If you use your registered Starbucks Rewards Card now through the 18th after 2pm, you’ll receive a bonus star for every purchase!
Category: Lifestyle
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
1. Starbucks Gift Card | Starbucks, various denominations
If your Valentine likes Starbucks, gift cards are the way to go. They even have cute, Valentine’s Day themed cards online and in-store. Even just $5 is super sweet to give to school friends, family or a co-worker.
2. Veranda Place Bee Wristlet | Kate Spade, $98
This wristlet is so cute! Pink with bows? You can’t go wrong. It’s great because it can hold your cards & money and be a sort of on-the-go wallet or throw it in your purse to help you stay organized. Perfect for your sister or best friend….or yourself!
3. togoPower Boost Keychain | Photojojo, $40
This keychain holds up to 1.5 hrs of extra battery life for your phone. It’s small and fits on your key ring. This would be great for anyone, even the guy in your life. A boost of power can help you stay connected with your Valentine when they need it most.
4. Valentine’s Day socks | Nordstrom, $10
Everyone loves a cute pair of socks. These pink, heart socks are sweet and cozy. Perfect for your sister or school friends. Tie them up with a ribbon and some candy & you’re good to go!
5. Too Faced Plump Gloss Glow | Sephora, $42
This set from Sephora comes with a mascara, nude lipstick, and a heart shaped pink blush. Very Valentine’s Day appropriate! The blush looks nice and rosy with a shimmer highlighter built in. A great Valentine’s Day gift for the makeup lover in your life.
6. Rue iPhone 5 Case | Marc Jacobs, $48
This iPhone case is so fun and pink! With a black cat with white mascara detail around the eyes, this gift is perfect for your best friend or sister who like trendy things or anything Marc Jacobs. The case bulges in certain areas around the phone so you’ll always have a good grip!
7. “Love Edge” Stud Earrings | Marc Jacobs, $42
Sleek, simple heart earrings are perfect for a casual day or a romantic Valentine’s Day evening. Delicate & dainty and perfect for the girly girl in your life.
8. Hanalei Triangles iPhone 5 Case | Pura Vida Bracelets, $20
This case is fun and beachy. Perfect for your friend who isn’t really into Valentine’s, but you still want to get them something. It has a slightly romantic feel with the layers of colors, but it’s perfect to give year round. Check the site for other fun case options!
9. Heart Compact | Marc Jacobs, $7
This mirrored compact is super cute to give to your teammates, school friends or anyone who would like a heart shaped mirror. At just $7, it’s a cute gift for everyone.
10. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Gift Trio | Sephora, $120
My favorite fragrance of all time! Flowerbomb is a super floral scent that just makes you happy when you smell it. This set comes with the fragrance, a shower gel, and a body cream. And if you get it from Sephora with your Beauty Insider card, you’ll earn triple points. This gift is great for a girlfriend/wife.
11. Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Complexion Kit | Sephora, $68
This set is perfect for your mother, your sister, or anyone who likes makeup/skincare. The set comes with a bottle of the Josie Maran Argan Oil Light, Cheek Gelée, Matchmaker Powder Foundation, and Matchmaker Serum Foundation. It’s limited edition and there are three color options.
12. Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm | Sephora, $27
Love this lip balm! It’s amazing! Perfect for the bestie or family member in your life who cares about skincare or lip products. This balm will heal chapped, winter lips and can be used as a primer, on its own, or as a treatment. Plus, it’s sheer pink and romantic in its embelished white case.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
It’s that time again — Star Dash time at Starbucks that is. This Winter Star Dash is a little different than the ones we’ve seen in the past. Rather than earning a $5 or $10 gift card upon reaching your star goal, this time you’ll just earn more stars.
Check your email or your Starbucks app to see if you’ve been selected to participate in this offer. If you don’t have a registered Starbucks card, you can sign up here and start earning stars for your purchases.
