Friday Favorites

Friday is finally here!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

Love this pink blazer, tribal top, gold watch, & wrap bracelet look!!

Kate Bosworth simple makeup with pretty tinted lips.

Lemon, vanilla bean, blueberry cheesecake

Summer corn cakes with avocado salsa

DIY Face Masks

Totally overdue on this…here is my homemade face mask tidbit.  It has been about 15 years since I have made my own face mask, yet am always intrigued to pick up where I left off.  I love my Mojo Spa Bombshell Mask & Mojo makes their products in house, so I thought I'd look into some fun options.

Homemade face masks are great for skin & the budget.  You can make as need or in bulk.  Masking is important because it nourishes skin, removes debri, loosens blackheads, cleans pores, shrinks pores, evens skin tone, & can offer hydration/moisture.

Whenever I use a mask, always on freshly cleansed & exfoliated skin, unless mask offers thorough exfoliation, my skin looks impeccable.

Here are some homemade face masks I found that sound pretty awesome.

Honey, Cinnamon, Nutmeg Mask by therightsolutions.com

Variety by freenaturalskincaretips.info

More varieties by http://doityourselfcollections.blogspot.com

How To Efficiently Cleanse Your Face

Cleansing your face is essential for skin's well being, as well as enhancing one's beauty.  I believe cleansing your skin should always be conducted morning & night.  I don't believe in the simple splash of water in the morning.  Your skin gets dirty while you sleep, as dust, dust mites, dirt from your hair that's transferred onto your pillow case, all deter the health of your skin.

In the morning:

1.  I like to dampen hands with warm water if using a gel or foam cleanser.  If using an oil or cream cleanser omit this step.

2.  Apply a dime to nickel size amount of cleanser & spread through the palms to fingers.

3.  Apply to face, neck, & décolleté.

4.  Using the pads of your fingers, cleanse by using circular motions, where cleanser is applied.  Spend about 10 seconds on each area…forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, etc.  Avoid the eye area.  I even like to cleanse behind my ears both morning & night.

5.  I believe you get better cleansing using a wash cloth rather than a rinsing action.  I believe in making your warm water warmer.  Soak your wash cloth & wring out.  Open the wash cloth fully and rest all over your face.  Press the wash cloth onto your skin gently.  The warmth & pressing helps loosen debri in the pores, thoroughly removes dirt, and when wiped away lightly sloughs dead skin=brighter, healthier, flawless skin.  Follow where you've applied cleanser & do this a couple times for each area.

6.  Follow with a mist of your favorite toner.

7.  Apply eye cream with ring finger, lightly patting from inner corner out.

8.  Follow with serum lightly patting into skin.

9.  Follow with moisturizer, gently pressing into skin.

10.  If your moisturizer does not contain an SPF, follow with SPF.

In the evening:

1.  Thoroughly remove eye makeup with cotton squares or rounds & eye makeup remover.  The most efficient way is to wet pad & hold on your closed eye for 5 seconds, then sweep away.  Always be gentle, as the skin around the eye is very delicate & thin.

2.  Follow steps 1-9, above.


I realize this may seem like a lot of steps to wash your face but once done for a day, it's a breeze & your skin will thank you!!!!


You only have one you, take care of you.  : )

Below is a fun guide to ingredients & the impact they have on your skin.

Mani Monday

Wooo!!!  I've fallen off the map a bit.  It's nuts over here, we're preparing for Penelope's baptism, which is Sunday.  Not only that, but Pipp has become slightly clingy (typical for this age…6.5 months).  Jay & I were sick for the past two weeks & Jay has been hogging the computer.  : )  

I am trying to rearrange my schedule to fit my (Insane Amount) day to day schedule, so bare with me.  I promise to get some fun stuff out!!

Hope everyone is awesome & Happy Monday…it's the start of another lovely week!

So, last night I popped into my nearest Sally's Beauty Supply.  I needed buffers, files, & Seche Vite Top Coat.  Of course, I scanned the nail polish over & over & over.  I found an Orly The Original French Manicure Kit.  With the baptism coming up, I thought this would perfect to test out, plus it could be my baptism day polish.  Yes, I totally think about these things in advance.  The kit is labeled "pink".  The kit contains Orly Top2 Bottom (ooohhhh, duh Top 2 Bottom) a base & top coat.  This stuff offers UV protection= no yellowing from the sun.  There is also a shade called Pink Nude & white color, White Tips.  Direction description & guide stickers.  

The accomplished look was very time consuming, but I anticipated that.  I began my mani & the french mani process around 7:30pm and had slight sheet marks on my nails=too much polish…go lighter.  Lesson learned.  I am glad I test drove it because, I could've gone thinner with the polish.  I also think I may utilize one of my Essie's for the sheer color, rather than the Pink Nude.  I'd like something a little more sheer & pinker.  All in all, I could've gotten a new white polish, UV top coat, & guide stickers for roughly the same, maybe a little less.  
Ultimately, I am enjoying playing with something different yet classic.  

How I've Been Keeping "Warm" & Beating the Winter Blues

Granted we are experiencing a warm up, with this extra snowy cold winter, I find myself constantly day dreaming about spring & summer.  Longing for the days that I can walk endlessly with my baby doll in tow, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin.

Due to this longing, I have debated on hitting up the tanning salon but would rather not expose my skin to that harshness, just yet.  I have decided to endure Jergen's Natural Glow moisturizers, an occasional indulgence in Clarin's Delectable Mousse Self Tanner, some beachy smelling goodness, bronzer, and slightly vibrant tinted lip shades adorned with shimmery gold shadow, beachy hair, & tousled braids.

My favorite scents are Bobbi Brown Beach (oil & perfume) & Creed's Virgin Island Water.  Even Tocca's Cleopatra fragrance has a fresh spring/summer smell to it.  I LOVE Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine hair cream along with Surf Spray for a beachy textured look.

This profoundly helps quite a bit, although I find myself aching for spring & summer, even more so.  What do you do to feel the warmth?  Do you endure in any of the above?

Bronzed skin, vibrant lip, & beachy hair

Gold/bronze shadow, bronzed/highlighted skin, & summery lip

Tan skin, beachy hair

Beachy hair, tan skin