Current Hair Care

Hi guys!

So, today is all about my hair. I've been dying my hair for years now and it's really starting to completely hate me. It's been so many different colors, some intentional, some definitely not. (My bright orange hair, not really what I was going for). At least I gave the whole "salon at home" thing a shot, right? Eh, whatever. So, last time me and my sister tried to do my hair, I decided I wanted to go back to blonde like I was my senior year of high school. Not really what turned out though. Long story short, I bleached it, it turned out orange and pink, and I sucked it up and went to a professional. Now, it's back to brown and I'm trying really hard to make it healthy again before I dye it next, whatever color that may be.

As my hair is quite long and not really my favorite when it's just left natural, I would blow dry, then heat style every. single. day. Lately, I'm really trying to get away from that and the only way I break out of things is to quit them cold turkey. (That's still a saying, right?) I am proud to say I have not blow dried or heat styled my hair in WEEKS. So, I guess I'll just go through my little weekly routine for my poor hair...
*Little side note, I do only wash my hair every third day. I found it actually has made a difference. Shampooing your hair too much can take away all the natural oils your hair needs to be healthy. My hair loves me for it!

$6 at Ulta

Not Your Mother's Way To Grow Long and Strong Shampoo
It's a little it of a mouthful, I know. This is one of the first Not Your Mother's products I've ever bought, but I constantly heard great things about this brand. I use this almost every time I wash my hair. I haven't noticed any growth in my hair, but I've only been using it for a couple weeks. It would be nice if it did make my hair grow faster though! Definitely a good product for me, and it smells fresh and clean, which is always a plus.

$27 at Lush for 11.4 oz

Big Shampoo from Lush
This is hands-down the most expensive shampoo I've ever bought in my life. It's from Lush, so it's completely handmade and wonderful. It's made with coarse sea salt, seaweed, coconut, lemons, limes and other stuff. I use this one a week as a clarifying shampoo. It does a good job to remove all the product I've put in my hair during the week and leaves it feeling extra squeaky clean and soft. It's meant to give a lot of volume to your hair, which kind of happens but since my hair is long, it doesn't take a whole lot for it to flatten on me. The only downsides to this is it leaves my hair looking pretty dry, so conditioner is vital when I use this and it tends to make colored hair fade faster that normal, especially when exposed to sunlight. Despite the price, I'll be purchasing another tub of this ASAP.

$4 for 1 oz or $33 for 8.5 oz at Ulta

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque
Oh. My. God. This is my holy grail of hair products. I use this hair masque pretty much every time I shower only because I love how my hair feels afterward. Think of the softest thing you've ever touched. Now imagine that being your hair. Yeah, I'm not kidding. I bought a couple of the 1 ounce packages of this just to try it since the full size is pretty hefty priced, but I have got to go back and buy the full one. In the shower, I just finger comb a little of this into the ends of my hair, but avoiding my roots. I then throw it into a top knot and continue doing my regular shower stuff. By the time I'm done with everything else (I'm pretty slow, so it tends to be at least ten minutes later), I just rinse it out in cold water. Even when I'm rinsing it out, I can already feel the softness in my hair. It's a thick consistency so a little bit goes a long way. I've been getting three or four showers out of one 1 ounce package. I think it's safe to say I'm obsessed with this, is that weird?

$13.50 for 13.5 oz at birchbox.com

Bain de Terre Passion Flower Color Preserving Conditioner
I received this sample in February's Birchbox so I've been testing it out recently. It smells SO good and does leave my hair smelling great all day when I don't put other products in my hair after my shower. To me, this conditioner does a good job. My hair is soft and I like knowing that it's not effecting the color of my hair. I get annoyed at products I love when they cause my color to fade. I don't really think I'll buy the full size of this conditioner but for now, I'll use up the sample.

$6 at Ulta

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
Ugh, yes. Just yes. This and my other shampoo are the only products I have from this brand but that won't last long. I really wanted to get the Oribe dry texturizing spray but I was not about to shell out $42 for it, so I got this instead. $6 as opposed to $42? Yes please. After I shower, I put my hair in a french braid down the back and sleep with it. In the morning, I'll take out my braid and spray some of this in it and scrunch a little. That's it! I found that this spray holds the wave all day and makes it look like I spent the day at the beach when I didn't (a girl can dream). My hair smells like coconuts and beach air all the time now. I find myself spraying this throughout the day just because I like the smell. (I'm completely normal, I promise).

$8 at Ulta

Batiste Dry Shampoo
On the days I don't wash my hair, I use a dry shampoo to spruce it up a little. I've tried three or four different dry shampoos and this is definitely my favorite. It takes all the excess oil from my roots and gives a little bit of volume back to my hair. The only downside is that my hair is kind of dark and this comes out as a white powder, so it's always a little bit of a chore brushing it out of my hair. The upside? Batiste thought about that and came out with the Hint of Color Dry Shampoo line, so I can go and pick out a dry shampoo that will blend in with my hair. AND for summer when I go on vacation, they have a travel size for $1. Yay.

$25 for 3.2 oz at birchbox.com

Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Conditioner
I got a sample size of this in January's Birchbox so I figured I'd add it to my routine for now. After I use my dry shampoo, I'll use this on the ends of my hair. It freshens them up a bit and adds a tiny bit of shine. The biggest thing is, it softens my hair and detangles for me so it really looks like I just showered. I like this dry conditioner, but it's also the first one I've ever used so I don't exactly have anything to compare it to.

$5 at Walmart

Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray
When I do heat style my hair, I always use a heat protective spray. I think it's safe to say this is my favorite, seeing as I'm on my third bottle of it... This leaves my hair shiny and soft, especially when I use my straightener.When my hair is wet, I just spray this all over my head, concentrating more on my ends than anything else, then blow dry as normal. Then, I'll spray it on my ends again before straightening or curling. It is definitely a must-have in my hair care routine.

I've really liked trying out new products lately, so feel free to leave comments on other things I should try! I'm sure I'll have a completely different routine in the middle of the summer, since the weather will be so much different than it is now (and 100000 times better), so I'll probably update this eventually. Also, I'll be putting all the products I talked about into my Luvocracy page.

I'll be back in a few days with another post, until then

Check out my other stuff

Twitter

Tumblr

Luvocracy

BYE.

February Birchbox!

Alrighty, and we're back to makeup talk. I actually really enjoyed my little baking week. I've been really into DIY things, so I may include some more stuff like that later on.

But, my February birchbox already came in!
First though, let's flashback to last month.

For those of you who don't know, Birchbox is a monthly box that contains five different high-end products, whether they be skincare, fragrances, makeup, nail polish, or lifestyle items. And the best part is, if you like the items, you can go onto birchbox.com and order the full size! 


Quick little reviews and comments
Last month, I received the Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Conditioner. I like this, but I don't find myself using it. With my hair, dry shampoo does a good job so I feel like this is just a useless product to me. I do like the scent of it though, so I've been using it after I get out of work just to get the disgusting pizzeria smell out of my hair. I won't be purchasing the full size of this.
I also received the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara. I really think I love this mascara. It smells like fruit and it does a pretty good job. It's not necessarily the best. Like, it works but it doesn't do anything special for my lashes. I've been wearing this to work four times a week and it doesn't smudge at all. I may purchase the full size for this, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to spend the $18 on a product that's not THAT great.
I also got the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips and oh my god I'm in love. This product is way thicker than a normal lip balm but I think it really works. I've been putting it on every night before bed and before I go to work. It lasts so long on my lips and makes them look glossy. I am 100% purchasing the full size of this once my little trial size runs out (which is taking longer than I thought. A little goes a long way with this).
I got the Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish in Ride 'Em Cowgirl. I haven't painted my nails fully with this, but I did paint one! That counts for something... I like this as a top coat, especially over black nail polish. It dried pretty quickly and looks so good. It didn't change a whole lot outside, but we also haven't really seen the sun since, like, November. I'll definitely keep this around and use it once in awhile. You can never really go wrong with a gold sparkle, but I don't think I'll purchase the full size. I might seek out the other colors they have though!
Lastly, last month I received Ahmad Teas in Apricot Sunrise Black Tea, English Breakfast Black Tea, and Pure Green Tea. I said I was so excited about these because I love tea a lot, and I was excited! That is, until I put them with my other teas and never touched them. I completely forgot about them until right now. Whoops!


ooooookay, onto this month.

In this box, I received...

Bain de Terre Passion Flower Color Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner

$12 for the shampoo; $13.50 for the conditioner (13.5 oz)

This is absolutely perfect for me considering my natural hair color hasn't really been seen in years. It smells amazing and I'm really hoping it works good with my hair.










