The Best Gift Idea For When You Run Out of Gift Ideas

Personalized Gift Boxes

(will be your new best friend.)

August is a month filled with many a birthday in my calendar (even my very own)! I mean, not only does it include my birthday, several of my closest friends' birthdays, and my dad's birthday, but it also includes my (basically) momma-in-law's birthday. Now, after four years of being with my current boyfriend, I've given his mother lots and lots of gifts for special occasions in the past. Naturally, the time came where I was officially out of gift ideas. So, what else to do in this scenario but Google gift ideas for a mother-in-law? (I love this century.)

I came across a certain page (I don't remember if it was a Yahoo! Answers page, but it was something like it anyway) where the Asker's mother-in-law was very similar to my own: coffee lover, avid reader, lover of light, nice scents - you get the  picture. Anyway, as I was sifting through the responses, I came across one that was particularly striking: Gift Baskets! While this person suggested purchasing several different items, such as cozy night slippers, coffee beans or tea packets, a nice scented candle for the home, etc., I decided to take a slightly different approach on this idea. 

As of June, I have been subscribed to the GlossyBox US beauty boxes (and I'm a huge fan of them so far, if you were wondering). And as a gal on a tight budget, I thought it'd be a nifty idea to twist the concept of the beauty box in such a way where I could find small or travel-sized products that my mother-in-law would appreciate that would also fit in one of the two GlossyBox boxes I already had so I wouldn't have to spend more money on a basket, cellophane, ribbon, and the rest of that shenanigans.

Here are the products I purchased:

I compiled a little list of items I thought I could likely find in small sizes that could fit in the box (which already was very presentable and filled with pretty confetti and tissue paper). Since she loves coffee and I had just received a Starbucks gift card for my birthday, I decided to pop in and purchase a packet of instant coffee. Now, neither I nor my boyfriend knew which type of coffee she liked best, but since they had just traveled to Italy over the last winter break, I thought it would be clever to purchase the Italian Roast packet ($9.95). I also purchased some Madeleines ($3.95) to dip in the coffee as a second part to that gift. My mother-in-law loves travel, and they will be going to Paris next summer so the Italian Roast and Petite French Cakes were kind of a play on that.

Now, in my efforts to save some money, yet add a beauty-inspired tinge to my personalized gift box, I included this little pot of Moisturizing Body Creme which I had actually received in my June GlossyBox, but never actually got around to using. I thought the little tub was absolutely adorable and quite useful - I mean, who doesn't need a little bit of moisturizer every now and again?

Next up I made a little trip to Sephora to purchase a Rollerball-sized bottle of Chloé's signature Eau de Parfum. I usually like to avoid giving perfumes unless I know the person's signature scents, but considering my mom-in-law had actually gifted me Love, Chloé before and told me she loved it, I figured this would be a safe pick considering it is a bit more mature a version of Love, Chloé. This was also only $25, so it was quite a good price for a quality perfume.

My mother-in-law is also quite fond of her Kindle, so I figured what else better to give her than an Amazon Kindle Gift Card? This is something that gives her ample room to pick something she would like to read, on her preferred mode of reading rather than buying her a book from Barnes & Noble that she might not even be interested in, and also imposing on her the inconvenience of having to read a physical book when she prefers e-books. 

The envelope I put the gift card in was from an old stationary set I've had for years that I think is absolutely charming, and I made the little heart seal myself using a cut-up index card, red nail polish, and tape.

I simply packed the Madeleines and Kindle Gift Card atop the Italian Roast, perfume and creme so everything would fit in the box, and I guess it would pose a little surprise when she picked either the Madeleines or Gift Card up and saw that there was more to enjoy below that.

Lastly, I purchased this charming little card from Francesca's Collections for $3.95. I thought it was quirky and cute and extremely me. Considering she's very spunky, this card was also something she would enjoy. Obviously if you've got a much more conservative mother-in-law, you should probably pick a more standard type birthday card.

Finished Product! :)

The whole gift came out to only about $50 out of my pocket, which is a very appropriate amount to spend on your mom-in-law if you've been around for four years haha. 

