One Brand, One Look: e.l.f.

I had originally planned on doing a step-by-step makeup tutorial including Vine-esque videos for this post but halfway through I actually got called out to work (huge bummer).However, I still wanted to get something up today since I've been sticking to a pretty great schedule so far and that's how this little post came to be.

I was looking through my makeup collection (yes, there's so much of it I like to call it a "collection") and realized that I might actually be turning into an e.l.f collector. From the looks of it I had garnered enough e.l.f. products to use a single brand all over my face. 

Eureka! An idea was born. 

So here's a complete tutorial for this simple, summery, bronzed look that's perfect for a day out with friends or a summer night of adventure.
Since this was all a little rushed and e.l.f. products are generally extremely affordable and much talked about I've included little reviews of most of the products used.

I started with a clean, moisturized face and applied my favorite primer (which was not e.l.f. unfortunately but since I applied it right after my moisturizer I didn't really count it anyway).

Then comes foundation. I used the Flawless Finish Foundation with SPF 15 for this look and absolutely love it. First of all, I love the packing. Glass bottle with a pump? I'm all about that luxury especially at $6 a pop. 

The consistency of the product is exactly what I look for in a foundation and I would even go so far as to say that this foundation is definitely buildable to a full coverage product. I even used the e.l.f. Foundation Brush to perfect the coverage then blended with my finger tips.

Flawless Finish Foundation in Buff

I'm broken out in several spots on my face at the moment and have some serious undereye baggage so the concealer in this next step is key. I used the Stick Concealer in Ivory to cover my spots and dark circles then added the Under Eye Concealer before blending out with the Flawless Concealer Brush.

This brush is a recent purchase and has completely changed the way I apply concealer. I used to have to spend forever blending and covering my dark circles with my finger tips and mounds of concealer but this brush so makes things so much easier as it's the perfect size for under my eyes.

I finished things off under the eyes with a little bit of Glow from the duo end of the Under Eye Concealer in my inner corners and a bit of Translucent Mattifying Powder under my eyes to set everything. 

L to R: Blending, Eyeshadow, Foundation, Concealer

The next step was to fill in my brows a tad bit and I love how easy the Eyebrow Kit is from e.l.f. as it features a powder and a darker wax to set everything in place. I used the kit in Medium for this look and just filled in the sparse patches in the middle of my brows with the powder before going over them with the wax.

Using the Blending Eye Brush and the mini Eyeshadow Palette in Naturals, I started with a medium matte brown color (1) in the crease and blended out. Take your time with this step and make sure everything is blended out well so that you're creating a shadow in the crease for more definition. I then went in with a shimmery shade (2) on the Professional Eyeshadow Brush across the lid working out toward the outer crease and the shadow we just created. 

I made sure everything was blended well then realized that I really wanted to use the Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Toast in this look because it was such a great color. So even though this shadow is a cream product I did apply over the powder shadow I had just used but sparingly.
 I just used my finger to tap the product around the center of my lid, blending more toward the inner corner. This gives a great lustrous effect to your eyes without messing with the set of your powder shadow.
I also added one of the lightest shades (3) from the palette to my inner corner before moving on. 

Now, we're to the point that I would normally apply eyeliner but this is actually the point when I realized that I didn't own any e.l.f. eyeliner so I decided to use Benefit's They're Real! Push-Up Eyeliner so that I could test it out for my review which you can keep you're eyes out for very soon. 

So, after you've applied your favorite eyeliner (I did a Cat-Eye Flick but you can line your eyes anyway you want for a little more definition) you can move on to mascara. 

I used the 3-in-1 Lengthen, Define, & Volumize Mascara which is actually my favorite mascara at the moment and runs for $3 which is a huge bargain in my book. It really does everything it says it does and leaves me with "Oh my gosh!" lashes. 

I topped off this look with blush and bronzer from the Contouring Blush & Bronzer kit in St. Lucia which I actually believe is a pretty good dupe for the NARS Laguna & Orgasm mini duo. I applied the blush from the kit just under the apples of my cheeks and lightly contoured with the bronzer around my temples and along my jawline. 

Now here's the final look!

SUPA CLOSE-UP

Let me know what you thing of this makeup look and tutorial in the comments below! 

until next time

xo

Merisa

What My Ears Have Been Loving

I was putting together a list of my favorites for this month like I usually do when I realized that the music category was overflowing. So, I decided that was worthy of discussing. 

My music taste is normally very varied but I have been especially all over the place lately, and I love it!

I have bounced between bright country by the pool, light acoustic ballads while writing, and guitar ridden pop-punk anthems when I just need to dance it out. 

All of that has made for quite the soundtrack so here are some of my absolute stand-out favorites.

