Subscribe to RSS

Archive for August, 2010

My Two Cents: The Emmys

Monday, August 30th, 2010

I was abnormally excited to watch the Emmy Awards on Sunday night. By the time we get to the Oscars I tend to get a little bored by the whole red carpet ritual- but since the Emmys always fall right when I am feeling a little starved for fresh glamour (love that it is before Fashion Week this year, actually- gets me warmed up) I watched with full focus, paying attention to every detail.

Below- my two cents. Sorry I didn’t insert images but mind you I am still kind of new at this blogging thing and wasn’t quite sure how to get them in neatly. Also- if you read my blog, I am guessing you watched the awards and have been scoping out photos ever since- because that is just the kind of people we are, right? Oh- and curious to hear your thoughts- so please comment below. I get lonely :)

HITS:

  • Lea Michele: Her body looks amazing, her hair stunning, and really adoring her matte finish foundation and lip with a heavily lined, but not quite smokey, eye.
  • Stephanie Pratt: I feel ridiculous even typing her name under a header called Emmys, but she did look gorge. I am really into the simple, flawless, slightly bronzed complexion with a matte nude lip. Sarah Lucero, Stila Celebrity Makeup Artist who created the look, told me she used Stila Lip Enamel in Nirvana with Convertible Color in Gerbera on top.
  • Kyra Sedgwick: The wavy, simple hair is so pretty, and you can never go even close to wrong with anything by Monique Lhuillier.
  • Julie Benz: The white dress is statuesque and fit so perfectly. And I always love a sleek ponytail (albeit with what I suspect is a massive clip in hair extension) paired with a gown.
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: She always brings it on the red carpet. And every year for some reason I am surprised- I really shouldn’t be. Her hair looks so healthy, I don’t mind that it is kinda slicked down. But what really did it for me- the jewelry. The green jade earrings are pretty damn amazing. If I had those, I would wear them literally every single day. (I hope my husband is reading this.)
  • Jennifer Carpenter: The silhouette of her dress was simple and conservative, but the fact that it was covered in sequins made it elegant and interesting. Also really into her beautiful curls, cascading over a shoulder thanks to a perfectly placed side part.

NOT SO MUCH:

  • January Jones: I always feel like she tries a little too hard to make an edgy fashion statement. One thing I can never stand- people trying too hard. At anything.
  • Christina Hendricks: The dress was really milk-maid like. And she really needs her teeth whitened. Sorry, I hate being mean but hey, when it comes to celebs who literally do live the most charmed lives ever, I don’t feel too terrible so may as well be honest.
  • Kelly Obsourne: She needed blush, big time. Her body, on the other hand- wow. Inspiring transformation.
  • Rose Byrne: I am certainly not of the school that not a hair should be out of place on the red carpet- but her insane amount of matted frizz was a bit too much for me. Some nice texture along the hairline, I’ll take it. But this? Birds may have taken up residence in there.

Beauty BFF Viewer Q & A: Foundation Fix?

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

I love all the questions that come in from viewers of my MSN series, Beauty BFF. I am going to do my best to answer as many as possible on my blog- here is this week’s installment:

Q: I’m looking for some help for my skin. I don’t really need concealer because my skin behaves rather well, but I am looking for foundation so that my skin has a stable color appearance…After much work, time, and money, my skin doesn’t look smooth, but caked on. What can I do?

A: Never underestimate the power of a great primer. Many people think of primers as an unnecessary extra step- but I completely disagree. A primer will fill in fine lines, wrinkles and any surface inconsistencies that may result from acne scars, sun damage, etc. There is a new one from Stila called One Step Correct that I think is especially perfect for you. Weaved into the primer are color correcting ribbons of peach, lilac and green, which counteract any and all discolorations, in, you guessed it- one step! It also brightens the skin- nice added bonus.

With this on the skin first, you can get away with using less foundation to get your desired finish, therefore eliminating the need to pile on product which can result in that “caked on” look that we are trying to avoid here.

