New Hair!

Ok, maybe this is nothing new, but I really like the way I look with my hair styled this way. :)  Unfortunately, it won't look like this tomorrow after I shampoo it and attempt to style it myself. :(  Oh well, I'll enjoy it while it lasts...having a ladies' dinner with some of my nearest and dearest tonight. :D

before and after

Thanks for reading, everyone, and have good night!

Hugs,
Cat

FFOTD!

FFOTD...is there such thing?  Well, if there isn't, there is now!  Face AND fashion of the day!  Got a busy day ahead of me and thought I'd do something simple, but spectacular!  Well...I wouldn't call myself spectacular, but I like using alliteration. :)  So I went for my favorite go-to look of the summer, neutral eyes with a color-pop lip:

Yes, I'm still in my sleep tee...lol!

Gawd!  My hair is getting so unmanageably LONG!  Which is why I'm off to Danny's for a haircut today.  Will post my new 'do tonight! :D  But, anyhoo...here's the breakdown of today's makeup look:

FACE

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Bright Fit in Honey Beige

(been slow to post the review on this...sorry!)

BROWS

Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Gray

EYES

Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette

CHEEKS
ELF Studio Blush in Pink Passion

LIPS

Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

Feelin' kinda blah today because the weather is on the cooler side...below 70 degrees F, so I figured I'd liven things up with some colorful denim:

As you can see, my fashion photographer has been too busy to fulfill his duties as of late, so you guys are going to have to bear with these self-shots via iPhone for awhile, lol.  Hope you don't mind!  The cami and cardigan are from Hollister, mint denim (although they look more aqua here) is from ASOS Petite Collection, and the linen bow slingback heels are by Rampage.

Hope everyone's having a good hump day (Wednesday) so far!  Can't wait to show off the new hair later!

Hugs,

Cat

Two Year Wedding Anniversary

Two years ago, I married the most amazing man I ever met.  I had called it from the start.  Two weeks after we first started dating, I looked into his eyes and declared: "I'm going to marry you!"  He looked a little startled, but didn't protest.  And here we are today. :D

Our wedding was a small, but elegant affair that took place at the Berkeley City Club, a beautiful, vintage building designed by the amazing Julia Morgan.  The theme was a Phantom Of The Opera-esque masquerade ball done in red, ivory, and black damask.  Pretty romantic, no?  I felt like such a princess that day, decked out in my airy white dress, black lace Louboutins, and sparkling diamonds on my ears and at my throat.

It took me two years to plan with my event coordinator.  We paid very close attention to detail...from our first dance, which was an elaborately choreographed rhumba, to our centerpieces which were 4-foot-tall manzanita branches decked out with red rose blossoms, candles, and crystals.  We even, as well as our wedding party, had our laser-cut Venetian masks imported from, well...Venice!

Our cake was a gorgeous and delicious confection of 4 flavors, stacked high with tiers of deep, red roses, decorated with a black and white damask design and sprinkled with tiny sugar flowers:

Guestbook

It was a magical (and exhausting!) day that I'll never forget!  But all the fancy-schmancy stuff aside, what it comes down to is that I made vows to spend the rest of my life with a person that couldn't be more perfect for me.  He is loving, he is patient, he is kind.  When I'm at my worst, he manages to keep his cool and never has spoken a cross word at me...no matter how irrational and wrong I've been. (lol)  He works long, exhausting hours so that he can provide me with the life that I've wanted with the freedom to pursue my own dreams.  Even after all these years, he can still melt my heart with his smile.  How did I get so lucky?  Sometimes, I don't feel like I deserve him...  But here's the thing: I do vow to spend the rest of my life trying to be as good to him as he is to me. :D

Happy anniversary, darling.  I love you forever.  xoxo

Ladies in Las Vegas

Soooooooooooo...3 weeks after my initial trip to Vegas this year, I returned with my sisters and a couple of our dearest girlfriends!  We had an amazing trip filled with:

FUN!

FOOD!

and FRIENDSHIP!

We had a fantastic time!  Shopped at the Fashion Show Mall, dined at Switch (where the scenery magically "switches" every 30 minutes), saw Cirque Du Soleil's LOVE (again, lol), lounged at the Wynn pool, and partied at XS to the sounds of Dada Life, thanks to some generous friends of ours who had invited us as guests to their table at the club!  Good times, good times!

Hope you enjoyed our adventures in pictures and have a lovely Monday night!

Hugs,
Cat

Saturday Night Out

Good evening...well, technically it's night.  Technically it's tomorrow.  I'm working on a number of posts, but don't have the time to post them today, so I thought I'd do a little quickie of what I wore out tonight:

It was such a warm day today, so I wanted to wear as little as possible while keeping it cute!  I had a half day at work, did my mom's makeup for an event she attended, worked out, and then found the time to get ready for a night out with a group of my nearest and dearest.  The tank and skirt are from Abercrombie and Fitch.  Recognize the shoes?  If not, they're my latest acquisitions from JustFab. 

Hope everyone's having a lovely weekend so far!

Hugs,
Cat

July MyGlam Continued!

Hi there!  I've got 3 different July MyGlam products on...can you tell? :D  Most likely not, so I'll just go over them with you, haha!

The first product I used today was Nume's Hydro Punch hair conditioner:

Personally, I think it smells nice.  Instructions tell you to work it into your scalp and wet hair, but since I have a tendency towards oily hair, I just used it on my ends.  I'm not sure if I noticed much of a difference once I dried my hair and styled as usual.  I guess the only thing I can say is that I felt my hair didn't hold as well after curling because I'm assuming the additional conditioner weighed it down a little. (I'm already using a 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner plus It's A 10 leave-in conditioner)

The next product I used today was Green Apple sunscreen moisturizer by Juice Beauty:

It has a very pleasant, citrus-y fragrance that I really enjoyed.  The formula itself is VERY thick...more like a cream than a lotion.  Since I've been using bb cream with sunscreen lately, I've been skipping my morning moisturizer, therefore I opted for loose mineral makeup today to avoid oily skin from layering bb cream over moisturizer.  It's fine, however an extra step in my summer makeup routine.  I'll probably be saving this for the cooler months.

And the final MyGlam product I have on is Josie Maran's Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain:

I made sure that my lips were product-free when applying this stain.  It felt a little funny, like I was rubbing a Crayola marker on my lips, lol.  I got a sheer, but bright pop of color that was extremely lightweight to the point that I felt that there was nothing on my lips.  The finish is matte, unless you choose to layer gloss over it.  Typically, I'm on the fence about lip stains.  To me, they look like lipstick that's been worn off.  I prefer my lips to look either glossy or opaque, in general.  That being said, I don't think it looked bad on me, just isn't my first choice as far as lip color.  On the plus side, I don't get gunky lipstick stains coming off on my teacup in the morning, hooray!  My biggest gripe would be that my lips feel so dry...I guess I'm just used to the feeling of gloss/balm on my mouth at all times, so having a stain on with nothing else feels weird.

Oh yeah!  I knew I forgot something!  Last night, I tried the Facial Towelettes makeup remover wipes by Yes To Cucumbers:

They smelled nice and were soothing-feeling, but didn't remove makeup half as well as my usual makeup remover wipes...my favorites are by Neutrogena.  I really had to work to get my waterproof eye makeup off...something you really don't want to do around your sensitive eye area.  For the most stubborn eye makeup, I find that L'Oreal's Clean Artiste for Waterproof Makeup works the very best for me!

Well, I guess that's all of it!  Hope you guys found this review useful and have a lovely Wednesday night!

Hugs,
Cat

July MyGlam!

Hey all!  Sorry for going AWOL on you guys all of a sudden.  I'll explain in tomorrow's post, hehe.  But, for the time being, check out July's MyGlam bag!  I just got it in today:

Nice, right?!  I think I'm pretty excited about all the items in this month's bag.  First, it comes with a brightly colored, stripey mesh bag. (I've found several uses for all of my MyGlam makeup bags)  Second, it came with a diverse lot of products: haircare, cleanser, skincare, lip and cheek color, and nail color. (2 of which are full-sized items)  The theme is Beach Beauty:

First up, makeup removing towelettes by Yes To Cucumbers:

I've heard a lot about this brand, but haven't had a chance to try their products yet.  I like the clean, fresh scent of cucumbers and the convenience of being able to remove makeup with just one wipe!  Definitely looking forward to putting this one to the test tonight!

Next is Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain by Josie Maran in Jitterbug, a bright, light pink shade:

Wow, looks like this one is going to pack some punch.  Not sure how it'll look  on me and the fine tip makes me a little skeptical about using it as a cheek stain.  Nonetheless, I'll give it a try and see how it works out...stay posted!

Then we've got Hydro Punch hair conditioner by Nume:

I'm currently using Herbal Essences Hello Hydration 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner.  I think the extra conditioner might be overkill in addition to It's A 10.  We'll see.  My guess is that I'll end up with soft, but really limp and flat hair.

Second to last, we've got Green Apple SPF 15 moisturizer by Juice Beauty, apparently an organic product...cool!

You know I love sunscreen in my beauty products!  Can't wait to try this one out tomorrow morning!

Last, but not least, I have Circus nail color by Andrea's Choice in Somersault:

I'm sure most of you are aware that Andrea is a successful beauty blogger that has reached celebrity status tied with Michelle Phan!  Gee, I wish someone would license my name for a nail polish...lol!  But anyway, I was thrilled to receive this cheerful, egg yolk yellow polish prettily packaged in a stripey cylinder!  I've been craving a yellow polish to add to my collection and this really hit the spot!  I had to try it out right away, check it out:

Unfortunately, it applied EXTREMELY streaky and unevenly and it took a lot of work to get the color to look somewhat uniform.  Overall, however, it's a pretty cute color.  I hope the other colors didn't have the same problem...sometimes it's more of a pigment thing than a formula thing...I'm not sure.  I have the same kind of inconsistent experience with Zoya polishes.

I'll try to update with two posts tomorrow addressing 1.) where I've been and 2.) how the rest of the products work for me!  Thanks for reading and have a great night!  Happy Tuesday to everyone!

Hugs,
Cat

p.s. I'm aware that I skipped June's Glam Bag...shame on me!  I'll see about doing a retro-review on that, haha! (there was some pretty cool stuff in that bag...as well as some not-so-cool stuff, lol)

Meg by Zoya

Hey all!  Here's the final color from the Beach & Surf trio that I purchased from Zoya.  Meg is described as: "light-yellow toned mermaid green with heavy gold and silver metallic shimmer and sparkling foil finish".

This is what it looks like with just one coat (with a base coat and topped with Seche Vite).  It applied very fluidly and evenly, I guess the shimmer makes it a very forgiving color because it easily hides any flaws.  As for the color itself, I'm not sure how I feel about it exactly.  When I asked my husband what he thought, he took one glance and said: "Shiny."  Upon heavier contemplation, I've decided that Meg looks like I melted a metallic tennis ball on my fingertips, lol.  What do you guys think?  Love it or leave it?

Hugs,
Cat

Revlon Lip Butters

I like keeping my pout soft and moisturized...almost nothing feels more aggravating to me than dry, cracked lips!  My moisturizer of choice for dry lips is Aquaphor, hands down, but you know how I love color!  Therefore you can imagine how I've been dying to try Revlon Color Burst Lip Butters.  Yeah, I know they've been around for awhile, but I found it difficult to justify purchasing while I have so much makeup I haven't been able to get to yet!  However, Walgreen's was having a BOGO sale the other day and I decided it was finally a good time to try!  I chose Cherry Tart and Sweet Tart:

The first color I tried was Cherry Tart.  It's a warm red shade with a hint of sparkle.  The formula glides on buttery smooth, as described by the name, and feels whisper-light, not at all heavy or cake-y like a lipstick.  I found the color to be more pigmented than expected...usually colored balms are on the more sheer side.  For me, I don't necessarily consider this a bad thing.

Today, I'm wearing Sweet Tart, a creamy, Barbie-pink with a semi-gloss finish.  Formula-wise, it feels just like Cherry Tart.

Haha, you guys miss this mug?  Such a lazy photo, I just got out of the shower and barely blow-dried my hair, but I really wanted you to see how the color looks since I wasn't able to get a proper close-up because of weird lighting.  Notice the change in scenery?  I'm trying to get used to my new bathroom as well, lol.

All in all, I'd say that I like the Lip Butters just fine.  They look and feel good.  My only complaint is that they seem to dry out quickly, meaning that from the moment I apply them, the moisturizing sensation only lasts about 2-3 hours and then I feel the need to reapply, even though they look just fine.  Maybe I'm just used to the ultra-moisturizing feeling of wearing liquid glosses most of the time.  It also wouldn't hurt to get a little sun protection.   Still, I wouldn't throw these out!  Glad I finally got a chance to try them! :D

Hugs,
Cat

Wednesday by Zoya

Just moving down the line with the colors I purchased from Zoya's Beach & Surf Collection.  I decided to try Wednesday next, a creamy, subdued shade of turquoise:

It kind of reminds of me Essie's Turquoise and Caicos...don't you think?  The color displayed on my monitor when I was at Zoya's site was so much different than how the color looked in person.  Maybe it's my computer, I dunno, but it looked more like a pastel, seafoam blue-green.  I wasn't expecting it to look so bold.  I do like it, although I feel like I have similar colors already.  Unlike Shelby, Wednesday applied very evenly without any streaks.

2 down, 1 more to go!  Will post the final color for the Surf Collection, Meg, very soon!

Hugs,
Cat

JustFab? Somebody stop me!

Oh Em Gee!  Through a MyGlam email, I discovered JustFab, a shoe and accessory subscription site founded by Kimora Lee Simmons, similar to ShoeDazzle by Kim Kardashian.  My choice of a breathtaking pair of shoes for just $39.99 a month?  I pay about double or more for pretty shoes...I was sold!  But wait, it gets better...they're having a BOGO sale.  Unbelievably gorgeous shoes for under $20 a pair?  Please...somebody stop me! (seriously though, it was about to get out of control)  I ended up choosing 6 pairs, whittled it down to 4, then decided to take 3 and let my sister choose the 4th for herself.  These are the ones I went with:

Obviously, I have a yen for pale, creamy, nude-tone shoes at the moment with very, very high heels and open toes.  The first one is called Rose, a patent nude platform pump with a uniquely sculpted, rose-like accent.

They're actually quite comfortable for such a high heel!  Unfortunately, they seem to run a half-size too large, but I love them so much that I'm willing to wear an insert so that they fit a little better. ( I wear a size 6, btw, and the 5.5 were long sold out by the time I found out about the sale.)

Next is Oksana:

What a perfectly girlie shoe!  The suede-like material is the prettiest shade of pink and the white,  lace-like trim and bow accents exude such fresh femininity!  Alas...I don't think I'll be keeping these.  As lovely as they are, the arch is much too extreme for me and the back of the left shoe cuts sharply into my ankle if I take so much as 3 steps.  Such a shame, but even I wouldn't put up with that kind of torture for the sake of beauty!  Like Rose, they also seem to run a touch bigger than the indicated size.

Finally, we have Winona:

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  I think these are my favorite!  They're a platform wedge made from a buttery, nude, suede-like fabric.  I absolutely adore the ruffled strap that can either be worn mary jane style or pushed back as an accent! (which is my look of choice)  My favorite feature, in addition to stunning good looks, is that Winona is incredibly comfortable...I feel like I could walk miles in these!  The fit is also spot-on, as if they were made just for my feet!

All in all, I'd say that I'm fairly pleased with the quality of the products.  Each pair was packaged very carefully in sleek black boxes and were brand, spanking new.  I didn't notice any obvious defects in any of the shoes I received.  I really feel like I got more than I paid for!  Another thing I really like about JustFab is the variety and selection of shoes and accessories that are available, as well as how easy the site is to navigate.  Also, free shipping and returns?  Doesn't really get better than that!  If there was one thing they could improve, I'd suggest that they include a size 5 in their shoe selections.  One of my sisters has tiny feet and has a difficult time finding pretty shoes her size.  If that was an option, she would probably shop non-stop! (which may not be a good thing, lol)

If you're curious as to which shoe my other sister picked, she went with an elegant Valentino look-alike called Jennifer:

Hope some of you enjoyed reading my review!  I'm curious to know if any of you have tried JustFab and, if so, how was your experience?  Happy Saturday and have a good night!

Hugs,
Cat

Zoya Beach and Surf Collection

For the summer season, Zoya released their Beach & Surf Collection, an array of colors that embody the playfulness of warm, bikini weather!  The Beach Collection includes creamy brights and pastels while the Surf Collection consists of its shimmery color counterparts.  At the time, they were having a 3/$15 sale with free shipping, so I couldn't resist but to pick my three favorites from these fun, summer colors!  I ended up going with Meg from the Surf Collection, along with Shelby and Wednesday from the Beach Collection.  I'd like to note that I was VERY impressed by Zoya's product presentation.  Check out the cool stuff that arrived with my order:

My polishes were professionally packaged in a tidy little box and I  received an information brochure about their product as well as comprehensive swatches of the Beach & Surf Collection.

 

Left to right: Meg, Shelby, and Wednesday.

I decided to try Shelby first, it's such a girly color!  Sooooooooo pretty, although I'm not sure if it really works with my skin tone. :/  What are your thoughts?  I really want to like it, but it kind of looks like Pepto Bismol, don't you think?  Lol!

Another thing I want to mention is that Shelby is kind of glue-y in texture and was a little streaky and difficult to apply evenly...did anyone else have that problem?  Once it settled, however, it looked fine.

In any case, I'm looking forward to sharing the other colors with you all.  Stay tuned!

Hugs,
Cat

Vegas In Pictures

Happy 4th for all of you celebrating Independence Day! :D  Hope you enjoyed some great weather and delicious bbq, I know I sure did!  (followed by a grueling Bar Method workout to negate the copious amounts of consumption, lol)

I'd been meaning to post more about my recent trip to Las Vegas, but was so wrapped up in doing all sorts of moving-related things that my images have remained stagnant in a file somewhere on my desktop until tonight.  Anyways, I had a little bit of time and thought I'd share my mini-vacay with you guys in pictures.  Cheers!

The two highlights of my trip were: dinner at MIX and seeing LOVE by Cirque Du Soleil.

MIX is a hip and trendy restaurant/lounge located on the rooftop of THEhotel, serving up haute cuisine in a unique environment of edgy and modern decor with breathtaking views of The Strip.  We decided to go all out and ordered the Alain Ducasse tasting menu for the entire party.  So delicious!  But after two glasses of sparkling rose and an Irish coffee, I could only finish half my dessert!  What a waste...

Oh, I fell in love with LOVE.  Have any of you ever been to a Cirque Du Soleil show?  It's an incredible experience, I get high during every performance I attend.  LOVE did not disappoint.  It was an amazing visual and audio feast.  I have a special place in my heart for The Beatles, and, being a Cirque fanatic, I can't imagine a more creative mash-up than a Beatles concert done Cirque Du Soleil style!  I would seriously see this show again and again...definitely on my top 5 list of Vegas shows!