empties #5

Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser // I got a Clarisonic Mia for Christmas that I love. This is the cleanser that came with it. My skin felt clean after using it, but it was pretty drying and not cruelty free, so I won't be getting it again.

ban Shower Fresh deodorant // This worked pretty well when I first got it a while back with a coupon. Towards the end of the tube it stopped working as well. I don't know if it was my skin that adapted or the product, but either way ban isn't cruelty free, so I won't be repurchasing.

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Restoring Conditioner // This was another freebie from couponing. This conditioner works great, but L'Oreal isn't cruelty free, sadly.

Pacifica Glow Baby Youthful Face Scrub // cruelty free and vegan // I got this in a little trial four pack of Pacifica's facial products (Thanks, Mumma!). I've mentioned before that I like pretty strong facial scrubs - I like to feel them working. This scrub does just that. I'd definitely purchase this again.

Vegan True Melatonin 3mg // cruelty free and vegan // Vegan True's melatonin worked pretty well. I didn't wake up groggy but it helped me sleep. This is on my iHerb to order list. (And if you use the code TNZ430 you'll get $5 off your order and I'll get $5!)

Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub // cruelty free // I really liked this little sample of hand scrub. One use and I really could tell a difference! And there's still time to get the Summer Brights 6-Piece Beauty Gift!



These next products are all products I won't be repurchasing, as they aren't cruelty free, sadly.

Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Shampoo // Another couponing purchase from forever ago. I don't know what exactly this shampoo was supposed to do, but it didn't do it.

Almay Oil Free Eye Makeup Removed Pads // I got these free with coupons and this is the last of the batch. They worked well on eye makeup, but left a weird residue that I always felt I needed to wash off.

Rodan + Fields Micro-Dermabrasion Paste // cruelty free // I like tough exfoliators. This felt like I was rubbing glass on my face.

White Barn Eucalyptus Mint mini candle // This smelled nice and for such a small candle it burned for a long time. I got this as a stocking stuffer and really liked it.

Tresemme Platinum Strength Conditioner // Another cheap coupon find. I enjoyed this conditioner, but Tresemme isn't cruelty free.

What products have you used lately?

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link love

Here's six reasons why you think your foundation sucks.

Check out this crazy underwater river in Mexico.

The sad, sexist ballad of salad.

I work in a candy store and get asked "Do you have Kinder Eggs?" all the time. They're illegal here. The very bottom of this article gives a simple reason to why we can't carry them.

There's now a color thesaurus!

I am one of those chronically late people.

Tucker is a super chewer - I mean, Hardcore Chewer Kongs last twenty minutes in our house. But West Paw has the Tux Toy and it's lasted since April. A GOD SEND in the dog toy world.

Ladies, stop calling yourselves 'girls'. We are WOMEN, not children.

An otter tape dispenser! So cute.

23 things all binge readers can identify with.

Here are 30 must read articles if you're thinking of going minimalist.

These booties are so cute.

Fall is coming! I love a good blanket scarf.

This comic from Awkward Yeti defines me as a shopper.



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downtown shenanigans & an outfit

Thursday, I met up with Jess in Downtown Frederickburg and we had a delicious lunch and strolled around despite the depressing heat. Our first stop was Hyperion, where I tried their seasonal pomegranate iced black tea. So tasty. If you're in the area, definitely stop in for a drink.

I don't eat out a lot downtown even though I work down there. I normally grab takeout or delivery from certain places that are super close. It was nice to be able to sit down and eat somewhere new! We had an amazing lunch at Vivify. Of course I had falafel.

And as typical bloggers do, we found a nice wall and snapped some outfit photos. This was more of a "I know it's going to be hot so try to find something cute but cool" outfit, but I think it worked out pretty well, haha.

skirt: similar // shoes: similar // tank: exact // bag: similar // sunglasses: similar

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an all black everything wishlist

I've always worn way too much black and grey. So why not an all black post to celebrate the upcoming season change?

Voluspa Apricot & Aprilia Candle // I've wanted a Voluspa candle since I worked at Francesca's waaaay back in the day.

American Needle Yankees Hat // It's time for another Yankees hat.

Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint // Mascara has always been my favorite beauty product. I've been eyeing this one for a while!

Kendra Scott Elton Bracelet in Black Druzy // Since getting my hands on a piece of Kendra, I love them! I think the Elton in all black would work nicely for fall.

Sbicca Chord Fold Over Bootie // I've gotten pretty obsessed with booties, but I don't have a black pair. These vegan suede foldovers are perfect.

LunatiCK Cosmetics High Definition Microfinish Pressed Powder // I still haven't picked up their pallette yet, but I'm working on it. I've been through a couple pressed powders that I wasn't happy with, so why not pick up one that looks cool and has great reviews?

How are you gearing up for fall?


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link love

I'm a summer hater, and this article about how weather affects mood was interesting and spot on for my feelings of warm weather and sunshine.

We cracked up at this video of a guy who'd apparently been bitten by a bug.

This moose is gorgeous! I love nature photography.

Check out Omo the rare white giraffe over on the Animal Hearted blog (which is where my dog sweatshirt came from!).

This felt flower wreath is stunning.

As a diehard Yankees fan, I'd totally wear these Keds to a game.

I think I've followed this patch's advice my whole life.

food

Drooling over this shaved asparagus coleslaw.

You had me at white garlic jalapeno sauce in this pasta recipe from Vegan Richa.

One pot pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce. I need this nooooow.

Total heart eyes emoji over this pasta salad.




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TaDah Foods falafel wrap review

On my grocery run to Target, I spotted a new line of products when I was checking out the meatless section. Then I saw the word falafel and knew I had to try out TaDah Foods' wraps. I picked up the Lemony Roasted Garlic Hummus option. Those are all of my favorite things!





The wrap was really good. In a quick minute and forty five seconds, it's ready to eat! I prefer quickly heated items when I take lunch to work. The best part? They're 100% all natural, vegan, and the tortilla is non-gmo. At $3.99 each, they're a bit pricey, but it was more than enough for my meal and I actually couldn't finish it all in one sitting. There was only one true con for me and that was the sodium count - it was a bit higher than I like, but it didn't reflect a lot in the taste.

If you're looking for a quick lunch option, definitely check these out!

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link love

Here is an exclusive first look at images of The Dark Tower movie. I am too excited about this being made.

Buzzfeed has a list of 17 genius websites for when you have nothing to do.

Get a free gift when you sign up with Julep today!

These comics about Dumbledore are hilarious.

A kebab shop owner in New Zealand simply ignored a would-be robber.

I really love this top from Free People.

I'm not a huge planner gal, but I would really love this bat clip and Tardis band.


food

This recipe for hot curry fries looks soooo good.

I love soup and I'm so sad it's summer because this black bean and lentil soup looks amazing.

While I don't have a huge sweet tooth, I think I could manage these chai tea cupcakes. :P

Lemon, garlic, beans, pesto? This recipe looks delicious.

I don't eat a lot of ice cream, but mango cardamom ice cream??? Yum.




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a #bloggerscene rooftop party at the embassy row hotel

Wednesday night, Jess from Writing in Red Lipstick and I hopped the metro and made our way to the Embassy Row Hotel in Washington D.C. for a rooftop cocktail party for area bloggers.

It was a great time! We started off the night with drinks and the PeachE Punch was A+. While I'm not a big mingler, there were some great ladies there that I was happy to have met! There was a great panel of bloggers for a Q&A, the view was gorgeous, and the atmosphere was perfect.



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empties #4

I can't believe I've hung onto my little "empties" series this long, but it's fun! Here are the empties for July.



Simple Pleasures Body Scrub // I hated this scrub. I swear my creamy body wash has more exfoliating power than this stuff did. This was a Target One Spot quick grab ages ago. I'm glad to see it go.

Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm // Pretty sure I got this as a sample in an order from Sephora. It smelled funny, and I didn't see how it was a great cleanser. Plus the full size version of a whopping 1.7 ounces is $110. No, thanks.

e.l.f. Baked Eyeshadow in Bark // cruelty free and vegan // See how this is still basically full? It just wouldn't work. No color payoff, no matter what I tried. Wet, dry, nada. I'm tossing it. Unless someone has tips on how to use this?

Ladyburg Mango Lip Scrub // vegan // This lip scrub is locally made and it smelled and tasted delicious. It worked pretty well! I kept it in the shower so that cut it's life a bit, but I was able to finish all but a smidge. I'm not sure if their ingredients are cruelty free, but I'm going to find out because I'd love to have another jar of this.

Julep Invisible Dry Shampoo // cruelty free & vegan // I didn't finish this one, either. This has been the first and only dry shampoo I've tried that I got in my first Julep beauty box. I don't think I blame this product completely, I just don't think my hair takes to dry shampoo well. I wouldn't repurchase, but if you're a dry shampoo user, I'd give it a shot.

e.l.f. 3-in-1 Mascara in Very Black // cruelty free & vegan // I reviewed this before on a previous empties post (see the brush there, too). It's growing on me. It's an inexpensive ($3) mascara that I use as a base coat/primer for my more expensive mascara. I've decided to keep purchasing this one.

Sephora Full Action Mascara // This was a gift from a friend. I really liked the brush and formula of this mascara, but sadly, Sephora's in house line isn't cruelty free. Come on, Sephora, get on it!

L'Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Restoring Conditioner // Another couponing snag from probably two years ago that I've just gotten around to using up. This conditioner works pretty well, but L'Oreal sucks and still tests on animals.

As you can tell, I'm still going through a lot of product that I won't buy again. Sometimes I'm hesitant to include those items, but I figure someone might learn something they didn't know and avoid that brand. :)

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link love

Here's a dog that swam out to sea to rescue his blind friend.

My mom sent me this little post about ways to tie a blanket scarf. Can you tell I'm pining for fall?

I'd really like to try this vegan vanilla clove lip balm from Meow Meow Tweet.

This story from retail is hilarious.

As a future dietician, this article where Americans and nutritionists disagree was pretty interesting.

I think I'd like to give this homemade ginger ale recipe a shot.

Don't feed bread to the ducks.

How adorable is this knitted snail tea cozy?

Have you tried out Mintvine? I've gotten enough for a payout in just a few weeks!


Leave your links in the comments! ♥



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on blogging & being a "blogger"

I consider myself a blogger. I don't make a living doing this, and I have a full time job that sometimes prevents me from writing blog posts. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love blogging and everything that entails. I love having something to blog about. My life isn't the most interesting, but maybe someone out there wants to read about it. Haha!

My main reason for blogging is my mother - she lives six hours from me, and though we talk on the phone every day, there's things I forget about or are best told with written words and pictures. Even a post with a recipe gives her insight into how I spend my time.

Other reasons I blog? It passes time. I enjoy getting feedback on posts. I can document my life, things I love, photos, and more to look back on at a later time. It makes me stop and think about things I do on a regular basis. I put more thought into the things I buy, because if something isn't good enough to recommend to someone, why would I spend money on it? Although I will say that I don't buy things for the sole purpose of writing a blog post about them. A large portion of my life goes un-blogged.

I've had this little piece of blog heaven since 2008 (or at least my domain that long), and before that I dabbled in Xanga and Livejournal. No worries, they've long been deleted. I've been around in the blogging world for a while. Since I was so rooted in hobby blogging and other things, my blog never really grew. Here I am eight years later with less than 250 followers. Still. And some days that bothers me and some days I couldn't care less. I was reading blogs when the big dog blogs were just wee little online spaces. And what's happened? Now they've morphed away from blogs and more toward online magazines. Now, though, I really enjoy reading blogs about "real" people and how they spend their time.

Other times, blogging can be a burden. If too much time goes by without a post, I get antsy and try to hurriedly make something happen. It's hard to blog on your "own time" when others are churning out blog posts five times a week. It gets stressful, even without a huge following. I sometimes find it hard to distinguish between whether I'm writing for the enjoyment of blogging or whether I'm trying to just please people.

Well after that verbal flood, I have to say that overall, blogging has been good to me. Sure, there are negatives, but I thoroughly enjoy the world of blogs.

Any recommendations? ♥

hatteras island trip 2016

A couple weeks ago my mom and stepdad headed down to Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks for a week and invited us to stay for a couple days.



They have a fabulous RV so we stayed with them at a really nice campground. THERE WERE DOGS EVERYWHERE. I petted a Newfoundland, a giant Schnauzer, a Westie, a Walker Hound, and so many more!

We had a lot of fun! I hadn't done any kind of tanning since a friend's wedding in 2013, so I lathered up the first day on the beach...and still got burnt the hell up. Thank goodness I have decent skin and it either peeled or soaked in fairly quickly.

Though we weren't there long, it was a relaxing time. I didn't have to wear makeup or brush my hair or anything. I can say I successfully did not care what I looked like on this trip. We ended our beach venture with a sunset walk on the beach and gathered seashells. ♥ ♥



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empties #3

These posts are a great source of joy for me and I can't explain why. More empties this month. :)



Simple Soothing Facial Toner // I've had this toner for forever and I've been using it every day! Sadly, Simple tests on animals so I will not be repurchasing.

Matrix Total Results Repair Shampoo // This was a hotel bottle that I took with me when we went on a trip. It was pretty good shampoo but Matrix isn't cruelty free.

Estee Lauder Pleasures Sample // I don't remember requesting this sample, but somehow I got it. It smelled alright, but I'm not a big perfume gal so that combined with Estee Lauder not being cruelty free, I won't be getting this again.

up & up Apricot Facial Scrub // When I exfoliate my face I like to have a product that I can feel working - this did that. Unfortunately, like I've said before, up & up isn't cruelty free.

L'Oreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Shampoo, Pre-Conditioner, and Conditioner Samples // They worked. But 1) not cruelty free, and 2) I have enough to do in the shower, I don't need to "pre-condition", too.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eyelid Primer // cruelty free // I received this in a Sephora order, and there was quite a bit of product in this little sample. I got a use out of it, and initially the product is very wet. It takes a smidge longer to dry than the primer I use now. However, it gets nice and tacky and provides a nice setting for eyeshadow. I'd try out the full size if Too Faced removed the animal products.



The Honest Company Face & Body Lotion // cruelty free & vegan // I liked this lotion at first. Then about ten minutes after I applied it to my hands, they felt dry. If I was given a tube of this I'd use it, but I don't think I'd spend money on it.

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castille Soap in Peppermint // cruelty free & vegan // I grabbed a sample size of this at Target one day and I enjoyed it. I used it as a body wash (though it has tons of uses) and I definitely want to try out a full size.

That wraps up another empties post. Yee! What have you used up lately?

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birthday trip to tennessee

I turned 26 at the end of April. No, I don't want to talk about it. I've had about six mid-mid life crises. But I did have a great trip out to Tennessee to see my mom!



We packed up and went out Tuesday evening and had a great time. We jammed to Amazon Prime Music all the way out. It was a gorgeous day to travel.

We didn't get out til later that evening, but Mumma had made some delicious spaghetti (as always) and then, after six hours of travel, we went to bed. She even had the birthday flag out for me!



Wednesday we woke up, got ready, and headed to Knoxville! All of my photos from Knoxville and Market Square were on Snapchat and apparently I didn't save any of them. That's how much fun I was having! We had lunch at Yassin's Falafel House, which I loved, but they aren't huge falafel fans. There was a dog store in Market Square so of course I had to go in. And come out with mixable dog ice cream and a new hardcore chewer toy.

Thursday we took it easy and took naps on the couch or out on the hammock. The weather was gorgeous!

Friday we went out to The Island in Pigeon Forge. I'd never been, and it was a nice little shopping experience - definitely check it out. And there's a Margaritaville! I'm not a Buffett fan in the slightest, but we had great margaritas (definitely try the Last Mango in Paris) and they had veggie burgers!






We strolled around the shops and I checked out two candy stores since I like to see what other places do compared to the shop I work in, picked up some taffy, and stopped at the Ole Smoky Moonshine distillery and did a small wine tasting at Bootleggers. We picked up a bottle of blueberry and peach to bring home.



It was a pretty fantastic trip and I had a very happy birthday. ♥

empties #2

The second round of empties! There weren't quite as many this month, but I manage to finish up a few things I've been trying to get out of my way.



Maybelline  Great Lash Mascara in Blackest Black // I think almost everyone has had a tube of this at some point. It does the job, but isn't cruelty free so I won't be repurchasing.

up & up Wet Cleansing Towelettes // This is the last of the clearance stash of these guys. Like I said before, I won't be repurchasing these because they're not cruelty free.

Mary Kay Time Wise Matte-Wear Liquid Foundation in Beige 3 // When I was in a wedding two years ago, we had a Mary Kay lady do our makeup. She did a phenomenal job, so a few months later I picked up the foundation at a MK party I was invited to. This is that foundation. Now, though, it's too dark for me and it's time has come. Mary Kay sells in China so they're not cruelty free, so unfortunately I won't be repurchasing.

Herbal Essences Body Wash in Body Burst // This was a sample I got in the mail ages ago and I've just finished it. While it was a decent body wash, Herbal Essences isn't cruelty free, so I won't be getting a full size!

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in Ivory // I LOVE the way this foundation blends when you first put it on. However, I've had it a while and it's started to cake as the day goes by so I think it's past it's prime. Another brand that isn't cruelty free, so I'll have to stick with my e.l.f. foundation.

Funky Fingers polish in Confetti // It's gotten gloopy. I wasn't a fan of how hard it was to apply. I won't be repurchasing.

Edge Extra Moisturizing Shave Gel // It's shave gel. It did it's job. I didn't see how it was "extra moisturizing", but it was okay. I'm eager to switch to a natural shaving cream once I go through my coupon stockpile, so I won't be getting this again.

Andalou Naturals Leave-In Conditioner // cruelty free & vegan // I absolutely love this conditioner. It smoothes frizz and leaves your hair feeling better overall. It has argan oil and the first ingredient isn't water like most conditioners. This is the second bottle I've been through and I am definitely going to purchase this again.

Send me your recs and links to what you've finished this month! ♥

thrifted books & my reading list

When I took a trip up to see Jess, we stopped by McKay Used Books and I grabbed some titles. Here they are!



I've been really slacking on my reading lately, and with so many books on my reading list, I've only managed to skim Destiny Turns the Wheel. I hadn't seen Blaze in stores before, so I snagged that and The Talisman. I've read Black House and was a little lost, so I'm excited to read this one and be filled in.

Currently I'm reading The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (which you can get free on iBooks!) and I hope to read The Wide Window #3 by Lemony Snicket soon. I think my "to read" list changes every time I make write one of these posts, so who knows what book I'll really be reading next,

Add me as a friend on Goodreads! I love seeing what everyone is reading.

ulta birthday haul!

For my birthday I received all kinds of glorious things (including a pair of Ray-Bans!) and an Ulta giftcard. Well, while out in Tennessee my mom wanted to go by Ulta, so I picked up some things I'd been wanting for a while.

Pacifica Cactus Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic // I've been wanting to try a micellar cleanser for forever and though the Garnier version is super popular on the beauty blogs, it's not cruelty free. However, Pacifica's is both cruelty free AND vegan! I kept looking at this every time I'd go in Ulta but never made the leap - until now!

The Body Shop Blemish Fade Night Lotion // This was, admittedly, an impluse buy. I have trouble with dark spots from blemishes on my face, I've heard good things about The Body Shop's Tea Tree line, so I'm hoping this works as promised.

Nip + Fab Viper Venom Micro Blur Fix // I've already opened this and used it and I love it so far. I can see a difference already in oil control and it's tacky enough to use as a primer to keep foundation in place.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Whiskey // My current eyeliner is on it's last leg so I decided to splurge a bit and grab this pencil from Urban Decay. I was swatching all over the place trying to find a dark brown color that I liked and I settled on Whiskey.

Real Techniques Brushes - Lash/Brow Groomer and Expert Face Brush // The lash brush purchase stemmed from my horrid application of mascara that morning and resulting in appearing to only have five extra large eyelashes on my right eye. It was great. Since the Real Technique brushes were buy one, get one 50% off, I picked up the Expert Face Brush since I've been looking to try out different kinds to apply foundation. I've tried it and so far it is fabulous.

What's the last thing you got at Ulta? ♥

empties - #1

Since my obsession with beauty products was sparked about a year ago, I've gone crazy with buying things. Now I've got quite the stockpile and I'm trying to use them up! I've fallen in love with empties posts, so I thought as I used my own products up I'd document them.

I do want to say that I'm still using a lot of products from when I couponed, so many of these in the beginning may not be cruelty free or vegan. I wasn't buying exclusively cruelty free and vegan then, but I don't want to waste items I spent money on. They'll be noted that I won't purchase them again! As always, I'm human and may have missed an ingredient or misread a label, so always do your own research to determine if something is cruelty free or vegan. ♥



e.l.f. Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths // cruelty free & vegan // I use makeup remover wipes to get the bulk of the product off my face before I use my Clarisonic. These wipes were very wet - I know that sounds stupid - and I always felt like I needed to wash my hands afterward. Sometimes the wipe would be so saturated that the liquid would squeeze out into my eye. It didn't burn, but was irritating that it happened. They removed eye makeup pretty well and even with the great price point of $3, I won't be getting these again.

Up & Up Wet Cleansing Towelettes // I picked these up on clearance, as the sticker says. These are paraben free, but the Up & Up brand isn't cruelty free. I won't be purchasing these again.

Fantasy Makers by Wet N Wild Lipstick in Deep Purple // cruelty free // I was Beetlejuice for Halloween and I had picked this lipstick up at Target in the hopes that it was a darker purple. It didn't cover well and didn't work for what I wanted. I've no use for it, so I'm tossing it.

Living Proof No Frizz Conditioner // cruelty free & vegan //A friend gave me a few sample sizes of Living Proof items a while back and I'm just going through them. This conditioner worked really well to keep frizz down. I would purchase this again.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish in Slick Slate // cruelty free // This is one of my absolute favorite nail polish colors, but it got gloopy and it's time for it to go. According to their website, Sally Hansen doesn't test on animals, which may be a new development as I thought they did. Upon further research, I would purchase this again.

Crest 3D White Toothpaste in Radiant Mint // Little travel toothpaste I picked up when I taking a trip out to my mom's. I didn't notice any difference in the color of my teeth. I've since switched to natural toothpaste, so I won't be repurchasing.

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Hard to Get // cruelty free // This was a cheap coupon purchase forever ago. I don't think I ever even used it, but it's gotten gloopy.

Palmer's Deep Conditioning Protein Pack // cruelty free // I really thought I'd hit the jackpot with this one, then I realized I'd missed not only a milk ingredient, but a silk ingredient as well. Sigh. I noticed it IN THE SHOWER with the product ON MY HAIR, so I couldn't return it. It worked, but I won't repurchase.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray // cruelty free & vegan // The first time I used this spray it worked phenomenally - then I couldn't replicate that again and I felt like it didn't work. That was most likely my fault since I suck at styling hair, but I'd give this another shot after I finish up the sea salt spray I'm currently using.

Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Out of the Blue & Captain Khaki // More nail polish that I got cheap with a coupon. More colors I don't think I ever used. They've gotten gloopy. I won't be repurchasing.

Clear Glittery Lip Gloss // I've no clue how long I've had this or where it came from. I think it was a stocking stuffer. I'm not huge into glosses and I've had this so long that it has to go.



e.l.f. Tone Adjusting Face Primer - Neutralizing Green // cruelty free & vegan // I didn't really see how it adjusted the redness on my face and you get a surprisingly tiny amount for $6. That's what I get for not paying attention to the ounces. The packaging is a bit deceiving - the reservoir for the product is only about half the size of the bottle. It did a decent job of keeping my makeup in place as I have oily skin. I'd repurchase this as a backup or to keep in a travel bag.



Covergirl Professional Loose Powder in Translucent Fair // I don't even know where I got this. I think it was a hand-me-down from a friend or my mom, but who knows? It's a loose powder with a pouf and BOY does it get EVERYWHERE. It wasn't a great color match and I think I lost more as it floated around my bathroom than I put on my face. I've no interest in ever owning another loose powder.



e.l.f. 3-in-1 Mascara // cruelty free & vegan // This was a decent mascara. It didn't deliver massive volume, but it worked pretty well. My issue was with the brush. The word 'mace' popped in my head every time I went to use it. I liked layering it under other mascaras for a bit of boost and I might repurchase this in a pinch.



e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining Mascara // cruelty free & vegan // For $1, it's not bad, but you get what you pay for. It really just made my eyelashes look like I had a smidge of mascara on. It worked great as a base coat. However, it got clumpy really quickly. You can see in the photo above how much product was left and how gunky the brush got. I don't think I'd pick this back up unless I was really needing mascara.

I hope to use up a lot of my stash in the next coming months. I've got so many new products just hanging out that I really want to use, but I've made myself continue to use up opened things before starting on those. Sometimes it's agony that I have to keep using something, but it's so satisfying when they're gone!

What have you used up lately?

8 easy ways to be more health conscious

I am in no way a health expert or physician - always consult with your primary care doctor before making any lifestyle or diet changes.

Keeping your health in mind can be hard. Really hard, depending on your lifestyle. Here are eight tips for easy ways to be more health conscious.

1. Always ask for water. // Not only are sodas expensive, they're bad for you! If you're out at a restaurant, always ask for water. Jazz it up with a lemon or lime wedge. If you're traveling, bring a Nalgene bottle and refill it at the water fountain (always ask before filling a personal bottle through the soda fountain's water option). If you must, purchase a large bottle of water to keep you hydrated.

2. Avoid added sugars. // The average human body needs zero sugar intake in a day. Your body produces all the sugar it needs. However, almost any food you buy has added sugars. By simply looking for products that state "no added sugar" or "no sugar added", you can cut down on a lot. You'll still get natural sugars (such as in fruit, starches), but a lot of times with natural sugars, you get other benefits that outweigh the sugar.

3. Take snacks with you. // As a trucker's daughter, I grew up on the road. I can eat an entire meal of gas station food. I've learned, though, that not every gas station offers healthier options. The fix? Take your own snacks! You know what you're eating when you have a snack stash in the car. If you raided my car at any moment, you can find Nature's Bakery fig bars, pretzels, and healthy snacks. If you keep a box of something in your car (obviously depending on the weather), you'll always have something for when that 2pm candy bar craving hits!

4. Take the stairs. // I hate stairs. They are the bane of my existence. But I take them whenever possible, because though I feel like I'm going to die when I get to the top, I've given my heart a little mini workout. By walking just a few extra steps a day, your body is better for it. Now obviously I'm not going to take stairs to the fifteenth floor, but the three flights I walk at school helps. Park a couple parking spaces farther at the store, walk three blocks instead of taking a car, or walk down the strip mall instead of moving your vehicle.

5. If you can't pronounce it, don't put it on your skin. // What you put on your skin (including shampoo!), is absorbed into your skin (sometimes up to 60+%!) Be very careful with ingredients. Here's an article from the Huffingpost that has some great guidelines on products. If you're really interested in eliminating harmful chemicals, do lots of research!

6. If you're not a gymrat, try classes of something or download a video. // I have no motivation to workout, nor do I want my inexperience with working out to be broadcasted at a gym while I'm struggling on a machine or clomping on a treadmill. So I take classes. I practice yoga for both the health benefits and the spiritual benefits, and this can be done in the comfort of your own home with online guided classes, Youtube videos, or a DVD. If you have an appointment to keep (and potentially money) tied up in something, you're more likely to do it. Exercising is important, but time constraints and motivation sometimes get in the way, but doing little things is better than being a couch potato all the time. Even a class once a week will keep your mind on being healthy.

7. Talk health with a friend occasionally. // You know how reading a health article, making a New Year's resolution, or eating a really yummy salad put you in the "healthy" mood? Sometimes just talking about being healthy can do the same thing. My mom and I talk about nutrition a lot (she's a nurse and nutrition is a passion of mine), and every time we do it spurs me to buy more vegetables or more nonGMO items. Even if this only changes one or two meals or workouts a week, that's more than last week!

8. Partake in Meatless Monday. // My personal views aside, meat can cause health issues. But here's the thing, you don't have to give up all of your diet choices. Just participate in Meatless Monday! Not only are you helping your body, you're helping animals and the environment. Small steps!

You don't have to drop everything and revamp your lifestyle to be healthier. It's all about slowly making changes that you'll stick with. And don't get me wrong - I love junk food and being a couch potato as much as the next person, but being healthier can prevent costly problems down the road!

iHerb mini haul

I recently discovered iHerb and I was amazed at the massive selection! There's tons of natural, organic, cruelty free, and/or vegan items! I didn't start shopping with anything specific in mind, so I didn't order a ton of stuff. However, I did order some things I'd never heard of or had been on my list of "things to get eventually".

Source Naturals Vegan True Melatonin // I've had trouble sleeping for what seems like forever. I'm tired of taking sleep aids (which are basically Benadryl), so I'm going to give melatonin a try.

Merry Hempsters Vegan Spearmint Lip Balm // Since I announced that I've been having trouble finding vegan lip balm (I swear there isn't any in any stores near me), I've kind of gone on a lip balm buying rampage. So far, though, I really like this! It's minty but not overly so, and it soaks in well and stays put.

TheraNeem Naturals Lotion // I need more lotion like I need a hole in the head, but at $1.20 for the bottle, I couldn't help but give it a try.

If you've never tried iHerb, if you use the code TNZ430 at checkout, you'll get $5 off and I'll get $5! It's a win-win.

life lately

Things have been a little hectic around here. A lot has gone on in the last month, but since I went up to NOVA, it's been a lot of me just living life and getting things straight. But! There's been some exciting things going on, too, although some I'm not quite ready to release here on the blog. However, here are some interesting things that have happened lately in pictures.

I met a snake! Darcy is a Western Hognose. It's the first time I'd ever held a snake and I'm pretty much in love. Look at his little snout! He has the prettiest dark coloring on his belly and he's so sweet.

I'm still obsessed with caffeine, much to the disdain of my kidneys. And since having falafel at Cava Grill, I can't get enough of the stuff. Apparently I talk about the stuff so much that the man I'm seeing snuck money in my purse specifically for me to buy it for lunch Friday. Over the moon!

And I got a new car! I haven't posted any photos on social media due to security reasons (that whole thing is a shit show, believe me) but it's so nice and all the gauges and winshield wipers work and I'm forever grateful for my mother and stepfather helping me with that. They are saints and scholars and I love them.

There's only a little more than a month left of this school semester and I cannot wait until summer. By the end of the spring semester I am so burnt out on school that I can't stand it. Luckily, I have a really great accounting instructor.

And really, that's about all I'll talk about for now. Some things need to progress a bit more before I'll discuss them. Ugh, vague blog crap, sorry.

What have you been up to lately? Leave me some links in the comments to check out!

my first lush haul

Last week I had a girls' day out with Jess and went to Lush for the first time ever! I'd been eyeing a few things on the website and picked them up while I was there. Not gonna lie - I was pretty overwhelmed by the selection and could've picked up so many things. It's so nice to walk into an entire cruelty free store with so many vegan options! Here's what I brought home:

Tea Tree Water // I've seen several reviews of this on blogs and I'm hoping this will help with my oily skin!

Superbalm Scalp Treament // This was on my beauty wishlist and I can't wait to try this out.

Sex Bomb Bath Bomb // I'm not a big bath person, I prefer to shower, but I figured I should pick up a bath bomb on my first visit, and Jess said this one was really good.

I'm definitely adding to my Lush "want" list, so hopefully these work out and I can add more to my stash!

cruelty free & vegan beauty wishlist

I want to start off this post by saying I'm still going through a lot of non-cruelty free and vegan beauty and personal care products. I used to coupon regularly a few years ago before I bought cruelty free and vegan products, so I have quite the stash. I wouldn't purchase them again, but I'm not going to waste them, either.

With that said, I'm still building up my cruelty free and vegan products. I find a lot at Marshall's and Ross, but there's some I can only find at Ulta, at stores a bit too far away to drop in regularly, and online. Here are some that I've been lusting after - and will hopefully be able to make room for in my stash soon!

Andalou Naturals Aloe & Willow Bark Pore Minimizer // I desperately need a pore minimizer. I've tried Andalou Naturals deep conditioner on my hair and I love it, so I thought I'd try more of their products. try

Pacifica Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mineral Mascara in Supernova // I reaaaally want to try new types of vegan mascara. Pacifica's is infused with coconut oil, so it's worth a shot. try

Hurraw Coffee Bean Lip Balm // This is described as a coffee-choco flavor. That alone sold me. My local Wegman's carries Hurraw balms, but I have yet to get over there to pick some up. I've been having a hard time finding vegan lip balms, so I might place an order for some. try

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Beach Vibes // I've really been loving the greige trend and this nail polish doesn't disappoint. It's a big pricey, but I've heard good things about Trust Fund. try

Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Supernatural Palette // It's in the shape of a coffin. And it has a bat. Not only does that have me in love, but the colors are pretty and goes right along with my go-to colors. try

Lush Superbalm Scalp Treatment // I've always had a super itchy, dry scalp. Gross, I know. I've tried almost everything. Coconut oil helps, but I'd like to try more targeted treatments, and this one tops the list. try

This is just the beginning of my wishlist, but I didn't think having seventy items would be fun to read. Do you have any products you'd like to try?

blogger friends & nova trips

Yesterday I made a trip up to NOVA and visited my friend, Jess! We had a whole girls' day out planned and it was just the thing I needed after the week I'd been having. First, we started off with lunch at Cava Grill, which was delicious. I had a rice bowl with falafel, traditional hummus, harissa hummus (which was super spicy, but good!), and the dill yogurt dressing (the dressing wasn't vegan, oops). I'm so glad Jess had this on the list for the day. When I got home I wanted more falafel. I'm going to be raving about this place until I go at least fifteen more times.



Next we headed off to Tysons Corner. I'd never been before and I was super excited. GUYS, we don't have these kinds of stores down where I'm from. The first place we stopped was Lush, as I'd never been there either (I know, ugh). I had no idea they had so many products! I could easily have come out of there with a ton of stuff, but I managed to limit myself to a few items.



As we were heading to Lululemon, we spotted macarons! I got honey lavender and Jess got raspberry. They were so good!



Then there was Lolli & Pops! I love checking out candy stores wherever I go to see what others have to offer. This one didn't disappoint! We took a little tour and I only got one picture there - our feet. Haha! They had a massive selection of candies in bulk bins - we definitely tried some samples.



Afterward we stopped off and did some thrifting! I found some pretty great stuff (and some of it will be up in the shop once I have it photographed). It was pretty awesome having a thrifting buddy - I had someone to laugh about hideous items with! Jess took me by the used bookstore, too, and I found a couple Stephen King's I haven't read, yet. And everyone knows how much I love secondhand bookstores...

Then after a Wegman's stop for vegan Ben & Jerry's, we hung out for a bit so I'd avoid traffic. I had a fab day and can't wait til we make a trip to Richmond! It was pretty awesome to have someone to talk to that knew about blog terms and websites. And we even managed to take a selfie...the only one all day, but hey, time flies!



Have you had any interesting trips lately? Let me know in the comments!

thoughts

A lot's been going on and sometimes my brain can't keep up. I've gone through a split up several weeks ago, moved on, and I've started some great things since. Big shout out to my girl Jess for being such an awesome friend through all that!

I haven't had much motivation to write much of anything, and when I did I was snowed in away from my laptop. The area had a nice little blizzard come through last week and buried us in almost three feet of snow.

However, I've had some thoughts going on that didn't completely warrant an entire post for each, so I figured I'd get them out here.

• I've been listening to the British Invasion station on Pandora almost non-stop lately. It's such a great mix of upbeat and sorrowful songs. I've really fallen in love (again) with The Hollies and The Zombies. I guess the 60s are my music era? Haha.
• Being appreciated is a wonderful thing - and it's even better when you realize that's what you've been missing.
• Netflix has removed Doctor Who, and I'm so upset. I kept Doctor Who on loop all the time. I'd listen to it as background noise when I was getting ready, blogging, and more. Ugh. BBC, are the rumors true? Are you creating a streaming site? Yes, please.
• I've found that cooking dinner causes me a great amount of stress. Food in general causes me a great amount of stress, simply because I've grown so picky about what I eat. How does one stop being a picky eater? Help meeeee

I think I just need more yoga in my life. Warrior pose for daaaaays.