Trying It - Lash Extensions

Before vacation, I do a lot of stuff...  Besides researching my intended location and coming up with a (very) thorough packing list, I primp.

Haircut.

Manicure/Pedicure.

Hair Removal.
(you know what I mean)

Etc.  Etc.

Sometimes, this routine has included highlights.  But, after more than a year of trying to grow them out from a previous vacation, I decided that our first cruise didn't warrant that kind of commitment.

Instead, I decided to try lash extensions.  Of course, my decision was helped along by a Groupon (aren't the best decisions always?).

So, I submit the following (not very flattering) photos of my eyelashes before my treatment:

Do I even have eyelashes?

(seriously)

So very wimpy!

I bought my Groupon, made my appointment and showed up to the Shadyside Lash Spa Studio the Saturday before our cruise (which sailed on Monday).  I was quickly shown to a reclined chaise and the fun began.  The first step was for my lower eyelashes to be taped down to my cheeks with some sort of adhesive pad.  This was surprising and uncomfortable for awhile.  I did eventually get used to the sensation at some point within the following hour and a half it took for the process.

My technician, Angelica, (not sure what they call lash extension staff persons?) attached each lash with a bit of glue, working back and forth between the two eyes.  Every once in awhile, she'd have to pry my eyelid off of the pad on my cheeks because the glue would stick my lashes down.  This was kind of odd, but not nearly as uncomfortable as the original step.

Then, after nearly falling asleep a couple of times, they were done!  I was handed a mirror and saw this:

Whoa, them's some lashes!

For realz.

I was kind of shocked at first.  I had chosen the "everyday" lashes, not the "special occasion" ones.  But, they seemed over the top.  Perhaps this is because I very rarely wear make-up/mascara...  It was a lot of lash for this girl.

On my way out, I got a list of instructions with such things as:
- don't get them wet for 24 hours
- don't use mascara
- don't use make-up remover with oil
- brush them out after showers (they provided me with two types of brushes).

I did get used to the lashes very quickly.  I really liked the way they looked...  I woke up and looked wide awake (maybe made-up just a bit) with zero effort.  Wonderful for vacation in a climate where makeup melts off my face within minutes.

And, they lasted way longer than I expected.  The last three came off just last night, about six and a half weeks later.  I won't say they looked amazing the last couple of weeks, but it wasn't quite as crazy as I feared.

Did I like it?  Yes, I'm glad I tried these and enjoyed having them on vacation.

Would I do it again?  Maybe for a special occasion or vacation...  I'd have to find a good deal and I definitely wouldn't be up for everyday maintenance.  I'm thinking about trying lash tinting next to see how that compares.

Would I recommend it?  Sure.  It seems like a great option and it was kind of fun to have long, thick eyelashes for a change.

A Quickie - My 2nd Stitch Fix

My second Stitch Fix box arrived while I was out of town for Easter... So, I didn't take a ton of pictures for a review.  Plus, I only kept one thing.  But, these pants are so cute, I couldn't help but share:

Margaret M Cropped Trousers in Kelly Green

(please note that I've found the secret to selfies: cut off the head... lol... no really)

 

This is a great example of what makes Stitch Fix so great - there is NO WAY I would have picked these up from a rack in the store.  Skinny pants on my body?  No thank you!

 

But they work so well.  So comfortable and (magically) flattering.  But, what in the world do I wear with these?  I had nothing in my closet that resembled the styling ideas from my SF card.  I wanted something blousy and fun.  So, I stopped at Marshall's early this week to find something to pair them with.  I ended up with a thin, grey Tahari tee and a lightly patterned Cynthia Crowley blouse.  So cute and Spring-y.

 

Now, I just have to find the courage to wear something this bright to work!

My First Stitch Fix - A Review

Yesterday, when I got home from work, this was waiting for me:

My first Stitch Fix!

I ordered this 'fix' specifically for our upcoming vacation to Jamaica.  I wanted some items that would travel well and might work for the vow renewal ceremony we'll be attending while there.  I filled out the initial questions on the website and started a Pinterest board with some of the beach stuff that I liked.  I gave a brief description of what I was looking for and scheduled my delivery.

