Pump Up the Jam(berry) + a Giveaway (CLOSED)

If you're anything like me, then most of the time, your nails are bare because painting your nails every week can be daunting. As much as I love having a splash of color on my nails, I somehow manage to chip them after just a few hours. It doesn't matter if I'm using gel polish or if I put on a million top coats. I always seem to chip them. You'd think I was working at some labor-intensive job, but no. I work a typical 9-5 and sit at a desk all day, so how they chip so fast is an unsolved mystery to all.
Thanks to my lovely blog friend, Emily, I've discovered Jamberry, and I'm seriously obsessed. I can spend just 15-20 minutes putting Jams on my nails, and I don't have to worry about doing my nails for at least two weeks. This is every lazy girl's dream!
I'm going to share this tutorial with y'all, but I ask that you don't judge me too harshly. I don't have a hairdryer, so I was forced to use another heat source known as my oven. Yes, I used my oven to heat these Jams, and I placed my hand in the oven after placing the Jam on each nail. Again, I ask that you don't judge, because the struggle is real, and I don't believe in using hairdryers. 
Here's all the materials you'll need plus a hairdryer (or oven, obviously not pictured):

1// Place the Jam over your finger and decide which one is closest to your nail size.
2// Use the stick (I bought some shish kebob sticks for $1 at Wal-Mart) to remove the Jam from the sheet. Don't use your fingers. 
3// Use the scissors to cut the Jam in half. Place one half of the Jam back on the sheet.

4// With your Jam on the stick, use your heat source to loosen it up a bit. When I put it in the oven, I waited for the Jam to start curling.
5// Place the Jam on your finger, and rub it so it's sticking nice and tight. 

6// Cut off the excess using the scissors.
7// Use the finger nail file to file the Jam to the shape of your nail. Make sure you do downward strokes so the Jam better sticks to your nail.

8// Place the Jam near the heat source and rub it in a little more to make sure it really sticks.
9// Continue until all of your nails are Jammed out.
10// Admire your handy work and share your nails on Insta so your friends will be jealous.

I'm obsessed with Jamberry, and I can't wait to order more! If you want to learn more about Jamberry and get some of your own, check out Emily's site! If you're impatient and/or want to try before you buy, enter the giveaway below, and you could win some Jams of your own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What are your favorite Jamberry designs from the website?
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary set of jams for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own. 

read more " Pump Up the Jam(berry) + a Giveaway (CLOSED) "

6 Tips for Keeping Your Thick Hair Clean and Moisturized.

Glasses c/o Firmoo

I have a love-hate relationship with my hair. Some days, it looks absolutely gorgeous, but most days, I just want to cut it all off and scream. I've always struggled with my hair being dry and frizzy, which is why I was super excited to try out the new Head & Shoulders Moisture Care line. After just three washes, I was addicted, and I quickly added it to my hair care routine. 

If you have thick hair like me, you may struggle with keeping your hair both clean and moisturized, particularly during winter. These are a few tips that I use to keep my hair manageable and looking its best. 

// Don't wash your hair every day.

Instead only wash it about every 2-3 days. Washing your hair every day rids it of its natural nutrients. If you only wash it a few times a week, your hair can really soak up all those great nutrients and keep your hair healthy and strong. Sometimes, I'll even skip washing my hair altogether and just condition it or use a co-wash. 

If you find your hair feeling a little dry and dull between washes, try the new Head & Shoulders Moisture Care Scalp Soother. It keeps your hair feeling hydrated and helps improve moisture balance. You can use it as often as you want, anywhere, anytime. 

// When you do wash your hair, use a shampoo and conditioner that both cleans and moisturizes your hair. 

If you have thick hair, you know how big of a challenge it can be to find shampoo and conditioner that both cleans your hair and doesn't leave it feeling dry. The new Head & Shoulders Moisture Care does just that! Head & Shoulders has a reputation of keeping hair dandruff free, and the new Moisture Care line is no exception. I hate to admit it, but I've always struggled with dandruff, and with just a couple washes with the Head & Shoulders Moisture Care Shampoo and Co-Wash, my hair was noticeably cleaner and dandruff free. The Moisture Care line is infused with vitamin E-rich almond oil and coconut essence, which left my hair feeling both moisturized and manageable. 

// Don't lather too much.

While it's easy to associate the bubbly shampoo-y lather with cleanliness, too much lather actually isn't good for your hair. The later rids your hair of many important nutrients and can leave it feeling dry. To get the most out of your shampoo, use a smaller amount of shampoo watered down for just a little bit of lather.

// Use heating tools sparingly.

Using tools like hair straighteners and curling wands make your hair more prone to damage. Try letting your hair dry naturally rather than blow drying it every day. If you use heating tools, be sure to use heat-protective spray and try to limit it to just a few times a week. 

// If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, don't brush it every day. 

