Friday Favorites

This is a new weekly segment I'd like to introduce to Love and Emvy...Friday Favorites! This is where I'll divulge in some of the products and trends I've been obsessing over the past week. So, let's begin!

#1. It's a 10! Miracle Leave-In Serum
I got this as a free sample from Ulta and wasn't really expecting much of it. I've never tried this brand and hair serums usually don't do much for me. But wow. Was I wrong...this serum really is a miracle! My strands are so soft and the spray really does calm down my frizz in this humid nightmare of a summer. Love.

#2. Heart Shaped Sunglasses
Don't break, don't break my heart, or Ill break your heart shaped glasses...
Yeah, I love that song--so catchy and edgy--which is how I feel when I'm sporting these sunglasses. I love the metal gold rims because they give a more serious touch to the girlish shape. I've actually gotten quite a few compliments on these, like through the Starbucks drive-thru yesterday!

#3. Glitter Nail Polish
Got this polish for sale at Victoria's Secret, and I am in LOVE. I really like how there is variance of the size and color of glitter speckles. Feeling like a diva.


So, those are my Friday favorites this week! What have you been obsessing over lately?

Fourth of July Make-Up 2014

Happy Fourth of July!

I decided to do a Fourth of July Make-Up look that wasn't over the top. Going all the way just isn't for me--I like simple and chic. :)

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I did a light smokey eye with Navy blue eye shadow by Nyx. Then, I lined a winged liner with Physicians Formula Liquid Liner. Afterwards, I used Tarte's Amazonian Mascara and bright red lipstick by Nyx.

Hope you all have a safe and beautiful holiday!

xoxo,

Emily

Facial Time! Biore Charcoal Cleanser and Feeling Beautiful Facial Mask Reviews

May has not been a good month for me--so many events have been going on which resulted in some pretty unhealthy eating habits (always give in to those sweets!) and the intense heat and humidity that Florida brings has messed with my skin as well.

The past couple of weeks I've noticed my forehead breaking out and I started having junior high puberty flashbacks--nooo! As someone who likes to take the natural route, of course I will be shifting back into clean eating again, drinking tons of water, and going to bed earlier. But, in a time of crisis like this, more artillery is needed.

I had a coupon at ULTA for $5 off a purchase of $15 or more. I spent a good while browsing the entire store, trying to find the facial products that were quality and the best bang for my buck. I finally settled on Biore Charcoal Face Cleanser, 2 Feeling Beautiful Facial Masks in Mint &Lemon and Strawberry Chocolate (BOGO free, score!), and some Sally Hansen Facial Wax Strips. Total came out to just $11.

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The summer months bring a ton of SWEAT. And my bad eating habits also caused this huge internal shift and skin has just been crying for repair. As soon as I got home, I used the Charcoal cleanser, and it felt minty and invigorating. All good! But then--the horror began. After a couple of days my face was red, itchy, and super dry. So dry it literally felt like sandpaper. I have sensitive skin, and stopped using it immediately. With the help of coconut and olive oils to re-moisturize, it took me THREE DAYS for my skin to go back t normal.

Then, my brother who has normal skin tried it, and his face started to redden as well. Then, my mom tried it and after the first use her skin was very dry.

The Verdict: DONT use Biore Charcoal Cleanser--especially if you have sensitive or dry skin. Your face will thank me for this.

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Now--the facial masks. I tried out the mint & lemon this week because it is targeted for breakouts. This mask had a great, clean smell and was easy to squirt on. It felt really good, and it was fairly easy to clean off--it didn't glide off easily, but it wasn't a hassle rinsing off. After the mask my skin looked bright and felt so soft. My pores were noticeably tighter and my acne diminished a bit in visibility. The results lasted for a couple days, and for only $3.50 a tube, it was well worth it!

Later, I tried the Chocolate Strawberry and mmmmm! It smelled delish. So perfect. It also made my skin feel really smooth, which was nice. Between the two, I liked the Mint & Lemon more.

The final verdict: These are awesome! Great value and works quite well. 8/10.

Juelp Maven Nails Review

Always keeping my eyes peeled for a good deal, I came across Julep's Facebook ad a couple months ago about a 5pc nail box for free with only $2.99 shipping. Now, I knew there had to be a caveat so I read the fine print as always. Ordering this automatically enrolls you into their monthly subscription of Maven boxes, which is about $25 a month. Yikes.

I checked and there were no cancellation fees and no horrid review about issues with cancelling. Since I'm a super organized person who pretty much lives inside my calendar, and I've done the whole order and cancel subscription afterwards thing with similar sites, I had no issues proceeding. (And it turns out that worked out just fine, because cancelling took literally 5 minutes over the phone with no hassle.)

First, I tried to do the free 5 piece deal but couldn't find the coupon code. I ended up ordering something else instead, which is "First Box Free" for new members. This is what I got:

I really liked the coral, was okay with the blue, and didn't really care at all about the Cuticle serum. For $2.99, this was an okay deal.

Then I found the coupon code, which at the time was "HELLOYOU", for the 5 piece box and created ANOTHER account to order it. I liked this one much more.

The green is gorgeous, love the plum on my toes, iffy about the lavender, LOVE the gloss which actually is really sheer with just a tint of plum, and the eyeliner is meh. I don't really use pencil eye liner much, but it's glides on smooth and is double sided with two colors: black and brown.

Now, let's talk about the polish. The bottles are REALLY small, about half the size of an average bottle, so it makes me rethink how much it's worth compared to other quality brand names. It is only .27 ounces of polish in each bottle compared to OPI's .5oz bottles.

The polish is very pigmented and will appear on your nail pretty much exactly how the bottle appears. Great for a bold look. The pamphlet says it is supposed to dry fast, though I didn't notice a major difference. They also did not last too long...after a week had passed the tops of my nails were chipped and I had to redo them.

The next time I re-did my nails I made sure to add a top glitter coat (from Victoria's Secret) and that has helped with the chipping. However, from a nail polish company that charges a lot and claims to be premier, I don't expect to NEED to apply a top coat of any kind. I have better results with Sally Hansen Perfect Salon which is way cheaper.

Overall, I give these polishes a rating of 7.5/10.

In my opinion they are nothing to rave about, and I wouldn't buy them at full price. I am satisfied with the deals I did get however.

Spring Fashion Trend: KIMONOS

Time to swap out beloved cardigans and move onto a lighter layering option for spring and summer! The kimono is a perfect, stylish option for your spring/summer time look. Not only is it comfy and unique, it is also versatile. Wear it over a crop top, with jeans, with shorts, over a body con dress, or even as a swim suit cover up. The kimono makes as a great statement piece this season.

I encountered quite a few at Forever 21 and found this gem-- love at first sight.

Beautiful, isn't it? The print is so vibrant, and the light material makes it PERFECT for summer. I wore this today in 90 degree Florida weather and actually felt comfortable! 

I also found a black and white one with a cropped back-- I love that, because it highlights my waist and gives a bit of a funky edge to the look. Can't wait to wear it!

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For inspiration, here are some more beautiful kimonos that will get your through spring, summer, and festival season:

Fringe

Chictopia

Floral

NastyGal

Crochet

WindsorStore.com

Animal Print

 NastyGal

High Fashion Couture Spotlight: SheVamps on Etsy
If you're on the search for a gorgeous kimono and want a high quality, investment piece--then this is the place to go. Ugh, I just want every single kimono in her shop! There are tons of breathtaking high end designs, and rave reviews on the quality and quick ship time.

Betsey Johnson Love ♡

I went shopping with my boyfriend the other day, and each time we go shopping I realize we have VERY different taste when it comes to style. As soon as I found this necklace I kinda fell in love. Look at the cute kitty! The pearls, the roses! It was on sale, plus I had a coupon that would bring it down to just $20--huge bargain at MSRP of $68. 

So, I asked "Yay or nay?" and it a was a big nay from him. My favorite comment from when he was trying to persuade me out of it was, "You don't even know that cat!". He makes me smile. :)

I think his taste is a bit more sophisticated and minimalist, so to him this might have seemed a bit gaudy. In my eyes, it's an adorable statement piece. Perfect for a plain top and jeans.What do you all think?