Mariana Jewelry

Creating jewelry since 1997, the artist and jewelry designer has been creating amazing pieces using bold colors mixed with different textures. Know for her amazing pieces all over the world, you can find Mariana Jewelry on several different websites, including The Lamp Stand. Stock up on great jewelry fashions including Mariana Necklaces, Mariana Bracelets, Mariana Earrings, and beautiful Mariana Pendants. 

photo credit: www.amazon.com

Jewelry makes a great addition to any wardrobe! Here are some fun tips on wearing different jewelry pieces. Try to pair great jewelry pieces that coordinate with your outfit. If you are wearing a neutral colored outfit, than you will want to choose something bright and colorful, like pictured above. Choose a long necklace to elongate your neckline, creating a long lean slender look. If you are looking for an elegant look go for just one classic piece of jewelry. 

photo credit to The Scoop La

http://thescoopla.com/1814/mariannas-jewelry-featured-at-exotifits-1st-anniversary-sept-7th

As quoted on Oprah "When shopping for earrings, you should always consider the shape of your face: Pendants look best when your face is a round or square. Studs, buttons and short drop earrings offset a long or oval face. Hoops are always a good choice." Find great Mariana Jewelry pieces today and start adding to your jewelry collection. 

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/style/How-to-Accessorize-and-Shop-for-Jewelry#ixzz2MDKTG436

A Massage Relaxes my Body and Mind

As most of you know, I'm all about skin care, beauty, and taking care of myself. This is evident in the several blog postings I write about DIY beauty products that can be made at home. Almost everything that is bought in the store when it comes to skin care can be made at home for cheaper AND with a lot healthier ingredients.

There are of course, as with everything, a few exceptions. One of these is massage. This is something that I go and get done about every other week. Getting a regular massage is one of the best things that I can do for my body AND my mind, believe it or not! I feel so relaxed after I get a massage at my go-to day spa in Orange County. I can feel relaxation take over my mind and body. I am less tense, less stressed, and have so much more energy when I keep up with a regular massage schedule. It decreases the toxins in my body and helps to alleviate stress.

Homemade Eye Cream

As most of you know, I'm all about using homemade and natural products. I've learned more than I wanted to about some ingredients that they put in creams and products that they sell in stores.

You need only TWO ingredients to make this fantastic eye cream and you will see so many benefits to it! It's also a lot less expensive than the creams available in the stores. Plus, you know what is in it!

Vitamin E is an essential part of skin care. It is an antioxidant (it protects the skin from UV light, pollution, drugs, and other free radicals that damage skin cells). It also plays a role in anti-aging by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamine E also reduces stretch marks and age spots. It's practically magical!

Find a small jar (about an ounce). Fill it with coconut oil and warm it in the microwave for a couple of seconds until it is liquid. Take three vitamin E capsules and poke a hole in them to release the liquid in them and pour into the melted coconut oil. Use a toothpick to stir the mixture together and place into the refrigerator until it is solid again!

Hot, Trendy Plus Size Prom Dresses

Photo Credit: Seventeen Magazine

Kiki Palmer

http://www.seventeen.com/parties/prom/celebrity-prom-dresses#slide-29

Check out some of the hottest trends hitting Seventeen Magazine in 2013. You can find hot and trendy plus size dresses at Pacific Plex that are celebrity inspired.  Your body type should not restrict you from getting hot prom dresses in the latest styles and fashions. Whether you are a size extra small or a size 3X Pacific Plex has you covered. Check out these look a like dresses {see below} similar to the one above worn by Kiki Palmer. 

Pacific Plex offers plus size prom dresses that are celebrity inspired, so you too can look like the stars. Make a killer entrance in these stunning beaded and taffeta bubble mini dresses. 

Prom is something that I remember looking forward too. My mom and three sisters {lots of opinions} took me shopping and I tried on several dresses until I found " THE ONE"! I bought all the accessories like shoes, and jewelry. My friends and I than hit the local tanning salon and got a nice golden tan! Don't forget to make your appointment to get your hair done, {this was my favorite part!!} there are plenty of salon's that provide great up-do's. Check out Seventeen Magazine's "Find Your Perfect Prom Hairstyle". My friends and I made so many great memories that night. Happy Prom Shopping to you!!

Use a Primer to Keep Your Foundation on All Day Long

One of the most important things to remember about foundation application is not in the actual foundation itself. Are you surprised? I sure was when I first heard this. And then I tested out this theory because I was quite surprised and shocked, and I'll admit that I didn't believe it at first.

I tried this fix and perfect primer by Rimmel at first because it's inexpensive--I got it for less than $8 at Ulta! I didn't want to try something from a department store until I knew that I liked using primer. I tried this for one week and I couldn't believe the difference as to how my face looked after a day of work, errands, and more! It even lasted all night when we went out for drinks last weekend. I love that when I use this, it looks like my foundation is fresh all night long. I topped the primer with Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup, which is the foundation that I usually use. Give the primer a try and see what you think--if you don't like it, what do you have to lose?

Discounted Coach Handbags

I am beaming in excitement after finding Discounted Coach Handbags online that guarantee that all of their Coach products are 100% authentic.Coach is an amazing high end American brand of leather goods. Their quality of bags is outstanding. All of the Coach designer handbags are made of Italian leathers, and the finest grains. They come in a wide variety of sizes styles and prints.

The fashionista in me wants to buy one to match every outfit!! ha ha  The Coach handbags are trendy and have a very upscale image. The Coach Trademark is the logo "C" on all of the Coach handbag collections. Now we all can own a Coach bag thanks to this great site that offers them at a fraction of the regular cost. You too can look like the stars with a discounted Coach Handbag. Get a fun purse holder from Amazon.

A Mask for a Healthy Glow

Everybody strives for skin that glows. I'm not talking about that nasty "glow" that you get at the gym. I'm talking about a beautiful, natural-looking glow, much like this:

See how natural and beautiful this looks? Now this is the part where I tell you how you can do this. It's SUPER easy and cheap, and you're going to love it! Hopefully you have the ingredients right in your own home. This is super natural and is great because there are no nasty preservatives of harsh chemicals.

Take two teaspoons of lemon juice and two teaspoons of honey and mix together well into a small cup or dish. Steam your face to open up your pores. You can do this by taking a long hot shower. Apply the mixture onto your face. Massage onto your face and leave it for twenty minutes. Wash off with warm water and you're done!

Easy to Make Eye Make Up Remover

I love trying out fun new ways to put my make up on. I have different day and night looks and it's fun to try out new color combinations and new techniques. Make up can be so fun to put on! I wish it were that fun to take off...

I spend a lot of time each night taking the make up off of my face. This is very important to do because it's not good for your skin to have make up on it all the time. I was once told that each night you go to bed without taking your eye make up off, it adds thirteen days to the age of your skin. That doesn't seem like too long but it sure would add up quickly!

I found a recipe for an easy to make eye make up remover and it works great. It's easy to make and it saves so much time at night because my eye make up comes right off with this great, homemade product. I had a 3 fl. oz. travel container with a flip top lid that I used to store my make up remover.  I added 1 oz.( 2 Tbsp.) olive oil, 1 oz. (2 Tbsp.) baby shampoo (tear free), and 1 oz. (2 Tbsp.) water. Shake it up and put some on a cotton ball or cotton round and see just how easy it is to get your face clean at the end of the day! Your skin will thank you. :) 

Wedding Rings Orange County Has The Best Bling

What does a bride in the twenty first century want? Bling, and lots of it. As shallow as that may seem it is the truth. I don't want to say that all brides want big bling, but many do along with an extravagant wedding. It's fun to watch wedding shows such as "Say Yes to The Dress" on TLC and  "My Fair Wedding" on WeTv, which are my two personal favorites, and get ideas. I also love to flip through gossip magazines to find out the latest on engagements and weddings and drool over their big diamonds.

These shows and celebrity weddings are my inspiration to piecing together my own personal wedding. There have been lots of celebrity engagements lately and I'm a big fan of Blake Lively's oval shaped rock. It's so stunning, unique and beautiful (I'm a big fan of round shaped engagement rings)

I also LOVE Kelly Clarkson's yellow diamond engagement ring, soooo pretty! Colored diamonds are really trending and I'm a big fan. I'm especially fond of yellow diamonds because of how chic and classy they look. Wedding rings orange county has a large selection of colored diamonds including sapphire  ruby and emeralds. There is something so beautiful about a colored diamond. 

How to Get the "Gunk" off of Your Curling Iron or Straightener

Do you ever get a nice build-up of "gunk" on your hair appliances? This happens on both my straightener and curling iron. I have a bad habit of using a lot of hair product when styling my hair and and the hair appliances take the brunt of it all.

Instead of waiting for the build-up to get so overwhelming that eventually the appliance just needs to be thrown away and I need to buy a new one---what a pain! I found an amazing way to clean the gunk off, and this is very easy and inexpensive!

Create a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide until it forms a paste. Rub it onto the appliance with your fingers and use a paper towel to wipe it off. Leave it on for a little while if there are a lot of trouble spots.

