Monthly Archives: October 2013

Beauty

The Ultimate Fragrance Guide

October 13, 2013

Every women needs a signature scent. Your scent should be uniquely and recognizably you with a fragrance you’ll wear for years. However, with all the fragrance choices out there it can become mind-boggling trying to find the perfect one. To help you in your search I’ve narrowed down my favorites in each category: floral, clean, musky, and fruity. Good luck finding your perfect signature scent!

Floral Fragrances

  1. Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf: Girly and playful, this fragrance evokes femininity and sweetness.
  2. Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion: Complex and enigmatic, it is both fresh and floral and spicy and animalistic.
  3. Romance by Ralph Lauren : Classic and beautiful, this fragrance has notes of Sungoddess rose and chamomile.
  4. Field of Flowers Orange Blossom by Philosophy: Fresh and floral with hints of uplifting citrus.

Clean Fragrances

  1. Bianca by Tocca: Fresh bergamot and lavender make this perfume an everyday classic.
  2. CLEAN Original by CLEAN: Like stepping out of a shower, this fragrance smells squeaky clean.
  3. Pure Grace by Philosophy: The epitome of clean, crisp, and sensual.
  4. Rose 4 Reines by L’Occitane: Don’t be fooled by the floral name, this fragrance is light and fresh with hints of rose.

Musky Fragrances

  1. Coco by Chanel: Elegant and sophisticated. Those who wear it, wear it for life.
  2. J’Adore by Dior: Intoxicating, addicting, and so sensual.
  3. Premiere by Gucci: Powerful and glamorous. Timeless and alluring.
  4. White Musk by The Body Shop : A velvety, classic musk scent for everyday.

Fruity Fragrances

  1. Brit by Burberry: Notes of Italian lime, white peony, and vanilla make this fragrance sexy, crisp, and unexpected.
  2. Chloe by Chloe: A chic and romantic fragrance, with sweet notes of lychee.
  3. Miss Dior by Dior: Sweetly seductive, this fragrance is an instant classic.
  4. Nectarine Blossom & Honey by Jo Malone: Sweet nectarine and peach with hints of plum and blackcurrant combine with the warmth of honey in this fragrance.

What’s your signature scent? I’d love to know! 

XO, J

P.S. Eau de Parfum is a stronger concentration of the fragrance and has more staying power than Eau de Toilette. Expect a bottle of Eau de Parfum to be more expensive but also last much longer (both on the skin and in the bottle) than Eau de Toilette.

 

Style

My Favorite Shoes Have a Dupe!

October 11, 2013

Flats Dupe

I’m happy to report that my favorite shoes I’ve ever owned have a lowed priced dupe! About a year ago I picked up a pair of J.Crew Cece suede ballet flats and have worn them to death since. They are the most comfortable flats ever. Scratch that, they’re the most comfortable shoes ever. This is because they have a teeny-tiny, cushy hidden wedge so that your foot is not completely one with the ground. So when I noticed a suspiciously familiar pair of shoes at DSW the other afternoon, I had to do some investigating. Fortunately for me, I was wearing my trusty Cece flats that day and could compare side-by-side. Let me tell you right now that they are the EXACT SAME SHOES. I even compared the sole design and stitching (by the way, the DSW website mistakenly labels these flats as faux leather, but I assure you that they are 100% real suede). These shoes must be made by a larger manufacturer and then sold to both J.Crew and DSW. Here’s the difference: J.Crew sells theirs for $128 and DSW sells theirs for $59.95 (and I even snagged a pair on sale for $41!). Buy a pair of these flats now and your feet will thank you later: Audrey Brooke Newport Flats.

XO, J

P.S. These flats also are suspiciously similar to these J.Crew ones.

P.P.S. 10 Best Beauty Dupes.

 

Beauty

A Quick Beauty Trick: Bright Eyes

October 7, 2013

 

Even if you didn’t get a tight 12 hours last night (any Jim Gaffigan fans?) you can fake it with this quick beauty trick! Take a waterproof eyeliner pencil in nude/your skin tone (I bought this one from Sephora in Infinite Beige and it’s awesome) and tightline your bottom rims only. I’ve heard of makeup artists doing this trick using a white eyeliner pencil but I personally find white a bit too harsh. Many women have a habit of tightlining their eyes in black, making their eyes appear smaller. This optical illusion does the opposite and makes your eyes seem bigger while awakening your entire face. Pretty cool. Try it out and let me know what you think!

XO, J

Hair

How to: Blowdry Your Hair (the right way!)

October 6, 2013

How To Blowdry Your Hair!

Like most people, I was blowdrying my hair the wrong way for years. It wasn’t until I asked my friend (and pro hairstylist), Jenna, for step-by-step instructions that I finally learned the correct technique. So here ya go, straight from the mouth of an expert!

1. Gently pat and squeeze your hair with a towel to get the excess water out. DO NOT rub the towel all over your head because you’ll rough up the cuticle and cause frizziness.

2. Carefully comb through your hair with a wide tooth comb, starting at the ends and working your way to the roots. This way you aren’t yanking at knots and causing breakage (your hair is more elastic when wet and therefore more prone to breakage).

3. Apply a smoothing balm or styling creme all over hair (remember my favorite?).

4. Set your blow dryer on low-medium heat and remove the nozzle (for now). Rough dry your hair with just your hands and fingers until it is 80% dry.

  • Pro tip: Don’t even begin to try to style your hair until it is at least 80% dry because it won’t hold.

5. Section off the bottom part of your hair and clip up the rest.

6. Put the nozzle on the dryer & turn the heat up to the hottest setting.

  • Pro tip: Want to know the secret to a Jennifer Aniston-worthy shiny & sleek blowout? HOT HOT HOT heat!

7. Using a large ceramic (no metal ones, please!) round brush, begin by taking a 1-2″ section of hair. Starting at the root, put the nozzle of the dryer directly on your hair with the round brush underneath. In one slow movement, move the brush and dryer simultaneously from the root to end of your hair, always pointing the nozzle away from your head. Think of this process almost as if you’re squeegee-ing out the last 20% of moisture from your hair. The plastic nozzle is much safer to touch to your precious strands than the hot coils of the dryer. It’s normal to see a bit of steam during this process… your hair isn’t burning, don’t worry!

8. Repeat for the rest of the bottom unclipped section of hair, working in 1-2″ sections.

9. Once the bottom part is done, unclip another section of hair and repeat the process. Do this until your entire head has been styled.

10. Press the ‘cool’ button on your dryer and turn it down to the lowest heat setting. Blast your hair for 30 seconds with cool air to seal the cuticle.

11. You’re almost done! Add a drop or two of shine serum (my favorite). Finish your hair with a setting spray or hairspray.

  • Pro tip: Sometimes I want my hair to have some waviness and extra body so I twirl it up in a big bun while my hair is still hot and use a large clip to hold it. I leave it in for about 10-15 minutes while I’m getting dressed and unclip it on my way out the door. This method will give you sleek, full-bodied waves!

XO, J

P.S. How To: Shampoo & Condition (like a pro!) 

 

Life

10 Things Every Woman Should Know by 25

October 3, 2013

10 things

We might not have it all figured out yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pretend!

1. Know basic car mechanics & maintenance. Know how to change a tire, check your oil (and know when it’s time to change it), check tire pressure, and to check your fluids.

2. Know how to prepare one meal really well. We might not all be Nigella Lawson in the kitchen, but knowing how to prepare one meal really well is so important. Feel free to whip it out next time your girlfriends come over for dinner to really impress.

3. Catch up on the classics. No matter how many CliffsNotes you had on hand in high school (no judgement), it’s never too late to catch up on classic literature. Don’t worry, it isn’t going anywhere, so you have plenty of time to re-explore these books. 

4. Invest in quality pieces. You’re an adult now with a (hopefully) steady paycheck. The occasional trip to Forever 21 and H&M is okay, but stop buying piles of really inexpensive and cheaply-made clothing. Invest in quality pieces that you’ll wear forever.

5. Learn how to walk in high heels. It will take practice, but there are some helpful tutorials and YouTube videos out there to help you. Here’s a tip: when walking, visualize the bottom of your shoe as a flat plane instead of a separate heel and sole. I also suggest swinging your hips when you walk – it really does make it easier!

6. Learn how to properly tip. As someone who worked her way through college as a waitress, I occasionally felt the sting of a poor tip. Unless you had truly horrific service, a 20% tip is customary. Tip 30% or more for truly excellent service and never tip lower than 15%.

7. Know how to format a kick-ass resume. Believe or not, every time you submit your resume to a company, so do 50 other people (at least). Make your resume stand out from the stack with high-quality paper, clean formatting, a tasteful graphic (mine has a black & white bird sketch in the upper left corner), or a cool paperclip. A great-looking resume is the first step to getting an interview!

8. Know the inner workings of your credit cards. It does no one (except the credit card companies) any favors for you to remain in blissful ignorance about your credit cards. Take the time to look at the interest, annual fees, limits, APR, etc. and make sure that you’re not getting ripped off (hint: interest higher than 15% is bad news, no matter how enticing their offer may seem). The same goes for any outstanding student/car/home loan debt.

9. Do a monthly breast exam. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Don’t wait until your yearly physical; early detection saves lives.

10. Be confident. Don’t define yourself based on someone else. You are an independent person. Speak up. If you’re not getting what you want out of life, don’t sit around waiting for something to happen – you have to take charge and make it happen for yourself!

 

XO, J

P.S. 15 Things Every Man Should Have.