Golden Globes 2013 - Best, Worst and Huh?!

I love catching award shows primarily for the fashion. The Golden Globes this year had an array of gorgeous styles and both well-known and up and coming designers, but it also had some "Huh?" moments. I've listed some of my favorites and some of my not-so-favorites below. Which ones did you love and hate?

Love! Love! Love! My winners:

Kate Hudson - chic, edgy, and sexy all rolled into one. Although black is usually a dismal color, her blonde hair and the gold detailing on the dress makes it look fun yet timeless. Stunning!

Jennifer Lawrence - What I love most about her is that she is actually "normal" sized. She is not your typical celebrity toothpick, and I appreciate that about her aside from her obvious beauty. This dress was flattering and made her look drop dead gorgeous. My favorite part of the dress was that it brought my attention directly to the thinnest part of her body. The cinched gold belt at her waist made her look incredibly thin! Beautiful!

Amy Adams - Her fair complexion and red hair really helped pull this look together. Because her dress is such a pale pink, it almost looks nude, and could very easily be washed out due to her light complexion, but she made it work looked gorgeous! Megan Fox, on the other hand, also tried to go with a pale dress but failed miserably. Her dark hair took away from her dress and only muted out her skin color. Go Amy for knowing how to work this color!

Eva Longoria - Wow! There is so much to be said about this amazing look. She let the dress speak for itself with just a simple smokey eye and minimal jewelry. The high slit in the dress was tastefully done and made her tiny 5'2'' frame look as if her legs went on forever! Again, although it was one solid color, the details made the dress come to life. Lace, sequins, chiffon,  and that cutout (I mean look at that cutout!) really broke up the monotonous color. Simply perfect, and probably my favorite of the night!

1st Runners Up:

Julianne Hough, Nicole Richie, and Giuliana Rancic

Oh No! Losers of the night:

Lucy Liu - It's like my grandmother's living room curtains threw up on her. Just overall cheap looking, unflattering and dated. Big thumbs down for this one.

Jo Champa - I don't care what anyone says, this dress style is not flattering on anyone! The tiers offer no shape to her body and she looks like a fish. Too bad because the color and detailing is actually quite pretty. 

Rosario Dawson - Sure, let's just throw her in an old bridesmaid dress and call it a day. She should fire her stylist for this plain and unoriginal look. 

Taylor Swift - Why must this girl insist on dressing like she's 23 going on 53? Again, what's up with the recycled prom dress? That neckline has got to go! Also, her up-do is completely uninspiring and it looked  unfinished with all of those black bobby pins sticking out like a sore thumb.

Kaley Cuoco - Along with Rosario Dawson's stylist, this poor girl's makeup artist should be kicked to the curb. Did she actually think a dark lip would match that light-colored dress? It is too overpowering and is not the right shade for Kaley's complexion. Her makeup is too aggressive with the lip and dark eye combo. A nude or pale pink lip with a soft brown smokey eye would have been a way better fit. 

Katharine McPhee - Same material as Taylor Swift, and same mistake. First, let me start off by saying I actually like the top part of the dress. It is sexy and sophisticated. But then there is the bottom half that ruins the entire look. It is hemmed way too short and the material looks stiff and does nothing for her figure with that awkward slit in the front.

Salma Hayek - Diana Ross called. She wants her hair and dress back. 

Julianne Moore, Debra Messing, and Stacey Kiebler - Take out a pen and paper, and jot down some notes on Eva Longoria's look. She knows what she's doing when it comes to wearing a dark color. Julianne's color-blocking is mundane and lifeless for such an elegant event like the Golden Globes. Debra's dress is shapeless and plain, and Stacey's velvet like material is too heavy and dated for such a beautiful and young woman. No! No! No!

 

And lastly, these two, Glenn Close and Helen Mirren, deserve a round of applause for looking fun and fabulous over 60! I am personally jealous of Helen Mirren. Look at that body at 67. Meow!

