Bumble and Bumble Favorites

Bumble and Bumble Favorite by elbonner featuring bumble and bumble

Damnit, Bumble and Bumble,  why do you make so many products I love? I mean, if it was socially acceptable, I would take my Bumble and Bumble hair products down to the town chapel and make an honest woman out of it. What's so great about B&B products is that they are made to be layered,  meaning you can use a bunch without ruining your do, but at the same time you don't really need to use a lot because B&B products do exactly what they're supposed to do. I love this company because of its dedication to one of my favorite things of all time: beach hair. If you tell me on the street that my hair looks like I've just come back from the beach, I will be your best friend forever, so seeing a company take such an interest in one of my lifelong loves makes me all warm & fuzzy inside. Above are my absolute favorites that I am sharing with you people!

 (L-R-C)

Surf Foam Wash Shampoo and Creme Rinse Conditioner: I don't know how they did it, but it gives you texture without using product. If you want big, bouncy, beachy waves then this stuff is for you. It smells fresh, clean, and even looks like a tropical lagoon!

Bb. Texture Hair (Un)Dressing Creme: Get hot, bedhead without the hangover and possible sleep-barf you may accumulate after a night of "you're-really-too-old-for-this" partying with this FRIGGIN' AWESOME hair creme. Just slap some on damp hair and let air-dry or diffuse to look like a hot mess (the good kind)!

Bb. Grooming Creme: When you want smooth hair that looks glossy, shiny, and well-coifed this is the stuff for you. When my hair is feeling way dry, I use this to restore my lustrous golden locks (ok, I'll shut up now).

Bb. Surf Spray: Sent down from Mount Olympus by the hair gods themselves, this is the best hair texturizer outside of dipping your head in the ocean. I tell everyone who wants beach hair to suck it up, pay the $25, and thank me forever for their beautiful beach hair. This can dry hair out so I use it on special occasions where I need to look awesome. It's nothing a good deep conditioning can't fix!

Bb. Thickening Hair Spray: Is your hair as limp as a sink drain full of wet spaghetti that you were too lazy to clean out a week ago? If so, get some of this spray on your roots! This won't make your hair sticky, but will make you look like you have extensions and Bump-its galore!

Hope this shed some light on a great company that gets hair right. Happy good-hair-days everyone! 

Instagram @e_bythesea

Waiting For Stuff to Happen

I've found that I have so much planned for this summer,that all the time before,in between, and after happenings are just spent wishing the other stuff would just hurry up and get here. I'm in full summer mode,whcih means my brain expects to be off at the beach all day, but my body is at work watching lunch being picked out form between peoples teeth. I'm truly working for the weekend, and the past few have been busy! It's been great beach weather the past few Fridays (excluding this last one, THANKS ANDREA, YOU BITCH) and have been enjoying the sunshine and freezing water. Went to Raleigh to visit some friends, ate BBQ, drank a few margs, and came home with many bug bites. This weekend was Harborfest, and though I haven't been down to see the tall ships, we watched some fireworks from the park with some good friends! I love when summer comes around because everyone is outside on their bikes, clad in neon, and always up to have a beer and just hang out. A few weeks ago I also got some Emily time to myself whilst the boyfriend had a man/nerd weekend with some friends. Since my beach plans got rained out I got a little crafty and made myself some stuff to keep me occupied!

 I bleached, cut-off, and destroyed (tried to) a pair of old shorts I hated. They turned out really awesome and way better than the almost mom-shorts they were before. When in doubt, do cut-offs!

Purchased and tried the new Bumble and Bumble Surf shampoo and conditioner. LOVE THEM.I'll do something more in depth later, but these are now my favorites!

Made a cute brush holder with a mason jar, some masking tape, and spray paint. Just tape off what you don't want painted, spray away, and you're left with something like this! My desk was immediately more visually pleasing and less irritating.

 Need/want cheap artwork for whatever space you have? I bought some way-on-sale canvases, taped off some stripes, and used the same spray paint from my brush holder to make this mini-painting. The little dip was an accident, but I kind of like it!

A new favorite color combo and new textured polishes!

Sally Hansen Sugar Coat textured polishes in "Bubble Plum" and "Sour Apple". They stay on better than regular polish, have a cool, matte, sandy texture and are just really fun. They are further fueling my unhealthy nail polish addiction! (I got these at CVS)

That's all for now; it's a lazy Sunday so far and my man-servant and I are just hanging out. I have something fun coming in the mail soon that I will share with you when I get it. Until then, happy weekend! 

Man Stuff!

Man Stuff by elbonner featuring baxter of california

Much to my surprise and delight, I've got some man readers! Never a bad thing, I just feel guilty that  a lot of what I feature on this blog is female-focused. I've decided to make this Sunday afternoon post just for the dudes. It's the manly thing to not care too much about what you put on your face and body to keep it rugged and majestic, but, you have to admit, this stuff is fun. Especially, all the cool shaving stuff that's coming out now. Being well-groomed doesn't make you less of a man, it makes you a much better looking one. Here are some of my picks to keep things simple, but to up your game a bit.

Skincare 
1. Cleanser: Earth-Tu Face Wash- Simple name, simple ingredients. My boyfriend, the product minimalist, likes products that don't have a lot of crap in them and this cleanser is as simple as they come. Gentle enough for sensitive skin, it cleanses without over-drying. 

2. Moisturize/Protect: Baxter of California Super Shape spf15: Guys, you need a sunscreen and you need to moisturize your face unless you want to look like a grizzled crab fisherman at 30. Keep it simple and get a moisturizer with an spf so it's done in one step. Baxter's of California makes some great stuff (they're cleanser was awesome) and has some of the simplest, classy packaging I've ever seen. 

3. Eye Care: Murad Essential-C Eye Cream spf15- Don't scoff at eye creams. Anyone can benefit to a little extra help around the most delicate part of your body. The spf keeps eyes protected during outdoor activities and vitamin helps counteract sun damage. 

4. Pores: Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Mask- the minerals in this mask help to calm skin whilst clearing pores of gross stuff and keeping you pimple free. Masks are fun and your face feels sooo much better after a nice mask! 

5. Exfoliation: Lush Ocean Salt- Men, you have to exfoliate. It is so important, especially if you shave. Exfoliation helps with ingrown hairs and helps get all the dirt, grime and stress off at the end of the day. Nothing makes my face feel better like a good scrub. Don't be to harsh, you don't want to damage your skin, but this scrub exfoliates with sea salt and soothes with avocado butter. A personal favorite! (Bonus: can be used for the body too!)

Shower Essentials 
1. Body Wash: Baxter of California Invigorating Body Wash- Uses the power of limes to wake your ass up in the morning! No more ugly drug store body washes or horrible AXE-like bro-fragrance. This nicely packaged, clean and simple wash is citrus infused to get you going and smell nice too. 

2. Hair Care: Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Shampoo/Conditioner- This just came out and is a great everyday, gentle cleanser for your hair. The matching conditioner doesn't make hair greasy so you can go a few days between washings. Beach-inspired and made to give you some texture, this is great for the every-man. 

3. Styling: Woody's Grooming Clay- I think mens hair looks better a little more on the matte side (not so shiny). Unless you're going for a ultra-shiny, greased-back look, go for something that will give you more texture. Clay and cream pomades give you a softer finish and just look better.  No crunchiness, no nonsense! 

4. Soap: Saturdays Surf Pacific Beach Soap- Everyone needs a bar of soap. This one smells like a Drive down the Pacific Coastal Highway complete with herbal, citrus, and marine notes. A vacation in a bar. 

Shave 
1. Shave Cream: Jack Black Beard Lube- A good shave cream can make all the difference in the world to your shaving routine. I think the more emollient, the better. You're scraping razor blades against some of the most delicate skin on your body. It's going to get irritated. Try something that doesn't dry everything out afterwards. This stuff is always winning awards and is worlds away from your rusty-bottomed foam shave. 

2. Razors: Dollar Shave Club- A monthly subscription that gives you razor blades at a ridiculously low price? They're even delivered straight to your house? Surely you jest! Ranging from $1-$9/month, you initially get a handle and then receive blades once a month. SO CHEAP,  SO EASY, you can thank me later! (Boyfriend approved)

3. Shave Brush: The Art of Shaving Badger Brush- Make shaving fun again. Shaving brushes are all the rage and really help facial stand up so that you can shave them off better. It also looks like it just feels nice on my face. Almost makes me want a really embarrassing mustache problem (I don't).  

4. After Care: Kiehl's Ultimate After-Shave Balm- For those with dry/sensitive skin or those who just want to keep things smooth like Barry White, this balm goes on after you shave to calm everything the hell down. With ingredient like avocado oil, cocoa butter, and vitamin E your face will be softer than those microfiber blankets they have at Target all the time! 

Fun Stuff! 
1. A Good Comb: Baxter of California Pocket Comb- Something about a fancy comb just makes you feel like you've really made it in life. Maybe not as much as an Audi r8, but pretty close. Tortoiseshell (faux please!)  combs always look nice and will last you a lifetime of classy grooming. 

2. A Hardcore Sunscreen: Sun Bum SPF 50 Pro sunscreen- made with non-irritating mineral and chemical sun protectants, this stuff stays on throughout a multitude of activities and is small enough to keep in your pocket. Won't run into your eyes while working on your motorcycle on a hot day,  rock climbing solo in the desert, or playing a hot round of beach volleyball with Val Kilmer.

