Category: beauty

the libra club

there were many parts of my trip to kauai that i loved but one that stood out most was my tattoo session with mckenzie. welcome to the libra club.

the libra club magazine
chess + checkers
one of the tattoo stations

hillary, one of my dear friends (and fellow aquarians), knew that i was in the market for a couple of new tattoos. when we were at dinner earlier this summer, she couldn’t rave more about the libra club. the moment i walked in, i understood why. so many tattoo shops i have been to have a vibe that isn’t inviting or comfortable. many of them just seem like they are missing a little something. once inside of the libra club, i realized what was missing – feminine energy.

the libra club is owned by a woman and filled with amazing female artists. the space felt light and safe. it was an added bonus that there was great natural light, a/c on full blast (necessary when battling the hawaii humidity) and plenty of cute things to buy. when it was time to get started, i felt completely at ease. mckenzie, the owner, was my artist. i had sent her some ideas ahead of time but also told her i was open to her putting her own spin on it. i truly couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

compass tattoo with flowers

for anyone that knows me, it is no secret that i view connie (my late grandmother aka grammy) as my compass. i cannot even tell you how many times per week i think about what grammy would say when making a decision – whether it is what throw pillows to get to what advice to give a friend to how to handle conflict at work, she always knew just what to do. with grammy in my heart, my sense of direction is exactly where it needs to be. i cannot thank mckenzie enough for creating something so beautiful to honor the most beautiful person i’ve ever known. if you find yourself in kauai, be sure to visit the libra club.

xoxo,

k. tap

national bubble bath day

there seems to be a holiday for absolutely everything these days but one that i am happy to celebrate is national bubble bath day.

kicking off national bubble bath day the right way this morning at melissa’s house

i frequently use the bathtub as a way to decompress, reset and also soak my muscles after personal training with grit and gratitude fitness. i loved baths as a toddler and never outgrew it. i actually would say i come from a family of bath connoisseurs. one of my absolute favorite products for my time in the tub comes from the aromatherapy line from bath and body works.

eucalyptus + spearmint stress relief
body wash + foam bath

this eucalyptus + spearmint stress relief body wash + foam bath with vitamin e + aloe not only makes me feel like i’ve transported to the world’s most peaceful spa in the middle of the woods, it leaves my skin feeling moisturized without feeling oily. it produces the perfect amount of bubbles and a little goes a long way because it lathers wonderfully. i often burn the candle during my bath and while i relax for awhile before either getting dressed for the day or getting ready for bed. i find that eucalyptus creates a zen vibe for me. i couldn’t recommend these products more if you are looking to practice a bit of self care.

what products do you like to use in the bath?

xoxo,

k. tap

saturdays are for soaking (with fur)

closer to the start of lockdown, my friend elisa sent me a little gift to enhance my baths.

if you know me, you know i can soak for hours. the fact that there was a product that i hadn’t heard of related to bath time seemed nearly impossible. leave it to elisa to do the impossible. fur is this incredibly soothing bath oil that has left my legs feeling smoother than i knew possible while making shaving seem equal parts easy and enjoyable.

i just dropped three of these in while my bath water was running and they had dissolved completely by the time i was hopping into the tub. bath time will never be the same. you can find these bath drops and more skincare essentials from fur at nordstrom.

have you tried fur? if so, what is your favorite product?

xoxo,

k. tap

saje natural wellness

last week, i did a little staycation in san diego.  it was exponentially improved by three things: great company, an unparalleled dining experience at herb & sea and my soak in the tub with saje natural wellness.

 

hillary knows me so well that she deep cleaned her tub in preparation for my arrival.  while she finished working, i enjoyed a peach hard seltzer while listening to leon bridges and soaking in her tub.  prior to my 30th birthday, i had never heard of saje natural wellness.  leave it to hillary to show me the better things in life.  she knows how much i love baths plus, both hilly and her roommate swear by saje.

 

let me tell you this: i literally felt like i was on a cloud.  the bedtime ritual relaxing bath kit did just that.  i just floated away.  my muscles were so relaxed and the tension i often carry in my back just melted away.  something i loved is that the kit came with enough bath salts for at least two (if not three) soaks.  the body butter, oil and candle really rounded out the experience.  i felt completely at ease in the tub but what i loved most was how that state of being continued even after.  i absolutely felt a difference in how i slept that night, even on a couch – that should tell you something.

 

 

while i initially would’ve just categorized this as beauty, i realized that saje is much more than that.  if you are truly into health and wellness, saje is for you because of their ability to reduce stress and create calm.  if you love candles and diffusers for your home to create a certain ambiance, saje is for you.  if you want a natural approach to beauty and wellness, look no further.

 

have you tried saje natural wellness?  what are your favorite products?

 

xoxo,

k. tap

 

 

fresh ink

for as long as i can remember, i have always loved tattoos. i was 12 when i decided that i would get a tattoo on my 18th birthday. i told myself it was going to have to be something that i liked for a full year before inking it on my body permanently and i did just that. over the years, i added a couple more. i have gone with countless friends to their appointments and even paid for my brother’s first tattoo when he was 18 (he has since lapped me and has full sleeves). i truly believe they are an art form.

fast forward to the beginning of this year. alan (one of my best friends from undergrad at scu) is someone who not only understands the beauty of tattoos, he is someone who truly understands me. we have grown up together in so many ways, especially when you consider how much a person evolves from 18 to 30. add some bonus points in for people like us who also value working on our mental and emotional health/wellness. i had been wanting some more tattoos for quite some time and had a list of things i wanted. however, i had this vision and thought he might call me crazy – i wanted us to get matching tattoos. before even discussing what it could be, he agreed immediately.

i was amped. we tossed around countless ideas of both matching and connected tattoos. nothing was totally sticking. we made an appointment for a few months out so there would be some time to decide. one day, i asked how he felt about a skull with flowers. he was equal parts shocked and on board. we were all set for april and then covid swept through. we pushed out the appointment to june and it was the best decision we could have made.

our tattoo artist made us feel incredibly comfortable, she is ridiculously talented, has the most genuine spirit and alan and i are both counting down until our next appointment with her. you can check out ruby and her amazing work here.

alan had done so much research about ruby and we knew we trusted her. we gave very little instruction aside from wanting skulls with flowers and the general size of the tattoo. i went first and it was seamless. alan ended up getting two tattoos – it seemed like ruby could read our minds.

here is the finished product!

not only were we thrilled the finished product, we didn’t give her an exact number for the flowers but she chose three. alan and i have known one another across three decades (end of our teens, our 20s and now, our 30s), we turned 30 this year, alan is born on june 3rd and i have always loved the number 3 because both my brother and i are born on the 13th.

this photo was taken the day of so the color will settle in a bit differently once completely healed. even still, i am in love with them! i can’t wait for my next appointment with ruby.

do you have any tattoos? any questions about the process? let me know.

xoxo,

k. tap