Fitbit

Have you heard of Fitbit? It’s sorta like a pedometer in that it tracks your steps, but it does so much more than that. My husband ordered Fitbits back in December for us. You wear the little tracker during the day as well as at night and it will track your steps, stairs climbed, calories, weight, and sleep. There is an iPhone app that it works with where you can enter the food you eat throughout the day. In addition they have a scale that syncs up with everything so you know your BMI. You can set up weight loss goals and it will tell you what your calories should be for the day to lose weight by a certain period of time. You can also add how many glasses of water you’ve had.

The MOST interesting aspect for me is how it tracks sleep. After having used the Fitbit for the last few months I have determined if I am awakened anytime between 12a and 2a I will definitely be dragging the next day. If I somehow manage to not be awakened during that time I seem to be fine. It’s quite interesting. Here’s a bit of the data on me in case you are interesting in what the dashboard looks like.

ak-fitbit

I will tell you that night of sleep that I’m showing you in the picture…I was not just dragging the next day, I was downright grumpy.

For the record, Fitbit didn’t pay for any of this, we bought it ourselves. 🙂

Dying to Ombre

From the moment I laid eyes on this on the shelf of Wally World I have been DYING to try it. I haven”t come up with the courage yet, but I will. I have pretty much done every thing there is to do to your hair at home previously, so I have no idea why this scares me….but it does. Anyone tried it?? Anyone??

 

 

ombre

For Your Guy

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A while back I ended up with an Anthony for Men sample in my Sephora bag and I asked my husband if he wanted to try it out or throw it away. He said he’d try it. A little while after that we received a package from Amazon with some more of the Anthony for Men products and I was all oh I guess you liked that stuff huh? Turns out he loves it. So if you are looking for a last minute Valentine idea, this might be it!

Anthony For Men Logistics The Perfect Shave

However on the flip side if I get women’s shaving gel for my legs for Valentine’s Day, pissed I tell you, pissed!

Sky High Hair

In Texas big hair is where it’s at, yáll. I was not blessed with luscious thick locks that naturally plump up the way every Texas girl dreams. My super duper fine hair lays like a limp noodle on my head unless I do a lot, I mean A LOT, of jerseylicious style teasing. Enter hair styling powder. I was first introduced to this in the form of  Osis Dust It and while I love this product it’s a little steep for my taste as far as price goes for such a tiny container. Low and  behold I have found an almost identical product for under $5! Got2B Volumizing Styling Powder is the BEST! It gives the same effect of the much more expensive powder for a fraction of the cost. I can sprinkle a little of this at my roots and massage or tease it in a little and voila!

 

GOT2B

Hair Color Extender?

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Has anybody used this as a dry shampoo AND to cover greys? I just read that Jillian Harris of The Bachelorette fame uses it for that very reason and I think I could get on board with that to prolong my color. But would love to know if anybody else out there uses it and what they think….
Bumble & Bumble Brown Hair Powder, Sephora

My Skincare Routine

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I think a while back we all talked about eye cream or skin care of something of that sort but I’ve changed up my routine a bit in the last year and thought I’d let yall know what I’m doing these days. I saw my dermatologist for the first time in YEARS last year and he had me implement a couple of new things. First he told me I needed to start using Retin-A for fine lines and blemishes. I LOVE how using the Retin-A makes my skin feel and, after a couple of weeks, look but I HATE the peeling that happens early on. When I first started using it, my face was peeling off! So I started researching how to not look like I was in a horror movie while I was out and about during the day and still using Retin-A. The first suggestion I found was that I should apply it after I wash my face but also after my face is 100% dry (so like 15 minutes after I wash my face). The second suggestion was Josie Maran Argan Oil. This stuff, you guys, it’s AMAZING! Once I implemented these two suggestions, I had way less peeling issues but still had great Retin-A results. My problem is that I forget to apply it 15 minutes after I wash my face at night because I BE TIRED YO. Anyway, the next thing my dermatologist suggested was this Skinceuticals LHA Cleansing Gel. I was still using Cetaphil from when I was pregnant with my youngest and I felt like my skin could use the change. I’ve used this Skinceuticals alone and with my Clarisonic and it’s great either way. It is expensive but lasts FOREVER because you seriously don’t have to use but a dime size amount. And the last bit to my skin care routine is the Biodroga eye cream. I’m am still loving this and still not having problems with it. Highly recommend.
Skinceuticals LHA Cleansing Gel
Biodroga Intense Moisture Formula Eye Care
Argan Oil

Straight Hair, No Frizz

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Have yall heard of this line of hair products that Jennifer Aniston started using and loved it so much that she is now a co-owner and face of the brand? So obvs that caught my eye because Jennifer Aniston is like my personal hair idol. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a picture of her to the salon asking for whatever cut or color she’s got going on. A ton of times I tell ya…So anyway, when I heard she was connected to a line of products I for sure wanted to try it out. Amazon has a set of the products in sample sizes and that’s what I started with. My kit included shampoo, conditioner, straightening cream and a curling cream. I already used the shampoo and conditioner all up and while I loved it, what I think changed my hair the most has been the Straight Making Styling Cream. Not only does it make my hair straight and smooth but it also helps with the same in both second and third day hair. My hair is very thick and a “not pretty, wavy” if I let it air dry. So I pretty much hate the blow dry process, it takes FOREVER. This doesn’t change that fact but what it does help with is extending my style for longer. Love it!
Living Proof Frizz Styling Cream

The Perfect Pink Pout

I believe I’ve sung the praises of Maybelline’s Baby Lips previously in the shade of Cherry Me (still a great shade for that I just ate a popsicle look) , but I recently stumbled upon a color that I can only describe as the perfect baby pink. It’s like my lips are baby soft AND the perfect shade of baby pink without looking too matte or too…how do you say it… stripper as to me some super light pink glosses tend to look in my opinion. I find myself reaching for this color all day every day this winter. And for under $5 you can’t lose!

LIPS

Hump Day Happy Hour: Wine-A-Rita

Here you go ladies…our two favorite things: Wine + Margs = HEAVEN in a glass!

Beauty Discoveries

I thought I’d share some stuff I’ve used in the last few months either via a sample or I’ve purchased and been using, that I’ve fallen in love with.

  1. Biodroga Intense Moisture Formula Eye Care-I have been on the hunt for an eye cream for what seems like EVER. The problem I run into is that as the day goes by my eyes start burning from certain eye creams. I got a sample of this a while back and used it for a good week without any problems…that was a first! So I bit the bullet and bought it and I have no clue if it’s going to make me look 20 years younger but I figure eye cream that doesn’t cause massive burning is better than no eye cream at all. Right?
  2. Aquage Beyond Shine Spray-I use this when I’m done with my hair, but I spray it in my hand first and then run my hands through my hair.  If I spray it directly on my hair it will look DUUUURTEEEEE and I might as well start all over.
  3. Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer – Oil-Free-I read somewhere that as you get older you will want to use a primer under your foundation so that it falls into all those fine lines and wrinkles and your foundation will go on smoother.  I’ve tried a couple and then got this as a sample from Sephora and LOVED it. I feel like it makes my pores noticeably smaller and my foundation goes on smooth but also I’m not an oil slick by the end of the day.
  4. Redken Hot Sets 22 Thermal Setting Mist-I use this prior to flat ironing my hair.  I like it. I mean there are a lot of different ones out there and I just thought I’d change it up a bit.  Good stuff.
  5. Rosebud Salve in a Tube-I’m a fan of the Rosebud Salve in the little tin, so when I saw this (and I may be behind the times on this being in a tube) I instantly bought it.  It’s always nice to change up the lip balm every now and then and I love the way this smells.
  6. Jonathan Product Weightless Smooth No-Frizz Hydrating Balm-I’m going to venture to say that this product has been LIFE CHANGING. And I’m two for two on Jonathan Product stuff. I think I’ve said this before but my hair is very thick and naturally wavy but not always in a good way, so I straighten my hair when I want to look presentable.  However, living in the Houston area with humidity 11 out of 12 months of the year, straightening my hair can be challenging.  UNTIL NOW! I got this stuff as a sample and I just thought I’d give it a shot and OMG the difference it has made in getting my hair straight and KEEPING it straight once I walk outside is unbelievable.  It’s a keeper.
  7. Finishing and Blending Face Antibacterial Makeup Brush #955 – Studio Line by bdellium tools-I’ve always been the kinda girl that put on her foundation with a sponge, and thought I might try a brush recently and this one didn’t disappoint.  It’s kinda crazy how different foundation can look with a brush as opposed to a sponge.  Definitely worth a shot.