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.

This Glam Bag review is on the late side, and I apologize. June and July were crazy busy months for me, there were a lot of events going on but now it is time to get back on track. So here you have it, the review of my ipsy June Glam Bag!
This past June, ipsy wanted you to channel your inner rebel with the Rebel Rebel Glam Bag. ipsy hosted several contests on social media dedicated to breaking some infamous makeup faux pas.
The general idea of the Rebel Rebel Glam Bag was a very cute idea. Makeup is not just something we use to make ourselves look pretty. To some is is an art form and a way to express their creativity. The bag itself oozes with creativity, all of the bright colors and the distinguished fonts makes it stand out. Ideally, this Glam Bag would the perfect bag to really experiment. But for me, that was not the case.
Inside my Glam Bag I received the following products:

• Elizabeth Mott Show Me Your Cheeks Blush in Peach Pink
• theBalm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Trimony Eyeshadow in Matt Moskowitz
• Delectable by Cake Beauty Everything Balm
• Jouer Highlighter in Tiare
• Royal & Langnickel MODA™ Crease/Smudge Brush
• tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in Aspen Pine (Point Reward)

The Elizabeth Mott Show Me Your Cheeks Blush in Peach Pink is a light and shimmery blush. Honestly, it is more shimmer than an actual blush. The blush barely applied to my medium skin tone, you could not tell I was wearing any. It almost matched my skin tone exactly. But when you look at the color itself, it is gorgeous. It is shame that it goes on so light and the shimmer was way too much. Seeing the theBalm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Trimony Eyeshadow in Matt Moskowitz in my Glam Bag made me really excited because I love theBalm. I have never had a bad experience with any of their products and that is still true to this day. This eyeshadow is a bold plum shade, and it really makes your eyes pop. It applies great on your eyelids and it is easy to blend. It has a very soft and smooth texture, and it is a comfortable matte eyeshadow to wear. The best part about this eyeshadow is that a little will go a long way, you do not need to use a lot to get a long lasting dark color.
The Delectable by Cake Beauty Everything Balm can supposedly be used for any beauty problem. It apparently can moisturize skin, repair cuticles, seal split ends, brightens dark circles and more. However, I've only used this as a lip balm. It is really soft when it is applied to your lips, however it ended up drying out my lips even more. I was constantly reapplying because the softness would not last. But I do love the scent of this balm, it has a fruity scent that smells very good. Overall I was not impressed with it as a lip balm but since it has other purposes, I am intrigued.
The Jouer Highlighter in Tiare is a pearly cream highlighter that leaves a natural shine. However, sometimes this product can feel and look a little greasy on your face. But after it sets in it leaves a natural shine. The cream itself is not very creamy, the sample I received was on the dry side. The good thing about this highlighter is that it is a light shade and leaves a nice shine. This shade is perfect if you have a light or medium skin tone.
One can never have too many makeup brushes so the Royal & Langnickel MODA™ Crease/Smudge Brush is a great addition to anyone's brush collection. This eyeshadow brush is super handy because it is double ended. The dense end of the brush is perfect for applying shadow and the other side is perfect for blending. The brush itself applies and blends very well. Fun fact, this brush can also be used to apply concealer. The brush is 100% vegan and it is super soft.
All Glam Bags contain five items, and if you're wondering why I have six instead this month that is because I used my ipsy points to redeem another product. My points were about to expire so it was time to redeem a reward. I used 500 points to redeem the tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in Aspen Pine. I received the a tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in a previous Glam Bag, and I really liked it so I thought I would get another shade. I really love dark green shades, so that is why I chose the Aspen Pine shade. It is a bold dark forest green color that makes your eyes pop. What I really love about the tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon is that it glides on your eyes so smoothly yet so bold at the same time. And it is also very easy to blend.
This was just another average Glam Bag, so I would give it 3.5/5 stars. The stars of this Glam Bag were the theBalm matte eyeshadow and the Royal & Langnickel brush. While the Elizabeth Mott blush did not make the cut. The Rebel Rebel Glam Bag was a pretty basic bag and not at all very rebellious, so it was hard to channel my inner rebel. Oh well. But at least the ipsy point reward was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. I'd give the tre'StiQue eyeshadow crayon 5/5 stars! Since it is the end of July, I better get cracking on the review for July's Hot Summer Nights Glam Bag.
Until next time.

Trying to live a healthy/eco friendly lifestyle can be challenging and extremely expensive. But thanks to Influenster, a website where you can try out products for free and review them, I got a little taste of this lifestyle. If you would like to join me on Influenster, click HERE for my referral link.

This healthy and eco friendly box of goodies from Influenster was called the Sprout Voxbox. I am not too sure why I qualified for this box, but I sure am happy I did! When I first saw that I was receiving this box, I was a little perplexed. What did different brands of shampoo/conditioner, chips, protein powder, snack bar, and laundry detergent, have in common? Then it clicked, they were all eco-friendly and healthy products!

Inside my Sprout Voxbox I received the following products:

• Clairol Hair Food Honey Apricot Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
• Eatsmart Three Bean Spicy Black Bean Tortilla Chips
• Ecos Hypoallergenic Magnolia and Lily Laundry Detergent
• Orgain Organic Vanilla Bean Protein Powder
• Curate Dark and Tempting Balsamic Fig and Hazelnut Bar

When I saw the Clairol Hair Food Honey Apricot Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner in the Sprout Voxbox, I was extremely excited. I had heard a lot of good things about Hair Food products, and it was on my list of hair products to try. Now that I've tried it, I now see and understand all the hype. First off, the shampoo smells amazing! I really loved the honey apricot scent, however the conditioner did not have as rich as a smell as the shampoo did. With the shampoo, a little amount goes a long way. It will get all sudsy and feel amazing in your hair, but sadly the conditioner did not have the same effect. With my hair type, I always end up needing to use more conditioner than shampoo in order to get soft brilliant hair. Both the shampoo and conditioner will feel amazing and give you softer and shinier hair.

My absolute favorite item in the Sprout Voxbox was the Eatsmart Three Bean Spicy Black Bean Tortilla Chips. Not only are these chips a delicious snack they are also a guilt free tortilla chip. One serving contains 14g of whole grains and 2g of fiber, plus they are gluten-free and made with non-GMO ingredients. These chips are great to snack on alone, especially if you want something crunchy with a spicy kick. Or if you want to indulge, pair these chips with salsa, guacamole or even a queso dip. Honestly I want to buy another bag of these chips so I can make some guilt free nachos. These chips are great for all the health conscious eaters out there who want or need something spicy in their life.

You know you are officially becoming a real adult when you get excited about getting a new kind of laundry detergent... Because I was so excited to see the Ecos Hypoallergenic Magnolia and Lily Laundry Detergent in my Sprout Voxbox. The magnolia and lily scent smells really good, and it makes your clothes smell very fresh and clean. The sample was enough for one of my giant loads and what I really loved about this detergent is that a little goes a long way. Once the entire sample was poured into the washing machine the water got all sudsy. Most of the liquid detergents I generally use do not get as sudsy and tend to be watered down. This one did not! It cleaned my clothes a lot better than my normal detergent. Plus I love how the Ecos detergent came with built in fabric softener, my clothes were super soft when they came out of the wash.

Every once and a while, I like to make a shake or smoothie for a quick and filling breakfast. So getting to try the Orgain Organic Vanilla Bean Protein Powder was a great opportunity, especially since I have never tried protein powder before. Since I have never had a protein shake, I was not quite sure what to expect. I used the vanilla bean flavored powder to make a shake, and I paired it some whole milk and ice and blended it. Overall, it tasted okay. It was not a strong vanilla taste but it was not bad at all. I would get little chunks of powder in every occasional sip, but that was probably my fault for not blending it very well. What I really loved about this protein powder is that it is made from organic plant protein, so it is vegetarian and vegan friendly. It is also dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. If I try this powder again, I think I would want to try the chocolate flavor next.

