OPI: Just A Little Dangerous

  Hey all! So I've heard so many great things about OPI nail polishes... and now that it's fall, I've been looking for a good dark nail color. I was beginning to feel like I was the last person on earth to try OPI, so I picked up OPI for Sephora's "Just A Little Dangerous" yesterday and I love it!

Color - Vampy deep plum! Not too dark (I avoid black nail colors), and not too serious because of the glossy finish and blue shimmer. Beautiful color, and I love the name. :)
Packaging - Typical nail polish bottle, but with a larger cap that's easy to unwind (even with wet nails!). The brush (though you can't tell in the picture) is actually quite wide, and with the right amount of pressure you could color a whole nail in one stroke. I stick to the 3-stroke method, though.
Formulation - Very pigmented! You can easily get away with just one coat of this stuff. It also makes things a lot easier for me, as I tend to mess up second coats, hee hee. Glossy finish.
Price - $9 - a little more than drugstore, but not awful.
Overall - I love it! I feel trendy (plum is a fall nail/eye/lip/everything trend) but not emo with this color, it's gorgeous and I can't wait to try more OPI.

 All for now! What's your favorite OPI color?
 Love, Val

How To: Another curly ponytail!

Hey everyone!
  Recently I posted about a fun party hairstyle, the slicked-back curly ponytail. For a lunch out today, I did a softer, everyday variant. Here's how you can, too!

1) As usual, prep hair with heat protectant, brushing in to distribute. Part your hair where you like.
2) Pull your hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck. Now pull out a 1" section from the bottom, and tie off the rest into a ponytail as you would normally.
3) Wrap the section around your hair tie, concealing it, then tuck it into the hair tie so it becomes part of the ponytail. Doing this adds some fanciness to the look.
4) Heat up a flat iron (or curling iron, if you like). Select 2" sections and curl them loosely (read up on how to curl hair with a straightener here). Leave about half your hair uncurled.
5) Style some face-framing pieces as desired. Done!

  Hope you enjoyed! This is a great everyday school look for "instant pretty"! I paired it with light blush, mascara, and gloss for a fresh look. Let me know if you try this, and I'll talk to you all later!
Love, Val

Tinted Moisturizer Talk!

Hey all!
Lately I've been a tad tinted-moisturizer obsessed. Mostly, because I've found one I prefer over my old Sephora one (which was too sheer and the wrong color for me, I've found). It's the CoverGirl Aqua Smoothers tinted moisturizer in light to medium. Sheer but not too sheer (about 1/2 the coverage of a foundation), it's just right for those "My skin looks great!" days! Here are a few tips and pointers from my experience.

Excuse the badly painted nails - they were freshly painted :) Essie Mint Candy Apple

• Get about a pea size drop, and use your fingers to blend. It's the easiest way to control your coverage, plus brushes can end up wasting product.
• Use it in the morning, and it does triple duty as your sunblock, moisturizer, and foundation!
• As they are moisturizers, tinted moisturizers will leave you with a nice dewy (not greasy) finish. Feel free to follow up with a powder if you prefer matte.
• Overdid it on the blush? Gently blend a small dab of tinted moisturizer over for a lit-from within glow!
• On hotter days, I refrigerate my tinted moisturizer. This does two things: cools down my face, and helps de-puff!

Hope this helps!
Love, Val

P.S. Results from my most recent poll - What's your favorite fall color?
Berry - 20%
Plum - 40%
Gray - 0%
Navy - 40%
Red - 0%

Face of the Day!

Quick face of the day from last week! Just a simple, light pink look. Paired with a ponytail, very casual. :)

Face:
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation in 50
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

Eyes:
MAC Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
Stila Major Major Lash Mascara

Cheeks:
Nars Dolce Vita Blush

Lips:
Lancome "Love it!" Lipstick

Hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you want more "Face of the Day"s!
Love, Val

The Slicked Back, Curly Ponytail!

  Hey guys! So I've been feeling a little under the weather lately, I think I have a cold. I'm fine, but I don't really have the energy to do a proper post today, haha! So instead I'll use  a celebrity pic to demonstrate a hair style I've been loving lately: the slicked-back curly ponytail!
  I tried it for a party last week and it was great! It'll keep the hair off your neck so you won't be hot and uncomfortable while dancing, but the curls make it super pretty. Here's how!

Rihanna rocks the look!

1) Start with clean, dry hair. Prep hair with heat protectant, and if desired shine serum. (I used Chi 44 Iron Guard and Chi Silk Infusion.)

2) Brush back hair into a high ponytail and tie off tightly. Spray hairspray or gel into your hands and smooth down hair.

3) Heat up a curling iron in the size of your choice. Begin curling 1” sections of hair, holding the iron vertically and holding for about 8 seconds. Curl entire ponytail this way, alternating directions. (Hot Tools 1 ¼” Curling Iron.)

4) Shake out curls, mist with hairspray, and curl some face-framing pieces. You’re done!

Hope you all enjoyed! Leave any requests in the comments section. Let me know how it works if you try it. :)

Love, Val

Fall Transition Fashion

Featured (clockwise from top left):
Yves St. Laurent cashmere-blend lizard-print scarf, $695; net-a-porter.com
Plum Soft Buffalo Purse, $695; mulberry.com
Berry Faux Suede Foldover Multi Stud Pump Heels, $25; amiclubwear.com
Nars Semi-Matte Lipstick in Trans-Siberian, $24; narscosmetics.com
Gap cropped easy straight jeans (dark wash), $60; gap.com
2 in 1 berry jersey top, 55 GBP; houseoffraser.co.uk

  Hey all, maybe two posts in one day is a bit obsessive but that's how I roll. :)
  Anyways, I've been hearing a lot about "polyvore.com" in various blogs and I finally checked it out. Basically, you can make your own collage of makeup and fashion right there! It's really awesome.
  So here's my summer-to-fall transition collage. I would love to have all these items!
  Recommendations: layer dark wash denim, shades of gray (the of-the-moment neutral), and rich berry and plum colors that never go out of style. The result: a look that's put together, classy, and classic but just trendy enough.
  Hope you liked! Please leave requests in the comments - now that I've finally gotten around to the fashion request I would love to tackle some more. :)
  Love, Val

Health Kick!

  Hello dolls, well lately I've been on a health kick! As far as obsessions go, this is a good one. I've been trying to work out 3-5 times a week, avoid sugary/fatty foods, drink lots of water, and get good sleep. A bit of a wake-up call for me was when P.E. started in school and I felt weak after one lap around the track! Yikes! But after a month or so of my 'program,' I've been able to run 10 laps around the track (not consecutively, but in one workout). So here are some tips and tricks of mine!

• Drink lots of water. Not only does it keep your body going, but it fills you up, so you don't eat when you're actually thirsty. I aim for the recommended 8 glasses a day, and recommend you bring a water bottle with you everywhere!

• Eat small, balanced meals throughout the day. A good meal is high in protein (chicken, fish) and vegetables, but low in fats and carbohydrates (if you love breads, try whole wheat instead). Fiber and protein will keep you feeling full. Remember to take small bites, chew thoroughly, and drink water throughout to feel more full at the end!

• Get out there and exercise! It doesn't have to be running, but just make sure you're out there and moving. I like taking a walk or bike around the neighborhood, practicing volleyball in my backyard, swimming, jump rope, just whatever you like best! I try to exercise 3-5 times a week, an hour each time (outside of school). Stretch afterwards and hydrate!

• Treat yourself! Just because you're trying to be healthy doesn't mean you can't have dessert! Try a smoothie (plain yogurt, banana, frozen strawberries and blueberries mixed up in a blender is my favorite). They're sweet, delicious, and a great way to get that fruit in. Or, if you're craving ice cream, anything by Skinny Cow is low-fat and delicious!

Remember that I am not a nutritionist, these are just tips I've picked up that work for me! Good luck!

What do you do to stay in shape? Leave a comment!

Love, Val

P.S. I'm going to Sephora soon, any recommendations?!