Waterproof, Take That: Eye Makeup Remover Review

Ha! Well, here is a treat for you all. Not only am I going to show you my eye makeup-free face (a RARITY in public, as those who know me can attest) but I am going to showcase my FAVORITE new beauty product. It's an eye makeup remover that is miraculous. There really are no words to describe it -- it's something that is best showcased in person. Or at least in video.

So ladies, take a trip into my condo and get a glimpse into my daily make-up routine. Enjoy :)

Baubles to Boot

You all know me - I can't overlook a good deal. And when a company is practically giving away things, I always -- always -- stop by for at least a look.  

This trait of mine drives the S.O. absolutely bonkers, by the way. Just try and speed me through the aisles at Tar-jay. You can't rush sales, I tell ya. You just can't.

This week, I unsubscribed from about 20 sales/deals emails. Waking up each morning to a personal Blackberry inbox with 40 unread emails was really getting to me. That is just not a great thing to see first thing in the morning before even brushing your teeth. Sure, some were legit (related to the blog and some of my volunteer organizations) but they were getting buried (and I mean buried, two-week response delay times right here) under all that absolute junk. I love hearing about good sales, but some of these emails were just overkill. I am not actually trying to spend all of my money right now at LOFT, Banana, the factory outlets, Williams-Sonoma, random hair salons, massages, Target ... as you might otherwise have assumed when checking out my old inbox.

All those unsubscribes later, and I am a happy camper. But in the midst of saying "remove me from your email list," I actually signed up for a new service. One that has been making its way around my friend network, and one that is a natural fit for me. Enter the BaubleBar Buried Bauble. 

Every Friday at 11AM ET, members of this email list get a special heads-up about the latest discount on one special item. You use the clue to find the right piece of jewelry over on BaubleBar's (adorably chic) site, rather than having to guess and click all over the place trying to find the one item marked down to $10 (yes, $10).

While the bigger flash sale sites appeal to me, I honestly am not one to drop $150 on a designer set of jeans, but $10? I can swing that in a hot minute, especially on statement jewelry.

Fact: most of my jewelry hasn't cost me more than $15-20. You don't need to spend a lot to get a lot. Witness: today's necklace from Kohl's, a Vera Wang line that was clearance for something like $10. 

So what did I buy today? Two of today's Hidden $10 Baubles (regularly $24 for one) ...

And these adorable Bee studs ($24)!

Hello gameday! I am set for both an Auburn (wearing both together for a fun look) and a Tech game with these purchases. Even better? I used my new member discount on the earrings, so they only cost me $14!

Have you joined BaubleBar yet? Their deals seem great, and even if you aren't always in the market for jewelry, you might find a fun Friday buy here and there to make this extra email subscription worth it :)

PS. I really liked my entire outfit today, so here is an OOTD shot for you - glam up your casual jeans with fun heels!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. BaubleBar did not contribute to this post in any fashion. 

Pinterest Style Tips

Pinterest has recently had a serious up-tick in how-to tutorials for fashion and beauty. What started largely as a site filled with decor and cooking drool-worthy imagery is now even more useful. The hair and beauty bloggers and fans have migrated over the past few months, and I couldn't be happier!

Example 1: Click through to this super-useful chart on how to wear a scarf. The numbers on the original blog post (thefashionspot.com) have the how-tos. How many of these styles have you tried? How many are new-to-you?

Source: thefashionspot.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Example 2: I heard about the blog The Small Things from two different people AND Pinterest in one week, so I took that as a sign that I should try one of her up-dos ASAP. Voila - see the Chic Updo of my own!

I am already skilled at the half-up part... PS. don't you like my vintage vest of my Mom's?

The trick was flipping up my (short-ish) bottom half...
Lesson learned - cute results, but would be cuter with longer hair!

Example 3: Nails! While I am a convert to these nail strips (over the 10 day mark and counting!), Pinterest makes me want to sit down for my own DIY mani/pedi! This holiday one is freaking adorable. I bet she used tape strips to mark off the clean lines.

Source: nailartinspiration88.tumblr.com via Bonny on Pinterest

What about you? What people and/or fashion/beauty boards are you following on Pinterest? And are you following me yet? :)

Next Day Hair

Ladies have it tough sometimes. Every day it's the same. Shower, make-up, blow out the hair, straighten the hair, style the hair ... goodness gracious. I can do my makeup in about 10 minutes flat, but the hair, while still quick, usually takes another 15 minutes on top of that. Plus the 10 minute shower to kick it off and then 10 (ok, 15) minutes spent getting dressed and accessorized, and I really can't get out the door in less than 45 minutes. Some days I really wish I could speed things up. But mostly, I like to just shake things up and add some variety to my morning routine. I can't skimp on the makeup or clothes (God forbid I mis-accessorize!), but my hair IS something that I can switch up here and there.

Enter next-day hair. We all have read that our hair is actually healthier when we don't strip it of natural oils by washing it every single day, and instead we should go two-plus days in between washings. For most of us, this is a really, really, really hard thing to do. Our hair is used to those frequent baths, and so it gets oily in a hot minute on that second day.

Never fear, gals. It's all about training your hair to do what you want. There will be some iffy time while your strands get used to your new action plan, but they will come around and be less and less oily.

I think that the easiest way to think about next-day hair is doing something other than your straight, blown-out style. Next day hair is never going to feel or fall the same way as it does when it is freshly-washed. Think instead of hairstyles that are up off your face, curled, pulled back or worn under a headband. You don't have to hide all of the hair - just put it into a style where you won't be touching it so much (and just adding to the grease!) and remember, it doesn't have to be perfect.

First, there are some products you will need. Dry shampoo and hair sprays are a MUST. My hair has worked fine with the Tresseme dry shampoo, but I dislike how it feels to the touch. My mom swears by the Big Sexy Hair brand, so I am picking this one up next time I need some. No need to spend big bucks on this - under $10 works just as well as the expensive brands in a pinch!

And remember when I did the updo tutorial earlier last year? I told you about Aussie Instant Freeze - my FAV hairspray for a great hold. Think of it as liquid cement. When your hair is first getting used to next-day hair, this stuff will help suck up any extra grease while keeping a style in place.

Here are some of my fav ways to wear next-day hair. Witness a brief history of photos, some of which I have shared with you here before. You just may not have known it was next-day hair ;) 

Wavy with the curling iron...

 bangs pinned to the side ...

Bangs pinned straight back (a la Snookie, according to my brother!) ...

Totally up and in a bun ...

Half up ...

Under a headband (make a statement!) ...

Totally pulled up and back, bangs included ...

And you know what? When in doubt, throw on a trendy hat and call it a day :)

Are you a next-day hair person? What is your favorite way to wear it? 

A Supple Mane

I read an article in one of those trashy grocery-store-line magazines recently about how celebrities like Whitney Port (yes, I realize she's not really a celebrity, but they termed her that, okay?) in Hollywood and NYC like to go to special salons for regular professional hair styling OTHER than wash, cuts and color. It's called a "blow dry bar" and one of them, Dry Bar, has arrived here in Atlanta!

Their gig? "No cuts. No color. Just blowouts." In NYC, it's a $40 job, but here in Atlanta, they will be running the same options for $35. While I thankfully have learned well from my stylist over the years how to best blow out and style my own hair, she has told me that a lot of girls and women do not know the first thing about achieving that hair salon look at home. It's no wonder that places like Dry Bar have been invented. Need to look like a stunner for that interview, or that big date night? You could swing by their new location opening today on West Paces for some quickie help.

Of course, the Budget in me likes that they offer a monthly "The Regular" membership for $65, which gets you two blowouts and a massage, too, plus a percent off products. And oh my goodness, they even offer parties for all your besties, too - how fun would that be as part of a Bachelorette party night?! They also offer them during brunch with complimentary brunchy fare, too.

I may know how to do my own 'do, but the Betty part of me desperately wants to try this place out ASAP! Good thing they opened today. I may be scheduling a mini pampering session of my own quite soon ...

Feeling Like a Million Bucks

Last week was the big yearly Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on CBS. While I didn’t catch it, a lot of my bloggy and Twitter friends did. What I immediately noticed that following morning while reading through posts was that a lot of the ladies out there felt self-conscious, slighted and less-beautiful while watching those Amazonian women walking around in their undergarments. And it wasn’t just women feeling like this. I’d bet plenty of guys, while otherwise entranced with those beauties, were also more aware than usual of their imperfections, too.

I am here to say, please don't feel like that.

