Saturday, October 8, 2011

Beauty tips...tons of them.

this was collected from SEVERAL websites and places, hope you enjoy this took forever...
-dampening your hairbrush before brushing your hair prevents static.
-baby powder is a good alternative to dry shampoo
-spraying your hairbrush with hairspray before brushing hair helps remove frizziness
-if you have dry hair, don't use a hot setting when straighening/curling your hair
-if you have oily hair, avoid products that add "shine" to hair-this will make hair oilier
-run wet nails under ice water to make nail polish dry faster
-using a thin coat of vaseline under where you spray perfume will make the scent last longer
-if your nail polish is chunky, roll it with your hands, NEVER SHAKE
-sticking nails in a lemon(no joke) will whiten the tips of nails
-sunscreen-use it as often as possible, this will prevent skin from damage when you are older
-don't use hot water when washing your face, this will dry out your skin
-don't exfoliate too often, as exfoliators can be harsh on skin
-you can use olive oil to remove makeup
-vitamin c brightens your complexion.
-milk removes makeup as well

5 Inexpensive Beauty Must Haves!

1. Vaseline- I keep a mini size of this in my vanity or purse at ALL TIMES. Vaseline lotion has been my life saver-for under my nose and on my knees, where I have many dry patches due to the colder weather and my cold. It is an inexpensive, moisture locking body lotion to use after showering as well. This works as a hand and foot cream as well to moisten flaky skin there, and to repair dead skin cells. Vaseline can be used as a lash-conditioning treatment overnight, then wash it off the next morning.
2. Paul Mitchell Kids Shampoo- This used to be my FAVORITE shampoo last year, and I still love it. Even though this is a kids shampoo, the mild formula works well for normal hair without any strong chemicals or side effects, and is mild if it gets on your face/eyes(ouch). My favorite thing about this shampoo is that it detangles knots SO WELL and prevents my hair from being a knotty ball of messiness. This shampoo works well with my hair, my hair is ALWAYS healthier looking after using this shampoo. This shampoo is available at Ulta, Drugstores, and Hair Salons.
3. Burt's Bees Grapefruit Shampoo- This shampoo can be found at Ulta, drugstore.com, Target, and Drugstores. This is really inexpensive at about 5 dollars. This product is made of mostly natural ingredients, and it has real grapefruit oil(no wonder it smells like fresh citrus!). This shampoo detangles my hair really well, and my hair has a clean "tingle" after using. Hair also feels shinier as well, and has the shampoo has a honey-like texture. This works almost as well as the Paul Mitchell Shampoo, although more product is needed than that.



4. Bath and Body Works Twilight Woods Body Mist-I have been finding myself constantly looking for and reaching for this little body mist(mini size is $5 or 3 for $10, full size is $12 SCORE). I got this in the spring and used it about twice. I finally started using this in late August when I was looking for a musky, fall scent since most of my perfumes/body splashes are bright, floral, and/or fruity. Even though the mist has a colgone-like woodsy, mysterious, musky fall scent with the cool dewy mist of fall, the scent is not overpowering as it is a body mist. Use about 3 sprays on your body for a fall scent that is not too extreme, I have been getting many compliments on this fragrance and it is my new love. <3
5. 7 Way Nail Buffer- This is a really cool nail tool which can be found at many places, like drugstores, Sally Beauty, or Ulta. The first side has coarse grit to shape broken, crooked nails. The second side has medium grit for a similar purpose, but for milder cases. The third side has fine grit to smoothen the nail edges. The fourth side evens out your nail shape in general. The fifth side will give the nail a smooth, tabletop like surface. The sixth and seventh sides add a natural shine to nails. This is a nail-grooming essential that I can't live without, and is only about $3.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Classic Looks: Stripes

Hey fellow bloggers! Long time no blog, I know. My excuse is that I have been on vacation in South Korea to visit family. I had an amazing time! Had TONS of yummy food, went sightseeing, and definetely shopping! I also have been loving the look of stripes these days. It is a classic and very effortless trend. I will be showing you 5 Back-to-school simple, but stylish outfits involving strpes.

