My Prettiest Red Carpet Picks

There is rarely a general consensus on the best dressed at the Oscars each year, although it's much easier to pick worst dressed (I'm looking at you Zoe Saldana).  Here are my picks for the prettiest on the red carpet, including gown, hair, and makeup - the whole look - in no particular order.

I love Sandra's gold dress with her super-shiny, yet simply styled dark hair and red lips.  Perfect.

I'm not a big Cameron Diaz fan, but I loved her look.  She went a similar route as Sandra, with a beaded metallic dress (slightly fuller), old Hollywood fingerwaves (again, fuller), and the red lips.  The hair could be a little more modern for me, but I think it works for her.  She mentioned on Oprah that the red lips take attention away from a tired face, so that's a good tip to take away.

I mean, Meryl Streep is always talked about for her talent, but people often overlook how stunning she is.  I think I would have added a giant diamond necklace here, but otherwise she is just flawless.  Hell, I wish I looked this good now, and I'm half her age.

Love it, love it, love it.  Rachel McAdams is naturally beautiful, and doesn't overdo it with too much of a smoky eye or strong lip.  She keeps her makeup soft in keeping with the soft colors of the gorgeous gown she's wearing.  I do prefer her hair a bit darker, since her skin is so fair, but who am I to complain?

I'm not really sure why Elizabeth Banks was at the Academy Awards, but I thought she looked beautiful.  Love her dress and her makeup.  Her hair could be a little looser, but I think it goes well with the overall look.

I think a lot of people disliked SJP's dress, but I thought it was great, especially from behind (sorry I don't have the over-the-shoulder pose).  Would you expect her to wear something that just anyone would wear?  It's beautiful, it's Chanel, and it suits her.

Wish List: Tarte Natural Lip Stain

Are you sensing a trend here?  Yet another lip stain is added to the wish list.  This one is from Tarte, an all natural lip stain in a convenient felt-tip marker applicator, that has LipSurgence Technology.  I'm not exactly sure what LipSurgence Technology is, but it claims to increase lips' moisture content by 6000 percent.  That's a lot of moisture if you ask me.  My biggest problem with lip stains, is while I love the sheer, long-lasting color they provide, they usually dry the hell out of your lips. As a double-whammy, they highlight any dryness, so don't even try to wear them if your lips are chapped.  And my lips are usually a little chapped for most of the winter, no matter how much balm and gloss I apply.  Hopefully Tarte has solved this lip stain conundrum!

Get the Most Out of Your Products

Even though it takes me a long time to get to the bottom of my lotions and potions since I tend to be fickle, it does happen eventually, especially with my favorites.  Even though I have a ton of products, I don't like wasting them.  So when you get to the bottom of a tube, and can no longer squeeze any more out, don't throw it in the recycling bin just yet.  Using regular old scissors, cut the tube in half. 

Now you can use your fingers or Q-tips to scoop out the rest of the product that's left inside.  I find that there's usually at least a few applications left.  So that the product doesn't dry out, just tuck the bottom half into the top half.  It fits neatly together, though I recommend scooping out the product from the top half first, as I've done in the photo above, so when you put the pieces together, it doesn't get all over the bottom half of the tube. 

Review: OPI Moon Over Mumbai Nail Polish

It's no secret that my love for light colored nail polished goes hand-in-hand with inability to get weekly manicures and unwillingness to do may nails every few days myself.  Light colored polish doesn't show chips as much, so manicures, be it at a salon or at home, can stretch much longer.  While I love my Essie Mademoiselle and OPI Bubble Bath, I felt the need to get something with a slight edge while everyone else was rocking the blacks and navys.  Side note: even light colored polishes turn my nails yellow while wearing a base-coat, so the effects of wearing round-the-clock dark polishes would be frightening.  So I turned to a soft shade of gray.

I discovered OPI's Moon Over Mumbai in CVS of all places almost a year ago, and have been wearing it almost exclusively ever since.  I'm still working my way through the same bottle, so if you're hesitant about spending $8.50 for a bottle of nail polish, you really get a lot of use for your money.  The color is sheer, so I usually put on 3 thin coats (seen above), allowing drying time between each, and finish with an acrylic top coat.  The bottle I bought advertising having an extra-wide "professional" brush.  I'm not sure if all bottles in this color come with this larger brush, but it does make the polishing go faster.  I generally get about a week out of my home manicures, with a few small chips here and there, but I have only myself to blame since I definitely use my nails as tools.  Sometimes I just assume that everyone knows how to do their own nails, but I'd be happy to do a tutorial if that's not the case!

