50 Shades of Plum

I am seeing purple EVERYWHERE lately! I think it's going to be huge for this winter. I think a lot of those gem tones will be big. Here's the color and item I am going to focus on today!


Here are a few things I'm loving right now. I feel like purple is going to be THE color for pants! Skinny pants in all shades of purple!



These are by Hue and they are from Nordstrom. I just got these babies for $17!!! These are a brighter shade of purple but they are so much fun!! They are cords and they have a fun sheen to them. I was a little nervous about what to wear with them at first, but I paired it with some caramel Sam Edelman flats and a dark denim vintage button down and I think it worked well, at least I think it did...






If you're not feeling the bright purple pants, here is a way to ease into the trend.




These deep burgundy pants are by Hue as well. These leggings look like jeans but feel like you're in your favorite pajamas! They are so comfortable and flattering! $30 will get you this pair of purple pants and once you buy this pair you'll want one in every color!! Trust me, I have purchased 4 pair in a week!!!




Here's one more from Kohl's by Lauren Conrad. These are on sale for $17 right now and they are cotton jeggings. I have not seen these in person but I am sure they are cute!

My personal opinion with deciding which pants to go for is this-I like the Hue Brand because they have this awesome stretch to them so you feel like you're wearing Spanx/leggings which I'm always up for!! They are really flattering and look great on every single person I have seen in them! Go check them out!
The cotton jeggings are comfortable but not as flattering unless you have got some supermodel legs! Me, I cannot wear just cotton jeggings, I need some support! So I prefer more of a spandex/cotton/Lycra/whateverwillsuckmein type of material, that's why I prefer the Hue ones, thicker, supportive and comfy!

Now what I would wear with purple leggings would be simple colors, solid prints. I think darker colors would work best even though a white or creamy would look good. I would wear darker denim, blacks, whites and grays. Nothing too bold or that will compete with the purple.

my iPad

Political free post!!

This blog is going to be some hard hitting stuff!! Just kidding! It's just about beauty!

I kind of enjoy that I am writing about vain, frivolous things rather than getting caught up in opinions about the election. It's made my life a lot less stressful and There is no conflict, which I like!
Now this blog that I write is silly and it's about beauty, and makeup, and silly little things that aren't that important in the long run but I will also be talking about your Health too. I believe your health and diet habits go hand-in-hand with beauty so every once in a while I'm going to write about some health plans I'm doing.
People want to improve their looks. People want to lose weight. I don't care if you're ripped or if you look like a super model, people are ALWAYS wanting to improve their looks. And normal people like me, I am definitely wanting to prove my health, body, looks, everything!
I am a firm believer that you ned to be happy with yourself and that's the most beautiful thing. But I also believe that if you take care of yourself, you will be happy with yourself. So that's where I'm always wanting to improve. I like to try to eat well, take my supplements, juice, do whatever to help improve my health!




I juice and it truly makes me feel better! When I eat better and watch my diet, I actually do feel better and feel prettier rather than eating whatever the heck I want. Trust me, I love Little Debbie cakes, fried chicken and Cokes but I just cannot eat that stuff without gaining 10 pounds right in my lower stomach! I'm not kidding!! I look at that food and I gain weight! I am kind of a foodie. I love trying new restaurants, I love making new recipes, I just love eating! So I do find a hard balance between enjoying life and eating whatever I want and also really taking care of myself and eating healthy. I feel like it's going to be a constant balance for the rest of my life but I'm ok with that. It's all about moderation and getting back to that healthy lifestyle after you do eat something you're not supposed to.




In 2007 the Journal of the American Dietetic Association did a study on weight loss and found that 15% of all adults (20% of women and 10% of all men) have used non-prescription weight loss supplements. The weight loss industry is over a 30 billion dollar a year industry!!! That's 30 BILLION!!! That is crazy!!




Now I'm going to say this, I have never, and I mean never, met a person who has successfully lost weight from diet pills and kept it off for over 2 years. Now if you have, then that's just awesome but I personally haven't. Trust me, I've been there and tried that. I did it all to lose weight and guess what was the most successful thing I did to lose weight?
Watching what I eat and exercise.
Crazy right? I know. I was so tired of eating what I wanted and feeling guilty and still not being happy with myself. I was tired of eating bad foods and not working out and still wondering why I kept gaining weight. I was tired of trying different diets for a few weeks an trying medicines that made me feel like my heart was about to pound out of my chest. So when my friend Kristi posted on Facebook if some of her friends wanted to join a fitness group to hold each other accountable for workouts and encourage one another on a weight loss journey I was in!




