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.

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

Late Night Ramblings

It's 11:30pm on Sunday evening, and instead of trying to sleep like a normal person I am wide awake. Blair and I are leaving at 7:30am to drive to the airport, then we are flying to LA for a few days. We have been traveling so much lately packing is a piece of cake. My carry-on was still packed from NY, with my NAP blanket from Brookstone, my NAP neck pillow, a pair of absurdly fuzzy socks, and a brand new book. Plus I always carry my makeup brushes and jewelry in my carry-on so they don't get all mangled up in my suitcase.

Don't laugh... but I really think a pair of these NAP boots would be the perfect thing to keep my toes toasty warm, even if they would look a bit ridiculous. Planes are cold!------>



I took some melatonin to help me sleep but it hasn't kicked in so I am just going to have a nice ramble until it does. I have complied a small list of Project 10 Lush contenders - products that may be part of my final 5 lush items in this project. They are:
Therapy Massage Bar
Angel's Delight Soap
Porridge Soap
Honey I washed the kids Soap
And I have no idea what number 5 night be - maybe another bath bomb or something simple, since I still have a few. Project 10 pan is...going, I haven't finished anything up yet though, lol. I had to buy new hairspray and shampoo but thankfully those are not makeup items so I did not feel guilty in the least.

Hmmm... still wide awake. Perhaps an In's and Out's?

In:
Goggles - yes. I like my goggles. Call me crazy, but I feel "safe" in them. My eyes are feeling deceptively normal, but I will not be the one in a million case who dislodges her flaps. No. I am taking extra measures. I slept for the last few nights without them on, but then put them back on for last night (cause my left eye was swollen) and woke up with not only normal feeling, unswollen eyes, but my eye sight got better overnight! The doc told me that might happen after about a week, and it has been 9 days - so yay!

Flowers - I love when I am given fresh flowers, they really brighten up a room. My dad got me some flowers the other day, and I have been diligently watering them and keeping away flower chompers. I don't quite have a green thumb, but I am trying.

Project 10 Lush/Pan - It really is a simple pleasure to use up a product entirely. I think all product junkies would agree with me; the majority of our products simply don't get used up. It is like we are children with an extremely low attention span - there is always another product out there that immediately grabs us.

Mystic Tans - Such a nice alternative to burning your skin, and it gives you a glow overnight. It doesn't last long, can be streaky, and is expensive, but for special occasions it can be nice. I just got one tonight for LA, so I smell very self tannerish. Bear doesn't seem to like the smell, so maybe he will avoid by eyeballs tonight. He probably would anyway, because my suitcase is open with black clothing in it, so of course his first priority would be to roll all around on that, and not stomp on my eyeballs. Whatever floats his boat.

My roommates new Maltipoo - fondly nicknamed Roly Poly Bologna, (birth name Lola), she is the cutest little baby ever. I want one. But Bear would eat it. Speaking of, I asked Bear today what he thought of me getting a baby bologna and he acted totally perturbed and then ignored me for an hour.

Out:
Contacts/Glasses - This is an obvious one, so I won't bore you with details.

Flower Chompers - enough said. coughbearcough.

Blair waking me up every morning by either singing (we have a paper thin wall between us), Teddy barking, or, if nothing annoying is happening, simply coming in my room to "chat". Let's chat once I wake up. 10am is not a sensible time for a person like me to wake up. Thank you.

*****************
Tonight at dinner Dad got into a very philosophical conversation about the question "Why is a Raven like a Writing Desk?" (from Alice in Wonderland), and absolutely REFUSED to tell me the answer. So after dinner... I googled. Yes, I googled. And guess what? There is no answer! The author wrote the question meaning for it to have no answer. Apparently the author later wrote this: "Because it can produce a few notes, though… they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front!" (Note the spelling of "never" as "nevar"—turning it into "raven" when inverted. This spelling, however, was "corrected" in later editions to "never" and Carroll's pun was lost." - Wikipedia. Thanks for clarifying Carroll, I get it now...

One more food for thought before going to bed: There is this thing called "sympathetic pregnancy" which is where a man gains weight and suffers morning sickness while his wife is pregnant. Is it a psychological condition, you can research it if you are curious. Anyway... today I noticed Bear had an eye infection. Sure enough, we got him checked, and he needs eye drops. Just like me. He is my own little sympathy lasik case.

Goodnight everyone. No videos for a few days, since we will be on a trip, and unfortunately the comments have not been fixed on this blog :( I don't enjoy posting nearly as much since I can't interact with you guys, but I'm making do until I find out what to do about it. I'm hoping it's a Blogger glitch! Xoxo!

