My Favorites from Sephora, Part 1

As I mentioned in previous posts, I've been working as a Product Consultant at Sephora inside J.C. Penney!  It is a fantastic job, and it is so much fun to experience all the different brands and their products.  Here are a few favorites I've purchased so far.  I have a feeling there are going to be many installments of this...

Triple Action Cleansing Water from Sephora Skincare Collection

Is it half empty or half full?

Sephora has created their own in-house collection of both color and skincare.  This cleanser from their skincare line might just be one of my favorite facial cleansers that I have ever used.  This is PERFECT for nights when you get home exhausted and are too lazy to take off your make-up wash your face.  Triple Action Cleansing Water is a make-up remover, face wash, and skin treatment all in one!  The best part?  You don't even have to rinse it off!  It does feel a bit sticky right after you use it, but that goes away as it dries, and your skin feels super soft.  Pump a little onto a cotton ball or cotton round and swirl all over face in circular motions.   I tend to use both sides of two cotton balls on a heavy make-up day.  I still use my regular face wash in the shower, and I usually shower at night, especially if I work an early shift the next day.  I refresh again in the morning with a little T.A.C.W. and the dirt on the cotton ball is all the proof I need that this stuff is working.  My face feels cleaner than just using face wash, and my skin is more radiant.

Price: $12 <-- a veritable steal!

Baked Sculpting Trio in "Sweet" (#01) from Sephora Color Collection

Good things come in 3's.

I'm obviously a huge fan of the Sephora Collection in both color and skincare.  It's good make-up and skincare at a more affordable price than some other luxury brands.  I especially like Sephora Collection's blushes and bronzers.  They have great color pay-off, and they have a ton of colors to choose from.  I got one of the trios because I'm running low on blush, my bronzer had almost no color pay-off, and I didn't have a good highlighter.  I didn't realize it before, but my blush didn't have great color pay-off either.  I use this to contour, of course; but if I'm having a low-key day, I'll swirl all 3 together and brush it all over my cheeks for a nice summery glow.  Then I just add a little extra highlighter to the usual spots (orbital bone, Cupid's bow, and under my bottom lip).

Price: $21 <-- pricier than your drugstore options, yes, but definitely well worth it.

High Definition Finishing Powder from Make Up For Ever

You can't go wrong with black and white.

The concept of HD make-up is a little hard to explain... but gosh darn it, I'll try!  Basically it does what the Photoshop airbrush or softening tool does, but in real life.  It comes out of the pot white, but it goes on translucent.  It doesn't provide the amount of coverage that a tinted finishing powder does, but it does soften any fine lines, while providing a velvety finish.  I typically put in on top of my blush/bronzer so the lines are not as harsh, and it makes the countouring look a bit more natural.  I imagine that you could use it on top of your finishing powder, since you need such a tiny amount.  I can't describe the amount to use except in cooking terms... a "pinch" or a "dash" should pretty much cover it. (Get it? Cover?) Some days, I wear just this over my primer if I don't want to wear a lot of make-up.  Just a note: this powder is not applied in the same way as a typical finishing powder.  Roll the side of your powder brush in the powder, and gently roll it onto your face.

Price: $19 for .14 oz mini size
           $34 for .3 oz full size

The full size is a better value per ounce, but I have the mini size and I have barely used ANY of it even though I use it almost every single day.  I imagine the mini size will last me at least a year.

100% Pure Argan Oil from Josie Maran

The quest is over.

As much as I never thought I would say this, this might just be my Holy Grail product.  There are tons of different types of essential oils, and argan oil might not be the best for everyone's skin type.  I noticed an immediate difference in my skin when I started using argan oil.  Admittedly, after noticing the initial improvement, I started to break out.  After about a week, the breakouts went away, my pores are noticeably smaller, and my skin is less oily and more radiant.  I'll attribute the breakout to the old saying "things get worse before they get better."  Essential oils are good for your skin because they mimic the natural oils your body produces.  Oily skin is actually caused by excessive dryness, and your skin then overproduces oil.  That's why it is important to hydrate, even if you think your skin is already hydrated with excess oil... it's not!  I wear this under my moisturizer every day, and I put it on each night before bed.  I got lazy for a couple weeks and stopped wearing the argan oil to bed... and my skin broke out.  After starting to use it again for just one or two nights, the breakout went away!  This is SUCH an important part of my skincare routine.  You need just a drop or two for your entire face and neck.  Warm the drops between your fingertips and gently dab it onto your skin.  Josie Maran also has a 100% Pure Argan Oil Light formulation.  I honestly don't know what the difference is chemically since it's still pure argan oil, but I've been told it feels a bit lighter under make-up and such.
Price: $16 for .5 oz mini size
           $48 for 1.7 oz full size
Again, the larger size is a better value per ounce.  I, again, have the mini size.  I have had it for almost 2 months, spilled half of it (sad day), and still have enough for at least another couple of months.

