Today's post is for any mother who has a DIVA 👑, aka a mini me, a fashionista, or a beach babe....

My friend Chandra 💜, who I have known since early high school years, partnered up with a team who created their own little girls (sizes 2T-14) resort-style, trendy, surfy, beachwear clothing & swim line.

B O W I E x J A M E S

I distinctly remember watching her on social media launch her business back in 2013, when I had a newborn in my arms, and I had to wait a a few years before I could get Scarlett in this adorable line!

 

You guys... the designs, are like nothing you will find anywhere else... seriously, I begg'd Chandra to create these suits in my size! For reels.  One pieces, mix and match bikinis, tank-kinis, reversible bottoms and everything is ADJUSTABLE. Exactly what I need during Scarlett's random growth spurts. Quality is on par with what you would want for your own quality swimwear.

As for sizing.. starts of at 2/3T, 4/5T, 6/7 etc. and then upwards. If your daughter is in between sizes, then I recommend you go up a size. Scarlett is wearing a 4/5T in all pictures.

Oh and can we talk about how cute the tags are? Every purchase comes with a tag secured by a complimentary PuraVida Bracelet!

And, because Chandra is such a doll, she is offering all of my friends a discount on your order!! You can order anything online(Check sale section too) via their adorable website HERE, and use code: SCARLETT for an extra 20% off. Free shipping on all orders $100+. If you are local in San Diego, you should also check out their local shop in Leucadia! Scarlett and I played dress up there for hours!

...And the tassels on this dress? 💜

Worth it, I promise! We've all had that moment when you are at the beach.. and then that random family sits right next to you, with their daughter wearing that same suit your daughter has on. 🙈(yep, Target will get ya like that)!

Please check out their Instagram Shop too! @BowieJamesSwim

You're Welcome,
xoxo
Kelly

The Maui Babe Days

I am born and raised in a beautiful sleepy surf town in sunny San Diego. My dad is from Hawaii. My mom, grew up on the East Coast in various cities and vowed never to live in snow again. Needless to say my childhood was spent outside on our local beaches or visiting Hawaii or other tropical places growing up.

Some of my greatest memories are my teenage years.... my mom would drop me off at Moonlight Beach every day each summer, with about $3 for lunch. $1 of it went towards a giant slice of pizza from Manhattan Pizza joint and the other $2 were spent on candy and slur-pees at 7-11 up the street. Those were the days.....

I used to hang out right below this cliff in the middle of the pic. So all the surfer boys who parked up top to "check the waves" would also check us out. US girls thought we were so smart to lay out in front of the cliff and pretend like we didn't notice uptop.

Back then, I didn't need a beach bag. My only accessories to my bikini and flip flops was Maui Babe tanning lotion and a towel.  It was COOL to be tan... the "blacker" the better. I wanted to look exotic. That was cool in high school.  Know what wasn't? Sunscreen... or God forbid... a HAT! I would slather this goodness on and with the help of the sun, transform into an exotic babe(at least I thought so lol).

Circa 2003, my brother Kevin and I in Hawaii

Fast Forward to my twenties... nothing changed. College spring break trips, graduation vacations and many other family vacations to beaches confirmed that I was a sun-worshiper. My mom was a sun-worshiper. My friends were sun-worshipers. Its what I knew.

My family in Mexico, circa 2005 

My sun-worshiping besties and I in Playa Del Carmen, Circa 2005

Then when I met my now husband Anders, all he wanted to do was surf and hang at the beach so that's what we did and still do going in 10+ years later.

Circa 2006, on one of our 1st dates.... D Street(Moonlight Beach)

Circa 2012, taking Colin down to Swami's Beach.

So now in my thirties... I'll never forget that one day I looked in my mirror and thought, "Crap I don't remember having this many freckles? Why am I getting more?" and Off to ULTA I went to buy some heavy duty foundation and concealer to literally cover up my freckles and even out skin. Because that is what I thought...... I needed to invest in quality make-up, right?

It was this same time when I was also introduced to a new skincare line, designed specifically to reverse sun damage and even out skin tone. BOOM, had my name all over it. The idea of having items picked out specifically for me, and I just had to follow directions, got me sold. Plus I could return the used products if they didn't work. I've been using THIS line for over a year now, and my skin has literally never looked better. Its specifically designed to even skin tone and brighten skin. Boom.

HEALTHY. GLOWING. EVEN TONED.

But most recently, I've been using this NEW Lightening Reverse Regimen for last last 2.5 months. Its specifically targeted to fade those stubborn dark marks and age spots. I'm O B E S S E D. Mainly because it's working, and I can physically see dark marks fading and shrinking. I never thought that was possible. 30+ years of sun-worshiping can be reversed?

YES. 

And I'm not alone. These products have helped my friends clear up their melasma mustache after having kids, or their old acne dark marks that they thought could never disappear in addition to sun damage.

Here is a very close up naked progress picture of my skin after using this new Lightening Regimen. Many marks have disappeared and/or shrunk. Can't wait to see what another couple months will look like!

Oh and don't get me started on my Lash & Brow growth either 😜

The point of my story- I know I wasn't the only one using Maui Babe Tanning lotion(or any other tanning oil) growing up.... And I'm not the only one who thought that upping your "foundation game" was the way to go. I'm here to prove to you otherwise. You only have one face(and skin for that matter). Wear it well and take care of it.  What if you could wear less make-up up or even be foundation free? Let me tell you, it saves me so much time in the mornings.

If you want to know more about my experience with these products or if you want to try either of the REVERSE Regimens I have used, please contact me HERE and mention code: MAUI BABE, and I'll gift you a FREE Sunless Foaming Tanner so you can still have the same exotic look that I still aspire to have :). Anders doesn't complain when I use it all over my body and FACE too.

Your Welcome.

Champagne Punch

So let me save you time from scrolling through Pinterest in search of the perfect Champagne Punch...especially as we are scrambling for the Holidays.

I've been serving (and texting) this recipe for the last couple years to friends, and thought I should finally share with the world, as you better believe this will be my "welcome" beverage when guests arrive to our home Christmas Day.

Hello Pomegranate Bubbly Punch(with a little Christmas Twist)

I PROMISE: Not too Sweet, as that's HUGE for me, not too much "juice-ee" (I do like to still actually taste alcohol, btw), but also with some added liqueur, to give it perfection.... let me introduce you the best Champagne PUNCH you will ever make:

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Bottles of Champagne (Dry, Brut, Prosecco, who cares.. I've used them all and work great)
• 2 Cups Pomegranate Juice (I buy Trader Joes Organic brand
• 1 Cup Orange Juice (fresh squeezed is the best, if you can swing it)
• 1/2  Cup Cointreau Liqueur 
• Fresh Pomegranate Seeds for garnish
• Rosemary or Mint for a Christmas occasion garnish

I've served this punch for large crowds and doubled or tripled the recipe. Perfect beverage for any bridal Shower, baby shower, open house or any social event. Heck, I just served it at my Ugly Sweater Christmas Party! 

Usually I serve my punch in a beverage dispenser, along with these these plastic gold sparkle champagne flutes I snagged from Target a while ago. They still have them HERE...$4 for a pack of 4, but you could also serve in a giant punch bowl too, which would be adorable.

If you are feeling a little "frisky" I dare you to use 3 bottles of Champs instead of 2 per the recipe... it rocks!!! Just depends on your crowd :).  Rose all DAY 

MIX. DRINK. REPEAT. HAVE A NAP. THE END.

Your welcome,

Kelly

The Bun Cuff

Attention all ladies who have zero time to do their hair, therefore its usually in a messy bun daily...hello ME! Or even those trendy ladies who can pull off the top knot...Let me introduce you to what should be on your Christmas List this year, as its my newest obsession:

THE.BUN.CUFF

Let's face it, especially having kids, I have zero time to even brush my hair, and dry shampoo is my best friend.  My hair is UP EVERYDAY. Buns and braids are my go to. SO when I found this amazing invention, I realized that I could actually continue rock my messy buns, and use this piece of hair jewelry to my advantage!

