Tag: beauty

life curation · style

Transition to Fall

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I absolutely despise having to let go of summer.

Yes, I know that I do this every year. But, truthfully, it never gets any easier.

Sunshine and warm weather make me feel ALIVE. I bloom during the summertime. And who doesn’t want that? Who doesn’t want to BLOOM?

So then transition to fall and cooler temps is probably my least favorite time of year. Not necessarily because it feels uncomfortable, but because I like longer days and not having to opt for jackets in the morning.

But there is an upside to cooler days – more glamorous fashion LOL! I love fall clothing, especially tailored dresses in slightly heavier fabrics, longer sleeves and richer colors. I still stick to the old rule of “no white after Labor Day”, so I pack up my bright white clothes early in September. But I promptly break out my jewel toned garments that look perfectly appropriate for the cooler days ahead.

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(I don’t even watch Scandal, but every time I see a photo of Kerry Washington’s fashions, I’m inspired. Come on – who WOULDN’T want to look this glamorous during the fall/winter? Photo courtesy of ThisIsGlamorous.com)

My coloring is well suited to the typical “Winter” palette colors (as first explained by the Color Me Beautiful system). So rich, pure colors, cool undertones, and sumptuous fabrics work really well for me. Truth be told, the wardrobe options are the only things that keep me going during the winter.

That, and knee-high boots. I live for knee-high boots.

I had to update my wardrobe and get some better fall/winter ensembles, so I ordered a few things. I also want to get a capsule wardrobe going, so I’ll have to get a bit organized and figure out what items are belong in my set of core “must haves”, and which items can be either stored or given away to charity.  I’ll review my purchases soon, but in the meantime, do you all have any favorite things about the fall/winter that you’d like to share? Please let me know in the comments below!

 

beauty · luxury

Review: Nicolet Beauty Lip Catnips

Mstldelano2 Comments

During my beauty binge a few weeks ago, I came across Nicolet Beauty. I was intrigued by the line, because they offer vegan lip products in both glamorous and unusual shades. They offer both lipsticks and lip glosses. But that’s not the only thing that lured me in.

Look at the container. LOOK. AT. IT.

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Nicolet Beauty sells “lip catnips” (intensely pigmented lip gloss) in both the standard lip gloss tubs, but they are also offering a few of their shades in these limited edition special containers. Now tell me: wouldn’t you just LOVE to have these on your vanity?

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I ordered two of these limited edition glosses in the shades “Florence” and “Norino” (there are two other shades, as well: Delphia and Zona). The website describes “Florence” as a “Metallic Berry lip gloss”, while “Norino” is described as a “Rose Gold metallic lip gloss”. I found both of these descriptions accurate, and the pigment was intense and true to what is shown on the website.

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(Florence on the left, Norino on the right)

I. Loved. These. Catnips! The coverage is gorgeous and these smell like cupcakes! I’m a bit more partial to “Norino”, mainly because this is the one that I’ve worn more frequently. I have gotten compliments on the rose gold shade when I wore it. I anticipate that “Florence” will be an absolute hit this winter (I usually go a little deeper on my lip shades during the cooler months, so this one will be a perfect change from “Norino”).

(Florence and Norino in their pots)

Now, a few disclaimers are in order. These are both shimmery shades, so if you love your mattes, this isn’t for you. Also, while the website lists these as lip glosses, the website also cautions that these are highly pigmented. So these colors apply like a lip gloss but have coverage and finish like a lipstick. These do not apply as sheers and, since they don’t dry down to a matte finish, they blend well with lip liners (you don’t have to rush and blend because the lip catnip doesn’t dry completely).

Since these are glosses, you can expect that these will remain a little “tacky” and retain their sheen throughout the day. Funny enough, I found that the colors looked a tad shinier when unmanipulated, and took on a more matte look when I pressed my lips together. If you want a shinier look, you will have to layer a clear gloss over the lip catnips, or just remember not to press your lips together too much.

The unexpected surprise of this order was the fact that I got the glam lip brush along with the catnips. I can’t promise you that everyone receives a lip brush (it wasn’t mentioned on the website) but I was delighted to see this coordinating accessory in my package.

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Oh yes, about the package: it arrived quickly (within a week) so I was pleased. These glosses are ordinarily $16, but as of September 15, 2017, these are on sale for $12 each. This is a great way to get some affordable luxury in your life!

That’s my review of Nicolet Beauty. I hope that the company continues to produces these luxuriously packaged items, because they are unique and help me to quickly tap into my inner glam.

