steals at bath & body works

I try to refrain from going into BBW because I can easily spend in there until my wallet is empty. I mean, that place has everything. I go in there looking for a lotion, I come back with gallons of shower gel. It's just not good.

I ventured in there today promising that I would for ONCE exercise some self-control. I needed a new spray-on self tanner and so that's what I'd leave with. That didn't quite work, due to the fact there were HUGE BLUE signs EVERYWHERE announcing "buy 2 get 2 free" and 75% off sales. Ten minutes and $35 dollars later, I was the proud owner of:

3 Solar Power Spray Tan cans
I'm In The Mood For Scrub
3 itsy bitsty shower gels that I can take with me on vacation next week

See? BBW understands that even in a recession, people need to cleanse and exfoliate and tan cheaply. As far as the products go, I will certaintly be reporting back on the status of my skin color after application. If I'm orange, I will be selling my 79 new cans of tanner for $3 apiece to whoever is interested.

twilight-like lips

I've read the book, seen the movie, but wasn't that impressed with the story. I was, however, intrigued by the blood-colored lips of Robert Pattinson. For the entire 6 hours of the movie (can you tell I wasn't that crazy about it?) I sat in awe of what the makeup artist might have used to get that crimson-stained pucker.

Luckily, I can now turn to DuWop Lip Venom V - a brand new Twilight-inspired lip plumper that turns your pout the same color as Cullen's. You ALL know I'm a sucker (no pun intended) for anything that'll redden my lips without having to wear thick lipstick or goopy gloss, so this excites me. Plus, I'm a diehard fan of the original Lip Venom, so I'm sure this will be another winner.

If you're interested, these are available for pre-order at shop.duwop.com and will ship on July 1.

what's your signature scent?

I'm sad to think about the money I've spent on perfumes in my entire lifetime because it's probably as much as a two-week long Mediterranean cruise. Why the insanity? Because I'd smell something on a friend, fall in love with the scent, and go buy my very own bottle. Now, most of them are gathering dust on my shelves, because they never quite meshed well with my skin.

However, there are a select few (The Chosen Ones) that I keep going back to again and again. Year after year, season after season. They seem to never make me headache-y or nauseous, and I've come to associate them with smelling pretty, not perfumey. First on the list: Issey Miyake L'eau D'Issey. I first fell in love with this when I was 16 and on a duty-free shop in JFK airport. I begged my mom to buy it for me because it smelled grown up but not old ladyish. I still wear it to this day. Another one that's always in my rotation is Ralph Lauren Romance. An oldie, yes, but a GOODIE. I got this for Christmas when I was around 15 and I'm on my fourth bottle (not bad, considering I rarely repurchase perfume, let alone finish an entire bottle!). Something about it makes me feel calm, at ease, and yes, a little romantic. I also love how it's appropriate for day or night, whether I'm at work or out to a fancy dinner.

If there's one thing I've learned about perfumes, it's that what works for one might not work for all. For example, a friend wears Burberry Brit SO well, but for me? I always manage to smell cheap and cloying when I spray it on. Such a shame, since it's a classic...

wedding makeup

In approximately 1 year and 11 months, I will be facing the most important decision of my life (and taking the most important pictures, to boot) - how to wear my makeup for my wedding.

Only days after he popped the question did I start thinking (and worrying) about the look I wanted on my wedding day. I can honestly say I've NEVER thought about it before (why should I? That would be weird.) I might not know exactly what I want yet, but I do know what I do NOT want. Here we go:

1. Pink eye shadow

2. Overly bronzed skin

3. Ultra-glossy lips

4. Too-dewy skin (doesn't translate well in pics)

5. To look like wedding day Barbie

I always believed you should look like the prettiest version of yourself on your wedding day. I want to look at my pictures 10, 15, 40 years from now and recognize myself - without having to look past layers of makeup and huge false lashes. Besides, I think the family would much more appreciate me looking like a sweet, beautiful, glowing princess than Jill, the Bridal Drag Queen.

Anyway, I found this pic of Leighton Meester. I like this look. It's pretty, girly, not too made-up, but not "I just rolled out of bed". This could work for my W-day. Thoughts?

free fro-yo

Because I feel that happiness makes you feel even more beautiful, I thought it'd share this delicious bit of news:

PINKBERRY is giving out free treats this Friday, 6.26, from 5-9PM.

That's all.

got circles? try this

I've never had really problem skin (as in, no major acne) but I typically like to cover up certain things here and there. Case in point - my ridiculously dark, annoying, stubborn under-eye circles. Quite frankly, circles suck. Puffiness, though, is easily cured by a good night's sleep, ample hydration, and eating a low-salt diet.

When I found out that under-eye circles are hereditary, my reaction was twofold. I felt relieved to know that whole "sleep for 12 hours" myth would get rid of them (I'm plagued by insomnia at least 3 nights per week), but I was mad that nothing I could do would make them go away for good.

And that's where a REALLY amazing concealer comes in. Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer is by far the most life-changing thing to grace my makeup stash. It erases every tinge of darkness under the eyes, is oil-free, and doesn't come off by the end of the day - even in the heat and humidity of a NYC summer. I like to think that if I had to invent an under-eye concealer, this would be it.

When I went to pick up my shade (#10) at Sephora, I noticed that it was sold out - along with many other shades, too. A sales rep told me that it's slowly being phased out to make way for the line's new HD concealers, and that I could pick it up at the Make Up For Ever store (they have everything!). I'm excited to try the new ones, but only if they're on par with the old.

