Beat the Heat: Keep Calm and Cool Down

Day 1: Keep Calm and Cool Down

           If you're like most of the world, the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of summer is splashing around in the water, whether  it be in the ocean or a friend's pool. Even if you spend more time loafing around than a bread loving sloth, you'll find yourself at least dipping in your feet after a nice long sun soak. However, you find that no matter how much water you drink or splash in, you're still blazing hot.
       

            My tip to avoid feeling like you're bringing the sun inside with you is this: stash your lotion and aloe vera in the fridge (or cooler if you're beach bound) before you go out. It sounds so simple that everyone should be doing it right? Wrong. I've spent 20 summers pool side and not once has any of my family done this. After spending the day outside, go to your fridge and slick on a generous amount on each section of your body and feel the heat leave your body. This will also help with rehydrating your skin, which is important if you plan to bake yourself this summer. Now if you happen to spend a little too long outside, no troubles bubbles. This is where the aloe vera comes in handy. Aloe vera is known for having been used on skin for its soothing properties and just imagine what it'll do when it's nice and cold on your skin. Apply generously to sunburned skin every 2 to 4 hours and feel the hurt slowly easing away. At first, it may tingle or feel prickly but that is just the cold from the gel replacing the heat radiating from your skin. I did this after I came back from the beach the next day when I saw my shoulders were burned a bit and I could move the next day.

(image made on memegenerator.com)

Beat the Heat

           As the days of lounging by the pool and strutting around in your bathing suit all day rapidly approach, there's one thing that's on all our minds: how in the world are we going to beat this heat? Where I live in California, summer starts early and the people melt faster than ice cream. Now, I enjoy summer like the rest of the world but I have grown to have a different take on it than most people as I grow older. Sure, I love going to the beach and watching the sun make my fair complexion into that of a golden goddess, but there's more to it. With all the lounging around and barbecues to ensue, I go into this summer with the idea of detox. Think about it for a minute: all this fresh fruit, drinking tons of water, and playing in the water all day. Summer is actually a three month workout plan, if you do it right. Now, I'm not going to judge someone for indulging at a barbecue (I've been known to enjoy a slab of ribs once or twice). I know in the months leading up to summer people spend hours in the gym trying to get that perfect beach body but it doesn't stop there. Just keep that in mind these next few months.

(image found on Google Images.  I make no claim of owning this image.)

Thoughts I have in the car: Day 2

It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, my mind will still wander away when I have something to do. On my way back from grocery shopping, this particular thought made a smile appear on my face. 

2. If two friends get cars at the same time, one car should be blue with a yellow stripe and the other orange with three white stripes. That way when they're both driving to the same place and people ask what they're doing, they can say they're looking for Nemo.

Tips for Online Shopping

I, like a lot of people nowadays, enjoy doing the bulk of my shopping online. Don't get me wrong: I still like going out, having a nice day to go out to the department stores and try things on but let's be honest: who has the time? We live in such a fast paced world that even going to a store to go shopping these days is so passé. To me, online shopping is a matter of convenience and with online stores offering great discounts (sometimes even better than in store), it's not too hard to get caught up in it all. These are my tips and tricks for those of you who are either new to the entire online shopping universe (in which case, welcome) or for those who strictly buy online, think of this as a reminder.

1. Prep & Be Agressive: This has to be the most important thing that I think a lot of people overlook. When I go shopping, I always make a list of what I need, what I'm looking for, and what I've heard about that I want to look into. I know that it gets tempting, especially late at night, with all the bright colors and big, bold letters stating a deal, but fight the urge. Unless it's something that you are honestly going to use or gift, I'd pass on an item just because it's 90% off. Shopping is like hunting: you have an objective, you spot your target, and you get it.


2. Explore: There are literally hundreds of online only shops that have some of the cutest clothes that you've never seen. One way that I've found some of these shops is by going on The Hunt (https://www.thehunt.com/). On The Hunt, you can post pictures of items you have been dying for, whether they be the exact product, something similar, or even get advice from the other members on what to pair with an item you might already have. Don't be afraid to click on other people's hunts or pins and see what a website might have.


