The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

Good morning, young lady (and you, too, young sirs). Happy Father’s Day! To all the dads out there — and I hope you are out there, perhaps reading about the importance of sunscreen, discovering a new cologne, compiling a list of organic haircare products, researching gifts, entering giveaways, or just learning about makeup and beauty for any number of other reasons — we salute you! Today is all about the boys.

And to my dads (mine and El Hub’s), thank you both for everything you do. Today, the remote is yours, gentlemen! Feel free to watch all the bad science fiction and sports you want.

As for me, right now I’m just sitting here planning my day, which I hope includes plenty of time to relax. And reflect. I’ve been weirdly emotional lately. I feel a little better this morning after a couple of cupcakes and two hours of Sex and the City DVDs last night, but I’m still not 100%.

I’m sure it’s nothing… You know how it is.

Did you fall in love with any new makeup or beauty products this week? I’m still swooning over that $5 Goody tortoise-shell headband. Wish I could find one to fit Tabs. I think he’d look really cute.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THE LULULEMON ATHLETICA 50 REP BRA
THE BEST DAMN SPORTS BRA I’VE EVER WORN

Seeing as how I spent last weekend in Vancouver, the city where Lululemon Athletica was born, I figured I should give a shout-out to my favorite over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder, the 50 Rep Bra ($42).

I’ve tried gaggles of different sports bras over the years from more brands than I can remember — Champion, Nike, Adidas and Moving Comfort are a few that spring to mind — and by far my favorite so far has been the 50 Rep. It’s the most comfortable sports bra I’ve ever worn, for sure.

It comes in several prints (like the one I’m wearing here) and solid colors, from classic, sporty shades like black, white and gray, to spunkier shades like red and mint green. Read more…

3 LESSONS LEARNED
SUMMER HAIR MISHAPS

Yesterday I came to the shockingly wonderful realization that the official start of summer is less than one week away, and judging by the rising temps and lack of rain in the 10-day forecast, it looks like the weather has finally gotten with the program.

Ah, summer… Such great memories, but when I think back to the summers of my youth, I’m surprised I remember them at all. There were no far-flung adventures backpacking through Europe or sailing trips around the world. Nope, my childhood summers were much more mundane. I spent most of them hanging out at the local Thrifty drugstore, where you could get a free ice cream for returning a shopping cart to the store, and watching videos on MTV (back when MTV actually played videos). For the most part, I spent my summers doing absolutely nothing. Read more…

A BLAST FROM THE PAST, L’OCCITANE PIVOINE FLORA
BEAUTY CREAM BLOOMS LIKE A RETRO ROSE

Even though the scent of L’Occitane Pivoine Flora Beauty Cream ($36) reminds me of my ninang (the Tagalog word for godmother), I’m gonna assume the folks at L’Occitane weren’t shooting for eau de high maintenance Filipino godmother divas when they developed it. 🙂

I love the scent, which smells more to me like a mix of old school Oil of Olay (the one that came in the pink bottle), floral soaps and roses than the peonies it contains. I can picture something similar sitting on the dressing table of a young woman in the ’50s, or see it sitting on a shelf today in the home of an older woman who still remembers being that girl. While I think it suits girls of all ages, those who prefer scents on the mature side may like it more than, say, the fruity bubblegum body sprays that sparkle in most drugstores. Read more…

TOPSHOP CHEEKS IN LUMINESCENCE
IS STICKING IT TO MAC NYMPHETTE

If you’ve spent sleepless nights (LOL! I almost typed “knights.” Yeah, someone’s been obsessed with Game of Thrones lately.) tossing and turning over the need to find a cream blush version of MAC Nymphette Lipglass, as bizarre as that might sound, you wouldn’t be the only one.

I’m right there with ya, babe! 🙂 But get this: Topshop might finally have a cure for what ails us.

The line recently introduced three new creamy, multi-purpose sticks called Cheeks, $20 blush/highlighters designed to add shimmery color to faces, lips, bodies and — you guessed it — cheeks. Read more…

SHOULD YOU R.S.V.P. FOR TARTE’S AMAZONIAN
CLAY WATERPROOF CREAM SHADOW IN SEASHELL PINK?

It appears that Tarte RSVP’d for Benefit’s popular Creaseless Cream in R.S.V.P, and, while at the release party, stole the idea for the color, and ran with it all the way to the beach — or the Seashore, to be more precise.

Just how close is Tarte’s new Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow in Seashell Pink to Benefit Creaseless Cream in R.S.V.P.? The short answer: close.

Both shimmery pink cream eyeshadows look darn near like sisters in their pots and swatches, but I think if you look closely at both of them, you’ll see richer peach pigments in Seashell Pink. Read more…

MAC UNSUNG HEROES
THIS LIP PENCIL IS IN SYNCH

Can I tell you a secret? Okay, first, you have to promise not to tell. It’s not that I’m embarrassed or anything… Well, maybe a little, but here goes: sometimes, when I’m alone, I rock out to old ‘N Sync songs.

There, I said it.

Hey now, don’t judge! Their Celebrity album was actually pretty good.

Someone at MAC even named one of the company’s Lip Pencils after the band (well…), and it happens to be today’s Unsung Hero, In Synch ($13).

Fate is such a fickle mistress, isn’t she? I almost never met this yellowish pastel pink because for a long time I’d always just assumed it would be too light for my coloring (I’m usually more of a Subculture kinda gal). Then I decided to give it a try one day on a whim. Read more…

I’VE WAITED FOREVER TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT
I FINALLY FOUND A COMFORTABLE TORTOISE-SHELL HEADBAND (THANKS, GOODY!)

Let me tell you, it is NOT easy to find a comfortable tortoise-shell headband. Most are made out of stiff plastic that squeezes the life out of my noggin, giving me headaches. I do love how they look, though — so preppy and chic. So very J. Crew, which is why I keep trying to find a great one.

I never thought I’d actually find it for $5, but I think I have, in the form of the tortoise-shell headwrap from the Goody Statements collection (available exclusively at Target). I guess in a world where there can be a fourth season of a show like Jersey Shore, anything is possible.

Instead of a rigid band, it’s a soft, flexible plastic one with a tortoise-shell pattern and a loop of stretchy black elastic connecting the ends. It’s BEYOND comfy — shoot, maybe even more comfortable than stretchy pants, fluffy beds and Adidas shell-toe shoes. Read more…

TWO-BUCK CHIC
HAVE YOU TRIED $2 ESSENCE EYESHADOWS BEFORE?

And here I thought the most fun I could have for $2 would come from a bottle of Two-Buck Chuck.

Oh, but that was before I met these Essence Eyeshadows. They come in 18 colors across three different finishes (matte, shimmer and holographic), and each will set you back a mere $2.

The different finishes have varying levels of pigmentation, with the shimmer and holographic shades generally depositing more color than the mattes.

Here’s a quick look at six of them. Right now I’m on the fence about these, but I’m really interested to hear what you think. Read more…

MAC BLOGGERS’ OBSESSIONS COLLECTION
SWATCHES AND PICTURES

Super quick look at the upcoming MAC Bloggers’ Obsessions Collection, a nine-piece collection of MAC Eyeshadows and Lipglasses launching June 21, exclusively online. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen