Song of the Day

Kind of a weird video, but an awesome cover of my favorite Jay-Z song.  I love Hugo.

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Just a quick post for today.  I wanted to let you all know that I just made a Facebook page, so if you enjoy reading my blog, please "like" it on Facebook!




Happy Monday dolls!

SAG Awards Beauty

If any of you read my Golden Globes Beauty post, you know I am absolutely obsessed with awards shows.  Tonight the Screen Actors Guild Awards were presented on TNT, and I have to say I was kind of underwhelmed.  January Jones and Natalie Portman both tried retro, sculpted wave hairstyles that were far from thrilling.  Claire Danes had a ton of shine going on: great on your hair, not on your face (I died for Claire's dress, though!).  Don't get me wrong, there were some amazing looks coming from the stars; Jennifer Lawrence, Sofia Vergara, Hilary Swank and Heather Morris all looked stunning.  The best beauty looks belonged to Mila Kunis and Amy Adams.

Besides Mila's highlights (which are absolutely amazing), her smoky eyes never fail.  I'd go so far as to say she has the best eye makeup in Hollywood.  She offset her green eyes with tons of blackened navy eyeliner and soft grey shadow.  She finished the look with a pale pink lip that isn't too matte or chalky.  For a similar look, I'd suggest MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Print.

Next up is Amy Adams, who was one of my favorites simply because of her amazing pony tail.  I am a sucker for a sleek pony, and this is one of the best I've seen.  Amy usually sticks to a subdued makeup palette (I don't think I've ever seen her do anything too wild except for red lips), which is wonderful because she always looks polished and fresh.  To create a beautifully smooth pony, try L'Oreal Texture Expert Smooth Essence styling cream to start, and finish with Infinium 3 working spray.

I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the wonderful looks at the Academy Awards on February 27th.  What were your favorite looks at the Screen Actors Guild Awards?  Your least favorite?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Photos from Getty Images

Candles

Lately I've had this weird thing for candles.  Not only do they look pretty, but I like the idea of a nice fragrance throughout an entire room.  I've been searching for a candle that smells amazing...I'm either looking for a gourmand fragrance or something clean and fresh (I know, opposite ends of the spectrum).  I liked Henri Bendel's Quince candle, but I feel like the fragrance wasn't as strong as I'd like.  After some browsing online, I was intrigued by Tocca candles, especially the Cleopatra scent.  36 dollars might be a little steep for a candle, but if it smells as good as the reviews say, I think it's worth it.

Have any of you tried Tocca candles?  What do you think of the scent, overpowering or luxurious?  What's your favorite home fragrance?

Happy Friday!

The Pond's Experiment- My Results

I started out the Pond's Experiment with lots of hope and excitement.  Unfortunately, after two weeks of using Pond's daily, I have to change my tune.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised when the first ingredient listed is mineral oil.  The first week of using it, my skin was looking glowy and clear.  I ignored the weird film that Pond's left on my face, usually getting my skin squeaky clean with toner.  I used a washcloth to get Pond's off, and then switched to cotton pads, thinking it would be easier instead of using a new washcloth every night.  I think that transition made a big difference; the towel helped to exfoliate and remove the film, while the cotton pads just kind of removed my makeup.  Initially using Pond's felt kind of glamorous and old-school, but soon I found it tedious...and trust me, sometimes I get too lazy to make a big production out of washing my face.

On to week two of using Pond's.  I tried to blame the breakout I experience on the Ole Henriksen mask, but when more and more pimples were popping up, I thought Pond's had something to do with it.  And then the flaking!  Because Pond's is so oil-heavy, it didn't do anything to help my already oily face.  So I was SHOCKED when my face suddenly got really dry and flaky; maybe I was overcompensating for the oil by using too much toner.  All in all, my skin was acting wacky.  And I didn't feel like dealing with it anymore.

But not all is lost!  I do sincerely think that Pond's is an excellent makeup remover or pre-cleanser, something I can use to get all of my makeup off when I do dramatic or makeup-heavy looks.  I just think a cleanser that comes off with water is the best thing for your skin.  So during my weekly waste-money-on-who-knows-what trip to Target, I spied this cleanser by Neutrogena.  It's called Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser, and it's supposed to help with dark spots (which I definitely have from being a serial skin-picker) and dull skin.  Before I jump the gun and tell you I love it or hate it, I'll give it a few weeks.  Here's hoping!!

Golden Globes Beauty

I absolutely adore awards show season!  As we all know, the Golden Globes were presented tonight on NBC (I was so excited that "The Social Network" won Best Picture- Drama, it was definitely my favorite of the year).  I watched in awe as the beautiful celebrities arrived wearing fabulous gowns and looking as great as ever.  I think a lot of celebs stepped their game up this year.  Catherine Zeta-Jones, Eva Longoria, Anne Hathaway and Natalie Portman were my favorite looks of the evening.  As far as beauty goes, I was really impressed with Jennifer Lopez and Emma Stone.

Seriously, how fabulous is J. Lo?  Her makeup is always flawless, and tonight was no exception.  Her dress was quite detailed, so I like how she avoided a complex hairstyle and decided to go for a sleek pony.  A silver smoky eye was the main focus of her face.  Even when other celebs try to tone down their makeup, Jennifer Lopez believes in old-school glamour.  I love it.  Trying to copy the look?  I'd suggest MAC Cosmetics Pigment in Platinum.

On the opposite end of the beauty spectrum is Emma Stone.  Her beauty look was much more demure, but stunning nonetheless.  Emma shows how you can coordinate your makeup to your dress without overdoing it.  The peach tone of her dress is enhanced by peach cheeks and light lips.  I like to call the color of her dress "Myrtle Beach peach"; it reminds me of Myrtle Beach t-shirts my parents bought us in the early 90's.  I know her thing is to be a redhead, but I enjoy her blonde hair- it suits her!  If you want to try the look, I'd suggest NARS Blush in Deep Throat.

While all of the ladies (and gentlemen!) looked great, these two really hit home runs for me.  What were your favorite looks from the Golden Globes? 

Photos from Yahoo and Getty Images

Ole Henriksen Firm Action Mask: My Review

Skincare has kind of been my obsession lately.  I think that clear, beautiful skin is the most important aspect of great makeup; it's your canvas, so treat it with care.  My latest acquisition was the Firm Action Mask by Ole Henriksen.  My sister Adrienne uses products by Ole Henriksen and she seems to really enjoy them, so I was excited to try this mask.  I feel bad saying it, but I was kind of underwhelmed.


The first thing I noticed was the smell, which is supposed to be "aromatic", but I found it kind of cloying and strong; too much scent to be sitting on my face, right under my nostrils.  The texture is similar to your typical clay mask, but dries slower and to a much harder finish.  I'm talking feels-like-you-have-a-stone-mask-on finish.  The label instructs you to keep the mask on for 30 minutes, which kind of seemed like a long time to me.  Maybe I'm just used to face masks staying on for 15 minutes before I'm good to go.

 Don't get me wrong, once I rinsed the mask off, my skin felt smooth, but I just felt super dry and tight!  My skin is pretty oily, but I think this overcompensated and just sucked any moisture I had out of my face.  Knock on wood, since I began the Pond's Experiment, I feel like my skin was looking great! (I'll post my final evaluation of Pond's next week)  But yesterday, I noticed some pretty obnoxious blemishes creeping up on my forehead and chin.  Product of this face mask?  I'm not sure, but I wasn't impressed enough to give it another chance.  The price of the Ole Henriksen mask isn't bad ($27 USD), so if you feel like you could use some drying action, give it a try.  Otherwise, I'd say skip it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Be safe! xox

The Pond's Experiment

So I am eternally searching for a miracle facial cleanser.  I have really picky skin, and I have probably tried dozens of cleansers.  My skin is oily and sometimes I break out, but when I use products for oily skin, I get really dry and flaky.  Up next on my list of cleansers to try is Philosophy Purity Made Simple and products by Boscia, but I am always taking recommendations if there's a product you consider a miracle.

I was talking to my cousin the other day, and she told me she swears by Pond's.  Pond's!!  It seems so old school, I was amazed.  She has awesome skin, however, so my first reaction was I have to try it!  Thus began the Pond's experiment.

People have been swearing by this cream for decades, so I guess it must be working for someone.  It's not exactly a facewash per se, because you don't rub it onto your wet skin and  lather like most cleansers.  The point is that you massage the cream into your skin and then towel it off.  Weird.

I've only used it twice so far, but I plan to use it for a while to see how it works.  I'll follow up in a couple of weeks and see what the fuss is all about.

Hope you're all having a fabulous week!

Song of the Day

I know it's kind of old, but enjoy nonetheless!

Vampy lipglosses

I went to Sephora yesterday looking at different lipsticks, and I decided to pick this gloss up by NARS.  The gloss is called Bougainville, and the Sephora website describes it as "pomegranate".  I think this (and another similar gloss that had a bit of shimmer in it) is part of NARS' holiday collection.  It's a dark berry color that's dramatic without being overpowering, and there is no shimmer in it at all.  I really like NARS lipglosses, they feel great on and the colors are all so pretty.  I also think this gloss would look great with a deep lipstick underneath if you're looking for something more powerful.

Yesterday, my best friend Tori and I exchanged Christmas gifts (a little late, I know).  She got me this fabulous gloss by Kat Von D.  I really love Kat Von D's line of cosmetics; everything is super-pigmented and lasts forever.  This particular gloss is Hellbent, and to me, it's a perfect blood red.  It's one of the Painted Love glosses, meaning that it's more opaque and pigmented than her other glosses.  I love to wear a red lip, and usually I wear MAC lipstick in Brave Red with Lancome Juicy Tubes in Berry Bold over it.  This is a nice one-step product that gives a high-impact red lip.  My only problem with this particular product is the smell, which is kind of weird and fruity.  Not too strong to deter me, though!

I really love to do a dark, dramatic lip, especially in the winter.  I know the general rule is to wear neutral eye makeup if you're going to wear a dramatic lip, but I still wear tons of liner and mascara.  Below are some pictures of me wearing each color.  Pardon the messy application, haha.  Try one (or both) out, I think you'll enjoy them!

NARS Lipgloss in Bougainville

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipgloss in Hellbent

After a long night out...

While I hope everyone had an amazing time last night, I bet I know what everyone is dealing with this morning.  Personally, I didn't wake up until well past noon...I guess that's expected when you get home at 6 in the morning. :(  Not that I'm a party animal or anything, but seriously, when the party is only getting started at midnight, what do you expect?

So I know some of you may be tired, hungover, or let's face it, just feeling rough, here are some tips to ensure that your morning will be as fabulous as it can be.

ALWAYS, and I can't stress it enough, wash your face the night before.  No matter how tired or beat you are when you get home, there is no excuse for going to bed with your makeup on!  And honestly, I'm not crazy about makeup-removing cloths either.  I feel like they leave a weird film on your skin, and they are no replacement for water and cleanser.  Getting all that makeup and pollution off of your face will feel so good, and you'll be glad you did it in the morning.

The night before, and when you wake up in the morning, apply a nice eye cream.  This will help keep your eyes bright and refreshed, and helps to get rid of dark circles and shadows that are bound to appear after a long night out.  Using an eye cream regularly will also help with any puffiness.  I like All About Eyes from Clinique.  It's got a nice consistency and feels pretty luxurious on my eyes.  Make sure to moisturize your face in the morning to keep your skin from looking dull.

If your plans don't require a full face of makeup, I would avoid eyeliner and mascara.  You want to keep your eyes as bright as possible, and mascara and eyeliner might give you unwanted shadows.  Use some concealer (bonus if it's also an "eye brightener", like Touche Éclat from Yves Saint Laurent or Active Light concealer from Jane Iredale).  Rub some cream blush on your cheeks to give you a nice glow- I like MAC Blushcreme in Posey.  It looks bright in the pan, but it is a pretty pink color that will help you look alive.  Use a moisturizing lip balm and you're good to go.

Make sure you drink LOTS of water to keep your skin from looking dull and ashy.  Just because you partied hard the night before doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the next morning!  Have a wonderful day, and an even better year!!