The Good Girl Gone Blog

He Said/She Said: Birchbox Edition August 23, 2012

I'm very excited to share a new series that you'll hopefully be seeing a lot more of on the blog called He Said/She Said. Basically, I'm partnering up with my friend and former RA, Dan Chiz, to give you the male and female perspectives on different trends, products and more.

Our first topic: Birchbox.

If you haven't heard about Birchbox, it's safe to say you're living under a rock (or are a "real" adult). 

From the site:

Birchbox delivers the best products and the best insider secrets, without any fuss. Every month Birchbox members will receive a curated box of luxe beauty samples. Each box will span beauty categories and deliver exciting products that fit into both your day-to-day routine, and into those days when you want to turn up the drama a notch.

Birchbox was kind enough to send each of us our own pretty package (Women's retails for $10/month, Men's for $20/month), and here's what we thought:

Which product would you recommend/buy after trying?

He Said: The Eshu Shave Gel is by far my fav. It smells so good and works super well. My face is very sensitive and this doesn't irritate--it actually helps! I am 100% buying the product in the future.

She Said: I LOVED the Origins Checks and Balances face wash. It made my face feel clean and taut after washing, and the smell is great. I'd definitely consider buying the full size version...just have to finish my regular face wash.

Will you sign up?

He Said: HELL YEAH! I love it! It's a great way to get exposed to new grooming and beauty products!

She Said: I really want to say yes, but at this point, I have so many beauty samples and freebies lying around (thank you Nordstrom Anniversary Sale blogger preview), I'm not ready for more. As a blogger, I often receive products to review and they end up piling up in my cabinet. That being said, if you aren't currently overwhelmed by the amount of products in your makeup box (a terrible problem to have, I know haha), I'd say go for it! The price is right and there are few things more fun than getting packages.

(I was most excited about the Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, but ended up hating it- it burned my eyes!)

But wait, there's more! Head over to Dan's post to see the rest of our answers and some fun photos of the Men's box!

Friday's Fancies: Derby Day! May 04, 2012

Sources: Dress, Hat, Heels, Polish.

I'm from Baltimore, so I'm pretty familiar with the Triple Crown. It's funny, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness seem to be two very different animals. For example, when my friends used to go to the Preakness, I don't think they put much thought into their outfits- it was more about bringing in coolers of cheap beer. 

Anyway, this is what I would wear to the Derby. I'd probably stash a pair of flats in my purse as well- I'm sure those stands are not heel friendly!

You can check out the rest of the Derby inspired posts at Long Distance Loving!

Step it Up: MIA Tulua April 16, 2012

A few things you should (and probably already) know about me:

1) I love shoes.

2) I love shoes that help me break 5'2" (meaning they have to be AT LEAST 2.5").

3) I believe that shoes can make or break an outfit.

I'm wearing: Sweater- Loft (swapped) | Top- TKMaxx | Jeans- BR (similar) | Shoes- c/o MIA (here) | Bag- Target (old) | Shades- gift.

These MIA Tulua sandals are super tall and help take a pretty plain/monochromatic outfit to the next level. I believe that they stand out on their own, which is why I tried to keep the rest of the outfit relatively simple.

The sneaker-like soles and thick heels help illeviate face planting (although knowing me, anything is possible!) and the amazing ankle straps add a bit of detailing that's both fun and very on trend for spring.

Thanks MIA for sending me these gorgeous shoes and helping me step it up! Look for more posts in my #stepitup series soon!

PS- thanks Maggie for being an amazing puppy model!

UPDATE: Use code Code: GGGB1 for 10% off at miashoes.com.  They offer free shipping on all orders over $50 or more (shipping to the continental US) & just started a really sweet loyalty program- register or facebook connect you earn 5 points to use on your first purchase (1 point is equal to 1 US dollar).

My Friday's Fancies: Green, Green, Green! March 16, 2012

Where to find: Top,Belt, Skirt, Clutch, Necklace, Shoes, Watch.

