Love: Lana Del Rey "Born to Die"

This album has been a MUCH ANTICIPATED release for me. Even more so with the fact that the few tracks available on Spotify mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago, leaving me with YouTube as the only source for any of her music.

Lana Del Rey first came onto my radar with a feature of the song Video Games in an episode of Gossip Girl, but a lot of people are now familiar with her due to her not-so-inspiring performance on Saturday Night Live. I certainly don't think it was TERRIBLE, but for anyone who already knew her music it was clear she was nervous and not performing as well as her other live performances available on YouTube. For those who didn't, many brushed her off and criticism spread like wild fire.


I don't know why everyone has such a strong opinion about her, be it positive or negative, but believe me when I say the album is ABSOLUTELY worth buying. Her vocals are hauntingly beautiful, and I'm quickly finding that each song is more addicting than the last. I have half of the new songs already saved as favorites just after a first listen on Spotify and am now on my way out the door to buy a physical copy. My only complaint might be that some of the songs I have come to love from her YouTube releases didn't make the album. This, however, is easily overcome by the new material.

You can pick the 12 track album up at Best Buy, currently on sale as a new release for $8.99 with a normal list price of $10.99. A deluxe 16 track version is available on iTunes for $11.99. If you're not ready to fully commit yet, check her out on Spotify by searching "Born to Die". I have a feeling that if you like it, you'll love it.

Love: Lungs

I threw a few Florence & The Machine songs on a playlist what seems like forever ago, but I only recently got ahold of the entire Lungs album and have since fallen totally in love with it. It's the perfect "daytime" music for driving, doing things around the house, you name it. The album in its entirety has a variety of songs, ranging from the popular "Dog Days Are Over" to the really upbeat "Kiss With a Fist" and a handful of more mellow songs. One thing remains pretty constant though... the woman has an incredible voice.


The album, which came out in 2009, was re-released in 2011 including a second portion called "The B-Sides" with a demo of "I'm Not Calling You a Liar" (Then called Ghosts), a live version of "You've Got the Love", and a few covers. I was particularly excited and totally surprised to hear a cover of Cold War Kid's "Hospital Beds."

A new album is set to be released sometime in November, but in the meantime, I definitely recommend checking out Lungs! You can follow this link to get to the Florence & The Machine YouTube channel and watch the video for "You've Got the Love."

Love: Sephora Collection

As mentioned in the last post, several of the makeup products I was wearing are new and have become some of my new favorites/daily staples! All three are from the Sephora Collection.

I'll start from left to right:

1. Sephora Collection, Lip Attitude- Star in Capricious Red. ($12) The website describes it as being a mixture of lipstick and lip gloss, and it is a perfect combination of just that. I like that it's more subtle than most lipsticks due to it's glossy/sheer color and has the perfect amount of shimmer to not be overwhelming. I love this color because it really compliments the coral-red colors I have been wearing a lot lately.
   
2. Kohl Waterproof Eyeliner in Keep Black. ($9) I had read about Korres eyeliner on a blog around Christmas time, but never saw it anywhere when I thought to look. It caught my eye again in Sephora last weekend, but it was placed strategically close to the Sephora Collection Kohl Waterproof Eyeliner, which was significantly cheaper. I like the idea of anything that's waterproof that's around my eyes, because they're nothing worse than "bleeding" eyeliner or mascara due to swear, tears from eye irritation, or anything else. I am SO glad I bought this- it goes on SO easily and SO smoothly, and it STAYS on. When I wore it out the night in Chicago, any other eyeliner would normally have been long gone by the time I got home, but it took a shower AND a good scrubbing with makeup remover to come off, which is a huge benefit as far as I'm concerned. Since then I've found that just that makeup remover works best so as to not totally traumatize the poor skin of yours eyes. ;-)
3. Sephora Collection Colorful Mono Eyeshadow in Creme Caramel (Matte). ($12) I am always looking for new neutral colors that can be incorporated into "going-out" makeup or just worn on a daily basis. I LOVE this color, because it is actually a little warmer than the picture above, and it is just about the same color as my skin, so I can even use it as an extra little layer of concealer under my eyes when needed. I LOVE using this when I'm going for emphasis on eye-liner/mascara and when paired with the lipstick to keep things toned down and not over the top. The different shades come in matte, glittering, or metallic shimmer, and definitely are long lasting. I am looking forward to trying new colors in the future.
   

I think overall all three of these products have made me realize that you can find makeup that you don't have to spend a FORTUNE on that is still really high in quality. They were all slightly higher priced than most comparable products I have used in the past, but so far have proven to be worth every penny! Do YOU have any favorites from the Sephora Collection you would recommend trying next?

Katelyn and I both in the Capricious Red lipstick.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I thought I'd celebrate today by sharing some of the people and things that I LOVE!

My Momma

My Little Bubs

My Dad

My Wonderful Friends

My Little Penske

My Wonderful Roommate, and Steve Maddens!


Music and Art


My Little "Niece" Lily Baby

Crafting and Reading


College! (This represents that well, right? Haha)

What do YOU love? I hope that whether you are single or in a relationship, you have a wonderful Valentine's day and take the time to appreciate the people and things in your life that you love!