OOTD/Review: Bright. Seersucker. Florals.

Day: Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

Where:  Preschool Run/Errands/CW's Gardening Class.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)   I'll discuss the shorts and sandals in the review section, but I will let you know the dinging of points happened because of these two pieces.  Nothing big, but some things that need to be pointed out.

The top is fit for me since I sewed it (blog post on that here), so that piece is exceedingly comfortable and easy to move around in.

The whole outfit is awesome, comfort wise, for the weather we had today, all humid, sticky, icky that it was.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I like the outfit, and think the in your face color combo is really fun.  Definitely not for the faint of heart, but compared to the super-fashionable out there, this is pretty tame really.  ;)

Anecdote from the day: Been feeling a lot better since my wah-wah post of a few days ago.  No, I haven't magically developed a "quarter-bouncing butt" or found six million new friends, but I have been able to solidly connect with many of my friends and the time I have spent with them has been wonderful, and has made me feel a lot better about not being part of the "in" crowd at my son's school.

I also read (and responded to) most of the comments and e-mails I have received, and the kind, supportive words from you all mean the world to me.  Really.  :)  I know it sounds trite, but I mean it, I am so grateful for all of you who read my blog and are my blog friends.  Thank you!

5" Seersucker Shorts.  Size 10.  These are from J. Crew, purchased with the last 20% off coupon I received.  They are the same exact shorts as I have from last summer, but this year they are in a green/blue seersucker, whereas last year's seersucker is in a red/navy combo. 

I think these may be a touch smaller than last year's version, since I know I haven't gained weight from last summer.  They are tightest around the thighs, which is one of my wider areas.  They fit, they just aren't loose.

The five inch inseam is fab, though, giving enough coverage to feel like I am not showing off the goods to the world, but short enough to properly offset the looser silhouette of the top.  If I paired this top with longer shorts, it would like frumpy, in my opinion.

I have no idea what happened to these shorts on-line, btw.  I saw a whole bunch of them for sale last week.  They may have sold out, but I am sure there are plenty of them available in stores, and definitely follow the link in polyvore to catch a popback if you like them.

Leather Clogs.  Size 41.  These day glo pink sandals (they are even BRIGHTER and more DAY-GLO in real life) are from Boden's Johnnie b. line, which I happen to adore.  I often find the biggest sizes in that line fit me well, are sassy, and more importantly, cheap enough for me to indulge in guilt-free.  I buy Johnnie b. to enjoy the current trends, and stick with regular Boden for more classic styles made in materials that are friendly to my current SAHM life.

These clogs are really nicely made from lovely leather and real wood bottoms.  They look a lot like Saltwater sandals, but I know for a fact are not as easy to wear as Saltwaters, since the wood sole is definitely not the cushy rubber sole that I have seen on the Saltwaters.  (I have never owned Saltwaters, but CW had a pair and she wore them constantly.)

There are a few drawbacks, which will benefit you if you have wide feet.  I don't, so for me, these are negatives.  Not negative enough to return, but worth considering if you can't stand looser shoes.

The straps up there at the top (criss-cross ones) are very loose, like should be on a different pair of sized shoes loose.  The other straps have holes that can be buckled, which is what has saved these shoes for me and allowed me to keep them.  (They are buckled on the last buckle, btw, if they get any looser, I will have to have the shoe repairman punch a new hole to make them tighter.

I find that the looser toe box is less annoying to me than the reverse, which is a looser heel area.  I find that a looser heel means the shoe completely flops off my foot, whereas a loose toe box just means my little piggies have more room to spread out. ;)

Anyhow, if you have wide feet and want a nice looking pair of sandals that will definitely fit your feet, for a good price*, then these may be the ones for you.  The pair are also available in silver, which look slightly less obnoxious than these neon ones.

(Everyone commented on these sandals today, especially the color.  Most loved the sandals, but I am sure some folks were freaked out by how glow in the dark they appeared.)

*The price goes down to $43 with my sidebar coupon, which is about a 30% savings.  The shoes are on sale and go further down in price with the coupon.

Kept the makeup super-simple, easy light foundation, super sheer nude lipstick, and lots of mascara (I know it doesn't look that way, but trust me, that's a lot of mascara, I have really blonde eyelashes).

Angus gave me the cutest smile today.  :)  Look at all those teeth!

Okay, all, off to eat dinner, have a great night!

Boden: Fifties, Finsbury, and Westminster.

So this is a review/outfit of the day post.  I received the Finsbury dress about two weeks ago and fell in love with it so hard that I eagerly anticipated a night where it was cool enough for me to wear it out and about.  (Also an evening that required such a beautiful dressed-up dress.) 

The weather on Saturday night last was utter perfection, low 70s, low humidity, with just a touch of wind, AND we had church and sushi on the offer, so I knew this was exactly the right evening for the debut of this stunner.

The info on the individual pieces is in the photo, but I will definitely link to the scarf and dress in this post.

This was the outfit as it came together.  The dress without the belt, scarf, clutch, and heels looks fine, but a teeny bit boring.  Having said that, I think this is an ideal dress for a myriad of occasions...because of the plainness of the frock, not in spite of it.

Looking at these photos, I realize the George Nelson bubble lamp really fits the fifties feel of this outfit.  I love that I could have been wearing this dress as is, accessories and all, at the same time as this house was built.

Without the clutch, from the front.  As a pear shape, I love dresses like this, with a fitted bodice and very full skirt.  If I had a choice, I might have reined in the flare a tiny bit on the skirt, but as someone who has to wear spanx with at least 50% of my dresses, it feels good not to have to worry about it.

The dress is exceedingly well crafted, not a thread or stitch out of place and fully lined throughout (excepting the lower sleeve).

The zipper is on the side, if I were to talk with Johnnie myself, I would BEG him to use back zips as side zips can be a struggle to get on or off.  I think if you have a larger chest or shoulders, that side zip will be what prevents you from buying the right size of this dress (you would have to size up to get it to fit over your head and shoulders).  I know that it will be difficult to get on and off.  If me, miss "when will I get some girls" has problems with it, those of you blessed up top will be struggling for sure.

I also read that the cap sleeves felt tight on some women, so another consideration if you carry your weight in your upper torso.

The dress fits very nicely through my shoulders and upper back, but you can see where it is a touch too big in the waist.  No biggie, it doesn't look horrible, in fact, I can't even imagine anyone noticed who was around me.

I wanted to wear a slimmer belt, btw, as a larger belt would have probably been too much of a statement.  I am not saying "no" to that in the future, but it would have looked silly with the rest of the outfit as I had styled it.

The makeup that night is the way I wish my makeup would look every time I wear makeup.

Speaking of my makeup, for those of you that are curious, my Arbonne site is no longer working.  I decided the amount I needed to spend keeping it running wasn't worth it, so I have decided to go back to taking Arbonne orders through my e-mail.  If you are interested in rejoining my e-mail list for monthly specials, you can do so at dinagideon AT aim DOT com.

So do you like the Westminster silk scarf?  Isn't it purdy?  :) 

I didn't even have to pay for it (technically).  I will explain more about that later.  ;)

Close-up of the scarf.  It is all silk, and a twill fabric.  The print is very special, scenes from Westminster itself, with the buildings and the guards in their red regalia.

The fabric of the dress is a wool, with a touch of stretch.  For those of you who buy J. Crew, it is a similar feel to the Super 120s.

The color is off from the one on-line.  Instead of being a bit buttery, I would call this a green/gold.  Of course I love this particular shade of light olive, so no complaints from me.  If this is not your bag (baby), there is a charcoal and black version as well.

I really hope that they keep this style, and bring out new colors each season.  I am telling you, they make it in a mid-orange color, and I will be first in line.  :)

Posing on the sidewalk in Arlington after mass.  The dress still looks fresh and barely wrinkled.

This is such a great photo of Angus.  I cannot believe he is almost six months old!  Crazy!  He is so big, too, wearing the 9 month clothing.

So remember this post from last year, where I showed off a long cashmere cardi coat I was able to buy because I won a gift card award for being the "Boden Publisher of the Month?"  Well, it happened again!!!  I was surprised, but super happy, to find out that I won it again!  :)

This time, the $50 gift card completely covered the cost of the scarf.  And because the scarf is a British based print, I call it fate that I won the award at the same time I had been interested in purchasing this scarf.


Finsbury Wool Dress.  Lovely on its own, but you can see how there is a lot of potential for accessorizing here.


