Hooray for a new month!! With my birthday and a fun few things in the works for the Etsy shop it has been a somewhat fun month, but it has mostly been full of packing boxes and 1000+ trips to Goodwill. May means we are about to actually move into our new place and I couldn't be more ready for all of this to be over. 

I'm sure you are all sick of hearing about it in my blog post intros, haha. So let's move on! ;)

Clogs/ Ray Ban Icon Glasses/ Boat Times Enamel Pin/ Cactus Lamp/ Roller Lash

What's way fun about this round of editors notes is that all of these items I have either purchased for the month ahead or they are currently in my cart. I love everything thats pictured which is the usual case but is especially true this month! 

Clogs: I have wanted some clogs for a long long long time and I have settled on a brand that I am pretty sure about. These are in my cart on Etsy and the brand is Lotta From Stockholm, I think these look so cute in the summer with overalls or a dress. Its not a matter of if, it's when and I think May is the month to pull the trigger.

Ray Ban Icon Glasses: I have a pair of reflective club masters that I wear non stop and I am looking for a similar pair with a slightly different shape. These are perfect and all I am waiting on is to try them on in person. Still not quite sure what color to get but they are all amazing choices.

Boat Times Enamel Pin: Cameron and I saw the skit "Old Gregg" on Youtube in the dorms our freshman year and couldn't stop laughing for a few straight weeks! We recently binge watched the parent show "The Mighty Boosh" and we are totally obsessed!! If you haven't seen it the full series is on Hulu, you can thank me later. If you have seen the show and love it like we do, this pin is a fun way to add some Boosh flair on a jacket or overalls. You know how I feel about enamel pins, haha.

Cactus Lamp: I shared this on Instagram the day I bought it and you guys seemed to like it just as much as I did! This was a Target find I just had to have when I saw it in the aisle.

Roller Lash: I have heard great things about this mascara from so many, but man does it live up to the hype! I have been loving this and I don't know if I will buy anything else ever again. A monthly favorite for sure.

As usual everything mentioned is linked in the widget below, have an awesome start to the week (and to the month) my friends! 

xo,

Natalie

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Happy Friday!

Coming at you with a video tutorial today so I am going to keep the writing portion of this post short and sweet. March is the only time of year I wear green on my nails, so I like to pull out my only two green polishes and have some fun for the month. With green in mind for the month ahead (why oh why is February so short) and a normal dose of Disney magic, I give you some DIY Peter Pan nail art to try!

Polishes Used: Lime Green (dupe linked here)/ Emerald Green/ Red/ Glitter/ and Topcoat

You can read all about my thoughts on the topcoat I used for this tutorial in this blog post from September! I love love love it and it replaced my old favorite, the whole Formula X system is great actually. You can see me using the base coat in the beginning of the video as well. Good stuff.

Here is how to do it!

And here is me (or rather, my hand) trying it out on my left side, on the rainiest day of the year no less! Some advice with making the feather shape, use a pen or a dotting tool for a better turnout.

In the end, the goal with nail art is to have fun so use your own imagination to make some "Neverland worthy" additions. If you give it a try, make sure to share with me on Snapchat or Instagram. It will make my whole day I assure you!

Have a magical weekend!

xo, 

Natalie

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Hello Everyone! Long time no talk, er...blog.

I have been a little MIA and took an extended trip to Florida (more on that soon!) but now leaves are falling, PSL's are amok, and I am back at the computer and ready to write again. Like literally everyone, Autumn is my absolute favorite season. One thing that I turn back to every fall is painting my own nails, which is something I often forgo in the summer. Maybe its that I would rather hop into a salon, and be back outside in 20 minutes in the summer but I systematically turn to my nail polish stash every September. 

Sephora sent me their new Formula X System to test out for you all, and I couldn't think of a better time to give it a try. I pulled out my favorite "early fall" nail color, and gave it a try. Here are a few thoughts.

From Right to Left: Cleanser/ Basecoat/ Nail Color/ Top Coat

Before I could paint anything, I had to remove the old polish! I had a deep grape on my nails, and the remover did an amazing job of erasing it. Really cute packaging, super easy use, but I must say I dont know that I would pay for the convenience of sponge removal over a bottle.

