slow detox

The other day I mentioned I'm on a bit of a health kick; that includes good exercise, good eating, and also, a little bit of detoxifying life in general.   You know, all those sneaky toxins that you never really pay any attention to, like the ones in cleaning products, nail polish, and yes, deodorant.  It's actually a little scary once you start looking into it.

What to do about it...

blondie

Been a while since I've posted, please excuse my absence.  I'm trying to focus my energy a little bit more and be a little bit more productive with my time.  Plus, sometimes you just need a break, you know?

Productivity, however, has been seriously thwarted by a major distraction this week though: Emily Weiss and her newly platinum blonde hair.

Obsess with me...

smoke it

I have discovered the easiest, most fool-proof, flattering, fabulous and quick way to a smoky eye.  Easy, foolproof and quick because it's just two beautifully formulated products (3 if you count the brush), fabulous and flattering because of the magical color.  It might sound like I'm exaggerating a bit, but honestly, I've become addicted to this as my new lightening quick makeup routine.

Check it out...

heavenly bodies

This weekend my awesome cousins came for a visit (four days of madcap touristing!) and one was sporting a new tattoo.  She now has 8 celestial bodies on their criss-crossing orbits (and a little beauty mark of her own that serves as a moon) making a beautiful cuff on her arm.  I love how it manages to boldly take up so much real estate but still be so delicate and airy at the same time.  She's a big astronomy buff as well so it's just the perfect thing for her.

see through

glasses - booth & bruce / lipstick - maybelline / shirt - zara (old) / tank - h&m (old)  / bralette - gap / pants - gap / boots - dv

Sort of been living in this simple uniform of a sheer tank and cropped pants with an army shirt over the top for the cooler mornings (yes, autumn is coming!).   I don't usually do sheer, but this feels somehow safe in spite of the translucency.  It's a question of balance I think.  As usual in my outfit posts, a lot of these items are from years gone by and no longer available, but here are the details for the ones that are and some alternatives for the ones that aren't...

chop chop

Seems like I can't stop talking about my hair lately.  I guess it's a side effect of the short haircut.  It needs more attention, which means more frequent cuts (which I'm so bad at), which means more thought given to the possibility of change and more opportunities to do so.  With my long locks nothing was ever really newsworthy except maybe a decent fishtail or twisted up-do.  But now every few months I pour over photos to try and decide what to do next.

My last cut was a real dud, so I've waited many more months than I should have to grow it out a bit so I could have a chance at something awesome.  Fingers crossed tomorrow I get awesome.  My usual hairdresser (who I love, despite the last cut) is out of town and I decided I cannot wait another minute.  So I'm venturing into uncharted territory and trying someone new.  So nerve-wracking yet oddly thrilling!  (Yes, this is me, being wild and crazy.  Pretty much as wild and crazy as it gets.)

A few more photos I'll be taking to the salon for inspiration...

summer colors

Last time I did a pinterest roundup winter was still desperately hanging on, and it was obviously affecting my mood.  But it seems as if joyous summer colors have finally seeped their way into my subconscious.  Amazing how the weather and the seasons can affect us even in the way we are attracted to color and texture. 

As addicted as I am to pinterest, sometimes I forget to go back and actually look at what I've been obsessively pinning.  When I finally do it feels like I've found treasure; I'm like a magpie admiring all the shiny bits in my nest.  This time around I was so delighted to find all the pops of pink and fresh green in my collection!

Have you noticed any trends in your own image collecting lately?

sampling

Do you have an entire drawer filled with product samples?  As you can see in the photo above, I certainly do.  But this month I finished up my usual moisturizer and, partly out of laziness, partly out of a half-assed desire to save some money, and partly because the thought of taking the samples with me when we move across the seas is appalling, I've been steadily going through them and using them up.   To my surprise, some of them are actually pretty stellar products and I might go out and buy a full-sized version once my supply of samples dwindles.  Guess that's why it's successful marketing.

Some winners so far...

just do it

I ran my very first race this weekend.  A new 5K here in Madrid through the beautiful Casa del Campo.  I know 5 km isn't much to people who've been running for years, but for me it was a major accomplishment.  Words cannot describe how excited and proud I felt to participate, and finish, and with a much better time than I'd anticipated too!  So in honor of small goals and huge achievements, I dedicate this post to the runners out there, beginning and advanced.  Go on, get your run on.

