i love a good lip crayon. super easy to carry, a cinch to apply without a mirror and thanks to the narrower point, you get beautifully defined lips along with gorgeous color. pigment is often richer and more true to the product than with traditional lipstick, too. basically, it’s the ultimate in fuss-free beauty so it’s no wonder that i’ve got them coming out of my ears in all shades and brand names. but, something wonderful has happened to the lip crayon lately: it’s gone glossy! now my favorite way to apply lip color comes in a slicker, shiny finish that adds an element of sophistication to the plain old lip crayon. i’ve been stocking up on them and i’ve currently got five on constant rotation:

mark. color me in lip crayon in punchline, $12
a gorgeous fruit punch shade that lasts all day and leaves a soft stain behind

ilia lipstick crayon in karma chameleon, $24
a fiery coral packed with healing oils

topshop lip crayon in secret party, $14
a vivid raspberry with a touch of shimmer – such a unique color

nars satin lip in rikugien, $25
a super moisturizing rose pink, love the way this one feels

trish mcevoy essential balm in gorgeous pink, $38
an ultra light formula in girlie pink that brightens up my whole complexion

like lara, my signature winter scent is burberry body. it stays on heavy rotation during the chilly months, along with kate spade’s twirl (which is now discontinued, boo! although a gal pal of mine recently snatched up a bottle on e-bay if you’re willing to put in that kind of work…) and stella mccartney’s stella (a subtle scent with hints of rose, amber and mandarin – the $20 rollerball version lasts forever, and i always have one stashed in my purse).

but with the summer-like spring days we’ve been having here in dc, i’m reverting back to a favorite discovered late in the warm season last year: the appropriately named burberry summer. floral and fruity top notes keep this perfume light and fresh enough for the hot days, while cedarwood and musk undertones guarantee that it lasts morning to night. i love how the scent lingers long after application, and the way the pink bottle is brightening up my dresser doesn’t hurt either!

so, all this chatter has us dying to know: what’s your favorite warm weather scent?

i love everything about jessica alba here (from 2011) – the orange lip, the playful braids, the simple diamond studs, and holy lashes! but it’s that royal blue dress that’s got me so inspired. i had to work it into my routine immediately and i think i might have squealed after laying eyes on butter london’s scouse, a royal blue glitter. i can’t wait to get a fresh coat of paint on to my nails and sport the shade all season long.

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 >