August Favorites!

In the beginning of August, there is so much summer left to be had.
Come the middle of August, I still get pissed off by back-to-school commercials slighting what amount of summer is left.
By the last week of August, I am full-speed-ahead into fall and, instead, pissed off it took so long to get here even though it isn't, by calendar status, actually here yet.


It's an odd transition, and perhaps you're all the same, too, but with the end of August comes not only the new feeling of fall, but favorites of this summer month, as well!

1. Waterproof Bronzer - With sweat, the pool, the ocean, or any "wet" activity (that sounded dirty, I assure you I mean well without being a skank!) comes the need for a makeup to stand the test of whatever you throw it's way. My Tarte bronzer blended wonderfully and stayed put when I needed it most, which was during those hot, hot days where sweat comes off of you like rain. Yeah, I said it, you've been there, too!

2. Revlon's Coralberry Lipstick - Mary (Little Ramblings), if you're reading, THANK YOU! You posted about how you just bought this shade and I was at Target the same day buying pre-vacation snacks when I just had to see if it was there. This shade is fan-freaking-tastic and I have used it just about everyday I'm not slaving away as a nanny. SUCH a pretty color that is super fun but still natural. Check it out if you don't have it already. Trust me, you need this color!

3. Neutrogena Body Wash - Nothing makes me feel quite as clean or relaxed as Neutrogena's Grapefruit Body Wash. I don't really have issue with my skin, but if I'm giving my face medicinal loving, then my skin from the neck down should receive the same treatment, am I right? Turning to this scrub is perfect for when I need to feel refreshed after a day of nannying and doing little boys' laundry, which always faintly smells of dirt and piss.....yeah, I never said my summer job was glamorous! This wash brings me out of nanny mode and back into "me" mode...girly and clean.

4. Kiehl's Toner - I haven’t done a review on this (and now there may be no need) but here’s a speedy SS one for you….this shit is awesome, buy it, end of story. I have used it on cotton pads, toilet paper, my hands and dabbed it on my face (courtesy of a tip I got from my blogging buddy, the Procrastinator!) and no matter how I put it on, it works and feels great! Brings my skin to a nice balance, which is exactly what I needed this month! If you don't believe in needing a toner (much like I did), I assure you this toner will change your mind of that. Again, another must-buy for you!

5. Essie's Borrowed and Blue - I chip my nails like nobody's business. One tiny little crack in my polish and I go at it (and the rest of the untouched fingers) like a jackhammer....it's quite unlady like, I know. I love B&B so much that I actually fix the little cracks and chips before I let myself ruin the manicure entirely. That should prove to you my dedication to this cute little color! Going to need a bit of a darker shade for fall, so enter my "ring finger" color, OPI's Ski Teal We Drop :)

Soooo very much looking forward to what's in store for my favorites in the first fall month! Look out for plenty of season-changing posts, from fashion to makeup and everything in between. Teacher rants coming up again in due time, too!


Until next time, hope your August is wonderful and here's to an even better September..... 

Collective Haul (I Have Problems).....

Why oh why must I have a problem? Fall is the best time but also the worst time because I want to buy everything! I can't even blame the upcoming season, though, because some (ok, most) of what I bought has nothing to do with the cooler season coming. Let's just hop into it, shall we?!

I recorded a video for this haul and then realized I never turned my TV off in the background and the birds love talking to the TV so the mix of background noise was ridiculous and I just didn't feel like recording another 15-20 minute video....I guess I'm too used to the noise! haha

The items below are separated by store. Forever21 first, Target second, and Marshall's third!

F21 FOTOS

>>Don't you love the blush tone of the blazer?! I went for a light khaki one but this blush tone was far too cute to pass up. The navy one completes my "neutral" color blazer collection :)
>>The bird jacket is a whimsical buy, thought it'd be a good "pop" piece for some fall outfits.
>>The boots? Love them, period.
>>(The blouses photographed horribly, so I posted their photos from F21's site to give you a better idea of their fit and shape.) Both tops are such rich fall colors and I love that the mustard top was only $19 as opposed to the $50 one I saw at Nordstrom that looked nearly identical. The rusty rose? Looks good with the new 'do ;)

TARGET TIIIIIME!

>>Lipstick! Just like I talked about in my brunette makeup post, I need to start wearing some color on my lips. These two shades were just the colors I was looking for.
>>It's Revlon's fault for making me buy this. It looked so cute in the bottle, metallic but dark, again "perfect for fall" (Can any of us say this too much? I think not! haha) Steel-Her Heart will be on my nails ASAP! Terrible nail swatch, I knowww.
>>I never listen to the #1 beauty rule of "don't brush your wet hair." Yeah, I detangle my hair in the shower, but needed a comb to do the job when I get out of the shower. I really will try to follow this beauty rule now! (Forgot to take a photo of it, but come on, it's just a comb....)
>>This top was definitely an impulsive purchase, but all their "graphics" were on sale, win!

MARSHALL'S MADNESS

>>Bookends + Fleur De Lis = Perfection. I hate that Affliction has nearly ruined this symbol, but I still love it....it's been in almost every notebook that I have written in since high school (thanks B&N for your too-cute journal/notebook section!) so these were a must-have investment for only $10 a piece! Love the cracked effect and how one is a rustic orange and the other is a nice mustard. Gawwwd, I really just want to stare at them all day, I'm pathetic, I know.
>>Apparently I've been buying too many bracelets as of late, so I needed a new jewelry holder. My other one is a dark steel color with birds, so I needed to keep the "bird" theme going.
>>I call him Henry. Henry has no purpose, no real use, but he is awesome nonetheless! I picked him up out of the Halloween section thinking he could hold my bracelets, but then I found the bird stand and still couldn't part from him. He will stay on the bookcase no matter what season or what holiday. He's Henry, we like Henry, Henry stays!

So there you have it, my collective weekend haul! Thanks to mom for buying the clothes, she supports my "work apparel" funds ;)

I'm off to relax a bit before going out tonight with my sisters and some friends for my sister's future sister-in-law's birthday downtown (woah, sisters everywhere!)


Until next time, farewell love bugs!

Welcome to the "Dark Side"....

Getting used to the dark side is a bit daunting. I still go into the mirror and half (or fully) expect to see my face with blonde locks framing it....so not the case anymore! Yowza! Read THIS if you have yet to catch on to what I'm talking about....

Aside from the light to dark change, I've noticed I have needed to tweak my makeup routine a bit, as well, to keep up with the change. Has anyone else noticed this when darkening up their hair?

Enter: Blonde to Brunette Makeup Changes....

First thing....I have normally been a gal who can just add a bit of balm and be on my way, if not entirely ignore my pucker. I notice now with my darker hue that my lips looks severely washed out or like I somehow forgot I had lips and just slathered foundation all over...not a good look. Anyone know of any good lip stains or balms that look simple and not like I'm wearing a ton of heavy lipstick or product? That is one of my biggest beauty pet peeves! For now I'll settle with my Stila Lipgoss that's a nice berry color, but I'm looking for something to give me a bit more color than the gloss but not too much, we can't overdo it here, ladies!

Secondly, I notice I don't need as much blush, yay! I mean, I still love my Orgasm and I still am craving the Deep Throat (so classy, NARS, so classy...) but I can get away with using less because of the richer tones in my hair, which makes my makeup routine just a smidgen simpler! I also notice I can just use a little extra sweep of bronzer in place of blush just as well. I always tried that look with my blonde hair but it never looked the way I wanted it to. Win for the dark side!

Third and lastly, darker eye makeup! Before I felt it looks so harsh again my paler skin and hair, but now with the richness of reds and browns in mah 'do, I feel like I can rock a smoky eye and not look like a street walker....hell to the yes! I look forward to exploring the darker shades in my Naked palette and experimenting endlessly with my other eye options! Perhaps a mini Ulta haul is in store for me?


Do you have any other tips/advice for a blonde turned brunette? Who knew my makeup look could get an overhaul, too? Excited to try out new looks and show them to you all! Just in time for the crispness of fall, too!

Some BEFORE and AFTER shots again....

BEFORE....pre-catastrophe last Thursday....

 AFTER....note: minimal makeup and dirty hair @ work....

In between the massive amount of laundry I have to do and the 9+ more hours I have to work of this 13.5 hour day (yes, you read that right, hellooooo 10pm cocktails tonight!!), I had to sneak in a blog post to restore my sanity. I'm sure you all understand!

Hope your Monday back at work or school is much much more wonderful than mine! I'd give anything to be back in school, walking to class with my headphones playing cool tunes, coffee in hand, and watching the leaves change around campus. Last part is pre-mature on this August day, of course, but you get the idea ;)

Until next time, farewell my blondes, brunettes, and everything in-between!

Like a Virgin (Hair!) Touched for the Very First Time!

Did anyone get that joke? Doesn't the all-mighty Madonna say "hey" where I said "hair".....doesn't she?! If not, my joke has failed, but let's just move on.....

I did it, once and for all. Well, I didn't....I put my never-been-kissed locks into the hands of someone else to change it up for me......and it needed to be done twice! Imagine my horror when I was going for THIS

 and got something like THIS

Now the photo doesn't truly do it justice, but I was mortified-horrified-terrified when I left the salon's unnatural lighting and stepped out in the sun to see I had nearly chunked lowlights mixed in with my blonde hair. The red/brown was placed on the top front portion of my hair and somehow the rest of my hair just decided to stay blonde. It's not like I walked into a random salon or crap one where it costs $10 for a cut....so I paid a pretty penny with my usual stylist to get this mop-top on my head. Ouch, to say the least!

Did I hate it? YES.
Did I cry? DEFINITELY.
Did I call to schedule a fix? YOU BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR!

So we went from these.....(excuse the no-makeup-face!)

 to these.....

(excuse the car photos, but I wanted to capture it as soon as I had finished with the appointment!)

....so it still isn't exactly like the photo, but hey, it is fixed and I am thrilled with the end result...I don't need to look exactly like an Olsen anyways ;) I still feel a bit odd playing for the darkside after being on the bright side for all 23 years of life, but it's a nice change for fall and it was something "drastic" to do without chopping off my hair. Of course my first experience with hair coloring had to be an adventure....through the tears, constant photo-taking to examine the results, and everyone around me consulting me on what I should (and shouldn't) do, I am pleased to now have a changed leaf just in time for seasons to change. Cheesy? Totally. Sort of perfect? Obviously ;) No worries, my stylist is still alive and I will continue to go to him for cuts and (perhaps) more coloring. We'll chalk up this horrific time in my life to a severe miscommunication and my severe lack of knowledge on the world of hair coloring!



Tomorrow I have a THIRTEEN hour nanny day so I plan on relaxing today in order to prepare myself for the horror of tomorrow. Thankfully I only have two full days left with them (hello back-to-school time!), so my sanity shall be restored before the week is through!

Wishing you all a pleasant rest of the weekend and a productive week! If you look below at the phone case photos, I'm still in the market for a new one, so let me know your thoughts on the ones I picked :) Crazy to think I went almost an entire week with no blogging....hope that changes soon enough!

Until next time, farewell you beautiful people....

Monday Mumbling

Hello you lovely people! Hope you all are enjoying this Monday as I am getting back into the swing of things after vacation and am now in "nanny" mode once again, woof. As this week gets started, I find my head spinning with random thoughts and news tidbits that I figured I would share with you all while turning it into my first link-up!

I surely cannot be the only crazy kook who has all these thoughts at the beginning of the week, right? Right? Good. So share your thoughts and mumbles and rants--whatever!--and link back up so we can all have one big group of Monday Mumbles!

 <a border="0" href="http://www.superficialsanctuary.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x441/superficialist_/mondaymumbles.jpg"/></a>

Let's get started....

1. I should not be spending money but I could not resist a trip to the nearest Barnes & Noble to "just browse" the goods. I left with these beauties....

First of all, I had to take a Shakespeare course as an English kiddo in college and our book was huge (bigger than a dictionary, no joke) and was easily over $150....this little gem was TWENTY bones, that's it! I am not obsessed with Shakespeare as much as the next English gal, but I can appreciate his work if it's all in one very attractively bound book ;)

Cutest notebook ever, right? It is a perfect blogging notebook for miss SS, that's for sure! I like to write down new blog ideas when I'm not near my computer and also other random thoughts that I always tell myself I will remember but never do....do you do that?

