The Ultimate Girly Gift Guide: Pink & Pretty Things for Your Holiday Wishlist

*This post contains affiliate links

Friends, there is absolutely no denying that I am the walking definition of a girly girl. I pretty much always prefer to wear dresses, I have more makeup than I can use in a lifetime, and anything that's pink, polka dotted, or covered in flowers will basically steal my heart. It may be crazy to think that there was once a time in my life that I felt ashamed to be ultra feminine, but some people (some guys, especially) like to associate being a girly girl with being weak, overly dramatic, or vain.

The truth is, I am anything but weak, nor does my liking to wear makeup make me self centered or insecure. I'm proud of my femininity, of my love of all things pretty, and I will never let anyone make me feel ashamed or lesser than because of it. And with that being said, I am incredibly excited to share with you my Ultimate Girly Gift Guide for the holiday season. I've compiled a list of some of my most favorite accessories, beauty products, and home decor to inspire your holiday gifting, or even to add to your own wish list!

Spring 2017 Sephora VIB Sale Shopping Guide

Spring is here, and you know what that means. Flowers? Sunshine? Easter candy?...well, yes. All of those things. But ALSO the annual Sephora VIB sale! For those of you who are slightly less addicted to beauty and/or not a frequenter of Sephora, they've got a pretty sweet rewards program. Anyone can join for free and become a "Beauty Insider", which allows you to cash in on perks like a free birthday gift. But once you've spent $350 in store or online within a calendar year, you get upgraded to VIB status. VIBs get access to additional benefits, like special gift with purchase options, early access to product launches, and special discounts like this one! If you're all the way obsessed with beauty and spend $1000 at Sephora in a year you get upgraded again to VIB Rouge, which will score you free Flash shipping among other things (potentially including a small amount of shock and/or shame over how much money you spent on beauty products).

The other thing to know about Sephora (and about most luxury beauty shopping in general) is that they don't typically run sales. Yes, there is a "sale" section of the website with discounted product, but usually these are discontinued or seasonal items that they're looking to sell as quickly as possible. Normally if you want the latest Hourglass foundation or YSL lipstick, you best prepare to pay full price. And that's why us beauty enthusiasts go a bit bananas every year when this event rolls around. Whether we're looking to restock on essentials or experiment with some new launches, we'll wait patiently for our coveted postcard to arrive in the mail to let us know when we can save a few bucks on our favorite luxury brands.

ULTA 21 Days of Beauty Picks

If there is one thing I love more than beauty products, it's saving money when I'm shopping for beauty products. One of my favorite times to stock up throughout the year is during ULTA's 21 Days of Beauty Event. Held once in the spring and again in the fall, you can score unbelievable savings on cult classic products for three full weeks! Every day has a new special offer, usually at 50% off, from some of Ulta's most popular high-end brands. Over the years I've discovered so many top-shelf, Holy Grail products through shopping this event and saved a ton of cash doing so.

Even though my beauty collection is not really lacking in any areas at the moment, I always get excited to see what each new 21 Days of Beauty event is offering. And honestly, when it comes to Spring 2017, Ulta may have just set the bar at an all-time high. Yes, there are a few products I feel like I've seen every single time (I'm looking at you Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes), but there are also a ton of fresh, new finds that have me thinking "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY". Now, I know that shopping these kinds of sales can be a little overwhelming, what with everything being an incredible bargain. So I've rounded up some of my top picks to share with you all to hopefully help you narrow down your shopping list.

Score This Deal: Becca Create Your Own Light Set

Friends, I've discovered another seriously amazing makeup steal that you might want to jump on ASAP! As with most of my beauty finds, this was another thing I totally stumbled across by happenstance (thank you Facebook advertising) and couldn't believe what was on the screen in front of me. The BECCA Cosmetics Create Your Own Light Set is a Beautylish exclusive retailing for $69 and (yes you're hearing me correctly) contains FOUR full-sized products and one travel-sized product. Say WHAT? If you've ever shopped for BECCA Products before, you'll know that the average retail price of most of their primers, blushes, and highlighters is more than $30. Needless to say, this set is a GREAT deal.

