Beauty Essentials

I wish I was one of those ladies who have a flawless, perfect complexion... but alas I am not one of the lucky ones. I am fortunate to not deal with massive breakouts, but the occasional pimple, dry skin and some evenness have left something to be desired. Plus I tend to have really sensitive skin. Like REALLY sensitive. You will always know when I've started a new renovation because I will usually have some form of reaction to whatever is going on around me.

Instead of covering up any of the issues I have with makeup I prefer to spend my efforts and money on managing it so there isn't much to cover. Plus face poweders seem to only irritate me more, so it's key to make the best of my own skin.

Bioderma was an impulse purchase last year and it is one of those things I will never be without again. It is basically the most effective yet gentle makeup remover I've ever tried. I actually stopped wearing some eye makeup in the past because just using makeup remover would irritate my eyes to no end. But this is so gentle you can actually even swip it on and not rinse if off if you are in a pinch. It is a lifesaver for mascara wearers!

I have sang the praises of Dr. Haushka cleansers in the past and I still adore them, but locally my cleanser is out of stock about 80% of the time. So the last time I ran out I decided to try a new product and discovered this Korres cleanser. I had never thought to try this brand but I have found it to be super soothing and gentle but also really effective.

This is where my routine gets into the nitty gritty. I discovered Indeed Laboratories's Retinol Reface a little while ago and I am amazing by the results after a few weeks of use. My skin is softer, is more even and has a smoother texture. I did find it was very potent so I only use a light amount before bed. For the price this is the best value I've seen in a home treatment!

My day treatment is again by Indeed Laboratories and it is their Hydraluron serum. I use it around my eye area and a little on my forehead. It is one of those products that you have to use for about a week to build up results but I have been very pleasantly surprised at how effective it is! I am only recently 30, but any fine lines  I had around my eyes have disappeared. It is not moisturizing so if you have dry skin you still need some hydration with a moisturizer but I don't think I will ever be without this product again.

This is probably the single most expensive item in my routine but it is the most important. I am religious about wearing sunscreen and finding a day cream that has it without causing a ton of irritation has taken years. I will usually be fine for a day or two and then notice my eyes stinging and getting red, I have no idea if it is the fragrance or ingredients but it is a near guarantee it will happen. So when the girls at Murale told me to try this Bobbi Brown primer and bring it back if that happened I decided to make the splurge. A year later I am using daily with no issues and my makeup seems to go on beautifully as well. This is what they call a win-win my friends (except for my wallet of course...). I use a handful of Bobbi Brown make up items and have always been pleased so I'm not surprised this is just as great of a product.

Looking through the list it seems like I spend a lot of time and money applying stuff to my face, huh? But I think my skin looks and feels better today than it did 3 or 4 years ago. 

What are your beauty staples/routine?

Scrap Week: Fabric Braid

Today we're gonna put a romantic/country spin on braiding! Unfortunately, you will have to know how to braid (I am not a great teacher but there are plenty of helpful youtube videos out there!), nothing fancy, just your run of the mill french braid. 

The only twist is that we will twist it around our head like a crown.

 

I actually wear my hair like this once a week or so anyways. When your hair gets longer it starts to hurt to wear pony tails too much so I like trying out different braids, especially french braids, because they tug on your scalp a lot more evenly (that doesn't sound any more comfortable, does it LOL).

Here is today's braid without any fabric embellishments, but I think we can kick it up a notch.

 

Let's start with the fabric. I used three 1 inch strips of fabric that I cut about a foot longer than my own hair.

 

To get it braid-ready I got out my thread and needle and stitched 2 of the lengths about 3.5 inches from the top of one. This might not make sense, but when you start braiding you don't want too much fabric bulk at your roots. We are going to hide the start of our braid and too much fabric is hard to hide.

 

In this photo the braid closest to my face is where we start. You can just barely see a bobby pin in the middle of my scalp and that is what is holding our fabric in place. You can also hot glue the fabric to a bobby pin or clip if you find it easier. I started my braid with one fabric section and 2 hair sections to get my 3 braid pieces.

 

You will braid until you reach the part of your fabric where you stitched the other two pieces. Fan them out and incorporate them into your other 2 hair sections. By this time even your 'fabric only' section will have hair in it as you pull in new sections for the french braid. I like to try and 'wrap' the sections in the fabric so it doesn't get lost under your hair and you can easily see it in the braid. Also, you may notice that my braid appears really neat on one side and that is because I personally prefer to only 'french' braid half the braid, meaning I only pull hair in on one side of the braid. I know that sounds hard, but I actually find it easier! Again, it takes practice and patience if you aren't a natural at braiding keep trying!

