The Bigger the Hair the Closer to God: A Southern Girl's Guide to Big Hair

I am a big-hair junkie and have been for a while now! Being this way causes me to try many different volumizing products to achieve this big hair look.

One of my absolute favorite tools, that I couldn't live without, is my teasing brush from Sally Hansen's Beauty Supply. This is a must have for big hair, you can use combs but nothing beats this brush! 

The first step to teasing your hair is to pull half of your hair up then sort of "rough up" the roots, this means to take the brush, get close to the roots, and go back and forth with it until you get some volume/texture! 

It may sound a little difficult but it gets easier with every trial run. 

Another useful tool that I've tried is volumizing powder. My personal favorite is Michael O'Rourke's Bombshell Big Hair Powder! Just sprinkle a little bit in your hair like a powdered dry shampoo for that thick, big hair look that leaves your teased look in for hours. 

One thing that I like to do is add a finishing touch with some hairspray. I like to use the Michael O' Rourke Spray It Hard Big Volume Hairspray. This adds just a little boost so that you can keep the look in tact! 

If you follow these steps, you can rock some big hair like I frequently like to do!  :)

-dSl-

What's in My Makeup Bag?

This week has been, as Danielle would say, absolute crazy bread! Ugh! I'm tired of doing papers one right after the other. So, to step away from that a bit I decided to do something fun with a look at
What's in My Everyday Makeup Bag! Woo!
I say Everyday Makeup Bag because if you're a product junkie like me you'll understand that this is where I keep makeup that I use on a regular basis when getting ready for class and just a usual day while I have other makeup bags that have the more fun stuff in it, which I would be super glad to show y'all if you like this post!

I'm kind of obsessed with my makeup bag, for a lot of reasons too! I got it back in the summer from RueLaLa (which is amazing! Click this link for your own invite!) when they gave me a $25 credit in an email, which is proof that you really can find treasures when cleaning out your inbox.
To be perfectly honest, my credit was about to expire and I didn't really know what to get so I picked up the make up bag for like 20 bucks and thought it might make a pretty good gift. Well, I obviously nixed the gift idea and ended up keeping the bag. I mean, really though, who could pass up a Vera Bradley makeup bag?!

I love how versitiale the bag is and how easy it is for me to fit my favorite products inside.

I'm not too big on the pattern, I'm just not that into florals really, I love that the bag has 3 different see-through compartments and can roll up. Very handy for travel or just toting the bag around my dorm. I also love just how much can fit in the bag, it doesn't look like much in the picture but that really is a ton of products!
In the first compartment I have my Real Techniques brushes, which are seriously the best makeup brushes I have ever used! I have the Travel Essentials Kit (which I talked about in my June 2013 Favorites!) and I'm actually planning on getting a few more kits before the holidays because Ulta actually has several of the brushes on their Buy One Get One 50% Off Sale! Also in that compartment I have a few of my most used eye liners.
The middle compartment is the biggest and keeps all of my face products and mascaras. I started an obsession with Rimmel products this summer and as you can see it has continued. I use Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Pro Primer on my face everyday and it's a perfectly smooth, perfecting primer. Rimmel's BB Cream is my go to foundation but I'll explain more about that later on. I top everything off with Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, which is the best powder I have ever used and I highly doubt I will ever use any other drugstore powder, like ever. I also have my mini mascara collection in the middle which you can read more about in this Mascara Monday post. The last compartment has a few eye shadow trios, blush, highlighters, and bronzers, but now I want to take a look at 4 of my absolute favorite products because they deserve some serious attention!

