Ever since I could remember, I have prided myself on having flawless skin (sorry not sorry). I was never prone to breakouts when I was a teenager and as I got older, my skin just kept it's natural glow. Of course I would have a breakout here and there but it was never a problem.

I was always so grateful that I never had problem skin unlike so many other people I knew. I have a feeling this will all come back at me viscously when I'm 30 years old but for now, my skin is still good.

Even with all this good skin karma, last week I had a nasty breakout, like blemishes everywhere..my forehead, my nose, along my chin. My sister looked at me in disgust (RUDE!).

It was really bothering me because makeup wasn't helping (I'm too tan for all my foundation and concealer) so I couldn't cover it up and they were taking forever to go away.

That's when I decided to go to work.

I always have products up my sleeve for times like this and I know exactly what works for my skin. Instead of using just one or two of these magical products, I put all four to work and rotated them all week, trying to find the perfect combination to battle these blemishes. 


There's one cleanser/mask, one mask, and two clear gels/serums. The gels/serums I've received in beauty subscription boxes, the cleanser/mask in my Her Campus goodie bag and the mask has been my trusty go to for YEARS.

//Proactiv X Out Treatment: This bad boy came in the HerCampus Conference goodie bag and I was skeptical at first because it's made for "teen skin" which I am not. The consistency is pretty nice, not too thick but just the right combination of serum and cleanser. With this, at first, I used as a mask. I applied it to my T zone and on the blemishes for 10 minutes and it dried clear, not like a mud mask. I washed it off and then applied it (in combination with other products) on the blemishes for an overnight mask. It dried out the blemishes a little bit but nothing too drastic.

//Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum: I received this in a Birchbox last year and was immediately taken with it. It has a weird, medicated smell but it's nothing too overpowering. A little dab of this serum on a blemish and overnight, you're cured. Seriously. If it's a little more than a tiny blemish, it may take two-three uses but it works like magic.

//Clear Clinc Vanished Clear Spot Treatment: I received this in my July Ipsy Glam Bag and was happy to see it because I knew it would come in handy. When I applied this, it burned my skin (and hurt really bad) but after a few seconds, the burn went away and I could actually feel it working. I usually combined this with the Evologie serum and had them both work together to combat by horrible break out. It worked like a charm.

//Proactiv Refining Mask: This is my pride and joy, my holy grail of blemish items. It's not something you could buy in a store, you only get it when you subscribe to Proactiv. My mom has been a long time subscriber so we have bottles of the Refining Mask floating around our house. Plus, it's really hard to go through a whole tube. This baby usually comes as an extra gift when you order the regular 3 step skin treatment (I don't think you can order it off the website, I checked and it was really confusing). All you do is cleanse your face and then right before bed, dab a little of this on the blemish and then by morning it's gone. I'm amazed at how this works, its really magic. 

Rotating these products, applying them together and alone helped diminish all the blemishes on my face (FYI: I hate the word pimple hence why I'm saying blemish) within the week. It definitely took me a little longer to get rid of them than usual and I still have some bumps but nothing major.

What I usually did was apply both serums and then the refining mask over it. Maybe I overdid it but eventually it worked! Some nights I allowed my face to breathe without putting all these products on it, giving my skin a break. Too much is never good when it comes to skincare. 

These are my holy grail, go to products when it comes to blemishes and breakouts. What are yours? I LOVE hearing about your skincare routines/favorite products :)



When I was younger, American Eagle Outfitters, Delias, Abercrombie, and Aeropostale were my go-tos. I mean, I think they were everyone's go tos.

Eventually though, I outgrew them because my style changed yet theres stayed the same. I took a break for a little while until heading back to my love of American Eagle Outfitters because their jeans are the best for me. I never quite made it back to any of the other stores, expect for now.

When I found out that Aeropostale was relaunching their stores and changing things up, my ears perked up. I was really curious to see what they were going to be rolling out so when I had the chance to attend the store opening and launch party...and SHOP, I jumped at the chance.

