Springing for Influenster

Hello, dear readers,

In my previous post, I mentioned that I had received a bunch of free products through a program called Influenster. For whatever reason, the boxes of paraphernalia are called VoxBoxes. This particular box was the Spring Fever VoxBox, aptly named because it was sent about a month ago. I would try explaining the program, but I would fail, so instead I'm linking you to the website itself. And here's this handy-dandy icon from Influenster, disclosing that everything was sent free. You can sign up for an invite to the program no matter who you are; it's not some exclusive club.

In any case, I'm going to show you photographs and short descriptions of the items I found in the VoxBox. I promise they'll be short, because I will be doing separate posts on a couple of the products. Here are all the contents at once:

Pretty exciting, huh? I thought so. 

The first thing I saw when I opened up the package was chocolate. If you're looking for a healthy snack, this wouldn't be it, but it is a delicious treat. As you may be able to read on the package, it says that it's a "marshmallow flavored creme filled cake." I believe some people received the peanut butter flavor, but I was quite satisfied with this. Do I plan to run out and buy more? No. If I'm ever offered one, however, it would be bad form to refuse. ;)

Um, hello there. If you hadn't noticed, the title of my blog is called "When Life Hands You Lipstick," but you can bet that when life handed me this NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy lip balm, I was beyond thrilled. This is not an exaggeration. Mine is called Big Apple Red, which is appropriate for multiple reasons. In person, it shows up redder than in these photographs, but the photos give a fairly decent depiction of the product. Even when I go out with no face makeup on, I must [repeat: must] have some color on my lips. With my fair skin, dark hair, and not the most pigmented lips, I'm convinced I look dead without it. What's more, it's become my "look" over the years. Tinted balms are perfect for on-the-go and a no-brainer for summer. 

Next came my second love, a nail product. I've already tried these out, and I will be doing a review on them. This is the imPRESS Press-On Manicure from Broadway Nails. The pattern I have is called Over the Moon. The design really is beautiful on, and, to my delight, the nails didn't look fake. I did have to cut them quite a bit, but more on that to come.

This next product is Schwarzkopf Professional OSIS+ Gelastic. It's marketed as an "ultra strong flex gel" that gives you a short time window in which to style your hair before it's set for the day. Some people received a product called Dust It, a mattifying powder, and others discovered Rough Rubber, a texturizing paste. Considering I have no use for mattifying powder and no desire for texturizing paste, I think I got off with the best of the bunch. That's not to say that I love this. They're not kidding when they say this lasts all day. I barely had time to play with my hair before it was stuck in place. I think I'll post a review on this as well.

This is Secret Outlast Clear Gel, an antiperspirant/deodorant that claims to leave no white marks on clothes. I'm very pleased to say that it lives up to the marketing hype. I used to have a huge problem with white marks on my clothes, even when I used gel deodorants. I've used other versions of Secret in the past, but I never had any luck with it. Currently, I use an extremely inexpensive antiperspirant/deodorant from Avon, and I'm happy enough with it. It's the only thing prior to this Secret Outlast that hasn't left white marks on my shirts. 

Alas, we have reached the end. Not a bad haul from a box full of surprises. As I've said repeatedly [and you're probably ready to close this window by now], I will be doing a couple of separate reviews on individual products. Even if I'd hated everything, I couldn't have complained because it's all complimentary. I only have to complete a mandatory product survey in exchange for the goods.

I'm getting excited for a July 4th trip to see some of my best friends, but for now I'm relishing the weekend. 

Hope you're loving it, too.

xEsther

Hey There, Summer! Didn't See You Coming!

Hello, dear readers,

Where, oh where, have I been this time? I know; I know. The mystery of the incredible disappearing blogger is becoming less of a mystery the more often I neglect this blog. Am I planning on quitting? Absolutely not. Am I organized at the moment [have I been or throughout the past few months]? Absolutely not.

Hence, a complete lack of posts. Soon I'll have more update posts than anything else, and I'll have to wonder what sort of category this blog fits under. Once again, I shall attempt to give you a rundown of significant events that have occurred since last I wrote.

I finished my junior year of college in early May was extremely relieved to go home, free from essays and pages upon pages of reading assignments. [Note to self: Never, under any circumstances, wait until the morning a 15-20 page paper is due to write said paper. It was not pleasant.] However, as soon as I arrived home, I had to start thinking about what I would do this summer.

I say start, because my original plan of study abroad was derailed by a not-so-helpful Director of Off Campus Studies. Just my luck, she retired shortly after causing me a great deal of stress. Ok, so now I needed something else to do, and as soon as possible. I began searching for internships, and I was once again given misleading information. 

Checking every available source for someone who might possibly need me, I stumbled upon an ad from last September, and I now intern for a woman who is co-authoring and self-publishing a book. Instead of getting paid for the internship, the school charges for it so I can get a credit. Communications majors need internships to graduate, so I get to do homework as well! That's besides editing another book for a very small, local publishing company.

And now for the information that allows me to sprinkle in photographs. Might as well give you something to look at in between the blocks of text. I attended my best friend's sorority formal as her "date," which was quite fun despite the fact that I barely knew anyone there. Everyone I met was welcoming. Since Beth has been on this blog before, I can show you a picture:

My sister came in at the end of May for her bridal shower, which was lovely. It was organized by my aunts, and my cousin and I, as bridesmaids, helped record presents and handle the gifts. My mom played unofficial photographer. I'm inserting a picture of my sister and I, and you'll notice I'm wearing the same dress [different belt]. It's a good dress. I give my mom credit for finding it at Target. She has remarkable luck with getting me clothing that fits, and that I like, but only when I'm not with her. I'll leave my sister's name out, in case she'd rather it not be on here. If I find out it's ok, maybe I'll update this. Updating my update post. How ironic would that be? Here we are:

Many of my friends are out of state this summer or don't live conveniently close to me, so I haven't had much in the way of a social life, but what I have had has been great. July should be a blast, because I'll be visiting friends from home who are staying in Wisconsin for the summer. In the meantime, I was extraordinarily excited to get to see The Lonely Island in a live question and answer session for free. I shan't go into detail, because the people with whom I went most likely don't want me putting information out. The performed their song "Diaper Money" at the end. It was weird but wonderful to see that.

In any case, it was great fun to see Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone being interviewed by Seth Meyers before he had to leave for his own live show. Ironically, we ended up walking past the theater he was performing in later that night. Here's a picture of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers:

I also received this fun box of goodies from Influenster, a website you can sign up for and take surveys in order to get products and other such paraphernalia to test and review:

I must write a separate post on all that, especially since you can't see any of the contents in this particular photo. I know we all get excited about cardboard boxes.

To sum up, I left behind a great deal of stress when I came home for the summer, and I'm now working a part time internship and a freelance internship. Most importantly, I think, is the fact that I am trying to enjoy valuable time with friends and family and to squeeze as many happy fun times out of this summer  as is humanly possible. And, yes, I did indeed say "happy fun times" in a non-ironic way. I also want to make to stay active.

This summer needs to take it easy on the flying and float by instead, so I, and all of you, my dear readers, can savor it.

Hope everyone has been doing well.

Happy Summer!

xEsther

P.S. I've also become addicted to Doctor Who, the recent seasons. I can't say I'm a fanatic, but I am quite adept at clicking "Next Episode" on Netflix. It's pretty entertaining.

Get to Know Me: The Beauty Blogger Tag!

Hello, dear readers,

I was browsing through my favorite blogs earlier in the week and stumbled across the Beauty Blogger Tag on The Beauty Broadcast. This is the first tag I've seen specifically directed at bloggers and not vloggers, so I was excited to fill it out. I like the fact that these questions are different than the ones on the various other tags I've filled out. 

Here goes:

1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

I consider my hair to be curly, but I have looser curls that fall into waves as my hair grows.

2. Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?

I have never dyed my hair, and I don't plan to do so. 

3. Do you wear the same style everyday, or do you change it?

It's generally the same style, because I prefer to wear my hair down. The only creativity, if you can call it that, comes from my love of experimenting with products, but the look is always nearly the same. The extent of excitement is when I throw it in a low bun, but the bun always looks tiny and I appear not to have much hair. That's my opinion, anyway.  

4. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon?

I do my own manicure. I find it relaxing and enjoyable, and I don't love having other people mess with my hands. I'm weird that way. I have gotten a manicure with a friend once, which was a fun experience, but besides that I prefer doing it myself.

5. How often do you change your nail polish?

 I've worn nail polish anywhere from one or two days to three weeks. It depends on how the polish wears and how bored I am in my classes. I tend to peel off all my nail polish during my three hour night class and repaint it later, even if it's not chipping. Yes, I throw the peeled polish in the garbage. Not to worry.

6. Do you polish your toes in the winter or just the summer?

I never paint my toenails. I don't like dealing with feet, but it's cute on other people. 

7. How long does it take for you to put on makeup?

No more than 10 minutes on average. I use foundation or my own self-mixed tinted moisturizer, concealer, powder and lipstick at most. Only if my face is really red or has stubborn breakouts or flakiness does it take longer.

8. What do you do first? Face or eyes?

I like to focus attention on lips, so I don't really do eyes. The most I'll do is a light champagne shade if I'm looking extra tired that day. So, it's face by default.

9. Do you collect makeup or just buy what you need when you need it?

I buy foundation, powder, and concealer on an as-needed basis, but I collect lipsticks.

10. How often do you wear false eyelashes?

Never.

11. Do you do a full face of makeup everyday?

No. I almost always have at least concealer, powder, and lipstick on. I don't wear foundation every day, especially because my skin has been annoyingly flakey; I have yet to find a foundation that doesn't exaggerate flakes. 

12. Do you wear makeup when you're home alone or with family?

I answered that above. The only time I'll wear makeup home alone or with family is if I'm bored and want to play with my makeup.

13. Will you leave the house without makeup?

If I'm running errands or taking a walk with a family member, I don't wear makeup. If I'm hanging out with friends and having a good skin day, which seems to be a rare occasion lately, I'll go makeup-free.

14. How many high-end products do you have?

I have one Estée Lauder lip product, and the rest of my higher-end products are from Clinique. I have Clinique foundation and several lip products, many of which were gifts with purchase. I don't know how high-end Clinique is considered to be, but it's department store makeup in any case.

15. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you're getting dressed?

I tend to decide when I'm getting dressed. I generally check weather.com in the morning and then pick out clothes based on the weather. If I know I'm going somewhere the next day, or if someone is visiting me at college, I often have an outfit planned the night before. I take forever to get ready [I blame you, problem skin and all your products!], so it helps me save time and not keep people waiting too long.

16. How often do you change your handbag?

I used to change it seasonally, but I've used the same Charming Charlie's cross-body bag since last summer. I suppose I change it based on how much I need to carry with me that day and what size purse that requires. Or I switch them out on a whim.

17. What time do you wake up and go to sleep?

I truly do not have a set schedule. It's almost the end of the school year, so my sleep times are all over the place.

18. How often or when do you workout?

Again, because the year is ending and the work is piled on, my schedule is irregular. Right now I work out a few times a week, but ideally it would be 4-6 days a week.

19. Left handed or right handed?

Right.

20. How tall are you?

5'3" 

21. Do you speak any foreign languages?

I've taken Spanish every year since I was 11, besides last year, so I can read, write, and understand it pretty fluently, but my speech is a bit rusty. I'm a bit shy about speaking Spanish, too, since the classes I've taken in college haven't involved too much conversation. Fun fact: I signed up for free subscriptions to Siempre Mujer and Latina through some rewards website, and I read them cover to cover, if that gives you an idea.

22. How many pets do you have?

None.

23. How often are you on Blogger?

My posting is quite sporadic, but I'm on Blogger every day to catch up on the many blogs I read.

24. Do you read comments posted on blogs?

I hardly ever get comments, so of course I gladly read every single one. I occasionally read comments on other people's blogs, usually only if I'm checking to see if the blogger responded to my comment.

25. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

I definitely notice the products that keep popping up on various blogs, and I tend to do my research on them. I particularly like to use Beautypedia, a website I wrote about here. I keep track of products, but I don't write down the names.

26. How did you come up with your blog name?

I wanted it to have something to do with lipstick, my favorite cosmetic item, and I wanted it to be a cute phrase or a play on words. For some reason, the quote "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade" popped into my head and refused to budge, hence "When Life Hands You Lipstick." I'm sure I was subconsciously thing of "Live, Laugh, Love" when I came up with the URL lovelipstickandlaughter.

27. What kind of camera do you use for your photographs?

Lately I've been lazy, and I've used my MacBook webcam. The camera I own is a Nikon Coolpix, which I received before I went to Peru. It comes in handy when I put effort into my pictures. It's not the number one best quality camera in the world, but it works fine for me. I've recently figured out how to use all the different settings. 

28. How often do you clean your house?

Since I live at home, I'm not responsible for cleaning the entire house. Besides my desk, which my mom says is going to fall into the basement because of how many magazines perch atop it, I try to keep my room fairly clean so I don't have to do an overhaul on a regular basis. At school, I do the same thing in my dorm room. My desk tends to suffer slightly from clutter, much less so than my desk at home, but the rest of my room stays pretty neat and organized.

29. What's your favorite color?

Aqua 

30. Do you swear?

If I'm really frustrated with or angry about something, yes, but that's not extremely often. More often, the cause is that I'll walk into a chair or drop something. I'm a klutz, so most of my cursing happens because of clumsiness.

31. What are you doing with the rest of your day?

I have three essays due this coming Monday and Tuesday, so that's going to take up most of it. 

There's my Beauty Blogger tag. I hope you enjoyed.

xEsther

Now on my Nails: Estee Lauder's Purple Passion

Hello, dear readers,

On Wednesday this week, I decided to change my nail color from Avon's Ballerina to Estee Lauder's Purple Passion. This came as part of a set of four miniatures that I received as a gift from my mom for Valentine's Day. I've noticed that even though I don't particularly enjoy wearing purple clothing, I like purple accents such as nail polish or shoes. 

I love that this color isn't a traditional, true purple, but rather a vibrant shade with some pink tones to it. That's the best way I can [poorly] describe it. It's been on for four days so far, and I have yet to see any chipping. It doesn't go on 100 percent evenly, but any unevenness is unnoticeable. It's fairly bright and opaque in one coat, but I believe this was two coats. I hardly ever leave nail polish with one layer of color; it seems wrong.

I used to wear nail polish for two weeks straight before changing colors, but I find myself with so many nail polishes that I want to switch up the color often. How else will I get to use all these beautiful hues? The photograph is true to color but somewhat duller and less shiny than the actual shade. I'd say it's a fairly accurate representation, though.

I hope your weekend is off to a great start!

Now on my Nails: Avon's On the Go Pink

Hello, dear readers,

I'm doing a very quick post today. I have my mom to thank for this, because she asked me to email her a picture of my nails after I painted them. I thought, Hey, now I have a decent shot of nail polish on my computer; why not show it on my blog? Because I don't paint my nails daily, I can't call this my "Nails of the Day," so "Now on my Nails" it is.

UPDATE: This is actually called On the Go Pink. I don't know where I got Ballerina from!

Here is Avon Speed Dry Nail Enamel in Ballerina:

Please excuse my gross veins. I can't really get rid of them. And I
promise my pinky nail isn't chipped; I accidentally got polish on the cuticle.

This is the pastel perfect polish for an understated but chic look. I once tried a Sinful Colors polish in a similar shade, but found it showed up chalky and almost white on me for some reason. I gave it to one of my friends, and I don't believe she had that problem. This polish, however, stands out enough from my super pale skin to give some contrast. My fingers are for some reason the darkest part of my hands [yes, I know. You're thinking, That's dark?], and this polish makes my hands look slightly tanned. That is a feat all on its own. This is one of those colors you can wear year round: sophisticated, pale pink that can masquerade as a neutral. I think I'm definitely going to love wearing it as the weather gets warmer.

What's on your nails now?

xEsther 

Clothes for Curves? Marilyn Monroe at Macy's

Hello, dear readers,

Aside from awards shows, as in yesterday's Oscars post, I generally don't write posts solely about fashion. Today I'm stepping out of my box of beauty products, tags, and life updates, to tell you about a limited edition clothing collection that has attracted my attention.

As you can probably tell from the title, Macy's has released a Marilyn Monroe inspired clothing collection for Juniors and Women. I haven't seen what they have in stores, but there are a decent amount of items on the website, with new clothing popping up every so often.

The reason I'm excited, and what prompted me to look for the line in the first place, is that Marilyn Monroe was famous for having curves. I'm throwing out a wild guess here when I say that these dresses, tops, pants, and skirts are probably meant to flatter girls with a similar body type. That's not to say that this collection won't work for anyone else, especially since the main model isn't exactly a Marilyn doppelgänger, but I have hope that it will work for girls like me who feel like they're a different size for each different area of the body.

The line is a bit pricier than I expected it to be, but not unbelievably expensive.

Here are some of my favorites from the current stock along with direct links to the products from the Macy's website:

Marilyn Monroe Juniors Dress, Sleeveless Polkadot-Print A-Line

Marilyn Monroe Juniors Dress, Sleeveless Gingham-Print A-Line

Marilyn Monroe Juniors Sweater, Long Sleeve Cropped Cardigan

Marilyn Monroe Sleeveless Peplum Top & Skinny Pants

There are around 64 pieces in the online collection, excluding the fact that many items come in multiple colors. It's not quite as exciting a collection as I imagined, but I do think the color combinations in these outfits are dynamic and the clothes are flirty and feminine with a side of fun.

Have you seen the Marilyn collection in stores?

We're one day closer to the weekend, and I personally can't wait! Enjoy the rest of your day!

xEsther

An Afterthought: 2013 Oscars Fashion Best

Hello, dear readers,

A few weeks have passed since the Oscars, sufficient time for everyone to have finished reading the Oscars issues of People and Us Weekly. In other words, no one is all that interested in talking about the Oscars anymore. Except I am. I saw the Oscars the day after they aired on an ABC-approved website, but I was able to watch Red Carpet Live because it aired on live stream.

As I watched the stars arrive, I took down the names of the best dressed ladies at the awards ceremony. Because this post is so late, I'm not going to have my usual detailed explanations. Instead, I'll have the pictures below with captions saying who they're wearing. You could call it The Lazy Girls' Guide to Oscars fashion.

Here are my favorites:

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Jennifer Lawrence looked elegant in Dior Haute Couture [the only dress she tried on prior to the show], Roger Vivier Bag, Brian Atwood Shoes, and Chopard jewels.

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Queen Latifah wowed in Badgley Mischka

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Octavia Spencer looked like Cinderella in a gown by her trusty designer, Tadashi Shoji.

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Naomi Watts shimmered in a silver, science fiction-like, Armani Prive dress, Neil Lane Jewels, and Jimmy Choo shoes. [Not a fan of the messy hair. What's going on there? Nevertheless, she looked radiant]

Those were the gowns that stood out to me at the Academy Awards this year. All of them are simple and flattering with an added element of interest, like Watts's cutouts and the infamous train on Jennifer Lawrence's dress.

I hope you don't mind that this is posted so late. Life happens, and I didn't make time for blogging among the other things I had to do.

Let me know which dresses you liked the most, and have a wonderful week!

xEsther

2013 Golden Globes: Black, Pastel, and Red All Over

Hello, dear readers,

As many of you may know, the Golden Globes aired this past Sunday. However, and I'm looking at you here, you can't pretend you weren't paying just as much, if not more, attention to the fashion on the red carpet. Everyone know half the fun is picking out your favorite and least favorite outfits. I don't watch the Golden Globes, but I do look up the award winners and, let's face it, pictures of the stars in their couture. This awards show didn't afford me the chance to write a best-of post, because none of these dresses stood out to me as particularly stunning. Instead, I'm commenting on some of the big trends I noticed and showcasing some of the photos I found that best display these patterns.

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Let's start off with the ladies who chose to match the red carpet. I'm not sure what's going on with Marion Cotillard's tomato-hued, asymmetrical dress and not-quite-matching heels. Zooey Deschanel kept it classy with a sweetheart neckline and pearls, not to mention the coordinating lipstick. Jennifer Lawrence seemed to be one of the biggest hits of the night, but I can't say I love how pointy the top is. As for Claire Danes, she looked timeless in an orangey-red number.

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Plenty of celebrities chose to grace the red carpet in pale blush, a shade that can wash out pale skin all too easily. Amanda Seyfried and Amy Adams are lovely ladies, but this hue drained the color from their complexions and did nothing to complement the colors of their hair. I'm not really sure what I think of Megan Fox's  dress, but she did manage to carry off the pinky-nude better than the aforementioned stars. I think Hayden Panettiere was the most successful at pulling off this tricky pastel. I'm not a huge fan of the mermaid tail, but the dress was flattering. Her skin tone worked the best with this trendy color.

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Another fair hue to hit the carpet was the lightest of blues. Honestly, I don't like a single one of these dresses. That's all I can say. Better luck with your fashion selection next time, girls.

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Oh, look! More pastels! From peach to pale green to washed-out lavender, the carpet was littered with pastels. Jessica Alba's gown suited her, but Rosario Dawson could have used a lower neckline. I have nothing to say about the other two, except that they were not at all flattering.

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Then there was the abundance of black: The little black dress, little black suit, etc. Everyone was raving over Katharine McPhee's dress, but I think she needed some more fabric up top. None of the other styles were particularly exciting. Most were fairly boring and/or weird.

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Please excuse the multiple shots of Taylor Swift. The last trend that I noticed was a tendency towards deep burgundies and everyone's favorite oxblood shade. Poor Lena Dunham looked frumpy in a gown that was all wrong for her proportions. Jennifer Garner and Naomi Watts flashed smiles to accessorize their deep crimson dresses. I don't know what to think of Taylor Swift's outfit. It was very different than her typical sparkly, girly style, and I'm afraid she might have been taking herself too seriously.

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Last, but not least, I'm sharing what I believe to be one of the night's biggest hits, which doesn't happen to fit into any of the trends. Anne Hathaway shone brightly at the Golden Globes in an embellished Chanel gown, keeping accessories minimal and hair perfectly swept to the side. This isn't my all-time favorite red carpet dress, but Anne looked radiant.

I apologize for not listing designers as I usually do, but I wanted to get this post out while the Golden Globes were still in the [somewhat] recent past.

Hope you enjoyed this overview of the prevailing 2013 Golden Globes fashion trends.

xEsther

'Tis the Season

Hello, dear readers, 

Today I thought I'd search for a winter-related tag to do so that I would have something to give you in between now and my winter break (I started writing this last month! It's now the end of my break. Oops!). I struggled to find one that wasn't strictly about Christmas, as I realize not everyone, myself included, celebrates it. Luckily, this 'Tis the Season Tag is more neutral! Warning: This will be wordy! Let's get into it:

❄ Top 2 Winter Beauty Essentials 
Moisturizers for face and body, as my skin gets very dry and flaky. My face is dry/combination, but it gets drier in the winter, and my hands get chapped and red. Specific products: Any of the Avon Moisture Therapy hand creams are great and have either little or no fragrance. For my face, I use Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture Sensitive Skin. It's not rich, but it does the job. 

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Moisturizing lip color. I just received the Clinique Taste of Honey holiday gift set for my birthday [Thanks, Mom, if you're reading!], which contains four Almost Lipsticks: Luscious Honey [a sheer deep red], Shy Honey [a sheer baby pink], Flirty Honey [a sheer bright pink], and Black Honey [sheer deep wine/burgundy]. These are moisturizing enough that I don't need to wear a lip balm underneath, and the sheer color is definitely buildable.  Other good moisturizing lip colors are the Clinique Chubby Sticks and Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters.

❄ Top 2 Winter Fashion Essentials

Cardigans/sweaters. Throw on a cute top from the warmer months, top with a cardigan, and you have the recipe to my cold weather wardrobe. I do have to say, though, that I've been loving throwing on pullover sweaters, because they're so comfy and easy to wear.

A cute winter coat. I've struggled with bulky, puffy, coats before, and I've also found myself matching both toddlers and moms in my Columbia jackets. I now have a belted, longer winter coat from Victoria's Secret that is both functional and [I'd like to think] fashionable.

