hot head

 

Hey hey. I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend. Mine was incredibly relaxing and I was actually looking forward to getting back into the work routine today.
 

To all of you who curl your hair on a regular basis, talk to me. I need to know what you use to protect your tresses from the heat of your appliances.

For years I was super lazy and would simply blow dry my hair and leave it in its naturally stick straight state. I have recently become a little obsessed with the curling iron (and wand) ever since my friend and hairstylist taught me how to curl properly, giving my hair that wavy, effortless appearance. If only it was effortless. Turns out I like curling my hair so much that I completely fried it over the past six months between hair cuts.

 

I could use what my friend sells at the salon, but am really looking for something budget-friendly - $30 or less. I've mentioned before that I have had great luck with Phyto hair products, so I might try out their Phytokeratine Reparative serum. I am definitely looking for other options though as I research, so if you use a serum and love it, please let me know!

time saver

*So I'm just going to jump right in here and pretend I haven't been MIA for 3 weeks* 

I think most of you will agree with me that any tricks or tips to save some time these days is as appreciated as a J. Crew sale on pay day. No?

I bought this tube of Freedom polymer top coat from Julep over a month ago with the hopes it would give me a Shellac-like manicure for a fraction of the cost over time. With wedding season in full swing and making a commitment to tighten my budget, I spent $18 on the Julep top coat hoping my skepticism of its seemingly-radical product description would prove incorrect.

After over 10 at-home manicures, here is what I have found.

The Pros:
1. Dries extremely fast and effectively. Like I can take out laundry from the dryer five minutes after I've finished applying.
2. Gives nails the high-gloss gel look.
3. Comes off easily with regular non-acetone nail polish remover.

The Con:
1. Doesn't last nearly as long as a gel manicure. I get about 4 days before the color starts chipping.

For me, the multiple benefits outweigh the one disappointment I have had with this product.

PS: I was not compensated in any way for this review, just my thoughts and hope it's helpful for you!

oh so oily

I have been reading tons of articles lately about the benefits of using natural oil as a part of your health and beauty routine. At first I figured these folks must all be nutso granola to the extreme people. Then I started reading Amazon reviews and became truly intrigued. Longer lashes, smooth skin, all natural ingredients? Yes please.

A few weeks ago, as part of my recent job acceptance shopping spree, I bought Josie Maran's argan oil from Sephora. This stuff is amazing. I use it most every night and in the mornings if I know it is going to be cloudy out. (It doesn't have SPF, so if the weather is going to be nice or I'm going to be outside a lot, I use my old faithful Lumene Vitamin C+ lotion.) A little goes a long way with argan oil, and it moisturizes while barely feeling like there is anything on my skin. At first it seemed counterintuitive to be putting oil on my combo skin; oily in the T zone and dryer elsewhere. I can honestly say this oil leaves my face feeling light and hydrated, not oily, and the best part - no break outs!

Another variety I am super interested in getting my hands on is castor oil. I have a minor major obsession with eyelashes - my own and everyone else's. Isn't it every girl's challenge in life to find the perfect mascara? (I'm still looking by the way....) Apparently castor oil is like a natural Latisse. I mean, sounds way too good to be true, am I right? Wikipedia says there is no scientific proof that castor oil promotes hair growth, but it's so darn inexpensive I might as well give it a try. I'll report my findings, of course.

Are there any other kinds of oils you're a big fan of that I should try?

image

spring scent

Confession: I have worn the same perfume almost exclusively for the past 11 years.

Angel by Thierry Mugler

I only need two fingers to count the number of times I have chosen not to refill the pretty star bottle right away and tried something new. Both of those perfumes were fine, but I always ended up going back to Angel. It is sugary at first, but when the liquid dries on my skin, the patchouli takes over and it's this perfect mix of woodsy/vanilla deliciousness. When I get stopped in stores by women who have to know what perfume I'm wearing, or when I walk into a room and people know it's me just from the Angel wafting in, I know I found a good thing in this scent.

