#IHaveThisThingWithPink!

     Have you seen the hashtag #IHaveThisThingWithPink floating around on Instagram before? I'm pretty sure this outfit was made for it!! 😉 I've never felt more pink... or worn an outfit that I think describes my personality or girly sense of style better!

Photography by Melissa Lynn Studios

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Top c/o // Skirt c/o // Earrings {from local store, similar linked} // Purse {old style, similar linked} // Shoes // Bracelet // Ring // Lipstick // 

      I've worn a lot of outfits on the blog in almost five years of blogging, but I think this will go down as one of my favorites of this year, possible of all time! How fun is this hot pink Chicwish statement skirt? It's surprisingly quite comfortable to wear, and how can you not have a smile on your face when you're sporting such a bold and bright skirt?! I was worried that it might be a little too much to pair it with my favorite off-the-shoulder top (first featured in this blog post), but I think that they actually compliment each other well, and together form the most perfectly pink look!

      If you caught Friday's post, I mentioned that it had been a great week in my work, blog, and personal life. Well- it was still a good week at work and for my blog, but as far as the personal life, some good things that I thought were in my near future ended up going downhill this weekend. I'm planning to devote a whole separate blog post this week to writing about what happened, and my thoughts on it, but let's just say I had a big, big life lesson in the classic saying "Don't count your chickens before they hatch." #meh 

       

     On the plus side- it is sunny today and in the 80s, and also my day off!! This might not sound like a big deal... but with my current work schedule I only have Mondays off, and Vermont has had an unusually cold and rainy summer. Since beginning work in April, this is my third sunny day off in Vermont that I can remember. (Technically there have been 5 since starting work... as I had sunny Mondays when I was in Montreal and Maine this summer on other days off.) But actual days off spent in here Burlington... this is only the third sunny and warm one! Isn't that crazy?! There have been a few weeks where it is warm and sunny all week... and then 60 degrees and raining on Monday. So I am so thankful for this beautiful day and excited to spend some time by the lake! 

      Sorry if this post seemed like my thoughts are all over the place today- they kind of are a bit! But I hope you enjoyed this pretty pink outfit as much as I did! Both my top and skirt are still in stock so get them while you can!

    God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)

     

      

The Most Feminine Dress.

     Spring is my favorite season, and this darling lace dress makes me think all things SPRING! Granted- I'm sharing it a couple months too late, but I don't care. (Vermont's late summer temperatures are also the same as what the South was in the early spring, so it seems appropriate to be sharing now!) Excuse the extra photos in today's blog post- I loved so many and had to include all of my favorites.

Photography by Melissa Lynn Studios

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Dress c/o // Shoes // Purse {similar} // Earrings {not online, similar here} // Necklace {similar} // Bracelet // Lipstick // 

     I've seen other bloggers wear dresses similar to this style and always thought lace midi dresses were so elegant. This is my first dress in this trend, and I seriously think it's the most feminine and ladylike dress that I've ever worn! It's modest and conservative, but in a chic and trendy way, so it's not at all frumpy! The light pink color is even more gorgeous in person. The dress is lined pretty thickly so it might not be the best in very hot weather, but for Vermont's cooler summer temperatures it is just perfect. But the good news about it being very lined is that it's not see-through at all! I love this dress from Chicwish so much, and I can't wait until I have a bigger reason than just blog photos to wear it. 😊

     These photos were taken on the University of Vermont campus! Vermont's largest public university is located right here in Burlington, and the campus actually is on both sides of one of the main roads in Burlington, so I've driven by the school a lot. This was my first time actually on campus, and I loved shooting there! Being back on a college campus made me a little bit sentimental for my college days, and the time in life when I used to shoot every outfit post on my old campus in between classes, with a roommate or sorority sister taking all my blog photos. Ah, #tbt! 

      Sorry to keep today's post short and sweet - lots of exciting, exciting things happening this week in all aspects of my life! Work life, blog life AND personal life... however all of the excitement has taken a toll on me this week and I'm exhausted. My Friday night goal is just to get some good sleep, how lame is that?! But- I look forward to sharing more about what all has been going on... soon!!

     My dress and some other Chicwish favorites are linked:

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charltote XO on the radio!)

Tassel Earrings Round-Up (And My Favorite Pair!).

