Date Night Inspo: A Valentine's Day Makeup Tutorial & Collab!

Whether you're celebrating with your gal pals, or having a romantic evening with your significant other, if you're looking for some inspiration for your next night out, you've come to the right place! I've teamed up with some fabulous other bloggers to each bring you our take on a Valentine's Day makeup look. This year I'm pretty sure my husband and I will celebrate as per the usual by getting some kind of fancy dinner followed by binge watching Madmen at home in our sweats. Our romance has always been of the low-key, laid back variety, and I think that's what I wanted to pay homage to in this look. I reached for some of my favorite, long-wearing and effortless products to create a look that strikes the perfect balance between everyday casual and special occasion glam.

Galentine's Day Gifts to Give

Oh Valentine's Day. As someone that is currently happily married but that has also gone through more than one January breakup, I understand the love-hate relationship people have with you. Romance is great, but when you're recently heartbroken or hanging out with your substitute boyfriends Ben & Jerry for the umpteenth time, its probably the last thing you want to have on your mind. And this is why I'm all for celebrating Galentine's Day - because there is so much more love to celebrate in life than just the romantic kind. Of course I believe Valentine's Day can also be a representation of that. But why not take the opportunity, regardless of whether or not we're in a relationship, to celebrate our best gal pals?

If you're in need of some inspiration on how to spoil the special ladies in your life, look no further. I've curated a list of some of my favorite extra-girly gift ideas for showing appreciation to all kinds of wonderful women - from your kid's teacher, to your mom, to your hairdresser, your bestie, or your coworker. (There is also no shame in passing this post on to a S.O. should he or she need some pointers and/or not-so-subtle hints of things you might appreciate yourself. Just sayin'.)

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

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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!

It's Back! DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea for Holiday 2017

"It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

I know. It's not even Halloween yet. But before you seriously side eye me for bringing up the holidays, I promise I have a good excuse. Today the DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar is back in stores, and if this year is like every other one before it, it'll be sold out well before anyone has even thought about putting up a Christmas Tree.

If you're feeling a bit out of the loop, Canadian tea retailer DavidsTea curates a stunningly packaged Advent calendar every year containing 24 different loose leaf teas to sample in the days leading up to Christmas. If you've ever enjoyed one of those chocolate Advent Calendars as a kid, this basically takes things to a whole new level of indulgence. As a die hard tea lover there is nothing better than getting up each day and seeing what new flavor awaits me.

Thanks to the fact that I probably spend way too much money on tea every year, I received an email from the brand that allowed me to pick my calendar up a few days before the official launch. So let's take a closer look at exactly what the deal is with this year's collection and how it compares to the 2016 version.

Ten Lip Products to Try for Fall

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As much as it pains me to say goodbye to the long, sunny days of summer, I think I'm finally ready to embrace all things fall. Yes, bring on the blanket scarves, the plaid shirts, and everything pumpkin spice. I'm a New Englander, and when the leaves start to turn its hard to not find yourself getting swept up in that autumnal spirit.

One of the first places I turn to welcome each new season is my everyday lip collection. While it's true that there are no rules in makeup, I personally find it fun to change up shades and textures at different times of the year. Which, for right now, means trading in my peaches, corals, and vibrant pinks for rich reds, warm nudes, bold berries, and rusty hues. After spending a good amount of time swatching and playing with a somewhat ridiculous number of lipsticks, I've got ten gorgeous shades to share with you. From your classic mattes to sheer glosses, I think there's a little something here for everyone!

Spring Fling: Glossy Lip Colors to Love

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I am SO READY to embrace all things spring. Give me sunshine. Give me flowers. And please for the love of all things good take my winter coat and bury it in the back of the closet. For me, this time of year is all about lightening up. Lightening up my clothes, lightening up my mood, and in the case of today's post, lightening up my lipstick. While I don't think the matte liquid lip trend is going anywhere anytime soon, I personally am in desperate need of a change. From sheer glosses, to creamy lipsticks I've been embracing a more cheerful, comfortable kind of lip product as per late. So if you're also craving a little springtime inspiration, here are a few of favorite lip products for channeling those vibes!

