Shopping links:

Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner

Organix Awapuhi Ginger

Organix Shea Butter

Bumble and Bumble hair (un)dressing creme

Bumble and Bumble defrizz

Autrepart Karité Shea

Philosophy Help Me

Zoya La-Di-Da polish sampler

2) The Art of Shaving Rose Body Milk. Apparently the whole women’s line from The Art of Shaving is being discontinued, so stock up while you can. It’s very light in weight (almost milky feeling) and fragrance, but it smells lovely and leaves your skin very smooth. Also good for sensitive skin. Thumbs up.

3) Lush Ocean Salt Cleanser. Holy moly you guys, this stuff is amazeballs. I have used many exfoliants in my time – glycolic, salicylic, microdermabrasion, etc. etc. This stuff has made my face softer than ANY of those EVER, by a huge margin. When I moisturized after using this, I cried a little bit. It felt like baby skin. (gross? that kind of gave me a gross image. Sorry guys.)

4) Fairy Drops Scandal Queen mascara. ZOMG you guys I literally almost ran to my computer and wrote a review of this on the Sephora website IMMEDIATELY after first using it, that’s how great it is. I didn’t have the highest hopes, since it was apparently created by a Japanese TV personality? Whatever, Japanese girls have notoriously difficult lashes, which is why their lash products (Shu Uemura curler, this mascara, etc.) are usually so awesome – if they work for the very straight lashes common in Japanese women, it can pretty much work for anyone. This stuff is literally THE ONE. I don’t think I’ll ever buy another one! It made my lashes suuuuper defined, veeeery long, and curly. I legitimately looked like I had fake lashes on. They stayed defined all night, I didn’t have ANY flakes onto my cheeks, even though it was a good 90 degrees outside and I was dancing at a club, and they still looked perfect at the end of the night. It went on perfectly even though it had a really weird looking brush, and then while putting it on the second eye I kinda sorta got it allll over my eyelid. Guess what? I didn’t even have to use eye makeup remover! I just got a q-tip wet and wiped it off, and it came right off! Also, it dries super quickly after you put it on, so you don’t have to worry about it getting all over your lashes (unless you make a colossal mistake, like me). Taking it off is kindof a bitch, even though all you need is water (it actually works better with water than with makeup remover), just because it looks all funny and it does take a while. Also, it got all in my eyes, which sucked, but it was also my first time using it, so it could have been a n00b thing. Verdict: THIS STUFF WAS MADE BY BABY JESUS HIMSELF.

That’s all for now. Hope you enjoy. More info on “Skincare Disaster 2011″ to come. Soon. Promise.

Have you tried any of this stuff? Like it? Hate it? Have a better suggestion? Let me know in the comments. Or don’t. Whatev, it’s cool yo.

Every so often I’ll check in with a list of products that I am currently using that have caught my eye/have been working really well for me. Of course, if I use something and it’s really terrible, I’ll be sure to mention that too. They will be mostly everyday products: no fancy finger-slenderizers or anything crazy like that (god I hope that actually exists somewhere), mostly because for the past four months, I have been suffering from what is called Sebhorreic Dermatitis. That deserves a whole post in and of itself, but mainly I tell you this to explain that because of this, I haven’t tried any anti-aging serums, special eye creams, or fancy face lotions, since I’ve spent the majority of my time trying to get my skin under control and back to normal which, unfortunately, may not ever really happen. Sebhorreic dermatitis (or SebDerm as many sufferers un-affectionately call it) is a chronic condition, so controlling it as much as possible is really all I can hope to do. More thoughts on this, and SebDerm itself, to come (it is actually appalling the lack of information available on treating and controlling SebDerm).

Whew. Now that we have that out of the way, onwards!

Things I’ve been using that I really like and would recommend:
1) Body Time (small-ish skincare company in Berkely, CA) anti-inflammatory toner. Didn’t think I needed a toner, didn’t necessarily like toners, and didn’t necessarily like this one when I first started using it (it’s very milky, closer to a serum than a toner, but kind of feels like milky water, not like a serum). I also didn’t like it because I thought it made me look pale/exaggerated the appearance of any acne by making them bright red. What I realized is that it wasn’t MAKING me pale, I AM pale, and it was just doing it’s job of anti-inflaming exceptionally well. It’s weird, even my boyfriend pointed out that you can actually see it working, as my face goes from red to skin-colored in the morning. It also wasn’t making my blemishes any redder, it just made those spots I’d picked at (oops) more prominent because they were set against a pale background, not a red one. It doesn’t have any cortisones in it (very good), made with all-natural ingredients that I actually recognize and no drying alcohols (very, very good), and is impressively non-irritating. It’s actually one of the few things I’ve found that significantly helps my SebDerm. Also, I was still getting a few of those awful, deep, inflamed pimples once or twice a month, even with the mighty Retin-A (which, once you get past the peel-y stage, is a really great skincare product), and haven’t gotten any since I started using this. Good stuff.

