10 Pink Lipsticks to Wear this Valentine's Day

I'm not much of a bold lipstick wearer, but since my search for the perfect red lipstick last year yielded somewhat successful results, I've been pushing the color boundaries (albeit mildly) ever since. So, in hopes of slightly jazzing up Valentine's Day this year I thought it'd be fun to gather some pink lipstick colors that would be perfect for the occasion. Here are my picks:

1. Revlon in Gentlemen Prefer Pink 2. NARS in Roman Holiday 3. CoverGirl in Hot Pink Shine 4. MAC in Saint Germain 5. YSL in Pink Mauve 6. Nicki Minaj for MAC in Pink Friday 7. Chanel in Rose Comete 8. Estee Lauder in Pink Champagne 9. Givenchy in Secret Pink 10. Dior in Singuliere

5 Beauty DIYs: Magnetic Makeup Boards & Brush Holders

If there's one thing that needs a bit tidying up in my life, it's that of my makeup drawer. I am compulsive about cleaning and organizing throughout our home, cars, etc., but the one place that simply falls through the cracks is that little tiny drawer to the right of my bathroom sink. Being an avid mineral makeup wearer, I've grown accustomed to having a cloth or towel nearby to wipe everything down afterward, but I'm still afraid to put the containers inside anything but a plastic bag out of fear they'll quickly ruin the material of a makeup bag. And since I don't have a catch-all bag, I try to (as neatly as possible) lay my brushes and miscellaneous pieces down flat in the drawer, but their organized stance lasts just until the next time I open it, when everything becomes scattered once more. All of this frustration led me to a quick search for DIY makeup holders, which surprisingly turned up awesome results. Here are a few organized solutions I'm loving:

photos 1 & 3 - DIY makeup brush holders with dried beans found here on The Three Little Birdies
photo 2 - DIY makeup brush holders with coffee beans found here on Pink Basil
photos 4, 5, 6 - DIY magnetic makeup board and face/eyes makeup brush holders found here on The Diva Dish
photo 7 - DIY framed magnetic makeup board found here on Liz Marie Blog

Beauty Lover's Holiday Gift Guide Under $30

Beauty products can make some of the best gifts this time of year, especially because the recipient will be able to use them long after the holiday's end. From eye shadows to body scrubs, makeup brushes to cosmetic bags, all of these products will make the beauty lover in your life smile brightly. Here are a few of my favorites, all priced under $30:

1. Stila shimmer ($22) 2. Philosophy amazing grace body butter ($28) & L'OCCITANE shea butter ($28) 3. Stila cheek color duo ($24) 4. NARS velvet matte lip pencil ($24) NARS lip gloss ($24) NARS lipstick ($24) 5. bareMinerals READY eye duo ($20) 6. Perfume to go: Ralph Lauren romance ($20) ViktorRolf flowerbomb ($25) Burberry brit ($25) 7. Bobbi Brown metallic eyeshadow ($22) 8. Jane Iredale brushes ($15-$17/ea.) shown: camouflage brush, deluxe shader, crease brush, eye contour brush 9. OPI for Sephora nail color ($9.50/ea) shown in And a Cherry on Top & Spark-tacular 10. CLINIQUE naturally glossy mascara & lash doubling mascara ($14.50) 11. Benefit beauty bag ($25) 12. Fresh milk bath & shower cream ($18.50) & milk bar ($13)

Hair Love

Usually, a small portion of my weekend is reserved for trying new things with my hair and makeup since time for mistakes and re-do's is abundant. I'm thinking of trying these two looks today or tomorrow: a messy, updated version of the oh-so-classic topsy turvy ponytail, and a front braided updo. Both are simple and won't require me to heat up my curling iron; a win-win in my book.

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Elizabeth Olsen: Hair Crush

photo

Love the cut, style, length, and color.

5 Easy-to-Follow Smokey Eye Tutorials

The smokey eye is both sexy and classic, two adjectives that often compete for center stage but are a beautiful marriage when describing iconic looks like this makeup technique. Whether your eyes are light or dark, you're going to a formal dinner or out with girlfriends, or you just feel like jazzing up your everyday routine, the smokey eye shows no discrimination and is the perfect compliment to any look desired. While it looks effortless once complete, it can often times be tough to master, so I've compiled some of my favorite smokey eye tutorials for you here:

- This tutorial from Become Gorgeous is complete with step-by-step photos, making the look easy to complete.

- Cosmopolitan shares 7 easy-to-follow illustrations for a flawless smokey eye in a beauty cheat sheet here.

- Marie Claire created a video to compliment their 5 simple steps to a celebrity smokey eye here.

