Swatch & Review: Zoya Casey

Zoya Casey may not be the most obvious choice as we move into the warmer months, but this gorgeous blackened plum remind me of deliciously juicy dark summer berries. Casey is a phenomenal deep purple that leans heavily red. Most times it looks almost black, but in the sun it is a beautiful, glossy dark plum. While this vampy shade lends itself well to edgier ensembles, I think that Casey would also complement and add a pop of surprise to feminine, flirty pastel sundresses. The formula was perfect- not to thin or thick. I am wearing 2 coats here, but next time I wear this I will apply a third to eliminate some of the sheerness as the base of my...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Zoya

Fashion journal

 This fashion journal captures some of my past week-and-a-half. Of course I spend 5 days a week working, but me sitting behind a computer screen wouldn't be too interesting to photograph ;)What are you looking at?1) The sort of racer back of my new Acne dress2) Content of my beach bag for a day at Bloemendaal 3) Pink drinks at Steve Madden store opening4) The same store opening5) Canvas bag to store my flats in6) My boyfriend with Pilotto x Kipling backp...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in fashion journal , Personal

April Favorites & Flunkies

Where did April go? I spent most of this month in front of a computer screen finishing up my MA paper (and taking a blogging break every now and then, of course). This past few weeks I was introduced to a few fantastic products, as well as a few disappointing ones. So what have I been loving and regretting?Favorites:  Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 674 Coral Berry- I have been wearing this shade all month. Coral Berry is a rich creme orange coral that leans towards a strawberry pink. It definitely isn't a subtle lip,  but it is totally wearable, especially when paired with neutral eye looks. This coral has ushered in my spring...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Bath and Body Works , E.L.F. , EOS , Favorites and Flunkies , LAVANILA , Macadamia Natural Oil , Revelon , Sonia Kaschuk , Tarte , Urban Decay , Yes to Tomatoes , Zoya

A little gift

At the Filippa K 10th anniversary event (that I blogged about here) I was given this cute, nude colored purse. The thick leather is beautiful - so are all their leather goodies by the way - and just so happened to match my nails! Right now it holds my business cards and it's also the perfect little wallet for when I just want to carry some cash and bank car...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in in my closet

Haul: Zoya Nail Polish Earth Day Exchange

In my first Beautiful Brains post, I gave an update on my adventures with Project 10 Pan and mentioned that I found Zoya's Nail Polish Earth Day Exchange too good to resist. The sale only ended yesterday, and I already received my package! I ordered a few days ago, but regardless that is some superior shipping! Thanks Zoya!My rainbow of treats, From L to R: Faith, Jancyn, Willow, Creamy, Dove, Casey, Marley, Buffy, GaiaI snagged 9 delicious looking shades, and I am so overwhelmingly excited just looking at them. Which do I try first?!?! I broke out of my comfort zone and picked up a shade or two that I wouldn't typically go for- Marley, Creamy,...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Haul , Natural Products , Zoya

Fierce Femme Face of the Day: Vintage Neutrals

Today I have a meeting with my academic adviser and a cohort photo, so I wanted my look to be sophisticated, natural, and professional without compromising too much on sex appeal. I'm calling this one Vintage Neutrals because it feels both classic and sultry.Products UsedFace:Hard Candy Sheer Envy Face PrimerTarte Smooth Operator Illuminating Serum (mixed with foundation)Revlon Colorstay in Medium BeigeBenefit Erase Paste in Medium (under eyes) Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in Light Medium (blemishes)Sephora Sculpting Disk (pressed powder for setting, bronzer for contouring, highlighter on cheekbones)Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow &...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Fierce Femme Face of the Day

outfit: Draped darling dress

When I posted the new Acne dress hanging in my room (seen here), some of you couldn't wait for an outfit post. So as soon as the weather allowed me to, I wore it on a Sunday out and about in Amsterdam. I'm still so in love with the beautiful and unique details like the gathered, asymmetric sash on one side, a hidden zipper and a special back. I also like how it’s flowy and layered but still shows my body shape because it’s fitted just below the waist. To dress it down I layered a biker jacket over it, put on peep toe wedges, and done!Acne darling dressIbana Rouge bagLF wedgesStorets biker jacketPriti NYC silver nail pol...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Outfits

Beautiful Brains: The Cultivation of Need (& a Project 10 Pan Update)

On April 12th I embarked upon the infamous Project 10 Pan in hopes of clearing out old, unloved products, making way for future natural beauty purchases, and buckling down on my spending. How am I doing just 2 weeks in? I have actually started to finish up products a lot more quickly than I had anticipated. In fact, I have already hit 10...this is probably because I was already close to pan on some products and that I decided to include deluxe and travel sized products in the project as well. The next time I do a Project 10 Pan, I do not think that I will count these smaller sized products, but for a first go at this I am glad to be rid of all...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Beautiful Brains , Beauty Industry , Project 10 Pan , Zoya

Dress Give away!

Time for a new give away! One of you is wining this black A-line mini Jinx dress from Seneca Rising! It's a loose fitted, 100% cotton, fully lined dress that's cut out on the side. The label says size 1, I would say it fits a size xs or s.How to enter? This give away is a special thanks to my readers. So it's open for everyone that follows This chick's got style on one or more of these channels: Bloglovin, Google Friend Connect and Twitter! Just leave a comment with your e-mail adress...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in give away

Haul: Mario Badescu Skin Care Sale on Hautelook

As a young teen, the joys of puberty left me properly red and bumpy so I used the Proactiv line with nice results for a some time. With age my skin balanced out on its own, and Proactive became too abrasive. Since then, I have tried countless facial cleansers, masks, and topical treatments that are heavy duty enough to prevent and control my minor breakouts without freaking out my sensitive skin. My skin care routine is currently loyal to Yes to Carrots and a few St. Ives products, but with the summer months just around the corner (read: increasingly oily skin) I was looking for some supplementary products that kicked my current faves into high...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Haul , Hautelook , Mario Badescu , Skin Care

Beautiful Brains: Lady Gaga, Beauty Norms, and "Bad Romance" Inspried Nail Art

Put Your (Painted) Paws Up!With this entry I am introducing a series of posts called "Beautiful Brains," which will be dedicated to the thoughtful and critical discussion of beauty-related topics. In these posts I will be combining my love for all things beauty related with discussions of more socially and culturally grounded contemporary issues, such as body image, the beauty industry, norms of gender and sexuality, and so forth.Love or hate her, Lady Gaga is undoubtedly one of the leading pop culture icons on our generation. Through the bizarre and ever changing stylization of her body, Lady Gaga challenges what our culture perceives as beautiful...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Beautiful Brains , Body Image , Essie , Lady Gaga , Nail Art , Nail Polish , Sally Hansen

Pamela Love for Topshop line

I came across the first images of the Pamela Love jewelry collection for Topshop and wanted to share them with you. As you could read here I'm a fan of hers, so I was looking forward to this. Secretly I had hoped for a few more silver pieces that are a little less detailed... It makes sense though that she didn't want to copy pieces from her line and create another big spike cuff or knuckle ring or something. The feathered jewelry is my favorite. I'm curious how you feel about the collection, that ranges between around 50 and 120 pounds, and what your favorite piece is. Though...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Collections

Outfit: Sand and stripes

 I couldn't think of a better way to spend the hottest day so far than by going to the beach with my boyfriend. I kept my outfit simple - after all you can only lose or damage your accessories - and opted for shorts and a breezy, nude top. Today is the last day of the so called heat wave, so I'm out the door again to catch some sun before I go back to work.River Island shorts / H&M top / LF suede wedges / Stanton James love ring / other ring and necklace gift from friends / Priti NYC silver nailpol...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Outfits

Welcome weekend

How I'm spending my Saturday morning... catching up on magazines and deciding what color to paint my toe nails. Stored my favorite polishes in a glass candy jar, after all they're little colored goodies. Next on todays program; visiting my family for a birthday/early Easter party. Wishing you a happy Easter too! Are you doing anything special on those days (next to stocking up on chocolat eggs?)&nb...

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Personal