Weekend Spa Day

I apologize for my lack of a Five Friday Favorites post; my cold got the best of me and in between that and Kyle coming to pick my up and bring me back to Daytona things just got a little crazy. Yesterday he worked, and since I was still feeling under the weather I just spent the day relaxing at home. I ended up having a little impromptu spa day with a couple last-minute packages I had sent to his house.

I recently made an order from Everyday Minerals to try their foundation (when I went to order my normal stuff in preparation for my study abroad they were out of my color, requiring me to look elsewhere!). They have a cool system where you can order free foundation samples, the 7 Piece Custom Sample Kit, to help you try and find the right color! Since I needed foundation badly, I went ahead and took a chance with my color, but also ordered some sample shades just to see what it was like. It was really fun to experiment with them all yesterday, and thankfully the shade I ordered is in fact the correct one! I also ordered their 3 Piece Custom Kit, which allows you to get a little discount on any three items. Overall, my whole experience with my order was a lot of fun! I love how natural their products are, and that they are made right here in the USA. 

You can see all the free samples I got to try... So fun!

The other part of my spa day was painting my nails with one of the polishes from this month's Lillian Eve Duo Box. I am just so in love with Lillian Eve! Last week I painted my nails with a non-Lillian Eve polish and.... let's just say I won't be using it again. Nothing compares to the quality of Lillian Eve's vegan polishes, and I love supporting yet another American grown company. This months theme was Champagne & Peonies, and I love both colors that came in the box, Bit of Bubbly and Maid of Honor. I decided to try Maid of Honor first, and I'm in love with this purple-pink shade! It's perfect for spring. 

So that as my fun little spa day yesterday while I tried to rest and recover from the cold I'm still harboring. I'm hoping I get better ASAP, because I will be heading to Italy very soon to start my study abroad. Although I guess I'd rather be sick here than be sick there...

Happy Monday!

--Caroline

Skin & Beauty Peace Part 3: Makeup Favorites

You've heard about my previous skin problems and then I shared my skin regimen yesterday, so today I'm sharing my new favorite makeup products! After my long pink-eye incident (viral pink is not fun at all, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!) my eyes were still feeling quite irritated, even with brand new infection-free products. For Christmas, I had asked for a makeup palette from a company called 100% Pure, and thankfully I got my wish! That was just the beginning of what I feel will be a long relationship with this company and their amazing, all natural products.

My daily makeup routine (in order of use)...

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Brightening Concealer in White Peach: This is probably the thickest concealer I have ever used, but it goes on nice and smooth! What I've been doing is putting a blob on my finger, then using my pinky to disperse it to my face. On days when I feel a spot needs a little more coverage, it's easy to build up coverage through layering. This baby is crease free and long lasting--my makeup still looks flawless by the end of the day. (Shop it here--each color has it's own listing)

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Healthy Skin Foundation Powder in White Peach: Before trying this natural foundation I had tried one from Juice Beauty and was not a fan (it didn't blend at all, and left a flaky look on my skin.) So I was nervous to see how this 100% Pure one would wear and I am so impressed! It blends right in, has great coverage, and lasts all day! I got lucky and ordered the right color, which is hard for me to find sometimes (I am light-skinned but not pale, and my undertones are more peach than pink) so I'm glad the White Peach color works. In addition, it makes my skin feel so soft and healthy, quite a different feeling than most makeups provide. Winner! (Shop it here--each color has it's own listing)

Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush (Shop it here)

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Pretty Naked Palette: My Christmas gift! These shadows have not bothered my now-sensitive eyes one bit, and I am so thankful for that. The coloring is great, perfect for everyday wear, but I will say I wish they had a longer wear ability. However, I have always had oily eyelids, so eyeshadows have never really been long wearing for me anyway. But, they aren't irritating and there is always the ability to re-apply so I'm happy regardless! Also, I started using the blush in this palette before my other one was completely out... and I might not go back! The color is great, the coverage is nice, and it gives a great natural glow. My next step is to order some extra eyeshadows, but I've been pretty happy with the versatility of this palette so it's not an urgent matter.(Shop it here)

EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush (Shop it here)

Sephora Collection Shadow Brush: I can't find this exact one but this is very similar! (Shop it here)

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara in Black Tea: Words cannot express how much I love this mascara!!!! 1) It's all natural and does not irritate my eyes like other mascaras were. 2) It's long wearing, and while it's not waterproof it stays on well. 3) It smells like fruit! 4) Wearing this has actually made my eyelashes stronger and longer... LIKE WHAT?! Never turning back. If you buy one thing from this post make it be this mascara! Your eyelashes will thank you for saying so long to chemically mascaras! (Shop it here)

Those are my favorite new makeup products, and I know they will be favorites for awhile! My next mission is trying some 100% Pure eyeliners, switching out my lip glass/lipstick collection to all natural products, and going through my nail polish collection and switching over to Lillian Eve and other vegan polishes. You see, Berlioz is a fan of me using all-natural products also!

"These are great all-natural products, Mom! Can I play with this eco-friendly brush now?!"

I'm so happy that my long search for a new skin regimen and all-natural skin & beauty products is over! I love the way my skin feels now; putting good ingredients on your face and supplementing that with professional treatments and treating your body well are definitely the solution I was in search of. And now, I can say farewell to all these other products... (Don't worry, I'll be recycling what I can!)

 I hope you all enjoyed this Skin & Beauty Peace series. It's been a long time coming and I'm so glad I could finally share these amazing products with you this week. Have you considered trying all natural products? Do you currently use some that you love? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Have a great Thursday, my beautiful readers!

--Caroline

*This is not a sponsored post. The views expressed here are 100% mine, and no compensation has been received. I'm simply a blogger wanting to share my experiences with my readers :)

Skin & Beauty Peace Part 2: Skin Regimen

Yesterday I posted about loving your skin and loving yourself. Today, I'm sharing the skincare products that helped me find skin & beauty peace! But before I go into the products, I'd like to note that clear skin really starts with what you are putting in your body. In addition to changing up my skincare products, I started easing up on my coffee intake, going back to really watching my gluten consumption, and starting a skin-clearing tea regimen. 

I came across the Get Gorgeous tea by The Republic of Tea at my local Earth Fare store, and decided to give it a try. I try and drink it twice daily, and the taste is amazing! I drink it in the morning before I eat breakfast, to help jumpstart my system. Regardless of the size of impact it's making, it tastes good and is a good habit so I'll keep it up! You can find it here & it might be available at your local health food store. 

In addition to eating better & drinking my tea, I've also been getting peels every 3 weeks at my local Ulta Salon (find yours here). As someone who used to get facials regularly, I'm a firm believer that regularly getting all that gunk out of your skin professionally helps your ability to keep up beautiful skin in between treatments. I started this habit in January with a coupon, and I haven't looked back. I definitely feel like it's making a positive impact on my skin.  

So now, onto the products! As you'll see, almost all of these products are natural, and many are vegan friendly! We'll start with my cleansing products (listed in order of use)...

Simple Eye Makeup Remover: This is a great non-irritating eye makeup remover that has been a favorite of mine for quite some time! I soak a cotton round and after I take off my eye makeup I make a sweep across the rest of my face. It's always a good idea to take off as much makeup as possible before cleansing, as most cleaners are not designed to remove makeup. (Shop it here)

Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash: An impulse buy from Earth Fare, I will never buy another cleanser. This baby is gentle, feels great on the skin, has skin-clearning ingredients without the harshness, and tightens pores like a toner. It's a powerhouse! (Shop mini size here, larger size here) 

Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub: I have had this bottle for awhile, and it is a great basic scrub. (I think sometimes we feel like we have to have all these special ingredients in everything, but that just complicates & messes with a good formula!) What I've been doing is actually mixing the scrub with the face wash, so that I'm still getting the effects of the wash. I think that part of skin problems before centered around over irritation through excessive scrubbing and excessive acne treatment. To combat that, I try and limit my use of this to 2-3 times per week. And honestly, I haven't needed it any more than that! (Shop it here)

And now for the treatment & moisture products (listed in order of use)...

