Great Gifts Under $25

Hello Friends!  Today I am coming to you with another gift guide, this one filled with gifts under $25!  Incase you missed my last few holiday gift guides I have put up a $10 and under gift guide, and a Holiday Decoration Gift Guide. 

I love getting makeup for the holidays.  I think it is so fun to get a cute little makeup bag, plus some little either minis of products, or fun full sized products.  I have linked a few down below that I love (Too Faced Melted Lipstick, M.A.C. Lipstick, NARS Duo, Anastasia Brow Wiz).  if you have a friend who is not huge into makeup then I personally think you can't go wrong with a scarf or sweater (perfect for the season).   

If you are still struggling finding those gifts for friends or family I hope this gift guide helps.  I'll be putting up more as the holiday season continues, so come back to see other ideas.   

Holiday Decor to Gift and Keep

Every year after Thanksgiving my family starts decorating for the holidays.  The following Friday we always pick out our tree, and slowly start bringing up boxes of ornaments, garland, and fun festive trinkets.    I've rounded up some adorable little holiday decor pieces perfect for yourself or as a gift (to a friend, hostess, ect.)  I especially love all the candle scents and ornaments.  I think they make great, simple gifts around the holidays.  I recently purchased the skyline candle (first row, farthest on the right) at Anthropologie, and they all smell amazing! Fun garland or twinkle lights are perfect to hang up in a room (including college dorms) to brighten up your space.   These picks all happen to be from Anthropologie because honestly whenever I walk in their store I fall in love with everything.  

What are your favorite holiday decor pieces?  I love finding new fun pieces! 

Black Friday Sales

It is that time of year again, Black Friday.  I typically find this day wayyy to overwhelming, so I always either shop online from my couch or go to one of our local, smaller shopping centers after 3pm when the majority of shoppers are finished.  But for those of you ready to go ham online I have rounded up some great deals going on right now, from some of my favorite stores.   Also note most of these sales are in store and online (so if you prefer shopping in person then you can get some awesome deals).

Baublebar - 30% off with code THNX

Nordstroms - Select Styles on Sale no code necessary 

Tory Burch - Spend $250 and get 30% off with code THANKS

J.Crew - 30% off entire purchase (40% off sale styles) with code HOLIDAY

Anthropologie - 25% off entire store with code SHOPTOIT

ASOS- 30% off everything with code BLESSED

Other Notable Deals
Sephora and Ulta have special $10 steals
Lilly Pulitzer has gifts with Purchase

Perfect Thanksgiving Look

Dress - Anthropologie // Necklace - Kendra Scott // Shoes - Kate Spade (sold out, similar here and here) // Bracelet - Kate Spade 

I love any holiday that revolves around food.  Any excuse to cook, eat, and spend time with loved ones is all day is everything that I need in a holiday, so clearly Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorites.    I also love any excuse to get a little extra dressed up for the holidays!  When I saw this dress at Anthropologie I knew it was perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.  I paired it with one of my favorite pairs of wedges, a statement necklace, and my favorite berry lip color from Too Faced (plus Too Faced Chocolate Bar on my eyes...aka the BEST smelling eyeshadow palette, what better way to get yourself in the mood to stuff your face with food, amirite?)

I hope everyone has a happy and festive Thanksgiving! 

Shop look Outfit Below

Great Gifts Under $10

I'm sure we all know how hard it can be to find those perfect little stocking stuffer style presents for friends or family, that aren't too expensive, yet still make great gifts.  Here are some great gift ideas, all under 10$.  I personally have the e.l.f. Kabuki face brush, and for the price it is a great brush for powder foundations or blending.  I also love NYX lip products or M.A.C. minis (great for sampling products as well). 

Spotted

Sweater - J.Crew (on sale!) // Jeans - A.G. (similar less expensive version) // Flats - M.Gemi - sold out (similar here) // Purse - Louis Vuitton (less expensive version)

I love sweater weather.  There is something about wearing a cozy sweater, with a hot cup of coffee or tea that is just magical every year.  I especially love this sweater from J.Crew because it was a fun take on cheetah/leopard print.  I love the cool colors, mixed with the solid blue sleeves and back.   I have been wearing sweaters non-stop lately (and I don't plan on changing anytime soon!). 

Shop my outfit below:

Holiday Gift Sets: Beauty Edition

I always love the fun holiday sets that beauty brands come out with this time of the year.  From fun trial size sets to Luxe Advent Calendars and Palettes there are so many fun options to choose from.  If you have a friend or family member who loves makeup these gifts are (in my opinion) great.  They are also great for yourself if you are looking to try new products.  I picked up a few of the products below from Sephora, and the others I admired, but resisted (the struggle was real...)

Lip Sets 

1. Too Faced French Kisses Melted Lip Set

You get four beautiful colors of the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks 

I've never had a Too Faced lip product but I am now a huge fan.  They are super pigmented, and the color I wore to work last friday (Chihuahua) lasted for most of the day.  The colors in this set are Chihuahua (nude on me), Metal Peony (light pink),  Metal Macaroon (bright pink) and Berry (a deep berry)

2. Too Faced Le Petit Tresor

Not only are all these colors gorgeous, but unlike lots of "mini" sets out right now, all these lipsticks are full sized and they come with a super cute little glitter pouch.  The colors you get are Nude Beach, Taffy, and and Wham.  

3. Kat Von D Lolita Long Lasting Lip Duo 

In this duo you get a mini Lolita and Lolita II of Kat Von D's liquid lipstick.  Both are gorgeous colors that are perfect for holidays.  This was my first experience with any Kat Von D products and now I am a huge fan!  These are liquid lipsticks, they dry super fast, and stay on all day (even through drinking 2 cups of coffee and eating lunch) 

4. Bobbi Brown Lip Trio

Bobbi Brown lip products are fantastic.  In this set you get 3 of Bobbi Brown's Art-Sticks in three beautiful colors.  The colors in this set are Brown Berry, Harlow Red, and Electric Pink

5. Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Set

 Tarte also has great lip products!  This set comes with 5 gorgeous Tarte Lip Products in a variety of shades.  

Palettes 

1. Benefit Real Cheeky Set 

Benefit cheek sets are a must grab during the holiday season.  In this set you get 5 Benefit blushes/bronzers (Dandelion, Hoola, Coralista, Rocketuer, Sugarbomb) plus a trial size of They're Real mascara and push-up liner, and a sample size of Watts Up.  My only complaint with this is that the packaging isn't exactly to my style, but the products are great.  

2. Too Faced Le Grand Chateau 

Great gift idea for one person or 3 (as the palettes can be separated).  You get three eyeshadow/cheek palettes that come in an adorable house.  

3. Too Faced Le Grand Palais

The packaging on this one is beyond perfect.  It's the type of thing I would keep out year round as decoration in my room.  The colors I have heard are quite pigmented, and look gorgeous 

4. NARS x Steven Klein Blush/Contour Set 

Ok this one isn't exactly holiday themed...BUT IT IS AMAZING.  I'm not kidding, the blush selection is gorgeous and the bronzer/highlighter colors are perfect if you have a light-medium complexion.  I really love that this palette doesn't include Orgasm, just because it gave me a chance to try out new colors and I literally love them all. 

5. Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Eyeshadow Palette

Perfect for the friend who loves eyeshadow.  You get so many different colors on this palette, and I have heard amazing things about it.   I have one Kat Von D palette and her colors are pigmented and last all day so if this palette has the same quality as her others I know it will be amazing.  

6. Tarte Light of the Party

In terms of how much product you get this is probably the biggest bang for your buck.  You get a huge palette, a mini palette, and a sample of lights camera lashes.  I've seen this product in person, and the colors look gorgeous.  

7. Laura Mercier Master Class Essentials Holiday Eye Color Set

Warning: This one is a splurge!  But oh man it looks amazing.  If you have a really close friend who loves makeup then this is a great set for them!  This comes with everything you need to make beautiful looks.  

Holiday Sets

1. Philosophy Holiday Set

I love philosophy products, and their holiday sets every year smell amazing.   I always pick one up and use it throughout the year

2. Sephora Lash Set

A trial set of Sephora's most popular mascaras plus an eyelash curler

3. Tarte Brush Set

This set is a total steal.  You get 5 beautiful Brushes, perfect for daily use.  I also love the adorable packaging.  This one is definitely on my wishlist 

Advent Calendars 

1. Ciate Mini Mani Month

If you (or a friend) loves nail polish then this is the perfect gift!  24 days of nail polish or treatments.  Plus the packaging on this one is to die for! 

2. Benefit 12 Days of Gorgeous Set

Mini sets of Benefit products, great for someone who wants to try out this brand.  

3. L'Occitane Advent Calendar

I've been using L'Occitane products since I was in high school!  These types of gifts are great because you get to sample so many great products and see what you like.  

Latest Loves

My Barbour Waxed Beadnell Coat

Ok, this one isn't really a "new love" but I have been wearing it so much as the weather is transitioning (aka my mornings are freezing but the afternoons not so much still).  This coat is one of my favorites.  It keeps me warm and is so comfy to wear. 

 Here is how I've been wearing mine lately:

 

Laura Mercier Lipsticks

I recently picked up this lipstick in Pink Grapefruit and it has to be one of my favorite colors!  Yes it is quite summery, but California is still super warm so I can justify it. 

Treasure and Bond Jeans

I picked up two pairs of these a while back at Nordstorm and I love them!  They feel like designer quality, but are significantly cheaper than brands like Paige and AG.  They are comfortable and are very well made.

Here's a great distressed pair 

This pair and this pair are on sale

And these skinny ones

Illume Balsam and Cedar Candle

This candle smells like the holidays.  Need I say more?  I picked one up at whole foods and have been smelling it daily.   

 Roku

Ok this one is so random but, I bought this off of Amazon because now that I am living at home with a TV I wanted to stream netflix from our large TV (so much better than on my tiny laptop).  I have now been binge watching TV wayyyy more than I should admit.  Highly recommend a Roku to anyone looking for an at home netflix streamer.   All you need is a wifi connection and an HDMI cable.

Fall TV Shows: Quantico and Blood and Oil

ABC Family sunday is killing it this year.  Started watching Blood and Oil because of Chase Crawford (aka Nate Archibald from Gossip Girl) and Quantico because I majored in Security Studies in college and I am hooked on both! 

Holiday Cups

They're back (with a bit of controversy) and I could t be more excited.  I'm typically an iced coffee girl, but lately I've been loving half sweetened caramel macchiatos.

Weekend Shopping

So there are some awesome deals going on this weekend for shopping.  

First Nordstrom is having a clearance sale!
Nordstrom sales are great.  They have lots of classic pieces for fall and winter at some great prices.   

Sephora VIB Rouge Event.  20% off for all Rouge Members with code ROUGE20.  

This sale is great.  No exclusions, which means that all my favorite brands (including perfume and tools) are 20% off.  Great time to stock up for the holiday or purchase your tried and true products that you love.  Unfortunately you have to be a VIB Rouge to get the discount, but if you aren't you can still look around for great holiday gifts (they have some awesome ones right now). 

Swinging

Lucky me California last week (actually most of October) was in a major heatwave (though once November started this abruptly ended).  So I have been using the warm weather as an excuse to wear all my favorite dresses that can easily be transitioned into fall.  This Free People Swing dress has to be one of my favorites (and it is on sale and comes in a bunch of colors!).  It is so light weight and super flattering on.  I've always loved Free People swing dresses, but I have to say this has to be the best one I own.

My shoes are sold out online, so I've linked similar styles below.  

Blushin'

I personally think Blush is one of the most versatile colors.  It can be worn year round, it goes with almost every other color, and it flatters most complexions.  I was so excited to find this J.Crew blush top on sale in the perfect color.  The cut of this shirt is very flattering and the material is so soft.  I do recommend sizing down if you prefer these types of shirts more fitted.

Also this tote.  I've been dying to get a Mansur Gavriel since I saw one in a boutique on Newbury Street in Boston and was so excited to snag this one.  Yes it was a bit of a splurge, but I know I'll be using this bag for a long time.  I especially love the pink interior.  They are all sold out of this color online, but here are some similar (and more affordable ones) here and here.  

