Cassie DeNisco

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What I’m Reading this Summer

I always have been such a huge reader but there is just something about summer time and reading that sparks a huge desire to read even more. To me, there is nothing better then laying out in the hot sun on a beach with a great book . This post is dedicated to some of the books I’m planning to read this summer or have read but may reread because they’re just that good.

My first book should be no surprise if you saw my GOT review. I am absolutely going to be started the Game of Thrones books series with the first book, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. I am really looking forward to taking the time to site and read this book and find all the hidden foreshadowing of the finale’s events that I missed in only watching the TV series. Most of the time, I do read the books before I watch the TV or movie versions but for some reason GOT just didn’t seem that appealing to me until I saw the series. I have only heard great things about the books so they are definitely my top must read for the summer.

One genre that I have really found myself loving as I have gotten older is self-help. I think a lot of people probably shy away from it because the name seems like a turnoff but I think these types of books really provide great guidance and motivation as I grow older. One book series that I LOVE is the You Are a Badass collection by Jen Sincero. I have read the yellow one about how to stop doubting yourself but this summer I have my sight set on the green one called You Are a Badass at Making Money. I just loved her first book so I am sure that this one will be just as insightful and provide the guidance I am looking for.

Staying in the realm of self-care, I really recommend reading Eat Pretty by Jolene Hart. I know I mentioned it in my Skin Secrets post but I think if you are like me it’s totally worth the read. The summer is the best time to pursue your goals and if cooking more and living a healthier lifestyle are on your list this book is right up your alley. Not only is this book broken down into seasons of the year to tell you what fruits and veggies to eat for what you’re looking for but it also gives you recipes on how to incorporate them into your diet. I am just so obsessed with this book and I reread it at least once or twice a year because its basically a food bible.

A few other books that are on my must read list are When Life Gives You LuluLemons, Make Your Bed, and of course The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Every time I walk by these books in Barnes and Nobles I am so tempted to pick them up but I just know I already have such a long list of books to read. If you have an book recommendations leave them in the comments below.

Happy Reading! – C

My Skin Secrets

As I get older, I get more passionate about skin care. In high school I struggled with simple, hormonal breakouts but of course to me it was the end of the world. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t wear makeup, even to workout or teach a dance class because I was so insecure about my skin. Today, I rarely wear makeup, even on special occasions. People always ask me how I cleared my skin and got it to where it is now, so today I am sharing my top skin secrets with you!

Don’t Over Exfoliate

I feel like for most of us when our skin is breaking out, all we want to do is take it and scrub away all the bacteria. Now, a little exfoliation has been proven to help break away dead skin cells, too much exfoliation can strip your skin of the important oils it needs and lead to more breakouts! I noticed that once I switched from a face scrub to a more gel like cleanser, my skin immediately felt more hydrated and looked better. Exfoliation is definitely important but I recommend only about once or twice a week because you only need to strip the skin of dead skin cells and not oils that are going to help rejuvenate you. Here’s the scrub I use once a week!

Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating Cleaner $7.99

Face Brushes are a Must Have

I was so late to hop on this train. I ended up ordering the cheapest one I could find on Amazon and immediately noticed my pores and blackheads disappearing. I like to use the most fluffy brush head that it came with and put some of my face wash on it every other morning just to really deep clean my skin. Not only do skin brushes provide deep cleansing but they also help to stimulate circulation.

Facial Cleansing Brush $18.99

Don’t Sleep In Makeup!

This tip might be common sense but its probably the hardest one to follow. Believe me, I know how hard it is to come home and take off your makeup and do your entire skin care routine but it is so important. There are so many products on the market now that basically melt your makeup right off. I love this Clinique one. While you sleep, your skin is resetting itself after a long day. You should not let your skin go to bed dirty because you’re just going to clog your pores. Even if you don’t do your full routine, keep some micellar water right next to your bed to at least take off your makeup.

Micellar Cleansing Water $5.99

What You Put in, Is What you Get Out

I think this is so crucial and honestly underrated. You can’t expect your skin to change overnight if your not nourishing your body with the nutrients it needs. Great skin comes from within and the types of foods that you’re eating. Now, this is not to say that you can’t eat that pizza or those french fries but you need to make sure that you’re eating more things that have known skin benefits than the unhealthier foods. This book called Eat Pretty is my holy grail with eating for beauty.

