august beauty favorites.

1. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette // 2. Burberry Runway Blush and Highlighter // 3. Real Techniques Flat Contour Brush // 4. Rimmel Wonderlash Mascara // 5. Becca Ultimate Full Lash Perfecting Mascara // 6. Frank Body Balm // 7. Korres Lip Butter in 'Wild Rose'It's been a while since I did one of these, because to be honest I haven't had that much changeup in my beauty routine. But now that my work bestie is a beauty editor, the recommendations are flooding in and it's almost as if I started watching youtube beauty vids again but with personal tips, therefore more desire to try (and buy, ugh) things. Mascara has always been my favorite, so I tried out two over the last month and a half, and they're both awesome. The Becca mascara has a thick fiber brush, so it coats and volumizes, and the Rimmel separates and lengthens. Together they're the perfect pair, but they're awesome separately, too.The highlighter palette is amazeballs. The middle shade, Incandescent Light, is a great brow and inner eye highlight, and Radiant Light is the perfect highlight for my summer skin right now. The left shade, Dim Light, is a little bit too pink for my skin, but over blush it works.The contour brush is something I've been looking for a while now, and I love it — the hairs are very packed, but real soft. The blush looks scary, but it's actually pretty light, and took me forever to even get it to show on camera. The lip butter is the perfect amount of color for everyday, but because it's a butter it rubs off pretty easily — it's so beautiful though, it's worth the constant reapplying. And finally, the body balm is really just a good lotion, but it smells delicious and keeps skin smooth for a while.

january beauty favorites.

1. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara // 2. Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Eye Concentrate // 3. Philosophy Time in a Bottle for Eyes Daily Serum // 4. Dior Diorshow Mascara // 5. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask // 6. Duri Rejuvacote Nail Growth Top/Bottom Coat // 7. Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki // 8. Benefit High Brow Highlighter in 'Champagne Pink' // 9. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in 'Rose`'Because I never did a November or December favorites, I had a bunch this month (some of which I'm pretty sure might be repeats, but they made a reappearance this month, so I'll pretend that I didn't) that are either new favorites or have been since November.

Firstly, I have become quite the mascara sample hoarder over the last six months or so between Sephora gifts and ipsy bags, so the last few months in lashes has been incredible. This month I loved the Tarte mascara, and purchased the full size because it's really great for both top and bottom lashes. The Dior mascara is something that I don't think I would necessarily purchase because of its price tag, but the sample has done wonders for volumizing my lashes. With my lashes looking good, I've been keeping the rest of the eye area simple except for a bit of the Benefit highlighter under the brow bone and in the inner corner of my eye for some brightening.

While on the subject of the eye area, I've been using two sample eye cream/serums, the Philosophy Time in a Bottle during the day because it's really light, and the Fresh Age Delay overnight because it's a lot thicker. My under-eye area is definitely much smoother, and I've noticed that my makeup seems to go on smoother as well, which is a plus. As for the aging benefits, I'll get back to you in twenty years. Hold.I am not sure if I've talked about the Sigma F80 brush, but man, I remembered I had it now that my skin needs a little more help in the morning (#winterstruggles), which means a little bit more concealer to apply. This brush spreads makeup like room temperature butter on a slice of toast. It's super soft, doesn't eat your makeup, and is generally a delight to use.

I know that I've talked about the agave mask from Bite Beauty, but now that winter has rolled around again, I've been using it on my lips almost every night. I always wake up with smooth, hydrated lips, and can't stress enough how delicious it tastes (like vanilla). Also for the lips, I've been keeping my chapped lips at bay during the day with the Fresh Sugar lippy. I have the original one, but the rose` one adds a tiny bit of sheer color, which is fancy.

The Duri top coat could possibly have been mentioned before as well (it's been a while, oops), but I wanted to throw it in here because I am the laziest person in the world and haven't been making any effort at all to keep my nails done. I throw some of this on them, and it dries really quick and keeps me from biting my fingernails. It is a growth and strengthening formula as well.
*some links affiliate.

a beautiful mess happy mail!

Two of my favorite bloggers, Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess, finally have a shop opened, and it's full of amazing products for crafters. I happened to meet them right after the release, and they were so excited about it, so that night I ordered a few things to test out.I got the white alpha stickers because I knew that they would be awesome for project life, and the capitals are perfection. The two ink pads were something I was on the fence about because I love my staz-on inks, especially the jet black, but I really love the quality of these. I got the hot pink because I thought it was funky, and the cement because I figured it would be a nice alternative to black from time to time. I also got two messy pens (fine and medium tips) because I can't get enough of writing utensils, and because Elsie has the most amazing handwriting and has talked about the pens she uses before, so I figured these would be amazing no matter what. I love the pens, and in fact, one of them had exploded in the mail, and they sent me a new one right over as soon as I contacted them, so yay for awesome customer service! I love buying products from other bloggers because I know that they are going to hold the quality of their products to super high standards, and of course these girls are no exception.

october beauty faves.

