Armando and I returned from Italy and had the chance to do some exploring a little closer to home.
I received an invite to check out the Exploratorium AFTER DARK and to experience an upcoming virtual reality film and series for Fall.
The holiday season is upon us and I’ve received a few invites to Ugly Christmas Sweater parties. I have avoided buying an ugly Christmas Sweaters in the past because they seemed a little too trendy, but it seems to have become a holiday wardrobe staple that isn’t going away anytime soon. I have yet to purchase a Christmas sweater for the parties I am attending later this month, but luckily Macy’s has a great selection that I’ll be checking out this Friday in San Francisco during their Ugly Sweater Day Party.
Macy’s in Union Square will be hosting this free event on Friday, December 16th at 5 PM. There will be hot cocoa, cookies, a DIY station and plenty of holiday sweaters to browse. I’ll be on the hunt for a sweater I won’t get tired of anytime soon, but I’d also love to pick up the gingerbread house cross body bag pictured above!
If you are not in SF, check out Macy’s event website to see what other free events are happening for the holidays.
See you there!
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I love experimenting with new beauty products, but buying a full-size bottle of anything is sometimes too big of a commitment. What if you don’t love this product despite all the reviews you looked into? Well Birchbox has your back! For only $10 a month you can get a monthly delivery of 5 beauty products, all picked just for you.
This month, my November Birchbox contained:
ARDENCY INN Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged EyelinerBalance Me Tinted Wonder Eye CreamNumber 4 Jour d’Automne Smoothing BalmBenefit They’re Real! Lengthening MascaraJuliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume
These items arrived just in time while I was deciding what makeup and beauty products to bring along with me as I packed my weekend bag for my trip to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving. Everything in the box was travel-sized, and so I tossed everything in to my makeup bag.
The theme for this month was The Finishing Touch and all of these products seem to have the gool of topping off or completing a look. I love Benefit products, and have used the They’re Real eyeliner before. I cannot wait to try the lengthening mascara in this box for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving dinner look. Ardency Inn, Balance Me, Number 4, and Juliette Has a Gun are all beauty brands I have never heard of before. The Number 4 smoothing balm sounds really appealing to me since I’ve chopped a few inches of my hair I feel like I am experiencing frizzy hair a lot more often than with my longer locks. The Not a Perfume by Juliette Has a Gun is a elegant, spicy Cetalox scent. Cetalox is not something I am familiar with, and I tend to love floral/citrusy perfumes, but have learned that cetalox tends to be a base in most fragrances. I can’t wait to see what that smells like and how exactly it translates into not being a perfume.
If any of the samples you receive are life-changing, shopping for a full size product on Birchbox is pretty easy. I’ve linked full size products of these samples below in case you’d like to shop them from this box, but to get this month’s box with the 5 beauty products, sign up at birchbox.com/November. If you sign up, you can get another FREE top-rated mascara by Benefit when you use code FREEFAVE at checkout.
Hopefully you enjoyed my review and unboxing and stay tuned for more holiday gift ideas and sales later this week.
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |
This post is sponsored by Collective + Birchbox; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Popsugar sent me a Must Have Box this month and it was full of amazing fashion, beauty and food related products. I am pretty excited to share with you what my favorite items were from this month’s box were and what I still need to try.
The September #MustHaveBox included:
Jack and Lucy adjustable wide brim hat
Flint retractable lint roller
GFB dark chocolate coconut bites
NCLA mani E.R. kit
Briogeo deep conditioning mask
Smith & Cult lip lacquer
Right off the bat, I was stoked to see the black wide brim hat from Jack and Lucy. It is adjustable and is in a classic color. I have had an obsession with hats as of late and this one is going to get plenty of wear this fall.
I was excited to try the Smith & Cult lip lacquer in the shade The Warning. It applied smoothly and had a nice pigment. I felt very put together with the Flint lint roller, especially because I had been in the market for a new lint roller. My last one ran out of sheets and I was not sure if I should repurchase it or look for something else, so this came at a good time.
The Gluten Free Bites (GFB) are not exactly new to me. I’ve tasted similar bites at work thanks to one of my coworkers, but I was not wowed by them. The dark chocolate coconut bites flavor was delicious and one I could definitely see myself buying again along with chocolate cherry.
Ive had the NCLA Mani-ER kit in my purse ready to use in case I need to touch up my nails, but I have not needed it so far. I love the packaging and it comes with all the essentials to keep your nails nicely manicured.
I have not tried the Briogeo deep conditioning mask, but it is my plan to use it over the weekend. I recently had a hair cut to keep my hair healthy, but this may be what I need to help me feel like my hair is refreshed.
It had been a while since I had a box delivered to my door, but I am so glad I restarted my subscription because this month’s box really spoke to me. If you are interested in next month’s box and are new to the service, sign up and use code SHOP5 for $5 off when you sign up here:
http://link.popsugar.com/u.d?JYGpq_xCVXyt0Nc0tuzj=311
If you received the September Must Have Box, let me know! I’d love to hear what your favorite item was.
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |
Multi Kaleidoscope Workout Racerback c/o Lucy (on sale here) | Black Pocket Capri Legging c/o Lucy (here) | White Running Shoes Nike | If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know I was traveling through Japan with my SO/photographer Armando. I can’t wait to share some more photos in future posts, but I couldn’t wait to share the workout outfit I packed to take with me during my trip courtesy of Lucy Activewear.
I packed this multi kaleidoscope racerback and black pocket capri leggings to fit in a couple workouts while I was vacation. This look had been my go-to outfit choice for hot yoga and for afternoon runs before I left and isn’t something I plan to stop wearing anytime soon. Armando and I returned with a lot endurance and strength in our legs from all the walking we did sightseeing in Tokyo and Kyoto and, thanks to the release of Pokemon Go, we’ve been able to keep the momentum going with afternoon walks.
Our goal is to eat healthier and to workout together more now that he is done with school. I tend to be a little more motivated when there is someone working out with me, but I am really pumped up about working out when I have new workout gear to wear. I have another pair of leggings I’ll be using for an upcoming yoga class, but these pocket capris are extremely versatile. I wore them on long train rides and during our flight back and I could see them dressed up for a relaxed Sunday in the city wit an oversized tee and my denim jacket.
Looking forward to sharing more fitness gear posts. What is your go-to luck when you need to get up and go?
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know I’ve been off in Japan the past week enjoying delicious food and seeing some amazing sights. I will be in the country for another week but I already have added the next Macy’s Culinary Council event to my calendar to attend when I return.
Chef Tom Douglas will be at Macy’s in Union Square, San Francisco Saturday, July 23 at 1pm.
As always, tickets to the demo are free and you can RSVP to the cooking demo at tomdouglasmacysusq.eventbrite.com. When you check in at the event you’ll be presented with a $10 Macy’s gift card, so make sure to RSVP beforehand!
I can’t wait to learn the secrets from some of Chef Douglas’ award-winning dishes, but primarily for all the delicious samples that will be available. You’ll also receive a free copy of Tom Douglas’ book The Dahlia Bakery that he will sign at the event with any $35 purchase in the home department.
Looking forward to seeing you there if you RSVP and and if you can’t attend make sure you follow me on Twitter for live-tweeting during the event!
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |