Holiday Drinks

November 15, 2016November 15, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

holiday-drinks

Happy Monday! Is anyone else having issues with how dark it’s getting at like 5:00 now? Today I shot a few outfit photos for blog posts, and we had to rush because we were running out of sunlight! But that does mean one thing, Christmas is coming! With it being so warm lately, it’s kinda hard to get in the holiday spirit. One of my favorite ways to get in the spirit is by drinking my favorite holiday drinks! Sometimes I have a hard time finding the perfect one that everyone will like, so I’m rounding up a few of my favorites that I found on Pinterest! All of these are perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years! The first half will be non-alcoholic and the second half will be alcoholic:

Non-Alcoholic:

Hot Cocoa: This one is super simple, but always a favorite. I start out by adding hot water (you can always use milk heated up on the stove or microwave) from my Keurig to my favorite mug, then stir in a packet of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa. I top it off with Jet-Puffed Mini Peppermint Marshmallows. You can even put crunched up candy canes on top. SO good!

Christmas Morning Punch: This is a mixture of orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and ginger ale! This is perfect to drink Christmas morning while opening presents. You can even add a little champagne to make it a mimosa!

Sparkling Cranberry Pineapple Punch: This one is similar to the one above, but more for parties! I will for sure be making this at my next Christmas party!

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider: Pretty self explanatory, but sounds so delicious!

Salted Caramel Egg Nog: I’m not a huge egg nog fan, but this sounds so good!

Alcoholic:

Cranberry Moscow Mule: A twist on the classic Moscow Mule, but with cranberries!

Apple Cider Moscato Sangria: Sangria isn’t only for summer! This one is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties.

Apple Cider Mimosa: This one is only two ingredients! A win in my book.

Rudolph’s Cranberry Fizz: Not only does this sound delicious, the Rudolph marshmallows are so adorable!

Jingle Juice Holiday Punch: I think I might make this one for New Years!

Which one do you plan to try? Let me know in the comments!

Valerie

This post was sponsored by Kraft and Swiss Miss. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible!

Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

November 9, 2016November 9, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 8 Comments

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It’s that time of year! Has anyone started Christmas shopping yet? Last year I got all of my Christmas shopping done on Black Friday. It was the first time I have ever done that, and it was such a relief! I was able to spend the rest of the weekends leading up to Christmas decorating the house and spending time with family, which is really what Christmas is supposed to be about.

When I was younger, my little sister and I would always get stockings full of little items. My dad worked nights, so he would sleep in for the most part on Christmas morning. My mom would always let us open our stockings to kind of “hold us over” until my dad woke up and we could open the bigger gifts. They always picked the cutest items out, like nail polish, socks, candy. I included some of those items in the gift guide above. These are perfect gifts you can throw in a stocking for your mom, sister, friend or co-worker. All of these items are under $20!

My favorite item on that list is the gold pineapple candle. I have had my eye on it for months, but it was always out of stock! When I found out H&M finally restocked it, I knew I had to add it to this list. The Forever Red Bath and Body Works lotion is my favorite scent by them! My boyfriend got it for me for Valentine’s Day this year, and I wear it every day. A huge trend this year has been the poof ball key chains. I have three so far that I change out on my purse everyday. They are a cute accessory that any girly girl would love to add to her purse or key ring.

What was your favorite stocking stuffer when you were a kid? Let me know in the comments!

Valerie

Velvet Moto Jacket

November 3, 2016November 3, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 1 Comment

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Jacket: Soft Surroundings // White Tee // Jeans // Choker Necklace (similar) // Clutch (similar) // Boots

I have lived in the St. Louis area my whole life. So when Soft Surroundings contacted me to help them celebrate the 11th birthday of their St. Louis store, I did to not hesitate to say yes! They are headquartered right here in St. Louis.

I just love the atmosphere of St. Louis. There is always something going on every weekend, most of it being free! My favorite spot is The Loop. There are so many restaurants and shops for every occasion. Lunch with friends? Go to Blueberry Hill! Girls night? Go to Moonrise! In the mood to hear music? Check out The Pageant and Delmar Hall! Pretty soon they are going to have a trolley going down The Loop, and I’m so excited to try it out!