     Tassel earrings- they are all.the.rage! Actually, even saying that is probably an understatement! I first remember seeing tassels starting to really pop up as a jewelry trend a few summers ago, right around the time that the infamous bubble necklace was beginning its slow death (#RIP). I thought that the tassel trend would be a quick fad, but it's lasted longer than I thought it would, and I'm glad it's stuck around! Tassel jewelry is fun to wear, especially in the summer months.

   

      This style of tassel earrings like the ones picture above are probably the most popular style from this jewelry trend. Since my LipSense review post from a couple week's ago was such a big hit, I thought it would be fun to do another review, but this time comparing and contrasting similar tassel earring styles from different jewelry brands! They're all at different price points, and I think y'all will be surprised as to which were my favorites! 

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Baublebar Pinata Tassel Earrings ($36)

     Baublebar is "famous" for this style of tassel earrings, and I think their Pinata earrings are partly responsible for launching this trend! Of course I had to try out these coveted earrings for myself. I actually bought these several months ago, with intent to wear them with the outfit I had picked out for the rehearsal dinner I had to attend for the wedding that I was in back in April. I also thought they would be practical earrings to wear year-round, since black shimmery earrings match lots of outfits.

   

      I was really disappointed when these arrived to me and I started wearing them to see two things. 1.) They're the HEAVIEST earrings that I've ever worn in my life! I went through quite a statement earring phase back in high school so I've worn some heavy jewelry before, but I really thought these were going to damage my earlobes. and 2.) They turned my earring holes strange colors! I'm not sure if part of that was due to the fact that these were the black tassel earrings so maybe the black coloring spreads more so then the other colors that they come in, but either way it was kind of disgusting, and something I didn't think should happen for the higher price point on these! I ended up not wearing them to the rehearsal dinner since I didn't want my ears to be sore or discolored for the wedding the next day. 

     I do own other Baublebar and SugarFix by Baublebar jewelry that I do really like and enjoy wearing, but I REALLY did not like these earrings and would not recommend them. At this point, there are so many dupes at other retailers for the Pinata earrings (two others reviewed in this post!), so I would recommend anything else pretty much over these. 

Charming Charlie The Shimmy Tassel Earring c/o ($16)

       This is Charming Charlie's version of this popular earring style. They're less then half of the price of the Baublebar earrings! In Charming Charlie's online store right now there is only one color showing up (which I have linked above), but in-store I know they are still selling these in multiple colors. Charming Charlie sent me these a couple months ago in this fun yellow and multicolored style, and I think they're really fun for summer!

     As I mentioned, these earrings are cheaper than the Baublebar ones, yet look almost identical. They are much lighter on the earlobes, and also didn't change my earring holes any strange colors- so that's a plus! I've been a longtime fan of Charming Charlie and am usually very pleased with their dupes of popular jewelry styles. 

Burlington Coat Factory Tassel Earrings ($5!!!)

     These are my favorite earrings out of all three! I bought these on a whim right before I moved out of Charlotte. I ran into a Burlington Coat Factory to look for a few things for my new apartment in Vermont (Burlington is another store we don't have in VT!), and I actually ended up buying some jewelry that caught my eye while I was there. They had a lot of cheap versions of popular statement earring styles, and I couldn't resist these coral tassel earrings. I was absolutely amazed at how much I loved them. They're so lightweight, don't discolor your ears (I really feel like I have to stress that now after the first pair from Baublebar- ha!), and they're such a pretty color. Burlington had tassel earrings in some fun, different shades that I didn't see carried at Baublebar or Charming Charlie. These earrings unfortunately aren't sold online so I can't link them, but at $5 (!!!), they're a must-buy if you live near a Burlington store!

     So out of all three, the Burlington Coat Factory tassel earrings are my favorites! And buy far the cheapest!! Charming Charlie's Shimmy earrings would be my second favorite. Below I have linked tassel earrings from even more retailers, and the dress I'm wearing in this post:

     Please let me know if you would like to continue seeing more review posts like this on SBIT!! I love hearing y'all's feedback. 😊

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)

Midweek Ramblings + Recent Purchases + Current Wishlist.

