Outfit Of The Day (Pink Sweatuh Weathuh)

Sweater: Target
Puppeh: The Dorky Chihuahua Factory

(Brief hiatus with the fabulous stomach flu- that's what I get for having no immune system, blah. I'll be back with my usual OOTD's tomorrow!)

My Top 10 Beauty Shtuff.

So it turns out a lot of you want to know about the make-up I wear, the hair products I use, how I keep my skin from being not-so-dry in the super dry-climate of Colorado, and the brand of toilet paper I buy. Just kidding about the toilet paper (maybe- but it's the one with the puppy dog on it 'CUZ I TOTALLY BUY IT FOR THE PUPPY DOG- Cottonelle?) (Yup, just checked!) but I decided a post like this could be fun, so here we go!

Admittedly, I don't know nearly as much about this as I do fashion. I'm not on the up&up on the latest facial creams, gadgets or gizmos (I'm still lusting after a Clarisonic, come on Santa Claus!), or even on application and techniques. In other words- there are probably more skilled people out there (ahem Bridget? Shasta?) that can address your more complicated questions and concerns.

But I think I do well enough with what I know. I get by. I'm always a sucker for the lastest product, a fun eyeshadow color to try, or a hair product that promises to make my head sleek, full, and totally like Jennifer Aniston's. In other words: my in-laws typically give me gift cards to Sephora for Christmas, and they could do that every single year and I'd never EVER get sick of it. Never ever never ever never.

Before we start, here's the important facts you need to know about me:

Age: 28
Complexion: Very fair, aka WHITEST WHITIE WHITE GIRL EVER, with slightly yellow undertones.
Skin type? Dry, very dry- took Accutane 11 years ago and I'm still drier than a sonofabitch, which I suppose is the point.
Acne/break outs? Rarely, see Accutane. I'm also pretty sure that I'm going to pop out a baby with a third eyeball in the middle of its forehead, yay Accutane!
Tanning bed/sun? In my younger years I lived in tanning beds, unfortunately.
Biggest skin concerns? Covering old acne scars, my very mild rosacea, and any rashes from Lupus.
Eye color? Dark brown
Natural hair color/current hair color? Natural: dark blonde; current: auburn/strawberry blonde.
Hair type? Dry, course, thin thin thin THIN THIN! I lose hair from the Lupus, and I'm always struggling to cover up bald spots from that unfortunately.
Did you know? I almost always wear a "confidence toupee", aka a clip-in (real) hair piece to cover my hair loss and I have no problems talking about it, 'cuz hair loss is a real issue with women and what's the point of suffering in silence when you can make fun of yourself through your own self-deprecating humor on a blog with thousands of readers? Exactly. Petunia looks especially charming wearing my hair piece, just so you know. And as always- please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions about it. :)




Okay, here we go- my Top 10 Beauty Shtuff Musts:

1. Top Foundation

Nars Sheer Glow- Foundation

Readers? There's a reason why this fairly-new-to-the-scene sheer foundation is at the top of my list. It's amazing! I typically shy away from most "sheer" foundations due to the lack of coverage I need (I feel I need a medium coverage foundation- meaning tinted moisturizers aren't my friends) but this foundation does it all- glides on smoothly, covers everything that needs to be covered, and makes your skin look like perfection. I can always tell when I take my Outfit Of The Day pictures if I'm wearing this- touching up is easy and minimal, it is just that good.

Even better? The foundation claims to make improve your overall complexion the more you use it. After 28 days, your discolorations will vanish and your skin will look smooth, clear, and just like Madonna's butt. Or what I think Madonna's butt probably looks like, anyway. Yippee! I wear this in the lightest shade available- Siberia.

They also offer a "matte" version for ladies with oily skin, although I unfortunately cannot attest to its awesomeness. Looks like it gets decent reviews, though!

2. Top Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadows

Urban Decay eyeshadows are my "go to" eyeshadows. I like other brands out there, sure (especially Smashbox and Stila), but when I'm looking for a funky color to wear on my lids, UD wins hands down. The pigment is great, they wear well, and they definitely won't break the bank!

My only warning? Stay away from the colors with heavy glitter, as the glitter in UD eyeshadows tends to wander down yer face making you look like a giant discofuckball. All of their other colors, however (shimmers included) look fab. Colors you will often see on me are: Sin (shimmery champagne), Blaze (peach champagne shimmer), X (rose with a sheer gold tint), and my current two faves blended together- Last Call (plummy-purple) with Half Baked (rich gold) blended over. Whenever you see me with a cat-eye on here, those are the two shadows I am wearing!



4. Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliner

Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliner

This is actually a bit of a tie- I love Urban Decay for the fiercer eyeliner colors (check out "Honey", which is a badass metallic gold that looks good on anyone) but for the more basic colors (like brown/black), I actually use Kohl's Flirt liquid eyeliners. So! Urban Decay for the funky, Flirt for the boring. Got it? Good.

4. Top Hairspray

Got2B Glued Blasting Freezing Spray

This one might be a bit of a surprise to you guys, but this is the hairspray I use (and have used for years!) to hold my hair. Whenever I am wearing my hair up, guys, it's in part due to this gravity-defying stuff. I love it, it's cheap (typically around $6 a can, and you can often find it Buy One, Get One at WalGreens), and it works! It also washes out surprisingly well, has no cloying scent, and doesn't look too stiff. I mean, it's going to look a little stiff ('cuz that's its job!) but for a hairspray that provides fierce hold, this stuff is absolutely tops. I can say this, because I've literally (sadly) tried 'em all. My mom used to think I was holding a hairstylist hostage in my closet- I HAVE SERIOUSLY TRIED THEM ALL.

5. Top Deep Conditioning Treatment

Phyto Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Mask

This stuff is amazing. Just like hairsprays, I've searched for years to find the perfect deep conditioning mask that will leave my hair soft, shiny, and not looking like a huge greaseball. I have thin (yet heat-treated/color-treated) hair, so it's important for me to find a mask that can do its job without lingering around all awkward the next morning and being like "Did you feel a connection? Can I call you? Can I see you every day? I love you? Let's get married?" like a skeeze after. You know what I mean.

I typically use this mask once a week. I just slather it on wet, freshly washed hair right before bedtime, go to sleep, wake up, rinse, and voila! Perfectly conditioned hair.

The tub might not be big, but it typically lasts me several months of slatherings, making it worth the slightly expensive price. Can't live without it.



6. Top Self-Tanner

Sun Laboratories Sunsation Dark Self-Tanner

I'm constantly on the search for a good self-tanner that applies evenly, looks natural, and doesn't patch off in a way that makes me look like I have a weird skin disease. St. Tropez's mousse was my favorite until the bastards changed the formula/scent, which left me on the hunt (once again!) for a good self-tanner.

I think, if I remember correctly, I can blame Shasta for this one- I remember her once mentioning Sun Labs on her blog (yes? maybe?) and, well, for whatever reason it was the ONLY self-tanner on the market I had yet to try. So I decided to give it a whirl, and I'm so glad I did. The color kicks ass, it goes on nice and smoothly, and it smells like almond extract yippee!

As with most self-tanners, you're supposed to apply at night, let it develop while you sleep, and rinse off in the morning. I found this especially a "must" with the "ULTRA DARK" color. I recently switched to just plain old "DARK", however, and I find that it actually looks great straight out of the bottle and doesn't need to be rinsed off- the color guide acts like a really nice bronzer.

Unfortunately, I haven't been wearing self-tanner much lately (hence my super paleness in recent pics) so I'll try to get some pictures loaded with me wearing it. And also- while it's priced pretty steeply ($48 for 8 ounces), you can often find it on Ebay for half that price. Lovely. :)



7. Top Shampoo/Conditioner Combo

Pureology Volume Shampoo & Conditioner

For me, it's Pureology's Volume products all the way. I just love them. I've used the line for nearly four years now (with a slight break to try Nioxin for the hair loss, but I ultimately went right back to Pureology!)- my hair just feels better and looks better when I use these products. Plus, they're sulfate-free, gentle on color-treated hair, and all that crizap. I use both the shampoo and the matching conditioner.



8. Top Mascara

DiorShow Mascara

I was turned on to this mascara earlier this year, and the only thing I could think of upon using it was where has this been my entire life? Readers, it is that good, and I especially like it with the DiorShow Black Out layered over (thanks for the tip, Bridget!)



9. Top Highlighter

Laura Geller Candelight Face & Body Glow

I fell in love with this stuff after receiving a sample from Sephora last year- it is by far my favorite highlighter out there! Just a few drops around my eyes, on the bridge on my nose, and on my Cupid's bow and voila! Instant polish & shine. It is very shimmery (but not glittery) and virtually colorless, meaning it'll work on almost all skin tones. I can't leave home without this stuff.

10. Top Haircolor

L'oreal Couleur Experte in Ginger Twist

Out of all the questions I get asked here, I most often get asked about my hair color! Yup, I do it at home, and this is the fabulous little kit I use. It is truly amazing, good stuff- and if a klutz like me can figure out how to do it, I promise anyone can.

I apply the base color and then do the highlights later. I typically buy two kits at once for extra highlighting solution (that's the only bad part about the kit- it needs more bleach!) and I do chunky highlights all over the top of my head. The beauty about this kit is that you can let them process a little or a lot- a little for a subtle glimmer, or a lot for a more bold effect. It took a few tries for me to get the color I liked, but it mostly required me to just play with it a bit, and to leave the highlighting solution on for as long as I could.

As always with at home hair color kits, I have to post this with a warning- if you're dyeing your hair from a lighter color to a darker color, have hair that takes color strangely, or have hair that has recently been colored or permed or chemically straightened, please see your stylist before using this kit. While it works well for me, I can't promise the color will work for everyone, and I don't want to be responsible for half my readership showing up with orange hair. ;)

And because I could srsly post about this stuff all day, here's a quick list of everything else I can't live without in the beauty department. Or in other words- everything currently occupying my very-cluttered bathroom counter, which Husband is sure will eventually cause a fire hazard and be the death of him. Me. Us?

Ahem:

-My Solia Flat Iron
-My Sedu hair dryer
-Body Shop Lip Scuff
-Kiss My Face Sheer Organic Lip Shine in Pearl (moisturizes lips while making them pretty!)
-Nars Loose Powder
-Clarins Intense Bronze Self-Tanning Tint for face
-Jonathan Product Silky Dirt
-Method Olive Leaf Moisturizing Creamy Body Wash (this stuff is amazing AND cheap- great for winter skin!)
-Dove Pro Age Cream Oil Lotion (goes on light & sheer but moisturizes super dry skin really well)
-Smashbox Lipglosses (Illume is my favorite, found in this awesome little set!)
-Origins Youthtopia Serum
-Good Skin Citra Peel (love this for nixing flakies on my face!)
-Ojon Shine & Protect Spray
-Rimmel Eyebrow Pencils (only $4, and I use a combo of the auburn/dark brown pencils!)
-Pixi Sheer Cheek Gel in Rosy (you can also find this at Target)
-Bobbypins, hundreds and hundreds of cheap old bobbypins!



Okay guys! Woo, I'm finished! Any questions or comments, as always- leave 'em down below.

A WTF, 'KAY?

I apologize for the blip of a post that appeared early, early, early this morning. I wasn't speaking in tongues, or make-up/beauty-shtuff tongues, or Secret Chloe Code, nope.

That, my darlings, THAT is what happens when your internet connection decides to right then there and DIE while you're in the middle of editing a post.

Yay Sprint Nextel Mobile Broadband- loveyouguyssomuch!

I often type up posts in advance and set them to post at a certain time for a bit of fluidity on the blog, which is why a post I had barely started ended up posting. But hey, if you looked at it close enough, I did include a 22% off code for Nars.com. Somewhere.

Yay, bish, go me!

So my broadband modem died a silent death last night, stubbornly refusing to "recognize" some "remote computer" and therefore denying me any access to the internet. But I must say- my brief hiatus was nothing if not intellectually-stimulating and wisdom-inducing. Did you know that you can do other things on a computer aside from surfing the internet and buying shit? Neither did I!

I honed my Free Cell skills a bit, improving a single percentage point on my current 50% of all games won out of a total of 1142 games played. When I boasted to Husband about my awesome card game prowess, he sniffled and scoffed and declared something wrong with the game. Too easy, it must be.

No Husband, I am A FREE CELL FREAKING GENIUS CHAMPION, and my correct title henceforth should be, "Darling Chloe, MotherFucking FreeCell Playing Badass, Dear." Thank you Husband, for understanding.

I deleted shit, I moved shit around, I Defrag'ed and Defiled and Defaced. But ultimately it was learned, readers, that most things on a computer do require a functional internet connection, as I discovered late, late, late last night when I excitedly discovered I had WHEEL OF FREAKING FORTUNE, sitting untouched (unloved, really!) under the "games" section of my laptop.

But when I tried to actually play a bit of Wheel of Fortune to hone my wheel spinning skillz(?), my computer just kindly beeped at me that I would need the internet to continue.

"No! Must be a fluke!" I thought as I frantically clicked the "PLAY" button again. My computer just beeped, beeped, beeped. YOU HAVE NO INTERNET CONNECTION, YOU DWEEB, SO STOP TRYING.

