(+ a little of my 2 cents) 

Mac Cremesheen Glass in Partial to Pink

1. Find Your Beauty Uniform

Makeup artist Sonia Kashuk says a go-to eye and lip combo is key for looking pulled-together. “The colors should be pretty and modern but not overly trendy.” It took a few months for me to find the perfect lip color with a touch of pink but once I tried Mac Cremesheen Glass in Partial to Pink  I was hooked!

2. Practice Your Posture

The goal is to be perfect yet natural

3. Manage Your Mani

Even if it’s from the constant tapping on your Blackberry, chipped nails suggest pure laziness. The article suggests trying Dashing Diva Nail Salon for a Gelife manicure. The salon replaces traditional lacquer with two coats of gel heated under a UV light for high-shine results that last two weeks.

Most other salons do this as well you just have to ask. Whatever you decide DON’T GET ACRYLIC NAILS!!!!! ACRYLIC is the devil! They look great, and last long but the long term damage to your natural nails is disgusting!

DKNY Be Delicious

4. Be Generous with your Fragrance

That means wearing scent 24/7—even with a T-shirt and jeans. So I have a cabinet full of different fragrances but my signature scent is DKNY Be Delicious. I started wearing this back in 04′…around the same time I met my beau. He loves it so much he stocked me up for awhile. They say scent is the strongest sense tied to memory. Must be true because he said the reason he likes it so much because  it takes him back to when we first met. (awwww Luvs my man)

5. Lose The Shine

When makeup artists use the word “polished” to describe skin texture, that means a flawless finish that’s neither dewy nor overly powdered. To get the look, try a foundation with micronized powders to control oil production and leave skin matte but not dry-looking. Personally, I don’t use foundation on a regular basis. Only tinted moisturizer. My personal fav is Bobbi Brown in Dark Tint. I like it because it gives me a “finished” look like foundation but its very light.

6. Update Your Hair Accessories

 The next time you pull your hair into a pony, channel Jackie Kennedy and reach for a tortoise barrette instead of an elastic. It gives the youthful style more sophistication. Try a hair accessory by Louis Vuitton

LV hair cube

LV hair clip

  7. Plan Ahead

My fav- Pink Chi flat iron

Whether you take the freeway or the subway, a long commute can wreak havoc on your hair. Stylist David Evangelistasuggests keeping a flatiron stashed in your desk for a quick office touch-up. Now, I’m all about looking your best but the flat iron I use WILL NOT be left at the office! Its not THAT serious to me. However, using a good flat iron (or other heat styling tool) makes a huge difference in the way your hair looks. Once I borrowed someone elses’ flat iron and my beau noticed the difference in my hair. He said: “uggg I don’t like the way that makes your hair look”. Ladies, they do notice. Invest in a quality iron. Try my favorite: Chi flat iron

 

 

10. Become A Morning Person

 

Statistics show that less than 30 percent of us get enough sleep. To help the bleary-eyed among us: a wake-up light that mimics a sunrise to help the process feel more natural and a whole lot less painful than an abrupt “BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!”  BS! I need that BEEP, BEEP, BEEP to wake me up. Otherwise I’d just cover my head in my comforter to block the light but as of lately I try to go to bed earlier during the work week and get up before 10 on the weekends. Some weekends are better than others but when I do wake up early I feel like I get more accomplished.

 Source: InStyle

What do you do to look more “polished” ?

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I came across an interesting article about  counterfeit goods including designer handbags made by luxury retail brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. The MSN writer is raising awareness and exposing counterfeit goods from knock off hand bags to medicines, shampoos, laundry detergents, semiconductors, computer equipment and even airplane parts! I knew the fake handbags were getting out of control but I wasn’t aware of the huge impact on the economy. According to Bazaar publisher Valerie Salembier, “750,000 jobs are lost to counterfeiting” and it has “close ties to organized crime”

Here are some interesting stats:

$600 Billion
Estimated annual sales in counterfeit products worldwide

$512 Billion
Global sales lost to counterfeit goods

$250 Billion
Annual loss to American companies from intellectual property theft

$20 Billion
Estimated loss to American companies from counterfeit products

$1 Billion
Estimated annual loss in New York City tax revenues due to counterfeiting

750,000
Number of jobs lost due to intellectual property theft in the United States

10%
Estimated percentage of fakes among all goods produced worldwide every year

Besides the “bootleggers” we see on the corners, the author notes that  “More people are using the Internet as a global marketplace — because of that, there is more access to counterfeit goods”

Read the full article HERE

In case you need a visual look at these pics, FAKE vs. REAL

Louis Vuitton Wallet and Handbag

Gucci Handbag

True Religion Jeans

David Yurman Bracelet

Prada Sunglasses

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All summer Beyonce, Amber Rose, Christina Milian, and Ciara have been spotted rocking the “Spicy” sandals from Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2009 collection. These sexy stiletto sandals are made of exotic leathers with rich embellishments. They come in 6 unique styles ranging from $1240-3390. If you are willing to pay the price, go to your nearest Louis Vuitton store because the shoes aren’t sold online. Hands down they have been one of the season’s standout accessories. While doing some online browsing I came across some shoes that aren’t EXACTLY like them but for the price they get my pick as seasons best replica!

I also came across another pair of hot shoes at Bebe.com and I had no idea they were knockoffs of Balenciaga.  Either way iDig both pair!

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