What's in my school bag?

Hey my loves! So back to school is right around the corner, and as much as I LOVE summer, I'm actually kinda looking forward to school...a little. I absolutely love supplies shopping and getting all of my things for school organized! I have yet to pick out a tote bag for school, but I know exactly what I will have in my bag. Hope this helps you get organized!

Here's what I will have...

Small things:
-Chapstick (Burt's Bees original)
- 3-4 Band-aids
-(mini) hand lotion from bath and body works
-(mini) Juicy Couture perfume (viva la juicy)
- Deodorant (you can find the mini travel size ones in any drugstore)
-Lipstick I am wearing that day
-Gum (trident is my favorite)
-A few dollars $$ or my wallet (Vera Bradley: "Carry It All Wristlet" in "Boysenberry")
-Glasses in my Vera Bradley case (also in the color "Boysenberry")
-Pads (gotta have those! I keep mine in a wristlet so no one knows)

Everything else:
-5 subject notebook (Mead: in pink)
-Laptop (sometimes)
-6 folders for my 6 subjects (All Labeled and different colors)
-Calculator (TI-84 Plus Silver Edition (in pink)
-A book of my choice or magazine (usually something fashion related. I am not a fan of reading, but a lot of times after tests, my teachers tell us to read, so I kind of need a book)
-Subject books that are given to us by the school
-Planner (from Walmart or Target)
-(mini) notebook ("Audrey Hepburn" from Target)


Pencil case:
I haven't gotten my pencil case yet either, but I am hoping to get a Vera Bradley one in the color "Boysenberry", but this is what it would include:
-Ticonderoga pencils (original and the black ones)
-3-4 highlighters
-Pens (usually good pens like pilot pens. I know they are expensive but in high school you need decent pens to take a lot of notes!)
-1-2 colored pens
-(mini) sticky notes
-A few paper clips and binder clips
-One more Chapstick



Now I know this is a lot to bring in my school bag, but It all fits! I hope this helps you guys :)
Let me know what you think! Check out my YouTube if you'd like www.youtube.com/giftofglamour8
and follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/giftofglamour8 and if you have any requests or need advice, or just want to ask me a question, please don't hesitate to email me @ giftofglamour8@aol.com

Woah! Where did I go?! :)

Hey my loves. It's been oh so long and I've missed you quite terribly :( but I'm back! This post is going to be nothing but random, so I hope you're ready! First point of the day... I have lately been OBSESSED with making bracelets, like absolutely obsessed. This all started when I was on vacation camping with my family, which will soon bring me to my second point (oh no I'm getting carried away), anyways I had this weird urge to make bracelets, so when we got back I went to my closest craft store and bought a pack of string and started making bracelets! It's so fun and peaceful and it's also nice to make the bracelets for people! Just thought I would share this with you lovelies if you were looking for a random hobby!

Onto point 2.. So the main reason I've been gone, is because my family and I went camping for a week with a few other families. It was fun, but it was a bit rainy which is never fun when you are camping, in tents. I'm not going to get into too much detail, but it was fun!

Point 3! I've basically been loving stripes this time of year and this coming fall. I've been seeing them EVERYWHERE in the stores for back to school shopping, so I feel like they are going to be super trendy this year! Trends to look out for: Blazers, stripes, body-con skirts and dresses, and yet again, lace. This are the trend I have personally seen lately, even though I know there are plenty more, and when I discover them, I will most definitely let you all know!

Point 4: WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE? I'm super nervous to get back to school since I am entering my junior year in high school which is the biggest and most important year. I am also a little excited at the same time. I was wondering if you all could help me out? I'm on the hunt for a cute tote bag for school. I found a tote that I fell in love with from Vera Bradley, its the pleated tote (shown on the right) in the color boysenberry, but it's $84 which is super expensive!! I'm wondering if you guys know of any nice back to school totes that are under $50? If you do, let me know in the comments or email me at giftofglamour8@aol.com :) Thanks!


That's all the points I really wanted to touch upon. I hope you all are having a lovely last few weeks of summer and I will talk to you very soon.

xoxo
giftofglamour8

Twitter!!

