I Love Pinterest

I didn't always "get" Pinterest. I thought the whole concept was kinda lame, but to be honest I never truly gave it a chance. Recently, however, I discovered the amazingness that is this website. Here is a collection of my favorite pins. You can follow my boards if you want.

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Fashion Wishlist from Persunmall

Hey everyone! The other day I was approached by the wonderful Alice from Persunmall.com who offered to have me try out some of their items and review them for you. Step 1 is to post a wishlist featuring my favorite things!

Persun is an online retailer that sells clothing and accessories for very affordable prices. I was particularly impressed by their tops and jewelry selection, so that's what I've focused on in this list.

The first item is this pink flower knit sweater. It's basically a Wildfox knock-off, and since I'm not about to spend $100 on a distressed sweater, this is perfect! I'm sure the quality isn't as good, but I plan on wearing it very casually and I like the loose fit.

A classic plaid shirt has been soo hard to come by for me. All I want is a plain red one, and I can't seem to find one in-store! Luckily, Persunmall has this in stock. It's not flannel, but it has a great pattern and I love the huge pockets.

Next is a gray knit sweater. Right along the spine theres a pulled panel, making it seem like the knitting fell apart. I think it's so cool and perfect to wear over leggings on a cold day. Chuck on some tall black boots and you're good to go.

The last clothing item on my wishlist is a plain white t-shirt. I don't have a loose, oversize t-shirt so this would be a really good staple to have.

Finally, this gold and neon green necklace. I'd see myself wearing this constantly if I were to own it. I totally see myself rocking this under the collar of a chambray shirt. It's really fun for summer, but I'd also wear it throughout the winter because god knows I need some neon to spice up my drab monochrome outfits!

Latest Netflix Love: GREEK

Hey everyone! Having finished my latest Netflix binge on December 31st, I thought it would be fitting to do a little review of it to ring in the new year.

When I picked Greek as the show I wanted to watch, I didn't have high expectations. After all, an entire TV series based on sororities and fraternities... Mehhh. Could be superficial, but at the same time I wasn't in the mood for anything too cerebral either, so I stuck with it. And I'm so glad I did.

The show is about Casey Cartwright, a sorority girl at Cyprus Rhodes university, and her brother Rusty, an incoming freshman who decides to pledge a fraternity. Casey deals with sorority drama and a love triangle with Evan and Cappie (two boys from rival fraternities), and Rusty deals with juggling Honors Engineering and frat life.

It seems like a cliched, easily-executed story, but somehow every plot element is done perfectly. There are no superfluous storyline details - everything is just right. It hits the nail on the head in terms of depicting a balanced college life. The characters deal with emotional tribulations and super awesome frat ragers. I like how one element is never compromised for the other, and the flow between them is never fake or forced.

As I said, I thought having Greek life as the main setting would be contrived and frivolous, and while it sometimes is, I ended up really enjoying it. I liked learning about the details of the Greek system, including the ins and outs of pledging, rush, big & littles, lavaliering, Panhellenic, hazing, and general Greek politics. Everything rang true and aided the believability of the plot.

In terms of characters, you can't really ask for more. They are well-developed and witty, each with their own respective sets of virtues and vices. You'll love them, you'll hate them, and then you'll love them again. They're each equipped with personal/emotional baggage, making even the most vapid sorority girl mildly relatable.

The progression of the show is really natural, making it easy to watch episode after episode. The mood is generally lighthearted, but gets emotional when need-be. Greek will have you hooked for 6 seasons, and all it takes is watching the first episode :)

2013 Beauty Favorites

I originally wasn't going to do one of these, but I figured that didn't comply too well with my "blog more" resolution for the new year so I decided, why not! These are my favorite products of 2013. Some of them are more recent, but I've been using many of them year-long. I use these products daily and I'm impressed with their quality over and over.

Mac Soft & Gentle: I honestly wasn't too sure about this product in the beginning. I didn't notice a difference when I used it, but now I've come to love it. The effect is very subtle, making it perfect for everyday use as a cheek highlighter.

Maybelline Super Stay 10 Stain Gloss: These stain glosses have to be my favorite lip product of the year. I think they're so easy to apply. They're long lasting, and they stay put throughout the day - no need to worry about smudging.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in RSVP: I picked this up on Boxing Day last year and I could not be happier with it. It's the perfect base for virtually any eyeshadow look, and it's so easy to blend on. It really is creaseless too!

L'Oreal Studio Perfecting Base: I picked this up because I ran out of my Stila primer, and I have to say, this does a better job. It smooths out your skin like none other, and it has that soft silicone finish. For the price, you really can't go wrong with this.

Essie "Bouncer It's Me": I have to admit, the formulation of this polish is atrocious BUT luckily I'm a very patient person, and 3 coats is no big deal to me. The color is so vibrant and stunning that I can see past the terrible formula. I've worn this multiple times this year because I'm constantly drawn to it.

Models Own "Luis Lemon": This has, hands down, been my favorite polish of 2013. I was really hesitant to buy it, but I'm so glad I did. I think nails are generally a more understated part of someone's "look", so a little pop of neon isn't as scary as I thought it would be... In fact, it's fun and interesting. Love this polish.

Essie "Bahama Mama": Is it cheating if I included this in last year's favorites? Oh well. This polish has been a recurring favorite as I've worn it many times this year. The color and formulation are just unbeatable.

These two brushes have been part of my makeup routine throughout the entire year. I use the angled end of the Sephora brush for bronzer, and the Real Techniques brush for blush. They're really the perfect duo!

That concludes my 2013 beauty favorites! What have been your favorite products this year?

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014

I was looking through my Instagram earlier and thought a year-end post was in order!

Some highlights of 2013:

• Going to DisneyWorld with my mom and cousins
• Doing the walk to fund Arthritis research with my family
• Signing up at the gym and losing 15 pounds
• Having a fun and relaxing summer at home
• Getting an A+ in my media production class (for 2 consecutive semesters!)
• Going ziplining with my friends in the fall
• Seeing my brother succeed in school
• Getting a new job in a children's library
• Expanding the list of meals I can cook
• Moving to our new home

Things to look forward to in 2014:

• Starting a new internship in the Winter semester
• Being a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding
• Designing and decorating my new room
• Continuing going to the gym and eating better
• Blogging more often with better quality content

Overall, I'm really pleased with how 2013 turned out and I'm excited for 2014. Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year!

Christmas & Boxing Day Haul 2013

Hey everyone! Happy belated Christmas to all those who celebrate :) I hope you all had a great holiday.  I thought I'd mix in my Boxing Day purchases with my Christmas gifts considering most of what I got was purchased with gift cards haha.

My friends and I always do a gift exchange over the holidays, and this year I received a little Occitane gift set containing all the products on the left of the photo above. Included were mini versions of their Almond Shower Oil (which I've been wanting to try for so long!), Jasmin & Bergamote body milk, Pivoine Flora shower gel, two different sizes of their hand cream, Lavender bubble bath, Anti-aging "Immortelle" cream, and Extra gentle soap.

I also got the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush scrub and body butter which smells SO GOOD. The scent is sweet lime. Can't wait to start using them.

My dad got me a new hair straightener which I didn't really need but appreciate anyway. My current one is starting to get a little crusty and this one looks really high-tech, so I'm happy with it.

My little brother got me two Bath & Body Works candles, Cinnamon & Clove Buds, and Eucalyptus Mint.

My mom got me the amazing red YSL lipstick that I've been wanting. I know it's redundant, but it must be said: THE PACKAGING is incredible. My dad got me a MAC giftcard so I picked up "Instigator" from their new Punk Couture collection along with Night Moth lip liner. It's insanely dark but I love it.

I also got a new Sephora Formula X nail polish in "Boom". It has baby blue flecks that cluster when you apply the nail polish. It seems really cool so I'll try it out soon and post a review.

On Boxing Day I picked up the Laura Mercier Artist Eyes palette. I knew I needed this palette after seeing it on Makeup and Beauty Blog. She mentions that the eyeshadows are easy to over-blend, but I don't foresee that being a problem. I thought the look she created was phenomenal. I also got two of the Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes eyeshadow sticks which were on offer 2 for $12.

My mom also got me the Diptyque Noisetier candle. It's a very crisp spa-like scent, perfect for when you're taking a bath I think :)

My cousin got me this awesome red beanie that I've been wearing every day since Christmas so far. I haven't worn a hat in so long that I forgot how cozy they are. I also got many gift cards including ones for The Bay, Sephora and Mac.

Not pictures above are this amazing oversize knit sweater from Top Shop that I got for 50% off on Boxing Day, as well as a Boogie Board that my mom thought would be cute to get me.

That's it! I'm really pleased with my gifts and am so thankful for all of them. Happy holidays!