Golden Glam Holiday Makeup Tutorial

It may be hard to believe, but New Year's Eve is almost upon us! It's time to find a LBD, stock up on champagne, and prepare a killer makeup look to rock for the evening. Seriously, though. If there is one day in the year that full-on glam is entirely appropriate, it's NYE. As your makeup BFF, I of course had to come up with something to help you get inspired. This tutorial is actually in collaboration with the lovely Anisa from Whisk & Heels, who I've actually been following for years and is now a fellow Ipsy OS member! We each have put a unique twist on a classic silver or gold holiday makeup look that should help you feel super fierce at your next party. Once you've had a chance to check out my tutorial make sure you also head on over to Anisa's channel to see hers. She seriously did an amazing job (#blendinggoals) and I think you're going to love it!

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!

Holiday 2016: DavidsTea 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar

If there is one thing outside of the beauty realm that I am head over heels obsessed with, it's tea. Ask anyone from my office, but there isn't a day (maybe even not an hour) when you'll find me without a cup at my desk. I've got an entire cabinet in my kitchen devoted just to the goods, as well as most of the cabinet in my cubicle.

What can I say, it's basically my lifeblood.

From a spicy chai, to an earthy oolong, to a fruity herbal, I'm definitely not picky when it comes to flavors, and am on a bit of a personal quest to try as many different teas as I can. But (much like my obsession with makeup) being a tea enthusiast can get a little pricey, which usually means being extra selective about which ones I want to buy. Fortunately, DavidsTea rolled in to my local mall a couple of years ago, and they have THE BEST tea sampler sets. They're constantly releasing new seasonal collections, and have a ton of different ways for you to sample multiple flavors without breaking the bank.

Perhaps the ultimate of all of these sets is the 24 Days of Tea advent calendar. I honestly can't think of a better way to ring in the holidays than by getting to try a different tea every day (you know, without spending hundreds of dollars). Last year was the first time I picked one of these bad boys up, and I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't help but put the beauty on pause for a day so I could share the 2016 version with you guys. Come take a look!

Halloween Makeup Tutorial: Whimsical Blue Fairy

Are you ready for Halloween? CAUSE I'M SO READY FOR HALLOWEEN!

It's been a long time since I've really busted out my makeup skills for a Halloween look (holla back to this deer look I created when I first started my blog), and with so many amazing bloggers and MUAs going ham this year, I decided I wanted in on the action! It's probably no surprise that super creepy and/or gory costumes are not really my jam, although I totally respect the amazing artistry that goes into them. I've just always been a girly girl. Maybe I've been spending too much time Snapchatting with the butterfly crown filter, but my almost immediate instinct was that I needed to be a fairy.

I lucked out big time by finding this prom dress for $10 at a local consignment shop, and then scouted out a wig and wings at a Halloween store. When it came to makeup I was totally inspired by my new Kat Von D MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette, which had the perfect shades for my blue fairy transformation. I had way too much fun filming this tutorial, and I think the end look I came up with is whimsical without being OTT. Hopefully it'll give you a little inspiration for your own Halloween look!

Fall 2016 Stitch Fix Unboxing & Review

Guys, I am SO PUMPED my next fix has arrived! Fall fashion is hands down my favorite of the entire year. Cozy sweaters, plaid button-downs, scarves, boots - the obsession is real. Having learned from my first couple of fixes, I decided to be extra proactive this time around and create a Stitch Fix specific Pinterest board to share my favorite trends with my stylist. I can tell that she totally used some of the outfit pictures I posted for inspiration when she put together this fix for me, which meant that I ended up with some pieces I really loved!

Of course, I had to film an unboxing video to show you guys my first impressions of everything I got. And now that I've had a few days to think it over, I've finally made my decisions about what I'm purchasing and what I'm sending back. Curious to see what made the cut? Keep reading to find out!

Warm, Cozy Fragrances for Fall

One of the things I undoubtedly love most about fall are its smells. Crisp leaves crunching beneath your feet, wood fires burning in the evening, pumpkin pie in the oven, hot cider brewing. Even just thinking about them now immediately transports me to a magically warm, cozy place.

Much like I swap out my sandals and dresses for sweaters and boots come autumn, I also like to switch out my fragrances for scents that capture the feeling of the season. Warm, spicy notes, woodsy undertones, and a little bit of sweetness immediately put me in a fall mindset.

Today I thought I'd share three autumn-appropriate perfumes I've been obsessing over in the last couple of weeks, all of which are in super travel friendly sizes!

