July 2016 on Instagram

Who else can't believe it's already August?!  I feel like I just started my summer and now it's coming to an end.  The really weird part about this month though is that I'm not going back to college, I've done that for the five years so it's definitely a big change.  I tried to lay low in July though and soak up as much summer relaxation as I could.  As usual I documented everything on Instagram and below I have a recap of my month in pictures.  If you're not following me (@theblushblonde) make sure to do that now!

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jun 30, 2016 at 8:22pm PDT

The Silver Diner is a favorite of mine!  I'm usually not a diner person, but their healthy, natural, and local approach to diner food has made me a huge fan.  I have crazy food allergies and they use Breyer's Ice Cream, which I can actually eat, so every time I go there I need to get a milkshake!  This day I especially needed one because I had to fast that morning, get like eight vials of blood taken, and almost passed out so a sweet treat was a must.

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 2, 2016 at 1:14pm PDT

These were my 4th of July weekend essentials!  Blue and white stripes with a red lips are a must to celebrate America!

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 4, 2016 at 2:20pm PDT

My Happy 4th of July post!  Nothing more classic than a good old fashioned Coke.  The funny thing is though is that this is actually a Mexican Coke because American Coke is made with High Fructose Corn Syrup, which I'm allergic to, and Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar.  So the secrets out, I celebrated America's birthday with Mexican Coke.

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 6, 2016 at 7:32pm PDT

One night my Mom and I went to our favorite little (tiny) seafood shop that sells takeout in the summer you can eat outside in a small picnic area.  We ordered all the super fried, greasy, amazing, delicious seafood we wanted and went to town on it with the gorgeous view.  We had a great time and the food and views were too good!

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 11, 2016 at 3:35pm PDT

I've been trying to get back into exercising lately and this was my first day back at it.  I love to do Pilates and yoga to strengthen and tone my body, and get all the other amazing benefits exercise has to offer!

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 13, 2016 at 11:04am PDT

Sprinkles is one of my favorite places to go when I'm in New York City and I have been dying to try their ice cream for a while.  My Mom and I took an NYC day trip in July and finally getting some Sprinkles ice cream was high on my list of things to do.  This is red velvet ice cream in a red velvet waffle cone and it was amazing!  Red velvet is my absolute favorite cupcake and the ice cream was well worth the wait.

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 14, 2016 at 1:52pm PDT

This is another shot from our day trip to New York.  We stopped at Rockefeller Center to take a few pictures for this post and this picture is from that.

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 21, 2016 at 5:38pm PDT

I made this designer hat for way less and I was so excited to share it!  If you want to make one for yourself check out this post for the step by step instructions.

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 24, 2016 at 3:01pm PDT

I went to HomeGoods to get a new bedside table and in addition to finding a gorgeous one I also found this adorable planner.  I'm so glad I found this when I did because I have a crazy new medication schedule and I'm using this to keep track of it.

A photo posted by Kristin Thompson (@theblushblonde) on Jul 28, 2016 at 6:46am PDT

I took this picture after shooting for my post with Irresistible Me.  In this shot I'm rocking their Silky Touch 20 inch 200g Silky Platinum Blonde clip in human hair extensions.  These extensions are great and made me feel like I had the most dreamy mermaid hair!  To learn more about them and my experience with them check out this post!

So this was my July in pictures!  Come check me out on Instagram (@theblushblonde) and follow along with me to see more of what's here!  How was your month?

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with Midweek Inspo, WIWW, Oh Hey Girl!, I Feel Pretty, and Trendy Wednesday.

Simple Eye Makeup Tips and Tutorial

I have been crazy busy with my move so my sweet friend Sara is taking over for me today!  I am so excited for this post because she is a makeup and hair guru who I love to learn new beauty things from.  Without any further ado I'm going to let Sara take it away, but make sure to check out her website (especially her amazing tutorials) when you're done here!  xoxo Kristin

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Hey y’all!  First of all, let me introduce myself.  My name is Sara Drury and I am a makeup artist and hairstylist with a passion for teaching women how to do their makeup like pros (even when they're not).  I am so excited to be doing a guest post for the lovely Kristin, what an honor and a privilege.

Since she has trusted me to write for her, I wanted to make sure I gave you some really good and fun tips!

Today I’m going to teach you one of my favorite summer eye makeup looks as well as give you some great tips on how to make your eye makeup last…even in these dog days of summer!

To start, here are my top three summer eye makeup tips:

  

1.   Wear an eye primer

Eye primer is a game changing product. It will help your eyeshadow go on more smoothly, keep it from creasing, and also make it last all day long!  A cool pro tip is to put just a little bit on your lower lashline, too, that way your eyeliner won’t run!  Try it, it’s awesome!

2.   Use a pop of color.

 I really like to use a colorful eyeliner either in the water line (like I’ve done here) or just on the bottom lashline.  My favorites are blues or purples, but use whatever color you love!

  

3.   Waterproof liner is magic.

Waterproof eyeliner is amazing for hot summer days!  If you're out in the heat makeup can tend to slide around a lot especially when it's really hot out.  Below are some waterproof eyeliners that I love (and they come in fun colors, win/win!):

-MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Eye Pencil
-Maybelline Lasting Drama by Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner 
-Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil

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I also promised to teach you a fun and simple eye makeup look, so here is the step by step of exactly how to do it!

Step 1: Start by priming your eyes!  Like I said above this is the #1 way to help apply your eye makeup and make it last longer.

Step 2: Take a shimmery light color eyeshadow (like MAC Eye Shadow in All That Glitters, or Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Shimma Shimma) and sweep it all over your eyelid.

Step 3: Next, using a waterproof pencil in the color of your choice gently line your waterline (or bottom lashline).

Step 4: Add black eyeliner on the top lashline to help thicken the look of your lashes.

Step 5: Put on lots and lots of mascara and you’re all set!

If you have any questions I will check out the comment box below!  I'm so happy to answer anything - I could talk makeup all day!

xoxo,

Sara

P.S. For weekly tips and tutorials and a special video on “THE TOP 10 MAKEUP MISTAKES” check out my website and sign up for the VIP email list at SaraDruryLocalLooks.com.

Today I'm linking up with Tutu Tuesdays, Style Sessions, and Confident Twosday.

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Welcome to Tutu Tuesdays a linkup with The Blush Blonde and The Fairy Princess Diaries!  Linkup whatever you'd like and make sure to do a little mingling - our goal here is to create a community of bloggers where we can all connect, find new blogs, and support one another.  We love new friends, supporting other blogs, and meeting fellow girl bosses!

There are just a few rules we ask you follow to join in on Tutu Tuesdays:

1. Please follow both Jordyn and me, your lovely hosts, on Instagram and/or Bloglovin.

Kristin: The Blush Blonde  |  Bloglovin'  |  Instagram

Jordyn: The Fairy Princess Diaries  |  Bloglovin'  |  Instagram

2. Link to your specific post, not your blog's main page.

3. Grab our super cute button or share a link to Tutu Tuesdays in the post you are linking up so everyone can know about the party!

4. Have fun and mingle with other bloggers that have linked up!  Like I said we want everyone to make new friends!

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Beauty Behind the Blog: Seersucker Sass

Today I'm back with my second installment of Beauty Behind the Blog with an interview of Dana from Seersucker Sass!

Name: Dana

Blog: Seersucker Sass

Age: 25

THE BASICS

Who taught you about beauty?

My momma.  When I was little, I would sit and watch her fix her hair and put her makeup on each morning before work, and I was mesmerized.  She stressed the importance of taking good care of my skin and only using makeup to enhance natural beauty.

What is your favorite thing about beauty?

Experimenting with my look!

What is your best beauty secret?

Moisturizing before putting on my foundation!  It makes such a difference.

Do you create any DIY beauty products?

No!  I'd love to do more.

What is your favorite natural beauty product?

Tom's of Maine Naturally Dry Deodorant (Is that beauty?  Oops.)  I can only use natural deo since I had the lymph nodes in my armpit taken out, and this is the only stuff I've found that works.

SKIN

What is your skin type?

Oily

What is your basic skincare routine?

In the morning, I wash and moisturize.  At night, I wash, moisturize, use a sleeping cream, and apply eyelash serum.

What is your biggest skin issue?

My pores are awful, but my sleeping cream has been helping so much with that!  And I use Biore Pore Strips once a week.

What is your must have skincare product(s)?

A gentle cleanser for oily skin and a moisturizer with SPF.  I also couldn't live without Neutrogena Makeup Removing Wipes.

What is your favorite skincare splurge?

A facial!  I need one so badly.

What is the first thing you do when you get a breakout?

Try not to pick and just let the breakout run it's course.  I had an allergic reaction to an acne product once, so I steer clear of all of them now!

MAKEUP

What is your everyday makeup look?

I wear very little makeup from day to day - CC Cream, translucent powder, highlighter on my cheekbones and apples of my cheeks, blush, a shimmery neutral eyeshadow, and lipstick.  I don't wear mascara at the moment because I'm attempting to let my eyelash extensions grow out.

What is your go to makeup look when you go out?

I do the same as above, but do a full contour, more eye makeup, and eyeliner.  I'll also switch my "day" lipstick for a red or hot pink.

What are your must have makeup products?

I can't live without highlighter, blush, and plum lipstick.

What is your favorite makeup splurge?

YSL Lipstick

What is your best makeup trick?

Using translucent powder instead of a powder matched to my skin tone.  It looks so much more natural!  And when wearing bold lip color, always use a lip liner!

HAIR

What is your hair type?

Oily

What is your basic hair care routine?

I wash and condition my hair every night, and then I curl it in the morning with a large barrel curling iron.  The less work, the better!

What is your biggest hair issue?

My hair

What are your must have hair products? Organix Shampoo and Conditioner and Batiste Dry Shampoo!

What is your favorite hair care splurge?

Pricey hair spray.  I can't help it - I'm a Southern lady, and I need my hair spray!

How do you style your hair everyday?

Sometimes I wake up with amazing waves, so I'll brush the top of my hair, spray it, and go.  If it's a little too wild, I'll curl it with a large barrel curling iron.  Or if I'm in a crunch for time, I'll fishtail braid it!

How do you style your hair when you're going out?

I curl it with a large barrel curling iron, but I'll tease it up a little bit.

What is your best hair trick?

This is awful, but sometimes I don't brush my hair after washing it, and I sleep on it like that.  I wake up with the most amazing waves in the morning.

BATH AND BODY

What is your basic body care routine?

I use a gentle cleanser on my entire body, and then lather up with lotion after I shower.  My mom swears by this and she's in her 50's with no wrinkles, so take notes - I exfoliate.

What are your must have body products?

A good razor and sunscreen.

What is your favorite body product splurge?

Vita Liberata self tanning products!  I had laser hair removal about ten years ago, and I would love to splurge and have that again!

What is your basic approach to nutrition and dieting?

My diet and nutrition could be better, but I'm pretty good about enjoying things in moderation.

What is your current workout routine?

Jump roping and yoga for flexibility videos.  I used to take dance for hours a day in high school, so I try to take it much easier on my body now.

A huge thank you to Dana for sharing a look into her beauty routine!  Do you use any of the same products?  Let me know below! 

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowISummer, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.