Hey my loves! This is probably the quickest post ever, but just wanted to let you know I made a twitter!! :)
Follow me if you'd like @ twitter.com/giftofglamour8 and check me out on youtube @ youtube.com/giftofglamour8   Thanks loves!!

~ Giftofglamour8

What makes you happy?

I've been thinking a lot lately.. I feel like I start all my blog posts this way, but I seriously have been thinking a lot. Thinking of all that I am grateful for and all the little things that make me happy. I thought that for a blogpost, I would just list all the things that make me smile daily. Does that sound like a good idea? I hope so. These are the top 10 things that I am grateful for and make me smile..

1. Texts from my friends who I love so much <3

2. My baby ...AKA my camera.

3. Candles

4. Flowers

5. Coffee

6. Anything to do with fashion

7. Blogging

8. Sappy Romances movies

9. Music

10. Rain && Thunderstorm 

What Makes YOU happy?

Thank you loves for reading this! Means the world to me <3 Remember, always be happy!! :D

xoxo

Love always, 

giftofglamour8

Need advice? Email me at giftofglamour8@aol.com

I love YOU!

Lately I have been listening to Taylor Swift, like I said in the previous post! Taylor makes me think! I feel like every song she writes is written for ME and I'm sure a ton of other girls feel the same way! I just thought I would make a post talking to you guys about LIFE! I guess you could call this an advice post if you'd like..I was actually thinking about doing advice posts as much as possible. I really feel that reading what others have gone through or others opinions on subjects helps me!

I want to first tell you girls/guys who do read my blog, if EVER you need advice or just need someone to vent to, I am ALWAYS here. I know sometimes it is hard to talk to your parents about personal issues and it is also hard to find true friends who will listen and keep all your secrets SAFE. I want you all to know that I love giving advice and I feel that everyone needs someone to talk to. Sometimes you just need to let your problems out and let someone know how you are feeling. Please don't hold back from emailing me if you have a question. I know I don't have many followers now, but if I do eventually, if any of you need to ask a question or just want advice, I'm here.

I just want all of you out there who have even stumbled upon this blog to know I love you. When you feel alone, I want you to know you are beautiful and never to change who you are. You are you, and that is what makes you special. No one can be who you are and there are no duplicates. I want anyone who reads this blog to know that anything you are going through that's a tough time will end! IT DOES GET BETTER! I promise you. Life can be hard sometimes and I totally understand that guys have their problems but PERSONALLY I feel that girls have a lot to deal with. I am not trying to be biased, I just personally feel that when girls have a problem, it escalates and guys seem to brush off the problem easier. I'm absolutely not saying that guys don't get hurt or don't have feelings, but I feel that girls deal with their problems a little deeper and their true emotions show through. I feel like girls don't always say how they feel. They bottle up their emotions and it usually ends in tears or some kind of big fight. I know for me I try to find a close friend to talk to.

Having friends you can trust and just sit and cry with is so special. I can't even explain how important it is to TRY to find someone you can trust no matter what. Surrounding yourself with even one person that you know will always be there for you is the key to true happiness. If you are someone who doesn't have a boyfriend, don't worry about it. You have plenty of time to look for the right one. I always tell my friends that you want to be a guys LAST never his second or third or fourth. Finding true love is all about picking through all the dead flowers to find the hidden garden. Yes I know how cheesy that sounds, but I mean that you will always find guys that are total jerks, then you will find guys that are nice, but just aren't the ones, and once you get past all of those guys, you will find the one. Life is all about TIMING. Never give up on something/someone you can't go a day without. I know sometimes when things don't work out little by little you need to let go, but you need to always take a chance in life. You don't want to look back someday and thing what could have or should have or would have been. I have friends who have amazing boyfriends and luckily everything has worked out for them and I am truly so happy for them. You need to respect yourself and make sure you never do anything that you are uncomfortable with just to get a guy because you thing that's the only way to get them. It's not. Wouldn't you rather have a guy that truly loves you? Not just loves you for the things you do. You should always put yourself first. I'm not saying you should be selfish and be bratty about it, but you are important and you deserve to be happy no matter what. I want you to know that whatever you have been through, leave it behind. Your past is your past, it doesn't matter anymore, all that matters is NOW. Live in the moment and make the most of everything you do in life, but whatever you are doing, make sure you are happy and have a smile on your face. You never know who is falling in love with your smile, so try to never frown.

