Hi my Beautiful Fashionistas!

I have great news, and I wanted to share it with you! Haute off the Presses: our newest collection for Spring/Summer 2017. We’re back at it again, collaborating with our FAVE Celebrity hairstylist, Jen Atkins with our newest buzzworthy hair accessories.  You’re going to DIE when you see these designs. We started off with our cool and modern details, to our glamorous Deco-inspired designs perfect for Award season and now just in time for festival season our dreamy festival favorites.

Discover our new boho-chic designs that will have you festival ready in minutes. Trust me you’re gonna want to own one of these accessories if not the entire collection. You’ve seen our previous designs in: InStyle, Allure, ELLE, Glamour, TeenVogue, BAZAAR, Marie Claire, People, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and many more publications. Not to mention the celebrities are rocking these AMAZING accessories from: Chrissy Teigen to Kim Kardashian West, Ariana Grande, Middle East Beauty Guru Huda Kattan, Kendall Jenner and many more….. If the celebs are rocking these FABULOUS hair accessories, you should too! Get the look and be event and festival ready by heading over to my boutique: www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/emilydesouza.

Thanks so much for your love and support. And thank you for shopping my boutique!

As always, thanks for reading, following along and supporting me in my journey!

Ever tried Rose Water?

Rose water has been around for centuries. The Romans were the first to realized all the benefits Rose water had to offer. It was said that rose water was used and known for it’s healing powers for over 30 ailments back in the days. Cleopatra would bathe in authentic rose water everyday, it was known to be one of her beauty secrets. Today, rose water and its properties have been known to be quite beneficial for your skin, hair and your overall health. Whether your using it for your face or drinking it, rose water is something you should try if you haven’t already. Let me tell you why.

Rose water is natural, gentle and pure. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce redness in the skin, acne even eczema.  Rose Water that can be used in different ways and is known to be beneficial for your skin and health.

Rose Water Benefits for your Skin:

• Use Rose water as a cleanser to remove excess oil build-up on your skin
• Unclogs pores
• Hydrates
• Soothes
• Reduced puffy eyes
• Refreshes your skin with a few spritz of Rosewater throughout the day (great after a workout)
• Add 2 cups of rosewater to your bath and it will soften and keep you your skin fresh, plus its quite fragrant so you’ll be smelling like roses (who wouldn’t love that)
• Softens Dry skin
• Rosewater works as a natural makeup remover
• Use it as natural make up setting spray
• It’s a great ingredient for aromatherapy–studies indicated that aromatherapy provides positive results effects for fighting stress, calming for a good nights rest and can help you be more positive
• Kills any lingering bacteria from your skin
• Keeps skin glowing and youthful
• Tightens pores
• Lightens dark spots
• Reduces the signs of wrinkles
• Keeps your skin healthy and plump
• Anti-aging

Rosewater Benefits for your Health:

• Rich in vitamins: A, B3, C, D, and E all good for both your health and skin
• Studies show Rose essential oils help treat insomnia
• Drinking rosewater can help you sleep better through the night and keep you calm during your most stressful days
• Contains antioxidants that not only help fight chronic illness, early signs of aging and mental dementia
• It’s been said that drinking rosewater can relieve sore throats
• Drinking rosewater tea can be quite soothing similar to Chamomile tea
• Relieves upset stomachs
• Helps with digestion and constipation
• Rosewater relieves fluid retention and inflammation

As you can see rose water has many benefits that can be powerful for not only your skin but your overall health. No wonder the Romans and Cleopatra used rose water look at all it can do for us. If you haven’t used Rose water yet I highly recommend that you do. After using rose water i’ve seen many positive effects on my skin and health. Would you try rose water?

• Organic Roses (as many as you like-I used 7 stems)
• Distilled water (enough to cover the rose petals- I used about 1.5 litres)

How to make Homemade Rosewater Toner: 

• 1 T pure rosewater (recipe above)
• about 4 T of distilled water (or enough to fill your spray bottle)
• 1 2.5 ounce spray bottle

Here are a few of my favorite rose water products:

Shop each item by clicking the photo

Please do share your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you. Share your experiences using the hashtag: #SFBBeauty. As always, thanks for reading, following along and supporting my journey.

Spa Day anybody? I say YASSS and ABSOLUTELY to a spa day any day.

With Spa week in full swing, I thought it would be fitting to share my experience at the Caudalie boutique store and spa on Bleeker Street, NYC.  I have been a huge fan of Caudalie and their products for many years, but I have to say this is one spa that I haven’t visited until now.

Nothing makes me and my skin happier than a little TLC at the spa. I had an amazing experience overall. I visited Caudalie on Bleeker Street, back in August. A day to relax and unwind. Also a great way to prep my body and skin for my upcoming trips. A great way to let my skin and body breathe and get revitalized and rejuvenated.

Upon arriving at the Caudalie Bleeker Street boutique, I was greeted by the staff with a glass of their draining tea. One of my favorite teas that aids in detox. It’s a delicious blend of 5 100% organic* plants, these herbal infusions were exclusively created for the Vinothérapie® Tisanerie des Spas. It’s meant to accelerate the elimination of water and toxins for an immediate sensation of well-being. The staff was very friendly and welcoming.

Treatments:

Vinosource Anti-Oxidant Hydrating Facial

Divine Body Treatment 

A relaxing body massage featuring our award winning Divine Oil, a combination of 4 exceptional plant oils. Your skin will be luxuriously softened, moisturized and wrapped in a delicate floral fragrance (rose, grapefruit, pink pepper, vanilla, cedar and white musk).

I had the most amazing specialist, her name is Melissa. If your ever in the NYC/West Village area be sure to ask for her she’s the best! She began her career with Caudalie at the founding Spa and store in Bordeaux, Paris , how AMAZING! She did an exceptional job at accessing my skin and what it needed during my visit. She’s also quite knowledgeable about the brand and their products. Melissa is the perfect Caudalie specialist to ask all your skincare questions and needs.

I came on a great day too, they were celebrating the release and Collaboration of their newly designed product and one of my favorites I might add, their beauty elixir. Jason Wu x Caudalie, if you haven’t tried their beauty elixir I highly suggest you should. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to pick up a bottle of your very own the limited edition collaboration Jason Wu Design beauty elixir available in stores and at a Sephora near you.

After my treatments, I felt re-energized and refreshed. I’m all about amazing skincare and using the right products that my skin needs. I’m a huge fan of the Caudalie brand and their products. Their spa experience is an added plus. The Caudalie spa and boutique was not only relaxing but the ambiance and interior design was so very zen and luxurious. Definitely a place I’d come back and visit. If you haven’t been to the Caudalie Store and Spa you should definitely check it out.

Products I Bought:

Shop the Products I purchased: 

Premier Cru The Eye Cream

Draining Herbal Tea

Organic Grape Water

Premier Cru Elixir

Contouring Concentrate

Divine Oil 

Crushed Cabernet Scrub

When was your last Spa visit? Remember to always make time for yourself. We all need a little TLC every now and then. 🙂  If you’ve gone to a Caudalie Spa or boutique, I’d love to hear about your experience. I love hearing and learning about others beauty tips and tricks. Share them with me by commenting below or writing to me using the hashtag: #SFBBeauty.

As always, thanks for reading, following and supporting me in my journey.

It’s been some time since my last post on my skincare routine. Here is my updated routine with some of my beauty + skincare tips and tricks that are beneficial for your skin and overall health. Sit back, relax and grab a come of coffee or water. This will be a long post, but an honest account on all my beauty, healthy and skincare tips and tricks. Enjoy!

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 I try to make it a daily routine to pamper my skin.  Over the years, I’ve used products that contained anti-aging components. But in the last few years, I’ve began to incorporate more anti-aging products to my skincare routine. Now that I’m in my 30’s, I want to keep my skin, youthful, glowing and radiant. I want to prevent early signs of aging and age gracefully through the years. Research has shown that it’s best to start preventative measures sooner rather than later. When you stick to a daily routines, a well-balanced diet, staying hydrated, getting a good nights rest and listening to your skin the results will amaze you.

Lately, I’ve learned a great deal about many anti-aging products and have been experimenting with products that best suit my skin. For this post, I’m sharing my updated skincare routine, along with my healthy + beauty secrets for anti-aging and much more.

First things first, in order for us to look healthy on the outside we need to be healthy on the inside as well. Leading a healthy lifestyle is vital and important in getting great skin. Fruits, Veggies and healthy proteins contain many health benefits along with acting skin solutions. Skincare products are great for our skin, but we can also find active ingredients within our foods that are beneficial to our health and skin. Below are a few staples in my diet that are also great for your skin too. Health is wealth in my opinion. We only have one body, so we need to make sure to treat it right in all aspects.