1. Buxom Full and Fabulous Mascara // 2. NARS Creamy Concealer // 3. Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacing Eye Serum // 4. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara // 5. BITE Beauty VIB Rouge Luminous Créme LipstickBumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer // First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay // Tend Skin Liquid Skin

My usual makeup look - concealer, bronzer, and mascara - definitely upped its game this month. I got two sample mascaras from Sephora that are both awesome. The Buxom mascara has a plastic wand and really separates and elongates the lashes. The Urban Decay wand is thick and helps to really volumize the lashes. Both are awesome alone, but together they make a bomb combination.The NARS concealer is something I've been meaning to try for a really long time, and I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon sooner. It's just an all around amazing formula and does exactly what you need your concealer to do: hide the fact that you haven't slept in days and not crease so you look cakey and disgusting. The lipstick is a sample I got for becoming a VIB Rouge member at Sephora (aka I spend way too much money in there and now there's a label for it), and it's so nice. It's definitely a lip liner red because it doesn't stay put the way you need it to when a color is that bold, but it is so beautiful. I got the Peter Thomas Roth eye serum at an event (where I met him and he touched my face!), and it's the coolest stuff ever. It comes out as a red gel (see below), and it soaks into your skin like a dream. I had never used a product specifically for my eyes before, but I feel like the area is softer and a little bit brighter since I started slathering this stuff all over my eyes every night.I'm obsessed with the B&B primer oil, and it's the first thing since this stuff that has really detangled my hair, made it feel soft and smell good, and even though it's kind of impossible to tell if UV protection is working when your hair is already in bad shape, I like to think it's working. The face wash was another "should I hop on the bandwagon" purchase, but again, past me, what were you thinking?! It's such a nice gel wash that makes your face feel clean and also removes makeup. I usually like to remove my makeup with an oil first, and then use a cleanser, but I'm sure that this stuff would do the job in one step if necessary. The tend skin helps in preventing and treating ingrown hairs and razor burn, which I feel like most girls I know have issues with, so I'll just keep it brief here and say that it works wonders.

ash boots.

If you can love a pair of boots as your own children, these are those boots for me.I mentioned these boots as an item I was coveting because of Anna, who wears them alllllll the time in her vlogs oh so effortlessly, and I just couldn't hold out treating myself any longer. (I know, my money management skills should be assessed by someone). I never spend this much money on myself, but watching Anna make these boots work with every single outfit made me feel confident that I could do the same. Also, I've been wearing the crap out of my olive green Target booties from last fall (similar), so I know having another pair in a more neutral color will be great.The pointed toe and the cut of these boots is what makes them so irresistable to me. The cut in the middle of the top elongates your leg and thins out your ankles, which also shows a bit of skin and breaks up the line between your pants and the shoes really nicely. I did have to size up because there aren't zippers on the sides to help you in, but they still fit really comfortably and I have enough room to wear thicker socks when it's cold out. If you're looking for a similar bootie at a lower cost, try the target ones linked above, or these.

august beauty faves.

1. Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette // 2. The Body Shop Grapefruit Scrub // 3. Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo // 4. The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Solid Oil Lips // 5. The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in 04 Deep Matte // 6. The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick in 140 Make My Heart Gleam // 7. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation  // 8. Dr. Bronner's Organic Almond Castile Liquid SoapThe favorites from this month are a combination due to my splurge at The Body Shop as well my hair and my makeup brushes needing a nice deep clean every once in a while. I spoke about the Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette already, but to be brief, it's still the bomb dot com. I got a free sample of the Ole Henriksen face cream when I bought the palette, and I have actually been loving it. It's really thick, so not sure if I would recommend it for oily skin types, but I have dry skin and my face has loved it up real hard this month. A repurchase of the full size may accidentally happen. I've been washing my hair once a week with the Sunday Shampoo instead of my regular shampoo, and man does it leave my hair clean. I don't know what kind of magic is in that bottle, but after using it my hair is soft, silky, and just clean. Suuuuuper clean. The Dr. Bronner's soap has had similar effect, but on my makeup brushes. I have heard that the peppermint and lavender scents are more popular, but I went for the almond because I go nuts for nutty scents. My brushes feel so fresh & clean and my face is happy about that. I paid a little visit to The Body Shop early in the month, and while I only went in to pick up another grapefruit scrub, you know how it is. That being said, it's possible that the grapefruit scrub has been in a post before, but I cannot stress enough how great it is. It's exfoliating, it smells like heaven, and the tubs of it honestly last forever. I have been wanting to try the honey bronzer for a while, so I picked one up in 04 Deep Matte (it's not very deep at all if you ask me, my medium toned skin with a bit of a tan is actually a perfect candidate for the shade. I think once my tan is faded it will still be great, as long as I seriously tap the excess). I saw the wild argan oil range right up front when I walked in, and immediately gravitated to the solid lip oil. I love a good lip balm, and this is perfect for day to day, or if applied a little thicker, it's a great overnight balm. If you think that the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask is too thick, or you like it but don't use it all the time (like me) because it's a little too much for every night, then definitely try this solid oil. Lastly, I picked up the Colour Crush Lipstick because in store the swatch on my hand looked great, but to be honest, after taking the photos for this post (organized blogger fail) I wore it a few more times and decided that the color is a little bit too shimmery for me, and because it's a very sheer lipstick, eventually all that's left of it are the little shimmers, and I hate that. I like the formula though, so I think next time I'll give the a matte one a try.

SHOP MY FAVORITES*

*links are affiliate.

youtube roundup | my favorites.

*insert photo that has pretty much nothing to do with what I'm going to talk about because sometimes blogging doesn't work out and the photos you wanted to use are super dark and you're really annoyed at yourself for not knowing how to edit better to fix them. :)

For the past year or so, YouTube has been a part of my daily life. I can't even remember how I started getting into it or how I found out about half of the people I subscribe to, but like following a television schedule, I watch YouTube. Don't get me wrong, like every other 20something of this generation I consume media like it's my job, which includes binging on netflix, dvr-ing my favorite shows, reading through my bloglovin', skimming through the cosmo that comes to my house every month (that I never paid for but it has my name, so haayyy), and countless others. But YouTube is so different than any of those other various forms of media in that it's a real person just talking to their camera and hoping that someone, somewhere is watching and loving it. I feel like I know so much about some of these people that I forget we're not actually friends. For example, talking to my actual friends about some type of make-up product that I am using now, "oh yeah, my friend Anna - I mean. This girl Anna. On YouTube. Yeah, anyways, she uses it sooo..." Insert awkward pause and mumbling to try and save myself from looking like a complete fool to no avail. Whether you're into YouTube, didn't know it was home to anything other than funny cat videos, or somewhere in between, here are some of my favorite people/channels on YouTube for you to check out if you're looking for new media obsessions, or even if it's just with your morning coffee for ten minutes.

Anna of ViviannaDoesMakeup // Anna is one of the main people I feel like I could be friends with in real life. She reminds me of myself and her humor that she usually put disclaimers on as not very funny, I find hilarious. The way her relationship with her boyfriend is reminds me of how I am in relationships, and generally just everything about her is delightful and makes me want to be her friend in real life. Her YouTube channel is mainly beauty, but she also does weekly vlogs, which are my favorite. Follow her on twitter, instagram, and read her blog.

Zoe of Zoella // Zoe is another person I feel like I am friends with and then have to snap myself out of it. With over 5 million subscribers, and as one of YouTube's largest channels, she manages to stay humble and fun. Frankly she's just adorable, and whether she's doing a hair video, a favorites video, vlogs of her daily life, or just sitting down to talk about something that's important to her, I can watch it all. Follow her on twitter, instagram, and read her blog.

Tyler Oakley // Tyler is another YouTube sensation who is quickly gaining tons of fame. He recently gave and received awards at the Teen Choice awards, has done other things for MTV and their red carpet for events, took part in One Direction's 1D Day, and is constantly in those teen magazines you see in the aisle of Target and are tempted to get because Harry Styles is on the cover (no, just me? Can't be). He's all over the place and I'm sure he'll soon be a household name. He's hilarious, vulgar, and innovative. Follow him on twitter, instagram, and tumblr.

Estée of EssieButton // Estée just makes me laugh out loud, or LOL if you will. Everything that comes out of her mouth, her delivery, and her countless hand gestures just kill me. She's a Canadian living in London with her boyfriend and adorable greyhound, Reggie, and not only does she do beauty videos, but she does DIY and cooking sometimes, and her, Aslan, and Reggie do daily vlogs here and there. She's an absolute riot, and even if you don't like beauty things, you'll love her just for how silly she is. Follow her on twitter, instagram, and read her blog.

Alfie of PointlessBlog // Though I've been watching him since before he started dating Zoe, now that they date I've taken even more of an interest in him, particularly in his recent addition of daily vlogs to his second channel. Zoe and other YouTubers that I like appear in them often, which makes them fun to watch. He also has a gaming channel, and when him and Zoe play the sims, or him and Chai play super mario on the wii, I'm all over it. Follow him on twitter, instagram, and watch his daily vlogs.

Louise of SprinkleOfGlitter // Louise is Zoe's best friend, and her channel is kind of what I would imagine my channel to be like if I had one. Sometimes she does beauty things, sometimes hauls, clothing lookbooks, general life chats, etc. She has a very sweet husband, Matt, and an adorable baby girl who is about three, named Darcy (who is her absolute mini me!) She's absolutely hilarious and so easy to watch for hours. Follow her on twitter, instagram, and read her blog.

Jack Howard // Jack is one of the most recent channels that I have started watching, and that started because him and Louise became best friends and started appearing in each other's vlogs and other videos together. He's a total sweetheart, and very good at creating videos not only because he's hilarious, but also very talented with all of the editing and things. He edited a few of Louise's videos for her, and you can just tell that he's got so much talent. And he's pretty good looking too, if I do say so myself. Hay, Jack. Follow him on twitter and tumblr.

Amelia Liana // Amelia is someone I found through Essie, and she's another beauty YouTuber. She's beautiful, funny, and is the type of person that makes you want to spend all of your money on the things that she recommends because she's so influential. Her hashtag, #feelingspendy, sums that up in a perfect way. Follow her on twitter, instagram, and read her blog.

Grace of ItsGrace // Grace. Grace, Grace, Grace. There's seriously so much to say about her that there's almost nothing to say. She's literally one of the funniest people that I don't know. She makes videos that have shockingly little actual content, but they still manage to have me rolling around laughing. Her and her two best friends, Hannah and Mamrie, do a stand-up show together that I wish was coming to NYC, and they also made a movie, Camp Takota, which reminded me so much of my camp experience. If you want to laugh a ton, follow her on twitter, instagram, and tumblr.

Jaclyn Hill // Jaclyn Hill is a professional makeup artist who knows literally everything there is to know about makeup. She's another person who makes me feel like I am Donald Trump when I go into a Sephora. She's a bad influence, but I know that everything she recommends is going to be amazing, and she's super into skincare, which has definitely helped with my skincare regime and blessed me with better skin. She's very funny, and always does bloopers of classic Jaclyn at the end of her videos, which I live for. Follow her on twitter, instagram, and read her blog.

Phew. Okay. Go check them out. YouTube is the next big thing people, I'm telling you. I mean, it already kind of is, but I'm still always surprised when people tell me they don't watch YouTube or didn't know that there are people who make a living from it. I think it's great, and I want to do whatever I can to support the people that I watch, because they are all incredibly awesome.

july beauty faves.

1. Essie 'Sew Psyched' Nail Polish // 2. The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum // 3. Barry M Nail Paint in Black // 4. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief // 5. Blossom Lychee Hydrating Lip Gloss // 6. The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum // 7. The Body Shop Hemp Lip Protector

Because I was in Europe for most of July, I didn't really spend a lot of time testing out new beauty things, so pretty much all of these products were either samples I got and took with me, or from a little Body Shop splurge before I left. The grapeseed oil has done absolute wonders for my hair. It makes it soft and silky after I blow dry it, and I feel like it seals in my (very) dead ends really solidly. The aloe serum has been great for when I don't want to use an oil based serum on my face. It feels more like a moisturizer than a serum, but it's so light that your moisturizer you top it off with doesn't feel heavy or thick. And the hemp lip protector combined with Bite Beaty's Agave Lip Mask (talked about here) kept my lips in check on the plane and through my travels. I also used the Blossom clear lip gloss on the trip because my friend Jenna had one, and I became quickly obsessed with how simple the product is. It moisturizes your lips, but makes them look glossy and beautiful for when you want that little bit of extra oomph. I bought one immediately upon returning regardless of the bad place my bank account and I are in right now. The Clinique mask was something I got from Sephora as a sample before I left, and I would love to purchase the full size. I used the sample on the plane because planes always dry my skin out, and this mask was like a cool drink of water for my skin. I was having some womanly breakouts at the time as well, and rather than get worse on the plane, this mask in combination with my Josie Maran argan oil light (talked about here) calmed that all down and made my skin baby smooth. Though I'm not a huge nail painter anymore because I can never seem to find the time, I am literally obsessed with this Essie color that I got in gel version at the nail salon. I've never gotten so many compliments on my nails when they were a simple solid color, but this color is just awesome + one of my favorites these days. The Barry M black polish is something that I don't think is sold anywhere in the US, but I got it in London a while back and am so in love with this company's formula. Even though it's summer, I wear black on my toes a lot and have been loving this one. If you can get your hands on Barry M polish, DO IT.

*some of the above links are affiliate. see sidebar under "fine print" for more details.

june beauty faves.

1. Tarte Clean Slate Poreless Primer // 2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in "Easy Baked" // 3. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush // 4. Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara // 5. Duri Rejuvacote Base and Top Coat // 6. The Body Shop Almond Body Butter // 7. Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black // 8. Elizabeth and James Nirvana WhiteThis month I became a Sephora VIB because I spend entirely too much money in there. But shame aside, the membership comes with a bunch of coupons that I obviously felt the need to use as soon as I got them. I ordered items number 1-3 from above, and got the two perfume rollerball samples as point rewards from the purchase. Both the black and white perfume smell amazing, but I think the black one is a little more me. Though now that I've committed it to writing, I'm not sure I can decide which one I would repurchase once the sample is finished.The eyeshadow was definitely a splurge because palettes really are the way to go, but Urban Decay really has their eyeshadow formula nailed, so I decided to pick one up in a color that I know I'll get tons of use out of. The blush is amazing as well, and comes in so many amazing colors. I picked it up because Essiebutton raves about Tarte all the time and I needed a pinky blush for my collection. I decided to go on her recommendation of Tarte and try their primer as well because my pores on my cheeks are nuts. My friend is an esthetician and even she can't figure out why I have so many #girlproblems. I love the primer even though I'm normally not the type to use one, but in these hot months it is definitely keeping my makeup on longer, so winning.I've been into shaping my eyebrows lately, so the clear mascara is amazing for that when I don't necessarily want to fill them in as well. It just keeps them in place and it's colorless, so it can be used on top whether you fill them in first or not. The body butter is really just ridiculously awesome, and The Body Shop has a half off sale on all of their body butters right now, so I highly suggest trying one out if your skin is dry or you just love slathering yourself in delicious smelling lotion all year 'round. And last but not least, that base coat and top coat is almost the only thing I've been wearing on my nails for the entire month because I've been into naked nails. I swear this stuff has made my nails stronger, makes polish (if I put it on) stay on longer, and it adds great shine. Rant over.

warby parker sunnies.

In December I ordered a pair of glasses with my prescription from Warby Parker, because not only did I fall in love with a bunch of their frames, they have an at home program for you to give five frames of your choice a test drive for free, and they donate a pair of glasses to a person in need every time you order a pair (like Toms, but for glasses).I did the at home try-on program back in December, and even though I ended up with the pair of glasses that I knew I would love, I'm glad that I was able to give them a test run free of charge. I decided a couple of weeks ago that since it's always sunny now and I usually wear my glasses to drive, it would make sense to have a pair of sunnies with my prescription. I picked out five different frames in the colors I thought would look nice, and I had them sent to my house (again, fo free!*) These are the five I chose:1// Madison in whiskey tortoise2// Reilly in marzipan tortoise3// Raglan in revolver black4// Everett in gimlet tortoise5// Lowry in whiskey tortoise

Totally leaning towards the Madisons, but another at home try on may be an option because I didn't feel completely sold this time around.

*This is not a sponsored post, I just think WP is awesome and love their mission.

april beauty favorites.

1. sigma E35 tapered blending brush // 2. lush karma kream body lotion // 3. nyx parisian chic eyeshadow palette // 4. bareminerals marvelous moxie lipstick in get ready // 5. body shop almond hand & nail cream // 6. c.o. bigelow lemon lip cream // 7. lush bubblegum lip scrub // 8. revlon lash potion mascara // 9. bite beauty agave lip masque // 10. macadamia natural oil deep repair hair masque.

This month I had a lot of favorite things in the beauty department. First off, I got an amazing blending brush for eyeshadow, which has made application a dream along with my newest eyeshadow palette, which feels like it was made for my tastes. I have been slathering my body with a new lotion every chance I get because it smells like heaven and hydrates like a champ, and I've found a hand and nail lotion counterpart to do the same. I've been exfoliating my lips every few nights and then applying a lip masque while I sleep so that in the morning my lips are baby smooth and so moisturized, which has made for perfect application of my current favorite lip cream and lipstick. I found a new mascara after years of loving the same one (covergirl lash blast fusion), and I'm so obsessed with it. It lengthens, separates, and volumizes all in one and I don't get clumps or chunks. Finally, I've given up on regular conditioner all together and have switched to a deep repair masque for my thin + brittle hair seeing as I only wash it twice a week anyway. All in all, a great month for beauty.

a love letter to my leggings.

Dear leggings of my past, present, and future,

We've been together for a long time, and we've sure been through a lot. We've seen a lot of good men lost to holes in the crotch seam, and we've seen some newcomers steal the spotlight of the pairs before them (that's directed at you, leather leggings. Nobody likes a showoff). But no matter who comes and goes, I want you to know the intense passion I feel for each and every one of you and your luxurious elastic waistbands, and even long after you're gone I will still reminisce of the great times we had together.

To start, you know how to make me look thin on days when I feel four thousand pounds. I can pack on the layers up top, but no matter what, you silhouette my legs like a champ and keep them looking firm and lean. You keep everything tucked in where I want it tucked, and you flaunt my skinny ankles when I pair you with sneakers or moccs. Let's not even get into how thin my legs look with a tall, roomy boot thrown into the mix. But more than that, you provide me with hours and hours of long lasting comfort. You hold me in and swaddle me like a newborn baby.

