My name is Allie. I live in a suburb outside of Washington DC. I believe every woman is utterly gorgeous, and can feel beautiful and stylish no matter her budget or body.

I have been keeping this blog since March 2005. Almost daily I post photos of my outfit, hair and makeup and list what brands and products I use. I occasionally provide product reviews and answer questions from readers.

I also maintain a blog about personal style (Wardrobe Oxygen).

Please email me if you are interested in advertising, linkshare or having me review your product!

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May 15, 2008

Thursday

Attire:
- Gap: Indigo cotton shirt from their Euro collection
- Ann Taylor: Tropical weight wool trousers in black
- J. Crew: blue bead necklace (went on sale for $30 and I had a coupon and store credit! Now the necklace is back up to $70 or so...)
- Mossimo for Target: Black leather heeled thongs

Hair:
- Washed and conditioned
- Matrix Curl Life Contouring Milk added while damp, scrunched
- Hair dried while sleeping
- This morning, hit the front and size that were scraggly with a curling iron
- Matrix Sleek hairspray to set

Makeup:
- L'Oreal: True Match foundation in C3
- Revlon: ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis - ivory on brow bone; Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Glossy Rose
- Body Shop: Eye Color in Taupe
- Imju Fiberwig mascara
- Nars: Blush in Orgasm
- Maybelline: Brow powder in Dark Brown

Still not feeling completely up to snuff, but far better than earlier this week!

May 14, 2008

Wednesday

Attire:
- Banana Republic: Dark red merino shift dress
- Express: Red print silk scarf
- Silhouettes: Brown suede slouchy tall boots
- Silver cuff and hoops

Hair:
- Second day, brushed with wood-bristle brush but otherwise left alone

Beauty Products:
- L'Oreal: True Match foundation in C3
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Revlon: ColorStay Sheer lipcolor in Sheer Plum
- Body Shop: Eye Color in Taupe
-Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in Black
- Maybelline: UltraLiner in black, brow powder in Dark Brown

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May 13, 2008

Tuesday

Sorry no pics... forgot my camera at work last night! :(

But I am proof positive that what you wear affects how you feel. This morning I felt AWFUL. I had chills, aches, headache, and wanted to curl up in the fetal position under my comforter and sleep another 10 hours. No can do, duty (work) called so I had to get up. Instead of wearing those Essential Jeans for Day #4 (shudder) I decided to take a good shower where I scrubbed from head to toe, and wore a dress and heels. You must understand I wanted to wear nothing but fleece, flannel and puffy slippers but putting on a dress and heels really forced me to stand up and wake up. Four hours later, I am feeling almost excellent and look far better than I felt!

Red crepe jersey dress (the one with the neck bow and the puffed sleeves) from Maggy London, black patent Mary Janes from Nine West. No jewelry, I just didn't feel like it.

Hair was washed and conditioned (man, that Purelogy stuff is amazing, totally wakes you right up!), and then dried with my Croc wet-to-dry flat iron. A bit of Brilliant Brunette finishing cream to smooth.

Makeup is Philosophy's The Present clear makeup, L'Oreal True Match foundation in C3, Philosophy The Supernatural Color Correctors concealer trio in Light, Nars blush in Orgasm, Revlon ColorStay lipcolor in Rich Raisin, Body Shop eye color in Taupe, Cover Girl LashBlast mascara in black and Maybelline UltraLiner in black.

The sun is peeking out... looks as though it is going to be a good day!

May 12, 2008

Wet Weekend... Jeans Take Center Stage

This weekend was cold, rainy, gross. Friday night I went to dinner with my mom and her boyfriend and headed to bed pretty early.

Saturday I did a home overhaul - major cleaning. I gutted the closet and dresser and attic, bagging up clothes for donation, to sell (will let you know when the selling blog is updated), and to box up for next season. Lots of vacuuming, washing, dusting and organizing. That evening we went to my cousin's for a family cookout.

The weather was nice for the cookout – we sat outside and chatted, but came inside to actually eat. It was a casual affair – my cousin, his wife, his daughter, me, my sister, my mom and my Aunt. Mr. Allie had a photo shoot. I decided to dress comfy, especially since I wasn’t feeling all that hot.

Attire:
- Old Navy: Teal cotton babydoll top
- Gap: the Essential jean in darkest wash
- Lands End: Gold flat sandals
- J. Crew: Gold necklace
- Ann Taylor: Gold hoops and bracelet

Hair:
- Washed and conditioned the night before and let air dry
- Brushed out, large sections in curling iron and then finger combed.

Makeup:
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in Black, Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light/Medium
- Clinique: Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Pop Beauty: Shadow palette for brown eyes – the khaki on lid

Sunday was wet and horrible, but it was Mother’s Day and we had plans! Last minute my husband was available so we decided to get breakfast. Not as easy as we had hoped, so breakfast ended up being at a small bakery near my mom’s house. No worries, the big plans were for later that day – we took her to her first game at the new Washington National baseball stadium! My mom is a big baseball and Nats fan and was very excited. We had great seats and they were passing out white hats with a pink W (for the Susan G. Komen foundation) so we all looked alike. Unfortunately it rained, but we were prepared with ponchos so we stuck it out. As for attire, I stuck to my one pair of jeans!

