Au Naturale

Since natural beauty products are becoming more en vogue these days and the ever-present threat of toxic chemicals in cheap products always seems to linger in the back of my mind when I pick up a new $2 lipstick (and because I'm susceptible to trends and advice from strangers via their blogs) I've been wondering, should I go with more natural beauty products?

I gave you my rave review about making my own mud scrub and that worked out well, but what about shampoos? Is sulfate going to make my hair fall out? No, but it probably isn't doing any good for my scalp or eczema. Will the toxins in lipstick give me lead poisoning?  Maybe if I sat down and ate it like a pack of cherry lifesavers, but I think I can restrain myself. But would I rather be safe than sorry? Yes, yes I would.


All in moderation. You won't see me chucking my deodorant out the window, but slowly I'm using up what's left of my regular stock and moving on to something better for my health. It also goes well with my 24 Before 25 List in getting rid of beauty products that aren't absolutely essential. So here's what I'm thinking so far:

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By recommendation of Joanna Goddard via A Cup Of Jo I really want to try Mama Bee Body Oil, and I was sold on Kiss My Face's shampoo until I smelled it. A leetle too "herby" for my olfactories.  I guess my strands will have to suffer with sulfate until I can find a better alternative. I really want to try Paul Mitchell's Awapuhi and Wild Ginger after a visit to the salon, but my wallet says no. You can see all of her organic beauty picks here.


I also did a quick search on lead-free lipsticks and it turns out that one of my favorite brands: Clinique (who is also scent and allergen free) makes lovely colors sans poison. The Body Shop also makes some great shades that I would love to take for a test drive.


Are you concerned with toxins in your beauty products? My only recommendation would be to do your research rather than taking Whole Food's word for it. I even went to Bliss Tree and after they published a story on Lipsticks Without Lead they discovered after publishing that a Burt's Bee's product still had lead in it. It's kind of a difficult commitment to make right now, but hopefully cosmetics companies start doing the right thing, and natural products in the mean time will pay off.

High Light

Ever since this incident I've been trying to grow my hair out, which means a fair amount of babying. No brushing it when it's wet, using deep conditioners, feeding it biotin and massaging my scalp on a regular basis...I have a great long term relationship with my hair. It also means no dying it with hair dye from a box which is my usual "it's winter let's shake things up" routine. So I did the right thing and made an appointment for a cut and color. Next step: decide what to do with it.

I was sold on the ombre thing for a while: finally a popular hairstyle for poor match girl like myself that can't afford to run to the salon every three months. I let my color go last year and realized that growing out your sun kissed highlights isn't quite the same thing as going full ombre. I mulled it over before this last hair appointment, but ultimately decided that if I was growing it out, the last thing I wanted to do was bleach the heck out of my ends, especially since I don't have the long flowing extensions to try it out with.


I talked it over with the poor unwitting stylist who was lovely enough to help me figure out a solution for my wallet and the health of my hair...

I only got highlights around my face, see those little baby ones there? I can't tell if this is tacky or genius, but we'll go with genius for now. Most people don't notice the grown out back portion unless I point it out to them, or unless they're sitting behind me on the El and thinking "what a train wreck that girl is". But I'm happy, my wallet is happy, and now I feel ready to go for the holidays!

T-Day Turban

Thanksgiving was themed "turbans and caftans" this year. Despite my extreme admiration for Golden Girls I didn't have a caftan laying around the house, so one scarf and two seconds made a nice head wrap that did a decent job of looking turban-esque and keeping my hair out of my eyes. I actually really enjoyed wearing it, in a 1940s Hollywood starlet kind of way, but with a little more kitsch.


Would you try wearing a turban? Next step: one of these bad boys:

Gimme Mo

Back in college our RAs where responsible for organizing a certain number of group activities for residents, and the annual favorite was No Shave November. Being a co-ed dorm, ladies were allowed to participate via leg hair...and I'm positive I participated unwittingly (who has the freaking time in college?)


But now it's morphed from college pass time to a full on charity extravaganza with Movember, and lately it just seems like a good 'stache isn't that hard to find...

