Natural remedy for a diva-like issue

I've been on a major hiatus... a new job will do that to a person!  My goal is to update a few times a week and I'd love to reach as many people as possible.  I'm going to do some revamping of the blog, too.  Please share! 

As is the case with most people I know, the extended cold weather took a major toll on my hair and skin.  Going from negative 30 to the hellfire that was my house was quite damaging.  Add to that the fact that I bleach my hair (!) and you see the problem.  I've done some pretty extensive research over the past few months for products that will cure my dry hair, scalp, and skin, and, frankly, many were out of my price range.  However, one inexpensive (and natural) product kept appearing in my research: coconut oil.

Coconut oil can be purchased at your local grocery store- I bought mine at Kroger (it's next to the olive oil in the baking aisle).  A 14
ounce jar of organic coconut oil cost $7.99 and, fortunately, a little goes a long way.  Per my research, I used about a spoonful for my hair and scalp.  The oil comes in solid form but the heat from your hands causes it to liquefy.  I rubbed it into my scalp and through my hair, paying special attention to the ends.  I opted to keep it on overnight... If you do the same, wear a shower cap (sexy) or cover your pillowcase in an old towel as your hair will obviously be greasy!

I washed my hair twice the next morning so the oil wouldn't weigh my hair down then styled as normal.  I was VERY impressed with just one night of the coconut oil treatment.  My scalp was much less irritated and my hair was incredibly soft and shiny- I also noticed that it held style better than usual.  In my research, I discovered that some women used the oil in the shower as conditioner... My hair is very fine and excessive products do not work well for me.  If you have this issue, I recommend using it as an overnight treatment and doing your normal shampoo routine in the morning.  I read varying accounts on how often it should be used and the most common response was to use it "regularly"- for my purposes, I think "regularly" will mean a couple of times a week. 

Unintended bonus: warming the coconut oil in my hands made them feel like silk.  They were still ridiculously soft the next day.  I wash my hands and use hand sanitizer about 268 times throughout the work day and the coconut oil reversed that negative effect.  It's also good for your face.  I have oily skin, but it's perfect for the sensitive area around the eyes.  I LOVE that it's a natural product.  I put so much on my skin that so it's nice to use something without chemicals for once.  I plan on making coconut oil part of my skin and hair beauty regimen!   

Happy shopping!

Makeup & Organization on a Budget



Obsessed with this!

Mascara is definitely my favorite type of makeup.  I will leave the house without foundation, blush, eyeshadow, etc., but you will likely never see me without mascara.  I have blonde lashes, and I unless I'm wearing mascara, my eyes look bald.  Not too cute.  When doing makeup, I spend the majority of my time on my eyes.  In my opinion, there is nothing more glamorous than full, long lashes.  It's so sexy.  Long lashes really help your eyes stand out.  Even if you do nothing else- mascara is a must.

There are thousands of different mascaras on the market and it can get confusing trying to choose one that's right for you.  I typically choose one for length and one for volume.  I have tried so many different brands- from drugstore buys to high-end buys.  Lately I have been more interested in the inexpensive mascaras sold at Wal-Mart and Target.  Last week I was perusing the makeup aisle at Wal-Mart and came upon the New York Color (NYC) brand.  They had mascara for $1!  One.  Dollar.  Obviously, it couldn't be ignored.  I chose the Instant Lash mascara in black.  I tried it the next morning and absolutely love it.  It will probably dry out faster than more expensive brands, but it makes my lashes look amazing.  It adds tons of length and doesn't flake... the best dollar I ever spent.  Definitely worth a try!  After all, it's just a dollar!



Moving on:

I buy a lot of products online at Sephora and other beauty sites and I receive a Birchbox every month.  Because of my shopaholic tendencies I perpetually have samples sitting around.  I always use the different samples... it's such a great, free way to try new products.  I have acquired several new samples over the past few months and never know where to store them.  Earlier today I cleaned out a small vase that held mums this fall.  It occurred to me to continue displaying the vase by filling it with all of my samples and other cosmetic odds and ends.  I am obsessed with makeup AND organization so to me it's a fabulous and inexpensive way to keep everything in order.  You can buy vases and other glass jars at the dollar store if you'd like to keep it cheap.  Plus, it looks very feminine! 

 Happy shopping! 

Holiday Sparkle!

I seriously love the holidays.  After Halloween, my focus usually shifts to Christmas.  I want to take it all in- the lights, the food, the movies... if it's in any way associated with the season, I'm in.  One thing I especially love about this time of year is all of the sparkly items sold in stores.  Everything is sequined and glitterey and shimmery and I find it all irresistible.  I like to think of it as the only time of year when I can let my inner-Cher shine.  If it's not adorned with sparkles, it likely won't catch my eye.  We're all super busy this time of year with different holiday-themed events so it's a great time to look your best.  That's why I have purchased every imaginable holiday inspired product I could find!

