Lately I've Been Loving

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• OPI Mermaid's Tears. As I mentioned in this post, this particular nail polish was rather difficult to procure, and it's all I've lately been wanting to wear. I wore it for about two weeks and planned to reapply, but, alas, my nails are still bare. It's in the same family as China Glaze For Audrey, but it reads slightly more teal with a hint of gray. The best part: It's from the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Collection. [Side note: I don't understand why so many people hated the movie. I just took it for what it was: A silly pirate movie, starring the fabulous Johnny Depp, that had nothing to do with the first three in the series. If you don't like Jack Sparrow, don't watch it!]

• Beauty blogs. You can check out my blog roll on my Complete Profile page. Those are just some of the blogs I read. I enjoy looking at the blog rolls of other people whose pages I regularly read, but I don't want eight million blogs on my subscription list, so I just tend to browse tons of blogs outside my own regular reading list.

• Glamour magazine. My friend subscribes to this magazine and, since we basically share each other's collections, I've been really loving it. It's a super quick read, but it doesn't feel ridiculous like magazines geared toward teens. There are plenty of pictures with articles interspersed throughout the pages, but there's nothing too dense. It's ideal light reading material for when my brain doesn't want to work too hard.

• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart. I got this on a major sale, with a gift card and a coupon, so it was a little under $2 when I purchased it. I find it to be super easy to apply quickly before class, especially since I constantly think I'm running late. [This doesn't explain why I always get to class 15 to 20 minutes early.] The shine isn't too drastic, and the color shows up a vibrant pink on my lips. I love how it looks against my complexion and hair. I can't leave my dorm room without some sort of lip color on, or I feel way too washed out. With one or two reapplications, it wears down to a bit of a stain, so there's always a hint of color on my lips.

• Parks and Recreation. I literally just started watching this show yesterday, but my friends showed me some clips of the character Tom Haverford over the past weekend and now I can't get enough of it! I watched this clip on repeat before actually starting from the first season.

• New Girl. I'm so happy this show is back! The cast of characters is as ridiculous and lovable as ever, and I can't wait to see where this year's plot goes.

• Living close to home. Even though sometimes I consider whether I would have preferred living at home, I don't think I'd like commuting to school at all. That's why I love the fact that my college is close to home. I'm about an hour away from my house, which is just far enough for me to feel like I can have my own life but still have a safety net and a place to visit more often than I could at my previous university.

• "Uncharted" by Sara Bareilles, "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain, and "Us" by Regina Spektor. The first is one of my favorites by Bareilles, though I do love all of her songs. She's a pretty brilliant lyricist and has a fantastic, sassy voice. "I'll Be" got stuck in my head after watching the finale of The Glee Project: Season 2. Despite the fact that I don't watch Glee, I really enjoy that show. The winner, Blake, sang the song as his final performance, and I've been listening to it pretty often ever since. I also enjoy harmonizing to that song. [I enjoy harmonizing to any song, actually] "Us" is a song that I wouldn't normally like at all, because I don't particularly adore Regina Spektor's music or voice. However, because it's the opening song of 500 Days of Summer, one of my many favorite movies, I've recently been hooked on it. I still have no idea what it means. I do realize that not one of these songs is new.

• Family and friends. This one's a given, but particularly since I've started school, I'm very aware of how lucky I am to always have someone to call when I'm feeling unsure of myself or just need to talk. It's a great feeling.

[Aside: I currently have midterm exams and papers to write, and my reading assignments never end, but I'm certainly not going to stop posting.]

I hope your September has been great!

What have you been loving lately?

xEsther

Dug Up from the Drafts: "There's More to Me than Makeup" Tag

Totally random and unrelated photo. View from my bedroom window, taken in January. The window has a screen, 

hence the blurriness. I played with editing, but eventually decided on the original. I hate making posts without pictures!

Hello, dear readers,

I know this is another tag, and an old one at that, but I actually have a fairly decent reason for it. This is the second of the drafts that I promised to post. At last, my "Posts" box will be empty of anything but published blogs. I'm not changing the font on this one, because I rewrote the answers to suit my current situation. 


1. Do you go to school? If yes...what is your favourite subject/ what is your major?
Yes, I go to school. My major is Communications, with a minor in Spanish. Within Communications, I love film classes. However, I'm not going into the film industry; I just find those courses extremely interesting and fun. 

