Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Surfs up Brah!

As I was getting my hair done at my salon one day, I was talked into buying this Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray. I can honestly tell you, it sat on my vanity so long it's gathered dust. I had no idea how to use it. So I did a little youtubing and kind of came up with my own little method.

Before I begin, the purpose of this spray is to give that "ive been at the beach and my hair naturally looks like this" appearance. Kind of an" I didn't try and im enjoying myself and im freeee" type of hair :)

So I used this on wet hair, sprayed it all over, scrunched my hair. Then I twisted my hair and left it up in a clip for 10 mins. After that I took it out and blow dryed it on a cool setting. I definitely got some relaxed, im a beach brah look ;)

Please Check out my cat Bernard Checking himself out, in the background :)

I love this relaxed look. I think its so gorgeous when I see someone looking like they were like "eh whatever" and rolled out of their house. That shows confidence. But this spray is wonderful for trips to the beach when you can just relax and be free and show that in the way you look.

Shellac vs Gel

For my lunch break today, I decided to stop into Fancy Nails! (notice the obvious fanciness of these nails!)

Now I actually, for the last FIVE months, have left my nails ALONE.

Reason number 1: I can be quite lazy when it comes to maintaining fresh manicures.
Reason 2: GEL MANICURE NIGHTMARE.

I was getting my nails done regularly this past winter, and getting gel manicures. At first I was so happy with the Gel! It lasted for 2 weeks without chipping and my nails got REALLY long! Here is a picture of them, that I snagged off of my instagram....

This was probably the first time ever that my nails had been (and stayed) that long!

Now....once the inevitable happened, and one broke, I got lazy and took the gel off. This is when I realized what kind of damage I had been doing to my nails the whole time. When the gel came off, over the next week, my nails were breaking constantly and my cuticles were horrible! Hang nails, the whole 9. There are teenage boys out there who had nails that were probably more appealing than mine were after I took this GEL manicure off.

But I cannot live the rest of my life in nail fear! I also cannot deal with regular manicures (they chip in about 5 minutes on me) and acrylic? I think not. So I researched Shellac vs Gel. What I've learned is that they are extremely similar, but most of the reviews I read say that Shellac is a healthier choice for your nails. It was also a lot quicker than when I had gel done. I feel like the gel had to dry and get hard a lot longer than my shellac manicure did today. Shellac definitely feels more like having my natural nails as well. I don't feel like there is anything other than paint on my nails. I remember the gel feeling a little "heavy" like having acrylic nails.

Obviously having this Shellac manicure for less than 24 hours, I'm not the best candidate to give a yes or no to judge if they are better than gel, but so far so good! I will be sure to post about this again in the future, to show off some longer nails and to give a review of course! :)

                                                                              <3

Pink Himalayan Salt

I recently purchased Sherpa Pink Himalayan Salt, because I was reading all the benefits you can get from using it.

Anti-aging; rids the body of acidic wastes that cause degeneration

Peaceful, relaxed quality of energy, better moods, positive thoughts

 Sharpens vital brain functions, improves mental clarity

Regulates and purifies critical body fluid levels

Purifying, detoxifying to the blood

Stronger libido, sexual vitality, more vigor

Essential minerals replenishes vital electrolytes

Nutrients are absorbed more efficiently by the body.

Foods cooked with HimalaSalt taste better, and their nutrients are absorbed better by the body.

It's also good for your pet.

Himalayan salts are known to cleanse and detoxify the skin, leaving it smoother, softer, and cleaner than ever before

One of the world’s most potent and powerful “hidden secrets”, pink Himalayan salt is pulled from the world’s most beautiful (and highest) now in range and has been prized for its healing and restorative powers ever since ancient times.

I can't say that I noticed anything special while actually bathing with it. But, I slept really well last night after using it, and my skin actually does look really good today.

Also, I ordered mine X-Fine (extra fine) because I read that the larger salts can be hard to break down, even in hot water.

I will be primarily using this for the bath tub, but I have read it's wonderful to cook with.

If you are interested in buying some for yourself, I would get it from San Francisco Bath Salt Company. I placed my order online on a Thursday, and received it on Saturday. So, 2 day shipping!

Here is the link: San Francisco Bath Salt Company

                                                                                   <3

"She tucked her coral lipstick away, and floated back to the party" - Kate Spade

Every summer all of us ladies go and stock up on our gear for the new HOT season.....

I decided to start my summer spending spree with a new hand bag and some accessories.

I got my first Kate Spade bag for Christmas 2013 and absolutely loved it! Its a striped cross body bag, and perfect for throwing a little fun into a simple outfit.

