back to basics

there's not many products that i am loyal to; it's a big world out there with a lot of products, but when i find those winners, i hold on tight. usually. i'd been using philosophy's purity made simple for years and then for some reason, i decided to try something new. i'm not even sure why. maybe i got bored; maybe like a wayward lover i was looking for something better only to discover that it doesn't exist. so after three other cleansers, two of which i didn't even use all the way through, i'm back and on my hands and knees begging for forgiveness.

this is simply the best, pure and simple.

it removes all traces of regular makeup and eye makeup, doesn't burn or irritate if it gets in my eyes and doesn't leave my face feeling dry. i love this and won't ever switch again. i should stick with what i know--and love.

concealer update

i just can't bring myself to spend $70 on concealer (even though i am still dying to try the cle de peau). so when my precious T. Leclerc concealer pens were exhausted, i tried to find something a little more within my budget. i had been using Rimmel for a little while--and of course i was loving that and then one day wasn't loving it anymore. i think i got tired of using two products; also, after a while, i felt like it was too dry under my eyes. i moved on to Natural FX Water Based Foundation SPF 15. i'd heard and read a lot about this stuff online and when i saw a makeup artist at sephora applying it on women in the store, i thought why not. it's foundation--i never touch the stuff--that can also be used as a concealer. and as usual, i was loving it and then one day wasn't loving it anymore. at the beginning, i felt like it covered my dark circles perfectly and then after a while, i noticed the darkness creeping in again. so i moved on again--call me the concealer gypsy--to Prescriptives Site Unseen Brightening Concealer. today was the first day, first application, and i thought it covered pretty well. my only gripe: it's a twist pen and sometimes there is a bit of a product overflow so i feel like it can waste a lot of product. however, i was happy with the coverage so let's see how long the love affair lasts.

you don't have to be rihanna to love this--and look great!

random saturday afternoons spent at target can be so fulfilling--plus there are always the unexpected treasures you discover! i saw this new fave--cover girl exact eyelights eye-brightening mascara--while flipping through a magazine and thought darn, that rihanna looks cool, i should get some of this stuff. of course, i am no rihanna--and am very happy with my current mascara, but clearly advertising and marketing are very effective on me! so as soon as i saw it in the aisle at target, i snatched it up--and it has replaced my current fave. there was a brief period where i thought i lost it too--and after i went a little crazy looking for it, i was about to repurchase, but luckily it turned up!

when i first opened it, i didnt even notice the hint of metallic, but it really does "enhance" my eyes--and it reaches every lash and defines. even better? it doesnt clump or flake off!

i've made no secret of my girl crush on jennifer garner--i absolutely adore her. i think she is gorgeous and adorable and perfect in every way. so when one of my favorite beauty sites--totalbeauty.com--sent an email how i could recreate jennifer garner's makeup, i was ridiculously thrilled. no really, i was. i've spent a lot of time googling her lipstick, to disappointing results. i have only come up on one, which is a chanel that i, coincidentally, already owned (we're soul mates, hee!). it's a light pink color, but she is normally photographed in brighter pinks, which i love and that is what i am looking for. of course, all the tips were helpful--glowing skin and warm lips and eyes. trouble is, i still dont look like jennifer garner.

see how to recreate her look here

http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/package/p_jennifergarner?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=daily31&utm_campaign=daily31_jennifergarner

more reason to blush

i love nars, i especially love nars blushes. cream, powder, bring it on. as much as i get annoyed every time i open any magazine's best of beauty issue and see a rave for orgasm blush, i have gone through more than my share of this product. i think i just get annoyed at the repetitiveness, but at the same time, it's an amazing color. amazing. it's everyone's favorite. i think it's K's favorite--i am pretty sure that every time i see her, she is wearing it.

so when i saw on the sephora site that there is a new version of this called super orgasm, i immediately headed to my local to check it out in person to see the brand could improve upon perfection.

i think we have 2 winners!

