Category Archives: Beauty

Behind the Scenes at Alaffia HQ // Giveaway!

May 16, 2018

At 5:30 am, my alarm started buzzing and I groggily turned it off. Not long after, it went off again. This time, I got up. I was off to Olympia, WA and wanted to be up and on the road early enough so as to not hit rush hour traffic. But, why?

Because I was off on a weekday morning adventure to visit Alaffia, a skin, body, and hair care brand that is known for its ethical trade practices and do-good values for the women of West Africa. They also just so happen to be headquartered right outside of Olympia, Washington’s state capital, in Tumwater.

With Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Donald Yamamoto, in town, Alaffia invited state and local government learners, local business leaders and their respective staff, as well as little old me, to welcome him and learn more about the company. Being familiar with Alaffia products already, it was great to get a behind the scenes glimpse of the products, from ideation to manufacturing to shipping.

While there, I was also first to see a lot of new product that will be coming out very soon and of course was sent home with lots of goodies to try! Curious what I learned about Alaffia and want to win some products to try for yourself? Read on!

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Gifts for the Holidays for the Beauty Lover

December 15, 2017

I know I must not be the only last minute holiday shopper out there. Anyone else? Nope? Bueller?

I know I can’t be alone, because today is Free Shipping Day, after all! One of those internet-invented holidays to get you to shop more, no doubt, but nonetheless, today is a great time to knock some gifts off your list. I most definitely took advantage this morning on a secret gift for someone which shall not be named. It’s something I’ve been on the hunt for since it was released 3 months ago, so now I’m just praying to the retail gods that it doesn’t get canceled.

Anyway!

Last year my beauty gift guide was by far my most popular, as well as my personal favorite to create. It offers the perfect gift for nearly everyone, whether it’s your man in need of desperate need of some skincare, for you to treat yo’ self, or for your BFF who loves having the latest beauty palette. So, I’m back with all of my tried and true favorites to share with you, as well as my biggest giveaway do the year with FOUR winners! Woohoo!


Skincare Gifts for the Beauty Lover ($50-75)

Juice Beauty Best of Stem Cellular Anti-Aging Skincare Set, $75 – Have you tried Juice Beauty? No? Then this is the perfect way to! Just pick out one of their gift sets and you’ll be set, whether it’s for you or for someone you love. Most of these sets are worth double the price, so they’re quite the deal, and they come ready for gift-giving.

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My Own Custom Lipstick?! // My Bespoke Lipstick Experience at Bite Beauty Lip Lab NYC

October 18, 2017

Is there anyone that wouldn’t want a lipstick, made exactly for them, from the color to the scent to the formula? You could create the perfect nude for your exact skin tone. Or the perfect red. Or even the perfect fall moody lip. Or maybe a combination of all of them? The options are endless, and I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want to do this. (Okay, maybe people who never wear lipstick, but that’s probably not you since you are reading this. ;)) For those reasons and more, I knew I had to be sure to make an appointment at Bite Beauty Lipstick Lab in SoHo when I was in NYC for Fashion Week last month.

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose here! My bespoke lipstick experience was paid for by me. :)

My Bespoke Lipstick Experience at Bite Beauty Lip Lab NYC

To be honest, I can’t even remember where exactly I heard about this originally. Maybe it was from a YouTuber, or it could have been one of those auto-playing videos on Facebook. But once I saw it, it stuck in the back of my mind and I knew I wanted to try it for myself someday. That’s exactly why I knew I had to try and get Rebecca and me in for appointments while we were visiting NYC for Fashion Week.

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Fall Pamper Routine in 7 Easy Steps

October 13, 2017

As the chill in the air grows stronger, lately I’ve been feeling more like hiding under the covers instead of getting up and tackling the day ahead. I find that the change of seasons, especially when going from unusually warm weather to colder temperatures, is hard on me. While my body mourns the loss of summer and the warmth that comes with it, I’ve decided that the best way to conquer the fall blues is by treating myself to the full on fall pamper routine. 

 Disclosure: This post is sponsored by L’Occitane. All opinions are my own!

I wish I had time to do this more often, but on those days when there’s nothing on the calendar (let’s be honest, that’s pretty rare!) and I have the time, I love to treat myself. Some girls might love going to the spa, but I’ve found that it’s more cost-effective and sometimes a bit easier to just pamper yourself right at home. No need to battle traffic to get to your appointment on time, either. Plus, if you splurge on some beautiful body products, you’ll get to use them again and again!

Fall Pamper Routine in 7 Easy Steps

That’s exactly where L’Occitane comes in. I love their rich body products made with Shea Butter that is sourced Sustainable Fair Trade from female-led collectives in Burkina Faso. The Shea Butter Collection is perfect for an at-home pampering session, and I know that since the weather has turned a bit chilly that my skin is desperately in need of a bit more hydration!
So what’s my favorite fall pamper routine? Read on for my step by step guide to relaxation and rejuvenation this season!

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Fashion Runway Makeup with BeYu Cosmetics

September 26, 2017

Well, fall is officially here, and that means a new makeup routine for me! This year I had the privilege of attending New York Fashion Week and one of the things that I loved about attending the runway shows, besides the clothing, of course, was the makeup! I saw so many inspirational makeup looks, and one that I couldn’t get enough of was all of the shimmery autumn hues on eyes, lips, and cheeks.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BeYu Cosmetics. All opinions are my own. #Sponsored

Fashion Runway Makeup with BeYu Cosmetics

Sparkling reds and violets, metallic lips, and lots of neutrals were seen coming down the runways, and I couldn’t wait to try them out myself! I’m so excited to be partnering with BeYu Cosmetics (available locally at Bartell Drugs!) today because they have a plethora of color options, including warm tones for fall! Plus, their products are safe for sensitive skin, and never tested on animals. You may also recall I featured them last October in a fall makeup post, so why not another?! This time I’m trying out several new products, and reworking my makeup look with some of my old favorites!

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