• About
  • Contact
  • Gallery
  • Activism
  • Music
  • Art
  • Films
  • Places
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • ESSENTIALS
  • THOUGHTS
  • WORDS
  • HEALTH
  • FOOD
  • PLANTS
  • SCRAPED SHINS
  • CAT CULT
  • COLLEGE
  • MISC.
  • WEBSITES
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • ACTUAL BRUISED KNUCKLES
  • ZINE
  • PRESS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Gallery
  • Activism
  • Music
  • Art
  • Films
  • Places
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • ESSENTIALS
  • THOUGHTS
  • WORDS
  • HEALTH
  • FOOD
  • PLANTS
  • SCRAPED SHINS
  • CAT CULT
  • COLLEGE
  • MISC.
  • WEBSITES
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • ACTUAL BRUISED KNUCKLES
  • ZINE
  • PRESS
BRUISED KNUCKLES

ESSENTIALS

Bruised Knuckles 2016 Holiday Gift Guide By Susan McLean

12/19/2016

2 Comments

 
Check out Bruised Knuckles' 2016 holiday gift picks below!

We love Fuego Box, a hot sauce gift box subscription service. This is the perfect gift for foodies! Each month, you recieve three full size curated hot sauces. Mike, the founder, puts flavor over heat, so you won't ever be disappointed. This month, the sauces included picks by Infinity Sauces, Lola's Fine, and Sam & Oliver. 

Next, check out this cute necklace by Kris Nations. It's a message in a bottle, and this one says LUCK. This is made of recycled brass with 14k gold overlay. They come in tons of variations, including emojis, states, sorority stuff, and more. I found this at Nordstrom Rack, but you can buy directly from her here. If you're looking for a more high end jewelry guide, you can check that out here. 

​For your more makeup savvy pals, check out Essence Makeup's new line Girls Just Wanna Have Fun line. There are adorable blushes and highlighters, plus cute makeup bags to pack it all in. This gift set comes with a nail fine and cute little crystal nail decals too. Check out Essence for all your 'brows on fleek' buddies!

The more eco-conscious people in your life would love Lulu Organic's gift set. It all comes wrapped up in a cute tote by A Grassroots Feminist Fashion Action, and included two lip balms, a sniffle balm (perfect for winter), a hair oil, two hair powders, and a sample of their soap. Everything is incredibly well made and super organic, and all their scents are amazing. I live for the Cardamom lip balm, and in my first review of Lulu Organics (and I still stand by this), I said it was the best lip balm I've ever tried. Oh, and this gift set? 5% of the sales are being donated to Planned Parenthood. Can I get a hell yes? 

I also featured some more gifts from A Grassroots Feminist Fashion Action because holy hell are they adorable. The tank and the crewneck are super well made, soft and cozy. Any feminists in your life would love these. Also stay tuned, because we're going to feature them in a cold weather lookbook soon!

What are you buying the people in your life? Comment below!
2 Comments

Fall Essentials By Susan McLean

10/11/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Hi all! So my fall obsessions are a pretty wide range, candles, nails, makeup, and more.

The boots are Doc Martens 1460 Smooth in Cherry Red. I love wearing them with thick socks for cozy toes all day.

The backpack is by Expressions NYC, and I found it at TJ Maxx but here's a similar one.

This water bottle was sent over by the babes at Monthly Gift, and it's killer of on the go hydration, but I also love the sleek black look. 

The nail system is by Essence, and is their UV free gel nail system. With their base coat, color and top coat, your nails actually look and feel like gel nails, but they don't damage your nails at all. I also love the color 'so what?'

The lip balm is by Lulu Organics and is scented like cardamom, and it's also the smoothest lip balm I've ever tried. It literally feels like heaven. 

The NYX Lip Lingerie is one of the best liquid lipsticks I've ever tried, long lasting with even application and great colors! I love the colors Embellishment and Push Up.

I'd been using the NYX Nude Matte Shadow in Tryst as a contour color and I love it. If you're careful not to apply with a heavy hand, as it's quite pigmented, it provides a sharp contour and blends out pretty well for the price. 

The candle is by Target and is Plum Blossom scented, but I found it brand new from Goodwill for $2. You can't beat that. Apparently Goodwill gets a lot of new donations from Target which is quite cool, though Goodwill is pretty problematic. 

My new glasses are by Lucky Brand, and I've been very into them this fall. They're in the style D503. 
0 Comments

End of Summer Essentials By Allison Pinski

8/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here are some of my end of summer essentials:
Picture
Adidas Superstar white with black stripes sneakers (Left)
Black Converse All Star High Tops (Right)
Picture
Black Makeup Bag: I bought this at my job for $2. It’s just a simple black pleather-y makeup bag since I needed to replace my old one, and I love it. It’s a lot bigger, and easier to bring around with me when I travel.