Westminster Silk Scarf.  Vanessa!!! We love you.  :)  Her makeup looks really good with the outfit. 

Okay, all, that's it!  Have any of you tried either item and have some thoughts about either of them?

Have a great night!

P.S.  Don't forget, tonight is the last night of the 25% off September Favourites sale over at Boden.

OOTD: Attempting Dressy.

Even if all I feel like wearing is pjs and sweatpants, I know that in the end if I put effort into my outfit, I will enjoy my day more, so as long as I am out and about, I at least give it a try. (Although I admit to a full on sweatpants/hoodie outfit when I visited urgent care during my nasal infection mess...I am not crazy!)

But...even if I choose not to wear pjs or sweats in public doesn't mean that I won't find the most crazy comfy and soft outfit possible to wear instead. That's my secret for the last three months of pregnancy. As much as I really REALLY want to wear my kick-butt maternity jeans and high heels, I can't bring myself to even attempt it. Oh, and so you know, with CW's pregnancy, I totally started this comfy dressing like really early, sometime around 24 weeks. (I was preggers with her in the summer, though...definitely the worst time to be pregnant...hands down.)

This outfit is insanely comfy.  And yes for that.  :)  It also made me feel slightly stylish, which I need now that a 30 pound basketball has firmly attached itself to my waistline.

Dress: Boden Jersey Maxi Dress. 
Shoes: Madewell Handbook Pump.  I only recommend these heels (or heels like this) in late pregnancy.  The cone shaped heel is substantial and there is a platform making the overall footbed more secure than a stiletto type.

PSA: Do not wear any shoe that hurts, especially if it hurts because of feet swelling, definitely not worth it.  Ballet flats or slight wedges are adorable, and if you have to buy one pair of black flats in a larger size, just for pregnancy, that's okay.  I had to for Rex, but after I gave birth, my feet returned to normal.  *I have not had that swelling since.  They think my swelling with Rex was preeclampsia, which also may have contributed to his early birth and emergency c-section.  So even though swelling is not usually a big deal, don't ignore it, either.*

Purse: J. Crew Mini Patent Campo Bag.
Necklace: J. Crew Mini Orbit Necklace.  It's on sale!  :)
Sunglasses: J. Crew A.R. Trapp.

If you read my Boden Weekly Review Roundup, you already saw this image.  But I do know that a lot of you only come over for ootd posts, so it's not a repeat to you!

I actually kind of like this image.  I didn't realize the self-timer was going to go off that quickly, and it caught me kind of walking, lol.  It does allow you all to see the shape of the Handbook pump.  :)

BTW, this dress is a double layer fabric and super soft.  It is like wearing a nightgown, just a fitted, fancier version of a nightgown you can wear out to lunch with the family (which we were about to do).

Close up of the makeup, hair, necklace, and dress print.  I had fun playing with the colors that day, especially on the eyes (which I rarely put a lot of effort into).  This outfit, fwiw, was from the weekend before last, so I had not yet gotten my bangs trimmed (did that on this last Saturday).

Attempting Dressy. 30 Pound Basketball Notwithstanding. by dinagideon featuring patent handbags

Polyvore of the outfit is above.

Okay, that's all...I hope you all have a great evening.

P.S. I read over at Boden's facebook page that there will be a big, exciting announcement tomorrow morning.  Most commenters are of the mindset there will be a "catch of the day" or "mid-season" sale, but there are a few who just think a new line will be rolled out.  I personally think it will be a "catch of the day" sort of deal, which in Boden land usually mean 30-35% off of certain items each day.  This is usually a big deal, and so when I figure it out (and get home from my doctor's appointment tomorrow), I will do a blog post on it.  :)  (Or do a blog post on the non-event, if the naysayers are right!)

Maritime Dress for Real Life...

I wore the Maritime dress as an actual real life outfit on Monday.  I figured the combo of mainly staying at home, plus an Arbonne meeting at night gave me a great reason to pull this puppy out.  The weather was also that weird version of mild we get here in NOVA, kind of drizzly, kind of foggy, and right around 60 degrees.  In other words, not too cold, but not warm enough that we can put away the sleeves. 

The maritime dress is pretty substantial, nice thick slubby cotton that is like a light sweatshirt.  In the morning I wore it on its own, but by evening I had to pull out some leggings to keep myself a bit warm (and also be a bit more conservative for my meeting, that said, I did not photograph that look). 

