About a year ago I joined Polyvore. I had learned about it at Alt Summit, but I really only used it to do a couple of wish list style blog posts.
This year at Alt, one of the sessions talked about Polyvore in a community sense. I must be a sucker for community, because I have been on it creating sets and entering contests like a madwoman!
I seriously can’t get enough.
You know how you go on Pinterest to “pin a few things” and the next thing you know it’s been two hours? Same concept. Except in stead of pinning outfits that you wish were in your closet to your style board, you’re creating those outfits.
Here’s a little outfit inspo I created using Polyvore:
I know I would SO wear both of these outfit options…if I had all those things, that is.
Who wants to go shopping?!
A while back, I found the perfect fence for my #ootd photos on Instagram (I don’t share them everyday, but when I do it makes me happy). One of the first times I posted one, it was captioned Fence on fleek.
Are there any hashtags that you follow? I know that #stateyourstyle is one that I really like and #uhmoodring is a fun one that encourages you to dress how you feel.
A friend told me that the Clinton Crossings Premium Outlets were looking to host their first ever CT Blogger Spring Fashion event. I emailed and was able to score an invite.
There was food served at Saks off Fifth, and bloggers were given a gift bag that included a gift card they could use at any outlet store.
I didn’t even make it out of the second store before spending said gift card, which was not my goal when I set out.
What store?
DKNY.
Can you blame me?
First let me tell you what I didn’t get. I didn’t get the “cozy” sweater that I still want super bad. Or any of the three dresses I tried on. Or either of the two jumpsuits. Or the really cute white tank top that I spotted right as I left the fitting room…
After talking to the super friendly and helpful DKNY staff (loved them) about the current sales and promotions, I was able to get the leather jacket that I first tried on.
What I really liked was that it felt like I was shopping with friends.
Actually, that was pretty much that case for most of the stores that I stopped in.
As a part of the event, I got a free iced coffee and chocolate sample of my choice from Lindt.
I snagged something from the major sale at J.Crew…
And a couple of things from Designer Fragrances & Cosmetic Co. (along with a few goodies they gave out, including a Lancôme lipstick). This place was seriously a dream for anyone obsessed with beauty or skincare products. Full size Essie polish for $4 a bottle, half price for full size Urban Decay lip gloss. I am still in shock that I managed to only buy two things. I kid you not, I wanted everything in the store. All of it. Plus, the three ladies working there were the absolute sweetest!
Then Aéropostale made my night with another gift card and a cute tumbler, perfect for summer. I used the gift card for a pair of jeans and I’ve already worn them more than I care to share, because it’s probably borderline gross.
Such a great experience! I mean outlet shopping is usually enjoyable, but this was remarkable and I’m already planning my next trip. Who’s in?
Currently my skincare routine consists of a cleanser (or an exfoliator, depending on the day), hyaluronic acid serum and a moisturizer.
Considering I’m still fairly new to the skincare game, I try to keep it as simple as possible without sparing the necessities.
The hyaluronic acid serum I’d been using, smelled like dandelions and I noticed contained a few extra ingredients that I wasn’t sure if made a difference or not. So, naturally, I wanted to find out.
I reached out to Oz Naturals, about trying their hyaluronic acid serum, because it’s a large percent natural and organic, but didn’t contain dandelions (or Vitamin E).
How that go?
It worked just as well as the other serum!
They both helped my skin retain moisture and stay hydrated throughout the day. The main difference is that OZ Naturals didn’t leave my skin smelling like flowers (weeds, whatever). If I was concerned about skin sensitivity I would probably go with OZ Natural.
Better safe than with hives…
It also didn’t leave my skin feeling as sticking (the lack of Vitamin E, maybe) afterwards, not a huge deal against the other hyaluronic acid serum, because it went away after applying moisturizer, but still worth mentioning. Oh, and I liked the pump better than the dropper. Again nothing major, but thought I should share.
Although on Amazon they cost about the same, the list price of the OZ Natural hyaluronic serum is significantly more affordable, by about $30! Plus, it’s an Amazon #1 Best Seller.
I mentioned that I was super excited about my May Birchbox. And I am!
If you know anything about blogging, then you know who Emily Schuman is. And if you think you don’t, then you’ve at least heard of her blog, Cupcakes and Cashmere.
So, when Birchbox announces that this month’s box would involve curated products selected by Emily herself, you don’t even care what the other box options are.
When I got Hello by Harvey Prince I was pumped, and Yogini resulted in basically the same feels. Other Birchbloggers shared that it smelled a bit mature, and goes on strong and then fades. While this isn’t untrue, I don’t hate it. I mean I hadn’t gotten a new scent to try in a while, so I was happy to get this.
But that being said, I won’t be buying it.
I love, love, love getting makeup samples. Lollibalm is great! It adds just a hint of color and is a cute (mini?) balm to keep in your purse.
I don’t have very many negative experiences with samples I get in my Birchbox boxes. Sometimes I don’t like them, but it happens. TokyoMilk was a product I wanted to love. But instead, it broke me out. The scent was a little overwhelming anyways, but still…
Sad panda.
I’ve gotten a similar Cotz product (not exactly the same) before, and this was way better, smoother. I like that it blocks harmful UV rays while also not clogging your pores.
I really like Macadamia Professional products a lot. So whenever there’s the option to select one, I almost always go with it. I’m glad I did!
I can’t decide what I want for my sample choice in next month’s box, so I guess I’ll just have to be surprised!
Do you subscribe to Birchbox? If you do, what did you pick for your sample choice? If you don’t get Birchbox and want to, sign up here!
OK, so the plan was to keep this post brief, but there’s a couple of things I feel like I need to explain.
The & Apparel cactus necklace is from their recent Dear Lizzy collection and it’s rose gold, and quirky, so I of course I totally love it. Their Cat’s Meow Sunglasses I got, because, well, look at them! While I love & Apparel and had been eyeing those items for a while, if I hadn’t won a $50 gift card from one of their Instagram account giveaways, I probably wouldn’t have been able to buy them just yet. So, YAY to contests! These weren’t the only two things I got with the gift card and I did go over the $50 just a little bit…
You know when you’re in Target, and you can’t make it out of there without a cart full of things you probably already have or stuff you don’t really need. Well after grabbing Starbucks, and combing through the dollar section, I get what I went there for, then get in line and each time I manage to pick of the Neutrogena makeup remover wipes, they’re travel size, and I use them so it’s not a bad thing to grab. Although, I should probably start getting more than the little pack.
As for the Vaseline lotion, I kept seeing it on Instagram and wanted to see if it was worth the hype. It is seriously the best smelling lotion I’ve ever tried! The manfriend even asked if I was wearing a new perfume. This is without a doubt my favorite lotion, EVER.
And before you go judging me on the Flonase, know that allergy season is rough for me. I have pretty bad allergies in general (dust, pet dander…), but I legitimately thought I was sick before realizing that it was just my allergies kicking my butt. After a few sprays it was like, allergies, what allergies? It’s been wondrous!
I’ll try my best not to go Alt crazy on you, but my mind is already going into overtime thinking about things I want to share, like what I’m bringing with me, and what I plan to wear, and what I want to accomplish while I’m there…
No promises.
If you’ll also be at Alt, I can’t wait to see you there! How are you prepping?
Fun fact: I’m a tiny bit shy, but love conferences. If you’re anything like me or even just feeling a little nervous, this will help!
P.S. In case you haven’t yet had your fill of my IG ramblings, make sure to be on the lookout for an Instagram related post that may possibly be coming soon(ish) to Gilit Cooper’s blog, Shoes Off Please.
And, yes, the Gilit Cooper of The Bannerie. Love her!
If you’re not on Instagram, you are seriously missing out.
And if you do have an Instagram account and aren’t following me, we’re fighting.
Hardcore.
When I first started out on Instagram my page was private, I didn’t follow anyone, was obsessed with using filters and pretty much just used it to tweak my photos before sharing them on Facebook.
I may not be all that well known in the blogosphere (yet), but 9 out of 10 times, when someone has heard of Twenty Something Plus, it’s because of my Instagram account.
The most common question I get asked about Instagram is what do I use for my white background. I recommend a basic white foam board that you can find in any office or craft store. But you can pretty much use anything white. Paper, fabric…I also use white (or off-white) walls, the top of a short white bookshelf that I have, and I now have a white tray I found at Target (similar here), which I like because I can also carry stuff on it and don’t have to worry too much about getting it dirty.
There are tons of articles and blog posts out there about Instagram tips, tricks, and apps. My number one Instagram tip is to use natural light.
Why?
I mean, seriously, just look at the difference!
Both photos were taken with my iPhone 5s, are haven’t been edited, aside from being cropped to be square. The ONLY difference is that the second one was taken in front of a window and the other wasn’t. Natural light provides a much better starting point for editing. No?
When natural light isn’t an option, I use daylight light bulbs. They’re still not quite as good as using natural light, but believe me, they make a world of a difference. (So much so that my mom switched most of the lights in the house to daylight ones.)
Oh! And those things that roll around when you’re trying to do a flatlay like a boss? Painter’s tape. It’s cheap, and in my opinion, works the best, without tearing your board.
There was SO much food, wine, and lots of shared laughs. I. HAD. SUCH. A. BLAST!
I managed not to cut myself and walked away with a super cute, flower filled Neatly Noted coffee mug.
I hope this was the first of many other craft events.
There was talk of a DIY flower crown night…
If so, count me in!
If you’re not in CT, there’s no need to be too jealous, you can get your very own mug here. Photos via the Neatly Noted blog. Except for the last one, that was me.
Isn’t it nice that there are people who actually exist, that get how crappy the world can be and then work actively to go about making life better?
They may be about as rare as unicorns, but they do exist.
Mary is one of those people.
Who is Mary? She is one of the fabulous women I met at Monarch Workshop. If you check out her blog, you will have an idea of just how AWESOME she it. Well, she sent out some snail mail and it absolutely made my day! Even though it wasn’t completely unexpected (she had to get the addresses somehow), it didn’t make getting mail that wasn’t a bill any less special.
Of course I had to share.
A sweet note, stickers, temporary tattoos, and TONS of confetti!
