Valentine's Day Mani

Monday's Fall Fashion

Fall weather is finally here to stay! Honestly, who doesn't love this time of year? Scarves, boots, pumpkin spice lattes. I could go on and on. The last few weeks have been pretty warm here, oddly enough. I was just about ready to give up on my favorite season, but luckily Mother Nature got her act together. To celebrate, I broke out my new army green skinnies that I have been dying to wear! Usually I stick to basic denim or leggings, so you can understand my excitement to try something new. Army green is a HUGE fall staple. Oh, and just to add the icing to the cake, I got these jeans for only $7! 

 

Jeans: Plato's Closet $7

Boots: Charlotte Russe $30

T-Shirt: Kohls $6

Cardigan: Forever 21 $12.80

Earrings: Forever 21 $2.80

Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde & New Organix Macadamia Oil Shampoo/Conditioner

Good morning, everyone! Let's have a little chat about hair. I put my hair through torture with all of the bleaching that is done in order to get that perfect platinum bombshell shade. I know, I should be more kind, but there's just something about beautiful bright blonde hair that makes me feel amazing! So since my hair is extremely dry and often turning brassy, I desperately needed a new hair care routine. I did my research and found these life savers in a bottle. I've been using them for a few weeks now and here is what I found:

Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Shampoo: This is my absolute favorite hair care product that I have ever owned, hands down. It's like heaven in a bottle for all of you blondies out there. It's a little pricey ($12.95), but I promise you that it is so worth every penny! This is a purple/violet shampoo that is made specifically for platinum and silver shades. In one use, it toned down my brassiness almost completely and left my hair shiny and smooth. I lathered up the shampoo and left it on in the shower for around 4-5 minutes (the bottle says anywhere from 1-5). The one thing I do recommend is to only use it once or twice a week to revive your color. If you use it more than that or use it longer than the time suggested, you risk getting a purplish blue tint in your hair. Not cute. Other than that, this stuff is AMAZING!!!

NEW Organix Macadamia Oil Shampoo & Conditioner: I needed a great hydrating conditioner to use with my purple shampoo and another shampoo to use when I'm not toning my hair. I have a large amount of hair, but the actual strands are very fine, so my hair gets weighed down VERY easily. That's why I usually stay away from products that say "hydrating". The Organix line is completely different. Both the shampoo and conditioner leave my hair so silky and smooth. Oh, and don't forget the shine! I've never had a conditioner give me such amazing results! My hair wasn't weighed down or greasy one bit. It was soft, light, and stayed frizz free all day long. The delicious smell is yet another added bonus. Warm, sweet and nutty. It reminds me of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. YUM!!! Plus I get tons of compliments from my husband on how great my hair smells! Now the greatest part of all is the price. I bought both at Walmart for almost $6.00 each! In my mind, that is definitely a steal for salon quality hair products. I think it is very easy to say that I'm in love!

Wet n Wild Megalast Lipstick

                                          (Wet n Wild Megalast lipstick in Pink Suga, Bare It All, and Mauve Outta Here)

I was at CVS and passed the Wet n Wild display. It may not be top brand, but I think that this line is great quality especially for the price. I know, I'm cheap. But hey, I'm a mom and that cash could go toward diapers, just saying. Anyway, I found the Megalast lipsticks and just had to try them. I got them for a mere (Drum roll, please.....) $1.99 each! Seriously, how often do you find lipstick that cheap? I did find that they are a little on the dry and cakey side, but to fix that all I had to do was add a coat of lip balm before putting them on the next time. The staying power is awesome on these babies and so is the pigmentation! Overall I would say that they are definitely worth a try. 

Pink Suga:  A very light nude. I don't understand why the name has "pink" in it because it is more "peach" than anything. I do like this color, though, and would definitely use it with a dark or smokey eye for the evening.
                                                                    

Bare It All:  A darker shade of nude, this is more universally flattering. This is the first nude that didn't completely wash me out. It could be used for both natural and dramatic looks. By far one of my favorite lipsticks that I have owned!

                                                       

Mauve Outta Here: Another one of my favorites. This is a beautiful shade of pink that goes really well with a light eye (like my look above). I felt like it really brightened up my face and brought out the blue in my eyes. Unlike the other two, this shade seemed like it wasn't quite as dry. It went on smooth and streak free. Overall, I think that this shade suited me best.

Maybelline One by One mascara

(Maybelline One by One Volum' Express, Around $6 @ Kroger)

Let me start off by saying how much I love this mascara! It is honestly the best I have ever owned. Great length, weightless, not stiff or tacky at all! I sometimes forget that I'm even wearing mascara until I look in the mirror. The brush is designed to separate your lashes so that they look full instead of spider like, hence the name "One by One". I like to get the washable kind because I don't like the hassle of removing waterproof mascara at the end of the night. Since my lashes are thick enough the way it is, I don't need the mascaras that add a ton of volume. This provided just the right amount of lift in my opinion. I know that once this tube runs its course I will definitely be buying another! 

                                       (This is what is looks like on. Look at that length!)

Summer is here!

                                            (Top, $17.99. Bottom, $14.99. Both from Target)

Hi everyone! Summer is finally here and you know what that means, warm weather and long days by the pool! I was shopping at Target and I couldn't resist browsing through the swimsuit section as I walked by. I seriously love this bikini! The top is a push up with an adjustable hook clasp in the back. I could go on and on about the bottom, it's so adorable. As you've noticed, tribal and ikat prints are very "in" this season. There was a matching top, but I decided to go with the mix and match look so that the print wasn't too overwhelming. The best part of this purchase? It was less than $40! If you are looking for a cute bikini I highly suggest going to Target. There are so many cute and affordable suits that it was really hard to choose ( I sent pictures to both my husband and my sister to help me decide!). I can't wait until I get to show off this cutie. Bring on the sun!