Austin, Tx. Travel Guide

   

         

               

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As a Dallas native, I never made my way down to Austin until now! I totally regret not going sooner but hey, better late than never, right? I planned this quick weekend trip for my boyfriends 21st birthday and we crammed in as many activities as possible. Here are my recommendations if you are planning a getaway for you and your man!  

WHERE WE STAYED: 

Embassy Suites in South Congress (Gotta love those Hilton Honors points)

This hotel was in the perfect location because it was right across the bridge from EVERYTHING! We didn't take the car anywhere. We Limed (electric scooter) to Rainey Street, 6th Street and all of our dinner spots.

BREAKFAST SPOTS: 

Voodoo Doughnuts

Such a fun (& sugary) spot to get breakfast! This is a must when you come to Austin and it's located on 6th Street!

Bird Bird Biscuit

A yummy meal if you like a hearty breakfast! Not only can you eat breakfast here, you can snag lunch too!

RESTAURANTS:

Franklin BBQ

When in Austin, BBQ is a must. Better hurry because Franklins only serves food until they sell out!

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill

This is one of the oldest buildings in Austin. It super relaxed and filled with comfort food! Also, they are known for their Sunday brunch and who doesn't love mimosas?

OTHER THINGS WE DID...

Rainey Street: 

The best food, bars and environment! The Austin vibe that you are looking for is on this street. There are countless food trucks and bars to keep you entertained. Ryan and I went to UnBARleviable and let me tell you...there was a slide. As you can probably imagine, that's where I spent most of my time. 

Paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake:

This was my absolute favorite thing we did in Austin. I loved being on the lake but also getting to experience the city at the same time. This lake goes right through the city and the scenery is amazing. Not to mention you get in a great workout!

Westin Rooftop Pool:

Getting to switch up the vibe into a more luxurious feel was much needed. We were exhausted from going, going, going the whole weekend so getting to take a few hours and just relax while enjoying the view was much needed. 

We had the best time getting away for the weekend! Thanks for checking out this blog!

XOXO, Demi

DUPE, There it is! (under $25)

Hey, babes! If you love designer products but don't want to break the bank, here are some of the BEST Amazon dupes...but here's the catch, everything is UNDER $25! I love a good deal and I know you ladies do as well. Like always, click the pic to shop! I also listed the prices below for reference! Happy shopping!  

Cross cable bracelet- $19.89

Cable/pearl cuff bracelet- $16.99

Mini backpack-$20.99

Leather belt- $15.89

Checkered makeup bag- $22.78 

Checkered zip up key chain pouch- $15.78

Trifold checkered wallet- $17.99

Apple watch band- $17.99

Gold love ring- $4.95

I hope y'all get the looks you love, for the price you want! 

XOXO, Demi

How to stay motivated

Hey, babes! I have had several emails requesting me to write on how I stay motivated with school, blogging, and just life in general. Well, I'm here to tell you, as much as I'd love to say that I stay motivated every single day, I don't. Some days I just want to stay in bed, my dishes pile up in the sink and I do absolutely nothing. Yeah, this isn't something that I'm proud of but I personally believe everyone needs some days to just do NOTHING. Usually, these days occur on the weekend when I have things that I could be doing but don't necessarily have to get done. I am all for working hard but when Saturday comes along, I like to just have a movie day (hopefully with some ice cream included).

Like I have stated in the past, school is my number one priority and once my school work is taken care of I feel more free to do things like blog and hit the gym! The way I stay motived with school is knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I know that if I work hard now, it will pay off later.

Just like anything, you need to have small goals in place and then a larger goal set for a later date. As you reach these small goals, it will motivate you to reach your main goal. One of the ways I do this is by keeping track of things in my planner. At the beginning of the week, I write down one big thing that I would like to accomplish so that during the week I can work toward that goal. This little trick keeps me motivated throughout the week so I can have those lazy days on the weekend.

Staying organized is the key here, ladies. Write down your tasks so you know what needs to be achieved and then cross that task off your list. Also, I'm not sure if it's just me, but having a cute planner and cute pens just make me want to write things down! I'll link some of my super cute items down below. 
 
If y'all have any tips or trick on how to stay motivated, please let me know!

Thanks for reading, babes!

XOXO, Demi 

Goin' out glam

Happy Thursday everyone! This is one of my favorite looks and it is so quick and easy. Every single time I wear this makeup look, I get asked so many questions about my eyeshadow and lip color. I think the key to this look is a darker eye shadow and a lighter lip. It makes for the perfect combo!

For my shadow, I used Marc Jacobs Fantascene 790 palette (Dark Brown). You can use any deep brown color from any palette to achieve this look! I applied this in my crease and took it upward towards the corner of my brow to get a more smokey brown vibe. I then used one of my favorite products of all time, Glitter and Glow liquid eyeshadow by Stila. I use the shade "Rose Gold Retro", for the perfect shimmer on my lid. I don't apply a base color on my lid because I feel like this product does a lot better when directly applied to your skin. After that, I do my basic eyeliner and mascara and BOOM you're done.