*All images courtesy of www.people.com*

Some of My Favorite Dupes

As much as we would like to own expensive high end products, sometimes our budget doesn't always agree. I've compiled a list of tried and true products that do the exact same job for less than half the price! Really, who can actually afford to pay $36 for a lipstick? What are some products that you use and feel are great dupes? I will continue to update this list, so let me know in the comments below, and I will add them here with a link to your blog.

High End / Inexpensive Dupe

Lips:

1. MAC - Creme D' Nude / e.l.f - Natural Nymph
2. MAC - Snob / Revlon - Pink Pout
3. MAC - Rebel / Wet n' Wild - 908C
4. NARS - Turkish Delight Lip Gloss  / Bonne Bell Lip Lites - Strawberry Parfait

Eyes:

1. MAC - Blacktrack Fluidline / e.l.f. Black Cream Eyeliner
2. Lancome - Hypnose Drama Volume Mascara - L'Oreal - Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Face:

1. Smashbox - Photo Finish Primer / Monistat - Chaffing Relief Powder Gel
2. Makeup Forever - HD Foundation / Revlon - Photoready Foundation
3. Makeup Forever - HD Powder / e.l.f. High Definition Powder
4. NARS - Orgasm Blush / Milani - Luminous Blush
5. NARS - Laguna Bronzer / 
6. Too Faced - Chocolate Soleil Bronzer / NYX - Matte Bronzer
7. Benefit Hoola Bronzer - NYC Bronzer in Sunny
8. Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray / Model in a Bottle Makeup Setting Spray

Happy New Year!

Hello lovies!

I have been away for a bit trying to catch up on Christmas shopping and family get togethers. I just wanted to say happy holidays and a very happy and healthy new year to all of you. I hope your 2013 is all that you want it to be!

Love,

Monica

What's in my everyday makeup bag?

I like to carry around my makeup bag wherever I go in case I need to touch up my makeup on the run or when unexpected meetings with friends comes up. I also like to keep small things I might need in case of an emergency like bobby pins, a hair elastic, snap clips (for clipping back my shorter layers in the front), eyelash glue, and gum. And although I change up my products depending on my look for that day, here are my "go to" makeup items in my cosmetic bag: 

Eyes:

2. Maybelline Colossal Volume Express Mascara in Glam Black - this mascara has been the one I find myself grabbing the most. I'm not a huge fan of it like many people seem to be, but it gets the job done. I find it clumps my lashes together, but I love the extreme dark black color which gives my lashes a dramatic look. 

3. Rimmel's Lash Accelerator in Extreme Black - I LOVE this mascara! It's skinny wand reaches the inner and outer corners of my lashes that I can't reach with a fatter wand. I like to mix both the Collosal Volume Mascara and this one for a more lengthy, voluminous look!

4. L'Oreal's Infallible 16 hour Eyeliner in Carbon Black - This has got to be one of the best if not THE best eyeliner I have ever tried! It glides on super smooth and creamy and allows me to smudge it right before it sets. I have repurchased this product time and time again and continue to love it. I will never be without it!

5. e.l.f.'s 'C' Brush - hands down one of my favorite brushes (and cheap too! e.l.f.'s brushes from their Studio Line are extremely high quality and are all under ten dollars!) I use this brush mainly to smudge my eyeliner to give me that smokey look when I don't have to me before work to apply eyeshadow. It blends my eyeliner to give it a more soft look instead of a harsh line.

**Note: I threw a brand new L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara in my bag since my Maybelline Colossal one is almost done. I have repurchased this item time and time again and it never disappoints. It is one of HG items.

Face:

6. NYX Concealer in a Jar in Light - pros: full coverage, lasts all day, a lot of bang for your buck! Cons: has a powdery smell to it which is such a turn off in my book! *Note: When at home, I use Coastal Scents palette which I've spoken about here. This and Revlon's Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Treatment Concealer in Light 20 are my current faves.

7. YSL Bronzing Powder in Terre Saharienne - this is the perfect matte bronzer. It has just a hint of shimmer but nothing that will make you look shiny or sweaty as shimmer bronzers often do. I prefer matte bronzers and this color is perfect for olive skin tones like mine. During the winter months when I am too fair for this bronzer I use it mostly for contouring instead.

