{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

{beauty} hair beautiful.

my hair has a life of it's own. some days it's voluminous and shiny. other days it looks like a tornado just hit it. i came to the conclusion that one of the issues might be the $2 shampoo and conditioner i was buying. yup, i was a hair care bargain shopper. and now that i think about it, it's absolutely ridiculous notion to skimp on your hair care. i have no problem spending $100 on a pair of boots or jeans or a damn t-shirt. but, ummm, point me to the cheapest shampoo and conditioner?! puh-lease.

see, your hair is the one accessory that you wear every daggone day. so it makes sense to treat it well. bad hair can seriously ruin any outfit or meeting or date. no one ever said, 'you know they're hair was digusting, but i'm looking past that.' haha. my mission was clear: find good-for-you hair care that was free of toxins and chemicals. mission: accepted.

since i don't use a ton of products on my hair daily, i was in search of shampoo, conditioner, and a smoothing serum. so here are my new fave brands varying in cost and retail outlets. buy at your own risk. ;-)

giovanni hair care: eco-chic

this was the first brand i gave a chance, mainly because it wasn't too far off in price from what i was used to paying. i gravitated to the 'smooth as silk' shampoo-conditioner duo and never looked back. it smells awesome, gives my hair shine that it desperately needs, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. i also became semi-addicted to their 'frizz be gone' serum, which i applied to semi-dry hair prior to blowing it out. perfection. price: $6-10 per product / where to buy in northern virginia: wegmans and whole foods

giovanni hair care: 2chic ultra-sleek

we all know my OBSESSION with all things containing argan oil. so when giovanni came out with a line that used it as one of it's main ingredients, it called my name. i fell for the shampoo and conditioner from the line, however the serums left more to be desired. definitely give it a shot, as the shampoo/conditioner do exactly what you need and smell like the tropics. price: $6-10 per product / where to buy in northern virginia: wegmans and whole foods

eufora hair solutions

sometimes mama knows best, and this is one of those cases. my mom turned me onto this salon line and it remains to be my favorite thus far. it is the most expensive, but again, hair care might not be the best place to skimp money on. i took mama's advice and began using the hydrating shampoo and moisture solution conditioner combination- my hair comes out so soft and manageable that i am shocked. their pure polish serum is also the bomb dot com. price: $20-30 per product / where to buy in northern virginia: http://www.eufora.net/wheretobuy.htm

now it wouldn't be a good hair blog post without doing a BIG shout-out to my fave salon and stylist. oh hey there, KLS Studios. not only are they in my neck of the woods, but they are super nice and always accomodating. the salon is gorg btw, with a 'color bar' that allows me to get my highlights/lowlights on while sipping on my complimentary drink of choice while watching tv and reading some mags.

i swear by Lourdes as my stylist- she has a knack for giving me the color i want and making it look completely natural. they do book up quickly, so give them a call and schedule your next touch-up. you won't be disappointed.

xoxo Lauren

{beauty} the miracles of argan oil

once upon a time, there was a local girl that was looking for beauty products that not only accomplished what she desired but that were also good for her, her body, and her environment. after searching far and wide, she came across a product line that harnessed the power of argan oil. this oil, a mystical treatment, can be used for numerous purposes. it was the ingredient she had been searching for and they lived happily ever after.

the beautiful josie maran.

ha. but all in all seriousness, when i decided to rid my bathroom of any sulfates, parabens, etc., i was also looking for a makeup line that was free of the same ingredients. josie maran cosmetics came to the rescue! in doing my research, i came to the conclusion that she was interested in the same idea i was: natural and eco-friendly beauty products that didn't compromise quality and results.

products in the josie maran cosmetics line contain argan oil and are as luxurious as other high-end products i have used in the past. the one difference is that these aren't harmful to my body! here is an overview of the products i use on a daily basis:

{1} josie maran matchmaker serum foundation

{2} josie maran argan magic marker liquid eyeliner

{3} josie maran GOGO instant natural volume argan mascara

{4} josie maran argan oil

{5} josie maran argan concealer

{6} josie maran argan pressed powder

{7} josie maran beautiful eyes eyeshadow

{8} josie maran argan color stick

the awesomely amazing thing is that josie is a wife and mother as well - which means that there are many products that the men and children in your life can also use! one of my friend's husbands suffered from extremely dry skin to the point that he was applying facial lotion up to 6 times a day. once he switched to the pure argan oil, he applied it once in the morning and was good to go. truly a miracle.

there are all sorts of videos on youtube.com that josie has uploaded to show you just how easy her cosmetics are to apply. there are even some really cool all-natural recipes to check out as well. here's an interview with josie with the chalkboard that gives you more of a background on josie and her line.

so get to your local sephora, shop online at sephora.com or josiemarancosmetics.com, or check out QVC for all of josie's products and current specials. you won't be disappointed. instead, you'll be healthy and happy.

xoxo Lauren

{beauty} fall face mask.

i try not to make new year's resolutions. i think of them more as lifestyle changes to better myself throughout the year. so back in late january i attended an at-home party for beauty products. you know, the kind of party where everyone sits around someone's living room and tries all sorts of products out. now there wasn't a specific product that really stood out for me, but something the hostess said. she explained that the european union has banned over 10,000 ingredients from products that are applied or ingested...while the good 'ol USA hasn't banned anywhere close to the number and that many of those ingredients are readily found in our daily products! everything from hand soap to toothpaste to makeup! this was unbelievable to me.

so began my task of finding more natural products to limit my exposure to chemicals that are harmful to myself and those around me. i came across so many websites and apps to help me in my task of ridding my home bathroom and kitchen of these products. but at the same time, i also found recipes to make products on my own with basic ingredients i already had around my home. funny how they were right under my nose.

one of my fave recipes is basically a fall face mask. super simple ingredients to help you exfoliate and tame skin ailments. **as with any product you apply, please test this out on yourself before fully applying to make sure there is no reaction**

fall face mask

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

mix the ingredients and apply generously to face. leave on for 30 minutes and then wash away.

 

i got bored during hurricane sandy. ha.

the recipe can last you a good week, especially if you apply 3 times a week like i do. and it doesn't smell too bad either. ;-)

xoxo Lauren