I reviewed the Maritime Dress already, so for more info on it, head on over to that post.  The sleeves look great rolled up, in my opinion, and for hanging out with the kids, the length isn't too short that it's shocking. 

The shoes are a pair of Cole Haan penny loafers that I am *this* close to wearing out.  I literally bring them with me on every trip and even when home find I pull them out at least a couple times a month. 

That pile of books in the back makes me look so literary.  LOL.  Or just messy, like a hoarder.

I wore my hair to the side as an homage to the 80s.  I don't know why this dress reminds me of the 80s, but it does.  It probably is the superfluous zipper on the sides (heehee). 

These earrings are from the factory, and I LUUUUUURRRRRVVVVVE them.  I will never poo-poo a lot of the factory items because I find I wear them a lot AND they are usually pretty high quality.  That said, I may just be lucky and have had relatively few problems.

The makeup is all Arbonne, of course, and I layered two shades together on my lips, the lipstick in rose petal (a pretty mid rose/peach shade) and the lip polish in pearl (look under the cosmetics tab to find the product descriptions).

Okay, it is Wednesday, which many of you know means BODEN WEEKLY REVIEW ROUNDUP time! :)  There are four blogs that have posted reviews this week that I know of: ShopppingwithM, Bodalicious, Polly and Fiona, and Egyptomaniac the Shopping Maniac.  If I didn't list your blog and you have a review, would you mind either commenting or e-mailing me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com?  I have had limited access to my computer this week, so that means limited access to all my favorite blogs!  (Sad Face.) 

Talk with you all soon!

Spring Into Style: Day Six 2011.

Spring Into Style: Day Six 2011. by dinagideon featuring cluster jewelry
Above is what I wore today for my sixth day of teaching "Spring Into Style."  I can't believe that I found the exact Japanese wooden sandals I own on Polyvore. I bought them over two years ago!

Oh, I love this Shelby Dress.  Still do, even after the "accident," le sigh.  For more on the accident, see last photo.  Thank goodness I own sewing equipment.

Today was "PJ day" at school.  Yes, I could have worn my pjs and tried to be the Fashion World's version of PJ chic, but it was meant to get to 85 degrees (all this after yesterday's gripe on the terrible cold weather), and sorry, my PJs do not mix well with heat.  At all. 

I did make a nod to the day by wearing a Japanese kimono robe for part of the class, which is also why I happen to have on Japanese wooden sandals.  I actually own quite a few kimono robes and a handful of Japanese sandals, so it was a no brainer that this would be my PJ chic.  LOL.

I own the Shelby Dress in dusty pink in a size 4.  Word of warning, this dress runs large, a la the Liberty Bouquet Shirtdress, so definitely size down two sizes if you are a smaller on top/larger on bottom kind of gal.

It has POCKETS!  Yay for pockets.  Everyone loved this dress, which made the accident even sadder.  :P

From the back.  I can't wait to wear this easy, breezy dress in the middle of summer when I need to look nice but want to stay cool.

Close up of the eyelet and the pearl ombre necklace (this is from Spring 2010).  My makeup is super-simple, a modified version of my "guide."  I only am wearing my moisturizing items, mascara, lip polish, and sheer pressed powder.

Haha, this will be the only time any of you all will see me in this.  Promise.  It looks way less "conservative" in real life, I promise.  I only wish this was silk and not poly, if it were silk, I could have worn this all day.  :)

Go on, open up the pic.  Under the "X" is where the accident happened.  I had applied masking tape under the rip/tear by this point, so it is barely noticeable, but the rip/tear was pretty big.  I was walking out of the teacher lounge when I ran into the fridge which happened to have a torn handle and a sharp pointy bit sticking out.   My darling eyelet got caught and an inch and a half of cotton came with the eyelet.  Fortunately it appears I can sew it, but if any of you have ideas on fixing it for this relative newbie to the world of sewing repairs, I would appreciate it!

Alright, you all have a great night.  I also wanted to thank EVERYONE for the fab comments, etc., you all have been leaving lately.  Clearly I am just going and going like a bunny (probably why I had the incident with the fridge, grr), so if I don't get back to your comment quickly, I ask for your understanding and forgiveness.  ;)  Talk soon!