 

So when I was thinking of what designer I wanted for my next handbag, Kate Spade sprang to mind. I love my bag above, but I wanted something with a more classy look from Kate. So I purchased this beauty.

                                       (I tend to make all my pictures LARGE :)
I am in LOVE!! Its large, but not heavy and It can go with so many clothing options, as far as colors! Is it weird that I want to sleep with it next to me tonight? It has tons of storage space! TONS! Which is perfect for me, on special occasions where I like to bring 700 pieces of my favorite makeup out!

Kate Spade bags always have the cutest fabric designs inside of them!

*Polka Dots!*

 

Also this bag is going to pair excellent with my Armani Strappy Heels this summer :)

 

Along with the bag, I purchased some Kate Spade Earrings. They are my favorite summer colors! Mint and a Pale pink!

 

 

The necklace isn't Kate Spade. But its new too and will most likely be worn with these earrings :)

 

 

 

<3 

 

Updated Vanity Room!

Since I've started this whole blogging thing, I usually lay in bed with my laptop and post my blogs.
Then I saw the cutest desk and chair and thought that it would be a perfect addition to my vanity room, and perfect spot to blog! Something about sitting at a desk while using the computer, just makes things feel more organized and official! :)

I am so happy with the outcome, and really proud of myself for putting it all together, and creating a spot in the house that is just mine. Also moving my vanity infront of my windows, allows me to get ready in the natural sunlight, which is the best light to get ready in of course!

Here are the pictures :) (and I make them super big so you can see everything lol)

This first picture is just hung at the top of my stairs....but I love it.

Now here is my updated vanity room.....

Citrine Crystals

So lately, I've been doing some reading on crystals and the type of energy they can bring you. Of all the reading I did, citrine crystals stuck out to me the most....

Natural Citrine is a premier stone of manifestation, imagination, and personal will. Carrying the power of the sun, it is warm and comforting, energizing and life giving. It stimulates the chakras like the sunlight of spring, clearing the mind and stirring the soul to action. Its frequency awakens creativity and imagination, and sustains the process of transforming dreams and wishes into tangible form. With its pure yellow energy, Citrine encourages fullness of life, fresh beginnings and new pursuits.
Natural Citrine does not hold or accumulate negative energy, but rather transmutes, dissipates, and grounds it, making it extremely protective for the environment. It works out problems on both the physical and subtle levels, transforming negative thoughts and feelings into positive ones. It is one of only two crystals on Earth that never needs to be cleared or cleansed. The other is Kyanite

I also read that it brings a lot of confidence and joy. So I asked my boyfriend to purchase me a pair of citrine crystal earrings....and waa laa......here they are......

 

 

I truly love them. They are a perfect everyday wear. They blend right in and gleam beautifully in the sunlight. I also really like the shape of this pair.

Like I said they blend in....but in the sun.....super gorgeous color! Now lets see if these bad boys do what they claim to do! :)

                                                                          <3

Mysterious Virgo

I am a Virgo, and very much believe in the accuracy of sun sign descriptions of people.
I am not as private as some Virgo's, when it comes to my personal life, but with my feelings I can be extremely private. That is one of the most common Virgo traits and it comes across as being shy. But I recently saw this quote, and It really spoke to me. So I wanted to share it here on my blog.

 

I recently went through something that really changed me. Because it caused me sorrow. All the things in life that have given me pleasure, have taught me nothing. I believe that pain makes people change, and not always for the worse. I believe it will make people change for the better. As odd as it sounds, I am thankful for this recent sorrow I went through. It taught me to appreciate things more, and not take things for granted. I will probably re-read this at some point and be a little uneasy about posting this for anyone to read. But what's a blog, without a little piece of the real you.

 

 

Bat those lashes ; )

Everyone in life needs options, and I love having them when it comes to my make up look for the day.

There are a billion mascaras out there, but these four are my favorite, for the time being....

Product #1 - Dior Iconic - This mascara goes on really smooth, thick, and separates well. It will probably always be an option in my make up collection.

Product #2 - Mac Cosmetics Extreme Dimension - This will definitely help give you length and give you a natural false eyelash look.

Product #3 - Bobbi Brown - Extreme Party Mascara - Despite the name, this mascara goes on very light and separates extremely well. I really like this for a more subtle day time look.

Product#4 - YSL Shocking - This is my "go to" at the moment. It gives all of the above. Volume, Length, Thickness, Separation. Be careful though, it can be quite "shocking", a little goes a long way.


