Monday, April 30, 2012

Lustworthy Bathrooms

Monday is a day where I want to do anything besides work! And now that the day is finished I am filling up the bathtub with a (few) capfulls of bubble bath, pouring a glass of wine and getting ready for some much needed relaxation. Of course, this makes me think of what my dream bathroom would look like. I am picturing something along these lines..








Friday, April 27, 2012

Friday Flops!

Friday postings usually consist of my Friday Fab Five, but today I decided to mix things up a bit and post my top picks for Friday Flops. My biggest let down's are....

1. EOS Shave Cream: I was expecting the world from this EOS product but what I really got was a shaving lotion that felt icky on my skin and clogged up my razor. The substance is far too thick to work well with a razor and lathering it up is a difficult task. The only upside, its smell. I will stick to Skintimate from now on.




2. Noxema Face Wash: As a kid I would watch my mom apply her tried and true Noxema and on special nights she would let me join in on the fun! I loved the smell and tingly sensation that it provided and the clean feeling after washing it off. So of course I jumped for joy when I saw that Noxema had a face wash! That is until I used it. The smell is a lighter version of the old (good for some, but I liked the strong scent of the original). It applied well with the Clarisonic and lathered descently. However, once washed off my face was left with a strange feeling...my face felt like rubber! I kid you not! I have never had this happen before and it obviously skeeved me out. I tossed it immediately.



3. Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam: Field trip season is coming up at work and I will be spending every day for the next month outside from 9 to 2. I wanted a no-fuss and lightweight coverup that would not only look natural but feel weightless on my face. Thanks to some distracting ads with flawless-faced models I decided to give this product a go. What a mistake that was! The product (even after a bit of shaking) came out unevenly. Some areas were white while others were tinted. I applied the odd consistency to my face and it was super streaky. It took a few coats (literally) to get my facing looking even. Once I finally looked presentable and was happy with the end product I headed out the door. Well, 2 hours later my face was splotchy and looked like it was melting. The mousse was literally running down my face and felt like I applied a coating of oil. I will never use this product again.




Have you been let down by any products recently?




xxA

Thursday, April 26, 2012

My Picks: South Moon Under

South Moon Under never fails in my book...a recent (impromtu) trip last week has had me lusting over some of their new arrivals. Some purchasing is in my near future...
































Find them all at South Moon Under

xxA

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Wardrobe Staple: Crisp White Shirt

One of the most classic pieces a woman can own is a crisp white shirt. These shirts are always in style and have the ability to pull any ensemble together. I myself own about 6 in different cuts, textures and lengths. Their shear ability to turn any outift into chic and classy keeps me coming back for more. Personally, I prefer my white oxfords (or button downs) from J Crew like this one.
However, virtually EVERY designer has one or more of these in their collection so it isn't hard to find one tailored to suite your needs. What I love most about crisp white shirts is that they literally go with everything! Here are a few of my favorite looks. Enjoy!


For a simple look, pair with skinny jeans, Jacks and a bold necklace

With a bright pencil skirt, nude pumps and a necklace from a differnt color palette.

A work day essential: with kahki suite pants, pumps and pearls

Make it boho chic with a bright maxi, fresh jewelry and wedges

Business casual with tailored black pants, simple jewelry and a killer bag

For running errands pair it with leggings, loafers and simple jewelry

A fresh take on work wear paired with khaki skinnies, loafers and pearls
For the perfect weekend look, throw on tailored short, sandals and a bold necklace
What are your favorite looks?

xxA

Monday, April 23, 2012

Gardening 101

I have a pretty descent sized yard nestled in downtown Annapolis and would love to turn it into my own little secret garden! My vision is a lush little patch of garden with veggies, fruit and flowers, with mason jar lanterns, a cute little swing and a fire pit. The vision sounds amazing, but will it happen is the real question. To give myself a little motivation I found a few gardens that would be ideal spaces for some garden glory!























Does anyone have any gardening tips for this novice garden gal?


xxA

Friday, April 20, 2012

Friday Fab Five

Hello Lovelies and Happy Friday! I will literally be doing the happy dance come 5:00...I am in the middle of school programming and have been in and out of classrooms for the past 2 weeks and am fully embracing the end of the work week!

Here are five FABULOUS products that I am currently loving...

1. Bare Minerals 100% Natural Lipgloss:
 I got this free from a recent purchase so there really wasn't any harm in giving it a whirl. I sure am glad I did. While it may not taste the greatest the hue "Cupcake" is super rich and shiny. An added bonus for this gal is its staying power and it isn't sticky like most glosses on the market.



2. Redken Nature's Rescue Sea Spray:
 I recently ran out of my tried and true Not Your Mothers Sea Salt Spray and word must have gotten around about how amazeballs it is so when I went to re-stock, Ulta was clean out. The sales lady suggested a few other sprays (all with a MUCH higher price tag) and after smelling this stuff I was sold. The texture it provides is very nice and sans the stickiness. It lasted throughout my hectic work day and brushed out nicely so I could throw my hair up to go for a run. But again, the smell was the selling point and I must say it has some serious staying power! Everytime I moved my hair or touched it the scent capsules would engulf me in a fresh beachy smell.



3. Crest 3D Glamorous White Toothpaste:
 White teeth are a big deal for this girl so naturally whitening toothpaste is a staple. I have been using the Crest 3D white line for quite a few years now and it's never disappointed. I saw this NEW product which claims to whiten and brighten teeth in as little as five days with intant buffing results. White teeth without whitening? SOLD! Well, it may not be as powerful as their whitestrips but this stuff has been helping me achieve the glamorously white smile I love!



4. Wigo Cheetah Print Hair Dryer:
 Last week my hair dryer of 2 years (yes, 2) died! I was saddened and distraught...that baby saw me through so many great hair days and worked like a dream. Uncomparable in my book! That is, until I had to begrudgingly break down and buy a new one. I picked this guy up at Ulta and used my handy dandy coupon and home I went. I dreaded having to dry my hair with another hair dryer so I may or may not have went 3 days without washing my hair. But when I finally did, I was quite impressed. This little baby packs a lot of punch and with its smoothing ions and easy temperature and speed controls my hair was smooth, shiney and chock full of model-worthy body. Plus, its cheetah print. So fun!



5. Loreal Infallible Eyeshadow:
  You won't find a single bit of eyeshadow on my lids during the work week. I tend to keep my look more natural, especially since I work with kids and am on a boat most of the year. But once the weekend rolls around I do love to glam it up a bit. I love eyeshadows and recently threw away a plethora of old shadows that needed to be tossed. In their place I bought some new ones, some good some bad. But in Loreal's case, this one is great! First off the color pigment is fabulous, it glides on smoothly and doesn't need any layering. The color is also rather dimensional and is both shiny and matte (I know, doesn't make sense to me either). It comes in a wide array of colors and in some super cute packaging as well. The best part...it lasts all night!


What products are you currently loving?

xxA