JU got to be LYing to me that this month is already over. (badpunbadpunsbadpuns) It went lightening fast and honestly the biggest "accomplishment" I made was finishing the Harry Potter series which you, my friend, can read about here. Today I got an email from Bath and Body Works -- we're in a pretty personal relationship, nothin special -- and lo and behold THEY ARE ADVERTISING FALL CANDLES. Okaaayyyyy I mean cool. yeah. I'm cool with it.
To think that for the past four summers I was preparing to go back to school around this time. Saying goodbyes, planning my return trip (war flashbacks to packing/traveling with said luggage), and getting back into the school mentality.
But NOW I'm approaching that endless void of "you can do what you want now" and... well... HALP.
And now for the moment you've all been sitting on the edge of your seats for -- I know the anxiety is a lot for me too-- what did I like/love for the summertime month of July:

Makeup

Hey humans behind their computer screens! So for some reason last week I subconsciously wanted to spend way too much money/satisfy my film lover side and saw three movies in theatre. Yes, ALL IN ONE WEEK!
As a sort of unspoken rule most summer movies just tend to be blegh. It's the same with summer television like props out to Netflix because with the Bachelorette ending (I know. Someone throw a Starbucks at me quick) there is literally nothing good until September. If it's all a ploy to get people outdoors all I can say to that is YES I WILL CONTINUE WATCHING NEXT EPISODE.
So not to get too sidetracked here... the three movies I watched are:

1. Ghostbusters
2. The Legend of Tarzan
3. Star Trek Beyond

If this post is finally going live it means, my friends, that I have been successful in finishing my endeavor of reading all seven of the beloved series in a row. It was something I had been wanting to do for well... a very long time. I think anyone who has read the series or watched all eight films knows that these books are truly magic.
I can't deny that 2016 has been a year of change in my life. When I made the decision to read the series it was April 8th and I was a little more than a month away from graduating college. There was so much uncertainty in my future. So much that I, frankly, felt out of control of most everything that was coming my way. Choosing to read HP was possibly one of the best decisions I made in the past few months. With so much pressure on the decisions I was making when my education was coming to an end, there needed to be something that was a distraction.

Another day, another British Youtuber's product to review. I was excited to see that Tanya Burr had released a new range of beauty items in June, along with her adorable cookbook "Tanya Bakes." As I had never purchased her other beauty products I wanted to try a singular item in the hopes that I would be urged to buy more! Waste not, want not my friends.
After looking over the other items (although the Martha Moo Luxe Lip Gloss was a high contender) I decided to go with the Enchanted Dream Eye Palette. And just like the Zoella Beauty products I reviewed a few weeks ago the shipping took ages! I was pleasantly surprised when the package arrived in the mail yesterday and was eager to try it and review.

The aesthetic of the packaging is very, very cute. Not being a huge fan of purple, it seems to be a perfect color scheme with the pigment of the eye shadows. The heart mirror is such an adorable touch to the palette and actually has a good quality for a lower cost product.
I absolutely love the names of the pigments as well: Moonlit walk, Cocoa Plum, Berry Soufflé, and Magic Carpet.
Now on to the actual usage of the eye shadows. I am not going to lie, when I first swatched them I was a little nervous about the transparency. The top two shades do have a lot of shimmer to them while the bottom two are more matte based. For the price, however, I do have to say I loved the way the end result turned out. These are exactly the colors I would wear on a daily basis to work, going out, etc.
I will report back on the staying power as well but for now I would definitely recommend these palettes to my friends and family! And like the packaging on the back says, stay forever enchanting my friends :) xoxo Sam

So hello all! I'm here with my review of Zoella Beauty's new product launch aptly titled Sweet Inspirations. It's been probably close to a month now that her products have been out on the market but of course living aaaaallllll the way in California it took Feel Unique a few weeks to ship them out to the ends of the earth. And the Bath Latte was sold out when I went to purchase the items I wanted (and that was at the top of my list) so I put my name on the waitlist and anxiously awaited for the restock email. Lucky for me it only arrived a day after the other products had come in the mail.
I feel I should share how I came across Zoe and her products in the first place because A) I feel I'm slightly older than her main demographic and B) I'm a little out of region if ya get what I mean. I believe it was back in September or October of last year that I found Zoe's youtube and instantly liked her bubbly personality, genuine sense of humour, and also a similar taste in fashion and general lifestyle. When December hit and Zoe's vlogmas & main channel videos were literal Christmas Cheer I was hooked! I had bought other products before but was happy to finally be on the same timeline with the new launch (as last year when the line launched I was blissfully unaware of Youtube in general).
Moving on to le products in question here, I purchased:

• Le Fizz Fragranced Bath Fizzer
• Double Cream Body Cream
• Bath Latte Bath and Shower Milk

I chose these three because I am super picky about fragrances and already have far too many body mists that I don't wear to add to the collection. I didn't get the two bags because I had recently canceled an Ipsy subscription and am now bombarded with makeup bags that are literally unused in a cabinet in my bathroom. And unfortunately the Body Fondant wasn't even listed on Feel Unique when I went to buy it sooooo that's that.
I absolutely adore the packaging of these products and the minute Zoe presented them (especially the Bath Latte) I was drawn to the whole color scheme. The 1920's patterns with glistening gold and vibrant pastels were too adorable to pass up.