i've whined and moaned about my dark circles forever. two purplish, sometimes bluish, half-moon circles--and no matter how much sleep i get, they are a permanent fixture on my face.

i've tried almost everything to conceal them. usually they are covered for about 10-1/2 minutes and like the bad guy in every horror movie, they always find a way to come back.

lately, i'd even resorted to using powder to cover them, which is a terrible, terrible mistake because powder always looks like powder: dry, which makes them look worse. but it seemed powder's consistency lasted the longest.

i was about to give up.

then i literally stumbled upon t. leclerc fluid concealer at barney's nyc. first, i apply the banane and the follow up with the orchidee--yes, they are that bad i need two! the banane acts like corrector, which neutralizes the lovely blueish purple that always makes me look like i went two rounds with the heavyweight champion and the orchidee is the finishing touch. enhanced with silicone and vitamin e, these glide on smooth and soft as silk.

i dont think so...

one of my favorite beauty sites is totalbeauty.com--it's so informative. however, yesterday i was looking at the fall 2008 beauty trends and i was a little bit shocked to see that black lips and yellow eye shadow were two of them.

i have a huge problem with this.

black lipstick isnt going to look good on anyone--ok, maybe on the runway because of the amazing lighting tricks, clothes and the fact that a professional applied it and probably did something to it. black lipstick on its own, on a real person, in the daylight isnt going to look good. i keep seeing this month's magazines hawking black lipstick and i think this is terrible. i repeat, black lipstick isnt going to look good on anyone. it's harsh, it's dense and it's going to look muddy. just say no to black lipstick.

yellow eyeshadow? REALLY? REALLY? REALLY? now, i love me some colored eyeshadow and i would never, ever even think to wear yellow. yellow can be a tough color to pull off and so near the eyes makes it even more difficult. and if you factor that the color will be reflecting on the whites of your eyes to make you look jaundiced, i am going to have to pass on that too.

it just goes to show you: some trends are not supposed to be followed.

not so exceptional in french or english...

i was so excited to try exceptionnel de chanel intense volume and curl mascara. not to be completely shallow, but there is something so decadent and luxurious about the unmistakable, interlocking "c"s. the innovative 6-sided brush promises dramatic results--and it delivered, but that being said, i really didnt like it. my problem in a nutshell was the brush. it has these tiny little combs that are supposed to--or at least, i think they are supposed to--brush lashes to coat the formula all over. i just had a really hard time with it. it felt goopy and clumpy and it took too many coats to achieve the look i desired. to be honest, while putting mascara on my first eye, part of me wanted to wash it off and start over. so for $28, i will absolutely not be purchasing this.

winning combos

so i've been trying to step out of my beauty rut. yesterday i wore purple eye shadow--i hadnt done that in a very long while. today i am back to a light-colored sparkly eye shadow (bare escentuals playful) in the interest of time, but i found a new lipstick combo that i am just loving (i've been trying to play with the stuff i do have). bare escentuals gelato lipstick (medium pink with a subtle shimmer) topped with lancôme juicy tube in fruity pop (a pretty super-light pink with pinkish sparkle). it's the perfect neutral-y, light pink color with a hint of sparkle.

glow to go

i got the best compliment yesterday. someone told me i was glowing--and i am sure i wasnt. i was running out to do errands, it was later on in the day and i hadnt touched my makeup since the am. i was a lot of things yesterday--and glowing wasnt one of them. i could attribute it to the face mask i did last night, but as i posted yesterday, i wasnt too impressed with the results. i think what my friend noticed was that i was wearing nars the multiple in copacabana. this is an old fave that i carry around with me every day, but had not worn in a long, long time. and i dont even know why because it is so very pretty. i am blaming it on the makeup rut i told you about yesterday--the one i am desperately trying to break out of. this handy-dandy secret weapon can be used all over, but i normally just put it on my cheeks for a subtle, shimmering pearly glow. and for the record now i am totally rethinking buying the orgasm multiple.

why is it tingling?

