In's and Out's 7

In’s and Out’s: very short and not nearly as gratifying as a favorites video.

In...

My shorter hair - I know I got my extensions out ages ago but I really can’t get over how good it feels to have all natural hair. Not only does it weigh less and feel more bouncy and fresh, but it also requires so much less maintenance. I can dry my hair in about 5 minutes now, run a flat iron through it and go. If having extensions did anything for me it taught me to appreciate my natural hair so much more than I ever would have. I’m not making any promises to never get extensions again, and being a total beauty girl by love and by profession I probably will, but still…its nice to know that I am happy with what I have.

The plush carpet in my LA apartment - My apartment has the fluffiest, softest carpet I have ever felt in my life. I have no idea what kind it is but it feels like a shag rug when I step onto it. After living in my house in college for 2 years with literally the cheapest carpet in the world (think the blue industrial kind with no padding at all) this is a total luxury.

Speaking of that apartment, Blair and my new office room - another favorite of mine; we have been working on setting it up nicely. We each have a matching desk and chair which we are going to use when we want to edit, blog, answer emails, or anything of the like. It makes us feel all business like which in turn helps us get more done. I am also buying a little shelf to put behind my desk, which will hold beauty products I want to review and write notes on.

This blog - call me crazy, but reading my old posts makes me happy sometimes. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because I’m always in really good moods when I write on here. I think writing in and of itself makes me happy.

My bathtub - This is just a general “in”. I have been taking baths like crazy, mostly because it gives me an excuse to lock my door and read for an hour. Everything about bathtubs would be an in, except for my bathtub in LA, which is an out. It’s unusually oval and I don’t fit in it properly, unless I sit Indian style, which is so weird I don’t even want to go into it.

Photography – I have recently fallen in love with photography. I really, really, REALLY want to take a class, so if anyone knows any good classes in the LA area please let me know!

Out...

One apartment “out”, my closet is inside of my bathroom, which I really dislike. I had first pick of the bedrooms and I chose mine, even though Blair’s closet is NOT in her bathroom, so I must live with it, but honestly I wish both rooms had it out in the bedroom. I feel like the steam from my showers will ruin my clothing! Bad, bad, bad!

The loudness of my house in the morning - I don’t know what it is but both the humans in my house and the dogs like to be extra loud until I wake up, and then they settle down. I think it’s a conspiracy.

The creepy bird creatures from the house of night series – last night I wanted to see the moon and stars as I fell asleep, so I opened up my blinds and got back in bed. This only succeeded it giving me the creeps as I imagined those scary creatures lurking outside my window, watching me sleep. Closed went the blinds and on went the light, resulting in no goodnight moon for Elle.

Christmas Eve

I woke up with this morning with every intention of filming a Christmas Eve vlog like I did last year, but sometimes you have to just go with the flow and do what feels right in the moment. And today, on this beautiful Christmas Eve, spending as much time with my family was just what I needed to do. I truly believe in doing what makes you happy in the moment, as long as you are not affecting others adversely. I am currently wrapped up on the couch in a big pink fluffy blanket, looking at the twinkling tree and listening to my mom and dad chatter about dinner, tomorrow morning, and past Christmas's. I just overheard "It's supposed to snow tonight. I haven't told the girls yet because they will get disappointed if it doesn't happen," which added to the magic of the evening.

For days I have been running around, completing errands that had to be run before Christmas. Now everything is done, every package received from the mail, all the presents wrapped and under the tree, the Christmas meal cooking and simmering, everything prepared. In a little bit mom and dad will call us to the table and we will eat as a family, passing things around and eating as much as we can. Afterward we will be stuffed and content, and we will sit in the living room in front of the tree, sipping on hot apple cider and listening to the crackling fire.

Later on after everyone settles into their rooms I will take a bubble bath with my Lush Christmas Eve bubble bar and completely unwind so I can fall asleep. When I was little I literally could NOT sleep on Christmas Eve, but for the past couple of years it has gotten easier and easier. I think tonight will be okay because I got up really early this morning, so I might be sleepy by bedtime. Either way, I plan on putting on the second half of "It's a Wonderful Life" and falling asleep.

Earlier I finished Safe Haven, the book I was reading by Nicholas Sparks, after which I sat on my couch and cried. It had an amazing ending that made me tear up in that lovely way books sometimes do. How is it that one author can have such a plethora of amazing stories? I would be so curious to know his story, or learn where his inspiration comes from.

I hope everyone has an amazing evening and day tomorrow, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, and that everyone remembers what this day is about: family, happiness, and celebration in what you believe. Sleep well.

Goodnight moon,
Elle

Festive Nails and Good Cheer

"At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year."
-English Poet Thomas Tusser

This quote makes me feel joyful; I love it and think it completely accurate. That is exactly what I have been doing, I've been running around making "good cheer". Last night I snuggled into bed early and enjoyed falling asleep to "The Santa Clause", one of my all time favorite Christmas movies. Today I ran last minute errands, wrapped presents, spent time with my family, and filmed a holiday tutorial. I can't believe it's already the night of the 22nd; time is going by too quickly and I have a long list of things I need to complete before settling into bed on the night of the 24th.

Tonight I painted my nails with the most perfect shade of festive red. It's called Miami Beet from the south beach collection and it's perfect, creamy and gorgeous :) It looks slightly pinker in the picture than in real life.. it's more of a deep blood red. Either way it reminds me of crushed up cranberries or the red of my Christmas stocking.


