The *BEST* DIY Nail Product I've Tried: Dashing Diva Glaze.

       It's been four years since I became an enthusiast of DIY manicures and ditched my costly monthly visits to nail salons. And I've never looked back! I first discovered ImPRESS press-on nails in 2019 and became obsessed. I then started playing around with different brands of nail polish wraps in 2021, and enjoyed incorporating those into my manicure routines when I wasn't using ImPRESS. Even though I had definitely found a variety of nail products that I did enjoy using at home, I kept feeling like there still might be something better out there for truly long-lasting DIY nails. And I was right! In 2022 I discovered the Dashing Diva Glaze UV Gel Nail Polish Wraps, and they are without a doubt the best nail product I've ever used. This is the magical unicorn product that I was searching for when it comes to doing manicures myself! It's about time I gave them a full review here on the blog.

Which Nail Wraps Are Best? I Tried + Reviewed 3 Brands!

     I started doing my nails myself in 2019 to avoid costly trips to the salon. I was lucky to quickly find an at-home option that I loved: ImPRESS press-on nails. I still love using ImPRESS nails today, and they probably will always be my favorite DIY manicure option. (I've written two posts about ImPRESS- a review and tutorial here, and tips for making them last longer here!) Even though I'd found a great at-home option that I like for nails, I'm never opposed to still trying other new things. In the last couple years, the popularity of nail polish wraps has exploded, and I finally wanted to give those a try too! Over the past few months, I've been testing out three different brands of nail polish wraps, and I'm excited to share this review with you today.

How to Make imPRESS Nails Last Longer!

      ImPRESS Nails were one of my best new purchase discoveries of 2019, and I'm still absolutely obsessed with them today! Discovering these press-on drugstore nails completely eliminated my expensive monthly nail salon visits. It's been so much fun to hear from a lot of you since I started sharing about these nails that have also tried them! However, one of the most frequently asked questions that I get in my DMs now is how to make ImPRESS Nails last longer. There are definitely some "best practices" for application that can be the difference between them lasting just a few days, to lasting 10+ days! Today I'm sharing my best tips for making your ImPRESS Nails last as long as they can.

ImPRESS Nail Review - The Best Press-On Nails!

     Last October, my life was forever changed thanks to a beauty discovery! Okay- maybe saying "forever changed" is a slight exaggeration. 😉But hey, it's been over six months now since I first tried ImPRESS nails and I'm still obsessed with them. I finally shared an IGTV tutorial for how I apply them this week, so I wanted to include some extra info to go along with that on the blog as well!

Best Richmond VA Hair Salon: My Experience at Rituals Salon & Spa.

     For the past few months, I've been on a journey... a hair coloring journey that is! My 25th birthday was in September, and I decided a great way to celebrate my quarter of a century would be to change up my naturally dark hair. Later in the fall, I was looking to continue going lighter with my hair, but I was also in the market for a new salon, as I wasn't in love with the first one I went to. It was perfect timing that Rituals Salon & Spa in the Richmond area reached out to me at this time! I've now been a client at Rituals for about three and a half months, and I'm excited to share a full review of my experiences and their services with you today. Make sure to read all the way to the end of the post as I have a discount code to share with fellow Virginians (or anyone if you happen to be in the Richmond area!). 

     I was gifted some complimentary hair and spa services in exchange for today's review- but all opinions of Rituals Salon & Spa are honest and my own.

SNS Nails FAQ: Everything To Know About Dip Powder Nails.

     Confession time: I've been a nail biter since before I can remember. Seriously... pretty much since the time I first grew nails as a toddler, I've been biting and picking at them. It's a lifelong habit that I've tried so hard to break throughout the years. I'd always painted my nails regularly growing up, but I'd always pick or bite the polish off, which was terrible!When I got my first full-time job last year, I decided to start treating myself to regular manicures as a way to hopefully combat my habit. I figured that spending money on my nails would prevent me from getting at them.

     After a year of frequent gel manicures, I had my first SNS ("Dip Nails") manicure this past spring, and this immediately became my favorite nail treatment ever! I'm sharing today about my experiences with SNS, how it's helped my nail biting, how it compares to gel, if I think it's worth the cost, and more!

"Falling" for Charlotte's Foliage.

