Trish McEvoy's Amazing Mascaras

Though it's been around for a while, I feel the need to share my beauty must-have with any of my girlfriends who may not be in the know about this wonderful product!

While I do admit that I AM a member of the "Trish Cult" (she does have a loyal following and her followers do tend to be hard to please at other makeup counters), I have to say that if I could only choose one thing from her line, this would be it!

First, a little background- Trish McEvoy is a highly successful makeup artist who is married to a successful, reputable NYC dermatologist. She was one of the first in the industry to combine makeup with skincare. While on the pricier side and a bit more exclusive (Nordstrom, Saks, Niemans, Bergdorfs), her line is result driven and highly adored the world over. She does not pay for advertising. Any praise you see in a magazine or on TV is solely at the discretion of the person or publication- which I think is really brilliant.

Trish's High Volume and Lash Curling mascaras are like no others on the market. Ready to have your mind blown? They are NOT waterproof, they actually come off with only water, BUT they are tear proof, which means, no raccoon eyes EVER- unless you got caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella and were repeatedly pelted in the eyes with sheets of rain.... let's be realistic... Normally, when you buy a waterproof mascara, you have to buy a special remover or at least scrub the heck out of your eye area to remove it, but with her formulas... WATER and that's it.... really.

The amazingness of this mascara is in the formula. The silicon in it forms little "tubes" around your lashes allowing them to extend beyond your normal limits. Yay! But- when you go to remove it using just water, it will come off in those tubes! So, do not freak out and think that your lashes are falling out! It is simply the way the formula comes off. All you have to do is put some water on your fingers and rub it into your lashes and voila! Removed! Also, it dries pretty quickly so as we used to say in the beauty biz, "Love one eye and then love the other". If you make any mistakes, the formula is not geared towards sticking to your skin so allow it to dry and then you can use a dry Q-Tip to remove any excess.

They are great for sensitive prone contact wearers (of which I am), people who have a naturally teary eye, and people with Celiac disease (all of her products are made in a gluten free environment).

I felt the need to write about these amazing mascaras after attempting to try another formula (MAC's Zoomlash = HORRIBLE, it ran so bad I was embarrassed) only to run to my nearest Trish counter for repentance.

Her mascaras come in two formulas, High Volume and Lash Curling. I say it all comes down to brush preference. The high volume brush is long and skinny and the lash curling brush is fatter. I personally prefer the lash curling brush, but it's up to you!

I say give this mascara a try if you are a lash obsessed girl like me. It is $30 a tube, but it's totally worth it! While you're at it, if you grab a tube at a counter, let one of Trish's fabulous beauty advisers fill you in on her other wonderful products!

If you are on Facebook, find Trish's page and follow her. She gives great discounts like 20% off and free shipping frequently! She will also personally answer your posts!

Burberry Sport Ice- My New Scent Obsession!

Burberry Sport Ice for Men, 75 ml, $72

Nothing gets me more excited than when I come across an unexpected new fragrance that invokes my must-have gene, well, ok new shoes can do that for me, too, but that's another blog entry...

While in Denver this past weekend, my girlfriend and I entered the Burberry boutique to oogle their luxe cashmere scarves and adorable classic plaid wellies. While in their shop, I decided to give their fragrance offerings a whirl. Three monolith shaped bottles stood out from the others and I was immediately intrigued.

The Burberry Sport fragrance line consists of a women's fragrance and two men's fragrances. The one that spoke to me was the Burberry Sport Ice for Men. It is a limited edition scent that is definitely light enough for a woman. The fragrance story is inspired by the world of the cold with notes of icy citrus, frozen ginger, ice crystals, red ginger, juniper berries, cool marine breeze, cedarwood, dry amber, and musk. Yum!

Be on the look out for it at major fragrance retailers- and ladies, don't be afraid to rock a men's fragrance! Especially if you want to insure that no other girl is wearing what your wearing!

Fragrance Guru, Jo Malone is at it again!

It's the same old story we've heard time and time again, girl has an idea, girl makes tons o' money with said idea, then girl sells company to Estee Lauder.... I mean Bobbi Brown did it, so did Aveda and Tom Ford... Is anything sacred anymore?? Well.... Jo Malone evidently sold her highly sought after luxury fragrance line to Estee Lauder in 1999 (she still retained creative rights until 2006 at least) to my dismay, but redemption seems to be on the horizon.

Jo Malone built her beauty brand up with a selection of fine fragrances meant to be worn alone or mixed with each other (which she calls fragrance combining). She not only offers perfume, she created a bath and body collection, a home collection, and a couture skin care line.






Jo has announced her new line, Jo Loves, set to launch sometime before Christmas this year. I can only guess what all us Jo Malone fans will be asking for in December! A visit to the new brand's Web site will grant you look at a quick video (click on the vision link) where Jo describes her current influences and you get a sneak peak at how she develops her scents.

Jo Malone's fragrances can currently be found at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nieman Marcus, and her own retail locations.

To tide you over until Christmas time, I will share some of the fragrances that made me a fan of hers in the first place.





