Make-up fun: Perfume Edition

{Aromatic perfumes}

This is the first of my make-up blogs, I hope you enjoy. If you don't, well I don't care because I did.  First off, can we talk about how many make-up bags I own? I don’t know if you can count in that picture but it’s 16. SIXTEEN. I use about five of them. Does anyone need one? Seriously, I’m offering here.

{So many cosmetic bags. Seriously, I'll give them away}

{The like five bags I use, and my current super messy storage situation}

{More awful storage}

{Favorites: Sauve and L'Occitane}

Moisturizers and perfumes: I love Sauve cocoa butter lotion. It is fantastic and I always carry that little guy with me. Also, you can’t go wrong with L’Occitance products.  Their little shea butters I love (seeing as I own three and they’re not even my first ones).  I always go for scents that are citrusy and clean.  Clinique Happy perfume will always be a scent I love. My mom always had it, which is why I started wearing it.  It’s light, fruity and just happy.  Then my aunt got me Lancôme Trésor last year for Christmas.  I normally go for fruity, lighter scents, but Trésor is nothing like it.  It’s musky, heavy, and floral.  Not what I would normally pick, but I like it nonetheless.  Although I wore it once last year and my ex-boyfriend told me I smelled like his aunt.  So either his aunt wears Trésor or it makes me smell old.  That always turns me off from wearing the perfume somewhat.  I just have to be in the right mood to wear it, since it is a more mature scent.  And my new favorite perfume: Juicy Couture Viva la juicy! I got that regular size bottle for free at London Fashion Weekend and I’m so happy I did because I fell in love with it.  The scent is so fun and fruity with vanilla and amber undertones. Love it.  I highly suggest all, dependent on what your own preferences are. 

Make-up Fun

I know, I haven't blogged in forever. It was the end of the term, I had lots of work to do and I thought I was going to fail my one class (literally, it was a possibility).  Last week was finals week and I was in a complete study mode i.e., yoga pants, big t-shirt, no shoes, study hair, books scattered around my room, don't even bother trying to talk to me. Alas, I finished my finals and I'm actually really proud of my grades this term; I did very well.  Spring break has been relaxing, but yet I have been running endless errands and cleaning like a mad woman. Now on to the actually topic.

When I was little and would spend time at my grandparents I used to play “dress-up” with my sister, cousins, and my Grandmom.  For some unknown reason to me my Grandmom used to make us put Vaseline on our entire face before we put on make-up.  She always said it made it easier to take off, which I’m sure it did, but I can’t imagine why she would have had us do this.  She never would have done that to herself and we must have looked like shiny, sticky, and ridiculous balls of make-up.  I tried to find a picture, but I failed in that endeavor so use your imagination.

I think that’s where my love of make-up started; it was always so fun playing with it all.  And my love has just been re-sparked by Rachel, who I went to middle and high school with.  We weren’t super good friends by any means, but we were involved in similar stuff in school.  About a month or so ago she put up a make-up tutorial video she did on facebook.  I then came to discover that she has this channel on youtube where she does tutorials and hilarious other videos.  She is so right too when she says people always notice her for her eyeliner.  In high school I always noticed that she could do a fantastic wing.  The girl’s hilarious, honest, and has killer make-up skills. So naturally, I’ve watched like all her videos and I have since become re-obsessed with make-up. I already have a list of things she has mentioned that I want to buy. Too bad my co-op’s unpaid. Womp womp..

Seeing as I wanted to try everything she was doing, I went through all my make-up and realized I own a ton.  I’m sure some of my friends (ahem: Ali and Amanda) could rival my collection, but I still have a fair amount.  My mom is also a big fan of using good quality make-up, so most of my make-up is high end.  Especially since, there is almost no reason to buy good make-up unless they have a gift.  Spend like $30 and get about $50 worth of make-up free. See? Why would you just spend the $30? Thus, I own a ton of Clinique and Lancôme products. So I am now going to start going through my make-up and reviewing stuff.  I was going to just do that in this post but it got wayyyyy too long. I know that probably none of you care about my opinion on make-up, but I had fun doing it so I don't care. Read my posts if you want to, or not.  First one should be up soon.

