Drybar: A Birthday Blowout!

I cannot believe my little sister is 15!  For her birthday this year she decided to take a small group of friends to Drybar.  The girls got their hair washed and styled after picking their favorite look from the menu.  Don't they look adorable?  I would love to come back and get my hair done before attending a wedding or going out with girlfriends.  To top it all off, they finished the day with a little frozen yogurt.  Sister, I just might have to steal this idea for my birthday! 

*Photos from her country chic and French themed birthdays from years past.  

30 Day Challenge

If you follow me on twitter, you may have heard me talking about a 30 day, hot yoga challenge. I usually practice hot yoga twice a week but I really wanted to reset and feel healthy again after all the indulgences that accompany the holiday season. I felt like I needed to make a change to jump-start the new year.

I somehow conned my friend Natalie into doing the challenge with me and I have to say, she made the whole process so much fun and helped keep me accountable. I kept expecting to "hit the wall" and start dreading going to class after 30 straight days but shockingly that never really happened. Sure there were days when I didn't feel like going but I always felt so refreshed and invigorated after class. My goal wasn't to lose weight but I noticed a tightness and strength in my body that had been missing before. I developed muscles in my stomach that I hadn't seen in years! Another added bonus? I was sleeping better than I had in recent memory. Once my head hit the pillow I was out like a light until morning. Coconut water also became my best friend. I had one after each class as a way to keep my electrolytes in balance. That stuff is amazing.

It's been a little over a week since I finished the challenge and I am still reaping the benefits. I feel energized and renewed. I think one of the most important lessons that came out of this experience is that I can take 90 minutes out of each day and dedicate them entirely to myself, with no distractions. It wasn't always easy and it takes some planning but I feel stronger and more centered than I have in a very long time and that alone has made the experience totally worth it.

*Image found here.

the fun bun

My favorite look these days is a super high bun piled atop my head. It's incredibly easy and with Arizona temperatures still in the triple digits, it's a simple and stylish way to keep cool. It would be a conservative estimate to say that I sport this hairstyle at least four days a week. Needless to say, when I came across this article describing Lauren Conrad's fun bun as a super-chic, donut-inspired summer hairstyle I had a pretty good laugh. I ask you, what could be better than a donut-inspired 'do?

*You can see me rocking the fun bun in Paris here and get the full tutorial over at The Beauty Department.

musings on turning 26 + red lipstick

I turned 26 a few weeks ago and in those weeks I've decided what my birthday "resolution" for the year will be. In the past I've thrown birthday parties and made huge lists of things I need to accomplish. This year I skipped the party and just went to a wonderful dinner with my family. In lieu of a laundry list of goals I only have one... Start wearing red lipstick. I know in blogger years I'm way behind on the trend but for me, for some reason, 26 feels like the perfect age to start wearing red lipstick. It just feels so worldly, feminine and classic... I can't wait to try it out. So wish me luck on my 26th year and if you have any tips for sporting red lips I would love to hear them!

*Photo by Jamie Beck via Cup of Jo.

summer hair

I am in a major hairdo rut... My hair has gotten incredibly long and I don't really know what to do with it anymore. When I actually get around to styling it I do long, loose waves and it looks great. But let's be real here, it's summer and I'm not really in the mood to mess with my hair. Every so often I dream about chopping it all off but the look of panic on Kiwi's face gives me pause. So I need some tips! What's your secret to easy, chic, summer hair?

*Images found here, here, here, here and here.

loving...

The new arrivals from ban.do have been making the rounds on the blogs lately... and while I love their sparkly accessories as much as the next girl {I wore this one at our wedding rehearsal dinner} it's the ultra high, perfectly messy bun that has really grabbed my attention. I'm planning on adopting it as my go-to hairstyle for spring. Who's with me?

*I am also totally smitten with this little behind the scenes video of their photo shoot for the new collection... spotted via the lovely Deanna over at Mellow Fever. Check it out!

pretty polish

{photos via the audrey hepburn complex}

Lately I have been getting a serious urge to paint my nails. Maybe a classic cherry red? The bad news is, in dental hygiene school you are not allowed to paint your nails at all.... If they catch you, points are docked from your clinic grade. Until school is out for the summer I will just have to live vicariously through these pretty, pretty pictures.

*For those of you that are permitted to wear nail polish... What is your favorite shade?