My Favorite Things:Chanel Sunglasses

Well, not just Chanel sunglasses, but big, glamourous sunglasses are always a favorite of mine because they make anyone and any outfit look more chic and put together. My favorite brand of sunglasses happens to be Chanel. I think they make the most gorgeous sunglasses known to man. I have several, but the newest and most favorite pair of sunglasses that is in my bag at the moment are these little lovelies:

A good, big, dark pair of sunglasses can do a lady wonders. Even when you feel like death warmed over like me this week, you can look alive and glamourous with these babies! 

They can even conceal your how bad you look with a cold (is it me or does makeup not even help when you are sick?!) and annoyance at waiting in rush-hour traffic today.  

What sunglasses are in your bag at the moment?

Happy Friday everyone!

xoxo

My First Award!

I'd like to thank the academy..and my mom and dad...

Kidding! But I was very honored that Irene at Lovely Violet (a beautiful girl with an equally beautiful blog that I adore reading!) gave me my first blog award.

Thanks so much Irene! Your blog is so beautiful, I am happy to be in your company!

I am supposed to now talk about 7 facts about me. Prepare to be fascinated people...(insert sarcasm) I'm sick..I don't have much creative energy now:

1. My hair color is natural. Most people don't believe that, since it is an unusual color (strawberry blonde is what it is usually described as, but gets lighter and darker with the seasons and sun)..but I haven't colored my hair, in any capacity, in my life.

2. I have an unnatural fear of deli meats and sandwiches in general. I think they are the grossest thing imaginable, and can't even stand to look at them. Never had a traditional sandwich in my life!

3. My family is my heart. My mom is my best friend and the happiest moments in my life have been memories of time spent on vacation or just hanging out with my dad, my mom and my little brother : )

4. I LOVE pigs. I've had a little stuffed pig named piggy since I was a child, and she is still in my room today.  She was named after my favorite character of all time...Miss Piggy from the Muppets!

5. Neuropsychology and fashion are my two favorite subjects. I studied the former at The George Washington University in Washington D.C. and decided instead of medical school, I would study the later at art school, where I am now.  Now that I have fashion as homework, I read biology and psychology texts as play reading, and when I was in college I did the opposite! I'm quite the science nerd : p

6. Most people don't know it from looking at me, but I LOVE sports! Well...watching them, not really playing them. I love watching a lot of different kinds of sports but I love hockey, football and college basketball the most and get really serious about my teams. I wasn't born or raised there, but since my parents were, I am a Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pitt fan till I die!

7. I was born on May 27 and a I have total Gemini's personality. If you read anything about Gemini's, it describes me to a tee. A great majority of people in my life that I click with right away turn out to be Gemini's. Love you Poodle!

Now I am supposed to pass the award onto 7 more lovely bloggers. It was hard to choose, but my winners are:

1.Mai Philosophy
2.Glamour Rouge
3.Black and White Collage
4.Style Nirvana
5.Pearls and Poodles
6.Juicygirl's
7.Sarah Xo

I have a list of ladies I didn't mention and whose blogs I love too. I had Jessica Alice's blog on here but she won the award already! Let me know if you won this award, I wouldn't want to repeat. There are so many great blogs out there! Next time around, I promise! I love all of you!

Don't forget to read Irene's lovely blog too! Lovely Violet!

xoxo

Lush Bath:Part I

I decided to take a bath last night, to relax and use my new set I just reviewed from Lush, "Let's get Fizzical." That name still cracks me up...

I thought I would record my use of all the ones, so people shopping at Lush might get a better idea of which bath bombs they might like. There are so many, I think its hard to decide sometimes. 

So which one did I choose this time?

The cute little blue guy! Blue is my favorite color, so it was an easy choice. This one is called "Big Blue." It is supposed to smell of lavender and lime and have seaweed and sea salt in it to relax you and soften the skin. 

This is what my bathtub and bathwater looked like before the bath bomb. 

A glass of wine et bath bomb = perfect combo 

Closer look of the water pre bath bomb:

Now this is what happens when you put the bath bomb in the water. Warning: this is way too fun and addicting. It is like those experiments you did in elementary school where you added baking soda to a mix and it became a foaming volcano. 

