12 Must Try Lip Shades

Are you trying to step your lipstick game up? Adding color to our lips never gets old and we always find ourselves in the beauty section of every department store trying out new lip colors. Earlier this week it was National Lipstick Day so we took to the "Instagram streets" to hear what some of your favorite lipstick shades are. You all shared some awesome shades, especially from one of our favorite makeup lines (MAC).  We cannot wait to try them out! Find the full list below and if you want to share more lip colors and brands to try, then leave a comment below.

1. Capricious by MAC
2. Fleshpot by MAC
3. Pretty Please by MAC
4. Rebel by MAC
5. Russian Red by MAC
6. Twig by MAC
7. Ruby Woo by MAC
8. Faux by MAC
9. Spice It Up by MAC
10. Pink In Paris by YSL
11. Pirate by Chanel
12. Sienne Brûlée by Mary Kay

Smooches!

Styled From Summer to Fall

Jeans, Floral Dress, Striped Maxi Dress, Hat, Plaid Shirt.

With the fall season right around the corner, we're getting super excited for a few of our favorite things... leggings, chunky knit sweaters, and pumpkin spice lattes.  But before we get ahead of ourselves, we're still enjoying the last few moments of summer!  That being said, now is a great time to start shopping for pieces that will carry you into fall.  Um, hello Nordstrom Anniversary Sale & end of season summer sales!  Here are a few key pieces that make an easy transition from now through October.

Jewel Tone Denim
We're loving these J. Brand jeans (on sale at Nordstrom until August 3rd!) in the pretty deep plum hue.  Wear them now with open toe shoes & your favorite tee or tank.  Wear them later with boots and a sweater or cardigan.  Deep colors are surprisingly versatile... try them out with floral print tops or chambray button downs too!

Short Floral Dress
A floral print mini dress in fall-friendly colors (this one also from Nordstrom is perfect, and 50% off) can shift from season to season.  Wear it now with flat sandals, add a denim vest if you want to mix it up.  Wear it come September with ankle booties, tights, and your favorite leather bomber jacket!

Striped Maxi Dress
Stripes are one of our favorite prints... they're in style year-round!  We like to give stripes a nautical feel in the summer months, and an edgier feel come cooler months.  This Vince maxi dress (on sale for 60% off) is a summer staple.  Once fall approaches, maxi dresses can still make a statement!  Think in layers, and your maxi dress transforms into a fabulous long skirt.  Add a long sleeve shirt (sweatshirt or sweater) on top of the dress.  An off shoulder shirt would be especially cute over the Vince dress, revealing the striped straps beneath!  Or, add a button down shirt (worn loose or tied at the waist-- in plaid if you feel daring).  Pair it with booties and a felt hat for an added touch!

Felt Floppy Hat
Speaking of felt hats, a floppy felt hat is a great accessory in both summer & in fall.  We love a simple felt hat (like this one by David & Young) to compliment any outfit.  Wear it now with flowy bohemian tops, and wear it later with just about anything!

Plaid Shirt
Tartan plaids are back for fall, in a big way.  Think classic & sophisticated when styling this year's plaid trend, instead of punk rock.  We love this slightly sheer chiffon plaid blouse from Forever 21.  Pair it with denim shorts or tucked in to a skater skirt for now, and wear it with jeans come fall.  You can even dress it up to turn it into business attire!

What are some of your favorite pieces to wear from summer to fall?  Share with us below!

TSS Favorite Things {July}

Sakura- Hat | Lipstick | Flats

Ali- Shoes | Makeup Palette | Earrings

Karen- Juicer | Sunglasses | Lotion

July has been a wonderful month for us and we've had so much going on!  We're currently working on some fun & exciting stuff for TSS on the back-end that we can't wait to share!  Still in this crazy month of July, we still found time to go shopping and give you our must-haves of July!

Sakura was determined to find a new lip color and found Twig by MAC!  It's a great color and goes wonderfully with MAC's lipliner called Whirl.  It has that perfect "Kylie Jenner" matte look and it's definitely a must-have color.  Ali is Miss Fashionista and you can never go wrong with black wedges!  These Halogen wedges goes perfectly with everything and you can dress it up or down!  Karen's been committed to eating healthy and let's just say, she's doing a fabulous job!  Getting a juicer can be a bit pricey, but with a great juicer like Breville, it's worth every penny!

We hope everyone had a wonderful month!

