Losing It

Not listening to anything because it would distract me.
    Alright guys. I'm sorry. But posts are going to be few and far between until the end of this semester. I have a freak-ton of things due all within the next three weeks and I really can't handle it all right now. Just let me finish all my school stuff and I promise I'll post you some fun Christmasy things 'cause that's definitely my favorite holiday. But for right now, school is the rule and I have no life, time, or sanity. Please hold.

image from here

Five Faves and a Flop: October

Listening to Corey snoring on Skype. It's cute. When I tell him he's snoring and to turn over, he does. :)
Counting down. One week. Exactly. 
    Whoa, y'all. Five Faves and a Flop is actually on the last day of the month this month. My OCD side is writhing with uncontained rapture.
    This month has been a little different for me in that I really didn't have a flop. I didn't try anything new that I was displeased with. I didn't get tired of something I'd been using. The only real flop for me has been that the weather has been a little disappointing. I know that if you live in Georgia, a) the weather will never do what you think it's going to do and b) it doesn't get really cold, like slap-your-grandma cold until well after Christmas. I want that cold now. But it's not. January. January is brutal. But don't you try and wear a heavy sweater in October because everyone will look at you funny and you'll smell like sweat and embarrassment. I speak from experience.

    I've been working on my photography skills these last few weeks as well. I usually use my phone because the digital camera I've had since sophomore year of high school has met its end. Also I can't find the battery charger. I got my hands on my sister's Nikon Coolpix L110 and we've been having some fun. I'd love to get myself a good DSLR but who knows if that will ever happen. Maggs's is working pretty well in the meantime.
    On to the favorites!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 812 Nightwatch. (I got mine at CVS, but I've also seen it at Target. Couldn't find a link.) My dress for the Marine Corps Ball with Corey is navy blue (that's all he knows about it and all I'll say; the rest is a surprise!) and I decided I wanted my nails to match it.

I'll probably wear silver heels (no surprise there, they're all I have) and I thought having silver fingers and toes would be just a little too much. Plus it's autumn and I thought a dark color would be more sleek and sophisticated. I nabbed this one - it's part of the limited edition fall 2013 line, with Gold Roses - and tested it out last week and good gravy is it gorgeous. It's so deep and opaque it's nearly black unless light is shining directly on it, then you realize what a glorious midnight blue it is. Absolute perfection.

Bumble and Bumble BB Straight Blow Dry Cream. This was one of those little samples I received at the Sephora event for Bumble and Bumble. It's probably my favorite one - I blow dry my hair almost every time I wash it. It's rare that I let it air dry because I almost always shower in the morning right before going anywhere. To be perfectly honest, I'm not really sure what this is supposed to do, but what I notice is that it makes my hair super smooth and shiny - no frizz (which isn't a huge problem for me) and less tangles while I'm drying, which I deeply appreciate having color treated hair. (P.S. Went and did something a little cray this last appointment and Maggie introduced a color that is not blonde. Shock and Horror, I know.) Plus, as Hannah so astutely pointed out, it just smells good.

 Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Just Plum Good. I will admit, there was a slight initial flopping with this product. Here's the deal. Based on how ridiculously rich this color looks in the packaging, and the fact that it's a balm like my addiction the Revlon Just Bitten Lip Balm Stain, I thought this was going to be super pigmented. It's not. It's a gloss. It has a slight tint to it, but my lips were most certainly not "just plum good."

 I bought this back at the very beginning of the month and after that first use, I tossed it in my purse, disappointed. However, as I love to mix lip products, I tried putting this over some of my lip balm stains and lipsticks and loved the effect. A good shiny lip gloss on top of a lip stick or stain adds a lot of dimension and has a great plumping effect. When that lip gloss has a darker tint than the base color you're already wearing, it just looks amazing.

 I especially love this on top of e.l.f.'s Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose. "She's a beaut, Clark! A real beaut!" (Someone please name that movie.)

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner Palette in Hazel Eyes. Crazy name; awesome palette. I know y'all see me raving about Physician's Formula all day err'day. But seriously. I freaking love this palette.

I don't even have hazel eyes and these colors are still amazing. I really love using that middle super pale pink as a highlighter, and the darker shade above/to the right of it in the crease, then the bottom lighter purpley-pink over the lid. But honestly, any combination is beautiful.

And you can see how much I use these; almost every shade shows some use. Highly recommend no matter what eye color you have.

Glasses from Firmoo. Last but not least. I've been rocking these every other day this month. I'd be wearing them today if it weren't Halloween. They just don't quite match my costume... I won the lighter tortoise shell on the case over at Jessica's blog, The Lovely Side. I loved them so much I wanted another pair, and Firmoo is awesome enough to offer any pair from the classics collection for free (you just pay for shipping and if you want special lenses) if you're a first-timer on their site! So that's two pair of glasses that I got for ten bucks a piece! (I bought the scratch and reflection-resistant lenses). They fit really well, and are my prescription, which is always a plus, and they look super cute. If you're a glasses-wearer, or if you just want a pair of prescription-free frames, go check out Firmoo!