Sorry for the long post, but I am just crazy about these products!  Stay tuned for more installments of "Sephora Favorites!"  I'm sure I'll find many more obsessions before long.

Stay beautiful,
~ VeeLynn

Face It

Ah, at long last!  A fashion post!  I've had this one in the archives - or at least had the photos saved on my phone - for a longggg time.  That being said, this is more of an early fall look rather than a summer look. (Yes, it's been that long.)  This outfit, though, could definitely work for something like a breezy summer night on the boardwalk.  Alrighty, without further ado:

Look at that layout!  La-dee-da, gettin' fancy!

Your first thought may be, "Hey!  There's a face on your torso!"  Well, you're darn tootin' there is.  I love to be a little bold with my fashion choices.  I used to be a tad over the top (please see the About Me section), but I think I've found a good balance.  I can use fashion to express who I am and stand-out in a crowd without looking like I'm crying out for attention.  Truthfully, I believe that anyone can wear something bold and a little eccentric as long as they own it and wear it with confidence.

This outfit cracks me up because not one, but TWO items that I'm wearing are from the children's department - the shirt and the shoes!  The shirt caught my eye because... well, I just think it's cool.  I love the structured sleeves, and the sketch of the woman's face is super unique.  The shirt is also a hi-lo, but you can't really tell from this picture.  Originally, the shirt had a piece of lace with a bow at the neckline of the woman in the graphic.  I used a seam ripper to take it off because I thought it made the shirt just a bit too childish.  The shoes are just simple ballet flats, so no harm there.  Hey, I'm tiny and kids' clothes are cheaper... why not?

The pink jeans brighten up an otherwise totally neutral look.  The only other splash of color is in the blush on the shirt's graphic.  I also chose earrings with a purplish-pink hue to further bring out the color in the shirt.  I have since lost these earrings, and I'm quite sad about it.  The silver ballet flats are a simple shoe that go with most any outfit (unless you're wearing gold!).  I felt like I had a lot going on with the graphic shirt and pink pants, so I opted for something easy and non attention-grabbing.

This picture makes it look like the woman on the shirt opened her eyes, and that truly terrifies me.

So, it was a tad chilly the day I wore this (I think it was early September), so I threw on my [p]leather jacket.  When choosing a "leather" jacket, I purposely went for a cognac color because I think it goes with black, brown, white, pink, chartreuse... you get the point.  So pairing this jacket with the bright pants and the black and white top was a no-brainer.  The coolest thing about the jacket?  Bargain find at TJ Maxx!  Frankly, I think this look is pretty bad ass... especially with the jacket and sunglasses.

X's & O's
~VeeLynn

In This Outfit:
Graphic Tee ~ Beautees (Macy's), Spring 2013
Jeans ~ Ann Taylor Loft, Pre-Fall 2012
Jacket ~ Ci Sono by Cavalini (purchased at TJ Maxx), Fall 2012
Earrings ~ Betsey Johnson (Macy's), Fall / Winter 2012-ish? (pretty sure they were a Christmas gift)
Sunglasses ~ Ann Taylor Loft, Summer 2012
Shoes ~ Smart Fit (Payless), Pre-Fall 2013?

Sidenote: I know Ann Taylor Loft is a tad pricey and sort-of goes against my stance on bargain shopping.  I( used to work there... don't hate.

I'm Baaackkk!

Well, well, well.  Thought I forgot about the old blog, didn't you?  Yeah, I guess I did.  But my long-term memory is better than my short-term, so here I am!  Let me tell you where I've been... I know it's no excuse, but at least allow me an explanation.

I got a new job!  And I love it!  I still do some merchandising at American Eagle, but I am now also a product consultant at Sephora!  My local mall is opening a Sephora inside JC Penney (SiJCP).  The other consultants and I have spent countless hours learning, merchandising, cleaning, you name it... we had our soft opening this past Saturday, and the reception has already been overwhelmingly positive.  Grand opening is Friday; it's going to be nuts, and I can't wait!

I have a new-found love of skincare, and as much as I always loved make-up and beauty products, I have learned that investing in a bit more expensive product is well worth it. (That sounds so "not me," doesn't it??) Needless to say, expect some beauty product reviews and tutorials on here in addition to fashion posts.

Let's see, what else have I been up to?  I was in the cast of a musical as well as working on costumes for it.  The show closed the first weekend in May, and that Monday was my first day at Sephora.  I have also been volunteering in the theatre's office to learn a little more about the business end of theatre.  As much as I love the art, there is always a bottom line, and business acumen is always a marketable skill.  At a marketing committee meeting, I pointed out that our theatre doesn't have a great social media presence.  I will soon be starting a blog for the theatre! (Which, admittedly is what inspired me to start blogging here again.)  I'm sure I'll link to that as soon as it's up and running.

So I've been keeping pretty busy, but the good news is that I rarely have time to be bored.  It's good to be back, fashionistas!  Until next time (and I promise it will be sooner rather than later)!

X's and O's
~VeeLynn

You Were Warned

To be fair, you were warned in my original post that I'm really terrible at keeping up with blogs.  I thought I could prove myself wrong, but clearly old habits die hard.  I do have some fabulous looks in my queue (sic. cell phone camera), but sometimes typing is so hard.  I kid, I kid!

I have been working on another site, which showcases my work in costume design and fashion styling.  Give it a look-see while I get back to work on this blog.

Check it out!

Kickin' It Old School

Fashion is cyclical.  My friend buys clothes and accessories for her six-year-old daughter that look just like things we would have worn at age 6 in the 80's and early 90's.  Neon colors and high-waisted pants paired with a crop top (a la Topanga Lawrence) are making a big comeback.  The key is to add a touch of the new to make the vintage your very own.  Did I just refer to my childhood as "vintage?"  I must be approaching 30.

I put that wind chime there so I would remember to take it outside.  It's still there.

Well, this top is neither neon nor cropped.  And the shorts are high-waisted, but you can't really tell because they are covered by the shirt.  The baseball tee is a vintage staple, and I actually just bouThe coght this one this month!  The shorts are so high-waisted because I've actually had them for a really long time.  Maybe not since 1993 (I've about doubled in size since then), but definitely for a while.  The light blue undershirt is a cropped and fitted tank, but it wasn't always that way.  I think I got that tank in 7th or 8th grade, and I used to wear it as an actual shirt instead of an undershirt.  Oy.

The baseball tee is so sheer that in person (you can only see it a little bit in the pictures) you can sort-of see the high-waist of the shorts and the cropped undershirt.  The flowy shirt also occasionally gets tucked into the shorts, giving a peek of the shorts' waistline.  I'm not usually much for being "matchy-matchy;" I like to change it up and try new and interesting color combos. I thought that being matchy was another fun way to bring in the old school feel... pretty successful if you asked me.  The blue wedges match the baseball tee's sleeves pretty perfectly, and the undershirt is almost the same color as the shorts.  Add in the light blue hair tie on my wrist, and you've got some serious matching.  I thought it was another fun way to bring in the vintage feel.  I used to wear matching sweatsuits in the 90's... this is nothing.

I went to great pains (literally) to take a picture of the center-back exposed zipper.  Best appreciate.

How did I incorporate the modern?  For starters, the baseball tee has an exposed zipper detail in the back, a fairly recent trend.  Also, the loose-fitted top with tighter bottoms is a definite modern touch.  My shoes were blue suede sling-back wedges (my blue suede shoes!) which added a trendy twist.  Yep, summer suede is okay these days... but probably not 20 years ago.  Converse or Keds would have kept with the vintage theme quite nicely, just in case you want to go all the way back in time, dude.

Cowabunga!

~VeeLynn

Edit: My mother just pointed out that any shirt I actually wore back in the day would have featured a smiley face, peace sign, yin yang, or especially (what I considered my middle school trademark) a butterfly.  Those were darker times.

In This Outfit:
Baseball Tee ~ American Eagle Outfitters, Pre-Fall 2013
Shorts ~ S.O. (Some department store... probably Bon-Ton or Kohl's), ca. 2002? 2003?
Undershirt Tank ~ energie, (Ditto on the department store), ca. 2000?
Shoes ~ Mossimo (Target), Summer 2012

Naturalizer Woman

Greetings, fashionistas! I haven't posted in a LONG time, but rest assured that the blog has hardly been forgotten.  I have been working a whole lot and not necessarily dressing to the nines. (Or the eights for that matter...) So not only have I not had time to blog, I haven't had much to blog about. At least as far as my own wardrobe is concerned.

Back in April, I mentioned in this post that my snake print heels were from Naturalizer. Ans they're actually cute!  Brands like Naturalizer, Easy Spirit, Aerosoles, and White Mountain get a bad rep as "old lady brands" because they are geared toward comfort. To be honest, they have traditionally put comfort over style, but that has been changing in recent years.

They sort-of match my decor.

Granted, my Naturalizer heels aren't my usual 4" stilettos, but they are almost 3" tall and the heels are thinner than my chunky heels from my last post.  At the bottom of this post, I linked the websites for the four brands I mentioned earlier.  Most of the brands can be purchased at stores like Macy's, Penney's, Bon-Ton, etc.  They all do have some definite granny shoes, but sift through the different categories and see what you can find!  Here are my recommendations for which brand to check out for different types of shoes.  Keep in mind, I only browsed the individual sites briefly, so this is just a generalization. (And my opinion!)
For Heels: Easy Spirit and Naturalizer
For Flats: Naturalizer and Aerosoles
For Wedges: Aerosoles
For Sneakers: Easy Spirit and Aerosoles (both have cute slip-ons, too... similar to Toms)
For Flip Flops: White Mountain
For Winter Boots (Uggs type): White Mountain

Site Links:
Naturalizer
Easy Spirit
Aerosoles
White Mountain

Keep your best foot forward!
~VeeLynn

Trail Blazer

THIS is a great example of how to use what you already have in your closet to make something brand new.  Some of the things in this outfit I've had since high school.  It's also a great example of how more expensive doesn't necessarily mean "better."  It's not always WHAT you wear, but HOW you wear it. (Okay, what  you wear matters a little.)

My husband never puts his sneakers away...

I think my favorite thing about this look is the blazer.  It's a little bit longer and less tailored than a more formal blazer, so it looks a little weird with a pencil skirt or dress pants.  It does, however, look awesome with a pair of skinny jeans.  This is the one thing in this outfit that I bought recently, and I am so happy with it.  In my mind, blazers are the new cardigans.  I used to take a cardigan with me wherever I went, but now I take a blazer.  Blazers give a little more structure to an outfit than a cardigan, and blazers can quickly add just the right amount of edge.

So what piece have I had since high school?  The shoes, of course!  Round toes, chunky heels, and Mary Jane straps are back, baby, and I'm taking full advantage.  The shoes also have some cute details: white "stitching" around the arch and a little white flower on the outside where the strap meets the shoe.  I probably wouldn't wear these shoes with a skirt or dress.  They are fairly casual-looking, and I think the shape of them along with the chunkier heel would look a little unflattering.  Plus, I don't really think of them as a summer shoe.  Yes, they have a white flower, but I still think they are a "cool [not cold] weather" shoe.

All in all, I kind-of felt like a rock star that day.  Cute tee featuring the British flag, sick blazer, the perfect pair of skinny jeans, and I found a way to wear some heels that have gone under-appreciated for far too long.  Feeling like a rock star always makes you look one!

Rock on!
~VeeLynn

In This Outfit:
Tee-Shirt ~ Miley Cyrus for Max Azria (Wal-Mart), ca. 2009? (Don't judge me... it's a cute shirt!)
Blazer ~ American Rag (Macy's), Fall / Winter 2012
Skinny Jeans ~ Ann Taylor LOFT, 2012
Shoes ~ Payless?, ca. 2000?