Colors: the Do’s and Don’ts and How to Wear

Color is part of our world, and each one of us has not only a personal favorite color, but a palette of colors that we look best in. This does not mean that these two choices are always the same and they can actually clash terribly. Color can be a reflection of a mood, a moment, a fad and a time and which color we select can be an important topic.
Colors
The lives of celebrities seem to dictate what colors are right to wear (and not) and doesn’t seem to deter people (including celebrities) even when the colors and patterns are poorly chosen. The colors and shades of blue are here to stay, in variations that require almost a palette of their own. Ocean blue, deep rich navy blue and pale pastels are currently incredibly hot and designers are taking that into the next year. But there is such a thing as too-much-blue. Choosing a very boho dress in shades of blue, then adding more blue for shoes and even more blue for a matching headband is going overboard. Now don’t get me wrong, with some shades, especially pastel solids, this can be accomplished to bring a fresh airy look and feel.
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Fresh Sugar Lip Polish

I like to take care of my lips by using lip balms, not biting them and using lipsticks and lip glosses that won’t dry them out. And even with all that care, my lips sometimes feel dry and flaky, especially in the winter time. I’ve tried a few exfoliating products in the market and have even tried to make my own using natural ingredients, but the results haven’t been impressive.

I received a sample of Fresh Sugar Lip Polish and it does exactly what it says on the pot, “Gently exfoliates and conditions“.

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This unique formula is enriched with real brown sugar crystals to gently buff away dry flakes. It nourishes the lips with the oils of meadowfoam seed, jojoba seed, and grapeseed while shea butter provides long-lasting moisture.

The brown sugar crystals are a tad bit rougher than most of the exfoliants I’ve use before, but at the same time it does not hurt my lips. I can immediately taste the brown sugar in the formula and after I rinse it off my lips are soft and moisturized, though I follow the treatment with a lip balm.

The cost is $22.50 for a 0.6 oz pot at Sephora.com, but a little goes on a long way. The sample I received is 0.28 oz and I’ve used it twice a week for the last month and the pot is still full! Love this product!

 

fresh sugar lip polish

 

In case you’re wondering about my nails, I’m wearing Piccadilly, Fishnet Magnetic Polish by Nails, Inc. I gave it another try and still don’t like the results of the magnet.

 

Ciate Sequined Manicure Kit Review

So far I’m a big fan of Ciate and their kits, the designs are very unique and in the vanguard of the nail art scene. Now they bring us Ciate Sequined Manicure Kit, a super flashy design.

Ciate Sequined Manicure Kit

 

The concept is very simple. Use the Sequin Glitter Grip polish and dip your nail on the pot full of sequins and your nails will look like Disco Balls! This manicure is perfect for a night out, the nails truly shine and glitter. During the day they tend to be a little much.

 

ciate sequined manicure

 

What I did was add a silvery nail polish as a background color and on top of it used the Sequin Glitter Grip and the sequins. This way as the glitter snagged and fell off it wouldn’t be too noticeable. I used this manicure for a concert, my hands were in and out pockets, using my camera, getting things from my purse, etc. Overall I think they held well for one night.

Both picture show my nails the morning after, I was in such a hurry the night before I forgot to take a photo of the manicure when it was fresh. But you can get an idea of how it looks.

ciate sequined manicure kit

When it was time to take off the nail polish, I was worried it would be difficult like it is with most glitter nail polish, but it wasn’t. The sequins came right off with regular nail polish removal and I then I added a polish more suitable for the work week.

 

Springtime seducers

These last few days of sunshine that we’ve been experiencing here in San Francisco have us dreaming of warmer weather and counting down the days until we can start wearing some of our favorite Spring ’13 looks.

Here are some looks that will inspire us get out of our cozy/comfortable winter wear and into something a little more bold, yet polished and sophisticated – for it is a season of change, after all!

Pump up the volume

Spring 2013 trends

Get shorty

Spring 2013 trends

Ladylike luxe

Spring 2013 trends

Urban explorer

Spring 2013 trends

Get vegan nails!

Tweet them; Instagram them; Like them on Facebook because with one paint stroke you will want to shout-out this brand!

They are called: Sheswai pronounced (she-sway)

This nail lacquer is concentrated with color and goes on smoothly in one coat – Bam! (hard to come across with many polishes out there).  If you are like me, when I’m painting my nails I’m looking for a few Oohs and Ahh’s such as: hue factor, gloss and most of all DRY time.  Who wants to be a slave to their nails for hours on end, not me!  We all have had those moments when we think the nail job we did is perfectly flawless and we’re ready to walk out the door….then you go to grab your keys only to find a smudged mark (hated it)!!

With Sheswai polish, this baby dries fairly quick and to a beautiful smooth finish without the babysitting of blowing your nails constantly like your twelve again;-).

This brand gets additional bonus points in my book for keeping the the formula formaldehyde, toluene and dps free!

The collection has a nice range but my favorite is WINESNOB.

For where to buy, click the link: http://www.sheswaibeauty.com/where-to-buy-2/

Price point: $16.

There are tons of nail polishes out in todays market, (some cost more some cost less) this polish should be your glam of choice.

Again, don’t forget to shout out to your social community.  Trust me, it’s worth the keyboard pecks and while typing I guarantee someone nearby will notice your nails!

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Emerson Fry: Line to love

Months ago I came across photos of Emerson Fry’s Fall ’12 collection and fell in love with her classic silhouettes, cozy sweaters and the wear-ability of the entire line.

Yes, it is 2013 but that won’t stop me from lusting after Emerson Fry’s fall ’12 collection.  Check out her cold weather pieces – preppy, yet urban – a perfect combination for these chilly days ahead of us.

Emerson Fry Fall 2012

DIY Skincare: Raspberry Honey Oat Mask

Over the past month I’ve been trying out a couple different DIY facial scrubs. My favorites so far are ground coffee + olive oil (equal parts) and sugar + honey (equal parts). Both seem to work very well for my skin (combination skin type) and have become part of my weekly routine!

I wanted to step up my DIY skincare routine notch. So, today I made a raspberry mask. After a full week of eating raspberries for breakfast I was tired of the taste, plus they were about to go bad. I figured the next best use of them would be on my skin. And boy was I right.

Raspberries are rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and folate. They are loaded with antioxidants and essential fatty acids all of which are good for those of us with combination skin because their properties help control oil and dryness.

rasberry honey oat facial mask

The easiest raspberry mask I could find online was the Raspberry Honey Oat Mask. It uses just three ingredients, in equal parts.

  • ½ a cup of red raspberries (if you can’t find fresh red raspberries, try frozen ones instead)
  • ½ a cup of honey
  • ½ a cup of rolled oats

Place the ingredients into a food processor, and process until the mixture looks like a puree (note: my oats didn’t puree, so my mask was a little clumpy). Next steam your face with a hot wash cloth for 1-2 minutes to open the pores. Then take a handful of the homemade mask and lather it all over your face. I used about 2 tablespoons. Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes. Be careful if your mask is clumpy like mine, you might lose a couple of oats around your house!

This mask is packed full of antioxidants, natural antibiotics and moisturizers, and helps exfoliate, tone, and cleanse the skin and face right up. The honey helps moisturize your skin because it contains natural moisturizers in it, and it helps fight acne and prevent it because it contains natural antibodies in it that kill the germs that cause the acne in the first place. The rolled oats help absorb unwanted oils and impurities from the skin while also lightly exfoliating it. I was impressed with how soft and oil free my skin felt after removing the mask. It also looked a little more toned and firm.

Masque*ology -Brightening with Arbutin Product Review

I recently tried a sample of Masque*ology, a mask “Researched and Developed by Top Dermatologists in Korea.” The one I used was Brightening with Arbutin which is formulated to diminish the appearance of dark spots.

masqueology_brightening

 

A rayon cellulose single use facial mask saturated with advanced multi-functioning ingredients that contours to your face leaving your complexion brighter and refreshed.

T

his mask contains ingredients to revitalize and even out the appearance of your complexion. It diminishes the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Immersed with more than one ounce of ingredients, it is a luxurious, intense treatment that softens skin’s overall texture and enhances the appearance of your complexion.

I opened the packet and extracted a very slimy thin sheet, carefully I unraveled it and put it on my face. The picture in the package looks pretty, this is what the mask actually looks like:

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The mask does have opening for the eyes and mouth, but you can close those flaps if you want the ingredients to work in all your face. Once you put it on, you will lie down and rest for 20 minutes, then take it off. It was weird to put it on my face since its saturated by a gel-like substance and it’s cold, I felt a very slight tingle after the first 10 minutes. The convenience of this mask is that once I take it off there is no need for rinsing, just throw away the mask, and massage the remaining product into face and neck. The end result is a softer, very refreshed and relaxed face.

The Brightening Mask is just one of the products Masque*ology offers, this is their complete line:

masqueology_serum

 

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