savageblondeblog
savageblondeblog
Savage Blonde
9 posts
Just a blonde discussing things. Savagely.
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savageblondeblog · 8 years ago
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May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so let’s talk about sunscreen.
I wear sunscreen every day of my life. Every. Single. Day. In cloudy weather, in rain, indoors, in any condition. I do this for multiple reasons, but the biggest is that I had a pre-cancerous, mutated mole removed when I was about 18. Left untreated, it would have become cancerous. That’s as close as I want to get to skin cancer. Frankly, if I get a slight tan from being outdoors, I consider that a tiny failure. In my diligent war against any further sun damage, I have tried a lot of sunscreen. Over the years, I’ve found a few great products and learned some secrets along the way.
Before I settled on the products I currently use, I had a hard time with sunscreen. I have very sensitive skin, and I have experienced some reactions to quite a few different sunscreens. Most commonly my face would burn when I applied certain products to it. Case in point: Kiss My Face facial sunscreen. It made my skin so uncomfortable that I had to immediately wash it off. I’ve become very cautious about what I will apply to my face.
I just discovered Kypris Pot of Shade: Heliotropic Sunscreen and Primer. It is a zinc based sunscreen, moisturizer, and primer all in one, with the added benefit of being completely organic. I’ve being using it every morning for about a month and I’m obsessed with it.
Before I began using the Kypris Pot of Shade, I wore La Roche Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Facial Sunscreen Fluid for years. It was recommended to me by an esthetician, who told me that products with added SPF would clog my pores.  I followed her advice since. Kypris Pot of Shade is the first product I’ve used in years that was a multi-tasker with SPF. The only reason I took the plunge was because it was organic, does not have any oil based ingredients, and the active sunscreen in it is zinc. Zinc is such an effective, non-irritating sunscreen.
I also like to use zinc based sunscreen for my body, even though you have to work to rub it in. Neutrogena just came out with Zinc Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen in SPF50. I’ve tried it once and it did the job. I also use Bare Republic SPF 50 Mineral Body Lotion. Both are white and will leave a white film if you don’t spend some time working it into your skin. I find that all more natural, mineral sunscreens never truly absorb into your skin, which is such a bummer. The only sunscreen that I’ve ever used that melted into my skin with no effort is La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Face and Body Melt In Sunscreen Milk. But, it has avobenzone in it. 
Avobenzone is a problem for a number of reasons. The first is that recently, new research has shown that avobenzone degrades in the sun and releases free radicals, increasing your chances of skin cancer and skin sensitivities to it.  Secondly, avobenzone stains clothes when they become wet, which I found about last year. I wore a white linen shirt after applying La Roche Posay Anthelios Sunscreen Milk, and when I washed said shirt, a rust colored stain developed on my sleeves. Through a lot of research, I found out the best way to remove these stains is to soak the garment in an oxygen based stain lifter (like OxiClean). My stains never totally came out. Now I check the label on all the sunscreen I buy.
When I’m looking at new sunscreens to try, I now make sure that the main active ingredients are mineral based, i.e. zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, and. I also make sure there’s no avobenzone,  oxybenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, and octinoxate. Finally, it should be labeled as broad-spectrum, paraben free, fragrance free, and suitable for sensitive skin.
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savageblondeblog · 9 years ago
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I know you don’t get this outfit. It’s not for you.
LADIES,
Have you ever spent your normal hour or so (no judgment here) getting ready, knew your outfit was amazing,  and approached your significant other ready to go wherever you’re going, only to have him say something along the lines of, “That’s what you’re wearing?”
Yes, this is what I’m wearing. I know you don’t get this outfit. It’s not for you.
This happened to me repeatedly a few summers ago over a pair of cutoff shorts. My husband cleaned out his closet, and cast aside a few pairs of well worn jeans. I took one pair and made them into cutoff shorts for myself. I LOVED them. Even my mother loved them. They were the perfect slouchy boyfriend fit, already perfectly worn and soft. My husband HATED them. I was oblivious to this.
