Does your age define you? Being a 20-something in Adult limbo

For warning in this post I am going to open up a bit. Im not trying to whine or complain about my life at all. I know I am very privileged and I am thankful for the things I do have in my life. That being said, I'm 25 and I have no idea where my life is going.

I know this is a common time for a "quarter life crisis". A time people in their 20s and 30s to question the life dissions they have made up until this point and where they are headed in the future. For me it seems like a lot of people my age have a general plan that they are working towards. Most people have careers or getting married and starting families. I am doing none of those things. I feel like Im in this weird stage of adult limbo. Yes, I am an adult at 25 but I have little to prove this point. LOL For example my boyfriend is incredibly focused and driven. He graduated college and works at a corporate office in a near by city. The kid is twenty five and just bought his first home and has a 401 K plan for christ sake, he's got his stuff together. Meanwhile Im over here babysitting on weekends for extra money.

Im in the weird in between age of what having fun is supposed to be like. If you go out on a friday night and have a hangover the next day you may be seen as immature. If you stay in watching say yes to the dress and folding laundry then your an old lady. Not that I care that much how others perceive me, but I do feel a bit lost on this whole trying to be young and old simultaneously thing.

I use night cream to prevent future wrinkles but still battle teenage like acne. It doesn't help that I look much younger than I am, I get parents at work who think Im 20 all the time. I have literally googled "How to look older". Im not even kidding. Im sure I won't think that in a few more years but right now I would love just to look my age. 

Don't even get me started on the everyone I know getting married and having kids...Im just trying to remember to switch my laundry so it doesn't smell stale. Seriously I just try living day by day and get through the many tasks and to do lists without wanting to crawl into the fetal position, never mind trying to plan the rest of my life. Anyone else feel like this?

I sometimes feel like Charlize Theron in the movie young adult. Though she is in her 30's in the movie, she's stuck in 21 year old state but trys to fool everyone she's got it all together. I know your twenties are a time to discover who you are, and don't get me wrong as far as the person I am on the inside Im at peace with. Its the things that people ask you at family get together that bother me..."So where are you working now?", "Not married yet?", "Still living in the same area?". I would really love it if they could all just stop. Im making my own way. God has a plan for me I just don't know what that is yet. Im still trying to figure this thing called life out, let me breathe and stop comparing me to everyone else please. 

THE BEAUTY BOWL: Battle of the Beauty Products

So I know the Super Bowl is on right now...I know all you girls are bored. So I thought I'd do a little battle of the beauty products, the beauty bowl if you will. Two similar products go head to head, and I'm the lady in stripes making the calls.

Nars velvet Matte lip pencil VS. Revlon Color burst matte balm
While they both have similar names, and claim to do similar things, the price tag is the real difference. Nars comes in at $25 per pencil while Revlon is between $6-$8 depending on where you find it. The color burst collection has 10 different shades of nudes, brights even a trendy wine and purple color. The color pay off is great, and the shades are true to color from the packaging. My only problem is the brighter the shade the more it breaks up and settles in lines after a while. With using any matte lip color I suggest keeping a lip balm on while you do the rest of your makeup then blot it off before applying color. The Velvet lip pencils come in 14 colors mostly neutral lip colors and a few deeper shades but nothing as bright and vibrate as in the Revlon color pallet. You really get what you pay for when it comes to the texture in these however, the go on so smooth and the matte finish is flawlessly done.
The winner in my book is the Nars, the colors are shades I would wear on a daily basis and the quality is much better too. The color I keep going back to is Dolce Vita, decried as a dusty pink.

Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Palette-Eye on Neutral  VS. Urban Decay-Naked Basics Palette
Do you see a theme here? So I'm really loving matte and neural shades. Seems boring but they are actually very useful in creating a great look without ending up looking like a disco ball. The Sonia Kashuk compact comes with 12 shades in a sleek little black case. The first three are white and creams, the next three are peach and tan, then a red clay brown and two taupe colors follow, the last three mauve, grey and jet black. This is all you need to create a complete dynamic eye look for any occasion. I got mine at target for $20, which is steep for a drugstore buy but its hard to find an all matte palette out there! The Urban decay palette goes along with they're cult followed naked line. While they have three pallets of neutral shadows that mix shimmers, satins and mattes this is the only all matte version. Let me just say it's $27 and comes with 6 shades...really. Three cream colors, one tan, one brown and one black. The packaging is a small flat rectangular palette similar to the Eye Couture palette except its branded with the "NAKED" logo across the top instead of the see through top the former offers. To me its a no brainer. Sonia Kashuk's eye on neutral dominates the basics palette. Its like Urban decay just needed something else to throw into the Naked line to profit from but the product less than basic, not worth the almost $30 price tag.

L'oreal Paris Smooth Intense Xtreme Straight Creme VS. Phyto Phytodefrisant botanical straightening balm
So I have mention the l'oreal product before, I've been using the same bottle since the summer and have enjoyed it. It is targeted to those with unmanageable, frizzy hair. That's me. It claims to keep frizz under control for 72 hours, protect hair from heat styling of up to 450 degrees and contains oleo-kertain. Seems like a whole lot of marketing BS to me, but either way it did make my hair more sleek and less dry and brittle when flat ironing. Now it does say it is an intense cream, so use it very sparingly. I have thick dry hair and I can only apply this from my ears down because it is just too heavy for my roots. You can find it at the drugstore for $5-7 bucks. The phyto-word I can never pronounce-balm is a thinner consistency, more of a gel than a cream. It is for unruly, frizzy, and rebellious hair, again I fit the bill. It is actually heat activated so you will get a better result when using heat tools. Much like the other products from this brand it is free of paragons, sulfates, and phthalates. While the l'oreal cream contains alcohol and other ingredients that may make your hair feel good at the moment but dry it out over time, doing the opposite desired effect. The phyto balm also claims that the more often you use it the easier it will be to achieve a straight, frizz free hair. Again I think that is marketing, to get you to use more of the product faster. Something many beauty companies admit to doing it stretching the truth of their product and making everything seem like a miracle in a bottle. In this case, its no miracle, it just actually works. At $28 per bottle I keep repurchasing it. It makes my hair much straighter and I can load it on all over my hair and it will never cross the glossy/greasy line.

Currently watching the half-time show with Bruno Mars. He's always a great performer! Even for a guy named Peter he's got some soul : ) Ya Thumbs up for the name change.

Thanks for reading XOXOXO Brianna!

Saturday Shopping Extravaganza

So Patrick has been on vacation all week snowboarding with his buddies in Lake Tahoe...so whats a girl to do in her free time on the weekend? The answer is SHOP! haha

Hes on the far right-looks like they are having fun!

My mom and I headed out Saturday morning on a mission to find some cute decor things for my house. We ended up at about 2 antique shops, several consignment and thrift stores, and some how at the mall and TJ maxi as well. After trying to hard to not buy things other than home goods, I went on a little bingger, but it was well worth spending the day with my mom.

We saw some awesome pieces at our local antique shops I wanted so many things to add character and style to our home. I loved this royal blue Victorian chair and the large letters CONN for my home state but didn't purchase them.

I did get an antique book with a pretty paisley print titled "Reflections of the Morning after". Also two vintage advertisements, the first is for Seagram's I plan on putting in Patrick's man cave, and the "Breakfast in Hollywood" movie ad framed for the kitchen.

 For the guest bedroom I scored the word "nest" with a little nest for $12 after searching for something similar on etsy, most of which were above $20. I already have bird printed canvas throw pillows and branch curtains to tie everything together. For the master bedroom I'm going for a every clean and serene look of all grey and white with accents of mint green. I picked up a mint flower pot at an antique shop and a light mint ceramic vase at TJ maxx. 

At TJ maxx I also Picked up two gold toned picture frames for the living room. I love how they are both different textures but in the same color family.

I had been LUSTING after this Tory Burch Roberson Dome satchel for over a year now, and when I saw this Anne Klein taupe purse on clearance I snacthed it. I love the structure in this bag, it came in a beautiful cobalt blue color as well but I stuck with the neutral shade. I also got an adorable trench for warmer weather. My current trench is about two years old from Banana republic factory outlet and while its cute I don't like how it doesn't zip, only buttons and has a tie at the waist, it doesn't have front pockets and no hood. I found everything that one lacked in this new trench. I can't wait to wear it with flats or rain boots and jeans in the spring. I also got raw Goji berries and powdered greens in the food section, a non slip workout headband and a beautiful journal with bible verses on every page. 

At Victorias Secret we got there at end of the semi annual sale and I got two sports bras for $14.99 each  I really needed some new ones and these are so adorable and supportive. I highly recommend the VSX line to workout in-especially if you get it on sale ; ) 

Now onto the biggest steal of the day. We ventured out to the biggest thrift store around and spent forever looking for hidden treasures. I found this rag and bone stripped cotton shirt dress with silk trim for......wait for it......$3.99!!!!!!! I looked it up online and new it sold for hundreds and on ebay it's selling for around a hundred. It has been seen on celebs like Blake Lively and Cameron Diaz. I can picture it with some Tory flip flops, straw fedora and ray bans this summer for a laid back yet still polished look. 

We ended our almost 8 hour shopping day with a late dinner at a new resturant in Putnam called The Crossings. My younger sister met us there after work. Its a brew pub built in an old train station. The place was gorgeous inside and the food was fresh and savory. We split the cod bites for an appetizer and I got a carrot ginger soup. The beer was awful. I ordered a wheat beer and it tasted flat, flavorless and watered down. Now Im no beer conosoure but I think bud light has more taste than that. I sent it back and got an Angry Orchard with a shot of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky. Between that drink and hot soup it warmed me right up with the snow falling outside.

Now I'M DONE SHOPPING! I thinking about doing like a No-Buy february challenge. No beauty products. No clothes. No accessories. Just say no. Maybe I should call it my "I love my bank account challenge" in the valentines day spirit. Who's with me?!