02.05.2013
Inspired By: Chocolate


If I have one true love on this planet, it may very well be chocolate.  In fact, I’m craving it right now (and trying to fight it off!). UGH.  I may actually make a trip down to my apartment building’s vending machine since I just read some really cool info from Dr. Murad.  According to the skin expert, “before there was medicine, there was food.  And before there was food, there was chocolate!”  It’s all about moderation, accoring to the Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA and founder of Murad Skincare.  Chocolate invokes the feelings of comfort, romance and happiness. It’s given as gifts for major holidays and is an ancient delicacy that was exclusive to the upper class.  Here are a few chocolate myths…sign me UP.  There’s a Twix bar downstairs with my name on it…

  • Contrary to what you grew up thinking, chocolate does NOT cause breakouts
  • Chocolate contains flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and protect the body from aging caused by free radicals
  • Chocolate is a slight mood elevator, as it contains phenyl ethylamine
  • The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being
  • Cacao contains antibacterial properties that fight tooth decay


Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder with Real Cocoa:
 I just adore this bronzer.  Not only does it smell delicious, but it also give me a great shade of bronze that’s not orange or too fake looking.

LUSH Chocolate Whipstick: I usually end up licking this off about two minutes after applying.  If you could bottle up chocolate in a little pot, this would be IT.

Demeter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cologne Spray: Demeter has the most amazing scents so it’s not very surprising that they have a chocolate chip cookie fragrance.  I mean…if you’re hungry, spray this.

Philip B. Chocolate Milk Body Wash & Bubble Bath: Like we learned above, chocolate has a lot of benefits for your skin, so why not use it as a body wash?

The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Scrub: I love me a good body scrub and guys, this IS a good body scrub.  It exfoliates but doesn’t leave your skin dry or rough.  Plus, the smell is an obvious bonus.

01.24.2013
Hate Your Stomach? Wish You Had Bigger Boobs? You DON’T Need Plastic Surgery. Try These Beauty Products instead.


Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-plastic surgery BUT, if there other options, why not try those first?  Believe me, if there was a cream that could’ve helped my former nose, I would’ve tried it. Ha.  I’m a fan of the above surgery alternatives…what do you guys think?

Fusion Beauty LiftFusion Eye LiftWrinkles result from facial expressions along with the loss of key skin components: collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. And while a lot of women resort to injections, this formula delivers similar results with out the high price tag and pain.

Bliss Fat Girl SixPack: I’m not into the whole miracle fat-reducing product myth thing but when I tried this product, I was pleasantly surprised.  The targeted tummy-toning gel contains a powerful blend of six actives to assist in toning and firming: caffeine plus amino acids, creatine, oat kernel extract, latex-rich manilkara tree extract, menthol and a special botanical extract. They’re all delivered with a built-in nubbed applicator, designed to strategically massage the formula into your skin.  It can’t hurt to add it to your fitness and healthy-eating routine, right?

Rodial Skincare Boob Job: Probably the funniest of the bunch, I love this product.  Granted, I don’t need a boob job but for someone who does, this might actually help out a little.  Myrrh resin increases the number of fat cells, promoting the volume around the bust area, while wheat proteins revitalize and lift, increasing radiance and smoothing skin.  Why not?

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme: I have mixed feelings on lip plumpers.  Some people say it stretches out your lips and will eventually cause wrinkles, but others think it’s a miracle product.  What do I say?  Do what you want!  Too Faced uses a potent quadra-delivery system that combines vitamin E, collagen-booster MaxiLip and Dehydrated Marine Sponge to stimulate blood flow, promote fullness and re-hydrate with the body’s own moisture for a long-lasting effect. Moisturizing doses of avocado and jojoba oil condition to ensure a smooth, plump pout. WINNER.

08.16.2010
Inspired By: Katy Perry’s “California Gurls”

So welcome to my new series- Inspired By.  The first edition?  Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” After watching the music video I’m still a little confused as to what a cupcake bikini has to do with California but nevertheless, it’s cute and fun…just like California.  Here’s my roundup…

Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom Solid Perfume – This 100% vegan (so LA) solid perfume is an ode to the SoCal sun.  Its scent has a lemony hint but not overpowering, like Pledge.

Benefit California Kissin’ Lip Shine– Fact: LA is the land of the perfect smile.  This lip product combines sexy shine with West coast cool.  The aqua blue sheen actually makes teeth appear whiter and it can be worn alone or with your favorite lipstick or gloss.

h.wood Ruby Lip Shine Pot– What’s more Hollywood glam than red lips?  This little lip pot is packed with powerful ingredients like jojoba oil, coco butter and shea butter to help you get the perfect Hollywood pout.