That being said, I gave my empty bottle to my parents over Valentine's Day to refill as a gift (for Easter I'm hoping!) so have been without this divine perfume for over a month. For awhile, I wasn't wearing any smell-good-stuff at all. Then I remembered a birthday gift I received in January, Laura Mercier's Almond Coconut Milk Body Butter. It's sweet, but not overpowering, and it lasts subtly on my skin for hours and hours. So while I'm waiting for an Angel refill, this decadent body butter is an excellent substitute.

I always have an internal debate whether I'm cheating myself by not being more adventurous with perfumes, or if it would just end up a waste of money. For now, I think I'm going to continue sticking with what works with my pheromones.

Do you have a signature scent, or do you change perfumes with the season?

winter tropical vacation must haves

I am aware of the following facts:

1. Mexico is warm when Kansas City is cold

2. Mexico is fun

3. Weddings are amazing

4. Mexico + wedding = REALLY good time

5. I'm visiting Mexico twice, both for weddings, within six weeks of eachother

6. My life is completely ridiculous

Far from a travel professional (still haven't been to Europe, tsk tsk), I have traveled south of the US border a handful of times over the past few years. The crazy thing is, I get to travel south again in 5 days, which also happens to be my 27th birthday. Which is why I felt obligated to list #6 above. It's the truth.

Naturally, I'm waiting until the last minute to pack. But luckily with my recent escapades to Tulum (first of the 2 weddings), Dominican Republic, and Cancun, I have the warm weather vacation packing list pretty much down to a science.

In case you're planning a trip somewhere warm during these last cold months of the season (or if you just want a head start on pool season), here are a few of my tropical vacation must haves.

j. crew popover

I have this in white (shown in chambray) and got it a size up so it would be longer, and use it as a cover-up. It's especially perfect if you're going on an booze cruise excursion where you'll be in the sun for hours on end and want those sleeves by the end of the day. It also makes me feel preppy on the beach, which I love.

stella & dot charlize teardrop earrings

These bring a beachy element to any outfit. I wear them nearly 100% of the time I'm on a tropical vacation.

soprano racerback maxi

This maxi is super form-fitting and lightweight. It's perfect as a cover-up as long as your bikini bottoms don't have string-tie sides, or as a casual dress at night.

havaiana sandals

In the blogging world, Jack Rogers sandals rule the roost; but I can't wrap my head around forking over $100+ on beach shoes. Havaianas are comfortable, reasonable, and offer really cute designs.

lumene vitamin c+ day dream with SPF

All day. Everyday. Plus it smells like citrus. This redhead has not had a face sunburn in two years.

Top photo by me while in Cancun December 2011.

thoughts on brows

Have you ever taken a minute and thought about how important eyebrows are to a person's face? If not, just check this out and then meet me back here.....

Yikes. So other than keeping sweat from dripping in our eyes, they have some aesthetic importance as well.

If you have naturally dark brows, I give you 100% guilt-free permission to skip this post. For the rest of you, I present you with eyebrow experience in hopes it helps you with yours.

As a redhead, my brows are really light and undefined. I tried tinting them for years, which was a nice solution except for the three days after each session. No matter the shade of brown dye, it was always too dark for those following days, and I felt like a ginger Morticia Addams. Not cute.

After all that time of  (expensive) dyeing and not being thrilled with the outcome, I decided my brows didn't need any extra attention. That was the year I learned negligence is never the answer. I then went through a pencil phase, but found them either too chalky or too waxy.

Finally a few weeks ago I texted my redhead friend with blonde brows and asked what she does to make hers look so good. Why I didn't do this years ago is beyond me.....

She enlightened me to the world of using eye shadow as a brow darkener. I decided it was worth a shot. So I went to my new makeup BFF Dan at NARS, picked up Lola Lola and a fancy brow brush (And new bronzer. I got sidetracked.) and went on my way. I've been really happy with the results, and it's easier to apply than I anticipated!

I hope this helps you fellow fair-haired friends out there. If you've found a good solution for your brows, please share in the comments so we can have a list of options!

