Beauty

The Accent Nail

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A recent trend in manicures has been the accent nail, when the ring finger is painted a different color than the rest.

Since I was heading out of town for the weekend, I was tempted to do something bright and fun with my nails. Nothing in the winter collection seemed to match my mood/the amazing weather. I had a few remaining nail strips from Sally Hansen in Glitz Blitz, which I paired with Essie’s Cute as a Button. It was also a great way to use up those pesky nail strips, as they come in a pack of sixteen.


I was really happy with how it turned out and I loved how well the gold sparkle and the pink went together. The accent nail is a great way to add a special touch to an otherwise simple manicure.

What do you think? Do you like the accent nail trend? What’s currently on your nails?

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Less is More

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Whether it’s a simple morning beauty routine…

or a leisurely afternoon spent with a good book, a cup of tea, and a pastry..

Less really is so much more, don’t you think?

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo DaVinci

Week in Review

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The weather has been absolutely b-e-a-utiful this week; we’re talking 70 degrees and not a cloud in sight. Even though it has been a mild winter, I had forgotten what the sun felt like and let me say it feels so, so good. I just hope that this isn’t a tease and that spring is here to stay. Fingers crossed, right?

Other than the weather, here’s a look at some of things that have made my week.

JK Rowling announces her next novel, for adults – I have ridiculously high expectations for this novel, but can you blame me? The Harry Potter series is certainly tough to live up to, but I’m sure whatever the subject matter is it will be a great book. Even though it lacks a title, I’ve already added it to my GoodReads to-read list. (Excited, much?)

How Pinterest Helped Clean a House – and Save a Marriage – I love reading feel good, human interest stories and this one is no exception- except for the fact that Pinterest plays a major part in it. Just a nice reminder that social media sites can often be so much more than just a way to spend your time.

Pastel Yellow Dress– Hi, my name’s Ami and I’m addicted to pastels. Seriously, my closet is full of them. I’ve been doing a good job of weaning myself off of them after nearly having an intervention while shopping for my brother’s wedding. (I think I did good, don’t you?) But there’s something about light, sweet colors that gets me. Every. Single. Time.

Philosophy’s Vanilla Birthday Cake Lip Shine – Lip gloss + vanilla cake scent = amazing. If I can resist the urge to lick it off because it smells so divine, it leaves my lips moisturized and offers a neutral shine to boot.

What’s caught your eye this week? Do share!

HelloGiggles

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I follow a lot of blogs and websites, and enjoy reading the interesting articles they have to offer. A new site was recently added to my rotation: HelloGiggles.

HelloGiggles, a website mainly centered around/for women, immediately caught my attention because of the variety of content.  The site, which was created by actress Zooey Deschanel, Molly McAleer, and Sophia Rossi, touches on the different interests that appeal to women today.

The topics range from beauty, recipes, cuteness (seriously), entertainment, and a section titled Women Working to do Good. They also discuss social issues facing women and society as a whole. (It was actually an article on HelloGiggles that inspired this post.)

It has become the site I go to for a pick me up. It offeres me a giggle or two, but even more than that it is inspiring to read stories about everyday independent, and creative women. The articles are well-crafted, witty, and informative.

Here are some of my favorite articles:

Women Working to Do Good: Hannah Bencher 

Help! I’m addicted to Chipotle! 

Learning how to love the staycation

What are some of your favorite sites? Why do you like them?

From Rags to Riches

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As a follow up to my Blogger to Business post, I just wanted to share this article from Women’s Wear Daily. One of my favorite bloggers, Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere, will now be Estee Lauder’s digital and social media guest editor.

This is incredible to me because Schuman used to be a sales associate at Teen Vogue, and is now a soon to be published author and working with one of the most popular brands in beauty all because of her blog! She also is speaking at SXSW and Independent Fashion Bloggers conference in NYC. All this because of a blog she started one day, highlighting her favorite things, food and fashion.

Why her and not any other blogger? Why is she the one blog that I have to read every morning, no matter what? Is it her simple writing style, or the amazing pictures she takes, or the creative ideas she has? Whatever it is, it’s certainly working for her, and now Estee Lauder. I’ve never owned anything from the brand, but could be convinced to buying something. (True confession: She is the reason I have the iPhone case that I do.)

She is well on her way to creating her own Cupcakes and Cashmere brand and I have a feeling that this partnership is just the tip of the iceberg on what is to come. I look forward to saying I remember the time when Schuman was just a blogger!

Essie Nail Polish

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I am a total girly girl. I love all things girly – the color pink, earrings, dresses, you name it. The one thing I never really got into was nail polish. I liked the concept of it, but didn’t understand why it kept chipping after a mere few days. Who had the patience to change their nail color that often?

A few months ago I learned about Essie. I loved their polishes because they had fun colors and it lasted a while. Plus, all Essie polishes are formaldehyde free. But at $8 per bottle, I couldn’t swipe up every color even though I wanted to.

Solution: The Essie Winter Collection

For $11 I was able to sample 4 colors from Essie’s 2011 Winter Collection: Bangle Jangle, Cocktail Bling, Size Matters, and Bobbing for Baubles. The mini-bottles are adorable and much, much easier for me to apply (read: no smudges).

These collections are for every season, so you can expect Essie’s Spring Collection to pop up in a few months! Take a sneak peek at all their new spring colors here.

Do you like Essie and/or nail polish in general?

Beauty Products

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I have been lucky enough to be blessed with some good skin. Other than the occasional pimples every once in a while, I have no problems or complaints. I still used MAC’s StudioFix as a way to give my skin a uniform look. But it wasn’t until last month when I discovered tinted moisturizer.

What is tinted moisturizer? It is a lightweight formula that adapts to the color of your skin, giving you a finished and glowy look. They also have SPF, to help with anti-aging.

I am currently using Origins’ Vita Zing tinted moisturizer. I have recently become a big fan of Origins products as they are all natural.

I use Vita Zing Moisturizer  for days when I am out and about, running errands, or get togethers with family and friends. I apply MAC Studio Fix for work, birthdays, parties, and nights out. Revlon ColorStay is for special occasions such as weddings, engagements, etc.

Do you use tinted moisturizer? What is your favorite brand?

(P.S. Some of my other favorite Origins products are Cheeks and Balances face wash and Modern Friction. If you don’t want to buy their products right away, go to your nearest store and ask for a sample. They are very generous!)

Sparkly Nails

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I wanted to try something festive and different with my nails this holiday season. I went into Ulta (armed with some coupons) and came across Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects. They ran out of the holiday inspired strips, but I picked up these sparkly gold ones instead.

My attempt at creating a new manicure trend..or just being my klutzy self?

They are nail polish strips that you peel and then place on your nails. It comes with a wooden pick (to push back your cuticles) and a nail file to smoothen the strips out. The strips come in different sizes so that they fit each nail.

I felt like it was pretty tedious to put on. But once it was smoothed over, they stayed on pretty well. It is supposed to last for a few weeks and I am hoping it does.

I found it odd that it comes with only 16 strips. So you can only use them on your hands or your feet, not both.

What is on your nails right now? What is your favorite manicure style?

Treat Yourself

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The problem I’ve faced since starting this blog and also following other bloggers (Cupcakes and Cashmere, Matchbook Magazine, Glitter Guide to name a few) is that I want everything they post about.  Not good!

Last year, I bought myself the Amazon Kindle for Christmas and I absolutely love it.

Thanks to my new favorite blogs I have many contenders for this year’s Christmas present to myself. (We are doing a family Secret Santa courtesy of Elfster and I already have that wish list squared away.)

Here they are:

I desperately need a new pair of flats and I love the Tory Burch revas.

Since my current iPhone cover is a white fabric that has gotten dirty, I want to upgrade to this sparkly Kate Spade case.

I am absolutely loving this copy of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre that has been turned into an iPhone charging dock. Such a clever and decorative twist on a practical item. Check out their other designs on Etsy here.

What is on your Christmas wish list?

Also, being that it is the season of giving you can find my favorite gift guides for donations here and here.

Friday Favorites

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Why do weeks before a long and fun weekend always seem to drag? Whatever the reason, this has been a good week: I’ve posted in my blog every day! It feels great to be writing again, especially about things that interest me as well as having my own little space to be creative in any way I wish.

Labor Day always signals the end of summer for me, despite being done with school. I’m headed out of town tomorrow and I’m excited for one last summer hurrah.

And now to borrow from one of my favorite bloggers, Cupcakes and Cashmere on this Friday, I will be sharing pictures about things that have made me happy this week.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

My first Essie nail polishes: on the left is Turquoise and Caicos and the right is Cute as a Button.

Sweet potato fries baking in the oven. Recipe to follow next week.

My Pikake Lei candle makes my room smell wonderful and transports me back to Hawaii.

My trinity bracelets that I picked up in New York earlier this year. They taught me that  a little contrast is always good.

There is no better afternoon pick-me-up than a cup of ginger chai and banana nut bread.