My Secret to Super Soft Skin!!

So, with colder weather approaching...we all know that means, dry skin & chapped lips :( boo! But I wanted to share my skincare routine during the colder months (I actually tend to do this all year round lol..but it REALLY helps during the fall/winter) To be honest, my routine isn't some top secret regimen. But it's just what I do, & it really does help my skin stay super soft & polished! I will list the actual products I use but anything similar will work just fine.

What you need:

*an exfoliator

*baby/body oil

*a skin firming lotion

*a terry/fleece robe


Directions:

*While showering, use your exfoliator to scrub off all dead skin cells on your body. During the colder seasons, our hands & feet tend to get really dry from being exposed to the cold air..so be sure to pay special attention to those areas. (side note: I usually only use this step & the exfoliating body wash once a week)

*After showering, dry off your body but make sure your skin is still somewhat moist w/ water. Take your baby/body oil & rub it thouroughly all over your body. I like to pay special attention to my legs & arms with the oil to keep my skin really nice & soft!

*Next, take your body firming lotion & use that over the oil & all over your body as well to seal it in.

*Be sure to wrap up in a soft terry/fleece robe. This helps absorb any extra oil or lotion on your body! I usually leave it on while doing my hair & makeup to really help lock in the moisture for my skin.


& that's it! So simple :) & I can guarentee you will notice a difference. I loved doing this so much that I also continue to do this in the Summer especially cause my skin gets soo dried out from the sun & swimming! Everything is SO inexpensive but honestly works wonders when use all together! & you will end up with beautiful super soft skin! LOVE <3


OH! & for dry, chapped lips my miracle & go-to product is Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub! I swear by this stuff. Its made with sugar so it tastes yummy & smells great too. Whenever my lips feel extra dry OR if I know I'm going to be using a drying matte type lipstick I use this beforehand. Just make sure you moisturize your lips afterwards w/ a chapstick or lip balm. Right now my favorite has been Neutrogena's Revitalizing Lip Balm. It's an $8 lip balm!!! But I really think it's worth the price, its soooo moisturing, tastes & smells good too. But, any type will work just as well :)

 

Hope you girls like this post :) let me know if you have any other good skincare routines or products I should know about ;) xoxo

<3Natalie

Snack Attack: Warm Apple Toast

I'm all about healthy eating but I do admit I have a reallllly bad sweet tooth. & I hate denying my cravings lol! If you're looking for a quick yummy snack idea that'll warm you up on a cold afternoon or satisfy your sweet tooth after dinner, you've got to make this delicious apple toast. Simple to make, you only need four ingredients!

Ingredients:

* 1 slice whole wheat bread
* 1 tablespoon all natural peanut or almond butter
* Half a medium apple, cored & sliced
* Sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat toaster oven to 350° F.
2. Smear the nut butter on the bread. Top with sliced apples & a sprinkle of cinnamon.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the apples are slightly soft.

So quick & easy! Not to mention yummy :) ENJ0Y!

Super Easy DIY Beautifying Treatments

I admit I absolutely love being pampered & enjoying professionally done fancy facials & beauty treatments. (I mean...WHO doesn't lol?) But, girls, let's face it sometimes..no matter what the reason..we just can't enjoy such luxuries as "often" as we'd like! But what if I told you that you could get the same beauty results with stuff that you have in your kitchen cabinets right now? Sounds too good to be true right? Well, I researched several beauty expert "at-home skincare" recommendations & wanted to share them with you lovely ladies. :)


Anti-aging guru Dr. Josie L. Tenore is all about the easy & effective egg white facial. Simply whip up 2 egg whites until frothy, apply to the face & let it sit for 15 minutes for a rejuvenating, anti-aging, anti-wrinkle mask.

Get feet nice & smooth with Benardett K. Jno-Finn’s simple foot exfoliator. The founder of Senica Naturals suggests creating a footbath with your used coffee grinds. Not only will you get a great scrub, but the coffee acts as a natural deodorizer. & it will prevent your feet from falling asleep!

Emilie Davidson Hoyt, founder of Lather.com, recommends an easy way to reveal fresh, clear skin. Simply combine 1 cup fresh pineapple, 1/2 cup fresh papaya, 1/2 cup fresh orange, and 1/2 teaspoon honey. Purée in blender. Leave on skin 5-10 minutes. Rinse off with cool water. The gentle fruit peel contains natural enzymes & alpha-hydroxy acids that help to remove dead skin cells.

On the road without your body scrub or exfoliator? Traveling business guru & mom Carol Margolis is on the case with an easy exfoliant. Add white or raw sugar to the lotion provided by the hotel. Rub the mixture on your body just before showering to remove flaky skin.

Hope these easy DIY suggestions help you girls out! Let me know if you have any other homemade treatments you like to use yourself...I'd love to try them out too :) Have a great day!

$10,500 Dollar Embroidered Skirt By Balmain!

Embroidered Silk Chiffon skirt from Balmain – $10,540.00

Wow! That's alot of money for a skirt...smh.

The "Lethal Love" Manicure!

There were tons of hot new nail trends at Fashion Week Spring 2012. Here is one of my fav’s from the Jen Kao Show:

It's called the "Lethal Love" manicure! I love how funky & different the look is!

“It’s a very dangerous, lethal person with a feminine, soft side,” explained manicurist Wanda Ruiz for CND (Creative Nail Designs). To get these ombré-style nails at home, Ruiz recommends you paint the brand’s Inkwell or Oil Slick polish as a base, starting from the cuticle and blending out toward the center. Next apply a saturated color, such as Anchor Blue, Green Scene, Rouge Red, or Midnight Sapphire (which are the exact shades featured at the show), & immediately finish with a topcoat to diffuse the colors together!

SO FiERCE!

What do you think of this look? I'm hoping there's an "easier" way to achieve this without having to use CND polishes only...any ideas???

gorgeous...

While browsing through the D&G Spring 2012 collection this look caught my attention. I have to say...I'm feeling it! The entire look to me is soo chic & just screams fashionista! It makes me think of being at a fabulous resort & sipping tropical drinks near the pool...lol! LOVE it. :)

Versace Spring 2012

The ocean is what inspired Donatella Versace for this collection. I immediately fell in love with the colors, patterns, cuts (ok...basically EVERYTHING..lol) of these pieces! By adding seashells, starfish, seahorses, & fish on a series of dresses & chic separates, this collection gave off a beautiful whimsical persona.

Black & whites set the foundation, as pale blues, purples, greens, & yellows played on the beautiful oceanic patterns.

Stud embellishments brought select garments to life, either patterned on bodices or waistbands.

Accessories included funky studded handbags & signature skyhigh platform sandals decorated with sea creatures. (How amazing are these shoes?!?)



View the rest of the collection after the jump :)

Fall Fashion

I featured these boots in a previous post. But I loved them soo much they inspired to create a simple Fall look with them! By now, you must know LEOPARD is my guilty pleasure O_o haha..

OOTD - Wedding!

This past Friday, my boyfriend & I attended a friend of ours wedding. It was absolutely beautiful & such a great time! Just wanted to share a pic of us & list what I was wearing :) Bare with me while I start doing more OOTD's & FOTD's lol...as you can see I am a beginner! 0:)

Dress: Factory by Erik Hart

Shoes: Aldo

Watch: Marciano

(not shown: I also paired this look w/ a gold Coach clutch)

 Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend <3

xo,Natalie

5 Beauty Products for this Fall!

1.) Royal blue or deep purple shadow &/or liner.

With not being able to wear many bright colors in the Fall season...These colors easily spice up any makeup look & practically looks good on every skin tone! I love using these shades for a pop of color to my basic makeup looks. They also look amazing with a nice black or grey smokey eye.

More Laura Mercier...

2.) An exfoliate.

With cooler temps approaching our skin can start becoming very dry & dull. An exoliator can really bring out your natural glow & prep your skin for a flawless makeup application. Just make sure to moisturize really well afterwards!..Trust me, your skin will look better than ever ;)

More Bliss...

3.) Dark nail polish. (my favorite for Fall/Winter ^_^ )

Other than being able to wear cute cozy clothes & layers for warm weather..being able to wear my DARK polishes get me excited for Fall (hahaha...I know it's the "little" things in life ;P ) This year I'm loving dark purples, blues, greens, browns, & black but all with a hint of different colors of shimmer/glitter. So fun!!

More Butter London...

4.) Bronzer.

Keep rocking that healthy looking glow into the next season by using a good bronzer. Be sure to find a good shade that matches your complexion & DON'T over due it :) Snooki is my girl & I will forever love her but keep that ULTRA BRONZED look to her!!! Lol 0:) I use bronzer more for contouring my face & it gives me a nice subtle glow. If using a bronzer for contouring..just make sure it has no glitter or sparkles in it & it's a nice matte shade.

More NYX...

5.) Berry/Plum lipstick & gloss.

Berry & plum shades are the perfect go to color for Fall. These shades have the ability to be flattering on just about everyone! Plus there are soo many different hues to choose from. Just make sure when using a darker color on your lips to keep your eyes and the rest of your face makeup more natural.  This will really make your lips pop & keep you from looking like a clown!!

More NARS...

Will you be using any of these types of products this season? I'd love to hear any other recommendations or tips!! Hope everyone is having a great week :)

xo, Natalie - - follow me on Twitter

My Pick for Emmy's 2011 Best Dressed

This year the stars shined dressed in beautiful gowns for the 2011 Emmy's. After seeing what they all brought to the table (judging by head to toe looks) it was SO difficult to pick just ONE. But I came to decision on my best dressed to be....

Nina Dobrev!

Nina was dressed in a Donna Karen gown, Judith Leiber clutch, & Neil Lane Jewelry. Everyone looked so gorgeous..but I honestly thought she looked absolutely stunning! I'm sure everyone has their own opinion on who was best dressed :) (so this is just my opinion, lol) From the dress, to the simple jewelry, her hair & makeup...this is definitely my style & what I would wear. Red is such a classic color but the dress' shape & cut really made it modern & brought it to life.

What do you think of her dress? & who were your favs for best dressed at the Emmy's?



*Fall 2012 Shoe Trends*

1. Colors

2. Exotic/Snake Prints

3. Man Tailored

4. Leopard

5. Sparkle

I'd love to hear what some of your favorites are this season?! Do any of these fit your style & taste?

WiSH LiST



Just a few things I've had my eye on for the Fall :)



L0VE...

I immediately fell in LOVE with this piece by Badgley Mischka from their Spring 2012 RTW Collection. From the color to the sexy but elegant sheer skirt...it's perfection.

Nail Polish Haul!

With Summer being over & Fall moving in...I decided to pick up some new Fall polish colors. Of course, I couldn't pick JUST one...it's known, that I have an obsession with buying nail polishes & changing the color of my nails if not weekly, every few days. Lol smh...which is why I prefer to do my own nails :)  I also had to pick up another bottle my absolute favorite top coat Seche Vete. But here's everything I got (side note: the photos didn't come out as well as I hoped! & most are NOT true to color :( So below I tried my best to describe each color to what they actually look like):

left to right: Revlon - Facets of Fuchsia, OPI - Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ, MAC - Style Clan, Essie - Power Clutch, Essie - Dive Bar, Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

I just now painted my nails using Facets of Fuchsia. & let me tell you, the photo def does not do this color justice! It's actually a black polish with specks of large & small pieces of fuchsia glitter. So pretty!! I already can tell I'm going to be using this color often :)

Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ a very deep red..it actually looks like BBQ sauce when I tested it at home haha. But I really love dark shades of red for the fall, so versatile & pretty for any outfit.

Style Clan is a funky color that immediately caught my eye! It's a khaki olive green color with copper glitter. I love that it's so unique & not an everyday shade you see all the time.

Power Clutch is a concrete grey color. I can't wait to paint my nails this color & off set it with tons of gold rings & gold jewelry. I know it sounds "mis-matchy" but I love being different & sometimes doing the opposite of what goes together ;) lol

Dive Bar is a very dark shimmery turquoise. In the light it changes from a dark blue to a teal green. Somewhat reminds me of peacock feathers. Lovely color!

What do you think of the shades I chose? What are some of your favorite nail polish colors to rock during the Fall?

Also, I wanted to thank everyone for visiting my blog & all the sweet comments! I appreciate each & every one <3 Writing for this blog is just a hobby of mine..so when I get such great responses it really brightens my day! So, THANK YOU! xoxo

<3 Natalie ~ follow me on Twitter