Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
A Rediscovered + Discovered Love: American Apparel Nail Lacquer and L'Oreal Telescopic
Hello!
Two items that I have been loving lately is American Apparel's Nail Lacquer in Mouse and L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara (wp).
I don't know how I forgot about how much I adore American Apparel's nail polishes, but their formula is insane. I've been wearing Mouse on my nails without a base or top coat (rebel, rebel) for about five days now and the polish has yet to chip! I also love that you don't have to wait ages for this nail polish to dry. I am horrible at sitting still, so it's expected that my nails look wonky immediately after application. With AA's nail polish you can just swipe on a few coats, wait a little bit, and go! The brush is also a comfortable size in my opinion- not too wide, not too thin. Also, this bottle of nail polish is a testament that nail lacquers have a pretty long lifespan. I bought this bottle (along with the shade Berry) about three/four years ago and just have been passing over it. I found it in the back of my nail polish drawer and the polish had some red tint to it, but I just shook it up and it was good to go!
The other item I've been loving is the L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara (water proof formula). I've considered Maybelline Falsies (wp) to be my HG, but this is giving it a run for its money. I originally bought this to use in conjunction with Falsies (to add more length), but I've just been using Telescopic by itself. Obviously, if you apply a minimal amount you will get length and some volume, but I pile this stuff on to get super length and volume. In addition, the wand is great to reach persnickety inner and outer lashes.
What have you been loving lately?
:) AL
Friday, September 27, 2013
Fall Hairspiration
Hello!
Now that Fall has officially rolled in, I thought I'd share some Hair Inspiration I've coveted in my Inspiration File. One of the reasons why I love Fall so much is because you can let your hair down and just bask in its warmth. Hair can be cute and functional! Ran out the door and forgot your scarf? No problemo, just let your hair tumble down- et voila, you're warmed up! How weird/awesome does that sound?
Anyway, my all-time favorite hair trends for the Fall season includes soft, relaxed waves and messy up-dos. Below is a trio of my most beloved hair inspiration pics I've stumbled upon in the past few years. To the left is, of course, one of America's beloved Olsen twins. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen can do no wrong in my eyes (sorry, I grew up watching their movies & supporting their empire). And to the right, two beautifully ribbon-wrapped ponytails that just scream whimsical to me. There are so many ways to style a ponytail, but something about an effortless, medium-low ponytail entwined with a soft ribbon just makes me think Fall. The top hairstyle is displayed with a neutral brown silk ribbon and the bottom hairstyle is displayed with a velvet ribbon. These two ponytails show how much texture and color can play a part in styling hair. The ribbon in the top photo is a shade very similar to the model's hair color and the texture is smooth- showing a more ethereal style. The bottom ribbon, a velvet material, holds more weight and the color contrasts with the girl's hair beautifully- demonstrating a more out-of-the-box and edgy, but still simple, way to style hair.
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What are your favorite Fall hairstyles? Comment below! xo AL
*Disclaimer: Photos do not belong to me.
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Monday, September 9, 2013
A Review: GOOD & CLEAN Pore Purifying Mini Peel
Hello!
I've always been some sort of acne product hoarder and stick to what I know (salicylic acid, benzoyle peroxide, etc.), but I've recently been into Alba Botanica (because they're cruelty free and contain natural ingredients) & decided to give this peel a go. And I'm glad I stepped out of my skin comfort zone because holy cow- I love this product. I always thought that skin care products driven by fruit/vegetables extracts were some sort of hippy dippy gimmick, and could never work as well as hard core chemicals that have been created by scientists- but I was wrong.
Fortified with 6% Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), this peel is able to remove dead skin cells and relieve pores of toxins- enabling more breathe-ability. I've never used a chemical peel before because I thought that peels would essentially work exactly like facial scrubs & exfoliators. I have to say that I'm Team Peel now because my skin has never felt so soft and cleansed. I've used Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub for years and thought its micro beads were able slough away all of my skin's impurities well enough, but after using Alba's Mini Peel, I'm convinced that AHAs are better suit for digging deep into pores and cleansing. This isn't to say that I'll stop using scrubs, because I do enjoy the feeling of exfoliating, it's just that I'm more open to the world of AHAs now.
I apply this gel a few times a week for at least two minutes. It does make my skin tingle a little bit, the scent isn't overwhelming, and it is kind of on the pricier side for a drugstore product. Anyway, I'll be repurchasing this peel in the future, and recommend it to those who are looking for a gentle skin care product to clear out pores and soften skin.
Hope this helps :)
*Disclaimer: Photo does not belong to me.
Photo Credit: © 2012 The Hain Celestial Group, Inc
Photo Credit: © 2012 The Hain Celestial Group, Inc
Friday, September 6, 2013
A Review: L'Oreal EverCrème Sulfate-Free Moisture System™ Nourishing Leave-In Spray
Hello!
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| You can buy it here: L'Oreal EverCrème Sulfate-Free Moisture System™ Nourishing Leave-In Spray |
I've recently had to deal with frizzy, brittle, and damaged hair due to dying my hair in June (you can read about it here). I've colored my hair multiple times in the past, but this time around my hair has just not been cooperating. In attempt to "return" my hair back to its natural texture, which is smooth and tangle-free, I have been trying out L'Oreal's EverCrème Sulfate-Free Moisture System™ Nourishing Leave-In Spray.
