lunch time pic...plus, I'm obsessed with photo editing so if your Starbucks pic features some cool filter or frame it'll probably get a like from me no matter what. 

Pinterest!

I know I throw this phrase around a lot but I am...OBSESSED with Pinterest! Like seriously, it's kinda crazy...I've got over 50 boards and 7K+ pins...that means you should definitely follow me!

SIDE NOTE: I started this post then the Kansas State/UK game came on and it's no longer Friday but I am determined to get this post together...perseverance is the motto! By the way, we're winning! Go CATS!

Tumblr!

Tumblr is like my guilty pleasure...which is probably what every Tumblr user says but it's also like my baby blog and where I go to complain to the internet without fear of my grandma seeing it...thanks, Facebook.

 follow me at angelintheoutfield.tumblr.com

Spotify!

This is a crazy one because honestly I don't think a lot of people know about Spotify but I've had it for like years now and it's like the best of both worlds between Pandora and iTunes...a music library with literally every type of music ever! I'm not so sure how the whole music sharing stuff goes with Spotify but they recently made it to where you can download their app to your phone (I've been using the desktop version until now) and listen to playlists on the go. You can check out my playlists that range from my obsession with anything British to music for my Southern Belle soul! 

to check out my Spotify playlists click THIS LINK!

 Thanks so much guys I hope you've enjoyed this peek into my social media world, feel free to follow me on any of the sites mentioned! Thanks!

until next time, darlings

xo

Merisa

Beauty Breakdown: Primers

Is it just me or are primers the new "cool kid" on the block when it comes to beauty products?

I feel like they're everywhere with everyone talking about them lately. It seems like every brand has their own must-have primer (or 2, Rimmel) and they all do different stuff for your face.

To be perfectly honest I got really tired of all the hype. I mean, it seems like everyone's praising primers but what difference do they really make?

Well, that's the question this post is meant to answer!

I dove right in and picked up some primers that caught my eye while at the drugstore...and a sample from Ulta because that little sucker's expensive just to try it.

I've been using the Rimmel Fix & Perfect for a while now but recently gave it up because like I said, what difference does it really make? So I put it up against some real contenders pictured above: Maybelline Baby Skin (aka the techy nerd turned cool kid), Rimmel Stay Matte Primer (every shiny forehead's worst enemy), and Benefit's the POREfessional (the primer Prom Queen)

Let's start out with the odd ball of the bunch

Maybelline Baby Skin: I have heard so much about this product even before it was available in the states so I was dying to get my hands on it when it landed at my local CVS. I seriously had no preconceptions about this product so I was honestly shocked when I squeezed the tube and found clear gel come out. What?! It was so cool. However, it got kinda weird when I went to put it on my face. 

Because it's clear you really can't tell where you're putting it on and the slick texture doesn't help that either as you get the product on your fingers and lose track of how much product is going where. 

While it took a minute to get over the strange texture the results I found around my t-zone helped speed up my decision making process a little more. This product claimed to have Blur Technology when it comes to hiding pores and I must say the word blur perfectly describes what occurs. It doesn't hide your pores but it does blur their appearance making large pores (like mine) practically disappear once foundation is applied! 

I'm giving this product a thumbs up simply because it blew my mind. While I probably won't use it all over my face it is definitely a product that comes in handy on those days that your pores look more like craters.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro: Like I said before, I've been using this primer for a while now and really just use it as a base for my foundation as it does a pretty good job of smoothing things out. While this particularly product doesn't do much for my pores really I have been wanting to see how it would do combined with the Baby Skin product. Definitely something to try very soon!

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer: Rimmel just recently came out with a new range of Stay Matte foundations (which I also picked up) and I love their Stay Matte powders so much that I decided to give the primer in the range a shot too! Looking back on it now, I may have been swayed by the purple packaging because I have yet to see a real different between this and the Fix & Perfect. I will say that the Stay Matte is a thicker formula and does a better job at actually staying matte which is definitely a good thing but during these past few snow days I've found that it actually leaves my skin too matte so I'm definitely holding out to try this one out during the warmer spring and summer days. 

Also, I found that when I combined the primer and the foundation from this range it was way too drying, but definitely a match to try once those shiny spots caused my warmer days start appearing.

Benefit the POREfessional: This product was another bit of a surprise when I opened it as it was a nude color that really set it apart from the others. I think the color had a lot to do with how well this particular primer was able to hide imperfections as it hides pores insanely well and creates an unbelievably smooth canvas for my foundation. I really enjoyed my sample of this product but I honestly don't think I could ever convince myself to pay the $31 price tag for something that's not really essential to my routine.

I realize this looks kind of weird but I just wanted to show y'all the differences in appearance and texture between the primers: (l-r) Fix & Perfect, POREfessional, Baby Skin, and Stay Matte.
(sorry the POREfessional looks a little grotesque but that's all I could squeeze out of the sample.)
You can really tell a difference between the two Rimmel products here as the Stay Matte is clearly thicker than the Fix & Perfect and how weird is it seeing the clear Baby Skin gel? haha

I hope you all have enjoyed this little break down of the primers I've used recently. I'd love it if you left comments below letting me know your favorite primers!

until next time, darlings
xo
Merisa

Huge Spring Collective Haul!

Well, I think it's safe to say that I'm not doing so hot on that whole New Year's resolution deal about trying to be a better blogger but I am here now and determined to make more of an effort (with all of my resolutions) this month!

I wanted to get this post in because it actually introduces quite a few other posts that I have planned for the very near future so keep an eye out for them, Magnolias. 

Let me start by saying this is a collective haul that I've acquired over the past few weeks or so...it's almost embarrassing how much stuff there is to talk about but what can I say? I love to shop! Now let's get to it!

Ulta became my best friend last month...which you can probably tell from the picture below.

The week before last they were having huge Buy One Get One deals on all my favorite brands (which is awesome) so I just couldn't pass it up as it was a great opportunity to try out some new spring looks I've been dying to get my hands on.

Let's just start from the top, shall we?

I actually picked up the Got 2B Rockin' It Dry Conditioner at the Dollar Tree and picked it up because I was simply intrigued by the idea of a dry conditioner. Well, I've given it a try and it is pretty amazing. I know it sounds super strange and sort of time consuming but there's just sometimes when I'm using dry shampoo (aka my favorite product ever, just wait) and I go a little overboard. This solves that issue, a little spray goes a long way in helping keep my locks oil-free but also soft and shiny.

 Like I said, I love me some dry shampoo...it has saved my hair from so many disaster situations and to be perfectly honest when you have hair as long as mine washing it everyday can be a hassle. I had heard a lot of talk about the Batiste dry shampoo and had to get my hands on it when  I saw it on Ulta's website. There are so many different scents to choose from that it was a difficult decision but I'm a sucker for leopard print so the packaging on the Wild variety won out. Honestly, I'm on the fence about the scent, there are days that I really like it and days I just don't so it's kinda strange but overall I think it's a really great product...probably not something I would buy every time I run out but definitely nice to try out different scents. 

I went a little overboard on the primers and Rimmel products so those will actually be featured in a breakdown of my favorite primers post coming later one...sneak peak: really loving the Baby Skin at the moment, definitely worth a try!

In case you can't tell by the picture above, I have a serious addiction to lip products. There are 8 featured above (eek!), 6 of which were purchased at the same time from Ulta...but they were all apart of the BOGO deal with the Ulta brand lipsticks BOGO Free and the others BOGO 50% off. That is not a deal you pass up easily, my friends. 

Here's a close up of some of my favorites but be on the lookout for my favorite Spring lip colors on the blog soon, in the meantime definitely give the new Ulta color core lipsticks a look because they're kinda amazing! (mine are [l-r] Sour Cherry and Cutie)

If you checked out my RueLaLa vs HauteLook post a while back then you would have gotten a sneak peak at a few of the products featured below. The Stila pressed pigments were featured on a serious HauteLook sale...like, I think I only got these for $5 a piece (which is insanely cheap for Stila) and I have to say that I was a little disappointed with them at first but love how versatile they are now that I've used them a few times. I use Acoustic (bottom left) as an eyeshadow trio with the lightest shade all over, the dark shade in the crease, and occasionally the orangey-red on the outer corner. As for the shade on the right, Finale (how cute are these names?), I blend that together and use as a blush...I know, pretty bright for a blush but the color comes off amazingly when used sparingly. Overall, they were a great purchase which is more than I can say for the lip colors which were way off course as far as display color to IRL color goes. 