Coastal Scents Revealed Eye Shadow Palette 

$34 for full size palette (20 shades)

I'm really pleased with these colors. I've been into very neutral looks lately and this palette is perfect. The colors are very pigmented and seemed to blend easily. I will 100% be playing around with these soon.









Hello by Harvey Prince

$26 for 8.8 mL; $55 for 50 mL

This scent is citrus and floral scented. I mean, it smells good but I've never been into anything floral smelling. I think this'll make it's way into my sister's possession. But on a good note, the little card it came in is SO cute.








StriVectin™-AR Advanced Retinol Night Treatment 

$109 for 1.7 oz

This product is supposed to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even skin tone and increase your skin's radiance. I mean, I'm only 19 so I don't have any wrinkles YET. But even skin tone? Yes please. This cream doesn't feel greasy and my skin just soaks it right up. I have high hopes for this!







So, those are my five products for the month. I'm really liking these boxes so far and I recommend getting them. I'll put my actual reviews for these products once March's box comes.
Until then,
Check out my other stuff
Twitter
Tumblr
Luvocracy

BYE.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! So, I have a bit of a confession to make. I was planning on posting a sugar cookie recipe with some awesome conversation heart frosting, but I was way too lazy; but that sparked another idea. For the lazy ones out there, or just the people who are rushed for time, here's a cute little idea for a gift or just a little festive decor for around the house. 

These were the easiest things to do ever, but I like to think they turned out so cute! All I did was go to Target and buy the four pack of little mason jars (around $6) and a bunch of little Valentine's candy. (If you want more, they have full sized mason jars in a pack of twelve for $10). 

I filled them with conversation hearts, Hershey kisses, and hot chocolate with some marshmallows on top. Then, I just grabbed some fabric paint and wrote some little phrases to spruce then up a bit. These took me somewhere around an hour, and that was even a long time (I kept putting my hand in the wet paint; watch out for that...) And the best part about these are, once your done with them, the dried paint just peels right off and the residue that's left comes off with a little bit of water. 

I really liked these and they made it look like I tried hard to make my room look festive. And of course, the candy inside is never ever a bad thing.

I hope you're all having a great day and I'll be back tomorrow with a makeup-y post again. 

BYE.

Check out my other stuff

Twitter

Tumblr

Luvocracy

Homemade Oreos...Enough Said

I feel like if you don't love Oreos, you simply aren't human. So, I went off and made my own!

I'm beginning to get sick of heart shaped things already...

Now before I start, this was my first time making anything like this before and they surely did not turn out perfect, but I believe I know why so I'll make little notes here and there so you don't do the same. Baking is all trial and error, right?

(recipe from HERE)
What you need:
(cookies)
1 1/3 cup of all purpose flour
3/4 cup of granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1/4 cup of cornstarch
3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening
3-4 tablespoons of water
1 egg
1 teaspoon of black gel food coloring
(frosting)
1/4 cup of vegetable shortening
2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of granulated white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of hot water

What you do:
(cookies)
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder and cornstarch in a bowl. Then, melt the shortening (I found thirty seconds in the microwave works good). Then beat the melted shortening and your egg into the dry mixture. Start adding your water, by tablespoon into the mixture until a thick dough is formed. (I added all four tablespoons, but I'm pretty sure I only needed three). Then, stir in your food coloring and knead the dough until it is completely mixed. (I couldn't find any black food coloring so I skipped this step). Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for about ten to fifteen minutes. Then, take it out and roll it between two pieces of parchment paper (the baking holy grail) to a thickness of 1/16 of an inch. (who ever had thick Oreos? no one). Once rolled, cut out your shapes and place on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. This causes them to harden slightly. Then place in a preheated oven (350°F) for about 10 minutes. Lastly, remove and leave them to cool.
(frosting)
I recommend doing this while your cookies are baking. Mix your powdered sugar, white sugar, shortening and vanilla. Then, beat in the hot water. That's it!
Once your cookies are cool enough, pair them up and put as much frosting in between them as you would like. (like in my case, extra mega stuffed...)

And that'd be it! They taste EXACTLY like Oreos and were actually pretty fun to make if you ask me. You can always add food coloring to your frosting to make it more festive, or just leave them plain. Either way, they're really good.

