Monday, December 30, 2013

Easy Chocolate "Mousse" with Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

Psych!  I'm fooling you big time with this "mousse."  Hence the quotation marks.  The French fellow who invented mousse is spinning in his grave at my very liberal interpretation of mousse.  Désolé Monsieur!  But I think most desserts are better if they involve marshmallows.  It's a deep flaw in my character.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

December Beauty Favorites

Here we are again my friends!  Talkin' beauty at the end of the month.  I considered doing a Best of 2013 post but I felt it was best to stick with my usual monthly favorites instead.  It just felt right guys.  Let's begin!  

The Body Shop Mango Eau de Toilette

Welp, I've got a thing for The Body Shop these days, huh?  After falling madly in love with the Satsuma Body Spray, I couldn't help myself from getting a mango version too.  The Eau de Toilette is slightly heavier and seems to have a hint of vanilla too.  Again, I like to layer it with my Chloe perfume and on weekends, I usually wear it on it's own.  I smell like fruit at all times.  

Rimmel Match Perfection in True Ivory
Becca Line and Pore Corrector Primer

After discovering the L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder (and still loving it!), I still wanted to find something slightly more dewy and natural for days when I'm not so concerned with a "full face."  I'm totally in love with this Rimmel foundation because it's light coverage and really sits like a second skin.  I apply it with a stippling brush and it's the perfect dewy natural finish.

As far as primers go, I generally don't reach for them on a daily basis but I've noticed my pores around my nose become a bit more prominent lately (a truly ridiculous thing to notice, I know) so I've started dabbing a bit in the area to blur things a little. I spotted this primer on Modnique for a great price (and I've been wanting to try a Becca product for awhile) so I snatched it up.  It applies super smooth and silky and it's oil-free which is certainly what I need since I'm prone to oily skin.  

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed 
Real Techniques Setting and Blush Brushes 

Oh Tarte!  I've succumbed to the hype and finally bought an Amazonian Clay Blush and I chose the shade Exposed.  It's such a perfect everyday shade.  It's a mild pink shade (how many times can I say the word 'shade'?) with some warm brown undertones and it suits me so well.  I can see why people love these so much too.  So well pigmented and easy to apply as well as really long lasting.  

I'm a Real Techniques fan through and through so when I saw a sale at Ulta on these brushes, I didn't hesitate.  I use the large one to apply brush (aptly named the blush brush, duh) and the small brush is absolutely perfect for setting under-eye makeup.  
Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer

I think I'm just a walking cliche at this point because I definitely snatched up the Naked 3 palette as soon as it was released.  Now, I don't think it surpasses my love for the Lorac Pro Palette but I really like how unique the shades are in the Naked 3 palette.  There are lots of rosy pinks and rose golds and, I'll admit, it takes some doing to get used to it at first.  It's easy to go a bit overboard and look sickly if you're not careful.  But with the right balance, these shades can be quite flattering and feminine.  

Despite having bought my Lorac Pro Palette a few months ago, I'm STILL working through the eye primer.  So far, this is the best eye primer I've ever used.  It makes shadows look vibrant, it's still easy to blend, and it truly lasts me 10-12 hours without creasing.  Considering I have oily lids, that's quite the feat.
Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 103
NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair

Not quite the winter shades, I admit.  But with the Naked 3 palette, it seemed like my lips needed a softer look so I've found myself reaching for this combination.  I dab a little of the lipstick onto my lips (because duh) and blend really well with my ring finger (instead of just slathering a layer on right from the tube) and follow up with a swipe or two of gloss.  Touch ups throughout the day are as easy as re-applying gloss.  Such an easy soft and feminine look.  

As usual, you can find all my favorites by following my Pinterest Board.  So what are you favorites this month?  Talk my ear off! 

Sunday, December 22, 2013

The Holiday Face


Now's that time of year where a little glitter and shimmer is A-Ok, even if you're not a tween.  So let's a have a little fun and create some holiday makeup, shall we?  

