5 Steps to Red Lips

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Boston Mamas

Last year I engaged in a quest to find the perfect shade of red lipstick. After I found it (more on that in a second), I reserved the look for evenings, but recently started sporting a red lip periodically for day events. At BlissDom, I decided to rock the red lip every day since my makeup is pretty neutral and I feel more finished with a bold lip. And I was admittedly a little shocked by the result — I received countless compliments (including people I didn’t know stopping me in my tracks!), and also many comments such as “Oh, I could never do that,” or “I have no idea how to find the right color.” So today, I wanted to share my 5 steps to red lips. Really, I think anyone can pull this off and it looks spectacular!

1. Seek professional consultation. If you are, like me, paralyzed when it comes to picking shades at the drugstore, visit a professional cosmetics counter. Yes, the high end products are more expensive than the drugstore products, but I probably spent more money experimenting (and failing) with drugstore shades compared to what I paid for the right colors. And make sure the folks at the counter actually assess your skin tone and try the shade on you before you buy it. I had one unfortunate encounter at Sephora (a place I typically love) where I asked for red lipstick recommendations and the salesperson simply picked out the bestselling store color and rang me up. I tried it on at home and it looked terrible and I ended up returning it. I was smarter the second time around and ended up at the Chanel counter at Nordstrom. They not only advised that the deep red I was envisioning would look Goth and not great on me, but they selected a fantastic shade that works well both for night and day.

2. Invest in the tools. At a professional makeup counter, you may be tempted to skip the lip pencil to save money, but you will need the pencil to help set the lines and prevent color bleed (aka “feathering”) around the lips. Following my Chanel consult, I purchased the Carmin #14 lip liner and Gabrielle #19 lipstick. The lip liner is especially awesome because it comes with a lipstick brush built into the other side. (Note: I was surprised to see how pink and brown, respectively, these products look online — all the more reason why you should go for an in person consult and save online shopping for once you have established your colors.)

3. Budget in extra time. Because red is such a strong color, I find that it requires more application precision than my usual super quick lip pencil + gloss. Allocate 10 or so extra minutes in your routine to quickly exfoliate your lips (I simply run a warm washcloth gently over my lips), add a little lip balm to moisturize, then apply the pencil and lipstick (use the brush for nice clean lines). Once you’re done, make sure you bring your lipstick and lip liner with you, as you will probably need to touch up periodically.

4. Maintenance. Red lipstick is, admittedly, a little more high maintenance. It’s definitely an eat-with-a-fork instead of chow-down-a-burrito type of lip color. However, I did not find that I needed to build in extra stops — at BlissDom, I simply checked my color whenever I happened to use the bathroom. Later in the day, I did find I needed to deal with a little feathering — easily remedied by running a bit of tissue along the edges of my lips to clean up the color bleed then reapplying. Also, make sure you check your teeth after application!

5. Try it. Own it. Many women who asked me about wearing red lipstick said they loved the look but “just couldn’t do it” or that it would “look terrible on them.” Yet, when I asked if they had ever tried, they said no, it was too intimidating. I conveyed the importance of steps 1-2, and that knowing you have the right shade helps with the confidence-to-wear factor (it certainly did for me!). Then once you procure the red, OWN IT. Try it at an evening event first, just to get your legs under you, then try it during the day. This may take a while — I found my red January 2011 and it wasn’t until the last couple of months that I started wearing it for day events, and then BlissDom was the first time that I have ever Gwen Stefani’d it and worn red three days straight. As I mentioned earlier, I loved how it looked and was shocked by the positive response!

Will you try red lipstick? I’m curious! You can see my red BlissDom lips here, and if you’re feeling really inspired and want to share, post up a photo of you rocking your red lips at the Boston Mamas Facebook page. It would be so fun to see your lovely faces!

Image credit: Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Through the "Eyes" of Google Street View

Posted on March 1, 2012 by La vie j'aime

Before Google Street View was released in 2007, cars drove around the world to capture each street with 9 cameras on each car. Some “accidents” happened along the way. Artist Jon Rafman selects unique images from the views–from a car on fire, man in the window, an unruly stallion, and car accident, among others–seen on the Huffington Post. These photos are strangely beautiful to me, despite a bizarre unaffected and distant quality to them. Click the link for more.

Super Simple 3 Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken

Posted on February 29, 2012 by FoodFitnessFashion

Hey everyone! Happy Humpday! This week is flying by, no? It is currently snowing in Boston. We haven’t gotten much snow this year at all, so I can’t really complain. It is kind of pretty actually.

Breakfast this morning was two whole wheat waffles eaten sandwich style with Barney Butter and banana slices.

I packed my lunch for work along with some snacks this morning. I packed some leftover Chicken Soup from Monday night’s dinner. I love dinners that create leftovers. Plus things are always better a day or two later.

For snacks I packed were a green apple, a reduced fat cheddar stick and a Z Bar. I had the apple and cheese around 10am, but the Z Bar is still in my desk drawer. That chicken soup filled me up for the whole afternoon.

Since it was snowing heavily today when I left school, I decided to take today as my rest day from the gym. The tough part about living in the city is that parking is really difficult and when it snows it is so much worse. AND when the city calls a snow emergency it is a downright situation. I wasn’t sure how things would go considering the forecasts were iffy and no one seemed really sure what the accumulation would look like in Boston. I drove right home and turned on the fire place while catching up on some DVR. It was lovely have the afternoon to myself with the remote, fireplace and a pup curled up next to me. It is very rare that that happens and I enjoyed it.

Another plus, dinner was pretty much prepared for me once I walked in the door this afternoon thanks to my good friend the crockpot. Adam and I have been on a huge BBQ kick lately so I made a super simple crockpot pulled chicken. Nothing beats tasty and healthy BBQ!

Ingredients:

1 medium sized onion
4 boneless, skinless chicken breaks
1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

1. Dice medium onion and put the onion in the bottom of the crockpot.

By the way: these crockpot liners are amazing and make clean up from crockpot meals so easy. You can usually find them in the aisle in the grocery store that has the ziploc bags. If you use your crockpot at all, these will make life so much easier!

2. Put the four chicken breasts on top of the onions and over them with the cup of BBQ sauce and spread it out evenly.

3. Cook on the low for 5 hours. Once the 5 hours is up, take the chicken out and shred it with a fork. This is really simple because slow cooking the chicken makes it really tender and easy to shred. Then stir it in with the leftover liquid.

I enjoyed my pulled chicken on a whole wheat sandwich thin.

On the side I had a little bit of broccoli and cheese and a salad made up of spring mix, tomato, red bell peppers, cucumbers, celery and carrots.

I topped my salad with a homemade dressing I made with EVOO, lemon juice, reduced fat grated cheese, garlic and black pepper.

I enjoyed a little bit of dark chocolate while catching up on Teen Mom (judge if you will) and doing laundry. I am pretty stoked about clean sheets tonight! It’s the little things, people

Night, folks!

The Amazing $0.99 Fitness App You Aren’t Using But Should Be

Posted on February 29, 2012 by FoodFitnessFashion

Hey everyone! I am coming to you super early this morning. Don’t worry this post won’t go live until like 11:00 this morning because I know no one will be up reading it at this ungodly hour My day was so busy yesterday with work, working my part-time job, a conference call with a professor for my (very last) grad school class, the gym, unpacking from our trip etc, etc, etc. I didn’t get a chance to sit down until about 10pm at that point, I was SPENT!

As I mentioned, I did make to the gym yesterday. I packed a bag in the morning so I could go right there after work and boy did I need it! I had a stressful day and a workout helped. I was not really paying 100% attention when I packed my gym bag but thought I had grabbed a Nike dry-fit t-shirt and my favorite Nike dry-fit capris. When I got to the gym I was disappointed to find that I grabbed my fleece lined full-length running tights instead. FAIL!

I was glad that my winter running gear was actually getting some play time since I can’t run because my right foot is on the mend. But I was concerned that I may drown in a pool of my own sweat. It was hot, but I made it through the workout! I did 25 minutes on the elliptical totaling 3 miles. Waaaahhhhh! I miss running! (okay my daily whine that my foot is broke in over now).

I spent about 45 minutes after my elliptical workout pumping some iron. I wanted to introduce you all to this lovely app that I have been using to plan and keep track of my weight training. It is called iFitness and it costs on $.99! It is well worth every penny. Allow me to dazzle you with it’s features:

See, that is it second down on the right hand side (my gorgeous niece Sohpia is my phone background- so precious).

The App includes hundreds of exercises by muscle group.

Then allows you to create workouts using those exercises. Here are the workouts I created:

When you open the workouts you get a list of the exercises that you put in that category along with instructions and photographs so you can understand exactly how to do it if you are unfamiliar with it. Yesterday I did the chest and bicep workout:

Once you complete the exercise you can log the weight you used, the number of sets, the number of reps and any notes you have for yourself on that.

The app also tracks and graphs your progress as you increase weight. I don’t have enough data yet to track it, but here is a screenshot of what it looks like.

You can also edit the workout to change it up to prevent boredom and muscle memory. This app has made my weight training much easier and way more enjoyable. I love how helpful it is since I haven’t really weight trained in about a year and a half since I have been Crossfitting until I injured my foot. I highly recommend this app and thought I would share it with you guys it is totally worth the $0.99.

What was your worst gym gym fail? What is your favorite/ most useful app?

What I’m Wearing Wednesday: Atlantic City

Posted on February 29, 2012 by La vie j'aime

We had so much fun in Atlantic City over the weekend. Staying at The Borgata, Friday night was all about learning Black Jack. Saturday we went to the outlets and Trump casino. That night, we celebrated my friend’s birthday with a delicious dinner at Izakaya Japanese restaurant in the hotel; I highly recommend if you go there. Dancing, drinks, and more Black Jack followed. I walked away a bit poorer but richer in memories & friendships

Saturday night I wore:

Banana Republic striped boat neck shirt- from last year
H&M faux leather skirt
Spanx fishnets
Calvin Klein black boots
H&M earrings
BCBG ‘Harlow’ envelope clutch
BCBG ring
Laura Mercier ‘Mistress’ lipstick

Eyes To Kill

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Shopsarahmac

It’s no secret that I’m a mascara junkie. I have tried them all but this one is by far the best. It’s Giorgio Armani’s Eyes To Kill Lash Stretching Mascara. For those who love fake lashes, this is the one for you. With one sweep, it gives just that illusion.

For bold, volumptuos lashes, this is an instant volume booster and lash sculptor. The product uses Micro-Fil™ Lengthening technology for lengthened and highly defined lashes. Eyes to Kill Lash Stretching Mascara’s formula achieves the perfect balance between soft and hard micro-waxes and incredibly fine smoothing polymers. The former define and curl the lashes; the latter smooth and coat the lash all along its length. Extremely easy to apply, Eyes to Kill Lash Stretching Mascara cloaks each lash 360% from root to tip.

Then, there is the brush. With its bristles set in fan shapes, stretching each lash, it coats right to the tip.The lash fringe is lengthened, curved and perfectly defined. Instant extension, without overloading.

Eyes to Kill Stretch Mascara has a suggested retail price of $30 online at www.giorgioarmanibeauty.com and at Armani Fifth Avenue, as well as select fine department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Barneys.

BEFORE

I like to give the lashes a slight curl.

Coat the lashes.

Note the difference!

Unique Spring/Summer Bags and Clutches with a Global Flair

Posted on February 29, 2012 by ThreeHauteMamas

Hello Mamas,

Last night surfing the web I stumbled upon this website called Harabu House and found these great handbags and clutches that would be perfect for spring and summer. I am a sucker for a great clutch or bag to complete and outfit. To me it is like dotting the i!

MAR Y SOL GUADALUPE FLOWER TOTE $79

MAR Y SOL OPAL CLUTCH $49 comes in many great colors! I will take them ALL!!!!! lol!

MAR Y SOL GIGI FLOWER CLUTCH $60

XO Kimberly

It’s all about the foundation

Posted on February 28, 2012 by La vie j'aime

I was never much of a liquid foundation person. I used Bare Minerals through high school and most of college, but the past couple of years have experimented with different powders, tinted moisturizers for summer (Laura Mercier is my fave), and now liquids. As I get older (lol), my skin has been changing, and I’ve noticed a difference in needing a liquid for dryer, winter months.

My mom started using Givenchy’s Photo’Perfexion, and when she bought a shade too light for her skin, I benefied and became hooked. I love the lightness, how it’s fast absorbing, and it has a nice smell. Without a Sephora gift card, I really can’t justify the price. I recently tried Maybelline’s Fit Me Foundation and am now hooked on a product for under $10! It seems nearly identical to me with a similar light coverage and smell.

Maybelline: $6 vs. Givenchy $47

What type of foundation do you use? What’s your splurge and save?

Healthy, Quick and Delicious Chicken Soup Recipe

Posted on February 27, 2012 by FoodFitnessFashion

Hey everyone! I hope your Monday was awesome. Mine was pretty good. I can’t complain. It was busy and I was kind of dragging from vacation but I managed. Breakfast this morning was a Svelte cappuccino protein drink (full review to follow) and a large coffee with half and half. By some miracle I only drank half of my coffee and still managed to function all day.

Lunch (unpictured due to how rushed I was) was a greek salad topped with grilled chicken and fat-free dressing. Since we were out-of-town all last week, I didn’t have any groceries and I had intended on going to the cafeteria salad bar at the school I work at. However, I was saddened to find out that the produce truck broke down this morning when it was supposed to be delivering my salad ingredients. BUMMER! Luckily there is a little restaurant around the corner that I could get a pretty healthy lunch at

Today flew by. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that it was the first day back from vacation and the fact that I have a HUGE to-do list. I headed right from work to the grocery store to stock the FFF fridge. Nothing makes me happier than a house full of food, the possibilities are endless. I knew that I wanted to go to a 6:30 pm spin class tonight, so I prepared dinner beforehand that way it would be waiting for me after my workout. I had a craving for chicken soup and it is one of Adam’s favorites so that is what I made.

ingredients:

3 chicken breasts
4 ribs of celery sliced
5 carrots sliced
1 medium onion chopped
1 bag of spinach (washed)
3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
8 cups of low sodium and low-fat chicken brother
8 oz. of whole wheat noodles or pasta (I used elbows)
2 tbls. olive oil
4 cups of water

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add veggies, parsley and bay leaf. Sauté until the veggies are tender but not browned. (about 5 minutes or so)

2. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil.

3. Add three chicken breasts and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken in fully cooked (about 15 minutes)

4. Take the chicken out and shred it with a fork.

5. Add the chicken back in as well as the bag of washed spinach and the pasta. Bring to a boil and cook until the pasta is soft.

I enjoyed a delicious bowl of chicken soup post-workout tonight!

My workout was entirely what I planned, but still pretty sweet. I learned today that I need to sign up for classes beforehand at my local YMCA if I was to participate. Good to know! I haven’t been to a “regular” gym in about a year and a half since I had been focused on Crossfit and running outside until I broke my foot almost 8 weeks ago. Since those two activities are high impact, I have to change my workouts. Anyhow, I hadn’t signed up for spinning and the class was full. So instead I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and elliticaled (is that a word?) about 4.8 miles. It felt great and I was a sweaty beast!

I also did an ab workout:

swiss-ball crunches -3 sets of 15
Reverse crunches – 3 sets of 12
Kettlebell side bends – 3 sets of 12 on each side with a 20 pound kettlebell
wheel rollouts on the ab wheel- 3 sets of 8

The ab wheel looks so harmless doesn’t it?!

NOT EVEN CLOSE! It is a deceiving little devil. This little guy is tough and it works out your abs so well. I am pretty sure I will be sore in the ab are tomorrow!

Well, goodnight folks. I am off to read in bed!

What is your favorite kind of soup?

Cuddles and Bubbles with Ben

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Downtherabbithole

Well kids, the hills are alive with the soundsof lovemaking this week on The Bachelor. It’s the creepy Fantasy Suite episode!

Tonight, I was down at Brian’s grandmother’shouse. After explaining my Bachelor blogsituation, she insisted that we turn the train wreck on immediately. Her thoughts on Bachelor Ben: “I wouldn’teven want to keep him in a closet, he looks like a moose.”

