This post is sponsored by the Melanoma Foundation and Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Royally Pink possible!
When I was in high school (and a few times at college) I knew tanning was bad for me but I continued to do it anyway. I would go into a tanning bed a few times a year for special occasions and thought that since I wasn't going every week, it was ok.

Well, then I found out that you can get skin cancer from just one time in a tanning bed and I vowed to stop going. I haven't gone in a tanning bed in a few years, but I will still sit in the sun during the summer months for a bronzed look. I (try) to remember sun screen all the time, and have done a better job at incorporating it into my daily beauty routine, whether it's in my skincare or makeup products, especially lip balms because my lips get sunburned so easily! Working your SPF into your skincare, like with these SkinCeuticals products is the easiest way because then you will never forget!



Cancer is all around us...seriously, and it's affected at least one person we know, if not more. It's just the world we live in and we can't control it. Well, skin cancer is something you can try to prevent and it's better than not trying at all.

Since making the vow to not tan in a tanning bed (and I vow to make more of an effort to not sit in the sun, even for 20 minutes during the summer), I've taken a liking to self tanning which I've talked about before but have a HUGE post coming up in the next few weeks.

All of this tanning talk comes at a good time since we're slowing moving from winter to spring and soon summer!

Your Skin Is In is based on this idea. It's an educational, pledge based program (and contest!) to help bring awareness to teens and young adults that they should be taking care of their skin and helping to protect it against the skin.

After all, this is the only skin you will ever have and it's important to take care and protect it from harms way.

I had no idea that Melanoma is the 2nd most common form of cancer in people our age, 15-29 years old. That is a scary, scary thought and it's even scarier that it's a preventable type of cancer.

 I hope you all can take the pledge along with me because it's super important to fight this fight!


There has been so much going on in beauty the past few weeks and today is sure to be one of the best!

Too Faced is officially releasing their Peanut Butter & Jelly Eyeshadow Palette and their new La Matte Color Drenched Lipsticks, all exclusively at Ulta.

I say "officially" releasing their PB&J palette because last week, for a few hours, it was available to Platinum members only... but not really because if you had the link and accessed it from your mobile browser, you were able to purchase it even if you weren't Platinum.

I was one of those lucky people and my goodness, this palette is everything to me. I don't remember the last time I was this excited about a new release.

Some of the eyeshadows swatched a little difficulty--they weren't that smooth and pigmented, like the Jelly shade, but once applied to a primed eyelid, they are just as buttery and beautiful as every other shadow that Too Faced creates.

The three shades that give me life? Peanut Butter, Nuts About You, and Peanut Brittle. I just want them tattooed to my eyelids.




I wore this Friday & Saturday and it looked so beautiful on my eyelids. I feel like this is the perfect palette for me because I gravitate toward warm, brown shades and this has a perfect mix of everything.

As for the La Matte Lipsticks, these are supposed to have the same feeling of the La Creme Color Drenched Lipsticks but a matte finish. 

I screenshotted swatches of the shades from Too Faced's snapchat and my goodness, I'm excited. There are not as many neutral shades as I thought but maybe that will force me to step outside my comfort zone and go with some color, especially for the springtime! 


I am feeling 'When In Doubt' and either 'Bachelorette' or 'Hey Gurrl'. I'm ordering two of those three today, just a matter of which ones!

As in other beauty news, Tarte released TWO NEW COLLECTIONS, one exclusively at Sephora and one at Ulta. Below are a few of the items I've been eyeing! The Rainforest of the Sea collection at Sephora is only available to VIB & VIB Rogue members right now but will be available tomorrow or Tuesday! 






What beauty launches are you looking forward too?


Another week has come to an end... and I have to say, this was a good week and it went by pretty fast. There's a lot happening in my life and it was around this time last year that I felt a huge rush from the universe. A rush that was telling me things were about to change and I feel that way right now.