Here are a few bits and bobs (<< Am I pulling off that phrase?  No?) that I think help to amp up a normal makeup routine without creating too much fuss.  
TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter

This is my highlighter of choice and it's no joke.  It has a beautiful sheen that catches light with a turn of the head.  I like to apply it to the tops of my cheekbones and just a touch on my cupid's bow and sometimes a dab in the center of my bottom lip.  It's subtle enough for every day wear but you could build it up a bit for a holiday party so you'll really glow in pictures.  
L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense

Is there any better occasion for a bold cat eye than the holidays?  I love this liner because the tip is the perfect combo of stiff but with slight flexibility to easily guide along the eye and deposit the super black formula.  I love that this sets matte since slick finishes can often look funny in pictures.  I find this formula plenty long-wearing but if you're looking for extra insurance, just follow it up with a bit of black eyeshadow to set.  


Now, when I wear a cat eye, I tend to leave the rest of my eye makeup pretty subtle, just doing some soft sculpting with some matte shadows.  However, a holiday look can handle just a touch of glitter.  This shadow looks dark in the pot but it's actually quite sheer and packed with mico-glitter.  It's a fun touch for a night out.  Word of warning though, some fallout is inevitable with this shadow.  
    
Maybelline Colorsensation in Red Revival
NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie
Milani Lip Liner in True Red

Ah yes, the lip.  Here's the place to make a statement.  And what better to go with a cat eye than a classic red lip?  For my skin tone, blue-toned reds are best and Maybelline's Red Revival is the perfect shade.  I think most makeup-obsessed gals have their "best red" so use one that works best with your skin tone.  When wearing a red lip, I like to take the extra step of lining my lips to ensure no color-bleeding happens and Milani's True Red lipliner gets the job done.  Any decent drugstore option will work and I'm willing to bet that Rimmel has a decent option too.  You could certainly leave your lips matte but I'm a gloss addict through and through so I love to follow it up with a swipe of NYX's Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie.  Such a class red with a subtle shine.  

So what are you wearing on your mug this holiday?

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Throwback Thursday

I'm the one in green velvet.

1.  There are SO many good Christmas photos that is was hard to settle on just one.  Mostly they're all so 90's fabulous.  I had a perm one year.  So yes, you could say I was very stylish.

2.  To someone unacquainted with my family, this photo may not make any sense because what is even going on there?  We're dressed up, standing on brown carpet with blue sheets draped in the back.  What is it even supposed to be?  Well if you guessed a "DIY-mock-JC Penny-style portrait taken in our living room," you would be correct.  Aaaannnnd I'm not sure we're fooling anyone.

3.  There's a strip of masking tape running up the forefront of the picture (which I guess my mom didn't realize was in the shot?) that was the guideline for where we were allowed to sit in front of the TV.  Nothing closer than the masking tape.  It isn't good for your eyes to be that close to a screen!  Meanwhile, I now spend 12 hours a day on a computer or iPhone.

4.  I also took that masking tape guideline VERY literally and thought that I had to sit exactly on the tape.  There was no room for interpretation.  So as the tape would wear away over time, my sister and I would attempt to fit ourselves on 4 inches of tape.

5.  This is photo 9,746,363 of my sister and I dressed like twins.  It's the Christmas edition.

6.  Do you think I could pull off that haircut now?

Monday, December 16, 2013

Cheddar Cranberry Soda Bread

So, upon making Cheddar Cranberry Soda Bread, I discovered that Eric is not a fan of cranberries.  At all.  But he's very much a fan of cheese and carbs.  Which means that while this bread started as an actual loaf, it ended as a lump in which the cheesey goodness on top was slowly picked off and all the cranberries were left behind.  

Very appetizing. 

Thursday, December 12, 2013

7 Things Making Me Happy This Week


1.  A very thoughtful gift from my little sister for my birthday means that my tree is now adorned with adorable ornaments of pie slices and tiramisu.  Perfect to christen my brand new tree!  

2.  Normally I find these "things I would tell my teenage self" lists sorta annoying but I actually liked this one quite a lot.  None of them are earth-shattering revelations but sometimes it's nice to read something like that as gentle reminders. 

3.  Gifting homemade cookie dough (in those adorable pints no less!) so genius!  I think I audibly "eeped!" when I saw this idea on Twitter.  

