July Loves

I’ve decided that I really love sharing the things that I love with you. Since that’s the case, my monthly Loves are here to stay. Yay!

July is typically a big beach month (at least it is for me). What I’m loving this month somewhat reflects what I find myself packing for the beach.
July Loves

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

I’ve been trying (and I think doing really well) not spending a ton of money. I have only gotten one pedicure this year. And although I don’t necessarily need more nail polish, sometimes I just want to treat myself a little. Sinful Colors has vibrant colors and cost under $2. Whenever I go to get groceries, I tend to come home with a new fun shade.

It’s all fun in the sun, until someone needs aloe. Thanks to melanin, that someone is never me, but I still want to take precautions against harmful rays. At the same time, when it comes to applying sunscreen I don’t want to spend forever and a day putting it on. With spray that’s not an issue.

In my humble opinion, it totally does not count as shopping if my mom buys me something. She recently got my a pair of Birkenstocks that I am absolutely obsessed with. I have literally worn them to every single cookout I’ve been to so far. Good job, Ma Dukes!

Birchbox points are truly a blessing and when I am able to get something awesome, it’s a wondrous thing. My Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Duo Brush is seriously a treasure. I don’t know how I ever did my eyebrow makeup without it.

Even when I’m on vacation, I having blogging on my brain. What should I write about? Who can I collaborate with? This Market and Luxe print pretty much sums up the blog life.

Do you have a blog? Like the print? Want it? Well comment the name and URL of your blog and you could win it!

xx

Thanks SO much Market and Luxe for sponsoring this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Begins Monday, July 27, 2015 12:00AM EST and runs until Saturday, August 1, 2015 12:00AM EST. Open to the U.S. only. No purchase required. Winner will be selected at random and must respond within 48 after being contacted. This giveaway isn’t endorsed or associated by anyone but me. Good luck!

Who Needs Just One Shower Caddy?

My dad has been renovating our bathrooms and I was trying to hold off until he was finished before sharing this post.

But, again, I have the patience of a two year old.

So, instead here’s what’s in my shower what will be in my shower!

MyEssentials | My Shower

Taking a shower (when not under construction) should be a relaxing experience. Lugging things back and forth is not an option, but I hated it when I would reach for my conditioner and knock over everything else. Picking it all back up was a nightmare, and cutting my finger on my razor in the process is a literal pain.

Well that won’t be a problem anymore, because all my shower products will each have their own home with this seven piece set!

7 Piece Set

Thanks to the MyEssentials Shower Caddy Set, everything has gets is own little caddy and my fingers and toes are all safe.

The set includes:

-MyHook
-MyShave
-MySmile
-MySoap
-MyGrip
-MyHeadstand
-MyHolder

Each piece is unique and some can fit items of different shapes.

Grips, Headstands, and Holders

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Perfect for Umbuntu Oil products.

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Even worked with my Schick Hydro Silk TrimStyle…

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And there’s a hook for your loofah!

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This is exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

My question is, do you brush your teeth at the sink or in the shower and why? I’ve done both, but I want to hear from you all.

xx

 

Splurge or Save: Straw Hat

I’m all about the summer. More specifically, I’m all about going to the beach.
Wearing bathing suits, flip flops, sunglasses, AND cute straw hats!

I spotted a super cute Eugenia Kim sun hat on Instagram. It reads, “Do Not Disturb”.
How perf?!

Naturally, my next step was to hunt it down online. It is SO expensive and not going to happen. At least not for me.

But now I want a straw hat. What is a girl to do?
Find a much cheaper alternative.

Boom!

Thank you H&M!

Straw Hat
xx

Nordstrom Beauty Trend Event 

I’d known that stores often held regular events, but hadn’t ever attended one. I wasn’t really sure what to expect.

It was suggested to attend the Nordstrom Spring Beauty Trend Event, so I obliged. After making an appointment at the Nordstrom in West Farms Mall and kind of just showing up, I got my makeup done and enjoyed a nice little gift with purchase (minus the makeup bag, which I gave to my mom. I’m really picky about bags and she collects them).

Smashbox gift with purchase

Given my shopping habits [link to Clinton Crossing event], I don’t think I’ll attend these type of  events often.

However, I am happy that I did and even happier with my purchases.

