Pretty in Pink

I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it's Spring approaching, but I've been obsessed with pale pinks as of late. I looked over on my nightstand the other day and thought "nice!". It's funny how you don't realize how much you're loving something until you've gathered and collected it all by chance. I have been using my lovely pink Chanel polish in Mica Rose (discontinued, but Frisson is similar). Just a pale sheer pink with pretty golden shimmer. A perfect girly everyday color. And the Mica Chanel lip glossimer is almost like it's twin morphed into a gloss. I love them both so much and they're just easy to throw on. You feel pretty without being overdone. And I've been using my Rodin lip balm everyday. I have looked at Rodin products before, but they're definitely a pretty penny so I was really excited when I got this as part of a christmas gift. Quite the luxury lip balm I'd say and I love it. I think I honestly just enjoy the experience of it. If that makes sense. The gorgeous clear packaging with the simplistic "RODIN" written over it. Very modern and chic. Beautiful! And did I mention I have a new obsession with Diptyque candles? I've seen them so many times and have willfully avoided them knowing the price tag that comes with. I caved finally and got a Gardenia candle (which is amazing), but when I saw them release this Rosa Mundi limited edition scent for Spring, I wanted it! It's so pretty in a milk glass vessel with the botanical looking flowers on the front and a gorgeous floral spring scented candle. These burn so nicely too and last quite a long time. I haven't burned it much though because I want to savor it. So pretty. I have to say, I really love expensive packaging. I'm happy to save my dollars and splurge when I am able to slowly collect beautiful things. There's just a different experience you get when using them. I can't describe it, but pulling out a Chanel lipgloss is so satisfying. And every time I open the Rodin balm, I feel special. It's just a treat for me. My mom always used to say that I would always pick out the most expensive thing in the store. Unintentionally without even seeing a tag. I guess some things never change. If my wallet could only keep up! Do any of you have a few luxury items that you splurge on to treat yourself and make you feel uber fancy?

Talk soon. Kisses, J

click through for product images

Alexa for Eyeko - Eye DO!

So, you all know who Alexa Chung is, right?! I hope you do because she's the epitome of cool. But if you're under a rock or you've been locked in a high security vault for the past few years, Alexa is a DJ, model, style icon, illustrator (which totally inspired the main image I drew for todays post) and all around person extraordinaire known for her effortlessly cool style - very laid back tomboy, but feminine and chic. I don't know how she does it, but she does it well. And she's of course known for her classic kitten flick eyeliner. Her makeup is always minimal, but she's never without that 1960's flick inspired by the classics. How can you go wrong?! So, recently, she teamed up with Eyeko to create a kit with her perfect liquid eyeliner and mascara. This is the first time I ever tried anything from Eyeko and I'm impressed!

Dior Spring Nails - Blossom 132

Hey Everyone. First and foremost - HAPPY FRIDAY!!! Gotta love a Friday. I thought I'd leave you all with a pretty Spring color this week - the Dior Blossom nail polish. They have six colors total in their spring line, but when I saw Blossom, I knew I wanted it. I love a good peachy color for the Spring time. I do enjoy Dior polishes as they have that same wide brush that's flat and cut rounded at the top like the YSL polishes. It makes it really easy to paint your nails as it fits perfectly into your nail beds and fans out nicely to coat your entire nail in one to two strokes. I think the color is really pretty and quite universally flattering. It's very fresh. A peach color with golden shimmer running through it. It is more of a sheer nail color. With two coats you can still slightly see through it which I don't mind at all because it does look like the color in the bottle meaning it's intended to be that way. If you're looking for something opaque, you'd have to do three coats to get that with this one so I wouldn't recommend this if that's what you're expecting. I, however, was very happy with it as it feels like a very light and happy color. Quite pleased! 

Click through for promo pics of all the new colors and a nail swatch of Blossom.

Hope you all are doing wonderful!

Talk soon. Kisses, J

Beauty - A Love/Hate Relationship

I'm short, my eyes don't match (did I ever mention I have a lazy eye?) and don't even get me started on my brows! Uneven as can be. Not twins or sisters. They're more like second cousins twice removed. My front teeth are huge (they look like chiclets) and my nose is crooked. My forehead is big and my skin isn't perfect. But this is who I am. It all comes together in some generally decent way - I think. I'm good with how I look. Not in a conceited way, but in the sense that I feel good about myself. Confident in who I am and how I've been put together. Our features shape who we are. My moms lips, my dads hair - it all tells a story. So, when I put on my makeup in the morning, I'm not looking to mask who I am. I like who I see and I'm not looking to change it. I have come to love makeup because I look at it as two things. (1) To enhance and shape the features I have and (2) as a form of art - a way of transforming one thing into something else that's not more beautiful, but different in a fun and interesting way. I used to love going all out with makeup on one side of my face and seeing how it can alter features so dramatically just with color and shading. It honestly just blows my mind sometimes and I love playing with shapes and color. It's a form of expression. Unfortunately, this all gets lost sometimes. Why is she wearing so much blush? Her eyelashes are tiny. I can't believe she went out looking like that. Therefore pushing us to feel as though we can't leave the house without checking the mirror a hundred times or like we're not acceptable to the world without a false pair of lashes. But, even worse than that is that we do it to ourselves. Obsessing over every detail and comparing ourselves to others. Ugh, her skin is flawless. I wish I had her hair. Pushing us to want and do things to ourselves to morph into things we are not. So today, I wanted to talk about my love/hate relationship with beauty. The things that nag me and the things that make me fall in love.

Chanel La Diva Lipstick - Spring 2014

I cannot tell you how madly in love I am with this lipstick! I first saw it online and thought - it's probably not that vibrant in person, but let's give it a go. It looked gorgeous and honestly it is! I just love love love this color. It's a very bright pink color with a velvet matte finish. I mean, seriously! I cannot fault this whatsoever. For a girl who hates wearing even regular lipsticks, this is a pretty comfortable matte. It has a slight creamy feeling which is really comfy on the lips. The texture is thin, but highly pigmented. And let's be honest - a color like this in the classically chic packaging of Chanel, who wouldn't like this?! This is definitely stealing the show for Spring and becoming a fast favorite of mine. LOVE!

Click through for a swatch. 

What are you loving for Spring?

Talk soon. Kisses, J

Spring Makeup - YSL Spring 2014 Beauty

I cannot believe we're already thinking Spring, but it's pretty much the end of January so it's time! I have to admit though that I've been eyeing the YSL Spring 2014 makeup collection since December. I saw promo images of it and practically fainted. OK, slight exaggeration there, but you catch my drift. It's beautiful!! The limited edition compacts are these pretty pinks with gold cutting through it like marble. It almost reminds me of branches. So gorgeous. And the colors are perfect for spring. Vibrant pinks and coral reds with soft lavender pink and peachy oranges. It's mere perfection. The Pivoine eyeshadow palette is great for a soft or punchy eye look. The pink may throw a few of you off, but theres a soft dusty pink in there that's beautiful on the lids as well as that soft peachy orange color with the perfect champagne color in the center to highlight and a deep brown for definition. It's definitely a feminine palette with all shimmery shades. I love it so much I almost didn't want to touch it! Below are the promo images and some swatches from the palette.