Artistry Light Up Lip Gloss

Last year a friend introduced me to the coolest, smartest lip gloss.

*My Adobe Flashplayer has been acting up, so if yours is too:
Check out my video out over at Youtube: http://youtu.be/boEJ5CcpKOk

As I mention in the video, there's two things built-in components that really set this line of gloss a part from the rest:

Lights:

Mirror:

The glosses come in a few different shades and is perfect for a girl-on-the-go like me.  Restaurants, taxi cabs, or nights out on the town is an ideal time to show off your Artistry.

You can get your own here for $15.30 and are sure to be the beauty tip talk of the night.

I know it was a hit for the girls at my Bachelorette Party. ;)

Black & White Party Flare

I like to think I have a pretty good fashion sense.

My goal with my wardrobe is to create sassy (but classy), fun outfits on a reasonable budget.  As much as I would love to get a new outfit for every occasion from a label or boutique store, I try my hardest to bargain shop whenever possible.

Last Friday night, Scott and I went to a Black & White themed birthday party and I didn't have a clue as to what I would be wearing until a couple hours prior.  I took a risk counting on being able to pull an outfit out from you know where, and to my surprise it turned pretty good:

I'm sorry the lighting and background is awful.  As soon as I realized "Oh, these accessories would be a great topic to write about..." my camera died, and I had to rely on my go-to camera backup: the iPhone in and elevator.

Before we get into my favorite parts about this outfit, let's breakdown the basics of where I got what:

Blazer: GAP (hand me down)

Dress: Urban Outfitters (sale rack)

Belt: Forever 21

Clutch: Express

As for my accessories, well that's what I like to call my  

Black & White Party Flare.

 

1. Dramatic Necklace

It's fun to make a statement with jewelry, especially when it's a fun and sparkly necklace.  I got this one from Aldo Accessories, a store that leaves the shoes and sells only accessories from Aldo.

2. Glittery Tights

I also got these glittery tights on sale at Aldo Accessories.  I originally bought them for New Years, but I ended up wearing a sequin dress instead.  A pair of sparkly tights is an easy way to instantly dress up an outfit, especially when it's Black & White.

3. Ankle Bow Boots

I got these over two years ago, but keep bringing them out because they are so comfortable.  They were my very first pair of ankle boots and I fell in love with the bow on the outside of each heel.  These were purchased from Forever 21 for under $25.

4.  Red Lips

This outfit is a perfect example of when you can make bright lips the focal point of what you're wearing.  I got more compliments at the party on my lips than anything else.  Pictured is a gift from a friend, Red Salsa Salsa from Mary Kay.  I don't think they sell this shade anymore, but Really RED is pretty similar.

*You didn't think I would go fully Black & White from head to toe did you?  

5. Bracelets

More bling from Aldo, but these were purchased at the regular shoe store.  The set I bought came in a variety pack of 10 different bracelets, and they've become my favorite last minute addition to a lot of outfits.  I loved the different shades of black and grey for $18.

The goal is to get creative by thinking outside of the "Black & White Party" box.  You never know when you'll run into a cute Black Jack dealer in a snazzy vest and bow tie... ;)

Who knew?

New Years Dateiversary

New Years Weekend 2012 was exactly what I had hoped for...ANYTHING other than 2011.

Don't get me wrong: I love where we are and how we got here, but holy cannoli did we get tried this year.  Besides a trip to Italy and our Wedding Day, this year has been nothing but challenges for Scott and me.  Instead of going through what was horrible about it, I'll save you all the negativity and just say we are truly looking forward to a New Year, a new start and a new life in 2012.

Scott and I started dating 4 years ago and our "date"iversary is officially New Years Day.  Every year we like to celebrate it by going out with friends NYE and hanging low at home on NYD. 

Saturday, New Years Eve:

Our weekend started with a 4-mile run around our neighborhood.  In case you missed it, I posted Week 1 of my half-marathon training and you can catch up on how it's going every Saturday until the race.

When we got upstairs we ate a quick lunch and started getting ready for the night's festivities.  Scott and I were excited to open one of the bottles of champagne he brought back from his recent trip to Paris.  Ohhh la la!

This picture taken from my Instagram gallery.

While Scott did some stuff around the house, I got my beauty primping on.

Like I said, we have been looking forward to 2012 for quite some time now.  I took advantage of getting ready for it in every way including a new sequin dress from Express, new Steve Madden nude pumps, a new necklace from Aldo Accessories and of course, two of my go-to Fashion Favorites: Sally Hansen Nail Strips in Glitz Blitz + Pink (or Coral) Lips.

Pictured above is MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Full Speed.

A group of us got together for something different this year.  Instead of just going downtown like every NYE, we went to the James Bond 007 Party at the Enzian Theater.  

If you live in Orlando, I would recommend checking Enzian out for dinner and a movie.  It's the only place I know of that you actually get dinner served while you're watching a movie inside a theater.  

The theater inside and outside bar make it a great venue for low key date night, or a fun night out for a Holiday.

3...2...1...

*HAPPY NEW YEAR!*

Sunday, New Years Day:

We spent our Dateiversary doing exactly what I envision as the perfect day.  We slept in without an alarm, stayed in our pajamas until 4pm, and had cinnamon rolls for lunch:

We like to "go big or go home" at the Hesington household, and to be honest with you I feel perfectly okay about eating two rolls, with the 4 training days ahead of us this week.

"Lunch" was followed by lots of lounging, watching the Season Finale of The X-Factor, and comfy slippers.

Eventually we got dressed to celebrate our Dateiversary by going to a great restaurant by the house called Agave Azul.  It's some of the best Mexican we've ever had, and has a great atmosphere.  

It also doesn't hurt that they're serving dishes are adorable...

