MINI ULTA AND IPSY HAUL!

Hi everyone! I've done quite a bit of online shopping recently and the other day I received not only one package, but two! I ordered a few things from Ulta and my November Ipsy bag came in the mail as well. It's not the biggest haul (more to come, I promise) but I wanted to show you what I got, so let's get started! :)

The first thing I got from Ulta was the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream. The last time I was in Ulta I was enticed by the impulse section (I mean who isn't) near the register and decided to pick up the sample version of this product. And I ended up absolutely loving it! So of course I had to order the full size because I'm running out now. If you are looking for a CC cream that is full coverage (yes, you read that right) but feels super light weight, you should definitely give this one a try :) It is on the pricey side (38 dollars, or 24 GBP) but it has a nice pump and the product itself is very high quality.

 By this point, I think you all know that I am obsessed with the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams. Which is why I bought two more of them from the Ulta website! I must not be the only one that loves them because it is difficult to find a lot of the colors. The two that I got are Addis Ababa (left) and Prague (right). Addis Ababa is a bright red-toned pink and Prague is a berryish purple. I really like these colors but I can't wait until more colors are in stock again so I can buy them all...muahaha ;)

Next up is my November Ipsy bag! The theme for this bag was Girl Meets Glitter. The first thing I got was the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hairspray. I haven't actually tried it out yet but it smells great! It is the perfect size for travel so I plan on bringing it with me in a few weeks when I go to England. The second item I got was the Clarisea Sea Salt Solutions Instant Glow Powder Exfoliant. I did try this product out last night, and I'm on the fence about it. Basically what you do is mix a little bit of the product in with your face wash and it is supposed to gently exfoliate your skin. I may have done something wrong but it ended up burning my eyes and not really exfoliating much :( I will be trying it again though just to make sure I didn't do something wrong! Also, I wish it had a sifter as it's quite easy to dump way too much out on accident. The third product I received in my bag is the Temptu Pearl Highlighter. I used it today when I did my makeup and I like it a lot! It has a really pretty sheen to it.

The next thing I got was the Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in Guys and Galaxies. I was so excited to see a nail polish in my bag, and a full size one at that! It is a gorgeous silver glitter polish and I'm looking forward to painting my nails this color. It reminds me of New Year's Eve, hint hint :)

The last item in my bag is the Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Base in Submissive. I was also super excited to see this product as well! I am the epitome of lazy when it comes to putting on eyeshadow. Most of the time, I just don't feel like it. But I love bases because all you have to do is put a little bit on your finger and swipe it on your lid!

This color is a beautiful shimmery copper color, perfect for the holidays! I predict that I will be using this base quite a bit this holiday season :) I swept some on my lids today to test it out and I can't get enough. It is so creamy and is nicely pigmented.

Well, that's it for my mini haul! I hope you enjoyed seeing what I got from Ulta and Ipsy! Let me know down below what your favorite holiday products or sets are, I'd love to know! Also, I'm waiting for packages from Forever 21 and Boohoo so stay tuned for a clothing haul very soon! :)

until next time,

MY LONG DISTANCE STORY: HOW TO BE TOGETHER WHEN YOU COULDN'T BE FARTHER APART

Hi everyone! I thought for today's post I would do something a bit more personal. As you probably have figured out by now, my boyfriend Mike lives in another country. The one that's across the Atlantic Ocean, that place where they drink tea all day? Yep, my boyfriend lives in England. And yes, he is in fact very British. How did I meet him, you ask? Well it all started back in February 2014...

I was studying abroad in England. It was a Wednesday night. My friends and I were planning on going down to the student union like we did every Wednesday night. In Winchester, basically every night of the week is an acceptable night to go out! At the time, my friend Allison was dating a British guy named Theo (he went to Winchester too) and she told us that night at dinner that we could go to pre-drinks (drinks before going out) with her at Theo's flat! For all you Americans, a flat is an apartment ;) My friends and I got all dolled up per usual and headed on over to pre-drinks excitedly. Even though I wasn't looking for a boyfriend necessarily, the thought did cross my mind that maybe Theo had some cute British friends that I could talk to. When we walked into Theo's flat, my eyes went right to Mike. To this day, I still can't tell you what about him I was drawn to but I knew the moment I saw him that I wanted to talk to him! So I did.

I sat down next to him, and the first thing I said to him was "Do you play football?" (And by football, I mean soccer) I don't know why that was the first thing I blurted out but it seemed like a harmless conversation starter and to be honest I was nervous. He had an accent and I'm a huge sucker for accents. I have been my whole life! I've always dreamed of marrying someone with an accent, and a British one is at the top of my list! We continued talking until it was time to leave to head down to the student union. Our conversation consisted mostly of Mike making fun of me for not drinking as much as he was (if i did that i probably would have ended up in the hospital...the Brits can drink a lot) We hung out the whole night, dancing, drinking (Mike kept buying me drinks...isn't he a gentleman), and just having a good time. I know at one point I was belting out the lyrics to Don't Stop Believing right in Mike's face and I'm pretty sure at one point I used his knee to tie my laces because my boots kept coming untied...But anyways, we had such a great time together and we started hanging out every day! Which sounds excessive, but when you know you only have so much time to spend with someone it doesn't ever seem like long enough. We knew that we liked each other a whole lot, but the elephant in the room was the fact that I would have to leave to go back to America in a month and a half. Was it worth it to get into a relationship knowing that we might not see each other for a long time, maybe even never again?

Yes, it was. Fast forward two and a half months. Mike came to America for a month to visit me.  It was only the second time he's been to America, the first time was when he was much younger! He arrived on my 20th birthday, much to my excitement. I was definitely more excited for him to get here than for my birthday! :) It was so much fun to show him around America after he had shown me around England. We went to New York City (per Mike's request) and we saw all of the touristy things: Times Square, Top of the Rock, Central Park, even the subway system (which i would rather not see but it is part of the experience!) After a lovely month together, it was time to say goodbye again. It gets easier every time. But it's still never easy.

As of today, it is 34 days until I head back to England for the holidays! I'm so excited, it's seriously my motivation for finishing the semester. Mike and I haven't seen each other in three and a half months. We Skype on a weekly basis (unless one of us is really busy which does happen) and we talk every day but being apart still sucks. Big time.

Coming from someone who is basically a pro at the whole long distance thing (my previous relationship was an ldr at one point too), I have discovered my own ways of dealing with the distance. These are a few of my tried-and-true pieces of advice for anyone out there that is in a similar situation!

1. Communicate: The key to a successful long distance relationship is communication. Well, that's the key to any successful relationship but it's especially vital in a long distance one. Even if you're just telling each other what you're doing at the moment (no matter how mundane or ordinary) or snapping a pic of your dinner, it's important to show your partner that you're thinking of them and that they're still a part of your life even if they can't be there with you.

2. Busy is good: Since I knew I wasn't going to be able to see Mike until Christmas, I wanted to make myself as busy as possible. I'm the kind of person that tends to obsess about the future instead of operating in the present. I like being busy because it doesn't give me the chance to think about being sad. This semester I'm taking 5 classes, working part-time, and I'm the proud owner of this growing blog! :) With all that on my plate, I barely have the time to think about anything!

3. Set a date: Although it isn't good to obsess about the fact that you aren't together, it is good to have a date in mind (or set in stone if you can!) when you'll see each other again. Whenever Mike and I have to go back to being apart, I always worry about when we'll be together again. It's basically all I can think about until one of books a plane ticket and I know for sure when we can see each other. But when we set a date and I have something to look forward to, I always feel so much better :)

To anyone reading this who is in a long distance relationship, I understand and I'm always here to talk! I hope my tips helped you out even just a little bit. And if you aren't, I hope you never have to be in an LDR but if you do just know that a relationship always has the potential to be successful as long as you and your significant other are in 110%. I'm so glad that the universe brought Mike and I together that night in Winchester, I can't imagine my life without him. So thanks universe, I guess I owe you one.

I hope you enjoyed my story, I can't wait to see where life takes Mike and I :)

until next time,

NO BAKE GRANOLA BITES!

Hi everyone! Usually Sunday's post is #StudyAbroadSunday but I decided to switch things up a little bit, hope you don't mind! Not to worry, #StudyAbroadSunday will resume next Sunday. I wanted to do this post because today I actually made what I'm going to be showing you! Okay, I'll admit: I'm a snacker. I love to snack! But I love snacking even more when I'm eating something that I know is at least semi-healthy and tastes good! And that's where the No Bake Granola Bites come in. I found this recipe a while ago, and the first time I made them I fell in love! Oh, and so did my mom. She's obsessed with them. Sometimes I think she eats more of them than I do...I don't blame her! The No Bake Granola Bites are so simple to make (come on...no bake is in the title!) and they are made with wholesome, delicious ingredients. Most likely, you have at least some (if not all) of these ingredients lying around your kitchen right now! Without further ado, let's get into it!

No Bake Granola Bites

1 cup dry oatmeal (old-fashioned, not steel cut)

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

The first step is to combine all of the ingredients in a big mixing bowl! (super difficult stuff, i know) Here I have my cup of dry oatmeal, I used some good ol' Quaker Oats :)

Next up is the coconut! I used the Bob's Red Mill Shredded Unsweetened Coconut. You don't have to use this specific brand by any means, but I really like it because it's natural and pure.

Next in the bowl is the half cup of creamy peanut butter! I used the Teddie Organic All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter. Again, not necessary to use this specific one, it's totally up to you! But it has to be creamy. And plus, who eats crunchy peanut butter?!

It's flaxseed time! What is flaxseed, you ask? Well, ground flaxseed is a great source of fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, or the "good" fats. I like to put it in my yogurt too :)

Let's be honest, you saw chocolate chips in the recipe and you got a little excited. Who doesn't love chocolate chips? I know I do. Maybe a little too much. But anyways, the recipe calls for mini chips (which i usually use but i couldn't find any) but I used regular sized chocolate chips. I mean everything turned out okay, so I don't see any harm in using big chocolate chips ;)

Up next is the honey, how sweet! :) I used Sue Bee Clover Honey, but mostly because it was in my cupboard...oh, and it looks like a bear :)

dat action shot doe

And last but not least, I added in some Trader Joe's Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract! Fun fact, I have a slight obsession with Trader Joe's (thanks mom) and I see myself blowing many a paycheck there in my near future.

When you are done mixing your ingredients together, it should look something like this! The second step is to cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for for half an hour. After that half hour is up, all you have to do is roll your mixture into little balls and they are good to go!

I love this recipe, it's super easy to whip up and its a healthy snacking alternative! I eat these bad boys at all times of the day: in the morning before school, as an after school snack, or whenever I please really...

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! I plan on doing more foodie posts in the future. Let me know below what your favorite healthy snack is! Oh, and if you happen to make this recipe yourself send me a picture on Twitter or something! :)

Just a quick sidenote, if you have a second to spare go give the Essentially Shannon Facebook page a like!

https://www.facebook.com/essentiallyshannon

https://twitter.com/essentiallyshan

until next time,

FIVE FALL ESSENTIALS

Hi everyone! Today's post is going to feature five of my fall beauty and fashion essentials (wow, that's a mouthful!) So if you're ready, let's get right into it! :)

1. a festive fall lip: As I mentioned previously, I'm always on the lookout for fall lip colors that suit me. Fall is the time to bring out the deeper colors like cranberry, oxblood, and in this case, purple! I'm wearing (and currently loving) the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Shameless. I must admit, and I might be a bit biased now because I'm head over heels with the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream, the formula leaves something to be desired. I love the color that this balm achieves but it tends to smudge quite a bit and it is a pain to put on.

2. plaid flannel: I know this is going to sound a bit strange, but I'm almost positive that I've never actually worn my flannel as a shirt. Lately, I've been obsessed with tying my flannel around my waist! I love the way that it can "grunge" up pretty much any outfit. I mean don't get me wrong, flannels are great as shirts too ;)

3. a dark fall nail: I've said before that I usually stick to neutral colors when it comes to painting my nails because my skills are sub par to say the least. However, when fall rolls around I tend to be more adventurous and attempt to find and use some darker colors. I recently picked up the Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polish in Autumn Spice (isn't the name itself just delightful?) and I really love it! This picture definitely does not do it justice. You probably can't tell, but it's a nice shimmery coppery color! I like the brush that it comes with, however it doesn't smell like autumn spice in the least. Although, it might smell better than normal nail polish...maybe. 

4. scarves: Are you starting to see a pattern? Yes, I'm quite in love with plaid. And this scarf is not exception! In the fall, I tend to wear a scarf almost every day because they keep me warm (especially this one, it's like wearing a blanket around your neck!) and they can spruce up any outfit!

5. boots: Boots are by far my favorite kind of foot wear. Technically, combat boots are my all-time favorite but my black pair that I wore to death in England are in pretty rough shape and I am desperately in need of a new pair! (I've been eyeing the Steve Madden Troopas but I'm still trying to rationalize the price in my mind...) I've been loving these brown ankle booties recently though, they are so easy to slip on! I love boots because they add so much character to my outfits. If I want to add a bit of edge, I put on my combat boots. If I'm feeling more chic, I'll slip on my ankle booties.

If you're doing some shopping for your own fall essentials, you should check out raise.com! In addition to being able to sell your unused gift cards for cash, you can buy gift cards for awesome places like Starbucks, Victoria's Secret, and Nordstrom at discounted rates! Hope you enjoyed this post :)

www.raise.com/buy-gift-cards

www.raise.com/sell-gift-cards

until next time,

#STUDYABROADSUNDAY: WINCHESTER, ENGLAND

Hi everyone! Happy #StudyAbroadSunday! Today we're going to explore my home away from home: Winchester, England. Even though I traveled all over while I was studying abroad, I always missed Winchester when I was away and I couldn't wait to get back "home". Winchester is a quaint little town about an hour south of London and it is filled with so much history and character, it truly has a piece of my heart. I only lived there for 3 months but I miss it every day! I met my boyfriend Mike while I was living in Winchester, so that in itself makes Winchester a special place. Not only did I meet Mike, I met some really amazing friends that made my experience abroad so much fun and I miss them so much. I will be back in Winchester in December when I go to England to see Mike, I'm so excited! :)

The first one I saw in England :')

Me looking really tiny in comparison to Winchester Cathedral, it's massive!

Inside the cathedral

This graveyard is in between campus and town, so everyone walks through it! Sounds weird, but there are lights in it so it's not creepy, quite pretty actually :)

My first proper tea! That scone was to DIE for

This pretty much sums up my study abroad experience lol

My friend Sed and I!

The night I met Mike :') He is the second from the right in the top row!

<3

Disclaimer: The drinking age in England is 18 so if you're wondering how I'm drinking and I'm only 20, that's how ;)

Hope you enjoyed my pictures, I loved doing this post because I love looking through all of them! :)

until next time,