My Workout Playlist

 So I've been trying this thing where I go to the gym and workout more often. Notice I said 'trying' and not 'succeeding'. Getting into a serious workout routine has always been a struggle for me, and I've accepted that it probably always will be! I can be really dedicated to the things that I love (a.k.a blogging and watching Netflix) but when it comes to hitting the gym...I just can't force myself to do it! 

On the odd days when I am able to drag myself there (kicking and screaming, usually) I always have to have my music. If I ever forgot my headphones, I would have to leave. No questions asked. I cannot run, do weights, or even do yoga without music! I could never be one of those 'zen' runners who like to be alone with their thoughts. The only way I can make the gym bearable is to distract myself. Since eating and jogging at the same time would be counter-productive, I'll stick to my music!

What music gets you in the mood to work out? Give me suggestions, I need more motivation to hit the gym! 

xo Sydney

A Girl's Best Friend

All of these gorgeous pieces and more can be found on Gemporia's website

When it comes to jewelry, I definitely try and abide by the classic 'less is more' rule. I recently discovered a wonderful company called Gemporia that specializes in simple, classic design, complimented by amazing gemstones. Seriously, this stuff is drool-worthy. They're a British company (which means we love them even more, am I right?) based in Worcestershire, England. Side note: is this where Worcestershire sauce comes from? I need to ask them.

Alright, back to the point of this post! Their designs are gorgeous and focused on gemstones that are mined completely cruelty-free to the environment and workers! They don’t believe in mass production or run of the mill jewellery and that’s why they produce their collections in limited runs.  They have a huge selection of diamonds, rubies, opals, sapphires, emeralds, you name it! Since it's my birthstone, I especially love all the unique ruby options! Because everything is made from precious gemstones, things can get a little pricey. If you're in the mood to online window-shop for your own engagement ring (because we all do it) they've got some gorgeous ones! Fear not though, because what's great about this line is that there's really something for every budget. Even my non-existent college girl budget. One trend I've been loving recently is really big, standout cocktail rings. If you're currently on the hunt to expand your collection (like me!) they have an awesome (and cheap) selection!

Like I said before, as much as I love jewelry, what impressed me most about this company was the ethics that they stand behind. Because I'm not that articulate, I'll let their website tell you all about it:

"At Gemporia, we believe that beautiful jewellery shouldn’t cost the earth, nor should it be mass produced or run of the mill. But it should leave a legacy, for those who wear it and those who help to make it. That’s why we only use genuine gemstones and precious metals to make our jewellery in limited runs. It’s also why we work closely with The Colourful Life Foundation to aid communities where gemstones are found, educating and supporting them so they can grow as we do.

Our aim is to be original, inspiring and ethical." 

 

Let's have a big round of applause for that, shall we? It's super-rare these days to find a company that's not afraid to be blunt and stand behind their beliefs wholeheartedly. Their jewellery director, Sarah Bennett, designs all the jewellery and travels herself to source inspiration for designs and collections. It's pretty impressive how hands-on their whole process it. It's comforting that you'll know exactly where your precious gemstone is coming from and that it was mined ethically. As much as we all love Leo DiCaprio, there are definitely no blood diamonds here. Sorry, that was an awful thought--it makes me cringe! But honestly, this is all the more reason to love what Gemporia is doing. It's a good day when a company puts forth a conscious effort to truly make a difference.

So you've heard me talk a lot about this company, but don't take my word for it! Check out their website and see the gorgeous-ness for yourself! The company may be based in England, but they ship across the pond (and anywhere else you might be living). Make sure to leave me a comment below and tell me your favorite piece, I'd love to know! 

xo Sydney

Nuts for Coconuts

1. Philosophy Coconut Frosting 

2. Pacifica Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes

3. Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner   

4. Lavanila Vanilla-Coconut Fragrance  

5. Nature's Way Coconut Oil 

6. Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme 

7. Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion  

8. Lush Big Solid Conditioner  

9. The Body Shop Body Butter  

10. Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Body Creme 

My obsession with coconuts is real. It all started a couple of weeks ago, when I decided to bite the bullet and grab a jar of coconut oil at the grocery store. I've heard about the miracle-worker that is coconut oil thousands of times before but never bought into the hype. Even though I have dry skin, it typically freaks out with any kind of oil. When I tried out argan oil for the first time, it caused a full on rash across my neck and face. Weird, I know. So when I heard all the chat about coconut oil, I was skeptical to say the least. But I decided since there are thousands of Pinterest boards dedicated to it, it was worth a shot.

Confession time: I've still never used the pure oil directly on my skin. I'm too afraid! It's just not worth the skin freakout for me. I did, however, use this on my hair and it was pure magic. I have rough, dry, curly hair and this stuff tamed it like nothing before. My hair was finally soft, manageable and you could practically see your reflection in it, it was so shiny!

