Now I'm Gold

Last week while killing time before work I popped into H&M to find that they are re-introducing a plus size collection. In addition, the items in the extended size range are retailing for the same prices as the core collection. I only picked up one thing, a lovely textured pale gold t-shirt. 

It has a really nice graduated hem and for $24.95 it has a nice amount of detail. The fabric itself has a stretch to it but since the design is over-sized it seems to be that the material was chosen just for the effect; and the effect is lovely . I included a close up of the material so you could see the color and texture a bit more accurately.

Watch: Lane Bryant Nails: Essie Clutch Me if You Can Ring: Forever 21

The ring I purchased the same day at Forever 21. Until that day I had never left Forever 21 with only one item. It seems to be an all or nothing kind of place for me but there was just nothing else in the store that spoke to me the way this did. It is a great statement ring and I love that it is really really simple. It has a great shield design that ends in an arrow-head point. If you can't tell already I'm loving gold for the spring and I'm off to a great start.

Have you guys found any good pieces lately?

xoxo

Molly

Take Me to the Finish Line

I have reached a pretty momentous stage in my makeup collecting. I have successfully completed my very first MAC eyeshadow palette. It began almost two years ago now with an empty palette and a single depotted eyeshadow.  With a Back to MAC on my horizon and two empty spaces left in my collection I thought it was time I put an end to the empty spaces.When I went into the MAC store in Times Square I had a vague idea of the colors I wanted and naturally wound up leaving with two completely different shades.

L: MAC Ricepaper R: MAC Trax

The two shades I walked out with were Ricepaper and Trax. Ricepaper is a basic shimmering golden beige tone that is oh so useful it almost hurts. Trax is nice because its midway between a neutral and a color so you get a nice defined quality about the eye that still remains daytime appropriate. That said I pesonally would have no problem wearing Trax all over the lid on a daily basis. Not to mention both gold an purple tones are particularly flattering on my warm skin tone and brown eyes.

Have you guys done anything to round out your collection lately?

xoxo

Molly

Treasures Untold

I love me a good bargain. Especially a good makeup bargain. Lately I've been trolling the fields of eBay for some bargain beauty finds and I've actually managed to turn up a pretty good deal. I had had my eye on a Z Palette for quite a while but was somewhat put off by the $20 pricetag. It seemed steep for what was a essentially a large magnet, some cardboard and plastic. 

I had seen them on display at IMATS and almost bought one there but when I saw they only had it left in solid colors I decided to pass. While I hadn't caved on the price yet I did really have my heart set on the leopard print one. That got me to thinking, what about eBay? Sure enough there was a seller that had what are essentially "blems"

or palettes that had been somehow slightly blemished or damaged during production. The damages were so minimal though I decided it was a worth a shot. The palettes were going for I believe $13 and only a $4 shipping charge so including shipping the total for the large Z Palette rounded out to a mere $17.

Unfortunately it looks like the listing for the large palette is gone now but there is a nice deal on the small palette from the same seller here.

I am also happy to report that there is nearly no discernible damage to the palette itself. There is a minor S-shaped scratch on the magnet part inside the palette but that's it. This was a well done eBay find I'd say.  Naturally having a brand new empty palette I needed something to fill it with. 

I popped by Cosmetics Market in New York the other day to peruse their ever present supply of Stila shadows. I always go there and find colors that I like but often pass on them because I have nowhere to put them, but no longer.

Top-Bottom: Cha Cha: Nanda Devi: Pigalle

Cha Cha is a lovely shimmering mint green that I think will look lovely all on its own with some brown liner and very thick eyelashes. Nanda Devi is a simple neutral matte brown which will make a great liner or definer for the eye. Pigalle is an unbelievably soft and satiny plum berry color that I love to wear in the cooler months and flatters my eye color quite a bit. The texture and quality of these is wonderful and at a mere $5 a pop its is so worth going to have a look if you live in New York or if you're passing through. The stock is always changing and you might be surprised at the bargains you find. 

What have your favorite finds been lately?

xoxo

Molly

Lipspiration

I have recently been watching a TON of Made in Chelsea. It is a lovely British soap opera based around a group of affluent London friends set up in social situations to create drama. Yay! The main chick it's based around is a girl named Caggie Dunlop. She has the loveliest poutiest pink lips and I want them.

As it happened I had six empties ready to Back to MAC and saw this as the perfect opportunity to satisfy my craving for pink juicy spring lips. The first color I swatched was Lovelorn, and lo and behold it wound up being the best of the bunch.

With the exception of one, all of the MAC lipsticks I've had seem to be these really dramatic bright or dark colors. The only one that was a bit more wearable was Creme Cup and I wound up finishing that in about three months. 

The lustre finish of this is perfect because it deposits just enough color, but still allows your lips natural hue to show through. This time of year I much prefer a lip that looks a bit more low key and natural. I have a feeling that this is going to be something I reach for a great deal over the next few weeks, and while it may not magically turn my lips to those of Ms. Dunlop's it is still something I'll enjoy using tremendously.

xoxo

Molly

Obsessed:(Cheap) Accessories

Last week I posted about how much I was loving some new rings I picked up at some discount prices. Well, as I was staying at a friend's place last week I decided to do a little bit more trolling for some sweet jewellery deals, and I was not disappointed. As a result I've taken to wearing almost all of my new things at once. What can I say, I've never been a subtle person.

These were the first find. Hidden away with many bracelets like them in a bin marked $1.99. Ordinarily I would avoid bracelets as I don't seem to reach for them very often, but these have proven easy to wear and pair with many other things. I also love how at first glance these don't look like skulls and even after a moment they're not typical human-esqe skulls.  I will admit that the closure on the black one has already broken, but the added task of tying it on hasn't lessened my desire to wear it. There are always quality drawbacks when shopping discount.

This was another great find. These two pairs of earring came together and cost a whopping $1.99 as well. What really pulled me in were the Hamsa earrings. I had been looking for a dainty pair and this suited perfectly. At first I had found the feathers with red beads, which looked really cheap, but when I looked closer there was one lone pair with clear beads which promptly came home with me.

 

Last but not least, yes more rings. Three silver and one rose gold. I wanted to grab a few more gold options but I am naturally not drawn to gold so...this is what I wound up with. The little silver one does actually fit my ring finger, but I've been wearing it as an above the knuckle ring. It's a bit big but for a night out its easy to keep track of. The big one with three stones ha quickly become my favorite, and the smaller ones are nice because mixing them in with the larger ones makes for a less overwhelming look.

So what are your obsessions for spring?

xoxo

Molly

Peri-dupe

I love my brother. He has this way of finding things that appeal to both his interests and mine. For example, about two months ago he sent me this link. It features the new Spiderman and OPI collaboration to be released in conjunction with the movie this summer. "Ooooo" I thought, "New nail polish to look forward to." I read the article and found out that the girl writing seemed insulted by the fact that one could be both feminine, and a comic book fan.  The author's opinion aside I found myself looking forward to the release, but when I googled for swatch pictures today I got even more excited.

Image Credit: BeautyJunkiesUnite

It is an easily accessible, affordable dupe of Chanel's Peridot. I have on several occasions, almost caved and purchased the original, but haven't quite been able to stomach to $26 price tag. Yes, I love nail polish, but I also have limits. I am now practically chomping at the bit for this release. As far as I understand it is due out next month, but I always keep my eyes peeled because some salon retailers do get them in beforehand. If you do have an interest in tracking this down I would be proactive about it as I'm sure locations will sell out quickly.

xoxo

Molly

Rosy Outlook...

Quick outfit post from last week. I had a day off and had to run a few errands, you know, post office, thrift store etc...

Top: Calvin Klein   Belt: Forever 21  Leggings: Homemade

The shirt is a splurge purchase. I was at Lord and Taylor with my grandmother a couple of weeks ago and I spotted this mint green, silk, Calvin Klein safari-style tunic and passed a comment to my father. Unbeknownst to me, when he got to the register he grabbed it, and I'm so glad he did. It's soft, floaty and really lovely and easy to wear for spring. It's also a great item to dress up, and the tiny leather detail on the sleeve saves it from looking too mature.

The belt I featured in another post, under 5$ from Forever21 helps to break up the color and my rose gold and mint obsession lives on. The leggings I made while I was a fashion student. The waist is poorly elasticated and so they fall down a little bit...whoops.

 

On the topic of the thrift store, check out what I found! 2$ Later I've got a cute oddly sized black pendant on a short chain. The best part is the chain looks old and is somewhere between gold and silver which makes it perfect for layering with all of my other jewelery. 

Talk to You Soon!!

xoxo

Molly

Falsies...

No, not those kind of falsies! I'm talking false eyelashes. About a year ago at IMATS New York I went out on a limb and bought 4 pairs of Miss Adoro lashes thinking that they were cheap, and maybe they'd come in handy every once and a while. They mostly just sat in my drawer looking unloved, until the other day when I decided it was time to bust them out and give them a try.

The 747 style is shorter and the edges and longer in the middle and gives a natural doll-ish look to the lashes. These were actually just a hair (lol) too long for my eyes, so I snipped off the two shortest lash clusters at each end. The longest lash in the center of the strip wound up being only slightly longer than my natural lashes. This style in particular is great if you're looking for a natural voluminous look without adding the extra length and drama.

The best part is that the band is invisible. Obviously applying a black liner helps but even if I hadn't it would have been hard to point these out. That said, the invisible band makes applying these a much more delicate process. I was not gentle enough with the first strip I removed from the package and as a result some of the lashes shifted on the band and clumped together a bit. It wasn't difficult to shift them back but the spacing wasn't quite the same after.

My only other complaint is that they weighed the lashes down quite a lot and it was nearly impossible to retain a whole lot of curl. It's not a huge deal for me because I prefer the look of the volume more than the look of curled lashes but if your eyes are small this could make them look even smaller.

 

In the whole look I was wearing:
Face
Garnier BB Cream in Light/Medium
MAC MSFN Light Plus
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
Eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo 24Hr Cream Shadow in Too Cool
L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush
Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel in #77(Black)
Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Mascara in Black
Cheeks
Benefit Hula Bronzer
NARS Orgasm Blush
Lips
Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

Have you guys ventured into false lashes for daytime yet? What did you think?
xoxo
Molly