cool as a cucumber

I was a child of the sun, spending most of my formative years with sandy toes and red shoulders. This is in no way an indication of improper parenting, my mom tried her best to slather sunscreen on my little body, but I resisted. I hated the way it would burn my eyes as I splashed in the waves, the way it made the sand stick to my tan skin, the way the application process cut into my play time... It's worth noting that I also had an aversion to bathing suits. I would literally strip down the second my feet hit the shore. Fortunately, my feelings on swimwear have matured, but the distaste for sunscreen remains. All too often it's heavy and greasy, but knowing what I know about sun damage, I have no choice. 

Fortunately, last month's Birchbox included this fabulous organic, American-made sunscreen from Coola. Days after receiving it, I saw that J. Crew was featuring the product as well. It's fantastically lightweight and smells like cucumber. Perfection, if I do say so myself. I've used every drop from my sample and am promptly purchasing the full-size. 

feels like me

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I'm not much of a makeup girl. It's not that I don't enjoy cosmetics, I just don't find the overdone, caked-on foundation, heavy black eyeliner look attractive. Don't get me wrong- there are people who can pull off a dramatic eye or a bold lip like nobody's business. I'm just not that girl. My minimalist routine becomes even more minimal as soon as the temperatures start warming up, so I like to think my natural approach is the direct result of being a beach baby. When you grow up by the shore, light makeup just makes sense. You don't try to fight your hair when the humidity rolls in for the summer and you certainly don't want black mascara streaming down you face the minute you decide to splash in the waves. 


When it comes to summer makeup, (summer meaning 10 months out of the year) I want to look like me... just better. These are three products that make me "feel like me." When I'm wearing them I don't feel done up, in fact, I don't feel like I'm wearing anything at all. Of course, for events and such I'll glam it up with shadows or a brown liner, but for everyday, real life... this is it. Beach baby, tomboy chic... call it what you want. 


1. Bare Escentuals: A Little Sun
Back before I knew what sun damage, skin cancer, and wrinkles were, I loved the look of fresh sun on my face. You know the kind: not burnt, but it hasn't quite turned to tan yet, so the cheekbones have a reddish-golden glow? I'm a total sunscreen nazi now, but this does the trick. When I'm applying it, I close my eyes and pretend I'm sitting on the beach. I run the brush along the parts of my face that feel the warmth of the sun first: cheeks, forehead, and down the bridge of my nose. Not only is it a great product, but closing my eyes and picturing the sea is probably the most "zen" part of my routine. 

2. Maybelline: Full 'N Soft Mascara
For long, fluttery lashes, this can't be beat. It doesn't look like you're wearing mascara. It doesn't look like giant spiders are feasting on your eyelids. It looks like your natural eyelashes, just longer, fuller, softer... better. 

3. Fresh: Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15
This is my latest, greatest obsession. Our weekend in Atlanta was a basketball trip. Seriously, even when we were in our room, ESPN was on in the background.

[if you can disregard my "get that camera out of my face" face, you can see Dickie V. in the background.]

However, we did manage to squeeze in a little shopping at Lenox mall. I kept seeing chatter about the Sugar lip treatments on the interwebs, but at $22.50 a pop, I was skeptical. So I did what any sensible girl would do: I talked my mom into trying it and telling me how she liked it. Her rave reviews were all it took, so the next day we went back to the mall and I purchased it in Passion. Mom bought Plum the day before and decided to scoop up Passion too when I purchased mine. Bottom line: I love it. Seriously, the best lip product I've ever used. The nourishing, age-delay formula lasts for hours, it has the perfect amount of sheer color, and windblown hair doesn't stick to your pout like gluey gloss makes it. I was torn between Rosé and Passion and I am quite happy with my selection: it's like a lighter version of popsicle stained lips. And it hydrates so well I just might be officially retiring my Burt's Bees. 

late nights

I'm sure this comes as no surprise, but I never was much of a party girl in college. Don't get me wrong, I had loads of fun with the best friends a girl could ask for, but I never would consider myself a rager. And I hate putting things off til the last minute, so all-nighters in the library were not an option. 


And yet, there were still nights that turned into mornings, glasses that turned into bottles, and projects that turned into the spawn of Satan took longer than expected. Whether you're forced to stay up late to finish a project, you have to wake up before the sun to catch a flight, or if you're just pulling a total Lindsay Lohan*, these are my 2 tricks for looking refreshed, even when you're running on empty.