Photos by Deeana Kourtney Photography

Top {old, similar here} // Jeans // Shoes // Scarf {from last year, very similar one here} // Necklace c/o// Bracelets c/o // Nail Polish // Lipstick 

     Peak foliage definitely hit Charlotte this past weekend, and my oh my was it glorious! I wish that I could have taken a whole day to just drive along my favorite roads in the city, taking in all of the beautiful leaves and sunshine. While my schedule didn't quite allow me to do that, I was on the go a bit this weekend between work and some other plans, so I did get to see a good bit of foliage. Deeana and I had plans to shoot yesterday morning, and I knew that for this look I needed to shoot it in front of some beautiful changing trees. Luckily- they weren't hard to find! 

     Y'all know that blanket scarves are all the rage for another year in a row. I own this one and one other one, but I actually find them a little bit tricky to wear. When I wear them as actual scarves, I feel that they sometimes feel like they're suffocating my neck since there's just SO much scarf... #honesty. But lately I've been wearing them as wraps, like I have this one styled here, and I am loving that!! It's still a great way to incorporate this trend for the cooler months, but your neck can still go free. It's also easier to pair necklaces with what you're wearing when you're wearing a wrap instead. This blanket scarf that I'm wearing here is from last year, but I found one here that's in very similar colors and at a great price! 

     Lastly- I am loving these two new jewelry pieces that Taudrey jewelry sent over to me!! I've had a couple of Taudrey pieces in the past (including a bracelet set that I've worn nonstop over the past year), and I love their fun pieces. Just about all of their jewelry is customizable in some way. The choker necklace that I'm wearing here has a little letter "A" on the center circle, and my new bracelet set is customized as well! There is a lot of meaning behind what I put on these bracelets... perhaps I'll share on the blog someday soon, but for now if you're following my private personal Instagram account (@rainbowflash94- not my blog/publicaccount @miss_alk) - I shared a photo last night with more about the meaning behind them. 

    Hope that everyone is having a great Monday! I can't believe that Thanksgiving week is already here. I have a very busy week ahead- so be sure that you're following me on social media to keep up with the fun and adventures!

     xoxo Miss ALK

The #BasicBlogger Dress (that I'm now obsessed with).

Photography by Deeana Kourtney Photography

Dress c/o // Shoes c/o // Sunglasses via Shop Ditto (use code MISSALK for your first month of designer sunglasses rentals free!) // Bracelets: Kendra Scott {on sale still through NSale} and Taudrey c/o // Nail Polish // Lipstick //

     I have probably never worn an outfit that has made me feel more like a stereotypical fashion blogger than this one! 2016 had two Pantone colors of the year, which were Rose Quartz and Serenity. This dress represents both one of the colors of the year, and one of the biggest trends of the year, off-the-shoulder. So basically it is 2016 in blogging... in a dress (hence the blog post title)! I know that I have seen more bloggers than I can count wear dresses in similar colors or styles to this one. At first I did think the off-the-shoulder dress look in trendy colors was a bit overrated, but then I actually got this dress and tried it on, and I was a fan instantly! 

      I never thought that I could pull off the off-the-shoulder trend very well, because I have very broad shoulders for my frame. I don't particularly like wearing things that highlight my shoulders because of this. But this dress is so comfortable and airy, and despite exposing my shoulders, I feel that the pretty ruffle details help to detract attention only from the shoulder area, so it's a win in my opinion. And the best part of all is that it's under $20! 

     

     Are there any other trends that are very popular in the blogging world right now that you are experimenting with and liking/disliking? Another huge trend this summer with fashion bloggers has been all things with pom poms and tassels. My first pom pom clothing piece is currently on its way to me... it'll be styled later this month on the blog, and I'll be sure to share my thoughts on that basic blogger trend as well. ;-) 

     Lastly, don't you just love the different location of these photos?! For today's post (and some coming in the next few weeks here on the blog) Deeana and I shot in South End, a historic and really fun neighborhood that's just outside of Uptown Charlotte. It is such a quaint neighborhood with so much city charm and unique scenery. I would love to live there someday if I get a full-time job in Charlotte following broadcasting school! 

     xoxo Miss ALK

Styling Top Spring Trends.

