How I Keep My Hair Tame In The Winter

Living in the Midwest has it's ups and it's downs. Unfortunately the climate change in the winter is definitely a huge down side; It gets cold, dry, and windy. Trying to stay warm, yet fashionable is quite difficult during these months; you put a hat on and you get frizzy hat hair from the static, or you leave your hair down and gets whipped around from the wind.. not to mention your ears will get nipped at.

To solve this problem, I use 3 products during my morning routine to tame my dry frizzy hair, and keeping it soft and healthy.

First, I wash my hair with Toni & Guy shampoo and conditioner for damaged hair.

Then, once I am out of the shower I gently towel dry my hair and throw it up in that towel while I dry off, get dressed, brush my teeth, and apply my makeup. After that I take my hair down and apply a leave-in conditioner. The one I use is from my local barber shop and is part of the "olive oil" line. I use about 2-3 pumps of the product and apply it to my hair, starting at the tips and working my way up to the roots.

Once the leave-in conditioner is applied, I either blow-dry my hair if I'm in a hurry then apply a restoring oil, or if I'm staying in, I'll apply the oil and leave my hair to air-dry. Again, I use an 'olive oil' product, however I use a very tiny amount (I'm talking a pea size amount). A little bit goes a long way. Before applying it to my hair, I rub the product between the tips of my fingers and the top of my palm. I focus more on the bottom half of my hair than my roots, since I don't want my scalp to become oily right after getting out of the shower.

And that's it. I wash my hair every other day, and this method keeps my hair tame the entire time. I also made a video over on my youtube channel, if you'd like to check it out. It might be easier to see it visually than trying to decipher my descriptions and instructions.

Here are a couple additional tips that may or may not help tame your hair throughout these cold dreadful months.

Tip #1: Drink plenty of water. You want to stay hydrated all around the year, but it's important that everything is balanced so your body is awake and healthy. I must admit I'm not 100% sure that this will make a big difference, but every little bit helps, and you should be drinking around 60 oz of water each day anyway.

Tip #2: Along with keeping your body hydrated, make sure you're getting all of the nutrients you need. Eat full course meals and take vitamins daily. Another bit of advice is look into taking coconut oil supplements; something about it makes your hair soft and healthy.

Tip #3: Turn on a humidifier. If you don't already own one, I recommend you purchase a humidifier. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a big heavy duty one, but a cheap tiny one should suffice; although it depends on how big your living space is. The humidifier will put some moisture back into the air, relieving your dry skin and hair.

I hope this helps!

Much Love! Xx

Plastic Drawer Up-Do

I've probably mentioned this a thousand times here on my blog, but I have limited space in my apartment which can be tricky. Living in a studio apartment has really constrained me from bringing in unnecessary items or things that would take up way too much room. One of the biggest issues I faced was figuring out where I would store all of my clothes. Even though I have a decent sized closet, I have limited space on the bar to hang clothes and my jeans & sweatshirts take up all of the shelving. But what about those undergarments of mine? I debated on bringing my dresser with me, but I realized that it was too big & bulky, and I just didn't have the room for it. I finally figured out a convenient way to store my bras and panties: buying a plastic 3-drawer storage unit. It worked perfectly! I had a drawer for each of my undergarment pieces. However, I quickly found out that not only was it unappealing to guests to be able to see into the drawers but it made me a bit uncomfortable and self conscious. I could always close my closet doors, but I don't like doing that; It seems to make the room look smaller and bland. Since I am renting an apartment I can't exactly paint the walls or even the closet doors, so I have to settle with everything being white/cream. On the other hand, since everything is organized and put away nicely, having the doors open isn't an eye-sore, but instead gives the room a bit more to look at, and gives you a sneak-peak into my style/personality.

To fix this problem I took to Pinterest.. of course! And looked for different bits of inspiration. I had a couple ideas in mind but wanted to see how other people tackled this DIY. With some sense of direction, I took to the craft store and wandered up and down their scrapbook paper section. I found a nice 80 sheet paper pad that fit my color scheme and had some fun pattern play. I also picked up a small bottle of mod podge and I suggest picking up a sponge brush if you don't already own one. I forgot a brush and didn't feel like making the trip back into town, so I just used anything I could find in my apartment; q-tips, napkins, paper towel... although I eventually ended up using my fingers.. Hey, I had to improvise and it worked!