To make my hair easier to manage in the shower, I brush it before I get in. With conditioner in my hair, I brush out all of my tangles with my fingers to get rid of most of the knows and help spread the conditioner evenly. When my hair is dry, I rarely ever use a brush, because it makes my hair super frizzy.

// Don't use too many products.

Using too many products can weigh your hair down. If you have thick hair like me, count yourself lucky for having a little extra volume than most people. If you use products, try to stick to just one or two at a time. My products of choice are curling cream gel and a touch-up cream to help with frizz.

Glasses c/o of Firmoo.

Get your first pair free!

What are your favorite hair care tips?

read more " 6 Tips for Keeping Your Thick Hair Clean and Moisturized. "

3 Quick and Easy Hairstyles for Short Hair.

If you haven't heard the news already, I've ventured into the world of vlogging! I'm so excited, because it's something that I've been wanting to do for a long time, and I've finally hit the ground running with it. I have so many ideas in my head. While I have very little video editing experience, it's still so exciting to put together videos, even though I'm super awkward, and I don't have all of the high-tech equipment. 
Today on my vlog, I'm sharing three super quick and easy hairstyles for people with short hair. I have a long swing bob, and sometimes, it can be frustrating trying to figure out how to fix my hair every day. These are a few styles I'll be sharing in today's vlog. 

Be sure to check out the full tutorials on YouTube!

If you haven't seen my first vlog, check it out now and learn a little bit more about me. 

What kinds of vlogs would you like to see from me? 

read more " 3 Quick and Easy Hairstyles for Short Hair. "

Motivated Mondays: Embrace Your Natural Beauty

Every girl is guilty of it, including me. We're guilty of worrying about our outward appearance more than we should. After we reach a certain age in your preteens, after we discover makeup and boys, we start to put a precedence on our appearance. We don't want to leave the house without makeup. We don't even want our friends to see what we look like naturally. I can't even count the amount of times someone has said to me, "I look scary without make-up."
How long does it take you to apply makeup? It takes me maybe 15 minutes because I keep it minimal - foundation, powder, eyeliner. Even still, my boyfriend has told me multiple times that I look better without it, and I've never believed him. Even writing this, I still don't. Why is that? When did I start believing that it wasn't okay for people to see me without makeup? I could sit here and blame it on my acne scars. That discoloration makes me feel pretty unattractive. But when I think about it, how did I even get those acne scars? Probably from all the foundation I cake onto my face daily. 
After I saw this music video by Colbie Caillat, I felt really inspired.

Someone who is in the spotlight constantly is willing to shed her makeup and show her true self to the world. Why can't I do that too? I used to think that I was a relatively confident person when it came to most aspects of my life, but I never leave the house without makeup unless I'm going to the beach or to my parents' house. 
The reality of it is, no one has flawless skin, but the skin we're in is all we've got, so we have to accept it. I suppose that's easier said than done, particularly for women, especially since we've all been applying makeup since we were in our mid-teens. But wearing makeup shouldn't make us feel any more confident than we do without it; we should be able to feel confident both with and without it. We should always feel beautiful. Because we are. We should be proud of our natural beauty and unique looks that set us apart from the rest of the world. 

********************************************************************************* Meet my friend and soul sister, Nina! Seriously, the amount of things that we have in common are unreal.

Hi, I'm Nina! The blogger behind The Grand Adventures of Me, a lifestyle blog where I talk a lot about how I don't know how to be an adult, my family, and occasionally I get serious. I am finishing my last year of undergrad, and then I will go on to get my masters in social work so I can work with victims of human trafficking. I love reading, I love Jesus, I love laughing, and I love making new friends! (So come over to my blog and love me.) 

If you could live in any movie/book ever made, what movie/book would you choose? 

I think this answer is pretty simple: HARRY POTTER. I cannot tell you how many times I've lamented the fact that I have YET to receive my acceptance letter. I'm pretty sure my owl just got lost on the way here. 

What song are you currently obsessed with?

I am currently obsessed with "Million Years" by johnnyswim. It's one of the few love songs I can stand. 

If a celebrity came up behind you and whispered your ear, "Kiss me now," who would you want it to be and why?

Shoot, I had to think long & hard about this one! Actually, I had to review my "yes please" Pinterest board. I'm going to have to go with Chris Hemsworth. At one point in my life, I was trying to get kissed/kiss a guy from all the continents. I've never kissed someone from Australia! I would say Liam, but he dated Miley, and it grosses me out to think where his mouth has been. 

What makes you awesome?

I think my ability to laugh at myself makes me awesome. I'm constantly sticking my foot in my mouth or literally sticking my foot somewhere and tripping over everything. But I laugh it off and then it's all good! I am a pessimist trying to turn optimistic. I am learning how to love people better. I'm really trying to work on being teachable. We can learn so much from other people, and life itself! I want to always be a student.

From more from Nina, check out the links below!

