Lifestyle – Page 28 – A Double Dose

Camana Bay

October 21, 2016

On our recent vacation to Grand Cayman, we had the pleasure of spending time at Camana Bay. At first glance, it looks like a gorgeous outdoor mall, but it so much more than that. Camana Bay offers a mix of residential, commercial, and public spaces, as well as great shopping, and entertainment. It is located right in the heart of Grand Cayman and very close to Seven Mile Beach.Being the foodies we are, we love the dining options they have available. Not only do they have great restaurants for all different taste buds, including Abacus, Lola, Mizu Asian Bistro + Bar, The Brooklyn Pizza + Pasta, but they also have great culinary options for those of us that are looking for healthier options. We were fortunate to enjoy a delicious meal at Abacus. We kept talking about how delicious everything was from the Moroccan vegetable skewers to the seafood mixed grill. Chef Will had just made a trip to Morocco and used spices he got from there on the dish! Does it get any more authentic?! The flavors were out of this world and everything was SO fresh! We even had a tuna sashimi appetizer, and we saw the tuna that Chef Will caught the day before (so cool, right!?). More importantly, we loved that all of these restaurants had options for individuals with food allergies or sensitives. Nothing is worse than going somewhere with no options to eat!We also cured our sweet tooth’s several times at Gelato & Co. The shop is owned by an Italian, so you know it’s authentic! We haven’t had a flavor that we didn’t love, but we were even more excited that they had a stevia sweetened chocolate sorbetto that was dairy and gluten free! Sign us up! We were hesitant about the taste, but it did not disappoint! AMAZING! They also offer fruit sweetened sorbettos that solely rely on the fruit to sweeten the delicious favors, as opposed to additional sugar. Aside from the the amazing flavors, the actual shop is super cute and makes you want to hang out in there forever. The dream! { Off Shoulder Dress: similar here, here, and here | Lace Up Heels | Earrings: similar here | LIP COLOR : Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor – “All Night Fuchsia” LOVE this color! | BRACELETS: David Yurman Cable Bracelets here, here, and here and Cartier Dupe Bracelet | RINGS: David Yurman Ring here and here and Diamond Bar Ring and Love Ring and Midi Ring| NECKLACE: Love Necklace and Arrow Necklace| WATCH: Michele Deco Watch }

In addition to the amazing restaurants located at Camana Bay, there is a weekly Farmers and Artisans Market held from noon until 7 pm. Guest can explore and shop artisanal food products found only in Grand Cayman, as well as locally grown fruits, vegetables, and even handcrafted products. They also offer a ‘Flavour Tour’ that features local ingredients from the Farmers and Artisans Market within small plates at each restaurant and paired with a cocktail from West Indies Wine Company. We loved that Camana Bay offers several ways to stay active! They have Anytime Fitness and Crossfit located within the community and both have classes available. Additionally, they have an 75 foot tall Observation Tower that leads to 360 degree views of the island. We’d say that’s a great post workout reward! They also have a Sports Complex, which features two tennis courts, two basketball courts, one eight-lane, 25-metre swimming pool, and a FIFA rated sports field.Camana Bay also offers some great shopping! We had a little too much fun checking out the more than 40 shops located within the community. They offer a wide range of retailers that offer anything from high end cooking wear, technology, beauty, bright dresses from Lily Pulitzer, and so many more. Plus, just think, with all of that shopping, you’re getting some steps in and staying active!Whether you’re enjoying the outdoors, shopping, or heading to grab a bite, you can’t help but notice the beautiful design. The community itself was designed with green concepts in mind, such as having electric car charging stations, and is the largest producer of solar power on the island. On top of that, the most talented artisans all over the world were hired to create the beautiful awnings, fountains, lightings, and mosaics that can be seen throughout Camana Bay. We love spending time at Camana Bay, and definitely make a few stops there on every trip to Grand Cayman. If you’re ever visiting Grand Cayman, we highly recommend checking it out!Photos courtesy of Dart Realty

This post is sponsored by Camana Bay, but all opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow A Double Dose to operate full time.

Fashion / Lifestyle

Makeup Must Haves

October 17, 2016

*click to shop*

{ Bobbi Brown Bronzer ‘Aruba’ | Bobbi Brown Blush ‘Dust Rose’ | BareMinerals Lip Gloss ‘Life Of The Party’ | Definicils Mascara | BareMinerals Foundation | Anastasia Brow Pencil | Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Lipstick | Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush | Silicon Makeup Brush Cleaner | YSL Lip Stain | NARS blush ‘Orgasm’ | Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer | Bobbi Brown Concealer }

We haven’t done a makeup post before, so I thought it would be a good post to share with you all because we have gotten a few questions on our favorite makeup products! Honestly, we both don’t wear a ton of makeup for every day, but we definitely have our favorites!

