Tea Tree Skincare Haul!

Hey guys!

I did a little retail therapy recently and I picked up a few skincare items from The Body Shop and our very own Jamaican brand Irie Rock. I decided to dive in a try out these products because I really wanted to revamp my skincare regimen and The Body Shop had a recent 40% off online sale and Irie Rock had their products on sale at the recent Emancipendence Sale at Nettle & Moss.

Both these brands boast their own Tea Tree skincare line and if you don't know much about the great benefits of Tea Tree Oil check out the post I did here a while back where I raved about it.

Tea Tree Oil has so many great benefits for the skin, and even though it has a very pungent scent, I still love it! So here's a quick look at what I picked up

1. Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion (I got this one free with  my online order!!)
2. Irie Rock Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Refreshing Facial Toner & Treatment with Salicylic Acid
3. Tea Tree Pore Minimiser (figured I'd use this as my makeup primer)
4. Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub
5. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash
6. Tea Tree Cleansing Wipes
7. Tea Tree Face Mask (got a sample size just so I could try it out)

If you guys have tried anything I've purchased, let me know how they worked out for you!
See ya later

Debbie

PSA: Naturals Night Out Jamaica 2014

Hi everyone!! I know I know, long time no see but I figured that I would just bring you all this quick PSA on a great event that would be taking place on June 8, 2014 at the Knutsford Court Hotel....it's the 2nd Annual Naturals Night Out !!!

Being a naturalista myself I'm definitely eager to go to the event to get a few tips and tricks on how to take care of and style my own hair because Lord knows I need some help in that department. The great thing about the event is that it's not only limited to naturalistas, so come as you are.... braids, relaxed, transitioning, kinks and coils everyone is welcomed to attend the event and you'll be sure to get great hair care advice. Further details on the event are below and check out a teaser video from IslandEssence on youtube.

See you there guys! and check out the Island Naturals Facebook page while your at it
Take Care
Debbie

Current Favourite Beauty Bits

Vaseline Total Moisture 

I have really dry skin and this is a life saver for me. I combine it with my regular body lotion to provide that extra moisture without being greasy. 

Marc Jacobs Daisy

This perfume has been on my wish list for a while now so I am very happy that I finally have it. It is so flowery and fresh. I love girly scents so this perfect for me.

MAC - Cleanse Off Oil
This is an oil base make-up remover. I personally would have never purchased this for myself, but I was gifted it for my birthday, but when it finishes I will definitely be repurchasing it. It removes EVERYTHING...and when I say everything, I mean everything!!! With other make-up removers I would have to put in effect to remove my waterproof eyeliner or mascara, but with this removing them is such a breeze. Also, because it is oil base a little goes a long way.

Essie - Butler Please
Talk about a nail polish colour that pops!!! This nail polish has been trending for a while now and I completely understand why. It is so pretty on girls of every skin colour. I just cannot get enough of it.

NanaCoco - Hidden Desire
I picked up this lipgloss at a pharmacy. I never heard about the brand before but I loved their packaging and I was looking for a nude everyday lipgloss. The quality of this lip gloss is superb. I love everything about this gloss. It is pigmented, long lasting and it also smells really yummy! I cannot wait to get some more, I want them in every colour.

Shannon
xoxo

Wedding Outfit

I recently attended a wedding of some friends of mine and I decided to go with a sexy yet sophisticated midi dress. The dress itself is very simple but the print adds that extra "umpf" that the dress needed. Because the print can become a bit over bearing, I decided to wear minimal accessories. It is important to note that when you are wearing a dominant print you should opt for simple accessories because you don't want everything you are wearing competing for attention. The accessories I chose where my simple black strappy sandals, which are fairly comfortable because the heel is not very high, along with my gold Michael Kors boyfriend watch. 

Dress: ASOS

Shoes: ASOS

Watch: Michael Kors

Shannon xoxo

Summer 2013 Favourites

Is summer really over? Maybe for the unfortunate few, but certainly not for us Caribbean girls because summer is all year long!!! This a recap of my favourite summer 2013 trends:

                                                  

What were your favourite summer 2013 trend?

Shannon xoxo

My "Some Like It Vintage" Experience

I have been meaning to do a post on Some Like It Vintage ever since they launched, but if you have been following our blog for a while now you will come to notice that we like to make our blog posts personal. With that, before I did any type of post on the brand I wanted to personally have the "Some Like It Vintage" experience first. So when they launched their "Baywatch Swimsuit Collection" I got really excited. I have always been obsessed with swimwear and I have collected quite a few over the years. 

If you haven't been in the fashion loop lately, then it would be very necessary to inform you that "vintage" pieces are trending now and these "Baywatch Swimsuits" could not have come at a more perfect time. Not only is the one-piece cut swimwear trending, it is also perfect for hiding a not so perfect mid section. With that said...  

I really wanted to do a post on my "Some Like It Vintage" experience. When I saw the post of the launch of the collection the first thing that caught my eyes were how bright and vibrant the colours were. I immediately fell in love. Placing the order was surprisingly fast as it was done via email and I got a quick response which I really liked. Within about two days the swimsuit was personally delivered to me by Tameka, who was such a doll. I described the specific cut I was looking for and she was willing to change the swimwear for me if I wasn't happy with the one I got. However, I LOVED the swimsuit I chose. It fits perfectly and I was impressed by the quality as well. Needless to say I am definitely a happy customer. 

