6 Beauty Essentials

I thought of this "6 list" topic weeks ago. It seemed like a really easy list to compile. Until, that is, I attempted to do it.

I've never really considered myself a cosmetics fanatic. I like make-up. I wear it (almost) everyday. I know how to put it on. I thought I only had a few favorite products. It turns out that I have way more than six essential products!

Here's the short version:

1. Lancome skin care: Sensation Totale (discontinued), Aqua Fusion Lotion SPF 15, Creme Radiance Cleanser, and Tonique Clarte

My mom swears by pretty much all Lancome products. When I was twelve she brought me to the Lancome counter to get a skin care regimen going. I have combination skin and was given the products made for my skin type. The original set has since been discontinued and replaced with the set above.

I actually still think about the scents of the old products (they were heavenly) but these are lovely and they work just as well. They've also lasted a really long time, which is a plus because they aren't the cheapest products out there.

2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion:

My mom has said that this product didn't work on her, but I think she's lying! It's by far the best primer to make eyeshadow stay put without creases all day. I've tried quite a few products for greasy eyelids and creased eyeshadow and this just works!

3. Mac Fluidline in Waveline and Mac brush #208:

I love this eyeliner! It looks just like a liquid liner on, but it's way less tricky. You can smudge it, wing it, and rub it off, if you make a mistake. I use this brush to put in on top and bottom lashes.

I never wear black liner because it's just too harsh on my face, but I love this deep navy color as an alternative to black.

I took a close up of my eye make-up. I do a wing pretty much everyday. Made much simpler by this eyeliner and brush!

4. Gold Revlon eyelash curler:

I know that some women find eyelash curlers to be pretty scary. Once you get over putting a curler so close to your eyes, it can make your eyelashes look gorgeous and miles long! Who doesn't want that?

Mine has a spring and I'm pretty sure it is trying to imitate the Shu Uemura 24 karat gold plated eyelash curler. However, it's about $14 less and works great. Definitely a great drugstore item!

5. Mac Powder Blush in Joyous

I confess, I have about 20 blushes. I love blush! In every color, every texture, from every brand! I love it all!

A little stack of blushes...

 

But in my forays with blushes, this has been the only one to hold my attention (other than a beautiful pink discontinued by Chanel...). It's the blush where red, coral, pink, and gold meet and combine in perfect harmony. (I might be exaggerating here, but I'm obviously a big fan of this color.) Unfortunately, it doesn't photograph that well, but take my word for it!

Funny enough, I also have a thing for mascara, but that could be a whole different post!

6. Lipgloss- Chanel104, Sirop, and Lacome Berry Bold

I cheated! I picked three, but these are my all time favorite lipglosses! Berry Bold and Sirop look great on anyone. I love these light, bright, semi-sheer pinks!

These are my must haves, but what are some of yours?

Have a good one!

Emily

Spots and Stripes

I am never wearing these shoes the same way again! This is why:

Loving printed socks with two tone shoes! I'm so glad I bought these socks from this post!

Emily

Guest Post

I was so excited to write my very first guest post. Mer from Mer in Cashmere was so kind to let me do a guest post on her blog!

She blogs a lot about college and her fabulous life and style, so you should definitely check out her blog! If you a college or high school student like Mer and I, you should also read my guest post, "A Guide to College: From Sexiling to Kitchen Tools."


Thanks to you for reading and to Mer for the opportunity!

Emily

Jazz it Up

I know the title may remind you of that jambalaya rice, but that wasn't my intention. Neither was bringing about memories of my newspaper teacher insisting we "jazz up" headlines for our school's paper. It was, however, meant to refer to a jazz concert I went to a week or so ago.

I'm still undecided whether jazz is really cool or too abstract for me to understand.

Nonetheless, I knew one of the band boys from high school. He graduated from NYU and the band was sort of a rock-jazz hybrid, so I thought I'd dress a little downtown for the occasion.

Of course, I was way too dressed up! I don't consider this outfit dressy at all, but all my friends at home are really casual. I thought the denim shirt would tone it down, but the skirt and shoes counteracted it's effect!

I'm wearing a denim Max Azria/Miley Cyrus shirt, a Gap v-neck tee, a black patent belt from an old dress, an F21 skirt, and leopard pumps from Urban.

