Review #2: GHD Flat Iron

Hey Everyone!

My second review here on my blog will be on the Professional 1" Original Styler GHD Flat Iron. I recently just purchased this flat iron at Sephora, and have absolutely fallen in love with it! I have never owned a flat iron that has actually straightened my hair, which is ironic, because a "straightener" is supposed to do just that. Before I bought this flat iron, I had been buying flat irons from Duane Reade. The first flat iron I purchased, a Conair flat iron, really didn't do anything for my hair. It was literally like putting my hair between two pieces paper. The two plates would barely even heat and it would leave my hair looking even worse than it did before! I was so upset with my hair straightener dilemma, that I just blamed it all on my hard-to-manage, thick hair. I just would think to myself, "The only way my hair will only be straightened is if it's done by a professional. And that is all. There's nothing I can do about my hair!" 

One night when I went to my best friend's house, while were getting ready to go out, I asked her if I could borrow her flat iron to straighten my hair. Just as a side note, my best friend's hair straightens very easily, mostly because she has much thinner and easier-to-manage hair than I do. Therefore, straightening really works for her with almost any flat iron. Anyways, when I put her straightener to my hair, a Wet&Dry straightener also from Duane Reade, it seemed to burn it a little, which I just ignored thinking the "burnt and crispy" look would fade soon. I was pleasantly surprised at that moment by how much straighter it made my hair than my old flat iron (probably because this ones heat was way hotter than mine ever became!) Although, as the evening progressed, I noticed that my hair was poof-ing out and getting a little frizzy. Since my hair is very thick and hard to manage, I was pretty upset that the straightener which I was convinced worked, only worked for a short amount of time before it got all out of sorts again. 

After about a month of not having a straightener that I was at all satisfied with, I went to get highlights at a new salon. At the end, she proceeded to straighten my hair with what I saw to be a GHD hair straightener. And let me tell you, I have never been so satisfied by the end of any blowout/straightening job than I was that day. Since I was so happy by the way my hair turned out, I actually went to my local Sephora a few days later and bought my very own GHD straightener! I was so excited about this straightener, that I jumped in the shower literally the second I got home so that I could test it out for myself! To be honest, I was a bit nervous because since I'm not a professional hair stylist, I didn't know if my own straightening job was going to look anything like the one I had done at the salon. Happily, there was NO reason for me to be nervous at all because I pretty much turned out to have the exact same results as I did at the salon! I have never owned a straightener that has actually made my hair straight, so I was super excited. The problem with many flat irons is that they don't actually remove the frizz while "straightening" your hair. A lot of them also don't even make your hair straight, they just seem to calm it down for a short amount of time- not even a full days worth! With this GHD flat iron, my hair looked amazing for two full days! This flat iron has really made such a big difference in my hair that I never expected could be possible without the help of a professional. Some of the features that I love about this flat iron include:

• It's amazingly fast start-up time. It takes about 1 minute to become fully heated! 
• The 'beep beep' sound that it makes to alert you that it has become fully heated. 
• There are no temperature switches. This is to make sure that you don't burn your hair by turning up the heat too high. It adjusts to your hair when you begin straightening it to prevent burning. 
• The 30-minute auto shut-off time. Are you someone who always forgets to turn off your flat iron? Well, even if you're not, it can happen to all of us and that, as you know, can be extremely dangerous! This flat iron automatically shuts off after 30 minutes to prevent over-heating and burning. This is such an amazing factor because it really ensures the safety of its users. With this flat iron, you won't ever have to worry about the possibility of something setting on fire!
• The tangle-free swivel cord. How many of you have owned/own flat irons where when your in the middle of straightening your hair, the cord gets stuck all the time? I know I have and how extremely annoying it is! With this flat iron, the swivel cord prevents itself from getting stuck and caught to places while your straightening. 
• The sleek design of this straightener is defiantly a plus. It can be easily put in a travel suitcase and won't take up much room at all.
• This flat iron is very light, which makes it easy to carry around without it being a hassle to you. 

Those are just some of the many reasons why I love this straightener, but I think the biggest reason is, obviously, the amazing results it has on my hair!

Overall, I highly recommend this flat iron to any of you who are in search for an iron that will actually leave your hair looking straight and frizz-free as opposed to doing little-nothing or even making your hair frizzier. Although, I do want to remind you all that this straightener is a little pricey. It costs $205.00 + tax. This is pretty expensive for a hair straightener, but if you truly want straight and frizz-free hair that will last all day, then it is definitely worth the investment. If you choose to invest in this item, it will last you a really long time and will give you undeniably good results. It's better to spend a little extra on a straightener that won't damage your hair, while leaving it straight, frizz-free, and burnt-free, than buy a cheap flat iron and burn your hair while not even achieving the full 'pin-straight' effect that you want. I definitely give this product 5 stars!

I hope you enjoyed this review and don't forget to leave any comments/questions you have in the comment section below! Also, if you have any suggestions on products you want my next review to be on, don't hesitate to tell me!

I bought my GHD Flat Iron at my local Sephora, so if you would like to purchase this item, you can also buy it at Sephora or order it online by clicking: buy the GHD Flat Iron here!

Until next time...

Xx,

Spark Your Style

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Click HERE to view the Professional 1" Original Styler GHD Flat Iron 

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Grammy Awards Fashion: Wins and Misses

Hey Everyone!

I'm assuming you all watched the Grammy's on Sunday to see all your favorite stars, their performances, and of course, what they were wearing! There were many crazy outfits on the red carpet at the Grammy's and I'm going to cover my favorite looks and the ones that I wasn't so crazy about. 

First and foremost, I'd like to talk about the outfit that everyone was anxiously anticipating. Lady Gaga's Grammy outfit. Now to be honest, I expected her to wear some crazy dress with an even crazier headpiece; just because that's Gaga. But, to everyone's surprise, she didn't wear a crazy dress or a crazy headpiece. Rather, she arrived inside of an egg. Yes, an egg! She was in incubation in order to prepare for her debut performance of her new song Born This Way. This was an insane entrance that has never been seen on any red carpet before, obviously! You couldn't even see her inside of this incubated egg aside from shadows of some black outfit that she was wearing. The only people related to Lady Gaga that you could see were the people who were carrying her egg. There were five people carrying the supporter that her egg was attached to. These five people were dressed in a pale yellow. All in all, Gaga outdid herself once again on the red carpet, but I think we can all agree that this was by far the craziest thing shes ever pulled! 

Alright, now onto people who decided to wear normal outfits! (Haha) The first person that I saw on the red carpet was Kelly Osbourne. She sported a very feminine, lilac, one shoulder dress by Tadashi Shoji. She paired this dress with sparkling Alexander McQueen heels. In my opinion, the heels were the only good thing about this outfit. I wasn't feeling her dress because it looked a little too casual for the Grammy's in my opinion. Also it reminded me of a dress that a 13-year old girl would pick out at a cheap dress shop. I know, that may sound a little harsh, but it is my opinion! Although, the shoes are stunning! After all, you can never go wrong with Alexander McQueen. Overall, I'd say this outfit is a miss. What are your thoughts on Kelly Osbourne's outfit? 

The next person I will be covering is Selma Blair. The mother-to-be wore a very simple dress by Lavin. Again, this dress, like Kelly Osbourne's, seems to be a little to casual for the Grammy's. Aside from its casualness, I feel like it looks as if she took a dirty towel and rapped it around her waist. The shirt is way too low-cut and open in my opinion for it to give off any sense of sexuality, which is probably what she was aiming for. The overall cut and look of the top is very odd and unappealing. Overall, I'd say that this outfit is a miss. What are your thoughts on Selma Blair's outfit?

The next person I will be covering is Selena Gomez. Selena wore a gold, fitted, J Mendel dress. This dress, in my opinion, is absolutely stunning. It is simple in style, but has a very striking effect. Not to mention that it fits her like a glove! It's nice to see someone who isn't squeezing into something too small or drowning in something too big- this is an example of a perfect fit! Her matching clutch and beautiful jewels compliment her dress and appearance to her benefit. Overall, I would declare this outfit a win! What are your thoughts on Selena Gomez's outfit? 

The next person I will be covering is Miley Cyrus. Miley wore a sequenced dress by Roberto Cavalli. I really like the look of this dress. The sequenced design is beautifully made and very complimentary. Although the dress is beautiful, Miley seemed to have a little wardrobe malfunction on the red carpet. Her side boob was popping out of her dress the entire night. Now, I don't know if this was the look Miley was going for, but even if she was, she either needed to make it look much different because it frankly looked unattractive and not sexy at all- which was probably what she was aiming for. Her jewelery was a bit much, she definitely could've taken off a few bracelets, but overall they do compliment her dress well. Overall, I would say this outfit is a win. What are your thoughts on Miley Cyrus's outfit? 

