LUCKY STARS!

I have been combing through the pages of the April issue of Lucky. Three things strike me.

1. Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr has fabulous hair. How can I get my hair to look like that? Does it require lots and lots of product and hair spray and a stylist that will primp on me for hours in the morning? I may consider getting all glam with product if it means I can look as tousled and effortless as she does. I can't afford the stylist unless there is a very talented person looking for a summer internship. Sorry, the position doesn't pay.




















2. I want to try the think waxy kohl crayon by Guerlain to get the perfect smoldering eye. It reminds me of an eyeliner I saw from India. It looked so much like charcoal and smudged perfectly around the eye. Not the look for a spring morning...but definitely a good look for evening in any season.


























3. Achelle Dunaway, creative director of E.L.F. Cosmetics was thinking of me when she created Eyebrow Treat and Tame {see previous post}. I'm picking it up at Target this weekend to see how well the" sci-fi-ish fibers subtly fill in sparse areas so it looks like your brows are actually fuller". This should nurse me through the awkward teen phase of growing out my eyebrows.




UPDATE: This product is impossible to find. And I cannot bring myself to buy online and pay twice as much for shipping. Anyone in the SLC area know were I can find it?

SEPHORA, I LOVE YOU

What to do on a rainy afternoon in Chicago? Hit one of Sephora's brick and mortar shops. The shop at Water Tower Place is smaller than the typical warehouse of everything-girl but it could be the size of my closet and I'd still spend an hour there. Here are the things I got while Nate sat in the hallway on a sofa reading digg.

Mascara: Firebird by Fresh. This mascara gives you the perfect all-natural feathery lash.




























Mascara: Bad Gal by Benefit. Since I'd never sample mascara I'm still waiting to try this one. The "try me" tube did have a fabulous brush and the mascara is less creamy than Fresh.



















Eyeliner: Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes in matte black. I wore it today and no smudging or flaking. It actually stayed in place. I didn't leave work looking like I needed a nap.


















Eyeliner: Stila Liquid eyeliner for the cat eye look. This one seemed to stay put on the back of my had so I'm hoping it will do the same on my lid.


















Face Highlighter: Benefit That Gal. Since the 90s I've been on a hunt for something that would transform my complexion into that of Ashley Judd. You know how it just glows? Well, this might do the trick. Now if I was just fresh faced and wrinkle free.

SO MUCH TO LOVE

If you love organic skincare you'll love Pangea. I'm completely smitten. Their story. The sustainable packaging. The organic scents. It's beautiful in the simplest ways. And the best part of it all; it's great for your skin. I hear things like, "your skin glows", and "are you 15"? No, not that last one. I'm just kidding. But it is good and the smell will make you want to escape to Pangea land everyday, all day.
Don't forget to plant the box once you make your purchase. It promises to sprout herbs in due time. Brilliant.

I KNEW ITS TIME WOULD COME

I come and go with lip glosses. I mean, I'll buy them because the color or packaging or weather outside is particularly inspiring and sometimes it doesn't get "used" for a good long time. It's a bad habit I admit, but I can't be all good.
Tarte makes a cool tinted chapstick called teatime that is just wonderful. I bought it with Amie a year and a half ago while we were in Vegas for a tradeshow and haven't really touched it until lately. The last few days I've been wearing it underneath my Aveda pepino lip gloss and the effect is lovely. Bee stung, autumnal and yummy. I knew its time would come.

COVET

What could this possibly smell like?

WHY DO YOU SPA?

I have gift certificates {I'm sure most women do} to various spas in the Salt Lake area that I haven't cashed in for the prize...yet. Yes, I'll use them. Yes, I will use them for special times; times when I'm pretty sure I might die without a proper massage or facial. And those come up more often than you think.
Some spa experiences have been great and other awkward and lame. Sidenote: If you get a chance to go to the Cliff Spa located within the Snowbird ski resort...go. Nate and I have gone there twice for their summer spa package and it is so worth it. Great location, scenery, spa and food.
So I know what makes a good spa experience for me. Clean linens. Great products and smells. Amenities including steam rooms, soaking tubs and shaving cream dispensers in the showers. I also prefer destination locations, elaborate and healthy foods, and fluffy white robes I can wear around as long as I want.
What makes a good spa for you? Have you been to any you would recommend? Have you any nightmarish spa moments to share? Is there anything you've ever really wanted that a spa didn't provide?
I went to a unique spa on my 30th birthday in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Yampah hot springs and day spa offers the rare natural vapor caves experience. Read about them here. Their marketing is a bit outdated and the space isn't the most elaborate...but the spa is great, uses Aveda products and well, basically, you should plan to spend the whole day there!

SHOW OFF WITH DIOR SHOW

It's truly one of the best mascaras I've ever used. I only ventured from it because I like to try new things. But I've already decided that when my Lancome Hypnose is gone I'm going back to Dior Show. I don't believe what they say about Mabelline making the best mascara. I've tried it and wasn't that impressed.

FRENCH CANDY

Imagine walking down one of those streets in Paris. You know, the streets full of the sounds of dishes clinking from a late lunch rush, lined with the quaint looking shops you long to wander in for hours, and the smells...If the smell is sweet like a parisian confection, it might just be Marrons Glaces {chestnuts glazed with sugar or preserved in vanilla-flavored syrup}.
Here's the exciting part; even if you haven't yet wandered around the streets of Paris and even if you don't know the particular and heavenly smell of Marrons Glaces, there is still hope.

Two words: Laura Mercier.

Amie has been coming to work smelling so delicious; ever since mother's day I literally drink in the air as she walks by {she walks by a lot since my cubical is the last thing anyone passes before walking out the door and to the lavatory}. She confessed to buying Laura Mercier's Marrons Glaces fragrance {$50} which we discovered on a recent lunchtime sanity check at Nordstrom.

Today we went to Nordstrom and had yummy salads in the cafe. While we were there I sprayed lots of Marrons Glaces on all my pressure points and I've been smelling like Amie ever since. This scent is truly sweet without being too sweet. And it will make you long for that day in Paris, the clinking dishes and the lovely little shop.

GET A FACIAL? OR GET THIS?

Flipping through Lucky Mag {Katherine McPhee on the cover, bug!} I read about something that piqued my interest. AVA MD: Radical Departure. It's a two week regime that prices about the same as a facial {or two}. With work stress, new house stress and my mid-thirties revisit to puberty {that no one talks about}, my skin needs an overhaul!
Their website says this:
"RADICAL DEPARTURE is a complete, self-contained, four-product fourteen-day regimen that helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and age spots, while enhancing tone and firmness, by exfoliating the surface of dulling, flaky and dead skin cells. The result? Sooner rather than later, you’ll be looking at great skin that’s all yours."

I want that: less fine lines and wrinkles, enhanced tone and firmness, obliterated breakouts. Should I splurge on the relaxing spa experience of having another human's hands massaging my face OR should I buy the regime and have spa night every night for two weeks?

LIQUID LIP SHIMMER

Origins has some great lip gloss called Liquid Lip Shimmer. The two best colors {colors you'll find in my cute gloss pouch which is always in my handbag} is mangotini and sangria. Unfortunately they don't taste like their namesakes. They have a nice minty feel that is both refreshing and relaxing.

REMEMBER YOUR TOES

This is just a gentle reminder to pull out your home pedicure kit or call up a girlfriend and go to your local salon. It's been warm in Utah this week and promises to continue - so take advantage of the open-toe shoe weather and show off your fetish-worthy feet. Might I suggest a bright red, carnival pink or coral to show your excitement for warmer weather! {See OPI's new Australian themed collection. My picks include: A True Ab-original, Koala Bear-y, and Red Hot Ayers Rock}.












Side note: I remember watching a segment on the Today show a few years ago that really stuck with me. They were talking about summer and feet and the person interviewed made a plea to all women watching the show. He said, "ladies, please keep your feet looking healthy. Manicure your toes, keep the skin moisturized and try to avoid baring dry, thick callouses whenever possible." I'm sure he would have issued the same plea to men had they been talking about men's summer shoes, but let's be honest, wouldn't you wonder about any man with perfectly pretty feet? I say a callous on a man is preferred.

