My Cake Smash Photoshoot

As I am turning thirty, I decided to have a photoshoot to commemorate this moment. While searching for ideas, I came across the adult cake smash theme. I found it to be super cute and decided to have that be my theme. I loved the "young at heart" message that it portrayed because at the end of the day: age is just a number. Jeremy is turning ten next month so he joined the photoshoot party as well. Entering the double digits is a big moment too!

top: Boohoo, skirt: Amazon, shoes: Christian Louboutin 

The lovely Melissa of  Ragdoll Films did a fantastic job commemorating these moments. I took these photos in the comfort of my home. We did the outdoor shots close to my apartment. The original plan was to go to the park but March weather was like "nope!" so we did some street shots instead. I think they came out great anyway. She is an absolute doll. Super patient and really wants to make sure to get some good shots. Getting the confetti shots took a lot of takes. You have to blow the confetti a certain way and  have a large amount  to make sure it shows in the photo. Our perseverance was rewarded with some pretty amazing shots.

Setting up the photoshoot was a lot of fun. I'd like to try my hand at styling more photoshoots. It was fun putting al these props together.  I purchased the "Hello 30" banner from Etsy and the cake was from Crystal of Slice of Heaven NYC. She makes truly amazing cakes which you can check out on her IG, @sliceofheavennyc.

I DIY'd a lot of stuff because that's how I roll.  For the signs, I framed some foam poster board and used chalk markers for the lettering. I took advantage of having nice penmanship and freehanded most of it.  The cake stand was homemade from a candle stick and plate I got from Dollar Tree. The cake Crystal made included the "H&J" cake topper. I made the "thirty" cake topper by using an online stencil maker and printing it out on card stock. I then used an X-acto knife to cut it out. I then covered it in glue and put gold glitter over it.

t-shirt: Etsy, skirt: Altazurra for Target

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

I'm On The Edge... Of Thirty!

top: Boohoo, skirt: Amazon, shoes: Christian Louboutin

cake by: @sliceofheavennyc

Photos by: Ragdoll Films

Turning thirty is a huge milestone, for sure. For many, it's the age whee you are supposed to be an official adult with all your shit together. Women in particular, use thirty as a deadline for everything in their checklist. Mostly, it's expectations imposed to us by society. Get married. Have children. Buy a house. Start using anti-aging products. Blah, blah, blah. We have all these expectations on ourselves and to then get disappointed when they are not done by a certain time.

With my own birthday being days away, I did experience a little bit of anxiety. I was totally having the cliched birthday meltdown. There was a lot of deep thinking and making comparisons to who I am now versus the person the I was expecting to be by now. Then there was the worry about the loss of my youth.  To many people, thirty is "old". Did I waste time in my twenties? There's some things that only twenty-something-year-olds can get away with. At least, according to some people. So was I now expected to look and act a certain way now that I was entering my thirties?

But then, I came to my senses. Who says I have to be a different person? Sure I'm not where I want to be yet but I have come incredibly far. I'm raising a wonderful boy, I'm in the best shape of my life and I'm creating the path to becoming my own boss. A younger me would be proud of the incredible woman that I have become.

So at thirty, you will see me still wearing that mini skirt. I'll be the same Havolin who loves Cheetos and dances like a dweeb. I'll continue my Girls Night Outs. And I'll be wearing that eye cream because I want to--not because I feel like I have to.  I will be having just as much fun in my thirties as I did in my twenties. Even more fun, because I'm not as broke ;). My checklist will have a different set of accomplishments: continuing the pursuit of my happiness, conquering my feels and learning to self-love.

Thirty, Flirty and Thriving!

Cheap & Easy Boob Hacks

This is another post dedicated to a fashion hack. Taping up your boobs is something that is done throughout Hollywood. Kim Kardashian has shared a picture on her Instagram demonstrating her method in lifting her breasts in low cut clothing. This method is incredibly useful if your boobs hang a little low or if you simply want to give them a little boost. I'm a little self-conscious about mine so I was really happy when I discovered this hack.

A lot of people use duct tape but I honestly find that a little too sticky, which can make the removing process a little painful. I have found that athletic tape works really well and it is a lot easier to remove. For reference, I am a full B/small C. Fuller bust Mamis might have to use a little more tape but it will be just as effective. As a precaution, you might want to cover your nipples with some cotton pads or use nipple covers before placing tape over them. Otherwise, you might be in for a lot of pain. You also want to make sure that your skin is free of any oils and lotions. Otherwise the tape will not stick as well and might come out really wrinkly.

In the video below, I show two different ways in you can tape your breasts up to achieve a fuller and perkier bust. I hope you find the video useful and don't forget to pass it along to a friend in need :).




Thanks for watching!

How to Stretch Out Shoes That Are Too Tight

Have you ever purchased the most perfect pair of shoes that are your size but just a little bit too tight? This was my scenario when I purchased my first pair of Louboutins. Louboutins are known for running narrow and my feet are kind of wide so I knew I would have to visit this babies in store versus ordering them online.  For such an investment, I wanted to make sure they fit.

