Wedding Weekend and Coren Moore

When I was on the hunt for bridesmaids dresses, I fell in love with Coren Moore. She has so many style that are flattering to any girl. Unfortunately, the color I was looking for did not match up with Coren Moore's colors. Have no fear, I still ordered one for myself for our rehearsal!

This weekend my cousin is getting married!!! We are so excited and happy for her! She asked me to do a reading in the wedding and of course, I couldn't be more excited! When looking for a dress for the wedding, I turned right to Coren Moore!

Here is the dress I will be wearing this weekend!!!

It's Coren Moore's "Kate" dress.

My dress will actually be in her beautiful navy blue.

Here we are at our rehearsal dinner.

For our rehearsal dinner I wore Coren Moore's "Lilly" dress in petunia with lime sash.

And guess what?! Both of these dresses have pockets, so I could keep my gloss with me all night!

Wednesday Wellness: Protect Your Face and Look Beautiful

Do you remember the days of having a "white face" from all the sunscreen you wore just to protect your face from sun damage?

I'll never forget my mother taking a picture of my boyfriend (now hubby) and I on the beach and saying, "Lauren, your face looks so...white."

But I had to use certain sunscreens so my face wouldn't breakout. It was a vicious cycle...my skin always felt nice before the beach, and then with all the sunscreen, I came home with tiny little breakouts all over. YUCK!

GONE are those days!

Now, I have a beauty routine for each and everyday that leaves my skin smooth and free from sun damage, all while glowing.

First things first...

Neocutis. Oh how I love thee! I first tried these products when doing a dermatology rotation for clinical and I instantly fell in love! I use the Neocutis Bio-restorative Cream every day for my moisturizer, along with the Lumienere Eye Cream. The Journe I also use, but when I go in the sun. Its slightly tinted (so it doesn't give you that white look) and is great for moisturizing too! Its rather expensive, but totally worth it!

Next step, Clinique's Almost Makeup.

I use this as a foundation, but like it states, it does not feel OR look like foundation AT ALL.

This, also has SPF 15 in it to protect me from those harmful rays!

I then use my Trish McEvoy pressed powder and bronzer.

OK, so I do not use this product when I go out to the beach, but I do use it every other day.

Her powder also has SPF 15 in it!

And during the Nordstrom annual sale last week or so, I also got this baby...

"Flawless Lip"

It is supposed to be used like a primer on your lips to keep your gloss on longer.

So far, I think it works, but not much longer. I like the smooth feel of it though!

And with the help of Flawless Lip, my Clinique lip gloss stays on longer, even if its only a tad bit longer, to help protect against those rays with the SPF too!

Now, you can look beautiful at the beach, all while staying protected against the sun!
Of course, now my hubby says, "Why are you getting all dressed up for the beach?" Ugh, men!

Lastest Fashion Obsession

Oh what would I do for a Vintage Alhambra necklace. However, this newlywed girl is busy saving, saving, saving for our future dream home and future kiddies (I don't know how all you parents do it these days!), so that necklace isn't even on the back burner; it's out the window. But low and behold I found this beauty at Fornash for a mere $38!!!

And while I was "there," I also saw the fall line for my favorite bracelet! I love these bracelets not only beacuse they are colorful and fun, but they actually fit my small wrist!!! I saw these at "In the Pink" in Cape Cod and bought a pink and white one (from their spring/summer collection), but felt the need to get a fall one too. My sister originally had gotten one that was green and white, but she lost it. Being the kind, loving, sweet, adoring (alright, hopefully she's gagging now) sister I am, I bought her a new one!

And what about these bracelets?! LOVE them, however I think they will be too big for my wrist, but I might snatch up some for a gift...hmm!
Happy Fornash Shopping, girls!

Miami Beet

I usually stick to my usual OPI Bubble Bath, or another natural color on my nails, but for my toes I like a little color, especially in the sunny summer months. Last week I tried a new color, OPI Miami Beet, and loved it! Not only is it a great pop of color for summer, but it also is darker than a pale pink and would be great for going into the fall months.

Some of my other favorites:

Esse Ballet Slippers

Esse Rock Candy

OPI Bogota Blackberry

OPI It's A Girl

OPI Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ

OPI Lincoln Park after Dark

OPI Pamplona Purple

What are your favorites?

*Newlywed Note: It's nice to have freshly painted toes and look your best in your summer sandels at all times, however, do you always have the time and money for that every two weeks? To maintain the look without the cost, every other trip opt for a polish change instead.*

Who Loves Stella & Dot?!?!

I hosted a Stella & Dot Jewelry Party on Wednesday evening, and boy, was it great! The stylist came early and set up and couldn't have been nicer and more friendly!

There was all sorts of fun, stylish jewelry that I just wanted to get my hands on! Of course, I let my guests explore before myself! I love all the rings above, and plan on getting the red and gold one for sure, and possibly the ivory one, too. They are great because they are adjustable...perfect for me! I have skinny fingers which makes it hard to find fashionable rings to wear, but Stella & Dot did not let me down!

I wore this necklace during the party and got so many compliments on it, I think I'm going to have to purchase it! So beautiful, and looks even better on!

These earrings were quite a hit! Super cute, yet so simple you could wear them with a pretty casual outfit or use them to dress up a cute little summer dress!

I had a great time with so many friends and family members! Lots of appetizers, wine, and desserts...YUM! Check back Tuesday for a great treat!

Gel Nails

A week ago today I tried the latest and greatest nail polish on the market...gel nail polish! I got a very natural color and so far not a chip on a single nail!

Being in the health care field, I must wash my hands a million times a day, or so it seems. And that does not help the nails! Nail polish was always peeling right off after what just seemed like a day after a manicure. And we are not allowed to have acrylics for fear of the germs they my host that we can in turn spread to our patients. So, needless to say, I was super excited to hear about this product!

All ten nails are as smooth and shiny as they were last Friday when I walked out of the nail salon. And I have put these babies to the test! I have washed my hands all day long at work, washed the dishes (without gloves), cleaned, and even bathed the dog (twice!). I also love how you cannot tell its gel on your nails or anything. It is as thin as regular nail polish!

There are only a select number of colors at this time, but they are the most popular colors, so I'm okay with that. I actually have a combination of colors on my nails now- my beloved "bubble bath" and "passion." The pink in "Passion" added just a slight hue of pink for a summery touch to the nails!

Supposedly, the gel nail polish is to last at least ten days, but sometimes 14 days. I have also heard of girls not getting their nails done again for about a month! I think that depends on the polish growing out. I will keep you posted and let you know how these continue to work out!

Threading

Image here

Threading is an ancient form of hair removal practice in the Middle East, which has now become popular in the U.S. I decided to give this a try after many waxings leaving the skin around my brows red, irritated, and even peeling at times. One of my friends told me it didn't hurt nearly as bad as waxing. I'm not going to tell you it does not hurt, because honestly, I still sit in that chair and unconsciously hold my breath while the girl threads my brows. However, the finished product is why I continue to go back. There may be a slight pinkness to the skin immediately after, but I have not had any peeling or irritation afterwards, and it looks SO much better! Plus, there are no chemicals involved, which makes the price better than waxing also! In my case, and I don't know if this is for everyone, I swear I have to go less often than if I waxed...yet another plus! As for me, Threading has become a beauty routine that I'm not planning on giving up anytime soon for the old goopy gloppy wax!

Pretty in Pink

One of my favorite things about spring is all the beautiful colors! After wearing black, brown, navy and cream all winter, I can't wait to break out the pinks, purples, blues, yellows, greens, and oranges!!! Right now I've been on a purplish-pink kick and thought I'd share with you some of my favorite purchases of the season!

Kate Spade pink stud earrings! My MIL gave me green ones for Easter one year, and I wear them all the time, so I thought the pink ones would be a nice addition for spring.

I know Talbots might seem a little "granny-ish," but I saw this jacket online and was in need for a nice rain coat to wear to work (besides the usual black or tan one). I tried it on, and LOVE it! Of course, being only 5'2'', I ordered the petite and its still way longer than it is on this model, but it's perfect!

And this is my all time favorite! This Nicole Miller purse I found at JC Penny's on sale for only $30! They also have it in an off-white and black, which I might go back and get one, I love it that much! My camera does not show the color as beautiful as it is, but you get the point.

Hope you have a wonderful (and colorful) spring day!

Tanning Time!

It's spring time and you know what that means- shorts, sundresses, and short sleeve shirts! So, who doesn't want a nice tan when you have bare arms and legs?!?! But who does want wrinkles, blemishes, and even worse, cancerous lesions?!?!

Well, I have an answer! Self tanning lotions and spray tanning are my lifesavers! I used to bake in the sun and go to the tanning bed on a regular basis. I've had second degree burns that almost landed me a trip to the hospital while vacationing in Florida. So, although I had these bad habits as a teen (and tween), I can only hope, I set a better example today in my late 20's and beyond. So no more "fake and bake" for this girl!

I love to spray tan, and even did this the day of our rehearsal dinner and it was flawless! However, spray tanning can become expensive, so I have a couple products that I love, that also won't break the bank.

First, make sure to put a hair cap on if using a spray tan. And you can put some vaseline on your nail beds to prevent the orange lines around your cuticles. Also, you can spray your hands with an aerosol deoderant. This helps minimize any over exposure to the tanning creams/sprays, but also allows a little color so you don't have the "white glove" look!

This tanning "gelee" is amazing! I put it on after showering and exfoliating, while minimally covering my hands, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. It turns out great, and looks very natural! After you apply it, it only takes a couple minutes to dry and then you can put on your clothes and go about your day (or night). A couple hours later (or the next morning) you will see you look like you have just been in the sun. I absolutely love this product, although it is quite hard to find more recently. There is a lotion, but the results are more orange looking to me.

Towelettes! What a great idea! These are super easy to use and look very natural too! Great for traveling, as they are easy to pack and won't spill or leak. I just used these this past weekend and my arms looked tan in my dress, however, no one said anything about being tan, which in my opinion is a good sign, as I don't to look like I just got back from Hawaii for a week.
And by all means, don't let these products fool you...you can still get a bad burn if you don't continue to apply your SPF daily (or more often if at the beach and such). This is my all time favorite sunscreen, as it does not make me breakout, it is light weight, and not greasy by any means.

And if you so happen to have any of those lines from a little too much self tanner, you can always use body hair bleach to clean it up. Please only use this in less sensitive areas such as nails and feet, though. And if you have a big overall mess, you can always soak in a baking soda bath to calm it down!

I hope these tips can help keep your skin glowing all year long, without the harmful exposure to the sun or artificial rays.

Smooth as Silk

Who gets chapped lips when its a beautiful spring day? ME! But I have the ultimate solution!!! First, I rub some Philosphy lip scrub all over, which feels just wonderful!

Then, I wipe off excess lip scrub and apply Burt's Bees....and I'm a brand new girl in 24 hours max! And of course, I hydrate with lots and lots of water!

Love these two brands and don't know what I would do without them! Just thought I would spread the wealth a little bit!

The Price is Right!

Somewhere along the lines of the engagement and our wedding day, someone told me that a great way to keep a diamond ring nice and sparkly was to soak it in Efferdent, or any other denture cleanser. I know it sounds gross, but boy does it work!!! Give it a try and let me know what you think...


Another beauty tip that I was informed about was how wonderful Vaseline is for removing eye makeup! It takes it off in no time at all and a big jar lasts forever!

What are your best beauty secrets???

Pure Bliss!

I was in heaven yesterday when my gracious mother-in-law surprised me with the Clarisonic! I have had my eye on this for a while, but since we are trying to save up for a new house in the future, my eye candy was put on the back burner. Can you image how excited I was last night!? I can't wait to give you my feedback in a couple weeks!

Manicures & Pedicures for the Bridal Party!

I had so much fun putting together the bridesmaids gifts! They each got a robe with their name embroidered on them in the bag, and then I found those cute little dresses that i packed with earrings and bracelets and tied to the bag, of course along with manicures and pedicures for a little R&R before the big day!

I wrote a nice note for each girl with their gift. Of course, my mother cries everytime I write something to her!

Erin came to town!!!


And so did Jessica...now, everything is PERFECT!