Today there is so much competition when it comes to beauty subscription boxes. Before there were mainly two competitors: The Trendsetter, Birchbox and The Wannabe, ipsy. But now there's a new opponent in this competition. Let me introduce you to Play! by Sephora.

Just like ipsy and Birchbox, Sephora's Play! box includes five skin care, makeup, or hair care samples plus a bonus fragrance sample all for $10 a month. All the samples come in a cute draw string collectible bag that goes with each month’s theme.

Now for those of you that are wondering if I left ipsy because I got off the waitlist for Sephora's play box, that is 100% correct. Once Sephora announced they were creating their own beauty subscription service, I was fully committed. Unlike ipsy, Sephora gives me samples of the brands I love and want to try. By some chance I don't know the brand, I already trust it because it is backed by Sephora. When I would receive an unknown brand from ipsy I was always hesitant to try it, especially if they did not have their own website and were only sold on Amazon.

Something that Play! offers that the other subscription services do not offer is the Play! Pass. With the Play! Pass you can redeem it in store for 50 bonus Beauty Insider points when you make a purchase and it also includes a free one on one tutorial with one of Sephora's Beauty Experts. The passes do expire after 30 days, it is normally good until the end of the following month. I have yet to use the Play! Pass to redeem my one on one tutorial, but I plan on using that sometime in the future! Also in the Play! box you will find the Play! Book. It includes tips, tricks, how-tos, and beauty advice for the products in the box. The Play! Book introduces you to each product and helps you get the most out of them.

Let's get down to this Play! Box for November 2016. The theme was "Best In Glow" so all products were focused on radiating your beauty. What all these products have in common is that they will enhance your look with a natural shine. Even the little draw string bag came with a cute little design that showed off a cartoon woman getting ready to pamper herself to a spa day.

Now let's get to the good stuff! Inside this Play! Box were the following products:

• Cover FX Illuminating Primer
• Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in Pin Up Pink
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rose Gold
• Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet
• Glamglow Thirstymud™ Hydrating Treatment
• Maison Margiela ’Replica’ Lipstick On

The Cover FX Illuminating Primer is a glow inducing and silicone free primer that does indeed give your skin a nice glow. However if you use a too much primer in one setting it can make your face look a little oily, so it is important to remember that a little goes a long way. This primer is not irritable at all so it is good for sensitive skin.

I'm not a huge lip gloss fan but when it comes to subscription boxes, I can't escape lip glosses. The Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in Pin Up Pink is a sheer gloss that comes in a hot pink tint. Since it is very sheer, you only get little bit of color. But it does add a nice shine to your lips.

The best item in this Play! Box had to be the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rose Gold, hands down. The rose gold shade was gorgeous and added a strong shimmer to your eyes. What's so great about this eye crayon is that it glides on so smoothly and it lasts all day.

One of the most needed products for the winter time is moisturizer. So when I saw the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet in the Play! Box, I was really excited to try it out. This moisturizer is a light gel cream that hydrates and softens your skin. Once you apply the cream to your face it makes your skin feel smooth and strong. This moisturizer is really gentle and did not cause any irritation, so it's a thumbs up for those of you with sensitive skin!

The Glamglow Thirstymud™ Hydrating Treatment was the most high end beauty product, well besides the perfume sample. The mask itself is amazing, it smells really good and it really soothes your skin. Plus it will absorb right into your skin, so there is really no need to rinse off after. It makes a great overnight mask. The only downside of this product is the price, the full size version of the product is $69 and you only receive 1.7 oz. I will definitely be cherishing this sample.

Lastly but certainly not least, there is the perfume sample, Maison Margiela ’Replica’ Lipstick On. Getting a perfume sample is something I really love about the Sephora Play! Box. Trying out new perfumes is always fun! The Maison Margiela ’Replica’ Lipstick On is a sophisticated floral scent that smells really good.

For my first Sephora Play! box, I was really impressed. I received a lot of brands that I like and some that I really have been dying to try! So far, Play! has made a lasting impression on me and I would give this box 4 out of 5 stars. I can't wait to see what else Play! has in store!

Until tomorrow.

It's Day 5 of Blogmas, and you know what that means... There's only 20 more days until Christmas! Can you believe time is flying by so quickly?

There's only so many days left to get your Christmas shopping done, and finish up your wishlist for Old Saint Nick. So hey Santa Claus, I'd like to think I've been pretty nice this year. Here are some of the things I've been lusting over for this holiday season:

To Get My Camera Fixed! Okay this is not really a gift, but more like something I need to do sometime soon. I accidentally broke my Nikon D3100 last Christmas while vlogging, hence why I do not vlog anymore, and have not fixed it since. To be honest I'm scared to see how much it will cost because those cameras are not cheap. But sooner or later I need to get it fixed, because that camera is like my baby. So if someone could recommend a place that fixes cameras, that would be great!

Minnetonka Cally Slippers! I finally wore out my slippers and it is time to get a new pair. I've been eyeing these moccasin slippers for the longest time and now that my old slippers have officially been trashed it's time to get that upgrade.

Planner Supplies! When it comes to treating myself one of my guilty pleasures would have to be stationery and planners. I recently just purchased my new planner for next year, The Happy Planner from Michaels and I'm already obsessed with it. So I would absolutely love some organizational stickers for my brand new planner! Yeah, I know I'm a giant nerd.

Hamilton: The Revolution! I'm literally obsessed with the Broadway hit, Hamilton. Ask anyone who knows me, I listen to the soundtrack almost daily. Since getting tickets to see this play is basically impossible, the next best thing is the book. Maybe if I'm lucky enough to receive this book, I can play the soundtrack in the background while reading it and imagine that I'm watching the show. A girl can dream right?

Portable Charger/Power Pack! I'm constantly on the go and my iPhone does not last as long as it used to. So something I really need and desperately want is a new portable charger. That way, while I am out and about I can charge my phone. I don't need anything fancy, just something to keep my phone from constantly dying.

Beauty Products! Do I need more beauty products? No, I think I have enough to last me the rest of my life. But do I want them? Yes, yes I do. Some of my favorite makeup brands would be Urban Decay, theBalm, Tarte, or Nyx. What I probably do need more is more face products, so any kind of face wash or moisturizer from Dermologica, Clinique, or First Aid Beauty surely won't go to waste. Then again, any kind of gift set from Philosophy will not go to waste either. I may or may not have an addiction to beauty products.

Do I need any of these things for Christmas? No not really. For me, what's most important is getting to spend time with my loved ones. During the holidays, I try to focus less on me and focus more on my family and friends. Because during the holidays, it's important to remember to be thankful for what you have rather than focusing on what you don't have. Plus, isn't that what Christmas is all about? Tell me, what do you want for Christmas this year?

Until tomorrow.

For the last few months, I've been working for my sorority Delta Phi Epsilon (DPhiE) as a Collegiate Development Consultant or CDC for short. What that means is that I have been in charge of creating a new chapter at California State University, Los Angeles.

When I first got this job, I was extremely excited! I graduated from St. John's two years ago and one of the things I really missed about college life was my sisters. A majority of my sisters live on the East Coast, and I did not know too many on the West Coast, which is probably because the only active chapter close by was all the way up in Humboldt, California. But once I found out that they were going to open a chapter only 30 minutes away from me, I knew I wanted to somehow be part of this. So I applied to be a CDC, I thought it was a long shot but much to my surprise I got the job!

Since July, I've been working to start this chapter from the ground up. Luckily, I was not alone. I had a great team to help and support me along the way. We started with nothing, but with some hard work and a lot of persistence there ended up being 82 members of this founding class. Every single woman I met was amazing in her own special way. After getting all these women together, it was my job to introduce them to this great sisterhood of ours. They started as a colony and had to put in a lot of work to become recognized as a chapter. It within nine weeks, they learned everything they needed to know about the sorority. We met two to three times a week and at each meeting, they were curious and full of questions. Even though our meetings were generally serious all the time, they managed to bring in some fun and silly moments. We even got to share a couple laughs.

Their hard work paid off, last night they were officially chartered as the Zeta Eta chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon and each and every single one of these ladies were initiated as sisters.

In fact there was a big party to celebrate this momentous occasion. At Cal State LA, the Founders plus their friends and family members plus some local alumnae were all there to celebrate this huge accomplishment. It was a fun night, full of happiness and a lot of smiles.

But the real fun starts now for these ladies. Transitioning from a colony to a new chapter will be difficult, but I know in my heart that every single one of them is a strong and driven woman. When they have their mind made up, they do not give up easily. No matter what obstacles they have, they will persevere. Not just because they are the Founders but because these ladies are capable and they are going to do great things. I am so proud and honored that I get to call each and every single one of these women my sisters.

I know this post was a bit sappy, but it came straight from the heart. If you want to know more about the Zeta Eta chapter of DPhiE, follow their journey on Instagram at @CSULADPHIE.

Until tomorrow.

One of the most challenging things to do during the holidays is shopping for gifts, especially if you need to buy gifts for a lot of people. That's why this year, my family decided to do a Secret Santa gift exchange.

The only problem with doing a Secret Santa was trying to figure out how to do it. Especially since we do not see each other often, in fact we're only get together during the holidays. So drawing a name out of a hat was out of the question.

We could not figure out how we would pick names our Secret Santa gift exchange. Well, at least until we found out about DrawNames. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about DrawNames is a website that organizes your Secret Santa or any kind of gift exchange for you! The best part? It's really easy to use! Here is a step by step guide to create a gift exchange on DrawNames:

Step 1: Have whoever is in charge of the gift exchange login to DrawNames and put everyone's names and emails into the Secret Santa Generator.

Step 2: Here you can set up how many names you'd like to draw per person. Most of the time, you'll select one, which is the default option. But, let's say you want each person to have two people for the gift exchange, you would set that up here. The most you can do is draw two names, but you can also have zero names drawn and just use the website for it's other functions, like the Wishlist option.

Step 3: When you get to this step this is the fun part. You can create a group name for your gift exchange, because if you end up using this website for more than one gift exchange it will organize all your groups by group name and date. After that, you will select the date of your gift exchange. In this step you can also set the budget for the gift exchange. And then lastly, you will compose an email to your members explaining the gift exchange and all the rules or anything else you want the group to know. DrawNames will then send this email out to your group members.

Step 4: Your email is sent by DrawNames through their website email instead of your email address. And this email will invite everyone to your gift exchange group. Once all the invitations are accepted the names will be drawn! It could take up to an hour after everyone has joined. You will receive an email from DrawNames with the name of the person you will be gifting.

Step 5: From there, you can decide to make a wishlist and help out your Secret Santa or you can choose to be surprised. If you choose to make a wishlist, you can add items or suggestions onto your list. The list is powered by Amazon so if Amazon sells what you'd like as a gift, a link with a picture of the item you'd like will appear on your wishlist. However, if you choose to be surprised you can write in your hobbies and interests to give your Secret Santa some sort of idea of what to get you. You can also create a wishlist to go along with your hobbies and interests.

And it's as simple as that! If you choose not to draw names for a gift exchange, you can still use the Wishlist option to let your family or group know what you would like for a gift. That can come very handy when it comes to Christmas shopping!

DrawNames is great tool to use, especially for the holidays. Planning your Secret Santa gift exchange has never been easier. So why not try it out? Plus if you decide to use it and want to use again next year, all of your group members' email addresses will be saved on the website. Cool huh? Happy gift exchange planning!

Until tomorrow.

For the past two years, I've been unboxing and critiquing the Glam Bags I receive from ipsy. I've accumulated all different kinds of beauty products. But this past November, I decided it was time to unsubscribe from ipsy.

Why did I choose to unsubscribe from ipsy? Well over the past two years, I've gathered a bunch of different beauty products. Some that I absolutely fell in love with, but a majority of the other products were just mediocre. I would get a lot of the same items and brands all the time. But it was not the "higher end" brands that I wanted to try, instead I mainly got obscure unheard of brands. There were some great unheard of brands that I tried, the only bad part about that was that I could not purchase those items again because those brands were never sold at any of the stores I frequent. But enough about that, here are the final reviews for September and October.

First we have the September Glam Bag, which was a "Glamazon" theme. What is a Glamazon? Well the best definition I could find on Urban Dictionary describes a Glamazon as a woman with an overdeveloped sense of beauty, glamour, and fashion.

So based off this name and theme, this bag should be a total knockout. Let's start with the bag itself, it's super cute and very girly! The color scheme works well together and the print is adorable. It definitely gives of a chic and trendy feel.

So let's get to the good stuff! Inside this Glam Bag were the following products:

• Pixi by Petra Mattelustre Lipstick in Rose Naturelle
• Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask
• ulta3 Nail Colour in Sizzling Red
• IT Cosmetics Superhero™ Mascara in Super Black
• tre'StiQue Mini Highlight Stick in Maldives Luminescent

The Pixi by Petra Mattelustre Lipstick in Rose Naturelle is a dark nude shade that pairs really well with any pink lip liner. The lipstick is matte but not a very good one, it does not last as long as a matte should. The one thing I really dislike about this lipstick is the weird aftertaste it leaves on your lips. If you're going to eat anything take this lipstick off before you eat because you will get a really bitter taste in your mouth.

I always love trying new hair products, especially any kind of deep conditioner, so I was excited to test out the Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask. When I washed my hair I used a generous amount of this deep conditioner and overall I was very impressed! It softens your hair and makes it shinier while getting rid of any tangles! Score!!

When it comes to nail polish, I seem to have the worst luck. I'm really bad/lazy when it comes to painting my nails but I'm getting better with time. The ulta3 Nail Colour in Sizzling Red is a bold color that goes on bright red. The color is almost like a fire truck red shade. The nail polish applies very easily which is nice, the only downside is that the nail polish will stain your skin so be very careful! I had pink fingers for a decent amount of time. This nail polish lasts for a short amount of time. Depending on how active you are you could chip the nail polish within the first couple of days.

I was so excited to see the IT Cosmetics Superhero™ Mascara in Super Black, I've been dying to try this mascara! I heard so many good things about it, so when I tried it I was happy to see it lived up to the hype. The mascara itself is creamy but it does not smudge despite the creaminess. It gives your lashes plenty of volume and adds the perfect amount of length to them. Best mascara ever!

Last but certainly not least, there is the tre'StiQue Mini Highlight Stick in Maldives Luminescent. What I really love about this highlighter is that it is a creamy crayon that goes on very smoothly. Sometimes it is hard to find a really good shade for a highlighter but this shade was almost iridescent, it adds such a nice and natural shine to your face. This is probably the best highlighter I have ever received from ipsy!

Overall, I'd give the September Glam Bag 4/5 stars. I was really impressed with a majority of these products. My hit for this month would be the IT Cosmetics Superhero™ Mascara in Super Black, while my miss for this month would be the Pixi by Petra Mattelustre Lipstick in Rose Naturelle. But now onto the October Glam Bag!

Now we've come to the last Glam Bag I will ever critique, this is a real bittersweet moment. The Glam Bag itself is super cute, it was obviously a Halloween theme. The print of the witches was super cute and it went well with the theme. If you notice, I received some additional products in this Glam Bag. That is because I had enough points to redeem not one but two additional samples with my ipsy points.

Inside this Glam Bag were the following products:

• theBalm Cosmetics CabanaBoy Blush
• Ciaté London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner
• Trust Fund Beauty Gimme Good Face - Face Primer
• MeMeMe Blush Brush
• Ziaja Natural Olive Cream Light Formula
• Luxie Rose Gold Tapered Highlighting Brush
• Nudestix Mini Lip + Cheek Pencil in Mystic

I always get so excited whenever I see anything theBalm, it's one of my favorite brands! So I was stoked to see the theBalm Cosmetics CabanaBoy Blush in my Glam Bag! I absolutely adore the shade, it is the perfect color for a nice natural blush tone while also giving your face a nice glow. What I also love about this blush is that it can also be used as an eyeshadow.

I've been on the hunt for a new liquid eyeliner for quite some time now, but I think I can finally conclude my journey. The Ciaté London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner is everything I have ever dreamed of for an eyeliner. This eyeliner goes on so smoothly and so precise. Even with my shaking hands, my eyeliner was done in one try. With other eyeliners, I would need to start over at least twice. It also does not smudge and it is long lasting.

The Trust Fund Beauty Gimme Good Face - Face Primer is a decent face primer with some texture issues. When you first put it on, it becomes really flakey but once you spread it around your face it starts to get really gooey and soft. It is a weird sensation but somehow it ends up making your face really soft. But from there is does an okay job keeping your makeup looking fresh. After a couple of hours you can't really tell that you were ever wearing makeup.

One of my favorite things to receive in a Glam Bag are makeup brushes! So when I saw the MeMeMe Blush Brush I was excited. What I really like about this brush is that it can be used for any kind of powder. It is a soft brush that applies powder very well and it does not go on too dark, It distributes the powder evenly. You can't go wrong with a nice soft brush that apples well!

