'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

While other people have sugar plum fairies dancing around in their heads...these are the things I will be dreaming of..

1. Faux ballerina stockings from Chanel...oh how sweet!

2. Leather/sweater gloves ALSO from Chanel...such lovely simplicity.

I am not normally such a label whore but Karl is really doing it for me

right now...and well...alot of the time...a true genius that lives

off Diet Coke and pineapple!!  And anyways...this is my 

dream..I can fantasize about whatever I want...I shouldn't have

to explain myself!

3.  AND...Pizelles!!!!!  I am craving them!!! Anyone know

where I can get some serious homemade 

pizelles in Albuquerque??

HOLIDAY LIP

Just wanted to share with you two of my favorite lip colors right now!!...they are a bit holiday inspired but they can definitely be worn year round.  The first is a Sephora brand Lip Attitude-Star..this particular shade is Excited Pink...but there are a VARIETY of colors to choose from.  The other shade I recommend for a serious burst of color is Capricious Red...They have small bits of glitter (don't be afraid), they show up super shiny not gaudy!  These are for the girl that wants a pop of color but still wants that demure sheerness!The next has been one of my favorites for a little while now...Laura Mercier's Lip Stain in Scarlet. It is BOLD so it takes a bit of guts to pull off but it's nothing less than super, super sexy!  Think Mad Men!  Think Twin Peaks!  Mmmmm...some of my favorite looks!  The best thing about this is it's a stain...so staying power is unbeatable and even when it is wearing off a bit it stains your lips in a way that makes you look like you've been making out for an hour!

OLIVE YOU!

One of my all time favorite natural products is olive oil.  Especially right about now when the weather is so dry and your skin and hair are really feeling it!!...A facial cleanser that I discovered a few years ago and have been addicted to ever since is DHC's Cleansing Oil, which is made of olive oil and vitamin E...some people may feel weird putting oil on their skin but it is actually delicate enough for all skin types and really cleanses your skin like no other product I have ever tried.  DHC is a Japanese company...Japanese have a different view of skincare then Americans, they believe in softening the skin instead of scraping and exfoliating.  The Cleansing Oil does just that...it leaves your skin so soft and keeps your moisture levels balanced.  

I also like to use just plain olive oil in my hair...now this is not recommended for everyone, but those of you with thick course hair like mine know that it gets so dried out this time of year and looses its shine.  When I have time I will do a deep olive oil treatment where I apply it to my clean damp (not soaked) hair and wrap plastic wrap around to then leave it on for an hour or more.  You can also use the hair dryer (plenty away from your head!!) to heat up the oil under the wrap.  Remove wrap, rinse and style as usual.  I also like to use just a little!! little!! (a little goes a long way!!) bit on my hair as a spot shine product...don't use too much because it can get greasy but it is the perfect at-home solution for hair that is less than lack luster!!

UPDATE 12/22..I forgot to mention another thing I use olive oil for...my cuticles!  It is such a great oil to dab onto those dry torn up nails!  If anyone else has any uses of olive oil for beauty maintenance...let me know I would love to hear about them!

PLEATS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Recently I was digging through my wardrobe for some clothing revival and I was inspired by all the pleated skirts I own.  I love pleats...in all lengths...short, knee, tea!  PLEATS PLEATS!!!

WAKE UP 101

Most mornings I wake up with puffy, not so pretty eyes that look like I've been up for days. Even the nights I get enough sleep it happens, I am sure you all can relate.  Thankfully, there is a quick pick-me-up routine that I do that is really easy and really basic.  Its great for everyone and requires only a few tools!   All you need is a good concealer, a medium size eyeshadow brush, a metal spoon, your favorite mascara, sheer white or beige eyeshadow and an all over highlighter...                                      

                                                                             

                                                  

1.  My battered morning eye.

2.  I know it may seem hokey and old fashioned but I like to keep metal spoons in the freezer to use on my puffy eyes.  Just apply the rounded side of the spoon to your closed eye for a few minutes and the puffiness does truly go down.  They really are miracle workers! 

3.  After that, apply dots of concealer around the bottom ridge of you eye to prepare for blending.  My favorite concealer is Prescriptive's Camouflage.  I have found it has the best coverage.  No matter what you use make sure you choose a color that is one shade lighter than your skin tone...

4.  With your ring finger, gently blend the concealer into your skin...

5.  Also blend a little bit on top of the lid to act as a base that will keep your eye shadow in place...

6.  Lightly brush on a sheer white or beige eye shadow. My complexion is very fair so I like to use a white shadow.  Sephora makes an amazing line of affordable shadows.  I have two whites, one matte and one shimmer, depending on what kind of mood I'm in.  If your skin tone is more olive you can use a more beige gold shadow.  You can even opt for a color just keep it light so it doesn't darken your eye.  You want to apply the shadow on the entire lid very sheerly.  You don't want the color to be opaque or frosted! gasp! 

7.  Apply a generous, even coat of mascara to your top and bottom lashes.   My favorite is and always will be Maybelline Great Lash, but use what you love.  At this point you can apply any liner that you would normally apply but remember to keep it simple and fresh.  I usually like to just apply a couple of coats of mascara to frame my eye.

8.  To finish off, I like to apply a little bit of highlighter right under the brow bone for maximum eye opening results!  Pie!

                                                                       BEFORE.....

AFTER.....