Sephora Jasmine Collection GIVEAWAY!!

Yayy! It's finally time for my Sephora Jasmine Collection Giveaway!! I am so excited to be able to share some of these awesome limited edition products with you all. If you read any of my other posts, you know that I have been anxiously waiting for this collection to come out and now that it has, what better way to celebrate then to hold a giveaway! Now, I know you just want to know what the prize is, so here it is:

The first prize is the Magic Carpet Ride Eyeshadow Palette

Can I first say how beautiful this packaging is! It's gorgeous. The palette comes with four eyeshadows: a light purple in the color Carpet, a dark purple in the color Wonder by Wonder, a taupe in Splendid and a dark blue in Diamond Sky. As you can see the palette also comes with two brushes and a mirror. 

The second prize is the Jasmine Mini Nail Polish Collection

From left to right the colors are: Berry Tale Romance, Your Wish is My Command, Fit for Royalty, Dream Princess, All that Jasmine, and Aladdin's Girl.

One lucky winner will win both of these awesome prizes. All you have to do to become entered is enter through the Rafflecopter widget below and make sure to follow any entry requirements before entry.

Mandatory Entry Requirements:

1. Follow my blog via GFC 

2. Leave a comment telling me why you would like these products or what your favorite product is from the entire collection.

3. Must be 18 years or older or have parental consent

4. Winner will be chosen through random.org on or around contest end date

5. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize before a new winner is selected.

This contest is also open....Internationally!!

Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Product Review: Goody Quickstyle Brush

How many of us wish we could make our hair dry faster? I know I do. Especially with thick curly hair, it seems like it takes way too long to blow dry and even longer to air dry. I'm always looking for ways to cut down on the time it takes to blow dry my hair because all that heat can be really damaging, especially over long periods of time. So when I received this Goody Quickstyle brush for Christmas (thanks mom) I had really high hopes for it and after some trial and error, I can finally say that it lives up to my expectations.

So what is this brush all about you might ask. What makes it so much more special than any other brush? The Goody Quickstyle Brush has a dual use, it works as a towel, as well as a brush. The blue things on the brush are microfibers, which help to soak up 30% of water from wet hair. 

Basically, this brush is a great way to cut down on your hair's drying time, and it definitely accomplishes this with my hair. Now, don't expect this product to dry your hair. It simply removes excess water and cuts down on drying time when used in conjunction with a blow dryer.

Now, there have been some mixed reviews on this product. From what I've seen there are three main problems people have, all of which I also had. But, through trial and error, I have found solutions to all of them.

The first problem people had, and I had, was that the brush would get stuck or tangled up in your hair. Basically, it would leave people's hair a jumbled mess. The solution to this problem is to use a good detangling spray before you brush through your hair. I like to use the "It's a 10" miracle leave-in product. I have thick, curly hair, and after using some type of detangler, I have no problem with the brush getting tangled.

Second problem has been hinted at above, and that is: don't expect this brush to dry your hair all by itself. It won't do that. My advise is to use it while you are blow drying your hair. So instead of taking 20 minutes to blow dry, using the brush might make it only take 10 minutes. As much as I wish it would dry my hair instantly, it doesn't. Don't have unattainable expectations for this brush.

The final problem, and the one that almost made me stop using the brush was the fact that after a few uses, some hair gets stuck inside the bristles and mats down the microfibers. Of course when this happens, the microfibers won't be able to work optimally. This problem has the easiest solution. All you need to do is hit the brush against your hand or the counter and the hair will come to the surface and the microfibers will fall back into place. I have no idea how this works. It doesn't work on my other brushes, but I guarantee it works on this one.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this brush. It may take a little getting use to, and you might have to discover what works for you, but I think it's worth it. Aside from the half-round brush, which I have, the brush is also available as a paddle brush. You can find the Goody Quickstyle brush at local retailers, such as Target, Walmart, CVS, etc and it retails for $12.99.

If you've tried this brush let me know your thoughts on it!

Upcoming Giveaway!!

Happy Saturday!! I have some very exciting news for you all! If you've seen my previous post about the Sephora Disney Jasmine Collection, you know that I couldn't wait for the collection to come out. Well guess what? It has finally been released! I know, I thought it wasn't going to be until March, but earlier is definitely better!

So now if you're thinking- I've got to get my hands on this collection!- your chance is coming up soon because I will be hosting a GIVEAWAY of several of the products from this amazing collection!

If you haven't seen my previous post on this new collection, click here to read it and get a glimpse of some of the products you might win!

Make sure to follow my blog because this giveaway will be up soon. Get excited!!

