May Favorites

I'm still loving all of my products from April, but I added these in the last month. I just couldn't not try these, because they were on my beauty wishlist for a while. 

1. Healthy Sexy Hair Leave In Conditioner. I discovered this when I was getting my haircut. After washing my hair she sprayed this on it while blow drying. I was cringing inside, because whenever I try to blow dry my hair it looks like a frizzy mess. Imagine my suprise when I walked out of the salon without having my hair straightened and still looking shiny and frizz free. 

2. Tresemme Keratin Smooth Shampoo& Conditioner. I was waiting for this product to hit the shelves. It smells great and my hair feels so shiny and smooth afterwards. I switch these up with my Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner. 

3. Flower Easy On The Eyes Long Wear Eyeliner. We were lucky to win a few cosmetics from the Flower collection. This collection is a drugstore line influenced by Drew Barrymore. One of the many great things about it is that all of the products are made in the U.S.A. Clara is the expert on eyeliner and she declared this one to be one of her favorites. It doesn't smudge and it lasts all day, which is quite an achievement for a drugstore product.

4. Nivea Touch of Happiness Orange Blossom Scent & Bamboo Essence Oh man! This shower gel smells soooooooooo good. It's as if you packaged up summer in a bottle.  It is very moisturizing and the scent lasts even after you get out of the shower which I like.  

5. Physician's Formula Happy Booster Glow Mood Boosting Blush. As I said in the April Favorites, I need a good blush to cover up my paleness. I really like this one. I happened to stumble upon it while browsing through Target. It's not very shimmery and it looks quite natural.



What products have you been loving this month?

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

4 Skincare Benefits of Aloe Vera

One of my best kept secrets (not so much after this post) is aloe vera. Aloe vera has many medicinal uses from helping with intestinal problems to relief from insect bites. Most people use aloe vera when trying to find relief from sunburn, but actually aloe vera is great for everyday use on your skin! Here are 5 skincare benefits of aloe vera gel.

Aloe Vera as a moisturizer

Aloe vera is a great moisturizer because it is non-greasy, and absorbs quickly leaving your skin feeling moisturized but not oily or heavy. It is especially great for people who have sensitive or oily skin, and is all natural containing no harmful ingredients. I use it before my foundation in the morning, and at night after using my astringent.

Overnight skin repair with aloe vera

As I mentioned above, I use aloe vera gel at night before bed. Aloe vera helps speed up skin repair (Why do you think it’s used for sunburns?). At a micro level regenerated cells help heal burns and scarring helping give you better looking skin.

Preventing pimples with aloe vera

Many people don’t know this but aloe vera has antibacterial properties. As a result, using aloe vera gel on your face helps reduce acne by penetrating your skin and killing any pore clogging bacteria.

Aloe Vera can reduce dark spots

When I first started using aloe vera this is one of the first things I noticed: my skin was becoming more even. As a olive-tone skinned person, I am very prone to dark marks and uneven skin, whether from the sun or acne spots, but aloe vera helped reduce the appearance of dark spots and evened out my skin.

I use the cheap aloe vera gel that you can find at any drugstore, but there are also special aloe vera lotions like the Burt's Bee's I showed above.

Have you ever used aloe vera for anything other than sunburn relief?

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

Fun Ideas for Summer

Tell me I'm not the only one counting the days until summer. Let me introduce to you:

Summer is riiiight around the corner. You can totally smell it if you live in Portland. The sun is out a lot more, flowers are blooming, and some men are even pulling out sandals out of their closets. Don't worry, no one is going to get a cold or sick, because they are still wearing socks (and probably will always be worn with sandals by some if not most men I see on my commute).

With summer, there comes an unlimited amount of time. Especially if you are graduating (like us) and there is no job waiting for you yet -fingers crossed though.  In order to not to spend most of my time wallowing in sadness of unemployment, I'd like to be proactive and have a few things to do this summer, which will most likely be the last carefree summer for the next few years. I'm bound to get a real job some time riiiight? ;)

 
Here are a few of our ideas on how to make the most out of summer days:

1. Read books
2. Go on a picnic
3. Go to the beach
4. Road trip
5. Do a cartwheel
6. Volunteer
7. New coffee shop/bar
8. Go to a barbecue
9. Visit a friend you haven't seen in awhile
10. Go to a farmer's market
11. Find a great local band


Everyone has a list of books or shows or movies that they haven't had a chance to get to throughout the year and summer is the perfect time to catch up on that. I'll share my list in some other post because it's quite extensive. 

