Daily Dose of Design: 2016

Thursday, December 29, 2016

December POPSUGAR Box Review

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Another month, another POPSUGAR box! December's box was so full of goodies and amazing items that were ridiculously fun to open up. The best mail days are always days that include a POPSUGAR box coming in! Here's what was inside December's box:

NYE Outfit Inspiration

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New Years Eve is one of my favorite holidays to dress for because I love sequins and I love velvet and both are the perfect picks for NYE! While I love dressing up and going out, I also love staying in and wearing comfy clothes just as much. Whether you have a fancy party to go to, just love sparkles or are staying in; I got you covered. ;) Here's my 7 favorite looks for NYE:

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Looking Back at 2016 + Plans for 2017 (PLUS a reader survey!!)

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Um... how are there only four days until 2017?! I know I say it a lot and everyone else says it a lot too but I legitimately cannot believe this year is so close to being over. It went so fast! With a lot of ups and some downs, it's been a pretty awesome year. This was my first "full" year blogging (I started mid January 2015) and the growth I've seen in my blog, myself and my attitude toward my blog have changed drastically. When I sat down to brainstorm for this post, I went back and read my 2015 year in review and I was actually surprised at the growth I saw in 2015; the way my blog has grown this year completely overtakes what I saw in my first year of blogging and it's been incredible. From the support of friends and family to the friendships I've made with bloggers to the engagement on blog posts that I couldn't have imagined, it's been *so* amazing and I can't wait for such growth to happen again (and more so - fingers crossed!) in 2017.

I'm also adding in my very first readers survey at the bottom of this post (thanks to Summer from Coffee With Summer for the inspiration to make a readers survey!)! I would so appreciate you taking just a minute or two to fill this out. It'd mean the world!! :)

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale Favorites

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Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had an amazing, relaxing Christmas weekend - I had such an amazing holiday and I'm still sort of in denial that it's over! If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw yesterday that I'm not ready for Christmas to be over... So this entire week will still be treated as a holiday. ;) I mean it technically is a holiday week still; we're less than 7 days away from a new year! Anyway - the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale started yesterday and it's on now through January 2nd. It's genius for Nordstrom to have this sale right after Christmas because everyone is trying to find good deals in the post-holiday shopping rush *and* there's holiday money to be spent!! Here are my favorite things I've found from the sale; and be quick because things are selling out fast!

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas!!!

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Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has an absolutely amazing and relaxing day with family and truly enjoy the holiday. It's a gorgeous day here, and I'm soaking in every second. I love this time of year and I'm looking forward to see what the day and the rest of this holiday season holds! Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog and to those who follow along. I hope you have a wonderful day and holiday week!!!

XOXO

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Hot Chocolate Stirrers


Happy first full day of winter! It's definitely feeling like winter in New York; it's been snowing on and off for the past few days and it's absolutely frigid outside. One of my favorite things to drink is hot chocolate - I prefer it much more over coffee and I could have it multiple times a day when it's cold out! It's so delicious, fun and easy to make and such a winter staple. A few weeks ago I was in Home Goods and I walked through the baking section and found "hot chocolate sticks". But that's just what they were - wooden sticks, with chocolate that likely wasn't all that great and mini marshmallows that I would assume were as hard as a rock. But they were adorable - and then I looked at the price and they were $14.99 for a pack of 4!!! Yeah, you read that right. No way was I paying $14 for 4, mini wooden sticks. That's how I came up with this idea - except my hot chocolate stirrers are *fully* edible and not fake chocolate. ;)

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Last Minute Gift Ideas (that come in time for Christmas!)

