in the nude: current lipstick favorites

lip products are a bit of struggle for me. wearing them daily is a hassle. it's gotten better over the years, because these days i'll rock a bright pink revlon lip butter, and i'm crazy about mac's girl about town. but lately, i've been really into nudes & nude toned lipsticks. i always prefer a more moisturizing consistency - needless to say, i don't think i own a matte lipstick! i'm all about being comfortable.

maybelline's warm me up, mac's hue, nyx's butter lipstick in snow cap

these are my current favorites - they're great for everyday wear. maybelline's warm me up is a richer toned nude with pink & red undertones - this is the one i prefer if i want a more complete look. mac's hue is a creamy, slightly opaque pink; the best thing about this lipstick is the comfort factor, as it's not drying and feels just like a balm. similarly, nyx's butter lipstick in snow cap is my latest purchase, and is also highly moisturizing & shiny, and so flattering on lighter skin tones. 

what are your lipstick favorites?

the beauty of being an introvert

will the real introverts please stand up?

or don't, because that might be a little too much attention for you. i understand.

understanding your own tendencies & personality is an integral part of your 20's. what's more important is coming to peace with who you are, embracing it & using it to your advantage. now y'all, this doesn't mean ignore the parts of you that need improving, or justify bad behavior because that's just "who you are" (how often do you hear people pull this line? can you say ugh?).

i'm an introvert. and i love it. and i'm ok with it. this comic sums it up perfectly.

society tells us introversion is a less-than-desirable trait. outward enthusiasm, being a social butterfly, "putting yourself out there" & being the life of the party is how we're told we're supposed to be. but what if that just can't be everyone? and what if there's nothing wrong with that?

i've always known i was an introvert, but it wasn't until the past year or two that i've accepted & embraced it. part of that process was understanding what introversion and extroversion truly are.

so what's the first thing that comes to mind? introvert = i don't like being social/around people. extrovert = i love those things! sure, on the surface, it may seem that simple. instead, introversion/extroversion is about energy, and where it's drawn from. introverts feel recharged, refreshed and in tune with the world when they're alone. this doesn't mean introverts don't enjoy social situations or thrive in them - they simply need time to themselves to recharge afterwards.

for me, finally "getting" this helped so much. it's helped me pursue my passions, career and friendships to the fullest extent, understanding that with time to think, reflect and analyze, i can jump into any social scene in a breeze. and sure, about 3/4 of the way through a large social situation, i feel like i'm running out of gas. and that's ok.

are you an introvert or an extrovert? or, do you feel like you're an ambivert - a little of both? what role has introversion/extroversion played in your life? and, here's the big one: do you think bloggers have a tendency to be introverted?

life catchup: memorial day weekend + last week

just a quick little life update considering the past few weeks have been insane for me - and it's only going to get crazier. june & july are nuts in my calendar (but they're going to be SO much fun). so here's what i've been up to:

• last week, i finally got my kate spade business card holder in the mail, + my new cards! i'm in looooove. also, molly designed our birmingham bloggers cards, and those came in too! 
• molly, beth & i attended an exclusive see jane write workshop on thursday night feautring wade kwon, & learned a lot about taking your blogging career further. we put our business cards to use for the first time! thank you so much for the invite, javacia!
• i had a relaxing memorial day weekend as well. on saturday, i went hiking at ruffner mountain trails with my friend priscilla. saturday night, i got dinner & drinks at paramount, a newer place in town featuring awesome burgers & arcade games (b'ham people, go NOW if you haven't been. their burgers beat out chez fon fon's for me). afterward we did a bit of hopping around from avondale brewery to parkside to post office pies. avondale rocks. spread the love.
• sunday was spent lounging at my friend's aunt's house in greystone. is this place not ridiculous? the view is facing 280 + birmingham and most of hoover. i floated in the pool for what felt like hours. afterwards, we had a mini bbq & enjoyed the evening on the porch.
• on monday i stopped by ulta & picked up a few essentials, nothing fancy, and then my usual day of yoga, meal prepping for the week & watching the bachelorette, duh.

hope everyone had a safe & happy memorial day weekend! did you go to the beach or hang out in town like i did?

swoozie's $20 giftcard giveaway!

happy friday y'all! a few posts back i did a gift guide for grads, courtesy of swoozie's. today, i'm excited to announce a giveaway for y'all - a $20 swoozie's giftcard! use this to stock up on summer beach/lake/pool essentials, finally get that grad a gift, or hey, i won't judge if you just pick yourself up a wine tumbler. go ahead. shhhhh.

