'Ip, 'Ip, 'Ooray! July Ipsy Unbagging

It's mid-July, which means that it's time for another Ipsy unbagging! This month's bag arrived much more quickly than the last couple, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. July's theme was "Beach Beauty", and I think the selected products fit that theme perfectly.

Let's see what we got:

I love this bag! It's a fluorescent pink cylinder, made from a clear, PVC-ish material. It's water-resistent, and wonderful for keeping in your beach bag. Inside the bag, I found Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof hairspray, BH Cosmetics eye shadow mini-palette, Coola Mineral Sunscreen, Demeter perfume oil in Salt Air, and Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush. So, stuff to keep me frizz-free, fry-free, smelling beachy, and looking Summer-y. I'll take it!

This is my first experience with BH Cosmetics eye shadows. I have lip and concealer palettes (those same ones available from Coastal Scents and Crown Brush and...well, everybody else), and they're fantastic for the price, but I've never used the shadows before. I have to say, they're not the most amazing shadows I've ever used, but they're pretty darn good. I could toss this in a bag and be good to go for a weekend trip. The colors are a little sheer (save for the gold--wowzers!!!), but they apply smoothly and blend well.

I'm a little conflicted about the lippie. On the plus side, it's a gorgeous coral, and I love coral. It's also extremely creamy, easy to apply, feels amazing, and has decent staying power--not phenomenal, but not bad. On the other hand, that gorgeous coral is NEON against my skintone. You can't really tell from the swatch (below), but this is most definitely meant to be a statement lip. I just really don't know how I feel about it. I do know that I'll have to give Pop lip products a second look, though. I've not been impressed with their eye shadows, but this lipstick is a great product, neon or not.

From left to right, we have the Pop Beauty crayon, then the BH eyeshadows in Hollywood, San Francisco, and Malibu. Just look at that Malibu--LOOK AT IT!!!! I'm a gold eye shadow kind of girl, and that rivals a couple of Stila shadows that I absolutely adore.

Pay no attention to the sleep deprivation (my adorable puppy likes to practice his tap-dancing at 3am...on my bed...on top of me). I threw this together this morning, using only the shadows in the mini-palette. I used San Francisco in the crease, outer corner, and lower lashline, Malibu sheered across the lid, and Hollywood as an upper lashliner. I applied these over Urban Decay Primer Potion, and they've stayed put for the past five and a half hours. If there's been any fading, it's so minimal that I can't tell.

I haven't had a chance to use the hairspray, yet, but I'm sure it's going to get a workout. I'm interested to see if it's as good as my Redken 28. That sucker could hold your hair through a hurricane.

This applied smoothly, truly was unscented, and hasn't caused any oiliness or irritation. I just don't know if it's worth the trouble to add SPF 20 when I'm already using a BB Cream with SPF 20. I might just stick with my drugstore SPF 100 (Lord, that doesn't mean anything. They were out of 35 and 50). It's not oily, either, and costs a heckuvalot less.

Alrighty, now we're on to my favorite part of the bag! This perfume oil is killer. It smells exactly like the beach. I don't mean, "ooh, it smells of salt and coconut! It's beachy!" I mean, "holy cracker jacks, this smells like the air when I get out of my car at my aunt's beach house. There's some salt, some seaweed, some sunscreen...it's a cooler of fried chicken and cokes away from actually being the beach. It should come with a towel, a boombox, and sand for the floorboard of your car. I'm in love. Pure love. Tara, if you're reading this, your name is all over this bottle.

Here's a look I put together with the stuff in the bag. It's mostly drugstore, since I wanted this to be something you could grab at Walmart or Target while you did the rest of your vacation shopping. There are a couple of exceptions, but just a couple. And yes, my hair is wet. I could tell you it's because this is a beach look, and I wanted you to see how it would look for reals, but honestly, I'm just lazy and didn't feel like blowing my hair dry.

Coola Mineral Sunscreen
Garnier BB Cream Light/Medium
Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in Brightener and Neutralizer
ELF Studio Body Shimmer in Mystic Moonlight
BH Cosmetics Mini-Palette
ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Turks & Caicos
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
ELF Essential Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara
Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush
Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in Pink
Buxom Buxom Lash Waterproof Mascara in Black

Shorts, I Salute Thee

*Apologies to anyone who now has "Camp Anawana (We Hold You In Our Hearts)" stuck in your head. I'm right there with you.

It's crazy hot outside, and as today is the first official day of Summer (For reals? What season have I been melting in for the past month? Spring? Surely not!), I thought I'd share with you my favorite pair of shorts.

Photo Credit: Old Navy

These are fantastic, and here's why:

1. They're twill, so they look nicer than denim, breathe, and don't hold wrinkles. I can hang mine in the bathroom while I take a shower, and that pretty much takes care of "ironing".