This first look I am modeling consists of a yellow and white longsleeve v-neck shirt from Abercrombie. Neon stripes add a pop of color to the outfit. Under the top I am wearing a light blue ombre striped tank from Aeropostale. The stripes are smaller, but they compliment the bolder neon stripes in the longsleeve tee well. For jeans I am wearing light wash Abercrombie skinny tie-dye jeans. The tie-dye print is very subtle, so it matches bolder prints and is good for everyday wear. This a very casual, but cute look that I love for fall.


This next look is suitable for summer and early fall. This is a very nautical look, as it has red, white, and blue. The cardigan was purchased at a little boutique called A Land in Korea. It is a light white cardigan with navy blue stripes and a bold red stripe across the bottom. The cardigan is the statement piece of the outfit, and it is worn with a basic ensemble of a navy blue cami(Hollister) and short denim shorts(Abercrombie). I also would pair it with a whimsical and cute headband. The headband shown(do u see it?) is a navy blue headband with a cute studded bow from Nordstrom. This is the perfect nautical outfit.

This outfit incorprates another trend, which is mixing prints. The top is a slub white and blue v neck tee from Abercrombie(they have great deals on tees, about $10-$20 during sales). To "mismatch" it is a blue floral bodycon skirt from Hollister. This outfit looks cute with flats or sneakers for a casual look. The tips for mismatched patterns is that the patterns should be in a similar color palette. The top has white stripes, and the skirt has hints of white. This makes the mismatched lookchic this fall, and incorprates stripes very well.

This next outfit consists of a gray palette. The sweater  is from Forever21, and has light gray/rose heathered and beige stripes. It has a loose, cropped fit. With crop tops, skinny jeans/jeggings are a good option. So I matched the sweater with dark gray jeggings from Hollister. These are super form flattering, and Hollister is currently having a 50% sale on all jeans! This outfit looks super cute tucked under boots, and it is perfect for fall.



The last outfit(well, just a dress) is clearly the most basic and effortless one of the five. This outfit consists of a dress from Aerie. This dress has a relaxed, slightly loose fit and I usually wear it over a white tank. It has thin white stripes on a rich blue. There is a ropelike string to adjust the waist area. The dress looks somewhat like a henley tee dress-this is very in. I love this dress alone for now, and with a jacket and leggings for fall.

I hope you enjoyed this post on styling stripes! I love you guys. I accomplished 10 followers, thank you! :)
Comment, request, and follow.
much love, ally

Friday, June 24, 2011

3 Ways to Style a Denim Jacket!

Denim isn't only a classic on jeans. Denim jackets are also in fashion as well, and it is a very easy trend to style. I will show you three different looks with a denim jacket. Hope you enjoy! :)

My denim jacket is from hollister. It is a medium wash, and the design is pretty simple. It is a bit cropped. Also, there is an adorable crystal flower pin to add a glam touch to the jacket.



This first outfit consists of another trend, which is bodycon skirts. This outfit is a ladylike and girly look, but is still very comfy. Under the denim jacket is a navy longsleeve thermal henley(with crystal buttons for a bit of bling) with a cute lace trim from abercrombie. The skirt is also from abercrombie, and it is a navy and white striped bodycon jersey skirt(so cute and comfy!) This outfit is appropriate for so many events, and the denim jacket adds a unique twist to the classic look.



The next outfit is definetely a very casual, tomboy like look. Under the denim jacket is a basic white v neck tee from forever21(OMG these are only $4.50). This complements the jacket in such a cute way when worn. To tone down the look military green cropped boyfriend pants from abercrombie is worn. This look is super cute with sneakers, to complete the "rolled out of bed", but still chic look.


