Beauty Bag

Like any girl out there, I am no exception to the fact that everyone loves makeup and beauty products. Over the years I have tried tons of different products, all promising different things, hoping to find ones that will be my friends forever.  So after many years of trial and error, I'd like to share my top 10 {in no particular order} beauty must haves that I absolutely cannot live without:

1  ||  Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Protectant Spray  ||  Doesn't necessarily have to be Tresemme, this is just the one I use.  So important since I use heating tools on my hair almost every day.

2  ||  Covergirl Lashblast Luxe Mascara  ||  I know what you're thinking.."Covergirl?!" Yea you heard me right. I've tried them all—Dior, Chanel—but nothing comes close to making my lashes stand out like this $7.99 little miracle worker!

3  ||  Aquaphor  ||  It's just vaseline in a squeeze tube, but the best remedy for chapped lips. I honestly don't go anywhere without it.

4  ||  Aveeno Daily Moisturizer  ||  Moisturizing is so important after a face wash in the morning.  I like this one because it's light enough to layer under my makeup.

5  ||  AmazingCosmetics Amazing Concealer  ||  Definitely lives up to its name..it literally is amazing.  Such a thick concealer that hides even the purplest undereye bags—trust me..I would know.

6  ||  Laura Mercier Translucent Powder & Velour Puff  ||  My skin tends to get shiny throughout the day, so I always make sure to set my foundation with this powder.  Keeps my face matte all day long.

7  ||  Elastic Hair Tie  ||  I always have at least two of these on my wrist at all times. Just a basic necessity!

8  ||  The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream  ||  Very rich and filled with antioxidants, perfect for replenishing moisture levels while you sleep.  And smells so clean and fresh!

9  ||  Clarisonic Mia 2  ||  My latest investment {and a very big investment} a little pricey but definitely worth it! It effortlessly removes all of the excess makeup that your regular facewash leaves behind.  Leaves my skin feeling so smooth and helps to rid acne! Looooove<3

10  ||  Batiste Dark & Deep Brown Dry Shampoo  ||  This stuff was a great discovery! I definitely don't wash my hair everyday and sometimes I go a few days without a wash..(um..hello big curls that take 6 hours to airdry) This spray is great compared to other dry shampoos that leave your hair white and powdery looking. It matches my hair color and smells awesome too. Available in a variety of colors!

What are some of your can't live without products?

No Sleep 'Til NYFW

So here we are, just one day away from the kick off of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week! I've always been more excited about Fall Fashion Week during my years at FIT, since it was the beginning of the school season and everything was so fresh and new.  But this season I started working in the fashion industry so I'm particularly anxious for the spring shows. Working in the office, I've had hands on experience with all of the intimate details that go into planning such important events as these runway shows. From the seating charts, to invitations, to programs, you never really take the time to realize how much hard work goes into something that seems so fun and carefree as fashion.

Can't wait to see the new Spring looks that are set to hit the runway this week! Which shows are you most looking forward to?

Weekend Wonder

This week is an exciting one for many reasons -- and it has nothing to do with the (not so exciting) snowstorms NYC has already experienced.  Two major world events are taking off this very Thursday and Friday: the opening games of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and the kickoff of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week! Whether you love sports or fashion, there's a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. Personally, I'm super excited for both! I discovered I really enjoy watching the Olympics during the 2012 summer games in London, so I'm definitely going to watch the winter games this year. And working in the fashion industry has given me a hands on look inside some of the hard work, amounts of detail, and weeks of planning that go into creating successful runway shows for fashion week, so there's nothing like seeing some of your hard work pay off. Can't wait for the end of the week!

Cheers to the New Year!

Wow. So another year has came and went. It's hard to believe that time passes by as quickly as it does. It's finally time to say goodbye to 2013 and welcome in a brand new year filled with hopes, wishes, and dreams coming true.

This year was a pretty big one for me, one of my best so far, I think. I had a lot of new experiences and milestones that I'll always remember. I graduated college, left the country for the first time, travelled abroad and experienced three completely different cultures, made new friends, went swimming and tubing in the Mediterranean Sea, took roadtrips with my friends, started a new job, visited a place I've always dreamed of seeing, travelled to the west coast, dyed my hair for the first time, swam dipped my feet in the Pacific Ocean, spent time with distant relatives, got a new puppy, saw the Transiberan Orchestra, took a roadtrip with my Grandparents, went on my first cruise, planted a garden and had an internship in a field I discovered I love.

Despite the minor setbacks and mildly poor experiences that I experienced in 2013, it was overall pretty fantastic. As for 2014, I'm making steps towards my career goals, bettering my quality of life and maintaining positive relationships with the ones I love.  Here's to another great year with tons more memories and great things to share.

Feeling 22!

Happy birthday to me! It wouldn't be right if I didn't dance around to Taylor Swift at least once today so...

{via}

Beauty Boxes

Have you ever heard of a beauty box?  I never had before very recently, when I heard of Birchbox. A monthly subscription of just $10 a month will land a box with a few samples right at your door.  Your box can contain a bundle of anything from makeup samples, perfume, snacks, and beauty tools.  The whole concept intrigued me as I loove to be girly, explore new products and of course try out free samples!  I decided to research it a little more so I could understand it better.  But after reading a few bloggers' reviews of Birchbox, I decided against it as they weren't really pleased each month with what they were receiving.  If I'm going to be paying for these samples, I want products that I'm actually going to use.  Through my research though I discovered Beauty Army.   Same concept as Birchbox, but with this one you get to choose the samples you receive from a preselected list that is generated especially for you based on the profile that you fill out upon sign up.  The Beauty Army beauty box is slightly more at $12 a month instead of $10, but it seems worthy since you actually get a say in what you're getting.  For an even steeper price, there's also Glossybox.  This one has a subscription fee of $21 a month, & to me that's a lot to shell out just for five travel-sized samples.  But if you have the money I'd say go for it.  I'm excited to receive my first Beauty Army beauty box.  I'll post a review when it comes!

Checking In

Hello my loves! It's definitely been way too long that I've posted anything new, but I just wanted to check in and share with you all that big surprises are coming!  Slowly but surely

Xo V