ColourPop First Impressions Haul

Hello friends! Recently I made an order from ColourPop, a makeup brand based in Los Angeles that everyone raves about, particularly their matte liquid lipsticks. I thought I'd see what all the hype is about and order some of their products, so here are my first impressions.

• Satin Finish Blush in Pegacorn - Okay, so I bought this blush mostly because of the name, but also because it's gorgeous. It's a sheer plum blush with a bit of shimmer (not glitter, just glow), and it's perfect for fall, even thought I wear it in the middle of July, too.

• Highlighter in Spoon - This highlight looks amazing online, but it's far too glittery for me. It's a super pretty champagme shade, and I still love it, but I'll probably use it as an eyeshadow.

• Ultra Satin Lip in Lyin' King - Holy moly these things are so worth the hype. I have never worn such a pigmented gloss, and it's absolutely stunning. This shade is a cool-toned berry red, and althought I can't attest to the staying power of it yet, as I don't have many red lip-appropriate occasions, I can't wait to wear it.

• Ultra Matte Lip in Lumiere 2 - This one I have worn for extended periods of time, and I'm in love. Typically I don't like matte lips because I don't like the dry feeling they give, and I do correct that finish with a clear gloss, but I still love the cool neutral purple hue, so I don't mind. The staying power is amazing - I put it on in the morning, blot it a bit so it doesn't transfer to my teeth, and top it with the gloss. The gloss may wear off, but the color stays all day long.

• Lippie Pencil in Lumiere - This pencil doesn't quite match the Matte Lip, but it's still a perfect neutral lip liner that I can wear with anything.

• Mini Gloss in Tokyo Tea - Something I didn't know about ColourPop is that you can get free Mini Glosses with certain dollar amounts of a purchase. I qualified for two, and this is the first one I picked. It's a bright orange-red, and my only complaint is that the applicator is absolutely tiny, so it take multiple dips back into the product to cover my lips.

• Mini Gloss in Finders Keepers - This is my second freebie, and it's the perfect my-lips-but-better shade. My only complaint is the same as the last: the applicator is too tiny.

 

Overall, I am very impressed with the brand as a whole, and will definitely try more things from them in the future. Let me know of any other brands you'd like first impressions on, and let me know if you've tried any of these things.

 

 

*Note: all photos are from ColourPop's website, purely for the reason of wanting the pictures to be as true-to-hue as possible.

 

 

I wish you all the best,

Erin

My Top 50 Favorite Baby Names

Hello friends! Recently Meagan (TulipByAnyName on YouTube) made/is making a series of videos on her channel discussing her top 50 favorite baby names, and I thought I'd follow suit over here. I don't have quite as many favorites as she does, so I'm sharing my top 25 for both boys and girls, so 50 in total (and my favorites at this moment because I change my mind almost daily). I'll list both boys and girls under the same number, girls' names first, with any nicknames I'd want to use following the name.

1. Scarlett (Scout) // Isaac
2. Maisie // Beckett (Beck)
3. Lila // Calvin
4. Stella // Samuel (Sam)
5. Isla // Griffin
6. Ingrid (Indie) // Hudson
7. Eleanor (Nellie) // Connor
8. Wren // Ford
9. Livia (Liv) // Declan
10. Enorah (Norah) // Jude
11. Elodie (Elle) // Oliver
12. Adeleine [pronounced Adalyn] (Addie) // Knox
13. Brooklyn // Fletcher
14. Nessa // Parker
15. Kaila // James
16. Grace // Benjamin (Ben)
17. Esme // Michael (Mac)
18. Audrey // Andrew
19. Charlotte // Caleb
20. Victoria // Rowan
21. Noelle // Gray
22. Sutton // Phoenix
23. Cosette // August
24. Ruby // Indigo
25. Mira // Wyatt

Let me know some of your favorites and any further posts you'd like to see in the comments - I'd love to hear from you!

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Sweet Spot: Greek Chicken Pitas with Lemon Garlic Sauce and Roasted Potatoes

Hello friends! I have another recipe for you, and I'm absolutely obsessed. These pitas make for a great weeknight dinner, but also produce amazing leftovers for lunch. Warning: Aside from being addictive, this is mostly to taste and depends on quantity, so I have almost no real measurements. Use your best judgement. It's the most fun way to cook, and makes for way less dishes to do when you're done.

The Lineup:
     About 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts (depending on how many you're serving), cut into 1
     inch cubes
     About 1 cup lemon juice, divided
     Garlic olive oil (or olive oil with minced garlic)
     Oregano
     Salt & pepper
     About 1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces
     1 cup canola oil
     1 egg white
     6 peeled garlic cloves
     Pita halves
      Lettuce & tomato for topping, if desired

The Play-by-Play:
1. Marinate chicken in 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup garlic olive oil, salt, pepper, and
    oregano to taste. Refrigerate 2-24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes in about 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup
    garlic olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. Roast approximately 30 minutes
    until fork-tender.
3. In a blender or small food processor bowl, combine canola oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice,
    egg white, peeled garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Blend until whipped and creamy,
    1-2 minutes.
4. Light grill. Place marinated chicken on soaked bamboo skewers, grill until cooked
    through, about 4 minutes per side.
5. If desired, brush pitas with olive oil and grill until warm.
*6. Assemble pitas with chicken, sauce, and toppings. Serve with potatoes. Enjoy!

Quick Play:
If you don't have access to a grill, the chicken can be cooked on a stovetop. The pitas also don't need to be grilled, just be sure to follow package directions before serving - most need to be microwaved before filling to make them more flexible. This chicken and even the sauce would also be amazing in a Greek salad. The sauce will make about 2 cups, so store the rest in the fridge for your later enjoyment.

The Playmaker: http://www.jocooks.com/main-courses/poultry-main-courses/marinated-chicken-spiedies-with-garlic-sauce/
    
    
I wish you all the best,
Erin

Get to Know Me Tag

Hello friends! There's been quite a bit of traffic to this lovely little internet corner lately (Hello! Welcome!), so I figured I'd do the ever-popular Get to Know Me Tag from YouTube to let you all learn a little more about me.

1. What's your middle name?
     Violet
2. Favorite school subject?
    Conventional subject: English // Nonconventional subject: chorus
3. Favorite drink?
    Iced caramel mochas are what I live on.
4. Favorite song at the moment?
    This is so hard because I have multiple favorites of everything. Right now it's "Hell No"
    by Ingrid Michaelson. It's just a good jam.
5. What would you name your children?
    As some of you may know, I adore names and thinking about my future kids' names. If I
    had my ideal set of kids to name at this exact moment, I would have two girls and a
    boy, and their names would be Scarlett Lila (I would call her Scout - I think it's an
    adorable, unconventional nickname), Maisie Wren, and Beckett Calvin (I would call
    him Beck), so I would have Scout, Maisie, and Beck.
6. Have you played any sports?
    I did dance and cheerleading when I was little, but I'm as graceful as a baby giraffe on
    ice, so that didn't really work out.
7. Favorite book?
    Again, I have a ton of favorites, but right now I really love Me Before You and I'll Give
    You the Sun.
8. Favorite color?
    Purple and gray
9. Favorite animal?
    Domestic animal: dog // Wild animal: otter
10. Favorite perfume?
      Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black (Bonus: My favorite normal scents are vanilla,
      coffee, cherry, and peach.)
11. Favorite holiday?
      Thanksgiving and Christmas
12. On a scale from 1-10, rate your childhood.
      I'd give it a solid 8. It was really great, but school was hard for me. I spent most of
      my time by myself.
13. Have you ever been out of the country?
      Yes, I went to Ireland two and a half years ago. It was amazing. It's definitely my
      favorite place I've ever been.
14. Do you speak any other languages?
      I can understand basic Spanish, but I'd probably have a hard time responding if
      someone spoke to me.
15. Do you have any siblings?
      Yes, I have one younger brother.
16. Favorite store?
      I love Target, and Forever 21 is great for cheap clothes - I love to turn over my closet
      pretty regularly.
17. Favorite restaurant?
      I don't know if I have one. I like to try new places.
18. Do you like school?
      I'm in college right now, and it's okay. I'd rather be done, but it's something I have to
      stick with. I need something to fall back on in case my bakery dream falls through.
19. Favorite YouTubers?
      Oh goodness, there are so many. I love Cupcake Jemma, the Ballinger family (all of
      them), Buzzfeed, and Zoella, just to name a few.
20. Favorite movie?
      Grease is the one I have to watch every time it's on, so I think that makes it my
      favorite.
21. Favorite TV show?
      I love most shows on Food Network and TLC, but I also love any of The Bachelor
      shows, especially Bachelor in Paradise.
22. Mac or PC?
      I have a PC, but I'm thinking about making the switch to Mac just because that's more
      practical for what I do in school.
23. What phone do you have?
      I have an iPhone 6 with a cute pineapple case.
24. How tall are you?
      5'7"
25. Do you have any pets?
      Yes, I have a shih tzu poodle named Darius, even though we barely ever call him by
      his real name.

Please let me know if you have any other questions (within reason, of course), post suggestions, etc., and let me know a little more about you in the comments, I'd love to learn more about you guys!

I wish you all the best,
Erin