Dancing is Totally Fashionable

I know that I don't usually write about things that aren't ridiculously stylish, but I simply have to do a bit of advertising for one of my bestest friends in the world. I used to dance back in high school (and a little after that), and my friend actually went to school for it and is totally making something of herself in the dancing world. And I think that is totally radical and fashionable in it's own way. (And doesn't she just look amazing in the picture to the left?!? She's def a fashion icon).

Soooo, moving on... the best dancer I know, Katie Hill, just opened up her very own dance studio and is teaching about a million classes there. She's literally amazing. The studio is in Bristol, NH and classes are very affordable.

FOR INFO
Call: 603-387-1650
Email: katie@dancingfeetstudios.com

You can also visit her studio's website--it has oodles of info about the goings on. Check it out: http://www.dancingfeetstudios.com.

Like I said, she's definitely the best dancer I know and she's taught tons of classes in the past at different studios. I highly recommend checking out the website and taking lessons from her. she pretty much rocks at life <3.

Ciao lovies! Stay fabbity fab!

Embarrassing, but True: My Makeup Collection

I don't think that very many people own more makeup than I do. The picture to the left is almost every item of makeup I own (mind you, this is after a huge spring cleaning I did a month or so ago), and it doesn't even include my 50 or so lip products.

I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed! I'm addicted to makeup. There, I said it. Do they have AA for makeup addicts?

Bright Pink Peep Toes

Well, it's BOGO season at Payless and of course I've been stalking the Payless stores by me looking for something that tickles my fancy.

I'm so tired of plain black pumps, and pink is my absulitley fave color, so I figured that this time around I'd go for a patent "leather" strappy peep toe. Payless' Hollis Peep Toe jumped out at me right when I walked into the store. I knew that I had to have them. Even though they are a tough color to match, I think that these shoes will go with a lot more than most people would think. I can see wearing these with some denim carpis and pretty much any tee or tank top as long as I throw on some sort of pink accessory (even pink stud earrings). I also love the idea of wearing a monochromatic black outfit and then adding a punch of color with these bad boys.

Either way, they're available for a mere $22.99, and don't forget that it's BOGO season (Buy One Get One half off) until the end of July!

Bring Some Bling to the Beach

Fusion Beauty has a new limited edition lip plumper. And I think I'm in love.

The new LipFusion Micro-Injected Collagen Lip Plump Color Shine comes in one shade at the moment--Beach Baby. The color is pretty much the perfect pink for any skin tone. It looks natural, but still gives lips a fresh pink plumped look that is perfect for summertime and lounging at the beach.

The part that I'm most excited about? The wand. It is actually glammed up with pink crystal studs. This is the type of thing that I would keep even after I used all of the product. It's like an art piece!


Unfortunately, there is a downside for us frugal beauties. The plumper is $49. I know, I know...It's kind of steep for a lip gloss. But how cute is it??!! Check your couch cushions for spare change. Maybe you'll find a $50.

The Perfect Summer Top

Oh summer. I love it so much, but sometimes it's hard to look pulled together when the weather is approaching 90 degrees and everything is humid and sticky. It can get pretty gross.

That's why I love Forever 21's Alicia Rose Tunic. Flowy tops are always more comfortable when the weather is less than ideal, and they flatter nearly everyone. A top like this can work for almost any occasion. Pair it with some denim capris and flip flops for day, or wear with a pair of jeans (dark wash) and heels for night.

This gorgey top is $24.80 and can be bought in stores or online.

Big, Pink, and Fluffy

Pink is my favorite color (could you tell?) In my mind, every single product available, with the exception of weird eye shadows, should be pink.

So you can probably see why I'm in love with this huge kabuki brush by IsaDora. It's perfect to use for adding a touch of shimmer to your face or body. And just think of how cute it'll look on your bathroom sink!

Since my skin is practically see-through it's so white, I usually can't use bronzers without looking ridiculous. So I generally go for a light gold or silver shimmer powder to lightly apply above my cheekbones, over my shoulders, and down the center of my legs. It makes my skin look as close to flawless as possible. Plus the rest of you normal girls who have regular color skin can do this too with bronzers and whatnot.

Anyway, the brush is $19 and is very well-made so it'll last you practically forever. And did I mention that it's pink?

Double Duty Lipgloss

I love great combo products that you can just keep in your purse for on the go fix-ups. Tarte's new enbrightenmint lip gloss ($26) is pretty much amazing. One end holds a dazzling shade of lip gloss in either radient red or pearly pink (both shades are super flattering for most skintones). The other side has BriteSmile To Go--a tooth whitener that you can use throughout the day (just don't overdo it).

The whitener has proven to whiten up to 8 shades in just 14 days and also doubles as a minty breath refresher. Tarte's gloss, like all of their others, is awesome as well. Both shades have blue undertones, which help your teeth look even whiter, and both are mint-infused.

If you think it can't get any better, read this: with the purchase of every Tarte's enbrightenmint, you’ll be supporting Sambazon’s Sustainable Acai Project , which helps to preserve the Amazon Rainforest.

How can you refuse?

UPDATE!

You can now leave comments on this blog. I disabled them before because I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what you guys think of the blogs I write. I know, I know...cowardly of me.

Now I'm prepared! Let me know what you think about a product I recommend, or share a funny story, or just say hi. Write whatever you want (within reason, of course). BUT if you leave a bitchy comment, be prepared to get one back from me!

Ciao all you gorgey gals!

-Alana

From Day to Night: Pastel Eyes

It's always a bit tricky to glam up your makeup during that frantic after work/pre-going out moments. I've tried everything (and failed several times) until I realized that updating your eyeshadow is the key. And it isn't as hard as it may sound--especially with a palette that has all the right colors for both looks like Kevyn Aucoin's Essential Eye Shadow Palette in #6 ($55). This kit really have everything you need for an entire day of fab lookin' eyes.

In the morning, start off by applying an eye shadow base (or do what I do and apply a light layer of concealer to your eyelid). Next, brush the lightest blue shade (top left) over your entire lid--from lashes to brow. Apply the shade beneath it (light grey-green) only on your lash line and outer corner of your eye. This is a pastel smokey eye. Add a swipe of mascara, a pinch of blush, and maybe some lip gloss and you're set for work.

When 5pm comes around, you can brush on either the royal purple shade, or the blue/black shade (depending on how daring you are) as an eyeliner for the top lid only. You can get as crazy as you want, or keep it simple. Either way, it will pump up your look from day to night with little effort and it won't ruin your day makeup--it will merely enhance it. Not bad, huh?

For Those of us Who Love Punctuation

When I was in high school, my journalism teacher told me that I used commas too frequently. I hated her. I showed the paper she had referenced to one of my other writing teachers who told me that I used commas correctly. They are to be used at your own discretion whenever you take a mental breath in a sentence. Later on, I was telling someone the story and very loudly--I had a bit of a Freudian slip I guess--I said, "I OVERUSE CONDOMS!!!" and I don't think I'll ever get past that. Quite embarrassing.

So you can see that commas and I go way back. Which is why I think a comma necklace is the best thing since sliced bread. Made by FinnishDesignShop, the necklace costs 75 Euros (roughly $116). That's pretty pricey in my book, so I'm hoping that other designers take note (hint hint: Target) so that I can always be safe and have a condom, whoops I mean COMMA with me at all times.

The Skinny on Skinny Headbands

Cheesy blog title, I know.

Last summer, thick headbands were all the rage--especially those designed to look like scarves that you'd just tied around your head. I think that those are classic for the most part, especially if you own a black or white one. But this season, skinny headbands are all the rage.

The benefit of wearing a skinny headband is that you don't have to limit your other accessories. The headband doesn't steal the spotlight, so it's okay to pair it with a pair of cute earrings or a necklace.

Ann Taylor has a great zebra print headband that would go great with some gold hoop earrings (which, by the way, are always in style). The headband retails for $12, but I suggest that you check out your local dollar store before shelling out more than $10. I've seen tons of them by me and I probably own more than is socially acceptable. But they are all fabbity fab, so it's okay as far as I'm concerned...

Flip Flops--Bad for your Feet?

Say it ain't so! An article from Newsweek broke my heart when she wrote of the woes flip flops can induce. I probably own more flip flips than any other shoes, just because i don't think they ever go out of style and they're much more comfy than heels.

Dr. Justin Shroyer, a doctoral student in biomechanics at Auburn, found that the toes take a beating every time you flip or flop. "When you wear flip-flops, you kind of scrunch your toes to keep the flip-flop on your foot," Shroyer says. That constant pressure often adds up to throbbing and tenderness in the toes. "The body is an amazing machine," Shroyer explains. "When you do one thing, other things turn off and on. By engaging the muscles that scrunch your toes, you are turning off the muscles that would bring your toes up."

Wearing flip flops can also cause more stress on the body due to this--that could mean a higher risk of muscle and joint pain in the legs.

This is pretty scary stuff. I can already feel my toes cramping up just thinking about it!

Lela Rose for Payless

Payless has been doing awesomely as far as getting great designers in their stores. Lela Rose is back for a second round (you might recall the late Summer/early Fall collection from 2007). This time around, the shoes are just as adorable.

My fave? The Peggy Wedge Sandal. These are great wedges to have because they can be worn nearly year round. Hell, I'd wear these puppies in the middle of a snow storm, they're so cute.

The sandals come in navy or tan, both of which are classic colors that match practically anything, and they retail for a mere $24.99. What's not to love?

Bye-Bye Visible Bra Strap!

I truly looove Summertime. I do. But one thing that is so irritating is the fact that my bra straps constantly hang out the sides of whatever tank top I wear (especially those cute little embellished racer back ones I've been seeing around).

Embrace has found the solution! They've created a "fully detachable bra accessory that converts any bra into a cross back style". They come in one size only, but they are easy to adjust since you just slip them over your bra straps and adjust those to whatever suits you.

In stores, the product is only available in Canada--BUT you can order online at the Embrace website ($8.50 Canadian dollars each).

Nordstrom's Summer Gift with Purchase!

Ladies, there is nothing I love more than a free gift with purchase. I honestly wait for special emails to enter my inbox and alert me of a new beauty tote filled with goodies. It's rather sad--I know.

Right now, Nordstrom is offering a spectacular gift when you spend $100 on any beauty or fragrance products. I know that may seem a bit steep, but why not kill two birds with one stone and find a nice cologne for your dad (Father's Day is this weekend) or stock up on some of your beauty basics.

Here's the breakdown of what comes in the gorgey tote:
Anastasia Brow Gel
Anthony Logistics for Men® Self-Tanner with Anti-Aging Complex
Clarins Sunscreen Soothing Cream SPF 20 (0.28 oz.)
Cover FX 'Skin Prep FX' Treatment & Priming Serum sample
Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel (0.1 oz.)
Freeze 24.7® IceCrystals™
Anti-Aging Prep & Polish sample
Hanae Mori 'Butteryfly' Eau de Parfum (0.04 oz.)
John Varvatos Eau de Parfum (0.05 oz.)
KORRES Natural Products Guava Body Butter (0.85 oz.)
Lancôme Hypnôse Custom Volume Mascara (0.07 oz.)
Laura Mercier Eye Colour in Sandstone (0.03 oz.)
Origins 'A Perfect World™' White Tea Skin Guardian (0.17 oz.)
PHYTO Phytodéfrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm (0.5 oz.)
TanTowel Self-Tan Towelette (1 application)

Not too bad, huh? The deal is available on the Nordstrom website or in their stores until supplies run out.

Beach Bag Essentials

Now that beach time is here (as far as I'm concerned) I thought it'd be a good time to make sure that our beach bags are up to par.

First off--J.Crew has a great simple tote that makes a great beach bag; the Small Madaket tote. for $39.50, you can have one of your very own. But you can get similar beach bags pretty much anywhere. Even Walmart has a large mix of 'em.

So here are a few of the most important things that I think every gal should have in her beach bag:

1) Sunscreen for your face. Stila has a great one out now. Their sheer color tinted moisturizer SPF 30 ($36) is tinted and you can choose from oodles of shades. I'd even use this as part of my normal makeup routine since even walking in the sun makes my pale skin go crazy. But you can throw a tube in your bag and refresh whenever you get the urge. Don't forget to bring a mirror to avoid any mishaps!

2) Of course, you obviously need a body sun screen. La Fresh Sunscreen SPF30 sells travel-size packets of sun screen, so you don't have to lug around a huge bottle.$4.50 will get you 4 individual full-body packs of sun screen.

3) A small pallette of makeup is always a good idea. Mainly, you only need a bit of concealer and mascara, but for the bold, there are many tiny pallettes just for this occasion. Hard Candy has s Take Out Makeup Kit that has everything you need to touch up your makeup. The kit has 6 Lip Glosses, plus two lips brushes. It also includes 8 eye shadows, mascara, eye liner, bronzer blush, and every brush you might need to apply all of the makeup. You can get this at Sephora (my home away from home) or on Sephora's website.

4) Last, but not least, make sure to pack a couple bottles of water to keep yourself hydrated, and help your skin look fabbity fabulous,

Of course there are about a million other things that I pack: magazines, books, my ipod, a digital camera (hey, you never know what you'll see!), and a bunch more that I can;t even recall at the moment. Simply use this list as a starting p0int and add your own beach bag items that you might need during the day.

I'm so ready to pack up my beach bag and run to the nearest lake by me, but alas I cannot as I've spent a ton of money just a few days ago. But that's a story for another time.

TTFN! (ta ta for now!)

Orange you Glad it's almost Summertime?

Summer is the best time to experiment with nail polish hues. Personally, if I'm taking a large risk, I'll stick to painting only my toe nails to avoid potential humiliation.

Orange is a huge color for summer. Most skin tones can pull it off and Jaffa 3 Free nail lacquer by Butter London has created a great shade of orange that I can't wait to try out.

I know it looks scary, but just think: Your pretty little toe nails could be painted bright orange while you and your true love smooch while watching the sunset. Talk about a perfect match!

The polish retails for $12. It's described as being "A juicy orange colour, seedless, but potent as Hell." So I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not to take the risk.

Beauty Boo-Boo: Red Mascara

Call me old fashioned, but red mascara just isn't in my beauty routine. For most people (especially with lighter skin tones--or practically see-through like me) red tends to make you look like you've been crying all day. I mean, there is a reason why we don't see too many red eye shadows out there, right?

Well Vincent Longo (who I usually am a huge fan of) has decided that red is the new black apparently and I just don't get it! The Vibrant Eye Waterproof Mascara by Vincent Longo is a mascara much like the others offered on the site--clump free, waterproof, and all-around good quality. There are a number of decent colors on the site. Why not try an electric blue? It makes the whites of your eyes appear clear and fab.

So anyway, if you're in the mood to look like you have pink eye for a day, you can pick up the mascara for $24 on the Vincent Longo website. But I do not approve!

Lip Gloss with Some Sass

Tinted lip gloss is a great way to have some color on your lips without looking like a clown. My latest true lippy love is Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint - Magenta by C.O. Bigelow. The magenta tint is the most natural. It literally adds just a little sass (or, okay...punch of color) to your pucker.

The best part is that it tingles while you wear it. The gloss is minty fresh and totally fab. You can buy it at Bath and Body Works, or C.O. Bigelow's site for &7.50. In fact, Bath and Body Works is offering a special--buy 2 C.O. Bigelow products, get one free--plus a groovy tee shirt for $5. Not bad, eh?

Claires...makeup?!?

I have a confession to make: I love Claire's. I know that it is geared towards tweens. I get it. But the other day, I checked out their makeup selection (which I had no idea even existed) and was pretty my floored when I found out how awesome the products are.

My main squeeze? Claire's metallic eye shadows. For $5.50 you get 10 glam shades of highly-pigmented glam color. I gave 'em a test run today and was quite impressed. The only downside is that you cannot order online. So look for a local Claire's by you and give them a try--you won't be disappointed!