BEST EXTENSIONS FOR AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

Yeeeeoooooo.

I never thought i’d be the person to get extensions because I spend about as much time on my hair as I do on dating apps buuuuuuut here we are, Rapunzeled AF.

I actually had long hair my whole life and I’ve only had short hair for like the last year and a half so in a way, this long hair feels more normal to me than the short cut, minus the thickness, and extra length, and the tracks …but overall…I feel like a better version of the old me hahah.

I want to first talk about WHY I never considered getting extensions even though it made 90% of people look better. I’ve been a sports/gym/high bun with a hoodie kind of person since I was old enough to walk but anytime I’ve talked to people about extensions they’ve told me that it rips out all of your hair (I don’t have much to spare sooo) and they said you can’t sweat with them.

Umm so just no then, okay cool.

But now that I’m going through this weird grow out phase with my hair, I needed a crutch until it grows out more or else I was going to end up chopping it off again and probably regretting it.

Monique from Extension Bar LA came to my rescue.

“Fantastic, long lasting hair extensions start with me, and end with you.”

I told her about my reservations with the whole hair falling out and me working out thing and she assured me that she knows what she’s doing when it comes to putting the extensions in and taking them out, I just need to take care of them and everything will be groovy. She also said that the kind she gave me is the best for people who work out so it was all a win.

I did a little Q and A with Monique that i wanted to share with you guys just in case you’re currently like ME and sorta on the fence with getting extensions. If you have any other questions you want me to ask her, just leave it in the comments below and I’ll shoot her a text!

C: Alrighty! What kind of extension did you give me??!

M: You have our desire method which is hand tied beaded wefts which no one else does in this area.

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C: Why did you feel that these would be the best option for me compared to other extensions? Is it because you know I work out a lot?

M: That’s exactly why! If you work out a lot with these it’s okay because they don’t slip and when you put your hair up they don’t show. It’s definitely for the girl with an active lifestyle. Also you have a lot of hair so it gives you the best coverage.

C: How were the extensions put in exactly? I was on the phone half the time dealing with potential identity theft so I wasn’t paying attention haha, casual.

M: Haha! So we attached them with thread. We thread the hair and attach a bead around the hair then we put the hand tied wefts on and sew it on top. It’s seamless hand tied wefts which are lighter and thinner than traditional wefts. Most people only need 2 but since you have thicker hair we gave you 3.

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C: What do other people do WRONG when putting in extensions that you make sure to do RIGHT.

M: They don’t go with the direction that the hair grows so it pulls the hair which is damaging. I’ve perfected the way that me and my team put them in so we make sure it isn’t damaging.

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C: What’s the number one thing that the consumer does wrong when wearing the extensions?

M: They do not take care of it and they do not follow the take home instructions. Typically what we see is that they buy the wrong brushes, the wrong products, and just overall don’t take care of the hair. Fantastic long lasting hair extensions starts with me, and ends with you.

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C: How long should I expect these extensions to last?

M: If you take care of them properly, they will last 8-10 weeks!

C: What are some of the main at home care instructions?

M: Brush the hair when you wake up and before you go to sleep, don’t sleep with wet extensions, pull the hair into a lose low pony or braids before going to bed and we suggest sleeping with a silk pillow case.

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C: Amazing!! Oh and how long have you been doing extensions for?

M: 16 years!

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I’ve had these extensions for a couple weeks now and i absolutely LOVE them. i wear them in braids and high pony tails no problem and curl them - just all the things! They are a DREAM. I was a little nervous at first but I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out and the compliments from people have proven that they look super real and well blended.

Check out Extension Bar LA for the best extensions!

xxx

PRODUCTS WORTH INVESTING IN

Hello Hello Hello!

Alrighty - you guys have been asking me a lot lately for my LATEST skin care routine and I just wanted to start off by saying that I'm really excited to share this with you because these products have been THE MOST effective ones in clearing up my skin!

