current obsession; latest beauty buys

song of the day: love songs, anjulie

how are you doing? how's your week going so far? hope your tuesday is treating you well. don't have much time again today, just sharing my beauty obsessions as of late.

bright eyes
lately i've been skipping eyeliner altogether, instead i've been dabbing a light eyeshadow in the corners of my eyes for a look that widens them and make them look instantly awake. i just dab it along the natural v, but definitely trace farther along the top lid. and since i've started i've noticed blake lively does it all the time, on and off the show. she often uses white shadow in her corners, but that's a little too stark for me. tan or pale gold just right for darker skin tones. silver's also really cool for a night look. add a swipe of mascara, and i'm good to go!

madison mauve
at first, i wasn't so ecstatic that maybelline revamped their entire lipstick line earlier this year. the first two i tried were flops. but i finally found a plum that works for me. it's good to wear or stain. i don't care too much for the smell, but i love that it lasts forever. (pardon my bizarre expression in the photo, what's important here is the lipstick, not how deliriously happy i was at my birthday party.)


essie
remember way back when i was talking about matte nails? i'm officially a believer. i bought the matte about you top coat and i haven't stopped using it since. although, i think half the fun might be watching it change. i also got mint green candy apple and it's one of my favourite colours of the season. my tips? apply a good basecoat, because you can't put top coat on a matte nail. also, make sure the nail is completely dry before applying the matte topcoat.

that's all for now. but i'd love to know, what's on your nails right now?

xoxo
-B.

current obsession; colorstay ultimate

i've fallen in love with a new lip colour. before there was nail polish, i was obsessed with lipsticks/glosses and averaging about two a week. thankfully, i've got that under control. but then i saw this revlon colorstay ultimate lip colour peeking out of my mom's makeup bin...

here's what it promises, straight from the revlon website:

• food-proof lipcolor with a built-in, ultra-conditioning topcoat
• one-step application: no topcoat required for comfortable wear
• stays comfortable and wears beautifully for up to 12 hours
• does not feather or fade; no touch-ups required, even after meals
• available in 20 full-coverage, soft satin shades
  

and i think it very nearly lives up to all it says it will be. i think it's a really interesting combo, it has a wand like a lipgloss but feels really lipsticky when it's on. it does last a REALLY long time. ridiculously so. you need to give it a minute to dry (no talking!) and then it stays in for the long haul. like, the only way to take if off is with a strong makeup remover.

but it's totally kicking the butt of the lip colour i bought at sephora last month. i have it in #1 nude and premier plum (the shade i'm wearing in the pic). the temptation to buy this in EVERY colour possible is tempting! but i've got a budget to stick to, and school books to buy.

it's super important to apply it to bare lips. my only qualm? it would be awesome if it had just a little more moisturizing. even though there's not top coat required, i tend to stick on some c.o. bigelow's lip butter to keep things soft. but it's a bit of a compromise, even though it feels a little dry, it looks really natural when it's on because it's not all that glossy. i've been wearing it every day for the last two weeks. anyone else ever tried these?

-B.

how to; bright lips

happy friday! i hope you're having a good day. i know i wrote about it last week, but i still found myself falling into the mindset that august is "just the month until school starts." and don't get me wrong, i'm excited about school! but i keep finding myself kind of just waiitng in stasis, for september. so i'm making it my goal to do something exciting with the next two (or so) weeks. here are 3 of my favourite summer things to do.

1. go outside. nothing says summer more than hopping outside. i'm out there whenever i can. it's been raining alot, so heading outside has become even more exciting. i tend to do a lot of my internship work out on my back porch before it gets too warm.

2. summer is also the perfect time to save on summer clothes! stores are busy trying to clear out summer stock to get ready for fall. pick up tanks and tees on the cheap! and then come up with places to where them!

3. experiment with a new look. i've been doing this a little lately. i'm thinking in the next couple of weeks i'm going to go over my style affirmation for the next year. i'll post that up later. but ahh! there i go! thinking about the fall again! here's an idea!

summer is an awesome time to rock your bright makeup. i do have to watch out cause superbright ones can seem to harsh on dark skin tones. (i tend to wear only deep reds and berry shades) but i have a new favourite! my go-to for bold lips is cool watermelon from maybelline. it's not TOO bright? and it's also got spf 15. you really need to find a bright that works for you.

and there are a few tricks to making bright lips stay all day long. first? exfoliate. then, dab on a nongreasy lip balm ten to twenty minutes before applying the colour. blot the balm, and take your time applying the colour carefully. finally, dust lightly with a translucent powder and you should be good to go! excuse the mussy hair, but that pick's of me at the end of the day! still looking bright! that's all for now!

-xoxo
B.

current obsession; summer scents

(song of the day: forever and for alaways, shania twain)

morning! my current obsession? the sweet smells of summer days. in summer superlight fragrances are the name of the game. i think scent is an important and intimate accesory.

in summer, you want to aim for fragrances with citrus and/or floral top notes. in perfume, citrus goes beyond lemon and orange: think bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, and neroli. for florals, think lily of the valley, jasmine, and ylang-ylang.

i'm (still) obsessed with daisy by marc jacobs. but i find it smells better in the summer. if you haven't smelled it yourself, it blends wild strawberry, red grapefruit, gardenia, violet and jasmine notes. it's a simple yet appealing, just like daisies themselves! i get complimented it on it alot.

but R and i were smelling samples at the bay the other day and i've found myself haunted by the smell of lacoste's love of pink. it's a chypre/fruit fragrance that's got hints of red orange, passionfruit, lemon, pink magnolia, quince blossom, stephanotis, white cedar, musk and vanilla. it smelled SO good and i'm considering it as my next perfume purchase.

take caution of two things. heat amplifies the smell of any fragrance and your nose finds it harder to smell something it's become accustomed to. in warmer weather, you'll need to wear a little less to keep the smell from overpowering you (or anyone else in your vicinity)

and lest we forget, sunscreen is one of the best smells of summer. and my new friend A (thanks J) introduced to a delightful smelling sunscreen with mango and papaya notes that is everything right about summer scents. i'm going to have to ask him and track that one down. in the meanwhile, check out some of my other favourites.

so what are your favourite summer smells? (it doesn't have to be a perfume.)
that's all for me. i've a lunch date! later my lovelies!

how to; prevent makeup meltdown

(song of the day: mansard roof, vampire weekend)

as the weather warms up, makeup melts off. but not this summer! here are a bunch of tips and tricks for getting makeup that lasts. my most important suggestion is to try and wear as little makeup as possible, but should you feel you have to here are some suggestions.

before leaving the house...

start with a clean, fresh face. lately i've been using (and loving) olay dual action cleanser and pore scrub. but i've heard the exfoliants can be harsh for some. i like the way my skin feels offer, deep cleaned and dry, ready for makeup. if that's not your cup of tea you can also try a mattifiying cream, pore minimizer or a favourite of yours that absorbs oil.

skin: all i keep hearing when it comes to summer makeup that lasts is tinted moisturizer. and i mean that's great and all when you can find one that actually matches your skin tone. i have been unable to find one dark enough for me under $30. (if you have any suggestions let me know!) but when you find your oil-free tinted moisturizer of choice, apply with a damp sponge in short outward strokes.

for me, all i really need for cool dewy sking is a moisturizer with SPF. when applying, don't forget your neck, hairline and the tops of your ears! clean up problem spots with a few dashes of concealer.

eyes: makeup is more likely to melt when it contains emollients. i remember reading this interview from bobbi brown and she suggested you avoid overly creamy products. she preferred powder blushes and eye shadows becaues they are less likely to run. mineral makeup is good too.

aim to use neutral colours because they are less likely to show should they melt/run. skips the eye liner, most usually smudge. if you can find a waterproof eyeliner, avoid dark colours because they create dark circles around your eyes should they run. keep liner to the top lid. if you haven't already, trade in your favourite mascara for a waterproof version. but beware, even waterproof shades can melt if you use to use, try one thin coat.

lips: lip glosses can turn your lips into a slip and slide, and they also intensify your lips reception to the sun and can increase your chances of burning there (what an odd thing to say). lipstains don't melt off like other glosses do. if you don't want to splurge on new lip wear, you can transform any lipstick into a stain. you'll want to use a bright shade, the pigments are richer and better at tinting lips. apply two swipes, wait ten minutes and gently tissue off the top layer.

