Stylish Sundays: Striped

A little while ago it was super warm, so I took advantage of it and wore one of my favorite dresses.



Dress: Olsenboye
Belt: H&M
Shoes: Converse
Necklace: Jewelmint



On My Face: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, Hourglass Hidden Concealer, Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner, YSL Shocking Mascara, Hourglass Truth Lipgloss, Lancome Metallic Taupe Eyeshadow

Hair: Redkin Pomade, Paul Mitchel Smoothing Serum and I roughly flat ironed it.



I felt really good this day, it was the first warm day in a while and I was really thankful for it. I love winter. But I love spring more, because Spring means rain, and I adore rain.



I bought these white converse last year and I ended up loving them so much more than I do my black pair. They're just so fun and classic. I don't mind that the toes are scuffed a bit because that cleans up easy, but they have already been through the wash twice because I'm such a klutz.

Which season is your favorite?

 

 

 

 

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Review

I've been using this for a while now. I can't remember exactly when I bought it, but it wasn't too long ago. However I am already dreading the day that I run out of it, because I absolutely adore it. I think that this is either better than or at least equal too Chanel's Vita Lumiere Aqua. I haven't used the Vita Lumiere Aqua in a long time, so I'm not positive if it beats it, but it is a possibility.



I love what this foundation does to my skin. It makes it glow and the coverage is lovely. It's definitely light and perfect for spring and summer. It hasn't broken me out or caused me any skin irritation. It's just been absolutely lovely.

If you're in the market for a tinted moisturizer for this spring, and you like a radiant glow, then I fully recommend this foundation.

 

Spring Luxuries

On Saturday, while we were waiting for Howl to be groomed, I decided to stop in Sephora to see Maxwell and to see if I could get a look at the NARSskin line in person. Unfortunately they didn't have it, so I'm going to order when their 15% off sale starts. But I still managed to pick up a few necessities.



Actually none of these are necessities. They're all Princess products, if I'm being honest.

After wandering the store, chatting with Maxwell and trying lip colors. I tried 3 different ones before deciding on Rose by Hourglass



I was torn between this one and Sweety and Satsuma by Bite, but they ended up being to bright, and I just really liked this one.

I also picked up the Jose Maran cleansing oil and Argan oil set at the checkout.



I've used the cleansing oil before, I adore it, and I've had a sample of the oil before which I liked so these will make a good temporary solution until I order the NARSskin products.

The last thing I picked up is what I'm most excited about. The Marc Jacobs Lolita Palette.
It comes in this lovely pouch



And I took far to many pictures of this palette



But every detail is just so lovely



Down to the liner protecting the shadows



And the shadows themselves are just stunning



I haven't swatched it yet, because I'm still sick and I just want to wait until I'm feeling better. I'm really excited about this palette, because normally I don't spend money on eyeshadows. All of the Lancome ones that I use I actually got for free. So this was a complete luxury purchase for me. I'm so in love with this palette, it's just flawless. I can't wait to use it, and I hope it lives up to the hype, I've heard on youtube. If not I can disappointingly, but thankfully, return it because of Sephora's amazing return policy.

Now I'm off to watch my brushes and watch something girly on Netflix.

 

Stylish Sunday's: In A Cold Hot Air Balloon

I actually have a really bad cold today, but luckily these pictures were actually taken 2 weeks ago, so I was nice and healthy.

I saw Christie Toffan at Tanya's Image and Wellness Salon in Crestview, Kentucky recently to get my hair cut. This is the third time I've been to see her, so I'd have to say I've finally found a hair stylist I love. So worth the hour drive. Definitely go check her out if you're in the area or in a feasible driving distance. And if you do, you can pop into Sephora and see Maxwell while you're there.



Dress: Maison Jules, Cardigan: Unknown, Shoes: Gap

This cardigan doesn't get enough wear, I always forget about it, but this dress is sleeveless and the day I wore it, it was still a bit to cold to be wearing sleeveless dresses.  What I love about this cardigan is you can wear it two ways, like a waterfall cardigan with a bow in the back, which is how I'm wearing it here, or tied in the front like I wore it here last spring. If you clicked that link, you'll notice I had gotten my hair cut that day too. It was also done by Christie Toffan.



