Category Archives: Current Crushes

Current Crushes

Current Crushes

May 16, 2016

The Sephora sale feels like it happened a hundred years ago, and I’ve been meaning to write a post about the few new things I snagged and am currently loving. Then Alexis gave me my birthday gift and I knew I had a current crushes post in the works for sure — so many new things to talk about!

So first, the Sephora stuff. I am a lover of black liquid eyeliner, but haven’t really had the guts (or the skill) to tackle the original liquid liner that you have to like, “paint” on, so I’ve been using the pen versions for a long time. Up until recently I was using the Marc Jacobs Magic Marc’er, which I liked for its pigment and staying power, but sort of hated due to how quickly it would set and the thickness of the tip. I decided to try the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, which everyone raved about, and while I liked the control I got with the thinner tip, I didn’t think it had the pigment or the staying power of the Marc Jacobs pen. After much online browsing, I finally ordered a new liquid liner on a whim, since I had a discount code that was eating a hole in my email inbox.

Screen Shot 2016-05-05 at 6.48.07 PMThe Ardency Inn Punker liner. You guys, this liner is everything I’ve been looking for: it’s pigmented, easy to apply, sets well but not too quickly, and the tip is the perfect thickness for a thin or thick line. LOVE! Honestly, I can’t recommend this enough if you’re searching for a good liquid liner in pen form.

img_8154^^shoutout to Snapchat for the faux flower crown and for making my skin look way more flawless than it actually is^^

Next on my wish list was mascara. You might remember awhile back that I asked if anyone had mascara recommendations, because I’ve been searching for-e-ver for a mascara I like enough to be loyal to. I’ve tried tons of “cult-favorites,” high-end, low-end, you name it, aaaaand… nothing. Nothing has really stuck with me. The problem is that I like big, fat lashes, but hate it when they feel too stiff or goopy. I also don’t like wearing waterproof mascara, but don’t want my mascara to smudge or run. So, basically I’m a marketers worst nightmare.

Up until recently I had been using Benefit’s They’re Real, and before that, Kevyn Aucoin’s The Volume, but the Benefit brush drove me nuts (it was so pokey!), and while I loved the stay-all-day power of The Volume, I didn’t actually think it was, um, volumizing enough. Oh yeah, and I ordered Milk’s Ubame mascara because I loved that it was made without garbage ingredients, but it was so smudgy I actually returned it (which I never do with makeup! But holy raccoon eyes, Batman. No bueno.)

Screen Shot 2016-05-09 at 8.44.25 PMI purchased the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara as a sort of last-ditch, since I’d heard good things about it recently. I did sort of assume that it would be decent enough to keep using for the coming months, but likely wouldn’t hold my interest beyond that (as most mascaras go). But guys, I love it. It’s everything I’ve been looking for! It’s inky black and you can go light for a natural look, or do multiple swipes for big volume. It has great staying power and minimal smudging (I’m not going to tell you it doesn’t smudge, because it does a tiny bit — but not enough that it’s really a problem, in my opinion.)

Ok, non-makeup faves! Alexis, being the telepathic, amazing sister that she is, got me a travel-size version of the Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder dry shampoo, and uh, life-changer. I don’t know why it’s taken me so damn long to get on the dry shampoo train. I mean, I was like made for dry shampoo. I hate washing my hair! And I don’t know about you guys, but my hair can go a looong time between washes, but my freaking bangs always give me away (those greasy bastards). The dry shampoo changes all that. Sprinkle a little on the roots and it’s like, brand-new bangs!

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Plus, it smells good, which is a plus for people like me who refuse to wash their hair. (KC is so lucky.)

in addition to the amazing dry shampoo, Alexis also got me some adorable mix-and-match earrings from Madewell:

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Something you probably don’t know about me is that my ears are pierced six times. It’s been ages since I’ve worn more than one set of earrings at a time, but these little earrings have totally inspired me to start wearing multiple pairs at once. So cute!

So, what are you loving right now? Any Sephora finds you can’t live without? Tell me!

Current Crushes / Motherhood

Current Crushes (Mom Edition)

March 31, 2016

img_7946As a (still sort of) new mama, there are a lot of things from my old life that I no longer have (make?) time for these days. Getting together with friends has become more complicated, attending work happy hours requires a lot of planning and maneuvering, and my in-person shopping trips tend to revolve around returning things I’ve ordered online and/or purchasing new stuff for P (that girl’s long legs grow out of her pants like every week!), rather than trying things on at a leisurely pace and sussing out the latest trends.

Despite these adjustments, there are a few things I’ve found that make my life a little easier, and make me feel like I’m still me (and not just a mom):

  1. The Skimm: I read The Skimm every morning during the week (either while I’m commuting on BART, or usually while breastfeeding Prim if I’m working from home that day). Since becoming a mom, I’ve found that I don’t have as much time for browsing the news sites like I used to, but more than that — I kind of just can’t anymore. Anytime I see a headline about a crime committed against a child, I have to shut down my browser. Since these headlines apparently show up on news sites daily, I’ve decided to just stop scrolling altogether and stick to The Skimm — it keeps me updated and informed, and doesn’t make me burst into tears while on public transit. (And if you’re not a mom and you think I’m totally silly for avoiding news sites, that’s ok. I didn’t understand it either until I gave birth — and now I’m a sensitive, weepy mess about everything.)
  2. Capsule/Muted Wardrobe: I don’t have as much time in the morning to put myself together, and since I’m still nursing, a lot of clothing options are just out of the question right now (because, um, a lot of dresses require getting fully undressed in order to nurse or pump. Nothankyou.) Also, since Prim is moving and into everything, she’s not always the cleanest creature — and do I really want to spend time losing it over the fact that she just put an avocado-handprint on my dry-clean-only shirt? Not really. So, while it may not be the most fashionable or glamorous, I’ve adopted a bit of a uniform for mom-hood: high waist skinnies + basic short or long sleeved tee (usually in white, grey, or black) + comfortable shoes.
  3. Accessories!: While I may go basic (boring?) on my daily outfits, the things I add to my outfits help me from feeling like I look like some sort of garbage person who’s given up on life. Things like an adorable coat, punchy lipstick, or statement necklace help me feel like I haven’t completely fallen into the pit of I-have-so-little-time-for-myself despair.
  4. Online Shopping: Since I don’t have much time to go out and shop on my own these days, I’ve taken up online shopping (something I did very little of before giving birth!) I used to hate shopping online because I felt like I had to try something on first before committing to buying it. Now I totally see the beauty of buying online — I order a bunch of stuff (with free shipping of course), try it all on once P’s in bed (no keeping her calm in the stroller while I frantically race through a pile in the dressing room! Hallelujah), and then bundle up what I’m going to return. So the time spend in-store ends up being like 5-10 minutes, rather than 30+ minutes of browsing, attempting to try on items while P gets annoyed, and then stressing while waiting for the stupid line to move faster because can’t you see that she’s about to lose it here? Should I just leave? I mean, probably. (See? Shopping with a kid — totally not stressful at all.) I love ordering from Nordstrom, Gap, Old Navy, and Athleta online — free shipping and free returns (in store OR by mail!)
  5. Portable Video Services: One of the things I miss a lot about my “old” life is the downtime. Don’t get me wrong — I still get some downtime these days; I mean, Prim does sleep. But there’s very little time that I get where I’m actually alone and have time to relax and decompress. One of the things that I really love right now is stealing some time to watch something on my laptop or my phone. HBO Go, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Netflix, and Hulu all have apps where you can stream from multiple devices if you subscribe to their services. One of the perks of my stupidly long commute these days has been sneaking in a show on my phone while on BART. (Right now I’m unashamedly obsessed with Outlander, which is available through the Starz add-on subscription on Amazon Prime Instant Video.)

What are you loving right now? And totally random question — do you have a mascara you can’t live without? I swear I’ve been searching for the best mascara for YEARS and still have yet to find one I can be loyal to. Ugh, problems.

Current Crushes

Bringing iPhone Photos to Life

January 27, 2016

img_6995I’m always hunting for photo editing apps that are easy to use and provide awesome results to bump up my iPhone photo game. And honestly, the number of apps I’ve downloaded to edit photos is kind of insane given how few other apps I have on my phone. Some apps you need basically an advanced degree to figure out, which, for a photo-novice like me, doesn’t really work. Others have a few solid filter options, but are fairly limited in what they offer. I’ve also run into the issue of filtering making the quality of the photo go down.img_6999I stumbled across the app A Color Story this past weekend, and after playing around with it for a few days, I’m totally hooked. I initially downloaded the app for free, but then ended up purchasing a few of the extra filter packs because I liked it so much. And I don’t know about you guys, but I have this weird aversion to buying apps. Literally an app will be $0.99 and I’ll be like, “OMG no way am I paying for that!” as though I don’t spend $30 a week on coffee alone.

Is it just me? (It’s not, right?)

img_6942But yeah, that’s how much I liked the app — I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 for extra filters, which in my mind was basically like spending $500 in the app world. (I was legitimately preparing myself mentally for how much this purchase would affect my phone bill, “OK, it’s gonna be $51 next month instead of $46…”)

I’m ridiculous.

img_7001Below are some more before and afters using the app (befores on the left):img_6996img_6998 img_6997This post isn’t sponsored by A Color Story or anything, I honestly just like the app and thought I’d share!

Current Crushes

Current Crushes

January 25, 2016

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I’m somewhat obsessed with the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade. Being a redhead, I have pretty fair, nondescript eyebrows, but the dipbrow pomade totally changed all that. I use the pomade in the Auburn shade, and after a few swipes with the brow brush, I’ve suddenly got eyebrows. Game changer! I even convinced Alexis to buy the pomade at the last VIB sale. If you’re into the bold brow trend (like I clearly am), I totally recommend picking this up.

Another awesome find from the Sephora sale was the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Honey. I’ve talked about my quest to find the ultimate everyday lip color on here before, and I think my search may have ended with this. The lip treatment feels and works like chapstick (which is always my preference when it comes to lip coverage), and the honey shade is a warm nude that barely registers as lip color at all, but brightens things up just enough that I feel like it makes me look thatmuchmore put-together. (Which, when you’re a new mama running on little sleep and have close to zero time to make yourself presentable, every little bit helps!)

And not to sound too much like a new-mom cliche, but I’m kind of dying to get my haircut. I haven’t had a haircut since right before Prim was born, and most days I’m throwing my hair up into a messy topknot because it’s so freaking long and I just don’t know what to do with it anymore. Add to that that I have zero time to style it and a very grabby 8 month old and I can totally see why moms end up chopping all their hair off after the baby comes. If I can get my act together, I’m hoping I can make the trek out to my salon in SF for a blunt, mid-length cut that I can style in minutes with my new curling wand. I mean, a girl can dream, right?

Also, probably my most favorite post-pregnancy find has been Gap’s True Skinny High-Rise Jeans. A skinny jean in a dark wash with a high-rise that pulls you in in all the right places? It’s basically a mama’s dream. Thank the lord low-rise denim finally fell out of style.

In other news, I snagged a new coat on sale from JCrew. While it’s no 6-year-old toggle coat, it’s nice to have a jacket that I can actually, y’know, zip up. And the hood has been awesome for all these rainy days, because I’m apparently not quite coordinated enough to control an umbrella and a stroller at the same time. :/

Also, can someone clue me in on what the good nail colors are right now? I haven’t had a manicure in ages and have zero idea what colors are even in. #momlife

Current Crushes

Lip Service

April 22, 2015

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While I was rummaging through my purse the other day, I realized that I might have a little bit of a problem with lip makeup.  In my quest to find the ultimate “natural, thrown-on lipcolor,” I’ve apparently taken to carrying around a giant array of lip balms, stains and sticks.  (And let me please note that the purse I carry is not big.  I try to keep the things I lug around to a minimum — the lip stuff being the obvious exception.)

So in the event that you like lip makeup, or maybe are searching for that perfect “neutral” lip, here’s a peek at what I carry around:

  1. Burt’s Bees Classic Beeswax Lip Balm: my go-to for all-day hydration.  No color to this, obviously, but the first rule to a good pout is moisturized lips.
  2. Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in Rhubarb: I like this because it feels pretty much like chapstick, but gives you a bit of color (Rhubarb is sort of a pinky-mauve).  You can throw this on without a mirror because the color isn’t very intense, but it also doesn’t last very long.
  3. Make Up For Ever lipstick in Artist Natural: I got this mini lipstick for free in a gift set from Sephora (I can’t remember if I cashed in some points or if it was part of their birthday pack one year).  It’s a copper-pink color, which mimics most people’s natural lip hue.  It’s a nice neutral to throw on, especially if you’re doing a more dramatic eye or punchy cheek color.
  4. Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint in Dramatic: This was part of Tarte’s holiday makeup kit, so you can’t buy the color currently.  It’s a nice pink with nude undertones, but sometimes I find it a bit too matte and so don’t wear it much.  My other pet peeve is the cap tends to come off in my purse, so I’ve gotten pink lip tint all over the place multiple times now (what a pain!)
  5. Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry: I’ve talked about this product before, and continue to use it pretty religiously.  This is one of the best “it’s like chapstick but better” items I’ve found.  It feels like chapstick but adds just a hint of color to kind of wake up your face.  I love that I don’t need a mirror to put it on (and love that I got it for free with my Sephora points even more!)
  6. Bite Lush Lip Tint in Raspberry:  I actually bought this a long time ago, but recently resurrected it from the bottom of some purse I haven’t been carrying.  This is one of my current favorites because of its bright berry hue, but I tend to dab it on over chapstick to make it a little less intense.  The lip tint is really smooth and Bite products are made from natural ingredients, which makes them extra awesome in my book.
  7. Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Paramour:  I think this item has been discontinued, which is too bad because it has some awesome staying power.  I don’t wear this one a whole lot because I feel like it looks more “lipstick-y” than a lot of the others, but if I’m headed out to dinner and want lipcolor that will actually last through appetizers, this is a good one.  I like the neutral shade but am not always in the mood for the matte finish.
  8. Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien: I just got this as my free birthday gift from Sephora (along with their matte lip pencil in Cruella) and it’s quickly become my current go-to lip color.  It’s a neutral rose-pink shade and goes on super smooth without having that super-matte, lipstick look (which I absolutely love for bright shades, but don’t love for neutrals).  The fact that it’s a pencil also makes it really easy to put on (even if you’re in the car with KC driving).