covergirl me impressed

Have to give a big time shout out to the new (ish) Covergirl ad in my recent Glamour mag. I have never, NEVER seen Drew Barrymore look so good. I mean really. Her makeup looks so good I could cry. C will attest that I love me a shimmery gold but this look on her is amaze-balls! The whole enchilada I tell'ya. Her brows, lips, smoldering eyes...I even love her nail polish. And let me at least just mention that this is the color her hair needs to be, mmkay?

How I wish I had the means to blow this picture up and show you just how gorg her face is in this ad. It's worth your time to flip through some mags in the grocery store til you find it.

Compare with another CoverGirl ad of Drew's. Similar, but doesn't know it out of the park quite like the prior.

Tay looks good, too, but it's extremely reminiscent of her her fearless album, no?

Farewell to HP in style

Did anyone else see (and subsequently go into a downward spiral of post-HP depression) the last Harry Potter installment? Not only was the movie a smash hit, but Emma Watson herself made the London movie premiere the fashion event of the summer.

Behold, E-dub in Oscar de la Renta.

honestly, I can't breathe.

Plus, I am LOVING her hair right now. This slightly grown out version of her uber chic pixie truly bids Hermoine a formal, and fabulous, adieu.

Also, her makeup look is utter perfection. The pinky cheek and lip combo'ed with the slightly smokey eye gives me chills. Who votes for a how-to on this look for a blog post??

As a side-bar for all the Harry Potter geeks like me who wish to fall even more in love with Emma Watson as Hermoine, just take a look at this video of her at the premiere.

Beat the Heat

Whislt C and I are vacationing I thought I'd take a minute to brush the sand from my toes and tell you just how to protect your hair from all that fun in the sun.

1. Hat or Scarf, duh

2. Before you go out for a long day at the beach or pool, wet your hair and add a deep conditioning treatment.

3. There are also some hair products that offer sun protection. I really like the Biolage Sunsorials line.

4. If you've already sun-abused your hair try an oil treatment to battle those over exposed, dry ends.

5. Has your hair turned chlorine green? Try using a good clarifying shampoo. I recommend Bumble and Bumble Sunday.

Just remember to protect those locks! It's better to be proactive then be trying to repair damage. Especially chemically processed hair..aka 90% of you ladies! Three words, say it with me-

Pretty

Healthy

Hair.

FTF: Colored Jeans

Every few years, colored denim makes its way onto the fashion radar. Right now it is back to color us happy in these dog days of summer.

Whether pastel...

Or primary colors...

Or yellow!

This trend can suit everyone's taste!

Good news is you can find these both cheap (think F21 or H&M) or pricey (Nordstrom). I always go the cheap route on trends like this, because it's definitely one of those now-you-see-it*blink*now-it's-gone type of trends.

vacation essentials

H and I are both going out of town this weekend, for a whole week. Alas, we are not vacationing together. She will be lounging on the beach (my jealousy is past the point of no return) while I am going to Utah. Not that it won't be super glamorous (sarcasm), but it simply not the same as being in a bathing suit all day with sand between your toes.

I don't know about you, but I always have trouble packing. Especially with a child in tow. It's not as bad now that Dean is older, because when he was a baby, I would pack everything. Including (but not limited to) a high chair, bumbo, exersaucer, play mat, toys, books, etc.

When I was younger (and single), I was very chaotic in my own packing regime. I would grab literally half of everything in my closet, shove it in a suitcase and pray that it zipped when I sat on it. This routine makes getting dressed on vacation a total nightmare. Plus, I always had to pay the extra $50 because my suitcase weighed too much.

Over the years, I have learned packing techniques that are more streamlined and keep me sane throughout my trip.

This notepad allots me a semblance of organization with the insanity of packing a family.

As a side note: Does your significant other expect you to pack for him? Mine just puts out haphazard piles that I throw in a duffle and then once we are on the trip he asks questions like, "Did you pack my razor?" If it wasn't in the pile, I didn't pack it.

A toiletry bag with labels or clear pockets that can hang on the door (I always find really cute ones at TJMaxx, Ross, or Marshalls)is a travel staple.

Aviation-friendly plastic bottles (I bought some from Target that came with labels and a clear bag).

A separate bag for makeup and makeup brushes (if you don't have a bag for brushes, don't sweat it. Just put them in a large ziplock and roll the bag!)

Other tips for traveling:

*If I am going somewhere for a week or longer (and I am not staying at someone's home) I like to bring my own bottle of hand soap. Have you noticed how those bars of soap in hotels are super harsh and never foam up?

*I never iron anything before because it will most likely crease and wrinkle no matter what I do. And every hotel offers an iron!

*Place clothes in the suitcase by weight. Shoes first (nobody wants their silk dress spoiled by tennis shoes), then jeans, sweaters, gym clothes, then dresses, skirts, and blouses on top. I read an article that gave me some good tips about packing. The woman suggested topping the packed suitcase with a few layers of tissue paper that has been sprayed with your favorite perfume. Love this idea! So fresh and so cleanclean.

