Maintain Your Mane

Ladies, has your hair felt dry and damaged lately? What about those awful split ends? I have the answer: 12 Benefits. 

My hair was in the exact same position: damaged by products with a multitude of split ends. One day, my hair stylist suggested two products by 12 Benefits. 

#1: Instant Healthy Hair Treatment

The Instant Healthy Hair Treatment is designed to prevent and repair hair damage. The product (containing only 6 ingredients) is to be misted on the mid-shaft to ends 2-3 times a day. Instant Healthy Hair Treatment will:

Seal Hair Color

Smooth Frizz

Repair Damage

Prevent Split Ends

Moisturize Dry Hair

Strengthen Fragile Hair

Prevent Flat Iron Damage

Prevent Chlorine, Wind, and Sun Damage

Add Shine, Softness, and a Silky Finish

Protect Hair from Blow-Drying

Improve Detangling and Manageability

Keep Hair Youthful

Now, that's a lot of promises for one product to deliver and surprisingly this product completely nails it. I use this treatment every time I wash my hair and there has been a noticeable difference in the shine, softness, and strength of my hair. Also, I love how this product smells, the smell alone would make me want to apply it to my hair every single day. I highly recommend this product. 

Price: $7.25 on 12 Benefits

#2: Pink Addiction

Pink Addiction is another must-have from 12 Benefits. The product smoothes raised cuticles and strengthens hair, it especially protects and preserves ends. Apply 1-2 pumps to palms and spread throughout hair ends. Pink Addiction will: 

Replenish Human Hair Keratin

Rejuvenate Damaged Hair

Polish

Strengthen Weakened Hair

Protect and Nourish with Argan Oil 

Intensify Shine

Provide a Velvety-Soft Feel

Eliminate Unruliness

Reverse Hair Deficiencies 

Restore Over All Hair Health

Keep Hair Youthful with Anti-Age Ingredients

Pink Addiction has done wonders for my split ends. After I began using this product, I went back to my hair stylist and she commented on how much this product had improved my hair. 

Price: $25.00 on 12 Benefits (A little pricey, but definitely worth it). 

I hope you all will enjoy these products just as much as I did! 

Sunshine on 30A: Rosemary Beach

Now it's time for my second favorite 30A vacation spot: Rosemary Beach. Rosemary has a very European feel with streets made of brick and cobblestone. The town was founded by Guy Chesterfield Sr. in 1995. Rosemary is close to 105 acres and at the time of its creation featured 500 homesites. Rosemary provides a family-friendly atmosphere. The design of the town features many open grass courtyards for children to play. As well as, some of the best restaurants on 30A.

This grass area opens right up to the beach. There are benches lining either side of the courtyard, which are perfect for people watching. During the summer, Rosemary has a movie on the lawn once a week, which is a great activity for the whole family.

George's at Aly's Beach
George's offers some of the best food in Rosemary Beach by far. I actually had the privilege of working at it's sister restaurant just down the road a couple of summers ago. One night, we took a trip to George's for dinner and it was an incredible experience. At night, the entire restaurant is lit up by candles on the patio. The food is gourmet and delicious.

Sugar Shak
Ready to induce a sugar coma? Well, Sugar Shak is the place for you. Since Rosemary Beach is such a kid friendly place, it only makes sense to have an ice cream and candy store. Sugar Shak is a famous spot for adults and kiddos alike.

La Crema Tapas & Chocolate
It may be a girl thing, but I mean who doesn't love fondue? Gentlemen, if you ever find yourself in Rosemary Beach, I promise you can't go wrong with taking your date to La Crema. I mean what girl doesn't love strawberries and cheesecake dipped in peanut butter and milk chocolate?

 I mean come on, it's beautiful…and delicious….Just trust me.

30A Farmer's Market at Rosemary Beach
The farmer's market takes place in the open square at Rosemary Beach every Sunday year round. It's a great place to try some farmer fresh veggies and load up on groceries during your visit. I mean what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in paradise?

Trust me when I say, you do not want to miss out on this place. I hope you remember a couple of these places if you ever find yourself in Rosemary.

You're Never Fully Dressed Without...Lipstick

You're never fully dressed without...lipstick. I am a lipstick junky. I carry at least 4 different types of lipstick in my purse at all times. With spring quickly approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to share my favorite and AFFORDABLE lipstick options. This post will prove that you don't have to use expensive make up brands to find quality lipstick that looks good on you!

