nail color of the week: Nars Bad Influence

this week's mani was actually from last week, but in the hustle of the holiday week, my kids off from school {not to mention i was under the weather...}, blah, blah, blah....i completely forgot to share! thankfully, i did take pics, so i'm doing it now {*smile}.

as you may have already guessed, i dressed my nails in Bad Influence by Nars, a shade that made its debut around this time last year. i bought it just recently via Sephora's f&f {20% off sale and this beauty was also half price {woo-hoo!}!.

Bad Influence is a gorgeous smoky brown taupe, deep enough to make an impact, but still neutral for days you want to play it safe. :)


just to jazz it up a bit, i gave my mani a little accent with Butter London Wallis.

oh, btw, this week i'm rockin' a fun shade called Zoe by Julep {stay tuned~ a post about the brand along with pics of 2 gorgeous shades is coming later this week}.

so tell me, what are you wearing on your tips this week??


currently loving...

current things i'm loving...

crisp, clear, mornings; core fusion dvd workouts {they have changed my changed my body in such a fabulous way...i've all but the current release, and let me tell you, i love them all. the precise toning movements, stretching and gentle cardio are so effective, not to mention that no shoes are required!}; autumn leaves in my yard {yep, that top pic is mine}; the sound of my kids' laughter as they play; devouring books; sipping a freshly brewed cup of cafe bustelo coffee...


my adorable deep pink frame ~ j'adore the shiny lacquer finish ~ i found this beauty at TJ Maxx! for now i have an image of SJP, but will soon be replaced by a fab family pic soon...

mark Whipped Up body butter* in Lemon Sugar...need i say more? from the the fresh, light scent to the silky moisture it gives my skin, this is a keeper.


butter LONDON's British Racing Green nail lacquer is a shade i saw and really liked. i didn't anticipate that i would love it as much as i do. yes, my love affair with red polish continues {BL's Come to Bed Red is beyond gorgeous!}, but this perfect, deep hunter green is fabulous!


Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear foundation* {spf 10} has been altogether brilliant with its hydrating, oil-free, buildable-coverage formula. i love that it has a pump and a little goes a long way.


*sent to me by brand PR; pics taken by me :)

Very Sexy Girls in Bikini

Very Sexy Girls in Bikini 







Very Sexy Girls in Bikini










Very Sexy Girls in Bikini









Very Sexy Girls in Bikini

fun, fab nail look!

happy thursday, beauties ~ don't you love this fabulous nail look?!

i certainly do! it seems to be quite simple to do and looks fab, so i thought you'd also enjoy...

products used {you can, of course, experiment with different shades}:

OPI ~ Suze Takes The Wheel, RapiDray TopCoat
Mattese Elite ~ Always On Top
Deborah Lippmann ~ Boom Boom Pow


here's how to do it...

*paint all the nails with two coats of OPI Suze Take The Wheel, except the rings fingers on each hand.

*paint the ring fingers with 2 coats of Mattese Elite Always On Top.

*apply Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow to the top edge of the nails and then use the edge of the brush to lightly drag the polish down the nail bed, about 55% of the way down.

*wait a few minutes of that to dry, then apply more Boom Boom Pow to the top edge of the nails, without dragging down.

*apply OPI RapiDry TopCoat to the entire nail.

et voila! fun, fancy nails. can't wait to do this myself! :)



source: Annamarie Tendler

Total Beauty: Keep Hair Healthy & Color Vibrant

while i've embraced the ombre trend by allowing my highlighted hair to grow out, i still can attest to the fact that keeping hair color looking fabulous and healthy is possible.

want to know some fab secrets for keeping your color-treated hair looking its best? check out this article from totalbeauty.com...

TotalBeauty.com
5 Expert Tips to Maintain Your Hair Color

You've finally got the color of your dreams -- and then you watch it fade before your very eyes. Find out how to maintain your hair's color now


5 Expert Tips to Maintain Your Hair Color

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair color article

Here's a happy scenario: You found the ultimate colorist and couldn't be happier with the color Mother Nature forgot to give you. Here's the sad follow-up: After a week of rockin' your new color, you realize your hair isn't as lustrous and vibrant as it was when you left the salon. What do you do? Check out these tips on how to lock in your color for good.

Keep color



Laura Mercier Holiday 2011

Laura Mercier's holiday 2011 collection is gorgeous!

really, could we expect anything less?

take a look at these fabulous gems, perfect to gift to any special makeup-loving gal on your holiday list....


Mini Lip Glace Set includes posh and portable shades in Rose {red pink}, Blush {medium rose brown}, After Hours {soft peachy-pink shimmer}, Sparkling {nude beige shimmer} and Quartz {rich sienna with a hint of red}...fabulous for any occasion.

The Luxe Colour Portfolio {first pic, at top} is packaged oh-so-beautifully in a faux snakeskin organizer and features a collection of 12 new, exclusive and top-selling eye color shades, plus 3 mini professional brushes. a great options for home or travel.

bath & body candles are available in Tarte au Citron, Creme Brulee and Warm Roasted Chestnut {pictured ~ smells beyond delicious!} and would make a splendid hostess gift!

other goodies in the collection include a Travel Brush Set {4 double-ended brushes + full size finishing brush}, Kohl Eye Pencil Set, bath & body duo sets {in Creme Brulee or Tarte au Citron scents} and trio sets {includes a Souffle Body Creme, exfoliating scrub and soothing honey bath in scents of Almond Coconut Milk, Creme Brulee, and Fresh Fig}; other palettes include a Book of Nudes {featuring 8 classically neutral eye shades, 1 universal-flattering black-brown Tightline Cake Eye Liner and 3 sun-kissed Creme Veil shades for face and cheeks}, Luxe Eye Portfolio {12 eye colors, plus 3 brushes}, and Petite Eye Colour Trio {available in Smoky Neutrals, Smoky Mauves or Smoky Taupes}.

Laura Mercier holiday 2011 is available now on counter at nordstrom, sephora and saks -- visit lauramercier.com for more info.

happy shopping!


pics taken by me :)

beauty must-have: Skindinavia Makeup Setting Sprays

how do you keep your makeup in place? do you use a primer, a setting spray, both, neither??

for me, i'm all about the prep and the finish. being a busy mom and wife, i don't have time for numerous touch-ups throughout the day {yikes, did that sound super commercially? LOL!}

anyway...

Skindinavia produces a fabulous makeup setting spray that i used to use in the past {i was introduced to it via Beautyfix a couple of years ago}, so when the brand reached out to give me the opportunity to use it again, with the addition of a another finisher they've created for oily skin types, No More Shine Makeup Setting Spray, i was more than happy to give it go. i love the original and had high hopes for the new product -- i love multi-taskers!

No More Shine is amazing, beauties!

i've been spraying it on my skin just before applying my primer and foundation. then, after all my makeup is applied, before dressing my lashes with mascara, i spray my face once again, but with the Makeup Setting spray.

it's been remarkable, loves! my makeup doesn't budge and the oil stays under control.

another fun trick i discovered for making my eyeshadow last is to spritz the shadow brush with the setting spray, then swipe it over my shadow du jour before applying. not only do i get a more intense shade of color because the shadow has been applied wet, but it allows for more staying power!

obviously, these are two products i'm happy to have in my beauty arsenal. i mean, what gal doesn't want her makeup to last all day? :)

visit skindinavia.com for more info.




products featured sent to me for review consideration; pic taken by me :)

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By Crew