Attire:
- Old Navy: Black slub knit puff-sleeved tee
- Gap: The Essential jeans in darkest wash
- Converse: One Star “Chucks” low-tops in black
- Vintage: red stone necklace (to show Nats support)
- Silver hoops and cuff bracelet

Hair:
- Washed and conditioned
- Dried with Croc wet-to-dry flat iron

Makeup:
- philosophy: The Present clear makeup
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in Black, Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light/Medium
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Clinique: Long Wearing lipstick in Beauty
- Pop Beauty: Shadow set for brown eyes – the khaki with a touch of gold on lids
- Maybelline: UltraLiner in black on top lash line

After the game I hung out on the couch wrapped in blankets watching movies with my husband, our friend and our dog. Last night I gave myself a mini facial in hopes it would make me feel and look a bit better.

Today is cold, rainy, miserable and I am not feeling all that hot. This is the, “you are lucky I even came to work” look, which explains jeans on Day #3….

Attire:
- Top and jeans from Saturday
- Shoes, bracelet and earrings from Sunday
- Ross: Stained glass and silver necklace

Hair:
- Second day, brushed.

Makeup:
- L’Oreal: True Match foundation in C3
- Nars: Blush in Orgasm
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in Black
- Revlon: Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Glossy Rose
- Body Shop: Eye Color in Taupe

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May 10, 2008

Splendid Reads for This Weekend...


SHOPPING

Style Tots has Suri Cruise's Ladybug shoes that Oprah liked so much.

Style It Less gives you 10 Cameron Diaz's red pumps for less.

Let's Go Shopping finds some Great Deals at Ferro Cosmetics.

My Wardrobe Today reviewsvarious popular foundation and face products.

eye4style loves Balenciaga bags AND the trend of invite-only, online sample sales, so she offers up an exclusive invite to Rue La La for readers.

Teen Style Lounge shares a must-have workout DVD for a summer slim bod.

BEAUTY
This mascara ended A Touch of Blusher's mascara search...

Raging Rouge announces the MAX Factor May Makeover Giveaway. Over $750 of MAX Factor products will be divided among TEN winners!

Beauty Banter dishes on the most important moisturizer for oily/ acne prone complexions... and it's less then 10 dollars!

Get to know marina from makeup loves me a little bit better, as she shares all her beauty secrets with you!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic gives you the products that Billy B uses on SATC's Kristen Davis!


FASHION
She Knows Best thinks A Little Shoe Change Didn’t Hurt John Mayer.

The Latest Luxe is having Double the Fun in Christian Louboutin Slingbacks

The Fashionable Kiffen has a whole bunch of Mother's Day gift ideas.

Wardrobe Oxygen suggests some ways to look polished at work during the summer heat.

STYLEnosh is asking, Are you a style hater?".

Why did Michelle Tractenberg, J. Lo, Lauren Bush and Fergie Have all give the cold shoulder at the Costume Institute Ball? Haute and Bothered's got the dish

Have you voted in the Snarkstress's Fashion Icon poll yet? Katie Holmes and Reese Witherspoon are neck and neck, but after recent photos of Katie Holmes in NYC, you just may be swayed.

May 9, 2008

Friday

Attire:
- Banana Republic: black sheath dress (via eBay)
- Duo: "Bern" boots in tan
- J. Crew: Gold necklace
- Ann Taylor: Gold hoops
- Ralph Lauren: Gold bangle
- Express: Camel and berries silk scarf, knotted a few times and tied as a necklace

Hair:
- Washed and conditioned with Pureology
- Pureology blowdry amplifier
- Got2B curling mousse
- Dried with diffuser
- Frizzy part (right side of head) fixed with curling iron
- Lightly brushed with wood bristle brush

Makeup:
- Philosophy: The present clear makeup, The Supernatural Color Correctors concealer trio in Light
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Pop Beauty: Palette for brown eyes - the khaki and gold blended on lid
- Clinique: Almost Lipstick in Black Honey
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in black
- Maybelline: UltraLiner in Black and brow powder in Dark Brown
- Shu Eumura: Lash curler
- Burberry London Eau de Toilette

And finally, these pictures are by my new sassy camera! I am in lurrve with it. It is more than I expected to pay, but with upcoming social and life events, I feel it is worth it. For those who are wondering, I got the Canon PowerShot SX100 IS. It has a 10x optical zoom and as you can see by these quickly-shot pics, takes pictures with really clear and true color. Loving it.

Today is rainy and gross, which is why I am wearing these boots again. As everyone else sloshes around in rubber Wellingtons, these boots keep me just as dry, but far more cozy and comfy. I adore these boots, I may have to take them to Bonnaroo this year!

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May 8, 2008

Another Ann Taylor Sale!

Ann Taylor: 25% off EVERYTHING!

Yep, that means sale, clearance, you name it (of course it doesn't include gift cards - I used to HATE it when people would ask that when I worked retail. Come on, THINK before you speak). PLUS you get free shipping if you spend $100 or more!

Code: 25FORYOU

Code valid May 8 through May 10. Only valid at Ann Taylor online and store (this coupon doesn't work for Ann Taylor Loft or the factory stores).

As always, if you need the actual coupon for in-store shopping, drop me an email and I will send it your way! There has to be some good stuff, I stopped by the Connecticut Ave. location in DC last night and it seemed as though half the store was on sale - shoes, accessories, tons of clothing and suiting (all I bought was a $10 top). Much on the sale rack was full price just last week!

Enjoy!

Thursday

Attire:
- Ann Taylor: White cotton wrap shirt and black tropical-weight wool trousers
- Mossimo: Black leather heeled thongs
- Jewelery: Silver hoops and cuff, teal glass necklace from Italy on white gold chain.

