☆ GIVEAWAY ☆ two boho headbands from MURABELLE.

i bought this for a bday nite out on the town. sparkle city!

when ashley from murabelle said a giveaway on the blog would be perfect for her headbands, i got the biggest smile on my face.  i am in love, or should i say obsessed, with her products.  there are so many different styles - boho, feminine, simple, & colorful; scarves, nautical, lace, tribal, and wraps. 

she also has a line called fit happy for those that love a band while at the gym, hanging out, or just to wear. these are becoming increasingly popular and i'm pretty sure one of these is next on my list.

also, these dent-free hair ties have become everyone's favorite lately and i have loved wearing them. since my hair is shorter, i don't wear them as often anymore, but they still come in handy and look great on my wrist!

this is my beautiful cousin, LAUREN.  she made the perfect model for these bands.  doesn't she have the prettiest hair and most gorgeous eyes?!

aren't the headbands just lovely?!  her prices are out of this world too.  i am so happy with everything i have ever purchased from her and she is awesome to work with. 

there will be two winners - one will be receiving the lace band and the second will receive the purple & turquoise chevron. 

good luck!!

{if you like murabelle or purchase from her store, tell her i sent you her way, please (:} 
she is always posting sales and deals on her facebook page so be sure to like it.  for instance, check out the super cute and unique 4th of july bands - i am so bummed i missed out on this one.  definitely one of a kind!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*giveaway open to all US residents.  

my new do!

today i went and saw my cousin who goes to the paul mitchell school in st. louis.  i was really needing a change with my hair and i'm so glad i went.  i freaking love the outcome.  my hair hasn't been this short in about 10 years.  i think it will be great for summer and i can still pull it back. 

i'm sure i'll grow it back eventually, but i am loving the change.

what do you guys think of it?!

bare toenails for a year? then why so much polish...

i painted my nails today and it's something i do like, oh maybe like a couple times a month or so.  today's color is pretty and i love it, but i've always been more of a sucker for painting my toenails.

did you know i have not painted my toenails in over a year!  ugly, i know.  i never had bare toenails in the summer but i decided that i needed to let them air out for a while and i probably won't be painting them this summer either. polish really makes them yellow and my poor nails needed to be natural for a while. a long while at that.

well, enter my polish collection.  for someone who doesn't use it that often, i sure have a large stockpile. just the other day i asked my mom if she wanted any because i need to part with over half of it.  she said no, so i'm still stuck with it.  if any of you want some, just let me know.  i think i will sell some of it at our yardsale this summer. people go nuts for beauty products, even if they are used.

most of mine are either o.p.i or china glaze and the rest are drug store brands.  some i bought because i needed it just for one evening or something and lots i buy when they are running deals, but i need to quit!  i don't even use it much so why do i buy?  i haven't purchased any for probably several months now, but still.  i have every color under the rainbow so i think i'm good for now.

i have other obnoxious collections of beauty products, but this one to me is silly since it's one i use probably the least.

on a side note, this is how i've been wearing my hair a lot lately.  i love it because it's styled, but so simple and can be worn both casual or out on the town.  it takes 10 mins to do with hot-rollers and then i just pin the front back and it's done.  super simple and pretty quick, too.

hey there santa, i've been nice...

I think I've been pretty good this year, so here are a few beauty products that I'm hoping to find in my stocking or under the tree!  There are such good sales with these products right now that I have considered going ahead and buying them just in case I don't get them.  So wrong I know, but impulsive is my middle name. 

beauty christmas wishlist. by supervixen9

1.  Peachykeen blush by MAC.  Gorgeous color.  here 

2.  Foaminly clean facewash from Benefit. Amazing scent and cleans well.  here

3.  Hot Tools titanium tapered curler. I just need something besides my regular curler.  here

4.  Makeup forever foundation.  I need a good, liquid foundation for winter.  here

5.  Rising star palette from Tarte.  Love all the colors and different products.  here 

6.  Ralph Lauren Romance.  One of my favorite smells in the world.  here 

according to this, i'm an embarrassment.

.... but I don't think so at all.

What am I talking about?

Well the other day I was reading a new magazine I had picked up and ran across an article on some beauty trends they called embarrassing.  In fact, out of the 9 trends listed, I currently do 6 of them.  Yep, six.  So i guess I'm good for a few laughs. But, I'm actually laughing at this list.

Here are some things I do that are crazes and hideous.

1.  Bronzer.  Sorry, but this is a staple of mine.  I'm fair skinned so I use this throughout the year to give my skin a bit of sun-kissed color.  I like to wear it on my cheeks, as a contour, and even neck and chest. I don't wear it every day and definitely don't go overboard, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with bronzer in my eyes!  If you find a color that works for your skin, it can make you look absolutely beautiful. 

