If you are looking for stilletto recommendations, you are in the wrong place. I need to be able to run after my kids without falling on my face. Want to know your smartphone's metapix? Sorry. I only write about whether it can survive 5 minutes in the hands of my kids.
This week, instead of focusing on outfits that are suitable for our Mom lives, I wanted to focus on something super simple we can do to perk up our fashion for spring and summer. And for less than $10 too.
It’s nail polish.
Painting the piggies with a trendy topcoat is instant fashion fabulousness. Plus, you can do this while waiting for the kids in the parking line at preschool, or in those quiet quick minutes before going to bed. Better yet, treat yourself to a mani, pedi or both. MiniLuxe (who provided the polishes in the pic) has walk-in appointments. So no fancy spas or appointments that we often have to cancel because they kids decide to beat each other to a pulp. If you don’t live in Massachusetts, look around for similar walk-in establishments.
The top nail polish colors for summer 2013 that you should try are fresh greens, bright purples and coral pinks. The key is the color tone. You don’t want forest green or a eggplant purple. Those are so winter! Find shades like these for a fresh take on classic colors.
MiniLuxe Shades from left to right: Jade, Lolita, Hingham, Corey, Lucky
I personally LOVE the minty greens, sea foam, fresh mint-like colors. But if you can’t find fashion pieces like this or don’t have the budget, then buy a bottle of polish and you are good to go. It will totally make a head-to-toe black outfit seem chic when you have sandals, with toes painted in this shade.
I’ve also seen fabulous outfits with the coral-pink shade. If you have a pair of cropped blue jeans, add a royal blue t-shirt, gold sandals and this shade of polish on your fingers and feet, and you’re talking instant glam! Yet, you’re still in flip-flops, jeans and a t-shirt.
I love the purply shade with yellow! Perfection! And of course, the light pink shade is a classic!
Leave your name below to enter to win this set of nail polish shades from MiniLuxe. These are fabulous! They have 5 of the typical nail polish toxic ingredients removed, which is fabulous for kids, pregnant Moms and more! No follows necessary (though always appreciated!) Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. Form closes on May 14th, and full legal disclosures re: this giveaway can be found here.
Recently, I went to a media event where I got to chat with a great team from Clarins, and got to take home a bag of Clarins products. They were launching the new Clarins Double Serum, and their BB Skin Perfecting Cream. While I spoke about the BB Skin Perfecting Cream here, I wanted to share what I learned about the Clarins Double Serum.
As a “on-the-cusp of-40-with-young-kids-blogger”, I’m facing wrinkles yet still fighting acne. {Go figure.} I get sucked into the beauty industry who keep adding more and more anti-aging products to the market to get me to buy their stuff. I don’t know about you, but I have thrown away many products over the years as a result.
So, when I was at this Clarins Double Serum product launch, I asked the million dollar question that I am sure you are thinking too: “Why is this product different than the other products on which I wasted money?”
This was the response:
First, that this Double Serum is the only anti-aging treatment that reactivates the five vital functions on which skin’s youth and beauty depend.
hydtration
nutrition
oxygenation
protection
regeneration
Second, there are two age-defying serums (one hydric and one lipidic) that are housed in two separate chambers in this one bottle. When you squeeze it out, the oil-based and water-based formulas combine together, so that you have a one-two punch that mimics the skin’s oil/water ratio. It is a formula that you can’t get otherwise if they were combined together in the bottle itself, and Clarins is a leader in this technology.
Third, the combined serums boosts the skin’s hydration to help delay wrinkles and improve skin softness, it increases the speed at which nutrients penetrate skin cells so the skin is more supple, it provides oxygen that helps the radiance factor since oxygen is needed for energy of cells, it stimulates the activity of 2 genes involved in skin protection so that skin can protect itself, helping premature aging, and lastly, it boosts production of collagen to maintain skin smoothness & firmness.
That is a lot of action items for a little bottle.
Needless to say, I was impressed with the science behind the product and its potential. I wanted to write a post right away, but wanted to give it a go first so I could share my personal skin results.
I’ve been using it for 3 months now, and I have to say, I see a difference. Not a dramatic, OMG-I-never-need-a-face-lift, difference, but enough that I’ve had people say to me, “Wow, your skin looks great.” And let me tell you, not many people have said that to me in my life time. Especially now that I have had two kids and haven’t sleep 5 hours straight in over two years.
It retails for about $85 at Clarins counters or on ClarinsUSA.com. You may want to check the ingredient list yourself to make sure you don’t have any allergies or personal ethics issues.
For me though, I was willing to try it and the results for me were a big deal. Sure, it could be because of other things in my life, but I didn’t change my skin care routine other than to add this step before my moisturizer in the morning and at night. So, would I tell my own mother that it is worth a shot to try it? Yes. And let’s face it, if it doesn’t work for you, well, just add it to the list of other things that have never worked. But I’d love to hear if it did work for you, because I’m really glad it did for me.
