No Concealing My Opinion

Aren't I a hoot?
 Anyhoo...
Let's be honest, I have deep set eyes and olive skin, so dark under-eye circles are a HUGE issue for me. So much so that I put on concealer both before AND after my foundation.

Because of this, I've been on the hunt for the perfect one for a while now, and have a few opinions to share with you.

The Contenders:

Benefit's "BOI-ING", MAC's "Studio Sculpt", Smashbox's "Camera Ready"

I'm comparing these 3 products because they're all around $20, all mid-range products, and I've used them all for a while now. I took pictures to show you the difference, but a close-up, make-up free, picture of my face is NOT pretty! Hah.

1st Place: Benefit's BOI-ING
Honestly, I've heard the hype forever, and have tried the erase paste before, but never bothered to try this one. Now I regret not trying it out sooner! It is a little thick, but I think that only helps with the coverage. If you warm it up between your thumb and forefinger first it goes on beautifully. It feels light and not cakey at all... And did I mention how much I love all of Benefit's packaging?

2nd Place: MAC's Studio Sculpt
This formula is lighter and creamier feeling than the "boi-ing" but i also feel like it gives slightly less coverage and rubs off a lot sooner. Using a concealer brush does help a bit with the coverage issue, but I did find myself reapplying it several times during the day, regardless.

3rd Place: Smashbox's Camera Ready
Smashbox always makes great products - I especially love their Photo Finish Primers - so I bought this one first with high hopes. This one is definitely the easiest to apply because it's in a handy little roll-up tube like a lipstick, but i also found that it was firmer because of this and required a little extra blending when it was applied. I also found that it gave the least coverage over-all and needed the most layers during application.

Does anyone else have concealer recommendations?
 
Please note that this review is personal opinion only. I have not been contacted by any of the above mentioned brands, nor have I received any product free of charge.

Clueless Pairings

Am I slow? Does anyone else not get/enjoy closet couture?

Back in 1995 when I first saw "Clueless" I was completely enamored with her computer based closet program. Still am actually. You'd think with all the crazy technological advances that have been made this past decade someone would have cashed in? Either way, I'm still on the hunt! If anyone has a recommendation, I'll take it.

Also, whatever happened to weardrobe?

And no, I don't consider polyvore an equivalent! As if! I like, totally need someone to tell me when I'm mismatched!

is that really a "mismatch"? i kinda like it... haha.

Until then though, randomly pulling combinations from my closet will have to do!

button down - Walmart (2011); vest - YDE (2009); jeans - American Eagle (2011); 

necklace - Stella & Dot (2011); boots - Thrifted (2008)

Other Ways I've Worn This Denim Button-Down...

Mother Nature is a Tease

This past weekend was just plain blah. Huge amounts of snow and crazy winds kept me in hibernation mode. While I did manage to get some laundry done and organize a few future blog posts, the rest of my weekend was pretty much a write off. Yay for hot cocoa and chick flicks!

Before we got the random dump of 6 inches of snow though, it was actually starting to feel a little like spring around these parts...

And nothing says "spring" like a sheer floral blouse!

blouse - Jacob (2010); jeans - Bluenotes (2012); belt - Dynamite (2010); 

wedges - Aldo "Mignona" (2010)

Ways I've Worn This Sheer Floral Blouse...

Getting ReOrganized!

Last weekend, while I was packing to head out of town for the long weekend, my walk-in closet collapsed on my head.

While no bodies or shoes were injured, it left me pretty upset - who knew I had so many clothes that the weight of them would cause such a disaster?

 

my poor closet half-way through the clean out. Notice the bar on the floor? :(

So after reinforcing the structure of the closet, I thought it was time to purge & reorganize. 

The result?

 

 While it looks like a jumble, I assure you, it's organized!

1. I folded all my sweaters, pants, and tank tops, and put them on the top shelf. I divided them up with very inexpensive shelf dividers from Storage Solutions.
2. All my large bags were also put on the top shelf, and the same dividers were used to make them stand upright.
3. Tall boots also made their way to the top shelf, and rolled up magazines were used to help them keep their shape. 
4. Belts, scarves (which used to be shoved in a drawer!), and smaller bags, are now all hanging where I can see them for easy access. I was so surprised how many different types of hangers you can get, and all for only a few bucks!
5. The left side hold all my tops, coats, and layering pieces organized by type and weight. I'm not the type of person who has a "summer" and "winter" wardrobe to swap out... although maybe I should be?
6. The right side holds dresses and skirts. I'm sure I'll be sharing this space with the bf soon, so I need an alternate solution, or to downsize more..... hmmm....
7. My pride and joy! Haha, I love my shoe collection, and I love that it's all on display now. all together, these four shelves cost me $20 at Home Depot. They were super easy to put up too!
8. I know I'm gonna get a lot of flack for this one - but all my flats are now in a convenient basket. I can grab and go, and not worry about them taking up ridiculous amounts of space.

 

 I couldn't resist showcasing a close-up of my babies :)

So tell me, how do you keep your closet organized?

Smize?

I love how I look slightly drunk when I try to "smize".
Tyra would not be impressed with my skills.

 

blouse - Jacob (2010); vest - Dynamite (2009); shorts - F21 (2011); 

heels - Aldo "Mignona" (2010)

I'm still tweaking the site a little bit... let me know what you think, or if you've found any bugs :)

An Oldie but A Goodie

I realize that the Christmas Tree in the background kind of dates this pic, but I never did get around to posting this outfit... what with my breakdown and all, haha.

Anyhoo, I wore this on Christmas Eve and loved it. Something about leopard print paired with red just screams "Festive" to me!
I love how versatile both this skirt and top have turned out to be!

leopard tee - F21 (2011); pencil skirt - Jacob (2010); caridigan - Dynamite (2009);
belt - Gift (2011); heels - BCBG (2009)

Other Ways I've Worn This Forever 21 Leopard Tee...

Don't forget!
You can always click on post labels to see other ways I've remixed items :)

Crave It: Making Minestrone

Being Italian, minestrone soup was practically a staple in my house growing up. As I've mentioned before, Grandma has the most wonderful vegetable garden, so I was used to the privilege of deliciously fresh veggies from spring to fall, and frozen for winter supplies when it got cold. Unfortunately, my little townhome doesn't even HAVE a yard, so to the grocery store for me.

Minestrone is great when you have a ton of veggies in the fridge, and no idea what to do with them all.

Fair Warning: I make this the "Italian Way." No measurements. Just toss it all in!

• I start by chopping up all my firmer veggies (carrots, onions and celery) and throwing them in a huge pot with a couple liters of water. I also put in a few whole cloves of garlic.
  (You can brown your onion and garlic in the bottom of your pot first in a bit of olive oil to really release the flavor if you'd like.)
  

• After after it simmers for about 20-30 min, I put in everything else; beans, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes, etc., and let it simmer for another hour.
  It might make some "foam" on top... just skim it off and dispose of it.
  

• Aaaaand... that's it! You can throw in some pastina (small noodles) if you'd like and top it with some parmesan and you have delicious Italian Homestyle Minestrone! It also freezes really well in an air tight container - just defrost, heat up, and enjoy at a later date! (Just don't add the pastina until you're ready to eat it!)

Pretty simple, right? But lets face it... if it were hard, I wouldn't be able to cook it. Haha.

Long Weekends

Ottawa Fashion Week kicks off tonight, but I won't be in attendance :(

Those of you who are going will have to fill me in on the wonderousness!

Fortunately, I'm missing it for an awesome reason - visiting a very good friend in Kitchener that I haven't seen in FOREVER! Yay for long weekends :)

Fellow Ontarians - How will you be spending your holiday Monday?

tee - Zara (2010); cardigan - Urban Behaviour (2010); jeans - Dynamite (2009);
necklace - Stella & Dot (2011); ankle boots - Thrifted (2008)

Yum.

Just a quick little gush about last night...
I quite possible have the most amazing boyfriend in the world. I thought the dinner was amazing, but even more so was the adorable card and gorgeous diamond necklace... love you.

Le Tartuffe was DELICIOUS! I tried foie gras for the second time in my life, and was completely blown away by the scallop and lamb dishes.

Dessert of dark chocolate and pecan pie and strawberry crumble with olive oil infused ice cream (top),
and a dulce de leche creme brule with banana bread (bottom). Yum.

Oh, and I wore things the other day.

draped cardigan - Jacob (2011); tee - walmart (2011); jeans - American Eagle (2011);
biker boots - thrifted (2008)

Loving Love

Couldn't help but get a little girly and giddy when I threw on this skirt!

I'm a sucker for days that celebrate love. Valentines, Mother's Day, Anniversaries...
We're heading to Le Tartuffe tonight for dinner. The site and menu look amazing, so I'm incredibly excited. I'll let you know how it goes :)

Do you have anything planned for your loved ones this evening?

tee - Smart Set (2010); skirt - Walmart (2009); heels - Xmas Gift (2011);
bracelet - Kenneth Cole, nail polish - Essie "Bachelorette Party"

Check out Everybody, Everywhere for more gorgeous Red & Pink outfits!

Revamp?

NYFW is upon us and I can't help but be slightly jealous of all the fabulous New York bloggers who get to attend! I love my small intimate readership and the fact that I feel like I know a little something about all of you... but sometimes we all get a little green-eyed, no?

ANYWAY.

If you haven't noticed the new header/sidebar, I'm trying to revamp a little around here. Feedback is VERY much appreciated. I'm liking my header, but not so much the buttons... And I'm wondering if I should keep it all a little more minimalistic?

Hmmm.

tee - Jacob (2011); vest - Old Navy (2010); necklace - Smart Set (2010);
leggings - Jacob (2011); boots - Roxy (2011)

Back Again

"Hell, I need you. I’m a mess without you. I miss you so damn much. I miss being with you, I miss being near you. I miss your laugh. I miss your scent; I miss your musk. When this all gets sorted out, I think you and me should get an apartment together."
- Champ Kind, Anchorman

Pretty much sums up my feeling lately towards the blogosphere.

I know I've been MIA for a while. I tend to manage stress poorly, have mini break downs, go into hiding, and resurface much later a healthier, saner, person. Thanks for sticking around.

So I'm back! And with a vengeance!
... or at least a new outfit.

I was fortunate enough to get some gift certificates for Christmas (oh god, that seems like eons ago now!) and managed to snag a few new items. I'm still technically playing by the rules... I just have more inventory to go through now!

striped tee - Smart Set (2011); draped knit vest - Smart Set (2011);
pants - Max/Miley (2009); boots - Roxy (2011)