i was really excited to try fresh's new black tea instant perfecting mask--an intense hydrating mask. i dont always love fresh's products; i want to, but sometimes think the cost isnt worth the result, but there is something so quaint and lovely about the products that i want to be proven wrong. so as soon as i got home last night, i washed my face and slapped this mask on (because i love a good moisturizing mask). the good? the whipped, velvety texture seemed so decadent and luxurious. the bad? about 2 or 3 minutes in there was a tingling sensation that did not sit well with me; it made me immediately want to wash my face. why was it tingling? i've done my share of moisturizing masks and they never tingle. plus, after i washed it off, my skin didnt seem significantly moisturized or firm.

a beauty rut

I am in a beauty rut. i feel like i wear the same type of makeup day in and day out. there have even been days when i slap it on quickly just to get out of the house--and that is so not like me. i've only worn glitter twice this summer (i know a lot of experts frown on glitter, but whatever, i love it and it's fun!). i dont know what's come over me. lately, i've been sticking to the same kind of matte beige, sparkly beige, champagne, or sparkly champagne colored eyeshadow, pinky kind of blush and bright mouth. i'm using different colors, but they are all in the same color family. how boring. i still havent found my summer 2008 fragrance and summer 2008 is pretty much over. i have to get a hold of myself. yesterday i went trolling for my fall 2008 fragrance and after being chased out of bloomingdales by the overly solicitous staff--just because i sprayed it on doesnt mean i immediately want to buy it, so stop asking me if i want it; i need to let it set in to see if works on me so stop being so annoying!--i headed over to sephora for some peace, quiet and the freedom to try on fragrances. i want something strong, but pretty and sweet. i tried a bunch of the comptoir sud fragrances and really liked them, but felt like i smelled like i spent the day in the kitchen baking. pretty and vanilla-y, but i dont want to be confused for a pastry. my tastes tend to run on the sweet side so i was tempted by miss dior cherie, armani code and angel, which i love, but also wore in 2002--2003. i feel like i keep drifting to old favorites, but i really want to try something new. i was hopeful about the new ralph lauren and lancôme fragrances (notorious and magnifique, respectively) and while they are pretty, they just arent me. i guess, i will just have to keep my nose to the grindstone...

so disappointing

i have never been a fan of benefit's benetint, but i couldnt wait to check out their new posie tint (in the interest of fairness, i feel like i should tell you that i loved moonbeam for a really long time). i should have taken my time. it was so disappointing. it's easier to spread on and blend than benetint is--which is my gripe with this particular product--but the color immediately got absorbed into my skin so it was like i wasnt even wearing anything. well, at least now i know, i wont be using my sephora gift card on this! it made me really, really sad because i wanted to snatch it up and love it.

it's still great to exfoliate

i thought i would update you on my dermabrasion status; i am in step two/week 3 of my microdermabrasion system. i was a little scared of it as i mentioned in my earlier post, but i love it. step two has two exfoliators--the white one from step one and a gray one. now when i saw the gray color, i was like seriously, Do I want to put this on my face? but i shook off that silly thought, applied and massaged on my face for 1-2 minutes per instructions. i thought the other steps might be a little too harsh for my skin--we'll have to see about steps 3 and 4, but so far i am loving step two. i feel like my skin is softer and my complexion is brighter.

a hair affair

i've been meaning to talk about these two products for weeks and it completely slips my mind every single time. i am not sure why because i am absolutely in love with both of them. every time i get in the shower, i can't wait to use the Kérastase BAIN MIROIR Shine-Revealing Shampoo for Sensitized, Color-Treated Hair (that's a mouthful, but worth it) and CHROMA REFLECT MASQUE Radiance-Enhancing Masque for Very Sensitized Color-Treated Hair. my hair always feels softer and smoother and the color always seems brighter. these are becoming two products i can't live without. plus, the fragrance is fantastic. Thank you JG and CT.

