My name is Natalie, and I'm a lifelong fashion hound/beauty product junkie who used to get paid to feed my passions as a fashion and beauty editor. Now a stay-at-home mom and freelancer, I hope to dispel the myth that style must be sacrificed upon welcoming the small set. Read on, and quickly discover that regardless of your discretionary income, free time, ZZZs, or lack thereof, looking and feeling fabulous can be oh-so simple.
Yours truly is officially eight months teetotal. I have reveled in four different vacations; enjoyed various concerts, holidays and sporting events; and celebrated my 39th birthday, 10th wedding anniversary and 35 Friday nights 100 percent sans the sauce. Yep, no margaritas on the first day of vacay, no Veuve on the anniversary, no bloodies at brunch, no sauvignon blanc to unwind before bed. And a month from now, I will accompany my husband to his high school reunion, mocktail in hand. But please donât feel sorry for me. I feel free.
Birds on Edisto Island, SC
I have given booze the boot and am finally to a place where I donât feel one bit deprived or ashamed. In giving up alcohol, I have gained more benefits than I could have ever imagined. Especially more calmness.
It wasnât easy at first. Trust me. I went through a mourning period. Like anyone after about 20 years of drinking, it was easy to tie alcohol to all sorts of situations, and hard to picture those situations without it. It was how I soaked up blissful sunny days or got through blizzard shoveling. It was how to watch football, how to unwind after a stressful day, how to cut it up on the dance floor at a wedding, how to celebrate a big birthday or accomplishment, and a loyal cooking companion.
I worried about not being as fun, outgoing or relaxed. Iâve always been a shy one. What would parties be like without pre-gaming?
Ready to rule giant Jenga
I envied other people who could drink normallyâtake-it-or-leave-it people who didnât scrutinize the size of the pour, who could stop at one glass or leave an unfinished glass on the table. People like my husband, who is famous in our family for his abandoned beers.
Yet thanks to a supportive family, especially my amazing hubby, various books (particularly âThis Naked Mindâ by Annie Grace, âThe Unexpected Joy of Being Sober,â by Catherine Gray, âThe Sober Diariesâ by Clare Pooley and âMrs. D is Going Withoutâ by Lotta Dann) as well as boss sober bloggers like Laura McKowen, Holly Whitaker and, especially, Kate Bee of The Sober School, my mind has been put at ease.
When starting down the sober path, I soon realized that I was not alone in my desire to do so before having a big rock bottom moment. I also realized that there is no shame in wanting to give up an addictive substanceâno matter how highly functioning someone is, and regardless of how highly regarded alcohol is in our society.
A friend recently shared, âChoosing to drink today is choosing to steal joy from tomorrow.â That sums it up for me. I may have still gone to HIIT classes the morning after drinking way more than I had planned, and not missed any deadlines, but that doesnât mean it wasnât a bit rough. I didnât fully realize just how rough it was until I started doing those classesâand lifeâwell hydrated and rested.
A dreamy morning run on Edisto Island with my man
Annie Grace, bestselling author of âThis Naked Mind,â recently celebrated the 100th episode of her This Naked Mind podcast. In it, she and TNM coach Scott Pinyard rattled off an impromptu Top 100 list of advice, learning and insights from their respective sober journeys. I resonate with the vast majority of their clear-headed discoveries. Itâs an hour-long podcast, but if you would like to have a clear picture of happiness in sobriety, take a listen.
Like Grace and Pinyard, since giving up my wine habit, itâs not as if my life has been all sunshine and rainbows. I am still not a morning person. Our AC broke during one of the hottest weeks of the spring. I still get migraines. Traffic still stinks. Bad things still happen to people I love. But I cope in a healthier way. A major sweat session isnât going to bring regret the next day. A cathartic cry, a mug of chamomile, a call to an old friend or some cranking up of the Sonos wonât wake me up at 2 a.m. with a dry mouth and feelings of doom.
These days, itâs not like I never get down, but when I do, I work on it. And, in general, I am much more optimistic.Â
Rainbows are more vivid; the beach, more breathtaking; and I swear exercise endorphins are stronger than ever before. I have deeper conversations with people. Food has more flavor. I have more patience. My sleep is nothing short of amazing; checking out my sleep tracking results is something I look forward to every morning. I donât complain as much; I now realize I had become so negative. If something isnât working, I try to fix it. Iâve lost five pounds. My skin has improved. My eyes are clearer. I get so much more done. I remember TV shows after a long hiatus! I have time to read! (Iâve finished over a dozen books already this year; I used to be lucky to finish one or two.) Simple things like laundry and doing dishes donât seem like as big of a chore. I love the freedom of always being able to drive home or to the store at any time of day; that never gets old. Need a DD? Call me.
Iâm no longer in the early-sobriety pink cloud of seeing everything in technicolor, but the view is mighty fine.Â
My love bugs
This is a not a post to convince everyone to quit drinking. You do you. I truly donât judge or feel bothered by anyone else who drinks around me. These are simply the words of someone who is incredibly grateful to be on the other side of things these days, someone who is amazed and encouraged by her sober friends she met in the process, and who is proud of the work sheâs done to get here.Â
I donât have to take things day by day, hoping my willpower will prevent me from giving in; alcohol doesnât appeal to me anymore. That is HUGE; if you know me well, you know it is. Thank the Good Lord, it no longer has pull with me. I am incredibly grateful for that. And if my words can offer hope to even one person who is struggling with moderating, putting myself out here in this way is worth it. I am forever in debt to the writers I mentioned in this post.
Cosmetic companies can make all sorts of claims, but when their products truly deliver, cue the choir! Here are two recent standouts completely changing my beauty game for the better.
Say goodbye to blemishes and hello to radiance.
THE ANSWER FOR ACNE
Thanks to one incredibly solid acne solution, blemishes can bring it. Friends, if pimples are bringing you down, add m-61 PowerSpot Blemish Lotion ($16) to your bluemercury cart pronto.
Just dip a Q-tip in the sediment at the bottom of the bottle (yes, this sounds weird, but trust me) and apply to blemishes before going to bed. Note: It takes about a minute or so to dry. By morning, donât be surprised if those buggers completely disappear orâin the case of really sore, inflamed onesâdiminish in size incredibly. The powerful solution combines salicylic acid, glycolic acid, colloidal sulfur, witch hazel and tea tree to zap acne away while aloe, licorice root, cucumber and camphor cool and soothe the skin.
Basically, expect a little stinging and a somewhat strong smell (which I actually donât mind at all), but kiss those blemishes goodbye.Â
Willing to pay for the convenience of wipes? M-61 also offers PowerSpot Pads ($24 for a 10 pack), which are also awesome and would be super handy for travel. I received a sample of the pads in one of my orders, and I loved them.
RADIANCE RESTORED
Serums, serums, serums ... the options are seemingly endless, and it can be tough to manage it all. Apply this, wait 10 minutes, apply that, wait again ... So, I say the simpler routine, the better. I want a lot of bang for my buck as time is quite precious.Â
Many would agree that Vitamin C is an overachiever when it comes to the skin, but that product category alone is immense. I had been researching the stuff until I was about blue in the face, but an inexpensive andâdare I sayânatural option kept getting touted for its potency and efficacy. Color me intrigued. That unicorn-like potion happened to be Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum (currently $27.19 on Amazon Prime), and, ladies and gentleman, believe the hype!Â
Mad Hippie Vitamin C serum is loaded with anti-aging all-stars including Vitamin E, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid and more. Most importantly, it produces results, really fast.
Apply a drop or two to your freshly washed face and then follow up with moisturizer; in as short as a few days, you will feel years younger. Think smoother, more radiant, brighter skin, less breakouts and blotchiness, all the good stuff. And somehow the serum, as effective as it is, is also gentle; my sensitive skin hasnât shown any irritation at all. Seriously, I can see why everyone seems to be mad about Mad Hippie! At this point, I donât see any reason to pay almost five times more for Skinceuticals. Thank you, Mad Hippie!
Anyone who knows me knows that winter and I donât exactly jive. That doesnât mean I donât try to play nice and work overtime to keep my spirits up no matter how many gray days she throws this way. A bold cup of coffee or calming cup of tea can do wonders. So can knitting up something fun with some gorgeous yarn, getting super sweaty at the gym or binge-watching Broadchurch. And, of course, nothing beats my little girlsâ bear hugs.
Not surprisingly, as a true beauty product junkie, I also love brightening up stuck-inside days by exploring samples and logging a little extra time in self care. God knows I could use it. Winter isnât particularly kind to anyoneâs skin and hair, especially as we age. I donât feel like Iâm winning the war, by any means, but here are two products that have conquered a few battles.
FOR THE HAIR:
Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment, $38 (5 fl. oz.); travel and economy sizes also available
Photo by Matt Kaar
Turns out I donât just love quinoa as a side or in salads. The protein does wonders for the hair.Â
This once-a-week hair treatment, which is left on for 2-5 minutes post-shampoo before a final rinse, makes my heavily highlighted hair feel super soft and bouncy for days. Itâs not cheap, but a little dab spread from roots to ends does the trick. Iâve had the container pictured above for roughly nine months, and thereâs even more magic to spare. It was worth every penny. Though this restructuring treatment is not meant as a styling treatment, Iâve used a tiny bit of it on my ends before blowdrying when itâs really humid, and Iâve found it to be great for helping prevent frizz and flyaways.
FOR THE FACE:
Kiehlâs Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque, $32 (2.5 fl. oz jar), $39 (3.4 fl. oz. jar)
Photo by Natalie Kaar
I received this as a sample in December and this week decided to look it up on the Kiehlâs site to peruse the reviewsâprimarily I wanted to see if fellow shoppers with sensitive skin had experienced any bad reactionsâand the kudos were aplenty with 93% of reviewers saying they would recommend it to a friend. There were hardly any complaints at all, and they were mostly about having a little difficulty removing the cranberry seeds.
The mask is super easy to apply and dries quickly (itâs to be left on for 5-10 minutes after cleansing and toning). I decided to use it in the shower. Because messiness. I didnât experience any tingling, just a little feeling of tightening, and once I rubbed it off gently with a ribbed wash cloth, I was left with baby soft skin that was glowing like it hasnât in months. Again, something yummy as food was pulling double duty as a star in the beauty department.
I totally believe that food is medicine, and apparently it can also serve as an aesthetician.
One big thing Iâve learned in adulthood: Anything and anyone can change. That doesnât make change easier to digest, however, especially when change involves a lot of emotion or more than its fair share of disparate history.
All this is to say that I understand the ensuing looks of confusion, the pursuance of whether or not Iâm pregnant, the concerns surrounding my general health ... the reactions of shock and awe when I decline wine these days.Â
After all, this shy, overthinking soul has long enjoyed disconnecting from her anxiety, relaxing and breaking out of her shell a bit thanks to good old alcohol.Â
And all was hunky dory until I started noticing my drinking increasing, particularly when I drank my beloved sauvignon blanc. I decided it was time for a clean break, especially because I found moderating to be a bit tricky. Just as itâs easier for me to avoid eating ice cream by keeping it out of the house than by trying to have a sensible portion, itâs easier for me to just avoid wine than to try to keep it to a glass.
Iâve taken breaks from the booze several times, of course when I was pregnant with my girls, and more recently for a couple of months on one occasion and 6 weeks on another. During these breaks, I eventually came to realize that the whole sobriety thing really agrees with me. And it dawned on me that all that Spy Valley and Picton Bay I had been enjoying had actually been making me feel and look pretty lousy despite my otherwise healthy diet and love affair with exercise.Â
So when 2018 commenced, I decided to really go big.Â
I pledged to Stay Alcohol Free for 100 Days. Iâm 13 days in and pumped. Many thanks to Capital Kombucha for their mint lime kombucha that tastes just like a mojjito.
10 Things I Dig About Staying Dry:
I sleep so much better when I donât drink. If I wake up in the middle of the night now, itâs because someone had a bad dream or weâve all caught the latest round of norovirus. Otherwise, no Facebook browsing at 2 or 3 a.m.
I am less anxious. Drinking would help me unwind a bit, sure, but the next day: not so much.
I have more patience. That probably comes with the improved sleep. Everything gets better with improved sleep.Â
My eyes are so much clearer. I have pinguecula (wear your sunglasses, kids), and seasonal allergies, but there is such an improvement in my baseline sclera color now that I kick back with sparkling water, kombucha and chamomile (along with a little de-alcoholized wine and bubbly from time to time). Hydration is underrated. Coach Taylor had it right. âClear eyes, full hearts, canât lose.âÂ
There is less puffiness and blotchiness in my face. The vanity argument for not drinking is legit. Donât believe me? Ask J. Lo. Or your dermatologist.
I feel sharper. I get just about every kind of migraine out there. Being on top of my brain game outside of auras is very reassuring.
I can eat more when Iâm not taking in a bunch of empty liquid calories. Iâm not getting any younger, and my metabolism got the word on that a while ago, loud and clear.
I have at least one less decision to make. Seriously, if Iâve already made the decision not to drink going into a party, itâs one less thing to think about and ponder over as silly as that may sound.Â
Iâm saving money. Youâre welcome, my dear hubby. While kombucha isnât cheap, it definitely doesnât cost as much as vino.
No hangovers mean getting more done. Yay for productivity and quality time with the ones I love. There is never enough time in the day.
Anyway, Iâm not trying to convince anyone else to change their behavior and take a break from the booze but trying to clear up all the questions Iâve been getting as to my why.
Deodorant and anti-perspirant. The duo doesnât get enough credit. If they donât hold up, neither does oneâs confidence. And as temperatures rise, the body staples are forced to work overtime and maybe three times as hard as usual.Â
For some lucky ladies and gentleman, finding the perfect thing for their pits has been far short of a struggle. Buy whatever stick or roll-on thatâs on sale, and theyâre set. For the rest of us, finding perfection among the pits is a bit more daunting.
Add concerns about cancer and other diseases coming from controversial ingredients, beginning with aluminum, in common drugstore options, and things get ever more complicated.Â
If there is a drugstore option, yours truly has tried it, to no avail. A while back, I reviewed a product a little more natural, Tomâs of Maine, which was quite pleasingâat first. The stuff stopped working eventually.
So, back I went to Secret Clinical Protection and the hubbyâs good old Old Spice, two options that work well for me on most days (pre-workout). Yet I was quickly reminded that neither option was a match for mid-80s in the South Carolina sunshine. Back to square one.
Wouldnât you know, during some late-night Facebook browsing, several articles showed up my feed touting Native deodorant as the golden ticket.Â
Photo: Nativecos.com
I was intrigued, yet skeptical:Â âAnother natural brand pretending their stuff actually works.â The problem was, the over 2,500 glowing reviews on the Native website were super convincing. âDefinitely worth a try,â I thought circa 1 a.m., as I ordered a $12 stick of the vanilla-coconut option. Four scents are offered as well as an unscented version, with vanilla-coconut being most popular; vanilla and coconut also happen to be my two favorite scents ever, so easy choice.
Once I got back from vacation, Native had landed on my doorstep (and even though temps were in the 80s, it hadnât melted). I opened the packaging and read the notice that accompanied the stick mentioning that it may take 14 days for Native to work. I warned my husband with raised eyebrows.Â
Always game for trying a new productâeven if my skin is crazy sensitive these daysâI applied Native immediately after taking a shower. At first I noticed the yummy vanilla-coconut scent as I finished getting ready. Then it quickly disappeared.Â
The next morning, before showering, I did a 45-minute tabata class at the gym. As we commenced final stretching after all of the HIIT cardio and strength training, the true test came. I raised my arm up over my head to stretch my tricepsâfresh as a daisy, no smell whatsoever. AWESOME. Could this really be real?
So much for it taking 14 days to work. It worked right away. So far, Native deodorant is downright dreamy.Â
So, itâs been nine months since my last post. Make that nine long, yet super-fast months.Â
Everyone has excuses for getting away from the keyboard. One biggie is writerâs block. I canât say Iâve had thatâideas for posts fill my mind incessantly.Â
Of course, thereâs always the time factor, and, yes, Iâve been quite busy keeping up with my two little ladies, but Iâm sure I could have pumped out regular posts if I had made it a priority. Maybe a little less Netflix and knitting?
Next comes the issue of getting paid to write or writing for oneâs pleasure, or internal sense of accomplishment. Iâve always been very self-motivated, and that has not changed. I love writing, always have, always willâso long as my brain cooperates. (Every now and then, I get silentâor acephalgicâmigraines, which elicit other fun neurological symptoms instead of pain, but thatâs something for another day, another post.)Â
I guess what my blogging hiatus comes down to is big life stuff. Over the past year, my familyâs world has been rocked. And during this, I have struggled with what ideas I want to share, and whether or not they should be shared for the sake of othersâ privacy. Also, Iâve come to realize that when the going gets rough, some of the stuff youâve always been passionate about suddenly seems a bit superfluous.
So whatâs changed? For starters, things have once again started moving in a very positive direction, for which I am eternally grateful. Miracles happen; they really do. This puts my head in a better place to write ... period.Â
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, which connects downtown Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, SC (Natalie Kaar)
Whether itâs research that Iâve recently explored and found to be incredibly eye-opening, or some revolutionary product/recipe that I figure could make just about anyoneâs life easier, Iâm ready to rejoin the discussion.
I suppose I have simply come to realize how many times something Iâve read online has resonated with me, giving me new hope or greater understanding, new perspective or renewed enthusiasm, a much-needed laugh or a cleansing cry. If I can be even a small part of that puzzle, perfect!
Besides, maybe if I swear off nightly Halo Top publicly, I can be held a bit more accountable.
One thing Iâve noticed in my 30s is that I seem to have lost all color in my lips. Seriously, where did it go?! Iâve also noticed that I tend to be sans lip color of any kind when someone snaps a picture of me.Â
Thankfully, a recent Cupcakes & Cashmere post on lip stain inspired me to do something about my own lip slip. While I was worried that the stains would just leave my aging pout looking super parched, I was totally into the whole staying-power thing; that is staying power through not only a breakfast and lunch but happy hourâeven when the mercury nears or enters the triple digits.Â
Determined, I did more research, and blog after blog gave big kudos to Sephora creme lip stain. And at $14 instead of pushing the $30 mark, I figured it was worth a shot. From the first application upon receiving my tube of Marvelous Mauve, I was seriously smitten.Â
The terrific tube was delivered in the late afternoon, so I put it on right before dinner. A tall Guinness and crab-stuffed chicken did nothing to budge the deep taupe-y mauve.Â
The next day we left for a beach vacation, and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to test out the new hue. I would put it on before or right after breakfast and didnât have to reapply until after my late-afternoon shower. And if we were heading out for dinner, Iâd pull out the magical wand and then forget about it until bedtime, when Marvelous Mauve was still there.Â
Total. Game. Changer.
As for the whole moisture worry, not really an issue. And after the stuff is set, Iâd say after a minute or two, you can add gloss overtop with no worries. While from time to time Iâve noticed a little transfer onto drinking glasses, my lips have remained stained.
Now an obsession, Iâve ordered a second, lighter hue with a little shimmer: Infinite Rose, which Sephora describes as a satin golden peach. It is such a fun summer neutral. When I donât want to look too done, this is my jam. My mom, now hooked on the stuff, too, also loves this shade.Â
Below: Marvelous Mauve (left), Infinite Rose (right)
And here is my crew with me rocking Infinite Rose before the 4th fireworks!
Iâm anxious to try more hues. Let me know your faves if already acquainted with the awesomeness! Muah!
