Winter Hair and Skin Care (Even in Florida!

Disclaimer: All the items I talk about in this blog were purchased by me, except for two items that were gifted to me through the Influenster program. This post isn’t sponsored, I just like stuff!

I know, I know. I live in Florida. The sunshine state, right?

WRONG. It got into the 30s last week! I think my friend Ronnie summed it up the best.

I have super thin Floridian blood that is no longer accustomed to anything colder than 60 degrees. I’m a delicate magnolia blossom who withers in the frost, y’all.

The other problem is that Florida is the land of humidity- after all, I work in the middle of a renovated swamp. It’s constantly humid, but when it gets cold out the air invariably gets a lot drier. And that means I get a lot drier. I’m basically like Spongebob on that episode where he goes to Sandy’s treedome for the first time. So here’s what I do in the three weeks of Floridian winter to keep from freezing and drying out!

-A good shampoo and conditioner. My hair is super fine and porous, so I try not to wash it too often. That’s the nice thing about the Floridian winter, though- my hair is less frizzy in the drier air, and I sweat much less than I do in the summer, so I can get away with even third day hair. But I still want to keep my hair moisturized, so I splurged a little on the OGX collagen shampoo. Hopefully it’ll help. I also will typically braid my hair at work to keep it out of my face and reduce the likelihood of snapping my fragile strands as I yank a headseat microphone off my head ten times a day.

-A thick, moisturizing body wash. My skin gets really dry in the winter after a summer of heat and humidity, and I don’t have time for lotion. (Seriously, who has time for lotion?) Instead, I use the Dove winter care body wash. It’s very thick and creamy, and it keeps my skin soft and moisturized for the winter without having to go through all the effort of slathering on lotion. I think Dove has a summer care body wash, so when it’s hot again (so like…March) I’ll give that one a try too!

-thick eye cream. I started using eye creams when I was still in college, so I have very few lines around my eyes (thanks, past Caitlin!) The skin around my eyes is very fragile, and I’ve noticed some new freckles popping up under my lower lash line. I’ve been using the Origins ginzing eye cream (via an Influenster box) in the mornings and it’s just the right combination of creamy and fast-absorbing. I might switch to something even thicker though- any recommendations?

-thick face cream. I luckily have pretty good skin (combination: normal on the cheeks and the chin, slightly oily on my T zone) but I try to take good care of it. I’m pretty vigilant about washing my face in the morning with a mild cleanser (currently the Soap and Glory Face Soap and Clarity) and using a toner, eye cream, moisturizer, and sunscreen immediately afterwards. Right now I’ve been using the L’Oreal Revitalift cream, (also via an Influenster box). It’s a thick cream but I’ve noticed that it’s really helped with the slight texture on my forehead. Night time…is a different story though. I rarely wear makeup to work, but unless I shower before bed (a new habit I’m trying to develop) I usually forget to wash my face! When I do, though, I use the Ponds Crema S for dry skin. It’s ridiculously thick and I joke with my boyfriend that my face smells like a grandma, but there’s a reason that Ponds has been around as long as it has. I get the tiny travel jar of the cream and it lasts for literally months because you don’t need much of it.

-hand sanitizer and lotion. I keep hand sanitizer everywhere! This is a year-round thing for me. I spend all day touching stuff after other people- steering wheels, headsets, stroller handles, push buttons, handlebars. And that doesn’t even count for how dirty the entire attraction! Everything is covered in a thick layer of dirt. So to stay clean and germ free, I keep Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer everywhere, especially in the side pocket of my work backpack and on a loop on my water bottle. (Right now I have Twisted Peppermint and a blue summer scent; I have several aromatherapy scents ready to go as soon as they run out.) But that dries out my hands, so I carry around a tube of hand lotion as well. I have literally a box of mini hand lotions (thanks, Ipsy and Birchbox) but right now mine is…well, it’s from our resort room from the time my family got a surprise upgrade to a villa in Saratoga Springs. It’s the H2O Marine Sea Salt scent. It’s more summery in scent, but it’s very thick and smells amazing. (Also apparently people are selling the resort freebies on eBay for like $15?? Wow, what a market.)

So that’s a few of the things I like to do to keep my hair and skin in shape during the winter! What are some products and tricks that you recommend?

I Heart Spring!