{A little sneak peak of shopping at my favorite jewelry and accessories store in my hometown- The Best of Everything! It was so nice to be home last weekend, even for such a short trip. Follow me on social media @miss_alk!}

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Ramblings:

• Free Magazine Bin: Something I recently discovered that has been a little delight in my week: the free magazine bin at my local library! The library in my hometown back in Maine had one of these too, and I used to love it when I was growing up. The free magazine bin is just as it sounds- a place for people to come to the library and drop off issues of magazines that they no longer want, so that others can enjoy them, for free! On my last trip to the library, I found some great issues of Family Circle and Good Housekeeping (#IAmOld) which had some tasty and easy new recipes in them, and I can't wait to try those soon. If your local library has a free magazine section, you should definitely check it out!
• Adulting To-Do List Progress: In a blog post from a couple weeks ago, I shared my "adulting to-do list," which was a building list of chores and tasks in my personal life that I'd been putting off for weeks. I'm pleased to report that since sharing that list on my blog, I've made some dents in it! I've crossed off two items so far, scheduling appointments with a new doctor and dentist here in Vermont, and calling my credit card company's customer service number to get help understanding the monthly statement and. I'm telling y'all- writing down stuff on the blog holds me so much more accountable than just writing it on a post-it note or in my phone! 😉
• Shopping in New Hampshire: One of things that I dislike the most about living in Vermont is the lack of shopping up here. It's forced me to become much more of an online shopping connoisseur in the last few months than I ever was before! As great as shopping online is, I still love the classic retail experience of being in a mall or your favorite store. I mean- I did work in retail for four years, so I guess it runs in my blood a little, ha! Anyways, on my drive back from Maine last weekend, I left home a little early so I could stop and do some retail damage in Manchester New Hampshire, which at just under three hours south is one of the nearest big shopping areas to Burlington. Another huge perk to shopping in New Hampshire is that the whole state is tax free, so it is to your advantage to shop there. They also have a HOBBY LOBBY- which is probably my favorite store in the world. Needless to say- it was an enjoyable way to spend my day off last week before a very busy work week!

Purchases:

• While in New Hampshire, I got to stop at several stores that aren't in Vermont, one being ULTA!! (Yes- you're probably wondering how I've been surviving up here as a fashion blogger. By throwing myself into my career, that's how! Haha!) As a treat to myself for not being in an Ulta since Charlotte, I decided to splurge on this palette, which I've had my eye on for a few months now.
• This week I picked up this top up (at a store that we actually do have here in Burlington- lol!). It's not my normal style, but it's something fun and different, and I think it'll be a good fall transition top!

Wishlist:

• These stylish black OTK boots from the Nordstrom Sale! 
• This foundation, which I've been loving and am almost out of, was all sold out at the ULTA that I stopped at last week. Guess I'll have to order more online!
• I love finding funny mugs online- how true does this one ring for fellow bloggers?!
• I had to buy an Otterbox for my phone a few months ago after I shattered the screen (and it has been much needed!), but if I wasn't so clumsy with my phone I would buy this gorgeous iPhone case in a heartbeat, it's just beautiful!

On the blog this week:

• NORDSTROM SALE 2017: Best Beauty Picks
• NORDSTROM SALE 2017: Styling My Purchases
• NORDSTROM SALE 2017: Best Home Decor + $500 Nordstrom Giveaway!
• Black Athleisure Look + My Summer Schedule.

   

     Thanks so much for reading, and hope that you've had a great first half of your week! Since last week's review post of LipSense was so popular, I'm sharing another type of review blog post tomorrow. This time I'll be reviewing a popular summer jewelry trend, and comparing different versions of it from a few different brands! 

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)

Black Athleisure Look + My Summer Schedule.

      I make it pretty well known on the blog that I'm a big fan of discount online retailer Shein. However- one thing that I had never tried from Shein prior to now were any type of pants or leggings. The under $15 price on these worried me a little bit, but I was pleasantly surprised in how much I loved them! I'm styling them today in this athleisure look, and sharing a bit about what my summer routine outside of work has looked like.

Thank you to Nicholle from Nicholle Sophia for these photos!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Top c/o {old, similar here} // Leggings c/o {under $15!} // Sports bra {old, similar here} // Sneakers // Lipstick c/o Smooch by April // 

      This is the perfect example of an outfit that I'd wear both to work, and then later to the gym. I love being able to wear athleisure outfits to work on days that I want to workout after! (The only difference is I would probably throw on a sweatshirt for work... no matter how casual your workplace is spaghetti straps in the office probably aren't a good idea- haha!) I still can't believe that these leggings from Shein are under $15. What a fantastic deal!