Another bonus about coconut oil is the amazing smell. My head literally smells like an Almond Joy. If the coconut scent bothers you even a little, I would definitely steer clear of this stuff--but i'm obsessed! Since I discovered how much I love the coconutty scent, I now have to buy anything and everything coconut scented. I also highly, highly recommend The Body Shop's coconut scented body butter. It's perfect for me since I love coconuts, but hate the oily feeling of using pure coconut oil. Also, my skin would probably freak out again. So it's perfect! If you haven't tried it, you must! They have tons of scents, so you can definitely find one you love even if you're not coconut crazy like me.

I've included some of my favorite finds so far above, but I'm still on the hunt for more! If you're as crazy about coconut stuff as I am, leave me your faovrite products in the comments! I'd love to know what else I should get my hands on.

xo Sydney

Weekend Update

A lot of bloggers do these type of weekly update posts. While I'm all about original content and trying to steer clear from things a lot of bloggers do, I found a few things this week I felt compelled to share! One of my favorite bloggers Carly (a.k.a. The College Prepster) does a weekly post called 'On My Radar' that I'm simply obsessed with. I think it's a fun peek into someone else's life and interests, as well as a fun way to discover cool stuff and (possibly) have a good laugh. So that's basically what I'm going for here. Also, it's great if you're procrastinating doing some homework. No judgments here, I'm more than likely doing to the same thing. Some of these finds are funny, some are educational, and some are weird...some are all three! Here's what I found this week:

 source

1. NYFW: Tory Burch Show
Since I wasn't able (a.k.a wasn't invited) to attend the Tory Burch show this past fashion week, I had to make due with an at-home viewing session. Thankfully, the full show is available to watch on the Tory Burch Website!  Of all the shows I watched, this one was definitely my favorite! I could actually see myself wearing almost all of the outfits, which is odd for a fashion show, I think. Usually I'm gawking at how crazy and unwearable all of the stuff is. Tory's show this season, however, was flawless! Some of the standout looks for me are shown above, but I really loved everything. If only I could afford everything...

source

2. Death-  Yale iTunes U Series
This one is for all you philosophy buffs out there. Dr. Shelly Kagan is a professor of philosophy at Yale and is probably most famous for his class simply titled 'Death'. Now, if you don't have the privilege of attending Yale, you can still sit on this class via the fabulous iTunes U. If you're a student, like me, I highly recommend you start using it. You can access classes from tons of different universities in just about every subject. It's great resource to go to if your teacher isn't so great.

Anyway, this class will really get your brain going. Because I'm not as articulate as the Yale website, here's how they described the class: "There is one thing I can be sure of: I am going to die. But what am I to make of that fact? This course will examine a number of issues that arise once we begin to reflect on our mortality. The possibility that death may not actually be the end is considered. Are we, in some sense, immortal? Would immortality be desirable? Also a clearer notion of what it is to die is examined. What does it mean to say that a person has died? What kind of fact is that? And, finally, different attitudes to death are evaluated. Is death an evil? How? Why? Is suicide morally permissible? Is it rational? How should the knowledge that I am going to die affect the way I live my life?"

Does your brain hurt yet? If not, download the series of lectures and start watching now. I'm only about five lectures in, but it's seriously fascinating stuff and I highly, highly recommend it.


3. Brian Williams raps 'Rappers Delight'
If you haven't seen this video yet, where have you been hiding? I'm a HUGE fan of Jimmy Fallon. I think he's hilarious and definitely the best late night talk show host. He took over The Tonight Show this week and (not surprisingly) hilarity ensued. He does these videos where his team edits news clips of Brian Williams to make it look like he's performing some famous rap song. This week, he did 'Rappers Delight' and it was by far the best work yet! Lester Holt also makes an appearance and it's just perfect:

So those were the highlights from my week! I also watched some Olympic figure skating but I was actually pretty disappointed with how things turned out. Oh well, there's always 2018 for team USA, right? Crazy to think that I'll almost be 24 when the next winter Olympics rolls around.

What were some of your highlights this week? Share in the comments!

xo Sydney

Movie Night

Happy Friday! 

Because of my serious procrastination problem, I sometimes (usually) find myself doing extremely unproductive things. Instead of doing things that actually matter like studying for tests, writing papers, and preparing my for my future, I live by a 'just do it later' rule. For the record: you should always do as I say, not as I do.  Anyway, last week I had the urge to watch movies. A lot of movies! I'm not really sure why, I've never been a huge fan of movies! My A.D.D. is so bad that I usually quit halfway through because I'm just plain bored. However, this week I was feeling extra lazy and had a urge to watch as many movies as possible. I discovered two (kind of surprising!) favorites. If you're looking for some plans this weekend, I highly recommend a movie night!

 

1. About Time

I'm kind of biased about this one because I love Rachel McAdams, therefore I love every movie she's in by default. I've been wanting to see this movie since it came out last November, I just never got around to it. Verdict: it was SO good! Really, it wasn't cheesy at all. Ok, maybe a little cheesy, but nothing compared to what you might typically expect from a Rachel movie. Warning: if you have a soul you will tear up at the end. It's going to happen so just be prepared!