Some running essentials...

madcap

Show some skin, cover some skin.  That's how it works.  Gotta keep the sun off the face, cause by now we all know that sunscreen isn't a magic bullet.  (Though of course you know you still have to use it every day, right?  This is still my favorite everyday sunblock for summer days.)

My go-to baseball cap, in fact the only one I can ever remember owning, is a 5 euro cheapie from the men's section of H&M.  It once was black and now is faded, but it does the job.  Maybe it's time to think of something a bit more... more?

Some options...

swimmingly

This is where I was swimming last month.  I know I have yet to tell you all about my Super Duper Mexico Vacation, but I still haven't finished organizing all my photos and thoughts.  Needless to say, it was awesome.  I'm back in the big city now, but I'll be damned if I give up my water time.  So...

Husband and I have joined the pool!  We started this week, committing to four full months of membership (gotta get those discounts where you can, and the obligation to keep it up is just a bonus), and absolutely love it.  My pool's not as amazing as the Caribbean, but it's pretty damn wonderful.  All this has made me think it would be a good time to go over some pool essentials.

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Trust me, you need these things...

colors & textures

image sources available on pinterest

Every once in a while I like to share some of my recent pins, in case you're not following me yet over on pinterest.  Pinterest is one online addiction that I think is truly good for me.  In the midst of even my most hectic days, it slows me down, refills my creativity, floods my senses with colors, textures, tastes, and travels, all from the comfort of my laptop.  Are you addicted? Are we following each other yet?

(ps - if you're on other social media platforms as well, so am I! Twitter here, and facebook here.  Just saying.)

green tea, blue nails

On a bit of a health kick lately: exercising lots, eating really well, going to acupuncture, trying to slow down and relax, and drinking tons of green tea.  Makes me so happy to finally put my turkish teapot to good use.  Every afternoon I fill it up and it never seems to stop bringing me joy.

Another bit of joy...

bangin'

Time for a new haircut I think.  I was super inspired by the photos of Langly Fox Hemmingway in Into The Gloss.  I don't know if I'll be bold enough to take it all the way, but I am toying with the idea of some bangs this time around.

Some more bangspiration...

cuffed

I've talked about ear jewelry before (here and here) so you know I love the stuff, even if it' not always that comfortable or easy to pull off.  I was over the moon when I stumbled into this piece, at H&M of all places.  Tough and unexpected but still totally wearable.  Nothing like a little bit of hardware to help you find your inner badass.  They sell them in pairs, which makes no sense to me, but at 5 euros a pop, I could care less.  Get one for yourself and give the second one to a lucky friend.

on my face - travel edition

I traveled quite a bit over the last few months, including a month-long trip to the States and a little weekend getaway, so I had to do some careful thinking about my makeup essentials.  I pared it down and managed to fit everything into this little makeup bag (which, by the way, is the absolute best for travel, each little compartment velcros out so you can customize it as you like or just grab one little pouch, and the whole thing weighs about as much as a moth).

Here's the final edit: everything you need to look and feel fabulous when you're away from home without being overloaded or deprived.  It will get you through everything from casual cups of coffee to family dinners to glammed up nights out.

See the details...

pinning away

image sources available via pinterest

Just thought I'd share some pins of late.  Little bit of everything.  Come on over and join me there!

last minute lite

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Still doing your christmas shopping?  Yeah, me too.  And if the last gift guide seemed a little too dignified and mature, if you want a little more frivolity in your choices, here's another bunch of ideas to make sure everyone on your list ends up smiling...

last minute

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Still plenty of time to find the perfect gifts.  The folks I still have to shop for are always the hardest; I'm sure everyone as a few of them in their life. 

Here's a handful of ideas to help you fill those gaps...

on my face - november

I swear, I did not wear all this makeup at once.  But the cold weather and the grey rainy days make me want a little something more on my face, a deeper smoke on my eyes or a berry wine on my lips.  And of course, a variety of blushes.  (I am obsessed with having the perfect blush color for any given day, does anyone else out there have this problem?)

The details...