ARUBA | AUGUST 2015

When I posted my vacation summary from Maui, it surprisingly had a lot of views, so I figured I would do the same thing for my recent trip to Aruba.

If you are new around here, I'll give you a little bit of background information. I was on Wheel of Fortune in March of this year. If you want more information on that process, you can check out my blog post about that here. One of the prizes I won on the show was a vacation to Aruba! The planning process was fairly easy, I gave the Wheel of Fortune representative three options of dates we'd like to go, and then she really took care of the rest. Airfare and hotel was included, and they also gave us spending money.

TRAVELING: 
We traveled from Washington State to Aruba, which was pretty exhausting. It was around 14 hours of traveling, between two flights and layovers. Everyone we met down in Aruba was from the east coast, and I can see why! I wouldn't ever say no to traveling to the Caribbean again, but I would definitely invest in first class seats so that those long flights are extra comfortable! I always make sure to get a window seat, and during the flight there, I was very glad for that! The water as we got closer to Aruba was so beautiful, I couldn't stop taking pictures!!

Night One:
We landed around 3:30pm Aruba time, and had been traveling since midnight Washington State time, so we were really exhausted. Once we got to the room I immediately took a nap to get caught up on sleep and get used to the time switch. We then just explored the beach path and found a little bar to have dinner at before turning in early for the night to catch up on more sleep.

kimono from: Generation Peace

black v neck from: Target

Day Two:
Since this was a free vacation, we spent the majority of the vacation just relaxing on the beach. I didn't want to have to spend a lot of money on excursions and activities, because I honestly just wanted to relax and take advantage of this and have it feel like a true prize. Wheel of Fortune did send us with spending money, which covered cab fares, meals, luggage charges, and a few activities we did. We also spent a few nights at the Casino, Aruba is famous for their FOURTEEN casinos on the tiny island. We did "splurge" and use some of our spending money to gamble one night. It was really fun and the atmosphere in the casino was really fun. I didn't get any pictures there, but we spent some time there as well.

 We stayed at Divi Resorts, and the beach right outside of our resort was AMAZING. There were about 10 people on this beach daily, and usually 0-5 people in the water. It was so calm, no children running around or drunk people. There are a few popular beaches on the island, but we never felt the need to leave ours since it was so peaceful.

Fun fact about Aruba: totally casual for iguanas to be running around. The first two days this kept freaking me out, and it was so weird, but by the end of the vacation, it was just like seeing a squirrel or bird walking around.

This was a lunch spot at our resort on the beach that we ate at. 

this was a little bar on the beach that you could order drinks at all day

Day Three:
Same drill :) Relaxing on the beach with a good drink and a good book. I read Dark Places while I was there. I'm still not completely finished. I planned on finishing it on the plane ride home but was pretty motion sick on the way back so I didn't get a chance to finish this yet, it was a good beach read though!!

Day Four:
We explored downtown Oranjestad this day. Oranjestad is the capitol of Aruba, and it was about 10 minutes from our resort. There were three malls downtown, and they are all walking distance of each other.

This hotel/mall had a little channel that goes through the hotel that gives people rides out into the ocean. It was pretty cool! 

Day Five:
We, of course, laid on the beach again this day. After laying out all day, we went into another downtown area, Palm Beach. There were more shops down there that we explored, and then we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe.

After dinner, we stumbled upon this bar that is out on a pier and basically is over water. It was so beautiful, and we happened to find it right at sunset.

Day Six:
We decided to do a pretty big excursion this day, and we don't regret it! We did the Island Jeep Safari Tour through the company ABC Tours. I highly recommend this tour, as their hospitality was amazing and it allowed us to see parts of the island that we would have never been able to see. They offer 4-5 different tours depending on the time of year, but we took the North Coast tour, which brought us along the north coast of Aruba. As you can see, it is on a Land Rover truck, and you sit in the back of it. It is a total off-roading experience, but it was really fun! I did take motion sickness pills before going on this (I have a really weak stomach), but I don't think I needed them. It wasn't as crazy as I was expecting but it was still really bumpy!

 The first stop was this rock garden/park place where we climbed to the top of this rock and overlooked the entire country.

We then went to see the Natural Bridge. The actual "Natural Bridge" in aruba collapsed many years ago, but there is still this small one remaining (We are standing on it in the below photo).