If you are looking to have a little fun and give a more dramatic/playful cateye look, I'd suggest using Duralash By Ardell - Single Lashes. They are very subtle, natural, and no one will suspect a thing :)

                                                                         

                                                                           <3

Candy Yum Yum

This post will be short, sweet, and pink.

 

I love the color PINK.

 

What girl doesn't? So for the bold lip trend, my favorite lip color right now (and since last summer) is Mac Cosmetics *Candy Yum Yum*

Its really bold, bright, and the perfect statement lip color. It's a matte lipstick, but you can add gloss if you wish :)

Don't forget to prime your lips first! Especially with a matte lipstick, you might look like you applied pink chalk, without the right primer. I use Lush Mint Julips and Mac Cosmetics Prep & Prime.

Now for the selfies........

 

Its also a lovely thing to pair with pulled back hair, on days where you are in a rush.

 

 

And last but not least, cats love this color as well.........

 

<3

Weekend Wind Down......

Every Sunday, after all my weekend activities, I need to wind down, relax, and re-cooperate, to prepare for Monday mornings antics.

My favorite way to relax, is by taking a nice hot bubble bath! I also like to enjoy a hot cup of Green Tea, while in the bubble bath.

Since I usually wait until night time to take my bath, I love using my Dead Sea - Calming Lavender Sugar - Salt Spa Scrub. It has such a relaxing smell, paired with the hot bath, and hot green tea, this is the ultimate relaxation for me and gets me ready for a good sleep.

Lavender is already a natural sleep aid, so to amp up the sleepiness, I have my boyfriend prepare me a cup of Sleepy Time Tea (I actually use two different brands at once) while I moisturize my skin, brush my teeth, and do all the other bedtime rituals.

Once I am nice and comfortable in my silky satin sheets, along with my Sleepy Time Tea.....it is just a matter of moments, before I drift away to dream land and awake Monday morning nice and refreshed and ready to take on the work day!

<3

Pearly Whites

When it comes to our smile we all want it to 'shine bright like a diamond!'
So out of all the teeth whiteners to choose from, which ones are the best?

According to Google, the top two were Crest 3D White Intensive Professional Effects (7 day treatment) and Plus White 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel. I really wanted to try both of them, because they both had such amazing reviews, but with one huge difference. THE PRICE.

The Crest 3D white Costs $50 (you can find other crest 3D whites for less, but I am referencing the price for this specific whitening system)  While the Plus White 5 Minute Whitening Gel is $7.

Naturally since the Crest 3D White is $50, I tried it first, thinking it would have the most dramatic/effective results. Now with this whitening system you are suppose to do it once a day for 7 days and leave the white strips on for 2 hours. I found this to be quite annoying. No matter how tight they grip to your teeth, its a bit uncomfortable, and two hours of this.

After the first two treatments I noticed my teeth were a little bit whiter (nothing crazy) but I also noticed that they were EXTREMELY sensitive as well. If a cool breeze happened to blow by on my tooth (don't ask why this would even happen) it would cause me some pain. I backed off, and didn't do another treatment for about a month. Then I tried once more and had the same sensitivity issue. I cant imagine 7 days in a row. Now, not everyone will have this problem, but I sure did. All in all, I had more discomfort with this, than I had results.

After dealing with that I didn't want to mess with whitening my teeth for a while. But now that it is summer time, I want a nice white smile to pair with my tan. So I tried the 5 minute whitening gel and its fantastic! Its quick, easy to apply, and it WORKS. You can see results the first time you use it.

The conclusion to this story, just because it costs more, doesn't always mean its better.

So if you want whiter teeth fast, without spending a lot, go to your local CVS and pick up some 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel.

War Paint

Is there such a thing as TOO much make up??

Owning too much? Never! Wearing too much .....Unfortunately, In my opinion, yes.

I don't want to use any pictures as examples, because I do not want to offend anyone. Everyone is always entitled to do whatever it is that makes them happy.

I just keep seeing these contouring tutorials and makeup videos, and its very frequent that these women are wearing 6 or 7 different products on their faces. Starting with moisturizer, then primer, then BB cream, then CC cream, then paint half your face white and the other a tan brown to contour, then blend, then apply foundation, then apply setting powder........Its A LOT! Our faces need to breathe!! Also, what are we trying to hide here? There is nothing more beautiful than a woman being confident in her natural form.

I use to be one of those people that watched the videos and actually did apply ALL that makeup, and my boyfriend would always tell me he prefers me more natural, with just a little makeup to highlight my features. Which I always do now, and am much happier with.

I LOVE Kim Kardashian and ALL the Kardashians for that matter, but I do feel that she set this standard of beauty, that we are all now trying to achieve by wearing too much makeup, false eyelashes, fake hair, War Paint.