First, I measured the front of the drawer and cut out 3 rectangles to fit into place. I drew the line on the back of the paper with a pencil, so if I needed to erase I could do so without ruining the pretty side. Once they were cut out I had the option of leaving them as in and 'glueing' them in place, however, I thought it would be fun and a bit more unique to label each one. I picked out some metallic colors from my cup of assorted pens and sharpies. Since this unit was specifically for my undergarments, I labeled one "Panties", one "Bras", and the last one "Socks". That way I knew what was in each drawer. Then, to add a bit more character I drew little bras, panties, and socks, on each sign.

Lastly, I just needed to glue them in place. At first I tried spreading the mod podge over the paper, but soon found that it was quite difficult and I feared that it would ruin the design, writing, and/or the actual paper. So, for the other two, I applied the mod podge on the inner part of the drawer and then carefully laid the paper on top, making sure the words were facing outwards and right-side up. and smoothed out any bubbles with my hand. This method was easier and gave better results, in my opinion.

This was a super easy and fun DIY and quite inexpensive as well. I think the most expensive item was the pad of paper, but I can always use the other sheets for more crafts & projects. The thing about these storage units, is you can use them for ANYTHING, and there are so many different ways you can give them a facelift. You can use spray paint, duct tape, washi tape, construction paper, etc. Just have fun with it and customize it to fit your personality!

Much Love! Xx

My Bucket List

| Fly on a plane |

Yes, you read that right; I have yet to be on a plane. Even though it seems like something so little because thousands of people do this day to day, I find it very intriguing. Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon I sit in my schools library in the back corner looking out over the courtyard and parking lots. The library is so conveniently placed on the third floor, so one can look in multiple directions and see for miles. My College just happens to be placed right next to the airport. And of course this city being the capital of the State there are many flights coming in and going out. Between classes I often find myself staring out into the cloudy blue sky daydreaming, thinking about anything but homework. I often catch a glimpse of that bird in the sky coming bigger & bigger and getting lower & lower to the ground before it dips behind the trees and disappearing from my view. It is during those moments that I crave adventure and exploring the world with my closet friends. 

| Travel |

 Yes, quite typical, but I want to see the world with my closest friends. Exploring places other than tourist destinations, trying exquisite foods, and experiencing different cultures. 

| Swim in the Ocean |

I've never been to the ocean, or really outside of my home state for that matter. I'd like to see dolphins & whales and just relax on the white sand beaches drinking a lemonade and taking in the sun. 

| Pet a penguin | & | Ride a Camel |

I'm not talking about at the zoo where the animals are in cages, I'm talking about out in their natural habitat. 

| Stay a night at Hotel Kakslauttanen |

This hotel is in Iceland and each 'room' is a dome outside under the stars where for 8 months out of the year you can witness the northern lights. Talk about breath taking! Growing up I always loved going camping, and this right here is taking camping to the next level.

| Build a tree house | 

Not any kind of treehouse, I'm talking about one straight out of the show "treehouse masters". If you've never seen this program, I suggest that you do so; it will bring out your inner kid. Basically this company in the US builds tree houses based on what each customer is looking for. They are bigger and better than the ones you had as a kid. If you can dream it, they can build it, and one day I hope they can make a custom one for me, high up in the trees with bridges between the different tree houses (inspired by the Ewok's in the last Star Wars film). 

| Attend Coachella |

I suppose any music festival for that matter, but I've seen some of my favorite Youtubers attend this festival and it just seems like a lot of fun.

| Do the Color Run |

Now I'm not one for running long distances, or just running period, but this seems like something that makes it a bit more enjoyable. I also would like to do an obstacle one such as a zombie run or the gladiator run. 

| Tour by helicopter |

Doesn't matter the location I just think getting a birds eye view of a city is something quite neat. 

| Go to a Drive-in Theater |

| Study Abroad |

It's always been a goal of mine to study abroad. Just experiencing the different cultures and getting the chance to go sight seeing. I would really like to go to England, but anywhere in Europe would be cool. 

| Visit a castle |

As long as there are no moats or dragons I'm all in! If only there were places like Hogwarts, I'd be jumping onto the next train there! 

| Attend a Chinese lantern festival |

Ever since I've watched Tangled, I've been so interested in attending one of these. It's incredible that the entire night sky could be filled with floating lights?! ... where do you think they end up? O.o

| Go horse back riding on a beach |

Something straight out of a romance film, but I think it would amazing! I really would like to do this on the beautiful shores of New Zealand or Greece. Just image you and your loved one galloping along the beach at sunset with a slight breeze.. Ahh, so romantic. But quite honestly it wouldn't even have to be with a significant other; it could be a group of friends. I think this would be a neat way to tour the place. Plus, I'd like to actually ride a horse; I've sat on one,  but never actually took the reins and moved around.

