Bobbi Brown Naked Tube Tint
It’s really perfect. It’s pinky-beige and you know I LOVE THAT. It’s sheer so your natural lip color peeks through AND it’s versatile. With Lip Liner (I love Kevin Aucoin’s Lip Pencil in The Flesh Tone or MAC Spice), you get a more visible nude lip. It’s super moisturizing and that is so important when you are wearing gloss because ironically, some of them are really drying.
The only caveat is that they are LIMITED edition. Say what? LIMITED EDITION. Those words make me wanna max out all my credit cards on getting Naked (I just like the pun… I’m cheesy). Hurry to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter to purchase. Each Tube Tint is $19 and there are 4 colors to this LIMITED EDITION collection (feel the pressure yet?). You can purchase online at BobbiBrown.com. I also have Air Kiss… and that’s also swoon worthy!
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl
Right. So I’ve recently become obsessed with “illuminators”. Late to the party – yes – but it’s never to late to shine! I tried a few that I didn’t like (let’s not talk about those) then I got a sample of Benefit’s Girl Meets Pearl. I’m not normally a Benefit fan. They’re cute and kitschy and I am more of a fan of french and classic and understated.
Swatch of Girl Meets Pearl
The product itself is a pinkish-pearl color that really melted into my skin. It was easily absorbed but not at all oily or streaky. The pearl isn’t obvious until you’re in a certain light, then it appears as if your skin is just radiating all this glow. I LOVE THIS! HOW did I EVER get by without it?
I use it on the apples of my cheeks, on my brow bone and anywhere I want that dewy look. This isn’t a new product but it’s new to me and I’m a FAN!
If you want to try it, you can purchase Girl Meets Pearl at Sephora for $30.
Givenchy Dahlia Noir L’Eau
When I was a kid, I had an imaginary friend. I named her Donna (I wasn’t much for originality in the name department) and her father was the moon and her mother the sun (yep, creative with story lines though). So why am I mentioning this on a fragrance friday? Well now, glad you asked.
Givenchy is an iconic french brand. They function in the world of Barney’s and high-end boutiques that I long to shop on a Tuesday morning because I have nothing better to do. With my driver. And 4 nannies. For 1 child.
Anyhoo… Dahlia Noir is a fragrance that came out in 2011 and there’s a new extension of that this year with Dahlia Noir L’eau. Dahlia Noir is “inspired by the imaginary flower”. Yep, it’s a scent based on a flower that doesn’t exist. Moving on.
Created by Riccardo Tisci – an Italian designer whose known for his gothic inspirations, with notes of rose, citron and neroli on a base of Patchouli, Cedar and Musk… I thought, I would gravitate to this scent but to be honest. I kept wondering where I smelled it before.
And now I remember! It’s a watered down Chloe!!! At least it smells that way to me. I don’t really like Chloe and I’m not fond of this either. It smells very woodsy at first and I’m just not a woodsy girl. I like the sweet and fruity elements of scent and while Patchouli speaks to my inner Boho girl (Fine, hippie, whatever!), it’s just not enough to get me to spend $63 on this.
If you’re a woodsy girl who likes citrus (we remember how I feel about citrus yes?), check this out. You can buy it at Nordstrom.
I am a product junkie. THAT should come as no surprise. And I belong to a few sample services. One of them is Birchbox. Birchbox is a monthly sample club where you receive 4-5 sample or deluxe trial size products for $10.
This month they sent me my box and I have to say, I’m disappointed! I gave most of the stuff away and what I was most excited for, was gone after 1 use. So what did I receive in my box?
Color Club Nail Lacquer
Full Size
In a Light Coral
I gave this away. This needs to be worn by someone with tan skin and not someone who prefers to shun the sun and stay blissfully protected.
Davines Love Shampoo and Conditioner Packette
Trial Size (Shampoo) & Sample Size (Conditioner)
I have heard of Davines before but to be honest, their products haven’t impressed. I actually LOVE the smell of love. 
It’s scent is fruity but clean and fresh. Unfortunately, the shampoo and conditioner didn’t leave my hair as moist as I need my wavy/curly mess to be. I was excited for this and it quickly wained.
Davines Absolute Beautifying Potion Hair Oil
Sample Size
I LOVED this product. It’s an oil but it’s so light and it made up for what the Shampoo and Conditioner did not deliver on: MOISTURIZING! Unfortunately, this packette was a single use for my almost waist length hair. And one use doesn’t make me want to buy it. Sigh.
Blue Eyeliner
Full Size
I don’t remember the brand since I gave this away but it was BLUE. I mean I lived through the 80′s but really? BLUE??? I know colorful eyes are back but BLUE eyeliner? BLUE?
In any case, at this point I would be canceling Birchbox but I paid for the year. I’m not feeling the excitement over new products and to be honest, I NEVER get the goodies that other Birchboxers receive in their box! Maybe it’s the Birchblogger thing and they send the better boxes to the Birchbloggers they promote? Not sure but not happy.
If you want to find out for yourself, go to Birchbox’s website to look at the service.
Make Up Forever Lab Shine in S4
If you could only see my trunk of Lip Glosses, you would absolutely scold me. The first thing you’d say is that they all look so similar. All pinky-nude, pinky-beige and sparkly and then you’d wonder why the heck I need 300+ Lip Glosses all in the same color for? And I do believe I gave out my number there. Oops…
I can’t explain why I feel the need to purchase pink and sparkly lip glosses wherever I go but I do. And if I was ever lost to the world, you could probably track me by the purchase of a pink and sparkly gloss somewhere in the world.
In any case, the latest I have tried is Make Up Forever (I constantly want to type Makeup instead of Make Up which is how they spell it, think they’ll change it for me?). They have a line of glosses that I like called Lab Shine. They are super shiny and have different finishes. One is Star, another is diamond and the last is Metal. I have one from the diamond collection and I love it. I love the color… the gloss…. I’ll get into that.
I bought S4 (Star collection) which is a pinky-beige color with delicate sparkles infused. I LOVE THIS COLOR! The color is perfect! But the gloss is thin. I put it on before coming to work, didn’t drink or eat anything and it faded within 2 hours. TWO!
The color is just really spot on and it’s just this perfect blend of sparkle and shine, pink and natural beige that, in all honesty, I will probably buy it again, despite the wear time. 
The cost is $19 and you can purchase it at Sephora.
Make Up Forever Lab Shine S4 Swatch (SEE!!! THE COLOR IS SO AWESOME!)
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
I have never worn foundation. There. It’s out. I don’t wear it. I don’t like wiping my face to find it all coming off on my hand or tissue. I’m a toucher, I constantly rub my face and though I try not to, I do. I can’t help it. It’s like the cuticle picking thing.
And I have been blessed. My mother – in her 60′s, has wrinkle-free skin. If she weren’t a sun worshiper in her youth, she probably wouldn’t need a stitch of makeup. Since I wear sunscreen daily and shun the sun (mostly – every now I then I’ll venture out into the sun with SPF 15 – RISK TAKER I know), my skin is actually really even toned and wrinkle free. At my unspeakable age, that’s pretty damn good.
So I don’t need foundation. But I sometimes feel like I would like a tad bit more coverage. Whether it’s for a special event or because I have a meeting I want additional armor for, I find myself reaching for something extra. And I’ve been looking for it.
Nars is a favorite brand of mine. In case for some odd reason you don’t know Nars, Francois Nars is a french (be quiet!) makeup artist and created his line. Known for it’s Orgasm blush – a peachy gold flecked product that Nars created to mimick a woman’s flush when she climaxed, Nars is a very creative yet somehow wearable line of products.
I expected a lot from his new Tinted Moisturizer called Pure Radiant. It’s very light and completely sinks into my face. I don’t feel like I’m wearing anything and more importantly, I don’t look like I’m wearing anything. And the product has benefits! Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer has actually been proven to help reduce the appearance of discoloration and dark spots in four weeks. I don’t have either to test this on but it’s what the description says!
The moisturizer is oil-free and has an SPF 30. On days I want to wear it, I swap out my daily moisturizer for this and proceed with concealer and my makeup routine.
I really love it. This product truly delivers on the Radiant portion! While I normally wear some sort of shimmer product, with this, I really don’t need the extra step! My color was Alaska which is on the lighter end and has equal parts yellow and pink but the colors do vary with each having either more pink or more yellow based on your undertones. So I suggest trekking into your nearest store to check them out!
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer is $42 – which I don’t mind since I don’t wear this every day and the size will last me quite sme time. It can be purchased at Sephora.
Sara Happ the lip slip
I’ve confessed to this before but I will do so again. I am a lip balm junkie. JUNKIE! I have them hidden all over. In my car. 2 in my bag. 2 beside my bed. In my kitchen. All over. I need a lip balm within arms reach of all my favorite places. I have this irrational fear of flaky lips. They scare me. I wish torn and ragged cuticles scared me. GAH!
I’ll move on from that since I’m NOT supposed to be picking (and I swear, I’m not! Okay… not a lot… Fine, I haven’t stopped, at all) and tell you that I have found a really amazing find in the lip balm world.
The Lip Slip comes in two ways: in a tube and in a pot. THIS is amazingly convenient! On the go, I love a tube, but at home, I’m good with a pot. So of course, I purchased both. Both packages have the same product in it. It appears as if there will be color. In the tube or pot, the balm looks like a perfect, sparkling light pink.
But when it goes on your lips, everything disappears except for a spectacular shine. It is very sticky for a balm. It’s more like a gloss in consistency actually and to be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d like it but when it wears off, your lips are so smooth and moist and just perfectly plumped.
You can purchase The Lip Slip at Nordstrom in a pot for $24 (.5 oz) or in a tube for $18.
The Ballet Physique DVD Collection
I love working out. It’s definitely something I have gotten from my Dad. As a kid, I used to watch him workout in our makeshift basement gym. I’d watch him lift weights and do all this stuff and get sweaty and gross and I’d bring him make believe tea in the middle of it all. And he’d stop and pretend to drink it with calm and ease that I now realize is very hard when you’re in the middle of a crazy hard exercise routine.
I am not into heavy weights but I do love a hard workout. Since having meniscus removal in November 2012, my workouts have changed though. The drill sergeant like workouts I enjoyed prior to my injury, I can no longer safely perform. I started to get into Barre workouts.
And I have tried a LOT. The Bar Method – which I like but it’s really not fun and the music is classical and I just needed more pep. Tracy Anderson – but the dance part seems unplanned and really awkward. Physique 57 – which I LOVE LOVE LOVE but there are 6 DVD’s and I can only do them so many times before growing bored. Plus two of the DVD’s use this instructor Shelly Knight and she’s very rehearsed (1 and 2 breathe 3 lift 4 – all with a really upward swing of her voice – shoot me). So I was on the lookout for a new addition.
Amazon kept bothering me about this series called The Ballet Physique and I thought, I have done so many, and most are so very similar… what could this bring to the table.
I read the reviews about 200 million times prior to purchasing. But was still not sure if it was right.
OMG, it was right! I tried the first one: Signature Sculpt over the weekend. The workout lasts 65 minutes (though it says 60 on the packaging – those sneaky instructors can never tell time) and you need an exercise ball, which comes with the two DVD collection, and a sturdy piece of furniture, chair or ballet barre. I have a barre and I love it. It is worth the investment. They run about $120-$200.
I truly thought you couldn’t surprise me anymore with barre workouts but Kristen Zurek – instructor for this DVD and creator of the method, is a fabulous instructor. She is motivating to listen to without seeming rehearsed or annoying. What I truly love, as someone with a recent surgery, is the Before You Workout section. They go through the more difficult moves of the workout prior to your beginning it to make sure you understand the modifications.
When you click into the workout, it begins like most barre workouts do with knee lifts then arms then you move into all sorts of thigh and seat combinations. Some moves will look familiar but some… NOT familiar and OMG HARD. This is not a workout for the faint of heart. It’s tough and you WILL sweat!
Amped Up, the second DVD of the series, runs 50 minutes (it says 45, again, why can’t instructors tell time?) and also has the nifty Before You Workout section. This workout is led by another Kristin, Kristin Skordahl who is Director at the Colorado studio. This is a more specific, focused muscle workout than Signature Sculpt. You use the barre, a heavy set of weights and a light set of weights as well as the ball.
My only gripe here is that you spend a significant time on your knees – having that knee surgery on my left knee… well I can’t always be on my knees for such a long period of time. It’s getting better and stronger but I still have some odd limitations. I left a question on the Facebook page yesterday but as of this post, no one has gotten back to me on any sort of modifications.
I cursed, I yelled, I said they were crazy and I’m SO going back for more! FANTASTIC workout that is fun with instructors who are motivating without being overly positive and chirpy and well, annoying!
To purchase you can go to their website. You can buy the collection above for $34.95 or without the ball for $29.95. The singular
DVD’s are $19.95.
So… when are the NEXT Ballet Physique DVD workouts coming? I need more than two!
Chantecaille Mascara Noir
I’ve made no secret that my eyelashes are seriously lacking. While the hair on my head seems quite voluminous – particularly on days like today where the air is misty and the clouds ominously hang over head – my lashes are short. They are stubby. AND they are BLONDE. It’s like the worst of everything. GAH.
I have tried many mascara’s. I’ve liked a lot but honestly, I’m not faithful to any one yet. And I’m not sure I’ve found that one mascara that will make me change my cheating ways but I have found one that I really really want to continue to date.
Chantecaille is the family business of the Chantecaille family. Sylvie Chantecaille began the cosmetics line as a fragrance house first. They eventually expanded into cosmetics and skincare and have always kept the luxury aspect of their brand at the forefront.
So you know I love it because it’s french but aside from that… the mascara is really great! It doesn’t clump, the color is super black but not so black that it looks too stark against my light skin AND the formula somehow seperates AND lengthens AND creates a natural looking volume.
My only gripe is that it’s scented. It smells like roses every time I open it and it lasts for a bit after I put in on my lashes. It’s just something I am 100% not used to.
And it’s costly. At $38 per tube, I kind of want it to be PERFECT. So I’m still in the deciding phase of our budding romance. I’m thinking about our future but honestly, I do love the naturally long looking black lashes I’ve been sporting… so we’re off to a good start!
Chantecaille is available at Nordstrom.com.. You can get 5% back with ebates if your orders soon!
As you can see my cuticules are ravaged…
I don’t play favorites!
It’s disgusting. REALLY gross. My fingers are constantly riddled with little callouses and scabs where I’ve made myself bleed. GROSS! So a few weeks ago I made the decision to STOP. I had a PLAN. I was going to do this. AND I did… the hard skin was still there but the scabs were going away – for me, it certainly takes longer than a week or two to suddenly have beautiful cuticles and fingers that look as if they were never picked. I know others say that in a weeks time of no picking, their fingers were perfect again… but mine were not perfect but they were better.
Then I had a busy work week last week complete with a day trip to Pittsburgh and… well… It was not pretty.
So I’m back at square one. The plan remains. Essie Apricot Oil, Josie Maran’s Argan Balm… and lots of conscious repetitions of “don’t bite!”.
On a completely separate note… do you like my new surroundings? I think this design is prettier… and completely clean. Take a look around and make yourself at home!