The next stop was Blackrock Beach. Exactly what it sounds like, it is made up of black rocks and sand. Our tour guide said this is from the emulsion of volcanic rock, which is why the sand is black.

I think I just took this photo out of the back of the truck, I don't think it was a specific landmark. The north side of the island is very "desert like" and looks totally different than the high-rise hotel end that is very touristy and tropical.

We then went to the Rock Wish Garden! This was something that I saw on Pinterest was a "must do" in Aruba, so I was happy that this tour stopped there. The tour guide explained the story behind this rock wish garden, and it just caught on that you are supposed to stack your lucky number of rocks and make a wish. I couldn't leave without doing this, so I stacked up three rocks and made a wish.

The same stop that the Rock Wish Garden was at, had this old gold mine at it also. The tour guide told us about the history of gold on the island, and it was really interesting to learn a little more about the actual country we were in. You could go inside and climb to the top if you wanted also, it was pretty cool!

We quickly stopped at another landmark where there was another pretty Natural Bridge. We didn't stay at this location long because a dead horse had washed up on the beach from the ocean. There were little girls in our tour group who have horses at home so this stop turned into a little emotional stop for some as there was literally a dead horse sitting on the beach. Our tour guide called 191 (911 for us) and reported it and then we moved on.

 The next stop was at a famous church in Aruba. We happened to hit this stop at the same time as a few other tour companies, so there were a ton of people here that we didn't get to go inside.

 One of our last stops was at the California Lighthouse. I've never been this close to a lighthouse so it was pretty cool to see such a unique part of Aruba's history. We weren't able to go inside but it was a good photo-op!

 After the lighthouse, our last stop was snorkeling at Catalina Bay. If you read my post from Maui, you know that my favorite part was snorkeling. I think it is just the coolest thing to see fish in their natural habitat! I have a thing with marine life, it fascinates me. The snorkeling here wasn't the greatest, but it was still great nonetheless. I did see a gigantic starfish, which I've never seen before, it was seriously enormous!!

Last Day:
We spent our last day soaking up the rays on the beach again. How could one complain?

tank top: Old Navy

short: Target 

sandals: Nike

The last sunset :(

Oh, and fun fact? I won another vacation while I was there! I will have to pay for my flight, but I will take a free 8 days at a resort any day! I can choose from MULTIPLE places, so I will probably take advantage of this for my graduation trip after I finish my masters! So until then, this is your yearly dose of vacation pictures :)


As always, thanks for reading.
xoxo, Jaimie

Current Beauty Favorites | August 2015

Rounding up some of my most recent favorite beauty products today! I haven't been trying a ton of new stuff lately, but the products I've tried haven't let me down! Let's get to it!

1. Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick

My friend Karli gave me one of these in my birthday present (best. friend. ever.) in a super bright pink color. I don't usually wear pink lips, so that is why she got it for me to step outside my comfort zone. It was SO pretty. These lipsticks are supposed to be "smart shade" and look flattering on all skin tones because they react based on your pH balances. This pink actually looks really good on me, and I'm digging it. I went back to the store and picked it up in a more natural every day color, and I've been wearing it ever since! They are really comfortable to wear, they feel like a lip balm but give a great layer of color!! Highly recommend.

2. Garnier Texture Tease Spray

I was at Target earlier this month and this product instantly stood out to me. I love my hair to have a lot of texture, and be very messy. This product gives my hair that exact look. Once I'm done curling my hair, I will spray this on some random sections and tease my hair in that section. This product gives my hair a lot of texture and "messiness" that I'm in love with! I've been using this daily, and it's really affordable. Score!

3. HASK Coconut Monoi Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

I've always taken very great care of my hair, but I've wanted to step it up a little more and try to use more natural shampoo and conditioner. One of the main ingredients I've been wanting to cut from my shower routine is sulfur. I heard really great reviews of this shampoo and conditioner, and so I decided to try it out. The brand HASK has a few different smells/lines of shampoo and conditioner, but I saw the word coconut so I instantly bought these ones. They smell AMAZING for being a natural product. It was a little weird to get used to using a sulfur free shampoo and conditioner, but I think it has done great things for my hair. Sulfur is the ingredient that makes shampoo "foamy" so using this type of shampoo doesn't produce any foam/bubbles on my head. It was hard to get used to, but I already know I'm going to repurchase this!!!

4. L'Oreal Pro Matte Foundation

LADIES. This is the BEST matte foundation I've ever tried from the drugstore. It has amazing coverage, stays matte all day long, and seriously looks very natural for being a matte foundation! I would highly recommend this foundation if you are looking to try a new one! I have loved this during the summer, but I know I'll love it through the fall and winter also. This actually beats out a lot of my high-end foundations also, I highly recommend this!!

5. Becca x Jaclyn Hill Highligher in Champagne Pop

It wasn't until this year that I started to love wearing highlighter on the top of my cheekbones. I have become obsessed with this step in my makeup, as it makes my entire look just glow! When Jaclyn Hill (one of my makeup idols!) came out with a collaboration with Becca (one of my favorite brands!) I knew it was a product I would just have to buy. This product is a bit expensive, but it was a birthday present to myself, so I made an exception. It looks beautiful on my skin tone, it is the perfect champagne gold color, not too dark and not too light. I have been highly impressed with this product! I can see this looking beautiful on a wide range of skin tones, I highly recommend you going into Sephora and testing this product out, it's amazing!!


Thank you all for reading!
I'm trying to get back to blog posts just on Sundays. I started to branch away from that and post whenever I wanted, but then I got less consistent. So back to Sunday blogging for me! :)

As always, thanks for reading
xoxo, Jaimie

My Ultimate Subscription Box Reviews | Birchbox

I had a fun idea for a blog post the other day. The most asked question I get about my blog is regarding subscription box companies. A lot of people ask me if I recommend Birchbox vs. Ipsy, or what boxes I've tried. I've tried a lot over the past about four years, and I have solid reviews on all of the ones I've tried.

Sometimes as blogger, I share a lot online, so if I ever stop sharing something, people often think I stopped liking it or found something better. Sometimes that is the case, but with subscription boxes, I have to strategically decide if I am getting my moneys worth and whether it fits my budget.

I figured I would round up my review of ALL of the boxes I've ever tried. So just because I've cancelled a box doesn't mean that I wouldn't recommend it, so here I will list my overall recommendations of the overall value that a company offers. I am going to write them separately, at least for the big brand subscription boxes. Some of the smaller ones that I only tried for a few months I might combine in one post.


Birchbox

PRICE: $10
HOW OFTEN: Monthly
WHAT YOU GET: 4-5 beauty items. Sample size through full size.
WEBSITE: https://www.birchbox.com

I'll first say that I was subscribed to Birchbox for over two years, and I recently cancelled just for budgeting reasons. I think my review on the company is well-rounded and has been constructed over multiple years of being a paying customer.

Birchbox is the OG of subscription boxes. They really have the details narrowed down and if you are just starting off in the subscription box world, it is honestly a great place to start. They were one of the first subscription beauty boxes, so they have a lot of respect from bigger luxury brands, and a larger range of brands. I think Birchbox is really good for the girl who wants to try a lot of new things, but doesn't care too much about the size of the product. Every single box often has a product (usually a small size) from a luxury brand or a more expensive brand than other subscription boxes.

For me, I ended up canceling Birchbox because the sizes of the products received were usually not very large. The actual products were great, I'd get face masks, body lotions, and mascaras. The downside of this was that I have MULTIPLE of those products in full size (because I'm a blogger who loves testing products) so I was just never reaching for those smaller samples over my large products. I simply was receiving Birchbox, maybe using 1 item out of the box, writing a blog post, and just putting the samples in a drawer. It honestly became a waste of money for me personally, just because I have a lot of makeup items so I don't feel the need to sample tiny products.

One last thing about Birchbox, their reward system is AMAZING. The best one out there actually. The Birchbox shop carries every product in full size that they've ever had in the box, a lot of high-end products and almost anything you'd see in Ulta or Sephora. When you receive a box, you get 4-5 products. If you go onto their website and fill out a short survey on each product, you receive 10 points per product (up to 50 points a month). For every 100 points you rack up, it converts into $10 in their Birchbox shop! I usually save up my points for around 6 months and then use 300-400 points on a luxury item that I normally wouldn't want to spend $30 or $40 on!

If you are just getting started in the subscription box world, Birchbox is a good place to start. It is the most affordable box on the market (tied with Ipsy). The reward system does make it a lot more appealing to me, but the size of the samples are very consistent and very small usually. Often I even received foil packets that you can honestly get for free in Sephora or Ulta if you ask for them. I put up with it for a long time since it was only $10, but it got to the point where I wasn't using any of the samples. I decided to cancel just to save money, or to be able to put that money toward another service to review for my blog.

For now, I'm happy with my decision to cancel, but it doesn't take away anything I think about this brand! It is a solid company, with great customer service and an amazing reward program!


Up next will be Ipsy, look out for that soon :)


xo, Jaimie

My Month in 5 Photos | June 2015

A lot of my favorite bloggers do this type of post, so I figured I would start also! I get a lot of good feedback when I share a little more into my personal life so this is a good way to start incorporating some of that!

1. I took my first line dancing lesson! As I've mentioned, I'm in grad school, and I was blessed with the MOST amazing individuals in my cohort that I love so much! Some of us girls decided to give line dancing a try, and I surprisingly LOVED it. I danced when I was younger, so the choreography and memory part wasn't a problem for me, I just was very nervous to get into my country side and try some line dancing. I was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was, and I already can't wait go back!

2. An amazing macaron shop in New York was kind enough to send me some macarons. They reached out to me, and when I told them that I've actually never tried a macaron, they were happy to send some my way! Let's just say, they were amazing!! One was a strawberry cream flavor and I wish I had 100 of those. They are so chewy and practically melt in your mouth. I was so thankful they reached out, and I look forward to sending these as gifts to friends and family for special occasions.

3. I attended the US Open. I was so thankful when the opportunity approached to attend the US Open as I have been a golfer my entire life. The weather was perfect, and the experience was great. I actually got hooked up with some tickets in the nicest all inclusive tent that offered unlimited food and drinks, so that added to the amazing experience of being a spectator at the US Open!

4. I went to an amazing resort for a work trip, at Suncadia resort in Cle Elum, WA. Our first night there we relaxed a bit before the busy work weekend started by grabbing some wine and pizza flatbread. My coworkers and I got wine flights, and they were all delicious! Paired with some flatbread pizza, and it was a win win for me.

5. I went to a charity event that Russell Wilson and Kasey Kahne put on together called The Drive. It raises money for Seattle Childrens Hospital. They provided an auction, great food and drinks, and an amazing concert! There were a lot of celebrities mingling around, and they were all so kind to take photos and have great conversation. Here I am with Kasey Kahne, Anthony Anderson, Joey Fatone (fan girl), and Al from Home Improvement!! It was such a fun night.

Now onto July! It is my birthday month, which is always fun!

Products I've Used Up | #2

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be showing you my trash, well, specifically the beauty products in my trash. I love doing these types of posts because it truly allows me to give a full review of a product, since I used every last drop and can form a full opinion. A lot of times, bloggers (myself included) can get excited about the idea of a product that we seem like it is the best thing in the world, and then as we use it longer and longer, we discover that it isn't that great. Today I'm sharing my completely empty products and letting you know if I'd repurchase them. Let's dig in. 

1. Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Curl & Lengthen Mascara

I wasn't the biggest fan of this mascara. It definitely did it's job, but I had to pair it with another mascara to achieve the look that I wanted. When I use this mascara on it's own, it is pretty underwhelming. I started using it after another mascara, and the wand is really great at separating lashes and lengthening them, but it's not amazing. I will not be repurchasing this. 

2. Ponds Original Clean Wet Cleansing Towlettes
Can you tell what my favorite makeup remover wipes are? Obviously these ones. Makeup removing wipes are so convenient, but often irritate my skin and break me out. These don't, they are so gentle, and I can use them right over my eyes. I buy these in value packs, and always have them on hand. I will for sure continue to repurchase these for a long, long time.

3. Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation in Shade 115
This might just be my favorite foundation I've ever tried. It looks so natural on the skin, provides great coverage without being 100% full coverage and cakey, and also stays on ALL day. I am constantly shocked when I get home on how well this lasts on my skin. I've heard some people say it doesn't last all day, but I've had great luck with it. It is also one of the cheaper foundations in the drugstore from one of the main brands, I am so impressed with it and I've already repurchased it!

4. Simple Cleansing Micellar Water
IN LOVE with this. I use this cleansing water right when I wake up. I use it on a cotton pad, and run it over my face. It isn't strong enough to remove makeup and truly cleanse the face at night, but in the morning, it is perfect. I am pretty lazy with my skincare in the mornings, and this helps me achieve that. It helps me lightly cleanse my skin with being as simple as possible. It smells, feels, and looks like plain water, but performs like a cleanser, which is amazing. It is the great benefits of cleansing without the water, mess, and time it takes in the morning. I highly recommend this, and I've already repurchased this.