 

On this opposite side just keep braiding around the face, even as you start to run out of hair! This is the beauty of braiding with fabric:

1. Your hair looks extra 'full' and thick because you are adding so much volume with the fabric.

2. If you wrap the hair in the fabric as you go, when you start to run out of hair you can keep braiding the fabric and the hair won't fray out of the braid. This means you can try styles that otherwise only work on really long hair, like this!

 

Keep braiding until you feel like you are near your ear again, wrap the braid in an elastic and pin in place. I like the whimsy that the loose fabric gives, but if you want a tidier braid just cut those (making sure you aren't cutting any hair!) and tuck under the first row of braids. 

Of course, you will need a handful of pins. And a good ice pack for your aching arms! No matter how many times I braid my hair my arms are always killing me by the end.

Good Times, Good Finds

What a crazy few days, sadly it seems to feel like a struggle to pull together a few minutes to sit at the computer and type out all the blog posts flying around in my head! So I apologize for being a tad sporatic over the last few days, and probably over the next few days as well. Every day seems to bring new adventures, challenges, fun, and usual life stuff. Looking for another property to start work on is taking a lot of energy, along with all the work at ParkView. And Saturday I brought home a yet-to-be-named baby, a new car. Well, an SUV to be exact. Wren calls it the earring car (?????), but I think I want something cuter for a name. Please tell me I'm not the only person who likes to name their vehicles!!

New car means tightening up the purse strings, but I'm a shopper so I'm gonna have to take being a bargain-ista to a whole new level. Here are a few of my current bargain finds.

{ love is all you need }

I am all about hearts right now. They just add a positive vibe to my day, but really who doesn't love a little love? This is my absolute favorite buy in recent memory, a set of 5 dainty, colorful little rings. The whole set was a cool $4.80 at Forever21!!! Alone, stacked, layered, they are my new 'must wear' accessory.

Yet another Forever21 find, my happy shirt! I am a huge WildFox Couture fan, their clothes are so snappy and fun, not to mention beyond comfy. I'll admit to buying their beach sweatshirts (with a giant glitter heart on it, of course), but momma can't afford to buy the real thing for $117 when there are EXACT replicas for a measly $5.50 at F21. 

I am soooo happy I tried the new Dove dry shampoo! I was a firm Batiste user for last few years but when I saw these on sale for $2.88 about a month ago I gave it a shot. The best part is that Dove has a coupon for $2 off any purchase of 2 items right now so I got two giant cans for less than $4!!! If you are a brunette and live by dry shampoo like me you will love this stuff because it doesn't leave a white residue after brushing.

 

I am sorry this might not be a deal for everyone, but if you are near a SuperStore run over and check out their Essie display!! Quite a few colors were on sale for $4 so I stocked up on some shades I might otherwise have never given a go, like this awesome grey Yogaga color and Tart Deco, a fun pinky-peach.

Have you been finding any good deals lately?? I need to update my Fall wardrobe a little and have to keep it budget friendly!

Happy Wednesday Friends

Bed Head

 

It's at that point in the Summer when even the novelty of being flushed and golden after a day at the pool is getting old. I no longer wake up excited to throw on my denim cut offs, instead I long for the variety of boots and jeans in my daily wardrobe choices. 

Yet, I'm not ready for Summer to be over! I just want and need a little change of pace or a break in this heat (which I hear is headed my way... watch me eat these words). But I will admit defeat in the hair department for the remainder of this heat. What did people with long hair do before messy top knots were acceptable?

For me, the messier the better. Being a busy mom this usually happens naturally for me by about 9am and only gets progressively crazier as the day progresses.

 

Unfortunately, my love of messy hair has been passed on to Wren who is in a stage where she rarely lets me do anything with her hair. Admittedly she doesn't have enough of it to be concerned about this, but she is starting her first year of play school in just a few weeks and I am a little concerned over how we'll handle the hair situation. I am hoping that seeing other kids with actual combed, detangled hair will light a fire under her. 

Let it never be said she isn't an independent thinker!

{ divas in striped dresses with bows... and messy hair }

My mini Summer beauty update

Hey guys, was a little bored and whipped up this video last week. I now realize I accidentally turned off the HD setting so sorry it is not very crisp... but I haven't had time to go back and refilm. I like winging it anyhow, feels more like a conversation than a speech. 

As I mentioned before, I'm a rambler so apologies in advance (again) for the word vomit.

And another apology for the exposed tummy, my buttons were not cooperating either... 