On nights when we order in, you are the first pair of pants that I reach for. There's no enjoyment in a belly full of chinese food if your jeans are making an imprint on your stomach that you're going to frown at later. You leggings keep me comfortably fat on junk food night and most importantly, you never judge. You stretch with me as far as I need you to and you never ever tell me I look chubby. I adore you more than you could ever know for that.

When my friends want to go out and dance in the winter, you are the ones I turn to to keep my legs warm but my outfit lookin' cute. This is where you come in, printed leggings and leather leggings - you guys are sassy and you know it, and you stick by me even when I spend hours on the dance floor. What can I say, sometimes I can't quit - and neither do you guys. So thank you for the dances we've had, and the ones I know we will share in the future.

I am not even going to get into the way that I feel about you, yes, you, the classic black legging. The only pair of pants that I can wear seven days in a row (remember, judgement free zone here) without anyone really noticing. Sure, there may be the odd thought here or there from someone who I see every day, but really, I alternate the same three pairs and it just works for all of us. Hey, nobody ever gets crap for wearing the same pair of jeans everyday, do they? No.

You are all collectively the best pair of pants that I have ever owned and loved, and before anything else is said, I don't care what side of the argument anyone else is on - we all know that leggings are pants. You have to know how to work it, and some people just don't. Don't let their envy get you down. In this house, leggings are pants, and they are the best pants besides no pants.

I have enjoyed you all immensely since leggings came back into popular fashion in 2007 (and obviously back in the day when I was a lanky youngin' who couldn't find jeans long enough on the bottom but small enough on top), and I will continue to enjoy you for the rest of my life. And not only on junk food nights and at dance parties, but when my belly starts to grow with a little one and my jeans aren't even an option, and when I'm in full-on mom mode and jeans take way too long to pull up. I know you'll be there for me forever, and I will love you and adore you until the end of time. It's a love affair for the ages, they'll write novels about us.

Yours now + forevermore,
Alessia xo

these are a few of my favorite things.

I started to compile another list of facts about me to share more about myself, and what resulted were a lot of "my favorite ____ is" type of facts, so I figured I would use favorites as the theme here and try to come up with some non favorite facts for another post once I've thought of more things about myself. I actually have a lot of fun doing these types of posts because I also really like reading these types of posts from other bloggers so that I can get to know random things about them. So here we go!

Favorite phrase: "get it, girl."

Favorite thing to do when I’m nervous: listen to music.
Favorite thing to do when I'm sad: snuggle up with my puppy.

Favorite reason for laughter: Max's jokes, behaviors, and quirks.

Favorite children’s book: Where the Wild Things Are

Favorite smell: spring air.

Favorite place I've travelled to: Paris.

Favorite author: John Green maybe, but that's a toughie.

Favorite thing to do on Sunday mornings: sip coffee + read blogs.

Favorite type of weather: sunny and 60's, not a cloud in the sky.

Favorite soda: dr. pepper.

Favorite season: fall.

Favorite class in college: I took a media class for my education program, which was pretty awesome.

Favorite holiday: christmas.

Favorite cereal: kix or life.
Favorite month: October.
Favorite YouTuber: zoella + jaclynhill.

Favorite car you’ve owned: I've only owned one since I started driving in 2007 and he's a 2002 black ford escape named Jeffrey.

Favorite song: Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Favorite positive affirmation: "you have the same number of hours in a day as Beyonce" (see also: favorite phrase).

Favorite hairdo: down, long, and loosely curled.

Favorite book: too many, but the Night Circus, The Fault in Our Stars, The Pact, Catching Fire.

Favorite vice: coffee.
Favorite musician: Ed Sheeran, Bastille, The Fray, The Script, One Direction.

Favorite country I've been to: Probably Israel because it is so beautiful and full of history.

Favorite state of mind: when I'm inspired and motivated.

Favorite novel character: either Nick from The Tea Rose, Peeta from The Hunger Games, Gus from The Fault in Our Stars, or Will from Me Before You. I have so many more, but I could write a full post about the books and characters I love so I'll spare you.

Favorite animated movie or show: the Fox and the Hound was my favorite movie as a kid and I still love it, but I am lovin' on Frozen too.

Favorite breakfast food: over easy eggs with bacon.

Favorite beverage: coffee or iced tea lemonade.

Favorite tropical fruit: mango.

Favorite TV series: Friends, HIMYM, One Tree Hill, LOST + Grey's Anatomy.

Favorite animal: elephants.
Favorite quote: "where you invest your love, you invest your life." (Mumford and Sons, awake my soul).

Favorite utensil: pencil.
Favorite meal of the day: brunch.
Favorite food: french fries.

Favorite vegetable: artichokes.

Favorite album: + by Ed Sheeran.

Favorite board game: apples to apples (is that a board game? I guess not).

Favorite cheese: all of them except american, but brie if I had to pick.

Favorite entertainment type: concerts.
Favorite number: 8.
Favorite year of your life: so far, 21.

Favorite sound: Michael Emerson's voice.

Favorite sleeping position: on my side with one leg pulled up to my chest.

Favorite article of clothing: a good denim button down.

Favorite sports team: NY Yankees.

Favorite time of the year: the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas where everyone is in good spirits and feeling generous.

Favorite city: a toss up between Paris and anywhere in California.

Favorite romantic moment: walking up to flowers waiting at my front door after a long day at work.

Favorite form of exercise: hot yoga.

Favorite stress reliever: running.

Favorite person to tell good news to: R, my mom, and my best friends.

Favorite color: neutrals + purple.

Favorite life accomplishment: honestly, this blog.

Favorite “aha” moment: every time I figure out a new thing about HTML and web design on my own.

Favorite superhero: spiderman.

Favorite crush: Leonardo DiCaprio has been my crush since 1997 until forever.

Favorite material possession: my DSLR camera.

Favorite day of the week: Friday.

Favorite electronic: my iphone.

Favorite way to travel: in the car or on a bus with tables and wifi.

Favorite compliment: when people tell me I have nice eyes, because I like my eyes.

Favorite family member: this seems unfair, but my Aunt Dolores because we're so similar and just get each other. Love to the rest of my family if you're reading this, you're all gems!
Favorite place to do work: my desk or my dining room table because it gets more sun.

Favorite thing to spend money on: makeup + clothes for me, & quirky, just because gifts for other people.

Favorite memory: pretty much any camp memory from my childhood.

Favorite movie: Titanic, Mrs. Doubtfire, Mean Girls, Pretty Woman.

Favorite dessert: peanut butter cookies or soft baked sugar cookies.

Favorite perfume: J'adore Dior.

Favorite actor: Leo, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Christopher Walken.
Favorite actress: Jennifer Lawrence, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Aniston.
Favorite time of day: 4:16.

*this list was compiled using questions from here and here, with a couple of my own peppered in.

shutter remotes for the win.

I recently went into my local camera shop to see what kind of infrared remotes they have for my camera (Canon Rebel T3), which does not have infrared capabilities that allow a shutter remote to connect to it. They showed me an awesome one with an attachment to the external flash slot that plugs into the side of the camera, with a remote that then works with the reciever to activate the shutter. I was ready for them to bag it for me when I remembered to ask for the price, and was shocked to hear that it was "ninety nine mam". Um, no.So, like all expensive things that I know I can get somewhere else, I visited amazon and stumbled on this infrared receiver and remote by JR. Though the product was rated 4.5 stars overall, I read through the reviews and saw some really horrible one stars. I made an executive decision despite those reviews to trust the good reviews and the price and just go with it. It arrived two days later and I could not be happier with how well it performs and how simple it is to take on + off and use. So while it's annoying that I can't just use a remote without the hassle of a receiver, this is the best possible solution.Then, for my birthday, I asked for an iphone shutter remote, because while I love my DSLR, my iphone is always with me and probably takes about 80% of all of my daily photos (working on decreasing that number significantly, but in the meantime...). I saw this shutter remote by Muku on amazon, and when I googled it to see if anyone had any reviews up (because I feel like this is a fairly new concept with not a lot of competition yet) I saw that Elsie of ABM actually owns it and wrote a post about how much she loves it. So if I wasn't sold before, I definitely was after that.This remote, like the receiver + remote combo for my canon, makes life so much easier, and makes taking photos so much fun because there are more opportunities to get creative. The iphone one is so tiny and great for parties and hang outs where everyone wants to be in the same picture, or for when Max doesn't want to be photographed (which is sneaky, but that's almost all the time now so I have to work around him somehow!) The canon remote has been useful for a number of blog photographs and to take higher quality portraits. To see my remotes in action, check out the photos in this post (canon) and this post (iphone).

card obsession.

1. hello gorgeous by rifle paper co. // 2. awkward love card by emilymcdowelldraws. // 3. PB&J anniversary card by happydappybits. // 4. every day is the best day card by paper generation. // 5. birthday candles card by rifle paper co. // 6. perfect pair card by paper source. // 7. I'd be lost without you card by anthropologie. // 8. naughty anniversary card by rowhouse14.

I love sending cards and handwritten notes to friends and family, especially to R because he lives so far away and sometimes it's just nice to say I miss you with a note rather than over text. I feel like the art of the handwritten note has been compromised due to technology, but I'm determined to keep it a part of my life, and these retailers and etsy shop owners are on the same page. For my 25 things adventure, one of the challenges that I set myself is to write a handwritten note to a friend at least once a month. And to me, that doesn't really count as birthday cards (unless it's someone you normally don't send a card to) because you usually are reminded to send one anyway. This is more of a "just because" attitude that I'm trying to engrain in my mail sending habits. Some of the cards above are ones that I would consider buying and sending (along with literally everything else on all of the websites because they're so freakin' cute. I already bought number seven!) and intend to in order to complete my small goal for this year of my life. If I had to choose a favorite of all the above locations, I would have to say rifle paper co. gets my vote simply because they have what I think to be the most variety in terms of the styles that I already know I love. I bought this card and this card last summer and framed them in small white frames because they were just too nice not to showcase! There really is nothing like happy snail mail to make someone's day, and that's what I intend to do more this year.

baths&candles&wine&paperbacks.

Lately I have been all about the baths. If I'm not in one every other night, it's at least a definite Sunday night ritual and once during the week. I grab a glass of wine and the book I'm reading, light some candles, drop a bath bomb into the hot water, and put my bath caddy over the tub.The bath caddy I received as a gift is amazing - it came with a wine glass holder attachment, a candlestick holder attachment, a book shelf attachment, and the base has two small rectangular compartments for soaps and such, as well as one huge one. I took a few baths when I first got it using all of the attachments, but I've ended up completely removing everything off of the base, using a compartment for a stemless wine glass, placing a huge, 3 wick candle on the corner of the bath ledge by my feet, and using the caddy itself to lean my book or ipad against (since I have to keep my hands dry anyway, I can just prop it up myself without the book attachment). The caddy definitely doesn't have to be fancy for this reason, but they are definitely worth the investment if you take baths all the time and like to either read or watch something while in the tub. For Valentine's Day my mom got me a bath pillow, which I've only tried once and am not sure how much I recommend it yet, but I'll list it below anyway.accessories // my bath caddy | alternate stainless steel caddy | bamboo caddy | bath pillow
bath bombs // butterball | avobath
candles // lemon mint leaf | eucalyptus spearmint | market peach
wine favorites (for those of age, or course) // line 39 sauvignon blanc | pumphouse white | apothic red (glass was a gift; get one here).
latest bath time reads // this is where I leave you | bossypants | where'd you go bernadette

fitness apps I love.

weight watchers // fooducate // nike + running // myfitnesspal. All apps are free in the app store, but the WW app does require a subscription to the program in order to access the pointplus tracker.

Since last summer I have started to get a little more serious with the foods I put into my body and about exercise. I don't spend hours in the gym every morning (I wish I had tons of free hours!) and I'm not on a lettuce diet, but I do feel that with the help of these apps and programs I have become so much more food conscious to a healthy, non obsessive degree, and the exercise that I do is tracked well, all of which motivates me.

1// I joined weight watchers in October and have lost about 13 pounds since I started. I attribute most of the weight I've lost to weight watchers, and while I don't think I'll keep paying for it much longer, I have a great idea of the "pointsplus" system in comparison to calories and carbs and things like that. I will definitely keep all that weight watchers has taught me in mind moving forward and would consider revisiting it in the future if I felt I needed to.

2// the reason I don't think I'll keep WW for too much longer has a lot to do with not wanting to pay for it when there are plenty of free apps out there that can do a world of good if you know how to use them. Fooducate is an app that "grades" foods based on ingredients (especially sugar), serving sizes, and a few other factors. You can use the scanner as you do your weekly grocery shop and if something isn't graded to your liking (I like to consume things that are a B- and up if possible), you can click on the alternatives for that product and find something similar that has better ingredients. As a bonus, pretty much every food comes up with a point value that matches up to weight watchers points.

3// I've talked about nike + running before, here and here, and I'm happy to say I'm still obsessed with it, but I miss it. I haven't been able to run outside in a while and I'm really getting the itch to do so. Unfortunately I have found that the nike + running app doesn't work when you're on a treadmill because it can't rely on the gps and doesn't really sense enough movement because you're essentially running in place. I'm excited to get using this app again soon, but in the mean time I have been estimating calories burned using another app.

4// I have had the myfitnesspal app for about two years, and at a few different points I was using it daily (much like I'm doing with WW now) to track what food I was eating and calorie intake. I know it's not all about the calorie intake, which is how fooducate comes into play again, to make sure that certain low calorie foods are still good for me. I also use myfitnesspal to track workout calories. It's not completely accurate because it doesn't know how hard I'm actually working, but it is a good ballpark estimate to keep myself on track and make sure I'm working as hard as I can during a workout.

I am considering a fitbit flex band or another type of exercise watch to really track my activity, but for now these four apps combined are helping me stay on track with food and exercise as well as teaching me valuable information.

*this is not a sponsored post, I just love these apps and recommend all of them.