Bottom Line

Product: OPI Moon Over Mumbai

Website: www.opi.com

Retail Price: $8.50

Category: Nails

Recommendation: My favorite, long wearing, every day nail polish

Try This At Home...Olive Oil Baths

I'm not one for baths.  I am the unfortunate combination of being somewhat of a germaphobe and an incredibly lazy housekeeper.  I don't enjoy the idea of sitting in my own dirty water, much less dirty water in a dirty tub.  Once I get a giant 2-person tub (have you seen the one on this season of House?  Love it, it looks like an egg) and have a live-in housekeeper, I'm sure then I'll be a bath person. 

However, per doctor's orders I need to start taking regular baths in Epsom Salts, which can be very drying.  Since I don't have bath oils lying around (per above reasons), I decided to pour in a glug of regular olive oil.  At first I didn't think it would do anything, since of course it just floated around on the surface of the bath (oil and water don't mix!), and it didn't smell like pomegranates or exotic flowers, and it sure didn't make any bubbles.  But I don't use baths to get clean, I use them to soak.  Then I take a shower.  So back to my point.  The olive oil really worked to make my skin silky and soft.  I could definitely tell the difference between the skin that had been soaking in the water and the skin that hadn't - and the skin that had been in the bath wasn't dry at all.  If I really want to indulge next time, I'll add in a couple drops of Lavender oil along with the olive oil, but it's really not necessary. 

Next to try....olive oil in place of moisturizer.  As long as I don't smell like salad dressing.

Holy Tarantula, L'Oreal!

So as I mentioned in my last post, I am testing out L'Oreal's Last Boosting Serum.  I haven't really paid much attention to the campaign until I started flipping through this month's Marie Claire and noticed Frieda Pinto's absolutely ridiculous fake lashes jumping out from the page.  I'm all for fake lashes, and it's really no secret that they are used in mascara ads, but this has taken it to a whole new level.  I think drag queens would look at this ad and think, hmm, it's a little too much.  Whether these are actual falsies or the photo-shopped kind, L'Oreal has pushed it to the level of me saying "gross" instead of "gorgeous."

 

If you're not convinced that this is 100% fake, check out this still from the movie Slumdog Millionaire:

I realize it's not as zoomed in as the ad campaign, but you would notice if she had two tarantulas hanging off her eyes.  I still think it's possible that the serum can boost lashes, but definitely not by that much.  I hate it when products ridiculously over-promise, because then users can't help but feel either a) ripped off, and/or b) somehow not pretty enough to live up to expectations.  And for what it's worth, I think Freida is ridiculously beautiful without the need for any photo-shopping.

Currently Testing...L'Oreal Lash Boosting Serum

I think every woman alive would love to have longer, thicker eyelashes.  Since I (and most women I know), can't afford lash extensions or Latisse - these can run you hundreds of dollars over time - makeup companies are finally jumping on the bandwagon and selling lash boosting products over the counter.

Sorry Coco, but I am cynical about how effective these potions are, so I decided to do a little test.  For the last week or so, I've been applying L'Oreal Lash Boosting Serum to my right eye, and will do a comparison after 4 weeks are up to see if it really does boost lashes.  It's interesting to note that on the package, the product claims to make lashes appear fortified, nourished, and strengthened.  That's great and all, but if I'm going to apply a serum twice a day, I want my lashes to appear thicker, longer, and flirtier.

I'll let you all know how it goes!

A Blast From the Past

I've been wanting to get some hot rollers for a while now.  I occasionally will curl my hair with a curling iron for special occasions, but I think rollers would be easier - and okay, I'll be honest.  I found out that Gretchen from The Real Housewives of Orange County uses them (or used to last season), and I LOVE her hair. 

Glamor Shots!

Anyway, due to my (non) employment status, I've really trying to cut back on things I don't need.  My best friend can even attest that I recently took a trip to Ulta and left without spending a penny.  So instead of buying new things, as much as possible I've been trying to use up what I already have - and trust me on that, I could go on blogging for years with what I have.  Not only do I have tons of beauty products at my home, but at my parents house too.  These aren't things I just keep there for a visit, but leftovers from my teenage years.  Of course the makeup and skin care haven't survived the years, but I did find something kind of amazing tucked underneath the sink in the bathroom I used growing up.

It still has the $24.99 price tag on it from a store that no longer exists - Lechemere anyone?  I'm not sure if this was ever actually used, because it looks pretty pristine.  I'm not too surprised.  The "curlers" are plastic doohickeys that you heat up and roll your hair around.  Part of the plastic flips over the hair to lock it in place.  I tried to put one in cold, and it was really hard to do.  

