How to Conquer Black Friday!

Black Friday is coming and it's probably the closest we will ever get to experiencing the stereotypical zombie hysteria charge. People screaming and running for the "deal of the year" on ps4's and xbox1's, TV's and movies, as well as toys are us ( don't go to Toys R Us, it will be horrific). For those of you brave enough to trek out into the cold November morning ( or in some places just hours after the turkeys carved) here are some tips to help you survive.

1: Be prepared!

Bring a jacket, red bull, Tylenol, defibrillators, running shoes, granola bars, and anything else you may want. If you think you need it bring it. The malls a battle field and the old lady holding the last ps4 is your foe, go on. You can take her. But seriously so many people stay out until 5am, bring a back pack and fill it with provisions. 

2: Have a Plan and Extra Money!

Simplify. Your list should be at most 10 things with at most 3 high priority items (TV, bluray, camera, xbox1, etc). I say this because there are so many people hunting for these items you'll want to focus on your most desired item first because the TVs at Walmart will run out. Have a route mapped out in your head so you don't waste time back tracking and can get everything you need in one solid swoop. And have extra money. You never know what you'll see on your journey into the abyss. 

3: Don't Hope for too Much!

It's going to be crazy. You probably will not get everything you want. So if you don't get that dress, movie, or bluray player, it's ok. There are more sales. Just breath and let it go. 

It's going to get crazy. So be prepared to face the fray. Good luck!

Cheers,

-Dillon 

You Should Write A Book.

November is national novel writing month!  So this isn’t the usual post about men’s grooming products or fashion, but, rather a post about how to engage your mind about the story that you’ve had swirling in your mind for the past three years.  This website helps guide you on your novel writing and pushes you to get everything out of your head that you possibly can, whether your tale is about a seedy detective with a n office on the corner of an alley in New Orleans whose next assignment is to follow a woman in a red scarf into a nightmare he never knew could exist, or, about a pleasant hound who gets lost on his way to the park.  I will “TRY” to write on my book this November and I am rather excited about it.  For me however, I have already started mine so I have a touch of a jump ahead, but for those of you who are on the fence about writing your thoughts down, think about it like this, if you keep your thoughts locked up in your head you will never be able to get them out on paper and work with them to become something amazing.   So my best advice is just to write, simple and to the point, happy penning! 

Cheers,

-D

Our Anniversary: 3 Years!

So, on Wednesday we celebrated our 3 year anniversary. We got married on a BEAUTIFUL fall day on October 23rd of 2010. We were only 20 years old and had been together only a year, but we knew it was marriage time for us! I mean he had proposed after only being together a month!

Our Engagement Picture 2009.

Our relationship started out rocky: bad ex's, family issues, the normal I suppose. And 3 years later, we are still going strong!

Our Wedding 2010.

Over this last year we have:
-Moved into our second apartment together
-Gotten a new kitten (who is HUGE now) making us a  5 animal household
-Gone on another Disney anniversary trip
-Both graduated college
-Gotten new jobs
-Started a new business
-And other amazing fun stuff mixed into all of that!

This Year 2013.

These are just some big things we did this past year of marriage. And we are looking forward to the next one, and the one after that, and so on! I guess I am stuck with him =]

Stay Beautiful...and in love!
K

YouTube Wednesday:

We went to Disney on Ice and of course we vloged it!!

Thanks for Watching!
D+K

Makeup Must Haves in a Theme Park.

So, like I said before, by the time you read this.....
WE WILL BE IN DISNEY!!!!
So I figured, what better beauty post then Makeup in a park!? As you can imagine, these are the things that are currently being used while I am running around all Disney parks!

1. A setting spray: So, sometimes parks can be hot. And you get sweaty. Other times there are water rides where your face gets a mist of water, or maybe it feels like a bucket gets poured on your head. A setting spray has and will really help keep your makeup during these situations.
2. Waterproof anything: Same as before, you will get sweaty and possibly wet. How awful would all your vacation pictures be if your mascara is running and it looks like you have been crying?! Nope, keep it waterproof
3. Keep it light: Don't put on a full face of foundation and powder and all that jazz. You want to keep it light and natural so your not feeling like a melting mess of makeup. BB cream or a tinted moisturizer would be best. Especially with SPF to keep that pretty face from looking like a sunburned mess!
4. Keep it natural: Do you really need to go to a park with a full smokey eye and red lips?! Nope! Just pop on a cream shadow (especially a color tattoo that stays 24-hours) or just a light brown matte shadow. Or, if you feel comfortable, don't wear any shadow!!! Just pop on some waterproof mascara, some BB cream and go!
5. Bring some lip-balm with SPF: I mean the SPF is self explanatory. Sunburned lips SUCK! Don't put on some glittery gloss that might not only attract some sun but not protect them. And, I don't know about you, but with the sun, the eating and drinking, fast rides, these are all recipes for my lips to be SUPER chapped. So a chapstick or lip-balm is a MUST!!!!

And that is about it! Keep it simple, natural, and safe! Don't take any time away from your vacation doing touch-ups and such. I hope this helps the next time you go to a theme park or fair. Let me know if you have anymore advice! I would love to hear it.

Stay Beautiful!
K

How to not be rude at an amusement park!

When you go off on vacation you expect a touch of kindness from everyone and you hope that your adventure into fun will be, well fun!  But there are several people also on vacation, that you have no control over, and they are literally the worst kinds of people to come into contact with, and its not even the kids, the screaming kids are nothing compared to the adults and parents that wander around the parks, here are just a few of the things we have seen and have become perturbed by. 

-So I Can Be Generally Rude To Everyone?
When you go to a theme park, no matter how well you plan for going during the down season, there will be other people there, whether it be 10 or 10,000 there will be people.  So I would love to hope that everyone would be able to practice simple common curtsies. Unfortunately there are a large group of people that have decided that aggressive shoving, cutting in line, and constant loud vulgar chatter is good for a place full of children.  So could we get rid of the rudeness please!  Even if you can't speak english say excuse me in your language of choice, that alone will make me happy, especially after you've spilt water all over me and then just kept walking.

-So I Can Use Flash Photography?
At the opening of every ride that has a show element they say "no flash photography".  So simply turn off your flash.  I can't believe how many times we've been stopped in a ride due to flash photography. Just turn it off and adjust your exposure.  Basically read your owners manual.  

-My Stroller Lets Me Have The Right Of Way?
Being in Disney there are an abundance of children and as I said earlier we are fine with kids, kids get tired, kids scream, kids want things, because after all, thats what Disney does…makes you want things.  More often than not its the hot sweaty parents who are fed up with their children barreling through the park running people over with their stroller that causes the most trouble in the parks.  Granted we are not parents and we do not have experience with such events.  But that does not mean you can galavant about the parks running people over. 

All in all we have been having a great time on our trip, hence why this blog is so late…. but these have just been some of the crazy things that have been bothering us.  Hope you're having a great day!

-Cheers
-Dillon

Youtube Wednesday: Disney Tips and Tricks

By the time you read this WE WILL BE IN DISNEY!!!! This is a scheduled post so we didn't miss a day, or write a blog post while on vacation!

So, for this Youtube Wednesday we will be showing off our crazy Disney knowledge with some tips and tricks for going to the most magical place on earth!

Thanks for Watching!
D+K

Youtube Wednesday: DisneyBounding as Peter Pan and Wendy Darling.

So, we are leaving for Disney in like 2 days!!!! And while we are there we are going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Which means we obviously need a costume! So, we opted to Disneybound. And if you don't know what that is: it is when you wear normal clothes that give a nod to a Disney character. We figured we would show off how we get ready for our Halloween party! And of course you can do the same for Halloween too!

Thanks for Watching!
D+K

Vacation Planning Survival Guide!

With our vacation starting this Friday night I wanted to write about a few things we like to do for our trips to make them run more smoothly, and who doesn't like a smooth vacation!

1: Make packing lists. 

This sounds simple but it's one of those things that can become crazy when you finally get into it. We basically try to break down what we will wear every day so we don't over pack, which is something we tend to do often. Make a list of each kind of charger you're going to need for all of your devices. Plan accordingly for how many bags you'll have and what each bag is for. Make separate lists for carry on and checked luggage if flying. Start planning these at least a week out so that you have more than enough time to double check everything!

Here's a small don't forget list:

- glasses / contacts

- chargers

- book

- underwear

- pajamas (that you don't mind being seen in)

- one night of dress clothes

- printed copies of important reservation numbers

2: Start packing your bags a week out. 

If you are super antsy for your trips, like Korina and I are, we have our packing lists done about a month before we leave. We like to lay out all of our bags in our guest room and pack the clothes and items we are not going to be needing until we leaven in advance. This helps us to get a jump on our actual leaving day so that we don't feel super rushed and it lets us think more clearly. 

3: Make sure everything is accounted for a week out. 

-Hotel reservations

-Plane tickets

-Car rentals

-Dinning reservations 

-Park or special attraction tickets

It's better to know something's wrong a week out than when you're at the terminal, resort desk, or theme park gates. Just give everything a call, these are hospitality services and there should always e someone willing to help!

4: Clean your house extra well before leaving. 

This one is self explanatory. The nicer you leave your house when you leave the more comfortable and relaxed you will be able to be when you get home from your vacation!

5: Have everything taken care of for the day you return. 

Make sure your cars already have full tanks of gas, any important documents have already been taken care of, and most importantly let the last day of your vacation be one you can sleep in at your home so that you don't go from vacation straight back into that work day fatigue! 

Incase you missed it the over all theme of this post was about giving yourself and your plans space, time, and room to breath. We like to do everything about two weeks out but I know most people are more comfortable with one. Keeping ahead of yourself before the trip will allow you to enjoy your present when you're out doing what you want todo, whether it's art museums, Disney world, or tropical beaches the last thing you want to worry about is if you left the hair straightener plugged in. 

Cheers,

-Dillon. 

Product Review: Fake Bake Self-Tanner

So I am going to be real with you, I am PALE! And want to know the worst part?! I am Hispanic! 50% in fact! How am I so darn pale?!?!

During the Summer, if I make any effort to tan, I can get really golden brown. But this summer we have been so busy that I haven't been tanning. And the worst part about being so pale is that finding foundation that will match becomes impossible. And I knew with the Fall-time, it was only going to get worse!

So, I decided to try a Self-Tanner. I have only spray tanned once before my High School prom and it was a disaster! So needless to say, I was nervous. But I sent Dillon to Ulta to grab a highly recommended tanner. And he came back with Fake Bake Flawless. Which, luckily, came with a glove that I heard was great for application. So, I stripped down to my underwear, and a happy Dillon got to apply this tan.

Through many jokes, laughing, slipping and sliding, we finally got the tan applied! The spray goes on pretty thick and dark. So it is not a clear liquid that turns into tan, it comes out brown. Which I like because you can see where any uneven spots appear or missing areas. You then take the glove and buff it into your skin. You will see an immediate difference. You will become a sun-tanned goddess in a matter of seconds!

Then, once you get it all over your body, you let yourself dry. Which does not take long. I usually put a towel on the bed and and lay down for a minute or two, just to make sure I am dry. It is actually pretty relaxing. It applies PERFECTLY and gets a little darker after a couple hours. It is brown toned and not orange toned. Which is why I like it. No one wants to look like a crazy oompa loompa. And the tan is not that intense. I mean you can build it up over a couple days of application, but I just wanted a subtle glow. And it lasts a long time. I have only re-done it once a week just to make sure it doesn't fade too much. But within that week it fades about as much and as fast as a real tan does.

Things I would suggest: Do this early evening. It gets darker overtime so if you leave it over night and shower in the morning, you will have minimum issues. I would also suggest standing on a towel. The first time I did not do that and I ended up with ORANGE/BROWN feet! Because the mist of the spray would settle on the ground and I would stand it in unknowingly. So I ended up with some crazy feet! I would also suggest that if you can, get someone else to help you. I have short little T-Rex arms, so I would NEVER be able to get an even tan on my back. So luckily Dillon doesn't mind being my personal tanner!

So, bottom line, I would give this product an: A!

I would absolutely recommend it to others looking for a little extra boost!

Stay Beautiful!
K

Youtube Wednesday: Vlogtober!!!

So, yesterday on October 1st, we started our first "post every day" month. We called it Vlogtober. Now we aren't going to be vlogging everyday, but we are going to be vlogging a lot! We are going to Disney in a little big and we of course are vlogging that!

Since we are posting every day, we are just going to pick some of our favorites to share here on the blog!

But let's start with Vlogtober Day 1!

Thanks for watching!
D+K

Surviving the Plane Ride.

In light of our trip coming up next week I thought it might be cool to give a few tips on surviving an airplane ride!

1: Bring a distraction!

A lot of people have trouble flying or being comfortable being several thousand feet up in the air, namely Korina. This is normal so it's important to bring a distraction with you whether it be an book, audio book, game boy, magazine, or someone good at conversation. 

2: Have a predetermined plan for getting off the plane! 

The night before look up your airports map. Figure out where you'll land and determine the best path to baggage claim and then to your car pick up or loading area. This will help in lowering stress to allow you to arrive more comfortably. 

3: Begin taking airborne two days before you leave. 

Airports and planes are full of germs and it's important to take precautions to make your body as healthy as possible to aid in defense of said germs. Plus taking the extra dosage of vitamins in the airborne will help your body stay chemically balanced and allow you to be more relaxed. 

4: Bring hand sanitizer. 

As said before, airports are usually dirty, and it's not the airports custodial staffs fault, it's just the amount of people that pass through the gates daily. So had sanitizer helps fight off the germs that hide around every corner. 

5: Bring a condensed spray or moist towel-let to clean your face after your flight.

 Being plugged into your seat with a hundred or so people breathing recycled oxygen thousands of feet above the world can take a major tole on your skin so it's important to have a way of refreshing yourself when you finally get out of the plane. I usually make a B-line for the bathroom and use a travel size of Evian condensed moisturizing spray. Basically it's water in a spray can. But it's unbelievably refreshing after being held up with so many different people from the flight. 

Hopefully these tips help you relax on your next flight and get you out of the terminal feeling calm and refreshed! 

Cheers-

-Dillon

Fall and Winter Blushes.

Like lipsticks, blush gets a little darker in the colder months! A little more mauve, a little more plum look great in the fall and winter. So, I thought I would share with you my favorite blushes for the chillier times!

1. Plum Foolery by MAC

2. Mocha by NYX

3. Amour by Nars

4. Bourgeois Pig by NYX

5. Red by NYX

There you have it! Some really pretty fall/winter blushes to maybe add to your collection! They all look great, have little or no sparkle, and have a hint of deep color that really compliments most skin tones.

Stay Beautiful!
K

YouTube Wednesday: Disney Tag!

Today we are showing off all things Disney! We came up with questions about Disney and answered them! Simple enough. =]

Hope you enjoyed!
D+K

Top Three Fall Cocktails for Men: 2013

The fall of 2013 is coming up soon and what better way to conquer your autumn nights than with these three gentlemanly cocktails! 

Old fashioned:

The old fashioned is a staple of manly drinkage. Simple, strong, and stable; just like you sir. 

2oz bourbon, 

2 dashes bitters, 

1 splash water, 

1 tbs of sugar, 

a cherry, and a orange. 

Stir together. Enjoy. 

Manhattan:

For a true manhattan rye whiskey is a must!  The harmony that is the sharp whiskey, sweet vermouth, and sour biters makes the manhattan an elegant addition to any night out. 

3/4 oz sweet vermouth, 

2 1/2 bourbon, 

1 dash bitters,

and a cherry and orange. 

Mix together and garnish with cherry and orange. 

Irish coffee:  

Whether your night needs a pick me up or you want to start your Sunday morning off right, an Irish coffee is good for any cooled down situation. 

4 oz fresh brewed black coffee, 

1 oz whiskey, 

1 tsp brown sugar, 

And fresh whip cream. 

Mix all liquid ingredients In your favorite mug add the whip cream on top and enjoy! 

There you have it. Three high quality choices for fall drinks. So my friends go out drink and be classy. 

-Dillon 

Fall Essentials!

FALL IS HERE!!!!! So I figured, why not tell you all my Fall essentials! The things that make fall a little more awesome then it already is (I mean is that possible?!), and beauty things that I can't live without in the colder months!

Rose Gold Eyeshadow: Now rose gold is my favorite. Its just so pretty in jewelry, accessories and makeup. I have some great rose gold shadow from Loreal, but really you can find it in most makeup lines. I just think it looks so pretty on the eyes during the fall/winter months. The leaves, usually, have a coppery/rose gold tone to them, so why not add some of that to your eyes!?

Fall Candles: I love all fall smells. But if it has pumpkin in it, chances are I will buy it in bulk. I just prefer that spicy smell that fall candles have in them, so this is my favorite time to visit Bath and Body Works and stock up when they have their 2 for $22 deal! My absolute favorites so far are Pumpkin Butter and Pumpkin Pecan Waffles. YUM!

Moisturizer with SPF: Now, that seems like a strange thing doesn't it?! Summer is over, but you still need SPF! Just because it is not hot, doesn't mean the sun isn't any less harsh. Also, if you live in a place where it snows, the sun can reflect off that snow and make the sun even more intense! So keep that SPF in your routine!

Matte and Dark Lipstick: I am sure from what you saw from my last post, I love me some dark lips in the fall/winter months! I just think it looks really great! And matte always looks pretty in the fall too. Can't really give a reason, just liking the trend.

Full Coverage Foundation: There is no more melting face from the summer heat. It is cooler and you can feel free to rock that full coverage foundation without the fear, and blah feeling of your face melting off in the heat.

The Naked and Naked 2 Palette: I don't know why, but during the colder months I gravitate towards these palettes more. I like the sparkly shadows in there, and I prefer to reserve my sparkle for the colder months. These palettes both have a great combination of warm and cool colors. The cool colors are exceptionally pretty, so I use them a lot in the fall!

Snuggly Sweaters, Jeggings, and Snow Boots: This is like my go-to outfit in the fall. I love boots, and wear them out the entire fall and winter! And who doesn't love some snuggly sweaters!?! And, of course jeggings are like the most comfortable jeans I have ever worn. So this outfit is super cute, and so so so comfortable! And of course keeps you warm! =]

So there you have it! My Fall essential! What are some of your essentials?

Stay Beautiful!
K

YouTube Wednesday: 40 Questions Beauty Challenge

I decided to challenge Dillon with some 40 Beauty questions, to see how much he knows about my beauty routine/obsession!

Hope you enjoyed!
D+K

My Top 5 Fall/Winter Lipsticks: All Drugstore!

Fall is here!!! At least for me it is! I think that as soon as it hits September, and the Pumpkin Lattes come out, then fall is here. And fall is my FAVORITE season. I just love all the colors, the fashion changes, all things pumpkin flavored, the leaves...just everything! So I figured why not celebrate the fall/winter season by showing off my top 5 favorite drugstore lipsticks for the colder seasons!

1. Revlon Lip Butters in the color Sugar Plum and Red Velvet

2 and 3.  Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in the color 09 and Rimmel lipstick in Bordeaux

4. NYX lipstick in the color B52

5. Covergirl lipstick in Hot Passion

Now, by now you have probably realized I am a fan of darker lips during the colder seasons. I just feel that, your usually a little paler, and the colors around you have darkened. Especially in the winter when, at least where I live, things aren't as bright and green as they are in the Spring and Summer. I feel like every one of these shades are really flattering on most skin tones, and look really pretty during the fall and winter months.What are some of your favorite fall lipsticks?

Stay Beautiful!
K

YouTube Wedensdays: Cotton Ball Challenge

Today's YouTube video involves an intense challenge....with Cotton Balls!

Hope you enjoyed!
D+K

Fall Skin Care Routine for Men:

So the crisp winds of fall are about to start kicking up and that means warm jackets and thick gloves are going to resurface from the back of our closets. All too often we spend so much time worrying about keeping our bodies covered we constantly forget to take care of the one place we don't: Our face!

Taking care of your face in colder weather isn't a huge deal. It just involves, like most things, a consistent routine of washing and moisturizing. 

1st: washing your face is vital to keeping your skin refreshed for day to day life. 

-2-3 times a week I exfoliate my face to help soften and deep clean my skin. I rub gently with little pressure because the coarseness of the exfoliate can damage your skin rather than help it. 

-Usually every day I try to cleanse my skin which really helps to strip away any excess impurities from my face. I use about a dime size of product. 

-After this I use moisturizer for my skin. Not too much. Not too little. About a nickel size should cover my face because I have a big head. I just lightly rub the moisturizer around my forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. 

- finally, before heading out the door, I put on lip balm to help protect my lips. 

Here's my list of good products:

Exfoliator: saint Ives apricot scrub

Cleanser: tea tree facial cleanser by the body shop

Moisturizer: tea tree facial moisturizer by the body shop

Lip balm: Burt's bees

I hope this tutorial helps! 

Cheers!

-Dillon

The Peacock Affect

When it comes to clothes and fashion for men we have certain goals in mind for each scenario.  And these goals are often to look good for the people we are going to be around.  But what happens when we try too hard?  The Peacock affect!

So I hope you’re all familiar with peacocks, the male birds who have elaborate and shiny tale structures meant to attract their mates. Well I enjoy calling the avid wearers of flash art clothing peacocks.  Flash art clothing include any clothes that are marketed to men that have: giant crosses all over them, elaborate oversized stitching, glitter, over branding, glitter, snarky phrases or one liners, jeans with elaborate butt designs, did I mention glitter?  I know I am not the most masculine man in the world, but when the clothing marketed to me says that I should wear glitter on my apparel to stand out immediately raises a flag, and that I should pay upwards of $70 for a “designer” shirt makes it all the worse. 

Now, I know this is becoming a rant, but I feel I should say to each his own.  That being said using money to buy clothes to get a significant other shouldn’t be the goal, working on your personality and improving a wardrobe should be the main goal of any man interested in getting into a real relationship.  Instead of choosing to buy label ridden clothing simplify your clothing instead.  I cant stress enough how big a difference simple clothing and a good personality makes your appeal to people rise. 

So basically: simplify your clothing, work on yourself, spend more money on craft beers rather than glittery shirts! 

Stay fresh, stay awesome!

-Dillon

Game Review: Disney Infinity

So, we recently got the Disney Infinity game! We had even per-ordered it so that we could get it first thing. We are HUGE Disney nerds, so this game seemed right up our alley: and we were right!

Now, we have not spent like a million hours playing it. We have crazy lives and get super busy so we have only been playing an hour or so here and there. But even so, they have been very fun hours!