cheeks: again i recommend a stain, instead of applying directly use your fingers to get a more natural look. if you choose a bronzed colour (as opposed to a pink or rose), use it to give the look of a sun-kissed glow all around: smooth it across the bridge of your nose and on the high points of your cheekbones.

and then, i recommend finishing up with a transparent finishing powder. (maybelline has a nice one!)

when you're out...

it might not be a bad idea to carry blotting paper on you. i've never used them myself but the idea seems simple enough. press the sheet up against your face, there's no need to wipe. and if you can't get your hands on thatm try using a large white tissue to blot at your hairline eyes, coerners of the nose, lips, chin and jawline and attempt to suck up oil and smudges.

if your eye shadow has creased, close your eyelid and press your finger against it to smooth the remaining shadow and wipe away liner and mascara. wipe your lips clean and add a wash of balm or gloss to freshen up.

i think that's it for me. how do you beat the heat? drop me a comment!

-lovelovelove.

photos from here and here.

current obession; weddings (part 2)

about face.

today i'm covering hair and makeup. if you're rolling in money you can always solve the problem by booking a hair or makeup appointment and i will envy you from a far. i had always thought that wedding makeup had to be outdone on complicated but almost everything i read suggested the exact opposite. apparently, the thing to do is to find a fresh, but natural look that highlights the best possible you. especially for summer occasions, sheer and simple looks are the best. in weddings, it's better to look timeless as opposed to trendy.

my first tip? have a test run a few days before. there's nothing fun about running late to a wedding with makeup and hair that you hate. you can make sure you have any thing to need and it won't be too late to incorporate new ideas. you never know where you'll find inspiration, magazines, celebrities, blogs ;) but you never want to try something new the day of.

you have to consider makeup that'll last for the whole day and that will look good in pictures. having a good foundation and concealer are key. it always seems that the tiniest imperfections get amplified in pictures. pick one that matches your skin tone exactly. you also might wanted to choose one that won't get cakey by the end of the day (again, a test run here would be helpful)

a few last makeup notes: avoid matching your makeup to your dress and go with what brings out your facial feautres! in your purse the day of the wedding i suggest carrying oil-absorbing sheets and lip gloss for touchups. lovely!

now as for hair...

take note of the dress code. with formal attire updos are the norm, but you can keep things more simple if you're headed to a daytime wedding. don't go with an updo or curls just because it's the thing to do, choose a hairstyle that compliments your face! round faces should go for volume and height, square faces are flattered by layered, wispy, romantic looks. heart-shaped faces do well with sweep of hair across the brow and oval faces generally look good with anything. do a little googling/experimenting.

the immensely tight bun look is on its way out right now. opt for a cute bedhead bun and accesorize with a sparkly pin, fresh flower or headband. or a cute look like the one in the video. i can see offsetting something like that with some nice dnagly
earrings, coulnd't you?



but don't over do it. after all, all the real attentions supposed to be on the bride ;) and if all else fails, remember that a smile is your best accesory!

-xoxo.

p.s. karen over at the makeup and beauty blog rounded up 101 bridal makeup tutorials for your perousal. even though they're aimed at brides there's plenty of good stuff. tons of videos and tutorials. go nuts!

how to; exfoliate your lips

i have a lip gloss addiction, and smooth lips go hand in hand with that. when i posted about how to wear lip stains a few weeks ago and i got to the part about exfoliating before you apply i really wanted to dwell on it a little longer! it's tons easier for a product to stick when you start with fresh, smooth lips. so today, here are three (free!) ways to get prime your lips and make them super smooth using stuff you've already got.

1. use a washcloth
to begin, wet the corner of a washcloth with warm water. next place your finger inside the washcloth and rub your lips in soft circles until you've removed all the dirt/loose skin, old lip product.

2. use tooth brush
use a plain toothbrush, wet it with warm water, but don't put any water on it! and brush away dead skin flakes. my recommendation for this is to by a kids toothbrush. i have one! they're perfect because the head of the toothbrush is smaller and the bristles are softer.

3. use some sugar
it's a natural exfoliant. make a thick paste of sugar and water and apply it to your lips using a finger. rub in a circular motion until all the flakes are gone. (and try not to lick the sugar off because it IS tempting!)

seal in smooth lips with a lip balm or vaseline. then apply lip gloss, lip stick, what have you. it might not be a bad idea to invest in something with an SPF because lips can get sun burnt too! check my reccomendations, below.

of course there are a lot of lip exfoliants you can buy as well, i already talked about a great one from bath and body works and sephora's got a great one too. check out what works for you!

how to; stop nails from chipping

original post date: march 31, 2009
(song of the day: so far, so great, demi lovato)

heya! i've been singing that song LOUDLY all day. it's been a good one. i hope yours has been too. but i have a problem! the other day, i discovered something wonderful. did you know OPI makes miniature sets of their nail polish collections? i was going through the mall when i saw these in the display window. they included miniature versions of three of the polishes from the new south beach collection and a rapid-dry top coat. "suzie the lifeguard" is a really nice light pink, "done out in deco" is a matte lavender (not the one i had on the other day, but defs the one i'll be trying next) and "overexposed in south beach" is this deep magenta-purple combo with just a hint of sparkle. they're all to die for! i thoroughly reccomend picking up one of the mini lacquer sets if you ever see them, it only cost $13, when a regular bottle of OPI retails for about $10. (haha. actually when i saw them, i literally stopped in my tracks and just smiled at them, and then a guy who was walking by thought i was staring at him.) haha. i'm digressing. on to my problem. my nail polish ALWAYS chips. and i mean always. part of that has to do with my job. (tying balloons isn't exactly easy on the nails.) but even when i'm not my nail polish never seems to last. and the solution was actually quite simple. the best way to avoid chips? (continue reading!)



again one of those obvious things i never really think about it. i always try and cut corners, but you actually have to give yourself a wide berth of time if you want to do nails that last. apparently (but not surprisingly) base coat actually helps. it gives the real polish something to adhere to.and did you know you're supposed to take five to ten minutes between each coat? (and apparently it doesn't work if you cheat and put on a thick layer, they're only more likely to chip. thin ones will last longer.) i'm lucky if i wait two minutes. and i usually go on my computer while it's drying. i think i'm safe using the pads of my fingers instead of my tips, but the scarlet stain on my J-key says otherwise.

and here's another mistake. apparently you're not supposed to use those "quick dry" lacquers. the extra ingredients that allow those fast drying polishes to set so quickly makes them cheap more easily. you're better of springing for those no-chip polishes. (try the no chip 10 day nail colour from sally hansen. i have one, and it lasts pretty long even though i've never quite made it to the 10 day mark? but then again, i've never applied them properly either.) here's another tip i read about, if you apply a horizontal swipe across the top of the nail after the first coat, it'll act as a ridge to further prevent chipping, and then when you beginning applying the second coat, you'll cover up the horizontal line. i'll certainly be trying that out. and lastly, top coat is also helpful when it comes to preventing chips. and that's it for me. happy chip-less-ness? hahah. bon soir!

-lovelovelove!

how to; braids

braids!

nothing much to say today. but i'm determined to try and post at least one thing a day. which is actually proving kind of difficult. here's all i could come up with on a sunday night. for a while now, everyone's been touting this new (but now kind of old) braid trend, and i thought i'd give it a try. and i actually really like it! i tried it last sunday and wore a different variation all week. haha. it's so cute and simple! a nice alternative for me, the queen of just leaving her hair down =P apologies for the bad pic, but it's the only one i had ready.

here's a site you can visit for more braid styles if you care to check them out:

http://www.zimbio.com/Hairstyles+with+Braids/articles/8/Fall+2008+Hair+Trends+Braids

---

so i saw push and taken today. and taken was actually way better than i expected. which was cool. but then i ran into the HOTTEST guys from church which was certainly NOT expected. i was with my family, and not really dressed for that sort of occasion. you'd have to know these guys, they're so hot it's intimidating. for me anyway. i'm proud i managed to carry a conversation with them without melting into a pool of pathetic.

after the movies, me and my sister rushed home to watch the grammies, and i have to say, my highlights so far are: stevie wonder + jonas brothers = a musical orgasm, ditto the justin timberlake + al green combo, kanye's fro / mullet combo, coming to the realization that paul mccartney will never be "old", jason mraz (i'm not sure if he'll win, but the boy is handsome), josh groban's (small) appearance, the four tops tribute, robin thicke (he's smooth) and making jokes about the whole thing with my sister.

happy sunday!

-lovelovelove.