      Now to talk a little bit about my summer schedule... or perhaps I should say lack-thereof? Life-wise, everything for me was turned completely upside-down when I moved to Vermont in April to begin my post-grad career! I've struggled with time management throughout the past, and with having such a demanding work schedule I knew that I had to do something to organize my time outside of work. I read a great older blog post from one of my favorite bloggers, Katey from Chronicles of Frivolity, who said that after she graduated college and first lived on her own, something that helped her to organize her time was to designate each weekday for some sort of task or activity (outside of work hours). For example, some days for fitness classes, one day a week for errands/boring adult tasks, one day for appointments, one day for seeing girlfriends after work, etc. I thought this was such a great idea and initially I tried to implement this into my new life in Vermont. 

      Although it worked well at first, it fell apart kind of quickly for me. I talk more about this in my bi-monthly post-move updates, but I haven't really had much of a social life since I moved here, and when I do it's usual very infrequent and last minute plans. Something else that's been going on this summer too is that I've had a lot of company visiting. This has been a lot of fun and has helped to keep my spirits up, but as I don't get time off from work right now, squeezing in multiple visitors around my insane work schedule has proved to be a bit stressful. 

      All that goes to say- the little out-of-work schedule that I've made for myself has completely gone out the window! Including other things that I was enjoying doing after work, like cooking regular dinners and going to the gym a few times a week. Part of it is that work has really picked up- summer is the busiest time of the year for radio events. This week I work close to 60 hours! I've been feeling a bit burnt out between working so much and running my blog, that when I am home, I've been very unproductive and usually just mindlessly playing on my phone or sleeping. You know that you're burnt out when you don't even have the attention span some nights for Netflix- haha! Another thing is that on days when I do have energy after work, I've been trying to enjoy time by Lake Champlain outside. Vermont has such a short summer and I'm very much a hot weather person, so I feel like I'll have seriously guilt feelings to spend extra time indoors that I don't have to in these short warm weeks.

    So after all of that- my question to all of you is: how do you stay productive and on-track in your personal life in the summer months? Do you take a "summer vacation" from some things like cooking, apartment tasks, and the gym? Or do you still hold yourself accountable to your normal routine, even with a super busy work schedule (or two super busy work schedules in my case) and warm weather? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Doing this whole adulting thing is new to me, and I think we can all learn from each other! 

     After taking last week off, Midweek Ramblings + Recent Purchases + Current Wishlist will be back for tomorrow's Wednesday blog post! 

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)

     

NORDSTROM SALE 2017: Best Home Decor + $500 NORDSTROM GIVEAWAY!

      Today's giveaway is sponsored by Lili Allessandra. This post also contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Southern Belle in Training! 


      Today I'm sharing some home decor favorites from this year's Nordstrom Sale, as well as a $500 Nordstrom giveaway with some other great bloggers! I feel like homedecor is sometimes the category that gets forgotten about during the NSale, but there are also wonderful deals in this category, just like there are on clothing, shoes and accessories!

1. Lili Allessandra Decorative Pillow // 2. Polka Dot Glasses // 3. Marble Tissue Box // 4. Recipe Tin // 5. Wine Rack // 6. Lili Allessandra Bedding // 7. Area Rug // 8. Flamingo Shower Curtain //

      Let me start this off by saying it's taking all of my willpower NOT to buy that adorable flamingo shower curtain! Aquamarine and hot pink are one of my favorite color combos, and I am just in love with it! (I got all new bathroom decor for my first apartment in Charlotte last year though, so I'm not quite overdue for a bathroom decor refresh yet. #meh #budgeting)  

      I think that the recipe tin and wine rack would both make such great bridal shower or wedding gifts! Those are the types of items that a bride might not think to put on a registry, but could both come in handy for a new apartment or house. 

     This sale could also be the perfect time to invest in some luxurious new bedding! Bedding is one of those things that can be such an expensive purchase, but the good news is when it's from a good brand, it will last for years and years to come. I love this gorgeous Lili Allessandra bedding which is included in the sale! 

     And now for the best part of today's post- the giveaway! In celebration of the recent launch of Lili Alessandra a maker of fine linens and soft furnishings on Nordstrom.com. I have partnered with a few of my favorite bloggers to give away a $500 Nordstrom gift card! Simply enter below by completing the Rafflecopter. You’ll receive one entry per completion. This giveaway is open internationally and ends on 8/7. Winner will be announced here. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)

NORDSTROM SALE 2017: Styling My Purchases!

