Before I begin, let me say that I do actually adore Essie nail polishes.  As a general rule, they’re my go-to pedi colors (I’m not a manicure type of girl – sorry, I know it’s weird, but the polish won’t stay on.  I’d rather have bare nails than chipped polish).

Anyhow, that bottle up there looks like a great Spring-y pink, doesn’t it?  Something that would pop against my lily white skin, that will make me smile when I glance down at my newly-rescued-from-their-winter-banishment open toe shoes.

Well, you’d be wrong.  Somehow, the color is actually a sheer yellowy tint on my toes.  No, scratch that, a SHINY sheer yellowy tint on my toes.

Rather than smiling at my toes when I see them, I’m scaring little kids.

Lesson learned: no more iridescent shades, no matter how much I like the brand and the color in the bottle.

The sun makes a gorgeous picture, but it will wreak havoc on your skin

So, if you read this blog regularly, you know I’m UV-phobic (seriously: you can read about my fear and the related search for the perfect sunless tanner here).  And based on some of the emails I got about my recent navigating the spf aisle post, I’m not the only one with this phobia.

One thing that was so rightly pointed out was that my original SPF post dealt strictly with sunscreen and SPF technologies – while that’s certainly an area that everyone can use some brushing up in, your average person doesn’t want to apply a layer of SPF, a layer of makeup, etc.  So, you asked for it, here it is …

My favorite multi-tasking SPF products, after the jump!

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It’s no secret that women have a weird relationship with underwear: we want it to look nice, but be comfortable.  It needs to be lacy and little, stay in place and prevent panty lines.  And that’s just panties – our list of necessities is much longer when it comes to shapewear (like Spanx).

But the pay off that comes with a great pair of undies is undeniable: we feel supported and comfortable, yet sexy and powerful.  It doesn’t matter if the only person who sees me in my thong is my cat (who appears to be more confused by my lack of fur than anything else) – I still strut a bit when I’m wearing my power panties … More than a few pairs of which are from Hanky Panky.  I love the brand’s low rise thongs (a must when you’re 5′2 – regular panties end up coming up to my bra), available in comfy lace fabric.

So imagine my delight when I found out that my power panty brand of choice has teamed up with my pedicure polish brand of choice, Essie (makers of the delightful Ballet Slippers and carefree Bike Ride, among other dazzling hues).

Details of how you can score two Hanky Panky panties and a matching Essie polish, after the jump!

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Today is the day to score free hair treatments and blowouts using Kerastase products – all you have to do is visit their site to find a salon near you, print out the coupon and head on in to score yours!

Summer’s almost here, which means it’s time for short shorts, mini skirts and sleeveless tops … And for women, that means it’s hair removal season.

We’ve all heard the normal tips (wax the week after your period, use Visine on shaving nicks, etc.), but there are some relatively unheard of tips out there.  Having worked closely with shave creams, razor companies, salons with sought-after waxers and even a well known depilatory company (not to mention being a bit hairy myself), I can honestly say that I’ve actually tested out each and every one of these – and they work!

Tips after the jump …

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Vibrating mascaras have become a huge beauty hit over the past year or so, praised for their ability to separate lashes and prevent clumping.  Unfortunately, the prestige market has had a corner on this technology – meaning that unless you wanted to spend a ton of money, you couldn’t give it a try.

Now, Maybelline is bringing the vibrating technology to mass market at a very budget-friendly price.  Starting in July, the Maybelline Pulse Perfection will be available nationwide for just $15.

That said, brand is giving beauty fanatics (many of whom can be found reading this site) the chance to try it out now.  For a very limited time, you can click this link to purchase right now.

Enjoy!

My favorite discontinued beauty products

I’m in Weekend Recovery mode, so I’m taking the easy way out today: I’m perusing my personal makeup bag for items I’ve loved and sadly lost.  Not for because I’ve misplaced them, but because the brands that once made them have stopped doing so.

RIP, beauty products … read more »

It’s no secret that famed cosmetics brand (and the makers of one of my personal go-to lip glosses) Stila hit a rough patch recently.  Still, like the heroine of a good beach-read book, the brand has come out of troubled times with lessons learned and more than a little appreciative for what it has.

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With Summer just around the corner, now’s the time to pamper yourself (it will get you through these last few weeks of crummy weather).  And the skincare experts at Origins are helping you do just that with their free Get-Glowing Mini-Facials.

Details after the jump!

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This small bag should contain more than just sweaty sneakers

We’ve already covered which products let you skip the gym and still (at least convincingly pretend) to whittle away those last few pounds.

But for those dedicated gym goers out there, what are the gym bag essentials you need to pick up?

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