beauty.com friends & family -- fall 2014

if you haven't shopped on Beauty.com, you are missing out! this is one of the sites i visit to purchase beauty products TAX-FREE! i repeat, TAX-FREE! i am always a fan of saving a couple bucks here and there. their friends & family sale just started today. details below:

who | Beauty.com
what | 20% off on any Beauty.com purchases. exclusions listed on beauty.com 
when | 11/04/14 - 11/07/14 (online)
where | beauty.com
how to get the discount | there is no promo code. the discount is link based. soo... 1) create an account on beauty.com first or 2) use the retailmenot.com link. the discount will automatically appear in your basket. note: the discount will not show for the items that are temporarily out of stock. 

beauty.com has some brands that you cannot find at your typical Sephora or department stores. a few highlighted brands: BY TERRY, Eve Lom, jouer, Kevyn Aucoin, Lipstick Queen, NUXE, and TEMPTU

my picks:

01 | Clarisonic Mia 1 sonic cleansing system in white or pink, or the Mia 2 -- if you haven't already, check out my clarisonic mia review. this is a brush you must invest in! if you do anything for your skin, let this be it. now is the only time you will be able to purchase this brush at a discount and tax-free (great combo!), so i highly recommend that you jump on it! UPDATE: it looks like the Mia 1 is already temporarily out of stock :( however, have no fear, the Mia 2 is still available.

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02 | Clarisonic replacement brush heads in sensitive -- stock up on the brushes you already use, or try some new ones. 
03 | Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. thirst quenching serum -- this is holy grail stuff right here in terms of hydrating. a staple i will never stray away from. 
04 | Kevyn Aucoin the sculpting powder in medium -- this is a great universal contouring powder, i love the finish and color. 
05 | NARS audacious lipsticks -- temporarily out of stock but hopefully they will be back soon. there is a shade for everyone in this collection. i love packaging on these. it is not the typical rubber NARS packaging, so it does not attract dirt. and it has a MAGNETIC closure, which i thought was super cool. my friend bought one recently and i'm jealous! 

the teal dress & concrete beach

my friend wore this dress to my sister's wedding in cabo earlier this summer (such good times!). she looked absolutely gorgeous and i believe she picked the perfect dress for a beach wedding for the following reasons: it was casual enough to wear with flat sandals, the side slit on the dress made it extra flowy, and it was long enough to where you wouldn't have to worry about it flipping up with the wind. nonetheless, i tried to recreate the look here sans beach. (insert sad face).

since i'm short (5' 2") i always have a hard time finding maxi dresses with the right length since most of them are way too long. the solution: BUY PETITE! this dress is in petite sizing and the length is perfect. no alterations needed. which... i am all for because i ain't got time for that! LOFT and Ann Taylor do a great job catering to petites. 

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dress | LOFT strappy maxi dress (old) -- similar
sandals | Sam Edelman gigi in saddle
bag | Louis Vuitton sofia coppola clutch (limited edition, borrowed from SS! how i wish i owned thee)
earrings | Kendra Scott tessa studs in clear crystal
necklace | BaubleBar crystal trellis necklace (sold out) -- similar
rings | Vita Fede ultra mini double cubo crystal ring in gold, etsy stacking/midi rings  

clarisonic mia review

goodness this is a large picture of my face... yikes.. i hesitated to share it. but here it is. by no means do i think my skin is perfect, because it is not. i spend a lot of time taking care of it and this is what it looks like in all photos on this blog. no foundation, no photoshoppin'. just plain ol me. 

behold. my best friend. the Clarisonic Mia facial sonic cleansing brush. (try saying that three times fast!)

soon, it will be your best friend too... if you don't already own one.

from the Clarisonic website:
"Cleansing is the essential first step in a healthy skin care ritual. The patented Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing Brush uses a sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second to deeply cleanse the skin far more effectively, yet more gently, than traditional superficial cleansing or simple rotating brushes. The result is noticeably smoother, more radiant skin." 

