Be Merry & Bright With Osea Skincare

OSEA Brightening Serum c/o || OSEA White Algae Mask c/o || OSEA Sea Vitamin Boost c/o || OSEA Sea Minerals Mist c/o || Pink Fringe Top || Foil Dot Skirt || Humble Chic Tassel Necklace c/o || Jord Watch c/o || Jackie Kennedy Unity Band || Bauble Bar Star Drop Earrings c/o || Lip Color: Ava || Marble And Gold Table ||

I've been using OSEA skincare products for a few months now and my skin has never looked better. I've shared my skin issues before on here and feel its important to continue to update and let everyone know what has and has not worked for me. With winter on the horizon and the holidays right around the corner, it's important to refresh your routine to make sure you're getting the most out of your skincare products for the weather you're experiencing. I know I want my skin to be bright and clear for all of the holiday events/parties coming up and also to be moisturized with the harsh weather. If you have a friend or loved one that likes vegan skincare or simply skincare products in general, these would make excellent gifts, especially the mists. Some new products I've recently tried from OSEA are pictured above and listed below:

• Brightening Serum: I use this on my entire face every morning. It feels so lightweight going on and instantly sinks into the skin. Serums are one of my favorite products to use because of the intensity of the ingredients. It's an instant boost! I do wish it came in a larger container, but this stuff definitely works. I noticed a slight lightening of some red leftover acne marks. From their website, "This ultra lightweight serum contains potent botanicals that help to visibly brighten your complexion, diminish the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation, and create the appearance of a more even skin tone. Vitamin-rich ingredients such as Indian Gooseberry, Cumin, Japanese Matsutake Mushroom and Bearberry give your complexion a refined, radiant look."
• White Algae Mask: You can use this mask as either an overnight treatment or for 10-20 minutes before you rinse it off. Once a week I would wear this to bed and then again during the week I'd wear it for about 1 hour. The mask tingles a bit as you put it on and then dries to a very light white-green color. What I love about this mask is that my skin does not feel tight and dry when I take it off, but rather looks refreshed. From their website, "This age-defying, antioxidant mask instantly improves the appearance of dull, uneven complexions and delivers long lasting hydration. Formulated with White Algae, White Wine, and White Tea to visibly diminish redness and surface inflammation for a brighter, more luminous look."
• Seam Minerals Mist (Green): Whenever my skin would start to feel dry, I would spritz this on. Usually I would spritz this on top of my makeup part way through the day. It feels nice and refreshing and even gives my makeup some new life. From their website, "This refreshing elixir delivers immediate hydration to dry, depleted skin. Organic Patagonian Seaweed, Dead Sea Salt, and Aloe Vera neutralize surface impurities and diminish the appearance of inflammation and redness on the surface of skin."
• Sea Vitamin Boost (Red): This mist and the serum are my favorite products from the bunch. I would spray this after I applied my moisturizer and before my makeup. I'd let it sink in for about 5-10 minutes before putting my makeup on. That gives your skin an extra glow! Then I would use this at night after my moisturizer. From their website, "This refreshing, rose-hued spray delivers an immediate feeling of hydration and instant fresh glow to dry, sun-damaged skin. Visibly reduces the appearance of signs of aging associated with dry skin and dry climates."

Shop The Post:

xo, Amanda

A Joyous Announcement

Happy Valentine's Day

Today I am so thrilled to announce our pregnancy. I took these pictures for a photo announcement card that was sent out to our family and friends. Baby Brezovsky is on the way! Justin and I could not be any more excited. We are literally brimming with happiness as we await our little one to join us. Now that the second trimester has started, and I am feeling much better than in the first, I can finally start planning and preparing the nursery and all the little details that accompany the arrival. How fitting to share this news during a holiday that represents love and caring. 

Christmas Photo Shoot

Michael, Caitlin, Bruce, and Kenzie

I was so happy to be able to photograph my brother and his girlfriend along with their two little Jack Russell Terriers Bruce and Kenzie. The shoot went great and was so lovely with their tree and the string of twinkle lights I brought to drape everyone in for some added festiveness.

