your steffles

Wet N’ Wild has done it again. They just came out with 3 limited edition Color Icon bronzers and I was lucky enough to find them at my local CVS for $4.19 each. I only picked up Don’t Be Shellfish and Me Shell My Belle. The third one is called Shell-A-Brate Good Times, but it’s a little too dark for my skin tone so I would never be able to pull it off.

Don’t Be Shellfish has a beautiful light pink (champagne) shimmery color with a light brown with shimmer as well. Out of the 2 that I bought, this is one is my favorite. 

In my swatch, from left to right, I have both colors blended together and then alone.

When blended it makes a very beautiful sun kissed glow which is going to be perfect for Summer.

Me Shelle My Belle has a pale matte pink and a very light matte brown.

I did my swatch here the same as the last one. I think I blended more pink than brown in my left swatch, it almost looks more like a blush. It still looks great as a matte bronzer because it has that subtle rosy pink to it.

It’s that time again! Here are my favorites for May:

• Real Techniques Brushes - I’ve known about these brushes for awhile now, but I wasn’t completely sold on them until my dear friend, Nicole, did a review on a few of them. I picked up the Expert Face Brush, Foundation Brush, Stippling Brush, and Fine Liner Brush. These brushes are amazing! They do not lose their shape after washing them and they don’t eat up a lot of product. My favorite out of all four would have to be the Expert Face Brush, it works so well with liquid foundation.
• St. Ives Green Tea Scrub - Since my skin is so dry, I have to make sure that I exfoliate once a week to get rid of dead skin build up. I love that this scrub has very fine beads to get a nice deep clean.
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Kiss Me Coral - This lipstick is such a beautiful shade of coral and it has been my go to shade for a nice bright and fun shade for Spring.
• Wet N’ Wild Megalast Nail Color in Bite the Bullet - I initially wore this color just for Amy & Nick’s Wedding, but I ended up loving it so much that I kept it on my fingernails for an extra week and on my toenails for an extra two weeks. I like that it’s kind of neutral and I am a sucker for pastel colors.

Yesterday evening, I went to another wedding with my boyfriend and his family. It was at the Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island. I was surprised by how beautiful it was there. It was probably the most laid back wedding ceremony I have ever gone too. The groomsmen were wearing sunglasses and chucks, people were screaming, and there was so much laughter during the ceremony. However, I was still getting teary eyed during the vows.

Once the ceremony was over, my boyfriend and I snuck a picture by the arch in front of the ocean.

The dress I am wearing is from Victoria’s Secret and it was an anniversary gift from my love :) 

I also ventured inside before the reception started to see the wedding cake, or in this case wedding cupcakes. I think that cupcakes are such a great idea! During the Cake Cutting, Thida & Bert just cut the top part which is a very small cake for them. 

The cupcakes were from Cupcakes Squared, which is actually just down the street from my boyfriend’s apartment and they are so delicious! 

Before the reception started we took a few pics in front of the water. This picture includes 3 out of 6 of my boyfriend’s siblings with their spouses. 

Left to Right: Jonathan, Tina, Dan, Julie, Mat, Janell, me and Jamin.

(All my boyfriend’s siblings have names that start with the letter “J” Just in case you wanted to know which ones were his siblings)

Once we got inside, we were seated at our tables.

The tables were really narrow, but I liked the simplicity of the centerpieces. 

And I made sure we participated in some Photo Booth fun!

My newest JewelMint piece :)

Once I saw the color, I couldn’t resist! So beautiful..

The entire Kirby family (including the Boyett and Marbrey family) is spending this whole week at Disneyland. I originally planned on spending the week up there with everyone, but unfortunately I could only go for one day because I have work.

Being a responsible adult with bills sucks!

The whole one day that I was there though, was so much fun! We met up with everyone at the Disneyland Hotel and spent a little bit of time in the concierge room to eat, drink, and prepare for a day of walking around the park.

The Disneyland Hotel is separated into three towers. Fantasy, Adventure, and Frontier. This is the view from the top of the Adventure tower inside the concierge room.

I don’t drink soda, but my boyfriend’s a fan. 

Tina getting some ice from the bar.

I was taught how to use this machine to make my own espresso! It was so good!

At the Disneyland Entrance :)

The entire family! My boyfriend is the youngest of seven, haha. This picture includes everyone’s significant others and children. 

Jamin & Wyatt watching the Big Thunder Railroad Coaster go by.

Official Dumbo Pilots

After walking around the park for a few hours, we went back to the beautiful 3 bedroom suite to relax.

After we relaxed, everyone went down to the hotel pool.

Jamin’s sister, Janell, with her daughter Cora.

By the time everyone was done swimming, it was time for me to go home :(

Hopefully, I will back to Disneyland soon!

My boyfriend’s whole family is in town for 2 family weddings. We all went to the first one last Saturday for his cousin, Amy. It was at the San Diego Botanic Garden. Such a beautiful garden…

The bride & groom

My view of the cake ;)

Our sad attempt to get Wyatt to look at the camera, haha

Small bouquet of flowers from Jamin’s other nephew, Steven. So sweet.

Jamin & I by the waterfall.

Dress by American Eagle

Clutch and Accessories by Banana Republic

Since I am going to a wedding today, I thought it would be the perfect time to use my Kerastase free samples.

I really liked the shampoo because I felt like I was using a clarifying shampoo. It gets in there and cleans out all the dirt and product build up.

The conditioner was really different that my usual conditioner because it wasn’t very thick. I left in my hair for a good 10 minutes, then rinsed it out. It doesn’t give your hair that soft feeling, like your fingers just glide right through your hair. It actually made my hair feel squeaky clean.

I’m not really a fan of the smell. It smells kind of like alcohol. It’s not overwhelmingly awful though, it goes away fast.

Once I towel dried my hair, it was really easy to run my brush through my hair. No tangles :) and then I put in my Moroccan Oil and waited about 20 minutes before I blow-dried my hair. It was surprisingly very manageable and my hair felt thinner than usual, in a good way. It felt healthier and it wasn’t as frizzy as it usually is.

After I blow-dried my hair, I straightened it then used a little bit of the Lumiere Liquide drops. I concentrated mostly on my dry ends and it made my hair softer and shinier.

All of these products worked amazing well and now I want the full size products!!

Well played Birchbox, well played…

Making a homemade card 🎨 (Taken with GifBoom)

Once I got my free sample in the mail, I was excited to try it on and I instantly fell in love with the fragrance. The best part was that all the scents that I voted for won!

I went to Macy’s yesterday to check and see it if it was in stock yet, but it wasn’t. However when I was looking through hashtags on Instagram earlier today, I saw that another girl had a picture of the full bottle. I called my local Macy’s and asked if it was in stock. To my luck, they had just got their shipment in! I immediately headed over to the store, but I didn’t see it on display yet. Once I asked, the sales associate told me that they were just unpacking them from the boxes behind the counter. I was the first person to purchase it! How desperate am I? hahaha.

So if you’re looking to get it too… They’re in stock now!!

When I first opened up my box, I pulled out these two pieces. I really like the shape of the bottle, but I’m not really a fan of the decorative cap. I’ll use it though.

I love that it’s my favorite color too, purple :)

The scent is very sensual and feminine. It’s really hard to describe it in any other way, because to me it’s perfect ;)

You should go to your closest Macy’s and check it out!

Wet N’ Wild’s Bite The Bullet & Party of Five Glitters

Revlon just came out with a new lip product called, Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. Naturally, I was intrigued and I had to pick one up. I played it safe by getting a soft rosy shade, 001 Honey Douce.

I have never used a lip stain before, but I know that this balm stain combines a lip stain with a moisturizing balm. I’ve been wearing it for the past few hours and I really like it. It’s extremely lightweight, like I’m sure a lip stain would be, but the moisturizing balm part of it is nice because it doesn’t dry out my lips.

I want another one…

While I was pinning on my Pinterest the other day, I stumbled upon the cutest iPhone case I had ever seen in my life! That’s when I discovered this site called Switch Easy. They make accessories for iPods, iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

This case is from their Avant-Garde collection. It’s basically 3D on the back which I thought was pretty cool, but I was afraid that it would be bulky. However, I have it on my iPhone now and I absolutely love it :)

It came with 2 screen protectors, 2 bottom charge port plugs, 2 headphone jack plugs, and a cleaning cloth. If there wasn’t any holes on the back part of the case, I would say that my iPhone is completely protected from dust. It’s not a deal breaker though. I really like the design on the back.

If you’re looking for a new iPhone 4/ 4S case, I highly recommend this one :)

Anonymous asked: How do you feel about the Kerastase products so far? Can you share any tips on keeping longer, thick hair managable? I'm at an awkward shoulder length stage right now, and my hair drives me nuts sometimes. I'm tempted to go short because of it!

I haven’t had a chance to use my Kerastase samples yet, but I’ll be sure to make a post about them once I do.

As for tips on managing thick, long hair… I am so glad you asked! I have tried so many hair care products, it’s not even funny. By my process of elimination, I have found that for certain products it’s better to invest in higher end brands because they work a lot better.

My hair is very dry and frizzy. Over the years, I have noticed that as I get older, my hair gets wavier. These are all the products that I use on my hair and what works for me.

When I wash my hair, I don’t use an expensive shampoo and conditioner because it’s just going to be rinsed out anyway. I use Herbal Essences because it smells good. I use the Long Term Relationship one because I have long hair. There’s not really any other reason. I got both of these for about $3-4 each at Target.

Once a week, I use Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. I love this conditioner so much, it smells amazing and it always leave my hair feeling incredibly soft. It can also be found at Target for $3-4.

The one product I cannot live without is my Moroccan Oil. This is the only hair care product that I have ever used that quenches my extremely dry hair. It makes me hair soft and shiny, like really shiny. I can’t stress that enough. I use about 1-2 pumps on my hair every time I get out of the shower. I let it sit for about 20 mins before I blow dry my hair, to let it really soak in. It never makes my hair feel greasy and it also protects my hair from heat styling, which I do A LOT of. This would be one of the products that costs a little bit more. It retails for about $45 for a full size bottle like mine and you can find at any beauty salon that sells this line. It is totally worth it though. It will last a very long time and a little goes a long way. I have had this one for about 6 months, and I still have about 1/4 left of it.

I have also found that investing in a really good Leave-In Conditioner is important. I use TIGI Bed Head Ego Boost Split End Mender Leave In Conditioner. I just use this on the bottom half of my hair to give it that extra moisture and care. I can’t use it too close to my roots because then my hair will get greasy right away. This can be found almost anywhere, but after searching beauty salons and drugstores, I was able to find it the cheapest at Target for $16.

Another tip that I would give is to not wash your hair too often. I only wash my hair 2-3 times a week. By not washing my hair too often, I’ve found that my hair grows faster and it’s a lot healthier. Since I like to straighten my hair a lot, I try to make my blowout last about 3 days. Which is why I also use Dove Hair Therapy Dry Shampoo. I was really confused on how to use this, but my friend Nicole told me to spray it on my hair at night before going to bed. Make sure to spray it least 6-8 inches away from your head and only use it on your roots to absorb the excess oil. Then use your fingers to work it into your hair and then blow dry it. Once you get up in the morning, your hair is as good as new. I got this at Target for about $3-4.

On my lazy days, aka the days I don’t feel like spending an hour straightening my hair, I just use Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Spray Gel on my wet hair and I’m done. The gel makes it so that my hair keeps its natural wavy texture without getting frizzy. Doing this also gives my hair a break from heat styling, which is always good. I also got this at Target for about $3.

Lastly, I use Garnier Fructis Style Brilliantine Shine Glistening Drops and Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine whenever I straighten my hair. I like to use the Garnier one to make my hair extra glossy. However, I really like the Bumble and Bumble one because it makes my hair look piece-y. “It gives hair polish and a sort of languid, slept-in, sexy look.”  The Garnier one is about $4-5 and I believe that it comes as a spray now, I have had this one for a really long time. It can be found at most drugstores. The Bumble and Bumble one is about $24 I believe. Definitely more on the expensive side, but I think it’s worth it.

I apologize for the really long post, but I hope that I was able to help you.

Birchbox sent out a tweet earlier today asking for bloggers to make a list of songs that we get ready to. My go to song list includes:

• Break The Ice - Britney Spears
• Can’t Be Tamed - Miley Cyrus
• Dance In The Dark - Lady Gaga
• The Fame - Lady Gaga
• Hit The Lights - Selena Gomez
• I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You - Glee Cast Version
• Like a G6 - Far East Movement
• New Friend Request - Gym Class Heroes
• Permanent December - Miley Cyrus
• Rolling In The Deep - Adele
• Rumour Has It/ Someone Like You (Mash-Up) - Glee Cast Version
• Shake It Out - Florence + The Machine
• Starstruck - Lady Gaga
• That’s What You Get - Paramore
• What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
• Where The Lines Overlap - Paramore
• Who’s That Boy ft. Dev - Demi Lovato
• Why Don’t You Love Me ft. Demi Lovato - Hot Chelle Rae
• With Love - Hilary Duff
• You’re My Only Shorty ft. Iyaz - Demi Lovato
• Your Love Is My Drug - Ke$ha

I’m a little embarrassed by my playlist, but these are the songs that I can’t help but rock out and sing along to..loudly :D

I’m sure that almost everyone knows about the monthly Birchbox beauty subscription. However, if you don’t, check out their website here.

I am so glad that my first one was Gossip Girl themed! For anyone that knows me, you know that I’m obsessed with this show haha.

Everybody’s box will vary depending on specific needs. Your skin type, hair type, etc. I wanted to share what I got my box :)

• Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Curacao - This is a sparkly bright blue liquid eyeliner.
• Dr.Jart+ Water Fuse BB SPF 25 - Just a small sample of a Beauty Balm.
• Color Club Nail Polish in Disco Nap - A beautiful gold color and I just love the name ;)
• Kerastase Cristalliste Shampooing Perfecteur Multi-Lumiere - A luminous perfecting shampoo for fine long hair.
• Kerastase Cristalliste Soln Perfecteur Multi-Lumiere - A luminous perfecting conditioner for dry lengths or ends. For long hair as well.
• Kerastase Cristalliste Lumiere Liquide - This essence treats dry ends and lengths weightlessly. It’s almost like shine drops.

I love everything that I got but the ones that I’m most excited about are the Kerastase products. I saw an interview with Blake Lively awhile ago and someone asked her what the secret was to her gorgeous hair. Her exact response was, “Any Kerastase product.”

They could not be more prefect for me too! When I was filling out the beauty quiz, I actually said that I had long and dry medium to fine hair. They nailed it!

At the bottom of the box, they also included this card ;)

You know you love me…