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Win Jennifer Lopez’ L’Oreal Paris Academy Award’s Red Carpet Look!

Raise your hand if you were in awe of how beautiful Jennifer Lopez looked on the red carpet at the Academy Awards? She had such a natural and polished look! I loved it. And it was all courtesy of L’Oreal Paris. Her celebrity hair stylist, make up artist, and manicurist did an amazing job.

Are you wondering how you can achieve that same look? L’Oreal Paris gave us the step-by-step guide of how she looked so amazingly radiant for the Oscars.

Annnnnnd they also want to giveaway some of the products their team used to get that look! One reader will win this look! Enter below!

Inspiration: Jennifer’s elegant up-do and glowing skin and makeup were inspired by the late 1960’s. Celebrity Hairstylist Lorenzo Martin kept her hairstyle simple and chic by creating a chignon bun placed high on the head. Jennifer’s makeup was also kept simple and chic – dewy skin with a dramatic winged cat eye – by Celebrity Makeup Artist Mary Phillips. A gorgeous gold and red-tipped nail was the final touch in Jennifer’s “Faye Dunaway”-inspired head-to-toe Oscars look.

HAIR
Celebrity Hair Stylist: Lorenzo Martin
Inspirational Quote: “The look I created for Jennifer was inspired by the 60′s. I wanted a gorgeous hairstyle that defined the graceful refined sophistication of that time to complement Jennifer’s beautiful dress.”

Step by Step How-To:
First, Lorenzo sprayed L’Oréal Paris EverStyle Volume Root Lifting Spray at the roots of Jennifer’s clean, damp hair to add extra volume before blow-drying it with a round medium-sized boar bristle brush.

After Jennifer’s hair was completely dry, Lorenzo distributed a dime-sized amount of L’Oréal Paris EverStyle Strong Hold Defining Gel evenly throughout her hair.
Next, he pulled her hair into a high ponytail, securing it with a metal-free elastic rubber band.

From there, Lorenzo split the ponytail into four different sections and teased each one. Once all four pieces were teased, he sprayed her hair with L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented Hairspray.

Next, Lorenzo took one of the four sections and looped the piece into the ponytail, securing it into place with bobby pins. He followed this step with the three other sections of hair – pinning each one in different directions (front, back and side to side) to create a complete bun.

To ensure there were no loose hairs or flyways and to maintain a sleek look, he added a bit of L’Oréal Paris EverStyle Smooth & Shine Serum.
Lastly, to finish off this effortless yet elegant style, he used L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented Hairspray lightly around all the hair.

Products Used:
L’Oréal Paris EverStyle Volume Root Lifting Spray ($6.99)
L’Oréal Paris EverStyle Strong Hold Defining Gel ($6.99)
L’Oréal Paris EverStyle Smooth & Shine Serum ($6.99)
L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented Hairspray ($14.99)

MAKEUP
Celebrity Hair Stylist: Mary Phillips

Step by Step How-To:
FACE – First, Mary highlighted Jennifer’s natural glow by mixing L’Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Makeup in Sun Beige ($10.95) with LaMer The Reparative Body Lotion ($180) to create a dewy but even and smooth canvas.
CHEEKS – Mary dabbed L’Oreal Paris Magic Smooth Soufflé Blush in Cherubic on her cheeks for a subtle flush of color ($12.95)
EYESHADOW – Mary used two shadows to achieve Jennifer’s sultry eye: L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24H Eye Shadow in Eternal Black and Iced Latte ($7.95 each)
EYELINER – Mary created a winged cat eye with L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in Brown ($8.95)
MASCARA – Mary completed the high drama effect of the eye with two coats of L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara in Carbon Black ($8.95)
LIPS – Jennifer’s lip color was the final glamorous touch; L’Oreal Paris Infallible 8HR Le Gloss in Coral sands ($9.99)

NAILS
Celebrity Manicurist: Tom Bachik
Inspirational Quote: “Jennifer Lopez’s Oscar’s look was all about 60’s glamour with a modern interpretation … so it was important her nail look matched this overall feel and aesthetic. Jennifer loved the delicate shade of ‘Because You’re Worth It’ – we were excited to try something a bit more modern for the red carpet and create a nail look that could transition throughout the night, as she has a couple of wardrobe changes. We drew inspiration for Jennifer’s nail look from not only her red carpet gown, but also her makeup.”

Step by Step How-To:
First, Tom shaped her nails into a classic almond shape, but gave them a slight unexpected point at the tip for a modern take.

He then painted a sheer coat of L’Oreal Paris’ Colour Riche Nail Polish in “Because You’re Worth It” (a gorgeous warm, champagne gold shade – #580) before gilding the tips of her nails (in a V shape) in Colour Riche Nail Polish in Haute Couture Red (#470) – a vampy, burgundy wine hue.

Products Used:
L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Nail Polish in “Because You’re Worth It” – #580 in the “Iconic Muse” collection ($5.99)
L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Nail Polish in “Haute Couture Red” – #470 in the “Femme Fatale collection ($5.99)

Read more

Handbag Delight: Mustard

Mustard is the new yellow…for now. Until lemon comes in and sweeps us off our feet this summer. If you would’ve tried to get to wear this color as a teenager I would’ve responded with a big fat NO! I was not adventurous at all. I do know that this color is catching my eye right now. It’s the right amount of pop for any outfit. It’s vibrant without being overwhelming. Does that make sense? LOL…whatever. I like it. How about you? Are you loving mustard?

