Summer Grace

I needed a light fragrance for Summer and the boyfriend was sweet enough to get this for me:

It's a limited edition fragrance by Philosophy, sold only during Summer. Here is how it's described on Sephora:

"Inspired by the sunny, carefree spirit of summer, Philosophy's Summer Grace spray fragrance refreshes the spirit and opens the heart. Like a bottle of sunshine, this warm and bright floral fragrance was created to make a woman feel the lighthearted happiness and ease of summer."

Notes: "Blooming flowers, sun ripened fruits."

I will say that overall, I'm a big Philosophy fan. I love their message as a brand. I've tried other fragrances such as Falling in Love and Unconditional Love, both of which I really liked.

My only gripe is that the scent fades rather quickly, so you have to keep applying or at least you might be tempted to. I try to avoid that temptation, as I think people often make this mistake and over-apply. Just because you can't smell it on yourself, doesn't mean others can't ;)

This scent is perfect for Summer. It's floral, but not so much that you feel overwhelmed. It settles very nicely on my skin. I actually prefer the way it develops on me over time than at first spray. It's a happy scent, and instantly puts me in a better mood.

What's your Summer fragrance?

~Noelle

Continue the post

Odds and Ends

In my last post, I had a reader request to see a more detailed look of my natural hair using only the Living Proof Wave Styling Creme. Well of course I can!

I took a shower, put my hair in a towel for about ten minutes, combed it through, and then dispersed a nickel sized amount of creme, focusing on the middle of my hair and going down through the ends. I didn't put any near my roots, although I did use a tiny amount left over on my hand to run through the shorter layers of hair around my face. Then, I air dried. Fan blasting in my room, my hair was dry in no time flat.

I think it looks much better than it normally does without the Living Proof product. It isn't perfect by any means. But I don't think naturally wavy or curly hair ever is perfect. If I want a more polished look, I have to pick up a heating appliance, bottom line. But I really love the creme's control. It can be a bit crunchy, but only use a small amount and you should be ok.

The sole reason I bought this was to wear my hair as is, and I feel confident enough that I can. Do I still  prefer my hair straight, or curled with an iron? Yup! But because it's a million (ok, 100) degrees where I live during Summer, I needed something to tame my frizz and let me be free.

I hope this photo helped my reader =)

PS - taking a close up pic is a leeettle bit strange for me. The old days of taking gratuitous self shots for MySpace are long gone my friends. Long gone!

If all else fails, and my hair just won't cooperate no matter what, then I use this:

There, that'll do it. Fedoras are great.

On another note, GO BUY THIS BOOK!

I love Bethenny, I think she's a riot and incredibly savvy. But even if you aren't a huge fan of hers, I highly, highly recommend this book. Hate your job, your relationship, your food habits, your life? Or just need a quick boost? This is life-changing, no joke. I read it cover to cover in one day!

I sound like a walking infomercial.

~ Noelle

Continue the post

Black & Cream OOTD

cream top - Nordstrom, cami underneath - F21, black bandage skirt - Express, patent peep toe pumps - Nordstrom (old), necklace - Lisa Taubes, "love" bangle - F21

It took me a long time to jump on the bandage skirt bandwagon. I liked them on other girls, but felt sort of confined whenever I tried one on. I'm not used to wearing tight skirts. This one from Express is cut for petites, and is surprisingly forgiving. I love the propotion with my new flowy cream top from Nordstrom. I was tempted to belt it, but I don't think it would look appropriate with this skirt. The gold Lisa Taubes necklace (a constant when I don't know what jewelry to wear) and my love bangle are the perfect add-ons to a fun, simple look for a night out on the town. In fact, I think I'll wear this very same outfit in Vegas come September.

***I have been wearing my hair naturally for the past week and I really enjoy the freedom of being me! No dryer, no straightener, no bs! It's Summer, to hell with it I say. The Living Proof Wave Styling Creme is great, and it does make my waves less fuzzy and messy looking. In fact, it's the best I've tried yet. My hair isn't completely frizz free, but not a total disaster. An accomplishment in my book.***

~Noelle

Continue the post