Seems like I have covered all my apologies, so let's get down to it, shall we?

I am working on our Lexington video tour as well,  but if you have any suggestions for vlogs or blogs leave them in my 'comment box' 

Have a wonderful Tuesday my cookies!

Things that make me Happy, August Edition

It's about that time again! I believe we should all take the time daily to reflect on what makes us happy, celebrate the little things that bring us joy (even if it is for just a second or two). I really try hard to do that, but it is a conscious effort. Life moves so fast these days and I think it is more important than ever to really rejoice in these special moments. The following snippets are just a small collection of some of the glorious moments I have stopped to observe of things really make me happy!

{ Ice Cream. Or anything ice cream related really... }

these cute little marshmallows ($2/bag, London Drugs) are a good mess-free alternative, and way less calories I am guessing too!

{ PINK. 'nuff said }

It is fair to say Wren and I are girlie girls, and we love ourselves some pink. I added a little to my office recently and I am happier just thinking about working in there.

 

{ tarnished silver trays }

I have a theory that one can never have enough old silver trays. Big, small, medium... simple, ornate, unique any and all kinds are welcome in my house. There are pieces I've had for quite some time that are just now getting use, but that is the beauty of them: you never know when or how you will use them. But you do!

This one was a $1.50 find at goodwill and will end up in one of our future bathroom renos, but for now it holds my collection of listerine bottles.

 

{ play time }

Don't have a reason to throw a fancy party? Consider having one with your little person(s). Pretty plates, a few decorations and a couple snacks really make an afternoon go by in the blink of an eye. And it is a good opportunity to teach manners and etiquette in a fun way!

{ a good beauty routine }

I have spent a lot of time, effort and money on beauty products over the years but always go back to my staples. It is unhealthy how much I enjoy using Dr. Hauschka cleansers every morning and night. Loading up on new bottles makes my heart flutter, but the best side effect is how awesome my skin looks and feels. It is a weird adjustment at first because they don't strip your skin so that tight feeling is missing (which I used to associate with 'clean skin') but after a year I have learned how much a little effort can pay off when it comes to skin care. And if you need a good exfoliator, the Green Apple Peel will change your life, no matter what else you use on your skin. It is super strong but once a week I do it and my skin seems to thank me for it.

(and no, I am not paid or given these products, in fact I wish I was!!! )

 

{ freebies }

Who doesn't love a freebie?? I love when Murale does theirs and I always wait to stock up on the above products when they have this promo. No strings attached or minimum purchase, they just give you moola for your next splurge!

{ Ice Cream... again }

Ikea has the cutest set of cookies, cake and ice cream cones (pictured here and above) that really look cute enough to eat! We have had lots of fun with these in the last few months.

What special moments have you been savoring? 

Summer Wardrobe

I am not sure if it a long weekend in the US as well, but us Canadians are enjoying a super fantastic holiday weekend. What am I doing to celebrate? Scraping old paint off bannisters at Lexington. Good times, good times.

But last night we took time out to party it up with some friends visiting from Connecticut for the weekend and my parents had a big party. Kids were running around, dogs were barking and a good time was had by all! Knowing that we had a little event happening this weekend, Wren and I picked up some items at the Mall a few weeks ago while grabbing the kitchen knobs for Lexington at Anthro (somehow a quick stop turns into me scouring the sale racks at H&M and Zara, at which point the whole trip turns into a day lost at the mall). 

It may sound backwards, but I prefer to splurge and spend the bigger bucks on my everyday wardrobe instead of beautiful designer evening dresses. You get way more bang for your buck and really get to enjoy your splurges that way. And while there is plenty of crapola hanging around in stores like Forever21 and H&M, there is also quite a few decidedly pretty and elegant items. Ones that would take a pretty discerning eye to differentiate from high end labels. And with the sheer quantity of items you know how easy it can be to lose a day in stores like that!

So here are a few of the fun and cheap purchases I've made recently to jazz up my Summer wardrobe.

One of my "splurges" this spring was this maxi dress. I bought it at Splendid on our holiday back in March (sleeveless summer version here) and I think I've worn it at least once a week since then. It is comfy, soft, and easy to wear both to the park with Wren and to a movie at night with a girlfriend. I forgot how much easier life is with dresses...

 

A close up for some items from the video. 

$1.50 flower chain headband (similar here)/ $5.80 suede+chain wrap bracelet/ $6.70 dream catcher necklace/ $5.80 neon+gold earrings

 

I LOVE the emerald color, and with some gold accessories it is perfect for a 70's greek goddess.
I couldn't find the dress online, but if you want to track it down for yourself the item number is  00038884

 

The cardigan (link here) was a last minute purchase, but I am glad I had it on hand because it got cool as the evening wore on. I actually didn't even take it off once. 

