Monday, July 30, 2012

Sunday Social Week 8



Sunday Social

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Mine was mainly spent being frustrated at work and that's always a bummer. But the good news is that I have a job interview this week that I am cautiously optimistic about so hopefully will be able to share more soon! Anyways, on to this week's questions... 

1. What is your dream job? 
Since I've decided to get my Master's in Cosmetic Chemistry, I would obviously be something in the cosmetic industry. I'm sure at some point I'll work in a lab formulating cosmetics, but I think I would ultimately like to be a field educator for a cosmetics company and go around to different vendors and show them the new products.

ULTIMATE dream job would be college football commentator. AKA the job Erin Andrews had for ESPN.
 
2. If you had just won the lottery and didn't need to work for money, what would 
you do with your time?
Play tennis and give kids tennis lessons, volunteer at a children's hospital, focus more on blogging, try out and test all kinds of beauty products!

3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was little my mom brain washed me into thinking I wanted to be a nurse anesthetist like her. I quickly changed my tune and through most of high school I wanted to be a marine biologist and essentially swim with dolphins (I mean who doesn't?!?). 

4. What piece career advice would you give to someone just starting out in your 
field?
Haha well considering I'm trying to transition into the cosmetic field I am all ears for advice!!

As far as my experience in the medical/pharmacy field, make sure you actually get some experience working in a pharmacy before you 100% decide it's the career you want. After working in a retail pharmacy for 4+ years I can with certainty say that I am glad I didn't go to pharmacy school. Things happen for a reason people!! 

5. Biggest Pet Peeves either in life or in blogging or at work
I answered this question in the post below, but as far as blogging and "social media" pet peeves my biggest thing is non-acknowledgement. I FULLY understand that we are all busy but a simple email or tweet acknowledging a communication isn't that hard. 

BIGGEST work pet peeve is the "do as I say, not as I do" mindset. Too many people I work with have this attitude and it drives me NUTS!!!

6. Biggest Fears
Not finding love, immediate family member dying, spiders and snakes

Hope you enjoyed this week's link-up! Also if you're a fan of all thing monogrammed (and let's face it who isn't) make sure you head over to Chicago Prepster's blog and enter to win 
a monogrammed or Greek letter tee! Just don't do too many entries cuz I wanna win! ;)



Have a great start to the week everyone!! 


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Hey I Just Met You...


Happy Wednesday! Becky at From Mrs. to Momma had a link-up last week with a series of questions all designed to get to know some bloggers better. While I missed the opportunity to link up, I thought the idea was such a great one I just had to borrow it! I think the last '411' type post I did was when I first started my blog so things certainly have changed! Let me know if you decide to answer the questions as well...I would love to get to know some of my readers better!


1. How long have you been blogging
I started this blog (originally named Carolina Prep) in April of 2007 right before I graduated high school. Posting has been sporadic throughout the years but I am glad I did stop by every now and then to document my college years!


2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?
I graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. DEFINITELY not the degree I thought I was going to end up with, but I survived and made it out into the "real world" (which is overrated btw)



3. Where have you traveled?
The only place I've traveled internationally has been London (recap posts coming soon!). In the US, I've been to North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New York (specifically NYC...favorite vacation!), Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada (Las Vegas), and California. 


4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
As much as I love my car and have NO reason to purchase a new one (I haven't even hit 60,000 miles yet), I would love to buy a Land Rover of some sort. 
5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?

  • Poor customer service
  • Bad drivers
  • Flakey people

6. What is your favorite movie?
Week 2 of Sunday Social talked all about movies so I'll put a link to that here, so to keep it short and sweet here one of my favorite movies is The Wedding Date. 

7. What is your drink of choice: wine, beer, or liquor? Or water, soda, or tea?
Between the alcoholic beverages, I usually order a beer (Michelob Ultra). Non-alcoholic as of right now is Diet Coke, which I rediscovered while we were in London. I'm trying to get back into drink water (with Crystal Lite added of course).


8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
SLEEP! When I actually wake up, I've been enjoying going to Target by myself and just wandering around. This usually wastes about 1-2 hours and anywhere from $20-100, but I find it very relaxing! 


9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
Nordstrom. They have both affordable and more high end items as well as workout wear (norts!) and cosmetics! 


10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.
Not going into details, but there were some moments during my friend's bachelorette party last month that I would like to take back. Unlimited drinks are NOT your friends girls!! 