Makeup Collection and Storage

Happy Monday! So, today I decided to film my makeup collection and storage. For the longest time, I haven't been happy with the way my makeup has been organized, but yesterday I went to Target and bought some more storage containers. I finally finished organizing and am happy with the result!

I apologize about the focusing in the video. For some reason my camera has a hard time focusing when I'm making videos. Anyways, enjoy the video!

 

If you have any questions let me know!

Disney Jasmine Collection by Sephora

I am so excited to learn that Sephora will be coming out with the Disney Jasmine Collection in March 2013. They have previously come out with the Cinderella Collection, and I am so excited to see they will now be adding Jasmine. I loved watching Aladdin when I was younger, and always thought that Jasmine was so beautiful and had such a unique style. They have released several pictures of products in the collection.

 After looking at the products, I have high expectations for this collection. The colors in the eye shadow palate look amazing, especially the pinks, browns, and bronzes. Even the vibrant blues are a great addition. I think these colors fit the style of Jasmine perfectly.

 

Sephora also released a video depicting the collection. Totally makes me want to drag out my old Disney movies and watch Aladdin!

Let me know what you think about the new collection!

Bright Side Beauty Blog Hop

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Happy Thursday Bloggers! The weekend is just about here! Come link up to my Brightside Beauty Blog Hop for a chance to gain new followers and find amazing new reads. Linky list will be open now until this Sunday night 11:59 pm, Ohio time. There are only a few guidelines , so read, follow, and let the fun begin. Don't forget to come back every Friday to join the blog hop and enter future giveaways :) The blog this weekend with the most views will win a co-host spot on next weekend's hop so get your network on :)

PopSugar Must Have February!

So I finally received my PopSugar February Box! I love getting these boxes. They are always stuffed with such creative and exciting items. If you're not sure what Pop Sugar is all about, check out their website here. Let's move on to the most exciting part- the contents!

Must Have Fashion: Brokedown Wrap

This spa wrap is honestly the softest wrap I have ever felt. It is amazing! I don't have anything like this, and normally only use my towel as a wrap, so this is much needed and appreciated. Can't wait to start using it. Also, my wrap came in a light pink color, but colors will vary between boxes.

Must Have Entertainment: Safe Haven Book and Song Download

I'll be the first one to admit that Nicholas Spark's writing isn't the best thing ever, but I also do have to admit I am a sucker for romantic/love story books. Also, with having to read so much for school I don't enjoy, it will be nice to be able to read a story that's simple but entertaining. The book also came with a free download of the song "The Journey" for free!

Must Have Beauty: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

I think I am honestly most excited about this product! I have heard so many great reviews for it, but just never got around to actually picking it up. The monthly pamphlet claims that this stain moisturizes your lips, as well as keeps the color on for hours. So excited to try it! Also, my stain came in the color Honey, but, again, colors will vary between boxes.

Special Extra: Conversation Hearts

We all know this box can't be a February box unless it has this staple Valentine's candy. I know I'll definitely enjoy these candy hearts.

Must Have Fashion: Hanky Pankys

I have to say, I was a little bit surprised to received underwear in my box, but after doing a little research online about the brand, they sound really amazing! Pretty much every review I read said they were the most comfortable pair of underwear you will ever wear. So of course, why wouldn't I be excited to try them? My Hanky Pankys came in navy, but, again, colors will vary depending on box. 

Must Have Food: Mariebelle New York's Tresor Box

I have the worst sweet tooth ever so I was so happy when I saw some chocolate in my box! The box is filled with tiny dark chocolate balls. I do have to say that they are very good and they taste like nice high quality chocolate. A major plus!

Must Have Home: Connoisseurs Quick Jewelry Cleanser

I didn't own any jewelry cleanser prior to receiving this, so it will definitely come in handy. I do have several necklaces and bracelets that could use a little polishing up. The packaging on the product also says that it is soft on hands, which is really good because a lot of cleanser can be somewhat rough. 

There was also a coupon for a free Zoya nail polish with any purchase from hankypanky.com.

I always enjoy getting my PopSugar Must Have box. I discover so many great products that I necessarily wouldn't buy for myself. Overall, I am really happy with this month's box. If this post has gotten you interested in signing up for your own PopSugar Must Have Box click here. Also, if you use the code REFERFRIENDS at checkout, you can save $5 off your first order.

Let me know what you think about this months box. What is your favorite item?

Liebster Award!

Hey guys! I am so excited because I just found out that I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by the lovely Sanja at Keep Calm and Sparkle. If you are unfamiliar with the award, it is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, and helps to promote their blogs. 