#1: Ellen Tracy Thick Stick Lip Color Collection: This set of 5 colors is perfect for spring. I will admit, I currently own two sets... The shades range from blush pink to bright red. I mean what more could a girl ask for? The lipstick applies smoothly and evenly. Price: $5.99 Find at TJ Maxx or Ross

#2: Revlon Color Stay Ultimate Shade: If you want color that will stay on all day, Color Stay is the answer for you. The only issue is commitment. If you put it on in the morning, its staying on all day. Still, once you commit, Color Stay offers bright lip color all throughout the day! Price: Close to $9 Find at Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, or Walgreens

#3: Covergirl's Fairytale (405): There is no other color I wear more than Fairytale. It's the perfect coral color for spring and summer. If you're looking for a vacation lip, this is the option for you! Price: $5 Find at Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, or Walgreens

Sunshine on 30A: Seaside

As I prepare for my spring break trip, I cannot stop thinking about my most cherished vacation destination: 30A. 30A is a coastal highway along the beautiful blue green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Seaside and Rosemary Beach are two of Florida's best kept secrets. Although, tourism has greatly increased in these two locations since I began visiting there with my family; these destinations are still relatively unknown to the majority of the US. This post features the first of two of my favorite 30A destinations: Seaside, Florida.

Seaside, Florida U.S.A. Or simply, the most perfect town in America. This quaint city was featured in Jim Carrey's 1998 film, "The Truman Show." Seaside was created in 1981 by a husband/wife architectural team. The town features a school, town hall, open air market, tennis club, tented amphitheater and post office. 

Must See's in Seaside:

The Post Office: Let me tell you, there is nothing like Seaside on the Fourth of July.  The post office is parked in the heart of the town and I mean come on? That's literally the cutest post office in the world. If you ever find yourself in Seaside on the Fourth, a picture in front of the post office is a must.

Taco Bar: There is nothing like a refreshing Coke and chips and salsa for lunch on a sunny beach day. Taco Bar has the best tacos in Seaside. The restaurant has a colorful and fun atmosphere. Just a few paces from the beach, it is the perfect refreshment after a long day of soaking up the sun.

Bud & Alley's: Watch the sunset on the 2nd floor deck of this restaurant. Seriously, the sunsets are simply breathtaking. During the day, it's a great place to grab lunch after being on the beach. As soon as the sun goes down, it turns into quite the party. Bud & Alley's is the perfect date night destination.

Modica Market: Modica is your grocery go-to in Seaside. Fresh orange juice is made every day. The market has an old time market feel with all your favorite products.

Sundog Books: You can't sit on the beach all day without a good book in your hand. Sundog Books has a variety of book options. Take a stroll upstairs and you will stumble across Central Square Records.  Central Square has an array of artists featured on vinyls and CDs. From Billie Holiday to Led Zep, this records store will not disappoint.

I hope you will enjoy the crystal white sand and blue-green water just as much as I did.

The Dos and the Don'ts of Blogging

After reading through several articles on blogging, I've compiled a list of dos and don'ts: 

The Don'ts:

1. Make Grammar Mistakes: There is nothing worse than reading something with numerous errors.    Double check your work before you post it. 

2. Be Negative: Most readers don't want to read content full of negativity. You will gain more readers from positivity and blogging about things you are passionate about!

3. Set Unrealistic Goals: We are all busy. Know how much time you can spend blogging. Start off with one post a week and increase it when you can! You want your blog posts to be meaningful. 

The Dos: 

1. Set the Tone: Know your target audience and blog about what your audience wants to see!

2. Be Genuine: Honesty is always the best policy. Honesty will develop loyalty with readers. 

3. Be Short: We have short attention spans. 2-3 sentences per paragraph will allow you to hold the attention of your readers!

New Newsroom Position: Audience Engagement Editor

While scrolling through Mulin Blog, I stumbled across an article discussing a new position opening in newsrooms across the country: an audience engagement editor.

Now, I am sure you had the exact same question I had...

What is an audience engagement editor?

An audience engagement editor is hired to "build a team devoted to using search, social, and other strategies to draw more people to our news articles and editorials." The position is part marketing with a journalism spin. Another big portion of this job is managing and reaching the news station's audience through social media.

As I have mentioned before, I am pursing a career in public relations. This new position sounds like a great way for journalists, advertisers, and public relations professionals to partner together. This position will allow journalists to gain more insight into their audience.

Mass Communications departments across the nation must begin to train students to be able meet this need within the journalism field.