I like Gabriella Wimmer almost immediately upon meeting her. And not just because she’s offered me a glass of champagne to kick off our time together (though that certainly doesn’t hurt). Gabriella is friendly, approachable, and chic – qualities that should be paired together more often. But, most importantly, Gabriella is a woman who radiates confidence and self-assuredness, qualities of a woman who has fulfilled her purpose. And there’s nothing more stylish than that.
My visit to Christie Pea’s couldn’t have come at a better time, considering I was in serious need of brow therapy and a little me-time following two straight weeks of work/motherhood/work/work and work. I’m not complaining but rather just insisting that a glass of wine now and then (more now than then) while having your nails buffed is not just nice – it’s necessary for mental sanity. Which is why Christie Pea’s royal treatment (the Duchess, to be precise) and Lucy R.’s brow repair were exactly what I needed that afternoon.
A recent visit to brow expert Lucy R. confirmed what I’d suspected for some time now: Not only are my eyebrows disproportionately shaped; they’re also not even on the same level. They share completely separate longitudinal coordinates. If my eyebrows were trains featured in a math problem about intersection, they’d just run perpetually parallel past each other while waving goodbye. Which is why I’m now in what Lucy lovingly calls “brow rehab,” hoping to fix this issue once and for all. But until then, as my brows are slowly grown in and guided back to where they once were, I’ll be faking the perfect shape with the help of a few tools. Read on for an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to properly fill in your brows.
God bless Beyonce for making naturally wavy hair so damn cool. Her gorgeous Grammy ‘do was simple, casual, and yet so incredibly chic. This means I may actually skip a keratin treatment in the next couple of months and try to flaunt my Cuban curls for a while. If you are one of my tribe with the hair you’ve been trying to straighten against its will for years, give your tresses a break and follow this easy tutorial by Bey’s stylist Kim Kimble (@kimblehaircare) to replicate the carefree wavy bob.
GET THAT BOB:
1) For a show-stopping wet, sexy look inspired by the 1920’s, start with clean, wet hair.
2) Next, work the Pantene Pro-V Curly No Crunch Curls Whip into hair from root to tip to define frizz-free curls. Then brush through with a paddle brush to create soft, piece-y waves, and scrunch hair to help keep its definition.
3) Spritz the Pantene Advanced+ Keratin Repair KeraGloss Oil Mist to add brilliant shine.
4) To go from sexy to modern ‘20s chic, dry hair with a diffuser. Point the diffuser toward your crown to keep hair smooth at the root and use underneath at the ends of hair to achieve volume.
5) Continue to scrunch hair until dry for added body. Use a 1/2 inch flat iron and wrap small pieces of hair around it to create additional soft waves, similar to a curling wand, to create a few additional waves.
6) Tame flyaways at the roots of hair by using the Pantene Pro-V Stylers Shaping Hairspray. It’s important this style looks messy and flawless, so a small amount of product at the crown is all you need.
7) Finish off the look with the Pantene Advanced+ Keratin Repair KeraGloss Oil Mist for shiny, effortless waves.
Image used with permission. Photo courtesy of P&G/Getty Images.
Happy New Year, friends (Is it too late to say that?). In a very rare occurrence, Tony and I had a babysitter for the day and were able to enjoy a child-free brunch date at Segafredo (thanks to a great Groupon deal). Not that we don’t enjoy taking the little one out, but we certainly like to keep the date nights (or days, rather) alive whenever possible. We’ve realized being parents has given us a whole new appreciation for daytime drinking that we certainly took for granted pre-kid. Also, while the rest of the country is covered in snow, I have to admit I’m grateful for spring weather in Miami. Hope the locals are enjoying the sunshine while everyone else is keeping warm. Wishing everyone a great weekend!
The holidays are upon us, which means there will be photo opportunities galore. And while some people have a natural gift for looking great in every picture, some of us need a little help in facing that camera. Like me, when I forget I should probably suck in my stomach after indulging in Abuela’s cooking a little too often. (But seriously, Abuela’s cooking is amazing.) Here’s a guest post from the lovely Natasha of NOM Photography to help everyone get in line and look their best. Read through to the end for a special discount code for readers of Bubbles & Ink. Happy holidays!
I’m taking this #TBT opportunity (just doesn’t feel right to spell out “Throwback Thursday” and not include a hashtag) to reminisce on my trip to New York last month for the Lucky Magazine Fashion & Beauty Blogger conference. Here’s a look at some of my favorite celebrity moments.
A shopper’s vow: Because life is too short for Buyer’s Remorse. (And because I’m running out of closet space.) Here are ten bad shopping habits we should all seriously consider breaking.
Alright, so it’s been a few weeks since New York and Lucky FABB. And while part of the reason it’s taken me so long to get on here and post this update is that motherhood is damn tough when your husband, baby AND Pomeranian are all sick with different things at the same time (not even kidding – wish I was), it’s also partly because there was one very large carry-on sized tote full of beauty products that came home with me and has taken up permanent residence in a corner outside my closet because I am not entirely sure where to stash it all yet. (Maybe a giveaway…? Stay tuned!) In any case, I was finally able to dig through that sucker and pull out my absolute favorite items. Most of these are really affordable, but read through or click for sales and special discounts you can use to get your own. Hope you like these as much as I do. I’ve been using most of them almost daily since I made it back home.
The last time I was in New York City, I was eight weeks pregnant, wearing unflattering red jeans, and searching for sour pickles at every corner deli (not even kidding). Over a year later, I’m packing my bags and heading back to Manhattan to take part in Lucky magazine’s FABB (Fashion and Beauty Blogger) conference. Thankfully, this time I’ve shed (most of) the baby weight and vowed to make better pant choices.
If you want to follow along (there’s word of Erica Domesek of P.S. I Made This and ANTM judge Bryan Boy stopping by), check me out on Instagram. I’ll be back next week. Can’t wait to let you all know how it went!