My current shopping wish list

A good 7 months or so have gone by since I last took a look and my shopping wish list. Some of the items have been purchased, some are still on there, and some new ones have appeared. Sadly, none have made it OFF of the list due to changing my mind. 

On the top of my list is a camera. The Nikon D3200. I have always wanted to get more into photography, and it just hasn't happened yet. I am hoping by the time I finally decide to purchase this WANT I can make as much use of it as I imagine. Because I am a complete amateur at this I don't want to invest too too much in something I don't know how to use, but I do plan to dive deep into learning the ins and outs once I have it. 

Then there are these amazing exercise pants from lululemon. They are the Get Up and Glow Tight style, and they are perfect for running. They keep you visible in low light and has a little pocket in the back for your keys or maybe some ID. I have to be honest and admit that I have plenty of exercise pants (about 5) but I have seen these pants on some many different women and absolutely every last one, regardless of body type, look great. Actually almost any pair of pants from lululemon has this "age and gravity defying" attribute it appears. I say this not randomly but because I have seen some of these same women in jeans and they don;t look half as good as they look in a pair of lululemon pants. OK, ok, so I haven't tried them out myself, but I will, and I will report back. 

Still on my list is a flat iron from Chi, the TURBO 1.5". I am glad I waited because it looks like it is 65% of now, and yet I am not rushing out to buy it yet because it isn't a need, and I am also not so happy that it is digital. Maybe later.....and maybe by the time I make up my mind it is cheaper....

Then again, they could be completely unavailable, like these grey flats from TOMS. I had said I wanted them back in June of 2012, and now they are all gone. So now I am looking all over to find a pair just as cute and just as comfortable in grey. No luck yet.

I need to be quicker about some of these decisions. But hey, sometimes swim classes for my kiddos at the local YMCA take priority. 

What is on your shopping wish list currently?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Going Green for a Healthier Scalp

I have to admit, sometimes my green efforts sound outrageous even to me, but I have been surprised by how well most of them end up working. I already use a homemade laundry soap (sort of- mixing washing soda and good old fashioned ZOTE soap) and my clothes are doing great. I have been using green deodorant for years and love how that has turned out. Now, my scalp has made me jump into something I thought I would never do, do green with no-poo (without shampoo)

I have been reading about all the harm we cause ourselves with shampoo, starting with the harshness of the chemicals like parabens and sulfates. Then I find out maybe my shampoo is making my itchy scalp worse. I happen to have somewhat sensitive skin, and I can’t use just any moisturizer, so why would my scalp be any different.

I was considering going “no-poo” for about 2 years but keep getting deterred by the idea of having icky feeling hair, let alone the smell, but I kept reading on different blogs how many women had maybe just a week or two of the ick factor and none of the smell issues. So I decided to give it a whirl. But I could not do this cold turkey! No sir. I needed to ease into it. So first I decided to start by washing my hair less often to begin with, by doing it every other day, then just twice a week. Man was that hard!!! I kept wanting to wash it, but I held strong.

Then I thought “I’m nuts! How can my hair get cleaned without some sort of soap if not a shampoo??” So I looked into it and decided to try out a castile soap with tea tree oil to help my scalp issues. I went for the Dr. Brooner’s brand. It is a soap, not a shampoo, and it uses all natural ingredients. That worked out rather well, and the tea tree oil started helping with my itchy scalp. I went about 2 weeks with that (maybe 3 washes so far). 

So I took the leap. I had prepared the baking soda and water mix (1 tbsp. baking soda to 1 cup of water) to clean my scalp, and also prepared the apple cider vinegar and water mix (2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of water) to condition it, and left them in my bathroom, but couldn’t make myself use them. Then one night I just did it. I had gone 3 days without washing my hair and thought, “if it doesn’t feel clean I can always go back to the castile soap”. 

I poured slowly the baking soda mix from the clear squeeze bottle and worked it into my scalp, rubbing every inch, making sure not to miss anything. I kept picturing a corner of greasy hair if I didn’t make sure every strand was covered. I followed the instructions on the many blogs and did only the roots and not the ends. Washed it out after about 2 minutes of rubbing, and my scalp and the hair felt almost squeaky-clean. How could this be?? It isn’t soap!!! But wait…this does feel a bit….dry?!?! So how the heck is apple cider vinegar supposed to make this feel better??

So there I went. I poured slowly the apple cider vinegar mix from the clear squeeze bottle and worked it into the ends, rubbing every inch. The smell was strong at first. It wasn’t feeling very different, but it did say to leave it in a few minutes. I also made sure not to go all the way into the roots since they said it would make my hair greasy…yeah, vinegar makes hair greasy, go figure!!!

5 minutes went by while I kept showering, and the smell wasn’t so strong. Time to wash it out. I kept picturing myself walking through the halls at work and people craving a salad for lunch al because of my hair, so I washed and washed.

