These Spring Lips Are Younique

A pink lip, whether it’s a lipstick, a gloss, or a stain, is about as unique to the Spring season as florals are. And if you watched The Devil Wears Prada, or don’t live under a rock, you know that’s not exactly revolutionary.

 

This Spring I’ve had the pleasure of trying out a new brand, and have to admit – I’m in love! When one of my best friends, Michelle McGrath, came to me saying that she was going to begin selling Younique Makeup & Skincare products, I won’t lie… I was kind of skeptical. Supportive, but skeptical nonetheless. I’ve had a great deal of luck with Mary Kay products, but figured that was as far away from Sephora and Ulta that I’d dare to sway. As with a variety of things in life, when your best friend insists that you try a new product or product line, you try it – And I’m glad I did, because here’s what I found:

 

I wore the Moodstruck Opulence Lipstick in “Conceited” from the time I got ready for my day on Saturday, until the time I went to bed! It went on smooth, stayed feeling light and never dry or sticky! With just minimal upkeep, I was able to wear this fun, subtle shade without feeling like I had too much makeup on. At just $19, this lipstick is a steal! With how infrequently you have to apply it during the day, I’m pretty sure this $19 investment will last me YEARS!

In the photo below, Michelle went for a more exciting look with this dark pink Stiff Upper Lip Lip Stain in “Skittish.” At the risk of sounding dramatic, I’ve got to say, the Younigue Lip Stains are to die for! I’ve tried a lot of different, higher end brands in search of one that I truly love. I’ve always found them to go on looking like I painted my lips with water colors, and then an hour later it looks like I drank too much Hawaiian Punch. Not these! They have a rich, full coverage color that really holds on. They are completely worry-free – they don’t smudge or come off on your coffee cup! (or wine glass, depending on what end of the day you’re at…) If you’re anything like me and scoff at lip stains, do yourself a favor and try these out!

 

There you have it – A couple of my Spring makeup favorites! Don’t even get me started on the sunless tanner… We’ll save that for another day!

Like what you see? Go ahead and place your order for these products and hundreds like it right here on Michelle’s site! She has a party going on now through May 27th, but don’t worry – you’ll be able to access all of these same great Younique Products via that link forever! Remember, I wouldn’t endorse something I don’t completely love, even if I do completely love Michelle – HAPPY SHOPPING! 🙂

@JennaBThomsen

😘😘😘

Spring Has Sprung… I think!?

There is truly nothing more ambiguous than “Spring” in Upstate New York. One day it’s 65 and sunny, and the next thing you know it’s snowing. When I get dressed for work in the morning, I just hope for the best – I’ll either wear a dress and everyone will ask, “aren’t you cold?!” or I’ll wear a sweater and boots and by noon feel something like how I would assume a rotisserie chicken might.

 

Today I took a shot at dressing myself in the perfect Spring work attire: A button down blouse, ankle-length dress pants, and heeled sandals. I made sure to stick to lighter colors – I’m usually partial to black, grays, maroons, navy, etc., but after a somewhat dark Winter, it’s time to brighten up a little bit! Instead of a lot of color, I opted for a fun patterned pant.

 

And the shoes… I have an obsession with shoes. I always have – even when I was little and mom would take me shopping, I’d wear a new pair around the house and would always end up falling asleep with them on! I can say, I’ve grown out of that, but my love for them is still very strong. These ones are no exception. I’m so glad that thicker heels are coming back around – that stiletto phase was okay, but not for the office, IMO.

 

Alright, without further ado…

 

Banana Republic Shirt – http://brstyl.es/234DF3Y

Eddie Bauer Pants (old, but similar ones are easy to find!)

Target Shoes – http://bit.ly/1VV6JsA 

 

Thanks for reading, you’re great!

XOXO Jenna

Rainy Day in Binghamton

These past few days have been absolutely beautiful here in Binghamton! Today, unfortunately, it decided to rain. (I’ll still take that over snow at this point though, so I won’t complain!) It’s probably warm enough to wear this without the tights, but the rain really made them seem necessary.

 

Today’s post features quite a casual, yet work appropriate look – a t-shirt dress, tights, and tie-up ballet flats. (The dress is much longer when I’m not sitting in the big fuzzy chair in my office!) I’m completely in love with this dress, and how versatile it is. A few weeks ago I wore it out to a birthday dinner, and now I’m wearing it to work. By changing up my shoes/tights/jacket/accessories, I was able to create a completely different look – I think that’s pretty great. (Especially when you’re working on a budget!)

