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Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog

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Celebrating Swim Season with StyleWatch and Teva!

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On Wednesday night I had a blast celebrating the swimsuit issue of StyleWatch magazine with my fellow bloggers at Vandal in NYC. I always enjoy the magazine launch parties but this one had special significance since I was one of the bloggers featured in the issue.  At the party I ran into one of the other blogger babes featured, my girl Rachel Martino. I’ve known Rachel far before she became a blogger when she was an intern and we worked together. It’s so awesome how the world works and being able to share this moment together.

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Teva sponsored the party and created a super fun experience. They let guests pick between their classic Original Universal style and Flatform Universal style and then enter the DIY station to bedazzle them with jewels and studs. Now I grew up in the 90s and owned the Original Universal as my first pair back in middle schools so I’m so excited these and and everything from that decade are coming back in a big way!

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Teva’s are super comfortable and waterproof, I lived in them when I was at Coachella so I’m all about growing my collection. I actually have my eye on this super cute one from their collaboration with Derek Lam. They also have a really cool artist collaboration collection going on right now.

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European Wax Center® Launches Strut 365™ Product Portfolio May 1st!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by European Wax Center® through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about European Wax Center®, all opinions are my own.

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During the winter, I’m terrible about waxing and general hair grooming with the exception of my eyebrows. I’m a sloppy shaver at best unless there is a special occasion or I’m traveling somewhere warm where my skin is exposed. Then come’s April when the weather starts to get nicer and my annual trip to LA which kicks off pool parties, music festivals, shorts, and my waxing season. And I want everything done — legs, bikini, underarm, and eyebrows (well, maybe not everything, but the basics).

This year I partnered with European Wax Center®, to ring in wax season and celebrate the launch of their new brow and skincare collection! When I went in center, I felt that they have a great waxing process that leaves my skin smooth and doesn’t make my skin sensitive! Plus, they have locations everywhere, which is really convenient for me since I travel so much.

I’m very excited that a European Wax Center® just opened in my neighborhood in New York, but I waited until I landed in LA to get everything waxed since I wanted it to be as fresh as possible for my trip. Walking out of the center knowing I can put my hands up and not worry about any stubble is a huge confidence booster and time-saver since the last thing I want to deal with is hair growth while on vacation.

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For the trip I also packed their new Strut 365™ portfolio which launched May 1. Comprised of three collections – Strut Smoothly, Strut Lavishly, and Strut Boldly – and spanning the bath, body, skin care and brow care categories, the portfolio has everything you need to reveal beautiful skin and maintain your wax. All 27 products in the range are paraben and mineral oil free. Here’s the collection breakdown and my mini reviews:

Strut Smoothly – This five-piece face and body collection designed to restore and replenish skin while maintaining your wax includes the Reveal Me Body Exfoliating Gel, Reveal Me Face Exfoliating Gel, Renew Me Restoring Serum, Smooth Me Ingrown Hair Serum and Smooth Me Ingrown Hair Wipes.

The Smooth Me Ingrown Hair Wipes have been a lifesaver for me. It works to help with the appearance of bumps and ingrown hairs while slowing down the regrowth of hair in between waxes. I get bumpy, especially around my bikini line since I have such thick hair but so far it’s been smooth sailing.

I’ve also been playing around with the Reveal Me Face Exfoliating Gel and Renew Me Restoring Serum. The gel you apply to dry skin and massage in circular motions and rinse off after usage. I think it’s really gentle (no exfoliating beads) and was one of my must-have post-music festival beauty products. I needed a deep but gentle exfoliation treatment to take all of the sand and dust off of my face. I follow with the serum, which has a thicker consistency than most serums. It is soft-to-the touch and makes my skin feel the same way.

Strut Lavishly – The body collection consisting of the Body Lotion, Body Wash and Body Polish available in three scents: Cheeky Strut (mandarin, naarjie, mango, soft peony and violet), Graceful Strut (freesia, white rose, muguet and white musk), and Sensual Strut (vanilla, amber, apricot, nectar, jasmine and lily). It’s a really generous portion and I love the body polish. It has exfoliating granulars which makes you feel like you are pampering yourself and it’s not abrasive, which creates a really beautiful experience..

ewc_4Strut Boldly – Six-piece eyebrow collection consisting of the Browfection Brow Liner and Shaper (available in 6 shades), Browfection Brow Powder Duo (available in three shade combinations), Brow Pals Dual-Ended Brow Brush, Sucha Tweeze Slant Tweezer, Oh My Brow! Brow Highlighter and Ready. Set. Brow! Perfect Brow Groomer.

