5 Tips For Spring Cleaning Your Body

Crazily enough, spring is here and happening, people! Spring, to me and probably to many of you as well, is a time to get rid of all the old and pave a fresh start for the spring + summer ahead. Although we all make strides in getting rid of old junk around our house - some neglect to turn their attention inwards and focus on cleaning your body out. If it's important to clean your home of all its toxic energy and waste, why isn't important to take the time and energy to do that for yourself? I could go on forever about this - but how about we just cut to 5 tips I have for spring cleaning your body? Lets go!

 1. Cleanse + Clean Eating

I know, Oh my God, what a thought - another juice cleanse. Get out of here, Ann. But wait! I have never been high on the juice cleanse trend either, but that was before I tasted Jus by Julie. Her juices aren't cold pressed, which means you are getting every natural benefit from the graciously short ingredient list in every bottle. My favorite? PB + Jus. It tastes like you're drinking a straight up PB+J, but here's the difference, this one is all natural sugars and benefits for days. Plus, peanut butter can make me love anything. If you're not into juice cleanses, one of these bottles are great for a snack. Or zest up your coffee game with their probiotic coffees. Another thing? They have soups too! Gluten free! Vegan! Natural! Are you not as excited as I am?! All bottles are $6 with free shipping! To get the code check out their site: JusByJulie.com

Keep in mind that once you're done with your cleanse, focus on clean eating. You don't have to have the purest vegetables and fruits picked by your wholesome hands from the farmer's market - not everyone has that time / money. Just focus on incorporating veggies and fruits as the majority of your diet to make sure your body is getting the love and nutrients it deserves. Veggies and fruits are limitless too - so don't worry about eating too much. Detoxing veggies that I love are brussel sprouts, celery, cauliflower, artichokes, asparagus, and my truest love AVOCADOS. 

2. Oil Pulling (Not as gross as it sounds!)

Oil pulling! It's not as gross as it sounds, trust me. Swishing around oil in your mouth for 20 minutes on an empty stomach may not sound quite appealing to you, but after you've done it several times - you reap its benefits! Coconut oil has antibacterial properties which helps clean everything out. It also strengthens your teeth, whitens your teeth, and pulls out all the gunk from your tonsils / glands. You know what else it does? Clears your skin! I have seen great results by getting up and doing an oil pull while I get everything prepared to start my day. Don't overthink it. Feed your dog, check some e-mails, play with Snapchat filters, prepare your #OOTD, all while detoxing your body for the day! Do it. And when you do it tweet me and tell me how not so bad it actually is! (@SInsideMyCloset).

3. Sweat It All Out

This girl freaking loves exercising, but I know it's not everyones cup of tea. It's important to find something that doesn't feel like exercise though. Lots of stress? Knock it out with kickboxing. Or stretch it out with yoga. Got the blues? Take a walk or a run on the treadmill or outdoors in the sunshine. Want to connect with your breath while lengthening and strengthening? Pilates it up at home (Blogilates!) or at a class! Right now I've been following Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide and truly feel apart of the BBG Army! Only 28 minutes a day and I can already feel myself getting stronger - and baby abs are definitely saying hello! 

Another thing that helps your workout is clothing, duh. I am loving this Sweaty Betty Knock Out tank for my kickboxing days. The fabric is thin, soft, and completely breathable. Plus, if you keep up your routine - you'll feel and look like a knock out!

4. Renew Your Skin

So we've almost covered internal spring cleaning, but your skin needs attention too. I know I faltered on my winter skin care, but I'm trying to perk it all back up this spring. Coconut, coffee, vitamin E, and sea salt all have come together to make Mr. Bean body scrub. It smells delicious and makes your skin so soft and smooth! I got the coconut version + mandarin orange version +  body oil all at The Shopping Bag! Their beauty section is seriously hoppin'!

5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Bottoms up! If you haven't heard it a million times before, drink water, drink more water, and then drink even more water. It is the most easiest and fastest way to flush out toxins from your system. After you've done your oil pulling in the morning, the next step is to wake up your digestive system gently with some warm lemon water. This helps flush out anything from the day before and wake your body up for the day ahead. Don't stop there! Keep sipping! I like getting my water in with large water bottles like this Sip Happens Mason Jar Water Bottle from A Cup Of Quotes. The 20 oz. container and straw makes it easier to guzzle down your water intake for the day. Use code BLOGANDCOFFEE at check out for free shipping on your order!

