Hola my beauty lovin' babes!!
I wanted to chat with you guys about the importance of taking care of your hair... Not because I think I'm an expert, but rather because I majorly fail at maintaining the 'happiness' level of my ravishing red tresses.
Before November 2011, my hair was shoulder-length, if not a bit longer.
After November 2011, my hair was cut in an A-line bob. In order to maintain the desired style of said bob, I need(ed) to daily use heat on my hair. Blow-drying, straightening, curling... you name it.
With time, I've noticed that my hair is getting incredibly dry and very unmanageable. It's frizzy and coarse, the shafts jump and skid through my flat iron plates instead of gliding smoothly. It's rough and tangly, and I lose a lot of hair by gently running a comb or a brush through my locks.
I really got a wake-up call last night when my grandma mentioned that my hair looked "really dry." Ummm.... if your grandma notices it, it's gotta be bad.
So when we went grocery shopping last night, I spent a half an hour in the hair care section, perusing my options. I've had a lot of success with the Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Restorative Conditioning Mask, so I purchased another tube.
In addition, I knew that I needed to be conditioning my hair with every wash, so I decided to try something new - Infusium-23 Repair & Renew Conditioner. I've had positive experiences with Infusium-23's Leave-In Conditioners, so I figured that trying the conditioner couldn't be that bad of a decision.
Finally, I picked up the Joico K-Pak Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor. It was a more pricey expenditure, but at this point, I'm pretty sure my hair needs it. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about this particular product, and I figured it would be a pretty safe bet as far as restoring my hair to a happier state of being.
I do use a heat protectant every time I apply heat to my hair (once before blow-drying, once before straightening), but I feel that my Got2B Guardian Angel lotion isn't doing the trick anymore... So I might need to look into another alternative. I didn't find that anything about the Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray amazing enough to write home about, so if you guys have any other suggestions with regards to sprays/lotions for protecting your hair from heat - please, send them my way!
Now I want to know from you: how do you keep your hair looking/feeling/being its healthiest?
Happy Monday!!
xoxo
Monday, June 18, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
FOTD: Bronze and lovin' it
Hola my beauty lovin' babes!!
Here it is, the weekend, and I'm chillin by my lonesome. Fortunately my in-laws and immediate family are going to hang out with me to make the loneliness a little bit more tolerable, haha. In any case, getting myself all dolled up usually takes the edge off of a bad day...
It's sort of overcast today, so I'm living vicariously through my makeup :)
The Face:
I used Cetaphil's new DermaControl Oil Control Moisturizer with SPF 30 as my base.
For my dark circles, I applied Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment in Light (120).
For my bronzed goddess-que glow, I used my new favorite bronzer - Lise Watier's Summer 2012 Summer Sunset Bronzing Powder on the highest points of my face.
A little bit of Essence's Silky Touch Blush in Adorable on the apples of my cheeks.
The Eyes:
I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Original all over my lids, and evened out my lids with a thin layer of Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment as a base.
I ran some of Lise Watier's Summer 2012 Summer Sunset Bronzing Powder through my crease, and a little bit of Urban Decay's Foxy shadow under my brow bone.
I smudged out Annabelle's Smoothliner in Brownie along my upper lashline, and applied two generous coats of Annabelle's Le Big Show mascara in Black to my lashes.
I smudged some of Maybelline's Unstoppable Highlighter in Fluffy Cloud under my lower lashline, and popped a bit of Annabelle's Mono Eyeshadow in Vanilla Chilla in the inner corners.
Finally, I took a fine brush and applied a little bit of NYX's single eyeshadow in White under the arches of my brows.
The Lips:
I kept these babies simple and applied a generous coat of Essence's Stay with Me long-lasting lipgloss in me & my icecream (02) to my lippies.
The Hair:
My hair is day-old and still going strong. Yesterday, after I washed it, I put a little bit of Josie Maran's 100% Argan Oil through it, and then applied some of Paul Mitchell's Extra-Body Sculpting Gel near the roots, and followed by scrunching some of Pantene Pro-V's Curl Shaping Hair Gel throughout. Before adding heat, I sprayed some of Got2B's Guardian Angel Flat Iron Balm over my hair and proceeded to blow-dry my hair on medium heat with the diffuser attachment. I sprayed more of the Got2B heat protectant on my hair before 'crimping' my hair with my flat iron. I sprayed some of L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray (unfragranced) over the finished style.
When I woke up this morning, I did the easy twist through my bangs that HeyKayli showed on her YouTube channel a few weeks ago. See video here. I finished with a little more of L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray.
The Accessories:
As can be seen in the pictures, I am rocking my new Guess Double Charm Strawberry Heart earrings. I am so addicted to these babies.
Not seen here: my engagement/wedding bands, my new Amor heart bracelet.
The Shirt:
Quite literally, a $7 halter-top from the G:21 line at WalMart that I fashioned into a tank-top with my ninja sewing skills.
I hope you guys enjoyed my face of the day post, and I'd like you to let me know what you're wearing today!!
happy weekending.
xoxo
Here it is, the weekend, and I'm chillin by my lonesome. Fortunately my in-laws and immediate family are going to hang out with me to make the loneliness a little bit more tolerable, haha. In any case, getting myself all dolled up usually takes the edge off of a bad day...
It's sort of overcast today, so I'm living vicariously through my makeup :)
I used Cetaphil's new DermaControl Oil Control Moisturizer with SPF 30 as my base.
For my dark circles, I applied Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment in Light (120).
For my bronzed goddess-que glow, I used my new favorite bronzer - Lise Watier's Summer 2012 Summer Sunset Bronzing Powder on the highest points of my face.
A little bit of Essence's Silky Touch Blush in Adorable on the apples of my cheeks.
I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Original all over my lids, and evened out my lids with a thin layer of Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment as a base.
I ran some of Lise Watier's Summer 2012 Summer Sunset Bronzing Powder through my crease, and a little bit of Urban Decay's Foxy shadow under my brow bone.
I smudged out Annabelle's Smoothliner in Brownie along my upper lashline, and applied two generous coats of Annabelle's Le Big Show mascara in Black to my lashes.
I smudged some of Maybelline's Unstoppable Highlighter in Fluffy Cloud under my lower lashline, and popped a bit of Annabelle's Mono Eyeshadow in Vanilla Chilla in the inner corners.
Finally, I took a fine brush and applied a little bit of NYX's single eyeshadow in White under the arches of my brows.
I kept these babies simple and applied a generous coat of Essence's Stay with Me long-lasting lipgloss in me & my icecream (02) to my lippies.
My hair is day-old and still going strong. Yesterday, after I washed it, I put a little bit of Josie Maran's 100% Argan Oil through it, and then applied some of Paul Mitchell's Extra-Body Sculpting Gel near the roots, and followed by scrunching some of Pantene Pro-V's Curl Shaping Hair Gel throughout. Before adding heat, I sprayed some of Got2B's Guardian Angel Flat Iron Balm over my hair and proceeded to blow-dry my hair on medium heat with the diffuser attachment. I sprayed more of the Got2B heat protectant on my hair before 'crimping' my hair with my flat iron. I sprayed some of L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray (unfragranced) over the finished style.
When I woke up this morning, I did the easy twist through my bangs that HeyKayli showed on her YouTube channel a few weeks ago. See video here. I finished with a little more of L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray.
The Accessories:
As can be seen in the pictures, I am rocking my new Guess Double Charm Strawberry Heart earrings. I am so addicted to these babies.
Not seen here: my engagement/wedding bands, my new Amor heart bracelet.
The Shirt:
Quite literally, a $7 halter-top from the G:21 line at WalMart that I fashioned into a tank-top with my ninja sewing skills.
I hope you guys enjoyed my face of the day post, and I'd like you to let me know what you're wearing today!!
happy weekending.
xoxo
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
My Styling Secrets - Accessories
Hola my beauty lovin' babes!
I've recently added a few accessory goodies to my collection and I thought I'd share them with you guys! I don't consider myself a fashionista by any means, but I do love it when I get compliments on my jewellery, because I feel that it suggests that I'm keeping up with the trends - at least somewhat!
