Tuesday, August 2, 2011

rage

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after dying to try out orly's rage, i made a quick stop at sally's. i ran in and left the store with the polish in hand, satisfied that i had finally ended the procrastination on purchasing this gorgeous color.

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rage is a silvery rose. this neutral, shimmery color is gorgeous on the nails. smooth application and opaque in two coats.

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glitter nail (opi traffic)

Monday, August 1, 2011

mmm italiano

when i go to eat somewhere, i'll usually order some form of pasta. i love italian food and my boyfriend loves to make it. so when he received a birthday gift from world market including cheese-filled tortellini, i was probably more excited than he was.

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la piana is an all natural italian brand that offers a variety of stuffed pastas. we prepared the tortellini with a vodka pasta sauce made from italian plum tomatoes; then added  grilled chicken, caramelized onions, chopped mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, herbs & spices.

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squisito! (yes, i looked that up). the cheese filling was delightful.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Saturday, July 30, 2011

delicious scents: men and women

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rachel ashwell: shabby chic

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covet by sarah jessica parker is a beautiful scent that i wear often. it is a light, summery fragrance that is more citrusy than floral. this perfume is perfect for day time, but can easily be worn during the evening as well.

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bleu de chanel is a gorgeous men's fragrance. if you are familiar with chanel fragrances you'll understand that the scent is a rather deep, musky one. the bottle appears nice and sleek and has a magnetic top. i bought the eau de toilette for my boyfriend's birthday and he loves it.

do you have a favorite fragrance?

Friday, July 29, 2011

dating a royal

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this morning i painted my nails with opi's dating a royal. after neglecting this polish for a while, i've rediscovered my admiration for it.

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when i purchased this polish, i was originally in search of a navy. dating a royal was a bit lighter than what i had in mind, but a pretty shade nonetheless. this polish is a non-shimmer, royal blue with a glossy finish. a couple of coats are required to get that nice, deep tone.

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i decided to throw on sephora by opi's traffic last minute. i think the rose gold sparkles compliment the blue polish well.

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Thursday, July 28, 2011

hot gossip

i had a return at mac which of course turned into an exchange. i decided that creme cup was a little too pink for my liking. while i can appreciate a nude-ish pink like pretty please, pinks like creme cup and angel just don't suit me. anyway, after swatching just about every nude lipstick on display, i've come to the conclusion that i'm a little bit over the nude lip. although i adore creme d'nude, even when i've melted about 5 of them, i guess my preference has changed for now. so, i ended up taking home hot gossip, a semi-deep cranberry type of color.

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i also picked up an oversized knit sweater from h&m. i usually get a size up in this kind of piece, so i purchased a medium. i love the gold thread running through the fabric.

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love ♥

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

pfchangs

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today my boyfriend and i went to pf changs, one of our favorite restaurants. we get the same thing literally every time we go.

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we started off with lettuce wraps, which are too die for. i could probably just order the wraps for my entree and be set if the chicken lo mein wasn't so delicious as well. we ordered the cheesecake for dessert and i pretty much hogged the crust.

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what a muffin!

fabulash

there seems to have become a trend on my blog regarding revlon cosmetics. revlon is my favorite drugstore brand because they have proven with each purchase to be of supreme quality. fabulash mascara is no exception.

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i've unfortunately spent wasted money on highend mascaras that perform no superior to drugstore brands. i constantly end up repurchasing fabulash in blackest black. it's formulation is on the dryer spectrum of mascaras. i've not had a problem with fallout or under-eye smudging while using this product.

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the wand, along with the formulation, provide a non-fussy and clump-free application. i'm pleased with the volume it gives my lashes.

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

let's talk skincare

let me start off by saying that i have oily, acne-prone skin. because of this, i am a skincare maniac. i've been to the dermatologist many times and my opinion is that when it comes to fighting moderate breakouts, there is no need to rush to a professional.

i've tried a variety of drugstore skincare products enough to know what is best for my skin. i'm not about buying a whole line of a particular brand because it can be a waste. for example, i love clean and clear cleansers, but i loathe their moisturizers. as long as you find a product that works for your skin, you can easily incorporate it into your daily regimen.

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aveeno's smart essential's daily nourishing and nighttime moisturizers are quality products that help to maintain healthy skin. the daily moisturizer contains spf 30, which is important in protecting your skin from the sun's damaging rays.

moisturizing your skin is a necessity. i've heard so many people say that they don't moisturize because of oily skin. if anything, neglecting a moisturizer can only hurt skin's quality. if you're prone to acne, a good moisturizer can help heal and actually prevent future breakouts. again, your skin needs moisture!

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make up removal is key in achieving clean skin. i use makeup wipes to remove the majority of my makeup before cleansing. this way, my cleanser can actually do its job instead of circulating dirty makeup all over my face. wipes are easy because they don't involve a liquid. i actually prefer neutrogena's hydrating cleansing wipes, but these garnier towelettes were $3 cheaper. no point in buying an expensive pack of wipes.

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now, my favorite skincare product of all time, clean and clear's 3 in 1 exfoliating cleanser. this cleanser has a thick and creamy consistency with miniscule beads that are supposed to help with exfoliation. the important thing is that it contains 5% benzoyl peroxide. this acne fighting ingredient is so effective in keeping a clear complexion. i find it to to be way more significant than salicylic acid because benzoyl peroxide is able to penetrate deep into pores and fight acne-causing bacteria. this ingredient may cause dryness, so a moisturizer is especially necessary when using products containing bp.

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finally, exfoliation. the clarisonic mia does an excellent job at removing dead skin cells, leaving skin smooth and vibrant. the cleanser is so gentle and effective at removing the remains of makeup. incorporating an exfoliation technique into your skincare regimen is beneficial because it prevents clogging of pores from dead skin cells, environmental dirt, and oil. however, exfoliating more than a few times a week can be harsh on skin.

for those wondering if i would recommend rushing to purchase the clarisonic, the answer is no. there are many good exfoliating products on the market. the clarisonic is more of a luxury than a necessity.

Monday, July 25, 2011

favorite polish

i'm not big on nail polish but i rarely go without it. i've used many brands and opi is probably my most favored. the application is smooth and easy. usually, i find them to be pretty opaque without resulting in a goopy mess.

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java mauve-a, dating a royal, bring on the bling.

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with gold, green, and red sparkles, bring on the bling is more opaque than your typical sparkle polish. this is nice because only a couple of coats are required and you don't have to wait forever for the polish to dry.

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orly; hair band, basket case. sally hansen hard as nails; strobe light. china glaze; emerald fitzgerald.

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orly's basket case is the perfect barbie pink, especially with sally hansen's strobe light over top (seen on thumb nail). emerald fitzgerald is a gorgeous green and one of my favorite polishes.
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