On November 11-13th, pay a visit to the Soft Surroundings St. Louis store (at The Boulevard, across from The Galleria), to help them celebration their 11th birthday, and enjoy drinks, treats, and a complimentary make over while shopping!

Soft Surroundings sent me this Velvet Moto Jacket to give you a taste of what they have to offer. They are known for their extremely soft fabrics. This jacket is SO soft and comfortable. The velvet trend is one of my favorites this fall. I paired this jacket with an oversized white tee, jeans and booties. Of course I had to add my leopard clutch! It has become my everyday bag (leopard is a neutral in my book).

What do you love about your city? Tell me in the comments, and let me know if you are going to the birthday celebration at Soft Surroundings!

Valerie

In collaboration with Soft Surroundings. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible!

P.S.: If you are planning to move to STL, or are just wanting a new house, two of my sorority sisters just got their real estate license! Check out their website HERE.

My Skin Care Routine

October 31, 2016October 31, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 3 Comments

I have struggled with acne since I was in 4th grade. I was always told that once I got older I would grow out of it. Well, that has yet to happen. I tried Proactiv, and it seemed to work for a little while. But after about a year or so my face seemed to get used to the product and my face started breaking out again. I went to the dermatologist and found products that seemed to work a little more, but they were so expensive and my insurance wouldn’t cover all of the cost.

Within the last year I think I have finally found a routine that works for my skin. I still get those pesky breakouts before my time of the month, but other than that my face stays pretty clear. This routine works great for those who are acne prone and/or have oily skin.

Face Wash: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Cleanser (found in drugstores). The active ingredient in this is benzoyl peroxide, which is the active ingredient found in most products you get from the dermatologist and Proactiv, but this face wash is more than half the cost! I wash my face in the morning and night. I take nightly showers, so when I first get in I wash my face and let the face wash sit on my face like a mask while I wash my hair and body. This gives your skin the chance to really soak in all the product. I learned this trick from my dermatologist, and I have really noticed a difference after doing it!

Face Cleansing Brush: Clarisonic Mia 2. Clarisonic sent me this face brush about a month ago to try out, and I absolutely loved it, so of course I had to add it into my routine! I use it in the morning and at night, and it really helps to get my face cleaner, especially if I have makeup on! It cleans out my pores of all the excess oil, dirt, and makeup. My face is always so much softer after using it!

Before using the Clarisonic brush, make sure your face and the brush are wet (it’s waterproof, so you can use it in the shower!). Next, apply the product directly to the brush (shown below) or rub on your face.

Once you have your face wash on the brush, turn on the brush by pressing the bottom button and going in a circular motion on your face. The cleansing brush is gentle, so you don’t have to worry about your face being red and irritated afterwards! The Mia 2 is timed for each section of your face (chin/nose, both cheeks, and forehead), so it pause for a second so you can move to the next section to clean. I always start with my chin/nose, then each cheek and ending with my forehead.

Clarisonic facial devices would make a great gift for Christmas! Clarisonic is offering Styled Muse readers a 15% off coupon code to try a facial cleansing brush out for yourself or to gift to a friend or family member! Go here and use code: HERCAMPUS

Toner: Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Toner (found in drugstores). I apply this to my face with a cotton pad or cotton ball after washing it. It helps with oily skin!

Spot Treatment: Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel (found in drugstores). Whenever my face starts to break out, I apply this directly to my pimples, and it helps with redness and swelling and they tend to disappear quicker.

Face Mask: Clarisonic Detoxifying Clay Mask (found here). Twice a week I use this face mask to remove impurities from my pores.

Moisturizer: ELF Nourishing Night Cream (found in drugstores). At night I apply this to my skin, especially during the winter. Since I have extremely oily skin, I don’t have to apply a moisturizer as much. This one doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy after applying it and doesn’t break out my skin. I also love using their eye cream at night!

What is your favorite product in your skin care routine? Let me know in the comments!

Valerie

This post is sponsored by Clarisonic and Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Styled Muse possible!

Girls Night Ideas + GIVEAWAY!