This is a must-try, ladies. It's like the concealer gods have finally answered my prayers!

sexy summer skin from a bottle

If there’s one thing that screams summer beauty to me, it’s suntanned, glowing, sunscreen-scented skin. The tan part is easy (a little self-tanner here, a little there, and I’m good to go), but the glowing, sunscreen-scented part? Not really.

Now, since I’m not a big fan of slathering Coppertone on my entire body every single day, I had to scout another beauty product that would provide that beachy scent when I wasn’t, um, actually at the beach. And that’s where NARS Monoi Body Glow II comes in. I’m already a big fan of NARS’ original Body Glow, but I hated the way the bronze color rubbed off on my light-colored clothing. Monoi Body Glow II is clear and contains real Monoi de Tahiti oil to impart a healthy-looking, non-greasy (YES!) sheen to the skin while lightly scenting it with Tahitian gardenia and coconut extract. Even the BOTTLE looks all vacation-y.

Word to the wise: apply a very light layer to exposed areas only. Don’t use this as a full-body moisturizer because you’ll go through it in a week and the stuff ain’t cheap (it's $60). Stick to a non-scented body lotion on areas you can’t see, and go crazy with the oil on exposed arms, legs, shoulders, and décolleté.

awesome eye shadow alert

Quick post for all of you looking for a fantabulous new eye shadow. MAC Eye Shadow in Antiqued is a pearly brownish bronze that has proved quite the compliment-getter this week. The bf (now the soon-to-be hubby) thought my hazel eyes looked much greener than usual when I wore it, and a few people at work loved it too.

Try it!

Toenail TMI ... don't judge me

I wear fake toenails. There, I said it. Now before you dismiss this as gross and utterly ridiculous, please hear me out. I have a very valid reason for wearing prosthetic toenails.

Two years ago I developed a love for running. Did it every day until my legs could run no more. Unfortunately, I also had this insane desire to make my size-9 feet look smaller than they are, so I stuffed them into an 8.5 sneaker. Bad idea. Within months, Mr. Big Toe on right foot turned black and blue, fell off, and never quite grew back the same. This is fine and dandy in the winter months, but come summertime I want my toenails to be evenly aligned just like everyone else’s.

Enter falsies. I know at some point or another you’ve browsed the nailcare aisle at the drugstore, passed the fake French toenails, and wondered, “Who on EARTH would wear fake French toenails?” ME. I would. I kind of like the fact they're French, because the light color allows me to easily paint over in any color of my choice (brights, darks, you name it). I’m fairly certain I’m the only one keeping this product in business and I fear they’ll be discontinued in the near future.

So, there you have my most embarrassing beauty confession. What’s yours?

P.S.: I once knew a guy who requested self-tanner poured into unmarked bottles so his friends wouldn’t give him crap for getting his tan in a can. I think that beats fake toenails.

what would your career in beauty be?

Hair stylist, colorist to the stars, aesthetician, perfumer...these are all very cool jobs in the beauty industry. I often thought long and hard about what beauty career I would take on if I could, and I've always had the same wish: to be a celebrity makeup artist.

Back in junior high I got a hold of my mom's makeup stash and went to town on my face. Pencils, mascara, lipsticks and glosses - you name it, I used it. Unfortunately, I decided to be experimental on 8th-grade picture day and the results were clownish. Black smudgy eyeliner, red glossy lips, rosy cheeks and...shiver...undone brows. Sure, I looked like hell, but I remember how fun it was to transform from bare-faced to all done up. Over the years, I was able to master the perfect smoky eye and how to do my own brows, and when I got to college, I was known as the dorm makeup artist. If the girls planned a night out, they'd rely on me to do their faces. It's like my brushes were my little magic wands, and in my hands I held the secret to their hotness.
Not only was that a rush, but collecting makeup was another (expensive) hobby I developed. I wanted my stash to look like a makeup artists' trunk and by senior year, it did.

So, there you have my beauty profession obsession. I once knew a girl who wanted to be a manicurist but with that comes pedicures, too. I don't think I have the stomach for that.

What would be your pick?

perfect skin in a tube

As I write this, I'm sitting here with a green, hardening film over my face. Yup, it's mask night. I love a good mask (the right one can make you look like you just got a $200 facial) but then there are those that just make you wish you could get back those 10 minutes of your life you spent in hiding covered in gunk. 

The one I'm wearing now is by far my most favorite mask of all time. Yes, Fresh Umbrian Clay Face Treatment wins the award for the most skin-changing of all face treatments I've tried, and I've used quite a few. I'll start off my saying that I don't really have problem skin...I don't detest it. But sometimes, I get angry with it (don't we all?). My T-zone insists on getting oily mid-day. I always had those little black dots on my nose. I had some rather large pores scattered around my face. Are you getting the pretty picture yet? My dear Fresh mask corrects all of that, but without drying out my skin like other masks tend to do. The details: the product isn't cheap, but I've decided it's worth shelling out the money for my face since everyone has to look at it ALL the time. It's a thick, grayish-green clay that you apply to damp skin and let dry for about 10 minutes (I'm on minute 8 now, and the tightening of the mask is making it hurt to smile. Making progress!). When you rinse, you're left with less visible, much cleaner pores. It's kind of like a vacuum for your skin - it sucks everything out and leaves it smooth and clean. 

Also, since I'm a girl that likes proof of this sucking-up-dirt-and-oil action, it's great that you can actually SEE little spots of oil as the mask is drying. What can I say, I like instant gratification (although, I'll admit it's not NEARLY as fascinating as holding a used Biore pore strip up to a lamp. Gross yet very awesome.)

It's summer - 'tis the season to remove nasty stuff from pores!