You can check out Some Like It Vintage here

It's so lovely to be blogging again,
Shannon xoxo

We're Back!!!

Hey Everyone!!!

To say that we took a blog break would be an understatement!!! We have been missing from the blogging scene for a few months now because we have both been really busy and sometimes it gets difficult trying to balance it all. However, we did miss blogging and we are happy to be back. We did a little tweaking to our blog design and layout and we do hope you guys like it. We really want to thank every one of our followers and to say a special welcome to all our new followers. We love you all!!!!

Love,
Debbie & Shannon

Removing Acrylic Nails At Home (2 ways)

Hello again ladies, in today's post I wanted to talk to you all about removing your acrylic nails at home; now if you wear acrylic nails on the regular or you're a newbie, when your nails grow out they are very unattractive so taking them off is a MUST, but if you don't have the time to run down to the nail shop, I have two removal methods that are really simple and you can do either in the comfort of your own home.

These are the implements that you will need for either method

Buffing Block

Cuticle Oil

Large Nail Clip

Before starting either of these methods, be sure to first remove most or all of your nail polish and trim down your acrylic nails using the nail clipper.

Method One: Warm Water Soak Off 

 

Here's what you'll need for this method

Acetone (I put mine in this Clinique pump bottle for easy usage)

Small bowl

Ziplock Bag

Warm Water

Simply fill the small bowl with the warm water and place the acetone in the Ziplock bag. Place your hand in the Ziploc bag making sure your nails are full submerged in the acetone and place the bag in the warm water. The warmth from the water speeds up the process and in about 15 minutes or so the acrylic should have melted off of your natural nails.

Method 2: Foil Soak Off

 

For this method you'll only need the following

Foil

Loose cotton or cotton balls

Acetone (not pictured here)

Simply saturate the cotton with the acetone and place directly on the nail, then take the foil and wrap around your finger to secure the cotton, and that's pretty much it! :) Just sit back and wait for 20 minutes then remove everything after, your fingers should emerge sans acrylic.

After removing the acrylic, use the buffing block to shape and remove any residue left on your nails. Then follow up with your cuticle oil to moisturize your nails as acetone can be very drying. Afterwards you can even opt to apply a nail hardener because your nails might be a little brittle after going through this entire process.

Hope this helped, and if you have a different removal method let me know.
Debbie.

5 Days of School

For those of you who didn't know, I am currently studying for my law degree at UWI, Mona and like myself, a lot of our readers might be attending college/university, so I just wanted to share with you guys what my typical school outfits look like for the week. As you can tell by the  outfits, my style varies. Some days I might go to school looking really chic, and on other days I will bust out my old chucks for a more laid back look. It simply depends on how I feel while I am getting dressed in the mornings. However, I must say I am forever faithful to my denim jeans.

DAY 1

Cardigan - Primark

Camisole - H&M

Skirt - H&M

DAY 2

Top - GAP

Jeans - Hollister

Shoes - Converse

DAY 3

 Top - Forever21

Pants - H&M

Cardigan - Primark

Bag - Coach

DAY 4

Top - Izod

Skirt - H&M

Sandals - Bridget's Sandals

DAY 5

Top - H&M

Vest - Forever 21

Pants - Hollister

Sandals - ALDO

I hope you enjoyed the post,
Shannon xoxo

Local Finds: D'nexstep

I dub D'nexstep as the next big thing! They are a local company that makes hand crafted leather sandals and they are definitely giving Bridget Sandals a run for their money. Bridget Sandals have cornered the market when it comes to locally produced leather sandals, but don't sleep on the D'nexstep because their craftsmanship coupled with divine customer service I believe will make them a leader in this market.

I recently purchased a sandals from D'nexstep and I completely fell in love! The quality of the sandals is superb and not to mention the craftsmanship! The owner was so warm and welcoming she just makes me want to go back and clear her shelves (haha, I wish!!). She caters to her customers completely and even gives you the opportunity to custom design your sandals. With that, you can make your sandals one of a kind. The price of her sandals are also fairly reasonable and competitive.

This is the sandals I purchased. I paid $7800 for it.

I love the fact that they have a wide variety of colours and styles to choose from. You can check out their Facebook page and website to view the different designs.

Wishing you a beautiful day,
Shannon

Wearing The Right Bra Part II

In addition to the right bra there are other bra related fashion items that would be great to add to your wardrobe:

Petals/pasties: when going bra-less it's good to have a couple of these around to cover/conceal your nipples; now unless you want to attract all types of stares and weird glances from creeps at the club, I suggest you use these especially if the fabric you're wearing is a bit thin.

Double sided fashion tape: to keep your clothing where it should be and also to avoid the dreaded 'nip slip' if you are going bra-less, a good double sided fashion tape should be used so you can dance the entire night without worries. I actually have double sided tape and it has come to my rescue several times when I'm having a wardrobe malfunction.

