2012 State of the Blog

Just a few quick things:

-Some of you may have been having issues with your RSS feeders or the wvfashion.com URL, the domain expired and I had to wait until payday to get it fixed.
-One of my New Year's resolutions is to update more...so swing by more often!

Also, I post every other Friday at WV Living Magazine's WV Living in Style blog.  Here are my most current posts:
     -Conquering The Closet:I give my advice on how to clean out a closet.  You're on your own for organizing it.
     -Trends for 2012: Mint green.  If you see it, buy it.

I'm going to try to focus a bit more on fashion this year than I did last year.  Since I've been losing a lot of weight I really haven't been looking at clothes too closely because I'm afraid they won't fit in a few weeks.  I started dieting last March after a nasty bout of food poisioning  and since then I've gone down three sizes, not to mention a shoe size.  While I'm happy to be able to buy smaller clothes, I'm even happier to be able to walk into a store and buy size 10 shoes.  While I've gone through my wardrobe, I need to go through my purses and shoes as well.

I'm also curently banning myself from buying anymore nail polish or cosmetics.  I spent a fortune on the Chanel spring collection (which I have yet to wear...but it's not even close to spring), and I really haven't been wearing a lot of nail polish lately, which is due to my own laziness.  I'm currently trying to save money and since I have just about everything a woman could need, I don't see the reason to keep buying things I'm probably not going to use.

Best of 2011 to Start 2012

I'm mildly obessessed with those end of the year lists that you've probably seen in the past few weeks.  I was starting to make my mental list as soon as I reached consciouness yesterday when I had another thought.  Would something declared the best of 2011 still be relevent in 2012?  Obviously there's stuff like events I can't do anything about, but what if I found an amazing product, say a face wash, does the calendar turning to 2012 make that item any less great because I discovered it last year?  Am I supposed to promote the latest and the greatest even if it's a crap item?  I cried for a bit, because that was just way too much thinking at that moment.  Then, I took some Aleve, drank a Gatorade, and prepared my list for you to enjoy:


1.  Say Yes To Blueberries Age Defying Wipes.  These wipes remove all your makeup, smell great, and really do brighten your face.  My skin looked amazing after just two days of using these.  What's not to love?
2. L'Oreal's Youth Code line.  I bought the sampler set, and while all the products worked well, the Day to Night lotion was amazing.  It moisturized and brightened my skin. 
3. Olay's Pro-X Cleaning Brush.  My skin has never looked better, nor have my large pores looked smaller than after I started using this spinning brush. 
4. Nivea Happy Sensation Body Lotion.  I hate thick and smelly lotions--Bath and Body Works I'm looking at you--but this has a light, clean, citrusy scent.  It's also super light on the skin, sinks in quickly, and is non-greasy. 
5. Rare Minerals Blemish Remover.  This is a sulphur-based powder you apply with the included brush on acne, and is the best pimple zapper I have used in years.  It does smell strongly, but when you see visible results in mere hours, you'll get over it quickly.
6. Dove Winter Care Body Wash.  My skin always dries out in the winter, and the Olay body wash which was supposedly moisturizing was actually making my skin worse.  The Dove body wash is almost like a lotion and really doesn't lather but it moisutrizes so well I sometimes don't have to put on lotion afterwards. 



Having gone on a makeup shopping spree back in '10, I really didn't have the need to buy a lot of makeup this past year, but I did have a good record for buying some great products.

1. Milly with Clinque Pretty Prints Pallette.  Unfortunatly, this was a limited edition, but this set has the perfect blush and eyeshadow shades that look wonderful on everyone.  I use this set if I'm in a hurry or want to look extra pretty. 
2. Tarte's Airbrush Effects brush.  This came in the QVC set I originally wasn't thrilled with back in March, but since then I've come to embrace the brush.  In combination with the next product, it's phenomenal.  As long as this brush holds up, I'll never use a sponge or any other brush to apply foundation.
3.  Make Up For Ever HD Foundation.  After dealing with some meh foundations this past year, I bought this on impulse and have been delirousily happy with it ever since.  It evens out my skin tone, and covers acne scars.  Perfect!
4. Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten.  This came in the QVC set that I got the above brush in, and I wasn't fond of it at first.  However, I was too lazy to go out and get something else and I came to really love the color.  Unfortunately this was a limited edition, but thankfully, Nars Orgasm blush is very similar. 



Nail Polish, oh nail polish.  What colors didn't I buy this year?

1. Deborah Lippman's Happy Birthday.  Colorful!  Sparkly!
2. Chanel Black Pearl.  My first Chanel polish, which quickly led to an addiction of $25 nail polish.  I love this color for it's elegance and sophistication.
3. Chanel Morning Rose.  This has been the polish I have worn ever since I got it in July. I've used up a quarter of the bottle, which is rare for me.  This was a limited edition and I'm kicking myself for not buying another bottle.
4. Nars Jungle Red.  The perfect deep red as it doesn't border on the maroon/brownish border that a lot of deeper reds do.
5. Nars Purple Rain.  This was one of the hot colors for 2010, but I continued to wear it all of 2011.  Just a great shade.
6. L'Oreal Limited Edition Project Runway in Owl's Night.  I had originally bought this trying to dupe Chanel's Peridot, but I didn't even come close (I did buy Peridot later).  This has a black base with a burnished gold with a hint of green sparkle in it.  Very pretty.

Anybody have any bests they want to share?  Just because it's 2012 doesn't mean it's too late to try a great product.

SkinnyGirl Makeup? Really?

I was tromping through Walmart the other day to pick up some dog food when I came across a display for Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl line.  It wasn't the cosmo or margarita mixers we've all heard about it, it was a display for makeup.  While I'm trying to wrap my head around why the Skinnygirl brand needs to add cosmetics and skincare (it's a drink brand for heaven's sake), who would actually want to buy this?  Might someone actually suppose that wearing Skinnygirl foundation may lead to being a skinny girl? 

Anywho, the SkinnyGirl line is being produced by a manufacturer called Lotta Luv, Inc.  The same purveyors who bring you other goods such as these:

That's right, the same people who make the Dr. Pepper flavored lip balm is also producing the SkinnyGirl line.  While they do make other products, I'm not sure how you get from Hannah Montana bubble bath to a skincare line aimed at adult women.  Going on what I know about the company's bonafides, I can't say I'm going to try this line. 

However, I could be wrong.  It may be a decent line, but I'm not expecting any major miracles or sales.

The SkinnyGirl cosmetics and skincare line can be found at finer Walmarts everywhere.  Products range from lip gloss to foundation, and facial masks to skin creams.  Everything is $20 and under. 

Hide The Credit Cards: Chanel's Spring Makeup Debut

I love makeup.  If you were to add up the total cost of my makeup collection, I could go to Paris for a week.  It's borderline insanity how much cosmetics I own.  It's actually getting disappointing going into Sephora and realizing that you already own most of the store.  MAC, I challenge you to show me something that I don't have already. 

I really haven't been paying too much attention to new makeup collections lately because I keep seeing colors I already own.  However, for some reason this week I opened an email from Chanel announcing their new spring lineup.  My jaw dropped and my credit card shrieked.  May I introduce Chanel's Harmonie de Printemps (Spring Harmony for the non-French speakers)?



It's soft, lovely, and just drop dead beautiful.  Since I'm a huge polish lover, my eyes were instantly drawn to the soft orange on her fingertips, which is named June.  My heart stopped beating, and you can bet my first stop this weekend in Easton will be to the Nordie's Chanel counter.  Here's the pieces from the collection that I will probably end up buying:

Out of the polishes, I will definitely be buying June and probably May.  May is a vivid pink and reminds of the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C., which is one of my favorite things ever.  There is a limited edition eyeshadow that is roughly the exact same shade of the June polish called Tigerlily, and I originally thought it was included in the quad eyeshadow palette.  It's actually not though, and I have similar shades already.  The blush has all of my favorite shades blended into one handy compact. 

Pantone has called orange the color of 2012, and this simply wonderful collection is a great way to get introduced to the fun of one of my all-time favorite colors.

Here are some swatches I've pulled from some of my fellow beauty bloggers who already have the collection:

June polish, source, The Polish Police

May polish, source, The Polish Police

Tigerlily shadow, source, The Best in Beauty

Tigerlily swatch, source, The Best in Beauty

 

 

 

 

 

Prada's New Scent Pretty Enough To Eat

I decided to take a look at Nordstorm's website tonight since I'm heading up to Easton Town Center this weekend.  I'm thinking I may have made a mistake, since it's the last weekend before Christmas, but oh well, I'll still have fun.  While looking at some clothes for my mom, I ran across this:



I had to show it as large as I could.  I've never seen a perfume bottle this pretty, and it's in my signature shades of pink and orange?  Yes, please.  I don't even care how good it smells, I just have to have this bottle.  Actually, though, it sounds like something I'd like.  According to the Nordstrom website:
            Top: regressive notes of joyful carefreeness, explosion of caramel.
            Mid: powdery notes of sophistication, cocktail of musks.
            Base: vanilla notes of sensuality, benzoin overdose.

I have no idea what regressive notes of carefreeness smells like, and I'm somewhat wary of smelling like any sort of overdose.  But the bottle....so...pretty....must....have....pretty.....

I'll smell it this weekend, and maybe might snag a sample if I'm lucky.  I'll bring you a full report probably Sunday.

How To Schlump Correctly

I always consider the Thanksgiving-Christmas season the busiest of the year.  There's just so much going go, what with the shopping for food and presents, millions parties to attend, church events, and dragging your sick rear to the doctor.  During the holiday season--and any season, really--there are going to be times when you're going to schlump.  I'm not sure of the origin of the word "schlump" but my mom has always used it to describe being in public and not having taken the time to properly dress yourself.  To me, schlumping is when I have to run out to the grocery store for a few quick things or am visiting the doctor and don't feel like putting on my face at the time. 

I now present to proper way to schlump:



This outfit probably looks very familiar to you, as it's the basic weekend uniform for many women.  I know I'm in a very small minority of fashion blog who says this is acceptable but I like to be realistic about what you actually wear in real life.  I know very few if any people in West Virginia who spend their weekends gallivanting around in couture Dior.  The key to  looking good while schlumping is making sure that the clothes are clean and in good condition. I started with a base of basic black yoga pants and a simple t-shirt.  I added a fitted sweatshirt to keep bulk down and tossed in a Vera Bradley wristlet so you don't have to tote your handbag around.  This wristlet has room for cash, cards, a pen, gloss, and a cell phone.  The only thing that doesn't fit is my checkbook, but I don't carry mine too much. 

The most awesome gold shoes are the Nike Air Rifts.  I own these shoes, and they're showstoppers.  They're a hybrid of running shoes and barefoot running shoes (the funky shoes that show off all your toes).  There's a space for your big toe, and all the others go in a separate compartment.  Nike does sell special socks to wear with the Rifts, but I just use my regular socks, it's similar to wearing flip-flops in a shoe form.  To tie the outfit together I chose a simple gold pendant and some ponytail holders with little gold charms. 

The black bottle is one of the most important items in this set: Tresseme's dry shampoo.  Dry shampoo is great for those days when you wake up late or you just don't like the way your hair looks.  Dry shampoo is pretty simple to use, just spray a little bit on your roots and brush it through your hair.  If you want to look a little bit better, spray your roots and the sides of your hair and blow it out with a round brush for about 30 seconds and toss up in a ponytail.  A lot of people will try to get by with a baseball cap, but that just screams "I'm too lazy to do my hair." 

Some more pointers:
-Absolutely NO printed PJ pants.  One of the biggest fashion travesties I see on a daily basis are women who will do their hair and spackle an inch of makeup on their face but are wearing ridiculous PJ pants.  I mean, really?  This problem can be corrected 100% of time by just putting on a pair of jeans.  If you're able to take the time to make sure you're using five shades of eyeshadow, why can't you take 15 seconds to put on a pair of pants?
-You don't have to match.  You don't have to run out and buy a matching Adidas sweatsuit, again it's just a simple matter of the clothes being clean and in good shape.
-Pay attention to fit and avoid anything too baggy. 
-Go easy on the Vicky Secret's PINK sweats.  If you're over 30 it's time to limit yourself to one Pink piece at a time.  You look like you're trying too hard if you're wearing head-to-toe Pink.
-You don't have to wear makeup while schlumping.  Actually, I think it takes away from the look if you have a full face of makeup on.  My next thought is if you have enough time to do foundation and eyeshadow blending, just go ahead and put some jeans on.

Even when done correctly, schlumping should be kept to a minimum.  By my standards, if you have enough time to put on the above outfit, you also have enough time to put on jeans and a sweater.  However, there are times when comfort is key, and an outfit similar to this will help you look and feel good.

L'Oreal's Color of Hope Polish Review and Swatches

I know it seems like one of the last places to buy cosmetics, but don't knock Kroger's, especially the one up on Route 60  by Barboursville.  They have a makeup selection that rivals Walmart's, and the prices are pretty good as well.  This particular Kroger's is my-go to place to find some of the limited edition collections that CVS or Walgreen's may not carry (and again, they're usually cheaper).  The other day, while picking up some groceries, I ran across L'Oreal's Color of Hope collection and got suckered in by the polishes:

Every purchase gives $1 to Ovarian Cancer research. 

This light pink foil is originally what caught my eye.  Called Whimsicle, I couldn't take my eyes off the bottle.  While it looks great in the bottle, I'm not entirely excited about how it looks on my nails.  It's just okay, but I do see myself wearing it.  One of my biggest peeves about this polish is that it's a mess to work with with.  I tried to clean up my manicure before I took photos but all I managed to do was spread sparkles around my cuticles.  When I went to take it off, I had sparkles up and down my fingers. 



The next polish that caught my eye was the smoky black Mystery:


It's hard to tell from this picture, but this isn't the regular inky black that you usually find on the store shelf.  This has a more sophisticated, sexy, tone to it.  I'd call it a soot or a smokey black.  If you like black polish and want something more grown up than the usual, buy this.  You won't regret it.





This silver foil is Valiant.  I still needed a silver polish, so I ended up taking this one home as well.  I really like this polish.  It's the perfect silver.  It's a foil like the pink polish above, but it has a muted, matte finish to it. It gives a bit a distressed finish which I love. 



Since I had already decided to take three of four polishes home, I thought it would be fair to take the last one, a beige creme called Devotion, home as well:



I almost didn't pick this one up because I felt I had many similar colors to it, thanks to the big greige trend last year.  However, I really don't have anything quite this dark without straying into the all-out brown category.  This is a great shade for fall.



Overall, this collection is pretty solid.  I'm still not 100% crazy about the pink, but I'll probably forget how messy it is until I go to wear it next Spring.  This is a limited edition collection, so if you like one of the polishes here, go out and try to find them now as they won't be replenished after the month is over.  Like I mentioned earlier, I found mine at Kroger's, but I also found them at Rite Aid.