So there you have it! Sorry I have nothing to complain about this month... Maybe I'll be grumpier next month. ha ha. Hope everyone had a great October! Comment below telling me what you were for Halloween!

Cursed

Listening to Corey say on Skype, "No! Don't call it that! That only reinforces it!"
Sniffing.
    Corey and I are cursed. Since we started dating, almost every time we're supposed to see each other, or we plan something special, something goes wrong. Usually, it's illness. I like to think of the Curse as a hurdle we have to jump in the race to seeing each other.
    It began before we even started dating - that first kiss over Thanksgiving break. I had just gotten over a cold slash was still on medication. So when I kissed him, I was kind enough to share my germs with him. He was sick off and on until Christmas, when he gave them back.
    This past Christmas, we planned to go to Disney World - something we'd been planning since we were first friends. And what happened? Corey came down with the flu because he never got the flu shot. Then even though I had, I caught it, and we went to Disney anyways. Both miserably sick. Then the flu turned into a sinus infection, and ultimately for me, strep.
    This February, we both got sick after we'd seen each other, our bodies seeming to give up as soon as we set eyes on each other. They'd gotten us to our goal and they didn't have to try anymore. And then the morning of the day Corey proposed, I got a drink that was a little stronger than I bargained for, and got more drunk than I'd ever been in my life (which still isn't that drunk, but everyone was worried I'd be too hung over that night to say "yes").
    Now, we're a week and three days from seeing one another for the first time in months, and we're both at the point of exhaustion where we've finally collapsed into sickness. If this isn't a Curse, I don't know what is. I'm chugging tea and popping cough drops like they're lifesavers, and he's guzzling coffee and stewing in denial, our respective cures. We have to get better.
    See, this isn't an ordinary weekend getaway. November 10 is the Marine Corps birthday, and there's going to be a ball to celebrate. Like freaking Cinderella. It's taken me months to convince Corey to take me to this thing, because I'm dying to see him in his dress blues, and I love dancing. He has much less enthusiasm towards both. I'm driving on the interstate all day (one of my biggest fears) to get up there and see him and to go to the ball with him, and dang it, I'm going to be healthy. We're even going to be sitting with his best friend up there, Raggy, and his girlfriend Audrey. It's one of those nights that as of now, everything is set up for it to be a perfect and wonderful night. The only thing that would ruin it instantly is both of us being sick and not being able to enjoy ourselves.
    If the Curse ruins this night for us, I can only imagine what havoc it will wreak on our wedding day.

Any advice for getting over your sickness with quickness? See what I did there? 

Oxblood Pucker

Listening to The Flower Duet by Charlotte Church. This song reminds me of the eighth grade. My Aunt Jenn gave my mom a Charlotte Church CD at some point during my middle school years, and I remember listening to that and Nickel Creek on the way to school when we were in the trailers for eighth grade.
Missing Corey like crazy. Two more weeks to the day, guys.
    So I'm working on a new and pretty neat idea for tutorials in the future, but haven't gotten all the kinks out yet. It's the kind of thing I need some practice with, and I really just don't have the time for that at the moment (and no, before you get excited, I'm not making YouTube videos. That's something I just couldn't handle.). In the meantime, I apologetically offer a visual guide to what's on my face today.

    I finally found that ideal oxblood color for my lips. Prepare yourselves for shock and awe - it's a Revlon lipstick, not one of the lip balm stains that I'm obsessed with. The only problem with this product is that it dries and tends to look flaky - like the color is coming off in patches. I always put it over a balm, otherwise it catches on the dry patches of my lips and looks really questionable. But even then, after an hour or so it's just not quite right. I would die and go to heaven if Revlon would come out with a lip balm stain in this color because they really are my absolute favorite lip product right now. (Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquers are a close second). I'll probably wear one of them on my wedding day if I can decide on what color to use. (Also, you know, I've got to get a dress and decide on my hair, and what kind of wedding Corey and I want... There's a lot more that goes into this than I was prepared for.) Anyhoo, these are all products you've seen before here and here. Of course, the Physicians Formula is popping up again, but I have a few e.l.f. products coming in this week I'm excited to try, so perhaps next week, there'll be something new and exciting to talk about! In the meantime, check out how gorgeous that Black Cherry lipstick is, y'all. I. Can't.

 

What fabulous fall lip colors are you loving? Tell me below!

100th Blog Post!

