Having a Blast with SinfulColors for the 4th of July!

Thanks to SinfulColors for providing me with samples of their lovely 4th of July line up!

I'm a nail polish guru so it's no surprise that I'm super excited about all the fun shades SinfulColors launched to celebrate July Fourth! With bright beautiful red, white, and blue shades as well as two fun glitters, and a gorgeous silver... I'm pretty much gaga for these beautiful colors that represent 'Merica so wonderfully!

This Gorgeous Blue Shade is a real hot color, hence it's name "Hot Spot". I'm totally in love with this shimmery, gorgeous navy-esque color and will be rocking it year round!

"Ruby Ruby" is a gorgeous shade of red that looks just like Dorothy's Red Slippers! This shade is so classy and perfect for a mani-pedi on the 4th!

"Out Of This World" is the gorgeous silver I referenced. It also has a wonderful amount of shimmer without going overboard. I love the way this polish is almost sheer with just one coat, but can be a beautiful normal polish with two coats.

The "Star Blast Off" is a glitter that is made for an American! With blue and red sparkles, silver glitter, and tiny little stars, this polish is all about showing off on the 4th of July and I'm totally in love with it!

Green Ocean is a wonderful shade of glitter polishand it's named so appropriately. It reminds me of the beach on the 4th of July and it's absolutely stunning over the white polish...

Show Me White is the wonderful shade that I decided to use as a base coat. It's a bright white and will also be the perfect polish to grab when I want to work on a DIY french manicure!

These six SinfulColors are the perfect shades for the 4th of July and the best additions to my collection yet! So tell me, which color do you want to add to your collection first?

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Lyst: My FAVORITE Way To Shop + The Perfect Beachy "Grunge" Look

Do you remember in the movie Clueless when Cher is getting ready for the day and she is browsing through her digital closet for the perfect outfit? I remember watching this happen and thinking I needed this in my life back in the 90s... Luckily, Lyst came into the picture and while they don't show me what's in my closet right now, they help me find items I love to buy and add to my closet!

It's a fashion lover's dream come true, with the ability to shop hundreds of stores all at once while creating boards for every upcoming event on your calendar! Plus, several of the shops offer an integrated check out, meaning you can pay for purchases from several stores all at once without having to directly visit the site. Lyst really is like the mall and Cher from Clueless' closet combined, it's the only way I'll shop from now on!

Not only can you shop for items you love and buy them easily on the spot, you can save them to boards or "lyst(s)" and receive alerts when they go on sale.

I'm so obsessed with a pair of knee high gladiator sandals and a matching romper that I found on Lyst, I can't wait until I receive a sale alert on both of these adorable pieces.

Another great thing about Lyst is the range of brands offered, some that make me dream of what could be and others that I can find at the mall... It's a nice variety and they offer items that are adorable in everyone's price range!

After spending hours adding adorable items to my lyst (you can find here), I finally decided to treat myself to a new dress and a new pair of super funky sunglasses for the beach. Both items happened to be from the same adorable boutique, Pixie Market.

This super fun, beachy, Pixie Market pineapple dress fits like a glove with my favorite bikini underneath, paired with my super awesome shoes I scored at a local discount store, my favorite GiGi Couture necklace, and the most adorable pair of kitten eye sunglasses. I styled my hair in a loose braid and I was ready to go catch some rays in my 90's grunge inspired look.

So what are you waiting for? What's your style? Make a Lyst and check it twice, it's time to treat yourself, whether you've been naughty or nice!

Today's discussion is sponsored by my favorite shopping destination, Lyst!

My Latest Obsession: Six Beautiful SinfulColors Street Fusion Nail Polish Colors

Thanks to SinfulColors for providing samples of these gorgeous shades so that I can provide an honest and super fun review!

You may have already noticed, but I'm kind of a nail polish fanatic... I change my polish almost as often as I change my clothes so when I saw the new line of Street Fusion shades from SinfulColors, one of my favorite nail polish brands, I knew I had to try every single color! I was overjoyed to receive a sample of these gorgeous polishes from SinfulColors and when I tried each shade out on my nails I fell more and more in love! I've always liked colors that are a little edgy, hence my purple hair, so these colors are right up my alley! I received six shades in the mail: Maroon Fin, Otaku Anime, Sky Tree, Pink Ansen, Fuji Fuji, and  Keira Blu; each color unique and oh so beautiful!