The guacamole appetizer was sooooo yummy!

When we got back to the house we continued our annual Dateiversary tradition of giving sale ornaments as presents.  Scott forgot to get an ornament this year, but I think he got distracted by all of the ridiculous Stocking Stuffers he got me.

Good thing I got a set of four ornaments for him instead!

I found these guys at Kirklands for under $3 each!
I hope your New Year is starting off just as wonderful as ours has.

Questions:

What do you normally like to do for New Years Eve?

Do any of you who are married celebrate your Dativersary?

Fashion Favorites

Fashion can seem intimidating to the everyday woman.

Don't let magazines, designer boutiques or pricey department stores fool you...having a good fashion sense can be affordable to people outside of the industry.  I have spent countless hours browsing magazines, websites and personal blogs with my ultimate goal of creating designer looks on an affordable budget.

My first rule of glamming up your wardrobe is accessories.  I'm not suggesting that you own jewelery, headbands and a watch for every outfit, but instead that you have a few staple accessories to mix-and-match with a variety of outfits.

Here are my staple (and seemingly favorite) accessories that will dress up any outfit I own:

1. Skinny Belts

I have always enjoyed the look of belts, but have fallen in love with the skinny belt.  They come in almost any color and are a quick fix for baggier tops or dresses that seem to be missing a waistline.  I found all of these at Forever21 ranging $3.80 - $5.80.

*TIP: The loose end of a skinny belt has a tendency of flapping forward if you're not wearing it in belt loops.  Try a tiny piece of fashion tape to connect the end of the belt to the piece behind it to avoid "flapping".

I got mine at Stein Mart, but you can find tape at any major beauty merchandiser.

2. Leggings

I adore leggings and would wear a pair every day if I could.  They are affordable, interchangeable throughout your wardrobe and come in handy if a top or dress gets accidentally thrown in the dryer on High.  Pictured are some of my favorite pairs, purchased from a variety of stores including Forever21, H&M and Nordstrom Rack in NYC.

3. Nail Strips

Nail color can be classy, fun and even make a statement with the right color or design.  If there's a special occasion, or traveling in my future, I turn to Sally Hansen Nail Strips for a long-lasting look.  I've tried all different combinations, using a nail color with a strip on my ring finger only, as well as jazzing up my look with a strip on every finger (pictured).  

You can find Nail Strips at any major beauty supply store as well as most convenient stores for under $10.

Pictured above is Sally Hansen Nail Strips in Misbehaved.

4. Pink Lips

 

Lipsticks are from MAC. Pictured above from left to right:

Sheen Supreme-Full Speed, Amplified-Full Fuchsia, Amplified-Impassioned, Satin-Pink Nouveau, Matte-Pink Plaid, Cremesheen-Creme Cup and lip liner is Process Magenta.

I love pink lips, but occasionally enjoy bright reds, corals, or even a nude lip depending on the outfit.  A fun lip color can dress up your going-out look, and depending on the outfit become the focal point of color. I am a MAC fanatic, especially for lips and eye shadows. Most shades go for $14.50, but prove to be worth every penny.

*TIP: Finish your lips with a sheer, shiny gloss.

Pictured above is the 316 MAC lip brush and gloss pot in Shine.

5. Ankle Boots

The great thing about living in Florida is getting to wear ankle boots at any time of the year.  If you live somewhere where seasons actually exist, you can still pull off the ankle boot by adding a pair of leggings or skinny jeans.  Every boot pictured above came from Forever21 and cost no more than $25.

Put my Fashion Favorites together, (just missing the skinny belt) and you'll get an outfit like this one:

Question:

What are some of your Fashion Favorites?

TOMS + Comfy Shoes

First of all, a big shout out to my husband!  Today is his birthday and I wrote this post last night so I could share something I'm really excited about.  By now Scott has already opened his birthday gifts from me, and I couldn't wait to share one of them with you...

TOMS.  Yup, a shoe called TOMS.

I'm sure most of you have heard of these before but I know they're at least a few of you out there who haven't, so this post is mainly to share the word and my love for comfy shoes.

Scott and I both have been wanting and stalking TOMS shoes online for quite a while.  With the wedding this past July, we skipped getting birthday and all holiday gifts to each other since we got engaged, and just couldn't justify spending the money on TOMS.  The slip on style is about $55 a pair, but when you see and learn about what they're all about I'll bet you want to get yourself a pair (or three) too...

There's tons to say about their One for One movement, but basically their program donates one pair of TOMS shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy: One for One.

What a concept!  I had already fallen in love with the shoes when I saw them, but hearing their story makes me want to give them all of my money and own every one of their shoes.

I go through phases where I am completely obsessed with a type of shoe.  Usually it is comfortable and something that I can wear every day.  My first obsession started with Rainbows back in college.

Once the winter time hits I am a huge advocate for UGGS.  Say and make fun of them all what you want...those things are the most comfortable things on earth to wear in the wintertime.  It's all about how you wear them people!  Pajama pants and a sweatshirt? NO.  A nice long-sleeved shirt and a pair of leggings or skinny jeans? Perfectly acceptable.

See?  Cute!  Well...most of them are.  Maybe not these:

Okay, I would understand if you called those UGGly.  I'm also a fan of Sanuk (they're not) sandals.  Scott had a few pairs of them when I met him, and when I found out they made them for girls I was all over it.  I bought a cute brown pair about 3 years ago and have gotten so much use out of them.

So you can see I go through these phases of wanting to buy comfy shoes in every color.  I am SO excited to say that FINALLY both Scott and I hopped on the TOMS train and have our first pair.

They feel like slippers, they're practical and I'm excited to be apart of the TOMS mission.

Questions:

• What is your favorite slip-on or sandal brand?
• Are you UGG fan?