How much is your face worth?

I saw this tag floating about the beauty community, and although i'm a bit scared to see the grand total of how much i spend on my everyday makeup, i thought i'd do it!  Many of you will probably think this is an excessive amount of makeup for one to put on on a daily basis, but... yeah, i can't really think of an excuse to put here. :P  I do feel more confident & just better about myself after i've put some slap on, so i don't mind spending a little bit more money & time on doing so.

The only part of my routine that stays the consistent day-to-day is the 'base' category, with foundation & such.  Other than that, i wear more or less makeup & use different products in the other categories depending on my mood/what i'm doing that day.  The products included in this post are what i use on an average day & they make up a look that i've been wearing often recently.

Hope this is interesting to you ladies, i will now hold my breath while i add up the cost of everything! :O

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Base

Bare Minerals Prime Time - $21

Benefit Erase Paste - $26

MAC Studio Finish concealer - $16.50

Bare Minerals Original Foundation - $25

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil - $19

 Cheeks

Bare Minerals Warmth All-Over Face Color - $18

Sleek Contour Kit - $10

Clinique Powder Blush in New Clover - free sample size with purchase so i'm not counting it :)

 Eyes

Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Blonde -  $6.48

Too Faced Shadow Insurance - $18

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in RSVP - $19

GOSH Quad in Driftwood - £7.99, about $13

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink - free with purchase of the quad :)

Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner in True Black - $15

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara - $5.84

Lips

Carmex - about $1

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Born With It - $4.97

Total

$218.79

Well, that is slightly appalling isn't it?!  To be fair, each of the products do last quite a while and i believe i get my money's worth out of them... Anyway, it's how i choose to spend my hard-earned cash.  Consumerism ftw. ;)

♥

11 most reached-for products

As some of you may or may not have noticed by now, i am quite the fan of tags.  This will be my 21st tag (and counting) post that i have on this here blog - some most of them may be a bit pointless (the "personal" ones), while the other beauty-related ones, like my old favorite "8 Things Tag", may be of more use to you lovelies.  Well, i'm sure many of you will be relieved to read that this is one of the beauty-related tags. :)

I was catching up on my Youtube subscriptions and came across one of Allison's newest videos, her 11 Most Reached-For Products tag, if you couldn't already tell by the title. ;)  I figured i would hop on the bandwagon myself & give my own two cents worth.  Just as Allison explained in her video, i'm leaving out my everyday foundation/face routine since that doesn't really change much for me.  For the most part, i'm just putting in products that i go to without much thought, that i know will look good & that i will still like by the end of the day.

Here are my 11 most most "reached for" products, in no particular order ♥:

1. MAC Studio Finish Concealer

This one of my first MAC purchases & it lasted me for a long, long time.  I use it to cover my blemishes (i find it's too drying for my under-eye area), and along with a bit of mineral foundation over top, it provides really nice coverage.  I find that my skin will break-out or be irritated by a lot of face products of various brands, but this doesn't cause my skin to react in anyway.  Will definitely have to buy a new tub of this!

2. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in RSVP

I've already done a review on this, which you can read here.  This has been my go-to eye base/primer as of late.  It's so quick & easy to just slick on and it's quite versatile as well.  I wear it by itself with liquid eyeliner & mascara, with MAC's All That Glitters eyeshadow over it, MAC's Satin Taupe in the crease, & Twinks in the outer v, or just by itself & a light-medium brown shade in the crease (or Twinks in the outer v, blended into the crease).  As you can tell by that previous, unsightly sentence, it looks good so many ways!  It's love.

3. Clinique Brush-On Cream Eyeliner in True Black

This is one of the newer additions to my makeup collection and i don't know what i've been thinking in regards to liquid/cream eyeliner for all this time!  It has incredibly long lasting power, which i find to be perfect as my eyes are unnaturally watery/teary all the time haha.  It may take a little more time in the morning, but it's worth it for me.  May do a full, in-depth review of this eventually!

4. Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Pink Please

If you've read my blog for a while, you know i have so much love for this lipstick.  I wear this most everyday & it is always in my makeup bag.  It looks really nice with just about every look & adds a lovely bit of color to my otherwise pale face & lips!  Read my really old review of it here. :)

5. OPI nail polish in Got a Date To-Knight

If i ever finish a bottle of nail polish in my lifetime, this will definitely be the one!  This color is such a lovely, baby pink that i find is really flattering with my skintone no matter what time of the year.  I wouldn't say this nail polish is particulary long-lasting, and it also takes quite a few layers to build up the color, but this is by far one of my favorite shades i own.  Whenever i'm a bit indecisive of what color to paint my nails, i choose this one 99% of the time!

6. Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

I used to be quite the Covergirl Lash Blast fanatic, although that was great for volumizing my lashes, i found it didn't do too much for length.  I'd had samples & even a full-size tube of High Impact before, but never really appreciated it until recently.  It both lengthens & volumizes, and it quite a deep black as well.

7. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin (called Drink Me, Eat Me in this palette)

This is by far one of my favorite all-over-the-lid colors and actually even one of my favorite eyeshadows i own.  It accentuates the eye very nicely - with a complimentary crease & outer v color, it's perfection.  It's also quite long lasting, and with a base it lasts for even longer.  I find it's really versatile as well, it looks so good with so many different combinations.  When in doubt, i almost always go for this shadow with Too Faced Shadow Insurance or Benefit CCS in RSVP on its own for a lid color.

8. Clinique Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in New Clover

I've mentioned this product in a few monthly favorites, but i just had to add it to this list.  I don't have an immense collection of blushes, and generally just use up the sample-size blushes i get from usually Clinique, but i find that i reach for this shade just about everyday of the week.  It gives such a natural flush to my cheeks and looks really flattering & pretty on my fair skintone.

9. MAC eyeshadow in Satin Taupe

Satin Taupe was one of the first MAC eyeshadows that i added to my collection, and it is one of my must-haves.  Along with many of the products on this list, it is very versatile.  It looks really lovely in the crease with just about any champagne color on the lid.  I usually wear it in the crease & built up in the outer corner (or Twinks in the outer corner instead) with Benefit's RSVP, but it looks great with just about any combination.

10. Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout

This is probably the second most-used lipstick in my collection, after Maybelline's Pink Please.  :)  On me, it shows up as a lovely baby pink.  As you can see, it's a bit messed up...it actually broke the day i got it & i just had to stick it back in the tube in order to use it.  It's a bit drying as well, but it lasts quite a long time & has a nice matte finish.

11. Sigma E25 Blending Brush

This travel size brush came free with a Sigma order i made around Christmas.  It's supposed to be a dupe for MAC's 217 brush, but i have to say i actually prefer this one to the 217.  My 217 actually became quite fluffy over time & doesn't apply eyeshadow to the crease as well/as clean as it did when i first got it.  Maybe it's because i haven't had this for as long as i have the 217, but it applies crease colors SO well & i'm in love!  Quite the nice surprise to see this came free with my order. :)

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What products do you find yourself reaching for the most?

♥

13 personal questions

One of my favorite Youtubers, Gemma, recently did this 'tag' and you know how i am with tags!  I can't get enough of them ;).  So again, i thought i'd go right ahead and do this one.  Sorry if you don't really enjoy reading tags, they're just quick & easy to do when i don't have time to do an actual beauty/fashion-related post.
You can watch Gemma's video with her answers here ♥
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1. What do you order at Starbucks?
I'm actually not a huge Starbucks fan, but if i have a gift card or something i usually get a tall Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino & a chocolate chip cookie.  Haha :)

2. What's one thing in your closet that you cannot live without?
Probably a basic black or white cami - i wear these under everything.  I don't know why, i've been wearing those camis under everything since like fifth grade!  Another thing is probably a pair of dark wash jeggings.

3. What's one thing that most people probably wouldn't know about you?
I'm secretly a huge nerd.  I love learning and reading and watching the History & Discovery channel and such.  I'm a huge nerd when it comes to music and astronomy especially!

4. Name one thing you want to do before you die.
Fall in love & make it last.

5. What's one food that you cannot live without?
I'm sure i can definitely live without these (not by choice :P) but: pizza, brownies, pineapple.
Worst answer ever haha.

6. What quote/phrase do you live your life by?
See the beauty in everything.  Keep an open mind.  Happy girls are the prettiest girls.  Do what you want and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

7. What do you like and dislike about the Youtube/blogging community?
Like - This may sound completely cheesy/dorky, but it's fascinating (to me anyway) learning about how other girls live in countries throughout the world.  I was so used to life where i live, and i didn't really realize how different other girls my age live their lives because of their culture & where they grew up - whether it's in Ireland, England, Spain, or even just the west coast.  I don't know, i'm fascinated by it. :)
Dislike - Like Gemma, i really don't like how judgmental & negative people can be.  Gemma answered this part perfectly, so i don't feel like repeating it!

8. What's your number one most listened to song on iTunes?
Closer by Kings of Leon ~ it's nearing 700 plays now!

9. What kind of style would you define yourself as having?
I honestly don't know, it changes with my mood.  It's also changing a lot at the moment - i've been getting rid of so many of my old clothes because i just can't stand them anymore.  Unfortunately i have no money to get new clothes, so i'm literally living off of a few tops, cardigans, & jeggings.  I hate my life haha.

10. Favorite number?
Am i the only one who thinks it's weird to have a favorite number?  I don't know, i like odd numbers.  And two.

11. Two hobbies.
Tidying things, my room especially.  Blogging.

12. Two pet peeves.
People who use "ur", "u", "y", "r", etc. for your/you're, you, why, are, etc. when they have an adequate amount of space to type the full words.  Unnecessary & compulsive swearing (i'm guilty of this one sometimes, i'll admit!).

13. Guilty pleasure.
Chocolate.  Omg.  If you have a TGI Friday's by you, go and get the "Brownie Obsession" dessert.  Just trust me on this one!  Oh, and you might want to bring someone along to help you finish it haha.

♥

four things tag

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Whilst checking my Blogger dashboard as you dooo, i came across this tag on Ellie's blog Little Elfie (go check it out, it's one of my faves & she's lovely ♥).  I've not done one like it before - well, maybe i have but i can't resist these tags - so i thought i'd do it!  I always enjoy reading these, so i hope you like what i've written below :)  If you end up doing this tag, feel free to link it in the comments.  You can read Ellie's answers here.  And here are mine... ♥
*Edit: Ellie seems to have privated her blog, sorry bout that :/ Hopefully it'll come back up soon!*

Four things found in my bag:

- Strawberry Lip Smackers chapstick

- Wallet

- Victoria's Secret Kissing in Paris body mist (if you think you're too old for body mists, you've clearly never been to Victoria's Secret)

- Juicy Fruit Sweet Fruit gum

Four things found in my wallet:

- Learner's permit

- Two five dollar bills (this is so sad haha)

- A plethora of gift cards

- School ID

Four favorite things in my room:

- Blanket

- Figurines my parents have collected over the years from travelling & such

- Framed sheet music

- Book shelf

Four things i've always wanted to do:

- Travel the world

- Fall in love & make it last

- Give back to my parents & thank them for all they've done for me

- Go back to Disney World

Four things i'm currently into:

- Cheerios

- Reading

- Dreaming

- Resisting change

Four things i bet you didn't know about me:

- I think having a favorite number is weird

- I've played the violin for going on eight years now

- I cannot stand romantic comedies, aka chick-flicks

- I hate that they've stopped teaching kids how to write in cursive

Four songs i can't get out of my head:

- Marry You by Bruno Mars

- Roll Away Your Stone (Live at Glastonbury 2010) by Mumford & Sons

- Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor) by Pitbull & T-Pain

- Read My Mind by The Killers

Four shows that i watch:

- Skins US & UK

- Misfits

- Jeopardy

- Intervention

Four things i'm passionate about:

- Happiness

- Traveling

- Art - music, photography, etc.

- Learning (ahem.. nerd)

Four things i've learned from the past:

- Don't judge a person by what you see or hear of them, you have no idea what they may actually be going through

- Laughter really is the best medicine

- There's beauty in everything

- Although it's scary, sometimes you have to just put yourself out there

Four places i'd like to go:

- Egypt (feel horrible with all the chaos & everything going on over there)

- Germany

- Japan

- New York City

Four things i did yesterday:

- Got out of school early (thank you crazy Midwestern weather)

- Watched Planet Earth

- Made brownies

- Cried until my eyes were sore

Four things i'm looking forward to:

- Playing Mario Kart DS

- My birthday in March

- England & France in April

- Summer & being done with school (except for the humidity & bugs)

I'd also like to add: happy February!  This year is already going by so quickly.  I have an interview at the thrift store tomorrow, so cross your fingers for me please!  My friends who work there are reassuring me that it's really nothing, but i can be such a nervous wreck.

♥

Q+A tag

I was tagged by the super lovely Holly to do this questions and answers tag, so i thought i might as well :).  You can read her answers here!  I do enjoy doing & reading these tags, so if you do this one, link it in a comment!  Hope you enjoy my answers as well as the irrelevant (but pretty :) photos haha ♥

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1. What's your dream job?

I would love to do something art-related, whether it's making music, being a photographer, working in fashion, etc.  I can't see myself being happy if i don't have art in my life!  Although i would love working in a artsy-type of job, realistically i suppose it can't really happen.  But yeah, if i could choose it would be something along those lines.

2. What is your favorite fragrance for winter?

I admittedly don't have a single fragrance suitable for winter!  I would love something a bit warmer or spicier, but i can't be bothered to go out & search for a new perfume, haha.  Any recommendations? :)

3. How do you take your tea/coffee?

At the moment, i actually prefer hot chocolate ♥.  I like any fruity or minty tea, and don't drink coffee - wish i could say i do!  Then i could be like one of those hipsters who always have a Starbucks cup in their hand ;)

4. What is your most important beauty secret?

Take care of your skin.  Remove your makeup, wash your face, moisturize, drink plenty of water, etc!  Can't emphasize this enough.  I slip up on this all the time, but it's definitely important!

5. If you had an all expenses paid vacation anywhere, where would you go?

Hmm, this is such a tough choice!  Maybe space?  Haha :).  There's an insane amount of places i want to go, so i'd probably pick the most expensive one!  (Laura's lame).

6. If a genie popped in your lap right now and offered you three wishes, what would they be?

-Megan Fox's or Katy Perry's figure!  Been feeling really crap about my body lately.

-A sexy boyfriend.  Nuff said?

-For my family to be happy & healthy.

7. If you could only have breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert foods for the rest of your life, which one would you pick?

In an ideal world, desserts would be healthy & i would choose that.  Or breakfast food, i LOVE breakfast food!  Waffles, mmmm.  But i suppose all those carbs would be bad for you after a while haha.  I think i would choose dinner as that has the biggest variety of food & would probably be the healthiest.

