Prime Yourself!

Applying makeup is an art- your face is the blank canvas to express your creativity. If you were to paint a wall, you would first prime it in order to get a smooth and even surface. Well the same goes for your face- you need to prime it in order to get a fresh and even surface.

Primer is an essential for any fashionista diva to have in her makeup tool kit. I use face primer and eye primer every day before applying my makeup. It not only gives your face that flawless texture and transforms it into that blank canvas, but it also gives your makeup an incredible amount of longer staying power (so you won't get that "Why does it look like I didn't even put on any makeup" feeling two hours after you applied your makeup).

For face primer, my personal favorite is the Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer. I am currently using the apricot color blend- it helps to conceal undereye circles, veins, and sunspots. They also offer color adjust (which minimizes redness), color balance (for more yellow skintones). Although it a bit pricey, it last a VERY long time- I have had the same one for over 8 months!

You can purchase this at Sephora (in stores and online).

Retail Price: $38 (1oz)

My favorite eye primer is Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. It applies on smoothly, makes your eyeshadow look more vibrant, with absolutely no creasing! I personally use the "sin" version, which is a shimmering champagne, as opposed to the normal sheer version- I love it because it adds that extra little sparkle as a base.

You can purchase this at Sephora (in stores and online).

Retail Price: $18 (.34oz)

Stay Fabulous xoxo

~Miss Glamour Giirl

The Year of No Pants

I love wearing dresses- to be honest, I don't ever wear anything else. This is so silly, but my New Year's resolution last year was to not wear pants! LOL I don't know what I was thinking- A bit of an inspiration from Lady Gaga, I'm not sure. But anyways, continuing with this silly "no pants year", I am always searching for new fabulous styles of dresses to wear.

Dresses are the simplest way to look amazingly put together. You just throw one on and pair it with some fun shoes and accessories, and out you go- looking flawless and put together. My summer can't-live-without dress is the maxi dress (the term for a long, floor length dress).

I have tons of different styles of maxi dresses- floral, solid colors, bohemian style, and more; however, my favorite maxi dress is a solid black halter dress. It is made of stretchy material, which makes it so comfortable and breezy for those hot summer days. Black is not only the most flattering color you could wear, but also the easiest color to match with accessories. It is basically a blank canvas to work with- you can accessorize with bright colors, metallics, and so on. You can transform the same black dress in so many different ways by just changing the accessories paired with it.

Maxi dresses are a summer essential for every fashionistas wardrobe- have fun with this trend and enjoy the beautiful weather! xoxox

My Secret to Perfect Lashes

I am totally obsessed with having big, thick, long lashes. For quite some time, I was addicted to wearing fake eyelashes- They totally did the job, but I hated that they became really itchy and uncomfortable after a long day of wear. I needed a mascara that was long lasting, non-flaking, and really made my eyes pop.

I got these spectacular results with the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara. It darkens, lengthens, and thickens lashes and is flake free for 12 hours! The hour-glass shaped applicator brush is definitely the trick- It gets rid of all the clumps that often form when putting on mascara. The results that I have gotten with this Buxom Lash are amazing- I truly can not live a day without it.

For a more frugal, less pricey option, I really love Maybelline's Lash Stiletto Ultimate Lengths Mascara. It excels in making your lashes extremely long. I get my most amazing results when I use this in addition to the Buxom Lash Mascara.

My secret to perfect lashes= I put on 1 coat of the Lash Stiletto in very black to start and then follow up with 1-2 coats of the Buxom Lash in blackest black. This will make your eyes stunningly gorgeous- your lashes will be long, clump-free, and full of volume.

Verdict= FABULOUS! (5/5 stars)

You can purchase Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara at Sephora or Bare Escentuals stores; Retail price: $18
You can purchase Maybelline's Lash Stiletto Ultimate Lengths Mascara at drug stores (CVS, Rite Aid, etc); Retail price: $8

"A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future" ~Coco Chanel

As simply put by Coco Chanel: "A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future." Well there you have it! I'm not saying that this is true- you clearly will not drop dead on the street if you forget to spritz yourself with perfume before you leave for the day. However, wearing perfume, and more importantly, what scent you choose to wear, tells quite a bit about your personality.

My personal favorite fragrance is Princess by Vera Wang. I swear everyday I get people telling me that I smell good, so I would absolutely recommend this scent to anyone. It is definitely girly, playful, sheer, flowery, and feminine. The packaging and bottle are adorable- on the largest size (3.7oz), the bottle topper comes apart to make a gold ring with purple stones that you can wear on your finger, which is such a cute addition.

Are you spicy, girly, sexy, bubbly, or sweet? Or maybe you're a combination of a few things? Finding the right scent that suits you can certainly be difficult, but there is a scent sampler kit by Sephora that definitely can make the choice a bit easier.

