Shop With Style

It’s finally Fall. Time for layering and bundling up, and that includes your head! Not only are hats a practical way to keep warm (they prevent heat from leaving your body through the top of your head), but they are one of the most effortless ways to add flair to your outfit. But, in case your chapeau-topped ensemble isn’t quite working, there are some tips that can take it from drab to fab in no time.

• Think Seasonal – First and foremost, Fall and Winter hats should be wool, cloth, or felt-type material. Save the straw hats for Spring and Summer, since the open weave of those materials can allow heat to escape your head.
• Find the Fit – Hats come in so many sizes and fits, it can literally make your head spin. Just because a hat looks cute, doesn’t mean that it will fit your head properly. Make sure when choosing a hat that you can actually try it on…that means if you’re buying online, you need to either A) make sure the sizes are listed and you know your hat size, or B) you are buying from a site you are familiar with, and you are familiar with their sizing. If it’s too big, it will do nothing but slide down into your eyes, or blow off in a gust of wind. If it’s too tight…well…it will just look plain silly.
• Consider Hair Length – Wearing a hat can change the whole look of your face, especially when taking into account your hair length. You will often find that close-fitting hats with less material compliment shorter hair, while larger, wide-brimmed hats look great on longer-length hair… but as with most things, you’ve got to experiment to see what works.
• Consider Hair Style – If your hair is long enough to style, you have more options than long-and-loose. You can opt for a messy low bun at the back or side, or a loose braid, also at the back or side. Again, get in there and experiment!
• Consider Your Outfit – Sometimes a hat can clash with what you’re wearing, so it’s important to take into consideration the style of your outfit. A loose beret or knit hat looks sharp with a body con shirt and skinny jeans or trousers. Boho styles are really complimented by floppy, wide-brimmed hats. And something sleek and tailored would be well suited to a close-fitting cloche style.
• Color – Since it is Fall, with Winter on the way, you might as well try to embrace and incorporate some of the colors of the season. Yes, black is a classic, as is grey, and they can usually go with anything, but be bold and look for berries, rust colored, and dusky-hued varieties.
• Give it Your Style – As with so many points above, it all comes down to experimentation. If you feel like adding a brooch or feather to a hat…do it. Make it yours. You will ultimately (hopefully) own whatever look you rock, so rock it with confidence!

Not all of us were blessed with gorgeous, full, Angelina Jolie-esque lips… some of us have had to struggle with constantly “drawing in” an upper lip. But there just so happens to be some nifty little tricks you can use to help make your lips look fuller…and only you will ever know you needed them!

• Exfoliate – Exfoliating is not just for your body and face. Our bodies are daily sloughing off the dull, dead skin cells for fresh, new skin cells underneath, and exfoliating aides in that. If your lips are rough, dry, or flaky, a gentle exfoliation will help to remove the dead, dry skin and soften the newer healthy skin underneath. More importantly, it will also make the lips more able to draw in necessary moisture, which in itself can help lips look fuller. Smooth lips will also not only look healthier, but will make any lip product you apply look better.

Since the skin on your lips is thinner and more delicate that that on most other parts of your body, the key to exfoliation here is to think gentle…both in what you put on your lips to exfoliate, and how you do it. A simple mixture of olive oil and sugar, applied to lips with a finger or a washcloth, will do beautifully. Rub in small circles for a minute or two on each lip, then rinse with warm water and pat dry. You can also use Vaseline on a toothbrush, applied in a similar way. Just remember to be gentle!

• Moisturize – Our skin can temporarily absorb moisture (think how much easier body lotion goes on after a warm shower or bath), but without something to help lock it in, the moisture will evaporate throughout the day. Try to avoid those with ingredients such as lanolin and glycerine, as they can sometimes leave lips feeling “waxy,” as if the product hasn’t absorbed into your skin. Also try to avoid moisturizers with a lot of oils; a higher oil content won’t allow the product to be absorbed (think of oil and water in a bottle). When in doubt, opt for natural, like Yes to Coconuts Naturally Smooth lip balm. It’s all natural and absorbs beautifully into your lips.

After exfoliating and before you go to bed, simply smooth the moisturizer over your lips. Since you won’t be talking/eating/drinking it will give your lips the time they need to sit with the moisturizer. When you wake, you’ll be amazed at how your lips look fuller.

• Highlight – Contouring is all the rage now, and your lips definitely need to get in on the trend… especially if you want to make your lips look fuller. A general rule of thumb to remember for make-up is that dark colors recede, or make things look smaller, and lighter colors highlight, or bring to the foreground. A bit of strategically placed highlight will make your lips look fuller and more “three dimensional.” You can use a shimmery vanilla or white colored eye shadow for this, but it works best with a highlighting pencil, like Benefit High Brow Glow.
  1. After applying your desired lip color, lightly run the highlighter over just the cupid’s bow (the center V of your top lip). Blend gently with your finger or a clean shadow brush.
  2. Apply highlighter to the center section of your bottom lip, just outside the natural lip line. Blend gently.
  3. If desired, highlight the two creases running from the bottom of your nose to your cupid’s bow. Blend gently.

Now, simply sit back and admire your perfect pout (but don’t forget to smile too…smiling always helps anyone to look beautiful)!

Let’s continue our exploration of the best and brightest of makeup and beauty’s all-time faves. These are the products that have been propelled into the must-have Hall of Fame, not only due to their overwhelming popularity, but for their constant high-quality performance. To get on this list, it’s not enough for a product to have a season of “gotta have it.” Nope. To be named here, a product must go the distance, over and over, to prove its worth. Maybe they came onto the market last year…or last decade…but they all have earned their spots on this list, as well as in our hearts!

•             Butter London Nail Foundation – Over the past few years, we’ve come to know and love the bold colors with the cheeky British names. They all really hold their vibrancy, and wear so well. But one of the most unassuming looking Butter London products is also one of the most amazing! The Butter London Nail Foundation works behind the scenes to flawlessly smooth out any ridges and bumps so your finished product has a perfect satin finish.

•         Bare Escentuals Powder Foundation – When this foundation first came on the market, no one quite knew what to make of it. A powder foundation… with medium coverage… that was actually good for your skin? What is this magic?! But Bare Essentuals has proven itself year after year, garnering more devotees by the day. No caking. No creasing. No breakouts. No oil. Perfection. Swirl, tap, and buff!

•           The Original Beautyblender – It looked like a gimmick at first. And it’s certainly had dozens of copy-cat products claiming to work as well. But there really is only one Beautyblender. The pointy end gets in all those tight spots next to your nose and around your eyes, while the rounded end smooths out all the other spots. The tap-and-rock method, thanks to the sponge’s unique consistency, really helps to get that foundation and concealer blended flawlessly. Airbrush perfect.

•            L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream – Yes, it’s French, and that does secretly make us feel extra fancy when using it. But that alone wouldn’t get the L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream on this list. The lush 20% shea butter formula absorbs quickly and completely, and the smell is divine! Our purse would feel empty without it (and our hands would definitely be cracked and dry)!

•            Ole Henriksen Truth Serum – For years, beauty science has been trumpeting the effectiveness of Vitamin C in increasing cell turnover and eliminating dark spots and acne scars. But the real genius of the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum is the smooth, fast absorbing gel. Your skin feels instantly moisturized, while under the surface, that Vitamin C is hard at work making you even more beautiful!