Since I'm working as an administrative assistant now, it's difficult to show your creativity and uniqueness in your wardrobe and makeup choices. So I find it wonderful to express myself with color and accessory choices.
I stumbled across this beauty in Sears, and it was 50% off!! As soon as it caught my gaze, I knew this baby was coming home with me. I picked it up for a mere $6, which is quite the bargain. The band is stretchy which is fantastic for my large fingers. I can comfortably wear this on the middle finger of my right hand (which tends to be slightly larger than my left hand). It hails from the brand Fabulous Fakes.
This Design Studio necklace was also 50% off at Sears, for around $12. Considering the weight and quality, I'd say that's quite a steal too. I've been looking for a cute bow style necklace for the past while, and this one really caught my eye. I love the brassy color, and the dark gemstones. I adore how the chain is attached at each side of the bow, so you don't have to worry about the chain twisting around your neck and having the 'boob' (aka clasp) show throughout the day. The weight keeps it sitting nicely on your chesticle region.
My next, and most exciting purchase, was a bit of a splurge, especially for me. I'm not one to buy expensive jewellery... ever. But these caught my eye in Sears the other day, and stayed in the back of my mind all day. Over night, I realized that they had to come home with me and be a part of my collection. They are so 'me' that I knew that despite the price, they would be staple items that I'd wear very frequently. They're Guess Double Charm Strawberry Heart earrings. The front of the studs are adorned with a dangling purple jewelled heart charm. The earring back has a long chain hanging from it, with a rhinestone studded strawberry. The strawberries hang quite low - touching my collarbone on occasion, but I still love them. They are a little weighty, but nothing too uncomfortable. If I knew that I could find a similar accessory for cheaper, I would've picked it up, but I've never seen anything like this in stores... ever. And even my husband adores them and approves of them - he couldn't stop looking at them and telling me how awesome they were. Score.
The last purchase was from The Bay, from a brand called Amor. I used my birthday money to pick up this sterling silver 925 bracelet. It's plated with rhodium, and consists of interlinking hearts. For my wrist, its not quite a 'tight fit' but it's cutting it close. It still twists easily around my wrist, but I cannot just slip it on. I love it. So delicate, yet a statement piece on its own.
And so those are my newest additions to my collection! What do you guys think!? Are there more pieces I should check out? What accessories are you rocking?
xoxo
I've recently added a few accessory goodies to my collection and I thought I'd share them with you guys! I don't consider myself a fashionista by any means, but I do love it when I get compliments on my jewellery, because I feel that it suggests that I'm keeping up with the trends - at least somewhat!
Since I'm working as an administrative assistant now, it's difficult to show your creativity and uniqueness in your wardrobe and makeup choices. So I find it wonderful to express myself with color and accessory choices.
*Sorry for the blurry photos! I took these pictures with my camera phone and it's a little craptacular...*
I stumbled across this beauty in Sears, and it was 50% off!! As soon as it caught my gaze, I knew this baby was coming home with me. I picked it up for a mere $6, which is quite the bargain. The band is stretchy which is fantastic for my large fingers. I can comfortably wear this on the middle finger of my right hand (which tends to be slightly larger than my left hand). It hails from the brand Fabulous Fakes.
 |
My next, and most exciting purchase, was a bit of a splurge, especially for me. I'm not one to buy expensive jewellery... ever. But these caught my eye in Sears the other day, and stayed in the back of my mind all day. Over night, I realized that they had to come home with me and be a part of my collection. They are so 'me' that I knew that despite the price, they would be staple items that I'd wear very frequently. They're Guess Double Charm Strawberry Heart earrings. The front of the studs are adorned with a dangling purple jewelled heart charm. The earring back has a long chain hanging from it, with a rhinestone studded strawberry. The strawberries hang quite low - touching my collarbone on occasion, but I still love them. They are a little weighty, but nothing too uncomfortable. If I knew that I could find a similar accessory for cheaper, I would've picked it up, but I've never seen anything like this in stores... ever. And even my husband adores them and approves of them - he couldn't stop looking at them and telling me how awesome they were. Score.
 |
| Like, who wears awesome earrings like this!? Definitely a conversation piece... |
The last purchase was from The Bay, from a brand called Amor. I used my birthday money to pick up this sterling silver 925 bracelet. It's plated with rhodium, and consists of interlinking hearts. For my wrist, its not quite a 'tight fit' but it's cutting it close. It still twists easily around my wrist, but I cannot just slip it on. I love it. So delicate, yet a statement piece on its own.
And so those are my newest additions to my collection! What do you guys think!? Are there more pieces I should check out? What accessories are you rocking?
xoxo
Monday, May 28, 2012
I be haulin' - 05.28.2012 Summer goodies!!
Hola my beauty lovin' babes!!
Sorry for the long-ish absence. I've been so busy with work and cleaning the house, reading the 3rd book of the Hunger Games trilogy, and studying for my spring courses, I've had little time to write up blog posts. But I've recently found some inspiration as I got a few goodies over the past few days, and feel compelled to share in this little haul...
#1. Marcelle BB Cream in Light/Medium.
I picked this up recently after looking high and low for a decent drugstore tinted moisturizer-esque alternative to liquid foundation. Don't get me wrong - I still love the Revlon ColorStay foundation, I'm just looking for a lighter alternative that's easier to slap-on-and-go in the mornings before work.
#2. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment with SPF 15 in Rose and Original.
These were my birthday gifts for being a Beauty Insider member with Sephora. SUPER excited to try these out and see how I like them. So far, I love the texture, scent, packaging, and tint.
#3. St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body.
I received this as my 200-point perk with Sephora as I was checking out. Another item that I'm squealing with excitement over. I hear nothing but amazing things about the St. Tropez collection of bronzing products. I'm really wanting to try the bronzing mousse though - Kandee Johnson raves about it...
#4. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil.
Sephora always gets me with those little bins of mini/travel/discounted products near the checkouts. This time I came across a small bottle of argan oil and I knew I had to try it. I've heard so many amazing things about how this works wonders on your skin and hair, and I was compelled to pick it up and try it out. I've used it a couple of times on my face and once on my hair so far, and I've got mixed feelings about the results. Stay tuned for a review...
#5. Origins Modern Friction Microdermabrasion.
I received a sample of this upon checking out at Sephora. I tried it in the shower today. Personally I didn't find anything miraculous about it, and it was too small of a sample to really know what it did.
#6. Hanae Mori Paris Eau de Toilette.
Another sample from Sephora (I was rolling in the freebies by the time we left the mall...). I LOVE the scent of this, and yet, (apparently...) it's a men's cologne. I don't really care though - it smells of like, sunscreen, vanilla, and happiness rolled all up into one. I adore it - seriously, you should check it out if you get a chance. Notes of lemon, lavender, green notes, blackcurrant buds, iris, jasmine, lily of the valley, cedarwood, sandalwood, oakmoss, amber, tonka bean, vanilla, and chocolate <-- seriously!? How did they decide that this was a more appropriate scent for men!?
#7. Lise Watier Summer Sunset Bronzer (limited edition)
I picked this up, sort of on a whim. After eyeballing it at Shopper's Drug Mart when picking up the BB cream a few days back, I looked up several reviews on the powder, and knew I had to add it to my small collection of bronzers. Being as pale as I am, it's very difficult to find 'the right' bronzer for my skin tone. Fortunately, this appears to be a very convincing bronzer for me. The powder is silky smooth, and creates a gorgeous glow on my face. Can't wait to use this more and let you guys know what my final opinions are...
So that's my haul. I hope you guys enjoyed this long-overdue post. Here's hoping I have a few more posts coming within the next few days - have a fantastic week!!
xoxo
What is your favorite summer beauty item!?
Sorry for the long-ish absence. I've been so busy with work and cleaning the house, reading the 3rd book of the Hunger Games trilogy, and studying for my spring courses, I've had little time to write up blog posts. But I've recently found some inspiration as I got a few goodies over the past few days, and feel compelled to share in this little haul...
#1. Marcelle BB Cream in Light/Medium.
I picked this up recently after looking high and low for a decent drugstore tinted moisturizer-esque alternative to liquid foundation. Don't get me wrong - I still love the Revlon ColorStay foundation, I'm just looking for a lighter alternative that's easier to slap-on-and-go in the mornings before work.