Jamie Lynn Spears - "The Journey"

Yep, that's right, Zoe 101 has followed in big sis Brit's footsteps and started releasing music but there's a catch. She's got her own voice and is turning up the Southern charm on the country scene.
Being an avid Britney fan myself, I was so excited when little Jamie Lynn decided to release her first single a couple month's ago with How Could I Want More. This EP just screams Monogrammed Magnolia and that right there should be enough for y'all to go give it a listen asap! My absolute favorite is the song Run but all 5 tracks are incredible. Congrats, Jamie Lynn! I can't wait to here more!

LIGHTS - Siberia (Acoustic)

So, I'm not entirely sure how I found this album but it is nothing short of amazing! I knew of LIGHTS from Tumblr but had never heard any of her music so initially I thought this type of folky-acoustic ballads was her thing, come to find out she's actually more electro-pop-rock (whatevs) and that this album was actually a re-release. I had already fallen in love with the album before going back and checking out the original versions of the songs and I have to say they all sound better acoustic. The lyrics are soulful and fun and feel like they were written to be acoustic so it is so hard for me to enjoy the original versions in retrospect but I just cannot stop listening to the acoustic versions. The title track, Siberia, is amazing and was stuck in my head for like a week straight this month. Don't forget to check out Banner and Flux and Flow as well!

Miranda Lambert - Platinum
I am usually not the biggest fan of country music but that kick ass performance from Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood on the Billboard Music Awards turned me into a believer. First of all, they are two of the hottest women on the planet and they make Somethin' Bad sound so good.
My friend played the song in the car a couple of weeks ago and I was just loving it so she played the whole album for me. I loved it so much I went straight home, found the album on Spotify and haven't stopped listening since. I think the way Miranda writes her songs is so unique and fun to listen that you can help but love her music. Some of my stand out faves are Platinum (aka What Doesn't Kill You Only Makes You Blonder, LOVE!), Little Red Wagon, Priscilla (a letter to Priscilla Presley asking for advice), and the Monogrammed Magnolias Anthem - Another Sunday in the South.

Ed Sheeran - X (Multiply)
So, you might remember I mentioned this album in my favorites for last month...well, I'm still listening to it and I don't see the end in sight because it is that good. To read more about my love for X check out my June Favorites. All my favorite songs are still the same and I'm seriously considering having "Thinking Out Loud" played at my imaginary wedding so there's that.

5 Seconds of Summer 
5SOS Fam, rejoice! It's here, it's here, it's finally here!
Yes, that would be me freaking out alongside millions of teenage girls on a Directioner level of madness...no shame. Thanks to the wonder that is the internet I've been waiting for this album to come to America for the past two years. It's such a fun album that I'm going to dare to say it was worth the wait. I love that it reminds me a bit of my obsession with bands like All Time Low and Mayday Parade from high school but in a newer way. Some of my favorites from the album are 18, Long Way Home, Beside You, and the acoustic version of Don't Stop.

You can check out all of these albums and a few extras on my What My Ears Have Been Loving Playlist on my Spotify profile at merisa23 or down below.

-Spotify Playlists-
In case you haven't caught on, I'm a huge fan of Spotify and an even bigger fan of their playlists. Whenever I'm in a music slump or just can't find something to suit my mood Spotfiy is there to rescue me with one of their playlists. I've listed some of my current favorite playlists down below so be sure to check them out.
Afternoon Acoustic
Girls' Night
Back2College
Running High Tempo > 140 BPM
 (They have so many workout playlists that are catered to specific exercises it was hard to pick just one but this is my favorite treadmill playlist.)

Leave a comment below letting me know your favorite song from July or your favorite Spotify playlist, I'd love to hear from you!

until next time,
xo
Merisa

July Ipsy Glam Bag Review

It's that time again, folks. It's Ipsy Glam Bag Review time! 

Yay! You know you love it.

Continuing with the vibe of summer essentials, this month's theme is Sensationally Sunkissed. 

We all know I am so down for all that.

I mean how perfect is that scalloped edge neon pink bag for summer?

Almost as perfect as the summer essentials it comes filled with.

Starting from the center you've got Befine Food Skin Care Daily Moisturizer , Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil, Whet Refined Nail Lacquer, Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm, and bareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow.

I'm so excited about this bag let's just jump right into it. 

Befine Food Skin Care Daily Moisturizer - I literally ran out of moisturizer, from my May Glam Bag, the night before this Glam Bag arrived on my doorstep. I call that fate, my friends. 

While I don't know much about the brand itself, the bottle seems to hold all sorts of promising promises. 

SPF 15

Made with vegetarian proteins from rosemary, pomegranate, and rice

Allergen Free

Fragrance Free

Paraben Free

No artificial coloring

"No animal testing whatsoever"

And last but not least, proven to be safe and effective for all skin types through dermatological and clinical testing.

Whew, that's a lot of good karma for a sample size to handle. I really enjoy using this product. So far it hasn't broken me out, I don't feel sticking or oily after using it, and it smells nice too! Overall, a huge win! 

Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil - This is the only product I haven't put to the test, mostly because the weather for July has been all over the place lately and I just haven't made it out to the pool all that much. That's the South for you though. 

Overall, I can't see how you can go wrong with a tanning oil though. I mostly like using oils (sparingly) to tan with because of the fun beachy smell and this product definitely has that going for it so that's a plus.

Whet Refined Nail Lacquer - Due to some past duds, I've started to dread seeing nail polish in my Ipsy Glam Room but this one was definitely different. The first thing to catch my eye was the color, obviously. Some of my most loved nail polishes are dark colors like Essie's After School Boy Blazer or Sinful Colors Rich in Heart but those are really more reminiscent of Fall, which makes me love this take on a dark color that is also bright. Facetious, love the name, is a bright royal blue in the sun but a dark navy indoors. Right up my alley and perfect for summer.

Everything about this brand, from the packing to the name, intrigued me. I really loved the little campy take on the name in the description on the back of the box, "wHet your appetite." If you can't tell already, I'm totally sold but it gets better. Just like the moisturizer, this product has a lot of promises...

Three Free (which I had to google):  means it is free of the Big 3 Toxic Chemicals in nail polish: Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde (yikes), and Toluene. So that's a good thing.

Vegan Formula

Made in the USA 

7 Day Chip Resistant (I haven't been able to test this but I could definitely see it being true)

and limited edition (isn't everything these days?)

wHet, I might just have to check you out. Thanks, Ipsy.

 So, I may have forgotten to take a close up of these next too products but I did manage to swatch them both and there's a surprise in store if you keep reading.

I'll start with the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm, mostly because I have a confession to make. I didn't actually get this in my Glam Bag but before you freak out let me explain. I traded my light pink Brilliance Balm for my mom's hot pink version that came in her bag this month. Same difference. 

I really like the formulation of this balm, it's pretty moisturizing and gives a great wash of color without being patchy like I find a lot of color balms to be. I also love crayon type deals like this so this is definitely another hit. 

The big ticket item this month was billed as the bareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow with SPF 15 even though it was the smallest sample in the bag. bareMinerals promises 12-hour color that won't budge, smudge, or crease while brightening, smoothing, and protecting. Yet again, that's a lot of promises. However, I was on board as soon as I swatched this product. It is so creamy and blends like a dream, almost to the point that I would say it is cream-to-powder. It is definitely long wearing but I don't know about 12 hours, I usually don't wear my makeup for that long anyway so the coverage was good enough for me. I'm not too big on the color, Divine Wine, since it is a darker color than I normally go for and features too much shimmer to be used in the crease. Which is sad because the formula really is so good that I would use it in the crease even though it is a cream eyeshadow but the good news is that there are 9 other shades to choose from in the range with the lighter shades (most specifically Candlelit Peach and Soft Shell) looking very promising. 

To sweeten the deal Ipsy, bareMinerals, and ULTA teamed together to offer FREE Shipping at ULTA.com with any bareMinerals purchase and I've included the promo code down below just for you! xoxo

Want to check out Ipsy for yourself or subscribe to your own Glam Bag? Click the link below.

Ipsy Glam Bag

If you already subscribe to Ipsy then leave me a comment below letting me know your favorite product from this month's Glam Bag.

until next time, 

xo

Merisa

Sephora, Lush, and More Haul!

Something happened a few weeks ago.

I took a look around and realized that I had not spent a dime on anything other than bills and absolute essentials in over a month...and well, that's just no fun. So, I decided to splurge a little and treat myself.

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to spend my money on and after filling "dream carts" on like 8 different websites I decided on Lush.

And as you may or may not know (I did not)...Lush products are made in Canada, freaking British Columbia, Canada which is on the west coast aka really far away from me. So as I waited for my package to arrive I started to get kinda antsy. One thing lead to another and I found myself clicking the checkout button on Sephora's site. 

Unfortunately, for my bank account, it does not end there...

I was just minding my own business, checking my email when I stumble across one from American Eagle and rather than just delete it, I was caught by the promise of a major sale.

All of their clearance was now 50% off as part of an extended Fourth of July sale.

"Let's just give it a look," I tell myself.

Like an hour later I was staring down the words "Your order is being processed" on my screen. Uh oh. 

That's okay though because we're just gonna say this post makes it worth it.

When my package from Lush finally arrived I was so excited I ripped into it immediately, 

as you do.

I picked up the Mask of Magnaminty, Pink Bath Bomb, Superworld Unknown solid perfume, and the Dorothy bubble bar which was so cute I just had to use it ASAP. The Mask of Magnaminty has been on my Lush Wish List for a long time just because it's billed as the "ultimate face mask" and I can see why. So far, I've used this mask all over once and as a spot treatment on blemishes twice. It seems to work better than some drugstore masks that I've tried which is good because I was worried about the small size of the tub compared to bottles that those masks came in considering the price. But with 4.4 oz fitting inside such a compact container, I'm definitely getting my money's worth. It smells heavenly and I love that it can also be used to exfoliate naturally because in case you didn't know microbeads used in a lot of drugstore exfoliates are actually harmful to the environment (Read More about it in this article from Refinery29).

