Jergen's Tanning Lotion

I'm going to have to give this one a C- if not a D... maybe it was just me but I had issues with it.  I intended on showing before and after pictures with glowing legs abounding.
I used the lotion for about 4 days and noticed no difference... which is ok cause its supposed to take 7 days.  Initially I liked the stuff because it has a really fine glitter and a nice scent to it.  It doesn't stain your clothes either which is nice.


As for the firming part... yeah I didn't expect much from it either.

So on to the tanning part... at about five days I noticed I had orangy blotches all over my feet.  Thinking I had just not rubbed it in well on my feet I thought "no big deal"... Then I noticed my lower leg.  It had very large splotchy sections like cow spots on my half and no color at all on the other half... I had been applying this stuff evenly on my leg so this was not cool...

I stopped using it after that.. I don't want orange skin or blotchy skin.

Anyone have anything better for fake bake?

Some Great New Products- purse edition

I bought a new purse. I've been using a lovely white Kate Spade purse for about a year and well, the grungy NYC subways and sidewalks basically destroyed its pretty eggshell leather.  I've been wanting a red purse for a while. I carried one for a long time in college and was kind of known for it. I loved that purse.  I've been searching for a good one and found one on eBay. I just got it in the mail recently and totally love how sassy and luxurious it is.  It is a B. Makowsky bag... mmm leather.

This is not the actual bag I have, mine has a lot more detail on it and is much more hip looking... this was closest I could find though...

For the inside of my purse I purchased a few goodies.

First up-

Universally flattering lip gloss in a trendy pink shade- NARS orgasm. (eek on the price!)

A solid perfume to tuck in the zipper pocket for long days when I need a fragrance touch up. I have always been a fan of all Tocca scents. They are so classy and the packaging is so elegant. I use Florence but Stella is also nice.

Next is a good hand salve.  I usually use Laura Mercier's creme brulee scented hand cream but I needed something a little less sweet smelling. So I finally bought some L'occitane classic lavender hand cream.  I'm really impressed so far. Nice clean scent and non-greasy. 

I bought one more lip gloss on chance because it was 50% off at the Duane Reade I was passing. I love it! and at 4.99 it was totally worth it. A nice blue tone pinky shade- Revlon Creme Gloss in Pink Cami. I little sticky but very nice color.

Of course I cannot live without my Jackie O tortoise shell prescription Juicy sunglasses. (literally I need them to see sometimes).

OKOK those are my Marc Jacobs glasses... couldn't find a picture of the other ones.

How to have an awesome spa day... at home.

I don't know about you but sometimes I just want some good solid alone time and I want to be pampered. I can't always afford a real spa trip but its easy and fun to pamper yourself at home.

First I like to think about what little extras I want for my special night in and what I need to buy.

I like to plan on having a nice light meal that I don't have to prepare myself like a to go salad from a deli or a sandwich (I imagine sushi would work well if you're into that). I make a list of everything I need and go to target to pick it up if I don't have it. I usually like to buy myself a new nail polish color to spice it up and make it fresh. I'll buy the salad and usually a fancy kind of drink I would not usually splurge on like Voss water, last so its fresh.

Once you've done this once you won't need as much stuff at the store but here are a few essentials-

A good mud mask to clean out pores. Nothing beats Queen Helene mind julep mask. It is also cheap at only 3 or 4 dollars.

For silky locks a cheap hot oil treatment works well. Heat up a towel in the microwave and wrap it around your head while the mask sits.

Next a good body scrub is called for so that in the bath you can polish your skin. You can buy this almost anywhere and they come in many price ranges, you can even make it yourself if you know how... I love the feel and scent of this from target (its also Boots. heart London) and it is reasonably priced. A good buy.

Rubbing a baby oil on after the bath will seal in moisture- rub it on your skin before you dry off so its not greasy. Follow with a thick body butter in a great scent like Bath and Body works vanilla noir, a very sexy scent.

If you have a tub make sure to buy some cheap bath salts and bubble bath. This stuff is usually cheap. In the tub shave your legs and whatever else you like thoroughly. I also say head over to Ross or TJ Maxx and pick up a super soft, big, luxe towel that you can use on spa nights.

Once you're dry comb out your hair and rub in some leave in conditioner. I find this kind works great, is super cheap and smells yummy. Garnier Frustise, sleek and shine.

Let your hair dry naturally or clip it out of your face. No blow drying or beauty rituals... relaaax.

If your brows need a trimming and you feel ok doing it yourself I use this:

Now that you're dry and waxed, wrap yourself in the luxe towel or put on some comfy clothes. Sit down and eat your dinner and enjoy a guilty pleasure movie you don't normally indulge in but love like Mean Girls.

