Tips and Tricks

When I came across a pin on Pinterest with a link to the 101 Fashion Tips and Tricks, I figured I would pin it and then never read it. So many of my pins have been pinned with great intentions and then lost in the oblivion that is my Pinterest boards. For some reason, this particular pin was different and only moments after pinning it I found myself returning to read all 101 Tips and Tricks for Fashion, Beauty, and all that happens in between. For all those who didn't read or don't want to read all 101 points, I high-lighted my favorites and those that I found most relevant. 

For those that want to read all of them, follow this link for the 101 Fashion Tips and Tricks that Every Girl Should Know. 

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100. Use white wine to remove red wine stains.

96. “Remove white deodorant marks from a garment by gently rubbing the protective foam used on hangers against the fabric.” — Jonathan Simkhai, designer

88. Cut down your closet by 25% by asking yourself this one question: “If I were shopping right this second, would I buy this?” If the answer’s no, out it goes. — Melanie Charlton Fascitelli, Founder, Clos-ette and Clos-ette Too.

87. “Never put your swimwear in the washing machine, and always hand dry. The machine will damage the suit and it will lose its elasticity. The only exception: At the end of the summer or vacation, wash your swimwear in lingerie washing bags on the gentle cycle with a bit if Drift or Woolite. But only after many wears.” —Shoshanna Gruss, Designer

86. To drop bloat five days before a big event, stay away from dairy and whole grains, which can do a number on the digestive system.

83. “Never put a garment on immediately after ironing, as this can actually cause new wrinkles to form. Instead, let it sit for five minutes to set the press.” — Althea Harper, Designer and Rowenta Brand Ambassador

77. To clean dirt off suede, remove the crust from a piece of bread and allow it to become stale. Gently rub dirt and stains with the edge of the stale bread, and they’ll disappear. To de-scuff suede, use an eraser or nail file.

47. Everyday bras should be replaced every three to six months, as that’s when they start to lose elasticity and support.

45. Pants a bit too tight? Let them air dry and stretch the waistband by hand (or with a hairdryer) while they’re still damp.

42. The power of a silk pillowcase isn’t a myth: Not only do they prevent “sleep crease,” they’re much, much gentler on your skin and hair.

20. “For guaranteed weight loss, I advise people to follow my A, B, C’s – no Alcohol, Bread or processed Carbs.”—David Kirsch, celebrity trainer and fitness guru.

Beauty is pain- but these might make it less painful and less stressful!

beauty diaries

Let's jump right in to this. We all know where this post is going. It is probably my 225th post about my monthly Birchbox, but I love sharing my beauty treasures and finds. 

{1. amika: Nourishing Mask I used this product immediately after receiving my box. My hair has been frighteningly dry with all the crazy weather ups and downs and my breakage is becoming painfully evident. I used this mask after my normal conditioner and my hair feels so soft and smooth, even the next morning. I am a fan!}

{2. COOLA: Classic Face SPF 30 I have been frequenting the pool every week since the weather has warmed up and I have been using all my Birchbox sunscreen samples. As long as I don't get burnt and peel then it is good in my book.}

{3. Marvis: Toothpaste There is nothing like a fresh tube of toothpaste. You have to put in so little effort to get the paste on to your brush, and that is a lazy girls dream.}

{4. Sumitra: Color Contrast Eyeliner This is my FAVORITE from this box. It is a classic eyeliner pencil but I have never had one go on so easy and smooth. It lasts for hours and withstood my makeup remover, which means that it will be great for hot, summer days!}

{5. Isaac Mizrahi: FABULOUS eau de Parfum Okay, I actually love this perfume sample. It smells great, but not too heavy, and doesn't give me a headache. And what a great coincidence that my current favorite shoes are Isaac Mizrahi, so I can coordinate.} 

Birchbox also sent me a fantastic pen, by Pilot, that writes easy and smooth and happens to be purple. I feel like putting hearts over all my i's today. 

Just 30 more days until the next box!

Tiny Tweaks, Big Results

My April Birchbox finally arrived! I used to receive my box during the first week of each month and now I am getting it so much later, which I am sure is due to the fact that Birchbox is growing like crazy and can hardly keep up with the high demand. 

This month Birchbox teamed up with Women's Health Magazine, who I am especially loving this month with Katharine McPhee on the cover!