My baby sister also got her nails painted; a candy cane red and white striped masterpiece. I think it turned out really cute, and she was so excited she couldn't even sit still long enough for me to take a decent picture of it. It's first a white base, followed with horizontal stripes from a red nail art pen. Pretty simple, but for her it was like Christmas came early.


So here I sit up, late tonight, sipping on hot chocolate and editing my tutorial, completely content and happy with life and the world. Sleep well everyone, I hope thoughts of sugar plums dance in your heads.

Dream well,
Elle Fowler

Peppermint Bark: One of my Favorite Holiday Treats

I'm currently snuggled in front of our fireplace, watching my mom and sisters put the final touches on our Christmas Tree and passing out the Peppermint Bark that I just made. I tweeted a picture of it and got a ton of response back asking how to make it - so I figured I would do a quick blog post. I love this treat around the holidays to enjoy in front of the sparkly tree but it's also a quick and inexpensive treat to pass out to your neighbors and friends. You can whip up a few batches in 10 minutes, and then package them in a pretty little box with a bow - and there you have it, a super quick festive present.


All it takes are two ingredients, a double boiler, and a cookie tray. Like I said, very easy. For each batch you will need:
One 1 pound bag of white chocolate pieces - the ones I use look like this picture (I found this on Amazon haha!)



One 5oz. bag of peppermint crunch. I got both this and the white chocolate at a little bakery shop in town.


Last thing you need is a double boiler. My mom has one in her kitchen, but if you don't have one and don't know what they look like here is a picture:


You first bring the water to a boil in the bottom pot, and then pour the white chocolate into the top pot. Make sure to keep stirring the chocolate as it melts, keeping care to keep every drop of water out of the chocolate. If water gets in the chocolate it won't melt smoothly! Once the chocolate is melted pour in the peppermint crunch and stir it up. This entire process is only about 5 minutes long :) Then spread it out on a cookie sheet (on a piece of wax paper) and let it harden. Mine cooled and hardened in about 10 minutes. After that, break the bark up into little pieces and snack away!

Finished peppermint bark (1 batch worth, minus some snacking):



YUMMM!!! Tweet me and let me know if you try this out... it's delicious.

xoxo,
Elle

the snuggliest kind of night

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SlipperFairy.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

Lights off, snuggled up in bed in my most comfortable pjs, candles flickering in the background... this my favorite kind of night. Sometimes I look forward to this all day, and then I cuddle up with a good book or a romantic movie. Every now and then it seems that blogging is just the thing to put me in that zen mood. There is something very relaxing about writing on this blog, and this is really the only time that I write - the middle of the night. So here I am, happily typing and sipping on my chicken noodle soup.

Speaking of being very comfortable, I am currently loving a particularly snuggly find of mine. They are my slippers - and I am in love. I was actually sent a couple of pairs over Thanksgiving break to try out, but I immediately realized I wanted to buy my mom a few. I have two favorite pairs - my pink flip flop slippers and my little furry booties. The flip flop ones have a quarter inch of memory foam in it, which is definitely enough to sink down into. It kinda gives me that "ahhh" feeling, you know? I don't think the booties have memory foam in them but they are still quite comfy and more "fashionable" than the flip flop slippers (at least in my mind). These are machine washable and very durable, so for those of you that love slippers they would really great to try.

To be quite honest, my mom has always had this weird phobia of her feet touching the ground, so I grew up with her always telling me to wear slippers or shoes. I think I rebelled a little and tried to walk around barefoot all the time, but as I've gotten older I have started to appreciate a comfy slipper on my feet. (does that mean I am turning into my mom?) (on second thought that's not so bad considering she is the cutest mom ever).

The company that makes these slippers, Dearfoams, caught my attention with this cute little contest they are having called the Slipper Fairy. It's basically a "let's give away tons of free slippers" contest. You can win up to 15 pairs of free slippers by entering in one of 4 ways:

• Tweet it: You just tweet about who you'd like to give the @dearfoams to this holiday season. You have to include the hashtag #slipperfairy
• Say it: talk about who you would give the slippers to in a youtube video and submit it to the site.
• Sing it: Sing the Slipper Fairy song on youtube and submit it to the site.
• Match it: Play instantly on the site.

The match it option is really simple, you just type in your email and see if you instantly win slippers for you and your friends.

I would really appreciate opinions on which ones to order my mom for Christmas. I want to get her two pairs, but I don't know which ones. I think the ones that are my favorites might be to young for her, so I think I will pick her out something different. Feel free to leave suggestions for what you think she would like (or what you would give your mom)!

The Slipper Fairy is also donating 500 pairs of slippers to US military families who have loved ones overseas in our name (mine and all of you reading this blog!), which is amazing and very, very generous. I really want to thank them for that, because they did not have to do that, and I REALLY think that the recipients are going to love them.

I am down to my very last noodle...mmmm soup :) I like to pretend that the weather is cold outside, since it is December after all, but alas... LA is quite warm. Somehow it still manages to feel like Christmas though; when I was at the mall earlier they were playing holiday music and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. So on that note... I am going to burrow down and zzz. Goodnight!

xoxo

Elle Fowler

Forever21 Makeup? Swatches and Review

Last time I was at Forever21 with my sister I picked up a little eyeshadow set to try. I've never tried any beauty products from this store before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, and to be quite honest I didn't have high expectations. The palette cost $6.80 (VERY inexpensive) for 10 shadow colors. Here are some pictures of the colors plus the chic clutch it comes in.

