Red Lip Colors for the 4th of July

We're quickly approaching the one of day of the year where it is acceptable to obnoxiously wear red, white, & blue together in one outfit without looking a bit ridiculous [excluding Arizona Wildcats game days]. It gives us an excuse to wear the brightest red lip that we own!

Keep reading to see my favorite 3 lip colors for the 4th! 

---

Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm - "250 Standout"

This one is actually a balm that acts as a lip stain. It has a minty smell and it kind of moisturizes your lips. Since it stains your lips, it's hard to take it off but that also means re-application is barely necessary! If you're not going to be in the mood to constantly re-apply your lip color, and you want to focus on having a good time on the 4th, go for this one. Find it here. 






Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick - "01"

This color is a bit brighter than the Revlon Color Burst, and it is a lipstick. If you prefer the consistency of a lipstick, then this color is more for you. It goes on smooth, and does not dry matte so it will not dry out your lips. Find this one here. 






MAC Viva Glam 1

OF COURSE I had to include one of my favorite MAC colors in this post. Viva Glam 1 is the red that looks good on pretty much everyone, and is always sold out at MAC. This one is not as bright, so if you want red but nothing too "out there" this more subtle one may be your best bet. It dries matte. Find it here. 

---

If you want a non-red lip color for the 4th then head over to my post Lip Colors for Summer for some inspiration. 

I still haven't decided which red I'll be wearing for the 4th, but it will certainly be one of these 3. Which one will be your choice? Let me know in the comments! :) 

Photos By: Hope Hicks 
xo, Deija 

Aztec Print Sundress

Sundresses are my absolute favorite piece of clothing. I love summer because I can wear a sundress nearly every day. They're easy because you can pair them with a cute pair of heels, add some jewelry and your favorite bag and you're good to go!

I wore this dress to a banquet a while back, and got nonstop compliments on it. It has an aztec print with a beautiful bow back detail.

Similar Dress (dress shown is sold out) Another Similar Dress/ Similar Shoes/ Watch/ Bangle/ Rings/ Anklet/ Similar Bag (bag shown was found at an outlet location a while ago - probably out of date)

Find the nail polish I'm wearing here. Use the code LAUGH10 for 10% off purchases on LoxaBeauty. 

---

Photos By: Hope Hicks
Thank you for reading!
xo, Deija

How I Chose My Career - My Road to School Psychology

At the age of 5 I told my parents "I want to work at McDonalds forever and make lots of money", at age 10 I was certain I would be a Dentist, at 16 I thought I would be a Teacher, and at 17 I was certain I would be a Physical Therapist. Then of course we cannot forget about the years in between where I went back and forth on becoming a Lawyer. What a road, huh?

Here we are at 21, and I am going to graduate school to get my PhD in School Psychology. I can honestly say that I have never been more certain about a decision. Everything about this excites me, and I know it is the career for me. Here I will give a bit of insight into how I got to this point.

---

Freshman year I went into undergrad with the major Athletic Training - the goal was to use it as a stepping stone to become a Physical Therapist. I hated it, and since I was so miserable I barely ever did my work.  I'll never forget going into a final that I had not studied for and guessing every single answer. As you can see, this route was not for me - and yeah, I bombed that final.

Soon I changed my major to Human Development and Family Sciences thinking that I would do something family/children related. I had always loved kids. My junior high years were spent volunteering at my church's nursery and during high school I volunteered at the local Children's Services Department.

At the beginning of my sophomore year I decided I was too confused about everything and that I should just make my major Undecided. That semester was where I constantly heard from upperclassmen that "You should decide by sophomore year on your major. You can't go into Junior year Undecided." *rolls eyes* So I continued to take general courses, and hoped that I would come to some decision eventually.

Spring of Sophomore Year. Age 19. - The turning point. I decided to go with Early Childhood Education to become a Teacher (ok so we're almost there, but not there yet). I shadowed an elementary teacher for the semester, and realized that it was absolutely not for me. 

What I loved - being around students all day, spending the day in a school, helping them achieve their goals, encouraging them, interacting with their parents, learning about each child's needs, watching them succeed, learning about the education system, and learning how to improve the education system. And of course I loved hearing all the cute little voices call out to "Miss Deija" if they had a question or concern. They melted my heart every single day. 

What I did not enjoy - teaching. *Lightbulb!* I just needed to find a career where I could do all these things but not actually do the whole teaching lessons and leading a classroom part.

I made the major switch to Early and Middle Childhood Studies since it was more general, and I would still be able to learn about children and education. I did TONS of researching and decided to apply to graduate programs in School Psychology. 

