Archives for 2014

No Light Needed Gel Nail Polish

{picture found here}

Britt and I have bragged about Red Carpet Manicure for a couple of years now. It is long lasting, has cute colors, and you can do it at home. However, we may have found a replacement! Sally Hansen released a new gel nail polish that you apply just like old school polish. No base coat, top coat, sealant, etc. And here is the major difference… a Red Carpet Manicure kit is around $50.00 while the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel is only $7.99! You can get the Sally Hansen polish at most grocery and drugstores. Of course, Red Carpet is more long lasting but the Miracle Gel lasts a lot longer than average polish. The best part of our Sally Hansen discovery is that it can be removed with regular nail polish remover, which means way less damage to your nails!

VERSUS

Best Fake Tanning Products

Most of you know Brooke and I love a great faux glow. Our favorite is usually a personalized spray tan, but those can be pricey so we save them for special occasions. With all of Brooke’s wedding festivities happening (wedding showers, engagement photos, etc.) we wanted to find something she could use at home whenever she needed. We finally found three products that have great results and great SMELLS without the high price!

BRONZE GLOW TINTED SUNLESS CONTINUOUS SPRAY $9.99

This is literally a spray tan in a can, but you can use it dozens of times instead of just once. The light liquid spray easily rubs into skin and stays on SO well! Even if you shower, it will stay on your skin for 3-4 days. We loved the warm color it added and most importantly, the lack of smell it has. At less than ten bucks, it is definitely a must have!

MARACUJA RAINFOREST GLOW INSTANT MATTE WATERPROOF BODY PERFECTOR $39

This is for those mornings when you forgot to put on sunless tanner the night before and you need INSTANT results. It is like a nice warm bronze concealer for your arms and legs. It does go on matte, but you can easily see where you are applying it because of the dark, instant color. I’m a huge fan and even used this on my face and loved the results. It is a little more on the pricey side, but a little bit goes a long way and this should last you dozens of uses. The best part of this one is the scent, it is so subtle and does not even smell like a fake tanner.

HONEY BRONZE SHIMMERING DRY OIL $22

This stuff is unlike anything we had ever seen before. It goes on your skin in a shiny liquid form and then dries in about two seconds. If you’re wondering how celebrities get those tan, shiny legs, this is how! This stuff is very easy to apply because you can see exactly where you are putting it. It also is very moisturizing because of all of the natural oils in it, but it does not end up looking greasy. We loved the scent of this one, it is really natural and light.

So there you have it! How to get a fake tan three different ways. We got all three of these products from Ulta. You can click on any of them for a direct link to buy them on www.ulta.com. Have you tried them? What is your favorite fake tanner?

Parker & Brooke Engagements!

Our engagement pictures are here and I wanted to share a few! Parker and I had such a fun time during the shoot at Albion Basin above Snowbird. The wildflowers were in bloom and the setting was beautiful. I think you can tell how crazy I am about Parker. He is just the best guy in the world and I am so excited for September 19th! Thanks to Travis for the pictures!

Twin Tested: Laser Hair Removal

Like all girls, we hate shaving our legs. Britt and I decided to put laser hair removal to the test to see if it actually works. Britt tried the low end version while I went to a cosmetic surgeon for treatments. My results are AMAZING! Britt, not so much.

She picked up the “As Seen on TV” laser tool for $10 at Walmart. It is actually quite comical when you open it up. It looks more like a laser pointer than a hair removal tool and it is just about as effective as a laser pointer. She did not see any hair loss and therefore said it is 0% effective.

I went to Portica, owned by Dr. Jennifer Allen. First off, she is the most stunning, sweet, and personable doctor on the planet. You can tell she wants to deliver great results. I met her after coaching her adorable daughter on a running team. I went in for 6 treatments on my lower legs and am so happy with the result. I shave about once a week now and the hair is very fine and soft. You can always get more treatments depending on the result you are after. As you can see in the video Dr. Allen knows her stuff and explains why it is important to get laser hair removal at a professional office instead of at home. I would highly recommend her to everyone!

Now to answer some common questions:
-Does it hurt? Not if you go to someone licensed that knows what they are doing. They use cooling gel or air to keep pain at bay.
-Who is eligible? Anyone can get laser hair removal. It is most effective on people that have darker hair and lighter skin.
-Is it expensive? When you add together the cost of all those shavers and shaving cream over the years (plus the headache of shaving in the shower) it really balances out.

Portica is located in Foothill Village.

1400 S. Foothill Dr., Ste 101
Salt Lake City, Utah

801.438.4892

Bridal Hair and Makeup

vivian Yesterday I was able to take a break from my usual wedding errands for some fun with hair and makeup extraordinaire Vivian Johnson. We have crossed paths a number of times at different events and I was so excited to finally work with her! She is hands down the best, one stop shop for everything! Vivian studied professional makeup in Los Angeles and then returned to Utah with her talents. The thing I love about her is that she can really give you any look that you are going for. I should not admit this but I went to the bridal consultation with really dirty hair (as in I went swimming the night before and didn’t wash it…oops) and she somehow turned it into soft, gorgeous waves! She also just started an awesome blog where she takes you step-by-step through different looks. Free makeup lessons! I also want to give a shout out to the adorable Jessa Kaye that took a quick AFTER snap. She is an amazing fashion photographer here in Utah.