I filmed a haul video for the items I purchased (which will go up tomorrow) and while showing off this set I decided to swatch one of the colors... and realized that it had amazing pigmentation. Here are all the colors swatched on NW20 skin with Urban Decay Primer Potion as a base:

The colors are beautiful! This particular palette is a bit pink heavy but they had other palettes with more neutral colors. I looked online and didn't see this one, so it might be that every store has slightly different ones. This one is from their "Love and Beauty" line and I think it is a great deal for $6.80. The colors are creamy (not super powdery) and have a beautiful shimmer to them. They blend easily and came right off with a MAC wipe. Not only would I completely recommend this palette, but I will be picking up more shadow sets from Forever21 in the future. I think they are incredible quality for a super low cost.

One gripe is the packaging... not the super cute clutch case but the actual plastic packaging the product came in... mine was super beat up and looked like the palette had been thrown around a lot (they all looked like that) but that is hardly a gripe when the product is so great.

Overall thoughts? Worth it!

Product purchased by me.

Elle Fowler

ZPalette Review

For the last few years MAC palettes have been my choice for shadow organization, and in many ways they still are. They are affordable, easy to find (if you live near a MAC), and classic... I love the look of my little black MAC palettes all stacked up. I actually use a DVD holder from the container store to organize them which I find works really well. That being said, I have found another palette company that has been giving my little mac ones some competition. I will quickly insert a picture of a filled up MAC palette vs. a filled up ZPalette:

MAC Palette filled with 15 shadows: (note that you can pop the casing out and fit many more shadows if that interests you... personally I have always been scared to break my palettes). (P.S. I actually feel like saying "awww" when I look at this well loved palette).

Leopard ZPalette filled with 26 shadows:

ZPalette with the lid open (I went picture happy):

The MAC palettes are $14 and the ZPalettes are $20. I like that the ZPalettes have a clear lid so you can see the colors that are in it - I have labeled my mac palettes but sometimes the shadows get switched up and then I can never find what I'm looking for! The entire bottom of the ZPalette is magnetic so you can slap a magnet on the back of any shaped shadow or blush and put it in there. The two palettes are the exact same size, and the Zpalette comes in different colors. I'm loving the leopard print - feels much younger and trendier than solid black. It also comes in a smaller size that holds nine MAC shadows: (MAC also has a palette that holds 4 shadows).

Overall thoughts? I like the ZPalette a lot, and will use it especially when I travel since it fits so much. It is a bit more pricy than the MAC palettes but it feels really sturdy so I think that it would be durable. Another pro is that it won't look as dirty as the black mac palettes - mine get so dusty! I will be using these palettes and might buy a few, but as for completely switching my loyalties? Not yet... we will see :)

ZPalette: http://www.zpalette.com

Mac Palette: http://www.maccosmetics.com

ZPalette received for review consideration.

Where have I been?!

Hello my friends! I have been quite bad lately, being incredibly MIA and such, so I figured I owed you guys an explanation. I rarely go through periods where I neglect YouTube, but this month has definitely been one of those times. On top of that, July is a really special YouTube month for me, because it was this time 2 years ago that it all started! That's right... this Friday, the 23rd, is my 2nd birthday on YouTube. I will have to make myself a cupcake to celebrate :)

So where have I been? You guys know I have been traveling a ton based on my tweets, but I rarely explain exactly what I am doing (mainly because it won't fit in 140 characters). So a few weeks back I went to NYC with Blair for some meetings and a meet up. We met with Bobbi Brown and Marie Claire, along with a few more companies. We had a meet up which was incredible and we got to meet a ton of you, which was our absolute favorite part. I don't think you guys even realize how special it is to meet you in person. We spend all of our time alone in our rooms talking to a camera so it makes it way more real when we can meet some people who watch us... makes it seem a little less silly.

Blair and I stayed in a hotel in the middle of China Town so that was fun because we normally stay in midtown; we got to explore a part of the city we never have before.

After that we flew to LA for more meetings and 2 more meet ups, IMATS and the one at Forever21. IMATS was CRAZY!!! Last year I got way more shopping done, but this year was more fun overall. We spent the entire day hanging out with more of you guys, getting to know you and answering (and asking!) questions. Here is a picture of Blair and I in our hotel room right before leaving for IMATS ------>

Another picture, this one at the Forever21 meet up:

We flew home for one night and then we were back at the airport, flying to Memphis for our Marshall's commercial. That shoot was SO MUCH FUN! Blair and I got to shop around while they filmed us, and I think it turned out really well. You can check out my dorm room decor video for the link to the commercial. Blair and I have practically moved into the airport and we have gotten quite good at it. I will make a little list of everything I carry on with me (don't lie, you are curious...)

Elle's Airplane Carry-On Requirements:

• Laptop
• Camcorder
• Chargers
• My makeup brushes in my MAC hello kitty case - you can't carry products on but I always carry my brushes... I would hate to lose them!
• Fuzzy Socks
• Neck Pillow
• Fuzzy Blanket (these 3 things make for a very cozy environment)
• Headphones
• Book (I'm currently reading the City of Bones, which I quite like)
• Gum (I have bad ears... they pop like crazy on planes!)
• Hairbrush
• Travel size shampoo/conditioner/soap (I have a cute little set for this, I'll review it in my july favs video).

So yeah.. anyways. We then flew back to LA for another project that we can't mention yet, but as soon as we can we will! We also had a photoshoot, which was SO much fun. Here is a behind the scenes picture, even though its a bit blurry because it was taken on an iPhone. We are going to Atlanta this weekend for something else... I kinda can't wait to have a whole week at home to detox, as much as I love traveling.

