DIY Cactus Tie-Dye Shirt w/ method

As creators, we know that the true magic happens when we get lost doing what we love, but that's also when things can start to get messy and we start to hold back! Well what if there was a way we could give 100% into our projects and worry about the mess later? You interested?

Today I've partnered up with method to share how to #fearnomess when it comes to bold projects! I've always been a big fan of tie-dye but avoided doing it because I know how messy it can get. Well I've decided to fear no more and plunge right into a DIY that I've been wanting to do for a while! Keep scrolling to see how I created my own cactus tie-dye tee, along with how I used method 4X Laundry Detergent to make the process a breeze! :)

Here are the essentials that I used to make my tie-dye tee. I bought a simple tie-dye kit from my local craft store that had all the necessary items I needed (which was super convenient)!

I decided to dye a few different tops to see which design I liked the best. I ended up using the shirt with the Stripes/Pleats technique (the only long one in the picture) for my final project, but I also tried out the Swirl and another variation of the Stripes technique on a couple other shirts. After mixing up the pre-measured bottles, I went to town with tie-dying!

After wrapping up the shirts in plastic wrap and letting them sit for 6 hours, it was time to rinse out as much of the dye that I could. After the water ran mostly clean, I put my tees into the washer and added a cap of method 4X Laundry Detergent to ensure that my shirts would come out nice and clean! After a wash and dry cycle, I took my acrylic paint and carefully drew on a few cute cacti plants and finished it off with a punny line. ;)

Aaaaand voila! Here is the finished product! It came out looking exactly how I wanted to and thanks to method, my shirt smells and feels good AND I don't have to worry about excess dye rubbing off because I know it's CLEAN.

I ended up adding a little elephant design to the spiral shirt because I loved it so much too!

I had the freedom to live boldly because I knew I had method on my side to clean up my mess! All method products are biodegradable, vegan and gluten free. And if you need any more reason to love the brand, method is animal-friendly, which means they do absolutely no animal testing and have no animal bi-product. Their products are formulated to put the hurt on the dirty without harming our furry friends, aka method is Samson-approved!

"Fashion favors the bold and being bold takes confidence."

Let's start living our bold lives to the fullest!

Be sure to check out method and all of their wonderful products, here.

Hope everyone has an amazing week!

Cheers.

Thanks to method for sponsoring today's post!

All opinions and my love for this brand are my own. #fearnomess #stylebymethod @methodhome

Feeling Fresh w/ GapFit

Outfit c/o Gap Factory
top
sports bra
leggings

Am I a Kardashian yet with these braids? ;)

Summer is here! Woo!

But with the presence of summer, comes the need to get into tip-top beach body shape. Meaning it's time to dust off your gym membership pass and start adding fruits and veggies to your extremely unbalanced diet. ;) I'm very guilty of being one who procrastinates and becomes lazy when it comes to getting into shape, but this season I've made a commitment to myself to look and feel healthier everyday.

As materialistic as this may sound, I feel like as women it's easier to feel more motivated to workout and/or go to the gym when we have cute activewear to sport. It's easier (and funner) to kick butt in the gym when you feel AND look good, amiright? Lucky for you, Gap Factory has an amazing GapFit line that allows you to own trendy, high-fashion athletic looks, without the high-fashion price tag. The GapFit line delivers quality training clothes for the non-professional athlete (that's me). The best part is that you can take these stylish pieces from studio to street in a flash. You can effortlessly style this line of activewear into your everyday wardrobe by throwing on a favorite jacket or hat because that's how trendy they are!

GapFit offers performance technology, contemporary designs, and fun, colorful outfit pieces that you can mix and match. The top that I'm wearing in today's post is made of material that pulls moisture away from my skin to keep me dry while I work up a sweat. Their clothes are breathable, water resistant, and has compression so it provides support during your workout. Never have I felt so fresh while exercising! :) Also, these leggings are the most comfortable workout leggings I've ever worn. EVER.

Make sure you check out GapFactory and their GapFit line for your summer workout needs!

Have a great Thursday, friends!

Cheers.

Thanks to GapFactory for sponsoring today's post!
All opinions and my love for this brand are my own.

What's in my Purse?

I've been meaning to do a post like this for a while now so I'm excited I'm finally getting around to actually doing it! I'm always curious about what each person carries around in their purse or bag because I feel like everyone is so different (yet similar) when it comes to our essentials! Today I'm sharing with you my purse/bag essentials that I always carry around with me no matter where I go because you can never be too prepared, right?

1) A cute pair of sunnies. You never know when that sun is gonna peak out from behind the clouds!

2) My phone, duh. No explanation needed.

3) Mints or gum. So important to have on hand especially when you go out to eat! I'm always stocked because I like food with lots of garlic in it. hahahaha.

4) Floss. An underrated lifesaver. I am prone to getting food stuck in my teeth.

5) Travel-size perfume. For a mid-day refresher.

6) My wallet, another duh.

7) Flash drive. This one is a little random and odd, I know. But as a blogger/videographer/YouTuber it's never a bad idea to have something you can carry files and data on!

8) Hair elastics and bobby pins. I cannot eat (enjoyably) with my hair down--random fact about me--so I always have an elastic on me as well as some pins for flyaways! Also, does anyone know anything about the black hole that these babies disappear to?

9) Pen and Sharpie. Always, always, always carry a pen with you. Having a sharpie in my purse has saved my butt so many times at the post office.

10) Blotting Paper. A less messier and faster option than carrying powder around.

11) Lip balm, specifically my Vaseline Lip Therapy Tin. Because CHAPPED LIPS.

Now let's chat a little bit more about these adorable Vaseline Lip Therapy Tins because they are a lifesaver and a half.

Vaseline just launched their Lip Therapy Tins that are clinically proven to help heal dry lips and provide long-lasting moisture. I've already been using straight Vaseline as my lip balm whenever I'm at home because it works the best for me, so you can imagine my excitement when they came out with these on-the-go tins! The new packaging is actually inspired by the brand's original packaging from the 1880s so it has an iconic and covetable vibe to it. I just love how chic it is and how perfectly it fits in the palm of your hand!

The new Lip Therapy Tins come in four different variants: The Original Tin--made with 100% pure Vaseline jelly, The Aloe Tin--made with aloe, The Rosy Lips Tin--contains a rose/vanilla/red berry scent and provides a light tint, and The Cocoa Butter Tin--made with cocoa butter and cocoa/vanilla scent. The Lip Therapy formula is non-sticky, non-greasy and spreads on smoothly to soothe those cracked lips. It gives you lips a nice, natural, glossy shine that is non-comedogenic, hypo-allergenic, and non-irritating! You can't get a better formula than that!

How cute is my personalized little tin??? They don't sell these personalized ones in the stores unfortunately but the packaging for all the tins are already so so sooo adorable.

To celebrate the launch of the Lip Therapy Tins, Vaseline sent me this little cake version of the Original Tin! How creative is that? The cake was made by Made in Heaven Cakes and let me tell you, it tasted pretty dang heavenly. :)

Keep your lips moisturized and refreshed this cold and dry winter with Vaseline Lip Therapy Tins! You can pick up your own tins (maybe one of each?) from your local Target, Target.com, and Vaseline.us! I promise you will not be disappointed and your lips will most definitely thank you.

And ps. what are some of YOUR purse essentials?
I love hearing what different people can't leave the house without!

Have an amazing Thursday!

Cheers.

Thanks to Vaseline for sponsoring today's post!

All opinions and my love for this lip product are my own. #VaselineLipTin @VaselineBrand

Overcoming my fear of TAXES...

TAXES. bleahhhhkasljfkjewkorew. That's seriously the sound that comes out of my mouth whenever I hear that word. My eyes glaze over and my mind goes elsewhere whenever my husband brings up the subject. I've even become a pro at avoiding personally doing my taxes until the healthy age of 24. Connor has taken care of that joyful duty the past three years of our marriage and yes, I was one of those people who had their mom do their taxes in college. And I'm not ashamed of it.

Welp. This year I finally decided to suck it up, face my fear, and DO MY OWN TAXES. Yes, Ariel is a big girl now. But with new responsibilities calls the need for extra help, which is where TurboTax steps in! TurboTax has been a HUGE stress reliever this tax season and has helped tax newbies (like me) breeze through the process and even file them early this year--freeing up my time for things that really matter! ;)

I know tax season is the most stressful and least favorite time of the year, but TurboTax is changing all of that with new tools that make it easier than ever to tackle your taxes quickly with confidence. TurboTax is the smarter way to get your #TaxesDone. They combinine technology advancements with sleek, intuitive design to deliver worry-free tax filing, so you can be confident your taxes are done right and you’re getting your maximum tax refund. I feel like doing them right and making sure you get as much as you can back are the two things that stress me out the most when it comes to taxes so I was so relieved with TurboTax assured me those guarantees!

Here are my favorite key features TurboTax has that made the process easier for me:

1) W2 Snap

You know how some banks let you deposit your checks with the snap of a photo? Well TurboTax does a similar thing with your W-2 form! You can snap a picture of your W-2 with your phone or tablet and the information is securely entered into the right forms without hard work and worry. They also securely import W-2s and 1099 forms from more than 1.4 million banks, employers and financial institutions – eliminating the need for data entry.

2. ExplainWhy

ExplainWhy is made for people like me who literally ask "WHY?" about everything. It gives you personalized, bite-sized explanations of the “why” behind your deductions, credits, and tax refund, so you can be confident that you are getting every dollar you deserve. ExplainWhy provides easy-to-understand explanations in certain tax topics where you'd want a clearer understanding of what did or did not impact your tax refund, like changes in filing status, personal info, dependents, EITC, Child Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Care, W-2, and the Affordable Care Act. Taxes can be so confusing so it's nice to have something that makes you easily understand what’s going on with your tax refund.

3. SmartLook

SmartLook is a new feature that connects customers with live TurboTax experts (like a real human being, not a robot) using one-way video technology. Through SmartLook, TurboTax experts answer questions in real time for free so you can complete your return with confidence and ease. You can connect with someone with just a click and don't worry, the video is one-way--as in you can see the agent but they can't see you, aka you don't have to change out of your PJs. It's always helpful to get a second pair of eyes on your return so you never feel alone and lost!

There really is no reason why you shouldn't file your taxes with TurboTax this year! Through mid-March 2016, the 60 million Americans who prepare and file straightforward federal and state tax returns (1040A or 1040EZ) can take advantage of absolutely free federal and state tax filing. $0 fed. $0 state. $0 to file. TurboTax doesn’t charge for things like Earned Income Tax Credit or complying with the healthcare law. They also offer other totally free tax preparation and e-filing options, including: Military One Source and IRS Free File. And with the ever-changing world of technology, TurboTax also offers their services via their mobile app for those of you who are on-the-go all the time! You can start your taxes on your phone, tablet, or computer, take a break and then pick up right where you left off on any other device without skipping a beat!

I used to be terrified of taxes--just thinking about the subject would bring on a headache. Now, I'm not saying I'm totally in love with tax season, but I know I can survive it without sprouting a grey hair. And I'm not gonna lie--it makes me feel pretty empowered (and grown up, ahhhhh). I'm all about life-hacking and making daily tasks easier and shorter so TurboTax is seriously right up my alley. Anything that frees up my time to do better and FUNNER things, I'm all about!

Now that I'm not pacing around stressing out about filing my taxes this year, I'm free to spend my time cuddling up with my fur baby and a nice cup of cocoa to watch all sorts of trashy reality TV. Because that's how my productive time should be spent... ;)

Have a great Thursday, friends!

Cheers.


Thanks to TurboTax for sponsoring today's post!
All opinions and my love for this company are my own. #TaxesDone @TurboTax

Leisure in Logos w/ Gap Factory

Sweater: c/o Gap Factory

Leggings: c/o Gap Factory

Jacket: c/o Gap Factory

Photography by Brittany Ting

How's 2016 treating you all so far?

Today I've teamed up with Gap Factory to help kick off your New Year on the right foot with their comfortable and stylish athleisure wear! Yes, you read that right. Athleisure is athletic and leisure combined and it's quite the perfect marriage. This year I'm hoping to be more productive during the day and I know this might sound silly, but I often feel more motivated to accomplish more, when I'm "athletically-dressed." Does that make sense? When I put on an oversized sweater/hoodie, leggings, and sneakers, I just feel ready to take on my busy day of errands and tasks! I also feel the most like myself when I'm in comfy-wear so it's a win-win, really.

I feel like it's so important to feel comfortable in your clothes if you have a long day ahead of you. There's nothing like regretting wear those jeans that a tad bit too tight and having to endure walking around in them all day. Gap Factory's latest athleisure wear is perfect for everyday wear and comfort! Whether you're grabbing brunch with your bestie or stocking up the pantry at the grocery store, you'll feel cozy while also looking very, very cute. Athleisure is casual style with an extra flair that'll give you that extra spark to dominate your day!

Make sure you check out Gap Factory for all your New Year fashion needs! It's your one-stop shopping destination for hitting the latest trends for an exceptional value.

Cheers!

Thanks to Gap Factory for sponsoring today's post!
All opinions and my love for this company are my own. @GapFactory

New Year's Ready w/ Zappos

Sweater: Free People c/o Zappos

Tank Top: Free People c/o Zappos

Jeans: Free People c/o Zappos

Booties: Cole Haan c/o Zappos

Backpack: Target

Ahhhhh it's New Year's Eve!!!

I feel like I was so caught up with Christmas being over so quickly, I completely overlooked the fact that 2015 is basically OVER! I feel like I was just celebrating 2014 being over?? Oh time, you tricky thing.

With a new year, comes a new need for a new wardrobe, right? It's technically still the holiday season so that means holiday shopping is still totally socially acceptable. As the countdown to midnight begins, we find ourselves overwhelmed with festive gatherings that require new style pieces. Enter Zappos’ Style Room: your one stop shop for looks and brands for every shape, taste, and size! The Style Room is a collection curated just for you--ranging from contemporary, classic, and designer fashion brands. They have everything you need to look stylish and classy--whether you're updating your staple holiday pieces or finding just the right dress and shoes to help ring in 2016!

I used The Style Room to create my outfit for today's look! I really wanted an outfit that made me feel comfortable in my own skin and this look did just that! A pair of black slit-knee jeans and some black ankle-length booties have been on my wish list for a while now so I was so excited to be able to finally add those things to my 2015 wardrobe! I'm also revamping my obsessed with turtleneck and cowl neck sweaters with this cowl neck thermal, that is both adorable and comfy. I feel like 2016 will be a year for new beginnings and self discovery and I'm all about looking fab while doing so.

Zappos has a promise of fast, free shipping, 365 day return policy and the BEST world class customer service. I've ordered multiple times through Zappos and each time I've experience impressive customer service. You can tell they really care about each of their customers having the best shopping experience they can have.

Make sure you check out Zappos' Style Room this new year for your wardrobe makeover. You'll be impressed and obsessed with all the fashion forward pieces they have to make you shine and sparkle this 2016.

Happy New Year, friends!

Cheers.

Thanks to Zappos for sponsoring today's post!
All opinions and my love for this company are my own. #Zapposstyle @Zappos

The Secret to Healthy Hair w/ Living Proof

The thing I get complimented the most about (besides my killer dance moves) is my hair. I've probably gotten every question in the book asked about it. "Is that your real hair?" "Do you wear extensions?" "How does your hair grow so fast?" "How did you get it to be so long?" etc. etc. The question I get asked the most though is: "What's your secret to having such healthy hair?"