 

 

Anyway, have a wonderful Thursday, and shop my Rainy Day Work Outfit below:

 

Shoes (I love the grey ones, too! 😍)

Dress

 

 

Jenna!

@jennabthomsen

 

 

Burgundy For Your Budget

I’ve been a fan of dark lips for a while now, so when I saw an article in Elle explaining why dark burgundy lipstick looks so good on everyone, I was thrilled!

(READ HERE! And find the lipstick they are talking about HERE!)

Now, I have nothing against the brand, but if I’m spending $52 on lipstick… Haha wait, no… I wouldn’t spend $52 on lipstick. 

Instead, I set out to find the best alternatives possible. Here are 3 that I urge you to try:

 

(From left to right)

1. Revlon Black Cherry, $8 at Ulta
2. MAC Diva, $17 at MAC
3. NARS Scarlet Empress, $28 at Sephora

All of them deliver a rich, highly pigmented color that lasts as long as you need it to! Their wearability is incredible! 

Give dark lips a try, and let me know how it goes!

  
(Wearing Scarlet Empress)

Thanks for reading!

💘

@jennabthomsen

Off My Hiatus: Over-The-Knee Boots

So, I’m sure that no one lost sleep over the fact that I haven’t written a blog post in a few months, but on the off chance that you did… rest assured, I’m off my hiatus! 😛

I wish that I had a better excuse for not posting, but truthfully it just fell by the wayside. Between my relationship, the holidays, trying to get back on track with meal planning, working out, teaching dance classes, and being in love with my job, I knew that I would start it back up, I just wasn’t quite sure when.

That leads me to the topic of my newest obsession: over-the-knee boots! Honestly, if you haven’t bought yourself a pair yet, I understand. When I first started hearing about these, and seeing them on celebrities and a few of my more fashion forward friends, I could not help but think of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. It kept me from even entertaining the idea of trying them on. Like sure, maybe they make your legs look long and lean, but at the expense of looking like a hooker? No, thanks. (stop laughing, I was completely serious.)

 

Young and naive, I tell ya.

So anyway, once I got over the fact that I wouldn’t be mistaken for a street-walker I started to see that when paired correctly and appropriately, these boots are actually really great.

My first pair came from good ‘ol F21. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, mainly because I wasn’t sure how much I would end up wearing them. They were such a steal! Just $45, and easily the cutest & most comfortable pair of boots I’ve ever owned (other than Uggs, but Uggs are Uggs. I like to stick to wearing mine with sweats to Wegman’s, not out in real life.)

The photo below shows my Forever 21 Faux Suede Boots with a Forever 21 burgundy and black striped bodysuit and my favorite pants of all time, BDG high-rise seamed jean in black!

Alright, well there’s my 2 cents on this monumental topic. You. Are. Welcome.

Thanks for reading, guys! 💘

Jenna

Follow me: @JennaBThomsen

Casual Friday: Sweater, Jeans, and Booties

So, I woke up to the rainiest, coldest morning that this Fall has seen yet. I knew that this casual Friday was going to see comfortable, warm clothes – which I was actually very happy about. I’ve been waiting for #SweaterWeather so impatiently.

This outfit is nothing crazy. Not the least bit over-the-top. Just my take on comfy yet work appropriate and somewhat stylish. 👍

I pulled out a sweater that I had yet to wear. I bought it at H&M at the end of the summer – for $15! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find it online, but similar ones are all over the place!

The jeans are my absolutely favorite pair I’ve ever owned! They’re from Zara. They are the most flattering fit and style for my body, that I’ve found. The material is also so stretchy and soft! Love them.

You can find the jeans 👉HERE! ($39.90 is a steal for these…)

And last but not least… The booties! 👉HERE!

These go with SO much! They’re comfortable, cute, and versitle. I really want to grab the black pair next time I venture to Target, but the taupe color is wonderful.

That’s that. Hope you enjoy my Casual Friday look as much as I do!

J

@jennabthomsen

💘

Fall Dress & Booties 🍂

Fall is such a wonderful time of year. It begins cooling down a bit, there’s pumpkin EVERYTHING, the leaves are changing, and in my opinion, the clothes are considerably cuter than Summer digs.

Last weekend, Justin and I met up with some friends of ours for dinner and drinks. It was the first time since last Spring that long sleeves were an acceptable choice. 

I decided to pair this long sleeved shift dress with taupe faux suede booties. The dress is from Forever 21 – $14! And the booties are from Target. They were $30. You can’t see the necklace, but I wore a dangly, gold spiked necklace to give the outfit a bit of edge. Otherwise this color would make me resemble a potato. Sad, but true. YAY for accessories! 

