my new product for ALL THE THINGS!

Well hello there. It's been a while.  A LOT has changed since my last round of posts; living in a different state, new job, new place, and a new outlook on the products I use as well. I discovered MindBodyGreen this year and have read nearly every article on the site it seems. So, its only natural that my choice in beauty products has gone more...well natural. My favorite and new go-to for everything in the bathroom (and kitchen) is COCONUT OIL.

Here's a typical day in the life of me and my gigantic bottle of coconut oil:

• I rise & shine and get my coconut oil pulling on (use a teaspoon like Listerine) Cleanse your mouth of bacteria and take care of your gums. Make sure to spit it out in the trashcan and rinse out twice with water.
• While oil pulling, I like to gently massage my eyes with a tid bit of coconut oil. Makes them look ALIVE and gets blood flowing in order to decrease puffiness.
• I then occasionally make my warm lemon water with a  splash of coconut oil. This helps activate your thyroid gland and energizes you naturally.
• Scrambled eggs with avocado is perhaps my favorite breakfast. It's much healthier AND tastier when cooked in coconut oil instead of butter or olive oil.
• Coconut oil makes the perfect makeup remover!
• When I need to relax my sore muscles I soak in Epsom salt and a handful of coconut oil. When you get out of the tub- your skin feels and smells incredible....and your pets will think you are delicious.
• Shaving is much smoother using coconut oil than shampoo (I'm cheap).
• The perfect pre-bed time moisturizer is...you guessed it! COCONUT OIL. As it may stain some clothing before it soaks in your skin, let it dry before crawling under the covers.
• While I'm dousing my body in the stuff, I go ahead and coat my slightly damp hair in coconut oil for an overnight conditioner. Rinse with shampoo twice, skip the conditioner, and HELLO HEALTHY HAIR! 

I really can't say enough about it. I tell pretty much every human I come in contact with about it.
A note on what kind to purchase: you need ORGANIC! I have used and loved Nature's Way, Nutivia, and Nutrigold.

Here' s a great article my BFF wrote about it too! SHARE THE LOVE!

6 months later using the miracle concealer

pretty little products.: Miracle concealer

Y'all. This stuff us legit.

Red wine bath time.

If you have lived with me- you know that I only do baths. Like- all the time. I love them. I do shower to rinse- no worries. But I take a bath daily. Not a long one every time (especially since the hot water in my apartment runs out after about 3 inches have filled up-ugggh) but every once in a while I like to soak for 30 minutes to an hour.  

Bubbles are great and all- but they really do nothing for your skin. Recently, instead of drinking red wine, I’ve been bathing in it. Just about one glass to half a bottle in a tub is PLENTY. My skin feels SO soft immediately after drying off and has stayed that way (with the use of moisturizers everyday as well of course). Red wine is full of antioxidants and yeast which hydrate your skin.

I also let my hair soak in it for a while. This is only a good idea if you have dark / red hair. This will accentuate the color of your lovely locks!

Simplified spray tan directions.

The directions I posted in the post Get Your Glow On intimidated some people because they were so intense. Heres an better way to show just how EASY it is to actually get a perfect tan from a bottle. For reals. Let's keep our skin young ladies. I will totally make fun of you and tell you "I told ya so" you're looking like a brown leather bag when we are 55.

·         Just take your jewelry off, put hair up.

·         Shower, shave and exfoliate. Don’t put lotion all over your body/face after.

·         Put a towel underneath/over anything around you.

·         Put lotion on elbows, ankles, knees and throat. (rough skin areas) before and after spraying.

·         Spray away about 12 inches from skin. If it looks uneven you can blend it in easily (do so gently).

·         Wash hands immediately after (get in between fingers- I wear plastic gloves from $1 store)

·         Make sure not to sweat or bathe for 8 hours after.

·         The longer you wait – the more golden and longer lasting tan youll get.

click HERE to buy. trust me. just click it.

Here are some of the best recent articles on Beauty:

The Best Makeup Shades for All Skin Tones: 

10 Makeup Shades That Look Good on All Skin Tones 

via Hello Beautiful

Find Your Perfect Foundation:

A Guide to Types of Foundation Makeup

via Makeup for Acne and Sensitive Skin 

Find Rankings for Online Beauty Schools: Rankings for Online Beauty Schools 

which was featured on online business degrees

Pretty Hairstyles:

5 Sexiest Hairstyles for Spring 

via Cosmetique Blog

bronze beauty.