October 18, 2016October 18, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 5 Comments

Sometimes you just really need a girls night. Am I right? But, what is there to do? Coffee? Drinks? Girl, I gotchu. I’m giving you a few ideas that are perfect for girls nights, plus a giveaway to have your very own girls night!

Movies in: I know it may sound lame, but this is the time you can watch all those chick flicks you haven’t been able to see because your boyfriend just isn’t about that life. Grab a few of your favorite snacks, bubbly (it can’t be a girls night without that), and your PJs.
Paint night: Whether you are painting at home or at a painting party, it’s a fun way to catch up, drink wine, and get a little crafty. My local coffee shop hosts these every few months, and I have it on my to do list to sign up!
Spa night: Manis, Pedis, Facials, you name it. Take this time to pamper yourselves and have a glass of wine… or 5 ;).
Shopping: This is an obvious one, right? But be adventurous and try on something you normally wouldn’t!
Comedy club: What’s better than having a few drinks with your girls, while laughing until your stomach hurts?
Coffee: Some of my best girls nights are sitting on the couch at a coffee shop, drinking a latte, while catching up.
Out for drinks: One of my favorite places to go and have drinks and appetizers is Elephant Bar. They invited me to try some of their new signature cocktails and appetizers and they are SO good! My favorite cocktail was the Jungle Colada, it literally tastes like ice cream! For appetizers you have to try their Parmesan Crusted Green Beans!

I partnered with Elephant Bar to give TWO Styled Muse readers the chance to each win a $25 gift card to have your own girls night! Head on over to Instagram to enter!

What are some of your favorite things to do at your girls nights? Let me know in the comments!

In partnership with Elephant Bar. All opinions are my own.

Fall Cocktail

October 13, 2016October 13, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 18 Comments

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I love trying new cocktails. Especially if it’s for a good cause! West Elm and Whole foods asked for me to try one of their cocktails from their blog to share with you all! If you post your own photo of a cocktail or appetizer on Instagram and use the tag #westelmxwfm they will donate $1 to the Whole Planet Foundation that helps alleviate poverty worldwide.

Now onto the cocktail! This one is called Apple Pomegranate Fizz. The original recipe is found on the West Elm and Whole Foods blog here.

Apple Pomegranate Fizz
Serves 6

This festive drink is easy to prepare for a crowd. Consider making one batch with nonalcoholic sparkling cider and the other with hard cider to satisfy everyone.

¼ cup sugar

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced

2 cups chilled unsweetened pomegranate or açai juice

1 quart chilled sparkling cider or hard apple cider

Combine 1/2 cup water, sugar and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain out ginger; you should have about 1/3 cup syrup.

Have 6 cocktail glasses ready. Pour about 2 teaspoons ginger syrup and 1/3 cup pomegranate juice into each glass and top with sparkling cider. Reserve remaining syrup for another use (or more cocktails!).

I absolutely love this cocktail, and it’s perfect for Thanksgiving! If you are in a rush (like I was the other day) you can create this cocktail with 1 part Ocean Spray Cranberry Pomegranate Juice and 1 part Johnny Appleseed hard cider. Just add a few apple slices to top it off. SO good and super simple!

Do you have a favorite cocktail for fall? Let me know in the comments!

Valerie

Fall Inspiration

September 21, 2016September 20, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 31 Comments

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Happy Wednesday! Does anyone else have a hard time getting into the fall spirit when it’s 90 degrees outside? In the morning we have to turn the heat on, but in the afternoon we switch the AC back on. When can I just leave the windows open and enjoy the fall breeze?

My favorite way to get in the fall spirit is by buying pumpkin coffee, fall candles (hello, Bath and Body Works!), and shopping for fall outfits. To help you get in the spirit with me, I decided to do a roundup of some of my favorite items for fall! Of course, boots will always be in style during the fall and winter months. My favorite boots to wear are the ankle booties. The open toe ones are perfect for transitioning into fall, while the over the knee boots are perfect for chilly days that you can always wear during the winter months. I pair the OTK boots with a bell sleeve dress. Bell sleeve dresses and tops are huge this fall.

One trend that won’t be going away anytime soon (and I’m so happy about!) is off the shoulder tops. This off the shoulder sweater is perfect for fall and winter. Just pair it with leather leggings or white skinnies. Blanket scarves are also back again this year! They are so warm and cozy, and are perfect to wear with any fall outfit.