I want to personally tell you it gets better! Thank you so much for reading this! It means the world to me. If you even need advice, please email me at giftofglamour8@aol.com

Thank you.
xoxo
Love always,
giftofglamour8

Starbucks! && me rambling! :)

This is basically the randomist (yes I said randomist) post ever! I wanted to know if any of you had suggestions for Starbucks coffee! I'm a HUGE fan! I am not a fan of the prices since they are a bit high $$  but I really don't mind spending the money for a good cup of coffee or a well made drink! :) I'm not gonna lie, I've ALWAYS been a Dunkin' Donuts kinda gal, but lately I have been really into Starbucks. I feel like it's a little classier and they don't mess up my order haha! Dunkin' Donuts is where I get my regular daily iced coffee and Starbucks is usually me treating myself to a special drink! I usually go to Starbucks with my best friend. I feel like a cup of coffee is best enjoyed with a friend :) This post is just to ask for some suggestions on drinks to try at Starbucks.. Kinda random I know! :)

I don't want to just make this post about coffee because that seems super boring! Let's see.. Whats been going on in my life. Well today is Thursday August 4th and I am looking forward to watching the Jersey Shore Italy premiere tonight! So yeah I'll admit it, I'm a huge Jshore fan. I've been watching Since the first episode of season 1! Any fans out there? It's such a crazy show and a lot of what happens is pointless but it is so addicting and I just love it! I'm definitely a reality tv. junkie! :P haha! I'll be popping some popcorn and curling up with a blanket tonight and possibly inviting some friends over to watch the premiere! I cannot wait..I've been kind sorta counting down the days! It's bad.. Other than that my week is sort of all over the place. All day today I am doing my summer reading and then taking breaks in between! I love to come on here and blog when I take a break, because it seems to calm me down a little :) Friday (tomorrow) I am doing nothing, probably reading again!

Saturday is going to be fun. My Mom is taking me and my two closest friends out to eat somewhere and shopping for the day for a late birthday dinner. Like I said, my birthday was on Tuesday, and we were originally going to go somewhere big for my birthday, but everything is so expensive now that we decided to wait until maybe a vacation during the school year! I'm so excited to spend some time with my friends and just enjoy life. Every single day I realize how much friends mean to me and I want to spend as much time with them as possible before I start to get older and more serious about my life and career. There is so much time to have fun and just be a teen before you have to really settle down and be serious about life. I love to be able to spend the time with friends that I'm lucky to have and I am so thankful!

So I've ALWAYS been obsessed with Taylor Swift, but lately I have been more obsessed than ever. Not to sound like a creep ahah! She just speaks to me and I'm sure Millions of other girls going through heartbreak, crushes, school, and just life in general. She is the only singer/songwriter that has lyrics that I feel like so many people can truly relate to and that is such an amazing quality in a singer. She is such a beautiful role model. Taylor is so graceful and she presents herself very well. I think she is absolutely gorgeous and so grateful for her fans and that makes me so happy when singers or any famous person out there is loyal to the fans that were part of the reason they got to where they are. I had her "Speak Now" CD and  few songs from her older albums, but I usually just listen to the older albums by searching songs on YouTube, but for my birthday my parents got me, "Fearless" and "Taylor Swift" her first album. I love the songs "You're not sorry", "Superstar", "Sparks Fly", "Breathe", "Hey Stephen", "White Horse", "Long Live" "Innocent" And "teardrops on my guitar" I love EVERY one of her songs, but those are my favorite!

Thank you all so much for reading this post! I love each of you very much who even takes the time to read anything I have written. It means the world. Check out my YouTube if you'd like http://www.youtube.com/giftofglamour8
Again, Thank you. 


