It's April Favorites Time !

Ahhh! I'm so excited to share this month's favorites with you guys because I am absolutely LOVING these products! Lets get right into it :)

1. Yes to Blueberries Facial Towelettes 

I previously mentioned these in a blog, where I gave a bit of a more thorough description of how these work. They are used to gently remove makeup, dirt and oil, and they definitely do just that. I switched up my normal Neutrogena Night Calming makeup removing wipes for these this month, and I have yet to be sorry that I did. They smell great, work great and don't leave that oily film on your face (that my Neutrogena ones do) after using them. They say there is no need to wash your face afterward, and you truly feel like there isn't! You can find these here!

2. LA Splash Creamy Shadow Base

While at IMATS, I picked up two of these eyeshadow bases to give them a try, and I definitely like them. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any photos of them, but you can check the colors out that they offer on their website which you can access here .  I purchased "Highlight" and "Smoky", complete opposites of each other. Highlight is a frosty light pink color, VERY reminiscent of Urban Decay's shadow in Sin. Smoky on the other hand is a dark frosty gray. I use them under shadows for that added color burst, and love using smoky for smokey eyes :) Highlight can also be used as a highlight :)

3. Victoria's Secret Kabuki Bronzing Brush

 
I purchased this kabuki brush a few months back, and really wanted to get a complete feel for the shedding and usage etc before I decided to include it in a favorites or not. I love that it is dense, the brush hairs are soft on my face, and most importantly, it blends out product well. Turns out, this is now one of my favorite brushes (we all know my ABSOLUTE favorite is my E40 from sigma ;) I use this for my MSF's and bronzers and I find that it buffs out very well for that perfect natural look. I grabbed this at my local VS for under $15!

4. Essie French Affair Nail Polish

*this is not my photo*

The photos of the polish on myself  "mysteriously" must have gotten deleted from my phone, I work with kids, so this is expected lol Oh well, I did however, find this lovely swatch on a skin tone close to my own so I borrowed this from another website :) haha I saw another woman at the nail salon wearing this and she was rather fair and this polish came out COMPLETELY different on her, so let me warn you in advance. I do love the color though. It is a very creamy carnation pink color, if you aren't used to working with nail polishes that are creamy like this, you may experience streaking, its that creamy! I love the opacity of it, and how springy it looks :)

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Flush

To say I love this blush would be an understatement, I adore this blush! After hearing all the rant and rave about it, I went to my local Sephora and grabbed one. I didn't swatch or anything at the store, I simply grabbed the one that looked like something I didn't already have in my collection, which at this point is hard because I have so many! lol When I got home and opened the package, I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only was the color gorgeous on me, but the blush comes with a mirrored lid, which is awesome for on-the-go application. A deep Plumy Punch color is what this reminds me of with SLIGHT shimmers, that I don't notice so much on my skin as to where I feel like a disco ball, I hate that! This blush is extremely potent so a little definitely goes a long way with this, and it definitely lives up to the "lasts super long" hype. I applied it at 1:30 pm. and took it off at 11:30 pm and it still looked wonderful! You can purchase it here !


**I also wanted to include my VS lip liner in Nude in this month's favorites, but I could not find it online ANYWHERE to give your reference as to where to buy it online etc, nor any swatches or even photos of the darn thing! Its so weird....anyway if you're in a VS beauty section, definitely check out the nude lip liner, its creamy and a great nude shade!

 Happy Shopping in the Month of May! xox

Unique Ways to Spoil Your Favorite Woman in the World, Your MOM!

It's only about a week away from Mother's Day and if you are like me, you are scratching your head thinking of what you can do this year that you haven't done in the past! I prefer unique gifts over the ordinary ones, homemade is always the best, and a mother will always appreciate them, but sometimes you don't have the schedule that allows you to create an entire scrapbook of the love you have for your mother, from scratch. When time doesn't allow for this, there have to be other backup methods of keeping it unique, yet still fun and from the heart. Here are some of the things that I would personally gift my mother/grandmother.  Hopefully they inspire you, enjoy!

