Feb 28, 2013

Purses! (and Kate Spade sale)

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I received an e-mail this morning that completely distracted the beauty-related post I was working on. KateSpade.com has an extra 25% off their sale right now!

And then I started looking for Kate Spade on Zappos and found this little guy that I love and I’m not entirely sure why…Car Clutch anyone?

Anyway, click the link above to see the little car clutch on Zappos. Or click the banner below to go shop the adorable Kate Spade sale and enter the code SAVE25 at checkout for an extra 25% off your sale purchase!

Filed Under: Luxury Lusting · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Feb 25, 2013

Jurlique mist goes back to Sephora, not a win

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Approximately a month ago, I purchased a moisturizing spray in hopes it would boost my daily moisturizer (I didn’t plan to wear it at night, knowing the REN Frankincense night cream I love is enough on its own) and help maintain balanced skin during the harsh Colorado winter.

After extensive review research, I decided to test the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing mist for $22. Unfortunately, the mist just took a trip back to Sephora because it wasn’t for me. It had some great pros. It sprays very evenly, adds zero shine and has a very light, pleasant scent. It definitely adds more moisture but without adding oil. But for me personally, the biggest con was that it gave me an extra pimple or two that I certainly wasn’t expecting.

I had the same result on both my face and my chest where a few small pimples popped up that easily disappeared after a few days with my favorite spot treatment. I used it for 5 days but the breakout continued. Didn’t give it long enough? Possible. But not going to chance it, especially considering there were no other factors or changes that could have caused the breakout.

Stay tuned for future tests of moisture mists! Do you have one you love? Let me know!

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Feb 20, 2013

Upper Lip Laser Hair Removal Hurts Like Hell

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…just in case you were wondering.

So if you saw my post a few weeks ago, I wanted to bite the bullet (little did I know how true that statement would be) and get laser hair removal on my upper lip. Even with really lightly colored hair, for some reason you should still see very tiny hairs on my upper lip. Gross! I had my first laser hair removal appointment recently and it hurt. A lot more than I thought it would. This wasn’t my first foray into laser.

I had my bikini line done last year. And while that hurt, I came to the conclusion that having it done on your face hurts a helluva lot more. It absolutely felt like a rubber band snapping and it makes your eyes water. My skin felt very hot, which wasn’t necessarily as noticeable when I had my bikini line done.

I forgot to mention, up until this point, I’d used Olay Facial Hair Removal Duo. It worked extremely well. It begins with a moisturizing stick and then the white hair removal cream follows. You can buy it here from Target.com for $22.

While it smells awful, it works great and for me, results lasted about 2-3 weeks. But I was ready for a more permanent and apparently more painful solution.

Ahh the price of beauty.

Filed Under: Spa Treatments · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Feb 19, 2013

Update: LaVanila lipscreen still isn’t as good as Jack Black Lip Balm

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Well the LaVanila I featured in this post for it’s amazing scent, smooth application and fantastic sunscreen content didn’t pass the test. I took it on a ski trip two weeks ago and it just simply doesn’t last more than 30 minutes. You literally have to reapply it all day.

So, while LaVanila has some great pros, Jack Black has yet to be replaced as my favorite lip balm of all time.

Filed Under: Everyday Product, Product vs. Product · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Feb 11, 2013

Valentine’s Day Makeup: It’s not what you think

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! And whether you’re celebrating Singles Awareness Day, Valentine’s Day with your long-time sweetie or a date with a newer love, it’s all about fun and romance. Of course, it’s time for me to think about makeup!

In my humble opinion, there are three keys to Valentine’s Day makeup:

1. Non-sticky lipstick

2. Glowy skin

3. Guy-friendly makeup

My husband has long-complained about sticky lipgloss. He’s just not a fan of getting a quick kiss and coming away with shiny lips and a nice shade of whatever I was wearing. And who can blame him! He even got me a Sephora giftcard for Christmas and gave it to me under the sole condition that I use it for only non-sticky lip products. 🙂

So on Valentine’s Day, it’s more important than ever to make your makeup a little easier on your man. I see women go wrong all the time on holidays with more makeup. More eyeshadow, more blush, more lipstick. That’s not necessarily the direction you want to go. “More” doesn’t equal dressed up.

Here’s my Valentine’s Day makeup kit:

1. Smashbox highlighting pen in either Gold or Pearl, depending on your look and skin tone

2. NARS matte lipstick (the most non-sticky lipstick I’ve ever tried)

3. An extra swipe or two of Dior Extase mascara

4. And, because it is a sexy holiday, Yves St. Laurent eye palette that does my favorite smokey eye.

Smokey eye + golden glow from the Smashbox = total winner.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Filed Under: Special Occasions · Tagged: , , , , ,
Feb 8, 2013

Sephora 500-point Clinique Reward

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You might have seen the e-mail…but Sephora has a new 500-point reward! It’s a 4-item Clinique sampler, which I cashed in for during my last Sephora trip for two reasons: I had over 1,000 points and I really wanted to see what all the fuss is about when it comes to the Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick. You can find the full tube here from Sephora for $15.

By the way, for clarity sake, I noticed this reward is not available online, so if you’d like to give it a try, you’ll have to head to the mall and pick it up in person.

Overall, I can see how this lipstick is touted as a color for everyone, but I thought it needed a little more. More shine, more subtle sparkle, more something. It seemed too matte on my lips, despite the pretty color.

The whole tube is only $15 but I’m not sure I’d buy it. It is just missing something.

As for the other products in the 500-point reward, my favorite is the anti-puff eye roller. It’s called the All About Eyes Serum and you can buy the full-sized product here from Nordstrom for $28. I really like the light, cooling feel of the serum and I think it actually does de-puff your eyes. It’s something for night use because during the day it can make the skin around your eyes a little tight.

Overall, while nothing in the Clinique kit wowed me, it was fun to try a few samples of new things. And that’s the good thing about Sephora rewards! It’s a risk-free way to add a few new products to your drawer. Are you a fan of Clinique products? What’s your favorite? Leave it in the comments!

Filed Under: Emily's Thoughts · Tagged: , , , , ,
Feb 6, 2013

The secret beauty treatment we don’t like to talk about

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Hair removal. We all have to do it but we sure don’t like to talk about it. Who wants to be hairy? Our boyfriends and husbands are hairy but we aren’t. We shave discretely in the shower and come out of the bathroom hairless and moisturized. Now I’ll be the first to admit I got laser hair removal last year on my bikini line. Best. Decision. Ever. But now…my upper lip? I have just a tiny bit of hair on my upper lip that I can’t wait to zap off. Since I’m a blonde, it’s even really light hair but nothing says “not womanly” like a ‘stash on a woman.

So while I’ve tried using hair removal creams I decided it’s time for a permanent solution. My first appointment is today and after a few sessions, no more upper lip hair. Hallelujah!

Filed Under: Emily's Thoughts ·