I Can't Get Enough Of Black Handbags Online

It's safe to say that Spring is finally on it's way and you know what that means ... flowers, bright colored tops, printed dresses and flats. This Spring is all about neon colors, graphic prints, metallics, and classic floral prints. Not going on a spring break trip this year is giving me an excuse to shop online and buy spring clothing, just because I feel bad for myself. (good excuse, right?)
Let's just say things have gotten a little out of hand online shopping. I found so many cute black handbags online that I bought 3 of them, yes not even kidding 3 at one time! I think I may have gone a bit overboard?  nahhh! Along with three handbags I purchased a pair of skinny jeans, colored blazer, and designer flats (shown in pic above). The winter blues got me thinking of spring fashion and I just couldn't resist. Can't get enough of Spring 2013 fashion? Follow the link to peak through Elle's Fashion Week 2013!

Foods that Hurt and Help Your Skin

I was browsing around on Pinterest this morning and I came across this fantastic pin. I re-pinned it right away (for those of you who aren't on Pinterest, you probably think that I'm talking jibberish and that I'm crazy.)

It's a chart illustrating the foods that are both beneficial and harmful to skin, and I hadn't realized how much of an impact that foods have on skin. So is it really true...you are what you eat? You decide!

Food that helps fight bacteria which can reduce acne includes fatty acids (salmon, cod, flax seed, and almonds), whole grains (brown rice, wild rice, barley, whole-grain bread), vitamin B6 (cauliflower, walnuts, avocado, sunflower seeds) and any fruit! There can be some amazing snacks and meals from these foods, and putting them into the diet can be super easy.

Things to avoid include caffeine, sugary foods, processed foods, and greasy foods. Not only can these have adverse effects on the skin, but on the body, too!

Valentine's Jewels

 For Valentines Day I always get jewelry. My husband loves to get me jewelry because he knows my taste well and it makes me happy. I discovered a new necklace I wanted so what I do to help him is send him a couple links to pieces I like then he gets to choose from a few things he knows I will love. 

Lately I have fallen in love with the Mariana Jewelry line. This jewelry line typically has a limited supply of each piece so it won't be on everyone else I meet. All pieces are Nickel free and made with special hand cut gem stones. These are combined with fabric beads and crystals. Some of the Swarovski Crystals are up to 100 years old and each piece has a lifetime guarantee. My new necklace will look great forever!

An Easy Way to Clean Your Make-Up Brushes

I make sure that I regularly clean out my make-up brushes. There is so much make-up that can get built up in the brush, which of course makes for a ton of bacteria and build-up...eww!

Put a tablespoon of white vinegar into a cup of hot water. Place the brush (or brushes) in the mixture for twenty minutes. Rinse under hot water after the soak and then rinse once with cold water. Pat dry into a paper towel or towel. That's it! How easy does that sound?

This will disinfect the brushes as well as get the grease, film, and it's super inexpensive. You are going to be shocked by the amount of "gunk" that you see remaining in the water!

A Handy Way to Hold Nail Polish

I love to paint my nails. I have quite the collection of nail polish and I love to frequently change up the color, pattern and texture (latest obsession: matte nails). I came across this awesome product on Wanelo (it's like Pinterest, but you can buy everything right from this site!).

It makes this painting my nails so much easier. This can also save me so much time and money because how many times have I spilled the nail polish and not only wasted the bottle but had to clean it up? This keeps the nail polish in an accessible place and within reach. I love that it can't spill!

If you're not a member of Wanelo, you should join. It's an amazing site, but I'm warning you--it's addicting!

A Fun, DIY Make-Up Board

I love finding cute ways to organize and hold my make-up and I feel like I really hit the jackpot with this one! This is a make-up board that can hang on the wall next to your vanity, in your bathroom on your wall, or hanging near a make-up table in a walk-in closet or in your bedroom. All you need is a frame from the dollar store, a metal board from Ace Hardware (or another hardware store of your choosing),  some spray paint, and some magnets that can be cut to size.

Spray paint the metal board and frame, and attach to the wall (however you usually hang things, I prefer nails). Cut the magnets to size for the make-up products and attach them. When they are ready and finished, you are able to remove them with ease. This also saves time from digging around in my make-up bag looking for what I need!

How to Naturally Unclog Your Ears

I'm apologize in advance, but today's post is kind of "yucky." Ear wax is plain gross, but it's definitely a reality. 

Using Q-Tips can be so bad for you! There are many dangers to sticking objects in your ears. It can perforate your ear drum and even cause permanent ear damage and affect hearing. However, if you don't get the ear wax out, it can cause blockage and also impair hearing.

I found this amazing solution for naturally cleaning your ears. Follow the link for complete instructions and see what a difference this can make! I had used hydrogen peroxide because I always have it on hand (it makes for an AMAZING house cleaner). I got SO much build-up out of my ears and I can't believe all of that was in there!