And the last item in the Sprout Voxbox was the Curate Dark and Tempting Balsamic Fig and Hazelnut Bar. Honestly, I was not a huge fan of this snack/granola bar. This flavor has too much going on. The combination of the balsamic vinegar, mission figs, hazelnuts, sunflower kernels, quinoa, almond butter, whole oats, brown sugar and orange is overwhelming. The taste is odd and it is very dry. This flavor is the perfect bar to eat while you're on a diet because it will suppress your appetite. However, I really love the idea behind the Curate brand, they're made with real food ingredients to create a filling and healthy snack. This flavor was not a big success for me, but maybe one of their other flavors will be a lot tamer for my tastebuds.

There you have it, those were all the products in my Sprout Voxbox. Thank you Influenster for the opportunity to try out some of these goodies! Influnester sent me these items free of charge to test and provide feedback, and all of these opinions are my own honest feedback. I was somewhat heathy and more eco savvy for one day. Who knows maybe this is the start of a lifestyle change?!

Until next time.

If you're anything like me, you're most likely daydreaming about traveling around the world or mentally preparing your next vacation. Well, for all the makeup lovers out there with a case of wanderlust, ipsy's May Glam Bag was made especially with you in mind.

In honor of the "Destination Chic" theme for the month of May, I decided to take my Glam Bag on my latest trip to New York City! And yes I did test every product while I was on vacation!

Out of all the Glam Bags I have received from ipsy this one was the most cohesive. The Glam Bag itself was made perfectly for traveling. The print was bright and had famous landmarks from all over the world, like the Statue of Liberty and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Plus the bag was on the bigger side, so you could fit all, or almost all, of you beauty products. And for the first time in forever the products inside the bag went with the theme! Well for the most part... But even the promo card that comes along with Glam Bag fit perfectly with the theme, it was an actual postcard! You could even mail back the postcard to ipsy and tell them where you were from and what products you liked inside your Glam Bag.

Inside my Glam Bag were the following products:

• Mellow Cosmetics Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude
• Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment
• Jersey Shore Cosmetics Lavender Moisture Rich Balm
• AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Safety Orange
• Smashbox Cosmetics X-Rated Mascara

I was happy to find the Mellow Cosmetics Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude because I always love to pack a lipstick or two when I go on vacation. Normally, I am not a huge fan of nude shades, but this one surprised me. This nude has pink undertones, perfect for my complexion, and it is a flattering color. It's not too dark and not too light. This matte lipstick is long lasting, has an amazing texture, and is also very hydrating. It is the perfect lipstick to take on vacation because of its every day color and hydrating quality. Bringing a lipstick that dries out your lips when you're traveling is no fun at all. Plus, a nude shade that compliments your complexion or even a hydrating matte lipstick can be tricky to find, I lucked out with the Mellow Matte Lipstick.

Whenever I'm traveling, I always like to bring extra hair products just in case. Why you ask? Well who knows how some hotels' shampoo or conditioner will work on my hair. You'll always find shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, hair cream, or hairsprays in my travel bag. And now I have a new hair oil to add to my collection, the Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment. This hair oil has a great formula loaded with with Argan Oil, which has the vitamins A & E and omegas 3, 6, and 9 that your hair needs to be healthy and strong. It also has Keravis Protein, which will strengthen your hair and protect your hair from heat damage. The only downside to this particular hair oil is that if you put too much on your hair, it will get greasy. But on the upside, a little oil will go a long ways plus it smells really good!

Wherever you go, lip balm is essential to carry around, you never know when or where your lips will get chapped. So the Jersey Shore Cosmetics Lavender Moisture Rich Balm ideally was a great addition to the Destination Chic Glam Bag! One can never have enough lip balm! However, I was not a huge fan of this lip balm. The scent and taste of the lavender is really strong. But, it does keep your lips soft and moisturized. And it does feel very good on the lips. Another thing I really do not like about this lip balm is the price. On the Jersey Shores Cosmetics website, this lip balm costs $10. That price for a lip balm is kind of outrageous. I can't imagine paying $10 for a little lip balm, especially when you can purchase an Eos or Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm for a significantly cheaper price.

