Post-holiday, pre-semester laziness.

Hello my dear readers!

I'd like to apologize for the unannounced (and genuinely unplanned) hiatus I took from blogging over the holiday and break from school. I haven't been SUPER busy, but I've been enjoying family, both mine and Dylan's. I had a wonderful Christmas, and I got some great stuff:

Prada's perfume isn't actually produced by Prada, which is a major fur powerhouse. It's actually produced by Puig, which is a completely vegan fragrance company. This is "Candy" and it smells fantastic!

I also got a really cute elephant  necklace, an plug-in for my iPhone that looks like the receiver for a corded phone from the 90's, and some clothes. With my Christmas money I ended up buying a TON of music (which I'll get to later), Windows 8 (love it), took my mom to see Les Mis for her birthday, a TON of vegan makeup I'll review in a future post, and these babies:

$23 at Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse in Newport News. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

New Years was fun, Dylan and I spent it together, which is nice because we had to Skype our New Year's kiss last year :(. It was pretty low-key, so I ended up just wearing skinny jeans, a sparkly tank top, and a baggy cardigan (curses for me not taking a picture of it!).

Now on to some other news:

First of all: GO SEE LES MISERABLES. I've seen it twice now. I hardly ever cry in movies, but I was bawling. It's so beautiful! I want to name my daughter Fantine. (The soundtrack is, needless to say, wonderful as well).

Second: Go listen to Marina and the Diamonds. Yes, as usual I'm late to the party and they've been around for a while, but I bought both of their albums within 24 hours. So good. 

Third: I bought a lot of Urban Decay and e.l.f makeup, not all of which I've been able to try. Once I have, I anticipate a Cruelty-free Beauty Part III post in the works! :)

Fourth: I'm thinking about doing a 30 Day Self-Esteem Challenge (links to a Tumblr that I greatly enjoy; follow her for great advice and social commentary!), both on here and my personal Tumblr. Each day I'll answer a question with something I enjoy about my body, my personality, or my interactions with others. I think it sounds fun and uplifting, and I encourage all of you to partake as well!

Fifth: Feel free to follow my tumblr (linked above), as well as my Twitter, Pinterest and my instagram: AlexndraRae! 

I hope you all had a great holiday season, and for those readers about to start their semesters like me, good luck and study hard!

<3, Ali