That's all for today guys, I'll be back tomorrow with my final recipe then it's back to all things makeup.
Until then, think of your best cheesy pick-up lines and
Check out my other stuff
Twitter
Tumblr
Luvocracy

BYE.

Oh Fudge, Valentine's Day Sure is Close!

Oh fudge, we meet again.

Here's a little backstory to the relationship between me and fudge...
Back when I was in seventh grade, my school was hosting a trip to Boston and I wanted to go. So, me and mom tried to figure out ways for me to get money in order to go. What did we come up with? Fudge. Lots of fudge. We sold enough fudge for a small fee to everyone we knew until I had enough money to go. (good thing the trip was fun). After all the fudge making every single night for way longer than I expected, I never wanted to even look at it again...

So, knowing that, I think it's safe to say that this recipe is good and pretty much perfected.

Ooooh, how fancy

What you need:
1 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar
2/3 cup of evaporated milk
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of mini marshmallows
1 1/2 bags of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

What you do:
Have a baking pan lined with foil at the ready before you begin. Combine the sugar, butter, salt and evaporated milk in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a full boil while constantly stirring. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes then remove from heat. Stir in the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and vanilla and stir stir stir. At this point, the fudge gets really tough to stir but keep on it until it's fully mixed (I also recommend a sturdy spoon). Once mixed, pour it into your baking pan and pop it in the fridge until it's firm. Then you can take it out and do whatever you wish! I cut mine into three different heart shapes and plated them all fancy (why not). OR if you have a lot of patience, you could have a large baking pan and make the fudge thin, then cut into small bite-sized pieces. I think they would like so cute in a mason jar with some frilly ribbons and a cute note as a gift.


So, that's all for today. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow! Until then,
Check out my other stuff
Twitter
Tumblr
Luvocracy

BYE.




P.S. Yes, that title really DID happen. I have no shame.

Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats, yes please!

Welcome back guys!
I have a short post today, primarily because this is the EASIEST recipe I've ever seen. Very quick, very easy, very tasty. (And not super unhealthy. It's a win, win, win, win; if you ask me)


I'm bringing back your childhood with these Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Not the prettiest dessert, but who cares?

What You Need:
1/4 cup of butter
5 cups of chocolate Rice Krispies
4 cups of marshmallows

What You Do:
Melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat. Once melted, add the marshmallows and cereal and stir like crazy just until the marshmallows are melted, then immediately transfer to a pre-greased pan. Smooth them out, let them cool, then cut into whatever shapes you would like! (As a little hint from my mother, take a crumpled piece of Saran wrap, spray with a little grease and use that to spread them out; it's MUCH easier.) Aaaaaaand, that's it.

Next time someone hands you a rice krispie treat and says how hard they worked on them, don't fall into that trap. If I can do it, anyone can.

For Valentine's day, I just sprinkled some festive sprinkles on top of these bad boys, but you could also cut them into bigger squares (or hearts) and give them as a gift. OR you could swap out the chocolate rice krispies for original ones and coat the top with melted chocolate. OR just go with the chocolate on chocolate. So many options, so little time.


That's it for today! I'll be back again tomorrow with another easy recipe. Until then,
Check out my other stuff
Twitter
Tumblr
Luvocracy

BYE.

Nutella Bars...YUM!

I've been in a weird mood all week, like WEIRD. I have been wanting to bake things all. the. time. So I did. (obviously...)

With Valentine's day coming up on Friday, I have decided to do a full week of baking posts. One a day for the next five days. Any and all of these recipes can be used as a nice little gift for your parents, friends, or significant others. Just decorate them up a bit and you're good to go!

Allllllrighty, we started this week off by making some Nutella bars. (who doesn't like Nutella, right?)

What you need:
3/4 cup of softened butter
1/2 cup of Nutella
1/2 cup of granulated white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 box of instant chocolate pudding
2 cups of m&ms

What you do: (recipe used from HERE)
Beat the butter, Nutella, white sugar and brown sugar until it's creamy. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat again. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the other bowl. Be careful not to over mix the mixture at this point. Then, stir in the m&ms, then spread into a greased pan and put in the oven (preheated at 350°F). Bake for about 12 minutes, then let cool. I cut mine into heart shapes, but of course you can do whatever you would like. I just wanted to keep with the Valentine's theme.

To decorate these as gifts, you could buy little "take-out" containers, like the ones you get from chinese take out. I see they sell them in a couple places, such as Target. Then, you could add a little gift tag and some ribbon. I'm sure no one would complain about getting yummy chocolate desserts for Valentine's day. (I know I wouldn't)

So, that's all for today! I'll be back tomorrow with another recipe. :)

In the mean time,
Check out my other stuff
Twitter
Tumblr
Luvocracy


BYE.


P.S. One of my favorite Youtubers, Tyler Oakley, is trying to raise $150,000 for The Trevor Project. They provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention to the LBGTQ community between the ages of 13-24. You can donate by going HERE. And the best part is, the more you donate, the more prizes you get from Tyler, but of course any amount donated is helpful. Also, you can learn more about the Trevor Project HERE. Thanks guys!

Tyler's channel HERE

It's Here, and Right On Time!

January Birchbox is here!

For those of you who don't know, Birchbox is a monthly box that contains five different high-end products, whether they be skincare, fragrances, makeup, nail polish, or lifestyle items. And the best part is, if you like the items, you can go onto birchbox.com and order the full size! 

Let's dive right in and see what I got, shall we?

First out of the gate is Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Conditioner

$25 for 3.2 oz

I'm really into this packaging, first off (it's like they knew I love black and gold!). I tend to use dry shampoo every other day since I wash my hair every third day (not gross, trust me), so I'm excited to try this out. And yes, I sprayed it already, and yes, it smells wonderfully clean and fresh. 

 Next up is the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara

$18 for 0.24 oz / 7g

You guys already know how I feel mascara, so pulling this out of the box was a-okay with me. It has a nice scent to it (it said fruit, I HAD to smell it...) and the wand is like any other ordinary mascara wand. It says it is supposed to ultra lengthen, so we'll see how this works.

I then pulled out the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips 

$14.50 for 15 mL

I've heard of this product before and have wanted to try it ever since and simple kept forgetting to order it, so as soon as I pulled this out I put some on. It has a thicker consistency, somewhat of Vaseline but feels great when you put it on and has already lasted longer than my other lip treatments. I'm already loving it. 

The last beauty item is the Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish in Ride 'Em Cowgirl

$10 for 15 mL

I. love. getting. nail polish. Simple as that. And when I read that this changes from a gold sparkle indoors, to a berry sparkle outdoors, I was all for it. Maybe it'll force me outside once in awhile. Who knows!

The lifestyle item this month is the Ahmad Teas in Apricot Sunrise Black Tea, English Breakfast Black Tea, and Pure Green Tea

$7 for 2 boxes (40 teabags)

I'm pretty sure I am most excited about this particular item. I'm a big tea drinker (I have my own cupboard in the kitchen just for tea...) and I always am up for trying new flavors and brands. I've never actually tried black tea, so hopefully it's good!

I'll make a little update post next week to give my further formed opinions on all of these products. I already can't wait until February's box, which probably isn't a good sign for my patience level...

Until next time, 

Check out my other stuff

Twitter

Tumblr

Luvocracy

BYE.

P.S. Please leave a comment about what posts I should do next, I'll probably do them!

January Favorites Are In!

Warning: This post contains A LOT of pictures.

January favorites are in and the winners areee......

Made with Fotor Photo Collage! (works great if I don't say so myself)

1. Simple Hydrating Light Moisturizer

$9 at Target

You can never go wrong with starting your day with a great moisturizer, right?

2. Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation in Creamy Natural

around $8 at Target

This foundation has primer and enough coverage so my concealer use is at an all time minimum, which I 100% love love love!

3. Hoola Bronzer by Benefit 

$28 at Sephora

This bronzer makes me look like less of a pale white girl that never touches the outside world. I'm such a little faker.

4. NARS Blush in Orgasm

$30 for full size | $24 for mini blush/bronzer (Sephora)

So, I cheated and bought this in the sample size that happened to be paired with the Laguna bronzer. Small sample or not, it still makes my cheeks look naturally flushed and wonderful.

5. Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay

$52 at Ulta

Best. Christmas. Present. Ever. This completed my lovely little collection of Naked palettes, and I have used this 95% of the entire month. My other palettes are probably getting a little jealous...

6. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara

$20 at Ulta

This mascara has made its way onto my blog twice this month already, and onto my lashes everyday this month... Enough said.

