hair & skin savers from caribbean sunshine

so only one more post on summer, and then i promise i'll move on to the next season.  i'm still not ready to give up my beloved summer and adjust to the chilly temps.  sure, bonfires, boots, scarves, and hoodies are nice, but so is warmth, tanks, and sunshine!

since my hair is so blonde, it's super susceptible to damage from summer and my light skin, as well.  i took some new products on my trip that seriously saved my skin and hair from the summer elements - sunshine, salt water, and paradise.  my hair is used to being washed every few days, but i had to wash it every single day and was a bit worried on how it would work out . . . perfect, really.  i also slather myself with lotion daily, but i knew i was going to have to kick it up a notch.  i never really did get a burn the whole 8 days.

below is a pic of me about halfway through the trip, sunkissed, but hair and skin are still protected and healthy.

this is a rather new line of hair products from arbonne.  since i am a consultant, i am a bit biased, but i fell in love with these.  i was saving them for my trip so hadn't used the product line yet.  they were magnificent.  the shampoo and conditioner left my hair silky soft, the masque was great for when my hair felt like straw, and the mousse gave it bounce for the evening.

these two products were amazing as well.  the first is a prep and protect spray that i had received in one of my beauty boxes a couple of months back.  i took it because it was a small bottle, but i also knew i needed everything i could to help my hair.  i applied after washing and even when i was on the beach.

the paul mitchell after-sun masque has to be one of my new favorite products, ever.  the smell is amazing, like a fresh summery smell, but my hair felt so good after i used it.  luckily i still have some left, so i can use it throughout winter for when my locks get dried out.

this lotion was a godsend.  i saved this for my trip as well and i was so impressed with it.  i just coated my body in it after i came in from the sun and it prevented my skin from drying out while soothing the small amount of redness i got.  i never did get burned on the trip because i applied sunscreen, then reapplied, and reapplied some more throughout the day.

i know summer is virtually over, but these are fantastic products.  if you go on a trip this winter or even want to use some of these during the cold months ahead, i guarantee you will be happy with them.  all are probably still available, however the paul mitchell sun line may not be.

let me know if you've tried any of these and what you thought of them!

goodbye, summer

one love. jamaica.

jamaica.

that's the little island of warmth, sunshine, rasta, and love that i visited a couple of weeks ago and why i've been so absent from the blog world.  i just did not have time to schedule posts before i left and was too busy when i got home.  here is a little snippet of the trip along with some pics.  i know i'll be looking back at these throughout the next several months when we're all stoved up inside this winter. 

at the beginning of september SH, myself, my two sisters, and the boyfriend took a getaway to mobay.  we have been a few times before and since we're all in love with the island, we decided it was a perfect end of summer destination. originally it was for our 5th anniversary, but then it turned into a trip for the sisters and men.

it was simply fabulous.  our resort was excellent.  liquor dispenser in the room along with a fridge that's restocked every other day, all the food one can scarf down, and all the drinks a person can consume make for a pretty sweet getaway, not to mention it was very budget friendly.

the cuture is fascinating, reggae is addicting, and the blue waters are inviting.

each day we basically got up, ate breakfast at the buffet, while drinking delicious blue mountain coffee, and spent the day at the beach soaking up the sun with drinks in our hands.  honestly most of the time it was water because it was so hot, but we had an occasional ocean dream or daquiri (or five) each beach day.

when it rained most afternoons, we headed to our rooms to nap, hang out together, or head to lobby to people watch.  each nite was pretty relaxed and revolved around more food and nitely entertainment.

seven nites just isn't long enough for me.  the resort has lots and lots of europeans and did you know they get at least, at least, 8 weeks of vacation a year.  most of them are at resorts for two to three weeks.  there was definitely a bit of envy and jealousy coming from our group.

it was definitely a much needed vacation that was a trip one has to take to understand.  jamaica is like no other place i have been and i have been ready to head back as soon as i shut the door to our room for the last time.

until next time, ja. . . 

