Something New - Urban Decay Eyeshadow

Last night I made my long-awaited trip to Sephora. Usually I get a little self-conscious and just grab something I need and get out (paying for it first, of course). Last night, I made myself take my time and explore because I'd promised myself that I would get some different looking eye shadow. I pride myself on my ability to apply shadow to create a subtle work look or turn it up a notch for a wedding - but in general, I'm pretty boring with my eyes. The colors I use? Browns...sometimes blacks for a smokey eye. Something bright for highlights. That's all. So last night I decided that I needed to get something different - have a little fun and maybe get something a little more summery for a change. I spent a long time trying Benefit cream eyeshadows but wasn't thrilled with the colors and cream shadows sometimes get really creasy on me (although I have their shadow in Skinny Jeans - a dark, shimmery gray which I love). I ended up falling in love with Urbay Decay's eyeshadows. Now, these shadows are legendary - a lot of women swear by them, but I'd never tried them out.

WELL - the colors are beautiful! If I had enough money, and I sure don't, I'd buy the whole lot of them. They are so pigmented and shimmery and...different. And you can really build the color the way you want to and they don't crease! I had a hard time making my selections and ended up choosing MidNight Cowgirl - a golden beige with gold micro shimmer (according to sephora.com) and YDK - Bronzed Mocha with golden shimmer. I haven't worn anything with gold in it for a long time - I tend to go for the cooler shades, but these are gorgeous and different. They can be worn in the same places as my brown shadows and have similar effects regarding shading, but they are just more interesting! And my gosh, Urban Decay has about a hundred shades of eye shadow - I can't wait to save up and get more!

As Requested - The Three Beauty Products I Won't Go Without

As requested by a good friend, I will now tell you all about the three beauty products I won't go without (she asked for the products I can't live without, but I'm trying to show my depth by saying that I can live without makeup and beauty products...yeah right). :)

Anyway, these are obviously my preferences based on my beauty needs. First, Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Black/Brown. I have tried a lot of eyeliner in my time (my eyes are deep set and kind of get lost without eyeliner, I think) and this is by far the best in that the pencil is soft and doesn't tug, but also stays put really well. I have had some bad experiences with liner that goes on well but then 20 minutes later it's all over my eyelid.

Next: undereye concealer. Now, this I need your help with. I think that concealer is CRUCIAL for opening up my eye area and making my whole face look awake. However, I'm still working on finding the perfect one. My usual problems? Either the concealor is too orangey and doesn't really brighten the area OR (and this is the big-y) it becomes a weird consistency and either settles into the really fine lines under my eyes (making me suddenly look older and tired) or get's kind of grainy and cakey and looks super weird. I'm still on the hunt for a concealer that's a nice light hue but the right smooth consistency. I've tried a lot and thought I found the right one but was sadly mistaken - Boing by Benefit - too orange, Revlon New Complexion Concealer (been trying to make this work but it makes me look all grainy), Lemon Aid by Benefit (it's for your eyelids but I tried it underneath and that was the worst regarding getting in my lines and looking creased). There are many other sad failures. So, do you have a favorite? Help me!

And my final product choice that I won't go without? My flat iron!! I have large hair. Most people no longer know that since I discovered this invention - and in particular, the pricier version. For many items, buying drugstore doesn't actually make that big of a difference in performance, in my opinion. (In fact, maybe that's been the problem with my concealer attempts - maybe I need to step up to more expensive, department store products. Hmmm). However, with flat irons, getting a good quality iron makes a BIG difference. First of all, you need a LOT of heat. My Solia flat iron (which cost me about $100 if I remember) heats up to 400 degrees in a minute. So, yes, I am baking my hair. It's also ceramic, which means you don't smell burning hair when you use it because it heats your hair from the inside out instead of frying it. Not to say that this is at all good for my hair, but at least it doesn't completely wreck it. I'll go into what I do to keep my hair as damage free as possible in another post. Anyway, flat irons are amazing and a must-have. Oh, and don't think you are limited to straight styles with it - I recently learned how to CURL MY HAIR WITH MY FLAT IRON. I seriously did not think this would work but if you clamp it about an inch from your head and then turn the iron (still clamping) a full 360 degrees and then pull it through, it gives you amazing waves. It works in the same way that using scissors to put curls in ribbon works. Weird but true. And SO CUTE, I wearing my hair that way today!