I can't wait to use the Pink Bath Bomb because it was inspired by Audrey Hepburn and is meant to smell of vanilla and tonka bean which to me just spells "relaxation."

Superworld Unknown was such a hard pick for me. I knew that I wanted to try a perfume from Lush and I figured a solid perfume would be a good way to go but I was so scared about picking one from description alone. "This scent is a merry-go-round of sensory experience. Sweet neroli and cocoa bring fluffy pink cotton candy to mind, while rose and sandalwood keep your feet on the ground," seems promising enough right? I was intrigued by the thoughts of fluffy pink cotton candy because that's what Paris Hilton's Can Can brings to mind and I absolutely loved that scent when I was younger (no shame) and I know that I like rose and sandalwood so might as well give it a try. Well, I've used it quite a bit (I even have it on now) and honestly, I still don't know how I feel. I don't know where they get cotton candy from but it does remind me of a day spent outside at a fair possibly. 

I do like this scent for just wearing around this house during my lazy days though. I don't know if that says a lot in it's favor.

How cute is this Dorothy Bubble Bar?! Bubble Bars have got to be my favorite products from Lush and this one was no exception. I loved how soft my skin felt after I pulled myself from the bath (because I definitely did not want to get out) but I always seem to mess up with the bubble making process of using a bubble bar. I didn't experience the fluffy clouds of bubbles or the vibrant blue water that was promised. :( 

While looking through Sephora's site I decided to just break down and pick up some products that I have been pining over for quite a while. I. Regret. NOTHING.

I had heard really great things about the Origins Active Charcoal Mask but I wasn't totally prepared to pay $24 for a face mask. Well, the Sephora gods shined down and I discovered that the same mask could be purchased in a sort of sampler pack of 4 individual mask pods. I love the way this masks feels on my face but I'm not entirely sold on the idea that it is actually drawing impurities out of my skin but I have only used one pod so far and I will be sure to keep you updated as I test it further. We all know how much I love my multi-purpose rose salve and seeing as my tin was getting dangerously low I decided to try out the Smith's Rosebud Salve since it was the same price as the CO Bigelow Rose Salve that has popped up in so many posts before. I'm still working on my last tin so I haven't actually tried this one yet but I did discover that Smith's only features 3 ingredients while CO's has quite a few and some that are those scary unpronounceable kind.

So I just decided that the next 3 products will most definitely be apart of my July Favorites so all I'm going to say about the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil, and Clean Skin perfume is that they are life changing and most definitely worth the splurge. Keep a look out for a more in depth look at all of these products very soon. 

Like I mentioned before, I just couldn't stay away from the epic deals of 1/2 off clearance items on American Eagle's website. I got all of the items pictured below plus 2 shirts (I forgot that they were in the wash, oops) for under $30! That's crazy! Who doesn't love a good yoga pant style legging? Definitely not me and I have been looking to try out a printed legging so I thought these cool grey ones would be a pretty safe option. Yes, that is underwear you're seeing (fresh from the package, don't worry). I'm not entirely sure why I chose to include them other than the fact that I did purchase them at the same time so they are technically a part of this haul but I love Aerie undies and the lace band makes them super comfy fyi. Sunglasses are an obvious summer staple but a sunglasses case is something that is essential but not often thought of so I just had to get my hands on this soft gold pouch. I especially love how it matches my beloved Kate Spade bag. I'm a sucker for neon pink and I just thought this neon tassel necklace was such a fun accessory for summer. 

I hope you guys have enjoyed this look into my spending habits. ;)

Leave me a comment below letting me know what you've splurged on recently or what you're saving up for, I'd love to hear it!

until next time,

xo

Merisa

My Thoughts On...Finding Carter

If you follow me on Twitter then you probably know that I have really been liking the shows MTV has been pumping out recently. From Awkward being so cringe-worthy it's hilarious and Faking It making me wish I actually went to Hester High, I just can't get enough. Which I'm not entirely sure says good things about my taste in television but who doesn't love a good guilty pleasure?

Once Faking It finished out its first season (Only an 8 episode season, MTV? Really?) I was definitely on the lookout for a new teen-aimed sitcomy type deal. That's when I saw the first promo for....

First reaction: "Oh my god, that's Katie from Skins...or wait, maybe it's Emily. *gasp* Or maybe it's both!"

There we have it, a combination of two of my favorite things...
British people and trashy teen-drama. I'm all in.

Turns out it was actually Emily in the promo, as the show stars Kathryn Prescott as Carter Stevens. 
As mentioned, Kathryn previously worked on the British series, Skins, alongside her twin sister, Megan, as on-screen twins Emily and Katie Fitch. 

