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Monica Botkier LIVE!
When: Wednesday, June 3rd 10am-12pm
Where: Bag Snob.com
Check out Botkier bags here.
Paula Patton Wears Andrew Gn
Paula attends the Cannes premier of "Precious" based on the novel Push by Sapphire.
As beautiful as Paula is, I don"t always love her clothing choices but she looks spectacular here. I love the neckline. I"m glad she opted for color instead playing it safe with a black evening gown.
I cannot wait to see this movie!
Smashbox Lash DNA Mascara
I haven"t used a lot of Smashbox products, and I"ve never tried their mascara, so this was a great surprise that it was such a winner in my book!
I do have fairly long lashes, but I"m usually looking for a mascara that can also give me more volume, a little curl effect and some additional length. Lash DNA did all that and more. This is a great everyday mascara that immediately pumped up and stretched out my lashes, and did not flake or run (it is not waterproof however). As an added benefit, Lash DNA has proteins and amino acids that aid in conditioning and repairing lashes.
The shape of the brush itself is designed to look like a "double helix". It"s fairly round, but on the short side. This shape however, actually allowed it to grab on to each and every one of my lashes, and then give a fanned out effect. I loved it! It was great for defining the lashes, giving some volume and most of all, additional length, with NO clumping. Please note that because of the helix design, you may need to go slowly the first few times as you take the brush and start at the base of your lashes and move upwards. It"s very easy however once you get the hang of it, and it comes with very detailed instructions.
The formula also kept my lashes nicely curled with not a lot of stiffness or crunchiness, stayed on ALL day and was easy to remove at night with regular cleanser or eye makeup remover.
If you have a "library" of mascara"s you like to use, this needs to be included in your collection ASAP! - RLB
Handy Python Clutch
Georgie Baddiel
s: TFS/Arise
28th March 2009
Pegacorn holographic Christmas ornament on a chain
Pink handbag by Bleibtreu
Neon pink bra from Forever 21
Oversized print tank from Forever 21
Black jeans from Sportsgirl, shredded by me
Guess platform mary janes
Watch by Too Late + bracelets
(It is actually not that warm. I am going to throw a cardigan over the top. My apartment is very cozy, however.)
Sheer Stella 2009 from Stella McCartney
Last week, I came across Sheer Stella 2009, and, as a collector, I had to get it.
This year, the shade of the bottle is peachy-pink, with the rose motif in a frosted texture. I do like the contrast between the glossed and frosted finishes (which were also on the bottle of Sheer Stella 2005) and I prefer this bottle design to last year"s, but overall my favorite two are still the 2005 and 2007 ones.
You can see Sheer Stella 2004-2007 here.
Last year"s Sheer Stella is quite unique because of the freesia and raspberry notes it has. Sheer Stella 2009 has gone back to lemon and green apple as top notes, It is, not surprisingly, very similar to the first few editions. According to Now Smell This, the notes include lemon, green apple, rose and amber. Compared with Stella, Sheer Stella is generally more cooling and fresh than sensual. For me, it is a very lovely scent that is never too sweet or powdery, great for a warm summer day. (I hope we will have a decent summer in the UK this year....)
Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick
Tester: Multi-Ethnic (Italian/Dominican) about Salma Hayek"s complexion with medium pigmented lips that are dry.
"Estee Lauder"s newest line of lipsticks, Pure Color Gloss Sticks are really brilliant!
The Orange Poppy shade is a sheer orange/peach with a touch of gold shimmer. It really is a combination of lipstick and lipgloss. The look and feel is glossy and shiny, but it has the staying power and coverage of a lipstick, because there is a good amount of pigment. It was extremely moisturizing and kept my lips moist all day long. This was perfect to give me a little pop of color when I was wearing an otherwise neutral face and also worked at even when if you wanted a dark smokey eye look with a softer, glossy lip.
The scent was nice - a little fruity but not overwhelming. This shade will work best up to a Kerry Washington skin tone. This a fantastic product and one of the collection"s other shades, Pop Pink, is also delightful for a light, fresh spring/summer pink lip look." T.H.
Environmental cues can activate thrifty behavior
Authors Aner Sela and Baba Shiv (both Stanford Graduate School of Business) investigated the difference between goals that influence behavior and semantic activation, which has no lingering effect on behavior.
