Goodbye 2013.....

This year I loved.  This year I lost.  This year I've changed.  This year was hard.  Hard, but I
learned a lot.  I learned that people can be fake.  I learned that people can hurt you a lot without really caring about it.  I've met great people, I've met mean people as well.  The most important thing I've learned is that every person in this world is strong enough to let go.  People come and go, bad things happen...that's life.  But we're all a lot stronger than we think.  Here's to another year gone...can't wait to what 2014 holds.....Happy New Year!

Christmas Synopsis in Photos...

I thought I would do just a brief post about what I got for Christmas!  Are you excited!???
I am.
But that might be because of the obscene amount of caffeine I had today.
In my defense I had the stomach flu the day before and was SERIOUSLY lacking in the caffeine department because of it.
Not in my defense....a doctor would probably say I shouldn't have it anyway.
If you're a doctor raise your hand.
Jokes on you because I can't even see your hands! (plus let's be honest...no doctors read my blog)
Should we continue with the actual point of this blog post?  Ok.

ALSO: I will be uploading a video going more into depth on all of these gifts....this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Not a good enough reason to use the word "tip" but here we go anyway....

Snow Fairy gift box from Lush

Lovely bits and bobs.....

The Tales of the Beedle and the Bard (duh)

Golden Girls Season 3

Laduree Sucre Recepie book....*swoon* literally the most gorgeous book I've ever seen

Unicorn sprinkle shaker....because every self-respecting 27 year old should own one.

All the British chocolates....MALTESERS GET IN MY BELLY

Little Mermaid mug/spoon set....again....27 years old.

Adventure Time Monopoly.....

these are my 2 favorite spaces on the board

"Jerk Tax" and "Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant"

Adventure Time is one of my all time favorite shows.

Did I mention I'm TWENTY SEVEN YEARS OF AGE.

Adult.

A sparkly cardigan....

A gorgeous bright pink lipstick that I'm obsessed with.

A fun lipgloss called "Merry Marshmallow Kiss" 

Delicious

I will give more descriptions and visuals in my video.  I also got a brand new CAMERA which I'm very excited about but obviously it's a bit difficult to take a picture of a camera with that same camera....I could take a picture with a different camera but who has the time for that?

A Christmasy picture if I ever saw one.....

All of us on Christmas Eve.  Including the dog who we dressed like an elf.

He hated loved it.

Yeah go ahead and call Sarah McLachlan.

I will also share an unfortunate Christmas text between my sister and I.

Hope your Christmas was fabulous!!!  

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas....

and as a gift I uploaded another video for you!!!

50 random (but mostly delightful) things about me!

You can check that out HERE!!!

Like and Subscribe!!! 

:)

xoxo

Christmas List 2013

So I don't think I've posted my Christmas wish list in quite some time....not since {here} so....I thought I'd give you a look into what I'm asking Santa for this year!

• Friday Night Lights to come back

• Money to buy all the things at Anthropologie

• This sweater

• Beyonce to release an album every 3-6 months

• Chanel Chance - Eau Fraiche

• An understudy for life....like when I don't want to show up...they just fill in for me (currently taking applications for this one) 

• Endless supply of Diet Coke

• All seasons of Real Housewives forever and ever

• For Beyonce and Jay-Z to adopt me

For the record that picture is saved on my computer as "future parents/best friends"

I'm pretty sure Santa can deliver these for me right?  I mean.....he doesn't give any gifts to the kids in Africa ever so surely that means there is extra room for these in his sleigh right???

Don't answer that.

• Capital Cities: Kangaroo Court
• Lorde: No Better
• Bastille: Flaws
• The Neighbourhood: Sweater Weather
• Bon Iver: Beth/Rest
• Arctic Monkeys: Do I Wanna Know?
• Tyler Hilton: One Foot In The Bayou
• Beyonce: Pretty Hurts
• Ellie Goulding: How Long Will I Love You
• One Direction: Little White Lies

Any new music you've been LOVING lately???

Winter Skin Essentials

Winter is a hard time for our skin.  I have a combination/oily skin and even I have had to completely change up my skin care routine this winter.  I can't even imagine how all  you people with dry skin are coping.  So I decided to post some of my winter skin essentials as well as other tips to keep your skin glowing and beautiful while the weather outside is frightful!

1. Exfoliation

Even for very dry skins, exfoliation is key to great skin ESPECIALLY in the winter.  Removing the top layer of dead skin allows our moisturizer to soak into the skin and gives us that healthy glow!

These are 3 of my favorite tools for accomplishing gentle but effective exfoliation.

Clarifying Lotion: Clinique

This is an exfoliator that is gentle enough to use twice a day (dermatologists recommend that you do indeed exfoliate twice a day) and Clinique has one for EVERY skin type.  I typically use a clarifying lotion #4 but this winter that has felt a little harsh for me so I stepped down to the #3.  Clarifying Lotion fits into EVERY skin care routine and if you aren't using it....trust me....you should.  It makes a huge difference!