1. Water. Whenever I know I'm not going to get my optimal 8 hours of beauty sleep, I drink a minimum of 16.9 oz** of water before hitting the hay. It flushes of the toxins and keeps skin looking healthy, from the inside out. 

2. Moisturizer. I always wash my face before bed, and on particularly late nights I slather on as much lotion as my skin can absorb, and then a little more. It counteracts the gray, dull look skin gets when sleep deprived. I prefer this option from Walmart, because it's not greasy and it's super affordable, so I don't feel indulgent/wasteful when I use a dollop the size of a silver dollar. 


*Totally kiddinggg. You know I would never advocate reckless over-consumption, rightt?


**16.9 because that's how many ounces are in an Aquafina, which I always kept on hand for emergencies, during my my crazy college days [sike.]

ritual

I feel so silly talking about "cold weather," considering tomorrow's forecast here in coastal Carolina is sunny with a high of 60, but I guess that's just the way it goes. Last week we got our first real dose of cold (one day the high was 27!) and I promptly enlisted the help of one of my favorite products... OPI Avoplex. We all know the winter air can be particularly damaging to skin (I'm lookin at you, dry hands and cracked cuticles), but this stuff works wonders.   

I use it year round, but in the winter I do so with religious devotion. First, I dab the Nail and Cuticle Oil on each finger and rub it into my nail beds ["my nail beds suck.*"] Then I massage the High-Intensity Nail and Hand Cream into each hand. It has become a relaxing ritual, and it feels like an indulgent treat at the end of a long day. After all, who couldn't use a little extra pampering this time of year?


*Mean Girls. duh

grey matter

Taylor calls me a girl of extremes. I'm either starving or stuffed, exhausted or wide-awake, there's seldom any in-between. The rule applies to nail polish too. During the warmer months I tend to favor bold, sunny shades of orange and coral. But when my nails aren't brightly-hued, I'm a sucker for a chic, monochromatic grey. Here are a few of my favorites...

[From Top: 1. OPI "You Don't Know Jacques" 2. Essie "Playa Del Platinum" 3. Butter "Fash Pack" 4. OPI "French Quarter for Your Thoughts" 5. Zoya "Kelly"]

Primp.

What they don't tell you about college is to appreciate the little moments. The things that seem insignificant, until one day you're sitting in front of your vanity with Frank Sinatra crooning soulfully from your iPhone.

 Suddenly you'll have the urge to switch the Pandora station to Ke$ha in hopes that your good friends will magically pop up, the impromptu dance party will commence, and all will be well in the world.

The one thing I miss most about roommates is primping, which, I've decided, is a team sport. 

band it

I spent the past two days soaking up the sun. That's what you do when you're not really working and you have no responsibilities or obligations. As I was sitting on the beach today, Rob posted this song on my Facebook, and it seemed appropriate (and it will make reading this post 87% more enjoyable... statistically speaking)

Anyways, as a result of my labor, I have a tan that would make the general population mistake me for one lovely Latina (and undoubtedly make my dermatologist cringe...) I always put SPF 30 on my face though. All day, e'ry day. And I always protect my hair. If your colorist is as good as mine, or if your blonde-a-phobia* is as bad as mine, you should protect your tresses too. Here are a few of my favorite ways...

Halo Mist by Sebastian makes hair silky and shiny and added bonus: it has UV protection. I use it after blow drying and before hitting the beach/pool. (Warning: I only put it on the length of my hair, never the roots. Let's be real, after 48 hours these locks start lookin' greasier than the bottom of a Bojangles box, sans product.)

I absolutely love hats. A big, floppy hat is great because it gives added protection to the face. And I am currently craving a cute Panama hat like this on from J. Crew. 

Headbands/wraps are great because they are light and no-fuss. My aunt recently gave me one similar to this one, and I cannot stop wearing it! Headwraps are perfect because you can adjust them to your desired width, so even if you're not obsessed with protecting your hair color from the sun's damaging rays, they keep your hair out of your face!

Worst case scenario, I have been known to wrap shirts, towels, or other miscellaneous objects around my head. I mean let's face it, at the end of the day, it's all about the hair.




*blonde-a-phobia (noun) the fear of becoming blonde; not the actual fear of blondes. 

In the green

I painted my nails yesterday (duh) and my sweet roommate was kind enough to let me borrow a polish I had been contemplating buying for a while now...

[Refreshmint by China Glaze] 

I have been dying for the perfect shade of sea foam green, and I had high hopes for this hue. 


