Crushing on J Crew

Source: J. Crew

 Ahh. So, I cannot lie. I got very excited when I saw the "New Dimensions" section of the Spring 2019 J Crew catalog.

It appears that Crew is bringing back the high waist /wide leg look of the 1970's.

Source: J. Crew

I lived through the early '00's where everything in the pants department was super low rise. That over tan, extreme flat-ironed hair with a Von Dutch trucker cap, Tiffany bracelet , visible thong with jeans that sat an inch lower than the belly button still makes me cringe

This look though, I'm going to embrace. It puts me in mind of Farrah Fawcett (Majors) back in the day.

Sadly, here in New England we have another two years months of winter ahead of us.  Once we start inching closer toward April though... it's on!

What are your thoughts on this style? Hate it? Love it? Indifferent?



XO
SheShe

Can we have a heart to heart about photo editing?

Hello and welcome to your Friday!  I hope that this weekend is going to be a great one for everybody.
Here in New England, its been a crazy weather week. I'm looking forward to the sunshine and some calm days.

I've been doing "The Friday Five" via a link up from Live Journal the past few weeks. However, the new one is not up this week? Maybe, I'm just too early? I'm not sure.

Anyhow, I figured I'm going to take this as a sign to write a post that I've hemmed and hawed about posting; the over editing of photos.

I started this "blogette" because it was a requirement from a company that sends me make up and hair products to test. I didn't start this to post about things that are polarizing. However, my best friend I were taking about this recently and I do feel that its worth addressing.

Open up any of your social media feeds and you'll see what I mean. Photo editing is getting out of control. Mind you, I'm NOT mocking photo editing in general. Not at all. Literally, everyone I know, myself included touches their pics up a bit here and there. What I'm talking about  today, what we need to stop, is photo editing which goes to extremes. When you see a photo of someone and they don't even look human.  Off the top of my head, these are a few examples that come to mind:

• The "oil painting" Face Edit

The rest of the photo looks like an actual photo. Yet, the subject's face is blurred and smoothed so much that their skin looks as if its an oil painting.  Joan Rivers , God rest her soul would look wrinkly next to this edit job. Nobody has skin that looks like this. Nobody.  If  I see this type of editing, my assumption is that this person must be beyond wrinkled in real life. While, that's probably not true, its the automatic assumption . Why else would someone go to such extremes?

• The Fake Eye Color Edit

How often have you seen this one...A person who you know IRL has brown eyes. Yet, they chose to use the eye color tool to try to give themselves blue eyes? The only problem is, the shade of blue is NOTHING like the color of  actual blue eyes or even like blue contacts for that matter. Their new "eye color" never fits on their irises either. At best, it looks as if they have odd looking marbles over their eyes, at worst it looks like alien eyes

• The Nose "Oh So Thin" Edit

When did this become a thing? WHY did this become a thing. Every time I see this, I get so confused. Why would anyone want to edit their face so that it looks as if their nose is 1/10th of a centimeter wide? I'm not a nurse, but I cant help but think that if someone's nose was that thin it would be a medical condition?

• The Makeup Edit

I LOOOOOOOOOVE makeup, obviously. That not withstanding, what is the purpose of these apps that put makeup on  after the photo was taken? I mean, in theory, I understand it, but I'm assuming the technology just isn't there yet. Why do I say that? Because the app puts on this red lip stick that is so bright and so opaque it would make Marilyn Monroe blush or enough highlighter for the person to sub in for the disco ball at Studio 54.


There are so many more, I could go on, but I don't think there is any need too.

I guess when all is said and done, it makes me feel sad that some people feel that they need to attempt to alter their appearance THIS much.
The media puts such insane standards out there with their gorgeous ads, etc all of which are edited too. Its to the point where many actors  feel the same pressure. Just google "Celebrity Photoshop fails" and you'll see what I mean.
You have actual Victoria's Secret Angels trying to make themselves thinner. If some of the most beautiful people out there don't think they look good enough, where does the leave the rest of us?
It's just become crazy what they (the media) tries to inundate us with.
We need to remind ourselves and each other that we are enough. We need to understand that in real life, we look BETTER, much better naturally than we do when we put all these crazy edits on.

Plus, you know there is some stupid mean girl out there that just cannot wait to screen-shot that overly "enhanced" photo.  Don't give that stupid mean girl the pleasure. 80% of your followers likely know you in real life. Therefore, they know what you actually look like. Even if they don't, lets be realistic, we can all spot these "brute force" editing mishaps from a country mile.