And I have come to conclusion that I love it!
It mainly interested me because it is a vegan product and doesn't have heavy waxes. In addition to the fact that I have not used a L'Oreal product since I was a child (I loved their fish-shaped packaging). The L'Oreal website states that:
"...Infused with Omega-3 and 6, this lightweight conditioning treatment nourishes hair and restores hydration. Hair is instantly detangled, smoothed and healthy-looking—without any weighdown."
I can attest that this leave-in-conditioner does leave hair "detangled, smooth, and healthy-looking", but most importantly it makes my hair feel healthy. It is recommended that the spray is used with the EverCrème Shampoo and Conditioner, but I believe that the product does a fantastic job on its own. I finger-comb the conditioner when my hair's damp to wet, starting at ear-level and ending at my roots, and allow my hair to air dry overnight. I then wake up to smooth, light-weight, frizz-free hair in the morning! One downfall is that this product isn't great to use on dry hair because it can have the opposite effect it has on wet hair: dry and a little heavy.
All in all, I definitely recommend this leave-in-conditioner to anyone looking for something to tame damaged hair.
:) AL
* Disclaimer: Photo does not belong to me.
Photo Credit: 2013 L'Oreal Paris
Photo Credit: 2013 L'Oreal Paris
Monday, September 2, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
So Much Yes: Dior Homme - 'The Film' (Official)
So, first off, Dior.
Second off, Led Zeppelin.
Third off, Robert Pattinson.
Robert Pattinson.
Oh, my bejeezus.
I'll just leave this here.
Enjoy, ladies and gents.
:) AL
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Haul: Fall Booties
Hello!
Since middle school, my shoe wardrobe has consisted of dozens of classic black Converse Low Tops, aka Chucks, and flip flops. During my senior year, I fell in love with utilitarian style boots, ie: Steve Madden Troopa Boots. Back then, I didn't have any source of independent income, so I bought a pair of look-a-likes from Forever 21 and wore them to death. And then I bought a pair of moto-style boots from Target. And then I bought more boots thereafter. Lots of them. Now that I'm older and have my own money, I snatch up any pair of good quality shoes that I can find. While I do like my snazzy riding boots from the likes of Nordstrom, I get just as excited for shoes that I buy from TJ Maxx or Target. Below are my first and second pairs of booties! I figured booties wouldn't suit my body type (short legs in comparison to my torso), but they look pretty darn good in my opinion (which is all that matters anyway). Sooo, yeah, casual, cute, comfortable. The 3 major Cs.
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| White Mountain Icon Chestnut Booties |
White Mountain Icon Chestnut Booties
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I found these bad boys at my local TJ Maxx for about $35.00 before tax.
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Mossimo Supply Co. Kaden Strap Ankle Boots
And then I found these black beauties at Target on sale for $24.48! |
So moral of the shoe story, buy good ones. Not all good quality shoes are hundreds of dollars! You can find some cheeky treasures if you do some digging. And if you're trying out a new style of clothing or trying out a seasonal trend, try to buy whatever it is you want at more affordable stores. If you end up not liking what you bought, you probably won't feel too gutted. Alternatively, if you're successful in your fashion endeavor, you can do as you please knowing you tested the waters, and whatnot. So, yep!
Yay! Excited for Fall now!
:) AL
Hair Story: Ombre + DIY Hair Toner
Hello!
I've ombred my hair on-and-off since I was about 16, and in the beginning of Summer a friend of my friend mentioned how much she liked my ombre hair in high school. After her lovely compliment, I thought "why not do it again?" So I went to good old Target the next day, bought some hair dye, and proceeded to damage my hair until it lightened! After the first round of dying, my hair was not very brassy (and to my liking) but then my hair started to turn brown.
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| (Initial result) |
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(A few days after I dyed my hair => brown. Sadly not aff. w/ Despicable Me) (Brown)
Two weeks after, I did a touch up and my hair was lighter again!
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| (Touched up) |
About 2 months later, my hair looks like this now:
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| (Current hair color. Poopy photo quality.) |
As you can see, my hair's pretty frizzy now; but I am happy with the color (the poor pictures don't do it justice. it's actually pretty blonde). In attempt to prevent inevitable brittleness, breakage, brassiness, and color fading, I've been using Joico K-Pak Color Thereapy Conditioner and a DIY Purple Toner. Of course, I try not to wash my hair too often, but these are the two main products I've been depending on.
All I do to make the toner is fill up the container (which is just an empty ~3 oz container) with a white-colored conditioner (I use intense moisturizing conditioner, ie: the ones that come with hair dye packs, or the Joico K-Pak) and mix in a pea-size amount of semi-permanent purple hair dye. Once in the shower, I apply the toner to my hair; starting at ear level and concentrating the product at the ends. I leave the toner in for at least a minute. Ultimately, you can decide how much semi-permanent purple dye and conditioner you want to use depending on what your state of hair is. You can also mix in dye with shampoo if you've colored the upper region of your hair. I personally don't shampoo my ends and condition my head, so I only need toner for the bottom portion of my hair.
Whew! So, I hope this has helped out anyone who is interested in ombred hair. Once California enters Fall, I want to try to tone down the lightness and transition my hair to a darker ombre. Anyway, thanks for popping by!
xo AL
xo AL
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