Now get outside and enjoy the rest of your long weekend!

Beauty Product Reviews

YAY! I finally got Youtube to cooperate (I am really, truly computer challenged guys). I thought I would save myself some typing but actually caused a lot of extra work and heartache in the end so I hope you like it. Maybe someday soon I'll have some mad editing skills and create little cinematic masterpieces, but for now let's just chat about some of my recent beauty experiences.

In the event the embedded video doesn't work, here is the link.

Here is the close up of all the products I "like" (some are down right loved) for anyone interested. And be sure to let me know if you have any questions about the products!

Love, Peace and Tanning lotion my friends.

I don't know what has gotten into my system, but I have been making mini tweaks to pretty much everything in my life! From the dining room to some big changes happening in our bedroom I will be sharing soon, I made a small change from my natural hair color of medium brown to a dark strawberry blonde. I have been wanting to do something with my hair but didn't want to dish out the moola and go to the salon so Wren and I made a stop at Sally Beauty Supply last week and picked up some toner to do it at home.

I have had some experience with doing salon coloring at home thanks to an awesome friend who gave me the low down when she was kind enough to do it for me at her house, but it can still be intimidating once it is all slathered into your hair and before you rinse it out. Will come out orange, purple, maybe even green??? All of those thoughts run through my head each and every time!

But thankfully it turned out as planned!

For all those who have asked how my hair is so long already after chopping it all off last March (full story here), I have been both blessed and cursed with really quick growing hair. The good part is that it makes cutting my hair fun since even if I hate it short it only stays that way for about 8 months, but the bad part is that coloring my hair is a nightmare. The reason it cannot be kept up at a salon regularly is that it would cost me hundreds of dollars a month if I needed my roots touched up professionally. Hence my persistence in learning to professionally lighten at home.

I really love the color (for anyone looking to lighten at home I used a 10 volume developer with a level 7.1 ash blonde), specially because it isn't too drastic a change to need troublesome weekly touch ups.

Have you been making any big changes so far in 2012?

Wardrobe this week

This month I've attempted to participate in a 30 day wardrobe challenge on a message board I frequent. I've missed a few days already, but I thought it would be fun to do a weekly summary here as well for the days I remembered to whip out my camera!

My latest obsession is small braids. Tucked into a pony tail, hiding in a mess of wavy hair, I don't care but I love them!

I am not a big hair-in-my-face girl so it is a fun way to keep my hair back without pulling it all up.

forever21 sweatshirt. Abercrombie jeans. Stella and Dot bracelet.

Rebecca Taylor cardigan. Hollister tank. Seven for all mankind jeans. Stella and Dot necklace.

Anthropologie sweater. Rebecca Taylor dress. Juicy Couture leggings. Hush Puppy boots. Forever21 hoop earrings. Stella and Dot on the Mark necklace.

Joe Fresh scarf. Anthropologie jacket. Forever21 linen tunic. Juicy Couture jeggings.

And don't forget that class starts tomorrow for our furniture painting series!

It's spring in my heart, and my make up drawer.

I hate the holiday clearance shopping crowds. HATE them. But I braved a trip to Superstore last week for groceries when Sean spotted a sweater he wanted. It was on clearance and the hanger said it was his size so absentmindedly we brought it home. Later that night he learned the valuable lesson of always checking the item is on the correct hanger because the tag revealed that the sweater was 2 sizes too small.

Fast forward two days later and I ended up spending nearly 2 hours returning the silly thing only to learn that I could exchange it for other Joe products alone. SOOOO without seeing anything I really needed I thought it would be a fitting opportunity to update my make up routine for the Spring. I only buy new make up every year or so besides a new tube of mascara here or there so this was a treat!

I did buy a couple Joe lip balms last summer and keep them on hand in both my purse and car at all times because they have the perfect amount of tint without feeling like I'm wearing lip stick. So those were the first things in my basket ($8 each). Then I added a lip stain ($6) and a new nail polish ($4).

I thought that was good enough for me, but then a sales associate shared a coupon for a free product with any purchase of $10 so I searched a little more for something extra. Then I spotted an adorable set of JOE loves Barbie nail polishes on clearance ($4.94) so the 9 year old girl in me threw those right in!

Not a bad shopping haul if it weren't for the insane lines and rude people that sucked a little bit of fun out of my yearly makeup drawer update.

