What to expect this Fall:

Fall fashion is already in full effect and I’m loving it… almost. There has definitely been a line drawn to seperate “trendy” and “fashionable.”

Trendy:

“I just left Silent Y in the bathroom and P.S., the 80’s are back.” (Three points if you can identify where that line came from.) As if there weren’t bad enough the first time, the 80’s are back. And while I like the fun rocker theme that is innately tied in to that decade, I really thought fashin had moved on from ankle boots paired with leggings. The overall look is deconstructed and heavily ornamented, but it just seems garish and wrong to me. Maybe I just haven’t seen it done well, but part of me thinks the rocker chick trend should be left to Joan Jett. She did it well and she still does it well. Teenagers with pompadors, black nail polish, and chains for jewelry just make me cringe.

If you’re aglow for the return of your beloved 80’s, more power to you. I’ll definitely adopt a few of the signature styles, just not all in the same outfit. Black nail polish is huge this season and I think that it can look very chic. But I like it on short manicured nails instead of dragon lady acrylics. Also, I plan to wear black opaque tights rather than the leggings. And please, PLEASE do not wear black tights with brown, tan, or navy shoes.

*Edit* After some reflection I realize that perhaps I don’t relish the return of the 80’s because I did not fully experience them. MusicMan was a child of the 80’s and finds the leggings and spikey hair very attractive. Then again… he also wore hyper color. On the other hand, I was more aware of fashion in the early 90’s when Cindy Crawford was the epitome of style. Just thought that might lend a little perspective.

Fashionable:

Now we get into what I really love this fall. Designers have phased out the casualness of summers and brought us back to the classics. One of my favorite outfits for the season is a black pencil skirt, white blouse, black or red peep toe heels, paired with accents of red nailpolish, lipstick, and the must-have accessory… a structured red handbag. Gold toned jewelry is also back and looks stunning with fall colors. Last year’s Czarina look is pretty much done, although texture is still big.

I will post a quick and dirty list of what’s hot for fall later this week.

A new discovery about men and make-up:

I made a command decision last month to get regular manicures and pedicures each week because its such a low maintenance way to polish (no pun intended) your look with minimal effort.

Music man was suprisingly pleased by this new turn of events and enjoys seeing what color I’m going to come home with each week.

On Saturday morning I bounced over to where he was vegging on the couch and proudly displayed my new paint job. While he thought the color of my manicure was sexy, he inquired why my tips and toes did not match. This launched us in to a rediculously in-depth discussion on the male opinion of nail polish.

The general consensus that I’ve inferred from my male friends is that they feel like tips and toes should match. Its not a big deal and none of them would dare bring it up with their significant others, but its definitely a thought that many of them carry in the back of their mind.

 Polish of the Week: OPI – That’s Berry Daring.

Since its not a big deal to me, I went back to the salon and had them change my toenail polish to OPI – That’s Berry Daring to match my manicure.

Oddly enough, though I felt a little old fashioned having everything match, it also made me feel more pulled together. Who knows? Maybe the boys are on to something…

Image from www.opi.com

A New Addiction

Over the weekend I went to a spa themed bridal shower and it was so wonderful. I forgot how therapeutic a mani/pedi can be. Part of our goodie bag consisted of a few bottles of the new OPI 25th Anniversary Collection nail polishes.

The collection is absolutely stunning and the shades are the quintessential embodiment of fall color. The random mauve shade is a wee bit off and the two white colors are… interesting, but the rest are fail-safe autumn colors that will look fabulous on short squared off nails.

I think the two white shades are sheer enough to be used in a glam french manicure, but I haven’t had the chance to play with them and test my theory.

I feel a little guilty that I’m so intriqued and excited by the chocolate brown, burgudy, and brick reds of fall when we’re in the middle of summer and enjoying shocking bright and playful tones.

Fall is a complete 180 of the electric pinks and neon coral tones, when color will become almost gothic. Mainstream is accepting the idea of black nail polish as fashionable and chic. And if anyone wants to disagree with me on that, take a look at the new Chanel collection. They have released the most hyped nail polish color since Chanel Vamp in the 1990’s.

 

The new color is called Black Satin, and that’s exactly what it looks like. Black Satin is a true jet black with a trace of platinum pearl and a super glossy finish. Again, I think it looks fablous on very short nails because the color is strong enough to make a statement all by itself.

