loving these...naturalizer lorie wedge

Wedges are pretty much the biggest thing right now.

I've seen some crazy-out-there styles that I wouldn't even attempt to try on.

These are different.

I found them while perusing the Zappos website.

Did I mention that "window shopping" online is one of my fave pastimes?

Don't judge it till you try it.

Anywho...

They're by Naturalizer, so automatically you know they're going to feel great on.

I adore that they're chunky without looking clunky...if that makes any sense.

The brown color makes it work with jeans, khakis, whites, etc.

And at $79, you'll still have money left over to splurge on a pedi for your tootsies!

What's not to love about that?

beauty buys under $10...dial nutriskin lotion

While my calendar says it's spring, it's been feeling more like an extended winter.

Like, freezing with a capital F.

Thankfully though, that won't last and soon I'll be having to bare more skin, along with the warmer temps.

In the meantime, I'm getting myself prepped by dousing my epidermis with lotion...morning and night.

Hey, a girls gotta do whatever it takes ya know?

This one by Dial recently came across my desk and really surprised me.

It involves something called a Bio Nutrient Complex that uses different ingredients to help your skin look and feel its best.

The one I tested (seen above in the pic) was for dry skin and contained stuff like: Aloe, Vitamins C,E (antioxidants), Amino Acids (protein building blocks), Omega 3 (for moisture balance), and Vitamin F (to improve elasticity).

The result?

Super moisturized skin that continued to feel that way throughout the day.

Nice.

I also liked it's very, very, faint scent and it's ability to not compete with my perfume in any way.

That's normally a deal breaker right off that bat for me.

You can find Dial Nutriskin Lotion at any mass market, grocery, or drug store in three different sizes and all priced under $10.

Find out more at dialnutriskin.com.


disclosure: a press sample was provided by a pr representative for the brand

tarte natural cheek stain in true love

This stain delivers that perfect pinky-dewy flush to your cheeks.

It's one of those universal pinks that works on just about every skin tone.

I love it because I can throw it on in five seconds and it looks perfect.

Works on cheeks and lips...I just dab a little bit of clear gloss on top.

While it's $30, the size of the stick is huge and will last an eternity.

china glaze island escape collection

I can pretty much guarantee that we won't be having any sort of island escape in the near future.

Just isn't possible with two kids.

Or much fun.

Can't really be spontaneous, if you catch my drift.

Moving on...

China Glaze has some really bright and fun colors, just in time for sandal season.

Here's the lowdown on the shades:

Papaya Punch: Crème based vivid orange.

108 Degrees: Flirtatious berry pink with specks of micro glitter.

Senorita Bonita: Passionate purple shimmer with pink micro glitter.

Blue Iguana: Bold and daring sparkly blue.

Cha Cha Cha: Vivacious shimmer green.

Electric Pineapple: High intensity crème based lime green.

Pretty cute.

While I'm not really a bright color wearer, I could see me trying the green or the orange as a mani.

Of course...as always...China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.

Who needs those right?



You can find China Glaze nail lacquers through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Twitter.

victoria's secret fab 7/$25.50 panty deal...

I've been on a major tear when it comes to buying new things.

One of the things I've been buying by the armful is undies.

I cannot get enough of them.

A couple of weeks back I bought some cheapies at Target, that turned out to be purely awful in the drawer department.

Like sliding down inside my pants kinda awful.

Imagine me subtly adjusting my undies whilst standing in the pick-up line at my son's school.

Good times.

That's when I remembered Victoria's Secret 5/$25.50 deals on cotton panties (sorry I happen to LOVE saying that word...consider yourself warned) and went to town.

I can't express enough how much I love them.

Plus, they don't slide down inside my pants.

So that's a win right there.

Now that they're on sale (for a limited time online and in select stores) I plan on grabbing some more...I suggest you do the same!

take the suave challenge in nyc!

In case you happen to live in the NYC area...or just plan on being there tomorrow...be sure to head over to  Union Square at some point.

Emmy Rossum, star of Showtime’s new show Shameless will be there asking New Yorkers to take the Suave Challenge at the Suave Professionals Style Lounge and see if they can tell the difference between Suave Professionals products and top salon brands.

It's going on tomorrow, March 24 from 1 pm – 4 pm!

As part of the challenge, Emmy Rossum has partnered with Suave Professionals to treat spectators to free full-size bottles of Suave Professionals and a chance to see for themselves just how well Suave Professionals products perform.

Additionally, on Thursday, March 24th, the first 200,000 fans to visit Suave Beauty on Facebook will receive a free full-size bottle so you can see for yourself just how well the new Suave Professionals products perform.

In case you can't wait, you can also take the Suave Challenge at CanYouTell.com where the products will be put through virtual hair tests like wind, water, heat and more!

Be sure to check it out!

degree women expert protection with motionsense

This has to be one of my new faves as far as deodorants go.

Degree has totally upped the ante in the underarm protection game, by coming up with something called motionSENSE™.

The genius of motionSENSE™ is that it starts fighting odor before you start to sweat.

What basically happens is within the deodorant are motion activated micro-capsules that sit on the surface of your skin.

As you move around and go about your day, the teeny tiny capsules break and release "little bursts of freshness" throughout your day.

It seriously does this.

I am not lying when I say that once I wake up, I am on the move until I go to bed at night.

I've used this everyday for over a week and did not experience any deodorant failure.

My underarms stayed dry and stink free.

The little scent that would release here and there was also a sweet little treat, I might add.

Be sure to keep an eye out for it at your local grocery, drug, and/or mass market store...it should be hitting the shelves any day now.

For more info, be sure to like them on facebook...http://www.facebook.com/DegreeWomen or check them out at degreewomen.com.

marc jacobs daisy eau so fresh

Spritzed this on my wrist whilst walking around the mall the other day.

While I can't go into notes and all that, I can tell you this...it smells so so so pretty.

This new scent from Marc Jacobs definitely lives up to its name.

A lighter version of the original Daisy, it's worth checking out if you're in the market for something new for spring/summer.

I'm considering buying it, even though the last thing I need cluttering my bathroom vanity is another bottle of fragrance.

Although....

This bag.

This darn bag is making me consider buying a new scent that (while I love it) I honestly don't need it.

But...the bag.

The bag is so cute.

A perfect little tote that would look so cute on my arm and would be mine with a large bottle purchase...that's $85 btw.

Who am I kidding?

You know I'm going to go out and buy this.

Right?

I found these at my local Macy's.  I also found it online at nordstrom.com.  I think Macy's online is offering it too, but I didn't see it on the page...even after I added it to the cart.  Just fyi.

bareminerals skincare

New this month is bareMinerals Skincare.


Consisting of cleansers, moisturizers, and three specialized treatments (one for eyes, blemishes, and nighttime) it actually easy to use...no complicated 20 step process.

All of their new line contains their 100% pure RareMinerals Active Soil Complex, said to increase cell turnover, help out with your fine lines and wrinkles and impart a gorgeous glow.

What's not awesome about that?

Here's a quick little video that talks about the new goodies...



Be sure to check it out at your local Bare Escentuals store, or bareescentuals.com.

clinique moisture surge tinted moisturizer spf 15

Sweet Georgia Brown, I am in love with this tinted dream.

It's so light, I totally forget it's there.

It goes on so smoothly and so effortlessly and evens things out so perfectly...it's ridiculous.

I am not kidding.

The best thing is that after I apply it in the morning, I don't have to worry about touching things up later in the day.

Which is great, because the last thing you want to have to worry about, while chasing around a 20 month old and a five year old, is how you look.

Am I right?



Find it at your local Clinique counter or online at clinique.com.  Retail price $24.50.

simply the best...

In case you needed any other reason to try these out, Allure recently announced that all of the above won the most coveted Best of Beauty Award more times in the past decade than any other brands in their respective categories.

Any. Other. Brand.

Enough said.

2010 Readers’ Choice Award winner for Best Facial Moisturizer: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream


2010 Best of Beauty Award for Best Shampoo for Fine Hair: Pantene Fine Hair Flat to Volume Shampoo


2010 Best of Beauty Award for Best Deodorant: Secret Clinical Strength


2010 Best of Beauty Award for Best Razor: Gillette Venus Embrace


By the way, while I was writing this post, the below song from Tina Turner kept playing over and over in my head.

It's still in there btw.

Please make it stop.

beauty buys under $10...tone vino moisture body wash with crushed grape and shea butter

Surprisingly moisturizing.

Amazingly sudsy.

A sweet and light little lingering scent.

What does that add up to?

The trifecta of awesome that is this body wash.

While I don't really understand the whole "vino-therapy" formula thing, apparently when you combine it with shea butter and vitamin E, you get a creamy product that leaves your skin feeling soft and hydrated right out of the shower.

You don't really need to add a moisturizer afterwards, if you don't want to.

I'm totally serious.

Excellent for those of us who only have five minutes in the shower before the kids decide to come into the bathroom and see what's taking you so long.

Ugh.

The fact that I can pick this up at any grocery, drug, and Target, also makes this mommy extremely happy.

Especially when you try and get all of your shopping done in one stop so you don't lose your mind.

Just saying.





Suggested retail price for a 18-ounce bottle of body wash is $3.99.  Find it at any grocery, drug, and mass market retailer this month.

sally hansen salon effects real nail polish strips

I have to admit that I am utterly fascinated by these.

Why?

Well, the idea couldn't be more appealing.

A product that will make my nails look polished to perfection in seconds?

No drying time necessary?

DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free?

Not bad.

Then (to remove) all I have to do is use a regular old nail polish remover?

Say what?

They're also under $10 and can be found pretty much anywhere.

Definitely worth checking out.

victoria's secret dream angels demi bra

No.

The hubby hasn't decided to take over the blog.

It's me and I'm including the pic above because it was the only one I could find online of the bra.

Just the bra.

I was trying to figure out why she was looking down though.

Is she trying to avoid stepping on something?

Is she finding it hard to see past her ridiculous cleavage?

Hmmmm.

Sorry...I lost myself for a minute there.

I'm back.

The bra.

I'm in absolute love with this exact bra.

I love the white color, with the touch of white lace at the bottom, and the cute little bow.

Plus, I love the fit.

I do recommend trying it on in-store though.

On a recent trip to my local mall, I popped in and asked one of the sales girls to measure me (something that I  suggest you do if you haven't done so in a while).

She did her measuring thing and let me know that I was now between an A and a B cup...not to mention that my band size had changed.

So that's why my bras were looking a tad wonky in the old cuperoos.

Anyway, I tried this one on and immediately fell in love.

It's so comfy and pretty at the same time.

The sizes also go from a 32A to a 40DD, so check with your VS to see what's available in-store.

At $45 you might think it's a little pricey, but keep checking back because I've seen it on sale in the past and I know that they're going to be having a pretty good sale promo in April.

I'll definitely be snapping up at least one or two more then.

secret clinical strength sport deodorant

So here's the story.

A couple of weeks ago, I was getting something from a high shelf in a cabinet, when all of a sudden I caught a whiff of something pretty nasty.

I did one of those looking around things, sniffing here and there, trying to figure out what it was I just smelled.

Then I realized the obvious.

It was me.

My pits to be precise.

They reeked.

It wasn't because I had just worked out, or hadn't showered yet.

It wasn't because I was sweating a lot, it was a nice day and I haven't been as hot since I lost the weight.

It was the fact that my regular deodorant had decided to up and quit on me.

Leaving me with (sorry if this is a tad too TMI) sticky and stinky underarms.

Yes...it was as gross as it sounds.

Time to switch up the old deodorant!

Being I run 6 days a week now, I decided to upgrade and go for one of the clinical strength deodorants that are out there.

This was what I picked.

It was definitely a tad on the expensive side for me, over $11 for the economy size at my local Target.

I decided that non-stinky-sweaty pits were worth the price though and snapped one up.

Am I glad that I did now.

I use it at night and in the morning I apply a regular deodorant (another Secret one that I picked up at the same time) just to double my dosage.

Maybe it's overkill*, but I figure that it can't hurt.

Anyway, my pits have been in check ever since and feel totally dry and awesome.

Even after I do my daily 6 or 7 mile runs.

And that totally works for me.



*editor's note:  i would like to also add that i've tried it without adding the extra deodorant in the morning and i still didn't have any issues with smelly or wet underarms. it's just me and my paranoia that keeps me doing the double dosage.

conair infiniti pro 1875

This all started because I lost the damn concentrator nozzle from my favorite blow dryer.

I've had that thing forever and it was still going strong.

Due to the fact that my hair was so short over the summer (and I would subsequently just opt for air-drying) it previously just sat languishing in its drawer.

Then we moved.

Then said dryer and concentrator attachment were put in a place that was easily accessed by my 19 month old.

Of course when I went to use both (because the need is there) the nozzle was missing.

Missing.

There is a concentrator attachment somewhere in the house and I can't find it.

Good luck asking the suspect because she won't give up the location...even with bribery.

I tried.

The husband was no help.

He did assist in looking for it, but he was all "just use it without it" when it couldn't be found.

Uh...say what?!

Spoken like a person who has never in their life used a concentrator attachment.

Off I trudged to my local Ulta to check out the blow dryer selection.

The over $100 price tag on my favorite Rusk dryer made that a no-go.  I was desperate, but not that desperate.

I was just about to give up, when I saw this.

Conair's new Infiniti Pro 1875.

It promised all that the rusk had promised, with a much more family friendly sticker of $29.99 (on sale).

Done.

Am I loving it?

Well, so far so good.

The position and sensitivity of the buttons threw me a little at first, but I'm used to it now.

It does the job quickly, with very little effort on my part, and my hair looks great when I finish.

So that works for me.

I'll still keep searching for that nozzle though.

I don't go down that easy.