Color Pop

Good morning, loves! Hope you're having a bright and cheery week!

Speaking of bright, it's getting to be that time of year where all I want is bright pops of vibrant color to help tempt spring to come my way. Yeah I know it's still technically February and we have a few more weeks before it's officially here but this happens to me ever year. I anxiously await it's arrival as colors of the rainbow float through my dreams.

The stores are all decked out in color. And I have to admit that even though I'm looking forward to ditching my dark winter clothes, I'm a bit timid to go full on head to toe neon this time of year. Well honestly I'd probably never go full on head to toe neon but you get what I mean.

I'd rather ease on into the trend with my manis. I already ditched my old winter standby Wicked last week and started sporting one of my other go to faves, Essie Lollipop. And I have to tell you, it instantly brightened up things.

And I have a few more shades on the radar that I'll be picking up in the near future. Here are a few I'm lusting after.

Chanel Le Vernis - May
Butter London - Disco Biscuit
Essie Olé Caliente

Butter London - Slapper
MAC - Toco Toucan
Butter London - Pool Blue

Essie - Tour de Finance
Nicole by OPI - That's Totally Red-ical!
Essie - Orange, It's Obvious

What are your favorite nail shades these days? Any new shades that you have your eye on this season?

Have a wonderful day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Pretty Time

Good morning, lovelies! And happy Friday! I hope you are all off today starting the new year festivities early like I am.

Today is all about prettying up for me. Hair cut, nails, and playing with my new Urban Decay Naked2 palette that I received last night. I've been dying to get my hands on it since it came out earlier this month. As I mentioned a few months ago I'm absolutely obsessed with the original UD Naked palette. Can't get enough of it. And lucky for me, this one came just in time to experiment with my New Year's Eve makeup look. I can't wait!

Hope you all have a wonderful day and if I don't speak to you before, have a happy New Year!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

A December To Remember & A Funny Story

Good morning, loves! And happy December to you all! Thank you so much for the well wishes yesterday. I stayed home from work and rested up and I can happily report that I'm feeling much better. And just in time for the holiday rush to begin!

I'm so looking forward to all this season has to offer. The shopping, the shimmer & shine, the parties, the annual xmas cookie bake off, the look of pretty presents around the tree, and the overall festive holiday cheer. And now that the Rockefeller tree is lit up, the season has officially began! Can't wait to walk on over to check it out later on today.

Oh and before I go I wanted to share a funny little snippet. One day last month I ran out of work in a panic because J was being rushed to the ER with some pain, which we later found out was a cyst.

On my mad dash to find a taxi a woman stopped me on the street to see if I wanted to try out a lip plumper and be interviewed for a morning talk show. Normally I would have said no because I was in a rush and totally out of my mind with worry but the fact that she said lip plumper intrigued me. I developed the Lip Fusion lip plumper years ago and wouldn't you know it, that's the product she handed me to test! I couldn't say no. I mean what are the chances, right?

Well here is that interview...If you go to 3:06 of the tape you'll find me looking pretty intense in all my worry. But I have to say that my testimony is 100% true. The product definitely does work. I swear I'm not being biased. :)

Hope you all have a wonderful day and a wonderful December ahead :)

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Pretty Girl, Pretty World

Good morning, lovelies! I'm feeling all kinds of pretty today. The girlier the better in my book.

I just love to surround myself with beautiful things. I'm the girl who likes to keep her things out on display because I think they're too pretty to keep hidden away in a closet or a drawer.

Walk into my bedroom and you will find lingerie, scarves, jewelery out in the open for all to see. My vanity is my haven. Cosmetics, fragrance, lotions and potions tempt me on a daily basis. And since I spend so much time at my vanity playing around I have a big beautiful pink pillow on the chair to keep me as comfy as can be.

Hope you all have a pretty day!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The Art of Nails

Good morning lovelies. Hope you're having a fabulous week!

Today I'd like to talk a little bit about nails. From your comments over the past few weeks, I can tell that a lot of you are obsessed with nails these days. And you're not alone. I'm right there with you. Us and pretty much everyone else it seems.

I've been monitoring nail trends since I first started working in the beauty industry {I won't count the years because then I'll feel real old, but trust be it's been a loooong time:)} and this is, by far, one of the most exciting times I've seen in the nail arena.

Sure there was Vamp {which was released my first year working in the beauty industry. Hint, hint :)}, Minx, and a few other things that made women excited over the years, most notably limited edition shades especially those released by Chanel, but we're really all over the place now.

Glitter and metallic, ombré nails nails executed two ways...each finger a different color in progression from light to dark or ombré on an individual nail from root to tip, glitter accents... glitter French tip, reverse French and glitter ring finger, matte, matte/shiny blends, crackle, nail strips, and my latest obsession magnetic nail polish. There's a lot going on, no?

A little bit about magnetic nail polish. I know it's been available in Europe for a while now but the states are finally getting a taste of it. Nails Inc. recently launched in Sephora US it is beyond fabulous! The nail color is infused with metallic particles and after applying the second coat you hold the magnetic bottle cap over your nail to create at really cool 3D looks. You can play for hours, I promise! Too much fun especially for a beauty junkie like me. :)

So what about you all? Any particular nail trends that you're playing with these days? Have any of you tried magnetic nail polish before? If so, 'd love to hear how you like it.

Enjoy the day, sweets!

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 All edited by The Alternative Wife

Blushing Boudoir

Happy mid-week, lovelies! I'm smack dab in the middle of a hectic week. Oh how I wish this were me today. Just getting to lay around my boudoir with nothing else to do but pretty myself up all day long. A girl can dream, right? Now it's off to work for me :)

Hope you're all enjoying the week and are able to experience a little pretty time today.

xoxo

Images: 1, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Tune Up Time

Good morning, lovelies! So happy it's finally Thursday. It's been such a busy week and for a few days there it was seeming like the week would never end but now I finally see the end of the tunnel.

These transitional weeks between summer and fall are the weeks that I like to get myself back into shape. No I'm not talking about working out, although that will be happening in the very near future. I'm talking about my beauty regimine. After exposing my hair and skin and nails to all of the elements that I love so very much but are so very bad for you {the sun, sea and sand}, it's time for the much needed beauty tune up.

I already got my hair cut last night and it looks so much healthier. Next up is some spa time. A facial and body scrub are definitely in order. And I'll still be getting my regular manis and pedis but now is the time to change it up and move on over to fall color territory. And I already picked up a few new babies Chanel Graphite, Dragon (not a new shade but I'm so loving it!) & Blue Rebel and Essie Carry On & Power Clutch. Love them all!

What do you all do to get in beauty shape for fall?

Images: 1, 2, 3 All edited by The Alternative Wife

Pretty Up!

Good Monday morning, lovelies! How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun and exciting? Mine was wonderful, as beach weekends always are. My family came out and we celebrated birthdays and had a fabulous time.

And now the time has come to leave the beach bum look behind and attempt to look a little presentable. During the weekends at the beach I am so incredibly casual, the total opposite of the usual me. I never wear makeup, dress in my beach attire and since I get beach hair, I don't even attempt to blow it straight and {ssshhh} I don't even wash my hair every day. Something that is completely unheard of in my everyday life.

I do love the relaxed, effortlessness of my weekends but being a girlie girl at heart I admit that I am pretty excited to primp up today.

Hope you all enjoy the day and Happy August to you all!
xoxo

Images: 1 via here, 2, 3 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

Vanity Affair

Happy mid-week lovelies. I've always felt like a girl's vanity is her throne. The place that she goes to hold court. With herself. It's where all of the judgement takes place but the wonderful thing is that she's able to magically transform herself to regular to regal beauty.

Working in the wonderful world of beauty has afforded me many luxuries, including my gorgeous glass vanity {which was a prop for an Almay photo shoot back in the mid nineties that I won in raffle} and all of the lotion, potions and other bits of beauty that sit upon it. I do admit that from time to time it tends to get a bit cluttered and I often long for a more minimal look. A few bottles of fragrance, one of two body lotions, my hair & makeup brushes, a little box of makeup and a bouquet of flowers. I'll tell you that's a stark contrast from my reality! Ah it's always good to have something to aspire to, right?

So tell me, lovelies, what do you all display on your vanities? Is it minimilastic and chic or cluttered like mine?

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 All images edited by The Alternative Wife

The Cat's Meow!

I'm loving every single thing about this photo by Liz Collins for Numéro. Makes me want to give the ol cat eye a go! Would you try it?

Image: Magdalena Frackowiak by Liz Collins for Numéro via FGR