COLLECTIVE HAUL: H&M, TARGET, ORIGINS, AND LUSH

I have recently picked up a few new purchases, some I bought during my spring break trip in a gorgeous mall in San Diego called Fashion Valley and some I got last week. Now on to the haul.

While I was at Fashion Valley, I stopped by the good ol' H&M. This store has been an extremely dependable and affordable store for me over the past few years. I needed a dress for my journalism banquet last month, and I knew I wanted a black A-line dress, so I was thrilled when I found this piece that was form fitting yet also flared out at the waist. While looking through the store, my eyes also stopped on a simple heather grey t-shirt with a small pocket and slightly cuffed sleeves. The top was extremely soft, and I knew it would match with plenty of items in my wardrobe. I chose to buy my next piece, a light pinkish tan sweater, because I realized I don't own many pastel items. Since it's now spring, why not. I am more attracted to darker colors, thus grey, black, and navy blue appear most in my closet. This sweater is great for offering minimal heat on those breezy spring days . 

Next, I made my way to another versatile and standard store, Target. I went in with the intentions of picking up a few eye makeup items; however, I walked out with this vintage/slightly acid-washed maroon Mickey Mouse tank top. I have always wanted Disney apparel, but I never wanted to pay the ridiculous prices at Disneyland. I haven't picked up makeup for a while; however, I wanted to get black eye shadow for a look that I wanted to do for the banquet. After spending over five minutes deciding with my mom which palette best suited my needs, we decided on the NYX Smokey Fume palette, a gorgeous palette consisting of a set of darker shades perfect for a smokey eye. I have wanted to try out gel liner for a while now, and I decided on the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black, a highly affordable and praised drugstore eyeliner.

Most will find this quite surprising, but these are my first items from Origins. I had never heard too much about Origins until I joined the blogging world. When I went into the store, the people working there were extremely helpful and suggested the Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating treatment (gel moisturizer) and the Spot Remover acne treatment pads for my combination skin. I spent a good 20 minutes in the store as the lady showed me many of their products as it was my first time. The two purchases added up to over a certain amount, so my mom and I received some free samples. I chose a product I have seen countless raves about, the Checks and Balances frothy face wash.

Lastly, I went to Lush in Fashion Valley because I don't have one near me. I can confidently say that I Love Juicy is my favorite clarifying shampoo of all time, and I might add that I have tried quite a few. This shampoo proves to be extremely effective for removing buildup; however, I wouldn't use it more than once a week as some people feel like it strips too much of the natural oils from their hair. I also requested a sample of Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, but I must say I am guilty because I have tried it before. However, I wanted to try it again to see if I really wanted to purchase this expensive product.

What have been your favorite purchases recently? Would you like a review on any of these products?

-Emily