Score This Deal: LORAC Lip & Cheek Set

Hey friends! I've got a serious savings alert coming your way. I stumbled upon this sweet little LORAC set while perusing the Ulta website, and wanted to clue you in to its existence. LORAC is one of those makeup brands that I don't think gets enough hype in the beauty-sphere. Known best for their amazing eyeshadow palettes (you can see my full review of the Pro 3 Palette here), I feel like the rest of their line has mostly slipped under the radar. I too am guilty of not taking the time to explore more from the brand, so when I had a few Ulta points to cash in on, I decided this set was a perfect investment! For only $30 you get a full sized blush, lipstick, and lipliner in coordinating shades. Purchased individually these same products would cost you $56, which is adds up to an almost 50% discount. I don't know about you, but that sounded pretty darn good to me!

What's New at the Drugstore | Winter 2017

Hey there, friends! Is anyone else as excited at I am about all of the new launches from the drugstore? After months of feeling not very enthused by anything in the affordable makeup realm, the shelves of Walgreens and CVS have essentially exploded in the last couple of weeks with products I could not wait to try. Over the past week on my YouTube channel I've put together a couple of videos sharing all of my new loot and putting it to the test for you guys. Curious to see how everything worked out? Keep on reading!

Holiday 2016: Black Friday Beauty Deals at Ulta & Sephora

Friends, prepare your wallets. Black Friday is almost upon us.

As someone who can never pass up a good bargain, its hard to not go a little crazy with the beauty shopping at this time of year. There are just so many amazing little sets and great deals to be had, and it's tempting to buy...just about everything.

For the sake of my bank account, I'm trying to be extra choosy about what I put in my shopping cart this year. Black Friday is one of the worst times for impulse purchases, what with the pressure of the time crunch and fear of things selling out, so I'm making an effort to try and plan as much of my shopping ahead of time as possible. Fortunately I've got my hands on some sneak peeks of beauty deals that are going live this Thursday at Sephora and Ulta, which gives me a few days of deliberation before I have to hit that checkout button. Curious to see what this year's offerings look like? I'm more than happy to share!

Fall Haul First Impressions

If you guys saw my recent fall beauty haul, then you're already well aware that I've acquired a boat load of new makeup to review. Between a trip to the new NYX store in Union Square, goodies sent from a friend in the UK, and my own inability to restrain myself, I've ended up with a whole lotta loot. Life has been a little crazy lately, which ultimately translated to the majority of my new beauty ending up in a pile waiting to be loved. This weekend finally afforded me the opportunity to get some blogging hours in, and I stared at said pile feeling a little overwhelmed with my options. Where the heck should I even begin? And then I had a brilliant idea. Why not try it all and let you in on the process? I'm all about being real with you guys and sharing my honest thoughts on beauty. So why not capture my completely unscripted, entirely unpredictable first impressions on camera? Not gonna lie, filming this video was a whole lot of fun, and I don't think the look I created in the end was too shabby. So if you're curious to see how these new goodies worked out for me, keep on reading!

Fall Beauty Haul

I'm not going to lie. I'm ever so slightly embarrassed to have a haul to share before the holiday shopping season has even ramped up.

Back in September I acquired a massive amount of new beauty to play with from my trip to Generation Beauty. That haul alone had more than enough newness to keep me occupied for the rest of the year. But as any beauty blogger will tell you, between PR samples, promotions, and an unwavering curiosity about all things new in beauty, it always seems like its only a matter of time before you've ended up with another pile of product to test out.

So, as unnecessary as it all may be, I've got a ton of fun new stuff to show you guys that I'll be testing and reviewing in the next couple of weeks. Curious to find out what? Keep on reading!

Holiday 2016: Wish-List Worthy Eyeshadow Palettes

Now that Halloween has officially past, I think it's safe to admit that the holiday shopping season is in full swing! If the rest of the year is any indication, the weeks between now and Christmas are going to absolutely fly by, which means you have way less time to get everything on your shopping list checked off than you think. If you're feeling a little lost and uninspired, don't you worry. I'm going to be posting tons of awesome beauty-related (and maybe some non-beauty related) gift ideas over the coming weeks to help get you started.

