Bikini of the week

ACACIA Swimwear - Kenya Top and Tanazania Bottoms

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The quintessential messy beach bun

I thought I would share one of my favorite ways to create the quintessential messy beach bun, because there is just something about a lazy, messy updo that gets your hair out of your face, and is at the same time incredibly flattering and stylish that appeals to girlies all over the world.

Messy Beach Bun

1. Gather all your hair into a pony tail as high as you can on top of your head. If some pieces don’t make it in, it ups the mess factor. If your hair is still wet or slightly damp, even better as wet/damp hair equals a messy beach bun match made in heaven.

2. Secure pony tail with a rubber band, on your last time around with your rubber band only pull your pony tail half way through.

3. Take the hair that has formed a loop and spread it out. The messier the better don't over style this part.

4. Now take the tail end of your pony tail that you didn't pull through and wrap it around the base of your messy beach bun.

5. Secure the tail with pins.

6. Gently loosen up some of the strands in your messy beach bun to give it a better texture and some added messiness. You can pin these strands if you so desire or leave them loose. It is all up to your personal messy beach bun personality.

7. Spray with hairspray if so desired to add some hold that will last all day, or leave your messy beach bun to run wild - a dash of messiness and salt water will do your hair a world of good.

xxx

Minimal Animale: Purrfect

I stumbled across Minimal Animale a few weeks ago and got so excited about their saucy, and yes a little bit cheeky, line that I couldn't help but share.

You can take a look at the Minimal Animale lookbook here, but be warned you will fall in love with every single bikini - who wouldn't, with mesh and pretty detailing, it is a bikini match made in heaven! The mesh bottoms above (they will be mine one day) would make a lovely addition to anyone's bikini collection - mainly mine (haha!).

So get ready to make the beach purr in 2012!

xxx

Gifts for Beach Babes

Giving gifts rocks but seeing your credit card bill skyrocket after giving such lovely gifts does not, so I decided to peruse the net and see what fabulous gifts for beach babes I could find that won't break the bank.

These are some of the goodies that I sailed across - Enjoy!

Tavik Mia Bottoms - $46.99 With lace detailing who could resist?
RockaBella Mai Tie - $15 each. Bracelet/hair tie a 2 in 1 gift
EOS Lip Sphere Duo - £10 In delicious strawberry sorbet & passion fruit
Dogeared Three Wishes Stardust Bead Bracelet - $26
BECCA Beach Tint - £19 An array of lovely shades and waterproof - a must for any beach babe
BECCA Halcyon Days Nail Collection Summerdayze - £12 In a bright pink colour; perfect for a beach tan
ACACIA Swimwear Kini Pouch Zig Zag - $30 Because all bikinis deserve to travel in style
Dogeared One in a Million Necklace - $46
Jen's Pirate Booty Flat Carved Bangle - $26
Lonely Planet's The Travel Book - $21.78 Travel through every country in the world and give the gift of wanderlust
ACACIA Swimwear Haene Top - $92 A bikini top worthy of a splurge

xxx

The colour of the ocean waves

As some of you know, from my previous post, I am going on vacation! To the tropical paradise of Honduras. This could not have come at a better time, just when I am burnt out from pulling all nighters, and studying for what felt like an endless amount of exams. I have to say I will thoroughly enjoy soaking up the sun and recharging my batteries for a whole week of pure bliss.

Given that my blog is called Beauté and the Beach, you would expect that I have an expansive collection of swimsuits, as it is only befitting of a self proclaimed beatué that spends quite a bit of time on the beach. I have to say that I do not disappoint on that account; I have a massive collection of swimsuits that I have accumulated over the years. When I say massive I mean I have, what could be compared to a small army of swimsuits in, every cut, shape, colour and pattern imaginable. I have to admit that I may have a slight addiction... but we'll save that for another time shall we.

My many many bikini tops

  Just a few of my bottoms, in an assortment of colours and prints... and there are more to come!

A very sparkly Vix suit that screams French Riviera

 Aren't the flowers a cute touch

 Some very cheekie bottoms

  I adore the dottie print and fun cutout on the back of these cheekie bottoms

 Again, obviously I can't get enough of cheekie bottoms!

 I LOVE the bows on the back of these bottoms... probably why I got one in black and one in a bright pink!

Leopard print seems to be an ongoing theme throughout my collection of swim wear as well as pink...

Just a few bandeau's and a adorable triangle top that is from Tavik (the black one at the very top)



I think I have probably missed a few swimsuits (I am sorry my babies) but I really couldn't find them all! It was hard enough just sorting them. If I have learned anything by doing this is would probably be that I have way too many swimsuits, but really when can you ever have too many?

The one good thing is that I discovered many swimsuits that I haven't worn in a while that I may have forgotten about (opps!) so I will be sure to break them out on my vacation.

The bigger question is how many swimsuits should I bring?

xxx

Sleigh Bells Jingling

So I have decided to share some of the things that are currently on my wishlist for Christmas this year. You never know I may have to buy a few things on this list as presents for myself, after all I have been very good this year :) or use it to drop some not so subtle hints on my family this year!

 MinkPink Slasher Flick Shorts

DKNY Watch

MinkPink Tug of War Tank

ZOYA nail polish in Shay and Faye (just noticed that they rhymed haha)

What is on your wishlist this year?

xxx

A beach getaway... just what the doctor ordered

Soak up some Vitamin D

I find that as the winter months drag on my moral steadily declines, I mean who can stay perpetually happy when it is 30 below out and you can't feel your toes? It is a perfectly normal reaction that I seem to get sucked into when December rolls around. Like any cyclical cycle, I seem to have a pattern that cannot be broken... Unless some sun is injected into my bloodstream STAT, this meaning a beach getaway! It seems fitting that this would be the end all, be all, to the crushing cycle that is dubbed by some the winter blahs, and as my blog name suggests, I just am not myself if I am not at the beach! 

This is why I am taking a much needed vacation on the beautiful beaches of Honduras at the end of December. I am so excited to go I positively glow with happiness every time I think about it! Now I know that not everyone has the luxury of time or money to go on a vacation so without further ado I give you my winter inspirations to keep the winter blahs at bay; and what beach vacation is complete without a worthy beach tune, I believe this one hits just the right chord:

xxx

Unleashed

I stumbled across this adorable video a few weeks ago and I though it was too cute not to share. It's perfectly appropriate for the holiday season and maybe even gets you excited about the holidays (this is me spreading some holiday cheer!); even if it's because you can't resist the cuteness of the dogs in this video (it's a start right? haha). 

I also couldn't help myself seeing as the cute little puppy who is trying to catch up with the other dogs is a Jack Russell and it seems I have a soft spot for fluffy JRTs. I wanted to take him home with me! 

The fact that most of this video takes place within the hallowed halls of Burdorfs goes down in my books as a worthy video to watch! So enjoy drooling over some all of the items featured in this video and happy holidays!

xxx

It's a hairy business ~ Part II

So as promised in, It's a hairy business ~ Part I,  I will now explain and share with you my hair care routine. Now, I find that I have a completely different routine for my hair in the winter months, as my hair seems to be less manageable in the winter than it is in the summer, weird I know, but c'est la vie.

In the winter I struggle with dry, and unruly hair. I know some people share my pain, as the winter can wreak absolute havoc on hair everywhere. I should tell you I have curly hair so my routine might not be for everyone, as I tend to pile on the products sometimes, but I do recommend lots of the products just to get sleek and healthy hair for any hair type or level of maintenance.

Shampoo
I don't shampoo my hair everyday, seeing if I did my hair would look like a troll doll gone wrong, and no one wants to see that (haha!). I tend to shampoo my hair once or twice a week. Having curly hair, means that not shampooing everyday is actually good for my hair as the natural oils that hair follicles produce help enhance curls and keep them from frizzing out. Leaving space in between washes means that the natural oils your hair produces has a longer time to travel down the shaft of the hair and reach the ends, where it normally wouldn't (just if you have curly hair) if you were washing your hair everyday, this means that the ends of your hair will be less frizzy and damaged as they get an extra injection of oils. When I do lather up it is with Sally Hershburger's Shampoo for wavy hair which is wave enhancing and safe for colour treated hair.

Conditioner
I do condition my hair everyday; I condition just the ends making sure to steer clear of my scalp as a buildup of conditioner can cause greasy hair. I usually leave the conditioner that I am using on the ends of my hair for about five minutes or so before washing it out, just to make sure that the conditioner penetrates through my hair and gets absorbed. Again, I use Sally Hershburger's Conditioner for wavey hair which is wave enhancing and safe for colour treated hair.

I have also recently picked up a new conditioner by Dove called the nourishing oil care daily treatment conditioner with weightless nutri-oils, which I am totally smitten with at the moment. It revives dry, frizzy hair and leaves hair smooth, soft and shiny. I just love this conditioner as I find that it really moisturizes my hair well and I am left with conditioned and less frizzy hair, which is a bonus all around since I have an almost daily battle with the frizz. It also smells divine I can't really describe it maybe like a fruity sundae of goodness (haha) that is the most creative I could come up with! I love the fact that when I use this on my hair I can actually smell it for the rest of the day. It isn't one of those conditioners that smells great but then fades. This one actually lasts and is a pleasant surprise that always manages to make me smile when I catch a whiff of its divine scent.

Additional Products
Sally Hershburgers wave enhancing spray. I use this when my hair is still wet and I just spray it all over my hair; usually I flip my hair over just to make sure that I am coating all my hair properly and not missing any pieces. I find that this spray adds a nice definition to my curls and cuts down on the dreaded frizz; not to mention it smells absolutely heavenly which is always a bonus!

AMIR Argan Oil Leave-In Hair Treatment which is enriched with Argan and Acai extracts to restore shine and vibrancy to hair. It moisturizes dry, brittle, hair and provides protection from heat styling and environmental stresses with potent antioxidants. I think this is my all time favorite leave in treatment other than the Sally Hershburger wave enhancing spray. I use this oil treatment after I shower when my hair is still damp, I take a dime sized amount between my palms and just run it through the ends of my hair. This product is amazing! It does just what it claims to and smells heavenly. I would say it is more of a tropical scent maybe even with a hint of coconut. I just love it, can you see the theme connecting almost all my hair products? I seem to really gravitate towards beachy scents!

Coconut Milk Mask from this post which I try to do every two weeks or so, or just whenever I have the time really.

***All of the Sally Hershburger products in the wave enhancing line smell AMAZING! I love the smell of everything in this line. They instantly transport you to a beach, with a tropical and beachy scent. I get complimented on how wonderful my hair smells all the time.

Do you have any favorite hair products that you can't live without?

xxx

SpellBound

I found this video recently and just couldn't resist sharing it. I love everything about this video (especially the floaty twirling), and I mean who doesn't like Gisele Bündchen? 

The clothing that Gisele wears in this video is exactly what I want to be wearing. I cannot tell you how long I have been scrounging (that doesn't sound like a very nice word but hey it's better than 'skulking') in stores for a chiffon skirt and breezy sheer tops. I think I am addicted, I love anything that flows and is sheer... These two traits are probably my weaknesses when it comes to clothes.

Anyway I thought this video was a great inspiration for lovely hair and gorgeous free flowing clothing.

xxx

Cornbread

Ever since I had my first taste of cornbread I have been smitten, it is probably one of the few things that I bake regularly, or as regulary as I can.

I have tried dozens of recipes for cornbread and I believe that after much testing and tasting I have found the perfect balance of ingredients that creates wonderfully delicious cornbread. 

Preparation time - 15 minutes
Bake time - 30 minutes
Makes about 10 slices 

Ingredients

• vegetable oil
• 1 cup (250 mL) cornmeal
• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
• 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, melted 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Lightly coat or spray a 9x5-inch (2-L) loaf pan with oil. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir cornmeal with flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well mixed. Make a well in centre.
2. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk with egg. Pour into cornmeal mixture along with butter. Stir just until evenly mixed. Scrape into loaf pan. Smooth top as best you can.
3. Bake in centre of oven until edges are deep golden and a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool. Loaf is great warm or at room temperature. It will keep well, covered at room temperature, up to 2 days.

xxx

The golden mean

Over the weekend I often find myself trying out new things that I wouldn't noramally have the time to during the week. It is sort of like a mini pampering, since I wasn't doing much this weekend except writing a paper for uni I decided to try some things that I heard about and wanted to try for ages.