Reflecting on the last three years.
    That's right! It's taken me almost three years to reach 100 blog posts. And this is because I took so many hiatuses, and they were so long. All my fault. But I'm here now!
    And I have to say, I'm happy with where my blog is now. I've been doing really well in the past few months, sticking with my two posts per week (except when life gets crazy, like this week). I think that's just enough for me to handle. And I like my subject matter right now - Monday being whatever I want and Thursdays being beauty/fashion related.
    Lately, I've been toying with the idea of changing my blog name and url, mostly because someone owns the url dangwrite.com, and I'd like to have something more original to me. Also, my blog isn't just about writing anymore, especially since I don't have time to just sit and write my heart out. I have books to read, schoolwork to do, and writing isn't my only love. I have so many other passions and I don't want to limit my blog to only one thing. Dang Write just doesn't cover all my bases anymore.
    However, if I did change the name, I'd want to register an actual domain name, and pay for it and everything. And although it's a small fee each month, what with saving for the wedding I don't know that I'd want to worry about that as well. Plus I'd want to ensure that everyone knew what was going on before I changed the name so I wouldn't lose any of my meager audience - I value you loverlies too much!
    But I digress from what's most important here - my 100th blog post! I want to thank all the people who have been reading my blog for the last three years. There aren't a lot of you, but I really appreciate your dedicated reading, even through the time I would disappear for a few months. It's because I realized I did have a small following (read: 13 people), that I wanted to be better about blogging. If thirteen people in this world think I'm worth reading twice a week, by George, I'm gonna give them something to read! So I've really tried to do better. And personally, I'm pretty proud!

 

So do you all like where the blog is going? Do you miss any old features? Do you have ideas for new ones you'd like to see? Are you intimidated by my questions? If you have any opinions at all, please comment below, because I'm not just writing for me, lovely readers. I'm writing for you, too! Let me know what you like, what you don't, and what you want to see!

Fall Fingers

Listening to Ingrid Michaelson - The Chain
Avoiding another paper. Like a boss.
    I had a different post planned for today - this one was a back-up (I normally have one or two planned). I was going to do this gorgeous fall tutorial with purple and amber, but 1) I'm out of eggplant eyeliner... and money, and 2) this happened:

    Sorry, it's gross. I know. Moral of the story, children: don't yank out your hangnails. Your finger will get infected and DIE. I've played "yank out that hangnail" multiple times, and lost an equal number of times. Yet I still try my luck. This time, I learned my lesson. I pulled it out last night and woke up this morning to a hot, oozing, throbbing finger that hurt so much I couldn't bend it any more than you see in the picture. So I really didn't wanna spend time doing my makeup and taking photos to edit later. I didn't even edit this photo.
    Since I started you off with a close-up of my fingers, I thought I'd do a little post of my favorite fall nail polishes. That way at least the post will finish on pretty fingers, not my swollen angry sausage. (All photos are from my Face and Hair board on Pinterest.)

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Gold Roses

Fun story. Ingrid from missglamorazzi on YouTube mentioned this polish in her September favorites. I am obsessed with rose gold. Like most people are right now. But let me tell you. I'm not just on the bandwagon. I'm riding bareback on the horse that's pulling the bandwagon. She said that this color was limited edition and I went to not one, not two, but five stores before I found it at Target. Mock my desperation, but even with an oozing wound my fingers look awesome.

Essie Nail Polish in Chinchilly

This is one of the first "big girl polishes" I ever bought. I decided a few years back the first year I started this blog) that I should stop wearing bright blue and orange and green and wear grown up colors. Somehow this translated to gray. Funny thing is, I absolutely love this color. I've repurchased it numerous times since I first bought it and still think it's the perfect warm neutral gray for fall and winter.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Pat on the Black

No lie, the entire reason I purchased this was because of the clever name. I happened to love it once I put it on, but come on. "Pat on the Black." 'Cause it's almost black? But not quite? I can't get over how clever that is. And I've never actually worn straight-up black on my nails. I just don't like it. But I love this deep almost-there wine color. Like Pinot Noir. Perfection.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Sheer Me Now

If I don't want to go crazy dark for fall, and I want something lighter and more natural, I always grab this one. Honestly, it's perfect year-round, but it's a nice alternative if you were a big fan of white nails over the summer since white can be a bit too much for fall or winter. I've gone through at least two bottles of the stuff and am in need of a new one. Highly recommended.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Grey Area

This one was given to me with two other polishes as an engagement present from Robin. The other two are a bright blue and purple, much more summery colors, but this one I think is perfect for fall. I have absolutely loved it every time I've worn it. Plus it was so thoughtful that she bought me nail polish - she said, "I gave you the ones that I've liked the most because we're so alike I know you'll like them, too." She was right, of course! They've all been gorgeous!

 

    Sorry if I disappointed you with my lack of a tutorial. I don't know if anyone actually likes them, but I like doing them. My finger just hurt way too badly today to do the post I wanted. I hope this one has been a worthy substitute!

 

I'm always looking for new nail favorites. What are your fall finger faves? Leave a comment and let me know!

