Packing Tips for the Holiday Season

Packing Tips for the Holiday Season

Oct 26, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreetoBe #CollectiveBias

The holiday season is starting up soon and that means mostly everyone will have to pack a suitcase or weekend bag at least once. I for one will be heading out east for Christmas and I'm already preparing myself for the insanity that lies ahead. Namely, deciding what to pack and how to go about it!

Now I'm always one to over-pack when I head home. My checked and carryon bags are always overflowing because I pack so many things: just in case. But, of course, I usually end up wearing about a quarter of what I bring with me. When I went to NYC in May I felt like I did the best job packing and now I'm here to share what I learned with you guys! Follow my guide below to get the most out of your holiday packing, from knowing how to decide on what to bring to ensuring that you have your all your essentials with you when traveling. And of course making sure your clothes are super clean without having perfumes or dyes that can irritate sensitive skin using all® free clear detergents before and after the trip to avoid irritation is a must!


1. Decide on What to Pack. The first thing you want to do when packing for a trip is being realistic. Do you really need two pairs of stilettos when you're going to be in 30-degree weather? And what about those short skirts...the answer is no. Packing for the place you're going to without over packing is tough but it can be done. Because most people tend to repeat items of clothing at least 3 times during a two week it's essential to pack items, like tops, that will go with more than one bottom.

2.  Clean Things Up. Once you've settled on what you want to take on your trip, make sure it's all nice and clean! I don't like to do laundry before I figure out what to pack because when things are folded nicely I tend to overdo it and waste space in my suitcase. Washing my clothes with all® free clear detergent is the way I like to do it. I developed allergies as I got into my 30's and I found that detergents with dyes and heavy scents not only make me sneeze like crazy but it's also had me super itchy. I love that all® free clear liquid detergent is the #1 recommended by Dermolotolists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for people with sensitive skin like me. Plus the fact that there's no fragrance means that it won't conflict with my favorite body sprays or perfumes. When I travel back from NYC in the spring, which is where I get seasonal allergies, I like to wash my clothes when I get home to get rid of all the allergens as it removes 99% of them.

3. Pack Smart. Now that you've got everything washed it's time to pack! I love using packing cases to store my socks, bras, and underwear because if I'm living out of a suitcase for a few weeks I want easy access to my necessities. They really are the greatest thing ever and will prevent the overwhelming suitcase explosion that can easily happen every time the suitcase is opened! I not only use these for my undergarments, but I use them for my toiletries as well. If I could have my suitcase filled with them, I will so trust me, these are everything.

4. Have Your Essentials Handy. With being all packed the last thing you'll need is to make sure you've got all your essentials within arms reach in case of a delay. When I travel I like to put things that I can use to entertain or refresh myself in my carry on bag just in case I have a super long lay over or my suitcase gets re-routed. This is must whenever someone hops on a plane but even more so when flying over the holidays. I like to always have my medication, wipes to freshen up my face, a book to read and something to play with. Oh and snacks! You must always carry snacks in your carry on.

All in all, if you follow these four steps not only will you stop yourself from overpacking but you will have everything you need within arms reach. If you're like me and have sensitive skin or travel to places where your allergies are sure to flare up having all free clear detergent is the best way to get rid of any irritants from your clothing. all® free clear comes in liquid form, all® free clear Mighty Pacs® (perfect for those with a heavy pour, like me),  and also all® Free Clear fabric softenerso all® free Clear fabric softener. With this array of products, there's no need to sacrifice your sensitive skin in order to have super clean and fresh clothes.

So give it a try! Plan your holiday packing wisely and start using a detergent that is both great for your clothes and your skin. Let me know if I've missed any tips and the difference that switching to all® free clear  has made for your skin!

You can find this entire line in the laundry section of most large stores. I went over to Walmart to grab mine and will continue to do so in the future. Like I always say, trust me...you will love this!

