Mascara basics

Nov 11, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

Eye makeup can really spruce up your makeup with very little effort and time. I always notice a difference when I swipe on some mascara and even more difference when I put on eye liner.

However, I realize that there are some of you ladies that don’t really know the best way to apply mascara to get the most out of it. Well, I found a really easy to understand video by Jose Maran that shows you how to apply mascara and really make your lashes pop. The video is less than 3 minutes long so this means you can apply mascara in less than five minutes!

Check it out then go out and pick up some for yourself. If you’re feeling adventurous, look for cool colors. Check out my review on L’oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator. It is a mascara that has a sparkly brush that can give your eyes added color. I love using it to give my lashes some jewelry, so to speak.

Enjoy!

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How do I wear that trend…ethnic

Nov 5, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

The thing about wearing ethnic fashions is that it’s such a vague description for several different things. However, the most common form of ethnic clothing is anything that is inspired by Native American culture and African culture. Like I said, this is very vague but most people can easily recognize these two types of fashion. But the key to wearing this trend, that was very prominent on runways for fall, is to avoid looking like you’re wearing a costume. The best way to avoid the costume look is to wear ethnic pieces sparingly.

If you are new to wearing ethnic pieces, I would suggest starting with accessories like jewelry, purses and belts. Wearing a strongly ethnic piece is like wearing a pop of color. You can go with a largely neutral or plain outfit and jazz it up with a fabulous ethnic piece like these pieces in the picture. These are very easy to put on with a neutral colored outfit and will really pull things together. Plus, you can get them at reasonable prices from stores like Target, Walmart, Dots and even department stores like Sears and Macy’s. Because these pieces aren’t always jeweled, they are purse friendly.

I would love to hear your stories of how you used ethnic pieces to make your outfits really pop. Please share in the comments.

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Product Review: Burt’s Bees Sensitive Skin Care Products

Nov 3, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

Since I am a BzzAgent, I often have the opportunity to review really cool products. When I saw an opportunity to try out Burt’s Bees Sensitive Skin Care Products, I jumped at the chance to give them a try. I have dry, sensitive skin so I am always looking for good quality skin care products that work, especially for my face. When I received the box in the mail, I opened it right away so I could give the products a good, fair try. I received the Daily Moisturizing Cream and Facial Cleanser.

I admit, I was a little unsure about the facial cleanser. It’s a non-foaming cream cleanser and I stopped using those years ago when I graduated from Noxema to Clean and Clear foaming cleanser. However, I decided to give it a try and see how it worked. I really liked it. It rinsed really clean and did not leave my face feeling dry. I’ve been using it for the past couple of weeks and it has done a great job of cleaning my face and keeping it moist, which is important as the weather has gotten cooler.

As a part of my process, I also incorporated the daily moisturizing cream into my regular use. I really, really like the cream. It is thick and rich and makes my face feel really soft. One of my biggest complaints about products made specifically for sensitive skin is that they aren’t often rich enough to fully moisturize my face. So not only do these products clean and my moisturize my face, neither of them have caused any adverse reactions. It usually takes about a week or two before my face starts to itch, peel or break out after using a product that’s too strong and so far nothing but cleanliness and moisture from these two!

I do have two small complaints. I wish that the cleanser either foamed or exfoliated. I’ve been using daily exfoliating cleanser for a couple of years and I really enjoy how it scrubs my face while cleaning it. I’ve gotten kind of used to my face cleanser exfoliating so it was a change for me to go back to cream cleanser. I did some research and noticed that Burt’s Bees does have a couple of exfoliating cleansers so I will be seeking those out in the very near future.

I also wish that the daily moisturizer had SPF in it. Since I am sensitive to the sun, I always look for moisturizers that have SPF in them to give my skin daily sun protection. I did some more checking and saw that Burt’s Bees has a daily moisturizer with SPF 15 in it so I will be picking that up as well. I definitely suggest this product for my sensitive ladies (and fellas) and even for the non sensitive ladies. The lotion is so thick and rich, it would be a great winter skin moisturizer.  The moisturizer retails for $15 and the cleanser for $10 so they’re not extremely expensive. Plus, you don’t need to use a lot. A little goes a long way with these products.

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Shoe Candy-Western Chief Ditsy Dots Rain Boots

Oct 29, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

It’s that time of year again. The temps are dropping but it isn’t quite fully winter just yet. So rather than leaving the house with the right outwear on for the day, we have to carry things with us like jackets, umbrellas and rain boots.