Hair:
- Second day, just brushed

Beauty Products:
- philosophy: The Present clear makeup
- L'Oreal: True Match foundation in C3
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Clinique: Long Wear Lipstick in Beauty
- Revlon: ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis - the ivory in inner corners and on brown bone
- Pop Beauty: shadow palette for brown eyes - the khaki on lid
- Maybelline: UltraLiner in black on top lash line, brow powder in Dark Brown
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in black
- Shu Eumura: Lash curler
- Bath & Body Works: Body spray in Sheer Energy

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May 7, 2008

Wednesday

Attire:
Old Navy - Olive linen puff-sleeved shift (2007)
Duo - "Bern" boots in tan
Ralph Lauren - Gold bangle
Ann Taylor - Gold hoops
Unknown - Tortoise shell necklace


Hair:
Washed and conditioned
Dried with Croc wet-to-dry flat iron


Beauty Products:
philosophy - The Present clear makeup, The Supernatural Color Correctors concealer trio in Light
L'Oreal - True Match foundation in C3
Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
Revlon - ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis - Olive on lid and along lash lines
Cover Girl - LashBlast mascara in Black
Shu Eumura - Lash curler
Maybelline - Brow powder in Dark Brown
Victoria's Secret - Beauty Rush lip gloss in Strawberry Fizz
Bath & Body Works - Breathe Energy body spray


Sorry pics aren't fabulous, I haven't mastered this borrowed camera and the battery was dying as these pics were being taken.

Labels:

May 6, 2008

Tuesday

Attire:
Ann Taylor: Black ponte square-neck dress, gold "twig" bangles, gold hoops
J. Crew: Gold necklace
Banana Republic Outlet: Black ponte collarless jacket
Mossimo: Black leather heeled thongs

Hair:
Second day
Brushed out with wood-bristle brush
Large sections around curling iron
John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Finishing Cream

Makeup:

L'Oreal: True Match foundation in C3
Nars: Blush in Orgasm
Pop Beauty: Palette for Brown Eyes - gold and khaki blended on lid, chocolate and black blended in crease and along lash lines
Shu Eumura: Lash curler
Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in Black
Revlon: Super Lustrous lip gloss in Pink Afterglow

Camera was backordered so I canceled and reordered through Amazon. Should be arriving Thursday!

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May 5, 2008

Monday

Allie-full_length_shotAllie_head_shot
Attire:
- Gap: Navy lightweight cotton shirt
- Old Navy: black pencil skirt
- Steven: red pointy-toed pumps
- Silver cuff and hoops

Hair:
- pureology: Volumizing shampoo and conditioner, blowdry amplifier
- Got2B: curling mousse
- scrunched, and dried with diffuser

Makeup:
- philosophy: The Present clear makeup, The Supernatural Color Corrector concealer trio in Light
- L'Oreal: True Match foundation in C3
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Body Shop: Sheer Lipcolor in Sheer Strawberry
- Pop Beauty: shadow set for brown eyes - the sparkly khaki on lids
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in black
- Shu Eumura: lash curler
- Maybelline: Brow powder in Dark Brown, UltraLiner in black on top lash line.

A gorgeous day in DC today! I am trying to coax my hair into being curly for the warmer months; not loving how it looks today but the more I allow it to do it's own thing, the more it grows into nice curls instead of Kip Winger-ness. It has already calmed down a bit since this picturte was taken.

Speaking of pictures, got word that they are re-sending my camera today and I should probably receive it tomorrow! Good thing, because these pics were taken with my father-in-law's camera and it is awkward and not a good fit for me. Yay!

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This Weekend

What a great weekend!

As you know, Friday night we headed to Annapolis for the wedding rehearsal, then dinner, then after party. I wore the black matte jersey wrap dress and it was perfect.

Saturday began with yoga.

I wore a white ribbed tank from Gap, green wrap tee from Victoria's Secret, black sueded cotton pants from ProSpirit.

Hair was second day, no makeup.

After yoga Mr. Allie and I went for a hike through the woods and then around a lake nearby. We then came home and dashed around to get ready for the wedding.


For the wedding, I chose to wear a pantsuit since I was the minister. Black triacetate blazer from Ann Taylor Loft, triacetate suiting trousers from Ann Taylor, dark red silk shell (forgot to take a picture of it alone - it has a surplice neckline, banded waist, rosette on the waist band and hits at the hip) from Ann Taylor, black satin peeptoe heels from BCBGirls, black silk clutch from Aldo, strand of black jet beads from Limited that was looped around my neck.

Hair was done the same was as Friday but because it was so hot and muggy int he house, ended up looking a bit crunchy. By time we got to the ceremony site, it had calmed down.

The wedding was great; I was very nervous but I think the ceremony went well. The bride was gorgeous, my sister was the Maid of Honor and looked fabulous. The party was great fun. After we went to the hotel bar to hang out a bit more but I was exhausted so we didn't stay long.

Sunday started with yoga, and a long walk.

I wore my orange scoop neck tee from American Apparel, camo-print cropped pants from Express (circla like 1998) that have orange and pink embroidery on the back of one leg.

Hair air-dried, no makeup.

When we got home, we decided to enjoy the gorgeous day by going to a local Mexican restaurant for lunch - they have an outdoor seating area. We then ran a few errands around town.

Raspberry-colored gauzy sun dress from Mossimo for Target, silver beaded necklaces from H&M, silver hoops and cuff, black stacked flops from J. Crew

Hair was the same, a touch of Jonathan Silky Dirt added to smooth.

Makeup was philosophy The Present clear makeup, Too Faced Lash Injection mascara and Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Pink Afterglow.