Though this is going to be my 5th St. Patrick's Day in Boston (aka the St. Patrick's Day capital of the US), I've actually never really celebrated the holiday. As a result, instead of going full-out-crazy St. Patrick's Day green, I decided to go with a bit more of a muted hue. Plus, I just can't get enough of mint, it's gorgeous and needs to make its way into my spring wardrobe.

Check out the rest of the Friday's Fancies posts here!

* Fun fact: my Bat Mitzvah ocurred on St. Patrick's Day in 2001 and no, I didn't wear green.

Sunday Confessional: Meet Maggie January 15, 2012

Yesterday, Eric and I welcomed Maggie into our hearts. She's an 8 month old, 50 lb Border Collie/Pyrenees/Australian Shepherd mix. 

She's so, so sweet and while she still has a lot to learn, she's very smart. She already knows all of her basic commands and managed to impress everyone in the dog park with her good behavior. Now, if only we could work on her need to destroy her toys.

Sunday Confessional: I Don't Always Read Labels January 08, 2012

About a month ago, I spent a VERY long time in the beauty products section of TJ Maxx staring at shampoo and conditioner bottles. I knew I needed a clarifying shampoo and wanted to find a conditioner that wouldn't make my hair too oily. After probably 20 minutes of reading labels, smelling shampoo and comparing products, I came home with the 2 bottles on the left.

It was only after about 3 washes that I realized my "conditioner" generated a really nice lather. On further inspection of the bottle post-shower, I realized that I was in fact shampooing my hair twice: first with a clarifying shampoo, then with a creamy shampoo with a conditioner-like consistency.

Yup, I bought myself two jumbo sized bottles of extra concentrated shampoo. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've made this kind of obvious mistake.

When I lived in Israel, I bought a small bottle of what I thought was super condensed laundry detergent. I used it for various washes and only came to realize that it was actually fabric softener when I learned the Hebrew word for "conditioner" and determined that my "detergent" had a similar word on the label because it made things soft. Oops. The worst part is, I made the exact same mistake when I was back in the states. That time though,  I couldn't use the language excuse. Oops

Please, share your "ditziest" Sunday Confessional so I'll know I'm in good company...

The Pop Culture Hoarder, Vol. 2 December 09, 2011

Yep, it's back, the second installment of Rachel's famous Pop Culture Hoarder series on G3B. Woot!

1. The Horrifying Post Date Rant Allegedly Sent by an Investment Manager - I'm not quite sure how he expected to wrangle a second date out of this one.
2. Unleashed - Puppies and expensive things, what more could you want? (Alana's note: and a push to adopt from/support the Humane Society. I like!)
3. Husband Material, Vol. 4: Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy - I  would 100% marry James McAvoy. This is fantastic.
4. Study Abroad to Don't List - A second from Thought Catalog, but it's too good. And all true - the best way to have your study abroad experience.
5. Glitter Teaspoon Set - These glitter teaspoons are on top of my "things I don't need but really want anyway" list.
6. Make your Day more Adorable with Soccer Playing Penguins - Because no day is complete without penguins playing soccer. Too cute.
7. How to Speak Minnesotan - Just try talking to any of your Minnesotan friends. This is spot-on. (Alana's note: Rachel is a Minnesotan. Also, this includes some profanity.)
8. Animals Talking All Caps - Sometimes you just need this.
9. Word Nail Art -  I really want to try these word nails
10. Touch of Evil - I don't know why they did this, but it's amazing. 13 villains. (Alana's note: this is really creepy.)

Image via: 5th/58th 

The Pop Culture Hoarder, Vol. I November 18, 2011

Hey G3B readers, I've got a fun new series for you, brought to you by my dear friend, Rachel. Rachel and I have gotten into a routine where we share funny links over IM to keep ourselves smiling during the work day. While I find some good ones (have you seen this puppy app?), Rachel always knows what's going on.