If you are looking to try this out but don't subscribe to any beauty box, or if you simply don't have that kind of money to spend: 1) I suggest scrounging through your house for an old, intact shoebox or gift box (if it has some kind of brand name on it, simply wrap the box in gift paper to conceal it and add more personalized flair) to put your products in. You can also make your own confetti, or simply stuff the box with tissue paper or, if you are crafty and have this at hand, feathers! 2) You can always look through your house for nice little trinkets to re-gift, search consignment or thrift stores near you, or try to find products you'd like on sale on websites such as eBay or Amazon. You can also make your own things to put in the box, such as personal, meaningful photographs in pretty little frames, small pottery items, etc.

The important thing is to make sure everything you include in the box has some kind of significance. That's what truly makes the idea of a personalized gift box/basket innovative and unique! Who says a gift to someone has to be something completely new to them that they may not like? Avoid impersonal gift cards to large chain stores if you can. Choose simple things you know the person you want to give this gift to already loves and will get lots of use out of. 

If you'd rather not create your own box, you can research beauty boxes that ship within your country. They usually sell individual boxes for very fair prices, and these boxes make wonderful gifts. I can't wait to flood my friends with gift boxes from now on! ^.^ LOL.

But most importantly: have fun with it! My momma-in-law absolutely adored her gift box, and I'm sure your mother-in-law/boyfriend/friend/mom/whoever will love your gift box too!

IDentity Festival

What I wore...

1. ASOS Denim Playsuit in Washed Turquoise
2. ASOS Chain Drop Heart Earrings
3. ASOS Sunflower Hedband
4. Classic White Low-Top Converse
5. ASOS Pack of 50 Pastel Gummy Bracelets & ASOS Limited Edition Bunny Slap Watch

Can you tell I adore ASOS? :)

Surprisingly a lot of people really wanted to trade kandii for the gummy bracelets. I went to the fest with fifty and left with about forty-five.

Back to School Blues: A Playlist!

1. Campus by Vampire Weekend
2. Teen Lovers by The Virgins
3. Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear
4. Sleep Alone by Two Door Cinema Club
5. Rearrange by Miles Kane
6. This Head I Hold by Electric Guest
7. Mirror Kissers by The Cribs
8. Too Young To Burn by Sonny & The Sunsets
9. With A Girl Like You by The Troggs
10. We Are The Sleepyheads by Belle & Sebastian

With the Fall semester fast approaching, here's a playlist that I hope will help add some extra sass to your step on that first week back! ❤

Instagram

Hello, lovelies! I just recently got an iPhone for my birthday, and of course, one of the first things I did was hop on the Instagram train. I haven't posted up many photos yet, but if you would like to follow me, you're certainly welcome to! x

Estée Lauder Gift Bag

Hello, all! So I've taken a lot longer than promised to deliver on this one, but I do want to write about my latest purchase from my long-running trusted makeup brand, Estée Lauder! Basically, during certain periods of time throughout the month, the lovely ladies at Estée Lauder put together a little goodie bag of beauty products that you are gifted if you make a purchase over a certain amount (I forget the amount, I'm sorry). I am always extremely thrilled about my free gifts and have often gone to the makeup counter at the mall, been told the goodie bags are to be given out the following week, and have waited 'til then to purchase my one-and-only Double-Wear Foundation. That is how much I love these gift bags (hell, I'm a sucker for anything free though).

Anyway, I took some photos of my free treats for your viewing, and so I could tell you about how much I've simply enjoyed testing these products. Shall we begin?

First off, here's a close-up of the products and the bag itself. I personally am a huge fan of the off-white and gold packaging for the lipsticks and mascara! I also gotta give props to my peeps at Estée Lauder for always providing me with an adorable, useful, and high quality bag with my free gifts. I actually stayed at my beach apartment a few weeks ago and was able to pack all of my belongings for the weekend in this one bag, which is also great as a simple beach bag (I used my sister's for that). Usually Estée Lauder packs the products into pretty little makeup bags, but this was a very welcome change.

