The Summer of Shoes

Somehow, I have either lost a majority of my shoes from last summer or they have gone to shoe heaven via my Bassett mix. After taking stock of what shoes I have left, I put together this list of the shoes I'm really loving for the summer of 2013:

Navajo Sandal | These are the classic Jack Rogers Navajos that have been worn for decades. If I buy only one pair of shoes this summer it'll be these. I'm not sure what color to get, I'm leaning between the gold or platinum.

Espadrille Lace-Ups | I bought these the other weekend from Old Navy. They're only $20! They're comfortable and because they're espadrilles I doubt they'll last the rest of the summer. But for a pretty cheap price you get a lot of style.

Kilty Moccasin | I love moccasins, they're just so easy to put on and go while giving an extra bit of style that flats can't match. I'm debating between the classic brown or the gray.

Good as Gold Wedges| I bought these during the Lilly Pulitzer sale back in January. These low wedges just dress up an outfit effortlessly and I've been wearing them non-stop since May. The thong part that goes in between the toes was uncomfortable at first, but my mom found me some padded cushions to go around the thong part and they feel a lot better. Price have you down? They're easy to find for around $80 unused on Ebay.

Felucca Lace | I've been looking for a new pair of boat shoes that have a low vamp to wear with skinny jeans/pants. These fit the bill and they're made in America. I also love these Audrey flats from Sperry.

Hadley Espadrilles | Espadrille flats are hot this summer. All sorts of colors and prints are available on store shelves and you really just can't go wrong with any of 'em. I fell in love with the orange detailing on this pair from a collaboration between Sperry and one of the Queens of Prep, Milly. Isn't the bow on the back darling?

Alicia High Heel Sandal | Just a simple pair of strappy brown heels. I was going to get these, but ended up getting these from American Eagle:

They're cute, they're comfortable, they're cheaply made. I doubt these will last much longer. I'm going to wait a bit longer to see if the Lands' End version will go on sale a bit more before I buy. In the meantime, the AE version will suffice.

Sutton Wedges | I love the mixture of color and texture on these. I think these would be great to add interest to a rather simple outfit.

Peep Toe Cork Platform | After a knee injury about a year ago, I've had to nix wearing heels. Now that my knee is better I keep drooling over the highest heels I can find. I simply adore the shape on these Zara heels. Simple black peep-toes with a cork platform to help keep them summery is what made them jump over all other heels to make my list. Want to avoid knee injuries? Don't attempt to play hockey drunk.

BGP: Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush, $7

I read a variety of beauty blogs. Some cover only nail polish or lipstick, others will have a pretty broad scope. When both the narrow and broad focus blogs write glowingly about something I figure it's worth investigating, especially if it's under $10.

Maybelline gives its products the stupidest names. The Falsies. Angel Wings. Cat Eyes. However this blush is sorta bouncy so I guess the name isn't too horrible.  To give you an idea of why they call it bouncy, it's like touching a marshmallow. Maybelline considers this a creme blush although the texture is closer to that of a powdery light mousse.

I picked up the coral shade, although Pink Frosting seems to be the shade a lot of other beauty bloggers are picking up. I really like this blush. It gives a dewy, fresh, natural look that lasts all day long. One of my coworkers told me that it gives me a "glow," which is unusual because she told me that before I was caffeinated.  I also layered some bronzer over it and was really happy with the results. I do recommend putting the bronzer after the bouncy blush. When you apply the blush before the bronzer your fingers life the bronzer off.  My only concern with this blush is getting the application right. I can't seem to get it how I like my blush applied. If I put it on like I would a powder blush or my other creme blush, I look like a clown. If I try to avoid the clown look, I get that awful racing stripes effect. I'm going to continue to play around with my application techniques, I think it's just going to be one of those products where you have to develop a new method for application.  I'm leaning towards looking for a creme blush brush, there are several types which come in different shapes. Don't let my application issues scare you, we all wear blush differently.  The name may be silly and the compact not look like much, but this little blush gives you a knock-out look.

BGP: Laura Mercier's Flawless Face Kit

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Flawless Face Kit, Sephora, $65

I keep a running list in my head of makeup that I want to try but just never get to it for one reason or another. Typically I'll walk into Sephora, list in hand, only to pick up something shiny that caught my eye and curse myself when I get home because I didn't get a thing off my list. The Clarisonic was on this list, and currently the list includes a creme blush brush, the Aqualillies for Tarte palette, and some Stila Smudge Pots.

(Although before I buy anything else I need to do a massive purge of my makeup.)

This Laura Mercier kit has been on my waiting list for probably about two years. I finally broke down and bought it during Sephora's Chic Week, where the VIBs get I think it was like 15-20% off their purchases during the week. The main reason I bought this kit was for the concealer brushes, which you'll see on the right hand side of the graphic above. The brushes were almost $28 apiece, so buying the kit just made much more sense. I've used the Laura Mercier setting powder in the past and it was okay, but I was eager to try everything else.

First, the good:
There are two brushes in the kit, a pointy brush and a flat, rounded brush. Both are concealer brushes but they have different purposes. I have heard the pointy brush called "a laser guided" aid in applying concealer to a pimple. The statement may sem laughable but it's true. This brush is five types of amazing. The pointy-ness allows to take just the right amount of the concealer and places it on the head of the pimple. Either tap or blend it very lightly with the brush, set it with the powder, and the pimple is gone. Because I've seen and tried so many different formulas, brushes, methods, etc., to conceal, it's hard to impress me. This combo of the brush and concealer is impressive.

The second rounded flat brush is for use with the other side of the concealer for under your eyes. It seems to have yellow-ish undertones which worried me at first, but once I got it applied it's truly spectacular. Again, I've seen and done a lot to get undereye circles gone, and this worked perfectly. Both this brush and the pointy one are full-sized, and mixed in with the concealer (which is half-sized) I consider my $65 well-spent.

The okay:
I've used Laura Mercier's setting powder before, and at the time I liked it. Now, after using Tarte's Amazonian Clay setting powder for so long, I really don't think it's as good as I thought it was. In a pinch, it'll do, but I'll continue to use my Tarte. The sponges included in the kit for applying the tinted moisturizer and the puff for the powder are both good quality, and I threw them in my travel kit so I don't have to haul my foundation brush with me all the time.

The bad:I haven't used Laura's primer or tinted moisturizer before but have heard a lot of good things about them so I was more than willing to give them a try. Well, what was should I say interesting was watching my makeup melt right off my face despite the primer. I could see where my blush was migrating down my cheeks. I've never seen anything like it. I stepped outside on one of the hotter days in downtown Charleston, and I could see where a bead of sweat was moving down my face, covered in makeup. I tried the tinted moisturizer without the primer, but it didn't seem to last that long. I didn't see any residue when I washed my face that night on my Clarisonic.

Despite the fact I didn't like the primer or moisturizer, the kit is a good buy. The brushes alone are worth their weight in gold, and the concealer impressed me, tryer of all things concealing.