Top 5 Favorite YouTube Beauty Channels

One of the things I love to do with my spare time is watch YouTube beauty videos. These videos help me decide what new products I just have to have, give me fashion ideas, and even inspire me to lead a healthier lifestyle. Sometimes I forget that the girls I watch aren't my actual friends in real life! Anyway, here are the top five ladies I just can't get enough of!

1. Carli Bybel

Carli is the first girl I ever watched on YouTube. I discovered her when I did a Google search about how to apply false eyelashes. I literally was so.bad. at applying lashes but after watching her video and practicing a couple of times, I was a pro! She is gorgeous from head to toe and has the most positive attitude. Her hair tutorials are perfection.

2. MakeupByTiffanyD

I never skip a video by Tiffany! She is so down to earth and I feel like I can really trust her opinions and product recommendations.  Everything about her just screams classy. It is impossible to watch any of her hauls without adding a least a couple of items to your Sephora wish list. She recently had a beautiful baby girl and chronicled her entire pregnancy. I've never had a baby, nor am I pregnant but I watched every single video she posted.  Her home decor videos are also very helpful.

3. SMLx0

First off, let me just say this girl is hilarious. Her sarcasm has me dying from beginning to end of her videos. Not to mention she is drop dead gorgeous and has great style advice as well eyebrows that are on fleek. :)

4. Holly Chastain

Just wait until you hear her charming Southern accent. Just wait.  Holly is a beauty queen (literally) and freelance makeup artist from Georgia. Her style is to die for and I love seeing what products she's loving. She seems very relatable and incorporates drug-store and high-end makeup into her tutorials.

5. Melissa Parada

Melissa is a beautiful YouTuber who also works at Sephora (jealous). Her eyes are a gorgeous green that you can't help but stare at (jealous!). Melissa always has the inside scoop on products and loves to share them with her viewers. She is very relatable and her sweet nature radiates through her videos. Melissa is always up-front with her viewers about sponsored videos which makes it easy to trust anything she recommends.

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Okay, I'm done gushing now. But seriously, check these ladies out. What are some of your favorite YouTube channels?

xoxo
anna

favorite beauty products of the year!

Alright y'all, it is time to re-cap my most loved beauty products from 2014! Please let me know if you have any questions or want an in-depth review of any of these products.

Hair:
redken all soft shampoo and conditioner
pantene beautiful lengths shampoo and conditioner
macadamia deep repair hair masque
macadamia leave-in oil
suave curl collection mousse
loreal ever soft leave-in conditioner
big sexy hair spray
100% organic coconut oil
redken extreme anti-snap leave in

Skincare:
clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion
clinique all about eyes under eye moisturizer
josie maran 100% argan oil
loreal revitalift night cream
queen helene mint julep mask
clinique foaming acne wash
glamglow super mud mask (white one)
clarisonic mia
equate brand wipes
neutrogena eye makeup remover

Makeup:
soft and gentle highlight by mac
dior amber diamond highlight
benefit hoola bronzer
too faced better than sex mascara
lancome hypnose mascara
loreal miss manga mascara
garnier bb cream for dry skin
clinique even better foundation
lancome effacernes undereye concealer
VS pro airbrush fx primer
hard candy glamoflauge heavy duty concealer
beauty blender
mac blush in 'springsheen'
NYX eyebrow kit in 'blonde'
anastasia brow whiz in 'caramel'
naked 2 palette
duo lash glue
ardell 120 demi whispies
mac lipsticks in 'ririwoo', 'rebel', 'creme' de nude', and 'angel'
turkish delight lip gloss
nyx plumping lip gloss in 'kim'
revlon lip butter in 'lollipop'

Fitness:
fabletics subscription service
myfitnesspal app
mapmyrun app

Fragrance:
amor amor by cacharel
ralph lauren romance
bombshell by victoria's secret

Nails:
julie g nail polishes
ceche vite fast dry top coat
nicole by opi drying drops
wet and wild 'private viewing' nail polish

My Whimsical Wedding Vision

My fiancé and I got engaged in February 2014 at sunset in my hometown Orange Beach, Alabama.

Right after the proposal!

I knew that I wanted a long engagement since I was still in school. My fiancé' and I have lived together for years and basically function as a married couple already so we just were not in any hurry to make it "official". Anyway, we set our date for July 15, 2017, giving us a 3ish year engagement.

The Ring :)

Since the wedding is so far away, I have basically remained in the brainstorming stage of wedding planning. I have an overall vision of what I want, I just have to figure out the details. We will be paying for the wedding ourselves so we also have to figure out a budget and open a wedding savings account.

