2014 WEEKLY PLANNER: BARNES AND NOBLES GREEN VENICE FLEXI ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR

There is nothing better for me than to be organized and to know that I can finish my list of things by a certain time. This was the planner my mom used last year, and this year, Barnes and Nobles was having a sale, so my mom snatched it up for me. This is the Barnes and Nobles 2014 Weekly Planner 7x9 Green Venice Flexi Engagement Calendar from their Puncuate line, a 16 month weekly planner that includes six lines a day for penciling in daily tasks. A few of the great features that this planner has is that it opens flat, so it's easy to leave open and read, it has the same amount of space to write for both weekdays and weekends, and since it is from B&N's Punctuate line, it has edges that have curved punctuation, so you can tear the corner nicely each week, so it's easy to flip to where you're at. I am not one for colorful items, but this certainly drew my attention seeing my mom have it for an entire year. The beautiful light green background compliments the bright pinks, blues, and yellows so well. The scene on the cover features a whimsical version of the well loved city, Venice, a place that I sure hope to visit one day. With this new planner, I am going to try my best to organize all that I have to accomplish throughout 2014, but I know my biggest struggle will be getting myself to write in it every week.

What are your tips for staying focused and organized throughout 2014?

-Emily

2013 FAVORITES: ENTERTAINMENT

I first would like to apologize for not posting for a week, and sorry that this favorites post is a bit late as well. I love blogging, but sometimes life just gets a bit busy.

Youtuber: Missglammorazi, Ingrid Nelson
Ingrid has a lovely bright personality, and everyone of her videos put a smile on my face. I love the content she chooses for videos, and she does a lovely job editing as well. She was one of the first Youtubers I watched, and I am proud to say that I still love watching her videos.

Korean Drama: The Heirs
Even if you don't understand Korean, I would still highly recommend you try to watch a Korean drama because there are subtitles in many languages available. In the past, I had a view that Korean dramas were excessively cheesy and would not interest me; however, I am so glad that I decided to give one drama a try, and I now I find that I love watching them so much, sometimes even more than my regular TV shows. This drama, "The Heirs", follows a group of wealthy students at one the ritziest high schools in Korea. I would categorize it mostly as romance; however, it does have some parts that will surely make you laugh. Be warned, it is extremely addicting, and you may not be able to stop watching.

"Reality" Show: Made in Chelsea
My cousin introduced me to this show in December, and I really enjoy watching it now. It comes a generic reality show with a bit of a upper class English twist.

Blog: Sleep and Water
Sleep and water is a beauty blog that writes reviews about everything from high end to high street makeup. She was one of the first blogs I followed when I started blogging a little over a year ago, and I still love and admire her blog so much. The pictures are absolutely phenomenal and combined with the skillfully worded reviews, sleep and water is a blog that you most definitely need to check out.

Song: Panic Cord
Gabrielle Aplin has the loveliest voice, and I had just discovered her in 2013. Her voice is extremely soothing and her songs have the prettiest lyrics around. "Panic Cord" is one song that I find captures her up perfectly.

Album: Midnight Memories
Midnight Memories has to be my favorite album of the three, and I especially like the songs "You and I", "Happily", "Diana", and "Strong." This album is great to jam out to with your friends ; however, it also has a nice assortment of slow songs for listening to while catching up on some blog posts.

Book: The Selection
I have been extremely interested in Dystopian type books lately, and this one has to be my favorite. The story follows a lower class girl in a caste centered community who struggles to face reality as she is chosen to be part of the selection, a special event held to assist in choosing the upcoming princess for the current prince.

Song Cover: Latch by Disclourse covered by Koadline
My cousin also introduced me to this band Kodaline, and after she played their cover of "Latch" Disclosure. I absolutely feel in love with their voices. The song itself is amazing, but their cover has such a powerful feeling to it that can only be described by listening to it.

Dance Cover: Lay Up Under Me by Beyonce covered by Sorah Yang
I didn't discover this in 2013 (since I actually just saw it a couple days ago for the first time), but since it was made in 2013, I decided to put it in my 2013 favorites. This is not really a cover since Beyonce never had a dance for this, but the lovely Sorah Yang, who also sings, just happens to be an absolutey incredible (to the point of where I would even use mind blowing) dancing abilities. She is an amazing hip hop, contemporary dancer, and I was blown away by her dance of this song. The first parts of the video are clips of her students that she taught, and then at the end is her solo. This dance also introduced me this extremely catchy song by Beyonce which I now feel inclined to dance to every time I hear it.

If you decide check any of these out, please tell me what you think! What were your entertainment favorites of 2013? I have also done 2013 Favorite posts on makeup, makeup brushes, and skin care, hair care, and misc items if you missed those.

