lusting after: christmas wishlist

being a kid, there was nothing better than when holiday catalogs started showing up and when christmas commercials began playing; soaking up the toys that we needed to have waiting under the tree on christmas morning. I was always super elaborate when it came to my lists, noting the stores items were available at and the color/specifications it may have. that type a-ness has carried into my adult life in more ways than one, and holiday wish lists are no exception. while some people love gift cards and your ability to choose your own gift, there's nothing I hate more than a bunch of gift cards. while it's nice to be able to choose exactly what you want (and it's nice to take the pressure off when shopping for someone), I love seeing what someone else has chosen for me. I've rounded up a few things that I would love to find wrapped under the tree on christmas morning 🎄

1. I live in a pair of taupe booties I bought last season, but sometime the slightly higher heel makes them tough to wear all day. I've been meaning to add a pair with a smidge smaller heel to my wardrobe for days when I know I'll be on my feet, that can be worn with jeans and sweaters in the winter/fall and skirts and dresses in the spring/summer. I love this pair from Lucky Brand with it's perforated detail and cut out opening.

2. I almost always ask for a fragrance for the holidays- it's an easy thing for someone to gift (as long as they know what scent you wear), and the gift sets feel extra special with their bonus gifts. this set from Elizabeth and James in my favorite scent (Nirvana Black) comes with a mini version of their dry shampoo (a cult favorite amongst dark haired gals & anyone who loves the scent) and a mini lotion along with the full sized fragrance. if you love the idea of gifting a fragrance but aren't sure what scent is right, try this perfume sampler from Sephora- try the samples, pick your favorite, and get a full sized version of your fave.

3. as someone who loves glitter and sparkle, this phone case is the best. when my uber cool boss showed up with it, I knew it had to be mine. equal parts girly, cool girl, and grown up snow globe- all amazing.

4. rebecca minkoff makes my favorite (and most accessible) handbags, hands down. while my collection seems to keep growing, I can't get enough of her bags. amazing quality leather or suede, great design, and realistic price point. this bag is one of my favorites for a classic bag, in a neutral color that will go with anything (this version is a bit less everyday, but so fabulous or holiday!)

5. I've loved Gray Malin's pieces for years, and with his Positano beach series, I was hooked (it's one of my favorite places on Earth). moving back to the East Coast and redoing my apartment has me dying to add this piece to my life. love everything from the colors, to the symmetry, and of course the subject. whether you're looking to add a piece to a bedroom, living room, or even a child's room- Gray's pieces are perfect.

6. a gift guide from me wouldn't be complete without without some jewels. these earrings are part of the collaboration between my former bosses (M. Flynn) and blogger Erin Gates (behind Elements of Style). love everything from the rose gold color, to the diamond accent, and the compass rose design. the perfect everyday earring that will look fabulous for years to come.

what items are on your wishlist this holiday season?

xx, marissa

outfit inspo: thanksgiving

thanksgiving is in one week. please, let that sink in because I can't believe we're already at this point of the year. holy moly. my family is pretty relaxed around the holidays, so wardrobe is pretty much whatever you want. while leggings and hoodies may be comfy and the norm for my younger cousins, I like to look a bit more put together even when we're just at home. sweater dresses are one of my favorites- comfy sweater material and a roomy fit after all the yummy food. you can add a pair of tights (thick black, sweater, sheer, whatever) if you think it's a bit bare, or higher boots for more coverage.

one. love the lace up detail, but the oversized chunky laces keep it more comfy less clubby.

two. this color! cannot get enough deep marsala red. love it with a dark lip and a statement earring.

three. super flattering silhouette- the zippers keep it from looking boxing, and add a touch of edge. 

four. between the cowl neck and the camel color, this dress may need to be mine regardless of the holiday. love it with some thigh high black suede boots that I have.

what's your wardrobe for thanksgiving? strictly comfort, or a bit more style?