Speaking of thumbs down products, the product at the top of this photo is actually marketed as a bronzer no matter how much it looks like a highlighter.
I'm a huge Physcians Formula fan when it comes to pressed bronzing powders (mostly because they're the only ones easily available to me it seems) but does anyone else feel like they're really a hit or miss brand?
I've gotten some really great bronzers from them over the years but also some really bad ones and this one unfortunately falls in that category. I was of course drawn in by their packaging (as always) and this one just so happened to be in a sparkly pink package...just begging for me to take it home. However, it also claimed to be specifically formulated for brunettes (looking back now, I guess I really should have gone with the blondes on this one) and that was something that really set this product apart from the rest. I don't know how they think this product will look good on darker haired girls seeing as they are usually the ones with darker skin when it barely even shows up on my beige toned skin!
As you probably know, PF bronzers run on the expensive side as far as drugstore brands go so I've resorted to using this product as a highlighter and even dig into the different sections of the mosaic to use as eyeshadows, something that still lacks luster but hey, why let it go to waste.

What's one of the sure fire signs that you are a Monogrammed Magnolia? It's in the name of course...a love for all things monogrammed!
That's exactly why Marley Lilly Flash Sales are my own personal kryptonite, or rather my bank account's kryptonite. February became ML's month of flash sales as they celebrated every Monogram Monday with one of their signature sales and the very last one featured all my favorites in none other than red, white, and blue! And let's face it, nothing say's Monogrammed Magnolias quite like a red, white, & blue Monogrammin' 'Merica tee! I just had to get my hands on it and rep my faves at Marley Lilly!

There's just something about a pocket tee that makes me go weak in the knees...add a monogram and I'm hooked...add a little Bama houndstooth and I've gotta have it! I adore this shirt and love the super amazing quality of the pocket itself! I don't know how they do it but Marley Lilly has got it going on with these printed pockets and I'm afraid I'm a fan for life. Definitely give them a look and be sure to follow them @MarleyLilly on Twitter to be in the know about the next Flash Sale which is always just around the corner.

Now for the BIG finale, folks!

I now present to you my pride, my joy, my absolute obsession...

my Kate Spade Little Kaelin Primrose Hill bag!!!

It's like the holy grail of bags for me and it was purchased during one of Kate Spade's signature Surprise Sales which I am a die hard fan of! 

I just love this bag and have probably carried it everyday since it arrived on my doorstep. It's a cross body on a leather and chain strap that is just absolutely to die-for, I mean how cute it that bow? Best part? The inside is polka dots! Kate Spade pulled out all the stops with this one!

I can honestly say that it was well worth the money and as my mother would say, it feels like buttah!

For more pictures of my bag and all my finds follow me on Instagram!!!

until next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa

February 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

Let me first start by saying that I'm sorry there wasn't a review for the January Ipsy glam bag posted but, at the risk of sounding cheesy and above all lazy, I just wasn't feeling it. I know, I know that's horrible but the bag was really sub-par last month and it took me forever to even try all of the products. Hey, we all have our bad days you're forgiven, Ipsy.

Ahhh!

Whew, that is literally the only way I can express how much I adore this month's glam bag! If you read through this review and like what you see then wait till the end and click the link to check out Ipsy for yourself.
Not only am I so excited to tell you about each product but I'm even more excited to bring back my partner-in-crime, Danielle!
That's right, ladies, Danielle is back and she had this to say:
Let me start off by saying I apologize for my lack of posting in the last few months. I have been super busy with sorority stuff,  & my junior year of bowling coming to an end this season! 

On a lighter note, this Friday I am going to begin my journey as a brand new Mary Kay consultant! I am so very excited to sell some amazing products that every woman needs in her possession! I will be writing some post about those products here soon! 

Now real point of this post, the AMAZING February Ipsy glam bag! I was beyond excited to open this bag and I was even more excited when I found all of the goodies I received this month! 

As, you can probably tell Danielle and I felt very similarly about this month's bag now let's get to it!

- Merisa's Bag -

- Danielle's Bag -

With the theme of the Look of Love, Danielle and I both loved the bag this month's products came in, a hot pink makeup back with leopard print lining!

Both of us got a few different products but let's start with the one's we had in common...

The first product I opened up and tested out was the Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner in the silver shimmery color, Starshine! I love this eyeliner, it goes on extremely smooth, and adds a great sense of color and pop to the normal bronze shadow I wear. 