I was one very lucky blogger on Monday night when after my first day of work, I headed to the mall near me and got to shop the new Aeropostale, #AeroNow. I was a little late for the launch party since I didn't get home till 6:30 and the party ended at 6pm.

I was still excited to shop and even brought my younger sister along for the ride.

I was really overwhelmed by all the clothing in the store, it was seriously organized and I felt bad even touching something and putting it out of it's place. All the clothes were gorgeous, seriously amazing. Some were definitely more my style than others but it was those kinds of clothes that I wish I could wear.

Some accessories I picked up
Two adorable camisoles I bought
I was so busy grabbing everything I wanted (one of the workers saw me struggling and actually gave me a shopping bag to hold all my stuff), I forgot to snap some pictures. I have a few but not as many as I'd like.

The adorable dressing room wall
Such cute wallets!
As always, I grabbed more stuff than looked good on me and walked away with three adorable shirts, some necklaces, a headband and socks. The jeans ran a little tight but oh my goodness, there were SO many to choose from. I was deeply saddened that they didn't look good on me.


Of course, Aeropostale still had their adorable sweatpants and t shirts with their logos which I seriously contemplated getting. They also had some great graphic tees that I might go back to buy.. like this Monday one. #Cute.




I'm also kind of obsessed with their Pretty Little Liars collection. I tried on this Hanna top but it didn't look as great on me as I hoped. But still, I love the Liars fashion sense and this was the perfect addition to the relaunch. 

Simple black cardigan 

An adorable mesh material sweater

My favorite purchase of the day!
Can we also talk about the workout clothes selection? Say goodbye to every other workout brand because these clothes were so colorful and cute. I didn't have enough time (because it was so late) to try anything on but like I said, I have to head back to Aeropostale to get some more goodies.

This relaunch was a definite success. The clothes are fresh and new and so trendy. There are some true gems in here and I know I'll be shopping at Aeropostale more often, especially to buy some work clothes.

I'm super excited to see what Aeropostale rolls out next. #AeroNow

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Tuesday Inspiration

in , , by RoyallyPink, 12:43 PM
Sorry for my absence yesterday; it was a busy weekend and then I started my first, sort of big girl job!   You can see my tweet from last night about the day. I'm only working twice a week so the blog will still get plenty of love and attention from me.

While I'm catching up and preparing an awesome post for tomorrow, here's a little inspiration to get the week off on the right foot.


Happy Tuesday everyone :)



I finally had a fantastic week! The energy the in the air was better, I received lots of good news, and I made plans with a lot of my friends for the last few weeks of summer. 

I'm in a good place right now, which is a lot better than I was two-three weeks ago. Phew. I hope all that aggression is over because I don't think my mind, body or spirit can take it.

Aside from it being a good week, there was inspiration everywhere and lots of articles, blog posts and stuff happening that I simply just ate up. Seriously, my bookmarks are all filled to the brim!

Can we start with something simple, something that threw my Thursday for a loop?


YUP. This happened. 50 Shades of Grey is actually going to be on screen, in front of me. I'm not that stoked about who they cast as Christian but the movie looks pretty good. I loved the hoopla over the books and obviously read all three but knew they weren't well written and it's basically Twilight without the vampires.

Nonetheless I'm excited for the movie, it looks so cool and I love a good cult trilogy. 

Now that that's out of the way, here are my favorite links of the week.







I hope next week is just as good as this week! Happy Friday everyone :)


There is much more to being a blogger than writing a new blog everyday or sharing it across social media. There's a lot more planning and organization involved in that.

It's making sure you're not just sharing your own posts but others as well. It's keeping an editorial calendar, keeping files on hand, media kits and constantly brainstorming. It's taking a thousand photos to get the right one, blog conferences and friends.

There is a lot more to blogging than just writing a draft. I've realized that recently and I kind of love it. I love how there is a whole other side to blogging that I'm coming in touch with.