Orange Blossom Cologne, Orange blossoms with water lilies, 30 ml for $55 or 100 ml for $105






French Lime Blossom Cologne, Sweet lime blossoms with bergamot and tarragon, 30 ml for $55 or 100 for $105






Sweet Lime and Cedar Home Candle, Zesty fruits, aromatic leaves, delicate flowers, spices and nutty woods, 200 g for $65

My Wedge Doppleganger

This Spring/Summer 2011 season it's all about the wedge!! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about that (Since I CANNOT walk in heels, well... if I do, it ain't pretty and there is crying involved)!!... Moving on.... wedges..... YES!!!

So, I am on a never ending search for shoes that are cute, add some height to my fierce 5'2 self, and are actually comfortable.... and the other night, while happily strolling the shoe aisles at Super Target, I found just such a pair!! I guess they are so new, they aren't even up on their Web site yet, but I did find a picture of them here (it's the pair on the model on the left):

Gladiator wedges that zip up the front! Sweet! They are from Xhilaration and go for a meer $24.99! They are super comfy and make me feel so tall!

OK, so Target wedges.... Yay!! Then..... wait for it...... I was scouring the Nordstrom site for more wedge-porn and found:

Jimmy Choo "Palermo" Sandal, $650, Nordstrom

My wedge doppleganger from JIMMY CHOO! Well, if this style is good enough for Jimmy then.... I just love it when I buy something frugalista style and then see a designer version somewhere! It makes me feel like I have an eye! Yay me!

Mars and Valentine- Jewelry for the Modern Goddess

I don't know why I haven't reviwed Mars and Valentine already. They have the most amazing jewelry. I first discovered the line while shopping at The Grove Arcade in Asheville, NC years ago. Mars and Valentine uses a combination of antique and estate pieces and gives them an updated edge.

I have since found Mars and Valentine pieces at Nordstrom and online at Gilded Lily. There are also some on Ebay. It is not a cheap line by any means, but I believe the quality warrants the prices. I have seen some lower priced items (as low as $95 for a pendant), so there are options for all.

Here is their motto/creed/mantra (I love it):

Some things are just better old - especially when they are new

The cut of a 40's jacket

The patina of a 300 year old italian marble floor

The velvet feel of a finger worn poker chip

The balance of cherished objects

with the strength and humor of modern design

is the heart of mars and valentine...

creating an intriguing new sensibilty

Below is a sampling of some of my favorites I found online. Enjoy!



White and Black Domino Ring, $369, Gilded Lily




Submarine Mermaid Ring, $298, Nordstrom

Submarine Depth Bracelet, $438, Nordstrom

Asymmetrical Swallow Earrings, $179, Gilded Lily

Shimmering Swan Ring, $199, Gilded Lily

Lady Luck Domino Bracelet, 615, Gilded Lily

Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Body Wash

Well, it's been a while, but I'M BACK!! I can't believe it's been over a year! I promise to never let myself go that long again! Since my last post, I have tried so many fun and amazing things that I can't wait to share with you! As I am now back to living in the winter wonderland that is Colorado and no longer in sunny, warm California.... my beauty regimine has changed to say the least.

The first item that I would like to share with you is:

Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Body Wash

I found this very gentle, very moisturizing wash at Whole Foods. My skin was screaming for something gentle and non-drying in this mile-high winter climate that I am now in again. Since I refuse to give up my scalding hot showers..... I have to resort to as much extra moisturization as possible.

Not only is this body wash moisure friendly, it also has a light frankensence and Myrrh fragrace- think a light sandalwood overtone. I believe it's a nice fragrance for wintery weather. Since it is lightly fragranced, it does not clash with any perfumes or lotions that I may apply as well.

The texture is a mix between a cream and a gel. I believe it's best used with a bath poof. My favorite bath poofs for the size and money are the The Body Shop "Bath Lily's". At $3 a pop, I stock up- one for the shower, one for my bathtub, one for the guest bath, and one for travel. I also always get white ones since someone somewhere once told me that colored ones can break out sensitive-skinned folk.

Back to the body wash, I believe you could also pour a nice helping of this into a bath for additional moisturization and a luxurious, aromatic treat. I think I will give some of their other products a try and pick some up on my next Whole Foods excursion. Enjoy!

Victoria's Secret Parfums Intimes

I am hard to impress when it comes to new fragrances, having worked in the beauty industry with brands like Creed and Acqua di Parma. So, when I dropped in to Victoria's Secret the other day I was delighted to find that I actually liked their new collection!

The Parfums Intimes collection consists of four light and airy fragrances called Silk, Cashmere, Lace, and Satin. Since they are so light, they will be perfect for layering on top of each other or mixed with any favorite parfum you already own!

Personally, Silk is my favorite. I love the not too sweet, just sexy enough scent! Yum!

Silk (Mandarin Santal)- with mimosa and, honeyed musk, and white woods

Lace (Orange Flower)- with pink grapefruit and watery dewdrops

Cashmere (Vanilla Jasmine)- with cedarwood and heliotrope

Silk (Rose)- with pink grapefruit and mandarin flower

Eau de Parfum, $55 for 1.7 oz

Lotion, $24 for 8.4 oz

Body Mist, $28 for 8.4 oz

Scented Sachet, $10 for 1