The next person I will be covering is Kim Kardashian. Kim shimmered in a gold dress by Kaufman Franco. She went for a very revealing look, although, I don't think it turned out to her advantage. She really let it almost all hang out in a dress that is really not too flattering. The cut is odd and the fabric looks like it was bought at your local fabric store. I remember using a fabric that looked just like her dress on an art project in 4th grade! Ha! The only thing about her outfit that I like is her snake bracelet, even though it doesn't really go nicely with her dress. And her shoes, well, they're a little dull. Overall, I would say that Kim's look was a miss. What are your thoughts on Kim Kardashian's outfit? 

The next person I will be covering is Katy Perry. Katy wore an Armani Prive ensemble outfit. Katy's ensemble consisted of a crystallized bra top, a silver skirt, and angel wings. This outfit is... interesting. As the bra top is beautifully made, it seems to be an odd choice for the Grammy's. The train skirt almost looks as if she wrapped herself in a white garbage bag. The two don't seem to mix or go together. Although Katy is known for always dazzling the red carpet with her sparkles, this outfit seems a little off in my opinion. Overall, I would say that Katy's look was a miss. What are your thoughts on Katy Perry's outfit?

The next person I will be covering is Rihanna. Rihanna wore a very revealing ruffled dress by Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture. Although we can all agree that this was a very bold and daring choice on Rihanna's part, I don't think that it was the best. The see-through dress almost looks like she is wearing nothing except toilet paper that has been wrapped around her multiple times. This dress is so bizarre that it's hard to even break it down. All I know is that I'm really not a fan of this dress by any means. Going bold on the red carpet doesn't necessarily mean better- and this viewpoint is definitely proven by Rihanna's outfit choice. Sometimes the simplest looking dresses, have the most 'wow' factor because they don't take away from the actual person in it. Overall, I'd say this outfit was a miss. What are your thoughts on Rihanna's outfit?

Well that wraps up my coverage on the Grammy Awards fashion! Thank you all for reading my review and make sure to check back daily for more fashion/beauty related posts!

Until next time..

Xx,

Spark Your Style

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Happy Valentine's Day

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to wish all of my readers a very happy Valentine's Day! Make sure to tell at least one person you love them today :) And remember, you don't need a boyfriend/girlfriend to have a great Valentine's Day!


Also, make sure to check back soon for my full coverage on Grammy's fashion!


Xx,
Spark Your Style

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Outfit #1: New York City Chic

Hey Everyone!

As I said in my last blog post, I will be making a new segment here on my blog where I create outfits for you guys from clothes that represent my style. The first outfit I will be putting together for you in this post I'd describe as New York City Chic. Those of you who are from New York City will know what I mean when I say 'New York City Chic.' For those of you who are unfamiliar with the style, I'm here to explain it to you! New Yorkers are probably the chicest and most stylish people in America. The reason is because they are not flashy at all. They don't walk around shoving 'LV' logos in your face while advertising their new Prada shoes. Although, they do wear these items, they wear them in a way that isn't trashy, flashy, or show-y. The outfit I've put together is something I would wear in an instant. The outfit consists of an elegant, yet incredibly cute, Chiffon Cape Collar Blouse, simple, yet sophisticated J Brand black high rise leggings, and an amazing pair of Alexander Wang booties. Let's go ahead and take a look!

TopShop Terracotta Chiffon Cape Collar Blouse 

J Brand Maria Powerstretch High Rise Leggings

Alexander Wang Freja Whipstitch Booties

This is the outfit! I chose this top because I love its sophisticated elegance and the light burgundy/red color is very attractive and will light up your features. I chose these black leggings, skinny jean look alikes, because they are comfortable and simple. Black is a color that can go with everything, therefore, it compliments while not taking any attention away from your top. Lastly, the amazing Alexander Wang booties will pull your outfit all together. They will give you height as well as poise. They are so beautifully made and very unique. These shoes are not your typical heel or booty which makes them that much more appealing and attractive to the eye. The color of these shoes, a deep burgundy, compliment the blouse perfectly because they are in the same color group. In my opinion, if shoes and a top/pant are the exact same color, it looks peculiar and doesn't make your outfit original in anyway. With this shoe and top, you get the "matching" effect without actually wearing the exact same color more than once. This gives your outfit range, which is what you want. The reason I like this outfit so much is that it is very versatile. You can dress it up by adding accessories and a cute clutch, or dress it down by replacing the heels for flats. I love the outfit either way, but if I were to dress it down I would chose this shoe. 

TopShop NAOMI Black Lace Up Ankle Boots

I really like these lace up ankle boots because they are really original and cute at the same time. I like the open toe in the front and the elevated back, which is a perfect place to tuck your black leggings into. The metallic holes, where the laces are laced through, contrast well with the red blouse. So if you want to dress this outfit down, I'd give these adorable cute ankle boots a try!

