bare leg season is upon us and that means it’s time for me to up my game when it comes to shaving and smoothing. nothing makes me more self conscious about my legs than the first few weeks of sundress/sandal season and while it’s easy to give my toes a pedicure to shape them up for summer, getting my legs ready is a little less simple. i think it all comes down to a super close (non-irritating) shave and the perfect body lotion.

i was recently introduced to the schick hydro silk after claiming that i would never, ever stray from my venus embrace. i am totally eating my words because the schick has totally won me over! there’s something about the shape of the head that doesn’t miss a single knee hair and the extra wide razor surface means that it takes fewer strokes to get the job done. there is no razor burn or red bumps when i’m done and maybe it’s all in my head, but i swear that the shave lasts longer. i’m a very happy convert.

my new body lotion obsession is from vmv hypoallergenics. their essence hand + body smoother is seriously a wonder product. the texture of the lotion is the lightest i’ve ever found in a body product, but the ”whose legs are these?!” softness that it delivers is in a category all its own. i am in love with the way that it soaks right in, leaving no stickiness or grease behind and the way that it smooths and softens. it’s one of those products you’ll want to rub all over your entire body and its lightness has me questioning whether or not i can put it on my face! (but i don’t think i’ll risk it.)

these two products are keeping my legs in check until i can get them just the teensiest bit tanned. (come on, memorial day pool opening!) what are your secrets for soft and smooth legs?

anyone with watery eyes will tell you that finding a good smudgeproof mascara is no easy task. sure there are waterproof formulas out there that won’t budge an inch, but they’re a bear to remove and i don’t like the way that they feel on my lashes – kind of spidery and dry. blinc’s original tubing mascara is the only one that i’ve found to be virtually smudgeproof – you can put it on the morning and guarantee that it won’t wander or fade throughout the day.  the only problem is that i like a really full, lush lash and while it provides darkening and some length, the oomph factor is just kind of “eh.” when i heard that blinc. had upped their game (and their brush!) in their new amplified version, i couldn’t get to sephora fast enough.

blinc’s mascara amplified has all of the things that i love about the original formula (thick, glossy black lashes, great length and definition) but this one adds serious volume, too! it holds curl like a dream without weighing lashes down and you won’t feel like you’re wearing mascara so there’s no urge to tug at your lashes (i know you know what i’m talking about). i tested it on an ultra long day that looked like this: up at 5 am, 7:30 train from DC to NY, full day in the city, 9:30 train home to DC, walked in my door at 2 am. when i went to wash my face, the rest of my makeup had long wandered away, but my eyes still looked perfect!

i desperately wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but it was 2 am, so i held back…

*please excuse my obvious vlogging virginity and the awkwardly abrupt ending :)

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i read a little interview with heidi klum recently where she said “one of my biggest beauty products are my sunglasses.” i am obsessed with this quote and i could not agree more! the right pair of sunglasses are not only a glam accessory (and a great way to reflect your own personal style), but they are also crow’s feet stoppers and under eye wrinkle preventers – basically an anti-aging shield for your eyes.

i hunt every season for a great pair of sunnies and most years, i come up empty handed reverting back to a pair of classic favorites. this season, i zeroed in on kate spade’s shawna sunglasses for their black frames, pinched arms, and touch of tortoise. i loved the shape and the unique mixed media look, so i treated myself using funds from a spring sales bonus (thanks, hobo!).

i quickly found that gorgeous as they may be, they are not the most comfortable to wear and they are constantly sliding down my nose. no bueno.

i held on to them because i love the style so much! but, $138 is too steep of a price to pay for something that you’re not crazy about. then, when i saw these two-tone audrey shades from anthropologie, i thought they might be a good option. turns out that they are perfect. they’re lightweight, they fit me exactly right with the cat eye flare that i’ve been looking for and at $38 i don’t care if i’m sick of them next season. with $100 price difference, i can no longer justify the kate spades so back to nordstrom they go. don’t you just love a bargain?

i was over the moon to be able to feature my mom and her makeup bag on refinery 29 this week. she definitely curates her collection with the flare of someone who birthed a beauty blogger, resulting in a steal-worthy bevy of product. she’s an avid birchbox subscriber and i loved learning about her little tricks, the way that she combines and layers to suit her skin, and her daily use of teal eyeliner about which i will be forever bragging (it makes her baby blues really pop). take notes, ladies. because if i’m looking anything like her in thirty years, i’m going to be one very happy girl.

here’s wishing my beautiful mom (and all of the mamas out there) a very happy mother’s day!

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bag: papersource world is your oyster pouch, $9.95
balm: julie hewett camellia balm stick, $16

this might be one of my favorite duos to date!

the bag is a discovery from best-ever online gift guide, to and from. it’s quite a surprise from papersource (i would have never thought to look for a makeup bag, there) – at 7×7 it’s the perfect size and with a price under $10, you’ve never had less of a reason to buy something this adorable in your life. it’s nothing fancy in simple canvas, but a sweetly inspiring quote makes me feel like i can tackle the day.

the balm is another big surprise from indie cosmetic brand, julie hewett. her camellia lip balm stick is ultra moisturizing and the effects really last, so i’m not constantly reapplying. it’s also refreshingly simple in packaging, ingredients, and formula. there’s no perfume or dye, it goes on perfectly sheer and leaves a subtle shine. it’s everything i’ve been looking for in a non-tinted balm. so, so good.

here’s the thing about a textured nail: it’s very tough to screw up. smudges, streaks, and chips are far less obvious (read: invisible) when you’re sporting nails with the level of grit that opi’s liquid sand provides. i tested the purple polish when i was in a real rush to paint my nails on the way to a friend’s birthday party. i threw a magazine on my lap and quickly slapped two coats on while i caught up on the news. i was really surprised by how speedily it dried and how much i loved the finished look. yes, it’s edgy and far less glossy than i typically go for, but the fun factor and the ease of application (along with the near instant dry time) has me giving this one two very gritty, purple thumbs up.

shop opi ‘can’t let go’ liquid sand nail lacquer >

one of the best things about blogging is getting introduced to brands that i would never normally stumble upon. when i heard about austin-based verb products and their line of professional-grade, made in the usa hair goodies, i knew i had to give them a try.

it takes a lot to impress me (or any girl) in the hair department so i wasn’t sure what to expect when i got down to business with verb. for the last couple of weeks i’ve been playing with two very different, but equally effective products from the line and i am in full on love mode with both.

volume spray ($14) is the perfect product for those of us with fine hair who want oomph. so many volume products can be drying or can even have the opposite effect and weight hair down. this spray from verb is virtually weightless. a good all-over head mist before blowdrying leaves my hair full of volume, but still soft and flexible. i like the way that it holds  shape so i can flip the ends of my long bob in and they stay that way all day long.

ghost oil ($14) is a daily restorative that naturally smooths frizz. i’m not a fan of putting oil in my hair, but this serum completely vanishes once you run it through wet hair. after blowdrying, you’ll be enjoying a softness and shine that has to be felt to be believed. since using this stuff people have been asking me if i got a brazilian blowout or keratin treatment!  i can still get two days of wear out of one blow dry without my hear getting greasy – so surprising from an oil.

everything in the verb product line is priced at $12 or $14 each making this a very affordable luxury. products are water-based, vitamin-enriched and they all contain a natural UV protectant (perfect for summer!). all formulas are bad stuff-free (no parabens or sulfates) with a barely-there scent. it comes wrapped up in recyclable packaging and is never, ever tested on animals.

as a beauty blogger, my skin is extra stressed. you should see the cocktail of lotions and potions that i’ve got on even as i type this post! i don’t recommend it (and probably, neither would my dermatologist…), but i’ve found something new from kiehl’s that has been offering even my skin some sweet salvation.

skin rescuer is a stress-minimizing daily hydrator that reduces visible signs of stress and flare-ups including skin fatigue and redness. now, that’s a bold claim if you ask me. but again, considering that i have the most stressed skin on the planet, i determined myself to be the ultimate guinea pig – and i was correct.

the product has the consistency of gel, but the thickness of a balm when it comes out of the pump. it smooths over skin to a very lightweight, silky finish and the soft glide along with the way that this stuff sinks right in means that you don’t have to rub and pat very much to apply. (this is extra beneficial to sensitive skin that’s easily irritated by touching.) i love the way that this moisturizer feels – it’s not at all heavy, but it gives my skin all of the moisture that it needs post-shower, no tightness or extra grease

i notice that my skin is much calmer since i’ve been using skin rescuer regularly. it’s comfortable and more balanced in tone and complexion – an achievement very hard to come by when you’re throwing as many different products at your face as i am! if you suffer from sensitive or stressed skin regularly, this is a great everyday moisturizer** and if you face the occasional stress-related flare up, this is a perfect night cream to quiet those minor hissy fits.

i’m giving kiehl’s top marks for this new lotion as not only is it nice to sensitive skin, it actually works to improve it and strengthen it over time – i saw a difference right away.

shop kiehl’s skin rescuer ($40) >

** i should note that it’s missing spf so make sure you’re getting that elsewhere, in your foundation, etc.

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for a blog called the glossarie, lip gloss sure doesn’t get much play around here. i’ve been in a longstanding lipstick / tinted lip balm phase because i had started to feel like glosses were kind of…annoying. they stick to everything (hair, wine glasses, the like) and you can’t get through a full glossy-lipped meal without smearing it all over the place. in short, they feel fussy and i was over it.

but, i’ve slowly been getting back into the lipgloss game and there have been a bunch of key players impressing me as of late. seems like with these bang-up formulas, i can have the shiny lips i like without the hassle!

physician’s formula pH matchmaker pH powered lip gloss, $9.95 - there’s very little this gloss can’t do. it has a mirror along the side of the tube and a lighted top for application in the dark.** the paintbrush applicator is perfect for getting the right amount of gloss on your lips and the formula reacts to your pH to create a “custom shade.” once it fades, you’re left with a light stain that i kind of like.

mark. glimmer shine lip gloss, $12 - these are gorgeous, and all about the shine. i love the light, hydrating formula and the sheer colors tint lips in just the right way, leaving them smooth and full with a glossy finish. the oversized tube looks ultra expensive with its shiny gold top and the flat applicator makes putting it on a piece of cake. they are easy to wear – a makeup bag must have.

miracle skin lip rewind, $24 - sometimes your lips just need a little something extra. with this click pen from miracle skin you get a beautiful jewel-tone finish and ingredients that work behind the scenes to hydrate, restore, enhance and protect. lips feel comfortable while you wear and the hydration effects really last once it fades. a definite must for those seeking a little color and a lot of nourishment!

aerin beauty limited edition lip gloss, $30 – for the girls out there who just want to feel pretty, from the time you pull the product out of your purse until you tuck it away, this gloss is for you. off the bat, it’s nothing  fancy – a medium weight, near full-coverage pink that goes on extra smooth and doesn’t settle into lines – but something about this gloss just brightens up my whole face and makes me smile. i can’t get enough! a clutch must.

nyx butter gloss, $5 – these were such a pleasant surprise! the formula is creamy and opaque with beautiful color payoff and bonne bell-like deliciousness. each shade is named after a sweet treat and the insanely moisturizing gloss is, well, just like butter. i cannot stop swiping these on my lips and i think the four shades currently knocking around in my purse says something very important about my feelings on the matter.

**it works! i tested it…but who are you people applying your lip gloss in the dark? am i too old to understand the need for this? please advise.