xx, marissa

love it/hate it: glossier

as far as instagrammable companies go- glossier is definitley at the top of the list. everything from their easy breezy beautiful staff "models" to the perfectly pale pink packaging and cutesy feel good messaging, is just waiting to grace your feed and help anyone achieve cool girl status. any self respecting hills fan should remember emily, the preppy dark haired new york teen vogue intern brought in to show up lauren during some party for the magazine- love the battle of east coast vs. west coast. fast forward to present day and that same emily is the writer behind the popular beauty blog, into the gloss, and the skin care/cosmetic company in question, glossier.

the second I saw the packaging, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would be placing my own order (sucha sucker for packaging). the original claim to fame was boy brow, a product that was supposed to give you brooke shields worthy brows without all the fuss and muss, and was on backorder for basically ever (hate when companies do that). when I saw that it was back in-stock, into the cart it went (in the shade brown) along with the priming moisturizer. 

the packaging of everything was just as amazing as I anticipated it being; pale pink everything, a bubble wrap pouch (I love a good pouch!), stickers to decorate your products/phone/whatever (what kind of person doesn't love stickers...), and the most perfectly perfect moto "skin first. makeup second. smile always." too, too cute.

boy brow was the one I couldn't wait to get my hands on. all the videos on the site show the models using boy brow as their only brow product to achieve amazing whipspy natural brows, and I tried it that way my first go around and wasn't wowed by the results. it's definitely a good brow product, keeping my thick and unruly brows in place (a feat in and of itself) and since it's tinted, it added a little somethin' somethin' to some thinner areas. but, if you're looking to fill in spare areas where hair just won't grow, or use a product to build up your arch or create a tail- you'll definitley need to pull in a powder/pomade/pencil to get the job done. I've had the product for a couple months, using it daily, and have noticed that it's already starting to change in consistency; either getting to the end of the tube or it's already drying up- bummer since it's definitely not drugstore pricing, but not make or break.

I've blogged about my issues with moisturizers in the past (check it out here!), but decided to give this one a try. since the basis of the company is skin care I thought that it would be basic enough for my super sensitive skin (fragrance/paraben free and derm approved), doesn't contain sunscreen (leaves me with super cute bumps all along my hairline), and has a thinner texture (something that I prefer in my everyday moisturizer). the first time I tried it I was still living in los angeles and it was just too much for the warm climate. I could feel the product sitting on my face, and caused a couple blemishes after a few days of use. I had a feeling that once I was back in the colder new england air, it would be a great part of my skincare routine. it's been two weeks and it seems like I was right.

still looking to try the balm dot com (deciding between the original or rose & cherry flavors), the milky jelly cleanser (love a milky cleanser during the winter), the mega greens galaxy pack mask (after I finish up some glam glow masks that are still kicking), and the soothing face mist (evian is my go-to, but I love trying new mists)- so safe to say we're in love it territory. 

have you tried anything from the glossier line? what are some of your brand favs that I shouldn't miss?

xx, marissa

ps. haven't pulled the trigger on an order? here's 20% off your first order ♡

goodbye LA

the time has come for this east coast lady to head back to her roots, and kiss LA goodbye. these past 2 years have been amazing, and I'm so glad that I decided to pack up my life and try something new. I knew when I made the decision to leave boston, that it was temporary. I didn't have the standard LA dreams of moving here and becoming famous, or leaving massachusetts forever and setting up shop in california. these two years have been exactly what I needed to reignite the fire in my belly for boston, and allow me to fall back in love with new england. they say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and this is certainly one time when "they" know what they're talking about. there are plenty of things that I'll miss about LA, but number 1 is definitely all of my loves (mostly the ying to my yang/resident best friend <3). I've been so lucky to meet some of the most amazing people, and I don't take a single one of them for granted. I consider myself a 'people collector'- not a weirdo who collects people in a freaky way you sickos, but a person who collects important people from every stage of their life and holds onto them. LA, with it's industry people who are vapid, shallow, and stereotypical in every sense own the word, is a tough place to meet people, real people who you will share your life with and become better person because of. I was lucky to meet a whole slew of them, and I'll treasure them forever. anyone thinking of moving to LA, my advice is to have a thick skin to deal with all of the bullshit that comes with living here, but once you get past that, it can be an amazing place to grow as a person. I tell people all the time that I do my best growing as a person when I move to a place where I know (hardly) no one, and are forced into a sink or swim situation- my time in Madrid was the best thing for me, and now LA is a similar situation. I think anyone can benefit from time outside of their comfort zone, and these two years in LA have been such a learning period for me. goodbye LA, I'll miss you and your flakey people, your traffic, your lack of public transportation, your incomparable mexican food, your incredible vintage shopping, your beaches, your bums, your comedy scene, your jay-walking, your toilet seat covers, your lighted parking garages, and some of my favorite people in the whole wide world.

thank you for everything; I'll be back before you know it.

xoxo, marissa

bucket list: DTLA

as I was heading to my other must see spot on my DTLA adventure, I had a super deja vu feeling, and realized that I was right in the middle of one of my favorite movies. remember the park bench from 500 Days of Summer that was tom's favorite view of LA? you're looking at it. the park (Angel's Knoll) has unfortunately closed due to budget cuts (some suit thinks it should be turned into a sky scraper - cue eye roll), but if you walk down the Angel's Flight railway/stairs (another randomly cool thing I stumbled upon), the park is to the right. being from boston, a city where old and new combine so seamlessly wherever you look, I love finding pockets like this. I snapped a quick picture, almost slipping and tumbling down a giant concrete trench in front of a gaggle of homeless people, checked out the originally restored cars from 1901, and headed on my way.

the point for my trek away from the museum was to see the bradbury building, an obsession of mine for years. I love old architecture, and this building is a serious gem that is still fully functioning as an office building (including the original cage door elevator). thankfully, visitors are allowed into the lobby of the building during office hours, so I poked my head in for a few fan girl minutes, snapped some pictures, and headed on my way. so much attention to detail- they just don't make building like they used to. unfortunately for fans of the building, there is a security guard on duty who makes sure you don't go any higher than the first floor landing. I'm sure the view from the top looking down is amazing, but even from the bottom I loved it.

 

the last stop on my DTLA adventure was a total happy accident. I had a bit of time to kill before I headed home, and realized that I was right around the corner from the last bookstore - a place that I had read about for a while, but never made it to. I love putzing around a traditional bookstore, and this place takes that love to another level. used books for dirt cheap, new releases, records, vintage books, artist studios, and a labyrinth of rare book combine in an insanely cool downtown space. I could have spent hours pursuing the shelves, and checking out the art work. definitely a must see, we all have to work to keep cool and unique spaces like this alive in a world that is slowly and surely killing off bookstores in favor of amazon and online shopping.

have you paid a visit to any of these locations?

xx, marissa

let's get serious for a minute...

a huge piece of my life since january has been working on the campaign of a candidate who I find not only strong and brilliant, but also compassionate and genuine; two things her biggest critics would never associate with her. now I am by no means saying that she is perfect, no person is. and if we're taking political candidates, candidates for the job of being commander in chief, no candidate in history has ever been (or will ever be) perfect. being the opinionated and headstrong gal that I am, I've always been a fan of hillary, and looked up to her as a role model for the strength and oomph that I hoped to possess as a woman (sharing the same birthday certainly didn't hurt). I will be the first to admit that I didn't believe she was the right person for the job in 2008, barak's message of hope and change resonated with me, and I am proud of being a piece of his victory. but now, she is more than ready. her position as secretary of state, combined with her work as the senator of new york, women and children's rights champion, lawyer, and actively involved first lady have given her that. we have two of the most polarizing options in history for who will lead our country, and one has me (and many other citizens of the world) scared for our future. even if in your soul you hate hillary, whether it be any of the hundreds of reason that both republicans & democrats throw at her, a presidency and country under donald trump is not a promising place if you are a woman, person of color, LGBTQ, child, immigrant, parent, college graduate with student loan debt, person with a mental illness, muslim, small business owner, addict, working class person, or veteran. and even if you don't fall into any of those demographics, think about the people you love (mothers, sisters, friends, wives, girlfriends, neighbors, coworkers, mentors, family members, etc.) that do. november 8th is the day that we as a country decided what kind of a world we want to live in, what kind of message we want to send out to the rest of the world, and to our children. and today, the final presidential debate, is the last chance we have to formally see the type of candidate both hillary clinton and donald trump are.

please, watch the debate, educate yourself on the candidates and issues (biases/preconceived notions/personality opinions aside), and register to vote. the fate of the country and world rely on it, literally.

xx, marissa

cheap date: the broad

as part of my art history minor in college, I spent a good chunk of time at the ICA in boston and fell head over heels for the museum. contemporary art had always been my favorite, so museums focusing on it are always on the top of my list. I had heard of the broad when I first moved to LA, but for some reason never made the trek out there. with my newfound fun-employment until I head back to boston in a few short weeks I've made it my mission to cross as many things off my LA bucket list and finally paid it a visit. the first thing I realized (and loved) was that it is a free museum- hello cheap free date! museums can be seriously pricey, so it's nice that this museum is all about educating and engaging over profiting. however, since it is free, you have to reserve tickets in advance or risk heading down there and waiting in line without getting in. one exhibit/instillation in particular (the infinity room) has been an obsession of mine for years, and requires a separate reservation of it's own. the day I happened to go to the museum, the reservations unfortunatley were full for the day. if you go on a day when reservations are full, there is a standby line that you can wait in, but there is no guarantee you'll get in/how long you'll be waiting. luckily for me a whole slew of reservations were no shows, so I only waited maybe 5 minutes before I was able to go in. the infinity room is unlike anything I've ever seen or experienced. the closest thing I could compare it to is standing inside of a galaxy, and since space is my favorite, I was over the moon (pun intended). I was expecting to share the experience with the other museum goers in line, but was seriously pleasantly surprised when I realized it was one on one. best minute in a long time.

the museum releases the tickets in monthly batches the first week of every month, and they fill up fairly quickly. if you can make it work, a week day is easier to visit and you don't have the same weekend crowds that make museum going not as fun (in my opinion). it's a great collection, but not a giant museum- so take that into consideration when planning your day. there are quite a few museums in the vicinity of the broad, so make a museum day of it, or bop around DTLA and explore. I decided to do the latter, and crossed a few more things off my LA bucket list. more on that later :)

have you visited the broad or scored tickets to the infinity room? what's your favorite part?

xx, marissa

decisions, decisions: warby parker

as a kid with perfect vision who wanted glasses bad, I had some serious eyeglass envy (ditto for braces- so weird). fast forward a few years into the future, after the genius idea to read in the dark because I could, and this girl's perfect vision was no more. I was finally able to pick out a pair of glasses at the optometrist, and didn't realize the small fortune my mother was forking over for my new specs. once insurance, copays, and all that jazz became my responsibility (#adulting) getting new pair of glasses lost it's luster. that is, until I found warby parker. not only do they make it super simple to find the perfect pair for you (go online and choose your favorite 5 pairs to try & have them shipped for free!), have amazing styles to choose from (everything from classically traditional to trendy to downright funky), and are ridiculously affordable ($95 for everything- including shipping!), but they have a 1 for 1 program that provides a pair of glasses to people in need (think toms but for glasses). who doesn't love that!?

the style that I've been sporting for a bit, and love, is the winston in antique shale fade. since I have a larger round/heart shaped face, I like to choose glasses (both eye & sun) that have a more rectangular shape to balance everything out. I used to only wear black/tortoise, but decided to step out of my comfort zone and gave the two tone a chance. that's the best part of the try at home aspect of warby parker- you can choose safe glasses you know will look good, and throw a fun pair or two in. even though I love my winstons, I feel like it's time to incorporate another pair into the mix- which is totally possible to do since they're so affordable! I love being able to use glasses as an accessory, not just a  necessity.

as you can see, the three I'm loving are definitely similar- but each has a little somethin' somethin' that makes them special. the first style- the winston in cognac tortoise and citron is the same shape as the style that I currently have and love, but I love the tortoise (my favorite with dark hair) and the lighter edge. to me they seem a bit less like an accessory, and will blend with whatever I'm wearing a bit better than the faded version. I also like that they're a bit different without the metal detailing on the sides and seem a teeny bit narrower through the bridge. the second pair, the huxley in tennessee whiskey, is tiptoeing into the clear glasses trend that I love/aren't quite sure I'm cool enough to pull off (#storyofmylife). since the majority of the frame is tortoise, it seems like the perfect combination of classic and cool. the last pair, the beckett in saddle sage, are similar to my current pair, with the two tone look, but add green (my favorite color) for a fun little pop.

which pair is your favorite? have you ever used warby parker before?

xx, marissa

this or that: micellar water

I've blogged about my love for the bioderma micellar water before (check out that here), so I was excited to see garnier launch their drugstore version, micellar cleansing water. I'll admit- I was a bit skeptical if it would be as amazing as my beloved bioderma, but decided to give it a try. it's clear from the pink packaging that garnier wasn't messing around creating a dupe, but whatevs, I love a good dupe. (fyi there is another version for waterproof makeup remover that has blue packaging that is super oily and nothing like bioderma- be warned!) even though bioderma is much easier to get your hands on now (beautylish is my go-to, but amazon carries it as well for $$$), nothing beats being able to pop into a drugstore and picking up a bottle when you're running low. the garnier version is available at pretty much any drugstore, big box stores like target/etc, and online which is a major plus. the price point is also significantly cheaper ($7 - $8), which is nice since it is a product that you will be going through and repurchasing more regularly than your moisturizer or eye cream.

I used both versions on their own cotton pad and let them soak on my lash line and lids to break up the makeup, before wiggling and wiping it away (my preferred method). I love micellar water's ability to remove makeup without having to rub and cause damage to the delicate eye area, which is why I've repurchased the bioderma time and time again. the garnier version definitely removed the majority of my makeup in the first swipe, but my eyeliner (I've blogged about it's budgeproofness here) was still going strong. I was able to remove it completely by going back in with a q-tip soaked in the garnier, but was bummed that it didn't break the eyeliner down as easily as the bioderma. using micellar water to clean up any mistakes or smudged lower lash line is another favorite use, and the bioderma cap has an opening that is the perfect size of a q-tip. it makes it super easy to not waste any product/make a mess with the opening. the garnier top had a much smaller hole that made it a bit more challenging to get the perfect amount on the q-tip, and definitely isn't waste/mess proof. the garnier also specifically says that there is no need to rinse, but I found that I felt the product leaving a little something behind on my skin that I didn't love. I always rinse after using bioderma (there is no instruction saying that you don't need to) just because I like my skin to be fully clean, but even before rinsing I've never felt the residue I felt with the garnier.

the garnier version is definitely a solid micellar water. if I had never tried/fallen in love with bioderma than I would for sure integrate this into my daily skincare routine (I recently spotted it in my mom's medicine cabinet on a trip home #heygirl), but I've been to the promise land and know how good a product can be. if you're interested in trying a micellar water, and don't want to order online/deal with shipping/invest in a bit more expensive of a product- give the garnier version a try! but between the two- bioderma is hands down the winner.

have you ever used either of these micellar waters? which one is your favorite?

xx, marissa

hot spots: vintage faves

I was never one for vintage shopping before I moved to LA. of course every town and city has it's fair share of vintage clothing stores, but it took moving to a city like LA where the vintage shopping is seriously off the chain (yes, I really just used that term. it's seriously that good) to finally get me hooked. maybe it's because there are so many fashionable ladies and gents squeezed into one place, the vibes of old hollywood, or the industry that requires clothing from any decade or any style- but there's something in the water and I have made the most of it while living here. 

my best friend, and resident LA tour guide, is the one that got me hooked. she would bust out random pieces from her wardrobe, something that you weren't going to find at the mall or hanging in nordstrom, and name drop the same vintage spots over and over again. she would roll her eyes when I would be squeamish and grossed out, but once I made my first score, she knew she had a convert. 

gotta have it- this small shop is right across the street from the infamous venice lighted letters and is where I made my first serious vintage purchase. we had spent the day on the boardwalk, and popped in to check out their collection of vintage t-shirts (you can never have enough super soft vintage tees) when I saw it, the most amazingly ridiculous beige shearling-esque coat that had been on the floor for all of 5 minutes. the thing with vintage shopping, and the lesson I learned right quick that day, is if you see something you like (even if you're not 100% sure you want it), grab now and decide later. I could feel the eyes of every girl in the store glaring me as I hemmed and hawed over the coat; was it "too much", would I ever wear it, who needs a shearling coat in los angeles. thankfully the coat came home with me, and while it's definitely one of the most ridiculous things in my wardrobe, it's also one of my favorites.

american vintage (westwood) & american vintage (melrose)- love both of these locations, but they have different vibes, depending on what you're looking for. westwood has UCLA super close by, so there's a bit more of a college look to some of the things that they bring in, where as melrose is a lot more interesting/out there pieces. in westwood I found the coolest pair of levi's with amazing vintage barbie fabric covering the back pockets that were unfortunately too small to take home, but scooped up a fabulous dress from the 60's made in laguna beach that has become my go-to beach cover-up. on melrose I found an amazing rebecca minkoff that I had lusted after the season before, but never invested in, for almost 60% off retail and was in perfect condition.

wasteland- is my best friends go-to for amazing deals on denim. a lot of their pieces are super current, and in great condition. I have had great luck with vintage tee's, and found an amazing vintage celtics t-shirt from the 70's that I gifted to my nephew for christmas last year, and a vintage tank top from a st. patrick's day marathon in Ireland that I've rocked during my own st. patty's day celebrations.

melrose trading post- while this isn't a brick and mortar store, the collection of vendors selling vintage goods at this amazing flea market every sunday on melrose is a must see. besides my kate hudson "almost famous" coat, the coolest and prized possession of my vintage wardrobe came from here. there is a vendor who deals solely with vintage sports memorabilia/jerseys and it was my mission one day to find something boston related to take home. I found cool celtics jerseys, and patriots tees, but the red sox are the team that is nearest and dearest to my heart. the gentleman running the booth heard me bummed about nothing red sox, and pulled out the most amazing satin starter jacket that literally made me gasp. I find any occasion to wear it, and there is nothing that makes me feel cooler when I slip it on. can't wait to rock that in boston where I know it will be fully appreciated. there are tons of vendors there selling everything from vintage clothes and jewelry to furniture and home decor. even if vintage isn't your thing- melrose has something for everyone or is a fun place to spend a sunday poking around.

it's a wrap- this store is a mix of vintage and 'newish' pieces from movies and television shows that wardrobe and stylists sell after production is over. the store is organized by show or movie, so if there's a certain character that you like their style and are the same size as, you are in luck. their jewelry selection (that they keep up by the cash wrap) is definitely worth taking  peak at, I've found great (and brand new) house of harlow pieces, and fun costume pieces for super cheap. around halloween they completely transform the store into a mecca of halloween costumes since everything is movie/tv grade costumes. if you're looking for a group to dress up together, you're in luck since most outfits have multiples for filming.

what are your favorite places for vintage gems? any super special diamonds in the rough that you've added to your wardrobe?

xx, marissa

love it/hate it: butter london patent shine 10x

as a gal with a nail polish collection that rivals some salons, I have plenty of opinions when it comes to different brands and formulas. for me, the perfect one is something almost opaque in one coat, but not so thick that it gets goopy (I'm looking at you fiji), with a creamy consistency (shimmer or metallic- no thank you), that dries quickly without losing it's shine. butter london is a brand that I became very familiar with buying for the pharmacies. they were the brand that we carried at all of our locations, so I received my fair share of freebies whenever a new collection was released (one of the greatest perks of that job!). when they launched their new line, patent shine 10x, I wasn't too excited since I'm a firm believer that your topcoat is the ultimate factor in a polish's shininess (I've written about my all-time favorite topcoat here and here), but I gave it a shot. the patent shine line, which has silver metallic tops to differentiate from the rest of the standard line (and a slightly higher price point at $20 per bottle), has quite the list of claims besides just being shinier:

up to 10 days wear time: I don't think I've ever kept a manicure for 10 days, since I'm a perfectionist  and as soon as I see a single chip, it's all over. if you're someone who can deal with chips/edge wear then maybe this will last you up to 10 days, but I had my first chip after only a day (womp womp). the website even makes a claim as bold as "shock absorbing, chip resistance"- I'm sorry, but how in the world is nail polish shock absorbing... no, just no.

salon color coverage: these polishes go on amazing, which is the quality I've come to expect with all butter polishes, but in all honesty these are even better. super creamy consistency, opaque in one coat (but everything always looks better with two, IMO), and smooth when built up.

gel-like cushion: after two coats, they definitely have the look of a gel manicure, smooth and thicker looking then normal polish (in a good way). if you're someone with paper thin nails, this is a major selling point. it will give your nails some thickness so they're not constantly bending/breaking.

superior shine: right when you first paint them, the polish is super shiny even without a topcoat. but, like I said, I always always apply one. if you're someone who goes without a topcoat more often than not, this line would be great to get that super shiny look, without another step. save $$$, save time- win, win! however I will say, that after a few days, the polish has the usual look of a few day old manicure- still shiny, but noticeably less.

fade-resistant color: sorry butter, but no way. not only did my polish chip after a day, but the edge wear at the tip was also noticeable after a day. and that can't be blamed on my top coat, since I normally get through at least 2-3 days without seeing any edge wear. it's also important to note that I don't have a hands on job, so besides normal hand/dish washing, my nails aren't being beat up on the daily. if you are someone who is really tough on your nails/polish, you'd see it even sooner.

butter also claims that these smooth, strengthen, prevents breakage and peeling, and makes nails visibility brighter & more radiant. I'm lucky that I have strong nails that don't usually peel or break, so I didn't see any difference with using this line. and when removing the polish, my nails didn't seem to be any brighter or more radiant. claims like these are something that bother me about cosmetic products- it doesn't seem to be enough that the formula is good, and the colors are beautiful. companies feel the need to add on all of these crazy (and sometimes ridiculous) claims that just make me want to roll my eyes. they could be true, but I didn't notice anything special.

bottom line: a nail polish has to be pretty crummy for me to hate it, and this polish definitely isn't. I love the color choices, and certain aspects of the formula, but all of the ridiculous claims make it hard for me to justify the higher price point and fully love it. if you have weak/brittle nails that peel often, if you're someone who hates topcoats, or if you're trying to ween yourself off of gel-manicures this line may be perfect for you!

have you tried the patent shine 10x line from butter london? what are your thoughts?

xx, marissa

cheap date: cinespia

one of my absolute favorite things about living in LA, hands down, is cinespia. I've always loved outdoor movies (growing up with a drive-in movie theatre around the corner totally spoiled me), but cinespia takes it to a whole different level. combine a city with a deep love for films, amazing weather 360 days a year, the combination cool/creepy of an old hollywood cemetery and you have cinespia. I remember reading about it when I was still living in boston, and living vicariously through my favorite LA bloggers who were lucky enough to have it be a typical summer event.