I'm going to be vain here for a sec guys. I will proudly admit that I was blessed with an amazing head full of luscious hair. Even though it has a mind of its own sometimes, it never fails to let me down when I want it to look bomb.com. However, my hair is quite the snob when it comes to products. If I use any type of generic, bargain brand of shampoo or conditioner, my hair can instantly feel it the moment I step out of the shower. It gets really tangled, feels really stringy, and gets oily very fast. So because my hair is a high-strung diva, I have to make sure I use top quality products to keep it happy and healthy.

Recently I decided to give Living Proof products a try and guys, my hair totally approves! From its amazing smell to top notch formulas, these babies have become my best kept secret to quality hair care...until now because I'm obviously sharing the secret with you. duh.

I love Living Proof because it caters specifically to your hair type, hair needs, and hair woes. They have a cool Product Selector tool that asks you a bunch of questions about you and your hair and then identifies which products best match your unique hair care needs! After I used the Product Selector tool, it matched me to these products (picture above).

All of these products helped fix any hair issues I had and enhanced the natural health and beauty of my locks. I was so impressed with my instant hair transformation--within a few days of using Living Proof I already noticed a huge difference in how my hair looked and even better, how my hair felt! 

Of all the Living Proof products I use, here are my top favorites:

1) Perfect hair Day (PhD) dry shampoo

Guys, is it sad that I didn't even know what dry shampoo was until I got to college? Why am I so behind on these things? Truth: I HATE washing my hair. It just takes so much time and effort and I'm so laaazzzyyyyyyy. Hence why dry shampoo is my BFF. Of all the dry shampoos I've tried in the past, this Perfect hair Day (PhD, get it? haha) dry shampoo is by far my favorite. Instead of just masking the oil on my roots, it actually cleans my hair. Yep, you read that right. This dry shampoo eliminates oil, sweat, and odor and works on all hair colors because it virtually leaves no visible residue or powdery build-up behind. Still skeptical? Watch THIS VIDEO where a group of Living Proof scientists put this dry shampoo through a "torture test!"

2) restore conditioner

Conditioner is probably my favorite product I put in my hair (whenever I get around to actually washing it). I just love how good my hair feels right after I rinse it out--I know, I'm weird. I've noticed though with some conditioners I use--whenever I apply it on my hair, I have the hardest time combing it through with my fingers. Instead of "conditioning" my hair and detangling it, I end up ripping out gobs of hair just trying to apply it "root to tip." This restore conditioner detangles my hair as I apply it (hallelujah)! It also restores the moisture levels of my hair back to that of healthy, undamaged hair! It's also color safe, sulfate-free, silicone-free, and oil-free. Woohoo!

3) style | lab satin hair serum

With all the curling, straightening, and color-dying I do to my hair, I'm pretty sure my ends want to murder me. They get disgustingly dry and frizzy--especially during the winter. This satin hair serum provides the smoothest hair possible and instant frizz protection. I just apply it to damp hair (avoiding the roots), blow dry, and voila! Instant smoothness. It also adds shine, movement and softness. It honestly makes my ends feel the way they do right after a haircut: healthy and fresh!

So there you have it! The answer to the infamous question about my hair.

Living Proof is the secret to my healthy hair. :)

I encourage you guys to set out on your own hair transformation to discover #YourBestHair with Living Proof! Use the Product Selector tool to see which products you are matched, give them a try, and brace yourself for a true hair transformation. Living Proof has beauty down to a science and your hair will be the living proof.

Have a fabulous {hair} day, guys!

ps. If you haven't yet, be sure to check out my latest Fall Clothing Haul + Try On video HERE!

Cheers.

Thanks to Living Proof for sponsoring today's post!

All opinions and my love for these hair products are my own. #YourBestHair @livingproofinc