In NYC, a huge number of people tend to move between the months of June and August...which means trash days are a lot more interesting, as tons of discarded furniture, home accessories and knickknacks end up on the curb.
On my way to work Friday, I spied this perfectly good wooden crate atop a Ikea coffee table (far past its prime). Since I'm a city girl, wooden farm crates are not exactly common, so I saved grabbed it. I'm always looking for storage solutions, and I'm big on upcycling, so this was a good find :)
Total project time: about an hour (I was watching a movie as I sanded and painted, so I'm sure this could have been done far more efficiently heehee).
Here's what it looked like before:
Nothing a good sanding and a coat of wood stain couldn't fix. Here's the after:
I used Minwax Wood Finish in Provincial (under $5 at Home Depot), a cheap brush (under $2 at Home Depot) and a sanding block by 3M's Pro Grade Dual Angle Sanding Sponge (about $3.50 at Home Depot) bringing the total cost of the project to about $10.50. Not bad for extra storage!
Next step: I'm going to get some chalkboard paint and paint one of the top slats for easy labeling. I *thought* I had some chalkboard paint left over from when I painted my front entry, but alas, I did not. Pics to come once that's done :)
I had been browsing different monthly beauty samples programs (ex: Glossybox, Birchbox, etc) and settled on Beauty Army, namely due to the cost (about $13 a month) and their range of samples (i.e. high end mixed with drugstore buys). Overall, I was disappointed with the experience.
First: I ordered my box and selected my samples around July 4th. My box was supposed to be packed and shipped within a couple days of sample selection. Nope. It took about a week and an email from me to customer service to find what was going on with my kit. The box eventually arrived at the end of July.
Second: When my samples finally arrived, I was disappointed again. The size of the Egyptian Magic sample, which I was super excited about trying since I've heard nothing but great things about the product, was far too small to use more than once...and the sample I received from Apothoderm was only half full! It's a sample size already, and you're only going to fill it halfway?!? That's cheap.
So, onto the review of each product:
Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream: As I mentioned earlier, such a tiny sample! It seemed moisturizing...but the smell! Not appealing. It's something I'd use before bed, but that's because I'm single, and when I sleep, no one else has to smell me. But is it worth the $38 price tag? I can get similar (odorless) results from coconut oil. Ruling: 3 stars. I'll probably finish it.
NeoCell Micro-Resurfacing Skin Treatment by CellCeuticals: This was my favorite sample by far. With micro-dermabrasion treatments, you don't need a ton per use, so I've been able to use this product several times since I received it. I like how as I use it, the abrasive part of the scrub seems to melt into my skin. I have a great micro-derm scrub already, but depending on price, I may switch when mine is gone... Ruling: 3.5 stars. I'll finish it and may purchase.
Guava Showergel by Korres: I love Korres. I've never been disappointed by anything I've purchased from them. This was super moisturizing, and though I wasn't crazy about the scent (it smelled like a pina colada), but I loved the way it made my skin feel. Ruling: 3.5 stars. I'll finish it and may purchase.
Apothoderm Skin Care Science: I don't feel comfortable reviewing a sample of something I barely received.
Besame Crimson Rouge: Extremely drying when used on my lips. Haven't used it on my cheeks yet, so I will report back.
Pssssst Instant Dry Shampoo: Great sample. Instantly adds volume. I need to make sure I hold it far enough away from my head when I spray it, though, because it does leave a bit of a white residue when I hold it too close. Ruling: 4 stars. Incorporating it into the routine.
I cancelled my subscription to Beauty Army after receiving this box. I have to say, their customer service was incredibly responsive and pleasant, though I was disappointed that even though I mentioned that the half full sample was a big part of the reason I was cancelling, they didn't offer to replace it. Ruling: 1 star. Abandoned.
My sister in law is expecting, and so I've spent more time than usual thinking about babies, nurseries, onesies, and the like. Amanda, my brother's amazing wife, is doing my niece-to-be Paisley's nursery in a farm theme, so my mom and I got her these GORGEOUS prints from The Animal Print Shop by Sharon Montrose to hang over the crib or the changing table:
My logic: babies' little eyes can process black and white far sooner than color, hence the neutral palette, and once she's learning to talk, "cow" and "pig" are easy to say. We found some frames that looked like distressed barn wood that compliment each print perfectly.
