I first met Joy at a wedding we were both in. I was struck by her warmth and humility. We kept in contact for about 2 years, and started to meet more frequently over the past 2 months.

It all came together when my other modeling couple fell through. “Oh no, now what? I have all these deadlines centered around this photo-shoot- i can’t miss this!” I called Joy the day before- and her and Tyler agreed! Saved the day!

We’ll hear from them shortly- but for now, it’s enough to know- They love each other, and they love Jesus.

Melaluca Alternifolia, otherwise known as Tea tree oil, is an incredible plant native to Australia.

I’m sure you’ve all heard about Tea tree having some sort of healing properties, but haven’t really known how it works or exactly when to use it, right? Well let me just give you a few (ok kind of alot) of ways to use this amazing product!! To answer a couple questions first, Tea Tree acts as a natural antiseptic, muscle and sensory stimulant, and helps build the immune system, if used correctly.  Literally, Tea tree could be your knew best friend!

Dental hygiene!!

sore gums?   bad breath?  Excessive plaque?  well, try 1 drop of tea tree with your toothpaste right before you brush. Also, looking for a cheap mouthwash that works??….mix 3 drops of tea tree per 1 cup of water. Only use diluted TT oil in your mouth and be sure to rinse thoroughly with fresh water afterwards.

DO NOT SWALLOW!! Although this is an outstandingly effective and natural product, it does have side effects if misused, such as immune suppression, diarrhea, excessive drowsiness, and the possibility of slipping into a comma. So PLEASE, if using Tea Trea in the mouth, be smart about it.

 Body Care!!

Athletes foot?  warts?   yeast infection?  eczema/psoriasis?  Acne?  Burns?  Scrapes? Poison Ivy?  Dandruff?  Ticks?

Any one of these can be temporarily or even permanently treated with Tea Tree oil.

Most of the time, all you have to do is add a few drops of Tea Tree oil to whatever you are currently using to treat the issue at hand. Pretty simple I’ll say.

Dandruff:  5-10 drops in your regular shampoo

Acne: 3 drops in your regular face was. Tea Tree also reduces redness…so after extractions, appy a small amount to each effected area.

Removing ticks: apply directly on the tick

Arthritis or sore muscles: massage directly onto painful area.

Tea Tree is really a fantastic product that is easy to use and extremely effective!! if you don’t already have it in your home, YOU SHOULD!!!

Where to get it: Whole Foods, Aveda, Fred Meyer. The best kind would be in glass brown bottles (to protect the product). They are usually pretty small, as it is an oil, and not much is necessary.

I’m a HUGE advocate of Tea Tree oil and hope you will be after trying it!!

~ Maresah ~

This is cute, really cute. The blouse is a bit low, (on me, it would not be modest).

Like it? Hate it ?

The long feminine skirt is anchored by the bold geometric stripes on top. I think the mix of the vintage skirt and contemporary pattern is dynamic. To bring it into Fall, I would add a blazer and pumps.

This is not necessarily a ‘How To’ topic, but it is a great subject….very intriguing. And as we are heading into the somewhat sunless fall and winter months, the need to keep that sun kissed look weighs heavily on our minds. Here are some things i found interesting about the subject…

Tanning booths verses direct sunlight.  After some heavy research, I have to say that exposure is exposure.

Many tanning salons claim to block out most all UVA rays “the Aging rays” from the sun, and filter the UVB rays “the Burning rays” from the sun.  Although, what people don’t realize, is that the rays in a tanning booth are about two to three times as strong as those directly from our sun. Hence, why you only have to go for about 8 to 12 minutes as apposed to laying beside the pool anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes. So the point in this case, is after the salon has “blocked out the UVA” and “filtered the UVB” you’re still getting the same, if not still more damage from the booth as you would just being outside!

Also, ever heard that you CAN’T get skin cancer if you tan in a booth?  Soooo false!!! the risk is actually just the same if not more, due to the intense localization of the light rays. Its crazy to look at some statistical studies….

Some links to check out:

-Customers Questioning

-Tanning Info Center

-Commercial Tanning vs.Sunbathing

basically my philosophy is “all things, if you must have them, in moderation!”

also, you will hear me talk soon about daily facial moisturizers with SPF …not a bad idea to get yourself one! Guys included!! it not only helps protect your skin against daily pollutants, but also daily light that effects your skin even through those fall overcast skies!!

~maresah~

How to Syle a Patterned Dress?

Simple Accessories.

Stay tuned for more casual patterned looks!

Sources:

Style Bakery

Free shipping, today only, on your purchase of two or more items.

Use coupon code: FFriday at checkout

NOTE: All sales are final on FF purchases, shipping deducted after purchase.

Seems pretty simple right? well, it could be if you knew all the things that make this situation go wrong!

so, i’ll make this a simple 1, 2, 3…..4 stepper : )

1) SWIRL! the wand in the tube! pumping the wand causes air to get trapped in the tube and therefore produces unnecessary drying and, as we all know what happens after that, flaky, clumpy mascara…..ewww.

step 2) Start with the weaker side! It never fails that one side looks better than the other, right? Well try starting with your weak side (like if you’re right-handed, do the left eyelashes first) it will then be much easier to manipulate your strong side to match!

step 3) Apply to TOP lashes first! Start with the top lashes of one eye then proceed to apply remaining mascara on the lower lashes of that eye before re-swirling the wand to avoid excess product on those tender hairs.  THEN, re-swirl the wand and apply to the other side.

step 4) Wiggle don’t flick! this change of motion will help give a much more clean look, and help prevent missing the lashes and smearing the skin. Start at the outer edge base of the lashes and wiggle side to side as you sweep up to the tips. continue working your way towards the center. Same goes for the bottom lashes. Starting with the outer edge, work towards the center, wiggling base to tip.  For a fuller look, reapply a second coat. Although, you should find that by wiggling, you will apply more product than with flicking, and therefore should be able to avoid having to apply a second coat.

Give this a try and let me know any differences you find!!

~ Maresah ~

So many questions in one week! I’m surprised you havn’t ditched us yet.

We want to shoot some of our new Fall line this weekend.

Because of some Weather conflicts (Why does it rain so much here?) it looks like I’ll have to post-pone the shoot a day. Meaning, I don’t have my models anymore.

Cue subs-

We have 2 options -1) Adorable Husband/Wife duo  or 2) Adorable Father/Daughter duo

What do you think? Should we shoot a couple or a Father/daughter?

Help me decide!

       -   Do you care if Christa-Taylor carries other brands or designers?

-       Do you think we are too dressy? Too Casual?

-       If you bought one of our dresses, would you wear it around the house or out to an event?

-       Do you prefer cottons or knits?

       -    Do you lean towards solids or prints?

I’ve heard so many different views and ideas on this seemingly simple subject! Mostly pros and cons of  just using a lip liner….So, i will give my personal opinion about it and you all can let me know what you think!

first of all, i think lip liner has its place; whether that be reliving a ’90s sitcom, dressing for this years red carpet, or just going to the grocery store, it can be a very useful product to redefine the lips however the need may be!

I honestly have to say that i hope the whole “dark liner with lighter lipstick” NEVER comes back!….i’m pretty sure that has never been a good look for anyone! Since that time, it seems that lip liner has become that makeup accessory that some women love and some fear! So sad. Its a great alternative to longer lasting color with out the use of lipstick or constant reapplication. It also helps define the lips and aid in reshaping to achieve your desired look.

Do: 

  1) Out to In! most say “start in the middle and work out” , but i have found much less mistakes made by starting from the outer corners of the upper lip and working towards the center with a gentle feathering stroke. This motion helps to avoid “skipping” of the pencil on the skin and gives a more natural looking edge. In reference to the bottom lip, if you’re looking for a softer edge, just roll the top lip onto the bottom. The product should transfer just enough. If wanting more definition, then simply follow the edge of the bottom lip starting with the outer corners and working towards the center.

 2) Color in the entire lip. This is where the liner begins to either replace the lipstick or simply acts as a more solid base in addition to a lipstick for longer lasting color. While coloring in the lip, don’t stress too much about getting perfect coverage as a pencil tends to be a bit dryer than a lipstick. The benefit of the dryness is better adherence to the lip (hence, longer lasting).

3) Apply a gloss on top of the liner if you’re looking for a lighter look or a lipstick for a more matte finish. Remember though, that when applying the gloss, not to spread it too much as this might cause a bleeding effect on the edges of the lip, therefore, loosing the line you just created.

More Good Stuff:

If you’re looking for a fuller more pouty lip, apply gloss just to the center of the bottom lip. Light will reflect off of the gloss making the lip seem fuller .

If wanting to make the lips appear smaller, follow just inside the edge of the lips with liner and apply a more matte finish lipstick or a sheer chapstick, as this will enhance the color and provide moisture without adding unnecessary attention to the lip area.

If wanting to enlarge the lips, apply the liner directly on the edge of the lips. Do not apply outside the lips (as you might have been told before) this causes a very unnatural and outdated look.

I will cover later, in more detail, about finding colors right for you. but basically, the idea is that if you are using the liner in addition to another product,  you find a liner close to the lipstick shade you have chosen.  If using the liner as your main source of color, choose a tone that’s right for your skin tone and makeup pallet. This should generally be somewhere close to your natural lip color.

hahaha!!…Well, there it is ……its amazing how much information can be discussed about such a tiny thing!

but i do like to say that “its the small things that support the big things” ….little changes make a big difference!!