I had a three day work week this week. Yes, three.

Memorial Day & then my summer Fridays started today so I'm off from work every other Friday. It was a short, eventful, stressful week but nonetheless, it happened and its over.

I am in another long, much needed weekend mode with a packed schedule of doctor's appointments, a keratin treatment for my hair, hopefully going to the Mad Men museum, lots of blogging, photo taking, some shopping, and maybe laying out in the sun if the weather permits.

So a lot of nonsense is planned, as per usual!

I was very proud of myself that I wrote 5 blog posts on Sunday AND scheduled all my social media. That is more than I've done in over a month and I'm looking to keep up the momentum.

I don't have much to say because it's 9:30 PM on Thursday, I'm tired, and my brain is just not working properly.

I thought I had a lot more links but these are pretty hefty and I really enjoyed all of them! Keep an eye out next week for one or two more posts than usual

Bethenny Frankel is a powerhouse and IDC what you say

I do way too many of these things and I DO secretly love them

Love the one who waited

Justin Bieber, you have done it again. #ovariesGONE

#ForeverHungry

Mad Men just got all of us. I miss it already

Happy weekend everyone!

What did you love this week?

This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own!

If you're a long time reader of Royally Pink, you may remember last year I did a post on "breaking up with your makeup" and Rosacea & redness. Since writing that post in June 2014, I surely have had my fair share of skin issues.

I haven't experienced Rosacea but between psoriasis, a heavy duty battle with eczema, and an allergic reaction to fragrance, I have a whole new understanding of skin issues, especially on the face. It's definitely jarring when you wake up in the morning and see peeling, red, or dry skin when you look in the mirror.

Some days, my skin was so bad, I couldn't wear make-up at all (because it made my skin look even worse) and would have to go to work or run errands sans foundation or concealer, which made me feel less than awesome.

Everyone IS beautiful and make-up only enhances that beauty that we all have. I wear make-up because it's fun to play around with color and the ability to transform your look with just a few products is pretty awesome, if you think about it.

It's tempting to want to use make-up to cover up your imperfections (that is what most people, including myself, use it for) but sometimes, like in my case, it can make things worse. Sometimes, your skin just needs to breathe!

And that is where Break Up with Your Makeup comes in!

What Break Up with Your Makeup does is to help educate and engage women to feel powerful and confident in their own skin, despite if they have flawless or problem prone skin.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I know you're all gorgeous, make-up or not, but I also know that it is tough to feel confident when your skin is acting up. This is a great way to spread the love and feel more confident in yourself (and maybe win some fun prizes!)

Good luck everyone!

After not buying *too much stuff for the past few months, the moment I got my first big girl paycheck, I did some damage.

I've since been doing damage and I need to stop. I have a post coming soon all about my shopping addicition because I am pretty sure it's a real problem I need help with. Maybe my mom has to control my finances? I don't know but something needs to be done.

UGH.

I just love things and I want all the things :(

#firstworldprobs #strugglecity

But yeah, I've been on a buying storm and some things I really needed, some things I definitely could've done without.

This is some stuff I bought a few weeks ago after I first got paid and I justified them in more ways than one. The beauty products are things I bought about a month ago but never blogged about because #bloggerfail.



IKEA Alex Drawers: Since working for a beauty brand, I have acculumated a massive amount of make-up. I feel like one of those Youtube vloggers that have a horrific amount of make-up. I already had a lot of make-up and have just gotten a stupid amount the past month. I didn't have a place to store everything and I'm psycho about space & organization so I needed something. I know every vlogger uses the Alex Drawers so I figured that was a great place to start. I put together the drawers BY MYSELF!!!!!!! over the course of two days. It was difficult and I screwed up some drawers but it turned out fine. UGH, I love them & I'll be doing a full post on them & how I organize my make-up.



BaubleBar Teardrop Cuff: I haven't purchased a BaubleBar piece in MONTHS and I knew I needed something new. I've been wearing one particular BaubleBar bracelet for the past few weeks and I knew I wanted something else. After having a cuff that I wore nonstop in my first & only Rocksbox, I knew I wanted a cuff. The Lighting Teardrop Cuff caught my eye and I just had to have it. It's so comfortable and light weight, you forget you're wearing it. I love wearing bracelets but I hate when I'm typing and they dangle against the keyboard. That's why a tight cuff is perfect for everyday wear.



Kate Spade Cedar Street Marieta: Over the past few months, I haven't been using my big Kate Spade wallet, mostly to bring back and forth to work. I didn't see the point and it was weighing my bag down. I was using a coin purse my mom got me for Christmas but I wanted something a little more sophiscated. I wanted a nice little wallet that was light weight and portable. I decided on Kate Spade (because I don't buy anything else basically) and found this adorable little card holder. It's not really a wallet, it only has one compartment but it's amazing. I have been obsessed with it & I'm so glad I got it in red! It's so different from what I usually buy and I'm glad I stepped outside my comfort zone. It's easy to find in my bag and it's so light. It's amazing and I love the tininess of it.