Can't believe I have never read Wicked so this book was another must-have....another twenty dollars well spent!

2. My iPhone cover got a bit grimy and gross while at the beach,what with the humidity and sand and possibly putting it on a table where alcoholic drinks have spilled....you know, whatever. I'm in the market for a new one to ring in the end of summer so I need your help to pick one! Choose your favorite from below and I'll be sure to purchase the winner (and maybe an extra one for a possible future giveaway!)

 All are Kate Spade, photos from her online store and Nordstrom....I sort of already have a favorite out of the three, but still need your input and vote!

3. Doesn't it just seem a bit too scary that so many natural (and freaky and unnatural!) disasters have gone on in the past year? Tornadoes, fires, tsunamis, shootings, it seems to never end. Now you add the bomber from Norway, the riots in London, and even the deaths at the recent Sugarland show and it just makes me think WHY?! Sometimes life has no rhyme or reason and that fascinates me and scares me all at the same time...shows how truly unpredictable life can be! This is exactly why I turn to the Disney channel (yes, I did just say that!) and other crap shows to numb my mind from the actual news on television. Call me crazy, but it keeps me sane in an insane world.

4. For whatever reason, I am much more bummed out this summer than I was last summer to not be going back to college. I may have been all "yayy no homework and finals" last fall but now I would quite possibly give my future first born away to experience it all over again. So for those of you reading and going back, have fun and make the most of it (not that you won't already!) Have no regrets, it's the one time you can do nearly anything and just live for you. My jealousy is seeeething! ;) I'd love love love to be drinking french martinis with my biotch (I know you're reading!), complaining about men and making fun of the--ahem--skanks (it's like they multiply in college!!) around us before hitting up the rest of our college town....take this as a shout-out, my love ;) hah

5. I have been needing a drastic change in my life in the recent months. Ever hit a major rut and just need a change? You know, that came out wrong. I mean in the sense of myself, physically speaking. My hair has never been tampered with since I popped out of the womb with silver hair, and it's just changed itself over time. I think I'm ready to play for another team....but still cheat on that team for my own, make sense? I'm thinking Whitney Port's over-the-summer-auburn/red-hue for the beginning of fall. My hair has natural coloring with shades of dark blonde to light blonde, so adding a little pop of something extra may be just what SS needs for a pick-me-up out of this boring, same ol' rut...and just in time for the season change! Sort of going for this look....let me know what you think & feel free to be brutally honest as I have never colored my hair before and need to talk to the people at my salon first (no, this bitch is not doing a box dye.....I am crazy but not that crazy to do a box on the first go-round!)

I realize these look more brown than red, but I am using these as a base to work with. I picked girls who all are known more for their blonde hair and changed it to this similar brown-red-auburn color....I'm inspired! What do you think? Should SS go for it??

Well there you have it, five mumbles for this Monday....share yours and link back up! I figure if no one wants to link up, then I'll just consider myself to have no link-up potential! hah 

Glad I could share with you my random thoughts that I have going through my head this Monday! Enjoy your week and let's push through it so we can enjoy the weekend :)

Until next time, as always, farewell lovahs!

OOTD : Beach Edition

SS has arrived back home, slightly more golden but not the least bit sunburned, thanks SPF! Had a wonderful time but am plenty ready to be back home…..except for that little thing called “working as a nanny” but that stops soon enough, as the school year is coming up faster than I expected…not sure how I feel about that!

Anywho, I didn’t do much blogging while at the beach (ok, none, stop judging!) but I hope you enjoyed my guest post! Be honest, how many of you checked your ingredient labels after reading? Anyone, anyone? Bueller, Bueller? Awesome….

