Ultimate in Summer Sexy

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For years now, my favorite makeup combination has been a smokey eye and a nude lip.  It's fresh and sexy, and something about it is perfect for summer.  Not much is needed to achieve this classic look - apply nude lipstick, bronzer, and a good kohl eyeliner and off you go, looking pretty as can be.  

Beauty Crush Monday: Onesta Lavender Body Lotion

Discovering the Onesta line was a fortuitous find - and one that I'm quite thankful for.  In a world where parabens are bad, and sulfate free is the only way to buy beauty products, the whole thing can be a bit overwhelming.  How do you know what you're buying?  Onesta takes the guess work out of it and makes the whole process quite simple.   All of their ingredients are naturally derived - so you can feel great about what you're using.  Also, 10% of the company's profits are donated to cancer research each year.

My BFF happens to work for the company, and she's the one who turned me on to their great products.   I have come to realize I can't live without the Lavender Body Lotion.  It's rich, without being greasy, and the natural lavender smell is intoxicatingly fresh.  It has become my favorite thing to put on before I  go to bed.    Their hair products are equally wonderful, and I'll plan on sharing more about those in a future Beauty Crush Monday.

Beauty Crush Monday: Clarisonic Plus

I pondered the purchase of a Clarisonic Plus for months before I actually bought one.  Because let's face it - they're pricy lil' buggers.  I read countless reviews on Amazon, Sephora, and other beauty blogs until I became convinced that this really was "the miracle beauty tool" everyone claims it is.     I've never been someone with terrible skin - but I wouldn't call my complexion enviable either.  I have an oily t-zone, the occasional acne, and clogged pores were a problem I just thought I'd have to live with.  I've always worn a foundation and powder and have desperately wanted to be that person that could go naked-faced and still feel confident.     I've had my Clarisonic Plus for two months now and it really has lived up to all the hype.  After using  it my face glows.  I've found that products like moisturizers and serums absorb much better into my skin, and best of all is I've ditched my foundation for a tinted moisturizer I would have only dreamt of using in the past. Overall, my skin is just much more clear.  It's been a life saver this winter and shluffs away dry skin so my complexion is bright.  I am more impressed with it capabilities on my face than on how it exfoliates my body - but still it's very effective.  If you've been on the fence about buying one - I highly recommend you do - it really is one of those products that can completely change your beauty routine. 

Awapuhi!

If Awapuhi were a place, it'd be similar to this...

Here's a lil' beauty tip for your Friday.   I use Paul Mitchell's Awapuhi shampoo as a body wash.  Awapuhi is a form of ginger that originated in India, but now is mainly grown in Hawaii.  And it truly is a heavenly thing.  Sure, it's a little pricier than your run of the mill body wash, but it's *so* worth it.  The smell reminds me of my childhood.  Specifically summertime baths post pool.  It's tropical in the most unusual way, and I really wish there was a perfume that could duplicate it's freshness.   It also is a wonderful shampoo, but the lather is so rich and fragrant I prefer it as a body wash.  I love finding out what it is us ladies do to stay beautiful - the secrets we've learned from our mothers and grandmothers - the stuff you don't read on on every other beauty blog.  So what are your beauty secrets?

Blushing Over It

There are few things prettier than a rosy cheek.   And although it is *always* apart of my daily makeup routine, it's probably the makeup item I put the least amount of thought into.  Which is pretty silly because the color, amount, and location in which rogue is applied can completely transform a face (as the pictures above demonstrate).    My current blush (Lorac, Exposed) is running  low, and I'm beyond eager to try something new.  After reading different beauty articles, I've decided that I want my next blush to be a simple matte, that provides a healthy glow.  This will be an interesting change for me being that almost all of my blushes in the past have had shimmery gold undertones.

1.  Estee Lauder Tender Blush Sheer Stick -  I love this stuff - it provides a healthy glow, and is what I wear when I'm wanting to add a bit of a tan look without piling on the bronzer. Gold undertones make is night time appropriate.  Only complaint is that it rubs off pretty easily.

2.  Lorac Baked Matte Satin Blush -  I purchased this blush because I was wanting Nars Orgasm (see below) and my local beauty retailer was out.   So I gave this a try.  I find that it's a little brighter than Nars' famous "Orgasm", thus making it more daytime appropriate.

3.  Nars Blush in Orgasm -  This cult favorite has become world-known for a reason - it flatters every skin type and almost has a bronze like effect, making one look like they spent a day at the beach.  It is so pretty - only complaint is if one is too tan, it doesn't have the same dazzling effect, and it's hard to tell you're wearing it.

4.  Urban Decay Afterglow Cheek Tint in Crush -  I received a free sample of this and was taken aback by how bright it was.  But when I tried it on, I adored how it made me look like I was blushing.  It's youthful and fun, and I love that it's not ultra natural - you can tell you're wearing a fun colored blush without looking like a clown.

5.  Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush -  I have read too many amazing reviews on this stuff not to try it.  The one thing I've heard time after time about this product is that it's so natural and actually improves skin's balance, which is why it wears for so long.

6.  Benefit Dandelion Blush - This blush has one so many beauty awards and is supposedly key in making one look fresh faced and well rested.   I was wary to try this at first - thinking it'd be too light for my medium skin tone, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it still provided that healthy glow.

Happy blushing!

Total Beauty Crush

The first time I saw Jennifer Lawrence, I thought she was a total doll.  Not a fashion icon, but a pretty, talented, young lady.  Lately, her red carpet style has me thinking differently - she's coming into her own (style-wise) and has chosen youthful, sexy, and appropriate looks while promoting her latest film The Hunger Games.  And at the red carpet premier?  Wowza.  Her hair and makeup is straight up dreamy and I'm *completely* in love with it.

Well Groomed

The way eyebrows can completely transform a face has amazed me for years now.  When I was in 8th grade I got my eyebrows waxed for the first time, and the experience was life-altering.  I instantly went from looking like a scruffy kid, to a young lady.  Now that I'm older my eye brow routine consists of threadings every few weeks, but lately I have found I'm constantly wishing for a fuller brow.   My little  sister went from pin thin brows to full, Bambi Northwood-Blyth beauties.  "Just don't touch them," she instructed me a few months ago. Ha!  So much easier said than  done.   The diagram above shows just how much brows can define a person.  And below are some of my favorite brows of all time.   This post has inspired me to take a trip to my local Sephora and get brow pencil and gel - and hopefully the restraint from plucking for some fuller brows.

Best in Brows

Camilla

Brooke

Bambi

Audrey

Prepared For Sunshowers

Days spent under a blazing sun are, to me, quintessential summer. I grew up spending my summers poolside and have always valued a good tan and sun streaked hair. But in order to enjoy the sun (and stay safe) it's beyond impotent to prepare your body for a day in the heat. This past weekend I traveled south to Lake of the Ozarks for a few days spent on the boat with my boyfriend and his family. The temps soared above 90, and without a cloud in the sky, I realized just how many beauty products I was using to stay comfortable. Below are my essentials for a day in the sun.