Maroon Fin is a unique shade of reddish orange, close to a copper. It's perfect for a summertime pedi, classy while remaining a little bit sassy for someone looking for a more mature look!

Otaku Anime is a bright shade of neon yellow with extra sheen, my favorite simply because it's cheery and unique. It's super fun to pair with glitter too!

Sky Tree is a beautiful shade of teal, I would compare it to the color of the water at the beautiful beaches nearby me... It's stunning on my nails and even more beautiful on my toes!

Pink Ansen is the perfect princess polish! It's full of pink glitter and sparkle, a little party with a punch - it's girly without being over the top! I loved pairing it with the Sky Tree shade as a top coat!

Fuji Fuji is my second favorite polish in the bunch, it's so FUN! Big specks of holographic silver glitter and tiny little pieces paired together to make a party of a polish on your nails...

I painted this as a top coat over Otaku Anime and it's a dreamy new age mani that I'll be rocking for a few weeks!

Keira Blu is a super modern shade similar to my favorite crayon as a kid, a dazzling indigo shade and even more beautiful in person. I can picture a gorgeous pedicure with this as a base coat and Fuji Fuji over the top!

As I said, I'm totally nail polish obsessed. Are you obsessing over any specific colors this year? I'd love to hear all about your favorite polish of Summer 2015!

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My Mani - Pedi Routine with Vaseline® Intensive Care Advanced Relief Healing Serum

Today's discussion is sponsored by Vaseline® Intensive CareTM Advanced Relief Healing Serum,
regardless all opinions are my own.

It's finally SUMMER for this girl, which means I've officially earned my associates degree! Can I get a woohoo?! I'm so incredibly excited about the fact that I no longer have classes to attend or homework to complete, at least for a few months anyways...

I'm also excited about how amazing my nails look now that I have a little bit of free time! While sharing my manicures isn't something I've been able to make time for lately, you better believe after I completed my last final for the semester I took the time to paint my nails all pretty and now I'm taking the time to share with you! I look forward to getting to share more of what I love with my readers over the next few months, more free time means more fun on the blog!

I used a nude shade as my base color in this manicure, a gorgeous shimmery special addition golden glitter, and of course, my trusted Vaseline® Intensive CareTM Advanced Relief Healing Serum to make sure my hands are super hydrated and beautiful.

I'm obsessed with the soft scent of rose and amber, blended with the refined aroma of vanilla - it's like a day at the spa, every single time I apply, especially because this serum goes beyond what lotion can. It actually heals and moisturizes skin, where as lotion masks your dry skin problem temporarily.

I think I may paint my toes like this next time I treat myself to a mani-pedi. The combination of nude color with golden accents will make the perfect matching mani-pedi! Making sure my feet and legs are hydrated with this Vaseline® Healing Serum will be the perfect way to make sure my skin is smooth, beautiful, and moisturized when I slip into my summer wardrobe - a bikini and/or a sundress!

What kind of fun stuff do you have palnned for this summer? I can't wait to share all of my fun adventures with you over the next few months!

Purple Hair + a Real Beaut!

Something you may have noticed recently if you follow me on social media is the fact that I now have purple hair. Not just purple, but a wonderful eye-catching, whimsical shade that still feels refined... As if you couldn't tell by that description, I kind of like my new hair.

You may be saying to yourself, "wait, what, PURPLE?" I know a few people have given me looks questioning if I'm gothic and maybe painting my nails black the same week wasn't the best idea but... I love my hair. Yes, I took a big ol' jump off the metaphorical hair ledge and plunged into a deep, dark, lovely shade of violet and I'm madly in love with it.

It may come as a shock if you're a long time reader, I've had blonde/ombresque hair for a while now and while that style was cute for a few years, I was ready for a change.

This change doesn't necessarily signify anything of importance, although I am graduating with my associates after this semester and possibly taking on some new, exciting projects. I also stopped shampooing my hair (not in a hippie-flippy type of way but in a make-your-hair-healthier type of way, more on that later). This change was more about refreshing my style, starting a-new, revitalizing, and rejuvenating my sense of me and purple was just what I needed!

While I'm super excited about my new hair, I'm also pretty excited about my new dress from Shabby Apple. I love everything from their store but this dress is a real beaut! No really, the name of the dress is Real Beaut! and it's a title that suits the dress well!

The way the dress hugs my curves just right, the neutral shade of the dress, and the super-duper soft material make this dress one of my favorites to wear no matter the occasion! I also really love this dress because it's conservative yet the waist adds a flirty flair, the perfect mixture of modern and vintage styles.

Have you heard of Shabby Apple? It's one of my favorite places to shop online! Check out the store and tell me which dress is your favorite! I've got my eye on the tulle skirts they just launched, I'm almost certain you will find me dancing around on the beach at sunset in one of those gorgeous skirts all summer long!

Celebrate Mother's Day with Thymes Fragrances

I have several moms in my life. Not in a weird sister-wives type of way, but I literally have a handful of females in my life who helped raise me. You know how they say it takes a village; well, it took a village (or a handful) of mother figures to raise this wild child. I'm so thankful for all the females in my life who have helped me become who I am today.

I have my real mom who is literally my best friend now, although we had our differences during my teen years (which seems pretty normal). She is the reason I have this entrepreneurial spirit, she's the reason I was brave enough to move to Florida and start fresh, she's literally inspired me to make my life into what it is today... and while I may never admit it to her, I'm a lot like her in some ways and I kind of appreciate that fact. She's been able to overcome so much in her lifetime and inspires me each and everyday to live life in a way that makes me happy, something that has truly made my life beautiful. She's incredible.

I have a sister who is almost a decade older than me and she definitely has played the role of my mother from time to time. While she didn't give birth to me, she helped to shape me into who I am today and has even taken me in under her roof in the past and provided for me. She's a rock in my life and while my mom is awesome, I love that my sister was always around to be my impromptu mom when I needed her. From waking up early to help me get ready for school to kicking my butt and forcing me into the job market when I was struggling with balance as a teen, she's literally done it all. She's now a mama to her own little one and I know her daughter will always feel safe, loved, and encouraged - because she always made me feel that way. She's amazing.

I have a "step-mom" that I love to pieces, she literally changed my life when she came into the picture a few years ago and for her I'm so thankful. She's not technically married to my dad, hence the quotation marks but that doesn't mean she isn't a mother to me as well. She may not have been around for my rebellious teenage years (lucky her), but she has definitely helped me in ways that I can't even begin to express... Bridging gaps, always wanting to grow our relationship, and treating me with love and respect. She's everything a step-mom should be and more. She's a blessing.

I also have a mother-in-law that has literally shown me the meaning of unconditional love. She's been in my life since I was in high school and she's taught me so many life lessons, even if she doesn't realize it. She's also blessed me with the most amazing thing in my life, my husband, so for that alone I'm forever grateful to her. Her passion for life, her dedication to her children, and her loving nature make her one of my favorite people in the world. She's inspiring.

I have a step mother-in-law as well. She is the definition of a loving mother to her children. She would do anything for her kids and has always extended that love to her entire family. Her style, her ability to love, and her passion for life are incredible to be around and I admire her for many reasons. She's awesome.

While I plan to spoil each of my mother figures this mother's day, I'm sharing the presents I'm giving to two of them today so that you can get in on the fun. I won't be sharing who gets what yet because I don't want to ruin the surprise but I think they all will like their presents.

With that said, one of the gifts is mermaid themed and I think the recepient will be pleased with the enticing Thymes Aqua Coralline candle and hand soap, two beach-y towel holders, and a mermaid printable made just for her (and you - download it for free here)! This printable stating "even mermaids wash their tails" is the perfect compliment to the Thymes soap!

The other lucky mama in my life will receive the feminine and fun Thymes Kimono Rose lotion and perfume set and candle with a printable encouraging her to "Be Happy, Be Bright, Be You" - the perfect encouraging and loving gift! You can download that printable for free here!

I can't wait to share these gifts with two lucky ladies, I may just head on over to Thymes website and order more for all the mama's in my life... I just need to decide which scent will work best for each woman first, the options are bountiful so I'll have to begin narrowing down my favorites with the free sample kit they scent over. Oh yeah, that's right, I haven't shared the best part yet - Thymes is hooking up each and every order over $25 with a free Fragrance Studio Sample kit (which includes 15 fragrances)!

Haven't heard of Thymes before? Thymes is known for creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind fragrances. They take pride in thoughtfully curating every product and infusing touches of charm to make them truly special and uniquely Thymes - unlike any other perfume line on the market. The best way to describe fragrances made by times is natural, comforting scents refined with a sophisticated air. The minds behind Thymes are dreamers and doers, dedicated artisans driven to create beautiful things for others to discover, appreciate, and share. The best part of Thymes is that they opt for natural, high quality, plant-based ingredients instead of chemical ingredients whenever possible. They use botanical extracts with health enhancing nutrients, vitamins, and vital antioxidants - making wearing one of their fragrances a real pleasure.

Now that I've gushed about my favorite fragrance line, I'd love to know which one of Thymes fragrances do you want to try first? Which scent do you think your mother will like the most?

My Morning Routine and How I Prevent and Treat Blemishes as an Adult with Acnevir®

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Acnevir for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm going to share something somewhat embarrassing. As of lately, I've been getting really gnarly pimples, I'm not even talking about the average everyday zit but the type of pimple that makes you want to stay home from social events. The type of blemish that old TV shows make into a whole episode and while my life isn't some Brady Bunch episode, these zits are realer than real, they are embarrassing and they hurt! I thought when I graduated to my twenties I wouldn't have pimples anymore, I was obviously wrong.

I've done everything I can to prevent them. While tea tree oil seems to help once they are healing, I have been struggling to find a product that really helps to rid my face of blemishes before they even start. That's when I realized, I've been using products made for teen skin and as much as I want to reclaim my youth I'm now getting closer to 30 than my teens and need to find products made for my skin.

That's when I found Acnevir Gel, a three-in-one homeopathic gel that does everything I need. It clears my current break outs, reduces the redness that never seems to leave my cheeks, and even helps to prevent future break outs. With aloe to help reduce dryness, I'm almost addicted to applying this to my skin and love the way the water based gel goes on smoothly and absorbs super quickly!

I love using Acnevir first thing in the morning. I apply a thin layer, put some eye drops in my eyes, give my eyebrows a touch up, and apply mascara every morning before I leave my house, no matter what! It's the perfect addition to my morning routine and if you are battling any redness or blemishes, I highly recommend you give it a try as well. Like with everything in your medicine cabinet, please make sure to read and follow all label instructions before using though!

Have you ever had a break out that made you feel like you were the star of a cheesy sitcom? Maybe it wasn't that bad but almost everyone has had a zit that made them want to run and hide, am I right? Well, one lucky reader will win a tube of Acnevir® simply by leaving a comment below telling me about that awful breakout or blemish. Please remember, this product is only for those that are 18+!

When Life Gets Busy Pamper Yourself & Your Senses with Caress Forever Collection

The love expressed below for The Caress Forever Collection is purely my own, although today's discussion about this awesome body wash is sponsored. #CaressForever #12HrTouchTechnology

When life gets busy, it's sometimes easy to let yourself go... I know I'm guilty of wearing the same pair of yoga pants two days in a row or sometimes even forgetting to brush my hair before leaving the house to run last-minute errands. Life happens, we all know that.

Lately I've been trying to do things to take better care of myself, like getting more sleep, making healthier choices when it comes to snacking, and really just trying to make sure that I'm treating my body well; what I've neglected to do is treat my skin well.

After a pretty gnarly sunburn from going kayaking a few weeks ago, my skin desperately needed to be pampered. That's when I found the Caress Forever Collection in two fabulous scents and knew that I needed to spend an entire evening soaking in a tub of bubbles soothing my skin and pampering my senses while getting lost in a book and sipping a glass of my favorite wine!

As I laid in my tub, I thought to myself "Pampering yourself like this should be a daily thing", then I realized with my new body wash it totally will be.

The two amazing scents are "Love Forever" and "Adore Forever". I personally prefer the "Love Forever" scent which has a Mandarin Orange and peach top note, a scarlet red rose, peony, and freesia heart note, and a sandalwood and vanilla musk base note.