So now here we are! This fall I will be starting my Master's/PhD Program in School Psychology. "The little girl who wanted to work at the McDonald's drive thru as a long term career is going to be a Dr.!?" - one of my parents' favorite lines. As a School Psychologist I will be able to do everything I just listed plus even more. It is my dream job. Also I should mention that psychology courses were my absolute favorite during both high school and undergrad. Deep down inside I think I always knew I was meant to be a Psychologist of some sort. You know you've found your career when you can say "I get to do this!?" instead of "I have to do this." It took quite a while to get to this point, but thankfully I got here.

---

I want to leave you with this thought - don't feel discouraged if it's taking you a while to find your purpose and your passion. Everyone doesn't know from the time they come out the womb what they want to do forever. Props to those people, but we aren't all like that. Give it time, and it'll come to you! 

I hope you enjoyed reading.
How long did it take you to find your passion? Let me know in the comments, and have a fabulous day. 

xo, Deija 

10 Netflix Shows to Binge Watch

I will be the first to tell you that I am a homebody and an introvert. I can sit in the same spot for 3 days straight watching tv, reading, and eating and I will never get bored. I always dread that question in interviews when they ask "so what do you like to do in your free time?" - the answer I really want to say is "sit for hours and hours on my computer" but I refrain. 

So, I wanted to share with you 10 shows to watch on Netflix if you are looking for something new to do in your spare time. If you'll notice, all of them have a strong female lead since those are the shows I usually gravitate towards (gotta support other women right?) I also will attempt to give descriptions of each show in my own words. Don't mind the rambled and scattered summaries - just accept that I tried. 

---

1. Hart of Dixie 
There's this doctor from New York, Zoe Hart. She just finds out that her biological father was also a doctor but in Blue Bell Alabama. He dies and she decides to move there to take his place in his practice. This one is more of an easy watch - corny, some funny moments, but at some point I really just could not stop watching because I needed to know what was going to happen to the characters. 

2. Revenge 
My favorite show ever. It's kind of a mystery. Emily's father was wrongfully accused of a crime when she was a child, so she makes it her entire life mission to get revenge on the people who were responsible. She's intense, strong, and intelligent - all the characteristics you need in a woman who's out to ruin everyone's life who ruined hers. This is a must watch! 

3. Once Upon a Time
This show was introduced to me my junior year of undergrad, and for about 2 weeks straight I wanted to do nothing but watch this. Story book characters such as Cinderella, Snow White, Prince Charming, etc. are placed in modern time and do not realize that they are out of place. It's really cool.

4. Gossip Girl 
If you're a girly girl like me, I'm sure you've watched this series at least once. No need to even give a description. 

5. Witches of East End 
Two women find out that they are witches, and that their mother kept it from them all their lives. A bunch of creepy, and out of the ordinary instances occur throughout the show. I don't necessarily believe in witchcraft or anything like that, but it's interesting to watch.

6. Ringer 
This one was only on for one season before it got canceled, but it was still a good watch. A woman was convicted of murder, runs away to her twin sister, her sister goes missing, so she takes the identity of her twin sister. 

7. Young and Hungry 
This comedy stars Emily Osment (you may remember her from Hannah Montana). She's a food blogger turned personal chef. Cute show. 

8. Chasing Life 
I mentioned this one in my post "A Lesson About Thankfulness and Complaining". A young woman radio host has just been diagnosed with leukemia. It can be heavy at times, but the producers do a decent job of also making the show kind of light.

9. Nikita 
Another one of my favorites, and a must watch! There is a government program called Division who takes criminals from death row and forces them to work as assassins for the US government. Nikita was a recruit of the program who escaped, and is now doing everything she can to shut down Division. Another strong female lead. 

10. Pretty Little Liars 
This is the hit ABC family show based off of a book series. Four girls are stalked and tortured by someone named "A." There's much more to it than that, but my skills of describing shows are lacking. If you have never watched it, just give it a chance.  I've been watching this since high school, and it does not seem to be going away anytime soon. 


Other Shows I Haven't Watched Yet, But My Friends Have Recommended 
Grey's Anatomy 
Orange is the New Black 
Scandal 
Breaking Bad 

---

That's all I have for now! If you know of any other Netflix shows, let me know. Have a great weekend everyone! 

xo, Deija 

Liebster Award - Discovering New Blogs!

The other day I had the pleasure of receiving an email from the lovely, Louise, who writes the blog "The Blonde Breakthrough" notifying me that I had been nominated for the Liebster Award. Thank you so much Louise! 

The four rules for nomination include: 
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog 
2. Answer the questions provided by the nominator 
3. Nominate and link ten bloggers that have less than two hundred followers 
4. Create 10 questions for the nominees to answer

Here are my answers to the questions that I was given by Louise 

1. Who is your biggest inspiration in life? 

My mom is the most beautiful person I have ever known. I could write a 500 page essay about how amazing she is, but for the sake of this post - I will keep it short. Every day I am thankful that God chose her as my mom. No one else could have done the job any better - let's be honest, no one could have even come close. I aspire to be more like her with each day. 