The style I purchased are the Jonatina sandals. Turns out, I had to go up a whole size. A size 40 fit me fine but I had some slight tightness around my pinky toe. I considered getting them professionally stretched but I decided to just try my go-to method.

What You'll Need:

• Your shoes
• Thick Socks (athletic socks work best)
• Hair Dryer

Steps:

• Put on your socks. I had some thick wool socks on in the photo, gym socks work great as well. If you do not have any thick socks, you can wear 2-3 pairs of regular socks at a time to get the same results.
• Put your feet inside the shoes.
• Blast your dryer on high and pass it over your feet while flexing your feet and toes. Keep doing this for about two minutes. Keep moving the dryer back and forth because you could burn yourself if you direct it at one spot for too long.
• Wait until your shoes and socks cool before removing them. Take the socks off and try slipping into your shoes. It usually works after one go but you can do another round if it feels too tight.
• As an added bonus, I like to put the socks back on and just wear the shoes around my house for a coupe of hours to really break them in.

This works really great on leather shoes. I have also used this on faux and vegan leather with successful results.I did have to do a couple of rounds on faux leather because it doesn't stretch as easily.

I hope this little fashion hack worked well for you all. Here's to beautiful shoes and happy feet!

FOTD: Hello March

I am continuing my yearly tradition of doing an aqua-colored eye inspired by my birthstone which is the Aquamarine. The Aquamarine stone varies in different shades of blue. For this reason,I chose this pale blue for my look choosing an old NYX pigment I had. I created a halo eye, smoking out the inner and outer corners of my eyes. I felt like this made the light blue really pop.

By the way, this is a milestone birthday for me this year. This year I'm turning the big 3-0. In 29 days to be exact. Ahh!!!!!

I used a L'oreal quad I had in "112 Avante Garde Azure". It looked very pretty in store and had some colors that were perfect for this look. Unfortunately these shadows kind of sucked. They weren't very pigmented and the blendability (is that even a word) was kind of blah. But I managed to work with it.

Product Details
FACE
NARS Natural Radiant Foundation "Tahoe"
Maybelline FitMe Concealer "Medium"
Laura Mercier Transluscent Powder
TooFaced Dark Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
Nicole Guerriero x ABH Palette "Forever Young"
EYES
NYX Microbrow Pencil "Espresso"
MAC eyeshadow "Soft Brown"
MAC eyeshadow "Swiss Chocolate"
MAC pigment "Naked"
ABH eyeshadow 'Warm Taupe"
L'oreal Colour Riche Pocket Palette "Avant Garde Azure" (darkest color to smoke out eyes and 3rd color on lid"
Inglot gel eyeliner "77"
L'oreal Voluminous Mascara
Koko Lashes "Flirty"
LIPS
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb

Mask Monday: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask

photo credit: Pure Formulas

I have struggled with acne ever since I was a teenager. For the most part, my skin has been pretty clear due to my skin routine and the changes I have made to my diet. I will break out here and there, due to hormones. I had a pretty bad breakout last month and on top of that, I was eating a lot of sugar so it led to my skin starting a small rebellion.

I love making custom masks using the Aztec Secrets Indian Clay. This contains 100% Calcium Bentonite. Bentonite Clay is very affordable and can be used on all skin types. A one pound tub costs about $10.00 and you get a lot of use out of it. Bentonite Clay can also be used as hair masks and soaks, among other things.

For the skin, Bentonite Clay serves a lot of purposes. Some of them are:

• Removing dead skin cells
• Extracting impurities from the skin
• Healing Acne Scars
• Helping control the production of sebum
• Softening and exfoliating the skin

I started using the clay once in a while when I want to give myself a face mask. Once I started having problematic skin, I started to use it more regularly. I now use the Bentonite Clay twice a week as a face mask to help keep my skin clear and to help fade away my acne scars. Since the Bentonite Clay comes in a powder form, I like to mix it with Apple Cider vinegar and sometimes I'll add a couple of drops of Vitamin E oil and/or Rosehip Oil. Both oils have moisturizing properties and are great for healing acne scars and other skin imperfections. You can add your own essential oils or other ingredients like lemon juice and honey, depending on your skin concerns. It's like having your own custom face mask.

I add enough ACV to form a paste. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to do a spot test or just use water instead. I apply it with a brush and leave it on for about 20 minutes, as recommended on the package for normal skin.

it's tightening!

Once the mask dries, you will it tightening and "pulsating". I honestly love this sensation, it makes it feel like it is working its magic. Once the time is up, you can rinse with warm water. I like to use my makeup eraser to remove any spots that don't wash away easily.

before

after

The photos above have been taken within a three week span. I have been starting to see an improvement in my skin by regularly using this mask. I've also been drinking a lot more water and cut down sugar and dairy from my diet. So far, no new breakouts. Along with my regular skin routine, I hope that the scars fade away even more. So far, I'm pleased with the results.

The Aztec Secrets Indian Healing Clay can be purchased at health food stores and can also be found on Amazon.