“Yes, You do Only Live Once, and #YOLO Will Outlive Us All”

By Monica Lopez

At this point, nearly all social media fans are familiar with the phrase YOLO (you only live once) being added to just about any and every kind of statement made on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. YOLO has swarmed the social media community since its mention in the 2011 Drake song, The Motto. 

And yeah, while we get the message - this is the one life we have, so let’s live it up – and maybe even agree with it, but when will the YOLO phenomenon end?  People are posting all sorts of crude, and ridiculous comments via social media while hashtagging YOLO at the end as a way of adding humor and justification to their comments. And while some comments left by YOLO-ites can be tongue in cheek and make you chuckle, too many people are using YOLO to promote, celebrate and support reckless behavior with the mentality, “screw it, you only live once.” 

My Weekend Looks!

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to share a couple of my recent weekend looks.  On weekdays, I work in a corporate environment, so I look forward to sportin' a casual chic vibe on weekends! Check out these easy looks I put together with some old/new items from my closet. 

1st look: "Easy Peach" - peach tank: Old Navy (old), necklace: Laila Rowe, beige blazer (taken from old pant suit set), jeans: Flying Monkey, shoes: Lucky brand (comfy flats!)

2nd look: "Polka Dottie Hottie" - Shirt: Express (on sale baby!), Pants: Express (on sale - hey, it was buy one get one 50% off!), necklace: Charlotte Russe

XOXO

Moni <3

The UnProm: Ditch Prom for Cancun? Why Not?

by Monica Lopez

Now that Prom Season is well underway, I’m reminded of my own high school soirée, which like many things high school, I ditched. Okay, so I’m not going to make some feeble attempt at pretending I was just this cool rebel type chick who didn’t care about prom. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Like a lot of girls, going to prom revolved around finding a date, and for me, it had to be the right date. Now, by senior year all of my crushes had either graduated, were all wifed up, or were somewhat freaked out by my disastrous attempts at getting their attention which included varying degrees of stalking. Needless to say, I had to look outside of school for my prom date.

And this made sense since the majority of my senior year's extracurricular activities revolved around a boy named Jason. Unlike the others, he was not just the boy of the moment. He was THE boy. The one I loved in my head. The one my days, nights, outfits, plans and chillin spots revolved around. I would hang out in his neighborhood directly after school day in and day out scoping streets for his signature orange Mecca t-shirt (orange was his favorite color). And on the best days of my teenage life, I would find him and his beautiful head of long dark hair bopping to Fat Joe/Big Pun songs with his boys. Now, I don’t want to make this seem like it was all one sided. Although I probably never ran through his mind as the girl who always had the fresh airbrushed nails, the best platform shoes, and who smelled like summer gardenias, he was definitely into the goods. So, we dated. Well, sorta.

Skinny Cow / Dirty Dancing Anniversary Screening Event in NYC!

Fun Times @ Skinny Cow / Dirty Dancing Anniversary Screening Event on May 22nd in NYC !

Oh, the memories, the moments, the romance, the dancing!  Dirty Dancing is and has always been my #1 chick flick. I mean, it's not just Swayze's crazy swagger (although it certainly helps). It's always been about Baby and how relatable she is to me and so many other girls. She's not the hottest, the boldest, the baddest or the best, but her sweet sincerity, innocence and vulnerability draw you in.  In many ways, Baby goes through what every girl goes through at some point in her life. She's on the cusp of womanhood, dealing with insecurity, jealousy, disappointment, and experiencing her monumental first love. We can appreciate her evolution throughout the film, from when she was first introduced to us as an awkward, shy, curious and conservative girl to her asserting herself as a confident, bold, hot dancing queen. Having all of this take place to the sweet & sultry soundtrack of classic oldies is perfection. It was an honor to celebrate this milestone 25th anniversary screening in NYC with Jennifer Grey and an audience of 95% women. Each scene flooded my mind with memories of my own metamorphosis from shy girl to confident woman - the highs, lows & romantic rendezvous. Through it all, Dirty Dancing has and always will remain a timeless staple.  

Lovely Waves

Source: modernsalon.com via Hillary on Pinterest

How To Achieve Humidity Friendly Curls

Hey Guys! The weather in NYC has been really humid lately. So, instead of fighting the frizz, I thought I'd embrace it.  My hair is naturally curly and although I use the Keratin Treatments every 4 months or so, my natural curl still comes out. Normally I use a big barrel curling iron to smoothe out the tight curl and create a tousled beachy, bouncy look.  However, on super humid days, it's just a waste of time. The big curls drop and my hair looks a hot mess.  So, I've decided to incorporate medium sized ringlets to blend in with my natural curl.  And, I've been pleased with the results. 


Here's how I achieve my look:


First, I wash my hair the night before and go to sleep with it dry or slightly damp.  This is what I wake up with (see upper left hand corner pic).