I picked up the Rimmel BB Cream this summer when I was looking for a lightweight foundation that wouldn't sweat off before I even made it to work and fell in love with the amazing ability of the cream to provide lightweight yet full coverage. This stuff seriously keeps it's 9-in-1 promise and even has an SPF of 25! That's just ridiculous. I've probably only went through 3 tubes of this stuff since earlier may so it's long lasting too and only takes a little bit to cover my whole face. I love this foundation!
Next up is the Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara which I have been raving about for what seems like forever! I got this deluxe sample as a part of a Sephora Beauty Insiders promotion and went absolutely gaga for it! So much so that I just recently picked up the full size version of the product on my last trip to Sephora. The brush's unique "S" shaped design leads to insane coverage and gets every little lash, I just love love love this mascara!
My next two products represent two ends of the spectrum with a serious drugstore bargain in the Wet 'n' Wild Eyeshadow Trio and the high-end splurge of NARS Blush and Bronzer duo.

The eyeshadow trio is called Walking on Eggshells and according to this pin from my Beauty Box: Makeup board on Pinterest, these shades are actually dupes for MAC's Shroom, Mulch, and Naked Lunch! These shades are very versatile, easy to blend, easy to apply, and just all around great everyday shades. The NARS duo includes two of their most popular shades and came in my Sephora Superstars Kit (which I promise I will do a review on ASAP), the blush is the beauty blogger fave Orgasm and the bronzer is Laguna. Orgasm is a very corally pink with light gold sparkle while Laguna is a matte medium bronzer that works well for a lot of skin tones. I love both shades but I think Orgasm might be too warm for my skin, or I might just need to use a smaller brush, we'll see.
I hope you liked that look into my everyday makeup bag! Comment below and let me know if you would like to sneak a peek at my fun special occasion products! 
til next time, lovelies
xo
aFm

Madness Monday!

This is going to be a super quick post because today is the true definition of Madness Monday and I am super behind on homework (I have two reviews to write for Comparative Government AND a research paper for World Mythology, which is about Harry Potter so at least I have that to look forward to!) but I'm also super behind on blog stuff and don't want to neglect my fellow Monogrammed Magnolias!

So here it is folks, a super quick run-down of my favorite and most used apps on my phone! Woo!

I hope you enjoy!

This is my home screen which is filled with my most used apps and my Lilly print background, that I adore!
I am Instagram obsessed! As you'll see in the next screen shot, I post a lot of pictures and love photo editing apps too! (A Beautiful Mess is amazing for fun stickers and borders!) Feel free to go creep! Haha

Next up I have Twitter, which I use more like a news app. Like seriously, if something happens at my school 99% of the time I'm going to find out about it on Twitter. It's good to stay in the know.

I love my avi and background! Don't be freaked out too much my the name @prissasizzle, I've had it since high school (my friend came up with it) and I seriously just can't come up with anything as creative. But you should totally follow me, it's hard telling what kind of craziness is going to come to my kind and end up on twitter! Haha! Plus, it's a great way to keep up with the blog too!

I'm absolutely addicted to Tumblr, my best friend and I can literally monitor each other's moods by the amount of stuff we tumble! (angelintheoutfield.tumblr.com if you wanna check it out!)

Now, I know I've already said it like a billion times about my other apps but I am seriously obsessed with addicted to Pinterest!

I am always on Pinterest, in case you couldn't tell by almost 6,000 pins! Eek! That's a lot! It is seriously the best place to find anything and everything! Check it out if you're not already addicted like me.
Next is the Bloglovin' app which you should totally follow Monogrammed Magnolias on! You can read a little bit more about it in our previous Bloglovin' post.
Also, the Blogger app, which I'm typing this on right now actually. It is super handy for random uploads on the go. I also have the YouTube app which is how I keep up to date on all my favorite British YouTubers and Beauty Gurus! I'm addicted to Itunes Radio, as you can see I don't have Pandora listed on my home screen anymore, that's because the Music app has taken it's place. Sorry Pandora!
I'm a self-proclaimed Sephora addict, if you couldn't already tell by following this blog and seeing the many products I accumulate from them. The iphone app is super great because it lures me into shopping on the go or even in between classes. Way to go, Sephora! This next app, Silk, is actually one I downloaded after receiving a coupon to get it free from the Sephora app (see, always helpful!). It is so relaxing and reminds me of those scrolling, spinny things I had when I was little (sorry, I have no clue what it was called) that let you make pictures using spinning stencils.
Here's an example:

You can change the color and shape you make so when I'm having a super stressful moment I just pull out my phone and draw a few doodles. It works too!
The Weather Channel app is sorta obvious, I hope. I use Newsstand to read my issues of British Cosmopolitan, which I am also obsessed with.