I recently was introduced to this amazing concept from my friend Natalie, who is a stylist for Chloe + Isabel. A Bun Cuff. A nice way to step up your "game" when it comes to buns. It transforms a mediocre bun into a cute trendy hairdo, that I can rock for date nights, ladies nights, or even just with jeans and a t-shirt. 

Totally simple to use as well... Its like a bracelet made of metal that you can bend to conform around whatever bun you rock... top knot, or just a big ole messy bun like me. Or even a clean round bun. 

Then to secure it in place, you push the pin through it!  I've also used this with a lower bun behind my head, which I received compliments on as well.

You can check out the Bun Cuff HERE. It comes in several different metal choices, Rose Gold(what I have), shiny and matte Gold, shiny and matte Silver as well as a fun black matte color(would be aweome on blondes!) 

AND now through Dec. 8th, you can use the code: FFHOL16 for a 25% off discount on all purchases! The Bun Cuffs normally are $45, but with the discount it drops down to about $34. Free shipping on all orders over $100 too, in case you wanted to buy a few colors or stock up for gifts! Any daughters/cousins/neices/girlfriends who rock hair buns, would LOVE this!  I noticed the company also running a few other specials with free gifts with purchases. Enjoy!!

PS, its good to have talented dear friends who support you. Thank you Amira Gray for 📸.

Your welcome.

Kelly

Got Collagen?

So basically, through years of researching and struggling on figuring out what are the best products out there for my skin(and thanks to my little side biz), I learned that the bottom line is: I NEED MORE COLLAGEN, in order to make improvements to my skin. As we age, we are losing collagen

FACT: by the age of 30, we lose 1% of collagen production per year, and thereafter. By age 40, collagen deteriorates faster than it can be produced. 

WE NEED COLLAGEN in our skin to make any improvements to it- not just for wrinkles(but yes that's super important), but for any skin issue you may be dealing with- adult acne, sun damage, dark marks, enlarged pores, etc. Whatever your skin regimen/products may be, if you aren't using a special Tool or Micro-exfoliating product, increased collagen production isn't happening as quickly as you need it to be.

Here's what EVERYONE Needs, and it the best micro-exfoliating tool(in my opinion) on the market. If you follow me on FaceBook, then You already know how much I love this tool..

Let me introduce you the the AmpMD System- This is by far, the best collagen producing system I've found on market as it contains not only the roller tool itself, but also some magical Night Renewing Serum.

Let's talk about about this blue roller secret weapon. There are a million micro needling tools out there but what what sets THIS ONE apart from others is that is contains hundreds of stainless steel, surgical-grade needles, which you roll over your skin for a total of 60 seconds, for micro-exfoliation. What this tool does, is it stimulates and conditions your outermost later of skin to produce more collagen, more rapidly. I like to think of it like "aerating your skin." 

So at night, after you have "rolled" over your face, neck and jowels and anything else that is hanging on your face, your pores are then opened and "primed" to put a kick-ass strong ingredient on them afterwards to seep into your pores and cells that much FASTER and DEEPER. This is the jackpot. So whether you are using Target skincare products, or premium skincare products, everyone can incorporate this tool into their routine (if you are pregnant/nursing, always consult your dr, and/or I do not recommend to use a Micro-Needling tool over active acne.)

The Doctors who created this  Redefine Night Renewing Serum, have a patent on these capsules- they found that retinol (its primary ingredient) can lose is potency and pureness, when sitting in a tube or pump(yes, like the kind you get from your Derm). So they patented these capsules which contains a hefty dose of retinol and time released peptides to shed dead skin cells to minimize the appearance of pores, elasticity, increase firmness, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkle. This this what I LIVE FOR at night. And this night serum comes with the roller too!  Night serum + roller = COLLAGEN baby!!

