Date: May 1, 2013
Polish: Appliques, actually, China Glaze Shake Your Tail Feathers (peacock feathers on a white background)
These have been out for awhile but this is my first go with them. Per package you’ll find 16 nail appliques, a wooden cuticle stick and a three surface mini file. I found these harder to apply than Sally Hansen’s. They’re a bit on the thick side and I had a tough time finding sizes that worked for me (they were either too little or too big). But the design is so pretty, and you can find them online for next to nothing, you may want to give them a spin and see what you think…
we heartsters, what is your favorite nail sticker brand? Polish Porn readers want to know!
Stef is many things. Amongst them: co-editor of we heart this, graphic designer, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie.
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
Filed in: beauty & fashion, Nail Polish Porn
You may not know this about me, but I have a BFA in photography. So I take my photos pretty seriously, even down to the music I play while I shoot. Depending on the time of day, or theme of the collection, I always try to pick music that will match the mood. Could I have picked anything BUT Prince when it came to shooting the new MAC Temperature Rising launch?!
Question of the Week: When it comes to grooming the brows, what’s your preference? Wax, tweeze or thread?
Answer: I tweeze. I tweezed too much, actually. And now I desperately try to get hair to grow back. Sigh.
Here’s what’s going on with the League this week…
Lipglossiping – isn’t entirely convinced by Clinique’s latest foray into the world of nail polish. Click through for the full story!
My Beauty Bunny – You may be up to your ears in beauty products, but what about your furry best friend? We’ve got a look at Pet Head, an edgy fashion-forward line of pet products.
Nouveau Cheap – What do you do when your favorite drugstore eyebrow pencil keeps getting harder and harder to find? If you’re me, you find a wonderful (and affordable) Japanese beauty product to take its place!
Pink Sith – tells you about the time she was arrested by the Fashion Police, but got released on her own recognizance thanks to her Stars Makeup Haven lip gloss in Jezebel.
Prime Beauty – gets the perfect bronze goddess look with the new Buxom Hot Escapes Bronzers--they even smell like the beach!
Phyrra – shares expert tips on How to Care for Natural Locks Hair!
Vampy Varnish – May is skin cancer awareness month so here is some info about prevention, risks, being pale and her favorite sunscreens!
we heart this – MAC Temperature Rising Nail Lacquers are a gorgeous glitter explosion on their own (Scorching Haute and Tropical) but wait until you see them mixed…
Beauty Junkies Unite – If you like lipsticks with insane color payoff, that still feel great on your lips—don’t pass up these new lippies from BUXOM, the Full Bodied Lipsticks!
Clumps of Mascara – is in love with these new Clinique nail polishes. They totally knocked them out of the park!
EauMG – reviews a new French perfume that should inspire a spicy limoncello cocktail, Olfactive Studio Still Life.
Gouldylox Reviews – Natalie Maines may not be a style maven, but her latest look requires chutzpah. Like it or lump it?
Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Lipglossiping – The lovely Meg from Lips So Facto shares her top tips on how to DIY your own relaxing bath soak, a must-read for stressed-out sisters everywhere!
we heartsters, when it comes to grooming your brows, what’s your preference? Wax, tweeze or thread?
Filed in: beauty & fashion
Plus, a look at Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night moisturizer
Living in Los Angeles, I’ve attended my fair share of fab events. Gift bags, passed appetizers, glasses of bubbly; I’ll admit, it never gets old! Us LA folk are lucky that way. But what if I told you that there was a fab event coming to YOUR hometown? I can’t say you’ll get bubbly, but you will get beauty advice and that’s just as exciting.
It’s called Night at the W and it’s happening at a Walgreens near you on Wednesday, May 22 from 4 – 9pm. Yes, Walgreens! If you haven’t visited their beauty section lately, it’s the perfect time to do it. (Me? I’m there once a week.) You’ll have the chance to speak to Walgreens specially trained Beauty Advisors and they’ll help you find products that will seem like they were made specifically for you.
In addition to great deals on Neutrogena Skin Care and free samples, there’s also a huge sweepstakes happening that night with some amazing prizes. More on that in a minute…
I took my weekly trip to Walgreens to scope the Neutrogena aisle pre-event. I’ve been a long time fan of the line; their Transparent Facial Bar was my go-to for YEARS and used to be the only product I needed for my skin. But these days, it takes more than just soap to keep my skin looking good. So I asked their Beauty Advisor what Neutrogena products she suggested.
After asking me some questions about what I liked (products that worked fast and well) and didn’t like (sunscreen snob, here!) she took me straight to the Rapid Wrinkle Repair line, which is said to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles in just 1 week.
More, including sweepstakes details…
Filed in: beauty & fashion, reviews
Orange you glad it’s another MAC music mashup?!
MAC has had a number of limited edition collaborations with musical artists – Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Ricky Martin, Cyndi Lauper, Beth Ditto, just to name a few. But few artists are so strongly personified by color as Hayley Williams.
Hayley, the lead singer of platinum-selling alternative rock band Paramore, is known for her orange hair, fair skin, and glowing complexion. The MAC Hayley Williams collection captures this in three shades of orange – a lipstick, a nail polish, and an eyeshadow – representing a sampling of the many shades that Hayley’s dyed her hair. Plus there is a subtle luminescent beige/white – a pale pretty highlighter – meant to duplicate Hayley’s fantastic glow.
Daydreaming Eyeshadow ($15) – frosty orange-red, veluxe pearl finish. The texture is smooth, it’s nicely pigmented, and it blends well. It’s not the easiest shade of eyeshadow to wear, but the product itself is good. For those willing to go bold, this shadow is calling your name.
More, including additional photos, swatches, and looks…
Filed in: beauty & fashion, reviews
Lighten up with a new dimension of color
Springtime is in full effect, and everything seems surrounded by an extra layer of happiness that only color can inspire… flowers, birds, blue skies and makeup. MAC’s In Extra Dimension is here with brand new options of light, silky color for eyes, cheeks and face.
MAC In Extra Dimension brings us an array of mood-lifting colors in light-reflecting, light-as-air formulas. With eye shadows, blushes and skinfinishes, this collection has something for everyone – if you can track these rare beauties down. Please, MAC, make them part of your permanent lineup!
This collection comes in the standard black plastic MAC containers, although the eyeshadows are the extra-large versions – yay!
There are six new Extra Dimension Eye Shadow ($21) colors in this collection, and the we heart this team got a look at three of them.
Opalesse – pink opal that looks nearly white in the pan
Zestful – pale iridescent green
Dimensional Blue – silvery light blue
The liquid-powder Extra Dimension formula has never been showcased as well as it is in these shimmering shadows. I tested Opalesse (a white that glows with dazzling pink sparkle) and Zestful (a beautiful, multi-hued pale green). These two prismatic colors build from a sheer tint of color to serious metallic impact.
Green lover that I am, I fell hard for Zestful in the pan, but wondered if it could be as gorgeous on the eye? Yes, and then some! Striking but not overbearing, Zestful is the perfect green for spring. Designed for up to six hours of wear, but I got more like eight.
More, including additional photos and swatches…
Filed in: beauty & fashion, reviews
Top picks to step into every spring and summer occasion
After what has seemed like the never-ending winter of 2013, the temperatures are finally ticking up and spring is certainly in the air. Baseball games, long weekends, sunshine well into the evening hours, and chirping birds are fixtures in our daily lives once again.
My feet are ready to get out of the boots and back into the sandals and wedges of spring and summer. Here are a few of our top picks for every setting.
For the office: I hate shuffling around my office’s hardwood floor, attempting to silence the sound of my flip-flops. These Thong Sandals from LuLu’s have a back to them so they stay in place. The cutout design adds an interesting element, while the nude coloring and gold accents ensure these go with anything.
