Designer Crush: Charlotte Olympia

Ever since I wrote my post on clutches, I've been thinking about those gorgeous clutches designed by Charlotte Olympia. I seriously cannot get her designs out of my head - both shoes and bags. She definitely knows how to have fun with designs while still making them luxurious and wearable. 

Anyway, I'm supposed to be studying but instead I'm going to share with you 10 of my favorite Charlotte Olympia shoe designs. God knows it's so hard to choose. 

Images from Farfetch and Charlotte Olympia's website. 

She draws her inspiration for her brand from the 1940's and up. I love the inspiration she took from Lucky Strike cigarettes for the "lucky girl" clutch. 

Who is your designer crush right now? 

July Favorites

We did it everybody! We made it through the heat of July...barely. That means it's time for July favorites! Woohoo! 

Since I've been out of the state and basically in the woods and the water for the whole month, my favorites aren't very exciting and not very beauty or fashion related. I will say though, not having to do my hair and makeup everyday was pretty great. 

1. My iPad - Since I've been spending a lot of time in the car and in the middle of nowhere with no service, my iPad has been my best friend. I finished a book and started reading some other short stories here and there, now I have to decide what book I want to read next.

2. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Bronzer - Bronzer has always intimidated me. Now that I've done a little research on how to actually do proper contouring and highlighting, I love it. I'm shocked at the difference it can make when you do it correctly. 

3. Tazo Iced Passion Tea K-Kups - I got a Keurig and I'm OBSESSED. I'm not even much of a coffee drinker, but John is. I got some Tazo tea K-Kups in the iced passion flavor. Add a splash of lemonade and you have yourself an iced passion tea lemonade! They're expensive though, which is the only downside I've seen so far. 

4. Camelbak Forge Mug - When we went zip lining we bought water bottles that we could attach to the harnesses since we would be out for ~3 hours. It's designed for hot beverages, but I use it as a water bottle every day. It's durable as shit, insulated, and vacuum sealed. It really does. not. spill. I've tried it for what little coffee I drink since getting the Keurig and it keeps it hot. After a while I have to take the top off to let it cool down otherwise I'd have to wait 2 hours to drink my coffee. Also expensive, but worth it so far I think. 

5. My Raybans - I've spent too much time in the sun this month, and my eyes have thanked me for protecting them. Most of the time at least. 

6. Elle - No they aren't sponsoring me. John subscribed me to Elle and Teen Vogue so I've been drawing a lot of inspiration from there lately. Also good for long car rides. 

7. Covergirl Intensify Me! Liquid Liner - I got this in a VoxBox and I didn't do a review on it because I'm not familiar enough with liquid liner to give a fair review. I've been practicing my winged eyeliner though and it's been good to me. The tip isn't as thin as I'd like but you can turn it for a thin line and a thick line. Just not as thin as I'd like. 

Sorry they weren't very exciting this month, hopefully next month I'll have a few better ones. If you have a Keurig, get the Iced Passion Tazo Tea K-Kups and add a little bit of lemonade with it. It's a great summer drink! 

My Anjolee.com gemstone pendant necklace giveaway has started, so make sure you enter! 

What are you loving this month? 

What I'm Loving: August

Wow, school and work has really been taking up a majority of my time lately. I'm so sorry for being slack! I figured since it's already the beginning of September, I need to do a What I'm Loving for August!

1. Morn Creations Shark Backpack- Yep, I did end up buying it. I made a lot of purchases with my last paycheck and this was definitely the one I was most excited about. Sharks are my favorite animal and this bookbag is just so adorable! I was a little worried that it was going to be too small, but it's a great size for me. I'm a small person anyway so it's a great size for me. It doesn't hold as much as previous bookbags I've had, but it gets the job done.

2. RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up- This has become a new staple product for me. First of all, the ingredients are great, natural, and safe. Second, the coverage is great and it looks very natural. RMS beauty makes their products so you can use them many different ways. I use this as a concealer for under my eyes and on any trouble spots, and also to touch up my makeup throughout the day.

3. Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation- I use this foundation with the Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector (a face primer by the same brand). At first I didn't really know what to think. It was a very odd product for my first few uses. When I applied the primer the texture felt slightly oily and gross. Then after I applied the foundation, my skin looked very dry in spots it didn't look dry before. When I looked in the mirror a few minutes later, it looks absolutely amazing. I don't know how but it did. And it was so natural looking I couldn't even get over it. Favorite foundation ever! It also has great safe ingredients. The only complaint I have about it is that it isn't as long wearing as I would like, but I carry my RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up with me to touch up any spots that need it.

4. Korres Lip Butter- This is probably one of the BEST lip butters I have ever used. It is incredibly moisturizing and it really sinks into my lips instead of just sitting on top of them. It smells great, kind of like fruity candy, and has a perfect flush of color. I will be repurchasing multiple times as I go through these!

5. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara- I did a full review on this mascara here, but in case you didn't read it, I LOVE this mascara. Since switching to more natural and chemical free beauty products, this was one of the fist I tried. It's a lengthening mascara pigmented by fruit! It smells like fruit, and I mean real fruit not synthetically scented. It makes my lashes extremely long and it doesn't smudge or flake throughout the day!

6. Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm- I've tried many products to help my hair be less frizzy, more shiny, and straight especially for when I let it air dry. Most of them weren't bad, but not the special product I was looking for either. I got this as a sample in an Ulta sample bag and I've absolutely fallen in love. I use this every single time I get out of the shower. It keeps my frizz tame and it helps straighten my hair. I take my showers at night on school nights and wake up and straighten it. Sometimes I'll wake up late and not have time to, but when I use this I feel like I don't need to sometimes. Before I used this, my hair got pretty out of control even if I let it air dry overnight. I definitely recommend this for anyone who has straight/wavy, frizzy hair.

That's all my favorites for this month! Let me know if you've tried any of these products. I'm going to try my hardest to keep up with my blog this semester. Physics is absolutely killing me haha. Gave a great week everyone!

My Beauty Must Have

No matter how much time I have in the morning or how much makeup I decide to wear that day, mascara always makes it into my beauty routine somehow. It's one of those magical products that opens and brightens your eyes, and makes you look more awake.

I know it's not just me thinking that too, because I went to work and forgot to put mascara on and you wouldn't believe how many people asked if I was ok, asked if I was sick, tired, etc. I don't know about you, but the sickly/tired look is not what I generally go for!

I find that drugstore mascaras work just as well as the high end mascaras (with the exception of MAC's Haute & Naughty, my only full size, high-end mascara purchase!). Not saying high end mascaras are bad, I just wouldn't shell out the money for them unless they come with a product I'm already buying.

What are your favorite mascaras? Do you have a beauty must have that you wear everyday?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

What I'm Loving: June (early)

I'm going to be moving into our official new house at the end of the week, which also happens to be the end of the month so I figured I should do what I'm loving for June a little early.

1. Ice Breakers Ice Cubes in cool Lemon- I have been SERIOUSLY addicted to this gum this month. I'm like a chain smoker when it comes to this stuff, when a piece looses its flavor, I'll spit it out and put in another piece. I can go through probably 2 packs of this in a day if I wanted to. It tastes like fresh squeezed lemonade, and it even has that cooling effect which is PERFECT for hot days!

2. Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadow in Flatter Me- I picked this up at Ulta so I could get that little gift set with 3 of their mini products that I could include in my giveaway. I've been wearing this pretty much every day. I use to just wear MAC's painterly, which is great for concealing and going for the "no makeup look", but this is for the days when I want a little color on my lids. So easy to apply! Also works great as a base.