I know it's not all that fun for you American's when I share Superstore finds because they are sadly not available in the US, but we don't have all the fun target shopping you have so I guess we even out there, right?

The last addition to my cart was a warm, wooly blue sweater on clearance for $19, but I was sure to double check the tag said the right size and even try it on before committing. Because Lord knows I am not losing another 2 hours of my life to returning it, I'd rather burn the thing next time!

Now bring on the sunshine and spring blooms!

Oh how I love you so...

My makeup drawer is pretty standard, assorted eyeshadows, various mascaras, a few types of blush. I honestly wouldn't be too panicked if I didn't have any of it on hand because I am a pretty minimalist gal in that department. I'm that girl that knows she should throw out the 6 year old eyeshadow duo at the back of the drawer but just can't do it because I only used it twice!

But I do have a small number of items I just don't think I could manage without. Pass me the smelling salts if any of these items go the way of the dinosaurs because it would throw my whole beauty regime off (small as it is).

The first 2 are self tanners. Let me start by saying I absolutely LOVE self tanners, but absolutely HATE buying them. It is so hit and miss and everytime I try something new I regret it about 3 hours later when I look like an oompa-loompa. And these 2 kinda started out the same way, or at least the one on the left did.

I am a slightly olive-toned girl, but a really pale one at that. So when I look particularly pastey it tends to have a greenish undertone that resembles someone on their second day of food poisoning (ok, maybe not that bad, but not a cute look). I am not out to get the Jlo glow, just a nice tone that warms up my complexion. So I tried out the Sublime Bronze Sun Splash when I ran out of my last bottle that sadly isn't available anymore. I didn't really like anything about this stuff, it sprays on in a gel form, but you still have to rub it in, then it dried too quickly and left me streaky, and worst of all it is REALLY strong stuff so I looked like a caribbean queen only 2 hours after application. So I ditched it and decided to try the aerosol mist.

LOVE this stuff! A gradual build up over 3 days and I was back to normal. It goes on easy and dries well, but it does have quite a spray so do it in the shower or tub so minimize the mess on your floors. The only problem is that it is pricey and only lasted me about 3 weeks (doing full body). So I came to a compromise, do the mist on my arms and chest and the gel on my face by mixing it with my moisturizer.

It's funny because when we are young we get so interested in makeup and beauty. I can still remember when my mom bought me my first eye shadow and an eyeshadow brush at The Body Shop years ago. But nobody really tells you about moisturizers so I was totally clueless to how much they do for you before applying make up until just a few years back. I absolutely adore my Olay moisturizer with sunscreen. I mix one pump of moisturizer and one pump of self tanner in the palm of my hand then apply every morning. This particular lotion also has some glycolic acid in it and I completely attribute that to the improvement of my skin tone and not having a big zit in years. Plus when you are self tanning regularly I think it is important to keep the skin as fresh as possible.

If you fight dark circles like me (being up 1-2 times a night with a two year old causes a lot of those) you need need need to try this stuff! I would honestly give up chocolate for Bobbi Brown's under eye concealers. I often keep 2-3 different shades on hand to blend better depending on the degree of discoloration under my eyes. I have 1 compact that also comes with the setting powder and then buy the rest in individual compacts since they are a little pricey and I don't use much of the powder. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

What are your beauty must haves? I need to know if I'm missing out on any other fabulous products!

Favorite Purchase in a loooong time

If you dropped by today for some good old fashioned decorating, I am sorry to disappoint (again)! But I just had to share a recent purchase that I am in luuuurve with.

I really am not all the adventurous with makeup, and rarely try new products so it was a bit of an adventure to put this in my shopping cart while grocery shopping last week.

{yes, I totally understand that level of excitement in putting a new lipstick in my cart is rediculous. I am weird like that}

The first thing you should know is that I'm not a big fan of lip-gloss! The gooey feel and the fact that I am constantly kissing on Wren doesn't make it all that practical. But I often feel like my lips have little color and look BOR-ING. In fact, it is quite odd, but my lips seems to even have a purple-ish hue to them which is not all that flattering. So when I saw this stain I decided to give it a shot. I am so happy I did, because it is seriously my favorite item in my make up drawer now!! It give you color without the gloss, seems to stay put nicely for me (some reviewers found it wore off quickly considering it is a stain) and is absolutely zero maintenance for most of the day. Good for moms like me who cannot keep lipstick or gloss in their purses, knowing little fingers will use it as crayons!

I will definitely try another shade or two, and maybe even an eye shadow!

*the crowd ooh's and ahh's*