Maybe it's the Spring season upon us that forces us to feel like things are changing all around us but I always get this feeling around this time of the year. And maybe that's why I hate Spring so much, because I hate the change that comes along with it.

Fall feels like a beginning, Spring feels like the end.

Hm... that is a good article/blog post idea, isn't it?

With all the talk about change, something big did change this week! I opened up my own Chloe + Isabel shop! I've been thinking about this for months and took the plunge. I have always loved the idea of owning my own business and I thought this was a good start!



You can shop it here and I'll try not to flood every blog post with Chloe + Isabel jewelry but I am very excited!

Now enough of that, lets get into the links of the week!



All the new releases at Sephora have me super excited

There is a Hogwarts IT guy on the Internet and it's incredible

These bad boys come out on Sunday & I AM SO EXCITED

All the Harry Potter posts, YES

In need of a good Instagram tip? Look no further! 

Very interesting article on social media & Fashion Week!

This week on Royally Pink:

I rounded up my favorite liquid lipsticks!

Me Before You is the best book I've read in a while!

I don't take advantage of Manhattan enough and I made a bucket list of things to do in NYC!

Too Faced is my favorite high end brand & they have a lot of winners in their line!

What did you love this week?


I'm always on board for a good beauty trend; bold brows, contouring, strobing -- I love them all.

One trend I really have fallen head over heels for is matte lips. I blame Kylie Jenner but Ms. Jenner really knew what was she doing. I love the look of matte lips -- they're so glamorous and really make you look like you spent 4 hours on your makeup, when you only spent 10 minutes.

I feel a lot fancier when I have a matte lip on.

A trend that goes hand in hand with matte lips is liquid lipsticks. A liquid lipstick applies like a lipgloss and comes in a lipgloss tube with a lipgloss applicator, but it is far from a lipgloss. Some liquid lipsticks have a mousse texture while some have a more liquidly texture but neither one (in my opinion) is better than the other.

The fabulous thing about liquid lipsticks and what entices most people? Liquid lipsticks are supposed to be long lasting! Most formulas I have tried, are in fact very long lasting which is such an added bonus in my book.

A downside of liquid lipsticks? They are extremely drying. Because they are such a super, high impact matte finish, they suck the life and hydration out of your lips.

There is a solution to this though -- make sure your lips are exfoliated and hydrated with your favorite lip balm.

Also, you must have a good liquid lipstick formula to have a true success. If the lipstick is too drying, then it'll be a total fail.

Well, I've tried a number of liquid lipsticks and they are all very long lasting, not drying at all, and give beautiful pigmentation!



To me, all of these formulas are very similar. I think the longest lasting was the Kylie Lip Kit. It lasted through a night of dancing and drinking at a sweaty Manhattan bar. 

As you can also see, the colors are a little similar with the exception being the theBalm shade "Loyal". The shade by Stila is a VIB exclusive so you can only purchase it if you are a Sephora VIB Rogue but a similar shade is Stila's Patina.

While Kylie's lipstick lasts the longest, I think the Ofra lipstick has the BEST FORMULA. This is the most comfortable lipstick out of the bunch -- it's incredible. You can find the Ofra lipstick in Americano (and all their other amazing shades here).  

You can also shop some of the other lipsticks below! 





There are a few other liquid lipsticks on my list to try -- and let me know if you want a more in depth review on any of these (mostly the Kylie LipKits because we all know how popular those are!).

Have you jumped on the liquid lipstick bandwagon yet?


I haven't read a typical fiction book in quite some time. I've been obsessed with career books, self help books, and memoirs. I don't remember the last time I read (not listened) to an actual book.

Well my goodness, I'm so glad I rediscovered fiction because I completely fell in love with this novel.

"Me Before You" has been on my to-read list for quite some time and after seeing the trailer for the movie coming out this summer, I immediately purchased and downloaded it to my Nook.

I read it within a few days, and one Saturday afternoon I read over 300 pages.

That is how good it was and how in need I was of a good story.

I will admit, I think the story was a tad bit slow but it kept me wanting more.


A little summary on the novel... it takes place in London and it centers around Louisa Clark who becomes a caregiver for Will, a paralyzed man who has given up the will to live (no pun intended). They form an unlikely bond and the story unravels from there.

There aren't a lot of twists and turns like you would expect from an incredible fiction novel. It's more simple with incredible characters and a story that entices you in unexplainable ways. Will and Louisa are so deeply different but so deeply the same, it's borderline heart breaking.

The book is also insanely funny. I found myself chuckling throughout the entire thing. I also cried throughout a lot of it too.

The ending was not what I expected and I kept waiting for it to change and it didn't.

"Me Before You" is such an easy, good read. It was a great, heart wrenching story that was fun, funny, and down right beautiful. If you loved the trailer, you will fall desperately in love with the book!

Also, Me Before You has a sequel called "After You" which I really want to read as well.

Have you read "Me Before You"? What is your favorite book of the moment?




I have lived in New York my entire life. Queens is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Manhattan and honestly, I have not taken advantage of it as much as I should have.

I have always adored Manhattan and the awe behind it's eyes. I am fascinated that people from all over the world come to Manhattan to visit and see what I see every single day. Whenever I drive into the city and see the skyline, I am awestruck.

How lucky I am to live in the greatest city in the world (hey, that's what people call it, don't they?)

The fact that I go into Manhattan every day has really had me thinking lately... why don't I do "touristy" stuff, ever? I've never been to the Statue of Liberty, or the top of the Empire State Building. Ok, so maybe that's a little too touristy but there are so many things that I want to do in NYC that I never, ever get around to doing.

Most are based around food, or shopping, but hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

Credit

Visit Central Park: I'm 99% sure I have never been inside Central Park. As a New Yorker, I'm sure that is not acceptable.


Credit

Laudree: I love macaroons more than life and I need to eat one from the original French Bakery on Madison Ave. I've seen so many photos of it and it's the cutest little bakery-- I need to get my booty there.

Have lunch at the Plaza: I see a bunch of people always doing this and it looks like the cutest, most quaint outing on a nice afternoon. Please, someone come with me.

Credit

Viral Food Places: Black Tap's Milkshakes, Dominique Ansel's cronut... some of the best food that has gone viral over the Internet is in NYC and I haven't had of them. I need to get my hands on some.



9/11 Memorial: I've talked about my experience with 9/11 and this year, for the first time, I went to see the Freedom Tower and the two waterfalls that honor those who died during the attacks. It was really emotional and beautiful at the same time, but I really want to go into the museum and explore the history that I lived through.

Brooklyn Bridge: I'm terrified of bridges but I so want to take a nice, sunny afternoon walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It's so beautiful and to see the skyline that up close and personal is probably amazing.

There are a lot of other activities I want to do, places I want to eat, and places to visit in my backyard of Manhattan but I think this is a good start!

What are your favorite things to do in your city?





The last Brand Buzz I did got so many positive responses so I thought I'd change it up and do a post on one of my favorite high end brands.

Too Faced has always been #1 for me and they just keep getting better and better. Their packaging is too cute for words, they have pretty unique products, and they're amazing.

I've tried a decent amount of product from Too Faced, but I haven't tried everything. There have been some things I didn't like -- like the renowned Born This Way Foundation and the Shadow Insurance Eyeshadow Primer, and there are still things that I need... like the Peanut Butter & Jelly palette that is releasing next week!





For now, though, let's talk about the things I swear by!





Eyeshadows: Too Faced has the best eyeshadows in the business, in my honest opinion. It's better than the Naked Palettes, better than anything I've ever tried. I will always go back to Too Faced shadows. They are smooth, buttery, blendable, and pigmented. They are NOT powdery, don't have any fall out and you don't have to work too hard to apply them. My favorite palettes are the Chocolate Bar Palette & the Natural Matte Palette. They are both neutral palettes but they are a must have in anyone's collection!



Melted Chocolate Diamonds, Melted Candy, Melted Rainbow, Melted Chihuahua, Melted Nude

Melted Lipsticks: I was so excited when these came out. They were one of the first "liquid lipsticks" on the market, and they aren't really even liquid lipsticks. They don't have a true matte finish and they come in a squeeze tube, which is odd but really cool. I like the applicator, it's very unique and these have an interesting smell. I'm not prone to smells but some people are so that could be a turn off but it doesn't bother me. I really love these because they are easy to apply and have a semi long lasting power. The color selection is super unique and I just love everything about these!

Better than Sex: This mascara has the RIGHT NAME. This mascara is the best mascara I have ever used and I don't even know how many I've gone through. It was the first high end mascara I tried and if I had to pick one to use for the rest of my life, it'd be this one. The wand is pretty big but that is what I prefer, and the formula isn't too wet. It leaves my lashes with a lot of volume and it can be a bit clumpy/messy but that's never really a real issue for me. It also helps separate my lashes, which is what I look for in a mascara. I need something that is volumizing and separating and that is Better Than Sex. No other mascara compares to this one in my opinion.

Hangover Rx Primer: I've raved about this primer many times before so I won't ramble too much but it's incredible and I really miss having it since I ran out a few months ago. It's hydrating and I would sometimes just throw this on with some concealer and call it a day. It is made with coconut oil and is perfect for those with dry skin. If you have dry skin and need a moisturizing primer, definitely go try this one.



Loganberry, Cinnamon Kiss, Pink Chocolate, Nude Beach

La Creme Lipsticks: Another great lipstick by Too Faced! These are very moisturizing and have a tendency to bleed but I just can't get enough. They feel amazing on the lips and the color selection has every shade you'd ever need. And the packaging? YES PLEASE! How cute is the gold? It's very heavy and feels luxurious so I feel like a true beauty guru whenever I use them.



Love Flush Blush: These blushes are no joke, between the colors, the names, the 16 hour wear, and the dam packaging!!!! I bought this off HSN last year when it was released and it's one of my most worn blushes. I have the color "Love Hangover" and it's a beautiful peachy pink--these blushes are pigmented in a good way, but not too much where you look like a clown. They're soft, blendable, and really do last a good while.



Little Black Book of Bronzers: I'm pretty sure I've talked about how much I wanted this product before but I never wanted to spend $50. I mean, the bronzers inside are very tiny, but I still couldn't justify it. Thankfully, I found it in Nordstrom Rack a few months ago for half the price and scooped it up immediately. It's a little book that has every Too Faced bronzer and my goodness, I'm very happy I have it. Their Chocolate Soleil Bronzer is one of my favorites so it's nice to try out all the other ones. There is a bronzer for every single occasion and I basically never have to buy bronzer again! All of them have similar formulas, whether shimmery, satin, or matte -- they blend out beautifully, aren't too pigmented where you can't control how much product you apply to your face, and the chocolate bronzers smell like chocolate! Too Faced definitely does bronzers right!

I need more Too Faced in my life but these are hands down, some of the best products I've tried from them!

Here are my other posts where I talk more in depth about Too Faced:

Too Faced Better Than Chocolate Essentials

Too Faced Beauty Blogger Darlings

5 Minute Beauty Routine



What is your favorite high end brand and your favorite products?




Links to Love

in , by RoyallyPink, 7:30 AM
It feels like I haven't written in forever because I wrote all my posts for the week on Sunday & Monday. I also haven't written a Links to Love post in two weeks.

Last Thursday night I got home at 10 PM...from work. I had a work event which ended at 8 PM but the trains were super delayed and it took me 2 hours to get home. Granted, I was exhausted when I came home and passed out... but only till 3 AM. I was up from 3-6AM and then just got ready for work. Who does that?!

Anyways, I'm rambling but this weekend I'm super excited to do nothing. Last weekend I went Saturday and Sunday, so I'm definitely in need of some rest and relaxation.



I will stop talking and get to the good stuff... all the articles on the Internet that I loved this week.

I've gone to Catholic school my entire life and this is too funny.

I don't believe in spending a lot of money on makeup brushes -- excellent suggestions for dupes

I want to make all of the cauliflower recipes, please

Periods suck but this kind of makes up for them

I could NOT agree with this article more. A little "controversial" but the author said it perfectly.

Emily is one of the most inspiring people I've ever met and this article was spot on

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS TRUE. #FOREVERTIRED

Enjoy the weekend everyone! :) 


I've never been keen on watches. I had the trendy Michael Kors one in high school, and I have a Kate Spade bangle watch that I never wear. The reason I hate them is because the ones I always saw were big and clunky, not practical for me.

Now that I work full time and am always at my computer and the watches clink against my desk and keyboard and make an incredible amount of noise. For this reason, I hate metal, linked watches and much prefer leather.

This was something I just discovered though, because to me, leather watches didn't look feminine enough for me or weren't as stylish but I think that's all changing. There are more and more leather watches on the market (or I'm just paying attention more)

My girl, Kate Spade, always comes through though. I feel like she's just released a bunch of new watches that cater to the simple gal like myself. I love to be fancy, it's been my motto for as long as I can remember but I do love simplicity, especially in items like watches.

That's why Kate Spade is always my go to. She has the best stuff and you know you're getting quality when you buy Kate Spade. She never steers me wrong.

You know where this is going...

I was searching the Kate Spade website & Nordstrom as I do on a daily basis and saw so many watches I want and are now on my wish list.

There will be one of these (preferably the ones with the roses) in my near future.





I know I said a few weeks back that I was originally going to do a favorite apps post but decided to just tell you all about my favorite app ever, Slice?

Well, I realized that I definitely do have some apps that I adore and they needed to be shared. I usually keep my apps to a minimum because the storage on my phone is horrible, but lately, I just don't care.

I go through phases with apps where I'll delete them and then redownload a few weeks later but these have been constant. I use these apps on a daily basis and I will always have them on my phone.



1. HeadSpace: I've tried other meditating apps before but HeadSpace is the only one I've ever stuck with. A few weeks ago I felt like I needed something, but I didn't know what that something was. Then I read an article about mediating and anxiety and they mentioned this app. I've definitely seen this app around in other articles and blog posts but never bothered to download it. Finally I took the plunge and I really love it. I use it on the train before work and you just listen to the instructions, and each day is a different level of meditation. It's only 10 minutes so even the busiest of people can make time for it, and I think it does make a difference in how I feel the rest of the day.




2. Elite Daily: I have always loved Elite Daily and reading their featured articles have always been part of my daily routine. That's why when I found out they were releasing an app, I immediately downloaded it and I knew my mornings were going to get better. I love scrolling through the app and reading everything -- it just makes life easier to have Elite Daily all in one place on my phone.



3. GetPocket: This is by far, my favorite app in the history of the universe. GetPoccket is an app that you download onto your device, and can also install the GetPocket button on your browser. It stores articles that you want to read later when you press the pocket button, and then you can access all the articles on the website. You can also link GetPocket to your phone so that when you're on Twitter, you can click the link, and it'll give you the option to save it to Pocket. I am always on my phone and this is a saving grace for me because there are always articles I want to read but may not have the time or won't be in the mood. I am addicted to this and I don't know how I functioned before it.



4. Refinery29: Another news app -- sorry! Refinery29 is probably my favorite "news" website because they have everything and more. Politics, fashion, beauty, health, wellness-- EVERYTHING. I would love if they had an app similar to Elite Daily but the one I'm talking about is the next best thing. Refinery29 puts out a "newsletter" type of article every morning called "This A.M" where they give you the most popular, must know stories of the day. Well, they put this into an app and I immediately downloaded it. I read it on the train in the morning and it gives me a rundown of the things going on in super, quick tidbits.




I won't get in depth about this app but Mint, which I've done a whole post on, is still one of my favorites.

If there are any apps you think I need in my life, PLEASE let me know! And I want to know, what are your favorite apps?




Can you tell I really like creating titles for my blog posts? Winter Woes? Come on, Bri. But hey, my blog, my creativity. I get a kick out of myself sometimes.

Chapped, dry lips are my mortal enemy. I've always suffered from them and over the years, have tried to figure out what works. There have been some winners over the years but they eventually stop working. I feel like I go through a whole batch of new lip balms each winter but I think this winter has had the most winners.



I found SO many new lip balms that I'm obsessed with -- I keep a different one in every purse and makeup bag, so I am never without a trusty friend.

Most of these are "higher end" but still not that expensive.




All of these are super moisturizing and don't dry out my lips. I don't need t reapply often and you could see that I've been loving lip balms in the pot. People say it's unsanitary which it can be, but these just work best for me. They are thicker than regular balms which means they last longer. 

Also, I love the scent of my TokyoMilk Dark is Salted Carmel and it smells AMAZING. I'd be lying if I said that wasn't the reason I initially bought it, I'd be lying. It just so happens that it's really fabulous at keeping my lips hydrated. They have so many amazing scents and I'd love to try more.

I do think my favorite is the First Aid Beauty Lip Balm. They never disappoint and this product definitely didn't. It's super thick but blends into the lips well. I keep this in my work bag and use it throughout the day because the air in my office tends to be a little dry.

What is your favorite lip balm?


I had quite the day, and my week isn't fantastic. There is a lot floating around in my head and I just feel the need for some guidance, and some inspiration.

I feel like something is missing, something I just can't put my finger on.

Hopefully this feeling will pass but in the meanwhile, here's a little inspiration incase you need some as I do!




What's your "go to" quote when you need some inspiration? 


As I stated in last week's book review, I've been really into "self help, motivational" books lately and that includes career books.

When Sophia Amoruso's book, #GirlBoss blew up last year, I knew I needed it. The book and it's tips were EVERYWHERE and I just wanted to find out what everyone was talking about. It was similar to Sheryl Sandberg's book "Lean In" and how it was just everywhere, all the time.

It was so popular that it's now being turned into a Netflix series-- yep, this is real.

I bought the book on my iPad through iBooks a few days after it's release date and honestly, I just finished it.

How horrible am I?!

I just got so distracted with life that I kept forgetting to read it and I guess I owe that to buying an ebook and not having it stare at me day in and day out.

Well, I finally finished the book a few weeks ago and my conclusion about it is...well, mixed.

Sophia wrote it in an odd way (not a bad way, but odd) -- she mixed in her real life experiences with lessons she learned along the way. I don't think I can consider this a career book, it wasn't the same thing as reading Lean In or Welcome to the Real World; it didn't give step by steps on how to navigate the real world-- it was more like listening to Sophia explain how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way.



Don't get me wrong, there was some amazing advice:

This book will not teach you how to get rich quick, break into the fashion industry, or start a business. It is neither a feminist manifesto nor a memoir. 

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

We think fast, type fast, move fast, and expect everything else to happen just as fast.

If you don't thrive on going out and meeting a million people, you might end up feeling that you have less of a chance of getting ahead in your career.

There are so many more great quotes in this book, I have so much highlighted in my e-book.

However, I think I was slightly disappointed with this book because it wasn't what I expected. It definitely wasn't a bad book and I would 100% recommend it to people who need that boost of confidence, because Sophia DOES make you feel like you can accomplish anything. Her story is so interesting because she virtually built Nasty Gal up from NOTHING, and it was incredibly inspiring.

If you actually remember you own the book (unlike me), this seems to be a quick read. Once I actually started reading it, I flew through it.

#GirlBoss wasn't what I expected but my goodness, it was good!

Have you read #GirlBoss? What did you think?


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