And this is what the water looked like after the bath bomb did its work:

It turned the water a really pretty turquoise color. It also made it look like I had gone rolling around in mulch even before I got in because that stuff that looks like dirt on the bottom of the pool is the seaweed. You could also feel the sea salt in the tub too. I thought the smell tended to disappear once it hit the water, but left the water feeling soft and smooth. I enjoyed the bath, but wasn't a fan of that seaweed on the bottom of the tub to be honest, although it did all go down the drain easily once I was done. 

Overall, I like this one, I did think my skin was soft and the bath relaxing. I wish it smelled more though. But I do have a cold so perhaps I am not smelling it like I wish I did. I would repurchase so far, but want to go through the rest of the ones before I have a final decision on this one. 

xoxo! 

February Favorites:Part II-Beauty Edition

Here is the second part of my favorites for the month of February. I found it hard to narrow down the beauty products (in general and in this post..hehe), so I think a few things will spill over into March.

They are:

Estee Lauder Bronzing Blush-From their "Bronze Goddess" collection for summer. So beautiful when swirled together. I use it on top of any blush for a warm, defined glow.(it is the zebra like blush on the far left)

Urban Decay Razor Sharp Finishing Powder-gives an airbrushed finish on my skin and doesn't break me out

Nars Exhbit A Blush-looks So scary in the pan, but gives a beautiful, natural flush on the skin. Just use very lightly! 

Mac Scene Eyeshadow-the best lid color for a smokey eye. Makes my eyes look super blue.

Benefit Skinny Jeans Creaseless Cream Shadow-A contributer to the "best smokey eyes ever" as mentioned above. Underneath Mac's "scene" or any smokey shade it makes it all that more dramatic and gorgeous. You can pry this out of my cold, dead hands before I would do a smokey eye without it. 

Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion-For those that have lined, full or just look for smoother lips, this is great. It makes the product on top of it last marginally longer, but gives the most perfect canvas for lipcolor (smooth and gorgeous), that sometimes I wear it alone! 

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden-Best primer potion yet. Love how it makes my lids look flawless. 

Korres Bronzer in 01- A light, natural color that is slightly dewy looking (no harcore shimmer or anything) on the skin as opposed to a flat bronzer, and is just beautiful on fairer skins like mine. 

Mac Lip Erase-an HG for my pigmented lips. Its a sheer balm that doesn't dry (who hasn't tried concealer) tones down the pigment of the lips to make your lippies look more true. 

Some close-ups of a few products...

Benefit Skinny Jeans Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow

Mac Lip Erase (a pro product, and goes on like a sheer balm)

Mac Scene Eyeshadow

Korres Bronzer in 01

Nars Exhibit A Blush

Urban Decay Ultra Sharp Finishing Powder

Estee Lauder Bronzing Blush

Here is to a fabulous March everyone! xoxo

Suggestions For a Contest Prize

So my blog is little over a month old, and I have really enjoyed this so much more than I ever thought I would. I thought my lovely mother and I would be the only two reading this, and have been so happy that a few people have found me (I still can't find me online..haha) and have read my blog, despite the fact that its new and a work in progress.  Here is serene picture of the Ritz in Arizona to get you in a relaxed place and thinking....

Ahhhh....it will get warm soon in the Northeast, right?

I wanted to have a contest when I reach around 50-75 subscribers (I hope that isn't forever!).  It would be open to anyone that is a follower in any country, since I know I have some beautiful people reading outside the U.S. too.  Just wanted to know if anyone has a suggestion or request for a prize they would like to win.  I was thinking a NARS blush, since I have a post of my NARS blush collection coming up. Everyone loves blush, right!? Perhaps those lovely followers outside the U.S. would want something found here they can't get elsewhere? I could have two prizes...

Anyway, if you have any ideas, or want to suggest something, feel free! I'm sitting here waiting for your ideas..hehe

If you don't have any suggestions or don't want to write anything, no biggie, I always find something fabulous to buy : )

Happy Friday everyone!

xoxo

February Favorites:Part I-Fashion Edition

I love reading and watching everyone's monthly favorites on blogs and youtube, so I decided that I was going to do one of my own. It is in two parts, the first one being fashion and the second is beauty.