Demalogica Sebum Clearning Masque: I started using this when I tried the adult acne kit (see this post for review) and it is the only thing from that kit I've continued to use! Using it 2-3 times a week, after using the scrub, is a nice little mini-facial to keep my skin looking matte and acne-free. (Shop it here)

InstaNatural Age Defying & Skin Clearing Serum: I heard about this brand through another blogger, and I love that they are local to Florida and all-natural! The first couple times I used this serum it was a little much for my skin, slightly irritating, so I tried using it 2-3 times a week (after scrubbing and using the masque). Now, my skin is used to it and I use it nearly every night. It's packed with lots of great stuff for your skin, and I love that it works for my acne as well as helping ward off aging signs early on. (Shop it here)

Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick: I purchased this in conjunction with the face wash, and I'm really pleased with it's gentle acne-fighting properties. Tea tree oil is a well-known and natural way to ward off acne, and it's perfect for use in the morning. (Shop it here)

100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream: I put this on both morning and night while I let whichever acne product I am using soak in. (One thing I've realized is products in general work much better when they have time to soak in!). As I mentioned yesterday, I have definitely noticed an improvement in my under-eyes since using this product. It goes on so soft & smooth, and of course it's made by a fantastic natural brand! (Shop it here)

InstaNatural Haluronic Acid Serum: After the aesthetician that does my facial peels used this magical thing called haluronic acid to deeply hydrate my skin after treatment. Curious and wanting this magic in my own hands, I was so excited that I found it from InstaNatural! I use it under my normal moisturizer on days that my skin is feeling extra dry, and on any day I use the masque. (It's all about those mini facials in-between the professional ones!). This is definitely a product you want to let soak in until you can't feel it sitting on the surface of your skin. (Shop it here)

InstaNatural Youth Express Vitamin C Moisturizer: This is another product, like the skin cleaning serum, that took my skin a couple times to get used to; a perfect testament to keeping up with a regimen for a prolonged period of time! Now, I love using it both morning and night! It leaves my skin soft and supple, and fully hydrated. (Shop it here)

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream: I've been using this for awhile, and will continue to do so! In the morning, after I let the Vitamin C Moisturizer soak in, I apply this as a base layer to my makeup. In my mind, it acts as a primer and if I'm not wanting to put any makeup on, I let the first layer soak in and then go back over any spots for light coverage. I love that it also has SPF! (Shop it here)

And that's my regimen! It might seem like a lot of product, but it all goes on much faster than you think it does. I truly love how soft my skin has been feeling since starting this regimen, and how healthy it's been looking! I can't wait to see how it progresses. Check back tomorrow for my new makeup picks!

--Caroline

*This is not a sponsored post. The views expressed here are 100% mine, and no compensation has been received. I'm simply a blogger wanting to share my experiences with my readers :)

Skin & Beauty Peace Part 1: Love Thy Self

I've shared some skincare favorites of mine recently on the blog, but today I'm digging a little deeper and sharing a little more than what meets the eye. Recently, I've been really disappointed about my skin. If you know me personally, you might know this, I might have shared some of it with you. If you don't, well, now you know. 

It all started with good intentions. Back in beginning of summer 2014, I decided to step away from my prescription acne products. I wanted to see if I still needed them, and part of me was just tired of the chemicals I was applying to my skin on a daily basis. It wasn't so bad at first, just kind of frustrating because I definitely got more acne than I had before. Then, after my Europe trip, I started editing my outfit pictures to put on This Styled Life. What stuck out to me was the huge bags under my eyes that hadn't been there before, and the rough look and feel my skin had. My skin just didn't seem lively anymore. And then, it just seemed to get worse from there, exacerbated by a series of eye infections and problems that rendered me not able to wear eye makeup. And while I know I don't need to wear makeup in order to be beautiful, having that as a fall back on days when you're not feeling your best is definitely nice! 

