Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Holy Grail Products #1


I thought it was about time I make a post all about the lovely products I can't live without. I'm only sharing a few with you today to ensure this won't be insanely long! ~Ya girl can talk. This is the first of many installments to come. I have some special goodies to share with you. So let's dive right in to a few products that have quickly become my holy grails. Enjoy!

You can't buy it here for $7 each. (They also sell pomegranate raspberry & sweet mint!)
This first product is something I'm sure you all have heard about. It's an eos balm! You may however be confused by the shape and scent of this one. It's a tube instead of an egg shape and it's vanilla bean. What?! I know , right? I had seen these in magazines a few times and later on I found some for sell on eBay but I was not about to pay $7 a pop.

So I took it as a sign when I was in Ulta one day, buying a friend a birthday present, and I saw a dish full of them. I couldn't believe my eyes! Ulta was selling them for $2.99 each and I grabbed up four of them. I didn't want to be greedy since the lady that rang me up said they were seasonal and that only certain Ulta's got them in stock. I bought two for myself and two for my Mom's stocking. (It's was during Christmastime.) I also had a coupon for $3.50 off $10 or more. So I ended up only paying around $10 for all four after tax.

I love them because I think there's something different about the formula. It's sooo creamy! I've had an issue with other eos balms. I feel like they don't always hydrate my lips but this one is perfect. I love it and I'm sad I'm down to my last tube.

You can buy it here for only $13.99! (Get free shipping and 5% off if you use your RedCard!)

If you haven't tried out or even heard of this next holy grail YOU. ARE. MISSING. OUT. It's basically magic in a bottle. Actually a miracle. Oh wait, it's literally called miracle leave-in product! I'm sorry, I need to calm myself but I'm just trying to help a friend out. If you have issues with dry hair, frizzy hair, processed hair, course, brittle, or damaged hair...go to the store and get this ASAP.

If I was to only recommend one more product for the rest of my life it'd be this.

A few years ago I was transitioning from platinum blonde hair back to my natural color and this is one of the only things that kept me from wanting to cut all my hair off. Every time I would run out or forget to use it I would completely notice the difference. From my experience it makes your hair soft and touchable and helps to tame a little frizz. For me it made styling easier too.

I could go on and on about this product but you're not going to believe me unless you try it for yourself. I promise it's worth the money and I hope it works as well for you as it does for me.


You can buy it here for $50.

This product is on the rise and for good reason. It's a Hydrating Eye Cream by Bobbi Brown. I will warn you now it's going to hurt your wallet a little with it sitting pretty at $50. Now before you go rush out and splurge on this little beaut, you may want to ask for a sample. Sephora will let you sample anything in their store, all you have to do is ask!

Once you've got your sample, make sure to use it every night and morning before you decide to kick it to the curb. The reason I say this is because from my personal experience, I hated it at first. I felt like it just sat on the surface of my skin and did nothing to help as far as hydrating. After a few applications and using it right before I went to bed so it was on overnight, I fell in love! I think my skin just took a while to get used to it. Now I see a huge difference when I include it as part of my beauty regimen every morning before work.

I wake up and look in the mirror to see puffy eyes from sleeping. After I do my morning routine and drive to work (which takes about 12 minutes all in all) the puffiness has gone way down and I look ready for the day. ~ Although I still feel like a zombie! 




You can buy it here for $20.

I think I may have talked about this eye liner in a previous post but that just goes to show how much I adore it. It's Stila's Stay All Day waterproof liquid eye liner in Jet Black and it retails for $20. I know, ouch! It's quite pricey for what it is but to me it's completely worth it. 

I was very hesitant to buy it, because of the price obviously, but I'm so glad I did. It's the best eye liner I've ever used. Although it says it's waterproof I find it's removed very easily with a baby wipe if I mess up during application. Besides that it has never budged. I've worn it for 12 hours at a time and at the end of the day it still looks great.

If eye liner is an important part of your daily makeup then I say you should try it out. If you can live without eye liner I'd say pass. It's great, but only worth it if you'd use it often.