2. Do you work? If yes...what is your job?
I don't work at the moment, but I am looking for a summer job. I hope to find one, but, if not, I may end up taking a class instead. I do have an unpaid blogging internship online for CHAOS Magazine, and I'm applying for a copy editor internship at another website. It's also unpaid, and I'll tell you what it is if I get the position.


3. Do you read? If yes...name a few of your favourite books and/or magazines.
Yes.  Some of my favorite books are the Harry Potter series [in English and Spanish]; Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett; American Gods and Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman;  The Princess Bride, by William Goldman; The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory; Bookends by Jane Green; The Looking Glass Wars trilogy, by Frank Beddor....Honestly the list could go on and on and on.
As for magazines, my favorite is probably Marie Claire. 


4. Can you cook?
I can't properly answer that, because it's not that I can't cook; I just don't cook. I'd like to learn, but I lack motivation.


5. Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have a sister, aged 24, and a brother, 27.


6. Do you speak any other languages?
If I were to be immersed in a Spanish-speaking environment, I think I would be able to quickly improve my spoken Spanish. I am fairly fluent as far as reading, writing, and understanding, but I could use more practice speaking. I've studied for a little over eight years, so I should hope I would pick it up! 


7. If you could holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I'd love to travel all over Europe and the UK, just to experience the culture and the sights [The shopping wouldn't hurt either!]. Specifically, I'd like to visit Spain or another Spanish-speaking country for the reasons mentioned above. 


8. What is your idea of the perfect date?
I don't have anything specific in mind. Honestly, I think the most important thing is that it goes well!


9. What is your dream career?
I'm not 100 percent sure, but I would like to explore the world of publishing/publications. I'm also fascinated by the idea of translating books for a career.


10. Are you athletic...do you play sports/work out..or are you a couch bunny?
I'm athletic in the sense that I love working out and keeping fit. I absolutely do not play sports. My hand-eye coordination doesn't exist, and I don't have the patience for team sports.


11. What are your three favourite things (that have nothing to do with makeup/beauty)?
I'm going to skip friends and family, because they're people, not things. As far as tangible "things," I would say film, books, and music. How much more generic can I get here? More intangible things would be singing, traveling, and working out. 


12. What is the BEST thing about you? 
I love the fact that I'm easily amused by pretty much everything, which makes other people laugh as well. That probably isn't the BEST thing about me, but it's one of my personal favorite qualities.


Ahhhh, the sound of complete silence from the "Drafts" area of my profile. How I adore it. I'm not entirely sure when I initially wrote this, but it was probably before or during last fall. Like I said, the answers are up-to-date, having rewritten them yesterday. I didn't think it would be necessary to show you the old one because things have changed, and it no longer contained inaccurate information.


Have you done this tag? I think it's fun to read about the lives, loves, and dreams of other fashion/beauty/lifestyle bloggers. We all have a certain amount of "girliness" in common, but it's nice to see what else is going on with everyone. Maybe we have more in common than we thought [or even less]! 


In any case, enjoy your day, whatever you happen to be doing!


xEsther

A Tag Consisting of 11 Questions

Hello, dear readers,

I have to admit that I'm cheating a bit on this tag. You're supposed to be tagged by another blogger; answer the questions; and create 11 of your own. Then you're meant to tag 11 other bloggers. I don't plan on coming up with 11 questions, nor tagging 11 bloggers. If you want me to create my own, let me know. Otherwise, on to the questions [randomly found on Sunnie's Obsessions]:

1. What nail polish are you wearing now? 

NYC Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Fuschia Shock

2. What’s your favorite blush?

 I don't wear blush, so I can't answer.

3. What’s the most expensive beauty product you have?

 I believe Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup is the priciest. 

4. What’s your favorite mask? 

I don't purchase masks, but I do make my own honey mask once in a great while. It consists of, [would you believe it?] honey.

5. A random fact about yourself. 

I am often the only one laughing out loud at the movie theater. Yes, I am that person. Remember me? The one you always want to smack?

6. Sephora or MAC? 

I've mentioned in a previous tag that I don't shop at either of these stores. I prefer Ulta. Between these two, I would choose Sephora for the wider range of brands and products.

7. What magazine(s) do you read? 

If you read yesterday's post, you'll know that I have too many magazines. Here's the roundup: 

• Magazines I subscribe to and/or were gifts: Marie Claire, Allure, Seventeen [though I'm starting to feel too old for it], Elle
• Magazines I get for free due to some sort of promotion/giveaway:  Shape, More [I realize this one is meant for middle-aged women.]
• My mom's magazines: Family Circle, Woman's Day
• My friend's magazines: Teen Vogue and whatever random magazines she buys for fun

8. What’s your favorite perfume?

Probably Strawberries and Champagne from Victoria's Secret. I also really like the VS Romantic Wish.

9. What’s the best base coat you have ever used?

I don't know that I have a best base coat, but I quite enjoy the Wet n Wild Shine Clear Nail Protector as a base and top coat.

10. What’s your favorite foundation?

Since I own just one, I have to say Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup.

11. Where do you want to travel the most?

I can't pick just one for this. I'm going to generalize and say Europe.

Feel free to do this tag, whether it's the proper format or not. 

Have a great weekend!

xEsther

Well, Look Who's Back! (and Lately I've Been Loving...)

Well, hello, dear readers,


I have been gone for nearly a month, and I really miss blogging! I could give you several legitimate excuses, but I've pulled disappearing acts so often that I don't feel it's necessary. One thing that I have been doing in the meantime is writing for CHAOS Magazine. I've mentioned this in the past, and I'm just bringing it up because it has changed websites. CHAOS moved from Blogger to Wordpress, so all of my posts are on there, if you're interested in reading. Like I've mentioned before, I totally understand if you don't have the patience to look for my posts specifically, because you can't just click on my name and read the posts. If you go to the Beauty category under Skincare or Makeup, you can scroll through and find most of my mini articles. 


Enough shameless self-promotion and CHAOS promotion. I owe you all a blog post, so I am bringing you another edition of "Lately I've Been Loving...":

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• Pottermore. Who else was thrilled when this site finally opened to everyone? I've gone through all the levels in the first book, which is the only book available, but I haven't read all the content yet. I was so eager to be sorted, that I ended up leaving quite a bit of reading for myself. I got into Ravenclaw, by the way, as did my brother. Have any of you joined? If so, what house are you in?

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•  LEGO® Harry Potter™Years 5-7. Yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd and extremely proud of it. There's no doubt about it. It's so fun wandering around "Harry's Wondrous World," and, yes, that is a reference to one of the two themes composed by John Williams. Exploring the castle and going through all the challenges that Harry Potter faced is just too much fun. It's based on the movies, not the books. I've played Years 1-4 with my brother when it came out, and I've also done LEGO® Pirates of the Caribbean™, also an enjoyable experience.

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• Marie Claire magazine.  I am aware that I have far too many magazine subscriptions [three that I pay for; Marie Claire was a present from my sister; and I get two more for free through some magazine website- that's not to mention the fact that I read my mom's magazines and borrow from my friend!] . However, I do like that this one is not only full of fashion and beauty, as per usual, but contains news stories and relevant content. It makes it more interesting and less shallow than, say, Allure, to which I also subscribe.

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• Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup in shade 01. This is my very first foundation! I actually prefer using my fingers to apply it, though a foundation brush works nicely as well. It's nice and light, with sheer but adequate coverage. A funny backstory: The lovely lady at the Bloomingdales's counter suggested Acne Solutions foundation, but the lightest shade was too dark! This one is a much better match, and I only use it where I need it. I may do a review of it if I feel this isn't a good enough description.

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• Revlon lipsticks. I believe these were present in my last "Lately I've Been Loving..." post. I've rediscovered my love for Super Lustrous lipstick in Gentlemen Prefer Pink, a very light, blue based pink. It's a bit of a cross between a Barbie pink and a bubblegum shade. I use it most when I'm wearing pastel or grey tops, because I can look washed out otherwise. I also still love Super Lustrous lipstick in Demure, a warmer version of my lip color. The two lipsticks together make a really perfect neutral pink, everyday sort of color. I also love the same type of lipstick in Love That Pink, a bright reddish pink. It's quite a bold hue, and it almost shows up more red than pink on me. I like that I can tone it down by applying it with my finger and amp it up by using it straight from the tube.

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• Reading. It's recently been a bit sporadic, but I do enjoy reading for pleasure and often don't have time for it. At the moment I'm concentrating on Harry Potter y el misterio del príncipe, which I've been taking out of the library since last November or December. The problem isn't that I'm a slow reader; it's that I don't crack open the book often enough. I'm also reading Straight Talking, by none other than Jane Green. It's a great book for the most part, but I got annoyed when the main character did something stupid. I know it's going to end the way I expected, but I just had to put it down when I got to that part. I'm not going to spoil it.

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• Yoga. I tried it for the first time last week, and I've only done it three times total. Obviously, I'm the furthest from an expert as you can be, apart from someone who's never tried it. I love it because it's challenging and relaxing at the same time. You get to focus on breathing [which is a great ab workout! Who knew?] while holding poses that challenge your muscles. It's great! I almost feel as if it's a better workout for building muscle than Pilates. I still love them both.

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• Walking. I walk to and from school most days, and it's a wonderful way to get a workout in a practical manner. No basements involved. I managed to somehow injure my hip a couple of weeks ago, rendering me unable to do most exercises since it affected the rest of my leg as well. Walking has been the only form of exercise that I've been able to do until just about now.

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• Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Smoothing Serum. Yes, I still have the generic version. I wanted to finish this one up first, but it's the exact same product. It works wonders on my hair when I can tell it's drying into a horrible mess, or it already has dried into a frizzy mass. It's basically a lifesaver. 

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• Eric Hutchinson's new album, "Moving Up Living Down." I haven't bought it yet, but I've heard most of the songs. He writes brilliant lyrics, and his style is a mix of several genres of music, including jazz, folk rock, and pop. Just search his name on YouTube and fall in love. I'm going to his concert with my friend and fellow super fan on Monday. I'm so excited!

I realize these are mostly non-beauty favorites, but I think that's often the case. As always, I appreciate family and friends. I didn't include them in the list, because they're a constant "favorite," and I would have to continue to add them to all of these types of posts.

Let me know what you've been up to lately and what you've been loving.

It's nearly Friday, so I think it's all right for me to say, "Happy Friday!"

xEsther 

Bits and Bobs

Hello, dear readers,

This post is just a little bit of this and a tad bit of that. Creative, huh? I apologize for not covering Golden Globes fashion, and I promise I will do Oscars fashion once more. I'm so excited for the Oscar nominations that will come out on January 24th. In any case, I've been rather busy lately, hence the lack of Golden Globes fashion. I haven't even read about it yet in the newspapers.

What am I up to? I'm just starting two classes at community college, which doesn't seem like a lot, but I'm also applying for colleges. If you're in the U.S., you know that the Common Application requires a short statement and an essay. As a transfer student, however, there are separate supplements and different essays for each school. I have four schools to write for, and a completely separate application for another university.

I will be testing out some makeup products soon, so I'll have at least one post on those. I also recently rediscovered a product in my own collection, and I think I'll be talking about that in the coming week. Besides classes, college applications, and college visits, I was lucky enough to get a fashion features internship on CHAOS Magazine's blog. I'll be a beauty writer for the blog, and my posts will come out twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you're interested in ever checking it out, the link is here, and the magazine's main page is here. My first post comes out tomorrow.

CHAOS is an indie magazine, predominantly focused on current news in fashion, music, and art, but I believe you have to register [it's free] to actually read the editorials. The blog, however, is open to everyone, and there is quite a lot of fashion coverage. It seems to focus on higher-end fashion, with not as much coverage on the latest beauty news, so I'm excited to inject some more beauty articles into the blog!

Ramble, ramble, ramble...I know I've gone on for quite awhile here, but I'm pretty excited to be in such a good place at the moment. I just had to share it with all of you.

I hope your week is going well. Let me know if you have any exciting things going on in your life right now.

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving...