So I would say my skin has always been "clear" for the most part. I didn't have like chronic acne or anything like that but I would get like 3 bad zits a month and then I kind of always had those little pearl like white bumps...?

You guys know what I'm talking about? I think the technical term is "milia" but either way, I used to always have some of that on my cheek bones.

From my understanding, they're basically the result of the protein Keratin getting trapped beneath the surface of the skin MEANING that you can easily get rid of them with the right kind of exfoliator. 

Now - before I became a littttle more educated on skin care, my go to exfoliator was that super grainy apricot scrub - you know the one that you get from the grocery store? I thought it was THE BEST! Little did I know, it's WAY too rough for our skin, ESPECIALLY our face.

I should know that you get what you pay for hahah. 

ANYWAYS 

So I went and saw Dr Kay and she immediately told me that I needed to use a glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is able to deeply penetrate the skin, not just the surface, which makes it the most effective thing when it comes to treating acne, blackheads, fine lines and dull looking skin. 

I used this cleanser immediately and after 3 weeks, my face was 100% cleared up!! 

So we love that, obviously. Then I was just so excited that I was using a product that actually worked that I started talking to Dr Kay about other skin products that I thought I could use. 

One thing I was looking for was an eye cream just because I know that the skin around our eyes is very delicate and is supposed to have it's own TLC. I also told her that I wanted to avoid fine lines as much as possible and that my skin was often dry SO - she came through with allll the solutions.

Dry skin = wrinkles. SO in order to avoid that we need to keep oils on our face as often as possible. (if you're someone that has naturally oily skin - I'm super jealous haha)

To keep my skin hydrated she suggested that I get her Hyaluronic Water Gel ASAP. 

Hyaluronic acid keeps collagen synthesis up, as well as retaining skin moisture, which contributes to theanti-aging benefits of the skin. 

She also suggested that I get her Brighten and Tighten Vitamin C serum because Vitamin C is not only necessary for collagen production and maintenance, but it is also a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals in the skin. 

Then for under-eyes, I purchased her REVITAL EYES, which I use every other night. According to Dr Kay, "this formulation combines All-trans-Retinol, green tea, arnica, and vitamin K along with a system of chelators and peptides to deliver maximum results".

So, to break everything down so far, when I wake up and before I go to bed I TAKE OFF MY MAKE UP WITH CLINIQUE "TAKE THE DAY OFF" MAKE UP REMOVER, then I exfoliate with Dr Kay Glycolic Acid cleanser AND THEN I put the Hyaluronic Gel on and wait for my skin to absorb it, then apply the Vitamin C serum.

You guys still with me? 

I know it might sound like a lot, but believe me, once you find products that you like and see results in your skin, you totally look forward to grabbing a tea, going in your bathroom, and winding down OR waking up for like 10 minutes. 

IT'S AMAZING. 

Okay - moving on. 

So if I am getting ready for my day then I go through everything I just listed above and THEN finish things off with THIS SUNSCREEN.

I got this from the Murad skin care line and absolutely LOVE IT. It goes on smooth, I don't need to try to rub it in for forever, it's actually orange so there's no white residue, and it has SO MUCH PROTECTION. 

If I am about to go to sleep, then I will follow all of the steps from above but instead of applying sunscreen, I will apply the eye cream then this Dr Kay night time moisturizer. SO when I go to bed, my skin is OILED THE FUCK UP. I feel SO clean and I wake up to hydrated, glowing , acne free skin.

I learned that when it comes to applying products on your face, you want to put the THINNEST one on first that way the skin can absorb them. 

I would suggest starting with 1-2 products from this list and seeing how you like the way your skin feels, and then get more. Like I said, I used to use drug store face wash and for some people that's enough but unfortunately that just wasn't the case for me so finding these products and deciding to invest in them instead of dinner, was a good call, if I do say so myself. 

You can find all of Dr Kay's products here

You can find the Clinique make up remover here

You can find the Murad sunscreen here

Invest in your face! 

