Samantha K Schmidt

I have to admit, any kind of natural holistic living tends to catch my attention rather quickly. I always tell people that self-actualization for me would be going raw vegan. Let's face it, my main attraction to these natural lifestyles is all the beautiful women that follow them. Their hair is always long and luxurious and their skin is spotless and clear. This is the exact reason I was drawn to oil cleansing. I've never had major problems with acne. In fact, as a teenager I probably had great skin compared to many suffering through puberty. It wasn't until my mid-twenties that I started to deal with hormonal and food-related acne. Then, I got pregnant.  It's sent my skin into a whirlwind. Not only are my hormones on overdrive, but I'm also craving all the greasy, nasty foods that cause me to break out. I was desperate to clear up the spots on my face that seemed to do nothing but grow. About a month ago, I fell upon a YouTube video about healing acne scars. ...

Summer is a great time to go the beach and catch some rays, but after a day of body surfing (or real surfing if you're cooler than me) your skin and hair can be in a state of chaos. Here are a few things that I keep in my beach cosmetic bag to help me freshen up after a day in the sun. 1. Deodorant It's an obvious choice at the start of your day, but you may forget to bring it to the beach. It's likely that your newly tanned skin is dry and in need of some perspiration control. I love this fresh cucumber scent by Dove. 2. Dry Shampoo or Shine Spray I love the texture of my hair after being in the ocean, but the salty sea can leave your hair feeling dry or oily depending on your hair type. For oily hair, spray a bit of dry shampoo at your roots to freshen up. Batiste has a variety of scents and colors to choose from, so you don't have to worry about dusty gray roots. Dry hair needs a douse of moisture. This shine spray from Moroccan Oil is great becau...

Subscription boxes started off as a new and innovative way to get products directly to your door. Most of the early creators were beauty boxes boasting samples of new products. Now subscription boxes have spread to healthy snacks, shave clubs, and even pet toys. If there's a niche, subscription companies will find it and invade it. From the beginning, I felt that subscription boxes were not for me. Beauty boxes seemed great for full-time youtubers, beauty gurus, and makeup artists, but I couldn't validate spending money on items I may or may not even like. Then, when snack foods hit the scene I was intrigued. I can get food delivered to my door every month? Now, that I'd be willing to experiment with. However, I noticed that many of these companies were making money off of forgetful subscribers. Even when you don't place an order, you get charged. You are paying them... for nothing. So you have to make sure to read the fine print. Subscription boxes are good if ...

Fall is my favorite time of year for two reasons. The clothes and pumpkin! Every year my favorite past time is to visit Bath and Body Works and check out all the new fall scents. This year they featured a pumpkin bucket. An entire bucket filled with pumpkin goodies. I couldn't resist. The bucket contains a pumpkin loofa; one foaming and one deep cleansing hand soap in pumpkin pecan waffles; a body lotion, spray, and body wash in sweet cinnamon pumpkin, and 3 mini candles.  I love this cute little pumpkin loofa. Bath and Body Works never fails on these babies. It's soft and the perfect size for traveling. The foaming hand soap is definitely my favorite. I think I would have preferred getting another fall scent instead of the two different kinds of soaps. This scent has been around for a while, but it's never been my favorite. The pumpkin aspect is really missing. However, I will say the body spray has an interesting spi...

Fall is my favorite season not just for the cozy sweaters, but also for the amazing color palette. Here are a few lip colors to try in the upcoming season. Vampy Red Try MAC's mineralize rich lipstick in Lush Life. Raspberry Try the color Prune in Fire in YSL's Rouge Volumpte Shine collection. Plum Try the Be Legendary Lipstick in Plum Scene by Smashbox. Matte Red Try Tarte's Lipsurgence in the color Fiery.

1. Neon - Have fun with this trend by using multiple neons. 2. Ombre  - The colors of the sunset give this look a summer flair. 3. Nautical - No need for special skills. This red, white, and blue theme is easy to create. 4. Tribal  - This one might take a bit of practice. Luckily there are a ton of tutorials online. 5. Gold Touch - A little shimmer makes this mani perfect for summer.

Today's top 5 picks are all about hair. Obviously these products are the ones that work best for me. I have naturally wavy, dry, frizzy hair so I go for products that help smooth it out. These 5 have outlasted many trials. Prep : Mane 'n Tail shampoo is the secret behind my hair strength and growth. I have seen amazing results with this stuff. Condition : Redken All Soft is a leave in conditioner for dry or brittle hair. I was hesitant to use it at first, but I found the trick is moderation. Overdose on this stuff and you'll have an oily mess. Style : Smooth by Lakme is my go-to for blow-drying. It has heat protection and keeps your hair... well, smooth. Perfect for taming waves. Hold : Garnier's flexible control hairspray has been on my shelves for years. I always hated hairspray because it made my hair stiff and sticky, but this stuff is the perfect amount of hold. Keeps the fly aways down without giving you helmet head. Clean : Batiste dry shampo...