-Emily

2013 FAVORITES: SKIN CARE, HAIR CARE, AND MISC ITEMS

Skin Care

Face Scrub: Skinceptoin Microderm Facial Exfoliation

If you have dry skin and get dry patches or you're just looking for a way to remove some of the dead skin that accumulates on the top of your face, then you must try this face scrub out. It is a bit abrasive for this with sensitive skin, but if you skin is not too sensitive, I would say this works great. After one use, my skin feels silky smooth.

Face Mask: Earth Science Purifying Facial Mask

I mean who doesn't want to love like a character from Avatar? This bright blue mask is quite fun to "paint" on your face and helps to reduce redness. 

Body and Hand Moisturizer: Jergens Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Moisturizer

The first time I tried this lotion was in a sample in InStyle. The first thing that attracted me was the smell. I love the smell of shea butter, and this lotion smelled especially warm and inviting. It is not super thick or sticky, so you can use it at any time. It adds the perfect amount of light moisture back into my skin. 

Hair Care

Shampoo: Lush I Love Juicy Shampoo

My hair gets greasy after just one day of not watching, so I am always in need of a great clarifying shampoo. I have that my hair has never felt cleaner until I used this shampoo. It contains ingredients like papaya juice, mango juice, lemon oil, etc. I would not recommend it for those with normal to dry hair because it is extremely clarifying; however, if you have oily hair, by all means, you must try it.

Conditioner: Bioglo Goats Milk Conditioner

Who knew goat milk works as a great conditioner? When my mom suggested I try it, I thought the idea was a bit ludicrous. Little did I know, this turned out to be one of the best conditioners I have ever used. I apply it to everywhere except my scalp, and it does a great job at conditioning without making my hair feel heavy.

Misc Items

Candle: Bath and Body Works Creamy Pumpkin Candle
I know fall has passed, but this scent is so yummy. I always become hungry when smelling it. It is described as the sumptuous and soothing fragrance of spiced pumpkin, sweet caramel and warm cream inspired by the sweet richness of fall harvest. Sadly, I think they discontinued it as a candle scent, but they still have in online in the form of a foaming hand soap.

Nail Polish: Topshop Celestial 
Celestial is most defintely a summer color, but I love it so much that I would wear it year round. This is the one of the first items I have ever bought from Topshop, and I am in love with it. It is opaque with one coat (I still like to use two), it has a shine without a top coat, and it lasts on my nails for a good amount of time. Oh, not to mention that this blue just makes me so happy.

Lip Balm: Blistex Restore Lip Balm
My lips are constantly dry and chapped, so I am always looking for a good lip balm. I happened to try this out because I saw that my cousin had it. It comes in a set of two that connect. The white is called "Revive" and smells like sweet mint (absolutely amazing) but doesn't work well to moisturize. "Restore" on the hand, has some undetectable fruity scent (a good fruity scent) that is amazing at healing my dry lips.

Body Spray: Victoria by Victoria's Secret
I don't think I have ever smelled a scent so wonderful. It is light but still has a touch of perfume to it. It is described as a sparkling blend of red berries, Victoria rose and crème brûlée. That probably doesn't mean much to you, but you just need to smell it to believe. This will definitely be my signature scent for a while.

I have also done a 2013 Favorites: Makeup and a 2013 Favorites: Makeup Brushes. 

-Emily

2013 FAVORITES: MAKEUP BRUSHES

Foundation Brush- Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

This is definitely one of my absolute favorite makeup brushes this year. It provides a flawless finish for both liquid and powder foundation! It never sheds, it's super soft, and I love how it stands on its own. Not to mention it is priced at an extremely affordable price. 

Concealer Brush- Sonia Kashuk (from a set of four dual ended brushes with a makeup pouch) 

This brush is great for both liquid and powder concealer and is extremely soft to the skin. It was a great deal considering it came in a set of four dual ended brushes with a makeup pouch. 

Powder Brush- bareMinerals Full Flawless Face Brush

This was one of my very first makeup brushes that I ever used. bareMinerals was the first makeup brand that I tried, so I used this brush to apply their powder foundation to my face. It does a great job with that; however, now I use it to set my liquid foundation. It has a large face so it only takes a couple of pats to cover my entire the areas that I want to set. 

Eyeliner Brush- Eco Tools Eyeliner Brush

I never expected much from this brush since it came as a freebie with a Powder Brush; however, much to my surprise this has become a daily staple for me. It is extremely soft and works well with precision for applying eyeliner. I apply a brown eye shadow for my eyeliner, but when I tried using a waxy eyeliner with this brush, the product got stuck in the brush. Therefore, I would recommend to sticking to eye shadows when using this brush.

Blush Brush- Sonia Kashuk (from a set of four dual ended brushes with a makeup pouch) 

Once again, I have another favorite from the Sonia Kashuk set. This brush probably won't end up on most people's favorites; however, I love it because it is small so I can easily control which areas I would like to apply blush to my face. It also picks up the product great, so I don't have to use a lot of product each time.

