Wednesday, February 11, 2015

50 Shades Of Lingerie

I'm going to a screening of 50 Shades Of Grey tonight. I read that there are no fabulous underpinnings in the movie, but even so I'm thinking Valentines Day this year will be all about 50 Shades of Lingerie.
Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur
Valentine's Day lingerie from Agent Provocateur
So without the movie to provide glorious lingerie I went googling to find some interesting undies to write about, and I found this article on Vogue.com  
It's well worth a read, with some 50 Shades worthy naughty pieces paired with some hilarious quotes.

Valentines-Day-Lingerie
Threesome
"If you’re planning a threesome for V-Day, you might as well go all-out and wear a pink lace jumpsuit with matching stilettos. It’s important to always be the best dressed person at the orgy."

The Breathless Guide To Valentine's Day Lingerie, One Night 11 Looks by Karley Siortino (click here to read the full story)


Valentines-Lingerie-Dolce-And-Gabbana
Matching bra and panties by Dolce and Gabbana
"If her panties match her bra when you take her clothes off, it wasn't you who decided to have sex....."

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Beauty Tip Of The Week ~ Temptu Color True Lipstick

Are your lips ready for Valentine's Day?


I have a series of posts coming up this week about perfecting your Valentine's lip game, and I'm starting it off with a beauty tip of the week, and that is to try the new Temptu Professional True Color Lipsticks.
I'm obsessed.



These lipsticks balance intense color with a lightweight finish. The color payoff is just fabulous! They are a demi-matte finish and give you long lasting continuous color. 



There are 8 bold, glorious shades to choose from, and there is just enough time to order them for Valentine's Date night.

Pucker up!


Temptu

Valentine's Day Lingerie Ideas - Naomi Campbell For Agent Provocateur

Nothing says "hello lover" quite like naughty lingerie!


Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur-Naomi-Campbell-6

Let my favorite undies purveyor, Agent Provocateur inspire your Valentine's Day underpinnings game with their Spring 2015 campaign featuring the wildest model of them all, Naomi Campbell. No one shoots sexy quite like photographer Ellen Von Unwerth
 Wanted Badly

Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur-Naomi-Campbell-5

Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur-Naomi-Campbell-4

Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur-Naomi-Campbell-3

Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur-Naomi-Campbell-2

Valentines-Day-Lingerie-Agent-Provocateur-Naomi-Campbell-1

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Valentine's Lips Don't Lie

The great celebration of smooching is almost here, so there is no time like now to get your kisser ready for a big dose of lovin!

These 3 fabulous lip products came across my desk a while back, and I wanted to share them with you intime for you to get supple, kissable lips for Valentine's Day.

Because Valentine's Lips Don't Lie




Lip-Love-Products




By day keep your lips soft and conditioned with this soothing lip conditioner. Ilia uses all organic ingredients, and their lip conditioner comes in a variety of shades that give a sheer wash of color, but that add intensity when applied liberally.
Winter lips need extra protection during the day, and this one is just gorgeous.

Lip-Conditioner-Ilia
Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in These Days
2. Nuxe Reve de Miel
This one is a powerhouse repair product for chapped and sore lips, but is also a fanatstic anytime lip balm. I use it in my pro makeup kit, but also keep tubs of it at home and in my handbag.I love to wear it to bed at night, it's so concentrated that you only use a little, and wake up with smooth soft lips.
Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm always gets 5 star reviews - I think it may be one of the very best lip balms ever.

Reve-de-Miel-Lip-Balm
Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm
3. Lancer Volume Enhancing Lip Serum
With your lips all soft and supple it's time to plump them up a liitle with Dr Lancer's amazing Volume Enhancing Lip Serum. Not only does it increase lip volume (without any harsh irritants), but it also smoothes out the appearance of the little fine lines around the lips, making your lips look even more kissable.

Lip-Plumper-Lancer
Lancer Volume Enhancing Lip Serum








Friday, February 6, 2015

How To Plan An International Trip - 3 tips To Designing Your Dream Vacation


So you've decided to take your first international trip, (or your first international trip that doesn't involve a tour company or a cruise line) and you've chosen a country to go to, but now how do you figure out what to see and where to go within that country?

 You don't want to come home from your big trip and read about darling restaurants that you missed eating at, hidden treasures that you knew nothing about, secret piazzas where you could have enjoyed the best coffee in the world, fantastic sights that were close to where you were. 


afternoons-in-Pienza
Summer afternoons meandering around Pienza, Italy

Here are some ways to help you source out what to see and do when you are planning your trip. 

3 Ways To Help Plan Your International Trip 

1.) Read Books 
With my love of Italy I am always reading books by people who bought homes there and built a life in some delightful little town. My first was Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, and I have read many many more since then. (See my reading list here


Travel-Essays

You will find out about cool little places to visit, amazing non-touristy restaurants where the locals eat, special places that tours never take you to. I make lists as I'm reading, and then fit bits and pieces into various trips I go on. It's fabulous! 