Eat Pretty $3.40

Water is Everything

Drink your water! If there is only one thing you do from this blog post, it has to be to drink more water. Water is so essential to your entire body’s health but for me, water is the key to my clear and beautiful skin. I like to drink at least 100 oz of water a day and I promise you, drinking water and upping your water in take will do wonders for your skin. Water really helps you to stay hydrated but also to flush out toxins. I swear that when I don’t drink enough water the day before, the next day I can immediately tell in the look of my skin.

Know Your Products

Once I decided to dive right in to skin care and actually caring for my skin, my face transformed. For a lot of us, walking into Sephora or Ulta’s skin care section is so massive that you never know where to start and then you look at the prices and are so turned off. Buying products that are natural, clean, and a little pricier are definitely worth it in my book in reassuring that I am using the best for my skin. I also think that using products within the same brand is so important as well. A lot of times, skin products are designed to be used together so its important to follow the directions. I know that Drunk Elephant is definitely a bran that works best when put together and I also think that Clinque is too!

Drunk Elephant

I hope these tricks help you in your journey to flawless skin. I know that without them, I would still be struggling with my skin. Let me know in the comments down below if you do any of these already or if you have any secrets of your own you want to share!

C

Swimsuit Guide

Happy June and happy almost summer! A major staple in my summer wardrobe are my bathing suits. Because I live on a lake and frequently go to the beach, I constantly live in my bathing suit and think I have found some great swimsuits at great prices. I will admit that I am a full bikini girl. I love two piece swimwear so all of the following suits will be bikinis. Here are a few places I love to shop for swim.

  1. Amazon
Black: $14.99
Red: $14.99

Buyers be warned, Amazon’s suits are GREAT prices but not the best quality. If you’re like me and just lay out at home, I love a good Amazon bikini. They’re perfect and cheap for just at home tanning and if you ruin them, there’s really not too much to be upset about because they’re so cheap. I will admit though, that the sizing is pretty wacky so if you have Prime, I would order a few sizes to see what fits you best! Try Amazon Prime for 30 days FREE!

2. PacSun

Pacsun
Top: SOLD OUT
Bottoms: $13.77

I am not a PacSun shopper, but in the summer months I find myself going in and finding the cutest swimwear. I feel like they’re always perfectly on trend with the swimsuit’s cut and the color. They are a little pricey but so far, I have not had any issues with the quality of their suits. Also, they usually have a buy 1 get 1 50% off sale which helps reduce the cost. I think that PacSun is great to buy like 1 or 2 really nice swimsuits to add to your collection.

3. Forever 21

Top: $7.50
Bottom: $7.50

Similar to Amazon, these swimsuits are so cheap! I recently purchased a full set for $15. I thought the styles of all of these suits was so cute but I could tell that they were not the best material. I really like to make sure that I have a good variety of swimwear so Forever 21 makes it easy to add to my collection but I would not create your entire collection here. Like I said, the prices are great but the quality isn’t the best.

Some other places that I often will look or buy bathings at would be like Target, Victoria’s Secret, and sometimes Hollister. I usually will buy like tops or bottoms at these places and not usually a full set. These stores also have some great suits for great prices and have a mix of good and bad quality swimsuits. I think the key to shopping for swimsuits is to make sure you’re comfortable. The quality of the suit could be bad but as long as you’re comfortable in it, there’s no need to worry about the material, unless its see through. I hope this mini swimsuit guide helped you in your summer shopping adventures. Let me know some of your favorite places to shop for swim!

C

Summer Motivation

I feel like it can become so easy in the summer to lose all sense of reality. After a really long semester, it’s always the best feeling to reward yourself with a little rest and relaxation. The issue arises when its June and your already a month into break and you haven’t done anything but binge watch all your favorite Netflix shows. Of course summer is a time to cut back on the busy schedules but it also can be the best time to work on something your passionate about. For me, this summer I am dedicating it to this blog which is something that I have put off doing for so long. For my other friends, I know a lot of them are going to be working this summer both at jobs and internships.

When I think back to my summer last year, I lacked motivation entirely. I did not want anything to do with school or working. I had a pretty rough semester so I thought I deserved the summer off but in reality, I lost precious time that I could’ve put towards my career or even my personal hustle. Don’t fear if you were like me last summer, I am here to help you get that spark to try something new this summer.

I think my biggest tip and most important one is to use a planner. Planners help you not only plan things but also be accountable for things. I love the Day Designer planner but Lily Pulitzer and Erin Corden also make some great ones. I love planning out my day and making a to- do list so that I can cross things off as I go. This also helps me mentally stay on track and accomplish the goals I set for myself. Electronic planners or things like iCal on the iPhone work too but for me, there’s just something about being able to take a pen and physically cross things off.