*If an item can possibly leak all over other things in your bag, I either packing-tape the bottle cap or put it in a separate ziplock bag.

*For weekend trips, I use a vintage suitcase. It's small enough so that it keeps me limited on my usually countless clothing options, and it is simply chic!

Things I will be bringing on my vacation:

-six million magazines, because I am like 3 months behind.

-my new favorite snack of whole natural almonds mixed with dark chocolate covered raisins

-this book, that I will hopefully finish!

-and these guys. 'cause what else do I need?

Hot Mamas Take III

Another Hot Mama session with the ultra-fab Pied Piper Photography.

We are so talented I can't even help myself.

Just look at these gorg women!

Check out more of Pied Piper's goodies, here. Because this, my friends, is just a sampling of the yummy!

All hair and makeup done by The Beauty Mark.

WW: Coral Dreamsicle

I found it.

thee dress, to thee wedding of the year. (my brothers!)

Seriously though. C and I came across this and couldn't turn back.

Had to practically stalk Nordstrom.com until it came in my size.

PS: everyone needs a friend like C in their lives but good luck finding one!

Ignore the current sleeve sitch, which is obviously a problem in these pictures. And behold.

The aforementioned coral dream.

Now, a little help from all you beauties out there. Help me find the perfect shoe. Here are a few currently participating in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

Feel free to vote accordingly:

1.

2.

3.

Seen any fantastic shoes out there that would be so perfect, let's hear it!

I can't let WW go without highlighting more Eliza J dresses. I'm so impressed with their designs!

i came, i saw, i purchased.

Sometimes I feel that I am a bit jaded when it comes to beauty.

I hear about new technologies, products, and innovations so often that I usually roll my eyes when I see a new beauty item.

It is rare that I actually purchase a newly introduced beauty item, as I already have my favorites and essentials that I count on til death do us part.

After that background, you can imagine my hesitation when I heard about this product. Obviously, I was a nervous mixture of skeptical and excited. Basically, I was hoping it would make my under-eye concealer dreams come true. Too much pressure for a simple highlighting pen? Perhaps. But I have high expectations of the products I incorporate into my regime.

I realize that there are hundreds (exaggerating) of these highlight pens for sale out there in the vast beauty world. However, like I mentioned before, I don't just go purchase cosmetics for the sake of collecting. I need a rhyme and a reason (and it doesn't hurt to have a discount.)

Plus, we all know how I feel about a pinkish highlighting concealer.

(now, without further introductions)

Prep + Prime Highlighter pen ($23)

which, according to maccosmetics.com, is:

A pen-style highlighter that efficiently brings a soft sheer wash of colour to the skin. With its precision application, adds radiance just where you want it. Goes on smoothly for cushion-soft wear. Use over makeup for highlights, touch-ups or under makeup to brighten and prime.

photo courtesy of temptalia.com

This product came out last spring, but I just barely got my hands on it (finally) because my MAC store has been sold out! It erases my dark circles with the simple sweep of the brush.

I LOVE the pink one (Radiant Rose) for fair skin (who, me??), and the peach one (Bright Forecast) for deeper skin tones. The yellow one (Light Boost) makes me a little nervous and sweaty, but would work fabulously on more red or purple skin undertones.

For reals, if I give something my stamp of approval, that means it will rock your world.

BAFTA gala 2011

Last week the BAFTA Gala came to LA, and the stars showed up in style to toast William and Kate (they need a catchy couple nickname, right??)

Any excuse to dress-up, that's what I always like to say.

First, the creme de la creme:

My girl Zooey, looking fab in Oscar de la Renta

Kate, who is an ethereal vision in lavender Alexander McQueen. She is trumping the fashion world at the moment. (and as a sidebar: don't you love that it is front page news when she repeats an outfit? no lie, the other day I saw a headline that said, "Kate wears the same pair of jeans--FOUR TIMES!")

Gugu Mbatha-Raw (her real name) in Reem Acra. I don't know who this girl is, but she made her debut into the fashion world with a splash! LOVE this dress, the color, the cut, and (now) the girl wearing it!

And, the not-so-good:

The more Versace I see, the more Versace I dislike. Elizabeth Banks has GOT to be kidding in this dress. It looks like cargo pants re-fashioned into a dress. No bueno.

J Lo in Emilio Pucci. Haven't we seen this dress before? It is a little too reminiscent of the infamous little green dress (which, surprise-surprise, was Versace). J Lo, we get it. You had twins and you still have a nice bod. BUT this fabric is not forgiving of even the most minor lumps and curves.

Maybe I am being harsh by placing Blake Lively (in Marchesa) in the "not-so-good" category. It's not that she doesn't look gorgeous, it's just that we've seen this one-shouldered flowy number from her before. Plus, let's be honest, this one kinda looks like a nightgown (albeit a fancy one).