Top: LOFT {in-store only, very similar here} // Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters // Sandals: Marshall's {very similar here} // Necklace: ILY Couture // Nails: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in No Hard Feelings // Lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Demure 

      Happy Monday! I have officially survived the first week of the two busiest weeks of my semester. Last week was Greek Week at school, and my sorority had lots of events to attend. This was all in addition to finishing up my Capstone project for my major (I turned in the official rough draft of the paper on Sunday afternoon!), and plenty of other assignments and things on my to-do list. In adulting news, my bed was also delivered to my new apartment on Saturday! Only a few more weeks of dorm room living- I can't even believe it! This week the craziness continues. It's is Senior Week in ADPi, and my last week as an active collegiate member of my sorority. We conclude this week of events with our annual Black Diamond formal. And I'm also presenting my Capstone project this Wednesday- so send good vibes and prayers my way! 

    

      This was a fun spring casual outfit that I wore out to dinner a couple of weekends ago when my friend Cara from Caralina Style was in town. I think that this outfit combines so many of the popular trends for this season: off-the-shoulder tops, tassel necklaces, and relaxed/boyfriend fit style jeans! Jeweled sandals might not necessarily be a "new" trend for 2016, but they're something that I've personally enjoyed wearing in warmer months for many years now, and plan to continue wearing for years to come! 

     What spring trends are you enjoying pairing together?


     A couple of very affordable off-the-shoulder top options are linked below!

      xoxo Miss ALK

Midweek Ramblings + Recent Purchases.

{Via my Instagram @miss_alk}

     I'm really starting to look forward to writing these weekly recap posts! It's such a nice little breath of fresh air in the middle of my busy weeks!

Ramblings: 

• Myrtle = perfect party town: As I've said for my last many posts, my 21st birthday was this past weekend, and I was lucky enough to get to spend it on a little girls' getaway trip with two of my besties! We headed to Myrtle Beach for the weekend, and honestly this couldn't have been in the more perfect location to turn 21 in. Lots of cheap food and entertainment options, great beaches (with warm water!), and awesome nightlife. I'm not sure if Myrtle is the type of place that I'd want to go for a long vacation, but it was the perfect holiday weekend destination! I definitely want to go back for another weekend in the future. More blog posts to come!
• Mama is coming: My mom is going to come visit me for a weekend in here in Charlotte next month! It will have been two years since her last visit to see me at school. My dad comes down every Fall and Spring to help move me in/out of school, but other then that neither of my parents have been to visit me since the start of my sophomore year. They thought about coming to visit me last year, but I had such an insane junior year schedule during the months that I was at school! It was always easier for me last year to just fly home to Maine a couple times. But since so many new and exciting things have happened in my life since I was a sophomore, I'm really excited to have my mom come to visit soon! 
• Coffee + blogging: Going back to school after a long weekend out-of-town is always a little rough, but my Tuesday morning motivation definitely came from the fact that I had a little coffee date here in Charlotte with one of my absolute favorite bloggers! I first met McKenna Bleu at an event that she co-hosted with Caitlin of Southern Curls and Pearls here in CLT around this time last year, and it was so wonderful to see her again, and to get some first-hand great blogging advice from her! If you aren't following her amazing blog, change that now!! It's seriously my favorite blog ever (and I read a LOT of blogs ;-) ). 
• Second time's a charm: Another thing that I've also mentioned in recent blog posts is that I'm currently in the middle of sorority recruitment with my chapter of Alpha Delta Pi. This is my third year in the sorority, and my second time going through the side of recruitment with my chapter! Last year it was a little bit of a hard adjustment for me to get used to all of the recruitment practices and learning everything that goes into the sorority side of things, but I'm pleased to report that this year things are already going much more smoothly! Anyone reading this post who is or was a sorority member can probably relate- make the transition from going through recruitment to being apart of recruitment can be difficult! I look forward to sharing a Bid Day and recruitment recap at the end of the month! 