2) Organix morrocan (possibly also Argan? I don’t have it in front of me, sorry) oil conditioner. I have curly, frizzy hair which gets super dried out from the medicated shampoos I have to use, and this is awesome for moisture and smoothness.

3) Earth Science Olive & Avocado deep conditioning masque. Picked it up at Plum Market (like Whole Foods kinda) and had no idea what I was in for. This stuff is pure gold. It’s literally like 3 ingredients: olive oil, avocados, and panthenol. It’s lovely.

4) Cetaphil cream. The kind that comes in a giant tub. There’s just nothing better. I use it everywhere.

5) LUSH natural lip balms.

Things I am not so fond of:

1) EOS (evolution of smooth) shaving cream. I know every beauty publication has taken it to a mid-range restaurant, bought it an overpriced salad and tried to feel its boobies in the back of their cars, but I just don’t love it. Don’t get me wrong, it smells divine (I have lavender-vanilla) but it’s just not thick enough to moisturize and prevent ingrown hairs for me. Maybe that’s slightly my fault and I haven’t exfoliated properly or something, but I still like The Art of Shaving women’s rose scented shaving lotion better. Sure, it’s a little more work (you have to lather it up) and it’s more expensive, but I think lathering actually gets all your hairs standing up for a closer shave, and one bottle has lasted me forever (all you need is a little bit, and it lathers to a…lot a bit). It’s just less irritating and more moisturizing. Also, the EOS stuff claims it’s moisturizing enough to shave with WITHOUT WATER. I would not recommend this ever, even if the stuff says so. I understand having to shave in a pinch, so do it if you must, but I still would not recommend doing this or the EOS.

2) iPads. True, are lightweight and totally awesome, have super fun apps and they’re very pretty (I actually do love them quite a bit), but I just wrote this post on my boyfriend’s iPad and it sucked HARD. Sorry, but it did. Unbelievably frustrating to type on.

So that’s it, folks. Hope you enjoy this and found it useful. Thanks for reading.

God she’s hot. I mean, she’s hot, am I right?

Girl is stylin.

Here’s the rundown.

• Panda Express: Mongolian Beef and mixed veggies. 235 calories, 7 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 1260 mg sodium.
• Subway: 6 inch Turkey Breast and Black Forest Ham Sandwich (on 9-grain wheat bread with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, olives, and mustard). 310 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 1255 mg sodium.
• Chick-fil-A: 8 nuggets with barbecue sauce. 315 calories, 12 g fat (2.5 saturated), 1170 mg sodium.
• McDonald’s: Grilled Honey Mustard Snack Wrap and Side Salad. 320 calories, 12 g fat (3.5 saturated), 1540 mg sodium.
• Burger King: Jr. Whopper (no mayo) and BK Apple Fries. 330 calories, 10.5 g fat (4 g saturated), 500 mg sodium.
• Taco Bell: Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos(2). 340 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 1360 mg sodium.
• Dunkin’ Donuts: Egg White and Cheese Breakfast Wake-Up Wraps (2). 305 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated), 965 mg sodium.

For more survival guide tips, check out Eat This, Not That over at Men’s Health. They’ve got some great writers, and some really helpful (and surprisingly funny) articles to help you stay fit.

What about you, readers? Is fast food your downfall? Were you surprised you could concoct a relatively healthy meal at a fast food restaurant? Leave me a comment below!

Image sources (in order of the gallery): EW, People StyleWatch, EW, EW, EW, EW, EW, EW, EW, EW, EW, EW, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch, People StyleWatch.

I don’t mind this Viktor & Rolf dress, Tiffany jewelry (and gorgeous Stella McCartney heels), but in the battle of pregnancy dresses, Jane Krakowski wins hands down. I don’t love the pink and red together. Maybe if she had gold instead of red….or maybe if she got rid of the giant rose all together, in favor of something much smaller and less in your face. Even if she still had a large brooch in place of the rose, I think that would be less in your face than the sparkling, clashing colors she has going on right now.

