Currently, My Favorite Perfumes

(In no particular order...)

(1) Versace, Bright Crystal

(2) M by Mariah Carey

(3) Kenzo

(4) Dolce & Gabbana, The One

(5) Dior

"i hate heels... love how they look, but hate how they feel..." (shoutout to Keri Hilson, great song!)

Lately, every new pair of shoes that I buy has been a pair of heels. A year ago, you would have to BEG me to wear heels! I'm not sure if it's because I'm really short (I'm only 5'1) and I now want to be noticed or if I am "growing up" and trying to look more fashion savvy. BUT, one thing is for sure, I look for opportunities to wear heels now on a regular basis.

My fascination is partly due to one of my favorite websites for shoes: Kim Khardashian's shoedazzle.com. Each month for only $39 (yes, $39 flat), you can pick from a selection of shoes personally picked out for you based on your style preferences. It's convenient, fast and most importantly, affordable! And for such a low price, the shoes are surprisingly of good quality and extremely hott! Check out my new shoes from ShoeDazzle for the month of November:

Natural beauty taken to the next level...

Yes, we not only witnessed gorgeous clothes that we wish we could afford at New York's Fashion Week... but we also saw some eccentric yet inspiring makeup trends thanks to idols like Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs and of course Donna Karan. A natural look enhanced with a bit of theatrics is definitely a beautiful combination.

I have always been very safe in choosing what colors to wear on my face. I usually try to go for the look where it seems like I'm not wearing any makeup at all, which is what I recommend to my clients. Natural beauty is where it's at! A bit of shimmer around my eyes, a touch of rose on my cheeks, and lots of neutrals. Oh, and of course... BLACK eyeliner.

BUT seeing these snapshots of work done by amazing makeup artists such as Pat McGrath, I am suddenly encouraged to go further on a daily basis. Not nescessarily with color per se (after all, I think color is preferable for out-of-the-office looks), but taking my love for neutrals, blacks, and whites, and jazzing them up. What's wrong with a little bit of white eyeliner here and there? McGrath comments on his use of white eyeliner instead: “It’s a different way of bringing focus to the eyes...”

Why not use both black and white eyeliner?? Hmmm...

I want to encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone as I step outside of mine. Don't be afraid to try something new! Even if you are scared of color, like me, take it one step at a time. Try a white eyeliner tomorrow instead of black... See where it takes you : )

I'm Selling Cosmetics : )

Visit this site for ALL your beauty needs: http://tgillis.mymarkstore.com/

Happy Shopping!!!

Fruit for Better Skin!

Hey everyone!

For years, I have been struggling with acne. It is a pain! I have tried soooo many things, topical gels, facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, etc. What do you do for your skin care regimen?

Glamour magazine offers us daily, inexpensive rituals that can cleanse and beautify our skin from the inside out. Here are two that I took note of:

(1) “Lemons help your body detox by supporting your liver and kidneys,” says Peter Lamas, founder of Lamas Beauty. Cleaner insides = Cleaner/Clearer outside... So.... Lemon water is great for detoxing (as well as water with orange slices). Kiwi is also a great fruit to help with a better complexion.

(2) PAPAYA!!! Yumm.... Papaya is said to help with enhancing your skin tone for a glowing complexion. Papaya and other tropical fruits are filled with Vitamin C and flavanoids.

Happy Eating/Drinking! Visit Glamour Magazine's website for more info!!

Hey world!

So right now I'm in Baltimore, MD for the weekend for a family reunion. It's been a lot of fun, especially shopping/walking around along the Baltimore harbor (and spending time with my family... of course)!!

But... after being in Durham, NC for three years, it was almost a culture shock to be back in the area and experience the unique fashion of B-more... I am originally from the DC area which has a totally different vibe from B-more (fashion, music, accents/slang, etc.) but I would definitely love to explore the B-more area more than I have in the past... Which is why I'll be attending Baltimore fashion week in August... If any of you are interested, it's coming up soon so check it out! I know I'll be there : )

Visit the site for more info:

Baltimore Fashion Week at The Baltimore Museum of Industry

http://baltimoresfashionweek.com/

A lot of my time lately has been spent on this site: looklet.com.

This site allows you to create looks and browse looks that others have put together using a model and a really big closet of name brand clothes. Some of the pieces on the site are way out of my price range... but just by playing around on it, I've gotten soooo many wardrobe ideas. And you'll be suprised, some of the pieces are very affordable. Each item is described in detail and a link is given so that you can easily access it if you decide you want to buy it.





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First Entry!

Hey everyone,

So... Why am I starting this blog?? Plenty of reasons... The first, and probably most important, is that I've never explored my passion for fashion and cosmetics until now. I've always had a huge interest in it but have never really done anything about it. BUT... I recently had a little inspiration from a special person and now I've decided to share my love for beauty with others. Also, being a Biology student while working and doing a ton of extra-curricular activities, I tend to lose sight of what I really enjoy. This blog will allow me to free my mind of all the everyday stresses of studying, test-taking, annoying professors, and so on. I hope I can inspire people to feel good about themselves no matter what their budget is and to, more importantly, take their health and beauty (inside and out) seriously!

~ Alessandra : )