Skunked

So my poor little pooch got skunked last night. It's tragic.  Even now, miles away from her, I swear I can still smell that god awful stench.  Bleh!  To take me to my happy place, I'm trying to think of summer scents...of citrus and spice and the sea.  Do you any of you have a favorite scent for the summer?  I'm on the market for something new...I'm thinking something not too girly, and extra fresh. Thoughts?

image via luxe + lilies via Pinterest

naked

Image 1, 2, 3

I'm not a lipstick person.  I bought my first lipstick last December, determined to have a bright red lip for the holidays.  It was not a complete catastrophe mildly successful, so I decided to enlist in the help of a "professional."  Enter, Beebs.  My go-to-gal for all things beauty.  I knew my next investment was going to be a nude color (much more versatile and fool proof for a newbie like me).  She recommended the above products, and I knew they would all be winners.  I went with the NARS, since my red lipstick was the same brand, and am totally happy with my purchase.  Check out her blog for more beauty fixes (she's totally a thrifty gal at heart) and her tumblr for inspiring images. 

Shortcuts for yo hair

Does anyone take a full hour in the morning to shower, blow-dry and style their hair.  If you do, kudos.  But I sure as hell don't.  Here are my standby tips to "fake it till you make it" when you are pressed for time in the morning.

Make it bounce- Flip your head upside down and spritz with a lightweight hairspray.  Next, wrap large sections with a wide-barrel curling iron (do your whole head in 6-10 sections)

Sleek cheat- Straighten and blow-dry only near the roots and the front pieces.  Then throw it up in a ponytail.

Fight frizz- Blow-dry your hair all over until it is almost dry.  Next, use a round brush to finish the job.

Tame the flyaway's- Use a toothbrush misted with hairspray to tame flyaways.

Happy Wednesday!

Falsies

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What I wouldn't give for luscious lashes like those.  Unfortunately the more mascara I put on, the more chunky and disgusting my lashes appear to become.  Solution?  False eyelashes.  I am pretty much a beauty klutz and false eyelashes kind of scare me, but these helpful tips will  hopefully get me through it and give my lashes some extra pizazz.

1.  Start with the mirror on your lap.  Instead of looking directly into your bathroom mirror, grab a smaller mirror and place it on your lap.  This helps the strip stay on your lash line. 

2.  Before gluing anything, hold up the strip to your eye to make sure the falsies fit.  If not, trim them down, or trim into 3-4 equal segments for easier application.

3.  Apply a small amount of strong hold water proof glue (it's probably best not to use whatever random adhesive comes with the lashes) directly to the base of the false lashes and wait 20 seconds.

4.  Wiggle the lashes into place.  (For a more subtle look, add falsies only the outer corners of your eye).

5.  Use black eye liner to fill in any gaps.

6.  Clamp lashes with a curler to blend real and fake lashes together.

7.  Apply a coat of mascara.

That doesn't seem so bad, right?  The part that freaks me out the most is the removal process.  The image of ripping off false lashes like a band-aid reminds me of a bad hazing ritual.  Thankfully, all you need is a cotton ball full of makeup remover and the falsies should slide right off.

Twisty

I never know what to do with my hair in the mornings.  When all else fails, I slap on a headband and call it good, or braid my hair in a loose side braid.  But sometimes I want to get creative, but am not sure how.  I found this quick and chic look and am dying to try it. 

It king of reminds me of the Topsy Turvy (does anyone know what I'm talking about...that red plastic loop that you would stick in your ponytail and pull your hair through).  Here's how to get the look:
1.  Start by using a volumizing cream and dry shampoo to create a matte texture
2.  Backcomb the hair at the top of the head, then separate into top and bottom sections in back.
3.  Secure the top section loosely with a ponytail holder, then divide the bottom into two sections.
4.  Twist the right section around the ponytail (over to the left side) and secure with bobby pins, then twist the left bottom section over the ponytail and secure with bobby-pins.
5.  Finish with hairspray. For extra volume, tease both left and right bottom sections before twisting and pinning.

I am anxious to try this out.  Hopefully it doesn't look like a rat's nest, and actually holds. Have any quick and dirty hair-do's that are your go-to's?

Perfect Hair

I think at some point, every girl hates their hair.  Whether it's too frizzy, too short, too flat, too curly, something is never quite right.  I only love my hair right after I get my hair cut.  After using quality products and receiving a professional blowout, my hair is silky smooth.  I have never been able to master the perfect blowout, but I found these tips and think they are worth a try (even though it will take much longer than my usual blowdrying shenanigans).  At least these tips are much more inexpensive than getting it professionally done.

Step 1:  Pick your poison-  The perfect blowout starts in the shower, with the correct shampoo and conditioner for your hair type, ie: if you have straight/flat hair, use lightweight products.  I use Garnier Body & Volume Fructis which can be found at CVS for $3.99.

Step 2:  Pre-dry- Before a round brush even touches your hair, press a towel to damp hair (paper towels supposedly work best to eliminate frizz) and apply a serum that offers heat protection.  I like Nexxus Heat Protexx which can be found at Walgreens for $11.99.  Start up the blow dryer on low heat and dry using your fingers as a comb until hair is 75% dry, to reduce the amount of heat damage on your hair.

Step 3:  Time for the round brush- Take 2" sections of hair (starting from the front) and wrap around a round brush, and pull down while pointing the dryer at the section of hair (at this point, the drier is hot).  It is important to maintain tension in the brush as you pull down.  In order to get my hair so straight I don't have to use a straightener, I use the nozzle attachment in the image below.  To create some lift, dry the pieces at the crown forward, and brush away from your face.

I hope these tips give you luscious locks and you end up looking like this...

Up-do inspiration

Loving these up-do's.  Now if only my hair would cooperate.  Any suggestions on how to get these looks?  Lots of bobby-pins I presume...

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Bright Eyes

Man was I dragging yesterday morning.  After sleeping in until almost 11am on both Saturday and Sunday, 7am yesterday morning was quite the shocker.  However, thanks to these makeup tips, I was able to fool everyone!  Here are some helpful tips on disguising those tired eyes...

1.  Intensify your eye color by lining the base of your upper lashes.  My old standby is this NARS liner in a deep brown.

2.  Dab a light colored (white/beige/champagne) shimmery shadow on the inner corners of your eye and brow bone (it's probably ok to use a more thrifty product like the following from wet n wild).

I use this amazing product by LORAC.  One side is a concealer, the other side is a shimmery goo that is great as a highlight to eyes and cheekbones. 

3.  Crimp lashes with a tool and apply 2 coats of black mascara.

Happy Tuesday!

To splurge or Not to splurge

I could easily drop $300 everytime I go into Sephora.  I'm like a kid in a candy shop eyeing all of the beautiful displays and sparkling merchandise.  Those black and white strips beckon me as a chic symbol of what lies within, but afterward seem more appropriately associated with a prison sentence when I get  my credit card bill.

So...as an alternative to going bankrupt thanks to my obsession with vanity, I mix and match cheap finds with luxury pieces to create my make-up collection.

The following items I allow myself to splurge on...see a trend?

Love this moisturizer/foundation.  Not too greasy, plus it has an SPF of 30!

Perfect before-bed moisturizer with a wonderful calming scent.

My most favorite exfoliator.  Not too harsh, and doesn't dry out your skin.

If it goes directly on my face, I am willing to dish out the extra cash to keep my skin healthy.

Here is what I typically do NOT splurge on...(all items can be found at walgreens, cvs, etc.)

I'm a sucker for marketing, and have convinced myself that the extra length is from the "white" side of this mascara

Surprisingly effective, for an even more surprising price!

What about you all?  What do you allow yourself to splurge on in the beauty department?

Valentine's Day

V-day is just around the corner...and if you are like me, you like any excuse to get in a holiday spirit (even if it is a made up holiday thanks to Hallmark). Here are some cheap finds (all under $25) to get you in the holiday spirit, or great gift ideas! Enjoy!

Valentine's Day by kcfox featuring Debut scarves

Items in this set:
H&M Shop Online
Red glitter pashminetta scarf, 15 GBP
sweetheart sunnies, $11
Candyfuture Opaque Lipstick - Retrofuturist, $16
philosophy | holiday spice | holiday spice scented, high foaming..., $12