2. They have a 3.5 inch inseam (they also come in 5 inch), which makes them short enough to still be young and hip (although, by uttering those words, I have just deemed myself neither), but long enough to cover the cellulite and allow me to squat down when necessary. And yes, sometimes it's necessary.

3. They're cobalt blue, which is too pretty for words, and have a crisp, white, somewhat exotic pattern. You can wear them with a white tank and be casual, or a flowy blouse for a dressier look. I have a neon yellow tee I'm dying to try with them. (They come in other colors, too, but the cobalt is my favorite.)

4. In stores, they're on sale for $15. I can't even...that's just...I bought two more pairs. I have no idea how I'm going to style hot pink or teal shorts, but I'm up for the challenge!

Have a lovely weekend, guys! Try not to evaporate in the heat.

Janet Van De Graaff* Would Love These: Rimmel Show Off Liquid Lip Lacquers

Okay. So, way back in December, a blogger that I just adore posted some swatches of a brand new long-wearing liquid lipstick from Rimmel. The shades were gorgeous, and Rimmel's a good brand, so I was gutted to learn that Apocalips (how cute is that?) were only available in the UK.

Well, fast-forward to last week, when Rimmel released their line of Show Off liquid lip lacquers (read: Apocalips) here in the States. I was so excited, that I ran to my nearest Walgreen's to grab one of these $4.99 beauties before they flew off the shelves!

Okay, okay...I got two. Sue me.

The first one that I picked up was Celestial, which you will not see here because I am a horrible photographer and none of the photos turned out worth a darn. It's a really lovely peachy-beige, if that's any help. The second one, though, was Big Bang, and it's a true red. Seeing as I was just hired to be in an Andrews Sisters tribute group (that's a whole 'nother story), I could definitely use a long-wearing, pin-up red.

Now 50% Blurrier!

The packaging is flat-out cool. It's identical to the UK version, with the exception of the name change. The tube is just shy of cellphone length, and features a faceted cap in black that gradates down to a clear bottom half, which displays the color inside. The Rimmel branding and Show Off name are in silver foil. My one complaint is that the shade name can only be found on the little safety sticker, so you can't peel it off unless you have a fantastic memory for color names. I don't.

You know what red lipstick is great for? Learning that your lips are really asymmetrical.

The Good: The doe-foot application is smooth and even, and the pigmentation is top notch. The product is insanely glossy, and that gloss remains even after blotting (as you can see from the above photo. Yup...that's blotted). Eating and drinking does affect the wear time some, but without eating, and with drinking only through a straw, it can go four hours, easily. Not too shabby for five bucks.

The Not So Good ('Cause It's Not Really Bad): The smell. It smells like aloe vera, which is really strange, since there isn't any aloe vera in it, that I could find. Luckily, that does fade after application, so it's not unbearable. This is also a very drying product. After four hours, my lips were pretty much screaming. You can apply a balm over the lipstick to help with the dryness, but there's a process:

• Apply the balm, which will ball up and remove some of the color in patches.
• Blot off the excess balm, removing the flakes.
• Reapply lipstick over balm.

So, yeah...that part's kind of a pain. There is also some feathering, but that's to be expected with bold colors. You should also exfoliate and moisturize before applying, but again, that's the norm. Also, please bear in mind that, while this is long-wearing, it's still prone to transfer.

I really like this lipstick for those times when you know you're not going to be able to touch-up for a while. Filming, stage work, weddings (just be careful kissing!)...any time you need to look really good for a really long time, but also need to be fairly low-maintenance. Would I wear it every day? God, no! It's way too drying. Will I pick up every color? Not on your life. I'm definitely more of a lip gloss girl, and rarely wear "real" lipstick. Can I recommend this to others? Absolutely.

Final Verdict: This is a lovely product with great staying power and an even greater price tag. Pick up a couple if you're into shiny lipsticks. 7 out of 10.

*For those of you who aren't musical theatre geeks, like myself, Janet Van de Graaff is a character in The Drowsy Chaperone, and she sings a song called "Show Off". The more you know...



Summertime Blues: Sally Hansen Mermaid's Tale

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime! It's now (unofficially) officially Summer! Kids are out of school, barbeques are aflame, and ocean-inspired tootsies are proudly on display! I don't know about you, but this time of year, I live in flip-flops. It's just too darn hot for shoes. Heck, today it was really too darn hot for the flippies.

The other day, I ran in Walgreen's for some sunscreen, and ran across this color from the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Summer Collection. It's called Mermaid's Tale, and is just gorgeous for the season.

Yuck. Foot picture. I am so, so sorry.

I can not apologize enough for the foot photo. I'm in the middle of "Wedding Season", so I'm having to keep the fingernails a little more subdued.

Now, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure has never been my favorite polish--not by a long shot. The formula is a little streaky, and can require about a gazillion (okay, three or four) coats to reach opacity. This shade is no different, turns out. The base color is a navy blue jelly. It's very sheer, and a little gloopy. The glitter and the overall effect make up for the effort you have to put into this, though. The glitters are a fine bright blue and a chunky, hexagonal teal. Applied, the color truly does have an ocean water/mermaid's fin kind of vibe that I...well, I just really dig. This color is. just. beautiful. The wear time is really good, too. I've had it on for over a week, and haven't seen any sign of chipping. Granted, my toenail polish tends to last longer than my nail polish, but I've been working out in the yard in flip-flops, pouring cement and laying pavers. If it was going to chip, it would have.

Mermaid's Tale retails for about eight bucks, but I got mine on sale at Walgreen's for five.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10. It takes a little work, but it's worth it.

Theme Park Makeup, Part IV (The Best and Easiest, So Far!!)

*This is the fourth post in a multi-part series. You can read the first three here, here, and here. Thanks!

I know I said I was going to do a really colorful tutorial for you guys, but with Summer fading off into the distance, and Fall steadily racing toward us, I decided to take a cue from yesterday's Emma Watson post and do a bold lip/nude eye combo that is also surprisingly water-resistent. This is a fantastic look for days when know you're going to hit water rides (think: anything non-Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure). It's not waterproof, but you should be able to get through the day without raccoon eyes or scaring small children. I would recommend tossing a concealer and lip product in your backpack, fanny pack (I don't judge), or tote bag. Maybe a powder, too, but I personally don't think it's necessary.

By the way, I am in love with this look. It's fresh, young, and instantly brightens up your eyes. It also takes the bare minimum amount of products and brushes, and practically zero time to do. It's perfect for this type of vacation. Heck, it was perfect for a rushed morning before work today. I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, anyway, so this is right up my alley; casual, yet polished. Let's take a look:

Bright eyes and pretty lips with slightly flushed cheeks. Honestly, it just looks like I got a good night's sleep and drank some coffee. You could also do the exact opposite of this look by swapping the nude eye product for a bright color, and the bright lip for a nude one. Bright. Nude. Can I type those two words any more?

This look took ten products TOTAL. That includes brushes. Okay, eleven, if you want to toss in another eyebrow brush and skip using the perfectly serviceable one in the E.L.F. Brow Kit. And for you observant people who are like, "there are only nine things in that picture", the missing product is the Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Sin...'cause I had a "moment" and forgot about it. Whoops...

• Too Faced Beauty Balm in Vanilla Glow
• Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Neutralizer
• Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Sin
• Make Up For Ever HD Blush in Quickie (I think...no label!)
• Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Tansparent
• E.L.F. Brow Kit in Medium
• Maybelline Falsies Waterproof Mascara in Black
• Tarte Lipsurgence Natural Lip Stain in Enchanted
• Real Techniques Stippling Brush
• Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Apply the Beauty Balm to your entire face using clean hands. Next, using the foam applicator attached, apply concealer to blemishes, discolored areas, under the eyes, and also to the lids up to the brow bone. Run UD Sin over the lid, to the crease, under the lower lashes, and in the inner corner. Using the stippling brush, apply cream blush to apples of cheeks and blend out across the cheekbone. Using the buffing brush, apply powder to oiler areas, and anywhere you have concealer that needs to be set. Fill in brows lightly with the powder side of the eye kit. Apply mascara to top and bottom lashes. Fill in lips with stain. The. End.

Here's a close-up of the eye. Sin just gives it a little luster and polish, and brightens up the area. Also, how great is that concealer?! Full review to come, but I can already tell that it's a good one.

Obviously, these products are just recommendations. Any pretty peachy pink cream blush will work. I just know this one has staying power. Milani makes a great dupe for the shadow pencil, and Revlon's balm stain is a wonderful drugstore replacement for the Tarte. The Too Faced is the best "BB cream" I've found, so I don't have a drugstore dupe for it, but I'm keeping my eyes open. If you find one that's your "Holy Grail", please let me know! Have fun with this, and let me know if you tried it, and what you thought. Have a fabulous Tuesday!!

Challenge!: Cooking Out with Tangerine Tango

For fun, I thought I'd put together a little fantasy outfit for all those Summer cookouts I hope to attend. To make it a little more challenging, I used Pantone's color of the year, Tangerine Tango, as inspiration. Let's take a look, shall we? Again, all links are at the bottom, except for a couple I threw in with the descriptions.

Summer 2012 Pool Party by adorablenapalm featuring a bikini swimwear

Beginning in the middle, I chose this two piece from Old Navy for two reasons. 1) It's the right color. 2) It's an extremely flattering design, with full-coverage bottoms and a wide-banded halter top. Even if you're (like me) not exactly a supermodel but still prefer a two-piece, you can most likely get away with this. I actually own this one and another just like it in a print, and they're very comfortable and very forgiving. Oh--one more reason (sorry!): it's really inexpensive. That's always a good thing. 

The white dress to the left didn't show up well on Polyvore, but it's a beautiful, all-over eyelet with delicate ruffle trim and empire waist. It's dressy enough to wear to an outdoor cocktail party, yet casual enough that you could toss it on over the bathing suit and still look adorable. Also from Old Navy, and also really inexpensive. Again, always a good thing.

One more from Old Navy! The wedge shoes pull the white from the dress and orange from the suit (or just add in the orange, if you want to skip the suit), but tone down the brights with smooth, milk chocolate leather. A bonus to wearing a wedge to an outdoor event: your heels never sink down into the grass.

Moving to the left, these earrings by 1928 were another inexpensive way to bring in the orange color of the season. I also liked that the hematite accents worked to keep the pop of color from being an explosion.

Directly beneath the earrings, we have our splurge. This bracelet, by Vince Camuto, is $78, and way more than I could ever justify. However, this is a fantasy outfit, so what the hey? I loved that it echoed the triangular shape from the earrings, as well as the striped pattern in the shoes, all while showcasing that gorgeous tangerine in an elegant, yet fun way. If I were going to spend almost eighty bucks on a bracelet, this would definitely be a contender.
Okay, hopping over to the far right (don't you love my haphazard directions?), is the 24/7 Shadow Pencil Stash from Urban Decay. If you don't have this, snap it up. Like, now. In fact, you can get it at HauteLook (until tomorrow, anyway) for $9. NINE DOLLARS!! You can also snag it after tomorrow at the Urban Decay website for $12. I'll do a full review on it soon, but what I'd suggest for this outfit is Rehab all over the lid and smudged underneath the lower lash line. Add Sin to the inner corners to highlight, pop on some mascara, and call it done.

Moving down, this is the NARS Albatross Cheek Trio. This is a little on the pricey side, but I added it here because it gives you a self-contained blush, bronzer, and highlighter that you can simply toss in a bag and be ready to go. It's perfect for traveling, and the colors are amazing. You get Orgasm blush (sorry, Mom), which is a complete cult fave, and one of my go-to products; Laguna bronzer, and Albatross highlighter.

In case you hadn't noticed, we've kept the face fairly neutral and natural, thus far. That's because we're going to kick this look up a notch with Sephora+Pantone's Color of the Year Cream Lipstick in Tangerine Tango. Yes, it's orange, but an incredibly sexy orange, and a Summery twist on the classic red lip. $18, Sephora.

I hope you enjoyed this challenge. Feel free to follow me on Polyvore, and "Like" this if you, well, liked this.

Old Navy smocked dress
$35 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy bikini swimwear
$18 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old navy swimwear
$15 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy platform wedge heels
$30 - oldnavy.gap.com

Vince Camuto enamel bangle
$78 - zappos.com

1928 vintage earrings
$17 - 1928.com

Urban decay makeup
$39 - macys.com

Nars blush
$55 - neimanmarcus.com

Orange Crush Sephora and Pantone Team Up for an NYC Pop-Up Shop VOGUE
vogue.com

Hunger Games Nail Polish, Round Two: Riveting

As promised, here's the other China Glaze Hunger Games polish I was able to get my mitts on: Riveting.

Photo Credit: Hot Topic

Riveting is an electric tangerine color (which, by the way, Pantone named color of the year for 2012, so this is right on trend) with flecks of orange glitter, for a monochromatic, overall shimmer. And I'm in love. It's perfect for Summer, and looks fantastic peeking out of strappy sandals. Plus, I give it bonus points for flattering fish-belly white skin, such as my own, since not all of us have had a chance to spray tan, yet.

Inside on Friday (Painted on Thursday)

Application was fairly painless, though this does have a tendency to glob. I was impressed, though, with how simple it was to cover to smudges. Between the puppy's fascination with toenail polish, and my husband's penchant for stepping on freshly painted tootsies, it's good to know I can just swipe another coat on and be good to go. Drying time isn't particularly quick, but not terribly slow, either; about 10 minutes should do it. I added a clear top coat, and haven't had to even so much as touch up my fingernails for four days. The tips are starting to show signs of wear, but no chips. This is a keeper.

Outside on Saturday (Same Mani)

Available at Hot Topic for $7.00.