Points 2&3 are similar. I'm looking forward to wearing summer clothes, grabbing some friends and going to beautiful places of Portland to enjoy some sun and great company. 

Road trip. Clara and I have been talking about taking a trip to California for ages now. This summer seems like the perfect time to do it. I've never been there which is quite a shame since it's so close! 

Learn how to do a cartwheel. Now this little item has been on my bucket list ever since I remember. I honestly think that cartwheels are the epitome of a carefree summer.  

Volunteer. Share your time with others. There are so many amazing organizations that need helpers. You have quite a lot of time on your hands this summer, why not help some one?Plus it'll look great on your resume.

Discover a new coffee shop/bar. How fun is it to find a new place that no one knows about. One that has a fantastic atmosphere. You can read your books here or chat with a friend. Plus you might meet someone cute -- you  never know where the geek chic boys hang out. 

Go to a  barbecue. Barbecues are essential to a great summer in my opinion. So go to one. Wear a fabulous outfit and have fun. What would make a barbecue even better? A theme. Everyone dress up! 

See a friend you haven't seen in awhile. We all get busy. Summer days are longer or it seems like they are. So catch up with an old friend. You really do not know how much you've missed them until you talk with them for an hour and rediscover all your inside jokes. 

Go to a farmers market. You know what tastes like summer? Watermelon. Strawberries. Blackberries. Ok. You get the point. Go to your local farmer's market and buy fresh and delicious fruit and vegetables. Look at all the cute little trinkets that local artists are selling. Listen to some music. Walk around. Wear a floppy hat and strappy sandals and release your bohemian chic goddess. ;)
 
Discover a cool local band. Portland has one of the greatest music scenes there are in my humble opinion. At any night of the week there is a band playing somewhere near you. Make a point to go see as many shows as you can. Finding musicians that speak to you is one of the greatest feelings. Some of the concerts are outside so you can work on your tan as well. 

And most importantly continue the job search. An awesome opportunity is bound to arise so try and make a goal to send out a resume and a CV to at least two places a week.

What are your plans for the summer? Do you like any of our ideas?

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

*Photos are not mine*

4 Basic Layering Elements

This morning when I woke up it was pouring. Nothing but rain, rain, rain. Later as I went about my day the clouds parted ways and the sky opened to bright rays of sunshine. In Oregon we go about two or three seasons in a couple of hours. So what many of us have learned to do is layer.

Layering is a key element in the way I dress in the morning. I know that at any hour I can go from cold to hot in an instant. On the right, I've chosen 4 must have basics: a jacket, a cardigan, a scarf, and a top. These pieces are easy to remove or exchange, creating a variety of combinations.

Cardigans and scarves are especially handy to keep in your car or in your bag, no matter what the season. During the summer I like to keep them just in case I get cold in the evenings or inside an air conditioned building.

How do you layer? What are some of your go to pieces when layering? Let us know in the comments.

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

BFF Gives back: Volunteering at Brides for a Cause Charity Event

This weekend, as some of you might already know if you follow us on Twitter, we decided to volunteer at Brides for a Cause. Brides for a Cause partnered up with a Wish Upon a Wedding, a non profit organization, which helps couples with difficult circumstances have their dream wedding or renewal of vows.

Here is just a little glimpse into the multitude of wedding gowns

Brides for a Cause is a fun event, not only for the brides themselves but for everyone involved. The event itself featured about a 1000 wedding dresses, all at discounted prices. All of the wedding dresses were donated by individuals and various organizations - including David's Bridal. Half of the proceeds were given to the Wish Upon a Wedding organization.  The staff during our volunteer session was enthusiastic and energetic. The volunteers spend their time making all the dresses on the racks look pretty and helping brides try on gowns. Clara and I spent most of our time browsing through these beautiful dresses and picking out our favorites. 

 On a side note, the Gray Gables Estate where the event was held was beautiful. Just look how majestic this room looks. The chandeliers so classic and enchanting.

Clara and I had so much fun picking out our favorites in the down time. Here are our top picks:

I chose a beautiful Vera Wang that had gorgeous flower chiffon details on the skirt portion of the gown. I'm holding the same dress in both pictures. That's how much I liked the dress. I thought I took a picture with a different dress. Clara loved the Grecian Goddess appeal of the one shoulder dress and the 'daisyness' of The Great Gatsby the second dress. 

After the event was over, we helped consolidate and pack the dresses into a U-Haul. Here are some pictures of us hard at work. Let me tell you, wedding dresses are heavy, so we definitely good a good workout in too.

First picture shows the dresses all wrapped up and waiting to be loaded. The second one shows some of the volunteers trying to squish that one last rack in into the van. 

Overall, volunteering with Brides for a Cause was a great way to spend our afternoon. We are planning on making volunteering a regular part of our life so stay tuned for more volunteering updates.

Brides for a Cause is always looking for donations, here is a link to their website. So if you or someone you know have a dress that you are ready to part with, please donate it to this awesome fundraiser and help some brides fulfill their dreams. Plus, these donations are always tax-deductible. 

Do you volunteer? Did you like any of the dresses we picked?

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

How to Manage Frizzy Hair During Wet Weather

photo credit: Silvia Sala via photopin cc

They say April showers bring May flowers, but you know what else comes along with this type of weather? Frizzy, poofy, uncontrollable hair. I’ve always found that my already difficult to manage wavy hair becomes a jungle during spring. But how do I manage? Well a mixture of hair products, different hairstyles, and some good ole’ tips from my mama. 

Check out these tips for managing frizzy hair during wet weather:

Work with what you've got

This is probably something that you don't want to hear, but working with your natural hair is one of the best ways to avoid the frizz.If possible let your hair air dry or if your in a real hurry, dry it on the cold setting.

Use Mousse to style your hair

Now that you're rocking your natural hair add some mousse for styling. Mousse adds just the right amount of moisture to prepare your hair for the wet weather outside. Try something like Pantene's Pro-V Stylers Mousse.

Prepare for emergencies

Stock your bag with some anti-frizz serum just in case you get caught in the rain. One of my favorite products is Bumble and bumble defrizz serum, which is available from Sephora and only $15. A dime sized dollop run through your hair should be enough to tame any flyaway.

and if all else fails...

Wear your hair up,

If you're just not in the mood to deal with your frizzy hair, the best and easiest way to avoid this is to wear your hair up. There are lots of cute hairstyles that you can wear: you can braid your hair, wear it in a bun (maybe try the ever popular sock bun?) or stick with the tried and true ponytail.

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

Spring & Summer Fashion: Maxi Skirts

Maxi skirts scare me. I don't consider myself short on most occasions, but I feel like a maxi skirt might just shorten me so much that I won't be allowed on any roller coster rides (which I guess wouldn't be so bad). 
This isn't actually true because maxi skirts or dresses can actually add length if worn properly.  

I put together a few outfits that I can see myself trying out.

[Lip Gloss][Sandals][Top]                                                                                                                      [Top][Skirt][Flats]

[Skirt][Necklace][Bracelets]                                                                                                                [Necklace][Earings]

I can definitely picture myself wearing these to the university or to a fun summer picnic. I think the best part of all these pieces is that they are affordable, with the exception of the white necklace, but I'm sure I'd be able to find a similar one at Forever21. 

Which outfit do you like more? Which piece is your favorite?   

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

Fashion History: The Empire Waist

Did you know that the empire waist dress was made popular by Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte in the 19th century?

photo credit: Lea Ann Belter Bridal
via photopin cc

The name "empire" is derived from the first French empire ruled by Bonaparte. Although the style became popular during this era, it has its origins in the classical antiquity of Roman-Greco fashion (think of a grecian style gown).

Personally, I love the empire waist. I think it's a great way to create the illusion of a waistline or enhance what curves you already have.

Are you a fan of Josephine's empire waist style of dress? Let us know in the comments.