Bronzer

Oops, it's been a while since I last posted! The good news? It's August so I have another month's budget to spend on clothes and makeup (I...um...wasn't allowed to buy anything in August due to an overly spendy June). I plan on making a trip to Sephora this week (I "need" some interesting new eye shadows and we'll see what else I find!).

Today, I'd like to discuss bronzer. I've battled with bronzer in years past - I first tried it while on Europe Semester in college. I bought some Clarins powder face bronzer in Rome but after a little while realized that it just made my face look dirty. However, this year, when my body tan was looking great from my spray tanner (scroll down to learn more about that), I realized that my face was a completely different color. I ran off to Sephora and scooped up Stila Sun Bronzing Powder SPF 15 (it's so tricky, you LOOK tan, but you're actually wearing sunscreen!) in Shade 2, Sheer Warm Matte Bronse. Now, I have learned that the key to bronzer is figuring out where to apply it and, to be more specific, where to apply it on your particular face. Before, I had been applying it "where the sun would normally hit you" - on the tops of my nose, cheeks, forehead, chin. However, I'm a bit cheeky, and I mean that physically, my face cheeks are plump and happy (and whenever I gain weight it goes there first). For me, I use bronzer as a contouring trick - under my cheek bones, around the edges of my face, on the sides of my nose, and a little on my forehead and chin. This slims my face down a little while still looking summery.

I say, try bronzer again and experiment with where you put it. It can make a big difference!

Dry Shampoo Update

I can now report that dry shampoo is great to use to get rid of the grease and allow you to skip a shampoo or two! I am now back to washing my hair every other day because using dry shampoo on my bangs fluffs them up and you can't tell my hair is a little stale. (Oh, it smells nice too!). I love this stuff. The picture is my proof.

Yes, it's bright outside (it's before 8 on the 4th of July!). Since we were getting up early, I took the opportunity to try out not washing my hair and using some dry shampoo instead. As you can see, my bangs don't look oily at all! Yay! Also, this is typical of Chris and me in the morning. I'm all energetic and squinty and he is sad and sleepy.

Sephora - for commitment phobics

A lot more money has been leaving our toiletry budget since Sephora came to Santa Barbara. I stayed away at first, committed to my drug store makeup finds and knowing that once I started I wouldn't be able to stop. And...it's true. That place is unbelievable (if still a little intimidating). I don't buy much makeup there - I get my Bare Minerals foundations from their online program and I still stick with some drug store stuff but since starting to shop there I have had some great finds. I typically shop through their website - if you buy more than $75 at a time there's free shipping - and here's the best part...you can return items to the store...after you've tried them for a while! This has been a lifesaver because the products at Sephora tend to be pretty expensive and I could never take the leap if I didn't know that I could take it back if it didn't work.

So far, I have utilized their return policy quite frequently. Here's my example: I bought ghd Fat Hair Lotion For All-Over Volume (my new hair cut needs a boost sometimes) after reading all the hype on the online description. Seriously, this stuff was going to revolutionize my hair. Sephora promised that it would "increase body and texture and a ceramide-derived complex adds volume and shine while protecting against stress caused by chemical processes. It also acts as a smoother for the cuticles and improves cell cohesion along the hair shaft. " The description also mentioned polymers at some point...I have no idea what those are, but I was impressed. So, I ordered it online along with a couple of other products (including the Bare Escentuals Get Started Eyes set - more about that in a later post). I was so excited for it to arrive, imagining what magic those little polymers would have on my limp locks. I followed the directions after washing my hair and waited for the miracle to occur while blow-drying and... kept waiting. No miracles, not even a noticeable change in texture or volume. What the ??? My drugstore Garnier Fructis mousse worked better than that crap.

So....I returned it to the store, completely guilt free and bought Frédéric Fekkai - Full Volume Mousse for Fine or Limp Hair and I love it (I just discovered when searching for the right name of the product online that they have a TON of other things I want to try too). The mouse gives the right amount of texture so that I can get some more volume and style hold and a little goes a long ways. Perfect!

Anyway, the point of all this is that Sephora's return policy makes it easier to invest in quality products that really deliver. Oh, and don't forget that you get three free samples with every purchase!!

Dry Shampoo!

Ever since I got side-sweepy bangs cut this spring, I've had some hair dilemmas. First of all - side swept bangs are not always swept to the side. Typically there are some rebellious chunks trying to hang over my eyebrow and creeping toward my eye. I'm not so good at ignoring this and although I've been perfecting the hair flip move that returns my bangs to their rightful place by the end of the day I usually have some obviously greasy strands from touching my hair all day. This new development has forced me to abandon my schedule of washing my hair every other day (and has caused me to lose some time in the mornings) so that I can be grease-free but I recently made a discovery that has helped alleviate the problem some.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo is amazing! I came across some reviews on makeupalley.com (great place to read up on products before spending your hard earned cash) and decided to buy their $10 1 oz bottle and give it a try. According to the description on sephora.com, it's supposed to "Refresh, revive and recharge hair and scalp without water. Pronto is perfect for use between washings, in a rush, as a midday hair pick-me-up, or when you overdose on a styling product."

Basically it's a little like baby powder and you just squeeze a tiny amount on your roots where it's greasy (I end up having to coat part of my bangs) and then rub it in. It's a little scary at first because it's a white powder and it's hard to believe that you won't be left with a gray tinge. However, it blends in and really does absorb the oil and kind of fluff the area. I haven't tried it for when I "overdose on a styling product" but I can't imagine it working on anything other than if you put too much gloss or shine serum on. Anyway, this has been fantastic for putting on right before we go out to dinner or after a long car ride when we're about to see family (can you tell we've been traveling lately?). I haven't tried it as a substitute for a full shampoo but I might get brave soon. Either way, I'm no longer ashamed of my greasy-obviously-not-broken-in bangs!

White Pants

I never thought I would wear white pants. I never thought I'd WANT to wear white pants. I've never in my life owned a pair of khaki pants that I wore more than once, so white pants would be pretty dramatic for me. I'm pretty pear shaped so the whole thing used to seem like a very bad idea but this summer I couldn't stop feeling like I was ready. So - the search began.

Initially, I was very encouraged by my white pants expedition. I found a pair that I thought looked amazing in Ann Taylor Loft (which I purchased on my "chris is away so I will play" shopping spree") and proceeded to buy tops to go along with my trendy new pants. However, when Chris got home and I showed off my new discovery his reaction was less than enthusiastic. Now, he's a sweet guy who is very sensitve to my self-esteem, but he's also very committed to honesty - so the tell-tale negative reaction from him is "Huh, ok" or just silence and sad eyes. Seriously. When I finally pressured him into explaining what he hated about the pants he quietly said "they make your legs look...um...enormous." (Or at least that's what I heard. He probably said "they make your legs look slightly larger than they are"). Then I took a good look in the mirror and discovered that he was right! What happened to my slimming Ann Taylor Loft white slacks? They had become this:

Well, not actually these pants, but that's how they looked on me, except worse. I was mortified and was immediately convinced that the mirrors in Ann Taylor Loft should not be trusted (I still hold that opinion).

I rushed to return the heinous pants and proceeded to order three different pairs online (I knew I'd return the ones that didn't work, I'm not ridiculous.) And the winner?

Martin Refined Cuffed Chino in Tall by Banana Republic. They are all that Ann Taylor Loft's white pants seemed to be in the store, but are actually flattering! What made the difference? Well - the B.R. pants are just straight legged enough to be slimming but just bootcut enough so that you still have legs in there. For some reason, they work with my hips and I love them for that.

New pants (especially in a new color) are great because they completely expands your wardrobe! The rust-colored top I'm wearing today looks completely different with white pants than it did with my normal brown slacks (I guess less halloween-y too).

Yay for white pants (except that I'm now a little paranoid about getting too close to anything that might make them dirty! Chris wasn't paying attention to how he repacked our bag for our weekend trip and put his shoes soles down right on top of them! AHHHH)! By the way - the losers were different pairs of white pants from Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft. Apparently white pants are not their specialty. At least for girls who got back.