We have been using Bobbi Brown products for the longest time and LOVE all of her stuff. We especially love her bronzer, blush, and concealer. What we love about her products is that they are natural looking, but have a great color that is flattering on any skin tone! It just enhances your features, rather than looks like a painted mask, haha. We have both been using her blush and bronzer since high school, and have been hooked ever since! We use her bronzer brush and think it is a great brush and has lasted years!

Even though we have eyelash extensions, we still apply mascara to our bottom lashes. We used to use this mascara on our regular lashes, and would get SO many compliments. It really lengthens your lashes without looking too clumpy!

This gloss I got in the summer and have been hooked ever since! It is the perfect pink for every day, and super affordable!

I love this tinted moisturizer for just running errands or heading to the gym for light coverage. I am so bad about applying sunscreen, so I love this for a lighter layer!

This makeup brush cleaner is awesome for cleaning brushes. It is so important to clean them, even though I am so about doing it, oops!

I have been using this Bare Minerals foundation since high school also and love that you can control how heavy the coverage is and how it doesn’t feel heavy and thick when you’re wearing it!

Lifestyle

Our Morning Routine

October 4, 2016

I have been compensated by Sundown Naturals® and Pollinate Media Group for this post as part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Sundown Naturals® but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #GoodnessGiveaway #sharethegoodness http://my-disclosur.es/OBstVIf there is one thing I am particular about, it is my morning routine. I am a major creature of habit, and hate straying off my routine;) I thought I would share my morning routine with you since I get a ton of questions about what vitamins I take and how I like to start my day. Each one of these “tasks” are something I absolutely must do each morning or I just feel “off”.The first one is hot lemon water. I used to be SO bad about drinking enough water, and I still am pretty bad about it some days when I am busy. Drinking hot water with fresh lemon squeezed in it is great to start off your day and has a ton of health benefits. Also, for some reason, I am able to drink a ton more when it is hot like that in the morning. I also try to drink a ton of water throughout the day and constantly have water with me at all times. I am a major fan of coffee. Not only do I love the smell of it (and the caffeine boost), but I also love the taste of it. I drink mine black with no sugar and no cream, nada. This is an important one, eating breakfast. I think this is definitely something a lot of people tend to skip. I used to skip this all of the time in college, but now, it is something I look forward to each morning. It is a great way to kickstart your day and keep that metabolism going. I always like to eat something with protein, like eggs and fruit and veggies. I am not usually great about this one, but I have been trying to be better about applying sunscreen on my face every morning. Although I am only 25, it is so important to take care of your skin at an early age.

Last, but not least, I take my daily vitamins. I usually take vitamins like Vitamin B and D, as well as Biotin and Calcium. On occasion, I will take Melatonin as well! I recently found these Sundown Naturals® adult gummy vitamins at Walmart, which come in a variety of vitamins, including a Women’s Multivitamin. Walmart is the place to buy vitamins as they have them for the entire family. I love that the Sundown Naturals® gummy vitamins are gluten free and dairy free, and contain no artificial flavors◊. I purchased the Women’s Multivitamin, which includes Biotin to support healthy hair, skin, and nails with added Vitamins C and D to support bone and immune health. To see which vitamins are best for you, take this short quiz here!If you want to try some of these vitamins, enter the Goodness Giveaway Sweepstakes today! Head into Walmart and purchase at least 1 Sundown Naturals® vitamin product for a chance to win weekly prize packages and a grand prize! Every week, one winner will be selected to choose from 1 of 4 prize packs – Yogi Pack, Fitness Pack, Foodie Pack, or a $100 Walmart Gift Card. Simply upload a picture of your receipt here and you are entered for a chance to win some incredible prizes now through 11/1! I’m anxious to hear what vitamin(s) you would like to try, so leave a comment below!

Disclosure: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. ◊Applies to all products manufactured after 5/1/15. Please check back of label, as manufacture dates may vary.

Lifestyle / Travel

Our Travel Must Haves

October 1, 2016

*click to shop each product*

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about what our travel must haves are! We wanted to do a quick post for you all to share what we almost always take with us on our trips, whether it is a short, weekend trip or longer trip.

We love a variety of skincare and beauty products, but we also think having certain convenience items like a good water bottle, hair dryer, travel tote, etc. are critical! SHOP our favorites below!

This suitcase is great for a carry on piece and is super durable! I also love this quilted tote for traveling because it is soft, but also hold a ton! How cute is this passport case?! And, this portable charger is so necessary if you are on your phones as much as we are!

We have been using TULA for a few months now, and LOVE it! We use a ton of their products, but especially love the Hydrating Day and Night Cream and the Moisture Locking Shea Butter Hand and Nail Therapy. You can get 25% off all TULA products + free shipping with code DD25! All of their stuff is amazing and so light, but works great!

We also love Dermalogica products! We have been using their products for years, and our mom actually uses their products and got us hooked on them at an early age! We love their ultra calming cleanser and their sunscreen because it doesn’t clog your pores, and is great for sensitive skin!

