#LimeCrimeVENUS: A Review

If you saw my Instagram post yesterday, you'll know that I got a happy little package in the mail containing some makeup I ordered from one of my favorite cosmetic companies, Lime Crime. :) I ordered their Venus Palette and a lipstick in the shade "Babette" (which is an AWESOME lip color; it's definitely one of my new favorites).

This palette is AMAZING. I thought the artwork of Venus with blue hair was cool enough, but the shadows inside are actually gorgeous.

Here are the shades you get (from left to right, top to bottom):

• Venus: cranberry shimmer
• Shell: rose gold shimmer (more pink than gold)
• Aura: pale gold shimmer
• Creation: milk chocolate matte with a teensy bit of shimmer
• Icon: espresso brown, same finish as Creation but with a little more shimmer
• Rebirth: pinky coral, same finish as Creation
• Divine: latte-toned matte
• Muse: deep, rust red matte

As bright as the shades seem online, they're actually a little bit muted in person (which is surprising, given Lime Crime's track record of neon brights). Because of this, the palette is even more wearable for day than I expected it to be. It's based on Botticelli's Venus with 90's grunge elements, so muting the shades slightly does make sense.

I only wished that there were more mattes, but that's because I'm used to Urban Decay's palettes. Some of the shades (described as kind of having shimmer above) only have the tiniest amount of shimmer that's only visible if you look at it really closely. If you're familiar with MAC eyeshadows, this would be close to their Veluxe Pearl finish; not too shimmery, not too matte. 

This is only a small thing, and it doesn't affect the shadows' quality, which is excellent across the board. Even the darker eyeshadows seem to blend out really, really well.

I've played with this palette already, and I wore Aura all over the lid and Divine in the crease. I'm curious try the other shades out during the day (and night...I'm looking at you, Icon and Muse) as well.

Want to see another review of Lime Crime products? Check out my review of a couple of their lipsticks here. The red lipstick I reviewed is my favorite red of all time! :)

Also, just as a quick disclaimer before I go, I'm not sponsored by Lime Crime. I just really love this palette and wanted to share it with y'all. :)

Re: Doctor Who, Season Eight

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A few months ago, I wrote about this season of Doctor Who and reviewed the first episode, all in one post. We got a new Doctor, new adventures, and new eras to which the Doctor would travel.

We also got a very complex storyline that didn't quite make sense to me until the final minute of the season finale. One that may not even be truly resolved until this year's Christmas Special.

We also got amazing fashion. (I thought Clara Oswald's fashion game was on point this season, mainly because I discovered that I actually have the same ring that she does in one of  the episodes. Note to all y'all: if you go to Topshop for clothes or jewelry, especially rings, it's possible that you'll see it on Doctor Who. I found that out via fashionofdoctorwho.com.)

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This season was...interesting. I had some episodes I really enjoyed, and others I didn't like as much. There were times when I applauded the Doctor, times when I scratched my head in confusion, and times when I just said woah.

Favorite episodes this season:

• Deep Breath
• Listen
• Time Heist
• Death in Heaven (Season Finale Part 2)

Least favorite episodes:

• Kill the Moon
• Mummy on the Orient Express
• Dark Water (Season Finale Part 1)

I will say that the final episode (well, part 2) did tie a lot of strings very, very well. Plus, there were various reference to past seasons and characters, from the 50th anniversary special to even some of the first series of Doctor Who ever, which was a nice touch.

As far as the Doctor himself is concerned, I'm optimistic about next season. I think I've gotten used to Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, and based on how the season ended, I have a good feeling that we'll be seeing his character go through a lot more development, especially as far as seeing things from others' perspective is concerned.

Long story short, this season was an unexpected mixed bag of episodes this time around, but I'm glad I watched it to completion. Regardless of how much I like an episode, I always love every time the Doctor hops into the TARDIS to see what's in store for him in the galaxy. :) (Especially in the Christmas Special!! I'm so pumped!)

Packing for a Road Trip

Road trips are fun, no matter the distance, and no matter who you're traveling with and who you're visiting. I went on a road trip recently to see some friends of mine at my university, and it was an absolute blast.

I've taken quite a few car trips in my life, so I thought it'd be fun to share some of my tips with you. :)

For the car:

• Great music is an absolute must. It passes the time of longer trips, and it's so much fun to sing along to the latest pop hit at the moment OR play the full CD of one of your favorite bands.
• Great snacks are also a must. Pack before you go, or wait until you fill up for gas to pick some up.
• Coffee is a good idea for early morning trips, whether you're driving or not. I absolutely love coffee anyway, but just the thought of some kind of warm drink while traveling on the road makes me happy, especially if it's cold outside.
• If you're a passenger, bring a great novel along. These not only pass time, but are just great to enjoy while riding on seemingly endless stretches of road.

Packing:

• It's a good idea to pack set outfits. What I mean by that is to plan out each outfit for each day you'll be traveling, including the days you'll be in the car. Just be aware of climate and what you'll be doing while on your trip. (I'll admit this is easier to do on shorter trips, but it takes a lot of the guesswork of deciding what to wear when you're getting ready for the adventures ahead.)
• Take a camera! Whether you're using your phone or your DSLR, documenting the trip in some way makes it so much fun to look back on the memories you made.
• Pack light if possible. The less you pack, the easier it will be to not only carry to your destination, but also to pack amidst your traveling buddies' duffel bags.

I hope these tips helped you out if you have a trip coming up. Happy traveling! :)

I Went to my Alma Mater's Homecoming Last Weekend

...AND IT WAS AWESOME.

Like most all adventures with my girlfriends, it began with a spur-of-the-moment nail painting party. Because...well, why not? We had plenty of adventures ahead to be ready for.

It was then that our weekend began. We ate hamburgers and drank coffee that came from a food truck that was parked on the campus commons, watched a talent show, saw The Hunts in concert (who are an awesome indie folk band!), and watched movies.

That was just Friday.

Saturday was just as jam-packed. My university put on a production of Romeo and Juliet - my favorite Shakespearean play, believe it or not - and it was really fun seeing it on stage (plus it's always fun seeing friends of mine performing).

After the play, we got Chinese takeout and watched more movies.

But the best part of the past few days has been our fort...or, as we called it, "da fort."

"Da Fort" was made out of one of my best friend's sheets and some masking tape. We set up camp in another one of my best friend's dorm room, and history was made. (Literally. That Saturday was the first time I'd ever gone mattress surfing.)

We finished out the weekend by going to church and grabbing ice cream before I came back home.

Going back to the college you graduated from is quite a lot of fun. So many of those great memories come back, and it's so fun to see old friends and have brand-new adventures that you didn't get the chance to have while in school.

So, I pretty much give my college's homecoming ten out of ten. :)

How to Take Really Great iPhone Photos

I take photos from my phone pretty much exclusively these days. From Instagram to travel snaps, my phone has been used for a wide variety of picture-taking adventures.

I want to share some tips I've picked up and learned while taking pictures with my phone with you. Don't have an iPhone? That's ok. :) You can adapt these to whatever phone - or camera - you have. Like taking pictures with an actual camera, taking pictures with your phone is is something you should experiment with to see exactly what you like and to achieve the look you want. I hope these basic tips can help make taking pictures a whole lot of fun.

(Also, these tips cover the actual picture-taking process. If you want tips for Instagram editing, check out this post.)

With that, let's get into it! :)

1. Take your pictures using the Camera app.
This is the camera app that should be right on your home screen, or you can slide your thumb up from the bottom right of your lock screen to access it. I recommend using your phone's built-in camera app because of the fact that it's already taking great pictures in high quality. You can tap to autofocus, and you don't have to limit your composition if you don't want to. Just play around with it to see what works for you and what you like best in your pictures. I pretty much recommend the Camera app over the camera that comes with most photo editing apps (like Afterlight and VSCOcam) for this reason.

2. Take advantage of Burst Mode.
In the newer iPhone models, Burst Mode is activated by pressing and holding down your camera's shutter button. It will take multiple pictures (or selfies, lol) in rapid succession. Then, when you access your camera roll, you can click on the shots you took and select your favorites from the group. Use Burst Mode on action shots, fireworks, group shots, and anything else that's moving rapidly. (If you don't have burst mode, just take pictures in rapid succession manually.)

3. Zoom only when necessary.
I zoom in a lot. I've taken concert pictures from afar, and I've taken pictures of the elusive albino squirrel in our neighborhood. I'll zoom in on some of those pictures, but I've found that sometimes, it's easier to just take a single picture without zooming in first, and then cropping it later. All of this really depends on the picture you take, and what lighting you have when you've taken said picture, so just do whatever you think is best when you snap your pictures (especially if your subject is moving fast). Speaking of lighting...

4. Light is your BFF.
I'm not kidding. There's a huge difference in taking pictures in any kind of light versus trying to take a picture in dim lighting. Here are some quick tips with light that I've learned while taking photos:

• Light directly on your subject is better than light behind them (backlighting). This is way easier with daylight outside, but keeping your back to the light source is a good idea while you're taking pictures. That way, your subject is well-lit (unless you want to take a selfie. If that's the case, face the light).
• In dim light, use whatever manual focus feature you have, whether that's tapping the screen to focus or another method in your settings. Focus on the lighter object, and you should be good to go.
• Outdoor pictures are usually the easiest to take, and usually yield some of the best results because of all the light you have during the day. I've heard it said that overcast days are best, but again, just play with your settings to get the pictures you want.