The Good Girl Gone Blog

G3B Recommends: The Body Scrub by Indie Lee January 10, 2012

A few weeks ago, a friend from BU reached out and asked if I wanted to check out some all natural skincare and beauty products created by his boss, Indie Lee. 

The company sent over a care package full of amazing products, but my favorite is definitely The Body Scrub. First of all, it smells like lemon cake- I actually have to keep reminding myself not to lick my fingers. I love how Indie Lee breaks down the Ingredients so you know exactly what you're getting into: 

Ingredients: Saccharum Officinarum (sugar cane), Coco Nucifera (coconut) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba) Oil, Melissa Officinalis (lemon balm), Essential Oils of Cymbopogon Citratus (lemongrass) and Vanilla Planifolia (vanilla)

The scrub leaves your body feeling moisturized and smelling delicious. Even after rinsing, you'll leave your shower feeling like you've already applied body oil. It's also great to use on sore feet/legs if you're looking to recreate the massage you receive when getting a professional pedicure- perfect for pampering yourself or your significant other.

Definitely Check out Indie Lee's amazing product line!

CLOSED Win it: Being Blonde Giveaway! January 06, 2012

The weather outside may be quite frightful, but don't let that lower your spirits! It's time to say buh-bye to the winter blues with a stylish upgrade. Banish those blahs with new highlights and a blow out, courtesy of Heather @ Jeffrey Lyle Salon.

I first met Heather a few weeks ago when I won my own highlights + blowout via a giveaway on Radiant Republic. Heather is so sweet and talented and my experience at Jeffrey Lyle was amazing.

The salon is spotless and everyone is extremely nice. Heather and I chatted about everything from The Bar Method (must try), to her previous life in California to Kate Spade sample sales. In addition to being a fabulous stylist, Heather also contributes to the Jeffrey Lyle blog, Being Blonde.

Another thing about the salon that I absolutely love? They're extremely involved in social media. Make sure you're following them on Twitter and Facebook for blog updates and salon news.

Ok, on to the good stuff:

Want to win your own pampering session (highlight+ blowout) with Heather Ward? Simply leave a comment below with your favorite winter hair styling tip to be entered to win.

Giveaway is open to any readers who can make it into the salon's Newbury St location. You have a week to enter and the giveaway will end on Friday, January 13th at noon EST.

Good luck!

About Heather: Heather relocated from San Francisco to Boston all for the sake of hair color greatness- to work with Jeffrey Lyle.  Now she's feeling quite at home having become well versed in his methodical technique, free hand Balayage, and writing for their blog.

 

My Favorite Affordable Beauty Products December 25, 2011

 Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.walgreens.com/beauty.

What a fun post prompt, right? Who doesn't love talking about their favorite affordable beauty products?

Here are some of my favorites, which can all be found at your favorite drugstore. (Technically this is supposed to be a gift guide, but I figured that it's a little late for that. Instead, I'm going to do a more general overview of my favorite budget friendly products, that would make great gifts for...lots of people!)

1. Rusk Sensories Clarifying Shampoo- this is my new favorite shampoo. I recently noticed that my hair felt  greasy and lifeless and couldn't figure out why. After chatting with a stylist, I found out that my volumizing shampoo was weighing it down.  Enter clarifying shampoo. This stuff is amazing and you can get 33 oz bottle at TJMaxx for $10. Plus, it's extra concentrated, so you can use 30-50% less.

2. Neutrogena Alcohol Free Toner- I know you're not supposed to use toner as a substitute for a good cleanser, but sometimes I do it anyway. I actually have the generic version of this toner, which is about half the price, and I apply it to my face on a cotton round. It definitely takes off some dirt and leaves my face feeling clean in a pinch. 

3. Essie Nail Polish- if it's good enough for practically every nail salon, it's good enough for me. I used to be all about the OPI, but Essie is a little cheaper and has a ton of fun colors. (Remember my neutral nails?)

4. Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer- I haven't tried this yet, but I really want to. My dark circles have been ridiculous, even though I 1) use eye cream 2) get enough sleep. Concealer is definitely a last resort for me, but it's worth a try. 

5. Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain in Gothic- again, I haven't tried this yet, but I really want to. I have a more expensive lip stain that I love, but I definitely want to add another shade to my collection. Plus, it'll be great to find a shade that matches my hot red lipstick- I want to try layering it underneath lipstick for a  longer lasting color.

6. Goody Simple Styles Spin Hair Pins- easy to use and fun to play with, these spring shaped pins are perfect for an impromptu up-do!

What are your favorite inexpesive beauty products?

Dare to Try: Neutral Nails December 07, 2011

Thanks to L'Oreal for sponsoring my post about my favorite beauty looks, tips and tricks! Check out Makeup.com for beauty advice from the experts.

When it comes to nail polish, I typically gravitate towards bright pinks, matte lavenders and dark plums. The only problem with bold hues? When they chip, you notice. Actually, everyone notices.

The solution? Go neutral! 

Here's what you'll need:

- Nail Polish Remover (my nails were showcasing leftover bits of grey and green polish)

- Base Coat

- Nude Polish (I used Essie Brooch the Subject c/o Trendera)

- Light, glittery polish (I used O.P.I. Hollywood Blonde)

- Top Coat

The above photo showcases my nails after one coat of base and two coats of "Brooch the Subject". Note the hand pose I chose.  I was trying to show off my nails, which is really hard to do when taking the picture yourself, when I remembered all those corny photos that line the walls of most nail salons. You know what I'm talking about- the ones with the lady holding strawberries, or diamonds, or kittens. They inspired me.

This photo shows off the finished product with glitter polish + top coat. I love the subtle effect of the glitter and how it enhances an otherwise "Plain Jane" sort of manicure.

I'm looking forward to pairing my neutral nails with a more dramatic makeup look. I'm thinking red lips, smokey eyes and big curls. You know, my signature dressy look!

So what do you think? Would you try neutral nails?

PS- If you can't remove the nail polish lid, stop hurting your hand and stick the bottle under hot water for a good 30 seconds. It works. Pliers do not. (Yes, I tried.)

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Click here to learn more about Makeup.com or become a Facebook fan by clicking here.

PBteen Ultimate Beauty Organizer November 30, 2011

I like keeping my things accessible, I like functional decor and I have a lot of stuff. With PBteen's Ultimate Beauty Organizer, it's easy to find my everyday beauty essentials. With a small drawer (for nail polish, in my case) and lots of compartments for bottles and tools, I no longer need to search through piles of stuff just to get ready in the morning. It's sort of fantastic!

With a variety of compartment heights, it can store large bottles, styling tools, brushes and smaller containers. Plus, the organizer is great for women of all ages and can be used to store all sorts of different items! 

It's funny, the only thing I don't like about it is the big "Alana". It's cute, but definitely makes the piece more childish.It reminds me of all of ther personalized items I had as a child- the rocking chair, the plastic toy boxes, etc that all had my name in pretty script. I honestly had no idea they were going to include my name, but I'm sure you can order it sans-name. 

In Boston? Check out the PBteen popup shop in the Natick Mall!

The Ultimate Beauty Organizer was provided to me by PBteen, but opinions are my own.

Midlength Hair Crisis + a Solution November 11, 2011

My hair is so close to being out of that awkward, in between phase where I actually like the length. You see, a while ago I decided to get myself a bob, and then hated it and decided I needed to grow it back out. For the past month at least, my hair has been so horrible that I only wear it down when I'm sleeping. It falls a tiny bit below my shoulders and is a complete mess. I've been forced to wear it in a ponytail or a messy bun and it's gotten rather...boring!

A few weeks ago I remembered a hair tutorial I had tried on my much longer hair from Orchid Grey. I crossed my fingers and hoped it would work with my awkward 'do- and it kind of did! 

Instead of doing a french braid starting from the front of my head, I just did a "faux french braid" and actually twisted the hair, grabbing more and more hair as I went. I then twisted the remaining parts of my hair into a bun and pinned it like crazy.

Unfortunately, the bun didn't stay very well, but I'm hoping that hairspray and my new Goody Spin Pins (thanks for writing about them, Kileen!) will help.

What are your solutions for when your hair falls into that "in between" length?

