maintaining my mane

At 29 my hair is the longest it has ever been in my life.  I’m not sure what took me so long to figure out longer hair is actually easier for me to maintain than any of the shorter cuts I’ve had which required more elbow grease, time and products.  As someone who doesn’t really enjoy going to the salon, I tend to put it off for as long as possible but when I do go I take comfort in knowing my stylist Jessie always delivers exactly what I want and offer’s great advice on keeping my hair from turning into straw between appointments.  I also try to help my stylist as much as possible by showing her pictures of long hair styles I like and learning how certain styles are cut so I know exactly what to ask for.  As for upkeep, now that my hair has achieved a new length I’ve started noticing more frizz and dryness than ever before at the ends.  While the ends are especially dry since they are the oldest, I’m wary about weighing my hair down with too much product so it was important to find the right fix that provides lightweight conditioning while keeping my daily routine as low maintenance as possible.

Bumble & Bumble is a brand I haven’t had much experience with but I decided to pick up a few of their specialty sprays to keep my long hair from looking lackluster.  I also picked up Moroccan Oil which I’ve always wanted to use because it makes your hair smell incredible but my shorter hair didn’t need the extra conditioning treatment.  I’m really enjoying all of these so far.

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1. BB Tonic is perfect for dry/course/colored hair as a detangler and moisturizer.
2. BB Shine On was recommended to be as a great finishing spray that offers tons of shine without the weight of a ton of product.
3.  Moroccan Oil is a great conditioning treatment for damp or wet hair to de-frizz and add moisture and it smells amazing.

At my most recent haircut, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and go for a little feathery flare.  Here are some before & after pics of my beachy-inspired locks as they go from feeling sun bleached and tattered to sleek and more manageable.

        

 xo,

Lauren

lovesit: summer edition

It’s been a few month’s since I’ve been able to contribute to artlovefashion.  Somewhere between apartment hunting, moving, interior decorating, countless weddings, summer holidays, local weekend getaways (like our trip to Block Island, above) and spending as much time outside as humanly possible, I’ve fallen behind…but my next few posts will be filled with items and ideas I’ve been working on for a few weeks now.  To start the ball rolling again I wanted to share with all of you my mid-summer obsessions.  Here are a few of my favorite things right now 🙂  Happy August everyone xoxo

1. It doesn’t get any easier than this- for perfect daytime, day-night or straight night-time glam this little compact has it all.  Just mix, blend and play until you arrive at your desired level of impact.

Sand Tortoise Shell Eye Palette

2. The prettiest, punchiest vibrant matte lip color I’ve ever encountered.  Instantly dresses up any outfit and it’s the perfect pop of color for my mostly neutral wardrobe.

 

3.  There’s no such thing as a streak-free self-tanner no matter how much you spend or what it promises- but with this little accessory you’re getting the closest natural glow possible without the streaks.

St. Tropez Applicator Mitt

4.  A wardrobe staple I can’t get enough of right now is my uber chic riding jacket in grey.  Personally I love this version of a grey blazer by Rag & Bone.  It’s the perfect throw-on for a cooler summer night and it looks so great with distressed jeans, jeggings, shorts or a dress.

 

5.  I love the beachy, tropical, sea-glass colored hues of this Ombre Wooden Bead Necklace by Danielle Stevens I recently purchased on sale.  It’s the perfect colorful accessory for your summer whites or favorite black maxi.

     

xoxo,

Lauren