Book Review Wednesday: When God Winks At You

I am by no means a really religious person. I went to Catholic school my entire life (even college) and do believe in God, Jesus, the whole thing. I don't go to Church every weekend but I pray every day. I would say I'm more spirtual than religious but that's just my definition.

I believe that there is a higher power guiding us through our lives and helping us make decisions. I like to think that my life has a bit more meaning and that I'm on the right path, no matter what.

That's why 'When God Winks At You' is a book that I truly cherish. While in college, one of my sorority sisters started saying 'Oh that's a Godwink' and once she explained what it was, it was truly comforting.

God winks are little signs that God gives you to let you know you're on the right path, to let you know you're not alone and that everything is going to work out; for example, making you late to a job interview so you meet someone else on the way that gives you your dream job.

She found out about God winks from a book by SQuire Russel.

Two years ago, I finally decided to read one of the many God wink books called "When God Winks on Love" and it was all about how God guides you to the person you're meant to be with it. You may be seperated when you're 19 years old but years later, you discover you have a mutual friend and you link up again, in your 70s.

There is always a plan and God will always give you what is right for you.

Well, that God Winks on Love book was incredible and I knew from them that I had to read the rest of them.

I finally finished "When God Winks At You" and it was just as good as the Love edition. It is filled with stories about individuals finding their true meaning in life; hearing all the stories about people who somehow found their way through little Godwinks is so inspiring. It's a solid read whenever you need a little pick me up.

I promise it's not a preachy book, it's really comforting and moving. I'm not into that preachy stuff so I wouldn't recommend anything that I didn't believe in. Please go read this book -- I promise you'll feel so much better about life and all the bad stuff. It makes sense... it makes you believe that everything happens for a reason.

I will be picking up the rest of the books and continue to be inspired by Godwinks everyday.

xoxo
B

Beauty in Review: NARS Liquid Blush in Orgasm

In the past few months, I have not purchased that much makeup. Nothing was catching my eye and I was pretty much set with everything I had. The new collections weren't as exciting to me as past ones so I was sitting a lot of new releases out.

That is until I saw NARS was expanding their Orgasm collection. Orgasm is one of the best selling blushes in the world and when I first got my hands on it many moons ago, I was drinking the Kool-Aid. It's a gorgeous color that seems like it would be common enough but it is so utterly perfect. It's a shimmery, peach, pink, coral color that flushes your cheeks with the perfect amount of glow. It's an obsession, a lifestyle...

So, when I saw that NARS was releasing a liquid version of their famous blush shade, as well as a lipstick, I jumped on that train immediately.

My obsession with cream products is making a full-force comeback this summer, just as it did last summer, so I needed to get my hands on this LIQUID (not cream) product.

I ordered both products from Sephora the moment they were available and I've fallen in love.

The blush comes in typical NARS packaging; frosted glass bottle and a matte black cap. There is a handy little pump but I kind of like unscrewing the top and dotting the blush straight from the little spatula.

First off, this baby blends like a dream. I suggest blending fast and not leaving to dry on your cheeks but when you do blend, it's very easy. I take a stippling brush and just swirl and dab lightly on the apples of my cheeks and backwards. It leaves the most perfect flush of color and a very light luminous finish.

There is no glitter or real shimmer to the liquid verison of Orgasm. The color is pretty much identical to the powder verison though.

I haven't tried it yet but I think layering the powder blush on top of the liquid would probbaly look amazing.

My favorite way to wear this blush is with a no makeup makeup look; just a perfect flush of color on your cheeks with some mascara and concealer, and you're set!

I talked about the blush in my latest Youtube video!

All in all, I think this is a must-have for everyone. If you're not into liquid/cream products, I do think you'd still like this because it's very easy to work with and doesn't leave a sticky or tacky feeling behind. If you're not into Orgasm, NARS has a few other colors you can try out! If you're hesistant, ask for a sample in Sephora -- or buy from a place like Sephora or Nordstrom because their return policies are GOLDEN!

This is for sure my favorite product for summer!

What's your beauty product for the summer?
xoxo
B

Weekly Wrap Up: Week 20

Happy Friday! It felt like a very long week yet short at the same time; I'm very happy for the weekend though, as I always am!

I'm off from work today, a summer Friday; I laid in bed until 1 PM and then went to the gym. I was feeling very lazy and unmotivated but once I got to the gym, I felt awesome. That's two weeks in a row that the gym made me feel good! We may be onto something here...

Tomorrow I was supposed to go to a conference held by Cosmopolitan Magazine but I'm kind of feeling like I want to pass. I've been going, going, going and I just feel like I want this weekend to rest. Also, the idea of going into Manhattan on a day when I don't have to truly exhausts me.

That being said, I'll probably go shopping, go to the cemetery, gym, and run a few errands. I was an anxious mess all week long so I feel like I just need to take some time for myself.

Do I say that every weekend? I feel like I do, but it's true! Self-care is very important to me and my body responds very well to it.

Anyways... below are my links of the week!

• I loved this office tour/interview
• The best natural beauty products at Sephora right now  
• Even though it doesn't happen too often, I LOVE getting to work super early
• How to create a brand, based on ban.do strategy
• The Internet's best concealers -- yes please! 

What you missed on Royally Pink:

• Handbag Review: Kate Spade Cameron Street Blakely
• The Best Way to Reduce Stress
• My Favorite Office Supplies

Also, watch my latest Youtube video! 

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

B

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Handbag Review: Kate Spade Cameron Street Blakely

I'm back with another handbag review and we're doing a Kate Spade one! I have (had) a lot of Kate Spade bags in my collection and they are by far my favorite. 