Sumer Must-Haves by samantha-k89 featuring Burt's Bees Tinted Moisturizer - Always start with a base that has SPF. It gives you a great glow and protects your skin.  Waterproof Mascara  - Whether you're at the pool or watching The Fault in Our Stars, waterproof mascara is a necessity to keep your eyes popping all day. Golden Hues - I love gold shadow for summer. It gives you a great glow and looks good on anyone. Waterproof Liner - This maybelline duo liner is miraculous. It seriously stays in place all day long. You'll have to check and see if this one is still on the shelf though. Lip Balm with SPF  - This is probably the most important summer beauty product. Your lips are super sensitive and burn really easily. Make sure to grab a balm with SPF (the higher the better).  Keep that kisser soft with these favorites: Burt's Bees, Blistex, and Baby Lips.  What are your makeup must-haves this summer?

There's something about a new hairstyle that revamps your passion for fashion. I've been wanting lavender hair for so long, but was worried about all the damage. Luckily my amazing stylist found a way to give me a semi-permanent color without over processing my hair. And it will all wash out before school starts again. But until then I'm enjoying this new look with some fun fashion. What I'm wearing : ~ crop top - garage ~ skater skirt - jcpenney ~ sunnies - forever 21 ~ booties - cotton on ~ hair bow - forever 21

The Florida heat has already become unbearable and it's not even technically Summer yet. If you live in a warm climate like I do, staying cool is the only goal. Here are a few updos to help you keep your cool this summer. The Ponytail This simple and easy updo can be spruced up with a side braid. The Sock Bun It's exactly what it sounds like a bun using a sock. You can find tutorials for this look all over YouTube, and it works for short and long hair.  Top Knot This look is similar to a bun, but a little messier. This look is done best with long hair. Braided Crown Keep your hair out of your face with this ethereal look. Which updo is your favorite?

Here's a few of my favorites from Pinterest this week. Favorite Makeup I'm not usually a fan of pink and red together, but I love this lip look. Favorite Décor Everyone knows I love a good coffee bar, or in this case wine bar. Favorite Fashion I love polyvore collections, and this one is perfect for relaxing at the local café. Favorite Food These PB&J sushi rolls are easy, delicious, and just plain adorable. Most Adorable Pin of the Week I don't have any little ones, but I can still appreciate this classy onesie.

It's the time of year to put away all the dark colors and bring out the pastels, but there's one color trend I can't seem to pack away... plum. The purple hue has been a major inspiration in redecorating my room. (Don't worry I'll post about it when it's finished). Plum may seem like more of a fall color, but with the right styling you can certainly make this trend last all year. Here are some of my favorite ways to plum it up! Lips Tone down the eye to make this look really pop. Hair You will have to be brave, but you will look smashing. Wedding Accent Even the groom can rock this look. Decor Add a plum accent wall to make a room pop. How would you style plum all year long?

It's that time of the month... again. How do you know? Oh, just the mountains that have developed all over your face. It's a clear indicator that Aunt Flo is about to visit. Hormonal acne is a huge pain and nearly impossible to escape. Even if you have perfect complexion you are bound to get those annoying pimples every now and then. I've been having a huge problem with hormonal acne lately due to a switch in medication, but I've managed to find a few ways to deal with these demons. Here are my tips. 1. Wash your face regularly. This seems like a given, but the amount that you wash your face each day can depend on your complexion. I have rather dry skin and only wash my face once a day. If your face is more oily you may want to shoot for twice a day. 2. Use a cleansing brush. Don't worry you don't have to spend $100. Ulta sells one for under $30. Although the expensive version may work a little better, anything is better than just your hands. via  Ulta.c...

Every girl has been there, the painstakingly long process of growing out hair. Whether it's due to a hair cut gone wrong or an overdose of chemicals, we can all relate to how frustrating this process can be. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's gone on a google rampage trying to find the quickest way to get my hair back. Well the sad truth is there is no quick fix, but there is a remedy that will make this process far less painful.  This is the combination that worked for me. Overall good health is the key, but it may take some time to find which products work best for you. 1. Take a multivitamin every day.  Make sure to find one that contains biotin. Biotin is the beauty vitamin, it protects your hair and nails to support growth. These Multivites are my favorite. They provide a lot of immune support as well as biotin. 2. Follow a healthy diet and fitness routine. If you read my last post you know that I've been mostly vegetarian for 8 months. This has cer...