3. Winnie the Pooh Quotes- I've always been a Winnie the Pooh lover. A.A. Milne definitely has a way with words! You can read some of the Pooh quotes here. They are just so sweet and so inspiring :)

4. The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ- My lips get very dry and flakey if I don't take care of them properly. I think there are good DIY versions of this that are just as good, but I'm kind of lazy and fail at most DIY things, so I like the convenience of this :) Plus I got the Cinnamon Sugar flavor because I LOVE cinnamon. I exfoliate my lips with this at night and my lips are so soft and flake free in the morning!

5. C.O. Bigelow Lemon and Black Cherry Lip Balm- I got this at the Bath and Body Works sale for like $2! So cheap! This is one of my favorite daily lip balms, for giving my lips a little moisture throughout the day. The best part is it smells SO GOOD! It moisturizers just as well as the Nivea a Kiss of Moisture, but has an added amazing smell and sweet taste.

6. My Ray Bans- Sunglasses are a must have for summer and my favorites are still my Ray Ban Wayfarers! Very classy and simple, and awesome quality. I always keep them in my car because the sun likes to blind me, and I'm often too short for my visor to do anything for me :P

7. Garnier Fructis Anti Humidity Hairspray- I mentioned this in my how to fight summer humidity post. My hair is straight on most days and I spray it with this hairspray to lock in my sleek style and keep the humidity out. I have the flexible control one, so it doesn't weigh my hair down at all or make it stiff, and smells incredible. I don't usually use this for curling my hair though, I need something much stronger.

8. Victoria's Secret So Sexy Straight & Silky Styling Mist- Long name, but works wonders for my hair! I spray this in my hair before I blow dry it (if I blow dry it, I try to avoid that as much as I can). It's my favorite heat protectant and my mom's favorite too! It keeps our hair smooth and straight as well as protects it from our heat products!

9. Breakfastatgraceys.com!- Yep, I finally paid the $10 and got my custom domain switched from breakfastatgraceys.blogspot.com to breakfastatgraceys.com. Yay!

What are your favorite things this month?

What I'm Loving: May

I finally got connected to the internet in this house! Yay! Hopefully I'll be able to do some posts while I'm here. Like I mentioned before, starting next week I'll be living in between my mom's friend's house and my boyfriend's for a month. So sorry again if posts are sparse!

I figured since it's almost the end of the month I needed to do a What I'm Loving post for May! Hope you enjoy. By the way, any thoughts on how I've been doing these kinds of posts lately? With the numbered pictures and then a description underneath? I figured it makes it easier for you lazy people who don't like to read a lot but do love visuals. Anyway, if you are one of those people who actually read the blog post let me know what you think :)

Click the picture for info on products

1. Essie Mint Candy Apple- To me, this color looks a little more blue in real life than in the picture. But that is perfect because I love kind of blue-ish green colors, especially during the summer. It's kind of a Tiffany Blue color, but not as spot on as China Glaze's For Audrey is. Anyway this is my favorite summer nail polish (even though I can only wear it for like, 2 or 3 days at a time because we can't wear nail polish at work! Sad face).

2. The House of Night books- Reading before going to bed is one of my favorite ways to de-stress. I'm currently reading the House of Night series, and I'm on book 2 (Betrayed). It's such an interesting series and great if you like vampire books (which I actually don't. I hated Twilight). I lost my first copy somewhere in the move and had to buy another, unfortunately.

3. Nivea a Kiss of Moisture- My favorite lip moisturizer/balm used to be the Yes to Carrots one (which I still use and love by the way!), but this one is just a notch higher on the list. It glides on super easily and isn't as heavy as the Yes to Carrots one. Plus it has SPF 4 in it. I put it on every night before I go to bed and every day before I do my makeup. Then I take my Yes to Carrots with me to moisturize throughout the day.

4. Extra Strength Tylenol- Moving has definitely been stressful, and I get awful headaches and migraines, especially when I'm stressed. I actually have one right now but I'm just too lazy to go downstairs to get my Tylenol. I don't always use extra strength but for migraines I definitely need it.

