TO BOTOX OR NOT TO BOTOX

This posts is sponsored by Red Mountain Weight-loss.

I have thought about Botox for over a year. In fact, last year for my birthday I wanted to try it to help with the lines that have appeared in my forehead, but I was unable to because I was experiencing a lot of inflammation in my joints due to my autoimmune flare up. Not to mention this past year has been so nutty with the divorce that things like that just haven't been a priority. But now that the crazy has died down and my autoimmune stuff is under control, it was time to focus on feeling like the best version of myself. 

I know I am beautiful without any injectables, ounce of makeup or at any size because beauty starts with your heart. At the same time, I LOVE makeup, I love when my skin glows, and I love when I'm the size I want to be. Red Mountain Weight Loss wants men and women to look and feel like their best whatever that is to each individual. They offer so many services, and Botox is one. 

So, I was SUPER excited to have the chance to try Botox with Red Mountain Weight-loss. Of course, the biggest fear I had was if my face was going to look weird or frozen. I wanted to feel and look like myself above all, and I didn't want to look like a woman who couldn't express herself. So, I went in for a consult and they answered every question I had. See some of my questions below. You can also watch the process over on my IG highlights, click here to see the before and after.

TOP BOTOX QUESTIONS:

1. Does it hurt? It hurts less than getting your blood drawn.

2. Do you get a headache? You can get a little one the day of your injection, but just take some Advil if it bothers you. I experienced a small one, but it passed quickly.

3. When can you see it start to work? You won't see results until about 10 days after your procedure. That's why it's good to plan plenty of time before an event. I walked away with small welts on my forehead where the needle was, but it went away pretty fast.

4. Can you wear makeup? No, you can't wear makeup before or after the procedure.

5. Can you get your face wet? No, you can't get wet after for several hours. You also can't sweat a lot.

6. Can you do normal activities? You should keep your head upright for several hours after (make sure to do it in the morning). 

7. How many units did you need? Start small at first, and you can always go back to get more if you would like. I only needed 14 units. 

8. Did you have any restrictions to what you could do? If you have low eyebrows you might not be able to get all of your lines taken care of because it can also cause your eyebrows to droop if you're not careful. I'm still super happy with my results. 

9. How much does it cost? Red Mountain is really affordable. It's usually around $10 a unit. If you mentioned my name, Alex Evjen, when you book you will get 15% off any service there, which is incredible!

You can visit their website for more information and to book an appointment. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

HAIR TRENDS

Back in high school dying your hair blue was reserved for the punk rock, rebellious kids. Now it's a style trend that can't go unnoticed. Most women under 30 have attempted gray, pink, purple and blue, and the trend doesn't appear to be going anywhere. Here are some other trends you should definitely consider embracing because, after all, if you don't like it your hair will always grow back, right? 

Gray is the new black. Hoards of young women are going gray... on purpose. This new hue can be seen on runways like Gucci and celebs like Hillary Duff or Rihanna. In fact, this hair color has become so trendy I bet you'll even be able to spot it on a hip 20-something at your local coffee shop. 

Sleek and twisted are two key words when it comes to this spring's hair trends. Maybe we can attribute it to the latest Starwars flick, but Princess Leia buns have never been so cool. 

If you can't be bothered to gel your hair back into a precisely parted and knotted bun, do not despair. This next trend barely requires you to brush your hair at all. Embrace bed head and the art of the undone 'do. Give your hair a tousled look with a rough blow dry and some sea salt spray and call it a day. 

If you've ever considered getting bangs, now is the time to take a leap of faith. Bangs are not only the ultimate fashion-girl haircut (Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell, Alexa Chung...) but they are in style and oh so much fun. Longer fringe is always a safe bet, but if you're feeling brave, take some inspiration from the sharp, short Rodarte bangs above. 

Images from Vogue.com. 

Pinterest Ambassador Party with Nordstrom

Do you like to eat? Do you like to get beautified? Do you love fashion? Do you love Pinterest? If you said yes to every single question I would LOVE, love to have you come out for my Pinterest Ambassador event with Nordstrom at Scottsdale Fashion Square on Thursday, May 28th from 6pm to 8pm.

Mingle with Pinterest, ask me questions about Pinterest, and enjoy getting pampered with pin-spired eats and treats.

You MUST RSVP to attend. Please follow this link to claim your spot! http://bit.ly/1Eo3fBE

Celebrate Galentine's Day

This is a sponsored post by Memebox.

Galentine's Day is the new Valentine's Day, didn't you hear? This Valentine's Day make some room for the gals in your life and celebrate how much you love and care for each other. In my mind the perfect girl party has dresses, flower crowns, flower petals, makeup, wine and candy. What about you?

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For the perfect makeup look, Stephanie of SN Makeup Artist and my dear friend, created an EASY makeup look for you. Simply apply Memebox's I'm Lip Tint Balm #2 in Flash Neon Pink and you have the perfect lips. Done! That's right. A DIY with one step. That's what I'm talking about! Get 10% off your lip tint when you use the code AVE10.

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Malori Maeva of Hoot and Holler created giant pink and red crowns for us to wear, and I dressed Steph and I up in dresses from Frances Vintage. Put some wine and chocolate out and turn on some girl tunes, and you got yourself a lovely, memorable Galentine's Day.

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Photos by Michelle Herrick; Art direction and styling by A.V.E. Styles; makeup by SN Makeup Artist, florals by Hoot and Holler.

Perfect Makeup for Valentine's Day

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I remember it wasn't until I was 19 year's old that I finally had a Valentine. I never had a boyfriend in high school, so it was really special when Ryan, my husband, was my first Valentine. I will never forget that date. It was our second one and first official date because long story short our first date was a bust when Ryan's car got stolen. No joke! haha. (I'll be sure to tell you that story later).

I still have the J.Crew red skirt that I wore on our first official date, and I remember how embarrassed I was when he opened the front door wearing a red shirt and black pants, almost my exact outfit except flipped. We looked like a walking checkerboard. When we got to the restaurant we sat down only to find his sister and her husband just a table away. It was still romantic nonetheless.

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Do you remember your first Valentine? Do you remember getting dressed up for that special someone? Well, I hope you have a Valentine this year, and if you do I really hope you get to go out since it's on a Saturday night. Here's a gorgeous makeup look created by Stephanie Neiheisel of SN Makeup Artist using Memebox's "I'm Lipstick #5" in pink fuchsia and then adding "I'm Lip Crayon #4" in Juliet on top. For a total of $14 you could have Valentine's Day ready lips and get many more uses after that. Use code AVE10 for a 10% discount of any lip product purchase.

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Pair this makeup with a classic LBD and loose curls and you've got yourself a show stopping Valentine's Day outfit! Have fun!

Makeup by Stephanie Neiheisel, Photography by Michelle Herrick, Styling by A.V.E. Styles; Florals by Hoot and Holler and makeup products from Memebox.