Nailed It!

Just how many cotton balls does it take to fully remove "Chick Flick Cherry" or "Cajun Shrimp" from 10 fingernails or 10 toenails?  Typically, way too many.  And there's nothing worse than all those icky, wadded-up cotton corpses smelling up your trash.  Aren't you "Fed Up"?? 

I started using Cle de Peau Le Coton a few years ago to take off makeup, but I soon discovered that it's "Braziliant" for removing nail polish as well!  I literally only use ONE cotton square for all 10 fingers or toes (okay, maybe two if it's "Lincoln Park After Dark").  Sure, it's a bit pricey and seems like "Mucho Dinero" at $20 for a box of cotton, but it usually lasts for six months.  Plus, the squares are "Flawless" in that they don't leave stray bits of cotton stuck to your cuticles or eyelashes, and you can just feel that it's higher quality cotton (it comes in a very elegant box and is called "Le Coton" after all). 

Cle de Peau Le Coton pads

Magic K8 Ball Says: 8 = Gotta Have It!

As for polish remover, your smelly stand-by needs a "Curtain Call."  I highly recommend Deborah Lippman's The Stripper - not only is it a fun name and has a nice lavender scent, but you'll be "Sew Psyched" by its ingenious pump that you'll never use too much at once. And when you pair it with Le Coton, you can truly kiss your "Chubby Cheeks" goodbye and will definitely live "Happily Ever After."

Lippman's "The Stripper" Lacquer Remover

Magic K8 Ball Says: 8 = Gotta Have It!

And yes - all of the pithy quoted phrases above are real nail polish colors.

Leaving My Fashion Footprint on Our Youth (A K8 Flashback)

Originally published September 26, 2007

Update: My nephews are now 9, and my niece is 14, and they ALL definitely still know what Prada means to Aunt Kate.

A recent conversation between my 5-year-old nephew, Riley, and my sister-in-law, Amanda...

Amanda: So how was school today? (Riley started Kindergarten this year)

Riley: Fine...Miss B. wears "those shoes with the..." (indicating high heels with his fingers)

A: You mean high heels?

R: Yeah, those!

A: Were they like Aunt Kate's?

R: Mmm, no...they weren't Prada.

A: Well how did you know they weren't Prada?

R: I just know.

A: But you'd only know if you saw the inside of her shoe.

R: I did see the inside of her shoe - sometimes Miss B. just wears her piggy-toes around the class room.

How I love kid-speak!

Even more, I love that I've already had such a profound fashion impact on my nephews.  Thank God I also have a niece, and anytime she smells leather now says all dreamily, "Mmmm...smells like Prada!"

See, if more kids learned about fashion in their formative years, there would simply be no war, famine, global warming, nor panty lines.

I Heart Sharpies

I proudly admit it - I LOVE school supplies.  The appeal of a pristine new spiral notebook, the oh-so-familiar scent of a new glue stick, wooden pencils sharpened to the perfect point...ahhh...almost makes me long for school again (on second thought, I'll just revel in the supplies because God knows I don't ever again want the stress of writing a 20-page paper about the organizational challenges at Boeing on Sunday at 4pm - gives me cold sweats just thinking about it).

But my all-time favorite "grown-up" school supply has to be the Sharpie.  I'm not sure when it began or exactly how, but this obsession has been going on for many years.  As a marketer, I completely admire their campaigns - they're like the Converse of the marker world.  You just feel cooler using one, not to mention the confidence required knowing everything you write is permanent.  Sharpie.com

Fortunately, my love for this gloriously fun writing instrument is shared equally by my sister (she even has the stainless refillable one), and I'm pretty sure she's the only one who understands my excitement when Sharpie launches a new product.  In fact, when Sharpie first introduced their pen that doesn't show through paper, she and I bought them together and were barely out of the store before ripping open the packaging - it was like two smokers who couldn't open the pack to get their fix fast enough.  A little pathetic?  Maybe.  Harmful to our health? Not a chance. Passionate about our pens?  Definitely.

I will say that not all their products are a home run, like the Liquid Pencil (I'm not a fan) and the 1980s "fashion colors" (do any of us really want to relive horrible pastel on paper?).  But you can never go wrong with the Ultra Fine or Extra Fine tip (the latter of which is extremely hard to find - hey Sharpie, if you're listening, time to broaden the distribution and color palette of that one). 

So next time you're in Target or Office Depot, don't forget to peruse the ole' Sharpie section and pick up a few fun colors to punch up your next To-Do list or buy a good chisel-tip highlighter to rekindle some fond textbook memories.  Before you know it, you'll be a Sharpie Devotee too.  I warn you - you'll fall fast, and remember, it's 100% permanent.  Now if I could just find a grown-up coloring book...

Happy Doodling,

K8

Watch Out Resse, I'm Stealing Your Hairstyle (A K8 Flashback)

Originally published Sept. 21, 2007

Update: I did end up getting bangs (see photo below), and they definitely were not my best look, but I'm still a huge fan of the InStyle makeover tool!

Okay, I've just discovered this very fun tool on instyle.com - you upload your own pic and try on all these celebrity hairstyles.  Sure, other sites have this idea, but this one is really good because you can manipulate your own pic (size, tilt of your head, crop out background, etc.).  It's really easy to use, and you can save your fave ideas.  Very fun for those of us who always bring pix to the hairdresser (where she usually says, "Uh, Kate...you're not exactly blonde w/those cheekbones, so we may want to remember that when trying to 'recreate' Cameron Diaz's cut on your head."  Translation: she's famous and has people fix her hair every morning while you work in an office and only have 32 hair products and a semi-decent blowdryer to work with).  Whatever - I still think I can pull off bangs.

Me with Reese's style and color circa 2007

My Beauty "White Whale"

Ah yes, the elusive self-tanner.  As you know, I'm on a perpetual search for the perfect self-tanning product.  Sure, the professional air-brush tan is the only way to go for a major event, but for the day-to-day de-pale-ing of my rather fair skin, I turn to the tube/pump/bottle/spray/paint, etc..  Fortunately, self-tanners get better every year, so just when I think I've found the holy grail of faux bronzing, I'm "forced" to try the latest and greatest yet again.

For the past two years, I've been pretty satisfied with Clinique's version, although it's a bit sticky and requires long PJ pants if you're applying it before bed.  So I was excited to try Loreal's latest incarnation of bronzing gel.  I'd previously tried their Gelee which had a nice consistency but was also a bit tacky. Their newest version is a clear, quick-dry gel in a spray form, and so far, I'm hooked!  

It's easy to apply (you can spray it directly on your skin or in your hands and then on skin), it goes on extremely smoothly, and it smells lovely.  You do have to work quickly since it does dry fast (imagine, a beauty product that actually does what it says!).  But that's the best part - it literally dries within approx. 10 minutes, quick enough that I can put on clothes or PJ boxers and hit the sack with no issues.  Now, THAT's a serious improvement over the gunky stuff from the past!  

It creates a nice glow within the first couple applications and evolves into a beautiful glow over the new couple days.  Best of all, I haven't found any errant splotches or traces of the dreadful orangey-ness, and I even  used it on my arms (the ultimate test of freaky streaks).  My only complaint is that I wish they had a "Dark" version; it appears they only have "Medium" which just requires an extra day or two of applications to get the exact color I need (but thanks to the yummy smell, I really don't mind reapplying).  So get to exfoliating and start slathering up - because God knows NONE of us should be out in the sun, especially in the 100+ Dallas heat!

LOreal-Paris Clear Self-Tanning Spray Gel

Magic K8 Ball Says: 6 - Outlook Good...Happy (Safe) Tanning!

Ry Oh Ry!

Sorry, Ryan Reynolds, but you've just been replaced by Ryan Gosling.  I saw "Crazy, Stupid, Love" this weekend, and although it's not necessarily an Oscar winner, it was very sweet and had a lot of great "lessons" and moments throughout.  But more importantly, Ryan Gosling is ADORABLE in it.  I probably just loved his character more than the others, but I'm officially moving Gosling into my Top Five and thus, Mr. Reynolds, you're now out (I'm afraid his best moments and movies may be behind him at this point; plus lately, he's just been looking way too...pretty).

Now I need to check out some other Gosling flicks (yes, I've seen "The Notebook" - who hasn't?) if for no other reason than to see if that cool, suave, slightly "wrong-side-of-the-tracks," single-guy-at-a-bar accent is real or not.
Great article about Ryan Gosling's character & appeal

K8 Ball Rating:  7 (Signs Point to Yes)
"Crazy, Stupid, Love" movie link 

P.S. Emma Stone (my newest girl crush) is also super cute in it!

$48 Lipstick & My Brush with Celebrity (A K8 Flashback)

One of my friends suggested that I start publishing some of my past stories and anecdotes, so allow me to introduce "K8 Flashbacks."  I have many of these in my email archives that I'll hopefully compile into a book someday, but for now, I'll just post them now and then for your reading pleasure (especially if I'm feeling lazy). By aforementioned friend's request, here's the recap of my semi-recent trip to NYC (of which many actual New Yorkers later told me, "Kate - even NEW YORKERS don't take the bus to NJ!").  With that, I give you...

$48 Lipstick & My Brush with Celebrity (originally published 11/28/10)

I was fortunate enough to be in NYC a couple weeks ago because we opened a new store in lovely Paramus, NJ, (it was kinda nice to see actual leaves changing colors) so I insisted that I take the bus into the city for at least a few hours on Friday to visit Bergdorf-Goodman.  I was pretty proud of myself bussing from Woodbury Commons outlet mall into Manhattan (an hour ride), and then cabbing from Port Authority to BG.  No problem!  I wandered around BG for a few hours in my very chic "NY all-black" outfit, complete w/designer, cross-body bag and motorcycle boots.

After a turn through the shoe floor where women were snapping up what I can only refer to as "works of art" (and priced as such) like it was candy, I stuck to the Contemporary floor where I felt slightly more welcome.  I ended up meeting two jewelry designers who were doing personal appearances that day (nope, don't remember their names but both very nice).  I also scored a gorgeous Nanette Lepore deep maroon leather jacket that started at $848 but ended up just under $200 - major find!  As it got later and I kept reminding myself that I would somehow have to find my way BACK to the bus depot and board a bus back to Paramus, I decided I'd do a final pass through the Cosmetics floor and head out.  After buying my sister an exclusive BG "giftie" in cosmetics, I wanted to treat myself to a Tom Ford lipstick.

I wandered over to the Tom Ford counter (where an extremely handsome foreigner was debating the $1200 gift set).  The sales people were very nice in helping me select a "warm sable" color that I would have never ordinarily chosen for myself, but she made it look fantastic w/the addition of some purple-hued gloss (who knew?!).  As I was waiting to pay, I saw the CUTEST little puppy coming my way in someone's arms.  Of course, I HAD to pet the puppy since I recognized some doxie in him.  Here's how the encounter went:

Me (getting all mushy and cutesy as I reached out to pet the dog): "Oh my gosh, you are sooooo adorable!"
Owner (speaking to the pup): "What do you say...??"
Me: "What breed is he?!"
***  At this point, I finally look up to realize it's none other than Kelsey Grammar holding said puppy! ***
Frasier: "He's a beagle/dachshund mix."
Me (trying to remain completely unphased, as if I chat w/celebs ALL the time): "Oh, that's great!  I have two mini dachshunds myself."
Frasier: simply smiles, nods, and starts back on his path w/pup and young blonde in tow
Me: standing there slack-jawed looking around to see if anyone else noticed, soon realizing that BG sales people encounter this all the time; that, and the fact that Frasier has aged quite a bit, is very tall, but was very nice too.

It was really pretty cool, and I so wish I'd asked him the dog's name - I like to think it was Scoot, but I'm guessing it was something more fussy like Winston or Frederick.  I then proceeded to pay for my aforementioned lipstick at which time I was really thankful to be an employee since the price of the lipstick w/out my discount would've been $48!  Yes, ladies, that's almost $50 for something you basically put on for other women and lick off in a matter of hours.  But considering my experience, it was oh-so worth it.

After that, I managed to hit the pavement and start charting my course back to NJ.  I won't bore you with all the details, but let's just say it involved a hotel concierge (who I overheard confirm an 8pm reservation at Pastisse - jealous!), a semi-panic/semi-excited phone call to my sister, two wrong subway entrances, witnessing a racial-fused yelling match, sprinting through the bus depot, inhaling a bad soft pretzel, racing to the wrong platform, re-racing to the correct one, stripping off several layers of outerwear (since I was sweating by now), finally boarding the correct bus, praying to God my "20% left" battery life on my phone would hold out til NJ, riding through some lovely NJ neighborhoods including Weehawken and Hackensack, and finally arriving at the Paramus mall where my "warning! battery almost out!" allowed me to call my boss to come pick me up.  I like to think the sheer energy and buzz of Manhattan got me through it all, but it was likely more 10% shopping high mixed with 20% adrenaline and 70% survival mentality.