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Make Up Monday: Perfume Collection & Advice

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I have a carefully curated perfume collection that I just love. Scents can boost your mood, and choosing a fragrance for the day can have a hand in your confidence, your style, and the way you feel. I am not married to any one scent, and cycle through a few favorites. I feel that certain scents are better for certain people, and it’s important to know how your body chemistry reacts to perfumes.

I have three favorites that I reach for the most, for good reason.

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Creed Spring Flower:

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First, look at how beautiful this bottle is! Creed is a classic brand, albeit an expensive way to go with perfume, that makes me feel sophisticated and feminine. Spring Flowers is a rich, elegant scent. It isn’t a girly perfume, despite the hot pink bottle, and I would recommend this to women aged 35 and older.

J’Adore Dior:

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This is a best seller for a reason! This is a great gift if you don’t know what to get your sister or best friend for the holidays, because the bottle is a real stunner in person. J’Adore is a beautiful scent, and it looks great on your dresser. It’s feminine and ageless, and it doesn’t go flowery on me like many scents tend to with my body chemistry. I feel so pretty when I put J’Adore on- maybe it goes back to those commercials with Charlize Theron dripping in jewels!

Jo Malone Blue Agave & Cacao Cologne:

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I am such a sucker for good marketing, and I love everything Jo Malone does. The bottles are beautiful, and this is a great brand to support. The scents are rich and long lasting, made with great ingredients. You can also blend and combine different Jo Malone scents for a personal fragrance that works on you. My friend is blending the Grapefruit and Lime Basil one lately, as scents go sweet on her, and these colognes react differently with everyone. This is a definite recommendation from me- pick whatever Jo Malone appeals to you, and find your own signature!

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As you can see, a lot of my bottles are pretty empty! Time to find some all new favorites. When I head out to sample all of the bottles on display at Nordstrom’s this month, I will always keep in mind that classic scents work on me, perfumes with heavy floral notes are too much for me, and a few cheaper bottles are better for my frequent travel lifestyle.

What is your go-to scent? Share with me! Any recommendations?

Have a great day,

Rose

WEEKLY FAVORITE: Watches

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Watches are underrated, in my opinion.

They’re absolutely essential to any woman’s wardrobe, and yet we hardly talk about them! Mens’ watches are ubiquitous, with known brands and distinct styles. But women have to pick out watches based on taste, and sometimes it’s hard to know which are appropriate for a night out, or a business meeting, or a weekend shopping.

So here are my top three, each with their own unique purpose!

The dressy watch:

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Perfect for a glam night out, this wraparound watch that I bought in Italy is one of my go-to pieces when I want to feel dressed up.

The business watch:

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This Michael Kors watch is a great choice for a day at the office. It projects style and confidence.

The every day watch:

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My classic Anne Klein watch has several skinny chains that make up the strap, and this watch looks way fancier than what I paid for it. It looks great peeking out from under a long sleeve tee, or a casual button down.

Nordstroms, Nordstrom’s Rack, and Neiman Marcus are great places to buy watches. Nordstrom’s Rack has great watch deals for women, especially around the holidays!

Do you have a favorite watch? I want to know!

-Rose

Make Up Monday: LIP PRODUCTS!

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Over the years, I have curated a very specific lip routine. I am no longer experimenting with crazy colors, and I have figured out what works for me. Here are my favorite lip products!

Lipsticks and lip glosses I love:

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The three lipsticks are all similar in shade, all a variation on pink tea rose. I love my Dior Lip Glow (which you can get at Sephora), my Rouge Ecstasy by Giorgio Armani (check it out here), and one by Bobbi Brown (which you can find here). I can apply them without looking at this point! And as you can see, these are all higher end products. I stopped wearing Revlon in my thirties. The color payoff and long lasting quality of luxury lip goods is so worth every penny.

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I generally pair each lipstick with a Dior lip gloss in a matching tone. I have one peachy one and one pinky magenta one. The pink one goes amazingly with my Bobbi Brown lipstick. The Dior Addict lip glosses come in tons of colors. I want them all!

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You’ll always find one of these babies in my purse! What are your favorite lip products? Share with me!

-Rose

Make Up Monday: ARMANI FLUID SHEER

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Another new week, another Make Up Monday post!

My latest find that is making me happy and helping me to have a ‘glow’ (yes- true feedback from more than one person so it’s a FACT!) is Giorgio Armani’s fluid sheer or “fluide embelliseur.” My friend & neighbor Lindi does freelance makeup,  and she recently  invited me to come and try some Armani makeup.  She has a great touch, and she’s the one who introduced me to one of my new beauty essentials!

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Light and easy to use with a brush (another of my beauty favorites- did you see this post?) it gives a soft, natural boost to your skin.  Better yet it lasts for hours without fading…. So even if your usual blush disappears by lunchtime, using fluid sheer ensures you won’t be caught looking pale or washed out.

Of course, I also love it for the light, natural look it gives.

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You can dab it on your lips or even as eye shadow if you want ….  If you mix it with your foundation it can give you an all-over glow, or you can apply it strategically.  My favorite spots are on the side of my face (above my cheekbones next to my eyes) and just across my cheek bones.  Sometimes, I swipe just above my eyebrows.

Even InStyle agrees with me! This is a winning find for sure.

What new product have you tried lately that you just love? Share Please!

-Rose

Daily Life: Where I Shop Online!

Posted in Daily Life by

I don’t know about you but I really do love shopping — I love walking and strolling and looking and buying.  So I don’t spend a lot of my shopping dollars online.  But when I do, I have a few go to favorites.

For clothes and shoes I am a huge Rue La La Fan (ruelala.com) — great designers and selection.  Prices are really terrific – often between 50 to 75 percent below retail.  Also unless you have to have everything right away, the offerings are pretty timely.  I have purchased dresses, shoes, tops, sweaters and jewelry.

Here’s a recent Tahari wrap dress that I got for under $70.

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PERKS of RUE LA LA:

The site is easy to use; they never fail to deliver timely; returns are a breeze.  So far I’ve only returned 1 item – a shirt that I just didn’t think looked good on me.  Plus they send you emails alerting you to what’s available.  If you’re interested get busy!  Stuff goes fast.

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Occasionally when I’m really shopping bargains, I use eBay.  For high-end perfume or good second hand items you really can’t beat it. I got lucky this summer on this pair of Jimmy Choo shoes.

I had been eying the India sandals, retailing at $575.  They were the perfect shoes for my Italy trip where I was attending a dear friend’s wedding.  But I was about at the end of my available cash!  So…I found a second hand pair in my size for $100.  It was worth the risk.  I didn’t take them off all night!

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Of course like all of us I shop Amazon and often use it to buy beauty products (shampoo, hairspray, dry shampoo, etc.).   Amazon is great to try new products because of the choices in sizes and good price points.

Where do you shop on line?  Share Please!!

-Rose

Six Favorite Make Up Brushes

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Rule number one- Don’t apply make up without brushes unless you have skin that is under 25! 

Brushes soften everything, allowing for lots of smudging and blending.  I love the forgiveness they lend.  An added bonus is how easy they are to use.  You will never over apply – the cardinal make up offense!

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So, over the years I have accumulated a collection of makeup brushes.  My hands down favorites are Bobbi Brown’s brushes.  They are pricey but worth it.  They last and last and last and are simple to clean.  I have recently purchased my first Armani brush and so far, so good….  though it would take a lot for me to abandon my Bobbi brush loyalty.

So, start collecting now!

If I were running from the house due to flood or fire I would grab these six:

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Foundation  – Perfectly shaped and lets you apply foundation LIGHTLY.  That is especially important for us ladies of a certain age.  No heavy hands here.

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Eyes shader – The size and shape of this brush are perfect for applying an eye shadow sweep — on whatever part of the lid you choose.  It is a particularly good brush for applying to the bottom half or your lid – though I find I use it to highlight just below my eyebrows as well.

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Eyeshadow applied with this brush is the perfect compliment for accenting or changing the base color applied with my next favorite brush… the

Cream Shadow – I am a big fan of creamy eye shadow. This brush is a must for applying and blending.  Mistake proof, too.

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Eye Liner – I save the Amy Winehouse (may she rest in peace) look for evenings. Most of the daytime, eye liner looks best when applying darker eye shadow with this eye liner brush, which allows you to go heavy or light.  Smudge for a smoky softer look.  Also great for lining your bottom lashes.  Same heavy or light idea applies.

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Armani (small foundation brush) – This is my first foray into Armani brushes.  This particular model (a bit smaller than a foundation brush) is perfect for applying concealer or highlighter, another Armani product I recommend trying.  Small enough for blending on your cheek bones and the sides of your face – subtle spots that brighten us all up.

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Bronzer – This big fluffy brush allows for blending color all over your face – and allows you to avoid looking like a clown (or Tammy Faye…. though I know that dates me!).  Get one now.  By the way – it feels great to have this many bristles softly brushing across your face.

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Which are your most essential brushes? Do you have a brand you’re most loyal too?

-Rose