Thanks so much for reading my outfit #1 and I hope you enjoyed it! Make sure to check in next week for outfit #2 and daily for more fashion & beauty related posts! Also remember to leave your comments in the comment section below of any thoughts you have relating to this post!

Until next time...

Xx,

Spark Your Style 

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Items Used in this Post!

1. Click HERE for the Terracotta Chiffon Cape Collar Blouse!

2. Click HERE for the J Brand Maria Powerstretch High Rise Leggings!

3. Click HERE for the Alexander Wang Freja Whipstitch Booties!

4. Click HERE for the NAOMI Black Lace Up Ankle Boots

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My Personal Style

Hey Everyone!

I want to start a new segment on my blog where I create outfits for you guys that represent my own personal style. I think that my personal style can be described in two words: BoHo and Casual Chic. I love the feel and look of Bohemian clothes. They have a very relaxed look to them, while still being fresh and totally cute.Two celebrities who rock the BoHo style, in my opinion, are Nicole Richie and Miley Cyrus. I definitely look up to them as my style icons in terms of my BoHo look. They always pull it off well, without portraying it as a "lazy" style. 

Miley Cyrus in her BoHo attire

Nicole Richie in her BoHo attire

The second way that I described my personal style was in the term "Casual Chic." I think that this is a perfect term to represent my style because I am not someone who will be seen in fancy and expensive clothes from head to toe everyday. My two concerns when picking out an outfit to wear each day are: comfort and chic. I always have to be comfortable in the clothes that I wear or it will ruin my day and my time spent in them. Although, it is often hard to find something that is comfortable without looking sloppy. That's why I would call my style casual chic! The clothes that I wear everyday are, for the most part, pretty casual, but the way I put them together I'd like to say is chic. I tend to wear skinny jeans or leggings, a cute blouse, shirt, or tee underneath a loose fitted sweater paired cute booties. This way, the casual jeans are complimented by a nice, chic top and sweater- not to mention the cute booties to booth! Rachel Bilson rocks the casual chic look and I definitely look up to her as a style icon for my casual chic look. 

Rachel Bilson in her Casual Chic attire

In my next post I am going to create an outfit that symbolizes my style for you guys to hopefully spark something in your everyday style. 

Until next time...

Xx,

Spark Your Style

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Review #1: Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

Hey Everyone!

The first product I want to review in my review series is Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation. I just recently purchased this foundation and have absolutely fallen in love with it. I can hands down say that this is the best full-coverage foundation I have ever used. This foundation comes in a full spectrum of colors so don't worry that your skin is either too light or dark. This foundation can apply to all skin tones. The color I use definitely fits my skin tone and does not look either too light or too dark, which is something that is hard to find in a foundation. This foundation is full-coverage and leaves every inch of your skin looking flawless. All you have to do is apply a little smaller-than-a-coin size of the foundation to your index finger, rub between your other index finger to even out the foundation, and then apply accordingly throughout your whole face. After you apply it to your face, you will be pleasantly surprised by it's completely natural look as opposed to that cake-y foundation look. The first day I wore this foundation, people commented that my skin looked "amazing" and "so clear," which was nice because they didn't instead tell me that my foundation looked nice. That's how natural this foundation looks! Something else that I've noticed that I'm super happy about is that this foundation hasn't  broken out my skin- ever. I have very sensitive skin and usually any new product, such as foundation, can often irritate my skin and brake it out. Although, as I just said, my skin has remained clear! So for all of you with skin like mine, I definitely recommended this product! This foundation also hydrates your skin while it's giving you full coverage, which I've definitely noticed as well. Lastly, this foundation is really long-lasting! If you're someone who does something that makes you sweat daily, like a sport of form of dance, this foundation will definitely work for you. It will last through your sweat and always last all day. An occasional touch-up to your face will seldom be necessary as this product seriously never cakes or sweats off. Overall, this foundation will NOT disappoint! So if you are currently looking for a good full-coverage, creme foundation, that will not brake your skin out and that's long-lasting, this will not fail you! I give this product 5 stars!

I bought my Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation at my local Sephora, so if you'd like to purchase this product you can buy it at your local Sephora as well. 

I hope you enjoyed this review and make sure to leave any comments you have about this review, or anything else you'd like to say regarding this post, in the comment section below! Also, make sure to check in next week for my next review and also don't forget to check in daily for more non-review related posts!

Until next time...

Xx, 

Spark Your Style

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Click HERE for the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation!

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The Start of Something New: Reviews!

Hey Everyone!