Staples for me are:

Green Juices:

• Gives you Energy
• Aids in weight loss
• Great mix of both fruits and vegetables
• Aids immunity
• Aids in digestions
• Regulates blood sugar levels
• Keeps you fuller longer
• Aids in giving you radiant, glowing skin

Fave Fruits: Apples, Pitaya, Strawberries, Mango, Lemons, Watermelon, Bananas, blueberries, Avocados, Tomatos, Pears and Tropical Fruits

• Diets rich in fruit can help reduce your risks of: stroke, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes
• Helps maintain optimum health due to the phytochemical many fruits contain
• 2-1/2 cups are recommended daily
• Most fruits contain Vitamin C helps defend your skin from damaging free radicals
• Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant
• Eating tropical fruits and many others can help restore and replenish your skin stores and helps to give you glowing, radiant skin
• Helps synthesize the Collagen Cells in your skin
• Beauty Booster
• Helps fight and Prevent Acne
• Anti-aging components
• Tightens Pores

Veggies: Spinach, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Beets, and Zucchini

• Helps to give you glowing skin
• Improves and fights wrinkles
• You’ll have healthy Skin when you eat your veggies
• Beauty Booster
• Controls skin tone and oil control
• Strengthens your skin tissue
• Spinach contains anti-inflammatory agents that flush out toxins
• Clears your skin of bacteria
• Fights Acne (Both Fruits and Veggies)
• Helps heals acne scars

Healthy Protein: Lean Meats– Chicken, Beef and Turkey

• Good source of protein and fewer calories.
• Lean poultry has a good source or selenium, vitamin B3, B6 and choline.
• Healthier blood
• More Energy
• Lowers Cholesterol
• Relieves you from Stress [Lean meat has a lot of B-complex vitamins, zinc and Omega 3 fatty acids. An increase in Omega 3 fatty acids protects against inflammation and help ease symptoms of anxiety. This improves the mood and helps people to cope better with anxiety and stress].

Fish+Seafood: Salmon, Cod, Shrimp, Tuna, Flounder

• Important nutrients like protein and vitamin D.
• Best source for omega-3 fatty acids which is important for your body and brain health.
• Lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Aid in increasing grey matter in the brain that protects in brain deterioration.
• Studies show it helps and treats depression.
• Linked to help reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes.
• Helps protect your vision in old age.
• Signs show that if you eat a healthy amount of fish it helps the quality of your sleep.
• Delicious and easy to prepare.
• Aids in giving you firmer skin

Healthy Snacks:

• Almonds
• Nuts
• Frozen Grapes
• Edamame
• Apricots
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Plain Greek Yogurt
• String Cheese
• Protein Bars
• Kale Chips
• Smoothie drinks

First things first, always stay hydrated. Hydration is key. A great way to keep hydrated is drinking water, at least 11 cups daily. There was a time where I too, struggled with this but it’s become like second nature to me. It’s best to maintain the habit of drinking water. I like to make it a habit to start first thing in the morning, during the day at various intervals and before I go to bed. It’s so important to stay hydrated, great for your overall health and skin too. In addition to staying hydrated, it’s great to load up on good healthy snacks throughout the day. Almonds are a great go to snack for me. They contain the healthy fatty acids you need and want for healthy skin and body. They also help to slow down the aging process.

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Now, aside from a healthy diet is my skincare routine. I like to stick to a routine, and staying consistent. Consistency is key in maintaining healthy looking skin. Although, I’ve changed my products here and there I still stick to my routine for both day and night. For me, I like to keep my skincare routine pretty simple. Here’s what I do:

1. Cleanse
2. Toner
3. Facial Oil (both day and night) 
4. Serum
5. Eye Cream 
6. Moisturizer + SPF (Daytime) 

Morning Skincare Routine: 

Cleanse: Sephora Collections : Total Purify & Cleanse Gel or Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel

Facial Oil: On days when my skin just needs extra hydration and moisture (Fall/Winter Months can be used both day and night) Sunday Riley’s Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil 

Toner: Dermalogica’s Multi-Active Toner Spray , Caudalie’s Grape Water and Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir (I also use Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir to set my makeup)

Serum:     Josie Maran’s Pure Argan Milk Intensive Hydrating Treatment

Eye Cream:  Caudalie’s Premier Cru Eye Cream

Moisturizer: No 7 Early Defence Day Cream with SPF 30 Every now and then, I’ll use a tinted moisturizer with added SPF: Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Oil Free in the shade 3C1 Fawn

SPF: Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Gel With Sunscreen for extra protection

Night-Time Routine: 

For the night-time I use products that are richer and can absorb into my skin while I sleep. The majority of my products for the night-time have a lot of Anti-aging agents to help keep my skin youthful, hydrated, firm, and rejuvenated. So, while i’m sleeping they can work their magic. So that when I wake in the morning my skin feels nourished, youthful and well rested.

Cleanse: (For the Fall/Winter Months when my skin needs extra hydration and moisture) No7 Beautiful Skin Age Defense Cleanser  or No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser (Main Cleanser)

Elixir: Caudalie’s Premier Cru Elixir ( Can be used for the daytime as well)

Facial Oil: Boots No7 Youthful Replenishing Facial Oil, for an added boost I use: Sunday Riley’s Luna Sleeping Night Oil

Serum: No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advance Serum

Eye Cream: Chanel’s Le Lift Creme Yeux Firming Anti-Wrinkle/Aging Eye Cream

Moisturizer: Chanel’s Le Lift Creme Rich Firming Anti-Aging/Wrinkle Cream

For Extra TLC Skincare Needs: 

For extra hydration and moisture,  I’ll often use various hydrating mask and sheet mask. My favorite hydrating sheet mask are:  Nature’s Republic Aqua Collagen Solution Ceramide Hydro Gel Mask, Nature’s Republic Real Green Tea Aqua Gel Mask , SKII Facial Treatment Mask , and Too Cool For School Egg Cream Mask Hydration.

If I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, and I wake up with puffy eyes and dark circles— I’ll use some under eye gel mask. They’re great for depuffing, replenishing and reducing the appearance of any dark circles for your tired eyes.  My favorite go to under eye masks are: Tarte’s Pack your Bags 911 Undereye Rescue Patches, Peter Thomas Roth’s 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra Gel Eye Patches and Que Bella Professional Moisturizing Gel Eye Mask.

In the event my skin is going thru either hormonal spells or the occasional flair up. A great mask that I’ve tried and recommend is Ballerina Botanicals Detox Mask to find out more about the product click here. Another favorite of mine is Glam Glow’s Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask. If my skin needs a little lift and brightening I use Glam Glow’s FlashMud Brightening treatment.

Be sure to exfoliate your skin at least twice a week. My favorite exfoliator at the moment is: First Aid Beauty’s Facial Radiance Polish. I also love : Dermalogica’s Skin Prep Scrub and Daily Microfoliant Powder Exfoliant.

Shop all my skincare products by clicking on the product listed.

If you missed my skincare routine and the products I used click here to read all about it. I hope you enjoyed this post and hopefully it will be beneficial for you. It’s best to always listen to your skin, and give it the TLC it deserves.  Please do share your beauty tips and tricks. I love learning, experimenting and hearing from you. Feel free to comment below and share your photos using the hashtag: #SFBBeauty.

What are some of your beauty tips?

What product(s) would you use?

As always, thanks for reading, following along and supporting me in my journey.

Today I’m talkin’ about skin and telling you all about Ballerina Botanicals.

Every now and then life can be exhausting… Not only does it take a toll on your body, but your skin as well. While trying to juggle work, travels, and time with my husband, friends and family, I always try and make time for myself and my skin.

If you don’t know by now, one thing to know about me is that: I like to take good care of my skin + body. While I strive to live a healthy life, I like to do the same for my skin. When you eat right, exercise, it’ll also show in your skin as well. Leaving you with radiant, glowing healthy skin. With a little help from the right skincare products. If you haven’t checked out my skincare routine head on over to that post and check out my 11 steps to keeping my skin clean, fresh, hydrated and rejuvenated. My updated skincare routine is coming to the blog soon.

Today, I want to tell you all about this organic and holistic skincare company: Ballerina Botanicals. Ballerina Botanicals is an organic skincare company that strives to keeping skincare simple and natural. Their holistic approach to life is simple, same goes for their products. They stir clear of any harmful toxins and other chemicals that half the time we can’t pronounce. All their products contain 100% pure therapeutic essential oils and are all organic based. They use only the best of the best for their product and they strive to keeping their brand and products cruelty-free and toxic-free. I love how they believe that less is truly more and that what they strive on for their brand and products. I admire their efforts in keeping their products simple, using only organic based ingredients and creating a products that one could really benefit from.

When, Michaelene the owner of Ballerina Botanicals reached out to me and wanted to work together and collaborate. I was thrilled, but also hesitant as well. I wanted to be straight forward and honest with her. My skin is quite sensitive and at times acne-prone. But after reading more about the brand and what they’re all about, I decided to go ahead and try it out. She sent me their best -seller: The Develope Detox mask.

After a few uses of the mask when needed, and as directed I noticed a change in my skin. It definitely cleared up my skin from any blemishes, stress related marks as well as hydrated my skin. My skin’s never looked better. I’ve received many compliments about my skin and I tell them about the mask and Ballerina Botanicals. This is one brand and product that i’ll continue to use and recommend. I love it so much, i’ve incorporated the mask it into my skincare regiment, which i’ll talk about in my updated skincare post, coming soon!

Below i’ve listed more information from their website on the product and what it’s suppose to do for your skin, how to use it and the ingredients used in the product.

