Fiercely Alia

This post is sponsored by SmartStyle Hair Salons by Regis. All views are my own

Having two little high-spirited toddler boys is a daily workout. I have to be smart about how I plan my day to keep them entertained and safe plus the tasks I need to get done, like errands, work and feeding myself.

When it comes to haircuts, I always struggle to find a place to take them. We took the boys to the SmartStyle Salon by Regis at our local Walmart for the first time. We fell in love with Stephen, who will be our boys regular stylist. He did such a good job, not only on their hair cuts, but keeping them calm and happy!

We loved the convenience of being able to get the hair cuts done, then get groceries plus necessities like much needed diapers! (Toddlers!)

Haircuts are hard but this was so easy with both Nick and I taking the kids. He took one on a stroll around the store while the other got his hair cut, then vice versa. It was great!!

The staff was highly trained and the salon was clean and modern. I am excited to go back again for the boys haircuts in a few weeks!

Next time you’re trying to choose where to get your children’s hair, yours 0r your husband’s, I recommend SmartStyle Salon by Regis at Walmart. Remember, ask for Stephen!

Tell me, where do you usually take your kids? And have you tried SmartStyle before?

How cute are these little boys?! This is their BEFORE

Dax loved being on the chair!

Troy was content and happy to be on momma

Since I was about 13 I remember always being fascinated with skincare and beauty products. I will never forget the first time I went to Macys and bought my first trio skin care set from Clinque, it came with a cute gift with purchase and I really have never turned my back on high quality skin care.

Skincare is definitely more than just DNA. I do have to credit my parents for gifting me with both good and bad skin. My father being mostly Italian has the greasiest skin and I totally inherited that. My mother has like perfect skin. Never imperfections and she does the minimum to take care of it. I got a good balance.

Normal/Oily skin, large pores, mild imperfections, and lots so damn sun spots from being a stupid teen with tanning beds!

So, my current skincare regime is, for some too many steps. But I consider myself an investigative journalist when it comes to what I want to put on my face. I probably fall asleep with my make up on from the day 1-2x a year!

I wash my skin morning and night and use different products each time.

I am all about using proper tools that give you amazing results and are worth the investment. I have never had a facial in my life! ( I want one) but I think I’ve done a really good job at prolonging the need for it.

The science behind skin-care products has come a long way but there’s still no such thing as an instant fix — you need time to reap the benefits

Here is a look at my current medicine cabinet

 

Dont be scared by the amount of products i have in here. I actually need to clean some out. I also dont use ALL of these all the time.

My tried and true make up remover though is the Boscia Cool Cleansing oil. I wash my face 2x at night. I put the dry oil on my skin and it removes all the make up and dirt. Then rise. I then wash my skin with a cleanser and currently I am using FRE Wash and really like it. Then I dry my face.

The right formula cleanses your skin without stripping essential, healthy oils. Take it easy with exfoliating scrubs (use once a week) and avoid those with crushed walnut shells or abrasive ingredients.

I fell in love with the Exfolikate scrub– I use it in the shower about 1-2 a week. Its life changing and worth EVERY single penny.

For many, the word “toner” brings to mind stinging astringents from the ’80s.  The original was an alcohol-based product that was used to dry up oily skin and remove any leftover dirt following cleansing. Today’s formulas, however, have evolved. Think of them as supplements — these thin liquids deliver an extra shot of nutrients, helping the other products in your regimen absorb better, while still balancing your complexion.

I have used all sorts of toners, currently I have been using the MILK toner from Maskcara Cosmetics. Its gentle and has the most amazing ingredients.

The most basic function of a moisturizer is to hydrate and soften the skin. Essentially, moisturizers assist in preventing water loss through the outer layers of skin. They can also complement the naturally found protective oils and other building blocks within the skin, such as ceramides. This is one product that doctors recommend using year-round, for all skin types. Skin naturally loses the ability to retain moisture as we age  and daily activities, such as washing, can strip natural hydrators from the surface.

I used to think because I had oily skin to never use a face lotion. I was an IDIOT.

I RELIGIOUSLY use a moisturizer DAY & NIGHT. During the day I use a very lightweight and soft moisturizer again by Kate Somerville. It makes my skin glow and never feels greasy.