The last outfit is a bit fancier, but versatile for many occasions just like the first outfit. This is a more basic outfit that would look nice with flats. A black Diesel dress with a light blue trim along the side is worn under the denim jacket. This is a bit mix and matched, but a black dress look amazing with anything, truth is.
Hope you enjoyed this fashion blog! Any requests? Please follow.
love you guys!
-ally

Sunday, June 12, 2011

All About Hair: My Favorite Products

Current Hair Routine. Here's my Pathway to Shiny, Beautiful Hair!

One thing every girl wants is to have silky-soft, glowing, hair. In the summer, the sun could definitely cause frizz and split ends, and swimming in chlorine could also damage to hair as well. Though, using these products could help your hair remain beautiful. I use these products on my hair all the time, and I have been using this hair routine for quite a while. These products could turn out to be a bit pricey, but they work wonders for your hair and definitely make a difference.


1. Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo(about 15-17 dollars) is the moisturizer made for your hair. It will  make hair a lot shinier and when I get out of the shower, I find my hair to feel much softer. Hair looks healthier and frizz is tamed. If you want shiny, soft, hair without frizz, this is the shampoo for you. Even better, only a small amount is required so the shampoo lasts a very long time.

2. Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Treatment(about 13-15 dollars) is my go-to conditioner and always detangles hair. Again, it is worth the expensive price because less is more, just like the shampoo. This shampoo noticeably fixes split ends and makes hair texture much smoother and makes hair softer and shinier. Works wonders with the Instant Moisture Shampoo(see above).

3. Ouidad Shine Glaze Serum(20 dollars) is my favorite serum, even with the not-so-pretty price. It is a fantastic serum for hair which will leave hair feeling shiny, not sticky or overgelled. The serum is amazing for scrunching hair, and my hair has bigger, thicker, but natural  waves after using this product. I recommend this product if you want smooth, shiny, and natural waves while preventing static cling. This product is avaliable at Ouidad salons and Sephora.

How does my hair routine with these products work out, girl?
Directions: In the shower, rub shampoo on hands and massage through scalp and hair. Gently run fingers through hair to detangle.Rinse off thoroughly with water and continue to massage hair. Then, use a penny sized amount of conditioner and run through ends of hair and massage the conditioner into hair as well. Rinse well. Once you are out of the shower, apply serum to damp hair. There are two ways that I use to apply the serum. The first way is recommended in the bottle, rub serum on your palms, and scrunch. Or you can put serum on fingers and wrap some strands of hair around your finger. Do this a few times, each time with different strands.(this method works better).

Where to Buy?
I bought the Paul Mitchell Products at Ulta. They have good promotions there often, so look out! The shine serum was from sephora.





Saturday, June 4, 2011

LOVE: Korres Pomegrante Lip Butter

I recently got some spare cash and decided to spend it on a well-known product of Korres. This is their lip butter in Pomegrante, a beautiful, sheer coral. It's only $12, and this will add a perfect pop of sheer color to cheeks as well(bold cheeks are so in ). The other colors of lip butter available is Guava(clear), Jasmine(light pink), Mango(deeper orange-coral), quince(cranberry), plum(berry-plum), pomegrante(coral<3),and wild rose(red).
I found myself falling in love with these lip butters because while they are so pigmented, they are really moisturizing without adding excess oil to your skin, and they are so versatile-an amazing tinted lip balm and cream blush! I love multi-tasking products especially for those quick mornings(pretty much every day for me) where you don't have time for a full face or for travelling, due to the compact packaging. Also, these lip butters last quite a while on both lips and cheeks, and even though there isn't too much product only a small amount is needed for a large punch of color. On lips it's like a lip stain with a moisturizing shea butter lip balm and on cheeks a cream blush. The coral color is perfect for summer and looks gorgeous over naturally tanned or bronzed skin. This is also a more everyday alternative to the orange lip trend this summer as well.

Even better, this product is all natural. The yummy fragrance is not synthetic like many other products, and Sephora put its all-natural seal on this product. <3

Have you tried Korres Lip butters? Tell me what you think!
*these are not my pictures.
Comment and follow! Love u guys!