      In past years, it's been hard for me to be excited about buying fall clothes in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, because when living in the South it honestly didn't get that cold until late November. But now that I will be spending this fall season in Vermont, I'm expecting a very chilly fall! My fall wardrobe definitely needs some upgrades, so I was especially excited for this year's sale.

Photography by my mom! 

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training! 

Top // Poncho // Jeans // Shoes {similar from Nordstrom sale here} // Hat {old, similar here} // Earrings c/o // Bracelets c/o // Lipstick c/o Smooch by April //

      I decided to bring my Nordstrom Sale clothing purchases home on my quick trip to Maine last weekend! The weather was sunny and beautiful while I was home, however being on the Maine Coast it does tend to get a little breezy at night- even in the height of summer! So it was the perfect weather to style this NSale outfit- I didn't feel hot or sweaty at all while wearing this! The first few pictures were taken near a beach in my hometown (the road that leads to that beach is tree and field lined and just beautiful in the golden hour!), and the last few were taken by Nubble Lighthouse in York Beach, Maine! 

      Some of you might remember that I did a little try-on haul with this outfit on my IG stories (@miss_alk) last week. At first I was unsure if I wanted to keep this Lush blouse. So many bloggers had raved about it, but when I first tried it on I was really unsure if I liked the fit and style on myself. But- I decided to sleep on it and think it over, and in the end I decided to keep it!! I think it is a good staple piece that will match a lot in my closet. I always get so much use out of my white tops- so another is always a good investment! 

     I am just in love with these AG Jeans from the Nordstrom Sale! I've tried on AG Jeans before and fell in love with them, but I could never pull the trigger to splurge on a pair of $200+ denim when I lived in a warm climate and also was on a college budget. However- the sale price on these and the fact that I'll be living in jeans this fall and winter in Vermont convinced me to make the splurge, and I'm so glad I did! They're also my first pair of raw hem jeans, and I like them more than I thought I did. 

     So TODAY is the DAY that the Nordstrom Sale is open to everyone!!! This means that you no longer need a Nordstrom credit or debit card to shop the sale. It also means though that items will really start selling out fast, so now is the time to buy if you see something that you like! Some favorites are linked below:

     Happy Shopping!

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on air!)

NORDSTROM SALE 2017: Best Beauty Picks.

     I'm jumping back into Nordstrom Sale posts for the next few days here on the blog!! Today we're talking all things beauty. (If you're already sick of the NSale, be sure to check out Monday and Tuesday's posts from this week, which are 100% unrelated to the NSale! 😉)

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

      I didn't actually end up purchasing any beauty buys in this year's sale, BUT there are lots of great deals from many beauty brands that I do love and am familiar with. For today's sale round-up post, I'll be sharing all of those NSale deals from the brands that I do like and have used before! 

1. Voluspa Candle Set // 2. Winky Lux Lip Set // 3. Chanel Nude Gloss Set // 4. Jo Malone Perfume Set // 5. Makeup Storage Caddy // 6. Nars Lip Crayon Set // 7. Clinique Chubby Stick Set // 

