Blue Suede Boots

Happy Thursday friends!

I’ve got another transitional friendly outfit for you today. It’s kind of crazy because I feel like we never really get transitional weather. Although I can’t really say the weather has been transitional this week… it’s been down right cold.

Let’s talk about this outfit. I think the boots are my favorite part because I have been looking for a navy pair.  When I saw these were on CRAZY sale, I snatched them up real quick! I also love the shaft height. They aren’t ankle, but they don’t go all the way up to your knees. They work perfectly with dresses for this reason. (Don’t worry they also look good with pants.) The navy has very limited sizes; however, they also come in black, which is available in more sizes.

I paired them with this dress, which is also on sale. I’m not normally a rib knit kind of gal, but for some reason this dress caught my eye. My color isn’t available, however, there are 3 other colors available; and you can get on their wait list for the grey. I might grab the taupe before it sells out; as I can see myself wearing this all spring long.

Dress: Lulu's | Boots: Lulu's | Sunnies: Ray-Ban | Earrings: BaubleBar | Lipstick: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Hideaway

What are your plans for St. Patrick’s Day this weekend? I’ll be going to brunch, then a beach day and probably out to celebrate a little at night.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend. Tuesday I will finally be sharing some outfits from Mexico!!

Pearl Details Part 2

And just like that Mother Nature said, “Not so fast” to warmer temps. (I guess the little groundhog was right about 6 more weeks of winter. Hah)

We got back from Mexico last week to highs in the low 60s and lows in the 40s. I’m not complaining though, because I’m not ready to say hello to summer just yet.

Since this is truly transitional weather, this is when pieces like jean jackets come in handy. I’m obsessed with this one, because of all the pearl details. This was a huge trend on jeans this fall, and I love how it translates on jackets as well. I think that this is the perfect piece for spring to throw on with white dresses, floral pieces, and literally anything else you can think of. The pearls truly compliment everything in your spring wardrobe.

Mine is sold out online (however, you might be able to find it in stores), but I’ve linked some other options for you below.

Tank: Topshop old (similar here & here) | Pants: Old (similar here, here, & here) | Denim Jacket: Dillard's (similar here, here, & here) | Booties: Lulu's (similar here, here, & here) | Sunnies: Quay Australia | Lipstick: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Hideaway  

How was everyone’s weekend? Mine was the last quiet one I will have for a while. The whole month of March is very busy for me!
Thanks for stopping by. It truly means so much to me.

Today I'm linking up with Walking in Memphis in High Heels, The Fashion Canvas, & A Sparkle Factor for The Trend Spin Linkup.

Summer Time & Bikini Lines

Can you believe I’m in my late 20’s, and I have never had a wax?! Not a bikini wax, eyebrow wax, NOTHING! With my recent trip to Mexico, I decided it was time to get my first bikini wax. In the off chance I’m not the only girl left in the world that’s never done this; I thought I would share my experience.

If you’ve had a million waxes before you are probably wondering why I’ve never done it. To be honest, now that I’ve done it I’m wondering the same thing. There are a few reasons I’ve been putting it off. 1. Places like the wax strip scare me. 2. I was slightly skeptical of how great the results would be. 3. I was honestly scared of how bad the pain would be. (Hint… It wasn’t bad AT ALL!!)

Since places like The Wax Strip scare me, I knew I wanted a salon, or something a little more personal. I stumbled across RayAnna, the owner of Beautifully Bare, when she commented on my Instagram. After reading some reviews and her “AboutMe” on her website I decided to reach out. She sounded like a great fit for my first time. I could tell right away by her response she was the girl for me. She seemed so sweet in our messages, and I knew I was in good hands. She told me all the things I needed to do before hand, what to expect, and the best part is she got me in right away. (I’m the biggest procrastinator in the world.)