in my own words:
a few years ago, i hesitated to buy this brush. i didn't want to spend so much money on a face brush?! what was i thinking?!?! what a small price to pay for good skin. fast forward six years later and i am a total convert. i tell all my friends about it, their friends, and... basically anyone who will listen to me. i've convinced them to use it, their friends, their moms, and even guys! you would think i'm a clarisonic rep the way i talk about it. (hrmm.. ponders.) there are many lines from Clarisonic, originally i purchased the Clarisonic Pro. it had multiple settings, speeds etc.. it was too fancy for me. i didn't use all the features that it offered and the downside was that it was not easy to travel with. the charger was also a bulky stand. so, i went and bought myself a Mia 1 (they didn't have Mia 2 back then). i've been so happy with the single setting. it also comes in sooo many pretty colors. the brush itself is much smaller than the Pro and the charger is magnetic and tiny! Clarisonic.com has a good comparison between all the systems they sell. it looks like they are up to a Mia 3 now!

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how to use:
i use this brush once a day with a cleanser that has a good lather to it. i use the Dermalogica special cleansing gel. with your hands, lather the cleanser onto your face, wet the brush with water and whatever is left on your hands, turn it on and move the brush in a slow circular motion on the cheeks, forehead, nose, chin... etc.. i even do my neck. the brush will beep when the cycle is complete. turn it off, clean off the excess foam, and dry it off until the next use. i do not store my Clarisonic in the shower, but in a cool dry place like my sink. 

if you wear foundation/makeup:
i suggest removing all traces of foundation/makeup before using the Clarisonic via a cleansing oil or regular makeup remover. this gives the Clarisonic a clean canvas to work with which yields better results. 

replacement brush heads:
the only thing you need to do after buying the device is to replace the brush head every three months. you can keep it longer, but i found that when keeping it longer, the bristles would start to break down and therefore wouldn't clean my face as well. what's great about Clarisonic is that you can buy replacement brush heads that fit your skin type/needs. the replacement brush heads come in: radiance, sensitive, normal, deep pore, and acne. i use sensitive. they recently came out with a luxe line of brush heads for real sensitive skin or delicate targeted areas. the luxe brush heads come in: cashmere, and satin precision. the replacement brush heads also have a protective cap. i never use it, unless i'm traveling with it. 

here comes the analogy:
if you are wondering why you should invest in this brush... here's my analogy--how does a manual toothbrush clean compared to an electronic one? (insert long pause.) there is no comparison. you simply cannot compare cleaning your face with your hands versus a brush... okay, point made. and plus, the brush is doing all the work for you!! you just have to use it.

side note:
i also use a Sonicare toothbrush... twice a day and the results are breathtaking. (literally.) i'm never going back to manual brushing again!

recap:
this brush will change your life. well, at least your skin's game. and yes, your skin does have game. once you start using it you will wonder how/why you went so long without it.. trust me. when i first started using this brush i made a mistake and stopped using it because i felt like it wasn't doing anything. biggest mistake ever. good skin starts with a clean canvas, and this brush will get you just that. if you suffer from breakouts or have acne, this will help clear it up. if you think you have dull skin, this will make it radiant. remember, miracles do not happen overnight. the key here is to be persistent. 

purchasing:
if you are unsure, purchase the cheapest system. the Mia 1. if you want something fancier take a look at the Clarisonic system comparison mentioned above to determine which one is right for you. i'm also here to help you save a few more bucks by purchasing it tax-free (i can only speak for us Texans!) from Beauty.com (currently, they do not sell the Mia 3 yet).
Mia 1 - $99 (one speed)
Mia 2 - $149 (two speeds)
Mia 3 - $199 (three speeds, and larger)

join me and...
SAY NO TO MANUAL CLEANING!

current lemmings -- limited edition & holiday beauty

Note: all these products are limited edition (except 01 and 02). which means once they are out that is it! so grab em while they are still available. 