8. Blush-this is a hard one as I am always trying out new colors and brands. This past summer I used only Tarte's Amazonian Clay in Tipsy, but now I'm experimenting with Wet n' Wild's Heather Silk which I'm loving for two reasons: 1. The color payoff is phenomenal for $1.99 and 2. The rosy color is perfect for a pink wintery flush.

Lips:

9. I can never decide on which lip color I will stick to during the day, so I normally care 2-3 lipsticks and 1-2 glosses in case I want to change it up. Of course a nude-ish pink is always flattering so I tend to stick to those. My all-time favorite lipstick is Sephora's Lip Attitude in Glamour G01. Please pick this up if you are looking for a creamy, moisturizing, pigmented color. It glides on smoothly is the perfect nude pink. I've repurchased this color at least 3 times. It is timeless. I also carry with me NYX's Circe which is a more true nude and NARS' Turkish Delight Lip Gloss, which aside from the smell is the best pink lip gloss color I've ever used. If you are looking for an inexpensive dupe for Turkish Delight try Bonne Bell's Strawberry Parfait for $2.99! Sometimes I like to layer these two lippies and top it with the gloss; a perfect combo!

Some other miscellaneous items I carry in my bag are hair clips, hair ties, and eyelash glue. Of course I change everything up depending on my mood or occasion, but this is pretty accurate to what I normally carry around on a daily basis. You can find all the products mentioned at your local drugstore or Ulta.

What do you carry in your makeup bag? Comment below and let me know what are some items you can't leave the house without. 

Love,

Monica Sofia

Soleil Tan De Chanel = To Die For Bronzer

Before I figured out how to use Chanel's bronzing makeup base: Soleil Tan De Chanel (formerly Bronze Universel De Chanel), it just sat in my makeup drawer collecting dust. I didn't know how to apply it, and was using a sponge applicator. I didn't like the fact that when I put it on with the sponge, I was never able to get an even application. My skin always looked blotchy cakey in areas. Ugh!

Thank goodness I eventually learned how to apply it correctly...with a face brush!! What a difference! If your experiencing the same dilemma, try it this way. Just swirl your face brush (I use e.l.f.'s Studio Powder Brush) in the mousse like consistency. Then start from the outside of your face, and work inwards. Lightly brush all over face for an amazing glow! That's it! You can wear it just by itself for a more dewy fresh look, or try setting it with your favorite powdered bronzer. One of my high end favorites is Chanel's Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in #63 Terre Ambre. A drugstore dupe for less than a fraction of the cost is N.Y.C's Matte Bronzer in Sunny #720.

Even though at a pricey $48.00, this bronzer is worth the splurge! I have had mine for almost a year and only now have started to make a dent in it. It has become one of my staple items. It lasts all day and I never have to retouch it! After a long night of partying with friends, it did not budge, smear, or melt off. It stayed on like a true champ! 

Add this product to your collection and let me know what you think! 

Cottage cheese anyone?

Who doesn't love Soap & Glory products?! They're fun, cheap, and work great! Just the vintage labels alone make you want to buy their products! Here is the newest one by them: Soap & Glory Slimwear Body Cream

Compared to other big name brands like Channel and Bliss, customers said this worked the best. With the peptides working as soon as you smooth it on dimpled areas, you will notice results the same day in hiding and preventing cellulite!

 

You can find it at Target for $11.00 which is way cheaper than the other brands and works much better! Visit http://www.soapandglorycosmetics.com/ for all their other amazing products!

Here's to a happy today and a smooth derriere tomorrow!

Dear Perfect Concealer, Why are you so hard to find?

I am a self proclaimed concealer junkie although concealers and I have a love/hate relationship. I try to do most of the loving, but they always end up doing most of the hating!

I don't know about you, but I can not stand when a concealer is sticky and gooey. I just feel like it sits on my skin attracting any lint particle to it and then eventually melting away. Often I find that 85% of concealers out there, are too watered down, so I don't get the coverage I need for my dark under eye circles and my rare hormonal pimples that decide to pop up whenever I am stressed. It's hard to find a concealer I love.