Seriously quick removal, now on to the polish!

The first step was to use "cleanser" on the nail in preparation for base coat. This concept was super new to me, I have never primed my nails to be primed and usually I dont have the desire to add an extra step. Overall I don't know how effective this was, but it was easy peasy to apply. Oh, and it smelled great...which is strange for a nail product.

The base coat was like any other base coat, but the application brush was the real MVP. One to two swipes was enough to cover each nail.

All the steps seemed to work well together, and resulted in "gel like" nail coverage as promised on the packaging. Time will tell if it holds up like gel polish, so stay tuned on Snapchat the next few days for chip reports ;) Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the result and this topcoat is my new favorite!

Special thanks to Sephora for sponsoring this post! 

Happy Thursday Friends!

xo, 

Natalie

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On Monday I had the chance to attend an early screening of Alice Through The Looking Glass, and its safe to say although I was excited to go my expectations were very very low. The first film was kind of a dud for me, but I always attributed this to the fact that I loved the cartoon and the comparison was just trying too hard in my mind.

Long story short, I loved this one! And I think its because I had little to no expectations going in. 

The "Time" character (Sacha Baron Cohen) was so well done, and I really enjoyed seeing Alice as a strong female character fighting for her independence. The scenes were bold enough, bright enough, but not forced like they were in the first one. My only word of caution, is to not see it in 3D. 

Overall, worth seeing! It comes into theaters today.

Perhaps more anticipated than the film itself was the Urban Decay collaboration eyeshadow palette themed like the movie. There was a lot of hype surrounding this palette, and I was really impressed with the results. 

Disney was kind enough to send the palette over along with the O.P.I nail polish collection, so to celebrate the films release I will be sharing my thoughts and giving some of these goodies away!

The palette is so gorgeous and has a ton of hidden features and nods to the film. One of my favorites is the quote along the drawer and the purely decorative butterfly door. There is a ton of brown, tan, and grey within the shadows which made me so excited because the green, purple, and pink colors are just a little less practical.

My favorite colors are:

-Looking Glass
-Dormouse
-Kingdom
-Bandersnatch
-Time

My initial thoughts were that this was something to use on special occasions, but I have been integrating the colors into my usual makeup routine and I now think that its a perfect investment piece in terms of everyday makeup. The fact that its also Disney themed, just a bonus in my book!

My favorite thing is 100% the crease brush they include with the shadows. I have a hard time finding a great crease brush and the one they provide is one notch above the usual sponge applicators you normally receive with these things. Such a practical and useful inclusion!

Overall, 9/10 would recommend! I will be giving away some stuff on Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter so follow along to win some "Through The Looking Glass" makeup and other goodies. Leave a comment below for an extra entry.

Happy Weekend!

xo, Natalie

Crafted in partnership with Walt Disney Studios

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The Sephora X Minnie Style collection is so dang cute that when I spotted it in store over the weekend, I knew I needed to post about it. The colors are vibrant, the theming is cute, and although I have yet to try it out the quality seemed solid for the price. I am not usually a fan of gold and red together, but it works and it works well in this instance. 

The items that stand out most to me are not the actual cosmetics but the accessories! The compact mirror, handheld "bow" mirror, and brush set are so so cute. The compact is a little bulky for my taste, but the colors seemed vibrant and worth the inexpensive price point. 

Disney theming, inexpensive pricing. Im in! I havent been this excited about a collaboration in the beauty world since Star Wars and Covergirl came together! 

I have rounded up some of the items for browsing in the widget below. Happy shopping!

Best, 

Natalie

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I have been so excited about todays post for so long, I can't even tell you! Today I am partnering up with Covergirl and Lucasfilm to share an easy DIY Leia Bun hair tutorial and a beauty look from the light side of the Covergirl "The Force Awakens" collection. 

As soon as it was announced that Covergirl would be doing a Star Wars inspired collection I was ready to run to my nearest Target at the drop of a hat. Once it was launched I did just that to find that it was for the most part sold out in my area! If you are experiencing similar issues I have two bits of good news for you!

1. I will be giving away TWO Covergirl prize packs at the end of this post filled with Star Wars goodies!! 

2. I was able to find the collection online just in time for holiday gift giving. 

This hair idea is super easy and this is not one of those blogger moments where I'm lying to you and it really isn't, it takes a few tries but once you get it down it will take you ten minutes. Its what im planning on doing for the premiere here in Portland on the 18th.

The makeup look is surprisingly simple as well and completely wearable for day to day. If you are  a brunette like I am, you will love the bronzy tones of the light side collection. 

Without further ado! Here is what I did, be sure to enter the giveaway at the end.

What I used for the hair: Garnier Finishing Paste (the best stuff!), Two tube socks, and a few bobby pins. Like I said, super simple. 

What I used for makeup: Lip Color/ Mascara/ Eye Palette (all c/o Covergirl)

What else I used: Foundation/ Eyeliner/ Cheek Tint

I started out with a clean face and added powder foundation, cheek tint, and eyeliner later on. 

I started out with the lip color, as it was probably the most exciting thing on my counter. I fell in love with the bronze/gold color and it is my new favorite for fall and winter. It goes on super light which is great with such a bold color. 

Next I moved on to the eye palette and mascara. The eye palette was super easy to follow (they section out all the steps) and the mascara in true covergirl fashion was fantastic. I have used the lash blast since middle school.  

The best part about each mascara is that there is a limited edition Star Wars quote to collect. Just in case you need one more reason to fill your cart, these would make the best stocking stuffer for any Star Wars lover. 

With makeup done! (easy!) I moved on to my hair. In order to do this part your hair right down the middle or as close as you can get if you have cowlicks like I do. Next section your hair into two low ponytails like pictured. 

Loop the bottom of the ponytail onto your cut off tube socks and slide it a few inches up the hair. 

Begin to pull and flip the hair towards you and a bun will begin to form. This will take a few times to get used to, so if you need help just search "sock bun" on Youtube!

Repeat on the other side

Done! you have two perfect Leia buns and are ready to launch! 

Be sure to enter to win in the rafflecopter widget below and may the force be with you! Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be in theaters December 18th.

Thank you to Lucasfilm and Covergirl for sponsoring this post! All Star Wars images owned my Lucasfilm. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Disney Damsel a possibility :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Beauty Details: Shadow Palette/ Lip Pencil/ Lip Color (super pigmented! love it!)/ Shadow Stick/ "Beach Stick" Blush (my favorite of the bunch!)/ Vintage Cinderella Poster

Charlotte Tilbury is a new to me beauty brand that is responsible for many a red carpet look. They have been carried in the Nordstrom Beauty Spot for awhile but, on Monday they launched a beauty counter in the Seattle Flagship. 

I was really tempted to zoom on up to Seattle for the event, but my workload made that just about impossible. The Charlotte Tillbury and Nordstrom teams were so thoughtful and sent up a sampling for me to test out and thus far I love everything! Its definitely "going out" makeup for me, but keep in mind my daily routine is pretty light. 

Two of the products really stand out to me! The lip color is gorgeous and the beach stick is something  I have never seen anywhere else! I feel like replacing blush permanently after using it. 

Have you ever used Charlotte Tillbury products before? 

xo, 

Natalie

This post was crafted in partnership with Nordstrom and Charlotte Tillbury. All product was provided c/o Charlotte Tillbury. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The PDX Prepster a possibility. 

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Pictured: Pink Agate Barrette (c/o)/ Deborah Lippmann Pink Polish/ Gold Polish/ Rhino Hair Clip (this one is equally adorable!)/ Teal Agate Barrette (c/o)/ Essie Blue Polish

"Whats that thing in your hair?" is a question I have been receiving all month long!

I have been pulling half my hair up all the time this spring (see my favorite method here) and wearing these hair barrettes from Elizabeth Heard non stop!

I usually mix up which barrette I choose for the day but they usually end up paired with this striped top and denim cutoffs....and my trusty Birkenstocks. It seems that I've given up on all other footwear for the time being, ha! (more on that here)

Totally adorable, colorful, a little artsy, and 100% right up my alley. You can find Elizabeth Heards whole product line here (get 15% off your order with code PDXgems!)

xo, 

Natalie

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Good things come in itty bitty packages. (case and point)

Traveling is wonderful and chalk full of memory making potential, but with that said it also takes its toll and leaks into your everyday routine. Any product that makes the whole packing/travel/unpacking process a little bit easier is right up my alley. 

Stowaway Cosmetics (full kit pictured above) has tiny, easily stored makeup thats just as practical as it is cute. In a nutshell you choose your shades and they send you a kit that fits into a very small pouch for on the go. No doubt these little cuties will be coming with me in leu of a stuffed toiletry bag on my next trip.

PS. The perfume "Moonlight Gypsy" is not included with this kit and is from Pinrose Fragrances, another travel favorite of mine.

xo, 

Natalie

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With so many monthly subscription services available now, its hard to sort out what ones you really want to subscribe to. I have been trying out a few of these services and thought I would share my experiences and what I think of each "box" that has arrived at my door!

1. Birchbox// I am not a huge fan of Birchbox, and I feel like I'm the only one. I had high hopes for this one when it started. I was receiving really cute useful products and then all of a sudden I stopped getting useful ones in my box and started getting things that I really wasn't interested in. What happened? The one plus about Birchbox, Its super cheap! Only ten dollars a month.

My verdict?  Not terrible, but I probably wouldn't try it again. (10$ monthly)

2. Rocksbox// I really couldn't love Rocksbox any more than I already do, and I think it has a lot to do with the jewelers that they use. Loren Hope and Margaret Elizabeth pieces are gorgeous! And if you decide you just cant bear to give the borrowed jewelry back and you need to buy it, Rocksbox will give you 10% off the retail price.

My verdict? Love it! (19$ monthly)

3. Scent Bird// I've only been sent one perfume thus far, but I really like the idea of this and the perfume I did get was great. I especially love the little twist bottle they include with the fragrance, its spill proof and tucks right in to a purse. The vial is big enough to last the whole month but is not a full size.

My verdict? I like what I see so far! (15$ monthly)

Glossybox// Glossybox is my favorite out of all of these! The samples are ginormous (if not full size sometimes) and are incredibly high quality. I look forward to my Glossybox arriving every single month! Almost every box that I have received has a nail color in it, making it worth the price with just that alone.

My verdict? Absolutely amazing!

Julep// I never tried out Julep because (and this is completely ridiculous) I thought the bottles were weird. And then I received a polish at a conference I was at last summer and fell in love! The formula is great and the brush swipes the perfect amount of polish on to the nail. I would equate the polish worth to be about the same as Essie, but the fact that you can subscribe and try out new colors is pretty cool.

My verdict? I like it! (FBF)

Boxy Charm// This is my least favorite out of the bunch. I feel like the products are not only poorly manufactured (one of the mascaras they sent snapped in half) but the box is also way overpriced for whats inside.

My verdict? Not for me. (21$ monthly)

Stitch Fix// Expensive! The clothes were cute and they have a wonderful team of stylists ready to help if need be, but I really couldn't get over the cost with this one. I'm also someone who really enjoys shopping so to have a random assortment clothes arrive was a little weird. I could see someone who is on a time budget loving this service! Another thing that is great about this one is you can send back whatever you don't love so you aren't taking too huge of a risk.

My verdict? Wonderful for the right person. (80$ or more monthly)

Nibblr// Adorable and delicious! I pop the little snack packs into my car for a last minute snack supply. I have yet to come across a nibblr mix that I don't like! It keeps me from getting too hangry and its the least expensive box on this list.

My verdict? Yum! (7$ monthly)

A little disclaimer to end this post, I did receive some of these boxes free of charge and others I paid for. There is something to be said about your review holding more weight when you pay full price for services like this and these opinions are just my two cents on the matter. I also wouldn't recommend something to you guys unless I felt like I would spend my own earnings on it. I would love to hear about your experiences with subscription services in the comments below!

xo,

Natalie

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