The one thing you must do for yourself

We all have things that we spoil ourselves with, just one gesture that says that you're worth the extra effort. Every single persons "must do" is different but mine is very basic but still packs a huge punch of confidence. Every 2 weeks I try to make sure to have my eyebrows threaded. Yes, my brows do grow that fast and they get pretty dang hairy.

But I swear each time I get my caterpillars torn off my face I instantly feel beautiful and confident. I am that person who loves makeup but is completely fine with going completely bare so I can sleep in an extra few minutes. I do feel like the eyebrows are frames to the windows on your face and having them shaped, trimmed and clean makes me look more put together. I swear all I really have to do it brush them up, set with a clear mascara and go out the door and I really do feel pretty. I know women out there who really put others needs and wants before their own but we all should have just one basic grooming routine that just makes you feel special. It is small, sure I can do it myself but just getting it done makes me feel well, girly.

I hope each and every one of you at least attempt to go to a salon or do something at home and do something nice for yourself, may it be your nails, hair, facial or even a fancy dinner out once in a great while. It is all about whatever floats your boat to do something for you because it really shouldn't be about vanity or impressing others. My beauty routine is for me to feel good about me. It is for me to say to myself that I deserve to feel good and so does everyone else. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my first kinda personal blog post. I just really feel like as we get older as women we will forget to treat ourselves to nice things. I know my mom and grandmother put their own needs last for a good cause but I now enjoy treating her to those nice things every once in awhile and she appreciates it as much as I appreciate getting those things done for myself. I really hope I don't come off as offensive or like I'm saying your only way to self worth is through vain beauty rituals. You can feel like your worth it by going to the library, taking a walk, reading a book from your favorite author and even just by relaxing in the bath listening to music. 

Just do that ONE thing for YOU. 

You'll feel pretty dang fantastic. 

XOXO - Robin

The Autumn Tag

I have been out for the past 2 weeks because the place has been a mess and things are barely getting back on track but now we are heading out to New York for my very first time ever and I still have to pack. I am thinking of doing a "what's in my travel makeup bag" type post and will share some photos from my trip. I have also received my new sewing machine and will be making some new throw pillows for the couches and I rally want to post the end result if it turns out good. I decided to participate in this tag because I really love fall and thought you'd like to see a sneak peek into what I like and whatnot. I was tagged by Shiraz of http://misunderstoodprincesses.blogspot.com/

Favorite thing about autumn ?

Finally being able to use the oven. I really love to bake even though I don't usually eat what I bake, strange I know! On my "to bake" list is a lemon thyme loaf, banana bourbon nut bread, chocolate chip cookies, any scones, Russian tea cakes, biscotti, anything that requires cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves in it because I'm really obsessed with those Flavors at the moment, I'll try one more time to make a pie completely from scratch, and definitely a whole dang chicken. I'll eat the chicken, all of it because that's how delicious I make it. I also love boots and blazers. That should have been my blog name lol you can take it if you want it though! 

Favorite drink ? 

Mulled wine, apple cider both hot and cold, and coffee. I just tried a recipe out for hot buttered rum with pumpkin and that was too good for words. 

Favorite scent/candle ?

I love getting the candles that smell like a fireplace and anything apple and cinnamon. I've also been hoarding the scent summer wish from yankee candle and I think I'll start burning that again. 

Favorite lipstick ? 

Right now I have two favorites but each one has it's place. If I'm going for a smokey eye I will apply NYX lipstick in the color Doll because for me it looks like a "my lips but better" type of color. It's perfect for day, night, work or play. My other favorite is the Red Velvet Velvetine from Lime Crime. I love matte lipsticks and this one is super matte without over drying and smudge proof until you get gloss or eat something super greasy or soupy. I really never thought a "blue based red" would make a red lipstick believer out of me but this surely did and cant wait to venture there a little more. 

Go-to moisturizer ?

I use SPF on my face year round because  I have issues with acne scars and I don't need them getting darker. My go to that I've been using for almost 3 years now is the Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer. It moisturizes without being oily on my combo skin and I slather it all on my neck too because I don't want to look like a chicken when I'm old. I'm still looking for a suitable eye cream and day cream. Yes, day cream for under my sunscreen because I really don't want wrinkles. 

Fave go-to color for your eyes ?

I love my naked pallet and for a more classic smokey eye I use the Love in Rio trio in No tan Lines Allowed from NYX. But for this fall I'm on the hunt for the perfect forest/emerald green. 

Favorite music to listen to ? 

Anything from Lana Del Rey or The Smiths and This song from The Kooks

Favorite outfit to wear ? 

Skirt or dress with black stockings, cute flats, and a blazer or cardigan. It never gets too cold during the fall in LA. Or on a lazy day I'll wear my thrifted red flannel shirt with leggings and boots. 

Autumn treat ?

Apple cider! New black boots! Heavy black cat eyed liner! Red and purple lips! Those will be my treats for myself this fall. 

Favorite place to be ? 

At home, watching my favorites shows or a classic movie while crafting or blogging. If its really cold my favorite place will be the kitchen making dinner or baked treats. On a Saturday or Sunday I think a coffee shop would be great to sit around in and people watch. 

Okay, so that's it! All done! Now here comes the hard part because I really feel so awkward about tagging anyone but here it goes...

Spohie Rose of  http://www.sophierosee.com/

Tori of http://www.aztecmess.com/

Celia of http://celiasantics.blogspot.com/

Bryany of http://bryanyellen.blogspot.co.uk/

And because I am feeling a little ballsy from my wine I choose YOU Estee of http://www.essiebutton.com/

So there you have it! I feel sorta awkward writing now after my hiatus but I'm sure I will get my head above water again. Hopefully you enjoyed my very first tag and hopefully I will get tagged for a different one. Let me know if you do decide to take part in the tag because I like reading other's responses. 

Julep Maven Sneak Peek - October

I really get excited to see sneak peeks of my subscription boxes and usually determines how excited I get for the next months box.

All I can say is that I am truly underwhelmed with the sneak peek for the October Julep maven box. I mean, really?!! A double ended eyeliner pencil? Maybe I'd be more excited if I still have not found a good eyeliner in black or brown but honestly I already have. I mean, nothing can replace my budge proof black eyeliner and the only thing I use brown liner for is for a cheater way to do a smokey neutral eye. I have dark hair and black lashes so a brown really doesn't seem to translate well on my top lash line.

Hopefully the nail polish color selections will make up for the sneak peek or I might just skip out in this month altogether. How do you feel about the sneak peek?

Hey?!! What's the Hold Up?!!

Hey everyone! I know I have been a bit MIA and all but would like you to know that the renovations on my boyfriend's condo are almost done. The floors have been ripped out, the walls are still in process of being painted, we a squished into the tiny spare room with everything. Needless to say, blogging conditions are not so great. I really didn't think it was appropriate to be blogging about all the construction that has been going on as this is a beauty blog but then I thought, "what the heck?" and here I am giving you an update on what's going down.

I really, really hate plain white walls and no matter how much someone tries to convince me otherwise you will not sway me to believe the look is "clean". Do you know what looks clean? You cleaning the place up, not the walls. Plus, every time growing up with my dad saying we would paint the place I got super excited at the color possibilities and every single time he picked out white for every single wall in the house. So I was happy to agree upon another color to paint the living room walls but neither my BF or I could decide a color. We both were looking up something darker since he had someone install some recess ceiling light and that would make the room well lit and the room was large enough to handle the darker color. We both finally agreed on a slight blueish dark grey called Shining Knight from Dunn Edwards paint. it is already painted in the living room right now and we got so excited and laid out a plank of the flooring to get a sneak peek of what to expect and I'll say it looks grown up and really sexy. I never thought a room could be sexy until now.

But then we had to decide on a good color to go in the dinning and kitchen area that you can clearly see from the living room. He was looking at some stupid color chart that suggested a brown and I almost barfed in my mouth a little. Brown walls conjure up bad 70's brown refrigerators with avocado green walls or even worse...a boring snore worthy beige. I really love a welcoming warm color that would scream "come in and see what I am cooking now" and looked at different shades of coral, orange and yellow. I felt coral wouldn't fly with him too well so did a lot of swatch searching and found the perfect bright yellow with some slight orange undertones. All I had to do was show him the color chips right next to each other and he agreed that It was the best choice. So now my favorite room in the house is going to be bright and sunny which will be perfect for the upcoming short winter days. The color is called Apricot Glow and is being painted on the walls today. I can't wait to get home and see it all done.

 I was really excited to pick out some colors and help my boyfriend pick out his flooring. He likes things to look a little more modern and I am okay with a more rustic kind of look. We found the perfect mix of the two in a dark brown laminate with texture. When I was looking around it was the very first one that caught my eye and was on sale. It didn't take any convincing on my part because it was exactly what he was looking for as well.

I really cannot get enough of this color floor. I am still obsessed over it and I'll take that as a good sign. 

Sorry the picture is so dark but here is the mess we are living in right now, really no space to sit and blog and really concentrate. So please, I really hope you do stick around and see what I have in store next after everything is good. The guy who is installing the floor is supposed to be here Friday and we hope it will only take one day to get it all in. If he isn't he's available on the weekends to finish the job. We are also going to be busy dog sitting this Saturday and Sunday for his friend's puppy. She is such a sweetheart and a love bug I really can't wait to spend a weekend with her. 

