Leslie's Must Haves

I know, I have reviewed a couple of these products already. But that isn't exactly the point of this post. The point is that I won't go ANYWHERE without these products.Not even a quick over-night trip to my parents house. Here is why...I am vain, I feel better about life when I have gotten ready for the day and they work!
I TRULY believe you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. You never know who you will meet and what opportunities might present themselves. You might think its okay to run to the grocery store looking like crap, which is fine! I don't look super great sometimes either. But I can't count how many times I've given my business card out at the super market or the mall or even the movies because someone complemented my hair or boots or something else that can start a conversation.
The part I said about 'feeling better when I've gotten ready for the day', its true! About almost any situation. When I was growing up, if I ever felt sick or blah or even just in a bad mood, my mom would tell me, "Go take a shower. You'll feel better." And I swear, I always did (and still do)! Something about a bar of soap clears my mind, I guess. So the point I'm trying to make is, BE PREPARED.
Wow. This post just took off in a unforeseen direction. But that's okay! On to the stuff I love...

Starting from the left...
Stone Crop Hydrating Mist by Eminence.
This stuff is great. I just spray it on my face and my skin instantly feels calmer. Its awesome after you've been on a plane or a long car ride and your skin feels gross. It also smells nice, which doesn't hurt. Stone Crop is related to the Aloe Vera plant and so it feels amazing sprayed on a sunburn! Or even a flat iron burn. Not that I have done that.

Spray and Play by Sexy Hair
You have probably noticed I use this stuff a lot. I have used A LOT of other hairsprays but I just keep coming back to this one. It gives me the right amount of hold, its not too sticky. It just works!

Shampoo and conditioner by Pureology
This particular kind is called Perfect4Platinum. I am also addicted to the Hydrating shampoo and conditioner. Along with anyone else who tries it. The Platinum is great but the Hydrating just smells good and tingles and works for all hair types. Even fine/thin. Its pricey but worth it. I have never found a shampoo that helps keep your color from washing out better than this stuff!

Blonde Glam Color Enhancer by Redken
I like my blond to be super pale without looking yellow or brassy. So, I use this conditioning treatment once a week (okay, twice a week. At the most!). Its purple! Because violet cancels out yellow. I leave it on for 5 minutes in the shower and then rinse it out. Don't use it too much or your hair will start to have a pale purple-ish tinge to it. Which I'm assuming most people don't want.

Soy Renewal by Sexy Hair
Another product I use a lot. I also like Moroccan Oil but that stuff is a little too rich for my blood. Especially when this is cheaper and also works pretty dang good! Put it on before you blow dry to cut your drying time down. It also softens your hair and gets rid of some frizz and fly-aways. After your hair is dry you can put a little through your hair for shine. Don't go overboard though! Grease-ball is not a good look for you, my dude!!

Texture Twist by Pureology
I dedicated a whole post to this stuff. I love it. 'Nuff said.

Perfume
Specifically Bright Crystal by Versace. I love perfume. I just think is feminine and fun and makes your whole hair/makeup/outfit complete. That being said, I'm extremely picky. Fruity and sweet? What am I, 8? Too Flowery? Now I smell like a grandma. You get the idea. The smell has to be just right. I used to wear CK IN2U by Calvin Klein, but they stopped making it. Which pissed me off. I considered writing a stern letter. Until I found this stuff. I don't usually trust others to pick out a scent for me, but my mom brought this back from a trip she and my dad took and I love it. People are always complementing me on it. Before you go being impressed by the fact that I wear Versace, its really not that expensive. Like, $30 at Nordstrom Rack!
Now you might be thinking I because I like perfume that I use a lot of scented lotions and body washes. WRONG. I refuse to wear scented lotion. I feel like that stuffs intended demographic is pre-teen girls. Its sticky, smells gross and messes with the smell of my perfume. I don't feel like body wash actually cleans your skin and most of it makes my skin dry and itchy, so I use a bar of Dial soap. After I get out of the shower, I use baby lotion. End of story.

Wow. Thanks for making it through all that with me! I'm sorry I was having rage over scented lotion.
In the words of my friend Jenna... SEEEEEEE-YA!
Les


This Post was brought to you by:
-Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret
-The massage Kara gave me at work (She is a licenced Massage Therapist. Not that creepy co-worker everyone has that thinks its appropriate to come up behind ANYONE and massage them. You know what I'm talkin' about)
-Cherry JuJu Hearts

Retro Eyeliner

I love makeup, but lets be real. I don't go all 'Super Model Documentary Hour' everyday. In fact some days, I don't even wear makeup. And I go to work that way! This is not because I'm all 'free spirit-y' it because I'm LAZY. By the time I get done showering, doing my hair, finding an outfit and taking care of the dogs, having time to stop for coffee sounds WAY better than doing my make up. But if I need a quick way to do my make up, this little demo is one of the ways I do it. It looks pretty and classic but it takes me like five minutes, I swear!


This is what I used today

This is my new liquid liner. It works better than any liquid liner I have used before! It doesn't smudge or imprint itself onto my upper lids as the day goes on. Super user friendly, goes on evenly, and dries fast.

EyeStudio by Maybelline in Blackest Black

To begin, I got out my trusty ShadeStick in Beige-ing by MAC. Apply that from lash line to crease and use your finger to spread it around, feathering it up to your brow bone. Then I put the bottom color in my Cafe Classics palette on from lash line to eyebrow.

Now for the eyeliner!! What I did was practice on my hand a little to get the feel for it. Start with a little!

I lined my top lid first. To give it the retro look I wanted, I did it thicker on the outside and much thinner on the inside. I flared it out on the outside corner of my eye for a kinda 'cat eye' look. Let your first coat dry for a second and then go over it again, touching up any places that need it.

Then I put a little on my bottom lids. Not everyone has to to do this. I do it because they way my eyes are shaped, I feel like they look droopy when I have nothing on the bottom. So, it is up to you! I put a little on the outside corner and then mostly just filled in lightly between my lashes (good trick to make it seem like you have more lashes on the bottom!). Do the other eye but go slow and double check to be sure your eyes are even. I have one eyelid that is droopier(apparently 'droopy' is my word of the day) than the other so mine rarely look EXACTLY the same. Play with yours a little, but quit while you are ahead. Too much jet black liquid liner all over your eyes, not a good look for you, my dude!

This calls for a little stronger eyebrow so if you don't usually "do" your eyebrows today might be the day you try it out. I like this eyebrow brush by Bobbi Brown in Blonde. Its perfect for my light eyebrows and goes on like mascara!

Then I did, a couple coats of black mascara(curl your lashes first!) and finished getting ready for the day! This is pretty minimalist in terms of eye make up so feel free to do a pretty lip color(red maybe?)! One day I will show you a really pretty hair style to do with this makeup. You'll look like Marilyn Monroe, I swear! (like me, DUH!)

Thank you, come again!

Les

Make up Do's

• Practice Practice Practice!



• Don't fear the liquid Liner!



• Try lash strips if you want a more dramatic look

Make up Don'ts

• If you choose to line your bottom lash, don't go too heavy!

This Post was brought to you by:

-Somebody That I Use To Know by Gotye (I'm very obsessed with this song right now, download it immediately, you wont regret it!)

-Born to Die by Lana Del Ray

-A 16 oz. double shot caramel latte from Ibis