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?