{1. J.R. Watkins Peppermint Foot Repair Salve}

Confession. I really do love putting lotions and salves on my feet, then pulling on thick soaks and just relaxing. I too often forget to do this, except when I get the treat of a pedicure, and this new salve gives me the perfect excuse to prop my feet up for a little and relax and repair.

{2. Caudalie Divine Oil}

Put the word 'divine' in anything and I will probably use it because it sounds luxurious and relaxing. This oil is for skin, hair, and your nails, which is perfect because the other beauty oils I have usually end up all over anyway. And not just my skin, hair, and nails, but also my laptop keyboard and phone.  

{3. Supergoop Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream}

Yay SPF! This girl loves anything with SPF because I love sunscreen! If you ever try to leisurely lay out with me I will bug you every hour to reapply sunscreen, and you better believe it is at least 35 SPF.

{4. Nexxus Hydra-Light Leave-In Conditioning Foam}

When I picked this month's box for the first time, I thought that Birchbox had sent me rocks. It was so heavy and I realized that this conditioner was the reason why. The bottle is huge and definitely doesn't look like a tester to me. Jackpot!

{5. Simple Eye Roller}

Like the name states, this is simple. Roll under your eyes to appear less tired.

Goodness, I am going to need that in a few hours when I go to six A.M yoga.

Where's the salve that makes my voice like Katharine McPhee?

March Beauty Madness

Is there really anything else that I can say about Birchbox? Do I need to continually praise it each month?  If you haven't signed up yet then you are crazy and if  you do receive a monthly box then you understand me when I say that it is worth every penny for the joy and products that it brings each month.

The Birchbox that I received for the month of March was especially sweet and full of exciting new products that are perfect for Spring!

From left to right

{MAKE Eyeshadow} - I will admit that I was disappointed by the color when I first opened my Birchbox. Purple? The shade seemed so eighties, but I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it on to find that the color is a beautiful brownish-grey that is perfect with my skin tone!

{MAKE Face Primer SPF 30} - This is a two-in-one base and SPF that I used immediately upon opening. I found that my make-up stayed in place and looked even better hours after applying it when I used the primer. Plus, it has SPF 30 and I love that!

 {Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Color-Saver Shampoo} - This smells incredible, has a lite shimmer, and it is so much larger than my normal hair samples... I know I am going to be a huge fan!

{Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream} - The beauty gods answered my prayers and needs again as they delivered this yummy blueberry scented shave cream as I just ran out of my old shaving cream yesterday! Perfection!

{Madewell Emery Board} - Yes, Madewell helped out with this month's box and used one of their spring patterns to create the prettiest nail file that I might actually use (I usually loathe nail files and have  kicked people out of rooms for using them in front of me!)

Wait are you waiting for?

Red Carpet Ready

It is February Birchbox time, so let's get straight to it!

{1. Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox Beauty Balm - this is a cream based foundation which has me nervous. I have never had good luck with cream foundations but I am anxious-excited to keep using it to see how my skin reacts.}

{2. Color Club Nail Polish in Wild Cactus - Couldn't be more excited about a new nail polish color in such a great color!}

{3. Ghiradelli Caramel Chocolate Square - Because I definitely needed more chocolate this week. I have a bag of candy, full of M&M's, lots of Pixie Sticks, and some salted caramels, that I have to finish off before I can even think about nibbling on this delight. Maybe I will hide it and get a sweet surprise when I find it in a few weeks.}

{4. Juicy Couture Couture La La - I can't lie. I kind of, sort of, maybe actually like this scent from Juicy. I'm not even planning on throwing it away, but rather will keep it in my purse for emergencies and on-the-go needs.}

{5. Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle - I have never had a problem with tangled hair, except in the summer after long days in the lake or the pool. I will be saving this for my beach bag!}

This month's Birchbox was all about products to prepare one's self for the Red Carpet. I do love this time because I absolutely love award shows. The red carpet, the fashion, the dates, the performances, the acceptance speeches and the anticipation of who will take home the highest honors!

Counting down to the Oscars. 

Healthy Hair At Home

Do you want longer, shinier, healthier hair?

Do I sound like a late night infomercial? 

The answer to both questions is "yes".

Tuesday night my best friend and I tried out a hot oil treatment that you can make with two (or one) ingredients from your kitchen. Any type of oil will work; coconut, rosemary, or olive oil, the last being the easiest and cheapest to come by. You can even mix oils to create your own solution.

Heat six tablespoons of oil (we used olive and canola oil) in a microwave-safe container for 30 seconds. Using your hands, carefully apply the mixture to damp hair, working the oil into the scalp to stimulate the follicles. After applying the oil wrap your hair in a towel and leave in for 30 minutes, rinsing and shampooing afterwards.

Repeat weekly to reveal fabulous hair.

In salons hot oil treatments can cost us to $100, but why not grab a friend and convince them to throw in a head and neck massage to achieve the same experience?

Until next time.

Eat these 10 foods for healthy hair.

Salmon, dark green vegetables, beans, nuts, poultry, eggs, whole grains, oysters (eek, not my favorite), low-fat dairy products, and carrots.

Color.Bug

There are days that I really miss my pink and blue colored tips and wish that there was a way that I could have them back, if only for a day.

It's like the hair gods heard my thoughts and answered my requests with Kevin Murphy's Color Bug temporary hair shadow.

love Kevin. Murphy

The concept behind this temporary color came from a trip that the Australian stylist took to India, where he discovered the women coloring their hair with powdered pigments. Lightbulb! Kevin Murphy has now been temporarily coloring his clients hair with what is essentially eye shadow for your hair! Finally he came out with a product that anyone can apply quickly at home for a day or night of colored fun. 

Available in pink, purple, and orange, these color bugs can be ordered from adorebeauty.com. The color bugs were supposed to be released in the United States in October but no one can seem to find them in stores or online yet, so orders have to be made in Australia. Worth it? I think so, and am anxiously awaiting my grape color bug.

Until next time.

Tip top color.

Things I Love

I feel like Things I Love Thursday's have just become Tumblr Thrusdays because it always ends up being a mass amount of pictures that I have collected on my desktop that I have been obsessing over for the past week, or five weeks.

No explanation necessary. 

This outfit. 

This girl. Anh.

Her blog. 9 to 5 Chic.

That cape. 

I love this hair. And if you run into me today there is a good chance that I have attempted it. 

Found here:The Empty Apartment

How-to here: Refinery 29

Nude and Navy.

Loving this collage of wonderful chicness by Could I Have That

It's just that time of the year when this is necessary every day of the week.

I am loving the salted caramel americano.

It's under $3 and americano's only have 15 calories regularly so I feel like adding the salted caramel can't make it too bad.

This room.

Swoon.

I love Dilly Dallas.

Until next time.

I love fall. And bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils.

The Real OC

When I first ran across this tutorial from The Beauty Department I knew I had to do it. I don't have a lot of inhibitions when it comes to my hair, dye it brown in my dorm room? Chop off 11 inches? Why not? But I think that this was my most daring and colorful hair adventure.

Lauren Conrad, or as me and her other closest friends refer to as LC, was the inspiration for this hair dare as she had it temporarily done a few months back. Luckily my hair had grown out so much over the summer that I was practically at the same length and color as LC. She might have had a professional do her hair but I had a best friend and that's so much better.

In the process. I am so sad that I have to post a picture in my 1980's style mauve bathroom. The lone room in my parents house that has yet to be redone.

I love the hot pink and blue that look so great separated or blended together to form a purple.

Did I mention that the pink glows under a black light?

Just lounging around, posing like LC to show off my new locks. I am sad to say that they are strictly temporary. I have a hair appointment in one short week to get this long hair cut off and all the color will go too. I just wish that I had a fun black-light party that I could go to with this hair!

Until next time. 

Curl up and dye.

How-To Hair

After posting pictures from my trip to D.C. I had many requests for a demonstration on how to recreate my sisters hair style that she rocked every single day.

So here it is, my first how-to, featuring the little sis who everyone believes to be my twin these days.

1. You will need a brush, comb, clip, lots of bobby pins, three small, clear rubber bands, and hairspray.

2. Part your hair down the middle of the back of your head and divide into two equal parts, clip one side away. Braid a section right down the back of your head and secure with a small, clear rubber band. Repeat on the other side.

3. Twist each braid in towards the center of your head, forming small buns and heavily secure with bobby pins.

4. Place another clear rubber band around both buns, pulling them towards each other and securing the whole style.

5. Pull out some whispy hairs around your face so that the style doesn't look to stiff. Use hairspray to lock in your new do!

6. Finished product! Cute, keeps hair off your neck in this hot weather, and is promised to receive lots of compliments!

Ain't she cute?

Until next time.

Modern day Heidi.