The first thing I tried was a coconut milk masque for my hair. Now I have heard that coconut milk strengthens, conditions and can also thicken your hair. I was very interested to find out if something, as mundane as coconut milk, which can be found in the lovely aisles of most supermarkets, actually had some truth behind it.

All I did was open a can of THAI Coconut Milk, that I had previously bought, and poured it onto my hair. I made quite a mess of the bathroom so there is probably a better way than just splashing some on your head aha. Next I just gently massaged it into my scalp and all the way to the ends of my locks. I did concentrate on the ends of my hair as they are often the most damaged and dry. I left the masque on for about an hour but I am sure half and hour would be plenty of time for the coconut milk to work its magic. After an hour I rinsed my hair and went to bed. The next morning my hair was very greasy, because I hadn't washed the coconut milk out which has a very creamy texture, but once I did my hair was so so soft and silky. I defiantly noticed a difference in the texture and shininess of my hair. An added bonus was the smell, I just love anything coconut it always reminds me of beaches and the tropics so it was a nice pick me up from the cold weather.

The next thing I had the pleasure of indulging in was a pedicure. Now I usually get one anytime I am home from school and I go with my Mom so it is a bit of a girls day which is lovely, as I get pampered and I get to spend time with a very important lady, my Mom. I am usually boringly predictable when it comes to what nail polish colour goes on my toes, I am a pink girl all the way. It is usually a bright neon pink that positively radiates, but this time I deviated from pink, much to the surprise of my Mom, and got a purplely gold colour painted on my toes. I was pleasantly surprised how much I like the colour. It is one that I would defiantly try out again.

I also surprised myself by hanging Christmas lights in my room. I thought they added a festive feel to my otherwise dreary walls.

Do you have any pampering favorites that you like to indulge in on the weekends?

xxx

Caramel Apples

So note to self this is a very very late post. I meant to post this before Halloween but somehow it got lost in the disorganization that are my blog posts. Anyway I thought better late than never, so I hope you enjoy this sweet treat!

Whenever Autumn comes around I automatically start thinking about everything that is associated with the season, the changing of leaves, the winter months that are just around the corner, Halloween, candy and continuing on that train of thought; my mind always turns to the deliciousness that is basically the definition of caramel apples. The chewy yet sweet caramel, that coats a juicy apple,  which is always a fall treat. It is something that I look forward to as the seasons change.

Usually I don't do anything fancy, like make my own caramel, but it has always been a dream of mine to make my own but alas I am always in a complete rush so I just end up melting down caramel candies that you can buy in bulk. I can't really tell the difference but I am sure that a real foodie would be aghast at my deceitful caramel melting ways but I think my caramel apples didn't turn out too bad despite the lack of magical homemade caramel.

Caramel apples may be the easiest thing to make and I will pop the link to the recipe I used here
 
xxx

It's a hairy business ~ Part I

 

I thought that I should share some of the runway hairstyles that I am currently coveting. While most of them aren't the complicated chignons that rule runways sometimes, they are still very beautiful in their simplicity.

I often prefer a much more simplistic look when it comes to my hair style. Ones that can easily go from day to night are especially wonderful as I often dread the muss and fuss that comes with changing hairstyles to go out. Don't get me wrong if I had the luxury of time I would love to preen and shower TLC on my hair, but in reality I just so do not have the time, nor the patience, to dither over my hair (haha).

I do have a few tried and true products that I use almost on a daily basis in order to tame my hair (and keep it in tip top condition); otherwise I would probably scare more than a few people. I shall have to write a post on that soon.

A simple yet beautiful bun

I am loving the deep side part and the fun clip

Braids, which I think are a staple in anyone's hair style repertoire

A bun with a twist

Long and sleek locks

A messy side bun, yet another staple

I love this windswept look, which is perfectly paired with a messy bun

I get visions of the beach every time I look at this hairstyle, it is so effortless

A very stylish take on french braids

Beachy inspired waves

Do you have a go-to hairstyle?

xxx