(Another) Book Review: The Help ♥

The Help by Kathryn Stockett


WHERE DO I BEGIN? This is one of my all time top 5 books. Every single person should read this book at some point in their life. I will admit, before the movie & hype came about I overlooked this novel as "chick-lit" and passed it right by. BOY, WAS I WRONG! It is such a moving story about 3+ women during the civil rights era, it still amazes me to this day that people treated others this way. This story will make you laugh, cry, take you on a guilt trip, & think twice about the way you treat others. Although the movie was fantastic, it does not do the book justice... as you read you are taken back to the time period and you feel as though you know these characters. To me, that is a sign of a GREAT, classic story. LOVED this book.

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Book Review: The Friday Night Knitting Club ♥

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I gave this book 4 stars -but only because it made me cry! This was a really great "chick" book, it has a lot of great messages in it. I love these types of books because they don't focus on one single character, this books tells one main story but with several stories about each character. You kinda get perspective on each woman's life and how the main story affects it. I really enjoyed this light read, it has a great lesson & is an all around feel good novel.

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Book Review: Night

Night by Elie Wiesel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book! It really isn't something I'd typically pick up because of it's historical aspect but I feel like this was much more than just a historical piece; it was more story content with extreme riveting emotion. It made me shed a tear or two; how could humans be so cruel? This is a story of survival during Nazi Germany and not just another "Anne Frank" (Which I also liked) this is so much more than that. Definitely read this and you will have so much respect for this author & have such a deep emotional understanding of this war.

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◄ Selfies ►

What is with people hating on selfies lately?! I do not understand this! I am a shameless selfie queen and I am proud of it. Do people get mad at you for posting selfies? No one has actually ever said anything to me directly about it but I see nasty, mean posts about them at least three times a week; the sad part is its usually girls hating on other girls. What the actual hell, ladies? What is so wrong with someone snapping a photo of themselves when they are feeling pretty or having a good hair day? Or the sun is hitting them just right-even if they are sitting at a stop light with a duckface? I feel like these are the people that secretly have hundreds of selfies on their phone they are just too afraid to post them. Whatever, why be concerned with what other people are doing? It just makes me mad, I know people say "eh, why do you need reassurance from other people that you look pretty", you know what I say to that? BECAUSE IT FEELS DAMN GOOD. It's just nice to have someone else besides the reflection in the mirror tell you that you're beautiful. So go on with your bad selves, post as many selfies as you want no matter how good, bad, pretty, or ugly you think you are! ☺

"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same." -Lady Gaga

"All little girls should be told they're pretty; even if they aren't" -Marilyn Monroe

 "Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone" - Dorothy Parker

"A girl should be two things: classy & fabulous" - Coco Chanel

"Walk like you have three men walking behind you" -Oscar de la Renta

Beauty blogger tag!

I wasn't actually tagged to do this, but I've been searching for some fun things to write about and found this on Beauty Broadcast a.k.a. Emilynoel83 (on YouTube) so I figured I'd give it a whirl! Here goes!

~Is your hair naturally curly or straight?~

Naturally straight. I have fine hair, but a ton of it. I guess I consider myself lucky since my fine hair will hold a curl; although any sign of humidity will crush all hopes of that.

~Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?~

Haha... well. Since my best friend is my hair stylist, she has me taken care of in that department! For a few months after she married it was a long distance friendship so I went to box dying my locks. Currently it is a hot mess, but soon it will be back to salon perfection!

~Do you wear the same style everyday, or do you change it?~

Monday through Friday its ponytail, bun, or bust. Weekends I like to straighten it or curl it, just depends on the occasion. If I had time to change it everyday I would, but my schedule doesn't allow for that!

~Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon?~

Both. Manicures I do at home because I change my nail polish A LOT. Pedicures... well, pedicures are just a treat and who wants to do their own pedicure?! I go to a salon for pedis.

~How often do you change your nail polish?~

Every day (I know I'm nuts), if not every other day. 

~Do you polish your toes in the winter or just the summer?~

I always have my toenails polished. Always. 

~How long does it take for you to put on makeup?~

Monday through Friday, 5 minutes. Weekends or events, half hour at least. 

~What do you do first? Face or eyes?~

I do my face first, unless I'm doing a dark eye; dark fall outs are too hard to clean up on fresh foundation!

~Do you collect makeup or just buy what you need when you need it?~

Ha, well, I am definitely a collector, but I DO use what I have. I like to experiment with products and colors making comparisons and the like. Makeup is my hobby... so naturally I like to have makeup.

~How often do you wear false eyelashes?~

Mmmm.... never. I am blessed with pretty amazing eyelashes. Plus I am TERRIBLE at applying them on myself! It never looks right!

~Do you do a full face of makeup everyday?~

Noooooooo way. At work it's usually a BB cream & mascara. 

 ~Do you wear makeup when you're home alone or with family?~

Sure. Sometimes I just put on makeup for fun or to try a new look. I don't put it on specifically to hang out at home, but I will wear it around the house. 

~Will you leave the house without makeup?~

Absolutely. I'm not ashamed. I had a friend in high school who would never leave the house without makeup on. Can we say insecurity? She was beautiful, and to me she looked prettier without makeup! Crazy.

~How many high-end products do you have?~

About half of my collection is high-end. Some things are just worth it to pay more for, I'm not a makeup snob.

~Do you plan your OOTD (outfit of the day) every night or decide when you're getting dressed?~

Never. I am actually really incapable of doing so. Unless it's for a wedding or other formal event I never plan what to wear. I wear scrubs to work every day so that makes my weekday OOTD preeeetty dang consistent!

~How often do you change your handbag?~

Twice a year. They're both Guess brand, I have a winter and a summer bag. Sometimes if I am going to a fest or outdoor event and dont want my hands full I'll change to a cross-body or clutch or something, but only for that day/night.

~What time do you wake up and go to sleep?~

I'm so embarrassed! I go to bed at about 11:00 pm, fall asleep about 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. and wake up at 7:00 a.m.! Beauty sleep, whaaat!?

~How often or when do you workout?~

Shamefully only about three times a week. My mom and I walk three miles, three times per week and I occasionally do weights or home exercise videos when time permits. 

~Left handed or right handed?~

The only thing I do with my right hand it write; everything else I do with my left. Such a weirdo.

~How tall are you?~

5'10" 

~Do you speak any foreign languages?~

Nope! I know some Spanish & french, but not enough to hold a conversation.. 

~How many pets do you have?~

One! My Maltese puppy, Molly, who I always refer to as Marvin or Marv. No one calls her Molly... She has no joke about 25 names. Would you like to know some of them? Marvin, Marv, Polly, Polymorphism, Moofis Dog, Marvie, Marvin K. Mooney, Marv Alberts, Moody Poo, Bubby, Bubzie, Marvis... the list goes on.

~How often are you on Blogger?~

Minimum 2 hours a day 

~Do you read comments posted on blogs?~

Always! I like to see what people are posting and have questions about, it helps give me ideas on what to write about. As always, I appreciate comments on my own blog as well and I read each and every one of them! 

~Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?~

I do, I have the post-it note app on my phone that I keep an ongoing list on. 

~How did you come up with your blog name?~

I was watching a YouTube video one time where the person explained how they got their channel name so I copied; it's just my 2 favorite things in life! I think it shows I'm pretty well-rounded, I like girly things but I also like some man things too!

~What kind of camera do you use for your photographs?~

Either my [crappy] phone camera (HTC Thunderbolt) or my digital camera (Sony Cybershot). 

~How often do you clean your house?~

Every weekend-ish. 

~What's your favorite color?~

Pink! 

~Do you swear?~

No..........

~What are you doing with the rest of your day?~

I'm about to go to sleep! Work early in the morning, duty calls.

XOXO

iNSPiRATiONAL! ♥

A little something I saw on the Mirabella Facebook page ♥

June Birchbox: Wanderlust ♥

Happy June, lovebugs! This month's Birchbox theme was Wanderlust -- which I LOVE! This past year I have been doing SO much traveling and exploring; I totally am guilty of wanderlust. *Fingers cross for a trip back to New York this summer* Anyway, lets get into what I received in my June Birchbox.

♥ Laqa & Co Lil' Lip Duo

I LOVE these. I got one cute mini-sized chubby wubby lip pencil, a very good size sample in an amazing color (Lambchop). The full size comes with 2 chubby pencils, 2 different colors in the CUTEST packing ever. The packaging for each of Laqa & Co.’s products is commissioned from young, up-and-coming artists—SO rad. Its smooth shea-butter complex moisturizes and coats lips with a vibrant, glossy color. The duo comes with two high-energy shades: Pinkman, (a fuchsia), and Lambchop, (LAQA's signature hot pink). Full size $16

♥ Color Club: Wanderlust Collection

I got mine in the color London Calling, its a beautiful, creamy, neon mint color; perfect for spring/summer. I have a few other Color Club polishes and I like the formula. There are 4 colors in the collection and I like them all except one, the nude-y  cream color-not my fave. I like my nails bright and I like em' colored. Full size $8 (for four .25 fl oz polishes)

♥ Oscar de la Renta: Something Blue

I hate it. I'm not even gonna try and pretend I like it. It is awful, it smells overly sophisticated, migraine-inducing, and pretentious. I am not a fan of any ODLR fragrances, sorry buddy; dresses? That's a different story. Big thumbs down. Full size $85

♥ ORIGINS GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer

I am SO loving this brand, and this product delivers. It smells amazebeans, and its so completely natural and non-irritating to my fragile skin. Caffeine-rich coffee bean extracts and ginseng rev up circulation for immediately perkier complexions, while vitamin B fortifies skin against environmental damage. Magnolia bark fades dark spots and hyperpigmentation and light-diffusing minerals give skin a luminous finish. Best part? It’s oil-free! WIN. Full size $32

♥ ORIGINS Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

I want to like this product. I think I like it, but I definitely do not love it; it was a good sized sample and it smelled alright and all that jazz-didn’t knock me off my feet though. My pores are very much clogged and that is what this mask is designed to pummel, but I just didn’t see it. Here’s the down low: charcoal pulls stubborn pore-cloggers to the surface and white china clay & lecithin work together to dissolve any remaining impurities. Full size $23

This month's box also came with a beauty box extra; a set of postcards with really cool designs from all over the world. They are fun, I might consider framing them and using them as decor, or popping one in the mail to one lucky chap! 

Til next time,

XOXO Kimmie ♥

Abandonment issues.

I'm so sorry. I haven't written in ages. Wait, wait! I can explain! I took a 3 week pre-session summer course in biology; in a nut shell its learning the entire 2nd level biology course that is normally taught in 16 weeks crammed into THREE weeks of hell. Literally, every single second of my American life for the past 3 weeks was devoted to this material, it was CRAY. The good news is its all over now and I have one last week to submit the last dwindlings of my work so things are going back to normal! Not surprisingly I did still find time to hit up Sephora, Ulta, and various drugstores to stock up & try some new products so I will have forthcoming blogs very soon. I've also become a Vine addict... get the app and find me - IMkimmiewoolet is my handle; get at me, you won't be disappointed I promise. Tata for now!

xoxo, Kimmie ♥

I'm in the school play?

Well not exactly IN it... but I'm a part of it! I always wanted to be in the drama club, but was always to busy playing sports (such a man) to hold interest. My shining moment was in 3rd grade when I got to play Mary in the St. Peter's Christmas program. I got to hold a real baby Jesus (who I imagine is about 22 these days) and my husband, Joseph, was played by a strapping young lad named Brandon (who I imagine is still single-no offense, B).

Anywhoozles, I was recently asked to help out with stage makeup at a local grade/junior high school production of The Chronicles of Narnia. Super exciting, right?! I am pumped that they asked me and today is my first day scoping out the job. So far all I know is that I have to make 45 children look like various animals and fairies. I doubt I will be able to take pictures because parents don't want some girl creepily posting pictures of their babies on the internet machine on some blog. So sadly I cant share my work, BUT I will most likely get some silly stories out of it! Kids say the goofiest things. Plus, kids think I'm cool. At least someone does. ♥

Of course this would happen...