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10 Minutes to Deliciousness

10 Minutes to Deliciousness

Oct 12, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FeedYourFoodie #CollectiveBias

As a blogger that has a full-time job I'm always on the go. Between campaigns and working late hours sometimes I have zero time to make myself an elaborate dinner so sometimes I just have something simple like tomato soup. But how many times can a person eat just that? The answer is not a lot. Actually no, the answer is having something that I can pop in the microwave and not only be tasty but different. 

I've had LEAN CUISINE® meals for many, many years and while they're constantly improving to include more flavor, having gluten-free ingredients and bringing organic ingredient options into the mix, sometimes I want a little something more. This is where their limited edition meals kick in. Back in New York City I wasn't a huge fan of Mexican food and I've always disliked Indian as well. After living here in Cali for a few years I've done a complete 180. If I can have tikka masala everyday, I would! Same with tamales, tacos, and anything spicy! This is why I was so excited for these limited edition meals.

I was given the chance to try out some of these meals and I've gotta say, yum! I started off with the LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Cheese & Fire-Roasted Chile Tamale and it was super tasty. I can't make rice for anything in the world so when I crave carbs I usually end up eating pasta. But sometimes it gets really boring so I liked that the rice in this meal satisfied that craving. It gave me carbs I love, the amount of spice that I love and, I mean, tamale. Need I say more? I don't but I will!

The portion of the meal was perfect for me on its own but because I love to eat I decided to make a side dish with it. A while ago a friend introduced me to guacamole with bacon and while I've always craved it, I've actually never made it myself. It was a wonderful addition to an already tasty meal and it only made it more enjoyable. Check out my recipe below. As per usual, if you're an avid reader of my blog you know that I don't measure. I'm an eyeball it kinda girl so I would suggest using your taste buds as a guide to making your crispy bacon guacamole.

Ingredients

-pico de gallo
-crispy bacon bits
- pureed Haas avocados
-5 cherry tomatoes


 As you can tell, this is going to be super easy. I didn't want the guacamole to be super chunky so I smoothed the avocados out in my magic bullet. I added cherry tomatoes into the mix because I always need something liquidy to have a smooth texture and I didn't want to add water to it. I have a cherry tomato plant right outside on my balcony so I grabbed a few and was able to add more if needed but I was totally fine with only 5 of them. Before I started to puree the avocados I put a few cooked bacon strips in the microwave and cooked them for about two minutes total. I wanted the bacon to be crispy enough to break about easy without getting burnt so I checked up on it every 30 seconds or so.

Once those were done I grabbed some pico de gallo that I always have made (because it's the easiest thing for me to snack on) and I mixed them all together while leaving some bacon aside in order to garnish the guac. It was fast, it was easy, and it went amazing with my Lean Cuisine Marketplace Cheese & Fire-Roasted Chile Tamale. The flavors complimented one another brilliantly and nothing was overpowering.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm a tikka masala lover so when I saw that there was a LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Chicken Tikka Masala I was super excited. Indian food isn't really cheap out here and I can never find tikka masala sauce that I like. I also have zero interest in trying to make it from scratch so finding one that I can pop in the microwave was super awesome! The amount of sauce in the meal was great because it didn't let it get soupy and the food tasted really fresh. It was nice to have found something that different as well as easy to make. I love eating but I can't have the same thing everyday or my taste buds will hate me!

With the chicken tikka masala I decided to pair with it garlic hummus and whole wheat pita chips in order to stick to the theme! It was another Lean Cuisine meal that was a hit and I'm happy to have been able to try this limited edition awesomeness before it was too late.

All of these meals are packed with protein and they have so many options that it'll be hard to get sick of them. It's great to have some Lean Cuisine meals in the fridge for days that you don't have the time or energy to cook. Seriously, take advantage of their limited edition options at Walmart before it's too late. You totally don't want to miss out! If you want to read more about why people love these meals  and would like to share your own be sure to check out and like their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages! And don't forget that you can get some great recipe ideas on the Nestle Flavorful Moments Pinterest board. I will warn you though to not go there on an empty stomach!

where else but the frozen food aisle will you find these awesome meals?

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An Italian Comfort Meal for the Fall

An Italian Comfort Meal for the Fall

Sep 28, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carando® for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.




Fall is here and that means it's time for two things: comfort food and....well, comfort food! During the Spring and Summer months I tend to gravitate towards lighter foods. I eat lots of salads,  green juices and light pasta dishes. But now that it's getting cooler out I'm totally happy making heartier meals that will keep me full longer and bring a sense of comfort.

I've always loved chicken but finally started to experiment with sausage and I want to catch up on all that I've missed so I wanted to start off with a classic Italian dish that would heat up well because I'm trying not to buy lunch everyday. I decided to make a pasta dish with a tomato sauce as opposed to one with dairy. I always like the way these heat up in the microwave and the way my meats and spices marinate in the sauces. Normally I've always made my meatballs using ground beef but I wanted to try making them with pork because I like how it holds on to flavors better (in my opinion) and it doesn't seem to dry out as quickly.  Carando has range of products that I was able to choose from but since I'm a meatball junkie I opted for their Italian Style Meatballs. I've never purchased pre packaged meatballs before and I have to say that I kinda love the packaging. The fact that they were in egg crate type containers kept their shape and I liked being able to see how big they were.





INGREDIENTS

• 1 package of cooked angel hair pasta
• 1 jar of tomato basil pasta sauce (homemade)
• Grated fresh parmesan cheese (as much as you want!)
• Garlic flakes
• Dried basil
• Carando Italian Style Meatballs

INSTRUCTIONS

While I was cooking the pasta I followed the cooking instructions on the Carando Italian Style Meatballs package which was to pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.











Then I placed the meatballs on a baking tray that was lined in foil and cooked it for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes I turned them over and cooked them for 10 more. After this I checked that the inside temperature in the meatballs was over 165 degrees.




Next up I emptied the jar of tomato basil sauce into a deep pan and added the cooked pasta. I then added all the meatballs in a circle to ensure that they would get heated evenly. I added garlic flakes and dried basil and let them all simmer for about five minutes before mixing.





I them let it cook for an additional five minutes and voila, it was all done!

I topped my pasta off with fresh grated cheese as well as red pepper flakes and oh em gee! It was amazing. The red pepper flakes was a bit much since the meatballs were already spicy, which I love by the way, but I love spice so it wasn't bad on my part.







I'm very excited to share my spaghetti and meatballs with my coworkers and know they are going to love the meatballs as much as I do. The flavor is so rich and the spiciness to it is a nice balance to my homemade tomato basil sauce.










Carando Italian Style Meatballs are a welcomed addition to my grocery list and I'm glad I was able to purchase it at Ralph's because I don't think I would have tried them otherwise. So tell me: Did you discover a new product due to their campaign? I'd love to hear what others thought about the Carando products that they've tried. And don't forget to check out some Carando Recipes for inspiration!

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Love Affair with Lavender

Love Affair with Lavender

Aug 27, 2016

Lavender is my go-to for 2016. I love the way it smells, tastes and how it looks. I never really paid attention to it until a few months ago and now I want it everywhere. I planted some lavender seeds in April that started to grow a bit but sadly, they stopped growing for me. I really want to use them to make soap but I read somewhere that in order to do that I also needed to get the oil.

So the search for lavender oil began. Unfortunately, it isn't cheap. It's one of the priciest oils I've searched for and it took me a long time to commit to getting it. I not only wanted the oil for soap making but because I really love the smell of glade's lavender vanilla plugin but wanted to try creating my own version.

Luckily I was sent Avenir Oils Lavender Oil to try out so far I love it! Before I even used it on my diffuser I spent a good 30 minutes passing it under my nose and soaking up the amazing, soothing scent. They're really light, super authentic and there isn't anything synthetic in the way they smell. After I was done with that I put a few drops on my diffuser and it filled up my bedroom quick with the light scent of lavender.

I have to resist the urge to use it all on my diffuser because I like putting some drops in the wash as well as in my soaps. I seriously want to put this in everything but I'll save it for some burning and the soap. Now if I could only get my lavender flowers to grow I would be in total heaven! The best part is is that it's only $7 and is 100% pure.

If you want to see what Avenir Oils has to say about the benefits of lavender in their write-up here.

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Affordable Skincare Finds Where You Least Expect It!

Affordable Skincare Finds Where You Least Expect It!

Aug 26, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

As a skincare and beauty blogger I "have" to constantly buy products to discover, discuss and compare. My bathroom counter, drawers and shelves look like a store counter and people love staying over because they always get to use a new product and I have so many things that I tend to give some away.

I'm blessed with almost perfect skin. I don't break out, I get oily once every few months and I have zero wrinkles. It's pretty amazing. I do however have to maintain it because a few years ago when I did nothing but stay out all night I felt like my skin aged drastically. At that moment I was buying and trying really expensive products but after a few years I decided to check out some affordable alternatives because it would help me save tons of money but would also let me buy MORE PRODUCTS!

After going the drugstore route for a few years I've built a great relationship with a few brands: Neutrogena, Clean & Clear and Simple. Those are the one I use the most for my skincare needs when I'm home as well as on the go. These are brands that I used before I became a skincare junkie and now that I've tried products ranging from $3-$65, I can honestly say that these brands really deliver.

Neutrogena's Deep Clean Facial Cleanser is a product that I mention time and time again. It really is wonderful and leaves my skin super clean without drying it out. I always make sure to have at least two in my bathroom: one for my skin as well as one in my shower. I also really love using Garnier's Daily Exfoliating Cleanser. because it gets deep into my pores and gets rid of all of the nasties that get in there. It's also great for the days that I'm trying out tons of moisturizers and foundation for my blog.

When I travel I always keep cleansing wipes handy, especially if the flight is really long! While I don't have my face in anything when I fall asleep on a plane I still like to be totally refreshed when I land and get some moisture back into my skin due to it drying out in the air. Simple Wipes are the way to go for me. They're super refreshing and lets me get rid of all the dirt thats built up in my face. I not only use them when I travel, I like to keep one in my gym bag because if I don't wipe my makeup of before working out my towel looks like it belongs to a clown!

The great thing about all of these products is that they can easily be found at Dollar General. I was surprised to find out that some of my favorite brands were sold there because it is technically a dollar store but with affordable great products. Knowing that they sell Neutrogena, Garnier, Clean & Clear, Simple, and a slew of other brands that I love is nice because I can either go to their store or order these products online at affordable prices (which as I mentioned before lets me buy more of them!).

 Find these products and more at Dollar General. Not only do they carry the brands I love they also carry a ton of name brand items that have a wonderful reputation as well as their own Dollar General brand products. I'm glad I found a new place to stock up on everything I need for my skin in one shot. And if I'm not interested in leaving my apartment I can have them delivered individually or in bulk. Now how awesome is that! SO seriously, take my advise: Discover beauty products, tips and more in the Dollar General Beauty Zone. Your skin and wallet will thank you!

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Get The Balance Right

Get The Balance Right

Jul 27, 2016

This is a sponsored post for Balance however all opinions and content are my own

I'm not big on snacking. As a matter of fact, unless it's around that time, I would rather have a juicy steak or seared salmon than sweets any day. But like I said, sometimes I crave nothing but sweets. Now I'm not a health nut but ever since I moved out here to SoCal I started to put focus on what I ate and that's why sugar was totally cut from my life. Chocolate used to be my best friend but somehow (somehow? yea, suuure!) it got in my head that sugar, sweets and fun food were bad and eventually my love for it dissipated.