7. Honey by Marc Jacobs

$52-$92 depending on size at Ulta

This simply contains heaven in a tiny bottle. I'm trying to use this sparingly due to the price, but that's okay because who needs to smell delicious when they're cooped up in their bedroom all day? (me.)

8. Espresso Bar Candle from Bath and Body Works

$20 at Bath and Body Works

My bedroom always smells deeeeelicious thanks to this little guy. It's actually almost burned out already and I'm going to be pretty upset when it's gone.

9. Grey Beanie from H&M

$10 at H&M (no longer in stock)

It's been around ten degrees here in Buffalo lately and this beanie has been my partner in crime when I actually leave the house. 

10. Coexist by The xx

$10 on iTunes

I've been completely obsessed with the entire Coexist album. It's just feel good music, which makes me happy!

11. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

$10 at Barnes and Noble

I'm just going to start off by saying I have no shame in saying I full-out BAWLED reading this. Like, sobbed hysterically into my pillow. With saying that, this book is a 10 out of 10 in my opinion. Just as I start to get over my feelings this book created, John Green released the trailer for the movie coming out June 6th. (link HERE) Go watch it, then go get the book, read it, see the movie, cry along with me, okay? 

All in all, January has been a great month for me and I'm hoping February is even better! I'm starting to figure out filming and editing so I can begin filming some Get Ready With Me videos for you guys. We'll see how that goes...

Until then,

Check out my other stuff

Twitter

Tumblr 

Luvocracy

Talk to you next time!

BYE.

P.S. Leave a comment about what posts I should do, I'll probably do them.

Next Great Baker? Probably not...

So I tried something new today....baking!

I mean, I've baked before, but always while helping my mom or on my own with some (or a lot) of her help. She's pretty talented, actually REALLY talented at baking, but I don't believe I inherited that lovely trait. I decided today that I'm nineteen years old, I should be able to bake SOMETHING by myself. What did i make?

Brownies? Cookies? Cake? Nah, too easy.

I went for....(insert drum roll here)

Macarons.

Like, the super difficult dessert. 

What did I get myself into?

Here's a slight back story to my decision..

I was on Youtube (as usual) and I saw that both Zoella (her channel HERE) and Bethany Mota (her channel HERE) made them recently and they looked SO good, but I don't think there's any place around here that sells them. They didn't seem too tough, so I went out and bought all the ingredients and dove right in.

I used a slightly different recipe than both of those girls that I got from another blog (HERE)

Macarons

3 large egg whites

200 grams of confectioners' sugar

50 grams of granulated white sugar

110 grams of ground almonds (I found some already ground at the health food store near me)

After reading reviews and such, I noticed everyone said to weigh the ingredients instead of using cup measurements. So, I searched my house for a kitchen scale. (thank god I had one). I mixed the confectioners' sugar and the ground almonds together then sifted them to make a fine mixture. Then I started beating my egg whites with the electric mixer until they had stiff peaks. It was somewhere between the consistency of whipped cream and whipped butter. Then I added my granulated sugar until the mixture was glossy. At this step I added my pink food coloring and mixed it in (obviously I chose pink!). Then I added the other dry ingredients and FOLDED the mixture (don't stir!). Once folded and ready, I put the mixture into a Ziploc bag (I couldn't find actual piping bags), then this is where I realized what I got myself into. I cut the corner of the bag and began to try and make small, identical circles on my parchment paper (which was on a cookie sheet). I noticed the mixture didn't look like what it was supposed to, but I went with it and tried my best to get similar looking circles. I ended up taking a butter knife and fixing them once I was finished. I then hit the cookie sheet onto the counter to try and remove any air bubbles and let it sit out for fifteen minutes until the tops of the circles were a little harder. I then popped them in the preheated oven (285°F) and left them for about fifteen minutes. I checked on them about eighty five times because I was so nervous I would burn them (it happens often...). When I took them out, they looked puffier and delicious! I paired up the tops and bottoms and added some Nutella to the inside. 

They look pretty good to me, especially for my first attempt at baking by myself. I will definitely be trying these again. I'm thinking bigger macarons with a dark chocolate and raspberry ganache in the middle. YUM.

So that's it for today!

Look forward to my January favorites coming up on Saturday.

Please leave a comment on what posts I should do, I'll probably do them!

Check out my other stuff

Twitter 

Tumblr

Luvocracy

BYE.

