Hair Chameleon

{My newest hair color!}

Just a few weeks ago, I was crazy about my blonde hair. I gushed, "I LOVE this color! Never going to change it!" Let's just say I was in over my hair.

When I decided to take the bleach blonde plunge, I totally did one of these: "Psh! Bleach my whole head? No biggie! Black roots coming in? I can handle that! Purple shampoo? It can't be that hard! Fried ends? It's only hair!"

As you can already tell, it turns out that blonde hair meant high maintenance (seriously, where was my light bulb? Common sense, Diana! Common sense!)

Back track to this Saturday. My uber talented sister-in-law-to-be touched up my roots with some bleach. After washing out the bleach, we attempted to tone the roots with an ashy shade to counteract the warmth. We pulled the toner towards my ends to make it blend nicely. My porous hair took the toner SO quickly and I got a seriously ashy, nearly green outcome. Because the color was even, I thought it would be an easy fix - add more warmth and get back to my beautiful blonde.

So, there I was at Sally's on Sunday - ashy hair and all. The lady there told me to go with a gold-based dye to warm up my color. I went home, tried it, and it didn't do much but make my roots ginger hot. Blorange roots and ashy ends... I was ecstatic. 

While letting my hair chill out for a few days - and also staying shy from the rest of the world (who would really want to show off the colorful mess I had going on?) - I dissected browsed the internet for more solutions. I also found myself on tons of fashion blogs and websites checking out what people wore to fashion week and this season's trends. 

And a new hair craving began. Yes, every so often I get a craving/itch for a new color. The thought process goes something like this: "Ou! Loving that pleated skirt for fall. A pumpkin spice latte in hand? I can't wait until the leaves change colors. How gorgeous would rich chocolate locks look against a fall palette? I must be a brunette... ASAP!"

This brunette conclusion came just in time. I was having a hair crisis and autumn was rolling in. Four boxes of level 5 golden brown dye later and I am back to my brunette self. I love how changing hair colors can make you feel like a whole new person. That's probably why I've been a hair chameleon since the ripe age of 12 - playing hair dress up whenever my moods or the seasons change.

My point? Autumn, I'm officially ready for you! Don't worry, blonde, we'll meet again someday.

{My changing hair colors in the past year}

Are you a hair chameleon too? What's your go-to hair color for this autumn? 

Tell me in the comments below!

No Mirror Makeup Challenge

This week, I did the No Mirror Makeup Challenge! I had been wanting to do it for a while and finally got to it. How do you think I did?

I Heart: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

When I do my makeup, I always leave my lips for the very last step. And when I do get to the lips, I usually take a while and contemplate, "Hm. Do I feel like wearing this lipstick? But it's really drying" or "How about this lip gloss? Too sticky." There just never seems to be something that can feel nice on my lips, moisturize them, and actually stay there. 

Well, Revlon heard my beauty prayers because I absolutely love their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains! Exactly what their name says, they go on like a balm - smooth and moisturizing - and then leave a colorful stain without feeling dry at all. They each cost less than $10 and come in a decent color range too - from rosy nudes to bright pinks to deep reds. The three I have (from left to right as seen above) are Smitten, Sweetheart, and Cherish. Another plus for this product is its packaging. It's clean and cute, can fit in a small purse, and is in a pencil-like form so I can just roll the product up when needed. 

Anyways, just had to share how much I love these! They have now become an everyday makeup staple in my makeup kit! What is your current favorite makeup product? 

Masque It Monday: Peel Off Masque

Happy Monday, guys! To start off this week, I have a new Darling Days series for you. Every Monday for the next 9 weeks will be a Masque It Monday - a weekly post reviewing a facial masque. You can also link up every week with a post about how you pamper yourself - it can be about anything related to beauty, skin care, or makeup!

This week's masque: Cucumber Peel Off Masque



Made by PETA-approved company, Montagne Jeunesse, this masque is for normal to oily skin and those wanting to target clogged pores or an oily t-zone. As per the instructions, I applied this masque - which has a very slimy consistency when applied - all over my face (avoiding eyes, mouth, and hairline of course). Then, I waited 20 minutes as the masque dried and tightened on my skin. After the 20 minutes were up, I peeled the masque off very gently, starting from the outer edges of my face. I washed off the little excess pieces and finished off the treatment by moisturizing my skin.

The results? Despite my skin feeling a little tingly after taking off the masque, my pores were definitely squeaky clean and my skin was left feeling fresh (thanks to the cucumber) and smooth.
I'd recommend this masque for people wanting to deep clean their pores and to exfoliate their skin. However, those with sensitive skin should either avoid this masque or use it very sparingly only in spots that need treatment.

Final rating: 8 out of 10! Great quality for only $2 at Walmart or Ulta.



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My Current Beauty Must-Haves

As a product junkie and beauty-crazed woman, I love to try new products all the time! I feel bad for my skin, but I can't help it. And as much as I love to switch things around, there are always a few new products that I fall in absolute love with. Here are the latest beauty products - both skin care and makeup - that currently have me head over heels.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

1. Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser

This baby is a holy grail kind of product. It works extremely well with my sensitive, normal-to-oily skin. It's light, non-irritating, and has been keeping my skin sweet and clean. I use it with the Cetaphil Gentle Moisturizer. Both are non-comedogenic - meaning they don't clog pores - which is pretty fab if you ask me. Because it is a simple and gentle cleanser, it should definitely be paired with a separate skin care product that has more active ingredients if you're looking to address other skin concerns and really repair your skin.

2. Clarisonic Mia

This electronic face brush is a deep-cleansing piece of magic. I use it two to three times a week to deep clean my pores as well as exfoliate my skin. As per the instructions, I apply my cleanser on the damp brush, turn the Clarisonic Mia on, and use the Mia to slowly massage the cleanser onto my damp skin for about a minute. Based on reviews I've read, I really think that the Clarisonic works for some skin types and does not work for others. So far, it's been lovely for my skin!

3. NARS Laguna Bronzer

I recently purchased this bronzer to try it out after hearing people rave about it for so many years. Let's just say if someone were to take it away now, I'd have a serious case of separation anxiety. It's the perfect tone - not orangey at all - and blends beautifully. The bronzer has a tiny bit of shimmer... enough to give you a nice glow and still be able to use for contouring. Also, it is a pretty large bronzer which makes it worth its price.

4. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

The BB cream craze is just the beginning of the multi-purpose makeup trend (who doesn't love time-saving products?). This BB cream primes, moisturizes, and evens out my skin. It's what I wear on an everyday basis when I need to get ready quickly as I can apply it with my fingers just like a moisturizer.

5. MAC Pearl Cream Color Base

This is my go-to product for adding a fresh, dewy, J.Lo-esque glow to my face. I apply it to the high points of my face (cheek bones, brow bones, bridge of my nose, cupids bow and chin) with my fingers. Lasts a while and is a great price.

6. Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara

I normally avoid getting pricey mascaras - just because Maybelline has amazing ones that I can get for less than $5. However, I really wanted to know why there was so much hype surrounding Lancome's Hypnose mascaras. I decided to go with Hypnose Star for more dramatic, flared lashes. The brush is amazing! It really adds to your lashes' length and volume without any clumping. I love love love!

7. NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Via Veneto

I found this product while hunting for a black pencil eyeliner that would not smudge on me - a very difficult task. I once heard a great things about NARS' eyelid primer so I thought that they must know what they're doing with smudge-proof eyeliner too. It applies smoothly, does not smudge, lasts a long time, and does not require any sharpening (it rolls right up!). I can see myself buying it again once I run out.

8. MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj Lipglass

A perfect bright pink gloss that I think would suit every skin tone! It's a short tube which fits nicely into my purse and all of the funds go to charity! Double thumbs up!