[http://www.ballerinabotanicals.com/listing/287210183/organic-charcoal-mask-with-bentonite]

What it’s suppose to do for your skin: 

Our Activated Charcoal Facial Mask is formulated with detoxifying, cleansing, and healing benefits. Unlike most masks, ours will not dry out or crack while using it. We use coconut oil and Aloe Vera in this mask to hydrate the skin and leave you feeling revitalized! It will strip your skin of any harmful toxins. Tea Tree oil in this mask makes it great for anyone with oily skin or breakouts. All Natural. GMO Free.

Directions: 

Use 1x per week for best results. After cleansing, massage onto skin a thick layer and leave it on for 20 minutes. Use our hydrating face cream right after rinsing. Test on arm before using on face

Activated charcoal draws out toxins and pulls every impurity out of the pores making it great for treating acne and blemishes

INGREDIENT HIGHLIGHTS: 

*Bentonite clay absorbs and rids all the toxins that have been drawn out by the charcoal. It is a healing clay that reduces inflammation. It also has an abundance of vitamins and minerals to nourish the skin.

*Activated charcoal draws out toxins and pulls every impurity out of the pores making it great for treating acne and blemishes

INGREDIENT LIST:

bentonite clay, activated charcoal, organic aloe Vera, Manuka honey, extra virgin coconut oil, elderberry extract, lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil, lemon essential oil

For Free shipping on US orders over $75 use PROMO coupon code FREESHIP75. Handmade in the USA. (4 oz glass jar) 

Thank so much to Ballerina Botanicals for collaborating and partnering up with me for this post. All thoughts for this post is my own aside from product information from the companies website.

For more information on Ballerina Botanicals go to: http://www.ballerinabotanicals.com

What are some products that you use? Comment below, I love hearing from you!

As always thanks so much for reading, following along and supporting me in my journey!

3 different hairstyles to try out this Summer

HALF UP TOP KNOT

My go to hairstyle when I don’t know want to do much with my hair. It’s easy and takes no time to create this look. If I have an event, but I don’t have time to curl or do anything with my hair. This is my go to style. It’s simple and easy. Pair it with our Jen Atkins X Chloe + Isabel Bun Cuff available on my boutique now: https://www.chloeandisabel.com/products/H030RG/bun-cuff Available in the Rose Gold, Gold, Shiny Gold, Hematite, Silver or Shiny Silver.

CROWN BRAID 

  (Photos from google, Marianna Hewitt)

Another favorite of mine, and its fun especially during the summer months.  This look can also be worn all year round. I’ve been into thefishtail braids for awhile. But you can do whatever braid your heart desires. Simply, braid one side first, then do the same on the other side. Then wrap the two braids around one another at the crown of your head like so. And there you have it a cute, fun, stylish crown braid. To add more dimension and to jazz up the look add our Jen X Chloe + Isabel, Small Crystal Pave Fan Pin Set now available on my boutique at: https://www.chloeandisabel.com/products/H021G/small-crystal-pav-fan-pin-set. Comes in the colors: Rose Gold, Gold, and Silver.

SOFT MESSY BEACHY WAVES

This hairstyle may just be my everyday look. It’s quick and easy. A hairstyle that can be worn for any occasion. Just by using a 1 or 2 inch wand curling iron. Create effortless curls throughout your hair. This takes me no more than 5 to 7 minutes to curl. Finger comb or comb out the curls so they are loose. To finish off the look spritz, a finishing spray. I use Curl keepers Beach Mist. There you have it an effortless, stylish, look that can we worn all the time.

To add to the look you could add our Split Headband :https://www.chloeandisabel.com/products/H031RG/split-headband available in: Rose gold, Gold, Silver and Hematite. Or even our Hammered

Crescent Hair Comb: https://www.chloeandisabel.com/products/H022GH/hammered-crescent-hair-comb  available in the colors: Hammered Gold and Hammered Silver.

If you’d like to see a video tutorial of these 3 looks, comment below!

What’s your favorite hairstyle?

As always thanks so much again for reading, following along and supporting my journey!

HAPPY TUESDAY MY LOVES!!

For today’s SFB Beauty Tuesday post, I’m talking all about HAIR.

Ever wanted luscious, summer ready, sexy smooth curls?

Wish you had those sexy beachy waves and curls all year round?

Well, you’re in luck, i’m talking all about hair with Curl Keeper products. Learn more about the brand, products and useful hair styling tips and tricks that will last you thru the Summer and throughout the year! To find out more, keep reading. #ad #sponsored

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending a Beauty Press event, where I got the opportunity to meet other beauty bloggers as well as various beauty brands, products and their creators. It was such an awesome event to engage and learn more about various products and brands out in the market. There with other beauty enthusiast, bloggers and industry reps, we all were able to learn first hand about each and every brand who participated in the event and much more. There I met, the CEO of the brand Curl Keeper, Steve Torch. He and his team gave me a brief but full in depth rundown about their product line. Now, although I don’t have curly hair, I can say that my hair does have somewhat of a wave, or so I’ve been told by my stylist. But being Asian, my hair is typically sleek, smooth and straight, with a slight wave. For years, I’ve found it hard for my hair to keep a curl, but with practice, I’ve learned to master the style. After learning from my stylist and various youtube videos I’ve learned to master how to obtain a wave or a curl using certain hot tools and products. But I still run into the problem where my curls loosen up and fall easily, but that’s normal due to my Asian hair texture.

 When I do style my hair using a curling wand or iron,  I’m always looking for products that will:  A). Hold my hairstyle throughout the day and longer,  (that’s a plus), B) A product that doesn’t have a strong scent, no harsh chemicals,  C) Products that won’t make my hair feel hard or stiff, and D) A product I can trust and use for years.  And after meeting Steve and learning about Curl Keeper, he gave me some products to try out. Out of all the products, what caught my eyes were the H2O Bottle : The Best Water Bottle for Fabulous Curls and their Beach Mist spray.

And after using these two products, let me tell you the results were AMAZING! I normally use a few  (typically 6 different) products in order too keep my hairstyle to stay in tact, and last. And luckily I’ve been able to keep my curls as long as 2 days or until I wash my hair, but the longest maybe for 3 days. And this is with using a few products to keep my curls in tact and long-lasting.  But after using the Curl keepers: H20 Bottle and their Beach Mist spray, my waves and curls lasted and kept their curl and style for a good couple of days. And besides my heat protection spray, I used only these two products, and I was so thrilled and HAPPY with the outcome. An added plus, the beach mist spray smells ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!

Back in May, my husband and I took a trip to the Bahamas for a little getaway and some fun in the sun. And not only did I want to get a fresh golden bronze tan, I wanted those luscious beach waves too, all day -everyday. I mean who doesn’t, am I right?!?! 🙂   So, I brought my trusty 2 inch barrel curling wand and styled as normal. After styling my hair, I gave my locks a few spritz of Curl Keepers: H2O to loosen up my curls {so they weren’t tight} so they looked like natural- flowing waves. Last step, is I gave my hair a few spritz of the beach mist spray all over and then gave my curls a little scrunch and flipped it down twice to give it more volume and bounce. My hair literally stayed wavy, and I achieved the natural-looking beachy waves style which lasted for a solid 2 days. I’m sure it could’ve lasted longer but I washed it out after being on the beach, and the pool. My hair had so much volume and bounce, I absolutely loved how it looked and felt. My husband loved the look, and he too, thought the beach mist spray smelled fantastic as well. And I achieved this look with just those two products. Nothing makes me happier when I can use less products when styling my hair.  I fully believe the phrase, “Less is more,” and in this case, it’s so TRUE!

Since I travel often, I love how Curl Keeper offers travel size products as well. SUPER convenient, and an easy pack, great for those on the go days as well.  Let’s just say I’ve already gone through 2 travel size bottles and now I’m almost done with my full size. So, that can only further tell you that I LOVE this product and I know you will too. I’ve mentioned Curl Keepers: Beach Mist Spray on my “Faves List,” it’s clearly a favorite for a reason. Curl Keepers products are: safe, affordable and have worked wonders on my hair and I know it will for you too. Especially when I want those luscious beachy waves. Whoever said that those who didn’t have curly hair couldn’t, were SO WRONG! Curl Keepers Beach mist spray promises to: ” Drastically improve the moisture balance that is essential for creating volume, bounce and strength to your hair. With 84 trace elements that are brewed from Pink Himalayan Crystal Salts, these energizers work like electrolytes drawing moisture from the air to your hair and skin” (Curl Keeper, formulated by Jonathan Torch). 

And because I LOVE you all so much, and I only share true and honest products that I’ve tried and trust. This is one that I KNOW will be a fave for you this Summer too! I’ve partnered up with Curl Keeper and we want you all to try their Beach Mist spray as well as other exclusive products from their brand. You can also shop and find Curl Keeper products at Target but shop their website and use my exclusive code: “SFB16” and receive 15% off your order from now until July 31st. Go to:frizzoff.com and get your hair on now!

STYLING TIPS AND STYLES:

*Use a 1 or even a 2 inch barrel curling wand or iron

* Separate your hair into sections so that it’s not overwhelming when you go to curl your entire head

 * Remember to curl outwards and for added texture and dimension for each curl/wave curl the opposite way from the way you curled your previous curl.

* If you don’t want a full head of curls/waves you can curl every other pieces of your hair instead of your entire head. You can still achieve the beach waves look. This style is just more effortless and more messy. But hey who doesn’t love that kind of hairstyle, especially when it looks so natural and effortless as if you woke up with hair like that. So ROCK the look!!

Whatever way you decide to curl your hair, spritz a few sprays of the H20 water to loosen up the curls a bit and finish off the look with the Beach mist spray. For body, volume and bounce, flip your hair down and spray the beach mist to your hair. Then flip your hair up and fix and style as you desire. Then give it a little scrunch on each side and there you go. Effortless, sexy, summer beachy hair.

For more styles and ideas head over to: www.frizzoff.com/videos.aspx 

there you’ll find more tips, tricks and so much more.

As always thanks so much for stopping by, reading and following along in my journey!

So much LOVE TO YOU ALL! HAVE A (BEAUTY)-FULL DAY!

Looking for the perfect shade of Pink, Coral and Nude for the summer. Look no further, here are my fave shades of lippies for the summertime.

For me when it comes to purchasing a lipstick shade I look for:

* Killer colors and shades, something that goes well with my skin tone

* Something out of the ordinary, I LOVE to have fun with colors

* Something different from those in my collection

* Moisturizing and Hydrating products

* And if they are Matte shades, long- lasting products

* I love colors that POP

As for these beauties, these have been my go-tos for the summer months. The color Pink, blush, nude and corals has grown on me over the years and I just love how the colors look on me. Especially blush tones, they look great with my skin tone tone and I feel like the color can compliment just about anyone. Another reason to love these colors!! 🙂

TOM FORD SCANDOLA MOISTURECORE LIP COLOR

 I discovered this shade at an Exclusive VIB Rouge event for Tom Ford. And after trying out the color I just knew I had to purchase it. It’s the perfect nude with a hint of Pink and blush that adds a nice touch to your lips. Nothing to bright or overpowering. Just the right shade for something everyday or even for a night out . I would suggest wearing this lip if you want a hint of color and a pretty nude pink lip if your wearing a heavy eye make-up. It’s also a great color to wear on its own, the possibilities are endless.  This was mentioned in my favorites post, it’s a fave for a reason!! Check it out, tag me in a photo and let me know your thoughts on this perfect shade for the Summer.

 WHERE TO BUY IT: http://www.sephora.com/moisturecore-lip-color-P407305?skuId=1813583&icid2=D=c6:products%20grid:p407305

The perfect shade of nude with a hint of pink for the summer. Not only is it an amazing color, it’s also lightweight and super moisturizing. And it stays and last for HOURS.

PRICE: $ 55.00

NYX EXTRA CREAMY ROUND LIPSTICK IN SHADE 626 VITAMIN

I found this drugstore find at Target 2 maybe 3 years ago and it’s been a fave ever since. NYX is one of my favorite brands, not to mention it’s an affordable brand. I love how versatile NYX is and how innovative they are with their products. It’s the perfect shade of coral and pink mixed together in one. I call this my party lip. I love wearing this during the summer months, it just screams SUMMER and the perfect coral pink for a daytime look or even nighttime glam. I tend to do very minimal makeup during the Summer months because in NYC it’s steamy hot and I don’t want all my make up to melt off lol. So this gives me the right amount of POP and COLOR to  brighten up my face.

 WHERE TO BUY IT: http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/extra-creamy-round-lipstick/NYX_006.html?cgid=lipstick

PRICE: $4.00

CHANEL GLOSSIER GLOSS IN SHADE 297 SWEET BEIGE LEVRES SCINTILLANTES

I love this sheer moisturizing gloss. It’s an all time fave and I actually use it all year round. I don’t just limit it for the summer months. I love it so much I got through it fast that I’m buying it again and again. Sheer but gives you just enough color with a pop of shine if you want to try something that isn’t a lipstick. Super moisturizing and hydrating for the lips.

WHERE TO BUY IT: http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/makeup-lipgloss-levres-scintillantes-88721/sku/88755?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=FB_PLAMakeup424123889_en_US_&WT.mc_t=sea&gclid=CJGQxcqtvM0CFUxZhgod1tACNw

PRICE: $30.00

MAC’S LIPSTICK AA1 HALF AND HALF

This lipstick right here has been in my collection for YEARS! It’s the perfect nude for any occasion. I often use this in combination with the Chanel Glossier Gloss in shade 297 to give an added effect and shine to my lipS when I get all dolled up. I don’t think I could ever NOT love this shade. Some say its a nude but to me goes on like a nudey pink. It has hues of pink in it as well. But I HIGHLY recommend this shade to anyone and everyone.

WHERE TO BUY IT: 

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/13854/310/Products/Makeup/Lips/Lipstick/Lipstick#/shade/Half_%27n_Half

 PRICE: $17.00

BOBBI BROWN LIP COLOR IN SHADE 31 COCOA

This lip shade may be outside of the “pink” color shade realm but it has a hint of it and it’s a fave so I thought to add to the list. This lipstick I feel you can get away wearing it all year round, and I admit I do wear it all year round. I found this shade years ago while shopping at Sak’s Fifth Avenue with my Mom while trying to find a new lip shade for her. But when I saw this color I immediately said YASSS!! It’s a bit deeper than your average nude or pink color, possible leaning towards a maeve or brown. A beige plum brown as described by Bobbi Brown herself. To me depending on what season it may be it’ll look like a deeper tone in the Fall/Winter months and in the Spring/Summer months it’s looks more like a plum, pink shade. But when I wear this lipstick sometimes I tend to use a lighter shade underneath using either a pencil or lip shade to line or fill in my lip first then use this on top. It gives my lips a fuller look while giving off the ombre effect. I just like being creative when using make-up. Make-up is so fun to play around with, experimenting with different colors is one of my favorite thing to do. I enjoy experimenting and working with colors and make-up and creating art on my face or clients faces for many to admire.

WHERE TO BUY IT:

 https://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/product/2342/7524/Makeup/Lips/Lip-Color/Lip-Color

PRICE: $27.00

NAR’S SATIN LIP PENCIL IN THE SHADE ISOLA BELLA

Now, I will admit I have a tendency to over line my lips sometimes… I have my Kylie Jenner moments.  But who doesn’t, i’m not afraid or ashamed to rock the look, and neither should you. This Satin Lip Pencil can give me the Kylie Jenner lip  giving me a pretty shade of blush pink. It compliments my skin tone and I’ve gotten a lot of compliments with this lip color. I either wear it alone or line and use one of my lipstick shades to add dimension and depth to my lip look for that particular day. But I  tend to use this on the days when I don’t wear a lot of eye make up and just want a pop of color to brighten up my face for the day. This is just great all on its own. It’s long lasting, moisturizing and hydrating for your lips.

WHERE TO BUY IT: http://www.narscosmetics.com/USA/isola-bella-satin-lip-pencil/0607845092025.html?cm_mmc=SEM-_-Google-_-NRE_G_USA_PLA_PLA_SHOPPING-_-PLA&gclid=CPihsvmxvM0CFcdehgodMLUFFQ

PRICE: $26.00

YSL ROUGE VOLUPTE SHINE IN SHADE 15 CORAIL INTUITIVE

I discovered this shade just last weekend while at the Sephora store with my Mom. Sometimes when you aren’t looking for something at that moment for yourself you tend to find something that you may actually like or even love. This is what happened when I was looking for a new lipstick shade for my Mom. I was telling her about the YSL Rouge Lip shades and I wanted to get her a new shade for the summer and just in general. In process, I too found this particular coral pink shade thats SUPER hydrating, moisturizing and so pretty. The color stay isn’t as long as I would like, but the hydrating and moisturizing benefits are two pluses in my book. But the color won me over, so I was definitely a keeper.

WHERE TO BUY IT: http://www.yslbeautyus.com/rouge-volupte-shine/3365440237612.html?gclid=CKDJr4ipvM0CFQxahgodklYM3A&cm_mmc=cpc-_-googleSearchBrand-_-YSL%20Make%20Up%20-%20Ph_Product%20-%20Rouge%20Volupte-_-kw%3A%20ysl%20rouge%20volupte%20shine

PRICE: $37.00

Nailed it with Red Carpet Manicure! 

Just discovered this nail company not too long ago, and I must say they are the real deal. When Red Carpet Manicure reached out to me to collaborate together, I was thrilled! One of my favorite things to do is experiment and try out different products. I also love changing up my nail polish and seeing what works, what last etc…. After trying out RCM products, I soon discovered the amazing quality of the brand and how long-lasting the product stays. I love gel polishes that last longer than the average nail polish. Especially if I have an event or something special to attend, I don’t want to go to the nail salon again and again for a chipped nail or polish. Which is why I love gel nail polish, because it last for over 3 to 4 weeks. But RCM polishes lasted me even a week longer than most gel nail polishes, which was amazing. And perfect, because my nails looks gorgeous even after they had grown out.

Thanks to Red Carpet Manicure my nails dazzled all summer long! Even for holidays, I like to get a little festive. Thanks to Red Carpet Manicure, my nails  sparkled with pride for the 4th of July. If you haven’t tried Red Carpet Manicure, I highly recommend that you should. You can find Red Carpet Manicure products at an Ulta near you or shop directly from their website: http://www.redcarpetmanicure.com.

Thanks to Red Carpet Manicure’s for partnering and collaborating with me on this post. All thoughts are my own. #RCMNailedIt

As always, thanks for reading, following along and supporting me on my journey!