Merry Christmas + Happy 1 Year!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all have had an excellent holiday! This Christmas was a year of firsts for me. My family and I have started a new tradition where we go to the movies after our annual Christmas brunch, and I really enjoyed it! It was a fun, low key outing, and I enjoyed it more than just lounging around the house with (unwanted) guests and family. I promise, I'm not a Scrooge. I'm just a firm believer that holidays should not be stressful. 

One of my favorite gifts I received was the first Harry Potter book. I know I'm about to be crucified for this, but I've never read the Harry Potter books before. *cue the outrage* I know, I know. I'm terrible, but in my defense, I attended a private Christian school growing up, and the Harry Potter series was not allowed. They thought they were demonic. I had quite the deprived childhood, but I fully intend to catch up on everything I missed out on!

Today is also my blog's 1st birthday! It's been such a fun year, and I've really learned so much about blogging and myself in these 365 days. I have so many goals for my blog in 2015, and I get so excited just thinking about it :) Thank you to all of my beautiful subscribers and to all of the people that have left me such sweet comments. Your feedback means so much to me! I can't wait to see what the new year brings!

Stocking Stuffers for the Beauty Junkie

LUNA Mini//Beauty Blender//Laura Mercier Lip Glace//Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat//Too Faced Teddy Bear Hair Brush Set//Urban Decay Naked3 Palette//Tory Burch Eau de Parfum

I'm all about anything beauty related, and beauty gifts are by far my favorite to receive! They're just the greatest little pick me ups. I thought I would share with you my favorites, and a few that are definitely on my wish list this holiday season. 

For years, I've been loyal to my Clarisonic Mia, but lately I've been intrigued by the Luna Mini facial brush by Foreo. I really love the small size and the fact that you don't have to keep replacing a brush head. Who knows, maybe I'll be cutting ties with the Clarisonic pretty soon. 

Another beauty tool favorite of mine has been the Beauty Blender. I've loved it since the moment it was introduced, and I've recently bought the Beauty Blender minis, and the pro one as well. Sephora has an awesome gift set out right now including all three different beauty blenders and the cleanser! I would definitely check that out, if I were you. I just love how flawless and airbrushed my face makeup looks after using this little baby. I prefer this over a brush any day. 

I just love a high shine gloss for the holidays, and Laura Mercier Lip Glaces are some of my favorites. There are so many beautiful colors to choose from, and they aren't sticky like so many other glosses. The pigmentation is also amazing. Definitely my go to gloss!

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat is definitely a cult favorite for a reason. I recently picked this little gold pen up, and I'm already obsessed with it. This highlight offers a subtle glow while making your skin look radiant. Just remember, it's a highlight NOT a concealer! 

Every girl needs a good set of brushes, and could these Too Faced ones get any cuter?

Makeup palettes are great gifts for any makeup lover. If you haven't tried any of the Naked eye shadow palettes, then you are definitely missing out. The Naked3 might be my favorite. All of the rose toned hues are absolutely gorgeous, and I love how many different looks can be created with just one palette! 

If you're looking to get a classy lady in your life an equally classy scent, then the Tory Burch perfume is the way to go. It's a lovely scent with both floral and citrus notes, and I just love how chic the bottle looks sitting on my vanity! 

Happy Shopping! 

Disclosure: This Blonde Story is part of an affiliate program. I may receive compensation for items that are clicked and/or purchased via certain links on this site. All opinions are my own, and gifted items are marked c/o.

Hair Care Routine (Requested Post!)

Hey there, lovelies! It's been a very long time since I've done a beauty post, and I've definitely missed making them. Since I started blogging, the most asked question I've gotten is about my hair care routine, so here you go! 

1. My go to shampoo and conditioner lately that I've been loving is dry bar Sake Bomb Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner. It's a great duo for hair that needs a little extra moisture and hydration, and it's safe for color treated hair so that's a plus! Not to mention, the smell is amazing. 

2. I don't like to weigh my hair down with lots of products like mouse, gel, or hairspray, but one product I do use after washing and conditioning my hair is this Aquage Silkening Oil Treatment. I towel dry my hair a little, and then apply one and a half pumps of the oil from the roots to the end of my hair. I focus mostly on the ends, and only use the oil on my roots sparingly.

3. While I'm in the shower, after I've conditioned, I like to finger comb my hair to get the majority of the tangles out. Once I've towel dried my hair and applied the oil treatment, I comb out the remaining tangles with a wide tooth comb. Do not tug or yank your hair! Being rough with your hair causes breakage, and nobody wants that. 

4. I've talked about my love for coconut oil in the past. It really is a little miracle in a jar. I do not use coconut oil everyday on my hair. I probably only use it about once a month, or whenever my hair begins feeling extra dry or brittle. I heat up a little bit in a bowl (it's solid at room temperature) and apply it from about my ears down to the ends of my hair. I leave it on for about an hour and then do my normal shampoo and conditioner routine. 

I should probably mention that I do not wash my hair everyday. I only wash it about twice a week. I naturally have dry, wavy hair and so my hair does not get oily as quickly as some people's hair does. Whenever I notice my hair looking a little flat or limp, I spray in some dry shampoo and that takes care of that!

I hope that answered any questions you guys had about my hair care! As always, thank you for stopping by, and I hope you all have a great week :)