(Europe, July 2014)

(Novemeber 2014)

(January 2015)

This last photo was the last straw for me. All of these are un-retouched, but I am wearing makeup. In my mind, I look like I'm not even wearing any makeup in that last picture. When I uploaded that, I did notice the bags under my eyes looked better, which made me glad! I had been trying more natural products, and had been starting a facial and peel regimen at Ulta, but it was shortly after that picture that I decided I needed to do more. On a trip to Earth Fare, a local natural grocery store, I purchased some new products. I made an order from a couple natural beauty and skincare retailers I had come across online. I decided I was determined to make it all better, to finally be at peace with my skin and feel that it looked beautiful again. 

Fast forward to last Friday. I knew my skin had made amazing progress when I barely had to use concealer! I feel much much better about my skin, and even though I still have some post-acne spots that are clearing up my skin feels soft, supple, and lively again. I feel like I have my glow back, and that makes me so happy!

(February 2015)

I know that what is on the outside ultimately has nothing on the beauty inside, but it's certainly frustrating when nothing you are doing seems to be helping. Check back tomorrow for all the skincare products I've grown to love, and then Thursday for my favorite new makeup products.

--Caroline

Week Of Pink: Neon & A Day In The Life

Today's post is a little about pink and a lot about my yesterday... So we will start with my outfit! The whole outfit was partially inspired by yesterday's post! My sweater is a couple seasons old from GAP, jeans and jacket are eBay finds, my booties are these Sperry beauties (I want a black pair like these or these), scarf is from the FSU bookstore (totally random), and jewelry is a mix of Premier Designs and otherwise. I snapped a couple pictures on my way out the door in the morning, so I hope y'all don't mind the iPhone pictures!

Then, in my CAD2 class, we played with a new technology called Augmented Reality. In this picture, you can see that I'm hovering over a logo and pulling up a view of the product in a space. Pretty cool stuff, but a little complicated to explain, so check out this video for a better idea of how this works. It's cool to think that this is the future, and to think about all the possible applications for it! (Also, don't mind my photobomber! lol! Face protected for privacy.)

And finally, on my way home from class I just had to take a quick selfie... It was such a beautiful day, and I'm finally feeling at peace with my skin again. More details in a later post, but I'm loving my new skincare routine and was excited to see that the new concealer and foundation I ordered from 100% Pure finally answered my prayers, as did their mascara. Some days you just need to be reminded that the world is beautiful, you are beautiful no matter how you feel about yourself, and it's all thanks to God!

I hope you enjoyed these little snapshots of my day, and happy Thursday!

--Caroline

Week of Pink: Mani Monday

In honor of Valentines Day being this week, I decided to do a Week of Pink! Each day I will be sharing pink outfits, but today I figured I'd start with a little pink on my nails. 

As I'm sure you are all aware, nail polishes contain a myriad of toxins, and many brands have been surfacing that are toxin free. Enter Lillian Eve, a USA based vegan and 5 toxin-free nail polish brand. I discovered them when they had a deal going on Jane.com (deal no longer active) not too long ago, and I fell in love with a beautiful pale pink color, Ballet Slipper. So on a whim I bought that, along with their base and top coats. It shipped so quickly, and I was so delighted when I received it in the mail and opened up the cute packaging!

Last week, I had a break form homework (hallelujah!) and took some time to spend on myself and try out my new polish. Everything went on smoothly, and I loved the coverage of the color, especially considering it's a light color. Also, I'm not sure if it's even possible, but it felt soft on my nails? I don't know how else to describe it, but I guess that's what healthy nail polish feels like!

I usually have a hard time keeping polish on my nails, which is why I normally go for shellac whenever possible. It lasted longer on my nails than most other non-shellac polishes, which I was pleased about! My nails have been really weak and broken recently (courtesy of all the school stress I'm under), so I'm sure that was a factor also. I'll be interested to see how this polish lasts when my nails are stronger! Long story, I definitely love this brand, and I think I'll be purchasing from them again! Check back tomorrow for the second day of the Week of Pink!

--Caroline

*Note: All opinions are my own, this is in no way a sponsored post.

Year In Review

My oh my 2014 went by fast!

So many things have grown this past year: this blog, my world view... it's been an amazing year and I can't wait for what 2015 has in store for me! I'm truly blessed to have such a wonderful life, shared with wonderful people who encourage me and inspire me every day. Today, I'm sharing some highlights from my blog from 2014, and I hope some of these posts inspired you in some way in 2014!

In 2014 I...

Shared some DIY recipes and projects with you...

Pancakes / Healthy Cookies / Nightstand / Fall Wreath

Created outfits inspired by the design world...

Casual Chic / Girly / Color Block

Took you on a fashion journey around the world...

All You Need is Love / Prague / Germany / Bahamas

Gave you a little OOTD inspiration...

Neon Tee / Rain / Mixed Prints / Lilac / Sparkles

Shared some of my interior design knowledge with you...

Animal Home Accents / Bedroom / Final Studio Project

And talked about makeup & hair...

Skincare / Bold Lips / Hair / Lipstick

These are just snippets from the past year. Thank you all for reading in 2014; I sure had fun writing and sharing my style with you all! This Styled Life has grown a lot this year, and I can't wait to see where 2015 will take me.

Happy New Years Eve! 

--Caroline

Recent Skincare Obsessions

I've been struggling with a lot of skin problems recently. Back in May, I decided to go off my prescription acne meds, hoping I didn't need them any more. Whelp, turns out I do. Very much so. But I set out determined to find something over the counter that would work. After trying a myriad of products, and using up the last of my prescriptions, I turned to an adult acne set, the MediBac Clearing Adult Acne Kit by Dermalogica. A clerk at Ulta recommended it, based on her friends' experience, so I was very excited to try it! I started using it back towards the beginning of October, and everything was off to a good start. It certainly brought a lot of stuff to the surface, and started to clear up what was already there. 

My thoughts on each product in the set? I absolutely love the Sebum Clearing Masque, but everything else was so so. When the end of November started approaching, I really considered if I wanted to continue using it. The system wasn't seeming to dry up what was remaining, leaving me with lots of acne remaining. So back to Ulta I went, this time to try a more natural approach with the Yes To Tomatoes line. (I use other Yes To products so I figured it was worth a try!). I put on the Repairing Acne Lotion that night, and when I woke up the next morning, the remaining acne had started to dry up! For over a week now I've been using the Roller Ball Spot Stick in the morning, the gel at night, and so far I'm much happier with the results! I'll keep y'all posted, but I think I finally have something that works!

Aside from the Dermalogica Masque and the Yes to Tomatoes products, I'm also loving a new CC cream I'm trying, Juice Beauty's Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream.  It's very natural feeling, and not heavy. Also, when I was home last week, I rediscovered the Tarte Maracuja Oil. I used to use it, see this post, but I stopped because it's a little expensive for being on a college student budget. But I had a bottle back home so I started using it again and I realized that I truly miss how soft, luminous, and lively it makes my skin-- a nice change from the dullness I've been experiencing recently in addition to the acne problems. Keeping that in mind, I might have to start using it again! Or maybe I can find something similar that's a little bit nicer to my wallet? Fingers crossed!

What are you favorite skincare products? Have you outgrown teen acne but grown into adult acne?

--Caroline

And the Winner is...

Even though having pink eye wasn't fun, I had been wanting to try some new mascaras. So when I went to Ulta to get new makeup I was excited to try out the travel size versions of a couple of Benefit Mascaras: A Little Bit BADgal Lash Mascara and They're Real! Beyond Mascara. 

To properly compare the two, I put one kind on each eye, and kept it that way all day to see how the mascaras held up. The results? Read on...

They're Real

This mascara went on like butter. Clump free upon application, the brush style perfectly separated each lash, extending them out and up. As the day went on, my lashes still seemed as perky as they were when I applied the mascara in the morning. Definitely my pick if you want long, lengthened lashes!

BADgal Lash

I could tell a difference between the two immediately (see pictures). This mascara seemed to give the allusion of more volume at the base, but did not have the same lift the other mascara had. By midday, I noticed my lashes on this eye weren't as perky, and by evening they had totally flopped. 