What do you think of Nicolet Beauty? Let me know in the comments below!

 

 

 

words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Audrey Hepburn

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I first discovered Audrey Hepburn late one night, while watching American Movie Classics (AMC). The channel was airing “My Fair Lady” and I was immediately hooked when I heard the singing and recognized the fairy tale-esque plot. Linguistics Professor Henry Higgins has bet his friend, Colonel Pickering, that a common flower seller can be coached to the point of passing off as a princess.

Enter flower girl Eliza Dolittle (played by Audrey Hepburn). She charms from the first moment she appears on the screen.

And from that day to this one, I’ve been one of Audrey’s biggest fans.

I loved her even more when I realized that her beauty and skilled acting were nothing in comparison to her wisdom, kindness, and humanitarian spirit. Here are some of my favorite Audrey Hepburn quotes and photos. Enjoy! And, if you have a great Audrey Hepburn memory you’d like to share, feel free to post it in the comments below!

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(photos courtesy of Reductress, Pinterest, Machcdn, CultureStreet and QuoteAddicts)

beauty

Review: Glow by Melodye Lip Glaze

Mstldelano1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I ordered a ton of beauty products from small, indie brands. One of the orders I placed was with Glow by Melodye. The company specializes in sleek lip colors that last for a long time and leave lips shiny, hydrated and picture perfect.

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I purchased the colors “I Love Her” and “Extraordinary Smile”. “I Love Her” is bright, bubblegum pink with bluish undertones, while “Extraordinary Smile” is a bronze that balances both cool and warm undertones.

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I tried both of these colors and enjoyed them both. I wore them with a deeper-colored lip liner to create a more ombre-d look. I liked the application as well as how these products weren’t drying at all. Also, the color was intense enough that it didn’t fade during the day, but not overpowering to the point that people noticed my lips before they noticed me. Full disclosure: these are NOT matte lipsticks. These feel like lip glosses and you can build up the color, so instead of drying down to a dry matte look, these instead have the look and feel of a semi-sheer liquid lipstick.

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There is one caveat about the product: the two that I purchased had shimmer in them, which was not indicated on the website. I fully expected “Extraordinary Smile” to be shimmery, because the product photo on the site depicts a shimmery-looking product in the tube. But “I Love Her” surprised me: the photo on the site appears to be a shimmer-free product, but it isn’t. I saw the shimmer when I looked at the tube in person, and then I confirmed the added shimmery flecks when I swatched the product. Other than that unexpected finish, everything else was fine with the product.

Here’s the deal: nowadays, EVERYONE has lip products. So it’s hard for me to say conclusively that this is the best available. However, the prices are reasonable and the products work well. The shipping was also pretty fast, and the packaging was cute (hot pink envelopes!).

A bit of brilliance: Melodye enclosed three of her business cards, so I can easily refer my friends to the website without having to remember the hyperlink information.

Would I order again? Yes, definitely. The price, speed of delivery, and quality of product are all good reasons for me to reorder. I only wish that the brand would extend to other products, or at least add additional shades to the line (I already have lip products in pretty much every shade on the website). Once Glow by Melodye expands, I’ll be right there, ready to support again.

beauty · culture

Vintage Video: Why Not Be Beautiful?

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I’ll admit: I was expecting to be frustrated with this vintage beauty video. After all, it was created in 1969, and I anticipated a bit of a misogynistic flavor with it. I thought that the entire video would be pushing beauty as a way to “get the guy” and “live happily ever after”.

 

But I was WRONG! I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. This video is filled with so many gems: where should I start?

First of all, kudos for the diversity. There are some modern-day television shows that could benefit from this example. And kindly bypass the terms “Negro” and “Oriental”: at the time this was made, those terms weren’t offensive.

Secondly, there are a lot of quote-worthy phrases thrown in here. Here are some of my favorites from the first 3 minutes of the video:

“Every girl can become beautiful, in the true meaning of the word.”

“Beauty indeed is more than skin deep. The most important part of beauty comes from within: the inner beauty. A healthy mind, being interested in life and the arts … Caring for others and being involved in the issues of the community and your country … Being creative … Being active … The more you’re interested in the world around you, the more interesting you become.”

Fitness as a way of bonding with other women was promoted, and I’m such a fan of that stance. I’d rather take a brisk walk  outdoors with a friend than sweat it out solo.

I’m amazed at how many of the beauty tips are still relevant. The color concepts for increasing and decreasing the appearance of distance between the eyes still works (it’s a trick that I do constantly).

Lastly, I love how there were so many positive comments throughout. I didn’t see any discouraging of a woman’s unique beauty, just encouragement to enhance what’s already there. The video ended on a lovely note (I’m quoting it below):

“Above all remember the beauty that shines through you from within your inner beauty is your most beautiful, most precious possession. Beauty is more than a pretty face, it’s a way of life.”

I hope you all enjoy the video! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

art · luxury

My Time With Yves

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I would love to give you a bunch of captions, but this was an exhibit that had to be EXPERIENCED. Writing about it just doesn’t do it justice.

Yves St. Laurent “The Perfection of Style” was a perfectly balanced exhibition. Gorgeous outfits, lots of his personal notes, video clips, and great biographical information. I’ll post some of my favorite photos from the exhibit, but be warned: photos really can’t capture the genius that was YSL. Enjoy!

luxury

Review: Kimberly New York “Dimple” Perfume

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I scoured the Internet to find some indie perfumes to try. I love beautiful scents and I was eager for a fragrance that would be unusual but have some staying power.

Enter Kimberly New York perfumes. The scents have adorable names – Artsy, Bubble, Dimples, and Poetry – and my interest was piqued.

Fortuitously enough, the perfumer had a sale on the scent “Dimple”, so I purchased the full sized “Dimple” perfume, as well as the “Spring Street” 4-vial set, which had trial amounts of all four fragrances.

While I did purchase only one full sized perfume, I had a chance to wear them all, so I will review the entire line, but give my most in-depth opinions about “Dimple”.

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Here is “Dimple” ‘s description, straight from the Kimberly New York website:

SEXY. EDIBLE. WARM.

Dark chocolate almond biscotti, and mint chips snuggle sweetly. “Dimple” is as alluring as a heartfelt smile. 

Notes: 
top – mint 
middle – sprinkled sugar cookie 
base – dark chocolate

I can comfortably state that I smelled all of these essences in the perfume. The chocolate base reminded me a bit of Thierry Mugler’s “Angel”, but the mint top note was a refreshing spin. Honestly, when I first sniffed Dimple, I immediately thought of my favorite ice cream, Mint Chocolate Chip.

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I wore it and LOVED it. I asked a few men what they thought of the smell, and they gave it a thumbs up, too!

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Here are some of my takeaways from this line:

Pros: This line ships SUPER fast. I had my products within 3 business days. The products were affordable ($15 for the vial set, and $45 [regular price] for the full-sized fragrances). Also, the perfume bottle and promotional inserts/materials were attractive.

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Cons: You can’t accurately gauge the sillage of some of the fragrances using the “Spring Street” vial set. These are eau de parfums, but when I wore “Artsy”, I noticed that I could barely smell it on my skin. I applied nearly half of the vial initially, and then I had to reapply every two hours (normal reapplication for eau de parfums is about 4 hours). Funny enough, I wore “Bubble” and the sillage seemed more accurate (only used about 1/3 of the bottle, and I could smell it with ease).

In addition, you MUST reapply during the day. I’ll admit: wearing more luxurious fragrances spoiled me a bit LOL! I don’t have to reapply my higher-end perfumes very often. But these needed to be reapplied every 4 hours, or the scent would be lost. That’s not a “con”, per se, but just something to note.

 

Overall opinion? I’d definitely order again, and I’m looking forward to trying all of the fragrances. And when I do, I’ll be sure to review them!

Uncategorized

Product Reviews Underway . . .

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I had far too much fun ordering beauty items over the past few weeks LOL!

I have a thing for indie brands: I love supporting small businesses and trying products that haven’t achieved mainstream popularity. I also love that indie brands tend to be highly innovative: they often offer colors and textures that are harder to find in mainstream brands.

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Since I recently purged my vanity of many outdated and/or inferior products, it was time to replace those items with quality products. What better way to replenish than to seek small businesses and try out their items?

If you have some indie beauty brands or small businesses you’d like to recommend, feel free to mention them in the comments. I’m always looking for new things to try!

words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Elizabeth Taylor

Mstldelano3 Comments

I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Taylor since watching her (very tiny) role in “Jane Eyre” when I was a child. I loved her even more as I grew up and learned about her glamorous, fascinating life. I know she had her share of heartache, but I’m inspired by the fact that she lived a FULL life. She took chances, she loved hard, and she had one heck of a ride on this planet. Rest in eternal peace, Ms. Taylor.

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(photos courtesy of Marie Claire, Pinterest, PicQuery, and WeNeedFun)