I hope that these tips find you well and help you reach a place of pure spring cleaning wellness bliss! Have another suggestion? I want to hear about it! Tweet me @SInsideMyCloset! 

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Holiday Sparkle Style Needs

Less than 12 days until Christmas? Wait, what? Where did the time go?! That means holiday parties are still in full swing. Whether it's Christmas or New Years here are some of my go-to tips to keep my holiday outfits stylish and sparkling!

1. The Statement Necklace

You can never go wrong with a statement necklace. It's the perfect and easiest way to add sparkle and boldness to your outfit. They complement your outfit and make the eyes draw to your face, where everyone will look after they pay attention to your perfect holiday style. One of my favorite statement necklace for the holiday season is the Victoria Crystal Bib Necklace from The Shopping Bag. I love the black ribbon and how it adds an elegant bow touch from the back while the front gives off endless amount of shining gemstones to make me sparkle!

2. Sparkling, Shining, Shoes

You know me, I love a good heel. I especially love a heel that doesn't falter when it comes to the rhinestone or sequin department. I've worn these strappy Badgley Mischka rhinestone heels once in a post before and have been wearing them to parties ever since due to their comfort and sparkling appearance! 

3. Sparkling Smoky Eye

Sparkle shouldn't stop just at your outfit. With a good outfit should come good accessories and good make-up. It's that last final touch that can make or break your look. I have been obsessed with this Naked Smoky Eye Palette from Urban Decay. The colors on the palette supply you with all you need for the perfect smoky eye. With any smoky eye I like to add the color Armor because it disperses just a hint of glitter onto your eyelids, lighting your eyes up!

4. Eye Catching Clutches

Whether you're just carrying your phone or go-to purse essentials, it's important to always have a clutch with you to add to your look. So, why not make it sparkle too? Whether it's just a hint or a whole lot - there's no doubt that a clutch can make a major statement. I recently just carried this Gem Encrusted Box Clutch from The Shopping Bag in my Fur Baby post and was so tickled that so many of you liked it! If you want to nab it for your last holiday party rounds, use the could SINSIDEMYCLOSET at The Shopping Bag for 20% off! 

How do you plan to make your holiday sparkle? Comment and let me know!

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Gold Radiance

The golden rule of winter skin care is to moisturizer and take extra care of your skin. I love to pamper myself with masks on the weekend. It's just a little something that can perk you, and your skin, up before a long week. Since I am a total lover of masks, I was itching to try out Passport2Beauty's Gold Radiance mask.

It might look a little scary on, but it's benefits are anything but! It hydrates, brightens, tightens, adds collagen, and removes dead skin cells from your face to reveal a gold glow about you! It's incredibly slimy, a little tricky to get on, but the coloring is luxurious and the feeling of my skin afterwards was so fresh and revived! Plus, I love the sensation of peeling it off. It's almost like your peeling off all the toxins in your skin to reveal a glittering gold girly glow!

What's your favorite indulgent mask? Let me know in the comments below so I can try it too!

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Loco For Coco: 5 Ways To Use Coconut Oil

If you haven't heard by now, coconut oil can pretty much be used for everything and anything to fix a problem in your day to day life. Coconut oil has become the new buzz word it seems for the time being, which means that mentioning kale is being kicked to the curb. I thought it would be a good time to share my five favorite uses for this deliciously smelling coconut wonder! 

1. Coconut Oil & Your Pearly Whites

Coconut oil has properties in it that efficiently and successfully kill bacteria and diseases, preventing you from getting sick. These bacteria fighting characteristics make coconut oil the perfect ingredient to put in your own homemade toothpaste. Yeah, toothpaste.

You maybe skeptical at first to make your own toothpaste, I mean, isn't easier just to buy a tube? Well, yes, but toothpaste has a lot of proven evil chemicals that can cause damage to your teeth and body in the long run, while coconut oil is all natural. An even better reason to give coconut oil a chance for your teeth? It's the best teeth whitening agent that I've ever used. It literally does wonders, and makes your pearly whites sparkle! All you need to do is mix up the ingredients below and seal it tight in a container so it's ready to use whenever you like!