For my lip, I use an NYX lip liner and I fill in my lips with this as well. I finish my lip look with the NYX Butter Gloss in "Eclair".

 This is such an easy way to turn your day makeup into your night makeup. Just a few changes to your everyday look and you have your goin' out glam!


P.S.- Stila is having a huge sale on their products right now!

XOXO, Demi

Ulta Haul

This past weekend I picked up a few things from Ulta! I heard great reviews about these items and I'm excited to share them with you guys. All of these items are affordable but high quality! Also, Ulta has a 20% off of one item coupon on their website now! (Click here to reach their coupon!)  

                                     

 Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Pressed Powder-$32

I LOVE Tarte products so I wanted to test this out! I got it in the shade "Light neutral". I am very fair skinned and this matches me almost perfectly. Not only is it a great product, but it comes in the cutest compact with a sponge applicator. "Kind is the new pretty" is on the top of the compact and I think that is the best reminder when you do your makeup everyday.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation- Dewy- $7.99

This is such a great every day product. It is super light and makes my skin have a very dewy appearance.  I have used this foundation since high school and love it for working out, or just being able to apply it quickly and get full coverage.  Right now Ulta has all Maybelline skin products on sale for BUY ONE GET ONE HALF OFF! RUNNN! I got two of these!

Colourpop Ultra Glossy Lip-$7

I got this gloss in the color "Atta Girl". This is an amazing gloss but I was a little disappointed because the applicator brush is super stiff. I think the more I use it, the more flexible it will get. Even though I wasn't happy with the applicator, I still think this product is worth it because the gloss is just that good and it's a great price. I love this color because I can put it over any lipstick and get that amazing glossy glow!

 

 No Filter Concealer -$6.50

Y'all, I L.O.V.E. this concealer. Like, there is no going back after you use this and it's only $6.50!! Are you kidding!? I love this product because a little goes a long way. I apply under my eyes, cupids bow, and a little under my cheekbones to get that defining look! You guys need this product, I promise

 

 

Revolution Baking Powder-$8 

This is a holy grail product. I got this product in the shade "Banana Light". Anywhere I apply concealer, I set it with this powder. You can go out and buy $40 setting powders but let me tell you, girlll, you're wasting your money! 

 

As always, you guys can click the title of the product to reach the link! Let me know what you guys think of the products! Happy shopping, babes! 

 XOXO, Demi

Keepin' It Real

Hey babes, welcome back to my blog. Today, I just want to keep it real with you guys. These last few weeks have been, well, CRAZY. Between finals, getting a puppy, trying to keep up with the blog, and most importantly keeping up with my family and friends, I have struggled to do it all. My boyfriend is moving to start a new job this weekend and we have been packing/running a million errands but I just wanted to sit down and take a second to talk to you guys.

I absolutely LOVE blogging and it's my passion. Although this is my passion, school is my number one priority right now. Finals kicked my booottayyy this semester and I put a lot of time and energy into studying and preparing for my tests. With that being said it is now SUMMER (Whoop whoop!)  and although I will be taking summer classes, I'll have way more time to do what I love- blogging!

 Throughout this time away from the blog, I have still been working to build relationships with companies, boutiques, and photographers and I am so excited for you guys to see these collabs coming up within the next 2 weeks! I'm so happy that I can be 100% me on here and represent brands that I love and that I know are great quality.

I also want you guys to know that it is OKAY to take a step back so that you can regroup. Whether you're in high school, college, or a working adult, YOU are in control and if you need to prioritize things in your life, then do it! One of my biggest downfalls is trying to do too much. (Yes, there is such a thing as too much, ladies.) I want to please everyone and try to get as much done as possible. I have learned this past year that YOU are the most important thing in your life. Staying healthy and working on yourself mentally and physically goes a long way. When you take care of yourself, you do better work and the final product is amazing! Always prioritize YOU first and don't let anyone tell you differently.

 Thank you guys for always supporting me even when I have to take a small step back. I'm so excited to share my latest finds with you guys all summer long!

 In the meantime, check out my Pinterest (demileedavenport) for all the latest style inspo, home inspo, and beauty tips.

 XOXO, Demi

My "Just Peachy" Makeup Look

 

Hey, babes! I have been MIA for about a week... My best friend had a baby (she's stinkin' adorable) and Texas Tech went to the national championship so I took some time off! I wanted to jump back into things with a step by step tutorial of one of my favorite makeup looks for summer. This look includes several products that I absolutely can't live without.  I'll be sure to link all the products I use at the bottom of this post! Let me know what you guys think!

1.    Primer! I use MAC Prep & Prime. This primer keeps my face super hydrated throughout the day and it helps my makeup stay on longer. I apply this all over my face and onto my eyelids. A little goes a long way with this product!

2.    I then move to my eyeshadow. I do my eyeshadow before my face makeup because whatever fallout I have from the eyeshadow; it gets cleaned up when I apply my foundation. For this look, I use the Marc Jacobs 790 Fantascene palette. This palette has the BEST pigment and perfect summer colors. For my base I use a lighter color in the color "Flesh", in my crease I use "Fantasy", and in my outer crease I use the darker color, "For More". After I blend those colors I mix the two shimmer colors (I'm all about glitter/shimmer shadow) and apply over my lid to get that perfect peachy color.

3.    I then do a super thin line of eyeliner on the top lid. I have been using a liquid liner until I found the self-sharpening “Maneater” liner by Tarte. I get this in black and I absolutely LOVE it.

4.    I also use a white eyeliner on my bottom waterline just to create a brighter look. I feel like this also makes my eyes look bigger! I use the basic Sephora brand in, “White Snow”.

5.    I then prime my lashes with the Lancôme Clis Booster XL.  THIS IS A HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT. I will never stop using this. Occasionally, I wear fake lashes but almost every single day this product gives me the lashes that I want with just my natural lashes.

6.    I then use Tarte's, “Lights, Camera, Action” mascara to finish my lash look. This mascara and the primer together are like a MAJOR power couple.

7.    Now we are moving to my face! For this look, I used It Cosmetics CC Crème. I love this product because it is super light but gives you full coverage. It also has an anti-aging serum and is SPF 50. I’m so bad at wearing sunscreen so this is a major score for me.

8.    I then use just a little of Laura Geller's Baked and Balance powder to set my foundation. I don’t like using a ton of this because it’s pretty heavy on my skin.

9.    Concealer baby!! I use the NYX HD Studio concealer every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s a special occasion or the grocery store, this is my go to and its super cheap! I apply this under my eyes, under my cheekbones and a little in between my brows. I blend this product with a beauty blender. (Always blend upward!!)

10.    I set my concealer with the Anastasia Contour Kit (light to medium). I use the more yellow color because my skin has a more yellow tone to it. I then contour the rest of my face with the darker bronzer in this kit. I contour on my cheekbones, jawline, nose and on my forehead closer to my temples.

11.    Then I go in with the Laura Geller, “Tropic Hues” blush. My mom actually got me hooked on this and once I started using it, there was no going back! Amazing!

12.    Along my cheekbones, nose and above my brows, I use MAC’s, “Soft and Gentle” highlighter. I use this highlighter every day and it has lasted me at least a year now.

13.    My brow definer by Anastasia is another MUST HAVE product. This makes doing my brows so simple and quick. I get this product in, “blonde”. I’d say get a shade lighter than whatever your hair color is ,so you don’t have unnatural looking brows…scary.

14.    FINALLY, LIPS! I love experimenting and using different combinations of colors to get the right lippy! My liner is NYX, “Pale Pink”. This is a good everyday liner and will match well with any gloss. Then I use Tarte’s, "Colada” lipstick. This is also a great everyday lip for any skin tone. Then to finish it off, my all-time favorite gloss, the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in, “Fenty Glow”. This lip gloss will change your life.

Thanks for checking out my first makeup blog babes! 

If you want to see a video or like my look, comment or email me!

XOXO, Demi

Products:

Primer-MAC Prep and Prime

Eyeshadow-Marc Jacobs Palette

Black eyeliner- Maneater by Tarte

White Eyeliner- Sephora Glide Liner

*Eyelash Primer- Lancôme Clis Booster XL

*Mascara- Lights, Camera, Action by Tarte

Foundation- It Cosmetics CC Creme

Powder- Laura Geller Baked and Brighten

*Concealer- NYX HD Studio

Contour Kit- Anastasia Contour Kit

Blush-Laura Geller Blush-n-brighten in, "Tropic Hues"

Highlighter-MAC Soft and Gentle

*Brows- Anastasia Brow Definer

Lip Liner- NYX Pale Pink

Lipstick- Colada by Tarte

*Lip Gloss- Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb

Mid-week pick me up

Happy Wednesday, babes! 

I know my blog is about everyday fashion and beauty but this quote really spoke to me and I wanted to share. There are no rules here right?

As I was scrolling through Pinterest last night, I saw this picture and a million thoughts ran through my head. Most importantly, I want to be successful and productive every single day. I want to be that person that wakes up at 5 am and runs 3 miles everyday... haha maybe not 3. Maybe 1...or none. We will start by eating a decent breakfast in the morning instead of just iced coffee and then once I can handle that, I'll work on the other stuff. Anyways, I want you guys to read that quote again and visualize yourself as your BEST self then get out in the world and be that person. If you don't do it for yourself then it's not going to happen. If everyone else disappeared at the end of the day, the only things you would have left are what you created for yourself. This is why you can't worry about what others think. YOU do YOU, babe! 

Work on being present every. single. day. Don't just go through the motions anymore. Say hi to someone new, eat something different for lunch, anything to just change it up a little. I think this is my biggest issue, being present. I just go through the motions but I want to push myself to be better. Sometimes I think, if I do something different will others judge me? Just like you, I understand the pressure to conform to society but if you branch out, so many great opportunities will come from it. Anything you set your mind to is achievable. If you choose to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you will feel so empowered because you showed up as your highest self that day.  

Thanks for reading this post, babes. Make sure to comment or shoot me an email if you have any thoughts or advice on this topic!

Get out there and be the best version of you, always!

XOXO, Demi