Turning Blaa into Something Better

{Blue top - Loft, Skirt - Gap, Sandals - H&M, Bag - Theit}

Cheeeese. How to make a semi-boring outfit fun? Orange lips & fringe sandals. It's the little things in life that can sometimes turn a blaa situation, into something a little more special!  Like this weekend, Hubs and I stayed home on a Saturday night (gasp!).  We had celebrated the Kentucky Derby during the day, and have been on the go for all to long.  So Saturday night, we hung out at home.

We didn't do anything spectacular (cue blaa), but it was a fantastic night.  Comfy clothes. Movie, Night Weather = Grilling.  Yummy dinner.  Best of all, hubs and I.  Just the two of us.  On a Saturday night.  It was a nice evening.  Hubs is the orange lipstick in my outfit.

Follow Me on Twitter & Thanks to Lulu for taking my pics!

Major Orange Crush

It started with some orangie/coral heels, then a skinny belt, nto nail polish, then lip stick...now I'm craving some orange for my closet.  It's official - I'm Orangified!

Orange Crush

You almost, almost, don't even notice the crappy paint job and little nubbin' nails with this Revlon "Craving Coral" Nail Polish painted on.  Looks a lot more orangey than red in person, sans harsh flash (not winning any photog awards on that pic)

If you can avoid looking up my nose, you might see my fun painted pucker - oooo love that Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Siren.  And it even lasted through my morning coffee, bagel and into the afternoon!

Absolutely perfect springy-summer dresses that I must get my hands on....
Mango Dress, Shabby Apple & Suzi Chin Ruffle Neck Dress

More Clothing Options...

Brought to you by

Orange dress at Beso.com

I'm on the hunt for some cute orange flats, too!  Haven't found any I adore yet... YET!

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Beauty Review: Clinique Redness Solution Makeup

I have blotchy skin with red undertones.  It's especially sensitive in the winter...most make up I apply just makes it itchy and even redder!  So I saw ads in all the latest magazines for Clinique's new redness solutions line and I was excited to try it!

This does not just do a great job of covering up blotchy skin without looking cakey - but it actually works to even out skin tone (without wearing make up!).

Just a small amount blends over my whole face - acting a little like lotion, a little like foundation and even a little sun protection. I wear this daily now and it'll be my go-to "foundation" or base make up from now on.

Have you tried this stuff?  What is your go-to make-up finds?

Mascara Deluxe Sampler Review (Part 4, of 10)

Sephora's Deluxe Mascara Sampler consists of 10 high-end designer mascaras.  My favorite beauty products is mascara, that and concealer (but that's out of necessity), so when I saw this sample pack - I began that path to use and review these trial sizes.

The first 3 reviews:

Hourglass Superficial Lash Mascara

Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara

Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing and Strengthening Mascara

And on to sample 4:

Benefit A Little Bit BADGal Lash Mascara

What Sephora has to say: a little bit of BADgal lash for the girl on the go. Even though it's little, it carries a big BADgal punch.

My review:

Pros - Lashes look long.  The mascara really builds off itself extending your lash length.  The consistency is a bit drier, so not smudging or smearing.

Cons - The brush is really big, making it hard to get the corners and shorter lashes.

Reader's Left - mascara applied; right side - plain lashes

BADgal mascara on both lashes - see length here

Reader's left - L'Oreal Voluminizing Mascara layered over BADgal - You can see how it just adds a bit more umph!

Couple swipes of BADgal mascara and then a slow application of L'Oreal

What is your favorite mascara right now?

Mascara Deluxe Sampler Review (Part 3, of 10)

Back to the mascara review (see first two here), after the using the first few trials in Sephora's Deluxe Mascara Sampler to fruition (no matter how much I liked it, I wanted to use it all), I'm on to review sample 3:

Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing and Strengthening Mascara

Here's what Sephora said about Korres Mascara: Enriched with Abyssinia oil, a conditioning botanical that builds volume and length for lush, gorgeous, natural-looking lashes you will love.

My review:  

Pros - the mascara lengthens and makes for natural looking lashes.  A good base layer! They also felt soft, and no flakes!

Cons - mascara color is not dark enough.  I like dark black mascara!  No thickening on my lashes.

The Photos:

Reader left - mascara, right - naked lashes

Both eyes have a couple layers each. Lashes are long, yet natural looking.  I used this mascara as a base before adding on my (still) favorite, drug-store brand: L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen

Added L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen to both set of lashes. Lashes are a little darker, little thicker.

Overall I really liked the Korres Abyssinia Oil Volatilizing Mascara - I would definitely get this again to use as my base layer or bumming around (times I don't need the full-effect lashes).

Have any of you tried this kind of mascara, or this sampler pack?  What is your favorite mascara?

Mascara Deluxe Sampler Review (Part 2, of 10)

Last month I started on my mascara deluxe sampler from Sephora, reviewing each sample one by one!  My first review of Hourglass Superficial Lash wasn't the best...so I forged forward and onto the second sample, 0.09 oz Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara.
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I used this mascara off and on for about a month, but before I give my option, let's review what Sephora says about this mascara:

Reach new heights with Urban Decay's all new Skyscraper Mascara. This monumental breakthrough will lengthen, strengthen, separate, curl, brighten, and thicken your lashes sans clumping or flaking. 

Now what I thought it did?

PROS: It does lengthen and separates the lashes.  I felt like it fanned them very nice.  There was no flaking or clumping either!  It went on very smoothly.

CONS: It does not thicken. No sireee!  I felt like I had to put on 3 or 4 layers of this mascara to finally be able to see it - the color was light and didn't darken my lashes.  

My option is, if the coloring is so light and there isn't any thickness, how are you going to see the nice length and fanning?  Now for the proof:

Eye to the right is mascara-free (aka non-existent); the eye to the left has Urban Decay applied

 You can really see the length here, however from more than 5 inches away, you loose site of the long, light, and thing lashes...

Eye to the right has just Urban Decay applied; the eye to the left has Urban Decay on first, with my old faithful cheapie mascara, L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen.

I always compare mascara to L'Oreal's Extra Volume Collagen because it's my current favorite!  As you can see it adds the thickness and dark color I so desire!

Both eyes have Urban Decay mascara first and then L'Oreal on top.

Final thoughts on this one...

Still not worth the bucks ($22).  If my $6 mascara is still needed to perk up my lashes, I'm not shelling out 3-4 times more for something less.

On to the next one...

0.13 oz Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing and Strengthening Mascara

Mascara Deluxe Sampler Review (Part 1, of 10)

After my mascara post a few months ago, I decided to go ahead and get the Sephora LashStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler.  This thing comes with 10 high end deluxe-sized samples of mascara.  Since Dior didn't wow me, and I'm still loving the cheapies - I decided to give this a try to see if I could find something to perk up my eye lashes and in the meantime, I'll review each one as I use them.  

First up!  0.16 oz Hourglass Superficial Lash sample:

I've used this mascara for a few weeks now (it's about gone now, but 3 weeks of use isn't bad at all!), and I could never use it alone.

PROS: It did a nice job in lengthening my lashes.  No smell.  Not clumpy.

CONS: No thickening at all.  The color was pretty light.  No wow factor.

Disclaimer: it's hard to take pics of your eyes so close without looking like something out of a fun mirror.

The eye to your right is mascara free.  My natural lashes are relatively long, however, they are light and thin, so hard to see.

The eye to you left has hourglass mascara applied.

Final thoughts on this one:

I would not buy this sucker for $26.  You could easily find this kind of result in a drugstore brand for cheap cheapity cheap.

On to the next one!  

Next to Review: Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara

Christmas Gift: Multi-Tasking Jewelry

A great gift I got from a dear friend this season....not just a gorgeous ring, but a lovely perfume too!

Marc Jacobs Lola Solid Perfume Ring

The solid perfume is hidden under the flower - you just slide it over to reveal. Talk about a multi-tasking jewelry piece! I am wearing this ring with my NYE outfit! :)

Other cute muti-tasking jewelry and perfumes:

Marc Jacobs Daisy Solid Perfume Necklace
This perfume pendant would look pretty strung on a gold chain.

DKNY Be Delicious Solid Perfume Key Chain

Vintage Max Factor Solid Hypnotique Perfume Necklace
This fish necklace with perfume is from the 50s/60s. Who knows how well the solid perfume has held up, but the necklace is really cool.


Kat Von D Solid Perfume Ring

Mascara Reviews - Dior vs. Drugstore Brands

My most important beauty product is mascara. That's the one thing I'd bring with me if I could only chose one beauty product.

My friend and I were having a discussion about mascara and thus, inspired this post.

First, what brands of mascara do you love?

During the Sephora F&F sale, I got the Dior Show Mascara. I've been using it for the last month...and I'm not impressed. It's not any better than cheaper brands I use. This mascara provides a medium strength length, but little volume and poor color (in total, on a scale of 1-10, a 5). When combined with my cheaper favorites, one that was better at thickness, it was ok (a 6). So, In my opinion - not worth the money.

The "cheaper" brands I do think are totally worth the money and a try:

My Fav - L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen

This mascara provides awesome (9) volume, a rich glossy black color and a pretty good (7.5) amount of volume. The wand is a bit short and stout, so not the easiest to apply, but not bad.


Another good one to have on hand - Maybelline Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Washable Mascara

This mascara has a great wand - long and easy to handle around your eye lashes. It provides excellent length (9), but lacks a bit in the rich black color and volume (5).

So that leads to the second part of our conversation:

I bet you can guess how I use my two favs. I combined them. I first put on a full coverage 1-2 swipes, depending on how the mascara takes to my eye lashes, of the Lash Stiletto to get length. Then I put on 2 full swipes of the L'Oreal Collagen on over the Lash Stiletto. This plumps up my lashes and leaves the great glossy color behind.

When I use the Dior Mascara, I swap out Lash Stiletto for Dior - I can't really tell a difference.

My friend, that helped inspire this post, said she uses two swipes of Define-a-Lash and then one swipe of the Colossal, both by Maybelline.

How do you wear your mascara? Combine two brands or just stick to one? What's your favorite?

My next Sephora purchase (which will be soon, because I just got a $15 gift card on a purchase of $35 or more from Sephora for being a Beauty Insider) I am going to get this LashStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler and find the mascara of my dreams (a 10)!

All I Want for Christmas....

Is you, and you, and you! And health and happiness and peace. I wish everyone to have a wonderful and safe holiday season. And if Santa decides to stop by my house... these fabulous things...

The amazing smell of Anthropologie's Volcano candles (I want to fill my entire house with the smell)...

Capri blue candle in volcano

A new flat iron...Solia Flat Iron (goes up to 450 degrees):

The largest bottle of this goodness possible:

Philosophy's Grace Lotion

All of these books (the ones I don't have). Especially...

These shearling mocs with metallic bow - I love my Target Fur Slipper Moccasins so much, that maybe it's time to upgrade? The fur in mine is matted down and, while still lovely, not as plush as it once was.

And anything else from J.Crew... anything. Like...

Skinny crushed-glitter belt

Felted-wool bistro mini
Sequined starland tank
Shadow facet bracelet

What do you want for the Holidays? I'm sure my list will keep growing...mainly to include home stuff (like paint, a sofa console, leather ottoman/coffee table). Anyways, what's the Holidays without a little wish list?