Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - Review

Hey there. So, as you are all surely aware, the weather is getting colder. Duh! Now, I personally have the driest lips all year round. Oily/Combo skin and dry chapped lips. Go figure. I do, however, notice that it hits harder in the winter time. I had mentioned in my post all about lips that I usually use the medicated Blistex in the blue pot to cure and dry, cracked or chapped lips..... until now. I finally took the plunge and picked up a tube of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and it is quickly becoming a staple must have. To start, it comes in a tube. Like a big tube. Like the size of a hand cream. The reason for this is that it's really more of an all purpose product. You can use it on chapped lips, minor scrapes or burns, dry cuticles or anything that looks like it could use some serious moisture and protection. The product comes out of the tube in a pinkish tone as a creamy gel like consistency. Similar to vaseline but not as thick feeling. You will need literally the tiniest amount to cover an area. I barely use a hair of it to cover my entire lips. It goes on feeling smooth and moisturizing. I have found that if you take the time to massage it into the lips (or skin), it will really hydrate and smooth over any dry or flakey areas. You can also feel that it coats the area a bit and gives protection which is great for being out on a cold winter day. It really feels amazing as you apply it and is very comfortable. It does have a slight medicated type scent to it. It doesn't bother me, but if you're really picky with that kind of thing, maybe take a sniff before you take the plunge. I honestly just cannot praise this enough because I can feel it help my lips so so so much. It has both immediate and long term effects. It's the best thing I've used to really help my lips from feeling like they're going to fall off! I've been carrying this in my bag and my mom had a burn that was starting to scab and peel a bit on her hand. I pulled this out and she smoothed it onto her burn. It was crazy how it just smoothed over the dry flakiness and looked completely moisturized. It is really good stuff! I really only use it for my lips, but its pretty handy how all purpose a product like this can be. It can really come in handy. It's seriously my new favorite thing! Have any of you tried this?

Talk soon. Kisses, J

I found mine at Ulta, but you can also pick one up at any Elizabeth Arden counter.

Loving This Look - Tantalizing Eyes

Lately I've been obsessing over purples and cranberry colors. I think it's a combination of Fall and the Halloween spirit in the air. But then I saw these ridiculously cool flowers called Fritillaria and have been obsessed. For one, they have this really amazing checkerboard like pattern on the petals. Yes, that's legit. It looks straight up out of a Tim Burton film or something. Aside from that, I just loved the dramatic eggplant color that they had. Some even had this cranberry reddish purple color as well. And from that stemmed this look. A deep tantalizing purple/aubergine makeup look. I started with M.A.C's Plum Dressing (A reddish purple color) on the base of the eyelid. Focusing the color in the inner and center part of the lower lid. I also applied a small amount to the inner part of my lower lash line. I then took M.A.C's Nocturnelle (love that name!) and placed the color in a sideways 'V' shape at the outer corner of the lid and then took a fluffy blending brush to blend it into Plum Dressing as well as to soften any harsh lines around the edges. And of course, used it along the outer 1/3 of the lower lash line. I then took a little bit of Blackberry which is a deep matte smokey purple and applied it to the outer edge of my eyes along the top and bottom lash line just to give it some definition. To finish it all off, I applied NARS Via Veneto to the inner rim of the eye which always makes the eyes pop in a sexy sultry way. And you can't forget mascara! Armani Eyes to Kill in black is perfect for full lashes that won't get lost in the deep colors of the shadows. Moving onto the face, I skipped blush and just used the Dior Bronzer to warm up the complexion. Using a large powder brush, I dusted it lightly on the top of the forehead, cheeks and a small amount just under the lip to give it that pouty look. And finally, my favorite nude pink lipstick, Estee Lauder's Crystal Baby, went onto the lips. It's a beautiful creamy nude pink that is perfect for all complexions. I always have difficulty finding good nude type colors for my lips as they are naturally a deep mauve/berry color and this color is just perfect! I'm loving this look for Fall/Autumn. It would be perfect for an evening out.

Talk soon. Kisses, J

Click through for product list

Top Med/Full Coverage Bases

Hey everyone! I'm finally getting to the posts that were planned for last week. Phew! I'm just now getting up to speed on things as I just got back from North Carolina this past weekend, then worked a photoshoot (which was super exciting and fun!) and am now back to work and back here! A while back, I talked about my favorite light coverage bases and I wanted to follow it up with my favorite medium to full coverage bases. Fuller coverage foundations are great for many different reasons. It looks fantastic when you're going out for an event or party. It is also great for those who have very problematic skin that need a little extra help in this area. Remember that foundation is intended to be a base. The first step. This is just to even out your skin tone and be step one before concealer. I just want to emphasize that because you always want to use a nice thin layer of foundation only. If you apply too much, you'll end up looking cakey. These will definitely cover most, if not everything, alone (depending on your skin), but if there is something left uncovered you can avert to your concealer. OK, let's let started with my all time favorites!!!

Laura Mercier Silk Creme - Normal/Combo/Dry: I absolutely adore this foundation. It has a cream consistency and it is so very pigmented. You literally need a small pea sized amount to cover your entire face. It melts into the skin and feels pretty light on the skin since you barely need any. It will leave you with a luminous finish which is really nice for a high coverage foundation. It looks pretty natural for the amount of coverage it gives. I would say this is good for dry, normal or combination skin types. If you have combination skin, you will want to powder over top in the areas that get oily. If you have very oily skin, stay away from this as it will not give you the oil control you need. It will look great for a few hours, but require a lot of maintenance with powder and blotting consistently.

By Terry Cover Expert - Normal/Combo/Dry: I have a full review on this foundation here if you'd like to take a look. I love this because it glides on and feels like it just disappears into the skin. It looks so natural. Probably the most natural I've found for a med/full coverage foundation. It leaves your skin with a velvety satin like finish. It does have a definite scent to it (sort of herbal-ish). This again is fantastic for normal, combination or dry skin types. It contains hyaluronic acid which helps the skin retain moisture so it is excellent for dry skin! When you get to combination skin types, I would say that you would be best to keep a powder on you for light touch ups, but it should hold up pretty well.

Let's Get Inspired! - Gold Trend

So, unless you've been under a rock, you'll know that Fashion week happened a few weeks ago and I've been loving looking through all the makeup looks going down the runways. Of course these are Spring 2014 trends, but seeing all the gold on the runways totally has me wanting it NOW! The Dior show had amazing gold looks. I love pulling inspiration images and seeing a vibe all in one place. I could probably make inspiration boards/collages all day long. OK, back to what I was saying. What was I saying? Oh, yes. Gold is obviously trending for spring, but I kind of think that gold and metallics in general are perfection all year round. It's so bold, but in a cool and oddly subtle way. It definitely makes a statement, but not in the way cobalt blue eyeshadow does. You catch my drift? Yeah. So, I'm totally obsessed with metallics and golds all the time. I do think that the way you translate it might vary throughout the year. Not all golds are created equal. During the Fall/Autumn seasons, I love the darker and dirtier golds. The antiqued looking gold that isn't super bright is the way to go.

I pulled a few of my personal favorite picks that I think are great to wear this season. M.A.C's Old Gold pigment (if you're unfamiliar with pigments, they are just loose powder shadows with intense pigmentation) is a beautiful antiqued looking gold. It almost has a slight greenish undertone to it which keeps it looking a little patina'd and more Fall appropriate. It would be beautiful just on it's own as a wash across the eyelids. And if you read my last post, you'll already know that I'm obsessing over the Lancome Artliners. They are just brilliant and so easy to use. They released a gold color and I'm so in love. I can't get enough of gold liners. I think it's so chic to use a gold liner on bare eyelids with just mascara. My other love is gold nails. Illamasqua's Swinger nail varnish is a really good one. It's got a really good glitter in it that fully coats the nails. What's perfect about this for Fall is that it has a bit of a dirty silvery gold mixed in with a classic gold which gives it a little edge. 

Those are definitely the golds I'll be reaching for this season. What about you? What sort of golds do you like in the Fall? Or what other things are inspiring you from the runway?

