Archive | Beauty RSS feed for this section

Drug Store Beauty Guide

14 May

Beauty products: two words, a gazillion pieces. This past month I’ve been trying new things from lipsticks to tinted moisturizer and highlighters and YES I really love them all and YES I encourage my biffels to try it and YES I’m confused as to how I lived my life without it! And then one dark and gloomy night I realized true horrors: one of my all-time fave GF still gets her key beauty products from her local drugstore.

First reaction: LOL, you mean like your deodorant….right?

Second reaction: Oh. Moments of sheer awkward confusion.

Third reaction: Conversion.

Fourth reaction (after failing miserably at my third reaction): Wait. IDK why I’m being a B, I have tons of kind of awesome beauty products that I purchased at drugstores. Let’s be real… high school I was all about my lip smackers and post-college I found my true calling as a drugstore-aisle enthusiast where it is possible to find your glam look and stick to your interning in the big city budget at the same time. (Insert public apology to my fwend here)

throwing out beauty products

My favorite products from right down the block include:

  • Revlon Just Bitten Victorian Lipstain + Balm – I searched high and low for this gem. This guy goes a long way for that natural look. And lasts all night! Hint hint, apply before going to bed with your someone special, wake up looking like a million kissable bucks and he’ll never know.
  • Maybelline Great Lash Mascara – Don’t act like you don’t love the green and pink. It’s America’s favorite!
  • L’Oreal Eversleek Sulfate-Free Conditioner – I have the frizziest, nappiest, unruliest curls a woman could imagine. After years of defeat, I have accepted that I will never know if I will wake up looking all glam or like a cat vomited a frizz ball and placed it on my skull. But this bad boy of a conditioner helps tame the tresses regardless of her mood swings.
  • St. Ives Daily Hydrating Vitamin E Body Lotion (or any lotion) – I have super dry skin so I’m always dabbing on lotion wherever I am. I’ve relied on this lotion for years and sometimes, I mix in an oil, to give it a pretty scent, and a bit of shimmer powder for a subtle glow. Trust me, you will love it. Do it.

So, do I get everything at some bodega? Well no. I couldn’t live without my Bobbie Brown blush but I ain’t sippin on that hatorade,

xoxo

Beauty-rita

3 May

The weekend ahead holds the rowdiest holiday of them all after birthdays, New Years, St. Patty’s, Valentine’s, Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Fourth of July… Correction: It’s ONE of the rowdiest holidays ever and you can do this and it’s completely justified. (I was totally looking at the fine print in the left hand corner… what were you thinking?)

Cinco De Mayo calls for braids and florals along with some bright red lips to make ‘this’ that much more special (once again, left hand corner, get your head out that gutter!) I personally fear lipsticks but I finally ventured out and bought my first color two weeks ago (still haven’t worn it!! Teach me!!) but I have friends who have friends who SWEAR by these red lips

redlips

Girl’s Night Out (surprisingly half my GFs swear by it) | IconicChicSparkle (if it isn’t still on back order that is)| Polished  | Timeless | Witty + Pretty (tech not a friend…yet… but she swears by it!)

Don’t get banned rocking your red,

xoxo

Green (not mean) Beauty

23 Apr

As we celebrate the beauty of our planet, it’s also important to be conscious of the beauty products we use on a daily basis. Seriously have you ever noticed the toxic harmful chemicals we rub into our faces, lips, hair on a daily? It’s time to say hi to beauty products that use ingredients from nature instead of those that damage it (and our bodies). And because we all want to look pretty in pink while minimizing our carbon footprint – like you can say otherwise now without sounding totally uncool – I’ve rounded up a few fabulous items to incorporate into your beauty regimen that are less toxic and more natural for the earth and for you!

green_beauty

UPTOWN SOAP CO.:  Handmade in, of course, New York City these adorable soaps and lotions are packaged in recycled glass and come in unique scents like salted caramel, lychee currant, black honey and more. I was sold at handmade and then again at caramel.

SPARITUAL: Something about a vegan lip gloss?

SCOTCH NATURALS NAIL POLISH: Paint your nails without the chemicals/alcohol (no pun, but pun, completely and totally attended!) This water-based nail polish line offers bright shades in the similar non-toxic, vegan formula as above. Bonus: the gorgeous bottle is made of lead-free, recycled Italian glass. Who doesn’t like Italians?

THE HONEST COMPANY: Ever since Jessica Alba became all “mom” on us she established this organic product line, and let’s be honest, we are going to buy it just because it’s Jessica Alba and available in yummy flavors like sweet orange vanilla and lavender mint.

BOND NUMBER 9: This green Bond No. 9 perfume is an Earth Day special and when purchased, you’ll be supporting something other than smelling like a mixture of wood, trees, fruits and amber. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the I Love New York perfume will help the state of New York clean up parks and support preservations. Fuzzy Feeling and Smelling!

LYLAS,

xoxo

The Fitness Getaway

18 Apr

Haven’t you heard, healthy interaction is totally the new bar scene and this past weekend was all about working out and feeling strong, healthy and above all simply great. It was a weekend to live better lives and work hard for what you want. And that all started on one Saturday of one weekend. My fitness getaway kicked off with the Spartan 5K aka one of the hardest challenges I have ever completed (thank god for great friends, endurance and a stubborn personality). It was, of course, celebrated with margs and ended on Sunday with a Pop Pilates class by Cassey Ho from Blogilates (you may have heard me tweet my soreness/ feeling of death after one or two of her classes here and here) It was definitely NOT easy. And definitely much worse after a 5k. My muscles were all sorts of shaking.

Fitness Fab

Isn’t it crazy that the most intense moments can leave you feeling the best about yourself? You only need a few essentials to have your own fitness getaway:

  • Cute gear  = weird feeling of wanting to go work out and get pumped for push ups = magically run harder and faster = stronger. Don’t believe me? Test it. Buy new shorts or bright neon shoes and you’ll just go all ham during your next work out. This should just be an excuse to continue shoppin every day… and then working out #HelpingTheEconomy
  • Protect your hair!! Healthy hair is always glam, but not when it’s greasly grossly stuckly to your neck. Tie it back, braid it, throw on a cute headband or one of those cute Goody Ouchless (and crimpless) Ribbons and afterwards please don’t forget to dry shampoo it
  • The best beats on your iPod! The right song can keep you running that much longer or finish that last set of sit ups that much quicker. And occasionally busting a move makes the entire idea of working out that much less painful.

Don’t forget to pack your shoes and yoga mat this weekend,

xoxo

xox, Boston

15 Apr

boston

I have  imagined a list of fears, concerns and reservations while standing at any starting line… but never of this, never. As a recent re-born runner I’ve learned one thing: runners are strong, physically and mentally. We won’t let this ruin our sport. We’re going to run, not run away. Today has been a day of great tragedy and terror, but also a day of heroism and hope. To the all the ‘common’ citizens who reacted in uncommon and heroic fashion to assist the injured without regard for your own safety, thank you.

Thoughts, prayers and will wishes for everyone in Boston,

xoxo

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 544 other followers

%d bloggers like this: