{Beauty Tuesday} Pin Curls

Confession. I love curly hair. I have stick straight, flat, fine, blonde hair. It doesn't hold a curl with out a lot of help (and even then not in this humidity). Every hair product I own is "volumizing."Yesterday was one of those days that reminded me why it is so important to actually put some effort into my hair. It was just one of those Monday mornings where the snooze sounds better than a shower. well I snoozed a few too many times and had to take a power shower, in and out in 5 minutes (and I even shaved my legs!) I sped through my make up and I was still late (thank goodness my usual 9:00 am meeting was cancelled), but I had no time for my usual blow dry. So I wore somewhat wet hair to work. By 10:30 I was SO regretting it. With the humidity, what little damage I have from coloring went wild. the rest went limp, and the ends stringy. okay. maybe it wasn't that bad, but it was NOT good.

Don't get me wrong. I love my hair. It's super easy to style, I can pretty much do whatever I want to it, and after I discovered dry shampoo a few years ago, I no longer have to wash it every single day. winning.

That said, I really wish I could wear pretty curls more often. I am pretty good with a curling iron, but I haven't mastered the speed curl. It takes me at LEAST 15 minutes and that's if I'm doing well. Maybe I don't let it set enough, or use enough product before hand, but my curls are usually gone with in an hour or two.

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But I'm attempting to change all that. I'm planning on bringing back the pin curl. Well... it's probably one of those looks that never really goes away, but none the less. The pin curl has been the foundation for fabulous hair for decades. Flappers in the 20's? Starlets of the 1940s? seriously good style never really goes out of fashion.

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The way I've been doing pin curls as of late isn't exactly the traditional style. (Apologizing in advance, I didn't do a picture tutorial, but I think it should make sense). Like I said I love volume. This is the general technique I use for "quick" curls. (because I rarely have enough foresight to do my hair the night before)

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Pretty easy right? Now, normally when I curl my hair, I set it in velcro rollers. For Pin Curls I use "pins" or bobby pins, which make a tighter curl. 

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I went on a "pinning" streak  looking for pin curls the other day. If you don't already, I'd love for you to follow me on pinterest here

Here are a few more of my tips for long lasting pin curls:

go light on the conditioner when you wash your hair.  

Use a LOT of mousse, gel or curl enhancing spray (whatever you want). Like use more than you think.

lightly mist hairspray every step of the way. 

Time is your best friend. the longer the curls set the better.

Don't OVER brush. 

did I mention hairspray?

Now go curl your hair, the styling possibilities are endless. 

{Beauty Tuesday} Fourth of July Edition

Tomorrow is July 4th! Woohoo! Yay for no work! oh... and our independence. 

Since tomorrow will be a chilling by the pool, grilling out, beer drinking kind of a day here are some easy beauty recommendations (coincidentally this is exactly what I will be using). I hope y'all all have a great day off tomorrow! I will have some exciting stuff coming up here on Blue Dog Belle.... come back tomorrow for a NEON themed giveaway (I know, I'm kind of obsessed with giving y'all stuff!)

covergirl TruBlend loose powder | laura mercier tinted moisturizer | e.l.f. blush and bronzer duo| Revlon Lip Butter in cherry tart | L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Waterproof mascara

Have a great day off tomorrow!

{Beauty Tuesday} DIY Body Scrubs

First of all I want to say thank you to the wonderful Julie I just won a sweet giveaway, and I'm so excited for my sparkly earrings to get here :) Thanks love!

It's summer time and we all want that glow that comes from spending the day in the sand and surf. Since I'm beyond fair skinned I've tried to re-create the look, just from my bathroom. First I started off by thinking about what creates that glow exactly? my answer was salt, sand and sun. So what better than a DIY salt scrub and a little sunless tanner to get the job done? This is a two part project. Lets start off with the salt scrub.

I just kind of winged it, and now I'm completely obsessed and will be making these like crazy (slash I was BEYOND crazy to pay so much for those fancy scrubs from bath and body works). You need to just keep in mind this basic ratio. 2 parts grit (salt/sugar) 1 part oil.

I used a combo of sea salt, sugar and epsom salts. Each of have a slightly different size so my thought was they would combine to make a more efficient scrub. The epsom salt is definitely larger than my sea salt, so it wasn't the most gentle scrub (but I liked it). The sugar and the salt I used were pretty much the same size, but I felt that the salt dissolved a little faster than the sugar.