Hot Hot Heat

While I am guilty of this, it annoys me when people feel the need to point out that its hot. I mean, last I checked it was summer on the east coast. Which basically means that hot weather and stifling humidity are a given. Its like women who complain that kohl eyeliner smudges. Its kohl… its entire reason for being is to smudge. Moving on…

What is worthy of comment is how different women handle said heat. With my sun allergy, sunblock becomes my life jacket because I practically burn from just looking outside on a sunny day. Here’s a few other ways that I deal with the summer sizzle:

• On days when the temperature rises over 100 degrees, I don’t allow myself to drink anything other than water. The dehydrating effects of suger and caffeine intensify in the heat.
• Avoid spa treatments for at least 2 hours after significant sun exposure. I’m not talking about 5 minutes of incidental sun, but if you’ve been laying on the beach for the last 4 hours it is not wise to immediately go for a glycolic peel. Your skin with be sensitized from the sun exposure which will increase your odds of irritation.
• *Gasp!* Cut back on make-up, especially formuals that are very dewey or creamy. Oil based products will melt or liquify in this heat and will either seep into pores or melt right off your face in unattractive streaks and blotches.
• If you choose to wear full face make-up in the summer, please wash it off every night before you go to bed. I actually use a heavier duty face wash in the summer to make sure that my skin in squeaky clean and then add supplimental moisture with a light face cream.
• Always always always paint your nails. Its summer and the one time you can get away with bright, outrageous colors like flamingo pink and electric coral. I keep the look toned down and polished by having my nails filed short and squared off. Nail polish is the one cosmetic that won’t melt off you in the heat or clog your pores. And since polish will last a whole week, its a very low-maintenance way to add color to your every day look.
• Go easy on scent. A 108 degree day is not the time to douse yourself in 5 squirts of Calvin Klein Obsession.
• If you’re showing leg, use body oil to moisturize your skin. The sheen that’s left behind is very sexy and makes your legs look longer.

Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer

$38 from www.sephora.com

While the original wasn’t enough to sway me from my beloved MAC Prep + Prime, the Green Adjust – Color Corrector kinda rocks my world.

The primer itself fills in fine lines and sun damage while the green color all but erases the hyperpigmentation left from past blemishes and evens out my skin tone. It makes my skin look buttery smooth and creates a great base for power foundation to adhere to. I also love how it seems to control the amount of oil my skin produces.

 $42 from www.sephora.com

The next primer on my list is Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15 With Dermaxyl Complex . You’ve got to love just about anything that gives you that extra dose of spf. I just need to find out if it will make my skin feel oily or not.

MAC Sweetie Cake – Pigments

While I've already given the Sweetie Cake Collection a lot of press, I had to show you the pigments. MAC Pigments are in my top 5 list of beauty products I can't live without. They are incredibly versatile and I can never get enough of them. I promise to revisit this topic in the next few weeks with my list of must have colors.

For those of you who are already addicted to pigments, a little birdie at MAC has told me that there are many many new colors coming out this summer. If I remember correctly there will be two new colors in May and seven in June (along with a couple of repromotes.)

NOTE: The following promo color swatches are not very accurate.

Lily White

 

I think this is the real winner amongst the three new pigments. It's a dazzlingly shimmery white champagne, not peach like the picture suggests. You can dust it on for a glimmering veil of warm neutral-ness, or foil it on wet to intensify the pigmentation and lend a metallic sheen to the finish.

Apricot Pink

Honestly, there really isn't any apricot in this color unless you use it wet. And even then, its a very subtle inference. Apricot pink isn't apricot, and it definitely isn't that hideous lilac shade shown above. It's more of a warm rose touched with the slightest hint of medium violet. As an eyeshadow, your mileage may vary. It makes me look like I've cried buckets. But it does make a lovely blush and lipgloss.

Pinked Mauve

This promo picture has the most accurate color representation of the three. The only thing is, its a bit of a conundrum. You see, the color is neither pink nor mauve. Its actually a violet tinged magenta. Mixed with lipgloss, the pigment creates a lip color that is strikingly similar to Little VI Lustreglass. While this is my least favorite pigment in Sweetie Cake, its violet undertones really make my green eyes pop. WARNING: It can look a bit bruised on those with very fair complexions.

Images from http://www.makeupalley.com/ username SweetieCake

MAC Sweetie Cake – SoftSparkle Eye Pencils

It's not often that a product exceeds my expectations, but these pencils are so beautiful. The kohl formula glides on without any tugging or skipping, the colors are rich and densely pigments, and the micro glitter is super fine and sparkly. I love how the glitter isn't over the top. It adds an extra twinkle to your eyes without making you look like a disco ball.

I've noticed several reviews commenting on the smudginess of this product. I'm not sure what else they expected. These are kohl pencils, and kohl smudges. That's what makes them so soft and blendable.

If the SoftSparkle kohls are too smudgy for you, you can layer them over an eye shadow base (MAC Prep + Prime Eye of Urban Decay Primer Potion) or MAC Fluidline. I prefer fluidlines because the right shade will intensify the color of the kohl. You can also set a matching powder of the kohl to help keep the micro glitter in place.

Night Sky 

This is my most used SoftSparkle. Its a true, inky black that glimmers beautifully. It creates an amazing smokey eye and is easily set with Black Tied Eyeshadow. I wear it over Blacktrack Fluidline to give it extra staying power when I go dancing.

Peacocked

Try layering Peacocked over Blue Peep Fluidline and you won't be disappointed. Not only will the kohl wear all day, but the Blue Peep really brightens the teal and makes it stand out more. I'll be honest, I only bought Peacocked because Music Man thinks I look sexy with teal eyeliner, but I've quickly grown to love this color. It's bright, fun, eye-catching, and looks fantastic paired with a subtle champagne eyeshadow.

Iris Accents

Iris Accents is the most wearable color from this collection. Its great for daytime looks because the color is so soft and subtle. The Iris/Lilac-y shade pairs well with icy pastels and everyday neutrals to create a very sweet and feminine look.

Ultra-Chill

I was kind of bummed that this pencil is the same color as MAC's Ivy Eye Kohl. It is still very pretty, but in no way unique.

Reflecto

 

LOL! Ok, I'll admit it. This color was just wrong on me. It gave me a Mimi from The Drew Carry Show appearance that was so not flattering. That being said, it is a lovely cornflower blue that simpley did not work with my deep olive complexion. I think it would be stunning on blue eyed gals or those with much fairer coloring.

Images from http://www.makeupalley.com/ username SweetieCake

MAC Sweetie Cake Collection

Every year MAC releases a very special, limited edition, prom collection marketed to the younger side of their buyer dynamic. Last year's collection was called Beau. It was a gorgeous blend of pinks, purples, and shimmer. A brand new lipglass stain was released featuring ribbons of color swirled together to punch up the product image. (It didn't hurt that all four glosses looked great on every skin tone.) These prom collections have been a Nordstrom's exclusive, until now…

Once again, MAC created a sugar sweet prom collection that is sure to be a great hit. It was marked down in MAC catalogs as being a Nordstrom's exclusive… but something happened. A few months before the release MAC decided to launch this new collection, Sweetie Cake, to all MAC counters, stores, pro stores, and websites in the US and Canada. Again, there are innovative new glosses, but also glitter eye kohls (that I can't stop drooling over) and brand new pigments. Sweetie Cake has amplified the saccharine sweetness of Beau to incorporate dramatic teals, sea foam green, and baby blue.

The new collection features an eyeshadow quad, new lipglasses, petit-glosses, softsparkle eye kohls, and three new pigments. Not one item in this collection is a re-promotion. But… they're all limited edition, so get them while you can.

Image from http://www.maccosmetics.com

A Spring Time FOTD

Though we're expecting thunderstorms in DC today, I woke up feeling spring time fresh and happy. So I pulled out one of my favorite outfits this season and embraced the giddiness of spring.

Outfit:

• My favorite tan chinos from Banana Republic.
• A pale, grass green, sleeveless, scoop-neck top from Bebe.
• Camel Calvin Klein mules.

Face:

• MAC Matte Primer 
• MAC Studio Fix Podwer Foundation 
• MAC Pinker Peach – Trust Fund Blush Duo

Eyes:

• MAC Sweet Sage Fluidline used as an eyeshadow base
• MAC Lucky Green Shadestick 
• Shu Uemura ME Brown (Metallic) eyeliner
• Diorshow Waterproof Black Mascara

Lips:

• MAC Lipglass in Prrr
• MAC Lustreglass in Wonderstruck 

Scent:

• Chanel Allure

Peach Sorbet and Rock n Roll

(This was supposed to be posted on Friday.)

Tonight is Music Man's first local show with the new band and I'm more freaked out about it than he is. It feels like the first day of high school when you pray that the other kids will like you and that you won't look like a dork.

Oddly enough, Music Man likes the way I look in peach. Since its a big color this spring and his big night, I decided to humor him with a very peachy FOTD.

Outfit:

• Peach long sleeve ribbed t-shirt and tan chinos from Banana Republic.
• A chocolate brown, velvet/corduroy blend fitted blazer from Le Chateau.
• Chocolate brown Calvin Klein sandals.
• And for a burst of color I toted along my alligator turquoise Prada bag.

Face:

• MAC Studio Fix Podwer Foundation
• NARS Lovejoy Blush
• NARS Deep Throat Blush to highlight

Eyes:

• NARS All About Eve Eyeshadow Duo
• MAC Teddy Eye Kohl
• Diorshow Waterproof Black Mascara

Lips:

• Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Delight of Apricot

Scent:

• Ralph Lauren Romance
• The Body Shop Strawberry Oil