It's Five O' Clock Somewhere

Photo by Prescriptives

It's Friday, and I think it's safe to assume we've all at least mentally started the weekend.  I know I sure have.  My brain hit the wall around Tuesday.  Just for kicks, I thought I'd send all you lovely readers a small diversion to help get you through till five o'clock rolls around.  Just don't let the boss catch you, and it'll be our little secret. 

Back when I was getting ready for my wedding, I thought it would be nice to surprise my mom with a little thank-you gift.  I'd already gotten her a "Mother of the Bride" hoodie to match my VS "Sexy Little Bride" (this isn't exactly the same one, but close, and yeah, I was that girl.  I even had "Bride" flip-flops.  Sue me), but I felt like I needed something to go with it.  That's when I ran across Prescriptives Custom Blend Lipgloss ($26, Prescriptives).

Apparently, you could custom blend your own special lipgloss, and I thought that would be perfect!  I could get her a lipgloss to match her MOTB gown (shimmering champagne, and she looked freaking gorgeous, even though she'll never admit it), and even get one for myself to take on my honeymoon.  It'd be a mother/daughter thing! 

So, I went to both Prescriptives counters in town, told the sales ladies what I was looking for, and they both looked at me as though I'd just asked them to put their underwear on their heads and dance the Macarena.  Guess they didn't have it available.  So, I called the Prescriptives counter at the ritzy shopping center one town over, and was told yes!  They could do that!  I grabbed Thomas and we high-tailed it over there. 

I'd been misled.  Yes, they could do that...online.  You know, that one little word was very important, and it would have been ever so helpful if they had not ommitted it.  Oh well, at least I knew I could get it.

So, online I went, and the site was too much fun!  You pick a base color, then what kind of finish you would like (full color, chrome, luster, glitter, shimmer, or jelly), add a flavor, and voila!  You have your very own just-for-you lipgloss. 

Yeah, it's a little unnecessary and expensive, but for a special occasion or gift, it's not a bad deal.  In the meantime, the website's a hoot to play around on.  You can kill a lot of time playing with the different colors and finishes.  Right now, my favorite is Medium Rose with a Luster finish and Latte flavor.  Oh--the one I have (and am wearing now, actually) is Light Red with a Luster finish and Bellini flavor.  Mmmmm....

Okay, folks, my allergies have positively exploded, so in lieu of grabbing something out of the magic bag o' samples that could potentially worsen my condition, I thought I'd review something I've just started using, instead.  I hope that's okay with y'all.

Photo by Sephora

My latest obsession is with Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner Eyeshadow ($19, Sephora), and I have no choice but to highly recommend it in the shade Strut.  Recommend as in, "get out there and get this color now, before I drag you to the store myself."  From what I've seen on the runway, I think this is going to be one of the go-to shades for Fall.

It's labeled "smoky denim" (which is funny, because they have a shade called Skinny Jeans, and that's not the denim shade.  Weird), which basically means it's a dark gray with an indigo hue.  Note:  this is NOT blue eyeshadow!  I am not suggesting that anyone play 80s Throwback Barbie!  This is charcoal gray with a little extra oomph.  If you have brown, hazel, or green eyes, this is going to look fantastic on you.  If you are fair-skinned, this is your solution to the how-do-I-wear-silver problem:  accent it with this.  Also, makes a great smoky eye without danger of going goth or looking like someone punched you.

It's a highly-pigmented cream shadow, and a little dab'll do ya.  You can wear it as a sheer wash of color, or build for a smoky look.  You can use it as an accent with another color (I'd suggest R.S.V.P. for day, or Skinny Jeans for night), or as a liner.  It's incredibly versatile.  You can also use it with or without primer.  It really doesn't crease very much, and if you catch a slight crease, you can smooth it right out with your finger.  Also, because it's a cream, you don't have to worry about any of it sprinkling down on your cheeks or under your eyes while you apply the shadow.  No more raccoon eyes!

Seriously, I can't say enough good things about this stuff.  That's all.  Have a great weekend, everyone!