What is your favorite spring nail polish?
Probably Essie’s First Timer- a light minty green shade. I just wish I could wear nail polish to work!

What is your must-have lip color this spring?
I’ve been loving the Maybelline Color Whispers- super lightweight but still pigmented. Pin-Up Peach is my favorite, tied with Rose of Attraction which is my perfect my lips but better shade.

Show us your favorite spring dress!

(source)

This is the Air of Adorable dress from Modcloth. I got it for Christmas but wore for the first time for Dapper Day. It’s super cute, super comfortable, and it has all the right colors for springtime!

What’s your favorite flower?
Right now I’m really feeling blush pink peonies. They’re so soft and lush and fragrant! Like baby clouds.

What’s your favorite spring scarf/accessory?
I own a grand total of 0 scarves and I’m horrible at accessories, so I guess I’ll say my green flower hair clip? Full disclosure- I found it at work at the bridal shop in the discard pile and sewed it onto a clip. I think it fell off a bridesmaid’s dress in a former life.

What spring trend(s) are you most excited about this year?
I’m really bad with trends, but I actually like the crop top look when the top is kind of flowy and shows just a small bit of midriff. I think it’s cute, even for someone like me with a rather squishy build!

Favorite spring candle?
I’ve been burning my watermelon lemonade mini from Bath and Body Works the most. It’s small, but smells so delicious.

Favorite body spray/perfume for spring?
This spring it’s B&BW’s Beautiful Day!

What is spring like where you live?
It’s Florida, so it’s hot. Well, mornings are a bit cooler, about upper 60s, and then warm and humid with afternoon rain. The rain’s actually kind of pleasant though. I love the smell.

What’s your favorite thing about spring?
Everything is new and fresh and bright again! It’s such a relief after a gray winter.

Are you a spring cleaner?
YES. I love marathon spring cleaning sessions…and getting super disorganized in between each one.

Any plans for spring break or an upcoming vacation?
P and I are hoping to go home to Nashville for a week. Fingers crossed we get the time off!

April 2014 Favorites

  • My second round of monthly favorites! I don’t really have any pictures to add, though- should I start doing that, or should I wait until I can edit my pictures better?

Favorite Haircare Product: It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product Plus Keratin
It’s probably still a little early for this one, but I’m already super in love. I made an Ulta order a week or so ago (full haul coming!) and they had this as a free beauty break offer with orders over a certain amount. I’ve read about this product a lot and was super excited to try it. So far I’ve only tried it straight out of the shower when my hair’s wet, and I can tell that it’s made my hair feel thicker and silkier. That’s a good sign! I’m going to keep using it, but hopefully it’ll be true love and not just a crush.

Favorite Skincare Product: Maybelline Babylips
This is a favorite, with a caveat. I’ve discovered that these lip balms get horribly gritty after you’ve had them for a while. But I love having a tinted lip balm with SPF handy in my pocket when I’m at work, and these are way cheaper than my beloved Fresh balms!

Favorite Face Product: Urban Decay Tinted Moisturizer
Initially I tried this out and put too much on and freaked out. It was a case of Oompa Loompa Face. Not pretty. I tossed it in a corner (literally) and sulked, trying to decide if I wanted to track it down in the correct shade or not. On a whim, a few months later, I tried it again and discovered I loved it! It’s thick but not too thick, truly moisturizing, and is paraben free. It’s a win!

Favorite Eye Product: Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes the Shadow in Champagne
I got this in my Ipsy bag and I adore it. It’s a warm rose gold champagne shimmer and it’s heavenly.

Favorite Lip Product: Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Adore
I already love the balm stains, but why this particular color? Because it perfectly matches my Great Movie Ride costume’s bizarre shadow of red. It’s perfect.

Favorite Scent: Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day
According to the website “Beautiful Day is a fragrance as beautiful as the perfect spring day with sun-kissed apple, wild daisies & fresh pink peonies.” I don’t know if I smell all that exactly, but it’s light and fresh and delightful. Spring in a bottle, basically.

Favorite Book: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
I didn’t really read anything terribly new this month, just some more Philippa Gregory novels, but lately I’ve been veering towards the Monstrumology books. They’re about a young boy, Will Henry, in turn of the century England, who serves an eccentric scientist who is an expert of monstrumology- the study of monsters. There’s three books, but apparently there might be a fourth coming out?