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So you've procrastinated finishing your shopping alllll the way to December 21st, huh? Yeah, me too! Actually I just have one or two more things to get but it's so typical of me to have every intention of finishing my shopping way earlier and have it not happen. Luckily for the procrastinators like us, the internet is on our side. At this point it's usually easier to just run to the mall but if you're not having that, here's some awesome last minute gifts that you can still get in time for Christmas:

Monday, December 19, 2016

Daily Dose of Gifts: Gifts for the Beauty Lover + Gifts for the Girl Boss

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It's officially CHRISTMAS WEEK!!!! I can't believe we're so close! I also can't believe I'm not done with my Christmas shopping, ha! I'm running some more get guides because there's just so many good things still out there and I know I'm not the only one who isn't done shopping! I'm super close, but there's still a few things and people on my list I haven't crossed off yet. These two guides are two of my favorites and two of which I want *everything* listed on both. So for all the beauty buffs and girl bosses, this one's for you!

Friday, December 16, 2016

The Easiest Way to Save Money Year Round

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If you shop a LOT, and you like saving money a LOT - you *need* to sign up for Ebates. This isn't sponsored in any way - I've just totally and quickly become so obsessed with using it! About a month ago after seeing a ton of commercials and ads for Ebates, I decided to sign up and see if it was 1. legit and 2. really worked. The commercials always make it seem like it's too good to be true - literally making money to shop - but let me freakin' tell you, it works!

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Daily Dose of Gifts: Stocking Stuffers


Some of my favorite gifts to buy are stocking stuffers! They're so fun to buy and I love personalizing different stockings each year. There are literally endless possibilities when it comes to stuffing a stocking and no matter what price point you want to stay at, there's tons of great options for everyone! Stocking stuffers are usually littler, less expensive goodies that are fun extras but I think it's also a really fun idea to get a cute stocking and fill it with fun goodies for Secret Santa gifts and gifts for your friends too. There's so many possibilities; here's my favorites:

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Holiday Outfit Inspiration

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I know I can't be the only one who goes through nearly everything in her closet when I'm trying to find something to wear... Especially during the holidays when it's fun to dress up! Whether it be for a holiday party, Christmas day or anything else this season, there are so many fun ways to style an outfit and be holiday ready. And whether you're getting dressed up or staying more casual, you can still look *super* cute doing it! These five outfits are easy to mix and match pieces with and are perfect for all holiday season long, but beyond that too:

Monday, December 12, 2016

Daily Dose of Gifts: Gifts for Your Mom + Gifts for the Hostess

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Happy Monday! I can't believe we're just under two weeks away from Christmas - I hate to admit it, but I'm still not done with my shopping! I thought I would be by now but I also know I'm not the only one... I put together two gift guides for today's daily dose of gifts for double the shopping fun! It's Green Monday so there's a LOT of great sales going on. So if you're stumped, here's a ton of gift idea inspo for your mom and for the hostess for all of those holiday parties:

Friday, December 9, 2016

How to Manage Your Time During the Holidays

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This time of year is ridiculously busy - every day it's nonstop going and it gets tiring! Especially when there's only 24 hours in a day and it's dark by 4 PM (insert eye roll emoji here). Just because it feels like you don't have enough time in the day doesn't mean you don't; you just need to schedule yourself out more efficiently and it'll make a huge difference. The holidays are always so much fun yet filled with such stress, and it shouldn't be like that. As most of you know, I graduated college with a B.S. this past spring and since then, blogging and VA work have been a full time gig for me. It's been a true blessing and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it's extremely time consuming. Here are my most helpful tips and things I use in my daily routine to make any given day less stressful and to help manage my time better:

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Daily Dose of Gifts: Gifts for Your BFFs + Gifts for Her


It's finally time to go all out when it comes to the holidays and I could not be more excited! I think I have about half of my shopping done, but things I've ordered are still sitting in boxes in the foyer so I can't be too sure, ha! It's the craziest/busiest but hands down the best time of year. I've been seeing really fun products and great deals going on lately so today I'm sharing two gift guides - one for your best friends and one for her. Both are filled with tons of inspiration, so if you're lacking in the shopping department these are for you!

