Showing posts with label just thought i'd share. Show all posts
Showing posts with label just thought i'd share. Show all posts

Julep Zoe and Samantha + a giveaway!!!

as my love for nail polish grows {really...it's only slightly out of control! *wink}, i love discovering new brands. like lipstick, gloss and mascara, nail lacquer is something that we gals can purchase as a way to treat ourselves without breaking the bank.

one brand i was recently introduced to, and have had the pleasure of using, is Julep. you may have heard of them by now since they recently started a fun program for nail polish lovers {more on that in a minute} and are being featured quite frequently in print and online.

Zoe is a fierce shade of metallic bronzy tangerine, just fabulous for fall and a shade i wouldn't have picked to wear had it not been sent to me. however, after wearing it, i'm an official fan.


the hot pink, Samantha, is characteristically more *me*, but since i'm in full autumn/winter mode, i've actually only worn only once.

i'm beyond thrilled with Julep's 4-free formula {that means it's free of formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene and DBP}; it applies smoothly and lasts with little wear {this is with regard to my personal i-don't-wear-a polish-longer-than-3-days, but i do plenty of handwashing, housework and everyday stuff, like typing, with my hands}.


the range also includes items for keeping hands and feet gorgeous. products like Facial for Hands Glycolic scrub {pictured, above} -- an amazing, simple way to pamper hands at the end of the day! -- spf 30 hand cream and a fun at-home spa pedicure set, just to name a few, is a perfect indication that the brand puts thought into their products when it comes to hand and nail care, but still keeps it fun ~ also makes me wish i lived closer to one of their salons!

another thing i love is that they have come up with, and so excited to share with you, is their Maven program. it allows polish-aholics to receive a set {called a sneak peek box} of their products each month, based on a fun style quiz you take via their website; from there, a selection of products are chosen for you {not-yet-released shades and products, as well as cult faves, plus a surprise}; if for some reason you don't like what is selected for you before the box is sent, you can request what they call a "shelf pull", and they'll select new shades for you. in addition, you'll have access to purchase products from their full line of goodies at 20% off.

each sneak peek box is worth over $40, but membership is less than half and ships for free! you choose when you want to receive your box, or you can skip the month {p.s. ~ if you like the box, but need a fabulous gift, you can opt to have it sent to your gal-pal-- it will arrive wrapped and pretty at her door!}.

sounds fab, right? needless to say, i love the polishes and am in love with this program. since i already belong to a few shoe clubs, and now style and beauty clubs, i figured this was clearly the next club to join! :)

would you like to join? what if i told you could have a 3-month membership for FREE?

you can...because i'm giving one away to one of you, compliments of Julep!!

{the crowd goes wild!} yay!!

i haven't run a contest in over a year, beauties, so i'm truly excited about this for you!

**entry is super simple -- here's how:

*email me, bgmcontests@gmail.com, with Julep in the subject line
*include your full name and mailing address and tell me what your favorite nail color is!
*next friday, december 9, 2011, i'll announce the winner {chosen at random}. u.s. entries only, please.


in the meantime, feel free to take advantage of this offer: enter code beautygirlmusings at checkout and your first sneak peek box will cost only $5! :)

be sure to follow Julep on twitter {@julepnailparlor} for fab tips and nail advice, and learn more about the brand and full range of products by visiting julep.com

good luck!!




*read please: entering this contest means you are giving me permission to forward your name and email address to representatives of Julep for fulfillment and mailing of contest prize. failure to include information requested will disqualify your entry. one (1) winner, chosen at random, will receive the prize mentioned. duplicate entries will not improve your chances of winning. giveaway sponsored by Julep. some restrictions apply. open only to US residents only. entries will be accepted through 11:59 am PST on thursday, december 8. winner will be announced december 9, 2011. thank you. :)

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 :)

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

receiving sparkle ...

every girl loves a bit of sparkle in her life...

in my case it come by way of a fabulous arrangement, a swap to be exact, by the lovely Kaileen Elise, a fellow blogger and all-around extraordinary woman.

simply put, Kaileen wanted to celebrate her 2-year blogging anniversary in a way that would spread cheer, give other fellow bloggers the opportunity to connect, and share a little bit of, well, sparkle!

{via snail mail ~ which i thought was one of the best parts!}

i was assigned {for lack of a better term} to send a package of goodies to a young woman, Ashley, in virginia, and Danielle, the woman assigned to send me a package, i discovered later, lives in ohio. after we all received a little glimpse of our person {by way of questionaire}, we were to send along 4 things: a bit of sparkle, a treat that soothes, something sweet, and a surprise.

here's what Danielle sent!

everything came in a fabulous Breakfast at Tiffany's tin tote-- j'adore!



coffee and chocolates! yummy...

a Sephora gift card and travel-friendly mirror-- so fabulous!


also included was a gorgeous card from Danielle, with a lovely message, along with a note pad and sticky notes {a girl can never have too many!} ~ she definitely spoiled me! i'm forever thankful for her thoughtfulness and generosity ~ i love it all. :)

i had so much fun picking out goodies for my gal, Ashley, too. when she shares her post, i'll be sure to let you know so you can check it out {in the meantime, you can visit her here}!

and finally, i have to say a *big thank you to Kaileen, who single-handily connected so many fellow bloggers through this fun, sparkling adventure!


pics taken by me:)

currently loving...

happy friday, beauties! hope you had a fabulous week...

the first rain of the autumn season fell for about two days this past week, and to say i was thrilled is quite an understatemnet-- i love this time of year! i know that the weather will be going back and forth between warm and cool temps for several more weeks, but i'm still thankful. crisp, cold morning air has greeted me for morning outings with my pup, the leaves are changing colors, i wore coat and scarf {also purchased a new one!}, as well as set a fire in the fireplace. over the past couple of weeks, i've picked up, and been given, some new tea and coffee {discovering and collecting them is so fun-- drinking them is even better!}, finally put my oven back to use for baking...

there are so many things about fall to love, right? and among these seasonal joys, i'm also loving...


my new Midnight Soiree Ring from jewelmint.com -- fabulous, oui?

though i've been a member since the site's launch, i never bought anything. i considered making this ring my first purchase after seeing it on one of my favorite style mavens {and editorial director at Who What Wear}, Hillary Kerr; it was when i recieved an email from jewelmint for a too-good-to-pass-up offer for first-time purchases that sealed the deal...



i've been a fan of MAC's primer, Prep + Prime Skin for a long time {fyi, Victoria Beckham is also a fan!}, so when MAC introduced their Fortified Skin Enhancer, i was intrigued. i have been using it in Recharge {comes in other variations} and not only does this tinted primer give my skin a boost and help my foundation stay put, it also contains an spf of 35-- always a huge plus!



my domestic-diva self loves this gorgeous, good-for-the-planet, lavender floral & mint-scented dish soap by Seventh Generation for washing the things i can't put in the dishwasher...

my beauty-girl self loves that this concentrated formula works fabulously for washing my makeup brushes. ;)


what are you currently loving?

hope you all have a gorgeous weekend! be sure to follow me on twitter and visit my tumblr for more of my musings regarding all things beauty {of course}, style, decor, books, and daily happenings in my life.



image image

happy weekend...

hope you had a fabulous week, beauties! it's the first day of a new month, can you believe it? since it's the weekend, things are a bit slower paced, but i still have some things planned...


i'll be giving my casual weekend ensemble a touch of edgy sparkle...


using an oldie, but a goodie {in new packaging}...

and as is typical for my weekends, do some yoga, spend time with my kids, sip loads of tea and read.

i might even try a new hairstyle...

how will you be spending your weekend?


today...9.28.11

i'm thankful for today-- another beautiful day. no, not perfect in the least, but, along with the normal things {mommy/wife stuff} and fabulous beauty-related goodness {always}, i relished the time to savor the confetti that included coffee and tea sipping, books, magazines and music...

these days this is my favorite coffee to drink with my breakfast...


stopped by the market for some new-to-me bagged tea flavors...


initially went to barnes and noble for the october issue of Harper's Bazaar UK and Jones mags. only ended up with Jones, but i did find 2 books {plus 1} that i've wanted to read on the bargain shelf {hello, huge discount!}-- love that!



last month, i signed up for a tea exchange, so today paid a visit to my favorite local tea and coffee brewery; i know the owners and they are always extremely helpful when i visit {you can sip a sample of anything before you buy}. needless to say, they had some fabulous selections of new and rare loose leaf blends that i bought for both for myself and my recipient {i'll be sharing more about the exchange after i receive my package}...

the day was also complimented with good music. i've been on an indie and jazz kick for the last couple of days, so, via Pandora radio, my ears experienced selections from Kate Nash, Foster the People, The Head and the Heart, The Weepies, Deb Talan, Zee Avi, Adele, Landon Pigg and She & Him, just to name a few...

how was your day?



all pics, except the first, taken by me :)


currently loving...

it seems my days are going by so much faster these days. i wake up, and before i know it, the day is coming to an end and it's time to sleep! it's kind of nutty when i think about it, but i definitely many things to be thankful for-- my family, my friends, my health and the fact that you are here reading this! :)

sprinkled on top of my thankfulness are some delightful things i'm currently loving in this moment...


There's Cake in My Future by Kim Gruenenfelder....a fun chick-lit read {be warned, it is a bit rated-r, due to all the f-bombs dropped}, but the story is funny and engaging. i'm about 70% through it and can't wait to see how the story of three friends, their lives and hope for the future will end up!


fresh, roasted red peppers with my egg whites at breakfast {and sometimes lunch and dinner, too, lol!}...



this image of a small laundry room space is inspiring the redecoration of my own slightly larger laundry space...


NYX Natural Look Nude on Nude Kit is the perfect little gem for travel and everyday use. every shade is wearable, giving my eyes added day-friendly glam, but i also love that the neutral tones help to enhance the shade of a bright-colored eye liner!


philosophy Falling in Love...i picked this up on a Sephora run when they were out of favorite Unconditional Love {j'adore!}; i figured, "why not try it?"...and now, well... :)

random pics from my tumblr...

this glittery eye is so fun!


amazing manicure...


love the mixing of prints, and a blazer is always a must for fall...


backstage at Monique Lhuillier spring 2012


i love the wallpaper in this room, not to mention the color scheme, the lamp on the nightstand...ok, the whole room!


the inspiration board from the office of WhoWhatWear.com's creative director Katherine Power; includes a shot from Jenni Kayne's Resort '12 collection, her favorite Chloe advertisement, a few street-style shots, and her blue Reed Krakoff mini shoulder bag.


a shot taken of Rachel Zoe's spring 2012 collection...bananas...





here's to a fab rest of the weekend...and to an even more gorgeous week!

images via my tumblr and not owned by me...



By Crew