How did you get your hair like that?

I'm undaunted in my quest to amuse myself by constantly changing my hair.
~Hillary Clinton

A lot of people asked my yesterday how I did my hair so I thought I would write this post to show that it was really really easy and I'm not crazy hair magician.... I'm only in college people.

 

 

 

OK The first step of the hair do is to have day old hair. I'm sure you have all heard how bad it is for your hair to wash it everyday and it strips your hair of it's natural oils blah blah blah. That's not what this post is about so I wont go into all of that. However this style does work better with slightly dirty and textured hair. In other words if you curl hair one day and wake up the next and your hair is lookin rough... try this out.

The first thing to do is separate the first two inches of your hair all around hair line around your face. All of the rest of your hair should be put in a pony tail at the nape of your next so it is out of the way. Brush out the front section of your hair so you can easily braid it. A little tip I use when ever I will be braiding is to put either moose or a oil treatment I have on the hair to prevent flyaways from coming out of your braid. Starting on one side you are going to do an inverted french braid from one side of your head to the other. If you have never done an inverted french braid before it can be a little tricky. The only difference is that instead of taking outside sections over top the middle one you take it underneath the middle each time you pick up more hair. This will create a braid that is more pronounces, with definite edges. You could do a regular french braid but I like the inverted because I think the illusion of an actual headband is better.

 After you braid all the way across your head continue braiding about three more inches or even to the end if you want, that way the braid can be secured in the elastic when you put the rest of your hair in a bun. I use a thin clear plastic band so it wont be seen. The next step is to tease the crap out of your crown and on the sides so that when you gather your hair in a bun you have some volume. For this style you really need some volume on the crown because the inverted braid does stick up from your head a little and if it is taller than the rest of your hair it look a little crazy. After you tease gather all your hair in a bun on the side of your head. You need to put the bun on the same side that your braid ended to cover up the elastic. The bun can be really free form because you are going to pin it how you like. The way I shape my buns (hehe) is to loosen loops from the elastic, twist them, and then pin them where I want them. this creates a really messy look, which I like, but also allows you to have a lot of control about where the bun is on your head, how far it sticks out, and the circumference of the bun.

When you I have my bun looking like I want it, I always add a little glam to it by pinning in a flower. The one I am wearing is from Forever 21 and is featured in one of my old blog posts. You could also pin in antique brooches, that is another on of my favorite ways to add a little more to this style.

OK I hope everyone enjoyed this tutorial! Happy weekend yall!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren

Rub A Dub Dub

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”
~ Coco Chanel

For those of you who are seriously missing out and don't know, Lush is a handmade cosmetics store. Everything is natural and wonderful and I'm a bit obsessed. They stores all over, including internationally, and they also have a website so even if you live somewhere without a store you can still get the products. Lush sells like a billion different things... literally. However for this post I just wanted to focus on the products I have actually tried. I am embarrassed to admit that I have only ever tried bath products from Lush, more specifically bath bombs, bath melts, and bubble bars. This isn't because I don't think the other products are worthy, it is just because I am infatuated with their bath products. I thought I would review a few of my favorites for you!

 Here they are in order of my least favorite to my most favorite. However I do really like all of these!

 Vanilla Fountain Bath Bomb $6. 25. I thought this one smelled really really good. However it did turn my bath water a really off putting green color.... so not what I was expecting. The website says that it is supposed to be really moisturizing but I didn't really notice that. But again it did smell amazing. If you want a bath bomb you can use in the dark, this is it!

 

 Creamy Candy Bubble Bar $7.25. This one smells amazing as well. This was my first bubble bar to try ever and I was pretty skeptical about whether or not it would make good bubbles. I was shocked! The bubbles were amazing and they hung around for ever. I literally had to work hard to get them out of my bathtub. This smells just like the name says like sugary candy. I really really liked this one.

Honey Bee $6.40. This is one of my ultimate favorites. You all need to just go out and find a Lush so you can smell this thing. Seriously it is ridiculous how good this thing smells. Like honey and vanilla and millions of other good things all wrapped up in one. This bomb contains something called Rhassoul which according to the Lush website is some sort of mud that softens and moisturizes skin. I will say that I feel like my skin was softer after I used this. However if you are really looking for something only for the purpose of skin softening, this is probably not it. But I will most def be buying this again. It smells soo goooooood!!!!!

 

Pink Bath Bomb $4.75.  I think this one was the most fun to use. First of all let me preface this by saying I used this product before they revamped it and made it smaller, however I do not think it will really affect the experience. Back to the fun stuff. You put this baby in your bath and it turn your bath the prettiest pink color ever! It has a sugary vanillay candy smell that is delicious. Then all the sudden this puppy starts shooting out little pieces of confetti. Yea that's right this baby shoots confetti into your bath!!!! Also the best part is that it doesn't leave a mess. Somehow the pink doesn't stain your tub and the confetti like melts or something. This is one the coolest bath products I have ever used. GO BUY THIS!

 Amandopondo $7.95. This was absolute favorite! I have never felt more pampered than when I used this in my bath. The smell is ridiculous. Its like roses and everything girls and sophisticated. This is a bubble bar which is just icing on this rose scented cake. You get this amazing smell, rich bubbles that stay a really long time, and rose freakin petals floating around. The little rose bud sitting on top opens up in the bath and releases so there are literally rose petals floating around in the bathtub with you. It does not get better than this. I will say that if you don't like the smell of roses you should not buy this. I however LOVE the smell of roses. I mean obviously I love this, I picked it as my number one favorite. This is one I would recommend most!

Hurry yall, find a Lush and get your bath on!!!!!!

Love, Laughter, and God's Blessings

Lauren 

Style Profile: Natalie Portman

Cute is when your personality shines through your looks. Like, when you see someone's personality in the way they walk and you just feel like hugging them every time you see them.
~Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is one of my all time favorite actresses and also one of my style icons. I have decided to start doing style style profiles for some of my favorite fashionistas and I knew I wanted to start with Natalie Portman.

 This dress is a Rodarte that she wore to the 2009 Oscars. I love this dress because it is simple yet the beading in the weaving pattern on the bodice makes the dress stand out. Plus this color is ah maz ing. It was a risky pick to wear the color but I think it goes perfectly with her coloring.

This is the dress she more to the Black Swan Premiere in 2010. This dress is also by Rodarte. I adore this dress. It has very intricate beading and structure and she pulls it off with simple hair and jewelry. On some people I think dress could be too much but on her it is divine.

 THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE DRESS! There is something about this dress that is so ethereal and feminine and yet the color is so earthy. It is so organic yet so elegant. I cant get over this dress. She wore this dress to the 2005 Academy Awards and the dress is by Lanvin. Also there could not be better hair with this dress. And notice that yet again she does very simple jewelry with a bare throat.

 Oh look another Rodarte dress. This dress is from the 2011 Oscars. This is how maternity wear should be done. She is absolutely glowing and this dress compliments her shape with out screaming "LOOK AT MY STOMACH!". So tasteful and so sophisticated. 

Natalie Portman has amazing style and star power and I cannot wait to see what she wears next!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren

Tips and Tricks

God gave me a great body and it's my duty to take care of my physical temple.

Jean Claude Van Damme

I have been doing the primping thing for a long long time. I have found that I do a lot of different tricks that some people may not know of. These tips are not exactly original but I feel like a lot of time we take it for granted that everyone knows the same things we do, but I know from watching my friends we all do things differently. So basically here are the little things I do to primp and beautify that you may or may not know about.

One thing I always do is exfoliate my lips. It is super important because otherwise glosses and lipsticks don't go on smoothly and evenly.  Once a week I use a microdermabrasion lotion to exfoliate but everyday, especially in the morning as im getting ready, I use my toothbrush on my lips to exfoliate. Brushing over your lips with your toothbrush really helps to even out your lips without being super harsh and irritating. Its crucial, try it out!

Another thing I always do is to put a highlighter on my cupid's bow. First of all, is that not the cutest name ever for that little dip over your top lip? Play it up! Bringing attention to your cupid's bow will make your lips look fuller more dramatic. I use a regular facial highlighter for everyday but when I am going out and really want to play it up I use a gold eyeliner. It is perfect for the job.

Something else I do is to apply a small layer of vaseline before I spray my perfume on. The oil helps the perfume to stay on way longer. I am one of those people who wants to smell my own perfume, so the vaseline trick helps me to prevent having to apply over and over and over and over.... you get the picture.

Something that is also helpful is to put your deodorant on before you go to bed. This only works if you take your shower at night like me. However this trick completely gets rid of the white streak problem. The chemicals and all that still work so you don't have to worry. In fact putting it on that far in advance gives everything time to sink in so it may even work better.

Hopefully I gave you something new to try. Everyone stay on the lookout for new tips!!!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren

Splurges

 Personal beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of reference.
~ Aristotle 

OK so I am all about being thrifty and I cannot always justify paying a ton of money for a product that I don't need. So to make myself feel better about not being able to have all the products that I want, I make a list and lust after them until I get over it.

My number one thing I am absolutely totally obsessed with it from Benefit. Its a lip and cheek stain called Benetint. I like the Posietint and the Benetint but not the Chachatint... it is just waaaay to orange for my taste. These are pretty pricey, around $30. 00. The one I absolutely would die for is the Posietint. It is the prettiest barbie pink color EVVERRRRR.

The second thing I want is the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. It just came out and it will cost you about $50. 00... So yea pretty pricey but you get lots of beautiful colors and a lip gloss and a nice quality brush... at least that's what I tell myself when I try to justify why I need it.

The third thing I want is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. This stuff is cool because it comes to you all separated like in the picture  and if you shake it up it wont work anymore! Seriously yall, fight the urge. If you can manage not to shake it, you stick a q-tip down to the bottom and dab the mud part on a blemish. This stuff is supposed to be great and will only set you back about $18. 00. However since I don't really break out I would just be buying this stuff to play with.

So now yall can drool all over these splurges with me!!!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings,

Lauren

Va Va Vaseline....?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye

 

~ Miss Piggy

All hail the vaseline! Ok I know kinda random. Vaseline used to make me think of like grandmas and moth balls and other stuff you use when your old. However after an unfortunate incident on Valentines last year where my lips peeled off, I have learned the greatness of what is 100% white petroleum jelly.

Vaseline has billions of uses but it has several that are beauty specific. I carry Vaseline around with AT ALL TIMES. There is literally a container in every room of my apartment. You might say I'm addicted. You too will be addicted after you read on and find out all the cool uses for Vaseline.

1) Lip balm. As I mentioned earlier I had a little reaction last year and the skin on my lips honestly peeled all the way off. It was not a good day. One of the things I learned when I went to the doctor was that the only thing you should really be putting on your lips is Vaseline. Apparently chapsticks and lipbalms, especially the ones that are medicated, have chemicals in them that can actually irritate your lips instead of making them better. Now does this mean that I no longer cute balms and glosses....HECK NO! I simply use Vaseline as a base and I know my lips will be fine.

2) Lash Growth. If you put Vaseline on your lashes before you go to bed each night they will seem longer and darker. I am not exactly sure why this is, but I speculate that is has something to do with keeping your eyelids protected and hydrated. For whatever reason, it works and it is waaaay cheaper than those potions you can buy in the stores.

3) Prevent blisters. Got a cute new pair of shoes but your dreading the blisters? Well kiss that worry goodbye! Just rub in thin layer of Vaseline on the spots you think will get blisters and the Vaseline will protect your feet from blisters. Seriously this is like a miracle.

4) Get rid of ugly feet. Before you go to bed, liberally lather on Vaseline to your feet and then throw some socks on. When you wake up in the morning your feet are smoother and softer and just better all around.

5) Lipstick stays off your teeth. If you are going on a date or something and you just put on fresh lipstick, put a very small amount of Vaseline on your front few teeth and it will keep you from getting those embarrassing lipstick smudges on your teeth. The Vaseline will eventually wear off and you cant taste it or anything so no worries.

6) Spot treatment for dryness. Whenever I have a blemish I use a spot acne treatment. My skin dries out really bad from the medication in the cream. I use Vaseline on the one spot to fix dryness quickly. I would recommend putting it on your entire face but as a spot treatment it works like a charm!

I expect a mad rush on Vaseline any second....

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren

A ring... I don't mean on the phone.

Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles.  

~Sonja Henie

I was inspired for this post by a ring I got for Christmas. Today was the first day I got to wear it and I literally just stared at it all day long. I always feel like I am in a better mood when I have something sparkly on my finger! Here are some rings that I also think would put me in a good mood! 

Betsey Johnson Leopard Heart Ring, Macy's $35. 00

 Black Diamond Fashion Ring, Target $94. 99

 Scroll Ring with Pearl, James Avery $139. 00

 

Shimmering Scattered Rhinestone Ring, Forever 21  $5. 80

Va Va VA Vintage Ring, Claire's $9. 00

Hope yall liked my picks! Happy Monday!

Oh and here is the ring I wore today that inspired this post!

Love, Laughter And God's Blessings

Lauren