Following the primer, I suggest a medium coverage liquid foundation that you can really work into the skin. Two of my favorites right now- both have matte finishes which is very on-trend for Fall- include Ahava Mineral Makeup Light Foundation, which is enriched with Dead Sea minerals to protect and improve your skin, and Lancome Tient Idole Fresh Wear matte foundation, again, very lightweight but substantial coverage. Oh, and it lasts for 18 hours straight which, if your skin EATS makeup like mine does, is a huge plus.


MVP(s) of My Makeup Bag: Travel Must-Haves

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010


This week is a crazy one for me- traveling to 4 cities in 4 days to do local television appearances. I actually really have come to love traveling solo- over the past 4 years of doing this, I have come to know my cities well and made many local media friends that I get to catch up with every time I come to town. Another fun outcome of all this travel has been the innate ability to pack a tightly edited makeup bag with products that do the trick on-air (most stations I go to ask me to arrive makeup ready) and also can be used with a lighter touch for travel and off-hours.

So- what made the cut this trip? Read on to find out…

(more…)

As Seen On KTLA 8/23: Beauty Breakthroughs

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

I had a great time stopping by KTLA to share some of my favorite Fall Beauty Breakthroughs this morning. Want more info on the products I featured? Here you go! And if you want to win of few of my picks- leave a comment sharing your favorite new beauty purchase for Fall. I will randomly pick 2 commenters to win.

Personal Triumph: Black Tie Hair

Saturday, August 21st, 2010


All my life, a formal event meant one thing to me: a professional blowout. There was no question here- even if I was at a blacke tie wedding in the middle of nowhere (and I have been to MANY of those), I did my research to find any excuse for a salon in the area and made an appointment 4 hours before the bride was slated to make her walk down the aisle. I just couldn’t even fathom doing my own hair and having it look black-tie worthy.

But- thanks to a crash course in all things beauty when I filmed 28 episodes of Beauty BFF for MSN, at my cousin’s wedding in Atlanta last weekend I had a burst of confidence that propelled me to go it alone. Confidence and complete exhaustion (thank you, tail-end of first trimester!). And I got more compliments on this ‘do than I have ever gotten on a fresh and smooth blowout.

So, here is what I did (and I apologize for the not so great photo- hindsight being 20/20, should have asked my husband to get a better angle, but we are still in that “oh wow look at how your belly protrudes, we must get a photo to document this” phase of my pregnancy):

(more…)

Fashion Find: XCVI Gondola Jacket

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

The largest hanging section in my new closet is dedicated to jackets. Blazers, bombers- you name it, I have several. They are the easiest items to wear ever. When I was hosting the Holiday Lookbook event in June (it actually happened to fall on the same day I found out I was pregnant- so I love looking back at the pics from the event as the final time I fit into that amazing Jay Godfrey dress I am wearing) I came across XCVI, which I have since become quite a fan of.

The pieces are versatile, and the fabrics could not be softer. The line is somewhere between edgy and bohemian, and for Fall, the collection manages to perfectly tie in the strong military trend that we are seeing all over the place (and is rapidly growing on me.)


The Gondola Jacket in particular is an amazing find- and it just went up online at Dillards for $108. Very into the charcoal hue. and kinda love how the billowy ruching gives an almost ruffles-gone-tough-guy effect.

Beauty BFF Viewer Q & A: Bangs

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

I love all the questions that come in from viewers of my MSN series, Beauty BFF. I am going to do my best to answer as many as possible on my blog- here is this week’s installment:

Q: I have a larger forehead then most people so I’d like to get side bangs to help hide it.  Are side bangs still in style? Would I be able to do something else with the bangs other than just letting them hang on my face?

