Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Zoya Blu

Continuing with my love for Zoya polishes, I decided to break into one of my newer Zoya purchases for the season.  And let me tell you, I have never been so in love!


I recently picked up Zoya's Blu from my salon a few weeks ago and I cannot be any happier with the purchase.  I love that they carry Zoya polishes because it really takes out the waiting part while ordering online.  That, and seeing the polishes in person makes it easier to decide whether or not I want to actually purchase them.


I was initially attracted to Blu because it's definitely something I don't have in my collection already.  And to find a polish shade I don't already own is kind of rare when you consider how large my polish collection is.  I have been obsessed with creamy polishes, and Blu just looked like the perfect milky blue.  Blu is like the twin brother of Essie's Fiji (only in the shade blue) because they are both very creamy in formula and the milky shades are very similar.  The only thing is Blu is much easier to apply than Essie's Fiji (which is a major plus).

I wore this for most of the month of July, and it worked great while I was a wedding guest.  I received a whole bunch of compliments on the polish and it just works beautifully with any outfit (when dressed up or down).  Definitely a great Summer pick in my opinion.

xoxo,

Eve

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Velour Lashes

I am finally breaking into the world of false lashes, and I have to say I am still fairly new and am such a beginner when it comes to false lashes.  The concept of applying false lashes on my own eyes have always been intimidating to me (I mean having to apply glue on lashes and place it just above your eyes are a scary thought).  There were so many negative thoughts going on my mind when I first considered lashes, with one of them being: What if my real lashes fall/tear off from the glue?

But after talking to a few of my great friends that use false lashes almost on a daily basis, and getting tips from make up artist friends of mine I decided to give it a go.  And because my only Brother's wedding was this summer (May 25th), I wanted to really make my eye makeup pop for the special occasion.


So what better way to try out false lashes than splurging for the best? I have read so many reviews on false lashes and looked at so many tutorials to prepare myself for this.  And with all of that, I thought that the Velour Lashes would suit me well.  I wanted something that looked real and natural while still being comfortable.

I picked up two of the most recommended lashes from Velour: You Complete Me and Are Those Real?


Are Those Real? are just every day looking lashes.  They have a natural look to them with a medium length.  So they still give you that added oomph to your look while still looking very simple.


You Complete Me are a little bit more dramatic than the first pair.  They add a bit of thickness and fullness to your lashes, especially at the outer corner of the eyes.  These are still at a medium length so they are not outrageous and can be worn daily if desired.  However, I like to save these for more special occasions to really make my eyeshadow look pop.

Velour Lashes are based in Toronto, Canada and are 100% mink and cruelty free lashes that are handmade.  They are definitely the definition of high end, luxurious and sophisticated lashes.  Packaged beautifully, when first removed from their boxes you can see the how soft and natural the hairs on the lashes look.  They feel so real to the touch, and the quality is just amazing.  They feel so lightweight on the lash line and just fit my eye shape so well.  The band is not too thick, yet stable enough to wear up to 25 times making the price a little more worth it.

I am absolutely in love with these lashes! Although I am still a novice when it comes to application, practice makes perfect! I absolutely love their website because they have the best descriptions and pictures comparing the lashes on the lids.  They also have a How To video, making it perfect for beginners like myself.  And I believe all of their lashes are currently marked down to about 50% off on their website now, so definitely check them out!

What I loved even more was the customer service of the brand.  I am all about customer service, so when I receive great service I always make it known.  The lashes I received were on back-order and I had received and email notifying me of the delay.  Because I needed to lashes by my Brother's wedding date I asked them if they would arrive on time, and they replied to my email within hours.  I definitely appreciate their help and customer service!

Shop Velour Lashes: http://velourlashes.com/products-page/upper-lashes/

Velour Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Velour-Lashes/226187494075284?ref=br_tf

xoxo,

Eve

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Chanel 'Superstition de Chanel' Fall 2013

It's hard to believe that beauty brands are already starting to introduce (and release) their Fall 2013 collections when it's only the middle of July.  It's sad to see Summer go by, but what keeps me excited is that Fall is one of my favorite seasons when it comes to fashion and beauty.  And when it comes to this Fall, Chanel did well with playing up the taupes and purples while adding that hint of glimmery, mossy green.

Chanel's 'Superstition de Chanel' Fall 2013 Collection definitely caught my eye, and I found myself picking up a few products from the collection while catching up with my favorite make up artist at my local Nordstroms.  I can always count on her to tell me the scoop about the new products, and of course a demo and mini makeover always goes along with it.



I was initially drawn to and immediately knew that I wanted to pick up the Rouge Coco lipstick in the shade 57 Mystique.  Chanel lip formulas are my absolutely favorite (there's always one floating around in my handbag), and they really work well at keeping my lips looking and feeling moisturized.  Like the Rouge Coco Shines, the Rouge Coco lip colors are extremely hydrating.  Keep in mind though, because the lip color is so  moisturizing, you won't get as long of a wear with these lipsticks.  The formula glides on effortlessly, and the coral color works perfectly as a transition lip color into the Fall season.  It's definitely one of my favorite color colors in my lipstick collection and I love how I can apply it on the go without a mirror.  You can tell by the swatch how lovely the finish is (it leaves your lips with a beautiful sheen), which allows me to skip the gloss.

Now the last two purchases I definitely went back and forth on whether I really wanted it or not.  But after swatching the products on my hands and playing around with the colors on my eyes I thought that they just looked too beautiful to resist.




101 Gri-Gri is a taupe brown with a bit of fine shimmer and a beautiful satin finish. This is an absolute beauty all over the lid or just packed on in the outer v of the crease.  It's texture is velvety smooth, and the slight shimmer is so fine.




99 Hasard is like the fraternal twin sister to 101 Gri-Gri, with Hasard being a matte finish.  It's definitely a taupe with more of a purple tone to it when compared to Gri-Gri.  This makes an absolute perfect blending crease color for me.  I love shades like these in my crease because it just gives my lids enough depth while looking so natural and effortless.  Initially, when I saw Hasard I was reminded of Urban Decay's Tease (in their Naked 2 palette).  I use Tease every time I have that palette out, however I feel like Hasard is one step up from Tease when it comes to pigmentation and texture.

Now it all really came down to this question: Do you need both eye shadows from the collection? I thought about picking up only 99 Hasard, but while I was playing around with the shadows at the counter I just loved how beautifully they complimented each other on the lids.  Gri-Gri and Hasard are really the perfect Fall shades and, in my opinion, Chanel really knocked it out of the park with these two shadows.  If I had to choose only one to recommend it would be 99 Hasard because I know I would get the most use out of it.

And that wraps up my few picks from the Chanel 'Superstition de Chanel' Fall 2013 Collection.  One more stand out, and newer product from the Fall collection are the Chanel le Blush Creme blushers.  I am still on the fence about making that purchase.  The reviews on the blushes are amazing and I really loved the texture and finish of the product while I was playing around with the shades at the counter.  However, I don't find myself reaching for blush all too often lately.  And because of that I think I might hold off on that purchase until I know I will use it enough to justify that purchase.

xoxo,

Eve

Zoya: Pretty In Blues

I have to say, from my entire experience with experimenting with different nail polish brands, the brand that has stood out when it comes to quality and consistency has been Zoya.  I am pretty particular when it comes to the finishes and opacity of my nail polishes.  And because Zoya carries the largest selection of amazing creme polishes I can't seem to keep my hands off of them.


During my last visit to my favorite salon, Egea located in Evanston, IL (ask for Sharon if you're ever there, she is amazing!) I noticed that they had a selection of Zoya polishes.  So of course I had to look through and found two that I just had to take home with me.  They were definitely both impulse buys!

The polishes I picked up were Blu and Rocky, which are both in the blue side of the color spectrum.  I actually realized that I don't own anything other than dark, navy blue (almost blackened) polishes, so these are definitely a great summery addition to the collection.

I usually don't like to buy polishes at their full price (especially since I can get other brands such as OPI and Essie at a very discounted price).  However, because Zoya hasn't had any promotions as of late and I love their polishes so much, it's much more convenient to pick these up in stores than ordering them online and going through the waiting process.  Definitely am looking forward to testing these colors out, I know they won't disappoint!

xoxo,

Eve

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Wedged Booties

I've recently come to realize, and accept, that I may have a slight obsession with wedges.  I have worn my summer wedges to death (which makes me really sad) and while I was out looking for a replacement pair I came across these babies.


Booties are the most comfortable types dressier shoes in my opinion.  They work well when styled for the Fall and Spring seasons and I think that they look so chic.  I especially love these because they have a comfortable wedged heel, which makes walking around the city in style a lot easier.  The taupe color is a perfect neutral and the laced up detailing gives it that bit of a casual touch.

They cut off right at the ankle and fit perfectly.  Because I am a bit shorter I wouldn't style these with shorts or a dress/skirt because that would just give me an even shorter appearance.  They do, however, look incredible when styled with a nice pair of skinny jeans.  Sadly I don't know where you can find these, or even what brand they are, because I purchased then at Akira Chicago (a fantastic boutique here in the city) at the start of Summer.  However, this style can practically be found anywhere in department stores.

xoxo,

Eve

Monday, July 15, 2013

H&M Bikini Tops

Summer time means firing up that grill and enjoying some sunshine out by beach, and looking cute while doing all of that is just an added bonus.  I am a sucker for cute bikini tops, and I am especially drawn to the bandeau style (definitely don't need anymore tan lines).


Victoria Secret is of course one of my favorite places to pick up cute bikinis, however their prices can be a little bit outrageous if you're a girl on a budget.  So one of my other go to places is H&M.  I unfortunately don't get the opportunity to shop at H&M often, but on my last trip there I was lucky to pick up these two pieces.

I absolutely love the ruched detailing on the tops and the fit was quite comfortable and flattering.  I appreciate the clasp back closure instead of a tie back bikini top as well.  I first fell in love with the beautiful sky blue top and picked it up immediately.  But when I saw that they were only priced at around $10 a piece I thought why not pick up another.  You can't go wrong with a neutral grey right?

I decided not to go with matching bottoms because I do have black bottoms to mix up with these tops.  They have definitely been my favorite for the past week as the sun keeps shining in the city.

xoxo,

Eve