Having said this, I could not find it more appropriate to share www.styleunited.com with you. It’s a new website giving YOU personalized beauty and fashion recommendations. I mean, come on, it’s fun reading Allure, Vogue, and Cosmo – but is it really that helpful to read a spread about 4 different “types” of women and what looks good on that drop-dead-gorgeous model? Not-so-much to say the least. I tend to skim over those pages, perhaps to see a new makeup trick or a winning product…but, who are we kidding? We want personalization.

When you first arrive at the site, you have to register. This is a good thing because then you can create a personalized profile – so no complaining!

Here are the steps I took to get my b-e-a-u-t-y profile advice.

1. Arrive at homepage to build your style profile.           2. Take a style advice quiz!                            

Once you join the site…ohhh the places you can explore.

“Mad for Makeup”…How can you not click it?

I’m happy to share with you some of the fun tips I received while taking my makeup evaluation. However, as we all know, you don’t have the same skin or preferences as I do! So, I encourage each of you to take the advice quiz and hopefully find some pretty sweet takeaways from it!

1. The face. Since the skin on my face is on the fairer side – apparently matte formulas can go flat on pale skin! #Recommendation: “get a glow with a light shimmer” – as long as it doesn’t look like I’m sweating all of the time, I can work with this.
2. The blemishes. #Recommendation: Apply foundation before you apply concealer “because you won’t rub any off and will need less.” Fortunately, I received this advice from one of the MAC makeup artists in Connecticut. My personal trick for you all (yes, advice you can take) – always start with a primer. Follow with your liquid foundation. THEN press on the powder (in a pressing down motion, not circular). Apply your bronzer or blush, if needed…and then you can add your concealer!
3. The lips. Now this is a great tip!  You want a defined lip line? (NO, not the kind you see on a clown. The sexy, perfect lips.) #Recommendation: “to prevent a bleeding lipstick, dust powder outside of lip line pre-application.” Now this is reassuring. I have accidentally been doing this for the past couple of months. It is so nice for StyleUnited to confirm my beauty routine was in order – and I didn’t even know it!
4. The eyes. No matter what beauty counter I go to, I always get a different answer. I typically follow my eyes with a black eyeliner (of course, I have dabbled in the browns and dark blues as the years have gone by). But…just this past weekend, the makeup artist at Chanel tried to convince me to buy a purple mascara with my green eyes. Not happening. As much as I enjoy playing with makeup, I do what I can to have a natural look.  I like their #Recommendation: “bronze is the first-rate to flatter your pretty green eyes.” Bronze falls into my “natural category,” of makeup, so I like this
5. The smile. #Recommendation: “To get the most natural smile, say “money” instead of “cheese.” #thiswon’tbeanissue

And finally, after you have taken the quiz (and received the fun and fabulous tips, as shown above), you receive a recommendation summary, based on your choices. The good thing for you – these are actually actionable. They aren’t making this stuff up. You might find a product idea you haven’t tried which could make a world of a difference in your beauty routine. The good thing for StyleUnited (and you!) – you can buy the products online and have them delivered to your door.

What makes this online makeup idea double awesome? No bad-makeup-counter experience necessary. Wait, what? Given that I’m a seasoned gal when it comes to getting my makeup done professionally (it’s my little treat), sometimes it just doesn’t turn out right. You feel uncomfortable with how you look AND it doesn’t help that thousands of people seem to be walking by you in Nordstroms looking at your face as you sit in the not-so-comfy chair, a bit self-conscious. To top it off, you don’t want to hurt his/her feelings for doing a poor job on you. And to ensure that you don’t, despite the potentially disgusted/embarrassed look on  your face, you proceed to buy the makeup. Eh. Feel empowered. Stop the cycle. Don’t buy makeup if you aren’t loving it on your face as a guilt-trip.  Fortunately, with www.styleunited.com, we can say goodbye to that situation when you’re yearning for a new look! Just join, take the quiz, and see what tips, tricks and products you can take away from it! 

What tips did you take away from the site?!

*Disclaimer: I had the fabulousss opportunity to try out this website, www.styleunited.com, because of a SheSpeaks program. By sharing my honest opinion with you, I should receive a beauty gift from P&G.