One of the best and most important tools I've learned about blogging is the importance of analytics. It wasn't until a few months ago when I started to pay a little more attention to my blog analytics and how many page views and monthly visitors I was wracking up.

That stuff was always important to me but I just started to see how freaking cool it was!!

I think it's the coolest thing to be able to see who is looking at your posts, what time they read them and where their located. Seeing the "real time" users is sick--being able to know that at that very moment someone is reading your blog.

Maybe I'm just a complete tech junkie and nerd but I think tracking your analytics is pretty cool but essentially, it's one of the most vital parts of taking your blog to the next level.

Knowing how many people visit your blog each day, how long they stay active and how many pages they view is really important. It's important to your audience, to brands and companies you want to work with, and to you as an owner.

Having a better understanding of analytics will help you become a better blogger.

Analytics is confusing, don't get me wrong. I'm by no means an expert but after playing around with it, I've become a little more knowledgable and it makes things a little easier.

Google Analytics is the platform I use and most bloggers I've spoken with use this one as well. It's easy to hook up to your blog if you have Blogger and a Gmail account. I've been playing around with this baby really well for the past few weeks but have had it installed for months.

Google Analytics as a whole is really useful and beneficial, once you get the hang of it. There are definitely some highlights that I think are the most useful to bloggers who are just starting out or want to take their blog to the next level.



1. Audience Overview: This is probably the most basic part of Google Analytics and the part that is most simple to understand. Basically it shows your page views and other statistics for any given date. Initially it'll start off as a monthly view but you could alter it for any day.

Here it tells you your page views which is how many times your blog was viewed; users, which is how many physical people clicked on your blog, and sessions, which is the period of time a user was actively engaged in your blog.

Aside from those statistics, it's also reported how many pages were viewed during a session, how long the average session lasted, locations and the number of new and returning visitors. 

I don't think I have my analytics installed correctly because it won't let me view the next categories such as age, gender, and basic demographics such as that.


2. Behavior: Behavior is useful for a variety of reasons; it shows you the flow of your readers (what pages they went to first, second, third) which is something I discovered while researching this blog post. Another great, useful part of 'behavior' is that you can see which pages and posts were most viewed during a certain period. 

It also shows how long it takes your site to load (woah, eyeopener) which can help you in the long run.

3. Technology: (Under Audience) This is pretty straight forward and simple. It shows you which browsers and operating systems people are viewing your blog under. I think this is super cool #nerdalert




4. Acquisition: This might be the most important part of analytics in my opinion. This shows how readers get to your site, whether it was a direct search, social media or a referral. It also shows which keywords they used to find your site(the coolest part). This is the most important to me because it's something you can control (sort of).

It breaks these different platforms down to really give you an inside look as to where your most traffic is coming from, showing which areas are pretty good and where you need improvement.

Like I said before, there are a lot of parts that don't work for me, for some strange reason (I need to look into that). Those parts that don't work would be really useful because you'll know exactly who you're targeting and whose reading.

I'm going to do another post on how to apply all these useful analytic tips because this post will be super long and confusing if I put it all together.

These definitely aren't the only parts of Google Analytics but the parts I focus on and find the most useful. Like I said, I'll do another post on how to apply all of this information but I hoped this helped or you found it interesting!!

Do you fellow bloggers have any tips and tricks when it comes to analytics? Please tell me in the comments !!


In my complimentary June PopSugar Must Have box, I received the lovely new beach read, "One and Only" by Emily Giffin.

Giffin is a fantastic chick-lit writer (chick lit is basically fluffy, easy beach reads for women and my favorite kind). She wrote "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue", both great beachy reads. 

You can always spot an Emily Giffin novel on the shelves of your local book store because they always look exactly the same, but in a good way. They have the same simple cover and I love how uniform it is. That is such a cool thing for an author to do.


This time around, the cover was deathly different. The title print was big and bold, very in your face. I wouldn't be able to walk past this at the book store.


I hadn't heard that Emily Giffin was coming out with a new novel so I was really excited to break into this book when it arrived in my Must Have box. I immediately started reading and was entranced. I finished it within two or three days. 

It was one of those easy reading books that was light, airy but just enough intensity to make you want to keep turning pages. Every time I would stop a chapter, I just had to figure out what was going to happen next. 

I couldn't put it down. 

I won't reveal too much about the plot because you could find that anywhere and I don't want to spoil it but I'll give you a little tidbit.

Shea Rigsby, the main character, has lived in Walker, Texas her entire life. Her life there revolves around her best friend Lucy and college football. This is a very football centric novel which I loved (even though I'm not a true football fan), it was a very nice added element. 

The novel starts off with Lucy's mother dying and that carries the entire novel. It is the main reason everything else occurs. It's a domino effect and that is apparent from very early on. 

Even though you might not be able to tell which direction the book is going to go in, or where Shea is going to end up, it's still fun to read along and feel the anxiousness that you know Shea feels.

I get very in tune with the main characters of the book, especially when it's written in the first person point of view. 

I'm usually very able to tell where a book is going to end up. I can read an authors mind only because I've read so many books. I know how an author thinks because it's something I'd like to achieve one day.

This was sort of different because I didn't know what Emily was going to have happen. It could've gone in so many directions. How the book ended was very predictable, however. It didn't make me like the book any less though.

I adored this book, I really did. 

I will say this, it was a little cringe worthy at times and made me shake my head. If you read it, you'll see why.

This was a fantastic beach read. I keep saying beach read and it may be confusing as to what I mean but basically it's the perfect summer/vacation book. It's something light, easy to follow and fun to read--a guilty pleasure if you would.

It's a fantastically written novel about love, friendship, career and hard decision making. Shea is a unique character and truly has to choose between love and friendship--not an ideal decision. She is relatable, oh my god, SO relatable. She's an anxious, nervous but also strong woman who doesn't really know what she wants out of life.

"One and Only" really is a great book. It definitely is one of the best books of the summer and I can't recommend it enough. If you're going on vacation or due for a light hearted read, pick this baby up!

Have you read "One and Only? What did you think of it? What are your other favorite beach reads?

PS: Did you like this book review? Would you like to see more of these on Royally Pink? Let me know all these answers in the comments :)

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Do you remember where you were a year ago? I do. 

I was in Manhattan, sitting in a Starbucks, awaiting my day at interning. As I was sitting down, enjoying my Skinny Vanilla Latte and blueberry scone, the news broke that Kate Middleton was in labor. Actually, it had broken hours before, in the middle of the night but I was just seeing it plastered across every news and social media outlet.

I tried SO hard to not be giddy as a school girl that the little prince or princess would be born that day! HOW EXCITING! I had been awaiting this birth as if it were my own child because my obsession with the Royal Family is sick and it was finally here.

Fun fact: That night, I had a dream that Kate Middleton went into labor. HOW SCARY AND FREAKY?!

That day at interning, the Levo office was completely buzzing. Most of the conversation that day was occupied with guesses of the gender, name, and everything having to do with that precious future king or queen. 

While I did my best to concentrate and get all my work done (I did because I'm a good intern), I had the "Royal Baby Watch" on mute aka CNN.com. I was also compulsively checking social media to see when the baby news was revealed.

I was indeed, the first person at least on my timeline to break the news that Prince George had arrived. Someone tweeted "IT'S A BOY" and I lost my shit. I really wanted a girl because hey, Kate Middleton dressing up a baby girl has to be the cutest thing ever but also, she would've been Queen. 

There was a law in England that said only the first born boy would be heir to the throne, even if he had an older sister. This law was overturned right before Kate gave birth that way no matter the gender, that baby would rule the United Kingdom. 

I was super happy all day and when I got home from interning, I continued to watch every aspect of coverage. I also spent the whole next day watching the hospital door for a peek at Prince George and his parents. 

The first glimpse of baby George was spectacular. It was historical. It made me cry. This was the future King of England we saw, just a day after he was born.

It doesn't get more bone chilling than that.

It was especially emotional for people like my mom and aunt who had watched Prince William be born the way I was watching Prince George. It was insane.

The Prince's latest official portrait 
For the next year, Prince George fever did not die down. Every time a new picture of him was released to the public, people went insane. I loved getting glimpses of him every few months and with every photo, he got cuter and cuter.

Shit hit the fan in April when baby George went on his first Royal Tour and we got a hefty amount of photos, from playing with mum's hair to throwing toys on the ground and making a fuss when at the zoo. We got a real look at what kind of child George is and even though he's the future King, he's just a baby.

He's a mighty cute baby as well, with cheeks so squeezable and stylish clothes, along with the most famous parents in the world. George has got it made.

Today Prince George turns ONE and I wanted to commemorate in the only way I knew how. Also, I mean...have you looked at my blog's name? It's only right that I honor a true ROYAL on Royally Pink!

Here are my favorite Prince George moments from the past year!!!

The first day we got to see the little prince! But the way Kate looks at Will >>>
One of the few official photos-HOW CUTE IS HE?
George's first Royal Tour and he's not impressed
Snuggles with mummy Middleton

Happy 1st birthday Prince George!! The world celebrates with you :) 

PS: Take a look at all my other posts about the Royals :)






I've been out of the monthly beauty subscription game for a while because I'm a broke, post grad with no job. I can't afford a Starbucks coffee, never  mind $10 a month for beauty products.

Lately, I've been really bored and watching beauty vloggers on Youtube; a lot of them subscribe to a variety of different beauty services so I've been tempted to subscribe again. 

I took the plunge last month and decided to splurge on an Ipsy Glam Bag subscription, at least for a month.




I patiently awaited the arrival of my Glam Bag but not before checking my Glam Room to see what goodies I was going to be receiving. I wasn't too thrilled, there wasn't anything I would die for but it was a nice little selection. 


//Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil: I'm not big on tanning oil but this is a nice little deluxe sample. This is great to throw in a beach bag because it's not too big or clunky. I don't know if I'll ever use it because I don't think I ever tried a tanning oil but hey who knows. It's still something that's nice to have.


//Nailtini in Mango Rita: I've always seen Nailtini in the Ipsy Glam Bags but never received any. This color is gorgeous! It's a natural, peach color with a good amount of shimmer mixed it. The brush is a little longer than most regular nail polishes which will work out well when painting my nails. I haven't tried it out yet so we'll see!




//Elizabeth Mott Tints and Sass: This is cheek and lip tint, similar to Benetint. It's a cherry red color and has a great applicator, similar to a standard lip gloss. The formula doesn't seem sticky so it might work out well. I always get confused as to how to apply this sort of product to your cheeks but maybe this applicator will help out. I shall let you know!


//Clear Clinic Vanished Clear Spot Treatment: I love getting products like this in subscription services because they're the perfect little sample and something I would never buy. I used this product a few times already because I had a blemish and it really works. It dries up the blemish and brings it to the surface, essentially healing it quicker. This also has a great applicator and I'm kind of obsessed with this.



//BareMinerals 5 in 1 Advanced Performing Cream Eyeshadow: I love cream eyeshadows and it's something I want to really get into. They're a lot easier to apply and the fall out is seriously minimal. This color is a bit harsh, a really dark brown so it's good for the upcoming Fall. It's a serious creamy eyeshadow so I'm excited to really try it out.

This Glam Bag was sub par but it was still a nice little gift to myself. Once I get a job and get paid regularly, I feel like I'll subscribe to Glam Bag on the regular.

Do you subscribe to any beauty subscription services? What are your favorites? Tell me in the comments!



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