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Melanoma Monday PSA: Friends don’t let friends get sunburns

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Friends don’t let friend’s get sunburned was a funny caption I put on a photo during Coachella, when two of my blogger babes got burned while camping in the desert. While I can make light of it in a post, truth be told this is something I take very seriously. It’s easy to miss an application but at least they know better. Especially with the SPF police breathing down their neck — I had my Aveeno sunblock in my bag (another in the car), I preach but out of love! The fear is real. Next year, I’m asking for samples and going to start throwing them at people. For them it was a mistake, they do know better and it’s not a habit. You just can’t get away with forgetting in the dessert the way you can on your way to work. For so many it’s not a habit, it’s not even something they packed! By the third day of Coachella I was shocked by the amount of sunburns I saw.
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Like this insane ones this girl has, who I totally creeped up on to take a back shot. Apparently some people were missing my daily public service announcement on snapchat to wear SPF! It’s Melanoma Monday and with music festival season fully in bloom and summer around the corner, now more than ever (although everyday) you really do need to consider SPF in your routine. Here’s why:

  1. Skin aging is often due to sun damage. It slows down the development of wrinkles and premature aging. Literally every beauty expert will tell you their #1 anti-aging tip is to wear sunscreen.
  2. The sun is strong even when it’s not sunny out. UV light penetrates windows, clouds… so over cast will not protect you. Neither will your office window or car window if the sun is shinning.
  3. Damage happens within the first two minutes of being outside. The ozone layer is depleting and our bodies need shielding from harmful rays.
  4. Because the risks of skin cancer are real people and sunscreen has been proven to decrease the development. One of my friends who I was with at Coachella had Melanoma, and now stays out of the sun or bathes in sunblock if she is going to be exposed. Fortunately, she’s has been cured but it is important to have your moles looked at. Early detection is almost always curable. But so many don’t get checked and the reality is Melanoma kills an estimated 10,130 people in the US annually. Scary stuff!

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I obviously care about my skin and love skincare but at a very basic level everyone should wear SPF. Three of my must-have products for Coachella and what I recommend for anyone hitting the music festivals this season is of course Aveeno’s Protect+Hydrate Broad Spectrum SPF 50 for Face (which I often used on my body if I’m only packing one sunblock for the day, I also had the body version). It’s affordable and effective, I burned through two bottles in a week with all the applying and sharing it with James and friends (sharing is caring people when it comes to SPF). Also the Aveeno Ultra Calming Makeup Removing Wipes, which are gentle and refreshing. I would use throughout the day to cool my body down and at the end of the day to wipe all of the sand, dirt and makeup off my face before cleansing. I like that it has a plastic closer on the packaging to keep the towelettes from drying out. Sometimes when it’s just a seal I find the adhesive weakens and air gets in.

Lastly my latest Aveeno discovery, the Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads. These gently exfoliate everything off (I used them on my face and feet — sandals are not your best friend at Coachella), and the skin revealed is so soft and glowing! And the pad size is generous! Whatever was missed by the makeup wipe is coming off with this and then some. It is important to get the dead skin cells off, it will make every product you use after that much more effective since that layer of skin is no longer an obstacle of the product penetrating.

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Giveaway: Win a $100 Marshalls Gift Card

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Beth Pierce on snapchat!marshalls_1_2

While traveling through Palm Springs last weekend I accepted the Marshalls blogger challenge to head to one of their stores (ironically there were 5 locations in the area) and surprise myself by trying something new. For some that could mean an accent pillow, a kitchen items to test out a new recipe, or a yoga matte to get back into shape. For me, I gave myself a style challenge to create a desert look inspired by the nature I was surrounded in for my trip to Joshua Tree for $100 or less! And let me tell you, I’m excited with the result! UGG sandals, a Cynthia Rowley top, plus a Max Jeans jacket and Jessica Simpson floral pants for under $100 total (the retail is well over $400!). I majorly scored!

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Now I’m giving one lucky winner the chance to win $100 Marshalls gift card. Simply follow me on snapchat: @prettyconnected and snapchat me a message telling me what you would buy or why you want to win!

marshalls_1_5 Outfit details:

Jessica Simpson Kegan Floral Wide-Leg Pants, $16.99 (originally $59)

UGG Australian wedge sandals, on sale $32 (compare at $100)

Cynthia Rowley white blouse on sale $15.99 (compare at $150)

Max Jeans Tencel Anorak Jacket: on sale $32 (originally $110)

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Details/Rules: Winner will be announced around May 10th, 2016. All local, state and federal rules apply. Must be able to provide a US address. Good luck!

Play with Furla this weekend in NYC

furla store invite nycThis weekend, Saturday April 30th and Sunday May 1st, Furla is celebrating the launch of the My PlayFurla collection at their Flagship store at 645 5th Avenue in NYC. Details in the above invite. They have a mini-mani station for some custom nail art with any purchase and photobooth to document the fun. img_4697.jpg
I’ve been rocking Furla non-stop this month and at Coachella and am going through a Furla phase. Their bags are so fun and their recent collections are so off the charts! Can you handle the amazingness?

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#ChangeDestiny with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by SK-II through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about SK-II, all opinions are my own. SK-II-New-image-9

Everyone in the beauty world knows that the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence is like the Holy Grail or rather ‘holy water’ of the skin care industry. It’s their bestseller and most awarded product and with good reason — it’s amazing!

With the growing trend of Asian beauty products, we’ve seen a lot of talk about essences and their growth in popularity, SK-II being a fan favorite and one of the first ever created — paving the way for the category. With the consistency of a toner and many benefits of a serum, essences are their own category of skin care.

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Focused around skin renewal, the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence contains over 90% Pitera, an ingredient developed over 30 years ago when a scientist noticed the hands of the workers at a Japanese sake brewery were looking youthful. Convinced the secret lay in the fermentation process, this sparked 5 years of research and a team of scientists that screened over 350 types of yeast to develop what we now know as Pitera. It’s a focal ingredient throughout the SK-II line with the essence featuring the highest concentration of it. Pitera promotes skin’s natural surface rejuvenation process and balances the skin’s moisture barrier for overall hydration and elasticity.

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Success is Calling with TracFone and Dress for Success

Thank you TracFone for sponsoring this post and for the difference you’re making.

A few weeks ago I shared my memorable afternoon at the Dress for Success empowerment luncheon celebrating the Success is Calling program created in partnership with TracFone. Check out the post or watch the video above to see the difference they are making!

The Success is Calling program is designed to help women with employment and achieving economic independence. In addition to the program, which teaches interview skills and job placement support, TracFone empowers women with a new smartphone and a year of service. That is an amazing gift and tool to help these women prepare to enter the workforce and conquer the phone interview.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a phone or the phone interview! According to a recent survey conducted by TracFone, an interview candidate’s phone etiquette is increasingly critical to advancement in the interview process:*

  • First Impressions Stick: 85% of hiring managers and working professionals say that first impressions made via phone interviews follow the applicant through the entire interview process.
  • Confidence Counts: 82% of hiring managers use phone interviews to gauge a candidate’s confidence in their professional capabilities.
  • Phone Skills Are Essential: 82% of hiring managers say phone skills are key to landing and maintaining a job.

As one of America’s leading no-contract cellphone service providers, TracFone has not only raised funds, donated phones and service, this year they are expanding the program by offering it to twice as many women across the country.

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Meet Charlie

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I have a big announcement, today we’ve added a new member to our family, Charlie Westin King! He’s a 10 year old Pomeranian that was found in a kill shelter before being rescued by Animal Samaritans — who I like to call Charlie’s Angels. And yes, he already has a profile on Instagram @PomPomCharlie (you know I had to!).

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Instead of heading to LA in between both weekends of Coachella, James and I decided to stay in Palm Springs at The Westin Mission Hills to explore all of the amazing sites in the area before heading into weekend two of the music festival.  The Westin has a partnership with Animal Samaritans and had Charlie living in their lobby allowing guests to play with him and take him for walks. I walked him everyday.

It can be really hard for older dogs to get adopted and I just fell so in love with him so after some nudging, James agreed that we needed to give this little guy a home! He came with the name Charlie so we didn’t want to change it but added Westin after the property for his middle name, and then gave him James’ last name since Charlie Westin King sounds better then Charlie Westin Eurdolian.

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The Westin is an incredible property, set on a golf course with multiple restaurants and pools. Our favorite part was all of the activities they offered and the amount of animals on the property. Walking the grounds they have giant bunnies, tortoises, black and white swans, ducks, iguanas and a bee tour! They have a whole bee keeping program where they make the honey used on the property. And as some of you know bees are crucial to our survival and have been on the decline since 2006. On Sundays they even offer bee tours, which of course we had to do!

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We owe a huge debt of gratitude for this property for all that they do with Animal Samaritans and for bringing Charlie into our lives!

Celebrating Earth Day in the Desert with Neutrogena Naturals

neutrogena-tree-huggerHappy Earth Day! While we should appreciate and take care of our planet everyday I hope everyone takes a moment today to be outside or do an activity in nature to really appreciate what an incredible world we live in.

I’ve been doing just that this week. I had a 2 day break in between Coachella weekend 1 and weekend 2 and instead of hightailing it back to LA, I’m partnering with Neutrogena Naturals to explore all of the amazing wonders that Palm Springs has to offer and set off on an outdoor adventure.

