Friday, November 4, 2011

10 Under 10

Check out this video I did with Angela.  It is our favorite 10 products under 10 dollars!



Thanks for watching,


Isabella

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

In and Out for November

Once again I have negated my blog :-(   As I always say I am going to try and post at least twice a week.  Maybe I will reward myself with makeup if I stay on track and update my blog.


IN-


-Chipotle!  I have been getting Chipotle for lunch about 3 times a week.  It is very addicting.  The only downside is the price.  It is expensive, but I cannot stop thinking about it.


-Scarves.  Now that weather is cooler I can breakout my scarves.  Recently I purchased this amazing cobalt blue scarf from Ann Taylor.  A typical outfit for me is a black sheath dress so this scarf adds the perfect pop of color!



-Blueberries.  I have been eating blueberries every morning.  They are so delicious and full of antioxidants.

-Upcoming holiday season.  I already made my own Christmas list and want to start shopping for my family.  This is my first holiday season not working retail so it will nice to actually want to go to a department store on the weekend since I am not there 40 hours a week.  I will actually get to enjoy the in store decorations.  I am excited to see all the windows at the NYC department stores (Saks, Lord and Taylor).

-Working in NYC.  I never really appreciated working in one the greatest cities in the world.  It is fun and there is so much to do.  Mid-November Angela and I are going to see Bayside at Irving Plaza which leads into my final IN.


-  Bayside, Killing Time Album.  It has been out since February, but I just purchased it off iTunes last week.   I have been listening to it non-stop.  If you like Bayside...check this album out it is just as good as their past work.


OUT

-Series 7 Studying.  Currently I am enrolled in a review class for the Series 7 exam and  I feel like I am back in college.  I have a lot of studying to do in the upcoming months that I am not looking forward to.

Only one OUT which is good. 

Thanks for reading,

Isabella




Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Lord and Taylor Haul


I work near so many great stores which can be a big problem at times.  Recently I have   been going to Lord and Taylor a lot.  I went 3 times this week!  
During my 1st visit I purchased shoes.  Currently there is a promotion on women's shoes, buy 3 or more pairs get 30% off.  Of course I bought three pairs.  One pair is for Angela so I do not feel as guilty for buying so much!
Jessica Simpson- black suede wedges
Sam Edelman- grey suede heels

During my 2nd visit I bought another gift for Angela which I will not mention because she       reads my blog.  Angela's birthday is not until November but I like to shop in advance.

During my 3rd visit I went to the Chanel makeup counter.  I went in to check out their new    foundation, Perfection Lumiere.  I ended up getting my makeup done.  I have an                hour lunch break so I figured why not get a makeover.  Check out the items I picked up:
L to R
Poudre Douce 20 in Peche Tendre
Hydramax Moisturizer 
New Perfection Lumiere Foundation

I really want to go back tomorrow for more shoes! :-P

Thanks for reading,

Isa

Monday, September 12, 2011

September Birchbox 2011

Today I received my Birchbox for the month of September.  For the past few months I have contemplated canceling my subscription.  Within 10 minutes of checking out the box I gave Birchbox a call and cancelled.  To my surprise the cancellation process was simple.  I just provided the customer service representative my email address and she was able to cancel, no questions asked.  She didn't even ask my name or mailing address.  I mean anyone who knows my email could have cancelled without me knowing.  More importantly she didn't even ask me why I was canceling.  How can you improve customer service if you do not know what the customer is even thinking?!  Anyway onto the products...


Jurlique Hand Sanitizer
Very minty.  I did not like it.  After using my hands smelt like I was in a garden.

Attimo Perfume Sample by Salvatore Ferragamo
I never liked getting perfume sample from Birchbox.  Seriously I can just run into Macy*s and ask any sale associate for a sample.  This scent was nice, but not my style. 

Cheesy Bracelet
I will never wear this...not much else to say about it.

Jouer Lip Treatment
Very nice and soothing.  I will keep it in my purse.

Befine Night Cream
Left my skin feeling soft.  I am excited to try this, but realistically will forget about it and never use.