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Scrub a Dub Dub

When it comes to my beauty routine, the philosophy is normally: "why make it at home when you can buy it in the store?" It always seemed like such a hassle to trek out to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and track down each individual little ingredient that was otherwise impossible to find in regular stores. But then I found a recipe for Mud Scrub on Pinterest and figured, what the heck, I already have most of the stuff in my cabinet, let's go for it.

Photo Via

All I used were the coffee grounds, sugar, and olive oil, and since using it I can not shut up about it. It makes your skin so soft and glow-y, I'm guessing from the caffeine. It gets your shower a little messy, but that's the fun of the "mud scrub" I suppose. It's made me think about using other at-home beauty recipes...

Like these for a scalp scrub, a brightening toner, or a homemade hot oil treatment. I'll try them out and report back!

Any at-home remedies that you can't live without?

Just can't get enough

Any girl you meet will admit to being a "shoe girl" or a "purse girl" where their collections are reaching legendary heights. I can't profess to have the money or time cultivating these archives (although you know if I did, then I would). But I have noticed that I tend to gravitate towards certain obsessions, especially as of late. And they all seem to be quickie updates to the wardrobe that anyone can slap on in a few minutes and change their look...

You've seen from my 24 before I'm 24 list that I have a collector's obsession with all things balm, gloss, and stick. This is about half the collection, not counting my make-up kit and the stranded lip glosses in my purses. They are one of the cheapest quickest updates to any look, and I can't resist having them in all colors. This summer I'm loving the neon punches and the nude shimmery colors.

This obsession I attribute to working at a nail salon when I was younger. Nails are the perfect place to have some good creative fun, and if Pinterest is any indication it's becoming an art form of its own. Even though my food service job doesn't allow nail polish during the week, my Friday ritual is to run home and slap on a fresh coat of polish. I look forward to it all day, no really!
 Lately I've been doing neon orange and hot pink mixed together, or painting my toes a different color on each foot.

And the last collection which hasn't been curated in some time is my shoe box of hair accessories. As of late I've been wearing a baseball cap and pony tail on a routine basis, but one of these weekends I'm going to have to whip out my fuchsia hair bow or my little white flower headband. I'm also on the hunt for a mini turban and a (faux) silk scarf for this summer.

What cheap chic collections are you developing?

Sunday

Sunday morning rolled out of bed to the sound of Henry, the next door neighbor's scarlet and grey macaw, whistling the Darth Vader theme song and replicating the sound of horns honking. I also had some "spa time" with a chocolate strawberry mask that Viking picked up for me. You may recall this incident.

I'm trying to calm down before tonight's official opening of the show I'm stage managing. My nerves are up but so are my hopes I suppose, this has been such a fun show to put together and I'm glad to be a part of it!

Enjoy your Sunday!

- K.K.

Hairy Situation

 

To continue the vicious hair cycle...it seems as if my Pinterest is just as confused as I am. Why don't I just grow my hair out? I'll get bored. Why don't I just chop it all off? I'm afraid I'll cry. What I need is a make-over ambush. A crew of stylists to show up at my apartment, make me magazine worthy, and then leave me with my new haircut one way or the other.

I know it's silly. It is just hair after all, and from what I understand mine will continue to grow, but it's become an issue of identity. I'm in that stage of my life where I'm trying to figure out who I am and what I want, and my hair just seems to tie in to that. Fiesty short hair? Luxe long locks? Blonde? Ombre? It's funny that I can still look back at pictures and know who I was based on what hair cut or color I have.

I look at this and I just feel a might bit confused. Of course Roommate has offered to shave it all off for me...

I just have this weird feeling that my head just isn't that symmetrical...



Hair Circle of Life

I posted about my "great hair debate" back in January and it took me until March to work up the nerve to chop my strands.

When I first had it cut I loved it! Flipping it around, combing my fingers through it, and not feeling annoyed enough to pull it back. But just two short weeks later I am already missing my long hair. Am I crazy?! I just spent countless hours of my life that I will never get back wrestling with the decision to cut my hair, but now I want it back?

 

Hair grows at an average rate of a half inch per month, never mind that my thin strands grow slower than most. I cut at least four inches off. So, in November after having painstakingly grown it out, will the "chop or not to chop" decision be causing turmoil again? That's the Hair Circle of Life. When you grow it out you get tired of it, need a change, and go in for a shorter cut. This cut amuses you for some time but then you start to miss the flexibility of long hair (despite the fact that you never did anything with it when it was long except throw it up in a pony tail) so you grow it out again!

So until my hair completes its cycle, here are a few fun things I plan on doing with it:

Glamour.com has a great slide show of 27 April hair ideas.

The Floppy Bow Headscarf tutorial from All This Happiness

I can always draw inspiration and tips from Sidewalk Ready.

Now that my hair is one length I might try my hand at a messy french twist from Real Simple

The Small Things has awesome ideas for shoulder length hair

More than likely I'll just be rocking a stubby pony tail until the weather heats up and my hair starts growing out, but if anyone has any sage advice about how to stop the cycle, I'm all ears!

The Mane Event

So I know you've been waiting with "baited breath" since January and I'm here to reveal it...I finally got my locks cut! Here's your before for reference:

Mom and Reid rolled in to town yesterday and despite having driven all day my mom looked patiently at my hair pinterest board and nodded as I went over the pros and cons of each hair style. I slept on it, woke up, picked it out:

Picture via

And this is what I got:

Oh mama it was an emotional hair cut! I "mis-communicated" with my stylist about the length. I wanted collar bone grazing strands like the picture and she claimed I asked for shoulder length. Never mind that it doesn't even touch my shoulders. She also cut it very bluntly and I felt too juvenile.

She got very defensive until I asked her to go get my mom (oh yeah, I brought out the big guns). Mom tried to bridge the gap in communication and my eyes started to water, then she finally got the hint. She apologized and gave my ends some texture which made it look far less childish. Now I feel much better about it, but at the time I was having some serious white girl problems. I might go back to that salon...just not with that stylist.

The rest of the day was spent sight seeing, riding trains, eating lots of tasty food, and swishing my hair from side to side. Isn't it strange when you go to grab for it and it's not there? Shampooing will be a whole different experience!

Thoughts?

Color Coiffure

Last week I lured Running Buddy to my apartment with the promise of spaghetti and Pinterest and asked her if she wouldn't mind helping me cross off #5 off my 24 before 24 list:

5.) Dye My Hair

My hair hasn't been dyed since last May and my highlights had grown out in to what is now known as the "ombre" trend. I needed a shake up and thought a little blonde would be the way to go.

A recent picture for your "before" reference. My light brown roots and faded highlights at the ends.

And this is what it looks like now! I realize it's a subtle change, but it did even out my hair color and give me a slightly red tint that I have naturally.



As you can see I didn't get as much dye on my bangs and underneath. I think I'll try the foam variety of hair color for more even coverage next time. 

The next step: get my hair cut. I feel squirmy just thinking about it since I still don't know what I want to do with it. I will most likely play it in my usual fashion: make an appointment, decide once I get there, be upset about it for a little while, then grow it out again. The circle of hair life.

What are you thinking? Should I dye it lighter in a few weeks? Go back to brunette? Let it grow out in to ombre again? Shave it all off and save myself the greif?

Spring Fever Picks Part Trois

As my ever eloquent father would say: you can't swing a dead cat without hitting something that has a floral pattern on it this spring. What he was doing swinging dead cats in the first place I have no idea, but I do know that he appreciates a good floral print...probably. So in honor of my Dad here are some floral picks for this spring.

I think that wearing floral print is self-explanitory: Step One: Put on floral patterned item. Step Two: Feel really happy! But first, here are some items for the floral-shy out there. The easiest way to incorporate floral in to your ensemble is through a small accessory, like a bag. This Fossil messenger bag obviously hits all the right notes for me, and this cute clutch from Modcloth has a funky 70s vibe to it that reminds you not to take floral so seriously.

Another small way is through a scarf, tie a cute knot and pair with jeans and a t-shirt and voila! Earrings are another simple way to make any outfit look ladylike, and these LC Lauren Conrad earrings are no exception. Looking for an edgier floral? These sunglasses are guarenteed to read less "awwww!" and more "aw yeah!" (big difference, right?)

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Now it's time to graduate to bigger and bolder pieces, like these platform pumps from Asos. If you styled them with boyfriend jeans and a your boyfriend's t-shirt, and your boyfriend's sweater you'd still look chic. These oxfords from Forever 21 also bring the trend factor and girl-up an otherwise tomboyish piece.

If you'd like to go the traditional route, a floral dress is the classic way to do things, and this pink and green number from Modcloth is super flattering. I've been e-dating this skirt since it popped up on shopruche.com, but since it's sold out here's an equally cute alternative that has a better chance of transferring in to your fall wardrobe. This particuar top is only sold in the UK (polyvore fail) but this sheer floral top can be breezily layered with shorts or tucked in to a cute skirt.

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Now if you're a hardcore floral wearer like myself, these floral shorts from Target(!) sing sweet songs of spring when matched up with a pair of gladiator sandals and a classic jacket. These floral skinny jeans have haunting my spring time dreams ever since I found them on Delia's website. I predict that they shall be mine when I get my next paycheck!

Just looking at these floral beauties almost made me wander out of my apartment with nothing but a light cardigan on!

Getting Polished

Orientation for my new job was last week and as you might know it's in food service (crack theatre/food service joke here please). They were going over dress code, hair up, hat on, personal hygiene, blah blah blah, and no nail polish. No what?!

I've worked in food service before but I'd always managed to get out of taking off my polish. At the pizza place I answered phones and cashiered the majority of the time. At the bubble tea cafe I was an assistant manager so I rarely prepped the food.

"What about acrylics?" I ask.

"No." says my general manager.

"What about gel manicures? They're safe for nurses."

"No, your natural nails are just fine."

Except they're not!. The winter has made them peely, soft, and easy to rip off, not to mention my preoccupation with biting them when I'm stressed. I need nail polish to cover that up and help my nails grow. My giant make-up bag of polishes: What will become of them? Are they doomed to sit in my bathroom cabinet forever? What about my Artist-Self (that I've been ignoring lately). She loves sparkly, bright, bold nail polishes to go with her spunky, fun and stylish outfits!

Since the restaurant isn't open Saturdays and Sundays I can wear polish on weekends. So today I came home from work and realized that I have a whole two and a half days to wear nail polish!

It's Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous from OPI. Kind of a sparkly gun metal shade that goes with everything and will be easy to take off on Sunday night.

But when it comes down to it I'd much rather be employed that wearing funky nail polish...I guess.

Doing anything fun with your nails this weekend?

Mane Issue

Has anyone discovered that the current state of their hair is a reflection of how their life is going? Since graduating college my hair has been stuck in the same place: long, stringy, and a shade of brown. Before college I used to get a different hair cut every time I went to the salon until I decided to grow it out.

I never had an emotional attachment to my hair until I grew it out. A couple times over the past few years I've tried cutting a couple inches off, then I miss it and grow it back. Viking Boyfriend jokes that I will become the "crazy hair lady". You know, the women who grow their hair to their ankles (for no particular or religious reason) and someone nominates them for a make-over on Rachel Ray?

This is my future if I don't get out of my hair rut. Although I must say her natural color is a very pretty sun kissed bronde don't you think?

So here are the options:

A layered long bob with side swept bangs a la Brooklyn Decker? I could also dye it blonde which would fullfill #5 on my 24 before 24 list.

A long pixie cut like Michelle Williams? I adore it but I'm also afraid of the maintenance to keep it looking cute and that I will cry looking at all of my hair on the salon floor. 

Or I could play it safe and go with a side swept bang. Still a nice change of pace but with minimal commitment.

Which one do you think I should try?



Pictures via 1, 2, 3, 4

24 Before I'm 24

Has anyone kept their New Year's Resolution this far? I normally make small resolutions that will help me improve, but that aren't too hard to keep. One year it was to take better care of my teeth, another it was to not box dye my hair (I went through a different color every other month phase) and last year it was not to buy any new make-up or products until I'd finished the ones I already had. Want to guess how well that worked out? "Oh, but I don't have hot pink lipstick yet!" I'm still working on that.

This year I decided to go a different direction. Inspired by a post at Delightfully Tacky I decided to make a 24 things to do before I'm 24 list. It's perfect because they're all accomplish-able goals and since I turn 24 in six months it gives me a shorter deadline than say, a bucket list.

Here's the list:

1. Write a pitch for a travel book

2. Buy one investment piece I’ll have forever

3. Travel to one place I’ve never been before

4. Fill five notebooks with writing

5. Dye my hair

6. Buy a new camera

7. Be happy and self-sufficient with my employment

8. Find a work-out regiment that makes me happy

9. Complete a full length play and submit it

10. Save up enough money for a puppy

11. Take an improv class at Second City

12. Finish reading the books on my shelves

13. Go on a trip with Viking Boyfriend

14. Finish making the dress and skirt I started

15. Complete one application to Grad School

16. Start shopping vintage more often

17. Buy my brother a drink on his 21^st birthday

18. Buy a great format for my blog

19. Get a credit card

20. Promote myself without being embarrassed

21. Use all the old lip glosses in my make-up drawer

22. Shop my closet and wear all of my clothes. If I don’t, I have to donate it at the end of the season

23. Donate money or time to charity

24. Buy a couch

I'll keep you updated on my progress, but are there any you'd like to join me on?

Beauty Spot

I realize that this has been a Viking Boyfriend kind of weekend, but I didn't have a chance to upload pictures until now. But LAST week after the driver's license panic and the failed queso making, Viking Boyfriend decided we needed to treat ourselves...

We picked these up at wally-world for about a $1, you can buy them here. I went with some hydrating action while the Viking decided that the avocado "pore purging" mask was more epic. He was pretty much right.

We didn't have any headbands on the premises so he chose to use his most prized article of clothing to keep the hair off of his forehead.

Mine had a less comedic effect but it smelled fruity good and my skin felt exfoliated. We went to a party that night and his freshly purged skin was noticed! Viking Boyfriend now has his own "beauty secrets"

Anyone else treat yo self this weekend?

I'm Baaaaack!

I could practically hear Steven Tyler screeching "I'm back in the saddle aga-e-ain! I'M BACK!" when I crossed state lines. Mom and I carted a whole other batch of my belongings to Chicago, only the true essentials mind you. My shoe collection has doubled and the bookshelves on the fireplace will make it look like I read too! Before I brought my small library it looked like Roommate was extremely well read and I was only literate in comedy and musical movies...this still might be true. And of course there were all the presents that had to come back with me too, Santa-Mom, Santa-Dad, and all my Santa-Relatives gifted me everything I wanted this year and more!

Exhibit A: My Blanket Sweater, A.K.A. The Lebowski Sweater. Perfect for curling up with a White Russian. Doesn't it tie the room together?

Exhibit B: The Warmest Jacket Ever! I had it on for two minutes indoors and was already sweating. And Chicago Local points for it covering my bum! Note the awesome ear warmer, courtesy of my "little" brother who I e-mailed with a link and he immediately bought it while he was still on the phone with me. Maybe not the most surprising but I am in love with how warm and stylish it is.

Exhibit C: Get out the scrap book, it's baby's first Chanel! I about died when I found this in my stocking Christmas morning. Every good mall trip for the past three years has involved me swinging by the perfume counter to spritz some Coco Chanel Mademoiselle and soon after demanding: "someone smell me! don't I smell purdy?" Now family and friends can smell me whenever I kindly command them to and it'll be a white musk-bergamot romp through a Parisian rose garden! (with some bourbon vanilla thrown in for good measure)

I'm sure I'll blog more of my favorite new things throughout the week. Mom is here until Saturday so getting pictures shouldn't be as hard as it normally is. Also more theatre-y things! The show I'm working on is going in to tech next week and I can't wait! Baby's First Chicago Theatre Show! Where's that scrap book?