DIY Makeup Brush Cleaning

Ok everyone I have a confession:  I have never cleaned my makeup brushes.  I mean, NEVER.  I've probably had my brushes for two years now. (GASP) I know.. this is a serious beauty no-no.  Not only that, but your makeup brushes hold bacteria that you are putting on your face daily. I believe 90% of my breakouts are from my brushes not being clean, so I decided it was time to wash them!

For the past few days I have researched and tried a few different methods of cleaning makeup brushes, and this is the one that I found worked the best for me.  The ingredients are not harmful for your skin and it cleaned my brushes very well!  You probably have all the ingredients you need at home already, so here are the steps!

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Dawn dish soap

First, start by adding equal parts olive oil and dawn into a bowl.  I added about 1 tablespoon of each.  *you will need to refill your bowl after you have used it for a couple of brushed.

Then, dip the brush into your mixture and lather until you see all the makeup gone!

Lastly, rinse your brush under cool water until completely clean of any soap.  Reshape your brushes and lay flat on a dry towel to dry.  Thats it!  It's as simple as that.  I had to clean my brushes a few times to get them completely clean, but now they are as good as new!  I honesty thought that cleaning my brushes would be more tedious and time consuming than it really was.    

I learned that you should clean your brushes at least once a week to make sure they stay clean, so I believe my face will benefit from this!  I will keep you guys posted in a few weeks on how it goes! If any of you have any other tips or tricks let us know!  We love your feedback!

XOXO

Incase you didn't know.. YELLOW IS TRENDING!

That's right, the color yellow is trending.

To be honest, wearing this color completely takes me out of my comfort zone.. or at least I thought it would. I recently went to a wedding reception and obviously needed a new outfit. Luckily my mom was in town and took me shopping! I was determined to find the perfect outfit and I DID!

And that's right, it happened to be yellow!

It may have been the first time in my life that I've ever worn yellow, at least this much of it!

I happened upon a yellow Gianni Bini shirt and skirt set (I think I really just paired them as a set, unintended to be worn that way by Gianni) that I was hesitant to try on but did so anyways and fell IN LOVE! Not only did I love that it was a set (matching top and bottom) but the color was just perfect for spring/summer.

Then one day I was watching some fashion gurus on YouTube and found out that yellow is actually completely on trend right now! Lucky me! After finding this out and doing a little research on the topic, I found out that it's going to be trending all the way through fall.

SO with yellow on the brain, I sought out to find some trendy (but classic), versatile, and inexpensive pieces that I could share with our readers for some inspiring ways to be on trend this season and next!

I found a great selection of tanks, shorts, dresses, and accessories that are super yellow, super trendy, but also super classic. Most importantly, THEY'RE ALL UNDER $50!
The easiest way for me to share these finds with you was to create a gallery that you can scroll and click through. I placed it in the side bar to the right!
(So if you're on your phone, make sure you scroll down and click 'view web version.')
We hope you love these 16 items as much as we do!

..now excuse me, I have some purchases to make!

XOXO,

P.S. Our brother's band just released their first single and you can get a free download at shygemini.com! 

We couldn't be more proud!

(Next 1D, no doubt..)

A Monday Fitness Post

Today I'm going to share a quick workout routine that you can do anywhere! This specific one targets your abdominals and obliques.  I love these kind of workouts because they only take 4 minutes, and you will definitely feel the burn tomorrow!

After being home for a best friends wedding for a week, my diet was pizza, chocolate chip cookies,  beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and a visit to LA Pines. Needless to say, after my week of  indulging and not getting to workout much, I wasn't feeling the best.  I stay in the gym 4-5 days a week, but I still do a separate ab routine 2-3 days after my daily workout; after this week my tummy needed some TLC.  I love a good ab workout that makes me feel like I actually did something.

Our first day back in Dallas we went to the gym and did a pretty long "chipper" workout called Cameron.  After our workout of the day we'll sometimes do a quick ab workout, and the one I'm sharing with you is called "tabata". Tabata is basically
-20 seconds of a high intensity exercise
-10 seconds of rest
-repeat 8 times for a total of 4 minutes
( More info on this here )

Below you'll see pictures of 4 different movements, their names, and a brief explanation:

#1 Mountain Climbers: Start in the pushup position then raise one knee to your chest and then jump, keeping your hands on the ground and alternating legs.



#2 Plank: This one is pretty self explanatory. Simply hold the pushup position bearing your weight with your forearms, elbows, and toes on the ground. Keep your core tight! *you may have the tendency to poke your bottom in the air with this movement, remember keep your body straight and tight!