2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this one, but it was such a cute film I had to include it! I didn't even see the first one and it was still good! If you love animated movies (like me!) and have a soft spot for really cheesy humor (again, like me) then this is exactly the movie for you. Who says you can't watch kids movies when you're an adult?!

So that's pretty much it! Sorry my reviews aren't that in-depth, I didn't want to have any spoilers! Have you seen any good movies lately? Any recommendations for me? Leave them in the comments!

xo Sydney

Images from IMDB

Stripes on Stripes on Stripes

My name is Sydney and I'm addicted to stripes. Seriously, even as I'm typing this, I'm wearing a navy blue striped top (extremely similar to the one shown in my collage). I love stripes on everything. Dresses, shoes, handbags, hats, candles, plates, notebooks, pens, I could go on forever. The battle between stripes and polka dots still rages on in my closet, but lately, stripes have definitely come out on top. I still love the whimsy of all my polka dots but I think there's something a little more sleek and sophisticated about stripes.

Ok, that was an awful lot of talk about a pattern. But tell me, are you as obsessed with stripes as I am? What's your favorite striped piece in your wardrobe?

Another Day, Another New Look!

If you've been following my blog since the beginning (that's only about a month, but still!) you know I've changed the look up about five or six times in that short period. I'm not just talking about changing a font or adding a different header, I'm talking complete template overhauls! I still no basically nothing about HTML coding (it's all way over my head) but I love hunting for new designs and flexing my creative muscles. That's basically the whole reason I started blogging in the first place.

After all this switching up, I think I've finally found one that I'm going to stick with for a while! Eventually, I want to work with a designer and really pimp this blog out but for now, I think this simple template I've settled on works nicely! I found it on Etsy from a shop called Theme Fashion they have tons of different Blogger and Wordpress compatible themes. They're all simple & clean looking, easy to install and the creators are only a quick message away if you need anything! Seriously, I had a slight issue with the template and they had it fixed in a matter of minutes--can't say enough good things about them! So, if you're a blogger, and looking for a great template, I definitely recommend!

So, I still have a few finishing touches I want to put on my blog but for the most part I'm going to try and stick with this template! What do you think of the new look? Love it, hate it, really don't care? Let me know, I'm always looking for feedback and some (constructive) criticism!

Hope everyone is having a happy Monday!

xo Sydney

Short Hair Don't Care

To chop or not to chop? That is the question I have faced time and time again. In the grand scheme of things it seems like a petty problem, but I'm constantly going back and forth between wanting to cut my hair short or grow out to Pocahontas proportions. Here's some background info about my hair: it's curly (really curly), super thick, and prone to frizz/damage/dryness. My hair has really only been short once in my life and that was my junior year of high school. It really wasn't a good look. I wish I had a picture to prove it, but I avoided cameras at all costs during that time. 

I really love long hair. I think it's so much more versatile and just a lot more flattering to my face. But then I see a picture of the gorgeous Emma Watson and can't help but think about how great it would be to have short hair. 

 

 source

How gorgeous is she? Admittedly, I don't have her face/bone structure so I could never in a million years pull off her pixie. The shortest I would ever go is shoulder length. Which, to most people, isn't really short at all. That's just my comfort zone! I am truly envious of girls who can pull off a pixie cut though. It takes serious confidence to pull of a boy-ish cut like that so I salute you! 

source

Kate Middleton is my hair idol. Just everything about her hair is perfect: the cut, the color, the shine, the bounce. It's what I strive (unsuccessfully) to achieve every morning! Every time I think I want short hair, I see a picture of beautiful Kate and I immediately run to my bathroom to do a hair mask and swallow some biotin supplements.  

While I'm usually convinced I want to stick with my long hair, I hate to admit that I can sometimes be swayed by celebrity influence. I'm always Google-ing to see who's chopped off their long locks this time. Yesterday it was Taylor Swift! I was pretty shocked when Taylor cut her hair because she's pretty famous for her long, blond, curls. But once I saw the change I think she made an awesome choice. Check it out: 

source

How adorable does she look with her new 'do? I'm pretty obsessed with it, I think it suits her face and vintage-girly-glam style so perfectly! Now I'm conflicted again because I want to look as cute as Taylor does! But sadly, hair like this doesn't have quite the same effect on me. *cries* The internet also exploded after Taylor Instagramed a video of her chopping her hair off. I wouldn't have quite the same audience, but I think the people in my life would be equally shocked if I did decide to cut my hair! For now, I think I'm just going to keep taking my biotin and drooling over the celebrities who can pull of a shorter 'do.

Also, in case you were wondeirng (and I know you were) this is what T-Swift would look like if she cut her hair like Justin Beiber. Honestly, sometimes the internet really scares me. 

source

 I think I might be crazy but it doesn't look that terrible, right? So tell me, do you rock short hair or long locks? Which one do you prefer? Discuss in the comments, I need advice! Send me pics of some of your hair inspiration via Twitter! I'm always looking to be hair-inspired.

xo Sydney 

Looks We Love

The J. Crew 'Looks We Love' has recently been an obsession of mine. In my next life, I will have impeccable taste and style and I will work as a J. Crew stylist. Until that time, all I can do is drool over the amazing looks they put together on that page. It kind of just makes me hate myself because I never ever ever would have come up with outfit combos as genius as those.

I want, no NEED, everything in my closet now! Here's a preview of what's on their website right now and all of these new looks on there fit my style perfectly! Simple, chic and lots of neutral colors and navy! So much navy I could die! Also there's that gorgeous cobalt blue shift dress, and in case you missed that memo I'm crazy for cobalt blue right now!

Liebster Award

A little while back, I was lucky enough to be nominated for the Liebster Award not once but twice! Thank you so much to Ashley from The Grits Blog and Ariella from Champagne and a Dream! The Liebster award is an award given by bloggers to new bloggers or other bloggers looking to gain a stronger following (typically under 200 followers). They answer 11 questions, nominate 11 bloggers and ask 11 questions for their nominees to answer. Since I was nominated twice, I chose to answer a combo of both questions from Ashley and Ariella. Sorry, I didn't want to bore you guys by answering 22 questions! 

My answers: 

1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully, I'll be living in NYC working as a PR girl! That's my dream right now, but honestly things can change in my life very quickly! 

2. What's your favorite makeup brand? Which product in particular?
My all around favorite makeup brand is probably Chanel. I don't own very much from them because it's expensive stuff, but I love the vitalumiere aqua foundation! It's the best foundation ever. 

3. Do you prefer coffee or tea?
Coffee! I've tried to jump aboard the tea obssession train but I just can't! I love my Starbucks vanilla soy latte too much! 

4. What is your favorite time of the day? Why?
Early morning! I'm definitely a morning person, which is extremely weird for a college student. I just love how peaceful it is when I'm the only person awake! 

5. Do you enjoy partaking in frozen yogurt (or fro yo as I call it)? If so, what's your favorite flavor and topping combination? 
Yes! Frozen yogurt bars are the best and there are SO many in my college town! I love cake batter fro yo with as many different chocolate toppings as I can manage to fit in the cup. Brownie bites and Kit Kat bits are some of my favorites!

6. If you could travel to any place in the world, right now, where would you go?
Love this questions! I just wrote a whole blog post on this called 'Wanderlust'. Right now, I'd have to say Australia & New Zealand hands down! I'm dying to go! 

7. Which would you choose great hair or perfect makeup?
Great hair! My hair is my obsession. Makeup I can definitely live without!  

8. If you had to decide between music or literature which would you pick?
 Literature! I love music, but there's nothing better than sitting down with a good book! 

9. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one hair product, what would you take?
This is extremely difficult. Probably coconut oil. I'm planning on doing a post about this soon but coconut oil has recently become a miracle hair product for me! 

10. What's your favorite guilty pleasure TV show?
Vampire diaries! Also, Keeping up with the Kardashians. 

11. Who is your favorite author?
Historically, Jane Austen is my all-time favorite author. I've read all of her novels at least three times. Currently, I'm loving John Green. I can't wait for 'The Fault in Our Stars' movie! 

Ok, now here are my questions for my nominees to answer: 

1. What food item or meal could you eat everyday? 
2. Polka dots or stripes? 
3. What physical trait do you like most about yourself? 
4. If you could have a home anywhere in the world, where would it be? 
5. Favorite perfume? 
6. Do you have any siblings? How many? 
7. Male & female celebrity crush? 
8. Favorite sport and sports team? 
9. Top three beauty products you can't live without? 
10. Favorite book of all time? 
11. How tall are you? 

Those are some pretty random questions, but it's harder to come up with 11 than you might think! Ok, so now it's time for the nominees (in no particular order) *drumroll* 

1. Julie from The Splendid Guide 
2. Madeline from Laced In Fashion 
3. Megan from Playing With Patterns 
4. Bianca from Fashion. Beauty. Culture
5. Pascha from The Posh Blog
6. Desiree from Fashion Lingual
7. Whitney from The Reclaimed   
8. Jacqueline from Pretti Please
9.  Jessie from Blush and Blonde  

Now, I'm supposed to find 11 nominees but I fell a little short. SO if you're a blogger and you're reading this and want to be nominated, I nominate you right now! Grab the button at the top of this post and answer my questions! Also, congrats to my nominees! I'll be alerting you via Twitter but there's no pressure to continue this post. If you simply say 'thanks but no thanks' that's totally fine too! But if you do continue the post, let me know so I can read all of your responses! 

Have a wonderful week! 

xo Sydney 

Weekend Wishlist #4

Cheers to the weekend! Now that the semester is in full force and I'm trying to do a million different things at once (who isn't?) I really, really value my free time on the weekends! It's so nice to be able to sleep in just a little longer and savor the bliss of getting to do nothing! It's Saturday though, so that means it's time for one of my favorite posts to do: weekend wishlists! Without further adieu here's what I've been wishing for all week long:

1. Hunter Rain Boots

2.  Essie Nail Polish in 'After School Boy Blazer'

3. Tory Burch Tortoise Shell iPhone Case

4. Frends Taylor Headphones

5. J. Crew Belt

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

xo Sydney

Bold Runway Trends

source

Neons? For Spring? Groundbreaking. Leave a comment on this post if you're as obsessed with The Devil Wears Prada as I am! And I'm just obsessed with Meryl Streep in general, let's be honest. But on to the point of this post:

I'm obsessed with neon!

Next in my fashion week series is one of my favorite reoccurring spring trends: neon! Now, I'm well aware that neon is nothing new to the fashion scene. More specifically, I love just a small pop of neon in an outfit. Hot pink shorts with a lime green blouse and an atomic orange bag definitely isn't my style, but more power to you if you can actually pull that off! One of my favorite color combinations is navy blue + hot pink. I think a navy shift dress with a hot pink belt at the waist or a pair of hot pink ballet flats is adorable! One of my main goals this spring is to incorporate some color into my wardrobe! I really love my neutrals. Black, navy blue, white, beige, you name it! They're my comfort zone. I've never been a risk taker when it comes to fashion but I finally think I'm ready to branch out. I blame becoming a blogger and seeing all the amazing fashions other bloggers show off! Seriously, I need to step up my game a bit.

I'm not only trying to incorporate color into my fashion, my apartment is looking a little bleak lately too! I love white in home decor. I have white walls, white furniture, white bedding...I feel like I live in one giant Apple store sometimes. Currently, I'm obsessed with these Kate Spade neon storage boxes! I'm always in need of more storage in my life (did I mention I might have a slight hoarding problem?) and I love it when my storage can be cute and functional. 

Will you be incorporating any neon into your wardrobe this spring? Tell me, and get me inspired to take some fashion risks! Also, bonus points if you tell me about your favorite "Devil Wears Prada" quote. 

xo Sydney

You Look Radiant

With fashion week almost at the end, I thought it was about time I start researching and posting about trends we're going to see all over the place this year. I'm terrible at following trends (mostly because I don't really care that much) but I am always interested in what Pantone names as the color of the year. In case you've been living under a rock, the color of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid!

At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about this trend. Purple just isn't my favorite color. But then I saw how many different shades actually qualified as 'radiant orchid' and how amazing it looked as an
accent color paired with my favorite color of all time: navy blue. 

I kind of love it now! Tell me, how are you going to incorporate this color into your wardrobe/life this year? Give me some ideas!

xo Sydney

Happy Galentine's Day

It's the day before Valentine's day so you know what that means...

 source

Happy Galentine's Day everyone!


Hoes before bros. Ovaries before brovaries. Uteruses before duderuses. If this sounds like a foreign language to you, please go to Netflix immediately and watch the episode of Parks and Recreation (hint: it's season 2 episode 16). Run, do not walk! This is not a drill. While your there you should just go ahead and watch every episode of every season. Again, you will not be disappointed.

Is anyone else a huge fan of Parks and Rec? Leave me a comment below if you'll be my galentine! 

xo Sydney

Brand Favorites: Benefit

 Happy Thursday! How is the week almost over already? I'm not complaining, but it's going by so fast!

I hope your week is off to a fabulous start! Today's post is my second in my 'Brand Favorites' series. Last time, I featured my favorite products from Maybelline! This time, I'm focusing on one of my favorite higher-end brands: Benefit. I love benefit for SO many reasons. Mostly their simple, fun, happy-go-lucky attitude towards cosmetics. I love any brand that has a good sense of humor and the lovely gals at Benefit definitely do! They're packaging is adorable and their products always have the cutest and most original names! A+ for the creativity Benefit, I appreciate it! So enough rambling, here are the products that made the cut this time:

1. Gimmie Brow
I have long, thick hair, but I definitely wasn't blessed with thick brows *sigh*. Another thing about me is that I hate filling in my brows with a pencil/powder. They always look terrible when I do. Always. This product is easy, quick and practically fool-proof (a necessity for a fool like me). It has a mascara-type wand that you simply brush over your brows and viola! You instantly look like Lily Collins! Ok, now I'm exaggerating, but if anyone does find a product that does that send it to me ASAP.

2. Hoola Bronzer 
 Because I'm so pale, I have a love/hate relationship with bronzer. I love this cult-favorite because it's matte. Completely matte! I can't use sparkly bronzer, I'm just not that talented with make-up and it always looks awful. I use this to contour a bit every morning and it looks super natural even on my ghostly face!

3. Erase Paste 
Although this product is meant to be used under the eyes (I think) it's my favorite concealer for covering spots and scars. Blemishes are always a serious struggle for me to cover and most of the time I just give up. This is great because it's really opaque and covers every bit of redness! It also is slightly brightening so it's great to cover up dark spots that some really nasty pimples leave behind. Gross, I know, but we all deal with it.

4. Fake Up Concealer
I was hesitant to include two concealers but I couldn't decide between the two. I just got a sample of this in my Birchbox a few days ago and I'm already hooked on it. It's one of the best undereye concealers I've tried in a long time! I used to use one from  Maybelline but this has definitely taken it's place! It doesn't crease and stays on all day! No raccoon eyes peeping through half way through the day. Fabulous! I will definitely do a more in-depth review on this product after I've tried it out a little longer.

5. Creaseless Cream Shadow
Like I said in my favorite products from Maybelline post, I have a love affair with cream eye shadows. I love how easy and effortless they are and Benefit definitely has some great ones. Most of all, I love the color selection of these! They're all really natural and I'm all about natural, neutral eye looks. My favorite shades are: Bikini-tini, RSVP, and Birthday Suit. Bonus points to Benefit for having adorable names for everything!

6. Lollitint 
This product recently launched and is the sister product to the well-loved Benetint. I have a bottle of Benetint and I love it, but I feel like the light pink color of Lollitint works better on my skin tone. Which, in case you haven't heard/noticed, is really pale. The only issue I have is the nail polish-type applicator. The little brush is kind of annoying and I wish application was a bit easier, but you can't have everything right? The color payoff is great, so I can deal with the brush!

7. High Brow
I use this product mostly as an inner-rim liner on my waterline. It's great at brightening up my eyes when I don't get a lot of sleep--which is pretty much every night now (thanks college). I've never used it under my eyebrows, mostly because I don't know how to do that and I would probably just look silly. But it's also great in the corners of your eyes just brighten up your overall look!

8. Dandelion Boxed Blush 
Let me just say that I love pretty much every boxed blush. If my fingers wouldn't cramp up, I would write a novel about how much I love each and every one of them. If I was held at gunpoint and had to choose my favorite, it would probably be Dandelion. Mostly because it's a gorgeous light pink shade that looks really natural on my skin tone. Because I'm not being held at gunpoint right now, I'll also mention that I love CORALista, and the not-so-new-anymore Hervana.


9. Ultra Plush Lip Gloss
I mentioned in my last brand favorites post how much I detest sticky lip gloss. I'm not a huge lip gloss fan in general, but I do like these. They're moisturizing, not sticky (did I mention I hate that?) and have an awesome color selection.

10. Watt's Up! 
I definitely don't use highlighter on a daily basis, but when I'm feeling fancy I always use this one. I'm not a makeup expert so I need a highlighter that's easy to use and will look natural even if I end up putting it in the wrong spot (which always happens). This looks really natural and doesn't make me look like a sparkly drag queen circus clown (because that would be awful). You don't really even notice it's there until the light hits your face just right, which is lovely!

11. They're Real! Mascara
My all time favorite mascara. Seriously, I don't even know what else to say because there are no words to describe how much I love this. Benefit, I beg you, never discontinue this mascara! I have pretty long lashes to begin with but this takes them to a whole new level! If you haven't tried it yet, you owe it to yourself to run to Sephora and try it! You will not be disappointed, I promise. It's lengthening, separating, and still makes my lashes look thicker but without clumping and flaking off. Your lashes still look as good at 10 p.m. as they did at 6 a.m. (trust me, I've tested it!). Just go try it! 

12. The POREfessional Primer
Since I'm incredibly lazy I rarely ever wear primer. But on the two days a year I do wear primer, this is the best one I've tried. Admittedly, I haven't tried very many but I love that this one doesn't make my skin too dry or too oily. I've tried primers that make my skin feel really chalky (gross) and others that make it look mega oily. This one is perfect. I can't really say it shrinks pores because I don't really know what that means or how that's even possible. Again, I'm NOT a makeup expert! But my foundation definitely stays put longer, so I'll take it!

That was seriously exhausting, but worth it because Benefit products deserve to be raved about! Now tell me, what are your favorite Benefit products? What brand should I feature next? Tell me, tell me!

xo Sydney 

Macaron Madness

Source

 In my humble opinion, food + effort = the perfect Valentine's day gift. My all time favorite dessert is, without a doubt, macarons. I love every flavor from your basic chocolate or vanilla to the more exotic flavors like rose water or lavender. If your feeling a little adventurous this Valentine's day (or any day!) try out this macaron recipe. I've actually tried it myself and they turned out pretty well! I definitely don't have a career as a French pastry chef in my future, but hey, I wasn't really planning on that one anyway. My favorite fillings are the simple butter cream filling listed below, Nutella, or raspberry jam. Or all three if you're feeling crazy!

 Basic macaron recipe: originally from here

• 1 cup powder sugar
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 2 medium egg whites
• Small pinch salt
• ¼ cup fine sugar 

For filling: 

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup powder sugar

 The preparation is what really is most important. You definitely have to take your time! I watched a few YouTube videos before I dove in for the first time and I highly recommend any kitchen novices like me do the same! This video was especially helpful! Make sure and follow the instructions listed on the original recipe here exactly! I love getting creative more than anyone but save the artistic freedom for the food coloring and the filling and keep it simple with the cookies themselves.

 These boxes are the cutest! I have one in the dark pink shade that I got from Urban Outfitters. I highly recommend them for a cute gift for a macaron lover or just something fun for yourself!

How adorable is this print from Etsy? I need this hanging in my room now! Also, enjoy some more macaron porn from Pinterest:

 source

How amazing do all of those look? What's your favorite dessert? Make me drool in the comments!

xo Sydney

One Month

via Pinterest

It's the 11th of February which means I've been blogging for exactly 1 month. Don't worry, I'm not going to celebrate every lame milestone this blog reaches but I felt the first month was something to reflect on. It's crazy, when I typed out that first post one month ago I had no idea how quickly blogging would change my life. Really, it has! I've truly found a passion for blogging and I'm so grateful to have this amazing creative outlet. When things in school get rough, I can always turn to this blog and chat about the things I really love. I have SO many goals for my blog and I'm very excited to see where the next months take me! Thank you to all the amazing other bloggers I've met so far for making blogging such a positive experience for me!

xo Sydney

P.S. follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin, and Facebook to stay up-to-date on where my blog takes me next!

Cobalt Crazy

Cobalt Crazy by sydneyluella

I recently purchased a J. Crew Scalloped Dress in a gorgeous shade of cobalt blue. Ever since that, I've kind of been going crazy for this color! I feel like it's one of the few colors that's flattering on me with my dark hair and pale (really pale) skin. So naturally, once I find a color that I like I obsess over it and suddenly want everything I own to be that color--hence why I included a stand mixer in my cobalt collage. Of course, my love affair with navy blue will never end, but I'm liking embracing a different shade of blue for once!

What color has been inspiring you lately?

xo Sydney

P.S. I posted a pic of the dress on my twitter! Go take a look and expect a more in-depth outfit post on it to come very soon! 

Wanderlust

Lately, I've been suffering from serious wanderlust. I honestly don't think I've ever had such a strong desire to travel in my life. All of a sudden, I find myself lost for hours and hours exploring the travel boards on Pinterest and drooling over all the beautiful places in the world. Traveling is for sure one of my major points on my 'to do' list for life. I have a goal to set foot on every single continent (except maybe Antarctica--I'm not quite that adventurous) and visit lots of obscure places that most people don't typically get to. When I first went to college, my #1 goal was to study abroad. I have plenty of friends who have done it and they all say it's a life changing experience! I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to do that (so sad) but I am planning a big trip right after graduation. Here's a few places that are currently at the very top of my list:

1. Sydney, Australia

Ok, I might be a little biased because It's my namesake, but I've been dying to go to Australia for ages. This is for sure at the very top of my list and the trip I'm hoping to take after college graduation. I definitely want to see the entire continent as well as New Zealand! Besides the giant spiders, I feel like Australia and I would get along very well!


2. Cape Town, South Africa

Number two on my list has to be South Africa (and Africa in general). I first saw how beautiful Cape Town was on an episode of House Hunters International (yes, I'm obsessed with that show!) and ever since I've been dying to go! I've always wanted to go to Kenya or Tanzania on a safari, and I still definitely want to do that, but I feel like the gorgeous beaches of South Africa are a little more my style. I actually have a couple friends that were born in Cape Town and (although they're a little biased) they say It's really one of the most beautiful places ever. Who knew House Hunters was actually a brilliant travel guide?

3. London, England

all images via Pinterest 

Fun fact: London was actually where I was planning on studying abroad. In high school, I became so obsessed with the city (even though I'd never been there) that I even considered applying to universities there! While I can't imagine myself living there now, I'm still dying to visit! I love everything about London from the tradition & history, beautiful architecture and the fashion of course! I need a Burberry trench coat. I'm not sure when I'll get here, but I'm planning on taking a major England/Ireland/Scotland trip sometime in the (hopefully near) future!

So that's  my list! Obviously there are way more places I want to go, I could honestly write thousands of these posts. If you want to see more follow my wanderlust board on Pinterest! It's currently my most-loved board and I add new pins almost daily! Also, I'm dying to know if you've been in any of these places and what you thought and loved/didn't love. Please share your advice or your wanderlust list in the comments!

xo Sydney 

Weekend Wishlist #3

1. Tieks 
I've seen these everywhere lately and I'm dying to get my hands on a pair! I love ballet flats already, but these look even more comfortable and functional. I could see myself wearing these every single day so I might just have to invest in a pair. I also love how they fold up (see photo) so you can easily throw them in your bag! I'm sick of wearing shoes to campus that give me huge, oozing blisters by the end of the day (you're welcome for that yummy visual). I always, always, always get nasty blisters on the back of my heals from ballet flats! These, however, are made from soft leather and look like clouds for your feet! I've heard they're super comfortable so I really need to get my hands on a pair ASAP.

