Step-By-Step Nail Tutorial: Colorblocked Summer Palm Trees

Hello everyone! I have just been on Pinterest and saw a nail design similar to this one, and it was so gorgeous!  I had to recreate the look. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures while I was doing the design, but
below I have step-by-step instructions. Let's get started!

 Steps:

1. Use a cotton ball and gently remove any nail polish you may have on your nails (I use the Nail Polish Remover non-acetone by Up & Up). Even if you don't have any on, it's good to clean and stregthen your nails.

2. Get your first color. I used Milani Nail Lacquer in the color Tropical Fiesta. Apply on a third of your nail.

3. Get your next color ready. I used Essie Nail Lacquer in the color azure. Apply this to the second third of your nail. (Don't worry if you go over the first color because we will be fixing that later!) 

4. Get out your final color! I used Color Club Professional Nail Lacquer in the color Lava Lamp. Apply this to the last third of your nail.

5. Now it's time to wait! Let your nails dry a good 5 or so minutes depending on the brand of polish.

 6. After letting your nails dry, you can go ahead and get your presicion brush ready. I used Milani Nail Art Presicion brush in the color black.

7. Carefully apply a thin stripe across your nail where the colors are touching. 

8. Wait about three minutes and then move on to the palm tree! Use the same precision brush as before and create a line that goes from the bottom the about the first line. then add stems to the palm tree. It's ok if it's a little messy because this is just a silhouette of a palm tree! 

9. Now you can decide whether or not to do this on all of your nails or just your thumb or big toe. I chose to paint the rest of my toes in the Essie Azure. 

10. Now you can clean up around the nails with Q-tip and nail polish remover. Great job! You have just created a cute nail design that is great for the summer!

xo,

Daphne

DIY: Loose Waves - No Heat!

Today I will be showing you a way to make beautiful waves in your hair with no heat! You can easily create this look by using just a few simple things. Note that this works best on medium to long hair.

Materials: 

Pens/pencils/markers

Hair clips

Spray Bottle

Comb

Hair

Steps:

1. Gently comb your hair out and divide it in half horizontally.

2. Clip up the top half of your hair and then divide the bottom half in to two pieces.

3. Wet one of the pieces of your hair (about 50% dry) with the spray bottle.

4. Gently comb your hair again.

5. Then, using the pen, pencil, or marker, twist your hair around it and clamp both ends with clips.

6. Repeat this step for the other side.

7. When you have finished (depending on your type of hair) wait for all of the sections to dry completely before removing the clips

- I don't recommend using a blow dryer on your hair because it tends to frizz after you take it out.
- Don't forget to experiment!  Try using thicker pens or even Sharpies!

 

 (Note: this picture was taken about 4 hours after I had taken the clips out, so the waves aren't as tight.)

xo,

Daphne

Haul: Part 2

This will be part 2 of my haul! Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

1. Forever 21: Grey tiered racerback tank
Super cute for the summer time, and even fall.



2. Charlotte Russe: Lace Tank-top
This is a must-have staple for any wardrobe.  It can be paired with any outfit, and is super comfy!




3. dELiA*s: White 2 1/2 in. Shorts
Would look amazing with a neon tribal print tank top!




4. Charlotte Russe: Over-sized heart charm necklace
The indents in the gold heart add character to any outfit!



5. Rack Room Shoes: Highland Creek Boat Shoes
Great for any time of the year and so very comfortable!




6. Bath & Body Works: Paris Amour Body Lotion
Smells A-MAZING and softens skin.  



xo,
Daphne

Haul: Part 1

Sorry for the lack of posts- I've been really busy! Also, I've had to take pictures of the haul for this week's Fashion Friday.  I've split it into two parts; a section of clothes will be posted for this week and another set for next week!  Hope you enjoy!

1. Aeropostale: Navy button tank
A stylish way to stay comfy in the summer!

2. Charlotte Russe: Navy sheer tank
A cute sheer tank with ruffles at the sleeves and buttons down the middle.

3. Forever 21: Colorblock long sleeve 
A very versatile shirt; can be worn long sleeve for winter, and short-sleeve when you roll it up for summer.

4. dELiA*s: Carson wash shorty-shorts 
Super cute and comfy; denim shorts are a staple for summer.

