Home for the Weekend

I made a run out to Target today and spent $60 on impulse purchases. Here's what caught my eye:

I saw this on sale for $12 so why not?
I thought the studs on the sides of the zipper were a little Balenciaga-esque.

When it was on the rack, the strap was this length:

but the strap can be adjusted to be super long. I think i'll end up using it with the long strap and slinging it across my body.

there are also snaps on the strap that allow you to remove it and convert it into a wristlet.

I also picked up some heat protectant for the rare occasion that I decide to curl or straighten my hair. I've heard great things about the Tressume brand and it was pretty cheap (around $4) but I'll let you know how it goes once I've tried it.

I've been looking for a good shirt dress and I found one that I didn't hate (made by Converse). It looked pretty olive green in the store but when I brought it home it looked a little more faded.

                                                

Here is a close-up of the tie. Its pretty nice looking imitation leather. (sorry its not focused well)

This is what it looks like on:

I also picked out some movies to add to my collection that I've been meaning to buy for the longest time.

I only just realized that they both have huge eyes on them...I also tried to buy American Beauty but they've been sold out every time I've gone! That movie made me realize what a good actor Kevin Spacey is. 

TRESemmé Fresh Start Review

I couple months ago, I decided to join the "No Poo" movement and wash my hair less often. I still rinse it with water but the problem was that my hair would get too oily near the roots on the days that I didn't wash it. TRESemmé Fresh Start dry shampoo looked pretty promising, so I picked it up the next time that I made a run out to Target. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed. But I'll lay out the pros and cons and let you decide for yourself.

Pros:

• Reduces SOME oil/shine.
• Relatively cheap.

Cons:

• Dries on as a white-ish color and doesn't completely brush out.
• Smells a little off.
• Makes your hair feel dirty/sticky/heavy.
• Doesn't completely reduce oil.

Now, I realize this sounds a little biased but I'm incredibly critical and usually notice the annoying things first. From my experience, I didn't feel that Fresh Start did a good enough job to even compare to washing your hair. It didn't live up to my expectations and I definitely wouldn't buy it again. I've probably used the product less than 5 times but I dislike it so much that I don't think I'll use the rest of the can.

I recently found a homemade shampoo recipe through StumbleUpon that I'm eager to try out this summer, which I'll update you on after I've tested it out. It uses baking soda for the "shampoo" and apple cider vinegar for the "conditioner." I'm pretty sure my hair will end up smelling terrible. But maybe that's a fair trade-off if it turns out healthier and shinier. 

The Best Chapstick I've Ever Used.

This has to be my favorite chapstick I've ever owned in my entire life. And i've owned a lot. I probably bought every flavor of Smackers chapstick when I was a kid. I liked Burt's Bees for a while because of the minty-ness but it made my lips feel weird. I don't know if there is a term for it but it was kind of the lip equivalent of pruny fingers I suppose? Plus I feel like all the chapsticks I used before made my lips "shed" and an inconsistent rate. I can't remember why I decided to buy the Nivea chapstick since I'm such a creature of habit but it had to be one of the best decisions that I've made.

There are so many things that distinguish this chapstick from others but here are the ones that I notice the most:

• It glides on so smooth to the point that it actually feels wet. 
• It offers SPF (even though its a low one)
• Also available without SPF (the cap is dark blue)
• Actually MOISTURIZES your lips without making them "pruny"
• Doesn't have any flavor/scent. I find that flavors make it seem cheap and they taste terrible.
• Not colored or dyed.
• Relatively cheap.
• The cap is like a sheath instead of the typical dinky chapstick caps.
• Easier to keep track of and it's just cooler in general.

Beauty Tip: For perfectly moisturized and healthy lips, I apply chapstick on at night before I go to sleep. Skin is more absorbent at night and you won't be tempted to constantly rub your lips together/smack them so it'll stay put. The chapstick can be properly absorbed and your lips will show a visible difference in no time at all.