This is a bag that I've had my eye on for so long and finally pulled the plug when it was on sale at the beginning of May. I did 2-day shipping so I could get it to bring on my work trip to Florida and it turned out to be a great asset. 

The Cameron Street Blakely is a typical Kate Spade bag with a bit of an edge; it's on the smaller side of medium, has great structure, sturdy handles, a comfortable shoulder strap, and a front pocket that is so good I need it on all my bags.

I first saw this bag last year (!!) when it was debuted and fell in love immediately. There were a lot of different colors (some which you can find on eBay -- I saw the blue one yesterday and fell in love all over again) and the color I got was not my first choice. I really wanted the porcini/black combination which was a light pink and black color block but that was obviously more expensive. I decided on the purple because I felt it was different and a little outside my comfort zone. 

You may think it doesn't match everything but I wear mostly neutral colors so I find that it goes with most if not all of my outfits.

What I fell in love with was the structure and size of the bag. It's very square, obviously, but the way the sides expand a bit create a more dimensional feeling and I really loved that. I also LOVE the front pocket -- this was super handy on my trip because I kept my important documents and my cell phone in there for easy access. 

As I said before, the bag comes with a shoulder strap and I love that Kate Spade allows you to personalize them now so I may have to scoop a new strap up that matches this little lady. Sometimes the shoulder strap can get annoying and in the way so I like having the option to remove it, which I did over the weekend and LOVED. 

It's nothing special inside, just has two smaller pockets on one side and a larger zip pocket on the other; very standard for any handbag. 

This is the small Cameron Street Blakely but you would be very surprised at what could fit inside. I wish I would've taken a picture of it on my trip because this baby was jam packed full of stuff; makeup bags, water bottles, chargers, agendas, wallets .. the whole nine yards! It didn't lose its shape nor feel too heavy with everything inside. I think that if you bring a normal amount of stuff to work (I do not) this would be a great work bag. The structure keeps it professional while the color makes it fun.

*The color is called crisp linen/lilac petal/mahogany

Honestly, I don't even have any cons to this bag. It's very lightweight, high quality, and just a stunning bag in general. I find it to be super versatile and I have yet to be bored with it. 

Right now, Kate Spade is having 30% off their sale styles and this exact bag is still available so I highly recommend scooping it up! I don't think you'll regret it at all! 

xoxo

B

The Best Ways to Reduce Stress

Since I was little I've been a natural worrier. After 9/11 my parents had to get me a dog to keep me occupied and my mind off of the terrorist attack -- that's how big of a worrier I was and still am.

That worry has since translated into stress and anxiety; in high school and college I was stressed about everything and in between, the anxiety struck. I've discussed my anxiety before but don't think I ever really wrote an entire post dedicated to how I deal with it. Stress and anxiety go hand in hand for me now because if I'm stressed out, it creates anxiety and if I have anxiety, it causes stress.

I also want to make sure I write this more generally so that even if you're a college student dealing with the stress of exams or student activities, you can find an answer in this too.

Whether you're feeling like you can't breathe because of an anxiety attack or because you're drowning in stress, I hope something in this post can help you!

• Nerve Tonic: I am NOT A DOCTOR but I need to mention this. I wrote an entire post about this pill two years ago but felt like I needed to mention it again. I've gone through so many bottles since discovering it after I graduated but it's worth it. Whenever I feel an anxiety attack coming on, or just so much anxiety that I can't focus, I'll take two pills and I feel the cloud lift. I don't know what it is, but I promise it helps. Hylands creates a lot of pills for babies and children I really trust them. ALSO, I'm not addicted and haven't had any side effects and like I've said, I've been taking them for years.

• Essentials Oils: Since discovering essentials oils I've fallen in love. I have a diffuser and bought these off of Amazon and diffuse constantly. Whenever I feel very stressed out, I close my bedroom door, turn the lights out, and lay in bed while lavender oils diffuse. I also carry around this calming roller ball that I apply to my pulse points whenever I'm a little too high strung

• Water: I just bought this swell bottle so I am always equipped with a good amount of water, no matter where I am. I already drink a lot of water (besides coffee and tea, it's the only thing I drink) but I found that drinking water helps ease my anxiety and stress. It could be in my head but I feel like I read that somewhere...

• Candles: This is probably my favorite thing on the list -- I'm addicted to candles. Whenever I need a pick me up I turn on my string lights and light a few candles and it immediately calms me down. I cannot stop buying Evil Queen candles so they're currently my favorite to burn. The smell and vibe of a good candle is enough to ease any trouble! 
• Movies, TV, books: Whenever I'm really in a funk, I try to occupy my mind so a good book or television show (or a Youtube binge) is just what the doctor ordered.

When stress is getting the best of you, it's important to just remember that it will pass. You can get through any trouble you're experiencing and to just take a minute, take a deep breath, and restart your mind. Take a few minutes for yourself, take a walk, or lock yourself in your room -- tell your roommates or parents that you need to just be alone for an hour or so to recharge. Taking that time for yourself is very important for your mental health.

If you're in college and you had a really rough week and the last thing you want to do is go out drinking all night, that's ok. Tell your friends you'll see them tomorrow and get some pizza, a good movie, and turn the lights out early. The bar will still be there on Saturday -- take your Friday to rest and recharge, you'll be happy you did! 

Here are a few other posts about anxiety and stress:

• Tuesday Inspiration: Anxiety
• How to Have a Good Day
• Favorite Ways to Relax and De-Stress (a similar post to this one, just 3 years ago!)

What are your suggestions for de-stressing?

xoxo

B