The Winter Star Dash is running from now until February 9th 11th. If you earn 25 stars, you’ll receive 10 bonus stars, and if you earn 40 stars, you’ll receive 20 bonus stars.
What do you think of this Star Dash? Do you prefer a gift card or bonus stars?
UPDATE: The Star Dash ends on February 11th. And Rewards will be distributed by February 18th.
I am nowhere near completing my Star Dash goal! Hopefully, I get an easier offer next time. How are you doing with your Star Dash? Check where you are by logging into your account. Did you reach your goal?
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
You know I love Chipotle, I always get a sofritas burrito with fajita peppers, green & corn salsa, sometimes sour cream, and guacamole. Their guacamole is amazing; no wonder they charge $2 extra!
Looking around online, I found a video of how to make Chipotle’s famous guac!
This recipe served 6 – 10 people (or just me for 2 days. lol. I love guacamole!) You’ll need:
- 6 large ripe avocados – pitted and peeled. (Don’t skimp on the avocado; get the best you can find!)
- 3 cups fresh cilantro – chopped
- 1.5 cups red onion – finely chopped
- 12 large serrano chilies – seeded and finely chopped
- 12 tsp lime juice (I used 2 limes)
- 1.5 tsp salt
And that’s it! This recipe is so easy and tastes so perfect.
Combine all your avocado in a large bowl and lightly mash with a fork, large spoon, or a mashed potato press.
Add your peppers, cilantro, onions, salt, and lime juice and combine/mash together. I prefer my guac to be a little chunkier so I combine all the ingredients lightly.
And ta-da! You’re ready to enjoy the best guacamole EVER!
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know I love me some Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers (with Light Ice!) from Starbucks; my Gold Card proves that. It’s tangy, but sweet; it has green coffee extract for a natural boost of energy; it’s cool and “refreshing”; it’s pink….you get the idea. It’s amazing! But at $5 a drink (I usually get the Trenta size), I wanted to see what other options were available. Check out my Starbucks Berry Hibiscus Refresher DIY Recipe!
This vegetarian sandwich is easy to make and tastes great!
You’ll need:
- Cracked Wheat Sourdough bread
- Bell Peppers
- Red Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Olive Oil
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Cilantro-Jalepeño Hummus
- Mustard
- Tomato
- Salt
- Pepper
Broil your bread in the oven and lightly drizzle some Olive Oil on one side, then flip the bread over and let your cheese melt slightly on the bread.
Remove the bread from the oven and add tomato slices to one slice of bread, and spread hummus and mustard to the other slice. *Use a thin layer of hummus. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Then add sautéed peppers, onions, and garlic to your sandwich, cut, and serve with potato chips.
*For an extra kick, add some tobasco hot sauce to the vegetables!
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
If you follow me on Twitter, you may already know that I recently was one of three #SephoraGiveaway winners to win a Marchesa prize package! For three days in November, Sephora would tweet out a question related to the Marchesa brand. If you answered correctly within one hour, you were entered into the drawing to win and I won! So exciting!
Sephora sent me a Direct Message that I’d won and I emailed them the information they requested. About 2 weeks later, I received a box with the Marchesa Parfume D’Extase 1.7oz fragrance, the 1oz fragrance, and the rollerball (the Hair Mist was not in the box 🙁 ).
Then, about two weeks after I received the fragrance, the dress arrived! The Notte by Marchesa dress is all white silk with black lace straps and detailing around the neckline.
I found these images of Katie Lowes wearing the dress at ELLE’s 20th Annual Women In Hollywood Celebration (10.21.13) on katrinapavela’s tumblr.
I’m really excited to have won! Thank you, Sephora and Marchesa! Super excited to wear my dress and fragrance over the holidays!
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Landon Austin
When I first heard about Landon Austin on Youtube, I thought he used auto-tune on his voice. He has a really unique sound, accompanied by an acoustic guitar and his songs are pretty mellow. I am really liking Once In A Lifetime. Even though it’s a slower song, I like to listen to this when I’m running.
The Hunger Games – Catching Fire
This movie was much better than the first. The Capitol establishes new rules in order to surpress a rebellion encouraged by Katniss Everdeen’s breaking the rules in the last Hunger Games. Peacekeepers are enforcing more rules on the different Districts and Katniss and Peeta must fight again in the 75th Hunger Games. If you liked the first movie, you’ll really like the second. By the end, I was holding up my three fingers and whistling the Mockingjay tune!
Chipotle
I’ve been loving Chipotle so much in November. I get a burrito with: white rice, fajita vegetables, sofritas (only served in select states/locations), the green salsa, corn, sour cream, and guacamole. MMMmmm. So good. I’ll sometimes get the chips and guacamole on the side, but only if I’m super hungry.
Nike+ Running
I’m still training for a half marathon, and I’m using the Nike+ Running App to track my runs. Just the other day, I logged my farthest run – 7.25 miles! Yay. I’ve still got a ways to go and a lot more conditioning, but I really like how the Nike+ Running App lets you create goals how you can “race” with your friends. Add me (MuffinChanel) and we can race!
Lush Baths
I love Lush baths; especially during the colder months. Relaxing underneath a blanket of bubbles is so perfect. My favorite combination at the moment is The Comforter bubble bar and Think Pink bath bomb & to make it extra amazing, I add a dropper of Josie Maran’s Argan Oil! With this bath ^, I used Sandstone soap to exfoliate and Sweetie Pie shower jelly. Amazing!
Starbucks Holiday Star Dash
I’m so excited that I was selected to participate in the Starbucks Holiday Star Dash. As you can see, I earned my 16 stars and will get the $10 eGift! Yay for those Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers!
Photojojo Macro/Wide Lens
I got this lens for my birthday and it’s awesome. If I have to choose from the three they offer, this is the one I choose. I love it because it is both Macro and a Wide angle lens — just unscrew it to get the Macro.
Rainbow Loom
My little cousins shared their Rainbow Looms with me over Thanksgiving! They taught me how to make the Starburst and Fishtail bracelets! You can get the Rainbow Loom at Michael’s for $17 and each Rubber Band Pack of 600 bands is $4.
Grand Theft Auto 5
I recently bought GTA 5 and it’s so much fun. I have GTA 4 (but I never even finished the story mode), but GTA 5 is so much better. You play as three different characters in story mode & the online mode is so much fun; I’m already on level 16!
Living Proof – Restore
I bought this in my Sephora VIB Rouge haul to try it out and it’s awesome. My hair looks and feels softer and healthier. I’ll repurchase the larger sizes when I run out. I do like these small bottles though; perfect size for traveling.
What have you been loving this November? Let me know in the comments.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Many of you may be traveling for the upcoming holidays. It’s always fun to go somewhere new or see friends & family, but it can be difficult deciding what to pack or just carrying everything you want.
I always try to pack just the “essentials” so my bags aren’t loaded down and I’ll have room in case I get a few souvenirs. You really need to ask yourself what you want; try to only bring products that have multiple uses. For example: with makeup, see if you can find a blush you like that can double as an eyeshadow. Or a dark eyeshadow that you can also use to fill in your brows. With beauty items, it can be a little more tricky. You don’t want to neglect your skin while you are on holiday, but you don’t want to carry your full sized bottles either.
This is where those sample sizes from Sephora or little mini bottles of products come in handy. I always save the samples for traveling because they hardly take up any room and you can just discard them when you are done. If you don’t have the sample sizes of the product you want to bring with you, there are always those mini travel bottles you can buy at the drugstore.
Here’s my travel makeup bag:
This bag is actually a clutch from the Marc Jacobs collaboration with Target last year; it’s a shiny metallic pouch that’s fairly large and fits all you see here ^ very nicely.
- A few of my makeup brushes
- Marc Jacobs Genius Gel (Bisque Light) (see my review HERE)
- Urban Decay – Naked 2 Palette
- Lancome – Effacernes (Porcelaine)
- Fresh – Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment
- Urban Decay – Eye Shadow Primer Potion mini
- Laura Mercier – Secret Brightening Powder
- Benefit – The POREfessional mini
- Benefit – Watt’s Up! mini
- Tarte – Amazonian Clay Blush (Dazzled)
- Maybelline – Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner (Blackest Black)
- Lancome – Hypnose Star mascara mini
- Benefit – They’re Real mascara mini
- Viktor & Rolf – Flowerbomb mini (Sephora 250 point perk)
- Smashbox – Layer Lash Primer
- Revlon – eyelash curler
Here’s my skincare and toiletries bag:
This bag was a gift with purchase at Victoria’s Secret a few years ago. It’s metallic gold, but has vertical pink stripes inside and it’s pretty large.
What’s inside?
- Pursonic
- Lush – Grease Lightening
- Philosophy – Miracle Worker eye cream
- Josie Maran – 100% Pure Argan Oil (see some of the many uses HERE)
- Clarisonic Mia
- Philosophy – Purity Made Simple
- Colgate Total travel size
- L’occitane – Hand Cream mini
- Lancome – Genefique mini
- Lancome – Vissionaire mini
- Dr. Dennis Gross – Alpha Beta Peel sample
- Living Proof – Prime Style Extender sample
- Lancome – Absolue Night Premium mini
- Lancome – Absolue Premium mini
- Altoids Smalls – Peppermint
- Origins – GinZing eye cream sample
- Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo sample
- Bumble and Bumble Thickening Conditioner sample
- Purell – Hand Sanitizer mini
- Blistex – Medicated Lip Balm
- Neutrogena – Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen mini
- Lancome – Energie De Vie sample
- Bumble and Bumble – Grooming Cream sample
Let me know if you have any holiday travel plans coming up and what your must-have beauty travel essentials are! ❤
If you have a Starbucks Rewards account, you may have been invited to participate in the Holiday Star Dash! Check by logging in to your My Starbucks Rewards and clicking “Join”
From now until December 3rd, you’ll accumulate stars (separate from the stars you already earn through My Starbucks Rewards) for every purchase. Earn 10 stars, you’ll receive a $5 eGift card; earn 16 Stars, earn a $10 eGift card! You’ll get an email with redemption instructions by December 11!
What a nice extra holiday treat, especially when you can earn that $10 eGift for just 16 stars instead of the 20 stars it was during the Fall Dash.
What’s your favorite Starbucks drink?
[polldaddy poll=7582717]
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
With the holidays right around the corner, many people will be traveling to visit friends and family, or just going on a vacation. Whatever your reason, air travel may be in your near future.
Whenever I fly anywhere, I purpose to pack as lightly as possible. No one wants to lug three suitcases and two totes through the airport; trust me. So, unless you’re going to be away for more than two weeks, try to fit everything into one duffle/suitcase and one larger “carry-on”/purse. Winter time can be more difficult, since many of our sweaters and jackets are bulky, but if you wear or carry some of the larger items, you’ll be fine.
I actually carry on all of my luggage, rather than checking a bag. No one wants to stand around the luggage carrousel after a long flight, waiting to find her bag with the pink ribbon (Tip: always give your bag some kind of distinguishing characteristic if you are checking luggage to help you identify your bag quickly and easily!)
Once you’re on the plane, you’re ready to sit back and enjoy the flight! Here are my travel essentials for your trip:
Large Tote — Think “Weekender Bag”
This will be your go-to bag for all things travel. Big enough to hold all of your essentials, but small enough to slide underneath the seat. I like this handbag by Michael Kors.
Water
Fill your own water bottle once you are through airport security, or just buy a bottle from one of the many stores past the security gates.