-dSl-

The Mally eyeliner is definitely a standout for me and is probably the first Ipsy product that made me want to try other items from the brand featured outside of that specific product. Seriously, I need more Mally in my life. I love the color, which is a metallic silver that just blends so smoothly and glides on. I've used this product as an inner corner highlight and even as a substitute for my usual black liner on my no makeup makeup days. 

-aFm-

I am obsessed with this lip gloss...actually I wouldn't even call it a traditional lip gloss. This product from POPBeauty in Peony Petal has been on my lips ever since I got my bag in the mail! I love everything about it from the sleek matte black packaging to the stain like application. I think the color is a really great pick for me which is something I was a little worried about upon first impression. I say a stain like application because it really does look like a gloss at first until you actually put it on, it's not sticky at all and almost feels like a melted down lipstick but stays super moisturized.

-aFm-

 This gloss is a good pop of color. It gives you just enough to add something to your everyday look. I really loved the container that it came in. The tube has a handle on it that is really smooth and glides on easily! 

-dSl-

As you might have noticed in the picture of my bag above, I got a few extra products...that's not because I'm particularly special even though I totally am, it's because I traded in my Ipsy points from reviewing my products in my Glam Room online to receive a BeautyBlender and BlenderCleanser! I LOVE the BeautyBlender and must say that it's totally worth the hype but not worth the price...I'm sure you can find an off brand that would get the job done just as well. I really liked the Zoya polish in Odette and thought that it almost looked gel-like on my nails after a 2nd coat even though it didn't act gel-like in the chip department.

I'm still on the fence about the Rituoil for my hair but hair products are always testy for me.

-aFm-

The J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes & Eyelash Glue were some of the best lashes I've tried. It added so much to my natural lashes and made them appear fuller. I love them so very much and even wore them for my Valentine's Day dinner last Friday night!

 I love the City Color Be Matte Blush, I have never tried any of their products and I am not sure why because this is the best blush I have ever used thus far! It blends well, has a great color, called Fresh Melon, and simply warms up your face to create a "sun kissed" look! It is definitely a product worth purchasing especially because it runs for only $2.99 regular price! Can't wait to continue using this product.

-dSl-

I hope you've enjoyed this review of the February Ipsy Glam Bag, to get your own Glam Bag next month click the link below!

Ipsy Glam Bag

until next time, darlings.

xo

The Monogrammed Magnolias

PS: 

RueLaLa vs HauteLook

So, it should come as no surprise to you by now that I am a serious lover of online shopping. Well, what could be better than having designer digs and luxury items all in one place at low prices? I really can't think of anything and that makes these two sites an online shopper's dream!

RueLaLa
RueLaLa is a site that holds daily boutiques of well, anything and everything pretty much, at "Members-only" prices (that means seriously on sale!). 

Featuring everything from vintage Louis Vuitton (I die!), Ray-Bans, Little Rue kids' boutiques, and the perfect weekend getaways RueLaLa holds the things dreams are made of. 

Their boutiques stay open anywhere from a few hours to a whole week and you can even get a sneak peak at what's coming soon and set reminders directly to your phone. 

I've gotten several items from RueLaLa over the years (mostly Lilly Pulitzer, they now send me reminders every time there's Lilly in a boutique) and I have to say that their customer service is by far the BEST I have ever encountered across the board. I'm just going to say it, there really is no one better than RueLaLa when it comes to customer satisfaction. Anytime I've ever had a problem with an order or needed a question answered my RueLaLa concierge (makes me feel so sophisticated just saying that) has been there to help almost immediately. That's a wonderful feeling and just adds to the luxury of RueLaLa.

Like a lot of invite-only shopping sites, RueLaLa will give you a credit every time someone you invite accepts and makes a purchase. That's like free money people, come on!

The only downside I've ever encountered with the site is...the shipping, but they've got a solution for that too.

As far as shipping goes, at $9.95 for basic 5-7 days, this site is kinda on the steep end, however, after paying shipping for your first order you get a period of free shipping for 30-days after known as The Rue 30.

Plus, they have really fast shipping. My items usually arrive before their estimated date and they're boxes always have cute sayings on the inside and sometimes you score stickers!

HauteLook

I was really excited to try out HauteLook after a friend mentioned that she got Urban Decay make-up for uber cheap on the site and I found out it's a branch of Nordstrom's. They have an awesome variety of items and boutiques at prices that are a little more user friendlier than other sites but also carry luxury goods like vintage Louis when you're in the mood to splurge.
Just like RueLaLa, HauteLook offers a credit for every new member purchase from someone you've invited. I'm not entirely certain but I believe HauteLook's boutiques stay open a shorter amount of time than other sites causing their items to be in higher demand which in turn creates a unique situation with their shopping cart feature. I have mixed feelings about this feature but I'll go ahead and explain it before diving into that.
Unlike most sites, HauteLook offers a hold on items you place in your cart, however, (and that's a big however!) the hold is only 15 minutes per item!
Uh, I don't know about you but I'm hard pressed to make any decision in that amount of time let alone one where my credit card is involved. Also, while you're only charged shipping once per order you're items are shipped by boutique so if you end up purchasing a bunch of items from different boutiques on the site then your items will come in different shipments which is a major inconvenience especially when shipping takes forever! By forever, I mean close to 3 weeks, which is ridiculous when you're so used to 5-7 business days and when the products finally arrive on your doorstep they sort of lack luster on the whole packing front.

How boring is it when you open up your package to find this?

However, unlike RueLaLa, the shipping is a lot more reasonable and they offer free shipping when you spend $100 so all that blah can be forgiven really.
I'm a huge fan of the variety of products and brands HauteLook offers. My first purchase on the site was from a Stila cosmetics boutique that was out of this world! I got some seriously great deals on some seriously amazing makeup!

Nothing was over $6 and because of that I was able to get a lot of shades to experiment with with!

Overall, my experiences with both sites have been really great and I hope this information has helped you out. If you like to sign up for either site just click the invite links below!

RueLaLa Invite

HauteLook Invite

until next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa

My Obsession: The Olympics

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS!

Even in all caps and bolded letters that is still an understatement. 

I have been an Olympics enthusiast ever since the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. Yes folks, at the tender age of 5 I became an Olympic junkie!
Being from the South, my parents were really excited for the Games, my dad even lived in Atlanta for a few years when he was a kid. I remember bits and pieces of the games but my favorite part was definitely the Opening Ceremony...I was 5, I was only focused on the fireworks!

When I got a little older I got way more interested in the actual Games themselves, I even remember taking a whole grading period to learn about Australia in third grade just in time for the Sydney games. Remember when Mary-Kate & Ashley tried to road-trip to Salt Lake City for the 2002 Winter Games in Getting There? Not even gonna lie, I loved that movie and it also ensured that I was completely hooked on the Olympics no matter what season it was.

So, it should really come as no surprise that I am so excited that it is Olympic time again!
Bring it on Sochi! By the way, I am I the only one that felt like Anastasia during that Opening Ceremony the other night? Can't be.

How sad was it that the 5th Olympic ring glitched out?

Fun Fact I learned from the NBC broadcast: apparently this glitch was taken out of the Russian broadcast and replaced with footage from rehearsals when the ring was completely functional. Kinda crazy, right?

Let's not forget those crazy kids on Team USA!

I must admit that at first I was not too keen on the Ralph Lauren Christmas sweaters but as the ceremony continued (and I saw the adorable Shaun White) they grew on me a little...

...to the point that I kinda want one now. I could do without the patchwork front but nothing says 'Merica like a mega dose of red, white, & blue!

Well, I'm off to catch the recap of the figure skating medal ceremony!

Comment below and let me know what you thought about the Opening Ceremony, Team USA's getups, and who you're keeping an eye out for on the medal stand!

until next time, darlings

xo

Merisa

A Very Special Birthday!!!

So, I'm currently studying for a Russian history exam (anyone wanna tell me why I'm a history major again, please?) but I just had to take a moment and let y'all know that today just so happens to be a very special day for Monogrammed Magnolias!

Today is the lovely Danielle's 21st birthday!!!

In honor of her special day and her all around awesomeness I thought I'd share this with you:

I honestly don't think I ever would have made it through this past year (or just college in general) without this girl! She's amazeballs-fabulous and I'm so proud that she's my friend!

I love you so much, girly, and I'm so beyond blessed to have someone that shares the same interests as me and understands me like you do! Have the best birthday ever!!!!

Check out the super cute birthday bouquet Danielle's roomie, Alexis, and I put together!

Head over to Twitter and wish @daniloulou a happy birthday too!

until next time, darlings

xo

Merisa