New Years Eve, Weddings, Birthdays, Special Events....that is when I feel like it is okay to have some fun, and go all out! But fake eyelashes, Long Mermaid Extensions, and a full face of make up to go to starbucks or your local bar? Why!

Again this post is NOT to offend anyone, but on the contrary, it is to ask...why do we feel we even NEED all of that stuff to be "beautiful"?  We don't is the answer. At least it is my answer. Embrace your natural beauty, and let that also come from within. Once you get use to your natural beauty, with a little touch ups here and there with the right products, you'll never want to go back to heavy make up again!

Bed Time #NoFilter Skin Care Routine

To start off, as a woman, I think that all women are beautiful in their own way. Looks should not define us. I think flaws can be beautiful and make you, YOU. Perfect is *snore zzz* BORING.  We should pride ourselves on many other things as women, besides just our looks and always try our best to be comfortable in our own skin.

With that being said, its no secret that we all want to look and feel our best!

Your skin is where your beauty journey needs to begin....take care of that SKIN ladies!

I have a morning skin care routine, and a nightly skin care routine.

This is my night time ritual to exfoliate skin, ward off wrinkles, shrink pores, and keep a healthy dewy glow.

I use in this order

Product #1: Olay Pro-X Facial Brush - This helps exfoliate my skin and dismiss all that useless dead skin.

Product #2: Olay Total Effects 7 in One Refreshing Citrus - This works amazing for my skin type (dry skin) and it has a lot of benefits for your face *deep cleansing *skin refreshment *fine line appearance reduction *pore appearance refinement *gentle exfoliation *RADIANCE - I repeat RADIANCE *and gentle purification

Product #3: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum  - This helps turn back "face" time, while I get my beauty rest.

Product #4: L'Oreal Age Perfect Glow Renewal - Speaks for it self. It's very concentrated, so you only need to use 4 drops.

Product #5: Mint Julips by Lush - Scrub this minty treat all over your lips to get rid of chapped and flakey annoyances, you can lick it off when you are done too! Its sweet and made from all natural products.

Product #6: Vaseline - everyone knows what this stuff does! I apply it after I've gotten my lips nice and smooth from the Lip Scrub.

and that's that! Say hello to a refreshed, glowing, youthful face in the A.M

Your skin will thank you! (all these products may be used in AM or PM I just choose PM)

Dove Oxygen Moisture Review

So I keep seeing the commercial for this product, with women who suffer from *sigh* the flattest of hair, and then at the end of the commercials, these women have big luscious locks. So it is suppose to promote volume and moisture, without weighing your hair down.

Now I'm no fool, I know that the only thing that will give me the big beautiful hair of a Brazilian woman, is a wig. But, I decided to check this out since its a brand new product from Dove, and I love me some Dove :)

*Dove Body Washes are Amazing FYI*

The first thing that came to mind while showering, is that I didn't need to use a lot of the shampoo for it to create tons of *BuBBleS!*, other than that, we are all familiar with the shampoo and conditioning process, and this was no different than others. No flowers fell out of my ceiling, my shower didn't morph into a rain forest, and no one started to make inappropriate noises like the Herbal Essences commercials. 

After applying my favorite kerastase hair product (to protect from heat) and blow drying my hair......I was quite pleased!

(As a side note, I always blow my hair out with a round brush, I think straighteners are extremely damaging and try to avoid using them if I can.)

My hair feels extremely soft, light and fluffy! And YES! It even gave MY flat hair some decent volume!

So if you ran out of your expensive hair product and need something more affordable and of good quality, or if you just want to switch things up a bit...I would definitely suggest looking for this product at your local drugstore!

Alright, time to go apply some make up to this bare face!

I included some pictures of my hair below :)

Vanity Fair

Here is a little sprinkle...of me......

I am a high end makeup lover (but cant resist a good drugstore buy as well!) I also am HUGE into taking care of my skin and using the proper serums and moisturizers to stay pretty and young forever!

Also, like most of us girls, I am very much into fashion and finding the right style for myself.

I tend to spend a lot of my money just trying out all the designer makeup must haves that we all see on Pinterest. I've found some "I absolutely cant live without this" makeup, and some "why did I spend $50 on this", makeup.

I am hoping that some of my makeup reviews can either find you that perfect summer glow must have illuminator - or save you some time and money, because not all that glitters is gold in the world of designer make up!



P.s* I might throw in some outfit selfies here and there too ;)


Below is just a little preview of what is in store for future blog posts......from my beloved vanity room!