"Passing mindlessly by a discount store on the way to the mall might activate the goal of being frugal, which can sustain for a relatively long duration and influence subsequent purchases at the mall," explain the authors. "Alternatively, the same discount store may simply bring to mind the semantic notion of frugality, without actually activating the lingering motivation to behave frugally".
The difference between the two outcomes, the authors believe, depends on the degree to which the primed concept (like frugality) is perceived as discrepant from the consumer's self-concept. In other words, a person who does not see himself as frugal who is exposed to a prime is more likely to activate a goal of frugality and to pursue that goal until he feels he has fulfilled it. But someone who already believes she is frugal is more likely to respond to the prime in a short-term fashion.........
heels and long lashes
How do you guard against product build up on your brush? I usually scrape the brush against the rim of the mascara tube the first time I use it that day. It takes some of the product off and it’s easy to do. The less product the better that first layer is, Lash Stiletto looks best with multiple layers, apply while still wet. I used to take off the excess with a tissue but I worried about the tissue ingredients rubbing onto the brush so I came up with this new technique.
The Sweep Grip and Extend Brush is really good because it has a thick end and a thin, smaller end so you can choose which you want to use by the angle. I’m an all black mascara girl so I’m using 951 very black, even though it’s washable I haven’t had any problems while out and about, I know I’m not the only one paranoid about runny mascara in the rain. Lest I forgot to mention I experienced no smudging, it’s super easy to take off and available in a drugstore near you. Give it a try sometime soon and let me know what you think.
Louis Vuitton handbags: the new IT bags for ladies
Just yesterday, I was surfing the net wondering what I should gift my sister for her birthday, and I came across a stunning collection of Louis Vuitton handbags. Louis Vuitton handbags are like, well, The Beatles. Before you see them, you take a resolution that you won't admire them, but once you take a look, it's awfully hard not to fall in love with them - all over again! To cut a long story short, I was drooling over the bags well into the wee hours of the night. I knew I couldn't afford one of these. Even the cheapest of the lot made me sweat. That's when I thought about the next best thing. Why not gift her a Louis Vuitton replica?
I really do enjoy the simple action of giving gifts because it puts a big smile on someone's face. So, shopping for gifts is something I find myself doing a number of times in a month. For those who are perched on the fence about picking up an expensive designer handbag, there are superbly crafted, 99.9% true Louis Vuitton replicas to choose from.
But there's no need to turn your nose up at replicas. Take a look at the tagline of Highreplica.com - 'The art of imitation', they call it. Indeed, there is such a thing as the art of imitation because manufacturers who are serious about manufacturing near 100% look-alikes do their art seriously. They produce high quality Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Jimmy Choo products at a mere fraction of the cist simply by controlling costs in a better way. They also go over the design of the original with a very fine comb (or is it spectacles??). Ultimately, the replica comes out with the exact same shade, design, model number, lock, keys, logos, stamps and metal accessories as the original. In fact, I'm sure that though I've been handling replica designer handbags for a while now, I'd really find it a hard task to spot a real designer from some of these replicas. ........
Moises de la Renta to Launch Fashion Line
Moises de la Renta, the son of famed fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, will be launching his own line, called MDLR, this year in spite of the sharp economic downturn. In addition to working as an assistant for his father, he spent a short time working for Phat Farm. He describes his new collection of clothing and accessories (with prices retailing for just shy of $1K) as "simple,elegant and practical."
The Dominican Republic born designer was adopted by Mr. de la Renta in 1984 after being discovered abandoned in a dumpster by his birth parents. He has described his childhood as typical and boring. On the subject of race The Observer remarked :
He grew up in quaint Kent the only black kid at the local public school. His best friend was the only Jewish kid. He thinks racism is more the province of previous generations.
Unlike many up and coming designers who seem to have a real passion for the industry, Moises" interest in fashion has only blossomed in the last few years. Up until then, he seemed to be more interested in the party scene and women. He has been romantically linked to a number of models and socialites, including Vogue favorite Genevieve Jones (they broke up late last year, according to reports.)
Personally, I"m not very excited by the look in the photo above but I am curious to see the rest of his lookbook. I guess only time will tell if he really has talent for design.
Source: The Cut, The Observer
More Miu Miu! The Studded Tote
On Other Blogs.....
Jezebel lists the figures on how many models of color were represented on the runway during New York Fashion Week:
There were 116 labels that held shows at the recently ended New York fashion week; that"s 3,697 spots in runway and presentation lineups. Of those, 668 were given to models of color — which, at just over 18%, is 6% better than one year ago. (And certainly better than in the fall of 2007, when WWD reported that one-third of the New York shows used no models of color at all.)
....
There were 7 shows that had no models of color at all. Those designers were: Altuzarra, Davidelfin, Jenni Kayne, Julian Louie, Koi Suwannagate, Temperley London, Vera Wang Lavender Label. And there were 19 shows that had some models of color, but no black models. They were: Alexandre Herchcovitz, Behnaz Sarafpour, Costello Tagliapietra, Erin Fetherston, Halston, Marchesa, Max Azria, Milly, Miss Sixty, Monique Lhuillier, Nicole Miller, Philosophy, Reem Acra, Tibi, TSE, United Bamboo, Vena Cava, VPL, Vivienne Tam.
Legend: Yellow = Black models/ Red = Asian models/ Blue = Latina models / Green= Other ethnicities
The biggest winners (in terms of numbers of shows booked) contain the expected names: Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn. Each appeared in 20+ shows while Arlenis Sosa"s number was in the teens. Also spotted on multiple runways were Wakeema Hollis, Sessilee Lopez, Gracie Carvalho, Kinee Diouf, Georgie Baddiel, Mia Aminata Niaria, Ubah Hassan, Shelby Coleman, and Ataui Deng. One notable, 17 year old Lyndsey Scott (represented by Click) made a splash when she became the first woman of color to score an exclusive for Calvin Klein.
The rest of the article is here
MAC Hello Kitty Lipstick
"Oh Hello Kitty, how do I love thee?
This was my first choice for a lip color from the MAC Hello Kitty collection because it said to me "fun, bold and sassy", which is exactly what I was looking for. I had gotten in to a nude lip rut lately, so what was really great about this deep plum/berry color is that it was certainly bright in the tube - but a lot more transparent going on my lips.
The shade is actually very light and sheer, so I was able to build up the color if I really wanted a bold look at night. If not, I could just swipe a quick layer on and I had a nice deep berry stain that brightened up my face, but didn"t "scream" : Look at my lips. I loved how moisturizing it was with that trademark MAC lipstick scent.
Of course the packaging is adorable (it even has a hello kitty imprint on the side of the lipstick). This is a very well done shade, and collection in fact. This shade looks great on darker skin tones in the Kerry Washington - Serena Williams range, but some of our testers who were much lighter (think Jessica Biel - Salma Hayek) also looked great in it because their lips picked up more of the berry in the shade. It"s a universally flattering color (sure to be very "popular" lol!). Buy it now while you can!" G.G.
Consumers won't be deceived twice
"Often consumers' beliefs about the relationship between an attribute and product quality are correct," write authors Wouter Vanhouche (University of Central Florida, Orlando) and Stijn van Osselaer (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University). "For example, higher-priced products are often better quality products. However, in a number of other cases, those beliefs are incorrect. For example, a number of low-priced products are actually quite good and a number of high-priced products are actually quite bad. Some attributes are even just irrelevant to product quality or are completely meaningless. For example, putting silk in shampoo does not do anything for hair but consumers may nevertheless expect it to".
Past research has demonstrated that biasing cues can successfully deceive consumers into buying items. But the authors wanted to find out if the same consumers would be deceived a second time. Using laboratory experiments involving orange juice, polo shirts, and paper towels, the authors observed that biased quality expectations did not carry over to a second purchase. In fact, participants learned from those initial judgment mistakes.........
Marc Jacobs Fall 2009
Jill Stuart Pouch Large
(images and info from www.jillstuart-beauty.com)
Designer beauty brands like Anna Sui and Paul & Joe often cash in on their fashion roots and release beauty accessories featuring original designs. On February 20th, Jill Stuart will release Pouch Large (Sweet Ribbon). It is a set of a bag pouch and a mini pouch with pink-ribbon pattern and Jill Stuart"s signatures. It will join the brand"s beauty tool lineup, which includes the very popular Compact Mirror and Hand Mirror. (However, the pouch, priced at 4725 JPY, will be a limited-edition item.)