The day has come, I finally got a repeat offender in one of my Glam Bags. Last October I received the AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Inky Dinky, and what did I receive this month? The AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Safety Orange of course. If you want to read my previous review on the nail polish, check out that blog post here. Personally when I travel, I do not pack nail polish, in fact I like to get a pedicure before a vacation. And if I have time, maybe I will paint my nails before hand. So before my trip to New York City, I used the AURORA nail polish to paint my nails. This time, I buffed and filled my nails before painting them and that helped the nail polish stay on maybe a day longer than last time. The bright orange is a gorgeous color but the formula does not last for long and will chip easily.

Whenever I'm traveling or on the go, I like to stick a mini/travel size mascara in my purse. I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to pack mascara in my suitcase and then rejoice when I remember I keep a spare in my purse. I received a mini version of the Smashbox Cosmetics X-Rated Mascara in my Destination Chic Glam Bag. Finding a mini version product from a high end brand like Smashbox in one of the Glam Bags always makes me excited and happy, because these are the products I want to try and I will most likely buy. What I love most about this mascara is the brush itself. Let's be honest, the mascara itself is very creamy and can smudge very easily. But with the brush the mascara becomes flawless and gives you gorgeous long lashes.

Overall, I would give this Glam Bag 3.5 stars out of 5. Not too shabby, but also not that great. The big win in this Glam Bag was the cohesiveness with the theme and the products. Sure one or two did not fit well, but for the most part this was the most cohesive theme ipsy has ever done within the past two years I have been a member. The big standouts in this bag were the lipstick, the hair oil and the mascara. Can't wait to see what is in store for the June Rebel Rebel Glam Bag!

Until next time.

The temperature is heating up and that can only mean one thing, summer is just around the corner. But there are a few places in the world where summer is the season year round. One place that comes to mind is Miami, especially Miami Beach.

If you are from or familiar with Miami you would know that Miami and Miami Beach are two separate cities. Miami is the main land while Miami Beach is one long island. Most of the main attractions that tourists want to see are in Miami Beach (aka South Beach), but Downtown Miami is growing thanks to the hipster and fashionista movements in the Wynwood and Design districts, as well as all the success of the sports teams like the Heat and Marlins.

But if you plan on visiting Miami and staying for only a short amount of time, don't worry about missing out. Start with the basics and most importantly you must see South Beach. If you go to Miami and do not step foot in South Beach, did you really go to Miami? Here are some of the attractions you have to see and do, especially if it is your first time there.

Go To The Beach! Miami Beach has some of the best beaches in the United States. The sand is white, and so soft, it feels like your feet are walking on powder. The water is a bright blue, that kind of bright blue you fantasize about in the middle of winter. To make it even better the water is also the perfect temperature, not too warm and not too cold. The temperature in Miami is always hot and it can get very muggy, so the best place to spend your time is on the beach. Air conditioning may feel nice, but a dip in the Atlantic Ocean is much more refreshing. Everyone goes to South Beach for their beach time in Miami, especially if their hotel is inland. So if the beach is your main priority check out Mid Beach. It's not as crowded as South Beach and just as nice, plus some hotels are significantly cheaper. You can find a great deal for a hotel on the ocean in Mid Beach.

Shop or Eat at Lincoln Road. Some locals will call this Lincoln Road Mall, but it is nothing like your standard American mall. It is an outdoor road filled with all your favorite stores and a variety of restaurants to try! There are several fruit stands and venders to check out and see as well. If you want to do a little souvenir shopping, Lincoln Road is your best bet. It is also a great place to spend the day, walk around and do some people watching. There's always something interesting going on at Lincoln Road.

