Pups Abound

As per usual, my dogs are running the house at the moment. I'm not quite sure why, but late at night they get in a very playful mood. It's somewhat nice since it tires them out. I have 2 shih tzus, Ralph and Bently. They may very well show up in future posts since they too love makeup... Well, they love eating Chapsticks and chewing on brushes and mascaras if that counts. Ralph is the white one and Bently is the black and white one.
Stay tuned for a mascara challenge I plan on doing later this week. I'll also post a like to my YouTube channel for the videos.

Finding the One...

Lately I've been trying to find a new signature scent that I'm in love with. My current collection includes: Angel, Burberry Brit, Anna Sui, Philosophy's Falling in Love, and the room spray by Anne Fontaine (strange I know...). Some of my favorite perfumes have been phased out, and are no longer available. These included Gucci Rush 2 and one from Escada in a long heart shaped bottle with a gold trim.
I've been on a bit of a hunt for something new that I will love and I think I may have found it!
First I'll tell you what DID NOT work, and why.
1. Michael Kors Bermuda - just don't like it a bit, I can't explain it really.
2. Stella McCartney - It doesn't last long, and it reminds me of one of the old Gap fragrances, either Dream or Heaven, I can't recall which one.

Ok, now on to some of the others that I did like, and their faults if any...
1. Juicy Couture - Honestly, I think this may be the winner here. I can smell it all day, and it's not too overpowering.
2. Viva La Juicy - I love this too, but I find it reminds me a little of the Burberry Brit, and it doesn't quite last as long as the original Juicy.
3. Gucci Flora - I do like this, maybe because it reminds me a bit of the old Rush 2. I wish it lasted longer...
4. Hanae Mori - I like this... It smells of cotton candy, and it's very feminine. I would highly consider this perfume.
5. Versace Bright Crystal - Again, a very nice light scent that also reminds me of the Rush 2, but lighter than the Gucci Flora. I can hardly smell this on myself.

So there we have it, my top 3 contenders in order are:
1. Juicy
2. Viva la Juicy
3. Hanae Mori

I'm tempted to buy both of the Juicy's at the same time, but I'm not sure my wallet could handle it!

FYI - the fragrance by Philosophy called 'Falling in Love' is identical to the Trish McEvoy #9 but only half the price.

Ghosts of Products Past...

Up until this past year, it had been about 8 years since I'd used a product from MAC. From the age of 16-18 I used a little bit of everything. Then, at 18 I discovered Trish McEvoy and fell in love with the planner and the flexibility of the magnetic pages. For several years I used primarily Trish products with a few randoms here and there (Prescriptives False Eyelashes Mascara, Chanel Lip gloss, and Nars bronzer). I don't use eyeshadow much so I didn't really have anything to compare the Trish shadows to.

It wasn't until recently that I realized how terrible the Trish shadows were. I've become a bit of a YouTube junkie recently and have purchased some of the MAC shadows that have received lots of praise. Not only have I purchased these MAC shadows, but I've switched to MAC concealer, powder, and lipstick too! As my collection grows, I realize how much I loved their lipsticks. I've become addicted to applying them, and find the smell reminds me of yellow cupcake batter! This is far more pleasant than the awful smell of the Trish lip glosses. Hooray for MAC coming back into my life and bringing lots of pigment along for the ride!

Losing my Mind!!

The weather here in Austin has been beautiful, and I'm stuck inside for hours on end building this! It is a 1/4'' scale model of a home I've designed. I've almost finished, and this means I can take Friday off to enjoy the beautiful weather. I'm sure this will include a visit to the park with my dogs and a few hours by the pool for myself.

Not so Lively

I'll admit, I've been sucked in to the new teen craze, Gossip Girl. I've been hopelessly addicted to the show and never miss an episode. However, I wish I'd missed the newest copy of Allure magazine. I was shocked to discover the terrible picture they put on the cover. It is none other than the shows star, Blake Lively. I can't help but wonder what the people over at Allure have against this poor girl to post such a terrible picture....

Blonde vs. Brunette

I'm at a crossroads and can't figure out what to do. Up until the fall of 2007, I'd been getting my hair highlighted blonde. My natural color is very dark blonde/light brown. Now, I no longer have the income to continue with the highlights and my hair is really two tone. So, should I break down and buy a box of color from the drugstore? If I do, I'm thinking I need to go brunette, although I'm nervous it won't be close enough to my natural color and I'll end up messing up my hair...

Proud to be a Vegan

This past summer I transformed my eating habits drastically. I've never eaten fish (of any kind) but I stopped eating all red meat and pork. I made this change after going on vacation and reading the book 'Fast Food Nation'. I am pleased to say that I haven't ever had any sort of a lapse. Now... as of yesterday, I have decided to cut out all meat products! This is partly thanks to the next book in the series. No more chicken and turkey for me! This means I'll be a Vegan (I stopped Dairy about 2 years ago). I'm looking forward to the future. Just one question.... Is it bad that I'm still using a leather handbag and shoes??

Shoes: Dallas vs. Austin

I have discovered that I can no longer wear my good shoes without feeling a bit pretentious here in Austin (and I hate that feeling). When I lived in Dallas, I had no problem trotting around town in a pair of Prada d'Orsey pumps or my Bottega Veneta wedges.... but here in Austin, it's all about the flip flops. I know my taste has not changed, but I'll admit I feel a bit out of my element here. The vibe of the people, and the city is just more earthy and low key. I find myself reaching for ballet flats, flip flops, and my running shoes most often. So, my shoes have been sitting nicely in their little plastic boxes waiting for another trip home to Dallas.