{Some of my collection. And I have no money right so I'm not buying more make-up? Well, I just ordered some Urban Decay. Woops. Now I really have to restrain myself.}

Olsen Love

{Picture from Stylecaster}

So on my list of girl crushes, Mary-kate and Ashely are probably number one. I am obsessed with them. Have been since I was like three. I love them. If you haven't read their book "Influence"I highly suggest it.  It is such a good coffee table book and the pictures are stunning. Mary-kate and Ashley are donning the cover of Elle UK for April and this is a picture from the spread. As soon as I can I'm going to go to Barnes and Noble, spending some leisurely time sipping on a coffee and picking up the magazine. Love love love them.  And my wonderful super talkative sister just came home for break. She's been talking to me while I do work for hours now. Good thing I have lots and lots of work to do this week as I'm sure you all do too. Go flip through Elle to brighten up one of yours day!

Chocolate Rhapsody

As stated before I believe myself to be a very good baker, minus my thin mints disaster.  Regardless of whether or not anyone agrees I immensely enjoy baking, which is why I was so tempted to make this cake.  My sister and I first made it last year for a Valentine’s Day treat and made some mistakes but it was still delicious.  I made it a few weeks ago for my professor’s birthday.  (He’s my PI for my research so it’s not strange.  Our lab group took him out to lunch and when I asked him if he was going to have cake, considering his whole family lives in Germany, and he said no I knew I immediately needed to change that.)  We ate if at our group meeting and everyone seemed to enjoy it. This cake is by no means simple to make, it’s not super hard but it does take time.  That being said, I had no problem making it for him because I’m so appreciative of all he has done for me. Although I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m an idiot after the amateur mistake I made today.  So I don’t understand the vibration circular dichorism theory I’m using and I’ve been yelling at excel for the last hour, who cares?  At least I have a very general idea of what I’m doing. Have you all got the feeling that research makes me lose my mind? Because it does. So I bake and go to bed at 9:30pm, which is what I’m totally about to do.  But this cake it four layers of airy vanilla sponge cake, creamy chocolate, rich decadent raspberry mouse and more creamy smooth chocolate. Yum yum yum. Four layers of bliss.  This cake also freezes very well and it’s easier to cut frozen.  I froze a chunk of it before it went bad and have been periodically cutting a piece then letting it thaw out in the fridge.  I highly recommend it to everyone!

{Chocolate layer}

{Raspberry layer}

{White chocolate and heavy whipping cream for the raspberry layer}

{Lots of layers}

{Homemade whip cream on the side}

{Finish cake and whipped cream}

Other than that, things have been alright.  Could be better, but some things have gotten much better the past few days after some large realizations on my part.  So I think I’m skipping class tomorrow (rebel, I know) and then enjoying some time with some friends before they all depart for school. 

Spring Awaiting

{Classic}

Remember how I made plans to drink and watch “Mean Girls” last weekend? Well, I did that and then had a little lesson in exceeding one’s limit.  So here’s a reminder to everyone to drink responsibly. Regardless, I had so much fun this weekend; I got dinner with a good friend and caught up.  Laughed my butt off at “Mean Girls” and the ridiculous evening we had and then meet up with some of my friends from home who are here on spring break.  It’s always absolutely wonderful seeing my friends from home.  It always reminds me of who I want to be and why I love those girls so much.  Lastly, Dairy Delite has opened for the season.  My favorite little ice cream place that I’ve been going to my whole life that has the most delicious chocolate soft serve.  Some people think I’m weirdly obsessed with the place, but the others who grew up where I did get it.  It’s just one of those places you always go back to and always holds fond memories. Seeing as it’s now March (p.s. I hope everyone enjoyed Leap Day) and Dairy Delite is open I’ve given up on having a real winter and am now looking forward to a wonderful spring full of bright colors and warm breezes.

Also, it’s week 9. Freaking week nine. Finals are in two weeks. I am kind of freaking out, but kind of not. Either way it’s a even bigger reminder that spring is right around the corner!

The Big Bang

At dance class last week, we danced across the floor to this song at one point.  I've never heard it before but it's so catchy, I love it! (And apparently no one in the video is actually singing it? I don't know..)

Obsessed.

Loved the movie. Loved the minions. Sure I'll love the second movie too. Enjoy your day everyone.