Hope you like- this is the first of what I hope will be a recurring Friday series. Thanks again Rachel for your funny links and stellar commentary!

1. Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, Two - he was so cute the first time, and he's back!
2. Fashion-Themed Ben & Jerry's Flavors - because we all do want to try Diane von Fudgesickle, don't even lie about it.
3. Engaged to Prince William? - I've always fancied myself a princess. Take that, Kate.
4. Ryan Gosling goes Pancake - I'd rather see Ryan Gosling in a pancake than Jesus in a grilled cheese any day.
5. Hipster Girl Dress Up -paper dolls for the Internet age. Not quite Halloween or Williamsburg, but use your creativity.
6. Tigger Got Swag - the only thing that would make this better is if all three of them came together for some Soulja Boy at the end.
7. Only in Ohio - I guess it's better than a burglar who wants to steal the tree?
8. Sad Etsy Boyfriends - just because.
9. 63 Reasons Bradley Cooper Definitely isn't the Sexiest Man Alive - 63 of the most convincing reasons I could possibly think of.
10. The Muppets Pretty Little Liars Promo- What two things do I love that don't mesh at all? Right, The Muppets and Pretty Little Liars. Excellent.

Image via Refinery29

Sunday Confessional: I Miss 2008 Alana November 13, 2011

I was searching for a photo in my blog archives for a post I wrote for Yahoo! when I decided to look at the first ever G3B post. After reading it, giggling to myself and feeling nostalgic, I decided to go through the archives.

It's almost midnight and I've only gotten through October, but in the process, I realized something: though my old blog posts don't have the prettiest pictures, sponsored reviews or even a fashion focus, man, I was funny!

Now that I've been blogging for over 3 years, I've gotten more professional, but somehow less honest. I miss the Alana who had a song written about her short stature, the Alana who wrote a post about her roommate's plant committing suicide and the Alana who shared her strange Sarah Pailin Dream.

It's funny, I think some of the things that helped me succeed as a blogger also hurt me, for example:

1. I used to have a plain old point and shoot camera that I carried everywhere. Therefore, I was more likely to take pictures of random occurences and share them on the blog. Now that I have a nice DSLR, I've sort of decided that iPhone photos just aren't blog worthy
2. I focus more of my energy on editing photos than on my actual writing.
3. I do sponsored posts- yes, I love getting free stuff, but it doesn't really lend to good writing, just an anxious feeling about posting on time.
4. I'm just not in college anymore and life just isn't as funny.
5. Le sigh, I have some thinking to do. 

 

Has anyone else gone throuh something similar with their blog?

Sunday Confessional: That One Scary Kitchen Appliance November 06, 2011

Admit it, you're afraid of at least one kitchen appliance and you know it! I think my phobia of the garbage disposal stems from having a small sliver of my finger sliced off in a snowball machine (it looked a little like this). I still remember the pain, the dizziness and watching my dog lick my blood off the floor. (Gross, sorry, I know.) The emergency room wasn't too fun either, as a sliced finger isn't nearly as important in the triage hierarchy. You wouldn't notice it if I didn't point it out to you, but the tip of my left index finger is crooked due to the "accident" and will never be the same.

Ever since then (and probably before, now that I think of that), I've been terrified of most sharp, spinning blades. In terms of the garbage disposal, I can't put my fingers in it, even if it's off, as I'm afraid someone might accidentally turn it on. Seriously, the fact that it's powered by an ordinary looking light switch makes it even scarier- it should be bright blue, or honestly, bright red, to scare you from turning it on.

I don't even like it when other people put their hands in the disposal. 

When I mentioned my fear to Eric, he wasn't shocked at all. Apparently, at least according to him, all girls are afraid of garbage disposals. And I thought I was special, hmmm...

Ok, your turn: what kitchen appliance are you afraid of?

Photo via Amazon.