Bringing it Back

Well hey there - it's been awhile! After a long break over the spring & summer, I've decided it's about time to start up the blog again.  To recap the spring and summer as concisely as possible: it was great! Hot days spent at the pool, cool beers on the deck, and a truly beautiful wedding for my very best friend leave me with some pretty wonderful memories of the last few months.

And now it's fall. My favorite time of year. October brought apple picking, lots of baking, comfy sweaters, and boots. Really, you can't argue that all of those things aren't the best! I'm not sure if it's the weather or just the itch to bring a little life back to Lace&Dinosaurs, but I think either way, I'm excited to try some new things on this blog this year.

That said, I'm going to start with an old reliable for me - favorites! Since it's been ever-so-long since I've done one of these, here are just a few items I'm really digging right now.

Michael Todd Organics - Blue Green Algae Toner 

This toner changed my skin! I've been using it for quite some time now and I can honestly say that when I stop using it, my skin just isn't as great. It's antibacterial AND hydrating so it helps to keep your skin clean and prepped for moisturizer. For realz - it's awesome!

Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood Candle 

I'm just going to come out and say it - this smells like a man. It's awesome. That's all.

Kindle 

I was definitely one of those people who was opposed to an e - reader for a very, very long time. I enjoy the feeling of holding a real book and just the idea that it's a physical thing you can touch & feel. But, after one of my handbags broke due to the weight of a particularly heavy book, I decided it was time to broaden my horizons and get a Kindle. And you know what? It's freaking cool.

Bow Necklace - Forever 21 

Forever 21 is known for its cheap (and easily broken) jewelry, but this one was quite the find! It's delicate and adorable and I wear it nearly everyday. The best part? It hasn't broken yet! Oh, and it's a bow. Duh.

Boyce Avenue 

In my search for new music, I discovered this cover band. They cover just about everything and it's great to listen to anytime you need to chill out - give their Pandora station a try! You won't regret it!

Reign 

I know, I know - this show is definitely for a younger crowd. It's on the CW for goodness sake. But, I am thoroughly enjoying it. Anything related to the royals in the UK immediately catches my attention and even better, the fashion in this show is KILLER. Not always (most of the time, actually) historically relevant, but I love it all the same. I mean, those head pieces? COME ON.

Welcome to November!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Well, that's a mouthful! I have seen these lip products everywhere in advertising, on beauty blogs, and on Youtube. They're the next cult lip product from Revlon to follow their wildly successful Lip Butters that came out last year.

These babies have a long name, but are totally worth the hype. There are 12 colors in the line and in my opinion, they have a pretty good color selection. The colors are:

Honey, Crush, Darling, Cherish, Lovesick, Sweetheart, Smitten, Charm, Rendezvous, Romantic, Precious, and Adore - obviously Revlon is going for a theme here.

The colors range from a deep brownish red color to bright pinks and corals. They seem to have a color for every skin tone without going overboard.

I have Honey, Darling, and Smitten.

Honey is a pretty baby pink with a hint of brown to make it more wearable while Darling is a purpley-pink that definitely gives the 80's vibe. It's kind of awesome. However, my favorite of the three is Smitten. It's a deep fuchsia color that brightens your face and adds a pop of color for a night out.

Left to Right in both: Darling, Honey, Smitten. 

That being said, one of my favorite parts about this product is the texture. They are absolutely a lip stain and do settle on your lips, but they are not drying at all and go on exactly like a plain lip balm. They're smooth and creamy and give a semi-glossy finish without looking like you slicked up your lips. I think that gives them a much more mature and wearable quality. I have nothing bad to say about these. They're great!

Run out and get one (or a few) because this product is definitely worth it.

Green Smoothie - Three Ways

Juice cleanses and crash diets have bombarded me since the beginning of the new year. But, let's be real - New Year Resolutions have been a hot topic everywhere and now that it's March, things are starting to peter out. Well, friends, not for me!

Instead of making a huge goal that I could not meet or trying to go on a health kick that resembled not eating, I decided to just incorporate more healthy things into my life. If you add more and more healthy items into your daily routine, there isn't any room left for the unhealthy ones.

That leads me to green smoothies. I have seen recipes for these things EVERYWHERE. Pinterest has some great ones and so does everyone and their mother. They're not that difficult, but they are that delicious. Here is my take on three of my favorite green smoothie recipes.

Recipe 1: Strawberry Mango 

For this recipe (and all to follow) I used baby spinach and a mixture of dark greens from Trader Joe's. I was going for kale, but they were out. Any dark green will do.

You will need:
2 large handfuls of dark greens
1/2 apple of your choice
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 handful of frozen mango pieces
1 handful of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup water

Cut everything up into small pieces and start by putting all of your greens in at the bottom. I'd suggest putting just a few slices of apple near the bottom as well. It helps the blades of your blender grab onto the greens. Next, squeeze in your lemon (don't worry about the seeds - they'll get ground up) and pile on the rest of the fruit. Finish by adding the water. Blend until smooth. You may need to poke everything around a bit to get things going depending on power of your blender.

Recipe 2: Strawberry Banana 

You will need:
2 large handfuls of dark greens
1/2 apple of your choice
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 ripe banana
1 handful of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup water

The recipe works the same as above, but I replaced the mango with banana. I was a bit worried about having banana and greens in the same drink, and to be honest, it was great for the texture, but not so great for the taste. To fix, I just added a few more strawberries and voilà - delicious.

Recipe 3: Mixed Berry Avocado 

You will need:
2 large handfuls of dark greens
1/2 apple of your choice
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 handful of frozen mixed berries
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4 cup water

 This smoothie turned out to be absolutely amazing, but looked SO much less desirable. The avocado really helped blend things together and make it creamy and the berries gave it more tang than the others.  The photo of the final product wasn't so great as red + green = brownish red. However, don't let the color distract you from the flavor. It was one of my favorites.

A few tips for your smoothie making adventures: 
1. Always use an apple. The apple in this smoothie is the equivalent to the egg in pasta - it binds everything together.
2. Using frozen fruit helps to keep the smoothie cold. You could also use fresh fruit, add ice, and cut back on the water, but in winter, the frozen fruit works great.
3. Have about the same ratio of each item you're adding (aside from the lemon). It helps with your portions. Each of these smoothies made one 8oz drink for me.

These smoothies taste great and help you get a lot of nutrients into breakfast, lunch, or a snack. They're packed with fiber and fill you up. You could also add a spoonful of greek yogurt to these to help with the texture if it bothers you, but I chose to keep mine vegan.

Happy smoothie making!

Pomegranate Nail Polish - Review

I stumbled upon the Pomegranate nail polish brand almost 9 months ago while browsing for fall colors online. I snagged a few in a sale they were having at the time and tested the colors quickly when they arrived, but they soon ended up in my bin of polish in my dresser and I forgot about them. Just last week, I decided to finally give them a shot and the outcome was totally worth it!

The Pomegranate brand boasts that it is formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor free, made in the USA and not tested on animals. For more information about chemical free nail polish, the Beauty Editor has a great write up.

I chose to go with the color "Curator" to keep with the dark winter colors. It is a deep black color with small gold and silver glitter floating in it.

 As this polish doesn't contain any chemicals, it actually doesn't smell as bad. It goes on a bit thick, but really smooth at the same time and gives a totally opaque finish after just two coats. The really cool part about the polish is the way the glitter shows up. Somehow, they found a way to make the glitter show up in different layers. It looks as though it is suspended on different levels on your nail and I think this one in particular comes out looking a bit like a galaxy. I don't think these photos do it justice.

Another plus side to this polish? I took these photos three days after I painted my nails. Great staying power! They lasted about 5 days before any major chips. I my book, that's awesome. My only complaint is the brush. It's only so-so in comparison to the Essie brushes and even the Sally Hansen Quick Dry brushes. 

Overall - definitely worth a shot. I'm excited to try some of the other colors from this brand! 

January '13 Favorites

It's that time again! January has come and gone - even though it has felt a bit like Spring here in Chicago. My favorites this month revolve around warm, soft, and comforting. A theme generally in line with Winter weather, so I'm hoping we see some snow soon!

Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Mist in Lavender Harvest 

I was looking for a Lavender room spray and found this one while I was home for Christmas. Whole Foods totally hooked me up and this smells AMAZING. Lavender is a relaxing and airy scent that is great for calming nerves and helping you wind down. I spritz this a few times over my bedding before I go to sleep and off to dreamland I go. 

