FIVE THINGS: I LIKE TO DO IN SUMMER

Although I'm not the biggest fan of summer, there are a few things I like to do to make the most of it! I love Lazy summer mornings, eating brunch and dining al fresco and painting my nails in hot coral pinks. Here are a few things I've tried to do this year:

1. Spend time at the beach: The cool sea breeze is always welcome on warm summer days, I love to dip my toes in the sea, collect pretty seashells, have picnics on the sand and skim stones!

2. Eat well: My diet consists of a lot of fresh fruit, ice cold smoothies made in my nutribullet and salads in the summer. I've been enjoying a cous cous and grilled halloumi salad for tea and strawberries with some Nutella if I want a treat!

3. Buy fresh flowers: I love being surrounded by fresh flowers during summer and so I always try to make sure that I have some for my desk. I've discovered peonies this summer and I'm absolutely in love with them. Unfortunately I think peony season is over now but I've loved having them on my desk!

4. Wear bright make up: My wardrobe consists of black and grey all year round but in the summer I love to wear bright lipsticks and nail polish. I've been wearing Essie Peach Daiquiri non stop on my nails and Revlon colourburst matte balm in Unapologetic on my lips. 

5. Stay cool and Hydrated: Adding lemon, frozen blueberries and cucumber to water is a great way to keep cool and hydrated in the summer. I always make sure to wear SPF and try to avoid the sun at the hottest points of the day!

What are your favourite things to do in Summer?

2012 Target Summer Beauty Bag

Yay! My Target Summer Beauty Bag came in the mail yesterday! I just missed out on the previous bag so I was super excited to be one of the 477,500 people to get one this time around. In case you don't know (I sure didn't know what all the hoopla was about at first), each season Target offers cute little makeup bags filled with samples from brands we've all heard of such as Neutrogena, Aveeno, Revlon, Nivea, and Pantone. Samples are about the size of what you would find in a Birchbox and, best of all, everything is completely FREE!! How do you sign up for one of these awesome, free bags? Like the Target Style page which will keep you updated on when and where you can sign up for the next Beauty Bag.

I really, really liked the packaging and makeup bag!! I immediately knew what my package was when I saw it in my mailbox thanks to the little signature Target bulls eyes all over the box. The bag (apparently made by a brand called Allegro) is not only super cute, but also of surprising high quality! WAY better than anything MyGlam has ever sent me. Very nicely constructed with no strings hanging off and the inside is even lined giving it a bit of a cushion-y feel.

Inside the Bag

• Garnier Fructis Color Shield Fortifying Shampoo & Conditioner - I stopped using Garnier products back in high school when I realized they made my hair terribly greasy, but I do have Color Treated now which I didn't back then so maybe I'll go ahead and give this a try. Nice sized foil sample and I'm intrigued by the acai berry antioxidant and grape seed oil ingredients.
• Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait - It's no big secret I'm addicted to Lip Butters and Peach Parfait is one of my favorite shades. The packaging of this sample is peculiar - once you lift up the foil, there's enough of the lip product underneath for one use. And a little side note, after looking at the little sample card, I've determined that I own 16 out of the 20 different shades! Yes, this surprises even me!
• TRESemme Split Remedy Shampoo & Conditioner - I don't think I've ever really used TRESemme, but, once again, the product seems almost targeted at me since I do suffer from major split ends and, thus, will also give this a try. Aside from that, I also like the little travel sized containers, and they both smell really nice too.
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF70 Dry-Touch Sunblock - It's summer in Florida so I am always in need of something to protect my porcelain *cough*pale*cough* skin and with a crazy high SPF of 70, this will certainly do the trick. Also love that this is waterproof and fast absorbing.
• Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub - I love Aveeno so I was really happy to see one of their products in the bag. I haven't tried out this particular scrub yet, but it claims to gently exfoliate skin and to be both soap and oil-free. I'll probably pack this with me when I stay overnight in Sarasota for my roommate's wedding =]
• Also included is a little coupon booklet that has $19 worth of savings inside. Best coupon, in my opinion? Definitely $3 off of a Revlon product! I can't wait to use this on my next Lip Butter (because I obviously just can't get enough of them)!

Did you get a Summer Beauty Bag? What did you think?

Also, I am SO close to 100 followers (thank you so much, guys!!) so be on the look out for my very FIRST Giveaway that will include some awesome high end makeup products (haha, using that employee discount!).

My Summer Playlist

Something just for fun. These songs get me in the summer mood!

1.  T.G.I.F. or basically anything by Katy Perry
2. Kokomo – Beach Boys
3. Summer Nights – Olivia Newton John and John Travolta
4. Rolling in the Deep – Adele
5. Till the World Ends – Britney Spears
6. Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls
7. The Story of Us – Taylor Swift
8. Judas – Lady Gaga
9. Blow – Ke$ha
10.  The Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani
11. Lucky– Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat
12. Young Forever – Jay-Z ft mr. Hudson
13. Eenie Meenie – Justin Bieber ft Sean Kingston
14. I Do Not Hook Up – Kelly Clarkson
15. The Fear – Lily Allen
16. Slummin’ In Paradise – Mandy Moore
17.  Give a Little More – Maroon 5
18. King of Anything – Sara Bareilles
19. Spice Up Your Life – Spice Girls
20. My First Kiss – 3OH3 ft Ke$ha

What's your summer playlist?

10 Summer Essentials

10 Summer Essentials by xoxoamanda

Summer in Florida is in full force! Here's my list of essentials to beat the heat and enjoy the season to the fullest!

1. Sundresses - I am proof that you can never have too many sundresses. I have quite a few from Hollister.
2. Wedge heels - SO cute and they're easy on the feet! I love this pair from Dolce Vita's Target line.
3. Bright pink nail polish - Get in on this stylish summer trend! Essie makes great shades!
4. Watermelon - My ultimate summer fruit! Nothing is more refreshing or juicy on a hot summer day!
5. Frozen yogurt - My go-to summer treat! Keep it healthy and pile on the fruit!
6. Sunglasses - They don't have to be designer as long as they protect your eyes from the sun's UV rays!
7. Lip balm - Prevent chapped lips by using a lip balm. Burt's Bees, a longtime favorite of mine, uses natural ingredients and leaves a slight peppermint tingle.
8. Moisturizer with SPF - Let your skin breathe by skipping the foundation and instead using a moisturizer with SPF. I use Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer with SPF 15. I love how light and non-oily it feels.
9. A good book - I highly recommend Beowulf on the Beach which gives a funny and easy-to-read breakdown on 50 literature classics. A very entertaining read!
10. Bathing Suit - Wear something fun and bright! Target and Victoria's Secret make great styles. I love my yellow polka dot bikini from VS (here worn by Sarah Chalke on Scrubs)!