One way to enjoy some sparkle is through manicures and pedicures.  It's a nice treat to enjoy a professional mani/pedi, but you don't have to spend all that money.  Instead, I usually buy polish from the store... you might spend a little more on a bottle of good polish, but it lasts a long time (especially if you keep it in the fridge).  I love Essie, O.P.I. and Zoya polish.  For November, December, and January, nails look really great when painted darker colors.  Reds, grays, silvers, golds, and dark purples look amazing! 

Physicians Formula powder

Bobbi Brown party shimmer

Other holiday makeup favorites of mine are shimmery lotions and powders.  Sparkly skin is so festive!  As long as you don't look like a disco ball, have as much fun with it as you like.  Lotion with gold shimmer is a subtle and sexy way to shine at holiday parties.  I recently purchased So Luminous Dazzle body moisture gel from Avon for $10.  It's very pretty on skin and smells great.  As far as makeup is concerned, I put on shimmer powder after applying Bare Minerals foundation.  I currently have two kinds: Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls ($13 at Wal-Mart) and Bobbi Brown Party Shimmer Brick (frankly, I'm embarrassed to admit how much this cost, but it can be found online or at Macy's... and it's super fabulous).  I have yet to use the Bobbi Brown powder because it's unbelievably gorgeous and needs to be saved for special occasions (i.e., Christmas and New Year's Eve).  You don't have to spend a lot of money to be holiday ready but it's fun to add a few small touches to your makeup regimine.  Tis the season to look fabulous!

Happy Shopping!

  

Avon lotion

My holiday nail collection

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Today, I am linking up with Jamie from "This Kind of Love" for What I'm Loving Wednesday.  I've seen several people do this on other blogs I follow, and thought it was a great way to be positive and show thanks during the week:

1. I'm LOVING... Pinterest.  Seriously, I'm obsessed.  If you haven't joined this phenomenon, please do so now: http://pinterest.com/.  Plan to spend (waste) hours of time online.  It has inspired me to try some recipes I thought were too complicated for me (I made very simple chicken and dumplings tonight).  I also love the clothes, shoes, and DIY projects.  Looks like things are going to get crafty around here...

2. I'm loving... eos shave cream.  I have to shave my legs every day.  I know.  I have a problem.  And there's nothing I love more than a long, relaxing shower in the morning.  This shave cream makes my shower even more enjoyable.  It smells amazing and my legs have NEVER felt so smooth.  This is one of my favorite products ever: it doesn't dry out your legs like regular shave gel or body wash/soap.  The bottle is super adorable, too.  I found it at Target and it cost under $4.  You never know what the day will bring, so start your morning off with a little luxury!

3. I'm loving... anything pumpkin!  Pumpkin ale (OMG), pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bread, pumpkin candles, etc.  Fall is my favorite time of year and I really enjoy taking in the flavors of the season.  Dunkin' Donuts makes a great Pumpkin Spice coffee that's sold at Wal-Mart.  It's only $8, which is much cheaper than buying multiple pumpkin lattes from Starbucks!  It tastes great on cold, autumn mornings.         

Hope everyone is having a great week!  Happy shopping! 

Red Lipstick: Yet Another Reason to Love Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year.  Don't get me wrong: I love summer.  But, I can find a thousand things to love about this time of year.  The colors, the smells, the cooler temperatures and beautiful, crisp days.  I also adore the clothes and shoes that are in fashion during the season.  Dresses and tights and booties... what's not to love?  Make-up styles change during the fall and winter months as well.  In the spring and summer, I tend to wear a lot of light colored make-up.  I mainly go for pink, purple, or bronze shadows and blush.  When September rolls around I tend to wear bolder, richer tones. 

As a make-up lover, experimenting with colors is one of my favorite things to do.  I have always wanted to try a bold red lipstick but felt apprehensive.  It's not something you see every day!  I think it looks so sexy and glamorous (think old Hollywood) and finally convinced myself to give it a try.  I found a great red lipstick from YSL, but wanted to try something a little less expensive to make sure I found the right color for my skin tone.  Obviously, as with any make-up, you need to find colors that look best with your skin.  Red lipstick is no different.  If your skin is fair, coral-y reds work best.  If you have medium skin, pinkish reds, cranberry reds, and true reds will all look great.  You can go as light or bold as you wish.  If your skin is dark, you want to stick with burgundy and other shades of deep red.  Rich colors work best with your complexion. 

I consider myself medium skin toned.  Because of that, I chose a "true red" for my experiment.  My sister, who fiinally convinced me to try red lipstick, told me about a great brand she found at Wal-Mart.  It comes in a gorgeous gold tube... very similar to the YSL lipstick, though it costs under $6.00. She chose L'Oreal Colour Riche' Lipcolour in "True Red."  She has dark hair and her skin tone is about a shade darker than mine, so I chose L'Oreal Colour Riche' in "British Red." 

I wore it to dinner Saturday night.  At first, I didn't like the way it looked.  But after some experimenting (putting on more, adding gloss), I fell in love.  While wearing such bold lipstick, it's important to tone everything else down.  Blue eyeshadow + red lipstick = clown.  Sorry, but that's not a good look.  It's best to wear a very neutral shadow and go light on the blush.  I still like to play up my eyes with black liner and mascara (adds to the glam look), but go much softer on the shadow.  It's also important to make sure your lips are not flaky or chapped before you apply because those flaws will be exaggerated.  To avoid embarrassment, blot your lips so that your teeth aren't also wearing your fabulous new color (thank you, Saved by the Bell, for making me terrified of this occurrence).   

I have received several compliments on my new shade.  My boyfriend even asked about my lipstick color and said he really loved it (I took it as a major compliment as most men don't notice that kind of thing!).  Most people wouldn't wear it as their every day look, but I am not most people.  I think it adds a bit of elegance to the work week. 

If you're too scared to try such a bold look for fall, go for something more understated.  Try a new eyeshadow color (I LOVE emerald shadow) or get a jewel-toned manicure/pedicure.  Mix it up a little to get the new season off to a great start!

Happy shopping!    




So pretty!

                  

If the electricity goes out I'll be okay... because of my mascara.

A couple of months ago I ordered a mascara set from Sephora.  The set included nine brands of mascara sold at Sephora stores.  Because I love trying new products and because I'm a hoarder, I was super excited.  As previously mentioned, I am a crazy cosmetics hoarder, and started to panic when I thought I only had 6 tubes of mascara left (I have a problem).  While digging frantically through my make-up bag, I discovered the fanciest product of all: Too Faced Lashlight mascara. 

I had overlooked it before, but because I was running "low" on mascaras, I decided to try it out.  The first thing I noticed was that it had a mirror on the side.  I have never been one to turn down a good look in the mirror, so I was immediately impressed.  The mascara itself is actually very good... it goes on smooth and really elongates every lash.  However, the best surprise was yet to come.  A few days after the initial discovery, I was talking on the phone while trying to freshen up and found a little button at the top of the mascara.  I don't know how I didn't notice before, but I clicked the button and voila'!  Flashlight!  I'm officially obsessed with this fun and innovative product.  This is the perfect product to throw in your purse before going out... you can apply it anywhere because it comes with a mirror and light!  Seriously, can you get more practical than that?!

Too Faced Lashlight mascara retails for $25.00 (sounds like a lot, but, you get a flashlight, too!), and you can find it here: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P249104&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=4225 


Happy Shopping!


Fun for hours:





Great mirror!



Flashlight! 

 

10 Beauty Rules I Live By

I'm not a beauty expert, but here are 10 things I like to do in my own life:

1. Take off your make-up every night (including eye make-up).  This is a must.  No matter how tired I am, I never go to bed without washing my face.  An easy and cheap way to remove eye make-up is to use baby oil.  Two dollars will buy a bottle big enough to last two months.  Washing your face every night is a great way to keep your skin healthy. 

2. Moisturize.  I do this twice a day- after I remove my make-up at night, and before I apply it in the morning.  I usually use some form of eye cream as well.  Seriously, it's one of the best things you can do to slow the process of aging.  Dry skin ages faster.  No one wants to see a wrinkled 25-year-old. 

3. Always wear proper fitting undergarments.  This should be obvious, but, unfortunately, it's not.  You need to know your cup size and you need a good bra.  Let's try to avoid sagging and nip-slips, ladies. 

4. Wax or pluck facial hair.  No offense, but don't be the type to sport a unibrow or lady 'stache.  Only one person on earth can pull off a mustache, and that is Tom Selleck. 

5. Wear sunglasses to prevent crow's feet.  I don't know if this is a scientifically proven fact, but I've convinced myself that if I don't squint, I won't have a lot of wrinkles around my eyes.  Because of this, I refuse to go outdoors without sunglasses, even if it's overcast.  I personally stand by this rule... take that for what it's worth.

6. Experiment with different colors/looks.  I usually wear neutral shadows, but it's a lot of fun to try bolder colors, especially for date nights or girls' night out.  Try the "cat eye" look with your liner (my day to day look), wear false eyelashes, or red lipstick.  Be dramatic from time to time and step out of your comfort zone.  Being able to play with make-up is one of the best things about being a woman. 

7. Don't think you have to spend a lot on cosmetics to look good.  I love Chanel, Dior, and Nars, but I equally love Cover Girl and e.l.f.  My eyeliner cost $1 and my mascara cost $4.  Work within your budget...

8. But treat yourself from time to time!  My favorite blush is Nars Orgasm.  I don't wear it every day because it's a bit pricey, but I do feel special when I have it on.  Whether it's a good moisturizer, mascara, or perfume, I think it's great to have at least one product that makes you feel like a princess.

9. Wear lotion.  I always put lotion on before bed and before I get dressed in the morning.  Lotion is especially important for hands so I try to coat my hands several times a day.  All skin ages-take care of it. 

10. Keep your finger nails and toe nails groomed appropriately.  I do my own nails to save money, but always make sure they're groomed.  If you paint them make sure the polish doesn't chip off.  Unless you're trying to achieve Guinness World Record status, please keep your toe nails trimmed, and, for the love of all that's holy, keep your nails clean!  If you're not a kid (or a man) there is no reason to have dirt under your nails.    

Those are the rules that make my world go round.  Happy shopping!