We tried this Revision Skincare Intellishade anti-aging tinted moisturizer in the summer, and instantly fell in love! First off, it is great protection from the sun, AND it gives you a light layer of coverage, so it is great to wear under your makeup OR just for putting on when you’re heading out to the gym in the morning or for some quick errands! I love the matte one because I already have shiny skin sometimes!

In addition to some of our favorite skincare products, we are OBSESSED with this toothpaste. We have been using it for several years now, and will not use anything else! It whitens your teeth, and leaves you breath refreshed. We both also use this teeth whitening gel and put it in some trays we had made at our dentist office (in addition to some others we use sometimes!) Speaking of dentists, since we get asked a lot, we go to Dr. Bergdorf in Dallas. He is great, and his staff is SO nice and helpful. I have had my fair share of cavities, and have had nothing but the best experiences each time!

We love using an electric toothbrush, and recently got this Sonicare Diamond one that is super new and charges in a glass cup it comes with. How cool is that?!

Of course, we could go on and on about what we love, but these are most of them! Hope this post was helpful for y’all!

Beauty / Lifestyle

How To Curl Your Hair With A Curling Iron

September 26, 2016

I usually curl my hair with a wand similar to this one because it is super quick and easy to achieve waves, BUT, after getting my hair cut, colored, and styled, my hairstylist was determined to get me to curl hair with a curling iron properly;) The one thing I didn’t like about using a wand was that the curl didn’t start at the top of my head, rather like halfway through my head, if that makes sense?

I took a really long video of my hairstylist doing my sister’s hair with the curling iron, and thought it looked pretty easy. Of course, the next day I pull out my curling iron and attempt to do it, and end up with a TOTAL disaster. My hair was either dented, curled the wrong direction, or just not curled at all. After several hours (not even joking!), I was beyond frustrated, and was about to just say, “Screw it!”. I decided one last time to look at some more Youtube videos, and FINALLY got the hang of it!

So, if you’re reading this, you probably are struggling like I was, haha, so here are the things I was doing wrong:

The curling iron was not hot enough or too old (this is the one I use and I have heard great things about this one).
Not protecting my hair from heating tools (this is not why it wouldn’t curl, but it is very important!)
Not curling away from my face (you don’t want the curls to curl in towards your face, you want them to curl outwards, away from your face).
Rotating the curling iron the wrong direction (if you don’t rotate it the proper way, you will dent your hair horribly!)

Some things to keep in mind:

If you want a tighter curl, you want to get a smaller-barreled iron. In this case, I used a 1″ iron because the curls will start out tight, but will fall out over time.
You want to always place the clip facing your face on each side of your head (I finally figured that out and it helped me SO much)!
I kind of messed this up in the video, but you want to clip the iron in closer to your roots, and rotate the hair through the clamp.
Use a wide-tooth comb or a boar bristle brush to loosen out your curls after they are finished cooling.

In case you all want some extra instructions to what is explained in the video, I will quickly list them out!

Before starting, you will need:

wide-tooth comb (similar one here) or a boar-bristle brush
1″ curling iron (this is the one I use)
heat protection spray (this is what I use)
hairspray

How To Curl Your Hair With A Curling Iron | adoubledose.com

Begin by spraying the heat protection spray all over your head.
Divide hair into two sections, and bring all hair to the left and right side of your face.
Take about a 1″ section of hair and clip the iron in closer to your roots, and rotate the hair through the clamp, leaving a little bit of the end of your hair outside of the clamp (Remember, the clip should always be facing your head on both sides of your face).
Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.
Once finished with all hair, allow curls to cool.
Brush through curls with a wide-tooth comb or brush and set with hairspray.

Lifestyle

Gluten Free Expo + Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza

September 7, 2016

We are SO excited because this weekend we will be going to the Gluten Free + Allergen Free Expo this weekend in Dallas (September 10th and 11th) . We were so sad to miss it last year because we were out of town! There will be a ton of brands, samples, and all of our favorite foods! We had the chance to attend the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim last March, and it was SO much fun. Not only did we get to meet a ton of our favorite bloggers and food companies, but we got to try a ton of yummy foods like ice cream, bars, popcorn, and nut butters. Oh, and we left with a TON of samples to take home with us;) Who doesn’t love that?

One of the brands we are excited to visit is Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza. As you all know, we stick to eating gluten-free because of our Hypothyroidism, so when it comes to pizza, we don’t really get to eat it that often. We were recently introduced to Freschetta, and we can’t wait to try their pizza at the expo!

Their pizzas are made with the freshest ingredients and come in a variety of flavors such as “4 Cheese Medley,” which is a blend mozzarella, Fontina, Parmesan, and Asiago, and “Signature Pepperoni Pizza”. The crust is thin and crispy, and is certified gluten free by the Celiac Support Association.
They will be at booth 200 at the expo, if you all want to visit them and try to their pizzas!

We are definitely looking forward to attending the expo, and have our appetites ready;)

This post is sponsored by Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza, but all opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow A Double Dose to operate full time.