So far, here is what I know (or at least what I think I know)…

• I want to have a beach wedding but not your typical beach-themed wedding. I want it to be more glitter and glamourous, less starfish and seashells
• Colors: whites, blush, gold and/or rose gold. 
• Ceremony at sunset and let the reception to go into the night.
• Releasing of lanterns 
• Two dresses… one mermaid, one princess-ish 
• There should be alcohol flowing! I want people to have a good time and dance late into the night
• Under 100 guests, probably under 75
• I've considered blush bridesmaids dresses, but I've also seen gold sequined ones I love. I know I want them to be floor length.
• My brother will walk me down the isle
• I would like to have a beach bon-fire, maybe with s'mores!
• My fiancé is set on having a whole roasted pig
• I am a huge fan of tulle, for dresses and decor
• All white wedding cake
• Lana Del Rey's 'Young and Beautiful' will be our first dance song

I can't wait to start the actual planning process. Let me know what you think of my vision so far! Also, if you have recently planned a wedding or if you are currently, please leave me some advice!! 

Check out my Pinterest wedding board: http://www.pinterest.com/annadeeeee/the-perfect-day-3/

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xoxo anna

Fabletics Workout Clothing Review (not sponsored)

Fabletics is a monthly subscription service that sends you a workout outfit of your choice once a month. I have been subscribed to Fabletics for over a year now and it is safe to say that I am obsessed. Basically, they offer high quality and stylish workout/yoga outfits for a reasonable price. I used to shop at Lululemon all the time but now I am definitely a convert.

Overview:

• When you sign up you get your first outfit for only $25. After the first month each outfit costs $49.95. This price includes shipping.
• You can also buy individual items for a discounted price once you sign up.
• Most outfits include a top and bottom, some also include sports bras and other accessories.
• You get to choose your outfit and colors every time so you won't end up with something that isn't your style. 
• The best part is that you are not bound to anything and you can cancel your subscription after getting the first outfit if you are unpleased for any reason.
• You are usually billed at the beginning of the month. You have until the 5th of the month to "skip" if you don't want an outfit that month. You will be billed $0 and you can skip as many months as you want. This comes in handy if you don't find anything you like…. or if you're like me and can't afford a new workout outfit every single month. You are never forced to buy anything and there is no monthly fee for skipping.
• You build up points with every order which will eventually add up to free outfits. 
• Fabletic leggings, in particular the 'Nadi' leggings are comparable to the Lululemon Wonder Under Leggings. However, you get the Nadi legging and a top for $50 vs. the $82 you would pay for the Lululemon leggings. 
• Kate Hudson is the founder. I love her and her style so that is a bonus.
• You are given a quiz about your style and the types of workout you do and the website will curate outfits tailored to you. However, I usually end up buying outfits that are not in my "picks".

Some of my favorite styles for December/January 2014:

Twinkle (image from fabletics.com)

Enchanting (image from fabletics.com)

Orgin (image from fabletics.com)

Tips:

• I set a reminder on my phone for the 3rd of the month to remind me to either make an order or skip the month. This keeps me from forgetting to skip if I want to and allows me to get the styles I want before the come back ordered. (Keep in mind that if you forget to skip, you will be billed and a credit will be put on your account for an outfit).
• I have found that the pants/capris are amazing AMAZING quality, whereas the tops are hit or miss. A few of the tops I have received have been comparable to Lululemon whereas a few have been flimsy cotton plainish Ts. I figure the quality and value of the pants makes up for this, but it should still be taken into consideration. One time, I ordered an outfit that had plain cotton leggings and the top that came with them was a high quality jacket, so I'm thinking they usually work it so you get one "high quality" item and one "so so" item. 
• Always make sure to review your outfits on the Fabletics website. Regardless of whether your review is positive or negative you will receive points which can go toward free outfits!
• I have had to return one outfit because of sizing issues and customer service was friendly and helpful.
• Generally, the outfits runs true to size. I usually wear a size 8 in pants and medium shirts and I am 5'7". I tend to order size medium pants and medium shirts from Fabletics. If it is a top where I want a looser fit I will order a large.
• I have never ordered any shorts or sports bras from this site so I cannot speak to their quality. I have a large chest so unless sports bras have a ton of support I usually pass. The sports bras do not look very supportive from the pictures. I haven't ordered shorts simply because I love the pants so much that I always try to include them with my outfits.
• Overall, Fabletics has helped me slowly replace some of my older, frumpy workout clothes for outfits that coordinate and fit nicely at a great price point.

My referral link: http://www.fabletics.com/invite/stylemewhimsical/

Let me know if you guys have any questions or what you think about Fabletics!

This post is not in any way sponsored. This is one of my first blog posts and Fabletics has no idea I exist in life. Well, except that I am a customer :). I did not receive anything free for this post.  I am posting my "referral link" which will give me points towards free outfits (as mentioned above) if you click it, but nothing more. Obviously I would love if you used the referral link but no hard feelings if you don't!

#curlyhairdontcare Naturally Curly Routine

I feel like all of us naturally curly girls are in a secret cult or something. You know it, I know it.