And once again, readers, just as I had felt after a piano recital I played on a broken piano at a scary old folk's home when I was 10, and just as I had felt when I realized I completed five long, agonizing years of Spanish in school yet could speak almost none of it- I felt it all over again upon seeing a pixelated Vanna White aloofly waving at me.

I could not play because of this little thing called "NO INTERNET CONNECTION", and I once again felt the bitter, stinging taste of THE BIATCH called DISAPPOINTMENT.

And a girl can only be so awesome at Free Cell before she gets a bit bored with it, actually. Much like Tiger Woods, once I conquer something I just want to conquer something else, only I (sadly) don't have a Perkins Restaurant within driving distance of where I live.

I'd only want to conquer a stack of french toast, you see, and I'm pretty sure Tiger only wanted to do the same, and this whole situation is just one giant misunderstanding!

So none of this matters now- I'm officially back with this super cool handy little thing which is quickly making me forget how much I want the employees at Sprint Nextel Broadband to all die horrible, painful deaths. Maybe now I just want them to all open an envelope and get a bad papercut. Yes. That'd suffice.

I'll have a more coherent post up with "Beauty Shtuff" tomorrow, promise.

Top 10 (Beauty Shtuff)

I occasionally get emails asking me to post about the make-up I wear, or the products I use. And


Nars 3312299CP

12/16




HUSBAND SAYS "NICE WORK, BABE."

Outfit Of The Day (In a Sparkly Boucle)

Readers?

I freaking love this jacket.

That is all.

Jacket: White House Black Market Boucle Scoop Collar Jacket (click here)
Tank top: American Eagle Boyfriend Lace Tank (I love these & they're so cheap- click here) (and here!)
Jeans: American Eagle Artist Jeans (only $29.95 AND in a short inseam YAY- click here)
Shoes: Target Isaac Mizrahi (similar style here) (and here for $40)
Scarf: Limited (similar style here) (and here)
Bag: Marc Jacobs Kristina Crossbody in Violet (click here!)

PS- I lied. That isn't all. Husband just said that I'm just like Lil' Wayne. True story. Just said it!

PPS- I think it's cuz I do shit like this.

PPPS- And I make a fantastic chocolate chip cookie, and I'm pretty sure that Mr. Lil' Wayne also makes tasty chocolate chip cookies, right?

PPPPS- OMG. OMG. OMG. The mailman just drove past our house without stopping. DON'T PANIC, CHLOE, BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. SO WRONG. WHAT?!

PPPPPS- Take $20 off your purchase of $100 at WHBM with code "8978" plus receive free shipping on all orders for a limited time- in case you want to order the jacket for yourself. ;)

Happy Monday (& Some Pictures Of Some Pretties)

Mondays are always weird to me, because I almost always have Mondays off from work. Which, let me point out, is a brilliant move by me- I've never once had a case of "The Mondays", I get to spend the most depressing/stressful/anxiety-riddled day of the week sitting comfy cozy at home, and Dr. Phil always plays good shit on Mondays. Well, almost always.

(Shhh! Don't tell!)

Hi, my name is Chloe, I am pretty awesome at life, thank you. Cinnamon ice cream?

And some pretties to help you get through your Monday. I'm a giver:

Anthropologie Golden Festoon Neckalce
That floral-printed ribbon! So pretty, and I desperately want to layer it with this look from Ann Taylor. Oh, it'd be SOMETHIN'.

Anthropologie Felted Lei Cardigan
This would go in my wardrobe oh so well, I'm thinking paired with this top (in peach!)

Rebecca Taylor Date Me Top
Come back in my size, plz. *cries*

Nanette Lepore Spice Island Jacket
I'm making the grabby hands so hard I have to sit on them for this jacket. Srsly. One of these days I just know Nanette will be clickity clicking around on the internet, stumble upon my little bloggy blog, and send me a fan letter telling me how amazing and pretty I am AND a big box full of every single piece from every collection she designs.

Or, you know, file a restraining order. Tomatoes, tomahtoes.

Kate Spade Duffy Loafer
I love a comfy-cozy (yet so pretty!) loafer...and this one is even on sale! *wiggles eyebrows*

What Do I Spy With My Big Brown Eyes?

Pfffffffffffffffftttgfttja;dghap3r2u!@*!&EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

Santa came early this year, woohoo. It is so pretty, pretty, pretty, and I seriously can't stop staring at it, petting it, and squishing it in my hands. I think Petunia is totally getting jealz.

More later, alligators!

(& love you so much, Husband, even if you did tell me that you didn't like it and asked if we could take it back. HA HA HA A FUNNY ONE, YOU ARE. ♥)