Ohhh that time of the year has come around yet again. Tan time. I have successfully restrained myself from tanning beds all winter long. But now that bathing suite season is approaching, I have started spray tanning weekly to get a good "base" color started so I can lay out without blinding fellow pool goers. I seriously forgot how pale I am naturally. I am trying so hard to embrace it but I just don't have Anne Hathaway or Scarlett Johansson's ability to rock the pale is pretty look.

If you want an easy, instant summer glow when applying makeup the answer is bronzer. Bronzer and I are kinda BFFs. It's a staple product in my makeup bag and should be in yours. 

Supermarket best buy:

Maybelline Dream Mouse in Sun Kissed- the mouse formula gives you a perfect dewy look.

Physician’s formula has a TON of really great bronzers that mix different shades so you look very natural.

Department store best buy-

A recommendation from my BFF Ashleigh - Mac’s bronzer. It lasts forever.

Smashbox bronzer. I mean, honestly, all of their products are sensational.

guest post: casey cline. top 10 pretty little products.

When I first started wearing makeup and learning how to do my hair, I was a little tornado of disaster.  First of all, I have crazy wavy baby hairs that never grow out.  I didn’t understand back then that I should first apply some sort of healthy product to my hair, then blow dry, and then, if I have to, use a flat iron.  Instead, I was flawed in thinking that I could straighten my hair while it was still wet.  That meant a lot of sizzling, smoke, and bad terrible hair days. 

My makeup and skin routine wasn’t much better.  I remember buying those Noxzema cleansing pads and using those to remove my makeup.  Now, I don’t know if you recall this or not, but those pads were strong and sometimes burned (and I have ultra sensitive skin).  Imagine using at least 5 every day to take off caked-on makeup.  Yikes.  No wonder my skin was dried out and blotchy red.

Fast forward a few years and I’m thankful to admit that I’ve learned how to take care of my hair and skin properly.  It doesn’t hurt that I’ve also learned about other great products along the way.   

So now let me present to you a few of my favorite pretty little products (and a few other extras I enjoy).

1. Pond’s Cold Cream:  A far cry from the Noxzema pads, this cream is timeless.  A makeup remover that simultaneously moisturizes?  Yes, please.  Plus, it has bonus sentimental value for me: my mom has always used Pond’s, so I can’t help but think of her every time I use it.

2. Essie Mint Candy Apple: This nail color is part of the Winter 2009 Essie collection and I’m still obsessed.

3. Walgreens Twisted Peppermint body lotion: I found a bottle of this in my Mom’s bathroom when I was home over Christmas, and I had to steal it (Sorry Momma!).  The smell is sweet, but not overwhelming.  But the real kicker here is how amazing it feels on your skin!  The hint of peppermint makes it go on smooth and minty fresh.  I’m not sure if this is still even available, but I know Bath & Body Works has a version that I’ve yet to try.  Hopefully it holds up to the Walgreens.

4. Moroccan Oil: This is on the pricier side, but worth the splurge.  Not only does it protect your hair from heat damage, it keeps fly-a-ways smoothed down (without weighing down the rest of your hair) and smells incredible.

5. Rosebud’s Salve (in a tube): I was first introduced to Rosebud’s Salve by a friend back in high school, and have been a fan ever since.  Imagine my delight when I realized they’d started selling it in tube form (so no more messy lip gloss fingers)!

6. EBoost: A yummy alternative to Emergen-C, my boss discovered EBoost and I have to admit I prefer it.  My favorite flavor is acai pomegranate.

7. Grapefruit:  I’ve recently fallen in love with this fruit, even going so far as to buy a special sectioning knife and grapefruit spoon.  Grapefruits are relatively low in sugar (compared to other fruits) while simultaneously low in fat and high in fiber.  Oh, and they’re delicious.  Win win win win.

8. Black coffee: I know there is a lot of back-and-forth regarding whether or not coffee is good for you, but as an avid drinker, I’m surprised to admit that after years and years of adding milk and/or cream and sugar, I’ve converted to black.  It’s been a very recent change, but somehow my taste buds have adapted and I’m now a big fan!  Whether or not you think coffee is healthy, at least the lack of sugar and milk is.

9. Body Pump: Straight from the website: “BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast!

I’m starting to realize how important and effective strength training is, especially as we ladies start to get older.  Adding light weight-training to your regular workout produces faster and more beneficial results.  If your local gym doesn’t offer Body Pump, I suggest any similar class or even buying a few light dumbbells and looking to the latest issue of Women’s Health magazine for workout ideas you can incorporate on your own or even at home.