5. Mac Prep + Prime Skin- I didn't realize how much of a difference this primer made in my makeup until I ran out of it. I noticed that it helped my makeup apply a lot smoother and evenly. But once I ran out, I also noticed my makeup wasn't lasting as long and my face was way more oily at the end of the day than normal, even if I apply powder throughout the day.

6. Moleskine notebook- These journals are kind of expensive, so I wouldn't normally buy them but they were on sale at Target and came in cute bright colors, so I just had to :) I got a pack of 2 pink ones and they are the perfect size to write down blog ideas, to-do's, reminders, monthly favorites, etc. I take one with my in my bag and leave one at home beside my bed to refer to while blogging or to write down random thoughts.

7. Maybelline Falsies- This is my favorite drugstore mascara at the moment. I've tried the One by One and I love it for lengthening, but I need some definition in my lashes as well and this gives it. I also love the curved want. Mac Haute and Naughty is my other favorite mascara, but it's more budget friendly to buy the Falsies.

8. Mac paint pot in Painterly- This has been so necessary in my summer makeup routine. Sometimes I don't even worry about eyeshadow and just wear this with some eyeliner and mascara. It matches my skintone and it evens out and covers any discoloration around my eyes and on my eyelids, which I have a lot of (bye bye veiny eyelids!) It helps with the whole "no-makeup look" I like during the summer.

9. John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream- This was mentioned in my How to Fight Summer Humidity post, and has been a favorite of mine for years now. It makes my hair just look more "done", and tames the frizz and helps keep it not frizzy throughout the day. It also smells pretty good. Love love love this stuff!

That's pretty much if for this month. Let me know if you are loving any of these too, or what your favorites for this month are! And let me know your thoughts and the whole "picture with description under" thing I've been trying out. And yay 90 followers! Closer to the 100 follower giveaway! :)

What I'm Loving: April

It's the end of April, which means time to share my faaavorites!

1. Books

This month I've started reading the House of Night series. I just finished the first book, and I must say, it's got me hooked! I think I'm going to go pick up the second book today or tomorrow. My other favorite book right now has bee Shoo, Jimmy Choo! as I mentioned in a blog post. Sooo useful!

2. Garnier anti-dark circle eye roller

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There's been a lot of hype going on around this product, so I'm sure you've heard good and bad reviews on it. I really loved this thing. When I use it in the morning, it feels so nice under my eyes, and it has a tint to it so it covers my dark circles wonderfully. They also make the anti-puff eye roller or something but I have more problems with eye circles than puffiness.

3. Berry Vanilla scent from Bath and Body Works

I was drawn to this originally because I loved the color of the bottle, but when I smelled it, ohh my gosh. It is my favorite scent for summer right now. If you like sweet and fruity scents, try this one out!

4. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder

(via walmart)

I needed a new bronzer, and this one was only like $3 so I decided to pick it up. At first I was disappointed because when I swatched it, it barely showed up on my skin and I thought it was a dud. But when I used a brush, it bronzed my face beautifully. It's a matte bronzer and doesn't make me orange, so I don't look like an orange disco ball. Definitely check this out if you want a cheap, effective bronzer.

5. Zestii.com

If you shop online for, well, anything, you need to check this site out. When you want to buy something online, search for the website on Zestii, and if they have it, click the website link through the website and you will get a certain percent of how much you spend back on your Zestii account. You can redeem it for cash or choose from their list of gift cards. And I think right now if you sign up you automatically get $5.00 added to your account!

6. Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes

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This is one of those products where when I run out, I don't really know what to do with myself until I get more. I had to wait until I got paid to buy some more, and I noticed that even though I was washing my face at night with my regular cleanser instead of these, my face just didn't look as good. It wasn't until this week that I realized how much these towelettes make the redness in my face go down. I think I'm going to switch cleansers to the Yes to Cucumbers cleanser to see if it will make my redness go down even more. Bottom line, these things are AMAZING and great if you have sensitive skin and/or redness.