- Classy Cosmetics uses products like Revlon and MAC to complete this 10 minutes to a smokey eye video.

- A great tutorial loaded with photos, techniques, and application tips by beauty blogger Erica here.

I'm keeping these links close by for the holidays coming up :)

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Celebrity Hair: Parted Down the Middle

This is not the most thought provoking post, but since I'm the kind of girl whose day is determined by how well my part and bangs are cooperating, I thought I'd take a moment to discuss the hairstyle I envy (yes- envy) the most. You see, I've tried wearing the middle part on numerous occasions, and it just doesn't work for me. Maybe it's the shape of my head...my face...who knows. Whatever the reason may be, it's not in the cards for me, but I still love seeing when other people pull off the look successfully. Here are a few of my favorites:

original photos 1 - 2

P.S Thank you to Erin (she has the most fabulous hair) who tweeted me saying the trick might be to grow your bangs out to chin length. This might be my issue! I need to stay away from the scissors.

Curing the Mondays with Ombre Hair

I'm currently experiencing a bad case of the Mondays (even though the day is well on it's way to being over) so to cheer myself up I've been looking up ombre hair color photos. Anyone else turn to hair when things just aren't going your way? No? Just me? Anyway, here are two ideas for ombre hair I'm currently loving:

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Vintage Inspired: Headbands and Fascinators

- ombre blush feather headband -

Being a girl with the utmost love and respect toward all things accessory, I'm a bit surprised that I've never been a big fan of headbands, hats, or anything of the sort. It's not that I haven't tried, but for one reason or another they've never been on my radar when it comes to accessorizing before heading out the door. However, after the royal wedding this year I've become increasingly obsessed with fascinators and headbands, and after coming across these whimsical, vintage handmade beauties, I believe my stance on all such things has shifted. Here are a few of my favorites:

above: 1 - 2 - 3

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Favorite Nail Polish Colors for Fall

My addiction towards nail polish and all of it's stunning hues has been growing for quite some time. While a manicure from a salon is certainly nice, I rarely make my way into one, opting instead to do my nails myself. This, in part, is due to the fact that I like changing up my polish rather frequently. I am constantly swapping out colors to compliment certain tops, dresses, and on rare occasion, a completely random color altogether. As fall officially kicks off tomorrow, I've pulled out my favorite gray nail polishes that instantly get me excited for the cooler months ahead.

ESSIE chinchilly - Sephora by OPI metro chic - Sephora by OPI sparkle me - OPI you don't know jacques! - China Glaze matte gray

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The Perfect Red Lip - How to Find Red Lipstick for Your Skin Tone

Having rather fair skin, I've always been somewhat intimated by red lipstick. Finding a shade that looks appropriate yet effortless can be a challenge, to say the least. However, I recently found Love That Red by Revlon, and it completely changed my makeup wearing ways (and it's only $7.99- a win-win). While I've only worn it twice, it is so nice to have finally found a shade of red that fulfills my idea of a great red lip. Here are some tips to finding a red lipstick for your skin tone:

1. Revlon love that red 2. Clinique angel red 3. Tom Ford private blend

1. MAC russian red 2. YSL le rouge 3. Makeup Forever #42

1. Givenchy Rouge vintage carmine 2. Dior ara red 3. NARS fire down below

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Everyday Looks for Shoulder Length Hair

A few weeks ago I mentioned cutting my hair a significant amount, and while the change took getting used to, I have to say, for the first time in my life I'm not disappointed with a decision having to do with my hair. In the past I've made hasty decisions and asked my stylist to chop off my hair out of pure frustration, only to regret it days, even hours, later. But this time it's different; I'm actually having fun trying new looks with my shorter do. So far, these have been my two favorite looks to wear.

1. Boar's hair round brush like these 2. Bumble & Bumble styling lotion



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photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

DIY: Homemade Beauty Recipes - Allergy Free Hair Mask, Face Mask, and Body Wash

Do-it-yourself beauty treatments can be a great, inexpensive way to enjoy all the benefits of a day spent at the spa without the expensive price tag. I often use homemade recipes that work wonders for skin; my favorite being a dash of table salt + olive oil as a quick exfoliator for my hands after cooking and washing dishes. Recently, I decided to expand my beauty recipe making ways and tried a few treatments that were simple yet made a noticeable difference once finished. These were my three favorites:

{Lavender recipe here. Avocado & Pumpkin recipes are a result of various ingredients from a few recipes I found}



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Currently Loving: Favorite Beauty Products - Gluten Free Soy Free Make Up, Shampoo, and more

