Beach Must Haves

After writing up my June favorites (sadly I shortened that list and it was still so long!) I realized summer products aside, everyone needs different products for the beach! I mean, there's no fun in going to the beach without looking fabulous, right?

I just went to the beach last week, and here's what I did:
Prep: Yes, unfortunately unlike the shows Laguna Beach and The O.C, I cannot just frolic down to the beach without a second thought. (although, I WISH I could!)
-Hair removal. I personally get waxed (legs, bikini, etc.) which requires a bit more time (since I need to get an appt and whatnot) in comparison to shaving or using nair, veet, etc. There's always the at-home waxing kits which I resort to when needed! Whatever your poison of choice, some hair needs to be removed  before baring that bikini!
-Deodrant. A must have before the beach, I even pack one with me in my bag--I'm a huge fan of Dove.
-SPF. Sunscreen is a MUST, I apply before (30 mins prior to sun exposure) and reapply as needed while I'm at the beach. I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 100+ before and use Stella SPF 30+ Sunscreen Towelette by Tocca for touch ups at the beach. So handy to keep in my bag because each wipe is wrapped individually! 
Face: no one wants to cake on foundation, concealer, etc. before going to the beach! Beach makeup is all about the bare minimum while still looking fabulous!
After SPF application, I use Laura Mercier's foundation primer and then even out my skin with Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer, oil-free, SPF 20. I use my fingers to apply so the product can really warm up to my skin, and I always remind myself to take my tinted moisturizer down to my neck! I curl my eyelashes with the Shu Uemura eyelash curler (my absolute favorite) and use my Bobbi Brown lip gloss (which I believe is discontinued) in Rose Tea, love it because it has SPF 15 (lip balm/lip gloss with SPF is a must for the beach!). You can always add a waterproof mascara or a creme eyeshadow, but I prefer not to.
Now, off to the beach!
xoxo

June Favorites

I'll keep it short and sweet: here are my absolute favorite, tried and true products for the month of June! (actually probably a little longer than just June..)

Photo Finish Foundation Primer, original/colorless--Smashbox ($36) *I finally gave into the hype, and I must say this helps my skin look flawless for proper foundation application!
High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15--Smashbox ($38) *light enough to wear in the day time, plus it has SPF, and vitamins?! This foundation actually benefits skin!
High Definition Concealer-- Smashbox ($18) *paired with powerflage (see below), under eye circles have met their match.
Powderflage Set--Benefit ($28) *personally, I hate the brush it comes with--I use a crease brush! Setting my under eye concealer with this=no creases the whole day. LOVE.
Stella SPF 30+ Sunscreen Towelette-- Tocca ($28) *one towelette takes care of my SPF needs, head to toe.
Chloé Eau de Parfum Spray-- Chloé ($60) *smells AMAZING. Enough said. I'll definitely use it throughout the year.

Pop-Up Travel Brush - Signature Black & Red--Sephora Collection ($8) *I've needed something to tame the tangles that summer weather brings to my hair and this is perfect! The added mirror and compact design is a total plus--there's different designs as well!
No 'Zit' Sherlock Complete Acne System-- bliss ($32) *with probiotics and gentle on my skin while taming breakouts? Say no more.

Scorcher Nail Lacquer-- MAC, Back to the Beach Collection ($12) *Love the bright color for summer days and nights! It's wearable on hands and feet, I love.
Marine Life highlight Powder-- MAC, Back to the Beach Collection (sold out on maccosmetics.com) *yes, I admit the seahorse design dragged me in, but it is a perfect summer blush!

Mia™ Skin Cleansing System - Pink--Clarasonic ($149) *see post below, this is a lifetime favorite!

 

 

 

 

 

Clearer skin, here I come! (thanks to my Clarasonic Mia!)