2.  Highlights.   I love highlights.  Hair that is one solid color mostly looks boring and one dimensional.  Highlights help to give it depth and brighten up a face.  I actually prefer more chunky ones as opposed to more natural, blended ones.  I like a dramatic look.  I think I'll always have highlights in my hair no matter what color I have it.  

3.  Eyeliner.   Come on...eyeliner.  Hello?!  That's a major part in making eyes pop.  I wear it every day, especially on the top.  Without this, I look tired or even close to death.  From subtle eyeliner to dramatic, thick lined eyes, I think liner will always be here to stay, no matter how it's worn.  Even colored liners are popular and work.  Not sure why it was included on this list!

4. Rouge. Ok, so I call this blush, but I think I can sorta see why it was included.  People do tend to go overboard with this and an end up looking like Bozo, but if worn softly, it's a must.  Blush makes a face look brighter and more alive!  It can be hard to find the correct color that works with your skin tone, but there is the perfect one out there, trust me!

5.  Glitter.  I'm guilty.  I know this is very junior high-ish, but I freaking love glitter.  I have several different kinds and colors for eyes, skin, and my hair.  There is just something about sparkling that makes me feel so good.  When going out, I add some here and there and I'm on my way.  I'm even guilty of going into a store, seeing a glittery item, and putting some of that glitter on my face.  I love it!

6.  Bump.  Bumps are beautiful.  Whether it's done with a ponytail or just adding one to hair that's down,  I think it truly adds something to a style.  There are so many ways to create a bump so that's what makes it great.  I do think bumps look better on some people and not others, but it's another hair do I love.  I wear bumps a lot when I have time to create one!  I think I'll probably always wear this, too.

The other 3 trends on the list that I'm not into are ~

1.  Perm.  Yea, I'm not a fan of perms.  I think I've had 2 in my life and they were like in the early 90s.  I really don't ever see any that look too good, so people should probably steer clear.  If I could find big enough rollers that would give huge, bouncy curls, then I may reconsider, but that's nearly impossible.

2.  Cornrows.  I think this is one of the ugliest things a person can do to their hair.  I actually cringe when I see them.  People go on vacations and get their whole head done and I think, wth.  Not only does it look bad, but it's bad for your hair and gives you a hell of a headache!  Bottom line:  Not cute, please don't wear.

3.  Bangs.  Bangs can be cute.  Bangs are just not for me.  Personally I don't like them well enough to wear them and secondly, I have a cowlick so it would be impossible for me to have them.  I've had a bare forehead my whole life and always will. 

All images via

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How many of these trends do you currently do?

What do you think of the list?  Is it correct or crazy?

I thought it was pretty good and I actually enjoyed reading it and totally disagreeing with much of it!

hair recreate // updated header!

First of all, how do you like my new header?

I know I've had it up for a couple weeks now, but I have been so busy with work and passing my state boards that I haven't had time to mention it.  

I love it, and it was made by my friend Susan over at 2 cats & chloe.  She is so talented with everything she does so when she offered to make me one, I gladly accepted!

Secondly, I wanted to show my version of the braid that I had posted a few weeks ago since some people asked and it's always fun to see someone else's version. Well my didn't exactly end up like Lauren's, but I think it's cute.  I love braids and am always wearing one (well, not always, but a lot!).  

My hair is pretty layered so the braid itself isn't real thick, plus I had a lot of fall out pieces that I had to hold up with some bobby pins.  It was annoying and pieces of the braid also poked out like little pieces of wheat or something.  The bottom part of my hair is definitely long enough to pull this off but because of the layers, they make the braid a bit short.

I will definitely wear this again, but I honestly couldn't tell too much of a difference between a regular braid and this version.  Nevertheless, it was fun to do! 

 

 

 If you try this, I wanna see!

Best Kept Braid Secret.

I can't get enough of braids, especially the simple, side swept braid.  For some reason, it reminds me of summer, warm weather, and the beach.

So earlier I was looking at the beauty department and ran across a post on the best secret, so of course I had to see what it was all about.  

The secret is:

In a regular braid there are 3 strands. For this look, all you do is braid one of those strands beforehand and loosen it up with your fingers, then braid as usual. This creates extra texture + breaks up the mundane pattern of a regular braid. 

My hair is not as long as hers, but I can put it into a small side braid.  I think I may try this look tomorrow.

What do you guys think of it?

High Five for Friday

Well, it's that time again. I'm sitting here wondering how the weekend can already be here!  Once again, linking up with Lauren

Here are my top 5 things from the past week.