1. A Year of Wishes Candles

This candle set is so awesome! They come in a set of 12, one to burn each month, and come with one glass candle holder. They are unscented, which is actually great because some scents can be irritable, and the most fun part is that as the candles burn a tiny keepsake charm is revealed! A pair of tweezers to remove the charm are included as well. The candles are labeled with inspirational words such as fun, health, luck, longevity and effort. Along with being so pleasantly colored, these are awesome decorative pieces that your mom is sure to love! You can find these here !

2. Day at the Spa Basket

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I love creating baskets for any occasion. Not only are they super creative, but are completely customizable to the person to which you are gifting, which makes it all the more from the heart! For Mother's Day I suggest creating a Spa basket. Sure, you could go buy a pre-made one, but those aren't as fun to give. For this all  you need is a pretty basket (craft store), some basket filler for the bottom (craft store), and all of the items spa related that you are going to include! I recommend including things like : bath salts, body butters, body scrubs, pumice stone for feet, body loofah, bubble bath, a candle or two, a bath robe (which you can also monogram for that added special touch!) etc. The fun thing about making this yourself is that you can add whatever your mother would like :) This is one of my favorite ideas for sure.

3. Floral Arrangements

Flowers, although you may think are so generic, can actually be quite the opposite. Instead of ordering an already arranged bouquet, head over to your local floral market and choose the arrangement yourself. I do this a lot for friends birthdays etc, because I find that I put things together that really suit the person I'm gifting. If your mother loves a certain color or flower, work from there. You can add all kinds of floral fillers, choose the vase you want, the ribbon, and the card and you're set with a one of a kind, made by you, floral arrangement!

On the other side of this would be getting someone who is talented in the floral department to put together a stunning arrangement. If you don't want to rely on your own creativity, and still want to give your mother the gift of flowers, this is your best bet. Contact a local florist for prices, delivery plans etc. Don't be afraid to shop around, quality is what matters on this special day! If you are in the Northern New Jersey Area, I have a great friend of mine who I would like to recommend for this special occasion. You can visit her website here !

4. Family Photo/Digital Photo Frame

Digital photo gifts are another thoughtful gift where your creativity comes in handy. I can't imagine a mother who wouldn't absolutely love to have photos of their children/family on hand at the switch of a button. For this you can purchase any digital photo frame of your liking, and let the fun begin. You will need to gather a bunch of photos of you and your siblings and or family members. It would be cool to get some really vintage ones maybe of you as a baby :) If these photos aren't already digital copies, scan them and upload them onto your photo frame using the software that came with it. Some frames even allow you to add music! You can really step it up and add music and organize the photos in a manner that it tells a story as the montage goes by!

5. Personalized Cookware/Apron

If your mom loves to cook or even bake (they sound like such mommy things to do right? lol) A personalized set of bake pans, cooking board and or a cute apron may just be the perfect Mother's Day gift. After all the years of your mother warming your tummy and your soul with her delicious home cooked meals, you can show her you appreciate her gift of cooking with these gifts :) You can even spice things up a little more by taking over the kitchen for the day and preparing all of the meals yourself, giving your mom a break! They have some awesome personalized cookware here !

Well there you have it! My top 5 picks for memorable, unique Mother's Day Gifts. It's not about being materialistic on Mother's Day that will win your Mother's heart, but about being creative and from the heart, whatever your budget may be. No matter what gift you give, be sure to seal it with a big ol' hug for your mama, she deserves it!

Hope this helped! To the lovely Mommies all over the world, xox

Haircare From Shower to Out The Door!

This is going to be a complete list of things I use on my hair from fancy days to casual work days. Some I don't use everyday, but I will describe that below. The things like shampoo and conditioner vary monthly since I love trying new things, but this is what I am using at the moment :)

Hair Type: Normal,
Length: approx. 3 in. from my waist, LONG I know! haha
How often do I wash it?: Once every other day
Colored?: Once or twice in the past but not in years
Natural Color: Dark Brown
Curly or Straight?: Straight but a little wavy when out of the shower before styling and drying
Problematic parts: I love letting my hair air dry, but get a some frizz, my hair sure loves frizz!

Ok let's begin!

What I use in the shower:

Shampoo at the moment:

I use this every other day when I wash my hair. I got the Moist one because it supposedly adds more moisture, haven't seen a difference per say yet though. I do love Aussie products though! You can find this product here !

