Thursday, August 27, 2015

Friday, August 21, 2015

Complete Your Outfit With These 5 Accessories!

If you're like me, then your accessories have been indePENDANT on your budget's small allotment for shopping. Well, here are 5 necklaces that will add a statement to your outfit, and the great part is they're all under $50!

Let your star shine with this pendant from House of Harlow, $48

Keepin' it sleek thanks to Charming Charlie's, $15

Prismatic undertones with this stone pendant by Kendra Scott, $45

A delicate reminder of your beauty, strength, and grace from Satya, $48

Lasso this time piece from Charming Charlie's asap!, $13

Shout out your favorites in the comments! 

xo | din

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Swamp People + Gator Bait


Every two years, the Creole side of my family reunites to reminisce our history, honor our loved ones lost, share laughs, and of course...eat! This year's family reunion brought us back to our roots in Louisiana. 

One thing we've never done is a swamp tour. So, my sister was determined that this year was the year we would take to the swamps! Booking a tour with Cajun Encounters, we boarded the Gator Bait with Captain Jonathan at the helm. Since the captain grew up in Slidell, Louisiana, he was no stranger to Honey Island Swamp and zipped through the channels.

The gator above, Bacon, was the first of many we saw. Apparently he got his name after eating an entire pig on a tour! We only fed him marshmallows; I don't think he was disappointed. In fact, all of the gators we saw loved those sweet puffs. Including Priscilla, the largest gator in the swamp who hadn't been seen in a couple weeks, but decided to break her dessert fast for a treat.

Captain Jonathan reminded us that it's been decades since a human was endangered by a gator. So, even though they fed close to the boat, we weren't so nervous. That is until he said something about if the boat capsized we'd be fine as long as we weren't wearing white because it looks like a marshmallow. Gulp.

My sister and step-mom watch the reality show Swamp People, so they had all the idioms like "Give 'em a headache!" and "Choot 'em!" in their pocket. But on the tour, we were only observing. Which I felt we had to remind the good captain when he tried to get giant swamp spiders to climb/jump into the boat!

In addition to alligators, spiders, beautiful scenery, and prayers not to capsize, we saw wild pigs. They were doing what pigs do best––munch. Some of them were pretty cute, especially the baby ones. I couldn't help but think of a time dré, her husband, and I ate delicious wild boar at a restaurant in downtown Seattle. Just being honest!

Overall it was a great tour. Poor outfit choice, but great tour. I definitely recommend that you take a break from the Quarter and head to our side of Louisiana for a tour. Maybe Priscilla will even come say hello.


xo | din


shirt | Mossimo
shorts | Express
sandals | Mix No. 6


din's Travel Notes


Be sure to check out the souvenir shop! There are several great products such as local cooking spices and honey, home décor, and gator meat! I snagged these two sticks and a fleur d'lis for my apartment. I've had gator meat before (now that's a funny video!), but these two are mixed with other meat so we'll see how this experience goes. Who wants to try with me?


Monday, August 10, 2015

Mani Monday | The Bold & The Beautiful

Try gel art for a lasting appeal as seen in Milkshakes + Manicures

When it comes to your mani, you can either go minimalist or bold. Here are 5 bold manicures to last you through the end of summer. Now to decide, which one shall you try first?


1) Tropical locations are beckoning and these colors from Oh, Andrea! answer with flare.



2) You've got that glow...that Neon Glow. Make it a memorable night with these glow in the dark colors.



3) Who better to inspire us to make bold, rock star moves than Gwen Stefani? Wear Push & Shove proudly even if the most rave-like venue you're going to is the Starbucks in Pike Place Market.



4) Think back-to-school with this manicure! This DIY manicure will be transformed into a fun look that'll have your peers thinking you're the brightest crayon in the box!



5) It's almost football season, so rep your team with fun nail art as seen in Hawk Nation!



xo | din




Monday, August 3, 2015

Mani Monday | The Minimalist

Simply Black
Specs of Gold
Glittering in Nude
Marshmallow Tips

Making a #ManiMonday statement with these minimalist manicures in nude, white, and black. Have a fun mani and want to be featured? Email your photo with appropriate credits to codenamedredin [at] gmail [dot] com!

xo | din



photos | Pinterest, Achados........dali e daqui, whowhatwear,visualoptimism

Monday, July 27, 2015

Mani Monday | 4 Colors to Keep Up Those Summer Vibes

Take a bite outta summer with Sally Hansen!

A stylista can find style inspo pretty much anywhere. And Mani Monday is no exception! These 4 colors will keep you going through summer or just offer a sweet pick-me-up when the summer sun is interrupted with summer rainstorms.

This OPI color certainly isn't mini when it comes to a day at the beach!

Your foundation isn't the only thing that should change come summer. Your nail color should, too. Have you been eyeing a color only to tell yourself if I was only a little more tan I could wear it? Well, now's the time, sister!

You can't more specific than this color from Wet n Wild!

Not everyone's summer will include a beach and jet skis. That's okay because changing your manicure is an instant pick me up. And with season specific collections, you'll be cruisin' down 1-5 in a windows down, pop music induced adventure in no time!

If laughter is the best medicine, then this OPI color is the pefect compliment...

What new colors will you try to begin your next summer adventure?

xo | din


Tuesday, July 21, 2015

My First Ipsy Bag!

There are a lot of beauty vloggers out there who have been raving over ipsy, a product company that delivers full and sample sized beauty products every month. One such vlogger is my friend, Susan of Simply Susan. After watching one of her YouTube videos on the product, I was like: Wait. I can get all that for only 10 bucks?! Sign me up!

What's great is that the Glam Bag is customized to my product preference. And, since I won't necessarily receive the same products as my friend, I take this to mean more opportunities to find new products to love!

Without further ado, here's the content of my first ipsy bag!

My first ipsy Glam Bag = 5 products + too cute tote!

1) Jersey Shore Cosmetics - Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner
  •  Why I'm looking forward to trying this product: 100% Cruelty Free, claims "will leave your lips silky-smooth, luscious and hydrated!"
2) Teeez Cosmetics - Read My Lips Lipstick in Killing Me Softly
  •  Why I'm looking forward to trying this product: "...smooth, ultra creamy texture and added coconut oil extract nourishes and hydrates the lips..."
3) Crown Brush - Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush
  • Why I'm looking forward to trying this product: Dual ended brush means I can multi-task that much better!
 4) OFRA Cosmetics - Bliss Eyeshadow
  • Why I'm looking forward to trying this product: Duals as a highlight for cheek bones and nose.
 5) Bare Republic Naturals - SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion
  •  Why I'm looking forward to trying this product: Always on a hunt for a good tinted moisturizer. This one's formula includes 40 minutes of water resistance.
I'll keep you posted on my thoughts of each product as I use them. Follow me on Instagram for the most up to date reviews.

Don't worry, you don't have to be a style or beauty blogger to get in on the goods! Sign up today to receive your first Glam Bag. ipsy's so popular that normally first time customers would be placed on a wait list for a few days, but for the next 48 hrs there is no wait list! How perfect is that?! Once you sign up, the next step is to exercise patience as you wait the arrival of a flashy pink package in your mailbox.

Have you tried ipsy before? Share your experience in the comments!

xo | din


See more about ipsy and subscribe to receive your monthly Glam Bag here.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Mani Monday | Sheer Tints



This trio surely left their mark! I wasn't quite sure what to expect from OPI's Sheer Tints enamel. I wondered if it would only look good on top of certain nail colors and how long it would take me to discover which ones those were.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this purple hue look nice against a bare nail, as well as on top of OPI's Where Did Suzi's Man-go?. It brought the sorbet orange enamel to a raspberry sorbet and I love it! (Instant smile, in fact!) It's quite thick in texture, so an even stroke is important for a smooth, clean finish. Unless of course you're going for a textured look, then experimental strokes will do!

Definitely going to check out other Sheer Tint colors (perhaps blue next?), because Don't Violet Me Down surely satisfied and will be making several appearances!

Want to have more Mani Monday fun? Take a look at the first coat in Mani Monday | Where Did Suzi's Man-go and Crayola Magic.

What do you think about the tint? Sound off in the comments below!

xo | din


first coat | OPI's Where Did Suzi's Man-go
second coat | OPI's Don't Violet Me Down Sheer Tint
final coat | OPI's RapiDry Quick Drying Top Coat

Monday, July 13, 2015

Mani Monday | Foxy



To be honest, I felt a little "grown woman" reaching for the Revlon bottle at Rite Aid. It reminded me of when I first fell in love with nail color–– a young girl curiously eying the shimmering lacquers sitting on top of my mother's vanity. Now, much older of course, I picked up the color and figured I'd give it a shot. It was on sale at the time, so I didn't feel too much hesitancy!

Revlon color is great quality and goes on smoothly. This color is an eggplant-brown blend with a shimmer finish. While it's a little darker for summer, it works because it's classic and elegant. I've received several compliments on it already which means despite it's deeper hue, it still has that eye catching factor. In my book, that falls under "Good Purchase."

What do you think of the color?

xo | din


nail lacquer | Foxy by Revlon


Wednesday, July 8, 2015

4 Island Essentials



Since moving to Honolulu, my makeup routine has become extremely minimalistic. With the weather so warm and humid during the day, there's no need for a smokey eye that will eventually be running down my face. Am I right or am I right?! Instead, I'll save my more extravagant makeup for date nights with the hubs ;)

Let me share with you exactly what I'm wearing on my face: tinted moisturizer, mineral blush, mascara, and a lip crayon. These products are my go-to products every single day.  I'm going to break each product down for you so you know exactly what to expect.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue - This is a tinted moisturizer in a gel cream that has SPF 30. It's light weight with a sheer to medium coverage so you're left with hydrated and fresh looking skin. The shade I'm wearing is Tan 07.

MIRABEllA Cheeky Blush - This blush not only has a beautiful finish, but it has a super easy application if you don't want to fuss with a brush. Simply apply the applicator directly to the apple of your cheeks, and then use your fingers to blend it in. That's all I've been doing! The shade I'm wearing is Lively.

Maybelline Lash Sensational - Apart from brows (which I've been too lazy to do), mascara is what makes my eyes come to life. This mascara gives amazing length and fullness without flaking! I also love how much drama I can get out of it by adding multiple coats (like 5ish). here I'm wearing 2 coats. The shade I'm wearing is Brownish Black.

REVLON ColorBurst Matte Balm - With such simple makeup, it's nice to have a little pop of color. I'm pretty obessed with the ColorBurst lip crayons from REVLON. They come in both matte and glossy finishes and stay for hours. The shade I'm wearing is Unapologetic.  

If you're wanting to simplify your makeup routine, or if you just want to try out some new products, I highly recommend these! Enjoy!

xo | dré 

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

"Best Day Ever"


There's something magical that happens when two people exchange vows. And for the wedding I attended on Saturday, it was so magical that it set off fireworks.

My friend Becky and her hubs, Heath, celebrated their union aboard the Miss Christin in front of family and friends on July 4. It was quite the holiday to be sailing on the Potomac in our patriotic attire––red, white, and blue themed––simultaneously toasting our beloved country and newly hitched friends.

Becky is so clever for how she made this space work. Her creativity surely did shine! Fortunately, everyone was able to have a great time without getting "Ship Faced" as they drank their red, white, and brews.

One of my best friends, Cindy, was in the wedding party. The bridesmaid dresses were navy (although it looks black in the photo above) and the shoes were silver with bows. It was quite lovely complimenting Becky who was flawless and absolutely stunning in her beaded floor length gown.

Congratulations to Becky and Heath on their best day ever!

xo | din



dress | A.L.C.
jewelry | Tiffany Atlas Collection here and here
bag | Chanel (similar here)
heels | BCBGeneration

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