Dear lovely Lifevesting readers! I haven’t completely disappeared from the blogging world! In fact, I’ve spent the last year redeveloping Lifevesting into my newest blog project — SED BONA! The concept originates from the Latin phrase “Pauca Sed Bona” which means “quality over quantity”. Much of the content is very similar to what I’ve created here on Lifevesting but includes much so much more! Check out my newest labor of love here and give me your wonderful feedback!
Xoxo,
Ashley
As I’m sure we all know, no idea is truly original. When I started this blog I thought I was being clever and titled my photos of Apollo “Pug Therapy”.
Apparently, I should have done a Google search for this before giving myself a pat on the back…
Happy Wednesday!
Ashley
Tomorrow Ian and I are leaving for a week-long vacation in Florida! We are staying with my grandmother in Ocala and I’m going to drag Ian around to Daytona Beach, the Kennedy Space Center and maybe even Disneyworld! I am so excited to get away from work for a little bit and introduce him to my father’s side of the family. But you know what part of the trip I am looking forward to most?
Eating lunch at the Columbia Restaurant tomorrow in Ybor City after our flight lands in Tampa! It is my all-time favorite restaurant: fabulous crusty Cuban bread, delicious beans and rice, fabulous seafood and perfect guava cheesecake.
See you all next week!
Ashley
1. I get highlights without trying in the summer.
2. I can buy inexpensive and natural shampoo without worrying about maintaining my hair color.
3. Ian and I can share the same shampoo.
4. Lower hair care costs in general.
5. Healthier & shinier hair.
6. Hair color that matches my eyebrows naturally.
7. Fewer split-ends and frizziness.
8. No chemicals – good for me, good for the earth.
9. I dont have to worry about ‘roots’.
10. I discovered that my hair color subtly changes with the seasons.
In spring 2007, I decided to stop coloring my hair. I have reddish undertones and any color I tried ended up looking orange. And honestly, I think it is one of the best Lifevestments I have made. People are regularly asking me if I dye my hair and they never believe me when I say it is natural.
Have you ever made an abrupt change in your beauty routine?
Ashley
My February Birchbox came and after reviewing all the products I have to say I am feeling a little… flat (pun intended). But truthfully this month’s theme seems to be “flat” beauty products, if you can believe that: eye make-up wipes, powder puffs, and eyeliner strips:
1. BENTA BERRY G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream ($22 for 30 ml). My favorite product this month! I do love this moisturizer, it is so very french in scent, is so clean and soft on the skin and lasts quite a while. I will absolutely be getting a full-size of this wonderful moisturizer.
2. Eye Rock Designer Liner ($13 for two sets of liners). I have a confession: I haven’t tried these out yet. Designer liner doesn’t feel appropriate for the office so I will have to wait for a special occasion to rock these cat-eye liner strips. I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted on how these turn out.
3. colorescience pro® Pressed Mineral Foundation ($50 for 0.42 oz). I brought this Puff on my road trip with Mom to see my sister at Indiana University this weekend and it was a life-saver. The little is full of about 3-4 days of mineral make-up which you can layer for additional coverage. I used this in place of my usual concealer (which I forgot) and powder and it worked really well and lasted +12 hours. Very impressed with this little puff!
4. LA FRESH® Eco Beauty Waterproof Makeup Remover – Pouch of 24 ($9.99 for one pouch of 24 wipes). These were also a life-saver on my road trip when I was running around but they weren’t really a stand-out from other makeup removers I’ve tried. I still had to moisturize after using these even though the package says it will condition your skin after use.
EXTRA: I received two extras this month (1) a hot pink heart-shaped nail file board and (2) six free songs from Green River Ordinance.