during the summer, every saturday night the hollywood forever cemetery is transformed into a unique party environment complete with a DJ spinning themed music before the movie, an insane photo booth that's basically a scene straight from the set (and more than worth the wait in line), and blanket picnics surrounded by fun people. don't worry- you won't be pissing off any ghosts by partying on their graves- the area is a big open lawn in front of the scene. no bodies buried beneath ya. make sure you're prepared with blankets & pillows (to sit on and cuddle up with), drinks (the boozier the better & try for twist offs incase you forget the bottle opener), and a quality spread (you can go gourmet with a full meal, the lazy route with takeout, or a little bit of this and that with some yummy snacks). if you happen to totally spazz the day of the event, and have no time to stop at trader joes (a favorite of cinespia goers!), order a pizza and have it delivered to the gate- trust me, it works. it get's chilly as the sun goes down so dress accordingly, or if you're feeling extra fun, you can dress as a character from the movie and look even cooler in the photo booth. don't worry about being the only person dressed, you won't be. tickets are a bit more expensive than a traditional movie (around $16), but for the experience, it's totally worth it!

they release the line-up in two parts, the first half of the summer, and then (around the middle/end of august) the second half. tickets definitely sell out for movies, so if you see something you like buy it quick! I've had more than a few movies sell out before I got around to ordering a ticket and while there's always the craigslist route, you'll end up paying more & I'm always weary of it. it's a fun idea for a summer birthday, cute date night, or just a fun thing to do that different from the typical bar scene. if you stop by the photo booth (which trust me, do!) the pictures are available for purchase, and they're posted online after the event so you can grab the digital copy.

the past two summers I've gone the hollywood route, but if you happen to be in LA during the winter or can't wait until next summer, they do offer events at various theaters throughout the city. I can't speak to the level of coolness for these events, but if it's cinespia- I'd bet my bottom dollar that it's going to be pretty damn cool. check here for info on the downtown events and keep your eyes & ears peeled by joining their mailing list. sometimes they even add pop up shows after the summer season is over! fingers crossed there's one more before "LA winter" sets in.

have you ever made it to cinespia?

xx, marissa

ps. a whole SLEW of "secret" shows were added between now and halloween! if you missed to on the regular season, make sure and check out the new additions. my personal favorite? "death becomes her" on october 15th - get your tickets here

like it/love it/gotta have it: glam glow

if you've been in the beauty world for a hot minute, then the glam glow line is no stranger. they have a variety of masks that will suit any and everyone's skin care issues, each with a different type of mud to target your needs; exfoliation (try youthmud tinglexfoliate treatment), purification (the supermud clearing treatment- their claim to fame) or hydration (thirstymud hydrating treatment). my favorite trick with masks? I used a bit of each one to target the different problems in each area of my skin- exfoliation for my forehead and purification for my nose and and chin. perfect mask for my specific skin every time.

like it: youthmud tinglexfoliate treatment

I like this mask, I really like it. but my super sensitive skin can only do with so much exfoliation. I bust this out when I have drier patches of skin (the dry air in LA and weekends in vegas do not help) and it works perfectly at slogging off dead skin. 

love it: thirstymud hydrating treatment

when I reach for this mask, my skin is having some serious hydration issues. usually after a bit too much time in the sun (I know, I know) or after/during a long flight. after a day at the beach it feels cool and soothing (even better if you pop it in the fridge), and is my best friend on a red eye flight when the moisture in the air goes to 0% (goes on and dries clear so no one will even know!). may or may not have used it as an intensive moisture treatment all week after spending the fourth in Malibu and leaving just a wee bit pink, and it saved me from a dreaded sunburn (and subsequent snake-ish shedding) #blessed

gotta have it: supermud clearing treatment

this mask is their claim to fame for a reason. nothing works like it at getting gunk out of your pores, and leaving everything feeling tight and clean. it satisfies my inner esthetician since it dries down to a light green and stays dark in the areas with the most gunk- I love seeing a product really working. I have used it all over my entire face before, but I definitely prefer it for more targeted areas (nose and chin) and spot treatments. If I feel a blemish coming, I will sleep with a dab of this and it calms the spot.

have you tried any of the glam glow line? which mask would target your specific problem area?

xx, marissa