My Thoughts On...the VMAs.

Because you know we've just got to talk about it.

I am a huge fan of the VMAs and have been watching them since before I was even allowed to watch MTV. Seriously, I used to watch it on the lowest volume setting possible then change the channel every time I thought I heard my parents walk past my room. That was when I was like 8 or something. In fact, I remember watching quiet a few VMAs before my parents actually allowed me to watch them in the living room for my first official Video Music Awards viewing back in 2001, but we'll get back to that in a minute. 

Let's start by having a look at some of my favorite (and least favorite) fashion moments from last night's festivities.

Best Dressed

I'm giving Best Dressed to my Ultimate Girl Crush...I-G-G-Y!

Among a red carpet full of "eh" looks, Iggy Azalea brought glamour and pushed the bar just far enough with this Versace gown. She also scored points with me by being the realest (yea, I know) when it came to who she was wearing when she told Sway on the red carpet that Versace had contacted her and asked her to wear one of their pieces so they flew it out to her then had to rip the dress apart and sew her into it. That's how it happens people! She didn't wake up like this and she's not afraid to admit it.

Worst Dressed

What the hell,  Taylor?! 

First of all, I was not impressed by this year's red carpet looks. There was a lot more bad than good. Maybe even some worse than this but I picked this look for one reason. She could have done so much better! Look at those legs. I understand, you've gotta show those suckers off but no one is focused on your gorgeous gams when you look like you're wearing a diaper. 

Not everyone can pull of the bodysuit look quiet like Bey-once so don't feel bad, T-Swift but just remember this. If your shorts are so short that the inseam can't be measured then you should probably make them into a leotard or get a new outfit. Taylor should have done the latter but hey, shake it off, right?

Now for the main event.

Kicking the show off with a bang was Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Jessie J with their melody of hits including Break Free, Anaconda, and Bang Bang. Here's my thoughts on the performance...

Ariana has an AH-MAY-ZING voice. It's that plain and simple. 

I don't care, I love Anaconda and Nicki Minaj. 

I have always been on the fence about Jessie J but this performance may have pushed me over to her side. 

Nicki Minaj may have had a wardrobe malfunction but girlfriend proved that the show must go on by coming out on stage holding the front of her dress together the whole time. There are not words to

describe how great that is. 

Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg (Snoop Lion??) presented the first award of the night and sent us all back to California My love for Gwen Stefani is immeasurable. I just do not see a point when I will not love her and it's not because we share a birthday...even though we do. October 3rd, in case y'all were wondering.

T-Swizzle redeemed herself, a bit, with her performance of Shake It Off...which is actually a really great song if you don't watch the video while listening to it. However she proved herself to be, as one of my friends said during the show, "Taylor Swift, patron saint of awkward white girls everywhere" when she paused during the performance, muttered something about not wanted to jump from the stage into a crowd full of hot guys in suits, then ran down the stairs and started signing again. She did mention something about that snake biting one of Nicki Minaj's dancers though, so that was funny but mostly I could have done without that little skit.

If you haven't heard about my love for Ed Sheeran than you must be new here.
If you get it by now then you'll completely understand that I may have gotten a bit emotional when Ed Sheeran won Best Male Video. Like what?! OMG! I felt like a proud momma...or mumma since he's British. Turns out it was Ed's first American award and I have to say he completely deserves it. Congrats, Ed!!! xx

Was it just me or was the crowd just super loud this year? I couldn't even hear Kim Kardashian-West (because that's her official title now)introduce Sam Smith. However, the Kardashian/West/Jenner Clan was absolutely adorable during the performance. The camera like panned to them 5 times in 3 minutes.

Can we just talk about how Common was sweet enough to ask for a moment of Silence in honor of both Michael Brown and his wish for peace (which I wish could have been longer but was well respected) yet the first video nominated for Best Hip Hop Video was Kanye West's Black Skinhead. I don't even want to go there. Kanye just leaves a bad taste in my mouth sometimes.

Was Jay Pharaoh the host or nah? I'm thinking nah and MTV just got him out there to make people laugh and keep voting going for Artist to Watch.

Last but certainly not least.

I can't even begin to talk about Beyonce's performance.
Oh lawd, Queen Bey's done done it again. I can't. I just can't. She's amazing. Her family is amazing and freaking adorable. Let's just say I want to be Beyonce more than ever now. #Flawless

Well that's it lovelies, leave a comment below letting me know your favorite part of the 2014 Video Music Awards! xo

For now I'll leave you with this precious picture...when you realize your mom is God so that means you're low-key Jesus.

Does that make Jay-Z Joseph or Mary?

until next time, 

xo

May Favorites 2014

Hey guys!

