Harry Potter Themed Manicure and Pedicure

A couple of the girls I'm going to Orlando with and I decided to get themed pedicures for our trip. One of the girls did Minnie Mouse (red polish with white polka dots and a Minnie head silhouette on her big toes), one did princess (glittery pale pink with rhinestones on her big toes), and I did Harry Potter.

I knew I wanted to represented Slytherin mostly, but I also wanted it to be more obvious that these were Harry Potter nails. I ended up having my friend do green with gray tips on the small toes and red with a yellow lightning bolt on the big toes. They looked pretty Christmas-y until the yellow and gray details were added, but I really like how they turned out.

Eventually, I decided to do my nails, too. I wanted to try putting the Hufflepuff (apparently my house according to Pottermore, ugh) and Ravenclaw colors on my fingernails and adding a stripe.

Tuesday night, I did Phase 1 of my manicure and painted my nails yellow and blue.

Since I wanted to make sure they were completely dry before I continued, I waited until Wednesday night to do the hard part - Phase 2: The Stripes.

To create the desired stripe, I used two small pieces of Scotch tape on each nail to cover the parts I didn't want to paint.

That's about all there is to tell you from a step-by-step process besides my lessons learned below, but here's how they turned out:

They turned out too messy to justify a closeup picture, but they look kind of neat from far away.

Lessons Learned

• Remove the tape very shortly after painting. Don't wait until the polish is at the tacky stage or some of the tape will stay painted on.
• It's probably best to do one hand at a time. It was harder to navigate the brush with ten taped fingers, and I didn't get the tape off in time.
• I used jewelry pliers to remove the tape so that I didn't mess up my nails. I wanted to use Tweezers, but the tiny pliers were closer. Either way, they were essential to this process since I did all ten stripes at once.
• I might try painter's tape next time. The Scotch tape was stickier than I anticipated.
• I used a top coat for the first time pretty much ever, so that should help my messy manicure stay in place for awhile.
• Not surprisingly, my left hand turned out a lot better than my right hand, but that's unavoidable unless I have someone else do my nails.
• On a few of my nails, the polish ended up bubbly after it dried. I have no idea what this means, but if anyone does, I'd love to know how to prevent that next time.

My Ten Fashion and Beauty Must-Haves

Fashion Must-Haves

1. A watch. I've loved watches forever, and I even have video evidence of my 16-year-old self professing my love for watches...and yo-yos. Fun fact (or not). I have to restrain myself from buying more of them. I have four at the moment, but I think I need a new casual one for my Disney trip next month. The cheapo Target one I wore to Orlando last year broke.

2. Giant handbag. I don't know how people can function with small purses. I can do a smaller bag for shopping, or a smaller bag inside a tote or a diaper bag; but for everyday, it's gotta be huge.

3. Ballet flats. There was a time not so long ago when cute low-heeled shoes could not be found. Since they've become popular, ballet flats are another thing I have to resist buying in every color and style whenever I see them.

4. Cardigans. This was starting to look like a big Michael Kors advertisement, so let's move onto something else. Cardigans. Are they the most fashionable thing? Maybe not, but they're definitely a must-have for my business casual attire. Since I wear cardigans so frequently, I don't feel bad about having one in every color. Two of every neutral color even. Come to think of it, the only color I don't have is orange. I may have to remedy that.

5. Anything Yellow. It's my favorite color, and frankly, I think I could use more of it. I tend to hold back because I don't want to look like a crazy lady who only wears yellow. Although I have considered it because that would make an excellent topic for a new blog.

Scarves and blazers narrowly missed the cut.

Beauty Must-Haves

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1. EOS lip balm. I used to be a loyal Carmex user, but I've recently moved onto EOS. It's fun to use, and the spherical shape sometimes acts as a conversation starter when I pull it out.

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2. Clean & Clear Instant Oil-Absorbing Sheets. I think I've been using these off an on for at least 5 years, but I wish I knew about them in high school. They are the most essential thing ever for people who get  shiny throughout the day.

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3. Mask. An anecdote for you. Last summer, I volunteered to participate in a little runway show for a sustainability fair type thing. The Mary Kay lady who was doing our makeup kind of crinkled her nose and was like, “Do you use a mask? You should.” Yikes. Right after that, I bought an exfoliating scrub, but I didn't get around to buying a mask until I had a facial a few months ago. Now I use the blackhead eliminating cleanser mask as a mask once a week. It's a step in the right direction at least. Next, I need to be more diligent about removing my makeup at night.

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4. Dry shampoo. For awhile, I didn't get the concept of not washing my hair every day. I'd be a greaseball if I skipped a day. That was until I finally gave in and tried dry shampoo. I don't have a favorite brand yet, but so far, I've tried Batiste, Suave, and TRESemmé with similar results.

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5. Revlon Lip Butter. These are my new favorite lip colors because they're not sticky like a gloss, and they don't dry out my lips like lip stains and most lipsticks. The colors I have are Tutti Frutti (coral) and Cherry Tart (red). I just turned my friend onto these last week, and I think the one she bought was Brown Sugar, which is a really great sheer, shimmery shade. From the reviews I've read, these do not give you long-lasting color, but for me, the positives outweigh the negative.

Final Laser Hair Removal Thoughts

I realized I never updated about my last hair removal appointment and results. That’s because there was nothing really to report.

I walked in, had my slightly less painful treatment after icing my underarms, tipped the lady (though still unsure of the tipping etiquette there), and walked out as she said, “If you need a touch up, it’ll be $50.” Touch up, shmouch up. I would need a whole other treatment at a different facility.

Pessimistically, I waited a week to see if anything came of my last treatment. In the end, I would sum it up as a patchy, very slight hair reduction. I still need to shave just as often, and I have nearly as much hair as before.

It doesn’t help that all the Ideal Image commercials on the radio taunt me every day. I’m thinking I should’ve gone that route since that company was recommended by a friend, and they have a guarantee. The only way I’d try again, though, is if I were gifted a treatment package from there. I’m definitely a little laser shy at this point.

By the way, I just clicked over to the Ideal Image website, and one of their fun facts is “Most of our guests stop shaving after the first treatment.” That makes me want to cry/scream/throw things/stab things. At least I didn’t pay full price for my treatment at the other place! I just have to keep telling myself that.

So, would I recommend laser hair removal? Only if you’ve heard many good reviews from people you know about a particular place because either A. each laser hair removal service is not created equal, or B. laser hair removal just doesn’t work on me.

New Haircut

Before

After

Bang Inspiration

I've decided.  I'm gonna take the plunge and get bangs.  I've been wanting to do something different with my hair even though I'm super low maintenance.  BUT, I want to keep it long for now, and I don't want to change the color again until I start going gray.

The bangs topic came up again over Christmas because my mom got a super cute new haircut.  My husband commented how much he liked her bangs.  While I don't want blunt cut, wispy-ish bangs like my mom, I'm ready to take a change and get bangs again.  It's just hair, right?  Right.

Here are some of the bang looks I like:

Source: google.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

Source: instyle.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

Source: stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

Source: coutureinthecity.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

One of my BFFs is my hair stylist, so my plan is to set up an appointment with her sometime in the next few weeks.  So of course, before and after pictures will come at that time.

I'm curious.  Have any of you ever had bang remorse?  Or do you have any easy bang styling tips?

Laser Hair Removal Appointments One through Four

I wrote about my first hair removal experience, but I haven’t had the heart to write about my second and third visits until now--the day of my fourth visit.

First, I’ll review and remind you that my first visit for my underarm treatment went OK. It was way more painful than I was prepared for, but I was pleased when seven days later, my hair did seem to fall out, and it seemed easier to shave for the next couple weeks. After that, I noticed my hair grew in patchy as expected, so I was optimistic.

My second treatment seemed just as painful, but it seemed to take a little less time than the first, which was a relief. The results were nothing to write home about, though. I noticed almost no change between the second and third treatments other than being happy when about a week later, I didn’t have to shave for one day when the hair finally fell out.

The third appointment...ah the third appointment. I was nearly ready to call it quits. I walked in, and the lady observed that the hair was finer this time around, meaning she’d need to use a more intense laser. How much more pain could they really subject me to? Apparently a lot more. I was nearly brought to tears and began trembling, not unlike during labor contractions. They lasted about the same amount of time, too. She warned me that the burn might last longer this time around, and that turned out to be true. Normally, in a half hour, I’m good as new, but it was hours before I could comfortably bring my arms to my side again. Not only that, I had developed a small swollen bump on my left pit as if there were a semi-sweet morsel wedged underneath my skin. The bump subsided after a few days luckily as did the slight lingering tenderness.

Needless to say, I was not looking forward to my fourth appointment today one bit. I walked in and quickly reminded the lady that we were going to try ice this time so that it wouldn’t be quite so painful. I had also conveniently taken some Advil Cold & Sinus earlier--I needed it for other reasons, but I figured it couldn’t hurt. I held the ice pack against my arm pit for a couple minutes while the lady readied the laser. Then, I prepared myself for the excruciating discomfort...but felt nothing!!!!!!!!!! The ice and Advil had worked!!!!

Now, I’m not even worried about going in for my last two appointments. Well, the pain part doesn’t bother me anymore, but I am a little concerned whether I’m going to see any results. Hopefully, in November, I’ll have an excited post about not having anymore underarm hair. We shall see.

Trying New Hair Techniques

When it comes to hair, I definitely fall into the category of Low Maintenance. I’ll get dressed and try to wear cute clothes everyday; I’ll put makeup on a couple times a week; but I rarely ever do anything with my hair besides wash, comb, and air dry. So I welcome any techniques that allow me to still be lazy but have better looking hair.

Sunday night after washing my hair, I tried out this no heat curl idea I found on Love Maegan. The original tutorial is on youtube, and you can find a couple other examples of it here and here.

The first headband I grabbed was too loose, and it kept slipping around, so I switched it out for a heavier duty headband. I slept on it no problem and everything stayed put pretty well.

The result:

I would definitely try this again with hairspray. By the time I got to work, my curls were kind of limp waves.

My second hair adventure involved finally trying dry shampoo. I’ve heard tons and tons of times how it’s better for your hair if you don’t wash it every day, but I just feel like a big grease ball whenever I attempt it. I happened to find a can of dray shampoo at the grocery store, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Clearly, nobody buys dry shampoo at the grocery store because the rebate coupon on the can expired in June 2010...

I sprayed the hair around my face and tried to evenly get the rest of my scalp. I’m happy to say that I didn’t feel like a grease ball today. Would I let my hair go for more than one unwashed day? I’m not so sure about that yet.

Polka Dot Manicure

This week's visual FBFF is being hosted at Lifestyles of the Thrifty and Shameless. It's a manicure party, and here's what I came up with:

I wanted to do something subtle and fairly quick and easy. I went with a lilac colored polish that I already had, which is from Forever 21. Then I picked up a silver Sally Hansen nail pen at Target. Unfortunately, I neglected to buy top coat, so I'm not sure how long it'll last.

Here's a detail shot:

As you can tell, a perfectionist I am not.  If I did it again, I would change the colors, and I would either do the french manicure or the dots but not both.  I'm happy with the nail pen, though.  It worked pretty well--those nail strips Sally Hansen makes didn't work for me at all, but I was content with the pen.

First Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Back in April (I know the weather today feels and looks just like April here in Wisconsin, but it's actually late June), I purchased a Groupon for six laser hair removal treatments for the underarms.  The original price of the treatment was $600, and I only paid $150.