#3 Bicycles: Start by sitting on the ground with your knees slightly bent, feet off of the ground, and hands by your ears. With only your butt touching the ground, touch your right elbow to the left knee, then your left elbow to your right knee.  The knee not touching your elbow is making a circular movement, like you're pedaling on a bike!

#4 Leg Raises:  Start by laying on your back with your legs straight, and a few inches off the ground, and your hands in a "T"; as in the first picture. (If you need to hold onto something, find something sturdy and hold with your hands behind your head)  Then raise your legs straight, pointing them at the ceiling and lift your butt a few inches off of the ground. When you bring your legs back down, don't let them touch the ground.

 Do each of these movements for 20 seconds each, for 4 minutes. Since there are 4 movements, you'll do each movement for 2 rounds.  Keep in mind this is HIGH INTENSITY, so for those 20 seconds of tabata don't stop!  

I am by no means a personal trainer, but I do know a few things about fitness and what works for me.  Everyone is different so what works for me may not work for you!  I hope you can find some form of working out, whether it be crossfit, swimming, yoga, or tennis.  Just get out there and find out what works for you!  I hope this motivates you to do just that!

If you like this post, or have any questions don't hesitate to leave us a comment!  We want to hear your feedback!!

XOXO,

Date Night Outfit

 Me and my husband Bernard had the pleasure of going to the Dallas Summer Musicals at the performing arts center in Dallas to see Cinderella. I loved every minute of it and thought it was simply magical; it's definitely one of my new favorite places in Dallas. I can't say the same for Bernard, who always falls asleep after he finishes his snack whether we go to the movies or a musical. 

I bought this jumpsuit for New Year's Eve last year and it was love at first sight.  I have searched everywhere for this specific one and can't seem to find it anywhere, but I did find one similar. You'll find it here!  I consider it a statement piece, so I kept my accessories and shoes simple.  It's very comfortable and flowy, making it great for the musical since we were sitting most of the time. 

Outfit details below! 

I stumbled upon this jacket at a Banana Republic in Key West, where me and my husband were honeymooning.  It was the last one in my size AND on sale! It was meant to be!

Jumpsuit: Sugar Lips | Jacket: Banana Republic | Clutch: BCBG (similiar ones here & here)  | Watch: Fossil  | Perfume: My Burberry | Go-To Lip Color: SUGAR tinted lip treatment & Tarte *shade Plummy Rose

  If you have questions or just want to say hi leave us a comment below!!

4th of July Inspired Looks!

God Bless America

and God Bless Fashion

and Old Navy's killer steals for the 4th of July weekend!

I'm a sucker for anything festive! 

The 4th of July is no exception. 

Because we're going on the road this year on the road every year for the 4th, my best outlet to express my festiveness is through my outfits rather than decorating the yard or having a picnic with all of the amazing junk in the $1 section at Target. 

(It's my biggest weakness.)

I decided to put together some looks for the weekend. 
These are my top three 4th of July inspired outfits this year. 

First up: My "summer camo" Old Navy Pixie Pants that I got for *$4.00* in their clearance section this past week! 

I'm seriously loving them. 

They are all the right 4th of July colors without looking like you're trying to be too festive.. right?? I put them with a Top Shop Tank that I wear with pretty much everything (I think you've seen it before and WILL be seeing it again!). On my feet are my very comfy Nine West camel colored sandal like heels. And then my gold Michael Kors bangle on my wrist and gold Gypsy Haute Arrowhead necklace around my neck.

Second up: My favorite article of clothing at the moment, the Chambray Cami Jumpsuit from Old Navy! 

I could live in this thing permanently. 

I searched high and low for an American flag bandana and failed big time but I did find a solid red one that I think does the job and sends Rosie the Riveter vibes. Are you feeling it? Keeping with the classic American theme, I wore my/my little brothers John Lennon shades and red lips! On my feet are some ancient but beloved Target Sandals. And most importantly is my "B" necklace that my sis Mally gave me for my birthday! (Thanks again, Mal!)

Last up (but definitely not least): I must be honest, I impressed myself with the mixing of patterns that I did here. Mixing patterns and textures is so intimidating but so awesome when it's done right! Here I paired my Old Navy Fireworks Shorts and a white and navy striped quarter length sleeved shirt that I rolled up to above the elbow. On my feet are nude Forever 21 flats in yet another pattern! On my wrist is my much loved Gold Chain Michael Kors watch and Michael Kors bangle! And of course my very festive lemonade with my red, white, and blue straw that unfortunately did not show up for the picture! 

You better bet I'm wearing my red, white, blue, stars, and stripes all weekend long! 

We want to see your 4th of July inspired outfits! Show us by commenting below or tagging us @MallyandB on Instagram! We're looking forward to seeing you!