Let me just say that I LOVE Skins. The British version, not that crap that MTV tried to pull over on us a few years ago. I love how it's gritty and shows a side of the teenage experience that's much more emotional than whiny and angst-ridden without being sappy.
However, there's plenty of angst, it's just dealt with in more creative ways than staring off into the sunset from across the Creek. Emily was definitely one of my favorite characters from the second generation so I was really excited to see her playing something on this side of the pond. 

I was kind of intrigued by the fact that the only promo I had seen for the show didn't really give anything away about the premise of the show, that is until I saw a second one.
With her world literally turning upside down around her, Carter goes on about how life changes when she finds out that her mom is not her mom but her kidnapper.
Dun dun dun!
"Dear lord, please don't let this be another 'Face on the Milk Carton' deal," I thought.

MTV, you really let me down by giving too much of the premise away right off the bat. I was already intrigued by the title and your lead actor, now, going into the pilot I had become judgmental and skeptical. So here are the thoughts that derived from that:
(if you haven't already watched at least the pilot episode then brace yourself for some spoilers)

• Great opening scene! I love seeing Carter and her mom bond over Fro-Yo. This scene also leads to some important points later on such as, "If we ever get separated, I'll meet you by the biggest tub of gummy bears." 

• Way to jump right into the story line. I thought with the premiere featuring a two-part episode we wouldn't "find out" Carter had been kidnapped until later on, but nope. Carter gets arrested with her friends after a very Skins like night of spliffs and drinking on a carousel they had broken into. Then, rather than being released, she's told than her mother has skipped town because, get this...she's not her mother but her kidnapper! *gasp* 
• Yea, you told us that in the commercial so I guess it's good you got it out of the way sooner rather than later.
• There is no way in Hades that Carter wouldn't have just freaked the freak out over that kind of bomb being dropped! Like, what? No tears?
• Also, there is no way she would have gotten in the car with her new parents that fast. They could be the real kidnappers and shouldn't there be like a transition period between getting the news that you've been living with your kidnapper for 13 years and finding out you have a different mom, a new dad, a little brother, AND a twin sister?!

Now, here is where I have the real problems. As I mentioned earlier, Kathryn has played a twin before...with her actual, identical twin sister!

Carter and Taylor look nothing alike, which is fine really and happens a lot when dealing with twins on television but not when your lead actor has an actual twin! What went wrong there?

I can understand if Megan was able to take on the role or just didn't even consider it but why make Carter and Taylor twins? From what I can tell the story lines would go on just fine if Taylor was the older sister or something

On the other hand, I love Grant! He's witty, funny, and caring for a young boy and seems to be the only family member willing to get to know Carter at a peaceful pace. He's also the first character to bond with Carter as he feels like an outsider for being her "replacement" in the family.
Carter's new parents are a lot to handle. 
I respect the twist that her mom isn't the typical expressive and outwardly loving mother, especially in this particular situation, but it's as if Linda is so enthralled by the actual case of Carter's abduction that she isn't focused on the fact that she has her family back now. 
Carter's dad is a different story even though it turns out he made a great profit off of Carter's disappearance by writing a book about it. He really wants to get to know Carter and rebuild a relationship with her while his wife is, as it turns out, cheating on him with her colleague. All of which turns her into a greater enemy than a kidnapper. 

Speaking of which...has anyone else noticed that Carter looks so much like her kidnapper-mother and nothing like her actual mother? I could go on and on but I'll just wrap it up from here.

There are so many elements of the show that keep me from fully enjoying it but there are also so many elements that keep pulling me back in.
I love the whole Skins vibe that comes through sometimes but then I hate that it doesn't seem real because unlike the kids in Skins, Carter actually has parents who are involved, or want to be involved in her life. I just have a really hard time believing that a parent (spoiler alert) can find their daughter in a coma after popping Molly (Does anyone really call it that aside from rap stars and MTV?) and be totally fine with it. 
I also refuse to believe that Carter would be as okay with the whole situation as she seems to be so far but I love seeing her deal with this unique situation.

It's a back and forth battle with every episode but so far I'm still here watching every Tuesday at 10pm so they must be doing something right.

Be sure to watch Finding Carter with me tonight and leave a comment telling me your thoughts or download the Beamly app and we can all talk about it there.

until next time
xo
Merisa

That One Time Fashion Made Me Cry

This is a true story.

I'm not proud of it but it is what it is.

As mentioned in my last post, I am currently watching Season 12 of Project Runway because I was looking for something to watch that was creative and inspiring so it was an obvious choice. However, I did not expect to react the way I did.

Let's start with Justin LeBlanc. Oh lord, I just love him!

I just connected with him right from the get go, even before I knew he was deaf. When he was eliminated in episode 6 I started crying even before he did. When he went back to the lounge and everyone else started crying I just lost it. It wasn't until Tim Gunn appeared, said he had something to say, then proceeded to take his glasses off so that he could wipe his eyes that I fully became aware that he was preparing to use his Tim Gunn Save on Justin. Praise be to you, Fashion Gods and you too, Mr. Tim Gunn! Oh sweet baby Jesus, I just can't. I can't.