You ARE beautiful. I promise

XO
Sheila



PS: A few links to more eloquently written articles on this topic:

PSA Stop Over editing

Beware of the over edit

10 Most common editing mistakes

Revisiting a book I bought in my 20's

Happy Mid-Week babies! Next week is the last week of January. Slowly, but surely we are getting through winter. I know I shouldn't wish so much as a day away. It's just that I long for warm weather, and 9:00 pm sunsets.
Speaking of time passing by....Back in my 20's I bought a book called "How to not look old" by Charla Krupp. ( Literally LOL'ing at my 20-something self) Just a few days ago, I was looking for an old college text book when I came across it.

 Its an all encompassing book which addresses everything from makeup, clothing, hair, shoes, nail polish and more.  She goes into depth about how to use these things in a way to look more youthful. She also details what about these things will add years to your appearance.
One of the many things I like most about what she does, is that she will list solutions at  low, medium and high price points.
The last new nights, I've been re-reading this book. Its far more fitting now. Now, that I'm NOT in my 20's anymore.

This book is STILL in print. I'd buy it again right now. Its still that current How To Not Look Old By Charla Krupp

The fashion aspects of this book, deserve their own attention. Today, on this little "blogette" I'm going to focus on a few of the makeup tips that I've found especially helpful. Again, I say you should buy this book. YOU are worth it.

• Nothing ages you like yellow teeth

How true is this!?  Its a natural process, teeth darken over time. It happens to all to us. Luckily, we now do not need to just let this happen. Back in the 1960's and 1970's, unless you had the money to get a crown put on each and every tooth, you just had to live with whatever color your teeth were. Now, nothing could be further from the truth. There is in-office whitening,  at home  whitening strips, etc.
Before you go out and spend $50 dollars on a box of whitening strips, read  Here . I talk about the most effective at home whiting that I've ever know about. If you want something more dramatic, personally I recommend Zoom! Whitening TM  . I had it done right before Christmas. Look at the result. This was in the parking lot immediately after.

• Nothing ages you like thick, black eyeliner

Can I get am amen? Think of when you've seen this is in real life. A thick black eyeliner, especially on the lower lid, is so unforgiving. It makes the eye look droopy. It calls attention to crow's feet and other lines. The solution is NOT to do a half line. I've seen this one too. A thick black line from the corner of the eye to the iris. NO. Please no.
Check out Pam Anderson in a thick back liner versus Olivia Wilde in a brown liner.

The difference is astounding.

• Nothing ages you like monotone, brassy and or too dark hair color 

In real life hair isn't all one color, hair is not orange brass or shoe polish dark. These are things that we (tragically) do to ourselves. No human skin tone is meant to compliment these garish shades. Therefore, your complexion gets sallow and washed out.
Which do you think looks better?

• Nothing ages you like foundation that is too cakey and a face that is too tan or covered in streaky blush

Another example of how makeup can be your best friend or worst  enemy. Too heavy foundation calls attention to every line, every pore. Too tan skin looks leather like. It lacks the elasticity of youthful skin. I'm not trying to bring a girl down, but just google "tan mom" to see what I mean .
When you picture the sweet, young ingenue you are not thinking of someone with layers of foundation and setting powder.

• Nothing ages you like long, square, acrylic finger nails

I know as soon as I see this, I think of the mid 1990's. Even though the acrylic has had somewhat of a come back, its an entirely  different shape.
The squared acrylic (Bonus points for certain colors) ages you. It calls attention your hands (in a bad way) which show again in any circumstance. Its as if you stepped off the beauty escalator in 1995 and never looked back.
If you have nails that are weak and need help, there are far better alternatives to acrylics.  You can read about that Here
It's pretty clear, which mani looks better.

There is SO much more useful information in this book. I'm barely scratching the surface here. I'd highly recommend picking it up.
 It goes without saying, this is makeup, its not that deep. If you like thick, dark liner, nobody is telling you that you are not allowed to wear it. This book and these tips are for if you have a specific  end goal in mind (not adding years to your appearance). It's nothing to get worked up or offended about.
However, if you enjoy keeping current and looking fresh, I'm willing to bet you'll love this book too.
If you have any tips that you implement to keep that youthful glow, shout them out to me too please!


XO
S

The drama free beauty YouTubers that deliver

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a beautiful weekend. I especially hope that today you all take a few moments to reflect on the life and work of Dr. King .  I have several people whom I consider heroes. Dr. King is at the top of that list.

So, I have had people ask me from time to time why I hardly ever put makeup tutorials on here. The short answer to that is because I'm wholly unqualified to do so.  I'm not a cosmologist, beautician, licensed makeup artist. I feel I can give you guys fair makeup reviews because of how much I purchase and use. Still, that doesn't mean I'm the one to tell you how do the perfect cat eye, ect.

Nowadays, you can turn to YouTube to find pretty much any tutorial that you want. However, over the last couple of years, the YouTube beauty community has become a dumpster fire, in my opinion. (Read-messy and out of control).
I flat out refuse to so much as click on the video of an "influencer" who spews racist nastiness on their twitter. Nor, will I click on an "influencer" who mocks autistic children on his channel.

Then, there are the people who don't do anything as egregious as that stuff, but each and every video is nothing but a sales pitch where we are all supposed to click/shop their affiliate links. Sorry, but if  I wanted to watch info-mercials I'd set my DV-R to record from 1:00-5:00 am.

Thankfully, there are still a few folks on You-Tube who are consummate professionals that vibrate above the drama and non-sense.  Today, I want to introduce you to them.



First and foremost is Wayne Goss     Wayne Goss Youtube

Dare I say it? This man is the Kevin Aucoin of this generation. His work is beyond amazing. His personality is sweet and genuinely warm. Each of his videos tends to run between 5-7 minutes. There are never any rambling intros. He's sweet and to the point.

If I could have my makeup done by any living person, it would be him. 

Next up, is Zabrena    Zabrena's YouTube

Zebrena might not be a licensed MUA, but her skills rival anyone . Her tutorials are detailed and super easy to follow along with. When watching her channel, you feel as if you are chatting with a very good friend.

She also is famous for finding drug store dupes for high end products. she has an entire series that she calls "Frugal Fridays". Every product she uses in this series is from the drug store.

On to Makeup by Lisa J Makeup by Lisa J YouTube

Before becoming a mom, Lisa J's job was as a MAC trainer. Meaning, she was the one who trained MAC makeup artists. 

Her genuine love of the "magic of makeup" shines through in every video.  Her ability to make makeup look so professional and put together is astounding.

Last , but not least is Dominique Saches     Dominique Sachse YouTube

When I think of Dominique, the first adjective which comes to mind is elegant. This lady has class for days.

While her channel is not specifically a beauty channel, beauty is a huge part of her channel. Dominique is a news anchor in Texas. Because of this, she has a wealth of beauty knowledge that she openly shares. She comes across as the big sister who wants, no insists on the absolute best for you.

So, there you go. These folks are the four YouTubers that I turn to for inspiration and how-to's.

Is there anyone on that platform that you love who also consistently stays above the B.S.?

If so, tell me about them!

Have a beautiful week my friends!

XO

S 

The Friday Five

Hi Everyone!
Happy Friday. Here in the northeast we are expecting a frigid, snowy weekend. Although, I think that forecast rings true for 3/4th of the country.
I'm feeling mostly better from that horrid dental abscess Talk about pain. It was debilitating . I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone...well anyone except animal and child abusers.
Anyhow, I see Live Journal has this week's "Friday Five up". Here it is!

 Friday of Firsts. It's easy to remember the big firsts - your first kiss, first love, first car, and so on, but what about the small firsts?

1. Do you remember when you were first addressed as sir or ma'am?

Yes, I was 25-ish at Fenway Park #gosox. It was a young Marine who looked all of 18 or 19 years old.

2. Do you remember when you first realized the difference between being childish and childlike?

Yes! I was about 20, working in my neighbor's restaurant. I had a co-worker whom I'd gone to high school with. She demonstrated this to me.

3. Do you remember the first time you realized you were more adult than child?

Oh my gosh. I've ALWAYS thought this, even when it was woefully inaccurate. I refused to watch Disney movies once I was 10, because those were for "babies". When I was 14 I flat out refused to go to the pediatrician because I "was NOT a child!". I had pneumonia and my poor mom was scrambling to find a GP who would take a 14 year old patient.  

4. Do you remember your first taste of major independence?

My first job out of college had me going into NYC once a quarter.

5. Do you remember what you bought with your first paycheck?

I've worked forever, so I won't count "teenage jobs". As for adult jobs, the first splurge I bought was a Marc Jacobs handbag. That was circa 2005-ish. That was a big splurge back then.

Allright! That's that! I loved getting the emails with your responses last week, send them to me again with this one.

If you are in the path of this storm, please be safe and PLEASE BRING YOUR ANIMALS INDOORS!

