Nail Files & A Prayer

Thank god it's finally Friday!! This post will be short and sweet. Today I am linking up with Vicki and Tara for Nail Files, but I am also asking for all you wonderful bloggers out there to send a little prayer out this way for my uncle. He is currently undergoing dialysis treatment and because of his diabetes he isn't doing so well and taking things day to day with his health. He is with his family in Florida and I wish I was able to spend time with him there, but sending my support and good thoughts his way is the most I can do on my end. So I am asking you guys to please just say a little prayer for my uncle's good health. 

My uncle with my grandfather (his dad)

With that said, my nails this week was a muted color perfect for Fall. It has been a favorite OPI color of mine since I've gotten it and have gotten many bottles after. 

OPI You Don't know Jacques!

Have a safe & wonderful weekend loves!

It's 'OK' Thurday

Happy Thursday everyone! I haven't linked up for It's OK Thursday in quite some time, so I figured it was time. I'm linking up with these two lovely ladies, Amber & Neely!!


It's ok...
...that I have been staying up until the wee hours of the night catching up on my TV shows.
...that I am so excited/glad to be back to regular blogging.
...to wish I could sing so I could go on The Voice and meet Adam & Blake!!
...to love spending time with my best friend even though we don't always get that chance.
...to feel like I have a certain life envisioned and it's my responsibility to get that.
...to bicker with my mom about life sometimes.
...to be excited to spend time at home with family this weekend.
...for it being Thursday, because tomorrow is Friday!
...to use this as a shameless plug, Monday I will be doing my September beauty product faves and would love for you to link up and grab the button on my sidebar :)!

What's 'OK' with you guys this week? Link up!!
Toodles!

Birchbox vs. MyGlam Bag

Happy hump day! After getting back from my New York trip, I was excited to have received both my September Birchbox & MyGlam bag on the same day!! 

After excitedly tearing through both of them to discover what fun goodies I got this month, I was actually pleasantly surprised. Here is my review on pros & cons of both boxes this month.

Birchbox:

*Details taken from Birchbox card*

{} Benefit Cosmetics | foamingly clean facial wash + refined finish facial polish

Purify your skin with this glycerin-packed cleanser and natural clay exfoliator.

{} Youngblood | Mineral Powder

Prevent makeup meltdowns with this clear gel primer, which contains skin-soothing vitamins and minerals.

{} Color Club | Birchbox Custom Polish

We teamed up with Color Club to create this custom shade, inspired by the Fall 2012 collections.

{} Twistband | Birchbox Custom Lace Hair Tie

Designers went gaga for lace this season and we don't blame them. Get on board with these ouch-free hair ties.

{} Mighty Leaf Tea Company | Teas

Swap your afternoon latte for these yummy tea blends, made from natural, ethically sourced ingredients.

{} Nexxus | Pro-Mend Split End Treatment System

Infused with coconut oil and amino acids, this shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in treatment work together to fix unsightly split ends.

So, I think my September Birchbox was pretty decent. I did unfortunately cancel my subscription because I need to cut back for my budgets sake, and I'm sick of getting useless samples. I do love the nail polish color I got and I am in LOVE with the twistband, I use it all the time and it doesn't leave that nasty crimp after you let your hair down. I am curious to try out the mineral primer to see how it compares to others i have tried. Overall, pretty good last box, maybe in the future I will get back on the Birchbox wagon, but as of now I'll stick with MyGlam {aka ipsy}.

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MyGlam Bag:

{} London Soho New York | Smudge Brush

This brush is so amazing and versatile for so many different uses. The bristles are also very soft and easy on the face.

{} Circus by Andrea's Choice | Nail Color

This vibrant purple color, Tightrope, is the perfect addition to my polish collection. 

{} Mirabella | Eye Colour

I am a sucker for natural brown shades of eye shadow and this color, Semiformal, is fantastic.

{} jane. | Sparkle Gloss

This fun lip gloss is a sheer pink with a little sparkle added in it. I'm not a huge fan of too much gloss, but this is a nice go to color.