5. Batiste Dry Shampoo : Dark and Deep Brown
I've talked about this so many times on my blog, that it doesn't take much explaining. I've tried a lot of dry shampoos, and this is the BEST one on the market at a reasonable price point. I love dry shampoo, and this is the best one I've ever tried. I highly recommend this if you're looking for a good dry shampoo (they have an original one, without the brown tint if you prefer). I've already repurchased this. I try to survive without this and use others ones that I have on hand, but truly nothing compares.

6. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Smooth
This was a love/hate product for me. It made my hair smooth and soft, but I feel that my normal conditioners also do that. This is fairly cheap from the drugstore, so I would recommend trying it if you're looking for a product to leave your hair really soft and smooth. I don't have very damaged hair so I don't feel this was necessary for me. I haven't repurchased this, but might in the future if I feel my hair needs some repairing. I would recommend it though for sure, it was very nice!

7. NYX HD Concealer in Fair
This is my favorite under-eye concealer. I like to brighten up my under-eye area, as I have kind of dark under-eyes. This one is under $5 from the drugstore, and works perfectly. It is light enough that it doesn't look heavy or noticeable that I put product under my eyes, but it brightens enough to give the look I like. I used to buy the concealer from NARS (almost $30!) and this one is really comparable, and a fraction of the price. I highly recommend, and I've already repurchased!

8. Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Dry Shampoo
I wasn't a fan of this dry shampoo for oil control. If I had oily/greasy hair, I would have to use A LOT of this to control that oil, when in comparison I could use a few sprays of the Batiste spray I just showed and achieve the same control. I will say that this is the best smelling dry shampoo I've used, and does a great job of adding volume, but if you're looking for oil control, I wouldn't recommend this one. I won't be repurchasing.

9. Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Shampoo
I love this shampoo. I only buy this when I know that I have some product build-up in my hair and really need a deep clean. This shampoo was actually bought while I was using the dry shampoo that I just showed. I was having to use so much dry shampoo to control oil if needed, that I was getting a lot of build up, and was needing a lot stronger shampoo to make sure I was completely clean when I shampoo my hair. I recommend this, but not for daily use. I haven't repurchased, but I will probably repurchase this again sometime in the future.

10. L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Extreme Shampoo and Conditioner
These were alright! I wasn't the biggest fan, but they completely did the job. They smelled great, cleaned my hair, and were affordable. For me, that is all I'm looking for in a shampoo. I haven't repurchased these, as I LOVE to switch up my shampoos and rarely repurchase the same ones. It is a great one though, and the Total Repair 5 line from L'Oreal is really great and I highly recommend it.

11. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray 
This was just a deluxe sample size, but I loved it. I used to have the spray a few years ago, and just never repurchased it. After getting another sample of this, I remember why I loved it so much, and I have no idea why I never repurchased it. Unfortunately, it isn't cheap, but it is worth it. A lot of drugstore brands are starting to come out with setting sprays, so I might try a few of those before splurging on this guy again. If you are in the market and price point for a high end setting spray though, I highly recommend this, it really keeps the makeup on all night!

12. Benefit Cream Shadow in RSVP
Well there is nothing to see here, because I literally scraped every last bit of this product out of the jar as you can see on the right. This was a really nice champagne colored cream shadow. During the week, I wear glasses at work so I don't focus too much on my eyeshadow application. This allows me to get a sweep of color across my lids, but takes like 10 seconds to apply and is extremely easy. I haven't repurchased this because I have a few similar products that I need to get through first, but I would definitely repurchase this in the future!

13. Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner
I've used this for years. I apply it to my damp hair after I shower, and then brush through it and allow it to air dry. This is one of those products that you don't think works great, until you go without it. Whenever I travel, I don't like to pack this bottle, and then I instantly realize how much this does for my hair. It makes it extremely easy to brush through, speeds up the air-dry time, and really keeps my hair smooth and frizz free. I highly recommend this, and I've already repurchased it. I actually found it at TJ Maxx this time for half price, score!

Well there is my trash. What have you gone through recently? Anything worth trying? Let me know down below! I will be sure to collect my beauty trash again and share when my bag fills up!


As always, thanks for reading.
xo, Jaimie.