10. The Steam Room: I fell in love with the steam room at my hometown’s YMCA and was thrilled to find that my new local gym has one as well.  Going into the steam room for 10-15 minutes after my workouts is like the icing on a good exercise cake.  It opens my pores and relaxes me to the max.  I always leave feeling refreshed and at ease.

meet casey samantha cline. she is 25 today by the way!

and she lives in NYC> super jealous.

love her genuine laugh here.

breaking it dowwwwwn.

my high school ladies.

what happens in vegas...

i need more aquaphor.

Never even heard of the stuff until I got my first tattoo in October. Eucerin Aquaphor. I even had to call the hubs to ask what exactly it is to find it in the grocery store. FYI- it's with the all the healing ointments (Neosporin). This stuff is really awesome for any dry spots you have anywhere- elbows, cuticles, heels, you name it! It's not greasy- but it is shiny. Since I was sick for ohhh 3 weeks, my lips started to really suffer at night. They cracked so bad it woke me up. At good old Wally World I found Aquaphor Lip Repair. My lips healed. Within one application. For real. It was incredible. Now I'm like a crack addict with it though and I don't even need it that much. It's good to have really healthy, hydrated lips for lipstick though and I've been finding myself wearing lip stick when going out ALL the time.  Nicholas absolutely LOVES getting red lip prints all over his cheeks haha.

Miracle concealer

Two week test is just about up. . .I have been dying to tell you lovelies about this new Physician's Formula Dark Circle Control Concealer I just discovered! It has Haloxyl in it to help reduce the appearance of dark circles in supposedly two weeks. I do see a slight difference already. I think it may take time for it to build up in my system though. It doesn't help with puffiness at all however and lately my Clinique Eye Roller Gel has been making my eyes irritated so I've had to stop using one of my favorites.  Even without the benefit of the Haloxyl, it is a great concealer in the yellow shade to brighten your under eye area. Goes on smoothly and stays on all day. I read and article in Lucky from a Beauty Editor (dream job) and she layers her under eye concealer since her circles are so bad. Just don't forget to BLEND or you'll look like a raccoon instead of a well rested beauty.  

face moisturizers

It seems like everyone has a go-to favorite facial moisturizer- but I like to play around with quite a few different brands.  However, my skin is VERY sensitive so I have to be cautious of what I am putting on my face. One week before my bridal portraits I put a sample lotion from Sephora on top of Cetaphil daily moisturizer. I got contact dermatitis - aka a rash and swollen face for 2 days. The worst part was how TIGHT it made my face- I couldn't make any expressions.

Lesson learned- don't use a new product when you have a photo shoot in a week.

I used Cetaphil daily moisturizer for years. It kept my skin pretty clear but it kind of stung when I put it on. So I switched to Cetaphil's all over cream. I REALLY love this product. It is extremely moisturizing and doesn't clog your pores. I usually combine it with Jergen's Natural Glow Healthy Complexion Daily Moisturizer.  Another favorite is Clinique's Dramatically Different Lotion. This stuff is rather expensive but a really great lotion. Keeps you hydrated all day and doesn't make you look oily. I also occasionally use Aveeno's Positively Radiant daily moisturizer. This may actually be my favorite. It has SPF 15 and brings out our skin's natural radiance with light reflectors.

You should choose a moisturizer based on your skin type. Hydrating your skin will help prevent drying and wrinkles from occurring over time.

Love your lotion.

I could write for an entire month about moisturizers alone- annnnd I think I just may. In the cold months we tend to forget about our skin since we're not out and about in little summer dresses. Your skin is an organ and it's the most visible one on your body. You need to love love love it because it will show aging before your hair sprouts any grays. Loving it means staying out of the sun just as much as it means PUT LOTION ON ME! Like- twice a day atleast ALL over your body. Make it a routine to do every morning and every night. Don't forget your neck and the top of your hands. These areas have very thin skin and will show your age even if you've had face lift. They are exposed to sunlight more than you may realize so be sure there is some SPF in that lotion. My all time favorite body lotion is St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter. It's delightful and inexpensive.


I'll be in the Carolina's this week for thanksgiving so I may not be able to post at all. In the mean time- LOTION UP ladies. And have a scrumptious thanksgiving ofcourse.

Peace out sunshine.

Sadly, the season for sun is OVER. Even though it lasts half the year in the South, I still miss it because I love some natural Vitamin D (and I love to be tan). This is the 6 month mark of my ban on tanning beds and I am so proud of myself- but now is when the real challenge comes. To keep some color, I have been using Jergen's Natural Glow, gradual tanning lotion. It's a new formula that smells better and has antioxidants and Vitamin E to make your skin look healthy and keep the color 2 times longer! It's on Allure's Best of Beauty 2010 list! They also sell moisturizer just for your face. I put some on under by main moisturizer since my skin is so dry. LOVE this STUFF! It's worth the purchase.

allure: best of beauty 2010

The issue is out! Thank you Lindsay for letting me know! This issue is a must- but what is even more helpful is the iphone app. You can find all of the winning products and where to buy them on this app. It really helps out when shopping! Eight products I have blogged about made the list! Pretty cool. Go get the magazine or app! Peace out my lovelies. 

