Nailed It

Posted in Beauty, DIY by C.

One of the luxuries that I used to give myself was a pretty consistent trip to my favorite nail salons around town for a relaxing pedicure that always made me feel recharged and happy afterward. Unfortunately, this was one of those luxuries that I put the kabosh on when I made the decision to move into my own place and needed to reallocate expenses. The beauty is, while it is nice to sit back, flip through a 3-week-old US Weekly while someone gives you a foot massage and soft toes – at home mani/pedis can be almost as relaxing. It’s one of those DIY’s that force you to zone out and simply focus on what you’re doing (though I fail at not being able to keep the polish off neighboring skin every. single. time.).

For the most part, I tend to stick to pretty neutral colors when it comes to nail polish, but lately I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different colors to keep things fresh and fun. Nails have become all about color. Nothing is off-limit. I have to say though, an amazing white french tip on the toes is still the epitome of classic fresh in my opinion and was my go-to look when I was a religious nail salon visitor.

Since these visits are no more, I’ve become that girl who does her own at home nail treatments. This simply means: remove the color, shower, and re-polish; not always taking the time to recreate that spa experience at home.

I don’t polish my fingernails too often because no matter what I do, they chip an hour later without fail. (Ugh.) So I’ve become a huge fan of changing it up frequently when it comes to toes in particular. One of the best things about this time of year are open toed sandals with a fresh pedicure.

I thought I would share some of my favorite nail polish colors and these 2 helpful videos on how to recreate a little bit of that missing spa experience at home and on the cheap. I hope it inspires you to still keep things luxurious…even on a budget.

Happy painting! xx

27Jun2013

Birchbox Review: June

Posted in Beauty by C.

Birchbox June Products Individual

A few weeks ago, Birchbox users got an email cheerfully announcing some branding changes that included a new website design and logo.

Personally, I’m all for wanting to change things up, to keep things relevant and fresh; but I was seemingly in the majority of people who were less than thrilled with the re-design. Birchbox’s aim to present a more “sophisticated” branding lost much of the playful femininity that made Birchbox fun.

I suspect part of the now more gender neutral approach in branding is to appeal to the masculine and gain more subscriptions for Birchbox Men. I’m sure they’re paying all the right market researchers and top advertising companies to help streamline this new way of presenting their brand, and while they should trust these agencies over a humble gal from LA with an opinion; somehow in the long run I just don’t think many men will buy into the brand and it’s core goals the way women ultimately do. Perhaps there’s more to come that might change my mind or prove me dead wrong, but typically men don’t buy into the beauty business the way us ladies do.

Here’s how June’s samples shaped up…

{1.} Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo – I was surprised by how much I liked this shampoo (and later the conditioner and hair oil). It has a wonderful scent and my hair instantly felt moisturized and soft as I worked the product into my wet hair. This shampoo’s claim to fame is that it helps tame frizziness. I can’t tell if it’s because of the shampoo or the fact that I caved and bought a CHI flat-iron recently (or both combined) – but it’s been a good hair week and I can’t complain. I’m not saying I was convinced enough to purchase this expensive shampoo, but I am saying I didn’t hate it.

{2.} LAQA & Co. Fat Lip Pencil – In theory, I like what LAQA & Co is doing with this lip pencil. The color is long-lasting and vibrant and you won’t ever have to bother with a pencil sharpener. These are all pluses in my book. However, I found that the color I was given was extremely bright and went on as a matte finish. I’ve been experimenting with a bright pink lip lately thanks to this sample, and found that the best way to get any use out of this product was to use it lightly and blot like hell. It works well when I mix it with a new lip butter I bought from Revlon so I can play with the texture and the adjust the color more to my liking, but at $16 and the extra work I have to do to tailor it to my skin tone – this is a pass.

{3.} Color Club Wanderlust Collection in London Calling – This is part of what makes Birchbox fun! I likely wouldn’t have ever gambled with a lime/mint green-esque nail polish. It’s a welcomed change of pace.

{4.} Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser – I think this is, by far, my favorite product EVER in all of my now 5 Birchbox experiences! I am in LOVE with Suki’s Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser. This delicious lemon fragrant scrub comes out of the jar with the consistency of a serious sugar scrub, but once mixed with water turns into a gentle foaming cleanser. When researching more about this product, I was ecstatic to learn that it’s also filled with organic ingredients, it’s synthetic free, and alpha hydroxy acids within the raw sugar are what make this product a must-have powerhouse. Caution: this should only be used once a day max. I typically use it in the morning to take in the wonderful scent (read: to wake my ass up) and prep my freshly exfoliated skin for an even smoother makeup application.