Purchases:

• My friends and I made sure to take advantage of the Labor Day Weekend sales on our last afternoon in Myrtle Beach! One of my favorite purchases was this gorgeous necklace, which was on super sale in-store on Labor Day! Even though I have a ton of necklaces, I didn't previously own anything that looked like this. I love it so much that I already wore it this week! 
• Another thing that I bought while out outlet shopping on Labor Day was a chic cape for Fall/Winter! (My exact one isn't online yet but this one is from the same store and similar.) A co-worker of mine at my retail job at home had a black cape last winter that I would always steal from her for long shifts when I was home last Christmas- capes are seriously so warm and cozy! So happy to have one of my own now, and I don't think this will be the last one that I'll get! 
• I actually purchased this during my last week home in Maine, but this is one of my new favorite nail polishes! It's also my first nail polish that I've ever bought in this color. I wore it on both my nails and toes for Myrtle Beach. I found that it chipped pretty quickly on my nails, but has continued to last well on my toes.... a mystery that I will try and solve at a later date. :-)

     Happy Hump Day!

     xoxo Miss ALK

Pedi-Perfect with Jamberry Nail Wraps!

Ignore the big scab on my foot- this is from when I fell down a set of concrete stairs at school a few weeks ago! Lol.

Dress: American Eagle Outfitters {Old} || Shoes: Jack Rogers || Sunglasses: Le Chateau {Canadian store} || Toenails: c/o Jamberry Nails

     Jamberry Nail Wraps are a popular product right now with nail lovers! Sold by independent distributors and online, they are a non-toxic product that comes in nearly endless design and color options. Jamberry wraps are sold in sheets that you cut and size to the shape of your nail, and are easy to apply! They are most commonly applied on fingernails, but when Jamberry consultant Marissa Whiddon reached out to me about doing a product review here on my blog, I wanted to try applying my wraps on my toes for a little pedicure fun!

     I am so happy with how my Jamberry pedicure turned out (for my first attempt!). Marissa included some helpful instructions with my order, and I also found some great Youtube tutorials for applying Jamberry wraps specifically to toes. If applied properly the wraps can last up to five-six weeks on toenails- isn't that unbelievable?! 

     The pattern that I chose was called Punchy Puff. I loved all of the bright, bold colors in the design! When I say that the Jamberry color options are endless though, I literally mean it. Take a look at all of the options that they sell!

     Today I am headed to a nail salon and getting my acrylic nails taken off of my fingernails, which I have had on since my sorority formal a couple of weeks ago. I haven't had the best experience with them, and spent a lot of money getting them done! I know that Jamberry Nail Wraps are a product that I would probably much rather consider for future formal events, both for my nail and toes!

     Have you ever tried Jamberry nails before? (P.S. Jamberry also sells a line of non-toxic nail polish for the girls who love their traditional nail polish!)

    xoxo Miss ALK

Easter Outfit 2015.

 

 

Dress: c/o Gabes || Jean Jacket: Forever 21 || Shoes: Jack Rogers || Purse: {old} || Earrings: Target || Bracelets: Francesca's, c/o Urban Peach Boutique || Ring: c/o A-List Greek Designs || Lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Temptress || Nails: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in No Hard Feelings {My all-time FAVORITE nail color! I can only find this shade at Walmart}

     This was my Easter outfit this year! (And since I ended up spending this year's Easter Sunday in airplanes between Maine and North Carolina, this happened to be my airport outfit as well.) The two occasions each year that I really look forward to getting a new dress for are Easter and my birthday. This year, I had it in my head that I wanted to go with a maxi dress for my Easter dress, since I knew that I would be spending the day of Easter in both Maine (which tends to be very chilly in early April), and in and out of airplanes, which can also be on the chillier side.

     So I was so thrilled to find this gorgeous floral maxi dress at my nearest Gabe's store for only $14.99! What a steal! Y'all know that I am just a sucker for anything floral, but I am especially loving the color combinations in the pattern in this dress- I think that it almost looks like a watercolor painting! The adjustable straps gave it a modest neckline which is perfect for Easter church services. And the light, sheer fabric would also make this dress perfect for any beach type wedding, vacation or other occasion, so I know that I will definitely be getting lots of use out of this dress during Maine's summer beach season! 

      I was one of the featured bloggers for the Gastonia, NC Gabe's store opening back in March (which you can read about here!), but I'm so happy that I popped back into the store recently because it was my return trip that allowed me to find this dress, and also some beautiful (and super on-sale!) spring jewelry. I'll definitely be wearing some of the earrings that I bought in future blog posts soon! 

     These pictures were taken at one of my favorite beaches in my hometown, and also in the neighboring town to mine (which is where I work in the summers), near a row of stores right by where the store that I work at is located! These two locations are places that I spend a lot of time at in the summers, so it was fun to head back to both of them last weekend for a little summer preview! My sweet friend Katie took these pictures, and she actually ended up using them as assignment for her photography class as well, so win-win for both of us! Speaking of Katie- have you checked out my blog post from Monday yet, about how I gave Katie quite the April Fools prank?! 

     xoxo Miss ALK

Spring Fling Link-up!