2. The North Face 'Venture' Lightweight Jacket
Living in Florida, I deal with rain. A LOT of rain. During the summer, it's almost a guarantee that it will rain everyday. To be honest, I mostly want this jacket just for the color! It's called 'sugary pink' on the Nordstrom website and I'm just crazy for it. While this might be a little hot for summer, it would be perfect for fall, winter and even spring. Plus, the color is adorable and if it's pink... well then I must have it! I think the next time I'm looking for a rain coat this will be my first stop.

3. Alexandra Ferguson 'OMG' Makeup Bag
OMG I need this makeup bag in my life! Seriously, if my personality was a makeup bag it would be this one. I featured a different bag from the same designer in my Valentine's Day gift guide but I love the 'OMG' design a little more. Although I'm trying to hold back from online shopping (LOL!) I think I might have to make one last sneaky purchase...I have a problem, I know.

4. Ashley Brooke Designs Coffee Mugs
Because I love all things related to coffee and tea, naturally, I would love coffee mugs. It's hard to find really cute coffee mugs though, isn't it? Look no further than Ashley Brooke Designs! All of her mugs (and other stuff too!) are adorable, it was practically impossible to pick just one. Since I'm really big on inspirational quotes, I feel there's no better way to start the day that with a little pick me up--from the coffee and a quote, of course! Check out all her designs here! You won't be disappointed, she's genius.

Well...that's it for this week! I don't think I've ever been so happy to see the weekend as I was this week. Seriously, this week was so stressful! 4 exams and a paper in the course of 48 hours should be illegal (Are you there Congress? It's me, Sydney. Again.) Jokes aside, I hope everyone has a wonderful, relaxing weekend. I'll be doing absolutely nothing! Who's with me?

xo Sydney

Go Red!

John Lewis Red Sweater // RED VALENTINO pleated lace skirt // Coach 'Madison' Satchel // Jimmy Choo Black Pumps //Bauble Bar Crystal Holly Necklace // NARS 'Jungle Red' Lipstick // Essie 'Toggle To The Top' Nail Polish 

Today (February 7th) is National Wear Red day. This day is a part of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign. This campaign raises awareness for heat disease, the leading cause of death in women in the United States. Heart disease is often called the 'silent killer' of women because of it's often unnoticeable symptoms and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. I highly recommend reading more about the campaign on their website! Also the Go Red fashion show was last night! If only I was at New York Fashion Week *sigh* maybe one day...

Anyway, as well as supporting the campaign I thought this post could serve as a little bit of outfit inspiration! Valentine's day is exactly a week away so it's a perfect excuse to get all dolled up in red! Red is one my favorite colors so I'll wear it any day, not just February 14th!

Now, I probably won't be going out for Valentine's day (I'll probably be studying...or procrastinating) but if I was I would be wearing something like this. I always like to keep it simple but with a girly flair so I paired this gorgeous red sweater with a ballerina-inspired skirt! I'm a big fan of the ballet-inspired fashions that have been popular recently. From tulle skirts to ballerina flats, I'm pretty much obsessed. I thought the skirt would go perfectly with some hella-sexy black heels! I definitely don't own a pair of Jimmy Choos but a girl can dream, can't she? To add a little more sparkle I added a necklace from Bauble Bar. If any of you don't know what Bauble Bar is, I beg you, go to their website now! Their jewelry is so gorgeous it will actually change your life (and it's reasonably priced which is a bonus!). You also need something to store all the necessities, so I added a basic black Coach bag that you can't go wrong with. I recently purchased a black Coach satchel on Ebay and I'm already crazy about it! Since it's Valentine's day and we're working with the 'Go Red' theme a classic red lip is obligatory. I love 'Jungle Red' by NARS or my all time favorite red is MAC's 'Russian Red'. You can read more about my obsession with that lipstick here!

So there you have it, a perfect Valentine's day look! It's flirty and feminine, but not too dressed up, and that's just the way I like it. It's great for a hot date or to celebrate singles awareness day with some friends (Galentine's Day anyone?). So tell me, what are your plans? And what will you be wearing?!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

xo Sydney

Throwback Thursday

For this throwback Thursday, I decided to post a really embarrassing picture of myself. Last time I got away with just reminiscing about my favorite old songs/TV shows (read all about it here!) but this time I'll let everyone have a good laugh at my expense. I'm assuming this was Halloween circa 2000, so give a break I was 6 years old! There are a few things that scare me about this picture. First of all, I'm dressed as a geisha? That's kind of an odd costume choice for a six year old. Secondly, I have a massive head for such a little body. I mean look a it! It's huge! Also, I look exactly the same. Seriously, besides getting a little taller I haven't changed much in thirteen years. Ok, this was embrassing but at least now you know what I looked like as a little kid. I feel like we've bonded over this.

Have a happy Thursday! The weekend is almost here!

xo Sydney