 



Unsolicited Advice 10/14

Listening to the soundtrack from Ever After. So romantic. Sorry, I'm sappy tonight.
Munching Dove Cookies and Cream Promises
    I don't know that this will become a permanent feature or anything, but I sort of like the idea. I'm young; I haven't experienced much in my life yet. But that doesn't mean I don't learn lessons that are worth sharing. And maybe it will be helpful coming from someone who's just learned this lesson rather than a parent or teacher who's repeated the story over and over. Today's lesson:

Listen to Your Professors

Even if you don't respect them.

    Something I've noticed in my classes - and I'm guilty of it, too - is students not respecting their professors. I don't know why this is happening, but it really drives me nuts since I'm going to be a teacher at some point in my life, and I know I will lose it if my own students act this abhorrently.

    Surely you're thinking, "Well, she admitted to being guilty of it, too..." Yes, I did. But I'm not vocal about it. I'm not outspoken in my lack of respect; I don't tell them to their faces they're not good teachers, even if I think it's true. But there's the rub. I do think it. Which is just as bad. I just didn't realize it was until this past week.

    I'm going to tell you about two of my professors (no names, of course). One teaches a lit class, and the other an education class. The lit class professor - Prof. Lit, we'll say - assigned a paper two weeks ago. Prof. Lit said that there had never been so many disappointing papers in one of his/her classes before. Three quarters of the class had to rewrite their papers, myself included, which almost never happens. See, we were given six prompts to choose from, all very specific. What I think happened is that Prof. Lit was looking for something very specific in these prompts and if we didn't give it to him/her, we failed. Now, I don't think of Prof. Lit as unqualified by any means, he/she is just looking for something specific and isn't getting that across to the class in the best way possible. Of course, many people in the class were quick to blame him/her and also to blatantly ignore what he/she instructed at the beginning of the class on Tuesday (i.e. if you have something you would like to address in your paper in particular, email him/her and set up an appointment). This got me super pissed because, again, no respect for what Prof. Lit had requested.

    Jump to Thursday in Prof. Ed's class. I can honestly say that I had not learned anything in this class up to this point. Nothing of use to me as a teacher, anyways. We were supposed to have a guest speaker who had a family emergency, so he/she had to come up with an alternate assignment so our class time wasn't wasted. Prof. Ed instructed us to choose a text we'd like to teach in our future classes and formulate a writing prompt for our students based on a specific portion of the text. This wasn't a problem for me. That's not what I learned that day. Offhandedly, when giving advice about making writing prompts for students, Prof. Ed said, "If in the future when you get papers from your students and they all bore you to tears or no one is giving you the papers you want, look at your prompt. Maybe you're being too specific and not leaving room for creativity." Of course, I immediately thought of Prof. Lit and wanted to replay that moment for him/her (I promise, if you'd let me come up with my own topic for my paper, it'd be a billion times better), but then I thought of something else. Inwardly, I have little respect Prof. Ed. I haven't learned anything to help my in my teaching career and I think he/she repeats the same useless information over and over. But I learned something about respect - you don't have to respect someone to learn something from them. I normally have the worst time trying to focus on listening in that class, because I dismiss every meandering story as next to useless. But if I hadn't been listening to that one comment, I could have easily fallen into the same ditch that currently held Prof. Lit in my future teaching career. And now I won't.

    Moral of the story: Listen anyway. Their meandering nonsensical useless tale may lead you to your own epiphany. Don't let your insolence keep you from inspiration.

How To Wear Your Glasses So They Don't Wear You

Listening to Let the Groove Get In - JT, who else.
Ready for school to be over already.
    A few weeks ago, I won a contest over at The Lovely Side for a free pair of Firmoo glasses. Thanks Jessica! This could not have come at a better time. See, my family is cursed. Genetically. On my mom's side (the Walkers) there is a genetic tweak that gifts its recipients with deteriorative vision problems. But it skips a generation - so my mom's father has it, and his grandfather had it, and two of my three cousins have it. My grandfather is legally blind, and has been for most of his life. Aaron is now legally blind and he's only 25. Coulter isn't, but he's well on his way. That's another thing. It only affects the men. Or so we thought.
    My vision has been getting steadily worse each time I visit the eye doctor - which is once a year. I thought nothing of it. Actually, I did think of it, I just thought that's how everybody was. Apparently, that isn't supposed to start until you're about forty. I happened to mention this to my grandmother when she was here to care for my mother after her surgery, and she said, "Oh, you're just like your grandpa and the boys." Great.
    I'm not legally blind or anything, and I probably won't get to that point anytime soon as the curse isn't as strong for the girls (woot!). However, when I first got glasses, my prescription was -.5 in the right eye and -1.00 in the left. Now, about six years later, I'm at -2.00 in the right and -2.75 in the left, which is a change of about .25 each year (check out dem math skillz).
    So here's a fun fact: I haven't bought new glasses since my first prescription. I mostly wear contacts, because glasses annoy me and for a while I felt like I wasn't as cute with glasses. I started wearing them more though when I got close to Corey's brother Brett and his friends, because they all assured me that girls with glasses are super cute. And Corey loves them, too. Only problem is, they really didn't help me all that much.
    I finally left my last pair (I had two) at Corey's grandma's house by mistake over the Fourth of July, and realized I'd have to replace them - hopefully with an accurate prescription this time. And lo and behold, two months later, I won a pair for free! They came in on Monday and I love them.

    Since getting these babies, I've been searching for different ways to do my makeup to compliment my new frames. Here, obviously, I went for a bold lip. But I also love the idea of sporting some brighter eye makeup behind my lenses. Glasses tend to wash out your makeup a bit, so even if you do something more bright and dramatic than you normally would, it ends up looking really nice once your glasses are on. Here are a few looks I'm going to try the next time I rock my glasses. (All photos from my Pinterest.)

 

Red Lip & Neutral Eyes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. So sleek and sophisticated, and who doesn't love a little leopard print thrown into the mix?

 

Light & Dark. Obviously I don't have blue eyes. But this is the kind of dramatic look that will flatter any eye color, and I know it would look great behind a great pair of glasses.

Golden Plum. Again, obviously not a blue-eyed girl. (And frankly, I don't think this person is either.) But purple is a great compliment to brown eyes, and adding the gold to warm things up draws the perfect amount of light behind your lenses.

Iced Cranberry. I actually wore this on Saturday at work without glasses (since they hadn't come in yet) and I have never gotten so many compliments on my eye makeup before! Just think how it would pop with a strong set of frames!

Do you wear glasses? What sort of makeup do you wear to flaunt your frames? Tell me below!

Wait

Listening to the rain (wrote this Sunday night during a storm - so appropriate, I know).
Trying to stay positive.
    I've been in a long distance relationship for almost two years now, which isn't a lot in the long run, but it's longer than a lot of relationships last. Long distance was something I always thought of as a deal-breaker, though. And now I'm looking at another year and a half of long-distance before Corey's and my relationship takes its next step.
    And it's not easy. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done (heyo!). In all seriousness, if Corey wasn't already my best friend, this relationship never would have lasted. If I hadn't already had practice keeping in touch while he was in basic and knowing what I was getting into that Thanksgiving, I never would've been able to handle it. And I'm sure he wouldn't either. But at least I had a reliable means of communicating with him at that point.
    Add in the fact that this is a military relationship (another deal-breaker for younger and less mature Sarah), and you've truly got one of the most difficult relationships - and we've had it relatively easy. The worst we've dealt with was when he was in Afghanistan last summer, a deployment we were told would be seven to nine months which turned out being a mere five and a half. God's hand was all over that blessing. And they were only under fire once the whole time, and nowhere near where Corey was at the time. God had his hands on me that whole time, too - He kept me from depression, which runs in my family, and kept me mostly positive.
    I think I've had more days down in the dumps since he's been back, honestly - not because he's back, of course. It's just - he's in North Carolina, two states away, but still far enough travel-wise that I can't see him except every couple of months. So close and still so far. I know other couples have it worse, but that knowledge really doesn't make it any easier. It just makes me feel more guilty when I complain. (It's like something Corey says in the winter: "Putting on a jacket doesn't make you much warmer. It makes you a little less cold." He may or may not have gotten that from a comedian. I don't know; he likes so many I can't keep track of them all.)
    We've thought about getting married sooner. "So we don't have to be apart," we say. I could live on base with him, he'd get paid more, and we'd get to start "the rest of our lives" right now. But what happens when he's deployed in January? That's a pretty big strain on a new marriage. And Corey doesn't want to stay living where he is now; he wants to come back to our families in Georgia. So what, I'd move up for a year and then we'd have to go through the trouble of moving it all back in a year? Plus, I'm not finished with school and the closest state school to him doesn't have the program I need (plus I really love the Latin professor I have now - shout out to the amazing Dr. E!) Even if I moved up after I graduated, I'd only be there for three months before he got out, which is less time than it would take for me to find a job up there. The only option we have is to be apart until he gets out and we get married.
    I knew before I even kissed him two years ago that this relationship would end in one of two ways - we'd break up or end up getting married at some point. And after I kissed him I knew which one it would be. Knowing that this is the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with is the only thing that keeps me going some days. I think about how I haven't seen him since the Fourth of July and how I still have another month until I'll get to see him again, and I can't help but fell the hot pricks of tears and the knot in my throat. But then I think how thoughtful he is, and how funny and clever and generous, and loving - not just to me, but all the people he's close to. I think about everything that makes him wonderful and I know that it's worth the wait.
     Waiting just sucks.

Anyone  else in a military relationship or long-term long-distance? Any advice? How do you stay positive?