The prints run from super affordable ($25 for an 8X10) to investment piece ($1950 for a 29X37 limited edition print) and really any print from her Babies or Little Darlingscollections would make a unique shower gift.
A couple of my other favorite images from Sharon Montrose's collection:
GAH! What a face!!!!
I cannot get over how ADORABLE this baby porcupine is!!!
Last Saturday night, after much deliberation and watching countless YouTube tutorials, I did it! Ombre!!! My inspiration:
The lovely Rachel Bilson:
And the gorgeous Lily Aldridge:
Here's how I did it:
DISCLAIMER: I'm not a professional hair stylist/colorist. If you attempt to do this yourself, put the time in and do your research first!
Step 1: I get a few pesky grays around my root line, so I used Revlon's ColorSilk in Dark Brown (30) at the roots, following the instructions. ($3.99 at drugstore.com)
Step 2: I have been dyeing my hair dark brown for years, so I knew it was going to take quite a bit of stripping to get the color off the ends. I used Revlon's Frost & Glow Honey Highlights Kit for Medium to Dark Brown Hair ($8.99 at drugstore.com). I mixed the powder and the developer as directed, but instead of putting on the highlighting cap and pulling strands through, I applied a thick coat of the bleach to the bottom two inches or so of my hair. I left it on about 30 minutes, checking frequently, at first to see if anything was happening...then later to make sure nothing was turning orange!! Then I washed and conditioned with about 1/3 of the shampoo and conditioner provided and blow dried my hair.
Step 3: I then added another coat of the bleach, and went about 3 1/2-4 inches up from the bottom of my hair, and left it on for about 25 min, checking frequently.
Washed. Conditioned. Dried.
Step 4: Last application, I painted the bleach up about 5 inches from the bottom of my hair, and putting a bit on my fingers, I tried to blend the bleach up in streaks about an inch or so more. I also pulled out a few face framing strands and applied the bleach to those as well using my fingers. I left it the bleach on about 20 minutes this time. Washed. Conditioned. Dried.
Step 5: By this point, my poor ends were various shades of red. I wanted to mute the brassiness and ensure my ends blended far more naturally from dark brown to light brown, so I then dyed the entire bottom of my hair with Revlon's Color Silk in Light Brown (51) (also $3.99 at drugstore.com). I only left this on for 15 min or so, since my hair had been through quite an ordeal already and I knew it was a bit more accepting of color.
Step 6: Argan oil! Deep conditioner! All the bleaching/dying did cause a little bit of damage to the ends of my hair, truth be told, but nothing worse than a few split ends. Nothing a trim won't eliminate :)
I am inlovewith it, and, not to toot my own horn, but my dear friend who works as a model agent at a major agency told me that it looked like I had it done professionally. He's brutally honest re: appearance (he's paid to be), and I knew if he approved, I was golden.
Here are a few of the videos that helped guide my ombre adventure:
Not daring enough to try this on your own? Lifebooker has had a deal almost every week for the past month for ombre services at some highly rated salons.
Last night's mani reminded me as to why, as a rule, I don't purchase Sally Hansen nail color.
I purchased this bottle of Smooth and Perfect Color Care Nail Polish in Sea a couple months ago. I used to HATE seafoam green, but probably by virtue of seeing it so much during the course of the spring, it's grown on me. Unfortunately, the hue is about all this polish has going for it.
Strike one: In the fluorescent light of the Duane Reade, Sea looked like a creme. False. It actually has a bit of a pearl-ish sheen to it, which is not typically something I like.
Strike two: The first coat goes on super sheer, the second streaky, and only by the third does it start to look ok. And the formula is really thick, so it already feels like there's so much on my nail before I even get to the top coat.
Strike three: Bubbles! I woke up this morning to find a crazy amount of little air bubbles in my mani! Not a good look :(
A great white blouse is an investment piece; it can be worn with almost anything! Each season tends to have it's own take on the white blouse, and here are a few of my favorite, inspired by my recent purchase of #3!
Confession: The Hills and The City were my go-to guilty pleasure TV shows for ages, and I am a HUGE fan of Whitney Port's effortless-seeming style. She always looks incredibly pulled together without looking too "done." She's not afraid to take risks with her look and is really innovative when it comes to pairing pieces and accessories. Some of my favorite Whitney moments:
I feel like coconut oil has become the IT cosmetic ingredient as of late (thanks for the tip Miranda Kerr). I picked up a jar recently at the local organic grocery store to use as a hair treatment for my newly ombre-d hair (bleach can be super drying and I want to avoid/repair any damage to my ends). Now's version is amazing. It has no scent, which I appreciate. It seems I'm one of the only people in the world who isn't a fan of the way coconut smells. I used this as an overnight hair mask for it's moisturizing properties, and as a moisturizer on my arms and legs before bed. A significant amount of cellular repair and regeneration takes place as we sleep, so that's when I tend to use heavier moisturizers and treatments. It is oil, and does take a bit of time to absorb, so take that into consideration when deciding which sheets you want on your bed when you're going to use it.
Look for Now Solutions Coconut Oil at Fairway or Whole Foods.
To say The Water Secret changed the way I look at food would be a ridiculous understatement. Dr. Murad (who you may recognize from his line of amazing skin care products) does an amazingly compelling job of explaining the effect of cellular dehydration is having on our bodies. His thesis, in a highly unscientific nutshell: we treat our cells like crap. They're spending so much time breaking down all the strange chemicals we put in our bodies via overly processed foods, etc that their little walls have all these holes and no matter how much water we drink, our cells aren't truly hydrated because our cells aren't retaining the water they need. By eating our water (i.e. eating foods with a high water content) and taking certain supplements we can repair our cell walls, and by building healthier more hydrated cells, our cells can spend their time doing the jobs they were intended to do, like build collagen and burn fat. Result: your skin looks better, your sleep improves and you lose weight. He doesn't push his products or promise unrealistic results; Dr. Murad truly aims only to shift your mindset on what healthy eating looks and feels like. His advice isn't anything groundbreaking or new, but the way he explains WHY this works is so different than anything I've encountered before.
Right after I read this book last summer, I became a Water Secret convert and 15 lbs just fell off. I absolutely recommend reading the entire book, but here are the some of the most basic tenants:
1) EAT YOUR WATER: Foods like fruits and vegetables obviously have the highest water content. They should make up the bulk of your diet. Dr. Murad also includes a huge list of water-rich foods, which has taken up permanent residence in my phone for when I grocery shop.
2) SUPPLEMENTS: Especially when you're working to adjust your diet, it's important to take supplements to provide your body with all the nutrients essential for cellular repair. His suggestions are:
a multivitamin
Fatty acid supplement with at least 500mg of omega 3
Lecithin supplement 2,000 mg
Glucosamine sulfate 1,200mg
high-potency B complex
calcium with vitamin D
an antioxidant
3) EXERCISE: Dr. Murad doesn't advocate selling your soul to the gym, but he does emphasize the importance of staying active.
4) SLEEP: It's important. Make sure you're getting enough!
5) SKIN CARE: Have a regular skin care routine. Cleanse, tone, moisturize, use an eye cream. He recommends which ingredients should be in the products you choose, but his book is absolutely not an ad for his skin care line, which I appreciate.
He also talks a lot about managing stress, finding your passion, giving back and the importance of celebration. He's about moderation and taking small steps toward realizing your health goals. Though marketed as a book about skin care, it really is about whole body health. A must read for the summer, and a book I come back to all the time!
***This goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway: I'm not a doctor. Read the book and consult with your physician etc before making a dramatic shift to your diet or before starting to take any new supplements.
As promised, here are a few of my favorite shots from R & N's wedding. The ceremony and reception were held at Historic Waynesborough's event space. Such a beautiful space! Amazing food courtesy of Jeffrey A. Miller Catering(the steak was like butter!), awesome wine, the best wedding DJs I've heard in ages (if you're getting married or holding an event in Philly, New Jersey or New York, check out Hi-Society Entertainment), and, most importantly, the loveliest family and friends! For more of my event photography, check out agirlcalledjack photography on Facebook! Enjoy!!
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