X

MY LATEST SKIN CARE ROUTINE

Hey girl heyyy! 

So personally my skin routine changes like ALL the time and I think that's perfectly fine. I love trying new products and seeing how they help and right now I feel like everything is SERIOUSLY working well together. 

Everyone wants to get rid of fine lines and dark under eye circles, have an amazing face mask for girls night plus of course a daily sunscreen.

Right now I have a face mask that I'm SO excited to share with you because I've used it about 8 times now and I have noticed that it actually makes my skin GLOW. 

Then I have a daily sunscreen thats light but applies the perfect amount of coverage plus a face oil that I put on with it first thing in the am.

PLUS some other goodies so let's just get into it! 

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PS: This is the first time I've ever taken THIS good of care of my skin so don't feel overwhelmed. If you see something you like then just start there. I didn't start with all of these products in one day either so start small and just know you can always come back here when you're ready for your next product! 

1.

Kerstin Florian Rejuvenating Spirulina Mask

To be honest, I don't like to just swear by any mask because I feel like going through the process of doing a face mask takes time and I don't want to do the whole thing just to wonder if the mask even did anything. 

A lot of companies claim things to be true but it can be hard to say if they're really working. 

I used this mask once and didn't like the smell. I mean it's spirulina which is an algae so I mean, I guess you can be confident that they're being honest with their ingredients. 

I kept it on though and used it again the next day and I swear to you, later that day I literally noticed that my skin looked like it was glowing. 

Now I'm obsessed with doing this mask like twice a week before bed or first thing in the morning then I close up my pores with this next product...

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2.

Polar Roller Cold Compression Therapy By Gofit

This is technically for ice rolling sore muscles on your body which is why this product is a win win! I use it for what it's for and then I use it for what it CAN do, which is tighten my pores and reduce under eye puffiness INSTANTLY. 

After I do a mask or if I just wake up and feel like I can't even open my eyes, I roll this all over my face and neck for 5-7 minutes and feel so rejuvenated it's insane. 

This is also another thing that I do where other people will comment that my skin looks "glowing".

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3.

Nahaia Sunscreen and Gold Face Oil

Post mask and ice rolling, I dab a little bit of this gold oil into my palm then add 2 pumps of 30 SPF sunscreen. 

I've been obsessed with this combo because I'm HORRIBLE at applying sunscreen daily so it's been nice to have a go-to but ALSO i've been loving how easy it is to add in the benefits of the Liquid Gold Nourishing Oil. 

The oil is made with ALL ORGANIC  and natural ingredients like rosehip, primrose, and macadamia nut. It is meant to help with anti aging by firming and rejuvenating the skin. Definitely A MUST if you've been looking for a face oil. 

I've tried other oils like straight up rosehip oil but I found they were either too oily or they would cause me to not get pimples but sort of...they were like little tiny bumps along my cheek bones. 

---

4.

NION BEAUTY Opus Express Facial Cleansing Device. 1 International Facial Cleansing Brush

Last but not least, I've been ending my days with this Nion Beauty cleansing brush! Their brushes are built from technology in Japan and research in South Korea to bring us something called S-Ion technology. 

I don't know about you but I had no idea what this was but apparently (now stay with me here), negative ions can boost our circulation, counteract environmental toxins and increase our sense of well-being. 

These brushes actually BOOST negative ions to cleanse our skin. So it's VERY helpful for a small price. 

Also, I've been using these:

NEW! NION Beauty Opus Renew Eye Treatment Mask for Under Eye Dark Circles

Now to be totally honest, I've only used them twice, and I have one more to use. I don't think I have horrible under eye circles so it could be that I'm just not noticing much but, I'll keep you updated. 

I like the way they feel and you can just give them a quick cut so that they fit to the shape of your eye. I've worn them while cleaning up the house and blogging but again, I'll give it another shot to see if I see anything much different. 

So that's it! I know it might sound like a lot but if you want to start with any 1 product just click on the picture and you'll be ready for check out!

