hollywood glamour · luxury

Baubles, Hollywood Style

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Have you all ever wished you could own a little bit of Hollywood memorabilia? Even if the memorabilia was a replica, doesn’t it still sound fun to inject a little bit of that glamour into your daily life?

I know I LURVE all things Old Hollywood (hence the Hollywood Glamour series). So I was super excited to share The Hollywood Collection, a website that specializes in recreating jewelry worn by stars from the first half of the 20th century.

I came across this website several years ago, when I was regularly searching for clothing, accessories, makeup, and all other things inspired by Old Hollywood. I admire not only the beauty but the apparent craftsmanship of the jewelry: these pieces are recreated with painstaking accuracy.

I’m still deciding which piece I want to buy: they’re all so gorgeous! Here are some of my favorites:

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Marilyn Monroe earrings

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Marilyn Monroe bracelet

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Veronica Lake ring

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Bette Davis watch-brooch

Have any of you purchased from The Hollywood Collection? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Uncategorized

To Our Perpetual Success . . .

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May this year hold everything we’ve ever dreamed of: love, success, friendship, adventure, peace, and anything else we desire.

May we be abundant beyond measure and constantly delighted by the events of our lives.

May our metamorphoses be full of ease, grace and joy.

May our troubles and challenges be brief and few, teaching us what we need to know without belaboring the point. And may we get the point quickly, so the lesson feels no need to linger.

May we cultivate the qualities we need to live our best lives.

May we cherish this journey and appreciate every moment.

May we be blessed to enjoy this year and many more in peace and satisfaction.

 

pixabay

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

beauty · luxury

Review: KoyVoca Mini-Haul

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After trying KoyVoca’s incredible Hi Life Highlighter in $1,000,000,000 Babe, I was eager to try some more of their products. I initially reviewed a few of their items in this post, but I really wanted to try their foundations and lipsticks. So I ordered two of the Classic Cream-to-Powder foundations in the shades Savannah and Mali. I also ordered the Nude Perfection lipstick in Vanity.

For starters, my products arrived fast, as in, less than a week. Kudos to KoyVoca for consistently getting their products out quickly! Next, I squealed when I saw the package: the products came in a gorgeous, festive envelope. Can we get into this shiny red packaging?

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Next, I was impressed by the size of the foundation compacts. There is a lot of product in them! These also have really nice mirrors in the interior of the compact.

Wrappers on, wrappers off

 

(left, Savannah, right, Mali)

I’ve swatched the products below. Can you tell which foundation is Savannah and which is Mali? I’ll give you a hint: Savannah has neutral undertones and Mali is warm-toned. In person, I could clearly see that one foundation was warmer than the other.

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I was really glad to see that Savannah (the shade that most closely matches the skin on my face, top swatch) is truly neutral: not too warm or too cool. Mali (bottom swatch) will be perfect during the summer, when my skin gets a bit warmer toned (even though I don’t necessarily tan every summer).

The product picked up easily with a swipe of my finger, though they work best with sponges (I wish the compacts came with sponges! Oh well.) I actually applied Savannah with a flat top powder brush and it buffed into my skin perfectly. It looked like my skin but better!

Now these are cream-to-powder foundations, so I was surprised that I had to apply powder on top of them to mattify the finish. Normally, cream-to-powders dry down and look flawless, but these still had a bit of shine to them. No matter: a good mattifying primer and a light application of translucent powder does the trick.

Next, I tried the Nude Perfection lipstick in Vanity. KoyVoca has only a few lipsticks, and each of them are designed to flatter women with deeper skintones. Vanity was one of the deepest shades available and looked like it would be a gorgeous hue, so I got it. I wasn’t disappointed.

First, the tube is magnetic, so the top of the lipstick tube is extra secure (it’s unlikely that the top will just “pop off” while in your purse). Next, the lipstick has a pleasant smell. It’s difficult to describe, but it doesn’t reek of the cheap chemicals that can occasionally be smelled when purchasing inexpensive lip products. And then there’s the color.

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This gorgeous shade looks like a grown up nude hue on me. I love it! It’s moisturizing, smells good and looks great. It’s been my go-to “throw it on and go” shade. It may even be taking the place of my Liya Nude, since Vanity is a richer hue with a little more red to keep it from being a “flat” brown.

Overall, this KoyVoca mini-haul was a hit! I have 3 products that I know I’m going to enjoy using over the next several months. The prices are reasonable ($10 for each foundation compact and the lipstick is also $10), and the quality is great! I still highly recommend that you give KoyVoca a try!

life curation · Uncategorized

Taking Time for Me

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One of the gifts I’ll give myself for 2018 is a social media fast. I’ll still maintain the Instagram account related to this blog, and I’ll also be sure to continue doing my daily posts (as I have for months now).

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Truly carefree : this is how I’m living (photo from Shutterstock)

But I’ve grown weary of people “living” on social media and not taking advantage of life OFFLINE. Worst, I don’t want to become one of those people.

I’m excited to spend this self-imposed hiatus taking care of all of the things that I want ticked and tied before I jump headfirst into my big goals. This break is overdue and much needed.

Don’t forget to take time for YOU as this new year begins.

Love and blessings to you all!

reading list

Reading List: January’s Book

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I’m almost done with December’s book so I’m looking ahead to want I want to read in January.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Book of the Month is just one of the many books I read monthly, so sometimes I don’t always get around to finishing it. However, I’m a big believer in trying to stick to my word and do what I set out to do. So here’s to actually reading all of the books I add to the Reading List in 2018!

There’s a lot of pressure for me to pick the right book for this month. After all, it *is* January’s reading selection, and I *am* a fan of starting the year on the right foot. So yeah, pressure . . .

But since I have a very LARGE goal that I want to accomplish in 2018 (more about that in an upcoming post), I guess I should start the year off with a book that directly supports that goal. So, the book I’ll be (re)reading is The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. It’s been a while since I read it, and I hadn’t yet read it in it entirety, so now seems like the perfect time.

I mean, a four hour work week sounds dreamy, right? Who doesn’t want more time to do the things that they enjoy? And I have a LOT that I want to enjoy in the years to come. No time like the present to start creating the reality that I want!

hollywood glamour · style

Affordable Hollywood Glamour Series

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lovethoseclassicmovies

Dorothy Dandridge, the embodiment of all things glamorous

Once upon a time, I used to cruise the internet in search of any and all things vintage (I still do this, actually). I drew a great deal of inspiration from the glamorous looks worn by Hollywood stars from the first half of the 20th century. They looked so effortlessly luxurious, perfectly coiffed and naturally elegant. I loved everything about how these doyennes of the silver screen presented themselves for the public. They cared about what they wore and who saw them.

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The incomparable Hedy Lamarr

When you look at photos of classic actresses, you can’t help but think, “Wow they look great”. They had the benefit of the Hollywood style machine, combing over every inch of their personal appearance to ensure that they looked picture perfect at all times. But even though we know they had LOTS of help, many of us still enjoy the possibility of recreating some of these looks RIGHT NOW.

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The perfectly styled Veronica Lake

I can’t say that I’ve reached that level of dedication, but I aspire to it. As a result, I want to share some of the websites and other goodies that I find help to cultivate a glamorous image.

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Gene Tierney, an effortless beauty

Now I know that glamour isn’t for everyone, and even for those that are interested in it, it’s not something that they want to employ every day. But for those that do want to dip their toes into the glamour pool, this will be an easy catalog of glamorous indulgences that can be referred to whenever you need to tap into your most stylish self.

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The radiant Theresa Harris

So as part of this series, I’ll share posts about makeup, clothing, jewelry, diet, books, and documented daily routines of stars of yesteryear. This is all about creating a more stylish existence for women that are ready to glam up their day-to-day existence. Glamour is fun: let’s all play with it!

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The timeless beauty of Merle Oberon

I hope you all enjoy!

(Photos courtesy of Pinterest, NNDB, Biography, The Dying Movie Race, Love Those Classic Movies and IMDB)

 

 

life curation

Preparing for 2018: The Advantage of Setting Impossible Goals

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2018 is almost here and I’ve got a final “Preparing for 2018” post for you all. I saved this one for last, not just because it’s my favorite (though it is), but because I truly feel that doing this is key to great goal setting.

Here’s the thing: goals that are easy to attain tend to feel “flat” when accomplished. Realistic goals may be great for boosting confidence but they don’t offer you any inspiration.

That’s why you should always have some impossible goals on your list.

Now, all of your goals shouldn’t be impossible. After all, how long will you continue shooting for those goals if you feel like you can’t reach any of them? Your fire and zeal won’t last long if you feel like you keep failing. You do, however, need some goals that light you up and put some pep in your step.

You can’t let your energy get cold, which is where those impossible goals come in. Impossible goals have FIRE, and FIRE keeps your energy from going cold.

I set an impossible goal in 2016. What made it impossible, you ask? Well, I wasn’t 100% on where it would take me, or even that I was ready for it. All I knew was that I know how I wanted to feel when that goal was accomplished.

My goal was to land in my dream job. I wrote out my goal in April 2016. I had my dream job by August 2016. Now a “job” may not feel impossible for most people, but this is the job I’ve wanted since 2008. It took nearly a decade to get it, but it happened only four months after I did the steps I mentioned in previous Preparing for 2018 posts.

Setting “impossible” goals can work for you. And if you need help in accomplishing your goal, just click on the “Preparing for 2018” tag below, and you’ll see all of the other posts I’ve written that can help you on your journey.

I have more to say about goals in general, but this is it for the Preparing for 2018 series. I hope you all enjoyed it!

 

food

Review: Busboys and Poets’ Shrimp Cake

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One of my favorite lunch spots in Washington, DC is Busboys and Poets, a bookstore/restaurant mashup that attracts foodies and literati alike. It may sound like a strangle combination, but it works. The restaurant’s name is a creative take on Langston Hughes’ background as a busboy that left poetry on patrons’ tables.

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Statue outside of the Busboys and Poets, 5th and K location

During lunch a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try a dish I hadn’t tasted before. The shrimp cake intrigued me, as I love traditional shrimp and grits. FYI, I’m taking a break from my vegetarian diet until the new year, so I’m getting my share of seafood NOW.

The Busboys and Poets website describes the dish as,

shrimp grit cake, asparagus, corn, tomatoes, Cajun cream sauce

For the record, all of the menu descriptions are short, to the point, and fail to capture the deliciousness of the dishes offered. Here’s a photo of the meal I enjoyed:

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Now here’s what you really need to know: This. Was. AMAZING! For the readers that know the trickiness involved with cooking grits (trying to make them not too watery yet not too dry), you’d appreciate the fact that the grit cake was firm yet had just enough moisture to keep it from being too dry. The cajun sauce was flavorful but not too spicy, and it was a perfect complement for the lightly seasoned grit cake. The shrimp not only surrounded the cake but little bit of crustacean were actually cooked into it, as well.

This dish is an appetizer, but you could easily add a side and make it a meal. It’s satisfying and delicious.

I’ll be reviewing more Busboys and Poets meals in the months to come because, truthfully, I look for any excuse to eat there. If you can, you should definitely stop and have a meal there. The restaurant has six locations, all within the Northern VA/DC/Maryland area. Stop by and treat yourself!

beauty

The Ordinary Available At Sephora.com

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Christmas came early, darlings! The Ordinary is now at Sephora.com, so now you can buy these inexpensive-yet-luxurious products while racking up Sephora points.

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Quick warning for you: Sephora isn’t stocking The Ordinary’s entire line. Currently, only 18 products are available, though these are some of the most potent and popular products. The Ordinary’s foundations are not included with those 18 products, so if you like their color cosmetics, you will still have to go through the Deciem website.

One new thing that is available through Sephora is The No-Brainer Set, which has three of The Ordinary’s popular products: The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, and “Buffet”. The set is $29, which is less than the cost of buying each of these products separately.

I’m pleased to say that Sephora has maintained the low prices that The Ordinary is known for, and I’ve already placed my first order! Check it out, and see if your favorites from The Ordinary are now available through Sephora!