Another tip I have is to set goals even if they’re small ones. At the end of the day, all goals are goals and whether they’re huge like launching a blog or small like attending a workout class once a week, they still help you to stay on track and accountable. I think for the summer, thinking about one large goal that you’d like to achieve and pair it with maybe some weekly goals will really help you stay motivated throughout the summer because you know that you have something to work towards.

The summer is the best time to get a tan and take a nap but it’s also the best time to pursue passions. As much as I love my Netflix shows, I realize that I really have to take advantage of my free schedule for things that will benefit me in the long run. Don’t forget to take care of yourself too this summer, whether it is be a new hair color or a fresh coat of nail polish, stay motivated starts when you feel your best.

C

The Over- Packers Guide to Packing

We all love to travel but I hate to pack! For me, I get so stressed out trying to condense my whole closet into one suitcase either for a weekend or for a week. A lot of people use the plan out your days and outfits before you go trick but that doesn’t work for me at all. As someone who likes to base outfits off of what I’m feeling that day, it doesn’t always work for me. Here are my go to travel essentials and packing tips!

Pick 1 – 2 Types of Denim

I love wearing jeans in the summer when I go out to dinner but I realize that during the day, they can often make you hot and uncomfortable. I like to pack at least 1 pair of denim shorts and 1 pair of jeans but make sure that they’re different washes. This helps to plan outfits because I’ll have two denim washes and the two different types of pants that I would need to get me through the trip!

Don’t Overdo it On PJ’s

When you’re packing for a week, it can seem so daunting. Everyone always feels like they need at least 5 or 6 pairs of pajamas so that they’re set for each night. For me, I like to divide the number of days that I’m on vacation for by 2 and then pack half of that number with long pants and shirts and the other half with shorts. This helps to create more space in your suitcase while still having enough of variety of pajamas whether it be too hot or too cold.

Leave Bigger Items Out

I know how hard it is to make sure that you have all of your clothes and then also have a jacket or sweatpants for the occasional cold nights. I always like to make sure that I wear my heaviest jacket or sweatpants to the airport or car ride so that I can save as much suitcase space. If I’m wearing the sweatpants to the airport, I compensate for the heat with a smaller t-shirt on top in case I’m too hot.

Bring the Necessities.. and then Some

One area that I really don’t like to under pack on is my health and beauty products. For me, I would rather have all of my favorite face products then a million bathing suits. Staying consistent with the products you use is so crucial and, especially on vacation when you’ll be in the sun, maintaining your product use is so important. I love investing in really good beauty travel bags so that I know all of my products are properly protected. Nothing is worse then getting to you destination and having all of you products either exploded or broken.

Although these tips won’t work for everyone every time they travel, I hope that if you’re like me and love to over pack, you find something new to try! Making sure I have everything that I want or need for a vacation is a very daunting task especially with limited suitcase room depending on your vehicle for travel. I hope these tips help you with your adventures this summer!

C

Comfy Summer Outfit Ideas

I always find that it is easier for me to create outfits in the fall and winter as opposed to summer because of layering. I am huge on using multiple layers to create a look but in the summer that style trend really doesn’t work, unless you want to be super hot all the time.

For me summer is all about comfort. With being a student and a dance teacher, my summer consists of a much less hectic schedule which means less time running around and more time at home relaxing. Because of that, my summer outfits usually reflect my relaxed mood, meaning I like to be super minimal but still look put together if I’m out with friends or just running errands. Here are some of my all time favorite summer outfit ideas!

  1. The Sundress

Sundresses to me scream summer. They are so effortless because all you really need to do is put one on with some cute sandals and you’re good to go. Sundresses are so versatile that they’re perfect for dinner with friends or just to run out for a quick coffee from Starbucks. I love the fact that you can either go basic like this military green one from Forever 21 or have some fun with a pattern like this floral one also from Forever 21. I like to style my sundresses with a cute pair of sandals and maybe a dainty gold necklace. They are always so easy to style and if you’re pressed for time, a great go to.