The rules are super simple:

1. Nominees must link back the person who nominated them.

2. Once nominated you must write 11 random facts about yourself.

3. You must also answer the 11 questions from the person that has nominated you.

4. You come up with 11 new questions.

5. And you nominate 11 people that have under 200 GFC followers and let them know. You can't tag back.

 

I think this is a great way to learn more about bloggers, as well as discover new and exciting blogs to follow!

 

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I am an only child. When I was younger I loved this because I loved being the center of attention :)

2. I have an extremely severe sweet tooth. Chocolate is my ultimate weakness.

3. I was born and raised in Virginia, but I now live in the wonderful state of Minnesota.

4. My birthday is Christmas Day

5. I am an elementary education major, and hopefully will have my own classroom in the next couple of years.

6. Marc by Marc Jacobs purses are my second weakness

7. I have a horrible habit of clipping the greatest coupon deals and then never using them.

8. I am fascinated by the weather. I can sit and watch The Weather Channel for hours.

9. I think The Big Bang Theory is the best T.V. show ever made

10. For the longest time I wanted to be a doctor. This idea lasted until my first semester of chemistry in college.

11. Little Miss Sunshine is my favorite movie. I've definitely watched over 100 times!

 

Questions from Sanja:

What was your first makeup product that you owned? Smackers lip gloss. My mom use to buy these for me for Christmas and my birthday. I had a pretty big collection!

If you could use only one make up item for the rest of your life, what would it be (e.g. foundation, mascara, lipstick, etc)? Obviously this is a hard question, but I would probably have to say lip gloss. I have pretty dry skin, especially in the winter time so lip gloss is essential. Plus colored lip glosses can really brighten up your face.

Name one favorite makeup item that you purchased this year: Hands down my Clarisonic Mia.

Name 5 items (beauty or non beauty) you couldn't live without: Cell phone, Soap N' Glory Clean on Me body wash, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, comfy yoga/sweatpants, and laptop.

If you could change one thing on you body, what would it be? My one crooked tooth that drives me crazy!

What is your favorite childhood memory? Playing barbies, teacher and doctor. Honestly anything that involved my endless imagination.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration? My mom. She gives the best advice and I always know I can talk to her about anything and she is always honest, even if it's not something that I really want to hear :)

What annoys you the most in the blogging community? Spam comments

What was the worst movie you watched in 2012? I can't remember, but probably some wanna be scary movie off Netflix.

If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? Oh, I would totally spy on people :)

What are you most proud of? My current college gpa. 

My Questions: 

1. What is your holy grail make-up product?

2. What was the best vacation you have ever been on?

3. What's one beauty product that didn't live up to your expectations?

4.  What is you all time favorite movie?

5. What is your most embarrassing moment?

6. What is the last book you read?

7. If you could meet one person (alive or dead) that you've never meet before who would it be?

8. If you could go back in time and live in another era, which would you choose?

9. What is one of your pet peeves?

10. Who is your favorite actress? 

11. If you could only buy from one make-up brand for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

I nominate:

Maite from Beauty Nerd

Emma from Makeup Love

Christal from Lipstick and Ponytails 

Daisy from Dasiy Flower: Spring Into Beauty With Me

DeBresha from Life Of A Makeup Junkie 

Addison from AddisonElinor 

Christen from Beauty and the Blocks

Sarah from Mes Joies de Vivre  

Lexy from Kisses With Lexy

Drunken Beauty

Julie From Chicago 

 

All of these nominees have really great blogs, and I think they all deserve more followers. I hope that you guys will check out these nominees blogs. If you decide to do the Liebster Award leave me a comment because I'd love to see your answers!

 

 

Mini Sephora Haul

Today I picked up a few things from Sephora that I have been wanting to get for a while. The first product is the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil. The combination of raving reviews about this product and the long list of applications for it made me want to snatch this baby up. I'll definitely be using it for my split ends and dry cuticles!

The second item I picked up is the Soap and Glory Clean on Me creamy moisture shower gel. My Sephora only had the small size, but that's probably a good thing since it will give me a chance to test it out before investing in the larger size. This shower gel is suppose to bring a lot of moisture to your skin and I can already tell you- it smells amazing!

Finally, since I am kind of an impulsive lip product buyer, of course my last item has to do with lips. I picked up the Korres Lip Butter in wild rose. It doesn't have much of a smell, but the color is really build-able. I've never tried out this brand, so I thought what the heck, might as well try out something new. You never know when you'll find your next miracle product!

If any of you have used any of my new recent additions, let me know what you think of them!