I'll be keeping both (I mean, I did pay for them!) but for everyday wear I'll make use of the BADgal, and on those days when I really want my eyes to stand out, I'll reach for They're Real. 

Do you ever compare two products side by side like this? What mascara do you use and love?

--Caroline

P.S. I know I said I'd be doing more Monday "Welcome Home" posts, and I promise I will! 

This is not a sponsored post, and the opinions here are totally my own. I have no affiliation with Ulta or Benefit, just simply a consumer wanting to share my experiences with you. 

Lipstick Lineup

I've mentioned a couple times here on the blog about me acquiring an unfortunate case of viral pink eye. It's led to weeks of not wearing eye makeup, for fear of spreading it and making it worse. I've got all new mascaras and eyeliners to try out once I'm in the clear (probably another two weeks--I want to be safe!), but in the mean time I've been testing out rocking a bold lip. This has of course led to recent lipstick purchases, because I have previously not been a lipstick person, and only lipgloss on occasion. It's been fun to try something new! Today, I'm sharing what lipsticks I've purchased, and what I think about them.

1. Maybelline Color Sensational in Blushing Beige I went out on a limb here and tried nude lipstick... Not sure how I feel about it for a day-to-day look, because this color matched almost my skin tone almost perfectly. A little too costume in my book, but I know many celebrities pull the nude lip look off like nobody's business. Not a fan of the wear, it definitely feels like an inexpensive lipstick. Shop it here.

2. Covergirl Queen Collection in Burgendelicious Love the name! I was drawn to the deep tone of this lipstick, something I was not familiar with at all. While I have to say it wasn't too vampire-like, I wasn't a fan of the wear. It took several coats to get it a nice dark, even color, and then I don't feel like it lasted as long as it could have. Check out the outfit I paired with it here, and shop it here.

3. Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Coral Crush Intrigued by the idea of a more orangey-lip, I picked up this baby off the shelf at Target. It's not too intense of an orange, so I feel like it's acceptable for day-to-day use. As far as texture goes... this balm is soooooo soft and makes your lips feel smooth. I kept rubbing them together, so not sure on the longevity of the color but it is a balm, not a lipstick, so that's to be expected. Shop it here.

4. Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe Lip Color in Parisian Pink This is a great go-to pink color! I love the slight coral tone (this looks better with my skin tone than a true baby pink), and the coverage was great--one coat and done. I felt like the quality was definitely here, and worth the slight increased price. Fairly long wear, smooth on the lips, and has an SPF of 16. Keeper! Shop it here. 

5. Loreal Paris Colour Riche in Ruby Flame A good red, a little more pink than I was hoping for but it is still a red. Good coverage, nice feel on the lips, and a great staple to have in your lipstick wardrobe. Barely left a mark on the wine glass I'm enjoying while writing this post! Shop it here.

Are you a lipstick wearer? What brands and colors do you prefer? 

Do you ever push yourself to try something new when it comes to fashion, hair, or makeup?

--Caroline

*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. The intent of this post is to share with my readers my opinions on recent purchases. *

Five Friday Favorites

It's been a long week, so I'm keeping today's post short & sweet! Here's what happened in my world this week...

1. Beauty haul time... I'm trying out some new products, and will hopefully be sharing what I think with y'all soon! Teaser: this blackhead clearing scrub is a borderline miracle!

2. I am loving my new brown pillows on my bed! They really add a nice deep color to offset the fun corals, greens, and blues. Yay for Home Goods!

3. My schedule this week has allowed me to hang out with my friends a lot this week, which makes me really happy. Last year was a rough year, and at times I was an absent friend, so this is long overdue.

4. Yet again, I put together an outfit to showcase this new Premier necklace!

5. Berlioz has finally started to settle into the new place--he has, two days in a row, eaten the full daily serving of food. I can tell he's starting to feel like this is home now, which is very good. Happy kitty means I can sleep at night!

Have a great Friday, everyone!

--Caroline

Star Spangled Nails

With the 4th of July around the corner, I've been seeing a lot of America-inspired nails on Pinterest and social media. 

Buzzfeed has a great little article showing 36 DIY Manicure Ideas, and this article has other great 4th of July Nail Art Ideas. 

Some of my favorites? See below!

Top Left / Top Right / Bottom Left / Bottom Right

Which one would you try?

--Caroline

Unrealistic "Beauty" Goals

I'd like to take a break from the fashion & fun part of my blog to talk about something a little more serious: the increasing role the media plays in women judging not only the bodies of others but the bodies of themselves. 

Graphic artist Barbara Kruger was a huge feminist artist of the 1970's and 80's. This is one of her most famous pieces, and one that always sticks out to me when talking about stuff like this. 

Read more about her here. 

This is, by any means, not a new phenomena. The media has been influencing our behaviors and thoughts since the moment it became into existence. I could go on and on about how it affected our perceptions of various immigrant groups to America (I learned all about that last semester in one of my classes!), how it affects our view of gender roles (think 1950's housewife in the kitchen), and many more. But today I will stick to just a couple new things affecting women today: thigh gaps and hand lifts.

THIGH GAPS

(Pinterest)

This is just an absurd and unrealistic fad! To those who aren't familiar with what a thigh gap is, it refers to having a space between your inner thighs near your crotch when you stand with your feet or knees touching. (Wikipedia page & source for my definition here). After becoming famous, it spread like fire on the internet, promoting workouts that would help women attain one, men speaking out about their attractiveness, even the phrase Thinspo, or "Thin-Inspiration". Several things are sad about the thigh gap craze. 1) That women are crazy enough to follow such a self-degrading trend, and 2) that they follow something that is so unattainable for many women. I'm no expert on the structure of the body, but I'm pretty sure that the ability for a thigh gap to occur has many factors involved. What about those with narrow hips? Their thighs are naturally going to be close together! What about athletes or gym junkies? They workout so much that their thighs are larger, and they probably won't have one! 

One day I was having a conversation with a girl and thigh gaps came up. I said something along the lines of that I think they are an unrealistic goal and that I didn't have one and I didn't care to have one, and the girl responded with, "But you're so skinny, you could totally get on really easily!" Yeah, maybe I could. But then again, I am one of those with narrow hips, and I used to be a dancer so my thighs are not huge but they aren't sticks either. Regardless, I have no desire for one! And you shouldn't either. 

My sister Kelly wrote a phenomenal post on her blog Where in the World Is KP Schwan about thigh gaps, and I highly suggest you read it here. She speaks from the heart, and if you like to travel she has tons of tips on her blog as well!

HAND LIFTS

(Pinterest)

When an article about this popped up on my facebook newsfeed, I clicked the link thinking, is this real?! Yes, sadly, it is. According to the article I first read (from Cosmopolitan Magazine) and the follow up article I read (from FOX 4- Ft. Myers) there appears to be trend among brides and brides-to-be that involves getting plastic surgery in your hand so that in engagement pictures or engagement announcement "selfies" their hands don't look old, or wrinkly. WOW. Really? It is known that hands are one of the first places to show age, and apparently that is more important to some women than the excitement of saying yes to your soulmate and the idea of being able to spend the rest of your life with them! Again I'm no expert on this subject (I'm not married or engaged) but I think that marriage is not about the material aspects but instead about the health of the strong bond between you and your partner. When I get engaged, I'm not going to be thinking about if my hands look old, or even if I have a fresh manicure... because I might not! After all I am a real person, not a Barbie doll. I will instead be overcome with joy and excitement; how it should be. 

There are plenty of other goals to work towards in life, other than achieving a thigh gap or getting a hand lift: following your passions, working hard at work for a promotion, eating healthy and working out to feel better, and spending more time with friends and loved ones. Phenomenons like this will only continue if us women continue to allow ourselves to obsess about them and try to achieve perfection. 

--Caroline

Linking Up With: Random Wednesdays with Because Shanna Said So

Bold Lips

I have never been a lip person.