Then I have two very special apps: Glo Bible and Elevation Church! I love these so much because they are so perfect for a girl-on-the-go like myself. When I'm in a particularly stressful or challenging moment I can pull up a sermon from Elevation Church and get a little more control and peace over myself then I can use Glo Bible to look up verses and reflect on the sermon I just listened to. A super amazing set of apps and I highly recommend them!

To finish off the set I have Student TA and Event Book which are really great apps to keep all of my school, work, extracurriculars, and even blog activities organized. They both sync with the Calendar app to keep everything together.
I hope you've enjoyed that look into my Iphone and all of my favorite apps! This post actually wasn't as quick as I thought it would be so I'm off to finish my paper on the Perils of Presidentialism versus the Parliamentary System! The struggles of a Political Science major.
xo
aFm

Birchbox vs. Ipsy

Ahh! The beauty girl version of The Great Debate is finally upon us!

I have been ranting and raving about Ipsy ever since I heard about it, and to be perfectly honest I don't remember how that happened, but anyway I checked out the site and fell in love. I just had to subscribe that instance but some yet to be explained reason I was wait-listed! Ugh! 

So in the meantime, and by the recommendation of the lovely Danielle, I tried out Birchbox. Which I had heard about, of course, but was never really too apt to try. However, Danielle seemed to really like it so I gave it a try. 

I managed to get on board the Birchbox bandwagon right before the October Box came out and while it was totally exciting to find the pretty pink box sitting on my doorstep, that excitement wore off quick.

I will say, however, that out of the Birchbox shipments I have received this has been my favorite.I loved the Ruffian Nail Polish (Danielle did too, she even did a review!) and adored the Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion (it's killer, but at $78 I'll stick to my sample and pray it lasts!) but the rest of the box was a bit of a bummer.Don't get me started on the crappy lip/cheek stain or the crazy, ridiculous half up sock bun thingy. Overall it was bland experience. 

As November rolled around a brighter future laid ahead as I received the email that my Ipsy Glam Bag was on it's merry way! Yay! 

However, that high came crashing down when I received the next installment of my Birchbox subscription.

An even bigger fail than last time, literally the only thing usable was the mascara (which Danielle liked so much she wrote about it twice! Check out her Mascara Monday and What We Love Wednesday posts!) the rest was complete crap...even the chocolate bar was horrible. By this time my hopes for the Ipsy bag were dwindling simply by association. That idea was nixed within a week as I found this lovely little item in my mailbox.

After opening this gem, I came to the realization that Ipsy Glam Bags are the holy grail of beauty subscriptions! I had an "Ahhhh!" moment and everything! Seriously AMAZING!

That's right, those are full size products you are seeing there people! That's more than Birchbox could promise in their wildest dreams. I'm am seriously obsessed with these products.
The eyeliner is a really fun inner eye highlighter, there's a perfect creamy nude lipstick, a full size bottle of rose gold nail polish (that's bigger than a nail polish I bought the other day!), a super shimmery brick colored eyeshadow, the perfect winter bronzer, and my favorite, a lip crayon in the shade Hot Damn!
Let's not forget the fun bonus of a gold and hot pink catch-all makeup bag! Also, as an added bonus, nearly all of the products come with a coupon code for their brands. Absolutely perfect to the point that I cannot wait until December's bag!
Oh, by the way, both Danielle and I cancelled our Birchbox subscriptions in time for the holiday sparkle of Ipsy! Out with the old in with the new!
If you want to check out the debate for yourself click the links below for your very own invites!
Birchbox Invite
Ipsy Glam Bag Invite

xo
aFm

Tip Tuesday!

