What's In My Beach Bag?

T and I recently went to the beach with my parents to celebrate my birthday. I'm a beach girl - I love being at the beach. As I've gotten older, I've learned to pack a bag so that I can stay on the beach for most of the day. Here is what I packed in my beach bag:

Beach Bag. I love Tory Burch and this canvas beach bag was perfect for toting all of my necessities back and forth. The canvas is easy to clean and durable - this is a beach bag that will last. Plus, it's super cute!
Beach Towel. I'm kind of obsessed with beach towels, and this flamingo one is perfect. I love cute and colorful towels so that I can easily identify my spot on the beach.
Sunscreen. Sun Bum makes awesome sun screen and this spray version makes it easy to apply sunscreen before the beach and reapply while on the beach. The high SPF guarantees that your skin will be protected. 
Hair Treatment. My hair always dries out while I'm at the beach so I carry a leave in conditioner with me to keep my hair hydrated. Sachajuan makes an awesome after sun product that my mom and I swear by but the one by Sun Bum is also amazing! You can use these products in the city as well - I use them if I've been out in the sun working out or just running around outside.
Face Sunscreen. I can't use regular sunscreen on my face because it always breaks my face out. I use this Kate Somerville sunscreen; it says to reapply every 2 hours but I only applied it once in the morning and my face did not get sunburnt. This sunscreen smells amazing and didn't clog my pores.
Brush. I swear by Wet Brush. I carry this in my beach bag to get the knots out after getting in the ocean. I have several of these stashed in random places around our house, but this leopard one will stay in my beach bag.
Sunglasses. I'm obsessed with Karen Walker. These sunglasses look good on and off the beach, plus they will protect your eyes because of the 100% UV protection.

May Books

I'm obsessed with stationary. I love to buy new pens, paper, paper clips, it doesn't matter - if it's cute and I can use it in the office, there is a good chance I'll buy it.

My friends in law school were big fans of May Books, but I never purchased any. I've been wanting cute notebooks I can throw in my work bag to jot down to-dos and notes from impromptu meetings. I decided to check out May Designs.

I loved being able to pick the design over my cover. There were so many to pick from! You can also put your monogram on the front and May Designs tells you what color monogram is a good choice to match your layout. You can also pick how you want the inside pages to look - I picked pink lines for the inside of my pineapple May Book. 

I was very impressed with the shipping time as well. I thought that it would take forever for the May Books to arrive because they are customized, however they arrived within a few days - they actually arrived quicker than an Amazon order I placed. 

I would highly recommend May Books for a gift or for yourself! The quality is amazing and the selection of covers, monogram colors, and options are endless.

I Didn't Like It: Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara

I'm a bare necessities kind of girl when it comes to wearing make up. In law school, I wore under eye concealer, mascara, a tinted lip balm, and maybe foundation if I needed some extra coverage. However, now that I'm out of school and working, I find myself only wearing mascara. I'm usually in a hurry to get out the door in the morning and I also hate the way makeup feels on my skin after a long day.

Since I've cut my makeup routine down to basically mascara, I find myself experimenting with different brands and new formulas. I recently purchased the Tartiest Lash Paint Mascara from Sephora. I've used Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara in the past and I loved it. I wish I could say the same for Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara.

When I use mascara,  I want my lashes to look full, long, and I like the color to be dark black. I don't like clumping and I'm not fond of overly wet mascaras.

Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara is a very wet formula, and it also clumped very badly on my lashes. I also did not like the look it gave my eyelashes. The mascara didn't make my lashes look fuller and it didn't make them look longer - they just looked darker. Also, by the end of the day the mascara was under my eyes and on my eyelids, which is not a good look.

I used this mascara for a week and I would not recommend purchasing it. If you're in the market for a mascara and want to try a Tarte product, I recommend Lights, Camera, Lashes.

When the boy is away...

T is currently in Orlando, so I have the house to myself for a week. I was supposed to join him, but my grandfather passed away last week and I could not afford to miss anymore school. I plan on cleaning the house and watching a lot of reality television while he is gone.

Today I went to Charlotte and treated myself for making Dean's List (!!!!!!). Here are some of the things I bought.

Old Navy Jeans - I am OBSESSED with Rockstar jeans from Old Navy. They are so comfortable and they fit perfectly. Plus, they are inexpensive and hold up after multiple wear & washes.
Kate Spade Watch - I love watches, and when I saw this adorable Kate Spade watch with hearts at Nordstrom, I knew it would be perfect for Valentine's Day. The hearts are small enough to wear anytime though and I think it's the perfect touch to an outfit.
Tory Burch Metallic Reva - I bought these in the rose gold color from Tory Burch, but the gold color is beautiful as well. I usually wear an 8.5 in Reva, but these do not have the elastic back so I bought an 8.
Tory Burch Miller - I own many pairs of the Miller sandal, and I honestly bought these because my flats were killing me and I wanted some sandals. I wanted this color for awhile so what could have been a silly purchase actually turned out to be worthwhile. I wear a 9 in these.
Tory Burch for FitBit - I just got the FitBit Flex and the band for the Flex is not the cutest thing in the world. I thought the bangle made the Flex look more like an accessory than a fitness tracker. It is kind of heavy, but it is similar to wearing a watch.