So basically here is how the game works, from what we can tell so far:
You have this dock with circles on it that you attach to your system. You place these little figurines on these circles, and you can play as these characters in their level or in the "toy box". It is similar to the Skylanders game with the figurines and the portal. Now we have not mastered the toy box, we just keep getting excited and going right into the levels. But you can build your own world in the toy box (similar to Minecraft). Not sure past that!

But, as far as the levels, it is your standard video game. You go around and get missions from others characters that progress you through the level. So far we have played a good chunk of both the Monsters U level, and the Pirates of the Caribbean level.

My only complaint thus far is that, in order to play a level with two players, they have to be from the same level/movie. Like you cannot play the Pirates of the Caribbean level with Sully and Jack Sparrow. But you can do that in the toy box. So, if you want to play with a friend, you have to have bought 2 characters from that level. So currently we have Mike, Sully, Captain Barbosa, Jack Sparrow, and Mr. Incredible. We are going to have to go out and get another Incredibles character soon!

The graphics are AMAZING! I mean we aren't experts by any means, but I can tell you they are super cute, and very vivid! As realistic as a cartoon character can be! And as someone who really only plays "kid games" (like the LEGO games and things along that line!) I can say that this game is so much fun to watch and play. I like being sent on missions and such when in games, I am not an RPG fan like Dillon.

Oh! And the figurines are really well made and so cool looking. Like so much so that we are displaying them in our living room when they aren't being used. I also like that basically, as soon as you get a figure, you unlock a whole new world. So as long as they keep coming out with new figurines, the game is almost never ending!

I might do an updated review on the game once I get to play it way more! I know they are coming out the Jack Skellington, Rapunzel, Phineas and Ferb, and even the new princesses from Frozen very soon!!! I cannot wait!

Have fun!
K

YouTube Wednesday: Disney Trivia Challenge

So, we chatted and decided that instead of trying to do a couples post ever Wednesday (which was getting a little hard) we decided to change things up.

Since we have a YouTube channel, but don't want to slam those few people that may read our blog with those videos, we decided we would only post them on Wednesdays! Just one video, only on Wednesday. They are going to be our version of a couples post, since most our videos are together!

Here is our video for this week!

Hope you enjoyed it!

D+K

Tie Etiquette!

Ties are some of the most important pieces of men’s apparel that you can have.  So, that being said, it is important that you know the does and do not’s of the tie world.  Here is a brief guide, with pictures, on the right ways to wear both ties and bow ties!

Standard Tie:

When it comes down to it, the standard tie is an excellent piece to add to your out fit to give the extra taste of professionalism!  Your ties Knot should be lightly pressed and snug in your collar, if your button is showing you may need to buy a more fitted shirt to your neck thickness.  This should look like this:

Standard tie (after work):

So your workday is done and you’re on your way to your car or the bar down the street.  Many men will simply unbutton that top button and loosen their tie, this is a huge no-no.  Ties are developed to make you stand apart from the crowd and when you sloppily let it rest at half-mast it makes you look disheveled. 

Stand alone:

To correct the after work tie struggle just do away with it, especially in a relaxed situation.  Take your tie off and keep it somewhere safe from harm and keep the top button unbuttoned.  Never the second and for the love of god not the third! Simple and clean is always a solid look for anyone!

The infamous bow tie:

Many men get intimidated by the bow tie, especially the self ties, but not to worry they can be an amazing aid to setting you apart from the crowd!  Bow ties should sit firmly within your collar and should stay straight across, never lopsided.

The bow tie let down:

Adverse to the regular ties disheveled half-mast, letting down your bow tie carries the air that you’ve worked hard through out your day.  I think that part of this styles charm is that not to many people wear bow ties so its always exciting to see someone taking a chance and actually wearing one, up or down.

Thank you guys! Hope this tie etiquette table helped you out! 

Stay fresh, stay awesome!

-Dillon

August Favorites.

Oh.My.Gosh. Is it really that time already? I feel like these "Monthly Favorites" posts really have been sneaking up on me! It is hard to keep up! I am going to be honest with you, this month I have been really trying not to wear make up as much and not heat-style my hair as much. I wanted to give my skin and hair a break. So there aren't going to be a lot of beauty favorites, just to warn you! Here are my favorites for August!

Beauty:

Makeup-
-Rimmel Stay Matte Powder:
So I have oily skin. There I said it! And lets be real, if you have oily skin, the summer is like the worst thing ever. The minute you sweat, that oily skin you already had just gets like ten times grosser and a million times more shiny! So I have been relying heavily on the powder to keep my face from being too shiny. I said before I have not been wearing too much make up this month, but if I am going to be out of the house I will usually at least dust my face with this powder. It just helps me from looking a shiny mess. It keeps my face looking matte and just a little less scary! I have the transparent one, so no color, just anti-shine magic!

-NYX Runway Palette: 
Now, there have been days when I did go out in makeup I didn't want to go too crazy with my eyes. I wanted to keep it simple. That "no makeup" makeup look. So I went looking through my palettes and saw one that was a little neglected. So I picked it up and fell back in love. It is perfect for creating a very natural look. But, it also has some other colors that could easily create a nighttime look very quickly! So it is the perfect palette for the natural to the nighttime look. I have been using it mostly though for super natural looks. And I mean this palette is super super inexpensive. How can you go wrong?!

Hair-
-Macadamia Oil:
I got this little bottle about mid-August for free from Ulta (it was one of the frequent buyers thing) and I wasn't too looking forward to it. I only had a view options, and I recognized the brand so I went for it. I love Macadamia's hair mask so I figured why not. I am so glad I grabbed it. Now, let me be honest, I am not a hair expert by any means. Basically, if it makes my hair soft, not greasy, and look less damaged, then it is a winner in my book. I just use this on my ends and my hair feels so nice. I have pretty dry hair at the ends, but it can get greasy pretty quickly up at the roots. So bottom line, my hair feels extra soft and it looks pretty. A winner!

Non-Beauty:

TV Show-
-Teen Wolf:
Alright, make fun of me all you want, but I am loving this show. I mean seriously!!! I kind of put off watching it because it though it just seemed silly. But I was so wrong. I mean it is a good show in general, I really like supernatural stuff so this is just up my ally. I am not going to lie, the boys on the show are too hard to look at! I mean it is just what you expect, teenage werewolf trying to make it work in school and life. But there is other crazy stuff in there too. It is just an exciting show!

Clothing-
-Disney Sweatshirt:
 Our trip to Disney is coming up quick (not quick enough if you ask me) so I was using it as an excuse to get some cute Disney shirts! I got these from Hot Topic and I couldn't love them more!

Food-
Chocolate Almond Banana Smoothie:
Now I have been doing the smoothie thing on and off for like 6 months. I was kinda not into for awhile because they all started to taste the same and I was getting bored with it. But, I watched a video from Missglamorazzi about a new smoothie recipe. I tweaked it a little, and I am in love with it! I drink it every morning now and it is a sweet little pick me up and it is perfect for this hot month! =]

Random-
Hot Yoga:
Now, it has been mentioned in that I am a bigger girl. And that I am okay with it! But that doesn't mean I don't want to firm up some bits that are a little jiggly or have some cellulite that I would like to smooth out. So, just for fun, I tried out some hot yoga with my mom. And we loved it. Which was weird for me because I hate the heat and sweating. But when you leave you just feel so good! Tired and maybe a little sore, but really great! I haven't lost any weight (but to be fair I am not eating particularly healthy either. I love me some McDonald's fries). But I have noticed a smoothing out of some lumpy areas. But even if none of that was going on, I would still be doing hot yoga. It makes me feel healthier, I feel just overall like a better person. Considering no other form of working out has worked for me (I am a lazy bum), this is an absolute winner!

There you have it! Some of the things I loved this August! Can't wait to get September underway and head to October where my vacation is!
Let me know if you try out any of these things and how they worked for you!

Stay Beautiful!
K

*PS: I apologize for no pictures. I am not even going to lie, I got lazy!*

Back to School Lookbook: College Edition

Now is the time for all you College and University students to be heading back to school! Lucky you! And I mean that with the most sincerity in the world because we miss college desperately! Adulthood is no fun!
But, when it is time to go back to the books, you want to look cute too! So we have come up with a couple outfits for both men and women for the upcoming year ahead of you!

Hope this helps you out and gives you some ideas for your year of school!

D+K

Fall Colognes for 2013!

Summer is coming to a close, and the winds are starting to pick up, you can almost taste the pumpkin pie in the air, so you know what that means; time to pick a new Fall cologne.  I’ve been looking around for some great scents and have come up with these four that should do well for your life, regardless of the size of your pocket book!

Before we get into the list I wanted to take a moment to talk about what makes a great cologne, and better yet, what makes a great fall/winter cologne.  The purpose of cologne isn’t to smell loud, its purpose is to smell quite.  What does this mean?  Using too much cologne can make you smell bad or even give the people around you, that you’re trying to impress, a headache.  Colognes are supposed to be quite, in other words: subtle.  Colognes are supposed to draw the people nearest you in closer not push them away with how overtly pungent you smell.  That being said good fall colognes are comprised of woody, musky, and other warm scents that make the people closest to you want to grab you and get in close whether to hear what you have to say, or to get fire side.  That all being said here are my top four favorite fall colognes for 2013!

Burberry London: $60.00

Burberry has a long history of being one of the top suppliers of gentlemen’s style for many years, and theirs no shortage when it comes to this delicious scent.  A warm fresh scent that is completely enticing to the senses will have every one leaning in to take a listen to what you have to say.  Hints of Bergamot, Port whine, and oak moss make this scent perfect for an October night out to dinner or a mid day pumpkin patch.

Kiehls Musk: $45.00

Like Burberry, Kiehls has been around for a very long time and in that time they have perfected scents like no other! This sturdy Musk with its creamy citrus and bergamot nectar make for an excellent addition to any hay ride, Oktoberfest, or even the dreaded corn maze!

Corduroy:  $30.00

This is a new find f  With a decent length to its cinnamon, nutmeg, and woodsy vanillas, Corduroy makes for a great first date scent, or coffee shop outing with friends.

or me, but all together a great scent for fall outings!

Twilight Woods: $30.00

What would a cologne post be without BBW?  Twilight woods is honestly one of my favorites scents of all time; with its great length and splendid notes of: spice, white peppers and musk it makes it easy to understand why I love it so much.  Simple and smooth.  I recommend this to any one just starting out in the cologne world!

There you have it guys! Hope this helped solidify your cologne quarrels for the fall!

Stay Fresh, Stay Awesome!

-Dillon

Book Review: The Mortal Instruments

So, I am going to put this out there: I suck at New Years Resolutions. I have hardly ever made one, let alone kept it. I just usually find them hard to do, or something I don't want to do, so I stop after like the first month. But this past January, I made one to read at least one book a month. I love reading, and I think it is a beautiful thing when girls have a huge bookshelf and love to read. Dillon says it is one of the best qualities in a woman. But find I put it on the back burner or forget to read all my books on my shelf because of work and our home businesses. So this was my way of reading all my books that I have wanted to read! I have been doing really well, usually reading about 2 a month. A bunch of those have been The Mortal Instruments series.

Alright, get your eye rolls out! I know I have mentioned the series like 10 times. But, I am finally going to review it so you guys can know what the heck I am talking about! Dillon and I have read it together, but I figured I would do the review since it is a little more of a girly book.

I am going to keep it short and sweet so I don't blab on and on about how good it is.

-It is teen novel: It is written for teens. Keeping that in mind makes a huge difference. It is in the realm of Twilight, Hunger Games, Beautiful Creatures, etc. It is meant to be read by young adults. So the writing is no Shakespeare. It is not bad writing, just not the highest caliber. I love young adult novels. Dillon likes to make fun of me and say I need to read more grown-up books. But I can't help my love for the sweet love stories, and fantasy elements. I am not a 50 Shades of Gray girl AT ALL. Give me a stories of wizards, crazy worlds, and creatures any day! So if that is not your cup of tea, then I would skip it! It has everything from Angels, demons, and all things supernatural.
-It is extremely entertaining and action packed: It is about battle and fighting for the human world. There is constant fighting or action taking place. There is seldom a dull moment. You know how some books get to that point where your like "Come on! Pick up the pace and get back to the good stuff!"? I did not feel that way during this book. There are twists, and surprises all through the book, so your always at the edge trying to figure it all out!
-Unconventional love interest that does not steal the whole plot: Like most young adult fantasy novels, then love interests are unconventional. So there is that wonderful element. But I also liked how that love interest is not the main focal point of the novels. There is more to it. Not JUST a love story. I mean it is a pretty important part of the book don't get me wrong, but it does not make the whole storyline, there is just so much more to it.
-The girl is not helpless: Thank you!!! Finally! A book where the girl isn't this hunk of meat there to distract the boy from the greater good. The main females are warriors, and (for a lack of a better word) Kick Ass! They can save themselves and don't scream for help. So refreshing! And so positive for the younger readers. That is why I can honestly say it is great for all ages, and genders. I loved it, I know a lot of younger readers love it, and Dillon loved it. So I mean that is a pretty good deal.
-Funny: Few books make me laugh out loud. I found myself on multiple occasions loudly laughing. I was almost afraid to read it in public for fear that I would look like a crazy person.

That is a short and super condense version of my review. I didn't want to give a synopsis because I don't want to spoil anything. But I figured a positive review would give you a reason to pick it up next time your out! I loved it! And I cannot wait for the last book to come out, and the movie in August!

Stay Beautiful!
K