Laser hair removal was something I'd been thinking about doing for a couple years now.  When I got pregnant, I decided it would be my present to myself after I gave birth since I didn't feel safe doing it while I was with child.  I kind of forgot about it until this groupon came up.  I got the blessing from hubs and snatched it up.  I should've made my appointment that same day so that I could've reaped some of the benefits while I was on vacation, but I didn't make my first appointment until June 1.

I had very lofty expectations going into my first appointment.  Laser hair removal came highly recommended to me from a friend from college, who has had the treatment on multiple areas with great success.  Because of this, I was under the impression that there would be minimal amounts of pain and that I would have no more hair the second I hopped out of the chair.

Um.  Wrong and wrong.

First of all, I ended up having to reschedule my appointment because I had gotten crazy sunburned five days earlier, and the technician didn't feel comfortable pointing a laser near my already crispy skin.  In retrospect, I'm really glad she decided to wait.

I went back in this morning for my actual first treatment.  First, the technician glanced at the hair to check the texture.  I assume this determines the power of the laser or whatevs.  She put gel on my underarm and went to town burning the shiznit out of my flesh.  It hurt soooo bad.  I should've expected it--imagine leaving a metal wand on your stove for awhile and them rubbing the tip against your skin.  Luckily, it only lasted maybe 30 seconds to a minute per underarm, so I didn't have to endure it for very long.  I can't imagine doing my whole legs.  Ow ow ow!

She offered to smear some aloe vera on afterward, and I eagerly accepted.  I happened to have some in my purse, too, so I can reapply later if need be.  I walked out of the office with my elbows sticking out so that my pits wouldn't rub.  The burning did go away about 10 minutes later, though.

Have any of you had any laser hair removal treatments?  I'd love to hear about your experiences.  I'll have to update you when I start seeing results.  The lady the first time said it would take 7-10 days for the hair to fall out, but the lady today said two weeks.  So we'll see.  If it actually works like I hope it will, I'll happily go back and be tortured five more times.

For those of you who have had these treatments or know something about them, how much do you tip??  I know that at some places they don't accept tips, but here, it was encouraged.  Standard tipping at restaurants and salons is 20%, but I didn't do the math ahead of time, so I didn't know if that would be appropriate in this case.  Originally, I planned on giving $20 because that's all I had in my wallet (which after doing the math, would've been 20% of the original price per visit, so that probably would've been perfect).  After I got coffee this morning, I had $15, so I figured that would be fine.  Then, after the painful treatment, I was like...you get $10.  That's it.  So thoughts?  A $20 tip each time seems high, but this is probably their least expensive treatment, so maybe it's not.

I'm a little scared to look at the state of my armpits right now.  Apparently, it should just look like I got sunburned, but I'm going to ignore them for awhile just in case.

Fun with Hair

If you're on Pinterest, you may have seen this hair tutorial from A Cup of Jo floating around.  Or, you may have seen it around the blogosphere at some point.

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Most days, my hair regimen consists of shampoo, condition, comb, air dry.  But today, for some reason, I wanted to mix it up a little.  Maybe it was the excitement of jeans day at work.  Or the fact that it's Friday!  Either way, this hairstyle was quick to replicate and only added an extra 5 minutes to my morning...OK, full disclosure.  It was probably an extra 10 minutes when all was said and done because I made the buns too high the first time.  But NEXT time, it'll only add another 5 minutes.  Maybe even 3.

Here's how mine turned out.

Don't forget to Cover Your Cough, as the sign in the bathroom reminds us!  Random.

I noticed after taking these pictures that a random piece was hanging down from the middle bun, and it was bugging me, so I added another bobby pin.

I think the hairstyle would've been better suited with a simpler outfit.  It looks perfect with the casual striped shirt worn in the tutorial.  On me, the whole thing looks a tad over-styled and maybe a little young, but it was a fun change of pace.  Next time, I'll save this hairdo for a weekend, non-work day look when I'm not wearing pink.