Thank you so much for reading my post today. Leave a comment down below telling me what some of your holy grail products are!

Make sure to follow my blog for many more fun filled posts to come.

Stay brilliant world.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Ross Haul


I recently made a trip to Ross to check out what they had. I mainly go to Ross for perfume, bags, and home decor. So what I got may not come as a surprise to you! No home decor for me today but I did find a few gems in the store. Here are all the beauts I got the other day. Enjoy!


The first thing I picked up was right buy the entrance. Yes, I fell for their plan but hey! This candle smells amazing. I feel like it can be hard to find a candle that is purely just the scent of apples. They always mix it with something else so when I saw this was just plain apple scented I snatched it right up. It was a whooping $2.99. ~ Oh my! (It retails for $6)  I wish that there were more of these at their store, I would had bought them all. I'm burning it as I write this and I love it! It smells so fruity and it's making me kind of hungry...


I found this adorable Steve Madden satchel over in their purse section and I freaked! In case you didn't know, Steve Madden is one of my all-time favorite designers. So when I saw this bag I just about had a heart attack. It was love at first sight. It retails for $68 and I was lucky enough to get it for $29.99. My Mother is a sweetheart and was actually the one to purchases it. ~ Thanks Mom!

Just wait guys. Although the front of the bag is stunning, the back and bottom are really what got me.


It's a bright mint color!

Not sure if you can tell from the photo but my walls are painted the same color as the bag. That indication should let you know it's pretty much my favorite color. I've never owned a color block purse before and I'm glad this one could be my first.


It has gold detailing and the lining is a black and white chevron print.

 I have a wallet by Steve Madden that matches it perfectly. It's meant to be!





The only piece on clothing I got on my trip was this number by a brand called Meraki. Never heard of the brand before but I love the shirt. The tag says it's a size small but I normally wear a L-XL and it's huge on me! I think it's meant to be a one-size fits all kind of garment. It retails for $24.99 and I paid $11.99 for it.

It's a maroon, high-low, chiffon like shirt with a scoop neckline and it's actually really flattering. I think it would look good on almost every body type. When I went in to try it on I was afraid it would look a bit like a muumuu but it didn't! It's quite long in the back. All it needs is some black jeans, a skinny belt and were good to go.


*I'm sorry about the terrible photos. They give it no justice but it was extremely hard to photograph without it just looking like a big piece of flowy fabric.


Something I like to do every time I go to Ross is try out at least one new perfume I haven't bought before. This trip was no exception.


It took me a while of walking back and forth to the rack where they hold all their perfume but I finally decided on two. The first one I got was Lucky You by Lucky Brand. I've never tried anything by the brand outside of their jeans. ~ Which are great! When I saw this, then saw that it was marked down to only $14.99 I was like YES. Mine. Gimme.

It's always a surprise what it'll smell like and what the bottle will look like, which is why I like to buy them from Ross. Also the price in unbelievably low. This 3.7 fl. oz. bottle was originally $54. That's insane!


I lucked out with this one because I adore the scent and the bottle design. Score!

I think that the raised print on the glass is so cool and a very cute touch. One side says "Lucky Brand" with a "Luck You" in the middle and the other side has a four-leaf clover of course. What I couldn't really photograph was that the sides say "America's" & "Favorite".




The second perfume I found while searching through the shelves was Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana! Are you kidding me? I must of smelt this perfume in Sephora at least ten times, dreaming I could afford it. Well thanks to Ross, now I could.


It's a pretty small bottle at only .84 fl. oz. but I was not about to pass it up. I did contemplate whether or not I should buy it but as you can see...I did. It retails for $52 and I paid $37.99. It was still quite expensive but totally worth it. I love this scent.


I think the bottle is very classy too. I'm a sucker for design and I love the clouded glass and reflective print on the bottle. I think it's fun to build up a collection of different perfumes. They are all so pretty and can add a fun vibe to your beauty station.



Thank you all so much for reading my post today. I hope you enjoyed. Leave a comment down below telling me something you've purchased recently that you love!