For the backyard BBQ: Even though a BBQ is casual, you still want to let your inner fashionista shine. These multi-colored Early Printed Wedges from Unlisted evoke a tribal-feel, but the neutral upper means they can go with pretty much anything. Fashion and function? Yes, please!
Read on for more…
Filed in: beauty & fashion
Need a fab blush? NARS has the cure with Boys Don’t Cry.
“This collection is killer – you are going to love it. Quote me.” This is a handwritten note on the inside of my NARS Pierre Hardy press samples that arrive. And you know what? She couldn’t have been more right. And now I want you to quote me. “Boys Don’t Cry may just be the most beautiful blush I’ve ever seen.”
Boys Don’t Cry is one of two blushes and six nail polish duos that make up the limited edition Pierre Hardy launch that is based on the designer’s 2013 shoe collection. And with all it’s got going on, it was destined to be a classic in my eyes. Allow me to break it down, pro and con style.
Pros:
Get ready, there’s a lot of them…
Texture and Wear
NARS blushes are always silky, easily blendable and wear like true champs. And this is one of the most pigmented blushes to pass by my desk in quite awhile.
Unique Color
Boys Don’t Cry is described as a pink grapefruit, which is a accurate description. Imagine the pinkiest, juiciest grapefruit you ever ate. It’s that; a deep yet bright reddish pink with a matte finish.
More, including additional photos, way more pros and a couple of cons…
Filed in: beauty & fashion, reviews
BPAL knows, not all treasure is silver and gold
If you’ve been around we heart this for any length of time, you know our well documented obsession with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. How could we not be obsessed with affordable scents that tip the scales of imagination? Scents based on everything from Shakespere to RPG, medicine shows to muppets, love to death. The line is pretty much the epitome of why we started this website – to share things that we love. And let me tell you, we LOVE BPAL.
(If you haven’t already read our interview with founder and CEA, that’s chief executive badass, Beth – please do.)
Though all of their scents could be described as Bewitching Brews, this one literally is (as it’s the collection it belongs to.) Yarr, it be Jolly Roger ($17.50). BPAL describes the scent as this…
Sea spray with an undercurrent of leather, Bay Rum, and salty, dry woods.
As a fragrance, BPAL Jolly Roger has everything one would think of, and hope for, in a pirate scent, including mystery since the label itself is wordless. So, what does a pirate scent smell like? Here within lies another beautiful aspect of BPAL; it smells like different things to different people. Which can be said of all perfumes, but somehow I really notice this more with oils, especially ones as complex as BPAL’s.
Factor in that people have varying levels of olfaction, and the fact that body chemistries react with perfumes differently; and one person’s salty sea, is another person’s Cape Cod wind, is another person’s aftershave (all descriptions by fans at bpal.org, where you can find reviews of all their scents.)
I get an actual pirate ship from it; wet wood, salty ocean air and spicy cologne. Sadly, no leather. But ever so faintly there’s a powdery perfume on the dry down (despite any feminine notes being listed). Like a prostitute below whose scent is wafting to the upper deck. The tale that this oil tells is a complex one.
It does read more masculine to me, which is why I especially love it on my husband. When I asked him what he thought it smelled like (without telling him anything about it), he said “Las Vegas.” And when asked to elaborate, he said “cologne, perfume, booze.” This makes me think he may be on the upper end of that olfaction chart I was just talking about, because that’s pretty dead on.
While we’ll share the oil, Port Royal soap is will be all mine. Available from Black Phoenix Trading Post, where you’ll find things like Atmosphere Spray, Hair Gloss and Candles, their soaps are made by the folks at Villainess with generously portions of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab brews. Port Royal soap ($8.50) is made with “gunpowder-black clay, imported silk, and a thick crust of sea salt” and it is absolutely divine.
Here’s how BPAl describes the scent:
The Sodom of the New World! — touted as the richest and wickedest city in all creation! Port Royal was the center of 17th century Caribbean commerce, a notorious safe harbor for pirates, and the site of our third flagship store, which was, sadly, destroyed in the earthquake of 1692. Spiced rum and ship’s wood mixed with the body-warmed trace of a prostitute’s perfume and a hint of salty sea air on the dry-down.
Tales of Port Royal are of “gaudy displays of wealth and loose morals.” Apparently, an all-around hedonistic drunken good time (which during its heyday had one drinking house for every 10 residents!)
The soap is approximately 3.5oz, 1″ thick, 3″ square block of soap. Aside from the crust of salt on top, it’s got swirls of texture, a nice lather and an intoxicating scent (which leans more feminine to me than the oil) that makes me happy every time I use it. Yo ho ho ho, a bar of soap for me!
All in all, Port Royal and Jolly Roger fit perfectly into the dark, romantic Gothic tone that BPAL is known for.
we heartsters, would you raise your Jolly Roger in Port Royal?
photos: we heart this, and yarr; stealing be bad!
Stef is many things. Amongst them: co-editor of we heart this, graphic designer, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie.
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
Filed in: beauty & fashion, reviews
It’s season six of Mad Men! If you’re a fan, join us regularly for Mad Men Musings – a space to discuss selected highlights, low points, or just plain water-cooler worthy moments of each episode.
Ah, this episode was like a bright, brisk breath of fresh air, no? I like to wallow in Don drama as much as the next girl, but I’m also thrilled for a return to SDCP bizness: secret deals, the buzz of competition, Roger Sterling killing it, and last but not least, Pete falls down the stairs.
I love when the characters have been working behind the scenes, unbeknownst to us viewers; here, we saw the unlikely trio of Joan, Pete and Bert secretly scheming to take the company public. Everyone’s gonna be rich! Joan was a little heartbreaking in this scene; she looked, quite literally, soft and vulnerable, with—gasp!—her hair undone and a delicate floral blouse. For her, the prospect of potentially being a millionaire makes her weak at the knees; it means independence for herself and her child and is the culmination of all the sacrifices she’s made for SDCP.
She was all…
Then she was all…(more on that in a minute)
Joan, Pete and Bert aren’t the only ones with company secrets, though—Roger is combining business with pleasure, using the connections of a doe-eyed stewardess to suss out new leads. Despite his obvious intelligence and savvy, Roger often seems powerless when it comes to his job, but right now he’s kicking ass and taking names. He’s all over the opportunity to lure in a Chevy exec and lands the agency a pitch meeting for the new, top-secret Chevy car account. (As an aside, I am totally ordering a glass of water with an onion garnish the next time I have a duplicitous business meeting).
Roger’s machinations here are crucial, because Don pretty much implodes the Jaguar account. At a dinner meeting with Herb and his wife, along with Megan and her indomitable mother, Don and Herb butt heads for the last time. The dinner is a nightmare from start to finish, seeded with inane observations from Herb’s vapid, clueless wife. I’m not sure what I enjoyed more: Megan’s mother snarling insults in French or Don’s weak, desperate “I love puppies” remark.
He loves puppies
Read More »
Filed in: read, watch, listen
Ah, the eternal question: would you like this or that? You can add an infinite number of variations. Let’s explore some of them in this week’s 3 Things, shall we?
The Beatles or The Stones?
A question that all music lovers have pondered at some point in their life. While I love The Stones, if forced to choose my answer is without a doubt The Beatles. Groundbreaking, timeless and really, some of the best music EVER made. You can’t call yourself a music aficionado if you don’t like (or at least appreciate) The Beatles.
Milk or Dark Chocolate?
A bitter dark is always a treat, but I’m going melt-in-your-mouth milk for the win.
Lipstick or Lipgloss?
I’m in the midst of a liptsick love affair, but I will always be a lipgloss gal.
All right weheartsters, it’s your turn! Cut and paste the following into the comments and share with us your 3 Things:
The Beatles or The Stones?
Milk or Dark Chocolate?
Lipstick or Lipgloss?
Stef is many things. Amongst them: co-editor of we heart this, graphic designer, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie.
Filed in: 3 things, potluck