I was tempted to pour a bit of conditioner, but I didn’t. I could always pull my hair back the next day. I wrapped my hair in a towel and let it dry a bit while I put on my moisturizer and pjs. By the time I took off my towel and started to brush it out it was amazingly manageable. If you have ever used conditioner you know there is this creamy feel to your hair, and if you go without you feel it dry and hard to comb through. Well this was sooooo not the case for me. My hair felt clean, really clean. Not creamy like with conditioner, yet completely comb-able (if that makes any sense). I have a bloodhound nose, so I could tell a scent of vinegar was still there, but an hour later is was almost completely gone (like I said, I am part dog).

Ok, so let’s see how it feels in the morning. I’m sure this can’t last long. Nope…morning came and my hair was still feeling pretty good. Brushed it with my boar bristle brush and stilled it as usual (I don’t use product because I have never liked how it feels), and off I went. It is close to noon for me and my hair still looks and feels good. It isn’t a miracle treatment by any means, and it has only been one day so far, but I expected much worse. 

If you are interested in a bit more information about the harms of shampoos (and deodorants and fragrances) here is a link that may interest you http://www.mnn.com/communityblogs/oddlyocean/the-harm-of-shampoos-deodorants-and-fragrances

I’ll do an update as the time passes to see how my scalp is doing, but I was planning on keeping a schedule of Sunday night baking soda and vinegar, and Thursday night castile/tea tree oil soap and vinegar (I liked the tea tree oil part). I may also look into some essential oils to help add some “oomph” to how my hair smells because right now it doesn’t smell like anything at all, and there is something to be said about nice smelling hair.



Have your tried going green for your scalp?

Rossana G-A



FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

My current shopping wish list

I knew it!! I had secretly thought that my wants are not wants for long if I wait long enough to get them. All of a sudden I don't want them anymore even if I didn't end up getting them.

My first big surprise was that my hubby slowly convinced me to get the Vibram FiveFingers, although I still don't know which ones I want. My kids want some too, and since these little ones grow so fast they will actually need new shoes in a few weeks.

Here is my favorite so far

And the kids' selections are cute as well

Then I have a few wants for beauty tools like a flat iron and a face scrubber

But I expect that if I wait a few months some other stuff will replace them on my list of wants....but I think the flat iron will stay.

The latest thing on my list is this very comfy recliner sofa from ZGallerie. This one may actually make it into my home shortly.

It is a power recliner that fully reclines with zero wall clearance. I can almost see myself falling asleep in it, with my comfy blanket on top. A nice foot rub would be nice too, but I won't hold my breath.


What is on your shopping wish list currently?

Rossana G-A




FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Ombre Hair

You have seen it in magazines. You have seen it on TV. It's all over the place. It is like a bug, and I've gotten bitten. There are more drastic tone changing styles like Drew Barrymore (as seen below), but I was attracted to more subtle tone changes like Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale or even Salma Hayek's litter tips.

Picture from DailyMakeover.com

DailyMakeover.com called it out as a HOT two-toned hair trend. I like it, so I went out and got it. I have to admit I can't show it off as well with the short length of my hair right now, but it's there. The challenge with us brunettes is not going brassy, but with a good colorist you can keep orange at bay. Also, you can ask to tone it down by keeping in the "ash" brown, or golden blonde tones.

Are you thinking of going two-toned with your hair color?


Rossana G-A

FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

DIY Pedicure - So easy, and So Perf!

I have to say that although I would love to go get a pedicure to the salon every so often, I have only done it twice in my life. Two reasons for this are:

1. Of course, the expense.
2. I don’t have enough time to be going so frequently, and end up with poor looking nails.

Because of these reasons I had stayed away from salons most of my life. Also, leading such a busy life, I ended up forgoing pedicures all together (other then the usual trimming and cleaning). Oh, but then I had a daughter, and a very girly daughter at that. She wants every color nail polish out there, and she wants it changed frequently. Although I don’t accede all that often, we have had our fair share of DIY/at home pedicures. Anyone with a steady hand and the right tools can do a very descent job.

Here is what you will need:

• Cotton balls
• Cotton wands (Q-tips)
• Nail polish remover
• Nail brush
• Cuticle treatment (or hand lotion in a pinch)
• Cuticle tools (to push back cuticles)
• Buffer block
• Nail file
• Nail clip (if needed)
• Base coat
• Your favorite nail color
• Topcoat
• Toe separators
• A foot soaker
• Foot scrub
• Foot lotion
• Towel

Here are the steps:


1. Clean your feet and nails - You want to start out with a clean environment.


2. Rub feet with foot scrub - Helps dead skin come off and leave softer skin behind.


3. Rub cuticle treatment (or foot lotion) on your cuticles and push them back - I don’t recommend cutting cuticles as it can lead to infections if done improperly. Let the treatment sit on the cuticles for a bit before trying to push them back. Soaking your feet will also soften the cuticles and make this easier. Use a cuticle tool to assist pushing the cuticle back.