 

 

 

 

my age has gone up by one.

whew!  i didn't realize that the last couple of weeks had been so busy and that i have hardly posted.  makes me sad because i hate not having time for my sweet blog.  anyhow, since i posted last, i celebrated a birthday on friday.  i can't believe how old i am.  i seriously feel like i'm about 26 or so.

it was a fun birthday.  the nite before i had gone to my cousin's for a wine nite, where i was presented with the most amazing chocolate cupcake.  i slept over at my sister's with my younger cousin.  is it weird that my sis and i sleep in the same bed?  i think not.  it's just such a comforting feeling since we grew up doing it.  anyway, the next morning i got up and had birthday pancakes at my grandma & grandpa's, visited with my parents, and brought my cousin home with me.  she and i shopped and made jewelry until SH got home so we could go eat.

my favorite restaurant in the world {ok, maybe not in the world} is cracker barrel, so that's where i wanted to go.  i could eat there many times a week and live off their blueberry pancakes, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken breast, and chocolate cake.  oh, and the biscuits.  it really was a super fun day.  since i had to work the next morning, it was early to bed for me.  additional celebrating may take place in a few weeks, or so i hope (:

i know it's so cliche to say how life goes so fast, but it really does.  i am two years past thirty, i have been married for five years, out of high school for almost fifteen, and my next big bday is going to be forty.  holy hell!  another birthday celebrated and another age past. although i am a negative worrier, i am also all about living life to the fullest and more so the older i get.  you only have one life to live; might as well enjoy it!

review || wet 'n' wild megashield lip color

a couple of months ago as i was leaving the drugstore, i saw a whole row of colored tubes that drew me in, plus they were on sale for around two bucks.  turns out it was perfect for what i was looking for.  a sheer lip color with spf 15.

however, this swatch clearly shows that the color is not sheer but highly pigmented!  i think this is meant to be a kind of like a colored lip balm, although i wear this more as a lipstick because of how rich the color is.  this color is called salsa lessons.

the consistency is very creamy and goes on super smooth while covering extra well.  i don't typically wear a lot of red, but i got this thinking it would be a slight red color with more of a moisturizing appeal.  it's both really, but overall this is pretty great stuff.  sometimes i even just dab it on a couple of times for a light tint.

these pictures show how it looks on and i think i probably only swiped one time to achieve this.  i will definitely be trying more of these because there were several other colors i almost picked up when i bought this one.  it's a great tube of color for the quality that comes with such a cheap price.  pretty amazing stuff!

wore // bright yellow to match the sun.

if you read about our anniversary outing  then you probably saw me wearing this outfit.  i knew it was going to be a hot one that day so i decided to wear this bright yellow tank to coincide with the summer heat, plus i love the way yellow looks with a tan. 

it was a comfy, light outfit so it worked well for the day.  racerbacks are my favorite kind of tank, however they are hard to find sometimes.  i got these for about eight bucks so next time i go out, i may pick up a few more.

also i'm pretty new to shorts.  well, not new per se, but since i was young i have always worn jeans throughout the summer, except for on certain occasions.  i'm trying to be better about wearing shorts while my legs are still thin and look somewhat young before i'm seventy and regret it.  these are about as short as i go, too.

anyway, this is my look.  my clothes are pretty simple, as you'll see in most outfit posts, but i think they still look cute.  this was at the end of our day so my hair is basically plastered to my head, dripping sweat, and sticky clothes, but i couldn't pass up the bright flowers.  enjoy.

tank: macy's

shorts: tj maxx

sandals: newport news {old}

necklace: world market

bracelets: made by me

paddleboats & the boathouse.

st. louis has a lot of great things to do, so on our anniversary we decided to eat lunch and hang out at the boathouse in forest park.  it's a beautiful place because it's located right on a lake, has amazing outdoor seating with a nice breeze off the water, gorgeous views, and it's super relaxing.  i also love the fact that it's pet friendly so i love to see the different breeds of dogs and cute water bowls all over the place.

the temperature that day was around 95, but we were able to sit on the patio with an umbrella and luckily the breeze from the water kept us somewhat cool.  we ate well and shared one of my fav desserts - bread pudding.  this one was banana + pecan and was just ok, so i was somewhat disappointed.  the waitress offered us a free sundae but since i'm lactose intolerant and wanted bread pudding i asked if she would switch.  did she?  hell no.  thanks. . . 

although the temps were blazing, i still had my heart set on paddleboats so we did just that after our meal.  it was so relaxing and the trees, wildlife, and scenery were so pretty and neat.  fall would most definitely be the best time for this because it sounds fantastic to be out on the lake seeing the changing of the leaves wearing jeans, boots, and a sweater, with the smell of bonfire in the distance.  i'm not wishing summer away however.

it was a really nice day to enjoy our 5th year as a married couple, do something we haven't done before, and have a fun, relaxing, hot summer day.

if you ever visit st. louis or live here and have never been, it's definitely a must-do thing.  i love it.

i've never seen such beautiful clouds.

i don't think these pictures need too much explanation.  how beautiful and colorful are these clouds?  when i looked at the sky as the sun was setting, i knew i had to grab my camera because they looked like pink, gray, and charcoal puffs of cotton and fire.

so pretty!  i wish the sky was like this more often!