BRB…

I’m taking a short break from blogging…just for a few days. I’ll be back on Monday (or maybe Tuesday) with more beauty-full posts.

In the meantime, here are a few of my fave posts from the month of March. Enjoy…and feel free to catch up!

• Let’s Get Glowing (a complete guide to finding your best illuminator)
• On My List for Spring (fashion overload!)
• 60s Glam in Full Swing on Mad Men
• Spring’s Prettiest Nailpolishes
• Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
• Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lipgloss in Charmed

See you all next week…have a great weekend!! xoxoTop image via Lena Clara/fStop; this image via Paul Burns/Lifesize

On My List for Spring

It’s been awhile since I really shopped. Recently, I’ve been hitting the stores to add a few carefully-selected pieces to build up my spring wardrobe. Here’s what I’m buying — and coveting — for spring.

These newly-purchased pieces have created a color explosion in my closet.

1. J.Crew Factory Double-Serge Pencil Skirt in Neon Rose ($70): I thought this bright pinky-coral skirt would be limiting, but this wardrobe staple is surprisingly versatile. So far, I’ve paired it with a neon yellow cardigan, a navy-and-white striped cardigan, and a leopard button-down. And the pencil-skirt fit is slimming and flattering. (Image via J.Crew Factory)

2. Lilly Pulitzer Resort Chic Metallic Leopard wedges (no longer available): I picked these up at Lilly’s December warehouse sale, and don’t remember the price. All I know is that I was drooling over them in the store a month earlier, and there they were! With the warm weather we’ve been having lately in Philly, I’ve already worn these quite a few times, and adore them. Despite their heel height, the wedge makes them really easy to walk in. (Image via Lilly Pulitzer)

3. J.Crew Factory Enamel Square Bracelet ($26.50): I couldn’t resist a pop of color on the wrist, courtesy of these mango-colored stones. (Image via J.Crew Factory)

4. LOFT colorblock shift dress (no longer available): I saw Maria Menuonos wearing this on Extra, and had to have it. It’s so perfect; I mean, is there anything easier than a shift dress? Just throw a denim jacket or cardigan on top if needed. And as the weather warms, this staple will look great both in the office and out on hot summer nights. (Image via LOFT)

5. Old Navy Rockstar Colored Super Skinny Jeans ($34.94): During Old Navy’s sale, I may have purchased these in pink and green. 2 for the price of 1…how could I resist?!

6. Sperry Topsider “Angelfish” in gold python: With my closet full of bejeweled and patterned ballet flats, I desperately needed a casual, comfy shoe I could knock around in on weekends. But of course, I wanted them to be a little glam! I scored these beauties at DSW, and they couldn’t be cushier or comfier…and there’s no fear of ruining them, as they’re water- and stain-resistant. (Image via Von Maur)

7. Lilly Pulitzer Somserset dress ($108): The moment I saw it and felt its soft jersey knit, I knew this Lilly dress would be one of those transitional pieces that I live in this spring. The comfy fabric and the fact that it fits like a glove makes it my easy spring go-to dress. (Image via Lilly Pulitzer)

…And some pieces I’m coveting for spring.

1. YSL Arty Ring ($250): The more I see this on Pinterest and fashion blogs, the more I have to have it. Obsessed is not the word! (Image via Pinterest)

2. LOFT Eyelet Miniskirt ($59.50): Punchy pink with feminine, modern eyelet cutouts. So pretty. (Image via LOFT)

3. J.Crew Maritime-Stripe Blazer ($118): A laidback striped cotton takes blazers down to a comfortable, casual level that’s perfect for spring nights, and summer days at the office. (Image via J.Crew)

4. Mint jeans! (Image via Pinterest)

5. A classic nautical long-sleeved T under a blazer is great transition wear for when the mornings are still chilly. (Image via Pink Peonies)

6. I’m obsessed with LOFT’s Crosshatch Dot Print Tiered Dress ($79.50)…so perfect! Dress it up, dress it down, it’s always cute with the fun black & white polka dot print. (Image via LOFT)

7. J.Crew Crystal Cupcake Necklace ($118): The mint craze extends to jewelry…and it’s pretty and polished. (Image via J.Crew)

What are you coveting for spring??

Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF20

Lately, my skin has been looking horrendous: dull, lifeless, and totally devoid of any sort of glow. Even my Clarisonic Mia 2 can’t bring life back to my complexion these days. So last week, I got a sample of Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF20 ($32) at Sephora, and tossed it into my makeup bag without thinking twice about it. Over the weekend, I dug it out and decided to give it a whirl. INSTANT LOVE.

Although it looks like nothing great in its tiny tube, this tinted moisturizer is all I need to breathe life back into my skin. (If you have normal skin with no serious acne problems, I bet it will have the same effect on you.) There was just enough super subtle shimmer in it to make my whole face glow, while evening out my skin tone and masking imperfections. But this isn’t chunky or even highly-pigmented shimmer; if you’ve ever used MAC Strobe Cream, it contains less shimmer than that (and definitely less than most luminizers). But here’s the beauty of it: it doesn’t look shimmery on the face at all. It just makes my skin look glowy, pretty, and refreshed. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this stuff; this will for sure be a makeup bag staple for me.

There’s more after the jump.

1960s Glam in Full Swing on Mad Men

Why can’t we all dress like it’s the 1960s? The makeup! The bouffant hair! The silhouettes of the dresses! I’ll have to settle for reliving the glamorous, chic style through Mad Men (which, you know, could be worse). With all eyes glued to the TV last night, now seems like a good time to recap the best looks of the season 5 premiere.

Megan Draper’s rendition of “Zou Bisou Bisou” was fittingly embarrassing and corny, but she did look chic and stylish at the surprise party she threw for Don. I love the dramatic black winged eyeliner with false lashes and a touch of pale blue-grey shadow. And the super-sculpted cheeks. (Has that damn “Zou Bisou” song been stuck in your head all day? It was released on iTunes today, so now you can download it and drill it into your brain on repeat.)

Back the office, Megan went for a classic work look in a sleek and chic orange sweaterdress (complete with cute Lilly Pulitzer-inspired frog brooch). My favorite part about the look is the way she subtly sexed it up: voluminous sex kitten hair, lush false lashes and smudged black eyeliner, and matte coral lips. Sexy, yet toned down enough for the office. Love it.

Hey, if you’re going to visit your boss/baby daddy back at the office after giving birth to his son, who you told him you aborted, you might as well look good doing it. Joan showed up at SCDP in typical Joan fashion: all boobs, red lips, and red updo. And of course Roger would pick up his illegitimate son with a cigarette dangling from his lips. I mean, does this show keep getting better OR WHAT.

Peggy looks pretty much the same, except she’s teased her a hair a bit. Baby steps.

Conspicuously absent was Betty Draper Francis, who I can’t wait to see. Is she still seeing Sally’s therapist? Is she still making Henry miserable? So many questions.

And also, THIS.Images via Huffington Post

OPI Summer ’12: Vintage Minnie Mouse

This post is dedicated to Danielle, the biggest Disney lover I know.

This summer, OPI is paying homage to the original screen siren: Minnie Mouse. The Disney lady steals the spotlight in “Vintage Minnie Mouse,” a 4-piece collection inspired by Minnie’s favorite colors. I especially love the clever display pictured above, which features vintage animation cels wrapping around the polishes. And Miss Minnie, is of course, featured, in all of her polka-dotted glory.

What can you expect from this collection? Variations on pink and red, obviously!

From left: I’m All Ears (shimmery magenta); Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It (light pink with fine glitter and pale pink chunky glitter); If You Moust You Moust (pure cool pink); The Color of Minnie (true Minnie red).

If you’re a Minnie fan, why not use these polishes to create a really fun Disney-inspired manicure, like red with white polka-dots? Super cute!

I know Danielle is going to love this! She may have to switch up her normally neutral nails to sport some Disney love on her fingertips. Get your hands on these polishes June 1.

Top image via OPI; product shot via.

Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lipgloss in Charmed

Sometimes, you just have to buy makeup because it’s pretty. And the packaging on Tarte’s Divine Shine Maracuja Lipgloss ($21) is so gorgeous, it was really hard to resist. So I didn’t.

I wrote about how badly I wanted to try this gloss a few weeks ago (post here), and when I finally had the chance to swing by Sephora and pick it up, it was tough to make a decision on which shade to get! After much internal debate, I finally chose Charmed, a cool-toned, blue-based pink that’s utterly feminine. (Full disclosure: I later went back and got Amused, a bright cool pink — the other color I was debating.) The gloss is infused with maracuja oil, a naturally-derived oil from Brazilian maracuja fruit. Tarte says that Amazonian women call it “nature’s miracle” because of its restorative, skin-loving properties. In this case, it’s supposed to help battle fine lines and wrinkles on the lips and around the mouth.

And can we just talk for a second about the packaging? Sometimes, a girl’s gotta buy makeup because it’s in cute packaging. And this may be the prettiest lipgloss tube I’ve ever seen, with the floral pattern and bright colors. And it doesn’t stop there; it’s got a great feature that I’m enamored with: you click the bottom, rather than twisting it, to funnel the gloss into the built-in brush. It makes application quicker, more convenient (just one hand needed), and easier to do on the fly. It sounds like a small variation, but actually, this one has a big impact. It makes application much smoother, faster, and fun (because of the clicking!).I have 2 complaints about this product. First, when I applied the gloss, the color was much sheerer than it looked in the tube. It basically looked like a clear gloss on my lips. It was ultra-shiny, with a slightly creamy finish. (As far as color goes, Amused was a much better pick because it was opaque and creamy.) My second complaint: the texture is really tacky. Whenever the wind blew, my hair stuck to my lips (hate that!). But still, these weren’t dealbreakers, because there are so many things I loved about this product. I’ve been using it daily.

What do you think of Tarte using maracuja oil in their products? Are you going to try any of them? Aren’t you just swooning over this adorable packaging?!

MeMeMe Goddess Bronzing Rocks

I love products that serve more than one purpose. MeMeMe’s Goddess Bronzing Rocks ($20) let you get a few different uses out of them. There are several shimmery shades of bronze “rocks” tucked into this tiny pot, ranging from pale taupe to deep copper. Use them as a bronzer by sweeping a fluffy brush over the rocks’ surface and blending into your skin; you’ll get a flush that’s a nice mix of all the shades of the rocks. Or, for a wash of nude shimmer on your eyes, drag an individual rock in your choice of color across your lids, or pick up the color with a fluffy brush and blend across the lid. Finally, looking to amp up your gloss? Take a chip off the old rock and grind it into a fine powder, then mix into your gloss or pat on top of your lipstick with your fingers. It’s like getting 3 products in 1, all for $20. I’ll take it.

Image via Nordstrom

NARS Spring ’12

This spring, makeup is all about color. Not to be left behind, NARS is doing color right by creating a collection that injects an air of sophistication with a touch of playfulness. As I’ve said probably 100 times before while talking about the spring ’12 collections, I am so over the gray skies and dreary weather; I’m ready to welcome spring with open arms. And color is my favorite way to do that this season!

A word of caution: if you’re wearing the neons or bold brights that are sweeping the fashion world this spring, you should be selective with the amount of color you wear on your face. For example, if you’re wearing neon, a defined eye in a neutral or a hue similar to the one you’re wearing (but toned down) will look great, as long as you keep your lips nude. When playing up one feature with color, try to keep the rest of your face “undressed” (with makeup that looks like it’s just barely there).

Duo Eyeshadow in Paramaribo ($34): For a sweep of unexpected color on the lids, Paramaribo pairs a brown-toned celery green with an earthy green laced with metallic bronze undertones.

Trio Eyeshadow in Douce France ($45): This compact features a trio of pinks: icy pink, rose petal pink, and deep rose shadow; all the colors you need to contour a defined eye.

Read on for the rest of the collection, including a killer pink blush that I’m obsessed with!

Adara Virgin Coconut Oil

With all the liquid restrictions on international and domestic travel these days, stashing your beauty products is easier said than done. Downsizing is key when traveling (even if you’re just tossing your bags into the trunk for a quick road trip.) Eliminate piles of clanking plastic bottles and streamline your dopp kit with Adara Virgin Coconut Oil ($12). Ditch the body lotion and instead, massage this into your skin. Nix the conditioner and smooth this from scalp to ends for an intense deep conditioning treatment (wrap it under a hot towel for maximum impact). Got flyaways? No need to pack 15 hair products to get sleek strands; smooth this on ends for frizz control. It can also be used as a massage oil to soothe tired, overworked muscles. You can even use this as a base to create your own perfume by mixing a few drops of essential oils into the unscented version. In fact, there’s very little this pure, organic, all-natural oil can’t do; it’s nature’s remedy for nearly every beauty ailment or mishap. And the 2-oz. bottles are approved for air travel. What more could you ask for?

If you want to stay all-natural, there’s an unscented version, but for a hint of fragrance, there’s also heavenly peach, soothing lavender, refreshing green tea, innocent rose, and oriental jasmine.

Happy Spring!

Birds chirping. Tulips. Easter. Dyed eggs. Bunnies. Chicks. Dogwood blossoms. Longer days. Warmer temperatures. Birds’ nests. Spending more time outdoors. Dining al fresco. Speckled robin’s eggs. Fresh asparagus. Daffodils. Chocolate candy and Cadbury Creme Eggs. Pastels. Leaves on trees. Egg hunts. Green grass finally growing again. Flowers in bloom.

HAPPY SPRING!

Top image via, bottom image via.