When I open up a VS catalog, I like to flip through their clothes to get inspiration on what would look good on ME. Um, of course that sweater is going to look ridiculously good on that girl who is all 36-24-36. But you know what? It might also look good on me too, belted and worn with my favorite go-to jeans.

Side story: While catalogs really have a way of portraying items in a way that makes you think it will work on you, it’s important to realize that not every thing works on every person. I will never forget ordering a pair of what I thought to be incredibly hot VS stilettos, only to have them delivered and realize wow, these things look like something they’d wear in “Showgirls” (which by the way features my long-lost cousin “Nomi Malone” aka Elizabeth Berkley LOL). And I am a shoe fiend, willing to take shoe fashion risks! Oh well. You live and you learn, right? Return!!

Ok back to my real point. What this whole VS thing really made me think about was how I feel on days when I think I look attractive, pulled-together and professional, versus the days when I throw something together as I am running out the door that isn’t too cute. On days when I am in black pants and some blah top, I am most definitely feeling blah myself as a result. It makes such a difference in my emotional stance for the day, actually, that I try to spend a few minutes each night pulling my outfit together for the next day, laying out my options and ironing or fluffing what I need. And even if I am just at home alone on a weekend, I know I feel ten times better about myself if I put on a cute (yet relaxed) outfit, wash my face and do my hair even just a little bit.

So of course we (men and women alike) might not all feel like a million bucks watching the VS Show, or when we are flipping through their catalogs. But we all know when we do feel awesome in that tailored suit, or that perfectly-fitting shift dress, or in those gorgeous shoes. So why not capitalize on those items in our wardrobes more often?

What’s your go-to outfit that makes you feel like a new person?

Geltastic

A few months ago, I started hearing more and more about a thing called gel polish for your nails. It sounded cool, but since I haven’t been frequenting the salon as much while watching my spending (though tell that to Starbucks these days ha...), I literally kind of forgot about it.

Lo and behold, however, when I go for a pre-Thanksgiving mani/pedi, and the girl at the salon offers it up! Sure, I thought, if Miss Buckhead Belle loves it so much, I am sure I will too. And what better week to test out it’s supposed longer-than-norm staying-power than the week when I’d be cooking and cleaning for about 8 days straight?

A few sessions with the hands under a blue light machine thingy later and voila! My nails were rock-hard dry and I am wandering out of the salon having spent only about $15 more than a usual mani/pedi. Let me say first, the drying time was almost worth the extra cost alone. I HATE ruining a fresh manicure on my car keys or my shoe clasps or something silly.

Well here I am, 11 days later, to report that my nails are not only still perfect, but that only now are they starting to grow out at the cuticles.

I am, no joke, getting a full two weeks out of this manicure, no polish changes required! Hallelujah. I have found my new favorite salon treat!

Ask for the gel polish next time you hit up the salon. They helped me pick out a dark purple gel that nearly exactly matches the regular dark purple OPI polish they used on my toes; you’d never know they are two different brands.

Science is cool. And yes, that is me brushing the dirt off my shoulders. Holler.

Did You Take the Quick Survey?

I have gotten some good feedback from you all from my post on Friday about hair color and styles! Before I reveal the results from this initial check-up into the complicated world of women and their hair, I think there are some more of you out there who have not yet answered!




If you are reading this in Google Reader, open up the post to see the link to the survey :)

I hope you are staying dry on this wet and gloomy Tuesday -- more from me tomorrow!

Wash, Cut, and Color

At the fantastic Patio Opening Party for Nava the other night, I got into a fun discussion with a few gal pals about haircuts, hair color, and why it seems girls are always itching for a change. Do you notice that the men in our lives probably have kept the same hair style for years?

So why do women feel the urge to switch it up all the time? Are we following the protocol set out by celebrities who change appearances overnight? Do we feel pressured to change hair styles just like we do spring to summer wardrobes? And what I find most fascinating is how we will still drop $50 every few months on our hair, despite otherwise tight budgets.

I am sure these answers depend on the person, but to start, I am curious to know a little about you and your hair! I will share the results here as a wrap up after everyone has a chance to take the survey. Note: If you read my blog in your Reader, you need to click through to open up the survey, it looks like gibberish on RSS :)



In the meantime, also leave your general thoughts here as comments if you so desire :) TGIF!