Amber, my equally sarcastic sis, guest bloggedNikki’s date for me this evening, here she is with her short recap:

Ben meetsNikki in a lovely field with goats in Switzerland. They enjoy a picnic and then a helicopter swoops in and whisks them tothe top of the Alps. I was just waiting to see Julie Andrews out of the cornerof my eye, spinning in a circle and singing at the top of her lungs, but nodice. All kidding aside, it’s freaking beautiful up there.

They landthe helicopter on the edge of a cliff (literally the edge, it looked like itwas gonna fall to a fiery death). And have yet another picnic – whatever Nikkiis super cute and bubbly and normal and Ben will probably screw it upanyway. Then they go to a log cabin andNikki gets an invite to spend the night with creepy Ben. Nikki, who nowunderstands she’s going to have to go through with this staying overnightsituation gets really liquored up and jumps in the hot tub professing her lovefor him. So I’m guessing she’s goin home…

Okay, Rhi is back…

If Ben jumped off a bridge would you?

Lindzi, who really needs to get her roots doneand fix a few flyaway hairs, trots towards Ben awaiting her next Bacheloradventure. The producers must reallyhate this poor girl because she’s in for another death defying drop! At least she’s allowed to keep most of herclothes on this time. Instead of jumping out of a helicopter, she gets torepel 300 feet down a gorge. Aren’t wepast the adventure dates yet? Oh and Benlovers, if you swooned over the beefcake in a cowboy hat, wait til’ you see himin a rock-climbing helmet with a camera mounted to the top of it.

After Lindzi makes it to solid ground she’sinstructed to disrobe and immediately get in the Swiss hot tub. After a sensual soak, it’sdinnertime, and Bennie boy is wearing a bow tie to the table. Once again, the dinner conversation isriveting. He repeatedly congratulatesLindz on being really “open” and “vulnerable”. Is this all this guy has to talkabout?

Before he lets her eat anything, Ben immediately handsher an invitation and an antique key and invites her to stay “as a couple” inThe Bachelor fantasy suite. “As acouple” is ABC’s way of teaching teenage girls watching The Bachelor to onlyaccept keys to fantasy suites if you’re going to be “doing it” as a“couple”.

Don’t you wish every one-night stand or bedroominvite happened like that? There youare, overserved and slurring outside a bar with the dude you’ve been sloppilykissing in a corner most of the night, when he hands you an antique key and aninvite to his “fantasy suite.”

While America cringes and hides under their coffeetables, Lindzi announces that she likes where this fantasy suite date it isgoing, Just when you think the camera is going to pan away and we can allimagine Ben and Lindzi making baby colts in the Swiss adventure suite, we get avoyeuristic view of Lindzi and Ben’s lovemaking.

Hey Cow!

Oh, hello! Courtney and her baby voice are onthe loose in the Swiss Alps. Ben has planneda “Swiss” date for Courtney that includes a train ride and you guessed it, apicnic! Meanwhile, somewhere on a horsefarm in Florida Lindzi is throwing things at her television.

After the train ride, while Court & Ben areenjoying their 3^rd picnic together of the season, Ben shows off his“garden gnome” jig. Ben also tells Courtabout this awesome game he and his sister used to play called “Hey Cow”. To participate in a game of “HEY COW” onemust simply scream “HEY COW” at poor helpless grazing cows and if they turnaround, you win. Ben’s evil little game kindof reminded me of a game my sister and I used to play called “sock balls”. Thepremise of “sock balls” is simple: take offyour socks, roll them into balls and throw them as hard as you can at eachother.

Forgoing their Rooms

So Ben & Court talk about her bad behaviorand then she gets handed the key to the fantasy suite. They then go back to North Conway’s log cabinAdventure Suite and make out in a barrel.

Question: Is Ben bored with thesegirls, void of a personality or just plain stupid? Maybe he’s just a perv that went on The Bachelorto have 3 guaranteed nights in a “fantasy suite” with 3 very hot ladies.

Outcome: Like the spoiler alert I read 3 months agosaid, Lindzi and Courtney get the rose. Looks like Nikki’s back to cleaning teeth.