Also Everyday Legalese has a new design! I love it.


What do you do when you have the house to yourself?

Update & Clear Skin Routine

Long time, no post. When I started this blog, I greatly underestimated how busy I would be with school. Quick update - I'm a 3L now and I've started a new job, which I LOVE. Hopefully I will be posting more regularly now that I am on winter break from school. I've always taken really good care of my skin. Beginning in high school, I saw my dermatologist every time I had any acne for an "acne shot". I know it sounds extreme, but it helped prevent scarring and my insurance paid for it. Fast forward to law school, and my skin started suffering. I think it was the combination of stress, eating bad, hypothyroidism, and being away from my dermatologist. However, I have a new skin routine and I am loving how clear my skin is looking.

First Aid Beauty Cleanser I've raved about FAB on my blog before and I am still obsessed with their products. Perfect for all skin types, but especially for sensitive skin. I love this cleanser so much, I can't count how many tubes I have used up. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream This moisturizer is a life saver.I had been using a moisturizer from Clinque, and while I still love it, I did notice that it was causing me to have a lot of blackheads after continuous use. I save the Clinque one for nights where my skin needs some extra moisture, but the FAB one is perfect for everyday use. Peter Thomas Roth Peeling Gel I bought this on Black Friday but I decided to give it to my mom. She used it and convinced me to try it. I was nervous about typically products like this are too harsh for my skin. I was so wrong. This peeling gel is so cool, it really does peel away the dry skin and leaves your skin glowing and feeling so soft. I use it twice a week and I really think it has been the main source of my clear skin lately. What products are you using?

Product Review: Bobbi Brown's Beach

To me, the perfect summer fragrance either smells like what I imagine tropical vacations smelling like or it's similar to sunscreen. Bobbi Brown's "Beach" perfume is the perfect summer fragrance. This perfume smells just like sunscreen, which to me is amazing.

I was on the fence about buying this perfume for awhile because it is pretty pricey for a perfume that I will only wear in the summer, but I'm so glad I finally bought it. The scent is the perfect pick me up during the day and it makes me feel like I'm on vacation when I'm actually at work or in school. I can't stop talking to my friends about this fragrance.

I recommend this fragrance to anyone who wants a summery scent or really loves the smell of sunscreen. One tip: buy the rollerball version as well. This scent doesn't have amazing staying power, which is unfortunate since it is pricey so the rollerball will help keep the fragrance alive during the day. 

Product Empties #2

June was a busy month for me, and July has been too so far! Here are the products I've used up recently and if I would repurchase them!

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla
I usually use drugstore concealers for my everyday use, but I heard everyone rave about this concealer from Nars so I figured I would give it a try. I love it! I use the color vanilla which is for fair complexions with pink undertones. I would recommend going into Sephora and having them colormatch you.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47
I absolutely adore Josie Maran products and this moisturizer is a favorite. Usually SPF moisturizers break me out, but this one doesn't and it leaves my skin feeling soft and not greasy. I recommend this for people with sensitive dry skin, but fair warning it will make your foundation look cakey if you're wearing a lot of make up.

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Bisque
This has been my go to lately for getting ready in the morning. I've gone through several tubes of this trying to find my right shade and I think Bisque is the right  color for me. I love how easy it is to apply in the mornings.

Nest Candle in Moroccan Amber
I love the scent of this candle and the throw is excellent, but I won't be repurchasing it for me because it's too expensive. It does, however, make a great gift.

Clinque Moisture Surge Intense
This has been my favorite nighttime moisturizer. I apply it at night and when I wake up my skin looks refreshed and glowing. Perfect for those with sensitive dry skin.

Bastiste Dry Shampoo in Wild
This is my favorite scent of Batiste, but I love all of the others as well. My favorite dry shampoo because it blends easily into my hair and I'm a brunette.

Covergirl Lashblast Clump Crusher in Black Brown
I typically use blackest black in mascaras, but lately I've been using black brown for work because I feel like it looks more natural. I will repurchase this because I love it on its own and layered with other mascaras.

Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil
As I said before, I'm obsessed with Josie Maran (I promise I'm not sponsored!). This cleansing oil takes off all my make up and doesn't break me out. I will be repurchasing this because I love it so much.