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01 | Tom Ford matte lip color in plum lush (holiday 2014 collection) -- ok, you know my love for TF based on my true coral lip color review. his holiday collection boasts eight matte lipsticks, six will become part of the permanent line and two are limited edition (black dahlia and first tease). pictured here are my top two. i cannot wait to try them! right now they are available on the following websites: Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Tom Ford Beauty.
02 | Tom Ford matte lip color in ruby rush (holiday 2014 collection)
03 | Tom Ford cream color for eyes in platinum (holiday 2014 collection) -- i've read good things about these cream eyeshadows. i think it would be great for those who don't have the time to apply multiple eyeshadows but want some color on the eyelids. single color + apply with fingers = foolproof. you can probably also double up and use this as an eyeshadow primer. 
04 | Hourglass ambient lighting blush palette -- Hourglass knows how to make powders. their ambient powders and blushes are amazing. this palette features two blushes from their regular line; luminous flush (champagne rose, i do own this in the regular size and it is quite pretty), mood exposure (soft plum), and one limited edition shade in incandescent electra (cool peach). basically, it is three universal blush shades packaged for traveling.  
05 | Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in black scotch (Scotch on the Rocks collection) -- "a chocolate caviar with golden copper flakes." a twist on regular eyeliner with a little glam. perfect for the holidays.
06 | CHANEL le vernis nail colour in sweet star (CHANEL'S Delights collection) -- "unique metallic silver shade reveals an iridescent glow that changes with the light." everyone can use some metallic, ain't that right?   

white linen & chambray

i'm sneaking in as many opportunities to wear summer clothes. after all, i live in Texas. it is still pretty hot for mid-October. and i'm wearing white... after labor day. (fist bump!)

when shopping for chambray, it comes in many hues (ranging from light/medium/dark) and fabric weight (light and flowy to heavy). this lighter colored chambray pairs perfectly with a similarly breezy linen skirt. although i associate chambray as more of a spring/summer item, i believe it can be worn year around. in the spring/summer i would pair it with skirts (as shown here), and colored pants or chino shorts. in the fall/winder i would pair it with leggings. lastly, denim on denim is welcome year around! so go on and get chu a chambray shirt!

onto the next... this Foley & Corinna bag gets many many compliments. mainly because of it's color. i'm glad my friend urged me to get it. i love this bag, let me count the ways: it's bold/vibrant. it's pretty. it goes with everything. it's four season friendly. it can be worn numerous ways... (blogging cap on.. maybe i should do a post on it!?)

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top | Gap chambray boyfriend shirt  (old) -- similar / similar
skirt | LOFT linen and lace skirt in white (old) -- similar with scallops! / similar with lace 
sandals | Sam Edelman gigi in saddle
bag | Foley & Corinna mid city tote in poppy (old) -- similar in cranberry and on sale!
earrings | ASOS big faux pearl and stone swing earrings
necklace | BaubleBar showgirl fringe crystal strand (remember this? it is from my current lemmings -- leather and fringe post, i take my recommendations very seriously)
watch | Michael Kors darci in gold  
rings | etsy/H&M stacking/midi rings

baublebar friends & family -- fall 2014

there is no secret about how much i love BaubleBar. their friends & family is going on right now so... pick up your baubles! 

i shop at BaubleBar for many reasons--their quality (again, i'm about quality over quantity), customer service, reasonable prices, vault point program (for every dollar spent, you receive one vault point which can be applied to your next order during checkout for a deeper discount), variety of styles, the buried bauble (a featured bauble everyday at almost half price!), free shipping and returns. there is something for EVERYONE. so... please, i dare you venture onto their site and try not to like anything... !

if you haven't already, JOIN! you can join using my invitation here

who | BaubleBar
what | 25% off baubles. exclusions listed on baublebar.com 
when | 10/14/14 - 10/16/14 (online)
where | baublebar.com
use promo code at checkout | FRIENDS25

here are my picks (aside from all the ones i've already shared with y'all!):

01 | Ribbon letter monogram -- this is a great piece and i HIGHLY recommend it. i have something similar (from etsy) from long ago before i knew about BaubleBar. i wear it pretty much everyday. it is very meaningful to me since the initials i picked out are my dad's. <3. i wear it so much, i should consider getting it in real gold.

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02 | Zodiac constellation pendant -- a long personalized necklace based on your zodiac sign
03 | Crystal rapunzel bib -- another great statement necklace
04 | Initial bar pendant -- there is something about bar necklaces
05 | Crystal bronte drops -- torn between the blue or clear?!