Another week has started but on the bright side, we are another week closer to the end of the semester! 

"Yay!" - from all the college kids who know what I'm talking about! Haha!

As we near the end of the semester, things get a little crazy. Finals close in and it seems all professors want to do is load you down with stress inducing assignments one right after another. 

Well, all that craziness and stress can lead to some serious skin issues. 

Let's face it, as we get busier we also get lazier and our skin seriously suffers for it...

let's not even get started on the issue of stress break outs (ugh! Those are the worst!). 

Well, for this edition of Tip Tuesday I have some of my quick and easy tips to keeping up with your skincare routine even in your most busiest of moments.

1.) Never sleep with your makeup on!

We have all been guilty of this...at least once, and if you say no you're either forgetting about a time or lying!

I have a serious issue with washing my face, mostly because I treat it like a chore and if I don't do it when I'm in the shower it's most likely not going to get done. To solve this issue I stick cleansing wipes by my bedside. That's right folks, I take my makeup off without ever leaving my bed.
That has got to be the epitome of laziness but it gets the job done, somewhat. 

Now, I'm totally about to go against everything I said earlier and recommend that you do wash your face with a nice foaming cleansing (or whatever you prefer actually) most nights, but we've all got our vices and mine are lazy little face wipes. Haha

2.) Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!

If you checked out our Fresh Start Friday post from last week then you probably think I am preaching to the choir but I promise this step is crucial! Lathering on a quick dab of moisturizer, no matter your skin type, is going to be beneficial to your skin.
Be sure to play around though and find the right match for your skin type, i.e. oily skin types should stay away from oil based moisturizers while dry types might want to stick to rich creams. 

Also, with the winter cold comes drying winds and even drier indoor heat so for quick moisturizing results dab on your moisturizer of choice right after you've washed your face, or wiped it down like me, and treat it like an overnight treatment for your face before you head to bed. 

I hope you've enjoyed that run down of tips this week, I'm working on a huge research paper for my World Mythology class (it's that time of year again!) and had to make this one quick. 

until next time, lovelies

xo

aFm  

PS: to make up for my quickly thrown together post here's a little inspiration from the birthday boy, Mr. Ryan Gosling! xo

Happy Birthday, Lilly!

Monogrammed Magnolias hold a special place in our hearts for the beloved Queen of Pink & Green and would like to wish the very special and very inspiring, Lilly Pulitzer, a very Happy Birthday!

While Lilly may no longer be with us, she surrounds us with her beauty, spirit, and inspiration everyday. Whether it is in the smile Danielle gets every time she pulls on her Lilly-print pullover or just the sparkle added to my life by a Lilly wristlet, it truly is the Lilly things in life that bring us joy! :)

-Danielle-

As any Lilly lover would know, "It all started with a juice stand..." and few things in life are more inspiring to young girls than the idea that women before them made something of nothing. Lilly Pulitzer brought style, spontaneity, and a world of color to women everywhere when she started creating signature dresses for the likes of fashion icons such as Jackie Kennedy! 

-Merisa-

When toting our Lilly bags around campus, we continue on the style and grace of a woman that became an icon herself. Cheers, Lilly! We thank you!

xo

aFm

Fresh Start Friday: Fall & Winter Essentials

So, it is finally feeling like fall...for the time being! 

Welcome to the South, where the weather is just as temperamental and stubborn as the people are! Ha!

Still, if this weather is going to stick around for a while we need to be prepared! That's why we're starting off our first monthly Fresh Start Friday with a look at all of the fall & winter essentials you will need as we head into this fresh season!

Sweater Weather

One of the reasons I love fall is because it is the perfect time to wear my favorite items of clothing. I am a self-proclaimed sweater-holic! I think there is nothing comfier than a nice sweater, from cable-knit to embellishments, I am a lover of all things sweater related!

You can't go wrong with a good cardigan/scarf combo and nothing dresses up an outfit more this season than a touch of metallic. 

This #ootd features one of my favorite cardigans from Liz Claiborne (it's so thick and cozy!), this mega infinity scarf with gold paint splatter (I'm pretty sure it's from Charlotte Russe, but don't hold me to that! lol) 

and of course it wouldn't be a perfect #ootd without my trusty leopard print flats from Target!

This outfit is perfectly transitional from fall to winter too, just swap the flats for some riding boots, give the scarf another loop around the neck and you've got a great outfit to get you from your dorm room to your classroom in a pinch.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

One of the unfortunate downfalls of this chilly season is the drying effects of the blistering cold on your face, skin, lips, and even hair. I live by the mantra of moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Even if you have oily skin, it's beneficial to your skin to stay hydrated during this time of the year (I suggest an oil-free or gel moisturizer, stay far away from the argan oil coming up though!)

These are a few of my favorite hydrating products to take you from those autumn winds into the freezing cold of winter without a hitch. 

• I absolutely adore this rose salve from CO Bigelow! I picked up this Lilly Pulitzer-esque canister from Bath & Body Works this summer. It looks like plain 'ole lip balm but it's actually an all-purpose salve with rose extract that can be applied to the lips, cuticles, elbows, knees, and according to the back of the package even the face...but I'm thinking you'd have to have some serious dry patches to use it on your face. This is like my 3rd canister of this and I am addicted to the amazing rose scent! It's a part of my nightly skincare routine and goes on my lips religiously before bed...and here's a secret for you, I put it on my eyelashes before bedtime too! I'm not sure if it really works but I feel like my eyelashes are just healthier because of it. 
• I mentioned this Pond's Crema S Nourishing Moisturizing Cream in a previous What We Love Wednesday post and what I said then still holds true. This stuff is some serious kick-butt moisturizer. It's a thick cream that allows you to adjust the amount compared to the amount of moisture you need. It's also got a really great scent, definitely a must buy!
• I received the Origins GinZing Refreshing eye cream as a part of my Sephora Favorites Super Star package (check back for an upcoming post all about it's awesome-ness!) and I must say it was probably worth the price of the whole box just for this one little tub, it's that great! The cream looks like a sparkly pink eye cream, which is really pretty but also kind of sketchy as far as eye creams go. While the smell's not the best, but nothing to fuss about, this cream packs a powerful punch! I've had a huge issue with puffiness and dark circles lately, (and with finals coming up very soon, that's bound to be a bigger issue soon) so I was really excited after hearing the promise of this eye cream's ability to brighten and depuff. I've been using this after washing my face and prior to putting my makeup on for about a week and a half now and the results are mind blowing. No puffiness and very few dark shadows! My new favorite from the Sephora Favorites, for sure!
• Also from the Sephora Favorites, I was super excited to try out the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil because I have been obsessed with products featuring argan oil so what could be better than the real thing? Well, nothing because this stuff is amazing! It's super versatile and super healing. I've used this on just about everything. It was perfect to add a little shine to my legs in my Halloween costume (I went as a Great Gatsby flapper girl!), great on split-ins as an overnight treatment, and even worked as a deep moisturizer after my microdermabrasion! I have combo skin so I really don't think it's recommended for oily skin but I was in need of some serious hydration and this worked perfectly!

A Touch of Home

When the weather gets chilly and the days get shorter I get a little homesick and there's nothing better to get you through those days than a cozy room and a warm cup of tea, in my opinion. I love this mulled cider candle I picked up for a dollar from Walmart and think it just makes the whole room smell like home. This Chai Tea from Celestial Seasonings combined my favorite soothing flavors with honey and vanilla spices in this amazingly warming white tea.  

I hope you guys have enjoyed checking out some of my Fall & Winter Essentials and find that you want to give some of the products mentioned a try!

until next time, lovelies

xo

aFm

What We Love Wednesday!