Now that I'm not as obsessive with what I eat, and am allowing myself to have some 'fun', I want to have snacks that aren't going to send me over the deep end. I want to satisfy my craving for chocolate without feeling guilty if I didn't work out that day (or week) so thankfully Balance came to my rescue

Balance gave me a few of their bars to try out and I feel in love with the Chocolate Peppermint Patty. It reminds me of peppermint mocha lattes but with a tasty crunch. It also allows me to balance out my juicing with a little bit of indulging. At under 200 calories I don't feel guilty about eating a bar as a snack amidst spinach and kale and true to its name it. And along with their three other new flavors (Dark Chocolate Pecan Turtle, Dulce De Leche and Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat) the Chocolate Peppermint Patty is an excellent source of fiber with 5-6 grams per bar. This is perfect for me because I juice as opposed to making smoothies so I lose a great source of fiber by doing that so getting the fiber I need plus having something sweet and tasty is a win-win in my book. It's so cool to have found a perfect balance between the suppressed love of sweets that is trying to come out and eating nothing but greens and protein. 

Balance can be purchased at CVS, Amazon and some Walmart stores and are sold in full-sized bars as well as mini bars (the new flavors) so if you're anything like me and tend to be super stringent one week and eating nothing but chocolate chip cookies and other sweets the next, eating Balance bars every now and then as a snack might help you snack smarter the way it's helping me. And if you're in California check out their Facebook page to see where you can catch the Balance Truck sampling tour this summer and try it out for yourself!

Now If you're not in the LA area and can't make it to any of the Balance Trucks you can win a 16-pack box of Balance in one of their new flavors! To enter just leave a comment letting me know how you plan to use Balance bars to #Cravefreely this summer!

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Gym Bag Essentials That'll Freshen You Up Before Your Workout!

Gym Bag Essentials That'll Freshen You Up Before Your Workout!

Jul 20, 2016

Thank you Cottonelle® for sponsoring this post. Share your Clean Confession with Cottonelle® and enter to win a VIP trip for two to Wanderlust 108 in Miami!

I'm going to put all the cards out on the table. I'm a new workout junkie. When I was living in NYC the only thing I ever brought to the gym was a cold water bottle and towel but now I have a bag that's filled with so much more.


Even though I have a gym in my building that is open 24 hours I still do some classes, mainly Pure Barre, to switch things up a bit and not lose my interest in working out. I have a gym bag that (to me) is jam packed with everything I'll need to get ready to sweat so here's what I have in there and what think everyone else should have as well!



1. Yoga Pants

I used to work out in sweats but these are just so much cuter and COMFY!!! They're much better than shorts, I can run some errands before I hit the gym and not feel out of place (this is LA after all) and they are in my way restricting when I am doing any kind of work out.


2. Grippy Socks

The classes that I take are meant to be either barefoot or with socks so I always make sure I have these in my gym bag. I have zero interest in slipping when I already have a hard time keeping myself balanced!


3. Sports Bra

My girls will not have fun without my trusty sports bra. I've been buying the same ones year after year because I finally found one that I can not only wear while working out but also to and from the gym without having the uniboob. These sports bras have hooks in the back like a traditional bra as the straps have really strong velcro which is great for me because as I lose weight (YES!) I need to make constant adjustments. 


4. Cottonelle® CleanRipple Texture Wipes

Did you notice anything missing? I'll point it out to you: panties. I like to work out with as littleas possible and Cottonelle lets me get away with that! Only Cottonelle® CleanRipple Texture is designed to clean better, so I'm clean enough to Go Commando. It makes sure that I have all the confidence I need while I'm doing positions that I've never done before. The last thing I need is to worry about my undies make me uncomfortable and taking my concentration away from what the instructor is asking for. Cottonelle® knows it takes a bold confidence to go commando, but once you’ve got it – it makes all the difference. 

5. Make-up Remover

I don't always hit the gym straight from home and even though I take the barre classes only a few blocks away I have my days where I lose all motivation once I look at my couch. Being able to wash my makeup off is a total must because I don't want to clog up y pores by combining it with sweat. I also don't want a dirty towel. EEK!

Aside from these gems I also always have my iPhone (for when I'm working out on machines) and my hoodie because it always makes me feel like I'm ready to kick some calories to the curb when I'm in full workout mode.