Came home, we read on the deck, took a nap, and then our friend came over. We hung out outside, made dinner on the grill and watched a movie. It was a great weekend!

May 3, 2008

Splendid Reads for This Weekend...


BEAUTY

Beautiful Makeup Search picks some great makeup for the multi-tasking Mom.

NY Spender loves her new T3 Tourmaline wet-to-dry flat iron!

ParisB of My Women Stuff shares some thought on the new Origins Organics face lotion.

Viva Woman takes a closer look at toners, toning mists and facial sprays and examines how each is suited for different skin types.

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog interviews MAC Cosmetics Senior Makeup Artist Jennifer Karsten and gets the skinny on how it's like to work with Kanye West.

Beauty Bento Box learns a thing or two about eye makeup via a MAC fafi eye makeover.

Beauty Secrets Revealed shares a Tropical Hair Conditioner Recipe for Silky and Shiny Hair.

Beauty and Fashion Tech tries out a number of products from the new Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Line and posts a picture of the completed look.

Beauty Match discovers Cossidia Rejuvenating Capsules: Nanotechnology skincare!


FASHION

Style...a work in progress ponders whether jewelry can have the evil eye when she says " Wish me luck!"

Petite Fashionista got an email from Hayden's Panettiere's mom and she's got some exciting news to share Once you read this, you better hurry and grab a ticket to this petite friendly event!

Sasha of Style Manila discovers a way to wear her vintage silk sari as a dress.

Tops 2 Bottoms offers the Bandeau One-Piece Swimsuit as a stylish reason to get wet this summer.

Indie Style File take a long lustful look at Vancouver Fashion Week.

Shoe Blitz features this chunky heel sandal, which is a great alternative to flats.

The Space Between My Peers recommends Making Peace With Your Body Image.


SHOPPING

ShopDiary says Gossip Girl Serena Van der Woodsen’s Burberry Prorsum The Mason Warrior Bagwill come in handy when she eventually goes to battle with her arch-nemesis, Georgina Sparks.

Shopalicious shows you how to impress your Mom on Mother's Day with this charming Ava Rose wicker handbag -- and get 15% off too!

Her Accessories has been blogging about her favorite picks for Mother's Day and has posted her favorite picks - sure to win you Mom points!

All that & a found a gorgeous knife pleat dress that will take you through summer.

May 2, 2008

Thursday & Friday

Sorry about being MIA yesterday, major drama day.

So I check in to see the status of my camera and it says that it was delivered to my doorstep at 2:45 PM on the 30th. Yeah, my husband was home at that time and no package was delivered. Due to the weird numbering of my street I contact many of my neighbors to see if the package had possibly been delivered to their house and they said no. Call up UPS, they recite the address to me and as I figured, they didn’t have my complete address. To have a partial address for my community is saying you left a package at 123 Main Street for a three-story apartment building. No apartment number and you might as well leave the package in the parking lot. Le sigh. So I call the vendor, they recite the address they entered into the computer and it is the complete address. They verify, and yeppers, they entered the full address for UPS. They say they will place a tracer on the package with UPS and once remedied, the package will either be sent to me or they will refund me everything, reorder with free next-day shipping and have signature confirmation.

So this morning I call UPS to light a fire on them and the vendor has not placed a tracer. I ask to place the tracer myself and they say I cannot. They also have the audacity to ask if I am SURE I didn’t receive the package. Excuse me??? So I call the representative I spoke with yesterday and left a message. If I don’t hear back in 30 minutes I will become the biggest PITA this vendor has ever experienced. I really don’t want to deal with this because tonight is the rehearsal for the wedding I am officiating and I would like to stay as cool and calm as possible so I don’t freak out over this evening responsibility.

Anyway… back to yesterday. So the camera is as MIA as I was. Rainy, forgot my umbrella on the Metro, stuck on a call so missed lunch plans with my friend, and utterly swamped with work. Oh, and a friend is going through a very nasty divorce and I am happy to be her shoulder to cry on, but it does become very difficult to hear all day long about how her children’s father and her spouse for a great portion of her life is the scum of the earth, she wants a hit on him, she wishes he could die, she hates her life now, she cries every morning, etc. I try to send positive energy her way, but the whole day really sapped any energy I myself had. Glad to come home to a hubby who had washed the dishes, vacuumed the house and poured me a glass of prosecco. What a keeper!

Attire:
Ann Taylor - leaf green silk blouse
Gap – Essentials jeans in darkest wash (yep twice in a week and no one noticed)
Ann Taylor Loft - silver and crystal bead necklace, raspberry Macintosh rain coat
Sudini – black leather kitten-heel booties
Silver cuff and hoops

Hair was washed, conditioned and straightened with the Croc wet-to-dry flat iron.

Makeup:
Philosophy – The Present clear makeup, The Supernatural Color Corrector concealer trio in Light
Cover Girl – Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light to Medium, LashBlast mascara in black
Nars – Blush in Orgasm
Revlon – ColorStay shadow quad in neutral Khakis (olive on lid and along lash lines), Super Lustrous lip gloss in Pink Afterglow

And then today… well today is a bit hectic but I am feeling refreshed and positive. The weather is nicer and I am having a good Hair Day! I am also leaving work early to head straight to the wedding reception where I will be the officiant for the first time in my life. Ack! After we are having dinner and then drinks and merriment in Downtown Annapolis which should be great.