Dress: Old Navy || Shoes: {Macy's Style & Co. brand, purchased at a Maine discount retailer. Similar shoes here} || Purse: Michael Kors || Necklace: Charlotte Russe || Bracelet: {Gift, Similar bracelet here}, Kate Spade || Ring: c/o Soulful Ceramics || Lips: Nyx Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Daquiri || Nails: Essie in Boxer Shorts

      I'm so excited to be apart of the Spring Fling Link-Up, hosted by two wonderful Southern bloggers, kTm from Pick Your Beau and Seersucker Sass from A Little Seersucker Sass! I love both of these blogs (And more then that I love the bloggers behind them! I'm Facebook friends with both of them hehehe ;-) ), so of course I was excited to join in the link-up fun!

      For my Spring themed outfit, I picked another outfit that I wore on my recent Spring Break trip to the Dominican Republic! But as bright and bold as this outfit is, I feel like this is something that I would be just as likely to wear for a fun night out here in Charlotte, so it's definitely not something that is just in the "resort wear" category of clothing!

     The dress that I'm wearing has actually been featured on the blog before! #outfitrepeater #guilty You might remember it from this post from last September, in which I styled it with some turquoise accessories! My favorite thing about this dress that is that I got it from an Old Navy outlet store last year during a Memorial Day Weekend sale for $7.99! What an incredible bargain. Just thinking about it makes me excited for Memorial Day Weekend sales again this year!


     I hope that you've all enjoyed seeing some of my favorite outfits from Spring Break this week! I still have a couple more posts to share from the trip, including more a recap of the vacation itself with some details about the resort. My dad and I stayed at a different hotel this year than our first trip to the DR in 2014, so I thought it would be fun to share some pictures from this new hotel and to talk a little bit about vacationing at all-inclusives in the Caribbean!

     Hope that y'all will have a wonderful weekend! Sadly mine doesn't include any big plans. I have two terms papers to begin, as well as lots of other homework. But I am feeling very relieved as I paid the local Charlotte Mazda dealer and service center a visit this week, and found out that my car actually doesn't need a very expensive maintenance job that I thought it needed! So that is always good news- think positively! :-)

      xoxo Miss ALK

Floral: A Family Affair.

Dress: {My mom's!! Her dress that she wore at a party right after her and my dad's wedding... almost 22 years ago! :-) Similar dress here} || Shoes: {Macy's Style & Co. brand, purchased at a Maine discount retailer. Similar shoes here} || Earrings: Target || Bracelets: Charming Charlie, {Local Boutique}, || Lips: Nyx Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Daquiri || Nails: Essie in Boxer Shorts

      Today's post is a very special one! I have shared outfit posts before that feature fashion pieces from my mom's closet. My mom and I are of similar clothing sizes, and she often gives me lots of cute things from her wardrobe that she doesn't wear as often anymore! She did just that with this dress. But this dress has quite the story behind it. See the picture below for further reference. :-)

      Yes, that is little baby Annaliese, playing dress up in the same exact dress!! I guess I was born to be a fashion blogger. ;-) This picture has hung on the fridge in my home in Maine for too many years to count (probably since the year the picture was taken!).


     For styling this dress for my vacation to the Dominican Republic, I chose to go a slightly different route then I did when I was a toddler (although I kept the flower in my hair- haha!). I love these strappy floral heels from the Style & Co brand from Macy's. They are gorgeous shoes, but have very specific colors in them, so there isn't a ton that I have that matches them in my wardrobe. Luckily though I was able to wear them a few times on my vacation since I packed lots of bright and tropical colored outfits (so stay tuned for them again in Friday's post!).

     I also finished off the outfit with some blue, green and gold jewelry. I chose not to wear a necklace and to try and let the silhouette and ruffles of the dress speak for themselves- sometimes it's best not to over-do it!


     Since this dress is over 20 years old, I cannot sadly link up the exact version for y'all. But below through ShopStyle I have found some similar and still gorgeous floral dresses that would be perfect for Springtime or a tropical vacation!

     xoxo Miss ALK