The last sample that ipsy chose for me was the Ziaja Natural Olive Cream Light Formula. What's really great about this moisturizer is that is is soothing on your face and it really softens it. The only downside of this moisturizer is that it has a really thick texture and a very generic smell.

The first sample I chose to redeem with my points was the Luxie Rose Gold Tapered Highlighting Brush. Honestly, I picked this brush because it was pretty and because it was a makeup brush, I needed to stock up! It is 100% vegan friendly and works best as a highlighter brush. The brush itself is super soft and it applies very lightly but overall very well.

The last sample I chose to redeem with my points was the Nudestix Mini Lip + Cheek Pencil in Mystic. ipsy has been giving out Nudestix samples for the longest time and I was never lucky enough to get one, so when I saw that one was available to redeem for points I jumped at the opportunity. The shade of the pencil is a nice nude pink that pairs well with any lipstick shade. What is also so great about this pencil is that it is long lasting and it can also be used for your cheeks and not just your lips!

For my final Glam Bag, I'd say it went out with a bang, I'd give it 4/5 stars. The big hit in this Glam Bag was the Ciaté London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner while the miss was the Trust Fund Beauty Gimme Good Face - Face Primer. Both of my samples were a 5/5, they were everything I hoped and dreamed they would be!

Overall I will miss ipsy, it will be sad to not get one of those pink packages in the mail every month. But who knows, maybe something bigger and better is on the way.

Until tomorrow.

It's December 1, and you know what that means, BLOGMAS IS BACK! For those of you who have no idea what Blogmas is, let me break it down for you. Blogmas is when bloggers write a Christmas/winter related blog post everyday until Christmas.

So a new blog post every day for the next twenty five days can't be too bad right? Well, last year when I first participated in Blogmas, I had no idea how hard it was going to be! But I'm back at it again, with 25 more original posts for the holiday season.

So let's dive in, on the first day of Blogmas I give to thee: a countdown of the Top 10 Best Christmas TV Episodes, well at least according to me!

10. New Girl - The 23rd
Before Jess and the gang go home for the holidays, they all decide to go to the holiday party at Schmidt's office. Each character has their own little bit of conflict going on but they all unite to make Jess happy so she can see the houses decorated for Christmas on Holiday Lane. Plus we get to see Schmidt dressed as Sexy Santa, what's better than that?

9. Futurama - Xmas Story
Futurama is one of those shows that can be a little strange sometimes but every once and a while they have a few good episodes up their sleeves. Like the Christmas episode, Xmas Story which tells the story of a killer Santa robot. It's a fun episode that tackles greed while reminding us the true meaning of Christmas.

8. Glee - A Very Glee Christmas
This was the first Christmas episode of Glee and the story is a little cheesy, but the best kind of cheesiness. The two main story lines for the episode take on believing in Santa and being the Grinch which you really can't go wrong with. The best part of this episode is the music, the Glee cast takes on some of the best Christmas songs and performs them well.

7. Raising Hope - Toy Story
A funny show with a funny Christmas story, the episode centers around Jimmy finally learning about his father's annual Christmas scheme. His dad buys all of the popular toys in town and sells them to last minute shoppers for double the price. Jimmy is hurt because he never once got a popular toy and now that he is a father he wants to give his daughter what he never had. But as you can guess, they learn that the toys don't matter, and that family is more important.

6. South Park - Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo
This episode of South Park is a classic, not only is it funny but it also has a great message behind it. It centers around Kyle, who is Jewish, and how isolated he feels during Christmas time because he does not celebrate it. So he meets Mr. Hankey, a magical piece of poop, but when he tells everyone about him no one believes him. But when Mr. Hankey reveals himself and proves he is real, he teaches everyone the true meaning of Christmas.

5. The Big Bang Theory - The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis
Sheldon makes this episode, and frankly the entire show, so great. Sheldon has no idea what to get Penny for Christmas because he has no idea what she is going to get him so he buys an assortment of gifts to choose from. When Penny gives him a meaningful and personal gift, an autographed napkin from his idol, Leonard Nimoy, we see an entirely different side of Sheldon. He is overwhelmed with happiness and gives Penny a hug and all of the gifts he got her.

4. The Office - Christmas Party
What makes this episode so great is that it is hysterical. Michael tries to win at Christmas by changing the Secret Santa to a Yankee Swap in order to get the video iPod he bought for his Secret Santa. The whole party goes to shambles and we get this classic line: Well, happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your party's so lame. Plus we get to see Jim be so sweet and almost confess his love for Pam!

3. The Simpsons - She of Little Faith
This episode of the Simpsons is one of their best because of the great meaning behind it. Lisa decides to convert to Buddhism because of her disappointment with the Church. Marge tries to bring her back to the Church by trying to briber her with Christmas. But Lisa learns that she can have her own religious practices and still celebrate and appreciate her family's religion, even though it differs from her own.

2. How I Met Your Mother - How Lily Stole Christmas
How I Met Your Mother meets The Grinch. How epic is that? Lily hears a voicemail from Ted back when she left Marshall. Ted called her a bitch because she broke Marshall's heart. But to make it festive, they decided to refer to her as the Grinch throughout the entire episode. Lily bans Ted from Christmas and he is forced to spend it with his crazy family in Staten Island. The entire gang, including Lily, goes and saves him and Lily and Ted make up in the end because they realize that their friendship is more important.

1. Bob's Burgers - Christmas in the Car
By far this is my favorite Christmas TV episode, I love to watch it every year and I will continue to do so. This episode is so creative and unique, you won't find another like it. The Belchers have to buy a new Christmas Tree because their two previous trees died because they were put up way too early. So their drive to get a new tree turns into an epic journey, they get chased down by a candy cane truck and their car gets stuck in the snow. The episode is extremely funny and it really gets you in the holiday spirit.

So there you have it, those are some of my favorite Christmas TV Episodes! What are some of your favorite things to watch during the holiday season? Blogmas Day 1 has been completed, a little late, but completed nonetheless.

Until tomorrow.

Three weeks ago, the American people decided the future of our country. The entire public was torn between the two options for president: Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Literally. Those against Clinton deemed her untrustworthy and crooked. And when it comes to the Donald, well there are several negative adjectives used to describe him. But the best way to put it is that he is a pompous racist and misogynist. Yet somehow the most unlikeable and controversial presidential candidate in history ended up winning the election, and stunning a majority of the American people.

According to CNN, Clinton won the popular vote by over two million votes, yet Trump won the Electoral College. Which in the end is all that really matters in the election. Watching these results come in on Election Night was similar to witnessing a terrible accident that you could not look away from. In that moment, the world was on fire and there was nothing we could do about it.

To be perfectly honest, when it finally hit me that Donald Trump was going to become President of the United States, I was shocked and appalled. I could not fathom it one bit. I asked myself, do people really hate Hillary Clinton that much? Is she so untrustworthy that you would rather have a man who bragged about sexually assaulting women and threaten minorities be the leader of our country? A woman with over thirty years of experience in the field lost to a man with zero experience and his claim to fame is a reality tv show he hosts with a bunch of D List celebrities.

Coming to terms with the results was difficult, it took me at least a week to get out of that funk. I had to go through the Five Stages of Grief just to get over those results.

1. Denial: Throughout the entire results, the only thought that came to mind was this could not be happening. I went to bed thinking maybe this is all just a really bad dream...
2. Anger: But when I woke up the next day and realized everything was not a dream, to say I was mad was an understatement. Full blown pissed, is a better way to describe it. Did I go out and protest? No, I kept my anger to myself and tried to act rationally. All I could do to control my anger was try to figure out what went wrong.
3. Bargaining: I'm not going to lie, I thought about retreating to Canada or some other country. Apparently I was not the only one, because the Canadian Visa website crashed due to a large amount of traffic. But I realized, fleeing the country won't solve anything. You can't run away from your problems and hope to return one day and they'll be resolved.
4. Depression: This stage was the longest one for me. Eating, sleeping, and normal every day tasks were difficult to do. It was hard to focus and be motivated to do anything. I was sick to my stomach and all I wanted to do is lay in bed and watch CNN. If I had to go anywhere, I'd listen to CNN in my car. There were also times when I would cry and sulk. But I couldn't take feeling that dread anymore. I stopped watching CNN obsessively and chose to move forward. Which leads me to our last step.
5. Acceptance: Personally, I don't think I will ever accept these results. BUT, I do acknowledge that Donald Trump won the presidency. Those are the facts, he will be leading our country. We may not like it, but it's something we have to live with for the next four years, unless some sort of miracle happens. We don't know what will happen, but we have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

For most Americans, it has been hard to cope with these results. Even SNL had an solemn Cold Open after the results of the Election. Kate McKinnon, as Hillary Clinton, performed Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. It was emotional and let's just say there was not a dry eye in the house. So how do we cope with this? Do we flee the country? Do we sit back and let time take its course? No. If we want there to be a change, we have to be the ones who make it.

So what do those of us who are disappointed with the results do now? Do we sit back, watch and hope for the best? Do we go out and protest like manics? No. There's so much we can do in a civilized manner. If you are still mad about these election results, here are some of things you can do to make a difference:

• Sign this petition to ask the Electoral College to pledge their votes for Hillary Clinton.
  What most people do not know is that the electors in the Electoral College are actually real people who will cast their vote for President on December 19. This system was designed by Alexander Hamilton as a back up method just in case the people elect someone who is not qualified to President. Those who change their votes would be a faithless elector. Of course this is a long shot, since nothing like this has ever happened before. But, who's to say it could not happen today? Especially when this election was the most unpredictable and craziest election to date.
• Sign this petition to ask President Obama to appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.
  When Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia unexpectedly died, a seat in the Supreme Court was left for President Obama to fill. He appointed Merrick Garland back in March, but the Senate refused to consider his nomination. So since the Senate waived its constitutional right to advise and consent on Obama's nomination, there is a petition floating around asking Obama to exercise his independent constitutional right to appoint Garland. Since the Presidency and Congress can't be saved, we might as well try to save the Supreme Court.
• Reach out to your Senators and Representatives!
  What most people don't realize is that our Senators and Representatives in Congress are really the ones who make any change. They represent you and your city and state! If you do not know who they are, find out your Senator here and find out your Representative here! Write a letter, call them, or even schedule a meeting with them to address your concerns. Make your voice heard! Also don't forget the Presidential election is not the only important election. Find out when your Senators and Representatives are up for re-election! That way if they're not doing a good job representing you, you have the power to choose someone who will!
• Support and volunteer for organizations that support the causes you care about!
  Organizations with special causes that could possibly be affected with the outcome of this election will need help. Whether you want to donate money or donate your time, any little thing can and will help.

These next four years will be a difficult and challenging time, if there was a time to not give up and persevere it would be now. What we need to remember is that we DO have say. It is vital, that we always remember to exercise our rights. So when it is time to vote, we must go out there and make our voices heard. Don't feel down, or think that you don't have a say because you do.

Until next time.

We all have those stages in our lives where we have been extremely busy and constantly running around and working our butts off! Whether it is a busy time at work or a busy time at school, we're still giving 110% even though we felt like we were on our death bed. But when that busy time is over, we can finally take a day to relax and destress. Now if you've never worked so hard that you felt like you were dead after, you're lucky. The rest of us aren't so lucky, we need things to revive us.

It's almost like Influenster, knew that I needed a pick me up. I was lucky enough to receive the Revive Voxbox from them! For those of you that have no idea what I am talking about Influenster is a website where you can try out products for free as well as review them! Members connect their social media and can also leave product reviews on the website. But every once and a while members get to take surveys to see if they match up for a product campaign. Those product campaigns are called Voxboxes. With the product campaigns, you are assigned various social media tasks which are optional, the only requirement is to fill out the survey after! It is free to join so why not sign up?

Here are the following items that were inside the Revive Voxbox:

• BodyTech Shaker Bottle
• BodyTech Whey Tech Pro 24 Strawberries & Cream Protein Shake Powder
• PLNT by The Vitamin Shoppe Vanilla Plant Protein Powder
• The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Fit N' Full Shake Cookies & Cream Protein Powder
• Hills Bros Colombian Medium Roast Compostable PurPod
• Kaui Coffee Garden Isle Medium Roast Compostable PurPod
• Chock Full o'Nuts Midtown Manhattan Medium Roast Compostable PurPod
• SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Shampoo
• SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Creme Rinse
• SnackWell's Caramel Macchiato Biscuit Thins

I received these products complimentary for testing purposes, all thoughts and opinions are my own. You have been warned!

When I'm on the go or want something quick for breakfast that will fill me up and give me enough energy for the day, my go to meal is a smoothie or shake. My shake of choice is a Slim Fast. So when I saw the variety of protein powders from the Vitamin Shoppe, I was really excited to try something new and find an alternative option for my morning shake! With the three protein powders, I also received a really cool shaker cup from BodyTech! Have I ever used one before? No. But it is still pretty cool.

The first protein powder I tried was the BodyTech Whey Tech Pro 24 Strawberries & Cream Protein Shake. This powder would have been my favorite if I had received it in a different flavor. I am not a huge artificial strawberry fan so the flavor just turned me off, but it was not that bad. It blends together very well. What really surprised me about this shake was how creamy it was, especially since you just add water! I definitely want to try another one of these protein powders in a different flavor.

The next one I tried was the PLNT by The Vitamin Shoppe Vanilla Plant Protein Powder. I love the overall idea of this protein powder, it's vegetarian/vegan friendly, non-GMO, and does not contain any common food allergens. This is literally the definition of a healthy protein supplement. The only problem with this powder, is that it does not mix well at all. I mixed it with water (like you are supposed to) and it ended up tasting chalky and powdery. Even a blender can't mix this powder, plus it has a really weird smell. Besides the chalky and powdery taste it was not that bad. I'm thinking it would have been better to mix it with some kind of milk to give it that creamy texture.

The last protein powder I tried was the The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Fit N' Full Shake Cookies & Cream Protein Powder. I was most excited to try this one because of the flavor and it seemed the most similar compared to Slim Fast since it is a meal replacement shake. Having such high hopes for this product left me very disappointed after trying it. This powder is not the best quality. The scent is disgusting and overpowering. It smelled so bad it was hard to drink. Which is sad to say, because it tasted a lot better than it smelled. Plus it did not mix well with water, you would still get chunks of powder in your mix even when you blended it all together. Perhaps it would have been better mixed with milk, but I don't think milk would hide the terrible smell.

The day does not start until there is caffeine in my bloodstream. Without it, I'm basically a zombie. So when I saw three different types of coffee in the Revive Vox Box, to say I was excited was an understatement. What I really loved about these different kinds of coffee was that they came in a compostable pod, called a PurPod. All of these PurPods work in all Keurig machines and they are environmentally friendly.

The first pod I tried was the Hills Bros Colombian Medium Roast Compostable PurPod, overall it was pretty basic. When it was brewed, it tasted very watered down and was very weak. This was my least favorite of the three.

The next pod I tried was the Kaui Coffee Garden Isle Medium Roast Compostable PurPod, and it was very good! It smelled so good and tasted great. It has such a strong flavor that one sip will wake you up instantly.

When I saw the Chock Full o'Nuts Midtown Manhattan Medium Roast Compostable PurPod, I already knew I was going to love it. I've had the regular Chock Full o'Nuts ground coffee, so I expected the Keurig version to be just as great and I was right. Just like the regular ground coffee it was strong and great tasting and by far the best coffee sample.

Whenever I feel worn out or exhausted the best thing to do to relax is to take a hot and steamy shower. Something about the warm water is just so soothing. Plus nothing is more relaxing then washing your worn out and dirty hair. I'm a big fan of trying new shampoos and conditioners so I was very excited to see some SheaMoisture shampoo and conditioner in the Revive Voxbox. I have always seen SheaMoisture products while shopping and I've been wanting to try it, but the opportunity never arose until now.

I'm not very picky when it comes to shampoos but the SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Shampoo did not impress me one bit. The only thing I liked about this shampoo was its scent, but the scent does not carry over to your hair. Other than that, it did not do much for my hair. You need to use a lot of the shampoo for it to get a little sudsy, it felt like I was just putting water in my hair. Plus you have to use a lot of shampoo for it to make your hair feel clean and even that does not work because your hair ends up feeling rough and greasy after you use it.

Now when it comes to conditioners, I'm very picky. I did not have high hopes for the SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Creme Rinse but I was pleasantly surprised. This conditioner had the complete opposite affect compared to the shampoo. The conditioner did not smell as good as the shampoo but it made my hair smell really good. What I really did love about this conditioner was how creamy it was, then again it is technically a creme rinse so that's not really that surprising. What was really surprising was that with this conditioner a little goes a long way. With most conditioners you need to use a generous amount in order for your hair to feel soft, but with the SheaMoisture conditioner you only need to spread a thin layer throughout your hair. And voila, you have soft hair! However if your hair gets tangled really easily, this conditioner does not do much for that. But other than that it is great!

Sometimes when you're running low on energy and just need a quick little fix, some sugar always does the trick. Whether it's candy or a cookie sometimes a little bit of sugar will give you that extra kick.

The last item I received in the Revive Voxbox was the SnackWell's Caramel Macchiato Biscuit Thins. I love Snackwell's cookies, the vanilla creme sandwich cookies have been one of my favorites ever since I was a kid. Although I am not a big caramel fan, these cookies were not too bad. They are very sweet, so they pair well with a nice cup of coffee. Plus, these cookies are actually made with real coffee, so that explains why they smell so good! They literally smelled just like a caramel macchiato. If you are a huge caramel lover, you will adore these cookies. If you're not a big caramel fan they have other flavors you can try, like Dark Chocolate Mocha and French Vanilla Latte. Personally, I'm dying to try out the French Vanilla Latte cookies!

And there you have it, that was everything inside Influnester's Revive Voxbox. Thanks to this Voxbox, I feel alive once again and not so worn out! If you liked what you saw in this Voxbox come join me on Influenster! If you're interested feel free to use my referral link! It's a really fun website plus it's FREE!

Until next time.

Lately, time just seems to be flying by! Summer is coming to an end, and school has started once again. Even the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks! Is it just me or did this summer go by way too fast?

I fell behind on my Glam Bag reviews, so here you have a double header. For those of you who do not know what that means, it is a sports term where teams will play two games in one day. So let's get started with the July Glam Bag!

Well lucky for us, the July Glam Bag from ipsy was designed with summer in mind. Hence why the theme of the Glam Bag was called Hot Summer Nights. Inside this Glam Bag were the following products:

• Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in No Filter
• Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer
• Palmetto Derma Rejuvenating Antioxidant Mask
• VASANTI COSMETICS Professional Eyeshadow Brush
• skyn ICELAND The ANTIDOTE Cooling Daily Lotion

The Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in No Filter is a very light pink/purple shade. The color is gorgeous, but it was too light and bland for my taste. Once I wore the color for a little bit, I got used to the shade. There is nothing special about the applicator or formula. In all honesty, it would get clumpy and hard to paint with sometimes. But at least the polish lasted on my nails for a decent amount of time.

Primer is always a must needed product, especially in the summer. You wouldn't want your hard work to melt off your face right? The Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer helps your makeup stay fresh and stay on longer. However, it will feel rough and almost like it is drying out your skin. But that is not the case at all, your skin will feel a lot softer after the little bit of discomfort.

Whenever I need to destress and relax, I like to take a bubble bath and put on a face mask. I was excited to try the Palmetto Derma Rejuvenating Antioxidant Mask. In all honesty, the packaging for this mask is terrible. It is a pain to open and you have to cut off a big portion of the tip in order to use the product. But besides that, this mask is amazing. It has a nice smell and it absorbs into your skin so there is less to wash off when you're all done. What I really love about this mask is there is no major time limit! You can wear it for five minutes for a quick exfoliation, or you can wear it for thirty minutes for a deep detox! Also make sure you wear sunscreen after wearing this mask because the ingredients in the mask will make your skin more sensitive.

The VASANTI COSMETICS Professional Eyeshadow Brush is a super soft brush. It does apply your eyeshadow very nicely, it's not too dark and not too light. This brush is super thick and also very stiff. This brush is also versatile. It can be used while it is wet and it will intensify your eyeshadow. It can also be used as a concealer brush! Multipurpose brushes are always the best.

One thing you always need is a good face moisturizer. The skyn ICELAND The ANTIDOTE Cooling Daily Lotion will soften your face but there is real strong odor that comes with it. This lotion is also supposed to cool your face, but for those of you with sensitive skin like myself, it will burn. But it was not a bad burn, it burned in a good way. I know it does not really make sense, but the burning sensation did not hurt too bad, it just caused a little discomfort. After the discomfort your face will feel a little bit softer.

Overall I'd give the July Glam Bag 3.5 stars out of 5, just another average batch of beauty products. Nothing amazing, but nothing terrible. Well unless you count the makeup bag itself, it was pretty ugly. Other than that there's nothing really to complain about. Now let's check out the August Glam Bag!

The August Glam Bag was all about indulgence, whether it be with sweets, snacks, or even makeup. The theme of this bag was called "Sugar Highness" which in all honestly came off pretty juvenile and geared towards a younger demographic. Even the print on the bag itself screams junior.

There could have been a lot done with this theme to make it more mature. Like maybe a Treat Yo' Self bag. But instead we got this knock off Alice in Wonderland theme. If they really wanted it to make it a tea party theme it could have been done in a much more regal and elegant way. Honestly sometimes you have to question the creative directors' taste when it comes down to it. But let's look past all that and get to the good stuff: the products!! Inside the August Glam Bag were the following products:

• IT Hair Care 12-In-One Amazing Leave-In Treatment
• Beaute Basics 3 Tone Bronzer
• Benefit Cosmetics New Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
• Beau Gachis Paris Pro Series Applicator Sponge
• Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Neapolitan Palette

The first item that you could not miss, since it was the biggest product, was the IT Hair Care 12-In-One Amazing Leave-In Treatment. This hair treatment can treat your hair in twelve different ways. It can control frizz, tangles and brittle ends. It can add body and shine, and even make your hair healthier. It also repairs dry and damaged hair. It will protect color-treated hair and serve as a heat protector. It will also treat split ends and go against breakage. All you have to do is add a little bit to your wet hair and voila. This cream smells really good and it definitely makes your hair super soft and shiny.

Finding a good bronzer can always be tricky. Some shades are too dark, some are too orange, the list goes on and on. But the Beaute Basics 3 Tone Bronzer gets the job done perfectly, especially if you have a medium skin tone. The bronzer contains three shades: a dark brown, a light brown, and a pink. The trick to using this three tone bronzer is to mix all the colors so you get the perfect shade. What I really love about this bronzer is that it is a powder, I tend to prefer powder over liquids when it comes to makeup. I feel like powder products give a better coverage and look a lot less cakey. This bronzer has great coverage and the shades are gorgeous!

One product I was not excited to see in the August Glam Bag was the Benefit Cosmetics New Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel. I don't use brow products, I'm lucky enough not to have any problems with my eyebrows. But from what I've heard about this product is that it will darken your brows, it won't smudge and it will last a long amount of time.

Move over foundation brushes, these little egg shaped sponges are the newest sensation. We all know how amazing the Beautyblender but is the Beau Gachis Paris Pro Series Applicator Sponge a better alternative? Well compared to the Beautybleander, the Beau Gachis sponge is not as soft and a lot more stiff. It also takes a little bit longer to dry after cleaning it. But when it comes down to the application, this sponge is just as great, and that is what matters the most.

There was one product that actually went well with this Sugar Highness theme, the Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Neapolitan Palette. The color combination of the color palette and the name itself is very clever. It is called neapolitan because it looks like the ice cream! One shade looks like vanilla, another looks like strawberry and the last one looks like chocolate. It was really clever and these colors actually blend together well.

Overall, the August Glam Bag was okay. This would probably be up there for the top five worst Glam Bag themes, especially for this year. Based on the products alone, I'd give this Glam Bag 4 stars out of 5! Sometimes you just have to look past the negative and focus on the positive, yes the Glam Bag theme was terrible and immature but there were some pretty good products in there! I can't wait to see what the September Glam Bag will bring.

Until next time.

It's crazy when you stop and think how fast time really flies. Two years ago, I graduated from St. John's University and I entered the real "adult" world. This "adult world" has its ups and downs, and it can be tricky. Sure you have your independence but it also comes with great responsibility.

Hence why the term adulting was created. To make it simple enough adulting is being a responsible and functioning adult. I've had my fair share of struggles when it comes to adulting, but you live and you learn.

The first goal anyone has after graduating college is to get a job in their dream field. However, it does not really work like that anymore, unless you're super lucky. So a lot of times, you'll get a job that has nothing to do with your field and feel stuck. But the most important thing is to never give up on your dreams. Take some time to constantly search and apply for a job in your field or something that you're interested in. It may take some time, but things always work out as long as you persevere.

After all those years in school, it is nice to take a little time off, but don't let laziness take over. It is important to be productive. If you want to continue on with your education and get a higher degree, then do it. It is always harder to go back to school after you've stopped for a long period of time. If you're done with your degrees and you just want to relax, take some time off, travel if you can, or even pick up a hobby. It'll keep you from going stir crazy.

One of the things that kept me sane during the early stages of adulting was getting organized. Organizing your living space, or where ever you'll spend most of your time will help make your life a little easier. An organized space leads to an organized mind. Also, get a planner to help keep track of everything you do and everything that you need to get done. A planner or even a journal is great to have to collect your thoughts and organize your mind.

It's important to take care of your mind, but also your body. Establish healthy eating and lifestyle habits now! Sure it may be easier to go out and grab some take out, but that is costly and not the healthiest option. Cut the junk food, I know it's hard, but try to cook or at least get some of those microwaveable meals if you're not the best chef. Learning to cook is a great skill and a much needed skill to have. Also do not forget to add some time for exercise. I know after a long day of work the last thing you want to do is go to the gym, but try to take a daily walk. It will be a great way to get some fresh air and burn some calories. If you're not a big fan of walking in your neighborhood, whenever you run an errand or go somewhere, park far away and get some cardio in. As long as you're eating healthy and moving around you should be fine!

One of the major worries an adult has usually comes from the financial area. Are you making/saving money? Can you pay your bills? Do you have money for food? Should you get a credit card? The questions go on and on, but what we do know is that managing your finances can be a bit stressful. Of course you should set budgets for your spending and have a savings account. I always liked to deposit one paycheck into my checking account and then my next paycheck would go in my savings. That way I was saving at least some of my money. When it comes to credit cards, I do not know much, but luckily there are resources like the Credit Card Insider. Here you can learn all about credit and all kinds of credit cards out there! It is a super handy website to check out.

The sad thing is once you start interviewing and working at a grown up job, you can't wear jeans and your favorite v-neck. You have to dress like a real professional adult. So why not start building your professional wardrobe? You do not have to go out and buy everything at once. Get a few key pieces like collared shirts, work pants, skirts, dresses, cardigans, flats, and maybe a blazer, to start off with and mix and match. Look when these items are on sale or whenever your favorite store is having a sale. Personally, I love LOFT for professional clothes, but they can be expensive. Check out if there are any outlets near you. Or even try stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx or even Ross for some great quality discounted items.

The most important advice I could give you about adulting, is to just focus on you! Don't worry about what anyone else is doing, worry about you. Also do not compare yourself to others. Of course we all know someone who seems like they're doing everything right and we can't help but feel like we're doing everything wrong. But it is important to remember that success is not always what you see and things take time. You'll get to where you want to be eventually.

On my graduation cap, I took inspiration from one of my favorite Disney movies, Tangled. It said, "Go Find Your New Dream" and if you've seen the movie, you know that Rapunzel had one dream to see the lanterns in the sky. And once she did that she went on to find a new dream. As life goes on, we grow up and become adults. Becoming an adult can be stressful, but we should never lose track of following our dreams. And once we accomplish our dreams, we should be like Rapunzel and go on and find a new dream.

Until Next Time.