Trend Alert: Bright Lipstick

For as long as I've been wearing makeup, I've never been a huge fan of lipstick. I always equated it to older ladies that smelled of pungent rose. But now that I'm older, I'm beginning to see the beauty in lipstick. It has a sort of sophistication you can't get from sticky lip gloss. This spring, bright lipstick is a huge trend for women young and old.

 If you've got medium toned skin like me, go for a coral shade.

Or, if you have fair skin, a bright pink complements your skin well.

If you have dark skin, lipsticks in purple tones are your best match.

If you are trying this trend, just remember to make your lips the only focal point on your face (i.e. minimal eye makeup and blush).

Beauty Find: Vitamin E

I've known about this trick for a while, so I thought I'd share since I tried it again last night.

I have minor skin issues. You know, minor acne, acne marks, uneven tones, dullness....and I've searched tirelessly for something that would give me that glowy look a lot of women are lucky enough to be born with. So I searched online for DIY facial treatments, masks, etc.. and came across vitamin E. Simple enough, just get a bottle of vitamin E capsules and apply the gel to your face every night. Vitamin E moisturizes, speeds up the skin's renewal process, and helps protect against damage from free radicals.

So I tried it. I bought the cheap, Kroger brand capsules. Admittedly, it does get a little messy. The gel is sticky and kind of hard to spread, although I've read that you can mix the vitamin E gel with olive oil to make it spread more easily, and the olive oil also helps make your skin more absorbent. I've never tried it with olive oil, though. The number of capsules you'll need depends on the size of your face, I only use two. Just pop the capsules with a needle or cut the ends off, spread the gel on your face, and leave it overnight.

For me, the results are evident after one use. Yes, my face is still sticky when I wake up, but it appears more even, smooth, and has a very apparent glow to it. Since I only cleanse my face at night, I just washed most of the gel off with water so it would leave a slight, moisturizing residue throughout the day. I imagine that if I make this a part of my nightly routine, my skin will look pretty great after a few weeks.

Try it and let me know how it goes for you?

Hiatus Over

Obviously, I took a longgggggg break from blogging. It's been a crazy few months and honestly, I lost motivation to keep this going. But, I got it back and I'm going to try my hardest not to let this go under the radar again. I'll try to post at least once or twice a week, if my schedule allows it. I'm glad to be back though!!

DIY Success! Dip-Dyed Rope Necklace

While perusing Pinterest, I stumbled upon a great DIY idea with some rope and dye. It looked easy enough and it's super cute, so I gave it a go. I didn't have actual dye so I used some left over spray paint.

Original:

My version:

I like how the dye in the original took to the rope better obviously, but I'm happy with my results. Head over to Bromeliad to see the tutorial, it's a great one!

xoxo Sasha

'Andy' Is Short for Andrew....Or Andrea?

Actually, it's short of ANDROGYNOUS.

I seriously love the growing acceptance for gender ambiguity nowadays. I see it a lot at IU, since it's such a liberal hoo-hah and all. But I especially love seeing it in fashion. Prime example? Burberry Prorsum's Spring/Summer 2013 Menswear line. The season's colorful metallics blend well with the impeccable tailoring.

 : Men CAN wear fuchsia without looking like a washed-out frat boy with a popped collar.

 : Mixing prints that look like they belong on a summer dress...I LOVE IT. I really wish more guys were willing to wear this kind of clothing, it would make looking at them SO much more interesting ;)

 : A masculine suit with a tote to balance the testosterone out.

 : A jacket that I would love to wear myself.

 : Perfect.

 : While I'm not a fan of the fabric choice in the shirt (reminiscent of bad show choir dresses), I like the pop of color. Great twist on the classic suit.















Conclusions: I think men should stop being afraid of color and looking like their sexuality is in question (WHICH, I respect gay men for their sense of style). I've heard tons of men complain about not having as many options in fashion as women. Well take a look at Burberry! Lots of great inspiration in just this season. Check out the rest of the line at Burberry's site.

xoxo Sasha

Tribal Instincts

I'm madly in love with everything tribal nowadays. Bags, shoes, shorts, shirts.....and nails!
Inspiration:

Last night I was hit by a wave of boredom and tried this trend myself. Results:

The design's a bit out there with the random green nail, but I like the overall effect! And since I didn't have a black nail art pen, I used a regular fine-tip paint marker I had lying (laying?) around.

Long story short, my nails are ready for this friday night's Keane concert in Chicago! AHHH!!!

xoxo Sasha

DIY Success! Neon Toe Caps

I finally finished these shoes! I'm really happy with the outcome. Hooray for recycling hideous dance shoes!

I just used basic masking tape, spray paint in neon yellow, and a lotttttttt of patience! I can't wait to wear them out and have the satisfaction of saying "I made them myself".

xoxo Sasha