I highly doubt it will give me the look I'm going for, but for you, I'll give it a try.  On a day I don't need to go out in public, so people don't think I just got an 80's perm.

If anyone is having an 80's themed party, let me know!  I'll totally have the hair covered.

Review: Sephora Nail Patch

Dear Sephora,
You know I will always love you no matter what.  But that doesn't mean you should deliberately test my devotion.  When I saw that the Sephora Brand nail patches I had been eyeing were half price and then an additional 20% off on top of that, I had to try them out.  The glowing reviews posted on Sephora's website made them sound amazing.  But you know what?  They were crap.

The idea behind this product is that instead of regular nail polish, you can put these nail patches (aka stickers) on your nails, and they will basically be chip-proof until you take them off.  Fourteen patches come to a pack, giving you a variety of widths in order to custom fit the width of your nails.  They are long enough that they will fit most natural nails (except those really gross ones that get so long that they curl, eew).  The inherent flaw with this product is that you are putting a flat sticker onto a curved nail, so there's no way they are going to stick seamlessly.  The patch crinkled up in the corners of each nail, not only making it obvious that this was not regular nail polish, but made it torture washing my hair, since hairs would get caught in the ripples and feel like the patches were being pulled off.  Crinkles aside, the main selling point of the patches is that they are suppsed to be chip-proof.  Mine were chipped within 12 hours of application.

This picture was taken shortly after putting on the patches.  It doesn't look too bad from afar, but pay attention to the index finger.  Craptastic.  Trust me, it looked 10 times worse the next day.  And the worst part?  It took about a half a bottle of nail polish remover to get the suckers off.

Bottom Line

Product: Sephora Brand Nail Patches 

Website: www.sephora.com 

Retail Price: $10 - currently on sale for $5

Category: Nails

Recommendation: No.  Just don't.

Beauty Gimmick: L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation

So I'm not on the beauty ball, since this was released a few weeks ago in the U.S., and months ago abroad, but L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation is the latest gimmick to hit the shelves.  On the one hand, I'm a little intrigued because it is a beauty product after all, but on the other it just seems totally unnecessary.  For those that haven't heard the details, it's a creamy foundation in a compact that comes with a roller applicator - picture a mini paint roller.  The roller supposedly provides a flawless application and gets to those hard to reach contours of the face.  Sorry, but I'm dubious.  How can what looks to be a 2 inch roller really provide smooth coverage around the nose area better than fingers or a brush?  I just picture the roller getting caked with makeup, and there's no way to clean it.  I think I'll pass on this gimmick, but I'll let you know if I change my mind!

Beauty Bargain! Great Sephora Sale

If you're not like me, and don't check the Sephora sale page every day, then I'm happy to report that tons of new stuff has been added.  I remember the days when you could never find anything on sale at Sephora, so this is all very exciting for me.  It looks like the majority of the new items are from Kat von D (does being a tattoo artist qualify you to create a makeup line?), Kevyn Aucoin (one of the best makeup artists ever), Sephora brand seasonal items, and what looks like the entire Cargo line - which means that Sephora is no longer going to carry their products.  I'm a sucker for a sale, but some of my top picks are:

Cargo High Definition Lip Gloss, now $12

Cargo Eye Bronzer, now $11

Korres Eyeshadow, now $7

Sephora by OPI in Metro Chic Matte, now $5

Sephora Brand Natural Believer Palette - Star Gazer Edition, now $15

Frederic Fekkai Golden Shimmer Mist Gelee, now $10

Wish List: TheBalm For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stain

I've been really into lip stains lately, though not to worry, it hasn't detracted from my love of lip gloss.  I have yet to find the perfect stain - some are too drying, some dry out too quickly, and others just don't last long enough.  I am very intrigued by TheBalm's new watercolor lip stains.  They come in powder form, but as the name implies, just add water and paint on to desired intensity.  They come 2 colors to a compact at Sephora for $28.  Adding it to the wish list!

Madhatter Makeup

In advance of the upcoming Tim Burton movie, Alice in Wonderland themed makeup has been hitting the market.  Most notable is the Urban Decay Book of Shadows.  It contains 16 of Urban Decay's best selling shadows (renamed with Alice-themed titles), 2 travel size eyeliners, and a travel size eye primer.  I think what makes it irresistible is the packaging.  You can't really tell from the picture above, but Alice and the mushroom designs are pop-ups, surrounding a mirror in the center.  The eye shadows and located in a slide-out drawer beneath all the artwork.  If you want to get your hands on it, head over to urbandecay.com, and you might be able to get your hands on this insane eyeshadow palette.  Limited quantities were produced, and officially went on the market a couple of days ago.  Already on the website, you need to enter your name and email address in order to try to get a kit, so there's no guarantee that there are any still available. 

