{beauty} gimme that summer glow...now.

it's about this time of year that i realize how pale i am. seriously- it's scary. apparently the 50% greek in me hibernates all winter long, leaving only the german/scottish/irish/french portion in it's place. and holy heysus- it's bad. just like everyone else i start craving that vitamin d and the aftereffects. ya know, the glow you have after laying out all day long or working in the garden for a few hours. heck, you can even get it while skiing the slopes in the winter! haha.

while i love a day spent at the beach or the pool, it's not the healthiest way to get your tan on. there's a fine line between getting the essential nutrients your body needs from the sun and looking like a lobster. so to give into myself and get my pre-pool summer tan on, i look to those faux products.

now trust- i have done it all. the worst story i have is reminiscent of the friends episode where ross gets it done. you all know what i'm talking about. but instead of the nation laughing right along with me, i spent the first day of my california vaca holed up in our hotel room scrubbing the reminents of the fake tan off. i was not trying to look like an oompa loompa.

so here are a few options that i've had pretty good results from. keep in mind everyone's skin reacts differently to each product, so do a test first!!! there, i warned you. ;-)

versaspa
you've spent a ton of money on your upcoming vacation and you don't want to scare the locals away with your casper the ghost complexion. this is by far my FAVE for vacations and events. it's quick, not expensive,  looks natural (i swear), and lasts for days. you can find it at your local tanning salon, but make sure you ask for this one. the other 'ethereal' system (yes, i busted out the thesaurus for that one) is what oompa loompa-fied me. enough said. and while it may not be super de duper all natural, their website claims they do limit the amount of DHA in their mixture to prevent too much from being ingested. there you have it.
$25-35 per session, depending on location

josie maran self-tanner
any of my blog readers know my love for josie maran products. in fact, my entire beauty routine is now josie maran. so it's not a shocker that i'd give her sunless tanner a try. and it's amazeballs. yup- i just used that word. i have been using it every few days for about 2 weeks now and it's perfect. it doesn't smell, doesn't streak, and gives me just enough color that it doesn't look fake. looks like california-girl josie got something right again! it's great for when you just need a little sheen of color. and, p.s., it also hasn't rubbed off on my white 400-count. seriously the best.
$32, josiemarancosmetics.com

josie maran argan bronzing oil + josie maran brightening bronzer sun spot corrector
i like to limit the bronzing on my face to what i can easily adjust according to the rest of my makeup. so these two products are awesome to giving that sunkissed look to my cheeks, forehead, and nose. afterall, these are the spots that the sun hits first, so when applying, keep that in mind. it's called contouring people. get with the program. the bronzing oil is awesome for moisturizing and the sun spot corrector helps to even out those pesky freckles i tend to get after some actual sun. they're a match made in heaven. all-natural, organic, argan heaven. ha.
$52 + $32, josiemarancosmetics.com

get your sun on in a healthy way. you'll thank me in 30 years. ;-)

xoxo Lauren

{style} tote-ally in love.

it's no shocker that this week's post is all about Stella & Dot's new summer line! i'm mildly obsessed- or completely obsessed. either way, it's ah-may-zing and i'm so excited to share actually images from my order that just arrived yesterday!!! eeeeeekkkkk!!!! check out this video for the complete line. yay!

let's break it down piece by piece, starting with the smallest items. drumroll, please.

pouf

~we all need to be more organized. so throw in your makeup, your tech accessories, your kids toys- whatever it is you're carting around in that purse of yours. loooove mine in the elephant print.~

bring it jewelry roll

~i used to travel frequently for work. and how did i pack my jewelry? in a plastic baggie. ha. you've invested in your bling- why not treat it right?! and do it in style, with red ikat.~

hang on travel case

~my dad always had his dopp kit. my mom had- again a plastic baggie. must be a riner thing. so prevent your unmentionables from getting doused in perfume and toothpaste by packing it all away nicely.~

how does she do it tote

~i'll tell you how- by looking adorable. ever had a crappy day that can be turned around by someone just complementing your outfit and how you look? i forsee this happening- with my new navy ikat tote.~

the switch handbag

~i've always been a proponent for making wise fashion investments that aren't going to go out of style, but also ones that you can wear year-round. i present the switch. end of story.~

the getaway tote

~i used to travel in sweats. hello, it was comfy. now i may still wear my flip-flops or uggs, but i prefer to be a bit more put together than look like a homeless person while traveling. my getaway in multistripe will do it.~

the best part about this whole collection is the amount of time, detail, and thought that have been put into each piece. our design team has been working hard both out in san fran and in nyc for the past 2 years perfecting each item and, as a kate spade devotee, they've done a hell of a job. think marc jacobs quality at vera bradley prices- but WAY cuter.

visit my site for the whole line and shop away!!!

xoxo Lauren

{yummy} smoothie-ville

as of april 1, i've committed myself to walking the walk and talking the talk. if i'm going to say that i'm being healthy, i need to actually DO IT. so i've been ramping up my running and renovating my eating habits. it's hard to admit, but ever since i made my career change my veggie and fruit intake has severely declined. i mean, when you work from home, you have your entire kitchen to choose from. salad or pasta?! ummmm- pasta. hahaha.

at my last trader joe's run, i focused on quick and easy meal replacement ideas. hello, smoothies! these are easy for me to put together, pour in a to-go cup, and head to a trunk show or home showing. while i'm new to this whole smoothie thing, i have found at least 3 recipes that i LOVED and 1 that did the trick- but was hard to swallow. hahaha. so here's my first dive into smoothe-ville.

lauren conrad's oatmeal breakfast smoothie

*this one i have started to make almost every morning. it's easy to drink with my coffee and tastes delish. best of all- it keeps me full until lunch time. put the ingredients in the blender in the order i have them listed.*

1 c. non-fat yogurt (i use 0% fage greek yogurt)
1 tsp. ground flax seeds and chia seeds (i use a mortar/pestle)
1 tbs. honey
1/2 c. raw oats
1 banana
1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. non-fat milk (horizon is the best)
1/2 c. water

blend it up and enjoy!

green monster smoothie #1

*i am numbering this #1 since there are soooo many variations out there. i did read that to help with digestion, try chewing parts of the smoothie while drinking it.*

1 c. non-fat yogurt
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 apple
1 banana
5 frozen strawberries
1/2 orange

blend and enjoy!

faux chocolate milkshake

*i was craving ice cream so instead of heading up to my local sweetfrog, i made this. once you get the hang of smoothie making, you'll do the same- make up recipes on the fly. this hit the spot and was delish!*

1 c. non-fat milk
1 handful of frozen strawberries
1 banana
3 packets sugar substitute (i still use splenda- i know, i know. ugh. ha)
1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
organic fat-free whipped topping to taste

yum. that's all.

tummy soother

*it was easter weekend. i ate something bad and got tummy troubles. this def helped, but LORD was it hard to swallow. drink knowing that. hahaha.*

1/2 c. non-fat yogurt
6 ice cubes
1 tbs. ground flax seed
1 tsp. sliced ginger
1 c. frozen peaches (i substituted apples)
1 c. papaya
1 pear

gulp. but my tummy was better after. haha. i guess that counts as success, right?

xoxo Lauren