Take a Stroll Through the Art Deco Historic District. If you love to admire bright and brilliant architecture from the 1920s-1940s, then the Art Deco Historic District should be on the top of your list. There are over 800 historic buildings with a variety of architectural styles. The pastel colored buildings shine bright at night with all their neon signs. Admire all the historic and one of a kind architecture, snap a couple pictures, and maybe grab a drink at one of the famous hotels in this ever popular district!

South Beach is the perfect destination for a little rest and relaxation with some excitement on the side. It has a little bit of everything, an fun urban city with tropical beaches. The weather is gorgeous, the people are friendly, and the city is colorful. It's easy to fall in love with this city. Then again, what's not to love?

Until next time.

During the spring time, all the months seem to roll together. Was it not just March? Now we're at the end of April, and it's gonna be May. Who else loves those Justin Timberlake memes?! If you have no idea what reference I'm making just click here. Gosh where does all the time go? Well at least with every new month, there is a new glam bag to try out!

The theme for the April Glam Bag was titled "The Dreamers." And shocker once again, ipsy has come up with another theme that is not cohesive with the products.

It really makes you think that ipsy's themes are only meant for their "stylists" so they can promote themselves and gain more followers. The effort does not go into the bags themselves, instead all of ipsy's efforts and hard work goes into more and more Youtube views and subscribers. I'm just one of those people who does not really care about what the Youtubers say or use, I like to try new products and form my own opinions. Hey that's just me, but I digress.

This month's Glam Bag itself was super adorable. It was yellow and orange with a blue zipper and it is similar to the colors and shades of a sunset, which indeed are very dreamy.

Inside the Glam Bag were the following products:

• tarte cosmetics LipSurgence™ lip crème in wonder
• Adesse New York Organic Infused Gel Effect Nail Lacquer in Irina
• Harvey Prince Organics Keravegan Hair Mask
• Starlooks Cream Eye Shadow in Rose Gold
• Crown Brush C427 Duo Fiber Blush Brush

The tarte cosmetics LipSurgence™ lip crème in wonder is a beautiful red/pink shade lipstick. The color was gorgeous and looks good on anyone who wears it. The only downside to this lipstick is that it does tingle the lips when you first put it on, which would make one think it is a lip plumper. But it is not a plumper, and I have no explanation for the tingling. But other than that it is a pretty color and a long lasting lipstick.

One of the most disappointing products in the April Glam Bag was the Adesse New York Organic Infused Gel Effect Nail Lacquer in Irina. The gray/lavender shade of this nail polish is gorgeous, but the formula of this nail polish is awful. The nail polish goes on light so you'll need to reapply a couple coats. The worst thing about this polish is that it starts chipping hours after you just painted your nails. This nail polish might be good for you if you love to constantly paint your nails.

The Harvey Prince Organics Keravegan Hair Mask is a non-toxic and all-natural formula to help treat your damaged hair, or to help keep it healthy! The effects of this hair mask do not happen right away. Once I washed and blew dry my hair there was no immediate affect, it felt about the same after I wash my with hair with my normal conditioner. But the next day, I somehow woke up with softer and healthier hair. I do not know how or why that happened, but it did.

When it comes to the Starlooks Cream Eye Shadow in Rose Gold, my feelings are mixed. The metallic rose gold shade is a gorgeous color but the formula of the cream eye shadow is not the best. The cream is sticky and goes on super light. But once you smooth out the cream it has a good texture. It is difficult to wear that shade alone since it goes on so light and it almost matches the shade of a skin tone. Since this color is so light, it works best as an eyeshadow base.

Last but certainly not least, there is the Crown Brush C427 Duo Fiber Blush Brush. I'm always excited whenever I find a brush in my glam bags. They're such a necessity and the more you have the better! I do not own very many blush brushes so it was nice to try out something new. This brush is super soft and feels wonderful on the skin. The shape of this blush brush is very unique as well, I love that you can use two sides of the brush rather than just the bottom portion. So one side can be used for blush, and the other can be used for anything else, like a highlighter or foundation! When it comes to applying blush (or foundation or highlighter) it goes on nice and smooth, and it is also not too dark and not too light. The versatility of this brush is a big win, and it is always great to have brushes that can be used for one or more thing. Makeup brushes can be very expensive, especially the great quality ones. So this brush is a perfect addition to the glam bag.