To mix up the scrub I simply filled a bowl with equal parts sugar, sea and epsom salts (about 1 cup). Then I added 1/2 a cup of olive oil. stir together and maybe add your favorite essential oil (I'm definitively thinking lavender, maybe lemon? the possibilities are endless). Stir it all together. bottle. and your ready to go.

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Seriously y'all. that's its. so easy. and I was REALLY happy with my results.

*I will note that if you do not use enough oil, shaving AFTER exfoliating could potentially be painful. I say this from experience (round 2 with more oil went MUCH better)

 So now you're clean shaven on your legs. They're glowing with baby smooth skin. Now apply your favorite sunless tanner. I'm still just getting into the world of sunless tanner but I am loving this one in particular

Sublime Bronze

This one goes on dark, so you can see where you're putting it. This goes for any sunless tanning lotion but BE CAREFUL with how much your using. A little really goes a long way. You can always do two coats if  you're not happy with the results. I like this one because it doesn't get you super dark on the first application, though it's certainly build-able. One thing I don't like it that it has glitter in it. It's kind of fun for going out, but I'm more of a shower at night, sunless tan then rinse off in the morning before work. The glitter doesn't really come off that first shower though. Not so work appropriate. It's subtle enough that I'm probably the only one that notices, but still.

So there you go. Look like you just stepped off the beach (well in my case I never look like that when I get off the beach, HELLO SUNBURN) but save the cancer causing UV exposure for another time.

Now I have a question for y'all. I NEED sunless tanner recommendations! I don't like being super dark, but the Jergens daily lotion isn't fast enough for me. I'm a klutz with the sprays, so lotions or some other rub on products only please! What sunless tanners do you love/hate?

Girls Night Out

It's been almost two weeks now, but I still need to update you on the fabulous event I went to in NoVa a few weeks ago. It was the "Girls Night Out" fashion event hosted by Northern Virginia Magazine. They had giveaways, swag bags, and a fashion show. I had my make up done at the Smashbox counter at Nordstrom. I picked up a BUNCH of samples and I want to tell you about my favorites.

not the greatest pictures ever, but hey, not too bad for an iphone right? The hair and make up was great, and all done by the W Salon! I'm definitely going to check them out.

I went to Aveda for a hair consultation and picked up some large samples.  I'm loving:

damage remedy shampoo

color conserve conditioner 

color conserve leave in

 Then I hit up bareMinerals for a free make under (which I rescheduled) and a sample. I was SHOCKED when the girl color matched me to be a MEDIUM. WHAT? ME? Medium? I'm like beyond fair. Thank you sunless tanner, you are making me feel like a real person.

I also did some shopping, The Limited was having an AWESOME sale, on top of a discount from that night. So I picked up a new pencil skirt which I LOVE and a cute color blocked sweater. I'm dying to go back after these white jeans though

all in all a very successful evening. 

{Beauty Tuesdays} Juice Beauty Peel

Happy Tuesday everyone! I'm sorry if the blog has looked a mess the last few days. I've been debating if I should get a new layout, social media buttons, etc. I pulled this together myself, and have been playing with photo shop a ton. What do you think? I'm pretty happy with it, but I may still make a few adjustments over the next few days.

Anyways, it's been a while since I did a beauty Tuesday, but I've been trying a few new products lately and I am beyond excited to tell you about this one. I have been on and off trolling birchbox for a peel to help get off some of that dry skin that you build up over time. I talked about my full skin regimen here but I've added the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive  and it has made such a difference.

 I've been using it for 3 weeks, 3x a week and can tell such a difference already. My skin is smoother, pores are smaller, and my skin seems to soak up my moisturizer a bit more.

It's all natural and organic, made of apples, grapes, lemon, aloe and algae. It smells like unsweetened apple sauce (which is a bit odd). There is some raw sugarcane which helps to exfoliate, but its not rough at all.

On a clean face, rub on a generous amount being careful to avoid the eye area. It will tingle a bit when you first put it on, but nothing that's uncomfortable.  Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse off. It's as easy as that.

I know it's kind of expensive, but compared to a real chemical peel it's about 1/3 of the price. I really think this will keep you out of the dermatologist's office and your skin looking great.