Arbonne: Sheer Pressed Powder, Step Seven.

For more information on how my Arbonne cosmetics guide got started, please visit the initial post!

So today I am doing the fifth and final post from the "Fresh Faced to All Ready to Go" set of posts.

Remember, all products I show here can be found at my Arbonne website.  (Go to the SHOP ONLINE TAB at the top of the home page to see all of the products for sale--cosmetics are under the Arbonne Cosmetics.)  I am an independent consultant, so while not completely unbiased, I do have a lot of information I can impart to you all about how to use the individual products (or at least how I use them, lol).  I have also started to add links to the Arbonne cosmetics ingredients PDF files, as I think it is very important that you all see what goes into your cosmetics when you purchase from Arbonne. REMINDER FOR APRIL 8, 2011: The free sheer glow highlighter with any $100 plus purchase made at my website promotion ends tonight at 11:59 pm Eastern time!  Don't delay!

Here is a reminder of what the cosmetics guide collage looked like:

Fresh Faced Photo:

This is meant to be the "control" photo so you can see what I started out with...there is NO photo-shopping, etc., I promise.  I would look way better if I used photoshop, trust me.  ;)

To see steps one and two, please visit this post. 

To see steps three and four, please visit this post. 

To see step five, please visit this post. 

To see step six, please visit this post.

Step Seven: 

Every step is super critical to me in getting an "all made up" face, but I will admit to needing the sheer pressed powder the most.  I have pretty oily/combo skin, and even though I don't break out, I do know that if I don't have some sort of powder in my routine, I will be pretty shiny by mid-morning. 

Now if I am at home, just chilling at my computer, I won't even concern myself with any makeup (just all my moisturizers and serums), but when I go out, *even if it is just to the grocery store*, I will put on powder. 

The sheer pressed powder is like any pressed powder made by any other cosmetics company, with two differences.  It has "optilight" technology AND it is a formula that once applied feels as light as air.  I seriously forget I am wearing it, unlike other formulation I have used in the past (and sheer pressed powder has been my best friend ever since high school).  Cake-y is awesome for funfetti, not for me and my nose. 

Optilight I mentioned when I spoke about the Sheer Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15, but in a nutshell, "optilight" means that Arbonne formulated the powder with micro-particles that help take the light that is reflected onto the facial skin and help reflect it back outwards, creating a "glow."  In the photo above you cans see it on my cheekbones and my forehead most clearly.  That is a glow and not shine, and for that I will always be in love with this powder.

I use this cosmetic product SO much I have to make a re-order already and it has only been three months.  LOL.  I think if you just need powder for "normal" or "dry" skin, you will have it for longer.  If you are all "Suzy Shinemeister" like me, you probably should be prepared for how much you will use it.

I am also showing off the eyebrow brush that comes with the ten piece precision brush set.  I spoke about the brush set in this post, if you would like more info on that.  I use this brush at the very end, AFTER the pressed powder, to make sure my eyebrows are in their place.  I do not tweeze or wax my eyebrows, and they are thick and a bit much, but the eyebrow brush helps tame them a tad.  ;)

Sheer Pressed Powder PDF Ingredients List.


FINAL LOOK:

All together, hair brushed, cardigan on, and ready to go.  I hope you all have enjoyed this trip of mine from "Freshed Faced" to "All Ready to Go!" 

Be on the lookout for future Arbonne guides!

You all have a great night and thank you for visiting my blog (if this is your first time here)!

Arbonne: Sheer Glow Highlighter, Step Six.

For more information on how my Arbonne cosmetics guide got started, please visit the initial post!

So today I am doing part four of from "Fresh Faced to All Ready to Go."

Remember, all products I show here can be found at my Arbonne website.  (Go to the SHOP ONLINE TAB at the top of the home page to see all of the products for sale--cosmetics are under the Arbonne Cosmetics.)  I am an independent consultant, so while not completely unbiased, I do have a lot of information I can impart to you all about how to use the individual products (or at least how I use them, lol).  I have also started to add links to the Arbonne cosmetics ingredients PDF files, as I think it is very important that you all see what goes into your cosmetics when you purchase from Arbonne.

Here is a reminder of what the cosmetics guide collage looked like (and it allows you to get a sneak peek of what the last step is...if you roll like that)...

