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Several weeks ago husband and I celebrated our first anniversary by spending the night at the W hotel in Dallas (we stayed for free with points, woohoo!) where I was introduced to the line Bliss. My wallet has been regretting it ever since! For me, a big part of a good skincare product experience is the smell, and Bliss seems to specialize in scents that make my shower experience blissful. I’m guessing that is where the name “Bliss” came from? :) I got by as long as I could using the hotel size samples (it was getting kind of pathetic how rigidly I was rationing out my nickel size portions of body wash each day, just to use on my arms and chest so I could soak up the smell), but then someone tweeted about 20% off at Sephora and I knew it was time to bite the bullet and get the full sized products. I bought a full skin care lineup, and one luxurious (for me) splurge.

Fabulous Foaming Face Wash, $29

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I was always intimidated by the thought of “extensions.”   To me, extensions were reserved for the  Hollywood rich and famous type that had their hair professionally brushed and sprayed.  That was until I met a girl at my salon who had these fabulous clip in extensions from Sally’s and I had a whole new world opened up to me.  The extensions were human hair that she had colored to match her hair perfectly and they were about 16 inches long.   She sat there so nonchalantly and popped them in, and in like 3o seconds, she had these beautiful, flowing locks.  Of course, I couldn’t just sit and watch, so I asked her if I could try them on.  And, who knew!  They even worked on me!

I went home and researched some about extensions ,  but “weaves” must still be taboo because there wasn’t much out there.  I ordered a head of hair off Ebay anyway and hoped for the best.  My kids were scared when I pulled them out of the box, but in no time my 4 year old was popping them in her hair, too.  It took few tries to figure out where to place them, but once I did, I loved my new long, sexy ’do.   I wore them the other day around town to Costco, carpool, kids gymnastics class and not one fell out and they never bothered me either.  It was weird.  I expected to be itching and readjusting all day.  So, if you’re letting you hair grow and need instant gratification or just want a change of scenery in the mirror, try some clip in extensions.  Really, they’re fun!

{This is not me, but I love this before and after shot!  From here}

Who’s tried them and what did you think?

I usually have some obsession for the week that turns on my creative juices and leads to great words of fashion wisdom.  But, this week….I’ve got nothin’.  The only thing that this week has taught me is that sometimes oldies really are the goodies.  Maybe this was the God of Fashion’s week to reconfirm a few truths in my life.    Honestly, here are my “random fashion truths for the week”

1.)  Preparation H is a great eye de-puffer and it’s okay to admit it.  If Jennifer Aniston does, it. then it should be good enough for us.  Right?

2.)  Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Blackest Black is still the best.  No contest.

3.)  If you are coloring your hair dark, just do it out of a box.  Really.  So much more convenient and cheaper.  Clairol Perfect 10 Dark Brown forever!

4.)  Double sided Scotch tape works just as well as it’s more expensive counterparts for all those don’t-need-a-wardrobe-malfunction moments.

5.)  Foot Petals.  Foot Petals.  Foot Petals.

What are your beauty and fashion never-goes-out-of-style truths?

As summer comes to an end, my search for a bronzer/blush combo begins. I’m normally quite pale, but in the warmer months my freckles become accentuated, and I look as though as I have a bit of color in my face. However, when the season changes and my freckles fade, I’m back to looking ghostly. This year I’ve decided to invest in some bronzer to brighten my face. These are some of my choices:

Philosophy The Supernatural Mineral Blush Duo

Benefit 10

NARS Highlighting/Bronzing Blush Duo

Do you have any bronzer/blush combination recommendations?

Since I was a teenager, one of my monthly must-reads has been Shape magazine. There’s nothing like it for motivating met to get my butt off the couch and onto the treadmill. So when the folks at Shape offered a special sneak peek of their annual Shape of Beauty awards–hitting news stands this week!–I just had to share it with my gals here at EAD Living!

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{Amanda Pratt}

You don’t have to be a desert dweller to feel the effects of summer on your beauty routine! When the mercury rises, it takes all my strength not to crank up the A/C, collapse on the couch, and stay there ’til Labor Day. But I’ve found a few products that make me feel less like an extremely wilted flower and more like…well…a partially wilted flower.

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Okay, so some of you may not even get the joke in the title. For all of us that remember the 80’s, you know what I’m talking about. White Rain was the premiere hairspray of the 80’s and early 90’s. It cost maybe $2.00 at the drug store and if you added some Wet N Wild pink lip gloss and blue eyeliner you were instantly cool. I still actually love Wet N Wild lip liner number 666 (I once read that Heather Locklear wears it too) , but beyond that my tastes have significantly become more “sophisticated” through the years.

As a self-proclaimed bargain shopper, it’s been hard for me to accept this fact. I never wanted to be that woman that just had to have my (fill in the blank) to feel put together. But, alas, there are just those things that I can’t live without. In no particular order, here are my faves from the beauty department that are worth the green.

Arbonne self-tanner: No streaks. No tanning spray smell. Perfect golden brown.

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Looking for a great homemade body scrub for yourself or to give as a gift? Here’s my recipe for Lemonade Body Scrub with a sugar and almond oil base. I used a recycled glass jar and organic ingredients to make this a great eco friendly gift!

Step One: Gather your ingredients and tools.

Cane Sugar
Brown Sugar
Baking Soda
Sea Salt
Lemon Essential Oil
Sweet Almond Oil
Almond Extract
Vitamin E capsules (optional)

Food Processor
Mixing Bowl
Glass container, recycled

Step Two: Sterilize your glass container by placing the jar (without lid) in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Using tongs, remove it from the water and place on towel to cool down. Glass will crack under extreme temperature changes, so don’t run cold water over the jar before or after boiling it! If you have a sticky label, put a little dish soap into the water and it will bubble the paper and adhesive right off.

Step Three: Mix the following dry ingredients together in a food processor or coffee grinder for a minute or two.

3 Tablespoons Cane Sugar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt (optional)

Step Four: Add the following wet ingredients and stir until evenly distributed.

2 Tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
20 drops lemon oil
2 capsules Vitamin E (optional, puncture and squeeze into mixture)

Step Five: Carefully spoon the scrub into the container. Seal the jar, and store out of direct sunlight. Scrub will stay good for 4-6 months.

A few notes….The scrub is a little too coarse for your face, so don’t use it on fragile skin. The lemon oil will lightly scent your skin, and you can switch it out for any other scent. If you have nut allergies, you can switch out the almond oil with olive oil.

Originally posted at Honeysuckle Life.

Seems like every spring, usually around late April, I start to notice it.   Something just seems off.  I’m following my usual makeup routine, concealer, foundation, blush and so on, but the end result is less than ideal.  This goes on for a few days and then it hits me.  It’s spring.  Gone are the dark days of winter.  Sun is actually shining down on me!   It’s time to put away the old foundation and bust out the new.

The right foundation color and texture really is the key to any look.  Whether your going for natural or glam, if your back drop for color is off, everything else will be too.   Here are my tips for getting rid of the winter “mask.”

1.  Choose a formula that works with your skin type  during these hot months:

Oily- Oil-Free Liquid foundation is great for summer.  It absorbs oil and provides moderate coverage.

Normal to Dry- Tinted moisturizers are great.  They are very hydrating and light weight.  Stick foundations also work well and give more coverage.

Dry to very Dry- Tinted face balm is awesome.  Gives intense hydration and a dewy finish.  Bobbi Brown makes a great face balm.

2.  Choose a color with yellow undertones.  I know this sounds weird, but very few people can wear a pink undertone foundation well.  It will end up making you “chalk-y.”

3.  Test several shades.  The right color will blend into your jawline.  You won’t have to work at making it work.

4.  If you are in between two shades, either buy both and mix or choose the one that is the closest match to your forehead.  Most women’s foreheads are a bit darker than the rest of the face, this is the best choice for all over.

5.   Remember the purpose of foundation is not to cover up, but to even out.  You may not have to apply all over your face.  If just your cheeks are ruddy, focus there.