Groovebook...What's That?

Are you sort of obsessed with your Instagram photos? Do you wish you had them in physical photo form so that you can easily look through them without scrolling deep into your Instagram archives? Or, do you simply wish you could turn your photos on your phone into a complete physical photo album? We just discovered the perfect solution: Groovebook. This is possibly one of our most favorite discoveries. It is definitely a secret steal that you will want to take advantage of. Basically, this is how Groovebook works:

Step 1: Download the App to your phone.

• Click here for the App Store. 
• Click here for Google Play.

Step 2: Choose from up to 100 photos on your phone to include in your Groovebook.

Step 3: Upload the photos

Step 4: Confirm your choices and submit for your Groovebook!

The photos get printed in a stylish book for only $2.99. You can subscribe to get them monthly and you can cancel at any time without any penalties. Such a good deal, right?!

Check out the customer reviews! We really loved the feedback from this Groovebook user:

Love this app 

     

by Diana 2050

I was blown away by the quality of the first book of photos that I got and immediately ordered three more books. My fifth book has just been ordered and I can't wait to get those pictures. All within about 5 weeks. The actual quality of the photos is really good there's no fuzziness no haziness like I have received at a lot of the kiosks and at some online places. It will be very nice to be able to take a picture of someone, add it to my Groovebook and then request multiple copies right then and there on the spot so I don't have to remember who I promised copies to.

In reading earlier reviews I did notice that someone had complained about the photo paper being thin. While it is a much lighter weight paper it's nice for me because it makes my Scrapbooks a little lighter and easier to work with or hand to someone to look at.

I just upgraded the app and the newest upgrade added an account summary or purchase summary which tells you when the book was shipped out. Can't beat that!

Let the picture printing begin!

10 Apps We Can't Live Without

It's the simple truth: some apps just make life better.  Whether they enhance your life through photography or music, our phones would be lost without them!  We've compiled a list of apps that have become our favorites... and we're sure that they will be your favorites, too.

1. Afterlight

If we had to pick only one photo app to use, this would be the winner!  Afterlight is our go-to, all bundled up in one pretty app.  Crop, add borders, add filters, add exposure, brighten, sharpen, add light leaks... you name it, Afterlight does it.  Everything can be customized as well.  Under "light leaks," tap the rainbow color icon for more color options.  Use the adjusting bar at the bottom to lighten or increase the intensity on all features.  Play around on this app, and you will discover all of the beautiful custom edits you can do!

2. Word Swag

When adding text to a photo, look no further than Word Swag.  The font choices & layouts are of graphic designer quality, sure to showcase your message in style.  Use one of their provided backgrounds (they have plenty of cool ones) or upload your own photo to add text.  If you're stumped on what to say, they even have suggestions!  Like Afterlight, be sure to explore the various options and customizations to make the text uniquely yours.

3. Spotify

If you're not using Spotify, it's time to check it out.  And it's worth every penny for the upgraded version without advertisements (Spotify Premium) as well!  Every song, at your fingertips, all the time.  Create playlists, follow playlists in any music genre, and explore all artists.  Take it with you on the go, and sync Spotify over Bluetooth in your car too.  If you're looking for a place to start, check out our Summer Playlist and our EDM Workout Playlist! 

4. Dropbox

Too many pictures (or videos) your phone taking up space?  Don't want to delete all of them, just in case you ever need one of them?  Dropbox is your answer!  Download the app to your phone, and sync it with your photo album.  Once synched, delete photos on your phone with ease... knowing that they're stored right on your Dropbox app if ever needed!  Bonus: if you install Dropbox on your computer too, you can access the same photos from there as well.

5. Pinterest

We love Pinterest, it can entertain us for hours on end.  If you're not pinning from the app on your phone, it's time to give it a whirl.  Pinterest is faster, easier, and a whole new experience when viewed on the app!

6. PayByPhone

Paying for parking, but would rather not swipe your card at the meter?  Pay with ease using your credit card on your phone, using PayByPhone.  It's secure, and helps to save you time as well.  

7. Venmo

Need to pay your roommate for rent?  Does your bestie want to pay you for last night's pizza delivery?  Venmo is your answer, allowing you to pay or collect money from others with ease... no checks or cash required.

8. Yelp

Looking for a great restaurant or coffee house nearby?  Want to see what other people thought of those chicken enchiladas (with pictures too)?  The Yelp app is here to answer these questions, on the go.  Yelp is also great to use when you're traveling to a new city, and looking for suggestions of places to go try!