While I don’t have any double serum to giveaway (I had to use it for this review), I do want to give away another two awesome Clarins goodies. (Maybe this will free up some funds so you can go out and purchase the Clarins Double Serum, right?!) First is the Beauty Flash Balm, which retails for $45. It is the ultimate pick-me-up for tired, stressed skin. It moisturizes and tightens facial contours so skin looks rested and relaxed, it helps smooth the skin’s surface — diffusing the look of lines and wrinkles. It also acts as a make-up base or primer. The second is the Instant Smooth Line Correcting Concentrate, which retails for $34. It can be applied directly onto wrinkles and enlarged pores throughout the day to keep your complexion smoother and brighter.
But remember, no matter what products you use, beauty is from the inside out. Sleep, drink lots of water, and be kind to people and the planet. That my friends, it true beauty.
Spring is upon us and flowers are blooming everywhere. Including fashion. Spring 2013 Trends is also on Florals. Big and Bold, or tiny and dainty. Shoes, scarfs, jeans or jackets. It is easy trend to follow.
One idea is to find simple accessories, like a floral print scarf or a pair of flower earrings. If you can find a fabric brooch, pin it onto a straw handbag for instant fashion flair. If you have a pair of flower clip-on earrings, clip them to a pair of simple pumps for a sweet floral touch. Instead of a basic headband, get one with a flower on it, or sport a pony tail with a flower hair tie.
If you want to delve into some floral pieces, here are some fun ones to consider. Like this jacket. Perfect if you are a working mom, but even if you are not, I find blazers are fantastic to have. If you have jeans and a tee shirt, put a blazer on and you have upped your look instantously. I especially love this look for a sexier take on a blazer for a date night or night out with friends. There are some great floral blazer on Piperlime.com.
Grab a flower dress or some flower accessories to make any outfit spark. I love the flower dresses. So easy to wear, but know what looks good on you. Smaller floral prints may look matronly or busy, while larger ones may be too graphic and overpowering. It is best to try on a few variations to know what looks best on your body frame and for your life style. There are many from Gap.com and JCrew.com, but the one below is $85 on ModCloth.com. Then look for floral bags on place like Etsy.com.
Purchasing a simple flower camisole is an easy piece to have. Wear it with a suit to work for a feminine flair or alone with a pair of cropped jeans and sandals for a casual yet stylish outfit for a quick run to the store or at the park with the kids. This floral top is under $10 from Aeropostale.com.
Floral pants are another option that, in my opinion, only a select few can pull off. If you can, you will really make a statement with this pair from HM.com
This outfit is a simple summer staple, shirts and shorts, but add some floral Toms flats ($55) and you are good to go!
Hopefully you found some floral inspiration for your shopping list. No allergy medication required for these flowers! And make sure to check out my other Spring Trends 2013 posts on Lace and Leather!
This week’s style focus is Lightweight Leather. You can watch a recap of my show here, where I chatted about how Lightweight Leather is another one of the hot Spring 2013 trends, and it can be Mom-friendly.
Like this outfit above is super cute and easy. How often do we wear shorts and a t-shirt anyway. (All the time!) So just swap your standard chino or denim short for a leather or vegan leather pair. Then swap your standard flip flops for a more glam pair of espadrilles. Still super comfy. As a Mom, I probably would go for the vegan leather option. Less of an investment and more kid-friendly, but a pair of leather shorts may be a great option with a pair of heels, a clutch, and a killer blouse for a night out. Check out Piperlime.com. They have tons of options at a variety of price points.
Another easy outfit is where the item has a touch of leather, like this dress above from Target ($30). To keep it spring-friendly, make sure the leather detailing is with a fun color. I love dresses. Simple to throw on and be out the door fast. With a cute pair of sandals, it is casual yet classy. But this dress in particular would look great with a pair of heels for a business meeting or a PTA meeting.
If you want to delve into leather even more, invest in a top or a dress in leather. Or in the case of these two picks below, vegan leather.
This top and dress are both from Piperlime.com. (Just search for ‘Spring Leather’.) The shift dress is versatile. The clean lines make it casual with a pair of gladiator sandals and a straw tote bag, or glammed with a pair of high heels and a clutch. Even though it is (vegan) leather, it is modern and on trend because it is a lightweight leather and a fresh white. The same can be said for the top as it is lightweight and in a spring blush color. Pair this top with a pair of white jeans or white pants for a beautiful spring or summer outfit, and yes, you can wear white pants as a Mom! Just find inexpensive pairs so if they kids spill their grape juice on them, you’re only out $15.
I chose these pieces, not only because they matched the lightweight leather Spring 2013 trends, but because they are classic pieces: they can be used again and again as the trend comes around, and they are versatile pieces: they can be day-casual or vamped up for a night out.
Time to shop! (For my other Spring Trends 2013 posts, check out my lace and florals outfit ideas!
………………………………………………………… Check out my weekly style show every Tuesday at 2pm ET on MomTV.com