As always, if you have any suggestions or if you use other juice beauty products I'd love to hear about it!

Have a lovely Tuesdays!!!

Hair Love

I'm in a bit of a hair rut lately. I've been too lazy in the mornings to do much of anything beyond a top knot (which I love, but isn't the most professional look in the world). I am just lacking the motivation to pick up the blow dryer or the curling iron in the mornings. 

So for some inspiration I took to pinterest (where else) and found some exciting new style options

But I love me some beachy summery waves. 

What could be prettier? I found this recipe for homemade sea spray, and I'm totally trying it once I get home from Puerto Rico. I'll let you know if my thin fine hair can stand this kind of styling.

P.S. I think I'm depressed for my hair, because come mid may in DC the humidity around here ramps up like nobody's business. I think it's worse than Georgia. MEANING my hair wont hold the curls I work on so hard. I mean really, they generally fall out by the time I get to work. 

{Beauty Tuesday} Coastal Scents

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

This beauty Tuesday I want to talk to you about one of my go to makeup palettes. The Coastal Scents 88 Original. 

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I know right? It's a tad bit crazy. I was turned onto coastal scents by the one and only Emily Eddington of Beauty Broadcast. I've been lusting over their crazy colored palettes for months, and with a recent 30% off sale, I finally pulled the trigger. 

I went back and forth on which palette to get a whole bunch. I was down to the Original and the Neutral, but decided to go out of my comfort zone a bit and try the colorful original. When I first received it in the mail, I'm not going to lie, I was horrified. The colors are SO pigmented and bright. Some are matte, some are shimmery. There aren't too many neutrals, and SO many blues? who wears blue eye shadow besides a prostitute from 1985?  

Well apparently this girl does, because I have to say I love this palette to death now. I just had to learn how to use it. 

1. Use the color sparingly: I like using the blue/greens/purples as a light accent in the crease
2. Use lots of neutrals to balance: you can deepen the crease with some of the great blacks, or use the lighter colors for an all over shadow.
3. Use the darker colors for a smudged liner- do a light smokey eye and instead of liner thinly apply to upper lash line (I love the greens and dark blues with my blue eyes).
4. Have fun with it: go crazy with the color, but as long as you're rocking it, I promise you'll pull it off. 

I will say, I'm still not really sure how to use the reds (and the yellows for that matter). They just do not work with my skin coloring.

I want to be honest with y'all, so I will give you one more critique. The colors are are very pigmented, so if you are buying blushes, bronzers, or even the eye makeup and you are super fair (like me), make sure you use a light hand. These products are really better for someone with a slightly darker complexion (if you're already tan you'll love this). This may be a positive for you, or a negative. But I feel that you should know, I have to use the face products sparingly (I still use and love them though!)

If you are looking for something fun to add to your collection, with out breaking the bank I would highly recommend Coastal Scents. They even sent me a few samples with my first purchase, and it got here SO fast! They are even having a sale right now! 

P.S. Happy Birthday to My Mom! We are currently relaxing by the pool in Puerto Rico. I know, rough way to turn 60. 

Beauty Tuesday: NYX

Between my birthday drama, work, and just living my life I feel like I've gotten off track with this little blog. When I created blue dog belle a few months ago I wanted to focus on the two things I love most: Makeup and Politics. I haven't talked about either in weeks... woops.

Getting back to basics I want to introduce you to NYX Cosmetics. Call me dumb, but I whenever I saw a review of these products I thought they were part of the New York Color (NYC) brand. I haven't had a great experience with many of those products, and even though they are cheap I love me some ELF. 

Well all that has changed now, thanks to my IRL BFF LoRay. For my birthday she sent me a BUNCH of NYX products, and honestly I'm in love with all of them. Let me show you what I got. 

So this is the 10 Color Eye Shadow Palette in Versus, I can not tell you how wonderful it is for me. This is the first thing that has made me put down my naked palette. and that is saying a lot y'all. The shadows are buttery soft, have great pigment and blend well. I've been using it with my elf eye primer and it stays put for hours. It's a great combo. I love the purples! and at $10 how could you not pick this up at ulta? I mean really, you need this.

Next, Mega Shine Lip Gloss. This product really lives up to its name. It smells great, but don't try to eat it as it tastes gross. *I may or may not have licked it off my lips to test it for y'all. I'll let you decide if I did or not. Anyways, I have Chandelier, which is a sparkly medium pink color. It goes on sheer, which I love, and it layers beautifully over lipstick.

This next product is my new favorite. I've gotten SO many compliments on this lip color I'm debating which one to pick up next. As you know I have a love affair with lip products, and this is a new one for the list. The mineral based Round Lip Stick is great for every day. Lauren knows me so well, and gifted me a color I probably would never buy myself, but now I can't put it down.

NYX Round Lipstick 

This is Peach Bellini, or as my roommate BW says, Barbie Pink. It's a VERY BRIGHT orangy pink, that glides on smooth. I will say, make sure you moisturize your lips when using this product or at least exfoliate. It can get slightly cakey if your lips aren't super smooth.  

Peach Bellini

The NYX Slide on Pencil is AWESOME. It rivals my Stila smudge stick, like really. Lauren had brilliant foresight to get me black shimmer, because I had just run out of my black pencil liner, so now I'm set! Thanks LoRay.

If this wasn't enough motivation for you, I don't know what is. NYX has great products, at even better prices. I really love my high end products, but do not  have the budget to spend all my money towards my birchbox finds. Now I'm scouring the website, trying to decide what to get next. Have you discovered NYX yet? Do you have any product recommendations?

April Birchbox

It's that time again!

I'm linking up with Tara and Katie for another round of...

My April Birchbox arrived early this month woohoo!! After an AWESOME box in March I was pumped. Then I opened it and saw this...

Dropps: laundry detergent
These small squares pack a big punch: each is filled with a fabric-friendly detergent that keeps colors bright while respecting the environment. Fresh Scent has a light, spring-inspired fragrance, the packs are great for those who want to go the odor-neutral route.


hmm... laundry detergent. okay. I tried them, but I'm not really sure they would be worth the cost. I actually make my own laundry detergent, I'll do a post on that another time, but I personally think mine is better.

WONDERSTRUCK: by Taylor Swift

Wonderstruck is that awe-inspiring feeling that comes from experiencing something magical. Eclectic and traditional with whimsical flair, every element of the brand is authentically Taylor.

Okay.... this might be worse than the laundry detergent. Don't get me wrong. Love me some T Swift. But I'm generally not a fan of super sweet floral perfumes (especially if they're made by a celebrity). Not good friends. not good.

willa Lavender Facial Towelettes 

Sometimes you want to wash your face when there’s no sink in sight. Since it’s not always a good idea to stop what you’re doing and run to the nearest bathroom, keep these super cool towelettes by your side. Perfect for girls on the go, they’re made to cleanse and refresh skin. Each 30-pack comes with a month’s supply of sweetly scented lavender wipes. Store them in your backpack, your locker, or your purse, and take them out whenever you want to remove all signs of oil and debris. Even the packaging is as cute as a button.

The Willa towelettes are awesome. They smell super fresh, are really soft, and they're natural! What's not to love?

ZOYA: TRUE Spring Collection in BEVIN

Zoya’s latest collection of polishes has us even more excited to brighten up our wardrobe and show off fun mani-pedis this spring. If you’re looking for a subdued shade, check out Bevin, a sage green with faint teal undertones. 

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE this Zoya polish. It's a beautiful muted mint green color.

J.R. Watkins: Hand & Cuticle Salve

From hangnails to dry knuckles, your hands are subject to a whole slew of issues. Luckily, this intense salve provides long-lasting relief to delicate, over-worked hands. Formulated with over ten natural oils and plant extracts, it penetrates deep beneath your skin’s surface, revealing softer skin and revitalized cuticles. Plus, we love how all its ingredients are ethically sourced.

My thoughts on the J.R. Watkins salve: ehh. I could take it or leave it. smells good. moisturizes well, but I'm not drawn back to it.

Not the best box I've ever gotten... but as always I will continue on with the Birchboxes.

PS I heard from Krista that next month will be a Gossip Girl themed box. So excited.

Seven Deadly Beauty Sins

I've seen this on a few blogs and figured I'd jump in on the band wagon.


1. Greed : What’s your most inexpensive beauty item? What’s your most expensive?

My favorite inexpensive item is by far my elf blush and bronzer combo. For only $3 dollars you get this amazing combo. I LOVE the blush so much. I'm almost out and need to re order. My splurge product is probably my Arbonne Nutrimen C RElease Deep Pore Cleansing Masque. It's not crazy expensive at $31 for this bottle. But I use it once a week and I think it's made a huge difference in my skin.