{} Carols Daughter | Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer

This handy gadget is a must try and I am excited to see if it makes a difference on split ends.

Overall, I am very very pleased with my bag this month and cannot wait until the next. I love that I have decent size samples, pretty much everything is full size with the exception of the split end sealer, but that is also a generous size sample. I also LOVE the simple, classic black cosmetic bag my goodies came in. 

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Do you subscribe to any beauty bags such as these, if so what did you get this month? Leave your link in my comments and I'll check your reviews out! 

Linking up with Tara and Katie!

Influenster Naturals VoxBox 2012

Happy Tuesday cupcakes! A few weeks ago I was sent my very first Influenster VoxBox and was excited to tear through it and see all my goodies to review! I was so pleased with everything that I received and can't wait to try a lot of products given. I wanted to review the items that I got and recommend some of my absolute faves from the box!

First up is The Original Dish Drying Mat:

This drying mat is a great drying mat with great quality, absorbent microfiber that conserves energy and saves water by hand-washing. I really love how big this mat actually is and it is very convenient, along with a great color which will go with just about any kitchen! For being only $4.99, I think this is a great product and great buy.

Next is LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer:

Wow, to say I love this product is an understatement. I am always looking for great lip protection and this is definitely a favorite of mine. It is made with pure Swedish beeswax, organic shea butter, and vitamins A and E. I agree with the product message that it provides a long-lasting, deep-penetrating moisture. It makes my lips soft and natural. They sell from $2.87-$2.99, that's a steal of a price!!

The next is EBOOST:

This little packet seemed interesting to me and something that I may try out one day when I'm feeling the sickies come on. It is supposed to boost your mood, focus, and immunity with all natural ingredients and no crash. I think this is a little pricey, but no say on how it works until I try it out for myself.

Next is CleanWell Individual Hand Sanitizer Wipes:

I think this little guy is so handy and practical. It also has some very great uses for cleaning up messes and killing germs with all natural ingredients. Great for all on-the-go activities and safe enough to use on hands and face as well! I do think the price is a little high, $29.99 for 50 pouches, but if you are in the market for some these are great. 

Next is GeoDeo:

Another product I am in love with! I have always used Dove deodorant, but may switch to this one. The smell alone is awesome! It is also a 24-hour odor protector which is naturally-derived to be safe for the body and the world. For only $5.99 I highly recommend picking up one of these guys!

Next is Nectresse:

This all natural sweetener is something I cannot wait to try out. I haven't ever really used a sweetener, but being all natural and derived primarily from monk fruit, this is something I have to try out for myself. Another plus, it tastes like sugar, but with zero calories per serving!

Finally, Parissa Wax Strips Face and Body:

I never really used any at home wax strips, especially on my face, because I have ultra sensitive skin so I have to just get my eyebrows/upper lip threaded off, but I may have to try this out just to see how it works/if it works. It is supposed to be a natural, mess-free, express hair remover that's ready to use. For only $9 a pop, that's not a bad deal.

What do you guys think of my Naturals VoxBox? Have you guys ever gotten an Influenster box? If so, let me know what you thought of the products you received!

*Disclaimer* I received each product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster, these are my honest opinions and I was no paid for them!

Toodles lovers!

Weekend Love

Happy Monday {if there is such a thing}! I am glad to get back to regular{ish} blogging and catching up with a lot of the blogs that I've missed recently. So this past weekend, I did a whole lot of nothing! Well I did a lot of laundry, but that's not something to blog about. I did however want to blog about my last weekend in New York {last weekend}. Friday morning my sister, cousin & I headed down to the 9/11 memorial site, a place I had really wanted to go to during my trip. The memorial pool was reflective and emotional. The morning of 9/11/12, I looked out the window to the Freedom Tower and I was so proud to be living in such an amazing country. I still remember that morning in 2001 like it was yesterday, I was in my 8th grade Language Arts class and after the overhead speaker sounded instructing all teachers to turn on the TV, we were all shocked at what had happened. The school hall had been very somber that day and looking back on it now, I cannot believe it has been 11 years since the tragic morning where thousands of innocent lives were lost. I believe New York did a fantastic job remembering all those people with the memorial pools and can't wait for Freedom Tower to be complete.

Entrance to the 9.11 memorial

Names around the pool

South memorial pool

My sister and I by the south pool

Freedom Tower {almost done}!!

My sister & I, downtown Jersey City at the Waterfront

Saturday was spent mostly packing up 2 weeks of my life, but we also got ready to go out for a night out on the town. It was one of our friends' birthdays and we all wanted to celebrate big, so we went to LQ Nightclub in Midtown NYC. It was exciting being only a few short blocks from Times Square and the club itself was so nice and a refreshing atmosphere. The club reminded me of a place straight out of Miami with the white walls and fresh interior. The club played mostly salsa, merengue, and hip-hop. We all had our own little space since we opted for bottle service and it was nice, being apart of the crowd and enjoying the group we were with. After a long night of drinking and dancing, we were hungry as could be, so of course a trip to Platters {53rd & 6th Halal Cart}. If you are ever in NYC, you need to try this, amazing gyros!! Here are some pictures of the night for all the visual readers out there! 

The girlies & I

Sister, me & friend

My fave girlies and I

The girls with Jigar

My very own honey boo boo, love her!

'cousin' & I

If your curious at all about my outfits, the one from the 9/11 memorial includes:

{} Grey v-neck from VS Pink line

{} Grey boyfriend cardigan from Old Navy

{} Distressed denim jean from Charlotte Russe

{} Tommy Hilfiger Crossbody bag from TJ Maxx

{} Aviator sunglasses from Ray Ban

Saturday night outfit:

{} Lace black dress from F21

{} Pink Jessica Simpson clutch from TJ Maxx

{} Earrings & ring from F21

{} Nude patent leather heels from Payless

I'm linking up with these lovely ladies: LeeAnn @ Join The Gossip, Dana @ five30three, and Sami @ Sami's Shenanigans! 

Toodles princesses!

Big Fat Indian Wedding, But Not Mine!

Hey lovelies, Happy Friday!! I have been such a horrible blogger, I swore I would get better once I got home, but with work and school taking over my life again, I can't dedicate adequate time to the blog. Here's another attempt at being a better blogger. So if you already know, I was in New York/Jersey for the past 2 weeks and had been crazy busy with a family wedding. If most of you don't know already I am 100% Indian and an Indian wedding consists of 3-4 days of festivities/craziness. Now my family and I got to Jersey about a week before the wedding weekend and that meant we got straight to work, decorating and prepping for this huge wedding. I won't bore you all with all the details, but I will go over all the fun events that happen during a big Indian wedding! 

The first night usually consists of the bride's family calling over close friends and family for a night of music, food and henna. If you don't know what henna is, it's basically like a paint that you decorate your hands with to celebrate the start of wedding festivities. Now the rumor is that the darker the bride's henna, the deeper the love she has. Well I'll tell you this much, her henna was DARK!! Here are some fun pictures from that night. {By the way, all the decorations you see in the background is from the hard work of all of the family!!}

My creation for the decor

The beautiful bride getting her henna put on

Bride's all done, only took 3 hours!!

My turn!!

My henna, I'm in love with the peacock!!

So after all that fun {and crazy amounts of food being ingested}, we all woke up bright and early the next morning for the next day of events. The next morning was a prayer that the bride and groom do separately at their homes and it's basically like a big blessing from each family to the pair and all that jazz. Personally, this is the boring part, but at the end we all go out to the street and basically dance and have a mini party. Since we were in Jersey City and the family knows the police around here we were able to shut down a few streets to be able to do this. Here are some shots of the event.