I’m now on my way to go buy all of the awesome products she used on my face. If you want details click HERE.

Jessa Instagram: @jessakaephoto

Vivian Instagram: @vivianmakeupartist

Best Smelling Hair Products

{photo by Kyle White, find him on Instagram @hikylewhite, model: Nicole Lier, styling: Michelle Lier}

These are all hair products that we have used and been asked what perfume we are wearing. They really are that good. We’ve been testing them in triple digit heat and amazingly, our hair still smells awesome by the end of the day. Plus, they all do the job they advertise really well. We got all of the products at ULTA.

#1 Not Your Mother’s – Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray: It’s the perfect spray for when you really don’t feel like blow drying your hair but you don’t want it to look like complete crap. It adds really nice texture, but is still nice and light, and of course smells amazing. (It’s only $5.99! As in, you can buy this or a cupcake)

#2 Alterna – Bamboo Beach Summer Sunshine Spray: Best Invention Ever! You spray this delicious shine spray on and it protects your hair from the sun, while also making it sparkle. And it smells like a pina colada.

#3 Tigi – S Factor Smoothing Lusterizer: This is the one you want to put on damp hair right out of the shower. The texture had us nervous at first, but it did not make our hair greasy at all. And you guessed it, makes your hair smell fresh as a daisy!

#4 Catwalk by Tigi – Curls Rock Amplifier: Tried this one in heat + humidity and it worked so well! Usually our hair gets that gorgeous uncontrollable frizz in any kind of remote humidity, well this kept our curls looking like actual curls. I also thought it helped hold the curl for longer than normal.

Drumroll please….

We have a new favorite hairspray and dry shampoo!

#5 Kenra – Platinum Dry Shampoo: It smells like you just landed in a field of flowers on a Spring day. So yummy. I maybe might have also used it as body spray.

#6 Living Proof Control Hairspray: This is everything. It’s light, but it holds amazingly well, it’s not sticky, it’s not alcoholy smelling, you can use sparingly and it still does the job…. and you guessed it, it makes your hair smell so so so good!

You can buy all of the products at ULTA right now! Plus, did you know you can get $3.50 off every purchase over $10? All you have to do is go to their website and grab a coupon or sign up to receive their catalogue. Plus if you order online, they always throw in some free samples, how can you not love that?

Twin Tested: What is Oil Pulling?

The nature lovers in our lives introduced us to coconut oil. So we started cooking with it, using it as moisturizer, etc. Then they told us to put in our mouths and use it as a mouthwash…. for 15 minutes at a time. It’s a new way to clean your teeth called oil pulling. I have to admit, the first time I did it I gagged. There is just something incredibly unappetizing about having oil swashing around your mouth for that long. Our friends (and the internet) claimed that it would not only whiten teeth, but also clean out our mouths. We decided to put it to the test against our tried and true favorite teeth whitener, Crest Whitestrips.

Then, we asked an expert to judge the process. We went to see Dr. Tom Broadbent at Pioneer Valley Dental.

Pros of Oil Pulling:

– it truly removes bacteria from your mouth

– it works on sensitive teeth

– it is an all natural option

Cons of Oil Pulling:

– it is pretty gross swirling oil in your mouth, definitely something that takes some getting used to

– it takes 15 minutes a day. the dentist said if you spend 15 minutes/day brushing and flossing your teeth will be better off

– it only whitens teeth very slighty, bleach works much better

Would you try it? Have you tried it? We want to know what you think!

Big thanks to Dr. Broadbent at Pioneer Valley Dental for helping us with this Twin Test!

10 Hours in Monaco

As many of you know, my new career goal is to become the Princess of Monaco. It is hands down the dreamiest place I have ever been. It is the second smallest country in the world and the most densely populated. Every inch of Monaco is beautiful. We spent about 10 hours there, so here is my advice for the must-see sites!

Casino Royale

Even if you’ve only seen part of the James Bond Casino Royale movie cuz you fell asleep halfway through and started drooling on your boyfriend’s throw pillow, not to worry, it is still worth a look. It is a stunningly beautiful building. You have to pay 10 Euros to get in and when we went they were giving a private tour, so we just got to see the entrance and lobby areas, which were beautiful! They have a strict dress code you must adhere to if you want to go inside, no shorts or flip flops and a jacket is required in the private rooms.

Harbor

Basically every beautiful yacht on earth is parked in Monaco. We walked around the harbor for about an hour just oohing and ahhing over how lavish they are. They all come with a highly trained crew, which made me think – how much does a yacht captain make? Well, most of them make about $150,000 a year, not including bonuses. Sign me up! Seriously, they were the most amazing boats I have ever seen.