So I know I'm a little late to the game on this one (mostly because I attempted to do a video instead of a post but that was a major failure, don't ask) but I really wanted to go through my monthly favorites for the month of May really quick because honestly, I miss blogging and I miss monthly favorites so let's get to it.

Beauty Favorites

Golden Magnolia Sun Body Cream

What is my number one rule, children? That's right!

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! 

So it should really come as no surprise that one of my favorites this month would be a body cream. Between swimming, tanning, and just being outdoors in general my body gets super dehydrated going into summer so I recently stocked up on some essentials at Bath & Body Works. I picked up the "Golden Magnolia Sun" Triple Moisture Body Cream because it just seemed fitting considered the title of this blog. The scent is so fresh and can only be described as "pretty" even the description on the back sounds pretty. 

"Golden Magnolia Sun is a luminous blend of pink magnolia, golden apricot, and sun-kissed peony, blooming with a touch of sensual vanilla and cassis nectar. 

I don't know what half that stuff should smell like but together it is heavenly. 

L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Mousse

My name is Merisa and I am officially a self-tan junkie. 

May marked my first month tanning bed free.! Yay! I finally understand that tanning beds only cause harm, thank you, thank you. *bows graciously accepting imaginary applause*

Anyway, I needed to find a way to get that golden glow that I was missing so much. That's when I started trying out a ton of self-tanning products from high end to drugstore brands. I picked up the L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Mousse because it actually came with a sample of L'Oreal's new sunscreen that I really wanted to try (I'm picky about sunscreens). I wasn't expecting a whole lot because I was so set on trying the St. Tropez Mousse but I tried it out anyway.

Let me just say that I was hooked after the first swipe of my tanning mitt. 

I LOVE this stuff. It delivers wonderful color immediately while only taking a few hours to build up to an even better warm toned glow. Application is super easy and one pump of product goes a long way with no streaking at all.

I'm planning on doing a whole self-tanning post later on this month so keep an eye out for that for more info on this product and more.

Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub 

I received this product in May's Ipsy Glam Bag (which I will be posting about very soon, I promise!) and I was immediately shocked by how much product came in the sample. At 1oz. of product it holds 75% more than the microdermabrasion scrubs I received with Birchbox (if you don't know how I feel about that then check out this post). I have become so obsessed with microdermabrasion scrubs lately that it's practically the only scrub that I let touch my face. Oddly enough, I really like the scent of this product (usually these types of products are more chemically smelling but this one has a lemony scent) and love the thick and creamy texture. I little product goes a long way so I expect this sample to last a long time. Overall, a huge thumbs up to Ipsy yet again!

LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub

Keeping with the theme of scrubs, I picked up this lip scrub during a shopping trip in late April and feel in love! This product quickly became a staple in my nightly routine as it is super easy to just dip your finger in the sweetly smelling pot, dash a bit of scrub across your lips, and enjoy! After rubbing the scrub between my lips it almost seems like a reward to take it off. Seeing as it is made with fresh, edible, vegan ingredients the scrub is completely fine to just lick off you lips (my favorite part) and I love the sweet and salty, kettle corn combination. I already can't wait to try the other LUSH lip scrubs. 

Essie Nail Polish

I know it's technically still spring but for me as soon as the temp gets above 75 I'm ready for summer which means I'm in need for a summer nail polish. That's when I hit up my handy dandy box of polish (which is a lot bigger than I ever care to admit to) and found this polish which I've had for ages. I don't know if it's my awesome tan (thanks, L'Oreal) or what but Essie's Mod Square definitely hit the mark and is my new go-to polish for summer. 

These next two products go hand in hand...

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Treatment Concealer

Real Techniques  Expert Face Brush

You've probably heard me gush about the Instant Age Rewind before just as I've heard countless beauty bloggers go on and on about it but let me just say that it is totally worth the hype! I have the neutralizer shade which I'm not too big on really and would probably pick a different shad next time but I have yet to find a concealer that covers my monster under eye circles as well as this sucker does. It has a super lightweight, creamy texture that doesn't crease but with high impact coverage that can even tackle blemishes and redness too. I really enjoy taking the Expert Face Brush and blending it in after I've used the brush to apply my foundation because I'm not too big on the shade but the formula is out of this world and I pray Maybelline never changes it.

Everything Else

Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit

Let me just say that every girl needs one of these bad boys in her bag at all times!

I had a lot of events in May and I cannot tell you how many times this little emergency kit came in handy. It has everything a girl could need in a cute little case. From breather freshener, hairspray, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, deodorant, aspirin, a sewing kit, the list goes on. My favorite might just be the unbelievably good tasting/smelling mini lip balm. In my personal opinion this product is worth the $16 price tag from Sephora just because it is so hassle free. They come in a variety of colors and there are even kits for brides and bridesmaids, perfect for wedding season.

Lilly Pulitzer Ear Buds

I've had these for quiet awhile as I picked them up during either the End of Summer or Winter sale on Lilly's website, I can't remember which but they have come in super handy during the month of May. I would just throw the buds in their handy little pouch then in my bag they went with me to the library, my Editing & Design class, and even the pool most recently. I love how I don't have to worry about my headphones getting tangled or broken because of the soft case and I especially enjoy the print on the ear buds. Definitely something to keep an eye out for during Lilly's upcoming End of Summer Sale.

Lilly Pulitzer Inspired Home State Print

There I was just minding my own business, scrolling through Instagram when I notice an anon-account I follow posted a picture of these Lilly Pulitzer Inspired Home State Prints (I believe they were Alabama and South Carolina) and I just had to have one. I commented on the picture asking if they could possibly do a print of Kentucky and got an immediate response saying yes so I hopped over to Etsy, messaged the shop setting up a custom order, greeted again by an immediate response, and had my print customized and ordered within a day. The print is from LWCDesigns on Etsy and I have to say that not only was I super impressed by how quickly they operated (I received my order days before another order I placed with a different shop a week earlier) but also the value of the print compared with the price. At only $6 ($9.50 with shipping) I was totally impressed with the overall experience. The print came framed and everything!

I highly suggest you head over to LWCDesigns right now to check out some of their other amazing products and check them out on Instagram as well!

Books

You might recognize these books from my What We Love Wednesday Haul post back in December and I hate to say it but I'm just now getting around to reading them and by reading them I mean blazing through them. Seriously, I believe I finished the first three books in a week. 

I'm not going to give too much away but I am completely and utterly obsessed with The Mortal Instruments Series, so much so that I actually can't bring myself to finish reading the fourth book in my box set until I have the last two books (the last of which was just published a week ago) ordered and on their way. I've spent my days on a float in the pool with these books glued to my hand, I just can't put them down. 

Music

"First things first, I'm the realest!"

If you haven't heard of Iggy Azalea than you must be living under a rock because she is everywhere at the moment. I've had a strange fascination with Iggy ever since she came out with "'Work" last year and I am so excited that she has found success with "Fancy" which you can see the video for in my last What We Love Wednesday post. She recently released her album, The New Classic, and it has been at the top of my Spotify playlists all month. She also became the first artist since The Beatles to remain at the No. 1 & 2 spot with their first Billboard Hot 100 entries with "Fancy" and Ariana Grande's "Problem" which she features on.

Also, she teams up with Rita Ora for her next single "Black Widow" which is probably my favorite song off the record, go check it out!

TV

So MTV might not be the same music television we grew up with but that's not stopping them from delivering on some great tv still. I'm sort of obsessed with their new show "Faking It" which is a kind of crazy show of two high school best friends who fake being lesbians to get in the "in-crowd" but the writing is fantastic and I love the quick wittiness of the characters, especially Gregg Sulkin's British-but-trying-to-be-American accent. 

Magical Moment

My magical moment of the month is a no-brainer...I graduated from college this May!!!

It's been quiet a journey but it was well worth it in the end and I can't wait to see what this next month has in store for me as an official college graduate! That's fun to say!

I hope you enjoyed this look into my monthly favorites!

Comment below with some of you favorites from May and be sure to let me know what your Magical Moment was!

until next time, darlings.

xo

Merisa 

What We Love Wednesday!

Ahhhh! I feel like it has been forever since I did a proper What We Love Wednesday...

probably because it kinda has been but I've had so many great things come into my life lately that I just had to share so here we go!

- Essie On a Silver Platter-
You've probably heard this before but I am obsessed with nail polish...Essie nail polish to be more specific and I honestly believe I have found my favorite glitter polish ever, which as you will know is quiet a feat. Wanna know how I know this polish is really great? Of course you do, that's why you're ready this. Duh! Well, On A Sliver Platter is one of those glitter polishes that is so pretty it distracts me when I'm writing. Seriously, I actually stopped in the middle of my Modern History exam just to admire my own nail polish...a little vain but whatever, it made me really happy! haha
I don't know what it is exactly but this polish is really great because it has a shiny base that's almost opaque shimmery gold with blue glitter in varying sizes that's just really eye catching. This also makes a really great top coat for School Boy Blazer, which might actually be my favorite polish ever...which is really saying something.

-NYX lip butters-
I have heard so much about these things over the years and really just brushed them off until I spotted them in Ulta and decided to give 'em a try. I regret nothing.
These suckers are awesome! I have two, in Apple Strudel and Cupcake, and need more desperately (by need I mean want, of course). I swear they smell like vanilla or just sweetness in general (I'm awful with describing scents, you'll hear more about that in a second.) Apple Strudel is this really fun peachy color while Cupcake is a hot pink that leans more on the red side, both really great for spring and summer.
They're really opaque for glosses but they're also good for layering over other lip products like my Revlon Color Burst Matte Balms. I'm currently stalking Ulta's site trying to decide what colors I want next...I'm leaning toward Maple Blondie and Red Velvet at the moment. ;)
Keep a look out for these products in my upcoming post about my favorite lip colors for Spring!