I use this shampoo once on the weekend, every weekend. It is a clarifying shampoo, which everyone should own! It gently helps to breakdown all that hair product and residue that other haircare products have left on your head that may not be visible to the eye. It's like a fresh start every Monday morning! You can find this product here !

Conditioner at the moment:

I picked this up at my local Target and I love it! It smells so good and leaves my hair so soft. Does it help deter breakage? I'm not so sure of that, but overall I do really like this conditioner. I use this every other time I wash my hair. 

This is what I use every other time I condition my hair when I'm not using the Pantene. I love the smell of anything coconut for body/face products, and I really do like that this is a light conditioner (feels like you don't have conditioner on your hair in the shower) but really does its job of hydrating my locks! You can find this product here !

Out of the shower stuff:

Hair Tools:

I use a wide toothed comb to brush my hair initially after drying it with  a towel. I find that this creates less tug and pull on any possible trouble spots, and leaves less breakage. You can find combs like this here !

My Arrojo paddle brush, which I mentioned in a previous blog that has a more in depth review of this, I love! I use this brush after blow drying  my hair dry. I brush through my hair to make sure it is smooth and ready for styling. I also use this brush when trying to secure any fly aways while making a pony tail or putting in a headband. You can find this product here ! They also have a sale on the website that gives you 25% off purchase of $30+ with code HAIRCARE 

I hate that I couldn't find a better pic of this brush that I love so much to show you guys. The one I use is a 1.5 or 2 in. I believe. It uses infrared technology to blow dry your hair in 50% less time, and I can truly attest to that being true. I love that it also leaves my hair straight and shiny, which is something I always look for in a brush. Read more about it here !

You guys know how I feel about my heat tamer spray lol I am a faithful user of this stuff EVERY time I style my hair. I definitely don't experience anywhere near as much heat damage on my hair since using this stuff for the past few years. The heat damage that my hair was undergoing wasn't noticeable until I started using this stuff and saw that I wasn't getting split ends nearly as soon anymore. Anything that keeps my hair healthy is a holy grail in my book haha You can find this product at Target for under $4, here !

A year or so ago, my favorite Hot Pink blow dryer broke :( Truth is I only got it because it was pink haha But onto the next it was for me. The day it let out, I had half of my hair done, so I used my grandma's blow dryer to finish the rest of my head. Let me say, WOW, what a difference this blow dryer made in my hair compared to the other side. It left my hair extremely shiny, and dried it in NO time! I was shocked. This baby packs 2000 Watts, my other one was only 1875, as are most, and although is a little heavier than I am used to, TOTALLY worth it! I love the heat settings and fan power buttons too! Great blow dryer in my opinion! You can find it here !

My Arrojo Creme is a key styling product that I use when doing my hair to go out. On an everyday basis, I try and use as least product as I can, so I don't use this, however I always use it for nights out on the weekend etc. It just gives my hair that extra staying power after blow drying the flips in my layers :) I apply a tiny pea sized amount and rub between my hands and apply sparingly on the ends of my hair at where my layers separate. Smells great and looks great too!  You can find it on the Arrojo Website Listed above for the Paddle Brush and get the same great sale!

Love this Hairspray, it is a bit expensive (I recommended the Tresemme Tres Two one which is highly comparable to this one in my eyes) but I don't use hairspray very often at all, so this will last me FOREVER! I use this when teasing my hair or to strap away those baby hairs that I have oh so many of lol This is definitely a very securing hair spray, which I love! You can find this at any Target store and most Supermarkets!

Ok guys, that about rounds up everything that I have ever used on my hair in and out of the shower lol I hope these mini-reviews were informative enough, I could write for days so I tried to keep it short lol  I am only writing about these products because I use them and have been using them for quite some time and also keep in mind that if you don't have a hair texture specific to mine, your personal results may vary. You don't need to buy expensive things to keep your hair looking its best (almost all of the things above are from department stores or drug stores!) I do however, on top of maintaining a healthy haircare routine) highly recommend getting regular trims as this will also keep your hair looking its best!