Face the Facts: Your Eyes Need Some Love August 24, 2011

Though I like wearing makeup on principal, I'm a bit of a minimalist. Sure, I love wearing a fun shade of lipstick (red, obviously) or playing with different colored eyeliners, but I'm not one to wear foundation and I rarely use concealer because of the time and effort it takes to make it actually conceal.

But, due to my seemingly never ending sleep problems and the fact that yes, I am aware of those large, puffy bags under my eyes, I decided to do something about it. I mean, even Eric uses something under his eyes, and he's a boy. He ALWAYS looks awake.

So, last weekend, armed with little more than the determination to do something about a problem I could fix, I headed into the one place (ok, maybe not the one place) I knew would be able to help: Sephora.

The sales lady proceeded to tell me that I have beautiful skin and that she assumed I rarely wore a lot of makeup- I never know if they're telling the truth or just trying to butter me up! She eventually directed me to Super Bright Eyed, which she said was great for people "my age". It has a yummy melon smell and a creamy texture, and the instructions say you can use it all around your eyes, not just beneath them.

Now I just have to make sure I keep it in my purse so I'll be able to use it at my apartment and Eric's. I'll let you know how it works.

And yes, I am expecting miracles :)

Anyone have experience with eye creams and dealing with puffiness/dark circles? I would love to hear your tips and tricks!

8 Days Later: My Gel Manicure March 10, 2011

Before I went to Mexico, I decided to try something new: gel nails. Not one to typically indulge in expensive manicures, I decided to give it a try as a treat to myself. Gel manicures are supposed to last for up to 2 weeks, which was an even greater incentive.

After a week of traveling, swimming, sunbathing, and exploring, I'm happy to announce that they still look pretty great. Are they perfect? Definitely not. Would they have looked this good if I'd gone for the regular manicure? Nope.

PS- I know this is sort of a cop out post, but I promise to give a real Mexico recap soon. I have over 400 photos to sort through and edit, so bear with me.

Mini vacay July 14, 2010

The road to a friend's house is never very long - Danish Proverb

I'm off to spend a long weekend in Florida with my friend Eric and his family. I am pumped! Sure, the weather's not supposed to be that great, and we're sort of dealing with a MAJOR OIL SPILL in the South, but I'm ready to make the most of it. I mean hey, we're talking a real beach and getting to hang out with one of my favorite boys.

I ordered this cute travel makeup set the other day from Zappos. Can you believe it's Stila and only cost me $10? These things usually cost $60+ and Zappos never charges shipping! Read about Stila's new travel collection here. (I blame my bud Anna R. plus a job that involves me looking at great sites like Zappos all day for this purchase.)

But seriously, I love it!

HUGE Fashion and Beauty Announcement September 16, 2009

Hi ladies (ok, ok, and Nathan),

I'm extremely excited to announce the launch of a new project I've been working on in conjunction with my close friend, Rachel L...we've created a brand new blog! Though it's definitely still a work in progress, I couldn't wait any longer to share it with you.

The new blog's focus will be fashion & beauty...with a fun twist. As you know, Rach and I both intern at springpad, an awesome new startup based out of Boston that currently offers a great set of FREE online notebooks- it's a great place for collecting our favorite things and then sharing them with all of you.

Rach and I (starting in October with springpad's makeover) will be chronicling our daily outfit choices, complete with photos. Our goal is to stick to weekly challenges and to base our outfits around them. It's a great way to make sure we don't look frumpy on campus, because you never know who might be checking you out :)

In addition to wardrobe tracking, we'll also be offering a 20-something type guide to our favorite city: Boston! Whether we're discussing our favorite restaurants, beauty products, or upcoming events in the Boston area, this blog is going to be CHOCK FULL of great stuff.

So, head on over to....The Comm Ave Strut and check it out for yourself! We'd love to get your feedback- so let us know what you think. 

Finally, we're looking for contributors, so if you're a lover of fashion, a Boston 20-something, or just an eager beaver looking to participate in a new project, let us know! As always, feel free to Email Me. 

Special thanks to our coworkers, T-Rexa, Joe(y) and Rege for all of their help!