Overall this Glam Bag had a lot of ups and a lot of downs. The two hits in this bag were the tarte lip crème and the Crown Brush blush brush, and the obvious miss was the Adesse nail polish. I would give Glam Bag 3.5 stars out of 5. Not too shabby! Can't wait to see what's in store for the May Glam Bag.

Until next time.

If you have booked a room on the Crown Princess and are expecting to be treated like royalty, you're dead wrong. I have been on my fair share of Princess Cruises and have been a loyal customer, hence the Ruby status, but after my latest experience on the Crown Princess, I have decided to take my business else where. Why you ask? Let me indulge you.

This past January I was on board the Crown Princess for the 2016 Angels Fan Cruise. Since I have been on this ship before (for the previous Angels Fan Cruise), I had high expectations and was very excited for this trip, but from the moment I stepped on that dreaded ship, everything seemed to go downhill.

The Crown Princess just isn't known for all the amazing destinations that it travels to, it is actually an infamous ship. This ship is known to constantly make passengers sick due to the norovirus. The norovirus is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in humans. In simple terms it is a stomach bug that can give you abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. The norovirus can be spread through contaminated food or water and it can also be spread by food handlers, people who touch contaminated surfaces and from person to person transmission. Princess Cruises has experienced the most (over 20) gastrointestinal outbreaks in the last decade, according to Cruise Law News.

Right before my cruise date, the Crown Princess was infected with the norovirus yet again. Our departure time was delayed a couple hours due to this outbreak. The ship itself needed to be cleaned and cleansed of its sins, which is totally understandable, because I did not want to catch this stomach bug. When I was on the ship, it was the cleanest it has ever been. But that still did not help a lot of its problems. My bathroom and some of the public restrooms on the ship had some plumbing issues. Also due to the norovirus outbreak, you were required to sanitize before every meal and you were not allowed to serve yourselves. You could not even go get a pack of sugar for your coffee without someone doing it for you, and when you tried to do it yourself, you would get scolded by the crew.

What that tells me is that the problem is coming from somewhere or someone on the ship. The ship clearly is not being taken care of, in fact, it only gets a good cleaning when the passengers get sick. Since this is a common occurrence, I don't think it can be blamed on the passengers or the itinerary, which some of the Crown Princess crew members tried to do. Because several other cruise lines travel to same destinations and they have not had as many problems as Princess.

Speaking of the Crown Princess crew members, the ones I had encountered this past January were some of the rudest people I have ever met. Some crew members went out of their way to insult me and embarrass me because of my appearance. Never in my life had I ever been treated so horribly, especially while I was on vacation. Several crew members made me cry in public which led to some of my fellow passengers feeling sorry for me.

The crew on the Crown Princess is one of the worst crews I had ever seen in my entire life. Besides their disrespectful behavior, their complete lack of knowledge was astounding. It seemed like not one person knew what was happening on the ship. On our first day, assigned seating for dinner was cancelled and not one person knew. Everyone in the Botticelli dining room had to wait in front of the restaurant and along the stairs for almost an hour until someone told us that our dinner was cancelled, and if we wanted to eat there we would have to wait another hour or so. This is not the first time the dining staff had no idea what was going on, on my first trip on the Crown Princess, my family of five was seated at a table for four. The staff on this ship are not the brightest crayons in the Crayola box.

Disorganized is the best way to describe this ship and its staff. If you're looking to book a cruise, go with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or Norwegian, instead of Princess. Princess has lost their prestigious and regal reputation because now they cut corners when it comes to quality. They do not care about your needs, all you are is another dollar sign to them.

Until next time.