Author: Carrie

The Self-Tanning Solution

CarrieLeave a comment

I have two weddings coming up in the next three months.  Due to my fair skin type, I am unable to tan by sitting underneath the sun’s bright rays.  It’s actually a blessing in disguise since skin cancer runs in my family to begin with.  Due to the fact that my sunburn will never turn into a tan, I have to resort to other means of tanning.

The Tan Spray Stall – In preparation for a wedding in the past, I went to a tanning salon with a friend.  Talk about comical.  The spray tan booth is simply intimidating.  I entered the booth completely naked which is always an uncomfortable situation for me even if there isn’t really anyone watching (although I always find myself seeking out the exact location of the hidden camera…I have yet to find one but I know it is somewhere!).  Then a little voice comes out of a speaker telling me which way to face and how to put your arms.  The 16 year old working there who tells me the positions before I go into the room is a pro so she glides right through it and I’m thinking “Where do I put my hands? Which way do I turn my body?”.  I basically know I’m screwed from the start.  The spray session takes about 8 minutes, which included the application of the bronzer.  There was so much liquid covering my body that I had to take paper towels and even the application out.  When I emerged from the room, my friend was laughing.  I looked like a raccoon in the dark.  The whites of my eyes were glowing.  They said not to take a shower until the next morning but I decided to nix that and I took my shower about 4 hours later.  I managed to get a pretty good tan without look too unnatural but I must say I was freaking out the whole time.  I thought I was going to have to scrub myself with a Brillo pad to remove an orange streaky tan.  Luckily, I was able to pull it off but I never want to experience that again.  You can tell I have a nice healthy glow in the pic below.

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St. Tropez Self-Tanner – My love of QVC comes in handy again.  Since I vowed never to go back to the spray tan booth, I decided I would have another go at the self-tanner.  I have tried Tarte’s version before but I don’t think it achieved the tan I was hoping for.  It just so happened that last week, one of the Today’s Special Values was St. Tropez Deluxe Self-Tanning Mousse.  I watched the presentation and saw instant results.  Needless to say it came yesterday and I made my first application this morning.  I made sure to exfoliate in the shower and then apply lotion to the areas I planned on applying the mousse.   I then applied the mousse evenly in a circular motion and saw instant results.  I am going to let it set for at least 8 hours before I take my next shower.  The results are amazing and I can’t wait to apply another round tomorrow to achieve an even darker richer color.  I don’t have any pics now, but I’ll be sure to post the wedding pics as soon as possible.  I can’t wait to go to this wedding in San Antonio with my beau (that’s for you, Karla).  Texas, here I come!

st. tropez

Fave 5 Nail Polish

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I like to save money when I can and one way I do that is by giving myself manicures.  You certainly don’t need to pay for your nails to look good.  You can easily do them yourself with the right tools.  Go to a beauty supply store or Amazon if you don’t already have a nail file, buffer, clipper, and cuticle trimmer.  These are the only tools I need to give myself a top notch manicure.  Here are my favorite nail polishes that are essential for your collection.

1.  You need a great base coat to keep your nails healthy and protect your nails.  Essie makes an assortment of base coats depending on your needs.

essie base-coat

2.  You need a few colors that are your go-to colors.  You might not have the same go-to colors as me because nail polish is a great way to express yourself.  The hunt is on for your go-to colors.  This color is my go-to for the Holiday season and for Valentine’s Day.  It’s from Mariah Carey’s holiday line…OPI In My Santa Suit.

OPI-Mariah-Carey-In-My-Santa-Suit-Nail-Lacquer-192511

3.  This is my fall go-to nail polish..OPI Romeo and Juliet.  I don’t wear nail polish in spring and summer due to my rigorous work schedule and hand-washing/scrubbing of sheet pans.  Hopefully one day, I’ll be able to wear spring and summer colors.

romeo and juliet

4.  To make my manicure a little bit special, I like to put Essie Luxe Effects over the layer of color on my ring fingernail.  It just gives it a little bit of glam.  It comes in a lot of different colors.  You can also go full-on glam and do it to all your nails.

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5.  Make sure to finish off your manicure with a great top coat.  I have found this one to be the ultimate top coat.  I won’t ever try another one because it is simply the best.  It’s called Out the Door because it speeds up the drying process.  It also puts a glossy finish on your nails and protects them from chipping.  What are some of your favorite nail colors?  It’s always nice to have a few more colors to add to my arsenal.

out the door

Mini Meatloaf Cupcakes

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For our most recent potluck dinner at church, I decided to make a twist on the traditional cupcake.  Since it is always easy to make small portions for people to take a little bit of everything, I turned meatloaf and mashed potatoes into cupcakes.  Simply take you favorite meatloaf recipe and put it into a mini muffin pan.

IMG_0408Bake until the meatloaf muffins are browned.  Then make your favorite mashed potatoes and pipe them on top of the meatloaf muffins using a pastry bag and a star tip.

IMG_0409As a final step, I sprinkled the top with paprika and embellished them with piece of green pepper.  The final result is adorable.  It’s a great way for kids to have fun in the kitchen as well!

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