8. If you had to pick a famous person for your other half to meet, who would you choose for them?

Yo no tengo un amor :/.

9. What is your biggest makeup pet peeve?

I would have to say when really gorgeous girls pack on their makeup - they're naturally pretty, they don't need makeup!  Of course they're the drawn on eyebrows and visible foundation line, but those have all been said before.

10. If you could only wear one piece of jewelry for the rest of your life, what would it be?

If i ever get married, probably my wedding ring - haha.  But right now, i would probably pick something understated & delicate - something like this.  Just a tad bit of sparkle, dainty & timeless!

11. What one talent do you wish you had?

I think if i had to choose, it would be being funny or speaking well - if those are talents!  I wish i could just charm people, you know?  Like, being funny & making people laugh - sure i can do that, but it doesn't come naturally like it does for others!  Charisma would be lovely :)

12. The product you will continue to purchase?

Tresemme Tres Two Hold hairspray!  Love this hairspray, i'm probably on my third or fourth bottle of it already.  Holy grail product for sure :)

13. If you could look into the future, would you?  What would you want to know?

I honestly wouldn't.  I think if i knew something about my future, i'd constantly be anxious about it & worried about possibly changing it.  Maybe i'm looking to far into this haha.  I guess uncertainty is what makes life exciting?

14. Who is your biggest celebrity crush?  (Include pictures)

Oh lord, too many gorgeous men on this planet to just choose one!  Well, i guess i'll TRY to narrow it down... ;)

top L-R: Cillian Murphy, Mumford & Sons, Adam Levine
bottom L-R: Johnny Depp, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew VanWyngarden
♥

15. What made you start a blog?

Well, nothing/no one made me start a blog, i started it because i wanted to!  I discovered beauty videos on Youtube, then discovered the blogging community through that, and was inspired to start my own.  I guess i just wanted to have my own bit of the beauty blogging community, so that's when 'Big City Dreams' emerged.  And that's that really :).

♥

30 Things I Want To Do

I saw this post on Katherine's blog Paper Pocket (she's super lovely btw :) and her list of 30 things she wanted to do was amazing, so it inspired me to do my own.  Definitely feel free to do this post as well, i'd love to read it!  These things are in no particular order, just typing them as they pop into my head, hope you enjoy ♥

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1. Move to a big city or a cottage in the woods (a la Sleeping Beauty :)

2. Open my own sweet shop.

3. Marry an amazing man.

4. Play in an orchestra outside of high school.

5. Go sledding with friends.

6. Bake and decorate cut-out cookies for Christmas.

7. Climb a tree.

8. Go on a ton of roller coasters and scream my head off.

9. Redecorate my room.

10. Donate blood.

11. Finish my Wreck This Journal.

12. Travel the world with someone i love (there are just too many places to list!).

13. Try various different foods.

14. Go to space.

15. Learn how to surf.

16. Dream more.

17. Travel the entire Route 66, from Chicago to Los Angeles, baby.

18. Learn two different languages, not including English.

19. Read more books that aren't just mental chewing gum (Twilight, ahem).

20. Stop wasting time seeking other people's approval.

21. Be nicer to the people who love me.

22. Become less dependent on technology.

23. Learn how to play the harp and piano.

24. Be in a musical.

25. Own a kitten.

26. Make beautiful things - babies, music, etc. :)

27. Do what i love, and help people along the way.

28. Go to the places The Lord of the Rings was filmed.

29. Start taking dance classes again.

30. Complete everything on this list.

♥

This or That?!

I saw this tag on the lovely Sabrina's blog A Little Obsessed a while back and i love little tags like this, so i figured i'd do it!  You can read her answers here :)

Makeup

Blusher or bronzer?  Bronzer.

Lip gloss or lipstick?  Lipstick all the way!

Eyeliner or mascara?  Mascara - makes such a difference.

Neutral or color eyeshadow?  Neutral for sure!

Pressed or loose eyeshadow?  I prefer pressed, it's just a lot easier to use & it's not as messy.

Brushes or sponges?  Brushes!

Nails

OPI or China Glaze?  I haven't tried enough China Glaze to compare the two, but i love OPI!

Lotion or body butter?  Probably lotion.

Body wash or soap?  Mmm, Lush soap or Snow Fairy shower gel :)

Lush or other bath company?  Lush!  Love how environmentally friendly they are & they're products are soo fun & lovely!

Fashion

Jeans or sweatpants?  For comfort - jeggings or sweatpants.  For fashion - jeggings!  Can never find jeans that fit my properly.

Long sleeves or short?  Right now, 3/4 length or short sleeves with a cardi on top :)

Dresses or skirts?  Dresses.

Stripes or plaid?  Ooh, this is a toughie!  I love both :)

Flip-flops or sandals?  Sandals for sure.

Scarves or hats?  Ahh, can't decide!  Love them both for different reasons.

Studs or dangly earrings?  Studs normally - i do love a good dangly earring sometimes though!

Necklaces or bracelets?  Another tough one!  Can't choose :)

Heels or flats?  Flats - i'm almost 5'11!  Don't get me wrong, i love love love heels though!  Just don't wear 'em :/

Cowboy boots or riding boots?  Probably cowboy boots!