The dress was SO comfortable. It’s a thick, stretchy cotton and spandex combination. I absolutely love it. The booties were just as comfy. They also transformed the dress from a Summery look to a more Autumn-appropriate one! 

Here’s the look 👇🏼

 
Let me know what you think! 

Follow me on insta- @jennabthomsen

💘

j

Pre-Fall: Sweaters and Cargo Pants

September in New York State is a very confusing time. We are right on the verge of fall, but afternoons are still full of the summer heat. I call this time “Pre-Fall.”

During this glorious period I start wearing darker “fall” colors, pants, and sweaters, but am not yet wearing scarves, boots, or jackets.

This morning my outfit looked like this 👇👇👇

I recently purchased this adorable sweater from Banana Republic. You can’t really see it, but just trust me? ($20 at their factory store on Vestal Parkway!) Banana Republic is making it very easy to stock up on cute fall clothing. Their sales have been incredible! The cargo pants are from Gap. (Just $25!) Both pieces are soft and durable while not being too thick. With the Pre-fall afternoons reaching 70-80 degrees, it’s important to wear breathable fabrics!

My flats are from Target. (Sam & Libby, on sale- $13) I wear them all the time and they have held up so well! To add just the littlest bit of “pop” I paired this outfit with a gold studded cuff that was also purchased at Target, on sale, for ~$5.

I agree that “you pay for what you get,” but finding good quality pieces on sale = getting good quality clothing at cheap prices! No shame in my game.

ANYWAY, Happy Pre-fall! Now go prematurely drink your Pumpkin Spiced Lattes! 🎃
💘

J

@jennabthomsen

Last Minute Wedding Invitation: Forever 21 LBD

On Saturday, 20 minutes before walking out the door, Justin asked me to attend an old friends’ wedding reception with him. As happy as I was that he asked me to join him, I was also in a state of panic. Weddings usually take prep work and I’d done nothing. With just enough notice to put on something that was hanging in my closet and some makeup, he was ready to go.

I stood in the doorway of my closet for a few minutes hemming and hawing over what I should wear, what would be most appropriate for the temperature, what would match Justin’s attire, etc. Annnnddd there it was! Luckily I had just recently scoured the clearance racks at Forever 21 and found an adorable little black dress that was going to work perfectly for the occasion! (It was a $22 dress that I got for $11.99!) Nice, thick material and so comfortable. Also, with it being 90 degrees these past few days, the spaghetti straps and low-cut front made it nice a breathable.

I wore it with my Chinese Laundry heels that I have written about in my previous post What I Wore: Express Dress & Chinese Laundry Heels. 

Here’s a photo of this weekend’s LBD from Forever!👇

@jennabthomsen

💘

J

Kat Von D Lipstick: Lovecraft

Hello again, friends!

Okay, so at this point in our blogationship I’ve only touched on my love for lipstick; Tip of the iceberg, I’m not kidding. It’s in constant competition with shoes to hold the title of “My favorite thing to wear/have lots of/shop for.” That’s a big deal because I freaking love shoes. But I suppose that’s best kept for another day, another blog post.

I’ve been a Mac Cosmetics die hard for years. Very rarely do I even look at what other brands have to offer. It’s the whole “don’t fix it if it isn’t broken” mentality. Well, one fateful day, about a week ago, I had a wandering eye. (S/O to anyone that is now thinking of that Bobby Shmurda song) It just looked so good in that shiny black, studded case! I tried on Kat Von D Lipstick for the first time and fell in love.

Now, because the brand is so new to me, I can’t speak on the other colors or finishes that are available, but Lovecraft changed my life. (Dramatic, I know.) It’s great though. It stays on for HOURS and doesn’t smudge a bit. I wore it to work for the first time yesterday and was amazed by it’s longevity. I ate lunch, kissed Justin, and sipped coffee and water all day and it looked just as good at 5pm as it did at 8am when I put it on. For $21, you’re really getting a great bang for your buck! Mine was actually a free gift at Sephora though so I guess I win the bargain game this time around! 😏

For a while now I’ve been looking for good, work appropriate lipstick shades. As much as I love wearing the bold and bright ones, I feel it’s better to keep my makeup a bit more muted while at the office.

So, in review: I highly recommend checking out all Kat Von D Lipsticks. I need to look into getting more because they’re great. Lovecraft is wonderfully versatile – perfect for both work and play. Find one you love and tell me about it! 💄

Oh and this is me with it on!👇

  
Follow me on Instagram!

💘

J