Summer is by far my favorite time of the year. Plenty of sunshine, longer days, outstanding fresh produce, concerts aplenty, all kinds of water-related fun, umm, SANDALS and SUN DRESSES ... I could wax on for days about my affinity for this most special season.Â
Actually, aside from the neighborhood ice cream truck that always manages to arrive at the absolute worst times, and maybe a few mosquitoes, thereâs not much for us summer lovers to complain about at all.Â
Then again, if youâre like me and have long-haired little ones, you regularly deal with tangles that are tremendous enough to give Rapunzel pause. Letâs face it: Mixing manes with sand, chlorine, mud, mulch and more can lead to absolute misery come bath time.Â
But it doesnât have to be that way. Â
Meet your new best friend: Â Wet Brush ($7.99 on Amazon).
Ever since I started using this brush for detangling my daughtersâ wet and dry hair, there have been no more screams, no more tears, not even winces during what used to be an incredibly trying task.Â
I even use the magical brush on my own wet hair now, just because it makes things so simpleâand I havenât noticed any unusual breakage.
I joke that this brush may have even added a few years to my life expectancy. Moms and dads, if you donât already have one, get one now, or several. Sanity is as close as your favorite Target or your next Amazon Prime delivery.
That headline needs an exclamation mark if you ask me. Though I have been eating mostly organic (at least at home) for quite a while now, Iâve been a little more reluctant to dive headfirst into the natural beauty arena. Thatâs probably because the first few attempts I made in the realm were underwhelming. Iâve found, for instanceâdonât take away my FoodBabe cardâthat sometimes the skin calls for petroleum jelly, a.k.a. Vaseline.
Still, a few products opened my eyes to the possibilities recently, starting with Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Vitality Facial Serum. And, wouldnât you know, in no time, I was gambling on a natural deodorant! Bold, very bold.
For a little history, Iâve been using Old Spice deodorant/antiperspirant for years. I had to borrow my husbandâs deodorant after I ran out of mine, only to discover that it worked far better than all of the female options out there. Of course, it wasnât a completely solid optionâpun intended. Old Spiceâs dude-focused scents donât exactly mesh with my choices in perfume.
Anyway, I donât know what made me do it, but I gambled on Tomâs of Maine Naturally Dry.Â
Maybe it was my affinity for Avalon Organics. Maybe I was sick and tired of my pits smelling like the forest. Maybe I figured at just $4, it was worth a shot. Then again, it was most likely due to the fact that I was at Target (we all know thereâs something about that store that makes us overbuy).
All I can say is that it actually works! Tomâs has gotten me through spinning class, partnered-up tabata, Zumba, running and more sans embarrassment. To be completely honest, I typically get a shower in the early afternoon, and I apply the stuff then as well as the next morning before my workout, so I canât exactly speak to the 24-hour wetness protection claims. The reviews are pretty convincing, though.
As someone who has never loved the obvious look of foundation, I find myself forever in search of the ultimate imperfection-covering, glow-inducing, anti-aging, natural-looking remedy. Arenât we all? Well, search over! My new BB bestie: Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Cream ($36/1.5 oz.).
Yet another Sephora sample that I tried on a whim, only to discover a soon-to-be staple in my makeup bag! Those marketing peeps there sure know what theyâre doing.Â
Iâve even applied this BB to my mug before major sweat sessions at the gym, and no breakouts! Itâs that amazing that I donât want to leave the house, well, un-doctored. Plus, I was trying to test it out for summer. Wink wink. Tell my hubby that.
