Thursday, January 31, 2013

Flower Beauty-Drew Barrymore's Makeup Line

When I heard a couple of months ago that Drew Barrymore was creating a makeup line, I was actually beyond excited for a celebrity line for once. Usually, I am not a huge fan of famous faces hocking a product they had nothing to do with creating but in regard to Miss Drew, I was all ears. You see, ever since Drew Barrymore made a little movie called Never Been Kissed, I have always had sort of a girl crush on her (if you haven't seen it please do yourself a favor and get on that). She is cute and easy to relate to, I mean have you read her interview in Harpers Bazaar? She's adorbs and I loved her CoverGirl ads so why wouldn't her own makeup line, Flower Beauty, pique my interest? FYI- her stint as a CoverGirl spokesperson the only one ever to land a co-creative director title as well.


Monday, January 28, 2013

My Honeymoon Beauty Regimen or Lack Thereof

Whilst packing for our dream vacation to a tropical island in the sun, I imagined all manner of nice dinner that we would go to, thinking of the new dress or two I would wear, and the bronzed, kissable face I would have with the touch of sun I got that day along with the splash of makeup I would wear over it... and so on and so forth. But what really happened was the ultimate in makeup free liberation! For one whole week, I did not use foundation or blush or mascara OH MY despite me bringing it along with us! I actually forgot my brush and gasp! didn't use one for a week. Of course my hair was a nest when I got back into the states but I still managed to look lovely and effortless with some of the bare necessities. Want to see what I actually did use on my vacation? Check it.

  • Neutrogena Sport Face Lotion SPF 70+, $9.99, An awesome way to keep your face burn free and also keep those pores unclogged. I may or may not have been guilty of using this on my chest and arms as well since I wanted to keep everything baby soft and pale.   
  • Olay Active Hydrating Beauty Fluid, $11.99 This is what I used in the evening after being in the sun all day. Yes, I wore sunblock but even some UV rays will get in and I didn't want my skin drying out. This came in a super convenient travel size from Target. 
  • Chapstick Classic, Cherry, $1.99, sunblock is to face what chapstick is to lips. end scene  
  • Colgate Extra Clean Toothbrush, $7.34 (3 pack) Umm duh, with which to brush my teeth, like I said, bare necessities.  
  • DenTek Comfort Clean Easy Angle Floss, $2.99, again a necessity.
  • Gimme Basics Bobby Pins, $3.99, the nest needed to be kept in place as long as possible, although I am sure there are some bobby pins swimming in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere near Ambergris Caye at this point.   
  • Dove Clear Tone Anti- Perspirant Deodorant, $3.99, This is by far my favorite deodorant and really did bring it's A game so close to the Equator.  
  • Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes, $5.99, ever the popular purse partner, these wipes came in handy on the honeymoon as well as in any grimy situation you may be in (ie Lollapalooza in 100 degree heat). These are perfect to feel refreshed in an instant.  
  • Goody Ouchless Hair Elastics, $4.79, where better to bring those multi color hair elastics that you only dare wear to the gym and bed, than to a foreign country where you'll never see anyone again. Me and an orange hair elastic had a grand ol' time snorkeling together... a time I'll never forget, sniffle sniffle.

What do you think of my non-existent beauty regimen? I thought it was rather freeing to not feel pressure to make it up for a full week, though I am glad to be back to my normal routine.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

eFoxcity.com

I am obvi always looking for a new place to grab a steal of a deal. I have said it before and I'll say it again that I will always give a retailer, even online ones, a chance before I knock them. So I guess the saying goes "don't knock it before you try it." ;-) Anyhoo, I was recently introduced to eFoxCity, which is an online wholesaler of everything from costume jewelry to wedding dresses to men's pants  and back again to women's attire. I know the idea of buying from an online wholesaler may seem questionable or not very high fashion but I never claimed to be the type who has to pay a ton of money to look cute and/or cool. Check out what I mean.

Red Momoko Sexy Square Earring


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Couture Design... and Beyond?

Today marks the first day of my fourth class in the Fashion Design graduate certificate program at Mass Art in Boston. It was a little over a year ago when I sort of broke down in tears to the man about pursuing my dream, something I had wanted to do as long as I can remember… becoming a fashion designer. Tonight I start my Couture Design studio class which promises to teach me lots of interesting techniques doing things that I am naturally interested in such as hand beading, smocking, applying appliqués and the like. While the class is sure to be fun and challenging, I am sitting here questioning what my end goal is in completing this program.


Source

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Obsession Alert: Kelly Osbourne's Lavender Hair

I know it's like a year too late but it's actually been growing on me for some time now. What I am talking about is Kelly Osbourne's ever evolving, purple/lavender/grey/purple hair color. At first, I couldn't see any purpose to purple hair, as in what would it match with? But as time has gone by, I have begun thinking more and more about doing it myself, taking the plunge and dying my hair Kelly Osbourne purple. Here, let me show you some of what I am talking about.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Custom Bridal Jewelry by NUDA

Hey guys, I thought I would spread out the wedding stuff, for those interested parties, so that I can update you on some of my favorite things about the day but also save some of the fun (and professional) pictures until, well, I get them! One of things that I was really proud to say that I did for my wedding day, was to have both my bridesmaids jewelry and my jewelry custom made by some of my fave jewelry makes/designers. The bridesmaid jewelry is for another day, this post is for the fabulous rose quartz jewelry that I had designed by one of my faves, Gale of NUDA. I contacted Gale with a very loose idea of what I wanted (rose quartz) and threw some stones and beads I bought at her. Needless to say, she worked her magic. Gale shared her creative process with me so obvi, I had to share it with you. She was a great collaborator with me and my vision (ummmm she used a mallet for me). I would recommend her to anyone who wants a special piece for any occasion. Take a look at what she sent over to me to share:

Here Amanda's choice of Rose quartz stone, which I took off just a bit to make a slightly smaller pendant for her necklace.


Friday, January 18, 2013

Prabal Gurung for Target, Sign Me Up I Suppose

I know since I moaned and complained about the Missoni for Target debacle over a year ago, the Jason Wu collab left me a little to be desired and the most recent Target/Neimun Marcus collection was overpriced (FYI, that's how I feel), you'd think I wouldn't really be interested in the upcoming Prabal Gurung for Target collab set to hit stores and online February 10th... well, you'd be wrong. After getting a full look at the collection on Elle.com and their corresponding prices, I am all about it. Seriously, these prices are back to Target basics and the prints are sweet, flirty and typical Prabal Gurung.


Sweatshirt in First Date print, $29.99; pencil skirt in Dresden blue, $29.99; tote in Nolita print, $39.99; bangles, $16.99 each; wedge sandals, $29.99, Dress in First Date print, $34.99; miniaudiere in Nolita print, $34.99; floral earrings, $14.99; crystal teardrop pendant necklace, $19.99; crystal teardrop necklace, $39.99; flat sandals, $29.99

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Best and Worst Dressed, Golden Globes 2013

I wasn't able to catch the Golden Globes this year due to being out of the country on a pesky trip called a Honeymoon but that doesn't mean I didn't bootup the laptop as soon as I was able to check out the red carpet fashion. Of course I had my clear favorites and those that I didn't care for too much. For what it's worth, here are my faves and my not so muches.

BEST

Amanda Seyfried in Givenchy Couture- So understated but in looking at the details, it's just superbly put together. Amanda has been really bringing it on the red carpet lately and this look is no exception.

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Shoes of My Wedding Weekend

Note: I didn't post this on Friday as intended, so sue me! Today should be Friday, January 4th and today should be the day before my wedding day. Yeah, I'm excited. Yeah, there is so much going on right now. And yeah, I will document my days in the shoes I will wear. You might call me crazy, and you can if you want, but I love shoes so very much. I will note these babies in my wardrobe and how they played their part in my big weekend.

Running Errands Shoes:

The girls at work chipped in and got me a DSW gift card as a wedding present. Oh how lovely to get a present that can only go towards supporting one of my favorite hobbies, shoe shopping. I chose a pair of sneakers because #1 my faves are starting to get worn and #2 I wanted something a little sturdier to bring on our honeymoon for adventure seeking!

Nike Women's Air Alvord 10 Trail Running Shoe


Friday, January 11, 2013

Hot Rollers, my New Best Friends

I don't know if you guys remember me telling you a little while ago that I needed to replace some of my hair equipment, because every girl needs to do that sometimes, OK? On that trip to the fab aisle in Target, I picked myself up an extra set of hot rollers, because the set I had previously is a travel set, which does not work with as much hair as I possess. Anyhow, before you start calling me an old woman, I just want to tell you that when I use hot rollers, not only do I feel like I am channeling Farrah Fawcett but I also end up with fabulous looking hair full of volume. I love it!


Monday, January 7, 2013

New Hair Equipment was Needed

I was blow drying my hair the other day, upside down, like I normally do. My hair is so thick and luxurious (well, maybe not luxurious) that it takes close to a week for me to dry it and I often have to tip my head to the side upside down, out an open car window while driving... you get the picture. I think that my hair definitely works my equipment overtime so it was no surprise to me when my blow dryer started sputtering/powering on and off on it's own. Needless to say, after a couple of uses like this, I started fearing I would be electrocuted and girl, I have got things I want to do in this life; I'm not letting a faulty hair dryer take me out of the game. Sooooo fast forward to the man getting me the Tracy Reese for Target Neimun Marcus jobbie for Christmas. #1 It didn't fit quite right and #1 we both felt it was shoddy quality for the $80 he spent on it... so off to Target we went to return my shirt and get a whole lot more for his money... for me!


Friday, January 4, 2013

Guest Post: Life After Married



My friend Amanda is getting married this weekend.  Snaps to Amanda and her charming soon-to-be husband!  Beyond the basic well wishing, of which there will be much in the coming days and weeks, it seems appropriate to offer some kind of advice or forewarning as she saunters into the land of hitched.  The problem is, I don’t have the best track record when it comes to the whole committed relationship thing.  You see, I’ve been married twice, and am on the down side of a 5 year relationship now, so for me to offer anything other than good luck is a bit of misnomer…

However, in true life giving you lemons style, I turned my lack of married success into a thriving blog called Life After Married.  LAM offers pithy and not-so-pithy glimpses into the inner workings of relationships and what life looks like when you followed the map and played by the rules, and still ended up in a quagmire of dysfunction and disillusion.  Life After Married is where you go when you wake up in the morning and say to yourself “…wait a second…this is what it’s all about?...Seriously…?”

Knowing that Amanda is of sound mind and character, I have the utmost faith in her ability to rock a relationship – married or otherwise.  But just in case, there’s always my site…! 

The following piece was recently published on Life After Married, and was written by my wise and worldly 23 year old editorial assistant.  I tried to come up with something more appropriate or fitting for someone about to walk down the aisle, but I couldn’t! 

So here’s to weddings and parties and marriages…and even Life After Married…may they all be splendid!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Making It Up: Coco Rocha's Cat Eye and Tangerine Lip

So the man and I decided to go out on a date night together, our last before we took the plunge aka tied the knot this coming weekend. I obvi shouldn't need a reason to try something new out, like let's say a sassy makeup look, but a date night means I should probably spruce myself up a little extra, you know? Enter Coco Rocha's makeup look from the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards last month. She has a rocking coral/orange lip and a very interesting, detailed cat eye. I had some of the items on hand for this look while I used this as an excuse to pick up the lip color, which I unfortunately didn't have in my stash and the liquid liner with a nice tip for the cat eye. I don't know that you can get quite this color tangerine at your local CVS but this was pretty close. Let me know what you think!


  • Miracle Skin Transformer "Treat and Conceal", $36.00 I use this all the time. It's a great concealer and also helps keep my skin clear or as clear as possible. It also helps create the illusion of an overall even skin tone, which I wish I had! I have raved about this before and will always tell you that it is well worth the money. Read my thoughts here.

  • Physcians Formula Bamboo Wear Powder, $9.95 I love a nice oil absorbing powder because something I don't care for is oil on my face. This is a nice pressed powder you can purchase at the drug store and is also hypoallergenic, which is cool.

  • Sephora Collection Eyeshadow in Aspen Summit, $12.00 I received this as a free gift with purchase at Sephora and was actually pleasantly surprised with how often I use this white shimmery eye shadow. It's very versatile and not over the top. Just right in price too!

  • Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti, $7.50 This is definitely a decent lipstick, especially if you are just interested in trying a shade out. This is a great price and turns out the color lasts for quite a bit longer than I would have wagered.

  • Becca Cosmetics Mineral Blush in Damselfy, $32.00 Love love love Becca cosmetics. You can say "Amanda, you are cray cray for spending that much on blush" but #1 this was a gift and #2 when it's gone, I'll buy it myself. It has awesome staying power and the pink it dusted with gold flecks so it's almost like a blush bronzer. Word.
  • Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackest Black, $8.95 This is my favorite liner if I want a really precise line on my eyelid. It's a liquid rather than pencil so it doesn't smudge as easy but the pointed tip is great for cat eyes and Egyptian goddesses.

What do you think? Will you give this look a try?

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

My Goals for Prim and Propah in 2013

It's 2013, which for most people means that there are resolutions! Oh, the resolutions! Mine has been the same for the last 10 years, to lose weight and work out and eat healthier. Yeah, this year I did lose almost 20lbs but that was over the course of the year. I have resigned myself to always trying to work on this so for now, I am not going to make it a big thing. This year, instead of working on what might seem to be my physical appearance, I will be working on my online presence and the content in that online presence... making it better.

Document Fashion Design School in a more organized fashion: I have been working really hard in 2012 on any number of things, school being one of them. It is something I am most proud of doing yet I am not doing a great job or sharing it with you, my readers. Assuming that it would interest you, I should do my best to explain classes and what I am learning, especially if there are people interested in the same schooling as what I am going through now.

Overhaul the appearance of Prim and Propah: I have been personally working on the appearance of this blog for the past 2 years. I have done everything on my own, teaching myself the html as I go along or looking up different ways for things to appear on Blogger. Not only do I want a more professional feel but I want to switch from the Blogger platform to a self hosted Wordpress blog, which undoubtedly has more functionality for expansion and professional elements. I plan to hire someone to handle this undertaking so recommendations are certainly welcome.

Work on more DIY and Craft related posting: When I started Prim and Propah, it was to share my journey into the world of crafting and sewing. As time has gone by, I have admittedly moved in a more fashion related direction but this year, I will do a better job of making posts in relation to one of my passions that I haven't had time for, sewing and crafting. I want to share my creativity with you all, which was my main mission when I started this blog.

Work on making connections, more than I had in 2012: Just yesterday, I was surprised with being featured on the Boston.com DIY blog as one of the 13 DIYs to try in 2013 from Boston Bloggers... needless to say, I was pretty stoked with the attention to my blog, always my labor of love (and sometimes loathing). If I work on making more connections, cultivating relationships with other bloggers and attending events (like Boston Blogger Meetups/ Conventions/Store events), I can not only have my visibility boosted but I can meet people that I can learn from. Yay!

Do you have goals for your blog, life or business this year? If so, please share!