January Music Favorites

I think I might listen to music a little bit too much.

Is that a bad thing? I don’t necessarily know, but what I do know is that I listen to enough music to have created multiple playlists on Spotify.

My top 3 playlists on Spotify this month are songs i’ll never get tired of, January 2016, and old but gold.

The playlist songs i’ll never get tired of consists of songs I can listen to over and over again and like the title says, never get tired of them. It features some of my favorite artists like Tori Kelly, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Ne-Yo, Lea Michele, The Cab, Shawn Mendes, and many more! Some of my all time favorite songs are in this playlist and some of them are songs most people don’t know by those artists, so maybe you’ll find your new favorite song by giving it a listen!

The playlist January 2016 is my monthly playlist where I put all the songs I liked listening to this month. This month it had a lot of Beyonce songs for some reason along with a lot of rap and r&b songs, but for the most part it’s very diverse with artists like Blackbear, Skizzy Mars, Who Is Fancy, Skate, Bryson Tiller, and Troye Sivan.

The playlist old but gold is basically a composition of all the songs I listened to growing up or any song that’s sort of old, but still great! It has songs by Usher, Drake, Hannah Montana, Rihanna, Greyson Chance, Chris Brown, Vanessa Hudgens, Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, and many more of everyone’s favorite artists! Be sure to listen to it so you might finally learn who sang plus the name of that song you sang every day in third grade!

I make monthly playlists along with random ones, so follow my account!

Sincerely,

Shania

Mini Haul

I’ve been going to CVS every Sunday for like four weeks now and I’m pretty sure the workers there are wondering why I’m always there and to be honest, I am too.

I’ve been going so often mainly because I was buying my friends presents for Christmas from the makeup section, but I would always end up buying something for myself too.

But when you think about it, buying things for yourself isn’t really a bad thing. You know what they say: #treatyoself

Anyway, I went to CVS the other day and I felt the need to share with you guys what I bought.

My friend Ruth’s birthday was on Friday, so I bought her two things from CVS. First, I bought her this Wet N’ Wild nail polish set because I know she likes nail polish just like most girls do. I also bought her an e.l.f eye liner because I know she has a thing for eyeliner.

Then for myself, I bought a NYX Butter Gloss in the color “Tiramisu,” a pack of color pens, and two nail polishes.

I’ve always wanted try a NYX lip gloss and this is my first one, so I’m really happy about that and I love the way it looks on me.

Now that I have these pens I’ll be more motivated to plan my blog posts out in my blogging notebook since it’ll look pretty now.

I’ve needed a clear nail polish for a while since not having one was my main excuse for never painting my nails because I like having a top coat on my nails. I only bought the sky blue one because I thought it was pretty and it was 2 for $5.

I forgot to mention this in my What I Got for Christmas post, but my uncle sent me two $40 Walmart gift cards for Christmas. As much as I appreciate the gift, it wasn’t the best idea because I don’t live near a Walmart. So I decided to order some stuff from their website and it arrived last week. First, I ordered a Caboodles Two Tower Tray Acrylic Countertop Organizer. I use it to store my makeup since I don’t have enough and it’s the perfect size for what I do have. In the future, I might do a post where I really show you guys what my makeup collection consists of if you really want to see that.

Then I also bought a Conair Double-Sided Lighted Round Mirror because I’ve always wanted a lighted vanity to do my makeup in, so I figured this would be the second best thing, which it is.

I’m trying to cut back on spending all my money at CVS, so it might be a while until there’s another mini haul from there, but there will be more in the future when I get my spending together! Also comment some ideas for future blog posts and I might just do them!

Sincerely,

Shania

20 Goals for 2016

I’m not perfect, so there are a lot of things I did in 2015 that I decided I will not do this year. I need to learn how to improve myself based on my previous mistakes, so I thought if I listed them here in black and white for me to see, I would have a better chance of not doing them.

1. Stop putting effort into relationships that other people aren’t putting effort into
2. Procrastinate less
3. Stay true to my word
4. Don’t put other people’s needs before my own
5. Be more patient
6. Put 100% into everything I do
7. Study more
8. Treat my skin better
9. Be nicer
10. Practice my makeup skills
11. Paint my nails every once in a while
12. Try to excercise more
13. Write more
14. Work on becoming more organized
15. Read more books
16. Watch a documentary
17. Pay attention to what’s going on in the world
18. Remember to post on your blog
19. Go to bed earlier
20. Stay true to yourself and make sure you’re happy

Those are all the things I think need to work on improving this year. I hope you guys were inspired by my goals for 2016 and  make a list of your own and stick to it like I am. I’ll update you guys about the progress I’ve made and you should do the same by commenting yours below and commenting about your progress too when I post about mine!

Sincerely,

Shania

What I Got For Christmas 2015

Before you say anything, yes I know it’s January. I also know that Christmas was like two weeks ago, but I wanted to do a Christmas post since I didn’t post anything about one of my favorite holidays during the entire month most people post about it.

So here I am.

Posting about what I got for Christmas.

Typically, “What I Got for Christmas,” is a YouTube thing, but I don’t have a channel, so I want to post it on here. I know that those videos get a lot of hate, but I love them and it’s not YouTubers’ fault that it’s such a highly requested and viewed video, so people honestly need to calm down.

Anyway, let’s get back to what I got for Christmas.

First, let’s start with my friends since we exchanged presents first because our last day of school was December 18th.

Samantha (Sam for short):

Sam knows that I have a slight (maybe more than slight) obsession with mascara. Mainly because it’s the only makeup item I use on a daily basis. So she said she was going to buy me that set of all those different high end mascaras from Sephora (I forgot what it’s called), but she said that every Sephora she went to was sold out of it. Since she couldn’t buy me the gift she wanted to get me, Sam bought me four different Maybelline mascaras because Maybelline is both of our favorite drugstore brands. I was really excited to use one of them, which is why it’s already opened in the picture. She also got me a lotion that I unfortunately can’t use (you’ll find out why in my next beauty post) and a Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum’ Express, Maybelline The Colossal Volum’ Express Cat Eyes, Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum’ Express, Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama

Yvonne:

Yvonne also knows how much I like mascara, so she bought me one from Wet n’ Wild, which is a brand I actually never tried before and I know that’s funny because that’s one brand most girls start out with when they’re just getting into makeup. She also gave me a Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer and a PINK body mist called “Sweet & Flirty.” Recently, Yvonne was inspired by my blog and decided to start her own, so you guys should check her out!

Wet n’ Wild MegaVolume Mascara

Catherine (Cat for short):

Cat knows how much I love the band 5 Seconds of Summer and she shares the same love for them, so she got me their new album, Sounds Good Feels Good, which you should give a listen to because they’re actually very talented. Cat also recently started a blog too, so check her out!

 Emily:

Emily knew that I wanted a new Sarah Dessen book to read since I really like her books, so she bought me two that I hadn’t read yet: That Summer and  Someone Like You.

Next, let’s look at what my family got me.

My mom:

I live with my mom so she buys most of my Christmas gifts, which is why she got me so many things.

I already knew I was getting this because I was with her when she bought it, but my mom got me a new Vera Bradley bookbag for school. It’s a Campus Backpack in the pattern “Pixie Blooms” and it’s on sale now along with a bunch of other cute patterns on their website!

I also got a matching ID wallet and a gold “S” letter charm.

My mom knows that I have an obsession with Bath and Body Works, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks, so she bought me gift cards for those three places. Plus an iTunes gift card just because everyone likes to buy new music.

Of course I already spent the Bath and Body Works gift card, so these are the things I ordered online.

 My mother also knows how obesessed I am with minions because for some reason I think they’re like the cutest things in the world, so she bought me this minion onesie.

She also bought me some random things like a Pentatonix CD because I love them, a nail dryer with some nail polishes, a hat and scarf set, and a sparkly bow headband.

The last thing my mom bought me was an Anne Klein watch I actually asked for and I’m so in love with it.

Anne Klein Women’s Gold-Tone Blush Link Bracelet Watch

Grandma:

My grandma bought me a turtleneck because she knew that I wanted a new one, the L’Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara because I told her I wanted to try it, and a Dunkin Donuts gift card because she knows how often I go there.

L’Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara

Martina:

My godmother Martina got me the coolest gift ever and there hasn’t been a day I haven’t used it since I got it. Like as I am using them as I type this right now.

They are these Motorola Wireless Bluetooth Headphones.

 

They’re like the best things that have ever happened to me and I never stop using them. She also bought me a $25 Sephora gift card (which I suprisingly haven’t spent yet), an EOS lip balm, and an EOS hand lotion, which I’m pretty sure I can’t use and you’d know why if you read my last post.

Ms. Kelly:

Ms. Kelly isn’t really family, but she’s my mom’s friend and sometimes I call her Auntie Kelly. Anyway Ms. Kelly told me to go o Vera Bradley’s website during their Cyber Monday sale and pick out what I wanted and that’s what she would get me for Christmas, so I did.

I chose this really cute tote bag in the print “Marrakesh Motifs,” and I’m really happy with it.

Small Trimmed Vera Tote in Marrakesh Motifs with Navy Trim

So that’s it for my Christmas haul! What are some things you guys got for Christmas? I like hearing about different kinds of presents, so comment them down below!

Sincerely,

Shania

What’s in My Emergency Bag?

So in everyday life, there’s always a time when something happens and you’re unprepared, but if you’re like me then you’re always prepared. I keep a little cosmetic bag full of all things I may need when I have an emergency at school in my bookbag.

I like to stay moisturized at all times, so I keep two bottles of lotion in my bag. Since I go to an all girls’ school there’s always an abundance of people around me who do have lotion, so it seems unecessary to carry lotion with me, but I have very sensitive skin. Most girls use scented lotion from stores like Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works, which are the stores I can’t wear lotion from so I always have to decline my friends’ sweet offers when they ask me if I want some of their lotion (even though I really want to use it).

The only lotion brands I can use are Aveeno and Eucerin, so those are the two I carry with me: Avenno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 15 and Eucerin Skin Calming Daily Moisturizing Creme.

The Aveeno lotion is travel sized and I think my mother bought an extra one when she was buying stuff for vacation, which is why it has SPF in it. The Eucerin lotion is a sample one that my mother got from the dermatologist, so that’s why it’s so small, but ignore the fact that it’s skin calming; my skin is fine and it does not need calming.

I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so the next three things I keep in my bag make sense. My school tends to run out of soap in the bathroom on the third floor at least once every two weeks because it’s the most used bathroom. Most girls just say, “Whatever,” and rinse their hands under the water a couple times, go back to class, and get hand sanitizer from the dispensers we have in every classroom.

I am not that person.

My mom gave me the idea to take one of my PocketBac Bath and Body Works hand sanitizers bottles when it got empty and fill it with soap from our soap bottle at home and take it with me to school, so I would have soap when there’s none at school. Now I always have soap with me and I feel very clean.

I also have two baby wipes and a Wet Ones because you never know when you might get something on your face or hands and the only way to get it off is to use a wipe.

There are just some things all girls should carry with them wherever they go because they’re just very important essentials when you’re a girl.

The first two items sort of go hand in hand: a pad/tampon and ibuprofen/Advil. Personally I prefer using pads and I keep those in my bag for that reason. I use the Target brand of ibuprofen when I have cramps. I once asked my mother why we use the Target brand instead of Advil and she said it’s because we don’t have to worry about the Target brand being recalled like a big brand name like Advil, which I think is a very smart idea.

I have cough drops in case I’m suffering from a sore throst. Unforunately, they’re the Halls ones, which I find very unpaletable and I like the Luden ones instead.

Then I have this cool floss card I got from the dentist and I just keep it in my bag because it’s so convenient and you never know when you might have something in your teeth.

The last couple of things I keep in my bag are just to help me when I’m a mess to put it nicely.

I have the comb because my hair moves around a lot during the day and I like to comb it back into place. When my hair is being really uncooperative, I put it in a ponytail with one of the scrunchies I have in my bag or I pin it back with a bobby pin.

I have SoftLips because I misplace my lip balm sometimes, so it’s good to have a back up one. I keep a glasses cleaner in my bag because I wear glasses and sometimes they get dirty throughout the school day (How? I don’t know). Then the reason why I keep the last thing is kind of obvious, so I’m not even going to explain why I have a mirror in my bag.

 

So that’s all I keep in my emergency bag! I hope you enjoyed reading about all my necessities and have ideas about what to keep in your own emergency kit!

Sincerely,

Shania

New Year, New Blog? (sort of)

Happy New Year!

I honestly never look forward to the new year, but for some reason I think 2016 is going to be my year.

I’m not one of those “new year, new me” people, but I plan on using this year to improve myself physically and mentally. I want to become more well versed in world affairs, politics, things most people know because it’s common knowledge and gain more knowledge in general.

I also plan on improving my blog this year. I know I’ve been slacking on posts, especially considering the fact that I haven’t posted in two months, but don’t worry. I will not go on another unannounced hiatus like that again. I plan on posting every Wednesday and Saturday, but if I know I’m not going to be able to post both days that week, I will tell you guys in advance or if I can’t post at all for a while, I will make sure you are all aware. Worst comes to worst, I might not have a post ready at least one of those days and I’ll just post it the next day, so there’s still two posts every week.

I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but I changed my blog theme/layout! I love this one a lot more than my last one; I think it’s more professional looking along with giving my blog that fresh/clean/organized look.

Another thing I just remembered I want to improve about my blog is the quality of my pictures. I try to include pictures of the products I talk about in my posts, but I know the photos aren’t the best and I want to fix that. I think it would be a lot easier for me if I had a nice iPhone 6 or something to take pictures with, but my mother hasn’t caved and bought me that, so for now I have to use my iPod Touch 5, which I’m beyond grateful for, don’t get me wrong; I just wish I had a better quality camera to take pictures with. I guess from now on I just have to make sure I take my pictures in the day time while it’s still bright outside.

Schoolwise, by the end of this year, I want to have gotten a 90 in Spanish 3 at least once. Like I’ve gotten a 90 and above on tests and quizzes before, but I’ve never had one as my actual grade in Spanish class. I think the highest grade I’ve ever had was an 87, so my goal is a 90. I also want to get at least an 85 in Trignometry because I suck at math and I’m honestly trying so hard this year to improve my grades in all my classes.

It’s not like I’m stupid and I’m always failing my classes; it’s just that this year has been very difficult for me academics wise because I’m taking such hard classes this year. Despite my current difficulties in some classes right now, I honestly believe I can succeed this year.

What are your goals for this year? Comment them below because I’m interested in knowing what other people hope to acheive this year! I’ll be back with plenty of more posts in the future, so make sure you subscribe to my blog!

Sincerely,

Shania