Travel Log

Peddlers Village

One thing my dad and I love to do is take little weekend trips. On a recent adventure, we traveled down to Peddlers Village near Philadelphia for a day filled with sunshine, shopping, and fun. This quaint  little village of shops really delights with beautiful scenery throughout, great restaurants, and little knick knack stores filled with treasures. Did I mention there is a cheese shop and a winery there? Well, indeed there is, plus a bakery, ice cream shop, two famous restaurants, coffee shops, a Bavarian nut shop, and so much more. I love to just walk around and take in all of the landscaping done throughout the village. Incredibly beautiful to wander around. I always get some seasonal items for the up coming holidays to decorate my home with and never leave without visiting the Pendleton store across the street. That my friends is some quality shopping right there.

The Golden Season

Autumn 2014

“Autumn is a second Spring when every leaf is a flower. ”

Fall is at it's beautiful peak here in the North Eastern part of Pennsylvania. I wanted to share some photos I've taken over the past 2 weeks. If only the colors would last longer than they do, but then I suppose it wouldn't be as magical if they were to last. There's something about the fleetingness that makes it all the more spectacular.

Transitioning Your Wardrobe

Summer to Fall

Before you know it Autumn is going to be here. While I'm a little more than sad to see Summer leave, I do have a special soft spot in my heart for Fall. I love the idea of the cool crisp air, colorful leaves, pumpkin spice latte's, warm sunshine filled afternoons, apple cider donuts, warm cozy sweaters, the list goes on. Possibly another reason I love Fall so much is because of the feeling of new beginnings it conjures up. Spring is the season of rebirth, but Autumn is when the new school year begins, and with that means new school supplies, new clothes, new friends mingling with the old, new classes, basically a fresh new start for the academic year ahead. Whatever the reason may be, Fall will inevitably arrive and with that means a wardrobe change from breezy effortless styles to a more cozier bundled up one. The in between faze can be tricky seeing as how the weather is still warm, but has those crisp moments in the mornings and evenings. With the weather still being warm, the simple change I like to make is to incorporate darker shades into your clothing for the transition period. The dress I choose from Modcloth still feels summery with its large floral print, but also has a toned down feeling with the darker blue background.

This photo is a fun one. I like incorporating movement into some of my images whether it be twirling my skirt or dress, jumping in the air, or simply swishing my hair around. It's important not to have a static feel of just standing there. What is funny about this jump is I did not know what to do with my hands at the time. Looks like I am about to catch a football!

Lace Details

Simple Weekend Outfit

This is the kind of summery weekend outfit that I love. It's simply, chic, and effortless. The basic peach tee is spruced up with a lace sleeve from Charming Charlies. The adorable green skirt from Modcloth comes with pink and blue Hydrangea details and feels feminine. The color blocked heels from DSW, still a trend going strong, mix perfectly into the outfit with colors of purple, yellow, and pink. This outfit is great in either Spring or Summer and has that flirty fun feeling to it.

Afternoon Glow

Sunshine filled boudoir

Just a quick post to show how lovely the afternoon sun is in my room. I was sitting there getting ready to go on a date with my husband and saw how nice the light was coming into the room. I quickly grabbed my camera to take a few shots to share.

Sarah's Senior Photos

I had an absolute blast photographing Sarah for her senior photos. Can anyone say model?? With the help of my friend Alison, I was able to capture so many great looks. The weather turned out to be great and the back drop of a Penn State campus and its surroundings were perfect. Congratulations Sarah on your senior year!

Brooching the subject

Hair Brooch

This star burst brooch is a replica of one Jackie Kennedy had. I got the idea of using it after seeing some of her own pictures with a brooch in her hair at some of the famous Kennedy White House state dinners. It's a unique idea to try and why not??