Jane, on the other hand, looks divine. How she’s wearing those heels while that pregnant, I have no idea. Also something I don’t understand – how celebrities can still look so fit, even while pregnant. It’s as if you saw her from behind, you’d have no idea she was pregnant until you saw her giant belly. The color of the silk of her Badgley Mischka dress is so lush, and the cut is perfect. Lorraine Schwartz chandalier-earrings and diamond cuff bracelet set off her look nicely. She looks fantastic!

I’m a big fan of sparkly dresses, and a big fan of Carrie Underwood, so for me, is all good things. The color of her Badgley Mischka dress, “covered in lots of bling-bling,” (haha thanks Carrie) is the same as ScarJo’s dress, but the cut is infinitely more flattering. Accented by simple jewels, just her absolutely gorgeous engagement ring and Jonathon Arndt earrings, and a metallic Swarovski clutch, Carrie rocks this look. 

Ah, one of my favorite looks of the night. Since Olivia Wilde is married to a prince, I’m glad she dressed up like a princess in this sparkly and tulle Marchesa (oh, heaven) gown, complimented with Tiffany & Co. jewels and some fabulous gold Christian Laboutin booties. The dress is just right – in a blush or nude tone, it’d be way too princess-y, but the black makes this modern instead of prissy. She’s caught some flak for her hair, but I think anything too polished would look contrived and again, prissy. The casual, down hair adds just the right amount of cool to this otherwise very sweet look, making it fresh and modern. LOVE.

I might be going against the grain here, but I really do like Tina Fey’s look here. Her L’Wren Scott navy blue velvet dress flatters her body like WOAH (she has a damn good body – who knew she’s 40?!) and shows her flare (or her stylist’s flare, at least) for sartorial creations like L’Wren Scott. Her Swarovski velvet clutch (hard to see in this pic – it blends with her dress), Jimmy Choo satin pumps, and Lorraine Schwartz jewels make a very sophisticated look. Some people don’t like her hair, but I do. It’s up and out of her pretty face, and I think it goes well with her dress and her look. She looks gorgeous!

I’m not a Gleek, but I am constantly impressed by Dianna Argon. The girl is SO pretty, and she did well with the blush/nude trend. I love her retro curls, and even paired with such a modern color, still manages to look very old Hollywood glamorous. Her flowing J. Mendel (big fan) gown has just the right amount of floaty-ness (not a word, I know) to it, so that the embellished beads work perfectly with the slight train. Her Cathy Waterman diamond necklace falls into the bib-necklace trend but still is delicate enough to work perfectly with her dress. Her jeweled Ferragamo clutch sets off the whole thing nicely.

Sarah Hyland looks absolutely stunning in a flowing and embellished Max Azria gown. I love the combination of the embellishments and lace on top, with the flowing skirt. It’s one of those dresses that flows so perfectly, it looks weightless. Her low, loose chignon is perfect with the dress, and her Mikimoto necklace is playful but still beautiful. She looks sweet and pretty, and still very age appropriate. One of my favorite looks of the night.

Ah, one of my least favorite looks of the night. Michelle Williams, usually so gamine and chic, sports something that looks more like a 60′s tablecloth than Valentino, and some pretty Fred Leighton studs.

Elizabeth Moss (far right) ranks on the bottom half of my green dress ranking in her strapless Donna Karan. Hasn’t she seen Charlize Theoron’s lambasted rosette-boobs from the 2010 Oscars? Just barely edging out Elizabeth Moss is Angelina Jolie (far left), who’s wearing an (much) uglier version of Anne Hathaway’s paillette dress. Mila Kunis (middle left), FINALLY pops in some color, wearing a Vera Wang gown and Lorraine Schwartz jewels. And the clear winner of the group: Catherine Zeta-Jones in a gorgeous Monique Lhullier gown and Van Cleef & Arpels jewels and Ferragamo heels.

Lea Michele, left, dazzles in Oscar de la Renta and Lorraine Schwartz. It would have been up there with Catherine Zeta-Jones, except that we’ve seen it before, as in…every other awards show she’s attended. Ok, so it’s boring, but it still looks good. Next up, continuing with blush tones AND sparkly dresses (god I am in HEAVEN!), Sandra wears a beautifully draped Jenny Packham (there are too many good things!) jeweled and embroidered dress, complete with Jimmy Choo heels and an Irit Design oxidized silver cuff with pave and rose cut diamonds. Maybe there was just too much goodness going on here, and that’s why she had to mar the look with these infuriating bangs (via Annie Barrett, EW). Personally, I don’t mind the bangs TOO much, but they aren’t my favorite. Sandra’s caught some flak for the dress too, but I don’t think it’s deserved. Just because you have an amazing body doesn’t mean you need to wear something skintight ALL the time, and I like the fit of this dress. I think it’s very romantic, and drapey without looking matronly (see Scarlett Johanssen…). Middle right is Megan Fox in Giorgio Armani Privé. Yes, the look is very unlike her, but I think she looks very sweet – it’s a nice change of pace. She completes the look with Brian Atwood shoes and a Roger Vivier clutch. Oh ScarJo (far right) – what happened? That looks like something Sophia Loren would wear, and while yes, she is beautiful, she’s also 74. Her Elie Saab gown is gorgeous but just so wrong for her! She compliments her look with Van Cleef & Arpels jewels and Jimmy Choo shoes.
Two of my FAVORITE looks of the night. They both look so minimalist and clean. Emma Stone (left) compliments her new blonde hair with a gorgeous blush tone Calvin Klein (who does minimalism better?), Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari jewels, Calvin Klein clutch (the circular clutch was very popular tonight) and Ferragamo shoes. On the right, Claire Danes looks statuesque in a column Calvin Klein pink halter dress and Fred Leighton jewels. They both look absolutely fantastic.

Third place in the black dresses has to go to Piper Perabo (middle). I just don’t love the giant bow on her shoulder. She accents with a Judith Lieber clutch and Bulgari Jewels. Second place goes to Julia Stiles (right), who wears a romantic Romona Keveza, which looks great on her, but I’d love to see her in some color to show off her gorgeous skin. She adds H. Stern earrings and a Kotur clutch to compliment her dress. And the clear winner is Eva Longoria, in Zac Posen and Neil Lane jewels. Her form-fitting gown is so flattering, it really doesn’t need a color, she’s just so vivid. Julia looks good, but compared to Eva Longoria’s stunner, what chance did her poor frock have?

Angelina (left) wearing a Versace gown and Ferragamo heels, looks like an uglier version of Anne Hathaway’s dress. Anne Hathaway (center), is wearing Giorgio Armani Privé paillette dress, with an almost completely open back, vintage earrings, and a Van Cleef & Arpels ring. And although there were many beautiful dresses (on gorgeous bodies, damn them! I’m trying to eat ice cream while I watch this!) this was perhaps the chicest look of the night. Chic, beautiful, well-fitting, accessorized correctly, the super low back that isn’t too sexy when paired with the long sleeves…it’s just perfection. Anne Hathaway, you win. Tell me your secrets.

Leighton Meester has caught a lot of flak for her Burberry dress, but to be fair, it is very sartorial and probably looked great on the runway. It fits her well, it just doesn’t look right for the occasion. She compliments it with a Louis Vuitton clutch Jimmy Choo heels and Cathy Waterman jewels.

So jealous of Hailee Steinfeld, star of “True Grit.” She looks fantastic and chic in a Prabal Gurung white racerback gown and stacked Tiffany & Co. bangles. Based on the trademarked blue of her jewelry box-like clutch, I’m guessing that’s Tiffany also. Nicole Kidman looks…well, boring, in Prada. Jennifer Lopez would look amazing in her Zuhair Murad gown, if not for the bedazzled shawl she has on top. She compliments her look with a Swarovski clutch and Harry Winston jewels.

If it isn’t obvious from this picture who is clearly the best dressed, you may be in the wrong place. On the left, Christina Hendricks would look fantastic in her Romona Keveza gown if not for the giant ruffle obscuring her decolletage. She sparkles with 193 carats of Chopard (!!), and Judith Lieber clutch. Sophia Vergara, middle, looks like a perfect hourglass in this outstanding Vera Wang dress. She says of her dress: “I like the back.” Well…I don’t. Sorry Sophia, you look absolutely stunning, and if I had a husband, I’d be hiding him right now. Seriously, she looks that good. The back of her gown is the only part of it that I don’t like. She adds David Webb jewels to complete the look. And on the right is January Jones wearing a barely-there Versace gown, showcasing her own golden globes, and not in a good way, and Neil Lane jewels. Alright, January, we know you’re gorgeous, but haven’t you ever heard of “keeping something to the imagination?”
Could have done without the pseudo-corset. Oh well, Sophia,  you’re fabulous!

Are you excited to get dressed up, or is it not really your thing? Are you already way over your budget? (I KNOW I am!) Leave your comments at the bottom. Happy almost-party time! Woo!

Stay tuned for the next installment – party dresses! What about you, readers? Do the holidays get you in the mood to spend your money? Is there just something about holiday cheer that makes you wanna wrap and unwrap presents? It’s that big satin bow that does it, isn’t it? I knew it.