i have not yet found my go-to summer 2008 fragrance, which is frustrating because we're already in July. and i feel like my summer fragrances of the past will just not cut it this year. i am still looking for something fresh and citrusy, but i am dying for something new. i dont want my old standbys. part of my problem/hesitation is that i feel most summer fragrances are so light they dont last on me. it pains me to say this because i really do love you, but Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue, i'm looking at you. lovely, refreshing scent, but it doesnt last on me. i feel like i could go through a bottle in a week, and when i notice it on other people it makes me want to hurt them. ok, fragrance and violence don't mix, it's just that it would be absolutely perfect. alas. sigh. of course, there are all the sheer incarnations of your favorites, but i feel like that's just a rip-off. i want something new. and fabulous and summery. something that will remind me of the good times of summer 2008.

it's like they read my mind...

a couple of weeks ago i was in sephora--surprise! that never, ever happens--and i stumbled upon bare escentuals flawless radiance, which was like this beautiful soft beige-y peach color with a bit of sparkle. being that i love anything sparkly or glittery, i became obsessed with it and figured it could be a new foundation color since i sometimes use clear radiance as a foundation (i love, love, love it) and i am also a fan of the gossamers as foundation. K jokes that i want to look like J.Lo circa The Waiting for Tonight video. i dont even think the fine sparkle/glitter is even that noticeable. in any case, i debated buying it--do i really need it?--and finally just went into bare escentuals because i needed the fair foundation anyway. so i try it on and it's way too yellow on my skin. it would never work. i can't even use the fairly light because it's too yellow. so i was disappointed--until i remembered that i wanted to try the fairly light mineral veil. i usually just put the fair in spots and then the mineral veil all over, which you know, is not sparkly; however, the fairly light mineral veil is so it's really the best-case scenario for me. necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. i still maintain it's perfect for every day because the fine glitter/sparkle isnt that noticable, but it makes me feel good, which is what makeup should be.

it's great to exfoliate

so i've been trying out a lot of the new avon stuff i recently purchased and i am loving the anew clinical advanced dermabrasion system. i will admit i was a little nervous to try this and wondered if i really needed it, or if it would be too much for my sensitive skin, but i was running out of my exfoliators and just not super impressed with them. i felt like i needed something with kick and now, i couldnt be happier. i figured worst case scenario, i dont like it. plus, there were four settings (1-4) and if i really felt like the others were too strong, i could just stick with setting 1. you're supposed to use each setting for 2 weeks 2 or 3 times a week and "rest" for 2 days. basically dont use it two days in a row. i am finishing up my second week and i will probably move on to setting two. i really feel like it's making my face softer and smoother. plus, it's working its magic on that damn little wrinkle on my forehead.

eye scream for eye cream

so i am loving the avon eye cream i posted about recently and i definitely feel like it's smoothing out this one, tiny crease under my eye (it's the same one i always complain about). but during the day, i feel like the area under my eyes is so dry--of course, i know it is because there are no moisture ducts there--though this isn't unique to the avon cream because i feel like this with all eye creams actually, no matter how thick or emollient. great at first, but then a loss of elasticity during the day. when i get up in the morning, i love how everything looks a lot smoother because of the cream and "beauty sleep", of course.

for example, when i touch up my under eye concealer during the day, i feel like the under eye part is so dry that it doesn't snap back quickly and has a loss of elasticity. that bothers me and makes me feel like wrinkles are just around the corner. the eyes are the windows to the soul so who wants a cracked, wrinkly, dry facade? i am not sure what i can do about this aside from just applying more eye cream regularly during the day since i am not having this problem with face lotions and creams. in that vein, i've brought two under eye creams with me and i am obsessively compulsively rotating them before i put on hand lotion, which is often. they are MAC Fast Response Eye Cream, which i always love and forget about, and avon ageless results renewing eye cream. i do feel like today has been better (i noticed the dryness last week) so maybe the key is to just keep reapplying.

eye'm loving this right now!

