Even though I am not at all ready for Fall, I am excited to bust out the longer sleeves, jewel tones, and knits! I feel like this is a pretty good transitional outfit seeing as Oregon (annoyingly) keeps flip flopping between cold and hot days. I'm positively smitten with this Miss Patina blouse - made out of a super soft material and featuring quite possibly the cutest collar of all time. I mean, it's a cat.I paired it with one too many cat accessories... I just like cute stuff what can I say!
Even though I'm not at all happy it's September (COME BACK TO ME, SPRING/SUMMER), I have some exciting projects and adventures on the horizon - so please stay tuned ♡!
I've had pink hair for a couple years now, but I've always struggled with finding the perfect products for treating ultra damaged, bleached hair. I'd try products and like them, but I wasn't really blown away by anything, you know? But finally, I feel like I've found a really solid selection of hair products I love enough to recommend!
Hair Care Products
Having pastel hair is hard, but these products make it easier! I still haven't found the perfect shampoo that doesn't make my bleached, damaged hair feel TERRIBLE, sadly - if you have any recommendations please let me know!
Ritual Salvation Repairing Conditioner *
About a month ago I was sent some evo hair products to try out, and the first time I used the conditioner I was immediately struck by how lovely it lathered up, smelled, and my hair felt after rinsing it out. Over time, it's helped my hair stay tangle free and has become my holy grail conditioner!
OverTone Pastel Pink Daily Conditioner *
Truly a must have for any vibrant or pastel hair owner, OverTone is PERFECT for keeping your hair color vibrant in-between dye touch-ups. Besides dry/damaged hair, having the color rinse out fairly quickly is one of my biggest pastel hair related pet peeves, but OverTone's conditioners and products help so much! (If you are wondering, the Pastel Pink is a little blue toned. Down the road I'd like to mix the Pastel Pink with an orange shade of their conditioners for a more peachy toned shade).
The Great Hydrator Moisture Mask *
An incredible mask that adds so much moisture to my hair! My hair hasn't been anywhere near as dry since using this mask, and makes it so much easier to comb through every night! Their product description is pretty spot on too: "This product is like a patient friend, gently combing out the knots in your hair while another friend lays petals upon the ground to soften your walk to the morning bus".
Trader Joe's Coconut Oil
Like everybody else I am OBSESSED with coconut oil, and my friend Roanne's recommendation of Trader Joe's coconut oil was spot on - it's been working wonders! (please excuse the grubby jar - I've had it for a while now and I got it out of the shower for this photo!)
BONUS: L'Oréal's Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm & Total Repair 5 Extreme Instant Therapy Mask
These aren't pictured because I *just* ran out, but I've had great luck with the affordable and accessible L'Oréal Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm and Total Repair 5 Extreme Instant Therapy Mask! And they both smell PHENOMENAL.
Hair Styling Products Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer
Now if you also have bleached hair, I DO NOT RECOMMEND USING HEAT STYLING. But sometimes, I don't have time to pin curl or put foam rollers in my hair - so I have to make do! That said, I feel like this Bumble and Bumble primer does a pretty good job as a heat protective! Besides that, it's a great all around hair styling product - it soothes frizz, has a sweet, gentle scent, and is formulated without paragons and phthalates.
Batiste Dry Shampoo
A recommendation from my sister, we both are incredibly impressed with Batiste's dry shampoos! Another must have product imo - affordable, easy to find (I get mine at Ulta or Target), and it WORKS. I had tried a few in the past and didn't get why everybody loved dry shampoo, until Batiste! The cherry scent is my favorite 🍒
Sebastian Shaper Plus Extra Hold Hairspray
Finally, this is the hairspray I've been using. I actually started using it because it was my grandma's favorite in the 80s! I like using this for extra volume. (NOTE: please use in a well ventilated area...!)
Phew - I had more to say then I thought haha! I get so many questions about my hair, I really hope this helps some of you! I am not an expert by any means, but these are the products I've been loving lately. If you have any hair recommendations, comments, or questions, please leave them below! I also am planning on sharing some hair tutorials soon - so let me know if you have any requests!
The other day I was talking to a friend about the Portland International Rose Garden and realized I never shared these photos here! Last Spring, Jimmy Marble and myself shot this photo series there. Jimmy is actually one of my favorite photographers, his work feels like a technicolor dream come to life - so I was so excited to do this shoot when he was visiting Portland!
This is truly the prettiest garden I've visited, and spending a few hours there shooting pictures amidst such a wide variety of roses and perfectly manicured hedges was such a dreamy way to spend the afternoon! ✿❀❃ This photoseries ended up being published in Zeum Magazine issue 11.
Just in time for their 15th birthday, Lazy Oaf, whose clothing I have worn on my blog for a few years now and continues to be a very favorite brand (remember my watermelon shorts?), released their own swimwear line this summer and sweetly sent me their watermelon bikini! I am absolutely charmed by the cartoony design, adorable ruffle details, and I kinda want to live it in this summer?! Be sure to check out their swimwear line (they have a mermaidy one piece too)!
Hannah Kristina Metz, the multitalented designer behind H.K.M., has released her second collection - this time based on one of my favorite novels, Wuthering Heights.
The collection, which features ghostly hands, whispers of "haunt me", matching pins, and structured silhouettes - perfectly brings to life the novel it was inspired by, and I am of course, completely smitten!
I am equally smitten by the beautiful accompanying lookbook, which I just had to share ♡
Models: Gabrielle Richardson
Anajah Hamilton Art Direction/Producer: Aimee Brodeur Makeup: Allie Smith
I LOVE doing DIY projects, but guys... they can get MESSY. I have accidentally dripped fabric paints on my clothing (NOOOO), floor, hands - basically everywhere but what I’m working on! I also have a habit of spreading all the diy materials out on the floor, forming a circle around me and my project (and making it impossible for others to get near me)!
Thankfully, my friends at method challenged me to partake in their "#FearNoMess" campaign, urging creatives to abandon their fear of making a mess because they have got you covered with their range of vegan and non-toxic hand soap, cleaners, and laundry detergent.
Since Spring is in the air, I thought what better way to usher in the season with a handmade floral tote? Here’s what I did!
You Will Need…
- A plain tote bag
- Flower Stencil
- Fabric Paint (I’m using pink, yellow, and purple)
- method Laundry Detergent
- Paintbrushes
Using the stencil, start painting flowers onto the tote. I alternated the colors and flower designs to keep it interesting!
Once you are finished painting, set the fabric paint by washing in cold water with method’s 4x Concentrated Laundry Detergent. It gets out unwanted stains (perfect if like me, you have a penchant for dripping paint on your clothes or *cough* BBQ sauce…) and smells heavenly - not like chemicals! Not to mention, method is made from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable and biodegradable.
This is optional step - but I glued pink pom poms in the center of the flowers!
Et voila! A super cute (if I do say so myself…) tote bag - perfect for Spring! If you feared no mess, what would you create?
This post is sponsored by method. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that makes Mermaidens possible!
That feeling when you see a bee...
Et voila! A super cute (if I do say so myself…) tote bag - perfect for Spring! If you feared no mess, what would you create?
This post is sponsored by method. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that makes Mermaidens possible!