How to: Gel Nails

Many of you have probably heard of gel nails. Essentially you are able to paint your nails with a stronger nail polish that won't chip as easily. If you are someone who always has to have their nails done, but who doesn't want to spend a lot of money going to a nail salon, investing in a gel nails at home kit would be something to look at.

I currently use the gelish brand UV light (shown above) and it works perfectly! I know many UV lights can be pretty pricey, but look at some local nail shops/beauty shops and you might find some really good deals!

 Make sure to get a base coat and a top coat for your nails as it helps strengthen your nail polish and helps it last longer. However if you decide to get the Gelaze brand, the color nail polish doubles as a base coat so you'd only need the top coat! :)

 So basically its incredibly simple. Just apply the base coat/foundation coat and put your nails under the UV light and press the button until the light turns off. And repeat those steps with the color  polish and the top coat and voila, you're finished!

So what do you think about gel nails? I absolutely love them :) They should last about 3 or more weeks, however you need to get them wet as little as possible to help them last longer. Wear gloves while washing the dishes and don't go swimming everyday and they should last you a long time! Tell me what your experiences are with gel nails, and what else you would like seeing on my blog!

Vacation: Bear Lake

This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to stay in a summer lake house with my family at Bear Lake. For those of you who have never been there/ never heard of it, let me just tell you, it is GORGEOUS! I have never seen a lake so blue and have never been able to have such a great view of one.

And yes, the lake really is that blue! I was absolutely blown away by the view. And not only was the water beautiful, but the neighboring cabins were just adorable! My Dad and I went for a long walk enjoying the view. 

The next day we spent hours swimming at the lake, and I was surprised at how clear the water was! I could go as far out as I could and I was always able to see the bottom clearly. 

I wish I would've taken a better picture of how clear the water is, but I hope you can kind of tell from the picture above.

I am super happy I was able to enjoy a weekend at this beautiful place! Whatever your summer is like, I suggest you take loads of pictures because half the fun of amazing summer adventures is reminiscing with friends and family as you flip through photos in the future!

Peace out my lovelies!

*side note* I just saw a beautiful rainbow after it just sprinkled for a bit so I had to put this in here! Please view the full image to see it better cause Im too lazy to resize it now sorry, haha

July Favorites

So it's about the end of July and I've gotta say I've had an amazing month! I'm kind of dreading the start of school in August, but I will probably be doing some back to school posts, so look forward to those! Here are just the top 5 things I've been enjoying this month that I've decided to share with you. :) So lets get started.

#5 Not Your Mother's Sea Salt Spray

Since I've cut my hair, I've been using this spray a lot! I know beach spray on some people actually makes their hair slightly wavy, but not on my hair at all... However I use this spray as it adds a lot of texture and volume to my normally flat hair. So if you have very fine hair like I do, sea salt spray may add some volume you need! (As an added plus, the smell is absolutely amazing, like a coconut paradise)

 #4 Physicians Formula Blush - Rose

So this isn't the best blush in the world, however for the price it is quite good! I find that it has been the perfect color on my skin. I normally blend the darker sections (right half) rather than the lighter side. I've been using this for a while now and it's been staple in my makeup routine for this month! 

#3 Buxom Darkest Black Mascara 

Ok I can not get over how much I absolutely love Buxom mascara. It lengthens and seperates my lashes to perfection! I'm a fan of the fanned out seperated lashes more than the clunky kind, so this mascara was and is perfect for my everyday routine! And as a bonus it is only $19.00 vs the other competing brands that are like $25 or more! I highly recommend this brand. (Also the lip glosses are TO DIE FOR. I'll have to have a whole different post about those because they are just, amazing)

#2 Jamba Juice

Ok Jamba Juice has seriously become my best friend this month. It's healthy and delicious, what more can a girl ask for? I know there are a lot of us who don't like spending a lot of money (*cough* like me *cough) so I've also been just making my own smoothies and shakes, but really Jamba Juice has me beat and I still go there for an extra healthy treat sometimes! 

 #1 My New Pet Budgie

This is Piko, we got him about two weeks ago! Let me tell you, he is absolutely adorable! I am in love with him already... Who am I kidding I was in love with him from the moment I first laid eyes on him. I've made sure to play with him for over an hour a day to make our bond strong and keep him from getting too bored as we don't have a second budgie and these birds love company! Perhaps someday we will find him a partner, but for now I am focusing on getting his love and trust as I am learning more about him and budgies in general! 

So what has been your favorite thing(s) this month? And have you tried any of the products I use? Let me know in the comments below. :)