so i've been on this avon kick for a while now, ever since i started using the thirmafirm moisturizer, which i love, love, love and i've used a couple of different products, which i also love, love, love. i never really considered using avon before because, what was i going to order from an avon lady? no. i need a store, please. nevertheless, i am hooked, hooked, hooked. let's face it for the quality, amazing technology and price, these products can't be beat.

right now, my new favorite is the anew ultimate contouring eye system. the cream is supposed to restore elasticity and it smooths and firms while the intensive serum helps reduce the look of undereye bags. now, i dont have bags--thank goodness, dealing with the dark circles is its own lovely reward--but i do definitely feel like when i use this particular cream at night, the next morning i look considerably more well-rested than usual (and that's saying something!). i also feel like the tiny lines that i am noticing look a lot smoother.

smooth, soft hands, please!

this whole dry-hands thing is really bothering me. the burt's bees is a nice little band-aid, but it's annoying to always have to put lotion on EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. you wash your hands.

i like the burt's bees, dont get me wrong. it's got this pepperminty/mentholy smell that i dig, but it can be a bit greasy. and sometimes i just dont want to wear lotion. plus, i wear contacts and i am afraid i will touch my eyes or something. and hands are the first to show visible signs of aging and your true age. in short, i am not having this. so i bought two new things and i am wearing both of them right now--i am kind of that way. i like them both.

first is avon anew ultimate transforming hand and nail cream spf 15. this is very rich and luxurious. i love that it has spf 15 and as much as i am queen of spf--i never put it on my hands. and i should know better; see above. love this stuff. it's on my desk at work and i am thinking that i should keep it in my purse for when i am outside never.

second is avon planet spa african shea butter hand and cuticle cream. i just threw this in the bag because i loved the scent, which was sweet and not overpowering. very moisturizing.

hopefully, these two will clear up my dry-hands problem soon!

i dont know if it's the water or the soap in my new office, but my hands are beyond dry. dry to the extent where i must, must, must put lotion on every single time i wash my hands or they will be peely. not only is that gross, it's never happened to me before. needless to say i am not happy about this in the least. the new job is great, except for the super-dry hands. the good part is, there are many lotions in the bathroom to choose from after said hand-washing. the bad new is, none of these lotions even come close to moisturizing--that's how dire the situation is. thankfully, i was rummaging around in my purse (i really am like mary poppins sometimes) and found what is doing the trick: Burt's Bees Hand Salve. yes, it's a salve. this intensive moisturizer is packed with botanical oils, herbs, beeswax and features olive oil to moisturize and protect dry hands. i've been keeping it on my desk and my hands are back to their normal shape. i've also been using it as a lip balm in a pinch when i am too lazy to go inside my bag.

they're out to get me

another FAVE-like lipstick discontinued. thanks, Givenchy, for discontinuing lip lip extreme in dinner beige. i will add it to my list of favorite lipsticks that i should have bought more of.

mascara update -- the search is over

i've had my mascara woes lately; for a bit there, it seemed as though no formula or brand was good enough. and i have to be honest, i am always looking for a way out of paying $25 for mascara (i dont think there's anything wrong with that, people!). that being said, mascara is important--at least it is to me. i feel like my face isnt complete without mascara so i often find myself trying everything i can find. right now the search is over. i've recently started using avon's super shock mascara and i am very pleased with the results. the brush is big and coats every single lash. this amazing formula lengthens and volumizes so i am getting the big-lash look i want with fewer coats. and you can't beat the price!

catching up

i feel like i havent posted in so long--and it's true, i havent. every time i pick something from my train case or try something new, i tell myself i need to post about it, but i havent. there has been so much going on, it's been hard to find time to post and now that i am actually posting, i don't have a specific product in my head.

it's summer now and there are so so so many new things i want. i've been on an extended shopping spree so it's a little bit hard justifying why exactly i need new makeup when i know that i dont (and everyone else probably knows that too).

i will say i have my eye on a new summer fragrance. something citrusy and crisp, but with a tiny floral note. i just want to feel fresh and invigorated with one spritz. i am also looking for the perfect coral lip, which i havent found yet. i've been doing a lot of neutral eyes because my dark circles are especially bad these days, but i want to try soft, pretty, brights on my lids. maybe i will get extra sleep tonight and try that tomorrow.

scheduled maintenance

last night i looked at my train case and it's overflowing. it's scary. like really, really scary. when i bought it years ago, i was able to fill it up--of course--and it was organized and beautiful. that's actually my traincase in the picture. of course, it's empty and not scary looking. the best part was that there was still enough room to add to my collection of pretty, sparkly things. right now? not so much. right now, it's a mess and my products are hard to find. i really need to go through it this weekend and chuck some things, which is always a little bit painful to me. i hate parting with products; i am always afraid that i will want or need it in the future. but it must be done--this last week it's been scary to look at. plus i have way, way more products than i first started with--and that is good--so i've been thinking that maybe i need two traincases. that option is almost more scary because you know that i am going to just give myself more license to shop.

i forgot how much i loved burt's bees marshmallow vanishing creme. there is a lot to love from this brand; i love a lot of burt's bees products and i am always telling people about it. most people look at me like i am crazy and, i think, dont believe me because the products are so inexpensive. i don't care how much they cost; they are magic. seriously. i love this one in particular because of the scent--it just smells sweet and yummy. i've been using this at night again for the last two weeks and i feel like my skin has looks amazing when i get up in the morning!

what's going on here?

i am about the have a small flip out. the last few times i was at sephora, i could not find philosophy's pumpkin pie, waffle cone or banana nut bread 3-in-1 shower gels. i also can't find them on the site and amazon.com says they don't know if and when it will be in stock again. on qvc it's not sold separately; it's sold with cinnamon buns, which is dandy, but i just bought a 40 ounce bottle of cinnamon buns. cinnamon buns, i do not need. what i need is pumpkin pie, waffle cone and banana nut bread. even worse, on the philosophy site, while you can search for these items, there is no product-detail page and when i try to click on the item, i get an error message.

this makes me most unhappy. these are my favorites and i really don't think the new line of gelees is going to do it for me. i can buy mimosa but not pumpkin pie, waffle cone or banana nut bread? SERIOUSLY?

good things come to those who wait

i've mentioned before that i am completely obsessed with chuck's makeup from pushing daisies on ABC. i spent a night researching it online (don't judge), but couldn't any info and then i got frustrated and gave up. i didnt even intend to pick up the search, but like kismet, the search found me because i was in sephora one day and there was the color that was chuck-ish.

i might have heard a choir of angels singing behind me.

so while not searching, i found it (i just know that has to mean something in my real life) and let me tell you, it was quite a relief because i NEEDED it!

it's such a pretty, coral-y color and just so fresh and right for spring. it's from stila and it's high shine lip color in michaela. and while i don't normally like stila's packaging, the etched floral pattern on the tube is really, really cute!

worth the wait

my bare escentuals auto-delivery kit from QVC came yesterday and i could NOT wait to get my hands on it. SERIOUSLY. COULD NOT WAIT! now, don't judge the QVC factor because the kit had a mineral veil, gossamer, two eye shadows, liner, blush, lipstick and three brushes for $55. tell me who can beat that, people!

i've only used two things so far, but i am pretty happy. i was most excited for the diamond gossamer, which i used as my foundation this morning and then again as eye shadow. i was a little bit afraid that it might be too sparkly (notice it didn't stop me at all), but it wasn't a problem. it just had this glowy-glistening quality and it made me wish i was a snow fairy.

the original gossamer, which i love and quite frankly rarely use because it's just too darn pretty, has a lovely sparkle in an array of lovely little colors, whereas the diamond gossamer, infused with diamond powder, is just white. so as much as i would love to use original gossamer as my foundation, i feel like i would look like a 2nd grader who had a huge spill over at the arts & crafts table. but this just reminds me it's too pretty not to use--and i should definitely use it as eye shadow tomorrow.

i also used the lipstick; it's called gelato and it's a pinkish nude color that reminds me of THE FAVE, but on closer inspection is pinker than THE FAVE. it's been ten years now, and i should just face facts that there will never be another fave.

i just have to remind myself that there will be new and other faves from now on.

once upon a time i used to love the body shop. i loved the little fragrance bar and their lotions and potions. i distinctly remember some oatmeal/honey mask that i obsessed over. i dont know what happened in my mind that changed, but i havent been to the body shop in years. and then i was. and i remembered why i loved it in the first place. it was like reconnecting with an old friend or riding a bike (another thing i havent done in years).

right now it's winter, i've been sick -- and me and my skin are feeling blah. in an effort to remedy that, i've been drinking as much water as i possibly can and using the body shop's Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask. it makes me feel like that tiny little act has completely hydrated and replenished my skin. i've been using it almost every night as a special little pampering treat.

so i will admit that when the NARS orgasm glosses and multiples came out i was DYING, DYING, DYING to get my hands on them. coveted. dreamed. plotted. that being said, as soon as i saw the gloss i was like, Really? and was so disappointed. the multiple fared a little bit better; i saw it, loved it and then the second time i saw it, was disappointed and it was much like the first time i saw the gloss.

it was so sad.

then a few weeks ago, i was in my local sephora (they are pissing me off, btw) and saw the most beautiful NARS cream blush--seriously, i thought my heart was going to stop. i normally LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the line, but have been in a little disappointed in the past--and when i saw this color i knew all was well in the world again.

cactus flower. and it's beautiful.

it's so beautiful that the word simply does not do it justice. in the packaging it's a lovely, shimmering poppy color--the color that i have been dreaming of so long, but could not find. i reached for it because i had to have it--AND THERE WERE NONE LEFT. i am not gonna lie, i would have hulked out in sephora and started smashing displays, but i got a hold of myself and thought, this has to be a mistake, they have it SOMEWHERE.

they didnt.

i trekked over to another sephora on 57th and lex--and was about 30 blocks from home. because of cream blush (but it's so beautiful). they didnt have it either. it was like i was on the search for the holy grail or something and the next thing i know, i am calling up bendel's (they have it!) and it's being set aside for me.

it was worth every step and every penny.

the results are in

i've been on this avon kick--i'm rotating a couple of their different products and so far i am pleased with the results. so in that vein, i was really excited to try their Ageless Results Renewing Day Cream SPF 15. what i really like about it is that it has the SPF built right in, so i get to skip a step (normally i use a separate one, but it's winter and i am feeling lazy. i hope i dont regret that in ten years). Soy helps stimulate cellular repair (that would be lovely!) while antioxidants and peptides prevent and reduce wrinkles (oooh!). all the scientific stuff aside, is has this really nice citrusy scent which makes me feel really invigorated in the morning (it's not overwhelming or cloying at all and it disappears immediately).

if you see something, say something

the MTA has ads all over the place telling us riders if you see something, say something (a few years ago, a couple of girlfriends and i thought we saw something, said something and brought down the lexington avenue line, but i digress) so i did. i was standing on the platform on 59th street and i saw this woman wearing this gorgeous gloss so i asked her what it was. she was really nice--who doesn't enjoy a compliment from a perfect stranger?--and was pleasantly surprised when she told me it was NYC lip gloss in pink sand (available at drugstores for $1.99).

of course, i did not expect her to say that. i expected her to pull out Dior, CHANEL, anything but NYC $1.99 lip gloss-- even though i always say you can get drugstore finds. the funny thing is, it was very similar to a smashbox gloss that i have and love, but hate the brush. it's one of that's with a brush-tip applicator (i prefer the sponge)--and i hate it because the bristles lose their shape after each time you stick the wand back in the tube and it makes it hard to apply. so i'll definitely be trying the $1.99 version.