OPI Nail Polish (Venice 2015 Collection) in “My Gondola or Yours” (Top Middle) and “Tiramisu For Two” (Top Right)

ColourPop Ultra Metallic Lip in “Maneater” (Bottom Middle) and “Zebra” (Bottom Right)
Picture
Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera in White

Urban Bath Shower Gel Metro Clean: I also bought this for $1 from my job, and it smells really clean and fresh.
0 Comments

Summer Travel Essentials By Madison Forsander

6/30/2016

0 Comments

 
I'm in Florence, Italy for the summer, and here are my summer essentials.
Picture
Purse is Steve Madden from TJ Maxx, perfect because it can fit wallet, sunglasses, water bottle, and big Canon EOS camera while walking around Florence.

Passport is from good ole America, needed to prove my identity I think? And to stay in any hostels or travel to surrounding countries. 

My Sterling Silver and Sea glass bracelet is from a boutique in Newport, RI. It is light but still cute, and a nice reminder of home. 

I bought the notebook from la Feltrinelli Librerie down the street from the Duomo. It is adorable with the gold accents, and every other page has a little design with flowers, vines, or general gardening things in the corner. It is probably the most essential item because I write about everything that I do each day while I’m here. I know that I will not remember everything, or all of the silly day-to-day memories, so hopefully I will with this notebook!
0 Comments

It's Not Summer But Totally Feels Like It Essentials By Susan McLean

5/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Hi all- so it's clearly not actually summer, but it's hot and sunny and it totally feels like it, so here are my almost sorta summer essentials. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Romper- Derek Heart (Tj Maxx) I never thought I was a romper person. I tried one on in Forever 21 accidentally (thinking it was a dress) back when they first became a thing in like 2011 and hated it. This is the first I've tried since, at Anna's request, and I love it. The jersey material is great, and I love the lace and halter. It wears really well over a lace halter bra from Free People and it falls just right on my (very) 5 foot frame. 

Bag- Lucky Brand (Tj Maxx) I love the black leather and fringe combo- it's usually only dark or chestnut brown bags that have fringe but I wear too much black to invest. I fell in love with this bag and it's quickly become my go-to summer bag. 

Shoes- Blowfish (Tj Maxx) I've been looking for a pair of killer flatform sandals and these are it. I love the black and metallic silver, they're great
Picture
Picture
Sunglasses- Minkpink (Tj Maxx) I love the metal and they have a nice weight to them. I have mega sensitive eyes and the summer sun leaves me a crying mess so leaving the apartment without sunglasses isn't a game. 

Rings- (Maxwell's The Other Side) I love snake, and the stars and moons one is great as a midi ring
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Perfume- YSL Parisienne (Sephora) When this scent was first release I was obsesses with it. I love the musky rose. I forgot about it for a while and I'm really loving it for this season

Lotion- YSL Parisienne (Sephora) When combined with the perfume, you smell killer all day, and I swear your sweat will smell like roses. 

Cuticle Cream- Zum Body My roommate Lauren bought something from Zum Body and received a ton of samples along with her order. She gave them all to me, and I love the company so far. This cream is so so so thick and really great for me because 'my nail beds suck' and the scent is really herbal and nice. 

Lotion- Zum Body Also from Lauren, this vanilla scented cream is thick and killer for just after shaving your legs or for dry hands. Thanks Lauren!

Massage bars- Strawberry Feels Forever and Shimmy Shimmy (Lush) recently I dragged my boyfriend to Lush (he actually definitely loved it and got samples for himself) and I picked up these massage bars. The strawberry one smells unreal and the other is mega glittery. They both are super hydrating and are like 10x easier than lotion. So great.
Picture
Jed's Hard Black Cherry (Hannaford) This is the most delicious adult beverage. I love the black cherry and can't wait to try other flavors. 
0 Comments

April Hiking Essentials By Susan McLean

4/28/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
I've been hiking and exploring the outdoors a ton this month, so here's my essentials list for exploring. 

Teva sandals- Yes, I'm now the type of person who wears weird hiking mom sandals (but it's totally worth it, they're mega comfy)

Poland Spring Sparkling water- I love seltzer and I've been drinking gallons of this stuff, especially the Black Cherry and Tangerine flavors. 

Skippy Peanut Butter Preztel Bites- protein packed delicious snack, both sweet and salty

Neutrogena Sport Face sunscreen- I'm super fair skinned, but even if you're not, it's important to protect your skin. This stuff rubs in nice, doesn't smell gross, and protects skin well. 

Lush Silky Underwear body powder- This is essentially lotion in powder form, and I love the scent and the shimmer. Something about this powder makes me feel like a forrest nymphette, and I'm totally okay with it. 
0 Comments

March(ing Along) Essentials By Susan McLean

3/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Eva nyc- their entire collection of hair care, including the dry shampoo, shampoo, conditioner, and curl treatment all smell amazing and work great with my hair. I'm also trying out the hairspray. 
Picture
Picture
Ray Ban Wayfarers (polarized)- I received these as a gift a few years ago and they are my go-to sunglasses. The polarization really helps my eyes, plus they're mega cute. 

Aveeno Smart Essentials night lotion- this cream has been a lifesaver for my face. I get dry when seasons change and this rehydrates me without being greasy or too heavy. I have been known to mix it with foundation for a DIY tinted moisturizer on lazy days. 

Origins Ginger Souffle body cream- I've been using this on my body to combat dryness, and I'm a fan of ginger, so I love the scent. This is super light and soaks in easily. 

Yankee Candle Tropical Pineapple- In order to feel a little spring-ier I've been burning this pineapple candle to infuse my bedroom with the tropics. I love it, and whenever I blow it out, it's a rude awakening that I'm in fact, still in Willimantic. 

Lululemon yoga mat- I've been getting a little more into yoga as it gets warmer and this is my favorite mat I've tried. My hands get clammy and I slip on most mats, but this one is perfect. It is super expensive, so before you buy it, make sure you actually like yoga. 
Picture
Camelbak Eddy- I've had this water bottle for years and I finally got the replacement bite valve. I love the size, plus fun stickers (courtesy of RedBubble and good people)
Picture
0 Comments

February Essentials By Allison PinskiĀ 

2/29/2016

0 Comments

 
Here are my five essentials for the month of February!

Soap - Hand of Friendship from Lush (This soap is amazing not only because it’s from Lush and smells amazing, but also 100% of the proceeds go to Lush’s Friendship Fund. This Fund donates money to various organizations across North America that are assisting with refugees settling all across the continent!)
Picture
Picture
Phone case - “Totoro”

Lipstick - NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in “Moscow” 
Picture
Bracelet - A gift from my friend from Greece

Denim Shirt - Black Market Vintage in Toronto
Picture
0 Comments

Winter Essentials By Susan McLean

1/28/2016

0 Comments

 
Here are my winter essentials,
Picture
Parka- Garage, this parka is super warm and versatile, plus the inner layer can come out and double as a fall jacket 
Picture
Candle- DW Home, these candles are really fragrant and long lasting. I buy mine at TJ MAXX and the lavender based scents are my favorites because I'm a little ball of anxiety. 
Picture
Gloves- Kmart, cheap touchscreen gloves make life so so much easier. 

Watch, Fossil, I got this beautiful watch over the holidays and I'm obsessed with the mother of pearl inlay
Picture
Soup- Amy's Organic makes the best wintery soups and I love having soup for lunch. It's like the food version of a hug

Tea- David's Tea has the best loose leaf teas and I've been really into mint and apricot-ey flavors lately
Picture
Picture
Perfume- Victoria's Secret makes one of my favorite winter scents. Velvet Amber Blackberry is great for the cold months. 
Picture
Watch detail
0 Comments

Travel Essentials By Allison Pinski

12/31/2015

0 Comments

 
Everyone has their own list of essentials they need when traveling; whether you’re only driving a few hours away or flying to the opposite side of the globe. With my upcoming trip to Italy, I thought I would include a few of my favorite essentials; most notably my Apple travel kit, iPhone camera lens, and Fair Trade mittens.

Coat: Croft & Barrow women’s hooded pea coat (This coat is 50% wool, and relatively light for quick on-the-go wear)
Picture
Picture
Mittens: Namaste Ganesh Himal Trading Company (a Fair Trade company from Nepal, which you can check out here)

Melatonin: Spring Valley, 3mg (Melatonin works wonders if you’re trying to fall asleep on a long plane ride or in a new place)

Valseline: Original Vaseline, travel size (Since I get chapped lips a lot, Vaseline helps keep them moisturized and preps them for lipstick.)
Picture
Apple World Travel Adapter Kit (This is available for purchase on Amazon, and ensures you have an adapter for virtually every outlet you come in contact with to ensure you can use your laptop and charge your phone)

Play X Store 3-in-1 Mobile phone lens and clamp (To use when taking pictures. You can read my review of these lens here)
Picture
Naked Basics palette by Urban Decay (Not only is this palette travel-sized, but it also includes all of the neutral shades you could ever use. I no longer need to carry around all of my eyeshadows; I just need this one!)

“Bahama Mama” bronzer by The Balm Cosmetics (I’m obsessed with this bronzer, which can also act as a neutral eyeshadow as needed. It’s very small and easy to pack as well.)

There are just some of my travel essentials that I typically bring with me when I go anywhere for more than a few days. What are yours?
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    These are a few of our favorite things (for now)

    Archives

    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.