I think this little bundle of products looks elegant and clean, and I absolutely love it.

Alright, so due to my recent obsession with lipsticks (I'm finally growing up, you guys!), I was naturally drawn to these two products first. The tube on the left is Estée Lauder's Pure Color 61 Pink Parfait Long Lasting Lipstick. As you may be able to tell from the photo, it is a shimmery lipstick (I've noticed that Estée Lauder likes to include shimmer lipsticks in their goodie bags considering last time I received their Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in 186 Tiger Eye). While I'm much more a fan of the matte lipstick look, this color looks quite nice when paired with otherwise simple makeup and mod-inspired winged eyeliner. What it does have on matte lipsticks is that it doesn't end up cracking or drying on the lips after a few hours. In fact, it's very hydrating. If you're a fan of shimmery lipsticks, this is for you. Also, I'm sorry I totally forgot to put a sample on my skin so you can more accurately see the hue of the lipstick. While the whole lipstick looks like a rather dark pink, the color is actually a light, shimmery pink on the lips. Not really dark at all.

Next up on the right is the Lip Conditioner with SPF 15. This is a lovely little gift, and has quickly become one of my favorite products. I'm normally a die-hard Burt's Bees Lip Balm fan, but I've started using this as my substitute while I'm out of my dear Burt, and I must say I am very pleased! My lips tend to crack very easily, so I always apply a coat of this when my lips are feeling very dry, or under/above layers of matte lipstick to keep my lips hydrated and keep my lipstick looking fresh. I've also used this with lip stain, and it's wonderful - it doesn't smudge my lip stain around and ruin the effect I've created or anything. I highly recommend this product if you've often got dry lips, or if you're a big fan of matte lipsticks.

I also received the Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Face and Neck Creme with SPF 15. Because I've become a big skincare junkie as of late, I was elated to find this little gem in my bag. I've used it a few times, and I love it. First of all, I love that both the Resilience Lift Creme and the Lip Conditioner contain SPF, because I personally am a huge advocate of anything that will help protect my skin from any possible sun damage. Burns and premature skin-aging are not cute, kids! Anyway, I think this creme is lovely. It has a nice, soft scent and with regard to application: a little goes a long way. Obviously considering I'm only eighteen I don't have much skin damage or many wrinkles, but I do have bags under my eyes, and like the way this product works on my skin. It's nice to apply right after I've washed my face in the morning to give my skin a nice glow and make it feel hydrated and a bit firmer. It actually makes my face look vibrant and pretty in the morning!

My bag also included Estée Lauder's Take It Away Total Makeup Remover and Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara. Let me just say that I love Estée Lauder for always providing me with a little quality mascara in their gift bags. This mascara is wonderful. It's not at all goopy, and it applies like a dream - feathering out your lashes individually instead of forming ugly black clumps. The coats of mascara apply relatively thin, but can be built upon for a thicker look. I love the look this mascara gives me; it fans out my lashes and makes them look lovely and long. My lashes naturally lack any curl whatsoever, and this mascara helps to give them a little lift. It also looks extra nice once lashes have been curled. The wand is a bit large for this small tube, but I haven't had any serious mishaps with it yet, and I have a small face haha. I would definitely repurchase this. The Makeup Remover is only okay in my opinion. It really just spreads any makeup around your face, leaving you to have to wash it with cleanser/soap afterwards. I wouldn't bother repurchasing, honestly.

 

