I’m not due for another bottle of perfume for at least 10 years, but if I were to add another one to my collection it would for sure be the new scent from Ralph Lauren, Notorious.

The only other perfume I’ve had by Ralph Lauren was Romance and it was a Valentine gift from my mom when I was in high school.  The scent made me feel so pretty and it was my first sophisticated perfume; it’s a scent that I would still wear today,  but Notorious is something very different.  The scent is still very sophisticated, but in a more sexy, daring way.  The notes are rich, but not overpowering and the smell leaves you with this sparkling essence that I can only describe as a champagne mist.

The bottle itself is reason enough to buy with its glamorous Art Deco feel.  I see this scent  worn by a woman who knows who she is and wants people to notice her…but in a subtle way.  It’s sexy without being in your face; the scent lingers just like a fragrance should.

If you’re intrigued (and you should be) here’s a little more information on this glamorous scent:

Ralph Lauren Notorious is the essence of intriguing modern glamour. Fall under the spell of this addictive new fragrance, with its sparkling, spiced, alluring layers. Sophistication, poise, and temptation blend beautifully to create the ultimate provocative accessory—this captivating oriental scent is simply unforgettable.

Notes:  Deep black currant, spiced bouquet, decadent chocolate cosmos, sensual patchouli musk.

I think this would be a great gift to yourself or someone special who needs a little oomph in her life!

Well, I’m back from a four hour hair appointment (yes, four hours!) and I now have luscious blonde locks, purple accents AND bangs!!!!  So, I guess it’s your turn to decide if I made the right choice or not.  I want to thank everyone who voted and left me comments and advice; I honestly took them all into consideration. 

In the end the readers choose my final verdict to get bangs with 66% of the votes…34% of you will not be happy to see that I took the plunge.

Hopefully everyone thinks that I made the right choice and if you don’t please feel free to chime in for my current poll!!

n

In the end I wasn’t 100% sold on Bare Minerals foundation, but one item from the collection I can’t live without is their Mineral Veil. 

I love how it completes my foundation application and sets it in place for the rest of the day; no touch-ups required.  The only complaint that I had with it was the fact that it was in the loose powder form that got over everything and it was impossible to travel with.

Well, it seems the folks over at BM have decided to market their fabulous Mineral Veil in a handy On The Go tube that lets the powder flow through a brush.  This way it’s easy to prevent messes and it makes keeping it in your purse or traveling a whole lot easier.

If you haven’t tried the Mineral Veil from BM, then you are missing out.  It truly gives your skin an airbrushed finish and sets your makeup for the rest of the day.  I use it with my Pur Minerals, and it gives me a flawless looking finish.  I also have to say that I’m in love with the packaging.  The silver-tin finish gives it a bit of a vintage look, a lot more chic then a plain plastic container.

So, if you’re in the market for perfect looking skin (who isn’t) then I think you’ll find solace in Mineral Veil.

…should I get bangs?

Okay readers, I need your help on this one!  Next Tuesday I am getting my hair done and I’m getting the works…haircut and color AND I’m in the mood to get a bit of a new look.  I’m planning on going blonder (Reese Witherspoon’s hair color is my plan) and I’m toying with the idea of getting bangs.

Now, the last time I had bangs was 10 years ago and I’m talking about sophomore year of high school, full on, curl them with your curling iron, did I mention I have braces, bangs.  Something after I painstakingly grew them out, I promised myself that I would never ever have bangs again.  And I haven’t, not really anyway.  I’ve had side swept bangs over the years, which don’t count, but I haven’t done full on bangs since high school.

But, now bangs have come full circle and they are super chic, super in style and have been looking super amazing on everyone in Hollywood.  Reese Witherspoon, my style and beauty muse, just happened to have one of the best set of bangs last season.  She has since given them up (I personally miss the long hair with bangs), but I’m thinking about picking them up where she left off.  My length won’t change much, but I am thinking about adding some Reese Witherspoon bangs. 

So, you have until next Tuesday to either convince me to keep my vow from 10th grade or to take the plunge and cut myself a sassy set of bangs.  Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions!  xo

n

Hair products are one of those things that I just cannot get enough of.  I have a shower stock full of every kind of possible shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment out there.  Everything from drugstore bargains to the best of the best.  I’m constantly looking for new products that will keep my hair healthy and beautiful.

One of my most recent hair purchases was made at Sephora on the day I went in to pick up my birthday body wash.  I was too shy to just walk up to the counter and demand my free shower gel and walk out, so I decided to make a small purchase.  I wanted to keep it under $15 and I didn’t want to buy a product that I already had two of.  Carol’s Daughter was a new in-store item that I had heard so many good things about but I hadn’t used any of the products.  There were several products that were within my budget, but I opted for the Tui Hair Oil. 

The two main reasons that finalized my purchase was the promise of shiny hair (something I love) and the amazing scent of the oil; it smells like tropical bliss.  I also liked the fact that the oil was sort of a two-in-one product.  The oil can be used as a shine treatment or as a hot oil.  You also get a lot of bang for your buck because you don’t need a lot of product to get big results.

The first time I used it, I used it as a hot oil treatment.  I just let the heat of my shower heat up the oil and then I rubbed it into my dry hair.  I really massaged it into my scalp and then focused on the ends.  After about 5 minutes I added shampoo to rinse out the product and after I got ready I was left with really soft hair that shined and smelled amazing.  I also like to apply a touch of the oil to my ends right before I get out of the shower.  Not enough to make my hair oily, but just enough to keep my ends smooth and to protect my hair from styling.

I’m really excited to have it around during the colder months when my hair starts to feel the effects of the cold weather and wind.  I’m also excited to have it in my shower…the bottle is beautiful and has real flower petals in it, and did I mention it smells amazing?  See, beauty all around.

I’ve been trying to do my part for myself and the environment lately, so I’ve started purchasing as my organic products as I can.  Lucky for me (and you) organic products are easy to come by and the world of beauty has provided a ton of great brands and products that are easy to fall in love with.

One line that I particularly like is Alba.  They have a whole line of amazing products and they are easily accessible thanks to all the grocery and drugstores that carry the line.  One product that I’m loving right now is their Coconut Milk facial wash.  I generally steer clear of creamy textured cleansers, but my skin has been dry lately and I want a face wash handy that will give my skin the moisture that it’s been craving. 

The Coconut Milk cleanser not only offers moisture, but it is also a dream on sensitive skin.  The wash itself is creamy, sort of the consistency of your average hair conditioner, and it leaves my skin feeling very soft.  Since I do have combo/oily skin on a regular basis, I only like to use this cleanser two maybe three times during the week.  But, if you suffer from dry skin you can rest easy knowing that your skin won’t be stripped of moisture.

I don’t use this cleanser to wash off my makeup at night because I feel like it wouldn’t give me the deep down cleansing I’m looking for.  However, it’s great in the morning because it cleanses my skin and gives me the perfect foundation before I apply my moisturizer; with no redness or dryness to worry about. 

Some other highlights about the cleanser are it’s 80% organic, it helps to draw out impurities and there is no animal testing.  Great for you and all our furry friends out there.

It’s about that time of year again…the time of year that sucks all the moisture out of your skin!  For some of us, there is still a few more months until the cold weather hits hard, but the weather is already starting to cool down here in the Pacific Northwest.

I don’t have to tell you that during the winter months skin gets dry and itchy due to a lack of moisture, but there are some things we can do to help not add to dry, itchy skin.  During the winter months most of us use a thicker moisturizer on our skin to prevent pealing, but what about your body?  There are several common things to avoid if you don’t want your skin looking like the bottom a creek bed.

One of the worst things you can do is to take a hot shower.  Now to me not taking a hot shower is blasphemy, but I do have to tone down the heat in the winter.  One way I keep things toasty is to keep my bathroom door completely closed so the steam stays in the bathroom and I like to keep my towel close so I don’t have to get cold while reaching to grab it.  It’s also a good rule of thumb to keep your showers under 10 minutes.  This not only saves your skin, but it helps to not waste water and it gives a little relief to your water bill.

Now, I’m a sucker for fragranced shower gels, and there is no way dry skin will prevent me from using them, but I do give a little and only use them about three days a week during the winter.  The other four days I’ll replace my oh-so-good-smelling shower gels with moisture rich shower creams that are good for sensitive skin.  I really love Dove Sensitive Skin body wash and St. Ive’s Collagen Elastin body wash.  Both are great for added moisture and sensitive winter skin.

Another great way to keep skin soft and supple is to exfoliate…and this goes for year-around, but especially during the winter months.  Exfoliating keeps you rid of dead skin cells and it also helps to increase cell turn-over.  I really love sugar scrubs because they don’t scratch your skin and they leave you moisturized without feeling greasy.  Neutrogena has a great sugar scrub and my personal favorite is Bliss’s Sweet Orange + Spearmint scrub.  I’m not the best at keeping my legs nice and smooth during the winter (I like to think of it as another layer), but shaving your legs actually helps to exfoliate.  I’m sure your husband or boyfriend will appreciate the effort.

The last rule of thumb, and the most obvious, is to moisturize!!  I like to moisturize in the shower, right after I’ve toweled off.  It really helps to sink the lotion in and it leaves me feeling smooth all day.  I’m a sucker for firming moisturizers, whether they work or not (please be working!).  I’ve used Aveeno’s firming moisturizer in the past, but just started using Target’s generic firming moisturizer and I have to say that it works just as well and I like the scent better.  It’s also about $6 cheaper and twice the size.  So, go figure.  Whatever brand you choose or price range you choose from, any kind of moisturizer is better than no moisturizer.

So, there are my tricks to staying soft and smooth this winter.  If you don’t follow these rules just expect to feel like a piece of sandpaper.  I’m just teasing…or am I…

Long time no hear…from me!!

I’m so sorry for the lack of posts lately.  My computer is fixed, virus terminated, but other things kicked in this week.  My good friend has been in the hospital (Sarah, I’m thinking of you all the time!), my husband is sick, my dog (Owen) is acting like he’s sick too, which I’m sure he’s just seeing the attention my husband is getting AND I’ve been working over-time at work…so, very sorry!!

I do have a post to do on winter skin, but I’m going to leave this post with a few links to my favorite products.  Some of these reviews might be new to you, so please read!!

xo

Korres Bitter Almond Lotion

Aveda Shampure

Crazylibellule and the Poppies

TexasLash

Tarte Dollface

Hope in a Jar SPF 20

King of Shaves

Lush Big Shampoo

Ellen DeGeneres is the latest spokesmodel for CoverGirl and at 50 years old she’s looking beautiful and will add a unique look and approach to the brand.

The photo above is from a behind the scenes shot at her shoot and here is what the talk show cover girl had to say about her experience, “I am the new face of CoverGirl. (strikes exaggerated model-like pose) That’s the first thing they teach you when you’re a CoverGirl. We were going to let you know [in January when the campaign starts], but somehow people found out about it… They’re putting some lip liner on me … Man, they love lip liner. I got hours and hours… I am very, very excited about it. It’s a very cool thing, I’m honored and the photo shoot was ‘easy, breezy, beautiful … CoverGirl.”

Everyone loves Ellen and I’m sure she’ll inspire women everywhere to go out and buy some lip liner…from CoverGirl of course.

I’m a big fan of not wearing shoes whenever possible and when I am forced to wear them I tend to opt for my flip flops.  Thanks to my lovely habit I tend to get rough feet, or in more bold terms, callused feet.

I never really minded my calluses before I met my husband. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have told you I had a callus problem before meeting him.  But, I have become quite aware of them ever since my husband first told me my feet were rough.

Of course my first reaction was embarrassment.  In the beginning I worked really hard at getting everything just right and he had to ruin it by noticing my less than perfect soles.  So, I did what any other red-blooded American girl would do, I started to scrub my feet with everything possible.  Pumice stones, files, scrubs, but nothing really seemed to work.

A few months ago I purchased a Ped Egg and thought that I had met my maker.  My feet were smooth, my husband let me rest them on his legs in bed at night and I even secretly loved seeing all the shavings that collected in the little egg (you know you’d look too!).  But, since getting my feet ’shaved’ while getting a pedicure I think my Ped Egg now has a little bit of competition.

I’ve had several pedicures over the years and I’ve always resisted getting my calluses shaved off.  The main reason is that I can barely stand that scrubby thing that tortures my feet and turns me into a squrimy, giggly mess, so I cannot even imagine having my ‘rough spots’ shaved off.  I also have a bit of a wild imagination and I could always envision my feet being slashed to death.  Probably not possible, but I wasn’t game to find out.

But, during my last pedicure I really didn’t have much say in the matter because the woman tending to my feet just started away with shaver without my consent and I have to say I wasn’t too angry about it.  All I remember was seeing skin the size of paint chips falling down from my feet and I felt grossed out and amazed all at the same time.

After I got home I couldn’t believe how smooth my feet were and they managed to stay that way for several days.  I was so impressed with the results (and the show) that I’m going to invest in my very own foot shaver.  My husband also showed interest in it after he heard the story and felt my feet…oh the damage I could do to his feet!

So, here’s my verdict from my very long drawn out story:  I think the shaver does a better job at getting your feet smoother, faster.  But!  I think the Ped Egg can also play a role in maintaining smooth feet.  I don’t know that callus shavers come with an owner’s manual or not, but I can’t imagine shaving your calluses anymore than once a month.  Those bloody feet images might just become a reality. 

I’m pretty much down with all things pink and the lovely picture of the callus shaver above, by Tweezerman, is available (obviously) in pink and it’s only $12.  Not too shabby…and hopefully those will be the same words spoken about my feet.