Hauls - love 'em or hate 'em?

Have you ever heard of 'hauls'?  I hadn't until a few weeks ago and now I can't stop watching them!  In a nut shell, individuals record themselves talking about the new items they purchased and then post the video to youtube.  I.e what I grew up calling a shopping spree is now referred to as a haul.

The haul usually discusses a single shopping trip or a series of shopping trips within a short time frame.    Hauls can have a theme - perhaps fashion or beauty.  Or they can focus on a specific store/group of stores.  Or, it can even focus on a season (i.e summer 2012 haul which includes clothing, shoes, makeup etc).  While some hauls are painful to watch, their are a few bloggers that I thoroughly enjoy watching and being inspired by!  Here are 3 links to some of my current favorites - Macbarbie07, DulceCandy87 and Juicystar07.  I can't say for certain whether or not I would ever record a haul, but for now I'm content just being a viewer.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_zAKozAFxE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Macbarbie07

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjkm5FBJ1Rs&feature=youtube_gdata_player
DulceCandy87

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q8oGXYs65k&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Juicystar07

Alyssa

'The Girl Who Played with Fire' Book Review

As mentioned in a previous post, I am currently in the process of reading the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.  Just a few days ago I completed the second book - The Girl who Played with Fire and I'm excited to provide you with a review.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!  Similar to the first one, the same main characters are back and solving a murder, well, triple murder actually.  I enjoyed the fact that the book did not spend too much time recapping the previous book, rather it jumped right into the plot.  However, one thing that I found odd was that the first 100 pages or so take place in a Caribbean island and discuss a few characters that are never mentioned again throughout the remainder of the book.  The constant twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book, but the storyline and characters discussed early on were never mentioned again - odd.

Unlike the first book, the action continued until the very last page - which I loved!  I really hope that a movie is in the works.  Even if it isn't I still plan on renting the Swedish version.

Alyssa

Fun Lips

When it comes to the lipgloss or lipstick that I use, I’ve gotta be honest, I’m a huge creature of habit. When I was sixteen I was introduced to the nude lip and ever since, I’ve been hooked. But just because my comfort zone lies in the land of nudes, that doesn't mean that I’m opposed to experimenting. A little while back I played with a red lipstick by Sephora and since that trial ended so successfully, I decided to try another bold look, the brown lip. Go ahead...take a minute. My initial vision of the brown lip was the same as someone wearing black lipstick, a little too bold for my taste. However, as was the case with the red lipstick, I kinda feel in love, specifically with Laura Mercier’s Quartz lipgloss. But lets be clear, just because I adore this look, does not mean that I condone wearing it everyday, I think that it should be saved for a special occasion, or just a special outfit. As well, if its going to be done, make sure that it is the focal point of your makeup that day, I suggest going for a more natural look for the rest of your face. Below please enjoy a photo of the Quartz color, along with a photo of one of my favorite nude colors by Laura Mercier, named Sparkling.

Alexa

If its not broken...don't fix it...

After hastily packing for a weekend out of the city I realized that all the outfits I picked, even my pajamas, followed the same design logic - patterned bottom and plain top.  In fact, all the bottoms are from the same store, Forever 21, and 2 of the 3 tops are from the same store, Nordstrom.  While the pajama top is from Victoria's Secret.  As they say, if its not broken, don't fix it!

Outfit 1:

[jacket] Abercrombie and Fitch

[tank top] Nordstrom BP

[leggings] Forever 21

Outfit 2:

[pajama bottoms] Forever 21

[pajama top] Victoria's Secret

Outfit 3:

[tank top] Nordstrom BP

[skirt] Forever 21

[watch] Marc Jacobs

[shoes] Tory Burch

Alyssa

Fringe Love

Where does one's love of fringe come from?  Was I born with it or did it develop over time?  I'm not really sure, all I know is that Alexa and I both LOVE any and all things fringe.  While I recommend staying away from a full-on fringe outfit (i.e. fringe hair accessories, shirt, skirt and boots), I do believe one fringe piece can be a great accent to any outfit.  Above I am pictured in a fringe shirt while below is a picture of my new fringe bikini (which I am dying to wear by the way) by Sofia.  L Space also makes an adorable and similar bikini.  You can check it out by clicking here.

Alyssa

You Can Never Have Enough Denim

As a high schooler I was under the impression that in order for a pair of jeans to properly fit you, you had to spend upwards of $200 per pair.  Furthermore, one pair was never enough.  As the years quickly passed I realized that jean trends tend to come and go just as quickly.  Therefore, I needed a less expensive alternative to help me keep up with the trends.  Then I discovered Urban Outfitter's jean brand - BDG.  These jeans come in a varity of fits and colors.  Plus, their stretchy fabric makes them form fitting yet still comfortable at the same time.  The best part, they are affordable!  Above I have a picture of 3 of my favorite pairs - a dark blue boyfriend cut, white cigeratte jeans and royal blue cigarette jeans.

Alyssa

Straight and Sleek

Why I waited so long to get a keratin treatment is beyond me!  Last week, for the first time ever, I got a 1-day professional keratin treatment.  While the 24 hours I had to wait between treatment application and first wash was pure torture (no hair ties, hair clips or even putting your hair behind your ear!) the end result was great!  I could not be happier with the straight and sleek hair that takes only a few minutes to blow dry and straighten.  I was told that in order to maintain this new luxurious hair, I had to purchase sulfate free shampoo.  Sulfate is a cleaning agent found in most shampoo that makes it lather, but the harsh chemical can damage your hair.  I was little concerned at first - no lather?  How would I know my hair was clean?  After doing a ton of online research I decided that it was imperative that I purchased L'Oreal's sulfate free shampoo and conditioner.  After trying it myself I can definitely endorse this product.  The shampoo lathers as much as a sulfate free shampoo can and it leaves my hair feeling super clean!

Alyssa