Fresh Faced Photo:

This is meant to be the "control" photo so you can see what I started out with...there is NO photo-shopping, etc., I promise.  I would look way better if I used photoshop, trust me.  ;)

To see steps one and two, please visit this post. 

To see steps three and four, please visit this post. 

To see step five, please visit this post.

Step Six: 

Today I am showing off the item that is currently FREE (until Friday, April 8, 2011) with any $100 plus purchase made over at my website.  It retails for $40, which given a cost per wear analysis, makes it a pretty decent price if you use it every day or nearly every day. 

I find that I use a bottle up over a six month time period, as you don't really need much more than a few dots of highlighter for a nice subtle glow.  It dispenses in a "dot" way, so when you receive it, you will see what I mean. 

The highlighter receives much acclaim from all the women I know who use it.  I think that as we age, we lose a bit of the natural luminosity and glow that we all know we had back when we just didn't care enough to notice (I personally shake my fist at being age 14, with stunning skin, and doing absolutely nothing outside of sunscreen to take care of it, I am now at the age where I can rightly say that "youth is totally wasted on the young," lol).  Anyhow, back on point, after about 25 or 30, with the stresses of lack of sleep, bad air, nights spent worrying about children, jobs, rent/mortgage, bad eating habits, and lack of exercise catch up with our skin.  Sigh.  And the first thing to go is that special something something that makes us look alive...I describe it as my skin looking grey, nice, right???

Anyhow, I will do all of the steps that go into this "all made up" cosmetic routine of mine, and right before the last step (next post in this series), I add just a few dots of this highlighter to very top of my cheekbones, on the outer corner of my eyes, a very small dab on the inner part of my eyes, and lastly a sliver of it on the top of my nose.  It is very subtle, but it is very evident when any light catches where I placed this non-glitter highlighter cream.  As I turn to the light, it gives off a bit of sparkle where the cream was placed.  I know it seems like a small something something, but the days I wear it, I do get the whole "you're glowing!" from folks.  :)

I have also (on my most "grey" days) mixed it in with my tinted moisturizer and then placed the whole concoction on my face.  Those days I feel lifted, knowing that I no longer look grey but rather glowy.  It *is* a bit much to do this every day, but on the days when you need the love the most, I say go for it. 

Other people have come up with ideas on how to use the cream, including on the body, so if you have used it and have an idea for others (and me), let me know! 


Sheer Glow Highlighter PDF Ingredient List.

I hope that this has helped you all learn a bit more about the fifth step towards having an all made up look!  :)

You all have a great night and thank you for visiting my blog (if this is your first time here)!

Spring Into Style: Day Two 2011.

Very different look for me today. I wanted to wear a vest I knew I had but just could not make work whenever I wore it. LOL. I think I finally stumbled on the right proportion for this long tuxedo style vest from the J. Crew Factory. It either needs to work with straight legged pants and a sleeveless top and heels OR I could try it with a strappy sundress like this one from Boden and moto boots and a cute long necklace.

Every time I tried it with a long-sleeved shirt, I just looked like I was trying to hide my body, so in the end, I knew I would just have to wait for warmer weather to give this *wool* vest a try. Crazy.

Spring Into Style: Day Two 2011. by dinagideon featuring cropped pants

Above is the polyvore of the outfit.

Still not perfect, but I do like it.  Very funky and actually quite a bit dark/edgy for me.  I might have to try the same pieces but with a cotton tank and a printed scarf.

The vest is a size 4, and I find it fits perfectly.  That said, I don't button this vest, so I can't really speak to how it fits all buttoned up.

This was the outfit as I intended it yesterday.  Then I realized it *wouldn't* be in the 70s/80s today and knew that my classroom would be FREEZING, so I figured the vest would take me out of my comfort zone AND keep me in my comfort zone.  LOL.  :)

No hand on the hip...I also chopped off my head to make sure the outfit didn't look too ridiculous. (I like my head on my body, so it makes me less likely to dislike an outfit if I have the head attached, taking the head off makes me more willing to say, "yeah, not working.")  I think next time I might try a scarf or a long necklace to give the middle a bit more definition. 

.

So all you all in the NOVA area...did you get woken up/couldn't sleep because of the crazy crazy t-storms and winds?  I not only couldn't get to sleep as the air was super-heavy (humid central) but as soon as I made it to sleep the storms came.  Ugh.

