This is air-dried hair! I blew dry the bangs and scrunched some Orofluido Oil into it

Hello my lovelies! I’ve been MIA all week, as you might have noticed: I was on a press trip to St. Martin, with a long review and recap for you coming soon. More importantly, I’ve been editing the novel I’ve been working on for the past 2 years and am up against a deadline – 1 more week to go! Keep your fingers crossed for me…it’s a topic very near and dear to my heart, and I’m obviously hoping it sells.

While in St. Martin, I put down the blowdryer and decided to air dry my hair. I liked the results so much that it’s a trend I’ve vowed to keep up all summer. My trick for getting the hair to look polished is blowdrying just my bangs and using a round brush to curl the bangs up and away from my face – as a result, they look smooth and frizz-free, and it allows the rest of the hair a little more crazy-kinky-frizzy wiggle room. I also applied a little Orofluido Oil to make it shiny and soft.

On a completely different note, I’m so excited it’s finally (basically) summer. I’ve decided to lighten up for summer and have some FUN. I am dubbing it The Summer of Jolie. (Not for everybody, obviously–just for moi–although you are welcome to crib your own Summer of Jolie!)

Here’s the deal. I broke up with (ex)Boyfriend Jolie a couple of months ago and, frankly, I’ve been down in the dumps about it. It was one of those square peg-round hole situations where there was a lot of love and zero consensus on life goals, and ever since I’ve been putting tremendous pressure on myself to FIND MY SOULMATE. I’m 31! The clock’s a ticking! Let’s get this baby-making show on the road!

No more.

I found myself being inauthentic with the rebound guys I was dating–specifically, one guy who seemed perfect on paper, but who I felt even after several dates didn’t really have a chance to see the real me. You know: the me who breaks into song and dances on my friends on public and says wildly inappropriate things and is equally dorky and fabulous. My alter-ego: Jolie.

There are all sorts of cheesy-and-inspirational quotes floating around on the topic, but the gist of it is: “It’s better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not.” I think I’ve forgotten that recently, focusing so much on the end result (MARRIAGE, KIDS, MARRIAGE, KIDS, HAPPILY EVER AFTER, PRESSURE, PRESSURE, PRESSURE) that I’ve lost sight of the journey. (Cue Chris Harrison.)

So, I’m declaring this summer a palate cleanser. It’s time for a do-over. No marriage-worries. No kid pressure. No fretting that I might be alone forever. No chastising myself for being too silly, or too ballsy, or too neurotic, or too too. I’m going back to basics and getting in touch with myself again, and I’m going to behave however I damn well please. If anybody I meet along the way has an issue with it…well, the exit is thataway.

Come September, we’ll reevaluate. Put on the ol’ relationship cap. Start looking for Mr. Jolie.

But this summer? We’re making the most of it!