I then use a 3/4 inch curling iron.   For these curls, the iron does not have to be super hot, so I would recommend an inexpensive brand like Conair or one that you find at a local Beauty Supply store.  I bought the one featured above at Walmart for $13.


I part my hair in half vertically and begin curling small pieces of hair working my way from the back of my head to the front.  Now, I'm not going for a super precise look here, so each piece of hair does not have to be curled.  I usually curl the majority of the upper half of my head and a curl a few straggly looking ends as needed (check out the pics above).


Once I am please with the result, I slightly loosen the curls with my fingers since I am not going for a Shirley Temple look.  


When you're done, you can add a finishing spray to better hold the curls in place. I usually limit my use of hair spray, so I don't apply it unless I have evening plans and want to maintain my look. 


This entire process takes me approximately 10 minutes.  


Overall, the beauty of this do is that even though your hair may frizz a bit, it blends in with both the natural and manufactured curls. Think Sarah Jessica Parker in her Carrie Bradshaw glory days.


XOXO,
Moni <3

The Skinny on DIY Waxing

Before I stopped drinking, I'd have a glass or two of wine, gather up my courage and heat up the hard wax needed for the deed. It was beach season again and a clean shaven maven was just not enough. The tell all sun of the beach was merciless shining light on even the lightest bikini line stubble. So, I'd take a breath, apply, allow to cool and ... rip! And after multiple repeats, reheats and *bleeps*, it was over. Or was it? Sometimes I noticed that even after multiple strips and rips, I was never quite..ahem..bare. In addition to waxing, I'd have to shave or *cringe* tweeze the rest. However, I learned that besides the obvious pain, I became more prone to ingrown hairs when I waxed myself. It turns out that there's a technique to waxing when you DIY:

1. Prep work: When warming wax, use extreme precaution. Make sure the wax is warm and NOT hot. The consistency of the wax is a great indicator of its temperature. When the wax is too thin, that means it's very hot and you need to cool it 1-2 minutes before applying it to the skin. Warm wax will have a thicker (not gooey) consistency.  Gooey wax means that it is too cool and needs to be reheated.

Prepare linen strips if required, have a wooden spatula, have oil, powder and lotion as well as a towel and/or disposable napkins. (Powder to apply to skin prior to waxing to absorb any moisture, oil to remove excess wax once you're done and lotion (or cooling gel) to soothe area post waxing).

2.  Apply powder to skin before the wax to avoid skin irritation.

3.  Apply the wax from inside out pulling the hair in the reverse direction of hair growth.

4.  Make sure you pull the skin tight - no bending. This will cause less pain and achieve a cleaner, smoother result.

5.  Remove excess wax with mineral or baby oil. To avoid irritation, use a medicated ingrown hair preventative cream immediately after waxing and for the next couple of days. This step is crucial to avoiding ingrown hairs. I would recommend Bikini Zone's Medicated Gel. There are pricier brands out there but this brand works just as well.

6. Do not take a hot shower directly after waxing and no sun or tanning beds for 24-48 hours.

If all of this information scares you, visit a good, clean well reviewed salon. ;-)

XOXO,

Monica

Good Pink Fun!

During lunch today, my friend and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and snap some fun shots! I scored these playful pink glasses from a street vendor in Union Square, NYC. They're a perfect match to my MAC St. Germain lipstick. All in Pink Fun! 

Combat Seasonal Puffy Eyes with This!

This allergy season has been brutal to my eyes! Some days, I wake up with puffy, itchy eyes that make me look tired and older! Needless to say, I was on the market for a quick morning fix. After I wash my face with cool water (warm water can irritate sensitive eyes), I apply this little miracle worker as a base to my under eye concealer and it dramatically reduces the swelling. If you're experiencing puffy eyes, I would totally recommend MAC's Fast Response Cream. But, keep in mind it's not super moisturizing, so I would recommend using a rich eye cream at night to make sure your eyes are getting the hydration they need. And remember, water, water, water. The more H2O you consume, the better your skin looks and feels. True Story.

Bright, Fun Office Look

Office attire can be fun, fashionable and practical at the same time.  Check out today's look: Necklace - Laila Rowe, Shirt - Old Navy, Cardi- Conway, Shoes - Lucky Brand, Ring - Laila Rowe.

Say Yes to a Yellow Mani!

I love all things bright, so I'm loving these yellow nails! Check out this cool hue from Orly called Lemonade!

Liquid Liner by NYC Cosmetics

I'm totally digging the winged eyeliner look these days. Liquid liner and I have not always had a great relationship.  Either the liner would cake, smudge or the application would be uneven. But, it turns out, I was just using the wrong liner!  I found out about this amazing black liquid liner from the NYC line. It works great and applies evenly, but the best part is it's only $4 a pop!  

Buy Yourself Flowers!

I'm a big believer that you should surround yourself with little things that make you happy. For me during this time of year, it's fragrant flowers like the lilacs pictured above.  I bought these fragrant beauties for myself on 52nd & 9th NYC for the ah-mazing price of six bucks a bunch!