•      1. Voluspa Candle Set - These candles smell amazingly, and the packaging is so cute and chic! Swoozie's, a Southern stationery and gifting store, used to sell these, and during my senior year of college I remember stocking up on these candles for a few girlfriends' Christmas gifts. They were a big hit! I think this candle set is such a great deal to get either for yourself, or to buy ahead now for Christmas gifts.
•      2. Winky Lux Lip Set - Last Fall, I got to attend a blogger event in Charlotte sponsored by Winky Lux, and that's where I was first introduced to this brand! I've since had the chance to try many of their products. This is a fun little lip kit!
•      3. Chanel Nude Gloss Set - Normally Chanel lip glosses individually are priced at $37 a piece! That's pretty steep for just a lip gloss. I don't normally spend that much on makeup,  but I have a fun story about how I bought my first Chanel gloss. During my junior year of college, I had to do a few group projects throughout a semester in one of my classes for my major with two exchange students. They were siblings, and both studying at my university. The guy had a formal event to attend back in his home country during winter break, and since he knew about my fashion blog, he asked me to come suit shopping with him to give my fashion advice to pick out a suit to bring home! I kept telling him that my "expertise" was in women's fashion on a budget, not men's suits, but he insisted I go help, so I did! Anyways, he found a suit and ended up spending so much money as Macy's that he got some money back in a promotion that they were doing in gift cards. However, he was going to be away in his home country during the whole time they were valid! He gave the $40 gift vouchers to me to thank me for helping him pick out the suit. I used them to buy my very first Chanel lip gloss! It's not something I ever could have afforded to buy on my own as a college student with a babysitter's salary, so it was such a luxurious treat! I loved that lip gloss dearly. It was in a nude shade, and wore beautifully. It is a good deal to buy the Chanel gloss set in the NSale since they're so expensive individually!
•       4. Jo Malone Perfume Set - This is the only item I'm sharing that I actually strongly dislike! Naturally, you're probably wondering why I am sharing it (fair question). My mom is a huge fan of Jo Malone. She loves their fragrances and owns several. As much as I don't like the scents, my mom loves them, and I know many other people who love them too. I think these are kind of an either you love them or you don't perfume, but hey! If you DO love them- this is a great deal to stock up on them! 
•       5. Makeup Storage Caddy - I own two of these that are a similar style from the Container Store (Miss that place so much! I used to love the Charlotte one.), but this is a great deal on one of these types of makeup storage caddies! I think every girl needs something like this for everyday makeup favorites! 
•       6. Nars Lip Crayon Set -  These lip crayons from Nars were the birthday gift at Sephora a couple years ago, and I loved them! This would be a great way to try a few different colors.
•      7. Clinique Chubby Stick Set - I used to wear a lot more Clinique makeup in high school, it's a brand that I'm definitely overdue for trying out again! Anyways, several years ago, I received a Chubby Stick sample with a Clinique highlighter purchase. It was one of my favorite lip samples I've ever received! Not really sure why I never bought a full-sized one when the sample ran out. Like the Nars Lip Crayon set, this would be a great way to try out different colors from the collection.

      Have you bought any beauty products from the Nordstrom sale yet? Or just found any good new beauty products in general? Share with me in the comments! 😊

      In tomorrow's post I'll be styling the outfit that I purchased from the NSale and sharing my thoughts on each piece! TOMORROW is also the day that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens to the public, so if you don't have a Nordstrom card, this will be your chance to shop finally!!! 

      God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)

I Tried LipSense - My Honest Review!

     I'm so excited about today's beauty post! I finally had the chance to test and review the lip product that everyone is talking about the social media is buzzing over!! My honest thoughts all about LipSense are in today's post. 

LipSense in Kiss For A Cause c/o Smooch by April

     Every couple years, there seems to be a new MLM (multi-level marketing) product that takes America by storm. When I was growing up, it was Silpada jewelry. This was in the days before social media, but it seemed like everyone and their mother, at least in my small Maine hometown, was having a jewelry party. In fact- I actually remember tagging along with my mom to a Siplada jewelry party, as a mom of one of my friends growing up was selling the jewelry. One of my very first pairs of earrings ended up being from Silpada.

     A notable MLM company was the Jamberry Nail Wraps craze a couple years ago. I actually was sent some of those to review in a really old blog post (check it out here to see something old and embarrassing haha!), and I tried them out on my toes. I gave them a positive review at the time on my blog, but after ordering some more on my own (I was also invited to a Jamberry party later that summer) and trying them on my nails, I realized they didn't actually work that well. That experience kind of dulled my views on MLM companies, and honestly I didn't pay attention to many on social media from then on.... until LipSense!

      In the past few months, a magical-seeming lip product called LipSense started popping into my Instagram feed on a daily basis. I also started receiving a lot of DMs from random girls on Instagram who are distributors and wanted me to sign up for them and become a distributor too... which was quite annoying. Honestly at first I was just blown away by how much this lip product had suddenly inserted itself into my social media feeds! But then I noticed something.... bloggers that I have followed for a long time (I'm talking years!), were starting to rave about LipSense and become distributors. Normally bloggers are very anti MLM companies (How many bloggers have you seen selling Mary Kay or It Works wraps for example), so it peaked my interested that so many girls that I knew were becoming distributors. Just a few included- Jessica from J Petite, Stephanie from Stephanie Drenka, and Jenny from Breakfast at Lilly's (one of my co-admins for The Millennial Blogger Network!).

