How To (not) Wash Your Hair

Happy Friday everyone!
In an effort to help everyone have an effortless weekend ahead, I'm going to share my most recent method of (not) washing my hair.

For those of you with short, styled 'dos, I totally understand the need to wash and style your hair daily. But for the folks out there like me, who have a mass of long hair, it is not only extremely inconvenient, but also damaging, to wash your hair daily.

Now, that's not to say that sometimes I don't wash my hair a few days in a row. Sometimes a combination of workout schedules and life events just do not allow for it! And that's just that. But on the days when I can wake up and refresh my hair- without taking the time to wash and dry- you bet I am on board.

I have posted several times about my quest to find the perfect dry shampoo. And, in case you are wondering, I still would highly recommend Batiste Dry Shampoo ($12), or for a lower price option, TreSemme Dry Shampoo ($4) works exceptionally well.

But, apparently I am never satisfied, because here is what happened. For a couple months now, every time I have visited my Beauty First location, they have been out of Batiste. So for awhile I was using the TreSemme Dry shampoo. And it serves its purpose. But I can't help but notice how it makes my  hair a little stiff and heavy- and just generally unmanageable. If I am not going to wash my hair, then I don't want it to look weighed down with product by the end of the day, either.

In an effort to save a little money, and not have to leave my apartment, I brushed in a little cornstarch to my roots with an old kabuki brush.

This is not a completely new concept to me, but last time I did it I was unimpressed with the result. So last week I found an article that talked about using cornstarch. Apparently I missed a key step-  the best way to apply is:

1) Sprinkle or brush cornstarch into roots (roots only!)

2) Let the cornstarch absorb any excess oil for a few minutes (previously missed this step!)

3) Massage into hair

4)Brush through hair until cornstarch is not visible.

And... ta da! My hair looks newly washed and there is no heavy residue. The only downside I can come up with is that you aren't getting a fresh, clean smell. However, I have no problem with a few sprays of body spray in the hair to take care of that problem. So, there.... not a problem anymore!

I would highly recommend this process as opposed to purchasing a dry shampoo. It can get expensive when you are buying a new bottle constantly. And cornstarch is typically less than a dollar. And it lasts forever.

For my brunette readers, doing half cornstarch, half cocoa powder will take care of that annoying white residue (and smells yummy!). I have heard that for red locks, cinnamon blends nicely as well.

Side note: I know a lot of people use baby powder, which is essentially the same concept. I, too, have used this method over the years. For me, the baby powder creates a ton of static that I cannot handle. I have no idea why,  but it's just not a great option for me!

Have a great weekend...not washing your hair!

Confessional Friday

It has been a minute since I linked up with Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition for a confessional!

So, here we go!

1. I confess that last night I had a variety of desserts for supper. I don't want to get into it, but it went on for hours and there was ice cream with Cookie Butter. And frosting. And PB & J....

2. I am learning to make cinnamon rolls from scratch- and I think I finally got what I wanted with trial #3 last night. Woo! Thanks to my awesome aunt and her timeless recipes!

3. I confess that I still haven't watched the premier of The Bachelor. For someone who rarely misses a season, this is upsetting. It is happening... this weekend.

4. I have been trying to get caught up on New Girl on Netflix. In the last two nights, I watched 13 episodes. That's a little embarrassing.

5. I confess that I slept in until 10:00 AM on my "cold" day home from work. It was amazing. I guess there has to be one upside to this awful weather!

6. I confess that I LOVE that so many of my girlfriends are moms and/or becoming moms. Nothing makes me happier than seeing all of their sweet little baby faces.

Alright, feeling good! Let's get this weekend rolling.. I could use a day off... after only working for 3 days this week!

And side note: those of you who are receiving the Ipsy glam box...tell me more. Has it been worth it? I almost completed my profile, but didn't go through with it quite yet. I like to think these kind of commitments through. Help!

Happy Friday!

Playing Dress Up...

It seems like lately it has been so cold that I can barely bring myself to leave my home unless it is absolutely necessary. A few days ago, it started snowing and blowing and I knew there was no way I was leaving for several hours. 

Somehow, my night turned in to me researching 40s, 50s and 60s fashion. Ahhh my heart! I love it so much. The hair, the make up, the clothes… it is so romantic.  This was also when I realized why I (like every other girl) love movies like The Notebook and Pearl Harbor. The fashion and feel of that time period is the best thing ever! 

Anyways, I ended up experimenting with 40s, 50s and 60s hair for several hours. It didn't occur to me until I was at the end of my experiment to document some of my efforts. I used various photos for inspiration. 

For my "60s" look,  I was working with a head full of curls to begin with.  I did a lot of teasing at the crown of my head and then combed it all back and secured with bobby pins. Since I have bangs right now, and so did one of the pictures, I left them down. I was playing with some make up as well- I used my regular eyeliner and winged outside of my eyes. I added my black eye shadow on top of the eyeliner for extra drama (Naked II).  I used Too Faced "Better Than False Lashes" and I did a couple of applications.  And…

I wish I would have lived in any of those eras. Since that is impossible, I will periodically continue to be inspired by these classic looks! There are a lot of fun websites that have hair tutorials for these classic 'dos. Google search your favorite looks and start playing dress up! It's okay to never outgrow that, right? Right. 

XOXO, 

Dreams Come True: Baking Edition

Merry post Christmas! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. I certainly got in a lot of time with all of the people that I love, and that is my favorite part!

While Christmas certainly is not about the "getting," I feel extra blessed this year- for several reasons.
One of those reasons are a handsome (heavily bearded) guy in my life who I am particularly fond of. And I am incredibly thankful for him and all of the things that he is.  And…he may or may not be pictured  below in a very mysterious photo.