For the finishing steps get some cheap nail files if you don't have them and pick out a killer polish. I love OPI shades and quality (and names!) but its a tad pricey. Any brand will do.

Now sit back and relax for a while. Watch another movie or finish one. Read a good book and maybe indulge in dessert.

Most of all, enjoy!

Great new product

So last time I was at Sephora they gave me a little sample of NARS eyeshadow base.  Interesting I thought, I am always having terrible smudges with eyeshadow... especially when it gets humid in NYC.  I hate having to fix it all the time and by the afternoon I've pretty much wiped off all my shadow.  So I decided to give this puppy a try... with low expectations.  I was wearing it on a very muggy day where I would be walking around a lot and going to a concert that night. Well guess what? This stuff WORKS. I was wearing a dark brown shimmery shadow and by the end of the night... sweat and all there was just a tiinnnyyy little line of shadow. On a normal day there is no line at all. It's a bit pricey at $24 but it really is a great product. I plan on buying the full sized one when my sample finishes.  Also note- the wand makes application really easy, it does not change your eye shadow color and once its dry you cant feel it.

A few faves and upcoming goodies.

I am so bad at remembering to do this regularly... but I decided I would compile a list of things that I like and recommend. I've tried a lot of different beauty products from everything from acne to perfume. I always like to see what works for other people so I thought I would post mine.

MAKE-UP

Clinique is always the way to go. I have a motto to never buy drug store foundation... my skin deserves better and cheap stuff just flat out looks worse. I have never been disappointed in clinique but my favorite has to be Even Better (super fit is good too). It really does make your skin look better over time! And clinique always lasts forever. Worth the extra money (and SPF).-

for face lotion I also go to clinique- I have combination skin that is sensitive and acne prone. Their Dramatically Different face GEL is perfect. My skin is hydrated, glowing and does not get oily or break out. The regular lotion is too heavy for me. A tube of the gel is only like $12. Moisture surge is also good. Again people... invest in your skin, clinique does skin so well.

For lips, I hate lipstick but still want a little color. Clinique has a great and timeless color that is a hybrid lipstick/gloss... it goes on smooth and looks perfect on literally everyone. Like you've eaten berries... dont be afraid of the name Black Honey... its not dark or heavy. It comes in a tube too but this consistency is so good...

For eyeliner I use Almay intense i-color liner for blue eyes. It has a little bit of sparkle and goes on nicely. The price is also great. I use this product almost everyday as a basic liner and it has lasted me a long time and holds up well. I really like that its not too intense but really compliments my eyes. Smashbox makes a really pretty cream eyeliner is a pretty chestnut brown color that looks sensational with blue eyes.. I don't own it though cause its a little pricey.

For eye shadow I use a variation of cover girl shadows and clinique. I have a smokey eye kit from clinique and I use the Country Woods 4 color kit from Cover Girl for a pretty glowy, natural look. I layer it over my absolute favorite eye shadow Laura Mercier metallic creme eye color in a tube- Platimun color. Its actually a gold toned shadow and it goes on really pretty. I spread it lash to brow and then layer some darker shadow in my crease.... very pretty and great for summer.

For mascara I usually use clinique- any kind you're looking for is good, long pretty lashes is a nice and natural look but my favorite is High Impact in brown black. I like a more natural look so this is great stuff in brown/black. They have a new one called High Lengths that I will probably buy next.

I bought some cheap Rimmel mascara at target the other day and surprisingly I really like it. The brush separates lashes really nicely but I find that it rubs of under my eyes sometimes which I don't like. Make-up needs to stay put. Other wise it looks pretty.

For blush I have two that I like. One is a good cream blush that looks much more natural than a powder and clinique makes a great one. So does Laura Mercier but Clinique is cheaper. I like all the colors but especially the peachy one.

Right now I'm using a powder that has a little shine. Its called hot mama but its a little too pink for me. I can only use a tiny bit. The packaging is darling but for the price I'll buy the clinique next time.

For a bronzer I use and really like Benefit's Hoola powder. Its not orangy or sparkly and it is very subtle. It gives the face just a small hint of color.

One thing I love about Sephora is their brand. I only buy fun stuff from their brand but I love their mini nail polishes. They are cheap and come in fun colors to experiment with. My favorite though is their glow powder in Rose. It comes in other colors but this one offers a really nice subtle glow. I sweep it around my eyes and high on my cheeks. It looks so lovely.

One great thing I use to highlight the bottom on my eye (lid and tear duct) is benefit's guilded liner. I can't find a picture but its basically just a highlighting stick.

These are the make-up products I use regularly. I have some other stuff that I use for going out but this is my day to day routine. I like a natural glowing look and these products provide me with what I want. Now hit Sephora and explore!