Lets Go Crazy!

I'm totally loving plums and wines this Fall season!  I recently purchased this gorgeous Deborah Lippmann polish in Lets Go Crazy at Nordstrom and have fallen deeply in love with this rich hue! It's a deep plum purple filled with various size sparkles giving it that little extra something special.  Deborah Lippmann has an amazing ability to make the most amazing sparkle polishes without feeling too teeny-bopperish!  They're just the right amount of fun!  And i love me some fun!

 

 

Thank you SO MUCH for reading!  Don't forget to become an official follower of FMM!  XOXO Carla

Essie Stylenomics

I have to say, I'm loving Essie's new Fall 2012 collection.  I recently picked up Stylenomics (a deep forest green that translates into almost black when applied) and I'm absolutely smitten by the shade.  So much so that i thought I'd share it with you all!  Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!  I'm getting ready to head to Atlantic City with the hubby and another couple to see MADONNA!!!!  I'm beyond excited!  I've been to several of her concerts and know that i will not be disappointed!  XOXO Carla

The Reverse French Manicure - Inspired by Deborah LIppmann

So a few weeks ago, while flipping through the pages of August's issue of InStyle Magazine, I came across a gorgeous manicure by the brilliant Deborah Lippmann.  She created it for Badgley Mischka's Fall 2012 show.  I was instantly smitten by this stunner!  It's so feminine, sexy and sultry and best yet, it's just in time for Fall!  I've been obsessing over it ever since!  So i finally decided to give it a try!  Since i have a million nail polishes already, (remember my insane collection?? Which I've shamelessly added to since that post!!) i opted for similar shades rather than purchasing the originally used Dark Side of the Moon and Nefertiti.  I'm head over heels in love this look!  For this post, i kept it as close to the original that graced the runways of Badgley Mischka, however, I'm having lovely visions of a midnight blue or slate blue paired with a metallic silver?  Heck, why stop there... i can use just about any combo that suits my taste buds right? You can too!  Here's how!

Begin by painting your nails in the desired color.  I opted for Deborah Lippmann's Just Walk Away Renee.  Once the polish is completely dry, apply nail stickers to the tips (i used Orly french manicure stickers). 

Once you've applied the stickers, proceed to paint the tips with your desired color.  I opted for Julep's Sienna. 

Please excuse the mess, but you can always clean up later right? 

 

Once dry, remove the strips.  Apply your favorite top coat and voila... those Badgley Mischka models ain't got nothin' on you!  Weeeerk it like the diva that you know you are!!! Grrrr

 

 

 

 

So excited that this was my 100th post! Thank you all SO MUCH for your incredible support!  Love my readers... i treasure each and every one of you!  Don't forget to become an official follower of FMM!  XOXO Carla

Beauty Bar Sample Society with Allure - August 2012

OK, this was hands down, by far the BEST box I've received so far!  In fact, i was on the fence about whether or not to continue my subscription, but this box made it real easy for me to decide!   Here are its contents:

• Deborah Lippmann full size nail polish in Private Dancer.  (Yes you read that correctly, i had the same reaction!)
• Phyto Phytonectar Oil Ultra Nourishing Oil Treatment.
• Elemental Herbology Cool & Clear Facial Cleanser.
• Arcona Cranberry Toner.
• Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara.
• Bonus Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer

Overall, i felt that this was a very well rounded box.  I received something for my nails, hair and face!  I'm in love... OK, gotta go play with all my goodies!  Enjoy the video! 

Sheswai... How I Love Thee..

Calling all my nail polish loving friends!  And i know there are plenty of you!  So the other day, while browsing through one of my favorite beauty blogs The Glossarie, I came across a brand of nail polish called Sheswai (pronounced She-sway).  I must admit, i was immediately intrigued not only by the unique name, but by the gorgeous packaging.  I'd never heard of this brand really, but wanted to know more.  A couple of days later, while strolling through one of my favorite stores Anthropologie, there they were.... three beautiful Sheswai polishes!  Wow, the bottles were even prettier in person!  The three shades consisted of a subtle nude, a bright red, and a stunning salmon-y pink that immediately caught my eye!  I was so excited to finally be able to physically see and touch this beautifully crafted bottle of heavenly polish! I immediately tried it on in the color "so cute" and it truly was!  I knew immediately this pretty baby was coming home with meeeee!  So here's the best part, i typically paint my nails several times a week and find myself switching colors and styles like there's no tomorrow.  Yet, I've been wearing this very same color all week!  I can't get enough!  It's such a lovely combination of a pretty neutral, yet with a pop of fleshy pink!  It's so perfect with my current sun kissed skin tone!  I'm hoping Anthropologie gets the entire collection!  I want more and more and MORE!   I quickly approached a sales associate who was equally excited to have received these and assured me that they would indeed get more in store.   Let me also tell you what makes this brand even more special!  As stated on their website: "sheswai lacquer is FREE of formaldehyde, toluene, and dbp’s, making it less toxic.  And our caps are made from sustainably harvested wood, grown on family owned tree farms sheswai is the first nail polish in the beauty industry to use a custom wood turned cap, thereby reducing the use of plastic."  Don't you just love that???