You can't help but crack a smile at the sticker on the packaging saying "Do Not Eat" because it really does resemble a Willy Wonka-esque chocolate bar. And the interior (besides being stark white) is cut in tiny squares just like a bar of chocolate as well! As I am a thorough investigator and had to try all the products before I reviewed them I popped two of these puppies in the bath and watched them fizz away. Not big on the whole bath bomb craze myself I did love the scent of the water after these were dropped in. I was also pretty clueless to how a macaron would smell but I have to say I am pleasantly surprised at the scent. Especially how the scent lingered long after I had dried off from the bath.


This scent is very similar to the Bath Fizzer but put into a wonderful lotion! Again the scent was one I had to get used to as it wasn't a typical vanilla, citrus, or coconut scent that 85% of body lotions have. I have to admit the initial scent is a little overwhelming and not entirely appealing but after about 20 minutes, when it is completely absorbed in the skin, it leaves a pleasantly sweet aroma. And the consistency is wonderful as well. As my art teacher in elementary school used to say "A little dab will do ya" and this is very true for the body cream. I like that a little goes a long way as I moisturize everyday and run out of lotions like it's my dang job!


Honestly saving my favorite for last! I can't get over the packaging on this one. From the price, the look, the scent, the BUBBLES... This is a product I would purchase over and over again. And just like the Body Cream a very small amount makes a whole lot of foamy bubbles! I'm going to be a sad human when this runs out but I will definitely be keeping the bottle to use for some other DIY look. The scent is different from the Fizzer and Body Cream but still just as delicious smelling.

After testing these products I am definitely curious to see how the Body Fondant complements the collection...

Thanks for reading and if you've tried any of these products I would love to hear what you thought in the comments! Xoxo Sam

So I can't believe I have never done a baking post on this blog even though I really love to bake sweeties! I think because our apartment in New York had such a small kitchen, I was never really inspired to bake anything unless it was a pop in the oven type of product. Being home I get to use my parents glorious kitchen and all of their supplies and ingredients and it makes it so much more fun!
I've had the cook book "The Craft of Baking" for a long time (I bought it when I wanted to go to culinary school... oh how time changes those dreams) and I never really baked any of the recipes in it besides the Banana Tarte Tatin which actually didn't turn out as awful as I expected.
This cook book is definitely not a beginners book as it requires a culinary expertise that, let's just face it, most people don't come equipped with unless you are a true and devout baker.
Today I decided to bake the Banana Cupcakes recipe because my sister is
going to stop by and she loves anything banana. The Peanut Butter Buttercream was a risk... I really didn't know how it would turn out. But in the end it is absolutely scrumptious!

Cupcakes 
Ingredients (MAKES 1 DOZEN):
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (like who has grapeseed oil waiting in the cupboards???)
3/4 cup mashed banana (about 1 1/2 medium bananas, mashed with a fork)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.7 degrees Celsius). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil. Whisk in the banana, egg, egg yolk, buttermilk, and vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Using a whisk, mix the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them three quarters full. Bake, rotating the tin halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Invert the cupcakes onto a wire rack, turn them top side up. and let them cool completely.

Buttercream
Ingredients: 
2 large egg whites (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon pure vanillla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

To make the buttercream, fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl on top of the saucepan, and whisking constantly, heat the egg mixture until it is warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk on medium speed until the whites become translucent and shiny and form a soft peak, about 5 minutes more.
With the machine running, add the butter, a cube at a time, and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and add the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, beat until the buttercream becomes shiny and creamy, about 10 minutes. Spread the buttercream over the tops of the cupcakes, swirling it decoratively.



Enjoy! Xoxo Sam

Happy official first day of June everybody!!! The year is like half over and I'm just so confused as to how this happened? I know the years feel faster as you get older but my god it was literally just new years eve.

Oh, don't mind me just sitting here on the floor of an empty apartment trying to process the past five days... Graduation weekend is officially done and now I am a post graduate. All my friends have left and my roommate as well. My family left later yesterday but I quickly busied myself with packing so as not to linger too long on all the things I should be sad about.
The emphasis here is really on the fact that I SHOULD BE sad right now. Instead I feel unemotional (and if you really knew me you would find this terribly confusing). I am a pro at being overly emotional. I can cry on command and tend to get heartbroken from even the most menial of situations. But I'm sitting here waiting for tears to come and they haven't.
On graduation day I cried once for about five minutes as I hugged all my dearest friends goodbye. All of us caught up in the whirlwind of graduation, introducing parents to friends and friends to siblings etc etc. As we cabbed to the hotel I didn't feel upset knowing that when I returned to the apartment there would be no one there. Saying goodbye to my parents as they had an early flight, no tears. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge with my sisters knowing it would be my last time walking around the city for a long long time, no tears. And even now as I have come to the full realization that it is over I can't cry.
Maybe I really did do a good job at prepping myself for the end. I am happy that I was never distant and right to the last minute my friends and I knew how much we loved each other and how special this time together has really been.
Actually, I think the part I'm most upset about is that I couldn't fit everything in my three pieces of luggage (shipping things from NYC is completely the bane of my existence). I'll be heading to a friends home in Long Island and then leaving Thursday night for California. So I suppose this will be my last post written in New York. As some parting remarks I just want to thank this city for being my escape. Thanks to Manhattan College for teaching me more than just education, the value of friendship. And thank you to this incredible experience that *even though I'm not crying* is heart-wrenching to believe that it has finally come to a close.
XOXO from New York Sam!

So back in 2013 when I was finishing up my first year of college I wrote a list of fifty different things I had learned during my time away. It is so funny to read back on them and honestly for the most part they are still very true. But as I have now completed four years I think I have a more complete understanding of myself and my time here. So I figured I would make a final list on the 50 most important lessons I've learned in college.
1. There's a 99.99% you're going to change your major.
2. Become friends with your professor, laugh at their dumb jokes, ask for guidance.
3. If you feel you are being treated unfairly by a professor, speak up. Chances are other students feel the same.
4. Grades are always negotiable.
5. If you think all nighters are a good idea...you're wrong. Do it once to say you have.
6. Learn the power of time management early on.
7. Extracurriculars are great but don't let them take over your life.
8. Read the g-dang books you are assigned in English classes. Reading is one of life's greatest treasures.
9. If you know your passion never let others interfere.
10. It's okay to not know your passion yet... keep experiencing life, it will come.
11. You may love your college town, you may hate your college town, but let it teach you a lesson about yourself.
12. There's a great chance you'll look into transferring... really assess if your current situation is as bad as you think it is.
13. Netflix should be consumed sparingly.
14. You are going to make best friends in college.
15. You are going to lose best friends in college.
16. That party/bar/frat house will most likely never be as great as spending a night in watching movies with friends.
17. Write your essays ahead of time. Don't become the night-before monster.
18. If you drink, make sure you trust the people you are with.
19. Having a bad day, week, semester is something everyone experiences.
20. Study Abroad. STUDY ABROAD. Even if they tell you it's impossible. Even if you have to take out loans. It will change you.
21. Don't study abroad with friends. Learning to travel alone will be extremely valuable.
22. Go somewhere you don't know the language.
23. Learn a new language in college. It could be the only chance you get.
24. Internships aren't going to come to you. It takes work.
25. Not having an internship doesn't make you a failure. Volunteer or join a club, it's all about experience.
26. Your parents miss you. Give them a call every once in awhile.
27. Leave your hometown for college.
28. Everyone has their own shit going on. But you are never to busy to call an old friend.
29. It's good you didn't peak in high school, it's even better not to peak in college... be patient that your time will come.
30. One day you'll look back at the memory of your first insane college roommate and laugh.
31. Don't compromise your own values to make friends.
32. Find people who are pieces of you, not the whole picture. Be unique.
33. Take advice sparingly... no one knows you like you do.
34. If you get a tattoo: Don't be drunk. Don't be cheap. Don't tell your parents.
35. It's okay to sleep around and it's okay to not sleep with anyone. Trust your intuition.
36. You will probably gain weight and lose it. You are more than the size of your jeans.
37. The cafeteria should never be taken for granted. Free chicken nuggets won't always be a reality.
38. If you thought you couldn't imagine a life without a boy maybe you don't love yourself as much as you thought.
39. If you do something awkward or embarrassing really own the moment.
40. Getting exempt from finals isn't a myth but it does take a lot of effort.
41. GPA doesn't reflect who you are as a person but it does reflect your dedication to learning.
42. Don't let people walk all over you. Find your voice but learn when to let things go.
43. There will be days you think it won't end. And there will be days you think it went too fast.
44. Don't kill yourself trying to be employed straight out of college. You have the rest of your life to work.
45. If you move somewhere cold... buy a good coat.
46. Take lots of pictures.
47. Four quarters is better than 100 pennies.
48. Say thank you to your parents.
49. Never take this time for granted.
50. ...

Hello! So New York has been just downright gloomy for literally like almost two weeks now. And if you live somewhere that has a colder climate you know that there is this weird/awkward inbetween phase where it's too hot to wear your big, puffy winter coats but is no where near warm enough to go without extra layers. I am someone who always jumps straight into summer once there is one hot day (it's the California in me I swear) and then I will be chronically cold for weeks after.
Now no one wants to go out and buy cold-weather clothes when summer is just around the corner but I scanned through some sites and found some pieces that would work well for the tween months!

Finally have some down time sit and blog! SO much has been going on lately with friends, family, school, work, blah blah blah. But everything is slowly but surely falling into place and I can only hold my breath and hope that things keep going smoothly. With 2.5 weeks left I am more ready than I expected to get on that plane and make the big move back to California. But there were few things that have caught my eye this past month that I would love to share with you all!