11. What day would you love to relive again?
I haven't had any true 'milestone' days in my life that I would go back and relive, so I'm going to have to say October 9, 2010. It was two days before my 21st birthday. Why that day? 


October 9, 2010 was the day that the Gamecocks beat the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide at Williams Brice. The day started VERY early on the Horseshoe on USC's campus for ESPN's College Gameday, then we were bused over to the stadium where we ran inside to get the best seats possible to see if we could beat the 'unbeatable' team. AND WE DID! I've been to some pretty insane football games over my college career, but I think this one is the top. As a fan you want to win every game, but I think this was one we were all surprised and ecstatic to win! It snapped Alabama's 20+ game winning streak and gave their quarterback his first loss since high school. GREAT early birthday present! 


12. If your life was turned into a movie, what actor would play you?
Hmm...I guess I would say Nina Dobrev. 
I'm going to be honest, I wasn't too familiar with her until people starting talking about her in regards to playing Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey (which I support!). We're around the same age and I think she is just a natural beauty. And I would die for her hair! 


13. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?
My senior year of high school I got a job with my best friend at Build a Bear. It was a great first job and retail experience, but would I work there now? NO! After that I got a job at CVS as a pharmacy technician since I thought I wanted to go to pharmacy school, but as you read above that obviously didn't work out. I'm still working there but I am trying to switch gears and get a job in the cosmetic industry since I've decided to get my Masters in Cosmetic Science. 





14. Show us a picture from high school or college.




This is the group of us that went down to watch the Gamecocks go down to Atlanta to play in the SEC Championship for the first time EVER!! While the game didn't have the outcome we had hoped (damn you Auburn!), it was still an electrifying atmosphere and an experience I wont forget. Hopefully we will be making a return trip to Atlanta this season!


15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
Australia! HOWEVER, since this is all expenses paid I will be traveling via a lush private jet. I learned from my flights to and from London that I can NOT sleep on planes! Since the flight to Australia takes a full day, I'm going to need my space and some luxurious sleeping arrangements if I'm going to make it down under in one piece! 


16. Show us the most current picture of you, your family, or anything of meaning to you.
The parentals and I at Wimbledon tennis championships in London.


17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
I got asked this question in a job interview recently and had to pause and think! I definitely hope to be either working at my dream job or at least have figured out what it is and going after it. I would like to be in the process of settling down and thinking about having kids, although I have the feeling I'm going to be someone who does her settling down closer to 30 than 25, which I'm ok with! 5 years ago I was getting ready to start college and had my next couple years somewhat mapped out. I honestly have NO CLUE what the next 5 years hold, which is both a thrilling and scary feeling!!


Hope you guys enjoyed this little Q&A session and learned something new whether you're a long-time reader or a new follower! If there's something else you would like to know, feel free to comment or email me. 



Monday, July 23, 2012

Sunday Social Week 7

I've missed the last couple Sunday Social link-ups for various reasons (wedding, vacation, sick etc) but I could NOT let this one pass me by! Especially since it's about one of my favorite new purchases! ;)




Sunday Social


 Favorite handbag you've ever owned



My new Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM in Damier Ebene! I bought this my first day in London (almost immediately after we got off the plane!) after saving for what seems like FOREVER and it has been my obsession ever since. I carried it the majority of the trip and it was a saving grace when you have to lug around all your rain-gear and souvenirs. Even my dad who was appalled at me that I was spending this much on a handbag came to at least accept it after I carried his stuff around all week :)
   

Dream handbag you lust over


Since I have acquired the bag I have been lusting over for years, I had to peruse through a couple websites to find another bag that captured my attention. I know I know it was a tough task, but never fear I did prevail...



I mean who doesn't love a classic black tote with a huge bow on top?!? Not saying I'll be buying this bag (or any bag for that matter) anytime soon, but if this beauty was to find it's 
way into my closet I wouldn't be upset. 


Of course there is the infamous Hermes Birkin bag that I think all girls lust over. Unless I happen to find myself a man as wealthy as Christian Grey, this will probably be a bag that I will be lusting over for a LONG time! 


Daily essentials in your purse or work bag

Besides the normal basics like wallet, phone etc, there are a couple things that I don't like to leave home without...

