Happy Halloween!

Usually I would post something Halloween related, but I figured an October favorites was just as good!

October is my favorite month, even if my birthday is in November. September is the Sunday to the fall season, but October encompasses everything good about fall.

It's just starting to get cool, you get to break out the riding boots & wear comfortable, chic sweaters. Hot coffee makes it's comeback for good, and the leaves are truly changing. You can just smell the change of weather in the air; I walk outside in the morning to go to work, and the air is crisp and it just smells and feels like fall & happiness.

I think it reminds me of college, because my campus was so beautiful in the fall (I mean, look at it!)

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It reminds me of homecoming, and walking to class, and day drinking, and lunch with my sorority sisters.

There are so many good things about the fall, and I'm sad to see October go. I am happy to say hello to November, Thanksgiving, and my birthday. It'll be the first birthday & holiday without my dad, but I'm keeping a positive attitude because I know that is what he would want.

Woah, got dark & deep for a minute there. 

Anyways, I'm going to continue to watch Hocus Pocus until 11:59 PM tonight, and drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes until December 1st.

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That being said, here are my favorite items of the month.

Kate Spade Wink Drive Bag: The moment I saw this bag on Kate Spade's website, I immediately had to have it. The structure is perfect, the material is wool like, and I mean, look at that wink face design! It was screaming with my personality, and I had to have it. I have too many bags to count, and I had just purchased this Henri Bendel bag, but I needed it. I decided to purge & sell some of my older bags, and justified buying this one. It's perfect for work, and fits everything, but always maintains the same structure which I love.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream: My skin has been drying up like a cactus this month, so I broke out my trusty FAB Ultra Repair Cream. This stuff never steers me wrong, and I've been using it for 2 years. It's the only thing that gets me through the winter, and you can use it all over your body. It's safe for sensitive skin & works great with skin that suffers from ecezma (like myself).

Nordstrom At Home Blanket: This is in my sidebar in the Loves & Wants widgets, and I had to actually talk about it because I've been obsessed. My room is pretty much all white, with some beige accents and I had a fluffy white blanket at the edge of my bed, but I wanted something else. The moment I saw this beige blanket, I put it in my Nordstrom.com cart. It now sits at the edge of my bed, and the white one is on my desk chair. It completely pulled the room together and made it feel a little cozier. While this is more of a show blanket, it is comfy enough to be used on an extra chilly night.

Drybar: This isn't a new favorite, but it's a favorite that has resurfaced a lot this month. I've made a few more Drybar purchases, bought Alli Webb's new book, and bought some gorgeous items from the DryBar Collection, including this sweatshirt and mug. I've just been feeling this brand on every level, and I feel like I need everything from them. I love what they stand for, and I love how much they care, and teach their customers. It's an awesome brand, and I just made my 2nd appointment for later in November. If you haven't been to TheDrybar, I HIGHLY suggest it! 

I think that's it for my favorites, check out some more below & have a happy, safe Halloween! Cheers to November 1st ;)





Weekly Wrap Up

in , , , by RoyallyPink, 7:00 AM
Currently writing this from a dark room, it's raining outside, and I've been laying in bed since 3 PM. I came home from work halfway through the day, sick as a dog. I accidentally slept with my window last night and I'm pretty sure I caught a cold from that.

Now, I don't know if I have a cold, strep throat, or something else but this is the worst I've felt in a really long time.

Even though I slept with the window open, I've felt this sickness coming on. It's finally caught up with me.

I hope I get better soon, because I have a lot going on in the next few weeks so I'm going to be living off of tea & soup all weekend.

Now something exciting... to me at least. If you haven't noticed, I made a few changes to the blog; I added categories to the top navigation bar so it's easier to find what you're looking for; I added a shoppable Instagram widget to the right sidebar, along with a Loves & Wants widget, so you constantly see what I'm eyeing and looking for.

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Let me know what you all think!

On that note, here's what I loved this week:


Here's what you missed on Royally Pink:

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Unique Household Gadgets

in , , by RoyallyPink, 6:30 AM
I've always loved unique things; I've always loved "stuff" and things that no one else had, or didn't see a use for. The littlest things make me happy, like a waffle iron or a a cute little coin pouch.

Ever since the dawn of Amazon, I feel like there are a lot more "weird products" out there, and we're exposed to them. I mean, I never really see any of these items in the aisles at Target, but when Buzzfeed does a round up, I automatically go to Amazon to check them out.

I'm talking about those weird items whether it's a lifestyle item, kitchen item, or bathroom item that you may not have use for, but seem really intriguing. They seem interesting, but you don't want to spend the money, or you think that they're too weird to own.

Well, I've been eyeing up a few of these products lately and I kind of really want them all. They're not THAT weird, and they can be very useful.



Does any of that make sense? I hope so!

Towel Warmer: Who DOESN'T want a towel warmer? I mean, the thought of a fresh, clean & snuggly towel after a hot shower in the dead of winter sounds completely heavenly. I looked up a few different kinds, and none of them are cheap, but this one isn't that expensive and had some of the best reviews. Can someone get this for me for my birthday? Because I just may treat myself... 

Breakfast Sandwich Maker: I'm a HUGE breakfast person, and breakfast sandwiches are always a thing of true pleasure. I've made my own breakfast sandwiches before, but they always end up being super messy. When I saw that this machine was actually a thing, my jaw dropped. A breakfast sandwich maker? Sign me up! It gives you the illusion of a really cool breakfast, but is super fast and the reviews seem really good. This is something that is super cheap, and goes hand in hand with a waffle iron or toaster for the ultimate breakfast.

Phone App Thermometer: I rarely get fevers anymore, but there are times when I feel like I do have one and wish I had a thermometer. I should invest in one, but never get around to it. Well, I stumbled across this one on Amazon, and the reason it's unique is because it hooks up to your phone, and the app is filled with information, all about your temperature. I mean, it's 2016 so it makes total sense that we would have a thermometer that hooks up to your phone.

LED Vanity Mirror: This is a product I actually have, and it's not that unique but it's pretty cool. I had a regular mirror on my desk that I used for applying my makeup, but then I got the idea that I wanted a lighted mirror. I came across this one, and the price was right as were the reviews. The mirror is huge and has great lighting, and it's the perfect way to apply my makeup and straighten my hair. This to me is a must have for everyone!

What are some of your most coveted, odd ball products?


This is the latest book I listened to, and it was probably my favorite book of the entire year.

Once again, I've been on a suspense kick and after reading the summary of this newly released novel, I immediately knew it was for me.

It centers around Nicolette, who left her hometown in South Carolina when she was 18 years old, after her best friend, Corrine, went missing. She left behind her dad, brother, and boyfriend Tyler. She left home and never really looked back... classic start for a novel.

Nicolette has a good job, is settled into her studio apartment, and has a gorgeous, rich, lawyer fiancee.  Well, of course now she has to return home because her father is sick and her brother needs her help.

The moment that Nicolette steps back into her hometown, everything comes flooding back to her, and another girl goes missing... almost 10 years to the day of Corrine going missing.

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What unravels is a lot of secrets, and it's all really exciting. I love novels like this, that have the main character coming back to their secrets and lies, and everything they left behind. It's fun to watch it unravel and come to light.

The writing in this box was superb; I mean, it was one of the best written books I've ever read. It has everything: suspense, comedy, romance, family drama. It was incredible.

All the characters were very likable, and the author did an amazing job of getting their personalities across and making you understand what was going through their heads. Everything was very descriptive, almost to the point where I forgot what I was reading...at times it read more like poetry than an actual novel and I loved that. It really worked for the plot of the book.

With all good suspense books, there was a huge twist toward the end of the book that made the entire story come together; it was told in a very anti-climatic way but I didn't expect anything less because of the way this book was written.

It wasn't like Gone Girl, or The Girl on the Train... it was in a genre all its own.

As I said above, I listened to this book but I almost want to read it to get a different feel for it.

This was definitely one of my top 5 books of the year and I 100% recommend it!
I've talked many times about my love of Skyn Iceland, but never have done a Brand Buzz on the brand and their products.

I discovered this brand about two years ago, and I purchased their Skin Hangover Kit; I've mentioned before how much I love anything having to do with the word "hangover" and beauty. It's a weird obsession but it's ok.

Skyn Iceland is made for stressed skin, and gives you the products to keep your skin healthy



The one item I truly fell in love with was the Hydro Cooling Eye Gels. I've purchased so many packs of these, and have tried to find a less expensive version, but nothing ever measures up. These are by far my favorite eye gel patches, because they are very cooling, and do have that gel texture but don't slip and slide all over your face. They have a good hold on your skin, and leave the greatest feeling behind. If you take anything away from this post, go buy these eye gels.

As for the rest of the items.... I really love the Arctic Hydrating Balm. It's my morning moisturizer and has been for quite a few months. It's lightweight, but still super moisturizing, and doesn't leave behind any residue. It works well underneath my makeup and sometimes I don't even use a primer with it, and it still is incredible.

Speaking of primer.... the Pure Pore Minimizer works fantastic to fill in pores. Some days when I want a no makeup, makeup look, I'll throw this on my t-zone and cheeks and it gives a smooth, flawless finish. It doesn't have that much of a silicone feeling, but still gets the job done. It's one of my favorite pore filling primers.

Lastly, I love the Icelandic Relief Eye Pen. It came in the Skin Hangover Kit, and I've misplaced it somehow but it's still an awesome product from what I remember. It gives a slight cooling effect, and makes your under-eye look pretty dam good, especially when you didn't get that much sleep. It also works well under makeup, which is a good feature to have in an eye cream.

There are some things that haven't worked for me, such as the Gentle Cleansing Cloths & the Icelandic Relief Eye Cream, but that's just me.. my skin is uber sensitive so it may work for you!

Below are some items that I really want to try in the near future!




What is your favorite skincare brand?
I've always been into experimenting with my nail polish, whether it was wearing black nail polish when I was 14 because that was trendy, or doing a glitter accent nail, or even trying my hand at nail art... I like to be different.

That's why, when I saw this photo, a retweet from Essie, I got inspired. I've seen this type of "ombre" nail look done before, but I've never done it.

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I knew exactly what colors to do, and immediately got to town painting my nails.



I used OPI IsabelleTway, Essie Mink Muffs & Essie Jazz; the key to this look is finding colors that are in the same family, but aren't too different. You could also probably throw in a 4th color but I kept it simple for the first time around.




I haven't been this in love with a nail look in a while and I think I will continue to do this forever. I loved this look so much that I had to write this Manicure Monday right now; I was going to wait for next week since I already had a post scheduled for this morning but it could not wait!

I can't wait to play around with more colors in my collection.

What is your favorite nail look for fall?

Weekly Wrap Up

in , , , by RoyallyPink, 7:00 AM
This was a long week... a trip to New Jersey, a trip up to my alma mater death in the family, a funeral, a hectic work week, and a mental break down here or there, and I'm happy it's Friday.

Last weekend I was away from home, and the next 3 weekends I'm busy so this is my last free weekend for a while, and I'm looking forward to staying in, going to the gym, and relaxing.

It's supposed to rain and be gloomy, and it sounds like a great pre-Halloween weekend to curl up with books, Hocus Pocus, tea, and fall candles.

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Well, enough of my pipe dreams for the weekend (I'm a real exciting 23 year old, I know)... I don't have much else to say so I'll get right to what I loved this week:


What you missed this week on Royally Pink:
Make sure to enter my giveaway for a copy of Lisa Sugar's new book "Power Your Happy, and sign up for the newsletter, and subscribe to the podcast.

Have a great weekend everyone! 
I'm writing this as I'm curled up in bed, coming down from a panic attack & watching Hocus Pocus, while eating apple pie.

Got a good picture in your head?

Well, I just hit rock bottom with my money situation. After a rather rough week, I've hit the edge and jumped off the cliff. I feel helpless and lost, and it's effecting me greatly.

I got crazy for a minute tonight, talked it out with my mom and sat down making 100 budgets for myself.

Do I feel better? Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to stop spending money and need to save. I can't get 4 packages delivered to my house every other day. I have too much stuff, and it's not healthy.

It's not smart either.

I'm 23 years old and ruining my credit score, and my financial well being.

I've never been this frank and blunt about my financial struggle here, because well, it's a blog & you only show the good stuff. I show you what I buy, not why I buy or the buyers remorse that comes afterwards.

But right now I'm raw & real, and talking about the one thing that causes me a lot of anxiety and unhappiness.

I can't really form coherent thoughts about money right now, so I will leave you with this:


Liane Moriarty is probably my favorite author, and I've done a book review on every single book of hers. I've read one of her books, and listened to the rest of them, and they are some of my favorite books ever.

They all take place in Australia, and they all have a really cool twist. They are definitely not boring books, and always are keeping your attention. My two favorite books by her are "What Alice Forgot" and "The Last Anniversary". They were really interesting storylines, and GREAT twists.

I've been BUSTING for her to release another book because I flew through all her books a while ago. When I found out that Moriarty was releasing "Truly, Madly, Guilty", I put it on my Audible wish list and purchased it the moment it was released.

I will say that this book didn't disappoint, but it definitely wasn't my favorite.



It centers around a three families who are all together at a BBQ and something truly tragic happens. At the beginning, you do not know what the tragic event is, and you don't find out until more than halfway through the book.

It did go a little slow, and it was a little annoying because I just wanted to know what the big twist was. I also felt that the entire book, leading up to the reveal, was a tad bit dramatic.

The book also jumped back and forth from past to present; so before the BBQ, and then after the BBQ. That's something I'm used to in suspenseful novels, but this time around, it kind of bothered me.

I tried to figure out what the big twist was, but I was stumped every time I tried to think of something that would warrant the dramatic reactions of all the characters.

When I found out what the twist was, I was a little annoyed because even though it was a tragic twist, it still didn't feel like it warranted such dramatic, and over the top reactions from everyone in the book.

There were a few interesting subplots in the novel, like surrogacy, job searches, and even a subcharacter having a hoarding problem, which was probably the most interesting to me.

Do I think this was worth the read? Yes, definitely.

Do I think it was in the top 5 of Lianne Moriarty's novels? Nope.

What books have you read recently?

This post is brought to you by Clarisonic and Her Campus Media
I classify this blog as a lifestyle blog with a lot of beauty thrown into it. I mean, I blog about beauty at least once a week. In that beauty category is a bunch of different topics, including skincare. I've blogged about skincare a lot in the past, and I've even mentioned my experience with the Clarisonic Mia 2.

Well, I always had a good experience with the Clarisonic but never really dedicated an entire blog post to it. I received my first Clarisonic as a Christmas present in 2014, and used it religiously up until a few months ago. My previous Clarisonic got lost in the move to my new apartment, and I was without it... until a few weeks ago.

I'm so thankful to be part of this campaign with Clarisonic & InfluenceHer, which allowed me to receive a Clarisonic and the entire Deep Pore Detoxifying System.

It comes with the Clarisonic, the Deep Pore brush head (which is my FAVORITE), the Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, and the Deep Pore Detoxifying Mask.






The Clarisonic, if you don't know, is an award winning skin cleaning device that really transforms your skin, no matter what type you have. It's a sonic cleansing device that uses sonic technology to get deep down into your pores to remove the dirt and oil.

A Clarisonic cleans your skin 6x better than your hands, and after a few weeks of use, you see an immediate difference.

My skin has been breaking out a lot lately, and it just felt dry and not as clean as it should be. Within a week or so after using my Clarisonic again (I use it at night because I use a Micellear water to clean in the AM, but it's safe enough to use twice a day), I noticed that the blackheads and white heads started to minimize.





The Mia 2 has two speeds, depending on what you're comfortable with but both are super gentle on the skin. You don't have to even move or press the brush too hard into your skin, the sonic movements of the brush do it all of you.

Also, if you don't think pores are a big issue for you, there are a bunch of other brush heads like ones for acne prone skin, radiance brush heads, and sensitive skin. You really can customize the brush to work with your skin, no matter what.




I've talked about my Tarte Frixxtion Stick a lot on the blog, and as much as I love that, and it does make my skin feel clean. But NOTHING compares to the feeling of my face after using my Clarisonic. I literally cannot stop touching my face afterwards, it feels like you just gave your skin the best facial ever.

Clarisonic is the perfect gift for pretty much anyone in your life, especially college aged women. Use the code HERCAMPUS for 15% off your purchase, and make someone's Christmas that much more special. I'm telling you, I received mine for Christmas from my mom and it cleared my skin up instantly. It was one of the most useful gifts I've ever received. 

I honestly don't think I will ever be without a Clarisonic for as long as I live; it keeps my skin clear, and soft, it makes washing your face easier & almost more rewarding because you know that you're getting deep down where your hands can't clean.

Have you ever used a Clarisonic? What are your thoughts?
I've been really enjoying the POPSUGAR Must Have Boxes, if you couldn't tell. I mean, I've been talking about them for months now. POPSUGAR has been nice enough to send me them in exchange for review on the blog, and I've been more than grateful.

It's really nice to get this little box of goodness, that has a theme and great full size products, every month. I've been a subscription box lover for years now and it's so cool to get a present to yourself, from yourself, every month.

The boxes are filled with full size products, everything from food to beauty to lifestyle and fashion. They're things that you wouldn't normally buy yourself, but are always good to have. Some are really useful, some are just fun, and some are pointless but either way, the value of the boxes compared to the price is 100% worth it.

That's why, when I saw the first sneak peek of the October Must Have, a Henri Bendel umbrella, I immediately subscribed for the October Box. I needed this umbrella. I always buy cheap umbrellas that break as soon as it starts raining, but also I've been obsessed with Henri Bendel lately (more on that later), so everything else is just an added bonus.

I obsessively checked for spoilers of the October box because I can't stand not knowing what I'm getting so when I finally did see spoilers, I was super excited.

 



The October Box is a good one!

Henri Bendel Umbrella
Morning Culture Mug
The Makeup Eraser Mini  
Revlon Eyeliner
Lisa Sugar's new book "Power Your Happy"
Lalicious Brown Sugar Vanilla Shower Oil and Bubble Bath
My Cup of Cocoa Dark Drinking Chocolate

I think I was most excited for.... well everything. Obviously the umbrella but everything else goes perfectly with the theme: cozy, ready for fall, and sweet. I've already used the mug (using it for my morning coffee as I write this), and I bet the hot chocolate tastes so sweet & great for a cool, fall night.



The shower oil smells like a vanilla candle but doesn't leave too harsh of a scent behind, and even though the Makeup Eraser is a mini (I have the large one), this is great for travel.

The total value of the box is $119, but that doesn't include the eyeliner & book, because those were thrown in as "extras". With those two items, the value kicks up to $153. How awesome is that?

This box was well worth $39.99 and I already can't wait for the November box! If you want to try it, take $5 off your first box with code MUSTHAVE5.

Now onto the better stuff... if you read the title you saw that there is a giveaway going on in this post. I went to a POPSUGAR book release party last month for Lisa Sugar's Power Your Happy, so I already have the book. I knew when I subscribed to this box that I was going to get a 2nd copy, and instead of having it collect dust on my shelf, I thought I'd give it away to one of my readers!

I'm in the middle of the book and it's really great. It's well written, there are great illustrations throughout the book, and it's just the perfect "self help/guidance" book that I know a lot of you enjoy.

Enter to win below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekly Wrap Up

in , , by RoyallyPink, 7:00 AM
And here we are again! The end of another week, and it was a pretty good one. I'm just as excited for the weekend. I'm missing my college's homecoming to go to a fall festival type of thing with my family. I've been looking forward to this trip since my mom told we were going in August.

I didn't care about missing homecoming until... now. None of the people I graduated with will be there, but all my younger friends are gonna be there and now I kind of wish that I was going. Some of my friends are traveling by plane to be here, and I'm having FOMO. Thankfully I'll be able to stop by on Sunday and have a great catch up dinner with a few of them.

Even though I'm kind of sad, I'm also really happy, because things like this make me realize that it's been almost 3 years since I graduated and my friends & I are still the same. We're still in touch, we still get together, and it's just really wonderful. I love knowing that no matter where they are, my friends are my family and I owe that to Iona.

Ugh, will I ever get over college? I think I've accepted that Iona and my college life was my first love, and you never let go of your first love. It's the worst breakup of my life, and it's ok.

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Enough of that, but here's some self promotion... download the podcast and sign up for the newsletter. Both have new content this week!

Here are the links I loved:


Here's what you missed on Royally Pink:
Have a great weekend!
A little last minute blog post because I've been so exhausted and uninspired this week... also I forgot to schedule a post in my calendar so everything got messed up. I also don't like going two days in a row without scheduling something.

A lot has been happening and it's all pretty exciting, so my mood has been upbeat this week. Good professional vibes are coming to me!

With that, I leave you all with this quote, just in case anyone else needed some extra support....