Currenlty Loving: Baublebar Collaborations

If you aren't aware Baublebar (aka one of my favorite places to shop for jewelry) is currently doing two amazing collaborations.  One with Olivia Palermo and the other with Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam (one of my favorite blogs).  Not only are all the pieces gorgeous but I have always loved that Baublebar is great quality at a fairly affordable price point.  I love the girly touches, and the decor items in Julia Engel's collection.  Here are some of my favorites from the collabs and I have also linked some of my all time favorite Baublebar products at the bottom.

Olivia Palermo

Julia Engel

All time favorites 

Good Investment

One of my favorite fall fashion pieces are vests.  They are so easy to wear, and go with just about any piece of clothing.  Living in California, throughout the month of October I maybe wore my puffer vest 3 times (we don't actually get fall until November).  

Here I styled it with this sweater, leggings, and tote 

So in the mean time I have been thinking up outfits I can't wait to wear once the weather cools down.  Here I've styled two of my favorite vests in fun, bold patterns.  Vests are so versatile, they go with shirts, sweaters, dresses, ect.  I've linked similar styles to everything below (p.s. the Free People dress is on sale!)! 

Changes

Hello,

Long time no blog.  I'm sorry I have been so bad about consistency lately.  I wish I had a better excuse than life getting in the way, but...  Adjusting to adult life has been interesting, and it has come with lots of changes.  I decided that with the many changes in my life, I wanted a reflection in my blog.

Not only is the new name and look more mature, but it reflects my adult life more than "Prep in the Sun" did.  I am going to focus this blog on the things I am passionate about, style, makeup, food, and fun.  I plan to work on setting up a consistent schedule (hopefully 3-4 times a week) and getting better about taking more outfit posts.  I plan to have my outfits reflecting what I actually wear (to work and on the weekends), and I hope to continue sharing exciting finds in my life.

Working full time 5 days a week has been interesting to adjust to, but I feel I have finally started to get the hang of it, and now I am ready to continue my creative outlet (I've honestly been missing it a lot-- my work life doesn't involve too much creativity).

If any of you are interested, why Bubbly and Bright?

1. I love bubby (aka Champagne)
2. Many have described my personality as bubbly
3. Claire in french means clear and bright
4. I love bright colors, bright sunny days, and bright futures
5. Aliteration

-xx
Claire

Currently Loving

1. Orgin's GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff

This product has been around for a long time, I just didn't think it was a necessity.   However I received a mini version from Sephora as a free gift, and it completely eliminated the puffiness around my eyes.  I was actually quite shocked with not only how fast it worked, but how effective it was.   I highly recommend this product and will be repurchasing once my free sample runs out!  Orgins has a whole line of products in this line I'm dying to try out! 

2. Clarisonic Peel Wash

Another free gift from Sephora that I've already repurchased.  I've been using this cleanser roughly every other day, with the goal of reducing the appearance of my pores and scars and it has been a holy grail find.  Over the past month and a half I have noticed a difference in the size of my pores and I have been very pleased!  

3. Illume Pumpkin Peppercorn Candle

Essentially fall in a jar.  Enough said (amiright?)

4. Flannel

I am aware that it is not fall in California (and won't be for another two months) But I'm loving flannel.  I don't know why this year I've been dying to wear it more than in the past, but I am.  Below are a few cute flannel shirts:

What's something you have been loving lately? 

Fall Wishlist

So here in California the weather has been in the 90's all week! But it hasn't stopped all our stores here from starting to stock plaid, flannel and sweaters.  While the weather is not cooperating I am enjoying shopping for clothing I can look forward to wearing later this year!  

Labor Day Whites

Dress - J.Crew (old- similar) // Necklace - Baublebar (old - similar) // Shoes - Rebecca Minkoff // Bracelet from Etsy (nearly identical)

Happy Labor Day!  I know this day marks the end of summer, but living in California summer weather doesn't really end until mid to late October.  In other words regardless of what Emily Post says I'm not putting my summer dresses away quite yet.  

I especially love light linen dresses.  They are perfect in the California heat.  I wore this particular dress out to Brunch.