The Adore Forever scent is slightly sweeter with a raspberry and cassis top note, an angel face rose and muguet heart note, and an amber, honey, and vanilla base note.

While other body washes I've used in the past have always been appealing to the senses, the Caress Forever Collection is different. These body washes are an innovation. The first in the world with Fragrance Touch Technology...Which is totally amazing and all, but I know you are probably wondering what that means...? The breakthrough technology of Caress Fragrance Release Pearls™ releases bursts of perfume with every touch of your skin. The collection combines sensual floral notes to create a fine fragrance for up to 12 hours!

As the award winning perfumer and creator of this body wash, Loc Dong says, "The Caress Forever Collection evokes love, passion, sensuality, and elegance." Loc Dong, along with more than 25 scientists across 4 continents, came up with this technological breakthrough in beauty that will leave you feeling beautiful, refreshed, and revitalized every time you use it! If you want to treat yourself to a spa-like experience at home and pamper yourself and your senses, grab either rich, luxurious scent from The Caress Forever collection and prepare to relax!

My Secret to Long, Beautiful Eyelashes: Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes

While my love for the cosmetics listed below is all my own, today's post was sponsored in part by Younique by Kassia.

When I heard my friends raving about Younique Cosmetics I instantly knew I had to try out the mascara they all loved! I actually had my first experience with Younique's lash-enhancing 3D Fiber mascara around Christmas when my sister received it as a present. The way the 3D Fiber Lashes blend made her eyes look was amazing and I knew I had to try it out myself... and when I did, I knew I really, really wanted a tube of my own. I'm so serious when I say this mascara is revolutionary. Unlike any other mascara I've ever tried, I've literally ditched my falsies for my own lashes with 3D Fiber Lashes!

Something I absolutely adore about 3D Fiber lashes is that you are supposed to apply a layer of your own personal favorite mascara (Yves Saint Laurent MASCARA VOLUME EFFET FAUX CILS for me, please) before applying the transplanting gel and fibers. This means I get to experience the delicious scent from the newly formulated YSL mascara I received from Influenster all day long while rocking the most amazing, lengthy lashes thanks to Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes from Younique.

To apply 3D Fiber Lashes, you just apply your favorite mascara first. Then you simply apply a layer of the transplanting gel, then build the fibers on your lashes. Then put the finishing touch on by adding just a bit more transplanting gel! It's so much simpler than messing with eyelash glue and looks SO much better and more natural than my falsies ever did!

So now that you know how I achieve these rockin' lashes. Let me tell you about my other new favorite items Kassia sent over. I'm obsessing over the gorgeous shade of silver eye pigment and the creamy black eyeliner pencil, two items every single girl needs in their make up bag!

The eyeliner is a standard pencil liner and goes on easily. I'm not usually a fan of eyeliners that need to be sharpened but since Kassia sent over a sharpener, this really wasn't that big of a deal... and the fact that this eyeliner actually stays in place when I apply it means I can finally stop worrying about having racoon eyes.

The eye pigment she sent over is in the shade "Feisty" and I'm a huge fan of how densely it goes on. I typically have to apply several coats of other eyeshadow brands but with Younique pigments I only apply one coat and get a nice thick layer that stays on all day long but never looks cakey. Oh and did I mention the eyeshadow brush is pure perfection? It's probably the eyeshadow brush you've been dreaming of, actually...

I know I've done nothing but rave about how amazing my new make up is... but do you want to know the best part about my new make up routine? It's so simple and may make me sound a bit lazy, but I love that my face is no longer a hot mess when it comes time to remove my eye makeup. 3D Fiber Lashes are waterproof but they easily wash off with facial cleanser and warm water... no more scrubbing to try to remove black circles from around my eyes at night.

I can now go from drab to fab in just minutes thanks to this awesome mascara bumping my look up to the next level. I apply BB Cream, a smidge of powder, my mascara & 3D Fiber Lashes, with a tiny bit of pigment on my lids and I'm all set! What's your go-to make up routine look like? Have you tried 3D Fiber Lashes yet? Check out Kassia's Younique page to give this miracle working mascara a try, I promise you won't regret it.