I'm Loving: Maxi Dresses

I just LOVE maxi dresses! They're comfortable, flattering, and perfect for bearing this summer heat! Plus with how long they are, you don't have to worry about if the skirt is inappropriately short. I know I'm behind the game, but I just got my first maxi dress for my senior pictures, and I'm in love! I found it on clearance at Rue 21 for just $9, and it makes me feel like some sort of hippie princess. As you can see in the picture, I'm not a fan of wearing shoes, but I'd pair this with some flat gladiator sandals for daytime wear, or maybe wedge sandals if I want to dress it up a bit. This dress is such a statement piece that besides a skinny belt to accentuate the waist, there's really no need for a lot of accessories. Pretty, comfortable, and simple - my kind of outfit.

Peace & Love,

Natalie

D.I.Y. Jean Shorts

Are your jeans starting to look more like floods, or even capris? That's how mine were, but they still fit perfectly around the waist, and I did not want to let a pair of well-fitting jeans go! I needed a pair of jean shorts anyways, so I took advantage of what I had: an old pair of jeans, and a pair of scissors.

1. Put on your old pair of jeans, and mark with a pen or marker where you want your jean shorts to hit. I suggest cutting 4-6 inches longer, so that there is room to make a cuff.

2. Remove the jeans, and lay them on a flat surface. Cut one side parallel to the original hem at the bottom of the pant legs.

3. Fold jeans in half along the center seam, make sure everything is even, and repeat on the other leg.

4. If desired, roll them up at least 2 times to make a cuff.

Viola! Quick & easy.

Peace & Love,

Natalie

Product Comparison: Facial Scrubs

I've been using the St. Ives Apricot Scrub for a while, and I love the product. So when I ran out of it and found the cheaper Up & Up brand of it at Target, I was very excited, because I absolutely LOVE to find bargains.

When I read that little orange and white tube, it instructed me to "compare to St. Ives Apricot Scrub," and when a tube of off-brand facial scrub asks me to compare it to my favorite, I will not hesitate to do so. Thus, this blog.

I hate to admit, but I was disappointed. Maybe it's because I was asked to compare a bargain to a tried-and-true favorite, but it just wasn't the same. The grains in the Target brand scrub are much larger than those in the St. Ives brand, and I feel that it doesn't clean my face as effectively. Also, it dried out my skin much more than the St. Ives scrub. Not to mention that while I love the apricot-cinnamon-y smell of St. Ives, the off brand has a stench that is reminiscent of a mixture of toxic chemicals in comparison. All in all, the extra 80 cents for the St. Ives brand is extremely worth it.

Lesson learned: stick with what you know and love.

Welcome!

Hi there, and welcome to my blog! I'm starting Brain Before Beauty as an attempt to give helpful health, beauty, and fashion advice while simultaneously helping women to realize that true beauty comes from within.

I've always seen makeup as an art form, as an outlet for self-expression if you will. I've always been girly, so I will admit that I enjoy experimenting with different makeup looks and hairstyles. However, I have been fortunate to have become much more comfortable in my own skin throughout high school. I never wear makeup to school, and only wear it occasionally when I go out. I have come to see makeup as more of an extravagance than a necessity. But that's not to say that I don't enjoy makeup and beauty as much as the next girl. If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't be blogging about it. :)

Anyways, that's essentially what this blog is for. If you have more of an interest in my completely random thoughts, you can find my personal blog here. And I have yet another blog for my philosophical moods, that will be filled with words of wisdom, hope, and confidence boosters. Blogging is starting to become my way of organizing my thoughts, to say the least.

I hope you enjoy, and thanks for visiting!

Peace & Love,

Natalie