     Then I noticed this spring that one of my absolute all-time favorite bloggers, April from Smidge of This (formally A. Liz Adventures) was selling LipSense and raving about it. If you don't follow April, she is a Charlotte-based lifestyle blogger who I've followed for YEARS now, and you absolutely need to stop what you're doing right now and follow her blog! April posts bargain finds, tons of photos of her two adorable daughters, things to do in Charlotte, recipes, and so much more. Truly- her blog is one of my favorite daily reads! Anyways, if there is anyone who I would trust a recommendation from- it is 100% her! Long story short- I messaged April on Facebook, and that lead to today's blog post! She generously sent me a LipSense color and gloss from her stock to try out and review. I've never been so excited to do a beauty review post, and I tried my LipSense out the day that it came in the mail! April sent me the beautiful fuchsia pink color "Kiss For a Cause," and I loved the shade since it reminded me of some other favorite lipsticks I have. 

     One of the main reasons that I wanted to write this blog post and do this review is because when trying to first research LipSense on my own after seeing it on social media so much, every blog post review and article that I found seemed to be written by a distributor! I'm all for salespeople who love what they sell, but it did seem a bit biased to me that it was hard to find any reviews not written by women who don't sell it. So here I am today, setting out to change that!! Above you can see a couple photos of the application process, and here are my pros and cons after trying and testing LipSense over the last couple weeks:


Pros:

• It lives up to its promises: This is obviously the biggest reason that I liked it! If you've seen any distributors posting about the product online, you will see them boasting about how LipSense is the ultimate long-wearing lip product, and that it's smudge proof, waterproof, and extremely long lasting (like 12+ hours). I'm here to attest that, yes, that's ALL true! I was blown away when I first put on the bold shade of Kiss For a Cause that it really wouldn't transfer over to clothing, food, etc once it was on my lips, but it doesn't! That stuff stays put. It even lasted fairly well through my showers, so that's how I know it is pretty waterproof! I love a product that lives up to its claims, and so for me that automatically makes the $55 price point (for a starter kit with a distributor) worth it. I was so, so impressed.
• The color variety: LipSense comes in 40+ colors- most are in the permanent collection, but other colors are limited edition for certain seasons to keep things fun! 
• A little goes a LONG way: You only have to use a tiny bit of LipSense color and gloss to get the desired effects, so even though it does have a higher price point than drugstore makeup brands, one tube of color can last you months and months! I'm all for longevity in makeup products.

Cons:

• Selling out: Based on the current business structure of Sengence and the huge success of this product (the company that owns LipSense), it can sometimes be hard for distributors to get certain colors all the time. I guess this just further proves how much in high demand this is!
• Hard to get remains off: LipSense does sell a special remover to take off their product called Oops! Remover, although I haven't tried that yet. Since it is SO long-lasting, I did find that sometimes hard to get off all the color at the end of the day after washing my face. I guess that's a good problem to have though? Haha!
• Tricky application process: LipSense has a very specific application process for it to work properly. You have to apply it in certain coats and layers (not like applying regular lipstick). However- April included instructions in my order, and there are tons of Youtube tutorials! I personally found this one helpful. I found my LipSense easy to apply over my lunch break in the bathroom at work, and of course at home in my own bathroom, however I don't think this is something you could apply at a traffic light while driving, or in a hurry!

     In my unbiased, non distributor opinion.... I will tell y'all that I LOVED this product and it exceed my expectations!! I totally get why a lot of girls that try it end up signing to be distributors. I actually had a long conversation with April about what that would look like for me if I decided to do it too, since I do believe in this product. I decided against becoming a distributor right now, as things are really picking up at my day job (summer is the radio busy season for events!), so I didn't feel like I had the time to take on a new business venture. But I hope to continue supporting April and the other bloggers that I follow who are distributors! You can totally love LipSense and not sell it. 😉

     If you would like to purchase LipSense, you can do so through April's Facebook group or her business Instagram page! 

 

      Have you tried LipSense yet? Did you like it? Or have any other MLM companies pleasantly surprised you recently? Speaking of those... Mary Kay was a sponsor at the blogging conference I went to last year, and I recently tried the concealer that they gifted all of the bloggers. It is fantastic! I might have to order more at some point.

      God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese (or Charlotte XO on the radio!)