If there is one thing I'm slightly obsessed with, it's beauty products. I could spend hours on the internet researching product reviews, skin care tips, new brands...the list goes on and on. My skin care and make up routine is fairly simple, mostly due to my ultra sensitive skin which cannot tolerate any products containing wheat, dairy, and/or soy. After pinpointing said allergies last year, I became somewhat consumed with finding products that were free of such irritants yet still available at the stores I frequented most. Much to my surprise, I discovered a lot of great (and more importantly, "safe-for-me" - an allergy sufferer's favorite words!) products by brands I'd seen and used for years. Here are some of my favorite products I'm currently using and loving:



1. NARS Larger Than Life mascara

2. Jane Iredale Eye Contour brush & Handi brush

3. Urban Decay Naked palette (Every time I'm in Sephora this is sold out! The colors are gorgeous)

4. NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight & Stila Lip Glaze in Watermelon

5. Jane Iredale So Bronze

6. bareMinerals original foundation

7. Aveda Rosemary Mint shampoo & Scalp Benefits conditioner (I swear by their Scalp Benefits! Ever since I started using it my hair grows extraordinarily fast)

8. Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily SPF 30

9. Aveda Rosemary Miny body bar

10. California Baby Super Sensitive lotion (gluten/dairy/nut/soy free) & Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Currently Wearing...

Last night I ran into Ulta for one purpose and one purpose only: replenishing my Bare Minerals stash. However, after seeing a lovely little "buy 2 get 1 free" sign posted on the Essie nail polishes I just could not resist. The sale must have tempted quite a few others as well, because a lot of the colors I've been wanting to try were sold out. But I did find Turquoise & Caicos (which I just put on and love it) and Splash of Grenadine. For my "free" color I chose Really Red- not a summer hue in the slightest but perfect for 4th of July. Here are some other favorites I'm anxious to try:

1. Splash of Grenadine 2. Turqiouse & Cacos 3. Lapis of Luxury
4. Lilacism 5. Mint Candy Apple 6. Brazialant 7. Super Bossa Nova

Summer Hair: Side Ponytail

I recently cut 8 inches off my hair and it feels SO good. I was afraid of doing so for the longest time, but now that it's short I am really loving it. My only stipulation was that it still be long enough to put into a ponytail, and I'm so happy I adhered to such rule, because I've been living in side pony's (or is it ponies?!) as of late. I love this look with a scarf tied in:

1. woven splatter scarf by Armand Diradourian 2. summer print scar by FarFetch 3. saddleberry print scarf by TopShop

The Sweetest of Shops

above: southern inspired bridal pouf

Like a lot of women around the world (and possibly some men, too!) I am absolutely ecstatic over the Royal Wedding tomorrow. An ordinary girl becoming a real life princess has been the story line of dreams for centuries upon centuries, and I am simply fascinated by it, as silly as it all may seem. I'm quite certain my DVR is going to be offended, because I will not be using it to tape the event. Instead, I will be amongst the crazies waking up at 1am pst tomorrow and watching the fairytale unfold LIVE. A story like this only comes along every so often and being the news junkie I am, I do not want to miss it! I felt it only appropriate to find the sweetest and prettiest of things to post about the day before such an event, and everything in this gorgeous Esty shop, Preston & Olivia, seems to fit such a bill.

above: fascinator cap with ivory veil, double layered veil with velvet bow, chiffon and pearl corsage

On a heavier note, my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the south experiencing loss and damages due to the horrific storms. Sending tons of hugs, prayers, and good vibes your way.

PS. Last day to enter the $100 Shopbop.com gift card giveaway. Winner announced tomorrow.

Dare to dare...

I've always loved playing around with makeup, and what better time do so than around Halloween? I found these stunning photographs by Angelika Buettner and couldn't resist pairing them with some MAC makeup.

Loved this dramatic eye as well:


I don't think I could ever be this bold with my makeup, although it is stunning!

[photos here, makeup here]

Alexa Chung

I never really post celebrity photos, but when I saw these images of model/TV host Alexa Chung, I just had to. I am in absolute love with her shoes!

Does anyone know where her shoes are from? I can't search for them until I get home tonight- but I am dying to know!

Bed Head Envy

When I saw this photo shoot for Elle Italia's March issue I was super duper jealous. Not because of the gorgeous model or because of the cute Burberry and D&G garments. (OK, I lie, maybe a little bit jealous of those things)! But no, really, it's the 'bed head' hair that left me dying!

{Photos Fashionrouge}

I've tried for years to get that "just rolled out of bed" look and have constantly failed- ending up with a greasy, lifeless mess. I've tried it all: washing/ not washing, air dry/blow dry, product/no product- no such luck!