In true Lauren fashion, I'm kicking things off with perhaps my greatest weakness among makeup products - the eyeshadow palette. There have been SO many incredible launches this year it was hard to narrow down my list of recommendations. But after having spent a slightly embarrassing amount of time researching what's new, what's hyped, and what might be a hidden gem I think I've got a pretty solid list for you to check out!

Generation Beauty NY 2016: My Experience & an EPIC Haul!

You know that surreal feeling you get when you realize something you've been anticipating for months and months is finally coming to fruition? That was all of this past weekend for me. I headed out at the crack of dawn on Friday morning (legit, it was 5 am) to New York City for Ipsy's Generation Beauty event. I'd been planning this trip since March and as I was sitting on the train I almost couldn't believe it was actually finally happening.

If you aren't familiar with Generation Beauty, it's a large beauty expo hosted by Ipsy, and has grown to be a bit of a phenomenon in the last couple of years. The first Gen Beauty event was held in LA near the Ipsy headquarters, and now they've expanded to NY, Toronto, and San Francisco. Anyone can attend these events, and they usually draw in crowds of more than 4000 people. As someone who's goes day-to-day surrounded by people who aren't on my wavelength about beauty, it was kind of incredible to be in a room full of others who share my same passion.

This weekend was exhausting, exhilarating, and incredibly fun. I finally got to meet so many of the blogger friends I've made over the years in person, I got to connect with a ton of amazing brands, and I took home a stupid amount of swag. Curious to see more of my Gen Beauty experience? Keep reading!

Trending Now: Glittering, Metallic Eyes

Trying to mentally prepare myself for fall is never an easy task. Don't get me wrong. I'm all about everything pumpkin spice, plaid shirts, and being able to dig my beloved boots out of hiding. But the change of seasons is always bittersweet. Winters here in New England are brutal, and fall sometimes feels like a pretty little distraction from the impending dark and cold. But, before I get myself too depressed thinking about Connecticut mid-February, let's put the focus back on what we've got to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Fall makeup might just be my all-time favorite of the entire year. Vampy reds, lush berries, rich chocolate tones...it's basically the season for extra sultry glam. While blindingly bright highlighters were all the rage this summer, the sparkle factor appears to have transferred to the eyes for fall. Whether you're just adding a bit of shimmer to the lid, or incorporating serious metallic shine into a full-on smokey eye, there are tons of options popping up at every price point to unleash your inner MUA.

As someone who's always had a soft spot for glitter, I'm welcoming this trend with open arms. The combination of a warm, inviting fall color palette with intense sparkling shine is especially gorgeous, and has me totally inspired to create some killer eye looks. If you're as into this trend as I am, here are some product recommendations to get you started!

Sephora End of Summer Sale 2016

It's that time of year again, people! Sephora is cleaning house for the summer and there are TONS of amazing deals to be had. A lot of these products are being discontinued or repackaged, meaning that you can score some amazing products from brands you love at a huge discount. Much like summer, the opportunity to snag these products is sure to be short lived, so make sure that you don't miss out while you have the chance!

Summer Beauty Haul | Birthday Goodies, 4th of July Deals & More

When I was a little kid, I used to hate the fact that my birthday was a. in the summer and b. the day before the 4th of July. I never got to bring cupcakes into school or have my birthday announced over the loudspeaker, and every time I tried to throw a party to celebrate, all my friends would be away for the holiday weekend with their families. I basically decided that the universe had cursed me with the worst birthday ever.

Twenty years later, my opinions have done a total 180.

I love my birthday. There are always amazing deals happening right at the time where I might have some newly acquired gift cards to spend, I never have to work the morning, AND I get fireworks. I mean, seriously. Thank you mom and dad for bringing me into the world on what I have determined is essentially the perfect weekend.

As you can tell from the title of this post, I've done a little damage recently in the shopping department. How could I resist picking myself up a few birthday goodies at a time where so many sweet deals are to be had? I suppose I could have had more restraint...but really, since when are birthdays about denying yourself? I always love sharing what I'll be testing and reviewing next with you guys, so I've rounded up all my new loot and filmed a little haul video.

