Ruffled Romance in Savannah

Well, I did not anticipate taking almost a month long break from blogging! With the end of the semester and some career changes, blogging took a back seat to life, but if you've been following along on Instagram, you'll see that I recently spent a girls weekend in Savannah with my friend Ashley. Savannah has always been on my bucket list. Being from the north and having lived there my entire life, there was just something so romantic and exotic about Savannah. I really had no idea what to expect, but I can say that it lived up to my expectations.

The architecture was stunning and much of it was so well preserved. We woke up early and drove there from Ashley's apartment (about a 2 hour drive) and the city was fairly quiet when we arrived - mostly just joggers and people walking their dogs. I was so surprised to discover that all the southern gothic novels I had read were true - the air really was heavy (with humidity!) and smelled strongly of jasmine and gardenia. Neither of these plants grow in the north, so they stood out strongly to me, while Ashley hardly noticed them! Everything about Savannah was lush - like a jungle in the middle of a city. I thought this ruffle and lace dress in kelly green from Vince Camuto was the perfect way to compliment the towering palms and stunning architecture. I loved the little details of this dress - the bow at the waist and the ruffle pockets on both sides. I am just over 5'4" and the 4P fit me perfectly, while the 4 regular was a little too long, hitting below the knee.

I think what may have made this look come together was the adorable boater hat from Kitsch that I picked up on a whim. It was a "suggested item" while I was looking at some other pieces and for $26, I figured, why not! Seriously, best idea ever! This hat is SO cute and I cannot tell you the number of compliments I received. Of course, maybe it's just because I was in the south and everyone is exceptionally nice...or maybe I just looked awesome in it. Either way, it was so cute I'm actually considering getting a second and putting a red or pink bow on it. What do you think?

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Influenster: A Twist on the Subscription Box

Have you ever used Influenster? I first came across this website when I was looking for reviews on beauty and skincare products before I purchased them. This site has reviews for *everything* - I was able to find reviews for products that weren't even sold in the United States, which was really helpful for me, since I order most of my products online.

They also send out tons of products for testing in what they call their "VoxBoxes." This boxes contain an assortment of products. In my case, I was sent the Finesse VoxBox, which had, in my opinion, the most random assortment of products - Essie gel nail polish, Minute Maid rice and quinoa, an Olly protein smoothie and Not Your Mother's Naturals mousse. Pretty random, right? But hey, I LOVE trying new products out! The main difference between the VoxBox and the traditional subscription box is that you have to enter to win a VoxBox (which you do by filling out a profile, answering survey questions, and writing reviews) and all the items are complementary.

Out of all the products I was send, I absolutely love the Essie gel nail polish. I've actually already gone out and bought some more shades (I recently got Pinned Up and am probably going to get Satin Slipper next) because it's so fantastic. It lasts longer than regular polish, but more importantly, it tried SO quick. I can give myself a manicure before bed and don't have to worry about sheet imprints on my nails. Seriously, all you need is about 10 minutes and you can do a full, glossy manicure. My only disappointment with the line is that I wish there were more nude shades.

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K-Beauty with the Atopalm Real Barrier Collection

My skin has been going through a phase where it has been extremely dry, sensitive, flake and slow to heal. Likely a combination of this horrid weather and the fact that I've been using azealic acid and trentinoin (Retin-A) nightly. My current toner burned when I applied it and I was starting to run out of products and hadn't had a chance to replace them yet, so I decided to see what I had in my stash of products that Tony had brought back from Busan for me. My stash included quite a few products from a company called Atopalm, which I had never heard of before, as it is not really mentioned on any of the American Korean/Asian Beauty blogs. I also had not heard it mentioned on the Asian Beauty Reddit, so I really knew nothing about it when I first tried it.

Stylish Sun Protection with Cabana Life

Although am about 20% southern Italian, you would never know it from my fair skin. My nickname as a kid was Caspar (as in Caspar the Friendly Ghost) because I basically glowed in the dark. For the makeup enthusiasts, you'll understand what I mean when I say my "summer tan" it roughly equivalent to a MAC N4 or a MU Forever 115. Consequently, I am highly susceptible to burning, and have to make sure I reapply my SPF 70 every hour. So when Cabana Life reached out to me to team up on their new Bungalo Beach print, I was super excited to do a collaboration.

Dress | Wedges | Sun Glasses | Clutch (similar)

Cabana Life has a ton of cute, easy to wear designs that are perfect for throwing out and going out the door. I love anything that is appropriate for pool side and going out in to the "real world" that isn't pants. Now, I'm not anti-yoga pants, but I rarely find a pair that I find comfortable. Even more awesome is that all their clothing is made from UPF 50 fabric. With a history of sun cancer in the family, I'm all about making sure we're as protected as possible.

Anyone who uses any kind of social media knows that the Northeast has been stuck in the Eternal Winter, so I wasn't sure when I would get the opportunity to wear my CL dress. But we recently took a trip to visit family in Florida and I basically lived in my Cabana Life dress. The material feels like heavy weight swim suit material and drapes in a very flattering way. It also dries quickly (awesome if you have a toddler). If you're looking for a casual piece that goes from the beach to a date night, then definitely check them out. They also make suits and little kid coordinates!