Brand alert- Artistry

One of my very best friends in NC, Meagan, is selling Artistry makeup through the link below. This is one of the world's leading brands of makeup. Artistry sponsored the Miss America pageant, the goody bags from the Kentucky Derby contained Artistry products, and there are so many more things that Artistry is doing.  If you are willing to spend a little extra dough- this is the way to go. I used some of their skin care products in high school (when my mom bought me things lol) and I plan on purchasing some to test out and tell you all about! If you find something you want me to test out- comment about it and I will check it out! 

*great for Christmas wish lists and gift ideas for others!
 
http://www.amway.com/mooneydrake

warning:

Got this email from my bestie Megan. We both have to be EXTRA careful with our skin due to our high risk in developing Melanoma.

Be careful about your products on your blog with RETINOL or RETINA in them. I went to my mom’s melanoma doctor with her and they told us that even though it has not been mainstreamed and removed from products on the shelves yet RETINOL actual draws the UV rays to your skin and can not only completely counteract the sunscreen that you think you are getting in that product but actual put you at a higher risk for activating cancer cells. Any sunscreen or skin product that has anti wrinkle in it usually has retinol in it CHECK THE LABEL so only use it if you aren’t going out in the sun and if you have sunscreen like that FLUSH IT AND RECYCLE THE BOTTLE (bc the earth doesn’t need to suffer for your mistakes)

FYI- I checked and nothing I have blogged about contains Retinol or Retina.

fabulous find!

Walking through the beauty aisle at a supermarket is difficult task for me. I have so many urges to read every product label that jumps out at me. I can tell when products are new and I can’t resist trying them. That’s why I typically try to drag Nicholas with me so he can steer me awaaaaay. My new excuse is that is it research for the blog. Which is 100% true. Unfortunately I am the provider for our little family right now so it’s not very smart of me. However- yesterday while doing a “quick trip” to get “essentials” I stumbled upon a product you NEED to use every day that has extra benefits. Olay Regenerist Eye Make-Up Remover plus Anti-Wrinkle Treatment. Time will tell if it’s working. What I noticed after one use though- my sensitive skin around my eye felt refreshed and I woke up with less bags under my eye (6 hours of sleep people). Now, I will see if this was just a lucky experience but what I do know is that the skin around your eye is very delicate and you need to treat it well starting NOW. I bought this product for a couple of reasons.

1. I am super lazy about taking off my makeup at end of day.
2. I need anti-aging cream.
3. My skin is very sensitive and some eye makeup removers contain alcohol which makes my eyes burn or the stuff gets in my eye and irritates the heck out of it.

Now that I know I am doing an anti aging routine as well as taking off my makeup – I am motivated to actually use eye makeup remover. Maybe you will be too.

Shout out to my BFF Casey who never goes to bed without washing her face. I’ve known her since 3rd grade and the chick never forgets. Well- there may be one occasion I recall in NYC…haha. We should all strive to be Casey. And here is her blog-

CaseyintheCity

click to buy.

Meet Ryan.

Skin type- dry, fair, dark circles under the eyes, and some spurts acne (probably stress induced considering she is in law school). She has asked me for recommendations for a daily foundation routine to help out her situation and get her skin looking healthy, fresh, and ready for her wedding next May. The next couple of posts I will address her issues (which most, if not ALL of us have) and give solutions

Acne / occasional zits- If you have more severe acne and have tried ProActive- give Max Clarity a try. It is an all-foam system and has helped my husband out a lot. The foam is light and dissolves into your skin quickly without drying out. We instantly saw results in his complexion and he said his face just “felt good” after applying the foams. For the occasional zit- a FABULOUS prevention tool is the Clearasil Ultra Pimple Blocker Pen (Thanks Caitlin for showing me this wonderful discovery). Carry it on the go and apply at the first signs of a zit. I haven’t had one fully develop since I started using it- I’m serious! Problem solved!

http://www.amazon.com/Clearasil-Ultra-Pimple-Blocker-Pen/dp/B001PRODUK
http://www.maxclarity.com/tv/?uid=PT1_GS1_MAXTR_TRMRK


After acne solutions, always apply moisturizers. I’ll comment on them in another post because I could go on FOREVER about how important your moisturizer is for your skin type…

Dark circles under the eyes- There literally TONS of creams out there and you never really know which will work for you. Your best bet- go to TJ Maxx and check out their discounted creams. They carry high end lines for VERY cheap. When it comes to dark circles, I think you have to be willing to spend some money for results, but TJ Maxx allows you to get a very nice cream for a very affordable price. Let me know if you have found one that works for you

Get your glow on.