use the rafflecopter below to enter - u.s. residents only, please! the giveaway ends next friday, may 30th at 7am - so you've got one week to enter. i'll contact the winner with details next week! good luck y'all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

french macarons: attempt #1 {tips & tricks}

i've always wanted to make macarons.

me, and everyone who has been on tumblr or instagram in the last five years..

not because they're the best tasting cookie that exists, but because they're pretty.

the internet has a love affair with these simple but delicate little treats. macarons are known as a terribly finicky, difficult cookie to make. they're sensitive to humidity, temperature and all sorts of other odd factors. regardless, i wanted to give this cookie a try. i learned a few things on my first attempt, but overall, i'm satisfied with the results!

beth & i had talked about making these for a while. when i spotted the "perfect macaron recipe" in food network magazine's may 2014 issue, i finally decided i had to try them. so beth & molly came over and we got to baking!

the recipe is a little long-winded, so click here to check it out!

the great thing about macarons is the versatility in regards to fillings. we chose lemon curd, seedless raspberry jam & a "blueberry cheesecake" mixture of cream cheese and blueberry jam.

here's what i learned:

• the humidity really does matter. battling that in alabama is almost impossible - i accepted the macarons fate. some were cracked. others weren't. it's just a gamble you'll take. but i'd say if you have the choice, bake them on a non-rainy day.
• add more food coloring than you think you need. don't load it up and make the batter too liquidy, but do get a bright, bold color going on. i was afraid to add too much and my blueberry cheesecake macarons came out a little dull.
• baked at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, some of the macarons were slightly browned on the edges. definitely watch them and take them out before they get brown.

this recipe was straightforward and definitely the one i plan to use on macarons, round 2. stay tuned for that! i'm going to perfect these suckers!

have you ever made macarons?

birmingham diaries: ozan winery & vineyard

after buying my tickets months ago, i finally ventured down to ozan winery & vineyards  in calera, alabama this weekend. who knew alabama had wineries? well, we do! there's even an alabama wine trail - yes, there are multiple vineyards & wineries - that you can follow. i don't know about you, but i'm putting completing the wine trail on my to do list!

ozan is a beautiful property that has a year-round growing season and plethora of wine options. we tasted 12 wines, paired with cheese, crackers & chocolate, then toured the vineyard property to take a look at the small grapes that were growing in - the norton grapes. there were 3 or so wines i really enjoyed, and i ended up purchasing a bottle of ozan's vidal blanc.

after the tasting, you're taken down to the railroad tracks, which run right next to the property, for a breezy ride on the historic shelby county railroad. we got into an open-air car and enjoyed the weather before returning to ozan. all in all, the weather couldn't have been more perfect, and the wine was fabulous.

if you live in birmingham & you haven't made it down here yet, i highly suggest you check it out! you can make reservations online for the tasting & train ride, or just drop in for a tasting. it's awonderful date idea or way to spend a saturday morning with friends. the norton grapes will be fully grown in august, and i want to go back later in the summer to check them out!

the struggle of early rising

it's a constant battle for me. every morning, i set my alarm clock for 6am. every. single. day. and most days, i snooze until 7:15.

am i a glutton for punishment, or is this just some sick ritual i've gotten used to?

online resources agree that waking up earlier is beneficial for a myriad of reasons. according to forbes, early rising is linked to success. just an extra hour in the morning increases your productivity, mental health and sets a tone for your day. instead of feeling rushed to get out the door, your morning is more of a leisurely routine that calms your nerves, helps you feel in control and keeps you balanced. i totally agree with this entire list.

when i do manage to wake up at 6am, this time is used for a 20 minute yoga session, a healthy breakfast, chugging as many glasses of water as i can stand, preparing my coffee, getting ready & checking my emails/social media. usually, i'll listen to the soft pop wakeup call station (so good) on songza. before i've even gone to work, i've already devoted time to fitness, health & mental wellbeing. it's done wonders for any bouts of anxiety i've had, and it makes me feel accomplished.

but let's not get too carried away, here. because my problem is that making this happen daily is an uphill battle. i'm not naturally a morning person. i wish i was, so desperately. nighttime has always been when i feel most creative - it's not unusual for me to get a wave of inspiration at 1am. due to my schedule, falling asleep earlier has gotten easier, but waking up in the morning never has. i could go to bed at 9pm and wake up at 6am asking the world, "are you serious? already?".

they say to change up your routine, you should start waking up 10 minutes earlier each day. i've tried this. and hey, maybe i'm not dedicated enough, but getting out of bed is still rough as hell.

what's your morning routine? do you take advantage of extra time in the morning? is it easy for you - or are you like me, totally committed to the idea but struggling with the execution?