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Neutrogena is the #1 dermatologist recommended skincare brand and for anyone not familiar with Neutrogena Naturals collection, it includes the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser, Purifying Pore Scrub, Purifying Cream Cleanser, Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, Muti-Vitamin Nourishing Moistuizer, Acne Cream Cleanser, Acne Spot Treatment, Muti-Vitamin Nourishing Night Cream, Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover, Acne Foaming Scrub.

The products embrace the brand’s rich heritage in dermatology and clinically proven results; combined with advanced technology to harness natural ingredients and bionutrients to offer efficacious products that are the perfect balance of science and nature. Packaged in recycled paper, they even power the brands website on a green server, the first of its kind to reduce their carbon footprint that is self-sustainable, sun-fueled and wind-powered – how cool is that?!? I wish all brands and sites would follow suit.

Neutrogena Naturals has also partnered with the Nature Conservancy on programming that will ensure clean water is available to those who need it, animals and people where sources of fresh water are vulnerable or contaminated. For Earth Day (and everyday) they want to know how you connect with nature so use the hashtag #LiveNature or you can upload your photos to their site HERE.

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For my Palm Springs #LiveNature adventure I packed my three essentials, the Purifying Facial Cleanser, Muti-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer and Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes. I’m really into the cleanser, it’s so gentle and effortlessly washes away makeup and dirt without stripping or drying out my skin and leaves it so soft. They nailed the whole experience of washing your face, this cleanser feels amazing on! Everything is dry out in the desert, so I’ve been bathing in the Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer. It replenishes essential skin nutrients and is formulated with vitamins B, C, E and anti-oxidant omega bionutrients to provide continuous moisture and is clinically proven to boost skin’s defense against dullness and roughness. I’ve actually been using extra on my hands as well to moisturize and it smells so good.

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Don’t even get me started on Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes – I’m currently residing in the desert and have been playing with animals. My intake of hay, fur, dust, sand, dirt has been at an all time high and I have makeup remover wipes with me at all time. Virtually every ounce of exposed skin to the elements from my feet (sandals are not my friend, so much sand!), hands to face have been constantly wiped down. Formulated with unique emollients to help dissolve oil and makeup and made from 97% naturally-derived cleansing ingredients without any harsh chemicals, sulfates or parabens I feel good about using them all over my face and body. They are also so refreshing behind my neck for some relief from the 100 degree weather.neutrogena-aerial-tram-palm-springs

The view from Mt. San Jacinto State Park

Palm Springs isn’t short on natural wonders. Living in the desert surrounded by mountains, with natural hot springs and Joshua Tree just an easy drive away I’ve never felt so connected to the Earth. Day one we took the Aerial tram up 8,516 feet to hike Mt. San Jacinto State Park and take in the views and sunset. We visited the Living Desert, which is committed to conservation through preservation of desert plants, animals, and desert ecosystems and played in their butterfly garden (which is not enclosed) and fed the goats. We then drove to Joshua Tree the next day to bask in it’s magic – it’s one of the most breathtaking sites. I’ll have a full guide to Palm Springs up soon for anyone planning a visit.
neutrogena-joshua-treeJoshua Tree at sunset

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Feeding the goats at Living Desert

Happy Earth day everyone! And don’t forget to tag #LiveNature and @Neutrogena and tell us how you’re connecting with nature today.

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Getting my Bikini Bod on in Style Watch Magazine!

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I’m so excited that my bathing suit shoot (words I never thought I’d say!) for Style Watch magazine is finally out! Some of you saw the sneak peek I posted a few months ago and know I worked extra hard on getting bikini shoot ready. I’ve always been terribly self-conscious about my bust size. I’m a legit 34D/32DD which translates into an XL top if I’m lucky — and my rib cage is too small to cross over into the plus size arena unless the suit is a string tie in which case I have hope but the fit is usually still off. This bikini from Jessica Simpson fits all my requirements and gives me shape without making me look like I’m trying out for Playboy or worse, falling out of my suit. I think I can even pass for a “C” cup to the untrained eye.

I’ve been in my fair share of photoshoots but this one was a personal challenge since it’s a whole other ballgame when the clothes come off! Style Watch is one of my favorite magazines and this shoot helped me persevere with my fitness and health resolutions for the new year. I actually feel really grateful for the opportunity since it gave me the motivation I needed to take care of myself. It’s very easy when you’re constantly busy and people are asking favors from you non-stop to prioritize everyone but yourself. This forced me to put me first. Many have asked how I did it and the short answer (I’ll do a more involved post soon!) is I quit drinking for 2 months, started cycling at Cyc fitness 2-3 times a week, took HUM Cleanse to the Rescue 21 Day Cleanse supplements and started my day eating a banana (prior to this I could not get in the habit of eating breakfast).

The issue is now on stands through May 13th. Check me out on page 104!

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