Maybelline FIT ME Matte & Poreless Foundation: I was in need of another foundation and I really wanted to try this one or the Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Liquid Foundation but it was $12 and I wasn't in the mood to shell out that money. I had heard people going insane over the Maybelline FIT ME Matte & Poreless Foundation. I had been curious so I decided to pick it up. It has quickly become one of my favorites. I got the shade 235 which probably is a tad dark for me but it'll be awesome in the summer when I'm tan. It's very liquidy but not too liquidy. It is medium-full coverage and I can see a noticeable difference in my skin when I wear it. It stays on pretty long too and it just makes my skin look fresh and flawless. It's not too matte, it seems to be a demi matte finish so it allows your skin to breath & doesn't look like you're wearing a mask. I'm addicted.

Milani Matte Lipstick in Orchid: When I saw this lipstick in the Milani display a few months back, I impulse bought it. I had been wanting to experiment with other lipsticks in bright, bold colors and I thought this would be a great place to start. I had seen a lot of reviews on these lipsticks and I already love Milani
lipsticks so I knew it would be good. Orchid is the hottest, Barbie pink I have ever seen and I was a little scared to wear it. I wore it to my sorority formal last month where I wore a white dress and it looked amazing. It's a great statement lip alternative to red and it's perfect for summer. I will definitely be wearing this more in the coming months, especially when I have a tan!

I feel like I've purchased some more things but I will feature them in more posts like this coming up. I like to keep things I've purchased around the same time in the same post--that's the type A in me!

What have you purchased recently? Tell me in the comments and help me not feel bad about my shopping addiction!

I have been on a roll with books lately, mostly because I'm listening to them on the train using Audible and it's much quicker to listen than read.

Nonetheless, I count audiobooks as reading.

After finishing "The Girl on the Train", I needed something equally as thrilling. I wanted something suspenseful with murder and other big issues--something that would give a "Gone Girl" like twist at the end. I was in that kind of mood. One of the suggestions was Lianne Moriarty's book "The Husband's Secret"; I read her latest novel "Big Little Lies" a few months back so I figured it would be equally as good.

Oh boy, this was even better!!

Just as "Big Little Lies" was, "The Husband's Secret" was split into three point of views; Rachel, Tess, and Cecilia. It takes place in Australia and the narrators have Australian accents (YES). Just as "Big Little Lies", it was a bit of a learning curve to understand Australian lingo but I caught on quickly. It made it that much more interesting, honestly.

This book was a lot faster than Big Little Lies; it didn't drag on (some chapters did but that's all books) and it gave many surprising twists and turns of the events.



The book surrounds those three women and show how their lives interchange but also are totally separate. They each have their own problems but yet, somehow, toward the end, they all come together and it's truly eye-opening.

There is a murder mystery in this book and honestly, the ending is just as surprising as anything. I was in actual shock at the end but when you think about, it makes total sense. The ending was really surprising and really sad and your jaw will drop.

"The Husband's Secret" was entertaining in so many ways--love, lust, divorce, murder, life. It kept my attention and I'm already looking to read (or listen) to another one of Moriarty's books. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

What have you read recently?

I've had this post on my calendar for months and I'm pretty confused why it's taken me so long to post it. It's not a hard post to write--I've already taken the photos, what is with you Bri?

I've been obsessed with the Too Faced Sugar Pop Eye Palette  since it was released online back in March(?) and knew I needed it. $36 for a palette? I could handle it, once I had some money. When I got a Sephora Gift-card for Easter, I knew it would be going toward this bad boy.

I think what drew me in was the bright colors and the fact that I've been addicted to Too Faced eye-shadows. They're just so pigmented and creamy and last all day. They are perfect.

Also, I needed color. I have so many neutral palettes--I only have neutral palettes so I thought for the summer, it was time to brighten it up.

I bought this palette after thinking about it but not really thinking about because I didn't really know when I'm going to wear pink eye-shadow but I've since figured it out, especially since the colors are bright but they blend together perfectly so it's not too bold (if that's what you want).

I'm rambling now...



The palette comes with six eye-shadows, 5 shimmers and 1 matte.  They''re all gorgeous shadows that range in color from very light, inner corner highlights to bright pops of orange, pink, and blue, to two more muted tones of a navy purple & brown.

This is a palette you have to pair with something else, if you're doing a whole look. It doesn't have any mattes or light, neutral shadows to put in your crease...it definitely needs some assistance.