Birchbox is a nice idea, but not for me.  I would not mind spending $10 each month if I actually used the products.  Hopefully October isn't that great so I will not regret canceling! :P


Thanks for reading,
Isa

Friday, September 2, 2011

Corso Como 2 Tone Riding Boots

I few weeks ago I had a post about my fall shoe wishlist.  One pair on my the list was the  Richmond riding boot from Corso Como (pictured below).  Unfortunately bloomingdales.com sold out before I placed my order.  I was planning to order in September, but these sold out in August!  I didn't want to order fall shoes that early, it is still summer!



However I did find the following alternative boot also from Corso Como (pictured below).  This style is the St. Louie and I purchased at shoes.com on a great sale ($130)!  I actually like this pair more because of the straps plus it was not as expensive as the Richmond.  It adds a little extra but it is not overbearing.  After seeing the first pair sell out I did not want to lose these also! 


Once the weather cools down I want to wear these with jeans.  I love how the black and brown is mixed.  Personally I do not like to mix the two colors on my own, but I love when designers use them together in a piece.

Thanks for reading,

Isabella


Tuesday, August 30, 2011

MAC Blush Palette

MAC offers both eyeshadows and blushes to be purchased in "pan form".  The blushes are then placed in a palette shown below.  Blush palettes hold up to 6 blushes.  I currently have 4 blushes.  This is convenient way to store makeup and save space.  A MAC palette is smaller than a DVD case.


Blushes in Palette:
Top L to R: Pink Swoon, Cubic, Springsheen
Bottom L to R: Desert Rose

Pink Swoon- The perfect pink blush, buildable color, perfect for most skin tones.  I highly recommend this color for anyone beginning to buy MAC makeup.

Cubic- A neutral color that I would classify as a pink shade.  I use this a lot as you can tell from the picture.  Great one of a kind blush.  I like wearing it in the dead of winter when I do not have a tan.

Springsheen-  An ideal summer blush with a hint of shimmer.  I think peach blushes look great on darker skin tones.  I love wearing this in the summer when I have a tan :)
Sadly I did not get a chance to use it this summer.  I found myself using MAC products from the Surf Baby collection.  I plan to use it like crazy this week!

Desert Rose- A deep rose color.  It is a nice shade for the fall.  

Swatches on arm from L to R:
Desert Rose, Pink Swoon, Cubic, Springsheen

Thanks for reading,

Isa

Friday, August 26, 2011

Weekend Treats

For the past two weeks I have been on vacation!  Thought I would share some fun treats I enjoyed during my time off.


Crumbs Bake Shop Sampler Pack!  I love cupcakes and this box gives you a little taste of the best cupcakes on Crumbs' menu.  For $18 this can be a little pricey but the presentation and taste make it well worth the cost.  Whenever I bring these home the green cupcake which is mint chocolate is never eaten.  No one in my family likes that one.  

Scorpion Bowl!  Last week I went out to dinner with my old roommate from college.  We went to a hip Japanese restaurant/bar.  The picture above is the cool drink we ordered called a Scorpion Bowl.  This bowl is a mixture of all different crap :P ...I'm not even sure what exactly is in it.  I think it is basically fruit punch with five different types of liquor.  The flame in the center is fun to look at.

Even though I did not go anywhere far away I had a great time off.  Monday I return to work!

Thanks for reading,

Isabella

Thursday, August 25, 2011

My Favorite Clothing Stores

I wanted to share a few of my favorite stores for clothing.  Lately I find myself only purchasing work clothes.  I have not bought a new pair of jeans in so long!

Kohl's is great for basics.  I buy alot of tops from here.  There is always a great sale, never buy anything full price from Kohl's.

I love Bloomingdale's.  It is my favorite department store of all time.  One the perks of working in NYC is being able to visit Bloomingdale's on my lunch break.  I buy lots of shoes from here especially Sam Edelman.

I love buying dresses from Jones New York.  I usually shop at the Jones New York Factory Store.  Their online website has the same clothes for double the price.  On my last visit I found a dress for $39.99 and I was looking at the same dress online for $99.  The sales associate informed me that their is nothing wrong with the Factory Store pieces they just have outlet prices!

Ann Taylor is my ultimate work apparel store.  All my work suits are from Ann Taylor.  Usually they have some coupons and sales running.

Some other great stores and websites I love to shop at...

shoes.com
Nordstrom
Ann Taylor LOFT


Thanks for reading,

Isa

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Wardrobe Organization

Since graduating college and beginning a "real job" my amount of work clothes has tripled.  It got to a point where my dresser and closet could not fit anything else.  Last month I purchased the wardrobe shown below.