Last but certainly not least, the product I initially went in to purchase: Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation with SPF 10 in Fresco. I love this product so much that I would never leave it. And if I did try another foundation (I've got my eye on you, Chanel), I can assure you it would simply be my temporary new and exciting lover, whereas Double Wear is my dear old husband that I could never leave (yes I did just rip off Alexa Chung with that). Anyway, this product is amazeballs to the max. I am honestly scared to even venture into trying other foundations simply because this one provides me with everything I need already. It's that great. It's a maximum coverage foundation, and can easily be built upon for excess coverage if necessary. This hides any dark circles, spots or marks on my face perfectly, and although I have combination skin (very oily in some places, excessively dry in others) it keeps my skin in check and honestly lasts the entire day through as marketed. Although I used to think that this foundation could make my skin look rather one-dimensional or a bit too matte, I have found that by simply adding some moisturizer and sunscreen before applying the foundation makes for a nice, dewy look, which I love. The only issue I've had is that because I tend to moisturize quite a bit, sometimes I do have to wipe off my face in some places where I may look too dewy. However, I would definitely recommend this foundation to everyone. It keeps your skin balanced, it's easy to apply and locks in quickly, and it looks great. Also, fear not! It's not the kind to rub off on your boyfriend's white t shirt after a loving hug. It's phenomenal. 

A few months ago I was also doing some research and comparisons on different foundations to see if I wanted to try out any new ones, and I decided to see what the makeup gurus of the Internet had to say about my beloved Double Wear. While everyone's comments echoed my sentiments, I noticed some people complaining that the bottle, although glass, lacks a pump. While I can agree that it is a bit frustrating, I just flip the bottle upside down after using it so all the leftover foundation sinks to the opening for subsequent usage. So, I really don't see the lack of a pump as that much of an inconvenience, but I can see where those beauty connoisseurs are coming from.

If you're considering trying out Double Wear, go ahead and ask to be matched to a shade, and I am sure they will be willing to give you a small sample bottle to try out before you make any major investments (and trust me, while the sample bottles are about 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm, these babies will last you months, and are great to simply pop in your purse for quick touch-ups throughout the day). The foundation retails for $35. 

Anyway, now you have seen my lovely little gifts from my babes down at the EL counter: Goodnight! xx

Breakfast at Tiffany's

I distinctly remember sitting on the edge of my mother's bed as a child and watching Breakfast at Tiffany's with her and my sister. I may have been small, but my mother has always loved watching old films, so I had always heard about the movie and my sister and I had even been gifted a beautiful Holly Golightly Barbie doll to play with. Anyway, of course at age nine or so I wouldn't understand or appreciate any of the subject matter in the film, except maybe the fact that Holly Golightly was lovely and wore amazing clothes. So recently, as an almost-nineteen-year old, I decided I would give the classic another go considering 1) it's a classic, 2) I love old films and fashions, 3) Audrey Hepburn is a gem, and 4) I couldn't remember anything worth a damn about the movie (let's face it, my film pop culture references in general are not the best. I'm slowly working to improve this.).

Many might consider this movie overrated simply because everyone always thinks that any given celebrity's most known work is overrated, but I fell in love with this one! It took me a little while to get into it, simply because it begins rather abruptly, but I soon found myself falling deeper and deeper into the gloriously-filmed plot of this timeless movie.

George Peppard plays Holly's love interest, Paul Varjak, or as Holly calls him "Fred, darling." He's handsome and complicated and is the perfect compliment to Holly, played by the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn. Her portrayal of this stunning and charming, yet troubled, gullible, and totally reckless Holly Golightly character is absolutely brilliant. I also grew particularly fond of the funny-looking, extremely irritable, obnoxious Asian landlord upstairs, who is constantly awoken by Holly's loud parties and careless escapades. I couldn't stand him at first, but I soon found myself giggling every time he'd appear on the balcony in a fit of rage.

This film is like a fine wine - it simply grows more and more wonderful with every watch. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, particularly anyone interested in beginning to watch Audrey Hepburn films, or older films in general. This little gem has definitely earned itself a spot on my top favorite films list!

Here is a collection of some (and by some, I mean a lot) of my favorite screenshots that I took while watching the film (if you're really against any spoilers, I hope my photos don't give anything away that you wouldn't want them to - sorry if they do!). Not only does this film contain a rich plot, but it is also quite the eyeful! From bright pink satin, to fluffy brown hats, bright-colored coats, cat-shaped sunnies, funny face-masks, fancy apartments and views of the great Big Apple, this film takes the cake for prettiest cinematography and costumes in my book (although I'm also a huge fan of anything Sofia Coppola or Wes Anderson).