3. Home Fragrance: Sydney Hale Co. Sea Salt + Bay Rum Candle- Dudes love candles. I know a lot of guys who love candles more than I do and I think that's a great thing. This candle smells like sitting at a beach bar and drinking some Caribbean rum and boozing it into the sunset. Get some candles in your life, because no one wants to smell your steak 3 days after you've cooked it. 

Well gentlemen, I hope this satiates your wild, manly appetite for decent skin, body and hair care products catered towards you, the manliest (or gentlest) of men! I do think mens skin and hair care stuff is way fun and I really like learning about all the new stuff you guys get to have! Maybe I'll do this every once and a while to keep you all fresh to death. Party on, Dudes!

Instagram: @e_bythesea 

HOLD THE DAMN PHONE: Hair Care Release!

It's happening. My shampoo and conditioners (yes, I have multiples) are all finally running low and it's time to replenish. I have been on the fence about what I want to get next. I've been getting the same Sally Beauty Supply Generic brand Awapuhi and Biolage knock-offs for so long that I really want a change. Just two pretty bottles in my shower instead of a bunch of ugly, residue covered ones plus a thousand tiny sample bottles that have like  almost nothing left in them. But tomorrow brings a whole new world of hair product for me. An exciting new release that almost has me more excited than when I graduated (I know, I have weird priorities!). Now, more and more companies are fusing together my favorite things and making me want to buy them. And now, after making the most awesome beach spray I've ever used, Bumble and Bumble are lowering my retirement contributions again by releasing.....

Photo: Into The Gloss

Surf Foam Wash Shampoo and Surf Creme Rinse Conditioner. These products are designed to cleanse hair while preserving and enhancing your hair texture; priming it for beachy goodness. This is released May 1st and you better believe it's going to sell out fast. Luckily, I get up at 6:30am anyways for work so I will be making my purchase while I sit and eat my peanut butter toast in my underwear.

If you are in love with the beach and want awesome hair, get yourself some surf shampoo (but not before I do). Pretend every day is a beach day! Cowabunga dudes!

Whip Yo' Hair

Hair Care by elbonner featuring a Batiste hair shampoo

Beauty product / Burt s Bees hair shampoo / Haircare / Bumble and Bumble styling product, $33 / Sebastian Professional haircare / Batiste hair shampoo, $7.91

After reading over my last post I feel like I was kind of a whiner. Let me clarify:my life does not suck, this is realy the only thing I have to worry about. Sorry for being depressing and/or annoying, but that post wasn't so much for people to understand what I was going through, but more as something I needed to do to get myself through some stuff. Writing as therapy as you would! 

This post hopefully isn't in the running for most depressing post ever and it is about my everyday hair care! I have blonde, non-colored, dry, frizzy-yet-flat hair. It's also fine on the top of my head and wirey and coarse underneath. It's hard to catagorize as one textture which means I have to use lots of different stuff to keep it not looking crazy. 

For shampoo I use a combination of Burts Bees Super Shiny shampoo and Deva Curl's  No-Poo shampoo. Super Shiny is a sulfate free, foaming shampoo that smells like grapefruits and gets all of my build-up out. I use it probably once a week to get my hair super clean. Every other to every three days I use the No-Poo which is non-foaming and more like a cleansing conditioner. Since my hair is so dry I don't like to strip it so I really like that cleansing conditioners are so popular now. 

For conditioners I use deep conditioners almost exclusively. Thin ones just don't do the job. My favorites are Biolage's Conditioning Balm that I've been using forever. I actually buy the generic kind from Sally Beauty Supply because it's the same thing, but waaaay cheaper. My second favorite is Sebastian's Penetraitt which makes me hair super soft in the shortest amount of time. 

As fot styling I always use a leave-in conditioner or my hair will be a dry frizzy mess that will just snag and break off. My new found love is It's A 10miracle leave-in with keratin. It makes my hair super soft and shiny without making it greasy and the keratin keeps it from getting damaged. I have natural waves and when I want them to hold better I use Paul Mitchells Awapuhi Wild Ginger Hydrowhip which is like a mouse but it has conditioning elements to it that don't dry things out like normal mouses do.

When I want beachy hair, I only go with the best: Bumble & Bumble's Surf Spray. I've tried every surf spray under the sun and this is the only stuff that gets me the texture I get after spending a day in the water. It gives me more volume and hold than hair spray and when I curl my hair it holds them better than hair spray too. This stuff id the BEST.

Sometimes I'm lazy and I don't even want to shower. With my bangs on my forehead all day they can get greasy and ropey and look all-around gross. To combat that without the inconvenience of showering I use a dry shampoo like Batiste. Another one I like is Suave's dry shampoo which smells like grapefruits and costs like $2.50. Can't beat that!

Those are really the only things I use on my hair. I used to be a hair care addict, but I've found what works and kept with that. If I find new treasures I will update, but that's all for now. Happy Labor Day everyone!