Let me expand... I have never really been someone who wears lipstick, lip gloss, or lip stains. I pretty much just stick to lip balm. I frequently forget about my lips on important events or days as well. Oops! (I can't be alone though, right???) But I have flaunted a fun lipstick-lipgloss combo several times recently that I'd like to share (and yes, these pictures were taken before I chopped my hair off, I just never got around to posting them!). The couple times I've worn this combo, I have gotten a lot of compliments; so from that my question is maybe I shouldn't be skipping fun lip products as much as I do?

Ingredients for this look

--First Layer: Milani Lipstick in Violet 

--Second Layer: Pacifica Enlightened Gloss in Pink Coral 

I love this gloss because It's not too sticky or fake feeling! And its Vegan as well as being cruelty free. When you layer it over the bright purple lipstick, it tones it down just enough to be less "costumey" (why I originally bought it!) and more "bold for night". 

What do you think? Do you like to rock a bold lip?

--Caroline

Linking Up with the Three-fer Thursday, Lovely Thursdays & Fab Favorites Linkups

Five Fridays Favorites

Being sick really takes it out of you, and I've still got a lingering cough so I'll keep today's post simple and to the point. Here's what been going on in my life lately!

1. I treated myself to a spa day (with the help of an unused Christmas gift card from my sweet boyfriend!) which included a 1.5 hour long massage and getting my hair cut! As mentioned in this post, I was ready to do something different, and I am loving my new hair! It's so fun, so me, and so much easier to take care of! 

2. On Sunday, my first day of being really sick, I got a sweet & unexpected surprise from Kyle. He popped in on his way to his grandparents house, so that he could check in on his sick girlfriend and feed her some soup. :)

3. I pulled out my first item from "purgatory"! I went in my closet with an outfit in mind and was very confused when I couldn't find my white top with black polka dots. At first I was so confused, trying to think of if I maybe left it in Daytona the last time I was there or if I had a load in the washer, and then I remembered my purgatory! (Read this post if you are confused at what I'm talking about! lol)

4. This outfit was a cute & comfy success... check out my hair curled!

5. I spent some quality time with my bestie Caroline (we call ourselves C-Squared) which was long overdue! We saw Captain America 2... So good!

Have a great weekend, y'all! I hope you've got something fun going on! I've got a ton of homework to get done before Sunday, which is my sorority's sisterhood retreat to Seaside, FL. Beach dayyyyy!!!

--Caroline

Let's Talk About My Hair

My hair has been through a lot of transformations throughout my life. As a kid, I'd go from bangs to no-bangs, short to long, pretty much through elementary and middle school. In high school it stayed pretty consistent: medium-long length. And then I graduated from high school and this happened....

I cut it short just before high school graduation, then I got a wavy perm, which I then grew out. At SCAD, I decided to dye a chunk of hair blonde, which turned a very unfortunate light orange color after awhile. Then, when I was taking time off and working at a hair salon, it went short again, and then shorter and darker with bangs. I grew that out, dyed it myself, and then recently had the red done! PHEW! My poor hair lol!

And now I'm thinking it's time to get it cut again. I'm thinking short-medium length, just below the collar bone; possibly adding more red and even other tones! I think as I transition into summer, shorter hair might be more fun and easier to keep up. My long hair is getting maybe a little to long, and I find myself putting it up a lot. 

Do you switch up things with your hair? Or do you not like to stray too far from the same everyday style?

--Caroline

Mani Monday: Colorblocking

Happy Monday, rather, Happy Mani Monday!

I recently tried something new with my nails... Colorblocking with neutrals!

Using Essie "Rock The Boat" and O.P.I "Samoan Sand", I put the pale blue pop on my ring fingers, keeping the other nails neutral. What do you think? Cute, right?! Can you tell I want to be on vacation? All these neutrals and blues... See my post on the nautical trend, and my post featuring chambray sneakers and find out just how ready I am for spring break! Eeep! One more week until relaxation in Daytona with my handsome man!

--Caroline

Linking Up With: What I'm Loving Friday's