Here’s how.  After rounding my nails to achieve the jelly been effect, I alternated each nail between the following yummy colors:

Kimber by Zoya (shimmery hot pink)

This polish is part of Zoya’s Summer 2012 Surf collection.  The ultimate girly polish.  It’s one of my top 3 current nail polish faves!  I wish there was a matching lip gloss!  The color is so intense.  Not your grandma’s pink nail polish for sure.

Midori by Zoya (shimmery candy green)

I was first introduced to Zoya through a mini bottle in my Birchbox a few months ago, and I’ve fallen in love with all of their collections since then.  I’ve never worn green nail polish before, but I’m liking this one a lot.  It’s bright without being neon or childish.  I’m thinking of doing a Green Bay Packers-themed manicure with this and perhaps a gold glitter accent nail…

Meet Me At Sunset by Essie (the ultimate orange)

Top Coat: Luxeffects Pure Pearlfection by Essie (pearlescent white semi-sheer top coat)

Meet Me At Sunset is this season’s essential orange polish.  It’s a deep tangerine color with no shimmer. 
I usually wear this color alone, but I decided to add the Pure Pearlfection top coat to match the built-in shimmer
in the two Zoya polishes

Yes, I realize it's still only "pre-Friday," but I couldn't wait to write this post! :)

JewelMint is a new(ish) website that features affordable jewelry designed by actress Kate Bosworth and her stylist Cher Coulter.  It’s the same concept and parent company (BeachMint) as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson’s StyleMint, Rachel Bilson’s ShoeMint, Jessica Simpson’s BeautyMint, and the upcoming HomeMint by Justin Timberlake (yes, Justin Timberlake).  

Here’s how JewelMint works.  After filling out a style profile, you’re show a  personalized jewelry showroom, which changes each month.  Pieces are $29.99 and include free shipping.  However, JewelMint emails promo codes periodically with discounts.  So my first piece was just $8.99 with free shipping, which is a good deal, especially because I got a set with earrings and a necklace.

I’ve always been a bang-for-your-buck kind of gal, so I was drawn to the Rebel Rules Set, which included a earrings and a necklace.  I also really like the whole “preppy girls wearing ironic and skull jewelry” style, so I was drawn to the necklace especially.

Just a few days after placing my order online, I received this cute little box in the mail.  The packaging probably cost a few dollars and is very impressive.  I’ll definitely use this little jewelry box for storing these baubles permanently.

It also came with a note, from Kate and Cher, explaining the “Rebel Rules Set” style.  Cute to the max. 

The actual jewelry strikes me as pretty darn good.  The charms are just as I expected and the earrings are basic but nice looking.  The necklace is quite short, so I’ll need an extender for sure because I don’t like tight necklaces.  But other than that, I’m please with this set, especially for the discounted price.  I will definitely try JewelMint again and would recommend JewelMint. 

Here’s a link to sign up for a free JewelMint account:  http://jmnt.me/IrOmSF  You can earn credits by referring friends, which is also pretty cool. 

Have a Fun Fashion Friday, friends!

Spring has sprung, and in Wisconsin, warm weather is very welcome by the time the end of our six-month winter rolls around.  Pretty much anything above 50 degrees is considered "hot," and you'll see college students and other hooligans running around in clothing suitable for tropical weather at the first sign of melting snow.  I have been known to participate in that hooliganism and wear flip-flops at inappropriate times myself... 

However, more exciting than the signs of warmer weather to come is baseball, and everything that comes with it.  I decided to really indulge in the baseball festivities this year by attending two - yes, two! - opening days this year.  Having planned this excursion early, I took two days off of work, and looked forward to them for weeks.  I knew that the intoxicating smell of charcoal on the grill was just around the corner.

My first opening day of 2012 was at Wrigley Field in Chicago, to see the Chicago Cubs.  Now, I'm not a huge baseball fan in general, and I'm certainly not a Chicago Cubs fan.  However, I am a fan of fun, sun, brats, and beer.  All of which were out in full force.  We froze our booties off, but it was great.  Wrigley has an atmosphere that can't be beat.  There's a certain sense of nostalgia and wonder that radiates from this iconic landscape.  There's not much tailgating, but there are bars, vendors, and fans EVERYWHERE! 