Here, Jackie wears a sun burst brooch in her coiffed hair. Image source:  https://onlyjewels.wordpress.com/tag/jackie-kennedy/.

Travel Log History

The Magical Ferris Wheel

A staple at every carnival and amusement park, the Ferris Wheel provides its riders with great spectacular views, sweet little romantic moments, or just a quick escape from the ground below. I have always been quite mystified by the giant wheel and its colorful cars carrying people into the sky and back. A few months ago I read the book "The Devil in the White City" written by Erik Larson. An absolutely fantastic read detailing the creation of the 1893 Chicago's World Fair along with a behind the scenes story of a serial killer running a muck. The tagline reads, "Murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America." If that does not catch your interest then I do not know what will! Quite an interesting history, I assure you. While reading the book I learned the story behind the creation of the great Ferris Wheel for the expedition. I found this to be fascinating since no one really ever stops to think about how this staple came to be. I was so thrilled to photograph it while Alison and I were on our Knoebels journey. See the previous post for more pictures from the park

 A short summary from howstuffworks.com perfectly tells the story behind this mystical wheel. "For the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, engineer George Ferris presented fair organizers with his idea of a giant rotating wheel that would carry passengers in cars attached around the outer edge. He convinced organizers to allow him to build the structure, which would rival France's Eiffel Tower. Indeed, Ferris's wheel, which cost $380,000 and stood 264 feet tall with a wheel diameter of 250 feet, was a huge success. Each car held 60 people, and, at 50 cents a ride, the wheel was one of the most popular attractions at the World's Fair. The Ferris wheel is a must-have for any carnival, and thousands of replications continue to delight passengers of all ages."

Travel Log

Knoebels Amusement Park

One thing that never gets old in the summer is amusement parks. In my area the family run and owned Knoebels opened its doors on July 4, 1926 and has never looked back. It is currently the largest admission free amusement park in America. The charm of Knoebels lies within its location in a forested area and allowing all age groups to enjoy the festivities without having to pay a fee. For me, the charm of the park comes from its ability to relive my childhood happiness. My mom and dad would always bring my brother Michael and I to the park around dinner time. By then most of the visitors were leaving, the warm summer air was starting to cool off, and the spectacular lights on all of the rides were starting to come on. It was magical. We would arrive and have our dinner over at the baked potato stand and then start our night of pure happiness. Perhaps that is where the key to Knoebels lies, being able to, if only for a few hours out of the day, have those magical memories be brought to life again.

For this journey to Knoebels, my friend Alison and I (our families would often go to Knoebels together) traveled down to the park specifically to capture the beautiful scenery and rides. I never wanted to bring my camera into the park while riding the rides so this proved to be a great opportunity to photograph the experience.  We both got great shots and ended up having enough time left over to enjoy some of the rides. We stayed until closing trying to cram in as much fun as we could. All in all it was a great day beautifully captured.

Beauty All Around

One of the biggest complaints I hear when dealing with photography is there is nothing to shoot. Not so! Simply go outside into the backyard or nearby area to capture the scenery around you. The simpleness of a single flower can make a huge impact in a photo. People just walk by them everyday and do not realize the beauty they possess or how intriguing they can be. All of these photos were recently captured around my property. The photo of the lake at sunset was taken about 15 minutes from my house. An easier step to remember when shooting flowers is to try and get the background blurred out for that quality impact shot. Basically, you want to keep the aperture wide open and depending on your lens, that could be at a 1.8 to a 5.6. Then zoom in on the flower, pick a focus point, and voila, you're on your way to capturing all the beauty around you. On a side note, the rhododendron blooms were taken just after it had rained outside. The tiny water droplets really add depth to the image. Some people like to take a water spritzer with them to add water into the photograph and while I've never done this myself, it without question will give the photo that something extra special. All in all, open your eyes to see the world around you. Anything from a dandelion, flower, bird feeder, leaf, insect, bumblebee, bird, rocks, or a new perspective or angle can widen your horizons when photographing.