Smashbox makeup

Smashbox is one of my top beauty brands. I talk about and recommend them so much that my mom starting buying their products off of HSN and/or QVC, and she’s not even big on makeup.

All the products I purchased were used to do my makeup that day. Picking three (the minimum in order to get the gift with purchase) was harder than I thought it’d be. But I ended up getting the three things that made the most sense.

Now that it’s basically summer I want to switch up the makeup I use everyday. I really liked how the primer was also essentially a moisturizer.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Primer

And the foundation didn’t even feel like I had any on at all!

Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation

I shared on Instagram that my mom had bought the Full Exposure palette and (still to this day) hasn’t used it. I wanted it. Bad.

Smashbox Double Exposure

I opted for the Double Exposure palette for a number of reasons.

  1. If my mom does finally decide to hand over the Full Exposure palette, I won’t already have it.
  2. The Full Exposure now comes in a mini, so I can alway get that and see how I like it.
  3. I have all three naked palettes so I really don’t need the Full Exposure (I don’t think I actually mean this).
  4. Smashbox used to have the full face kits for different complexions, I got the one for dark skin and loved it, but waited too long to buy a second kit and they discontinued it. So stupid on my part. But three of the shades in the Double Exposure palette match the three shades of eyeshadow for the dark set.

Smashbox eye shadow

What Smashbox products do you love? Any recommendations?

xx

June Loves

Guess who found more to love…
june loves

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

When I got my makeup done for my boudoir mini sesh, I asked for a natural looking lip. This is the color (Love Child) that was used. The texture, the color, the shimmer. Love!

When someone pulls out an oil a oil absorbing wipe and then offers you one, you know you’ve made a real friend. True story. But since you don’t want to be a mooch, you eventually go get your own. They can also clean your phone screen pretty well.

I got this brush to try out and liked it for a number of reasons. The way it curves and kind of hugs your head, the fact that it’s vented so it helps cuts down drying time. It wasn’t until I figured out that the end was double sided and also had a sectioning pick, that I totally lost it. In a good way, a very very good way.

So, Where’d You Go, Bernadette was a book I’d picked up a while ago. I put off reading it until Memorial Day weekend. I think I must have complained about it the entire time I was reading it. But I read it in one sitting, I only stopped reading it to tell the manfriend about it  and to eat. If I don’t like a book I won’t read it.  I’m weird like that.

Taco Bell is my favorite fast food restaurant, period. For the longest time you could only get Baja Blast at Taco Bell. It was rumored that if you mix blue Powerade and regular Mountain Dew together it tasted like Baja Blast. I tried it and it did taste vaguely similar, but it wasn’t the same. The fact that this soda (even if only for a limited time) is available in a bottle is a dream come true.

Taco Bell also has a new hotter sauce, Diablo. It didn’t make the cut this month, but that’s mostly because I can’t go to the store and buy it.

To put on ALL the things!

My mouth is doing a happy dance right now. #🔥

A photo posted by Bethany Everett (@twentysomethingplus) on

SO happy, so in love…

xx

 

Oh, and speaking of love, today is the manfriend’s birthday.
Happy Birthday, manfriend!

My First Rocksbox

There are so many different types of subscription boxes that it’s crazy.

Good crazy.

I tried quite a few, with the exception of clothes and jewelry. Part of my hesitation was that these services are typically rentals. Not horrible, but I know I want to keep it all. Even when offered to try Rocksbox for free, I was worried I wouldn’t like it because I’d have to return it all.

Rocksbox

Don’t worry, I promise this story ends on a good note!

When I opened my Rocksbox, for the first time ever, I didn’t find a single thing that I didn’t instantly swoon over.

Rocksbox Jewelry

So, here’s how this works, you pay $19 per month of service, but you get to wear the jewelry until you send it back. If you want to buy a certain piece keep it and send back everything else. Then Rocksbox will send you your next box of goodies.

Wanderlust + Co Ring

In my Rocksbox:

    • Jules Smith Open Geometric Necklace
    • Jenny Bird Flagstaff Earrings in Gold/Lapis
    • Wanderlust + Co V-Bar Crystal Gold Ring

Jenny Bird Earrings & Jules Smith Necklace

There’s also ways of earning points to spend towards pieces you can’t stand to part with. The ring was favorite, and I came SO close to keeping it!

If this sounds like something you’d like, use the code tspxoxo to try your first month of Rocksbox for totally FREE!

xx

 

Polyvore is My Newest Guilty Pleasure

About a year ago I joined Polyvore. I had learned about it at Alt Summit, but I really only used it to do a couple of wish list style blog posts.

This year at Alt, one of the sessions talked about Polyvore in a community sense. I must be a sucker for community, because I have been on it creating sets and entering contests like a madwoman!

I seriously can’t get enough.

You know how you go on Pinterest to “pin a few things” and the next thing you know it’s been two hours? Same concept. Except in stead of pinning outfits that you wish were in your closet to your style board, you’re creating those outfits.

Here’s a little outfit inspo I created using Polyvore:

2 Ways to Wear Overalls

I know I would SO wear both of these outfit options…if I had all those things, that is.
Who wants to go shopping?!

xx

Oh, and feel free to pin…

Hashtag Fence on Fleek

There is pretty much a hashtag for everything.

A while back, I found the perfect fence for my #ootd photos on Instagram (I don’t share them everyday, but when I do it makes me happy). One of the first times I posted one, it was captioned Fence on fleek.

I thought I was just SO clever…

Fence on fleek. #poshstyle #charlottelook

A photo posted by Bethany Everett (@twentysomethingplus) on

Then @embellish_your_lifestyle and @oliviaomega suggested that it should be a hashtag. Um…BRILLIANT.

If you have access to a fence (go backdrop scouting!) and wear clothes, use the #fenceonfleek hashtag, I want to see your outfits! I’ll even be regramming some of the looks that I love, like this one from @unbelievablyhuman.

Hashtag Regram

So, the next time you’re having your manfriend (or whoever) take your outfit photo for Instagram, remember #fenceonfleek.

Need inspiration? You can always check out the hashtag, but also, @hemojemo is a #fenceonfleek BOSS.

New fave denim! #hemojemostyle A photo posted by hemojemo (@hemojemo) on

Are there any hashtags that you follow? I know that #stateyourstyle is one that I really like and #uhmoodring is a fun one that encourages you to dress how you feel.

Today was a good day…to wear booties. #CoastToCoastChallenge A photo posted by Bethany Everett (@twentysomethingplus) on

#fenceonfleek

It’s a thing.

xx

Spring Fashion Preview Event

A friend told me that the Clinton Crossings Premium Outlets were looking to host their first ever CT Blogger Spring Fashion event. I emailed and was able to score an invite.

There was food served at Saks off Fifth, and bloggers were given a gift bag that included a gift card they could use at any outlet store.

Simon Outlet Malls Goodies

I didn’t even make it out of the second store before spending said gift card, which was not my goal when I set out.

What store?

DKNY.

Can you blame me?

DKNY Fitting Room DKNY Look 1 DKNY Look 2 DKNY Look 3 DKNY Look 4

First let me tell you what I didn’t get. I didn’t get the “cozy” sweater that I still want super bad. Or any of the three dresses I tried on. Or either of the two jumpsuits. Or the really cute white tank top that I spotted right as I left the fitting room…

After talking to the super friendly and helpful DKNY staff (loved them) about the current sales and promotions, I was able to get the leather jacket that I first tried on.

What I really liked was that it felt like I was shopping with friends.

Actually, that was pretty much that case for most of the stores that I stopped in.

As a part of the event, I got a free iced coffee and chocolate sample of my choice from Lindt.

Lindt Chocolate Lindt Iced Coffee

I snagged something from the major sale at J.Crew…

J. Crew Accessories J. Crew Clothing

And a couple of things from Designer Fragrances & Cosmetic Co. (along with a few goodies they gave out, including a Lancôme lipstick). This place was seriously a dream for anyone obsessed with beauty or skincare products. Full size Essie polish for $4 a bottle, half price for full size Urban Decay lip gloss. I am still in shock that I managed to only buy two things. I kid you not, I wanted everything in the store. All of it. Plus, the three ladies working there were the absolute sweetest!

DF&C Co.

Then Aéropostale made my night with another gift card and a cute tumbler, perfect for summer. I used the gift card for a pair of jeans and I’ve already worn them more than I care to share, because it’s probably borderline gross.

Clinton Crossing

Such a great experience! I mean outlet shopping is usually enjoyable, but this was remarkable and I’m already planning my next trip. Who’s in?

xx