Birthday Freebies

One of the things I look forward to every July is the slew of e-mails that show up in my inbox, filled with awesome coupons and promises of freebies. Why July? Because it's my birthday! As much as celebrating with a big party and cake can make me feel loved and appreciated, I honestly look equally forward to my yearly ritual of parading around the mall, collecting my free little treats. Maybe I'm just an introvert, but the gift of me-time is perhaps my favorite thing to give myself (you know, along with some chocolate and a bath bomb). To keep you guys in-the-know, I thought I'd round up a list of my favorite birthday freebies, both beauty and non-beauty, so you too can get in on all the goodness.

Sephora Gift Sets Under $50

Hello friends! Today I thought it'd be fun to do a little bit of online window shopping with you all. Sephora has launched a TON of new favorites kits, which inspired me to peruse all of their available value sets and come up with a list of 10 badass options all under $50. As a beauty blogger the hours I spend browsing through Sephora's website could easily be considered justifiable research. But in reality I'd probably waste just as much time looking at pretty bottles and compacts even if I didn't have an audience to share my musings with (#iamaddictedtobeautyproducts).

ANYWAY...these little sampler sets are by far one of my favorite ways to shop beauty. Much akin to my fondness for tapas, I'd rather have a little bit of a lot of different things than one big dish...err bottle...tube?...you get the picture. I love variety and the surprises that come with it. Sometimes you fall in love with a product you would have otherwise never thought to try. Other times a product that seemed amazing turns out to kind of suck, leaving you totally relieved that you didn't buy the full size.

Sampler sets are also a great way to stave off beauty boredom. We've all been there. You've been using the same shampoo for the last 6 months, and while it started off amazing, you've gotten to that point where washing your hair is like listening to a ridiculously overplayed song on the radio. You feel too guilty to abandon a half used bottle of perfectly good product, but you're just so over it that the entire process makes you rage. How is there still so much left? Will it ever end? YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. On the flip side, opting for a mini size gives you a much greater likelihood of actually using the entire thing up before it hits My Heart Will Go On status.

So whether you're looking for travel-sized versions of products you love, or are feeling a bit adventurous and just looking to experiment, these value sets will likely be money well spent. They're also adorable. Just sayin'.

Spring Ulta Haul | 21 Days of Beauty and More

I don't know about you, but it's basically impossible for me to resist a good sale. Whether it's on eggs at the grocery store, or makeup at Ulta, I'm usually all about getting the best price I can. Ulta recently just wrapped up their 21 Days of Beauty promotion, which I ended up taking way more advantage of than I anticipated. For those of you who might be unfamiliar, 21 Days of Beauty is a thing Ulta does a few times a year. Every day for 21 Days they have different beauty steals that are each available for 24 hours only. These products are usually up to 50% off their usual price, making them incredibly enticing to snag. On top of that, anyone with Platinum status had access to additional steals and free shipping on most orders during that three week period. I personally also ended up getting multiple 5x points opportunities throughout the promotion, sweetening the deal even futher.

TLDR: I bought a whole bunch of new stuff and it cost me a lot less money than it should have (yay!).

Black Friday 2015 Beauty Deals!

Holy deals, Batman! It's time to bust out that credit card and get to shopping. Whether you're on the mission to find the perfect holiday gifts, or you're indulging in a bit of personal retail therapy, now is the time to snag some serious deals on your favorite beauty and fashion goodies. I'll be on the lookout for great new deals as I find them, and will make sure to update this page as often as I can! Some of these deals are only good through tomorrow, while others last until Monday, so I tried to include the valid dates for you as well. Either way, these deals won't be here for long, so you'll want to jump on your favorite ones ASAP! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and have a great weekend ahead. Happy shopping!

Black Friday Preview

Black Friday is almost upon us, and while some may love the total insanity of shopping in stores, others of us may prefer to score a deal without ever having to leave our beds. As the week goes on more and more stores are releasing previews of the sales they're hosting, but for now I wanted to share a couple of exciting ones that have already begun!

Holiday Preview: Palette Envy

When it comes to the holiday wish list of a makeup junkie, there's a good chance at least one palette will make the cut. This year there are some seriously enviable options to choose from, so much so that it may be hard to pick just one! To get you started, I've rounded up 9 of the most hyped face and eye palettes on the beauty scene as well as a few dark horses that I think could very well steal the show.