(Jill Stuart Beauty is currently available in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is scheduled to be launched in the US with a small selection of products.)
Amala Hydrating Yougurt Mask
"This really is organic luxury at it"s best!
I love using weekly mask treatments to keep my skin hydrated and was interested in this luxury organic line. The packaging is absolutely beautiful (and will also make a nice gift for the beauty lover in your life).
The mask is a medium weight light yellow cream that was silky and light. It sank into my skin and felt wonderful. I absoulutely loved the fragrance, which is a beautiful blend of rose, orange, lemon and clove oils which was relaxing and decadant.
I applied the mask and left it on for about 10 minutes. It dissapeared at the end of the 10 minutes and then I rinsed with warm water, as directed. My skin was soft and had a wonderful glow. It also retained that beautiful fragrance as well.
I used this 2x week for several weeks and could not have been happier with the results. It"s become one of my favorite new masks. This is really worth the price tag!" P.H.
• Formulated with Amala"s organic milk emulsifierEcocert certification• 100% of total ingredients from natural origin• 100% of plant ingredients produced by organic farming• 87% of total ingredients produced by organic farming
Living Necklaces
Can't Live Without: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream
Two years ago I got a 5ml sample of Elizabeth Arden"s Eight Hour Cream at the counter. I tried it on my cuticles and it worked very well (even better than the L"Occitane Nail & Cuticle Cream I had been using). Later on, a friend of mine was traveling to the US and asked me if I would like her to pick up something. Knowing that it was much cheaper in the US (16 USD in the US and 19 GBP here at the time), I asked her to buy it for me. Even though I do use other items occasionally, I always come back to this when I need some serious moisture.
As most of you know, it is a dense semi-transparent orange-colored gel-cream. (I have tried using it as a lip balm. It works fine, but the smell is a little overpowering.) It contains moisturizing agents like petrolatum, mineral oil, castor seed oil, and corn oil. (I like the fact that it does not contain fragrant plant oils, such as lemon oil or orange peel oil, as they can irritate the skin.)
I am suspecting that one of the reasons that it works well to soothe sore cuticles is that it contains salicylic acid, which is an anti-irritant. (Apart from salicylic acid, petrolatum is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.)
Because of the dense texture, I only use it before bedtime, on top of my Garnier hand cream. (I don"t feel that I need to use it more often than this.) Out of all the products I have used on my cuticles, I think this one works the best to keep them moisturized and protected.
The Eight Hour Cream can work as a multi-purposed product, but, I think, even if I just use it as a cuticle cream, it is worth the purchase (well....if I can get it from the US....). Plus, a 50ml tube will last a very long time....
Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain -Wild Berry Wink 440
Tester: Hispanic (Cuban) about America Ferrara’s complexion with lightly pigmented lips.
"Do you love lip color?
Do you hate reapplying it?
Do you like lip colors that are cheery and fun?
If the answer to all three of these questions is "yes" then this Outlast Lipstain is THE product for you, like it was for me!
I was immediately drawn to this fresh and bright shade, Wild Berry Pink. As with any lip stain, it"s important that lips are as smooth as possible, so I exfoliated well before my first application.
My first impression was the flavor of the stain -- it was sweet but not overly so and left a nice scent as well. The pen itself was very easy to use (yes it looks and is almost the exact size of a highlighter pen). I worked quickly to deposit the color first on my top then bottom lips, using light, smooth strokes. There is an enormous amount of pigment in this shade.
The color is a very deep berry pink with a touch of red and is bright but not in a "neon" way. The product did just what it said. It didn"t budge, feather, smudge or get on my teeth at all. It was truly the workhorse of my makeup on the days I wore it! I also loved that it dried quickly and worked well with glosses when I wanted a shinier lip. (Tip:let the stain dry completely before adding gloss!). During the day, the color didn"t fade very much, and when it did towards the end of the day, it faded evenly.
This particular shade may be a bit too bright for very pale skins, but will work very well with those with skintones in the Jennifer Lopez to Gabrielle Union range. The Outlast Lipstain line has a few lighter pinks and pinky/browns that will work on lighter skin tones or for a more nude lip, however.
Editor"s Note: If you have very dry lips make sure you apply a generous layer of lip balm before applying this product." L.G.
Looking for best bargains?
The study compared flights and "price efficiencies" from several Internet travel agent Web sites. Because each site offers widely different flights some flights might have lengthy layovers or multiple connections -it is unwise to simply compare prices. Instead, author Dr. Sangkil Moon, an assistant professor of marketing at NC State, explains that scientists must account for both price and the quality of the flight. Dr. Wagner Kamakura of Duke University and Moon used a statistical model named the stochastic frontier model to account for the value of individual components of a flight such as a direct flight, or a convenient departure time and to estimate the theoretical lowest price of each flight.
The scientists then compared the theoretical price to the actual market price of the flight, or the price that online retailers are charging for the flight. The ratio of the theoretical lowest price and the market price is called the price efficiency.........
First And Black American Designers
Some people think she does. In a brief snippet that appeared in WWD, The Black Artists Association is criticizing Mrs. Obama for wearing clothing by Jason Wu and Isabel Toldedo on Inaguration Day and not garments designed by African-Americans.
Organization co-founder Amnau Eele said that she is planning to make a "formal appeal" to Mrs. Obama on behalf of the organization adding that “It’s fine and good if you want to be all ‘Kumbaya’ and ‘We Are the World’ by representing all different countries. But if you are going to have Isabel Toledo do the inauguration dress, and Jason Wu do the evening gown, why not have Kevan Hall, B Michael, Stephen Burrows or any of the other black designers do something too?.... She continued, “It’s one thing to look at the world without color but she had seven slots to wear designer clothes. Why wasn’t she wearing the clothes of a black designer? That was our moment.”
Hmm. Though I personally would also like to see the First Lady sporting an ensemble by Tracey Reese some day I just have to call bullshit on this complaint. Inauguration Day wasn"t just a moment for black designers, it was America"s moment and to me, this complaint just comes across as childish.
Clothing is personal and most people pick clothing that a) they like, b) looks good on them. As much as I like seeing celebrities (of all races) walk the red carpet in gowns by designers like Kevan Hall, not every Kevan Hall dress is going to look good on every body.
I think both of Mrs. Obama"s ensembles that day fit her particular aesthetic and since she does seem fond of discovering new designers, I would be surprised if she doesn"t eventually wear clothing by up and coming black designers as well.
It seem to me that instead of a harsh criticism, Ms. Eele should be studying Mrs. Obama"s style and sending her best sketches to the First Lady"s office.
What do you think? Does Ms. Eele raise a valid point or is this just sour grapes?
ETA: NYMag.com explores fashipns "unsettled" relationship with The First Lady.
During the campaign, designers, from Marc Jacobs to Tory Burch, celebrated Obama in a frenzy of T-shirts and tote bags that conflated change and style. But despite such liberal goodwill, the industry is overwhelmingly white, both in its makeup and its view of its customer. Not long ago, Stefano Pilati, the designer of Yves Saint Laurent, saw no problem telling Robin Givhan of the Washington Post that black models just don’t look right in his clothes. Michelle’s rumored cover aside, Vogue has only ever had five black celebrities (including LeBron James) on its cover.
An even more vexing question when it comes to Michelle is the fact that she uses fashion but is not defined by her interest in it. She’s no Jackie Kennedy, whose tenure as First Lady is remembered precisely for her interest in style. This seems an unlikely course for Michelle Obama. Here is a beautiful, well-dressed woman for whom fashion is a sidebar.
Bobbi Brown Touch Up Stick
With the new Touch Up Stick * you can keep your foundation looking fresh all day
This mini-stick is perfect to carry in your makeup bag or travel carry on to conceal any imperfections, redness or blemishes.
Its creamy, full-coverage formula is ideal for normal and combination skin types. Best of all it"s available in their full range of 17 shades -- so there"s something for all skintones!
*Stay tuned for our review of the Touch Up Stick!
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