I spent every episode after that crossing my fingers and praying that Justin would make it through to Fashion Week. I love his designs and I love his emotion. I just feel like he has a really unique view of the world that comes through in his designs and I just love the bravery and emotion he was able to display while on the show.

But that's not even the worst of it...

There I was just binge watching Tim Gunn encouraging the contestants to "make it work" when I realized I was on episode 12...aka the one where they decide who makes it to Fashion Week. Oh no, I had not prepared myself. It just snuck up on me. 

Throughout the entire season (otherwise known as the day and a half it took me to watch 12 episodes) I kept thinking "This has got to be the kindest, most talented season ever!" Seriously, this season had it's fair share of nut cases and whackadoos but other than the occasional verbal tussle and Sandro punching that camera, things seemed pretty calm. 

Everyone being so nice and sportsman like toward each other, complimenting competing designs as they walked the runway, made me feel emotionally attached to so many contestants it was unreal. 

I am in no way, shape, or form the type of girl that gets emotional over movies or tv shows. I can't stand The Notebook, I did not cry when Bambi's mom died, and I can watch Dobby die without screaming in agony...it's a gift. However, I have been an over emotional wreck this week and this particular episode just did not help. 

The episode starts out with the final 5 contestants tasked with the challenge of creating an avant garde design inspired by butterflies. Great, I just so happen to have an emotional attachment to butterflies (a story which is far to deep to insert here but maybe at another date), just perfect.

Everything seems fine until the designers are given another challenge for the first time ever in which they have to take the designs of previously eliminated contestants and rework them. The designers all pick their designs fairly quickly then it's Justin's turn. Oh lord. 

In case you haven't caught on, Justin has the deliciously unique chance to rework the very design that garnered his own elimination. I see what you did there, Project Runway Producers, and I applaud you! Bravo! The emotion and bravery that spawned from Justin slowly rolling the mannequin holding his own losing design was television gold! 

Something unique about this episode was that the designs and the actual process was not the highlight of the show as it normally is...so by the time it was time for the runway portion of the show to start I realized that I didn't actually know what any of the designs fully looked like and I love a good surprise, or so I thought.

The first design on the runway was Dom's. 

I was floored!

Alternate Universe Merisa would kill to wear this outfit. Hell, this-universe Merisa would kill to wear this outfit! I loved the shape, the colors, the patterns. Anything and everything about the design was fantastic and suddenly I was rooting for everyone to win. I couldn't make up my mind.

Then came the judges. 

This gives it way more justice

When Emmy Rossum tried it on I started crying uncontrollably! Why? Because I wanted to wear that jacket. I may have been crying from jealously or just from coveting an avant garde jacket but either way I was crying while watching a television show about insane fashion designs.

Zac Posen said that Dom's designs were "emotional clothing" and I agree...for obvious reasons.

And as if that wasn't enough of an emotional roller coaster Heidi went on to tell Dom and Bradon that they had guaranteed spots at Fashion Week but EVERYONE was getting to put together a collection!

That's right, folks. Everyone. As in all 5 contestants with only 2 more joining Dom and Bradon at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. 

Oh lord, I hope I can make it through this finale. 

Oh lord, everyone looks so fabulous! And look, it's freaking Kerry Washington! Love her

If you totally understand where I'm coming from then you probably already watched this season...most likely a year ago when it was on tv, or you might just think I'm crazy but either way you should definitely check out Season 13 of Project Runway when it premieres on Lifetime on July 24th!

I'll probably have some very interesting thoughts about this season too so prepare yourself in advance.

until next time

xo

Merisa  

PS: I just saw that Episode 12 actually premiered on my birthday last year! Maybe that has something to do with my extreme emotional response...probs not.

How I Spent My (Ridiculously) Long Weekend

On Friday night my lovely parents decided that they wanted to get away for the weekend. 

As it was my mother who made the suggestion I waited for further finalization as she is an optimistic thinker with a pessimistic heart (like mother, like daughter) who will more often than not burst her own bubble with one or more reasons why her fantastic idea will never come to fruition. 

However, this situation turned out to be different as they now had me in the picture, aka their in-home babysitter!

I could practically see a light bulb appear and come to life over my mother's head as she asked the question out loud: "But who will watch the kids?"

Ding, ding, ding! She's got it! 'My oldest child, of course.'

Now, let's back it up a moment or two, shall we?

My parents are very hardworking individuals so I was completely supportive of the idea that they should get away for the weekend and enjoy themselves.

I am technically currently employed by my step-dad as his office manager. So a long weekend for him meant a long weekend for me as well. 

Last but not least, I am the oldest of two children. My younger sister lives in an apartment with her best friend so in all actuality the "kids" my mother is speaking of is a reference to our five dogs. Yes, folks, you read that right. 

That's 5, as in 1-2-3-4-5. 

