wish fulfillment: x marks the spot

One of the items on my June wish list was a pricey diamond ring in the shape of an X. I was immediately drawn to its unique and elegant shape. I wasn't, however, drawn to its four-figure price tag, so I found a less expensive version and am so happy that I did!

I got the ring in rose gold to coordinate with some of my rose gold jewelry pieces, but it stills play well with yellow gold.

Ring, Alex Mika
Tank, Target
Skirt, Ann Taylor

J'adore wearing this ring with pink because it brings out the rose color. I recently paired the ring with a teal tank (a favorite from the Prabal Gurung for Target collection) and pink pencil skirt for a combo that was perfect for summer.

Have you recently scored a less expensive alternative to a splurge item that was on your wish list but not in your budget?

hot pink boho

I went absolutely gaga for this tassel necklace--a bauble I'd been searching for without much luck until a trip to the never-failing Nordstrom. I love the hot pink because it punches up any outfit with color.

Necklace, Nordstrom
Sweater, Anthropologie
Dress, Ann Taylor
Belt, All Saints
Booties, Urban Outfitters

Long necklaces are fantastic because they layer so easily with shorter necklaces that stop at the collarbone, one of which I wear every day.

The bright tassel also adds a bit of boho to any outfit, which is crucial for my work wardrobe.

I wish I'd bought a couple more in other colors because it is such an easy necklace to throw on and play with!

nailed it: colored layers

I've been loving the mint and jade nail polish colors that are everywhere these days so when I saw a deeper green polish alongside the jade, I was inspired to do some nail art. To do this yourself, you'll need three colors that look good together.

Step 1: Paint two coats of your favorite nail polish. Here I chose MiniLuxe Jade from their spring collection. Let this dry for an hour or overnight.

Step 2: Taking the lighter of the two accent colors (mine was a white by Sally Hansen), paint a line from midway down one side of your nail up to the tip of the nail. Now fill in that line with straight strokes. I did this freehand, but if you're not confident in your handiwork, you can lay some tape down to guide you. Don't be afraid to color outside of your nail--that's the only way I was able to get the line I wanted. Paint a second coat and let dry for 15 minutes.

Messy, but it works!

Step 3. Using the darker color (I used MiniLuxe Lucky), start halfway down the other side of the nail and paint a line up. Like in step 2, paint the line first and then fill it in. 

Step 4: Clean up the sides of your nails. The nature of this nail art means you've got to color outside the lines so take the time to get as much off your fingers as possible.

Step 5: Paint a top coat and admire your nails!

This colors are customizable, so long as there are three colors that look good together, you'll be golden. Shades of pink would be amazing with this style, as would contrasting, bold colors. Have fun with it!

vitamin e for your hair's health

I'm always looking for natural ways to improve my hair, so when I read that vitamin E can help with a dry scalp and keep your hair follicles healthy, I was eager to try it. Here's how to keep your scalp happy and your hair beautiful, as a result.

I have used vitamin E oil topically on scars to try to reduce their appearance so I had some at home, but you can pick it up at any pharmacy. Then, before you shampoo, comb your hair into sections and apply the vitamin E to your scalp. I only paid attention to the parts of my scalp above my ears, but you could use it everywhere if wanted. 

Nature's Bounty Vitamin E Oil
image via naturesbounty.com

This is the fun part: massage that oil into your hair for about a minute and don't worry about getting your hair messy--you're going to wash it anyway. Scalp massages help boost bloodflow to your hair follicles and your hair will love it even more because of the vitamin E.

I then shampooed once with my regular shampoo and a second time with clarifying shampoo to make sure there wasn't any buildup.

My scalp looked glorious and my hair felt fantastic after I used the vitamin E. I wouldn't recommend doing this before every shampoo, but whenever your scalp feels particularly dry or needs some TLC.