Monday, December 5, 2016

December Beauty Favorites

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December AND the cold weather are here so I'm always looking to try new skincare products that'll help my skin all season long. We had our first official snowfall last night and it's really starting to look *and* feel like winter now! I've been trying lots of products lately and makeup products too - I'm sharing my favorites that I've tried and things I'll be using all month (and probably longer!) long. From matte lip crayons to blush to cleansing creams, here's my favorites:

Friday, December 2, 2016

Currently Craving: November Needs

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It's finally the happiest and one of the best months of the year! I'm so excited for the holidays and we're getting so close, it's sort of crazy! This month's currently craving is filled with a ton of different things - things I bought throughout November, some things I found on sale during Cyber week and even a few things that are on my Christmas list. I'm also including a few more things that make for great gift ideas because I know I'm not the only one whose in full gift buying mode! This time of year, there's always so many amazing finds at a ton of stores - I included a couple of really cozy finds too ; )

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Holiday Content Strategy: Getting the Most Out of Your Posts


This time of year, everyone is in full holiday mode. Houses are being decorated, red cups at Starbucks are flying off the shelves and bloggers have their calendars filled to the tippy top with fun holiday posts. Gift guides, recipes, holiday tips; the list is never ending! Which is exactly why it's super important to make your posts stand out, but also to get them seen in the most effective ways possible. A lot of this has to do with knowing where your posts perform the best, but it also has a lot to do with how you promote and how you write your posts. This time of year most especially, consumers are looking for time savers; cleaning hacks, hot gift ideas, great and original holiday recipes. The thing is, everyone is doing this. Everyone is sharing their favorite recipes, gifts and cleaning hacks but finding ways to stand out amongst the rest is the key. Here's how:

Monday, November 28, 2016

Cyber Monday: What's in My Cart + TONS of Amazing Sales

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Happy Cyber Monday!! It's by far THE best day of the season to get most - if not all - of your holiday shopping done! Black Friday had a ton of amazing deals going on, but as the emails roll into my inbox I'm realizing just how amazing this Cyber Monday is and how many amazing deals to save on there are. Here's what's in my shopping cart so far today and the best sales that you can shop all day long:

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Cyber Week Skincare Deals from Paula's Choice

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This post has been sponsored by Paula’s Choice in collaboration with Pretty In My Pocket (PRIMP). As always, all thoughts and opinions are solely my own. #PCCyberMonday #PRIMPLovesPaula

This week is by FAR one of the *best* weeks to do holiday shopping! There are so, so, SO many amazing deals going on and a ton of stores turn Black Friday or Cyber Monday into an entire week of deals - and Paula’s Choice is one of them! I'm sharing all of my favorite deals throughout the week because some of these are just too good to pass up. Earlier this year, I shared my love for Paula's Choice skincare products (which you can read here!) and since they've turned Cyber Monday into Cyber WEEK, I knew I had to share these deals with you guys!
Paula's Choice is one of the only skincare lines I'll use now - whenever I have a problem spot, extra redness or even dry skin, I always go to my PC products. They're so refreshing and seriously are of such great quality! For Cyber Week, they're giving a gift with every purchase of $65+ *and* 20% off of everything plus free shipping(!!!). Here's some of my favorites for this time of year and that'll make great gifts:

Friday, November 25, 2016

Best of BLACK FRIDAY 2016!

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First off, I hope everyone has had an absolutely amazing Thanksgiving! I spent the day with so much of my family and SO much food. I have a lot of walking/bag carrying to do to burn off all of the food I've eaten in the past 24 hours! ;) There is so much to be thankful for and I know it may seem like shopping the day after giving thanks is sort of contradictory, but it's still so much fun and such a tradition! I'm rounding up some of my favorite sales - and there's a LOT of them this year! There's so much going on, it's hard to keep track! I usually go out late Thursday night into Friday morning, come home and sleep for a few hours, then get up and ready and head out again to more stores! I just can't get enough of it, I love nothing more!
Here's some of my favorite things I've seen so far and a ton of the best sales:

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Healthy & Tasty Baked Spinach Chips

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I know, I know - it's the holidays and the last thing you want to see is a healthy snack option... BUT, you can't even tell that these spinach chips are healthy because of how freakin' yummy they are! I'm trying to not go too food crazy before the real tempting days get here... AKA Thursday. But believe it or not these could really make for a great hors d'oeuvres or side dish as well as a healthy on-the-go snack. The best part is they couldn't be easier to make!

Monday, November 21, 2016

5 Cleaning Hacks to Make the Holidays Effortless

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RollAwayLint #CollectiveBias

Happy Monday! It's a crazy week around here (I'm sure I'm not the only one!) but I'm so excited for it! I love this time of year and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days ever. It's so fun to spend time with friends and family and it's overall always just a great day! This year we have a lot of family coming in; usually we're pretty low key for Thanksgiving, but this year it's going to get a little crazy - starting today!
As the holidays get closer it's so important to me to keep my home clean and tidy so that the stress of things being a mess with visitors (especially unexpected ones - eesh!) vanishes. I'm always looking for ways to simplify cleaning, and these 5 cleaning/organizing hacks help the holiday stress immensely:

Thursday, November 17, 2016

11 Nail Polish Shades You Need to Try this Fall & Winter

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There's nothing better than finding the perfect polish shade in the fall and winter months! Something about the deep and rich tones make me so excited to get my nails done. Different shades of berry are by far my favorite, but this year especially I've been opened to trying more than the typical (it's clear how basic my nails usually are from that picture.. ;) I usually gravitate toward Essie polishes, but I do love other brands too. My salon just started carrying other brands (besides the typical Essie, OPI, etc.) so I've been trying a ton of shades lately. From berries to neutrals to accent nail shades, here are my favorites for this season:

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Daily Dose of Gifts: Gifts for Your Sister

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Any of you who have sisters likely can agree that shopping for your sister can be SO difficult. I mean it sort of makes no sense because your sister is one of the people you know best, but sibling personalities can be insanely different and although my sister and I like similar things, we still have different tastes. It's hard deciding if I picked something that I know she'll like or if it's just something I like, ha! But I've started my shopping a little bit earlier this year for the sole purpose of not wanting to feel rushed. In doing so, I've been able to budget better too AND have time to find more thought out gifts. These are my favorite gifts I've found that are perfect for your sister whether she's older or younger than you:

Monday, November 14, 2016

7 Last Minute Holiday Items to Get from Home Goods


The holidays are quickly approaching - I literally can't believe Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks - and now is the time where everyone is scrambling to finalize plans, start cleaning the house, decorating and shopping for last minute things. I know I can't be the only one whose had the holiday season creep up on them out of absolutely no where but I am sooo excited about it! We usually have a fairly low-key Thanksgiving with family, but this year a ton more of our family is coming in and it's busy to say the least.

You've probably heard me talk about Home Goods a million times before and may have read my hacks to successfully shop at Home Goods... but there really is nothing like that store, so could you blame me?! ;) Never do I walk out of a store not knowing how I spent $100+ like I do at HG! I love shopping there for any sort of room upgrade, gift, etc., but during the holiday season something about it is even better (not sure how that's possible!). Walking through aisle after aisle to all sorts of Chrismtas-goodness, it's heavenly! So if you're a procrastinator like I am or just need some extra fun holiday decor to light up the house before friends and family come in just a matter of days, here's 7 things you can stop at Home Goods for to easily grab this holiday season:

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

How to Network and Engage on Social Media

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Social networking and marketing is one of the most important tools out there for bloggers, business owners, companies and even for us to keep in touch with friends and family. It's 2016 - and nearly everything you could dream of is possible online; shopping, reading the news, learning something new, finding and connecting with people. Possibilities are endless and if you're a blogger or own a business that's dependent on social media, you know how important it is. It's a tool that's at our disposal and with how useful it is (AND addicting...) there's really no surprise as to why we're so attached to our computers and phones! If you use it correctly for your business, you can benefit so much in so many ways. It's ALL about figuring out what works best for you and your brand, and I think the importance of it is something everyone needs to realize.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Daily Dose of Gifts: Holiday Gifts Under $50

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It may be November 7th, but there is no harm in getting an early start on your holiday shopping! I always start my shopping in the first week of November because I'm always nervous about forgetting someone on my list *and* it's a great way to spread it out and stick to a budget. Plus, I absolutely love to have online orders arrive and start wrapping! I found some pretty adorable wrapping paper at Home Goods the other day and I can't wait to use it! I always like to start my shopping with easier to get items so I figured some awesome gifts under $50 is the place to start:

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Currently Craving: October Obsessions

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Happy November!! October literally flew by in about 2 seconds, but in all honesty I'm okay with it because I love this time of year. November and December are my favorite months (aside from summer, duh) and I'm obsessed with dressing for cooler weather and there's always so many fun colors and accessories this time of year. This is one of my favorite posts to put together each month because I love sharing products I love and I think it also makes for a really fun monthly look book! From leopard print to pretty fall shades to cold weather must haves, I have you covered ; )

Monday, October 31, 2016

Last Minute Halloween Ideas

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Happy Halloween!!

I'm one of the biggest procrastinators I know, and although I'm better about it during the busy holiday season time still manages to slip by and I find myself rushing to get things ready and done. Since Halloween is a Monday this year, most parties were this weekend but that doesn't mean you can't still have fun! Whether you're venturing out, taking kiddos trick-or-treating or staying in, here's some fun and simple last minute Halloween ideas that you can get done in no time today:

Friday, October 28, 2016

7 Things You Didn't Know You Needed from the October POPSUGAR Must Have Box

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Seriously, where did October go?! I cannot believe that Halloween is on Monday already! But speaking of Monday, it's been such a long week so I'm SO happy it's FriYAY! This month has been a whirlwind, but every time I receive my monthly Must Have Box from POPSUGAR, I get so excited - the box that comes in the mail is bright pink so I always spot it from a mile away - and it always makes for such an exciting mail day! #bloggerprobs

I seem to find that each month gets better than the last, but I really don't know how October's Must Have Box can be beat; it was filled to the tippy top with SUCH amazingly fun items - all of which are essentials for fall you really didn't even know you needed, but totally do. ; ) Here's what's inside:

P.S. scroll down for a coupon code!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Quick & Delicious Chocolate Covered Apple Treats


Apple recipes are always delicious, but there's really nothing better than an apple-based dessert in the fall! I always have so many apples in the house from apple picking so trying new fall themed desserts with them is my favorite thing to do during this time of year. I love candied and caramel apples, but am I the only one who finds them SO hard to eat and SO messy?! They're yummy and all, but I'm all about a fun twist on a traditional fall dessert - and that's where these yummy and quick chocolate covered apple pops come into play! They take all of 20 minutes to make and they're sure to be a crowd pleaser for everyone. Also a great way to use up apples before they go bad! Possibilities here are endless... ; )

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Skincare Must Have: Clarisonic Mia 2


I try a LOT of different skincare products - moisturizers, exfoliants, toners; you name it and I've likely tried it or have it on my list. There's some things that have become "holy grail" products, some that I've hated and some that I like but could live without - and I love trying them! If there's one thing I expect and absolutely NEED from a skincare product, it's to have my face feeling fresh and clean after using it. If not, I know it's something I'll never use again. Enter the Clarisonic Mia 2. Obsessed, guys!!