Well, if babysitting the little heathens would get an extra day tacked onto my weekend I was all for it. In fact, I even set up the reservation for my parents and come Saturday morning they were off on their merry way and I was stuck with four yappy Yorkies and a jumping Jack Russell. "Let's do this," I thought.

{My little angel baby, Tucker, who would never do any wrong...ever.}

I have to say that I was actually surprised with how the weekend turned out. Instead of slaving over 50 lb. bags of dog food and insane messes around the house (which is how my normal week with the dogs goes) it was actually really enjoyable. I don't know if my dogs were just like, "It's cool, guys, the grown-ups are gone. We can act normal" or what but there was hardly any messes to clean up and everyone was generally well-behaved. Which meant one thing, I could enjoy myself and do things that I actually wanted to do. Yay!

I have felt so inspired this week and really jumped back into blogging full time but I realized this weekend that I've been pumping out the posts but they've been generic and filled with things you see on every other blog or beauty guru channel and that's not what I really wanted to do. 

{My Tumblr-esque bath moment.}

So naturally I ran a warm bath complete with a Lush Dorothy rainbow-adorned bubble bar, sank into Season 12 of Project Runway on Hulu, and continued reading "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?" by Mindy Kaling (all of which are incredibly inspiring things believe it or not).
It wasn't until I was scrolling through my Tumblr dash, as I do every day, that things really changed.

 I ran across a link from shewillmove-mountains aka Samantha, that was for her blog...
The Lazy Girl Guide.

Once I started reading I just couldn't stop. Not only were her posts interesting and relatable but her writing is laugh-out-loud funny and that is what makes it so special. 

Then it hit me, what I was reading was something special and in that is where I found my greatest inspiration.

I had an epiphany, if you will. I realized that the intention and ultimate goal of my blog should be to create something special for my readers that I also enjoy. Which is what I had intended all along but may have forgotten along the way. 

From what I've gathered so far, Samantha and I have quite a different style so don't expect too many similarities to stem from this sudden burst of inspiration, it was mainly of the figurative sense anyway. I love reading her blog though and also love to see other bloggers succeed (she's a correspondent for USA TODAY College, how cool is that?) so I will definitely keep reading because I can't wait to see what the future has in store for her. (I really hope that doesn't sound as creepy as I'm making it out to be) 

I finished out my weekend by over indulging in Mexican food and Cherry Coke (what else is new, right?) but I also got down to business with my blog and what it actually is that inspires me so I am totally starting this week on a high note that leaves me looking forward to the future. 

So here we go, a new chapter.
Keep a look out for some awesome stuff coming very soon.

until next time
xo
Merisa

June Ipsy Glam Bag Review

I have been waiting for this bag to arrive from the very first day the Glam Room was opened with the sneak preview because, yes, I like to ruin my experience like a hyperactive 5 year old who rips into their Christmas presents early.

Can we just take a moment to awe in the fact that Rebecca Minkoff designed this month's bag? Yes, you heard right, that Rebecca Minkoff! I die. I just die.

While I would have LOVED for the bag to resemble something like the Rebecca Minkoff Mini Macs but this design is just darling and perfect for summer, totally clutch worthy.

Let's start with the first product I pulled out of the bag, the OFRA Eyebrow Pencil in Universal. I have crazy, crazy eyebrows that, even though I have naturally dark blonde hair, are completely black and thick and just all around horrible so I am obsessed with any product that might be able to help me tame them. I really like how smooth this pencil is and the color is really universal because as a rule you never want to put product on your brows that is the same color as your brow hairs. Sounds crazy I know but using a lighter color will actually prevent your brows from looking to heavy and drawn on. I'm usually more of a powder girl when it comes to my brows but I'm definitely looking forward to trying this out in my full time brow-routine. 

If you're anything like me you might be thinking something along the lines of this about the next product, "RealTree? Come on,  Ipsy, who do you think I am?"

That may have been a little judgmental, especially since I half expected it to smell like deer you-know-what. I was pleasantly surprised by this little perfume sample as it's actually very nice scent that's way more fruity (more my style) than floral. Overall, I probably wouldn't purchase a full size but I do like that the sample if big enough to get some good use out of. 

Be a Bombshell Mascara...

I don't even know where to begin with this stuff. 

OH EM GEE, this is HORRIBLE! Hands down the...worst. mascara. ever.

Like ever! 

And here's the thing, I never even put this stuff on my lashes, that's how horrible it is. I was so excited about trying out a new mascara and I've liked the Be a Bombshell products from previous Glam Bags so far but as soon as I opened the tube I was assaulted by the stink of a combination of paint thinner and lighter fluid. Two things that should not only be mixed together but should definitely not be anywhere near your eyes. Oh gosh, I was just far too afraid to even put this stuff on. I mean it burned my nostrils I can only imagine what it would do to my eyes. No. No. No. No. No. Into the trash it goes.