NOTD

For my nails today, I used my Julep Maria polish on my nails and my Julep Carrie polish on my index fingers. I absolutely love these colors together. I also love the metallic feel of Maria!

Julep Mystery Box!

So I just received my Julep Mystery box today in the mail! I was so excited because I had just ordered the box on Saturday, but I guess they wanted to make sure everyone got their box before Valentines Day. I do have to say, I am very pleased with what I got. I received six polishes and one extra product!

 The first polish I got is a frost called Maria. This is my favorite of the bunch. It is a beautiful shimmery rose color. Gorgeous! The middle color is Lynn, which is a pearl polish. It is a nude, light peach color. The rightmost polish is a creme called Carrie. It is your classic bubblegum/cotton candy pink. I think it goes great paired with Maria.

The fourth polish I received is Evangeline. It is a shimmery orange/brown color. The last polish is Molly, which is a classic red creme polish.

The bonus item I received is a light pink lip gloss called Camellia. It is very sheer, but leaves a lot of shine on your lips. I have never tried Julep lip products, so it's nice to have a chance to check one out!

I am very pleased with my box and all of my polishes. For $20, I think this box was well worth it. With each polish being $14 a piece, this box retails for $84. Such a great deal! 

If you ordered the Mystery box, I'd love to hear what you got!

What's In My School Bag

Make sure to check out my new video to see what I keep in my school bag!

Food Review: Pop Bar Hot Chocolate on a Stick

I received two of the Pop Bar hot chocolate on a sticks in my January Pop Sugar box. As a hot chocolate lover, I was very excited to try out these products! This is a review of the milk chocolate Pop Bar that I had tonight.

After having some unexpected snow this afternoon, I figured this would be the perfect night to make myself some hot chocolate. All you need to make this warm and tasty drink is milk, one Pop Bar, and some marshmallows.

First, you either need to boil an eight ounce cup of milk in a saucepan to 180 degrees, or microwave it on high for about two minutes. After you have your warm milk, pour the milk into a mug and stick the Pop Bar into the mug. Stir the Pop Bar in the milk for about 2 minutes or until all of the chocolate has melted off the stick. 

After my chocolate was all melted, I added some Mallow Bits that I also received in my Pop Sugar box for a little extra taste!

So how was the hot chocolate? I have to say, I really enjoyed it! It was very rich and much more flavorful than some other hot chocolates I have had. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves hot chocolate. And good news for me, I still have my dark chocolate Pop Bar to enjoy on another cold, snowy night :)

January Favorites!

Hey guys! So I can't believe we are already a month through 2013! And in memory of January, I've put together some of  my favorite things that I've really been loving this past month.

Favorite Hair Product: Macadamia Deep Repair Hair Masque

If you've been reading my blog, I'm sure you have seen my post raving about this product, so of course it only makes sense that this would be included in my favorites. This product is amazing. It leaves your hair so soft and silky and it smells amazing. 

Favorite Makeup Product: Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Love, Love, Love this mascara. It is not clumpy, and really separates and elongates my lashes. Another bonus- it comes off easily with eye make-up remover.

Favorite Skin Care Product: Clarisonic Mia

I received this as a Christmas gift and have been using it since. It's an awesome product and I can definitely tell that it gets my skin so much cleaner than my hands alone. Also it makes washing my face so much more fun!

Favorite Accessory: Tiffany's Pearl Bracelet

I received this as a Christmas present from my boyfriend and I have been wearing it everyday since! I love this bracelet because it is so delicate and feminine and it's a classic piece that goes with any outfit.

Favorite Fashion Piece: Bare Traps Winter Boots

Living in Minnesota guarantees that there will be snow and ice sometimes, if not most of the time, in January. Without these winter boots I would never be able to walk to class without slipping. They are super comfy and warm and I also think they are pretty cute for winter boots. 

Favorite Food: Greek Salad

Ever since I ordered a Greek salad from a local restaurant, I have been craving them lately. I love this type of salad- the olives, feta cheese, onions, salad dressing, everything. If you're looking for a good Greek salad, Panera has a really good one!

Favorite T.V. Show: Dance Moms

I have recently started watching season three of Dance Moms and I absolutely love it. I love it so much I've had to get both of the previous seasons to watch! The drama of this show is so entertaining. Watching the moms' drama with each other and with Abby provides me with a whole lot of entertainment.

Favorite Song: Vicci Martinez "Come Along"

This has been my favorite song for months, it is so good, and it doesn't hurt that cee lo green is also in it. If you are looking for a catchy, unique song I would definitely recommend this one!

Let me know what some of your January favorites are!