First Product Review: Happy Hair, Happy Girl. Thanks, John Frieda!

Hello, dolls!

I don't know about you all, but I have this thing where I like to dye my hair a lot.  When I say a lot, I mean.. whenever I am upset about something, or need a change, my hair is my 'go to' thing to change.

Since I like to dye my hair a lot, it has made my hair dry, especially after I had a bit of an ombré put in it.  I've been looking and looking for something to revitalize my hair.  So, I was taking my weekly Walmart trip & was looking through the hair isle when I spotted this:

John Frieda Root Nourishing Moisture Shampoo.  The second I opened the lid & took in the awesome scent of the shampoo, I knew I had to give it a try!

The first thing I noticed while trying this shampoo was how nicely it lathered & rinsed.  Combined fragrances of eucalyptus & peppermint oil were extremely refreshing to smell while washing my hair.  My hair has been crazy dry lately but from time to time it can get oily throughout the day, but this shampoo makes my hair feel smooth & silky.  It also makes my scalp tingle with a clean feeling.

Just like other John Frieda products, John Frieda Root Nourishing Moisture Shampoo, is a bit pricey for the 8.45 oz that you get, but it definitely works, so it is well worth the price!

I know I will keep using this & possibly pick up the conditioner as well.  If the shampoo can do this on its own, imagine what both could do together?!

As always, if you have anything to add, or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
Also, let me know if there are any products that you'd like me to review! :)

Live a little, Love a lot.
XO, LindsKat

What's in my bag? Festival edition.

GOOOOD NIGHT. OR AFTERNOON. OR MORNING. ;)

In my last post I talked about festivals & what to do & not to do &, I figured I could maybe branch off of that.  So I've decided to put together a "What's in my bag?" post that can give you an idea of what you should take with you!  Since I will be attending Warped Tour in a little under a month, it will help me keep track of what I need to get, too!

1. SUNSCREEN & EXTRA HAIR TIES --> Sunscreen will be your savior.  After being in the sun all day, who wants to resemble Sebastian from The Little Mermaid? (I put two SPF 50's on here because I use SPF 100, oops!) If you're like me, your luck is not very good, so just in case, definitely pack extra hair ties! I end up breaking at least one of these bad boys per week.
2. MONEY --> You're going to want to purchase merch while there so why not be prepared?!  I usually end up taking between $50-$100.
3. WATER --> I honestly feel like this could be numero uno because it is SO important that you keep hydrated while in the sun all day.. as if I didn't stress this enough in my last post! I think Warped Tour (unsure of other festivals at the moment) has a free station where you can fill your water bottle for free! You can also take in (at most venues) 1 SEALED bottle of water.  Definitely do this because then you can even keep filling that bottle, especially since most venues will remove the cap before giving you the bottle when you purchase it there.
4. CELLPHONE --> Make sure your battery on your phone is fully charged, that way if you get separated from your friends you can get ahold of them!  + It will be good for you to be able to keep track of the time so you don't miss any bands!
5. SUNNIES --> It's going to be hot.  You're going to be in the sun.  Just do yourself a favor & remember sunglasses!  There may be a vendor inside the festival that will be selling them though, by why spend your money on something you already have?  One year, Tilly's passed out free sunglasses! It was pretty cool of them.
6. NOTEPAD & PEN --> If you want to get an autograph or, you can use this to write down the times of the bands you want to see & where they will be playing.  Hey, maybe you'll find a cutie & want to give them your number! ;)
7. FRUIT SNACKS --> These are awesome to keep in your bag if you can't get your hands on food right away.  I always keep at least two packs in my purse whenever I go anywhere.
8. CHAPSTICK --> I am addicted to Chapstick, ABSOLUTELY addicted. I apply it way too often.  Not only is it good to keep with you so your mouth will not feel as dry, but most Chapsticks will also protect your lips from the sun! (How cool is that?.. okay you might not think it is very cool, but the Chaptsick nerd in me does!)
9. DISPOSABLE CAMERA --> I like having a disposable camera with me just because there is kind of a mystery in your pictures.  You don't know what the picture will look like until you get the pictures developed.  This is just a suggestion though, I know they're not for everyone!
10. WET WIPES --> You will be sweaty, you will get dirty.  This is just a simple way to clean off & freshen up throughout the day.  By the end of the long day, these babies may very well be your BFF.