I can't take a picture outside without these ladies getting involved!

Have a great Tuesday!

New Comments

Hey, guys! I'm trying out a new comment system via Disqus. Let me know if it there are any problems leaving comments, if you can still log-in with your favorite log-in method, and leave your email optionally.

I'm hoping this will be an easier way for me and others to connect to your blog links in one click. I'm not sure how it works for me as the site owner, yet, but we'll see. If anyone uses Disqus and has any tips, please comment!

I hope this will be a good change! Also, I'd like to thank any new followers. I appreciate your support!

Have a great Sunday!

Emily

Friday's Photo 4

Better late than never, right? This is a very late edition of Friday's Photo! I have a feeling that once school starts it will turn into Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's photo... Let's hope not.

In honor of Mad Men starting up again, I selected this very retro and dashing picture of Jon Hamm from December Vogue 2008. This is a really glamorous set of photos by Mario Testino. The other photos are set at the race track, but I really like this one in particular. Isn't Jon Hamm really handsome?

Have a great weekend!

Emily

6 Purchases Under $6

I decided a few weeks ago do some weekly posts. You may have noticed my Friday's Photo posts and my lists of six, which come out mid-week. I'm trying to keep the six list weekly or, when I get really busy, biweekly.

This week? 6 Purchases under $6, which was very challenging. I tried to find an array of jewelry, beauty products, and clothes because it's almost worthless just to list cheap beauty products and one piece of jewelry. This was definitely a challenge! Here's what I came up with:

1. Leopard Bangle -- $4

I got this bangle at Buffalo Exchange a few weeks ago. I had been scouring Ebay for something similar and this found me. I couldn't beat the price, either!

(Show here with a leopard pillow. I'm in the middle of another Ring Toss type post.)

2. Black/White Forever 21 Socks -- $5.40

These are ankle length and I'll be wearing them with my black and white saddle shoe/oxfords.

3. Denim Shirt -- $5 (on sale)

I got this on sale at Walmart. It's from the Miley Cyrus/Max Azria line. It ran pretty teeny, but the fit is really cute. (I'll post the outfit I wore this with later!)

I found the price tag, so I thought I'd include it. Five dollars, no joke!

4. NYC Nail Polish in Time Square Tangerine Creme -- $2(ish)

A hot orangey-red color is a summer must have. This looks more red on camera than it really is. It's a great (and cheap) bright orange.

5. Vintage Necklaces -- $4

I bought this lot of three just for the pearls, but I've actually gotten quite a bit of wear out of the others. I love that each one has its own character and they're very wearable. Definitely a great under $6 purchase!

6. Belts

I got most of these on sale or for free. The black belts came with other dresses (the thick one was from a childhood dress!). The gold was purchased on sale from Gap and (I think) the green was sale from Old Navy.

I love belts. I could do a whole post on them!

So tell me, have you made any fantastic under $6 purchases?

Have a good one!

Emily

Completed Project

I finished one of the dresses I decided to make (featured in this post and this post). I'm excited to show these patterns come to life!

I paired my homemade dress, with a pearl and turquoise necklace, and blue gingham ankle strap wedges.

Does anyone else in the world love blue and yellow together as much as I do? But almost every time I wear this color combination out, I get a comment like, "I would have never put those colors together!" I'm never sure if that's a compliment or a criticism, but I don't care!

I was really trying to get the dress moving (it wasn't working). Then it got windy! It was a very low budget Marilyn Monroe moment. I think the shots are pretty funny!

These furry monsters are my dogs! They just had to get in every good shot I took, but I'm okay with it because they're too cute!

So how do you guys think the dress turned out?

Have a great Monday!

Emily

Friday's Photo 3

Happy Friday! And here's your third dose of Friday's Photo.

I have an old copy of Vanity Fair lying around and every time I walk by it I see Grace Kelly's face staring back at me. I actually bought the issue just for the pictures of Princess Grace. I first saw her in the film High Society and I've been fascinated by her ever since. That's why this is my pick for Friday's Photo...

I did a few outfit shoots today featuring one of the dresses I made! I'm very excited to show you all!

Also I didn't do a list of six this week, but I'll get back to that next week. I just had so many ideas and I couldn't get any one of them all the way to fruition. So next Wednesday look forward to a list of six things purchased under $6. A toughie!