Favorite TV: House
I watched House a bit while it was on the air, but now it’s on Netflix, so P and I have made that our nightly TV show. I don’t know where we’re going from there- Supernatural? Psych? Parks and Rec? 30 Rock for the fourth time?

Favorite Movie: Shrek the Musical
Don’t judge, but oh my god, I love Shrek the Musical. I know. The theatre snob in me is crying too. But…Shrek the Musical!

Anything you’d like to recommend, or something you’d like to see on the blog? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Look of the Day: 1920s

Look of the Day: 1920s


I have always been so scared of sidebuns! I was afraid they would make my head look fat and lopsided. Which is…admittedly…a strange fear. But still! I LOVE how this hair and makeup turned out. Like, totally.

Hairrrr:


#1: I spritzed leave-in conditioner (the Healthy Sexy Hair stuff, purchased for super cheapo at Ross) on second day hair, combed it out, and teased the top a bit.

#2: I gathered the hair into a loose ponytail on the side, teased it, and kinda…piled it up into a loose loopy bun. And then stuck bobby pins in it till it looked okay. And then put in a little flower snap clip that a friend made for me.

#3: Spritz all the hairs with hairspray, straighten the bangs, and voila!

Makeup Tutorial: Simple Spring Look by melmphs

Melissa cracks me up so much, you guys! She’s a Tennessee girl like me and she’s hilarious. No filter whatsoever, and I love it. She’s so sweet and extroverted and friendly and her videos are super fun.

I didn’t do false lashes or a quite-as-bright lipstick, and I didn’t do the smokey-bottom-lash stuff, but I REALLY love how this look turned out on me. And I especially love how it works with the hair.

———

Dress: Forever21
Shoes: Payless
Hair flower: made by a friend

———

Face
Covergirl 3 in 1 Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation in 805 Ivory
Rimmel Match Perfection concealer
Nyx cream blush in Natural

———

Eyes
Wet ‘n’ Wild trio in Sweet as Candy
Physician’s Formula Malibu Strip
Elf 100 shadow palette
Maybelline gel liner in brown
Covergirl liquiliner in black
Maybelline The Rocket mascara in blackest black (waterproof)

———

Lips
Revlon lip butter in Sweet Tart

———

Perfume: Bath and Body Works Paris in Bloom

Nail Polish: Sephora by OPI Miss Bossy Pants (from the Glee collection)

Want to see me attempt a particular look or tutorial? Want to see a review on a product? Want me to make a video? Ask me here!

Look of the Day: Hair Despair

My hair. Oh sweet mother of mercy, what is wrong with my hair? It’s neither straight nor curly. It’s neither blonde nor brown nor ginger. Its length is unremarkable- neither short nor long. And the frizz. OH SWEET MOTHER. THE FRIZZ. I’m trying to avoid heat styling since it’s summertime, but even with a healthy spritz of leave in conditioner my hair has an aura of frizz. Someone please come save my hair.

In the meantime, I shall take solace in the fact that it looks like I have a dimple in this picture.

Oh, and I attempted a Pinterest tutorial of a fancy four-strand braid, and that ended in approximately 3.7 seconds.

Makeup Tutorial: Flirty Pop by allthatglitters21

I wrote a whole description of the video and it vanished when I posted.

Anyways.

I’ve really been loving Elle’s videos lately. They’re so sweet and personable, and her looks are always so polished. This particular look is not quite so polished on me, but that’s mostly because I  still attack my face with makeup the way a first grader attacks a new coloring book page. Eventually I’ll learn how to put on makeup without looking like a fingerpainting project gone horribly awry. That’s what practice and tutorial are for, right?

My favorite part of this is the teal eyeliner on the lower lashline. I’m absolutely terrified of putting anything other than a neutral color on, around, or near my eyes, for fearing of looking more clownish than I already am, but I got the teal eyeliner in a mini set from Ulta and have been really wanting to try it. So thank you, Elle, for getting me out of my comfort zone with some fancy eyeliner!

Outfit:
Top: Target
Shorts: Target
Sandals: Payless

Face:
Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse in 110 Porcelain Ivory
Nyx stick concealer in Porcelain
Nyx cream blush in Natural
NYC bronzer in Sunny
Hard Candy bronzer in Tiki

Eyes:
Maybelline Color tattoo in Inked in Pink
L’oreal Infallible shadow in Amber Rush
Hard Candy duo in Peace (lighter shade)
Smashbox Limitless Liner in Onyx
Smashbox Limitless Liner in Metallic Teal
Maybelline the Rocket mascara in Blackest Black (waterproof)

 

Lips:
Maybelline Color Whisper in Petal Rebel
Maybelline Color Whisper in One Size Fits Pearl

Perfume: Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day
Nail Polish: OPI In the Spotlight Pink (from the Femme du Cirque collection)

Have a makeup tutorial you want to see me attempt or a product you want me to review? Ask me here!

Look of the Day: I’m Gonna Wreck It!


I am seriously in love with this shirt. I searched all over Disney World when I was there in March for a Wreck It Ralph shirt, with no success. So where do I find it? Walmart. For five dollars. I BOUGHT IT THEN AND THERE.

I typically wouldn’t wear jeans and a graphic tee to work, but I’m just in outservice now and cleaning my classroom, so I don’t gotta be fancy or nothin’.

Hair and Makeup: Katie’s Everyday Routine from A Beautiful Mess


Have you ever seen Katie on A Beautiful Mess or on her blog, Skunkboy Creatures? She is perfect. Absolutely flawless. Her life is perfect and beautiful and her husband is gorgeous and her daughters are beautiful and she dresses wonderfully and her house is filled with perfectly curated vintage finds and her hair. HER HAIR. Her hair is the most glorious shade of red imaginable.

Excuse me while I go eat jellybeans in the corner.

Anyways. I don’t look nearly as ethereally lovely (the Walmart Wreck It Ralph tee kind of negates any attempt at looking perfectly hipster twee), but I think it’s a sweet, simple look. I’ll probably try it again…if I can convince my hair to stop being so fluffy. That’s the only way I can describe my hair. It’s fluffy.

Also, I bet five bucks my hair ends up in a ponytail before the end of the day.

Hair:
#1: Wash it, spritz on detangler (I use Dove), and let it air dry. I don’t think I even own a hair dryer…

#2: Spritz with Tresseme heat protectant, attempt to curl, and despair over hair’s stubborn fluffiness.

#3: Comb through gently, add Moroccan oil, shrug at your reflection, and stick a hair tie in your pocket.

Outfit:
Tee: Walmart
Jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: Skechers

Face:
Covergirl and Olay corrector
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch in Ivory
Physician’s Formula powder in Peach Nude
theBalm blush in Hot Mama (Birchbox sample)

Eyes:
L’oreal Infallible shadow in Bronzed Taupe (brows)
L’oreal Infallible shadow in Iced Latte
Maybelline Master Duo liquid liner in Blackest Black
Maybelline Mega Plush mascara

Lips:
Fresh Sugar balm in Rose (Sephora sample)

Perfume
: Bath and Body Works Hawaii Coconut

Nail Polish: OPI I Juggle…Men (from the Femme du Cirque collection)

Look of the Day: My Dress has Fish On It!

That is literally the first thing my students said to me today. And lo, she spake the truth. There is indeed a fish on my dress. Two, actually.

I needed a perky dress to get me through the day. Yesterday was my last day teaching my beloved theatre arts kids, and today is my last day for tutoring and my kindergarten afterschool class. It’s gonna be sad, yo.

Anyways. I’ll get weepy about it later.

Hair Tutorial: Quick and Simple Updo

(I did this on second-day hair.)

#1: Tease the crown of the head- I smoothed it out with a little bit of hairspray on a comb.

#2: Divide into three sections and braid each section loosely. I tied each one off with a snap clip instead of an elastic. You’ll see why.

#3: Loop each braid into a small bun and pin in place with bobby pins. Spritz with hairspray.

Honestly, I didn’t think I’d really like this. Mostly because I feel like updos make my head look too small for my body. Does anyone else have this happen? No? Just me? Okay.

Anyways, I liked this! I think it’s cute!

Verdict: Thumbs Up

Makeup: Get Ready: Night Out by NikkiPhillippi

Why did I do a Nikki tutorial so early?! I’m so intimidated. She’s perfect. Ack. Why did I do this?

