Beauty Blogger Coalition Roundup

Destany at Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom is loving Zoya Gia!

Blushing Noir uses the Guerlain Les Ombres Turandot Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette to create the perfect holiday eye look!

Pink, Purple, and Red Gradient Sugar Spun Nails & Tips

Will Christina Aguilera's Red Sin fragrance be your holiday pick? Alison Blackman of the Advice Sisters is " on the scent" of this new product!

Are you a nudist? Then check out Dior Grege at Cosmetics Aficionado

Sheila from Painted Ladies review and demos a look from Make-Up Secrets, a new beauty book from makeup pro Jemma Kidd.

BeautyTidbits gives you the skinny on the new Coola Plant UV Face SPF 30 Unscented Moisturizer. Find out why this all-natural sunscreen has been a welcome addition to her skincare arsenal!

Say no to racoon eyes and yes to Chanel Stylo Yuex Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner! Hop on over to The Stepford Witch's blog to read her review & swatches of this amazing product.

Mama Fashionista has Great Gift Giving Ideas for the Men that Make your World Go Round!

NEVO Hydra Pearls are said to be power shots of Drops of the Amazon. Always a fan of hair serums, Christina from Curls N Pearls shares her opinion of the NEVO Hydra Pearls this week.

If you are looking for high quality makeup that is budget friendly, then Lola's Secret Beauty Blog urges you to take a look at Prestige Cosmetics!

Flawless skin never looked sweeter! Check out these 6 SPAtacular tips -- plus an amazing DIY at-home facial and raw honey facial mask -- to melt those environmental blues!

TheFabZilla shares how you can achieve smokey eyes using only one shade.

With this year's Victoria's Secret fashion show just finished, Sarah from Scottish Beauty Blog finds out how to copy the Angels' glowing gorgeous look with Sara Hill from The Academy of Makeup Scotland.

Pammy Blogs Beauty's Holiday Shopping Guide 2012 series continues with her review of Laura Mercier's beautiful Color-To-Go Palette.

Looking for a new matte lipstick? The Beauty Professor swatches all 12 shades of Burberry's beautiful recent release, Lip Velvet.

Shalini from Be Beautilicious shows her new found love for Red MAC lipstick in Eden Rouge from MAC Style Seeker Collection.

Want the most awesome and easiest curls ever? Check out the Verge Bubble wand at Beauty Info Zone.

Angela from Lipgloss Break shares her splurge and steal options for bold red nail colors.

Mai over at Portrait of Mai does a thorough post on the Anastasia Holiday Kisses on my List Kit, check out the swatches and her review!

Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog shows us her makeup through her first trimester of pregnancy.

Elena from Endless Summer found an eye makeup remover which doubles up as a facial toner. Is your makeup remover versatile like that?

Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful Shows the New L'Oreal Infallible Shade in Blinged & Brilliant Dupe Alert & Comparisons!

Mimi's Mani's shows some gorgeous polishes in time for Christmas nails! 

Currently Loving...

Coffee pics. I love coffee in general, but fun cups and mugs make it that much better. This one put a smile on my face even though I had a 5 minute wait for the train. It's from the W 87th and Broadway bodega I stop at when I want to treat myself on the way into work.

I love fun chairs. These aren't practical for my house, but fun to see out and about. This one is at the Hotel Palomar Chicago (which has a complimentary coffee bar every morning, which I also love). 

I love sushi, but healthy sushi rocks my world. Imi Sushi on 92nd and Amsterdam makes mean brown rice rolls. They even take it up enough with cucumber wrapped rolls. They are my go to restaurant when I get grubhub.com to deliver.

I'm currently loving accessories. Big, chunky necklaces...can't get enough. I about fell over when I walked into Pink accessories in Midtown. 

I love views from high up. This one is of Chicago and Lake Michigan, from the John Hancock building. Note the shadows of the buildings on the water. Kinda eerie.

 

See what other fabulous bloggers are Loving Lately....