Jacket or hoodie?  Depends.. :)

Hair

Curly or straight?  Both!  Depends on the outfit.

Bun or ponytail?  Messy bun :)

Bobby pins or butterfly clips?  Bobby pins.

Hairspray or gel?  I'm a hairspray fiend.

Long or short?  On me - long hair, but i honestly think some people just look better with shorter hair!  A lot of girls can pull it off :)

Light or dark?  On me, darkish-medium haha.

Side-swept bangs or full bangs?  Again, on me - side swept i think.

Up or down?  Down nine times out of ten!  I do love a good up-do though :)

Random

Rain or shine?  Right now i'm lovin' the rain - i love 'em both!

Summer or winter?  Ahh, that's a tough choice.  Love the sun & having no school, but i also love snow & holidays!

Autumn or spring?  Love them both for different reasons!  Can't choose :D

Chocolate or vanilla?  Chocolate, duh :)

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Click on photos for credit!
I'm not going to take anyone in particular, but if you haven't done this tag already, do it!  I'd love to read it ♥
Hope you ladies are all having a lovely weekend - i have so much work to do :/
xoxo

Ask me anything / Tweet tweet!

♥

Tag: Fashion Q+A!

There are a whole lot of beauty & cosmetic-related tags making their rounds through the blog-o-sphere, so i thought i'd search for a fashion-related tag to do, to switch it up a bit & to also give you a little insight to my style.  I found an 11-question fashion tag that meganheartsmakeup did a while back (link to that video here) & thought it looked interesting so i thought i'd do it!

Some of the questions were related to making Youtube videos, so i edited those questions to relate to blogging instead :).  Now onto the questions!

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1. What is your favorite accessory?

It's so hard to just choose one!  If i had to narrow it down, i would say: a great pair of stud earrings, a watch (always will be a classic :), a fabulous bag, & a smile :)

2. Who's your fashion role model? (In real life & Youtube/blogging)

I'm not exactly sure what this question means by 'real life' because Youtube is real life?  It's not like a tv show?  Haha, anyway... Like i answered in a previous post: i absolutely adore Rachel Zoe, Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, & Whitney Port's style - anyone who has a Bohemian-chic, laid back style i love :).  Blogging & Youtube-wise, i love gathering inspiration from websites & blogs like Lookbook.nu & Fashion Toast (a recent love ♥), but i think anyone who wears what he/she wants to wear, without caring what other people think, and completely rocks it is a role model to me.

3. What do you always carry with you?

No matter where i go, i always have my Blackberry, iPod, & a water bottle in my bag.

4. What would you describe your style as?

I think i'm still in the process of trying out different styles & seeing what i feel most comfortable in, but i've noticed recently that i'm really drawn to flowy, girly pieces & hippie-chic type clothing.  I'm also leaning toward trying out a lot of different colors, as opposed to my usual black ensemble.  I love anything floaty, vintage, & floral.

5. Favorite: jeans, sunglasses, heels?

I think i'd have to say sunglasses!  I live in leggings, tights, skirts, & dresses, so jeans are kind of out for me :).  And as for heels, i absolutely adore drooling over a good pair of Louboutins, but since i'm so tall, they're kind of out of the question atm!  Sunglasses are more than just eye protection for me, they can be a total statement piece :)

6. What inspired you to blog about fashion?

I admit that i don't blog about fashion as much as i would like, but i digress.  I was inspired by other fashion bloggers, of course.  It was a little over a year & a half ago that i stumbled across the whole blogging-scene, and i just had to be apart of it - and i'm SO glad i did, words can't describe!  It's such an incredible thing to be apart of.

7. What is your favorite fashion store/shop?

Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, H&M, and Boston Store are where you'll see me shopping most of the time.  But i LOVE obsessing over stores that i don't even have access to, such as Topshop, Primark, etc., it's so sad haha.  I swear, when i go to England & France in April, i'll be all. over. that.

Oh, and of course i can't help but dream about owning lush Chanel handbags and glorious Miu Miu platforms *sigh*.

8. What is your favorite fabric in clothing?

I'd have to say cotton!  I live in cotton.  Cotton, leather, etc.  I don't really like wearing man-made materials at all to be honest.  Materials like wool i find i'm allergic to (which puts a major damper on my wanting to rock the chunky knit trend!) & they're also a bit scratchy i find.  So yeah, cotton all the way!

9. Who is your favorite designer?

This is a toughie.  I feel like i haven't seen enough designer's work to really state my favorites, but from what i've seen i love (these are basically all well-known): Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Karl Lagerfeld (is that even a question?), Valentino Garavani, Phillip Lim, Pierre Balmain, the late Alexander McQueen ♥.

10. Who/what inspires your style?

What doesn't inspire my style is the real question!  I'm genuinely inspired by everything around me.  Architecture, music & musicians, photography, nature, history, friends, old movies, along with bloggers & a select few celebrities, of course.

11. What would you choose to do - buy something in high quality or make it yourself if you could?

I think if i had the time & skills to make my own clothing, i would do it.  But of course buying high quality pieces is a great alternative & what i'll stick to for now :)

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The lovely ladies i tag!:
Hannahh x at Beautylishious ♥
Holly at heevans94 ♥
Sabrina at A Little Obsessed ♥
Kirsty at Boo ♥
Kaneesha at Once in a Lifetime Alive ♥
Kasey at The Duty of Beauty ♥
Of course if anyone else fancies doing this tag, i'd love to read it!
xoxo

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Mini Q+A ♥

I was tagged by the lovely Sabra Rose to do the 8 questions tag!  Thank you soo much again sweetie :)

I've already done the '8 questions tag', but the questions are different every time, so i thought i'd go ahead & do it :) ♥

I also want to say a quick thank you to everyone who follows me as i reached 350 followers the other day!  Thank you ladies soo, sooo much - i don't deserve you ;D

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1. What's your favorite lipstick or lipgloss?

I'm definitely more of a lipstick person, and i have two lipsticks that i find myself reaching for the most :).  They are, Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipstick in "Pink Please" - a more medium-toned, peachy-pink (review here) & Revlon's Matte Lipstick in "Pink Pout" - a warm, light pink color (review here).

2. Do you love fake tan or do you just embrace being pale?

I'm naturally super pale (we're talking NW15) & i've always hated it, i just never did anything about it.  But i've recently gotten into self-tan & i'm never going back!  Haha :) (A post on my self-tan venture here).

3. Are you a dog or cat person?

I think i'm more of a cat person.  One of the main reasons may be that i'm allergic to dogs :/, but i feel like i can relate to cats - as weird as that sounds hahaha.  They mainly just sleep all day, stretch, lounge around - exactly what i do ;D.  They're also mega adorable of course!  I still do adore dogs though :)

4. Do you feel more comfortable in jeans or a skirt?

I've never found the 'perfect' pair of jeans (i'm quite tall, so jeans either run too short, too big around the waist, too tight in the thighs, etc.), so i never really feel too comfortable in them.  And with skirts, i always feel really fussy with them, haha, but i think they are more comfortable tbh.  I'm still most comfortable in leggings or a dress though :)

5. Do you like matte or glowy skin?  Do you prefer to start with a matte base and highlight certain places on your face or do you just like to glow all over?

I like to try & find a happy-medium between the two.  I like to start with a matte base & highlight certain places, for sure - especially in the winter.  In summer though, i feel like it's easier to get away with more glowy/dewy skin.  I have quite oily skin, so either way, i'm always a bit shiny/dewy!

6. What's your favorite fruit?

I used to like strawberries & pineapple the most, but ever since this summer, i've started to like watermelon the best :).  So watermelon i think is my fave atm, but i love red grapes & green apples as well :)

7. Who's your style icon and who's your makeup icon?

I can't say i have one specific icon for either, but i do like to draw inspiration from celebrities, bloggers, magazines/ads, etc.  Some celebrities whose style i love are: Rachel Zoe, Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, Whitney Port - anyone with a laid-back, bohemian-chic kind of style :).  As for makeup, i mainly just look up to beauty bloggers for inspiration to be honest :)  But i think i'll be unoriginal & say the Kardashians celebrity-wise - we all know they look absolutely fab 24/7!

8. How do you feel about tattoos?

Unlike my parents, i'm quite open to tattoos.  I think tattoos that have a meaning behind them are brilliant.  If you're going to permanently mark something onto your body, it might as well mean something to you, otherwise i think it's just something you'll regret.  If i were to ever get one, i think it would be just one word, or a short phrase that holds quite a significance to me in my life.  Overall, i think it's a personal choice & should be really thought through before actually getting it done, instead of it just being on a whim - remember, your skin isn't going to be this firm & wrinkle-free forever!

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Happy 101 :)

I was tagged by the lovely Belle over at x_All that's beautiful_x to do the Happy 101 tag!  Thank you so much sweetie :)

I was actually planning to do the "10 Things That Make Me Happy" tag, & although this is a bit different, i'm so glad i got tagged!

Rules:

1. Post who gave you this award.

2. State ten things you love.

3. Give this award to 10 other bloggers & notify them in a comment.

This is in no particular order :)

1. My sisters ♥

left picture: Samantha, Stephanie, me
right picture: me, Samantha (she graduated that day :), Stephanie
I have two older sisters (yep i'm the baby hehe), and i love them to death.  They're the ones i feel i can always talk to when things are going right & when i have no one else to really turn to.  I'm so grateful i have them in my life :).  I don't know what i'd be without them!


2. Friends ♥

That's me in the middle LOL
This sounds so typical, but i really do love my friends!  Haha.  I finally found a great group of people to hang out with this summer (let's not go back to my past friendships...ohgod.), and i'm so happy i found them!  We've had countless amounts of good times together & yeah :).  Love 'em!


3. Blogging ♥

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Blogging is amazing, i'm soo glad i stumbled across the whole blogging world!  It's such a creative release for me (also a way of procrastating...ahem..), and it's a fantastic way to discover new products & clothes, as well as other cultures & ways of life!  Soo incredible. 

4. Music ♥

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Music is everything to me, as cliche as it sounds.  It's there when i'm happy, mad, sad, confused, anxious, apathetic - it's there through everything.  When there's no where left to turn, there it is to turn to :).  Music really does save lives ♥.
As for my taste in music, i love absolutely everything.  Name any genre out there, i lovess it.


5. Shopping ♥

credit - love this girl's blog!
And yes, i realize the US doesn't have Primark!  lol :/
Ohhhh, shopping.  We all know we shouldn't do it as much as we should, but who can resist right?  I guess i could list off some places i love to drain my cash into - Forever 21, H&M, Charlotte Russe, etc. :)  Confessions of a Shopaholic = life!  (Minus Hugh Dancy *sigh*)

6. Autumn ♥

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I was just discussing with a friend the other day how much we love autumn & everything about it :).  Hoodies, homecoming, hot chocolate, walks through the park with the leaves changing colors, crisp not-too-hot-not-too-cold weather, etc. ♥.  Fall would be the perfect season if it weren't also back-to-school season! :(


7.  Photography ♥

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Photography to me is not just a form of art, it's a way of escapism & inspiration.  Looking at different photographs can take one to different places & different times..it's incredible.  I'm not even going to bother sharing some of my favorite photography in this post, it would literally be 905423 years long if i did!  If you do want to see my faves, check out my Tumblr & weheartit (shameless plug!).


8. Traveling ♥

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Sometimes photographs just can't do real-life objects justice..With traveling, you can discover different places (obv.), cultures, lifestyles, foods, architecture, & yourself (i know, cheeseballlll! but it's true :).  I think everyone needs to travel.  If someone goes their whole life without even leaving their city, they are truly missing out on the world - sure you can discover things through the internet or tv, but nothing tops actually having the whole travel experience.


9. Chocolate & sweet treats ♥

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Cookies, cotton candy, cupcakes, brownies, donuts, cake...am i making you hungry yet?  Haha, we all love a bit of something sweet sometimes!  Well, maybe all the time, but we try to limit ourselves, right?  ;)  I've been getting better at resisting these sweet treats, but those who also have a sweet tooth know how hard it is sometimes haha.  Bottom line, tasty treats are tasty ♥.


10. Dancing ♥

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I've been dancing since i was really little, and although i don't take actual classes anymore, dancing is something i adore :).  It must go along with some of the music i listen to (ahem..Passion Pit), but sometimes i can't even resist a bit of foot tapping or even a bit of flailing of the arms (hahaha, truth!).  If i actually danced as much as i wanted to/felt the urge to, i'd probably be burning so many calories that i might be the healthiest person alive haha ;).  Love love love.



Anyone who fancies doing this tag, go ahead - i'd love to read it!

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Basically the Sweetest Award Ever :)

So Hannahh over at Beautylishious ♥ recently tagged me in the "My Lovely Follower Award" - read the rules below if you don't know what it is :).  I don't normally do tags or awards, but this one i just had to do!  I already thank Hannahh loads haha, but seriously..thank you soo soooooo sosoooo much sweetie!  It means so much to me that of all your lovely followers you chose me!  It really made my crumby day about a billion times happier :)  Thank you much again dollface!

The rules of this award are:

1. Once you receive this award, you must post a picture on your blog that is special to you & state why it is special.

2. You must post this award on your blog & thank the person who gave you this award.

3. And last of all...Pass this award onto ONE lovely follower of your choice in appreciation of their follow :)

This is the picture i chose that is special to me :).  (I'm the second one from the left, with the peace signs if you're wondering lol).  This is of my friends & i at the beach from earlier this summer.  It's special to me because i absolutely love my friends..i finally found a great group of people to surround myself with & i couldn't be happier ♥.

Now to choose just a single follower to give this award to is actually a super difficult task...it's to the point where i can't just choose one!  Every single person who follows, comments, or even clicks on this blog is someone i appreciate :).  I have met an insane amount of amazingly lovely people through blogging, that choosing one just doesn't seem fair!  You're all soo incredible & supportive of me that i can't thank you all enough.

I know this goes against the rules of this award, but i don't care!  Haha :) If you're reading this right now, post this on your blog if you want!  You all deserve it :) ♥

Thank you all so, sooo much again - especially you Hannahh!  I tag you back by the way hehe :)

xoxoxox

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8 Questions Tag :)

So i was tagged by two super lovely ladies to do this tag, Xsmirage & Holly - i mentioned in an earlier post that i most likely won't do tags, but i thought that this was a really interesting one!  I really hope you girls enjoy this! :)

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Xsmirage's questions ♥:

1. What are three things you love about yourself?

Eek, this is a hard one!  If i had to choose, i would say - my eyes, my open-mindedness & ability to accept different people & different lifestyles, and the ability to find beauty in everything.

2. Where are your favorite places to shop?

For clothes, i love Forever 21, H&M, thrift stores, & Boston Store just because i get a discount there :).  For makeup, MAC, Sephora, & Boston Store again because i do get a discount.

3. If you have a tattoo(s), what is it & why did you get it?  If you don't have one, what would you get & why?

No, i don't have any tattoos!  I think if i were to get one, it would be on my back in the shoulder area (if that makes sense :) & it would have to say something short & sweet, like a saying - something along the lines of "just breathe".  It would have to be something very meaningful to me.

In this kind of area:

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4. Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

In 15 years, i'll be 31, so i'd like to think that i would be climbing up in my career & maybe even married?  Hehe :).  I'm not one of those girls who would want to be married in her early twenties.  I'd rather live my life & focus on my career, then settle down later - if that makes sense ♥.

5. If you could live somewhere for a month, where would it be?

There are so many places i would love to experience living in!  I think i would want to live in the woods a la Sleeping Beauty, or the mountains or something.  Maybe in a castle? :).  I think that would be such an amazing experience!

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6. What is one thing you could eat everyday?

The first thing that comes to mind is watermelon!  I've been eating so much of it this summer.  I could also eat toast, cereal, and any breakfast food really everyday & not get sick of it :)

7. What are some things you like most about having a blog?

Blogging for me is such an amazing creative release - it's incredible to think that the photos i take and the posts i write are being seen & read by people around the world ♥.  It also has really opened my mind to the world, i've discovered so much about other places & cultures - it really is amazing.  And to network with girls all around the world, it's honestly really mind-blowing! ♥

8. If you could choose to have all the products of one cosmetics line, which one would you pick & why?

This is a tough one!  I think i'd have to say NARS, MAC, or Benefit.  I really don't own much from any of these lines, but from what people say about each of these company's products, they sound amazing!

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Holly's questions ♥:

1. Did you ever fancy a cartoon character as a child and if so which one?

Hahaha, i love this question :).  I secretly still do fancy cartoon characters!  Shhhhh ;D.  I've always had the biggest crush on Robin Hood from the Disney version of "Robin Hood", Wilbur from "Meet the Robinsons", all of the Disney princes hehe, & i'm sure plenty more i just can't think of!

Here are some pictures :) - none owned by me.

Robin Hood :)

Wilbur Robinson :)

2. If you could look like anyone in the world who would it be?

This probably sounds a bit pretentious & self-righteous, but i think i would choose to look like myself.  Sure, there are girls a trillion times prettier than me, but i get told all the time i look so much like my mom, who i find to be gorgeous.  And who would want to look exactly like someone else?!

If i had to choose to look like anyone in the world, i think it would be Kaya Scodelrio.  I think she's absolutely stunning, even without makeup!  There are so many other girls i think are gorgeous though :).

3. What is your favourite film of all time?

You may have guessed it already but...INCEPTION!  As if i haven't raved about this film enough...hehe ♥.  It's honestly just the most incredible movie i've ever seen.  I do love other films though, i promise!  Haha.

4. What is your holy grail mascara?

I have two, just because i layer the two.  I do a coat of CoverGirl LashBlast in Black - this stuff is amazing, it has been my go-to for a long time.  I then a coat of Clinique's High Impact Mascara in Black, it really lengthens & thickens my lashes and makes them really dark.

5. How would you describe your personal style?

I'm still trying to find my personal style & what i'm most comfortable in, to be honest.  Right now though, i'd say it's more casual, but still put together - i live in leggings, flats, & cardigans.  I absolutely love dressing up though!

6. Who is your favorite Kardashian sister & why?

Haha, i love this question :).  My favorite is probably Khloe, as she's hilarious!  All the Kardashians are so drop-dead gorgeous it should be illegal! ;)

7. What is your favourite song of all time?

I have a few favorite songs of all time ♥.  Music is my life, as cliche as it may sound, it really is.  If i narrowed my long list of favorite songs down, i would come up with six all time faves.  I want to mention that i 

My longest running favorite song of all time is "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance (link), it's meant so much to me for so long.

Two of my other favorite songs of all time are both titled "Closer".  "Closer" by Kings of Leon (link), is an absolutely stunning song - simple, yet incredible.

"Closer" by Nine Inch Nails (link), i definately wouldn't recommend you to click that link if you are younger & don't want your innocence to be violated!  This song is flawless & incredible & wow...never gets old.

My newest favorite song of all time is "In the Morning of the Magicians" by The Flaming Lips (link).  I think this song well represents the other sort of psychedelic music i listen to (eg. MGMT ♥).  This song is so shimmery & powerful, i absolutely love it.

I'll throw two classical songs into this list.."Isle of the Dead" by Rachmaninov (link), which is a symphonic poem - it's absolutely jfwieofja wow, it's such an incredible, beautiful journey.  Another classical fave is the second movement of Elgar's Serenade for Strings (link), it's absolutely beautiful.

8. Which 3 things are on the top of your wishlist?

Three more realistic things (i would say a castle or a Hogwarts letter or something otherwise ;) on the top of my wishlist are a job, a boyfriend, & my driver's license.

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