We started late January and I was ready but I truly wasn't. I wasn't willing to workout religiously and eat right. I would do one or the other but the truth is I just have to eat right AND workout! It's just the way it is! I was delayed s few months because I mentally wasn't ready to really make that commitment. After a few months of me losing a few pounds and gaining it back I realized I was the one thing getting in the way. Me, myself. I wanted to lose weight and be happy with myself and no one or nothing was in the way but myself. Our weight loss group has rocked!!! It started at 8 girls and has dwindled down to 3, one including our "coach/leader" Kristi. But we still continually encourage and hold each other accountable and it's been SO successful. I have personally lost 15 pounds but we all still have a ways to go. And we are constantly keeping each other encouraged.




What I've learned doing this group is yes, it's that simple. To lose weight it's diet and exercise. It's a lifestyle change. You're going to go to McDonalds at some point, it's going to happen. But what the biggest challenge is that you have to get back on track. You don't eat a bad meal and then say, "well, there goes my diet!" You say ok, that was yummy and now I feel like crap so it's time to get back on the healthy track."
This blog turned out longer than I expected sorry guys!! But my point is, take care of yourself and love yourself and if you don't love yourself and you're not happy then DO SOMETHING!! And the best way to do something is to eat right and workout. You NEVER regret eating well and working out!




I love Kimberly Snyder. She's a nutritionist and she gives all these amazing tips and tricks and I will share them with you on this blog from time to time. I won't go any longer on here, I'll just share two things I've added to my daily routine lately that I'm loving!
My A.M. and P.M. Drink routine
Apple Cider Vinegar




It's gross but it is so good for you!! I used to take one tablespoon of it in the
morning and chase it with some OJ, which still works great. But now I'm doing 1 cup of water, with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 3 dashes of cayenne pepper and a squeeze of half a lemon (some people do a whole, but I save the half for my night time drink I will share next!) I drink that in the morning and it wakes me up, refreshes me and it adds a glass of water to my daily 8 glasses I try to drink a day. So try it, you'll like it...kinda. To be honest it's rough, you have to get used to it but for me, the health benefits out-weigh the taste so I just drink it!
Lemon & cayenne pepper




At night I mix one cup of hot water (there's another cup to add to the daily 8 cups!) with the other half of my lemon from the morning, with 3 dashes of cinnamon and 3 dashes of cayenne pepper. It's warm, it's yummy (this one really is) and it's good for you!
Health benefits of both drinks-




Apple cider vinegar helps:
Balance the body's inner ecosystem
Helps with weight loss
Detoxes the body
Helps with allergies
Helps with sinuses, headaches, flu, sore throat
Helps clear acne, contact dermatitis, warts, varicose veins and other skin issues
Helps lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol
Kills candida and fungus and helps fill the gut with healthy mircoflora
Eases arthritis, gout, and stiff joints
And strengthens stomach acids
-much, much more too! Sold on it yet?




Lemon:
Is a natural fat burner
Anti-bacterial, anti-viral and immune boosting
Digestive aid
Cleanses the liver and rejuvenates it's tissue (which is our main fat-burning organ)
Contain citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene--this helps fight infection and builds up immunity
Helps control appetite
Helps support skin collagen, to keep you looking young!




Cinnamon:
Helps curb your sugar cravings
Helps control blood sugar levels
Helps offshoot fat levels




Cayenne pepper:
Helps keep blood pressure levels normal
Rids body of the LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
Great to fight against tooth and gum disease
Boosts metabolism
Burns fat
Helps curb appetite
Has anti-bacterial properties
Helps with joints
Circulatory stimulant
Helps increase pulse in our lymphatic and digestive rhythms
Prevents and treats blood clots
Helps produce saliva which is key in digestion and oral health
Anti-inflammatory
Relieves headache
anti-fungal properties
Anti-cold and flu agent
Anti-irritant properties
So are you sold on it yet?? How could you not want to start and end your day with these amazing health benefits! Go grab yourself a mug!!
Www.kimberlysnyder.net
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Lorna Dr,Nashville,United States

Hair update

So me and Corey, Corey and I, I don't know what's the correct way to say that. I never understand that section in grammar class really, I didn't. So anywho, Corey and I have missed a few Walking Dead episodes, 2 to be precise, and now we are catching up so here I am ready to blog!! It's only been 2 minutes in and I've seen a severed body with their internal organs all spread out, yay!!!!!

So I wrote about some hair products I've tried in my blog "Itching For a New Hair Routine" so you know I have been looking for some new fabulous hair products, but I have tried something new and I love it!!! I went and got my roots touched up (i have pre-mature gray-thanks genetics) and a bang trim by one of my fabulously talented friends and she told me about this shampoo and conditioner that she loves.

Funny enough it was a line that I worked with for YEARS and never tried!! I mean, I tried tons of hair products and never once tried this line!! She gave me a little info on the product and I was sold! Pureology is the name and they are amazeballs! (I ONLY use this term when something is truly fantastic by the way!)



Pureology is a 100% Vegan, zero sulfate line with Anti-fade technology to help keep that fresh color going strong! I have pretty dry hair and I don't have to wash it but about twice a week. I also have ombré, which is slowly getting darker as I get a trim, which has really dried out my ends. So bleached ends and dry hair is a rough combo. Plus, I have very thick, large hair and lately I haven't felt that. I have felt my hair very dull, thin, lifeless and just blah. My husband really pays attention to his hair as well. He's all about conserving his hair and I would too if I were a dude!

So back to the product, Ashlee, my friend and fabulous hair stylist, was telling me about the Essential Repair line in Pureology. She was saying it contains biotin which is awesome for strengthening your hair and helping it grow! This line also has soy milk, restorative plant extracts, chamomile, olive oil all in a reparative micro-emulsion technology. I was sold!


I purchased the shampoo and conditioner from the Essential Repair line and it was about $50 or so which is a little pricey but, if it helps my hair I'm all for it! After the first wash I could tell my hair was already improving! Now I have been using it for about 3 weeks now and it is so great!! I'm completely hooked! My hair is full of body, it's soft and hydrated and the damage has definitely been repaired!!

I only have the shampoo conditioner but they also have other styling treatments and masks too. They also have other shampoos, conditioners, and styling products for other hair concerns like volume, platinum hair, hydration, all different specifics. Go check out this line and find the right products for you! You'll be hooked!!!

Www.pureology.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New concealer trial

I love concealer!! I love contouring and highlighting the face. I really feel like those steps really prep your application for the perfect canvas.


I am always up for trying new stuff and I always get excited trying concealers and mascaras (they're just some of the favorite things!) I have been pretty in love with the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. I like to try new products every time I run out of something because I always want to try another one out so I can blog about it but the past few times I've ran out of concealer I've always gone back and gotten this one. It has been a great, consistent product. Here's some of my favorites.


Another great consistent products I use for concealer is the CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Corrector. It's a yellow cream concealer to help cover up any discoloration in the skin. I put this on first, after my foundation, and I apply it on my under eyes, around my nose and on my chin. You can really apply it wherever you need a little evening out. I have used this stuff for years and haven't really tried another type because I feel there's no need to I love it so much! This is about $10 and will last a very long time!! After I apply this I put the Fit Me concealer on, or whatever concealer I'm trying at the time.


When I use the Fit Me concealer, I usually mix the light and fair for my eyes and then just use the light shade everywhere else. I like to mix because for my blemishes and shaded areas I like to use a color that matches my skin tone exactly, but for the eyes I like a little lighter so that's why I like to add the fair to the light. It works great for my pale skin. These run about $5.


Now on to a higher-end concealer. I LOVE La Mer's concealer!! It is one of the best!! You know what? It might be the best! It is so rich and creamy and doesn't get in all the creases and never gets flakey! I hate when concealer gets dry on you! You're trying to conceal something!!! Leaving a dry area really draws more attention to that area! So, this stuff covers really well and it gives a great finish! This costs about $70 and a very teeny bit will go a long way!! I'm timing mine out to see how long it lasts.


Now back to a lower-end option. It's no La Mer but if you're on a budget this one is pretty impressive so far! It's Sonia Kashuk All Covered Up Concealer Pot and it's about $10. It is really nice so far. I still want to get two colors for myself just to work with the eyes and the face but the coverage is nice and the texture feels great!! I will say it's a very small amount! So I'm curious to see how long it will last. I just bought it this week so I'm curious to see how long it lasts. I'll keep you updated!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Itching for a new hair routine

Well here I am. It's Sunday night and as I wrote in "Lazy day makeup" I write blogs on Sunday nights always because it's a stressful night. Corey loves Dexter and Boardwalk Empire and they stress me out! They're good, but it's just a lot to absorb and I have to be doing something while I watch these shows because I get really hot and antsy, I can't sit still and I can't focus on the show because I get so stressed!!


Well to add to this night freakin Walking Dead just started up! So now the lineup is Walking Dead, Dexter and Boardwalk Empire...yeesh!! I had a dream last Sunday that I turned into a Zombie and Steve Buscemi was there in his amazing Boardwalk Empire garb...I don't know, it's just all too much. One time I had a dream dexter stored a bunch of dead bodies in our basement too! I'm like a sponge I tell you!
Well I have already seen bloody veins and some missing limbs so here I am ready to blog!!

I wanted to write about hair today. A couple different things...
First, I've been trying this new Shampoo and Conditioner from the line Clear.




I was really intrigued by the commercial. I love Heidi Klum, yes I admit it, if a celebrity I love endorses something I'm usually the first to try it! So Heidi is on the Clear commercial so I'm already hooked and yes, the commercial made sense. It's talking about how you need to focus on the scalp and this is affordable "salon quality" hair care, so hearing those key words, I was interested for sure!




I ran out that day and bought some! I usually stick to Moroccan Oil or Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me Shampoo and Conditioner. But after 4 professional sized-bottles of each, I was ready for a change!! I went right ahead and washed my hair, I was so excited!! I hate washing my hair and it's so dry that I only wash it 2 times a week anyways so I was pumped about checking this stuff out.




It smelt really yummy so that was fun from the get-go. Loved the lather, felt great and i dried my hair and it looked really good, seemed to have tamed my crazy frizzy hair and all seemed well after the first wash. I let my husband use it because we both have very similar hair, dry, unruly, curly-ish hair, he liked it too!
Well lets fast forward to a couple more washes-our heads kept itching!! I think it's too much! A few years back I went on this rampage of using Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner for a while because I heard some other celebrity used it to get amazing long, luscious locks (don't judge) and it was so cleansing that it dried out my scalp and made my head itch like crazy!! So once I felt this same way with this Clean line, I realized that's the situation. If it is too drying for my scalp, can you imagine what it is like for someone who washes their hair more than twice a week!? Yikes!




So, not so great. Love that Mane 'n Tail add above? haha.If I have super dirty hair i will use the Clear line because I still haven't found a great replacement for my good 'ol standby shampoo and conditioners but I'm getting there. I tried the Total Care type and the Damaged and Color Repair or something like that and they both didn't blow me away, just made my head itch. I'm itching my head right now!! I just need some relief like a big moisturizing mask on my head. I can tell it just needs a little love.




So I get on the Clear website and there's a quiz to see what kind of products you need. I think, "ooohhh fun! Maybe I'm picking the wrong products" let's be honest, I'm not picking the wrong products, it's just not good. But whatever, I just played the hair game and some of the questions were "how would you describe your hair?" "What are some main issues with your hair?" You know, good normal stuff. Then the majority of the questions were, "if you're going out with your girls, where would you go?" Whaaaat? "If your hair looked fabulous what drink would you choose to celebrate?" Are we serious??? That was that, this stuff is not that great my scalp is dry and itchy and it isn't that fabulous. I will say the frizz is kind of calmed down, but ehh I don't know. I'm pretty neutral to this...and I just saw a bloody stump of a leg and a man kill someone with a hammer on Walking Dead SPOILER ALERT-there's blood and this episode is disgusting, and Carl is annoying, what's new?




Ok, that shampoo and conditioner was not a huge loss in the budget department because it was about $6 all together, no big deal. Well after I wasn't too sold on this Clear line, I bought the Organix line shampoo and conditioner at Target. I got the Awapuhi Ginger shampoo and conditioner and I also got the dry styling oil. It's not that great either. Since it is organic the lather isn't much which is fine because usually lather means sulfate free, which means color safe but it also means my hair doesn't feel clean. So this one is ehhh ok. My hair never smells yummy after it and it doesn't feel that clean either. So don't waste your money and it's a little pricey. I mean these are about $10 for each item so it's not too bad, but definitely pricey for just being at Target. The dry oil is pretty nice though. It really calms the frizz and kind of shrinks my big hair down. They have a ton of other "flavors" as I call them like Vanilla silk, Coconut Milk, Teatree mint, and cucumber yogurt so those might be better, I don't know but this one sounded pretty promising and it wasn't so who knows. Maybe I'll try another one out just because I do like the natural route of hair care but I don't know...keep reading future blogs and I will keep you posted on my next hair adventure!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

goop

I received my Birchbox today! One of the many reasons I love Birchbox is that they will do these awesome specialty Birchboxes that you can chose to get instead of the regular Birchbox.