#2. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment with SPF 15 in Rose and Original.
These were my birthday gifts for being a Beauty Insider member with Sephora. SUPER excited to try these out and see how I like them. So far, I love the texture, scent, packaging, and tint.
#3. St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body.
I received this as my 200-point perk with Sephora as I was checking out. Another item that I'm squealing with excitement over. I hear nothing but amazing things about the St. Tropez collection of bronzing products. I'm really wanting to try the bronzing mousse though - Kandee Johnson raves about it...
#4. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil.
Sephora always gets me with those little bins of mini/travel/discounted products near the checkouts. This time I came across a small bottle of argan oil and I knew I had to try it. I've heard so many amazing things about how this works wonders on your skin and hair, and I was compelled to pick it up and try it out. I've used it a couple of times on my face and once on my hair so far, and I've got mixed feelings about the results. Stay tuned for a review...
#5. Origins Modern Friction Microdermabrasion.
I received a sample of this upon checking out at Sephora. I tried it in the shower today. Personally I didn't find anything miraculous about it, and it was too small of a sample to really know what it did.
#6. Hanae Mori Paris Eau de Toilette.
Another sample from Sephora (I was rolling in the freebies by the time we left the mall...). I LOVE the scent of this, and yet, (apparently...) it's a men's cologne. I don't really care though - it smells of like, sunscreen, vanilla, and happiness rolled all up into one. I adore it - seriously, you should check it out if you get a chance. Notes of lemon, lavender, green notes, blackcurrant buds, iris, jasmine, lily of the valley, cedarwood, sandalwood, oakmoss, amber, tonka bean, vanilla, and chocolate <-- seriously!? How did they decide that this was a more appropriate scent for men!?
#7. Lise Watier Summer Sunset Bronzer (limited edition)
I picked this up, sort of on a whim. After eyeballing it at Shopper's Drug Mart when picking up the BB cream a few days back, I looked up several reviews on the powder, and knew I had to add it to my small collection of bronzers. Being as pale as I am, it's very difficult to find 'the right' bronzer for my skin tone. Fortunately, this appears to be a very convincing bronzer for me. The powder is silky smooth, and creates a gorgeous glow on my face. Can't wait to use this more and let you guys know what my final opinions are...
So that's my haul. I hope you guys enjoyed this long-overdue post. Here's hoping I have a few more posts coming within the next few days - have a fantastic week!!
xoxo
What is your favorite summer beauty item!?
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Nicole by OPI Kim-Konfidential nail polish
Hola my beauty lovin' babes!! I am bringing you a review on a fantastic polish that I've been wearing regularly for the past few weeks...
I picked this polish up at Shoppers Drug Mart for $10.99 CDN (OUCH!!). Nicole by OPI is a lot cheaper when you find it on sale, or if you pick it up at WalMart, so I don't really recommend buying it from Shoppers unless it's your only option. In my case, I was just desperate to have it. My wallet hates me now. One bottle holds 15 mL (0.5 fl oz) of polish. Kim Konfidential is one of six polishes released in the Wel-Kim to my World collection for Spring 2012.
 |
| No flash - natural sunlight. |
It's a peachy, caramel-esque nude shade. It's a creme finish, and there are no sparkles or glitter in it. It takes about 3 even coats to achieve the most flawless and opaque application.
 |
| With flash. |
 |
| With flash (under a window). |
 |
| No flash - natural sunlight. |
The nail polish itself dries relatively quickly. About 2-3 minutes is required between coats, but obviously, the longer you let it set and dry, the more resistant it will be to accidental smudges.
I find that this polish wears fantastically. I don't really have problems with chipping or excessive wear - unless I'm doing some h-core stuff with my hands. But overall, I can leave this polish on for several days (including a top coat) before I have to worry about noticeable chipping and wear marks.
Ah! I seriously love this polish, and I'm definitely considering buying a back up, because it's just that fantastic! Definitely one worth checking out if you are interested in purchasing a new nude polish for your collection. Very unique - I haven't seen many shades like this available in drugstore brands.
Definitely 5 out of 5 stars!!!
* * * * *
What's on your nails at the moment!?!
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