Some of these things are often just perennial favorites and would show up in a favorites post every month, but I will try and include some unique things each month that I am particularly excited about. Hope everyone had a good February!

The two handbags I have worn the most this month are both by Louis Vuitton and in the Speedy 30 shape and size:

*Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Speedy 30-I found this an unexpected favorite this month, as I usually only use this cream and blue bag in the summer. But I found it looked chic and fresh with all the very dark skinny jeans and navy that I wore this month (and all winter), and added a little pop of lightness to those outfits. Very cute. 

*Louis Vuitton Epi Black Speedy 30-a staple and most used purse this winter for me. It goes with everything and the leather is beautiful! 

*Tory Burch Reva Flats-these are an all-time fav and I have them in several colors. I love them. They are comfy and go with everything. These are a snakeskin print grey color that looked lovely with charcoal and navy this month. I love my Reva's! 

*Cartier Watch-makes everything look better. I love this every month!

*Juicy Couture Down Dog Couture Yoga Jacket-I am loving the new line of yoga-wear by Juicy entitled "Down Dog Couture." This is a simple jacket in light sweatshirt material with the signature "J" zipper pull. I love how much stretch is in the fabric, it makes it *so* comfy, and the longer length is wonderful when paired with yoga pants or leggings. I have it in black and grey and hope they come out with more colors soon! 

Not the best on the hanger..but it is super cute in real life! 

And finally my last favorite, which wouldn't fit in the last picture. Most likely the most worn item of the month for me. 

My Burberry rain boots! These have been a complete savior for the slushy-grossness that is Northeastern U.S. streets this month. I recently got a pair of plain black Hunter ones, but have not gotten to wear them. A review is in the future for those. Does anyone have any? Do you like them?

What are your February favorites?!

xoxo

My View:Bare Escentuals Buxom Balm

I have never been a die-hard fan of Bare Escentuals, I think the fact that the foundations so didn't work for me is the reason I steer clear or am uninterested in the brand in general. I have not tried the "Buxom" line of lipglosses, mascara and liner until I picked up the newest incarnations of the line-the balm and liner (review on liner to come) recently. And I must say, I have been pleased with the results.

I like the balm a lot. The container is bulky, cheap and plastic to me, although I think the balm inside is lovely. I am usually not one to love swiping my finger in a balm, but I would make this one an exception. It is very hydrating and gives a beautiful shine and finish to the lips that I see as a middle ground between a hugely shiny gloss and a more matte or flat lipbalm.  It isn't unpleasantly sticky, but still seems to stay on the lip for a good period of time. It seems like the perfect daytime lip product to me. Not too much, but still a pretty healthy look.

I do not however, buy that the balm plumps your lips. My lips are very full to begin with, so I guess I am not the best subject since I don't want my lips plumped, but I see most products that claim to be "lip plumpers" to be utter bull. They either contain an irritant (like cinnamon oil ) that temporarily swells the lips sometimes, or they provide a hydrated, shiny appearance to the lip, which makes anyones lips stand out. It doesn't mean it makes the lips "fuller", I think you gotta get in injection for that (..don't get me started on how unnatural those usually look..plus needles..no thanks!)

This one isn't tingly and doesn't have that irritant, so I see the hydrating and glossy appearance to perhaps make the lips more prominent, but I don't see them being any fuller. It comes in several cute colors and I have it in "copacabana." This is a very sheer (they all are) nude beige color, that looks basically natural and clear on my pigmented lips. There is also a gorgeous bright pink (Waikiki), a sheer violet, and a few berry/red colors. They all look great, and the pink and violet ones are definitely on my list for spring. I like the pretty natural finish and the fact that it is so hydrating, so overall I have been really pleased with the product so far. I also like that the interior of the container has a little mirror in it : )

 I also think right now they are available only in Sephora, so go check it out!

xoxo

Update: Here is what the balm looks like on my lips. Note that I have on MAC's Lip Erase on underneath to make the color more true. I always wear the Lip Erase or Urban Decay's Lip Primer Potion underneath any lip product because my lips are super pigmented and appear bright red alone. This always messes with how colors show up on my lips so I tone them down before I apply anything. I'm shy with pics of me but I think I'll start to post more. Thanks guys : )