I can't help myself. 

Also, I am thankful when he brings these kind of things into my life…
YES.
This happened!

I talk a lot less about baking and a lot more about products on this forum, but the truth is, I spend a lot of my down time baking and trying new recipes. I have wanted one of these beauties for years. YEARS. I thought someday it might happen,  but I certainly didn't expect it to be any time soon. To say that I am thrilled with my new Kitchen Aid would be an understatement. My baking game just took an unexpected step up.

So, yes, I am feeling a little extra spoiled this year, and today I got to put my new dream machine to use! I have had bread-baking on my to-do list for a few months now. For some reason when I see "yeast" and "rising" I get a little intimidated. But with the help of my kneading attachment, I went ahead and tried it out.

My little adventure today….

Woo!

I got this recipe here if anyone is interested. 

Anyways, on a more serious note, I really am feeling overwhelmed with a lot of love this season. And as much as I feel the love, I also have seen how much shorter life can be than we anticipate. As much as we believe that our loved ones will be with us forever, sometimes that is just not the plan. The holidays are a great time to see our families and friends and let them know how much they mean to us. But, so is everyday. Starting today, don't  forget to say "I love you" and maybe hug a little longer. Each day we have with each other is just another day to show how much we care.

Merry (post) Christmas!
And stay tuned… of course I have some new products to review.

Current Favs

Hey! It's about time for another addition of current favorites. It's Winter time and that means I am cringing and running to and from my car like a giant baby. It also means I am spending a lot more time buying random items and products than I EVER should be. So, without any further delay….

1. Isotoner Gloves

If you live anywhere where you find your body in pain due to the temperature, do yourself a favor and grab a pair of Isotoner gloves. Why I have never owned a pair of these prior to this year is BEYOND my understanding. This has literally been a game changer for me. I actually don't hate my life as much when I am driving to work in the morning. And I can touch the steering wheel again. Bonus!

They have a lot of cute and practical styles. And I now own two pairs.  Pictured below are my favorite pair. 

Women's Cable Knit Gloves- Thinsulate Lined in Ivory

2. Eyeliner discovery

This is more of an announcement. I know I am not the first NOR the last person to do this, but I have started using my eye shadow as an eyeliner- and I LOVE IT. 

In my Naked 2 palette  there is shade called "Blackout". A few weeks ago I had a crisis in which I was not at home and realized I had forgotten my eyeliner. I improvised with a fine tip brush and this shade…. and I couldn't believe how much I liked it! It was such a smooth and soft look as opposed to the sharp lines you get from a pencil. I honestly haven't even used my eye liner since. I have had the best experience when I put my eye shadow primer very close to my lash line before I start. Simple, quick, and a better look if you ask me! 

3. Talenti Gelato

Oh man. As if I need any more caloric intake during this season, I made a huge mistake and bought a couple of pints of this heavenly concoction. I don't even have anything to say except for if you are having a bad day, locate this at your local grocer and wait for the turnaround. 

I am a huge fan of the Sea Salt Carmel and Fudge Brownie flavors. 

A fancy picture from their website. My mouth is watering. 

That's all for now! 

XOXO, 

PSA: Arctic Zero Follow Up

Some of you may have read my PSA about my feelings on my Arctic Zero purchase. Not good. The folks over at Arctic Zero (Hi Lindsey and gang!) must have stumbled across my post, and they contacted me regarding my feelings about their product. 

The next thing I knew, a box showed up of all of the flavors Arctic Zero had to offer! 

Lindsey advised letting the ice-cream thaw out to a creamy state and then giving it a try. I have to say that I STILL haven't tried all of the 6 flavors they sent me, but I will tell anyone who is looking to try this, that Sea Salt Carmel is where it's at in terms of this product. 

I finished at least half of the pint. 

So, here is my new verdict. This product is not ice cream. It's just not. And if you have a sweet tooth like I do, it may not be satisfying to you. But if you are looking for a solid substitute for a frozen treat- by all means- give this stuff a try!

And as a side note, a big THANK YOU to the Arctic Zero team and also an A+ for your amazing customer service efforts. Whether or not I ever fall in love with AZ, I will be extremely impressed with your business efforts. 

 

Thanks again!

Love Radiance

This post is LONG overdue. A couple of weeks ago I had to run a quick errand at the NE Crossroads Outlet in Gretna. My plan was to be in and out in approximately 5 minutes.

Until I saw they opened a Bare Escentuals store..that day… as in an hour before I got there.

It would take you a few minutes of browsing this blog's history to find out I LOVE Bare Escentuals make up. So when I found out that the first 100 customers were getting $25 off of every $50 spent, I had a mild heart attack... to say the least.

I stocked up on my usuals, but I also bought blush from their line. For some unknown reason, I have NEVER used their blush. I love my NARS blush in Orgasm and have always felt like blush is somewhat…expendable.. for use of a better term. Anyways, since I was getting a crazy good deal, I decided it was time to see what their blush was all about.

It's called all over face color, but I use it as a blush- in "Love Radiance" and I have to say, I am a big fan! No big surprise considering I haven't stopped using their products in about the last 10 years.

All Over Face color in "Love Radiance"

Anyways, I don't think I got over my excitement from this unexpected deal for the next 24 hours. I called everyone who I thought would care and fell asleep smiling because I knew another deal like this wouldn't be coming anytime soon.

Sometimes I can't even believe how lame I am.

Anyways, try the blush out if you haven't yet. It doesn't disappoint!


XOXO,