The Grand Prix

We arrived in Monaco 3 days after the Grand Prix had wrapped up. It was awesome because everything was still set up for the big race. We walked along the tiny, windy roads and were amazed at how fast those cars zip through them. The CARS

I am just about the last person on earth to ogle at cars, but in Monaco you are absolutely surrounded by exotic vehicles. I don’t think Honda Civics are allowed… It was fun to see them all zipping by us on the street and of course Sam loved getting some up close views of some super fancy cars. We started counting Bentleys the second we got there, but stopped after we made it to 10 within 10 minutes…

Larvotto Beach

This public beach is similar to Nice in that it is made of tiny pebbles, but they are not as big as the ones in Italy. We could not get over the beautiful clear water. Warning if you go: You will see a lot of boobs! At first, Sam was like oh my gosh did you see those, look at THOSE, but by the end of the day we were actually pretty used to it (and don’t worry mom, I kept my top on :))

Monaco is such a gorgeous place and I can’t recommend it enough. If you go, it is about a 10 minute train ride from Nice, France.

Bridal Inspiration Shoot

I’m Beautiful Salon invited us to be part of their bridal inspiration shoot for the upcoming issue of Salt Lake Bride & Groom. It was so much fun and we loved getting a peek at what is popular in the bridal world right now.

{the floral detail on this dress was gorgeous} {Brooke basically wanted to wear this flower crown for two weeks straight, it was gorgeous. She got airbrush makeup done and was shocked at how well it stayed on her face. She is definitely doing it again on her big day}

{the stylist put us in two trends that will continue through 2015… the ruffled mermaid dress and the sparkling belt}

{bowties are back! and so are colored shoelaces for guys… I already bought Sam some red ones just like these!}

{how can you not love a guy in leopard print socks?!}{the stylist put us in two trends that will continue through 2015… the ruffled mermaid dress and the sparkling belt}

{this was our overall favorite look of the day on Jessica. Her braided bun was flawless and her dress was so feminine and beautiful}

You can check out all of the fun from the shoot in the upcoming issue of Salt Lake Bride & Groom.

Thanks to everyone who collaborated on the shoot, we had so much fun!

PHOTO SHOOT CREDITS:

Profile Studio Photography

Marc Reynolds Photography

True Gentlemen Custom Suits (Men’s suits)

Bridal Closet (Gowns) 801-432-0031 Draper, Utah

Sweet William Floral (Flowers) 801-679-5352 South Jordan, Utah

Hair Artists: I’m Beautiful! Salon

Aubrey Schut

Darci Hansen

Ashley Squire

Karine Herrin

Cody Cole

Melissa Glazier

Makeup Artists:

Amy Capece www.imbeautifulsalon.com

Vivian www.vivianmakeupartist.com

Alece McKenna www.imbeautifulsalon.com

Italy Travel Tips

We almost died on our way to Rome. Being the cheapskates that we are, we decided to take a bus to our hotel rather than a taxi. We got stuck on the sketchiest bus for an hour and a half. Needless to say, when we saw the bright Marriott sign we were relieved. We stayed about 20 minutes outside of central Rome which ended up working out great, but we forgot to change our clocks and missed the shuttle from the hotel our first morning there, so we had to hire a private car with Marco. He was a great little tour guide. He told us that real Italians vacation on the island of Sicily, not the Amalfi Coast. Apparently only Americans like it? Before we knew it, we were parked outside the Coliseum. So, instead of talking about places in Italy, I am highlighting my Top 5 Travel Tips for Italy.

#1 Bring a safe bag.

Within the first few hours of our first day in Rome, we saw an Asian girl get robbed. A man came into the restaurant we were eating at, snatched her bag and ran away with it. It was so sad and she didn’t speak English or Italian, but to her relief, one of the waiters chased down the thief and came back about 30 minutes later with her bag. Sam borrowed a great travel bag that had a zipper lock. Just a simple lock that makes it so pickpockets and thieves can’t quickly open your bag. It is from REI. I brought a tiny blue shoulder bag that had a squeeze closure that was also hard to do quickly. These bags were so nice to have and worked really well for us. We kept all of our credit cards and big bills in a money bag Sam wore under his shirt every day (thanks love).

#2 Comfy Shoes!

I wore my polka dot Keds every single day in Italy and my feet were happy. We did so much walking every day that I would have been miserable in sandals or cute shoes. Gotta choose function over fashion sometimes I guess!

#3 Gelato, Gelato, Gelato

Eat it at least twice a day. My favorite place in Rome was called Grom, but the best gelato of the trip was from a tiny store in the Tuscan town of Lucca. I almost always got Hazelnut because it’s just sooo good, but I also tried crazy flavors like pine nut (amazing) and basil (little weird). Sam and I started off splitting cones and by the end of the trip… well we weren’t splitting anymore.

#4 Buy all of your tickets before you get to Italy.

We bought our tickets to the Coliseum and Forum + Vatican City and Museums months before our trip and I’m so glad we did. We literally got to skip right to the front of lines that were hours long. It makes the whole trip so much more fun when you don’t get stuck waiting for half your day.

#5 Get lost.

Sam and I absolutely loved wandering the cobble street roads and sometimes having no idea where we were headed. It was so fun to visit the little shops and wander down the gorgeous lanes filled with scooters and flower covered balconies.

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