BB Cream!

Amazing beauty product alert!!!

Garnier Fructis BB Cream

I know what you're thinking.. What the hell is BB cream??  Well, I did a little light Googling and found out that the BB stands for "Beauty Balm".  This one product does all kinds of great things for your complexion.  There's SPF 15 (and YES we all need to wear a little SPF) but my favorite part is how it is a tinted moisturizer!  If you have relatively good skin and don't rely on heavy foundation to get full coverage then let me introduce you to your new BFF... If you DON'T have awesome skin and need a little boost then this product is also for you!  With acne fighting properties on it's long list of benefits this cream also serves as an amazing primer!  The main purpose of this product is to ultimately give you an even skin tone and a fresh glow.  BB creams also work as a correcting agents so you aren't masking anything!  You are actually fighting your problems while still looking great.  I have been a huge fan of tinted moisturizers for a long time.  Now, I can use my staple beauty product and get a lot more than just great coverage and moisture out of it!  Anything to get girls to moisturize! (Seriously, use lotion and take a multivitamin and you will notice a huge difference in your skin)  Anywho, enough lecturing... Here's another really great tinted moisturizer.


Cargo SPF Tinted Moisturizer 

(note: this product is ONLY tinted moisturizer and SPF, it does not have all the other benefits of a BB cream)  

Tinted Moisturizer Tips:

- Buy the right shade (just pay attention to what you're grabbing off the shelf)

- Apply (first) with a foundation wedge

- Don't neglect your hairline, neck line or under your brow bone

- Allow a few minutes for the moisturizer to set in and dry (it does have a light fragrance to it but that dissipates as it dries)

- Follow up with your powders and bronzers once dry to help set the BB cream 
- DO NOT cake it on!  This is not foundation, it is moisturizer so if you use too much you'll feel oily and gross

Now go get amazing skin!  The BB Cream is sold at places like Target and drugstores for about $12.99.  The Cargo tinted moisturizer can be found at Ulta.  Sephora carries some of the Cargo line (which I recommend) but Ulta has a much bigger selection of it!  Also, the Cargo tinted moisturizer comes in a few different bottle shapes.  

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Get Shellacked!

I HATE acrylic nails.  I hate the way they feel, the way they look when your nails grow but mostly how much they screw up your natural nails.  If you don't have the cash to keep up with acrylic nails I would say to just stay away!  With that being said, I was kind of hesitant to try the new "UV" shellac nail polish because I heard that it has a similar affect on your nails.  I also hate trying to keep up with my half-ass manicure I did while running out the door...  So, I went ahead and got shellacked.  

Yes, I am holding my remote but check out the chip free nails!  It's going on six days now and I am already impressed.  For starters, I was wrong about thinking that it would ruin your nails.  Whoever told me that was wrong because I actually think this polish could help your nail's health.  In other words, by having polish on at all times your nails are less likely to be dry and brittle.  More good news?  It doesn't take any longer than a traditional manicure.  Your polish is bone dry and smudge proof before you walk out the door and dig for your keys only to end up with a chunk of polish missing.    

What should you expect?  Basically, what your manicurist will do is start with a typical manicure and clean up your nails and nail beds.  Then they apply a bunch of different special polishes and you alternate putting your nails under a UV light to dry and getting another layer put on.  Then after a few minutes of final dry time, they wipe your nails with a cloth and BAM!  They're dry.  Two weeks, no chipping!

Ready to get shellacked??  Go to the right place because, like acrylics, some manicurist can screw this up leaving you with thick, chipping nails.  I recommend California Nails in Wexford.  It is located in the new plaza with the new Market District!  $35.00 for a shellac manicure and ask for Kimy, although everyone there is great.  (If you're not in Pittsburgh read around for some good reviews before committing to a place!)  Also, check Living Social and Groupon for deals!

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The Things I Care To Share: Styled by Me

The Things I Care To Share: Styled by Me: Aztec by Day 

-New look, check it out!

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Notes On A Party

I am a wedding planner and a party thrower so a lot of my time is invested in all things parties.  I know, it sounds like such an awful job but someone has got to help plan!  I love sharing ideas for parties with anyone because you never know whose party you'll be attending next.  Basically, these are three of my favorite party throwing tips and three of my cheapest!  

Mason Jar Prepared Drinks

You will need: Mason jars (around 2 per guest), labels, and serving buckets

Offering your guests drinks that you have already mixed is a great way to get a drink in everyone's hand.  For our Christmas party this past year, my friend Bethany and I used mason jars to serve drinks.  We offered sangria, a bailey's drink, something with vodka and something with rum. (No mixers with carbonation!)  We were able to buy cheaper booze and save a lot of money.  Whatever mixers and alcohol we didn't use for the mason jar drinks we set up in the bar area for guests to make their own versions of our drinks.

 Side note: always have wine glasses handy because wine-os usually bring their own bottle!

How to serve mason jar drinks: 

Always offer straws, have a basket for lids, use an ice bucket/cooler or display them in your refrigerator.

Drinks that work for mason jars: 

Mixed drinks with no carbonation, sangria, punches, dessert style cocktails, margaritas, etc...

Where to buy: 

Grocery stores around canning time, trader horn, craft stores, home improvement stores, Walmart, etc...

Napkin Conversation Starters

What you will need: a variety of witty cocktail napkins
A witty napkin generally goes unappreciated.  But when you throw a bunch of people into a room and pass around a funny cocktail napkin to go with their drink, they may get a kick out of it!  This is one of my personal little party touches.  It's not always appropriate to have these if you're going for a certain formality and there is no Hallmark for napkins so you may not find the perfect one.  I buy these little suckers whenever I see them on sale.  They're so cheap and I can just throw them in my party supply box for later use.

Where to buy:
TJMaxx, Target, party supplies stores, clearance bins, etc...

Water Bottles

You will need: water bottles!
One of the best things you can do for you guests after liquering them up is to offer them water bottles.  This way they can just take them out the door with them or straight to which ever couch they're crashing on.  Also, this saves a lot of extra glasses that you won't need to wash the next day.  They don't need to be cold and you don't need to display them nicely if you don't want to.  Just buy a pack and have them handy, everyone including yourself will be glad you did.




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Out To Dinner Outfit

Last night I ate dinner at Houlihan's!  I love their Home Style Pot Roast and "Pomtini" Martinis... mmm. Anyways, I documented my outfit from dinner for today's post.  It's a  good "going out for a fun dinner" outfit.  Assuming you don't need to wear a dress or anything more formal, of course.  So, here your go!

Here's the Out to Dinner Outfit

Lace top: Lucky Brand

Belt and Maroon Tank/Wedges: Target

Dark Wash Skinny Jeans: Gap

Ring: Forever 21

I tucked the front of my shirt into my jeans to show off the belt and also because it felt a little baggy.  This doesn't always work with shirts but this particular one has a round cut bottom which falls nicely when the front is tucked in.  I also matched my tank color to my shoes but it was just a subtle pop of color.  Somehow I have a pair of really comfortable wedges and a tank top that match... But these wedges were on sale at Target for like $3 so I bought them, and I also bought them in grey.  

Details

This cute tan belt came with a pair of shorts from Target.  I love when you can use stuff like that for many different outfits.  Those shorts are in a future blog!

This ring is from Forever 21.  I like it because it's different and the color kind of just goes with everything.  It's a bigger cocktail ring without budging off your finger.  I'm really not an over accessorized but I do admit I could have added some pretty earrings or a bracelet.

The shoes were really difficult to photograph... Sorry!  But just imagine a maroon wedge and there you have it.

Second Look

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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pretzel Cupcakes

Okay everyone, I have a really special treat for you...  This is my most recent baking invention.  It's kind of like the best of everything in one yummy cupcake!  I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one but if not you will need an electric-beater!  The batter tends to be thicker than you're average batter.

Ingredients:
1 box moist white cake mix
3/4 cup all-purpose flower
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
4 egg whites
Strawberry dessert filling
"Tiny Twist" pretzels
Chocolate frosting

Baking Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325'F and line your cupcake pans with liners.  Place one pretzel at the bottom of the liner.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, sugar, flour and salt.  Then just add all the other ingredients to the dry mix!  Keep mixing as you go.
3. Scoop mix into the cupcake liners until they're about 3/4 of the way full.
4. Bake for about 18 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Decorating Instructions:
1. After the cupcakes have cooled off you scoop the center out.  Try using a tablespoon, a tube cookie cutter or even a mellon-baler.
2. Either pipe or scoop the filling into the center of the cupcake.  Smooth the top of the cupcake with the back of a spoon.
3. Frost with chocolate and decorate with crumbled pretzels!

Boots That Stand

Come fall I'm always so excited to pull out my boots.  Nothing is worse than when I go for a favorite pair and find that there is a big crease from how I stored them.  This especially happens with leather, and unfortunately they're the most expensive kind to replace.  So, I learned this great little trick for storing your boots and keeping them in good shape. 

How To:

I know you figured it out already but for those of you who want a description...

- Just take a magazine, make sure it's not too thin that it won't stand, and roll it into a tube.

- Insert the rolled up magazine into the boot and push it down until it hits the sole.

 It is also a great way to recycle/store magazines you're done reading.  I have tons of catalogs and magazines I recycle every month and with this trick, I am able to hang on to them instead.  This is so simple you're probably wondering why I even blogged about it... Well, this trick also feeds into my need to have an organized closet.  I hate when I can't find the things I'm looking for even though it should be right in front of me.   It's a great thing to have all your boot options standing in front of you waiting to get picked!

And there you have it... Boots that don't fall over.  You're welcome.