2. Read Travel Blogs 
I love to spend mornings with a cup of coffee scrolling through travel blogs reading about other 'real people's ' travels. You can find all kinds of amazing information about places to avoid, what things cost, incredible places to visit that aren't in any guide books - all those wonderful insider tips that you can only learn from someone who has done it themselves. I get the best, best information from travel blogs! 


Peace-Love-Shea-Morroco
PeaceLoveShea's Shea Marie in the spice markets of Marrakesh
After reading PeaceLoveShea's blogs on Morroco I cannot wait to go there! Her photos are to die for - check them out here

3. Make A Mood Board 
I always make vision boards, but now after finding the website dnariyadh.com I'm getting obsessed with mood boards.


portugal-travel-mood-board
Dnariyadh.com Portugal mood board


travel-mood-boards
Dnariyadh.com Marrakesh mood board


Putting together a visual collection of things that interest you in or about a country, be it sailing in the Greek islands, taking in the view on Capri, Gaudi in Barcelona - whatever it is - will start guiding you in the right direction to designing the trip of a lifetime.
Also there is magic in vision boards and mood boards. Spending time with them everyday seems to bring you closer to your goals, faster.


another cool travel mood board, this time from Kadijah's Blog

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Wedding Makeup Myths Debunked

Bridal beauty is big business. Brides all over the world hit the interwebs everyday, searching out every detail about how to look sensational on their big day. There is some great information out there, but there is also a ton of dis-information. 
I consult with brides every week of the year, and hear the same myths over and over. 

Here are 4 Wedding Makeup Myths, Debunked.

Wedding-Makeup-Myths
image via Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine
hair by Will Zecco
makeup by Corinna Cooke

1.) "You need to do your makeup heavier for pictures"
No. Actually you don't.
There are so many foundation options now that give you flawless coverage, but can be applied super sheer, creating the illusion of gorgeous, perfect skin. Which after all is the goal with foundation anyway.
Cheeks should glow and look fresh, not like great stripes of war paint, and eyes should be enhanced, not overkilled.
A face full of thick, heavy makeup looks hideous, and as the night moves on it looks progressively worse. 
Beautifully applied makeup photographs beautifully.

2.) "You can't wear sunscreen on your wedding day"
Yes you can. 
You couldn't pay me to go even one day without sunscreen! There are definitely formulations that leave the skin feeling slimey, and there are formulations that flare or flashback white with flash photography, but there are plenty of others that work perfectly, giving you sun protection all day long.

Kiehls Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50 is a sheer formula that protects you from 90% of the sun's damaging (aging) rays, and stops you from burning. It feels as light as air on the skin.

Skinceuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50
This facial SPF has state of the art technology to keep you completely protected. The formula is super sheer, paraben free, and is ideal for all skin types, even the most sensitive. It also plays beautifully with makeup, and doesn't flare with flash photography. 
Love it. 

Remember getting sunburned on your wedding day is the ultimate bridal beauty buzzkill!

3.) " You have to use colors and styles that are in fashion"
Nope. Not true.
The goal here isn't to make you look like a fashion victim - it's to make you look like the most gorgeous version of you. Your wedding day makeup should be timeless and beautiful. When you look at those pictures on your wall in 10 years time you don't want to be haunted by colors that make no sense or that have dated, statement brows that now look silly ( instagram eyebrows are the worst offenders!), you want to see yourself looking radiant and lovely and timeless.

4.) "You need to wear big false lashes"
I am all about lashes. I love them to death. But there are many things to take into consideration when selecting lashes for your wedding day, one of which being the light that you will be photographed in. Most brides have their wedding pictures shot outdoors in natural light. If you have a bright sunny day a big strip of lashes or a dense strip of lashes will act like an awning poking out over your upper eyelids, casting a huge shadow below. Light will grab hold of the black strip and make you look like you are squinting in all your pictures.
A good makeup artist will not be married to one lash, but will have an assortment of lashes with her, and select the right one for that day.
I adore strip lashes, but often use individual lashes in my brides as I can accentuate the lashline without chugging down the eye.
A girl's gotta have options...

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Midweek Wisdom #6 Vintage Images of Celebrities In airports, With A Quote


I never get tired of looking at pictures of Audrey Hepburn.
She is iconic, timeless, the epitome of femininity and a very approachable beauty.
I love her body of work, and I love her body of good works.
I also love her quotes. I have one for you below.
I believe...

Audrey-Hepburn-1968-Rome-Airport
Audrey Hepburn, Rome 1968



I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.
I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.
I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.
I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.
I believe that tomorrow is another day and
I believe in miracles.