Some days though, I'll just deal with it, if I'm just running errands and don't need to be completely done up.

The shadows are perfect; they're pigmented, no fall out, and apply & blend perfectly together.




This is truly the perfect summer palette to add to your collection. If you don't have any other palettes to go along with this, then I wouldn't have this be your first palette but it's a great addition and PERFECT for summer :)

What are your favorite palettes? 

Let's start off by saying HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! The long weekend has been very relaxing but at the same time, boring.

I always forget that these holiday weekends are a big deal and then I'm sitting in my room on a Sunday afternoon, looking at Snapchat and all my friends having a great time. FOMO is a real thing and it sucks.

I need to keep this in mind in a few months when 4th of July comes around and I am once again, in this same position.

I'll be honest and say that as I was writing this post on Sunday afternoon, I forgot the next day was Memorial Day and I usually don't post a "regular" post on holidays but hey, this needed to be talked about. (I'm also in total blog mode right now and have created an editorial calendar through JULY--am I back? I might be!)

Anyways, let's go with this Manicure Monday because I'm obsessed and in love.

I went one week without a posting a Manicure Monday #cool.

I walked into CVS over the weekend and saw this gorgeous polish and I think I finally knew what love was.

No, seriously. I am not being dramatic. I have never fell in love at first sight with a polish the way I did with this color.

I knew Essie released their 2015 Summer Collection but haven't seen any colors in person yet. This bad boy was the only one at my local CVS from the collection and the only one left in this color.



I don't have anything like this. NOTHING. I think that's why I'm so obsessed--because it is so unique and unlike any other color I have ever seen...not just from Essie but from any nail polish brand. Maybe I just live under a rock but I don't care. It's stunning!



Pret-a-surfer is the most gorgeous blue. Essie describes it as a marine blue and I think that it's pretty spot on. It's a summer, beachy blue. It's almost like a darker "Bikini So Teeny". Its so gorgeous I can't even describe how amazing the color is.

The formula of this is one of the best Essie polishes. It doesn't streak, it's very opaque, and it didn't stain my nail beds. It applied like a dream and played well with both my topcoat and basecoat.



I've been using a new base-coat, which doubles as a topcoat. Orly Nail Defense is a protein enriched nail strengthener which I desperately needed. My nails are cracked, peeling, and gross and they need some help. I don't know if it's working, because it says you need to apply every two days which I haven't been doing so I shall start this week.

In addition to using the Nail Defense as a topcoat, I've also been using my normal Sec 'N Dry quick dry topcoat by Orly. The combination seems to work well!

In conclusion, this polish is BAE and will continue to be BAE all freaking summer!

What color are your wearing this Memorial Day? Tell me in the comments :)

So this is super late but I actually have a lot of links to share so I thought I'd post anyway!

This week was fun and exhausting. I've fallen asleep before 10 PM every single night and I'm super happy to be sitting on my couch on a Saturday afternoon, watching Sex & the City and hanging out. I forgot how much I love relaxing and not doing anything.

Ever since starting my new job, my weekends have been jam packed with weekend events (which is great because I love it, which is weird) but exhausting because I feel like I haven't rested.

With the long weekend ahead of me(almost over) & summer Fridays in the distance, I know I'll be resting a lot more but also having more fun. I realized this week that getting out and being busy and doing fun things with my friends really makes me happy and as exhausted as I am, it's good to get out of the house.

After posting my post-grad update on Monday, I had a set back and just had a meh week. I was stressed out, and everything seemed to be the end of the world. Then I remembered Mercury is in retrograde so it all made sense. Yes I believe in astrology and yes I believe that Mercury was only created to annoy everyone a few times a year.

Anyways... I'm feeling much better and some retail therapy, sunshine, and some relaxation couldn't cure!

I have a very short work week ahead of me (Monday & Friday off) and I have some great plans for next weekend so it's really great to have something to look forward too.

I found a lot of things I loved on the Internet this week so let's go...

Nina Dobrev left the Vampire Diaries & I haven't watched it in two seasons but this broke my heart.

Mad Men ended and I may do a random blog post on it next week because it was just amazing and I feel like my heart is empty. 

Cheese makes the world go round

If it's worth the fight, then fight it. I loved this!

Matthew Weiner talks all about the Mad Men finale and it's perfection

YA novels will always have a place in my heart and this is so beautiful

Knolling really works and you know you love it

GIVE ME ONE OF THESE KATE SPADE BAGS

I am Kourtney & Kourtney is me.

Have a great long, holiday weekend everyone!!!

Let's first start off with the fact that I have always been a huge book lover. I adore books and it took me a while to get into the swing of an e-reader. I missed (and still miss) the feel and idea of a physical book.