For most of my life, I felt like I only looked pretty when I flat ironed every last ringlet until my hair was straight as a board (and supa fried eek). That is not healthy mentally or healthy for your head of hair! Lately I have been embracing what my momma gave me and rocking my curls, more often than not! Here are some products and tips I've learned along the way. #curlyhairdontcare

If you have naturally curly hair, you know what I'm talking about when I say the STRUGGLE IS REAL!

This is my routine on the days I wash my hair and plan to wear it natural.

Washing/Conditioning/Applying Products

• I shampoo and condition about every 3 days. Right now I am using Redken's All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner and it is doing amazing things. My hair gets a ton of moisture but doesn't feel weighed down. My fav drugstore shampoo/conditioner is Pantene's Beautiful Lengths line. I know all the jazz about how Pantene is the devil but I don't care because it makes my hair look nice and we all know that good hair is worth dealing with the devil ;). 
• About once a month I will use a clarifying shampoo. Not picky here. The one I am using now is by Suave.
• Three to four times per month I like to use a deep conditioning mask. Two favorites are Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask and the L'Oreal Repair 5 Mask. Sometimes I leave them in overnight, sometimes I just let them absorb while I do my thing in the bath.
• Regardless, I always comb my hair with a wide-tooth comb or tangle teaser while the conditioner is still in my hair in the shower. I just keep my comb in my shower for easy access.
• When I get out of the shower I wrap my hair in a cotton T-shirt to absorb all the excess water. T-shirts are way better for your hair than towels and will prevent frizz. It helps to have a designated shirt to keep in the bathroom and just wash it when you wash your towels.
• Next, I take my hair down and put a leave-in-conditioner in it. I swear by HealthySexyHair's Tri-Wheat Leave-In. I also like Redken's Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-In but I try to only use it about once a week because I don't want to overload my hair with protein.
• I then work about a quarter sized amount of argan oil starting at the ends and moving up. Josie Maran's 100% Argan Oil is my fav but I also like the Macadamia Healing Oil.
• Last, I put either a curl-defining mousse or cream into my hair. I start at the ends and scrunch my hair upward. I recommend Suave's Captivating Curl Mousse or Macadamia's Reviving Curl Cream.
• The last step is to blow-dry hair using a diffuser. I bought a diffuser attachment for my blowdryer from Ulta for under $10. The trick is to touch the hair as little as possible to avoid frizz and to make sure to hold the hair to the head to create volume and define curls.

Bonus tip: On days I know I am going to wash my hair, I will apply a mixture of organic coconut oil and vitamin E oil to my hair before I go to the gym and then wash it out when I get home for a extra deep conditioning treatment. 

Please let me know if you have any questions and feel free to add your tips to the comments!

xoxo

anna <3

a bit of voodoo magic

Welcome, all!

My name is Anna and I am lost...

Let me attempt to catch you up… I graduated in 2012 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a B.S. in psychology. After graduation, I was accepted to Tulane Law School. I packed my bags, and headed south to the Crescent City. New Orleans was the land of jazz, booze, and (unbeknownst to me) my demise. But more on that…later.

When I naively arrived to town, I had everything I had ever wanted and that I had worked so hard for. A scholarship to a tier-one law school, a loving and handsome fiancé', and an entire room dedicated to my plethora of shoes. I lived in a breathtaking city with hundred-year old oaks, live jazz, and drive-thru daiquiri shops. The voodoo must have been in my favor, I was one of the lucky ones.

Eventually I will fill in the blanks of the journey that took me from being ohso lucky to being ohso lost. For now you should know, I went through one of the darkest points of my life. I almost gave up.

Then, I was chaotically stagnant.

I needed a change of scenery so I fled for the gulf coast of Florida. It is the perfect place for me, for now. My move was motivated mainly by the fact that being close to the sea makes me feel alive no matter the other circumstances of my life. I wake up every day to beauty. I have friends I like to drink tequila with. I laugh into the night. I have a lover who adores me and keeps me safe. I am finding my way. Slowly yet surely, I am finding my lucky voodoo again.

As for law school? I decided becoming a lawyer was simply not the path for me. The long and short of it is that I have always been more of a Carrie than a Miranda.



Which leads me finally to this blog, my first blog. I'm inviting you to come on a journey with my to explore my passions, share my interests, and hopefully become my friend. I'm armed with an arsenal of beauty products, a few good books, a wedding to plan,a macbook pro, and just a little sprinkle of voodoo magic.  Come with me?

xoxo
anna <3

disclaimer: this blog is not going to be a day-to-day narrative of my life. it is going to focus on the things i am passionate about. namely: style, reading(book reviews/discussion), beauty tutorials, beauty product reviews, cooking, fitness, wedding planning,etc… for this first post i felt like sharing a little about myself because i know many of my readers will be able to relate. i will periodically post anecdotes to add to my backstory, feel free to skip over if you are not interested. xoxo.