So, I come back from my honeymoon with sun poisoning and not much of a tan since it was rather cloudy the whole week- that sounds awful! It was an INCREDIBLE week, and thank goodness it was cloudy most of the week or I would have been stuck in with a rash on Wednesday instead of getting it the day we were leaving. Back to my point- I come back and people are like, “where’s your tan?”

Solution- Body Drench Quick Tan Sunless Tanning Mist (another insanely long overly description product name). I cannot exaggerate how amazingly natural this stuff looks. I come to work the next day after spraying myself (takes 5 minutes, the hubby has to do my back though) and almost every single girl in the office asks me how I got so tan in just one afternoon. I can’t lie. I just can’t- so I send them the link and these directions which I got off an Amazon review and tweaked a little. I gave up tanning beds (for life) after slowly killing myself in them for almost a decade as a promise to my husband after the wedding. While he pretty much hates the smell- he has to appreciate the fact that I am keeping myself out of the sun to keep looking young and out of the dermatologist office. I sprayed 2 days before my wedding- that’s how much I trust this product.

click to buy

1. Shower and exfoliate. Get all the dead skin off or you will have blotches.
2. After showering, pull hair off of face. I use a head band and a pony to keep it off my neck and face. (take off jewelry)
3. Make sure you are completely dry. If water drips on you after you apply the product you will have drip marks.
4. Apply GENEROUS amounts of lotion to your elbows, neck, knees, top toes, in between toes, tops of fingers and in between fingers.
5. Put on a pair of disposable gloves.
6. Lay a towel down on the floor and get back in the shower.
7. Starting with the back of legs and working up, hold the can as far away from your body as possible (12 inches... no less) Make quick back and forth motions up your body until you reach your butt. Quickly do the outsides of your legs. Doing this quickly is the key to no blotches so only go over each area once. It will feel like you aren't really putting hardly anything on.. you don't need to! If you want a darker tan, you can repeat later.
8. Next, do your shoulders then arch your back to reach it. Again, holding can as far from your body as possible.
9. Lift your arms one at a time to do each of your sides.
10. Lift your chin and starting at your neck, go quickly back and forth over the front of your body.
11. You do NOT need to spray the tops of your feet. TRUST me on this! Enough product is landing there on its own.
13. Step out of the shower and onto the towel. If you have any spots you sprayed too much product on, rub it in now.
14. Do face last- spray onto sponge and blend like foundation- I put it on hair line so it blends onto scalp, get under chin as well
15. Take off the gloves and with the lotion still on, hold your hands inside your shower and give them a QUICK one time spray.
16. Rub the lotion off of your hands with the towel.
17. Wait 10 minutes to dress and enjoy your beautiful tan!!
* Do not shower/sweat for 6-8 hours (do before going to bed- doesn’t get on sheets as bad as others)
*Moisturize twice daily to maintain glow - it’ll last 3-4 days very well and you can still see it 6 days later, just not as "glowy"
Please comment on your experiences!

Feeling Fresh Friday

Waking up at 5:30am Friday mornings is difficult to say the least. Especially when my hubby gets to sleep in since he doesn’t have Friday classes. Jealous? Very. But- that is the real world. However- I have found 2 products that make me feel like I slept in till 11:00 on Sunday morning.

Personally, if my face doesn’t feel fresh, I don’t feel like myself. I can even go without a shower and feel great just after using St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub. It gently exfoliates and smells sooooo good. It won’t dry out your skin and it ok to use 3-4 times a week.

Product #2, Clinique, All About Eyes, Serum De-puffing Eye Massage. Whoa- quite a long description there Clinique. It’s like a giant ball point pen. The lady at the Clinique counter gave me a fabulous tip- put it in the freezer for about 2 minutes and then roll under your eyes. It is extremely refreshing (rather cold might I add). It runs about $25 @ Sephora. The cheaper option- Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Gel $11 @ Target. Does the exact same thing at half the cost.

Factors that cause puffiness and dark circles (www.mayoclinic.com)

• Fluid retention due to changes in weather (for example, hot, humid days), hormone levels or eating salty foods

• Sleeping flat on your back
• Not getting enough sleep
• Allergies or dermatitis, especially if puffiness is accompanied by redness and itching
• Heredity