david's tea collection

hi guys! so if you follow me/are subscribed to me on yotube, you will have seen that i have a new video up ft. alanna. this past weekend we went to boston to visit our friend jack. it was a ton of fun and a weekend i will never forget! we went shopping also this weekend around various places in  boston so check out my youtube boston haul to see everything i got!  we also were able to stop and go shopping in one of my favorite places : david's tea.  ohmygod you guys. this tea, is not only extremely affordable, but it is so delicious and amazing! i have been to david's tea about two times before this, picking up a tin of tea, but this time, lets just say i went a little bit crazy! the workers at this particular store were so chill, and so so very helpful!  so lets get into my david's tea collection / what tea's i purchased!

soo you should know that when you go to david's tea, you can not possibly go in there and leave with one tea. alanna left with three and jack left with two. i left with seven. yeah i know, im kinda crazy.

the first tea that i picked up has to be my favorite tea that i think i have ever had. (it even beats the starbucks passion fruit tea ... that says a lot) haha so this tea is called green & fruity this tea is so beautiful and so soothing. it has a ton of mango and papaya in it and the other key ingredients are south african green and red rooibos*, apple, mango, candied papaya, natural and artificial flavouring*.  i literally had 4 cups of it today. im scared i might run out before i head off to school!  i personally love this tea with a tsp. of honey its my cup of perfection. look out diet coke.

the next tea i got is the fantasy island tea which is such an extrodinary tea. it really is a seasonal tea, but honestly can be made any day for a pick me up. the coconut and the raspberry really do seep through and gain the tea a potent taste and scent. the other ingredients in this tea are black tea**, coconut, raspberries, natural and artificial flavouring*. this tea can surely take you away to that tropical island any day, steep a cup and sip up!

i love this tea on its own, no sugar needed. 

with sugar it is very sweet and powerful

oh my glitter you guys. this tea, glitter & gold has to be the most beautiful tea ever (looks wise) it literally steeps gold into your tea and makes it all metallic! it is perfect for any pick me up day or for just because. the ingredients in this tea are chinese black tea, gold sugar balls, sugar cystals, lemon peel, cloves, vanilla, natural and artificial cinnamon flavouring*.

i personally love this tea on a cold 

winter night with two tsps. of sugar

another favorite that i snatched was the strawberry rhubarb parfait. you guys, if you love strawberries and yogurt, you need to get this tea! it is honestly such an extraordinary tea that you can not pick up at your local grocery store. it is a special blend that makes your tastebuds go crazy. the ingredients in this beauty are apple, hibiscus, raisins, carrot, yogurt bits, beetroot, strawberry, rhubarb, artificial flavouring*.

i personally think this tea goes amazing with some sugar cookies 

and two tsp. of sugar.  cookies on the side of corse haha

if mary poppins was around, this would be the tea that she would be brewing in her kettle. the earl's garden tea is such a relaxing tea that can literally do wonders for anyone who is having a bad day. this black tea is the most colorful shade of black i have ever seen. some of the ingredients inside include, black ceylon tea, freeze-dried strawberry pieces, blue cornflowers, calendula petals, bergamot oil, natural and artificial flavouring*.

i personally brew this tea with hot water and then 

set it over some ice cubes and add a tsp. of honey.

oh snap, crackle, pop. the goji pop tea has to, has to be the fruttiest tea i have ever tasted! it is so rich and sweet. one wiff of this stuff and your mind will be sent off to summertime. the ingredients that support this summertime time are apple, goji berries, hibiscus, rosehips, honeydew melon, marigold petals. with artificial flavouring*.

this tea would go swimmingly over ice. add some sugar, 

not too much, but some and your in paradise 

last, but certainly not least, is the honey bee tea. this reminds me so much of the book the help, and i have absolutely no clue why. the taste of it reminds me of what tea mrs. leefolt would drink, something sweet and with honey. its too perfect, and the ingredients that help this perfection are some red and green rooibos, honeybush, green mate, lemon bits, lemon myrtle, calendula petals, blue cornflowers. with artificial and natural flavouring*.

add just a tsp of honey to this blend 

and your tastebuds will be buzzing.

have you tried any david's tea?  if so what is your favorite kind, or what kind would you recommend?