Monday, October 24, 2016

What to Wear Where: Fall Edition

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It's the time of year where things start to get SO busy, and don't cool down any time soon with the holidays coming up. I love nothing more than dressing in fall temperatures and having my scarves match the colorful leaves! I love sharing fall outfit inspiration and putting layering looks together is sort of an obsession - if I can layer, you better believe I will! Since so many busy things go on during the fall, I put together a look-book of outfit ideas for different events this fall:

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Photoshop Tutorial: Making a Horizontal Image Vertical

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When I began learning to use Photoshop, I had NO guidance. Everything I know is self taught, and I think it's been as easy as it is because Adobe's programs (Creative Cloud) are so fun for me to learn. There are SO many things you can do with Photoshop - more than anyone could ever solely know. I know Photoshop comes with a learning curve; since I didn't have much help other than some YouTube videos when I learned to use it, I love sharing my knowledge and helping make such a fun program easier in any way possible!

Whether you're a photographer, blogger or just enjoy taking pictures - this tutorial is for you! I think it's probably safe to say that we've all been in a situation wishing that the "perfect picture" you took was just a liitttle more perfect. In this case, vertical. This happens to me all the time. In so many situations, vertical pictures are so much more eye pleasing. They're pretty in frames, desirable for photographers and for bloggers, they're ideal for Pinterest. Here's a quick, easy and painless process to creating (most) horizontal images into vertical images:

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

10 Things to Do Before 10 AM

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No one said waking up early would be easy, but let me tell ya - it's almost ALWAYS worth it! I know all too well how hard it can seem to get out of bed in the morning no matter what time it is that the alarm is going off. I sort of have a love/hate relationship with waking up early; having a few extra hours to get things done is always helpful but that mid-afternoon slump can reeeaally hit hard! There's a ton of things you can benefit from doing first thing in the morning both for your health and even to benefit your day and the rate of which you get things done. Nothing is worse than waking up and not having a plan for the day or worse - waking up late and still feeling drained. Choosing to start each day off on the right foot helps you feel better, get WAY more things crossed off on your to-do list and best of all, you'll feel accomplished come bed time! Here are my top 10 things everyone should do every morning before 10 AM:

Friday, October 14, 2016

8 Ways to Be A Total #GirlBoss

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I think it's safe to say that we all have the book #GirlBoss to thank for this term, but there's something about it that's extremely motivating. A woman who is hard working, a go-getter and mature beyond her years is considered the ultimate girl boss. Working hard and setting goals - it's a lot of our millennial generations' goal and if you're a blogger or have an awesome business going, you know exactly what I mean! Whether you're already a girl boss or want to become one, this list has 8 ways to help you become a girl boss or legitimize the fact that you already are a girl boss. There's enough boss-ness to go around for all of us, so get motivated and motivate each other. Because in a world like this, we need ALL of the girl bosses we can get!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

BeBe and Bella Skincare: Probiotic Beauty

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This post has been sponsored by Bebe & Bella on behalf of the PRIMP Network. All thoughts/opinions are solely based on my experience.

The only thing better than trying new skincare lines is trying a new skincare line at the start of a new season! I'm completely obsessed with trying new things and I'm always looking for the best products to share that are worth the time/money and ones that I truly love. The fall in New York has started out pretty chilly - I'm talking low 40's at night and frost advisories! It's kind of hard to believe since just a few weeks ago, it was still reaching 86 each day. With the quick temperature change, my skin hasn't really been adjusting well... It's been red and dry and I've been needing something that works more efficiently for this kind of weather change than my normal favorites.

I've take probiotics before but I've never taken them as a part of a skincare routine. I was so excited to try these BeBe and Bella products, and after about 2 weeks of trying these out - I'm so excited to share how it's going!

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Falling for Plaid this Fall

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Plaid is one of those timeless patterns that never gets old and that you can find nearly everywhere, especially this time of year! I've never been huge on wearing plaid myself but this year I'm finding myself loving it and I can't stop buying button downs, ponchos, scarves, etc. I love the color varieties and it's also one of those patterns that you can mix and match with and pair things with in so many different ways. There's so many colors and styles to choose from, and I found my 9 favorites that you need in your closet if you're obsessed with plaid!

