Be our guest....

What kind of fashion blog would I be if I didn't do a post today about the Oscars? Did you watch? I have to say, about the show, that I liked Seth McFarland as a host. I felt like his humor was just enough and mostly non-offensive, and the intro was a performance that actually made the show a Show, and it was great to see all the other actors that participated performing with him. But of course, the real reason anyone watchs is the fashion. Who is wearing what. Here are some of my faves and least faves, from the Oscars and the after parties.



HIT: Halle Berry in Armani Prive - Sometimes its hard to tell if someone looks gorgeous because of how they are put together, or if they are gorgeous just because they are gorgeous. I think Halle is both. She looks gorgeous in street clothes, so here she looks like a movie star.  She said she wanted to go to the awards looking like a Bond girl, and this is what they made for her.  Unique and flattering, just enough skin.



HIT: Charlize Theron in Dior - she looks stunning, though I think you could put her in a burlap sack and she'd look stunning.  Actually, the dress itself is kind of boring, but as a complete package (I love that she can wear hair like that) she looks like a movie star.

HIT: Nicole Kidman in Elie Saab - This picture doesn't do her hair and makeup justice, but Nicole looked flawless last night. I read somewhere that this dress looked like liquid, and it really did. I want to know what undergarments she was wearing, b/c her figure was flawless.
 

HIT: Lily Colins in Zuhair Murad - I don't know what the front looked like, but from the back everything works: the hair the dress, the earrings.  Love the color on her.

Goodie time....

My pink box of fun came for February, and I have had the chance to sample everything.  This is what we had this month:

• Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint
• WEI Pomegranate Buffing Beads
• WEI Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask
• Juicy Couture Couture La La
• TIGI Rockaholic Fun Times Flexible Hairspray
• Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel Squares

Tips from Molly...

Sorry I'm MIA this week. I have finals for my second to last semester of law school, and since I'm still working full time while I'm studying, free time is non-existent: up before the sun to study an hour or so before work, go to work for 8 hours, then study for another 4-5 hours before home to eat and bed and do it again the next day.  I know you're jealous ;)

So since I don't have time to create my own content for you today, I'm sharing a link to one of the blogs I enjoy, that of model/actress/mom Molly Sims.  She probably never has to worry about the cost of her beauty products, but its nice to see she's down to earth enough to know that most of us do and to recommend some new quality items to try.  See them here.

Keep on blowing...

So this morning I was about half done blow drying my hair when my hair dryer just completely died.  It wasn't even very old, and I was running it on the low setting, but it just stopped. So I had to pull out my little compact travel dryer just to make myself presentable for work, and now I need a new dryer. 

Happy Tuesday to me...

My monthly Birchbox arrived yesterday, with new goodies for me to try. The month Birchbox partnered with Goop.com to offer a special box, or we could elect to recieve the regularly scheduled box. They didn't tell us what was in either box, so we just had to eenie-meenie-miney-moe.  I opted to recieve the Goop box, and while I don't know what I missed out on in the regular box, I'm happy with these samples. I may actually buy a full size of one of these.

October Goop BirchBox:

• DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum

• This seems like a great product.  The sample size provides multiple uses, and I tried it first after the gym yesterday afternoon, and again this morning worked in to my usual routine. 

An Expert Reveals....

It is my goal when I shop to be frugal yet to buy things that don't look cheap.  I also don't want to settle for something if its not EXACTLY what I was envisioning in my mind's eye.  But my mind's eye seems to have expensive taste.  You know those pages in fashion/beauty magazines that show multiple options of a current trend? Like "Oxfords are in this season! Here are 8 different styles all of different prices."  Inevitably, even before I know what the brand or price is, just by looking at the style, my favorite on the page will be the most expensive.  Never fails!  So annoying!

Well, I discovered this book yesterday that I have started reading and I'm hoping it will transform my shopping (and by consequence my wardrobe and style!).

Soft as butter....

Or is the saying "smoothe as butter?" If so, that doesn't work as well for my point, so I'm making it "soft as butter."  And I'm referring to my hair after using one of the samples from my September Birchbox.  As you may recall, one of the product samples included was Fekkai Shea Butter Shampoo and Conditioner.  The packets were small, but I was able to get 2 uses out of them, and both times my hair was AMAZING.  SO soft, even noticably so while still wet in the shower.

Mist me...

It has been pretty darn hot here in SoCal as of late. Actually, we're used to some summer heat, but its usually a drier heat. This has been a muggy summer. And I don't have A/C in my apartment. Which is usually fine, because we live close enough to the coast to have a steady breeze, and with ceiling fans it usually stays cool enough inside. But lately its been just past comfortable with the temp and the humidity combination.
So I like to keep a misting spray on hand to help cool and refresh me. Its also a good finish to your makeup routine, especially on hot days, because it helps your makeup set and not slip down your face in the heat. There are various options, from just mineral water to water infused with various extras such as botanicals and antioxidants. Here are some that I've tried and like:

Kinerase Hydrating Antioxidant Mist

 

I usually use this one before bed. And I also poured some into a smaller airplane carry-on size spray bottle and take on flights with me to keep me hydrated in the dry airplane cabin air.

Evian Mineral Water Spray

 

This one I usually find in the travel section of Bed Bath & Beyond. The mist is so super fine and light, and I have first-hand experience with professional makeup artists on a movie set using this to help set makeup.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist

This one I confess I have not tried yet, but it sounds good. Its already in a small travel size bottle, and it says it has a delicate rosewater scent. The very first misting spray I ever tried was years ago by Crabtree & Evelyn, and it was a rosewater refreshing mist. It appears to be discontinued ( I can't find it anywhere) but this sounds like its very similar.

 

For more options, check here. Hope these help you keep cool this summer!

Its like Christmas once a month.....

For the past week I've been waiting for the daily mail delivery around the office in the hopes that my monthly pink box will arrive. Yesterday, the waiting finally ended, as my little box of goodies arrived.
I have so many products (beauty, hair, body...) at home. I don't know how it happened. I never wanted to be one of those girls. I've made a pact to myself (and my husband) that I will use up all the non-daily-necessity products I have before I buy more other products I want to try. And that's mostly the problem: if you hear good things about a product and think it's for you, you usually have to buy a full size (with a coupon, if you can find it). And then if you don't like it very much or it doesn't work as well as you wanted, you're stuck with a full size bottle collecting dust and taking up valuable bathroom counter/medicine cabinet space.