All of this is pretty typical for what I've seen in other reviews of Stitch Fix...  But, I was kind of skeptical about this whole thing.  Why?  Most of the other reviews I've seen are written by women who are much smaller than me.  I currently wearing a size 14 pant and XL shirts.  I usually can't wear button downs because I'm super top heavy.  Trying on clothes is generally a painful experience.  Item after item after item...  Many times with not a single thing that works.

All that aside, I was hopeful.  Oh so hopeful.  Maybe I'd end up with one piece that I liked enough to buy.

So, now, I'm going to skip all the other details about how Stitch Fix works (mostly because it's all been said before... and, if you're searching for reviews, you probably already have a good idea on it)...  Instead, I'm going to dig into the box and show you what came out.

A reminder of how it works...  Nice packaging.

There they are...  My five pieces.

An envelope with all the details and the style card...

A note from my stylist and 

some ideas for each of the pieces.

At this point, I was getting more and more excited.  It's always hard to picture things on me when I see them this way.  A flat picture is hard to translate.  Heck, even a mannequin doesn't work for me most of the time.  I need to see the clothes on my body.

Now, before we get to the next section (the one in which I post pictures of myself in the clothes), I'd like to make a disclaimer: I do not take selfies...  pretty much ever.  I suck at it.  I couldn't get the lighting right.  The flash did not work (ha, cause of the mirror, I learn quickly).  My poses are stiff and I'm usually looking at the phone to make sure I'm in focus.  But, I got a couple that at least show the pieces and how they fit.  

Without further ado, here we go.

Item 1: Dovette Draped Detail Dress

I LOVE this dress!  The fabric is perfect for travel.  The color is fantastic.  And, bonus, it fits wonderfully.  I'm definitely keeping this one.

Items 2 & 3:  Jayla Front Twist Sweater & Calla Solid Swing Skirt

Skirt - more LOVE!  This has a gorgeous color.  The fabric is great.  And, it has a wonderful weight to it.  I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it works.  Plus, its lined, which I really appreciate for a day skirt (no seeing through my legs, thank you very much).

Sweater...  When I first tried it on, I wasn't sold.  Then, I went back and re-read my stylist's note, suggesting pairing it with the skirt and a cami.  Out came a dark blue tank, and voila, my mind was changed.

Keeping both pieces.

Item 4: Alan Cowl Neck Asymmetrical Cardigan
This is a fun, unique piece.  Might be a little heavy considering the warming temps, but I really like it.  Additionally, this was my husband's favorite piece (he patiently watched the entire fashion show).  It's a keeper.

Item 5: Fiona Embroidery Detail Striped Maxi Dress
As soon as I pulled this from the box, I loved it.  I so wanted it to be perfect.  I slipped it on and it fit.  It felt great...  And, then, my husband said "the lines don't match at the seams, it makes it look cheap."  Boo.  Hiss.  I still loved the way I felt/looked in the dress; but now all I could see was the mis-matched lines.

This was the only item I really, really debated keeping.  Then, I did some math (see below the picture).

My Math

Option 1 - Buy everything:

Dovette Draped Detail Dress	$58.00
Jayla Front Twist Sweater	$78.00
Calla Solid Swing Skirt	$58.00
Alan Cowl Neck Asymmetrical Cardigan	$58.00
Fiona Embroidery Detail Striped Maxi Dress	$78.00
Total	$330.00
Minus $20 Stylist fee	$310.00
Minus 25% Discount for All	$232.50
Option 2 - Buy everything except the maxi dress:
Total ex. Maxi Dress	$252.00
Minus $20 Stylist fee	$232.00

So, for an extra 50¢, I'm totally buying the dress.

I have to say that any expectations I had for this service were met... and then some.  I'm already planning on seeing when I can get my next 'fix'.  I can't wait to see how they handle everyday work clothes.

(FYI - I received nothing from Stitch Fix for this review...  I couldn't even find a coupon code for my order, lol.  I have no affiliates.  I wrote this b/c when I was deciding whether or not to order from the site, I read A LOT of reviews.  Hope this helps someone out there.)

Made it Through (the Juice Cleanse)

It's over!  Which means, no more of this:

Personal Pic

... at least till the end of April because I've decided to do another cleanse.