Hair: by Christie Toffan of Tanya's Image and Wellness Salon

Makeup: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer,Hourglass Hidden Concealer, Nars Deep Throat, The Balm Mary Lou Manizer, YSL Shocking Mascara, Hourglass Lush Lipgloss



Bracelet: Alex & Ani October Birthstone
Hairtie: Emi-Jay



A note about these shoes, I've seen Gap flats get a lot of bad reviews and I can't figure out why. These are so comfortable and the leather is really soft and moveable. Wearing these shoes is like being barefoot, but better.



And of course here is a bit of a silly reminder to stop and smell the flowers, because it is now officially spring! And I am so excited for snuggly rainy days, and cool, but warm sunny days.

What's your favorite thing about spring?

 

Spring Lips and Scents

I mentioned in my last Sephora haul that I would be going back to get a lip color that wasn't in the last time I was there. I didn't end up getting that particular color, but I did find a couple of other things that I fell in love with.

I picked up the Hourglass Lipglosses in Truth and Lush



[caption id="attachment_2268" align="alignnone" width="625"] Left to Right: Truth, Lush[/caption]

I was interested in Truth because Fleur De Force mentioned it in her January Favorites, and Lush caught my eye while I was there because I have a soft spot for peach lip colors.

While I was in the check out eye something caught my eye and I just had to pick it up.



I fell in love with Atelier Cologne's Orange Sanguine from a sample, so for that alone I would have brought this home with me. Luckily the Vanille Insensée. I eventually want to try all of Atelier Cologne's Cologne Absolue's, but these two will suffice for now.

Then I picked up the L'Occitane 500 point perk.



It came with two mini hand cream's, a shower oil, a lotion and a body oil. There was also a mini washbag that's designed to look like a postcard, that may or may not be the entire reason I wanted the set.

 

 

 

Stylish Sundays: Adventuring

This outfit makes me think of a very paired down adventurer's outfit from an RPG.



Outfit: H&M Sweater (Similar)
Aerie Summer Love Tank (Similar)
Victoria's Secret Most Loved Yoga Leggings
Pink and Pepper Riding Boots (Similar)Kate Spade Cove Street Irini (Similar)



Makeup: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer
The Balm Hot Mama
The Balm Mary Lou Manizer
Hourglass Truth Extreme Sheen High Shine Lipgloss
YSL Shocking Mascara

Hair: Bangs pinned back, Loose side braid tied with Emi-Jay Hair Tie

Necklace: Kate Spade Skinny Mini



Bracelet: Alex & Ani October Birthstone Bracelet

I'm pretty sure I only wore this to the Grocery, and then to lay around and read, because that's pretty much how I spend all of my time. This post is going up late because some very dear friends got married on Saturday and I spent all of Sunday recouping from the festivities.

Book Review: Looking For Alaska

I know, I know, so many John Green books lately. I bought 3 of them in the same day, so yeah. I promise the next book I review will be written by someone else.



As with everything I've read by him so far, I loved Looking For Alaska. Miles "Pudge" Halter goes off to boarding school, looking for his great perhaps. There he meets Chip "The Colonel" Martin, a pranking master, Takumi the unlikely MC, and Alaska Young. Miles is a fan of biographies, and even more so of famous last words. It's a morbid fascination, but not as bad as some interests.

Alaska is a wild, messed up girl. She drinks, she smokes, and lives life dangerously. She's kinda the very definition of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She's a master pranker as well, and the pranks that Alaska and The Colonel pull off are legendary.

But late one night, something terrible happens, leaving Miles with a Virgins Suicides type situation.

Final Verdict: I recommend this book, I adored it, for the exact comparison that I made above. The book ends feeling very much like the Virgin Suicides, and that is one of  my all time favorite books.

Off to the Market

Last Friday I went out to go to the Library and was sorely disappointed to find that it had closed early. So instead my husband suggested I take a wander around our local market. While there I managed to pick up a few pretty things and I thought I'd share them here.



It was nice to be able to wander around all by my lonesome, and pick out flowers, some pretty drinks and a few books. I know my book buying has been a bit out of hand lately. I can't say that it's going to change anytime soon. Though I am going to try and cut it down to one at a time.

I know carnations aren't considered one of the best flowers, but I adore them and their scent. I thought that these mini pink ones were absolutely darling, and perfect to put in this random empty mason jar I had. The bouquet on the left came home with me because of the interesting vase, pretty colors and the fact that none of those flowers made me sneeze.

I picked up the Izze Sparkling Juices on a whim, because the looked pretty and I'm looking for an alternative to sodas. i don't usually drink fizzy drinks, but sometimes I just really want one and thought these would fun to try.