A: Side bangs are a great idea- and the wonderful thing about side bangs is that you can leave them longer and cut on an angle, as opposed to straight-across styles where the cut needs to be uniform right at or just above the brows. My suggestion would be to have your stylist cut them with the intention of wearing them swept to the side and even leaving a few strands long enough to tuck behind your ear. This way, you can style them with your part or you can let them hang down. Just make sure to keep the bangs light- sticking to trimming the hairs just behind the hairline. If you go too far back and cut a thick layer, it can weigh down the forehead and end up accentuating what you are trying to disguise.

(more…)

Fashion Find: White House Black Market Cardigan

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

I am really feeling Fall right now. Today- the weather is rainy and grey- and sad as it may sound, I am sort of loving it.  By nature I am a total homebody- and anything that remotely signals a reason to curl up and be cozy (like rain) makes me abnormally happy. My favorite first purchase for fall every year is a long, slouchy cardigan- and reading this post on Cheap Chicas today reminded me that I better start looking.

So- when this image arrived in my inbox this morning, the timing was perfect. See, I got into the whole Nautical Stripe thing a little late (as evidenced here) and I am not ready to let it go just yet. So this sequin striped cardigan from White House Black Market is an ideal transition piece.

The fit looks great, you can dress it up or dress it down- and, until August 22nd, you can get it at the special price of $90 (it is usually $124)- just enter this offer code when you check out: 9312.

For those of you that actually shop in stores (I am all about online shopping, but I realize every now and then it can be fun to go into an actual brick & mortar store), this can also be redeemed in store.

If you have a hankering for a Fall purchase, this one comes highly recommended by yours truly. I am seeing it with distressed skinny jeans, the Brian Atwood Maniac nude platform pumpsI splurged on but are still too painful to wear (fingers crossed they break in by September!), and of course, my favorite gold belt cinched around the waist.


Closet MVP: K. Jacques St. Tropez Wedges

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

 


When I was going out to the Hamptons for Super Saturday last weekend, I had a little outfit issue. See, I was going to be stomping around on the grass- so my usual heels were out of the question- but I also had to do an appearance on QVC for L’Oreal- so wearing flats was not an option. I just don’t feel like myself in them, and I am convinced that the energy I project on-air directly correlates to the height of the heels on my feet.

The answer to my wardrobe woe? Wedges, of course. K. Jacques came highly recommended- and I have lived in them ever since. I got the style to the left in gold (when in doubt, I always go with metallic- black and brown can be so limiting) and they look completely appropriate with distressed denim capris and a borderline-frilly sundress. It is all about the 4″ heel combined with the giant cork sole- combined, they make your leg look a lot skinnier than it most likely is. Which I think is always a good thing :) How did I ever live without these?

Travel Beauty Essential: Atlanta

Monday, August 9th, 2010

August is always a crazy month for me- usually filled with travels around the country sharing Fall finds. Currently, I am in Atlanta (at the airport actually, heading to Miami shortly) and, figured that it may be fun to share with you guys my on-the-road must-haves. They tend to change depending on the city and the circumstances- but this time around, the winner is Pssssst Instant Spray Shampoo.


See, my visit to Atlanta was two-fold- I had my cousin’s wedding Sunday night, and an appearance on FOX Good Day Atlanta on Monday morning. So, I needed to pull off 2 hairstyles- and refused (as any sensible girl should do, I think) to wash my hair in between. Who has the time or the energy? Not me.

I have love for many a dry shampoo- this is one of many that I keep in my arsenal. But for travel, they have the most adorable minis, and the scent is always subtle and clean. For the wedding, my focus was more on the roots to get some lift before pinning my hair into a messy low ponytail. For TV, it was all about creating volume- the camera may add 10 pounds from the forehead down, but for some reason, it always flattens out hair. Go figure.

The build up with Pssssst is minimal- and the effect is noticeable. The perfect combo for a dry shampoo, don’t you think?

Would love to hear your favorite dry shampoos- I am always looking for new ones to try. Want to share? Please do. Secrets secrets are no fun…You know how the rhyme goes…

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Featured Video