If you have dark brows and are still reading this, don't you feel lucky?

image credits // 1 // 2 //

currently obsessed: beauty edition

About 10 years ago, I shopped exclusively at department stores for my beauty products. It was "normal" to buy $70 daily moisturizers, $28 tubes of mascara, and $15 Juicy Tubes lip gloss. 

I wasn't rich; I was in high school. I worked at abercrombie kids for fun money. Remember when a one hundred dollar paycheck could be spent solely on discretionary items like Smirnoff Ice and bronzer?

Looking back, most of that fun money went straight to the Nordstrom beauty counters. It makes my tummy hurt to think of how much I spent on perishable beauty products during those formative years. 

Nowadays, about 90% of my beauty supplies can be found at CVS. There's a store less than 3 minutes from my place, I consistently have about $10 in coupons at any time, and they have everything I need to take me from Morning Monica to OK-to-be-seen-in-public Monica. 

My favorite part about buying beauty products from CVS is that I can afford to experiment. If I hate it, I throw it away. (I had an awful experience with eyeliner a few months back. $7 in the trash after a few uses = nbd compared to $20.)

So after years of almost-exclusive use of drug store brand products, I share with you my favorite finds*.

*only one of the items pictured below is a department store brand. It's worth it though, promise.

@monicarosekc on instagram

Moving clockwise from the nail polish:

1. Maybelline Color Show polish. This stuff is only $3.99 and comes in bright, neutral, and metallic options. I was debating between two shades the last time I was at CVS, but they're so inexpensive and the color is so rich that I bought them both. Pictured above: Coral Crush

2. Lumene Vitamin C+ protecting day cream. This lotion leaves my skin feeling hydrated, protected (SPF 15), and smelling AMAZING. I love putting it on right after a morning shower. The citrus scent perks me right up. If you've ever spent time with me in the morning, you know I could use as much perking as possible.

3. Olay Professional ProX cleansing system. Almost $100 less than a Clarisonic and does the same thing. This is a no-brainer to me. I was skeptical at first, but after reading the Amazon reviews, I gave it a try and have been really happy. I use the exfoliating gel that came with the ProX about once a week. The rest of the time I use a gentle Neutrogena cleanser. Hint: It is usually cheaper to buy this product on Amazon if you are going to spend $25 and get free shipping!

4. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle deeeeep conditioner. Four bucks and three minutes is all you need for really smooth hair. Some background on why I bought this: I have naturally stick-straight hair and don't dye it. I use my Chi maybe twice a month. But, I blow-dry every morning. That heat alone has made my super straight hair a little coarser and damaged over the years. I swear this conditioner has made a huge difference over the past month when I started using it every other time I wash my hair.

5. Maybelline Mineral Power powder. I think I've gone through 8 of these over the last two years. For anyone who prefers the look and feel of powder foundation compared to liquid, this is your new bff. It smooths out unevenness but doesn't look caked-on. For women with normal to dry skin, I will go ahead and say it is leaps and bounds better than Bare Minerals, at a fraction of the cost. I used Bare Minerals one time in college and swore off powder for a while after that experience. It completely dried me out and was too expensive to buy and not love. The Maybelline powder is where it's at.

6. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balm stain. This is a new product from Revlon, but I think it's going to be a keeper. I bought it in Charm on a whim (with a coupon of course) and am very happy with the color and moisturizing aspects. It also doesn't melt in extreme heat when left in the car for hours. Solid buy.

7. Revlon ColorStay eyeliner. As I mentioned earlier in this essay of a post, I have not had great luck with drug store eyeliners. I don't wear it often, but when I do, I want it to stay in place and not end up at the top of my eyelids. The ColorStay eyeliner was a champ in the ultimate task: a weekend at the Ozarks. It didn't smear at all after jumping in and out of the water, reapplying sunscreen and squinting in the sun. Winner winner chicken dinner in my book.

8. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place ShadowCreme. This is the department store item, and it makes the list because I can't find anything (even at CVS) that compares. Like the name suggests, once you swipe this eye shadow on, it doesn't move. One of my biggest pet peeves with cream eye shadows is after an hour or two, you have a hideous line of chunky color in your blink crease. I now own three shades of EL's ShadowCreme and am so happy with it. Even after owning them for over a year, there are no signs of drying out.