Love and Healthy Hair always,

xox

Spring 2011 Fashion Trends/ Fashion Color Wheel

In Art class I remember learning about the color wheel, complimentary colors, warm and cool tones, hues etc. This can also be applied to fashion thank goodness because I was never quite the artist haha I'm going to give you a brief rundown of how to use the color wheel to enhance your sense of fashion, and help you when stuck in a rut thinking " can I pair this with that?".

Color Wheel Fashion:

I actually found an old HS notebook (I save EVERYTHING obviously lol) that had some notes from my art class, and luckily the whole color wheel sch-peel was included! Here are some guidelines to follow when deciding what colors complement other colors well:

1. Colors directly across from each other on the color wheel (ex. blue & orange, red & green)
2. Colors that are directly next to one another (ex: yellow & yellow-green, red-violet &  red)
3. Colors that form the shape of the letter "X" (ex: violet, yellow, red & green)
4. Colors that form the shape of the letter "T" (ex: blue, orange, and violet-red)
5. Colors that form a right angle (ex: blue & red-violet)

Black, gray, & white are hues that can be paired with pretty much anything, as well as a neutral color like brown, that can also look good with almost any color from the color wheel.

Spring Trends: 

Who am I to announce Spring trends right? lol I am no fashion guru, but I do a ton of shopping and spend tons of time browsing through fashion magazines etc, for the simple reason of predicting what fashion trends are going to be popping up soon. When I visited Europe a few years back, I remember seeing so many different styles there that I didn't see upon my return home, for YEARS! It's crazy how far behind the US fashion can be sometimes when compared to European Designs.  The trends listed below are my thoughts gathered from online research, tons of shopping trips, and watching footage from fashion shows displaying Spring collections for this season 2011.  Here's what I gathered:

1. Color blocking (which was actually in a lot last year as well, I love this so I don't mind at all!)

Gucci Spring Collection 2011

Color blocking is pretty much pairing together a series of bold colors that complement each other well by using the color wheel as a guide. As you can see, Mr. Gucci himself clearly used some of the tips about working with a color wheel in fashion that I listed above, didn't he? ;) haha I love what this collection had to bring, the vibrant colors used in this color-blocking technique are just fabulous!

2. Trench Dresses (Burberry is notorious for trench coats, picture this but in a dress form, lovely!)

This wrap style dress, with the signature trench belt makes this a perfect option for sticking within this trend. 

I love the simplicity of a trench dress, I have one from H&M, that I purchased last Spring actually, and I love it. It looks well put together, with that added edge of having a belt. Being cinched at the waist like this accentuates your delightful curves and gives you the perfect waist!

3. High-Waisted Flare Jeans (70's style baby! haha)

Absolutely loving this trend right now. I mentioned this being one of my favorite Spring pieces in a few previous blogs, but I must say it again, the 70's are back (well parts of them), and I'm loving it! I picture these with a nice chunky belt, tucked in button down or ruffle cami shirt, platform shoes & Oliver People's Jackie O' shades. Love it!!

4. Big Bangles (The more the merrier saying meets jewelry! haha)

Although the bangle trend isn't widely visible here, I had to include this photo because the model is also wearing one of my favorite Spring colors, CORAL! Check out her bangles as well, she has about 3 chunky ones stacked high and it looks fierce!

Ever since I was a young gal, I have always loved the sound of my grandmothers gold bangles. She has a TON of them and she stacks them high till no end. I loved the sound they made when she would write something or just move her hands, this is what I think started my obsession with bangles. I love this trend because it touches on something that I already love! The chunky stacked bangles really give any plain outfit some spunk, and add a pop of color where necessary!

5. Flatforms? (Flat platforms)

Marc Jacobs Spring 2011

I know what you're thinking, "what the heck is this woman trying to show me?" ---haha and I thought the EXACT same thing don't worry. I found these while doing some online shopping, and I was taken aback to say the least. At first look, they look like a normal platform shoe, but then I took a closer look and realized that they were completely flat! Picture wearing a chunk of the floor stuck to the bottom of your foot, at least that's what came to mind when I saw this haha Needless to say, from all of the reviews of this shoe, almost everyone raved about how comfortable it was, surprising I know. I will have to see another color/print of this shoe to really decide if I'm willing to delve into this trend this season. What do you guys think of this trend?