I have my eye on a bunch of other colors such as 'stoned, stoked, fuckyeah, what and badass!  So, check out their website for more of this wonderful eye candy... I promise you will immediately be drawn to their stunning presentation and even more, you'll die over their indulgent color palette!

Thank you SO MUCH for reading!  Don't forget to become an official follower of FMM!  XOXO Carla

Trend Report!

This season is filled with fabulous new trends.  There are a few however, that really stand out in my mind as favorites of mine!  I just about died watching Elie Saab’s gorgeous display of monochromatic hues make their way down the runway creating a rainbow effect.  Valentino also featured a sequence of chic monochromatic pairings that screamed perfection.  Another wonderful trend we are seeing everywhere is pops of color and color blocking.  This is such a ‘feel good’ trend!  Bright colors can just about brighten anyone’s day!   I’m loving all the tangerine hues as well as greens and turquoise pairings. 

If you know me, you know that I’m obsessed with nail polish!  I have more than I can count but I can never seem to get enough.  So every season, I think about the current fashion trends, and find ways to translate those trends into my beauty routine.  Particularly my nails!  For this manicure, I opted for one color, blue, and decided to illustrate two different trends using this one color.  On one hand, I am wearing my interpretation of color blocking.  I painted my nails in a pretty turquoise blue.  For my ring finger nail I opted for a navy blue with a bit of shimmer.  This not only illustrates color blocking but a huge trend happening in nails where one nail color differs from the rest. 

For my other hand, I opted to show my interpretation of a monochromatic effect - Ombre.  My main color was blue and each nail was polished in a different shade of the same base color.  I actually LOVE this!  I mean it’s genius!  It makes perfect sense for a girl with a thousand polishes right?  I’ll definitely get more wear out of my polish collection, that’s for sure!  Overall, a great way to sport new trends, particularly those you may be hesitant to invest in at first, is with your nail polish.  It’s inexpensive, and easily removable!  So go ahead… be creative! 

 

On one hand I'm wearing Slapper and Bluey by Butter London.  On the other hand, I'm wearing 'Wave - Ombre' by The New Black which is a pairing of five fabulous shades of blue.  Both brands available at Nordstrom.

Thank you SO MUCH for reading!  Love hearing your thoughts so make sure to spread some love and leave a comment!  Don't forget to become an official follower of FMM.  XOXO Carla.

Inglot - Finding 'beauty' in Curacao`

So i just returned from a wonderful vacation in gorgeous Curacao!  One afternoon, we decided to take a ride to downtown Willemstad - a picturesque little waterfront town decked out in rows of pretty little pastel colored buildings.  This feast for the eyes is also the mecca for shopping in Curacao where you'll fine high end brands as well as souvenir shops to please any one's shopping itch!  I was so excited to run into the Inglot store!  I first heard about Inglot from my sister who told me that their style concept is similar to that of MAC's but less expensive.  I'd never made it out to the store in Jersey so i was anxious to feast my eyes on all the make-up goodness that i was about to encounter! 

The store was tiny, yet filled with every color of the rainbow!  I first glanced at the nail polish selection where i picked up two colors.  One was a teal (988) and the other a deep shimmery burgundy (342).   I then made my way over to the lip glosses.  There were hundreds to choose from.  Personally, i need lip gloss like i need a fork in my eye BUT my theory is, can one ever have enough?  That's debatable... i for one think not!  So i snatched up a 'Lip paint' pot in a pretty corally pink color (61) and imagined how pretty it would look paired with a dab of shimmery gold eyeshadow and plenty of mascara!  Lastly, the eye shadows... oh the eye shadows... all dreamy pretty colors!  This one in particular caught my eye (44) which reminded me so much of MAC's 'sumptious olive' (one of my favorite shadows)!  Since i was running low, i decided to pick that up as well.  Overall, i loved the store and their price point was relatively good considering i picked all of this up for about $50.  Now the only bummer is the number system versus color names.  I personally love, LOVE reading the super creative names of colors whether it be nail polish or blush!  I find that it adds personality to the product.  A number is so blah!  So my one word of advice for Inglot is to convert, convert, convert!  Gosh I'd love the job of creating names for make-up colors!  Can you just imagine???  Now if only there was a nail polish in "Carla"... i mean hello??  Now that would be a fabulous color, no?  Hmmm i better work on that!  For now, I'll leave you with these pictures filled with make-up eye candy!  Enjoy!