This wardrobe is a great addition to my bedroom.  The design of this piece is great for storage and organization.  Below are more pictures of how I store some of my clothing.  I apologize for the quality of the pictures.  I do not have a digital camera so an iPhone camera will have to do for now.

There are two drawers in this wardrobe.  Both are spacious and hold plenty.  The bottom drawer stores all my denim.  To give you an idea of the drawer's size there are 8 jeans, 2 shorts and 3 capris.

Behind the double doors I have cardigans, dress shirts, skirts, and suits.

Another great storage area is the split mini shelves under the hanging section.  My mom purchased two small bins from Target to help me organize even more.  The one on the left holds scarves and gloves.  I still need to fill the one to the right.

Purchasing this piece put me into a cleaning and organizing mood.  Now I am working on the rest of my room with new storage ideas.

Thanks for reading,

Isabella

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Fall Shoe Wishlist

I have not had a post since the beginning of June!  I am going to try post at least two times a week.  Let me start with an easy post about my fall shoe wishlist:

Corso Como
San Angelo Quilted Boot
$260
Nordstrom.com
Sam Edelman 
Hera Flat
$125
Nordstrom.com
LC Lauren Conrad
Platform High Heels
$60
Kohls.com
 DV Dolce Vita
Briar Pumps
$89
Bloomingdales.com
Corso Como
Richmond Riding Boot
$199
Bloomingdales.com

**SOLD OUT in my size, anyone know where I can find this exact pair?**

Very short entry, but thanks for reading,

Isa

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Makeup Haul

Listed below are beauty products I purchased over the past two weeks.  I need to stop buying makeup.  Maybe I will try to do a "project 10 pan"...

Sephora Haul #1
I ran out of my Pro Lumiere Foundation from Chanel so I decided to try something new.  I bought the Silk Cream Foundation from Laura Mercier.  I LOVE THIS FOUNDATION!  I apply it with either a brush or a sponge and each time I get a flawless face.   

I ran out of my Shiseido moisturizer about three months ago and finally purchased a replacement.  The sales associate at Sephora selected this for me.  It is the Quenching Sorbet-Creme from Caudalie.  It is okay.  I do not plan on repurchasing, but it getting the job done for now.

On the right is a face cleanser I purchased on a whim.  It is the Soy Face Cleanser from Fresh.  This is okay also, but not worth the price. 

Sephora Haul #2

I went back to Sephora one week later and purchased a primer and Too Faced face palette.

The Leopard Love palette is the first item I have purchased from Two Faced.  I am very impressed.  This set is compact and perfect for every day use.  I really love the bronzer (far left) it is the perfect peach, tan color.

I LOVE this primer and I am very picky when it comes to face primers.  This is the One Step Correct from Stila.  As you can see in the picture it consists of three colors each of which "correct" your skin tone differently.  For example the green corrects redness.  I really like this primer because it evens out my skin tone and at the end of the day I do not look blotchy.

Mac Haul

I went to MAC last Saturday and picked up two items from the Surf Baby collection.

I bought My Paradise which is a peach blush with a gold flower.  A great summer color.  I wore it a few times and it looked very natural.  The gold adds a nice touch.

I have been looking for a great bronzer for a while.  The sale associate at MAC recommended this one, Solar Riche.  It gave me the sun kissed look I wanted.  I am happy with this purchase.  Hopefully I can achieve the same look when I apply it on my own.

Thanks for reading,

Isabella


Friday, May 20, 2011

May Birchbox 2011

Below is a review of my first Birchbox:



Juicy Beauty Green Apple Peel & Jouer Mini Tinted Lipgloss

A face peel to brighten skin.  I used this product once and LOVED it.  My skin looked radiant the next day.  My dark spots looked shades lighter! I was impressed.  Two days later I used this product for the second time and it was a disaster.  My skin became very irritated with red patches.  The tube does not have detailed directions on it so I did not know to use this once a week.  I think I became irritated because my skin was sensitive from using the peel two days prior.  It is a strong product and I plan to try it again this weekend.  Hopefully no reaction because this was the only item in the box I would repurchase.

