Since the "smoky
eye" continues to elude me (okay, it's not that hard, but I can't have
it fighting with my
crazy hair styles), I've been focusing on the bright
"pop of lip" lately and decided that "popsicle yumminess" is what I
wanted. So I hit my favorite Nars counter (the BEST line for
bold-but-wearable colors) and said, "Give me a 'juicy berry' lip
please!" Within five minutes, I was sporting the perfect red pout without
overpowering the rest of my face (which is saying a LOT since I was in
workout clothes). So I promptly purchased the Larger Than Life Lip
Gloss in "Norma" to be paired with the Velvet Lip Pencil in "Cruella" (which
also looks great with Gold Digger gloss). My Nars expert also
introduced me to their Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base which works GENIUS-LY
on
lips before using any bright pencils or glosses - no migration at
all!! And of course, it's a great eyeshadow base as well - a true multitasker that, unlike our recent contractor, actually CAN do more
than it promises.
Magic K8 Ball Says: 8 (Gotta Have It!)
If you've been following my recent FB posts, you'll see all the crazy colors I've been trying with nail polish. I used to be pretty basic with my bright reds or nude-y neutrals, but lately, things are literally getting out of hand with the crazy nail trends! While I don't support all of them (it takes a special personality to sport certain "designs"), I've had fun testing out some unusual colors and even techniques - it's also a great diversion to mindless snacking since it's really hard to reach into a bag of chips with wet nails. Here's one of my latest crazy tests - blue polish with white "stippling" (applied with a basic cosmetics sponge). I wrestled with it's level of "professionalism" for over an hour, but that clearly wasn't an issue since the other hand in the photo is a colleague, and Nordstrom decided to post this on their FB page so customers could see what the "beauty gals" are actually wearing in the office.
Self-tanners used to be on my White Whale list (ironic since that's how I sometimes feel without one), but I've found several over the years that seem to work well, including Clinique and Clarins. But I've recently fallen in love with Glow Pads by Dr. Gross (yep, that's his real name) - they're basically little towelettes that give you a
great glow overnight. But the best part is, they exfoliate TOO, so they're another hard-working multitasker! One (body) towelette covers your whole body pretty easily, although I still rub it in a bit more with my hands, and am careful around feet, hands, and elbows because it really works, i.e. gives serious color by the next day. They also come in a face version, and although I've been skeptical about face tanners, this one truly adds just the right amount of "glowiness." Best of all, you can try them both in a little "starter kit," so get to glowing!
Magic K8 Ball Says: 6 (Signs Point to Yes)
There are few things I adore more than the right shoes or a fabulous new lipstick, but three of them are my weiner dogs, Harvey, Pretzel, and Sammi. 
Since the "smoky
eye" continues to elude me (okay, it's not that hard, but I can't have
it fighting with my crazy hair styles), I've been focusing on the bright
"pop of lip" lately and decided that "popsicle yumminess" is what I
wanted. So I hit my favorite Nars counter (the BEST line for
bold-but-wearable colors) and said, "Give me a 'juicy berry' lip
please!" Within five minutes, I was sporting the perfect red pout without
overpowering the rest of my face (which is saying a LOT since I was in
workout clothes). So I promptly purchased the Larger Than Life Lip
Gloss in "Norma" to be paired with the Velvet Lip Pencil in "Cruella" (which
also looks great with Gold Digger gloss). My Nars expert also
introduced me to their Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base which works GENIUS-LY
on lips before using any bright pencils or glosses - no migration at
all!! And of course, it's a great eyeshadow base as well - a true multitasker that, unlike our recent contractor, actually CAN do more
than it promises.
Self-tanners used to be on my White Whale list (ironic since that's how I sometimes feel without one), but I've found several over the years that seem to work well, including Clinique and Clarins. But I've recently fallen in love with Glow Pads by Dr. Gross (yep, that's his real name) - they're basically little towelettes that give you a great glow overnight. But the best part is, they exfoliate TOO, so they're another hard-working multitasker! One (body) towelette covers your whole body pretty easily, although I still rub it in a bit more with my hands, and am careful around feet, hands, and elbows because it really works, i.e. gives serious color by the next day. They also come in a face version, and although I've been skeptical about face tanners, this one truly adds just the right amount of "glowiness." Best of all, you can try them both in a little "starter kit," so get to glowing!