Haute Nights

Holiday Wish List 2013

Casual Sunday & Brandy Melville Caroline Cardigan Dupe

Forever 21 & American Eagle Haul

November 2013 Ipsy Bag

Zoya Giovanna + NOTD

Kimono Lovin'

Beauty Haul!

September & October 2013 Ipsy Bag Hits & Misses

3.1 Philip Lim for Target Mini Satchel

Camo & Lace

Fall is officially here and I am so excited, but Fall weather is not officially here. It is still pretty warm in LA, but it should be cooling down later this week. I wanted to share a new item I got recently from my local thrift store. I went not really looking for anything and I also thought I wasn't going to find anything because I've been leaving empty handed from the thrift store the last few times I've gone. This time I was really excited to find this cream colored lace dress. It is actually from Forever 21, but I found it at the thrift store for $7. I really love the lace and crochet details. I paired it with a camo jacket and taupe booties to give it more of a Fall feel.

Fashion Finds: Fall Booties

Current Beauty Favorites

Hi everyone! Today I wanted to share some of my current beauty favorites. I love learning about and trying out new products. I find post like these helpful for when I am looking to try something new. I've never done one of these post so maybe this will be something I do every now and then just to share new things I'm loving.

You Seem Lost

Nails: Palm Trees

Tribal Feel

New Obsession: Rebecca Minkoff Swing

Back to School Outfits: Part 2

Back To School Outfits: Part 1

Its that time again where summer comes to an end and the fall school semester begins. I wanted to put together a few easy outfits with some of the items from my recent haul. Maybe it will help give you some ideas for what to wear to school.

August 2013 Ipsy Bag

HAUL: PLNDR, Brandy Melville, Forever 21 + More!

WILDFOX COUTURE SAMPLE SALE!

There are so many cool places to shop if you live in LA. I recently discovered that at the California Market in downtown LA there are tons of sample sales open to the public on Friday mornings. The Cooper Design Space is located about a block away from the Cal Mart and they also hold sample sales. This is where the Wildfox sample sale is held every last Friday of the month. I was super excited to go with a couple of my friends. We woke up early and got there at 8am before the doors opened at 9am. There was already a long line to get in. It is held at the Wildfox Couture showroom, which is so freaking cute!!
 We finally entered the showroom and there were a ton of boxes on the floor filled with Wildfox merchandise! Girls were rummaging through boxes as fast as they could in order to find cute stuff before anyone else got to it first. If you are familiar with Wildfox Couture, you would know that their stuff can be really pricey. Since this was a sample sale everything was up to 60% off. The shirts were $30, Jumpers were $50, and the White Label stuff was about was about $75.

How To: Watercolor Nails

I have always loved the look of watercolor mani's. I decided to do my own and it is actually pretty easy to do...I don't think anyone can mess this up.

My Manicure Must Haves+ How To: At Home Manicure

I've been really into doing my nails lately so I thought it might be nice to share how I maintain my nails and my secret to having long and strong nails. It's been yeaaarsss since I had acrylic nails and I told myself I would never go back to them because of the damage they did on my natural nails. These items are what I love using whenever I give myself manicures for my natural nails.

Nails, Nails, Nails

Hi everyone! I've been trying to jump back into doing fun things with my nails again. I was doing plain mani's a lot or going to get my nails done. I also invested in a gel kit and I was really loving it until my nails started getting really weak and breaking because I was doing gel nails so often. I decided to lay off the gel for a while and now that my nails are back to normal I wanted to get back into nail art. Here are a few mani's I did this past week. If anyone is interested in how I got my nails to be long and strong again I can whip up a post on that soon! :)

May 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hi everyone! I wanted to do a quick Ipsy post. I have done monthly updates on what I've gotten in my Ipsy bag and my thoughts on them, to be honest the past couple of months have been just OK. I've liked one or two products from the past couple months bags. This month I was really excited because there were a ton of really good options of what we could possibly get in the bag. I am really excited with what I got. 

Rebecca Minkoff Sample Sale!

Hi everyone! In my last post I showed a purse that I've had my eye on for quite a while now. It is called the Swing and it is by Rebecca Minkoff. I found out last Monday that Rebecca Minkoff was having a sample sale all week at her store in LA and I knew I had to go because I was hoping to find the Swing purse. I went first thing Friday morning. My friend and I thought there was going to be a really long line, but we got there 5 minutes before the door opened and I was the 4th person in line. Once we got in we hurried in and tried to pick up the ones we liked before anyone else could and then make a decision at the end. 

 

Inspiration/Things I'm loving on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Raquel on Pinterest

Source: rstyle.me via Raquel on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Raquel on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Raquel on Pinterest

Source: southern-smith.tumblr.com via Raquel on Pinterest

Source: shop.nordstrom.com via Raquel on Pinterest

I need to get my hands on that bag!! Fingers crossed! ;) For more of my pins follow me on Pinterest.

I'm Back! A little Update.

Hi everyone! I've been away from my blog for over a month now and I feel so bad for neglecting my little blog. I wanted to post ASAP because I wanted to say hello and thank you to my new followers. Life has been really busy for me and the end of the school semester is coming quick so my life has been full of work and school projects. I do have a few ideas for some fun new posts and I have been working on them. Here's a little sneak peak of a post coming soon. This picture was part of a fail OOTD post I was working on lol. I will be doing a re-shoot soon though! :)

Fashion Haul! Forever 21 & Nordstrom

Hi guys! Sorry I've been kind of M.I.A. for a little, but I am back with a clothing haul! I purchased this stuff during the past week and I have been really loving everything! I've sort of stepped out of my comfort zone with clothes.

Zoya Nova

Hey everyone! I'm back with yet again another nail post. I am on a roll with these lol. I'm trying to use colors that I haven't used lately. For this mani I used 3 nail polishes.

Rose Nails

Hello there!! I am back with another nail post. This was actually done the week of Valentines Day. I didn't want to go for the typical pink and red with hearts. I did stick to pink and a little red, but I chose to do little roses instead. I haven't done floral print in a long time so I am a little rusty.

Ombre Bikini

Hi everyone! I hope you al are having a lovely weekend. This post is going up a little late, but I still wanted to share it. As you might already know, I am a nail polish lover and I probably do my nails 2-3 times a week. I've been doing the same solid color nails for a few weeks so I wanted to get back into doing a little nail art or at least something a little less on the plain side. Ombre nails are one of my favorite things to do when I want to switch it up. I love mixing different colors together to get a cool effect. This time I went for neon coral and a nude pink look.

 

OOTD: Kitty Cat

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fun weekend. I on the other hand have been really busy with school and work life, but I did find time to do a quick outfit post. It was finally 70 degrees in L.A. (a few days ago) and I was able to wear something other than a jacket or chunky cardigan. Now its back to being freezing, cloudy...oh yeah did I mention it is raining as I type this?

What's in My Bag?

I love watching and reading "What's in My Bag" posts so I thought it would be fun to let you have a look of what I usually carry in my bag. I love my Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac and since this purse is small I usually just carry my necessities with me. If you know me personally, then you would know I love to carry small crossbody bags... it's kind of an obsession. This is probably as much as I can fit into my Mini Mac, other than gum wrappers and receipt. Lets go through the list:

 1. Small gold studded wallet from Forever 21. A small wallet means I can fit more in my purse! ;)

2. Keys

3. Bath & Body Works Caribbean Escape Antibacterial Hand Gel

4. Pacific Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter- This is from my Ipsy bag and I am loving it! It smells so good and really hydrates my skin.

5. Tylenol- This is a just in case I need it or maybe someone else might.

6. Cell Phone

7. Sephora compact mirror- I have a few of these so I throw one in the purses and leave one in my makeup bag at home.

 Yes I do carry this many or sometimes more lip products in my bag lol. I believe this little makeup bag is from Target.

8. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain- This is like my lips but better. It can pretty much be an everyday lip color for me.

9. Dermstore Lip Quench

10. Nivea Kiss of Moisture

11. Maybelline Baby Lips Grapevine- I love this for a light berry tint and it is also a good lip balm.

12. Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream- I fell back in love with this. If your a nail freak like me then you will love this stuff. I moisturizes and softens my cuticles and keeps my mani's looking good. MUST HAVE!


Those are pretty much my small purse necessities. It changes when my purse gets bigger.


What's one must have item in your purse?

Ipsy Bag January 2013

I finally got the Ipsy bag for January in the mail!! If you are unfamiliar with the Ipsy bag it is a monthly subscription site that sends you a makeup bag along with 4-5 deluxe sample/full size beauty products for just $10 a month. They also throw in some discount codes. I've been subscribed to Birchbox in the past (somewhat similar to Ipsy) and was not a fan. Then I subscribed to My Glam which is now known as Ipsy. I got 3 of the bags in the earlier months of 2012 and then unsubscribed because I was disappointed with the items in the bags. I subscribed once again in November and I have loved every bag since!

This month we got 5 products and none were makeup related this time. I love that they are also changing up the size/shape of the bag every month. This month the bag is navy blue and has a star pattern inside...how cute!

1. Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Mini Body Butter
 "Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter is not only a highly effective antioxidant rich moisturizer that nourishes the driest of skin and helps fight off the signs of aging; it nourishes your other senses as well. The infusion of sparkling, juicy blood oranges that are highlighted with notes of red raspberry and spicy sweet Italian Mandarins take you to the beaches of the Mediterranean. Made with nature’s best moisturizers - Shea butter, almond oil and safflower oil - Pacifica’s vegan, paraben and gluten free Body Butter is a skin must have."
This stuff smells amaazzzing!! It could not have come at a better time since I have been suffering from dry skin on my hands. It will be perfect for throwing in my bag and using it on the go! This size retails for $7.

2. Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray
" Your everyday spray for BIG volume! Spray & Play is a humidity resistant, flexible hold hairspray that provides fullness, lift and incredible shine! Perfect for all hair types." 
I have heard lots of people talk about how great this brand is, but I have never tried any of their products. I'm excited to try this and see what all the talk is about.

3. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
" This 100% Pure Argan Oil is a legendary oil that's rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, and grown organically in Morocco. With its multitasking benefits, Argan Oil can be used for many areas including hydrating and nourishing skin as a daily moisturizer, skin treatment, treating spilt ends, and softening cuticles. It's gentle enough to use on all skin types and is known to help with skin conditions including acne, eczema and rosacea. Argan Oil easily absorbs into skin to give you a youthful, dewy glow, and has astonishing healing, conditioning, and antiaging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe."
 I am so happy to get this! I already own this product and I love it! I have been using it for about 3 months and it is now a staple in my night time skin care routine. It works great for my cuticles after doing my nails as well. 

4. Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Bloody Mary
"You can’t go wrong with a classic, all the way to your fingertips. These two are the all-time best selling Nailtini nail lacquers. Whether the glossy true-red of bloody mary or the hint-of-pink of frappe, your tips and toes are classic perfection anytime. No makeup cabinet is complete without an all-star nail lacquer and Nailtini stocks top-shelf, 3-free nail lacquer in dozens of shades, textures and finishes. Wear them alone or layered to create custom looks and effects, each one a cocktail unto itself. Cheers to beauty, and as always, apply responsibly!"
First of all....how cute is the name of this brand!? They sent two different colors. You Either get Bloody Mary which is this classic red color or Frappe which is more of a nude shade. I really like the polish I got in the November bag from this brand and I am excited to try this one. I love nail polish so I was very happy about this coming in the bag and it retails for $13 which is already more than what the price of the bag.

5. SOHO "Get a Grip" Concealer brush  
I sort of wished I would of gotten the blending brush, but I guess this brush isn't so bad. I have never tried this brand of brushes before, but I believe they are sold at Walgreens. It is pretty soft and I also thought the handle was pretty cool. 

  
 Overall I am really happy with everything in this months bag. I know I will be getting a lot of use out of the Pacifica Body Butter...that stuff smells DELICIOUS! Along with the Nailtini Blody Mary nail polish and the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil. This bag was worth way more than just $10. If you want to sign up for Ipsy I will include a link. You can always unsubscribe whenever you'd like. www.ipsy.com

Nail Polish Favorite's of 2012

One of the things you should know about me is that I am a nail polish lover! I thought it would be a fun idea to do my top 12 nail polishes of 2012.

Top Left-Right:

#1 & #2 I thought I would talk about these together because just the brand as a whole, Wet n Wild seriously delivered amazing nail polishes in 2012 when they reintroduced their Megalast nail polishes. The packaging, brush and formula was amazing. I’m happy to say that I have most of the colors because the price of these bad boys were just $1.99! The first is Sugar Coat and it is a light cream cotton candy pink. It applies nice and smooth. It makes my hands look nice and clean. The second is I Need a Refresh-Mint. I think this color is more on the turquoise side than mint. It is such a beautiful color to wear especially during the spring and summer.

#3 China Glaze Sweet Hook- I have always loved pastel lilac colors and this one was worn on my nails a lot during the earlier months in 2012.

#4 Essie Play Date- I was very iffy when I got this I was not sure if it was going to work, but good thing I did because I love it. I had nothing close to the shade in my collection. It is such a fun and playful color I love the way it stands out.

#5 Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail color in Pacific Blue- This color has been raved about for at least 2 years. I never thought I needed it and I would always pass it up, but once I finally purchased it and wore it I was in LOVE!!! I loved how bright and fun and different it was. People are right when they say it works with almost all skin tones because I never thought this would look that great on my nails. I got a TON of compliments from friends and people I didn’t even know lol. If you don’t own this then you need to buy trust me!

#6 Sinful Colors 24/7- This color is an amazing and bright neon pink color. I wore this a lot during the summer and got my friends on the neon pink nail polish train lol. It is seriously bright, but so pretty. It is also a great way to enhance a summer tan.
Bottom left-right:

#7 OPI Miami Beet- I recently showed this and this color is actually a go to color for my toes. I love berry, reds, and pinks and this just looks so pretty!!

#8 NYC Lincoln Center- I love love love this color. It is deep burgundy/dark blood red/oxblood whatever you wanna call it. I probably have 3-4 different brands with this exact same color because I love this color so much! It looks black almost, but it isn’t. It makes me feel sort of edgy whenever I where it.

#9 Wet n Wild Under Your Spell- Yet again another WnW nail polish…I’m telling you I love them! This a good dupe for OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest. It is another dark burgundy color but with shimmer.

#10 China Glaze Ruby Pumps- I wore this on my 21st birthday and every time I could after that. I love the glittery red color it looks so pretty in good lighting. It is also a really good holiday color.

#11 Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe- Beautiful glitter nail polish. It is so pretty to look at. I always get compliments when I wear it.

#12 China Glaze I’m not Lion- I have become completely obsessed with this glitter nail polish. I love how fine and dense it is. It is so easy to get it opaque with 2 coats. I love the color and the hint of multi-color glitter. I need to get my hands on more polishes like this. I think this one is a must have!

What was your favorite nail polish for 2012?

The Start

I finally started a blog! I wanted to start one for quite sometime and I finally decided to just go for it! I am really excited to share things I'm loving with you.