Ashley
Past Birchboxes:
Remember when I revealed that Ian and I had begun indoor composting? Meet our 1,000 newest family members:
They really love carrots (as you can see above). Ian and I have been composting for about a month now and for the most part I have enjoyed the experience. It’s nice to have a more sustainable place to recycle old produce instead of just throwing it in the trash. And believe it or not the worms do not smell at all (not even with moldy food in their bin). Their “worm factory” bin is a nice design and has a spout in the front for using the ‘worm water’ to water your garden plants with. Over the next few months I’ll look forward to them building up more compost for us to plant with (maybe a little will even be ready when we plant our seeds in April).
My one complaint is that apparently beetles (or earwigs, Ian couldn’t figure out which) also love our worm’s composting home and every now and then it can be a surprise to see a non-worm insect in the bin. For those of you who have indoor composted before, is this something to worry about? Until we get a good look at what else has made the bin its home, I havent been able to search online as to whether or not the worms are safe.
But I’ll take hitchhiking beetle/earwigs over throwing away pounds of old produce into the trash, that’s for sure!
Have you ever tried to compost indoors or outdoors before?
Ashley
Remember when I fell in love with that green pleated Issa dress back in December? It has become my favorite dress and since then I have really begun to appreciate the simple and classic silhouettes from Issa. Here are two of my favorite looks from London Fashion Week:
Happy Thursday!
Ashley
Last Tuesday Ian and I had a lovely Valentine’s Day complete with delicious salmon and chocolate-covered strawberries. We exchanged sweet gifts and just enjoyed a relaxing evening in.
So you can imagine my surprise when last Friday I received a few little blue boxes:
Bravo, Ian. I never saw it coming! He bought me a lovely set of rose gold and diamond jewelry which are the most breathtaking pieces I have ever seen. My first pieces of Tiffany jewelry and I can’t help but be incredibly impressed with the craftsmanship of each piece (and those lovely blue boxes).
Gentlemen, if you ever want to truly surprise a girl, give her a gift when she least expects it.
And for those of you who are still awaiting your first little blue box, I hope you receive yours very soon!
Ashley
For the first five or six years of my bra-wearing-life, I wore the wrong bra size. I went to Victoria’s Secret and got a “fitting” (using that term loosely) and wore these little skimpy bras which gave no support and were too large in the ribcage, creating some lovely bulges on my back. Then one day I read an article online about the importance of getting a proper bra fitting by a professional (i.e. someone who does bras for their career). So I marched on down to Bloomingdale’s and found out I was not a 36D like I thought but a 32F (!) and discovered the beauty and support of a well-fitting bra.
Finding the proper “foundations” for your wardrobe can literally make everything you wear look more tailored and expensive. And you’ll feel absolutely fabulous.
1. Several Well-fitting bras. One in each black and nude. It is also good to have a well-fitting sports bra (Lululemon’s Ta-ta Tamer is excellent for running) as well as a deep plunge bra for evening dresses. You don’t need to have twenty bras, just three well-fitting bras will serve you better. Just remember the golden rule for bras: replace them every three-to-six months since they get a lot of wear. I was taught to buy a ribcage size that is supportive on the largest clasp and too-tight on the smallest – that way as the bra stretches with wear, you can tighten the bra with the smaller clasps.
Favorite Bra Brands: Wacoal, Natori
2. Spanx. Some may disagree with me on this but I think having spanx for special occasions and tight skirts can be a god-send. Having smooth fitting clothing and a streamlined panty line will always be classy. Even if wiggling into spanx can be less than classy.
3. Camisoles. For layering, lounging around the house and for adding a little mystery to that low-cut evening gown.
4. Seamless underwear. I am a huge fan of the lacie thongs from Victoria’s Secret! If you haven’t tried them, do – they work fabulously even with my tightest pants.
5. Tights. I know colored tights are big right now but I tend to gravitate towards the classics. Good basics include nude, sheer black and solid black. I’ve tried expensive brands (DKNY) and cheap ones but my favorites right now are the Nordstrom brand. Does anyone know a good brand for tights? I’m always looking for value since I have to wear these so often to work.
What foundations do you use?
Ashley
Poor Apollo got a bath last night. He always gives me the saddest little looks during bathtime:
You’d think I was torturing and starving him…
Ashley
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