2. Jeans and a Crop Top

This is probably my favorite outfit to put on when I’m going out in the summer at night. Pairing simple blue jeans with any crop top that you have give that model off duty vibe that is really in these days. For me, I like to make sure my crop tops are long enough because sometimes they’re cut way to short and just are not that cute. In this picture, I took my favorite pair of boyfriend jeans from Nasty Gal and paired it with a simple white tube top from Wild Fable by Target. (PS. Target has awesome tube tops for super cheap) To finish the look, I paired it with my Air Force 1s that have stars on them. This helped to give the look a little bit more of a fun aspect but still made it so easy to create.

3. Shorts and a Top

This classic summer look is always a go to for comfort and style. The hard part of creating this outfit is finding a pair of denim shorts that you love and are comfortable in. I actually boycotted denim shorts for a few years until I found this pair because I could not find a pair that I actually loved. This pair of denim is from Target and was super inexpensive as well. I paired it with this fun yellow top from Urban Outfitters and again used my white Air Force 1s. Pairing shorts and any shirt together is so simple but I think accessorizing is the key part here to bringing the outfit together. A cute pair of sunglasses or even rings could really dress up this casual outfit and make it easier to transition from day to night.

Some colors that I think are going to be trending this summer are neons and pastels. If you go into any store right now, most of the colors are neon oranges and yellows or pastel pinks, purples, and blues. All of these colors would pair nicely with denim or even look super cute as a sundress. The chunky sneaker trend will also be still around this summer so if you’re not totally in to Air Force 1s or the Balenciaga Triple S sneakers, there are so many dupes for much cheaper prices. This pair from Target is a great dupe for Yeezys and really fits the chunky sneaker trend.

My biggest take away is that summer is the perfect time to still stay comfortable but maybe try and go out of your comfort zone. I love using the summer as a time to try out trends that wouldn’t have worked in my everyday outfits during the school year. I also love summer to stick to my basics and just dress more comfortably no matter what I am doing.

Happy Summer!

C

How I Maintain My Blonde

I constantly get questions about how my hair stays so vibrant and never looks orange. Of course I love hearing that but little does everyone know that maintaining the blonde and preventing the orange is a constant battle that I struggle with. It wasn’t until I started doing research on how to combat brassiness that I stumbled across purple shampoo. Basically, purple shampoo works towards correcting the warm tones in blonde hair. It helps to neutralize the orange color which in turn leaves hair brighter and more blonde as opposed to orange.

Once I decided to give purple shampoo a try, I found “Shimmer Lights” by Clairol. I have been using this same shampoo since I decided to go blonde in November 2017 and no other shampoo has worked this well. When I’m in the shower, I used probably a grape size amount (I always go overboard) and let it sit in my hair while I wash the rest of my body. Just making this simple swap in shampoo seriously saved me from not only salon trips but also helped to bring back some health to my hair.

Shimmer Lights Shampoo
$9.59

Going blonde was probably not the best idea for my already damaged hair. My hair prior to going blonde was extremely dry and brittle, so adding a serious color change to my very dark brown locks did a number on my hair. I knew that once I went blonde, I need to find a really moisturizing conditioners that could help protect and prevent more damage but also something that would not strip the color on my hair. Clairol’s Shimmer Lights does have a conditioner but it was so purple and potent that I actually had turned some of my lightest pieces purple. I then turned to the brand OGX and found their “Lavender Platinum Conditioner“. Not only is this such a great moisturizing conditioner, it also smells AMAZING. It is a great consistency because it’s not too thick but really does the job. An added bonus is that it is purple but not as purple as my shampoo so I know I’m maintaining the blonde but never going over board.

Lavender Platinum Conditioner
$8.99

The final step that I take in my blonde hair routine is an after shower leave in conditioner. It’s by Eva NYC and is called “Tone It Down Blonde Leave In Foam“. I do not use this product all the time because I sometimes too much product in my hair leaves it super oily but I use this when I know I need an extra kick in the blonde direction. I apply it to my damp hair more towards the ends and when my hair dries it does look really great. I remember after my first use I was super impressed that it worked so well with all of my other products.

Tone It Down!
11.99

My biggest tip on how my blonde stays so blonde is to reduce heat. I noticed such a difference in the texture, look, and color of my hair when I cut out heat entirely. I pretty much when on a 3 month hot tools diet and my hair is in such great shape and the color is still as beautiful as if I have just got it done. I literally know how hard it is to not use heat when you’re not really happy with how your hair naturally looks because for so long I was so over my kinda straight, kinda wavy hair. Once I figured out that using the heat was causing all of my problems, I have not looked back towards a hot tool except on special occasions or when I’m really feeling the need for my hair to be done.

C