Over the last few days, I've been trying to think of ideas to blog about. Since I want to blog often, I want each post to help and inspire you all. Although this blog is mostly designated towards fashion, sometimes it can be hard to think of something new as well as exciting to blog about since not much really changes or evolves day to day. I've decided to start a new little series on my blog where I review anything beauty and fashion related. For instance, if I go shopping and buy a really pretty necklace from a store, I'll review my thoughts on it and give you all details on where you can purchase (or in some cases, NOT purchase) this item. I will try to do a review on something once a week. What do you guys think of this new idea? I think it could be really fun! What I like about this new idea is that it's going to be very interactive. You guys can send me emails on things you would like me to review (sparkyourstyle@gmail.com) and we'll have interactive chats in the comments below. Advertisers of their products are always going to try to make their product seem like it's the best this or the best that. But I'm here to set the record straight and give all of you my true opinion on all the items I purchase.

I will be writing a review later today so make sure to look out for it!

Xx,
Spark Your Style

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Twitter!

Hey Everyone!

I just want to let you all know that I have created a Twitter account for this blog. I will be posting fashion tips, links to cute items that I happen to come across, tweeting about new fashion trends and things to look out for, and fashion & beauty in general! Please follow me! Thanks guys :)

P.S. The reason my Twitter is sparkyourstyle7 as apposed to just sparkyourstyle is because unfortunately sparkyourstyle was taken,

Xx,
Spark Your Style

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Nails, Nails, Nails

Hey Guys!

We're in that time of the year where it's hard to experiment with many different styles because of the harsh, winter weather. (At least for those who live in areas where winter is extremely cold - like me!) Because of heavy coats, baggy sweaters, and snow boots, our style choice is pretty limited. Personally, I don't like winter that much because I hate the cold and the inability to just go outside in a nice sweater and jeans! The weight that winter brings in terms of fashion really weighs me, and I'm sure all of you, down. Although, there is ONE thing that any girl can benefit from during any season and that is nail polish! I know it may seem silly, but a good color can really make or add to your outfit. My two favorite nail polish brands are Essie and OPI. In the winter, the colors that look the best are darker colors, of course. Dark purples, black, dark greens (for example: military green), grays, deep reds, and any shades in between. My favorite winter colors are: 

**OPI**

1. Purple with a Purpose - Purple

2. Pamplona Purple - Purple

3. Black Cherry Chutney - Deep Purple with a hint of Red

4. Here Today... Aragon Tomorrow - Deep Green 

5. Light my Sapphire - Deep Blue

6. Lincoln Park After Dark - Deep Plum 

7. Malaga Wine - Deep Red 

**ESSIE**

1. Bordeaux - Deep Red (wine)

2. Bahama Mama - Rich Plum 

3. Material Girl - Deep Burgundy  

4. Lady Godiva - Deep chocolate

So those are my suggestions for you guys on great colors for this cold winter season! I hope this has helped you don't hesitate to email me suggestions for future blog posts! 

Xx,

Spark Your Style 

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Cupcakes and Cashmere (Recomendation)

Hey Everyone!

I've recently come across an amazing fashion/beauty blog. This blog is called Cupcakes and Cashmere. The girl at the head of this website's name is Emily and to wrap her up in one word I'd say nothing short of "amazing." She blogs about delicious treats, her current favorite clothing items and great new fashion styles to look out for. I wanted to recommended this blog to you guys because if you love fashion then you'll certainly become obsessed with this blog! Hope you guys enjoy it and I'll see you in the next post!

Xx,
Spark Your Style

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Click HERE to go to the website!

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Online Website Recommendations!

Hey Everyone!

Sorry that I haven't blogged in FOREVER, but I've been super busy. But, I'm BACK! So I just wanted to tell you guys about my new current obsession. Now, you all probably know about these websites, but I just want to tell you about them myself. They are online shopping websites. The two that I currently cannot get off of are "http://www.singer22.com/" and "http://www.shopnastygal.com/" Those two websites literally are my exact style and I'm so happy I came across them, because for some reason as of late, shopping has been a little dull for me. I haven't been able to find any clothes that I really, really love and that represent my style well. But these websites do! I was a little hesitant about shopping on an online store where you cannot physically try on the clothes. If your like me, you always want to try on what you pick out at a store before you buy it just in case it looks totally different from what you envisioned. Although, the clothes on these websites are just too good for me to pass up. I wanted to tell you guys and hopefully spark a new flame in your style! The good thing about these online shopping websites is that if you don't like what you order or it doesn't fit you correctly you can return it for free. These two websites have literally made me so happy so I hope I can give you guys who haven't heard about these online websites a chance to check them out and hopefully love them just like me!

Until next time...
Xx,
Spark Your Style

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