XOXO

S

OUCH

Hi Friends...
Sorry I've been MIA. I had a dental abscess. Of course, I first started to feel it on a Saturday When the dentist is closed.
My dentist is great and got me in at opening on Monday.
I'm still so sore from  the infection and all around miserable.
I'll be back soon.

XO

The Friday Five

Heeellooooo. Happy Friday one and all!

So, On "Live Journal" they have a feature called "The Friday Five".  On Friday's they will pick a topic and post five questions that fall in line with that topic. The questions normally provoke some thought and I thought it would be fun to play along here. 

I'll post the questions with my answers. You can leave your answers in the comments. Or, if you want more privacy, you can message me your answers. 

The topic they selected for this week's topic is jewelry. Here are the questions chosen by Live Journal.

1.  Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry? Describe.

 Well, this is an  easy one!(two) My wedding band and engagement ring. Both are platinum and diamond..ahh a picture is worth a thousand words.

These rings remind me how the best person that I've ever know has decided that they wanted to spend their entire life with me. It doesn't get any better than that.

Annnd..if that is too cliche for you. I also have a pair of earrings that mean the world to me. One of my favorite aunt's bought them for my grandmother. They are pearl and sapphires. My mom would let me "borrow" them, heavily guarded on special occasions. She always told me I could have them once I was married. So, when our wedding day rolled around , my mom wore them to the ceremony. Then, at the reception she and I "traded" the earrings we were wearing. It was a special moment. <3 p="">

2. Is there a piece of jewelry you wear daily? Describe.

The answer to number one is also the answer here.

3.What is the most costly piece of jewelry that you own.

Without a doubt, my engagement ring.

4. What is a piece of jewelry that you don't own, but would love to? Why don't you own it?

Hmmmm Maybe a really nice watch? I don't own that because all of my disposable income goes to makeup and dog rescue.

5. Is there a piece of jewelry that you once owned, but no longer do? What happened to it?

Yes, I had my grandmother's Claddagh Ring.  I wish I knew what happened to it? It was lost. An adult relative entrusted 8 year old SheShe FAR too much.

Here is the link up to Live Journal :The Friday Five

Okay, I'm dying to hear your answers!

Have a blessed, beautiful weekend babes!

XO

SheShe

Understanding the PAO (Period after opening) symbol on your cosmetics.

Hi there, I hope you are having a great week and and awesome start to 2019.

One thing I've been seeing a lot of lately is various article discussing how long its safe to keep your makeup . It can get confusing. Especially because there is a lot of conflicting information out there.

Today, I'm here to teach you a little trick.  Virtually every cosmetic/ personal care product tells you how long its good for once its opened.
Once you know what you are looking for, its easy to spot. The symbol is the same on all products.
Often, its right on the bottle. Sometimes, its on the box.

This MAC Strobe cream is good for 2 years once it has been opened.

This concealer is good for 12 months or one year after its been opened.

Same goes for this highlighter. Its good for one year after being opened.

This shampoo will be good to use for two years once its been opened.



So, if you are wondering if something is safe to use, look for the open container symbol aka the PAO symbol.

Now, do I toss everything and anything once it hits this mark? No, not by a long shot. If I have a setting powder which I use very sparingly, #over30makeup there is no way that it will be used up in a year.
However, for anything that goes near the eye, particular if its liquid,  i,e mascara, concealer ...it gets tossed after 6 months.
Also, while lipstick can hold its own, lip gloss starts to break down after 6-8 months, in my experience.

Keep in mind, if you have sensitive skin, you might have to toss somethings before you get to that date. If this happens, try buying travel sized versions of your favorites next time. They might cost more per ounce, but this way you are not throwing your money away.

Well, that wraps up today's "lesson". I hope this was helpful! 

XO
~S

There is a decent sale on makeup going on right now!

Hi there!
Looks like another weekend has snuck up on us.
I'm planning on cooking a nice dinner for my hubby & I tonight. I'm just not in a mood for "going out" just yet. I'm still coming down from the whirl wind of the holiday season.
Any-who.. Sephora is having an end of season sale right now. No, this is not turning into a shopping blog. As always, I DO NOT MAKE ANY INCOME off of anything I post here. This is just me sharing direct links to things that might be of use.
Getting back on topic. I understand most of us are not up for more shopping right now. I'm right there with you. I was just saying to my husband 'I don't want to step foot in a store again until at least 2 months from now."
However, you might have a gift card burning a hole in your pocket. Or, you might need some new make up. If I were looking to stock up, this is what I'd be buying from this sale.

•  Urban Decay Naked Skin Highlighting Fluid  Purchase Here   

The normal price is $28.00 and its on sale for $14.00 .
 This gives you that "Glow from within" look. If you are not inclined to do a full face of contouring, this is for you. You still get the highlighting aspect without a highlighter. Put it on under your foundation, over your foundation , or with no foundation at all.

• Vita Liberata luxury Moisture Locking Tan  Purchase Here 

The normal price is $25.00 and its on sale for $12.00.
Where do I begin with how amazing this stuff is? I've sung its praises before. Read about it Here and Here . Long story short, the color is amazing and it fades like a real tan #nosplotching.

• Sephora Collection Lash Vault Purchase here

The regular price is $60.00 and its now $30.00
I have this. I bought it at $60. Do I wish I got the sale price, of course. Still though, I'm not mad. This is such a deal. It's 8 pairs of great quality lashes. Individually, they sell for $15-$18/pair. #worthit

• Cover FX Glam & Glow Liquid Lights Set  Purchase Here

Regular price is $42.00 Sale price of $29.00
These FX drops are magic. They are the all around BEST highlighter that I've EVER used. A little goes a long way. Once applied, it absorbs into the skin. You are not left with a streak of highlighter, but almost a holographic feel to your skin.

• Bite Beauty The lip Pencil  Purchase Here

Regular Price $18.00 Sale Price $9.00

This is a long lasting lip liner that applies evenly. There is a HUGE color selection, all of which are half off.   PSA: DO NOT OVER LINE YOUR LIPS. It doesn't make your lips look larger.

• Bump Boar Teaser Brush    Purchase Here

Regular Price $15.00 Sale Price: $9.00
The last one on today's list is another one that I organically bought at full price. Yet again #iaintevenmad . This is a fantastic little tool for your blowouts. Its ideal for adding some lift and volume to your crown. Its a steal coming in less than ten dollars.



Well there you have them, my suggestions. When Sephora does these sales, things sell out quickly. So, if anything I've linked is out of stock when you are reading this, please accept my apologies. As of when I'm writing this, everything here is still in stock. There is no telling how long that will remain true though.

I hope you have an amazing weekend! 
Till next time Gorgeous!



XO
S

2019 Lilly Pulitzer after party sale...January edition.

Well hello... how have these first three days of 2019 been treating you so far?

January can be really rough.  As my friend Ellen said, "The kitchen no longer smells like cookies that are baking, the Christmas music ended FAR too abruptly and the friends and family have gone home."

There is one thing to look forward to in the coming days....The Lilly Pulitzer after party sale.

Lilly Pulitzer never puts their items on sale save for 4 days per year. 2 days in the winter and two in the summer.
Nowadays, every retailer is ALWAYS having a sale. There are some stores where nobody ever has paid the price on the tag. The store never intended for anyone to pay the price on the tag. Un-sugar coated... its a scam.
This is where the Lilly After Party Sale is different. Its a true sale. Dresses which normally cost over $200 will be priced at $40 or $50.

Above is a sneak peak provided by Lilly of styles which are included in this sale. Although, I'd bet that this doesn't even scratch the surface. 

Here are a few pointers to help you to score the Lilly goods that you want.

• The sale starts at 8:00 am  EST on January 7th, 2019.

Be logged into  Lilly Pulitzer   at 8:00 am. You will be given a virtual place in line at that time. Do not log out and log back in, do not refresh your browser. Just (try) to be patient. As soon as its your "turn" you'll be brought into the full site.

• Once you are in, act fast. 

Click on what you want, add it to your cart and then check out as quickly as possible. The item is not "yours" until you have checked out. This is not the time to leave something in your cart to "mull it over". It will be gone if you do that. Having it in your cart does not reserve the item.

• Check in on Monday and Tuesday.

Lilly has confirmed that new items will be added on Tuesday morning. If you see everything you like on Monday, great! If not though, don't despair. It might be there Tuesday.

• Set up an account on Lilly prior to the sale.

This will make checking out much smoother and more likely to guarantee you get everything in your cart. Now is not when you want to waste time inputting your address and payment info

• Decide on a budget before hand, and hold firmly to it.

I know, I know...This is the least fun  part, but probably the most important thing to remember. Its SO easy to get swept away with "I'll take this! "I'm getting that!". When you can buy something you really want for $30 that up until now, its been $280. .. Its REALLY hard to tell yourself "no". However, at the end of the day, these are (REALLY great) clothes. Clothes are not something to go into debt over.

Set an amount that you are comfortable spending and DON'T exceed it.

That's it from me. I hope this is helpful and I hope you can get yourself some Lilly to brighten up you winter!

XO

S