❄ What shoes do you tend to wear the most in the winter?
This year, I've been wearing my riding boots from Alloy. There hasn't been a lot of snow yet, so I've been able to get away with that.

❄ Favorite Winter Accessory
To be quite honest, I don't really have winter-specific accessories. I don't wear scarves or hats or anything like that.

❄ Favorite Winter Nail Polish
In the winter, I always love a good red nail polish. Hands down, my favorite red this season is OPI The Spy Who Loved Me. It's a gorgeous bright red with red and gold shimmer.  The other two polishes from my OPI Skyfall trio are great cold-weather colors as well. Goldeneye is the perfect glimmering, warm gold. Skyfall is a strange brownish burgundy, which isn't usually my cup of tea, but I love it for the winter. 

❄ Hot Cocoa or Apple Cider?
Hot cocoa. No question.

❄ Favorite Winter Candle?
I don't ever buy scented candles, but I did receive a Slatkin & Co. mini candle in an Influenster Beauty VoxBox a couple of months ago. The scent is pumpkin cupcake, and it smells delicious enough to eat. 

❄ Snowboarding or Skiing?
Neither. I'm terrified of both.

❄ Have you ever gone Ice Skating? Are you any good or do you FAIL miserably?
I've only gone a few times in my life, and none recently, but it takes me a while to get my footing. I was never very good.

❄ Does it snow where you live?
Yes.

❄ Have you ever made a snowman?
Yes.

❄ What holiday do you celebrate?
Hanukkah.

❄ Favorite Christmas/Holiday song?
My favorite is actually technically not a holiday song at all. It's "Winter Wonderland," particularly Jason Mraz's version. 

❄ Favorite Christmas/Holiday movie?
I never saw all of A Nightmare Before Christmas, but I feel like I really enjoyed what I did see. As a child, I love A Christmas Story. Now, the only holiday movie I watch with any sort of consistency is Elf.

❄ What is your favorite winter treat? (candy cane, gingerbread, etc...)
Hot cocoa is my favorite. I can't think of a dessert that I particularly favor over any other in the winter.

❄ If you were to ask Santa for one thing and you were guaranteed to get it, what would it be? (even if you don't celebrate christmas)
A guarantee that my next semester of college goes well. Is that cheating? I don't think so.

❄ Do you have anything fun planned for this winter?
Since I'm filling this out after the holidays, I've already fulfilled plans to see movies with friends and family and have a holiday party. As for the rest, I'm not sure.


That's all, folks. I hope you enjoyed this tag!

xEsther

Happy New Year 2013!

Happy New Year!! Welcome, 2013!

L-R: Beth and I on New Year's Eve

Hello, dear readers,

Happy New Year to you all! It has been exactly two years and one day since I started this blog, and I don't intend to stop it now. Being the intelligent person that I am, I forgot to bring my camera home and didn't think to use my brother's camera. I'll have to do that, but in the meantime I thought I'd give you at least one photo to look at. 

After having my New Year's Eve nearly ruined by a poorly-timed delivery of bad news, I went to a party with my friend, Beth, and another friend whose name I'm not sure she wants posted all over the internet. It was pretty much the first time we'd actually gone anywhere besides someone's house for New Year's Eve, and it served to take my mind off anything negative. 

The actual transition from 11:59 p.m. in 2012 to 12 a.m. of January 1, 2013, was rather anticlimactic; it's still hard for me to process that the year went by so incredibly fast. Overall, 2012 was a good year for me, world's apart from 2011. Without going into detail, I can safely say that 2011 has been my worst year so far, and 2012 saw me enter a much better place in my life.

I don't set resolutions for the new year, but I did find a quote earlier in this year, when I sincerely needed inspiration and motivation to keep going, that I'd like to keep in mind: "Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it." - Bill Cosby

I'll end this post with a little bit of beauty-related information: On my nails, I wore OPI Skyfall Collection nail polish in Goldeneye on my ring finger and The Spy Who Loved Me on the rest. On my lips, I wore Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in In Vogue, a bright, matte, pink.

I hope you all had a fun, exciting, and/or relaxing New Year's Eve, and I look forward to starting off 2013 with you.

xEsther