Hair care- part 2

Yesterday I discussed at length my choices for shampoo and conditioner. I also plugged Aubrey Organics, my choice for all things hair-related. I want to continue that today because I have some other great finds from the site. What good does a good conditioner do you if you hair still needs taming from styling products, right?

I am a curly-haired girl (and I refuse to straighten it- not everyone looks good with straight hair. I just end up looking like a chubby cheeked version of Cher.) So some form of hair gel is a must. But I am very picky- I don't want crunchy or crisp hair. I don't want the wet look even when my hair has long been dry. I want soft, shiny, defined curls that look healthy. And frizz must be kept to a minimum.

Tall order, right? Well two products from Aubrey Organics deliver. B5 Design Gel is a "Styling gel and conditioner in one! Herbal gums and vitamin B-5 (a natural hair thickener) offer body and hold, and Organic Rosa Mosqueta® and other herbs deep-condition and help protect hair from sun and blow dryer damage," according to the website. Mandarin Magic Ginkgo Leaf and Ginseng Root Hair Moisturizing Jelly contains "eight hair-nourishing Chinese herbals, plus hair-thickening vitamin B-5 and herbal gums add up to one superb styling product that moisturizes as it holds. Adds body and shine without weighing down the hair."

It may sound like the Moisturizing Jelly is like a true hair gel, holding the curl, but it is the other way around, in my experience. The moisturizing jelly does just that, it moisturizes and makes my hair super soft. The B5 Design Gel provides a whole lot of hold though. In fact, at the beginning when I experimented with these products for the first time, I went overboard with the B5 Design Gel and got a mild case of helmet head, where each curl was crunchy and crisp. Not cute.

So now, I have determined the perfect combination/ratio of the two (for me and my hair, anyway.) I put a quarter size-half dollar size amount of the Moisturizing Jelly in my palm, add only a dime size amount of the B5 Design Gel, and mix together before applying to my hair. I do this a total of 2 - 3 times, depending on weather conditions, humidity, and how much time I feel like spending on my hair. I also disperse it evenly by working on SECTIONS of hair (like top/front, back/sides, and then I flip my hair over and get the bottom/underneath.) It sounds time consuming, but my hair literally only takes 5 minutes in the morning, and most days I am happy enough with it.

Curly hair is tempermental regardless of how you style it, but if you take good care of it, treat it well with good, natural products, and lay off the heat styling and straightening, it tends to behave better. Another important factor is how much you touch/play with curly hair. When styling, don't run fingers through hair- it separates the hair into smaller pieces, creating more volume. (That is, if you have problems with excess volume, like me.) Once it is styled, touch the hair as little as possible- touching will break the curls up, contributing to frizz. And any curly-haired gal will tell you that frizz is the enemy.

Oh, and Aubrey Organics offers all sorts of styling aids- from hairspray to leave in conditioner to curl activator- to style any kind of hair. And you don't have to be a curly head to use the Moisturizing Jelly, it would also work (in smaller amounts) as a leave in conditioner for other types of hair as well.

Do you have curly hair? Have you been hiding it because you just can't get it to look healthy and frizz free? What do you use (whether curly, straight or somewhere in between) to style and care for your hair?

Hair care- part 1

Going natural and organic is important, but it can be so expensive. It leads you to wonder, where do I begin? I will be the first to admit, there are more inorganic/unnatural things in our cleaning regimen (for both house and body) than there are organic/natural ones. But I make it a point to try an all natural method or product if it is cheaper or comparable in price to the one I was using. I stick with it if it turns out as effective or more so than the method/product I used previously.

And that brings me to my shampoo and conditioner. There are people who buy drug store brands because price is all they care about, those that are loyal to certain brands (like Pantene, Garnier, etc) because they think they work the best, and those that only buy salon brands, convinced they are more effective. I have been all these people.

Then, sometimes those people get fed up with the poor results they are getting with all of the above. Maybe they are intrigued by claims made by people who have gone all natural. But when you get to this point, as I did, you aren't sure where to get REALLY all natural products for hair care. Oh, there are plenty of products claiming to be all natural in drugstores, but reading labels is key. Chances are, if you can't pronounce it, it isn't naturally-occurring.

Having given up on products I had tried from the store, I searched the internet. That is where I found Aubrey Organics.

I have dry, coarse, curly hair with frizzy tendencies, so I chose my shampoo and conditioner based on that. However, they do have choices for oily hair, straight hair, normal hair, etc. Every kind of hair under the sun.

I wanted the products to calm my sometimes itchy scalp, clean off any residue from styling products, moisturize and detangle, and provide daily nourishment. The ones I have tried did all that. I am a huge fan of the White Camellia line, as well as the Jojoba and Aloe Desert Herb line. Both smell clean and herbal- nothing too strong. They rinse clean but still leave my hair soft, and de-tangled. Everything on the ingredient list is recognizeable. I am also quite satisfied with the price, considering the change in results I have seen since switching my products- most of the shampoos and conditioners are $10 for an 11 oz bottle, which lasts me forever. That's another thing about all natural products- since they get the job done right, I don't have to keep masking any damage done to my hair with more conditioner, styling products, etc.

What kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use? Do you buy and use them as a matching set? Do you try to use all natural/organic products?

Troll beads

What would you pay for a bracelet you can make all your own? You can literally have a different bracelet everyday, just by changing the beads on it.


Well that is what a friend and co-worker of mine does. Terrie bought Troll Beads in countless designs, the bracelet to put them on, as well as the necklace, and she has more beads on the way. The middle bracelet on her wrist, pictured above, is made from these beads.

Every night she creates a new outfit, including her jewelry- and it shows. Terrie never seems to wear the same thing twice, and now that is literally true for her jewelry.

But there is a price to pay for individuality. Troll beads are not cheap- the glass beads range from $25-35. Gold beads go for $140-1130! They sure are fun though!

Terrie had lots of great jewelry, however- even long before Troll Beads came along. Just look at this amethyst necklace of hers:



Now THAT is a statement necklace.

Do you like big, colorful jewelry? Do you pick out yours to match your outfit at night before bed? (I wish I did, it would make for less harried and stressful mornings!) Do you like these Troll Beads? Will you be ordering some yourself? Say so in the comments!

Flirty little summer dresses

One of the best things about summer is that getting dressed is so much easier. Just throw on a little summer dress and go. You can dress it up or down depending on what accessories you choose.

One of my favorite places to look for summer clothes is none other than Victoria's Secret. Well, the website anyway, as the store is mostly about what goes on under the clothes.

I did some virtual window shopping and came up with a list of looks I would love to add to my closet right now. Here are just a few dresses every girl needs:

A white dress- so fresh and clean looking. Great with any skin tone, and can be worn during the day or at night.




A shirtdress- a look that screams "borrowed from the boyfriend," which is right on trend right now.



The one shoulder- also right on trend. This one is a no-brainer for date night, weddings, basically anytime you want or need to knock someone's socks off. It bares a little skin without being revealing, and the options for accessorizing are endless.




Peasant dress- you all know how I feel about the boho-chic style. This kind of dress fits right in with that look.




The sporty dress- who doesn't love a built-in bra? This is the kind of dress you can run around, play and flirt in, but it still looks super cute!




So there you have it, my choices for must have dresses. While some of these looks are particularly in fashion right now, I think these are styles it is good to keep around. They can all be reworked easily in order to look more of the moment.

What do you all think? Have I forgotten any?

I tried it- Mixing patterns

I think Michelle Obama has GREAT fashion sense. Whether you agree with her husband's politics or not, you can't deny that. Take this look for example:


The rule used to be that mixing patterns was a definite no- that it would look too "busy." But as The Girls in the Fashion Department put it, "This is such a simple, wearable way to do the pattern mixing thing. She sticks with one color palette, keeps it summery and fresh, and doesn't complicate things with the rest of her accessories."

I wasn't going for the exact same look, complete with pearls, however. I wanted my outfit to have a bit more edge.


I wore a loose, flower-print spaghetti strap blouse from Old Navy, bermuda shorts from Old Navy, and the striped cardigan is New York and Company. Wedge sandals are from Nine West, bangle bracelet is from NY, and the skull-and-bones ring is Lucky. What do you think?

I tried it! the boho- hippie look

I got this dress for- get this- $20. Yes, twenty dollars. TJ Maxx is a treasure trove.

The little bolero jacket is from The Limited- I got it forever ago, but it has served me well.

The bangle bracelets are Aldo Accessories- I wanted some color since the rest of the outfit was black, white and gray.

I wore my gladiator sandals and my purple fringed purse, natch. This is probably the most comfortable outfit I own!

I tried it- the boyfriend shirt

I love the trend of stealing your boyfriend's (or husband's in my case) clothes- I think it looks so easy and casual, and not like you are trying too hard. Almost as though you just woke up late, needed to find some clothes quick and run out the door.

I had such a morning last week, and figured it was as good a time as any to try the trend.

Here is how it turned out:




Now here is my train of thought for the look: I like how Rhianna tucks hers into skinny jeans or shorts. However, I can't wear shorts to work- it just wouldn't be appropriate- and when wearing something loose on top I try to keep things tight or form fitting on the bottom, and vice versa. It is all about proportions and balance for me, especially since I am only 5' (and a 1/4 inch) tall!

So I wore mine with leggings. But then I belted the shirt so it wouldn't look like a tent. I wore flats because I thought heels might hint at the first time this kind of look was around- the 90s- and I wanted it look more up to date. My husband suggested heels would help with the proportions though, so I am going to play around with that more next time...

I am also going to play around with the accessories/jewelry. I only wore stud earrings, my watch, and my wedding rings. I want to layer on more, as Rhianna did here.



I wanted to do a makeup look that was similar to Rhianna's- very simple and light- except for those bright red lips. The lip color here, in case you are interested in trying it out, is Nars Bloodwork. Next time, I think I am going to try a more defined and matte lip.

I got one compliment on the outfit at work, but tons more on the lip color!

Bohemian-hippie-chic style

I am loving the Boho-chic style that is so in right now. I think it just epitomizes a carefree lifestyle. It looks eazy-breezy and casual, so that means the clothes have to be comfortable. Here are some ways to pull it off:

First you need a tie-dye maxi dress.


Then add some comfy, flat shoes or sandals....



Fringe on the accessories is always good (just don't go overboard and wear anything and everything with fringe.)


And wear some nature inspired jewelry! I really like the look of these headbands, too.


Bonus points for sunglasses like these- I have been looking everywhere for the perfect pair...




What do you think? Into this trend?

Flowers in fashion

I have noticed more and more flower patterns when out and about shopping- and I think I like it. This is what I am talking about:

Urban Outfitters


I love beanies in general, and I am always hoping I will someday find a way to wear them with my crazy curls.


I love train cases- particularly vintage or vintage looking ones. I remember having one to play with as a kid, who knows how old it was. I only wish I knew where it was now. This one from UO may not be vintage or have a hard shell like that old one, but it does have pretty flowers all over it and a silky lining! Would look cute for travel or just sitting in your bathroom holding all your makeup, don't you think?

I love maxi dresses in all forms, and this one from UO is no exception. I like the big bold flowers on this one- I don't think small flowers would have had as much impact.


I think flower prints on tops are great. The thing about a top like these is that it can be dressed up or down easily- depending on whether you wear boyfriend jeans or skinny, dark wash jeans, flat gladiator sandals or stilettos. And depending on the jewelry, the versatility goes even further. Wear a studded bracelet and a piled on bunch of chain necklaces and you have a rocker-chic style. Go with some stacked gold tone rings and a single long chain with several little charms and you have more of a girly style. Also, anyone notice the one sleeve black t-shirt up there? Accentuating one shoulder is hot hot hot right now. Isn't it nice when you can draw attention to a little bit of skin without actually revealing much?


This plaid flower headband is so cute- I think it would look great with a plain white boyfriend t-shirt, some slightly destroyed denim, and some simple jewelry. It looks like the flower is pretty big and would be hard to miss on one's head. So since it would draw so much attention, I would keep everything else simple- let it take the spotlight. (Charlotte Russe) The earrings would be cute mixed with rocker-chic jewelry- I think matching up things from opposite styles makes things look modern and fresh, and like you aren't trying too hard. (Urban Outfitters)

I have a feeling about what many of you might be thinking about this dress, because I initially thought the same thing. I had several dresses a lot like this in elementary and middle school. Maybe you are thinking it is very "circa 1990" with it's cut and the small print. Maybe you think the pattern looks like your grandparents' curtains. But I am telling you, this could be very fashionable with the right add-ons and accessories. With the right boyfriend blazer or denim jacket, and some casual gladiator sandals or distressed leather cowboy boots, it would be right on trend. See below for some good options. (Dress, jackets and shoes all UO)


This cardigan caught my eye because it has a very relaxed and drapey feel- very different from the cardigans we are used to from JCrew and Gap (which I love as well!) Plus, it has a print, while most of the cardigans I currently own are a solid color. This skirt is adorable- would be great with a solid v-neck t-shirt. It has the same flouncy cut we have been seeing, but the wide waistband should make it more flattering for a wider range of body types. And it has pockets! I never put stuff in the pockets of my clothes, but it's nice having them, haha.


Do you like the flower trend? Too girly for you? Do you prefer them hippie-style? big and ornate like upholstery? (ha!) bold and eye-catching?