4. Brush skin around nails - Helps dead skin come off and leave a good nail base. 

5. Trim nails.

6. Pat feet dry and apply foot lotion.

7. Place toe separator on toes to avoid smudges.

  

8. Dab nails with a cotton ball soaked with nail polish remover - Your polish will last less and can start to peel if there are any residual oils.

9. Buffer nails all over with a buffer block - A matt nail surface aids in polish adhesion and delays peeling.


10. Apply a base coat, two thin coats of color, and one topcoat - The base coat prevents color bleeding onto your nail (which can happen with deeper hues). Topcoats provide a layer of protection against scuffs and scratches. Depending on your nail polish, you may be able to get away with only one coat of color in between base and topcoat.

Best looking 7 year old toes ever!!

A few last notes:

My little girl loves color, but she also loves peeling it off once it starts to peel at the corners. The base coat and top coat delay that from happening and have her toes looking So Perf! longer.


She loves doing our Spa Pedicure at home, giving us a chance to talk and bond, and that is always a plus. It is tons of fun for her.

Once she is done, she helps me with mine and we both sit together while our toes dry. Be warned, when she does mine they are not exactly salon quality yet, but smudges and all I still think it's worth our time together (and I usually re-do it a bit later).

Have fun shopping for your colors and doing your home pedicure. You will look So Perf!

Rossana G-A

Maintaining your beauty tools and products.

I admit, I've been on a cleaning binge. I just cleaned my hair tools and drawers, and I moved on to makeup brushes, and beauty product drawers. I have had my fair share of skin issues, and I can't stress enough the importance of keeping your brushes clean. Once a month should be enough.

It is so easy and quick, and you can do so with shampoo. Why shampoo? Because it maintains the brush hairs better than hand soap. You could splurge on a brush cleaning liquid, but I've done so and I don't see a difference under than how thin my wallet gets.

Use just enough water to cover the tips of your tools, and poor a bit of shampoo on top of each tool, one at a time to make sure it gets enough.  Stir it up a bit to see some suds.

Pull out one tool at a time and gently work the shampoo in. Wash them off slowly till the water runs clear. Repeat the shampoo process again if you don't get clear running water the first time.    

This is my blush brush. See the blush color dripping down. The brush even looked a bit pink before washing it and in the end it goes back to the natural brush color.

Repeat this process with every brush. Below is my powder brush. It's clean now.

 Eyebrow and eyelash defining brush. A good scrub by running your thumb through to let the shampoo sink in, run it through the water and you should be set.

I also cleaned my brush bag. Pat them down with a towel, and let them air dry. If in a hurry, you can dry the brushes faser by using your hair dryer on low.

I use a Translucent Hobby Case I purchased at The Container Store®.  in 2009 as my beauty caddy. It fits a ton.

Manicure and pedicure tools, polishes, hair products, etcs. It all fit very well and very organized.

For my taller and/or larger beauty products like hair spray, or products of more every day use, I went with two tall drawers. They are Like-it® Modular Drawers, the Tall Narrow variety, but I find the whole series very useful and may end up getting more for other things in the kitchen and bathroom.

I use the top drawer for my make-up remover, face lotion, deodorant, and daily make-up at the front, and the rest of my tall products in the back.

I use the bottom drawer to keep my hair rollers and electric hair tools (curling irons, flat iron, hair dryer. Perfect fit for all. Or should I say, So Perf!?!

What do you use to keep your beauty products organized?


Rossana G-A

FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.

Maintaining your hair accessories.

Having 2 girls in one household makes for lots of hair tools and accessories. Hair clips, hair bands, pins, scrunchies, ribbons, hairbrushes, round brushes, combs, etc. Getting your hair done every day can become more work than it should be if you don't take care of all of them, and stay organized.


Here are some of the things I do and use to keep everything nice, clean, organized, and us our the door on-time every morning:

I use two clear Iris® tint stacking drawers to help keep things separated and organized. I got them in 2009 at The Container Store®. The have them in different sizes .

The top one is for my daughter and all her colorful things, including her hair brushes and combs. It is usually best to avoid sharing hair tools and accessories.

The bottom one is for my things.

The drawers look a bit empty right know because I took out most of the brushes and combs for a bit of maintenance. First, I took off the hair still stuck on the brushes and combs, aiding myself with another brush for the bulk of it and then a fine comb for the tiny ones left behind. I try to do this every day after using them, but sometimes I run out of time and end up doing it another day. Still, you want to clean off hairs as often as possible, and definitely before washing them. 

You can wash your combs and brushes in hot or warm water with a bit of your own shampoo. It would be best to do this once a month, but who am I kidding? I do this once every 4-6 months. You can through them all in, let them suds up a bit, and then go in for a good scrubbing.

I usually use my thickest brush to clean the rest, then clean that one with one of the smaller brushes.

I am always surprised by what ends up at the bottom of my washing bin. Yuk!

Then, shake them off, brush off excess water on top of a bath towel, and leave them to air dry.

After a few hours, they are SoPerf, and I feel I'm ready to start my week fresh.

Rossana G-A

FTC Disclaimer: I am not compensated to write this post.