The products in the set above are:

• Banana Boat Sport Performance Lotion Sunscreen Set with SPF 50 - 2 Pack.
• About $15 for the 2 pack at Target.
• Goody Ouchless Neon Elastics 29ct
• About $4.50 for 29 at Target.
• Dasani water
• $2 or $3 at your local grocery shop or gas station.
• The sunnies I've picked out are: Vintage Inspired Round Circle Cat Eye Sunglasses 8785
• These are about $10 from ZeroUV.
• The notepad is Vera Bradley Pocket Papers , and the pen can be any pen!
• The notepad is about $9 & pens can be very cheap!
• You can get Chapstick from your local Target or Walmart.
• These will honestly cost you about $1, unless you're looking to get fancy.
• Any fruit snacks.
• These will be about $4 or so per box.
• The disposable camera is from Urban Outfitters.
• It costs about $14, but you can get a cheaper one from like CVS or a shop like that.
• H&M 10-pack of wet wipes.
• These will cost you about $2
• The wallet is a Betsey Johnson Americana Zip Around Wallet that I LOVE.
• It is a bit steep in price at $68, though.
• The bag is from Hot Topic! It's the perfect size for a festival.
• It costs around $27, but it's totally worth it.

Again, these are just some friendly suggestions to get you started.  :)  Like I always say, my word isn't the Bible.  I know these products are what I will be taking this year!  If you want to see any other alternatives, or would like to add anything leave a comment!

Live a little, Love a lot.

XO, LindsKat

Festival, Bestival

It's summer, so we all know what that means...

TIME FOR FESTIVALS!

If you couldn't tell, festivals make me EXTREMELY happy.  I love the entire experience & environment of being at a festival.  From Coachella & Bonnaroo, to the Vans Warped Tour & British Summer Time 2013, there are so many great festivals to attend!  Countless opportunities can stem from going to festivals, too.  For the past three years, I have been able to volunteer at the Vans Warped Tour & have met some incredible people along the way.  Honestly, if you love going to Warped Tour & enjoy volunteering, it is definitely something to look into!

Here's a picture of me volunteering at Warped Tour in 2012!

If you've never attended a festival, I've decided to put together some DO's & DON'Ts of festivals!  Even if you have attended a festival, maybe these can help you refresh your memory.

DO's:

• CLOTHES ARE GOOD.  KEEP THEM ON. 

         - Yes, we all know it CAN & most likely WILL get hot.  That is no excuse to just wear a bikini, or wear a bra & underwear.  (PS. I HATE THE WORD PANTIES. SERIOUSLY.  NOT SURE WHY, BUT I DO.)  I've seen way too many people dressed in little clothing at festivals & I promise you, people will be making fun of you (as harsh as that sounds).  No one wants to see it, so do everyone a favor & keep clothed!

• KNOW THE MUSIC & MUSICIANS.

         - When attending a festival (or any concert for that matter) PLEASE know at least 5 or more artists performing.  I promise you will have more fun this way! Even if you only know a few, you will still have fun seeing an artist you like perform.  Not saying you can't discover new artists at festivals, because that's the best place for that, but if you know some it will be an overall more rewarding experience.  Also, a big tip.. DON'T ACT LIKE YOU KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON'T, PEOPLE CAN TELL & IT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE FUN FOR YOU! (I've witnessed this, not pretty!!)

• PACK APPROPRIATELY.

          - Be prepared for any situation.  Mother Nature is one crazy lady, it can be sunny one minute & rainy the next.  If you're going for more than one day, make sure you have enough clothes for the entire stay, but DON'T pack too much.

• HAVE A TRAVEL PAL.

          - Festivals are always more fun with a friend!  Plus it will be safer & you can always have someone to keep watch when you use the restroom!

• HELP OUT OTHER PEOPLE.

          - If you see someone who is alone, be nice & make a friend!  I always go with my one friend to concerts & festivals & by the end of the night there's always more people with us than when the night began.  The more the merrier, right?

• PREPARE FOR TRAFFIC.

          - There's going to be hundreds of people, that means hundreds of cars, which means TRAFFIC.  No point in being in a hurry to get out of there, take the time to relax & enjoy the last minutes of the night.  But if you ARE in a hurry, you're going to want to leave a little early to beat the traffic.  (This is for entering, as well as exiting.)

• USE SUNBLOCK.  A LOT OF IT.

          - You're going to be spending all day out in the sun & if you're pale like me (they did try to white balance cameras off of me in school) you're going to want to apply sunscreen every few hours.  I use SPF 100, as sad as it sounds.

• HAVE FUN & TAKE PICTURES!

          - Enjoy yourself, you're there to have fun!  Meet new people, make new memories.  Take pictures so you can remember what happened later.  You'll definitely want to upload pictures to Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook & even Twitter so you can make your other friends who turned you down jealous!

DON'Ts:

• THE WORLD IS YOUR RUNWAY. 

         - Don't be afraid to take some fashion risks.  Go ahead & wear neon with animal print.  You rock that flower crown & fannypack, girl.  I can guarantee you will not be the only one, so wear it proud.  Just as long as you remember my #1 & DO wear clothes. ;)

• KEEP THE LARGE BAGS AT HOME.

         - If you're only going for one day, only take the necessities.  You're not going to want to carry a huge bag around all day.  It's likely going to get annoying.

• LEAVE THE PROFESSIONAL CAMERA AT HOME.

          - I know you're proud of your $1,000 camera, but when it's broken you're just going to be sad.  Take a disposable, cheap digital camera, or just use your phone.  It's safer & you'll be happy just losing or breaking that disposable camera instead of your expensive one.

• OVERLOAD YOUR MAKEUP.

          - SAY IT WITH ME, "Raccoons are animals, not girls."  Please, pLEASE, pLeAsE, PLEASE, I am begging, wear minimal makeup.  I cannot tell you how many girls I have seen that have applied WAY too much make up for an all day, outdoor festival when it is 90 degrees out.  By 2pm, those girls are looking like crazies! Do yourself the favor of applying minimal makeup because there is little upkeep & you'll be happy for that! 

• BE "THAT GIRL", THE GROUPIE.

          - Yes, it is exciting when we meet our favorite band/musician, but they DO have other things to do while at festivals.  They're most likely going to be very busy.  I'm not saying you can't say 'hi' or even ask for a picture, but don't embarrass yourself by following them or hanging around them all day.  (Unless they invite you to, in which case, THIS IS WHERE HAVING A PAL COMES IN HANDY.  PLEASE TAKE YOUR FRIEND WITH YOU.)

• SAY "I'M POOR".

          - You paid how much to get in?  You're obviously not poor.  I constantly catch myself saying, "But, I'm a poor college student."  It's extremely annoying, & people are just going to tell you to move on.

• DRINK TOO MUCH.

          - I can't tell you to not drink at all since I'm not your mother, but it would honestly be wise to limit your alcohol intake.  ALCOHOL + HEAT = NOT A GOOD TIME.  Trust me, I know.  You'll thank me later when you see people passing out or making complete idiots of themselves.

• FORGET TO KEEP HYDRATED.

          - There is a reason water is 50-75% of our bodies.  WATER IS YOUR FRIEND.  Drink water at any chance you can get.  I know your thinking, "But if I drink so much water, I'm going to have to constantly use the restroom."  This isn't true! I thought the same thing my first time at a festival, but then soon realized it is SO hot out, you will be excessively sweating.  Trust me, you'll be fine!

So, that's my list of festival DO's & DON'Ts!  I hope it helps even just one person when preparing for a festival.  Remember, this is only my opinion, it's not the Bible. :) If you have anything to add, or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Live a little, Love a lot.

XO, LindsKat

Hello, is anyone out there?

Hey! Hi! Hello! If anyone is actually reading this.  My name is Lindsay & this is my own little space where I can blog about whatever I want!  What exactly is 'The Kat's Meow'?  As of now, I will blog about my life, but also my interests (mainly fashion/style/music/travel/whatever my little heart desires).  

Just a little bit about myself, I am currently an MBA student concentrating in Sport, Arts & Entertainment Management.  (WOO.)  I'm still a bit unsure of what I would like to do with my degree.  I have a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies, with a concentration in Radio/TV Broadcast.  If you couldn't tell, I like to talk.  Since I have chosen to complete my MBA in about 16 months, I will finish school in December of this year! This is quite an exciting experience for me, & I cannot wait to finish.  After graduating, my main priority is finding a job where I can be creative & cause an impact with something that I love.

From a young age, I've had an interest in Sports, Arts, Fashion & Entertainment, but lately I've been working on my own personal style & life, as a whole.  Passion doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about these interests of mine.  I have always has this uneasy feeling of not being good enough, or what other people wanted me to be.  That's where fashion and styling has played a big part in my life.  With style, a person can show who they are & who they want to be.  Growing up as a dancer, from the age of two, I have always loved wearing makeup & being able to control how it looked.  To this day, I am so passionate about trying to styles and makeup concepts.  (I'll try anything once!)

So many people and things inspire me, & I try to always find the beauty in even the darkest of moments.  I hope that I can maybe inspire you, even just a little.

Being an MBA student is a lot of work, but I hope to be able to update this blog as often as possible.  I am excited for this new journey, & hopefully something great can come of it! 

Live a little, Love a lot.

XO, LindsKat