Everyone at Wrigley seems to be a die-hard fan, and I'm quite sure I was the only person without some form of fan apparel...people stared.  I didn't mind keeping my Milwaukee roots a secret on enemy territory, that's for sure. 

My second opening day of 2012 was with my Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.  We parked in the huge lot and had a tailgate extraordinaire, as usual.  Let's just say the tailgating at Miller Park is so legendary that it's not unheard of to stay in the parking lot, which we did.  It probably speaks to my waning fandom that I much prefer hanging out in a parking lot having a few beers with my friends to sitting in a hard stadium seat and watching a game.  Oh well.   

So I suppose I'm a "fair weather fan," or maybe not a fan at all.  Sure, I don't really root for any team in particular, so much as I'm a fan of the whole baseball experience.  But, call me what you will, as long as I can sit outside and soak in some heavenly sunshine with a cold Miller Lite in my hand and a smile on my face.  And every summer night on the way home from work, I'll hope to catch a whiff of happiness and Johnsonville as I pass Miller Park.   

What can I say? I love baseball. 

Despite its gritty name, Urban Decay has quickly become one of the most talked about and sought-after makeup brands.  In an effort to expand the horizons of the color cosmetics industry, UD premiered a line of edgy lipsticks and nail polishes in 1996.  Although they offer a full line of makeup now, Urban Decay has especially succeeded in developing a cult following with their line of eye makeup products.  

Known for their non-traditional colors and intensely pigmented eye shadows, Urban Decay has gained immense popularity with their palettes.  Here are my fave rave UD products:

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil
I just started using this after receiving it in my April MyGlam Bag.  This thing glides like no other. SUPER smooth.  It lasts for hours and hours, too.  However it is prone to smudging, but only if you do something like rub your eye, or lay face-down on a chiropractor’s table (which I do).  Overall, I give this an A- grade.  I’m definitely considering trying another, more “fun” color in the future. 

The Naked Palette
After hearing tons of hubbub about this palette, I just had to have it.  The $50 price tag is a little steep, but it’s totally worth it.  This is the one palette I would recommend to absolutely everyone, and I’m sure it will take me years to finish using all the shadows.  They’re all wearable and neutral, as the name implies.  My favorite shades are Virgin (a matte white-pink-peach color), Half Baked (the best shimmery gold color ever!), and Creep (a super dark, glittery navy).  I haven’t tried the Naked II palette yet, but I’m considering adding it to my collection, pending an enticing sale…

Eye Shadow Primer Potion
I used to think primer of any sort was unnecessary and just another step adding time and cost to a full makeup routine.  But then I tried this product when it came along with the Naked Palette.  I was instantly hooked, and now I’ll never go back.  This stuff really works.  It makes the shadow glide on smoothly and really stay put.   It makes your lids look the way they’re supposed to – not greasy, creasy, or smudgy.  Sometimes I’ll regress back to just using concealer on my eyelids, but I can always tell the difference.  Recently I purchased the full size version of the potion, in Eden, versus the colorless version I’d tried previously.  I’m totally hooked to the tinted formula; it creates a beautiful, even surface, while brightening up the eye as well.

Urban Decay has a great website where you can get all this neat-o stuff.  Free shipping on orders over $50.  Who doesn’t like free shipping?!  Free samples with every purchase.  Who doesn’t like free samples?!  I like them both.  A lot.  

Another cool thing about UD’s website is that they’ve suggest dupes for some of their discontinued eye shadows.  This is especially exciting for those UD addicts who’ve been with the brand for years.  Any makeup maven knows how tragic it is when one of your staples is retired, so finding a suitable stand-in is awesome.  The trade offs aren’t exact, but it’s pretty neat that Urban Decay is providing this for their die hard fans. 

Future Fave Alert:  After hearing it was on sale for more than 50% off (thanks for the tip, Emily Eddington – emilynoel83 on YouTube), I decided to purchase the Book of Shadows IV, which I will review once I’ve used it a few times. 

Keep rocking, Urban Decay.