2. What made you want to create your blog? 

Lipstick and Laughter was created so that I could share my thoughts and advice with other people. Also, I wanted to be able to connect with other blogs who I follow. The moment you start your blog you quickly become a part of a new community. I have been blessed with some down time this summer before I start graduate school in the fall, so there was no better time than now to start my blog journey. 


3. If you could travel to any country/place in the world, where would it be and why? 

Jamaica. That is where my family is from, and I still have never been. My goal is to head there by 2017. We'll see! 


4. Peanut Butter or Nutella? 

PEANUT BUTTER 


5. What do you find most challenging about maintaining a blog? 

The most challenging part is coming up with unique and original content, but still posting consistently. I never want to appear as a copy of another blog. Finding inspiration from other blogs can be helpful, but I try to develop my posts solely on my own. I would rather posts 1-2 times a week with purely original content, than post every other day with some posts being replicas of other posts. Yes it is a challenge, but I love it. It pushes me to be creative and think outside the box.


6. If someone was interested in becoming a blogger, what would your key tips be? 

- Do not feel the need to categorize yourself. You do not need to have only one "niche." Write about whatever comes to you and interests you. Your readers will appreciate that you are a dynamic person with varied interests.  
- Embrace others in the community. Try not to look at blogging as a competition.


7. Best compliment you have ever received? 

It's hard to pinpoint one compliment as the best, but one that comes to my mind first is my cousin telling me that my success encourages and inspires him. This compliment meant everything, because his resilience and perseverance to accomplish his own goals actually inspire me. 


8. If you were to have a dinner party and could only invite 5 people (celebrities included), who would you invite? 

my mom and Michelle Obama - I can't think of anyone else 


9. If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

honey crisp apples with peanut butter 


10. What is your favorite movie? 

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 



The 10 Blogs I Nominate: 

Sparkle Shine Heather
Moroccanista 
About Today
LaurLauu
Klaudia Clara
Romantiquely
Rochni Reviews
SheOntheRegular
JenniferZ
Chattergirl




My 10 Questions For Them:

1. Why did you start your blog? 
2. Where is your favorite place in the world?
3. What is your favorite animal? 
4. Who is your biggest inspiration in life? 
5. Pancakes or Waffles?
6. What is your biggest achievement thus far? 
7. What is one beauty product that you cannot live without? 
8. What is your dream job?
9. What is your biggest accomplishment to date?
10. If someone was interested in becoming a blogger what would your key tips be? 

Lip Colors for Summer

Lip color finishes up a look, and makes you appear more put together. Here are a few of my favorites for summer! 

This NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in "Ibiza" is my current favorite for the daytime! Usually I pair it with a basic top for a pop of color. It also goes great with a colorful outfit. I really can't get enough of this one. You can find these NYX Lip Creams at Ulta and other drugstores for about $6! 

Another NYX Matte Lip Cream in "Antwerp." A beautiful nude-pink color when I'm going for a more subtle look. 

MAC lipsticks are my holy grail for lipsticks, because they last all day and they are incredibly pigmented. Here I am wearing "Amorous." It's a satin finish so instead of it drying your lips out, it has a nice creamy feel. It looks great with a patterned sundress or with a nighttime look. It's an all - around type of color. Find it here. 

I am a huge fan of this Kate Moss Rimmel line. The colors are pigmented, long-lasting, and are only a few dollars at any drugstore. I have a tough time finding light/nude colors that go well with my skin tone, but this one is a winner. It looks the most complete with a lipliner (I took the photo without liner so the true color could be seen), and it's a great finishing touch for a smokey eye look. 

Thanks so much for reading! If you have any suggestions for a summer lip, please leave a comment below! - I love finding new ones to try :) 

xo, Deija 

Must - Watch Youtube Beauty Gurus

I never outgrew that "playing in makeup" phase, and I love to try out new looks and products - especially on my friends. Everything I know about makeup, I learned from watching Youtube videos. 

These are my absolute 3 favorite beauty gurus to watch! There are many other women who have great tutorials and videos, but these are the ones I gravitate to the most. 

NitraaB 

Casey Holmes 

GlamTwinz334

These two also have long beautiful natural hair, and make plenty of videos about caring for their hair! I've learned quite a bit from them. 

Preparing for the GRE - Study Tips and Helpful Resources

Out of all the questions I get asked the most about the graduate school process I get asked most about the GRE. "How did you study?" "What books did you use?" "How long did you study?" In this post I will try my best to answer all of those questions, and hopefully help someone out. Keep in mind that I am not a standardized test wiz or professional, I am just giving advice from my experience. 

