February Favorites {Beauty, Fashion, Life + Food!}

 Fun Spring Accessories: As much as I love winter, I am beyond thrilled with the arrival of spring! I have been so excited to accessorize with bright, fun colors for the warmer months. I’ve probably been resembling an Easter egg with all of my neons and pastels, but I could honestly care less. The Florida girl in me has been dying to break out the fun colors for months! I can also tell spring is also going to be the season of bling for me. Lately I can’t step out the door without some sort of sparkly necklace or earrings- especially the adorable sparkly pink earrings in the picture above that I received this Christmas from Megan. I’ve been absolutely DYING to buy the JCrew Pave Link Bracelet and matching necklace since November, and I have resisted until now because of the obscene price….but lately I’ve been seeing a lot of cheaper knock-off versions. I’d like to say that I’m going to stay strong, but you might see a few more sparkly things in next month’s favorites post 🙂 Let me know if you’ve seen any cheaper alternatives that are still good quality!

My Jobs: While I am nowhere near achieving my ultimate career goals, I am so happy that I have the opportunity to work at artistically fulfilling jobs along the way. In addition to my blog, I teach dance (mainly classical ballet with a bit of jazz, tap, and other classes mixed in) and do a bit of acting. I’ve been involved in the performing arts my entire life, and I feel lucky for every opportunity I receive to earn money for doing something that I’m passionate about. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to work on an acting project, and it was so much fun to spend the day on set. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute in front of the camera, but I always love spending time with wardrobe, hair, and makeup. All the women were so talented and incredibly. I learned so much from the stylist I worked with, and she definitely inspired me to do a bit of shopping!

Nivea Lip Butters in Vanilla and Macadamia Kiss and Raspberry Rose Kiss: I am a lip balm junkie in general, but I am crazy about these Nivea lip butters. They are obviously incredibly moisturizing, but they give your lips a gorgeous glossy look and smell uh-maz-ing. Like I want to eat them out of the package haha. I have been searching for the Caramel Cream scent this week, and they have been sold out everywhere! I have the Raspberry Rose in my bathroom and the Vanilla and Macadamia Kiss in my car, so that I never have to be without my beloved balm. Go pick one up if you stop by CVS or Walgreens. I found mine next to the Nivea lotion instead of near the other lip balms!

Sephora by OPI Nail Polish in I’m So Sari: Possibly the prettiest color in the world. This polish is just breathtaking on your nails. It’s one of those polishes where you just stare at your nails whenever the sun hits them. The formula is amazing, and it lasts forever. I had this one my nails for at least five days with minimal chipping!

Shadow of Night I finally finished Shadow of Night, the second book in the All Souls Trilogy, and I enjoyed every minute of it. After reading the first book in the series, Discovery of Witches, I waited patiently for Shadow of Night to come out. Ok, maybe not so patiently…and I grabbed Shadow of Night on my Kindle the second it was available. I’ve been so busy that it’s taken a while to finish, but I am devastated that the third book doesn’t come out until this fall! I am really enjoying this book series, and I can’t wait until the movie version of Discovery of Witches comes out in theaters! Let me know what book I should read next!

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss: I love, love, love NYX Mega Shine lip glosses. I couldn’t find a picture of my current favorites shades online (plus I was too lazy to get them out of my car haha), but I have been especially loving the shades Perfect, a sheer peachy pink with shimmer, and Salsa, a creamy light pink with shimmer. It seems like I haven’t gone a day in February without wanting to add a lit bit of one of these glosses to my lips. They’re beautiful alone and on top of your favorite lipstick. They’re affordable (around $4-5 and constantly Buy One, Get One 50% off at Ulta) and smell exactly like red Starburst candy. I’ll be doing a full blog post about these beauties, but the whole line is phenomenal.

Girl Scout Cookies: I love the Girl Scouts…and their cookies 🙂 As a dance teacher, I usually get bombarded with requests to place orders, but I was surprised that not a single one of my students this year was a Girl Scout! At first I took it as a sign that I shouldn’t be eating cookies, but then I started seeing Girl Scouts EVERYWHERE. At the grocery store, Target, gas station, everywhere. I finally broke down and bought a box of Thin Mints and Samoas. Maybe my thighs don’t appreciate this move, but I had to do it for the kids…right?

Crystal Light Liquid: I am a long time Crystal Light fan. Stephanie and I consumed more Crystal Light than is probably healthy throughout high school. I couldn’t resist adding two of the new flavors to my pantry. While I normally don’t love the liquid concentrates, I love the Crystal Light liquid in Peach Bellini and Pomtini! The flavors are delicious, and the containers are small enough to fit in your purse! I’ve been trying really hard to break my Diet Coke habit and drink more water, and these drink mixes definitely help make my water bottles less boring!