Dear whoever is reading this, you're beautiful and someone out there is crazy about you. So smile. Life is too short to be unhappy. When you feel like there is no one who loves you, just remember, I love you.

xoxo

Love always,

~giftofglamour8

I'm BACK!

Hey my loves! Okay So I know I've been completely missing for so long but I've been working on my youtube channel youtube.com/giftofglamour8 and I've also been working on my summer homework which is taking me FOREVER.

So yesterday was my birthday and I was with a close friend of mine. We decided to go out to lunch and get coffee at Starbucks together! I love enjoying time with friends. Spending every minute of your life living to the fullest is how it should be. Try to always smile. I've realized that I always need to surround myself with amazing friends in life!

 

I can't believe how time goes by so fast...

I have decided for this blog to just have a random blog. At first I was going to dedicate it to completely fashion and beauty/makeup, but then I just realized how much I love to give advice and just chat. I feel like everyone needs a place to just talk with people and share common interests...you know? I'm not sure if that made any sense but I just feel like this is such a great place for me to be myself and not have to worry about what others think. High school can be such a tough place to find yourself and sometimes you need little things like blogs and youtube channels and just simple things to keep you who you are. I sure hope this makes sense to you all and I'm not just sounding ridiculous. If any of you have suggestions for me I would appreciate them greatly! It's always nice to have some new ideas from everyone :) All suggestions are welcome. I really hope you get a chance to check out my youtube channel as well...only if you'd like to though!


Lately I have been so obsessed with bath and body works "Homemade Cookies" Candle. It's so delicious and even though it is summer, I still feel like the scent is perfect. I usually burn this at the same time as "sweet pea" and my room smells wonderful :)

Something about the smell of cookies makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! OH OH OH!! I also recently purchased a pair of yoga pants (my new obsession) from Forever21. If any of you are cheap like me and don't want to spend more than $20 on a pair of comfortable yoga pants or sweatpants then I definitely recommend you try on a pair of their athletic pants! They are very comfortable and super affordable. They are around $10-$15 and are so cute!

I've been pretty stressed lately..well actually it's safe to say I've been VERY stressed. Life gets hard sometimes and everyone needs to just sit down, breathe, and take a break. I'd love to share some of my ways to relax with all of you lovely bloggers! :)

The first thing I do when I am stressed is I put down whatever I am doing that is making me stressed and leave it alone. If you are stressed with summer homework (like me) then you need to put your books away for a little while and take a break. The next step I take is putting on a pair of my favorite sweatpants and sweatshirt (or t-shirt if its hot)! Anything that you can wear around the house and feel comfortable in is PERFECT! I've been so into candles lately, as I said and I think I love them because they are so calming. Candles add this effect to your room that makes the mood more calm automatically. I don't know why, they just do! So, If you like candles, Ask a parent first and enjoy! Flowers are something else that seems to calm me down. Flowers are just so pretty and "happy". Some of these things can't be explained as to why they calm you down, they just do. Read a book, listen to some music, take a bath and my personal favorite...Make a cup of tea or coffee! :) Just give yourself time to relax and think positively! Once you are feeling a little better, get back to what needs to be done and make sure you take breaks and don't over work yourself!

Hope these tips helped && Thank you so much for reading :)
Have a wonderful day my loves!

xoxox
~giftofglamour8

youtube.com/giftofglamour8

June favorites!

http://www.youtube.com/giftofglamour8

Review: loreal liner intense eyeliner

Hey my loves!

So I wanted to talk to you a little about MY FAVORITE liquid eyeliner EVER! That would be the "loreal liner intense eyeliner" in carbon black. This eyeliner is absolutely amazing. I know last year this eyeliner was talked about all over YouTube and I didn't understand what the hype was about. I purchased this eyeliner sometime last year and used it up SO quickly.

Why I like it so much:
~All day wear (no smudging and stays on in the summer)
~Bold color, goes on BLACK, not shimmery, not brownish black or gray, BLACK.
~Last awhile
~Cheap for a liquid liner

Why I don't like it:
~I don't have anymore at the moment and I need to go out and buy a new one :]

If you are looking for an affordable long lasting bold liner, I definitely recommend this liner!
Hope this helps! Let me know what you think. Thank you so much for reading this, It means the world to me. If you'd like, Check out my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/GiftofGlamour8
Have a lovely rest of your Monday!