By far the most anticipated product in this month's Glam Bag was the NYX Butter Gloss. I am already a huge fan of NYX and their Butter Gloss might just be my favorite lip gloss ever so I was totally on board from the moment I go the email saying that every Ipsy Glam Bag for June would come with its own Butter Gloss. All I had to do was hope and pray that I didn't get a shade that I already had in my own little NYX collection. Lucky me because I received the color Creme Brulee and it is the perfect nude! I just love how smooth and, well, buttery the Butter Glosses are and I will always love them. Thanks, Ipsy!

Last but not least is the Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray which I love so much I have actually mentioned on this blog on two separate occasions which you can read about here: June Favorites 2014 and Beach Bag Essentials
I love the way it smells and feels in the hair and it works so well with my naturally wavy hair, giving me the Dream Waves it promises.

Overall, I loved this month's bag even with the absolute bust that was the mascara. Looking forward to July's bag already!
Click the link below if you'd like to check out the Ipsy Glam Bags for yourself.
Ipsy Invite

until next time, darlings.
xo
Merisa 

Beach Bag Essentials

In honor of all you beach babes heading out on vacay this month I've put together a little list of my favorite beach bag essentials. Just so you know, all of these products work just as well just chilling by the pool as that's what I'll be using them for! (I don't do oceans, just watch Shark Week to understand why.)

I love bright, colorful beach bags and while I usually like using waterproof ones I've decided to pack all of my goodies into my Lilly Pulitzer for Estee Lauder bag that I got earlier this summer but you can use whatever bag you choose.

So let's work clockwise from the top, shall we? 

One of my number one Beach Bag essentials is a great pair of sunglasses. I am obsessed with the tortoise shell print this summer so these (fake) Ray Bans are perfect for me but Forever 21 has some really great, super cheap and super chic shades like these Tortoise Frame Square Sunglasses that run a cool $5.80.

Next up, I have one of my everyday essentials which is the Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit in Pink Candy Striper. I wrote about this little sucker in my May Favorites and it has come in handy so many times since then and you never know what kind of mini-emergency you could find your self in at the beach. 

You can't expect to spend a day in the sun without some SPF and I love the quick ease of a spray on sunscreen so I love to throw Neutrogena's Wet Skin Sunscreen Spray with SPF 30 in my bag. I love that I don't have to worry about my sunscreen melting and spilling all over my beach bag, it's also super great to be able to spray this over your body even if you've hopped in the ocean for a bit first.

Next up, I have my Goody Tanglefix which I believe to be a fairly decent dupe for the Tangle Teezer. I always pack this with me because it is great with wet hair and we all love great beach waves but not that seaweed tendrils knotted mess that can happen when caught in the waves. This will definitely prevent that. 

You can't go to the beach without a towel so that is a must, I also like to take a beach blanket with me just because nothing is more annoying than hot sand all over your wet skin when you're trying to dry off. 

This next item is probably no surprise to most of you Magnolias because we all know I love a great body moisturizer and am obsessed with anything coconut. That's why one of my top beach bag essentials is my Coconut Lime Breeze Body Cream from Bath & Body Works. This is my favorite classic scent from B&BW and I just think it screams beach getaway so it is absolutely perfect to moisturize my body after a day in the sun and surf. 

I've also thrown in a fun Coconut Passion Body Spray from Victoria's Secret to compliment the body cream but also because you never know when you might have to spray away that sweaty, ocean mist beach scent.

I've also thrown in my Secret Scent Expressions Deodorant in Pasion de Tango for obvious reasons. You can read more about my odd love of this stuff in my June Favorites. 

No Beach Day is complete for me without some beach reads so of course you've gotta pack the bible according to Elle Woods, aka Cosmo. Side Note: How hot is Megan Fox's hair in this month's issue? As if I didn't envy her enough already. Ugh!

I can't imagine laying out in the sun all day without my little monogrammed Lilly Pulitzer Lulu clad iPad Mini. Aside from a host of games, Pinterest, and Tumblr my main love affair with my iPad is because of my collection of ebooks. My top beach read at the moment is the fabulously hilarious book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by the fabulously hilarious Mindy Kaling.  

I hate having little bits and bobs just floating in the bottom of my bag so I love grabbing a cute little makeup bag (the Ipsy Glam Bags are perfect for this!) and throwing all my little stuff inside.

What's a Beach Day without some Beach Spray? I love this Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray from the June 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag and my June Favorites!

I don't go anywhere without some hand sanitizer so it should be no surprise that I've included some in my beach bag essentials. I've also thrown some simple hair ties and some money in for safe measure but also because I don't like leaving my wallet alone on the beach so hiding away some money for emergencies is no big deal.
Last but not least, you've gotta have some lip balm with some SPF and a good concealer just in case.

I hope you've enjoyed this look into my summer essentials, leave a comment below letting me know what you've packed in your beach bag!

until next time, darlings.
xo
Merisa