Resources I Used to Study

- Manhattan Prep Set of 8 Study Guides
- Manhattan Prep Book of Practice Problems 
- Manhattan Prep Essential Words and Advanced Words Flash Cards 
- ETS Official Guide to the GRE 
- Magoosh Online Prep 
- Magoosh Flash Card Apps 

I took my GRE twice, and the materials I found the most helpful in order to prepare me were the Manhattan Prep materials and the Magoosh materials. I did not find the ETS material very helpful, because I thought the questions and scenarios within the materials were much easier than the actual test. I found the Manhattan Prep materials to be much more like the actual test. 


How Long I Studied 

I started studying for my test in May, and took it for the first time in September. I wanted to get a higher score, so I took it once again in October. During the time that I was studying, I devoted as much time each day to studying. I would not recommend studying the way that I did because it drove me crazy, but since this is a post about my experience I'm going to be honest. Each day I probably studied at least 5 hours. 


How I Scored Well on the Writing Portion 

I found the Analytical Writing section to be the easiest. I scored in the 98th percentile on the Writing section both times, and I attribute this to the Magoosh online preparation material. If you come up with a formula for answering the writing prompt, you're bound to get a good score. The Analytical Writing is not about using a ton of big words (I sure did not), it is about answering the question thoroughly, and ensuring that it is well thought out. 

There are 2 types of prompts on the Analytical Section, and the Analytical portion always comes first when you take the test. I liked this because it is a great way to warm yourself up for the rest of the test. The 2 types are - issue task and argument task. One of the most important things you must do on this section is answer all parts of the question. The scorers of the test will likely take off points if there is a 2nd part to the prompt, and you don't address it. 

For each writing response I had an introductory paragraph, 3-4 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You do not have to have an elaborate introduction, so don't bother stressing over that. Just introduce the topics you are going to explain, and move on with your body paragraphs. For example, I introduced all my argument responses with something along the lines of  "The argument is flawed because ....."  I then would give my 3 or 4 reasons, and move forward. 

To ensure that you will get a great writing score I recommend doing a bit of practice, and taking the time to read over the prompt options on the ETS website. ALL of the possible prompts are listed on the ETS website. If you review them and figure out responses for the prompts you think are most difficult, you won't have any surprises come test day. 



Verbal Portion 

The verbal section was the hardest for me, and that is because I do not regularly read scholarly writing. People who do great on this section tend to be English majors, people who read the New York Times or scholarly journals for fun, and people who just have massive vocabularies. I am none of these. 

In order to do well on this section, it is essential to expand your vocabulary. I found the flash cards I used to be extremely helpful. In addition to using the flash cards, I found the free Magoosh vocab apps to be immensely beneficial. The keys to learning the vocab are tricking yourself into thinking that you're having fun and loving new words, and building your vocab slowly each day. 

I would incorporate the vocabulary into my daily conversations, and find ways where I could use the new vocab words in homework. What I wish I would have done was start earlier with learning words. There are many many words that can possibly show up so it is never too early to learn as many as you can. Also, do not forget to learn how to use the words in sentences - and recognize that several of them have more than one meaning. 


Quantitative Portion 

The good thing about the quantitative section is that the ETS website has clearly stated all the topics you need to know for the test. If you take the time to understand and learn them all, you will have minimal surprises on test day. 

I thought that the Manhattan Study Guides were the best to prepare me for the quantitative portion, because each topics was broken down into different strategy guides. Many of these topics I had to re-learn, so it was good for me to have detailed steps and explanations. 


Make a Study Plan that is Best for You 

Make a study plan - and STICK to it. Find one that works best for you, how you study, and your schedule. There are some great ones here. 


Things to Keep in Mind While Studying 

- Take a practice test before you start to study, so that you can see where you need the most work 
- Incorporate new vocabulary words into your daily language so that you can truly understand how to use the words 
- The ETS website has a plethora of FREE information, so utilize it if you are on a budget. Also, the Magoosh vocabulary apps are FREE if you want to use them instead of purchasing flash cards.  
- Take practice tests occasionally, and use your results to help you figure out what areas you need to work on 
- Simulate practice tests as if you were taking the real thing -- sit at a desk, without beverages, in actual clothes (not pajamas), and only take breaks when you are allowed to do so 

The Day of the Test 

- Have a good breakfast
- Pack snacks
- Pack Ibuprofen in case you get a headache
- TAKE EVERY BREAK THEY GIVE YOU
- Bring Water
- Do not bring any study materials into the building
- You don't need to bring pencils or paper - everything you need is provided


That's all! Let me know if you have any questions.

xo, Deija