NY STREET STYLE; WATER-FRIENDLY MAKEUP

Face

Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer: Waterproof #8

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Fawn

Makeup Forever Pro> Finish Powder (Matte) #163

Mac Highlighter in Blonde 

[Acts as a great highlight and blush]

Eyes

Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Dark Brown (Liner)

Great Lash Clear Mascara (Define Brows)

Maybelline's The Rocket Waterproof Mascara

Lips

EOS Lip Balms: Strawberry Sorbet & Mint Bath and Body Works Hydra Glass [SPF]
Cheers, x

check out my last post here ♡ !

NY STREET STYLE; TREND ALERT

Attention Fashionistas!

Miss Lindsey always tells her that I remind her of Ariana Grande. Why? No idea. but I absolutely take that as a compliment for I adore her style! One of the trends she constantly sports are cropped tops.

According to Seventeen Magazine and many other fashion street wear sites, cropped tops are totally in for this season.

Cropped tops are adorable and brilliant for summer, for their not completely belly shirts, but are lightweight and short enough to keep you cool throughout those hot summer days. I also love the notion that these shirts can be worn with a completed outfit and are versatile enough to throw in a beach bag like a  bathing suit cover up. My favorite brands that offer these specific tops would have to be Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville.


Contrary to popular belief, one doesn't have to match a loose cropped top with a tight bottom- in fact, I've lately been LOVING mixing cropped tops with bubble skirts, like Ariana. (skirts that simply have round volume).

Here, I've paired a cropped tshirt top from URBAN with a Brandy Melville bubble skirt. I decided to be more conservative by choosing a longer cropped top- there's no need to show off your whole stomach like Ariana per se.

Notice that the combination of the volume on top and on bottom gives great definition to my waist. So rather than looking bulky, the extra fabric actually moves to show my stomach off a bit, and this gives off an almost hourglass looking affect. 

This look is a great option for all of my fellow petite ladies out there! Have fun with these shapes, cause you really don't have to play by the rules when it comes to the cropped top trend.

Enjoooooy !

Cheers, x

NY STREET STYLE; MY KIND OF NAILS

Inspired by one of Lindsey's recent posts of her favorite Essie Nail Polishes, for my post today, I've decided to share with you my favorite Butter London Polishes!

Butter London is one of my favorite nail brands- their polishes not only come in cool rectangular bottles, but also have an extremely fluid consistency and high pigmentation. 

My first favorite is Macbeth (if you're aware of my Shakespeare obsession, no surprise here with the name..). This is a beautiful and bright hot pink-red color that I love for spring and summer. If you're like me and aren't a huge fan of pink nail polish, this is a great stepping stone for it's a mix between a red and a hot pink.

My second favorite would have to be Jaffa. I love neon nails for the summer, and although it's hard to tell how bright this color is in the photo above, it's a lovely neony-orange. It's great for summer as well, for it looks especially nice with a tan!

Wallis is another one of my favorites, its a cool metallic-y goldish/ dark green/blue. It's actually pretty impossible to describe this color and that's why I think its so cool. It's shimmery, deep, and sleek.

The Black Knight is one of my favorite polishes of all time! It's a black polish with a lot of purple iridescent glitter. I personally would wear this color just about any time of year!

And finally, another one of my all time favorites, British Racing Green. This is a deep forest green that I absolutely love wearing in the fall and winter. This polish is extremely popular and actually is a favorite of tons of fashion icons.

Check out Butter London's site here!

& my last blog post here!

Cheers! x

NY STREET STYLE; BY COLOR

Hello all! Although Miss Lindsey is the YouTube connoisseur of Being Blonde and Brunette, I discovered a cool tag on YouTube called the Rainbow Tag. This involves choosing your favorite makeup/ beauty/ or accessories of different colors of the rainbow. Today, I'm going to be sharing with you my favorite beauty products (and some accessories) that follows the colors of a rainbow, specifically- RED, ORANGE, YELLOW- GOLD, GREEN, BLUE-TEAL, PURPLE, AND PINK! Enjoy.

My two favorite red products are

01. Mac's Cherry Lipliner- a beautiful, bright, cherry red that creates the base for a gorgeous red lip. My favorite thing to do is fill in my lips with this pencil and use a clear gloss over it to give it some shine.