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• The holiday season. I've been to two holiday gatherings with my close friends so far, and I have another one coming up for New Year's Eve. I also loved getting gifts for friends and family, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like receiving gifts as well. Tonight was the last night of Hanukkah, and it was the best family time I've had in a while. It also happens to be my brother's birthday as well, and we have all been in lovely moods for once! We sat together, listening to music, while the candles burned on two of our nicest menorahs.
• Revlon lipsticks. I was able to get two very nice lipsticks during the CVS clearance sales, and I can't get enough of them. The two colors are Revlon Super Lustrous in Demure, a shade only a bit brighter and warmer than my natural lip color, and Colorburst Lipstick in Carnation, a beautiful soft pink.
• Magazines. My sister bought me a two-year subscription to Marie Claire for Hanukkah, so I can now add that to my other two subscriptions. I also read my mom's Family Circle, and she just subscribed to Woman's Day. My friend and I lend each other our own subscriptions, as well as magazines we buy on trips, so I always have at least one of hers around the house to read. I'm only a wee bit obsessed.
• Getting rid of clutter. I actually have the hardest time getting motivated to clean, mostly because I tend to let things get ridiculously messy in the first place. Once I finally gather the energy to get started, I really love the results! I enjoy having a clean floor and an organized dresser, though I certainly have a few fire hazard piles of junk in corners and on my desk. I went through my nail polish collection and got rid of about 30 old nail polishes. I'm now down to somewhere around 50, which is still a huge amount! Then again, this is the result of over eight years of collecting.
• Doing laundry. Don't get the wrong idea, Mom; this is not an offer to wash all of your clothes! Now that I'm home and don't have to walk up and down three flights of stairs, or hang my clothes on a faulty laundry rack, I actually find it relaxing to do my own laundry. I know exactly how I like to deal with all of my clothes, so I can breathe easier knowing that my jeans won't be shrunken and my shirts won't get stretched! [I recently had a scare when a certain other parent wanted to put all my clothes in the dryer. Noooooooo!]
• Music. Winter songs, alt pop music, old favorites: you name it; I'm listening to it, and most likely singing along. Singing at home relaxes me, probably because I have been out of choir for several months now, after singing for most of my life. I've lost some confidence in my voice, but I still enjoy singing around the house, especially by myself.
• LEGO® Pirates of the Caribbean™video game for the computer. This is the only type of video game I will play, because LEGO® characters are so unassuming and friendly! Don't ask. I'm so entertained by LEGO® games, having played the Harry Potter™ one in the past, and being a huge fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, naturally love this as well. I play it with my brother, and I entirely blame him for my addiction.

That's the last "Lately I've Been Loving..." for 2011! This feature will see you again in 2012!

xEsther

Lately I've Been Loving...

• China Glaze For Audrey nail polish. I've just painted my nails this color for the second time within a span of a month. For someone with at least fifty nail polishes, and nail polish A.D.D., that's saying something.

• Best friends. I feel completely comfortable going around in sweaty gym clothes, a makeup-free face, and bursting out with comments anyone else would find offensive. I can giggle obnoxiously, make up songs, talk about boys...The list goes on and on. There's nothing like the kind of friends with whom you can both be entirely ridiculous and then instantly switch to normal conversation and then talk about serious issues, all done seamlessly.

• Magazines. Seventeen. Allure. Lucky. Marie Claire. Teen Vogue. Family Circle. Allure. Even Time magazine on occasion. You name it; I probably read it. I even renewed my subscription to Seventeen, despite the fact that I turn 20 this fall, [and will still be getting it at 21], and occasionally can't stand the magazine's silly stories. I'm probably going to subscribe to Allure, but I routinely borrow all of these other magazines from friends and my mother.

• Me time. In my family, me time is highly underrated. My dad definitely prefers to do things with other people all the time; even watching movies mustn't be done alone. I, however, sometimes like nothing more than to come home from work, eat a family dinner and withdraw for the rest of the evening. I'm just so exhausted that it's nice to have a few hours to myself.

• My new running shoes and sports bra. I can't be bothered to look up their brands, but I believe the store in which I purchased them is local. I've actually never owned proper exercise gear, and, let me tell you, it's so worth it. I don't actually go running, per se, but I do work out about five times a week for an hour or so, and the new clothing items are much appreciated.

• My water bottle. I definitely drink more with this sitting at my desk, next to me on the bed, etc. I'm pretty great at staying hydrated when I have a water bottle at hand; it just makes quenching thirst that much simpler.

• The thought of an impending holiday. My family is going to visit my sister in Iowa this Friday, and we'll be there until Tuesday. The reason I use the term "holiday," besides the fact that I'm intrigued by the UK use of the word in place of the American "vacation," is because Monday is actually July 4, meaning American Independence Day. It will be the first Fourth of July away from my friends since I was a little girl.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of "Lately I've Been Loving... ." I find it quite a refreshing post to write. Focusing on the positive is positively therapeutic.

Lots of love.

xEsther

Image from http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/naruto_fan94/new-year-fireworks-hong-kongb.jpg