I have also gone a little pinterest crazy looking at how to jazz up the place once its all done. I plan on just making pillow cases for the throws on the couch but am having a hard time deciding if I will sew them by hand if I can't get my paws on a machine or look at some no sew ideas. But I also want to make some curtains for the living room and get rid of the ugly vertical blinds in there so I will need a machine if I don't want to be sewing until next spring. I know I will figure something out and I think it will look great. He always wanted me to add a woman's touch to the man cave and he's going to get it! 

Also, a small announcement, I will be heading to The Big Apple at the end of this month and will be my very first time visiting. I really am excited and will try to document as much as I can and maybe do a post on what I packed. Like a what's in my bag travel edition. I think the one thing I am most excited about is visiting the Alice in wonderland statue in Central Park and just seeing Central Park in general. that should be a blast. Hopefully I have an update for you next Monday or Tuesday. If I do make pillows and curtains I would want to show you the DIY in it's own post. But I think it would be another few weeks before I can start that project. 

So there you go! I am alive, the place is a mess, and I'm obsessed with picking accent colors. What's new with you? 

My Fall Must-Haves Fashion Edition

Yesterday was the first real cold day in a very long time and it jogged my thinking...what else do I need to survive the cold winter that is ahead. So I have been examining my closet and taking inventory and made my list of Must have items that will keep me warm while still looking cool.

I swear, I have an addiction to blazers and I really cannot stress enough that when its cold out it really pulls everything together and makes me look and feel less frumpy. I will admit that I have 7 hanging up in my closet as I speak in all sorts of neutral colors and most are bought from the local thrift store.

But the one thing I do not have is a nice leather/pleather jacket. I have had a difficult time finding one in the thrift store that doesn't look too outdated or even fits so that means my only option now is to just move on to other retailers. One store in particular is one I used to religiously shop at until recently, Forever21. When I stopped shopping there the taste level was getting a little questionable and too juvenile but I remember well that I do love the affordable outerwear.

Spiked leather moto jacket
Picture from Forever21 website

So searching on the site I think I may have found something along the lines of what I'm looking for, a classic shape with the tough girl edge. I could see myself wearing this with my many dresses over some leggings. I love to look like a contradiction when I wear my clothes. Sweet and tough, sexy and casual, grungy and pulled together and yes I try to pull it off and sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. It all depends on the piece you pick out for your closet and I think this would help me accomplish a lot more than I can now.

The Jean vest in storm cloud wash
picture from madewell website

I think I really digging on the cool biker chick look lately because my next must have is a denim vest. Sometimes I want to wear outerwear but don't think I will need the extra warmth and a vest really fixes that issue for me. I always have this need to top my outfit with something. I wonder if any of you feel the same way?

Cheapie Target stockings
picture from Target website

Because it doesn't get too cold outside I will be stocking (haha! did you get it?) up on these bad boys at Target. i don't know why they show up as $8 on the website though because they sell them in the store for $5 each. Maybe I will get a cool colored pair and definitely will be looking for some with polka dots on them.

Qupid RELAX-114X Quilted Riding Boot
picture from zooshoo.com

I have bought a couple times from Zooshoo and have enjoyed getting the items ahead of the delivery estimate. I have been eyeballing some of the boots on here since my first boot purchase over the summer. I have not had a pair of black boots in years and I had to retire them because they were way too well loved to wear them any longer. I can really see myself loving these as much as the last maybe even more so because of my infatuation with quilted items. i should probably get to ordering them asap if i want them in my size. It seems like everyone and their mother wears a size 6 and are the first size to run out it seems.

Purple Infinity Scarf
picture from Sweetsassylove on etsy

I really need to get my butt in gear because an infinity scarf has been on my list of must have items for 2 years now and I still do not have one and I can crochet! For those of you who cannot crochet or knit you can purchase handmade scarves from Etsy. I really do love everything in Sweet Sassy Love  and found them because I was looking for cute scarves. Maybe I will even start up making scarves myself again.

pearl ring
Picture from Jewlsremix on etsy

I really don't have enough accessories and the one thing I don't loose or break are rings. I really have been loving pearls since mid high school and continue to love the classic beauty now. I don't ever think I will stop buying my pearl earrings  no matter how many times I loose them.

I guess that's all I have on my list of must haves that keep on sneaking into my mind. As the season goes I will probably have a couple things that will pop up. What are your must haves as the seasons change to cooler weather?