{5.} Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner – At the risk of sounding redundant, this conditioner is a wonderful compliment to the shampoo. It gave my hair moisture and softness. Enough said.

{6.} Davines OI/OIL Absolute Beautifying Potion – Davines lightweight and fantastically scented hair oil was great during those times when my hair needed a quick burst of moisture. An added benefit was a nice sheen that instantly took my tresses from dull to glam. As with the rest of the Davines’ line, it’s expensive and this deters me from buying full-sized products at this time. I’d be curious to see if my good hair week was in fact attributed to Davines’ line. I’m going back to my tried and true Aussie brand products with my new CHI to find out.

Happy Primping!

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19Jun2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Food, Home Decor, Inspiration, Travel by C.

With the official start to summer only 2 short days away, I’ve been excited at all the fun to come. I can’t say that I have an absolute favorite time of year, because I’m usually ready for the change in season at the exact time the new season joins us (and this can’t ring more true right now). While fall and winter both have their unique traits and celebrations, I’m NOT a fan of being cold. At all. So if I had to pick, there’s something about summer that makes me happiest. Perhaps it’s because I’m a California girl through and through. I love sunshine, warm weather (if we can keep it around circa 80-85 degrees), the beach, long days, 4th of July, outdoor movies, the Hollywood Bowl, sundresses, sunnies, sandals, fruity cocktails and iced lattes. So the plan this particular summer season would be to channel as much of what you see in the picture above for the next 3 months.

love & light,

Candice

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

|| Kate Spade’s Alyx sunglasses featured on Keiko Lynn’s blog last week. WANT. ||

|| These 14k Gold Peach Wire Wrapped Earrings from Diamblond’s Etsy Shop. ||

|| Homemade Frozen Strawberry Lemonade // Recipe here. ||

|| Ryan Gosling’s very wise and very true words. || 7b04ce5c55ab76db9a3211a4637a4614

|| Vintage inspired door knobs as curtain tie-backs // Details here. ||

|| Revlon’s Plum Seduction Nail Polish (currently on my toes and perfect for summer!). ||

|| What’s inspiring me to want to drop everything and take a summer adventure.||

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|| Mushroom, Asparagus + Prosciutto Pizza with Balsamic Glaze // Recipe here. ||

*click photos for image sources.

12Jun2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Food, Home Decor, Inspiration, Life by C.

Blend

This quote from Lao Tzu speaks to me because I am the first person to admit that I have a hard time being present. The good news is that I’m very aware of this complication in my personality, the bad news is that I still struggle with it…often. My mind frequently wanders throughout the day to the next thing. It’s always about what I have to do next, where I have to go next, and when I have to get it done by. The trouble is, this usually happens while I’m dead in the middle of doing something that should already require my full attention.

Essentially, I’m almost always in a state of forward thinking, forward planning; forgetting to just stop, breathe and just enjoy what is. The important part to note is that during all this forward thinking, day-dreaming, and yes, even backwards reflection (but that’s another post for another time) – is I’ve somehow trained myself not only to not be 100% in the moment a large chunk of the time, but that I can somehow continue this train of thought AND get whatever needs my immediate attention in the present done in a manner that still suits my perfectionism. I call this unique ability “multitasking.” You might call it, crazy.

Needless to say, I realize there are times that I am missing out on the simple joys in life because my thoughts are elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong, I’m much better at this than I used to be. Yoga has been a great outlet for me (but I admit that have been known to mentally make my Trader Joe’s grocery list while in downward dog). Getting older (and ideally wiser) has helped. Blogging is one of things that forces me to be present (though you’d still be amazed at what I can do at the same time I’m writing). And I think I’ve picked up some of my boyfriend’s completely relaxed energy (where he annoyingly has absolutely no problem being totally and completely present almost all of the time – while I’m still festering over something that happened 2 days ago :)).

So this little gem of a quote I stumbled across this week was a concept that instantly hit home for me and I’m sure many of you. We live in a time where GO, GO, GO – DO, DO, DO – BE, BE, BE inundates us from the time we wake up forcing us to always be thinking ahead – because if you don’t, you’re not in the game, right? I’m not so sure about this anymore.

As with everything in life, there is a journey. Perhaps mastering this is part of mine.

What’s yours?

I hope you’re lovin’ this quote as much as I am and it gets you to think about your own journey… and making sure you’re present enough to enjoy every single step.

love & light,

Candice

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

|| Tbags Los Angeles’s Layers Mini Dress from Shopbop.||

||Light and airy bathrooms with stand-alone tubs. Insert me with a book here like ASAP.||

|| Alternating nail polish. The perfect solution when you can’t decide between two colors! ||

||Sweet Potato Veggies Burgers with Avocado. // Recipe here.||

||The perfect office space.||

47791ad6e8f10cd9c7595097e4d2457c || The NEW “happily ever after.” ||

||Spice racks as office supply storage. Genius.||

||The video causing an internet sensation. Ladies, it’s time to Lean In.||

*click photos for image sources.

5Jun2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Fashion, Food, Handbags, Inspiration, Travel by C.

“Two things define you. Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything.” – unknown

On a rather ordinary day when I was desperately trying to get something done but not seeing the results that I wanted, this quote popped up in my Facebook news feed…at just the right time. I instantly took a deep breath and told myself to just “keep going, keep trying, have patience.” I think what is often disappointing when trying to build anything is when you feel like you’re making this great big effort, but not seeing it actualized as quickly as you would like. It’s especially frustrating when you see others already in the realm of the type of success you’re after, and then it spirals downhill from there. So today, I thought I would share these 17 words from an unknown source, but words that recently made all the difference in my day.

Since I know I can’t be alone in this: be patient, if you too, are struggling with anything today. Just keep going and do the best you can. Since persistence and patience are usually the factors that ultimately drive you to success, it’s only a matter of time. And when you do get there and have everything you’ve ever wanted – be mindful – your attitude defines you as much as your patience once did.

love & light,

Candice

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

|| Nikki Montoya Jewelry // Mayan Necklace.||

||Cupshakes = Cupcakes Blended with a Milkshake.||

|| Madewell’s Transport Tote in English Saddle.||

||Infinity scarves with shorts.||

||Alternate uses for your muffin pan // Lemon infused ice cubes (great for summer) & Pancake bites.||

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|| Makeup.com’s How to Cover Up Acne Scars.||

||I’ll see you someday soon, Paris.||

*click photos for image sources.

30May2013

Birchbox Review: May

Posted in Beauty by C.

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May’s Birchbox arrived during a particularly chaotic week, so it was a welcome moment to myself to open the small cardboard box with the pink embossed logo that I have come to know and love. The one word that comes to mind with many of this month’s selections is “fragrant.” As I experimented with each sample, I was delighted at how wonderfully fragrant each product was in addition to their purpose. Here’s how May shaped up…

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1. Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle – I’m a huge leave-in conditioner user and I’ve used the same brand for years. This product was great at detangling wet hair and I’m sure it helped protect against my blow drying and heat usage when testing the sample. It did what it was designed to do, but not in any special way for me personally that left a lasting impression. I’m happy with what I use in this area and at $22 full-sized, I wouldn’t trade my tried and true Infusium 23 for this. At best, this convenient sample-sized detangler will be a great thing take along when I travel.

2. amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask – Since I am African-American, conditioning is a MUST to help hydrate my naturally dry strands. I typically deep condition once a week leaving the product in my hair for at least an hour. amika’s nourishing mask was a welcome change to my normal routine. When reading up about the product, I wanted to know more about “Obliphica.” Essentially, this oil from buckthorn berries is filled with lots of natural vitamins that penetrate the hair follicle repairing it from the inside out. After using the sample, right away I was extremely into the smell of my hair. While I can’t say my hair looked shiny as promoted (this came more from the hair treatment oil noted below) the results were good. Great news for those that are sticklers about ingredients? This mask is free of parabens and sulfates.

3. amika Obliphica Hair Treatment – This hair oil is simply divine smelling. While it can be applied on wet hair, I opted to use it after blow drying and just before flat ironing since it not only contains shine properties, but protects against heat styling. The texture of the product is smooth and light and great at not weighing the hair the down. What was particularly cool is that amika encourages you to mix the oil into other styling products, increasing its versatility and allowing its amazing hydration factor to carry on. Note: you don’t need much, I learned this the hard way!