I used to swear by Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer. This is by far the best concealer I have ever owned and used on my face. Never sticky, not watered down, long lasting. Basically perfect! I have yet to try the Secret Camouflage one they are carrying at my local Sephora as is looks very similar to the Secret one. However, at $22.00 for .08 oz. it gets a little pricey when I go through this stuff like it's going out of style.

It took me years to find another great one: Revlon's Age Defying Concealer (light). The consistency and coverage of this concealer was almost identical to the one by Laura Mercier, so you can just imagine my excitement! Sadly this amazing product has been discontinued. I swear I think cosmetic companies love to do this: you know, when you find your holy grail cosmetic and then the company decides they are going to take it away from you, so you feel the need to buy 7345 backups!

Now after some searching and trying (and searching and trying!), I have found the following two I cannot live without:

Maybelline's Super Stay 24hr Concealer (light & medium). It's what I have been using for the last couple of years. It's wonderful! It covers like no other concealer I know, even more so than the previous two. It is not sticky at all and in fact, dries completely to blend into your skin. It's coverage is seriously amazing. They only downside is that it dries quickly so you have to work even more quickly than it to spread it on. And...

Coastal Scents Camouflage Concealer Palette. This palette is considerably affordable at $16.95 for ten concealers. I have never used the three darkest shades as they do not match my skin color, but the other seven I alternate all year long depending on how tan my skin gets. It is creamy, long lasting, and  has buildable coverage. I love this palette and recommend it to all of my friends

These two have been my go-to concealers for a very long time. If they decide to discontinue them, I will surely cry!

What concealers do you use and love? I recommend both of these if you are looking to try a new one.

Lush = Disappointment!

Warning: Long rant ahead. Read at your own risk!

I am not going to lie, I am not a big fan of "organic" soaps. I just never liked the smell of them or their greasy consistency. However, after hearing about Lush and how amazing it was from about every single person out there, I figured that I would fall in love with it like the rest of the world. I mean the Lush brand itself promises clean, vegetarian, no-testing-on-animals, great smelling products for both bath and body, so how could one not be intrigued. I was on a mission to indulge in these products myself, so I found the closest store (about 50 minutes from where I live) and dragged along the sweet boyfriend. I say 'sweet' because 1. I talked his ear off about how great these products were going to be for weeks on end, 2. we got lost driving to the store, taking about an hour and a half longer to get there, and 3. because well he's a boy and most boys could care less about anything cosmetics related. But nonetheless, he accompanied me anyway and we drove up with visions of Honey I Washed the Kids, Rockstar, and Sultan of Soap dancing in my head.

Now, let me clarify before I continue. I understand that my opinion is my opinion and that about 90% of you love Lush, so understand that I am in no way criticizing anyone when I say the following: What are you all seeing that I'm not seeing?! No, seriously, did I miss something?

Unfortunately, to my great disappointment, I did not like one single thing in that store. I feel so unbelievably disillusioned with Lush that I don't even know where to begin. I was expecting wonderful smells when I walked in to it, but all of the smells were so hemp and incense like, that I felt sort of light headed when all of them attacked me at one time. Not even the Honey I Washed the Kids bar smelled good to me. In fact, it didn't smell like anything it promoted. Rockstar? What a joke! I've heard that it's smell is other worldly and also like nothing else you've ever smelled. Really? It smelled just like bubble gum to me which is not anything I want to smell like when I get out of the shower since pink bubble gum flavor/smell makes me want to gag. The bath bombs, were nice and big in size, but again their smells were nothing amazing and some of them smelled like old perfume.

The sea salt scrub, which I was so excited about smelled horrible and felt like sandpaper of a gradient 3 on my skin. The only bar of soap that I didn't mind the smell of was Sultan of Soap. But it had so many full size nuts and raisins in it that my boyfriend made a good point of how it would most definitely clog the shower drain. His favorite was porridge. I thought it smelled like dirt.

