|
|
By Sami, on September 2nd, 2011
Stan and I just got back from aromatherapeutic massages at Apricot Blossom Therapeutic Massage in West Hartford. I’m so relaxed, I’m making this a quick post before plopping myself on the couch and doing some major unwinding.
Apricot Blossom owner Kyoko Simpson (left) called in her friend and fellow licensed massaged therapist Michelle Suesens (right) for our massages. They were both very sweet and friendly, so we both felt comfortable immediately, which, as you can imagine, is pretty important when getting a massage. The environment of Apricot Blossom was minimalistic and soothing. We picked out a combination of essential oils for our massages, and left feeling incredibly relaxed and stress-free.
If you’ve never had a massage before (or even if you have), I encourage you to give Kyoko a call at 860-523-3212. Her prices are incredibly reasonable, plus you get 20% off your first visit. Check out her services here.
Happy Labor Day weekend! <3
By Sami, on August 26th, 2011
1. Yes to Carrots Nourishing Shampoo — the last time I dyed my hair, I really did a number to it because I stripped color and then added red over it. My hair was very angry at me, which is why I’m letting my roots grow out. I’ve been using paraben-, SLS-, and petroleum-free Yes to Carrots Nourishing Shampoo and loving it for hydrating my hair and keeping the frizz at a minimum.
2.Dress Green Pure Hydration Facial Cream — my quest for the perfect, affordable facial cream seemed like an endless one. Because my face alternates between really dry and oily, I’ve had a hard time finding something that hydrates, but doesn’t make my skin oily. Solution: Dress Green’s Pure Hydration Facial Cream. Besides hydrating without being oily, the Pure Hydration Facial Cream is vegan, made with nutrient-rich Avocado Oil, Cocoa Butter, Rose Hip Oil, and other natural ingredients, plus it’s free of parabens and petroleum. I think I’m in love.
3. Earth Science Aloe Vera Complexion Toner & Freshener — While my homemade green tea toner is great for freshening up my face, it doesn’t remove makeup very well, and it’s hard to tell how well it removes dirt from my skin {because it appears yellow on a cotton ball}. Earth Science’s alcohol-free and non-drying Aloe Vera Complexion Toner & Freshener visibly removes makeup and dirt, plus the Aloe Vera, Hyaluronic Acid, and Sea Kelp ingredients moisturize the skin.
By Sami, on August 25th, 2011
For my monthly guest post on the Jennie Fresa Beauty Library blog, I had to share Priti NYC‘s nail polishes and Soy Polish Remover with Jennie’s readers. I also wanted to update my readers {you!} on the colors I bought. In my previous post on Priti NYC, I used Silver Flare Peony on my fingernails. For the Jennie Fresa post, I painted my toenails with Blue Wedgewood:
P.S.: In case you were wondering, Priti NYC is not a sponsor of Poor & Pretty, nor do I make any money blogging about their products. I just honestly love the company, the non-toxic polishes, and the colors! :)
By Sami, on August 23rd, 2011
…I wish! School starts next week, and I’m sad to see this summer go. I’ve only been to the beach once, and we didn’t visit our family in Cape Cod like we normally do, and take a trip out on my uncle’s barge. So, today I wore a sea-inspired sailor-esque outfit:
Red wedges: Merona, Target, $6. Bermada shorts: Old Navy, $6. Red ribbon belt: gift. Navy striped shirt: Hollister, $8. Headband: DIY Braided Fabric Headband. Everything that I purchased for this outfit was on sale. Pretty awesome. I wish I had an anchor necklace to really tie the whole thing together. Speaking of anchors, remember this quote? I’m still living it, keeping a positive outlook on my future {like graduating in the fall!!!!!}
So, I may not have done any sailing this summer, but I did do a lot of other fun things like the NY Renaissance Faire, my crazy murder mystery birthday, made vegan cupcakes, nerded out for the final installment of Harry Potter, did a crazy fun Bohemian-inspired photo shoot with Jillian Farrell, blew up a watermelon on the 4th of July, read lots of books, made some awesome new summer-themed cupcake soaps… okay, you get it.
What about you? What are the highlights of your summer? xo
By Sami, on August 22nd, 2011
Yes, I love Renaissance Faires. Just a few months ago, I went to the CT Robin Hood Springtime Festival for the first time, but this past weekend, I was really excited to return to the New York Renaissance Faire — where my love for ren faires was born many, many years ago!
I dressed as a witch {a good witch, of course! Though, back then, everyone believed they were all bad witches}, and I was even brazen enough to stand next to a priest — ha!
Above are some highlights of my costume — feather hair pins {I made them myself with swan/goose feathers I found on the ground in Wickham Park. Don’t worry, I washed and sanitized those feathers endlessly}, a pretty feather and bead hair clip given to me by a friend, a brown belt, witchy necklaces, brown buckle booties, and even a black money pouch {I also had rocks in there, but I’m not sure why}.
I was accompanied by the boyfriend, my friends Michele and Jeff {above, left, dressed as a dragon tamer} and Jeff’s son, Noah the dragon, who was endlessly amused by the faeries wandering about the faire.
These faeries put my birthday costume to shame!
Zounds! A lake dragon!
…I wish I had taken more photos of the faire itself, but I was too busy eating ginormous turkey legs and drinking freshly squeezed lemonade. There’s tons to do at the faire — even more than the CT one — including a human chess game, archery tournaments, jousting, a singing gravedigger, Washing Well Wenches, axe throwing, and tons of awesome shops. The faire runs through September 25th, so plan your trip soon! Read more about the NY Renaissance Faire and buy tickets here.
|
|