 

 

Here are swatches of all the goodies i purchased along with a few pictures from this amazing vacation!

 

 

 

My little munchkins!

 

Thank you so much for reading!  Don't forget to become an official follower of FMM!  xoxo Carla

June Julep Maven Box - Boho Glam

So I'm LOVING my Julep Maven monthly delivery boxes!  This month's certainly did not disappoint!  I had a chance to preview my box before it shipped fell madly in love with this month's gorgeous turquoise and yellow selections for my Boho Glam Maven!  When the box arrived, i quickly opened it with the same enthusiasm as a child on Christmas morning!  Gosh it's just SO FUN, i mean... who doesn't love getting fun little packages in the mail!  Anyway, this month i received two polish colors in Robin (a beautiful turquoise blue reminiscent of the Caribbean ocean) and Daisy (a happy shade of yellow).  Along with my polish, i also received a full size Julep SPF 30 Daylight Defense hand and face cream.  Honestly, this could not have come at a better time since I'm headed for the Caribbean at the end of the month!  My 'Daylight Defense' better get itself a passport because it's coming with me!  In addition to the Daylight Defense SPF lotion, i received an SPF 15 lip balm.  I LOVE lip balms, particularly those with SPF because i feel more at ease knowing my lips are protected.  Besides, I'd much rather worry about what color bikini I'll be wearing poolside, or which tropical cocktail i should indulge in, don't you agree?  Now here's a great little bonus, this box came equipped with a coupon for a free... did you hear that?  FREE nail polish!  YAY!!!!  Woohooo (doing the happy dance here)!  Yes, all that and a couple of sweet treats (which i will not indulge in but i can think of a friend or two that will)!  I got all of this for under $20!  So, are YOU a Julep Maven?  If not, then what are you waiting for???  Use a coupon code and you can get your first box for just $.01!  Hullo???  Everybody wins here!  Try it!  If you do, let me know!  Click on this link and sign up :) 

OK, now for the really fun part!  I finally did my FIRST video!  I figured, what better way to truly illustrate the contents of this fabulous box, right?  What do you think?  Enjoy! xoxo

Don't forget to become an official follower of Fashion Maven Mommy!  Also, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter @fashionmavenmom and "like" my Facebook page.  XOXO Carla

Blue is the hue...

This week, while shopping at Target, i came across two shades of blue polish that really spoke to me.  In fact, i had such a hard time deciding which to purchase, that i decided to get both!  That's how i problem solve... not always the most efficient but certainly makes this indecisive person's job a lot easier!  I knew immediately when i placed them next to one other, that these two tones complemented each other perfectly.  One was 'club prive 105 by L'OREAL, and the other was 'Fairy Princess 26' by Sonia Kashuk.  That night, after putting the girls to bed (this is my manicure time), i opted to create a pattern with my two new polishes.  When finished, i added my favorite sparkle polish which you've seen me use a thousand times because i love it that much (Only Gold For Me by OPI for Sephora).  I was so pleased with the way this manicure turned out.  The blues were leaning more towards turquoise and sea foam which i have to say really remind me of the Caribbean ocean which i LOVE!  I'd say since i won't be dipping my feet in that pretty turquoise water until the end of June, this was a fun way to bring some of that Caribbean beauty to me!  What do you think?

 

Thanks for visiting!  Don't forget to become an official follower of Fashion Maven Mommy!  Also, follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter @fashionmavenmom and "like" my Facebook page.  xoxo

Are YOU a Julep Maven?

So i was curious!  Every time i view my blog, i notice this interesting AD for Julep nail polish.  Interestingly enough, it always asks "Are you a Julep Maven?"  Well, i know I'm Fashion Maven Mommy but a Julep Maven?  Well, i decided to take a look and see what this was all about.  So, initially when you first go on this site, you are asked to take a quiz in order to determine what kind of maven you are.  It was a short, yet fun quiz determining that i am a "classic with a twist" maven.  I chuckled because I've often described myself as just that... that exact term in fact!  Classic with a twist!  So, once you determine what kind of maven you are, you can then sign up for monthly deliveries of Julep nail polish/products for only $19.99 per month.  Mind you, each polish costs around $14 so you are actually getting a deal!  If you don't like the selection your particular maven has to offer, you can opt to change.  I did just that opting for Boho Glam Maven simply because i was intrigued by the grey and yellow selection. It also came with glycolic hand scrub leaving your hands so soft and smooth! Now are you ready for the best part?  I only paid $.01 for this!  Yep, you heard right... shipping included!  They have an awesome trial offer, so if you look for their ad on my page, you will find the coupon code necessary for this particular offer.  You can't go wrong!  No go ahead and let that inner Julep Maven in you loose!  Have fun and let me know your thoughts! 

FYI:  The grey and Yellow polish came as my first set along with the glycolic hand scrub.  The green polish i purchased at Sephora as they now carry Julep polishes as well!

As for the three colors on my nails, i just couldn't decide which to wear... so why not all right?

 

Thank you SO MUCH for visiting!  Please become an official follower.  Also follow me on Twitter @Fashionmavenmom, Bloglovin and "like" my page on Facebook!  Hugs

Accidentally Organized!

So a few weeks back, my make-up train case broke!  Uhh don't you hate it when that happens?  Well, i immediately ordered a new one, and in typical Carla fashion, i failed to check the measurements assuming it was the same as the one i currently owned.  Well, i was wrong!  When it arrived, i knew immediately there was no way this make-up obsessed girl would fit all of her beloved make-up in this new case.  Needless to say i was not a happy camper!  So, i promptly ordered another, this time making sure to purchase the correct one.  But what would i do with this one?  I mean, i certainly didn't feel like shipping it back.  And then it clicked!  This would make a great case for organizing my nail polish collection, which until now, had been residing in a large rectangular plastic container... hardly a pretty home for my gorgeous polish collection!  Turned out to be indeed!  I love how when i open it now, i can see every single color perfectly making it easier to decide on a selection based on my mood.  Key word being "easier" not "easy" by any means since there are so many choices!  But you've heard me say it before, I'm obsessed with nail polish yada yada, so as you can see, i wasn't kidding!  Only thing is, i can't fit much more in this case which can be problematic for future purchases!  Hmmm  As for my manicure supplies, i keep those in a really pretty fabric bag that i found at Home Goods... couldn't fit it all in this one.  I bet if i had the large train case specifically for this purpose, I'd fit it all in there... ok ok, this will have to do for now!  So here are some pictures.  Hopefully, i will inspire some of my nail polish junkie friends to organize their collections as well. 

So when you open the case, it opens up into three tiers on both sides.  My thought was to separate each tier by brand.  Each brand, i tried to separate by shade. 

Getting a picture of the entire open case was quite challenging lol 

Thank you SO MUCH for visiting!  Don't forget to become an official follower of Fashion Maven Mommy by clicking "Join this site".  Also follow me onhttps://twitter.com/#!/Fashionmavenmom, Bloglovin and "like" my Facebook page!  Hugs!

Yin and Yang

As you have seen in previous posts, I'm having loads of fun with my nail polish!  In fact, i think it's one of my favorite beauty products because you don't have to commit to it for long periods of time. I'd get bored anyway.  In fact, back in January, i tried the new OPI gel manicure that lasts forever, and i can tell you that i was over it quick!  I can see from a practical perspective how this particular manicure can be a good thing, but certainly not for my everyday polish needs. 

I love corals, particularly this time of year.  But what i love even more, is the pairing of orange and pink.  I love it so much, i used those colors in my wedding decor with subtle touches of apple green.  This manicure is inspired by my love of these two colors.  When i couldn't decide which to use, i used BOTH!  Problem solved! 

For this manicure, i used two polishes from Forever 21 by the brand "Love & Beauty" which I'd never heard of before.  First i applied a coat of "orange", then a coat of "bubble gum" on just one side of my nails creating what i call a 'yin and yang' effect.  For a touch of fun, i added gold glitter polish solely on my ring finger (optional).

 

Interestingly, if you look from one angle, it looks as though I'm wearing orange polish...

  

From a different angle, it looks pink! 

From afar, since the colors really compliment each other, you can't quite tell you are wearing two shades of polish.

Thank you SO MUCH for visiting!  I would love it if you would become an official follower of Fashion Maven Mommy!  If you already are, WELCOME BACK!  Also follow me on twitter, Bloglovin, and "like" my page on Facebook!  Hugs