Skulls + Stripes // GIVEAWAY

Top: c/o Groopdealz
Shorts: American Eagle
Backpack: Fjallraven via Shopbop
Shoes: Converse via Shopbop
Bracelets: c/o I Am Jes

Hello lovely people.

Is it embarrassing that I'm currently listening to the Backstreet Boys Never Gone album while I'm writing this post? No. No it's not.

First, I'd like to give a shoutout to Tara Brooke for doing a bomb.com job on my new hurrrrr. I actually got it done a couple weeks ago but haven't gotten a chance to post any outfit pics of it until now! I wanted to go lighter for the summer and make some new layers and she did JUST that. If you're in the Provo area and you're looking for an amazing hair wizard, hit her up! Make sure you tell her that Ariel sent you :)

Second, I knowwww this is the second outfit post in a row that I'm wearing this backpack but I can't help it if I'm obsessed. #sorrynotsorry

Anyway, now on to the main event.

As you guys know, Connor and I went to Lagoon, a local amusement park, for our 3-year anniversary. Today I'm sharing with you folks the outfit that I wore for that adventure! I of course had to dress for comfort so I went with a classic striped tee and denim shorts look. I got this striped tee from a daily deals site called Groopdealz (use the code ARIEL10 to get 10% off your purchase) and it's been my new favorite thing everrr. I even mentioned and talked a little bit about it in my Pinterest Haul video yesterday (which you can view HERE). The only thing I wish I substituted for something comfier are my Chuck Taylors. As trendy and cool as they are, they're not the most comfortable things in the world--I'm sure you guys know. However, how stoked are we for the newer, comfier line they're coming out with??

My last favorite detail about this outfit are of course these cute bracelets! These dainty little things are from an Etsy shop called I Am Jes and they sell different varieties of bracelets just like this! I have freakishly tiny wrists so wearing any sort of bracelets are basically impossible for me because they literally slip right off, but these bracelets have an adjustable slide closure so I can make them the perfect size! Also, how cool are the little skulls attached to them? I feel like I'm channeling my inner Aria Montgomery whenever I wear them.

Cheers.

Pinterest Inspired Clothing Haul + VIDEO

Hey cutieeezzz.
Happy Wednesday!

I hope you enjoy today's Pinterest-Inspired Clothing Haul video! I feel like Pinterest is the perfect place to get outfit inspiration (and major outfit envy, haha). I decided to show you folks some clothes I got because of some Pins I've seen around lately! If you like this video, make sure you give it a thumbs up! Love you guys!



I post videos every Wednesday so make sure you SUBSCRIBE to stay updated!

Cheers.

Crossing Bridges

Top: c/o Aeropostale
Bra: c/o Aeropostale
Pants: c/o Aeropostale [similar]
Shoes: Converse via Shopbop
Necklace: c/o Song Yee Designs
Sunglasses: c/o zeroUV [similar]
Backpack: Fjallraven via Shopbop

Hello beautiful people!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Can you believe July is coming to an end this week already? Like, where did you go Summer? As much as I love love looove Fall fashion, I'm not hating the need to bundle myself up every time I step outside the house. So for now, I'll just be soaking up all the sun I can get and swimming in every body of water I can find.

Sorry I'm short of words today! I've been spending most of my days lying on the couch with the swamp cooler on because of how hot it's been lately, so I don't really have anything exciting to report about my life, haha.

Cheers to another week!

Face Forward x Clinique

The other day I was listening to Fall Out Boy's Save Rock and Roll (which is an amazing song btw, and it features Elton freakin' John) and a line in the lyrics really stuck out to me:

"You are what you love / Not who loves you"

In this day and age, our success seems to be based on the opinion of others. Your coolness factor is dependent on how many social media followers you have. In the fashion blogging world, companies will only want to work with you if you have a high amount of monthly views and unique visitors on your blog. I've even met people who don't give me the time of day in person, but as soon as they see my Instagram, they suddenly want to be become BFFs (and my numbers on social media aren't even that impressive).

We allow numbers and statistics to define who we are. If you post a picture you really love to Instagram, but it doesn't get as many likes as you want, you suddenly don't love that picture anymore. If you post a video to YouTube and it doesn't get over a hundred views in the first 30 minutes, you begin to think what's wrong with you.

I think it's human nature to want to be loved.

But it's when we begin to obsess over being publicly loved and adored--that's when it becomes toxic.

The only opinions in life that should matter are your family's, your close friend's, and most importantly, your own.

I love putting outfits together and documenting them on my blog. I love talking to a camera and editing that footage into a video. I love fashion. I love beauty. I love sushi and pizza and hot dogs and cuddling on the couch watching Netflix. I love being myself.

What I love should define who I am.

Not numbers. Not statistics. And certainly not the opinion of others.

My goal is to choose the things that make me happy. Choose to have people in my life who uplift me, not pull me down. If I were able to talk to my future self and she told me she was still doing what she loves and is purely happy, that's the only measure of success I need. My goal is to do what I love and love what I do.

Face Forward, my friends! Make sure the life that you're living is as bright as your future.

Be sure to follow @Clinique on social media and see what others are doing to #FaceFoward to a better future!

Cheers.

Thanks to Clinique for sponsoring today's post! #FaceForward

5 Things I've Learned About Marriage + VIDEO

Hey beautiful people!
Happy Wednesday!

In today’s video I’m talking about the 5 things I’ve learned about marriage! Yesterday (July 21st) was my 3-year wedding anniversary with my amazing husband Connor, so I thought it would be fun to list some things I’ve picked up and adjusted to over the past years. Things get pretty real in this video so I hope you enjoy it and maybe relate to some things! If you like these kinds of chit-chat videos, make sure you give it a thumbs up!



I post videos every Wednesday so make sure you SUBSCRIBE to stay updated!

Cheers.

Cheers to Three Years

We did it!

Connor and I completed Year 3 of Marriage.

I did this list last year on our second anniversary so I thought it would be fun to do an updated one--
Since our two-year anniversary, we've:

//LIVED in the same cozy apartment
//TRAVELED to Hawaii, Seattle, and Bryce Canyon
//CELEBRATED my mom retiring from her job
//WELCOMED a new niece into our Hamilton clan
//CHANGED Connor's occupation
//STARTED a YouTube channel
//WATCHED way too much reality television
//CUDDLED Samson all day every day
//LEARNED how to uplift one another
//LOVED each other more and more every day

Nothing too crazy has happened to us this past year--if anything, a lot has happened/changed for our families! Connor's older brother and his wife added a new niece to their adorable family! Now they have THREE cute girls to keep their hands full! Also, my mom survived two surgeries (both of which I traveled home to be with her for) and finally retired after many years of being a high school teacher. I would say that this was our year of being supportive of our families. We had many things to celebrate and many things to endure!

I've loved every little second of being married to Connor. He has taught me to be more patient, kind, brave, loving, and determined. I love who I am when I'm with him and who I've become thanks to him. I still can't believe I'm lucky enough to be the one who gets to spend the rest of my life with him! Look at me and my sappy self, haha.

Anyway, if you want to follow along on our anniversary adventure today, make sure you add me on Snapchat: @heyitsaray

Three years down, forever to go!

Cheers to Three Years.

Plants are Friends

Tee: PacSun [similar]

Leggings: Madewell

Plaid Shirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Converse via Shopbop

Sunglasses: c/o LuLu*s

Watch: c/o Feral Watches

Hey party people.

Every time I read this shirt I want to keep going and say "...Not food" (Finding Nemo, anyone?). I've been seeing this tee all over Pinterest lately so when I saw it in PacSun, I knew I had to make the purchase (it helped that they were having a sale, too haha). I'm SUCH a t-shirt girl because of how inevitably comfortable I feel in them! I've recently added a bunch of fun t-shirts to my wardrobe that I'm excited to share with you folks via a Clothing HAUL video, so look out for that! Also, sorry not sorry for being a 90s kid with my plaid shirt chillin' on my waist. ;)

TOMORROW is Connor and I's THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

Like, whaaaaaaaaat?

Has it seriously been THREE years since we got married? Time seriously flies when you're busy raising a dog (jk...but really). We celebrated early this past weekend by spending the evening at Lagoon, a cute amusement park here in Utah! Connor and I have lived here for 5+ years and we never once have gone so it was necessary that we finally did! :) We had tons of fun being kids at heart riding roller coasters, eating funnel cakes, and celebrating being in love. It was definitely one to remember.

Tomorrow on our actual anniversary, Connor took work off so we could spend the entire day together! We are planning on hiking Stewart Falls with Samson in the morning and then enjoying the rest of our day at Seven Peaks waterpark! We just got our Pass of All Passes the other day so we're excited to start using them as much as we can this summer. Don't forget to follow me on Snapchat @heyitsaray to sneak a peek at our adventures tomorrow! Yayyy for celebration!

Have a great Monday, folks!

ps. If you haven't yet, be sure to check out my recent YouTube video! Feel free to subscribe because I post videos every Wednesday!

Cheers.

Down by the river...

Top: c/o Indy Brand
Shortalls: c/o Emma's Mode
Shoes: Converse via Shopbop
Necklace: c/o Song Yee Designs

Whether it's a river, lake, pool, ocean, or pond, I'm always down to spend my summer near a body of water. I guess that's what happens when you grow up on an island! I also have this recent obsession with wearing shortalls to lakes/rivers/pools/etc. I wore this pair from Emma's Mode to the river (where I took these pics) and also to the pool for some Fourth of July festivities the other weekend. Not to mention I wore my Billabong shortalls to the lake in this post! I just feel like a cute pair of shortalls are the perfect swimsuit cover-up because they're a little fancier than just wearing a pair of shorts! Summertime also makes me nostalgic and what's more of a throwback than any kind of denim overalls/shortalls. :)

I'm also obsessed with this Mermaid Life top from Indy Brand because, duh, I was named after a mermaid. Need I say more? It's comfy and light and perfect for summer. You can find this top and many more like it on Indy Brand--my favorites are this cactus tee and this dino tee. They seriously have THE comfiest shirts ever along with the coolest designs evaaaa. Check it out!

Tonight Connor and I are celebrating our 3-year anniversary! It's a few days early but since our anniversary this year falls on a weekday, we decided celebrating it a weekend early only made sense. We are going somewhere super fun so if you want to stalk our adventure tonight, make sure you follow my Instagram @arielrayhamilton and my Snapchat @heyitsaray (I'll probably be flooding my Snapchat Story with pics and vids all night)!

ps. If you haven't watched my Everyday Makeup Routine/Tutorial video yet, check it out HERE!

Cheers.

Everyday Makeup Tutorial + VIDEO

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!!

I have to say, Wednesdays are becoming my favorite day of the week now since it means a new video!

In today’s video tutorial, I’m showing you how I do my everyday makeup routine! I keep things very simple and easy because I don’t like spending too much time in the morning focusing on my makeup. Anything to make life less hectic, right? ;) I hope you enjoy the video and give it a thumbs up if you feel like it! Also, let me know in the comments what you would like to see in a future video! I love hearing feedback from you folks xx

I post videos every Wednesday so be sure to follow along and SUBSCRIBE! :)

Cheers.

Pool Day, All Day.

Dress: Old Navy [ONLY $25!!!]
Hat: Cotton On [similar]
Tote: Old Navy [similar]
Sandals: c/o Aeropostale
Necklace: c/o Fifth & Mae

If there is any place I want to be spending the most this summer (besides the beach), it's the pool. For the Fourth of July weekend we spent most of it at Connor's family reunion hosted at his uncle's brand spankin' new house ft. a pooooool. I literally spent three straight days swimming in the pool, lying by the pool, or getting ready to go to the pool. I must have gotten five shades darker just from those few days (don't worry I SPF'd) and I regret nothing. I made Connor promise me that our future dream home will have a bomb.com pool that comes stocked with swan, flamingo, and pretzel floaties.

I love swimsuit cover-ups because it's like being able to wear two outfits at once. You've got your cover-up, then your swimmie--and you can go back and forth as much as you want. I found this particular cover-up at Old Navy and I knew I had to have it the moment I saw it! I just love the pattern, the fit, and the fabric so much. And it goes perfectly with my floppy hat and beach tote! I just want to live in summer dresses and cover-ups all season long--is that too much to ask for?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Since I binge watched both Star-Crossed and The Secret Circle on Netflix in like two days (then whined over how they only made ONE season of each show), I've been feeling out which show I want to obsess over next. I tried watching Melissa & Joey but I almost fell asleep during the first ten minutes so that was a NO. Then I tried Baby Daddy and instantly fell. in. love. I think the premise of the show is super cute and all the actors/actresses are so good looking (what the heck Hollywood)! I'm already on Season 4 and it's been maybe... three days? Whoops. It's seriously that addicting. Also, Chelsea Kane is adorbzzz.

If you like funny, cheesy, adorable TV shows, def give this show a try :)

Have a fancy Tuesday, friends!

Cheers.

VIIcode O2M Oxygen Eye Mask

Happy Friday folks! :)

Hope you all had an amazing week and have fun plans for the weekend! Connor and I saw the Minions movie last night sooooo I'd say our weekend is off to a pretty amazing start. Today I'm sharing a product that has helped me look and feel more refreshed and energized in the morning. It's the VIIcode O2M Oxygen Eye Mask and I have to say, it's pretty life changing!

The VIIcode O2M Oxygen Eye Mask uses oxygen-producing plant extracts to repair the skin around your eyes and prevent wrinkles, crow’s feet and other similar issues. By using this mask, your skin cells get additional energy and a stronger capacity to repair and rejuvenate, resulting in smoother, healthier, prettier skin! It's best for dark circle, under eye bags, puffy eyes, and fine lines and wrinkles.

One box comes with six sets of gel eye masks that you use 2-3 times a week. Since you can keep them on for up to 8 hours, I slept with them on. My favorite thing about the masks was the cool, refreshing sensation it gave under my eyes when I first put them on. They made me feel relaxed and soothed my tired eyes, helping me fall asleep quicker! Probably the only complaint I really had about them is that they fell/peeled off sometimes during the night. I would wake up with one half off my face or one completely gone and lost in the covers somewhere. This might probably be mostly my fault though because I toss and turn a lot during the night and I sleep on the side with my cheek against the pillow--so the masks probably peeled off largely due to that. When the masks did survive through the night on my face, I woke up feeling awake and energized, which is saying a lot for me because I am NOT a morning person. *Tip: Keeping the eye mask in the fridge a few minutes before you use it helps you get an even cooler feeling and a better absorption of the active ingredients.

Below is a Before and After comparison of wearing six sets of eye masks (one box) over the course of three weeks.

The Before photo is the morning before I wore my first eye mask. I feel like my eyes are naturally a little baggy with some dark circles because I am the worst sleeper. I go to sleep late and I wake up late--which is the perfect recipe for looking and feeling like a zombie in the morning (and pretty much throughout the entire day). When I don't get a good nights sleep (which is pretty often), I feel really sluggish during the day. The After photo is the morning after I wore my sixth set of eye masks at the end of Week 3. My bags and dark circles were almost completely gone! Not only did I look awake in the morning, but I FELT awake which is something I hadn't felt in FOREVER! It's crazy how something as small as feeling awake in the morning can help you become extremely productive throughout the day! Even after only Day 1 of using the masks, I had already felt a difference in the way my eyes (and brain) felt.

Three boxes (18 masks) are a full course of treatment and if I got these great results with only using one box, I can't imagine how awesome three boxes would be! I would definitely recommend giving the VII O2M Oxygen Eye Mask a try--especially if you're not a morning person like me. Hopefully they'll help you work towards a brighter, healthier, happier life! :) Check them out HERE.

Have a great weekend, friends!

Cheers.