And what a fabulous Friday it is!  Friday the 13th, to be precise, but there are no tricks or superstition here.  Welcome to the first of my weekly Fun Fashion Friday installments.  Check back on Fridays for more good times and F alliteration!

Every once in awhile, I’m told that I look like, or remind people of, a character from Mad Men.  Sometimes, it’s not any specific character, other times it’s Joan.  I’m okay with that, and I take it as a compliment.  Joan is one of my style icons, really.  A curvy Marilyn Redux.  I’m overjoyed that 60’s hair/makeup/fashion is hot right now and embrace the “everything old is new again” mantra with open arms.  Though I don’t smoke or have a full wet bar in my office, I’ve been rocking the retro style for some time now.  Here’s how:

Hair
Teasing.  Lots of teasing.  And hairspray.  Avoid any hairstyle that could be naturally-occurring.  Feel free to take some help in the height, length, and volume department.  I’ve been known to sport some, ahem, “enhancements” from time to time.    
 
Makeup
Think liquid eyeliner, tons of mascara (or better yet, falsies!), and red lips!  I’m currently loving Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet.  It’s a perfect wearable red without being too harsh.  Plus, it’s super moisturizing, which is an added bonus.

Nails
Round, pointy nails are pretty very hot right now (or hot enough for me to think they’re hot).  Betty Draper would never be caught dead with short, square nails.  Long and pink!  I’m not talking “I have my own show on TLC” long, but just long enough to enhance the femininity of your fingers.  If you’re like me and can’t grow long nails, give some glue-ons a shot. 

Jewels
Pearls!  Or, better yet, diamonds.  And enamel.  And yellow gold.  That’s all.

Clothes
Figure-flattering dresses.  Small prints, and/or bold colors.    

Accessories
Scarves, low heels, long jackets…  Panty hose - women of my generation seem to have forgotten about these little dandies, but unless it’s 85 degrees outside, I consider them a necessity.  Librarian/hipster/dork glasses.  Must have thick, black, plastic frames.  I got mine at my eye doctor’s office, but I had to ask to have regular prescription lenses put in sunglasses frames.  They were about $30, and they definitely up my overall cool quotient a few points.   

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the first episode of Fun Fashion Friday!  Tune in next week for more!

Because I’m utterly addicted to watching beauty “gurus” on YouTube, I found out about BB cream awhile ago, as it was the hot item that everyone seemed to be raving about.  BB cream, also known as blemish balm (which doesn’t entirely make sense to me), is touted as this miracle product, good for covering flaws, sun protection, moisturizing, solving world hunger, blah, blah, blah…It’s been around in Asian for ages, and high-end versions have been available in the US for some time now.  But being the frugal skeptic that I am, I decided to hold out for the affordable version.  When I heard Garnier BB Cream was out in the US, I started stalking drugstores and finally found it at Walgreen’s.

I’ve been using the Garnier BB Cream in place of foundation or tinted moisturizer for a few weeks now, and I love it.  It works well for me as an alternative because I find foundation to be too heavy much of the time, and tinted moisturizers tend to make my skin super shiny and gross, which leads to breakouts and general icky-ness.   I do tend to have an oily t-zone, so I’ve been using a bit of powder to set the BB cream if needed.  I’m loving the fresh, natural, flawlessness BB cream gives my skin.  Partnered with Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale, it creates a great glowy effect perfect for spring and summer.  The scent is also really nice, in my opinion.  However, in a recent conversation on the subject, I was told that the Garnier cream smelled bad.  But, I was speaking with a rep from Smashbox, who has its own BB cream (for about 3 times the price), so maybe she was biased. ;)

I have been raving about this product to everyone lately, and the proof is in the pudding; the past few days I haven’t even felt the need for any concealer!  The moral of the story is, this is my official stamp of approval.  The cream comes in two shades, and I use the light/medium, which provides a perfect match for my skin tone.  Garnier’s “Miracle Skin Perfector” is available at drugstores nationwide or online for around $10 to $13.  Check out Garnier's Facebook Page - they're running a sweepstakes for a year's supply!

*I was not compensated in any way for this post; I just really like the stuff. :)