what a whirlwind week it’s been! i’m finally getting around to posting about my EPIC baby shower that took place on sunday january 27th, 2019! read on for the nitty gritty on my incredible vendors, the theme, and of course coverage of the party! Continue reading “‘baby’ it’s cold outside: my baby shower recap!”
if you regularly follow indigo heights, you know that i love featuring salons and beauty collabs. when i moved out to new jersey, i almost immediately began the hunt for new beauty partnerships, and i’m thrilled to have found a local spot to love on: northern lights salon in clark, nj. read on for my whole experience visiting them for the first time! Continue reading “fall hair: ammonia-free dye courtesy of northern lights salon!”
i’m so excited to share with you all my latest beauty collab and the slammin’ deal we’re providing to my readers! i’m the red & white spa‘s newest client, because this past week i experienced their ‘signature facial’ and it was divine! Continue reading “the 50 minute facial you need this winter”
fall is finally in the air, and it was time for a change so i headed to saint rose – a tiny boutique salon in williamsburg, brooklyn – to add some warm autumn tones to my dark locks! Continue reading “new hair, who dis?”
this past weekend i attended my cousin’s wedding in brielle, nj. before i headed south, i stopped by mb45 studio for my second collaboration with this beautiful tribeca blow out & styling bar. in this entry, i’m showing off my entire ensemble from this day, and talking about why i think it’s the perfect look for a summer ’17 wedding! Continue reading “summer ’17 wedding guest lookbook”
if you read my last post, you know all about my experience getting my hair blown out and styled at mb45 studio. it happened to be my (actual) 30th birthday that day, and i was not about to sit home with fabulous hair – so i hit the town for dinner and cocktails in some amazingly comfy culottes from zara and a matching mod-floral crop top. Continue reading “for every bold print, there is an equal and opposite staple piece – and these stretchy solid culottes from zara are the ones to beat this spring!”
i recently collaborated with mb45 studio, a brand new mani/blowdry bar that will have you in and out in 45 minutes or less. m for mani, b for blow-dry, 45 minutes tops. don’t believe me? keep reading! Continue reading “indigo heights x mb45 studio”
ever want to do a d.i.y project but, like, not really? enter cactus-in-a-box.
after an amazing tour of the desert botanical garden in phoenix, i had to stop into the garden shop and get a commemorative trinket. i wound up buying two really pretty mugs (one of which i gave up to my mom)… and i really wanted to bring home some sort of succulent to add to my collection, but i wasn’t sure how they’d travel (or if i’d even be allowed onto the plane with it). so to be safe, i purchased this convenient, easy and adorable do-it-yourself kit. as expected, planting my own miniature cacti was a breeze! so breezy, it may not even be a true d.i.y….. check out my step by step photo documentation below!
step one: unbox!
step two: use about 2/3 of the provided soil to create a base for your new prickly friends!
step three: gently position your cactuses where you’d like them to ‘live’. for the brave bunch, a light grip on your plant won’t really hurt, but to go the safe route – a pair of kitchen tongs makes for easy placement!
steps four and five: use the remaining 1/3 of your soil to anchor your succulents, patting and packing the dirt in with your fingers until the plants feel secure. then, insert the provided decorative pick into the soil to add a finishing touch to your fresh pot!
to purchase your own similar kit, check out arizona gifts!
i knew i loved gina ribando from the moment i laid eyes on her instagram. carefully curated, with expertly crafted hair coming at you frame after frame. i contacted her blindly, and we met in early 2016 to discuss my wedding #hairgoals. we connected as friends, and she’s been doing my hair ever since. though she works primarily as a l’oreal educator, traveling the country teaching salons how to be as awesome as she is, this past july gina also became a member of the team at z(ed) new york, a tiny upper east side salon that packs a big downtown punch – and i knew it was only a matter of time before i had to check it out.
z(ed) is owned and operated by carly quist, a canada native. (doesn’t the name z(ed) make so much more sense now!?) it’s long and narrow structure is modern and minimalist, with clean lines and metallic details throughout. it has an intimate feel, which i instantly find appealing. this isn’t another hair factory churning out appointments…. this is community. for their loyal clients, this is home away from home. diving deeper into the details with carly and gina, i learned that z(ed) is a green circle salon. these salons are the most eco-friendly in the industry, recycling everything they possibly can – down to the hair on the floor! did you know that recycled hair is used to aide in cleaning up oil spills?
i love the perk of this place being super green… and i really love the fact that this is a team derived of educators. in addition to gina, carly is a kerastase educator, and the other members of the team are all working their way towards the same title. after discussing the game plan at gina’s station, she led me back to get washed and conditioned. at z(ed) they are firm believers in the scalp massage, which promotes blood flow and hair growth and, of course, relaxation. this was the best hair wash ever. gina used kerastase fusio dose (a combo of “density” and “strength”)Â to amp up my wash and add extra, long-lasting hair benefits before taking me over to get the cut started.
upon my return to gina’s station, i was presented with a hefty glass of red wine which was a really nice touch. my goal was to come out of there keeping most of the length i worked so hard to grow out – but adding tons of choppy, beachy layers to amplify my hair’s volume and to give it some much-needed shape. my inspiration: camila cabello, minus the pop-star extensions. gina gave me exactly that. she used several lightweight kerastase products, but my favorite (which i couldn’t leave without purchasing) was l’incroyable blowdry, a couture heat styling protectant that uses microwax technology, allowing you to “re-activate” your blow-out. basically: if one day you’ve used a flat iron, and the next day you want to use a curling wand, your hair will reactivate and allow you to change the texture just like that. what?!?!Â
after all was said and done, i left incredibly happy with my new look and the z(ed) experience. if you’re looking for a sweet spot to try out a new ‘do, this is your place. the girls are all so knowledgable, you’ll leave feeling gorgeous and having learned a thing or two about your hair! follow z(ed) new york on instagram and be sure to book them for your next hair change-up.
shop the looks: studded skull sweatshirt – aqua, via bloomingdales // coated leggings – athleta (similar) // boots – toms // yellow faux-suede blouse – design lab for lord & taylor
serums, shampoos, straight up biotin, monthly trims, no trims, less heat, air-drying, oils……. you name it, i’ve likely used it in an attempt to grow out my hair. i’ve even tried mane n’ tail. but nothing had been successful in truly freeing me of my 2013 epic “long bob” fail until now.
between 2013 and 2016, i had only seen about six inches of hair growth with minimal trims in between, which is a sad and sorry situation. just weeks before my wedding, the ‘lob’ was finally gone – but my #mermaidhairgoals were far from achieved. i got married in may of 2016 and i wound up wearing extensions (as many brides do). i took them out in june, and by july, i decided to see an endocrinologist & nutritionist to find out if i had any vitamin deficiencies that were preventing me from achieving my ultimate beauty goals. turns out, my folic acid was low and my b-12 was even lower. my gut flora was all out of whack. it was no wonder i couldn’t shed the pounds, grow the hair, or clear the skin in time for my big day.
don’t get me wrong…. i still felt amazing as a bride, but after visiting dr. shira eytan at park avenue endocrinology & nutrition, i knew i had to start a religious vitamin routine so that my constant wellness efforts would actually be fruitful.
after using these four products every day from july until january, my hair has grown nearly six full inches in six months. i paired them with a daily protein shake and a pretty vigorous diet & exercise regimen, but i truly feel that getting my deficiencies up and leveled out is what has helped my body to kickstart, awaken from it’s sluggish slumber, and start working for me again.
side note – i’m even able to (finally) cut my hair into a fun style without panicking about the length, which is why this weekend i’ll be paying a visit to gina ribando at ze(d) salon on the upper east side in nyc. after all the nurturing these locks have had, they’re ready to be shaped & coiffed for 2017! stay tuned for a blog post about my experience at ze(d) and gina’s expert hair care opinion.
so no…. this post isn’t necessarily a promotion of my specific regimen. but if you feel you’ve been waiting too long (months? years?) of honest trying without seeing body progress: whether it be weight related, mystery bloat, hair growth, acne, etc. – some simple tests might be the answer you’ve been waiting for. moral of the story: your body is your temple… and if your temple’s got plumbing issues, the property value goes down and there’s no way you’ll be able to do the renovation until it’s fixed. second moral: i watch way too much hgtv.