On a side note, I wanted to mention a few things. I'm currently on a business trip in North Carolina. I really enjoying it here. Everyone is so friendly and sweet. Ah, and the trees. I love all the big old trees. You don't get that so much in LA around the city. I am, however, sad that the leaves haven't really started to change color. I was really hoping to be here just in time to see the bright reds, oranges and yellows. Oh well. Anyways, with all that being said, I am still trying to upload a few more posts this week, but bear with me as I try to figure out wifi (since it's only working on my bathroom counter...wth). I have also noticed a few more followers coming around this week and I really appreciate it. I don't think it will ever get old to see people coming to visit my little blog. Always puts a smile on my face. Thanks all! Hope to see you soon!!

xoxo. Kisses, J

Inspiration images from Garance Dore, Honestly WTF and Pinterest

Favorites - September

Can you tell I'm excited for Fall/Autumn season? I've been talking about Fall since way before Fall. The anticipation has been killing me, but it finally rained here in LA yesterday so it's starting to feel official. I can actually wear my boots out now without looking ridiculous. Yes! I love Fall and Winter seasons for playing with makeup. Summer is fun for brights and colors, but I always like to keep my makeup minimal as going out in the heat with a face full of makeup is such a drag. By the end of it you're half melted, feeling gross and just want to wash your face! The colder months on the other hand seem to lend themselves more to being adventurous. You can layer on the clothes and amp up your makeup. Out come the dark sultry colors and you're feeling all bad@$$ n sh!t. hah. So, I had initially planned on doing a few posts talking about things individually and then figured... wait... why not do a 'Favorites' post?! I love those sort of posts and youtube videos. It's a quick snapshot of all the things you're loving lately. So, here it is... my many obsessions as of late...

Let's Clear This Up...

With all the changes and updates I've been doing with my skincare since earlier this year, my skin has been quite good and happy. I've been really taking care of it and paying attention to what it needs. That being said, I have learned that sometimes you need to alternate between different products depending on what your skin is telling you on a particular day. Some days you're dehydrated, sometimes you have redness or maybe other days you're breaking out. Now, I don't have extremely problematic skin, but I do find that as soon as I get an ounce of stress in my life, I get a blemish to prove the point. As if I needed a reminder, right?! I also get blemishes during my time of month. Again, thanks for the reminder. It's really annoying and frustrating. It's not a constant thing, but during those times when my skin is feeling congested and stressed, I switch it up and add a few different things into my normal skincare routine to target the issue. Depending on how bad it is, I'll alternate between my normal routine and this or I'll just use this for a few days to clear up my skin. These products I'm going to talk about are my go to products for those times when I want to clear up my skin, calm it down and not dry it out. Let's get started...

This is What's Up....

Hey Hey Hey! I'm alive! I felt so distant not writing for almost all of last week. It's been so busy lately. I've been working on putting together my professional portfolio since I haven't updated that since I was in college. Crazy how time flies and I want to keep on it! I feel like I have so many ideas and thoughts for posts and I just don't have enough time to get them all out there! But, I'm hoping to get two others I'm really excited about up this week. Pinky promise! Before then, I just wanted to say 'Hi' and let you know what in the world I've been up to!

For the past month I've been trying to catch up with Breaking Bad. I swear it was torture trying to avoid spoilers EVERYWHERE I went. It was such an epic show, the whole world was watching. I finally finished up the series last weekend and it was so bittersweet. It was such perfection. I will miss Jesse Pinkman so much! He was definitely my favorite.

I've also been slowly collecting some goodies. I bought myself a mini instax camera. Basically like a poloroid camera made by FujiFilm. I'm obsessed and can't wait to start taking pictures with it. The images are the size of credit cards. So cool! AND!!! I also had a friend personally cart a tube of Hydraluron from the UK. Yay! I thought I'd never be able to get my hands on it and try it.

And last Sunday I made a trip out to the theater to see Gravity. I thought it was great. Very quietly suspenseful and I really enjoyed George Clooney's character. I've heard mixed reviews, but I really liked it. I could feel myself gripping the seat!

Oh, also, a little random side note... after months of practice, I've significantly improved my whistling skills which essentially means I can make wind sounds. Yes!

So, that's what's up with me. What's up with you?

Talk soon. Kisses, J