So there you have it! Now along with carrying these items in my gym bag I also make sure to have them in my bathroom because they are just a lifesaver. Having a clean face is my number one focus in life but I also like keeping the right toilet paper and Cottonelle® CleanRipple Texture is what works for me because it's designed to clean better than other leading value brands and their wipes are totally flushable. A problem I have with about 90% of the ones out there.

You can tell a lot about a person by what they keep in their bathroom and mine says I'm like to be as fresh as possible. What does yours say?



Ohhh and don't miss out on the Cottonelle® sweepstake. You can get a chance to win an all-inclusive trip to their  Wanderlust 108 Festival in Miami on October 22! Click on the link above to enter. 
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Shaba Portable Speaker

Shaba Portable Speaker

Jun 30, 2016

This portable Bluetooth speaker that I got from Shaba was really cute and I would totally recommend it to you guys....but if only it worked. After having it for only one day and the battery draining it never "came back to life". 

The things I liked about it initially were the color, size and how loud the sound was. It was also really clear which a lot of the Bluetooth speakers that I've had lately have lacked.

I also like the old school look of the speaker as well as how you can get the colors to change. It also works really well with my bedroom decor and I plan on keeping it on my nightstand since I got the pink one. I'm going to keep charging it to see if it comes back to life but since I got it for free I'm not going to rush to exchange it. 

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On The Go Aromatherapy

On The Go Aromatherapy

Jun 2, 2016

I love two things: shiny things and relaxing scents. Getting them both together seems like an impossibility unless you have the chance to wear an Aromatherapy Necklace.

Whenever I would think about something like this Rosemary's Baby would come to mind...in a cool way, not at all creepy! The fact that I could wear something around my neck that gave me an instant sense of relief and relaxation is something I desperately need. I suffer from anxiety and have been trying to wean off my medication so having something that can keep me in a good place mentally, even in the tiniest way, is a win in my eyes!

This necklace is really pretty with awesome detail in the chain and came with and has some cute bling along the front. It came with about 7 diff pads that I could put drops of my favorite essential oils so that I don't have to keep reusing one and have all of the scents turn into one. I normally wear this with my rose oil but I might start using a sponge with lavender in it and keep it on my pillow so I can get enveloped with the scent without filling up my whole apartment with it like I would if I used a diffuser.

Overall this is a great necklace and is perfect for those stressful times that we all tend to have. It's stylish, beautiful and serves a great purpose!

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Keeping it Up With Clairol's Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy

Keeping it Up With Clairol's Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy

May 24, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Clairol Nice ’n Easy for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you've been following my blog, which I knooooow you have, you'll know that I've been doing a series of videos included in blog posts where I decided to change up my look with the help of Clairol Nice ’n Easy. First, I dyed it, then I let you all know how I was maintaining the color and now I’m letting you guys know my experience with touching up my roots with Clairol's Root Touch-Up by Nice 'n Easy.

I'll start with the main thing: I have never, ever touched up my roots. Usually when I dye my hair I let it grow out because I don't use drastic colors and it's never been something that's been pointed out so only dying my roots was a first! But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with how simple the process was and how my hair turned out. I matched the Nice ‘n Easy color that I previously used on my whole head with the corresponding Clairol Root Touch-Up by Nice ‘n Easy color. You can find the chart that matches colors with root touch-ups on the side of the Clairol Root Touch-Up by Nice ‘n Easy box.

The first step in the process was to pour both products simultaneously into the handy little tray that came in the package. Once everything was inside the tray I mixed it up and was ready to go. Of course because I've never done just my roots before I had to read the instructions to see exactly how I was supposed to do this because I have a ton of hair. Luckily, when you do a root touch up you're only supposed to dye the parts of your hair that will show the most and for me that's where I part my hair when it's loose. You will also want to cover the entire front as well as the back. This way I cover my 3 hairstyles: loose, ponytail and bun. I have to say that I was a little skeptical about the precision brush because I have really thick hair so I didn't think it was going to be able to penetrate past the very top layer of hair and get what was underneath that might show through if it's a different color. I was extremely surprised and really excited over the fact that it really went deep into my hair and I know that all the roots in the area that I wanted to get covered got covered.