Fendista Colorblock Pump

Of course, there is the dreadful aspect of buying a new pair of shoes…you have to wear them! I don’t know about you, but I have had some of the world’s worst experiences “breaking them in.” I won’t get into any gory details besides letting you know that there are gory details from the process. I can say that despite the pain it takes to break shoes in, it has always been worth it. As a shoe lover, I’d hope you’d agree.

Here are a few pros and cons of being a shoe lover. If you have some clever ones to add, I’d love to hear them!

Pros:

• You own adorable shoes. You dream about your shoes. You are proud of your collection…hey, you can even call it a collection!
• There’s always a perfect pair of shoes to wear (& if not, you have an excuse to go shopping!).
• You can wear your shoes forever because your shoe size doesn’t fluctuate (thank God, right?! Just don’t get gout).
• You have (or aspire to have) a pair of shoes for every occasion.
• If you’re looking for an adventure on a Sunday afternoon, or anytime, there is always The Shoe Salon at Bergdorf’s or Barneys or… Nordstroms, Saks,  Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales. Even if you’re not in the market to buy a new pair, it is still such an experience to look! You don’t even need a friend to accompany you…the shoes are enough entertainment.
• The high you get from your first purchase  (who are we kidding? Every time!) of high-end designer shoes. I can still remember my first “designer” shoe purchase. They were a classic pair of Marc Jacobs black pumps I bought on Newbury Street in Boston. I’d call myself naïve for buying ill-fitting shoes that were not a perfect fit…but as experienced as I am in the shoe department, it is still a regular occurrence.
• The thrill of discovering a new pair (or multiple pairs) of shoes on sale! I love it when my mom or a friend just needs to go to DSW or Macy’s because they are having a gigantic sale. The color coded discounts are not annoying, they are simply another challenge you must overcome in the game of shoe shopping.

Cons:

• Investing in shoes is never-ending (there is always that next pair you must have)
• The more you wear your favorite pair, the faster the shoe will wear out (bummer…but that’s the perfect excuse to buy more than one color)
• Your friends want to borrow your shoes (wait, other people’s feet are going in my shoe? eh…)
• There’s a good chance your shoes are going to kill your feet – literally murder them. But, was it worth the pain and suffering? Absolutely.
• The God-awful feeling you get when you ruin a pair of shoes. At least many “ruins” can be replaced, but it’ll cost you.

Have you experienced any other pros and cons? We’d love to hear them! Comment below and let me know.

Toner? Talk about a facial miracle.

Until recently, I had been a fan of cleaning my face at night, adding a touch of vaseline to my lips and going to sleep. Occasionally I would put on a facial moisturizer, but I never felt the need since my skin was doing just fine with my current routine. But then, it happened. I was introduced to Cravebox – and my life has never been the same!

Being totally open to new experiences, I decided to try the Mereadesso Face and Neck Toning Gel that came in my January Cravebox. You can see it pictured on the right. So, what are you supposed to do with a “toning gel” anyways?  After you wash your face (in my case, I use Avon Make Up Remover Wipes to clean), I apply one pump of the toning gel onto my finger tips and rub it over my face. It has a peculiar scent, but don’t let it intimidate you! The smell dissipates rather quickly and your face will be glowing with joy. What’s even cooler? With daily use, the entire bottle will last you 4 months.

Just 3 sprays & Disney's Sleeping Beauty is jealous.

But wait! You’re not done giving your face the special treatment it deserves. After toning your face, take a bottle of AMOREPACIFIC Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System and spray it on your face (make sure your eyes are closed!). I received this bottle in February’s amazing Cravebox. The “hydration delivery system” is considered a pure botanical moisturizing mist…as lovely as that sounds, I’d just call it a facial mister. I’m not positive how many “sprays” your supposed to add to your face, but three seems to be the perfect number for me. I spray on my left side, right side, and then my forehead. Your face will look a little shiny prior to going to bed, but it is worth it. When you wake in the morning, your skin couldn’t look clearer and more refreshed.

Have you tried out either of these products and found a winning combination with them? What is your current bedtime beauty routine?