November 28, 2011

Currently Craving: Cozy Cashmere

What better way to celebrate Cyber Monday than to snuggle yourself in bundles of cashmere!

Yes, cashmere, the luxurious, coveted fabric that inevitably goes on sale during the holidays. In sweaters, scarves, blankets, dresses or even socks, I've been craving some super soft goodness. Thus, the set below! Just set aside some extra funds for dry cleaning... :)


November 24, 2011

Thanks & Black Friday

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is resting up if you're planning on attacking the Black Friday sales tomorrow. Bless all of you who are crazy enough to wake before 6 am...happy shopping!

Let me know if you find any amazing scores...

November 22, 2011

Product Review: Julie Hewett Palette, A-

Ah, variety. 'Tis the spice of life. And what better way to celebrate variety than in a perfectly presentable makeup palette?

A few weeks back I sauntered into Jeffre Scott Apothecary (a must visit if and when you head to Charlotte) and purchased a gorgeous fall palette from Julie Hewett. The best part about these palettes is that they're incredibly easy to apply and multi-purpose - you can enlighten your eyes, lips and cheeks with gorgeous color.

I snagged a custom color palette, but below is the Ombre palette you can find at Anthropologie or the Julie Hewett website. Most of these quad palettes retail for $48.

Anthropologie at ShopStyle

About the palette:

A colorful, multi-purpose quad to shape, contour, highlight, line and shine your eyes, lips and cheeks.
* Key ingredients: castor seed oil, candelilla wax, lanolin oil, mango seed butter, beeswax, camellia seed oil, grape seed oil, vitamin E
* 0.4 oz
* Ombre: Contains Bellini and Brunette Silky Powder Shadow, Bette Cheekie and Mystere Cream Shadow

My review: 

The Good: The powder shadows is soft and velvety with pretty great color saturation, the cream shadow goes on very well over an eye base and the cheek/lip shade blends very well. Plus, the colors included in my custom "Jason" are beautifully plummy and rich.

The Bad: $48 for the eye quad isn't ridiculous ($12 per full sized shadow), but it's nothing to sneeze at, either.

The Verdict: This palette earns an A- from me. I love the mix of shadows and textures and, as long as the cream items stay fairly fresh for a few months, this palette seems like a great investment.

November 18, 2011

Freakin' Fabulous Friday: Twilight, Sparkly Fun

Happy Friday to all! I'm especially excited for this weekend because I'll be catching Breaking Dawn with a handful of my lady friends. I wouldn't quite call myself a Twihard, but I enjoyed the books and who doesn't love a little bit of eye candy and vampire action to kick off their weekend? Don't judge.

Today's Fabulous Friday we have three lovely ladies in four fantastic ensembles...

First up, Kristen Stewart.
 
Photo via: Dave Benett/Getty Images
 Um, beautiful?! She almost looks *gasp* happy! A gorgeous Roberto Cavalli black beaded gown with leather belt. It's stunning and her hair and makeup is perfect.

Second...keeping with the Twilight theme is Ashley Greene...

Photo via: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
How much do I adore this stunning red color and the soft ruffles?! Girlfriend can really rock the brights. Hey Donna Karan, can you go ahead and send me on of these gowns? Thanksbai.

And last but not least is Zoe Saldana in a emerald Elie Saab stunner...

Photo via: Steve Lawton/FilmMagic 
This green gives Kermit a run for his money but Zoe looks gorgeous. Love the belt, the easy hair and the just long enough length on this fabulous gown. Who knew you could make a Heineken logo look so good?

Happy weekend, everyone!

November 15, 2011

Currently Craving: A Little Zig, A Little Zag

Ready for an eyeful? How about some zig zag print?! Whether you want just a bit of this fab print via tights or a scarf or you really want to induce a dizzying spell of fashion through a jacket or dress, there's plenty to go around.

I especially adore the burnout rust and black Sierra blouse from Anthropologie, below and the cozy black and white wrap sweater. I'll take a little zig and a little zag!

What do you think – too much print or just enough pizazz?

November 11, 2011

Frugal Friday: Chain Bags

With the holidays coming up, you're going to need your paws to open gifts, drink delightful beverages and snack on a myriad of bites. You don't want to worry about stuffing your clutch underneath your arm as you indulge in such cheer. That's why chain bags are here! Yes, I rhymed. On purpose.

Whether you dig the sequined variety with a thin chain strap or a chic leather crossbody, you're bound to find plenty of options in the set below. The best part? This bag can be a gift to yourself, from yourself...because each bag in the set below is $50 or less. Boo yah! Happy Friday, everyone!

November 7, 2011

Product Review: June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque, C+

Birchbox has been pretty keen on getting me hooked on face masks. Yes indeed, over the past few months I've sampled three very different face treatments – all of which I'll review in the coming weeks! With the dryer, cooler weather coming in, I'm sure we could all use a face treatment or two!

This week, we're chatting about June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Enzyme Mask: $62 for 3.7 oz.

June Jacobs at ShopStyle

Details from Birchbox:
For instant complexion gratification, nothing beats an enzyme-based mask. This enzyme-based version quickly revitalizes skin, dissolving dead cells and brightening your overall complexion. It doesn’t hurt that the natural ingredients smell heavenly, and work without irritating skin.

Papaya fruit enzyme, mango and pineapple extracts dissolve dead skin for clearer pores. Sweet almond and borage seed oils hydrate while antioxidants from white, red, and green tea, goji berry, pomegranate, and grape seed extracts protect skin and prevent wrinkles.

My review:
The Good: Oh wow does this masque smell incredible. Like truly drool worthy. After I came to from the amazing scent, I found this masque easy to apply and left my skin nice and soft. I saw a bit of brightening, but not too much overall.

The Bad: Holy hell, $62 for less than 4 ounces? It's a nice masque but it's not washing my car or transforming me into a super model. Plus, considering the consistency of the masque, the phrase "a little goes a long way" doesn't quite work in this case.

The Verdict: C+. It's a very nice face treat. It smells like a treat and I bet your skin will feel supple afterwards. If you can stomach the price, it may be worth a try. 

November 3, 2011

November Stitch Fix Fabulousness

Oh pipe dreams...I really didn't want to shop for myself this month! But wow, Stitch Fix really hit it out of the park this month! Let's go shopping, shall we? Seems like the theme of this month's fix was chic zippers...!

First up, Ark &Co. grey zipper moto jacket. Size: Small. Stitch Fix price: $80

Siwy black jeggings, vintage Gap button down, Stitch Fix Ark & Co. jacket

Next, Greylin raw edge silk tank. Size: Small. Stitch Fix price: $105

Siwy black jeggings, Stitch Fix Greylin tank

And then, BB Dakota Alice zipper leggings. Size: Small. Stitch Fix price: $100

Stitch Fix BB Dakota ponte pants, Hunter Dixon Vest, Tucker for Target blouse, Gap sweater, Old Navy scarf

Lastly, Theme Farrah halter dress. Size: Small. Stitch Fix price: $65

Banana Republic cardigan, Kohl's belt, Stitch Fix Theme dress

And the jewelry in this fix? A & J smoky chain wrapped earrings. Stitch Fix price: $65


I can tell that the fine shoppers at Stitch Fix are really narrowing in on my style because I really loved everything from this month's package! If you're interested in signing up for this genius monthly fashion delivery, just click here for a referral.

So, I'm definitely keeping the Ark & Co. jacket...what else do you dig?

November 1, 2011

Product Review: Ahava Mineral Hand Cream, A-

Ooooh what's that smell? It's Ahava Mineral Hand Cream and it's today's review of the day!

Yup, a month or so back I received a deluxe sample tube of Ahava Mineral Hand Cream from Birchbox and have been portioning off little squeezes at a time ever since! I remember reading a while back that besides her face, a woman first shows her age on her hands. So, it seems appropriate that I diligently lather up my mitts before heading to bed every night. This is a perfect job for this hand cream!

Ahava at ShopStyle

Details from The Skin Store:
This extremely rich cream provides your hands with deep nourishment and hydration, instantly soothing chapped, dry surfaces and imparting healthy, satiny softness for increased comfort throughout the day. Absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy feeling and restores vitality for supple, softer and younger looking hands. Approved for sensitive skin. Hypoallergenic. Dermatologically tested. Paraben free.

My Review:

The Good: This smells de-freakin'-lightful. It also moisturizes beautifully and my hands really thank me in the morning. Done and done!

The Bad: For hand cream, it's a bit pricey - $20 per 3.4 oz tube. However, SkinStore is running a 20% off coupon code: G2GWIN. That's winning.

The Verdict: A- overall. It's a fabulous hand cream for a bit of an elevated price point. If you want to care for your hands, this is a great way to go.