It shows up a little more blue than green, and it kind of makes me feel like a total hipster. Maybe the problem is my skin tone, or maybe I'm just a pink/coral/red/peach girl through and through. 


Right after I finished polishing, I read this article from Refinery29 which claims "Green is the new neutral." That may be true, but I think I'll be sticking with every shade of peach this season.


So tell me, what are your thoughts on wacky nail polish colors? I tend to gravitate toward them (in the bottles) but can never quite pull them off. 

Sephora

I don't usually wear much makeup. In fact, my daily look typically involves any combination the following:

Neutrogena Visibly Even daily moisturizer SPF 30 (I spent 2 weeks in Africa without luggage, and I was so thankful to have packed this in my carry-on)
Estee Lauder bronzer (a compact I have had for far too long, but it is the perfect shade and I simply refuse to toss it)
Bare Escentuals blush in Avant-Garden
Bare Escentuals Flawless Definition volumizing mascara 
(and always an eyelash curler)


But that doesn't mean I don't love cosmetics as much as the next girl. In reality, not wearing a lot of makeup daily makes getting glammed up all the more special. 


My lovely aunt gave me a Sephora gift card for Christmas and I have been dying to spend it... the only problem is that I cannot decide what to spend it on! Well, that and the fact that after I spend it I won't have an excuse to spend hours perusing the Sephora website. But here's what I'm wanting so far:

Tarte Femme Naturale Eye Palette
Benefit Cosmetics High Beam To Go
Buxom Waterproof Smoky Eye Stick
Urban Decay Afterglow Glide-On Cheek Tint
Twirl by Kate Spade Roll-On
Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

What wold you spend it on? 

I would love some recommendations!

Glitzerland

Now I ain't sayin you a gold digger you got needs...

-Kanye

So we have talked about my unabashed affection for all things golden here here and here, right? Well, I'm currently swooning over this little gem from OPI's Swiss Collection for Fall 2010.

"Glitzerland"

Obsessed? I sure am. It is the most glamorously gaudy gold (pardon the alliteration) with the perfect amount of sparkle. I plan to wear it all fall, especially when I am rocking this purse. Also, the inner elf in me just adores how much it resembles tinsel, so it will be perfection for the holidays! 

Smith's Rosebud Salve

Have you tried it?

I really enjoy it. It leaves my lips feeling soft, smooth and perfectly moisturized, regardless of how many hours I have spent at the beach. I just started using on on my cuticles too, and it works like a charm. 

Side note: Unfortunately, this does not have spf, so be sure to save this for after a day in the sun. :)

Braid-y Bunch

I have been rocking a braid lately, maybe potentially entirely too much. But I'm loving it. This post was probably a warning sign of things to come. It has been entirely too hot to blow dry, and the braid is so easy and perfect for summer. 

Here's mine at the beach!

And a few that I love:

And one that I wish I knew how to do:

DISCLAIMER: I know I'm jumping on this train a little late. Alexander Wang put them all over the runway in his 2010 spring show and they quickly became a seasonal staple. Nonetheless, I'm loving them. 

Photos of the Alexander Wang models backstage. (found it here.)

all that glitters

The weather has been unseasonably cold the past few days, so instead of hitting the beach yesterday I did some shopping with my mom. I'm not much of a make-up girl... ok, let's be real I rarely wear anything more than mascara and maybe a little blush/bronzer, BUT Clinique has the loveliest eyeshadow palette for summer 2010. So lovely, in fact, that my mom and I each had to get one! 

"Brandied Bronze" by Clinique ($25)

I'm a sucker for gold/bronze shadow, but I can't wait to use this teal color as a liner!

Perfectly Polished

Sunday night I pulled my first all-nighter of college. 14 hours in the library, multiple cups of coffee, and 20 pages later, I finished the night, er morning, with breakfast, a shower, and a nap. After I woke from my slumber at approximately 1:30pm (yikesorama), I rewarded myself with a trip to Ulta and later had chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream for dinner. You're only in college once, right?


Well, now let's talk about nail polish. 

These are the latest additions to the family... I mean collection.

1. Cozu-melted in the Sun, from the Mexico collection (just in time for Cinco de Mayo!) In person it looks a little more pink than the picture... and mega-sparkly.)
2. Conga-line Coral- so bright and fun... perfect for summer!
3. Melon of Troy- I tried this color out when I got a mani/pedi last weekend, and it is lovely!


To the untrained eye they may all seem strikingly similar in color, but I assure you they are vastly different. And I love them. Happy girl... and did I mention that it's summer? Holler.