December favorites!

Hi everyone!!!

It's 2014!!! I actually had a pretty good 2013 so I was sad to see it go, but I'm excited to see what this year has in store for me. So far it's not looking too terrible, beauty-wise. But before I get into any of that stuff, let's wrap up 2013 with my December favorites!

First up I have sort of a two-in-one favorite of my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette and the new eyeliner duo they have to match (in the shades Crave and Venus). The palette was a Christmas/anniversary gift from the wonderful Caitlin of First Glance Feeling because I was seriously coveting hers and honestly, I'm so glad to have my own. I'm reaching for it constantly; it's perfect for work, for days off, for special occasions... I wore it on Christmas and everything! The eyeliner is a really nice touch to complete a natural, matte look. For every day I put W.O.S. all over my lid and then blend Naked 2 into my crease. If I want to add a little depth, I blend Faint into the outer crease and corner. The Crave eyeliner goes along my upper lashes and and Venus along my waterline.

My go-to fragrance of the month was kind of an impulse buy, but I'm so glad I picked it up. This purse spray of Viva La Juicy La Fleur smells so wonderful that even though it's running out a lot faster than I would've liked, I can't stop reaching for it. It's sweet like the rest of the Viva La Juicy line, but the floral tones balance it so it's not too sweet. It's great to bring on trips because if you're traveling, it's not so strong that it'll bother other people but you still smell good. I just need to use it sparingly now because a full size bottle of this amazing stuff will set me back a small fortune!

Now, I had two lip product favorites for the month of December, and the first is this gorgeous nude Chubby Stick Intense by Clinique in Curviest Caramel. It's my first real foray into nudes and I'm officially obsessed. First of all, the formula. I am obsessed with this formula. They are super moisturizing and super opaque and light on the lips - it's basically like you're wearing nothing. I've used the original Chubby Sticks as well and I love them almost as much, but I prefer a bit more pigmentation to my lip colors.

My second lip product has been a lifesaver in this cold weather. Maybelline Baby Lips have always been a Holy Grail product for me (and have been mentioned on this blog a couple of times at least) so I'm pleased to say the Dr. Rescue line is not a dud. The one above is the clear one (Too Cool) but I also have Soothing Sorbet. I use them constantly to keep my lips from getting chapped in the polar vortex (can you believe we have a polar vortex going on??) and as a wash of color on lazy days. They've actually replaced the Electro line as my go-to tinted lip balms.

Moving away from beauty items, I have these amazing Aeropostale fuzzy socks I picked up the week after Black Friday. They were an absolute steal and I've definitely getting my money's worth. I hadn't been in Aeropostale in ages but now I'm curious as to see what the rest of their clothes are like. I'll definitely have to pop in again when I have some time. They're so warm and cozy and I love the color - they match my pajamas and robe perfectly.

Last but certainly not least I have my well-worn and well-loved beanie by Neff. I first heard of Neff last winter when a girl in my Sociology class wore a maroon beanie to class every morning and I was so intrigued because it looked comfy and warm and casual. I finally managed to pick up two when I was in an outlet and I've been wearing them nonstop. This black one in particular has been seeing a lot of action (clearly). The other two I own are hot pink (which goes perfectly with my North Face, I have to say) and baby pink - two colors no one is surprised by. I definitely plan on expanding my collection even if I only have one head and can only wear one at a time.

That wraps up my December favorites! Mostly focused on keeping me protected and good for the wintery weather, but favorites nonetheless. Let me know what you were loving in the month of December and if you want to try any of these products!!!

As always, thanks for reading and I love you!

x Kristin

tag tuesday: sweater weather tag!

Yes my friends, it's time for another Tag Tuesday! This one I saw MissGlamorazzi do on YouTube and, like her, felt like I had to do just because of the name. It's The Neighbourhood's world, guys - we're all just living in it. Anyway, on to the tag!