XX

What does your skin care routine look like right now? And PLEASE let me know if there's anything out there that you think is a MUST HAVE.

HOW I'M CARING FOR MY SKIN THIS WINTER

Considering I'm a Cali girl and it's still hovering around 50-degrees over here, it's safe to say that I've been completely UNPREPARED. 

I don't know how to wear layers, my hair is freaking the __ out, and my skin lately was starting to feel like it was trapped in saran wrap or something. Just dry and all around ew. 

I'm always trying different little products while I stick with my main dish aka my Thayer's Rose Water with Aloe that I've raved about like a million times + exfoliating every night. 

These little side products tend to come and go because they end up being too much for my skin causing me to get little bumps on my face that are like almost pimples but not? You know what I'm talking about? 

Or the product is too oily or sticky or watery, or it's like 872 steps and I just don't even want to take the time. 

SO. I recently got some product sent to me from a skin care line called Tula and I feel like I wasn't even expecting it. 

This is not a paid post or promotion of any kind by the way. They won't even know I'm doing this until the same moment that you do. 

I've just been loving it so much and use it twice a day that I finally felt like I found something I trusted and wanted to share with you guys. 

First of all, the color is so on point. 

Second...the first thing that I read when I opened up my little package was a quote from the creator of Tula that reads:

We have taken the same good-for-you ingredients that keep your insides healthy and applied them to a product line that nourishes your skin.

Ummmm YES PLEASE. I've been dying for some skin products that work and are made from natural ingredients. So I checked those out and found that Tula is made from the following:

• Patented Probiotic Complex
• Yogurt Extract
• Turmeric
• Blueberry Extract
• Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids
• Vitamins A, C and E
• Chicory Root Extract 
• Rice Nutripeptides 

Seriosullllly in love.

It's skin benefits are:

• Increased Hydration
• Reduced Redness and Inflammation
• Improved Tone and Texture
• Restored Natural Balance
• Reduced Fine Lines and Wrinkles
• Increased Suppleness

I've been using the Exfoliating Treatment Mask every other night (which is a beautiful teal color by the way - obsessed) and the Hydrating Day and Night cream twice a day. 

My skin seriously is so soft after using it and feels WAY more hydrated. I pair this with my ice rolling for plump, glowing skin.

Check them out!

Thank you Tula!

BEFORE, DURING, & AFTER YOUR SHOWER DEAL BREAKERS.

It's been a minute since I've done a beauty blog...mainly because it's been cold and all things beauty related have been pushed to the side. I also left my ENTIRE make up bag in San Diego last time I went home so that also hasn't been very inspiring.

BUT I realized the other day (while I was in the shower) that there's actually a lot of things that we should be doing before, during and after a shower that we might me missing. 

I think I brought all of this up again when I was talking to my boyfriend about how annoying it is for a girl to shower. He'll literally shower before the gym like he's just brushing his teeth or something. I put it off for as long as possible and praise Jesus for dry shampoo. 

When you really think about, it's like a chunk of time that we have to put aside so let's go over it. 

PS: This is the ideal, Sunday morning, nothing to do, relaxing, 1 hour shower process. Not the, " I have 20 minutes to get ready for work" shower. Got it?

Okay. Let's talk

PRE SHOWER. 

1. DRY BRUSH

I've talked about this in it's own blog before, which you can find here, but ideally before you jump in the shower you want to take advantage of a dry brush. It helps reduce the appearance of cellulite, drains your lymphatic system, removes dead skin and really helps to smooth and exfoliate the skin. AMAZING. 

2. LEAVE IN CONDITIONER TREATMENT

I think once a week for something like this would be ideal. (You can check out this article to find good drugstore treatments). Throw something like the Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque into your hair before stepping int the shower and let it sit for about 5 minutes before rinsing it out. This will help with breaking, dryness and split ends. 

DURING YOUR SHOWER.

1. USE THE RIGHT SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER.

You want to make sure that you are not using a brand of shampoo and conditioner that has sulfates, parabens, or sodium chloride in them. These are the secret ingredients that make our hair dry and fall out, nooo thank you. 

