Transition

Hey everyone!

Sorry I've been kind of MIA for the past week or so.  My life has kind of been in transition, hence the title of this post.  Ever since my family and I have been back from the beach life, I've been constantly job hunting and doing all sorts of running around trying to get all of my ducks in a row.  Quack.  So as of now, I got one part time job and am waiting to hear from another.  So if I do get that other job, I will be a pretty busy woman.  Regardless, I will be doing my best to keep my baby going (my baby being this blog) during this little rough patch as I try to get my schedule in order.  I'm hoping to keep up on at least 2-3 posts a week or more if possible.  However, what I have been up to date on is all of my social media sites!  I can't help but be on at least one of them 24/7 so if you want more of me, follow me on social media.  I guarantee to post there every day.  Especially Pinterest, because I'm admittedly addicted.

On another note, I'm hoping to be doing some new kinds of posts in the future.  In addition to really working on regularly posting in my current series collections, I'm feeling some more "lifestyle" tag posts.  By this I mean things like advice on post-college life, relationships, and maybe some of my own life musings just to get them off my chest to people who may or may not read them haha.  Something like what they used to call a "journal" back in the day, but who has time for that?  Of course I will make them into posts with substance and maybe a moral to the story, not just me ranting about how I'm a hermit and I'm too shy for my own good.  Both true statements.  Also, since my new job will entail the pre-opening of a new store, I think it'll be cool to share that process with you all.  I know I'm excited to be involved, so if it's as much fun as I think it'll be, I'll be just as excited to share it with you all!  So I think that will be a fun and interesting new side to add to my blog and I'm pretty excited about it.  Can you tell I'm excited?  Excited...excited...

Lastly, you know what's coming up very very soon.  Fashion Week!  So expect to see some fun posts on my throwbacks from last season, events I'll be attending, and my favorites of the shows I probably just live stream on my computer because I'm still not cool enough to actually get invited into Lincoln Center. Although live streaming is cool because you feel like you're actually there and you can just sit in bed in your PJs and drink coffee during the 9AM show instead of running around like a crazy person trying to pick the perfect outfit and probably being one of those people that's "fashionably late."  So yeah, I'm cool with it.

Anyway, that's about all I have in terms of where I've been and what I'm planning!  Hoping to get some more posts done so I have things to post for you this weekend!  Speaking of, have a wonderful one!!

XO, Briana

SGMC Book Party!- Panic by Lauren Oliver

Hey everyone! I'm so excited to introduce the first post of my SGMC Book Party!  Whenever I finish reading a new book, I'll post my review right here under the sgmcbookparty label.  You can also find all of my posts by clicking the SGMC Book Party link at the top of the page!  As well as book reviews, I'll also sprinkle in a variety other "book lover" posts.  So without further ado, here is my first official book review! :)

Panic by Lauren Oliver

First off, I received this book from my cousin who had it as an Advanced Reader's Copy from before the book was originally released.  It wasn't up her alley, but when I read the summary I knew I would like it. Boy was I right!  I absolutely loved this book!  As you probably have seen me write before, I have a very short attention span; but this book kept my attention and I finished it less than a week.

In a short spoiler-free summary, the book covers an interesting group of main characters and focuses on a game called Panic.  Every year, the graduating seniors of Carp's high school participate in the risky game of Panic to win a large sum of money.  The challenges all lend themselves to the name of the game, which will have you wide eyed and frantically reading to find out who makes it to the next round.  Following a relatable and complex group, you will make a connection with the characters and find yourself rooting for all of them.

I don't want to say much more about he plot because I don't want to give anything away!  But overall the book was wonderful: a quick read, easy flowing, and made me want more! Panic gives the reader an interesting, clever plot line and some great lessons as well.  I actually want to quote the author's website because it sums up the themes precisely: "...an extraordinary novel of fear, friendship, courage, and hope."

I'm going to give this book 4.5 stars.  I only docked it a half of a point because I wish it had slightly more depth in the characters.  I found myself wanting to know more about certain events and emotions from the mind of a particular character.  But as a whole, it deserves those 4.5 stars 100%!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Young Adult novels, and a little bit of suspense!

Check out the author's summary --> HERE!

Buy it on Amazon --> HERE!

XO, Briana

Happy Birthday America!

So as you well know, yesterday was the 4th of July!  Hurray America!!  So naturally, my family had an old fashioned, American BBQ.  There was tons of food, games, and laughter, as there is at most of my family get together.  Also, as always, I had to dress up!  Independence Day and Memorial Day are really the only times when I feel confident no one will judge me for looking like an American flag.

I have to note that this is my new favorite dress.  It's probably the most flattering dress I've ever worn, hands down.  The ruffles are girly, but draw attention to my smallest part, and the petal style skirt covers my middle problem area.  It's the perfect length: right above the knee.  Honestly, if I wear anything much shorter I look hoochy, since I'm literally all legs, haha. Plus knee length is forever classy!  Then the sleeve is just enough to slim my arms and adds a really cute detail to the neckline!  Basically, I could go on all day about how much I love this, but you can see in the picture just how adorable it is!

Dress: City Chic at Nordstrom Rack | Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction | Necklace: Amazon 

After our huge dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, etc (I could go on for days!), it was time for dessert! My dad and I decided to make what I like to call "boozecicles," which in layman's terms is an alcoholic popsicle.  Perfect for a hot summer day!  This is the first time we made them, so they were a little on the strong side, but I think with the proper tweaks in the recipe they would be perfect! (And they were delicious, regardless.)  Here is a general recipe of the special patriotic ones we made. I've name them the "Red, White, and Booze" Boozecicle:

Red: Strawberry Daiquiri Mix, White Rum, Sprite

White: Coconut Rum, Sprite

Blue: Blue Curacao, Sour Mix

They are super easy to make too.  I mean, if I can do it, I can guarantee anyone can (#cantcook).  All we did for the six we made was poured the ingredients for each color into separate cups (or you could just do one at a time) and mix them as if you were making a drink.  Then we poured about the same amount into each mold.  To do the stripes, we popped them in the freezer for a bit in between until they were frozen enough to keep the colors separated.  There's not really an exact science to it.  It's more based on your preferences!  Keep your eyes out for more "boozecicle" recipes this summer!  I plan on making different ones for different occasions.  When I make them, I'll post the recipe!  If you make these or try your own, let me know!! I love to see what everyone is up to! :)

Hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July!

XO, Briana

Mascara Wars

As a makeup connoisseur, I know that I have tried so many different mascaras it isn't even funny.  I haven't found one I hated, but I am still on the quest for my favorite!  So I decided to duke it out between my 4 current top mascaras!

So far, most of the one's I've tried have been from Maybelline.  It all started when I bought one of the new ones to try and  the cycle continued; every time a new one came out, I bought it.  For a while I preferred the Maybelline Cat Eyes mascara, but then I tried the first mascara on my list: the Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara.

Shown in the first picture, this mascara works pretty well!  It gives my lashes volume and length like a good mascara should.  I like it because it gives my lashes a natural look.  My favorite thing about this mascara is the double wand.  I find that the small wand is perfect for the bottom lashes.  It makes it so much easier to grab those baby lashes without smudging it under my eyes.  Also, it retails for about $8 and it comes in waterproof as well! Can't beat that!

Second up is the Benefit They're Real Mascara.  I kept hearing so much about this mascara: that it was the best premier mascara on the market and that it was basically "magic".  So obviously, I had to try it for myself.  I am pleased to say I really love this mascara and I agree with all of the hype it comes with.  It not only lengthens and volumnizes, but also darkens your lashline, so you almost look like you're wearing eyeliner as well.  The coolest thing about this is the wand.  Again.  The shape allows you to not only apply as you normally would (lift and wiggle!) but also use the wand vertically.  It gets all of those little lashes you didn't even know were there and curls them even more, post-eyelash curler.  My only negative about this one is that it's really hard to get off.  I don't actually use "eye makeup remover" persay.  I just use a facial wipe to remove my makeup, so it takes a while to get it off and most of the time there's still some residue.  But a good oil-based remover should get it off.  If not, Benefit does sell a remover specifically made for the "They're Real" products.  I have to say, as much as I feel like it may be a marketing ploy, I still really want to try it. But overall, the product is wonderful. Price wise, this is a premier company, so it's a bit on the higher end; it retails at $23.  However, they also sell a mini version that's only $10!  So if you want to try it and are still skeptical, the mini is your BFF!  The small sizes are also great for travel!  A+, Benefit!

The third picture shown is the Cover Girl Bombshell Volume Mascara that I got to try, courtesy of my Influenster Surf's Up Vox Box.  This one is similar to the Maybelline mascara in that it has a double wand: Step 1: Volumize. Step 2: Intensify.  I really like this one for when I'm wearing darker eyeshadow, because it really does intensify the lashes.   You can see even by the picture that my lashes are thicker and darker, especially near the lashlines.  I like using this for a night out or if I'm just feeling like being a little bit glamorous!  This mascara retails for about $12, depending where you go.  For brands like Cover Girl and other drugstore brands, keep your eyes peeled for coupons!  They often pop up at Rite-Aid, CVS, Target, and even Ulta sometimes does deals.  Overall, I really like this mascara.  It looks great and I hardly can tell I'm wearing it! Way more comfortable than wearing false lashes, and it looks just as good!  Thanks Influenster!

Last, but not least, is the Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara that I received in last month's Influenster Vox Box.  So if you read my blog regularly, you've already seen this one in action!  Since I got it, I noticed that I've been using it quite a lot.  I really like the easy, natural look it gives my lashes.  As a natural makeup kind of gal, it goes great with my variety of neutral brown eyeshadows and still looks great sans eyeliner.  This one doesn't pump up the volume as much as the Bombshell, but it separates your lashes really well and gives you a nice, finished look. Price wise, this one is in between retailing at $15.  You can get it on line, or through your personal Mary Kay consultant!

So after trying all of these different mascaras, I can't say I favor any one of them!  They're all great and work perfectly for different occasions and looks. I think you should have more than one favorite to go with your mood, look, or occasion! I would recommend all of them to every one of you!  All of them work wonderfully and look great.  Who needs falsies when your natural lashes can look just as good!

So have you guys tried any of these? What do you think?  Leave your comments below!! :)

P.S. I feel like I should explain the difference of color in the photos.  I took a picture of each mascara on different days at different times!  So the two center photos were in full natural light, the others were a combination of natural light and the light in my room.  Oh, and that's my actual eye color, no editing!  They change ;)

XO, Briana

Christine Shampoo & Conditioner by Van Thomas Concepts

About a month ago, a friend of mine, Jason Griffin (celebrity stylist) so kindly told me he would love to work with me on my blog. I was so thrilled to have someone who not only lives in a completely different world from me ( LA baby!) but also is influential in the fashion industry. So for our first project, he hooked me up with a wonderful agent from Pistol & Stamen and she soon sent me some shampoo and conditioner to try out!

The set is called Christine and it's by Van Thomas Concepts. I received the The Christine Shampoo and The Christine Reconstructive Conditioner. I waited a little while to write the review because I wanted to thoroughly test the products. So after about a month of using them, these were my results!
First off the product itself. One of the most important thing to me about hair products is the smell. I pride myself on having fantastic smelling hair every day of my fashionable life. So therefore, I must have simply delicious smelling shampoo and conditioner. These definitely fit the bill. It smells amazing. It leaves your hair smelling like citrus and flowers. There is no way a girl won't feel good about herself smelling that wonderful.
Next is what it's made of. The shampoo is sulfate-free and paraben free, with no harsh chemicals, avoiding the stripping of essential oils and dryness. It uses grape seed and apricot oils for added shine and blackcurrant oil and essential omega-6 fatty acids for healthy hair growth. Also the shampoo is made to cater to all hair types!  The reconstructive conditioner uses hempseed oil, aloe veraextract, grape seed oil and olive fruit oil that hydrate, restore, and repair hair.

I particularly like products that use natural products. My hair seems to take better to them. Since my hair is curly, it tends to be more temperamental and harder to tame. All of the reparitive and hydrating treatments did wonders for my frizzy, dry curls. After only a few uses I started to see results.

Here I am with no product in my hair!!