And the Winners are...

Congrats to the ladies who won the latest giveaways...

Argan Oil giveaway - lmariegrimm
Playboy VIP fragrance gift set giveaway - dfox111359

Be sure to continue to enter the Faith Hill fragrance giveaway here. 

Waxelene - a Petroleum Jelly Alternative

I'm pretty much obsessed with lip balm. If I don't have one within reach at all times I go into panic mode. I normally just settle for petroleum based jelly balms, but recently discovered a new petroleum jelly alternative, Waxelene.

Waxelene contains no petroleum, parabens or artificial ingredients, they don't use animal testing and it's made in the USA. You can use it for anything you would use petroleum jelly for. I've been using it on my lips at night, to remove eye makeup from underneath my eyes, and as a cuticle moisturizer. It's not greasy and has only a slight hint of a beeswax smell. I love the way it feels on my lips, and when I use it on my face and cuticles it soaks in fast and doesn't leave a greasy finish. 

I always look for products and foods with the least amount of ingredients, which means they are that much closer to being natural. Waxelene contains the following: Organic Soy Oil, Beeswax, Natural Vitamin E Oil, Organic Rosemary Oil. Normally I don't like wax based balms, but it's not a hardened wax, but more like jelly and easy to spread. The 2 oz. & 9 oz. jars retail for $5.99 and $15.99. You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond and several other retail locations. Find the location nearest you here. Waxelene is a must for everyone's nightstand and vanity - I'm now a petroleum jelly alternative believer! 

Patriotic Reds for Election Day

Looking for a new fiery red? Below are some Splurge and Steal options!


SPLURGE

CND Shellac in Hollywood is a bold red with light gold specs in it. Make sure that the salon you choose for CND Shellac applications is a certified CND salon. If not, you will not be getting your money's worth out of your Shellac mani!

SEMI-STEAL

Jessica Nails nail colour in Scarlett. I am a huge fan of Jessica polish. The colors are always rich and it wears really well.

MAJOR STEAL

Essence Colour & Go in Fame Fatale is a bright and shiny red and super affordable. Available at Ulta stores and Ulta.com for only $1.99.

Now go out and VOTE!

Mandarin Tilapia Spinach Salad Recipe

Tonight I tried a new recipe from Oxygen magazine, Mandarin Tilapia Spinach Salad. I think Mike told me about 5 different times how good it was. Here's the recipe with the modifications I used.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sliced almonds (I used pecans I had left over from a salad I made last week)
1 mandarine orange, halved, unpeeled (local market didn't have mandarins, so I used 3 tangerines)
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
6 oz tilapia
Red pepper flakes
2 cups of baby spinach
2 cups mixed greens
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste (I didn't use salt, I normally don't ever add it to my recipes)

1. Heat oil in a skillet and brown almonds over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Squeeze juice from the orange halves into a small bowl.
3. Add orange juice and in vinegar to skillet. Stir in chopped celery and parsley. Mix all ingredients together and remove from pan; leave the heat on.

A good way to test if Tilapia is done is to rub the top with a fork. If it flakes, than it's done!

4. Brush tilapia fillets with olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5. Combine spinach and mixed greens in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked fish and pour almond mixture overtop. Garnish with extra orange slices, and season to taste.

Voila! Finished product. I was wishing we had big salad bowls in our apartment for this meal. I was surprised at how much the tangerine juice covered the salad. No extra dressing needed. This was a quick recipe. Took me less than 30 minutes to make. It will definitely become a staple for when I need to whip up a quick, clean meal!

Paul Mitchell Event at Caru Salon

I was a lucky girl and was able to participate in a Glamour event at Caru Salon in Hoboken NJ.  Glamour partnered with Paul Mitchell to help launch their new lines: Curls and Blonde. Of course, I was in it for the Blonde line. I’m already a huge fan of Paul Mitchell styling products and color, so I was excited to learn more about the Blonde line.