I'm very odd when it comes to what I choose to read in an actual book form and what I choose to read on my iPad or Nook.

Book series that I've started in e-reader form (like Pretty Little Liars), I will continue in e-reader form. Books about the real world and jobs, I prefer in physical book form.

It's just how my mind works.

But, what I have never thought I would like was the idea of an audiobook. Listening to a book? How ridiculous! I need to see the words in front of me! I need to be able to connect with the story by looking at it.

Well, that is surely not the case anymore.

I downloaded "The Girl on the Train" as my first free audiobook from Audible, which is powered by Amazon. I figured it's free and I mind as well give it a shot, I had nothing to lose.

I also thought that it would be a great thing to do while I was on the train going to and from work. My commute is a little longer than it used to be at my old job so I needed something to occupy my time better and not make me want to jump out of the window.

I don't really enjoy listening to music on the train because it kind of gets old and it bores me. I figured an audiobook would be a great solution.

And my goodness it was.



I'm addicted and I've listened to two other books so far. I purchased a membership to Audible which for $15 a month, you get one free credit toward a book and the audiobooks are pretty expensive so it was worth it to me.

It definitely keeps my attention and listening to someone narrate a story is so thrilling. I'm able to picture the story much more than reading the actual words on the page. It's weird but it really holds my attention and I am completely enthralled in the book. I look forward to my train rides for the sole purpose of listening to the books.

So that's the deal on Audible--if you're skeptical, sign up and try it. Your first book is free and you have nothing to lose. It's amazing and I think you'll love it, especially if you're a book worm!

Anyways...



I've heard so many people rave about Girl on the Train, I needed to check it out for myself. Many have said it is the next Gone Girl and I have to agree. It takes place in London and the narrator(s) have British accents and it makes the book that much better.

This was a book that kept me on my toes. It was very suspenseful and eerie and it had you trying to guess what would happen next. It also would lead you in one direction and then throw something at you that completely didn't see coming. It was just amazing on all levels. I looked forward to finding out what the hell happened at the end, it almost couldn't come soon enough.

The main character, Rachel, seemed very delusional at times but at the end, you were proud of her. It was amazing character development, even if she was annoying at times.

I won't give anything away but I will give a short summary. Basically Rachel is a drunk and obsessed with her ex husband. She has a delusional way about her, she is a fake, and she can't move on. You think you know her story, you think you know THE story but you don't.

The twist at the end was just as amazing as Gone Girl and it was just an incredible book. I would love to read it over and over again!

Have you read The Girl on the Train? What did you think?

I've been LOVING my Birchbox lately. Every month it's like a little gift delivered right to my doorstep and I just cannot get enough.

I mean, I have enough make-up to last me 100 years but I changed my Birchbox profile to give me more skincare and hair-care, and that's what I've been getting! It's much appreciated and so useful!

The May box was curated by Emily Schuman, creator of the famous blog Cupcakes & Cashmere(which I LOVE) and at first, I thought we were all getting the same box but then realized that she hand picked all the products, in everyone's box and we weren't all getting the same.

Anyways....

I always peek at my box preview online because I just can't stand the suspense, and I was very happy with what I saw.

When I opened my box, I wasn't too thrilled.

That is because, I was sent the wrong sample. I was supposed to get the Dr. Jart Night BB Cream which I was so excited for because I've been wanting to try it for months, but instead, I received the regular Dr. Jart BB Cream, which I already have a full size of.

I usually don't complain about things like this, I just accept it and move on, but I really, really wanted the night BB Cream. I emailed Birchbox and they are so amazing and are sending me a sample of the Dr. Jart Night BB Cream!!

That is why I love Birchbox, because their customer service is hands down amazing.

The rest of my box was awesome though so lets jump in.




//Macadamia Professional Nourishing Moisture Oil Treatment: This is a hefty sample size--I will never go through the entire thing. Myself, along with the entire world, is obsessed with oils lately: oils for the body, hair, face, everything! And this is no expectation. It says it's supposed to hydrate dry hair and boost shine so we shall see if it does what it claims!

Full size: $40
Sample size: 5/5

//Naobay Oxygenating Cream Moisturizer: I've been obsessed with skincare lately, ever since my skin started freaking out, and I'll always welcome more moisturizers. It's 98% natural, with avocado and olive oils (which are supposed to be amazing for the skin). It doesn't have SPF so it can be used at night, which I enjoy because I have my holy grail day-time moisturizers and really need night creams. I'm not usually picky with skincare, unless it breaks me out, so I'm excited to try this out!

Full size: $36
Sample size:  5//5

//W3LL People The Expressionist Bio Extreme Mascara: I really didn't need another mascara so this was probably the item I was least excited for. It's definitely a nice size and it's a dry formula, which I appreciate for every day wear. The brush is thin (I usually prefer thicker brushes) but if I don't like it, I could just pass it on to my mom who really isn't picky about mascaras!

Full size: $23.50
Sample size: 4/5

//Wei Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask: I was definitely most excited for this product, even if the size was a little disappointing. I am addicted to face masks. I've always loved them because it was like a little treat, it's such a pampering, luxurious item & process. I just cannot get enough. My addiction runs especially high when you combine the words mud and deep cleaning. I will be using this tonight and seeing how it goes.

Full size: $42 for a set of 8
Sample size: 1/5

Dr Jart + Premium BB Cream: I'll review this since it's in the box and I have a full size, even if it was the wrong sample. I really love this BB Cream (I also have the Radiance shade which gives a nice glowing effect). It's one shade for everyone, but it provides some nice coverage. I haven't been reaching for it as much as I was because I have so many foundations but I do like this for when I'm lazy and want minimal coverage or a no make-up make-up look. It's a nice smooth texture and holds up pretty well. I'm happy to have an small extra bottle to bring with me in my bag.

Full size: $39
Sample size: 2/5



That's my May Birchbox and I already can't wait for June!

PS: Why is it almost June??????

Do you subscribe to Birchbox? What subscription boxes DO you subscribe to?

So, here I am, sitting in my room at 10:45 AM on May 17th, 2015. This time last year, I was at Madison Square Garden, getting ready to close one chapter of my life and allowing a newer, scarier chapter to begin.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending Iona's graduation of the Class of 2015 to see my little, my sorority sisters, and countless friends close their chapter & begin a new one. It was very surreal, to be there, not in a cap & gown, and not be as emotional as I was last year.

It was very weird but very exciting because I knew that my sisters would be just fine. Last year, I didn't believe anyone when I said that I'd be fine but now, it was like I knew a secret that my younger sisters didn't.

Aside from that, it was truly an amazing day. Watching these girls I've known since they were freshmen & sophomores become these beautiful adults who have the entire world in front of them, I felt like a proud mom. It was also just amazing and so much fun to be with all my friends.

One of my best friends said it best, "I feel alive when I'm here." And it's so true... I never feel more myself or more alive than I do when I am in my element with all my best friends, my Gaels.

And with that, we have come full circle.

I've realized something over the past few weeks... I will never be over not being a college student. While I may not cry, may not dwell on it everyday, but I will always miss Iona and I will always be sad that that part of my life is over, and has been over for a year.

I don't feel like an adult. I may have a full time job (a dream job at that), I may have great friends and family, and a good life but I do not feel like an adult. I thought getting a job would make everything better but I've realized I need a lot more to be fulfilled.

What I need to be fulfilled, I don't know. Who I am, I don't know. That my friends, is a scary thought.

I'm in a much better place than I was 6 months ago, that is for sure. I've dealt with my anxiety, I know my triggers, I know how to be a more positive person, I know how to think more clearly, I know how to handle situations better than ever before.

This time last year, I would've had to be hospitalized over the fact that I had less than 24 hours to prepare for a business trip to Chicago... the first time I was ever on a plane alone. I could've never done that last year but my experiences in my first year of post-grad have helped immensely.

I've learned a lot this year... I've learned that some people will walk out of your life, with no explanation, I've learned that you can rekindle old friendships you never thought would live again, I've learned that if people don't understand you, they will try to bring you down with negativity, and I've learned that you are the only person who can make yourself happy.



No one else is accountable for your happiness so you must surround yourself with positive people. Just because someone doesn't approve of something, doesn't make it wrong. If you are happy and you know in your gut that it is okay, then do it.

I've learned that you have to make your own mistakes, you need to see life for yourself.

Am I still a little lost? Yes, but I think that comes with being in your twenties. I'll probably always be a little lost until I feel 100% settled.

I have to remember to have faith that fate is on my side. Everything is happening the way it's supposed too, everything happens for a reason, I can handle anything God and the universe throws at me, and I just really need to remember that my life will come together eventually.

So far, so good though...

I just have to keep trekking through and come to realize that everything will fall into place.

I will figure it out eventually but I have my shit together a lot more than I did a few months ago, which is always a plus.

I've finally fallen into a routine and I'm not completely pooped when I come home from work or on the weekends anymore so blogging should get back to normal, I'll be able to have a social life, and get my life back--fight the exhaustion!

To find out where I was a year ago, read my Letter to my 17-Year Old Self-- one of my proudest, most emotional blog posts to date.

Thank you all for reading, for commenting, for giving advice, and sticking with me through the craziest, scariest, transition of my life (so far!)

