Splurge Of The Month

I love shoes, and, the more dramatic the better! As I get more comfortable stepping out of my fashion comfort zone, the more I love to invest in dramatic, statement piece shoes. I am loving the fact that loafers are making their comeback and this Tory Burch Jezebel Pump shoe does that trend in an unexpected way. The sturdiness of the heel coupled with the rich velvet texture makes this a definite talking point in an outfit. As if that isn’t enough, this shoe has a dragonfly, a symbol of good luck, wrapped around its satin-covered heel. For a retail price of $375, I wouldn’t mind splurging on these to both spice up my outfit and my closet!

Fake Tan

I have a very light complexion and when tanning by the pool or beach my skin goes from white to beet red. Because of this, I am forced to fake tan. As much as I love getting a spray tan, spending $50+ every 1-2 weeks starts to get pricey and time consuming. So, unless I have a special event or am going on a vacation, I fake tan right at home. This summer I came across Million Dollar Tan and decided to purchase the Cabana Tan Moisturizing Sunless Tanning Lotion after seeing all the great reviews it received on youtube. What peaked my interest most about this product is that it has the consistency and color of a body lotion, which means no more stained clothes or bedsheets!

Before applying the tanning lotion, I make sure to shower, shave and exfoliate (I learned the importance of exfoliating pre-sunless tanning the hard way). As soon as I come out of the shower, I dry off and apply the product just as I would a body lotion. I usually apply a thin layer and rub into my skin until most of the product is absorbed. I try not to apply too much product on my knees and elbows as those are the areas that tend to get blotchy. After applying the product, I wait about 10 minutes for the lotion to dry before putting on clothing. As with most tanning products, the longer you keep it on without showering, the darker the color gets. Because of this, I usually apply the product at night and rinse it out the following morning. You will start to notice a slight odor (your typical sunless tan product odor) about 2-3 hours after applying the product which will disappear as soon as you rinse off.

I love this product because it gives you a very natural looking tan, as if you just came from a month-long vacation, not Snooki’s house. The color stays on your skin for approximately 3-5 days and, if applied evenly, will wear off just as evenly. I highly recommend this product to those with light to medium skin tones. Happy fake tanning!

Review: Embryolisse Emulsion Hydra-Mat

I never thought the day would come that I would use a mattifying face lotion, or better yet, write a review on it. A few months ago I received a shipment of Embryolisse products, including the Emulsion Hydra-Mat lotion. When I first received it, I thought I would have no use for it and would be forced to give it away to someone. As this lotion promises to reduce shine and absorb excessive sebum, I decided to give it a try during the 4th of July weekend, knowing that I would be spending a lot of time outside. As I have mentioned before, my skin is normally on the dry side but during the summer months it tends to be more on the oily to normal side.

On July 4th, I put on the mattifying lotion in lieu of my regular face lotion in the morning and followed with my makeup as normal. The cream has a very light weight texture and absorbs into the face instantly. After being outside for 8+ hours in the heat and humidity my face did not once get oily or greasy and my makeup did not slide off as it otherwise would on such a hot day. I am very impressed with the product and highly recommend it for those with oily, normal or combination skin. This is not a product that I use everyday, but rather, only on hot days when I know my makeup will slide off and get oily otherwise.

Kardashian Beauty Line

I have never been a big fan of clothing, makeup or perfume designed by celebrities. My thought on it is as such:  you should stick to what you’re good at and not try to make an extra buck by venturing into other industries.

When the Kardashian sisters came out with their own beauty line I never though I would like, or even purchase, any of their products. After seeing so many great reviews of their makeup line on youtube, I decided to give Kardashian Beauty a try. The first item that I purchased was their Au Natural Lip Set in the shade In The Flesh. The set comes with a lip liner, lipstick and lipgloss and smells of honey. I bought the lip set with the intention of returning it, thinking that I would hate it. Boy was I wrong! This is the perfect ‘nude’ lipstick/lipgloss for my skin tone that does not wash me out. Sometimes I wear the set together and sometimes I mix and match each individual piece from the set with my other lipsticks/lip-glosses. What’s even better is that I receive compliments every single time that I wear the set together.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not comparing Kardashian Beauty to makeup lines such as YSL, Chanel or even MAC. The Au Natural lip set does not stay on long and does not hydrate your lips, but when it’s on, it looks very nice. When purchasing any of the Kardashian Beauty products, as long as you expect it to look nice on but not be of the same quality as other high-end beauty lines, you too will love it!

Oxford Love

I have been searching for the perfect pair of oxfords ever since the weather started changing. A pair that is comfortable enough to walk around the city in all day yet still look stylish and chic enough to wear out to a movie or dinner date. I looked everywhere, high and low, but had no luck finding a pair that looked nice on my not-so-small feet and that wouldn’t kill my budget. Finally, about two months ago I found the perfect pair of oxfords; ones that would look great worn casually with a pair of jeans or dressed up with a skirt or dress. When I found these Sam Edelman Jerome Oxfords I instantly fell in love for both its style and price. Even better, I snagged them for a discounted price of $90 on shopbop during one of their amazing sales! Sam Edelman makes these oxfords in a few different colors and styles (here and here). Maybe I’ll purchase another pair when they go on sale.     