After using the shampoo and conditioner together for a little over a month, I have noticed drastic results in the texture of my hair and how it behaves. When I wash it, it's less knotty and easier to brush after washing. Since I wash my hair every other day or more if I can, my curls tend to knot up and make my life a living hell after waiting those few days. I find myself sitting and brushing my hair for like twenty minutes just trying to detangle it! But ever since I started using the Christine products, it's gotten a lot better. My hair is also less frizzy, thank god. Since the start of spring, my hair has pretty much turned on me. Most days I just give up and rock the afro that is my un-tameable hair. I even started referring to it as Miley (because it "can't be tamed" Get it?) Anyway, the reconstructive conditioner really worked wonders in that department. I saw a noticeable difference in the size of my afro, especially after I'd been using it for a couple weeks. I can now go to bed with freshly washed hair and wake up with nearly perfect curls that only require a bit of tousling, some of my John Freida Miracle Cream, and some climate control hairspray and I'm good to go! It takes me a maximum of like, 3 minutes. So thank you, Christine products for making my hair a lot happier!

Close up of the Christine products doing their job!

The price is nothing to shake your head at either, by the way. The shampoo retails for $18 and the conditioner at $32 for a 12 oz. bottle. On average, my shampoo and conditioner costs about $12 combined or less, so these are a smidge out of my normal price range. But if you're really battling unruly or unhealthy hair, these are definitely worth the splurge. Also, there are 2 additional products in the line that I haven't tried: The Protective Glaze and the Body Wash. If they are anything like their fellow products, I have no doubt that they will be great!

Contents of my package!

Overall, I had a wonderful experience with both of the Christine products!  They worked particularly well on my hair, and I have plenty left to enjoy for another month or more!  Much thanks to Jason and Pistol & Stamen who were generous enough to send me these great hair products!  Look forward to hearing more from them soon!  If you want to learn more about the products I talked about, here is the website!  Let me know your thoughts if  you decide to get your hands on these!!

XO, Briana

Summer Glam with Mary Kay!!

Hey everyone!! Who is seriously ready for summer?! Now that spring has finally arrived, I am still unsatisfied and now am craving summer.  Go figure.  I actually am not a huge fan of spring because of allergy season. Yuck.  However, I'm happy that it's reasonably warm and I don't need my boots and coat anymore!

But, in light of the coming season, I've decided to show you a Summer Glam makeup look featuring the wonderful products I received compliments of Mary Kay and Influenster!  Earlier this week I came home to a very happy mail day!  One of my packages was my MKGlam VoxBox!  Included was:

Mary Kay® Bronzing Powder

Mary Kay® Translucent Loose Powder

Mary Kay® Mineral Cheek Color

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist 

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush

Mary Kay® Lash Love® Mascara

Mary Kay® Gel Eyeliner with Expandable Brush Applicator in Jet Black

Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus® Lip Gloss in Mango Tango 

Happy Mail! Top Photo is MK!

Everything in the box was so pretty, fresh, and summery! I was inspired to create my own look using everything! So I'm going to call this my Mary Kay Summer Glam Makeup Mini Tutorial! 

So first up, I primed my face to make it a blank canvas for my makeup. I used my Yes to Blueberries Brightening Eye Roller to de-puff my eyes. This is really great for early mornings! Then I sprayed with my Lush Cosmetics Tea Tree Water Toner. Last I decided to use my Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. Now a lot of times I would use full fledged foundation, especially if I was planning on being photographed. But for this look, I felt that a tinted moisturizer was a better summer option. It's lightweight and gives you that sunkissed, dewy glow! Lastly, I put on a bit of concealer to cover any blemishes, redness, and the dark circles under my eyes that never seem to go away.  I used Benefit's Boing concealer (not shown) which is a lifesaver.

So now that we're prepped and ready, next up is powders!  I started off with the Mary Kay Translucent Powder to set the "foundation" and take away unwanted shine.  So here is what I looked like at this point!

Next I put on the MK Bronzer and the MK Blush! Both had great color and pigmentation. I didn't need to use a whole lot for it to show up. For the bronzer, I used the MK Powder Brush to dust it on the places the sun would normally color your skin. Which is pretty much everywhere except your eyes! I also used it to contour just a smidge under my cheek bones and jaw line. As for blush, I tend to be picky about colors. I usually lean toward a more coral tinted color, and this one is right in between pink and coral. But I absolutely love it. It gave me a nice natural glow that doesn't look like I'm wearing too much. And it's even got a bit of glitter!

Now onto my favorite part, the eyes!  I always love to play up my eyes with makeup! Although most of the time I go for a natural eyeshadow and a classic winged eyeliner.  Which is pretty much what I did here. After touching up my eyebrows, priming my eyelids and white lining my waterline, I moved onto the shadow!

Now I'm not really used to cream eyeshadows.  I've used them before on other people, but I actually think this is now the only one I own!  I have to say though, I really love it.  Its a beautiful color: neutral with a bit of shine, and its not slimy or greasy.  The color is very light, but it could definitely stand alone.  But for me, I like to add a little more depth.  So I used my favorite shadow pallet, Stila's In the Light pallet.

Can you tell which are my favorites? Lol.

I put the MK on my lids, then used the Stila "Kitten" shadow to highlight my brows, then dusted a little of the "Gilded" in my crease.  Also to give my eyes a little more brightness, I put some of the "Bubbly" in the inner corners of my eyes.

There are really a lot of different ways to use this cream shadow.  Another great thing about it is that its very buildable.  I used about two or three light coats to get it to the intensity I liked.  But you could definitely make it stand out even more if you want.

Awkward finger swatch

Next for the eyes was eyeliner!  I am basically the eyeliner queen.  I've been obsessed since about 8th grade and ever since I literally won't leave the house without it!  Well, not until recently when I started working 9 to 5. Now mascara is enough to hold me off, since I already look like I haven't slept in weeks.  Not much I can do to cover that anyway, haha.  But I digress.

This eyeliner is fabulous.  It is the MK Gel Eyeliner, and it came with the little baby brush which is adorable and equally as wonderful. It's also expandable. The liner glides on super smooth and is a really cool texture. It's not really a solid like most gel liners I've tried, but actually "gel" like in texture.  To give you an idea, if I had stuck my finger in it it would have sunk to the bottom!  So really, in this particular case, go light with that brush and less is definitely more. I found myself wiping the brush on the side of the pot even after taking the tiniest bit.  So seriously, don't just dive on in there.  You'll regret it.

Last for my eyes was the mascara. I am a mascara addict. Which is actually funny because I never even used it until my second or third year of college. I always hated the clumpy feeling it gave me. But when I got older, I tried out some different ones and eventually latched on to the Maybelline mascara collection. Seriously I bought like every new one that came out until I found my favorite. But for this look, I used the MK Mascara. I actually really like it. It's not clumpy and it doesn't feel like you're really wearing anything. But it gave my lashes a nice natural boost. I put two coats on my top and one on the outer lashes on the bottom.

I used that little brush for my concealer!

To complete the look, I finished off with the MK lipgloss. I think this is the product I was most excited about when I opened everything up. It's such a fun, bright color and instantly made me think of summer. It's just an overall great gloss!

I had a really great time doing this look! I 100% LOVE all of the Mary Kay products and would recommend them all to everyone! I'll definitely be using them this summer!! Make sure you head over to the Mary Kay website to check out the products I used and the tons of other great things they have to offer! I've been a fan of theirs for many years, as my mom used to be a representative!! So believe me when I say the company is timeless and great quality!

The final look!

I hope you enjoyed reading my first mini makeup tutorial as much as I did writing it! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or anything else! I always love to hear from my readers!

#DWEEB

XO, Briana

Spring Obsessions

Hooray! It's finally spring! Or so we thought.  As I write this, we Philadelphians are just barely touching the 60s, and that's with winds that make it feel like 50.  And when I began writing this on the first "official" day of Spring, we were in the midst of a Nor'easter.  Like really? I'm so over this.  After living in the South for four years, I am even more affected by the cold than I was before.  As a person that is consistently cold, this is like cold times four hundred. Like...no... Anyway, technically it is Spring, so we're just going to pretend that it feels like it.

So here are is my current Spring obsessions, including beauty products, fashion trends, and more!

1) Organix Quenched Sea Mineral Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

Oh. My. God.  Can I just say how perfect this set is.  As you probably know, I am a huge fan of Organix products.  I have the Moroccan Argan Oil set, as well as the Biotin and Collagen shampoo and conditioner and they are both fantastic.  But recently, I noticed my hair has been really dry and frizzy and decided to venture to Target to get something new.  There it was, glowing in the fluorescent lights, a bright blue bottle that said the word sea on it.  I was immediately hooked.  It just happened to be that it was meant for dry hair! How lucky was that! Not only does it work wonders and give you mermaid like locks, but it also smells amazing.  Like you just came out of the ocean and drank a citrusy drink, that you may or may not have spilled in your hair. My curls were bouncy, shiny, and frizz free!  Totally worth it, right? And, there are two other products in the collection that I'm dying to try: moisture surge deep treatment and shimmering weightless moisture replenisher.  So basically, these are fantastic and make me think of Summer! So close, yet so far!!

2) John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream

The title does not lie.  This is the product I have needed my entire life.  Being a curly girl, my hair tend to be frizzy no matter what I do or how many products I put in it.  I've tried gels and creams and oils, etc.. to no avail.  I mean, some things worked kind of, but instead of making my hair shiny it just made it look greasy. But this finishing cream is the answer I've been searching for.  It's a cream, not a gel so it's not sticky and its not oily like an oil (duh) or a shine spray.  You just put a bit in your hands, rub them together and slick it on your hair! And viola! Beautiful, frizz free, shiny hair! This really is flawless, and it is definitely now my secret weapon!

3) PASTELS!

I am sooo excited about this Spring trend.  Like, for real.  I absolutely loooveee pastels! I think they are so chic and modern, but still feminine and pretty! They work in just about any style of dress, and I think it's a totally classic look.  Pastels are everywhere right now.  Not just in fashion, but also beauty, interior design, and more!  I know I'm guilty of buying pastel colored things on the regular.  It's a great pallete and a perfect way to celebrate the beginning of Spring!  Here are some of my favorite pastel looks from the wonderful world of Pinterest!

     

4) The 100

Ok, so this is definitley one of my new favorite shows!  I know it's "just another post-apocalyptic, sci-fi young adult tv show" but no.  Really.  I kid you not, this show is great!  When I saw the preview for it I thought, "Wow that looks good!" and promptly set it to record on my DVR.  I made the right decision.  To give you a brief summary, the show is set in the future after the Earth was poisioned by radiation and deemed unlivable.  The remainder of the human race moved to a space station called the Arc, and lived there for almost 100 years.  Until the Arc's leaders found out that they were running low on oxygen.  To keep the population limited, any and all crimes are punishable by death, including minors.  They decide to send those kids, all 100 of them, to Earth to find out if its safe for them to move back there, since it seems to be their only option.  And that's when it gets really fun. Now I don't want to give away anything, in case I've convinced you to start watching it, but it's a good twist on the usual sci-fi show and it's got a good story and likable characters.  Definitely worth the watch! The 100 airs on the CW on Wednesday at 8PM, 7PM Central!  Or, catch up on what you missed here!

5) Under the Carolina Moon!

I am super excited to announce that I am now an official "Prepresentative" for the Easley, SC store, Under the Carolina Moon!  They have tons of adorable things, including tshirts, monogrammed items, and even Lilly stuff!  I absolutely love it and I'm sure you will too!  As an official Prepresentative, I just recently received a package with lots of goodies, including 2 tshirts, a monogrammed cup, and an UTCM vinyl decal! I can't wait to try everything out!  Keep your eyes open for future posts of me and my UTCM merch! Also, check out the store on their website here, or take a ride to the store if you're local!

Well, I could go on forever talking about things I'm obsessing over, since I kind of have an obsessive personality.  But I'll spare you the novel.  I'm sure I'll be posting more soon!  Be sure to check out the items and looks I've posted on their respective sources, let me know your thoughts, and if you decide to try anything out I want to know about it!

Happy Spring!

XO, Briana