As I'm typing this, I'm watching the season finale of Scandal... how in God's name is it the end of the TV season? How is Memorial Day weekend next week? How is my little & all my younger sorority sisters graduating from college on Saturday?

Why has it been a year since my college graduation and why can I remember it so clearly?

My mind is messing with my lately. So much has changed since I walked across the stage at Madison Square Garden and it's completely nerve wracking to think about how fast time is moving. It's giving me another quarter life crisis. I'm pretty sure I've had like three quarter life crises since my junior year of college...

Anyways... I'll get more into that in Monday's post, as I've been saying forever. Like anyone actually cares about my post grad update but hey someone needs to listen to me!

This week went by painfully slow but I enjoyed it. Isn't that odd? I'm getting settled in at work and enjoying it, I enjoy the routine.. I'm not as exhausted as I was at the beginning so that's always a plus. Dare I say, I'm enjoying adulthood? I mean, I miss school desperately and I think I always will but everything else is good.

I had a good week.

And here are some links I loved!

This was published in March but I just saw it today and I loved it!

Mad Men ends this Sunday and I've been addicted to all things Draper all week... like this quiz

Being the big spoon is underrated

When I was younger, I danced for 14 years. Ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, pointe- everything. We were programmed to love this movie and I have to agree, Center Stage is AMAZING

Do I do these things? You could say yes...

They're dysfunctional AF but I love them anyway #LordDisick #Kourtney

Owen Wilson saying WOW a thousand times is HYSTERICAL

Okay, so I really need to get better at saving the links... I am so off my blogger game!

Well.... happy Friday & happy weekend :)

My new salary is bringing out my shopacholic vibes... retail therapy is truly the best therapy there is. I've already started buying things I don't need and I have a running list of things I want. My first real splurge that I want to cross off my list? A new bag.

I have always been a bag lady, as I'm sure I've mentioned time and time again. I got a new C.Wonder (RIP) bag for Christmas but that was when I had a job that required me to bring my laptop to work. Now, I don't need my laptop and I leave a lot of stuff at my desk so my huge tote bag isn't a necessity.

I still would like a larger bag to bring to work because I bring my lunch & water bottle and make-up bag (and other items) but maybe a unstructured tote bag isn't the answer. I would also like something a little more tame (not leopard print) and more professional looking.

Basically, I want a Rebecca Minkoff or Kate Spade bag... both of which are currently sitting in my Nordstrom shopping cart. I get paid Friday, this could surely be the weekend I buy that new bag.

I've never bought a bag for myself, let me state that first. So to me, this is a big deal. All my bags, my entire life, have been gifts. Whether it was birthday, Christmas, or graduations, my bags have always been gifts. Sure, I may have bought myself a wristlet or a non designer bag but to buy a designer bag for myself is a huge deal. It means I'm an adult.

Oh god I have being an adult! I hate using that word!!

Anyways....

I've been doing some serious thinking, for a good few months, on what kind of bag I want--what color, what shape, what size, and I've decided a few contenders. Whether I buy one or buy them all, I'm a little bit obsessed and will surely be buying one of these bad boys in the near future!


Rebecca Minkoff M.A.B Tote 




Kate Spade Cedar Street Hayden Tote




Kate Spade Cedar Street Jensen




Kate Spade Emerson Place Hayden

Do we sense a theme here? Which one do you think I should get? Tell me in the comments :)

Shop these and some other choices (non work bags) below!

I had on multiple to-do lists to blog for the week today aka Sunday but if I'm being honest, I spent the day in bed, crying and dealing with a 12-hour migraine. Why was I crying? I couldn't really tell you. Also, my wrist hurts very badly. I think I've talked about this briefly once but I have a real problem with my wrists and hands. It's not carpal tunnel according to my pain management doctor and physical therapist but something is wrong and this weekend was really bad for it.

Obviously, it wasn't the greatest Sunday of all time.

Hence, blogging took a back seat, yet again, because I couldn't find the motivation to start.

So now, at 7pm on Sunday night I'm mustering up the courage to write a "not much thought had to go into this" Manicure Monday post.

You know my deal, with all my new nail polish at the beginning of a new season, I must manicure monday all of them!

Last week, after my first paycheck, I clearly went on a buying binge and ended up spending $35 in CVS. One of those purchases was a brand new Essie polish in a gorgeous spring/summer color and I didn't even think twice about throwing it in my cart.

It's a very pretty shade that is somewhere between red, orange, and pink. The website describes it as coral, and most people would agree. I don't know why I typed out that weird description... I clearly took too much medication today.

Originally, I was going to get a new Bridal polish from Essie's Bridal 2015 collection but ended up getting this little number called "E-nuff is E-nuff." 