I'd also like to thank Laura from Buckle, Button, Zip for featuring my "6 Great Reads" post and my site on her blog!

It came at a great time. I think every blogger occasionally gets discouraged and wonders what blogging brings to the table. But a nice email, like Laura's, comes along or some lovely readers comment and it makes sense! Fashion blogging creates a community for people who love fashion and style and gives all of us a forum to be creative and show our style. There's no better reason to blog than that!

Thanks to Laura, my readers, and anyone who has commented!

Emily

Stripe Skirt

I wore this probably a month ago for dinner with a friend. I wasn't loving how the photos turned out, but now they've grown on me. This skirt just gets me! I love it!

And I think it's a milestone. I believe it was my first NYC purchase on my own... It's from American Apparel.

I'm also wearing my favorite Gap v-neck tee (I'm obsessed. I have five in different colors and wear them all time!) shoes from Seychelles, and a crystal and pearl necklace, which was a gift from my mom.

I really love this necklace. It's so delicate looking and sweet. It's tiny, though, so it's not a huge focus of an outfit.

I hope your Tuesday is going well. I'm staying in tonight to watch Teen Mom. Are you tuning in to Teen Mom? It's the best birth control ever, in my opinion!

Emily

Friday's Photo 2

Here's the second "Friday's Photo" from Dior HC 2010:

I love this outfit and the combination of bright, vibrant colors. And that hair! Reminds me of the flower scene in the cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland... Spectacular!

Have a lovely Friday!

Emily

6 Fall Essentials

Here's a nice list of 6 things I want before school starts!
(You can click any of the products on the first two collages for more info!)

1. Candy Colored J Crew Sweaters -- Ranging in Price from $50 to $158

 

Doesn't J Crew have the best cardies? But they're so expensive! My goal is just to get a cashmere blend one at a reasonable price. I wear a lot of color all year round, so a bright color is a must!

2. Heels from Urban Outfitters -- Price $48

Urban Shoes by Esanchez4536 featuring Kimchi Blue shoes

Kimchi Blue Wingtip Heel
$48 - urbanoutfitters.com
More Kimchi Blue shoes »

UrbanOutfitters.com > UO Suede Pump
$48 - urbanoutfitters.com
More pumps »

UrbanOutfitters.com > Women's Shoes
$48 - urbanoutfitters.com
More shoes »

I know when people say "I need" that it sounds silly. You don't need things like shoes or a bag, but I think I actually do need these shoes! I had a similar black and white pair, but the heel is beyond repair. I had to put them out to pasture, so now I need a replacement. I saw these black and white, wingtip, t-strap heels from Urban, which are pretty similar. Sold.

I also need brightly colored pumps in yellow or green. Yeah, I need them!

3. Rugby Ralph Lauren Oxford -- Preferably in pale purple or yellow

I plan on picking one of these up from Rugby on sale for (hopefully) about $30. I got my last oxford in a size up to get the "boyfriend" shirt vibe. I've steered clear from getting an actual menswear style shirt, (a no, no for petite girls, unless the shirt is worn as a dress) but going a size or two up works just as well for a relaxed vibe!

4. Brightly Colored Hooded Trench

 Eddie bauer grey Nisqually trench, green Michael Kors trench, blue Michael Kors trench from bluefly.com

It rains a lot in NYC. Actually it rains frequently in the north east, in general. It's pretty much just the southwest where it is absolutely dry as a bone. As a native southwesterner, I am no good with rain. I need a good umbrella and a serious trench (waterproof + a hood) to keep me dry! I found some decently stylish options. I think I might go for the blue one! It's moderately priced at $98, has a hood, and is a bright color!

5. Faux Fur Leopard Scarf

This is a must for winter. All I am picturing is my normal, bland winter coats + a cozy faux leopard scarf. I found a few examples here, but I'm going to turn to Ebay for this purchase.


6. School Bag

Clockwise from top: Cambridge Satchel Company bags in various colors,  Gap coated canvas tote, grey Mimo wool bag from ebags.com

The new school year always begs for a new bag. I usually go for a tote, but I'm open to a messenger style this year.

I'll look at Target before I commit to anything. I've actually purchased two or three bags from Target for less than $20 that have lasted the whole year.

What are you planning on buying for Fall/Winter?

Emily