The 8 Polishes You Need to Kick Off Autumn

Friends, it's officially that time again. Get ready to bust out your boots, your scarves, and your pumpkin spiced everything. Even though I'm a summer baby through and through, fall beauty and fashion is by far my favorite to indulge in. Give me the plaid button downs, the big blanket scarves, the soft, chunky sweaters. Give me matte lips, gold shadows, and vampy nail polishes. I want all of it, and I want it on my body right now.

In the spirit of all things autumn, I thought it would be fun to dive through my nail polish collection and pull out a few of the shades I'm most excited to return to my everyday rotation. It's time to retire those pinks and corals and get a little more moody in manicure country. From sultry oxbloods, to edgy navys I'm all about going extra dark and extra chic when the leaves start to turn.

Orange Crush

As a warning, this post may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I seriously CANNOT get enough of orange colored lips. There's something so fierce and energetic about a firey pout that it basically gives me an instant boost of self confidence every time I rock one. Plus, orange just screams summertime. Spicy lips, bronzed skin, beachy waves...what's not to love?

Today I wanted to share five of my favorite lip products for channelling my inner sexy salsa dancer. If orange seems way outside your comfort zone, I challenge you to take the plunge and give it a try! It's an extremely flattering color on light and deep skintones alike, but much like its oh-so-basic cousin pink, it's all a matter of finding a shade that works right for you.

Spring 2016 Stitch Fix | Try on & Review

Can anyone tell me why it looks like a winter wonderland outside? It's April, Mother Nature. Let's get with the program. Regardless of the state of the outdoors, I am insisting on channeling all things Spring. My Stitch Fix has arrived and I am ready to share my pretty new clothes even if it's too cold for me to actually leave the house wearing them.

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with Stitch Fix, it's a fashion-forward personal styling service. After you fill out a detailed profile outlining your sizes and style preferences, your Stitch Fix Stylist will pick out 5 clothing and accessory items to suit your tastes. When your box arrives you have three days to try everything on, see how things work with your existing wardrobe, and decide what you'd like to keep. Then you return whatever isn't your jam, and buy whatever you love. Want to keep it all? You'll get a 25% discount on your entire Fix if you decide to purchase all 5 items. Having your own personal shopper only costs $20, and this styling fee gets credited back to you as long as you keep at least one piece from your fix.

It's a pretty excellent concept, especially if you're one of those people who hates wandering aimlessly through the mall, or barely has time to eat breakfast in the morning, let alone go shopping for new clothes. I personally have been enjoying Stitch Fix as a way of introducing new and unique pieces to my wardrobe that I might not have thought to buy for myself otherwise. Which brings us back to today's post! I wanted to show you all what I got in my Spring Fix, and share my thoughts on the process and what I decided to keep.

Affordable Spring Makeup Tutorial

Even though it's only officially been spring for about three days now, I've been in full-on spring mode for weeks. I can't help my myself. When it comes to beauty trends, I love everything about this time of year. I want everything pastel and glowy and fresh right on my face.

For this month's makeup tutorial I decided to channel my springtime obsession into this bright, girly look. It uses all affordable products, so make sure you keep an eye out for sales before you pick any of them up (#couponingforthewin)! So if you want to join me in rocking some glitter and soft watercolor shades, come check it out.

Winter Essentials: My Favorite Lip Balms

Has anyone else noticed that Mother Nature seems to be awfully confused about what season it is? One day its -8º out and the next its 60. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for an early spring, but these constant changes in temperature seriously wreak havoc on my body. My allergies are going nuts, as is my skin (which can't decide if it wants to be bone dry or oil slick). Truth be told, if there is one word that I can use to describe my usual state of existence between January and April living here in New England, it's uncomfortable.

So what's a girl to do? Do you just need to suffer through three months of static shocks, frizzy hair, and dry hands without reprieve? The answer is no. Or at least, not entirely. Maybe you can't avoid the pain of your face being slapped by a wind chill of -25º while you're walking in to work, but you can certainly do something to protect and treat the bits of you that are exposed to the elements.

Perhaps the most crucial of all my cold weather essentials is lip balm. Chapped lips can range from annoying to downright painful, which means I am all about taking the necessary steps to prevent them. And as your resident beauty enthusiast, it also means that I am forever on the hunt for that life changing, Holy Grail, ultimate savior from angry lips. Which, of course, brings us to today's post. I'm sharing 5 tried and true balms for surviving winter chap-free.