7 Day Scrub: Clinique

AMAZING.  I use this exfoliator about 3 times a week.  What makes it different is that the beads in it are made so they are perfectly round and smooth so it won't cut or damage your skin.  A lot of the "natural" ones with apricot etc... have jagged edges and can actually scratch your skin and you don't even know!  This scrub leaves your skin feeling baby soft and EVERY skin type can use it!

Clarisonic Mia: Clarisonic

I am pretty sure I've talked about my Clarisonic about a thousand times before but seriously it is my ALL TIME favorite beauty products.  I can't even really explain to you the difference this has made in my skin but I will try.  Before I started using this I suffered from terrible breakouts, oily patches, rough patches, redness, and dullness.  This has made a complete difference.  Now my skin RARELY if ever breaks out and I have a nice healthy glow.  My skin feels cleaner and I seriously could not live without it.  Yes it costs a lot of money but let me tell you I have not once regretted this purchase.  SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY ONE!!!! 

That is all.

               

 2. Eye Cream

Everyone should be using an eye cream.  Moisture around the delicate eye area is so essential.  That skin is so much thinner than the rest of our skin an it's also where we first start seeing signs of aging.  Take care of your eye area!!!  My favorite eye cream is Even Better Eyes by Clinique.  It provides lightweight hydration and I've noticed such a difference in my dark circles!  Yay!!!

 3. Toner

Eau Roma Water: Lush

I normally only use my Clarifying Lotion however this winter I've needed to change things up a bit.  Because my skin has been so dehydrated and sensitive this winter I have changed my night time routine.  Since night is when our skin does all of it's repair work it's important to take extra good care of our skin at night.  I've been loving this toner as a replacement for my clarifying lotion at night.  It is just a light spray that leaves your skin feeling so nice and it smells like sleep.  Sleep has a smell.  

4. Moisturizer

Turnaround Overnight: Clinique

I have 2 moisturizers that I love but my best defense against dull winter skin is my night moisturizer.  It's so creamy and delightful and it leaves my skin so soft and radiant!  Best part is that it's oil free and good for all skin types!

Moisture Surge Intense: Clinique 

In the day I use my regular moisturizer with sunscreen but I also add a bit of this moisturizer in my extra dehydrated spots around my nose and hairline.  I'll do this at night sometimes as well.  It makes my skin feel like velvet.

5. Miscellaneous 

Turnaround Concentrate: Clinique

This serum is AMAZEBALLS.  You know when you make a lasagna and bits of it dry in the pan after you eat it and you have to soak the lasagna pan overnight to loosen all those bits up?  Well that's what turnaround is for your skin.  It's a soak that loosens up all the bonds that hold dead skin to the face so you're able to get rid of more of it!  Words can not describe how much I love this.  

Cupcake Fresh Mask: Lush

I love a good mask and this one is by far my favorite.  It's great for my combo/oily/breakout prone skin.  I use it about 3 times a week and my skin feels nice and refreshed after.  Clean, soft, pure.  Added bonus....it smells like a chocolate peppermint!!! 

I find that taking a selfie while using the mask really enhances your results.

(and yes I'm wearing my Ravenclaw Quidditch shirt...come at me bro)

Make Up Remover

Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

Taking your make up off before you wash your face is essential.  99% of cleansers do just that...cleanse.  However they don't have the ability to break down make up so we end up kind of taking our make up off but not actually cleansing our skin.  This can lead to break outs and doesn't allow our skin to get all the benefits of our other products like it should.  I love this make up remover in the winter because it's a balm that turns into an oil that feels so nice on the face.  

What are your favorite winter essentials???

New Lipstick Is A Girl's Best Friend

I got a fun bright new pink lipstick that I'm very excited about!!!

 Post about my favorite lipsticks at the moment to come soon!!!!

**also be looking for some fun make up tutorials**

Happy Day 2013

At Clinique Friday December 13th was National Happy Day.  A day we celebrate our fragrance "Happy" and celebrate all things that make us....you guessed it....happy.  It was so much fun.  I feel truly blessed to work with some amazing women.  They are smart, strong, funny, talented, kind, gracious, compassionate, and I have so much fun when I'm with them.  Most of us have worked together at that counter for the last 1 1/2 years.  We have all had some very hard struggles in our personal lives during that time but no matter what we've always been a great source of support and strength for each other.  I couldn't have made it through some days without them.  Ok ok....enough sappy stuff.  Our celebration of Happy included music, dancing, laughter, and......orange eyelashes.  Yes.  They happened.

our "Happy" wall....people wrote down what made them happy! :)

my answer was very thoughtful 

                                                       

yep.

Absolutely love these women

What makes YOU happy???

A Love Story

These are my great grandparents.  Last week my Oma had a stroke and has had a very difficult recovery.  My Opa, her husband, who doesn't really like to leave the house much these days, has been there every day.  He does it for her.  This is a picture of real love.  No gimmicks.  No fanfare.  Love doesn't have to cross an ocean to be real, sometimes it just has to cross a room.  This is something I will always treasure.  A beautiful perfect example of selfless real love.  

I think that's better than The Notebook if you ask me.

**My Oma will be released to rehab facility tomorrow.  She is a fighter!