FEED YOUR FACE

My skin gets dry during the arid winter months in Utah. So when I spend an evening in, I like to feed my face with Brown Cow plain yogurt. That's right, I said feed my face. This doesn't mean I'm shoveling in caloric spoonful after spoonful while sitting on the couch watching something I've Tivo'd; it's something quite different.
I've found that my sensitive skin reacts well to a cool and refreshing yogurt mask. You have to get Brown Cow {or equivalent} plain yogurt with a layer of fatty cream on the top, tie your hair back and smooth the yogurt all over your face. Avoid the urge to lick because it tastes like sour cream. I typically let the thick pastey cream soak into my skin for about 30 minutes before removing it with warm water and a facial sponge. I'm not exactly sure what chemical process is taking place, but it feels like my skin is absorbing the fat and, as a result, getting plump and full {like it was when I was 10}.
At about $1 a cup, why not give it a try. May I recomend adding some lavendar oil to your nightly moisturizer after such a mask...if you don't you may smell like sour dairy in the morning.

HOW TO NEUTRALIZE A HARD WEEK:

Amie and I have both had challenging weeks at work; we think the difficulty is due to the lunar eclipse last weekend. But, whatever the cause {wink! we know who to blame}, Amie found a good way to ease a troubled heart and mind. Lip gloss. I came in to the office this morning and this is what found. Amie is equally addicted to lip accessories and was very thoughtful to think of me while she was engaging in retail therapy this morning. The tall tube in the back is my FAVORITE. It's wet-n-wild, cherry Jumbo Juicy and I posted about it here. I have the greatest friends - it's one of the things I like most about myself! Thanks Amie!

THIRTY-FIVE, GREY, AND PROUD!

Some might think that 35 is far too young to be going grey. I am one of those people. But regardless of my fervent belief, it's happening to me. I pulled my first grey at 25. I remember the day distinctly. I was living and working in Chicago and my friend and cube-partner Curtis pointed it out to me. I was both devistated and somewhat excited, I have to admit. Because I tend to look much younger then I am, at 25 I was just grateful to look post-pubescent.
Well, here I am a decade later, greying and well, not loving it. Because it's too expensive to get my long hair colored more often then every six weeks, I have to find a solution for in between appointments. I tend to grey right at my temple {the right one}.
So, until I decide to embrace the grey and allow my Lily Munster streak to grow in strong {it's even on the same side as mine}, I'm trying out Tween Time {recommended by my stylist, Destiny}. I'm going to get it tonight and perhaps I can put it to use before girl's night. I'll give you my product review soon enough!

MANI-PEDI

If you've had a mani-pedi, anywhere, anytime, you will relate to this. Thanks Doc Beyers!

HELLO LOVER!

Thanks to Drew Barrymore in Music and Lyrics, my new infatuation has a little something to do with red hot nails. After Nate and I saw the movie a week ago I visited Just Beauty in Sugar House and got OPI's O'Hare and Nails look Great, a truly lovely shade of rosy red.
After wearing red nails for about four days I had accumulated several compliments and too many chips to endure. This is the conundrum for certain; how to keep your red trampy nails looking chip less and, well, somewhat sophisticated?
By the way, didn't Drew look fabulous and doesn't she continue to look fabulous?

BEST PINK CHEEKS EVER

This is the perfect shade of pink to get those lovely rosey cheeks we all dream of. And it lasts all day unless you sit and rub your cheeks for hours.

BED HEAD OR HAUTE COUTURE?

Checking my cell phone in the morning is rarely the first thing I do. So unfortunately this treat wasn't devoured until I was rushing out the door, which made it no less delicious and enjoyable for me. This photo was taken with Amie's cute pink Razor.
Some of you might remember Amie from few posts back. Her cool short hair is a rather new look for her. When I met her she had long, long {mid back} hair. Then she went for a flippy bob which looked really cute, too. But this last month Amie got her rad new do which, apparently, looks like this in the morning. How much should I offer to pay her to wear this hair to work next time? Hot, no?

SAGE ADVICE FROM AVEDA

I was shopping at the local Aveda store about a year ago when one of the sales girls gave me some sage advice. I think I was expressing some stress over buying such pricey hair products since Nate just didn't understand why any bottle of shampoo should cost $9 or $25 for that matter. She told me to buy a smaller bottle of Rosemary Mint shampoo {which I love} and keep it in the shower. She said that once Nate used it a few times - experienced the invigoration of the oils being infused into the steamy air - he'd love the shampoo and not panic at the price. Well guess what happened...Thanks Aveda girl. Nate loves the shampoo and now I get to buy it guilt free! Yippee!!

MINTED ROSE

Miss Sparks just informed me that the rosebud salve now comes in minted rose. What a glorious combination! Get it at Sephora here. Thank you for the tip Miss Sparks!