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

Snacking for me is a must so I am always on the hunt for healthy snacks. I love chickpeas and can eat them in any which way, so when I came across this recipe I instantly knew I had to try it. What’s great about this chickpea snack is that all you need is a handful to feel satisfied. What makes it even greater is that it tastes just as good, if not better, the next day. This is great to make as a snack when guests are over or for yourself when you’re craving something sweet and crunchy.

 

Another perk is that the cinnamon and nutmeg makes your house smell amazing!

Currently Obsessing Over

I have been searching for the perfect makeup organizer for quite some time. I wanted one that can fit all of my makeup and still look presentable. When I came across the Sherrieblossom Icebox I instantly realized that I found the perfect organizer. It has the right amount of space with 6 tiers that include 5 wide drawers plus the top tier that comes with a lid. With the Icebox, you can organize your products in a variety of ways by using their removable and adjustable inserts. In addition, I love the simplistic and contemporary design that it offers.

The price is on the high side ($395) so it has to be a purchase that you absolutely want. Having said that, I guarantee that this is a piece that you will own for a very long time as long as you follow their instructions on how to clean and maintain it. This is definitely a purchase that I plan on making soon. Note that this item does always sell out so getting on a waiting list will be inevitable.

Splurge Of The Month

My thoughts on kitten heels were as follows: never wear them! That is until I came across these Salvatore Ferragamo Vara heels. My weakness for shoes with bows blossomed when I saw these. The style of these shoes look like something that Jackie O would be rocking; sophistication coupled with style. To top it off, not only are you able to design your own shoe by picking out the material, color and hardware but you can also get your initials engraved on the sole of it. Talk about custom made! I would love to wear these to work with skirts and dresses that cut above the knee as well as with ankle-length pants. As much as I love my stilettos, sometimes you just want to be both stylish and comfortable!

My personally designed shoe would look like the ones in this picture; bisque colored shoe with an optic white bow and heel and glove hardware. They make a neutral outfit look so beautiful and feminine but at the same time would fit right in with a bold-colored one as well. For a price of $550, this would definitely have to be a splurge of the month for me! How would you design your shoe?

20 Minute At-Home Workout

I have been stepping up my work-out routine and eating healthier these last few months because my goal is to get some abs before the end of the summer. Something that I started doing a few weeks ago was stopped eating carbs after 1pm or 2 pm and stopped eating anything at all after 7pm or 8pm. Sometimes, if I am feeling extra hungry between the hours after dinner and before bedtime, I will snack on a few almonds to curb any cravings. But, Friday night is always my cheat day and I enjoy every minute of it!

In addition to eating healthier, I try to do some sort of work out about 4-5 times a week. Three days a week I take an outdoor boot camp class and the other two days I do something on my own. That includes hiking, biking, walking around the city (3-5 miles) or a quick 20 minute at home exercise to get my heart racing a bit. Below is an example of an exercise that I may do first thing in the morning between my boot camp days:                                                                                                                                                                      10 burpees, 10 squats, 10 double crunches

9 burpees, 9 squats, 9 double crunches

8 burpees, 8 squats, 8 double crunches

7 burpees, 7 squats, 7 double crunches

6 burpees, 6 squats, 6 double crunches

5 burpees, 5 squats, 5 double crunches

4 burpees, 4 squats, 4 double crunches

3 burpees, 3 squats, 3 double crunches

2 burpees, 2 squats, 2 double crunches

1 burpees, 1 squats, 1 double crunches

                                                                                                                                                  I will usually keep the burpees but will often alternate the other two exercises with jumping squates, sit-ups, regular crunches, side crunches, etc. When doing these exercises, try to only take small breaks in between each rep if needed for water. Get exercising!

Toothpick Jean

When it comes to denim jeans I am more of a ‘splurger’ than a ‘saver,’ primarily because it is an item of clothing that I wear most often and keep in my closet for a long period of time. Having said that, I never pay full price for them. Last summer this changed when I was introduced to J. Crew’s toothpick jean and instantly fell in love. The fit, cut and color of the jean blinded me into paying full price for them. To this day, I still consider them to be one of my favorite pair of jeans and one of my best purchases.

This weekend, during my ‘no-shopping phase,’ I happened to wonder into a J. Crew store and, by force of the saleswomen and my friend, I purchased another pair of toothpick jeans (these), but this time in a pattern; a trend that I am loving right now! Because of the insane sale in the store, I ended up getting the jeans for under $50! Just like with the previous pair, I made sure to purchase them two sizes smaller than my actual size as they do run a bit big and stretch a little. There were easily 2-3 other colors and washes that I wanted to purchase, but decided to save those for another day (during my ‘yes shopping phase.’) I cannot wait to rock my new jeans with a chambray shirt and a pair of heels or oxfords.