Attire:
- Old Navy – Black matte jersey wrap dress
- Ann Taylor Loft – silver and crystal bead necklace and black patent leather clutch with silver buckle
- BCBGirls – black patent leather peeptoe heels
- Silver cuff and hoops
- Aqua pashmina in case it gets chilly this evening

Hair:
- Washed just the roots
- Made a weird concoction of Pureology blow-dry amplifier, Jonathan Silky Dirt and Got2B curling mousse, mish-moshed together and added to hair. Scrunched, didn’t even finger-comb so it was a muddled mess.
- Dried with diffuser.
- Turned head upside down and hit the whole thing with a fine mist aerosol hairspray
- Hair looked pretty decent, except for the top layer. Hit that with the curling iron, and then broke apart any obvious iron-curls, still without doing any finger combing. The effect is big, but soft, natural and sort of wild. I like it a lot and think it will be a great summer hair look.

Makeup:
- Philosophy – The Present clear makeup and The Supernatural Color Correctors concealer trio in Light
- L’Oreal – True Match foundation in C3
- Make Up Forever – HD translucent powder
- Cargo – Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife all over cheeks, temples, décolleté, etc.
- Urban Decay – shadow primer
- Pop Beauty – palette for Brown Eyes – the sparkly khaki color over entire lid
- Maybelline – UltraLiner in black on top lash line
- Cover Girl – LashBlast mascara in black
- Revlon – Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Pink Afterglow (though will probably switch to Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey for the evening).

This weekend should be great, and I should have at least my father-in-law’s camera to borrow starting this evening so I should have some pictures from the wedding and other events. Hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

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April 30, 2008

Wednesday

Attire:
- Black cotton wrap shirt from Ann Taylor Loft (worn Sunday)
- Gray “Drew” trousers from The Limited
- Black leather thong heels from Mossimo
- Silver cuff and hoops
- pashmina for warmth

Hair:
- Second day
- Large sections around curling iron in haphazard fashion
- Finger comb

Makeup:
- Philosophy: The Present and The Supernatural Color Corrrectors concealer trio in Light (see review in next post)
- Cover Girl: Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light to Medium (see review in next post) and LashBlast mascara in Black
- Nars blush in Orgasm
- Revlon: ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis (ivory on lid and chocolate in crease and along lash lines), Shiny Sheers lip color in Sheer Plumdrop.

Today ended up being far colder than I expected; sort of wish I had worn my boots instead of my sandals. Oh well, at least I got to show off my purty pedicure (OPI’s I’m Not Really a Waitress – a classic dark red and the color of what I will be wearing to the wedding this weekend). Oh, and got notice yesterday afternoon that my camera shipped out. Hope to have it before the weekend is finished!

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Product Reviews - Face and Foundation

Here's a few beauty products for the face that I have tried recently. A few scores, very few misses!

Benefit's You Rebel LiteBenefit Cosmetics You Rebel Lite SPF 15 – I never tried the traditional You Rebel, but received a sample of You Rebel Lite just as I was considering switching out my beloved Philosophy The Supernatural Canvas powder foundation for something more sheer and summery.

You Rebel Lite is the perfect color for me – it is a hair darker than my skin, and a hair more yellow, so that combined with being a tinted moisturizer, it made my skin have a natural looking glow, hid redness while letting my freckles and skin shine through.

I haven’t had much luck with tinted moisturizers – I have bought many of the “must have” brands and found that they were so sheer they completely disappeared, and so moisturizing they left my face looking like an oil slick. You Rebel Lite is thicker than many tinted moisturizers – the finish was more like mixing 2/3 foundation with 1.3 moisturizer, than the opposite combination I often have experienced. As for the grease factor – I really hate when cosmetics give me a shiny look, and You Rebel Lite is NOT a matte or even slightly dewy finish when on (I did look as though I had just finished an hour on the stepper, I looked so greasy and sweaty). However letting the product settle in, the shine transformed into a fresh dewy look, and a very light dusting of translucent powder made my skin look wonderful – fresh, as though I had on no makeup and was just blessed to not have acne, dark circles or broken capillaries. For those with dry or normal-to-dry skin, this could be a very nice choice. I just find it very odd to have a company sell a tinted moisturizer in only one color – gosh knows we women are not all the same shade!


Cover Girl Smoothers Tinted MoisturizerCover Girl Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer, Light To Medium – I liked the Benefit tinted moisturizer so much, I decided to go out and purchase one. Since You Rebel Lite wasn’t quite Nirvana for me, I went the drugstore route. I had heard great things about both Cover Girl and Neutrogena’s tinted moisturizers, and CG was half the price…

I am pale, but I wanted a hint of color so I went with the Light to Medium shade. The formula is oil-free and has SPF 15. Sounded perfect!

Eh, it’s… fine. It’s thin –I can hardly tell it’s even on my skin. I guess if you REALLY want the no-makeup look, this is a good choice. However, I really can’t see much of a difference. I even put it on one side of my face and checked out my reflection in daylight and under a bulb and couldn’t see much of a change. I think I will keep searching – I do want the sheer look but I want it to at least look as though the product accomplishes something.


Philosophy The Supernatural Airbrushed Color CorrectorsPhilosophy The Supernatural Airbrushed Color Correctors (Light) – In layman’s terms, this is a compact of three creamy concealers. It comes with a little brush, but I find application is far better with a finger. The concealer trio comes in Light, Medium, and Dark. I chose Light and almost wonder if I should have gone with Medium: the lightest of the three shades is positively ghostly on me, the middle hue has to be blended with a touch of the darker for under-eye circles and the darkest is the perfect shade to cover redness or acne.

However the formula is so great and these two colors are so blendably perfect, I didn’t want to let go of the compact for even a minute while having to exchange at Sephora. The consistency is great – slightly more creamy than a stick, but the thickness and tackiness that makes a perfect concealer that lasts through the day. I use it over tinted moisturizer or liquid foundation and everything blends beautifully. It even pats on nicely – no need to yank at your skin to have a seamless look. I haven’t had any issues with breakouts, irritation, creasing, or fading from a sweaty hot day. I even tuck this compact in my bag for long days and it does a better job of touchups than any powder or cream-to-powder compact I have ever purchased. I am very very impressed with the philosophy cosmetic line so far – this, their The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas powder foundation AND The Present clear makeup are all products good enough that I will probably replace when I run out.


Make Up For Ever High Definition Microfinish PowderMake Up For Ever High Definition Microfinish Powder - I usually despise translucent powders. They aren’t really translucent and they end up making me look like a geisha or overly matte and powdery. I like low muss, low fuss. So when I received this powder, I ended up not even opening it for a couple of weeks. It came in a tiny sample package reminiscent of testers of mineral foundation (how many of you have ended up getting that mineral foundation on your clothes, your sink, your floor, and everywhere but the darn brush?). Well the Benefit You Rebel Lite was making me look a bit like a greased pig one hot day so I decided to try this powder.

Woah, this stuff is GOOD! I tapped a small amount in the cap (the mini sized packaging has a cap about the size of a quarter) and dipped my Bare Escentuals Angled Face Brush into it and lightly tapped it on my skin. No HINT of powder anywhere, yet suddenly my skin was… well not quite matte, more like natural. Looked soft, touchable, not greasy, but not overly matte. I took the powder with me to work and did a touch-up at the end of the day. Reapplication didn’t make it cakey or powdery – again I got that perfectly fresh look to my skin. The powder kept my oil at bay far longer than my MAC Blot Powder or The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas. The product claims to offer an airbrushed finish and diminish the look of fine lines – I didn’t really see that, but then I only used it on my T-zone to mattify and smooth. However this product gives me a FAR more natural look than Bare Escentual’s Mineral Veil, and I think it would be more forgiving to darker skin tones.

I think I will have to splurge on the full-sized package to get through the humid Washington DC summer. This stuff is pretty darn fabulous!

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April 29, 2008

Tuesday

Wish I had my camera for the outfit is tres cute today! Hair was washed and conditioned, a bit of Pureology’s blow-dry amplifier and then some Got2B curling mousse added. Dried with a diffuser (got a cheapo Conair that folds up that was $12, I couldn’t hold out any longer and this was all I could afford) and then hit the crunchy mall-hair pieces with a curling iron. Finger combed it to relax the curl. Very big but messy/beachy/fun looking.

Nude cami from The Limited, my ivory lace shirt with the ivory satin ribbon belt that is from Banana Republic Outlet, my new fave jeans, black booties from Sudini, silver and crystal necklace from Ann Taylor Loft, silver cuff and hoops, put on my orange crinkle scarf for warmth but left it on with the outfit.

The new jeans are…. The Essential Jean from The Gap! I originally purchased a regular and they were too big everywhere, but a petite is a length that works with a flat to a mid-height heel (like my leather booties and my summer sandals). I got the darkest color – they are wide like a denim trouser, but with classic jeans pockets, fabric weight and stylings. There’s some lycra so they are comfy and seem to keep their shape and not a hint of gaping at the waistband! I plan on ironing a crease in them the next time I wear them and am considering a lighter pair to distress for the summer. So happy about these as that The Flirt bootcut jeans from Old Navy have stretched out to the point that I can take them right from the dryer and still be able to pull them up without having to unbutton them. The Essential Jeans is also dressier of a cut so I feel more comfortable sporting them at work.

Makeup:
- Philosophy: The Present clear makeup and The Supernatural concealer trio in Light
- Cargo: Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Revlon – ColorStay shadow quad in Neutral Khakis (ivory on lid, chocolate in crease and along lash line) and Super Lustrous lip gloss in Glossy Rose
- Cover Girl: LashBlast mascara in black

The weather is nicer today, the phones are working so no mad dash to another office for our meeting, I have a lunch date on Thursday with a dear friend I haven’t seen in a while, and I am finally getting out from under the pile of paperwork on my desk! It’s a good day!

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April 28, 2008

This Weekend and Monday

What a weekend!

Friday I dashed home from work to let out Ruckus and feed him dinner, then drove to the wedding. It was a nice time, the bride was gorgeous and it was very fun.

Woke up early the next day for yoga, and then a crazy day of errands. Target, grocery store, pedicure, bank, dry cleaners, make pasta salad, upload photos from the wedding we shot, laundry, clean the house...

I wore my black, lime and aqua print matte jersey faux-wrap dress from Maggy London, my black "Sandy" flops from Reef and my silver cuff. Hair was washed, conditioned and air dried. Makeup was only tinted moisturizer, mascara and Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey.

No pic of the face (battery died and in a rush).

That night the hubby and I were so exhausted we had some veggies, hummus, crackers and watched Juno and passed out around 10pm.

Sunday we had to wake up early again for yoga, but it ended up being rained out. The hubby headed to the park to let people know, and I started pulling summer clothes out of the attic and packing up winter pieces. We then got dressed to head to his Aunt's house to celebrate his grandmother's birthday.

Attire:
- Black cotton wrap shirt from Ann Taylor Loft
- Tan tweedy trousers from Ann Taylor Loft
- Black leather heeled thongs from Mossimo
- Silver cuff and hoops

Hair:
- Used the Croc wet-to-dry to straighten
- Jonathan Silky Dirt to smooth

Makeup:
- philosophy - The Present, and The Supernatural concealer trio in Light
- Cover Girl - Smoothers Tinted Mosturizer in Light/Medium, and LashBlast mascara in Black
- Cargo - Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Body Shop - Eye Color in Granite (lid) and Slate (crease and lash line)
- Clinique - Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

After the birthday celebration, we headed to another town to the 1st birthday of our friend's little son. We got home late, had another dinner of veggies and hummus and passed out.

Oh, forgot to mention during all this activity on Sunday I BROKE MY CAMERA! I tripped over a chair leg, the camera went flying and smashed into several pieces. Lens shoved into the body, unable to turn on, and various pieces of silver metal and plastic all over the room. I wanted to cry. "Are you hurt?" my husband asked when he saw me crumpled on the floor, tears welling up. "No, but how am I supposed to BLOGGGGGG??????"

Not to fear, a new camera has been purchased and I should have it this week. So today... no pictures. Hair was washed, conditioned, and dried/straightened with the Croc flat iron.

Makeup is exactly the same as yesterday.

Attire - black merino shift from Banana Republic, tan "Bern" boots from Duo, silver cuff and hoops, orange crinkle silk scarf from Banana Republic.

Today has also been crazy - phones are down in our office so we had to catch a cab and dash to our Virginia office to conduct a webinar. It's raining cats and dogs out, and my supervisor and I had to cart around several laptops and equipment for this meeting. Due to the extra time this took, I am super behind in my work. Had to have a quick late lunch and post, but now I have to go back to work! See you tomorrow!

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April 26, 2008

Splendid Reads for This Weekend...


SHOPPING
Wardrobe Oxygen offers somewardrobe alternatives to the less-than-flattering pieces in your closet.

My Wardrobe Today reviews Clinique cosmetics and skincare.

eye4style shops jewelry designer Philip Crangi's limited edition collection for The Gap.

STYLEnosh spends quality time with online shoe stores.


BEAUTY
Aging Fabulous tells you about anti-aging the natural way.

TheScentedLife has a craft crush on Disquieting Designs.

Raging Rouge is officially addicted to Treat O'my Goodness Pink Grapefruit Organic Body Cream.

A Touch of Blusher loves the Golden Dior pendant.

eBeautyDaily tests new self-tanners, but goes back to old faithful, Xen-Tan.

Beauty Banter muses over the must-have Spring nail items... including the most sought after Spring polish colors!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic is really loving Kiehl's new Superbly Restorative Products!

Beautynomics shares to us her review about the skin care sensation REVALESKIN.

makeup loves me takes the blue lash trend straight from the runway to you.

Teen Style Lounge shares 5 cheap and easy at-home tips for gorgeous skin. this spring.


FASHION

CelebLook asks which of Miley's looks is your favorite.

The Fashionable Kiffen shares her packing tips in Travel Wardrobes 101.

Haute & Bothered's gone green with tree chic fashions that are naturally haute!

Let's Go Shopping writes about Spring 2008 Hottest Make-Up Trends.

Snarkstress loves how Eva, Miley, and Alicia are scarfing it up this season.

April 25, 2008

Friday

Well now all you know what I got for the Ann Taylor Friends & Family! I got this dress (which was on sale already), the white wrap shirt and black pants from yesterday, and a 3/4 sleeve black wrap shirt that hasn't yet been worn. I also got white jeans but returned them (the 12 was too big everywhere, the 12 Petite barely covered my pelvic region). From Ann Taylor Loft I purchased the ponte skirt from the other day (sale), two things that were promptly returned, and two pieces of jewelry that were missing from my box when it arrived on Wednesday.

I called up Ann Taylor yesterday to tell them about the missing pieces and I had one of the nicest customer service experiences ever! The woman I spoke to had a very friendly, natural voice. She apologized about the missing pieces and within 10 minutes had credited my account, reordered the pieces and the Friends & Family discount, and even gave me free next-day shipping because of my trouble. Oh, and we chatted about the new collection and what we both love while waiting for everything to process. How awesome is that? Such a simple and pleasant experience.

Attire:
- Scroll print shift from Ann Taylor
- Black patent peeptoe heels from BCBGirls
- Silver cuff and heels
- Black patent clutch from Ann Taylor Loft

Makeup:
- philosophy’s The Present
- L’Oreal True Match foundation in C3
- philosophy’s The Supernatural concealer trio in Light
- Cargo Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Revlon ColorStay shadow quad in Neuatral Khakis – Ivory on lid
- Cover Girl LashBlast mascara
- Shu Eumura lash curler
- Maybelline brow powder in Dark Brown
- Body Shop Brow and lash Gel
- Clinique Long Wear Lipstick in Beauty
- Maybelline UltraLiner in Black

Hair:
- Pureology Volume shampoo and conditioner
- Croc wet-to-dry flat iron (now on 300 degrees)
- Bangs twisted tightly and trimmed a touch with cuticle scissors (I sooo need a hair appointment!)

Why the clutch purse? I have a wedding immediately after work. I will be leaving a touch early and racing to Maryland for the wedding of my husband’s best friend’s little sister (who over the years has become a dear friend to us). Should be a fun evening!

The rest of the weekend… tomorrow and Sunday have yoga (the hubby is co-leading a yoga class on Sundays now outdoors at a nearby park) and Sunday we have my husband’s grandmother’s birthday AND the first birthday of a good friend’s son. Saturday is still up in the air… hope all of you have a great weekend!