One time I received an option to either pick my regular Birchbox or a Seventeen Magazine one. The email kind of gives you an idea and description of what might come in it. I decided to opt out of that one but I still wonder what was in it...I think about certain things too much.


I always told myself I'm going to pick a specialty Birchbox when then offer came up. Well this month it did and let me tell you something-I would have picked this no matter what! This month they let you either pick your regular one or a goo Birchbox. If you don't know what goop is, well you need to check it out. goop is Gwyneth Paltrow's blog and I love it. I also just love her. I love everything about her! Her style, she loves yoga, she is so beautiful, her family is gorgeous, I love her cookbook, I love everything about her!! I loved her even more when she married Chris Martin from Coldplay as well...it just makes me like her more! I just think my husband kinda looks like him too :)



So when this was the Birchbox this month I could not wait to get it!!



Well today is the day! I received it and I'm happy with it! Like I've posted before when I write about Birchbox, I love the letter that comes with it. It kind of gives you a little description about the theme of the blog and what's in it.
**the Pictures of the birchbox here are on top of a cutting board that my talented husband made!






This month the goop box came with a BEAUTIFUL Essie nail polish in Carry On. It's this beautiful shade of this seasons hot color, one that I've blogged about already-ox blood red!! It's not as true to the name as the other color in Essie I blogged about before in "Testing out fall trends" but it's a nice, softer shade of red, a little on the purple side and I like it!! I'm painting my nails with this tomorrow!! $8



Joanna Vargas daily serum is a brightening facial serum that has vitamins A,E, and C with hyaluronic acid (super hydrating). Haven't tried this yet but I'm ready!!! $85



Marie Veronique Organics body oil. I tried this already and I am loving it!! The smell is fresh and light and I feel soft & smooth!! This body oil contains watermelon seed, vegetable squalene, and apricot kernel oils. This oil replenishes your skin and it feels amazing. $36



Sprout lip balm is made in Brooklyn, which I love!! These balms are made with organic coconut butter and feel amazing!! I was looking for a new lip balm to replace my beloved Fresh lip treatment and I think I've found it!! 4 balms for $18 (that's a deal!!)



A little bonus goodie is lemon zest Luna bar!! I love these babies and so does Gwyneth! Pack of 15 for $18.75



I'm a crazy person who loves celebs and all that garbage...I can't help it, it's my guilty pleasure! So if I can try things that they like it just makes me feel like a cool kid. So this box makes me feel like I'm a tad but closer to being as awesome as Gwyneth. Not to mention, I love beauty products and to know what celebrities' favorites are is so cool to me! They can pick anything, any brand, any product in the world, so I really love hearing what they like!!



I know that everyone gets different stuff in their Birchbox but now that I went for the goop birchbox I am real curious to hear what everyone else got! Y'all let me know what you got too!!!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Scrub a dub. Time to winterize your skin

If you haven't read my blog about Jo Malone London, you need to because I'm about to write about this line once again today. Reading my blog "Everyone, meet Jo. Jo, meet everyone," will give you an overview of the entire Jo Malone London line. It is definitely worth reading and it will give you a lot of great Christmas ideas! That blog will also give you some great new custom scent ideas too. Plus, I didn't know about this line 2 months ago and now it's one of my favorites so I want to share it with you.



This blog I wanted to focus on the Vitamin E line in Jo Malone London. They have a scrub in this line, it's simply named the Vitamin E Treatment Body Scrub. It is AMAZING!!!!!!! I took a sample and I have exfoliated 3 days in a row because I'm loving this scrub so much. I really need to stop because I'm going to have no skin left but I am addicted to it!



This scrub has honey, vitamin E and salt to help give your skin this amazing glow and it feels so fantastic afterwards! When you use it in the shower it doesn't get all over the tub and make it slippery either. The scrub softens after you scrub for a little bit and turns into this really nice, moisturizing honey texture on the skin. By the time you get out of the shower and dry off your skin will feel amazing!



The next thing I use after the Vitamin E scrub is their Vitamin E Body Balm. OH MY GOSH!! It is so rich and feels so good. And, you smell soooo yummy too! It is so hydrating and it nourishes the skin. You will feel silky smooth and rejuvenated all day long!! This is the perfect addition to your beauty routine for the winter.



Go try these two out! Your skin will thank you!! Also, these would be awesome gifts too...hint, hint :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad