As millennials we are constantly appointed with the terms self-obsessed, over-sharers, or the all-about-me-monsters. And for better or worse they aren't wrong. In a world inhabited by Lena Dunham and Kylie Jenner there's no denying these traits are becoming more and more obvious.


Before I get all ranty I just want to say I'm clearly someone who also feels it's important to share my own personal voice with strangers. I use Twitter and Instagram to share even more snippets of who I feel I am. On top of that I have personal accounts for Instagram and Facebook (although I never really share on Facebook anymore) because I want to put something out there from my life that I found interesting, or funny, or sad, or just nice.

Welp. Bye August of 2016 it was nice knowin' ya! We are finally finally FINALLY in the month of September woo woo woo woo. I spent an incredible holiday weekend up in Lake Arrowhead and it was literally the perfect transition weekend into Fall. The air was chilled and when the fog rolls up the side of the mountain and spills onto the streets and houses around the lake it feels like you could be living in a cloud. I was able to wear my new bomber jacket (which shall be put in my favorites below!) and actually not feel crazy for bundling up.
We also went to the resort for a cheeky little massage and gaaahhh it was pure heaven! I think I will need to do a good post for Lake Arrowhead the next time I'm up there...
Without further ado here are my August loves

Clothing// 

Makeup //

Accessories// 

Misc. //

So I feel like I kind of hit a wall in the blogging section of my mind. Honestly, the problem is that I have so many more ideas for fall and winter posts that this awkward, uncomfortably hot, everlasting summer time is just trè trè uninspiring. As I was racking my brain I realized that I have never done a celebrity/blogger/youtuber style post. I have an ENTIRE SECRET Pinterest page just dedicated to celebrity fashion. I have no clue why I keep it on private but Hey we aren't here to ask questions about my weird quirks right? Right.
So as I mentioned in my July Favorites (which can be devoured here) I read "Grace & Style: The Art of Pretending You Have It" and it made my internal gospel choir rejoice. Not only is Grace Helbig unreal gorg but her style tips are so frustratingly sensible! I feel like my style is never ever ever the same and literally changes with my moods so I have a crap ton of random pieces in my closet.

Example:
1. a Woodstock T-shirt for when I channel the flower child vibe
2. button up collared blouse for when I channel my inner preppy vibe
3. vintage dresses from when I wanted to be Zooey Deschanel

It's such a mess and is truly an example of my inner self but I'm telling you the book made me really rethink my shopping habits (as well as a crisis when I literally screamed at my closet for not having anything I liked). So here are some of the pins I have collected of Grace and her fab sense of fashion!

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

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

Well my lovelies it is already that time again. On the 25th I kept seeing ads saying "Halfway to Christmas" and it was just mind blowing! But also really exciting as I hope to amp up my holiday blogging game this year. I really love doing the favorites because I can go back and look at what inspired me that month. What was I listening to, watching, reading, etc. Honestly, even if you don't want a blog to be read, I would recommend it to everyone. It's like a yearbook of your life (if you stay consistent), much like going back and reading your old journals.
The posts I was making 6 months ago or four years ago are so completely different from what I am doing now. It's so much fun to read back on old posts and laugh/cringe/tear up from the memories I wrote down. So this is my message for the month of July: MAKE A BLOG, even if it's just on a blank white screen, no pictures, no flare. Take some time to make memories and write them down. Who knows if the internet will still be what is it today in 50 years but being able to go back and read about who I was at this time of my life would be so fascinating years down the road.
Okay... Rant over.

Makeup




Clothing



Misc.
Music: This month was sadly really uninspiring in terms of music. If anyone has some cool tunes they've heard recently I would love to find some new jams!
Books: My reading corner is still consisting of Harry Potter but I finished the 4th AND 5th book this June so two more and I will have read the whole series, consecutively, in a pretty short amount of time (considering everything that was going on in the months of April and May).
Also I couldn't write a Favorites review without mentioning the book "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur. Incredible poems that every twenty-something should read. I have definitely gone back a few times to re-read the poems that spoke to me.
T.V.: Orange is the New Black came back this month and I swear I did a really great job at not binging through them... until one day when I watched 5 in a row. That last episode had me crying for, no joke, the entire hour and 10 minutes.
AND OF COURSE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT GAME OF THRONES. It was a killer season that I think tops any television ever created all the way from start to finish. Just incredible television.
Movies: I was very excited for Neon Demon after watching the stunning teaser trailers but man... it was rough. Not even the gorgeous graphics and imagery could make up for the numb and snore-worthy plot and acting.
Finding Dory was trè adorable as I expected it would be. Baby Dory made me want to scream from cuteness.