Seche Vite Top Coat 

I raved about my Sally Hansen InstaDry Top Coat for ages, but I think Seche Vite is even better. This one is a bit more expensive, but totally worth it. It's super shiny, dries instantly, and goes on semi-thick helping to really protect your nails for the day-to-day wear & tear. I used this on my nails last week and I didn't have to touch up once. It was pretty impressive.

Bow Ring

This ring was a late Christmas present from my mom. We found it at Charming Charlie  a few days after Christmas. I've been looking for one for quite a while and this one is perfect. It's delicate, sparkles, and goes with everything. On a separate note - if you haven't been to Charming Charlie yet - GO NOW. It's pretty freaking awesome.

Pale Pink Nail Polish 

Even though Winter usually lends itself to dark polishes, I have been loving pale pinks this month. I had on either Essie's Mademoiselle (left) or Fiji (right) for the whole month. Mademoiselle is a sheer pink with high shine while Fiji is a creamy & opaque pink that is a bit more matte.

Feathered Headband 

Another present from the December holidays - this headband is also from Charming Charlie. Really - you can't go wrong with this store. It's great for days when I don't want to put a hat over my pony tail (or wear one of those weird hats with the pony tail hole) or for the days when I just feel like jazzing up my outerwear. 

The Body Shop Duo Body Butter 

I've never tried anything from The Body Shop before, but these body butters were on sale for $5 from their original $18, so, I had to try one. The scent I have is macadamia which is warm and sweet. The container is divided into two sections - the original body butter (top) for normal skin areas and thicker butter (bottom) for dry skin areas. They're both smooth and creamy and leave your skin feeling silky soft. 

Ecotools Flat Top Face Brush

For blending in foundation or tinted moisturizer, this is my favorite. the flat top helps to blend & buff leaving an almost flawless finish. I much prefer using this over a standard foundation brush and it also stays pretty clean since it's super dense and doesn't let the foundation sink in to the bristles. 

Goodbye January and hello February! 

French Manicure - Nailene Pen Review

I have never had the patience or the steady hand to take on a French manicure myself, but after spotting the Nailene Skinny French Tip Pen, I decided to give it a shot. There have been many interpretations of a French manicure popping up all over Pinterest lately, but I opted for the classic sheer pink - Essie Mademoiselle. I also used my new favorite top coat - Seche Vite. I highly recommend it!

This is Essie Mademoiselle on its own. 

The Nailene Pen is intended to help you draw on the white tips as opposed to painting them on with a brush as that can be quite finicky. The tip looks just like a felt tipped pen.

I have used a black design pen on my nails before with a very similar tip, so I thought this would be as easy to use as that one. (I'll have a post using the design pen soon!) To begin, just shake the pen (with the cap on) and then take a tissue or cotton pad and press down until the product saturates the pen tip. From there, paint on the white tips following the natural white of your nails.

This seems easy, right? Well, it's not as easy as it looks. The nail paint comes out quite fast and runs a bit if you use even light pressure when applying. Additionally, when you apply the color it is totally white and bright, but once dry, it fades to a dull looking off white, so you'll want to apply a second coat.  

After a bit of touching up and messing around with the pen, I ended up with a French manicure that looks pretty good from a distance, but not so much close up. I think that with practice, the pen can actually work quite well, but it's definitely not as easy as it seems initially.

As far as lasting power goes, I am more than unimpressed. I applied this on a Friday evening and by Saturday evening it needed a touch up. More than one of my white tips was chipped and a few were just looking worn off as if I'd had them done 4-5 days prior.

Overall - a great concept, but I wouldn't rush out to buy this. On the plus side - do rush out to buy Mademoiselle as it makes your nails look super healthy, glowing, and natural. Again, +1 to Essie!

My Top 5 Beauty Products

December and the holidays have come and gone and with it brought an absence of blog posts. I took a much needed break, went home for a while, and planned a very exciting upcoming trip! After all of that, I made a few New Years Resolutions - one of those being Lace & Dinosaurs. This year, I want to throw myself into this blog and hopefully churn out some great posts and try some new things.  

To jump back into blogging, I decided to determine my Top 5 Beauty Products that I could not live without. Now, obviously this whole "live without" thing qualifies that I have everything that I need, but only got the chance to pick 5 beauty products I can use. Also, I bent the rules a little... 