Almost immediately after I hit "Publish" when my previous blog was done, I grabbed my bag, flew out the door and headed to class. Just as soon as I got on the road THIS happened. Spooky. I could not even believe it, it was like someone had heard my rant and sent this down from the heavens (and by heavens I mean HELL) for this to prove a point! Grrr.

**I apologize in advance for an shouting, outbursts, or foul language in the video.**

XOXO, Kimmy

Very hot & very bothered. ☼

Where I live it seems as though spring has skipped by and summer has arrived, today it was near 80° and quite toasty  I know I am of a rare bunch that is not a fan of summer, heat, sweat, and all things that come with it. I generally prefer winter and take snowstorms with a grain of salt. Let me just fill you in on a few concrete -often irrational- reasons why I dislike summer. No, wait, we'll say I prefer winter to summer, because lets face it, everyone loves a sunny day. So here we go.

1. Bugs. I. HATE. BUGS. I have an irrational fear of them, and not just like any girl despises insects... I completely break down into full panic. Mostly bees & wasps freak me out, but basically if its bigger than my fingernail --BOOM. DONE. Cant do it. #BUGMURDERER
2. Heat. I love a good workout sweat, back sweat from walking to the mailbox? Not so much. I cannot handle sweating while just standing outside, thats so gross it gives me the heebeejeebees. #GRODY
3. Attempting to wear makeup... really? Really? Good luck to all of us attempting to look pretty while sweating our rear ends off. I hate the feeling of sweat on my hairline and makeup that can be felt dripping and melting off my face. #canIgetablottingsheet
4. Humidity makes me feel like I'm going to pass out, like I cannot breathe... um hello does anyone else see it? That is perfect climate for a full blown panic attack. Throat closing, dizziness, heat rushing to your head, sweats... yeah I'm practically having anxiety writing this. #MOVINGON
5. Landscaping trucks. The second I turn on a 2 lane highway with a double yellow -BAM- landscape truck appears in front of me. I don't know what is worse, how they drive 30 under the speed limit or the stupid rocks and debris crap that flies off and hits my windshield. #moveb*tchgetouttheway
6. I have a love/hate with air conditioning. I absolutely cannot and will not live without it, but its just weird, recycled air. Its conditioned air, that just sounds manufactured. Ew. #itshotinhurr
7. Summer clothes < winter clothes. Fall fashion is way better. I'll be honest. I'm not a big girl, but I am not little either. Believe it or not I feel insecure in a tank top, let alone a bikini. Its awkward for me. #passthecheese
8. 7 brings me to my next point, bikini bods. UGH I am not a good worker out-er. I am SO bad at committing myself to a workout plan by spring so naturally by summer my cellulite is in full effect and the only thing toned is my beer gut. #whatbikini?
9. Fall colors. Fall candles. Fall Starbucks drinks. #noexplanationneeded
10. Summer gas prices. #punchmeinthegutnow
11. SUNBURN LEADS TO SUN POISON LEADS TO SKIN CANCER. #OWWWWWW

I will admit, I do love myself a good day by the pool/beach in the sunshine but I'm sorry folks, I love me a good snuggly, winter, snowy day by the fire. ☼

Words to live by ♥

XOXO, Kimmy ♥

Product Review!

Recently I purchased the (fairly) new Olia hair dye from Garnier Nutrisse. I have pretty normal hair, oily at the roots & dry at the ends. My real hair color is a muddy somewhat dark brown with golden/red undertones. It sounds like a decent color but its actually pretty gross. I will preface this by saying I had bleach blonde platinum hair for about 2 1/2 years before going to dark about 6 months ago. As a result, the mid-shaft and ends of my hair are drastically more dry than the average head of hair! Although I have kept up with proper grooming and trimming, (thanks to my best friend being my personal hair stylist *LUCKY*) the ends of my hair do not hold color as well as I'd like. Because my ends are like straw, color tends to fade A LOT more quickly than the roots; sad but true. This is the biggest issue I have with at home hair dye. I will say as of recent, because my hair has grown a lot in 6 months the fading at my ends have created an unintentional ombre effect-thank holy heaven that's still in style or I'd be in trouble! I will insert a photo of the platinum blonde I had before going to a deep chocolate brown.

I used to religiously get my hair color done at a salon professionally by my bestie. (Thanks, Liz!) In October my beautiful best friend got married & moved 2 states away making it hard for me to keep up with the bleach blonde so I box dyed a iced chocolate brown on my head. It ended up looking drab and terrible so I let it run its course and bought a better formula of Garnier Nutrisse color foam which was a dark intense auburn, a slight improvement. I've learned firsthand the importance of undertones and shades and how to judge darkness on a box vs. darkness on a actual head of hair! I am not picky with brands nowadays, I usually gravtiate to something on sale or with a coupon. This time I had a coupon for the new Olia which is marketed toward drier hair types because it is made from 60% oil, which we all know is the bomb dot com for dryness. WINNING! That's me! I picked mine up in the shade dark soft mahaogany, such a pretty color, and relatively close to my natural color so as to no cause roots a la Britney Spears circa 2007. 

My first impression of this hair color was YUM. This smells amazebeans! It had zero hint of ammonia stench and smelled yummy and natural. The cream developer and color were very easy to mix, nothing too different from the norm. The bottle was somewhat awkward to hold - especially with rubber gloves on - and I am anticipating the brand changing this in the near future. (In fact, I am calling it right now that in the next 2 months you will see all of the Olia line go on clearance and then come back with newer packing and newer bottle, you wait and see!) The coloring process was simple, I did notice it took a little bit longer to develop; I had to leave it on my hair for 20 minutes which isn't long, but longer than I'm used to. When I rinsed it out it wasnt as tangled as it got with regular creme hair dye. Normally I feel like half my head of hair is in the drain but this was not the case with Olia. The deep conditioner it came with is AMAZING. It smells like heaven and makes hair SO SO SO shiny & lustrous. I wish I could buy this conditioner on its own, I'd buy gallons. I've been using so sparingly because it makes hair so beautiful and healthy looking/feeling.

Overall I would recommend this product, I loved it more than I expected. I think the oil trend has really found its place in my heart. I have been migrating from cream products to oil and in hair dye Olia definitely won! Will you give it a try?

XOXO, Kimmy ♥

I just had to post this for fun. Back in the day, getting my roots touched up at Liz's salon.  Hair gangster.

Haul!

I just ran to the corner to grab a few things to prep for the upcoming weekend & picked up a few goodies. (Happy Friday Eve!)
I had a few repurchases; Yes To Blueberries facial wipes, Q-tip dual purpose applicators (lame) & Almay makeup eraser sticks. Also got some new fun eye-shadows I'm excited to try out! I have a few other shades so I know the formula of the Maybelline Color Tattoo is amazebeans and I had to have the color tenacious teal. Wow. In love. Next I grabbed the new Revlon Photoready Primer+shadow (which my oily eyelids do not trust, I will be using my usual Urban Decay primer) in the color Bohemian (its the blue & gold shadow in the photo). I also bought the Revlon Colorstay shadow quad in Seductive (ooh la la, you know me!) These are the purple shades shown. Last I got the new Simple brand eye make-up remover pads. Not gonna lie, I mainly picked these up because the packing is tiny and cute and miniature and I love miniature anything. I have used the regular face wipes from this brand and they are fab for sensitive skin. As for non makeup products, I needed shampoo. Desperately. I saw the new got2b oil-licious shampoo (not shown) and had to have it. It was on sale for $4.09 and came with a cute mini (& free) argan oil. Again, love the mini packaged items. I'll probably end up doing a review on this since I'm such a shampoo snob.
The main reason I ran to the store was to pick up a plant for a friend I am visiting out of state tomorrow. She's a mom, and mothers day is approaching, and I just love her to pieces so I got her a pretty lil' pink flower plant thing. I try to be classy. I strive to remember to bring a little something whenever someone is dishing hospitality out to me. I don't like to arrive anywhere empty handed. My mama taught me good!

XOXO, Kimmy ♥

April Birchbox

Happy April! (Even though April is just about over, I still wish you the best these last 5 days.) This month's Birchbox theme was Tiny Tweaks inspired Women's Health Magazine. I have been known to pick up that magazine from time to time, but am not currently a subscriber (more like a waiting room stealer). However, I do believe this is a great magazine for those interested in health, fitness, and overall general well-being. I loved the theme of self-improvement this month as I have recently started a new workout/life change regiment. Although this box didn't contain items relating to fitness it was more beauty directed (HOLLA!)  which is way more up my alley [so to speak]. So let's get into it shall we? Here is what I received in my April Birchbox:

Caudalie Divine Oil ♥ 
I have heard SO much about this brand but cannot afford to drop 50 bones on an oil. I will say, this will blow your mind along with your pocketbook. It smells just as its name intends, DIVINE. I really liked it a lot & it very much served its purpose. I only got a teeny sample so I cant tell you long term results, but the time I did use it was amaze. 
[A+] (Full size $49.00)

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream ♥ 
Jury is still out on this whole CC cream trend. I understand that they are very good for your skin & la la la, but they are extremely sheer. Mine came in the deeper tint but did not show up on my skin. I suppose the long term effects are probably pretty solid, judging by the popularity of the brand. This is a sequel to a previous cream Juice made. I enjoy the smell & texture of it, but I'm just not sold on the CC cream deal. 
[C] (Full size $39.00)

Hail Merry Macaroons ♥ 
They're gluten. They're vegan. Whatevs. I'm not into uber healthy desserts, but these were OK. I don't have much to say about it except that it was a nice extra! 
[B-] (Full size $5.00)

Ojon rare blend™ Deep Conditioner ♥ 
OH MAN. I was really excited to see this! First off, this was a great size sample, enough for at least 5 uses. The smell, uh, TO DIE FOR. It smells citrus-y and clean. This brand is overall a great pick for any hair care item, but I am always desperate for a great deep conditioner (thank you previous bleach blond hair) and this one knocks it out of the park. 100%, A+, I'm in love with this one! Totes worth the money for full size.
[A+++++!] (Full size $34.00)

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser ♥ 
Wow, that's a handful to type. We all know Elizabeth Arden is a top name in skin care & who doesn't die to go to the Red Door Spa? I loved this cleanser, didn't have much of an amazing scent but it certainly wasn't awful. I imagine over time this would show greater results, but I just received a little 2 time use packet. It foamed really nicely, had little micro-beads so I could feel it working, and didn't irritate my skin whatsoever. All in all, I approve; and for the price -which is shockingly low- I might think about purchasing.
[A-] (Full size $20)

Supergoop!® Advanced SPF 37 Anti-Aging Eye Cream ♥ 
It was so odd to me to have such a scraggly number be the SPF... I'm a math nerd & I like nice round numbers. Anyway, I am always a big fan of SPF. I hate sunburn, skin cancer, & tanning beds. I also am becoming a big fan of eye creams as I get older. I have a few other products from this brand that I love so this was a nice addition. The price pushes me away a little, because I don't think eye creams are extremely essential to my current skin care routine. Plus I have several I need to empty before buying more. To conclude, I enjoy this product, I will save it for travel because of its size. 
[B-] (Full size $45)

**Also in this month's box, I received a card for 10 issues of Women's Health Magazine for only $10! Normally I'd be excited about this but, as I said in my intro, I'm not a consistent reader of this magazine & I usually snatch them from waiting rooms. If anyone would like me to pass this offer onto you, let me know!**

XOXO, Kimmy ♥

Epic Discovery No. 164: Mint, FTW. √

Ummm WHAT? How was I so uninformed about a staple beauty product? I'm at a loss. As I was casually strolling my local Sephora last night, I discovered Smith's Rose Salve is made in rose MINT! MINT? WHAT THE? I know. I felt the same way too when I found out. Do you have a mint addiction like me? I hate gum that isn't mint, mint ice cream is the best (duh), but mint lippy/solver of all life's problems? Thank you to the Rosebud Salve gods, point for you. Mint FTW.

XOXO, Kimmy ♥