I promise I will be back on the video making wagon soon... this last month just got kinda crazy.

More updates:

Bear is doing wonderfully, he can now jump up on my bed by himself, which I honestly didn't know if he would ever be able to do (my bed is high). The only thing weird is that he is slightly bowlegged now, so I'm not sure if his hip set properly, although his vet said it's perfect. I have to stop myself from diagnosing him with more problems, as I am a slight hypochondriac. Case in point: Last night Blair realized she has an eye infection (we had a makeup artist that used the same mascara on 3 girls... NEVER LET ANYONE DO THAT!) and I spent almost 30 minutes in front of a mirror examining my eye, making sure it was still there.

We are not living in LA! Gah I don't know where this rumor came from, but no Blair and I are NOT in LA. We are considering moving there, yes, but we have not signed a lease yet. We haven't even decided on a place TO sign a lease at yet! Please don't believe everything you hear.. I feel like people are quite impressionable on the internet.

I wanna do a quick update on my hair extensions because it has been... 7 weeks now? They are doing great, and I am slightly addicted to them. I want to wear them forever. I have made a few mistakes with them, such as melting a few of the bonds together with my curling iron and forgetting to sleep with them in a braid one night (they tangle WAY worse than normal hair... be forewarned) but overall I think they have been pretty low maintenance. I love them, I think they were worth it, and I will get them again. Unless they pull all my hair out. And then I probably will rethink that statement. Don't judge.

I just realized I am sitting in the dark writing this post... what am I, a vampire?!

Quick list of videos coming up:

July Favs

Bath Product Review

A silver tutorial

A contest (YAY!)

Have any requests? Tweet them to me! (I sounded just like a commercial there).

Ok this post has gotten way long so I will leave you at that. I love you. That is all.

xoxo

Elle Fowler

Eyeball Stomping, Prom, and Hair Extensions

After getting about 5 hours of restless sleep I am wide awake but totally exhausted, so it makes perfect sense to write a blog post right now. I am currently trying to wake up for the day so I can put videos up on my channel and be a productive human being. I have talked about my theory of being a cat in a video before (5 random facts about me) so I won't go into details, but let's just say Bear and I are on the exact same sleeping schedule. We get hungry at the same time every night (around 3am) so we trampoozle down to the kitchen and make our snacks. He runs around my feet and trips me until I go into his food room and shake his food (weird Bear habit, he won't touch his dry food unless it has been freshly shaken up), and then waits until I make my food. Then he insists on playing with the guinea pig for a few minutes, which I try to avoid letting him do because he gets little bits of pine shavings all over him, but ultimately he wins by sitting down on his haunches and howling until I come and let him in the cage. Then he gets all in "I'm a sloth" mode and gets really pliable and fits in a cage half his size. Maybe he thinks Guinea is a brother from another mother? They are like bff's.

Anyway I realized recently how incredibly scardy-cat like Bear is. We were sitting out on my screened in porch and we couldn't see anything outside because it was pitch black. Dad was taking the trash out so we heard a scary loud creak of the gate being opened, and Bear sat there with his nosed pressed against that screen, ears flat down sideways and eyes wide, looking terrified. Downright terrified. And he is the size of a lion. I do not believe he would do any protecting if a monster came out of my closet, let me tell you.

I found a video that completely and utterly depicts how Bear treats me in the mornings (around 6am). Add some eyeball stomping and sneezing and subtract the baseball bat and you have Bear to a "T":


What else is new? I recently found out that my family is going to the beach next weekend for a week, which is really exciting because I haven't gone on a vacation in AGES. My birthday is on Tuesday AND I finally made an appointment to get hair extensions so I am very excited for this coming week. I had my consult yesterday to meet the stylist and make sure she knows what she is doing, and I really liked her... so yeah, I am psyched. I have had 3 consults over the last couple years (I have wanted hair extensions since I was in high school) but I never liked the stylist enough to trust her with my hair. She is using the brand "HairDreams" which according to my research is the very best along with Great Lengths. I will vlog about them the day I get them in (next Friday) and tell you what I think.



I wore clip in's for Senior prom so I will attach a picture where you can see my hair here ---->. The only thing bad about clip in's are they don't blend as well as real extensions, as you can kinda see from my hair (I was still happy with them though :). Should I go that length? Or a bit longer, shorter? Let me know your opinion!






It is pouring rain outside, but I guess that's for the best because I have some homework to do and I know I would put it off if it was pretty out by justifying that it is a Saturday and the pool is lonely... so alas, inside I sit, procrastinating anyway. I'm currently taking a few online courses which sounded a lot easier than they actually are, but that's life. I feel like I should be on summer break, but it was my decision to take a few classes online so I guess I have to deal with the not so fun parts of it. Hope you guys are enjoying the start of summer!

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler

Project 10 Pan and 10 Lush COMPLETED!

Finally, after being diligent for months I am done with my two projects. And let me say - thank goodness for that. I was getting quite bored of it. For those of you that have not been following my blog until lately, let me say welcome (lol) and quickly explain the project. The idea is to refrain from purchasing anything new until you have completely finished up 10 makeup products (Project 10 pan). I also did a spin off project at the same time where I didn't buy any new lush items. I plan on purchasing some new lush goodies and a few things from MACs To the Beach Collection (out May 27th) so I will have some makeup hauls soon!