5. Charlotte Russe: Victorian Times bracelet 
Complete with a silver locket, pastel flower, cameo mirror, key, and metal leaf.

xo,

Daphne

Bath & Body Works Review: Victoria's Secret PINK Beach Sunkissed Perfume

Yesterday I went to my local Bath & Body Works to purchase a new perfume I had found at their online site.  After smelling the perfume, I fell completely and utterly in love with it.  I have made a review below to tell you just how amazing it is.

To start off, I would say that you should definitely go to an actual store because you want to make sure you like the scent before purchasing it.  The perfume was $18.00 excluding tax, and the largest size I saw and was available at the store was a 8.4 oz (250 ml) bottle.  The shape is a basic rectangle and the top has a pop-off cap.  I found that the label was the most attractive part; showing a sun setting on a beach with a pink, yellow, and purple sky.  

Now for the scent.  I personally smell hints of fruit, flowers, and warm vanilla.  But remember, this is my personal opinion so I would definitely smell it before buying! Overall, I would say that this perfume would be a great staple for those days that just need a little spice.

One problem I have with this perfume is the fact that it tends to smell different throughout the day. I personally don't like the after-scent it gives off, so I try to reapply later on.  Before purchasing, you should make sure that you love it. 

Thanks for stopping by!

xo,
Daphne

10 Beauty Tips For Healthy Skin

We all want healthy, glowing, and beautiful skin.  It's just a matter of taking time out of your day to go and care for it.  Below, I have made a list of 10 beauty tips for healthy skin.

1. Each day you should always wash your face. This helps to keeps all of the oils off of your face and doesn't let pimples pop up; allowing for a fresher feel.

2. Each time before you put on any kind of makeup, be sure to wash off your face with warm water and soap.

3. After shaving, remember to put on lotion so your skin won't react in a negative way.

4. Put on lots of face-lotion in the winter to keep from it becoming dried out and cracked.

5. In the summer, remember to put on some sunblock to protect from burns. Bad sunburns can lead to cancer and make you look aged.

6. In the winter, try and stay away from using too much hot water on your skin. Using a lot of hot water for a long period of time can dry it out.

7. Never share makeup. Sharing it with others can lead to infections.

8. Remember to change your sheets and pillow case often so you aren't putting more oils on your skin.

9. Try and avoid putting your hands on your face. Doing this puts bacteria and germs on your face, leading to unwanted pimples.

10. From Emma Watson herself, her #1 beauty rule is: Always take your makeup off before going to bed.

Hope this helped!

xo,
Daphne

Eating Healthy: What Ingredients in Food Labels to Avoid

It's important to eat as healthy as we can, while we still can.  Food is where your nutrition comes from, and your main energy source.  Making the wrong food choices has a costly consequence.  Below are some bad ingredients found in the common foods we Americans love.  I have also added a description of what it is, and what it does.

Refined Grain - Don't be outwitted by this one.  Refined grain is found in many things that we buy at the store including white rice, sugar-filled cereals, white pasta, and other foods that have been made with flour.  Many studies have shown that people who eat less of the refined grains have a lower risk of getting heart disease.  Refined grains are known to cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Aspartame - This is supposedly one of the most dangerous ingredients found in almost all food and chewing gums.  Aspartame is known to cause many diseases including heart attacks, blurred vision, and nausea.  Although it is not a known fact that artificial sweeteners and cancers are related, many believe that Aspartame can be a factor of cancer.  Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is 180 times sweeter than sugar, and we should try and avoid it as much as we can.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup - Many studies have shown that High-Fructose corn syrup has a colossal impact; causing us to overeat.  Today, we consume over 60 pounds of it every year per person.  Corn syrup is found in many frozen products and packaged foods.  It also messes up our metabolism which can cause heart disease and diabetes. 

Bleached Flour - This ingredient doesn't actually sound to bad with the word 'flour' in it, but in reality, bleached flour is milled and bleached and it looses almost all of its natural and whole-grain substance.  When eating bleached flour, you are putting yourself in harms way of getting diabetes.  Not only causing health problems, bleached flour also contains chlorine in it.  When we bake a cake, we are usually using bleached flour because it can hold a higher amount of sugar, and lower for flour.

Avoiding all of these ingredients will help you maintain a healthy life style and know what to avoid when picking out those quick and cheap packaged products.

Stay healthy!

xo,
Daphne










Sites used in this blog post:

Reader's Digest: http://www.rd.com/health/4-most-harmful-ingredients-in-packaged-foods/2/
Joy Bauer's Food Cures: http://www.joybauer.com/food-articles/refined-grains.aspx
Kashi Ingredient Decoder: http://www.kashi.com/real_food/ingredients