{Friday Cocktail} Arnold Palmer

Happy Friday! We made it, and I'm super excited, for no particular reason other than the fact that I get to sleep in tomorrow :)

For this edition of Friday Cocktail I'm going to step away from the alcohol. What. Shocking. I know. Who am I. But everyone needs a break from boozing every now and again. Plus, I have some readers who don't drink, so I want to teach them a tried and true southern classic.

An Arnold Palmer (in some circles called a half and half) is a deliciously light beverage and super easy to make.

1/2 Iced Tea + 1/2 Lemonade

okay you're done. See y'all Monday.

Haha, while the Arnold Palmer is that easy to concoct I of course stepped it up a notch.

Fancy Arnold Palmer

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Ingredients

• Fresh sweet tea (use a tea bag not a mix)
• Lemonade (again if you have fresh it's way better)
• Mint leaves
• Frozen Strawberries
• Simple Syrup 

Directions

• In the bottom of a mason jar (all the best southern drinks are served in a mason jar) muddle a handful of fresh mint and Simple syrup*
•  Pour tea, then lemonade into jar
• Toss in a few frozen strawberries and stir.
• The longer you let it sit the better it tastes (I normally do 30 mins in the fridge)
• Add ice and enjoy 

*use as much or as little of the simple syrup as you want depending on your desired sweetness.

OF COURSE... this recipe has plenty of room for vodka should you be so inclined.

Have a great weekend loves!

Summer Influenster Box

I recently got my Influenster Summer Beauty Box and OMG was I excited!

First it came with this really good Quaker Soft Baked Bar in Banana Nut Bread flavor. It was so good! I shared with my roommates and we all agreed. This is definitely filling, and great to throw in your purse if you are on the go. 

Sorry if this is an over share, if so please scroll down to the next picture, but you all want my real opinion so I'm going to give it. They sent a sample of the newest tampax products.  A couple of liners and tampons. I have to tell you I'm a loyal tampax pearl kind of a girl, have been for probably a decade. But ladies you may want to switch to radient. I think the packaging is much better (more durable) than pearls. I know this has happened to all of us, you have random tampons floating around in your purse, they get gross, maybe the packaging breaks open, whatever, it's not good when you're in a bind. Let me just tell you, these are great. And they give you a handy pouch!

Okay, welcome back, sorry for the crappy iphone pictures, a new camera is on it's way! Get excited y'all. 

Anyways, next up is the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Sunscreen. I have super pale skin, and I normally go 70+ on the face, 50+ on the body. So this is low for me. BUT I tested this out at the pool a few weeks ago, and I love the formula! If you have sensitive skin, or are trying to avoid fragrance this is not for you. BUT this smells like a tropical beach, and I love it! It's thick, rubs in super easily. I'm a HUGE fan. Bonus, it comes in 12, 30 and 50 SPF.

Then I got some pretty decent size samples of Clear Shampoo and Conditioner. This is the stuff that Heidi Klum keeps talking about on TV. They focus on a clean and healthy scalp, for healthier hair, which makes sense to me. I've been having issues lately of getting my hair clean enough when I wash it (mostly due to having super long hair for me, and I'm not used to how much shampoo I really need), but this stuff is really making a difference. I'm sticking with Pureology for now, but I really like this to get rid of build up.

This Sally Hansen Hand Creme is AWESOME! super moisturizing, but not heavy. I really love it! 

Now THIS is my favorite find of the box. I love nail polish, but I haven't really been on to hop on "trends" like crackle polish, neons and neutrals, etc. This is a Magnetic nail polish by Sally Hansen, and OMG it's so cool. It applies really easily. You do one coat. Let it dry, then do another and while its wet you hold the magnetic cap over the polish for 10 seconds. When you pull it away the effect looks very much like the top you see below. It's wavy and AWESOME. our first reaction was a synchronized audible WHOA! Love it 

*Note: I received each product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

WILW

First of all. Thank you to everyone who entered the Rocks Paper Metal Giveaway. It was a huge success, and I am so excited to announce Margaret of The Gilded Peach is the winner! Margaret has a wonderful blog, and she is seriously one of my favorites! PLUS she hails from Georgia! Go check her out! Margaret, I will email you shortly with all the info :) Congrats!

Now, on to the main show

I have recently become obsessed with Dorothy Perkins, but I'm a bit hesitant to take the plunge and buy something for a few reasons. 1. It's a British company, and I haven't had a ton of luck with sizing in British clothes. 2. If I buy one thing I'm going to have to buy like 50, because everything is super cute.

I've heard that the quality is similar to H&M, but the prices are a tad bit higher... Does anyone know if this is true?

Okay, anyways, here's what I'm loving

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I shockingly don't have any weddings on the horizon, but if I did... This mint jacquard dress would be mine.  

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OMG. I'm dying. I love lace. and the color? amazing.

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Perfect for running around town

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Love these stripes, and the cut is gorgeous

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LOVE!!!

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Um. Hi. WHY DONT YOU COME IN MY SIZE? I need this in my closet like yesterday.

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Electric.Blue.Peplum. Need I say more?

I mean really. I love EVERYTHING on there. Oh... and they are having 70% off sale right now. I may just bite the bullet and buy everything something.

Hope y'all have a lovely Wednesday! Half way there folks!

{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.