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Family Game Night Must Haves

Thank you Ellio’s Pizza for sponsoring this post. Visit your local retailer to pick up your own Ellio’s Pizza for a pizza night in!

 photo Ellios Pizza for game night_zpsrazz0xin.jpg

Even on the busiest of days, making time to relax and laugh a little is so important! One of my favorite things to do to unwind is hang out with friends and family, enjoy good food and fun games both in person and on TV (we're huge sports fans around here!). I always loved playing board games with my family when I was little - and getting to have game nights with friends is STILL the best! Scrabble was always a favorite - we could play endless games without getting bored!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

9 Ways to Maximize Your iPhone's Battery Life

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It's a touchy subject for most iPhone users... But let's talk battery life. I've had a lot of different iPhones now and I'm a total Apple girl so I don't have too much room to complain, but I think we can all agree that the battery life isn't always up to par. Most especially when a new phone comes out; is it just me or can you swear that they send little Apple elves into your phone to mess with it, basically forcing you into buying the new phone?! Don't get me wrong, I'm just as excited to upgrade next month as the next tech-obsessed millennial, but I try my hardest to wait out all of the small bugs and glitches that go on! Anyway, I figured this was the best time to talk about this because my battery life has flat out sucked since the iPhone 7 was released a few weeks ago.

Our phones seem to die at the worst times too, am I right?! After a lot of traveling this summer, I realized I really needed to up my battery game and find out what was going to work the best to maximize my phone's daily life until November rolls around and I can upgrade. Here are some of the tips that have helped me the most, regardless of what I've read and heard before:

Monday, October 3, 2016

Currently Craving: September Swoons

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Happy October! I saw something on Twitter the other day that said Happy HalloThanksMas and I was laughing SO hard because it's so true! I love this time of year (even though I miss the summer weather... so conflicted) and all of the fun clothes, accessories and more that come with it. September was such a fun month - lots of Yankees baseball games, my 22nd birthday and the transition between summer and fall. Now that fall is in full swing, I'm so excited to share my favorite products at-first-sight this season! September was a busy shopping month, but I think October will be even busier.. Here's my favorites:

Friday, September 30, 2016

Fall Essentials: September POPSUGAR Must Have Box

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With every new season comes new products and new things to try! I'm so excited that POPSUGAR sent over their September box for me to try this month. It's now officially fall, and this box is filled with so many fun things! Everything reminded me of something that'd be great for fashion week, which was perfect timing for this month. Here's what I mean:

Thursday, September 29, 2016

How to Recreate NYFW Looks



Fashion week in New York may be over, but it's still fashion season across the globe and right now more specifically in Paris! Oh how I wish I could be in Europe right now for that! There were so many trends on the runway and across the shows that I saw and loved, so I've been looking through store selections to find similar pieces to style. Whether the designer version just isn't available for purchase yet or you're looking for something similar, there's ways to find them! My favorite way that I've found to recreate looks so far is by using FlashFrames; but here's my top four ways to re-create these coveted looks:

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

5 Ways to Adapt Your Hair to the Cooler Fall Weather

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Last week at this time, I woke up to 72 degree weather. Today, I woke up to 41 degree weather. New York brings a whole new meaning to transitional time! For real; and we don't usually have this much of a drastic difference in temperatures so quickly but it's affecting me a lot! Not only is this quick change seriously affecting my skin, allergies and nails - but my hair too. The quick change in temperature plus heat products? Forget it, I'm left with a frizzy and damaged mess! While I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures and dressing in cute and cozy clothes and accessories, my hair doesn't enjoy it one bit.
I'm always opened when it comes to trying new hair products, because as much as I love a blowout and salon-fresh look, I can't have that every day... So I found the next best thing and 5 ways to adapt my hair to the fall weather:

Monday, September 26, 2016

The New Makeup Line Your Beauty Routine Needs: The Estée Edit

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I feel like whenever I try a new beauty product I love, I hit a jackpot - so when Influenster sent me the new Estée Edit VoxBox this month and I began using the products inside, I was like a little kid in a candy store! I figured they'd be great because I love Estée Lauder, and didn't expect anything less here. If you aren't already on Influenster, I highly recommend signing up! It's an awesome resource for finding new products to try, reading reviews to see if they're worth trying, and getting to test out tons of different products to leave reviews on.

This VoxBox came with four awesome Estée Edit products in it; the brightening eye balm, treat prep and glow serum, cream eye shadow and a two-shaded eye pencil. These products and more from the line are all available at Sephora! The colors were a bit out of my comfort zone, and the skin products seemed amazing; now I love them ALL:

Friday, September 23, 2016

The 11 Fall Staple Items You Need This Season

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As of today, it's officially Fall! I love summer (as everyone knows because I say it a million times! ;) but I really do enjoy the cooler temperatures and getting dressed in the fall. If there's one thing I do love about New York, it's getting to experience all four seasons. This is the time of year that everyone starts buying tons of cozy scarves, oversized sweaters, fun boots and all of the season's trends. It's still hitting the mid-80's in New York, so it's been sort of hard to get on the Autumn bandwagon but after going to the mall yesterday and finding a TON of adorable fall items, I'm starting to get in that mood! I may not be able to wear any of this yet, but the nights are getting cooler so I know that the warmth is only going to last so much longer.

I think it's so fun to look through each season's trends and find pieces that fit your style; but there's always a couple of pieces that can be repeated year after year. Whether it's a fun statement scarf or a pair of booties, here are 11 staple pieces that everyone needs in their wardrobe this season:

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

10 Things I Wish I Knew in College: As Told By A College Grad

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It's incredibly weird to me to not have started a new school year for the first time in the past twelve years this year... I can't believe I'm a college grad; I really don't know where the time has gone, but man it's a great feeling to have a diploma after a LOT of hard work! Post-grad life is a lot different than I had expected it to be thus far but I truly cannot complain in the least. The best part about college isn't the parties or the freedom - these are nice and all, but the true blessing in disguise that comes from the college experience is the way you grow as a human. As I sit here now, I really have realized just how many life lessons I learned throughout college. And let me tell ya - there's way more of them than there is knowledge about any of the Gen Ed requirement classes I took. If I could go back, there are definitely things I would change and tweak around - starting from the very beginning of the experience. Literally. I've also realized how many things there are that I wish I knew before I began my college years, and just how much I actually did learn. So here I am today, a college graduate - sharing all of the things I wish someone had told me upon entering some of the craziest years of my life (so far, God bless):

Monday, September 19, 2016

Entertainment Units: More Than Just a Spot to Rest Your TV On

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The #1 Face Mask for All Skin Types

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For as long as I've been wearing makeup, I have always loved the idea of face masks. My mom used to buy my friends and I these fun masks from Claire's and we would have the BEST time with them at sleepovers! I never thought about how beneficial masks are back then, but now I do and I live for face masks. I love trying all different ones - sheet masks, tea, charcoal, eye masks and my new favorite - clay masks! Different masks have different benefits for your face (duh) but they're seriously SO relaxing too. I can't think of anything better to do than have a girls night in or a night of pampering to yourself and treat yourself to a face mask.

Picking the mask that's right for you is the first step and with so many different ones on the market, it's safe to say it'll take plenty of tries before finding your favorite. Every time I try a new one I tend to like it more and more! But no matter which mask you pick, you can bet that you'll feel relaxed and have glowing skin that feels super fresh post-mask. And if you use this new Glacial Oceanic Clay Cleansing Mask by Exquisite Earth Elements, I can guarantee you will have JUST that!