Bra converters: these nifty little things are great for when you either don't have a racer back or halter bra, slip one of these on and it will instantly solve your problem. I have a pack of this and they come in extremely handy.

Chicken cutlets: these silicone or gel based bra inserts help to give a little lift and fullness to the bust area to give you the cleavage you never knew you could have :)

I hope you enjoyed my two part post and if you have any questions be sure to ask.
Debbie

Wearing the Right Bra Part I

Tatas, boobs, tig 'ol bitties... whatever you call them we all as women have them whether large or small and trying to find the right bra to go with a particular outfit is very important. Now the topic of discussion today is not about finding your correct bra size but to shed some light on the different types of bras out there that are suited for different types of outfits, so let's get started...

The Strapless Bra: every girl should have at least one of these, they're great for wearing under tube tops, strapless dresses or tops that have very thin straps.

Strapless Bra

The Racer Back & Halter Bra: of course this goes without saying; these types of bras go great with the halter a racer back tops, to give you the support you need while being inconspicuous.

Far Left: Racer back Bra | Middle & Right: Halter Bra

                                      

The Seamless Bra: these are great for wearing under tight fitting clothing so that any lumps and bumps from the straps and closure are not visible. I will admit that some seamless bras aren't the prettiest to look at but they get the job done ;)

Seamless Bra

The Convertible Bra: having one bra that can be worn multiple ways is a must! It can eliminate your need for having different types of bras. These are versatile and come with a variety of extra straps that can be adjusted or removed to accommodate different types of clothing. I have one of these and trust me, it is definitely worth purchasing.

Left: Victoria's Secret 100 way Bra

The Plunging Neckline Bra: the name speaks for it self; great for wearing under tops with a deep V neckline or dresses that are low cut.

Plunging Neckline Bra

The Backless Bra: this bra gives you the added support of a standard bra and the versatility of being able to wear it with any backless dress or top.

Backless Bra

The Adhesive Bra: these types of bras are actually reusable silicone breast forms or thin paper like pieces that can definitely come in handy when nothing else seems to work and you don't want to go bra-less.

Types of Adhesive Bras

The 'Fashion Piece' Bra: Many people might say that showing bra straps or your bra is a no no, but there are bras out there that function as part of the outfit rather than actually underwear, case in point bandeau tops and bralettes.

Left: the Brandy Melville Bralette | Right: cute outfit styled with a bandeau top 

Well I hope this shed some light on the topic and look out for part two of this post which delves into bra accessories, so until next time guys...
Debbie

Hotel Review: Holiday Inn

When my boyfriend and I decided that we would be vacationing at Holiday Inn, I honestly had really low expectations. I knew it would not compare to my experiences at Secrets or Palladium. However, I was still looking forward to it, because Lord knows I needed a vacation after my stressful exams.

Service
The service at Holiday in was surprisingly really good. I read a few bad reviews online before we went, but fortunately we did not experience any of the horrors that some guest complained about. The staff were helpful. From the start of our trip until the end, the staff were delightful. I particularly liked the fact that at check-in were served fruit punch while we waited. This is a step down from the champagne they serve at Secrets, but it was still a lovely gesture. I would have to say that the service was pretty decent for the price.

Accommodation
Another surprise for me was the room. I didn't expect that it would have been so spacious. We booked the deluxe suite with ocean view, and I must say that that was the perfect choice. My only complaint would have to be that the bathroom had no jacuzzi. Yes I know, I could survive without that jacuzzi, but it would have been a nice touch to have it there.

Food
The food was so so, nothing special. They had only a few specialty restaurant and we managed to go to two. The first restaurant we went to was the seafood restaurant. I am not really big on seafood, but the food was actually good. However, I was looking forward to the italian restaurant after reading all the wonderful reviews about it. But, what a disappointment! I guess my expectation was too high.

Both the morning and evening buffet are typical of what you would find at any all inclusive hotel, so nothing too special there. I have to give them props though for making some of the best tasting fried dumplings I ever had in my life...yum yum!

Beach
Let me start by saying that I am obsessed with the beach. Maybe I was a mermaid in my past life...haha. With that said, beaches are resorts are very important to me. Thankfully, Holiday Inn did not disappoint because they do have a lovely beach with plenty of space for the guest to spread out. They also had an island (or you might say a patch of sand) by the beach which was actually very lovely. The sand felt good and the water was clear and nice. It was all I could ask for.

Activities
Honestly I don't visit hotels in Jamaica for activities. I am more interested in just relaxing and not having to make the bed, haha. Therefore I didn't go running around the hotel trying to find activities to participating. However, my hubby and I did go wind sailing and it was lovely. We also had a round of competitive miniature golf which was pretty fun, especially because I won! In the evenings the hotel would have some pretty good performance. Our favourite performance night was the Michael Jackson night. Jamaica do have some very talented people!

Ratings
Considering all things relative to the price, I would give this hotel a high rating and would recommend it to anyone. 3.5/5

Check out our other hotel reviews in the mean time:
Tropical Lagoon Heights Resort
Secrets Resort-Wild Orchid


Shannon xoxo