1. Favorite candle scent?

The obvious choice here is Sweater Weather but I just burned my last Cinnamon Sugared Donut candle and I'm so incredibly sad about it. It smells so spicy and sweet and delicious I can smell it even when it's not burning. I don't think they came back out with it this year and I am so sad I'm out of now. Boooooooooo.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

Although I love all of them very much, I am a coffee person always. Black with two splendas and a little bit of skim occasionally but mostly just black. I am definitely obsessed with fun mocha drinks though like salted caramel mochas and peppermint mochas in red cups. (I'm a Starbucks girl through and through.)

3. What's the best fall memory you have?

The best fall memory I have is actually really recent but I know that it'll be my best fall memory for years to come because it was literally the best time in my life. Ever. I spent the weekend in New Jersey with Caitlin and we went apple picking and into the city for dinner and it was the best weekend!!! I don't see myself topping that basically ever.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? 

Up until recently I would've said winged liner, but I am fully getting into dark lips! I've always been afraid to wear them because I'm fair and it can make me look like the undead but I've been getting into them this year and fallen in love (excuse the pun - or don't). I'm really feeling Rimmel's Kate Moss lipstick in 09 as a regular everyday dark lipstick.

5. Best fragrance for fall?

It's not very fall-like, I suppose, but I'm still loving PINK fresh 'n' clean, to no one's surprise. It's the apples, I think, that make me feel fall-y. Nothing's more fall than apples, right? I know some people say pumpkin but I definitely vote apples. I go one hundred percent with layering too and I just picked up the body butter and shower gel in the same scent. AMAZING.

6. Favorite Thanksgiving food?

POTATOES. That's the only correct answer to this question. Potatoes. Boil 'em. Mash 'em. Stick 'em in a stew. :) We generally have them twice baked with cheese or scalloped also with cheese. Potatoes with cheese are the best combination.

7. What is autumn weather like where you live?

Well I live in New England so I have the most picturesque, traditional falls imaginable. There's foliage and crisp weather and all of that stuff, though it's been unseasonably warm. It just started getting cold for real and I've broken out all of my winter accessories I'm so excited!!!

8. Most worn sweater?

I bought a sweater from Forever 21 last year that I wear almost obsessively. It's oversized and grey that has the names of some cities and pink hearts and it's the most comfortable sweater I own, easily. I am also loving a sweater I bought from Old Navy that has a cute little fox wearing pink glasses. Sweaters!

9. Must-have nail polish this fall?

Right now I'm loving blue polishes for fall. I know it's not a typical "fall" color but it's kind of festive without being stereotypical. In particular I'm loving Butter London's Scouse, which is a blue glitter in a blue jelly base. It has a hint of purple to it but not enough to call it blurple, I think. It's so super festive and will be fun closer to Christmas if you want something not so red-and-green.

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles?

I haven't done either in so long but I always love a good football game. Leaf piles are dirty!!! Also the atmosphere is just so much fun at a football game and you can get super into it and paint your nails team colors and show spirit and stuff.

11. Skinny jeans or leggings?

I am a skinny jeans girl through and through. My love for leggings is pretty recent and though it is big, it cannot overtake skinny jeans. Everything looks a lot more polished with skinny jeans, like maybe you didn't just roll out of bed and threw on whatever was most comfortable (which is totally fair to do and something I actually did today).

12. Combat boots or Uggs?

Honestly, last Christmas I asked myself this very questions. I wanted a pair of boots as a gift but I didn't know which kind I wanted more. In the end, it was combat boots. They're a little dressier - way more work appropriate - and an excuse to wear cute socks!!! I will say I'm not huge on socks, though, so that's why Uggs might win out for me.

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. I have nothing more to say on the subject.

14. Favorite fall TV show?

This fall my favorite show has been Hart of Dixie or The Originals. CW shows have definitely made a resurgence in my life and I can't say I hate it. They're two pretty different shows but I've been marathoning Hart of Dixie nonstop for the past week so it's probably my favorite overall.

15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit?

Aside from Christmas music??? (I'm one of those people who believes it's never too early to listen to Christmas music.) "Red" by Taylor Swift is one song that's been getting me into the season.


So there it is! My Sweater Weather tag. :) I hope you enjoyed it and would love to see yours! Specifically I would love to see Caitlin's of First Glance Feeling!!! :) 

x Kristin

What's In My Bag - Fall 2013

If the contents of my bag look like they create an incredible disaster area, that's because they do.

I'm well-known for carrying everything under the sun in my bag. My mom's called it (it being whatever bag I'm carrying at the time) a suitcase on more than one occasion, though I have gotten a lot better about traveling light... If you consider the picture above traveling light.

The bag itself is a Kate Spade Sophie Kennedy Park tote that I picked up a few weeks ago at the outlets. It's actually exactly what I'd been looking for when I was first trying to pick a new bag for a birthday present, but I didn't even know about this one so I got something else. Luckily this one was still out there waiting for me because it's actually perfect. It's nylon so it's not heavy to carry, but the straps are leather and sturdy. It's black, of course, and there are two open pockets and one zip pocket on the inside. (I know everyone says they love pockets in these things but like - seriously. I love pockets. Organization, guys, even though everything ends up falling out of the pockets anyway but I can definitely pretend.)

The contents of my bag are pretty straightforward: 

• keys with multiple keychains (I have two One Direction keychains. TWO!!!) and an ID case in Vera Bradley's Lilli Bell pattern
• a wallet, also in Vera Bradley's Lilli Bell pattern
• multiple kinds of mints and candies
• lip products - currently a Rimmel Apocalips/Show Off in Celestial and a Hello Kitty lip balm I received for my birthday
• tissues
• earbuds
• sunglasses - this pair by 7 for All Mankind
• hand lotion in, surprise surprise, PINK fresh 'n' clean
• a travel sized fragrance spray also in PINK fresh 'n' clean in the old packaging!!!
• my inhaler decorated with a Spider-man sticker
• a little sailor Hello Kitty flash drive
• a pen that has ink that smudges all over you but for some reason I adore it anyway even if I end up with ink all over my hand like it's the 1800s or whatever
• my emergency kit, of which you can find the contents here 
• my checkbook in Vera Bradley's Make Me Blush pattern (which was my favorite forever and I've only just started buying things in Lilli Bell, but that's another story)
• a standard black beanie as it's getting chilly out and head covering is important in the cold!!!
• my iPad, of course, because my whole life is on that thing for the most part (do you see the little Mrs. Liam Payne sticker in the corner, because of course)
• and finally my One Direction planner that my mom bought me for my birthday, because it's not like I turned twenty-two or anything.

There are some things I generally carry that aren't pictured like, you know, my phone - which was being used to take the picture - and my umbrella as it's still in my suitcase from my trip. On days where I have Chemistry you'll find a calculator, but I don't need that all the time so I definitely don't want to just be carrying it around for funsies. Same goes for my Nintendo 3DS; it's only in my bag when I feel like carrying it or need it or something. Is that nerdy? I don't care, I love my 3DS.

(Speaking of Nintendo 3DS, I just beat Pokemon Y and I'm so pumped because it's the first Pokemon game I've ever beaten without any help. Also if you have a 3DS we should be friends! Just leave a comment with your friends code and I'll reply with mine. :)) 

I wish the stuff in my bag was more interesting but really, it's super basic. I try not to overstuff it anymore, and I don't carry around a huge thing of makeup because really, how often do you find yourself needing to touch up your whole face while out and about? Just keep the necessities in your emergency kit and you're good to go, I'd say. 

As always, thanks for reading! Leave a comment below telling me about what you keep in your purse, or just your handbag must-haves; I always think it's so interesting to see what people have to have with them.

Love you guys and I'll see you in my next post!

x Kristin

Tag Tuesday: Fall in Love!

What's this? A midweek post?

Yes, friends, it is. I saw this tag on the blog StyleSista and of course I had to do it right this second. I love fall and it's the first day of October so I'm going to do a fall tag.

Also - I'm seriously considering making Tag Tuesdays a thing. What do you think about them?


1. What fall trend are you most excited for?

Fashion wise, I'm really feeling military jackets this season. I think they look so great with a chunky oversized sweater, a pair of leggings, and some combat boots. They're fun and they come in a lot of colors and can be styled in a ton of different ways. I'm loving this one from Old Navy and I'm hoping to get my hands on it soon.

Makeup wise I am all about the dark, plummy lip this year for the first time in my life. I finally found some colors that don't make me look like Elvira because while that look works for some people, it does not work for me. I'm obsessed with Plum Wine by Laura Mercier for a dramatic look and Craving by MAC for something a little more casual.

2. What is your favorite fall beauty product?

My favorite fall beauty product is actually nail polish. They're so easy to maintain when you just want to stay in bed and cuddle all day, as opposed to having to get up and put on a full face of makeup. I just ordered butter London (surprise surprise) The Old Bill and I'm already planning a nice fall manicure using it and Jaffa (and maybe British Racing Green, I haven't decided yet). Second would probably be mascara - but that's a year-round thing.

3. What is your favorite fall drink?

Hands down salted caramel mochas from Starbucks. They are my life. I know there's all sorts of hype around the pumpkin spice latte but I've tried it and I'm not at all a fan. I'll stick with my salted caramel mochas.

4. What is your favorite fall scent?

You know, I don't really have a fall fragrance? I wear mine year round. Taylor by Taylor Swift (more surprises) is probably the coziest of my fragrances because of the base notes - or actually Fresh Fig by Laura Mercier! That'll be getting a lot of use this fall. It has amazing staying power and I'm actually obsessed.

Candle-wise though it's all about Slatkin & Co.'s Sweater Weather. It's actually burning right now and I'm so obsessed.

5. Which fall trend do you hate?

I can't actually think of a fall trend I hate. Probably turtlenecks? I just don't think they're very flattering on 99% of people and I don't plan on jumping on this bandwagon. Actually most necks like that: cowl necks, mock neck - no thanks. I'll stick to my crew necks.

6. What is your Halloween Costume this year?

I'm probably not going to fully dress up because I'll be in school, but I plan on doing some fun stuff with my makeup! I'm thinking some sort full face skull - maybe a sugar skull? I have some pictures I saved from Pinterest that I might try. Either way, I'm excited!

7. What is your favorite fall song?

I am SO OBSESSED with "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood. My love Caitlin of First Glance Feeling is going to see them soon and I'm so incredibly jealous (I couldn't go boooooo). I'm also feeling "Chocolate" by The 1975 and "Campus" by Vampire Weekend.

8. What is your favorite Halloween candy?

My favorite Halloween candy is the same as my favorite all year long candy - Reese's. Give me Reese's by the dozen and I'll be happy for life.


So, that's it! This was a lot of fun to think about and I hope you guys had fun reading it too. Please do it and link to it in the comments so I can read them because I think they're wonderful (and you're wonderful, too!).

As always, thanks for reading and I love you lots!

x Kristin

August Favorites!

August was a hard month for new products. It was blazingly hot so I didn't want to wear a ton of new, heavy makeup. Luckily I had a few great, reliable finds makeup wise as well as a new fragrance and some other random little things. So, let's jump right into it!

To kick us off,  my favorite favorite for August was a butter LONDON nail lacquer in the shade Kerfuffle. Kerfuffle was actually from their spring line but goodness was it a great salmony pink for summer! I actually carried this around in my bag with me to show people when the asked about my nails. My mom actually picked this out, too, which is nice because we'll both get use out of it. I wore it all through the month and I'm glad I picked it up on a whim.

The same day I picked up Kerfuffle, I decided to try the L'Oreal True Match foundation. I liked that it had the different undertones, as that has always been a problem when I match a new foundation, actually. I have neutral undertones so foundations always look just a little off on me, but as this one is made specifically for neutral undertones I found my perfect match in soft ivory. The formula is very light and, as it says on the bottle, super blendable, with a natural dewy finish. The finish is the only part of it I'm not necessarily a fan of but it's can be easily toned down with the pressed powder of the same line (or an oil-control powder of your choice). This was perfect for more coverage for work and I'm glad I decided to try it!

My next favorite is an oldie, but amazing nonetheless. I tend to neglect my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette in favor of my eyeshadow quads from Mac but in August I gravitated towards it as I found I wanted to change up my eye look more often. I've fallen absolutely in love with it, especially combining the shades Verve and Pistol or Foxy and Half-Baked, using Blackout as a liner for both of the combinations. It's a really creative way to do eye makeup and I'll probably keep loving it as autumn comes around.

August was the month of the Electro Baby Lips line!!! I actually got my hands on all of them mid-July, but I wore them everywhere in August, including work where I probably should've been wearing a more full coverage lip color. I didn't care!!! The colors are all so gorgeous, either paired alone or with a lipstick (I liked pairing the shade Oh, Orange! with Mac's Tart & Trendy lipstick), and they're super moisturizing and fun to wear. The one I wore the most and carried in my bag with me everywhere was Strike a Rose (pictured above), a bright pink that leaned a little softer than the other pink in the line, Pink Shock. I may have to grab more of these before the line completely disappears from stores.

When I first tried Taylor Swift's latest fragrance, Taylor, at work, I was not really a fan. I liked it, but I thought Wonderstruck was way superior in every way and kept wearing that everywhere. However, in August, something about Taylor clicked for me and every time I went into work I was sneaking over to the fragrance counter to put some on (sometimes even multiple times during a shift, oops). What I love about it is that it's more mature without being overwhelmingly so - exactly like what she described when she first started promoting the fragrance. It's still fruity and sweet, but it's got a little bit of something extra that says, yeah, I'm young, but I'm not a kid. I love it and hopefully soon I'll be getting my hands on a full sized bottle.

Speaking of Taylor! These black lace Taylor Swift for Keds sneakers have been my everything. I wanted a pair of black Keds to wear to work because Keds are really, really comfortable and basically work-appropriate sneakers. When you're on your feet for up to eight hours a day, having work-appropriate sneakers are really nice! So when I found these (by way of my darling Caitlin), I actually made an hour long trip to another mall to get them. They were so worth it. The colors are perfect, they're adorable and unique, and, honestly, they're well-loved. I'd go out and buy another pair if I had the money, honestly.

I'd like to mention two other favorites that aren't pictured because I can't take photos of them! They are two things by One Direction (quelle surprise) - their song "Best Song Ever" and their new movie, 1D: This Is Us. "Best Song Ever" is just super fun and upbeat and great to dance along to in the car when you're stuck in traffic for an hour trying to get home. It's a song that makes me smile and that's the best thing for a song to do, right? 1D: This Is Us is very similar in that respect, because I smiled through the whole dumb thing. Again, lots of fun, but also very sweet and actually gave an interesting perspective into why teenage girls react to things the way they do (spoiler alert: it's not because they're "psychos"). I think This Is Us is worth seeing just for that bit alone, honestly!

Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you had a great August and have an even better September. I personally love September, so I have high expectations. :)

x Kristin

Birthday Wishlist!

disclaimer: in no way do i actually expect any of this stuff, let alone all of it. i am very very fortunate to receive any gifts for my birthday and am really just happy if i get a message from someone hoping i have a good day. these are only examples of things i mention when asked about gift ideas and hopefully will help other people get ideas for things they want to ask for on their birthdays as well. cheers!

The nice thing about birthdays is that they're an excuse to ask for things you'd feel bad asking for normally. 

Don't get me wrong - I always feel bad asking for extravagant things, but with birthdays it feels a little less extravagant and a little more reasonable than usual. I'm turning 22 in two weeks (turning 22 on 9/2 is exciting to me???) and people have already been asking me what I want so! This is a little post of some of the things I've come up with - with the exclusion of two items, both of which I know I'm getting so I felt a little silly putting them on here. For reference, they are this gorgeous Steve Madden handbag and for my girlfriend to come up and stay with me for my birthday (aka the best possible gift I could've gotten, I promise)!!! I'm very excited for both. Anyway, on to the actual list!

The first two things I want to talk about are the fragrances, philosophy's field of flowers orange blossom and Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift. At work I spend a lot of time at the philosophy counter. It's part of the five I tend to pick up the most shifts for, and because of that, a good portion of my day is spent smelling all the wonderful goodies philosophy has to offer. My very first day of work, the philosophy counter manager at the time had me smell this fragrance and I fell in love. It's citrusy but not overwhelmingly so; my friend at Laura Mercier hates citrus fragrances but she actually likes this. I put it on whenever I go into work and I would love a bottle for when I'm not working. Wonderstruck is an old favorite that I have an itty bitty bottle of and would absolutely treasure the full size. I have very distinct memories of a times I wore it to my World History class last fall and everyone said the room smelled nice because of it. I obviously don't need both and if I had to choose the philosophy perfume would be it, but I thought I'd give people the option! I don't normally wear perfumes, just body sprays, so I thought these would be a nice gift.

The butter London Tops and Tails set has been on my radar for awhile. I'm in love with butter London polishes (most of the polishes I own are butter London) and really feel like they're worth the splurge, so the base and top coats are probably worth the splurge too. I'm not a huge fan of the OPI top and base coats I'm using right now, so it would be a good time to try something new! 

The clothes I've included are really just a general clothing request. I can be a little picky about what I wear but I do like seeing what people think I'll like. Lately I've been loving pretty much everything by Victoria's Secret Pink line, especially their essentials and their sports lines! I'm wearing a pair of their MLB leggings right now actually (go Mets!). I'm a fan of quite a bit of their Giants gear so hopefully I can pick up some of it and wear it around school and work as a reminder to all of the Patriots fans I work with that the Giants are a better team. :)

I have two pretty far-fetched and unlikely gifts, but I always like to throw stuff like that on a list. I don't know why, but it always happens. For this birthday it's a Michael Kors rose gold watch - I'm not sure what the model I have pictured above is, but I'm a huge fan of the Runway style - and a pair of tortoise-shell Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. I have a working watch that I love and was considerably cheaper so that's hardly necessary, but I've been looking at Michael Kors watches for awhile and I think they're so incredibly lovely that it never hurts to just throw it out there. The sunglasses are probably more likely than the watch to ever actually come to fruition, even not as a birthday present. I currently wear Ray-Ban Wayfarer prescription glasses and I love the way they fit and feel on my face-head-area. They're really comfortable and I take good care of them, so I feel like I would actually do the same with my sunglasses if I had the same kind. I picked the tortoise shell frames just because they're a bit different? I have the black in my regular glasses and it never hurts to change them up. Of course, I really expect neither of these (I say that but I honestly don't expect any of it), but it's still fun to think about!!!

The California Republic snapback has been on my Amazon wishlist for awhile simply because of the pink brim. As a lot of people know, I'm a big lover of the snapback trend as I'm a big lover of hats in general, and these fit over my massive hair a bit better than the fitted hats do. I already have a few and though I love them very much, I don't think it hurts to have more - especially when one has a pink brim, which is my absolute favorite color. I could absolutely see myself wearing this hat on many an occasion.

The last thing is kind of odd but it's more of a birthday treat to myself. As I talked about in my last post, I'm super bored with the current state of my hair, so I thought why not treat myself to a salon day and get it done for my birthday? I'm thinking that if I go through with it, I'll get my ends evened out and an ombre and splurge a little because you only turn 22 once! And then I will go back to my responsible saving that I've been doing for the past few weeks (I'm very proud of myself).

That about wraps it up! I'm so thankful for the fact that people might even care what I want, it absolutely astounds me. I hope you all have a wonderful day and, as always, thanks for reading! 

x Kristin