If you're wondering why mascara (my very favorite beauty invention EVER) is not mentioned, it's because the jury is still out. Top contenders include: Maybelline Great Lash, Christian Dior DiorShow, Lancome Definicils, and Maybelline Falsies.

Now I'm curious - what are your favorite beauty products?

prime time

arbonne

smashbox

NARS

A little over a year ago, I went to an Arbonne house party and bought (among many other things) a face primer. I'd never used primer before and didn't know much about it's purpose. The consultant was adamant I needed it for my *fair, dry, freckly face. $40 later I had a fluid ounce of the stuff without the slightest idea when to put it on or why it was so important, and had a suspicious feeling it would sit in my drawer forever and never get used.

I admit, I was wrong. I used it almost every day. I found the primer kept my powder/blush/bronzer on my face better, and prevented shiny forehead disorder. Once it was empty, I found a sample size primer from smashbox which had sat in said drawer for at least 4 years. Now I'm almost finished up with the smashbox stuff and deciding whether to make another rather large (for my makeup budget) purchase of primer. Hence why I look to you - my blog friends for advice.

There are articles out there that say makeup primer is as important for your face as paint primer is to a wall. I'm not so sure I saw the line smoothing & pore diminishing benefits, but I like the idea of another layer protecting my skin from the sun and any potentially harmful/pore-clogging ingredients in makeup.

Do you use a primer and if so, what kind? Are you completely hooked or am I inventing these benefits because I spent $40 on a bottle of primer?

*whoooo's jealous??

Thakoon for NARS

via

It's the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale, and while I'm there I fully intend on picking up one of these pretty Thakoon for NARS polishes to celebrate the beginning of summer! Which one is your favorite?

going pink

Who has gotten in to the bright lips look this spring? At first, it reminded me of my mom, who has never left the house without some shade of coral or magenta on her lips since 1986. Probably earlier, but I'm unable to recollect that far back. Not that a trend reminding me of mi madre is a bad thing; she's a pretty happening 56 year old who at times buys clothes for herself I've been coveting and waiting to go on sale. Future post idea: my mom's style through the decades. 

Back to the topic. This past weekend, Blue Eyes was in Houston and my roomie was in Wichita, so I was lonely. And when I get lonely, I go shopping. Danger zone shopping. So I went to the MAC counter at Nordstrom and promptly asked them to work some magic on my lips. No more nude glosses and chapstick for me. I needed a pop of color that was completely out of my comfort zone. And oh boy did I get it!

MAC "Viva Glam Nicki" lipstick via my Instagram

I wore it to an engagement shower on Saturday with this gloss over to mute it a bit, and loved it. I couldn't believe it! As a redhead, I would've never ever in a hundred years imagined I'd buy a bubble gum pink lipstick and actually wear it.

Are you already wearing a bright lip color? Fill me in, I could always use some more inspiration!

beauty stash: hand creams

Hello lovely readers and happy hump day!

I promise I will get some Napa adventure pictures up soon, but until the girls get their photos on Shutterfly, I am stuck with only my pics and a desire to not have wine again for a few more days....

This is rando but are anyone's hands crazy dry already this season? I know it's not just a Kansas-weather thing either, because it all started when I was in California. I even had a dream my finger nails were cracking right down the middle the other night (much like the United States is - wtf with all the earthquakes in OK and KS over the past week???).

I'm addicted to L'Occitane's travel sized hand creams. Best stocking stuffer a girl can ask for! The only problem is I run out of them really quickly because the lavender scent is so wonderful I keep applying when I don't really need to.

L'Occitane Lavender Hand Cream Trio

So this year I'm going to try a new, unscented hand cream to test my loyalty to L'Occitane. It's never good to get stuck in a rut, am I right? So here are a few carry-on sized moisture providers I'm eyeing this winter....

C.O. Bigelow Chapped Hands Remedy

Kiehl's Unusually Rich But Not Greasy At All Hand Cream

That's all for now! If you have a tried and true hand lotion let me know....