To make up for my absence, I have a couple photos from the beach that I’ll turn into an extended version of “OOTD” so I suppose this is more like “OATB” or rather “outfits at the beach” for those who are not so stellar with acronym guessing ;) ALSO, we have a debut of my wonderfully awesome boyfriend. He doesn’t get a cool name like my “Investigator” gal, so we’ll just call him “SSboyfriend” or even SSB – work for you? Works for me! I could have cropped him out but, honestly, I didn’t do any editing to the photos and cropping them would be A)awkward and B)a waste of my lazy time! I’m still on beach-mode after all :) Therefore, there is no cute posing for these as they really are just photos highlighting my trip rather than actual photos taken for an “OOTD” post. Deal with it, fair readers, just go with me here! They are all iPhone photos, too, so they may be a bit gritty and not high-quality, but they look better if you click on them to make them bigger, so there's that!

Black Maxi from Marshall’s

Floral Tank from Target

Necklace from Express 

Note 1: I realize this outfit looks a bit odd in photo because of the wing-like sleeves and my pose, but it played out decently well in person…."all black everything" as Jay-Z would say!
Note 2 : I also realize neither of us decided to do much to our "beach" hair that day, whoops!

Black Maxi from Marshall’s 

Black Crochet Top from Marshall’s (mostly cream crochet in the back, so cute!)

Wide Belt from Express

Turquoise Ring from F21

 Note: After seeing three photos of us together, it is clear we need to change up the pose we make!
 Tribal Maxi from Marshall’s

Boyfriend Tee from Target

Belt from F21

  Red Ring from F21

So I clearly went for an easier feel that still looked put together, or at least I tried to look put together! Looks like I easily had outfits that could fall under the $50 or less category….if we didn’t count the wedges you cannot see under the maxi skirts…..

I did wear shorts over the week, too , but maxis are much more my style because shorts can sometimes just feel stuffy (and sticky!) in hot, hot weather, am I right? I think I may be right!

SSB can pretty much credit good ol’ AE for his attire in all of the photos….he doesn’t really stray from that path, regardless of how hard I try (and try…..and try!) He’s even more stubborn than me, which is quite a feat to accomplish! He still looks good, though, so we’ll let him win this one…for now ;)

There you have it, a mini collection of some of the beach outfits I pulled together with what little I packed this time around! Looking forward to still rocking the maxi look once the weather gets cooler. A great transitional piece!

I’ll leave you with a photo of yours truly rocking the Express Necklace from Outfit #1….as a headband. I tried pulling it over my head to wear as a necklace and it got stuck on my big head….whoops! Photo Op nonetheless!

Could work, but it maaaay get a tad painful as the day/night wears on!

Until next time, as always, farewell love bugs and bloggers & I'm stoked to be back in the blogging mode!

Leaning about Ingredients (GUEST BLOGGER)

Hello, friends! As you know (or may not know - how rude of you!) I am currently on vacation. Woooohoooo! Be jealous ;)

However, my dear friend (who does not blog, but I still will consider her a "guest blogger") is going to be writing a post for me! I asked her bunches o' questions about the nasty ingredients we may not know are "bad" for us and she is now here on Superficial Sanctuary to tell you all you need to know the next time you go out to buy your favorites makeup and skincare products. I have dubbed her "The Ingredient Investigator." She has taught me a great deal about this topic and it's opened my eyes to what may be harming my skin (and the inside of me, as well!) So enough chit chat, let's get started!

We make for one sunny pair! 

"Ingredient Investigator" and "Superficial Sanctuary" @ Happy Hour!

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Hi, everyone! As Superficial already mentioned, I am the "Ingredient Investigator" but, really, I'm just a happily married southern girl (living up north now!) who loves her fair share of Starbucks and margaritas (who doesn't?!) I answered the following questions, but if you have any more for me, feel free to put them in the comments below! 

1. How did your investigative work begin? When, where, why?

Answer: My momma has always been a a health nut, not just with food, but all things related to keeping the body healthy & in its best form. I have followed her advice & 'strong' encouragement over the past years, mainly on the food side of things (ie what I put into my body) but recently thought, 'If it matters so much what I put inside, why not invest the same care for the outside?' So, I began digging. Not into my skin, haha, but into those tiny labels on the backs of my bodywashes, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, shaving gels, etc. What I found was gross & definitely disheartening. For so many years I considered myself to have sensitive, oily, breakout-prone skin. Come to find out, if I avoid the products that contain certain ingredients, then I can eliminate most if not all of my expensive, topical meds I had thought I needed these past years & enjoy glowing, happy skin. Not to mention, save my wallet. 

2. If you had to choose only five, which ingreidents would you choose?

Answer: Definitely the 5 parabens (butylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, methylparaben & propylparaben) but I can't just choose five! I have to include the 5 filthy friend, too! (diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, formaldehyde, methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) & methylisothiazolinone (MIT). It's just ten items....write them on a little index card & stow in a favorite purse or, better yet, a wallet...that way they'll always be close by when you shop!

3. What are skincare/makeup brands that gals should try to steer clear of the most? 

Answer: This may be a little broad of an answer, but I'd say most all the 'cheapy' make-up/skincare brands out there are bad choices. All it really takes is spending the time (we're talking a couple minutes) to read the ingredients list and comparing it to your list of 'naughties.' Trust me, your skin will thank you! 

4. Does your investigative work go beyond beauty products?

Answer: Sure does, as I already mentioned before! What we put in our bodies matters so much! I cannot stress this enough!!! If you want glowing skin & healthy hair, not to mention a long & healthy life, you've got to watch your diet. Now, I'm not talking one of those super restricted, tasteless, boring, lose-weight type of diets. My diet plan is simple. Same as the skincare/make-up, there are certain 'junks' we must avoid. Here is a list of the top ingredients I will absolutely not eat or buy foods that contain: sodium nitrates/nitrites (packaged deli meat), BHA &BHT, propyl gallate, MSG monosodium glutamate, trans fats, aspartame (diet soda), acesulfame-k, food coloring, olestra (tater chips), potassium bromate (breads), partially hydrogenated fats & oils (gross!), benziocacid 210, saccharin, high fructose corn syrup.

5. What are your current favorite skincare products? 

Answer: Right now I am loving 'Jason Organic shampoo's & conditioners' (not a skincare product, but still great!) as well as most, if not all, of the Bert's Bees products. Really wanting to check out 'Say Yes to Tomatoes' & all the other 'Say Yes' products out there. Superficial Sanctuary told me they are worth trying :)

6. What are your current favorite beauty/makeup products? 

Answer: I have a 'makeup budget' so, from drugstores, I like Physician's Formula. You still have to check the ingredient labels but overall they are clean & pure. Their organic line is  usually the best way to go. Also, a FANTASTIC resource is the 'Paraben Free Princess'...her blog is awesome & absolutely full of helpful, affordable & junk-free advice/products. She taught me a ton. Check her out for both skincare & makeup! (Link)

7. What is your best-kept beauty secret? Who did you get it from, if anyone?  

Answer: My Momma, of course! She has always told me beauty comes from the inside. So true! Who you are as a person as well as what you eat!

8. What is your worst beauty memory? 

Answer: When I was 16, just driving, I took myself to a tanning bed. It was almost prom time & I had a date I wanted to look pretty for. I figured the sun in the summer-time cleared my skin up, a tanning bed should do the same, right? The gal working there offered me some crazy-named lotion that would 'enhance' my tan, y'all know the kind.  'Sure' I said, thinking I'd come out looking great & with cleared-up, sun-kissed skin. NOPE. The 'junk' in the lotion broke my skin out terribly. I still went on my date however & am now married to that very 'date'! A little positive reminder; men don't notice half the things us females do ;) 

9. What is the ONE item you could not live without? 

Answer: Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum by Paula Begoen's resist line. This can be found at www.paulaschoice.com 

10. Any final words for the beauty readers out there? 

Answer: Smile! Laugh! Read those labels!!! 

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There you have it! Thank you to my dear friend for filling us in and giving us all a lesson on better health and beauty!

Totally up to you if you'd like to start living "The Ingredient Investigator" lifestyle, but your skin (and overall health) may thank you in the long run! I've tried picking up her tips and advice and, I'll admit, it isn't the easiest to do because some of my favorite brands have the naughty ingredients, but I have noticed a difference in my skin when eating better and using better skincare products. Best of luck to you in your ventures ;)

Do you have anymore tips? Share them below! Hope you enjoyed my first guest post! I also hope you are all having a wonderful week. See you soon enough!