3. Know Your Measurements: I couldn't begin to tell you how many times this has been a life saver for me. Since there are so many different stores out there, there's a big possibility that you could be a medium at one and an x-large at another. Don't be offended if you have to go up a size or two: different places use different measurement scales. My trick to avoid having to send something back (or be stuck with it because I can't return it): keep a ruler by me when I'm shopping. Since you can't try it on, the best way to figure out if it's right for you is to measure to see where an item will fall. This also goes for accessories (jewelry, purses, scarves, etc.) [Helpful Hint: If you can leave a sticky note on your desktop, jot down your measurements so you have them at the ready.]


4. Sign Me Up: Even if you shop in person, the cashier will most likely ask you if you'd like to be added to their email list to receive notifications and special deals. Definitely 100% do it. Before you shriek at the idea of thousands of emails flooding your inbox, know that you can set up (this is what I do) a separate folder or email and designate it specifically for this purpose. While most are just updates made to the site, there are some pretty great coupons that can hold some amazing offers.


5. Deal Me In: Nowadays, there are so many websites that are known specifically for having sales every day that I can barely stop my head from spinning before I find another one. The nice thing about these sites is that they offer a wide variety of quality products, from clothing to household items. While they require that you make an account, most of them do not charge you until/only when you buy something and the others allow you to "skip a month" if you're not super into what's on the site. [Helpful Hint: If you have multiple accounts, write them down on a piece of paper or create a file on your computer so that way you don't have to go through having to remember one of twenty passwords.]


6. When In Doubt, eBay or some other site where you are dealing with a person instead of placing an order to a machine. An awesome one that I've recently been loving is Poshmark (https://poshmark.com/). Sadly, you can only add items via the iPhone app for now. The cool thing about it is that you can browse through people's "closets" for something particular and most people will either trade or bundle items for you so you save on shipping and sometimes a little more.

These are the main things I tend to keep in mind when I find myself browsing through the virtual aisles and I hope that you can use these techniques as well. Below, I will list some of my personal referral links so you guys can check out some amazing places. Happy Shopping!

Hautelook (for all areas of life): http://www.hautelook.com/short/3HvTA

Little Black Bag (for your accessories addiction): http://lbb.ag/i31H

Plndr (for the more indie scene): http://www.plndr.com/plndr/MembersOnly/login.aspx?r=6781137

IntiMint (for your lady things): http://imnt.me/ZIkLn6

JustFab (for your shoe obsession): http://www.justfab.com/invite/7434526/

(image found on Google Images. I make no claim to own this image.)

Air Curler

So as I was in the middle of a Bridezilla meltdown marathon, a commercial came on that had me really "intrigued". The first thing I saw was a girl who was holding a - what I can best describe as - a blender to her hair and after letting the contraption blow for a short while, revealed a loose flowy curl. This immediately brought back memories of the early 2000s of the Conair Quick Braid in which you placed two pieces of hair into the prongs and pushed the button and "magically", your hair was braided. The same concerns I had with using the Quick Braid popped into my brain. I remember attempting to use it, but each time, my hair was either too thick or ended up in horrible knots that could not be undone until my hair was washed. Curiosity got the better of me and I went to the official website for the Air Curler to get more information. To say the least, I have no words to describe how ridiculous and frivolous this item seems. First off, you have insert your hair dryer into the mechanism to power it, hoping it fits. While it does the allure of both drying and curling your hair (a claim made by several companies), I can't help but giggle at the the other claims made, including it being usable on short hair and tangle free curls. On the site, there is a slideshow of girls who have used the product with more wave than curl. Also, you can tell in the video and in the pictures that you can only take the device up a certain way up your hair without it being uncomfortable or catching short hairs. Another big thing they push is that it is quicker than curling your hair with a curling iron. Being someone who used to curl her hair often, I can honestly say it is not the device that you use, but rather the method that determines how long it will take to do one's hair. While in theory, the idea of drying and curling your hair at the same time is a girl's wet dream, the way they went about this silly and gives whole new meaning to the phrase "sticking your head into a blender".

Thoughts I have in the shower: Day 1

We all take showers and we all spend the entire time we're in there thinking about stuff: what we have to do, the people in our lives, our dreams, how in the world did I get that bruise (maybe that's just me). Anyway, as I was in the shower today, my mind wander and I thought I would put them here.

1. I'm thinking that someone should (if they already haven't) create a workout regimen associated with dance music and call it "Dubstep It Up" (4/2/2013)