A few colors that will be on trend this fall are olive and burgundy. I’ve also noticed a lot of dark nail polishes, like this dark purple “Kimono-onover” polish from Essie, and dark lip colors like this YSL lipstick in “Dark Pink”.

What are some of your favorite fall trends? Let me know in the comments! As always, thanks for reading!

Valerie

Sephora Play Review

September 15, 2016September 15, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 2 Comments

Happy Thursday! Did any of you watch American Horror Story last night? Let me know what you thought! I’m excited to see what this season brings.

There are so many subscription boxes out there! Ipsy, Birchbox, Sephora play… which one do you join? I have tried SO many of these. If you are interested in Ipsy and Birchbox, see my review of them here. I decided to try out Sephora Play for a couple months. I will show you what I got in each one for July and August, and let you know what I thought.

July:

Contents:
1. Nest Fragrances: Citrine
2. First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay
3. Ouai Wave Spray (excited to use this!)
4. Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer (not pictured, I used it all as soon as I got it! I love Smashbox primers)
5. Beautyblender Blotterazzi (so awesome!)
6. Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer in Chocolate

August:

Contents:

1. Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in I-544
2. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
3. Clean Reserve Blonde Rose (In love with this scent! I may have to purchase the full size.)
4. Lancome Energie De Vie Smoothing & Glowing Liquid Care Moisturizer
5. Caudalie Resveratrol Eye Lifting Balm
6. Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof in Flirting Game

First of all, it was really hard to get off the waitlist for Sephora Play. I think I waited about two months before I received an e-mail, saying I was finally off the waitlist. Sephora Play is $10 a month and you get 6 samples, whereas Ipsy and Birchbox you only get 5 samples at $10 a month.

I’m not going to review every product I received (if there is a specific product you want reviewed, let me know!), otherwise this post would be extremely long! But how awesome is it that they sent a Beautyblender? The first box was well worth the $10 with that alone!

Every month, your samples come in this cute draw string bag. They are easy to reuse as a makeup bag, or a dust bag for your jewelry while traveling!

One thing that I really love about Sephora Play is that they send you a “Playbook” that includes a list of all the items you received, plus details about each item and how to use them. Attached to the front of the book is a “Play Card” that you can take to your local Sephora to get tips from the associates and also get 50 extra points if you make a purchase!

So far I really love Sephora play. Each item I have received is something I could use everyday. If I had to chose between Ipsy, Birchbox, and Sephora Play, I think I would still choose Ipsy. Only because I get mostly makeup products from them, and they tend to send full size items. The only full size item I have received from Sephora Play is the Beautyblender (which I’m still amazed about!). But, it has only been two months, so we will see what happens next month.

Have you tried Sephora Play? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

Valerie

The Estée Edit Review

September 13, 2016September 13, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 6 Comments

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Happy Tuesday! Does anyone else think Tuesday’s are the worst days? After you spend the weekend relaxing, you are usually pretty well rested for Monday. But once Tuesday hits, you a worn out again, and realize how far away Friday is. I hate it! What always puts me in a better mood, is new makeup. Especially being able to review it. I was so excited when I found out Influenster was sending me four products from The Estée Edit, including Beam Team Hydrate + Glow, The Barest Lip Color, Pore Vanishing Stick, and Flash Illuminator. Here is what I thought:

Beam Team Hydrate + Glow:

The Beam Team Hydrate + Glow is a double duty Illuminating Hydrating lotion with a flip cap at the end that contains a touch-on shimmer concentrate. The hydrating lotion is what I put on first, before my primer. It does a great job of hydrating your skin, while also leaving a subtle glow. I have it on in the photo above (I know it’s so hard to see it!). My face also didn’t feel greasy or oily afterwards, which is a huge plus for me! I have very oily skin, so I have to be very careful which moisturizers I use. (I will share a blog post in a few weeks, showing you my skin care routine that helps with oily skin). I used the shimmer concentrate at the very end of my makeup routine to add a little extra highlight. I have to say, it really didn’t show up very well on my face. It was a little bit of a disappointment.