Copying Ms. Hathaway

When I saw this photo of Anne Hathaway at the Rio premiere, I knew I wanted to recreate it at some point.  I really liked the laid-back messy ponytail with the big glasses.  For a kids' movie premiere, I think the more casual beauty look worked with her short, fun Gucci dress.

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Here's my interpretation:

Dress ($7.50!!), Long-Sleeve Shirt, and Boots: Target; Belt: Forever 21; Tights: We Love Colors; Glasses: Hanson.net

It probably has not escaped your attention that there is snow on the ground.  Hence the tights and boots.  In fact, I'm actually also wearing Christmas socks.  I figure I might as well have a sense of humor about this frustrating weather we're having.  Plus, they were my only clean socks.

These glasses were previously sunglasses as you may have known or guessed or figured out if you clicked on the link.  When I ordered these from Hanson.net, I somehow was sent two of them in two different shipments.    At the time, I figured I'd keep one for when I inevitably broke the other ones.  But, I ended up deciding to break these myself.  Glad I did, too, 'cause they're kind of neat and trendy looking now, eh?  I switched to my regular glasses before I got to work, though, because these have no lenses, so I would've looked like a crazy person.

I think Bridget had a really cute outfit today, too:

Her shirt was also a Target clearance item, like my dress.  And since I had such a crazy day at work yesterday, I treated myself to a quick shopping trip to H&M, where I found this adorable hat and a matching summer dress.  I didn't get in trouble for shopping either because the hubs had bought himself some sort of audio gadget on earlier in the week.  Score.

On the docket for tonight is an anniversary date with the hubs.  We're gonna do a wine tasting (which is what we did on our first date but at a different place) and then grab a bite to eat while my mom babysits.  Then, it's back home to watch some American Idol with Mom if she chooses to stick around instead of heading home early.

OK, off to continue another crazy busy day of work.

Favorite Beauty Products

My awesomest (if that were a word) beauty look from when I was a giraffe in my friend's cosmetology school fashion show

Get in on the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday (FBFF) action.

1. What's your favorite drug store makeup product and your favorite higher-end product? I don't spend a lot of money on makeup, so I can't name a higher-end product I like.  As far as drug store makeup, probably Neutrogena MoistureShine Gloss.  I don't know if that link is the exact type of Neutrogena lip gloss I have, but I've bought a lot of lip products in my life and hated them all.  That lip gloss and my Bare Escentuals Buxom lip gloss are the only ones I've consistently used.
   
   
2. Is there one type of product that is your go-to, can't live without? Carmex.  It's the only thing I wear every day of my life, no matter what I'm doing.  I'll sometimes go days without makeup, but I won't go days without lip balm.
   
   
3. What's the best hair product you've ever used? As low maintenance as I am with my makeup, I'm even lower maintenance with my hair.  I have tried a variety of volumizing products on my hair, though.  I don't know that any of them really work, but I s'pose I did kind of like using the Big Sexy Hair products.
   
   
4. Fess up, what's the worst beauty look you've tried to rock and look back at now with a little shame or apprehension that you actually did that? Tiger stripes in my hair in 2003.  I don't blame my friend who put the blond streaks in my hair because it actually didn't look bad, and a lot of people were doing it at the time.  Except for maybe the one big chunk of blond by my ear that we called my skunk, haha.  Up until then, though, I had never colored my hair, so I do kinda regret starting.  Especially since I did it for a guy who I thought liked blondes (who later married a brunette, haha).  It got worse when I dyed my hair all blond a few weeks later.  Does color from a box ever turn out the way you want it to?  Every time I color my hair now (professionally only!), I kinda wish it was back to its natural color.
   
   
5. When it comes to beauty products, we all use the same basic products. What do you use that helps show off your personal flare and personality? Purple eye shadow?  For probably a year straight, I always wore purple eye shadow with either black or brown liner, depending on my outfit.  Recently, I switched to like an apricot color on my lids, and I just don't feel like me when I wear it.