EWP Gift Guide 2011: Makeup Kit

I liked both these makeup kits so much, I couldn't pick and decided just to post them both for you!

Bobbi Brown Eyeliner Kit, $42

Yves Saint Laurent, $65

Frugal Friday - Protect Your Face

The most precious part of your look is... your face! Proper skincare is imperative for keeping a healthy glow for years to come. No one wants to grow up and look like an old leather football. Gross! Keeping your skin protected is always within budget, especially with these items.



I never ever leave the house in summer without a hat. Wearing a hat has the added bonus of making your look effortlessly chic. I swear when walking around town, random strangers will stop me on the street to compliment me on my outfit. But I know it's really just the hat pulling it together! So grab a fedora, keep your face protected, and your look projected.

Francesca's, $24 @

J. Crew, was $65, sale $29.99

Nordstrom, was $68, sale $44.90 @

Another MUST have item is sunblock. You should never ever leave the house without a little spf splashed on your face. Not even in winter. But adding another thing to your beauty regimen may get you feeling overwhelmed, so do what I do - a two-in-one spf/moisturizer. Keeps my skin glowy and moisturized and protects it from the sun at the same time. I recommend going at least SPF 30 to get a good layer of protection going.

Aveeno, $16.39

Bare Minerals, $28

Okay, this isn't under $50, but it's also TWENTY FOUR OUNCES of protection. Talk about a deal! Just a quick pump into your hand and you're off!

Supergoop, $68

Josie Maran, $14-$32

Philosophy, $38

@Available in more colors

Just because summer is winding down doesn't mean you should stop paying attention to your skin. Keep those faces protected!

EWP Gift Guide: Cute Cosmetics Bag

If the person you're shopping for is all set in the makeup department, why not give her something to carry all that face paint in?

I have a Kate Spade cosmetic bag and just love it. Super cute and just enough space for my gargantuan amount of makeup I like to cart around when travelling. Or you could get the smaller size like a normal person :)

Kate Spade, $85-$145 @

@Available in more colors

EWP Stocking Stuffer: Travel Size Products

In the cold, dry winter, nothing is more necessary than lotion. And lots of it. Why not spread the moisturizing love and throw some travel sized lotions in someone's stocking this year?

Aveda

NY Daily News: Instant Anti-aging Beauty Tape Still Keeps Bags and Droops at Bay

Did you catch Dr. Walden's commentary in the NY Daily News about instant anti-aging beauty tape that still keeps bags and droops at bay? Be sure to check it out at www.NYDailyNews.com!

I Heart Fashion Nails on Michigan Ave.

I'm a creature of habit. Once I find a nail salon I like, I just keep going there. But last month I was out shopping on Michigan Ave. with Laura and we wanted a mani/pedi. So we hopped into some place that was open on a Sunday. We'd never been but, hey, a nail place is a nail place.

What we didn't know is that when this nail place said "spa manicure/pedicure" they meant "we give you an amazing massage you will never forget." Like serious deep tissue massaging of your feet, calves, hands, arms, shoulders, and neck. I love a deep tissue massage. And this massage, just the massage part, takes at least an hour. It was heavenly. And all for the low price of $55.

Clearly I will only be going there. Why not get my tired ol' dogs (my feet ache like crazy these days) deeply massaged in addition to nicely painted? And the nice lady Lin (who I totally recommend) has started giving me discounts because I'm cute and pregnant.

So, for those of you in Chicago, I totally recommend Fashion Nails located at 210 N. Michigan Ave. for your next mani/pedi.

Oh and I also recommend this color for your next pedi: Essie's Damsel in a Dress. It's actually a super dark purple, almost black, and I can't stop staring at it. My toes are hawt, I'm telling ya. I'll have to buy it for myself. I'm that in love with it.

Essie, $8

Confessions of an EWP

It's been a while since my last confessions, and I have more to get off my chest:

1. I haven't worn makeup in a week. I know there are a bunch of you who don't wear makeup everyday (and we seriously need to have a talk about that), but I do. So a week is a long time. I fear I've turned into one of those gross preggos. But in my defense I've been really sick this past week and didn't leave the house. The only person I've seen is my husband. Who I guess I should still put makeup on for, but when I confessed it'd been a week since my last mascaraing Mr. EWP said "what? You're not wearing makeup? I can't tell." Oh sweet sweet Mr. EWP. I don't want to know if it was a lie or the truth. But before you think he's too sweet he did follow it up with "I used to be able to tell because of your circles, but you don't have those anymore." hahahahah, well, at least my unemployment has helped with catching up on my beauty rest.
2. I'm headed to Michigan today via train (the hubs will be coming on Friday after work) for my little sister's big engagement party weekend. She has very nicely asked if I would do her makeup for the big event because I do it so much better than the professionals she's used. Flattery will get you everywhere. And because I'm crazy, I can't take a few colors, no, I worry that I'll be leaving something necessary behind. So I'm taking my entire makeup case with me. On the train. In addition to my giant bag of clothing, because you never know what I might want to wear this week. I'll look like a crazy bag lady. Thank God Amtrak doesn't have baggage restrictions. And while I've already made confession #1 to you all, maybe we shouldn't tell my sister I haven't put any makeup on in a week.....
3. I need new gold shoes. Badly. Please someone find some for me. All suggestions welcome in the comments or email me at esquirewearsprada@gmail.com
4. We are drowning in clothes. Not laundry. But clothes I've pulled out of my closet to donate. Someone please come to my house and take them to Goodwill (or your own closet, I don't care) for me.
5. Pregnancy has made me go gray. There are a MILLION grays on my head that weren't there before I got pregnant. The situation is getting out of control. I'd pluck them all except I have a fear of going bald.
6. I fear I'm going bald.
7. I have really short legs. Like seriously disproportionately short legs. I finally admitted this to myself a couple weeks ago and bought my latest pair of Joe's Jeans in a petite.... and I still need to have them hemmed. I really hope BabyWP doesn't get my midget legs.
8. I'm addicted to massages. Like seriously addicted. I may need to go into counseling for it.
9. When I get my toes painted a hot color, I stare at them all day.
10. I can't sleep without my husband. Like not at all. Is that weird? I already have weird preggo insomnia, but couple that with being Mr. EWP-free for the next two nights, and I'm in a bit of a panic. Maybe my little sister will cuddle with me....