- Gucci Guilty Black-
For my birthday back in October, I was determined to treat myself to a new perfume during my girls' birthday weekend-away. So, I waltzed into Sephora and spent a ridiculous amount of time scouring the bright display of crazy insanity that is the fragrance section. After exhausting my nose and using up every sense I had (and probably testing the sales girl's patience too) I decided to be a bit of a badass and go for the sleek black and red bottle of Gucci Guilty Black.

I'm really bad at describing scents (if you couldn't tell from above) so I checked out Sephora's site to see what they had to say about it,
 "The Guilty Black lovers bring out the most scandalous sides of each other: alone they are magnificent, together irrepressible. Fearless in their passion, they are brazen, shameless, unpredictable—ready for each and every explosive encounter. Their attraction is instinctive: they go where they sense danger and each other. 
Too much is never enough for young hedonists, who drive each other to stray ever darker. Life is thrilling and meant to be lived to the fullest. Again and again, they give in to pleasure and the excitement of breaking the rules. 
Gucci Guilty Black is a sensual oriental floral, inviting you to indulge in your burning desires."

 Can I just say that reading that automatically brings the word "badass" to my mind...exactly what I was thinking when I made this purchase and I love that! 
To be perfectly honest, I'm not a badass...in case you couldn't tell from, well, any of my previous posts. I started to feel like the scent didn't really fit my personality very well. (Sidenote: scents are supposed to fit your personality, right?) I left the fragrance alone for a little while, just letting it chill on my dresser until one day I decided to get some use out of it. Spraying it reminded me of the fun and determined time I was having during that period in my life and I'm loving that now. I truly believe that scents connect deep in our memories so I highly suggest going out and finding a fragrance to connect with a great memory...it's definitely worth it.

-My Kate Spade Bag-
If you saw my last post then you've probably already heard about my new Kate Spade bag so I won't bore you with too much droning on about it but I will say that I absolutely, positively adore it!
It seriously might just be the cutest thing I've ever owned (aside from my puppy) and I treat it like a child. Seriously, I knocked it into the corner of the Bridge on campus the other day and almost had a heart attack. It's that serious, people. I've officially become that girl!
It will most likely be my forever favorite but I will spare you by just posting it this one last time.

My sister was an absolute gem last weekend and picked me up a kick-butt iHome (it spins!) from her work last weekend and I have been playing music like crazy in the room so I've got quiet a few favorites this week.

-Iggy Azalea "Fancy"-
If you haven't seen this video then I highly suggest you click the link above and prepare yourself for the ultimate throwback!
In the video, my ultimate hairspiration and Aussie girl crush brings back Cher and the gang in her version of Clueless. It's seriously amazing, check it out below and get ready to dance around your dorm room.

You can also check out the song and a lot more on my Spotify playlist below or by checking out my Spotify profile by clicking THIS LINK :)

-5 Seconds of Summer-
Now for something a little toward the other end of the spectrum...a pop-punk band that toured with One Direction. They're from Australia, I discovered them on YouTube, and they are absolutely adorable. There's really not much more I can say than that but you've got to check them out. I've linked some of my favorite songs below (including their latest video)...

"She Looks So Perfect" - 5 Seconds of Summer

-House of Cards-
TGFN!!! That's short for Thank God for Netflix because without it I would never have been introduced to this amazing show. As you probably already know, I'm a history/political science nerd so of course a show that chronicles the internal affairs of both the Capitol and the White House are right up my alley!
Also, it's a serious nail biter (that season 2 premiere tho!) and, as is custom with Netflix. you have the opportunity to binge watch as each season is released collectively instead of by episode.

I'm not proud of this fact but I may have watched the entire first season and most of the second in like 2 days...but I've managed to convince myself to slow down as this is a show that is meant to be savored not devoured. What makes it even better is that the two main characters are Southerners who rose to the top (they even take a trip to South Carolina in a few eps) and aren't afraid to put up a fight. Claire Underwood looks like she has some Monogrammed Magnolia spirit deep in her if you ask me.
Consider it the West Wing with a lot more spice. Now go head over to Netflix and check it out if you're not already hooked.

I hope y'all liked this look into my favorites this week! Comment below with your favorites or let me know your thoughts on some of the things I mentioned above.

until next time, darlings.
xo
Merisa


PS: confession...I actually made this post last week but forgot to schedule it for last Wednesday so sorry if some of this stuff is a little played...it's only been a week though! xo