Too Faced California In a Compact – Even though Katy Perry is what some might consider “white toast,” mostly everyone in California has a bit of the golden sun glow.  For us pale girls, we can resort to “California in a compact” which is much better for your skin anyway.

Smart Girls Who Surf SPF 30+ Sunblock– Besides waxing my board, applying sunblock is probably my number one priority when I’m surfing.  This specially made-for-surfers SPF 30 provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection in addition to good for you ingredients like green tea extract and Vitamins C and E.

Leslie Blodgett Santa Barbara Eau de Parfum Spray– I had my first Santa Barbara experience a few months back and it was a memorable one.  The website describes this scent as picturing yourself sipping a cool drink on the pier, staring off into the Santa Barbara sunset without a care in the world.  Le sigh.  Top notes include pepper, lemon, cassis and peach, which all sound delicious.

American Apparel Nail Lacquer in “Palm Springs,” Malibu Green” and “Downtown LA.”  Need I say more?  Three unique places in Los Angeles that are all fun and bring special qualities to California.

05.17.2010
Skin Cancer Awareness Month

So if you don’t already know, May is national Skin Cancer Awareness Month.  This is something especially near and dear to my heart, as my closest Aunt passed away of skin cancer when she was only 43 years old back in 1996.  Luckily, more and more people are becoming aware of how harmful the sun is to our skin and health but it’s still not enough.  One in five Americans will STILL get skin cancer every year and even though it’s the most preventable cancer, it’s also one of the most deadly.  Can you even believe that 50% of Americans don’t even use sunscreen?!

Skincare giant La Roche-Posay created this great new public awareness campaign called “Save Our Skin” in hopes to increase awareness. For every person who signs up for the campaign, La Roche Posay will donate money to The Skin Cancer Foundation and The Women’s Dermatological Society.  In the meantime, here are my current SPF favorites.

Too Faced Love Lisa Luxury Lip Balm SPF 15 – People often forget that, yes, even your lips can sunburn.  This product is inspired by the brand founder’s sister, Lisa, who is battling stage 4 melanoma (and kicking it’s butt).  A huge portion from sales goes towards the Love Lisa Melanoma Research Foundation Grant to help find a cure.

La Roche-Posay Anthelious 45 for Face -My complexion is tricky at best.  I’ve tried a lot of “for the face” sunblocks and this one is by FAR my favorite.  It’s super light but you still get excellent protection from the sun, with out the breakouts.

Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock SPF 70 – I already listed this cooling mist as one of my Coachella essentials but I use this on my body pretty much any time I go to the beach.  As a freckled white girl, the sun gets me hot faster than most and this is the perfect cooling agent.

04.13.2010
Pretty wild…beauty products

So, as I’m sure you can tell from my blog, I’m a big fan of leopard print.  Of course, I don’t have big furry dice hanging from my rear view mirror and I certainly don’t wear leopard print leggings but I DO appreciate a little wild print thrown into the mix via accessories and small accents.  Leopard print is a classic fashion staple and like it or not, it’s not going anywhere.  Here are my leopard print beauty must-haves:

Hard Candy Eye Tattoo -Of course, only appropriate for Halloween and a crazy girl’s night out but I love these nonetheless.

Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzer – The mix of pinks and browns makes for an ideal bronzer.  Plus, how cute is this?

mark Pretty Wild Color & Shine Lip Gloss – When I first saw these I thought “how do they do this?!”  Well it’s the old tube in a tube deal.  No matter how much gloss you use, the leopard print never goes away.  Amazing.  Plus, the shine is supurb.

Remington Leopard Print Dryer – A blowdryer is something you use every day so why not get one with a little style?

03.01.2010
JWoww gifts Too Faced Tanning Bed in a Tube

So I’m absolutely obsessed with MTV’s Jersey Shore and I just got word that Jenni “JWoww” Farley gifted Too Faced’s Tanning Bed in a Tube to all her friends that attended her birthday party this past weekend at Moon nightclub in Las Vegas.  Now, with the wonder lotion that adds an instant bronze glow with a gradual sunless tanner, JWoww’s friends can get their GTL on with out the scary side effects that tanning beds cause.  Happy birthday, JWoww.

03.01.2010
JWoww gifts Too Faced Tanning Bed in a Tube

So I’m absolutely obsessed with MTV’s Jersey Shore and I just got word that Jenni “JWoww” Farley gifted Too Faced’s Tanning Bed in a Tube to all her friends that attended her birthday party this past weekend at Moon nightclub in Las Vegas.  Now, with the wonder lotion that adds an instant bronze glow with a gradual sunless tanner, JWoww’s friends can get their GTL on with out the scary side effects that tanning beds cause.  Happy birthday, JWoww.