Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Etsy Loves
I love Etsy. I don't think that's a secret. But I find the best stuff on that website. It's the best for somewhat personalized accessories, beauty products, and home decor. Here are a few of the things I've gotten recently:
Mane Message Pantone Fall 2011 Package, $16.50 at etsy.com: I've wanted some of these hair ties for FOREVER, and they are a heck of a lot cheaper on Etsy than at other places. These were actually an Xmas present from my brother! The set is all the 2011 Pantone colors, mustard yellow, tangerine, pink, purple, green, deep ocean blue, brown, nougat, orchid, and quarry. So they're fun, on-trend colors. I got this set because it had a nice mixture of bright and neutral colors, but Mane Message's shop also has a ton of different, fashion-forward color options, including tie-dye. These hair ties work out to $1.65 each, which is decent. In terms of quality, they're the same as any other incarnations of this trend I've seen, but I love me these colors. They look pretty on my wrist just as a bracelet, and they look much nicer holding up a ponytail than some ratty old elastic. And they work well too! I have tons of thick, slippery hair, and these manage to keep it contained in a bun with minimal falling out and no awkward hair kink marks. Consider me a convert.
BirdAve Gossip Poster, $18 at etsy.com, Big Ben Skyline Poster, $20 at etsy.com: I finally caved and got these posters! I've wanted the one on the left for at least a year now. BirdAve's shop has a TON of adorable posters, including lots of city ones and some sassy quote ones. The chair one says 'If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me.' It's perfect for me! I got it in a pretty medium pink, and then I got the London skyline one in a royal blue. I also got little white frames with glass from Amazon so I can actually hang them on my walls like a real person and not just haphazardly tape things everywhere. I feel so grown-up.
All images via etsy.com.
Mane Message Pantone Fall 2011 Package, $16.50 at etsy.com: I've wanted some of these hair ties for FOREVER, and they are a heck of a lot cheaper on Etsy than at other places. These were actually an Xmas present from my brother! The set is all the 2011 Pantone colors, mustard yellow, tangerine, pink, purple, green, deep ocean blue, brown, nougat, orchid, and quarry. So they're fun, on-trend colors. I got this set because it had a nice mixture of bright and neutral colors, but Mane Message's shop also has a ton of different, fashion-forward color options, including tie-dye. These hair ties work out to $1.65 each, which is decent. In terms of quality, they're the same as any other incarnations of this trend I've seen, but I love me these colors. They look pretty on my wrist just as a bracelet, and they look much nicer holding up a ponytail than some ratty old elastic. And they work well too! I have tons of thick, slippery hair, and these manage to keep it contained in a bun with minimal falling out and no awkward hair kink marks. Consider me a convert.
BirdAve Gossip Poster, $18 at etsy.com, Big Ben Skyline Poster, $20 at etsy.com: I finally caved and got these posters! I've wanted the one on the left for at least a year now. BirdAve's shop has a TON of adorable posters, including lots of city ones and some sassy quote ones. The chair one says 'If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me.' It's perfect for me! I got it in a pretty medium pink, and then I got the London skyline one in a royal blue. I also got little white frames with glass from Amazon so I can actually hang them on my walls like a real person and not just haphazardly tape things everywhere. I feel so grown-up.
All images via etsy.com.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Review: Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme
WELL I JUST FAIL. I'm struggling with the whole 'I have too many extracurricular activities and classes to have a normal life right now' thing. I have iCal reminders telling me to eat lunch. It is that ridiculous. ANYWAYS. Hopefully I will be able to get back on a normal blogging schedule now that my life is kind of figured out. Here's something I've been waiting to review for forever!
Bb. Texture (Un) Dressing Creme, $26 at sephora.com: That name is a mouthful! But the product is great. This is the Bumble and Bumble spiel: "This product gives hair a hint of grit, some extra lift, and a tousled, shine-free finish. Its dry moisture finish leaves hair matte but not parched. It's made to mess with perfection and craft one-of-a-kind, freehand looks."
Okay, first some background on my hair--I have very thick (not coarse, just really thick), very straight, very heavy hair. It needs texture and volume like I need cookies on the daily. I used to use a volumizing mousse and a salt spray to give my hair texture and volume, but neither of those were particularly cheap products, and I have a LOT of hair, so I go through product really quickly. I air dry my hair every day and I curl it with my conical wand about half of the time, but my hair is awful at naturally holding a curl.
I saw great reviews of this gel/creme on all my favorite beauty blogs, so the last time I was at Sephora I picked it up (Sephora has Bumble and Bumble now! So exciting). First off, this definitely isn't cheap. However, you get 5 ounces of product. This is a lotion-sized bottle, and it will definitely last you a long time. The packaging is easy to work with, it's just a squeeze bottle with a twisting lid on the bottom. The product itself is a white gel/creme hybrid. It's thick and has a very sticky texture, with a pretty, soft floral/perfumey smell.
I take a pea-sized amount of product, rub it between my fingers, and then scrunch it into my roots. I then take a dime-sized amount of product, rub it between my fingers, and then run it through the length of my hair. Then I put my hair up in a bun and let it air dry. My hair normally dries stick straight, even in a bun. However, this stuff makes my hair hold a curl so well! If I let it air dry I get a lovely, lived-in texture with a hint of a wave. If I use my conical wand, my hair holds the curl for the entire day without falling at all! This is very exciting for me, guys. It gives me volume in my roots, and gives my hair just the right amount of 'grit' to give it some texture and hold. It doesn't dry matte on my hair, but it does make my hair less slippery, and easier to build volume into.
If you have thinner hair or a more normal amount of hair, I would use less product. This is kind of like a liquidy hair wax, and it could definitely weigh your hair down and make it look greasy if you use too much. But I do think this would work for all hair textures--I hear it's really nice if you have naturally wavy hair.
Awkward Chic rating: A+. My favorite hair product of all time. Seriously kids. It gives me volume, texture, wave, and it works like hairspray to keep my curls intact! It basically does everything. It's borderline magical.
Bb. Texture (Un) Dressing Creme, $26 at sephora.com: That name is a mouthful! But the product is great. This is the Bumble and Bumble spiel: "This product gives hair a hint of grit, some extra lift, and a tousled, shine-free finish. Its dry moisture finish leaves hair matte but not parched. It's made to mess with perfection and craft one-of-a-kind, freehand looks."
Okay, first some background on my hair--I have very thick (not coarse, just really thick), very straight, very heavy hair. It needs texture and volume like I need cookies on the daily. I used to use a volumizing mousse and a salt spray to give my hair texture and volume, but neither of those were particularly cheap products, and I have a LOT of hair, so I go through product really quickly. I air dry my hair every day and I curl it with my conical wand about half of the time, but my hair is awful at naturally holding a curl.
I saw great reviews of this gel/creme on all my favorite beauty blogs, so the last time I was at Sephora I picked it up (Sephora has Bumble and Bumble now! So exciting). First off, this definitely isn't cheap. However, you get 5 ounces of product. This is a lotion-sized bottle, and it will definitely last you a long time. The packaging is easy to work with, it's just a squeeze bottle with a twisting lid on the bottom. The product itself is a white gel/creme hybrid. It's thick and has a very sticky texture, with a pretty, soft floral/perfumey smell.
I take a pea-sized amount of product, rub it between my fingers, and then scrunch it into my roots. I then take a dime-sized amount of product, rub it between my fingers, and then run it through the length of my hair. Then I put my hair up in a bun and let it air dry. My hair normally dries stick straight, even in a bun. However, this stuff makes my hair hold a curl so well! If I let it air dry I get a lovely, lived-in texture with a hint of a wave. If I use my conical wand, my hair holds the curl for the entire day without falling at all! This is very exciting for me, guys. It gives me volume in my roots, and gives my hair just the right amount of 'grit' to give it some texture and hold. It doesn't dry matte on my hair, but it does make my hair less slippery, and easier to build volume into.
If you have thinner hair or a more normal amount of hair, I would use less product. This is kind of like a liquidy hair wax, and it could definitely weigh your hair down and make it look greasy if you use too much. But I do think this would work for all hair textures--I hear it's really nice if you have naturally wavy hair.
Awkward Chic rating: A+. My favorite hair product of all time. Seriously kids. It gives me volume, texture, wave, and it works like hairspray to keep my curls intact! It basically does everything. It's borderline magical.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Review: Anastasia Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes
I'm a little obsessed with eye brows. When I see celebs with thick brows like Camilla Belle, it makes me so happy. One of the first things I notice about someone's face is their eye brows. I know. I'm weird. But I do think that a well-shaped and shaded pair of eye brows can really make a difference in framing your face. I have naturally blondish brows with scars through both brows, so I need a lot of brow product but pencil can look very harsh. I'm always looking for a more natural way to do my brows, so I jumped at the chance to try this Anastasia Beauty Express kit, $39.50 at sephora.com. I have the Brunette kit, but it also comes in Blonde.
The kit comes with an outer black sleeve that explains what comes in the kit. The sleeve slides off to reveal the kit, which looks like a little book covered in pebbled burgundy red leather. I really love the packaging on this (sorry mine is a bit dirty, I've been using it every day!). It feels very luxe. This is the kind of packaging that makes me excited to pull it out of my makeup bag and show it off.
When you open up the kit (click the pictures to enlarge) you get a little mirror and instructions on the top half. The bottom half has a brow wax on the left, a duo of brow powders in the center, and an eyeshadow duo on the right. You also get an angled brush (which is basically identical to the brush I apply my gel liner with) and five eyebrow stencils. The stencils are Petite Arch, Medium Arch, High Arch, Full Arch, and Slim High Arch. My brows fit Medium Arch perfectly. What you'd do to use the stencil is find the one that fits your brow shape best, apply the brow wax, hold the stencil over your brow, and then use the powder to fill in your brows. Then you pluck the hairs that you didn't powder, and voila! Nicely shaped brows. I don't see myself getting a lot of use out of the stencils because my brows are naturally arched, but I think that if you're the kind of girl that gets your brows waxed a lot to keep their shape, this could be a great investment for you. You could shape your own brows and end up saving a lot of money!
Here are swatches of the products. The top left is the light brow powder, the top right is the darker brow powder, the bottom left is the shimmery champagne shadow, and the bottom right is the matte brown shadow. In terms of the actual brow products, I was very impressed. The brow wax has a nice texture, with just enough stick to keep my brow hairs in place but not so much that my eye brows look crunchy (which is the WORST). It also helps the brow powder stick, which I love. I apply the darker of the brow powders with the angled brush. I'm so pleased with that combination, because the brush is thin enough to be able to achieve a really natural-looking finish--it looks like individual hairs being drawn on! And the brow powder lasts all day on me, which is much better than any pencil I've used. As far as the colors go, I like that they have a lighter and a darker brown so that you can mix and match to find your exact color. However, both the browns are on the ashier side, so if you have red/auburn hair, they might not work for you. The eye shadows are lovely. They are both very pigmented and apply like butter. The highlight color is a pretty, golden champagne with a gorgeous sheen (no shimmer), and the matte brown is a nice contour shade. I use it in my crease, and it reminds me of a lighter version of MAC's Wedge. I get great lasting power with both shadows.
Awkward Chic rating: A+. I've used this every day for a week, and I literally have no complaints. I like the packaging, the stencils are fun, the brow powders work and look very natural, and the shadows are so easy to work with. It is a pricey kit, but I think it's worthwhile if you want a convenient way to do your brows every morning and the shades in the Blonde or Brunette kit work with your hair color.
Also! Anastasia Beverly Hills is having a really fun contest right now. You could win a trip to LA (aka my hometown, aka the best city of all the cities) and tons of cool prizes. Here's the info:
Anastasia Beverly Hills presents Wish You Were Here! This beach inspired kit available exclusively at Sephora features the limited edition Pacific Coast Illumin8 Shadow Palette, HydraFull Gloss in Guava, and Clear Brow Gel to give you that cool LA look, no matter where you are.
To celebrate this cool new kit, one lucky winner will receive a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles, a two-night stay at a Los Angeles hotel, a brow appointment with Anastasia, a hair and makeup makeover featuring the Wish You Were Here! kit at the Anastasia Beverly Hills Salon, and a photo shoot with the ABH team!
Here’s all you need to do...
- Take a postcard-worthy photo of yourself in front of your favorite local landmark!
- Make a new post of the picture on Facebook and tag Anastasia of Beverly Hills (www.facebook.com/AnastasiaBeauty) in the photo to enter. You need to first LIKE the page on Facebook in order to tag us.
- Or email your name, home address, and photograph to “wishyouwerehere@anastasia.net”.
- One entry per contestant only by 11:59 PM PST on February 3, 2012
- You must be a United States citizen to enter.
The Anastasia Beverly Hills team will select a winner and fly you out for a Los Angeles beauty weekend with Anastasia! See anastasia.net/wishyouwerehere for complete contest rules and details.
Disclaimer: I was given this product to review. However, all opinions are always my own. I don't get paid to blog, and I will say if I don't like something.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Torrie Wilson Wallpaper | Top Of Magazine
torrie wilson pictures
torrie wilson pictures
torrie wilson pictures
torrie wilson pictures
torrie wilson pictures
Kate Moss Wallpaper | Top Of Magazine
kate moss pictures
kate moss pictures
kate moss pictures
kate moss pictures
kate moss pictures
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