It’s important to stay hydrated on the plane since the air can be very dry. Yes, the flight attendants will bring you a beverage and maybe a snack, but those cups are small and the attendants aren’t there to keep refilling your glass. So come prepared with your own water…
Snacks
…and your own snacks. Plane food isn’t the best especially if you are on a short flight. You won’t be served a meal and if you get a snack, it’ll be a little packet of trail mix or something of the like. That’s fine in a pinch, but I’m all about being prepared and eating more than 5 mini pretzels, so I like to bring fruit bars. The “this strawberry walks into a bar” kind from trader joes are my favorite.
Hand Sanitizer
Don’t want to eat with dirty hands, of course. But you also want to protect yourself from all the germs on the plane. Anytime you touch your face, eyes or mouth, you want your hands to be clean.
Neosporin
This may sound gross, but it’s a travel pro tip — put a little neosporin on your pinky finger and line the inside of your nose with it. It’s your own personal barrier against breathing in those germs!
Categories
Lush Holiday Favorites
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Every year, Lush comes out with its holiday gift sets, bath bombs, bubble bars, and more. Some of the seasonal scents are less than magical for me, but there are a few that I really look forward to.
This bath bomb is huge! It’s $6.95 and shaped like a present with a white bow on top. I used this the other night and it smells lovely.
My favorite Christmas themed bubble bar. Super relaxing; makes your water so silky and pretty blue.
You can’t go wrong with this yellow bomb at $4.95. With red “pop rocks?” inside, you’ll feel like you are sitting near a crackling fire with this cinnamon scented bomb.
Do you have any LUSH holiday recommendations? What are your favorites?
Check out my year round favorites HERE.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
- Oliver
I love this movie and not just because I like musicals. This 1968 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist is fun while touching on serious issues. If you haven’t seen the movie or read the book, I definitely recommend it. This used to be on Netflix, but they’ve taken it down since 🙁
- Philip Glass
Earlier this month, we saw Philip Glass play at the Days and Nights Festival in Big Sur, California. It was a beautiful day and the festival was so much fun. If you aren’t familiar with Philip Glass, check out some of his solo piano HERE and HERE.
- Josie Maran – Whipped Argan Oil
You already know how amazing this has been for me! Of course I had to make it one of my October favorites 🙂
- Josie Maran – 100% Pure Argan Oil
So excited about this. Review HERE, but you can use this organic oil for so many things! It’s amazing and it is perfect for all skin types! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Historically, Argan oil has been used to treat acne, stretch marks and skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis!
- Benefit – The POREfessional
I first got a sample of this with one of my Sephora purchases and I loved it. I recently picked up the full sized version, and I got a great deal! I use this on top of moisturizer but underneath foundation. It give a smooth canvas to apply your makeup and it reduced the appearance of pores — it’s gives an airbrushed effect.
- Sephora by OPI – French Manicure Gel Nails
I love the classic look of a French manicure; it looks great with everything. This kit from Sephora is a great value with 2 full sized gel polishes, a detailing brush, and nail decals for just $29. I’ve only had this on my nails for 3 days, but the gel formula is amazing and will last up to two weeks. Super easy to apply and several colors to choose from in-store and online.
- Pretty Little Liars
This show makes me think of fall. I had a Netflix marathon last year in October and tried to keep up on the most recent season online. With the most recent Halloween special, I’m excited all over again to solve more of the mystery! Are you watching? Do you think Ezra is A?
- GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD mask
I got this mask in a set in my last Sephora haul. I have used it twice and there is a full review HERE, but so far I really like it.
- California Plant Burger | The Plant Cafe Organic
This organic, vegetarian “burger” was awesome. With avocado and white cheddar, the lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews & bulgar wheat pattie was delicious. It was served with a side of mixed greens, roasted potatoes, and pickles. Yum!
- Watt’s Up – Benefit
This is my go-to highlighter for that gorgeous winter glow. I like the way the product glides on and it blends very easily with your fingers. The highlight is natural looking, but you can definitely see it. Perfect for holiday party time or year round.