Chop chop. Fresh mop!

A couple weeks ago I went and did that thing where you just decide your hair is awful and chop it all off in the bathroom by yourself. Yep, that happened. It's not THAT scary since I am a licensed hair stylist (even though I haven't worked in a salon in years). It was just feeling long and frumpy and unmanageable, not to mention Beck was constantly pulling it. That and I was seeing too many amazing medium-long bobs on pinterest and I just needed to do it! It more-or-less turned out exactly how I wanted and I'm loving the lower maintenance-ness of it.

Right around the same time I chopped my hair off I was offered to try this hair color from a new-ish company, Madison Reed, that has ammonia-free, paraben-free, harsh chemical free (you get the idea)  hair dye! I was REALLY curious to try it since I've been coloring my hair for years and years and the "healthier" options never work all too well. The verdict is: It's actually really really amazing! I didn't feel like I was going to pass out as I was applying it in my bathroom, it was easy to apply (even if you've never done it before), and the color is holding up really well—in fact, just as good as the chemically-ammonia kind I've been using for years.

Scraggly before photos, my roots were out of control...



Then after the cut and new color:


I did my own research into the company and I really love what they are all about. Hair color that is better for you that has holding power and that you can easily do in your home. Also, no animal testing, thats huge!

If you're interested in trying it they gave me a code to share with you for 50% off! Enter BETTERCOLOR at checkout for the discount. Go here to find your perfect hair color.

If you try it out, let me know how you like it!

p.s. the color I used is Vesuvius Red - 7NCR - It's the perfect coppery red.

This post was created in partnership with Madison Reed, the revolutionary new hair color that's better for your hair. Click here to learn more about Madison Reed. 

red head

So I finally did what I planned on doing months ago.
I wanted to do pink again but that would've involved a blonde touch up.. so I just went for red.
It feels nice to have some dimension in my hair and for the ends to be soft.
(and bonus! red brings out blue eyes and pale skin {I guess if i wear a blue dress i'll be looking pretty festive for the 4th.})




Hope you all are having a wonderful friday. I've been working my tail off on a new project I'll be sharing about VERY soon. I cannot wait..

Strawberry vanilla agua fresca (with honey) and booing hot weather

This is me booing the hot weather. I'm not a fan of the heat and humidity that the Georgia summer brings. Especially with the A/C in our car broken. Yuck! (One good thing about summers here, it storms at least once a week! Sometimes more.. and i'm always down for a loud, rainy storm)

But the heat means swimming! And we've been getting to do a lot of it. My favorite time to swim is at night.. its peaceful and so relaxing. My husband has been running with me (even though he hates it. points for him!!) and nothing is better than jumping in the pool and be weightless after a LONG run.

The heat also means drinking more water! I like changing things up with agua fresca. It's easy to do and a nice change from a normal glass of ice water. And the strawberries are so good right now, I can't stop putting them in everything. (which you'll be seeing soon)

Strawberry vanilla agua fresca with honey
makes 1 pitcher

1 pound strawberries, hulled
4 cups ice-cold water, divided
scant 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey (or sugar, if you prefer)
Ice, for serving

In a blender/food processor, combine the strawberries with 2 cups of the water and the vanilla extract. Puree until completely liquid. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or through cheesecloth into a pitcher.

2. Stir in the remaining 2 cups water, lemon juice and honey. Taste and adjust honey to your preference

Speaking of strawberries, my hair was quite literally strawberry "blonde" last weekend. I'm in the process of going back to blonde and red is SO hard to get out. I've bleached it three times so far and my hair is not happy. Thank goodness for reconstructing treatments! I hope to only have to bleach one or two more times to be to the color I want. For now I'm just embracing this weird/awful color.