Everyone Loves A Bookworm

I think it's safe to say I'm a little bookworm, and I always have been. I learned to read and really went with it. Over the years, I've read countless books and even if I didn't enjoy them, I could not put it down for the life of me. In my nineteen years of living, I have only not finished one book before and I still remember it to this day.
After reading Looking For Alaska by John Green, I was really motivated by the main character's idea about books. She created a "life library", where every time she saw a book she wanted, she got it, despite how many other books she had yet to read. This really spoke to me. I would always look at books and think that I wanted to read them but I wouldn't buy it if I had one I didn't read yet. So, I started to buy books whenever, and I have accumulated quite a few that I would like to read.
I have so many that I've actually made myself a nice little nightstand next to my bed for myself...

In this stack are some I've read and would like to read again and some that I haven't read yet...

Candy by Kevin Brooks
Beauty Queen by Linda Glovach*
Paper Towns by John Green
Bossypants by Tina Fey
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes
Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad
Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad
If I Stay by Gayle Forman*
Where She Went by Gayle Forman*
Please Don't Be True by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor*
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green*
House Rules by Jodi Picoult*
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher*
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins*
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins*
Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith
Mess by Keri Smith
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
The Anatomy of Violence by Adrian Raine
(*already read)

I think every time I finish a book, I'll put up a short post about how I felt about and if I would recommend it. All the books I shared that are already read I would absolutely recommend you read. They're essentially my favorites at the moment and have been since I read them (which some of them were finished a loooong time ago). I'm currently starting at the top of the pile and I'll work my way down. At least until I add more to the pile...

So, that's it for today! I'll talk to you guys next time.
Until then, have a great day!


Check out my other stuff
Tumblr
Twitter
Luvocracy (I didn't create a collection for this post, but amazon is a great place to order cheap books from!)

BYE.

My Favorite Winter Nail Polish

Welcome back everyone!

Let's start off with a little side note; It's beginning to become clearer each week that I'm terrible with timing these posts, seeing as I was planning on a few posts a week. So, I'm going to try harder to post more. (I have LOTS of posts planned)

Today is all about nail polish (if you didn't already look at the title...)
I couldn't even tell you the last time I had no nail polish on for a full 24 hours. It's been well over a year at least. I tend to paint them once or twice a week. A few months ago, I even went as far as painting them every single day for a whole week. (Yes, it always matched my outfit, weirdo alert!) I've always struggled with biting my nails since I can remember, but as a late New Years Resolution, I've stopped about a week and a half ago and I'm still going strong. Now, they're on their way to looking even prettier when they're painted, which leads me to the whole point of this.

I have accumulated a large collection of nail polish and I've gone and picked out my favorites for the winter months. Although most people pick only darker colors, I don't really care. I wear what I want! So these are my current favorites...



Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss

vio-last 300

my papaya 250

Essie Nail Lacquer

bahama mama

chinchilly

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear 

Black Out

Breezy Blue

Disco Ball

OPI 

DS Top Coat

As you can see, I have stayed away from greens and yellows, but you'll see them come back around during summer. Those are really the only colors I never put on during winter. I would just like to take a minute and mention that the OPI top coat is easily the best top coat I've used. I used to only use the China Glaze top coat, but I was really put off by the strong smell it gave off (and I'm never one to complain about the smell of nail polish).

So that's it for this week, (short, sweet, and to the point). Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you next time!


Check out all my other stuff
Tumblr
Twitter
Luvocracy


BYE.

January Mascaras

Hi everyone!

So, I feel like every girl has one makeup product that they love the most. Mine happens to be mascara. Whenever I see a new one out, or simply one I haven't tried yet, I HAVE to buy it. They call my name, I swear...

I have tried a good handful of mascaras, and some of them I loved and some of them were just not my favorite. Then there's the select few that I have tried only once and never wanted to put them on again, but I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. I try to buy both drugstore and high-end brands, because we don't discriminate here.

Let's start with the good ones...

Maybelline The Colossal Cat Eyes

($5 at Target)

It is said to have a collagen formula and a claw brush in order to get up to 8 times the volume, especially in the corners of your eyes. 

This is my favorite mascara for my bottom lashes primarily. This did have quite a strong smell to it when I first bought it, but the more I used it, the more I didn't notice it. It does a really great job of separating the lashes without a clump in sight. I'm not too sure about having 8 times the volume, but they are noticeably longer than my untouched eyelashes. 

Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara

($6 at Target)

It's supposed to give instant maximum volume with bold, winged, curled lashes. 

I liked this mascara, but it wasn't a favorite. I felt like the brush actually held too much product and I found myself scraping some off before applying it. Afterwards though, I did like it. It separated my lashes well and didn't clump too bad. There were a few clumps here and there but I just reapplied a little more and it evened things out. I did always notice that it was a tad sticky when first applied, but it did                                                                                                                 dry up enough to be able to be worn all day. 

Maybelline The Colossal

($6 at Target...see a trend here?)

This mascara is similar to the cat eyes one, with a different brush and supposedly more volume.

This is hands-down my favorite drugstore mascara. As you can tell, it is well loved and my go-to product every morning. The brush separates the lashes so well and actually gives a great deal of volume. I have never seen a clump and the best part is, this mascara is SUPER buildable. No matter how many coats I put on (typically three) it just continues looking great.

Smashbox Full Exposure

($20 at Ulta)

No clumps, no flakes, huge volume, length and curl is what is supposed to happen with this mascara.

And it's true. This is my favorite high-end mascara. At a steep $20 per tube, it stands up to what it's supposed to be (yay!). I first tried the sample size of this, since there was no way I was going to buy the big one without knowing if I liked it, but ended up getting the big one later anyways. My lashes look way longer and fuller than they usually are and this is the mascara that I get the most compliments on. I can apply and apply and apply without any clumps and it lasts literally all day. Even at work where it's hot and sweaty all day, it looks the same when I leave as it did when I got there, which is a major plus. I have a feeling I'm going to be so upset when this runs out. I may have to treat myself again...

Benefit's They're Real!

($23 at Ulta)

This is meant to lengthen, add volume, curl and separate while staying put all day.

This is 100% a close 2nd to my favorite high-end mascara, and I just bought it! I bought the trial size for $10 at Sephora and as soon as this runs out, I'll be buying the normal size. This applies really well and stays in place all day. It gives great length and volume no matter how many layers there are. I found that it dries on my lashes perfectly so it's not sticky. I'll definitely be using this more often. 

And with all the good, comes some bad...

Maybelline The Rocket

($6 at Target)

Washable mascara that is supposed to have huge volume and length. 

At first, I liked this mascara. It lengthened and separated my lashes. After awhile though, it started make my lashes stick together and it became difficult to separate. Also, it didn't volumize like I hoped it would. When I went to take it off, it was incredibly hard to get off. Even with my best makeup remover, I still couldn't get it all off. 

Rimmel Glam Eyes

($7.30 at Ulta)

This is meant to give great volume and separation.

This is probably the mascara I was most disappointed about. I liked this one a lot and it did make my lashes look great, especially my bottom ones. I tried using this for a couple days, but after sleeping with it on (one of my bad habits) I woke up with red, puffy eyes and I narrowed it down to this. I had an allergic reaction to it, but if you aren't allergic to this, it's a great product. 

Too Faced Better Than False Lashes Nylon Lash Extension System

($35 at Ulta)

With this mascara, you put on the base and top coat, then the nylon fibers, then the base and top coat again in order to create a false lash look without the glue. 

This definitely does what it's supposed to. After application, it really did look like I had false lashes on. I also found this isn't very build-able and tended to clump. It doesn't dry like other mascaras and was so sticky that it essentially looked like I just had one big lash. When I went to remove it, I could not get it all off. It just continued to stick to my lashes. This is probably the biggest waste of $35 (which is also way too expensive for a mascara). This only way I could stand to use this mascara is if I use a different one afterwards to force them to dry better. 

Phew, you made it! This was a pretty long one and most won't be this long. Being me, I will buy more mascaras and you will surely know all about them.

Also, I made a Luvocracy page to coincide with my posts (link below). I have already added all the mascaras I talked about (except the Rimmel Glam Eyes). Luvocracy is a really great way to have everything in one place and the best thing is, you can buy all the products directly from the page itself. Also, you get a $10 credit just for signing up, so go check it out!

Check out all my stuff I have too:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/siennagronowski
Tumblr: http://siennagronowski.tumblr.com/

Luvocracy: http://www.luvocracy.com/siennajahn


Please feel free to leave comments about future blog posts I should make, I'll probably do them.

See you next time!
BYE.