9. Etsy

If you enjoy shopping on Etsy, you're going to love the app!  Browse and discover new shops and items, and make purchases within seconds.  Add items to your Favorites list if you want to save them for later.  We love browsing Etsy for unique gifts, especially gifts that can be customized! 

10. Instagram

Because well, it's Instagram.

What are your favorite apps?  We would love to discover more!

Why We Love Entrepreneur Barbie

Nurse Barbie
Doctor Barbie
Firefighter Barbie.

Entrepreneur Barbie.

According to Entrepreneur, 41 percent of women are now their family’s primary breadwinners. Which only makes it fitting that Barbie makes a new addition to her over 150 fantasy careers with Entrepreneur Barbie!

You've probably seen on our social media outlets our recent love for the newly launched Entrepreneur Barbie. As young girls, we played with dolls and we were especially fond of the Barbie collection. Barbie has definitely expanded over these last couple of years to include more racial diversity and now career diversity and we couldn't be more happy. As young business women and entrepreneurs we recognize how much of a positive influence we have on society in reshaping the way women are seen in the business world. "We are BOSSES" as Co Founder Karen likes to put it and we are forces to be reckoned with.   For Co Founder Ali, being an Entrepreneur was a "childhood dream" and to have her very own Entrepreneur Barbie sitting on her office desk is a really humbling experience since Barbie has been such an influential figure. It's cool to call the shots in the business world while rocking your highest heels and cutest dress. Entrepreneur Barbie is a figure that's saying, "Women have a place in the business world". The great thing about Entrepreneur Barbie is they come in many different ethnic backgrounds and you can order them straight off of Amazon! Click below for some of our favorites!

Barbie Entrepreneur Doll

Barbie Entrepreneur Asian Doll

Barbie Entrepreneur African-American Doll

Barbie Entrepreneur Hispanic Doll

Also, don't forget: Who run the world? GIRLS.

Eyelash Extensions - Pros & Cons

Every girl loves long, thick, luscious lashes, but some people are just not blessed with them!  Glue-on strips may work on a girls night out to hit the town, but who has the time to put them on everyday?!  The lash serums are great, but there's obviously side effects to it, and once you stop using them they'll go back to your natural length.  Eyelash extensions have been around for several years and they're now popular than ever, but like any other lash lengthening solution, they have their downsides.  Some people love them, and some people couldn't handle them!

If you're considering getting lash extensions, you're gonna want to read this!

Pros
1. You never have to wear mascara again!
2. You can go shower and even swim with them on and still have beautiful long lashes.
3. You never have to curl (and ruin!) your lashes ever again!
4. You don't have to worry about them coming off- they'll last you a good 3/4 weeks!
5. Say goodbye to raccoon eyes.
6. Have long, thick lashes semi-permanently!
7. You get to relax and snooze at your lash appointment for about an 1-1.5 hours.
8. You can wear mascara if you want a dramatic look for a night out!
9. They look so natural!
10. They come in different length, color, and type (mink or silk fibers).

Cons
1. It's just another thing that you need to keep up with.  They're just like getting your nails done!
2. You can't use oil-based products- especially makeup removers.
3. Depending on where you get them done, they can get pretty pricey!
4. Make sure to do some research on a technician before you go with them, they can ruin your lashes if it isn't done right!
5. Can't rub your eyes.  If you have allergies, eyelash extensions may not be a good decision for you.
6. Once you get your lashes wet, you have to brush them out.
7. If you go too long without getting a fill, your lashes will grow out and all the lashes can get twisted.
8. Your lashes won't necessarily get ruined, but if you don't take care of them, they can wear down your real lashes.

Helpful Tips

• Average lash length is size 12.  They look natural, but long and pretty!
• Salons are going to be more expensive than independent technicians.
• Going to get them filled every 3 weeks is the perfect amount of time.
• Take a break from your lashes every now and then. 
• Full set appoints last about 2 hours, and fills usually last about an hour.
• Some people are allergic to certain glues, so make sure to ask your technicians about the glue that they use and previous experiences with other clients.
• Make sure your technician doesn't put anymore than 3 lashes per lash!  
• FYI, they're addicting.  Once you start, you can't stop!

Again, eyelash extensions aren't for everyone so try them out and see how you like them!