02. Urban Decay's Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Theodora- this gloss pencil is awesome! It gives a nice shiny look and has a thick, pigmented consistency that lasts hours!

My three favorite orange products are:

01. Mac's Rubenesque Paint Pot- a gorgeous shimmery peachy gold base that is perfect to wear underneath shadow or even on it's own.

02. Mac's Melon Pigment- Another sparkly peachy gold shadow that can be used for many different eye looks. Add clear nail polish to some of the pigment and create your own orangey-peachy-gold polish!

03. YSL's Rouge Volupté in #30- This is a GORGEOUS coral-orange lip color for those summer days and nights. Complements any skin tone for sure.

My five favorite yellow/gold things: 

01. Mac's Indianwood Paint Pot- A thick, beautiful gold base that is perfect for any gold eye look.

02. Mac's Dazzle Lipstick in Sheer Seduction- A gorgeous peachy-gold shimmery lip color that I have been loving lately.

03. Mac's Soft and Gentle Highlighter- Adds a beautiful highlight and shine to the cheekbones, nose, and cupid's bow.

04. Lush's Let the Good Times Roll- one of my FAVORITE face scrubs. It's made with maize and cornflour- so it gives your skin a deep cleanse and smells amazing.

05. Murano Glass Necklace- from Murano (Venice, Italy)

My three favorite green products:

01. Macadamia Deep Repair Masque- The BEST conditioner I've ever used in my life. It makes your hair so incredibly soft and smooth- I highly highly recommend this one. 

02. Clay Mask Avocado &  Oatmeal- One of my favorite face masks ever! It smells amazing and leaves your skin feeling refreshed and squeaky clean.

03. Great Lash Clear Mascara-  I love using this for my brows- it helps keep the shape of them and sets my brow powder. 

My favorite blue/teal things:

01. Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Misfit- An amazing combination of a bright highlight and a deep teal blue- highly pigmented and pretty!

02. Urban Decay's 24|7 Pencil Liner in Electric- A pretty electric blue liner for days that you want to have fun with your makeup!

03. Mac's Extended Lash Mascara- I love using this mascara for when I apply false lashes- it's a small, easy brush to use.

04. Benefit's Porefessional- My favorite makeup primer! Reduces the size of pores and leaves your skin silky smooth.

05. Two Faced Shadow Insurance- One of my favorite eye primers (the cheapest out of Mac, UD, and Nars)

06. Balenciaga Wrap Bracelet- Super cute!

07. Pink Body Spray in Fresh and Clean- One of my favorite body scents of all time!

My favorite purple products:

01. Benefit's Watt's Up- An awesome, easy face highlighter. Great for travelling!

02. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Lavender- A great base for any lavender shadows.

03. Mac's Mineralized Shadow in Daylight- A gorgeous Lavender shadow with blue and pink veins.

04. Mac's Kitschmas Pigment- A loose, glittery lavender purple with pink reflects!

My favorite pink products:

01. Mac's Viva Glam Nicki- (ORIGINAL)- love this bright hot pink color - it's perfect for Spring and Summer.

02. Mac's Mineralized Blush in Supernova- A gorgeous swirl of light peachy bronze and deep hot pink. A bit avant-garde for everyday use, but still really cool.

03. Ed Hardy Perfume- I don't know what it is about this scent, but I absolutely am obsessed with it. It's light, airy, not to sweet and not to sour. 

04. Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Hot- Again, I absolutely love this scent- it's not too strong but awesome and understated.

I definitely recommend all of these products, they're worth trying out!

Cheers! x

CHECK OUT MY LAST POST ON MY BLOG: HOW TO MAKE BRANDY MELVILLE MUSCLE TEES!! 

NY STREET STYLE; Bright & Early

Good morning guys! Today, I'm sharing with you an outfit I put together the other day that's perfect for this last week of May.

One of my favorite easy and creative thing to do with flannel-type shirts is to put them over dresses. Here, I'm actually wearing a paisley-print dress from Urban Outfitters, and I put my light denim American Eagle button down on top! I buttoned the shirt all the way up, but tied the bottom into a cute little knot to create a more summery feel to this outfit!

Close up

I've paired this easy outfit with a cute triangle necklace from Forever 21.

Makeup 

Face

- Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Fawn

- Concealers: Makeupforever Full Cover in #8, and Benefit's Erase Paste (#2)

- Mac MSF in Medium Plus

- Mac Mineralized Blush in Dainty

- Benefit's HOOLA Bronzer

Brows

- Anastasia Brow Powder: Brunette

- Great Lash Clear Mascara 

Eyes

- UD Primer in Eden

- Mac's Melon Pigment Foiled 

- Mac's Soft Brown in the crease

- Mac's Ricepaper for highlight

- Mac's Mulch on lower lash line

- Mac's Fascinating Eye Kohl on waterline

- Bobbi Brown's Gel Liner in Black

- Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara

[For tips on how to foil a pigment properly, check out my latest blog post] 

Lips

- Mac's Kissable Lip Colour in Enchantée

Happy styling! Cheers, x

NY STREET STYLE: PROM EDITION

Although we are not attending prom this year or anymore, we have many friends who are attending and will be attending prom in the near future! Lindsey and I were decked out head to toe both years we attended prom, and so today, my post is going to share with you guys some ideas and tips for prom makeup and accessories.  I've created two looks: a super dressy look & one that is more free spirited, but still sophisticated. Here's a look into what I would do if I had to do it all over again: Dressed to Impress :: Makeup

For this stunning and super dressy look, its all about the highlighting and sparkle.

01. For eyes, I would use a solid base and matte shadows for the lid. Here I've chosen Mac's Painterly Paint Pot and Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette for the lid/ crease shadows. Since we are going to be doing a lot of highlighting on the cheekbones and brow area, you want to keep the shadows matte so you don't look overly sparkly!

02. To highlight the eye area, I would use a shimmery champagne pigment on the brown bone and tear duct. Here I've chosen Mac's Silk Stocking pigment.

03. For cheeks, I wanted a peachy pink shine, so I went with Mac's Springsheen blush.

04. Here's the fun part: highlight your cheekbones, cupid's bow, and a little on your nose with Dior's Amber Diamond highlighting powder. This is an absolutely gorgeous highlighter and it will complement any skin tone. 

05. For bronzer, I would stick with Benefit's HOOLA, because it's pretty matte and it will balance out the matte shadows well.

06. For lips, I've chosen a gorgeous lip combo- YSL's Rouge Volupté in #2 and Mac's Honey Lust Lipglass. This creates a gorgeous but not too sheer nude lip.

Accessories

For my dressy accessories, I went with lots of GOLD! Accessories like these will complement any solid color or (large) printed gown or dress. 

01. Steve Madden 

02. Vintage Gold Clutch

03. Diamond-gold tear drop earrings (ESTRADA)

04. YSL Rouge Volupté #2 for touch ups

>> These were my prom shoes last year for the prom I attended at my school. 

Free Spirit ::

Makeup

For this more casual and free spirited look, I've decided to play with a lot of mattes. 

01. Same eye base and shadow as before, but the only difference is that I would use the lightest shadow in this palette (Venus or Foxy) to highlight the brow bone and tear duct.

02. One word: LINER! Winged liner, that is, and lots of it. Here I've chosen Bobbi Brown's Gel Liner in Black ink. 

03. This time, I would use a softer highlight for the cheekbones, cupids bow, and nose- preferably Benefit's Moon Beam. (You can use Benefit's High Beam if you have a paler skin tone).

04. This time I would also use a matte blush: I've picked out Mac's Mocha.

05. Same bronzer as before to keep the matte-look going!

06. And finally, a cute sparkly deeper nude lip would complement this free spirited look. I've chosen Mac's Viva Glam V Lipstick and Lipglass. I really love this combination and it's super perfect for spring/summer.

Accessories

For more casual accessories, I used some gold and balanced it out with some pattern and wood. These accessories would look awesome with a solid color dress/ gown. 

01. Jessica Simpson

02. Weezie D

03. Vintage Gold Clutch

04. Mac Viva Glam V Lipstick for touch ups.

>>>> Love these!

Best of luck to everyone's prom preparations, and most importantly, have fun ladies!

(And if you need any prom makeup artists/ stylists at a reasonable price, Miss Lindsey and I are always around-- :] ).

These makeup looks and tips are also great for any occasion really, even if you aren't attending prom!

Cheers!x

-- Alanna Martine & Lindsey