1. Celestial Facial Moisturizer from Lush 

I've learned that investing in a nice facial moisturizer is worth the money. I wouldn't say that about all products, but totally worth it for your face. I found Celestial when I was looking for a lightly scented, semi-thick lotion that wouldn't break me out. It's great for sensitive skin. I have tried other moisturizers and they work well, but this is still my all time favorite. It smells like almonds when you first put it on (which I love), but the scent fades quickly (which I also love) leaving your skin silky smooth and ready for bed or to start the day. My ONLY complaint with this is a common complaint I have with many Lush products. They come in these cute little black pots, but damn they get messy. 

2. Full 'N Soft Mascara & The Falsies Volume Express Mascara - both by Mabybelline 

Yep, bending the rules for these products. I honestly could not pick between either of these and since they are the same brand, I figured it's like one thing :) As opposed to moisturizer, I think that drug store mascara is totally awesome and there is no need to spend money on high end brands. These two are my ultimate favorites for two different purposes. I use Full 'N Soft on a day-to-day basis to get long, natural lashes. Then, when I want a little extra oomph, I use The Falsies Volume Express. It really thickens your lashes and gives you that wide-eyed look for a night out. 

3. One 'n Only Argan Oil 

The ends of my hair get very dry and I get split ends easily as I use quite a bit of heat on my locks. I was recommended to try either Argan oil or Moroccan oil about two years ago to help this problem and discovered this spray treatment that is a blend of both! It smells AMAZING and leaves your hair super soft...like baby soft. They also make this product in an oil you can pour into your hands and apply to your hair, but since mine is very, very fine, I prefer the spray. I spritz a little bit into my wet hair right after I wash it and bam - soft. 

4. Benefit Erase Paste Concealer & Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche Concealer/Highlighter 

I know, two products again and this time they aren't even the same brand. Oops. But, I use them in combination with each other, so, rules schmools. I am paranoid about my under eyes and rightly so. By having a great concealer & highlighter you can almost forgo all other make up and look wide awake and ready for the day. I use Erase Paste under my eyes only (as it is slightly peachy tinted to help contrast dark circles) and then do the rest of my make up. After I've finished, I top off with the Dream Lumi Touche (I promise, the 'e' is really there, but didn't show up in the photos for some reason) under my eyes and along my cheek bones right above my blush. I think it's that extra little brightness that really finishes it all off. 

5. Vaseline 

This is my cure-all product and by far the item I use most, especially in the winter. You literally can use vaseline anywhere you want and for so many different purposes. I put it on my lips, on my dry elbows, and sometimes all over my face before bed if I'm feeling the need for a little bit more moisture. Aside from it being a great all-over moisturizer and first aide supply, you can put a little bit on your eye lashes before bed each night and it helps them grow thicker and longer! I promise, you won't end up clogging your tear ducts or anything. It's great. 

What would you pick if you could only pick 5? It is SO much harder to decide than it seems! 

The Purple Potato Project

In an attempt to broaden my blog topics, I'm taking a note from the food bloggers I know and sharing a recipe I made this week. Here goes nothing! 

After the excitement from our party died down, I finally went grocery shopping for normal food. Feeling lazy & hungry, I decided to make stuffed peppers. 

Here's what you'll need:  

You can use whatever veggies you'd like, but I opted for broccoli and baby zucchini because, well, baby zucchini are so much cuter than regular size. 

I started by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees and cooking my quinoa in the microwave according to the instructions on the box. Next, I cleaned out the peppers and chopped up the broccoli & zucchini into bit sized pieces. I put everything in a bowl and added some goat cheese to blend it all together. 

After you have your filling ready, stuff the peppers. They should look something like this: 

I was feeling adventurous, so I also whipped up some potatoes to go with my peppers. I got a small bag of mini potatoes (again, cute factor matters to me), washed them, cut them into quarters, placed them on a cookie sheet, and seasoned simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

I placed everything in the oven and took the peppers out after about 25 minutes. I let the potatoes cook for an extra 10 minutes on their own. When everything came out of the oven nice & hot, it looked like this:

My apologies for the blurry-ness of this potato photo - I was apparently very excited when they looked so pretty. I mean, really, purple potatoes are just awesome. 

To finish off the dish, I added a little bit more goat cheese. Because when you think about it, more goat cheese is always the answer. 

Kicking off December Right

This weekend, the girls of 3A hosted our very first Christmas party. We called it '3A Presents: A Classy Christmas" with all of our food & drinks falling in line with theme. Our apartment was covered in Christmas lights & candles with a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree to top things off.  

We had a spread of homemade appetizers and desserts that I assisted with, but it was largely executed by my wonderful roommates. I did, however, whip up some peppermint bark. It's easy & delicious and always a winner at parties. 

All you need is chocolate of your choice - I used white chocolate - and candy canes. Crush up the candy canes into bite sized pieces and put them aside. 

Next, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 15-20 seconds at a time, stirring often. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it into a cookie sheet covered in wax and sprinkle the candy cane pieces over the chocolate, mixing them together. Finally, spread the chocolate evenly and put it in the fridge for about 45 minutes. After it has hardened, just break the bark into pieces and you're done!

If you'd like to see some amazing food pictures & more yummy recipes, check out my roommate's blogs - Tess @ Food for Your Heart  and Aravinda @ Linguini & Colette. 

Now, it wouldn't be a holiday party (for me) without a themed nail tutorial. I opted for a design I saw on Pinterest, but put my own twist on it. 

I used Butter London's British Racing Green, O.P.I.'s Designer...De Better! and Milani's Gold to achieve this look. All of these polishes were in my Holiday Favorites post & they're proving to be amazing so far. 

I started out by painting all of my nails with two even coats of British Racing Green leaving my ring finger on each hand bare. Once the green polish dried, I painted my ring fingers with Designer...de Better! using two thin coats. Finally, I topped of my ring fingers with Milani's Gold, being careful to place the glitter quite strategically, emphasizing the center of my nail. 

I originally hadn't planned on using a base under the glitter polish, but quickly discovered that the silver/rose gold base coat made the glitter stand out even more as the gold glitter floats in clear polish. These nails are perfect for the holiday season and are so much fun to wear! I have a feeling I'll be painting them like this again for Christmas in just a few weeks. 

Overall - a wonderful party and I couldn't think of a better way to kick off December! 

My beautiful roommates - Tess & Aravinda :) 

November Favorites '12

It's that time again! I cannot believe how fast this month flew by. Not only has this month gone by in a flash, but this week marks the end of my first full year at work - something that totally crept up on me. It feels like quite an accomplishment that I have been out of school for about a year and a half and working a job I love for most of my "adult" life so far. 

Moving on to the real reason you're here...my favorites this month! Completely unintentionally, they are mostly beauty items. Enjoy! 

Philosophy "Fresh Cream" body lotion 

I picked up this lotion a few weeks ago as I was suffering with dry, winter skin and my regular lotion just wasn't cutting it. This, however, does cut it. Not only does it smell fresh, it leaves your skin feeling super soft. 

Tokyo Milk "French Kiss" hand lotion 

Staying on theme, I received this lotion last year as a gift from my roommate, Aravinda. This has become my new favorite for my purse and I have been using it constantly. It's think & creamy, but not heavy. Perfect for these chilly days when you need a little pick-me-up. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze" 

Bad to the Bronze is a cream eye shadow that is a great fall/winter color. It's really build-able, as shown on my hand, and gives your eye make up just a little bit of pizazz (yep, pizazz). 

Twistbands 

I discovered these through Youtube on a video I was watching a few months ago. They claim to keep your hair where you put it without leaving those "rude" kinks when you take them out. I was very skeptical, but got one anyway, and I can say I am a true believer! They absolutely work (not really the headbands, but who cares). The little knot helps to keep them in place so you don't have to make your pony tail super tight. You can find them here: http://www.thetwistband.com/. 

Twisted Peppermint Candle

I have had this candle since last Christmas and I have been savoring it ever since. It makes our whole apartment smell like baked goods and burns beautifully. Highly recommended! 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

This foundation was a bit of a splurge for me, but after having used it for a few weeks, I have found that it is completely worth it. It's super light (a water-based foundation) and acts more like a tinted moisturizer than a true foundation, although the coverage is a bit better than most tinted moisturizers. It feels like you're not even wearing makeup and stays on all day. The best part - you barely need any to cover your entire face so it will last you quite some time! 

Being home with my family for Thanksgiving 

I was able to take about 5 days to go home for Thanksgiving this year and it was wonderful to spend that time with my family. I snapped this photo of our smaller dog, Sadie, while she was taking a snooze on a pillow like the little princess she pretends to be.  

With December just around the corner, the girls of 3A are prepping for our very first Christmas party. I'm sure I'll have some great photos and recipes to share after this weekend :) 

Happy November!