Too Faced Melted Matte Liquified Lipstick in shade ‘It’s Happening.”
I hope everyone had a magical long weekend, I know I did. I’m usually out of town for the 4th of July but with all of my recent travel all I wanted was to be home, hanging out in comfortable clothes on the waterfront in Long Island City with my puppy and boyfriend. Funny enough the party came to me since Macy’s takes over my neighborhood for the firework show. It’s pretty amazing that Meghan Trainer and Pitbull were performing at the bottom of my street.
I’m actually wearing all new purchases for this really effortless weekend look. My feet needed a break from regular flip flops. I love them but all of my pairs have no support and with my back issues and how much I walk I’ve had these Vionic Jura Slide Sandal in silver on non-stop repeat! If you look at every Instagram post where I’m full body from the past two weeks I’m wearing these. They saved me while being on the Sinful Colors Pride float for 5 hours! Having arch support is a game changer and I definitely need to build up my orthopedic shoe collection. The shirt dress is from Do + Be, I scored it at Nordstrom Rack over the weekend on clearance for $39.97! I tried to find it online for you guys but had an impossible time on the Do + Be website or searching it online. Which is too bad since I want it in every color. It has side pockets!
Wearing Hot Lip shade Miranda May inspired by Miranda Kerr
Charlotte Tilbury newest drool worthy lipstick collection, Hot Lips is here! And launched exclusively on CharlotteTilbury.com last week. The collection of 12 lipsticks was inspired by top beauties and celebrities including: Miranda Kerr, Nicole Kidman, Salma Hayek, Kate Bosworth, Laura bailey, Cindy Crawford, Helena Bonham-Carter, Liv Tyler, Emily Ratajkowski, Carina Lau, Poppy Delevingne and Kim Kardashian-West.
Charlotte drew inspiration from each woman – either for their beauty, their style, their power or for their positive message for good – and bottled it in the ultimate all-female beauty collaboration. For the two first months of the launch, a portion of each Hot Lips lipstick sale will be donated to the life-changing charity, Women for Women International.
The promo video for the collection has me like woah! I want them all…
Shades availabile in: Electric Poppy, Miranda May, Kim K.W., Bosworth’s Beauty, Salma’s Secret, Liv It Up, Hot Emily, Hel’s Bells, Kidman’s Kiss, Super Cindy, Carina’s Love, and Tell Laura. The Hot Lips Collection will also include best-selling shades Penelope Pink, Sexy Sienna, Nude Kate and Very Victoria.
I can’t believe I haven’t blogged since Wednesday! I know it’s only been a few days but since I got back from Boston all I’ve wanted to do is get my apartment in order and stay local. Every week for over two months I’ve been in a different state, and while it’s all been with amazing brands, it’s taken a toll.
On the up side, while I haven’t had as much time to write I have been playing with some new accessories I’m excited about starting with these Sudio Sweden Vasa Earphones. They only recently started selling in the US so I’m honored to be one of the first to get my hands on a set. I’m going through a perpetual rose gold phase (although they come in other colors too!) and love the simplistic and yet elegant design of them. They also have great sound quality, and come with a chic travel case, which I need, since I’m the queen of tangling everything (you don’t want to look into my jewelry box. They also have a wireless version I have my eye on for when I go running! I’ve been using them non-stop for travel since they are less bulky then my headphones and offer a really crisp, studio quality sound. Plus now that I carry Charlie (my rescue pup) around everywhere with me I’m trying to pack as light as possible. They are offering my readers and exclusive discount of 15% off with code: PrettyConnected.
This post is sponsored by Vocalpoint and P&G. All opinions and tips are my own.
Whenever I’m at COSTCO with my Dad, I’m always astounded by their beauty aisle. They have an awesome assortment of P&G brands, Olay, Gillette, Secret, Crest, Head & Shoulders… And with two kids in college they are always stocking on razors, deodorant, shampoo and just about everything else. I always get a kick out playing beauty expert and giving my recommendations. It’s the perfect place to stock up and get discounts on everyday items you never want to be without.
To celebrate summer, I’m partnering with COSTCO to share 5 beauty hacks from their beauty aisle:
1. Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous Whitestrips (or 1HR Express) – White strips are a proven way to get your teeth whiter over time but if you’re looking for a 1 day instant bright switch them out every 15 minutes instead of wearing one for the full hour. Most bleach strips deliver their maximum efficiency within the first 15 minutes so if you’re looking for a quick fix for that big event, try it out!
2. Gillette Venus Spa Razor – a two in one razor is a travel hack in itself. With a built-in shave gel bar, this razor alleviates any need to pack or use an additional shave gel or soap. Shaving also exfoliates legs so doing so before applying a self-tanner will result in a longer lasting (and smoother) application.
3. Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream – This is one of the most recognized and awarded anti-aging creams on the market. In fact, it’s the #1 selling anti-aging moisturizer, so being able to purchase it at a premium price for a double pack at Costco this should be my discount hack — but it’s not. This hack goes out to all the moisturizers we bought and didn’t love, or felt the need to use up before replacing it with something new we wanted to try. Instead of tossing it and feeling wasteful any creams that underwhelm you leave by the shower and use on your feet post-cleanse. With all the miles you put in on your feet they could use the boost and chances are there are some great ingredients in your existing cream it could benefit from. Or at the very least help keep them moisturized.
4. Dawn Liquid Soap – an unexpected beauty contender but one that’s served me well. For two things, stripping my hair of color (I had a recent purple disaster before heading to Coachella when my colorist left the color on too long!) and cleaning my makeup brushes. I washed my hair 3x’s day with Dawn for 4 days to strip the color. It’s also a great makeup brush cleaner, as is clarifying or baby shampoos (and most shampoos in general!). You can also add the smallest drop of conditioner (Pantene Advanced Care Conditioner works great!) to help keep brushes soft.
Every year Super Saturday sneaks up on me and I’m out of town for it, which is why I’ve circled it ten times over in my planner to be there this year! For many of you that have attended in the past you know it’s a massive designer discounted shopping event, hosted in the Hamptons by the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance’s (OCRFA) with the proceeds benefiting the cause.
Founded by Donna Karan, she will host the event alongside Kelly Ripa and Gabby Karan de Felice. This event marks the 19th annual Super Saturday NY and last year alone, OCRF’s Super Saturday NY and “QVC Presents Super Saturday LIVE” raised over $3.4million for Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
Super Saturday NY will take place on Saturday, July 30, 2016, at Nova’s Ark Project in Water Mill, New York from 1:00PM – 6:00PM with a special preview hour beginning at noon.
The massive designer sale will feature designers discounted merchandise from nearly 150 prominent participants including DKNY, Ralph Lauren, VINCE., Bonpoint, Henri Bendel, MILLY, Shoshanna, Theory, alice + olivia, Brooks Brothers, Kiehl’s Since 1851, L’AGENCE, Calypso St. Barth and SoulCycle.
In addition to shopping luxury brands at deep discounts, OCRFA’s Super Saturday NY attendees will enjoy an afternoon of
Yesterday I crossed a huge bucket list item off when my friends at SinfulColors invited me to be on their float for Pride. This year marks my 15th year in NYC and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. After Orlando, I had a lot to say but no words and what I realized more then anything Is that I wanted to be apart of this big day and show my support for the LGBT (I may be missing a few letters…) community.
The parade featured 2,000 marchers and 85 floats! 12:30pm was our call time to meet on ours at 38th and 5th. It can take up to two hours (and it was close to that) before your float gets cleared to head down 5th Avenue and join in the parade, which ends Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn; the birthplace of the gay rights movement. It was recently granted national monument status.
Yesterday, Jamie King and NEUTROGENA hosted the Long Live Skin event, helping to raise awareness around the importance of skin health among occasional SPF users and encourage daily sunscreen use. You all know how seriously I take this subject. At all times I have a SPF in my makeup case, a full stock in my bathroom and by the door for when I take Charlie out in the mornings (he even has his own special dog SPF). Regardless of the season, weather, or where you are in the world, any part of your skin that is exposed to the sun should have a minimum on an SPF 25 on it. Applying sunscreen is the number one way to prevent wrinkles, dark spots and oh yeah, skin cancer! There’s a reason it’s every beauty experts #1 anti-aging tip, because nothing will age your skin faster than exposing it to harmful rays. Scroll to the bottom for the Q&A with Jaime King, but first I need to drill in a few points and recent findings!
Owning an SPF and wearing an SPF are not the same thing. Nor does it count if you only wear it when you’re at the beach. Yes, you get brownie points for that but you’re missing the point on how much this needs to be a part of your daily routine. Unless of course you’re in your house all day, not sitting by the window or in a car where the UV rays can reflect through the window. In which case you can take a day off. In all seriousness though when I talk to most people about sun protection the two biggest reasons why they don’t commit is they don’t like how it feels (somehow they’ve missed the memo that not all sunscreens are greasy) or they just forget, which is why I recommend putting them all over the house, like I do. As for the texture, one of my absolute favorite things about NEUTROGENA is the variety of products and finishes they offer to help you find your perfect SPF. Long live NEUTROGENA Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, which soaks up oil and is waterproof — this is what you recommend for the person who fears a greasy sunscreen. Then there is a whole line of Stick sunscreens, which are the only products I can get my boyfriend to use. And Sprays which I use when I’m running out the door for a quick walk with Charlie and am too lazy to put on a cream. I’m also pretty obsessed with the whole COOLDRY Sport collection (which includes a stick and spray in the line!) since I’m always out running around with Charlie and an outdoor runner. It’s lightweight and sweatproof.
I’m all about the Neutrogena CoolDry Sport Sunscreen Spray
They also have loads of other options as well as products for babies and kids, to keep the whole family covered. Minus puts which I would be elated if they developed a line for!
Some staggering statistics our friends at NEUTROGENA informed me:
On average, more than 350 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every hour - even though skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), consumers often do not get the UV protection stated on the sunscreen label because they grossly under-apply, using less than half the recommended amount
Just 1-2 severe sunburns can increase the risk of melanoma by 40%
Only 40% of US households purchase sunscreen (only 37% women and 16% men use sunscreen regularly)
Someone who’s an authority on skin health is Jaimie King. I remember my ultimate fan girl moment in seeing her in the music video, ‘Take a Picture‘ by Filter where she just glows the whole time. Major skin envy, and two decades later, she’s had a thriving career, kids and somehow hasn’t aged at all! During the Long Live Skin event, Jaime was on hand to talk sun protection and take pictures with guests. Here’s her SPF 411:
Why is sun safety important to you?
Sun safety was always engrained in me. My mother was ahead of the game in sun protection and making us wear sunscreen at a time when there really wasn’t the awareness there is today. If we were in the sun, we were always protected. Skin cancer runs in my family, my father has it, so for me it’s something that is very important to me especially since it’s the most preventable form of cancer. Also, sunscreen also prevents fine lines, wrinkles and brown spots and keeps your skin looking great.
How do you fit sunscreen into your beauty routine?
People always ask me what my top beauty tips are and I always say sunscreen and water, so it’s easy to fit sunscreen into my beauty routine. Also, all of my makeup has sunscreen in it, but I always do double duty! You need to apply a sunscreen first and then apply your makeup with SPF.
Do you wear sunscreen every day?
I apply sunscreen every day. People think if it’s cloudy out you don’t have to apply sunscreen, but that is just not true and when the biggest mistakes happen. I also apply it to my kids every day. The minute they get up before they put their clothes on, we put on sunscreen. It’s a routine, just like brushing their teeth. I also think it’s important to lead by example. Not only do they see me applying it on them, but they see me applying it to myself.
Which NEUTROGENA®products would you recommend for a mom
NEUTROGENA® Ultra Sheer® Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 100+ is perfect! When you’re a mom, you are running around with your head cut off half the time. The product is so easy and weightless, so you won’t look crazy with white streaks running down your face and you’ll stay protected. It’s one less thing to worry about.
Earlier this week, I hit up the #BRINGONTHEBOLD launch party for Elizabeth Arden’s new Liquid Assets Color collection consisting of the new Beautiful Color Bold Liquid Lipsticks ($22) in 9 shades, Beautiful Bold Defining 24HR Liquid Eye Liners ($24.50) in 5 shades and Beautiful Color Bold Illuminating Liquid Highlighter ($25) in one shade, Golden Kiss. The collection will launch in July and below are swatches and product details!
Beautiful Color Bold Illuminating Liquid Highlighter
Available in one shade, Golden Kiss gives a translucent golden shimmer that goes on smooth and with flexibility. The lightweight soft gel formula is easy to apply anywhere from cheeks to eyelid or under the brow for a pretty highlight that isn’t heavy or anything dramatic. Just a very pretty, natural shimmer and color enhancer. It features mineral pearls of mica and titanium dioxide that help reflect light and diffuse sparkle to create a multidimensional effect.
Beautiful Color Bold Liquid Lipstick
Now that every brand has launched mattes and summer is here I’ve seen a definite trend towards liquid lipsticks being the next hot ticket — which I’m all for! Available in 9 shades, 8 of which I swatched above at thee event. They go on wet and then dry to a more neutral, smooth gloss finish that’s very comfortable and stays in place.
I took home shade, Pink Lover, which some of you may have seen me test on snapchat (@prettyconnected). I have dark lips and Pink Lover gave a very natural everyday dusted pink hue. I’ve been rocking it all week and put the above on instagram as part of Charlie and my look for tonights Pride party.
The packaging looks like a vaporizer (ignore the more standard gloss tubes two pictures up, those were just for testing. The final packaging is what you see above, with the clicker visible in the center that deposits the color to the sponge.
Summer is here and in what feels like my first day off since birth, I took my pup, Charlie on his first Vespa ride to McCarren Park for a day in the park and picnic with some friends. It was the perfect Sunday afternoon.
Charlie and I have been traveling the past few weeks so it was really nice to be outside with him and to let him run in the grass. Don’t let his passive, sit-on-your-lap-for-hours personality fool you. When given a full field of grass he’ll do laps at full force. And is definitely faster than me.
{Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Sally Hansen via Mode Media. Opinions are my own}
If there’s one product that always makes my summer must-have list, it’s Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. I’ve written about it for years and with good reason, it’s every tan-loving beauty expert and makeup artist’s not-so-secret cult favorite for an instant tan.
While I travel a lot and want nothing more from each trip than to bring back a tan, natural tans just aren’t in the cards given all the damage UV rays cause. I’m literally never without an SPF 30 or above if this skin is seeing the light of day. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs is my easy, affordable solution. Available in lotion (5 shades) and spray (6 shades), both are water- and transfer-resistant so they won’t get on your clothes. They also help even skin tone and cover any imperfections as well as freckles. For me, their saving grace is that they cover my annoying spider veins.
The lotion offers a more matte finish and provides medium-to-full coverage. The spray has more of luminous, shimmer finish and is ideal for a light-to-medium coverage. However, one of my favorite features of the spray is the control I have over it and the fact that you can layer it to full coverage. I’ve always been partial to the spray since it’s the original and I like the control, but I’ll use both interchangeably.
While it’s really tempting to spray it all over your legs, it should be applied to your hand first (same with the lotion) and then massaged onto your legs. Don’t forget to shake it first! With the spray, I will do some small spritzes if there’s an area I want more coverage on – usually around my spider veins, and then rub the product in. However, it’s really meant to go on your hand first.
Charlie and I have been traveling the past few weeks so it was really nice to be outside with him and to let him run in the grass. Don’t let his passive, sit-on-your-lap-for-hours personality fool you. When given a full field of grass he’ll do laps at full force. And is definitely faster than me.