4. Isaac Mizrahi FABULOUS Eau de Parfum – Of all the perfume samples I’ve received from Birchbox, hands down this is my favorite. At first spritz it is strong, but once the perfume settles into the skin, the fragrance is fun and flirty. Peony, citrus, mandarin, nectarine, musk, sandalwood, vanilla, and tuberose are just a few of the notes found in this long-lasting scent. Simply put, as Isaac Mizrahi did, it’s “FABULOUS” and will be added to my collection.

5. COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer – Again, the first thing I noticed was the light fragrant cucumber smell as I applied Coola’s Classic SPF Moisturizer. The formula is extremely lightweight and refreshing as it easily melts into the skin. I am a big fan of its use of organic ingredients (about 70%) and how soft and hydrated my skin looked. This is a great moisturizer if you’re in the market for something new, but it is pricey.

6. Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner – I don’t wear eyeliner everyday but when I do, it’s typically brown or black. My first time experimenting with gray came from Sumita and I have to say, I liked it…a lot. The pencil glides on smooth and I found I liked using it most when lining just the bottom lid. It gave my eyes a slight pop without the extra drama that comes when lining the entire eye. My only complaint is that it’s extremely difficult to get a thin line with this pencil, it goes on pretty heavily, likely due to the fact that it is a soft wax and constantly needs to be sharpened to get a pointy tip. While not bad in comparison to other brands, this did smear slightly – something that I am trying to avoid with all eye make-up in general. At best, Sumita has gotten me to think about working with gray eyeliner more.

If you’re a Birchboxer, I’d love to hear your thoughts on your May goodies! Please drop me a line in the comments section.

2May2013

Birchbox Review: April

Posted in Beauty, Fun by C.

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I’m beginning to wonder if the anticipation and the excitement of getting my Birchbox outweigh the actual products at this point. For the last 3 months, Birchbox has become my little treat to myself (you can read more here and here). While I know that there are tons of brands on the market for only a limited amount of beauty needs, I would like Birchbox to mix it up some. For the second month in a row, I received another lip/cheek combo product and another perfume. I’ve decided to give it a few more boxes before I make any rash decisions. I do enjoy the little surprise each month and love to experiment with the different goodies. Here’s how April shaped up:

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1. Kusmi Tea Paris, Wellness Assortment – I’m a huge fan of tea, iced or hot. It was an unexpected surprise to see tea with this month’s selections! I received the “Be Cool” and “Detox” flavors. The “Be Cool” designed to promote relaxation and calming in a caffeine free blend was delicious and reminded me of a glorified version of chamomile tea. Since this was the case, I’ll enjoy the samples, but can easily buy a variety of chamomile tea options at a fraction of the cost.

2. Atelier Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue – An orange-scented perfume sounds somewhat appealing to me as we head into summer where I would want a delicate lasting fruity scent on me in celebration of the season. Atelier’s cologne was too strong and not very feminine smelling. This fragrance is a pass and not for me.

3. Ojon Rare Blend Oil Total Hair Therapy – This is the product that I was most excited to try out because my hair is naturally very dry. Once I read up on what makes Ojon’s Total Hair Therapy so special – à la red, clear, and amber oils from the topics that once shaken create a blend that your hair eats up. I rubbed this into my dry follicles my hair did look instantly more moisturized and full of sheen. At $35 dollars for a full-sized bottle, I wasn’t that convinced to leave my tried and true Chi Silk Infusion that does something similar less expensively.

4. Supergoop! Advanced SPF 37 Anti-Aging Eye Cream – While an awful name for an eye cream (who wants to put goop around their eyes?), I do like what the product stands for. Supergoop! provides all one could want in an eye cream: reduces dark circles, helps with wrinkles, and has SPF protection. Unfortunately, like all eye creams this product would be hard to review or say much about without consistent use for awhile. I will note that the product doesn’t melt into the skin the way I would want in an eye cream when working with this very delicate area. It takes a bit of blending to get it in there and this was a turn-off for me. I’ll finish out the sample because I do need to get into the habit of using an eye cream.

5. Mirenesse Glossy Kiss – My unhappiness with this product rests more in the color that I was sent. I have a caramel colored complexion and I think Mirenesse’s Perfect Kiss color is a bit brighter than I would use. Looking at the other options in their line, I would’ve preferred the Angel Kiss or the Romantic Kiss shades. Aside from the fact that I’m very content with my Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks, I’m not convinced this is something I would need anyway and I better not see another lip/cheek combo in my May box.

If you’re a Birchboxer, I’d love to hear what April brought you?

18Apr2013

Back to Basics

Posted in Beauty by C.

It’s pretty amazing how you oftentimes find yourself right back where you started. It’s even more amazing when you realize that perhaps where you started was where you had it right. The philosophy of coming full circle seemingly applies to many areas in life. In this case, I’m speaking purely of a bright pink tube and vibrant lime green cap (that upgraded to black apparently); the now dubbed “American icon” on the beauty front, Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara.

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I found myself perusing the aisles of Target last weekend, deciding that rather than spending $20 on a tube of mascara at Sephora, I would try to get back to the basics. The goal was to find something comparable at a fraction of the cost. After about t-minus 2 minutes, I then decided I wasn’t going to spend the next 20 minutes being overwhelmed by the endless options over the next 4 aisles: volumizing, lengthening, nourishing, non-clumping, curves the lashes, large brush, small brush…Cover Girl, Revlon, L’Oréal (because you’re worth it!). I mean, is there really THAT much of a difference in black gooey liquid to literally have hundreds of options to agonize over?

Then I saw it. The bright pink tube, beamed at the $5.34 price tag, and I was transformed to my teen years when I remember first using Great Lash when being introduced to the thing called mascara. It was also what I remember my mom using religiously as a kid.

I’m a big fan of trying new things – especially when it comes to beauty, and I don’t mind paying a bit more when it comes to the right products. In many cases you get what you pay for. But at under $6.00 and still getting the job done, I’m re-thinking what it means to stick with what you know. While I liked what I had been using – Sephora’s Full Action Extreme Mascara – the cost, the simplicity, and the nostalgia of a pink tube brought me back full circle recently.

And while I know it’s just mascara, it’s funny how getting back to the basics…just works.

12Apr2013

Highlights

Posted in Beauty, Explore, Food, Fun, Home Decor, Lunch by C.

This week has been all about the finishing touches, those small details that make the WORLD of difference. In retrospect, these little details and finishing touches hit nearly every area of my life and lead to one of the best, most productive, and happiest weeks I feel like I’ve had in quite a while.

From returning to yoga practice (after missing two weeks), checking out the Silver Lake Farmers’ Market for the first time for fresh strawberries; frolicking around Universal City Walk in search of the best popcorn ever (see my new favorite flavor here), finally giving in to the use of a make-up primer, to a few sweet surprises from a sweet guy, and stopping to enjoy a small treat a friend brought back from Paris – it’s been a week full of finishing touches, little details, and small pleasures. It’s making the world of difference.

Have a great weekend! xx

Blend

11Apr2013

To Prime or Not To Prime

Posted in Beauty by C.

I’ve had a change of heart, girls. And it involves the use of a base primer before applying your make-up for the day. I always thought of primers as not very necessary if you use foundation and other beauty products that are already designed (though admittedly oftentimes fail) to have a “long-lasting” effect. If you recall, I reviewed Lancôme’s La Base Pro Primer in my first Birchbox two months ago and didn’t think much of it, not because I didn’t like it; but thought it was just another expensive something that I could live without. That’s until…

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…this last week or so. I’ve been grabbing the La Base Pro Primer every morning to finish up the Birchbox sample, and realized not long after that when I really looked at my make-up toward the end of a busy day; my cheeks still had a subtle glow from the cream blush application I’d applied that morning, and most noticeably, my concealer was still managing to hang in there. My biggest beauty complaint is how flawless my eye make-up looks when it’s first done, but by 3:00pm, dark circle central returns under my eyes and my mascara and eyeliner seem to smear no matter what I do!

Even better, I’m noticing that my skin isn’t as oily by the end of the day. The primer glides on in an oil-free manner creating a matte texture on my skin providing the perfect canvas before adding my favorite MAC concealer and Estee Lauder foundation. At $42.00 a bottle, it is an expense, but one that I’m willing to overlook since a bottle should ideally last you for months.

So sincere apologies girls, I spoke way too hastily on this one. Lancôme’s La Base Pro Primer IS worth the hype!

You can take a look inside my make-up bag by reading about my favorite products here.

Happy Primping! xx

{Here’s a great how-to video to get the most out of your make-up primer.}