Bronzer Brush- bareMinerals Flawless Face Brush

I never found this to be a good powder foundation brush; however, it does amazingly well at applying bronzer to my face. It is so soft, and it has a nice light touch when applying the bronzer, a key factor in a good bronzer brush. This brush is a bit pricey, but I feel that it is really worth it for applying bronzer. 

I have also done a post on my 2013 Favorites: Makeup. What were your favorite makeup brushes in 2013?

-Emily

2013 FAVORITES: MAKEUP

Before I begin this post, I would like to mention that I made a few changes to my blog and I was inspired by Ash's blog, Actually Ash. Now on to my favorites. I am always interested to learn of beauty fanatics yearly favorites because these products surely are the best of the best. My favorite makeup items range from products that I have been using since the beginning of the year to items products that I have started using a few months ago. Nevertheless, I love all of them, and most of them wind up in my day to day makeup.

Primer: bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer
The bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer is a silcone-based primer which is a bit off putting to some; however, I find myself best suited with silicone-based primers since they allow the products on my face to really last for a long duration of time. I only use a primer when I am truly needing a full day's worth of makeup(eg. going to Disneyland), and this one surely does the job.

Foundation: Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation
I have never tried a better drugstore foundation. There's not much to say besides the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation is close to perfection. It acts as a primer, foundation , and concealer. It could be a bit drying though for those with dry skin; however, a hydrating moisturizer will do the trick. It provides medium to full coverage which is great because you won't need too much concealer. It also stays on my face for the entire day since there is primer included in the foundation. To seal off this near perfect foundation, there is a pump. What more is there to ask for.

Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
Maybelline is known for their wide range of affordable mascara, but who knew they could come out with a good creamy concealer? Most praised concealers are quite expensive, but the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer hits the mark at $6.99. This concealer surely does its job for covering dark spots or acne like a pro. One note would be to purchase a shade lighter since it oxidizes slightly after applied.

Setting Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
The Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder has been a widely talked about product in the beauty community. I have oily skin so I knew I needed to try it, and I surely wasn't disappointed. It proved to mattify my face with just a small amount, and it reduced the shine throughout most of the day.

Eyeliner
I prefer a soft eyeliner look for a day to basis, and regular eyeliner seems to always smudge onto my lower lash line. Therefore, I decided to try lining my eyes with a brown eye shadow instead. I apologize for not knowing what brand this single eye shadow is because all it says is "Dark Brown" at the bottom. It has really done the trick for a nice natural look.

Bronzer: bareMinerals All Over Face Powder in Warmth
I have never loved bronzer because I could never find the right one. I have had the bareMinerals All Over Face Powder in Warmth for quite a few years already; however, I never knew how to use it properly until I watched a Youtube video by a lady who works at a bareMinerals counter. This product gives a wonderful warm glow to your face just as its name implies. I love this product, and now I always enjoy trying it out on all my friends because it adds some nice color to everyone's face.

Blush: Loreal Bare Naturale All Over Mineral Glow in Rose Glow
The Loreal Bare Naturale All Over Mineral Glow in Rose Glow proved to be a shocker to me. I never knew I would fall in love with this product, but this year, I have really enjoyed the wonderful rosy glow it adds to my face. The stippling brush it includes works surprisingly great in great that lovely glow. I find myself applying it to the outer ends of my face near my jawline and then blending it towards my cheeks.

Lipstick: Pur Minerals Mineral Shea Butter Lipstick in Sheer Zircon
When I went to Ulta, I told the lady that I wanted a pinky nude lipstick, and she recommenced this one, the Pur Minerals Mineral Shea Butter Lipstick in Sheer Zircon. It was a bit higher in price, but it's worth it considering its amazing hydrating effects and great color.

What are your makeup favorites for 2013? Would you like to see a full review on any of these products?

-Emily

DISNEYLAND: WINTER 2013

Disneyland is by far one of favorite places to be. Whenever I'm there, I feel like I can be a kid again. However, the best time to go to Disneyland is during the Christmas season when all the lights are up, and everything is decorated. Last Monday, my friends and I decided to be kids again and go to Disneyland. Let's just say that the day kept getting better and better, well except for our feet and legs of course. I bought my first ever pair of Minnie ears, and I proudly pranced around with them all day. The weather was great for a day at Disneyland; however, lines were pretty long because it was two days before Christmas. Splash Mountain was by far our most ridden ride, and my favorite at that. We rode it a total of seven times, and the last time it was almost 12 a.m. so it wasn't too warm to be wet. I can't wait for the next time I am able to go back!  

Do you have a favorite memory at Disneyland? Which one(s) have you been too?

-Emily