Fake It Til You Make It!

Since moving to Tennessee from Florida last year, I'm finding it much harder to keep my natural tan. One thing I've noticed about my new southern surroundings however, is that a tanning bed is only a stone's throw away. I kid you not, there are tanning beds in video rental stores, gas stations and diners around here. Being tan is a big deal for women in my new state. Even more so than in Florida where laying out at the beach was a weekly ritual for my friends and I.

While tanning packages are fairly reasonable, I prefer to skip the UV bulbs and opt for a gradual fake tan from a bottle instead. I loved L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer but have recently found a product I love even more - Banana Boat Sunless Tan Lotion. Unlike the L'Oreal Bronzer, this one has no shimmer that can rub off on your sheets, clothes, etc. and it's steak-free, self-adjusting formula is almost as amazing as it's $6 price tag.

I'm a Medium/Olive skin tone naturally but find I look much healthier and can wear less makeup when I've got a nice dark tan going. It also makes my teeth look whiter!

Speaking of white teeth, my other favorite fake-it product is Crest Whitestrips. Currently, I'm using the 3D White 2-Hour Express but want to try the Intensive Professional Effects next.

One last "fake-it" I love to use when I can afford it is LiLash eyelash growth serum. If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you know I saw dramatic results and my before/after photos were undeniable. I LOVE this product and am anxious to start my LiLash routine again. 

LiLash - The world's most popular purified eyelash serum - SHOP NOW

What are your favorite "fake-its"?

Love Samples? Join The Club!

I read about birchbox.com in a magazine the other day and couldn't wait to get on the computer to check it out. A club that delivers beauty samples to it's members every month? Count me in! Their motto is "Discover what you love and buy with confidence," which has been a personal shopping mantra of mine ever since the Great Foundation Debacle of 2002. (I really wish someone had told me that MAC foundations break you out before I spent $40 on one!)

Not only do I love samples because of their adorable, purse-friendly size, I love them because you get to try before you buy! Clearly, the people at Birchbox feel the same way. For just $10/month, you get to test-drive 4 to 5 beauty samples and if you decide to buy the full size product(s) from their site, you earn points towards further purchases. No more hounding the clerk at Sephora for a trial size of something you're unsure about, just check your mailbox!

Here are just some of the brands they carry:

Bare Minerals

Korres

Kiehls

Nars

Benefit

Oscar Blandi

Stila

Too Faced

Phyto


For all the details on how the club works, watch the video below.

TAG: Top 5 Must-Bring Items

The other day I was thinking about what beauty products/tools I could not live without and thought it might be fun to make a blog tag about it! When deciding on which items I would pick, I didn't think of the old "desert island" scenario because, let's face it, if you're honestly stuck on an island somewhere your hair and makeup will be the last things you're concerned with. Instead, I imagined that I had 5 minutes to pack for a road trip! (Assuming your clothes & basic toiletries are already packed.)

Here are my top 5 must-bring items:

1. Dry Shampoo: Not only can dry shampoo prolong your need to wash your hair, it's also great for creating volume and won't leave a sticky residue like hairspray will.

2. Flat Iron: I hate my naturally curly hair, so a flat iron is an absolute must for me. I love creating beachy curls with it too!

3. Black Eyeliner: I couldn't decide between mascara or eyeliner, but I chose the latter because I figured my LiLash would be in my toiletries bag, so I wouldn't need any mascara! Eyeliner wakes your eyes up and depending on how you apply it, you can create a variety of looks.

4. Concealer: Conceal under-eye circles, cover a pimple, smooth out large pores... concealer is a multi-purpose must-have.

5. Nude Nail Polish: I love having my nails painted. It instantly makes me feel more polished and put together. A nude color is the most fool-proof color since it doesn't show mistakes as bad as other shades.

TAG! What would you bring??

It's Finally Here!

After months of anticipation, the Urban Decay Alice In Wonderland Palette is finally available for purchase! The packaging is absolutely gorgeous and the colors are just beautiful! It retails for $52 and is now sold at Ulta, Sephora and UrbanDecay.com.

I love that it's full of shades for smokey looks (my fave) but that it has some bold colors thrown in there too. I'm also looking forward to trying out the vivid Flipside eyeliner. My favorite part though is the 3D popup lid! This is sure to be a collectors item and sell out fast!

Are you planning on picking one up?

Hard Candy @ Walmart - Swatches

*Sorry it took me so long to post these!

Watch my Hard Candy Show & Tell video here!

Kal-eye-descope Baked Eyeshadow Duo in "Make Believe" (wet on top, dry on bottom) $6

Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Bombshell" (wet on top, dry on bottom) $7

Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Living Doll" (wet on top, dry on bottom) $7

Blush Crush Baked Blush in "Honeymoon" $7

In The Shadows Eye Shadow Trio in "Flower Girl" $6

Fortune Gloss in "Fortune" $6

Just Nails Nail Color in "Envy" & "Date Night" $5 ea.

"That Touch of Mink"

No, I'm not talking about the 1962 movie with Cary Grant & Doris Day (although it looks fabulous). The touch of mink I'm referring to is MINKEYE false eyelashes!

Handmade from 100% mink fur that has been gently combed from the mammals' famously luxurious coat, MINKEYE lashes are sterilized, hypo-allergenic, contain no dyes or chemicals & are very safe for use on the eyes. They also claim to be absolutely cruelty-free.

When properly stored & cared for they can be worn 20-30 times!

Mink false eye lashes have been worn by celebrities (such as Oprah, Jennifer Lopez & Madonna) for years, but haven't been priced for the average woman until recently.

(Golden Pearl Drop style)

Available for $29.95 on CoastalScents.com --- 25% OFF til Monday @ midnight EST!

Splurge or Spree?

This a new feature I'm adding to my blog called "Splurge or Spree?" The idea is taken from my favorite magazine People Style Watch. Every issue, they show you one luxury beauty item you could indulge in versus a collection of reasonably priced goodies for the same price. Sort of like a "This...Or All This" seen in other magazines.

Up first, Guerlain's Terracotta Mineral Flawless Bronzing Powder from Sephora. Price: $65.



Now, for less than the price of that one bronzer, you could get a foundation, concealer, bronzer/highlighter, eyeshadow trio, eyeliner, mascara, blush, plumping lip gloss & a pair of lashes!



Personally, I love shopping for bargains and typically buy drugstore makeup. That being said, sometimes it pays to choose quality over quantity. It all depends on what works for you and what you're willing to "splurge" on!

What do you splurge on??

FREE ZOYA POLISH!

For those of you haven't heard already, Zoya is giving away free nail polishes! They reached their goal of 5000 followers on Twitter and are giving away 3 FREE polishes to everyone who saw their tweet. Full details here. All you have to do is go to zoya.com, use the code "TW5000" and pay the shipping (around $7). Valid until midnight PST tonite.

I got Ali, Kara & Trixie:




Which ones did you get?

A "Handpicked" Mother's Day Gift

Mother's Day is May 10th, so it's time to get serious about what you're getting for the special mom in your life. Whether she's your own mom, your mother-in-law or a friend who's a mommy, make her feel extra special with this unique and thougthful gift!

mothers day by srqsocialite

Everything is from Target and nothing costs more than $17.

Boots Original Beauty Formula Cuticle Oil $7.99
Boots Botanics Overnight Hand and Nail Treatment $8.99
Soap & Glory Spa Endless Glove Hand Cream $9.99
Shop for Soap & Glory Wash Your Hands of It Hand Wash $9.99
Artemis Woman Smooth and Shine Nail Buffer $16.99
Ms. Manicure Handy Dandy Mani 8-pc. Set $9.99

How special would this gift be if you placed everything in a decorated pail (which she can use to soak her hands in pre-manicure) with this poem attached on a beautiful, handwritten tag:

"My Mother's Hands"
By: Sharon Jordan

My mother's hands, soft and delicate
Once touching the frame of my face
Brushing back the wisps of hair
My mother's hands holding the family
Close together at the table, meals to share
My mother's hands shaping the household
Into a coherent unit functioning daily
No friction, just blessed union and peace
My mother's hands, there to fold in
Thoughts of prayer, to reach up to
The Hands Above, the Hands of Love
My mother's hands, now worn with time
Still holding my devotion, still holding mine


*Similar tin pails available at Michael's for around $5.

Sephora's Highest Rated Products

I'm a HUGE nerd when it comes to buying beauty products (buying anything actually). I scour the internet for reviews and recommendations until I'm satisfied that a product will or will not be a good investment. MakeupAlley.com and Total Beauty.com are 2 of my favorite sites to find trustworthy reviews. According to the latter, the 22 top rated products from Sephora are as follows:

*I italicized the products I already have/plan on buying

1. Beautyblender Sponge, $18.50
2. CARGO Bronzer, $25
3. Nars Blush, $25
4. Vera Wang Princess Eau de Toilette Spray, $25
5. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, $17
6. Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder, $34
7. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes!, $18
8. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, $19
9. Sephora Kohl Pencil, $8
10. Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel, $21
11. Amazing Cosmetics Velvet Mineral Powder, $34
12. ModelCo Lip Lights, $28
13. Ojon Conditioning Volumizing Foam, $22
14. Too Faced Shadow Insurance, $17
15. Frederic Fekkai Protein Rx Anti-Breakage Treatment Mask, $29
16. Cosmedicine Medi-Morphosis Self-Adjusting Exfoliator, $15
17. DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex, $32
18. Guerlain Météorites Powder for the Face, $51
19. Aquolina Pink Sugar Hair Perfume Spray, $15
20. Demeter Fragrance Library Hawaiian Surf Cologne, $20
21. Philosophy Purity Made Simple, $20
22. Shiseido The Makeup Accentuating Color Stick, $32


I'm most excited about getting the Tarte mascara (supposed to be the best at eyelash extension effect), the anti-breakage treatment mask (praised for making hair super soft and strong) and the Lip Lights lipgloss (which has a built-in light for precision gloss application!).