I wore these shorts everywhere for months. At least once per week. Then one night in August, as I was getting ready to go meet some of our friends, my husband sees me in the shorts and says, “Are you wearing those?” Which was followed by this exchange:
Me: Yeah, why?
Husband: Just don’t wear those.
Me: Why?
Husband: You have so many other nicer clothes.
Me: We’re just going to Saint Street Inn.
Husband: I just hate those shorts.
Me: WHAT?!
Husband: I really don’t like those shorts.
Me: But I wear them all the time.
Husband: I KNOW.
It was like taking a bullet. I could not believe he hated my shorts. I told him, “You don’t understand. Do you know how much shorts just like these sell for?” He did not understand. He did not care. He hated the shorts. I wore them anyway. It was a very liberating experience. Especially when I told him the shorts were not for him. They were for everyone else who “got” the shorts.
For most of my life, I have dressed for other women. When I was a child, it was for my mother and grandmother. As an unpopular, awkward preteen, it was for evil vipers of girls to think that I, too, could possibly cool. However, as a teenager, it was mostly for my existing friends to appreciate. Occasionally, I dressed for a male. But these instances have been few and far between.
Currently, I dress for myself, but also for kindred spirits to connect with and recognize something in an outfit that they relate with or respect. I still want women that I think are cool to look at my ensemble and think, “I like the way she put that together. I get it.” These are who I wore the shorts for.
When I’m out and about, and I really like and appreciate something that someone is wearing, I try to let them know because they may have had to tell their significant other, or mother, or roommate, that their outfit was not for them. It was totally for me.
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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Why I gave up on the bikini.
I have not bought a bikini in two years. I only own one, and it took me a lot of heartache and fitting room meltdowns to find. It's not that I think I look horrible in bikinis and shouldn't be seen in public in one - it's that I'm just SO TIRED of them. 
Since I hit puberty, until about age 24, all I wore were bikinis. Every girl I knew wore bikinis. I remember one of my friends complaining in high school because she was a lifeguard and HAD to wear one-pieces, and it was "messing up her tan." I've never had a tan in my life that wasn't shellacked on. 
But something happened right around the time I went to law school. I started buying one-pieces. Why? A number of reasons. I got tired of hunting down a large top and a medium bottom at Target. Even though I'm a size 2/4, I'm a bit curvy and everything would hang out if I didn't size up. Not to mention all the times I nearly lost my top when I dove into a pool or got hit by a wave at the beach.
There was also the sunscreen problems that bikinis pose. I am fair, I have to dip myself in sunscreen a la Charlize Theron's weird milk bath in Snow White and the Huntsman before leaving the house. Bikinis mean more surface area to potentially be burned, as well as more edges that rub off sunscreen. This factor is what drove me initially to one-pieces.
And then I tried a few on. What no one tells you is that a one-piece sculpts you while still being comfortable. It also creates a long line that makes you look taller. I feel like a lady in a one-piece. They're more flattering, and I've come to think more chic as well. 
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(source laceeswan.com)
Seriously, how do you look more chic than that?
However, I do understand that the above image is lacking some of the sex appeal people like to bring to the beach. Fair enough. Let me introduce you to the current one-piece I'm obsessing over. It's actually kind of famous: the J.Crew Scoopback Tank.
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(source J.Crew)
This swimsuit is actually a little miracle. Last August, Jenni Avins wrote an open letter to J.Crew pleading with the company to bring back this swimsuit, extolling it's perfectness and virtues.The magnanimous Jenna Lyons took note, bringing the suit back this year. I encourage you to read it. Avins's letter completely explains the beauty of this suit: flattering, unlined, timeless, durable. It's the swimsuit I've dreamed of, perfect for all body types. And just when you think it could be a little more provocative...
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(source J.Crew)
BAM, it's low cut in the back. At $88.00, it is more than I would want to spend on a bathing suit. Maybe I'll wait for a sale. Maybe I won't. Summer will be gone before you know it. And so will this suit.
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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via Pinterest *Dressed
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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Girl, I like your style.
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I've known the indelible Catherine Guidry for about two years. My husband and I hired her as our wedding photographer. Out of all the photographers in this area, I chose Catherine because her work was unique, it was modern. It didn't look like every other wedding portfolio, with the same ubiquitous poses. 
The first time I met Catherine, she had just cut her hair short and colored it blonde. She was wearing a black shift dress. Two years later, I now know how "un-Catherine" that dress was. When I brought this up to her recently, she told me that she used to be so worried about what people would think that she would dress uber conservative. "I always wore black to meet clients for the first time, so they'd know that's what I'd wear to photograph their wedding," Catherine told me over coffee at the Lab. When I asked her what her style philosophy is now, she shared with me that she wanted to "portray myself as I feel."
That day when I met Catherine for coffee, she was dressed in a very cute, floral printed crepe tank with chiffon trim, skinny jeans, and delicate sandals with gold hardware. Catherine accented her outfit with a gold wire wrapped clear gem pendant on a long chain, a menswear watch, and pearl stud earrings. She wore her hair down, tucked behind her ears. Her eyelids were awash with a light pink shadow, which gave her whole face a rosy glow. A very "Catherine" look, I must say.
"I want my look to match my portfolio," she told me. When I pressed her to describe her portfolio, Catherine responded, "Natural, airy, soft." I told her she had just described her outfit of the day. Goal accomplished.
Style-wise, Catherine's current must have is her Jillian camel colored oxfords from Frye shoes. She loves them for shoots, as they go with almost any outfit, are comfortable, and keep bugs from biting her feet outdoors. She also subscribes to Stitch Fix, a monthly styling service that sends you five items of clothing customized to your preferences. Catherine is in love. She regularly buys at least three things a month, but bought all five this past month. When I asked Catherine if she looked forward to getting her shipment, she responded, "It's like Christmas every month!"
Speaking of monthly services, Catherine also has a current subscription to Birchbox. It has introduced her to two of her favorite products - coola matte facial sunscreen, and ybf face primer. "This primer makes your skin feel like velvet," Catherine raved.
Of course, Catherine and I couldn't have a discussion about style without talking about her ongoing hair transformation. Since I first met her right after the big chop two years ago, Catherine has been growing her hair out and trying new styles.
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"I'll never cut it that short again. I'm glad I did, but I'll never do it again," she declared. Catherine lamented that her short hair never looked good unless she washed and styled it every day. Sigh. We've lost another girl to long hair. But, the blonde color definitely stays. "My happiest memories are from when I was blonde." That's the best reason I've ever heard to keep a hair color. 
Shop Catherine's style and beauty picks below:
Stitch Fix
Birchbox
Jillian Oxfords
ybf Perfect Prep Face Primer
Coola FACE SPF 30 cucumber matte finish
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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Obligatory Wardrobe Editing Post
It's that time of year. With Summer right around the corner, a closet update just makes sense. Out with the old, in with the new.
Because I’m in the process of moving right now, I have a lot to share about editing your wardrobe. Nothing will motivate you to get rid of things more than the thought of having to pack and move them.
I have read a lot of articles about cleaning out your closet and tried a good amount of the tips and tricks that are regularly suggested. Here’s my general principles for editing your closet.
I really hate the “turn your hangers around and once you wear something, place it back in its original direction” method. I like instant gratification, and this takes a good month to really work. And let’s face it, you know what you wear. Instead, I like to look at each individual piece and ask myself when I bought it, do I know how often I’ve worn it since then, and when was the last time I wore it. Everyone has a lot of perfectly good pieces in their closet that they just don’t wear. You constantly skip over it in favor of something else, not because you hate it, but because you like other pieces more. GET RID OF THESE. These are the hardest items to let go for me, but they need to go. Life is too short to hang onto the mediocre.
I, like many others, have been guilty of hanging on to clothes that don’t fit quite right in the hopes that I’ll lose weight. Hell, I once bought two sizes of one skirt and held onto both for 3 months because I was going on a diet and thought I’d lose weight. Guess what? I did not lose weight. If a piece holds sentimental value for you and you just can’t bear to part with it, that’s one thing. But hanging onto things you can’t fit into is just self-abuse. Let them go. If you do lose weight, there will be lots of new, better clothes to buy. If you don’t, who cares? Buy some clothes anyway. It's also worth saying that you can save a lot of pieces with a good tailor. I'm pear shaped, so I regularly have to take in the tops of shift dresses to accommodate my ample hip/bum region.
Speaking of clothes that don’t fit right, GET RID OF ANYTHING UNCOMFORTABLE. This mostly applies to shoes, but is applicable to some clothing. I have a shoe addiction, and I have owned some really painful shoes in my day. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve damaged some nerves in a few of my toes because they randomly go numb. I know that heels are generally not comfortable. But if it’s so painful that you’re sitting instead of standing to socialize or dance, or dreading the walk to the bathroom, don’t wear it. I’m pretty dedicated to fashion, but I’m not that dedicated.
On a few occasions, I’ve encountered some advice in wardrobe editing that suggests determining what you want your overall look to be and getting rid of anything that doesn’t conform to that. I think this is complete and utter BULLSHIT. My concept of myself changes daily. Some days I wake up and think, “I just want to look like a lady.” Other days, I can’t stand the thought of a dress and go complete tomboy. Or I want to wear nothing but billowing silk so that I look like a floating fairy. And, you know what? It is my right as a woman to be ever evolving. That’s the point of fashion. Every day you can express yourself through what you chose to adorn yourself with. So go ahead and keep those wide legged pants or frilly dress that you only pull out once every few weeks. If it enables you to be the person you want to be that day, wear it.
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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Fall 2014 Denim Trend: Classic Cool
Photo by Katrina Dickson
Wildfox’s cotton denim boyfriend jeans worn with A.P.C.’s linen and cotton blazer and Levi’s cotton shirt. Jennifer Meyer jewelry.
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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Fall 2014 Denim Trend: Classic Cool
Photo by Katrina Dickson
Raleigh Denim Workshop’s cotton, polyester and elasterell denim jeans worn with Jenni Kayne’s acetate and polyethylene blazer and cotton shirt. Bed|Stu brogues.
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savageblondeblog · 11 years ago
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The Holy Grail of Beauty
Like King Arthur and Indiana Jones, we have all been searching for the Holy Grail of Beauty - the one product that does it all. Reduces oil, shrinks pores, evens skin tone, clears up acne, and just gives you that overall glowy, healthy look.
I have searched cosmetics aisles far and wide, through multiple states. When the internet became the way to shop for all your product needs, I visited every single beauty and cosmetics site in existence. I thought I was looking for a face wash, an exfoliator, maybe a cream or a gel. But I was dead wrong. LADIES, (and heavy grooming gentlemen), the Holy Grail of Beauty is...
THE CLARISONIC.
I know. You’ve probably heard about it, but never felt like spending over a hundred dollars for it. SPEND IT. It’s worth it. This little miracle machine vibrates the dirt right out of your pores. It’s wonderful. It is the best beauty investment I have ever made. Starting at $99, the system is an investment. But think of all the products you’ve bought and gotten no results from. You will never do that again.
My Clarisonic Mia changed my entire face. I would post a pic of my pores, but I’m trying to make this blog classy. You will break out for about 2 weeks once you start using it. But that’s just years of gunk being forced out. After about 3 weeks, it’s like the heavens open and shine a heavenly light on your face.
You can get these little beauties in town at Ulta or Sephora. A lot of spas and dermatologists offices also sell them. They come in so many colors and models, you’re sure to find your fave.
Clarisonic
Sephora
Ulta
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