I've never been incredibly tech savvy...but I can maneuver my way around the basics. I love, love, love my iPhone 3GS, my macbook, and iPod touch (wow, apple ad much?! haha). However, as times are changing, technology has made it's way into the beauty world--and I am LOVING it.
Enter my new tech-beauty love, the Clarasonic Mia:

For $149 (at Sephora) you receive a Clarisonic Mia One Speed Brush, international pLink™ charger for worldwide use, sensitive Brush Head, and 1.0 oz Gentle Hydro Cleanser. At this point in the game, Clarasonic has a loyal following so we've all heard the basics about this product, just in case you missed out here's what a Clarasonic Mia is--From the creators of the Sonicare® toothbrush comes the Clarisonic® Mia set, featuring the handy to-go sized version of the original, groundbreaking Clarisonic Brush. Sonic technology first changed the way we clean our teeth, now it's changing how we cleanse our skin. The sonic frequency moves Clarisonic's soft, gentle brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, thoroughly clearing pores and skin surface.--via Sephora online

I purchased my Clarasonic Mia in pink (to support the Breast Cancer Foundation) from Sephora in late May and I have to admit, cleansing my face hasn't been the same since. Yes, $149 is a pretty steep price to pay (I definitely debated on this purchase for a while) so let's get down to the nitty-gritty to see if it's actually worth it.
Here are the promises:
-Removes makeup six times better than traditional methods.
-Clears pores and reduces the appearance of pore size.
-Cleanses so thoroughly that skincare products absorb better.
-Creates noticeably healthier looking skin.
Yes, yes, yes, and YES! The Clarasonic Mia is wonderful at removing makeup, it deep cleans thus making my pores less visible (which I love!), I have noticed that my cleanser/moisturizer feel better on my skin, and lastly it just leaves a more smooth, radiant texture--resulting in a healthier complexion. Honestly, looking back I have no idea how I cleaned my face before! Even my bff, who loves the Clarasonic Mia as well, left it back home for a week and she noticed that her face did not feel nearly as clean.
Bottom line: I definitely think the Clarasonic Mia is worth every penny. I use the sensitive brush head, but there is a normal one available as well. There are different types of Clarasonics, the Mia being the most affordable and the smallest one of the bunch. There is only one speed (those who have the other Clarasonics claim that this one speed is enough), there is no timer that beeps/vibrates to let you know to move on to the next part of your face, and the Mia automatically stops after 60 seconds. I think the normal Clarasonic or Pro models are definitely a luxury--but I find my Mia to be perfect! I can throw it my bag for sleepovers at the bf's place/going to the gym with no problems.
The Clarasonic Mia is available at Sephora and the Mia as well as other models are available at Nordstrom.
Visit www.clarasonic.com to learn more about all the Clarasonic products and which one will suit your lifestyle the best!
Happy cleansing!
xoxo

Spring Feet

Even though the weather has been all out of sorts lately (i.e raining for the half the day), I still have been looking at all the pretty shoes (emphasis on sandals) spring and summer allow me to wear. As we know from a previous post, heels and I definitely do not go hand in hand, so any reason to slip on flats is a green light in my book!
My boyfriend's roommate complimented me on my yellow nail polish (LOVE bright pedicures in spring!) from the China Glaze up, up and away collection-- Happy Go Lucky. It's a great yellow creme color but still delivers the vibrancy of a bright yellow. Bless his soul, his compliments are always a bit on the awkward side--however he said that I "kept it fresh" which I believe from a guy is a compliment...my boyfriend however is not a fan of bright colors on nails haha. Another great nail color for spring is the bright green Four Leaf Clover from the China Glaze up, up and away collection. Basically as much as I adore neutral and muted colors, spring is the one time of year that I love bright nails--definitely the perfect accessory!
Now for sandals, to compliment the perfect pedicure--of course.

These Via Spiga 'Deana' Sandals ($198) I love because it gives off the Greek-esque vibe. Definitely on the more romantic boho-chic side--denim shorts or a mini skirt would look fabulous with these. 

 DV by Dolce Vita 'Saint' Sandal ($69.95); the perfect rocker vibe chic sandal. I love that it's not too dainty and would look fab paired with a leather jacket and skinny jeans or a floral printed dress. The shape of the straps is thick enough to grab your attention--but not too over the top. Plus, in my experience Dolce Vitas are always super comfy!

Sam Edelman 'Hazel' Thong Sandal($119.95). These are by far my favorite! Well I love them all..but still. The cage-like detailing semi reminds me of the Jimmy Choos I spotted in Fall! The stones are absolutely gorgeous and I love all the colors the sandals come in! 

Seychelles 'Get Outta Town' Sandal($79.95). Plain and simple, love the braid detailing and coverage of the sandal. It's more on the refined side compared to the other sandals I loved--not over the top trendy. The nude color is the perfect addition to my shoe closet!












All of these sandals are available at nordstrom.com, happy shopping!
xoxo

Los Angeles to Manhattan--Earmuffs.

Here is my first investment for my big move-- Burberry earmuffs. My bff reassures me that I definitely need earmuffs, and if I need earmuffs, they might as well be Burberry right?!

Image credit: http://michiganfashionista.blogspot.com/2008/11/christmas-gifts-part-3-little-luxuries.html

These are the pair I found at Nordy's, and I must say they are pretty adorable! Plus they'll go with my iconic Burberry scarf in khaki and my other Burberry scarf in baby pink! I am a little dissapointed they don't make the iconic checkered design on the earmuffs (maybe because it's out of season?) but at the same time, these are more wearable. 

At $125, it is a bit much for earmuffs...however, my ears will thank me for the soft cashmere keeping them warm, and adding more Burberry to my wardrobe makes me happy :)

Truth: I am a hair snob.

I guess my childhood haircuts got the best of me-- yes, I was one of those girls that had the bowl haircut. My mom was always really big on short hair, and a couple of times she cut my bangs herself (WORST IDEA EVER) and I suffered through my junior high years + ninth grade with absolutely dreadful hair. At that age, I never understood that curly hair should NOT be brushed a lot (hello, frizz) and how to style my hair appropriately--to say the least.

 

Image credit: http://greeensheeep.blogspot.com/2008/12/hairs-scoop.html

After that, I became obsessed with having nice hair. I would literally cry whenever I got a haircut and put TONS of products of my hair to make it look nice--I have now learned the error of my ways. In any case, going to reputable hair salons (even if it means paying more) is definitely one of the things I am anal about. I meet with my stylist in advance, discuss haircut/coloring/etc and describe exactly what I want to a T. Needless to say, I have become a hair snob. I mainly use Kerastase and Schwarzkopf hair products, a CHI turbo blow dryer,  and HAI flat irons (repurchased once).
About 8 months ago, I decided to take the plunge and find a new flat iron (I didn't absolutely LOVE my HAI one) so I decided to buy a Sedu Pro Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron after seeing the amazing reviews on folica.com. It was definitely an upgrade from HAI; the Sedu left my hair incredibly shiny, straightened much faster than the HAI, did not pull at any of my hair, and was a bit lighter as well (the bigger plates were also a plus!). After talking to a friend about our flat irons, she showed me her GHD flat iron and I fell in looooove (this was like a month after buying my Sedu, of course). Ever since, I've been researching the GHD brand and heard NOTHING but good things about it, but just haven't been able to justify spending almost $300 after I just spent $120 on a perfectly good Sedu.
I received a 20% off coupon from folica.com (I love coupons) via e-mail and decided to impulsively buy the GHD Precious Limited Edition MKIV Styler. 

 

 (I got the one without the blow dryer--instead I got the GHD heat protection spray and conditioning spray. But everything else is the same!)

First off, the set is absolutely GORGEOUS--the flat iron itself is black with silver detailing with a carrying case to match! At $255, it was a bit steep but I can honestly say it has been one of the best hair investments I've made in a long time. This flat iron not only straightens, it can curl, create waves, and even crimp hair! Another Plus, it straightens my hair in literally 1/4 of the time it takes me with my Sedu (my hair is ridiculously shiny too)! GHD also has a youtube channel where they show you how to use your GHD flat iron to create different hairstyles. All in all, I LOVE this flat iron and the brand itself--they stand behind their product with a 2 year warranty which is hard to find with most flat irons.

Bottom line: If you're on the hunt for a new flat iron/curling iron and can splurge--I highly recommend the GHD-- you will not be disappointed! Just make sure wherever you purchase your GHD that it is authentic--I used folica.com. Plus, folica has discount codes every so often--what more can you ask for?!

Bloomingdales Friends and Family--now through March, 28th!

20% off on almost all regular priced AND sale purchases for Women, Men, Kids, and Home!
Use Promo Code: FFMARCH
at www.bloomingdales.com

So far, I've decided on a pair of Tory Burch reva ballet flats in patent leather (the normal leather would not go well in east coast weather)! I love designers on sale. It makes my shopping that much more exciting!

happy shopping!
xoxo