At least I had the presence of mind to put on my makeup...even if it is just the bare minimum of mascara, lip polish, and sheer pressed powder.  I think the pink in the top also gave my face a bit of color, which I truly appreciate.  :)

Talk with you all later.  I should have my "All Made Up" Cosmetics Guide up tonight, Sheer Glow Highlighter version done by the late evening.  Remember, there are only four days left to receive a sheer glow highlighter for free with any $100 plus purchase made at my Arbonne website.  :)

Arbonne: Eye Shadow and Lip Polish, Step Five.

For more information on how my Arbonne cosmetics guide got started, please visit the initial post!

So today I am doing part three of from "Fresh Faced to All Ready to Go."

Remember, all products I show here can be found at my Arbonne website.  (Go to the SHOP ONLINE TAB at the top of the home page to see all of the products for sale--cosmetics are under the Arbonne Cosmetics.)  I am an independent consultant, so while not completely unbiased, I do have a lot of information I can impart to you all about how to use the individual products (or at least how I use them, lol).  I have also started to add links to the Arbonne cosmetics ingredients PDF files, as I think it is very important that you all see what goes into your cosmetics when you purchase from Arbonne.

Here is a reminder of what the cosmetics guide collage looked like (and it allows you to get a sneak peek of what the next steps are...if you roll like that)...

Fresh Faced Photo:

This is meant to be the "control" photo so you can see what I started out with...there is NO photo-shopping, etc., I promise.  I would look way better if I used photoshop, trust me.  ;)

To see steps one and two, please visit this post. 

To see steps three and four, please visit this post.

Step Five: 

I am not a big eye shadow person, but I do really like how saturated the color is in the eye shadow Arbonne makes.  Again, this eye shadow is going to last far longer than I will be able to use it (I will have to throw it out before it is gone as I try to follow expiration dates closely).  This creamy white color is called vanilla and is just a shade darker and yellower than their snow, which is another color I have and like quite a bit.  In fact, the only reason I ever use eye shadow is to bring the intensity of the eyeliner down a notch, so the line seems less harsh.  So once I have applied the eyeliner, I usually sweep a light shade of eye shadow upon the whole lid, including the eyeliner portion.  I feel like the lighter color also lifts the eye a bit, and coupled with the mascara, helps create for my face a younger appearance.

The lip polish, on the other hand, is my #1 I "must have" on a daily basis bit of color.  Even if the only other cosmetics I use are mascara and makeup primer, the lip polish gives my lips a little "something something" to help me face the day.  The color I use most often is posh, as I like how it is my lip color, just darker and glimmier.  (Is glimmier even a word, lol?)

I know that many a woman is a fan of the lip polish.  It is like lip gloss, but without the sticky/really fast to fade ratio.  I know that my least favorite thing about lip gloss is that it is so pretty initially but then my hair gets stuck to my lips and then it disappears before I even make it to wherever it is where I am trying to impress people.  The lip polish has a low sticky factor and a high staying power, in other words, exactly. the. formula. I HAVE been looking for since I was 14.  (Not even kidding.)

I enjoy mixing the colors, and have had great results with mixing posh and pearl.  :)

Eye Shadow PDF Ingredients List.

Lip Polish PDF Ingredients List.

I hope that this has helped you all learn a bit more about the fifth step towards having an all made up look!  :)

You all have a great night and thank you for visiting my blog (if this is your first time here)!

Arbonne: Cheek Blush, Eyeliner, and Triple Action Mascara, Step Three and Four.

For more information on how my Arbonne cosmetics guide got started, please visit the initial post!

So today I am doing part two of from "Fresh Faced to All Ready to Go."

Remember, all products I show here can be found at my Arbonne website.  (Go to the SHOP ONLINE TAB at the top of the home page to see all of the products for sale--cosmetics are under the Arbonne Cosmetics.)  I am an independent consultant, so while not completely unbiased, I do have a lot of information I can impart to you all about how to use the individual products (or at least how I use them, lol).  I have also started to add links to the Arbonne cosmetics ingredients PDF files, as I think it is very important that you all see what goes into your cosmetics when you purchase from Arbonne.

