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BILLABONG SAMPLE SALE
During a recent trip to Kauai’s neigboring island of Oahu, these pieces were picked up at the Billabong sample sale. I’m loving the beachy theme and super casual flowy styles.
HEALTHY HAIR
Living on a small island, life is very simple including fashion and beauty. Typically, your first impression of an island girl won’t be on her fashion and makeup but rather her great skin and hair. I’ve recently changed up my normal hair care routine with a routine my hair stylist put together for me. My request was one, I wanted my hair healthier looking than it already was and two, I still wanted it to be very low maintenance and finally, I wanted to keep my normal undone, just got back from the beach look. Here is a list of the products I’ve been using for a month. All of the products deserve an A+++ on performance. The product combination has been perfect for my hair.
MATRIX HYDRATING SHAMPOO winner of the Reader’s Choice Awards in 2011 from Glamour Magazine.
MATRIX CONDITIONING BALM I’ve been using this 2 times a week and letting it soak for 15 minutes before rinsing.
HEALTHY SEXY HAIR SOY TRI-WHEAT LEAVE IN CONDITIONER seen in the October 2012 issue of People Style Watch Magazine page 186.
RUSK DEEP SHINE OIL smells amazing and you would think oil is the last thing you need on your hair in Hawaii but trust me, this product works wonders on your hair. All you need is a little drop. Great for eliminating frizz. I could wear this as a perfume. It smells that good.
THROW AWAY BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Wasting hard earned money on beauty products is very annoying. Especially when the product you’ve purchased advertises one thing and delivers another. Usually when I throw away products, I don’t mention what they are. Today I’ll share images of what I consider to be a waste of money and why. Comments on each product will be under each image.
Your hair has to be between 3-5mm long for the wax strip to pull your hair out. That’s really long for leg hair. Also, once the strip is removed, sticky residue remains on your leg and it doesn’t come off for 2 days. I used this product 3 times.
This concealer is too heavy and very obvious even after matching it perfectly to your skin tone. It’s also very oily.
This product is supposed to prime your eyes so that your eye shadow does not smudge or crease. It does not work and it makes your eyelids oily.
This product advertises on its package shown by images that it will smooth out lip lines. It did none of that. This was used over several weeks.
This product is supposed to instantly matte your face and keep it oil free throughout the day. It did none of that.
This shine control, helps to eliminate shine product did not X out any of my shine. This product was used over a 1 month period.
THE ORIGINAL MAGIC BULLET DELUXE
The Original Magic Bullet Deluxe has become my daily go to appliance since purchasing it 2 months ago. Making smoothies, salsa, grinding coffee beans and grating cheese is something I do almost daily. I love that I can make small portions and have less than a minute clean up time compared to my large Cuisinart blender and food processor that requires more clean up time and is bulkier to use. The motor on the Magic Bullet isn’t as powerful as the Cuisinart but it gets the job done in a quick amount of time if you are making a small portion. I’m giving this As Seen On TV product two thumbs up.
THINK PINK, LIVE GREEN
This fall and winter season, I’ll be using my Think Pink, Live Green bracelet for BREASTCANCER.ORG. Along with my bracelet purchase, I got a booklet packed with information on how to protect your breast health. Some of the info was a review and some of the info was new to me. The following is a little of what was included in the booklet.
Did you know:
1. The breast is a sponge for everything in the environment according to Jose Russo, MD., F.A.C.P., Breast Pathologist and Scientist.
2. Active ingredients in healthy foods like soy are sometimes manufactured into concentrated supplements. These products can contain high levels of ingredients with estrogen-like activity, which might contribute to the development or growth of breast cancer.
3. This I think of all the time…. Many personal care products, such as shampoos, lotions, cosmetics, and perfumes, contain chemicals whose safety has not been fully tested. And what goes on us can go in us.
4. These are the worst and dirtiest fruits and veggies. Celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes and grapes. Breast cancer.org suggests purchasing these organic.
5. The cleanest fruits and veggies with the lowest pesticides are onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mangos, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potato, and honeydew melon.
The online site and booklet is packed with useful information that can be passed on to family and friends. BREASTCANCER.ORG
BEACHY ISLAND HOME DECOR
I picked up a couple of these island home decorations during the summer 2012 season here on Kauai and received one as a gift. All add a beachy feel to my home.
These two candle holders were picked up at Sand People in Poipu.
Got this large glass bottle at a natural beauty store in Hanalei. I love the color against my other beach glass pieces.
I received this as a gift early this summer to add to my other Mud Pie collection pieces. This is a wine chiller and comes with a wine topper. I like it use it for holding my utensils when I’m not using it as a wine chiller during parties.
WHAT’S IN MY AFTER THE BEACH BAG
Freshening up after a long day at the beach before heading for a bite to eat with family or friends can be a breeze if you have the right stuff. I always keep a “after the beach bag” in the trunk of my car so that I’m prepared at all times. The contents of the bag are simple. Fresh towel, shampoo + conditoner, facial towelettes, toothbrush and toothpaste, hand sanitizer, lotion, and a few simple cosmetics. Everything is inexpensive because it’s sitting in a trunk everyday and things get left behind or borrowed and not returned. When it’s time to switch out cosmetics, i opt for travel size products that I’ve received through gift with purchase or inexpensive purchases.
Here’s a list of the contents of my 2012 summer “after the beach bag”:
1. VO5 shampoo + conditioner (Not meant for a deep lather but a quick run through and rinse to refresh the scalp and hair)
2. Fresh towel (If you don’t have this, you will be toweling off with the towel that was laying on the ground)
3. Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Towelettes (I’ve used facial cleanser as well but this is easier and quicker)
4. Surfer’s Salve (This is an all purpose product. Love this stuff. I also carry this in my everyday bag. Good for lips, dry skin, cuticles and bug bites)
5. Travel toothbrush and toothpaste (I will use this if I can do so discretely)
6. Clinique moisture surge (This can be used everywhere including your face)
7. Cosmetic bag includes: (eyelash curler, Lancome Definicils mascara, Lancome Le Crayon Khol and Dream Bouncy Blush) The mascara gets changed after several months of use and the eyeliner gets sharpened frequently. Fingers are used for smudging the liner and applying blush. I do not share these things.
8. Hand sanitizer (Super important because beach bathrooms have so much germs and there’s no antibacterial soap readily available)
SUMMER 2012 FRAGRANCES
Two fragrances I’ve been using most of this 2012 summer season has been the BCBG MAX AZRIA FRAGRANCE SHIMMERING BODY LOTION and the BATH AND BODY WORKS ENCHANTED ORCHID BODY LOTION. Typically I will purchase a lotion fragrance first before investing in a perfume just to make sure I like it before spending the high price tag of perfumes. I’ve been using the BCBG lotion for a couple of months and I’ve fallen in the love with the strawberry/cherry/musk scent. It’s perfect for everyday use. I will be purchasing the perfume in the next month or so to go along with the lotion. I’m surprised I like the enchanted orchid lotion. Normally I dislike anything florally but this lotion has a soft floral scent with a berry background note even though it doesn’t state it in its description. I’ve been using it mostly at night because the scent is a little strong and tends to linger on my skin longer than the BCBG lotion.
Pardon the cloudiness in both photographs. Hawaii has been feeling the effects of 3 hurricanes that started in the South Pacific and have been down graded to depressions that have been passing the islands last week and this week. Hopefully the clouds will part soon and the sun will show itself.
MARC BY MARC JACOBS BAG REVIEW
I have 2 bags from MARC BY MARC JACOBS. The first bag I got, I used for a year straight and the bag looks almost brand new. It’s made of nylon which makes it easy to clean by using a little soap and water on a cloth. The leather handles have remained strong with little to no sign of use. My second bag has been a bit of a disappointment. It’s made of genuine leather. I’ve been using it for 7 months straight since receiving it during the 2011 holiday season. The handles on the satchel started to show signs of wear in its 6 month of use. I’m almost afraid to use it anymore because the gold is wearing away so quickly. Maybe it’s the color I chose or the type of handle that is on this bag. All I know is I love it but I’m reconsidering my next bag purchase from this brand.
First Marc By Marc Jacobs bag purchase. Made of Nylon and leather. After 1 year of use, the bag almost looks brand new.
Marc by Marc Jacobs genuine gold leather satchel.
After 7 months of use, this handle as well as the other handle is losing its gold leather color.
SUMMER 2012 SUNSCREEN CHOICES
This summer season I’ve been using two sets of sunscreens. The first set is made by SUN BUM. I’ve been using this on days when I’m at the beach for 2-3 hours or less with little time spent in the water. The second set is made by COPPERTONE. I’ve been using this set on days when I’m at the beach all day with lots of time spent in and out of the water. I love both sets. Sun Bum smells great, works well and is paraben free, hypoallergenic, oil free/ PABA free, won’t clog pores and is anti aging. Sun Bum does require reapplication immediately after swimming to prevent sunburn. Coppertone is a brand I’ve been using for many years. The Coppertone Sport high performance ultra sweat proof spray is my favorite product. It’s waterproof, sprays at any angle, goes on clear with little rubbing required and works against sunburn with 2-3 reapplications in an all day sun exposed/prolonged swimming period. I’ve tested this product 5 times since summer started and it really works.