7. Chocolate covered Peeps

Peeps are cute and delicious, chocolate is delicious, so chocolate covered Peeps=amazing! Too bad Easter is over :/

Well that's about it for this month. Be sure to link me to your favorites post or let me know your favorites :)

Perfumania!

I am currently on the search for new perfumes. I currently have two, the Couture Couture rollerball by Juicy Couture, and Sexy Little Things by Victoria's Secret.

images via polyvore

I love trying out new scents, because I easily get bored with mine. Although I do love the ones I have now, I want to expand my collection. I really like things that smell kinda fruity, floral, and kinda girly scents. Here are some I really want to try out, but most of them I haven't smelled yet, so let me know if you use them or not.

1. Viva La Juicy


2. Miss Dior Cherie


3. Can Can by Paris Hilton


4. DKNY Be Delicious


5. Wrapped With Love by Hilary Duff


6. Ralph Lauren Wild


What is your favorite perfume? Do you have any more to add to my list? Let me know your thoughts!

images from Perfume.com, Victoria's Secret, and Juicy Couture.

What hair product can't you live without?

Have you found a hair product you can't live without? Shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, etc.?
Mine is John Frieda's Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme.

Photo credit
It truly is my secret weapon. If I'm having a bad hair day, this instantly makes it looks at least 5 times better. It keeps my hair shiny and de-frizzes it very nicely. I've only ever used it on my straight hair and wavy-ish hair, so curly girls proceed with caution. And it's only about $6!! Yay!

What's your hair's secret weapon?

5 Favorite (Recent) Beauty Buys for the Summer

Aveeno Continuous Radiance Moisturizing Lotion

Ok, playing soccer has given me a seriously messed up tan, and it was very hard to fix. I had a farmers tan from wearing short sleeve shirts, a shorts tan, and a high sock tan! I figured that since it would take a long time to fix it by tanning (which by the way, I am trying to stop doing. No skin cancer for me!) that I would try out a self tanner. This lotion does not give immediate tan, however. After a few uses it will gradually deepen your skin color AND moisturize! And the best part, it doesn't smell bad like a lot of other self tanners. I would totally reccomend this product.

Neutrogena Spectrum Advanced Face Sunblock

Also because of soccer, I was constantly out in the hot hot sun. My face does not tan at all, instead, it burns. I don't know about everybody else, but I do NOT want to expose my face to that much sun, because it will lead to wrinkles! This sunblock is spf 100+ and does not make your face look greasy or sunscreen-y, if that makes sense. It doesn't cause breakouts either! It is by far the best sunblock I have ever used.

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-Redness Primer

Sometimes I did forget to apply my sunscreen, and ended up with a nasty sunburn on my face. My face is naturally more red than most people's so this anti-redness primer by L'Oreal makes my face look about 10x's better! I apply it after my moisturizer and then put my foundation on top of it and my skin looks GREAT! Be warned though, if you do not use foundation after the primer, it may leave parts of your skin looking like it has a strange green-ish color.

Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup

I got a sample of this makeup in a magazine, and decided to try it out one day. Usually I don't try samples from magazines, and when I do, I usually don't like them that much. But this foundation is great! The ads say it will help clear acne when you use it, but I haven't been using it long enough to know if it does that. I will do an update post on this makeup once I figure it out though! But, it evens out my skintone very well and it blends really nicely too. It isn't too heavy and looks very natural

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

I think these speak for themselves. If you have oily skin, these are great to keep in your purse or even your wallet this summer (and fall and winter and spring). I use them every morning and I keep them in my purse so if my face gets a little too oily throughout the day, all I have to do is dab one of these babies all over my face and BAM no more oil :) They are easy to carry, dispose of, and best of all, they do not smudge your makeup off!