 

Graze Box Review

I have a Graze boxes to show you today, I signed up for a free trial to decide if I liked the service or not. Then I tossed the first one in my cabinet and forgot about it until the second one arrived. Then I took photos, ate all the snacks and then forgot about them until the third box arrived today. I swear I'm terrible at this stuff.

Graze is a company that sends out healthy snacks every two weeks for $6 a box. If you use this code you'll get your first and fifth box free MANAS2GRP. And for disclosure purposes, I'll get $1 off my next box everytime that code is used. It's the friend code that they give to everyone upon signing up.

Graze does not currently cater to allergies. Which makes this box a bit hit and miss for me since I have several food allergies, but my husband isn't allergic to any of the things I am, so he will be trying what I can't.



This first one had Garden of England



which had mini strawberries, apples and black currants. I think this one was my favorite, but the name did make me biased.

Mango Chutney With Black Pepper Dippers

Which is exactly as the name described and was spicier than I expected it to be.

Banoffee Pie

With Banana, Fudge, Almonds and Pecans. I couldn't eat this one because I'm allergic to almonds, but my husband said the best part was the pecans.

Fruit and Seed Flapjack



Rustic Rolled Oat Flapjack with Mixed Seeds an Dried Fruits. I was a big fan of this one. It kinda reminded me of a granola bar.

I have a second graze box and a third, but I haven't tried the snacks in those yet, so I'll show them later this week, or next week.

 

 

Book Review: An Abundance Of Katherines

I mentioned in my Fault In Your Stars Review that I wanted to read everything that John Green has written including his Grocery Lists. So I picked up all of his other books except for what he's written with other Authors and any anthologies he's been in.

Colin Singleton is really smart, a child prodigy, who is obsessed with Anagrams and not so great in math.  However, Colin thinks that if he can complete The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, that he can win K19 back. While still heartbroken over his breakup with K19 his best friend decides that he needs a road trip. They stop in Gutshot, Tennessee to see the grave of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and because all road trips need a destination point, decide to stay put for a while and hopefully finish his Theorem.  The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability is to predict the trajectory of relationships with girls named Katherine, or not named Katherine, and to give a bit more footing to the people who are constantly Dumpees.

This book is hilarious. I adored it and think that everyone should read it. While the math is completely over my head, it is correct, and explained at the end of the book. And one of my favorite parts of the book were the footnotes, which can be skipped, if you're not a footnote reader, but shouldn't be. They made the story more entertaining for me, and made me feel more involved and in the loop of what was going on.

Final Verdict: I completely recommend this book. I must warn you, if you're looking for something as deep as The Fault In Our Stars, you'll be sorely disappointed. An Abundance of Katherines definitely takes more of a light-hearted look at the side of breakups. Even when Colin is absolutely heartbroken over breaking up with K19 his best friend is there to mock him in his pain (as a real best friend would) and provide the comic relief.

 

 

 

Book Binge

Generally I don't buy books very often. I'll buy 3 in one month and then I won't buy any for 5 months after that. I usually just go to the Library and grab whatever catches my eye, but recently I went on a bit of a book buying binge and bought 6 books in one week.



An Abundance Of Katherines - John Green

Paper Towns - John Green

Looking For Alaska - John Green

Dark Places - Gillian Flynn

Into The Darkest Corner - Elizabeth Haynes

I bought all of those from Target and Amazon in day and then a few days later went into Barnes and Noble and picked up Unwind - Neil Shushterman

 

 

Stylish Sundays: Okay, Okay

A while ago I professed my love for The Fault In Our Stars and all other things written by John Green.

Well I when I was wandering around Barnes and Noble I found this shirt, and normally I don't buy tee shirts that have to do with books or movies or anything like that, but I just had to buy this one.



Normally I wear a large in Women's clothing, but this is a boy cut shirt so I wear a small. I know because my husband is a Medium and his shirts are too big on me.





I wore it with my favorite black H&M pants and my new Valentines socks from Target. It was comfortable and perfect for curling up on the couch and reading. (Which I have to say was another John Green Novel, haul and reviews coming soon.)



On My face: Nars Tinted Moisturizer, Hourglass Hidden Concealer, The Balm Hot Mama, The Balm Mary Lou Manizer, YSL Shocking Mascara, and Chanel Glossimer Satinette Lipgloss.

I'm actually a really big fan of this shirt, it's comfortable and has exactly the fit I like in men's shirts.