Here is a reminder of what the cosmetics guide collage looked like (and it allows you to get a sneak peek of what the next steps are...if you roll like that)...

Fresh Faced Photo:

This is meant to be the "control" photo so you can see what I started out with...there is NO photo-shopping, etc., I promise.  I would look way better if I used photoshop, trust me.  ;)

To see steps one and two, please visit this post.

Step Three: 

Looking back at the whole set of photos, I think the MOST dramatic change was made between the photos from the tinted moisturizer (which is step two) and the eye shadow and lip polish (which is step five) photos.  These are the photos you will be seeing in this post.  It really, truly is amazing how much of a difference cheek blush and eyeliner and mascara can make on your face.  I mean I always knew that, but I think seeing the PHYSICAL difference in these photos has been (sorry for the pun) eye-opening.

The third step I take when applying my "all ready to go" look is the cheek blush.  The shade you see here is called Blossom and from what I can see, I believe this may be Arbonne's version of a universal shade (it flatters all skin tones).  I have to be very careful when applying this blush as the ingredients used make for a very saturated blush, and a little goes quite a long way.  I have had this blush for 7 months and it is only 1/4 used.  It will last for a while.  In fact, I may end up having to toss it before I finish using it when the 1-year expiration date comes (always throw cosmetics out on time--yucky bacteria, etc. grow very easily after the expiration).

You will note that I am holding up a brush.  This brush is from the 10 piece precision brush set.  It is under Arbonne cosmetics sets and accessories at my website.  These brushes ARE NOT made from animal hair, so if you are a vegan, vegetarian, or you have a specific reason for not choosing to buy animal products, these brushes are the very high quality version brush set you have been looking for...

I apply the blush to the apples of my cheeks because I have a LONG face, which means that I am vertically longer and horizontally shorter.  This means I must try to increase my width of my face, and the way I have found to "fool" the eye is to apply the blush right next to my nose right on top of the fatty bit of my cheeks.  If you are wider than longer, you are advised to apply your cheek blush closer to your ears, away from the nose, basically the opposite of what I do.

CHEEK BLUSH INGREDIENTS PDF FILE.

Step Four:

After blush, I always do mascara and eyeliner.  I love, love, love the way my eyes look after applying both.  Some days I will just do mascara, but on the days I wear eyeliner, too, I feel so chic.

I read that if you wear mascara your eyes will look wider, which in turn will make you look younger.  Since I am no longer a teenager, I will do whatever. I. need. to. look. younger.  Yes, ma'am.

I first apply the Triple Action Mascara (the one I am holding is the old version, I am nearing having to replace it with the new version).  The mascara only comes in black, but it does make my light colored eyes pop, so I am okay with that.  Having said that, I would love it if Arbonne had a plum and brown version because there are days when I would prefer to have a bit more natural look.  (So, if and when they make different colored mascaras, you will DEFINITELY hear it from me.)

The mascara is NOT waterproof.  The ingredients that go into making waterproof mascara are not on Arbonne's preferred ingredients list (the company does not use many ingredients that other cosmetics companies use because they consider them harmful and toxic).  If you need waterproof mascara, you will not find it through Arbonne until the scientists discover a way of making mascara waterproof without toxic ingredients.

I apply the mascara ONLY to the top eyelashes.  Whenever I have done it on my bottom lashes, it looks fake.  My eyelashes are quite light (almost a light brown), and the contrast is too strong with my coloring.

The eyeliner is the shade olive.  LOVE this color.  It is the right amount of green and brown mixed together, and I really love how my aqua eyes look greener when I wear this shade.

Here is my favorite thing about this eyeliner.  The eyeliner literally goes on like buttah. (Butter, get it, all smooth-like???)  I used to never wear eyeliner because I would have to "warm up" the tip with my fingertips to get it to go on smoothly and it just bugs to have to do that.  Plus other eyeliners would fade really fast.  This particular version is very long-lasting (usually 8 hours or longer).  The eyeliner, along with the lip polish, are my favorites from the Arbonne cosmetics line.

TRIPLE ACTION MASCARA INGREDIENTS PDF FILE.

EYELINER INGREDIENTS PDF FILE.

I hope that this has helped you all learn a bit more about the third and fourth steps towards having an all made up look!  :)

You all have a great night and thank you for visiting my blog (if this is your first time here)!