  • Erin Condren planner (can't wait to order my new one!)
  • some sort of lip balm 
  • body spray
  • sunglasses


What's in your purse(with pictures)




1. Union Jack umbrella  2. Badgley Mischka wallet  3. Michael Kors pouch  4. Erin Condren planner  5. Target wayfarers  6. Target coupon organizer  7. Gucci sunglasses  8. keys  9. Orbit gum  10. B&BW body spray  11. deodorant  12. hand sanitizer  13. hand lotion  14. pedometer  15. hairbrush  



1. Vera Bradley Carry It All Wristlet in Call Me Coral  2. Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer in Winter Candy Apple  3. Wimbledon keychain  4. Apartment keys and fob  5. Car remote and key



1. Gucci sunglasses (discontinued)  2. Target wayfarers (here)  3. Erin Condren planner (here)  4. Foray Porous Point Pen...don't bleed through the pages! (here) and random Fleet Feet pen



1. bareMinerals READY SPF 15 Touch Up Veil in Tinted (here) 2. bareMinerals Flawless Face brush (here)  3. Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Volupte in 6 Rose Cannele (here)  4. Revlon Colorburst lip gloss in 008 Peony (here)  5. Chanel Glossimer in 03 Glaze (here)  6. Revlon Lip Butter in 020 Brown Sugar (here)  7. Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara (here)  8. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser (here)  9. Vaseline...great lip treatment!  10. EOS lip balm in sweet mint (here


1. Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist in Paris Amour (here)  2. Dove deodorant (here)  3. Bath and Body Works lotion in Carried Away (here)  4. Bath and Body Works PocketBac in Twilight Woods  5. Pedometer  6. hairbrush

Hope yall enjoyed this post! I can't wait to read all the other posts that link up!!


Friday, July 20, 2012

London Vacation Haul

Happy Friday everyone!! I was SO thankful to actually have today off from work so I could relax and recover from a pretty busy week. If you haven't been following me on twitter (which you should @swtcarolinagrl5) I've been occupied this week not only with work and getting back into the swing of things but also interviewing for a new job that I'm crossing my fingers for! I should find out sometime early next week if I got the position so hopefully I will be able to share more soon!

 Anywhoo, today I thought I would post a video showing all the fun things I got while on my vacation in London. I'm also hoping to put up a couple posts recapping what all we did while we were over there. But I hope you guys enjoy the video and have a great start to the weekend!!!



Saturday, July 14, 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey: My Thoughts


Unless you live under a rock, you have heard of the ever popular Fifty Shades of Grey series. I read all three books in the beginning of April, right as they were getting all the media attention here in the US. And it took me all of 4 days to read them. I've NEVER done that with any kind of book before. I have the books on my iPhone so I was able to read at any free moment...and of course get nothing else done! haha

So my thoughts on the books are this: I will be the first to admit that these are not the greatest pieces of literature ever written. BUT I did enjoy the story and it has ignited my love for reading again. I fell in love with the characters of Christian and Ana and found a lot of similarities between Ana and myself. I have read through the series twice and started the first book for the third time while I was over in London, although it am going through it at a much more leisurely pace lol.

There usually isn't a grey area with this book (clever aren't I?!?) when it comes to people's opinions about them. They either have read them and loved them, read them and hated them, OR haven't read them at all and judge those who have. About half of my friends have read them and half of them haven't and most have no desire to. That's TOTALLY fine! Everyone is entitled to read what they want to read.

I wasn't even going to do a post about the books simply because everyone has done one and I didn't feel like I had anything unique to say. But tonight I was chatting with twitter bff Kristy aka @The_Pink_Owl about a blog post someone had written (which I'm not going to link here. If you're that interested shoot me an email) about the readers of these books. In a nutshell the post is BLATANTLY judging those who have read the books, calling them straight porn, and stating that those who have read them need to seriously examine their hearts and basically calling them un-Christian-like.

This INFURIATES me. I 100% understand if you don't like the books or don't read them because the subject matter doesn't appeal to you or the writing isn't the best. But to judge someone on their morals and where their heart is based on a book they have read?!? This is uncalled for. Yes everyone is entitled to their own opinion (after all that's what this whole post is...my opinion), but I think the judging is unnecessary. I know a lot of women who have read this series who I admire and who are Godly women. To tell me that these books are going to lead me to being addicted to porn and that I need to "watch myself"!?!? GIVE ME A BREAK! No one has the right to judge me and what's in my heart based on what I read for leisure.

Bottom line: I enjoyed this series. It has re-invigorated my love for reading I hadn't had since before I started college (seriously. I probably read 1 book my 5 years in college). I'm not sorry that I read these books and I'm not ashamed of them. I don't think they are sending me down a tawdry road of pornographic hell, but simply an entertaining read that show insight into a world that is rarely talked about.

Have you read the books and if so what are your thoughts on them? Are you just as obsessed with them as I am or were they just ok? Have you had someone judge you for your reading material? PLEASE tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way!!

xoxo
Natalie

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Current Faves June 2012


Since I obviously can't keep up with a monthly favorites, I thought that whenever I have a small group of products that I love that I would share them. Some of these are newly discovered while others I have loved for a while. Let me know if you've used any of these before and your thoughts on them!

1. Clean & Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub: I picked this up on an whim at Target towards the beginning of the year and have LOVED it ever since! If you are looking for a gentle exfoliator that you can use daily, look no further. Every night I apply a prescription gel to my face for rosacea, so when I wake up in the morning I have a dried "film" left over. This scrub is awesome at giving my face a deep clean, yet isn't too harsh that it irritates my skin. I keep a tube both by my sink and in the shower. Next time you're in Target definitely give this a try.

2. Benefit Erase Paste in Medium: For as long as I've used concealer (it was the first makeup product my mom took me to buy at 13. Plagued by dark circles at an early age!), I have yet to find one that I absolutely LOVE. I've always heard great things about Erase Paste, but for some reason it takes a lot for me to pay 20+ dollars on a concealer. I recently got this in a kit with a Benefit primer and so far have really enjoyed it! I've always been partial to more liquid-y concealers in tubes, but this is a heavier formula, yet it doesn't settle into my lines and crease.

3. CoverGirl Cheekers blush in Iced Cappuccino : I never would have bought this blush except for the fact that it was said to have been used in a look for one of Mariska Hargitay's magazine covers (does this surprise you at all?). This costs all of $3 and some change at the drug store. When I first bought it and swatched it with my finger it didn't seem to have much pigmentation, but once I put it on my cheeks I fell in love. It has very little pink in it, which I like since I don't want to accentuate my rosacea, but more of a golden tone so it gives a nice warmth to the cheeks. The only thing I initially had an issue with was the smell. It has the typical "old lady cosmetics" smell, but after the first time I used it I didn't notice it anymore.

4. Dior Hydra Life BB Creme: Presenting the most expensive beauty product I've ever bought! BB cremes have become all the rage in the US over the past couple months even though they've been around in Asian countries for years. I had tried the Garnier BB cremes, and while it was an ok product it left a very oily finish on my face that I had to set with a powder. I wanted a quick product that I could slap on and run out the door. And this is it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product. Ever since I bought it, I haven't used foundation. It's the only thing I'm bringing on my trip to London. From the first day I wore it, my mom and others have complimented me on how great my skin looks. While most BB cremes have a grey-ish tint to them, this one does have a warmer color, so warm in fact that if I had tried this in the dead of winter it would have been too orange for me. But if you're looking to try out a BB creme, I highly recommend going into Sephora and trying this out and getting a sample.

5. Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm: I bought this lip balm for the first time over a year ago when I made a Sephora order. I instantly loved it, but when my last tube ran out I wondered if it was really worth the $7.50, so I started used some of the random lip balms I had sitting around. I thought they were doing the same until I discovered a half empty Jack Black balm in my drawer. Holy cow I did not realize how great this stuff was until I went back to it! I only use it at night because it is a pretty heavy balm, but when I wake up in the morning my lips feel so silky and smooth. When I went to the beach last weekend I used another balm and my lips were noticeably dry by the time I got back.

6. L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in Brown: I bought this eyeliner when I watched a YouTube video a couple months ago and someone was using it to line their top inner rim of their eyelid. I always try to line my inner rim and water line, and if you've ever tried to line either one you know it can be difficult! I first line my upper lid to warm the product up, then since the pencil tip of this liner is so long, I simply run it along my inner rim (instead of using the point) and the color applies beautifully. It's not waterproof so I do have to set it when applying it to my lower waterline, but so far I haven't had any complaints about this product.

 Hope you guys enjoyed this post. If you haven't already figured it out I am a self-professed product junkie, so let me know about some of your favorite products and anything else I should try! I'm currently posting this from the airport waiting on our delayed flight, so I will probably be MIA for the next 10 days, but I will try to update twitter and instagram as often as I can find wi-fi in merry old London!!

xoxo
Natalie
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