You'll have a better, and more economical, chance of getting dolled up like Alice with OPI's 4 new shades.  I haven't personally seen these in stores yet, but I'm sure they'll be out soon to tie in with the movie.  You can get them now from amazon.  My personal favorite is the dark berry shade, Thanks So Muchness, but I also like the red, Off With Her Red, and the glittery purple, Mad As A Hatter.  Probably the only shade I wouldn't really wear is the glittery blue, Absolutely Alice. 

My Picks from the Urban Decay Sale

I checked in on the sale earlier, and there were a couple of items sold out, but it looks like Hautelook has re-stocked the sale, wohoo.  Here are my picks:

Ultraglide Lip Gloss in Heat - $3.50

Ultraglide Lip Gloss in Lust - $3.50

Acid Rain Eye Shadow - $4.00

Brow Beater Brunette Bombshell - $3.50

Maui Wowie Smoke Out Eye Pencil - $3.50

Lingerie & Galoshes for Lashes - $4.25 (a genius product that has build-able primer on one end, and a waterproof sealer on the other - both work with your favorite mascara)








Basically you can get an update for your whole face for about $25, or the same as it would cost you to get 1.5 regularly priced Urban Decay products!  I wasn't going to shop the sale because I really don't need any products right now, but these prices are just so tempting...

Beauty Bargain! Urban Decay Sample Sale

If the winter doldrums are setting in, it might help to add a little color and sparkle to your look.  A cheap and easy way to do so might be to head over to Hautelook.com at 11am and check out the Urban Decay sample sale.  While we don't know in advance exactly what will be available, all items will be sold for under $10. 

Per the website, "Urban Decay is beauty with an edge. Known for their innovative products, high-quality ingredients, and risqué shade names, Urban Decay injects femininity, danger and fun into everything they create.
From the mind-blowing array of eye products, to one of the widest shade ranges available, to their cult favorites you can't live without, Urban Decay has stayed on the forefront of cosmetics for over a decade."

If you're not yet a member of Hautelook.com, which has all sorts of great sample sales daily, you can join at the following link: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/66257
Because as the site says, friends don't let friends pay retail!

Beauty Bargain! Bare Escentuals Sample Sale

It may not even be worth posting this, because these are selling ridiculously fast, but one of my favorite sample sale websites, Rue La La is having a final sale (meaning extra savings!) on some of their winter stock.  There are a few great Bare Escentuals kits if you get the chance to snap one up before they are gone.  The Bare & The Beautiful Kit shown above is only $19!  Grab one for yourself or stock up on some gifts. 

If you're not currently a member of Rue La La, don't fret - sign up here at http://www.ruelala.com/invite/lipglossrehab

New Product Alert! NARS Orgasm Illuminator

It's safe to say that anyone who even slightly pays attention to beauty news and trends has heard of NARS blush in Orgasm.  It's consistently on all of the "best of beauty" lists, and has seen the inside of many celeb's beauty bags.  Well, now NARS has gone ahead and turned this award-winning shade into a cream illuminator.  Basically what that means is that it's a cream blush that's sheer and shimmery.  It can be used as blush of course, but also all over the face (I'd suggest under or mixed with foundation).  Because that natural flush that comes from, uh, the product's namesake isn't limited to just cheeks!  Available at Sephora for $29...a bit pricey for 1.1oz, but I'm guessing a little will go a long way.  Onto the wish list it goes!

Beauty Resolutions for 2010

Happy 2010!!  Now that all the parties are over and the new year is settling in, it's time to solidify my beauty resolutions.  I didn't make any other resolutions this year since there are just so many things many things to work on that I'm just going to try to be better than last year.  That being said, in regards to my beauty regime, I resolve to do the following

1. Remove my makeup every night.  Despite having a face wash that I love - Philosophy Purity Made Simple - there are some nights when bedtime creeps up so quickly that it seems daunting to brush my teeth much less shock myself awake by splashing water in my face.  That's where face wipes come in.  Similar to baby wipes, there are tons of products out there that are specially formulated to remove face and eye makeup, and even help to improve skin.  By keeping a pack in my nightstand, I have no excuse to go to sleep with my face dirty.

2. Stop neglecting the neck.  I'm pretty good about applying my face serums and moisturizers, but not as disciplined at using creams on my neck.  I think it's important to be in preventative maintenance mode before signs of aging start to hit, since I don't know of botox or restalyne treatments that are injected in the neck.  Even if there are treatments out there, the thought of needles anywhere near my neck is enough to make me pass out.  So by keeping neck cream next to my computer, I can't help but see it every day to remind me to actually use it!  Philosophy When Hope Is Not Enough Neck Cream is a great one.

3. Use eye cream daily.  Since I'll have clean skin every night, it will no problem for me to apply eye cream before going to bed (eye cream over eye makeup = a mess).  I'll keep a jar next to the face wipes, since convenience is key here.  Are you sensing a theme?

4. Deep condition twice a month.  Ideally I would use a deep conditioner every week, but that's not always in the cards.  Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Care Mask only needs to stay on for 2-5 minutes, much faster than the 10-15 most deep conditioning treatments take. 

5. Play!  I tend to get into the same makeup routines for seasons at a time.  I have tons of products that rarely see the light of day, so this year there will be a lot more color-combination and experimentation.

Has anyone else made beauty resolutions this year?

Review: Clairol Perfect 10 Haircolor

A few months ago, I reviewed my experience with Frederic Fekkai at-home hair color.  Over Thanksgiving, I noticed I had almost an inch of roots coming in (different lighting at my parent's bathroom).  This time, I decided to change it up and dye my hair using Clairol's Perfect 10.  I've used it once before, so I felt comfortable going with the drugstore brand.  I did a lot of research on at-home hair coloring kits prior to my first time using Perfect 10, but since it was touted as a great, innovative product by all of the major beauty/fashion magazines, I was sold.

The hype around this product is that it only takes 10 minutes to process...up to 15 if you are covering grays.  This makes it a bit quicker and easier to use than the Fekkai, which takes about 3 times as long to process, but really once it's on, who cares?  The other thing that sets it apart is it's comb applicator.  The comb screws onto the bottle of color, and has holes that deposit color as you comb through hair.  It's supposedly easier for beginners and those who have trouble applying color to their own hair.  I found it a bit difficult to use.  For one, I had applied color to my roots using the traditional applicator tip and let that process for 5 minutes before moving on to the rest of my hair.  After that I tried to distribute color through my hair with the comb applicator, but eventually gave up and used my gloved hands.  The application process was still easier for me than the Fekkai bowl and brush set, especially since I realized a couple of days later that I had missed a large section of hair when I was using the brush. 

Processing time was short and sweet - well, not literally, but the smell wasn't too bad, and wasn't overwhelming.  I do like the conditioner that's included in the kit, which you are meant to apply once a week for 6 weeks.  They probably figure by then you're ready to color your hair again.  I used shade 4G, Dark Golden Brown, which was within a couple of shades of my color.  My hair came out glossy and evenly colored.  I've heard some people have had issues with their color fading fast using Perfect 10, and I'll be keeping a close eye on that this time.  For now, I'm still happy with it, but I also only shampoo my hair a few times a week, always with color-formulated products, and I try to deep condition once a week.  I use Pureology ColourMax spray to help prevent UV fading. 

A tip if you do decide to purchase - go to Target.  I bought mine for full-price at CVS for $13.99, and a couple days later was at Target, where I noticed it retails for $9.99, and that's not a sale price.  I have no idea why CVS would be almost 50% more, but that's a big difference when we're talking discount hair color.

Bottom Line

Product: Clairol Perfect 10

Website: http://www.clairol.com/ 

Retail Price: $9.99 - 13.99 

Category: Hair Color 

Recommendation: A good alternative to the pricier Frederic Fekkai

CoverGirl LashBlast Volume + Length = Love

A few weeks ago I reviewed CoverGirl's new LashBlast Length mascara (yellow tube), and while it did add length, I was disappointed at how sparse my lashes looked.  I had already been using LashBlast Volume mascara (orange tube) for a few months, so I decided to so a little experiment.  Since the magic of mascara isn't as much about the product formula as it is the brush itself, what would happen if I layered LashBlast Volume on top of LashBlast Length?  Great looking lashes, that's what.  Now why they couldn't put this together in one tube...well like I said, it's about the brushes.  Maybe they could make a double-wand tube of mascara that would eliminate the need to use 2 tubes, but for now I'll make do.  If you have a mascara that you're not in love with, but aren't ready to toss, try layering if with another formula and see if it adds up to great lashes.