Loving Your Stylish Self

Today we have a special treat! The lovely Sally from Already Pretty has a guest post for us about how there’s more to your style than meets the eye…

So, you’re a stylish woman. You’re curious about trends and dedicated to figure flattery. You seek out eye-catching garments and jaw-droppingly beautiful shoes. You make sure your hairstyle compliments your bone structure, you tailor your gorgeous duds to your own unique dimensions, you work hard to look good. And, in all likelihood, you take some flak for it on occasion.

What We Do for Beauty

The lovely Sally of Already Pretty and I are swapping posts today. I hope you’ll head over to her wonderful blog to see my post about some of the odd and painful things we do for beauty, with a focus on the eyes. From lash curlers and lash perms to lash tinting and eyeliner tattoos, we do so much to play up the windows to our souls…

Eco-Fabulous Tarte Treats for Summer

One of my favorite eco-beauty brands is tarte cosmetics. tarte makes lots of beautiful, trend-conscious makeup that works really well and looks gorgeous. And all the while, they load up their products with great, skin-nourishing ingredients and keep things green by leaving out stuff like parabens, fragrance, phthalates, and genetically modified ingredients. Everything is [...]

An Interview with Bobbi Brown and a Summer Makeup Lesson

Happy Friday! Is it me or do weekends seem even nicer now that it’s summer? This time of year, I love to keep things simple and create a sun-kissed look that doesn’t look overdone. Bobbi Brown makes that really easy with her latest launches. There’s a gorgeous collection of sheer colors, stunning, unique bronzers for face and body, and a brilliant mascara that doesn’t budge and makes my lashes look amazing. The colors and textures are heavenly. Today I have a peek at the new collections, an interview with Bobbi, and a makeup lesson I shot with Bobbi’s wonderful education exec Katrina.

Three Marvelous, Multitasking Skin Brighteners for Spotty Skin

I get excited when I come across skin brightening products. One reason is because I’m noticing pigmentation “issues” as I get older, like a lot more freckles. I know freckles can be charming and all; but I’m getting into age spot/sun damage territory. I upped the contrast in this pic to show just how spotty I’m getting – sort of like one of those scary sun-damage-revealing UV photos. I’ve also got scars from acne that has long since gone. I know I can’t wipe the slate clean, which is fine. But I like being able to tone things down and prevent further damage. Today I’m sharing three products I’m loving. Along with brightening skin, they’re excellent multitaskers that do all sorts of other great stuff to help improve the complexion. These are bigtime multitaskers that give a lot of bang for the buck.

Inspired Lashes

I had such a fun time the other evening. I attended a delightful shu uemura cocktail party at their San Francisco boutique. It was a birthday celebration of the first shu uemura boutique that opened in Tokyo 26 years ago. The event featured the new Lashes in Nature Collection. shu uemura comes out with the most amazing false lashes. They take lashes to the next level and then some, with such brilliant creativity and stunning drama.

Proper Protection from the Summer Sun: Part Deux

I’m pretty good about protecting the skin on my face with sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats, but not so great about protecting the rest of me. I’m sure it has a lot to do with the hit-or-miss climate here in San Francisco. It might be overcast when I leave the house only to be gorgeous by the time I’m out and remembering that I should’ve put on sunscreen. Another reason is that I don’t like most sunscreens for the body. So many feel heavy and thick, and have that nasty sunscreen smell so I occasionally get a sunburn even if I’ve only been in the sun for a couple hours (something I wrote about recently in my skin soother post).

Father’s Day Gift Guide

I love my dad dearly. I’m lucky to have him (yes, that’s him and me in these photos). He’s a kind, generous, funny man who loves to play guitar (and collect them – he never met a yard sale he didn’t like) and never passes up the opportunity to tell a corny joke (apparently, he passed this characteristic on to me – much to my sister’s chagrin). He taught me so many things – from how to ride a bike to how to program computers (yes, we’re a nerdy bunch). He’s always been there for me and helped guide me – even through those rebellious teen years.

An Interview with Trish McEvoy and a Makeup Lesson

Trish McEvoy changed my life. Seriously. She is an incredibly successful makeup artist who revolutionized the makeup world with her innovative, impeccable makeup brushes, her unique organizing system, and her amazing, education-oriented line of makeup and skin care. Her line changed the way I approach makeup and beauty. At her counters I learned lots of insider tips and techniques, discovered makeup and tools of exceptional quality, and got incredibly organized.

Proper Protection from the Summer Sun

Even though I know more than I used to. I recently found that I had a lot to learn about protecting my skin from the damaging rays of the sun. I’m well beyond those years when I thought very little of sunscreens, those years when people basted themselves in baby oil and fried their skin to get that coveted, golden suntan. How times have changed.