Beauty Haul #1

1. L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Blush in Rosy Outlook: $10.95
This blush has made me a true believer in L'Oreal's True Match line. I love it so much! It goes on smooth and blends so easily. It is highly pigmented so you really don't need a lot to add color to your cheeks. I'd even compare this blush to NARS blush in Orgasm (NARS addicts don't kill me!). I'll definitely be buying more True Match products in the future.

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Kiss Me Coral: $7.99
I've been searching for an affordable yet quality coral lipstick for a while now, and Revlon seems to be the only drugstore brand that offers the exact orangey-red color I want! Red lips have always been a classic beauty staple, but this spring season bright oranges have made their mark on the runway. The color is sassy, fun, and so perfect for spring. It makes a great daytime statement but also works as a fun lip color for going out. The Revlon Super Lustrous dries out my lips pretty fast, so I have to make sure to exfoliate before applying the lipstick. I'm guessing I'll have to splurge in order to get this color in a long-lasting and moisturizing lipstick.

M.A.C. Tinted Lip Conditioner in Fuchsia Fix: $15
There's not much to say about this product except that it works. I like this a lot better than chapstick because it goes on smoother, tastes kind of sweet, and adds a nice tint to my lips at the same time. Also, it has SPF 15 so I can wear it outside and not worry about sun damage! My favorite color is the Fuchsia Fix because it adds an awesome pop of pink, but the Lip Conditioner also comes in Petting Pink (a more natural pink) and Soothing Beige (darker nude color). M.A.C. also offers a non-tinted lip conditioner that does the same thing but without the color. Definitely worth the splurge.

Instagram Insider

1. my nailssss! they are just from a forever 21 color that i found. And the glitter is some hello kitty glitter that I found at limited too? (don't judge me Allison).
2. BOOOOO! have you guys seen him? he's like the cutest dog on the planet. go to youtube right now and search boo the dog. seriously. he's the bomb.
3. I WANT A POLAROID CAMERA SO BAD. but they are so damn expensive, well the film is. However, my friend has one and we took a picture with it. That's my friend mark, and there's Suhana.
4. hahaha Suhana got a coloring book for her birthday and this is what we did to batman.

1. I got this really cool necklace for fairly cheap at a place in Evanston called Crossroads Trading Company. They have several locations around Chicagoland but I figured the one in Evanston would have nicer clothes. It's a resale shop so I figured I would sell some old clothes there as well. Instead of taking cash and getting only 35% of their profit, I opted to get 50% of their profit as in-store credit. Overall, I ended up with a $200 shopping spree! All of their clothes are designer and in great condition. Some are even overstock items donated by area boutiques.
2. This is a really cool sparkly nail polish from Urban Outfitters. It goes on REALLY sparkly and is awesome. Its pretty hard to get off though.
3. Another picture of some food I ate at my new favorite restaurant, Lulu's. In this picture is their Pad Thai dish.

Lulu's: Dim Sum & Then Some

Top: Salmon Sashimi
Bottom: Mongolian Pork

Today for dinner Ridley, Grace and I went to Lulu's, a hip little asian spot off the Purple Line Davis stop in Evanston. On Mondays and Tuesdays they offer a deal called "Munch a Bunch": for a flat rate of $20 per person, your table can order as much as you want of almost anything on the menu. IT IS THE MOST AMAZING DEAL EVER!! Included in our feast was:

Hot and Sour Soup

Potato Croquette

Green Beans

Pot Stickers

Salmon Sashimi

Crispy Bao Buns

Calamari

Shaomi

Sesame Balls

Rice Noodle Salad

Mongolian Pork

Spicy Dragon Noodles

Yes, the three of us devoured all of these things, and no, we do not regret it. All selections were delicious, fresh, and beautifully presented. We highly recommend this restaurant! Check out their website here.

Outfits of the Day #2

Allison
Blouse: Forever 21
Vest: Express
Shorts: American Eagle
Tights: ?
Boots: Forever 21
Purse: H&M
Glasses: Warby Parker

Grace
Sweater: Vintage
Jeggings: Abercrombie & Fitch
Shoes: Steve Madden
Glasses: Warby Parker

PhotoCred:
Vaiva LAGUNA

Thoughts

Tiffany Box Manicure
As I sit here wide awake at 3:18 AM waiting for my nails to dry, I can't help but ponder the inner depths of my mind. If I've learned anything this year, it would be to not sweat the small stuff. Four peers of mine have lost their lives this year and their passing has forced me to reflect on what really matters in life. Although I can't say I'm an expert at living (I make plenty of mistakes), I think I've gone through a major change in character due to this past year's shocks. I'm not going to get all sappy because this isn't what we're here for. I will say, however, that I think if everyone took some time to reflect on three things closest to their heart, and proceed to live their life for ONLY those things in the next week, that everyone might be just a little happier and less stressed. Keep calm my friends; college is not anywhere near the worst of it. Good luck studying :)