How about you? Got anything to confess?

EWP Giveaway!

Yesterday I got this GIANT box in the mail. [the sandal is in there to give you a sense of scale]

I opened it up and saw this:

It was Cover Girl's new smoky eye line!

But that wasn't all. Underneath the makeup kits was a chair from Pier 1 Imports. Seriously, an entire full-sized chair.

I looked it up on Pier 1's website, and it's $50. Y'all, Cover Girl sent me a $50 chair. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it though...

And of course there was a mirror to ensure flawless makeup application.

And handy dandy instructions.

And lots and lots of makeup. There are THREE lash blast mascaras

3 different colors of smoky shadow blast

And 3 liners.

I decided I didn't need to use all the makeup and would just use one and give two sets away to two of my faithful readers.

So I grabbed the "glamorous" smoky eye set and followed the instructions and this is what I got:

I only did one eye so you can see a comparison with just my plain eye.

In all honesty, the smudge stick did get the smoky eye effect it advertised, but I just don't like creamy eyeshadow. I like a nice powder eyeshadow, my eyelids have a lot of natural grease going on and I know a cream shadow is going to melt off within 30 mintues. So I'm not sure I'll be using the eyeshadow again only for that reason. The mascara, however, was great. And my only complaint about the liner is that it wasn't for a brown girl. It was this light brown color that just blended in with my eyelid, and didn't create the "glamorous" dramatic look Cover Girl was advertising. Black would have worked much better for me.

And now for the fun part: the giveaway! I will be choosing THREE lucky winners this week. One will receive the Cover Girl natural smoky makeup set (brown tones), one will receive the Cover Girl bold smoky eye makeup set (blue tones), and one reader will win a $20 WalMart gift card.

Each makeup set contains the CoverGirl SmokyShadowBlast, LineExact Liquid Liner and LashBlast Volume-Blasting Mascara.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment and let me know which prize you want - do you want a natural look? do you want to be bold? do you want to go to WalMart? Just let me know!

This was a compensated review and giveaway. CoverGirl provided me with the CoverGirl Smoky Eye kit, information, and Walmart gift card to giveaway through MyBlogSpark.

The things I love Thursday: April 29, 2010

1. Cute gold jewelry from postcards+love's Etsy shop:2. Weather.com is now offering a beauty forecast:
How adorable is that?

3. Stella McCartney fruits of the week panties!

I'm a Pantenologist (& an EWP Giveaway!)

Today I was greeted by this ginormous box. I was so excited!
What was inside, you ask? Why, my Pantene Scientific Hair Test Kit, of course!

The folks over at Pantene identified four distinct hair structures and started developing products for these different hair types.

1) Curly - I can tell you right now this is me. No testing necessary.

2) Color - hmmm.... maybe I'll need this since I got my new highlights...

3) Medium-Thick - Oh, but I have medium-thick hair, too!

4) Fine - Okay, this one I for sure know is not me.

And to make this whole process very official and scientific, the folks at Pantene included these handy scientist glasses...

.....and a lab coat! I can tell you right now, I'm going to wear this lab coat everyday.

Don't I look very smart and sciencey? I'm a pantenologist!

Let the testing begin! Pantene sent me some tests to conduct to figure out my hair type.

First up, pull my hair in a ponytail and see if it's thicker than this coin they sent me. Check! That means I have medium-thick hair.

Then I brought out the curly card for the curly hair test.

I yanked a hair out and placed it on the card. I think this means I have tightly wound curls. Definitely not a surprise.

Testing complete! [Note my husband's penchant for taking pictures from a seated position leading to super unflattering pictures. What a jerk.] Now all I have to do is use the shampoo/conditioner corresponding to my hair type(s).

Want to try Pantene's new line for yourself? You can find it any local drug store or grocery store or wherever Pantene products are sold. Or you can go to Pantene.com for a free sample.

And to make things even more exciting, Pantene has provided me with a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart to give away to one of my lucky readers!

Just leave a comment with your email address or not if I know who you are and let me know what you think your hair type is:

And, no, I will not judge you for wanting to win a Wal-Mart gift card. My favorite pair of underwear is from Wal-Mart. "WHAT?" Long story involving flat tire in the middle of nowhere and killing time at a Wal-Mart til my tire was fixed which resulted in the purchase of many random things, including a pair of Halloween boy shorts that glow in the dark. I love them and wear them all the time.

Winner will be announced next week Monday when I get back from DC.

This is a compensated giveaway. Pantene has provided me with the Pantene Scientific Hair Test kit, information, and a $25 Walmart gift card to giveaway through MyBlogSpark.