five random facts

I've always enjoyed reading these type of posts from others, so I decided to contribute my two cents...or in this case five.

/// I'm a lipstick hoarder, but yet I rarely wear it. One thing I have learned from my engagement shoot? I need to wear more of it. Geez, my lips are fish belly white!
/// I own two instruments - a clarinet (middle school) and an acoustic guitar (high school). I have since forgotten how to play both of them.
/// I have my nails polished at all times. It's not in a vain sense really, but rather I gave up biting my nails to nubs when I turned 21 years old. I rationalize that as long as I keep them nice looking, I won't want to continue biting. So far it's worked.
/// I went to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan earlier this year for work and completely forgot to blog about it. I blame it on the jet lag. 
/// I love the thought of traveling, but I have an absolute, unequivocal fear of flying. I ironic thing is, I do it for work on almost a monthly basis. (and see also: fun fact number four o_O )  

beauty review: benefit stay flawless primer

I decided our Fourth of July festivities was the best time to put the new Benefit Stay Flawless primer to the test. Granted, I'm not one to necessarily believe in the benefits of a primer, but to be honest, how could I refuse this adorable packaging promising me 15 hours of stay put power? Yes, I bought it partially because of the packaging..true story.

While I've read different interpretations, I found that this balm can dry quickly, and it's best to rub it on in sections, using the stick and not your fingers, and then immediately apply your foundation. That way your foundation mixes with the tacky balm and locks it into place.
I have to say, after about three hours walking the streets of downtown Memphis in 90 degree heat, it held up pretty nice. We went back inside to cool off a bit and change, and I added a bit of my NYX powder to touch up before dinner. After that I was good to go for the rest of the night.

right before dinner with my fav dude, Cory
And here's my official summer makeup routine. I like that it's a light BB cream that gives me the coverage I need, a powder that isn't caking on my face, and a primer that keeps it all from budging. (Side note: I noticed my BB cream is getting a little dark now that I'm loosing my Memorial Day tan. Right now, I'm mixing it with a little of my lighter foundations to make a perfect match.)

To get the info on the other two products, check them out in my top ten here. Do y'all have a summer makeup routine that you're loving right now? Let me know if I'm missing out on something! :)

seeing red

I am in desperate need of a hair makeover. It's not curling like it used to, the ombre is pretty much nonexistent, and it's just downright boring. Some days I want bangs, other sweaty, summer days I'm thankful I don't have them. I'm also that crazy girl who views her hair as a safety blanket, and will never cut major inches off for the summer. 
While I already know I need some serious layers to get my curls back to bouncing, I've also been obsessing with the idea of going red... not RED red, but more auburn, reddish/brown. Or maybe I just want to become Emma Stone, who can virtually wear her hair whatever color she wants.

Any of y'all having the same hair woes as me? Or have you had a hair change recently?  

this weekend: allyse gets married

This weekend I was able to see two dear friends of mine get hitched, and I couldn't have been more happy to attend. I first met Allyse years ago when we worked together in retail, and I instantly fell in love with her kind spirit, thoughtfulness, and all around awesome attitude. I knew if I was working with Allyse that day, it was going to be a good day. And when one day she began telling me she was falling in love with this sweetheart dude named Zach, I knew that he was the one for her. I can't think of two people that belong together more.
Allyse and Zach, or rather Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb, I want to wish you many, many years together (too many to count) chock full of happiness, fond memories, adventures, and one day some little strawberry-blonde babies of your own. I love y'all dearly, and I'm so lucky to call you my friends.
The wedding was a complete old fashioned wonderland, too beautiful for my crummy iPhone camera to accurately document. As a complete side note, knowing that they were going to get married in Mississippi, in June, and have the reception completely outside..I'm sure it could pose a little worrying for the bride (trust me, my wedding day it rained!). But thankfully, the day could not have been more lovely, and shockingly, the temperature was perfect. Sure it was the summer in the south, but if you were born and raised here, it didn't faze us in the slightest. 

so, so clever...an outside living room to write well wishes for the mr. and mrs.

 and what's an outside living room without a fireplace? 

 dinner and dancing 

my absolute favorite..the homemade photo booth with it's own hashtag #zallysegetsmarried

and us with the beautiful bride!

this week's favorite links

find this and other whimsy sayings here
Ah, it's finally Friday. That means tomorrow I will be switching out my early morning coffee run for an alarm free phone, spend the day wearing anything but business casual, and use that whole afternoon getting ready to enjoy a precious friend's wedding day. Can.Not.Wait.
In the meantime, here's a few of my favorite links I've found throughout the week.
Hang On Honey's dead ringer post about loving you and not what your scale tells you I'm lusting over this adorable paper shop...especially when it comes to this wood grain washi tape. Casey Holmes' review for her favorite BB cream for oily skin (that I am in love with!) would love to take a getaway with this adorable, old fashioned suitcase I could certainly "work" this Ashley Brooke Designs mug into my collection and isn't this watercolor defining the south just grand? 

OOTD: stripes, dots, & anchors

see also: my poor attempt at an Outfit of the Day post...

see also: I'm terrible at taking "selfies"..

see also: I hate the term "selfies"..

see also: Ok, so maybe I don't hate the term "selfies." Just when my husband catches these sort of images on my iphone red-handed, and he makes fun of me.. 

Maxi dresses..I loveeee them. This one I found at Atlanta Mart during one of my work trips. Brand's by Sharagano. But a question: why is it like pulling teeth to get one long enough for my 5'9 frame? What I would give to be just two inches shorter like some of y'all ladies, and have to hem it! It gives me flashbacks of when I wore "highwater jeans" in my middle school growth spurt stage. So do any of y'all have a great recs for a long maxi dress? I am all eyes and ears!

Don't be fooled by my expression, my love for polka dots will last forever. Found this little number at the J.Crew outlet for a steal.

I don't sail, and I no longer live at the beach. But somehow I could not say no to this little J.Crew anchor tunic. Another great outlet find. 

And that's all I got.

OOTD FAIL.

weekday happiness

Curious to see how long my hair has gotten, I spent a full hour doing a professional blowout this past weekend (see also: I didn't use my flat iron.), and holy moly, I was reminded why I no longer wear my hair straight.

This week kicked off week four in the whole "traveling Monday-Friday" gig. I'm unsure of how long this will last, and how my mind will take it, but I'm still maintaining a positive spirit about the whole thing. Thank God for Starbucks, NPR, and Spotify to keep me from completely losing it on the open road. And not to mention my family and friends to let me talking on the phone with them for hours on end.

My sister got me hooked on these Dole salad kits. My favorite is called Endless Summer and is only 150 calories a serving. Not too shabby! There are also an Asian Crunch kit and a Southwestern kit that are equally good. 

The trailer for The Wolf of Wall Street came out, and I've seriously watched this thing way more than I should admit. Oh, Leo, you can do no wrong. No date set for it's release, but you'll know where to find me when it does.

I also narrowly entered this fabulous giveaway by Ashley Brooke Designs. And you can to! The contest ends tonight, so hurry up!

Anything new going on in your neck of the woods? 

top ten tuesday

Kate Spade Flatiron Nylon Davie - I love this hot pink nylon bag, because it's easy to see while fishing around in my larger than life tote. Extra bonus with the nylon fabric for easy to wash care. 

NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder - I never thought I would speak the words, but..my MAC Studio Fix Powder I rave about (all.the.time.) is just not doing it for me this summer. After watching a YouTube beauty guru (who also has the same oily complexion as mine) mention this powder here and it's price point, I knew I had to try it. And honestly, this stuff fits the bill. I touch up a couple of times during the day (around noon and mid afternoon), but other than that, nadda. My skin is good to go and isn't shining like a mirror in the heat and humidity.

NYX Matte Bronzer in Medium - I think I found something to replace my Prestige bronzer as well simply because this bronzer has amazing pigmentation without all the glitter and nonsense that most drugstore bronzers come with. 

Stila shadow in Kitten - I like to blend this highlighting shade in the inner eye and blended out with a taupe shade like Victoria Secret's Metallic Mink or Urban Decay's YDK for an everyday eye. Just a little goes a long way, and these shadows are so easy to blend.

Garnier BB Cream in Medium/Deep - Yet another purchase due to this video here, and quite honestly, I've been looking for something a little lighter on my skin during the summer but would give me the coverage that I need...seriously, if you have oily skin like me and are looking for new products, I would watch all of her videos. 

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW 25 - One of my newest concealers that is easily my favorite for hiding under-eye circles and uneven skintone. I apply it with my Beauty Blender sponge.

Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 56 Imaginaire - The perfect pink/coral gloss.

MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose - If you saw my last vlog post, you know I'm getting really into highlighting and contouring this summer. I swipt this pen under my eyes, down my nose, and make a few swipes with what's left in between the brows and in the center of my chin for a light glow. You want to make sure this doesn't go just on the under eye area so that you don't produce a raccoon effect, and I blend it out with my Beauty Blender sponge.

Tocca Mini Perfume in Colette - This is the fragrance I chose to wear on my wedding day. During long days in traveling for work, I like to carry this mini with me to take me back to that day.

Olay Professional Pro X - This heat has my skin going crazy..dry one day, broke out the next. I can't deal. And as much as I would love the be the owner of a Clarisonic brush, that price just ain't happenin'. For me, the reviews for this little guy seemed right up there with the $200 version, and I haven't regretted it yet. My skin definitely feels smoother, cleaner, and I'm sure it's doing a thing or two at keeping my oil at bay. It comes with a small sample of the Olay Pro X cleansing gel, but I also keep using it with my ole faithful, a bar of Dove soap. 

surprise!

See anything new? It's looks a whole heck of a LOT better around these parts, no?  
I have been an avid reader of Erin's blog over at Two Thirds Hazel for awhile now (By the way, she is hysterical and you should totally hop over there and become a reader of hers too!). So when she mentioned she wanted to start designing blogs after her own self-designed blog makeover, I knew I had to jump on the opportunity. She was incredibly thorough, and the process was just way too easy..on my end, at least! Kudos to Erin for knowing all the ins and outs of HTML! ha
After emailing her links, photos, and my inspiration board for the color palette and feel I was going for...viola! That's Influence had a major face lift. Thank you, Erin. You did an incredible job! 

photos via Pinterest 
So what do y'all think? Is you blog needing a face lift too? You already know who I would recommend. ;)

a daughter and her father

photo | Studio Milly Jean Weakleg

I posted this photo of my dad and myself yesterday on my Instagram, and it is probably hands down my favorite photo of us to date. It was taken moments after finishing our father/daughter dance at the wedding, and it was at this very moment that I realized I was no longer just my dad's little girl. From the look on his face, I think he realized it too. :)

To the dude who gave me my sense of humor, my smile, and the freckles across my nose, words cannot express how much I appreciate you. To the dude who gave me my love of basketball, gummy bears, and the great outdoors, words cannot express how much I love you. And to the dude who taught me what qualities to look for in someone I would one day call my husband, thank you. I love you, Dad.