Wisdom Wednesday

"The most important lesson I have learned from my parents is to live what you love, and love what you live. Discover your strengths and find what truly brings you happiness. All you really need is already within you, you just have to be daring enough to find it and courageous enough to pursue it. Life has no limitations, except the ones you make." -- Nicole Warne via Refinery 29

"Day Tripper" Look Book, For Love and Lemons, Spring 2012 

Life is such a beautiful thing, full of inspiration and potential. I think once you realize that the only person who can hold you back, is yourself, that is when you really open yourself up to each and every opportunity. If you want something, go for it. If you don't get it, try again. There are so many things that can happen, but the important thing is to start. And once you've reached something, don't get comfortable. Keep working towards the next thing, like you never had the first. When you love what you do, and do what you love, then you have found they key to success. 

Wisdom Wednesday

"A lot of people ask me, ‘How did you get to where you are? How do you have this career?’ and I always say, ‘From a series of complete and total failures.’” -- Sharon Montrose

"Day Tripper" Look Book, For Love and Lemons, Spring 2012 

As a child, I think I would have had a complete and mental breakdown if I ever received an F. Seeing the big red "F" written in felt-tip marker on other children's work already caused close to a complete distress is my miniature body, so if I ever received one I can't imagine what kind of madness would have ensued. Fast-forward to present day me, and well, I still freak out a little if I fail at something. I get a little sad when things don't seem to work out as planned and I wonder about how things will be. But, that's to be expected. We all feel that way. Post-college me still wonders when I am going to land the "dream job," or when things are going to "begin." Then I realize things are already well on their way and began when I first dreamed of becoming what it is I want to be. I honestly cannot name one person in the world who didn't fail 9 times, only to find success on attempt number 10. You only fail if you don't try and you  fail when you sell yourself short. Nothing is really ever a failure unless you didn't learn from it. And failing is always something that I think wakes up the senses. It says, "Hey you! Something isn't right here!" So, if something is wrong, don't be afraid to start all over to make it right.  As for me, I am still not where I want to be, but I know in time, I will be. And failing? Well, it just means I'm one step closer to winning.

Cape Crusading with LuLus.com

As you might know, online shopping sometimes makes me a little nervous. I have a somewhat irrational fear that I will lose my package, the clothes won't fit, or that if I need to, returning will just be too much of a hassle to deal with. I think a bigger truth is that I am a bit impatient and just like the instant gratification of knowing that my new goodies are already in my hands. Now, having said that, I have to admit, I still online-window-shop to my heart's content. One online shop I have always frequented is LuLus.com. So, when they contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in shopping their store, I couldn't help but jump around with glee! For those of you who might not know know about LuLu's, they're an amazing online store filled with the latest trends in women's fashion. You can expect fun and fabulous items at reasonable prices, but you do have to move fast, as items sell out quickly. The shipping is fast, returns are easy, and I guarantee you will jump for joy when your items arrive.

Wisdom Wednesday

“You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” -- Dr. Seuss

Images via GoJane

I've very much taken to the philosophy that even though "every day may not be good, there's something good in every day." And, I find it so important to see the "something good" in every single day. I'll admit that things aren't always perfect. Life is hard and worries come my way. But, regardless of what isn't working, I still remember that they're working that way for a reason. My mom has always said that when something doesn't work out, to be patient; something better is on the way. If you close your eyes to all the bad, you'll shut out the lessons. If you only open your eyes to the good, you'll shut out appreciation. Open your eyes to every moment... but really open your eyes. This moment, right now, will never happen again. The same goes for all the ones that have passed and all the ones to come. Open your eyes so you can see each one. Really though, why would you want to miss out on life, the best thing of all? 

And that's my wisdom for this Wednesday. As always, feel free to leave me your words of wisdom down below. Also, I just wanted to say thanks so much to every single person who has tweeted me, sent an email, or left a comment on my blog. I've been a little busy with a few projects, but I do plan to get back to each one soon! :)

pancakeREVIEW: HANA Titanium 1.5" Flat Iron

A few weeks ago, Brian at Misikko generously offered to send me a HANA Titanium 1.5" Flat Iron to review. The timing was pretty perfect, as I was already searching for a new one to replace my previous hair straightener of four years. When I received my package in the mail, I was floored at how beautifully presented it was! A box filled with not just my new flat iron, but also some cute salon products. I tried it out for two+ weeks and below are a few of my findings! Keep in mind, I kept everything else exactly the same (hair products, routine, styling), so that I could give you all a through review :)

• The first thing that stood out about my new HANA flat iron was that it had Ceramic and Tourmaline mirrored plates. Not only are mirrored plates pretty genius, but they also happen to be gentler on color treated hair and they provide an effortless shine. Since highlighting my hair, I've been very conscious of how I can do less damage.  I have been straightening my hair more often than not these days, so I was happy to find that my new flat iron would be a lot more forgiving. Even better, mirrored plates are easy to clean before and after each use, and believe me, if you want your flat iron to last long, you have to clean and protect the plates. My previous flat iron was definitely an amazing one, but one downside to it was that the coated ceramic plates were significantly harder to clean. 

• The HANA Titanium flat iron has heat settings from 140 to 450 degrees! My naturally curly locks are insanely thick and swirly, haha, so being able to choose how hot I want my plates to be is a big plus. I have to heat my plates to 340 degrees (hot, I know) when I'm first straightening my hair, but I value that I can switch down to a lower degree when I'm doing touch ups or my dreaded bangs.

• Among some of the goodies I received in my package was a Silicon Heat Proof Mat. This might not sound all that cool, but really it is. Setting down an oven-hot flat iron on some surfaces can really do some damage. Having a heat mat is such an easy fix, especially when you're like me and want to straighten your hair anywhere but the bathroom. It's the little things, I tell you...

• I timed how long it took to straighten my hair each time, and in all honestly, it still took me about the same amount of time (an hour) to straighten my hair. I will say, though, the plates heat up fast and if you're hair isn't as thick as mine, you will be able to straighten your hair in no time at all. 

 

• Some other things to note: The HANA Titanium 1.5" Flat Iron has curved plates, which allows for straightening, curling, and flipping. It also has a two year warranty, so you know you're in good hands. Furthermore, the HANA flat iron has been featured in both Marie Claire and Redbook, so that's telling you it's something to rave about. 

Overall, I'm very happy with my new flat iron and if you are in the market for a new one too, I definitely suggest scooting over to Hana Salon's site. Flat irons can be expensive, but I really think that it's important to look at it as an investment. You want the best for your hair, and like anything else, when you invest in a great product, you'll get great results. Big thanks to Brian at Misikko for allowing me to try out the HANA flat iron. I love mine, and if you decide to get one, I'm sure you'll love yours too. As always, feel free to comment below with any questions and I'll definitely try to answer them all! If any of you are interested in a hair-how-to post, let me know, and I will create one for you! 




Disclosure: Please note that although I received the HANA Titanium 1.5" Flat Iron for free, all the thoughts expressed above are my own honest opinions.