Upon arrival she greeted me with a short informational form to fill out, and asked me if I had any questions. After she took me back I changed into my bikini, and was ready to go. Once she came back she walked me through everything she would be doing and told me if I ever needed a break to just let her know. (I’m the type of girl to just get through things so we went quickly.) She kept me informed step by step with what was happening. She’s also great at conversation and keeps you talking to take your mind off things. The first side was the worst because I didn’t know what to expect but it really wasn’t that bad. The second side was honestly a breeze. After she’s finished she lets you look and if you want more taken off she will go back. Once she was finished waxing she went over things I should do after; things to avoid for 24 hours like sweat, steam and exfoliation, as well as things to help with redness, bruising, and how to care for my skin over the next 3-4 weeks until my next wax. Overall, I am extremely happy with my results, and I cannot recommend RayAnna enough if you are in the Jacksonville area. She is very professional, detailed and so sweet/personable. She even texted me the next day to see how I was doing and if I had any questions.

Bathing Suit: Chubbies | Shorts: Target | Sunnies: Ray-Ban | Lipstick: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick

I never thought I would say this but I can’t wait to go back for my next wax in 3-4 weeks! A big part of that is RayAnna and how comfortable she made me feel. If you’re nervous like I was (and in the Jacksonville area) you should check out her website here! If you’re not local I would definitely suggest finding someone you feel comfortable with. It will make your experience so much better.

If you are thinking about booking your first wax, please reach out with any questions. If I don’t know the answer I would be more than happy to reach out to my girl RayAnna.

*This post was sponsored by Beautifully Bare LLC.  All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

Beauty Review: Makeup Removers

Last week I shared my 5 favorite mascaras. This week, I’m sharing 5 makeup removers to get those mascaras and all your other makeup off!

My true favorite remover is Clinique, Take the Day Off Makeup Removing Balm; however, I left that at my best friend’s house in NYC and have been without for the past few months. Because of this I have turned to more traditional liquid makeup removers. Below I’m sharing the 5 I currently have in my makeup cabinet, and the pros and cons of each.

1. Simple Skin Cleansing Micellar Water

Let me start by saying I didn’t know how to pronounce this stuff for the longest time but, had heard so many good things about it. I love how light micellar water is. There’s no oil in it and it does a really good job at taking your makeup off. I only use it on my eyes; however, you can use it on a cotton ball, and use it all over your face to help get your foundation, liquid lipstick, etc off.

2. Clinique Take the Day off Makeup Remover

I love all Clinique products for the fact that they are hypoallergenic. I would compare this one to the Sephora Waterproof Makeup Remover because it takes off all your heavy makeup, and definitely has oil in it. Out of the two I would choose this one over the Sephora brand. However, it does have a slightly higher price tag. 

3. Sephora Collection Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover

The name says it all. This stuff takes off my toughest eyeliner, and then some. I don’t have to scrub my eyelids at all when I use this. The only downside is there is some oil in this product. I try to stay away from oil based products because it leaves my eyelids feeling so weird, and it’s not the best for you. Sometimes though a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. This is probably one of my favorites for when I have a heavy smokey eye, or a ton of makeup on. It’s easy and quick. When I use this, I stick to just my eyes.

4.  Sephora Collection Triple Action Cleansing Water

This Sephora makeup remover is pretty much the exact opposite of the one above, but still extremely powerful at removing your heavy eyeliner and mascara. I believe this one has oil in it as well, but I don’t feel it on my eyelids afterwards like I do with most oil based removers. I would put this one in-between the first two as far as how well it removes your makeup. This one is probably my favorite out of all the makeup removers in this post. 

5. Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

I love this one because Estee Lauder products are the only thing I can randomly introduce to my skin routine and my skin won’t freak out. However this is probably my least favorite of all the makeup removers here. It doesn’t have oil in it but it also doesn’t feel as light/natural as the micellar water and triple action cleansing water. I think this one is also the one I have to scrub the most with. I still use it because I have it, however I would probably never buy it for myself. My mom uses mostly Estee Lauder products and gives me freebies all the time which is how I got this. If you like Estee Lauder I would definitely give it a try.

What are your favorite makeup removers? Do you even use makeup remover or just cleansers?

I'd love to hear all about how you get your makeup off in the comments below.

Have a great Tuesday! 

