Power to the Petal

Happy May Day!! May is my favorite month and not just because it's the one I was born in but really because everything comes to life! Gone is the crappy weather and in rush the new flowers and vibrant colors of Spring. Are you ready for all this delicious change? I am cause I've got the new Sugar Petal Tinted Lip Treatment from Fresh and it's a beauty!

Fresh Sugar Petal Tinted Lip Treatment

Ordinarily, I would never go for something this shade as I like nude, deep lip tones rather than something soft and feminine. However, whilst perusing around Sephora a few weeks back, I noticed this new shade had been added to their already impressive lineup. There was no way that this mauvey pink could look good on me. I already own almost every shade as these truly are universally flattering but at some point, there has to be one that just doen't work, right? Wrong! Its a warm but subtle pink - not really bright or striking but still gives that great balance of tint and treatment that Fresh is known for.

Pretty Petal Pink

All of the Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments have SPF 15 along with a blend of various oils like jojoba, oli, and avocado. They really do contain sugar which is a natural humectant that stops moisture from leaving the lips. I love them ALL - I just can't get enough! A quick swipe puts a spring in my step which is quite appropriate, given the season.

Nailing it: butter London Spring 2013 Nail Lacquers

Spring is my favorite season so when it came to looking for new nail hues, I wanted colors that were fun, flirty and mirrored my excitement.  There was no shortage of collections to choose from - everyone from Essie to O.P.I. to Zoya attempted to catch my eye but the best shades seemed to come from across the pond. butter London's Lacquers may all be pastels but they seem to have popped right out of a pretty box of delectable macaroons. Aptly named Sweetie Shop, the collection includes (from left to right): Fiver (the prettiest mint you ever did see) Fruit Machine (a true bubblegum pink) Molly Coddled (a lovely lavender) and Kerfuffle (very cantaloupe-esque).

butter London Spring 2013:
(l to r): Fiver, Fruit Machine, Molly Coddled, and Kerfuffle

Having tried butter before, I know to expect a smooth, shiny finish with none of the bad stuff. Their 3 free formula and über pigmented polishes make them a guilty-but-actually-good-for-me pleasure.

(l to r): Molly Coddled, Fruit Machine, Fiver, Kerfuffle

Two additional shades that I did not purchase are Cuppa (yep, its coffee colored) and Jasper (a bright, sunshine yellow). Both are cute but not as fab as the other four - I had to have them! Could. Not. Leave. Them. There. The summer collection is about to debut in stores but this Sweetie Collection will be a tough act to follow.

Goodebox - The Subscription Beauty Box That's Actually Good For You

My favorite Goodebox samples from my last five boxes

It is sooooooo difficult to resist the temptation that is the subscription beauty box. Birchbox, Sample Society, Ipsy, Beautyfix - there are too many to just choose one! I had finally resolved to abstain completely as each box would most likely contain products that I could not use due to my silicone allergy UNTIL I stumbled upon Goodebox. For a reasonable $16 a month, 6-7 beauty, health, and wellness samples are delivered to my door from companies that are conscious of what we are putting into our bodies. Products are usually all-natural, organic, vegan or all of the above making silicone rare and me a happy girl. What's really great is that there are new and upcoming companies as well as already well-established ones like Pacifica and Weleda. After reflecting on six month's worth of boxes, here are some breakout stars:


Sugared Beauty's Happy Face Foaming Scrub Cleanser - This was in my first box back in October. It's a multitasking wonder that cleanses, polishes and leaves your face soft and naturally moisturized. At first it was confusing to think that this little pot packed with sugar could do all that but I was pleasantly surprised. Sugared Beauty combines the healthy benefits found in nature with with the joy of dessert and the result is definitely sweet.

Bar Beleza Multi-Use Beauty Bar from Me and The Girls - In the spirit of multitaskers, this organic bar can do anything - no seriously - ANYTHING! Its a cleanser, moisturizer, primer, and conditioner all in one twist up tube that makes it super portable. The secret is Cupuacu Seed Butter which melts from a solid to a liquid on contact. It could replace half of the items in my medicine cabinet...which is terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

Sweet Libertine Cosmetics' Mineral Eyeshadow in Dragonfly - It's not all that common to find makeup in this box (one of my only complaints) so it was a surprise to finds a versatile mineral eyeshadow in the holiday box. It's subtle iridescence was perfect for the season but also natural enough for everyday. The vegan darling is sadly discontinued but there are plenty of other shades to choose from.

Lavender Whipped Shea Butter from Metropolis Soap - Lavender is my weakness so this vegan whipped shea butter from Brooklyn, NY was bound to become a quick favorite. Made by hand from only 4 ingredients this is perfect for my seriously dry skin. It really doesn't get any better than this!

Moom Hair Removal Kit - Last but certainly not least is a certified organic, heatless sugar wax that is honestly the least painful hair removal system hat I have ever tried. When it came in last month's box, I was super skeptical  I have had one too many bad eyebrow waxing experiences that have left me looking like a surprised cartoon character (my sister's words, not mine). So, we decided to let sleeping dogs lie and test this product on our upper lip. Neither of us have ever waxed or threaded our ladystaches but we were surprised by how easy it was to render our lips virtually hairless. This is something I would definitely repurchase even though the sample will last me a loooooooong time.


Overall, Goodebox does a great job of elevating lesser known brands and keeping their boxes fresh. While I'm sure everyone would like a little more say as to what is in their boxes, I am looking forward to what new brands the next box will introduce me to.

Does anyone have a subscription box they really love? Let me know in the comments section below!

My April Picks!!

This is a new segment that I'm trying out and I hope you all will come to  enjoy! It is a way for me to spotlight things I have tried and loved each month without doing videos on each thing individually. I recently returned from vacation with lots of interesting goodies and a few of them made it in to my list. I will link each item to it's website so you can see it and other products in the line. Here we go!

One of the brands I discovered whilst on my mini vacation was called Lollia. It is a collection by Margot Elena that focuses on luxury bath and toilettres like sweet perfumes, beautiful candles, and even bath salt and shower gels. The packaging is devine and I couldn't resist trying their tiny Little Luxe Eau de Parfum in "Breathe" or their Petite Treat Handcreme in "Wish". Both scents are fantastic - "breathe" is a light gathering of peony, white lily, grapefruit, and orange while "wish" is a but richer with notes of vanilla, rice flavor, jasmine, and sugar. Any item from these collection would make a beautiful and very memorable gift!

Unbeknownst to me, the designer behind Lollia also created Tokyo Milk, a brand that I was introduced to about a year ago (I love their solid perfumes!) Once I realized this, I went in search of more from this line and came across Tokyo Milk Dark Conditioning Lip Balm in "Coco Noir". A very sensual line, I was immediately drawn to the notes of rum, cherry, and cacao and decided on the balm to nourish my lips which always seem dry by the time morning comes. Turns out, it works!

Now this next one might seem a but random but I was really excited to find these. In the same little boutique I found the Lollia items, I saw the cutest Wooster & Prince Emery Boards and was immediately skeptical. I find that with nail files, if they're cute, they don't work and if they're tough, they strip your nail too much, leaving you with rough edges. With these, however, I had a Goldilocks moment - they're just right AND too freaking cute!

 

My last pick for this month is kinda an oldie but a goodie. I have use Josie Maran's Argan Oil and I loved it but when I saw these new limited edition bottles from her Model Citizen collection, I couldn't resist. I felt like I was doing a mini good deed since 10% of the proceeds go to the model who designed the bottle's charity of choice. I chose Angela Lindvall's bottle because I loved her design and her proceeds go to Healthy Child Healthy World. I believe these are only at Sephora for a limited time so be sure to check them out!

Thanks so much for supporting this new segment - stay tuned for my May picks!

Oscar Movie Review: The Artist

One of the most original films nominated for 10 Academy Awards this year is The Artist. Described by it's director Michel Hazanavicius as "a love letter to cinema," this film does a superb job taking it's viewer on a romantic pilgrimage during a time of major upheaval in the world of film.  Many have shied away from this movie because it is "silent" and "old fashioned" but what they don't realize (and really couldn't unless they had actually seen the film) is that those choices were made not just for pure aesthetic effect but to immerse you into the world. It is terrific experiment in which music and actors work with the film itself to tell a story that is both simple and complex. It was a privilege to see this film, like I was granted access into a secret piece of history and then left to reflect on everything that I had seen.

Jean Dujardin as "George Valentin"

As I stated before, the idea for the film is simple: George Valentin, a beloved silent film star, soon finds himself replaced when talkies come into fashion. The story is complicated when our main character, played by French actor Jean Dujardin, falls in love with a rising talkie star,  played beautifully by Berenice Bejo. George Valentin, the fallen star, in such a proud yet humbling way that really connects the audience to his dilemma. He is an artist - where is the art in just talking? This reminds me of so many of my acting teachers who said time and time again "Don't tell me the story, show me." I get it now!

While the storyline itself was not intricate or complex, it was in the execution that its brilliance shone through. For example, most of the film was indeed silent with music being one of the only audible noises. This allowed for the music to become another character and it chose the role of narrator. When sound was introduced, it was just as rewarding as it was terrifying. Since it was so foreign and jarring, we felt the way Valentin felt. I was amazed by the way in which the film did this over and over again to its audience. It was as if I was both friend and foe, toy and tool. Another example of this was when in all of the main characters' encounters. Peppy, the young starlet, does most of the talking and even though we can only read her words, we feel burdened and overwhelmed by it all. Again, we feel what Valentin feels, exhausted by her chatter and we begin to hone in on his struggle to understand and love her.  Although we could not hear them, we felt the difference in their means of communication. We were taught a language and were just as scared to learn the new one as our main character was. This fear showed that this massive change was not only cinematic, it was cultural.

I really appreciated many aspects in the film as there was a seamless use of modern and classic cinematic references. For example, the credits in the beginning of the film were just as they were for many films of that era with a slew of ellipsis connecting the character name to the actor's. The film was also black and white which keeps distractions to a minimum whilst also adding an air of authenticity. The subtitle cards were also more for feel as some the first few were necessary. After that, you were used to reading the character's lips or not relying on speech at all. As humans, we don't really need to talk in order to communicate. This film really proved that often times, words just complicate what it is we are trying to say and in the end, actions do speak louder.

George (Dujardin) and Peppy (Bejo)

Should this film take home the big prize? That I cannot say yet because I still have two more films to see but out of all the films I have seen thus far, I will say that it does deserve it. Amongst its nominations, I will not be surprised if it picks up Best Actor (Dujardin was phenomenal), Best Original Score (Ludovic Bource), Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius) and Best Picture on Sunday. It has already won in many of those categories at Cannes, the SAG Awards, Critics Choice, the Golden Globes, and BAFTA, etc. - totaling 69 awards this season so far. However, crazier things have happened so I will make my predictions once I have seen all there is to see.

In short, The Artist certainly was more than a new take on an old favorite. It provided a unique perspective that can be applied to many things and while many may think its silent nature limits its appeal, I believe it remains universal. We are not often afforded the point of view of the target of a revolution that is both charismatic and sympathetic. It is much more "American" to be on the side of the revolter, paving the way for change and those who do effect said change. However being a French film, The Artist gives us a chance to see things differently and appreciate a simple act in our technologically over-stimulated lives.

What to Watch: SMASH

What's in a name? Everything.
Smash premiers tonight on NBC at 10PM

In what could be one of the most anticipated television premiers in recent history - possibly due to the fact that it is being brought to the small screen by the king of the silver screen - Smash is sure to live up to its title. An original take on one of America's greatest pastimes that has been  The only thing campy about this show is its subject matter but make no mistake, this is not Glee. In fact, it's the anti-Glee and much like said nemesis, NBC decided to release the pilot early on iTunes and Amazon so those in the know can have a little taste of what's to come. Has the wait been worth it? Absolutely.

The show gets off to a great start, hitting the ground running by using the song that made Katharine McPhee famous. This was a very smart move by producer Steven Spielberg and director Michael Mayer, 2007 Tony Award winner for Spring Awakening. For fans who know McPhee, it's instant gratification, not to mention you've now got us on her side, hook, line and sinker. But the show doesn't want you to stop there. There are multiple story lines that merge and diverge swiftly and sweetly, gliding you from one point of view to the next. Both lead actresses do a wonderful job of portraying their distinct characters. There is an earnestness to McPhee's character that is decidedly different from Megan Hilty's, who is confident yet driven by her years in the Broadway ensemble. You want to root for both because really, they both deserve it. The audience then come to the same realization that the other characters in the show do: the this is exactly the dilemma that they will have to struggle with throughout the course of the show.

Two very deserving Marilyns:
Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty 

What really make Smash work is the style. There is a back and forth between the theater world and the real world that is so, well, real. Like any one of the fabulously choreographed dance numbers, it feels rather effortless as though you are taking part in this production in real time, just as Angelica Huston and Debra Messing are. The creative imagination of each character is valued in a way that is refreshingly not cheesy or annoying. I especially loved the various treatment of the proposed musical's subject matter Marilyn Monroe with each character highlighting a different side of this beloved icon.

From the first few moments I could tell that I was watching something special which, let's face it, is rare for television. The only reason thing against this show is its horrible time slot. Monday nights at 10PM seems to be the kiss of death for NBC but I believe that with Smash they might have found a cure. Tune in tonight - you know I will!