Elle Fowler

In's and Out's 5

I have an exam in 2 hours, so naturally I am doing everything I can to avoid thinking about it. It's time for (Da da da DA!) In's and Out's.

In:

Glowy skin: I just did a video on my new skincare routine, but I am still loving it! My skin is healthy and hydrated looking. I am experimenting with mixing several foundations for the perfect finish. Today I mixed a 3rd Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, a 3rd Laura Mercier moisturizing foundation, and a 3rd Clinique Even Better. By mixing them you get more coverage than the TM alone would give you, but it is still dewy and gorgeous. Here is my skincare video, if you didn't catch it already.




Tween Books: I love to read, and I read at all levels. Some days you can catch me with a classic novel or the latest Dan Brown book, but other times I have a good tween book in my hands - plucked straight out of the kids section of the bookstore. I just finished up the Percy Jackson series and I am on book 4 of the House of Night series. I stopped by the bookstore while I was home, and picked up Dan Brown's newest book, The Lost Symbol. Can't wait to start on it!

Project 10 pan: I haven't officially started yet, but I might as well today since I am thinking about it. I have a bunch of products that are at its very end currently, like 2 Nars laguna bronzers that are each at the last little rim, but I don't know if those count toward the 10 since they only have a few days left each. What do you guys think?

Growing out my hair: I have been good to my hair lately, using lots of protectant products and such, and I think I can tell a difference! My hair is starting to look really nice and long! I still want extensions though... we will see.

Visiting home: I was just home last weekend, and I get to go home again this weekend! Although the reason is scary (LASIK) it is still nice to be home for a little while to visit with family. That brings up a definite out though - driving for 7 hours each way constantly.

Out:

Glasses and Contacts: Yippee for LASIK in 9 days. I am currently on day 5 of wearing glasses (you can't wear contacts for a full 14 days before the surgery) and I am getting more and more excited at the prospect of not having to bother with these for a good, long time. When I get old and gray I am sure I will have to wear glasses to read or something, but by then I won't mind.

General frumpiness: whenever I go more than the allotted time between hair colorings/brow waxes/ or pedicures I start to feel very frumpy. I am feeling that now - my hair stylist keeps getting booked up when I have a chance to come in to see her. I just tried calling in - she is all booked up. Ugh.

Exams: I have one today - not fun. Not pretty.


- Elle Fowler

In's and Out's 5

Hi everyone! Its been 3.5 months since my last real post, which is quite sad. I need to pay more attention to this blog! I will start with an In's and Out's, to fill you guys in on what's new.

In:

Vampire Diaries - Oh Stephan, how I love thee. I am almost ashamed to admit how much I love the vampire culture going on right now... I am not normally one to like that kind of stuff. I am completely hooked on this series and it's superficial "Dear Diary" style storyline. The cast is absolutely stunning, and it's making me crave a leather jacket like crazy! I can't tell if I love or hate Damon, but either way his cockiness is fun to watch.

Leather - Okay, so I will admit.. I don't really wear leather, except in shoes and bags. I do, however, like the idea of wearing leather. Leather seems to be very in right now, and I think the Vampire Diaries has gone to my head a bit (Elena and her cute leather-in-every-scene fashion).

Long Hair - I have been forever growing out my hair, and its finally starting to get long. I cut 4 inches off about a month ago so get it healthy and it felt so short. I really love the feel and look of long hair - so feminine!

Hot Chocolate and Banana Bread - Weird combo maybe? Blame it on the cold fall weather, but this has been my "cheat" snack pick. My roommate found a "healthy" banana bread recipe (which actually is a bit bland) but at least we can justify eating it lol!

My elliptical machine - I bought a cheap ($250) elliptical machine on a whim at my local Walmart and its become my new baby. It's kinda squeaky and weird but its little and cute and get's the job done!

Farmville!! - no description needed

Beauty favs of the moment:

FX Flat Iron Spray

Mac's Coppering Eyeshadow

My coastal scents 88 matte palette

Mac's 242 brush

Out:

Uggs - guys.. this is a big one. I think they are really going out of style (or have been and I have been fighting it). I finally ordered a pair or non ugg slouchy suede black boots for class because I came to the realization today that uggs were cool 5 years ago. Yeah.

Midterms - I'm finally done with them for this semester.

Sleeping - not that I don't love sleeping, I just never seem to do it anymore.

What are your Ins and Outs?