Dry Skin? No Thank You!

  Don't you just hate how dry and parched the skin gets during the winter season? I know I most certainly do. The cold, wind, and dry air can be brutal on one's delicate skin. And sometimes, it seems no matter what you do, it won't go away. After years of battling dry skin in the winter, I have found the right regimen to maintain smooth baby skin all year long!

   First, you must exfoliate. As painful as it may seem, you need to get rid of that rough layer of dead skin. Bring a pumice stone into the shower with you, and as you are showering, gently scrub off all those super dry patchy areas on your body (hands, elbows, heels of footsies, etc...). Afterwards, slather an exfoliant (I love St. Ives Apricot Scrub) all over your body, then rinse thoroughly.

   Once your skin is scrubbed clean, you want to feed your once parched skin. Here are a few of my favorite products that work around the clock to protect my skin from being weathered by winter.

   L'Occitane makes some of the most luxurious, all natural products I have ever come across. Yes they are a bit pricey, but it's definitely worth the investment sometimes. Their Shea Butter hand cream is rich, thick, and smells great. It isn't heavy, and I actually like to use it all over my body! Even if you wash your hands, your hands will still be moist. Their Shea Butter Body Lotions are just as wonderful and moisturizing.

   Burt's Bees is a great all natural brand that is super affordable and available almost everywhere. Their Milk & Honey line is absolutely light and incredible on the skin. It's not too thick, lasts a long time, and It smells like a confectionary treat!

   AVON Moisture Therapy line is one of AVON'S  best moisturizers. I personal love and highly recommend their body butter/cream in a jar, and their intensive hand cream. They are miracle workers, and they are well under $10! Moisture therapy is perfect for sensitive skin, as it contains no fragrances or harsh chemicals. I was recently doing a lot of cleaning with heavy detergents, and my hands became parched! My mother came to my rescue with some Moisture Therapy Intensive Hand Cream, and my hands were cured by the end of the day!

  The last product is like no product you have ever tried before. From previous posts, you already know I'm a huge fan of Coastal Scents. They have an out-of-this-world product that changes the moisturizer game. It is their 100% Shea Butter infused with Cocoa Butter. It is purely organic, and it is in its natural solid form. It comes in a giant jar, with a spoon. Not to eat, but to scrape. Hey if you choose to eat it, I won't judge you! Using the spoon, you scoop up some of the Shea Butter mixture, rub it between your hands, then slather it all over your body. It doesn't have too much of a smell, but your skin will feel brand new! The beauty about this being organic is that it has many uses. You can even use it on your hair! I've tried it on my ends, when they were a bit dry from styling, and it worked wonders! I highly recommend this product, along with the other goodies I have recommended. They will help to revive your precious skin, and make you feel great. 

   If you know of any other moisturizers that are great on parched winter skin, please feel free to share them below. Keep hydrated, keep warm, and as always...

Stay Glam,

Christina 

Xoxoxo 

Makeup 101: The Power Of Contouring

   There are so many tricks of the trade when it comes to makeup artistry. The face is a blank canvas, the makeup is the paint, and the brush, well it's a brush! You can create whatever look you want on any given day. You can even create illusions which is pretty genius if you ask me. Higher cheekbones? A slimmer nose? A defined jawline? Defined eyes? With a stroke of a brush, you can create it all. It's not necessarily about changing one's appearance, it's about enhancing your features, and creating a balanced look. Keep in mind, every face and feature is different. So what I may choose to highlight and define, might not be the same for the next person. It's important to know your face, and choose what you wish to contour. For example, if you know you already have a slim nose, it really isn't necessary to highlight and define that feature.

   I first learned about contouring a few years ago from a YouTube tutorial. I was so fascinated, I continued to do research to learn more on the subject. Then I started experimenting on my face until I got the hang of it. There are a multitude of products you can use to contour. I have a few contouring palettes which are great to have. However, for my daily routine, my go-to products are: concealers, blush, highlighter, and bronzer. 

   I created a few visual aids to help show you the bare bones of makeup contouring. There are many intricate techniques, but you really only need to know the basics for day to day looks. To begin, you apply your foundation as you normally would. Then you can grab your favorite concealer, and get ready to start the fun!

1) You can start out by contouring the nose. Grab the same concealer you use under your eyes since it is usually a shade or two lighter than your foundation. Using a makeup brush, or your finger, draw a straight line down the bridge of your nose, stopping just before the tip. With a darker concealer, bronzer, or using the dark shade from your contour palette, lightly define the sides of your nose. This will create the illusion of a slimmer, pointier nose. 

2) Next, you can define your eyes. First conceal your under eye area as you normally would, extending the concealer out towards your temples. Using your light concealer or a highlighter (shimmer or matte, whichever you choose), you want to swipe some right on your brow bone. This will lift and widen your eyes. This trick especially comes in handy on those days when you haven't exactly had your 8 hours of sleep. Defining your eyes will instantly wake you up, making you appear refreshed and ready to conquer your day. 

3) The cheekbones/cheeks are one of the crucial features on one's face. A well defined cheekbone, or blushed cheek apple will help to frame the face perfectly. If you are looking to define your cheekbones, take your lighter concealer shade, starting from the corner of your mouth, brush upwards staying underneath the natural cheekbone line. Then using your bronzer, draw a line right above where you just highlighted. This is right under the cheekbone. Doing this will define the bone, making it stand out. Take your blush and your blush brush, and apply as you normally would. If it helps to suck your cheeks in during this process, go right ahead! 

  If you are not the kind of girl that prefers to blush the apples of your cheeks, simply smile and blush the rounds of your cheeks. 

   There are so many other parts of the face and body that can be contoured and highlighted. Whenever I am wearing something that accentuates my shoulders I like to sweep some bronzer across my collarbone to highlight my neckline and broad shoulders.  If you are interested in me showing you more contouring tricks, please do not hesitate to let me know.

   Here's a closer look at some of the products I use to highlight and contour. 

- The blush is by AVON 

- The highlighter pencil is by Chella (one of my favorite products!)

- Wet n Wild Mega Glow is surprisingly amazing for blush, and contouring. 

- Benefit Watts Up is great for highlighting the browbone.

- Pixi Bronzer is great for not only creating the perfectly sun-kissed look, but great for contouring and defining. It's very soft and subtle. 

- My favorite concealers are Extra-Lasting Concealer by AVON, and Color Stay by Revlon. 

- The contour palette (previously pictured) is by Coastal Scents.

  To finalize your look, using a finishing powder and a blending brush, dust the powder across your face. This will lock in your look. Apply your favorite eyeshadow, eye liner, brow filler, lipstick/gloss, mascara, and you are ready to go! I hope this was both enjoyable and helpful for you. 

Stay Glam, 

Christina 

Xoxoxo 

   

   

 

The 2014 Golden Globes Red Carpet Report.

  Sunday's live broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards was certainly full of many memorable moments (think of Jennifer Lawrence photo-bombing Taylor Swift during her red carpet interview with Ryan Seacrest! Priceless.), surprise wins (Andy Samberg anyone?) , and of course the beautiful couture. I watched intently as each star graced the red carpet, carefully observing and taking notes. Each year there is a popular color trend on the red carpet. This year it seems as though the go-to colors were classic Black and White. Yes there were gorgeous pops of color, but overall, the stars played it safe in terms of their color choice. There were many types of silhouettes on display however, so that kept the fashion aspect of the show fresh and interesting. I am a true fashionista at heart, so I love a beautiful gown, jewels, and accessories. I also love and admire a fashion risk-taker. Some of my favorite silhouettes are the mermaid gown, gowns with cascading trains, and the classic ballgown. I love a lot of bling, shimmer, and drama. On the other side of the spectrum, I do love the beauty of simplicity done right. Reese Witherspoon in a lovely blue fitted Calvin Klein Collection gown, with minimal makeup, and jewelry, defines the phrase. Her look on Sunday evening allowed her dress and true beauty to be the main focus. It reminded me of Jennifer Lawrence at the Academy Awards a few years ago when she also wore Calvin Klein Collection, and kept the rest of her look minimal and flawless.
  While many of the Golden Globe's stars were visually stunning, some of them missed the mark. I want to dedicate this blog-post to some of the ladies who I feel were the Best Dressed of the evening, and I also want to address the looks I wasn't in love with. I hate saying the term "Worst Dressed". I think it sounds kind of mean. It's hard to call a designer couture gown ugly... Well unless we are talking about the infamous swan gown Bjork wore to the Academy Awards years ago! That was most certainly hideous. It might work for a Halloween costume ball, but not a formal red carpet event. On that note, here are some of my favorite red carpet styles from the award show:

1) Sofia Vergara wore one one of my favorite looks of the evening. She surprised me by wearing black. Sofia is known for wearing vivacious colors, and figure hugging silhouettes. Although dressed in black, she did NOT disappoint! I am such a huge fan of Sofia, and her style. She knows what looks amazing of her gorgeous body, and she always carries herself with elegance and grace. Sofia was a show stopper in a black Zac Posen full ballgown with a fitted bodice. She accented her gown with a stunning greenish-blue statement necklace by her favorite jeweler Lorraine Schwartz. Her beautiful long hair was in soft loose waves. In my opinion this woman can do no wrong!
2) Kate Beckinsale was absolutely beautiful as always in a sparkly metallic gunmetal mermaid gown by Zuhair Murad. The gown was so intricate in detail, and photographed beautifully from every angle. Kate wore her hair up, and kept the accessories at a minimum to maintain the focus on her gown. She is a classic English rose, who always looks gorgeous.
3) Jessica Chastain is such a classic beauty. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this woman! She is just so sweet, humble, and spectacular. And may I point out she is a red-head?! I love a beautiful ginger-haired woman. Jessica followed the theme of the evening by wearing black. She wore a figure enhancing, floor length embroidered gown by Lanvin. Her hair and makeup were very simple, as this woman is near perfection! Jessica accessorized her gown with a diamond necklace that draped on her back.
4) Jenna Dewan-Tatum was a vision in white and black. Her strapless mermaid style gown was by Roberto Cavalli, and it showcased her perfectly toned body. She is a natural beauty with a great sense of style. Everything about Jenna is very soft and whimsical. Jenna had the best "accessory" of the evening... Her dreamy husband Channing Tatum. Sigh, enough said.
5) Kate Blanchet is what I like to call a good fashion risk taker. She has a love for the art of couture. Fashion isn't just something she wears, it's an art-form for her, and she always takes my breath away. Her gowns are always intricate in detail, and totally different from what everyone is wearing. Kate may have been wearing black, but there was nothing basic about her gown. She wore Armani Prive. Her gown was a sheer black, shimmery, chantilly-lace, floor-length gown. It had capped-sleeves, and a high neckline. The back of the gown was cut low, in a scalloped shape design. In a single word, she was 'Exquisite'. That is why she is Kate The Great!
6) Taylor Swift wore her favorite color, red. She was reminiscent of a young Grace Kelley in her color-block red and black Carolina Herrera A-Line gown. Taylor's gown had a bustle in the back which made it even more Old Hollywood. She wore her hair in a faux-bob with soft waves, and a classic red lip to complete her red carpet look.
7) Cat Sadler isn't a movie star (she is an E! News Host), but she most definitely channeled her inner movie star for the Golden Globe Awards! Fashion Correspondents usually aren't supposed to upstage the stars on the red carpet, but in her sheer neutral lace custom made Loretta Saber gown, Cat shined like a winner. I love her on E! News. She is so effortless and cool. Her red carpet look reminded me of Jennifer Lopez's sexy sheer lace gown from last year's broadcast.
8) Olivia Wilde was absolutely glowing, and not only because she is with child, but because of her dark green, sequins-covered floor-length gown by GUCCI. It isn't always easy to dress a pregnant body, but Olivia made it look so simple, comfortable, and sexy!
9) Jennifer Lawrence's gown was probably the most talked about of the evening! There were many mixed reviews about it, and the internet was crowded with memes about the dress (look up #Lawrencing. You're Welcome! Haha!). Dare I say I liked it? It's not my favorite gown on her, but I think Jennifer can make a paper bag look great. She wears everything with so much ease and confidence, making it hard to dislike anything she's wearing. Jennifer is the face of Dior, so it is no surprise that is the designer she wore. Her ballgown was a gauzy white and black double-belted number. Wearing a double-belted look is very tricky. Luckily she isn't too curvy otherwise the look would have made her look disproportionate. The gown didn't photograph well from every single angle, and it's the type of gown that needs to occasionally be adjusted. All in all, I really liked it. Jennifer accented her gown with emerald earrings, and flawless makeup. Her Merlot lips, and her pixie cut made the whole look a bit edgier.
Honorable Mention:

Reese Witherspoon wore a beautiful bright blue Calvin Klein gown, which brought out her blue eyes. Reese's gown wasn't embellished, nor was it dramatic. However, there was something so outstanding, and chic about her look. That is why I made her my honorable mention.
    Now that I have gushed about my most favorite looks of the night, it is time to get a little serious. I have to address the looks that I didn't like, or even understand. I'd like to point out that each of these women are beautiful (I use that word frequently, I am aware! I can't help it.). The gowns they (or their stylists) chose to wear, did their beauty no justice.

1) Emma Stone was a shocker for me. Usually she is perfectly styled from head to toe. I love Emma (yes she is a red-head!). She is the epitome of cool. However the dress she wore was frumpy to say the least. The dress had no shape to it at all, and I just wasn't a fan of it. When I read that her dress was by Chanel, I had to do a double take! I couldn't believe it. Usually Chanel is so classic, and well fitted. This dress isn't what I am used to seeing on a Chanel runway.
2) Heidi Klum is a lovely supermodel. Designers pay her handsomely to look great in their designs. That being said, I was not impressed by her choice of gown for the Golden Globe Awards. Heidi wore a busy black and white floral Marchesa gown. In my opinion, it did nothing to flatter her.
3) Zoe Saldana is a statuesque young woman who usually looks pulled together and elegant. For the award show she wore a calf length dress that was so unattractive. It was a busy, off-the-shoulder dress, with way too much going on. It was confusing. The designer was Prabal Gurung
4) Zoey Deschanel is one of my favorite TV actresses. Her signature haircut is what prompted me to finally get bangs again years ago! She is adorable in every way, and I usually love the way she dresses. Her red carpet look however wasn't winning me over. Zoey was in head to toe Oscar De La Renta. I actually liked the bottom half of her dress. I just felt like her top should have accentuated her waist more. Her look made her look shapeless. And the poor gal was in pain in her embellished shoes. By the end of the broadcast, Zoey's shoes were in her hands.
5) Lena Dunham is the most difficult for me to discuss. I know she has really been trying to be that girl who wow's at award shows, but she has yet to wear a gown or a look to flatter her figure. Lena wore a yellow mermaid-style, strapless gown by Zac Posen. The gown was too tight in all the wrong places, and it was overwhelming on her. I think she needs to stick to A-Line style dresses which are a bit more flattering on fuller figures such as hers. The key is tailoring! Her stylists need to learn to have her gowns tailored to fit her body better. Once that happens, Lena can be the red carpet stunner she wants to be.
6) Drew Barrymore is someone I have loved and admired forever. She has a quirky, whimsical sense of style. She is currently expecting her second child, so I can imagine that picking out a gown wasn't an easy feat. Her choice of a flowery Monique Lhuiller gown was just too busy and loose for her. I'm sure it was comfortable on her, I just think she could have worn something better.
7) Kaley Cuoco is an absolute darling. I am a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory and I've adored her since she was a young girl on the show 8 Simple Rules  starring the late John Ritter. Kaley recently got married, and wore a pretty soft pink wedding gown. That was a true testimemt to her sense of fashion, which in one word can be described as 'fun'. Her choice of gown for the Golden Globe Awards in my opinion was a bit underwhelming. It is a beautiful gown, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't the right gown for a girl with her hair color and complexion. With her blonde hair and fair skin, the dress seemed to wash her out. If she had chosen a different color in the same silhouette, she might be on my best dressed list.

8) Sandra Bullock is another one of those actresses I have had a girl crush on forever! She is so beautiful, and so timeless. She usually is a red carpet stunner, but for some reason I wasn't loving her tea-length, color block Prabal Gurung gown. I feel as though it overwhelmed her petite frame. I would have loved to see her in something more structured, or in lady-like, silk-organza ball gown. 