Sephora offers a new kit called "Sephora Favorites Eau Girl Scent Sampler" that gives you eight large sized samples (from .14oz- .5oz) of the hottest, most purchased, and most loved perfumes in the Sephora store. A few included are Michael Kors Very Hollywood, Gucci Flora, YSL Parisienne, and Givenchy Very Irresistable.

This kit offers perfumes to match any mood, from sweet and floral to bold and citrusy. It also gives you the chance to explore new scents and hopefully to find a new favorite fragrance!

Verdict= Love it! (4/5 stars)

You can purchase this fragrance set at Sephora (in stores and online)

Retail price: $40

Trend Alert-Turquoise Jewelry

Accessories can easily change any outfit from drab to fab. Every fashionista must always be conscientious of this fact because the accessories one chooses can either make or break their outfit. Want to know the secret to having the perfect jewelry accessories this summer season? The answer is simply turquoise.

Bright, bold, and vibrant- These are all perfect words to describe the way a piece of turquoise jewelry looks in the summer. It stands out against black and white, blends nicely with blues and purples, and takes the main stage when paired with tans and neutrals- no matter what you are wearing, turquoise jewelry will always POP!

Some options to get you started with this trend are purchasing a large cocktail ring, a long necklace, a few beaded bracelets, or dangle/chandelier earrings in turquoise. Just buying one of these items will immensely add to your summer wardrobe- it will turn a boring and plain white dress into the outfit of a goddess!

PS- I especially recommend pairing turquoise with gold- you absolutely can't go wrong with this color combination- it is fresh, clean, and luxurious.

Pictured above:

Kate Spade 'Sardinian Sun' Ring in turquoise, available at Nordstroms, Retail price: $95

Cara Accessories Cabochon Cuff Bracelet in turquoise and gold, available at Nordstroms, Retail price: $48

3 Sandals for the Price of 1

Do you ever wish you could magically change the color of a pair of shoes to match your outfit for the day? Well thanks to Poetic License this dream is a reality. Their new 'Jelly Jangle" sandals do just that! Let me first say that this is an absolutely genius idea. When I first tried saw these in Nordstroms, it was one of those "why didn't I ever think of that" moments.

The Poetic License Jelly Jangle allows you to switch out the large plastic medallion located in the middle of the sandal. When you purchase the sandal, it comes with 3 pairs of interchangeable plastic designs that you can clip on or off to alternate the colored medallion on your sandal. Included are a large red heart, a hot pink rose flower, and (my favorite) an ivory bow with rhinestones.

The shoe itself is a sparkly jelly plastic thong sandal, as seen in the above picture. I personally own the clear one, so that it will match everything; However, Poetic License also offers the shoe in blue, purple, and hot pink. Another cute detail is that the bottom of the shoe is cheetah print (loves it) and the sandals come in an adorable box!

These sandals are perfect for the summer due to their fun, airy, jelly, and bright colored design. I would especially recommend these shoes for summer traveling or weekend getaways because it is like having 3 pairs of shoes, but you only have to take up the space for 1 pair in your suitcase (and what fashionista diva doesn't need more suitcase space?!- I know I always do)

Verdict= Love it (4/5 stars)

You can purchase these shoes at Zappos or Nordstroms (in stores).

Retail Price: $55

No time to shower? No worries, thanks to dry shampoo!

Lets face it, we all have those days where we can barely get out of bed in time to get where we need to go, are running late to a meeting or class, or simply just don't have the time to shower. Well don't fret ladies, because there is a way to take your hair from looking drab to fab even when you do not have the time.

The answer to this problem is dry shampoo. With a few spritzes and sprays of dry shampoo, you will immediately feel fresh and clean. Your hair restores volume and shine, while diminishing any greasiness.

I have tried a few brands, but two I would like to discuss are 'Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray' and 'Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser'. Personally, out of the two, I much prefer the Ojon. I find the Oscar smell to be a bit strong and too lemon-ish. If you are a darker haired person, like myself, you really have to rub it in because it comes out white-ish color, and if you don't it makes you look like you have dandruff or white speckles in your hair. In addition, unfortunately, the second day I went to use the Oscar spray, it had leaked everywhere for some reason, and was basically gone, which obviously stunk. The Ojon has worked out much better for me- the spray nozzle works great, the smell isn't too much, and it gives a lot of volume.

Verdicts=

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray: FAB-YOU-LOSER! (1/5 stars)

Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser: Love it (4/5 stars)

You can purchase these brands of dry shampoo at Sephora (in stores and online).

Retail Price: $21-24 for full size bottle

My Favorite Small Bag- Chanel WOC

My hands-down absolute favorite small bag/clutch is the Chanel Wallet on a Chain (WOC). I just got the black WOC shown above for my birthday, and I am in love with it!

I usually am a girl who only buys HUGE bags. The only problem with this preference is that whenever I am out for a long day, shopping, etc my arm always gets so tired from holding such a heavy and big bag. So since I planned on being in the city for a good portion of the summer, I decided I had to break my normal mold of a "big bag gal" and switch it over to a more practical, smaller, functional bag. This led my to my love affair with the Chanel WOC.

This bag is perfect for everyday and evening wear since you have the option to wear it so many different ways! The chain strap is long so you can wear it messenger style or on one shoulder with a very long chain. You can twist or tie the chain inside of the bag (so no on will see that you have done this) and wear it on one shoulder with varying lengths of the chain. Also, you have the option to completely put the entire chain inside of the bag and use it as a clutch.

With all of the fabulous options and styles that this bag has to offer, it will never get boring or dull. It is the perfect accessory to spruce up any ensemble. It's Chanel- it is classy, classic, and chic- It is truly perfection!

Verdict= FABULOUS!!! (5/5 stars)

You can buy a Chanel Wallet on a Chain at Chanel stores or at select department stores that carry Chanel (Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks, etc)

Chanel WOC retails for $1200.

Chic Shades

Upon walking the sunny streets of NYC this morning, almost every single person was sporting a pair of sunglasses in a plethora of styles, colors, and shapes.

Sunglasses are an essential part of any day-time summer outfit, so your choice in which pair to wear must be thought through. Sunglasses most importantly shield your eyes from the bright and harmful UV rays, but they also can pull an entire outfit together. The right sunglasses will make you look chic and trendy, and make you look fabulous even if you are not wearing makeup underneath.

I believe every fashionista should have at least 2 pairs of higher-end nicely made sunglasses. I would recommend buying one pair in all black and one pair in a lighter tone, such as a brown- This way you can always match your shades to your outfit. This investment is worthwhile and necessary one- do not worry about 'ruining them' or 'losing them' as many people often do. When you have a nice pair of shades, you will take care of them because you will love them!

I personally love the larger style of sunglasses, which I think looks awesome on everyone. But this is a tricky road to go down because you do not want them to be so large that you look like you have bug eyes- such an unattractive look! Measure them by making sure they cover your eyebrows, but barely go above them.

And, sidenote, PLEASE I beg you all not to buy those cheap, fake DG sunglasses or whatever else they have in those random jewelry stores or on the streets of NYC- They look cheap and yucky. Definitely do not buy something crazy above your price range- make sure to buy something you can afford- but please do not buy these fakes!

Happy shopping and enjoy the sun! xox

Trend Alert- Bangle Bracelets

Calling all fashionistas- grab every bangle bracelet you can find because this trend is HOT!

I have always loved wearing lots of bracelets, but this season I will be layering them on more than usual. Celebrities, stylists, and fashionistas alike will be drenching their wrists with different patterns, colors, and textures of bracelets. Wearing an overly dramatic arm full of bangles will truly make any outfit become out of this world.

Anyone can pull of this trend and look chic, fabulous, and fashionable, while also expressing themselves with the endless opportunities of layering.

My personal favorite "starter kit" for bangle bracelet layering is shown in the picture above. This is the silver Cara Accessories Bangle Set from Nordstroms (Retail Price $58). I always get tons of compliments every time I wear my set, and it really does the job of adding that extra pizzaz to any outfit!

Re-organizing My Makeup

I love wearing makeup- I wear it everyday and NEVER ever go out without it on. I am clearly obsessed with makeup and have definitely created quite a collection for myself. I was taking out 5 different bags/cases/kits every time I needed to do my makeup. I got confused about what was where, what I even had, and things were getting a bit messy.

The solution: a HUGE professional makeup case from Sephora! I have been eyeing this case for quite some time, but I finally got to the point with my makeup collection where it was a necessity. Last night I went through all of the makeup I had, threw out half of it, and re-organized the rest of it in this beautiful case.

Now I know what I have and I can enjoy all of the wonderful makeup I own. I get so excited every time I take it out to do my makeup because the hot pink case is stunningly beautiful and everything inside is so organized!

Verdict= Love it (4/5 stars)

You can buy this case at Sephora makeup stores (in stores and online)

Retail price: $115

My Favorite Lipgloss

I am obsessed with lipgloss, and I have almost tried them all. I must have 10 lipglosses in every purse I own (so pathetic, I know)! Out of the immense plethora of options, I must say that NARS brand lipgloss in Turkish Delight is my absolute favorite. It is a pink sorbet color- it is perfect and stunning on every skin tone.

This gloss has a cult following behind it as well, with celebrities swearing by it (It is Kim Kardashian's favorite shade). NARS gloss is smooth and creamy when put on your lips, and is definitely not sticky. If this light pinkish color isn't for you, then definitely try one of their other colors. I have quite a few lip colors and products from NARS- they are one of my favorite makeup brands- and they offer amazing pigmented colors.

I urge everyone to get a tube of Turkish Delight NARS lipgloss, I promise you will not be disappointed!

Verdict= FABULOUS!!! (5/5 stars)

You can purchase NARS makeup products at NARS stores, Nordstroms, and Sephora.

Retail price for Turkish Delight lipgloss: $24

Cake Making Experiment

Since I came home from college basically all I have done is watch reality TV (my favorite guilty pleasure). Other than the Real Housewives, which are at the unbeatable #1 spot in my mind, I have become obsessed with all of those 'gourmet' cake making shows. They do such unbelievable things on these shows- it is hard to believe that the complex structures they make are actually cake! This ornate cake making is truly an art form, and if you know me at all, you know I'm always looking for a new art project. So I decided to experiment with the art of cake-making.

The key difference about these 'gourmet cakes' as compared to a regular cakes that we would normally make at home is something called fondant. Fondant is a thick icing made of sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin. It comes in the package as a brick/ball and needs to be rolled out with a rolling pin until it is very thin. It has the consistency and feel of Play-Doh while you are trying to knead it and roll it out. Once it is thin and flat enough, it is draped over the cake and the excess is cut off.

Fondant is the key ingredient to make one of these 'gourmet cakes' because it gives the cake a smooth and flawless finish. It is used as a base for decorative details and architectural designs, and also is used for sculptural decoration. I decided to buy a few flowery cookie cutters made especially for fondant and used these to cut hundreds of flowers of varying sizes and shapes out of the white and orange fondant I rolled out. I then layered all of the flowers randomly, covering almost all of the entire cake with these fun patterns. I attached/glued/stuck the fondant flowers to the cake just with a small dab of water.

The result, five hours later, was the cake you see in the picture above. Although certainly not perfect, I'm quite proud of it, especially since it was my first attempt. It truly was a learning experience, and I am excited to make another fondant cake soon. It was a fun experiment to try, and I now have a new appreciation for all of the hard work and dedication these 'gourmet cakes' take to make!

You can purchase fondant (and other accessories) in the cake-making section of your local Michael's Craft Store.

Plan and organize your life in style!

I am one busy person. To be honest, I do my best when there is never a dull moment and I always something going on. Choosing to live this crazy busy life leads to the fact that I would DIE without my planner telling me every meeting I have, assignment I need to complete, rehearsal to go to, and of course all of my social gatherings.

Personally, I have had quite a few agendas and planners in my life but none as gorgeously beautiful as my current one- a Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Agenda in red. The Vernis red is a patent and the color is so vibrant and shiny it always stands out. This purchase was certainly a splurge, but with the yearly refillable calendar pages available I felt that it was a good investment that I can appreciate for the many years to come.

It is so important to be neat and organized in life, and investing in a nice agenda will definitely inspire you to do so. Being punctual and organized is nothing but fabulous!

Verdict= FABULOUS!!! (5/5 stars)

You can purchase the Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Agenda at Louis Vuitton (in stores and online)

Retail price for agenda: $350

Retail price for calendar refill pages: $50-$78

Summer Trend Alert- White Nail Polish

What is better than looking fresh, clean, and bright, especially in the summer? Put away your dark colors, ladies! Bright and fresh colors are what you should be putting on your nails from now on. Although I adore my bright pinks and reds, a vibrant bright white is my favorite color for Summer nails and toes. Bright white goes with everything and it definitely sticks out against tanned skin- it is the perfect shade for summer.

My favorite type of polish is OPI- they have every color polish you could ever dream of (with hysterically cute and fun names) and are of exceptional quality (this is usually the polish they use in nail salons). You get a wonderfully long staying power out of these polishes; They stay for quite some time without chipping.

OPI recently teemed up with Sephora and has created a "Sephora by OPI" nail color line. This line has the same quality of OPI nail polish, but there are many new exciting colors available. The bright white polish that I use on myself is from the "Sephora by OPI" line- it is called "A-ha! moment" (Item #1111228)

Whether you get your nails done or do them yourself, you really should experiment with bright white polish. I promise you will look fresh and clean if you try out this fabulous trend!

Verdict= Love it (4/5 stars)

You can buy the regular OPI polish line in nail and beauty salons. You can buy the "Sephora by OPI" nail color line at any Sephora (online or in stores).

Retail Price: $9 per bottle and up