4.  No shocker here that I read a TON of beauty blogs and I'd like to think I've got a pretty firm grasp on the cat eye but Amelia Liana has the BEST post about it here.  So many unique tips.  I'm about to run out and purchase myself some post-it stickies right now!  Who am I kidding, I'll probably just try it with scotch tape.  

5.  This commercial guys.  It touched me in a real way.  GIRL POWER!  

6.  Oh look, I took another personality test, surprising no one.  I'm a "harmony-seeking idealist" according to my results and the line that I am "deeply hurt by criticism or rejection"is about 400% true.  I just want everyone to love me all the time ok?!  

7.  Well I could get lost in this graph for hours (first and only time I've ever said that).  According to that, Ann reached the height of it's popularity in the 1950s and Annie in the 1880s.  I guess I'm just an old soul.  And the name Mary held the #1 spot for 70 YEARS, from 1880 to 1950.  Jeez, way to be original America.  

What's making you happy this week?   

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudge with Toffee Peanuts

So I don't know about you guys but I'm actually not much of a fudge person.  At least I thought I wasn't.  Which is weird because I'll eat chocolate in almost any way, shape, or form.  But fudge has always been "meh" for me.  I guess I think it's a bit too rich for my blood which, again, I thought was sort of impossible when it came to chocolate.  

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Splurge vs. Save: Marc Jacobs Chronograph Watch

Ah yes, the elusive Marc Jacobs Chronograph Watch.  Well, elusive to me at least.  I've been pining over the Marc Jacobs watches for a few years.  At first, I was determined not to love them because I it seemed like everyone and their mother loved and had one.  But the more I saw them, the more I pined over them.

So let's get down to business:  The Marc Jacobs Henry Chronograph in Rose Gold is $275 and it's a thing of beauty.  I've had the pleasure of holding the watch in my hand and can attest that it feels like a well-made watch.  I've also had the displeasure of leaving the watch in the store because a watch like isn't in my budget.  Mamma's gotta eat.

The Merona Bracelet Watch in Rose Gold from Target is $19.99.  I happen to own this watch and while it's not of the caliber as it's predecessor, I quite enjoy it and get plenty of compliments when I wear it.  I think it looks great stacked with some bangle bracelets for a little extra punch.

In this case, I think a great watch can actually be a good investment.  This style is somewhat timeless (pun!) and it's easily something you could wear every day.  However, if you're like me, it may be out of your budget.  Target offers a fun and comparable alternative for a very attractive price.

Would you splurge or save?


Saturday, December 7, 2013

Printed Skirt: Two Ways

Sometimes it seems like a bold piece, like this printed skirt from Forever 21, can almost be too one-note.  When I have strong printed pieces, I tend to fall in the habit of styling them the same way each time I wear them and I categorize them strictly as "casual" or "dressy." I tried to step outside my comfort zone just a touch to style this printed skirt two ways.  


Casual Printed Skirt Style

H&M Denim Blouse
I think the easiest way to have a casual but still "pulled together" look is by wearing a denim shirt.  Here, the silhouette of the shirt (somewhat on the boxy side) pairs well with a slim fit pencil skirt.  

Steve Madden Holey Infinity Scarf in Maroon
Since the denim shirt and the printed skirt are both "neutrals" here, I figured a deeply colored scarf would add a bit pop but not compete with the boldness of the skirt.  

Lifestride Tempest Too Bootie 
Since this skirt is somewhat long, I think wearing a heel, even a small one, makes a big difference.  These heels are sturdy and low but still stylish and casual.  

Dressy Printed Skirt Style

H&M Yellow Silk Blouse
When considering a pairing to dress up this skirt, I wanted a color that was bold but not overwhelming. This mustard yellow is perfect with a black and white print and the silk is an extra touch of class.  

Charming Charlie Royal Rhinestone Necklace
Just because you're dressing up an outfit, there's no need to splurge on the jewelry.  A piece like this looks lush but costs $20.  The gold pairs beautifully with the mustard yellow and it adds just a touch of class to look professional.  

Javelin Oxford Heel
Of course, you could easily pair this look with some basic black pumps and be set but I loved the look of these oxford heels.  They're modest but surprisingly sexy and really prefect for colder months.  

How do you like to wear a bold skirt?


Thursday, December 5, 2013

7 Things Making Me Happy This Week


1.  How adorable is this teapot?! 

2.  This Buzzfeed article that the world isn't such a bad place.  #21, I died.  How adorable.  You better believe I would have eaten that up as a little girl.  

3. This blog.  I can't handle how fabulous these women are.   Such an inspiration to see women OWNING it at any age.  They know what's up.  

4.  Bath and Body Works Winter Candle.  I bought this candle MONTHS ago and strictly forebode burning it until after Thanksgiving.  It is the absolute perfect winter scent.  It smells woodsy and a little spicy and I wanna stock up for a lifetime supply.  

5.  This list of simple things to make us happy.  So true and something I could really stand to read and remember know and then.  

6.  Ok guys, I have mixed feelings about "puppy eyes."  We've all heard of "cat eye" makeup, yes?  Well this is sort of the opposite since you angle the eyeliner downward for a pouty full-eyed look.  But I think I have a visceral reaction to the idea of angling eyeliner downward.  Everything I know has taught me otherwise!  This may be a weekend experiment.  I'll report back with details.   

7.  Cannot wait to try these copycat Kind bars.   I wanna stock-pile these for a healthy grab-n-go snack (instead of some Nilla Wafers, 2 tortilla chips, a spoonful of peanut butter or a graham cracker).

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Throwback Thursday


I'm the one giving an enthusiastic thumbs up!

1.  I could start a whole new blog containing just pictures of me giving thumbs up.  From the ages of 6-11, I'd estimate 70% of photos involved me giving a thumbs up.  I was and still am very cool obviously.  

2.  My older sister and I shared a room and my little sister had her own (for reasons I never understood and was very vocal about).  However, she felt left out of sisterly things so every night we'd stick a tiny mattress between our two beds and she would sleep there.  Which is why this picture looks like we're all sleeping in a giant bed together like we're in Little House on the Prairie.  

3.  Full Disclosure: I've never seen Little House on the Prairie but I've gotta assume they all slept in some sorta of giant bed-type thing together, right?  Seems like something people did on a prairie.  

4.  Also, in the last few sentences I've spelled "prairie" like praiirie, prarie, paraie, and parrie but never prairie.  MY FINGERS WILL NOT COOPERATE.  

5.  I will keep that tiny dresser until the day I die.  It's been in my bedroom since the day I was born and it's literally been in my room every day since.  It's missing a knob and it's a little worse for wear but I love it.  

6.  Gracie's cheeks.  For real......

Monday, December 2, 2013

Crockpot Applesauce

I promise, I don't take you for a fool.  This recipe is barely a recipe at all.  I know that.  You know that.  We all know that.  But the thing is, I've only just got my hands on a crockpot so I'm discovering all the possibilities.  And all the basics.  

With so many delicious apples still around this time of year (HELLO Honeycrisps), it seemed like the perfect time time to grab a bunch and cook 'em for a reeaaall lloonnngg time.  And so I did.                 
Possibly the best thing about this recipe aside from it's amazing taste, is that there's only a total of 1/4 brown sugar for the whole recipe.  The apples provide plenty of sweetness on their own and every time I ate some I had to remind myself that the recipe is actually quite healthy, not an indulgence (even though it tastes like it).  
Now you could just eat this as a snack, like a warm chunky applesauce.  I did this.  I recommend it.  Or you could pour it over vanilla ice cream.  I did this.  I recommend it.  Or you could mix it into your oatmeal.  Yeah, did it.  Recommended.  Or your could whip it up in a blender with some almond milk and oats for an "apple pie" smoothie.  Uh huh.  Done.  You get the idea.  

Here's the recipe!  

Crockpot Applesauce 

Ingredients

  • 6 apples (I used Gala), peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
1.  Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the pot of your crockpot.  
2.  Cook on low 8 hours.  When done, stir slightly to break up the apples.  Serve warm or cold.  

Enjoy!  

Recipe Annie's City Kitchen original

Sunday, December 1, 2013

November Beauty Favorites

Settle in with a cup of tea my friends and get cozy.  It's monthly favorites beauty time!  I'm still loving all my October Beauty Favorites with the addition of the beauties below.  Let's start with smells!