- 6 tbsp. Coconut Oil
- 6 tbsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Stevia (add to taste)

2. Face Moisturizer 

This one is a little more on the obvious side. Obviously any type of oil will be good to lather on your arms and legs to make them soft...but what about your face? I was extremely skeptical when I was told that I could use coconut oil on my face to not only leave it feeling soft and clean...but help clear away any blemishes. I thought that it would make my skin feel greasy, oily, and worse than it looked before - but boy was I proven wrong!

Before going to bed, I mix a small amount of coconut oil into my nightly face moisturizer, like my Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer (about the size of the tip of my index finger) and mix them together. Evenly massage this combo onto your face and neck and wake up with soft skin. Remember those bacteria fighting properties, though? Yep, your face will be clear of breakouts with consistent use!   

3. Coconut Berry Smoothie

Not only does coconut help you look your best on the outside, but it even works magic on the inside too! It's been said that coconut oil can boost your metabolism and give you a swift energy boost from only 1 tablespoon. Not only that, but it can speed up the growth of your hair and nails too! 

Now, I've tried the kale juice and the kale smoothies and I really tried to make myself a believer, trust me, but I just couldn't make myself gag down a nutritious but awful tasting kale concoction. That's why I like to stick to the basics. So, for this coconut oil inspired smoothie, all you really need is your favorite berries, coconut oil and a few other ingredients to jazz it up a little. This is a great smoothie to have as breakfast for a start to your day, or as a little afternoon snack for a 3 P.M. pick me up!

- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1-2 tbsp. coconut oil 
- 1 cup almond milk 

4. Body Hydration

Summer is coming up after a brutal winter, and I know that my skin has been a little on the dry side lately. Although coconut oil is a great moisturizer to use by itself, once in awhile I like to spice things up and make a mixture of coconut oil and shea butter. Shea butter is rich in Vitamins A and E which result in extremely soft and silky skin. By whipping these both up, it's a great nightly moisturizer to add to your nightly routine!

5.  Hair Mask

Looking for commercial soft and luminous hair? Coconut oil is my go-to for a monthly hair mask. Simply wet your hair and comb into your hair. I say, the longer it sits the better. I usually take a nice bath and leave it in for a few minutes and then wash it out with my usual shampoo and conditioner. This is especially great for winter when hair get's frizzy and dry. 

So, tell me, what's your favorite way of using coconut oil? Let me know in the comments below!

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Drape Me in Sequins + Fab Favorites Link Up

Sequins, sparkle, beauty, and blogging...all wrapped up into one cozy sweatshirt? Yes, please! My latest clothing obsession comes from Bow & Drape. The punniest and funniest shop on the internet, is where you can shop from already hilarious and cute sweatshirts / beanies / bags / pet sweats / etc. or create your very own and have it in just 14 days. 

Bow & Drape is all about letting women make their creative statements through stylish custom orders. Nothing is mass produced, and emits each customers' personality through the items that they create. What I loved most was the sequins that illuminated each sweatshirt - so I knew that I had to make one for myself!

I believe that graphic clothing articles are the best trend that I've seen in awhile. Whether it's a funny saying or a meaningful quote or design, graphic clothing shows your individual thoughts and personality, making it uniquely you. By incorporating these graphic pieces into your ensemble, a whole other style element is being attained because every ensemble is different.

So! With that in mind I went to town on creating my very own Bow & Drape sweatshirt. Obviously I had to show my love for Step Inside My Closet, because it's my deepest passion and my favorite thing to do is ramble on blogging about fashion, nutrition, and everything else that makes me (and you!) smile.

What also makes me smile is giving you all the best tips and deals, so I was extremely happy when Bow & Drape offered to give 10% Off Any Full Priced Item by using the code STEPINSIDE at checkout. Yay, cute sweatshirts for everyone! I like to style mine with simple black leggings, like these shiny leggings from H&M. 

I love the black sequins and then the bright pop of color from the pink lipstick at the bottom of the sweatshirt. Lipstick is my favorite part of my beauty routine because it's yet another element of your look that can show your personality or your mood. Splayed out on my white and metallic silver Faux Bois Porcelain Tray from The Shopping Bag (too cute!) are my top five favorite lipsticks:



1. Bellapierre Cosmetics Burlesque Lipstick
A cross between a red and a dark pink, this lipstick has become my ultimate go-to! It's a great everyday lipstick that can add a pop of color to your look.

2. Pacifica Blissed Out Coconut Kiss Creamy Lip Butter
On the darker end of the color spectrum comes my favorite lip butter from Pacifica. I love Pacifica products because it's honest and true natural ingredients coming together to make the best make-up. I like to lightly apply this lip butter for a bit of color and lots of hydrating coconut!

3. Julep Lively Lipgloss
For the days when you want the vibrancy of a lipstick, but the glossiness of a lipgloss! This color from Julep is yet another cross between a red and pink. I love that it's a lipgloss because it gives that pretty shimmer to my lips!

4. Smashbox Be Legendary Long Wear Lip Laquer in Dark Plum
This is for the days when I want to invoke a moody look. A little goes a long way with this lip lacquer, but it stays all day long. It gives a great glossy finish as well!

5. Revlon Colorburst Laquer Balm in Whimsical
This laquer balm is super sassy. The incredibly vibrant purple color is amped up with lots of sparkle to make my lips shine - and who doesn't love sparkles?

My last favorite is being Style Elixir's Co-Host for Friday's Fab Favorites Link Up which you can join below!

Don't forget to let me know what lipstick or lipgloss is your favorite in the comments below!

P.S.: All Linked Up On: Penniless Socialite, Two Thirty-Five Designs, and With Some Grace.

Style Elixir (follow here!) | Step Inside My Closet (follow here!)

Friday's Fab Favorites Link Up:

1. Please follow your Host Style Elixir (via Bloglovin' or Instagram) and your Co-Host Ann from Step Inside My Closet (via Bloglovin' or Instagram)
2. Link up anything... it could be one of your previous posts that you like, or a post about your favorite things.
3. Please include a link back to this post within your post (because it's such a nice thing to do!)
4. Now simply add your link below! We hope you all enjoy meeting other bloggers and discovering some new things.
5. If you would like to Co-Host Friday's Fab Favorites, email stylelixir@gmail.com for more details!

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Join The Link Up Now!

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Back To School Backpack Essentials

 
Dun dun dun....yep, school season has arrived, my friends. Just because we don't have the hot summer days to lounge and be fabulous, doesn't mean we can't show off our cute and fashionable personas through our school essentials. In today's post I'll be unzipping my book bag and letting you see what this fashionista has got to have on her throughout the long strenuous school days ahead.

First things first! My book bag. Usually I'm not crazy over the generic shoulder strap book bags and like to spice it up once in awhile. What could be a tote to carry around with you all time can easily double as a book bag for me. That's why I use the Kate Spade 'Play Hooky' tote (#5) that I'm crazy over right now. It's the perfect ironic phrase for the school setting, dontcha think?

 Earphone Splitters and Organizers

I'm all for a scrumptious donut now and then, and have come to find out my obsession with the doughy pieces of heaven have moved to somewhere else than food...my music. These cute multi colored donuts are actually earphone organizers (#6) so you don't have to go through the hassle of untangling your earphones during your day. You can get these cuties on sites like Amazon and more.
Cute + Efficient = Perfection

Another handy dandy essential to have on you for your earphones is Belkin's earphone splitter (#3). Nothing's worse than the awkward silence that ensues after you play a song or video too loud and end up playing it for the whole room instead of your group of friends. So here's the solution, everyone just plugs their earphones in (helps if your friend has dirty earphones...ew) and you can all happily enjoy turning the volume as loud as you want. 

 Touch Up Your Look Essentials

3. Gym. It's a fashionista's worst enemy weaved into your schedule everyday. Sweaty and smelly don't mix with the cute outfit you've got on and does the school really think you're going to shower there? Don't sweat it (ha!). Keep your smell to yourself and simply spritz on fresh's perfume (#2). This perfume is literally the best I've ever smelled when I want something simple and not overpowering. Imagine a warm spring day walking through flowers and then coming home to warm laundry...it just smells like a fresh hug in a bottle. When I'm at school I like to use the rollerball and roll it behind my ears and on my wrists. 

4. Gym's over and it's after lunch. The food is gone...but the taste in your mouth isn't. Make sure you keep some kind of pack of mints or gum in your backpack at all costs. I love using Victoria's Secret peppermints (#4) because they get the job done and I'm a sucker for pretty packaging. it's happy bunny Mints are a great one too. The packaging is an extra bonus because it can silently let your friend know that they should maybe have a mint or two too. You can find both of these in stores near you!

5. But wait! The inside of my mouth is fresh, but my lips are awfully dry. I'm a huge fan of Eos lip balms (#8). Yet again the packaging is Tumblr trendy and they make my lips feel silky. My favorite is the sweet mint, just like the color the smell is minty too - making everything extra fresh.

6. My last touch up look essential is definitely Beauty Fixation Make Up Remover swabs (#1). These are incredibly useful for when your eyeliner smudges and spit quite doesn't do the trick. All you do is take a swab, snap one end, and remove any make up flaws with the now saturated end of the swab. I personally haven't used these to rid my entire eye of it's make up, but find they're a brilliant tool for touch ups. I first tried mine from Birchbox in their monthly box - but they sell them on their website for only five dollars! Um, yes please!

Taking Notes

7. My go to writing utensil when taking notes is usually just a regular old mechanical pencil, but once in awhile I like to jazz things up a bit. These quirky saying pencils are great to show off your personality. I found mine in a shop on Etsy, (#7) but I'm sure you could find these anywhere online with all different kinds of sayings that portray your quirkiness. Another great writing utensil to use is Kate Spade's pencil set and ink pen set. 

8. I've never used this next essential at school necessarily, but it is a lifesaver when you're getting your homework done. Saving the trees is just an added bonus that comes along with the Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet (#9)from The Shopping Bag. It's pretty much a digital whiteboard that you can clear with a click of a button. Write friends messages with it, solve out those tough equations, or keep it at home for your to-do lists. 

Hopefully your school year goes well and you strut down those hallways with all these extraordinary essentials and a boat load of confidence! Let me know what is a must have in your backpack by commenting below or tweet me @SInsideMyCloset. 

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Top Five Summer Fragrances

There are many different aspects to create an outfit, and to me, the scent you wear is an important one. Everyone has their go to scents, and I always enjoy picking a new scent that goes along with each outfit I wear. I wanted to share my fabulous five summer scents that I absolutely adore this summer! 

1. Privet Bloom by Hampton Sun is summer in a bottle. This scent has me going crazy! The bottle is simple, but the smell is out of this world! All bottled up is sun tan lotion, salty ocean air, including all the smells you'd pick up on the beach wrapped up in a fresh scent! I highly recommend this perfume for the last bit of your summer! 

2. Lola by Marc Jacobs is a perfume that is explained entirely by the bottle. It's a bit of a heavier scent, one that you can use sparingly. It's got a flowery smell but not one that smells really artificial and over powerful. This scent is great for going out. Plus, the bottle is just darling!

3. Twirl by Kate Spade is my favorite scent from Kate Spade. It's pretty light and contains my favorite fruit, watermelon, which intermingles with blackberry and an assortment of flowers. I also use the body wash I love this scent so much! Since it's called twirl, I can't help but spin while putting it on!

4. Summer by Burberry is obviously on my list of summer fragrances. This perfume definitely embodies summer, containing moss, water lily, and rose. It gives off a nature-y smell, but gets citrusy with green apple and citrus. Why not use a perfume called 'Summer' during summer anyways?

5. Sexy Little Things by Victoria's Secret is a perfume that makes you feel great when you spray it on. I've never met a person who doesn't love perfume bottles like the one this perfume comes in. You can really smell all the fruits that are in the perfume, but yet the flowers that are in it over power the fruits just a bit. It's a warm kind of scent, and makes you feel like a sexy little thing putting it on for a night out!

I've given you my top five summer scents, so tell me yours! What's your go to scent to spritz on before dashing out the door?

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