Remember, these are just trends, and who really determines trends anyway? I completely encourage everyone to create their own personal style and own it! You don't need to follow a color wheel or any rules to look beautiful in my opinion. I do, however, think its fun sometimes to try new things that you wouldn't have otherwise tried etc., and I feel that trend alerts like this give you some fresh new ideas :)

Fashionably Yours,

Alysea xox

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @AlyseaP !

Game Closet Re-Do Part 5 Grand Finale

Click HERE to start with Part 1

Shot of what our Game closet used to look like...yuck!

 Shot of what it looks like Now...yeah!

I am very pleased with the transformation!!!


(Now my poor laundry room is screaming for some attention)

Game Closet Re-Do Part 4

Click HERE to start with Part 1

One thing that made me sad with the re-do was loosing these precious hand print of my kids...but they had to go to make room for the new laundry room doorway.  *sniffle*

Our handyman was quite surprised when he stared cutting out the new laundry room doorway...he found the wall was made up of 4"X12" boards...this project took quite a bit 

longer than originally planned.  

I guess that's one of the horrors joys of living 

in a house thats almost 100 years old!

Click HERE for Part 5 Grand Finale

Game Closet Re-Do Part 3

Click HERE to start with Part 1

Left Side

 All the board games are hidden behind the curtain

 The white shoe boxes contain card games and smaller games...I didn't want them getting lost among the big board games

Click HERE for Part 4

Game closet Re-Do part 2

Click HERE for part 1

Now here are the Before and After shots...

Right Side

The tote on the shelf above the barn contains the toys.
The next tote up contains all the school supplies.
The next tote has wooden building blocks and above 
that is the tote of hard plastic animals.
Notice the jar of crayons and the jar of markers...

The wooden soldiers are a treasure from my Mom.


The items in the candy jars used to be 
all jumbled up in a small metal bucket.
I love the colorful and fun way they look now!

Click HERE for Part 3

Game Closet Re-Do part 1

Part of our redecorating and remodeling was moving the laundry room door from the RoseRoom to the game closet which was just around the corner.  I disliked the fact, that whenever anyone came into our home the first thing they saw across the room was our laundry room...even though it had a door it was a glass door and usually open.

View from Front Door

Since this post is about the game closet, the 'After' picture of this wall will be shown on a later post. (Hint: it looks so cool now!)

These are Before shots of the game closet...

It was a menagerie collection of 

games, toys, school supplies and misc.

 (I know it looks very messy, but this is how it always looked)

Click HERE for part 2

Yes 2 Carrots Celebrates Earth Week by Passing on Savings to YOU!

 
I am new to the Yes 2 Carrots line, however let me say, I'm positive my most recent purchase will not be my last. Yes 2 Carrots is a company that "combines high-quality organic fruits and vegetables with a special mineral elixir derived from the Dead Sea to nourish and hydrate naturally". That being said, why wouldn't I trust putting this on my face, the part of my body that is seen daily?! There are four different "Yes 2" brands at the moment. They include: Yes 2 Carrots, Yes 2 Blueberries, Yes 2 Cucumbers and Yes 2 Tomatoes. (There is also a Yes 2 Baby Carrots for your little ones)

I purchased the Brightening Facial Towelettes this past weekend for about $7.50 as an alternative to my favorite Neutrogena Night Calming Face wipes. The Blueberry line is supposed to fight the signs of aging, and I know, at only almost 24, I don't really have signs of aging per say yet, BUT I LOVE blueberries, so I opted for these anyway :) They are supposed to improve skins firmness and diminish fine lines etc. Although I haven't noticed any of that...yet, I am definitely loving this product. It comes in a convenient pack of 30 moist towelettes. They are scented like fresh blueberries, now don't confuse this with that blueberry candle that you come across in the mall, I mean FRESH blueberries, so that's kind of more of a subtle scent, which I love.  You definitely feel like you are putting something natural on your face as you wipe away light makeup and dirt and oil from your face. I love that it doesn't leave an oily residue afterwards, like some other face towelettes do. The only drawback I can find is that it is not going to completely remove a full face of makeup. It will however do the job for some light makeup and I love the feeling of a fresh face afterward, which this definitely gives! All in all I would definitely recommend these if you are looking for an all natural way to cleanse your face via moist towelette :) These are also offered in Cucumber.

What's The Hype About? :

• 99% Natural
• Biodegradable & FSC Certified
• Dermatologically & Opthalmologically Tested
• Oil-free, non-comedoenic, hypoallergenic

 Let's get onto the savings: 

This week is Earth week, and that being said, of course an Earth Friendly company is going to reward those who also want to go a more organic route :) This week, on the Yes 2 Carrots website, which you can access by clicking here, fill up your bag with all the 99% Natural goodies you want, (may I recommend the lip products, love them!) and Enter EARTH at checkout to receive 25% off all of the products sitewide :)

To learn more about what the Yes 2 Carrots Company is doing for our environment AND our children, check out what they're up to by clicking here !

Enjoy this savings and stay smiling :)

xox

80% of Women Wear the Wrong Bra Size! Are You One of Them??

 Did you know that 8/10 women are wearing what they "think" is the right bra size, but its actually not? I am a victim of this myself, so if this targets you, don't worry you're not alone! It is very easy to think a bra fits if it keeps your ladies in there securely, but there is way more to it than just keeping them in there. Not wearing the correct bra size can be very harmful and painful in the long run. Some of the negative things that can come from wearing a bra that is either too big or small on you are:

1. Back pain
2. Abrasions on your shoulder area from straps that are too tightly adjusted to compensate for heaviness
3. Headaches
4. Tingling in your arms and or neck
5. Breast pain and trouble catching your breath.

These things may seem a bit extreme, but if something doesn't fit, it just doesn't fit and these things an ALL happen if not treated properly. The same way women get "muffin top" with pants that have a waist that isn't adjusted to fit properly, women can get "muffin breast". This is when the cups of your bra are too tight around your breast and cause a bulge, sadly I see this VERY often and I think to myself, "doesn't that women feel any type of pain?!". 

The CBS Interactive Business Network published an article a few years back stating a few signs that you are not wearing your proper size bra. They listed :

1. Spillage -If your breasts spill over the top or sides of your bra, increase the band and/or cup size.
2. Puckering -If cups wrinkle or pucker, choose a smaller size.
3. Riding up- A bra should fit snugly. If it creeps up in the back, trade it in for one with a tighter band.
4. Jutting- The under-wire isn't flush against your rib cage; it should be.
5. Grooves- If straps dig into your flesh, try a style with wider straps or a different cup size -- either bigger or smaller.

Now that you are probably thinking, "wow one or all of those apply to me", let's show you how to FIX it!

You don't have to rush into your nearest bra store to get measured, although after measuring yourself, you may find yourself there buying a whole new size haha It is an easy few step process that you can do right in your own home. There are many different techniques to doing this, I however, have found that this is the easiest one that works for me. All you need is a tape measure that can easily wrap around your body (or even use a string!).

1. You can throw on a comfy bra, nothing with rhinestones or lace ladies lol something comfy and one that doesn't give you an absurd amount of fake cleavage. I often don't even use a bra, but one of those workout camis or a sports bra for this step as I feel it gives me the closest to truth measurement.

2. Next you want to measure around your entire back. For this I take the measuring tape and wrap it around my rib cage directly under my breasts and all the way around my back. Write down those measurements and add 5 in. You now have your chest size.

3. Now to measure your cup size, wrap the measuring tape around your back again, but this time meeting in the front at the fullest part of your breast, which is often the middle. Write down those measurements.

4. Here's the fun part, I'm sure at this point you have noticed the difference in the cup and chest measurements. The larger the difference, obviously the larger your bra size is going to be. Subtract the two measurements and with that number you are going to do a little matching with the chart I give you below.

If you have gone: 

up to 1/2 inch = AA
1/2 to 1 inch = A
1 inch to 2 inches = B
2 to 3 inches = C
3 to 4 inches = D
4 to 5 inches = DD/E

continue in this pattern if you exceed a DD/E.

I really hope this helped you all, wearing the wrong size bra is not only uncomfortable but totally UNNECESSARY! Be proactive in always maintaining your health as a woman, a strong minded, healthy woman is something we should all strive for :)

xox