2. Wrath : What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with?

After years of battling acne my skin is far from perfect. I need foundation, and rarely go a day without it. But I am rarely happy with my foundation, and I feel like I've tried them all. I've mixed them, tried different applications, tried powder foundation and liquid. I just haven't found the perfect one for me. Suggestions are greatly appreciated!

3. Gluttony : What is your most delicious beauty product?

This is strange. I don't think I really eat any of my beauty products. Maybe my Eos lip balms. They smell amazing and have a great buttery texture.

4. Sloth : What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?

I know, I know. For a girl with very light, short and sparce lashes I should be curling them daily. But I am usually running too late lazy so I skip this step more often than I should.

5. Pride: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?

Nothing makes me more confident than some sick eye makeup. A perfect liquid liner and some false lashes really amp up a normal look.

6. Lust : What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

This is kind of a strange question... I would think they would have gone for more of a "what are you lusting after" kind of a question, but whatever. I'll go with it. Nothing is sexier than a good pair of sunglasses ala brad pitt. A guy with a sense of style, especially when it comes to suits/ties/socks, etc. A great watch. FLAT FRONT PANTS-- no more pleats boys, please! A trimmed yet scruffy face... or just George Clooney in general. Oh, and I have a weakness for cologne.

7. Envy: What items would you like to receive as a gift?

What wouldn't I like to receive as a gift is probably easier. Tarte LipStain, Stila custom blush, Stila Shadow Stick, Benefit Benetint, Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel, Revitalash growth enhancer, Bvlgari Jasmin Noir, Beauty Blender, Benefit HighBeam,  Deborah Libmann polishes, Caudale Cell Renewal Creme, Bronze and Brighten, Kate Spade Twirl and Stila Prime Pot. ALL available at Birchbox



This was fun! What do you think of my seven deadly sins of beauty! Send me the link to yours!

Beauty Tuesday: Naked Palette

I know everyone and their monther has reviewed the Urban Decay Naked Palette (1), but I need to jump on the bad wagon. Y'all, I use this thing EVERY SINGLE DAY. I love how versitile it is. I usually to do a subtle smokey eye with browns for work, which is great for this palette. Then I can easily step it for Saturday night and go deeper and darker. I can't tell you how much I love it.

Here are swatches of all the shadows

 These are the lightest 4 colors. I love Virgin as a highlight. It gives a great pearly finish with out glitter. Sin is a pearly pink color and is great too and (but of those two I usually opt for virgin). Naked is my go to color. It's a great all over color that mimicks the color of my eyelid. It's completely matte, no shimmer or sparkle so you can pair it with something a little richer with out going over the top. Sidecar is the one color in the palette I'm not thrilled with. It's beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it has glitter in it and no matter what primer I do, or how carefully I apply it, there is always glitter that ends up elsewhere on my face.

Buck is my other go-to matte shadow and is a great crease color. Half Baked is gorgeous. Its a bright shimmery gold. I have a single of it also, and I love to use this in the center of my eyelid to open the eye. I use it ALL the time. Love it. Smog is also wonderful, not quite as shimmery as half baked, but its close. This is my usual crease shade for the work week. When I want to step it up though, I opt for darkhorse. This smokey warm brown is absolutely beautiful. I also use this as a liner every now and again.  

Toasted is another go to shade. If you look at the swatch you can see its a medium tone burgandy shimmer. Very similar to smog, but warmer. Hustle is a deeper version of toasted and is absolutely beautiful. Creep is the darkest shade in the whole palette. Its a dark grey with some shimmer and blue undertones. I use it mostly to deepen the crease or as a liner. It's a beautiful color, but use a light hand if you're fair like me. Gunmetal is a medium toned silver/blue shimmer. It's really pretty on, but I generally like warmer colors, so it rarely makes it in to one of my naked palette looks.

I wanted to give you some of my favorite combos

Naked:Half Baked: Smog

Buck: Toasted: Hustle

Virgin: Half Baked: Hustle

Today I'm rocking Virgin all over the lid, Half Baked in the center, and Creep in the crease. All super blended out, with covergirl eye liner in black, curled lashes, no mascara.

Do you have a go-to product you can't stop using?