(Photo by Matt Kaar)
As for application, just a little pump will do ya. If you are in a dry climate, or have especially dry skin, apply moisturizer first. I realize this news may zap some of the BBâs multitasking cred, but the face creamâs awesome coverage more than makes up for its lack of major moisture.Â
I just saved about $20 in my makeup routine thanks to this winner that comes with 25 SPF yet is sans parabens, sulphates and phthalates. On a good day, I can even eliminate concealer. Happy dance! I canât remember when a beauty product has gotten me this excited.Â
The only downer: It only comes in one shade, which suits my winter skin perfectly, but I know that once the DMV finally gets warm, sunny weatherâsnow in mid April?!âit wonât work for me (even with lots of protection). And the shade offered obviously excludes a quite sizable segment of the population year-round. The good news: Dr. Jart+ does have other BBs that come in various shades. You can bet I will be trying one of those come summer. They get rave reviews as well.Â
Dry Shampoo Perfected: 5 Reasons to Pay for Living Proof
With braids continuing to be all the rage, not to mention warm, sunny weather beckoning us to make our way outside, and stat, second-day hair sounds pretty exciting. If it werenât for that dreaded S-word.Â
Whether referred to as sparkle or sweat, Iâm talking the type of shine no one wants to associate with her strands. When literally soaked after spin or Insanity, we all know a shower is our answer. But if a little natural oil from simply going about the day is whatâs got us down, enter dry shampoo.Â
Still, not just any dry shampoo will do. I say we cut our losses and bank on Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. At $22 for a 4-oz. can, it isnât cheap, but as its name suggests, itâs the real deal.Â
5 Reasons to Pay for Living Proof:
It smells amazing. Every time my husband is anywhere near me when I spray it, he comments, enthusiastically I might add, on how incredible it smells, and I totally agree. Itâs just a fresh, happy scent if you ask me. Still, if you donât exactly love the scent, I find that it wonât compete with other fragrances once it settles into the hair.
It actually works. Talk about living proof. Living Proof dry shampoo leaves hair looking and smelling clean.
It doesnât leave behind a full-of-product feel. You know what I mean. This is my biggest beef with competitors Iâve tried.
It gives hair tremendous body. If you have fine hair, you may find yourself wanting to use it right after a blowdry, for added volume.
It imparts the type of shine everyone strives to achieve. Think glossy, not greasy. Again, you may want to use it even when your hair is super clean.
Now, if the seemingly magical stuff could only get rid of bedhead waves that are more wacky than beachy. Maybe someday. A girlâs gotta dream.
And welcome back! After a year hiatus, Iâve returned to blogging and couldnât be more excited. Thatâs not only because Iâve missed writing on the regular, but I have so many incredible things to share. Of course, there is a whole slew of fashion and beauty buys that have managed to blow my mind since my last prettyandprudent post. And, as I have become evermore committed to/obsessed with fitness and clean eating over the past year, I also canât wait to share healthy, organic, low-carb recipes that the entire fam will devour. The same goes for workout wear, fitness apps and health-related reads that will rock your world.
As for the fashion realm, itâs hard to know where to begin, but as we officially give winter the boot, it's high time we fix what winter has done to those boots, namely our UGGs.Â
Of course, thereâs always the dry cleaner, but for those of us who have several pairs of UGGs in the house, or who, in general, try to avoid paying dry cleaning fees as much as possible (Me! Me!), I highly recommend the UGG Australia Sheepskin Care Kit on Amazon.
For just $22, the set contains a sheepskin cleaning brush and three 4 fl.oz. bottles of:
sheepskin cleaner and conditioner (for getting rid of residue)
sheepskin protector (a weather-proofer to ward off future stains)
Ladies, my black UGGs were looking so salt-stained, I could no longer be seen in them. After gently scrubbing those pups with a wet sponge and a dab of the cleaner/conditioner, my old UGGs looked like new. Once dry and brushed: Even better! I also canât wait to try the protector and freshener. Oh, the possibilities!
Last month our family had Marriott Rewards burning a hole in our virtual pockets and were craving some serious beach time somewhere very sunny. After considering the Caribbean, we ended up going with the Marco Island Marriott in Southwest Florida upon the recommendation of a few relatives. One of our best decisions EVER.