I'm not going to say it was easy because it wasn't.  But, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I expected.  After the first day, things were pretty straight forward.  No real surprises.

So, what can you expect during a BluePrintCleanse?  I'll try to answer some of the questions I would have asked someone who'd done the cleanse before I had.

Were you hungry?

Eh.  A bit, sometimes.  But, it wasn't that bad.  Plus, the schedule for drinking juices isn't set in stone; it's flexible.  So, when I was hungry, I drank my juices a little earlier than I had planned.  The only time I was really craving food was on the last day, was when my co-workers all got fish sammies for lunch.  They (the sammies, not my co-workers) smelled SO GOOD!  I don't even really like fried fish, but the smell was amazing.  But, I got through it.

Did you have to go to the bathroom a lot?

Yes.  Drinking over a gallon of fluid a day will do that.  So, there were lots more trips.  But, the bathroom part that people tend to worry about (shall we say "number two") wasn't a problem.  The only stomach rumbles I got were after the last drink each night.  I have to assume that the fat in that drink, since it's the only fat I was getting, had something to do with it.

Did you feel enlightened?

No.  I felt happy, much happier than I (and my fiance/co-workers/everyone I know) expected.  I didn't feel like I reached any sort of new level of universal understanding; maybe I should have been doing more meditating?

Did you cheat?

No

Seriously, not at all?

Nope.  I am happy to say that I did not ingest anything I wasn't supposed to throughout the three day cleanse.  Juices, water and one lone mug of herbal tea (I found that the idea of more liquid was just not very appetizing), that's all I had.  I didn't even need to resort to the "cheat sheet" items, like cucumbers or vegetable broth.

Did you like the juices?

Yes, for the most part.  They definitely took some getting used to.  My favorites were the Pineapple, Apple Mint juice and the Cashew Nut Milk.  My least favorite was the Carrot, Apple, Beet juice.  I'm thinking that I may go up a level next time, to the Foundation level, which would eliminate the CAB.  (The weird thing is that I like beets.  So, if you don't, there is probably even less chance of you liking this juice.)

Would you do it again?

Yep.  In April.

Any recommendations for someone doing this for the first time?

1. Try to follow the pre-cleanse instructions.  Cut out dairy, sugar, meat and caffeine starting three days before the juicing starts.  I definitely think that this is what made the actual days of juicing easier.

2. Don't take it too seriously.  It's juice.  It's only a couple days of your life.  It will be over before you know it.

3. Stay busy.  I only really thought about the fact that I wasn't eating when I was bored, which is when I'm usually snacking.

Did you lose weight?

Yes, six pounds.  I'm not sure if it will all stay off, but I'm going to try my best. Plus, in the days since ending, I haven't been very hungry.  *fingers crossed*

If you're thinking about trying a juice cleanse, BluePrint or another company's, what other questions do you have?

Day One of the Cleanse

Over the weekend, I wrote about my upcoming juice cleanse.  And, I am now in the thick of it.

I haven't had coffee since Sunday morning (it's Wednesday!), I haven't chewed anything all day and I feel surprisingly good.  Sure, I may have almost passed out in the shower, but that's getting ahead of myself...

I woke up late this morning because I had a dentist appointment.  I was hungry!  Seriously hungry.  Which is very odd for me.  I have a routine of coffee on the way to work and breakfast at the office.  I chalk my hunger up to running later than normal.  I drank the suggested hot water with lemon juice and felt much better.  I made it through the dentist appointment and to the office without too many stomach grumbles.

And, once I got to the office, the juicing began.

10:00 a.m. - Juice #1.  Ah, the famous Green Juice.  The first sip was awful but I got used to it after a few more.  Not bad, not great.

12:30 p.m. - Juice #2 - Pineapple, Apple, Mint.  I wasn't really hungry yet; I just felt like I needed to drink it when the co-workers started eating lunch and I wanted to stay on track time-wise.  Amazing!  This juice is delicious.  It's refreshing and has the perfect level of sweetness.  Yum.

3:00 p.m. - Juice #3 - More Green Juice.  I was feeling a bit hungry.  This tasted a bit better than the first on but it's still a bit weird. It's not bad, just strange.  It definitely tastes green.