1)  I got my new camera and although I haven't had much time to mess with it, I did take a couple of pics of some ice we had a few days ago.  I love this thing!

2)  I haven't downloaded any songs for a while and so I did this week.  My favorite being, Kerli - Army of Love.  If you want a good upbeat, dance song, check her out!  

 

3)  I won a giveaway!  It was from Abbi @ True Blue Abbi.  Her Aunt is the author of this book and I won a copy.  It looks pretty good and I can't wait to read it.  Thanks, Abbi!

4)  I am getting a new king size bed today!  I will definitely have more room now for all 3 of us and won't have to sleep all cock-eyed.  Definitely looking forward to it!

5)  My roots are gone!  I colored my hair and actually tried a different brand this time.  I seem to like it ok and I think it made my hair softer, but I'll probably go back to the other brand.  I do miss getting my hair done in a salon sometimes, but with this I get a perfect color.  I have way too high standards for color.. .. .

Happy Friday, everyone!

Product Spotlight: TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo

Each week I am going to spotlight & review a beauty product that I'm currently using and I will also have it shown in the sidebar.  

I have sooooo many hair, makeup, face, and body products, so I want to let you all know how well they work and why I love them so much.

This week's superstar is the TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo.  

This shiz is good!

I wash my hair every other day so this product is great for my second day hair.  I have been using it for a couple of years now and really like it.  

The only downfall is that it's a bit pricey.  I think it runs about $20 a bottle, and even though it will last a couple of months, I'm sure there are cheaper ones that work just as well.

When I want to style my hair, I spray it pretty liberally all over the roots in the front, sides, and a bit on the top.  It gives my hair quite a bit of hold so I can style it how I want and really makes it look just washed.  Some dry shampoos leave the hair looking a whitish-gray from the powder but this one doesn't really; well since my hair is blonde, I can't tell too much, but even when my roots are grown out I don't see it.

I have heard others say that their's has run out pretty quickly or the nozzle gets clogged, but I've had mine for a good while and haven't had any problems.  

I don't use this every time with my second day hair and I can really tell a difference with the way it lays and how greasy it looks.  

You know that little spot you get in the back where you can tell you've laid your head on your pillow all nite?  Yea, me too.  It even helps with that!

Overall I would probably rate this 4/5 stars, mainly because of the steep price tag.

What kind of dry shampoos have you used that work/don't work?  

Hair How-To: 3 Barrel Waver

I really wish I had video capabilities right now so you could watch me do this, but this will have to do.  It's pretty easy to do so this shouldn't be a problem to follow.  

This is how I did my hair yesterday and it was my second day hair - I only wash my hair every other day.

I used a Vidal Sassoon 3 barrel waver, that I had forgotten I owned.  I have seriously had it for probably about 10 years so I was surprised the thing even heated up, but it did and I was able to do this do.  I don't think this style looks that great honestly.  To me it looks a bit like a perm, but that's because the barrels are pretty small.  They do sell a waver with much larger barrels so the waves are a lot bigger, but I don't own it.  Yet. 

This was super simple to do and I'll walk you through it.  First, I ran some texturizing glaze through the ends to give it something to hold to.  I then sprayed on my heat protection spray.  You don't have to use either of these products, and hairspray probably would do the trick, as well.  I then sectioned my hair off so just the bottom part was down, and clipped up the top part. I just grabbed a small section, maybe 2" wide, and started at the roots and clamped the sucker down.  Hold for maybe 7 seconds, unclamp, and keep moving towards the end of the hair.  Basically you just section off the next upper layer and do the same thing to each of those small sections of hair until you get the crown.  When I get to the crown, I like to follow in the same pattern of where my part is and all.  I do the two sides and then the back part of the hair separately.  I then sprayed just a small amount of hairspray, not overkill because it will look too weird then.  I know sometimes with curls it's a good idea to run your fingers through to break up the curls, but that's not something to do with this look because it will tend to make it a bit frizzy.  If you were to spray each piece with hairspray before waving, it may work then because the sections will be stiffer and more stuck together.  This is a simple, loose look here. 

That's basically the look in a nutshell.  It's really easy to do and took me probably 25 minutes and doesn't take a lot of product.  I have super straight hair, but you could even do this look if you had a bit of a wave to yours.  Would also work well on shorter hair and it would probably even hold a bit better.

Products used: you don't have to use any product, but having something in your hair will help it hold.

• Alterna Hemp Organics texturizing glaze
• Suave heat protection spray
• Sexy Hair Soya Want Full Hair hairspray

Maybe next time I'll have a video.  I hope this helps you and let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks!