Fashion Fix::: Ankle Jeans

Photo: Sea of Shoes

I am not one to do capris or cropped pants, I almost always go for full length boot or straight leg jeans.  But this photo above really changed my feeling on ankle-length/cuffed jeans, and now I am kind of loving it.  

Top Secret::: Eye Opening

Photo of me, by me

Besides just using Latisse semi-regularly, I have a couple tricks that I employ every day to get the crazy-long, luscious Kardashian-worthy lashes I lust after. Yes, I really did just say that, and yes, I did actually laugh out loud calling anything on my body luscious.  Still am, actually.

My biggest secret, again besides Latisse, would be the lining technique I have been using for years, coupled with the layering of multiple mascaras onto my curled lashes.

Top Secret::: Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Company

Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve has been among my daily favorites since learning about it on a skincare forum, when it was declared by a self-proclaimed "resident expert" that the Whipped Squalane Face & Eye Mousse was the "best non-actives moisturizer out there", in part because it was natural and inexpensive.  When multiple other posters started chiming in with similar proclamations of agreement, and the reviews in the product reviews section are glowing, naturally one is intrigued, especially if one is looking for a non-actives moisturizer to just moisturize alongside her armory of actives.

Fashion Fix::: J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer

How adorable is this blazer?

Photo: JCrew.com

Now that I am hopefully losing inches, as well as weight, I am starting to really eye up some cuter outfits, in straight sizes, to call attention to my soon-to-be-smaller body.  I have been looking for nice blazers for at least a year to mix in with my seriously huge cardigan collection. Yet, I never seem to quite find the one that will hit the mark exactly right, or that is at all comfortable, and to me comfort trumps all.  

What I am *LOVING* Right Now!:::

Tech Time::: Nest Thermostat

This little gizmo, the Nest Thermostat, looks fascinating, and like it would fit in well in a home by Novogratz.  It's a thermostat that will monitor your patterns and adjust to your living accordingly, and is controllable through your smartphone.  My husband and I have both been intrigued by this item for months, after seeing it around the net for a while, and on "I Want That" on DIY Network. We are both trying to justify it to ourselves, even though our current relatively new (6 years old?) thermostat works perfectly fine, and has actually saved us substantially since we installed it not long after moving in.

Must Have::: TRUFFLE Clarity Pouches

About a year ago, I read about Truffle on both Luella&June and A Piece of Toast, and all three ladies (Bradley, Sally and Molly, respectively) were quite in love with these amazing pouches.  I even messaged the lovely Bradley to inquire about her experiences travelling with the pouches and if she'd have any issues with TSA in regards to it (she hadn't.)  

Fashion Fix::: Summer Espadrilles

Espadrilles are everywhere for Spring and Summer!  And even though I am slow to pick up this trend slash classic, I have been on a quest to find a nice, simple pair of flat espadrilles in a crisp navy for a while, and found a few that I totally loved and at a price point that is sure to work for every budget. If navy isn't your thing, most, if not all, come in more colors to suit your wardrobe.  (There's a few greens and teals that I love as well!)

PRODUCT REVIEW: Goody Quickstyle WaterWicking Comb

Photo Credit: Goody.com, DalyBeauty.ca

I have walked past this Goody comb in Walgreens easily 100 times in the last month and wanted to know if it was worth looking at further (considering it was $8 I couldn't quite talk myself into it). After reading about it in InStyle or Lucky a while back, and some goofy looking brush they also put out with little towel bits worked into it (seriously, that looks like a mold magnet), and finally spotting a few reviews online, like this one on Daly Beauty, I decided that I wanted to try it. And of course by that point, the damn thing is nowhere to be found. Ame, you need to get in on the ground floor.

PRODUCT REVIEW: It Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Stain in Pretty in Peony

After reading a few reviews on this around the internet, and seeing a few QVC presentations on it, I finally bit the bullet and picked it up in "Pretty in Peony" because it looked close to my Nars TORRID blush, slightly brighter maybe. And my assessment was really close.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Tweezerman ProCurl Eyelash Curler

I was needing some replacement pads and or a replacement lash curler, to replace my slightly wobbly one.  Presently, I have an old Shu Uemura that I haven't used in about 4 years probably now, and currently have been using a Shiseido that has since been changed in the last probably 2 years, as I went to get more pads and saw that it was a new shape on the curler--much flatter now.  So I decided that before I reorder a new Shu, since you can't even get that at Sephora anymore and have to buy from the Shu website, I started looking around for a new one. I have a few Tweezerman implements, namely a lash comb (metal pointy things, hooray!) and tweezers, among others, that it might be worth checking out their curler.  As I was buying things on Nordstrom's site with giftcards already (cough BURBERRY CONCEALER!) I decided to toss this into the mix.

New Fossil Travel Wallets!

I am SO glad they FINALLY brought their travel wallets back. I am not in the market, as I have Tumis that I love, but for anyone wanting something under $100, these are awesome.

Check out two great neutral finds after the jump! 

PRODUCT REVIEW/Faceoff: Chanel Corrector Perfector VS Maybelline Fit Me

So before I took the Chanel back, I attempted a side-by-side with the Maybelline. Similar consistencies, though for $6 and change the coverage of the Maybelline was MUCH better. Bear in mind that the color of this Maybelline is not right, though even the right shade (20 in pics 10 is better though), its still requiring a few coats. But for $6 and change that trumps $40 a tube in a second.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Garnier Caffeine Anti-Dark Circles Eye Roller

After reading the reviews over on Makeupalley.com, a site at which I kill many hours during a workday, I decided I would pick this item up. I kind of figured that my shiners would not likely benefit from the tint, as it was probably WAY too sheer...but I was pretty surprised that it's really NOT that sheer. It is by no means opaque, but it's definitely not sheer. Considering how many layers of "opaque" concealer I need to not look like the walking corpse I usually am,  the idea of swapping a few out to have a little "brightness" is definitely appealing.  And this has allowed me to lose at least two full on layers of spackle.  I start with a layer of this, let it dry down a bit, then I add the opaque stuff. Then I rub the roller on the top of my finger and dab more of this over the opaque. Rinse. Repeat. A few more times. And yet that's still less than I usually use...

PRODUCT REVIEW: John Frieda Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster

I bought the Root Booster by John Frieda at Walgreens one night after reading a review on another blog, I need to find it because she was bang on.   My hair is long and fine and I have about 5 people's worth of hair on it. Which in turn, makes it kind of heavy and not very voluminous.  It also won't hold a curl very long, despite using Caruso rollers.