We're in the full throws of the fall season and this past weekend, I felt the true feeling of fall. Saturday, in NYC, we had shitty weather and it was very humid but Sunday & Monday it made up for it. It was raining Sunday but the perfect fall rain, with the perfect chill in the air...

I was so in my zone; windows open, candles lit, and I watched Halloween movies all day. It was truly the perfect fall day... and it got me thinking about this post. I have so many opinions about this lovely season, and I pretty much mention the fact that I love fall in every single post (I'm sorry!)

There are so many things that are my "favorite" on a daily basis, but particularly during the fall season, my love of items comes out to play pretty strongly.

I wanted to do a round up post of the best fall items to have for the season, and what my favorites at the moment are. Everything from beauty to home to fashion, these are my must-haves for the season.

A few special callouts:

ShopEvilQueen Candles (I mentioned these in my Monthly Muse post)
Bath and Body Works Candles -- Pumpkin Pecan Waffles is my FAV right now
Kittenish by Jessie James Decker Chunky Beanie
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Hocus Pocus



What are some of your favorite fall items?
This is a post I've wanted to write for a long time, probably ever since I tried my first Kylie Lipstick last year... Dolce K.

Since then, my collection has grown to include 8 liquid lipsticks, including 1 metal matte.

I know that everyone has their opinions on the Kardashian/Jenner family, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love the Kardashians. I love that they built an empire out of nothing, I love that they've been through real stuff (Robert Sr's death, addiction, depression, fertility issues, Caitlyn, etc). I love that they don't let the bad things that people say about them affect them or stop them for doing what they love.

As un-relatable as they are, I think they're super relatable -- and I mean, I love seeing their homes, designer bags, and everything in between, but I do think they've been through some shit and don't mind sharing it with the world.

I love that family and will not apologize for it.

All that being said, when I heard Kylie was going to come out with liquid lipsticks, a trend I hadn't gotten into yet, I knew I was going to have to buy one... or a hundred.

After buying my first one, Dolce K, I fell in love.

Currently I own: Dolce K, Ginger, Brown Sugar, Leo, Heir, Candy K, Exposed, and 22. I have previously owned Posie K and Koko K (Koko is my FAVORITE) but I gave them to my mom... and they got her hooked on liquid lipsticks.



I know that I have previously written a post about my favorite liquid lipsticks, and included multiple other brands besides Kylie, but the beauty of makeup is that it's very subjective and sometimes, opinions change. You buy something new, and realize your old stuff just doesn't compare.

That's exactly what happened with my liquid lipstick collection. As Kylie released more shades, I knew I wanted to try them out because I loved Dolce K so much. As I bought more Kylie shades, I fell deeper in love with the formula and therefore realized the other liquid lipsticks I owned just didn't compare. They all felt more dry, left my lips feeling cracked, and crumbled as the day went on.

A few months ago, I was cleaning out my makeup drawers and saw my liquid lipstick collection. It wasn't that hefty, but I had a lot I didn't wear... pretty much every single liquid lipstick I mentioned in previous post. I decided that I was holding onto them for no reason, just because I thought only having Kylie lipsticks was silly. I wore an Anastasia lipstick one day and was so uncomfortable I had to wipe it off in the middle of the day.

That's when I decided to return/throw out all the other liquid lipsticks I have. I exclusively wear Kylie, and that's not because I love the Kardashians... it's because it's the best formula (in my opinion) out there.

All the colors are consistent in formula, they are super creamy, rich in pigment, and apply evenly. They are not patchy, nor are they drying. They don't necessarily feel like a liquid lipstick, and do not transfer. I only re-apply once... usually mid-afternoon. They hold up pretty great after eating as well.

All the colors I have are very comfortable to wear, they don't have that crumbly, drying feeling that I've had with other liquid lipsticks.

As always, I recommend regularly exfoliating your lips, applying a lip balm before wear, and use a lip liner. I don't always use a lip liner with my liquid lipsticks but when I do, it does make things easier. I'm just lazy at times.

They dry rather quickly and are the truest matte finish ever. On Kylie's website, a lot of the colors look very similar, but when you swatch them on skin, they are all VERY different.

Here are all the colors swatched out!

Left to right: Leo, Brown Sugar, Ginger, Exposed, Dolce K, Candy K, 22, Heir 


Have you ever tried Kylie's liquid lipsticks? What is your favorite liquid lipstick brand?
Another week come and gone.... and a fast one at that! This week flew by and I'm excited to finally get my October started. This weekend I'll be headed to brunch and some shopping, and then enjoy my long weekend since we're off on Monday!

Next weekend, I'm headed to New Jersey with my family for a fall festival; pumpkin picking, candles, beer, and lots of fall food. I cannot wait!

This week was super exciting, I launched my podcast called Basic Bri. I'm going to be talking about entertainment, news, books, and everything in between. If you enjoy reading what I have to say on Royally Pink, come on over to Basic Bri and LISTEN to me ;) Don't mind my thick Queens accent haha.

The week was EXTRA special because Luke's Diner debuted across the nation! I am a HUGE fan of Gilmore Girls and I promise, as November 25th gets closer, you'll be hearing more about my love for them. I was so excited to go to Luke's Diner, and so thankful that there was a coffee shop particpating right across the street from my building.

Look at this!!






Before I get into my links, I wanted to show you this. I had a work event this week, and this was the view from the venue. Talk about GORGEOUS! Honestly, this city never fails to take my breath away.







Here's what you missed this week on Royally Pink: 

Here are the links I loved:


Have a great weekend everyone!


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I'm currently in a whirlwind love affair with suspense novels, but right before it started I listened to a great book called "The Singles Game". It was a super light read/quick listen and it really kept my attention.

The plot centers around Charlie, a pro tennis player, who lives 50 out of 52 weeks of the year on the road. She's not a huge, famous player but should be. She wants to be, but feels limited in her personality, sport, and most importantly: her coach.



A huge mishap happens at a major tournament and it sends Charlie's life into a tailspin, and the true story begins.

The book was really entertaining, had multiple subplots, and even though the storyline was a little cheesy, there were quite a few surprises along the way. It wasn't suspenseful but I was excited to see how Charlie handled everything thrown at her, and how each characters' stories turned out.

It was a little anti climatic toward the end, but all in all everything was in it's place.

What I most enjoyed about the book? Tennis! There was a huge focus on tennis and it's not a sport that I'm very familiar with. It was so interesting to read about it and learn more about an unknown sport. It borderline made me want to take up tennis as a hobby!

You don't need a knowledge of tennis to understand the book, but it would definitely make things a little more interesting and you may even like it more.

All in all, this was a really great book. It was a typical chick-lit type of book, an easy beach read, but also entertaining. It wasn't the typical happy ending, but it wasn't a total let down.

What was a surprisingly good book you've read recently? Give me suggestions in the comments!

You can also always find my latest reads on my Goodreads page!
Goodbye September, hello October! I talked all about my love for the fall season & the month of October in last week's Weekly Wrap Up, so I won't go on another rant.

September was an odd month; I had a lot of motivation for the things I love, and struggled in some other areas. I made some strides with the blog, some freelance work, and got to attend some fabulous blog events. I've seen what could happen when I put in time & effort into my "side hustle" and it's pretty awesome!

I have high hopes for the rest of the year so cheers to that!

PS: I did a thing and started a podcast. Go listen to it! You can click that link & download, or just head to the iTunes store and search "Basic Bri" -- yup, real original name!

Let's get into the things I loved this month:



1. Estee Edit Beam Team Hydrate & Glow: Ever since The Estee Edit was released, I've been intrigued by the brand. They are supposed to appeal to millennials so I guess they're doing a good job. I had only tried one product from them, the Pore Vanishing Stick, and I liked it a lot. I needed more though, so when I saw this Holiday kit, I jumped on it. Since then, I've been using the Beam Team Hydrate & Glow every single day instead of regular foundation and have LOVED IT. I've gotten so many compliments on my skin and it's so nice. It's light coverage, but gives a really nice & natural finish to the skin. It's so easy to blend with your hands and perfect for those morning rushes. I definitely recommend trying it!

2. Orly Flash Dry Drops: I placed a hefty Ulta.com order this month and I wanted to try out the Orly Flash Dry Drops. I don't get manicures, I do my nails myself at home & have gotten so good at it... I mean if you read Manicure Mondays, you know what I'm talking about. I was really in the market for these types of drops. They really do work & make all the difference in how my manicure looks. It doesn't make it last longer (but it's not supposed to) but it does really make it dry faster. I will never be without these drops again.



3. Shop Evil Queen: Oh, you bet your butt we're talking about candles! I haven't made my annual  Bath & Body Works trip to get my pumpkin/fall candles, but in the meantime, I've been LOVING these candles from Shop Evil Queen. She has the cutest candles, and they're SUPER sassy! They are some of the strongest smelling candles, and the packaging is adorable. I have "Dam It's Early" which smells like coffee, "Pumpkin Spice Life" which is obviously Pumpkin Spice and "Sweater Weather" which smells like cotton. They're soy candles & chemical free, which is fabulous. It's not something that's uber important to me but it's a nice addition. It's just a great candle site and I need to purchase more.

4. POPSUGAR: I know I mentioned this in my Little Loves post but I needed to do it again. I don't know what it is but I've been obsessed with the company this month. Maybe it was my POPSUGAR Must Have Box, or the event I went too, but I just feel like I rediscovered the company. I downloaded the app and have been obsessively reading all the articles they post. They just launched their Career & Finance section and I've been LOVING it!

What did you love this month? Let me know in the comments!
This post is brought to you by Her Campus Media and its College Fashion Week brand partners.

I attended Her Campus College Fashion Week in New York City over the weekend, and my goodness it was incredible.

I've been to a lot of conferences and "blogger" events over the years but I think this was my favorite. Clothes, beauty, food, and goodie bags... it was just the ultimate girls night out.

The event was held in Manhattan and I arrived at 5:45, escorted in by some HerCampus staff, along with other InfluenceHer bloggers who were covering the event.





The event venue was huge, and all white -- it was the perfect spot for a fashion show. I was inside by 6 PM and the show didn't start until a little after 7, so I had plenty of time to look through my goodie bag, and roam around to see all the sponsor tables.





There were a few tables set up: Maidenform, Insomnia Cookies, a candy table, Bertha Watches, European Wax Center, Boxed Water, and KIND bars. You bet your sweet butt that I got myself loads of candies & Insomnia Cookies, along with a KIND bar (I think it was a new flavor called Roasted Nuts & Honey -- SO GOOD), and Boxed Water, which I've never had.







I also got a brow consolation at the European Wax Center station; a gorgeous, lovely women named Natalie helped me out. My brows are pretty bold, but I never could seem to get them right, no matter how much I try. She transformed my brows with some European Wax Center products, and they looked super clean, precise, and perfectly bold. I definitely won't be able to achieve that on my own but ugh, they looked so good!

Soon enough I found my seat and the show started; they had 4 different sections: Rush, Festival, Study Chic, and Girls' Night Out: my favorite shows were definitely Study Chic & Girls' Night Out. They had REAL college girls modeling and the clothes were created by MySocialCanvas & Bow and Drape (one of my favorite designers). The looks were completed by FitBitVince CamutoPerfumania, and Rebecca Minkoff, and honestly, I didn't even think a Bow & Drape sweatshirt could look THAT good. I was totally inspired to switch up how I wear my Bow & Drape sweatshirts a little more fashionably.








The show was over before the sloted 9 PM time, but I was more than happy to get home and dive into my goodie bag.

I got a VIP bag & special influencer gifts, and my goodness, this had to be the best giftbag I've ever received at an event.

The VIP bag had a FULL SIZE Triple Sec from DryBar (we all know how much I love that brand), a coupon for a FREE FitBit Flex 2, a PeopleStyle Watch Magazine, a bag of SkinnyPOP, some HerCampus swag, and lots of coupons!

The bag itself is adorable; usually the bags from these events aren't that nice, but how adorable is the winking face?

Now, the really good stuff -- I was so excited to get a 2nd goodie bag, specially from HerCampus. This was the jackpot: a Rebecca Minkoff makeup bag, a Lavendar FitBit Flex2, Essie Nail Polish, a free blowout from DryBar and a Vince Camuto perfume! Does it really get any better than that? I don't think so.













All in all, it was a fabulous event. I think if you're interested in fashion, beauty, and fun events like this, you would love it. It's just a great night out -- and don't be fooled, just because it's called College Fashion Week, doesn't mean you have to be in college to enjoy it, take it from me!

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