The beach is so huge and gorgeous, with the blue Gulf waters and soft white sand. The pools are too much fun with options that are perfect for all ages; you can indulge in kiddie faves like waterfalls and slides or go for the adults-only pool areas. The poolside mahi mahi tacos are incredibleâate them for lunch about four of five days. The hammocks on the beach ⊠well, youâll have to be pinched so you know youâre not dreaming. The hotelâs Quinnâs, right on the beach, is the perfect place to catch the sunset over dinner and dance to reggae as you wait for a table and the fire dancing show. Post-dinner fro-yo is just downstairs from your room; we also recommend Beebeâs Ice Cream, downtown, most highly.  And there is so much more to be enjoyed ⊠golf, a spa, lots of water sports, trampoline fun. Weâll never forget our super awesome break from this crazy winter and a really busy work season in what truly felt like paradise.Â
The resort will close this summer to be upgraded to a J.W. Marriott property, so it should be even more fabulous soonâwould only recommend a little better beds. I noticed that WRC NBC4 here in the DMV is
giving away a trip
to the fab resort. I didnât pay attention to the details except that it runs through April 24, 2015, but if you can enter the giveaway, you should.
Stat.
Magical memories like the ones below could be yours.Â
PS. Plan at least one breakfast away from the hotel at Marco Islandâs famed Doreenâs Cup of Joe. So scrumptious!
After a recent blissful beach trip to Marco Island that unfortunately included a little sunburn on my 4-year-oldâs shouldersâdespite lots of sunscreenâwe were in search of rash guards for her, Izzy, and my almost 2-year-old daughter, Gwyneth. We got a cool Roxy one on Marco for Izzy, but still needed one for our little. (By the way, major props to the Marco Island Marriottâmore details on the awesome resort soon!)
Anyway, back to the rashguard search, enter the Fairfax Costco with this sweet UVSkinz set (sorry about the open-mouth silly gummy face), complete with skirt and hat, for $18.99âwhich my oldest daughter now wants for herself. Costco also sells this set and other cute ones on their website. Itâs such a steal. The lowest price Iâve seen these sets elsewhere is $23, and thatâs for baby sizes. Usually, they go for around $30 or more for toddler sizes and up.
One way to get over that Super Bowl hangover stat AND bring out your inner bombshell/BĂŒndchen:Â John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray. It's back, babes!!!!!! After 10 years, it's back! (If only my 25-year-old face would come back with it!)
Once you've caught your breath, hurry over to Target to bag up the blue bottle in bulk!Â
A Leggy Girl's Must-Have: American Apparel Leggings
Whether or not they'll admit it, almost every lady loves leggings, or is at least in love with the idea of them. For starters, dress lengths seem to get shorter by the second. I can't count how many dresses I've bought online, only for them to quickly become tunic tops. Besides, take even the softest denim out there, and it can't hold a candle to knitwear comfort. And, any mom with little ones knows that every day can be like an epic game of Twister.
The problem is if you're, say, over 5'10" and leggy, good luck finding a pair that doesn't get mistaken for capris (ugh, cold and unflattering). And then there are those pairs that seem long enoughâor you try to convince yourself that they areâbut before you know it, the crotch ends up about mid-thigh. That annoyance level is right up there with getting the tips of your sleeves wet when washing your hands. The key difference: sitting next to a heater or major draft doesn't do a darn thing to solve this situation.
I had just about given up hope in leggings land, figuring my winter fashion forecast, for better or for worse, was full-on tights territory, then American Apparel had a sale. On leggings. Leggings that multiple reviewers touted for being super long. Sold!
I took a chance on the winter leggings ($38) in black and cotton spandex jersey high-waist leggings ($30) in navy. Perfect! Even though the inseams are listed as approximately 27" or 28," I swear they're longer; they easily go past my ankles with no slippage (for reference, I bought medium, am typically a size 6). If I were to do it over again, I'd buy two colors of the winter leggingsâmore coverage without being thick and bulky, and so warm!
I really wish I would have taken âbeforeâ pics of this bag, but I was way too anxious to restore my beloved Kooba, which was showing so much wear and tear after just one year that I was somewhat embarrassed carrying it lately. But, believe me, Leather Spaâs leather shampoo and conditioner have given my fave everyday crossbody new life--it's almost like new again! And it was only $24 for both of the fab products.
The owners of the New York-based biz have over 30 years of experience in restoring luxury shoes and bags, and it shows. If you have shoes or handbags that arenât exactly aging gracefully, you really should give Leather Spa a spin.