grad gift ideas

monogrammed sun hat, canvas boat tote, monogrammed tervis tumbler, initial bracelet, geometric thank you notes, gold foil thank you notes

it's officially been 1 year since i graudated from college. it's flown by! it's been so much fun to watch another round of graduates this year - i remember being in their shoes, and i remember that feeling of excitement (and kinda dread?) as may rolled around. it's such a rush, and it's over before you know it - but then what?! never fear, i'm trying to help y'all out with my post grad tales series. but as far as what to buy for your fellow graduates? that's another story.

whether you're looking for gifts for your peers, or you have a family member/friend graduating, swoozie's has the hookup on personalized, price-appropriate & adorable gifts. picking out fun, personalized summer items will always be a winner in my book - this floppy hat, canvas tote for beach trips or monogrammed tumbler make anyone feel special. grads are often provided thank you notes if they purchased a graduation package with the school, and those are great and all, but why not spruce up the process with some colorful stationary instead?

congratulations to all the 2014 graduates!

4 things they don't tell you about post-grad life

01. the world owes you nothing.

i won't get into the concept of degrees being a less-than-valuable commodity these days, or which degrees "guarantee" you a job and which don't. fact of the matter is, you aren't owed a single thing by having a degree or going to college. accept that your hard work and determination will make you stand out. your degree isn't a ticket. don't treat it like one.

02. the whole going out on a monday thing doesn't stop. or on a tuesday. or wednesday. or thursday. or ohhhh wait its friday and we're going out again.

maybe this stops after you're in you're 40's? who knows. but people still go out to the bars during the week & work 9-5 jobs. oh yeah. and it's up to you to decide how much of your sanity & health you're willing to sacrifice to continue to keep up. at the ripe age of 23, i've given up. i'd rather put on cuticle oil and do yoga on a tuesday night. grandma status.

03. it's ok if you have "no idea what you're doing".

pssst... this is a secret... but nobody knows what they're doing. college doesn't teach you how to be yourself or how to make the choices that ultimately decide where your life goes. embrace your gut feeling, do what feels right for you & your career, and just go with. everybody is just going with it.

04. your perspective is the most imperative mental component of your everyday life.

i realize that many people have circumstances out of their control and hinder them from developing a positive perspective. this part isn't about ignoring your reality, mental health or financial situations to just "put on a happy face". aside from those issues, this is about remembering to be grateful, accepting that your life is what you make it, and that the endless buzzfeed lists about lost & confused 20 something's are completely out of control and cliched. you aren't a lost soul if you're trying to decide where to go to grad school or what wine to buy - you're a fortunate, competent young adult. stop with the buzzfeed lists & social media whining. you're going to be just fine.

this is a blog series on college post-grad life. click here to navigate to the list of posts in the series. 

review: urban decay's b6 prep spray

there is an array of beauty products available that fall into the "mist", "setting spray" or just plain ole "refreshing spray" category. and honestly, they're a little silly. yet in all my makeup conscious years so far, i've had one of these lying around.

do they actually do anything? i'm still trying to get this question answered. i feel as if anything that happens on your skin could almost certainly be attributed to something aside from the few spritzes of fancy water you're putting on there (because that's what it is, y'all, fancy water!).

in the past, i've used mac's fix+. this spray is marketed as a "makeup setting spray". and while it smells lovely and feel refreshing on the skin, i didn't feel it provided any makeup setting qualities.

urban decay's b6 vitamin-infused complexion prep spray carries a hefty price tag of $33 for the full size - more than mac's fix+, which retails at $21. i originally received a sample of this product after buying urban decay's primer potion (which i love) at ulta. i tried the spray & used the entire sample - then felt compelled to purchase it. while it's not a product that provides results you can immediately see, i felt like my skin loved it. after 2 weeks of use, my skin just felt better - brighter, less redness & a more even tone. i sprayed it in the morning before my makeup, and at night after washing my face.

i'm almost done with this bottle, and will i repurchase it? i'm not sure. these sprays could very well be providing a darn good placebo effect. this was the only spray i feel i've gotten actual results with.

have you ever used a cosmetic spray similar to this? what are your thoughts?

swoozie's housewarming event!

hey y'all! i just wanted to invite all those in the birmingham area to swoozie's at the summit this satruday, may 3rd from 11am-2pm for some great deals at their housewarming event! swoozie's recently switched locations and wants to hook everybody up with some great prizes, discounts and more! be sure to stop by & say hello, and stock up on cute swoozie's stuff. what more can you ask for, right? i love swoozie's... and i try to limit my visits because i want to buy everything, so it doesn't get better than discounted stuff!

if you're a birmingham bloggers member & you attend, post your haul or review & use the hashtags #bhambloggers & #soswoozies!