Awhile back, I’d heard a medical professional say that sunscreen loses its effectiveness after a few hours of wear time. I am being vague because I honestly do not remember who said it, but when I went on to research the matter, this information is in fact correct.
Well, shit! For YEARS, I had been wearing lotion sunscreen and only lotion sunscreen under my makeup. And most of that time, I had no idea that it wasn’t doing much for me after several hours of wear.
You sunscreen’s SPF is only 100% guaranteed for two hours after you put it on.
“When we talk about reapplying sunscreen every two hours, that number comes from how SPF is tested,” John Zampella, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health, said. He explained that SPF numbers are based on how much protection a certain sunscreen will give you against the sun for two hours. {source}
This setting powder has a sheer, silky, non-drying texture…which is great for me since I have very dry skin, and sometimes powders can make me look even dryer. With 24.5 percent zinc oxide (and no silicones!), it offers an SPF 45 and full broad-spectrum protection. An extra bonus: there is no flashback in photos when wearing the powder.
The setting powder is ideal for touching up throughout the day – I usually reapply if I am outside all day mid-day, on top of makeup. It’s so easy to just throw it in your bag & GO. Also: do not forget your neck, chest, and shoulders, and anywhere else you’re exposed to the sun. I do it all: arms, boobs, legs…
Protecting your skin is so, so important, and I wish someone had beaten this into me when I was younger. But it’s never too late to start taking good care of your skin.
I feel like we need to talk more about hair. I’ve always been he girl who would rather have her hair styled than have makeup on. GOOD hair can just make you feel some kind of way, don’t you think?
With the exception of one big chop about 3 years ago (remember the super blunt cut lob trend?) I have always loved BIG and LONG hair. In high school, someone asked me if I was from Texas because my hair was “so big” – LOL!
Unfortunately after the big chop, my hair has not been able to catch up to the length it was before. It is close, though!
Anyway, late last year I started thinking about getting hair extensions to add volume and length, especially in preparation for my wedding. I knew I wanted MERMAID HAIR for my wedding day. The stars totally aligned because I connected with Erica Santos, the owner of Revival Studio late last year, and we chatted about Natural Beaded Row Hair Extensions — Erica’s specialty.
Before we chat further, here is a bit more info: Natural Beaded Rows™ Hair Extensions are an exclusive hair extension method created by Danielle K. White of DKW Styling. The extensions are custom colored to match your natural hair color, creating ensuring a seamless blend. The hair extensions are placed in rows in the hair by creating a “track” with an exclusive bead and string technique. Wefts are then placed on the track and sewn in. The extensions are then cut and blended to create a natural and beautiful look!
Amazing, right?
From the moment I walked into Erica’s salon, I felt so excited and so at home. Revival Studio is just so chic and has such a friendly vibe. Erica and Angela, her partner in crime, and I just had the best time as they worked their magic on my hair. And I mean MAGIC.
Erica had done other extension methods in the past, but wanted to get trained on the Natural Beaded Rows method a few years ago, so she flew out to Laguna Beach, California, where the NBR headquarters resides, to get trained in this new method of healthy hair extensions that don’t damage your natural hair. Erica became friends with Danielle of DKW Styling, who invented the method and teaches it to select students each year.
Long story short, Erica has trained extensively on the NBR method of hair extensions and is one of the few certified stylists in the East Bay Area to do the method. She is pure amazing.
The whole process took about 3 hours and I was seriously BLOWN AWAY by how well my hair turned out. From the custom color to the texture of the hair…it’s seriously perfect.
The length of the extensions I got are 22 inch extensions and I just love the length. If you love the DRAMA like me, you will LOVE the 22 inch extensions. However: NBR extensions come in a variety of different lengths and are all custom cut to suit your needs.
I was honestly a little worried about my big Jew ‘fro taking on a life of its own and the extensions being a completely different texture, but NOPE. Everything blends absolutely seamlessly and no one knows I have extensions.
To see the installation process and the complete before and after, watch my YouTube video as Erica and Angela explain the process and get a peek at how the extensions are installed:
At my wedding, many of my family members commented on my hair and said, “OMG! Your hair grew so long!”…and then I told them I was wearing NBR’s.
I’ve now had the extensions in for about four weeks and I can say that I’m still just as obsessed with them as I was the first time I saw myself in the mirror. They have made me feel so much more like ‘me’, more glam, more sexy, and the best part is that they do not harm my natural hair.
Erica and Angela couldn’t have been more generous or fun to talk to and I had such a great time hanging out with them for a few hours. If you are interested in booking a consult with Erica, please fill out her form on her website or reach out to her on Instagram at @revivalstudio_
Things are going to get VERY bridal here. Not in an annoying way (I hope), but in a fun way. We are 20-something days away from our wedding (holy shit!), so things are kicking into HIGH gear all the way around.
I feel like I’ve planned this wedding in a couple of months…after being engaged for over 2.5 years. Thriving under pressure!
My bridal shower was a few weeks ago, and as a bride to be, I wanted to wear white, of course, but also be a little non-traditional. So I went for a jumpsuit.
There are so many occasions as a bride where you’re kind of expected to wear all white: an engagement party, bridal shower, engagement photos, bachelorette parties, and the list goes on!
If you’re an untraditional bride like I am, here are some chic WHITE jumpsuits for any bridal occasion:
Ashley and I first met at the gym a couple of years ago. I was a participant in her Booty Barre class while she was pregnant with her son, Brady. We soon made a connection over blogging: Ashley has been blogging over at A Lady Goes West over the last several years on healthy living. She has been named “40 Under 40” in the East Bay by Diablo Magazine, as well as “Blogger of the Week” by POPSUGAR and has been published and quoted on Mindbodygreen, Huffington Post, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, POPSUGAR and more.
Ashley is so knowledgable on all things fitness and wellness, and through her own experience, she became passionate about hormone healing after having hypothalamic amenorrhea.
Ashley came on the All Gussied Up podcast today where we talk about how to get into fitness, motivation tips, healing your hormones, clean beauty, and fertility. This one is SO value packed, and I know you are going to LOVE it.
Wedding planning. It’s no joke! We have less than 30 days until our wedding day (holy shit!), and I find myself constantly writing things down that I don’t want to forget. Real talk: I have done 80% of the planning within these last two months. LOVE a last minute deal.
SO: I made a couple checklists/printables for myself, and I’m sharing them with you today.