Well, nervous hiccuping aside, I did this one. I think it turned okay, although my attempt wasn’t nearly as bold and luminous. I also was too scare to make my blush or contouring or highlighting as bold. I’ll get the courage at some point, right?

Maybe. Not counting on it.

Outfit:
Dress: Island Carnival dress via Modcloth
Tee: Old Navy
Leggings: Forever 21
Shoes: Blowfish Hortons

Face:
Covergirl and Olay corrector
Physician’s Formula Conceal Rx
Physician’s Formula powder in Peach Nude
Nyx blush in Pinched
NYC bronzer in Sunny
Hard Candy bronzer in Tiki

Eyes:
L’oreal Infallible shadow in Bronzed Taupe (brows)
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
Hard Candy Top Ten Naturally Gorgeous palette
Hard Candy pencil liner in black
Urban Decay Supercurl mascara (sample from Ulta)

Lips:
Mox lip butter in Pomegranate and Fig (Birchbox sample)
Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Watermelon Twist

Perfume
: Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day

Nail Polish: OPI I Juggle…Men (from the Femme du Cirque collection)

Look of the Day: Flower Child

Today marks my first day of trying out Youtube and Pinterest hair and makeup tutorials!! HURRAY! I have a HUGE list of tutorials I want to try.

Hair Tutorial: Quick and Easy Way to Get Beach Waves
#1: Spritz damp hair with Garnier wave spray and braid loosely
#2: After the braids have mostly dried, twist them away from your face and go over them with a straightener. (I don’t have a straightener so I used a curling iron…this was probably a poor choice.)
#3: Let the braids cool completely, undo, and separate gently. Use a little bit of Moroccan oil on the ends.

I was pretty disappointed in this tutorial. It’s not the tutorial’s fault, though…I think I just have obstinate hair. Because I didn’t end up with beachy waves. I ended up with Merida hair.

And we can’t lie. Merida’s hair is awesome. Look at that glorious mane.

Verdict: thumbs down

Makeup Tutorial: Simple Romance by sparkliebarbiexo

Is it Valentine’s Day? No.

Do I care?


I LOVE Kacey’s tutorials. Especially for her eye looks. Oh my lord, I need to steal her talents. Is that possible? Wasn’t there a dude on Heroes who could do that? Yeah, if I had that power I would totally steal her eyeshadow abilities.

I’m a creeper.

Anyways. I’ve watched her tutorials for ages now, and this is the first time I’ve actually tried one. I think I need more practice, but it’s a beautiful look and overall I think I did all right with it!

Outfit:
Dress: Forever 21
Tee: Old Navy
Belt: Target
Shoes: Blowfish Garrens
Headband: Modcloth—Face:
Covergirl and Olay corrector
Maybelline Dream BB Cream
Rimmel Match Perfection concealer
Nyx blush in Pinched
NYC bronzer in Sunny
Nyx Glow All the Way highlighter

Eyes:
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink
Covergirl Shimmering Sands trio
Elf shadow from 100-palette
Covergirl Liquiliner in black
Smashbox liner in sable
Maybelline the Rocket mascara

Lips:
Maybelline Babylips in Quenched
Maybelline Color Whisper in Cherry on Top
Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Apricot Twist

Perfume
: Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day

Nail Polish: OPI Step Right Up! (from the Femme du Cirque collection)

Outfit of the Day: Teen Girl Squad!

Ostensibly I purchased this dress because it’s school colors and it gives me something classier than a tee shirt to wear on spirit days. But really I purchased it because of the name.

Yeah.

Outfit:
Dress: Team Girl Squad Dress via Modcloth
Shoes: Keds (thrifted)
Leggings: Forever 21

Face:
Covergirl and Olay corrector
Covergirl 3 in 1 foundation
Rimmel Match Perfection concealer
Physician’s Formula translucent powder
theBalm blush in Hot Mama (Birchbox)

Eyes:
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
Covergirl Shimmering Sands trio
Ben Nye liner in brown
Maybelline gel liner in brown
Maybelline Mega Plush mascara
Urban Decay mascara (Ulta sample)

Lips:
Mox Pomegranate and Fig lip balm (Birchbox)
Maybelline Color Whisper in Pin Up Peach

Perfume
: Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day

Nail Polish: none