At night I use Origins Night-A-mins which helps lighten my dark spots. During the summer i use the oil free. During the colder months I use the thicker one.

I am almost 34 and have noticed my wrinkles. The Algenist is whipped cream that visibly sculpts, tones, and lifts, while improving signs of aging.

As You can see I have MANY products and each one does something different. But I love them all. So this is just going to be part 1 of my two part skin care system!
What is your routine. What are your favorite products?

 

Fierce

“Having or displaying an intense or ferocious aggressiveness.”

“Furiously active or determined.”

I have been working on my new blog name and approach for quite some time. This isn’t exactly the way I wanted to debut the change, but circumstances regarding my Instagram account pushed me forward a little quicker. 

A little while I ago, I started receiving hundreds of new followers on Instagram and they were not organic. In fact they were purchased by a third party I’m certain I know.  You can apparently buy followers for someone else and the only thing you need is their user name.  Purchases can be as low as $5 for 2k of followers.

I worked with Instagram and they did me a solid and cleaned them out.  But everyday I would get 10-100 of these same accounts, mostly men, from countries like India, Iraq and Europe. All of them have no interest or similarities with my content. The only option I have to stop the new accounts is to go private and change my user name. 

So I changed my name and here I am: 

“Fiercely, Alia” 

I am not Sasha Fierce, I have no alter ego. I am simply me. 

A small but powerful and fierce being. 

There was no better word that I could think of that could better describe me as a whole. I do all things whether wrong or right with fierce determination. 

It doesn’t mean I’m cruel or harsh! It means I’m persistent, knowledgeable, valuing others, doing what it takes to get anything and everything done. I am a force to be reckoned with. I have been through abuse, divorce, miscarriages, betrayal, hurt, love, happiness, sorrow, despair, joy and sorrow.

In my almost 34 years of life, I feel confident in saying, “I have been through a lot, but there is still much I have yet to go through”.

You can call this “feisty” or “fiery” or “strong”.  But it comes down to the same thing:  This fierce woman is no shrinking violet. She speaks her mind, she stands up to authority when authority is wrong, she does the right thing regardless of what law or conventional wisdom says to do.

 

We live in a very digital age. I snap a pic of my children, and there it lies forever in my 6inch screen never to be seen unless shared on social media.

When you walk into a home don’t you love to see photos of the family, events and even those hilarious real life polaroids really showing your age!

I am terrible at updating pictures, the process itself seems to be so annoying. Picking the photos, uploading the photos, waiting for them to print then picking them up from whatever location, then you have to frame them, then place them…is anyone still reading at this point!

I love the look a great canvas photo can bring into a home. So with our recent move I made sure to start decorating appropriately. We had taken one last family photo before leaving San Diego and its my favorite photo yet. It perfectly exemplifies our family.

Photography.com has amazing options and quality service so choosing my print and option was easy and quick!

The warmth this photo brings into my home sends me smiling every time I see it.

Photography.com has so many options great for all occasions, whether you’re thinking of decorating your own home, business, gifts or making that really special memory come to life forever in print, I highly recommend them.

Canvas provided by Photgraphy.com

Photos taken by @Nhyiakayephotography

The quality is amazing for the price and is something that I will have forever in my home!

 

 

I have extremely hair. I have a lot of it, but its so fine that it is harder to style. I find that every tool I use causes damage, or it makes my baby hairs stick straight up.

I sometimes end up shellacking my head just so I don’t look like I just came out of a plastic tunnel slide!

Because I have such fine hair most products end up being too heavy and stiff. TRESemme has always been in the forefront of the beauty industry, behind the scenes at fashion week and constantly keeping up with the trends its a brand I’ve trusted for years.

They’ve gone and done it now!

The breakthrough NEW TRESemmé Compressed Micro-Mist Hair Sprays give you style without stiffness for a natural, lasting hold that will move with you.

We’re they secretly listening to my prayers because I have been searching for a spray that is fine, like me 😉

The new breakthrough Micro-Mist technology uses superfine micro-mist particles that penetrate through the top layer of hair to provide deeper coverage throughout hair

The smaller 5.5 cans are ergonomically optimized and easier to hold, yet still, contain the same number of sprays in the 11 once can

All four sprays can be found at Walmart!