Ipsy Glam Bag {August 2014}

This month's Ipgy Glam Bag (click here to join! It's only $10 a month!) is called Beauty Schooled. This bag is full of the "classic" items you should have in your beauty arsenal and ones that will help you look great on your first day of school, or any day really. At first, I was kind of bummed by the products I got because they seemed really small, but when I tested them I realized how great they are. Also, the orange polka-dotted, cylindrical-shaped bag is not my style, so I gave it to my mom. 

What I got:
♥ Dr. Brandt's Pores No Mores Refiner (full size $45, sample $8)
♥ Absolute's You're the Balm lip balm (full size $6 for two, sample (same size) $3)
♥ Coastal Scents' Forever Blush duo in Fresh and Elegant (full size $8 for one, sample $2.50)
♥ Lord & Berry's Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Liner in #1001 Black (full size $17, sample $5)
♥ Urban Decay's Perversion mascara (full size $22, sample $5.50)

This month's bag was worth $25! Not as much as others, but not too bad either.

MINI REVIEWS

Dr. Brandt's Pores No Mores Refiner 

Let me start off by saying I have huge pores. Huge. This pore refiner is a primer and a refiner all in one. It's also for oily / combination skin, which is what I have, and it's mattifying. It's a light nude color, which disappears once you blend it in. It doesn't make my pores completely disappear (it's not magic after all), but it did "blur" them and make them less obvious, and made my skin really soft. It also has a light lemony scent. I would probably buy this if it wasn't so expensive. 

Absolute's You're the Balm lip balm

This lip balm looks and smells like something my middle school self would use. That's not necessarily a bad thing -- it has a cute bubbled packaging, it's purple, it smells like grape, and it has some glitter. The only problem is that it's an oily lip balm, which I personally don't like and it's not very moisturizing. 

Coastal Scents' Forever Blush duo in Fresh and Elegant

I'm sure you guys know by now that I'm obsessed with blush. I never the house with it. I wish these blushes were bigger because they're wonderful. They're soft and pigmented and the pink (elegant) has a very faint amount of shimmer. I've been using both colors on and off since I got it. The orange (fresh) becomes more coral-like on my skin tone and the pink is bright and pretty. I will definitely buy a blush from them in the future. 

Lord & Berry's Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Liner in #1001 Black

I like wearing black pencil eyeliners, the darker the better. This eyeliner is black, but it's not super dark and not super opaque. It's also not waterproof and smudgeproof, which means by the end of the day it slid a little. It's an okay eyeliner, but not something I would really reach for. 

Urban Decay's Perversion mascara

This mascara is amazing! The brush shape and bristles are very similar to one of my other favorites the Sephora Full Action, but this perversion mascara is a little wetter, which means I really only needed to go over my lashes once to get the full effect. I would say that this mascara is more for women who like to have a full lash look, rather than long lashes. It made my lashes look so thick. I don't think it's waterproof, but it stayed really well every time I wore it. 

Have you tried this beauty products?

What are you interested in trying out?

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Favorite Things {July & August 2014}

{Fangirl, The Beast Within, Potterhead tee, Forever 21 illuminator (the front has a cat face!), 

Benefit Sun Beam, Coastal Scents blush (Fresh & Elegant), Urban Decay Perversion mascara

& Marion Claire stationery (review coming soon!)}

How freaking awesome is this Potterhead t-shirt, right? I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and yet before now I didn't own any Harry Potter-related clothing. This shirt is so soft and perfect!

Besides loving the novel Fangirl, I also really enjoyed reading The Beast Within. It's meant for 9 to 12 year olds, but I couldn't pass it up because I love Beauty and the Beast, the beautiful cover, and the fact that it's from the Beast's point of view. 

I'm doing a more extensive review of these greeting cards soon, but I just wanted to say how much I love these cute and spunky cards. The cheese one is the best thing ever. 

A few fun links:

♥ Thoughts on Ferguson as a white women. This post is so well-written. We all need to listen to each other so that we can change our society together for the better.

♥ What is means to be human.

♥ Appreciate the journey, not the destination.

♥ What's your love language? (I'm Acts of Service and Words of Affirmation.)

♥ Three fresh ways to wear stripes.

♥ 15 lunch ideas for us busy professional gals.

♥ Five reasons why I hate editing. This post hits so close to home.

♥ Classic movies changed to not be sexist.

♥ Awesome cheap beauty products.

♥ Tom Hiddleston is sexy and he's even sexier wet after doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. You're welcome.

♥ Want to be a part of the Books & Looks series on my blog? Read all about it here!

♥ Sponsor love:

• Charlotte Steggz, a lifestyle blogger, wrote about British food that non-Brits can't understand and her blog writing process. 
• Couture Crush has the cutest outfits: a striped dress outfit and a burgundy lace dress outfit. 
• Bookworms in Dresses won a design contest and got her design on a t-shirt! Congrats! She also designed this cute summer champagne poster. 

♥ Swap friends: Cute LA, Paper Umbrella, Lovely Little Fawn, Simply Sinova, The Anna Belle Blog, My Life as a Tea Cup, Starry Eyes + Coffee Cups & Novel Style.

♥ Fashion loves: cute gray dress, constellation tote bag, chevron print dress, these brown booties, watercolor floral dress, these burgundy skinny khakis, Fabulous tee, this moon phase ring, and this quilted moto jacket. 

Happy Friday! 

Have a great weekend!

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Fall TV Guide {2014}

If you know me, then you know I'm obsessed with TV. I get really excited about new shows coming and once I find a show I love I get committed to it. I watch it religiously and love reading articles from TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly about them. What can I say? I love stories and TV shows are stories in an on-going format. 

Below are the TV shows that seem the most interesting and hopefully the ones that will stick around. I obviously can't watch them all (when would I sleep?), so the ones I'm definitely going to keep up with are: Gotham, A to Z, Red Band Society, Selfie, Forever, and The Flash. 

DRAMA

Gotham

Before Batman, there was Commissioner Gordon (Ben McKenzie). His name is synonymous with law and order. The story shows how James Gordon goes from rookie cop to commissioner, and the crime world that spawned Batman's greatest foes. (FOX, Mondays at 8pm EST, starting Sept. 22)

Gracepoint

This 10-part mystery event stars David Tennant as Detective Emmett Carver, who must figure out who killed a young boy in a sleepy seaside California town. The boy's death sparks a media frenzy and upends the lives of the town's residents. (FOX, Thursday at 9pm EST, starting Oct. 2)

Madam Secretary

Tèa Leoni stars as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy and battles office politics as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. (CBS, Sundays at 8pm EST, starting Sept. 21)

State of Affairs

C.I.A. analyst Charlston Tucker (Katherine Heigl) assembles the president's daily briefing everyday, which consists of the most vital security issues facing the nation. Charlie has a close connection with the president (Alfre Woodard) because she was enganged to the president's son before a terrorist attack took his life. Her job revolves around protecting her country and getting to the bottom of her fiance's murder. (NBC, Mondays at 10pm EST, starting Nov. 17)

COMEDY

A to Z

This show is about Andrew (Ben Feldman) and Zelda (Cristin Milioti), two people who almost didn't meet. Zelda goes to the office of Wallflower Online Dating after her profile has a glitch and there she meets Andrew, who thinks she might be the girl in the silver dress that he's been looking for. This is a cute show and with a 500 Days of Summer-like premise because they tell you instantly that this couple doesn't last. Watch the first episode! (NBC, Thursdays at 9:30pm EST, starting Oct. 2)

Manhattan Love Story

Every wondered what your date was thinking? Well, this romantic comedy will show you the differences between what men and women think as they go on dates and start dating. (ABC, Tuesdays at 8:30pm EST, starting Sept. 30)

Marry Me

Casey Wilson and Ken Morino star as Annie and Jake, who met six years ago and have been inseparable ever since, but just as he's about to pop the question Annie accidentally ruins it. They decide to wait for the perfect moment, but things always get in their way. (NBC, Tuesdays at 9pm EST, starting Oct. 14)

Red Band Society 

This dramedy is a coming-of-age story that follows a group of rule-bending friends who stay at a Los Angeles hospital for various reasons. There's humor and heartbreak, friendship and love, and everything in between. (FOX, Wednesdays at 9pm EST, starting Sept. 17)

Selfie

Eliza (Karen Gillian) has 263,000 followers, but after a horrible day with no friends coming to her aid, she realizes that being friended is not the same as having friends. So she asks marketing guru Henry (John Cho) to "rebrand" her  and maybe help make her a better person along the way. I saw this I already saw the first episode and although I wasn't expecting much from this show, it was actually really funny and likeable. You can watch the pilot here! (ABC, Tuesdays at 8pm EST, starting Sept. 30)

FANTASY / SCI-FI

Constantine

Based on the comic, Hellblazer, this show follows Constantine (Matt Ryan) whose soul is damned to hell. He fights to protect innocent people by using his knowledge of the supernatural to send evil back where it belongs. (NBC, Fridays at 10pm EST, starting Oct. 21)

Forever

Doctor Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd) does just study the dead to solve crimes, he does it to solve the mystery of his own immortality. He's been alive for over 200 years and has no idea why. (ABC, Tuesdays at 10pm EST, starting Sept. 23)

The Flash

Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) was eleven when his mother was killed and his father was falsely convicted of the murder. Raised by a detective, Barry is now a brilliant CSI investigator. Barry's latest obsession is a particle acccelorator, but at the unveiling something goes wrong and Barry wakes up after nine months in a coma to find that he has super speed. (CW, Tuesdays at 8pm EST, starting Oct. 7)

Which shows will you be tuning in to?

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Sponsor Spotlight: Jess of Bookworms in Dresses

Jess is taking over my blog today!

I (Sara) love the Geek Girl tag, which is usually done by vlogger on Youtube, but I thought it would be fun to ask my lovely sponsor, Jess of Bookworms in Dresses, these questions since we're both geek girls. 

1. What is your must-have tech gadget? 

iPhone / Gameboy 3ds. (I gotta play my pokemon!)

2. Which house do you belong to in Hogwarts? 

Without a doubt Ravenclaw, with all the books I read, it's my obvious house! (Not to mention I love Blue and silver)

3. Who was your favorite Doctor? 

I loved 9, I feel like he doesn't get enough credit! He was silly and adorable and gosh, I loved him!

4. If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? 

Millionaire Me from the future (see what I did there? Fictional because I'll never be a millionaire! hhaha) but really, I'd love to get dinner with Dean Winchester from Supernatural....but I might have some ulterior motives on that one....

5. What is your gaming system of choice?

Nintendo 3ds, I love handheld gaming. My boyfriend plays a bunch of Xbox, so I watch him play Mass Effect and other stuff all the time, but I don't really game through the TV. 

6. If you had a super power, what would it be? 

Teleportation. Because it would serve me the best, I could teleport out of awkward social situations, I could teleport to the GetGo down the street to pick up candy, I could teleport to Sarah in South Korea....the possibilities are endless!!

7. What is your favorite fantasy world? 

Pokemon. You better believe that I'd want to be a Pokemon trainer and gather up all the cat pokemon in my house. No matter where I am, I am a crazy cat lady. Harry Potter comes in close second though, magic is awesome. 

8. If you could be any fictional race, what would you be? 

Probably a Half-Beastkin (Cat) from Blaz Blu. Or any type of cat-girl. It would be so cool to be a cat, that's the life!

9. Star Trek or Star Wars? 

Star Wars. 

10. List your top 5 geektastic movies or TV Series. 

Doctor Who, Tremors (don't laugh at me!), Destination Truth, Sword Art Online, and Supernatural (which counts to me!) 

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What are your answers to these questions?
If you do this tag, link to it below!

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American Eagle Denim Campaign

**This is a sponsored post. I received an American Eagle gift card as part of my 

relationship with the Quality Blue Community. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Have I mentioned how much I love American Eagle Outfitters? Well, I do...a lot! The company's style is perfectly bohemian, laid back, and just plain fun. My own style is colorful and relaxed, so I love seeing what's new in their store and how the models are styled. Not only do I love their clothing, but I adore their jeans; they're thick but stretchy, comfortable, and come in various styles and washes. 

American Eagle has a new denim guide on their website that makes it easy to shop for new jeans. In the picture above, you can see that they have all of the jean styles modeled (only half are in the picture, so there's more than you can choose from). When you scroll down, all of the different styles in all of the different washes are shown. It's easy to navigate because the page is divided by the various jean styles. 

When you click on a certain pair of denim (I wanted black jeans for work, so I went to the black jegging page), you can see that specific pair in a video, flat, and on a model in various angles, which is so helpful to get a better feel for how it will look on you. I hate when a piece of clothing isn't modeled; I'm hesitant to buy something if I'm not sure how it will fit, so I'm happy that American Eagle has made it easier to buy jeans online. Because, let's be honest, sometimes it's horrible buying denim when you can't try it on right then and there. 

American Eagle makes it even easier to buy jeans online by providing free shipping and free returns. Yes, you read that right. I always buy the short jeans, but most stores don't have them in-store, so I have to buy them online. With American Eagle I can get my short jeans and I don't have to pay for shipping! The only problem is waiting for them to come in the mail!

If you guys post a photo of yourself in American Eagle clothing with the hashtag #AEOStyle on Instagram or Twitter, your picture will appear on the website

I know a lot of you also love their jeans, so do yourself a favor and check out American Eagle's awesome new denim guide!

AEO | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Blog 

Top: American Eagle {similar} | Jeans: American Eagle | Sandals: Forever 21

Lipstick: Sephora lipstick in Sexy Game

Do you wear American Eagle jeans?

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Five Fall Fashion Trends {2014}

Fall already? It still feels like summer here in New York, but it will be autumn soon. Raise your hand if you're ready for cooler weather and seeing the leaves change color? You can count me in!

There are a bunch of fun trends for fall and they are all so wildly different that you'll all be able to find at least one that works with your style. I myself am looking forward to wearing more prints, pulling out my gray clothing, and looking a little outdoorsy. 

ONE | Prints, Prints, Prints

{Prints}

Do you like wearing prints? Well, you're in luck because prints -- all types of prints -- are big this fall. Stripes, florals, geometric prints, animal prints, etc. Keep wearing your floral summer dresses into the fall by pairing them with a cozy gray sweater or a plaid shirt. Have fun it by wearing florals with stripes, or animal prints with geometric prints. Go crazy!

TWO | Gray Everything

After a summer of bright colors, it's time to get moody. Gray has been really popular lately because it's a cool neutral that works with every clothing style and every color of the rainbow. Wear it with radiant orchid to lighten it up, with a bold print, make it classy with a midi skirt, or have fun by wearing it with a pastel 60s-inspired dress. 

THREE| Midi Skirts

These bold skirts were popular in the spring and summer, and will remain a huge trend. There are so many midi skirt styles out there right now (A-line, pleated, printed, pencil) that you definitely be able to find something that works for you. The longer length is great for the cooler weather approaching. These ladylike skirts work perfectly with a 60s-inspired colorblock top, or wear it with a faux-fur vest, or a printed blouse. 

FOUR | Outdoorsy Chic

Have you always wanted to dress like a mountain man? Then this is the trend for you! All kidding aside, this outdoorsy chic trend is great for fall because it's all about layering and wearing plaid, fleece, faux fur, and woodsy colors (like brown, burgundy, orange, and green). I think it would be interesting to mix this trend with some pastels or dark florals. 

FIVE | Bringing Back the 60's

First the 90's and now the 60's! If you love the mod style, then get ready to wear lots of mini skirts, colorblocking, and fit and flare dresses. But there's a twist: this style may be having a resurgence, but in soft pastel shades that are usually reserved for spring. Wear a pastel mini skirt with a gray sweater if you have a girly style, or a colorblocked dress with a vest to make it a little more outdoorsy. 

Trends still in: boyfriend jeans, sporty, pastels!

Which trends will you be wearing?

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Bold, Bolder, Boldest with Chili's at Home

Let's be honest, sometimes you just don't want to cook. Maybe it was a long day. Maybe there was tons of traffic. Maybe all you want to do is watch TV and sit on the couch. Maybe you've been kicking ass at the gym like I have for the past month and now you just want to relax. So after a long day, you want to eat something that's easy to make, but still has lots of bold flavor. Don't worry, I understand. While I don't eat frozen meals all of the time, I love having a few on-hand in case I (or my mom) don't feel like cooking. 

Chili's is now serving up bold food straight into your home! I've never been to a Chili's restaurant, but that's only because there isn't one near me, so I was excited to get my hands on the Chili’s® at Home Bacon Mac 'N' Cheese to try out. I went with my brother Leo to our nearest Walmart to get one of the family sizes, so that my whole family could eat it too. 

Let's start with the second most important question about the Chili’s® at Home frozen foods: Is it easy to make? Yes! I took it out of the packaging, pulled the film back a little, popped into into the microwave for eight minutes, stirred it a little, back in the microwave for five minutes, and then it's ready to eat. 

Now the most important question: Does it taste good? Absolutely! The warm, cheesy smell filled the whole kitchen, so I had to bite into it immediately. It tasted gooey, cheesy, had a bit of a kick to it, the bacon was awesome, and the whole thing was perfect after a long day. My brothers couldn't stop telling me how much they liked it. ("Delicious," "cheesy," "soooo good" were a few words thrown around.)

Chili’s® at Home now makes it easy to have delicious and colorful food in your own home with their bold frozen meals. If you're not a fan of Mac 'N' Cheese, they have a whole selection to choose from, like Cheesy Chicken Pasta Florentine, Island Chicken & Rice, Mango Chicken with Rice, and more. Unfortunately, if you're vegetarian they don't have any options for you, but hopefully they will soon. 

Want to try out the Chili’s® at Home frozen foods for yourself? Click here to get $1 off to try any of the meals at home! (Click on the coupons tab.)

Chili’s® at Home | Facebook | Twitter | Get $1 off at Chili's product

Have you tried the Chili's frozen meals?

**This post is sponsored by Bellisio Foods and Chili's At Home, 

but all opinions are my own.**

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