The morning of decorations

Pretty bride-to-be {the yellow stuff on her face is for blessings & to make her skin glow for her wedding}

I spy lot of Indians dancing & a cop car in the back :)

The same night is another super fun evening because it's the night of dancing. Now this is not always done at Indian weddings, but the ones who go all out have this night. The bride's side invites the groom and his family to come out for a night of dancing and fun. I don't have too many pictures because I was busy dancing the night away and the blisters on my feet were proof of a good night! 

My younger sister, the bride-to-be, and I

The soon-to-be married couple starting off the night's dancing

If that night wasn't exhausting enough, all the "younger people" went to the hotel that night, which was an hour away from where we were. To say we were all sleepy was an understatement, but we couldn't sleep, you see we were all participating in a surprise flashmob dance for the couple at the reception and had to practice while we had everyone there. Granted it wasn't a great practice, but at least we were able to get everyone together and run through it a couple of times. After that, we were all good and tired and ready for the excitement of the next day, wedding day!!! I woke up before the sun had even come up to grab the shower and start work on looking somewhat presentable in public {it apparently takes a long time, sucks I know}. Well after everyone got ready, we all went down for family pictures with the bride & groom before the wedding started. After chugging down 2 cups of coffee, I was ready for the day. Indian weddings are long and very involved. Being to a lot of weddings, I kinda of knew the jist of things, but was definitely glad when it was all over and lunchtime was upon us! 

The happenings of an Indian wedding {read this if you are curious what all happens during the wedding ceremony}

Sissy, "cousin", & I

Fave bridesmaid & I

The gorgeous couple "coming into" their wedding

Their officially married!!!!!

Saying bye to the newly married couple {until the reception that is}

Now during an Indian wedding, lunch is usually served and then you have a few hours break in between the wedding ceremony and the reception. This time for me meant dealing with the set up and layout of the reception. I was the bride's voice down there trying to get everything the way she wanted it so she could get ready for her night as a Mrs. Right off the bat, things were not going as planned. The table place cards which the bride had a fantastic idea for, went all awry. There were sticks to be placed in a Ferrero Rocher, but the hotel staff decided not to refrigerate the chocolates, idiots. Well that was problem number 1, the next problem was that the sticks were not staying upright once they were in the chocolates. After over an hour of fidgeting with the place cards, it finally looked decent enough to just let be. I was still running around making sure the photobooth accessories were in the appropriate hands, and any other last minute things were dealt with. After all that, I had a good hour or so to get ready! After all the running around, my curls had fallen out and my makeup was all but gone. Somehow I managed to get ready and join everyone for strawberry & champagne/cocktail hour. Seeing everyone transform from daytime wear to night time swag was such a great feeling! I was ready to have a great night and I know everyone else was as well. Drinks and apps were flowing steadily and as the clock hit 7pm, everyone made their way into the ballroom which was transformed to a pink & gold fantasy land. The first thing I noticed were the sky high orchid centerpieces on the tables and everything being pink, I was in love! Without too much more talking from me, here are the pictures and the two awesome performances that were done that evening. 

Gorgeous centerpiece at our table!!

Sissy, cousin, & I

Me, new bestie & the sis

Enjoying some bubbly with the new Mrs!!

The gorgeous couple during their first dance!!

Groom popping some bubbly to start the night off right!

Aren't they adorable?!?

Definitely the fun/party group!!!

The damage we did at the after reception party!

^The bridesmaids & Bride's guy cousins dancing to Chris Brown^

^Our 30+ surprise flashmob for the couple^

If you guys don't recognize the songs, don't fret, most of the songs are Indian songs from popular Bollywood movies! The flashmob was SUCH a blast and a great surprise for the Bride & Groom and everyone's hard work definitely paid off! 

I know that was a lot of reading, pictures, and videos to get through, but hopefully you all had as much fun as I did attending this wedding! 

If you have any questions about any part of the wedding don't hesitate in contacting me!! 

I absolutely love my family & friends and all the amazing people I got to meet during this wedding weekend. It was definitely one of the best weekends this year and I hope this gorgeous couple have an amazing life together!!! 

Have an amazing & safe weekend lovers!!