That is it for my June Favorites! As always let me know in the comments what you were loving this month or tag your blog posts and I will definitely check them out! Much love 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

Heya! Well it has been a very eventful week here and I am just sort of beginning to wrap my brain around it all. Without getting into detail, I will be (and already have been) interviewing for possible job positions in some great businesses. Now I won't be saying what they are but I am extremely hopeful and can't wait to see what comes of them.
However, I know all too well how anxiety-inducing interviewing can be. Especially if it is a higher level position than a typical retail or restaurant job. Not that I am an expert in any way, shape or form, but I am learning different things that have helped me get through them.
I can get horrible social anxiety in situations that I feel are out of my control and one of the most important tasks for me is realizing that interviews ARE in your control. Here is my typical routine before any interview:

1. Be Prepaaaarrreeeddd (Lion King reference lol)
This tip will come up on pretty much any google search of "how to prepare for job interviews" but it means something different from my perspective. When setting up dates for an interview I always set it for a time in the early morning. Why you may ask? because then I'm not sitting around panicking all day long and psyching my self out. Once the interview is set (hopefully with at least three days of mental preparation) I start rehearsing. I will literally stand in front of a mirror and answer questions that you can find online.
At first it is awkward to try to come up with what makes you so wonderful right off the top of your head. And that's okay! That's why you are practicing now. And really take this time for some inward reflection as well. Don't say "I have no hobbies" or "Strengths? Who me?" (two thoughts I have literally had on multiple occasions). And I don't lie and say "My hobbies include making media strategies in my mind" because they know that ain't the truth. Just be yourself!

2. Talk It Out
Whether it's with friends, family, a roommate, a random stranger at Starbucks, tell someone about your nerves. 9/10 times they know exactly how you are feeling (or at least to some degree) and may have helpful hints that they themselves have learned from their previous experiences.
I will literally call up anyone I can beforehand and ask for advice or just vent about how the process is making me feel. They will always be supportive of you.

3. Walk it Out
Exercise can be such a great stress relief, especially with anxiety. I, my friends, am not in great shape so if I go out for a run chances are I am thinking too much about my collapsed lung than my job interview. Or go take a class, just get your mind away from things and sweat it out! Before one of my big interviews last year I took a Zumba class the night before. It was EXHAUSTING and completely hilarious (um 6'2'' Sam out dancing like a mad woman? A very high form of comedic release). That night I slept like a baby and the next day just kept that same mentality and was completely relaxed.

4. Go to Bed!
I am definitely a self-proclaimed insomniac ESPECIALLY if I'm nervous about an event the next day. So what do I do? Be home by 7 and start to wind down, put on some relaxing music, fill up a warm bath tub and sink in. After that do your whole bed time routine, pop a melatonin in (a natural sleep aid) and hop right into bed. Oh it's only 8:30? tough cookies, get in bed. Grab your interviewing notes and skim over them. Don't do practice runs, just browse over the notes you've made and put them away. Light a candle (or if you are like me, incense) and lower the lights. Close your eyes and vision yourself doing amazing at the interview. See them shaking hands with you, throwing cash at you as you walk out the door, starting a parade in your honor for greatest interview ever, whatever makes you happy! Keep your eyes closed no matter how awake your brain is, keep. them. closed. And don't get mad at yourself for not falling asleep just stay relaxed and keep envisioning success.

5. Know Your Worth
So you are all ready for the interview, nice and well dressed, arrived 10 minutes early, said your hello's and they ask you the first question... you draw a blank. Hey guess what, it happened to me. They said "tell me about yourself" and boom darkness. Don't let this get the better of you! Instead take a deep breath, smile, and continue on with the next question. You are an amazing person with incredible skills and knowledge... LET THAT SHINE THROUGH! Don't be intimidated by a professional because they were in the exact same spot at some point in your career.
And even if the interview was horrible and you know you won't be getting the position, don't lose that sense of how great you are. There will be other interviews and opportunities that will be exactly right for you.


So onward and upward my friends! Let me know if you have any tips/tricks that help you get through interviews :) xoxo Sam