It's time for another What We Love Wednesday! This time the fabulously amazing Danielle is taking over and giving you a chance to sneak a peak at her favorites for the week! 

(that was a horribly cheesy accidental rhyme, but I'm leaving it.) 

Enjoy the rest of you week, lovelies! You're almost halfway to the weekend!

Here are a few of my absolute favorites this week:

Eyeko London Black Magic Mascara

This has been an eyelash lifesaver! I've never been happier with a mascara, it lengthens as well as strengthens your lashes! Read more about it in our Mascara Monday from a few weeks back.  :) 

Pumpkin Cupcake PocketBac

'Tis the fall season with this lovely scent! I was more than happy to open up this little bottle from Bath & Body Works and smell such a overwhelming fall scent, I am in love! 

Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Nirvana

This is one of my favorites for fall because it is such a deep neutral color for this season. Such a pretty touch to add to your look. The best part is that you can pick up your very own bottle at Walmart!

 Dove Hair Therapy Color Care Shampoo

I picked up this product after a recommendation by my hairstylist and it was a perfect for my hair. It has brightened my highlights, made my hair significantly softer and shinier just after one use! I was in shock!

My Kentucky Necklace

 I picked up this little gem in a boutique called Apricot Lane in Bowling Green, KY while on a trip last weekend and I must say I am obsessed! Perfect for any Southern girl with a little home state pride!

Monogram Chevron Scarf

I received this in the mail from home this week. It's going to be perfectly paired with my school spirit attire plus, it just screams Monogrammed Magnolias!

These are just a few things I am loving this week and I hope you all have enjoyed them. Hopefully you will try some of these things and maybe you will love them just as much as I have!

-dSl-

Manicure Monday: Fall Favorites

Happy Monday, lovelies!

This past week has been beyond hectic (only one blog post! That's just crazy!) and I am bound and determined to make this one better. What could make the start of this week better than making it a Manicure Monday? Nothing!

I love FALL! I love fall colors! I love fall weather! I just love, love, love fall!

So, nothing makes me happier than incorporating fall into every aspect of my wardrobe including my nail color. Here are a few of my absolute favorite nail colors for fall.

Fingrs Heart 2 Art

From Taupe to Bottom, Stop Metalling in My Business, Red You Loud and Clear

I found this brand at Walmart for like $1-something a piece, a price a nail polish addict such as myself just couldn't resist! Plus the skinny bottles make polish storage a breeze and I think the colors are really unique. I love the beige-nude shade and think it's perfect for fall while the oil slick holographic and shimmery red are right on trend this year. 

Sinful Colors: Super Nova

Essie: Eternal Optimist

Nicole by OPI: Khloė had a little Lam-Lam

Sinful Colors: Rich in Heart

• Sadly, these photos don't do the colors justice but this shimmery rose-gold shade is out of this world amazing! It's definitely right on trend this year with the rose-gold, definitely a very hot color this fall, plus it adds the perfect amount of sparkle to your look (I have this color on my toes at the moment!).
• Could there ever be a more perfect name than 'Eternal Optimist'? I think not.I picked up this neutral pink shade last year from Essie and still love it, especially for the colder months.
• Now for the darker colors, while I love super bright colors in the summer there's just something about going dark for the fall that just brings the whole look together. I love this dark, almost navy bluish-green shade from the Kardashian's collection with Nicole by OPI. How cute is that name, though? Precious!
• This is by far my favorite color this season, Sinful Colors has really hit the mark this year. Rich in Heart is the perfect color for fall! It is the perfect combo of black and red with a slight shimmery gold throughout. Blending in perfectly with the whole oxblood color that's everywhere this season (I'm throwing all the blame for that one on American Horror Story: Coven, how could you not!)

I hope you've enjoyed this week's Manicure Monday with the perfect shades for fall. All of the polishes above can be found at any drugstore or Walmart.

until next time

xo

aFm

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