| Go cliff diving |

I'm not that much of an adrenaline junky but this seems quite fun. I don't think I'd go to the extremes and jump off a cliff that is higher than 40ft, but maybe 10-15ft is in my range.

| Live in England | 

My friends and I already have a goal of living near each other in England. while another friend is in Rome for Seminary. I've always wanted to visit England, it just seems so lovely there, other than the bipolar weather. And to hear that some of my friends have the same dream makes it even more possible. I can just imagine waking up on a chilly morning and going out for some coffee at a local shop with my friends and then spending the afternoon going in and out of shops.

| Be on the Amazing Race |

I know this is a long shot, but I have always enjoyed watching this program and think it would be a neat way to see the world and experience different cultures. Each challenge is something different but it's things that people in different parts of the world do on a daily basis. I always find myself watching these episodes thinking about which challenge I'd be better at and thinking of ways I could complete them the fastest. The only thing I'd be worried about is leaving something behind and letting the stress get to me. I know it's easier said than done but I think I would be a great contestant and would (hopefully) be in the final three. . . one can dream can't they? 

I know I have way more on my bucket list, but if I mentioned every single one, we'd be here all day. With that being said,

what's on your bucket lists? 

Much Love! Xx

Twenty-Sixteen Resolutions

2015 is literally a thing of the past. Can you believe that? I can' t ... I guess that's what happens as you get older; the day's blend and we get so caught up in our lives that we forget to slow down and take everything in. Before we know it, Thanksgiving sneaks up on us and shortly there after, Christmas is knocking at our door, or should I say sneaking down our chimneys? Once the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's are over with, we begin to settle down and realize that the year is nearly over; we're talking by only a couple of days. It's usually during those couple of days that I reflect on the year I've had and what I'd like to work on during the next.

Now, I'm not one to make huge silly goals for the upcoming new year, but with 2015 being so life changing and eye-opening, I'd like to set some goals and things to work on for 2016. Without further ado, here are my 2016 "New Year's Resolutions":

#1: Drink more water. Goals like this aren't unrealistic and is something I think should be on everyone's list to work on. I've realized during this past year how dehydrated I was each and every day; I was almost always tired even though I'd get 8+ hours of sleep and getting headaches almost daily. I seem to get caught up in my daily activities that I just forget to drink water; which seems quite silly, but hey, some how I've mastered it.

#2: Maintain a positive attitude. Everyone has their days where depression really kicks their butt. For me, however, I seem to suffer from depression more frequently. I'm hoping for 2016 to be positive and full of excitement and adventure. I'm going to try to re-wire my brain, and although I know I can't fully escape depression, I can at least make it minimal. I want to work on having a positive outlook on life and being genuinely happy each and every day. Maintaining a positive attitude also depends on who you surround yourself with, so with that being said I plan on blocking out the negative people in my life and focusing on those who support me and my decisions along with pushing me to be a better person.

#3: Work through my anxiety. Throughout 2015 my anxiety seemed to sky-rocket. Mainly due to a change in environment: College, work, and where I live. My anxiety seemed to stop me from doing many things, such as join clubs/go to events, hangout with friends/coworkers outside of work, explore my new city, etc. I think this was troubling because I didn't actually realize that I had anxiety and I wasn't fully educated on what it is. Now that I know that I have anxiety I look forward to educating myself about it and how to deal with it throughout 2016. With that being said, I hope 2016 will be the year where I can put a damper on this issue and allow myself to live a somewhat normal life.

#4: Focus on myself. Throughout the past year I really didn't give myself much 'me' time. For the first half of the year I had two part-time jobs, I was in college full time, and the rest of my free time was spent between my boyfriend, and attempting to spend an equal amount of time between my mom and my dad. I didn't really even have time to breathe or think. The rest of the year went by just as quickly as the first half. Day's seemed to blend together and before I knew it I was back in school trying to balance my time between school and work. I definitely need to slow down and worry about my health and well-being. I think that everyone needs time to themselves, even if it is just an hour or two a day or once a week. This year I plan on giving myself "Mental health days" where I can relax and not have to worry or be in a rush.  I don't want to regret anything nor look back and wish that I did this or that: No FOMO for me (Fear.Of.Missing.Out).

Do you have any New Year's Resolutions? 

Here's to making 2016 the best year yet! 

Much Love! Xx