Bloglovin | Insta-Insta | The Twitter Machine | Facebook 

read more " Motivated Mondays: Embrace Your Natural Beauty "

Mary Kay Glam.

I was super excited when I saw the Influenster Mary Kay Glam VoxBox in my mail. I am not the biggest make-up person, but I'm always looking to learn a bit more about it, and I love trying different products to see what works best with my skin tone.

Though I have heard of Mary Kay before, I have never tried any of their products. Here's all the sweet stuff I received in my box:

1-2. Mary Kay Translucent Loose Powder
I loved this powder! It goes on clear, and it's really light compared to the powder that I usually use. I also have oily skin in my T-zone area, and this product helped simmer that down and not make my face so shiny, which I loved. Also, the powder brush they provided for application of the powder was amazing! I'll definitely be using this product again and again.

3. Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color, Shy Blush
This color was perfect for my skin tone, and I think it would look amazing for people with skin lighter than mine as well. I like my blush to be subtle, and this blush went on easily without the application of many layers.

4-5. Mary Kay Cream Eye Color, Apricot Twist
The color wasn't dramatic on my eyelids, which I enjoyed, but I needed to apply several layers in order for it to be noticeable on my skin. Even in the picture below, it's hard to tell that I have any on. It suggested using either the provided brush or your finger to apply the eye color, but when I used the brush, it started clumping and the brush hardened. When I started to use my finger to apply more color, it wiped some of the eye color off. Next time, I will stick to just using my finger.

6-7. Mary Kay Gel Eyeliner with Expandable Brush Applicator, Jet Black
I am in love with this eye liner! It stayed on my eyes forever. The application with the applicator was super easy and looked amazing. I plan on using this eyeliner every day. It's amazing.

8. Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara, I Heart Black
I am not a big mascara user because I don't have the patience to spend a lot of time curling my eyelashes, but I was still excited to test this product. When I put it on my eyelashes, they looked much longer and fuller and didn't clump my eyelashes together like other mascaras tend to do.

9. Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss, Mango Tango
I adore this lip gloss. The texture is a little sticky, but not enough to notice after awhile. The color is bright, but not in a dramatic way. I will definitely be using this lip gloss often!

10. Mary Kay Bronzing Powder, Light to Medium
I didn't use the bronzing powder because the color they provided me was too light for me.

I love how everything looks together, and I'm excited about having the products in my growing make-up collection!

Disclaimer: I received these Mary Kay products courtesy of Influenster. All thoughts and opinions expressed here within are my own.

read more " Mary Kay Glam. "

september ipsy: classic beauty

Usually, I don't peek online to see what I'll be getting in my ipsy bag, but this time, I was just getting impatient. The theme for this month was Classic Beauty. I was excited because it seemed like it would be kind of classy and Hollywood glam.

What I got:

Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil - Obsidian
Retail Price: $12

NYX Single Eye Shadow - Cryptonite
Retail Price: $4.50

Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Volumizing Mascara - 4 ml
Retail Price: $19.99 (for 10 ml)

J. Cat Beauty Fantabulous Lipstick - Honeycrisp
Retail Price: $2.49

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Brightening Paper Mask (3) - Rose, Star Fruit, and Blue Agave
Retail Price: $1.99 each

Approximate Bag Value: $33

I'm most excited about trying out the NYX eye shadow. It's definitely my style, and it looks really classy and pretty. I'm kind of hesitant about the lipstick because it's a lighter color, and I'm not sure how it's going to look on me.

Do you subscribe to ipsy or any other monthly beauty bag?

 

Twitter//Instagram//Pinterest

read more " september ipsy: classic beauty "

august ipsy.

So this was my second month doing Ipsy, and I definitely liked this month's stuff better than last month's. I don't really wear much make-up. I have one of everything - foundation, powder, blush, eyeliner. I don't touch mascara because my eyelashes curve down, not upward and though I do have an eyelash curler, I never learned how to properly use it. Ain't nobody got time for that! I just started wearing lipstick, and of course I went for red to be dramatic, but I've only worn it about four times since I got it.

Anyway, here's my stash:



This month's theme was "Glamour Academy." How cute is that bag?

Noya - Kosher Natural Vanilla Lip Balm
Retail value: $3.99

Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream - 0.34 fl. oz.
Retail value: $16 (for 1 fl. oz.)

Michael Todd True Organics Pumpkin Facial Mask - 1 fl. oz.
Retail value: $34 (for 3.4 fl. oz.)

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara: .105 oz.
Retail value: $17 (for .25 oz.)

NYX Rouge Cream Blush (Orange)
Retail value: $6

I'd say that I got a lot of bang for my buck (or ten bucks rather). I'm pretty excited to try all of these products. Is it dumb that I'm most excited about the lip balm? I'm a lip balm fah-reak.

-- tiffanykhyla.

read more " august ipsy. "