Until next time, as always, farewell lovahs....

Superficial Travels

Am I the only one who make lists (and lists.....aaand lists) before taking a trip?
Am I the only one who uses more than one suitcase/bag for a trip that's only seven days?
Am I the only one who is crazy? Perhaps.

Here I am, you wonderful readers, you! Here to present you with my "travel" post, because, well....I have been in a painstakingly awful spending freeze so I have nothing new to report on...for shaaame, I know, but I hope you can find it in your superficial heart to forgive me ;)
NOTE: I fell off the spend-freeze train again. I had to buy a lot of last-minute items for vacation (including snacks!), but also took it upon myself to buy an e.lf. waterproof mascara, Burt's Bees Radiance Day Lotion, and Revlon's Coralberry Lipstick during my Target trip yesterday. Spend-freeze train is officially off the tracks and will not be running again for quite some time.

So, yes, the packing post. The travel tidbits. My beach blogging......how many alliterations can she do?!

Photos anyone?

So my entire family goes....and of course we cannot live without our better halves, so they come along for the trip, as well. Oh, and we drive there. OH, and it takes twelve hours. Yeah. You read that right, sisters!
My boyfriend and I got stuck driving alone in my car so we have to split the trip every three hours or I may drive myself off the road out of sheer boredom. "Why are you telling us this?!" Because here is my CAR BAG first...to hopefully hinder my desire to do the aforementioned!

Tommy Hilfiger Bag from Marshall's (Beach Bag doubles as a "Car Bag" - smart!)
INSIDE:

Books & Magazine, Blog Notebook

iPod & Headphones

Charger (iPod & iPhone)

Snacks (what up Mario Kart fruit snacks!)
NOT SHOWN BUT STILL INCLUDED:
Neck Pillow & Baby Blanket (duh)
Eye Mask (naps in a sunny car are brutal)
Normal MBMJ Purse (with normal purse essentials)

Next, the big boy...the clothes! I try (operative word: try) to pack light, but we all know that never (ever) happens.....because a girl has gotsta have her options at all times, am I right?

I won't list all that I packed, but the breakdown is like this:

Zipper Section : All bathing suits (about six), Cover-Ups, & Sandals for beach

Left: Skirts, Shorts, Dresses, Tops
(I packed three shorts, one short skirt, two maxi skirts, one maxi dress, and TONS of tanks and blouses.)
Right : Undergarments, Extra Tops

Bottom (& Right Side) : Wedges/Shoes
*My hats are shown, but they just get packed in the car, wherever they can fit.*

Lastly, the "extra" bag....pretty much anything else that doesn't fit in the previous suitcase but I still deem "absolutely positively necessary" for my beach survival week.

Bag from Gap (Summer 2006)
INSIDE:
Black Coach Clutch (holding necklaces), Glitter Clutch (holding rings, bracelets), Orange Makeup Case (holding sunglasses), Hairdryer, Body Lotion, Shower Bag (clear), Skincare/Haircare Bag (Black), and Makeup Case (floral)

.....somehow it all fits!

So, there you have it, you now know how the sista-sista behind Superficial Sanctuary packs her shiz for a beach vacation! Overpacker? Yes (but not as much as I usually am). Always prepared? You bet your ass I am!

I am leaving tonight at midnight (so, technically, Saturday....not tonight....but whatever) so wish us all luck! I'll be posting throughout the vacation, some already scheduled and some not, so don't think I'll be on hiatus for a whole week....that'd just be ridic-donk-ulous!

I'll be sure to bring home plenty of beach fun pictures for your viewing entertainment - try not to be tooooo jealous of my week away from kiddos and all things stressful :)

I leave you with a photo of my first attempt at the "moon" mani - wanted to do something fun for the beach!

Gold Polish from Sephora by OPI

Essie's Turquoise & Caicos

Until next time, farewell lovahs and bloggers and readers alike!

July Favorites

The month of July went by faster than Lindsay Lohan's house arrest....and that is just terrible! I usually love July and it all it has to offer and now I'm staring August in the face and although that's all well and good (hello beach vacation oh so soon!), I'm still bummed July felt like a blink of an eye.

Nevertheless, let's buck up our pretty faces and discuss all things favorited (not a word, but whatevs) in the steamy month of July!

1. Hauls - Can you favorite hauls? I think I can, especially since I'm still on my spending freeze until vacation and it is ALL due to those nasty but wonderful shopping trips to Ulta, F21, and the like. Blast those beauty buys and fashion finds...I look cute, at least, even if my wallet is crying. We're not talking right now. It's fine...it'll come crawling back, they always do!

2. Homemade Daisy Dukes - If there was ever an item of clothing that I love as much as my adored baby blanket (don't judge) it is definitely my pair of homemade cut-offs from years ago. I think my mom was going to give the jeans away (they were my sister's) and instead, I took them and cut them and folded up the ends to make cute little cuffs, did some hand sewing (not my finest hour of craftsmanship) and voila, my favorite shorts were made! They fit loose which is why I love them. Who knew you could wear short shorts AND eat your cake, too? I'm practically a miracle worker! July saw these bad boys.....a lot. Perhaps too much...

3. Vegetable Juice - Gotta work on the insides to make the outsides look good, no? I started eating tomatoes like it was my job this month and then that transferred over to my new love for vegetable juice. A full serving of veggies in every eight ounces, so I've been downing this all month, whether it's by can or just buying the big bottle....and I have noticed a difference in my skin and health since drinking that in place of juice or coffee....ok, so I still drink the coffee. A lot.

4. Physcians Formula Mosaic Bronzer - I will never stop searching for bronzers no matter how many times I buy them. I bought this one and forgot about it, but after buying my waterproof one from Tarte (which I do like, not to worry!), I came across this one and fell in love. I must have been too pale for it when I first bought it but now it works perfectly with my somewhat tanner skin. The mosaic colors blend nicely so my face isn't one big brown circle, and it doesn't have the shimmery effects of a disco ball, either.....yessss! I use it as a softer base and then use the Tarte in areas where "sun naturally hits." I hate when people say that, sounds so pretentious for whatever reason. Says the girl who just used the word pretentious.....

5. Bare Eyelids - I prefer going nude....on my eyelids, that is. I am either too lazy or too sweaty to wear shadow so I just do a nice color on the waterline....it's like the inverted shadow look! It gives my skin a more sunkissed look, too, because the eyelids just become a nice bronze color like the rest of me instead of having some other color stealing the focus from my tan. I still rock the occasional gold lid or even smoky brown, but for the most part in July, this chick was nude.....on my eyelids, that is!

6. Dry Shampoo - Heaven in a bottle, am I right? This month I got really lazy with my hair and this shit helped, as it always does. This should probably be a favorite every month, for real. I go between TRESemme and Umberto's.....I am currently looking for Bastitse's XXL Volume one, so if you know where it is, help a sista out!

7. Netflix - I already discussed this in a previous post but after buying it in July, it's become my serious amigo and I have no idea why I waited so long to be without this media BFF. If you don't have it, get it, really. Stream it to the laptop and you're set! Such a serious favorite (or obsession) of mine this month!

So I know there were very few items of beauty in that favorite list, but hey, I'm nothing if not honest....I haven't used very many beauty products this month because it's sweaty, I work as a nanny, and it's sweaty....and really hot.

Here's to August...may it slow down just a bit more than July's speed-demon actions and let us revel in it's summer joy!

Travel post coming soon....a sort of "what's in my (many) travel bags?!" Look out for that!

I leave you with a photo from yesterday.....I took the kiddos I nanny to the nearest amusement park and this photo pretty much sums up my life.

Just barely too tall to ride on a Kiddieland ride. No, I am not sad that I cannot ride, but rather, sad that I pretty much just miss the cut-off....and I'm 23. #nannyfail (Yes, I did just hashtag in a blog post....whatevs.)

Thank you to my boyfriend for coming along with us, he made the whole trip much easier because the boys loved him being there! We actually had a decent bit of fun...as much fun as you can have with an 8 year old and a 5 year old at an amusement park!

Until next time, as always....farewell love bugs.