Pore Vanishing Stick:

I had a lot of you asking me what I thought about the Pore Vanishing Stick. I tested it out for a few weeks before I decided to write this review. After applying the Beam Team Hydrate, I applied the Pore Vanishing stick on my face where I have large pores (my cheeks and nose). Keep in mind, I have VERY large pores. This product did minimize them quite a bit. The box says you can wear this alone as a primer or over makeup. Since I have very oily skin, I wore this and my regular primer at the same time, to give extra coverage. After I applied this product, I applied my Photo Loving Primer from NYX, and it almost made my pores completely disappear under my foundation. I was very impressed. I think this is my favorite product out of the four that was sent to me!

Flash Illuminator:

The Flash Illuminator is a high impact highlighting cream that instantly illuminates skin while providing skin care ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid. This is perfect for highlighting and strobing. I was really worried about using this, since I’m so used to powder highlighters, not cream. But this is probably my new favorite highlighter. I applied it over my foundation at the stop of my cheek bones, to give that perfect highlight. Also, keep in mind that a little bit of this product goes A LONG WAY. Which I really love, because this bottle will last you awhile! Just use a little dot, dab with you fingers, and blend with a beauty blender.

The Barest Lip Color:

I have to say, out of all the products I was sent, this was my least favorite. But do keep in mind, that I am VERY picky with lip products. The color has to be perfect, not a gross texture, and it NEEDS to be long lasting. I usually stick with matte liquid lipsticks. Hello, Colourpop! If you follow me on Snapchat (valzors), you saw how many lip shades I have from them, haha. I completely cleaned off my vanity and reorganized my makeup!

With this lip color, the color just did not look good with my skin tone. The box says you can apply a little for sheer coverage, or layer for full on color. But it looked the same on me both ways. I think the color was just way too dark. It also says it is a lipstick/lip balm hybrid, but I only got a lip balm vibe from it. It is also not long lasting at all, it wiped completely off with the swipe of a paper towel.

Have you tried any of the products from The Estée Edit line? Which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by!

Valerie

All products received complimentary for testing purposes from The Estée Edit. All opinions are my own.

Fall Accessories + Giveaway!

September 5, 2016September 12, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 8 Comments

Happy Monday, babes! I hope you all had a relaxing three day weekend. I seriously cannot believe how close to fall it is. This means pumpkin spice EVERYTHING. #AmIRight? Sadly it has been SO warm here, that it doesn’t even feel like fall is near. To get in the spirit, I have been doing a lot of fall shopping. I found the perfect booties, nail polish, and watch. My absolute favorite fall piece is my watch from Jord. It is high quality, and will pair perfectly with my other fall accessories. I love that it is made out of wood, it makes it so unique.

My favorite thing about them? They are from STL! I love supporting local brands. Their customer service team is also amazing. Unfortunately, when my watch showed up, it was somewhat damaged. I sent an e-mail over to them, and they responded immediately with a solution. Afraid that a watch might not fit your wrist? Well they have wrist sizing! Just print out their sizing tape measure, and they will size the watch for you!

Now, can we talk about the box it comes in? Not only is the watch high quality, but the box is as well. It is made of wood, and contains a “pillow” for your watch to rest on while you aren’t wearing it.

Want to give Jord watches a try for yourself? They are giving Styled Muse readers the chance to win a $75 gift card! ENTER HERE! ALSO! Just for entering, you get a $20 gift card (excluding the winner, of course)! How awesome is that? The giveaway ends on 9/25/2016.

Here are a few of their watches that are on my wish list:

Their watches also make perfect gifts. I plan on buying one for my boyfriend for his birthday in January (Shhh 🙂 ). Here are few I was thinking about getting him:

Which one should I get for him? Let me know in the comments!

Now, on to some other things. I know I have been super MIA lately. But, life happens I guess. My boyfriend and I have been having major car issues, and have had to work A LOT of overtime the past couple weeks. By the time I get home and cook dinner, it’s time to go to bed! But things are finally starting to come together, and I will have more time to post! Thank you all for understanding!

I hope you all have a great week! Don’t forget to enter the Jord watch giveaway HERE!

This post was sponsored by Jord Wood Watches. All opinions are my own.