4:30 p.m. - Juice #4 - Spicy Lemonade.  This was a bit spicier than I expected.  Like the green juice, it got better as I kept drinking, but the first sip was a bit overwhelming.

5:20 p.m. - Exercise: 20 minutes on the treadmill (doing intervals) and 20 minutes on the elliptical.  About 30 minutes in, exhaustion hits.  I feel sweatier than normal; even my hands are slick.  I finish my workout and head to the shower.  I decide to do two things that will hopefully substitute for suggestions on the BPC site: leave the exhaust fan off in order to create a very steamy room and use a body scrub to exfoliate.  Just as I was getting ready to rinse off the scrub, I had to turn off the water and sit down.  I felt extremely light headed and needed a few minutes to catch my breath.  Eventually, I was able to finish my shower.  Afterwards, I laid down for a few minutes and felt better.  Weird.

6:30 p.m. - Juice #5 - Carrot, Apple, Beet.  Ick!  Tastes like dirt.  Those are my first thoughts.  It does get better...  Are we noticing a trend?

8:00 p.m. - Juice #6 - Cashew Nut Milk.  I needed to get this one down so that I could have two hours before bed.  And, I was super excited to finally get to try the one juice that is universally loved.  Everyone is right about this.  It is sweet and satisfying.  A perfect end to a day of juice.

10:00 p.m. - Bed!  I'm also super excited for this part.  I'm exhausted!

Anyone out there done the BPC before?  How did it go?  Any advice for making it through?

I Have a Dress!

Ok, I don't really "have" a dress.  I have a dress ordered.  Close enough!

After last weekend, I thought I may have found The Dress but couldn't quite convince myself.  The dress was beautiful, fit my body like it was made for me and had some great details...  But, I just wasn't sure that it was "me".

So, I made an appointment at Bridal Beginning, in Mt. Lebanon, for Thursday night.  I picked up my mom after work and we headed to the store.  After filling out my info card, I was introduced to my consultant, Leslie.  She led us to a fitting room and sat us down to talk for a few minutes.  We discussed the venue and I showed her my favorite dress from Sunday (the one I was going to buy if I didn't find something else I wanted more):

Leslie left the fitting room while I changed into my strapless bra and the slip and shoes she brought in.  She came back with a few dresses.  The first one I tried on was gorgeous.  I already knew that I wouldn't be buying the one from MB Bride.

I continued to try on dresses and found myself comparing them all to this first one.  It had some fun details like the 3D flowers and mocha color accents.  Plus, it had a lace-up back and a great shape.  It was going to be hard to beat...

But, it did eventually happen.  I ended up trying on the first dress again, and then the contender.  Both dresses made trips out the front of the store for a look in the three way mirror (not too many were worth making my mom walk on her broken foot).

After a private chat with my mom, I realized that the last dress was the one for me.  It was perfect for my venue, my vision of the wedding and made me feel like the version of myself I want to be on that day (elegant, timeless, simple, and awesome!).

I'm not going to give too many details on the dress I ordered, but it is completely different from the two above.  I'll just say that I can't wait to wear it!

Finally, since I have two experiences to compare, I'll give my opinions of shopping at the two bridal shops.

MB Bride

- Huge selection of dresses

- Nice fitting rooms with curtained area for changing

- Self service + some guidance for picking out dresses to try

- Reasonable prices

- Consultant seemed to know what she was talking about but got distracted/rushed at the end of the appointment (when she learned that her next appointment was early and waiting)

Bridal Beginning

- Gorgeous, unique dresses on display

- Smaller fitting room with no private area for changing (I had to change in front of my mom)

- Consultant finds dresses for you based on input

- Reasonable prices (I was totally expecting the dresses here to be more expensive but they were still in a good range)

- Consultant was awesome and seemed to really enjoy her job.  She took the time to completely lace-up all the dresses and was extremely thorough with her explanations to our questions

I wouldn't say that one was better than the other; they were completely different experiences and I enjoyed both.  I did learn that its a lot easier to get focused attention and less rushed feelings on a weeknight.

Next up, gotta get going on the wedding website and STD's (save the dates, that is).