Fall 2010: My Report

I have been thinking about fall a lot lately. I hate to see summer go, especially because this one has been a busy one for my husband and me. We haven't really had time to get outside and really soak it all up and he starts a new semester next Monday! Anyway, I don't know what it is, but last year as well as this year, I start thinking about fall in August. Sometimes I think I am done, DONE, with shopping. But apparently I still want more. Here are some things that have been on my mind. I will probably work on getting quite a few of these.

If you remember, I made a list last year in August...

So, a rundown of this year's list:
1) I really want to get into smaller handbags. I have only been using one handbag for over a year now. Just one. That I use for/with everything. Not only am I sick of my current bag, but I am tired of having a huge hobo bag that inevitable fills up and gets heavy. This oversize clutch is great.

2) I need an evening clutch, too.

3) I still don't own a perfect LBD. I would like to have one, I don't know, someday.

4) I also need a simple, sleek black turtleneck.

5) I just cannot get over my love for a good trouser jean.

6) Still would like to find my perfect skinny jean. Note: Levi's have just come out with some new sizes - slight curve, demi curve, bold curve, just for a woman's proportions!

7) I would like some kind of smallish, bag like this cognac one. Brown, rustic-looking, classic fall, to me. Perfect with jeans and a plaid shirt.

8) Ah, the search continues for a perfect green pump. This one looks like it would work with nearly anything.

9) I used to have a pair of simple pink ballet flats that I loved (and wore out. to death). I want a replacement. Maybe this time I'll kick it up a notch and go for something embellished.

10) I need some fun scarves. That is all.

11) Love this chalcedony ring. Love.

12) For some reason I've really been into chain-y bracelets like this for a while. I want.

13) This bag I have been wanting and eying for a long time. So lady-like and classic.

14) Flat cognac boots. Enough said.

15) I am ready to take the plunge into booties. When they first came out a few seasons ago, I thought they looked ridiculous. Last year I started to warm up to them and now I am obsessed. Is that bad? To join the trend late? Hopefully they stick around for a few more seasons...

16) I have never been super into hats, although I do occasionally think they work for me. Lately every time I try on a fedora, I love it on me. I might need one.

And there you have it! My fall 2010 wish list. Sheesh, this thing is long and intimidating, no?

Foundation: In My Opinion, One of the Most Important Steps

I have a few product reviews to do, so keep a look out.
First off, I needed new foundation. For the past two years I've been using (and very happy with) L'Oreal's True Match foundation. They have a superb color range for drugstore makeup, it is quite blendable and gives good, yet sheer, coverage. However, sometimes I get bored. Sometimes I just want to try something new. I saw this foundation in a magazine and thought, maybe I'll give it a whirl.
Anyway, it's by Covergirl, a brand that I have previously decided I don't trust or like. I have never liked any products I've tried from this brand. With the exception of this foundation. It's called Clean Oil Control Liquid Makeup. I noticed in the ingredients that it has silicone-based particles, which is kind of the same concept as those expensive foundation primers.
I think it blends well as it goes on, it does everything a foundation should. It makes a great canvas - smooth, even skin, makes me look "naturally perfect", which is kind of my beauty mantra. And as far as oil control, I guess it does that well enough. Probably better than my last foundation. If you are super oily, I'm sorry, but there is no miracle product out there. Trust me. But this foundation still looks pretty decent after a long day and even better if I take the time to blot once during the day. I have given up on perfection, but I must say I am very pleased with this foundation. Highly recommended. And I got it for just under $5 at my local Target!

Spring, Finally

OK, I'm just gonna blame my major blogging hiatus on winter and it's associated drabness.  I get really tired of it by February.  Lately the weather in my neck of the woods has been fairly decent, but very windy (let's just pretend like I didn't wake up to snow this morning - whuuut??).

Anyway, spring/summer is my favorite time of year.  Probably summer more so, because in the spring it's kind of annoying to still wear a jacket when you leave for work in the morning, right?
I always think that I should buy "against the season" but I can never get myself to do it.  You know, buy sweaters and boots when they are on sale in March and stock up on swim stuff, sandals, etc. in October-ish.  Yeah, I know that's a smart way to do things, but come March, I want to put away my boots and get me into some dang sandals.  So that's what I've been doing lately.  I bought some wedge sandals and a new swimsuit in the last few weeks.  And some shorts.  And some t-shirts.  Wow, when I write it all out, I've been doing a lot of shopping.

If you are smart and you stock up on fall/winter basics at the beginning of spring, or you just don't have the money at the moment to indulge in an of-the-season wardrobe boost, may I recommend a quick, easy, cheap fix?  I just bought this new shade of nail polish.
Sort of embracing the coral trend, in a way that works for me and is not so shocking to my cool-toned ways.

It's Revlon's new Electric Pink.  Under $4 at that really cheap, mega-store that shall remain nameless.  In real life, it is slightly more coral than it looks here in this pic . . .

And One More

I also could wrap myself in this big sweater-blanket.  From Pottery Barn.  (ps. lots of their throws are on sale now)

A Blanket of Snow

Makes me crave of a blanket of, well, blankets.  As much as I love my bed with it's down and memory foam (high maintenance?), I would love to have throw blankets for the couch to cozy up in.  I am currently wrapped in a blanket that used to be on my bed, but it's queen-sized... And my dog takes over it when I am not in it.  Or even when I am in it. 

Anyway, here are some blankets that would make the season bright.

Love this take on classic plaid at World Market.

I personally think it looks better in the store.

The blanket my dog is loving is a microplush style.  You can get those almost anywhere these days.  This one's from Amazon.

And, finally, remember how last year I was totally obsessed with Pottery Barn's faux fur throws?  Well, those are all over the place this year (including both World Market and Amazon).  I could easily settle for one of Target's faux furs.

Any and all of these would look so much better than the blue fleece one I currently have from my college days.

Good Enough to Eat Beauty Products

My husband makes fun of me for making all kinds of "potions" and trying out beauty theories I read.  I have several items that normally belong in the kitchen that have found their way to the bathroom.  It's usually quite economical and natural to use "foody" products in your beauty routine.  A run down of the items I get double and triple duty out of:

Baking soda:  Most people probably know several ways to use this for baking and cleaning.  I use it to exfoliate my face because it is not so abrasive.  I also make a baking soda and water solution that I pour in my hair after I rinse out the shampoo.  I feel like it helps remove any harsh shampoo chemicals.

Olive oil:  We know it is a "heart healthy" fat and gives great flavor to many dishes, but I also use it mixed with salt as a body scrub in the shower.  It exfoliates and moisturizes better than anything.  I find that I can't use it every time I shower because it can be drying to exfoliate with salt daily or even every other day.  I do it once or twice a week.

Salt:  See above.  I use it with olive oil to exfoliate.  I used it (with olive oil) just on my hands today and it was just what I needed after months without a decent manicure.

Vinegar:  Sounds pretty harsh, but I use it on my hair.  I used to use it straight up, but now since I have a cup in the shower for my baking soda rinse, I use the same cup to mix vinegar with water and rinse it through my hair after shampooing.  Many times I do it before conditioner, but sometimes after.  It really helps get product build-up out and keeps my hair shiny.

That's about it at the moment, but I am usually willing to try home remedies of any kind - beauty or otherwise.

Make up Wardrobe

Ah, make up. So many different formulas, brands, price points, gimmicks . . . It is so easy to get carried away, I find, and forget that what I am really after is "me, but better". When I see little girls with their make up free faces, naturally rosy cheeks and long, un-chemically altered eyelashes, I remember. This is what women want, right? I know there are times when more drama is what we are looking for, but some women seem to want drama all the time. It isn't necessary, in my opinion, and I think all of us need to remember when to quit.

I think I wear plenty of make up and I don't completely subscribe to the natural look. But I still want to look like myself and the media can sometimes make me insecure. Fake tans, fake eyelashes, fake hair color, fake brows - it can be easy to think you need more more more and that you have all these imperfections you need to correct. You DON'T.

Anyway, I didn't mean to sound "soap-box-y". I really meant to share what works for me and the products I have found success with.

I have been really happy with L'Oreal's True Match Foundation. I have used it both straight from the bottle and mixed with my moisturizer and it really is blendable and matchable with your skin tone. Plus, they have an extraordinarily wide color range and they make a distinction between warm, cool, and neutral skin undertones. Genius!

I currently use Max Factor Erace Concealer. I like it, as far as drugstore concealers go, but I would like to try Benefit's Erase Paste. Max Factor Erace covers my dark circles well and blends well, but it does have a tendency to crease on me after awhile.

I love love love this blush. I use Revlon's cream blush, which is not in every store, but worth a little searching, in my mind. There aren't many drugstore brands that make cream or gel blush and I will not go back to powder. Berry Flirtatious looks really bright in the store, but goes on just right for me.

A little secret of mine - After I do concealer, foundation, and blush, I take a fluffy face brush and brush cornstarch all over my face. Sound crazy? For me it's the perfect (and cheap! and natural!) translucent finishing powder. Keeps everything in place and helps absorb oil - of which I have a lot.

Next is eyes. I use L'Oreal's eyeshadow quad in Subtle Berries. Eye shadow is probably the hardest for me to choose. I try different ones all the time and they don't always look quite right. I like variations on a purple theme, but I don't want to look bruised. So far, I've been quite happy with this one.

For eyeliner, I am loving L'Oreal's High Intensity Pigments duo - Sculpted. I only use the dark shade with an angle brush on my upper lash line. It doesn't look too purple or too sparkly.
For my lower lash line, I line with Almay's black pearl liquid liner. Just about a third of the way in and then blend with a q-tip.

I've always used drugstore mascara unless I had a sample gift one from a department store. I used to be devoted to Max Factor 2000 Calorie but I now use L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. I always choose volumizing rather than lengthening or curling mascaras. More impact for less product. And I always scrape off a bunch on the side of the tube before I apply it to avoid clumps.

Lips are another thing that give me trouble. I am hard to match. I really wanted that elusive lip color that could be applied without a mirror and without having to "dilute" it with gloss or balm. Frankly, I've kind of given up on that because I don't think it exists for me. For now, I am pretty pleased with something I picked up on a whim because it was so cheap and everything else was failing me. Wet n Wild Wild Shine Lip Lacquer. I chose the color "Risque" and I put it over chap stick or Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream (my long-time favorite lip moisturizer). I can put it on without a mirror when it's going over balm, but I haven't been brave enough to try it bare lipped. Plus my lips are so dry that traditional lipsticks just don't feel good without some extra moisture. This color miraculously looks pretty natural without turning too orange or brown on me!

This all sounds like a lot of make up, but it really takes me only about 10-15 minutes from start to finish.

And what a difference it makes, right?
"Me But Better"