Every Day I'm Bumblin'

See what I did there? I know. It's hard to achieve this level of clever. This clevel. Sorry. I took it too far.
Listening to OH MY GOSH HOW HAVE I NOT LISTENED TO 2 OF 2 YET?! I'm sorry, JT! I have failed you!
    Last Friday at about 11:45 p.m., my good friend Hannah DMed me on Twitter. Lucky for her I was awake because Friday is Bride-Day. (I can't help it. I'm drawn into the dress shows. I still have no clue what I want for anything at my own wedding - except the groom, of course - but I love watching other women find the dress.) She said that she was going to a Sephora event for Bumble and Bumble at a salon in Brookhaven on Sunday, and did I want to come? Naturally, I squealed and whooped and typed back, very nonchalant, "Yeah, I could probably swing it," because I can be oh-so-cool when called upon. Inside - who am I kidding, I was alone in the basement - outside, I was bursting with excited energy. I must have thanked her forty times.
    I've known Hannah since the second grade when she convinced our whole class that she was allergic to m&ms - she's always been a hoot, but at the time, we didn't fully grasp her level of hilarity. Sadly, we went to different high schools and somewhat fell out of touch. Until, of course, I found her blog and started to stalk her in the not-so-healthy way. (It was super fun running into her at Target once and referring to things I'd seen in her blog from months back.) In all seriousness, her writing is really fun to read, and I highly recommend that you four or five loyal readers (how I love you) go check her out. She's doing a fun 31-Days-Of-Favorites feature for October!
    Understandably, I was super excited to spend some time with her Sunday afternoon. And at a hair and beauty event, no less! At the salon, we got a dry styling by the stylists of Salon Red, which was super fun. David did a great job giving me some extra volume - my hair isn't necessarily thick, but there's so much and it's so heavy that volume at the roots is not an easy feat to accomplish. I went in with my hair wavy (tutorial here), and he showed me just a few simple tricks to get the volume I wanted.

    First, he suggested that I simply flip my part, which is something I've been toying with recently, but I've been a left-part my whole life, and I get sort of attached to things.. He also suggested using a mousse at the roots, even once it's dry and styled, and aiming the blow dryer there first on warm, then on cool to set it. Lastly, he suggested a tousling spray and to run my hands through it, roughing it up. And look at what all that did! BAM, baby. We make an adorable pair, too. Please ignore the towel around my neck that I forgot to take off. I'm fancy, I know.
    We were pampered, fed delicious chicken salad sandwiches and hummus, given wine - which was surprisingly good for Trader Joe's (not that I've had any of their other wine to compare it to, I was just surprised regardless) - and given free product. Who can hate on that? Not me!

    Most of the Bumble and Bumble products were from their new Thickening line which I believe (but don't quote me) comes out in December. Lord knows my hair is thick enough, but I've been using some of them the last few days just to see what happens. We'll find out!

I can do a full review of any of these products if anyone is interested, just let me know in the comments! Have you tried any of these products before? What did you think?

Sorry!

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I'm not listening to anything because it will distract me from my work. But guys. 20/20 Part 2 is out. It's my reward for getting all this crap done.
    Sorry, I know I'm a terrible person. You don't get a new post today (aside from this, which really doesn't count). The four of you who read this can punish me later. Too busy now. I had to close at work today so I was there until seven, and now I have two papers and three Catullus poems to write and translate by tomorrow... And I don't have time for a post.
    But Thursday! Get excited. I did some cool stuff this weekend, and I'll tell you about it then. I promise!

Five Faves and a Flop: September

 Listening to Groove is in the Heart by Dee Lite. (I highly encourage you to check out the vid. It's like a five-minute trip to the seventies, accompanied by some rad dance moves.)Dreading my midterm in 19th Century American Literature at 3:30 today.
    Last Thursday in September and look at me! I'm so on top of things. Except, you know, school things. Probably going to lose it during my midterm today. But I've got my blog post up!
    Not gonna lie, this month has been highly beauty-centered as far as my favorites go.

• Caress Tahitian Renewal - I have weirdly sensitive skin. I have to be careful what makeup, cleanser, and lotion I use, as well as what products I use in the shower. Everything has to be as natural as possible. The problem is that a lot of all-natural products really don't smell awesome, or make my skin as soft as it could be. I'd been using a Method soap for a while, but I've gotten tired of the smell. Before I went all-natural-everything, I'd been using Caress, and it didn't give me hives too badly. So what I've been doing is alternating every other day, Caress-Method-Caress-Method, etc. That way I smell and feel yummy, but the next day I really cleanse my skin and get all the chemicals that irritate my skin off completely. Tahitian Renewal feels like a trip to a private island villa with an outdoor bathtub and shower and bamboo flooring. Minus the likely jellyfish stings.
• Black Moccasins - I honestly don't remember where I got these since it was about three years ago, but I remember my grandmother buying them for me. She actually bought me two pair - one in tan, and these black ones because we liked them both and couldn't choose. The tan ones unfortunately broke a few years back, but these babies have held up! They are super comfortable - perfect for booking it around campus (get it? 'cause I'm running around, and hitting the books. Ha. Haha. Return of the Puns). Plus I think they're just super cute for fall.
• L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation in Creamy Natural - What with fall looks being all matte, I figured it's time to retire the BB cream (since the only one I like/can use has a very dewy finish), and opt for something a bit more mattifying. Unfortunately, alone, Magic Nude isn't quite what I wanted - although I guessed my color perfectly! In order to achieve that truly matte finish, I have to wear a primer underneath, and set at least the center of my face, if not all of it, with a mattifying powder. Which I don't mind, I would just appreciate less steps in the morning. It really does go on nicely, though I would recommend using your fingers rather than a brush or a sponge. And for goodness sake, shake before use. I made that mistake.
• EOS in Summer Fruit - It smells like peaches, tastes like Pez, and the cap is fun to twist on and off. I'm sold.
• L'Oreal Infallible 24-Hour Eyeshadow in Amber Rush - I really just love this color. It screams fall. Some have called it a rose-gold, some copper. I think Amber Rush is just fine. It looks like fall leaves against bright blue skies and pumpkins and brisk air and toe socks* and I love it. It's so beautiful, sometimes I wear just that one shadow as a wash over my whole lid with no crease color, no highlighter, and just a smidge of brown eyeliner. It's perfect. Infallible. Oh yes, I did.

• FLOP: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Shine in Plum Velour - It's not really the lipstick's fault. It can't change what color it is. I just really wanted and oxblood color, and as dark as this color looks, it still looks like a berry color on my lips. And not even that dark. I was torn between this one and Black Cherry at CVS, so I guess I'll go exchange it tomorrow. (I literally just bought it today, too.)

*I associate toe socks with fall, mostly because I used to buy a pair of Halloween toe socks every Halloween during middle and high school.

What have you been loving this month? Any disappointments? Let me know!

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Product List

• Caress Tahitian Renewal
• L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation in Creamy Natural
• EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit
• L'Oreal Infallible 24-Hour Eyeshadow in Amber Rush
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Shine in Plum Velour (discontinued.)

LifeScouts: Ballet!

Listening to Justin Timberlake TKO - not sure how I feel about it yet. I want to like it, but I'm just not sure. Plus I'm pretty sure I can hear a guinea pig in the background.
Overwhelmed with homework.
    Normally, I write these posts when I don't have anything else to write about. Today, I just felt like giving myself a prompt and going with it.
    Ballet was a huge part of my life. I danced for nine years in two different ballet studios. I quit just before auditioning for company, and part of me regrets that so much. See, my feet naturally turn out. I walk like a duck, or a penguin, or some other absurd animal. And you don't even wanna see me run. If you didn't already know I danced, you'd figure it out pretty quick, even though I'm an absolute klutz. When I was a baby, my parents worried something was wrong and took me to get my feet checked out. The doctor said, "Oh, she's fine, just put her in ballet." So in kindergarten, that's what happened.
    I did everything but hip-hop and tap, really. Ballet, jazz, pointe, modern - I would've done tap and hip-hop if given the option. I learned Thriller when I was eight, danced to Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend from Moulin Rouge and A Hard Knock Life from Annie. I got to be a fairy in two different performances (I was fairy-obsessed as a child, and still want to own anything Tinker-Bell related). I was in the Nutcracker almost every single year. I was a Christmas Tree Doll, one of Mother Ginger's Children (twice), a Little Angel (twice), a Toy Soldier, a Big Angel. I quit the year I would've been one of the Party Girls, which is the one thing I regret most.
    Before you get excited, I don't mean the current definition of party girl - I would not have been playing beer pong in a tutu. The story of the Nutcracker is that a little girl named Clara receives a nutcracker doll for Christmas, and on Christmas Eve he comes to life, battles the Rat King and his minions, and takes her to the magical land he comes from where a bunch of different countries dance for her (girls on pointe from China, a belly dancer from Arabia, Mother Ginger and her Children, The Sugar Plum Fairy). Before all this occurs, she is given the Nutcracker at a Christmas party that all of her friends and their parents attend. I would have been one of the friends. They had beautiful Victorian-style dresses, got to wear their hair down in bouncing ringlets (not buns like everyone else), and got to do a little play-acting on stage while other people danced. It was every little girl's dream, just short of getting to be Clara herself, or the Sugar Plum Fairy. Personally, I wanted to be a Party Girl, then dance in Tea (the Chinese dance), then Coffee (the Arabian dance), then the Russian dance, and lastly the Sugar Plum Fairy, so I could get a chance to do all my favorites. But I never got to do any of them, because I quit to be in colorguard, which as I've previously stated really wasn't worth it. What sucks is even if I got back into ballet, I'm so out of practice and out of shape, I'd never be good enough to do any of those parts I loved. So I've missed my narrow window of opportunity.
    But I know if I'd kept doing ballet, it would have taken over my life - we're talking practicing like twenty hours a week - and I never would have met Corey. In missing my first goal in life, I met the one I never knew I wanted, until I did. So I guess I really don't regret anything.
    Except maybe not transferring to UNCW while I still could. ha ha.