Thanks so much,

~GiftofGlamour8

How to get perfect summer skin!

Okay okay, Let's face it. There is NO SUCH THING as PERFECT skin. of course we can all get clear skin if we follow the right steps though! I've always had to deal with breakouts. Every single teen deals with some sort of skin issues that leave them feeling self consious. Some have it worse then others but we all deal with it once in our life, so don't feel bad if you are going through skin problems right now!

MY TIPS!

1) WASH YOUR FACE! I know it may seem obvious but a lot of people skip washing their face. Makeup wipes DO NOT count for washing your face!! Yes, you should definitely take your makeup off with a makeup wipe or you favorite makeup remover, but you should try to create a routined face washing. My routine is as followed: 1. Take off makeup using equate brand makeup wipes  2)Wash excess makeup off using Neutrogena's oil free acne WASH in pink grapefruit 3) Scrub my face "exfoliate" using Neutrogena's  oil free acne SCRUB in pink grapefruit 4) Wash my face one last time using a prescription from my doctor 5) Moisturize my skin using "oil of olay" (equate brand) face cream 6) Apply prescription cream to pimples 

2) GET SLEEP! This may seem like it would have nothing to do with your skin, but a full night of sleep is important for EVERTHING related to your body! Getting a good nights sleep replenishes your body and gives you energy but also replenishes the oils in your skin since you are not being exposed to the rays outside and you aren't exposed to anything that will harm your skin. *change your pillow sheet as often as possible because oils from your hair will end up on your pillow which can break you out!

3) WHERE SUNSCREEN when needed! Sunscreen helps prevent sunspots, cancer, and sunburn! Just because you are wearing sunscreen doesn't me you wont tan!!

4) DRINK WATER! Drinking water helped replenish the natural liquids in your body and wash out your system which helps prevent future breakouts!

5) DO NOT I repeat DO NOT pick at pimples!! Once you pop a pimple, it will NEVER go away! I promise you, you will have a scar. I know that you can find products to get rid of acne scars, but they don't completely work! A pimple will come and go when it pleases! Do not rush the process! I know it may be annoying if you have a pimple, but some natural ways to reduce the swelling are: apply honey with a band-aide, apply toothpaste, drink water, &  JUST WAIT!

 

Thank you so much for reading my blog! 

I hope these tips help you get the skin you want for the summer! <3 :]

Check out my YouTube?! http://www.youtube.com/user/GiftofGlamour8

~GiftofGlamour8 

Get a perfect smile :D

We all know summer is here and we all want bronzed skin, perfect complexion and the perfect nail color DUH! :P but what about your teeth? Just because it's summer, don't start getting lazy and brushing once a day!! Here are my tips on how to get the smile of your dreams, okay well not your dreams, but close enough! teehee :) 

My tips:

1) BRUSH! BRUSH! BRUSH! Many people miss the fact that the key to white teeth is having CLEAN TEETH! Getting plaque off of your teeth is the first step to finding that sparkling smile of yours :D

2) Use the right toothpaste! My favorite toothpaste brand is crest!

3) FLOSS! flossing is VERY important when it comes to having clean and pretty teeth! 

4) Do not drink too much coffee and sodas! I know I know, It's hard, I completely understand because I myself am a caffeine addict! I drink coffee daily and if I could, I'd drink nothing but coffee and soda! NOT GOOD! coffee, tea, and sodas STAIN your teeth PERMANENTLY...eek! Not only do these drink stain your teeth but they give u bad breath so if you do drink these drinks BRUSH afterwards! 

5) Find a good mouthwash! I recommend Listerine because it kills bad breath and germs the best. It's a stronger mouth wash, so if you have a sensitive mouth then I recommend trying it first before you buy a full size bottle! 

LET'S TALK WHITE STRIPS!