Instagram Insider

Ordered from left to right.
1. If you're wondering if that is a stuffed squirrel wearing a hat on a wall, then you are absolutely right. The other morning some friends and I went for a walk around Roger's Park and found this awesome/creepy little antique store. There were so many things to look at; I was a little overwhelmed. Robin Squirrel here was just one of the many strange additions to the store. It was a good time except then a hobo with eyes facing two different directions walked in and starting causing a ruckus so we left...
2. My latest lip color obsession is coral/orange. Its such a springy color and is very close to red so I like to believe it looks good with my skin tone. The color I am wearing in the picture is Revlon's "Kiss Me Coral". I got it for about $8-9 at Walgreens. It goes on smooth and keeps my lips feeling moisturized for a couple hours, however, I found that wearing clear lip gloss over the color makes it last longer. It works well day to night! Revlon was also the only drugstore brand I could find that had the perfect coral/orange shade I was looking for. Well worth the higher price.
3. I'm sure I already have tons of haters because of these glasses, but I think they're AWESOME. They are tortoise shell frames and yes, they are prescription. I've always worn square rimmed glasses in the past so this time I went for a bold, round style. Call me a hipster or Harry Potter but I'd like to see you pull these bad boys off.
4. Last but not least, I'd like to tell you all about the AWESOME place where I got my glasses: Warby Parker. It's an exclusively online store and all of their glasses are only $95, with no S&H fees. They offer a wide range of super stylish eyewear (even monocles!) and for every pair you buy, they donate a pair to someone in need. Wary of buying a pair of glasses you've never tried on? Warby Parker will send you 5 pairs of glasses of your choice for free, and you can buy the pair you like and send the rest back! I highly recommend this company.

-allia

Remixes

The only thing I love more than sickeningly poppy songs are ridiculously awesome remixes/mashups of said songs. They offer the comfort of an overplayed pop number with the mystique of new beats and sounds. Check these ones out.

IDGAFOS

Action (3LAU Bootleg)

Call Me Maybe

Rapper's Concerto

Last Friday Night I Wanna Feel So Close With Somebody

David Guetta Titanium Vs. Coldplay Paradise Mashup

Coffee Break Remix

Humids (Killers Vs. MGMT)

-allia

grace.. uh you should get a little happier, k?

sooo, this playlist is what I use when I'm just a little too sad about something. and oh man this playlist is a trickster. you don't even realize you're getting happier and BOOM you're dancing around.
HERE'S THE PLAYLIST
 (feel free to skip over call me maybe, its just my personal preference)
ENJOY
here is me listening to the playlist

"omg my favorite song just came on!"

-grace

Thoughts

Thinking Over a Cup of Coffee

Good afternoon! First I must start by wishing everyone a happy Easter. For those of you who aren't Christian (like myself), I suggest you use today as an excuse to go out and buy yourself a basket of candy. While sitting here enjoying the company of my dogs and the aroma of my fresh brewed Kenya blend coffee, I've also been mulling over a social conundrum in my mind. A boy (who shall remain unnamed) has been relentlessly pursuing me for the past couple of months. I've always turned down his advancements because he seems to have a "girlfriend" of sorts, however, he recently told me that he had ended things with this girl. A side note: this girl is gorgeous, seems sweet, and is (blindly) loyal to this boy. I see no reason for him to act the way he does towards her. Anyway, this boy told me he had ended things and so I felt a little less weird about texting him back and hanging out with him. I even considered hanging out with him friday night when he asked, but was too tired to go out.
CUT TO TODAY: I see a picture uploaded to facebook by the girl that reveals he obviously DID NOT end things with her. Not that I care, I was never interested in him anyway. The only reason I DO care is that this poor girl is being manipulated by a grade-A SKEEZE. So what do I do?

1. Tell the girl what's up. If she didn't know before then she needs to know now.
2. Casually bring it up to one of her friends so I'm not in the line of fire.
3. Talk to the guy about it. This probably wouldn't work.
4. Do NOTHING. She should know by now that this guy is a dud, and if she isn't willing to break it off then its her problem, not mine.
5. Blog about it.

Obviously I chose option 5 because it means no harm to anyone and I still get to rant. UGH boys like him shouldn't be allowed to date girls like her.

-allia

Instagram Insider

(Starting top left going clockwise)
1. Last night we went to our friend Suhana's house for a traditional Indian meal for her birthday. She told us she was going to give each of us an Indian dot upon arrival (which I thought was a joke), but believe it or not we all got Bindi's! The one I have on was one of the more ornate and colorful selections available.
2. Aside from traditional Indian food, we also were offered delicious treats in celebration of Suhana's birth. Aside from a scrumptious chocolate cake, Suhana's mom made her own dainty desserts, as seen in the picture: milk chocolate/white chocolate cups filled with homemade whipped cream and topped with a fresh raspberry. I ate about 2. Or five.
3. Some of our handsome guy friends recently pledged Delta Sigma Phi as founding members of Loyola's new fraternity. I was given a pin and I wear it proudly on my new purse from H&M (only $12 and super cute!). Apparently if a pledge sees us wearing the pin they have to buy us coffee? I haven't been offered any coffee yet but I'm still hoping for that special day...
4. Last weekend our university brought in comics Jim Gaffigan and Judah Friedlander for a show exclusive to Loyola students and faculty. At one point during the show I got up to use the ladies room and who do I run into but the one and only JUDAH FRIEDLANDER! I'm a huge fan of 30 Rock and I love his character on the show. I got to meet him and was super nervous and didn't know what to say but at least I got a picture right? Way more cool than meeting the Biebs.


- allia

(Starting top left going clockwise)

1. Suhanas birthday was a success. this is a instagram pic of the cake that i may or may not have had for dinner and/or breakfast. 

2. snapped a quick picture of the lake on my run. 

3. smoretini!!! tastes like straight godiva chocolate but its like 15 bucks so its sooo not worth it unless youre rich. 

4. benny got pinned for his new frat!! sorry fraternity. did you know people don't like it when you call it that? but anyways i have the same pin allison does and no one has bought me coffee either. so thats upsetting. 

on a heavier note, thoughts and prayers go out to the Suh family at Loyola Chicago. you can read the article here. No one should have to go through that and i hope everyone involved is okay. 

-grace