 Make sure to follow me for many more blog posts to come.

Stay brilliant world.


Sunday, April 26, 2015

May Wishlist


May is almost here and I couldn't be more excited! I love May. The weather is great, everything comes to life, and it means Summer is just around the corner. I tried to keep my Wishlist small for this month but alas...I did not. ~ Oops! Now as I said in my April Wishlist, I may not end up getting any of these things any time soon or I may go out and buy them the next day. These Wishlist posts are more of a reminder so I can look back in a week, a month, a year or whenever to remember all the wonderful goodies I was wishing for. Enjoy.


1 ($15) || 2 ($9) || 3 ($14) || 4 ($6) || 5 ($9) || 6 ($99) || 7 ($70) || 8 ($130)

  1. Half of my Wishlist items are jewelry pieces from Forever 21. I can't help myself! They have such cute jewelry for a very inexpensive price. This necklace is stunning. I was browsing through their website about a week ago and instantly fell in love with this necklace. I'd love to have a little more bling in my wardrobe and this would do just the trick.
  2. If you're like me and pretty much want everything that's boho and turquoise, then you're going to love this bracelet. It caught my eye of their site and it's been on my mind ever since. It's a versatile piece and would add a fun vibe to any outfit.
  3. There's not much to say about this little ring besides that's it's the most dainty and adorable thing I've seen. Unfortunately, it's currently sold out on their website but I'm hoping they'll restock soon. Midi rings are one of my favorite ways to accessories. They are very easy to wear. I think they add a chic touch and you can layer them up like crazy.
  4. The last jewelry piece from Forever 21 on my list is this stylish spike necklace. It's very simple and it will go well with similar pieces. I imagine styling it with a plain white blouse, some navy colored pants, and a pair of leopard flats. ~ So cute!
  5. Now I know this item is kind of random but come on, it's perfect! If you didn't know this about me...I'm obsessed with everything from the Nate Berkus line at Target. I think it's affordable and it incorporates all my favorite colors. This pencil pouch would look great on my desk and since it's only $9, I may have to get one soon!
  6. This. Necklace. Is. Perfection. I can't stress how badly I want this necklace. I've always adored nameplate necklaces but with this one being nearly $100, I don't think I'll have one any time in the near future. In case you're interested in getting one for yourself they have a coupon right now for %15 off so get it while you can! Just type in TAKE15OFF at checkout for the discount to be applied.
  7. Of course your girl has to have shoes on her Wishlist. This month I decided to put these beauts from Steve Madden on the list. The style is called Latvian and the color I want is called Natural Snake. For me, these are more realistic shoes I'd invest in. Mainly because Steve Madden is always high quality and I think they would go with just about everything. 
  8. The last item on my list for the month of May are these INSANE heels from Steve Madden's collaboration with Iggy Azalea. Personally, I think Iggy blows others out of the park with her style. Not only that but the confidence she carries. If I were wearing these heels walking down the street, I think I'd feel a little bit more of that confidence.
*Edit* There is now a coupon for Steve Madden products! Use the code APR15 for %15 off. There is also a printable coupon for in-store purchases only of %20 off, here.

Thank you so much for reading my May Wishlist post. Leave a comment telling me what's on your radar for next month. I hope you enjoyed reading.

Stay brilliant world.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

10 Sandals You Need This Summer

When it comes to Summer, sandals are the way to go. From heeled to flat, there's always a pair of sandals that'll match your outfit just right. I dug through pages of shoes on all my favorite sites and these ten are what I came up with. I love to experiment with tons of different shoes during the Summertime. Enjoy!


1 ($89) || 2 ($70) || 3 ($118) || 4 ($60) || 5 ($118) || 6 ($18)

My taste when it comes to Summer shoes is neons and boho. I'm a sucker for embellishments and rhinestones. I'm also on the complete opposite side and love to have a few simple pairs in my wardrobe. You'd be surprised how easy it is to style bright, colorful, shoes during the season. The main thing to remember is to just have fun with what you wear! If you're confident in it, who cares what everyone else thinks? Take pair number five on this list for example. These beautiful Miss KG heels are really out there and in your face, but I love them! The huge neon green rhinestones would look great with a simple navy or baby pink shift dress. For me, shoes are almost always the focus of my outfit. There are an good way to express yourself and spice up an outfit at the same time.



7 ($150) || 8 ($300) || 9 ($90) || 10 ($125)

Speaking of spicing up an outfit, check out these stunning shoes from Steve Madden's collaboration with Iggy Azalea! (Number seven) They are my favorite off of the entire list. I can't keep my eyes off them. Whether it's their bright coral color or perfect amount of heel, all I know is I need them asap. But at $150 they may not be anywhere in my near future, unfortunately. 

I hope you guys like this little list of Summer sandals I came up and maybe have a few added to your shoe wishlist now! I'm sure your shoe game is strong and that you'll be have a ton of fun in the sun this Summer. Thank you so much for reading my post.

Stay brilliant world.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Lilly Pulitzer for Target Haul


So if you didn't hear about it from the various commercials, dozens of ads, and thousands of blog posts, Lilly Pulitzer and Target came together to create a stunning collection! It was full of a ton of cute clothing, from rompers to swimsuits and everything in between. I was very lucky when it came to this lovely collection for the main fact that I work at Target. I was jumping up and down when I finally got to see all the products in person on Saturday morning. Everything was so vibrant and fun! ~Of course! Unfortunately I had to work this morning, so my only chance to buy anything was on my lunch. I actually managed to snatch up a few items before we were completely out of stock. I'll link everything I can down below but Target is already completely sold out online so you'll have to go to your nearest Target to see if they have anything left. Enjoy!

I bought it in store for $15. Click here for more details.

The first thing that caught my eye was this iPhone 6 Plus case. I'm obsessed! The pattern name is call Fan Dance. I was so happy that they actually made a few cases that fit my phone. It's hard to find affordable, stylish cases for the 6 plus. It has a more muted color scheme and I love it. I really wanted a case in the pattern See Ya Later but they didn't have a size that would fit my phone. I'm not complaining at all though. I'm so pleased I even got my hands on this. We only got two of each pattern in stock at my store and the cases went fast!



I bought it in-store for $22. Click here for more details.




 The fact that I was able to get a phone case before they were all gone was a big deal, but getting clothing was a huge deal! We had a line outside our door and the second it turned 8 o'clock the doors opened and the guests piled in. Luckily, everyone was civil and calm for the most part. Not going to lie though, I did see one guest throwing handfuls of clothes and accessories over her arm. It was a tad overwhelming but still a fun morning. Anyway, back to the shirt. I got a top in the pattern Nosie Posey. It's almost impossible to pick a favorite pattern but this one is definitely in my top five. It's sort of a babydoll style top and it's super flattering. The colors of this shirt make me happy, which is what Lilly Pulitzer is all about! The v-neckline is classy and cute but adds a slight sexiness to it. My favorite part of the entire shirt is the zipper in the back, scroll down below to see a photo of it. I'll definitely be sporting this all summer. Can't wait for all the looks I'm going put together with this shirt. There will be many OOTD's involving this piece in the near future. Pardon my amateur photo below, I was losing sunlight. ~Oh no!
















Look how cute the pull in the back is! It's an adorable little gold pineapple.



I bought it in-store for $26. Click here for more details.



The last thing I got was another shirt. I know, whaaaat?! This along with the other shirt I bought were the last one of their kind. Which in this case was a blessing and a curse. I think the colors and pattern of this shirt are beautiful and the neckline is insanely flattering. It's in the pattern Sea Urchin for You. How cute? The only unfortunate thing is, it's an XXL and it's quick wide around the waist. It's definitely passable. Since the style of the shirt is flowy in the first place it still looks really good. It'll be perfect for going to out to dinner in the chance I eat too much and want to hide my belly. ~Let's be real, it happens to the best of us. It's not the perfect fit but because I am who I am, I still decided to buy it because it was the last one and because of my love for the color. I think I made the right choice getting it, all it needs is some skinny jeans and I'm good to go. I can't get over how cute the pattern is either. Time to grab my sandals and head to the beach! Oh wait, they have those in the collection too.


This doesn't really count as something I bought for my mini haul but I got one of the posters that was part of the display. I just thought it was such a pretty sign!

Leave a comment down below telling if me you got your hands on anything from the collection and if so, what? I hope you enjoyed this blog post and thank you so much for reading.

Stay brilliant world.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Recent Purchases


I wanted to let you all see a few things I've purchased recently and quickly fallen in love with. 

You can buy this CHI Silk Infusion here for $25.50.

I've had my eye on this product for a few years now and recently I was shopping for some fun haircare products and saw it on the shelf. I was immediately reminded of all the good things I've heard about it and it was only $12 at the store I was at! So of course I added it to my hand basket. I've only used it once since I got it but oh my god guys! It's phenomenal! The smell, the texture, the packaging, it's all so lovely. It worked very well. It keeps your ends nice and healthy looking even through all the curling  and straightening. You should try it out if your looking for a little something extra to make your hair look fabulous.


You can get It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product here for $18.00.

This has been a holy grail product of mine for so many years now. I'm contemplating making a blog post just for it alone. I swear by this stuff. If you have ends that can be a little dry or maybe you just want your hair to be softer then you should try this out. I started using it when I was transitioning from my platinum blonde to the natural color I have now. I wanted to just let it grow out but I found my ends would dry so brittle! So I started using this to combat the breakage and it worked wonderfully. I haven't looked back since. It comes in quite a few different sizes so if the 4 oz. isn't for you, I believe there's a smaller size they offer. It's a little pricey for the amount of actual product you get but to me the results it gives are worth every penny.

I picked mine up from Urban Outfitters for $10.00 but you can get it on Amazon for only $6.63 here.


The original Wreck This Journal was immensely popular. I still have the original book and use it occasionally. There are so many pages in the big one! This book is it's adorable little sister. It's called Wreck This Journal Everywhere. It stands at about 4x6 inches and it's perfect for those spontaneous, on the go adventures. It fits just right in my bucket bag and is always there if I'm out and about and need something creative to do. There aren't as many pages, and it contains a lot of wreck it your own way pages, but I still love it so much. Little books like these remind you not to take life too seriously and just live the adventure. Although I must say...there's a "put dead bugs here" page I won't be using any time soon.



You can either pick it up at your local Target or get it online here for $29.99.
Just call and give them this number if you want it in store! 024 06 3670

This charming, oddly shaped bag is something I walked by at work about 40 times before I finally bought it. It took me a while to decide whether I liked it or thought it was just too weird. $30 later, I think you can guess what I decided. It reminds me of Paris for some reason. Coming from a girl who has only been there in her dreams, that probably means nothing. None the less, it makes me so happy. I am totally into stripes right now so that was a plus, but the main reason I chose to get it was because of how well it fits my DSLR. I wanted something that would be able to hold my camera, wallet, keys, and all that other extra crap girls carry in their bag, without it getting all banged up. This bag was the perfect fit! I don't own any other backpacks so I'm a little confused on how to style it. If you have any suggestions as to what I should do, please leave them down in the comments below. 

Isn't it so cute?





The last thing I got recently is this fun pillow from the Nate Berkus collection at Target. It was on a clearance end cap and I quickly grabbed it and brought it to the registers to check out. Who doesn't like a good decorative pillow for cheap? I love pretty much anything Nate Berkus related. His line at Target is to die for. 

Can my whole room be designed by Nate? Please?!

I'm not too sure as to the price, just because it was on clearance and I already threw the tag away but I think it was around $12.50. ALWAYS look in the clearance section at Target loves, you never know what you might find. They have new great deals every day. 

Well that's it for me. I should be saving my money but sometimes there are things you just can't pass up. I hope you enjoyed this blog post and thank you so much for reading. 

Stay brilliant world.