My favorite white strips are Listerine's because they are SUPER cheap and easy for on the go application! These strips dissolve on your teeth so if you are in a hurry you can put them on and leave the house with them on! The only down side to them is they taste horrible. After using them so many times I was so used to the taste that I didn't realize it. There are alternatives to whitening strips like whitening toothpaste and getting your teeth professionally whitened, but since i haven't tried either of those I couldn't tell you my opinion. 

Hope these tips helped! Keep on smiling :D

Have suggestions? Let me know! 

I appreciate every single comment and suggestion, means the world to me to see people reading my blog! <3 thank you so much my loves!

Check out my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/GiftofGlamour8

Summer Scents :)

Hey my loves!! Okay so let's talk about summer scents. We all know there are TONS of perfumes and lotions and body sprays, etc. but here are my tips for smelling fresh all summer long!! :) 

Dealing with B.O!

Okay, Let's face it my loves, we ALL have BO, but there are so many ways to deal with it! 

1) Buy the right deodorant for your body type,! There's spray on, stick, powder, & liquid roller.

2) Find a brand that you like, and stick with it, because sometimes switching deodorants all the time can irritate your skin causing breakouts, Eekk!! :P I personally have always used either "Dove" or "Sure" stick deodorant and they have always worked for me. If you are going to the beach, BRING your deodorant with you. Yeah it may seems silly, but most deodorants come off of your skin when you sweat or go in the water (even if they say "sweat proof", don't always believe the labels)

3) Drink a lot of H2O waterrrrr :) I know it's not something you'd think of, but replenishing your body with  liquids (the best being water) helps to keep you hydrated and your skin fresh! when you skin is dry and you're hot...its just eww! hahah :)

Difference between body sprays && perfume:

It's pretty simple, perfume is WAY more concentrated then body sprays! Some people get headaches from strong perfumes (like myself). When going to the beach, I personally suggest using a body spray since you are going to be sweating and you don't want to break out from your sprays you use, so use very little! Many brands now have sprays that go along with their deodorants like dove! I’ve never personally used them but I have friends who swear by there all day wear! :)

Hope these tips help! Happy Summer :] xoxox

Summer Skin Care!

Hello my loves! So let's talk summer skin!

Key tips:
1) Keep skin hydrated meaning drink you H2O :]
2) Moisturize moisturize moisturize! (I suggest moisturizing 2-3 times a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once before bed)
3) DO NOT sit in the sun for long time periods of time! (do not spend more than an hour in the sun and make sure to ALWAYS wear your sunscreen) PS: sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2-3 hours!!
4) DO NOT fake tan!! I know I know you may have dark bronzed friends and tanning booths seem so intriguing to you, but DON'T DO IT! skin cancer isn't impossible to get. Many girls think, if i go once nothing will happen, WRONGO! Just once can do the trick!
5) Exfoliate! for better tanning results exfoliate twice a week!
6) moisturize/hydrate and exfoliate those lips! :-*

My favorite summer skin care products:
1) Neutrogena oil free acne scrub in pink grapefruit
2) EOS lip balm in passion fruit
3) SUGAR is my absolute favorite lip exfoliant mixed with a little honey! :) yum! hehehe also, Lush has some awesome lip scrubs!! hehe

Hope these tips help! Enjoy your summer my loves!!

Let's talk CREAM BLUSH! (Maybelline's dream mousse blush)

Hello my loves! Summer is FINALLY here! Today is the first official day! So recently I was in the drugstore to pick up some haircare items, face wash, you know, the usual and I ran into the beauty isle (I couldn't leave without just looking [; )....

As I was walking through I was looking for a new eye-liner, but nothing caught my eye. Of course I always go into a store looking for one thing and end up leaving with something TOTALLY different. I looked through Maybelline and I found this "mousse" blush. I thought "hey, I'll give it a try" AHH! ATTENTION ALL MAKEUP GEEKS, this blush is AMAZING. overall rating 5 out of 5 

The consistency is perfect (doesn't go on too dark or too light)

The wear is amazing (stays on all day & goes on VERY smooth)

The colors are gorgeous :) (I got mine in #10 pink frosting)

I feel that this will work perfectly on all skin tones!