Recommendation #2

Another product to help with collagen production, is to have a really good micro-exfoliating scrub. I'm not talking about a "sandy" or "bead-like" texture that you already have in your face wash. NO. I'm talking about a product specifically for micro-exfoliation. You should exfoliate at the VERY minimum, weekly, but can do it up to 3-4 times a week, depending on your specific skin. Consistent exfoliation will speed up collagen production. Your skincare products will absorb better because the outermost layer of your skin is gone.

I was introduced this tub of goodness from a neighbor, and I had no idea what I had been missing out on all these years! Let me introduce you to this Microdermabrasion PASTE. Primarily made of sugar and salt, hence the texture. If it gets on your lips, you can seriously taste the ingredients :). Love this scrub especially because it isn't drying. After you use it, literally your face feels like a baby's bottom!! You can use all over your body- great for cracked heels, elbows, chest, etc. A whole tub of this stuff will last me a year, so it's totally reasonable.

So yes, I use both products weekly. I actually use the AmpMD Roller at least 4 times(at night) per week, followed by the night serum , plus I use this PASTE during those "off days" or sometimes right after the morning shower.  I can't get enough of it.

SO there it is... my advice on how to increase collagen. Your welcome.

If you are interested in learning more or ordering these products, just contact ME directly and I can give you options.

xoxo

Kelly

RainBoots

RainBoots fall into 2 categories in my book... Hunter Boots or Non "Hunter" Boots. And for those of you who don't fall into the "Hunter Boots" Category, that's okay. You can still find super cute and reasonable rainboots, that wont break the bank!! Low and behold...

I picked up these STUDS at my favorite store a couple weeks ago, and it wasn't until I wore them today, and received a TON of compliments and "Where are those boots from?" questions, where I felt like it was time to blog about it, haha! So here I am... about to pour myself my happy hour glass of vino, and talk about boots :)

Let me introduce you to the most lightweight and comfortable Rainboots I have ever walked in....

....FROM TARGET

You Guys.... they are sleek, and the backs of them literally tie up, which is great not only for pulling them on and off, but also adjustable for your calf size!! They aren't glossy. They have that sleek rubber look, which I really like. Heck, I'll be wearing these even when it doesn't rain, as they look like normal fall boots!! Fit true to size.

#TargetDoesItAgain and AGAIN. They are currently online to buy, but I happen to have snagged them at my local Target location. Online, Target has a special going on.:Buy 1, get one 50% off(Offer expires 9/24/16). Can't beat $34.99 vs. the usual $120+ on Hunter Boots. Oh, and EVERYONE should own the Target RedCard which you can get an extra 5% off your purchase every time.

So when San Diego has another "storm" come through with .15" of rain.... YOU ALL will be prepared like I was today.

You're Welcome. End.Of.Story
xoxo

Kelly

Eye Crack

Yup, it should really be the name, of this jar of magic. I use it morning and night religiously, but if I could use it during the day, I would probably do that do. This jar of goodness was my VERY first Rodan+Fields purchase. I decided to "why not" give it a try because ...

1) I was in serious need of an eye cream... my crows feet were growing by the day and I had dark circles under my eyes, even knowing I had actually gotten a good nights sleep AND


2) I could return it for a full refund if I didn't like it. Soooo, what was the risk right? EYE CRACK for the win

I'm the lame person who started using it as a customer, and NEVER took my "before transformation' picture to document, so you will have to deal with my two teammates results instead :). But I'm telling you.... I seriously stare at my eyes everyday in awe, on how my crows feet are non existent.

Here is my neighbor, and friend, Melinda. She really "took one for the team," and did an experiment... with ONE EYE for 12 Days ....

What's even more impressive, is that my fellow R+F teammate, and Country Singer, Charla Corn, also uses the Eye Crack, and had amazing results, especially with her under eye puffiness..

If you are interested in giving the eye cream a try, contact me directly, and I can also help you save some $$ online and get free shipping to your home. Contact ME