 

What's something that was once a big part of your life? Something you thought would shape your future, or maybe something that has? Tell me below!

Fall Trends 2013

Listening to CheaterCheaterBestFriendEater by NeverShoutNever
Nervous about my second presentation for today.
    Sorry this post is a little late - I stupidly scheduled two presentations (with coordinating papers) due on the same day. I did number one this morning (have to finish the paper, though), and the second one is at two. At least I will have them over with!
    I've been looking at the runways a lot more this year - as opposed to previous years when I'd just pick up on trends once I saw them being worn - and I thought I'd do a little collective post on what's hot for the cooler months! A lot of things I've already seen being worn, and others I'm excited to try.

Plaid

I've already seen a lot of plaid, but rather than being tailored, it seems to be more of a renewal of 90s grunge - only less grungy. Everything is sort of oversized and baggy, but with more put together makeup and accessories. I like here that though the shirt is baggy in the arms, she has a very classic and vintage makeup and hairstyle.

 Shoes

Pointy-toed flats are way in, particularly in animal prints, but I love these plaid ones. The leopard booties are super cute with the minimalist black outfit and tartan scarf (love that combo!) and the black and white stripes and Moto jacket in the other photo bring in another trend that's showing up everywhere -

Black and White

Black always seems to be in style, but you'd think according to those old rules of style that white would be out what with fall coming down the road. On the contrary, there's a ton of black-and-white looks cropping up everywhere! I saw a lot of white blazers and jackets, which I love. On the positive side, you don't really have to stick with snow white, you can go with a winter white or creamier warmer white and still be just as on-trend! Bonus in this photo: teal is also making a big appearance. It really stands out with the black-and-white!

Dark Florals

I'm all for florals year-round. It's not like flowers don't bloom in winter time, too, right? But I think this is a really excellent way to keep it from looking too springy - keeping the colors more muted and dark. I really love doing it in a flowy dress as well, rather than the patterned skinnies I keep seeing everywhere - although they're great (I'm wearing some now!). It's a good way to stand out a little.

Stacked Bracelets

I know this has been a trend since early spring, but it's really stuck around. A good way to keep it from looking too spring/summer is to stay away from the pastels and stick to neutrals. I also love the idea of mixing metals. I think that lends more particularly to fall and winter than the pastels and golds from the spring and summer.

Thick Fringe

Once again, thick fringes are super hot. Some designers were using faux fringes on their models, and some were really conceptual, but the core facts are here: bangs are bangin'. I keep saying I want to grow mine out, but each time I start, fringes come back and I want to cut mine so badly! I like that the ones pictured here aren't straight across, but they curve down at her temples to frame her eyes.

Textured Tresses

There was a lot of crimping going on at the runways. While I like the concept, I think it may be too much to do for every day. I like the idea of crimping a few sections of hair all throughout and giving it some texture, then maybe throwing it in a piecey fishtail with lots of volume. This is also a good example of the minimalist eyes and bold lips trend!

Simple Eyes / Bold Lips

I love that oxblood lips are still going to be around for this season. I loved that last fall. It made makeup really easy with just a bit of eye shadow and mascara, then that bold pucker of oxblood burgundy. Beautiful. The key is to make sure your eyebrows are bold, too, to balance it out. Additionally, as much as I love my BB Cream, everything is very matte as far as makeup - eyes, lips, cheeks, everything. I'll have to invest in a good mattifying powder.

Just Bitten Lips / Flushed Cheeks

If you're not brave enough for super heavy lips, a good compromise is to go with another popular look on the runways - flushed cheeks and "just bitten" lips. Focus your lip color on the inner portion of your lips, then blot until it's just barely there, and keep your blush matte and on just the apples of your cheeks, not bringing it too far up your cheekbone towards your temples. This works well with a lightly smoky eye or neutral matte tones. (Low ponytails with lots of texture and volume are also making an appearance!)

Statement Eye / Soft Lips

Statement eyes in bold colors like lavender, cobalt, and violet were making huge waves. I love this smoked out purple. Just be sure to keep the lip neutral to avoid clown-face.

 Textured Nails

Textured everything is big, but especially in nails! Everyone from China Glaze to Zoya to Sally Hansen are coming out with fuzzy textures, sand, pixie dust, sugar, matte and everything in between. I love the idea of this cross-hatching with nail strips. I also saw snakeskin - super cool!

 

What do you think? Which trends will you give a shot? Tell me in the comments!

 All photos from my Pinterest.