The Pen is Mightier Than the Palette

I have fallen in love with a couple Holy Grail cosmetics in the past month. Not only are these two babies makeup miracle workers, but they’re both pen-sized – and can replace a whole myriad of products in your makeup bag, truly proving that good things do come in small packages.

YSL Touche Eclat

Part highlighter, part sheer coverage concealer, this gleaming gold tube offers something other products just can’t: a perfect touch of radiance wherever you need it. I’ve been searching for years for something that could give me that glowy, brilliant sheen that you see on models in the magazines, but I always ended up either looking like a shiny, oily mess or disco ball from all the glitter. This little guy basically makes you look like you’re being perfectly illuminated by a professional camera crew at all times. And because it’s sheer, you can ever layer it over concealer for an instant pick-me-up under the eyes. Just add a stroke or two here and there, and you’ll have a perfected complexion.

Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner

Okay, so we’ve all seen that commercial with Brooke Shields where she’s talking about this stuff her doctor prescribed her for her “inadequate, or not enough lashes,” right? And it sounded a little ridiculous but maybe got you thinking…is there something out there that can really give me my own permanent set of false-looking eyelashes? But then you heard the disclaimer about the eyelid-tinting side effects, iris spots, blah blah blah, forget about it.
Enter Revitalash. Same deal, no side effects, no Rx, and about a third of the price if you find a deal online. I’ve been using it for just about a month now and I’m starting to see some real growth on these stumpy, stick-straight lashes. One of my co-workers has been using it for several months and recommended it to me when I commented on what I thought were her FALSE lashes. So I remain confident I too will soon have enviable eyelashes – with or without mascara.

(Furnishing) Ways of Summer

Ah, another movie that is just so visually pleasing.  From the vintage dresses Zoey wears to the soft linens of the beds they seem to always be throwing each other into, “500 Days of Summer” makes for some excellent interior inspiration…

In my Summer Finn-themed room:

- Blue Toile Curtains from Home Decorators

- Framed Magritte print from allposters.com

- Record Player from Urban Outfitters

- Candid Candelabra from ModCloth

- Parsons Chair and Keys Console Table from Home Decorators

- LJUSÅS YSBY Lamp from IKEA…because you’ve gotta have SOMETHING from IKEA!

Spring Cleaning

I’m not sure if it’s because the weather is changing or because I’ve been going through a throw-out-everything-you-don’t-use phase, but I recently did a little overhaul of my regular hair ‘n’ makeup routine.  I’ve been wearing full makeup on a daily basis since I was about 12 years old (okay, let’s not count the whole horrific American Apparel era where all makeup was strictly forbidden), and I’ve mostly gotten it down to rigid regime, but every once in awhile I get a little bored… Here are some new favorites:

Physician’s Formula Shimmer Sticks Bronzer

Hooray for cheap drugstore makeup!  But the real reason I like this is because I’m a redhead with very pale skin.  Normally, bronzer is traumatic fiasco for us.  This is the only bronzer I’ve found that comes in a rosier shade that actually doesn’t make me look like a clown.  Bonus: the ivory strip doubles as a highlighter for the mornings after you’ve had too many screwdrivers.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

It’s been a lifelong hunt for concealer that doesn’t cake up.  I love it when people assume I have naturally perfect skin (almost as much as I love it when people assume this is my natural hair color).  This one is the ONLY concealer I’ve found to last through the whole day (and the night…and the morning after) without caking up, rubbing off, or creasing.  Bravo to the salesgirl who picked this one out for me.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime

If you knew me really well, you’d know that beachy hair is my jam.  I’ve always preferred texturized (okay, slightly messy) hair to shiny hair.  In fact, I usually hate when my hair is shiny at ALL.  But I started to realize that whole bedhead look I was going for was actually just really dry, damaged hair.  Whoops.  Enter the Elixir.  I put it on before I blow dry, after I blow dry, before bed as a treatment, while the water is boiling for my pasta dinner, during the commercial breaks for SNL…yeah, you get it.  All the time.  Best. Hair product. Ever.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara

I want to wear false eyelashes all the time.  I know it’s not realistic.  I know it’s not sane.  This eases the constant craving for drag queen-worthy lashes.  Plus, it smells reeeallll purty.  No, really.  Next time you see me, take a whiff of these eyelashes.

Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lip Gloss

So many betrayals.  1) I hate wearing lip gloss almost as much as I hate wearing nail polish.  I think I skipped those days in girl school. 2) Neutrogena is evil. 3) Pharmacy makeup is just in general a bad idea.  HOWEVER, this is not much of a stray from just wearing lip balm, it is super cheap, and (the real reason why I like it) it tastes like a freshly mixed tropical drink.

There, I mentioned girly beverages TWICE in this post.  I feel this compensates for the lack of nail polish.

Viva Espana

So, my week in Spain consisted of delicious food, lots of walking, and even my own TV debut on a Spanish news station.  Yeah, I’m pretty awesome.  Oh yeah, I took some pictures too.

Best views. I want to live in a castle.

Anyways, the first day we explored Puerta del Sol in Madrid. We kept running into street performers, mostly people dressed as cartoons characters. There were a whole lot of Mickey Mouses and they all seemed so alone. So desolate. Thus sparked the inspiration for the “Sad Mickey Series” (click for larger image…and see if you can spot the Sad Mickey):

Dora seemed kinda bummed too:

Another series: “Las Puertas de Puerta del Sol”

We also saw a whole bunch of castles and cathedrals.

I wanna hire a Spanish interior decorator whenever I buy a house. Everything is just so pretty.

We ended up in Toledo, which was probably my favorite city. Here’s a picture of old Toledo.

I really want to go back again…asap.

Another Bashful Blog Appearance...

I guess the rule is, if I wear this coat with these shoes, someone, somewhere is going to blog about it. I know, I know, I’m just too cool.

And this fashion blogger really knew how to approach a girl for a photo! She set me up in front of these pretty red branches and told me to cross my feet and smile. What a pro! And apart from my goofy face and roots galore, I’m feeling pretty proud over here.

Sheesh, that fur-collared coat was really the best $8 I ever spent!

Le Fabuleux Appartement d’Amélie Poulain

Whenever I move into a new place, I get all these ideas in my head months before about how I am going to decorate.  Most of the time, these ideas come from beautiful set designs I’ve seen from movies or on TV.  There are tiny little nooks of my apartment that display nuances of my favorite films, but if I had the time (and budget) these would be full-fledged rooms!  And one room would have to be for Amélie:

Aside from the fact that this is the only movie I can think of in which the romantic protagonist who finally wins true love is a woman, I simply love the colors and textures used in this film.  Reds, oranges, blues, and greens along with a whimsical animal-theme give Amélie’s flat such a warm and creativity-inducing feel.

In my Amélie-inspired room:

                 - Framed Animal Portraits by Ryan Berkley

                 - Stunning Stampede Light Set from ModCloth

                 - Thistle Pillow, Birkin Chair, and Chelsea Anywhere Table

                    from Home Decorators

                 - Cobalt Blue Table Lamp from Overstock.com

                 - Damask Velvet Burnout Curtain from Urban Outfitters

And what Amélie room would be complete without a garden gnome?

Porcelain Gnome Lantern from Urban Outfitters

Character Coats

I’m convinced that much of my personality is made up of bits and pieces of characters I’ve seen in movies.  This in turn also inspires much of my wardrobe.  

My favorite thing to hunt down is outerwear reminiscent of these characters.  Putting on a large winter coat is the easiest way to disappear into disguise and become whoever you choose to be.  I remember one year searching Ebay and consignment stores alike until I found the perfect Russian princess coat that would make me appear to be Anna Karina in Vivre Sa Vie (which is still by far my favorite coat in the world).  Although another coat is the absolute last thing I need in my closet, here are some on my wishlist as inspired by the fictitious women we love:

Alice Ayers in Closer.  

I loved how she was basically the character in Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue” come to life.  This blanket coat via Urban Outfitters reminds me of her shearling coat and reckless abandon.

Margot Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums.  

Who doesn’t want to be her?  A prodigy, a playwright, a sullen lover…plus she has that Birkin I would kill for…  This ruffled faux-fur coat via Saks is an update on the plush yet ironic fur coat she dons throughout the film.

Clementine Kruczynski in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  

This manic-depressive, potato-doll-making character is what I want to be.  Although I try to keep in mind that she is not a concept, she’s just a fucked-up girl looking for her own peace of mind.  I’ve always wanted a puffer-princess coat like the one she wears on the frozen Charles, and I’ve come close with this one via Saks.

Lauren Hynde in The Rules of Attraction.  

Love the book, love the movie, and pretty much love any character Shannyn Sossamon plays.  I just wish I were that indie.  This military coat via ASOS (possibly paired with a ruffley blouse and cords?) is so totally her.