9) Julia Roberts is someone I always love to see at big Hollywood events. She is one of my favorite actresses of this generation, next to Meryl Streep. Julia is just so cool, and effortless, and she says what's on her mind without ever being apologetic. She is the second red-head I ever fell in love with (the first was Lucille Ball). When I saw Julia on the red carpet Sunday evening, I didn't know what to think at first. I know she is daring at times with her fashion choices, and she could really care less what fashion critics have to say. Julia has an incredible figure, and she is ageless (without the help of a plastic surgeon, thankfully). I honestly felt if she wore her fitted Dolce & Gabana gown without the dress shirt, it would have been more elegant, if not safe. Yet again, fashion critics, and bloggers such as myself might not even be talking about her, had she not worn the shirt. It's kind of a fashion catch 22. I think in years to come, Julia Roberts red carpet look will be one to remember, whether people liked it or not. Overall, she is Julia Roberts! With her beautiful face and million dollar smile, I could almost care less what she wears. 

   I want to thank you for taking the time to  check out my blog. I know some of my posts have been long, and I hope that's not a bad thing for you. I am just so passionate about what I love, I want to share my thoughts with you. I hope you have enjoyed my review. If you have any comments, disagree with any of my choices, or you feel like I missed out on anything, feel free to comment below. I look forward to any feedback. 

  I have a couple of other interesting blog posts that I am working on so don't go too far! Stay tuned, and as always....

Stay Glam, 

Christina 

Xoxoxo 

   

Splurge vs Steal: The NAKED Palette Edition

  If you're a makeup addict like me, then I am sure you have heard of Urban Decay's famous NAKED Palettes. They are a collection of palettes in beautiful neutral shimmer and matte tones suitable for most skin tones. Unless you have money to throw away, the NAKED Palettes are pretty pricey.. They retail at Sephora for approximately $52! I had always wanted one but never wanted to pay the full price. Luckily in late November I was able to purchase the NAKED 2 (my personal favorite) at a discounted price. I am a Sephora VIB member, so I was awarded a $15 voucher to use towards any purchase. I also had an extra 25% off! I was excited the NAKED 2 was finally going to be mine. I could finally see what all the fuss was about. 

The NAKED 2 Palette definitely lives up to all the hype. It is a beautiful collection of neutral beiges, coppers, browns, and even a matte black. The palette is presented in a gorgeous metal case with a high quality dual-sided eyeshadow brush, and a mirror. The colors glide on smoothly and are highly pigmented. They have staying power and won't fade as your day goes by. 

  Have you ever wondered if you could find something similar to Urban Decay's NAKED Palettes, at a fraction of the price? Well earlier this fall I discovered a gem. Coastal Scents is a very well known makeup and cosmetics brand that creates high quality and affordable professional products. I own many of their palettes, brushes, and other products, and I can definitely say their quality is great. Coastal Scents released their highly anticipated REVEALED Palette which is strikingly similar to the NAKED 2 by Urban Decay. 

THE COMPARISON:

   The REVEALED Palette is a collection of gorgeous neutral colors in shimmer and matte tones. Many of the colors are almost exact dupes for shades in the NAKED 2 Palette. I made a chart to display the dupes between both palettes (below). The colors are very pigmented for the most part, and are easy to apply. Although I do feel the light matte colors are slightly less pigmented than the shimmery colors. If I had to find a con about the REVEALED Palette, it would be that upon application, the colors can be bit messy at times. It's not too bad though. The colors do have strong staying power just as the ones from the NAKED Palette. The packaging is very simple compared to the NAKED Palette's luxurious metal case, and it does not include a dual-sided eyeshadow brush, but that's why you only pay $20 versus the $52 you pay for the fancy Urban Decay packaging. It doesn't make the REVEALED Palette any less awesome.

     Below I have made swatches of each color in both palettes for your viewing. As you can see the quality of both palettes are great for makeup artists and makeup aficionados. So whether you choose to spend $52 for the Urban Decay brand, or $20 for The Coastal Scents brand, I think you will be happy with either (or both) purchases. There is a palette for everyone to love. I just wanted to share a

wonderful beauty bargain with you! 

Stay Glam,

Christina 

Xoxoxo 

* The REVEALED Palette can be purchased at www.coastalscents.com

* The Urban Decay Palettes can be purchased at your local Sephora.