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April 24, 2008

Thursday

Attire:
- White wrap shirt – Ann Taylor (hidden safety pin to hold wrap from opening)
- Black tropical wool trousers – Ann Taylor
- Leather sandals – Mossimo
- Red necklace – boutique in Rehoboth Beach, DE
- Red earrings – gift from my mom from her African safari

Makeup:
- Philosophy – The Present
- L’Oreal True Match foundation in C3
- Nars blush in Orgasm
- Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss in Pink Afterglow
- Cover Girl LashBlast mascara
- Clinique eye shadow duo in Like Mink

Hair:
Second day, brushed and tossed in a messy updo with an ouchless elastic. It’s hot out and I am in desperate need of a hair cut and color. I ended up wearing my Celine sunglasses on top of my head the majority of the day.

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April 23, 2008

Wednesday

Black cashmere puff-sleeve sweater from Banana Republic, black ponte pencil skirt from Ann Taylor Loft, black patent peeptoe heels from BCBGirls, silver cuff and hoops.

Hair washed the night before and dried while sleeping. Woke up to a beachy look that would be awesome with a tan and floaty white peasant top, but not for a day where corporate is visiting the office. Straightened with my Croc wet-to-dry iron.

Makeup:
Philosophy The Present
L’Oreal True Match foundation in C3
Philosophy The Supernatural concealer trio in Light (used under eyes and on bumps)
Cargo Matte Beach Blush in Tenerife
Clinique shadow duo in Like Mink
Body Shop Eye Definer in Black
Shu Eumura lash curler
Cover Girl LashBlast mascara in Black
Benefit Her Glossiness lip gloss in Next Question Please

For those who have emailed me about my flat iron, I keep it at 430 degrees, seemed to be the standard it was preset to.

When already dry, I run very quickly through the hair in very small sections (if the sections are too big I don’t get it really straight and miss the roots). I often redo areas more than once, especially around the face and at the nape (where the hair is more unruly). For my bangs, I do a slight flip under at the end of running the iron through the hair to get a teensy bit of curl. It takes about 10 minutes to fully straighten my entire head of hair, and it holds pretty well – seems a bit limp when finished but after my commute, wind and motion it seems to gain body and a slight bit of wave in the right places. I find when I set it with hairspray it gets limp and greasy through the day (aerosol, water-free for straight hair).

When wet, I use no product because I fear excessive damage to the hair. I am tempted though, because my thin hair works far better with a volumizer. I start with bigger sections and not near the scalp, trying to get rid of the moisture. The sound is like bacon frying, but there is no smell of burned hair. Once the hair is a bit dry, I follow the steps I have above for dry hair, taking small sections and running quickly, sometimes multiple times from scalp to end. In total, this takes about 15 minutes. After I occasionally use a touch of Jonathan Silky Dirt, but it seems to give a greasy look more so than with traditionally dryer-dried hair.

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April 22, 2008

Tuesday

Black and white print cotton top from H&M, black stretch poplin trousers from Caslon, black leather thong heels from Mossimo, silver cuff and hoops.

Hair is second day, brushed out a bit and the scraggly pieces hit with the curling iron.

Makeup is philosophy The Present, L'Oreal True Match foundation in C3, philosophy The Supernatural concealer in Light, Cargo Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife, Clinique shadow duo in LOike Mink, Cover Girl LashBlast in black on curled lashes, Maybelline Ultraliner in black on top lash line and Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey.

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April 21, 2008

This Weekend and Monday

Friday night we just stayed in and watched a movie because we had a very early Saturday. We had to be up and out the door before 8am to shoot a wedding.

Hair washed and conditioned and then dried with the Croc wet-to-dry flat iron.

Makeup is philosophy The Present, L'Oreal True Match foundation in C3, philosophy The Supernatural concealer in Light, Cargo Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife, Clinique long-wear lipstick in Beauty, Clinique shadow duo in Like Mink, Two coats of Cover Girl LashBlast in black and Maybelline UltraLiner in black on top lash line.

Black matte jersey wrap dress from Old Navy, black leather "Creston" flats from Naturalizer.

My husband went to shoot the guys getting ready, his father and I went to the house where the bride was prepping with her maids. This dress was perfect because it's black (I fade into the background), stretchy (so I can crawl and climb around to coordinate shots) and comfortable. And these shoes are so comfortable - we didn't get home until 7pm and my feet diodn't hurt a bit!

Sunday was horrible out; the husband and I went to our favorite Greek diner for breakfast and then came home to edit photos and just chill.


Another rainy day today. Navy pique dress from Isaac Mizrahi for Target, tan "Bern" boots from Duo, silver cuff and hoops, silver pocketwatch necklace from Ann Taylor Loft and silver chain from a Ren Fest.

Hair was washed the night before, a touch of Jonathan Silky Dirt added while damp and let air dry while I slept. This morning I gently finger combed and then hit the frizzy parts with a curling iron.

Makeup was exactly the same as Saturday, but instead of the lipstick I wore Benefit's Her Glossiness in Next Question Please and isntead of the liquid liner, I used the darker shade from Like Mink along the lash lines.

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April 18, 2008

Friday

What a glorious, glorious day! Woke up to sunshine, the dog was happily prancing around the yard sniffing all the new plants and grass and no need for a coat or even pashmina! Love it!

Olive linen puff-sleeved shift from Old Navy 2007, orange crinkle silk scarf from Banana Republic, tan "Bern" boots from Duo, black coral necklace from Mexico, silver hoops and cuff.

Hair was