And finally, the biggest disappointment of all were the prices! Even though my initial reaction was disappointment, I was still going to cave in and buy Honey I Washed the Kids, because I loved the honeycomb pattern on the side and assumed it would be a good exfoliater. So I walk over to the register (where the friendly cashier was) with a bar the size of a 3x3 square (much smaller than any store bought soap) and it weighed in at a mind boggling $14.92!! WHAT?! Any last hope that I would buy anything from Lush was left there in the dust at the register. Who ever pays fifteen dollars for a tiny bar of soap is just letting money go down the drain (no pun intended).  

Ugh! I'm sorry to be such a downer, but I was just so completely disappointed. I really, REALLY, wanted to love Lush like all of you, but I just did not get it. I think the idea of the store is brilliant, and the packaging is adorable. The variety is abundant, but the smells and prices threw me off. Sorry Lush lovers!

Are there any other companies out there that also create handmade soaps that I should try out. Let me know what your experiences are with Lush soaps and products!

Perfect Summer Scents!

Although I tend to stick to one signature scent year round, during the summer months I find myself gravitating to much fruitier and warmer scents. Be adventurous, and play up how you are feeling that day (or night!) with different scents. These are my current favorites I’ve been reaching for this summer season:

Summer Days

1. Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush in Plumdrop - I normally dislike berry smelling perfumes but for some reason I am drawn to this scent. The smell lingers on your body and smells great even after your day is over.

2. DKNY Be Delicious – This is such a classic fresh scent. It gives off a slight green apple smell that is so invigorating and clean, it will smell like you just stepped out of the shower.

3. Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Summer Fragrance – One of my all-time favorites. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing this scent is. The main notes are grapefruit, black currant, and lily of the valley. It is citrusy, florally, fruity, and fresh smelling all packed into one bottle. Phenomenal! *Note that I list its original counterpart in my evening favorites!

Summer Nights

1. Issey Miyake’s L'Eau d'Issey – I can’t say enough about this fragrance. Once you put it on, you automatically feel sexy. The notes  listed for it are: Lotus, Freesia, Cyclamen, Rose Water, Fresh Peonies, Carnation, White Lilies, Precious Woods, Osmanthus, Tuberose, Amberseed, Musk. It has the most unique scent I have ever smelled and I always get questions about it and compliments when I wear it. Perfect for a date night!

2. Marc Jacobs’ Lola – Honestly this was not one of my favorites from the start. I picked it up solely on how pretty the bottle was. C’mon, we are all allowed to be a little shallow sometimes! I disliked it because it is more of a musky smell, and I tend to stray away from musky perfumes as they are typically not my thing. However, a few months after purchasing it, I decided that I might as well use it because that pretty bottle cost me a pretty penny. “Waste not, want not” right? Well, it definitely grew on me as I almost always spritz it on now when I’m going out with my girlfriends. It is a strong smell and a little goes a long way, but it does always make me feel girly and feminine when wearing it.

3. Victoria’s Secret Bombshell – The one and only, the original. This perfume is probably one of my top three scents of all time. My bottle is almost all gone because I use it so much! If you are ever in Victoria’s Secret and are overwhelmed by which fragrance to choose, definitely pick this one up!

Which fragrances have you been using this summer?

Kim Kardashian celebrity inspired outfit for less!

This chic look comes together so effortlessly but yet still makes a strong statement. The chain links on her top puts a new twist on the basic white tank. Also, the Christian Louboutin "Deva" strappy fringed heels add some glamour and fun to an overall casual look.

Check out this look for less:

 Forever21 - Dimpled Medallion Necklace - $5.80

 Bakers - Lily Platform Sandal - $69.99

Overstock.com - Unisex M09011 Orange/ Purple Metal Aviator Sunglasses - $14.99

GoJane - Leather (Faux) Vest - $40.80

UrbanOG - Carlie Top - $26.50

Forever21 - Studded Ankle Jeans - $29.80

Happy bargain shopping! 
What other looks would you like me to do for less? Xoxo!