A lip gloss that claims to plump lips.  I tried this once, it was a deep coral shade.  It applied nicely on my lips, but I did not see any plumping action.  Overall it was a good product, but I would not purchase because I do not use lip gloss very often.

Karastase Shampoo & Conditioner 
A shampoo and conditioner to add volume for dry and limp hair types.  I tried the shampoo once.  It was okay not worth purchasing in my opinion.  I will let Angela test it because she loves trying new hair products.

Archipelago Pomegranate Soap & Ahava Mineral Body Lotion
A dead sea mineral infused lotion.  I used this a few times on my legs.  I do not have much to say about this lotion.  It was a nice sample to try, but nothing I need.

A pomegranate scented soap.  Horrible soap it left my skin feeling try and tight.  I had to re-shower with a different soap because I was so uncomfortable.

Even though I only enjoyed one item I love having a subscription to Birchbox.  It is a small surprise to look forward to each month.  I am excited to see what June brings!  I hope you enjoyed this post because I plan to review each month's items.  Visit www.birchbox.com for more information.

Thanks for reading,

Isabella

Monday, May 16, 2011

IMATS Haul and Review

This is a very late post on IMATS NYC which was held on April 9-10, 2011.  I attended both days with my sister, Angela.  I expected to purchase a lot more.  Below are pictures along with descriptions of the items I bought:


Royal & Langnickel- 5 piece Travel Brush Set

I love these brushes.  I paid only $10.00 for the set.  This is perfect for traveling.  This set has all the basics you could possibly need.   I went to Las Vegas two weekends ago and these were the only brushes I brought!  

Eve Pearl Primer
On Saturday Angela and I attended a makeup seminar presented by Eve Pearl.  It was all about bridal makeup one of the products used was this primer.  I bought it on a limb because during the seminar the product was presented very well.  I love this primer.  I plan to repurchase it once I run out.  It really keeps my makeup in place more than anything I have tried in the past.  I paid $20.00 at the Eve Pearl booth, but the price is slightly higher online.

Eve Pearl Foundation
The primer was a hit, but this foundation was not.  I was informed that it would last four months.  I hit pan after 15 uses, it was not worth $38.00.  This foundation did not provide the coverage I was looking for and became very oily on my skin.


Overall IMATS was an excellent experience.  I plan to go again next year except maybe for just one day.  Please check out Angela's IMATS post --> CLICK HERE :)


Thanks for reading,
Isa

Friday, May 13, 2011

Ice Cream at Bryant Park

I have been slacking on blog posts once again.  This is a short post about my lunch break last week.  I work in Manhattan which is a lot of fun because there is always something to do.  There are so many different options for food, shopping, and entertainment.  Last week I took a nice walk to Bryant Park and enjoyed my break with some sun and ice cream.  Below are a few pictures from my little adventure:



Thanks for reading,

Isabella

Friday, May 6, 2011

Evening Skin Care Routine

Having a nighttime skin care routine is important because this is the time when the body repairs its cells.  I try to use all the products discussed, but sometimes there are nights when I am too lazy to even take my makeup off.

Cleanser:

First I use this cleanser to take off my makeup.  I have been using this product for about 3 years.  I love it! 

After my makeup is removed I use coal face from Lush.  This soap is amazing it sucks out my blackheads, shrinks my pores, and leaves my skin with a tight, clean feeling.  There is something about this soap that works wonders.  However one thing I did notice is when I stopped using it my skin looked uneven and horrible.
Softener:

After cleansing I use a softener from Shiseido.  "Toner" may be a more common word to describe this product.  I put it on a cotton ball and apply it to face and neck.  It adds moisture to my skin and is a good way to prep for my nighttime moisturizer.

Eye Cream:

Currently I am using a sample of this product and I like it so far.  It is excellent for night, but is too greasy for the daytime.  I apply a tiny amount under my eyes focusing on the outer corners.  I will repurchase once the sample is gone.
Moisturizer:

This is the final step in my nighttime skin care routine.  You may recognize this item from my beauty product wish list.  I purchased it about two weeks ago from Lord and Taylor.  I apply this each night to my face and neck before bed.  In the morning my skin is glowing!  It is fabulous!

In combination all these products are working wonders for my skin.  I have seen a drastic improvement in my skin's clarity and my blackheads are almost all gone.


Thanks for reading,

Isabella