Work Wear

Guys! The day has finally come! As you are reading this I am probably on my flight to MEXICO!!! We booked our flights back in July of 2017, and there were times I never thought this day would come. Follow me on instagram @thefashionablylateblonde to see my entire trip via posts and stories. I’ll also be doing a full travel diary upon my return home.

Enough about my vacation let’s talk about this dress.

I struggle to find dresses I can wear to work. That may sound weird but my work is EXTREMELY casual. I’m talking yoga pants and a t-shirt casual. That’s not exactly my style (at least for work), but I also can’t dress the way I used to when I worked in Tampa. (If I wore half the stuff I wore there people would legit think I was going to a gala or something! Hah)

I do like to dress up a bit for work however, not over the top, since that’s not my office vibe. When I saw this dress I knew it would be perfect for the office with booties. It makes me feel put together but, not too over the top where people would look at me weird. The ruching & knot on the side make it very flattering. I also love the length, which is weird because normally this length does not work on me. (I’m 5’4 for reference.) The best part about this dress is the fact that it’s on sale for under $40. Even better than that…it’s currently an additional 40% off through Saturday. I would highly recommend grabbing this dress whether your office dress code is casual or dressy.  You really can make it work for either.

Dress: Dillard's | Booties: Old (similar here & here these are super fun!) | Sunnies: Nordstrom | Lipstick: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Carina

I hope everyone has a fabulous Thursday. What are your plans this weekend?

I can’t believe it is March 1^st. This year is already flying by.

Beauty Review: Mascara

If I could only use one makeup product for the rest of my life, it would probably be mascara. (Or lipstick. I love lipstick.) I have very blonde eyelashes so I never feel like a real person until I have mascara on. I have been trying a bunch of new ones lately so; I thought I would do a review of the 5 I’ve been using lately. I always use black, although brown would probably look a little more natural on me but oh well.

1. Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

I LOVE this stuff. The name says it all. My lashes look so full and thick when I use this mascara. I use it pretty much every day, and I will add an extra coat when I’m going out on the town. This can leave your lashes a little clumpy if you’re not careful; but, again sometimes I like that look. I will definitely be buying the full size when my sample runs out!

2. Clinique High Impact Mascara

If you’ve been following me for a while and have read some of my other beauty posts you know this is my go to mascara. I buy time and time again. I’ve literally been using this stuff since high school. It gives a great amount of volume, while not being too much and helps lengthen and separate. It’s also hypoallergenic so if you have any type of allergy this is the mascara I would recommend. It’s also a great price at $18. 

3. Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara

This is great for a subtle everyday look. I definitely have to use a couple layers, because I do like my lashes to be bold. It does help really separate my lashes, which I like while giving them a little boost of volume. If you have thick dark lashes you could use a swipe of this and be good to go.

4. Too Faced Better than SexMascara

I have wanted to try this mascara for a long time and just never picked it up. I finally got a sample in my Play! Box a few months back and I am obsessed. It gives me so much volume and really separates my lashes. Sometimes I feel like volumizing mascara can leave your lashes kind of clumpy looking. (Sometimes I like that if it’s the look I’m going for.) I would have to say this is probably number one for me out of all the ones here.

5.  It Cosmetics Super HeroMascara

I tried this one for a few months, and loved it so much I bought the full size. This one is great for adding length. I sweat when I use it my lashes touch my brow bone. My only complaint is lately I’ve noticed it’s been clumping on the brush. I usually just wipe it off however, it seems like a waste.

If I had to rank them in order it would be as follows:

1.    Clinique (because this is the one thing I’ve consistently stuck with. You will always find at least one tube in my makeup bag.)

2.    Marc Jacobs & Better than Sex

3.    It Cosmetics

4.    Bobbi Brown

What are your favorite mascaras? I would love to hear if you use any of these, or if you like something not on this list. I’m always open to trying new mascaras. (I just bought Lash Paradise to see how it compares to Better than Sex.)

Come back next week to see how I get all this mascara off. I’ll be reviewing 5 makeup removers I’m currently using! I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday and thanks for stopping by!