When I was satisfied that I covered all the areas where my roots would show the most I only had to wait 10 minutes for it to do its magic. Once the timer went off I rinsed my hair until all the color was gone and conditioned my hair before getting to work on drying and straightening. Because the initial color that I was given to dye my hair was so close to my natural hair color I didn't notice any roots but once I did the touch up and I dried it my hair looked so different in a way that I loved. My hair looks a little darker now, which I love, and while I couldn't tell where my new growth was before the touch up, it looked really uniform and perfect once the roots were done. Overall I'm very satisfied with this whole process and now I won't be afraid of doing my roots whenever the time comes because I know that it doesn't entail my entire head of hair. The Clairol Root Touch-Up by Nice ‘n Easy will last up to 3 weeks and is specially-formulated to be used in between coloring so I can keep using it until I'm ready to change my color entirely. Plus it comes in 21 shades!

If you want to see the process in live action, check out this video where I give you a step by step guide of the process.

A few things to note: I used the gloves that came with the instructions pamphlet and made sure to use them not only while I was doing my roots but when I did the skin allergy test. It's always important to do that when you're coloring your hair, even if you've done it before, to avoid any possible irritation. I did this 48 hours before and did it in a discrete area just like they recommend.

I'm so happy with how everything turned out and I can really tell a difference in how I can make a color last by taking the time to use the right products when I wash it as well as touching up my roots instead of waiting for it to grow out. If you've got roots that need to be touched up I recommend checking out to find your perfect match. Be sure to follow them on Clairol Twitter for the latest updates as well as checking out the Clairol YouTube to see what others have to say and get some great tips!

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Maintaining My Color with Clairol Nice 'n Easy CC+ Colorseal Conditioner

Maintaining My Color with Clairol Nice 'n Easy CC+ Colorseal Conditioner

May 3, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Clairol Nice ’n Easy for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hello everyone, here I am a few weeks after dying my hair with Clairol Nice ’n Easy for the first time and I'm happy to say that the results are still super impressive. Like I mentioned in my last post, I immediately loved how natural the color looked as well as how shiny and healthy it was. The process was also super easy thanks to their step-by-step instructions.
For the past few weeks I've been making sure to keep my color from fading by using products that were made for color treated hair, as well as keeping it out of the sun as much as possible and not washing it too often. The product that has helped me the most throughout this process has been their CC+ Colorseal Conditioner, which was included in my box of hair color. I only wash my hair once a week because it's really thick and takes ages to dry so when I do it's my way of treating myself.


After I use a shampoo that's sulfate free and made for color treated hair I use Clairol's CC+ Colorseal Conditioner for Brunettes to keep my color feeling soft and looking super fresh until I'm ready to dye again. I always make sure to cover every strand and then I leave it on for a few minutes while I get other things taken care of. After I rinse it off the result is always amazing. Even when wet my hair has a nice shine to it, which is totally different from wetness, and my curls are really easy to comb through with my fingers. This makes the process of drying very easy. I only ever use a small amount of heat protectant because I'm not a fan of having products weigh by hair down so I know that the shine and feel of my hair is mostly due to the CC+ Colorseal Conditioner.

Check out this video that I made highlighting my thoughts on the results. I really must say that I really like how Clairol makes it very easy to not only color, but maintain your hair at home. I must have colored my hair at home 100 times in my life and was never fully invested in trying to make the color last because I never felt that I had a natural looking color like I do now.  

If you like my video on how much I love my hair color and the results of the CC+ Colorseal Conditioner and want to see what others have to say make sure you give their Clairol YouTube channel a look. And of course, follow the Clairol Twitter to keep up to date on new products and tips to keep your color treated hair looking fabulous!

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Keeping Up With My Natural Lifestyle with Tom's of Maine's Products at Target

Keeping Up With My Natural Lifestyle with Tom's of Maine's Products at Target

Apr 22, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tom's of Maine. All opinions are 100% mine.

The longer I stay in Los Angeles the more natural my life is becoming. It's not as a way to "fit in" but having almost unlimited sunshine makes me want to take care of myself, and all that surrounds me, more than usual.

Tom's of Maine Luminous White Made to Matter Toothpaste is one of the things that is helping me with this. Not only do they have a reputation for using the most natural ingredients, but their new products work really amazing while doing so.

I purchased their Luminous White Toothpaste which is exclusively sold at Target, and was very happy with the results from the first use. Not only did it not include ingredients that I didn't need, but it left my mouth and teeth feeling extremely clean and fresh.

I've never been one to "celebrate" or do anything for Earth Day but now I realize that I'm celebrating it every day. I walk a lot more than driving or taking mass transit, I started to grow my own herbs and vegetables in order to ensure that I'm only putting the best, organic ingredients into my body and I try to not be wasteful overall in terms of saving energy when it's a cool night out, etc.

All of my loyal readers know that I'm slowly making the transition into living a greener lifestyle and I can't only do that with the foods in eating.

Buying from a company like Tom's of Maine, which I never would have done before while I was living in New York City, is just an extra step in helping me live a better a greener life. It's especially easy when the product totally rocks and I can give it a glowing recommendation. Make sure to put these items on your Cartwheel App and take advantage of their cartwheel offer so that you don't forget to grab it on your next trip to Target!

And if you've got a man in the house or kids that you're buying toiletries for check our their other Made to Matter items like the North Woods deodorant for men as well as their Wicked Cool! one for kids so that the whole family can get involved!

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Moving Around Until You Set Down Roots Shouldn't Be a Burden

Moving Around Until You Set Down Roots Shouldn't Be a Burden

Apr 19, 2016

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of CORT. All opinions are 100% mine.

Staying in one place for long is not my idea of fun!

I'm that one obnoxious person that can easily say they're a NYLA. Or that wants to say it at least! With my heart and soul in New York City and my body in Los Angeles it's hard to do certain things that mean I'm setting roots. Getting a California ID was tough and I cringe whenever I call a highway the freeway but one thing that I haven't done yet is fully furnish a place.

Next month is my four years anniversary (or moviversary, because why not?) and it's a great time to reflect on how deep my roots here have gotten. I went from living in a studio apt with a Murphy bed in a questionable part of North Hollywood to one of the most coveted luxury buildings in the area but I can count on one hand how much furniture I've actually purchased. Committing to a couch means I'm committing to this city and while I love it I love that Paris and London are in my not so distant future.

When I moved into my new building I was checking out all the things offered and saw that I would get discounts from CORT Furniture Rental. I checked out their site, their offerings, and thought it was a great idea for someone like me. Fast forward to now, three months later, and the opportunity to delve deep into what CORT was all about and share it with my readers landed on my lap.

I love that CORT has more than one option

 

What initially drew me to CORT was that they had items listed by room or by piece. I'm good on bedroom furniture but my living room still needs a lot of work. I've been hesitant to purchase anything pricey because I feel like I'd rather do that when I buy a home. I've also avoided buying second hand items from online sites because I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing that everything in my place has always been well kept.

The great thing about CORT is how convenient it is. If you're like me and like to move around a lot it's so much easier and convenient to not have to deal with moving large items from place to place and rent furniture instead. For someone like me, with very little things in terms or furniture, their move in ready package is amazing because all you have to do is go on their site and pick things out room and room and voila...no need to wait months to have a fully furnished place with things that may not work out with the next apartment.

This is what my latest apt looked like for almost 3 months as I slowly got it furnished

There are always two things that happen when I move. One, I end up getting rid of a ton of things and then two, once I move into my new place, I go through another purging. With my clothes, shoes, records and sentimental items being the main focus of my moves I'm so glad I don't have to worry about whether or not a couch that I bought secondhand is worth the move.

If you're thinking of making a big move across the country or are moving out on your own for the first time you should totally give CORT a try. They have a wide range of styles that you can chose from and if you decide that the place you're in isn't for you it relieves you of the stress of trying to sell things you don't deem worthy enough to move!
 
 

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