All of the bloggers who attended received a complimentary blowout from one of Caru’s talented and trendy stylists. I was paired with Andrea and couldn’t have been happier. She did an awesome job with my hair! After a shampoo and mini scalp massage, I gave her free reign over my hair and she decided to curl it after giving me a volume blowout. I was so happy with the way this turned out. I’ve always wanted to be able to try the ‘beach waves’ look and she showed me how I can achieve it at home with a curling iron and Paul Mitchell Curl products. Even if you have straight hair, you can use Paul Mitchell Curls line to achieve this look!

Caru Salon is definitely designed for the working woman, which I love. It’s right off the PATH train so it’s very easy to get to. They are open until 10pm at night (love) and are all about creating a relaxing environment and pampering experience for their clients (double love).  

We parted with fun goody bags filled with Paul Mitchell products and a surprise gift card from Caru Salon. I have been faithfully using the sample of Paul Mitchell’s Forever Blonde Dramatic Repair before blow-drying my hair to help keep moisture in my color treated hair. An added benefit to all Paul Mitchell products is that they smell great too!

I would definitely visit Caru again for a haircut or highlights. The staff is super friendly and talented, and I love that they use Paul Mitchell products! Many thanks to Kim at Fashionably Petite for being the hostess with the most-ess! 

Essie School of Hard Rocks

This is Essie School of Hard Rocks. Depending on the color of clothing you wear, this shade will change on you. It ranges from a stone gray to an army green. 

What's Your Favorite Piece of Clothing?

My favorite piece of clothing is also my staple piece: my black Tinley Road blazer from Piperlime. It transitions well from work to night, with jeans or over a dress. It's a staple in my suitcase for every trip I go on. I especially love the cut of this particular blazer: cropped in the back and lifted shoulders is flattering to my figure.

What's your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe right now? Please share below!

Beauty Blogger Coalition Weekly Round Up

• Check out Blushing Noir's swatches of the Zoya Ornate Collection! Holiday just got that much more glamorous!
• Cosmetics Aficionado suggests wearing a bib to look at the Guerlain Liu Eye and Calligraphy Palette
• Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog shares her review on the Guerlain Meteorites: Perles Du Dragon.
• Shalini from Be Beautilicious loves MUA Blushers for being an excellent budget makeup product. See if you love them too.
• BeautyTidbits gives you the scoop on three luxurious lipsticks from the new Sensai Rouge Intense Lasting Color Lipstick line. Check out the review and swatches!
• Winter is almost upon us. 'think you can skip sunscreen? TheFabZilla has the answer; plus check out her review on MDSolarSCiences natural mineral sunscreen made for every body!
• Nail-Aween Day 6 - Mrs. Frankenstein Nails from datyorkLOVES
• Sheila from Painted Ladies finds out that Hourglass Film Noir Kohl Pencil In Espresso is a miracle worker for the waterline.
• Want to know more about The Best of Beauty Award winners? Check out Lola's Secret Beauty Blog's exclusive interview with Allure Magazine's Assistant Editor Sophia Panych!
• Elena from Endless Summer tried and tested a foaming cleanser from an anti-aging line which is good for oily and combination skin as well.
• Lipgloss Break: Want to know what the color of 2013 will be?
• One color might have sparked an obsession for Mama Fashionista! Find out what nail polish formula has got her scrambling to acquire every shade she can get her hands on!
• Check out what is inside Pammy Blogs Beauty's diaper bag! A review for JustFab's cute 760 tote. Fits personal essentials, makeup, and baby stuff. Love this bag!
• Suave Professionals has come out with a new serum - the Keratin Infusion Smooth & Shine serum - that's "salon proven to work as well as Kerastase." Christina test drove the serum and shares a review on Curls N Pearls.
• Polarbelle shows you how to be sure to see the posts you want to see on Facebook.
• Ashley from Peek & Ponder shares a colorful masquerade look for Halloween.
• Alison of the Advice Sisters wants you to know about the unique beauty products she saw during BeautyPress Editor's Spotlight Day. You will be amazed!
• Get out your battle gear. Beauty Info Zone is ready to teach you how to fight wrinkles.
• Mimi'a Mani's features a guest poster rockin' Zoya Jem
• Need a Halloween idea fast? Check out Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful & her drugstore mermaid mask makeup! 

Sponsored Post: Abreva Conceal Patch

Being able to accurately cover up a blemish is an art form. Especially before a big date or interview, the last you want to show up in the morning is a blemish, or even worse, a cold sore! They always seem to pop up at the worse time, and unfortunately, there isn’t an instant blemish or cold sore eraser on the market yet.

There is, however, a product that can help you with the cover up process. Abreva Conceal was created to help protect and cover up cold sores. It’s a clear non-medicated patch that conceals and protects cold sores with MicroAir technology that allows air in, and keeps contaminants out!

These are really easy to use! You don’t have to be a makeup artist to conceal anymore. Just follow these simple steps:

Applying Abreva Conceal
1 – Always wash your hands with soap before applying anything to your face!
2 – Open up the Conceal packaging and remove one of the individually wrapped cold sore patches. 

Abreva Conceal individual wrapped package

3 – Open up a package and remove a patch. Peel back the paper tab marked in red with the number ‘1’ (don’t touch the sticky part underneath!)
4 – Continue to hold the rectangular tab and peel back the other paper tab, marked in blue with the number ‘2’ 

Clearly marked tabs

5 – Place the round patch over your cold sore
6 – Press down lightly on the center and hold in place for 20 seconds
7 – Gently pull away the applicator tab at a slight angle away from your face

Now it’s time to cover it up: 

• If it’s on your lips, you can cover it up with lipstick or lip gloss. If you want to wear lip liner, be careful going over the Conceal patch. 
• You can also use liquid concealer. Put a little on a concealer brush and dab gently over the concealer. Start out with a small amount, and you can always add more later. 
• You can use foundation in place of a concealer, or use both for ultimate coverage. If the foundation is too light, try using a little bit of bronzer over top. 

Voila! After covering up with makeup your patch should last up to 8 hours. That’s a full day at work or a night out.

Abreva Conceal is a clean, non-medicated patch for cold sores that allows air in, yet protective enough to keep contaminants out.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Abreva via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Abreva.

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup

• Glitter and holographics, Glitter.Gloss.Garbage has you covered with the Zoya Ornate
• Collection Cosmetics Aficionado: Is Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue the help your natural curls need? Find out at Cosmetics Aficionado.
• Confessions Of A Sarcastic Mom: Satioin glitters are all the rage over at Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom - check out Money Badger and Miss Pro-nup!
• Love At First Site!: AESOP Parsley Seed cleansing masque. A Review.
• Addicted to OPI-yum: Old Flat Top (aka Nasty Cat) Helps Me Open My Jewelry Mail!
• Beyond Beauty Lounge : Easy Eye Makeup Look
• Trouble-Maker On Heels: Trouble-Maker On Heels finally gound her favourite mascara - Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara
• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog celebrates fall with Ellis Faas Milky Lips in L204!
• Mama Fashionista: Learn why you really should get to know Hydratherma Naturals and why the line has Mama Fashionista (and her hair) swooning!
• TheFabZilla: After several failed attempts at making skulls, TheFabZilla settles for a lesser complicated design for her Halloween Nails - Stitched!
• Très Beau Glamour: Looking for an affordable toner? Something that doesn't have a bunch of alcohol in it? Works for all skin types? Check out Nay Denise's review on the Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner -- her holy grail toner
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Looking for an extraordinary primer that feels like a skincare treatment product? If so, Lola's Secret Beauty Blog thinks you will really love Reviva Labs Makeup Primer!!
• Amber Did It!: Amber shares a retro Halloween nail design.
• Just Skin, Bones, and Nails: Check out the new look, with awesome sparkly nails!
• The Beauty Delicacy: Get the perfect pout with Lipstick Queen lip gloss!
• Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful: Need a Halloween idea fast? Check out Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful & her drugstore mermaid mask makeup!
• Beauty Product Review: I'm going Wild for these polishes! Wet n Wild megalast makes for an easy manicure!
• Baking Beauty: Baking Beauty has finally found a smooth glitter eye shadow with ZERO fall out!
• Makeup Demon: Review: Mascara applicator tool 3in1 - your simple, useful, little helper

TotalBeauty.com - Editors' 7 Favorite Face Wipes

Editors' 7 Favorite Face Wipes

Face wipes are good for more than just cleansing your face. See the weird -- and awesome -- ways we use them every day

This is a TotalBeauty.com skin care products article A girl can never have too many multitasking beauty products, and face wipes are one of our favorites in this category. They're easy to use, don't make a mess, and come in handy when you least expect it. Check out our favorite face wipes now -- and our favorite ways to use them. See our staples

Essie in Stylenomics

I received Essie in Stylenomics last week from Klout.com. This is a great Fall color. It's a deep green, but can easily be mistaken for a dark blue or black.

If you're not already a Klout.com member, I would highly suggest signing up! Klout measures your social influence and gives you some fun rewards along the way!












I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

J'adore Paris

October 24th marked my 4 year wedding anniversary. Time flies when you are having fun!

Our wedding adventures started when Mike proposed under the Eiffel Tower (Viva Las Vegas style), and since then, it seems like our relationship has had a Paris theme. Shortly after we got married we took a spontaneous trip to Paris, where Mike proposed again, under the real Eiffel Tower.

The Parisian theme has also expanded to our house, with Eiffel Tower decor and paintings we bought on the cobblestone roads of Montmarte hanging on our walls. Below are some of my favorite French designers and pictures from Paris.

Please comment below and share with me some of your favorite 'French' things! 

My Louis. One of the most thoughtful gifts I have received from my husband. He knew I always wanted one and surprised me with this on a big birthday.

It was really cold and rainy the day we went to see the Eiffel Tower. I was bummed at first, but looking back at how these pictures came out, it was very enchanting.

Another view of the Tower.

Who doesn't want a pair of purple Christian Louboutins?

Michael Kors isn't French, but his new limited edition watch is. Beautiful etching on the back includes the Eiffel Tower. J'adore this...

I Do!

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Michael Kors.

Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup

• My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura from My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog shares with you the contents of her makeup bag!
• Beauty Thesis: Daily #thinkpink product photos for a shop-your-stash approach to breast cancer awareness.
• Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Glow in the Dark Week kicks off with Ninja Polish Corny Candy!
• Love.Life.Beauty.: One of my favorite "Makeup Bag Must Haves" is Smith's Rosebud Salve! I can't live with out it, find out why!!
• Très Beau Glamour: Need a new fall shade in your nail polish collection? Something affordable and gorgeous? Try the Avon NailWear Pro+ Nail Polish in Decadence. An amazing royal purple shimmer nail polish that goes on smooth and even.
• Lacquer Buzz: Take a trip back in time with these cute 50's themed nails!
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Always on the lookout for amazing face masks, Lola's Secret
• Beauty Blog has deemed the Malin+Goetz Detox Face Mask fit for royalty!
• TheFabZilla: New Giveaway! Get healthy hair & flake-free scalp with Parnevu T-Tree Hair Care Products
• Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: Have you ever seen a glow in the dark watermarble? Destany attempted one!
• Perilously Pale: Christa from Perilously Pale was so excited to finally find the Maybelline Limited Edition Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadows for Fall. They were worth the wait!
• Mama Fashionista: A Immunity Booster AND Skin Beautifier?!? Find out what Sea Buckthorn Oil can do for you!
• The Beauty Delicacy: A start to my Fall accessory collection for the season.
• Addicted to OPI-yum: Make Histor-Riri. Here is your invitation to the Worldwide Making Histo-Riri Nail Art Exhibition
• Amber Did It!: Amber shares cute OPI Saran Wrap technique nails.
• Love At First Site!: Reviewing the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.
• Baking Beauty: Why you should consider putting Kisses on My List on YOUR Holiday Wishlist
• Pinked Polish: Pinked Polish wears Vivid Lacquer for Go Pink Wednesday
• Love My Nails: Awesome nail layering that looks like green dragon scales!
• Shades Of Beauty, Inc.: REVIEW: Parnevu Product Reviews
• Beauty with a Twist: Beauty with a Twist had a stroke of brilliance, combining glitter with jelly goodness!
• Beauty Fiends: Curious about Lush's facial cleansers? Julia tries out Herbalism, see what she thought!
• Peace Love and Glitter: The perfect combo of classy and fun, is that even possible? This gloss from Sephora manages to make it happen.
• Polarbelle: Looking to celebrate Halloween with some nail art? Polarbelle has a few ideas for you.
• Trouble-Maker On Heels: Trouble-Maker On Heels had a chance to try new Bedazzled Collection from Collection Cosmetics
• Beauty by Miss L: Miss L from Beauty by Miss L had a chance to try and review new monthly subscription beauty box called Adorebox that is now available in Estonia.
• Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful: Stephanie Louise- All Things Beautiful shows you the new L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow shades in Primped & Precious, Blinged & Brilliant, & Gold Imperial which are all perfect for the upcoming holiday season!
• The Convenient Beauty: The Convenient Beauty shares her personal story on why she wears makeup
• Lipgloss Break: Lipgloss Break is giving you the chance your Faith Hill fragrance of choice!
• The Beauty Think Tank: So you want to live the life of the Rich & Famous? Lady Gaga's Fame Fragrance may get you there - but it may leave you feeling a bit confused.
• Embellished Nails: celebrating autumn with a festive fall mani!

Pantone Color of 2013 is....

The wait is over folks, Pantone has just announced its top color for spring 2013: Monaco Blue. Expect to see a lot of this come Spring. Check out the other top colors here. I want a dress in everyone of these shades!

Monaco Blue by lipglossbreak (Polyvore)

Susana Monaco halter dress / MiH Jeans , $92 / Tag Heuer / Chain jewelry / Tear drop earrings / Monaco Blue 'I Love Pretty Things and Clever Words' print poster

SXE Fitness debuts The Sammi Sweetheart Collection

If you’ve ever watched an episode of MTV’s Jersey Shore, you’ll know who Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Giancola is. She’s the sweet one of the bunch, and the girlfriend to Ronnie (my 2^nd favorite gorilla juice head!). I was intrigued when I found out that Sammi was teaming up with SXE Fitness to create a line of fitness wear, and that intrigue turned to excitement when I got an invite to attend the debut of the line during New York Fashion Week!

I know that Sammi played soccer in college so it didn't surprise me that she went the fitness line route. The line she designed is sporty, chic and very girly. The line includes all the gym bag necessities, including sports bras, jackets, pants, capris and tops. I liked the different cuts and styles of the sports bras, she had a ton of variation. The pants had pops of colors on the pockets that were super cute. I also have my eye on a camo print jacket. 

The line is engineered with Supplex technology to help you feel dry, make you look slimmer and hide flaws. The line also contains SXE's special Booty-Lift technology in the pants for added support. It also doesn't wrinkle or shrink. 

One can tell from her onscreen time on the Jersey Shore that Sammi always like to look good, even at the gym. She was motivated by one simple question when creating this line: "Why not feel good and look good while working out?" Her goal: "design a fitness-wear line that spoke to how women want to feel when working out: stylish, sexy, comfortable and confident." I'm guilty of putting on lipgloss at the gym, so I can relate! Sammi finished her show by walking the runway herself. Nice work Sammi! 

Sammi & Ronnie from The Jersey Shore cast

Photos from Krupp NYC