Honestly, I've been finding really good products at good prices at Marshall's. You want to look for products that say SULFATE FREE. PARABEN FREE. And look for stuff that has natural oils in it like coconut oil, avocado oil. argan oil and almond oil. 

2. FINISH WITH A COLD RINSE

I know this isn't ideal now that it's winter time but if you can man up and do it really quick then you'll be golden. I obviously found that it was not only easier but kind of ideal to do this during the summer. 

Finishing your hot shower with a cold rinse closes up the pores in your skin as well as the pores in your hair. 

AFTER YOUR SHOWER:

1. PAT (YOUR FACE) DRY

Unless you want to give yourself some wrinkles pretty soon then you're going to want to make sure that you neverrrr dry your face by taking your towel and pulllling it down your face. You want to be extra gentle with your face so just pat dry.

2. LOTION UP

ESPECIALLY since it's winter time, you want to keep you skin as hydrated as possible. Lather up from your neck to your ankles with a moisturizing lotion.

TIP: I like to add a gradual tanning lotion to my moisturizing lotion so that I can also get a little base tan. I start to glow whiteness during the winter which is no bueno so I try to avoid that for the sake of others.

3. TONER

I've talked about this toner like 8 million times but it's because I'm actually in love with it. And it works. And it's cheap. I put it on after a shower and it's SO helpful as a skin toner.

ALSO it's an amazing aftershave.

So if your guy is confused on why it takes 32 hours to take a shower and why we need ALL the hot water, give him this breakdown. 

XOXO

POST GYM HYGIENE FOR BEAUTIFUL SKIN

PHOTOGRAPHED BY: THE ETERNAL CHILD 

All who are guilty for not showering or changing out of your workout clothes post gym workouts say 'I'.

Ummm yeah, SAME.

I mean yeah sometimes I do but sometimes, I don't. And I'm starting to realize that it's completely disgusting, HA! When I leave the gym I'm ENERGIZED. I'm thinking clearly about everything I have going on that day, I'M ON THE MOVE.

I don't want to pause in order to go home, clean up, shower, UGHHH. It's such a processssss.

But, luckily we don't have to do ALL of that, we just need to do a few little things that will totally help, like a lot. Let's get to it.

1. WASH YOUR HANDS

Oh God. You know how many times I've walked up to a sweaty stair master? (initiate gag reflex)... I'm holding weights that have just been man handled by Big Biceps over there sweating out a waterfall, the handles on the elliptical...OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING. 

We HAVE to wash our hands after working out because 1. There's germs ALL OVER THE FUCKING PLACE and 2. We touch our faces like a million times a day, you don't want to combine the two.

* Remember to put tea tree oil on any super clogged pores where you feel pimples forming*

2. WASH YOUR FACE

When we exercise and sweat our skin becomes very warm and sensitive and our pores open right on up, making them more exposed to bacteria and toxins. Bring some make up wipes with you and gently wipe your face after your next workout as well as a gentle cleanser. 

Read all about my favorite cleanser here.

3. HYDRATE

When I work out, I sweat, A LOT. It's one of the best ways to detox so I love it BUT it can completely dry out our skin so I make sure that after I rinse and cleanse my face, I throw on a little moisturizer. I like Aveeno's moisturizer + SPF lotion for added benefits.

Also drink tons of water! 

4. ACNE, YEAST INFECTIONS, BODY ODOR...BARF.

I know none of us want to talk about it BUT we gotta talk about it. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES WHEN YOU GET HOME. I know like I mentioned before, we're all busy but when you just sit in your sweaty gym clothes all day you allow bacteria to build up which clogs your pores causing acne, odor and yes...even painful horrible yeast infections.

GROSS.

When I get home I change my clothes, wipe off with some Cottonelle Fresh Care Wipes ($3.35), and apply a little lavender body oil to my neck and wrists for a lasting scent. 

Also - I love to purchase this all natural Rose Water for super cheap, then pour it into a spray bottle then use it after the gym to hydrate my face and it obviously smells amazing! 

5. EXFOLIATE

Fitness people build up more dead skin cells than those who are un-active so it's important that we tend to our entire body by exfoliating at least twice a week.

Check out my post on dry brushing to see how to do it! (Also helps get rid of cellulite!). 

THE TONER YOU SHOULDN'T BE LIVING WITHOUT

(Currently Listening To: From Time by Drake)

Okay, I meannnn, have I been living in a hole or are you guys also new to this witch hazel thing? It kinda scares me when I find something incredibly useful and cheap that's been around for forever. Makes me wonder what else I'm missing out on...

But while we wait to figure that out, let's talk the MAGIC that is Witch Hazel.

I was telling a friend the other day that I feel like my skin is basically a light pallet of reds, whites and blues when I don't have make up on. Awesome. My under eye is blue, my cheeks get a light red-ish pink and then I have been avoiding the sun so this white skin is just glowing, and not in a good way. 

He (yes he) said three things.

WITCH HAZEL. ALOE VERA. & ROSE WATER. 

I thought to myself, witch hazel sounds scary, I got aloe, and I've heard rose water is good for your skin but I've never used it in anything else other than a cocktail sooo. (But this man has the most impressive skin and bald head you've ever seen so, I trust him).

I was thinking I had to go buy all three ingredients and get down on some kind of serious drill line for my nightly skin routine but then he told me it's all in one bottle and it's SO EASY. 

I literally just get out of the shower, leave my face a little damp, and then rub a little bit of Thayer's into my hands and rub it all over my face. DONE.

I do the same thing in the morning when i wake up and I've ALREADY noticed that it's working as a toner. 

Who else is excited for me?! SO EXCITED OVER HERE.

Okay so here's a little background on what the hell I'm talking about. 

+ Witch hazel has been around for years and it is a topical astringent that comes from a shrub, kinda looks like a lavender plant, but yellow.  

+ It's most commonly known use has been for skin because since it has a high concentration of tannins, it is capable of not only removing excess oil from your skin but it also shrinks your pores! SERIOUSLY WHYYYY AM I JUST FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS?!

+ So since your pores are smaller, less shit from the environment is getting trapped in your face which means LESS BLEMISHES, AND LESS BLACK HEADS. (Black heads are pores that are congested with pollution and toxins, ew.)

+ Obviously if it helps prevent blemishes it also helps TREAT current blemishes you may have or irritated skin and acne. Use a cotton pad to apply to the face to reduce irritation.

AFTER SHAVE

Since it tightens the skin and reduces inflammation it's literally THE PERFECT thing to use after you shave. Bye stupid ass razor burn, we all hate you. 

BRIGHTEN AROUND EYES

I could cry. Isn't brighter looking eyes without concealer and 75 dollar eye cream everyones dream? Witch hazel will tighten and brighten your under eye, just make sure you don't get it IN your eyes. 

I mean , I could go on for forever. It's also used to treat minor cuts, sunburns and varicose (spider veins). So that's JUST the witch hazel part! This little magic tub also includes doses of aloe vera and rose water. 

I've tried SO many different skin products to try and tone my skin and they always end up making me dry out or get oily or I get little bumps on my face, kinda like acne, but not. I'm telling you you guys, iv'e oonly been using this for a few days and my face feels tighter, it's glowing IN A GOOD WAY and isn't oily or dried out. 

AND IT'S CHEAP !!

I'll attach a link for you guys so you can buy like a million right now. This one was given to me by my friend but he said he got it at Sprouts so maybe places like Whole foods has it too. 

Buy witch hazel:

https://thrivemarket.com/thayers-alcohol-free-witch-hazel-toner-rose-petal?utm_source=ebay&utm_medium=pla&CAWELAID=120220540000000783

Let me know how it works for you guys because I AM OBSESSED.