If you live in a place like me (Atlanta), that doesn’t have major winter weather, you may feel like you don’t need a pair of rain boots but the cool thing about a cute pair of rain boots is that they serve a few different purposes.

1. They are great to have on hand for those random monsoon days where you end up outside with wet feet and pants because your regular shoes just didn’t cut it.

2. They are helpful on those days when we have sudden winter weather and you suddenly have to deal with the prospect of walking on ice and none of your cute boots will cut it.

3. They give you a great excuse to wear a pop of color.

4. You feel like a little kid again and can enjoy sloshing through puddles without ruining your clothes.

Now if you’ve been a regular reader, you know that number 3 is a strong reason but I also enjoy number 4 as well. So since I am often encouraging you to use shoes as a way to experiment with trends, color and patterns, I found a great pair of polka dot rain boots that are less than $50 and quite cute. They come in three awesome colors (lime, yellow and brown) and even if you don’t wear them every day, they’re a great addition to your wardrobe for fashion purposes and utility. You can purchase them from Sierra Trading Post.

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How do I wear that trend…patent leather

Oct 26, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

There was a time when patent leather was considered a fashion faux pas. It was something people wore when they couldn’t afford real leather. Plus, in the early days of patent leather, it often had a very plastic look and was more fitting on little girls than adults.

When I was reviewing the trends for the fall, I was intrigued to see that patent leather was gracing the catwalks. This is a tricky trend. It should be done in small doses to prevent you from looking like the star of an S&M movie. However, when done properly, patent leather can really make a statement. In fact, it can often act like a pop of color because of the shiny texture. Here are some great ways to incorporate patent leather into your wardrobe:

1. Belts. If you wear a great patent leather belt, it can really pull your outfit together in a subtle but classy way. The cool thing is that you can now find patent leather belts in different colors. Go crazy!

2. Hair accessories. A patent leather headband can be really cute. If you don’t have one, you can always make one. This is for you crafty ladies.

3. Shoes. You know I’m a fan of wearing trends on your feet. It’s the easiest way to do it without feeling overwhelmed. Plus, patent leather shoes are fairly easy to find, also in a variety of colors.

4. Skirt or pants. This is definitely for you daring ladies but if you find a great patent leather pair of bottoms, you could step into the trend and strut your stuff. Since we’re in the colder months, this is the most ideal time to do a patent leather bottom.

I’d love to hear how you incorporated the patent leather trend into your wardrobe.  Share your stories in the comments below.

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How to wear a Fraas scarf (product review)

Oct 22, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

The lovely folks over at Lipton Publicity sent me a scarf to review. Initially I thought I wouldn’t be able to give it a solid review because the weather here in Atlanta had been very warm and lovely up until about two weeks ago.

I was attending a fashion show one evening and I wanted to wear a nice dress. It had been warm but the temperature was supposed to drop later that night. I decided this was a great time to truly test out the Fraas scarf that Lipton Publicity sent me. I wasn’t sure if it would really keep me warm since it wasn’t very thick. But, the scarf took great care of me. When we left the fashion show the temperature had indeed dropped and it was very windy. So my cute little sleeveless dress was at the mercy of the wind. I tossed the scarf over my shoulders and was warmed. I thought I’d do a little video to show you how versatile this scarf is.

This is a great scarf because it’s versatile and stylish but not overly trendy. It can really add to your scarf wardrobe and be worn for many cold weather seasons. If you’d like to get one, visit www.fraas.com/en.

I hope you enjoy the video.

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How do I wear that trend…snakeskin shoes

Oct 20, 2011 by Clueless Fashionista

I was quite pleased to see snakeskin shoes as one of the hot fall trends for 2011. In recent years, I have become a big fan of animal print in manageable doses. Shoes is the best way to wear a sassy animal print while keeping the rest of your outfit simple and classic. It makes your shoes the statement piece and they will really pop.

And you know how much I love it when a fabulous pair of shoes are allowed to pop.

If you’re unsure how to work those snakeskin shoes into your wardrobe here are some colors they will go well with.

1. Black. If you’re the type to wear all black often, a pair of snakeskin shoes are a great pop of color, so to speak.

2. Red. With red or any other bright color, snakeskin becomes the neutral and pulls it all together. Wear them with a great red dress or a cute red top and jeans.

3. Gray. Most snakeskin shoes have some type of the color gray in them so this is an easy match without being too matchy matchy.

If your shoe wardrobe consists mainly of black and brown shoes, branch out with a pair of snakeskin shoes. If you’re unsure, go with a pair of snakeskin pumps. You can’t go wrong with snakeskin pumps!

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