The formula is great, very much like other Essie polishes I have. It wasn't too thick or too thin and two coats was enough to make it opaque.




I will say that the polish chipped a little easier than normal polishes but I feel like a lot of Essie's lighter colors do that, especially when it's a thinner formula.

I'm honestly not picky about my polish though--whether it chips easily or is hard to work with and streaky, I will still use it. Nothing stops me from using a nail polish I already spent money on.

In the same breath, I'm going to need to get more actual manicures in nail salons because my nails are really unhealthy. They break easily & aren't in the best shape. I got a manicure this weekend and the woman was horrified by my nails. Yikes!

Anyways, I will try to get at least one or two more posts this week.. I really need to get in the habit of creating a better schedule for myself. Hopefully it'll come eventually!

Happy Monday :)

It was my first full week of work this week and I think it kicked my butt. I am exhausted and I was very scatterbrained this week.

It's very unlike me to not feel like I have my shit together but boy oh boy was it one of those weeks.

I satisfied that scatterbrainedness(my own word) by doing a little online shopping and ugh, I love getting mail delievered.

I ordered a new BaubleBar bracelet, a brand new book (review soon if I ever start reading it), one & two amazing smelling candles, and a new mini wallet.

Oh... and I ordered the Alex drawers from Ikea.

So my bank account is crying but all is fine... reviews on everything coming soon!

Last weekend I went up to school (again) for our annual Cinco de Mayo celebrations. It was great to be back again and I had so much fun since this dage(day rage) is my favorite of the year but it also made me sad because it truly marked the end.

But what do you mean Briana, you graduated last year--you already had your end.

Well, now it's official. A new batch of seniors are upset that they're graduating and our time to sulk and wallow is over. I have been out of school for a year and the fact that graduation is next week makes it very official. I'm no longer the new alumni, I'm officially old and it really got me feeling some type of way this week.

Once again, I don't meant to ramble and I'll have a really uplifting(sarcasm) post grad update soon!

Anyways, I'm getting ahead of myself again so let's get into the links I loved...

CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH DIANA OF CAMBRIDGE--THAT NAME IS PERFECTION AND I ALMOST CRIED

Don Draper staring blankly is a hilarious and accurate tumblr account that had me laughing for hours

Carrie & co laid it all out on the table and I of course, love every second of it

100 true quotes about falling in love and it gave me all the feels

I might do a post on dad bods because I'm obsessed and it was all I talked about this week... as did the rest of the internet. Dad bods FOREVER

I am Peggy Olson, Peggy Olson is me and her badass strut down the hallway was epic in this week's Mad Men

6 things I wish I knew this time last year... oh to be young and naive

Whew, a lot more links than last week!

Enjoy the weekend everyone :) 

It was back in September that I wrote a review on the first Brooklyn Girls novel. It was the perfect transition book for my post-grad life. It seems only appropriate that as I approach my one-year anniversary of graduating college, I write a review of the second novel, Love & Chaos.

I bought this on my Nook e-reader a while ago but never got around to reading it. I go through phases when I'm all about reading and then won't pick up a book for months. I flew through this book in a matter of a week and a half because it was that good. I just wanted to know what was going to happen.

This book was a continuation of the first book but it picked up a few months later and it was in the voice of a different character. Angie, the crazy, outspoken, drug infused roommate of Rookhaven was the narrator and it told her story.



At first, I was disappointed because I felt like I couldn't relate to Angie because of her outgoing, scatterbrained ways but getting inside her head and seeing the world of Brooklyn through her eyes was more like me than I realized.

I won't go too much into the plot because I'll let you figure it out for yourself but there were many surprises and twists & turns along the way. This was definitely more exciting, more of a "page turner" than the first book. It was almost suspenseful in a way and I loved that.

If you don't want to read Brooklyn Girls, you can definitely read this as a stand alone book. You won't be lost at all, you can surely enjoy it to the maximum.

This book series has quickly become one of my favorites for many reasons: the way the characters jump off the page, how they each have their own unique personalities & stories, how they are all so relatable in their own way. It soothes me and my anxiety to read about fictional people dealing with the same problems I do... because it proves that these are totally normal "20s growing pains" as I like to call them.

This was just such an incredible book for so many reasons. If you're graduating college soon or are in the middle of your own post-grad crisis, read the Brooklyn Girls series. You will not regret it!

April went very slow and very fast. A lot happened...and I mean A LOT! It was a very emotional month, for good and bad reasons. I went through a lot, one chapter of my life ended and I began a new, very real one.

Because so much happened, it felt like it took an eternity to get through. Yet, at the same time, it felt like the days were flying by, especially in my first two weeks of work (aka the last two weeks of April)

Anyways, I won't ramble because I've done that enough in my previous posts and I have a post grad update coming up soon!

I've been in my own world this entire month so these favorites may be all over the place but let's just get right into it.



Kate Spade Sunglasses: I got these glasses last month and haven't been wearing anything else. I haven't had a good pair of sunglasses in quite some time and I knew I needed a new pair. They were a VERY late Christmas gift (LOL) and I forget sometimes that I can wear sunglasses in seasons other than summer. I wear them pretty much whenever I leave the house and I'm pretty obsessed. Here are a similar pair!

LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub: I've been on the hunt for a great lip scrub for months now. The winter really took a toll on my skin (as I've talked about so many times before) and my lips were pretty bad. That's why I'm so glad I stumbled into LUSH Cosmetics and found this precious little jar at the register. I use it a few times a week, just scrub it on dry lips and then wipe off with a dry towel, apply some lip balm, and my lips are smooth and supple. It's been a lifesaver!

Boscia Exfoliating Peel Gel: I got this as a deluxe sample from a Sephora order last month but I've fallen in love with it. It's a gel consistency that you rub on your clean face and it breaks up all the dead skin. You can actually see the dead skin coming off your face so it's pretty gross and cool, at the same time. I've been doing this once a week as a treatment, and especially when my skin is extra dry and moisturizer isn't helping. It's great for bringing a new, fresh layer of skin to the surface and I notice a real difference when I use this.

Audible: I don't know if this is a cheat favorite since I've only been using it for two weeks but I'm obsessed so I must include it. I'm a huge book worm and I've always loved reading. I never understood the appeal of audiobooks because I like to be able to read and hold an actual book (or e-reader) and I thought it would be hard to follow the story, but that has all changed. I downloaded the Audible app (Audible is powered by Amazon and linked to your Amazon account) and downloaded a free audiobook & fell in love. I listened to "Girl on the Train" (review coming soon) and loved the feel of listening to a story, so I bought another book. It's so relaxing and calming, and I love listening to them on the train as opposed to music. I'm officially a convert.

Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream: This is a product that I have had in my Sephora favorites for over a year. Finally, all of the Soap & Glory products were on sale at Sephora because they are no longer carrying the line and this little gem cost me $4. I bought it with the body butter(which I haven't used yet) but this hand cream is a Godsend. It smells amazing and is so soothing, moisturizing, and not greasy at all. I have a lot of hand creams but this is the only one I've been using of late.

As I always say, I need to keep track of my favorites more throughout the month and not just think about when it's time to write this post. I have to say, I've been using so many new make-up products lately so I don't have anything that has been used continuously.

Another favorite of mine....


There's a new little princess!!!!!! Did you really think I would go without addressing this?? I'm SO happy the Royal Family has welcomed a little girl... can you imagine the little outfits Kate is going to dress her in? PRECIOUS!

Happy May everyone :)

Shop my favorites below!!

I've always wanted to try a Butter London nail polish but I could never muster up the courage to buy a $15 nail polish.

Much to my surprise, I received a Butter London nail polish in Pink Ribbon as a gift and I was overjoyed to finally try such a well known and loved brand.

The shade Pink Ribbon is a very, very pale pink. At first, I thought it was white and it wasn't until I read the name that I knew it was the palest, baby pink I have ever come across.



I was very, very surprised at the formula of this polish. It is very thick, much thicker than any Essie polish I have ever used. It was so thick that it felt like a gel nail polish.

I did use my Sally Hansen base coat but I don't think that affected the formula of the polish.



I'm not saying that it's a bad polish, because I do like it, but the thickness is something I wasn't used too and it made working with the polish a lot more difficult. It didn't dry quickly and then the morning after I painted my nails, two of them were completely smudged.

The polish didn't really apply smoothly and I could still feel the bumps along my nails.


This may have something to do with the fact that my nails are gross & I need a real manicure to buff and smooth out my nails. I also had a gel manicure last week and that always "ruins" my nails.

I also needed three coats to get an opaque look and it honestly still wasn't enough.

All of that was my first impression of the polish but as I am writing this blog post (on Thursday night), I repainted my two smudged nails and it was much better.

I took off the smudged polish two hours ago and let my nails breathe. I painted one layer of the base coat, let it sit for a few minutes, and then gently took the Butter London polish to my nails and it was so much better. It was still a little thick but not as hard to work with and not as goopy. It still wasn't too opaque but let us remember that this is a very pale color.

I also think that white (or pale pink) polishes are very hard to do right.

In conclusion, this isn't my favorite polish but I will for sure use it and I'm glad I got to finally try Butter London Nail Lacquers!

Have you ever tried Butter London? What is your opinion on it? Is it just me or is this polish very thick and goopy?