I have been keeping you very updated on Project 10 Lush, so I will just do a mini review of the final product that I used up, a little shower gel called Flying Fox. Flying Fox smells lovely, a mix of jasmine and honey, two of my favorite scents. This is the type of scent I reach for in the evenings, but it also rejuvenates me in the mornings since I love the smell. I will probably repurchase this in the future, but for now I want to try out some new products since I haven't gotten to buy anything new lately.

As far as Project 10 Pan goes, last I blogged I had completed 4 products. Here are the final 6:

• My Carmex "bland" lip balm, which I somehow liked enough to finish up. I don't have much to say on this balm except that it sat on my nightstand for a couple months and so it was bound to eventually get used up... I'm not sure I would repurchase though, I have way too many more balms to finish up first.
• C.O. Bigalow Cinnoment Mentha Lip Shine: one of my favorites that I have repurchased time and time again; it smells like cookies. I always have one of these in my purse, which is why it was one of the first to be used up. I can't help but smile when I have this on, it smells (and tastes) so good!
  
• Mac MSF Natural in Light Medium: This one was tricky to finish up, just because it is not the right shade for me. I am actually a Medium in the winter and a Medium Deep in the summer, but by the time I realized this I had used too much to feel right about selling it on a blog sale, so I decided to use it up. I wore this on days where I wasn't going anywhere important but I still wanted some coverage. It took a few months, but this product is now finished.
• Clinique Superfit Foundation: I actually had 2 of these sitting in my drawer that were both about half completed, so I decided if I used them both up it could count as one product towards my project 10 pan. I had used this foundation for years when I decided I wanted to venture off and try something new, and found my beloved Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation. I don't dislike this foundation, I just got bored with it and the makeup junkie inside me wanted to try out new products. I am glad these are used up though; they were making me feel a bit guilty sitting in my drawer, unlike some MAC ones that I can justify not using because they break me out.
• MAC Plush Lash Mascara: I used this up because I knew it was going to go bad soon, not because I loved it. Mascaras can't be trusted after the 3 month mark (of opening/using it) so I keep track of which ones are going to go bad when, and this one was next in line. Out of all MAC mascaras plush lash is my favorite, but I prefer L'oreal Telescopic or Benefit Badgal Lash.
• Victoria's Secret Lip Plumper in Baby Pink: I love this stuff. It gives your lips a soft pink tinge, and tingles just a tad to let you know it's plumping up your lips, but doesn't burn like some lip plumpers. The packaging is also pretty, very streamlined and feminine. The only thing I didn't like was the applicator, I am not a big fan of the click up brush tip applicators; they don't seem very sanitary!
  

I am very happy to have completed this project, as it was generally a pain in the butt. The second you set limits on yourself you immediately want to defy yourself, but I managed to be 90% good. I say 90% because I was sent some free stuff over the course of this project, so I did get the pleasure of trying out new things without actually breaking the rules, but I think if I had not I might have cheated - hence only being 90% good. I award myself a B+ for this project. Also, I found that lip glosses and mascaras are the easiest products to use up, probably because I apply copious amounts of them daily.

For those of you that were doing this project along with me, how is it coming? Let me know in the comments! I think you can leave a comment with your twitter account now, which is kinda cool (I installed a new program).

Speak Soon!
Elle Fowler

Quirks

I just raided the kitchen for a snack and found out halfway through munching on a wheat thin that the box was expired. This led me to purge my entire pantry, a much too common trend for me. It got me thinking of people's quirks. This is definitely one of my biggest quirks; I am obsessed with food expiration dates. I check it on every single thing that goes in my mouth. Even if I just bought it, it gets checked. It drives my mom crazy when I am at her house because I think she takes it personally (as if she doesn't keep her pantries clean) (she does) but it's not that at all, it's just a full-scale, blown-up quirk.

I also can't sleep if my room is over 72 degrees, but I think that is a much more common quirk. Another one, more of a pet peeve I guess, is that I can't STAND when someone states untrue information as a fact. This used to bother me all the time in college classes, when a student would misstate a fact, but it also pertains to gossip. I know all girls gossip, and I will admit that I have done so occasionally (although I am against it normally), but sometimes I will straight up call BS on the gossiper. If you are ever in a gossipy conversation with me, be forewarned :)

This might be why I am so interested in law (I was pre-law in college); I have this internal need to shut people up who talk about untrue stuff. Let me clarify though, I don't mean if someone is simply repeating or questioning something; I mean when someone states something untrue as a fact. Unfortunately, I have to deal with this a lot on YouTube and in media outlets. Let me say this: you cannot believe 90% of what you read about me online, only what I have directly said or quoted. And included in this are major news sources that I had no idea could print false information until recently. News sources can print any quote, true or not, if it comes from a person (like a hater) and no one is going to question it, even if it is an outright lie. I'm a communications/law major and I did not know that national huge media outlets could go without fact checking and be unethical, but they can. An example would be the Good Morning America piece saying Blair dropped out of school to "shop". Completely false, and a little bit negligent, since no one is going to question Good Morning America. It's a bit unfair to say something hateful about a 17 year old girl who by no means can defend herself against something as big as Good Morning America. This is not the only example, but through YouTube and dealing with this it has dulled my passion to constantly right the wrongs said about me. Sometimes I don't want to outright address an issue for privacy reasons (like my address, full name, cell number, etc) or for legal reasons but that doesn't mean I am "hiding" anything from you. It has gotten to the point where it is more like "Say what you will, and my true fans will stick with me. They are true to me, and I will always be true to them". Those of you that have known me from the beginning will know I haven't changed a bit, just grown with my audience. And that's that.

Moving on. I'm wondering, what are your quirks?

- Elle Fowler

Totally Rambly Update

I think I have totally confused some of you with my back and forthness from my house to my parents house over the last month. I did a quick vlog, which I will put up soon, but while I am sitting here watching Gossip Girl I might as well fill you in on what's going on in my life. The back and forthness has been due to two things: traveling, and taking loads of my stuff to my parents house to make moving out easier - my car doesn't hold much.

It's the end of another school year, but this one is different; it was my last one. My senior year of college, my very last semester. I do have a few more classes to take this summer, since I fell behind this semester from traveling and decided to finish up online, but as for standard school, living on campus - it's over. And I am very sad and nostalgic about it; I'm having a tough time. Our lease is up at my rental house so I am moving out and back to my parents for the month of May. In June I will move on with my life, a new chapter, I just haven't worked out the details. I will be getting my own place though; after living on my own for 4 years it will be hard to live with my parents for even a month. I am quite independent, and even though I love my family to death a month will be more then enough time to regroup and figure out what my next move is. If I seemed sad in my most recent tutorial, the bonfire at the beach one, this is why. I'm attaching a picture of my little warm house that I am very dearly going to miss - it makes me sad and happy at the same time to look at it. The steps of doom are on the side so unfortunately you can't see them, that would have been funny to show! The hill drops off steeply and the steps are steep and narrow, and IMPOSSIBLE to navigate in the icy winters :) College was the best 4 years of my life, and I wish everyone the best of luck who haven't started yet. If you are in the middle of your college years - enjoy every minute.

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On a more cheerful note, there are things about my family home that I miss when I am not there. Bella, my girl cat, has absolutely no coordination and is forever falling off of beds and couches, never landing on her feet. Sometimes while she is walking she trips over her own tail. She has been sitting in this one big flower pot in the front yard and it makes me fall over laughing every time I see her, plopped on the dirt with a serene look on her face. I think she meditates in there.


Bear has had his own "issues" lately. He has developed this habit of sleeping UNDER my bed instead of on top with me, which I don't like one bit. I like to hear him purr and for him to be there for me to cuddle with when I wake up in the morning. So I had this great idea to make a barricade (BEARacade - get it?) all around my bed so he couldn't get under. I sat there planting boxes and baskets all the way around the bed, plugging the holes with blankets and making it impossible for him to get under there. About an hour later I noticed he was missing, so after looking everywhere I removed a box and peered under the bed, and there he was. I have NO IDEA how he got under there. He totally outsmarted me. I'm still scratching my head over it. If anyone has any inklings, please clue me in. There he is with his favorite tennis ball ---->

Dad and I have gotten in the habit of taking a walk around the neighborhood after dinner, when it starts cooling off outside. Normally we speed walk, try to get our heart rates up (my dad used to be a runner) but the last time we literally just moseyed along staring agog at all the houses. We were like two agogers agogging at everything. The worm on the ground, the grass, different houses, everything. We were the nosy neighbors that everyone has who everyone secretly wants to buzz off.

I finished the book "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella which I really enjoyed. I would recommend it if you want a quick, easy, girly read. It was one that I didn't want to put down, just because I related to the character and the writing style so much. I am currently at the tail end of "Need" by Carrie Jones, and to be quite honest it's been difficult to get through it. I'm not sure why, because it involves werewolves and fairies and supernatural things that I love, but it just hasn't captivated me the way I needed it to. I ended up pausing and reading the entire Twenties Girl book right in the middle. I'm also halfway through "Love the one you're with" by Emily Giffin, which is another easy read. It's basically about what happens when you find the love of your life, and you marry him, but then you find the REAL one you were supposed to be with. Do you stay with the one you married? The book is basically about that :)

I will have my April Favorites winners up soon, and as far as Tarte - that was on them. They have already picked their winners and contacted them. I will list the names in the April Favorites video, but you would have already been contacted on the email address you signed up for the contest with.

Lost just ended; it was the saddest episode. It was the one from last night, May 4th, and I am incredibly sad. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet - but it's a tearjerker. There are only a few episodes left - how on earth are they gonna wrap it up!? For a long time I thought that the whole island was limbo - a place between heaven and hell where the choices they made on the island affected their fate, but I just have no clue anymore. I have watched this show since the very first season. Lost nerds - UNITE!

Last thing: Project 10 Pan has been completed! I will do a separate blog post on this including the items I finished up and my thoughts, so look out for that!

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler

illumenature Candle Review

Hey guys! I am currently sick in bed with what could possibly be the flu (bad Blair for getting me sick) so I can't film tonight. Therefore I figured a blog post was in order. I was sitting here noodling over what I could review when I spotted my two candles happily burning on my dresser, and thought, "I know I talked about these in my April Favorites but I will do a blog review as well". If you haven't seen my April Favorites video you can watch it here; I give away 2 of these candles, but please do not comment any "enter me's" on this blog - only on my YouTube video :)



So I was sent 6 scents, and for time purposes I only described 4 of them in my video. I will quickly describe each one, and tell you my favorites. These are available at www.illumenature.com.


The first one is my favorite, and one that I am currently burning. It is called Cinnamon Sticks. This one has the scent of cinnamon bark and spicy yumminess. It smells exactly like big red gum. I didn't burn this one right away, I just let it sit in my room with the lid open, but when I lit it up it immediately grew in scent intensity. I took this picture RIGHT after I lit it, so it hasn't even formed a puddle yet, but it smells marvelous. I will purchase this one when it runs out. One thing I like is how streamlined these candles are, they don't look "homemade" at all.




My next favorite is the Banana Nutbread. This one smells of banana, brown sugar, and vanilla. It is a sweet smelling, cake-like scent, one that would be good in the kitchen. Obviously I am burning mine in my bedroom currently along with Cinnamon Sticks, because I love sweet, food smelling candles. I actually especially love banana nutbread, my mom makes the best banana nutbread around, but she only makes it in the fall. Maybe I will pester her and get her to make me some tomorrow. "Mom, I'm soooooo sick. I have the flu and the ONLY thing I can eat is your banana nutbread....".

Hahaha I am playing, I wouldn't use her like that, but it does sound tasty!



The next one is a scent I'm sure everyone recognizes, Japanese Cherry Blossom. It smells just like the one from Bath and Body Works, but I am not complaining because it is one of my all time favorite scents. It is a clean scent, slightly floral and very feminine. Plus, the candle itself is pretty; and I am one to judge on those things. I am big on packaging, and if it is not pleasing to the eye I don't want it as decor. The ones from Bath and Body Works are pretty as well, which is why I purchase from them often.






The next one is one I chose not to review on my April favorites, but it is still a nice scent. It is called Citrus Basil. This one smells exactly as it sounds - exceptionally citrusy. It smells like lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit, all mixed into one candle, with a bit of basil leaf. This one I would keep confined to my kitchen or bathroom, just because I like my bedroom to have a softer, more feminine and romantic scent to it. I like it though; it smells very clean and fresh.





Next is Chestnut and Brown Sugar, which smells deceivingly like banana nutbread at first, but once you smell them closely it has its own unique scent. It smells of caramel, chestnuts, vanilla and brown sugar. It is another cake-y scent, smelling like baked goods straight out of the oven. It is a bit less sweet than banana nutbread, but still smells nice and I would recommend it if you like that type of scent.






The last one is my least favorite, but I could see some people enjoying it. It is Lavender, which is a scent that I am so-so about in general. Lavender is great to use at bedtime, because it naturally makes you sleepy and relaxed. I use lavender sometimes in my baths, but it is just not a scent I am personally that attracted to. This one reminds me of laundry detergent - not in a bad way, just a clean, lavender way. It is a fresh scent, and if you are a big lavender fan then the scent is true to its' name.


So that's all of them! For reference, mine are the 8oz size, so they are $11.99 each. They are also available in a 20oz.

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler

Press On TOENAILS?!

As a beauty girl, I like stepping over the bounds of ordinary to try new trends. This isn't a far extreme, but I like to think it's something most people wouldn't consider. Everyone has dabbled with press on nails, but press on toes? Very peculiar...

Regardless, I gave it a try. I spotted the box at my local drugstore and was immediately intrigued by the picture of the foot on the box; the nails were so perfect. We are not talking long extension nails here... just very nice, normal looking french pedicure toes. In a box! Some people are not a fan of the french tip for toes but I ALWAYS have mine painted in the french style. Every now and then I spring for a fun color, like hot pink, but I always tire of it and want it french tipped again (just my toes, my nails always have fun colors).

This press on set happens to be from my favorite press on nail brand, so I decided to give it a try. Plus, I have been in a nail mood lately, and just filmed a video today on my YouTube channel about the various types of nails:




I brought the box home, excited but a bit wary, and proceeded to give them a try. I was a little predisposed to dislike them, just because it is SUCH a weird concept, but I was determined to give them a fair shot. I stuck them on, taking my time to ensure the right fit for each toe, but there wasn't one for my pinky toe. They were all too long and looked like I had a freak toe (not the look I was trying to achieve, btw). My box came with complete with little flower decals, so I went all out and decorated my toenails and then went to show them off to my friends.

Let's just say they are a FREAK. CONCEPT. I felt totally bizarre the whole day, and they kept getting caught in my socks that night. I didn't notice it during the day because I wore flip flops so I could rock my tacky looking toes but I think they would feel uncomfortable in shoes. I took them off the next day, thinking they were just one step too unusual for me.

Overall opinion: nice to try, but probably will never touch them again. You might like them for a one off occasion, like prom, but don't be too concerned if you do not have the right fit for your pinky toe. You do not have a deformed toe. Broadway just doesn't make them little enough! Also, please forgive me for not attaching a picture of my toes - I find that a bit too much. I don't really like feet, lol.

Now I am off to watch last night's "The Hills" season premier and then possibly the Sex and the City movie (Blair bought it for me for no reason - nice sister). I am quite enjoying this blog, I hope you guys are as well :)

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler

Down to the final 2...

Yes, that's right! I am down to my final two on project 10 lush, and let me tell you - I am quite pleased. I already have my wish list going of what I am going to try next, cough Jasmine Henna Fluff cough. They also have these amazing looking Sugar Lip Scrubs that are new on their site that I'm sure smell SCRUMPTIOUS! I personally want to try the sweet lips scent (milk chocolate yumminess!).

Anyway, as a quick catch up I will fill you in on what I have completed to date:
The highlighted ones are the ones that have mini reviews, so you can read about the individual products - I did not love all of them!
Gnome Name Bubble Bar
Ma Bar Bubble Bar
Blackberry Bath Bomb - I LOVED THIS ONE! Read the review! Do it! Do it!
Lil Lush Pud Bath Bomb
Honey I washed the kids soap
Therapy Massage Bar
Flosty Gritter Bubble Bar
Angel's Delight Soap

I finished the 9th one up tonight! I suppose I could be finished with project 10 lush since I used a product (cinders bath bomb) the night before I officially "started" this mission but I will be diligent and not cheat. I need to finish one more before I get to have a mini haul, and believe me... there will be a video :)

So the one I finished up tonight is the Comforter Bubble Bar. I have purchased this one over and over - it is truly one of my favorites. Lush claims it is big enough for 2 baths - I use it for 4-5 baths easily. It makes luscious bubbles and smells amazing, so soft and comforting. I will be repurchasing this one, I like to always have a piece for when I am in the right mood. For those 21 and over - a glass of wine and this bubble bar makes for a very happy girl.

That means one left! Then I get to do a lush haul! Project 10 pan update - I have mostly finished up a few more items, but honestly I am not being as diligent as I am for project 10 lush. I haven't bought any new products, but I have been sent stuff so it seems like I am cheating. I have been trying out new stuff and not concentrating on using up the old, but I am still trudging along! I recently went through ALL my mascaras and threw all but a few away, all ones that are under 2 months old (anything older than 3 months should be tossed anyway - eye infection alert!). I might be doing a blog sale soon to clear some more stuff out just because my collection is way too big for one person.

Let's see... any more news...
I will be posting videos more frequently (I hope!) starting this week, I have a bit of a traveling break so I want to film, film, film. Look for one Wednesday.

Chat soon,
Elle Fowler

In's and Out's 6

I have had a bit of a cold for the past 2 days, and while slathering on my Carmex I came to a realization. I was using a VERY bland balm. Not very Elle-like at all. Regardless of its blandness, I actually really like it, so it inspired me to write a new in's and out's (imagine, inspired by a bland balm).

In:
Carmex original moisturizing lip balm. Now let me preface this by saying I would typically never admit to favoring such a "normal" lipbalm when I own so many blingy ones. Normally even in my sickest moments I would reach for a dazzleglass, or at least a MAC tendertone to soothe my lips. However, I mustn't tell white lies on my blog so I must admit to having my carmex on my nightstand currently (insert pointless picture here) --->

Benefit Stay don't Stray Primer. Yet another eye primer to enter my collection along with its buddies Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Urban Decay Primer Potion. I have ALWAYS held tight to the fact that I much prefer MAC paint pots to either of the two latter primers, but I really do like stay don't stray. It is a bit thicker then the other two, so it conceals my eyelids well, priming them perfectly for shadow. I find with the others (especially with Too Faced Shadow Insurance), that they are so thin and liquidy that I don't feel like I have a strong enough base on, which is why I always reach for my paint pots. Be forewarned though - it pumps out way too much, you have to pump just the tiniest amount on to your fingers. If you did an entire pump it would be enough for your entire face!

Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara. Tried for the first time in my benefit video (inserted here):

I really like this mascara! It goes on very black and doesn't clump up, and it pretty easy to use. The brush head is really big though, bigger than my eye so that takes some getting use to, but I do really like this one.

Bright Colors. I'm talking about everything; makeup, nail polish, clothing, room decor... etc. Spring time always makes me appreciate colors more, and I love that it is warming up.

Going for walks in the evenings. When the sun is going down and everything is cooling off it is the perfect time to go for a brisk walk. It gets your metabolism going so it's quite good for you, and you can help work off the dinner you just ate. (Or that dessert you know you shouldn't have had. Naughty.)

Glee! Ahhh I adore this show! It is SUCH a feel good, pick-me-up, perky show. I always end an episode feeling happy and satisfied, unlike Lost where I just feel confused and completely unsatisfied.


Easy, chill out reads. I adore intense books and novels that make you think as much as the next person, but sometimes I just want an easy "beach" read (that's what I call them). I recently bought two when I was in NY purusing around a mall wasting time (I also bought a chocolate covered strawberry), and I am really enjoying them. The first is called "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella, who wrote the Confessions of a Shopoholic series, (which I highly recommend). It's basically about a girl who is followed around by an annoying ghost, who is her great aunt who lived to be 105 and then croaked, and now is a 23 year old flapper who likes to gamble and yell at the live beings of the world.
I'm also in the middle of reading "Need", which I also really liked but I misplaced it which is why I started on another book. It will show up someplace random like in the pantry and then I will continue on my merry way with that one. I don't mind reading more than one book at a time, but sometimes it gets wearing because you feel like you aren't getting anywhere. The 3rd book I bought, if anyone is curious, is "Love the one you're with" by Emily Giffen, who wrote "baby proof" and "something borrowed", both of which I enjoyed.

Out:
Blandness. Like my Carmex. There is no need for blandness in life.

Sweets. This is not because of a diet or anything of the sort, I have just not been craving sweets or desserts for the past week or so. Weird? Yes, but I'm not pushing it. I will wake up one night with an intense craving for ice cream, and then there will be no holding back!

Traveling so much. I LOVE traveling, but I haven't been in the same state for over a week in a couple months it feels like. No one likes being that unsteady in life, lol. I just want to chill out and lay by the pool and enjoy summer! Not that that is even an option, as dad has not sprayed the wasp nest yet so there is a whole lot of buzzing going on down there.

Grey's Anatomy. I don't know why but I have watched this show from the start, and it is not very interesting anymore. I don't look forward to it nearly as much as I used to, and lately I have been skipping episodes all together.

I guess I don't have much to complain about, I am pretty happy right now. I always have more In's then Out's so I guess that in itself is an In.

Speak to you soon,
Elle Fowler