Alexander Wang at ShopStyle

Miu Miu at ShopStyle

Burberry at ShopStyle

Sara Berman at ShopStyle

Coccinelle at ShopStyle

Forever 21 at ShopStyle

Melie Bianco at ShopStyle

Forever 21 at ShopStyle

Pietro Alessandro at ShopStyle

Veja at ShopStyle

Rebecca Minkoff at ShopStyle

B. Makowsky at ShopStyle

Win a $25 sneakpeeq Gift Card!

Move over flash sale sites and make room for sneakpeeq! I’ve been a member of this site for a little bit now and I am always so tempted to by something.

sneakpeeq brings you new discoveries every single day in the form of apparel, accessories, gourmet food, and home products. And the best part is they keep the low prices private and only members get to “peeq” at the amazing deals! You also get to collect badges that offer special privileges like free shipping!

And guess what? sneakpeeq has something for you! Join today and automatically get 20% off your first purchase, plus you’ll be automatically be entered to win a $25 sneakpeeq gift card!

Enter by clicking this special Curves and Chaos invitation link: http://bit.ly/xH1DhC You must use this link or your entry will not count! This is only open to NEW sneakpeeq users.

TO MAKE THINGS EXCITING (LOL)…

EXTRA ENTRY: Leave a comment below with your favorite shopping tip. Remember you must enter via the link above first, or your extra entry will NOT count.

Rules: You must be 18 years-or-older to enter. Only open to U.S. residents and new sneakpeeq users only. Only one entry per person. You must use the special link above to enter or your entry will not count. No purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibited. Winner will be chosen using random.org and announced on 3/12/12.

Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for this giveaway. It is courtesy of sneakpeeq.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED CONGRATULATIONS JESSICA!

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Hey my loves! I’m back from my conference and I can’t wait to share this with you. This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDA). You know I can’t stress how important positive body image and self-acceptance is. I found out today, that 24 million Americans are affected by eating disorders. This includes Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating Disorder. This breaks my heart. During this week, I’m participating in spreading awareness. As part of this, you’ll see me tweet some startling facts, like today.

Today, I’ve decided to share a story with you from NEDA’s web site:

It’ll Be Better When I’m Thin…
By Geneen Roth

For many years, I was convinced that by changing my body, I would change my life. Because I was certain that my suffering was due to my size, I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts, and rejections with it. I thought that changing the shape on the outside would alter the feelings on the inside. Silly me.

Consider a milk carton. No matter what you do to change its shape — switch the spout to the other side, round the corners, cut off the top — you know that what’s inside is milk. Not apple juice, not vegetable soup, but milk. But somehow we don’t know that changing how we look on the outside — shedding pounds or cinching in our waists a few inches — doesn’t change what we are, either.

We mistakenly believe that altering our bodies will fix everything. That’s because we think that body size is the cause and, therefore, the healer of all wounds. Perhaps our worst mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved, being special, being cherished. We couldn’t be more wrong.

Think of the women who live in Samoa. Legend has it that a woman there is not
considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. Size is relative: Samoans might equate being fat with being cherished, and being thin with being miserable. (Forget about booking a one-way trip to Samoa. It’s too expensive.) The truth is that beauty standards vary from culture to culture, but no matter where you live or how big your body is, some things remain the same. We still have to find a way to live comfortably inside our bodies and make friends with and cherish ourselves.

A woman once came to my class after she’d lost 100 pounds on a fast and then gained back 50. “They lied to me,” she said. “They said my life would be great when I got thin. That I would be happy. That I would love myself and be loved. But that’s not what happened. Sure, I liked being thin. I liked wearing clothes in smaller sizes. I liked that my body felt lighter. But I still felt unworthy, unlovable, damaged. I was so disappointed and felt so betrayed by everyone– that I started to eat again.”

This lack of finality–the fact that our relationship with food and body size is an ongoing process, not an end point–is the most elusive insight to sustain. Even people who’ve lost weight 5, 10, or 20 times and always gained it back continue to believe that next time, it will be different. Next time, they will keep it off. Next time, being thinner will finally fulfill its alluring promise of everlasting happiness, joy, self-worth, and, of course, love.
But if it’s happiness you want, why not put your energy and attention there rather than on the size of your body? Why not look inside? Somewhere in there are the clues to what would make you happy right now.

I often get letters from people who say that when they start my program of intuitive eating and pay attention to their inner lives, they quickly discover that losing weight is not their first priority. It takes them by surprise because they’ve focused their entire lives on becoming thinner. But when they begin to take even small amounts of time for themselves, when they allow themselves to rest or do nothing for 5 minutes a day, they realize that it’s what they wanted most of all. They want permission to slow down and to
live like they are special, valued, and belong here. This is what they thought being thin would give them; now they realize that it is something that they need to give to themselves.

The truth is that you deserve to be cherished and should cherish yourself no matter how much you weigh or how you look.

Being thinner will never do what you think it’s going to do. But you can have whatever you believe that being thinner will give you, and you can have it now. The only way to do it? By starting to live as though you love yourself. By making a commitment to be kind to yourself and by not letting anything stand in your way. By setting aside time for yourself daily. By being vigilant about acting on your own behalf. By beginning today.

Everybody Knows Somebody. Get involved in NEDAwareness Week 2012, February 26- March 3! Visit the NEDAwareness Week homepage under Programs & Events at www.NationalEatingDisorders.org to register today and learn more about how you can do just one thing to help raise awareness about eating disorders and become part of the solution. Helpline: 800 931-2237

Do you know someone who deals with an eating disorder? Remind them they are beautiful, inside and out.

Review: SOHO’s 4-Piece Train Case

Guess who loves their SOHO 4-Piece Train Case? Meeeeee! Do you want to know why I love it? Well…let me tell you why. I travel a few times a month and taking my make up with me has kind of been a hassle. I can’t take my heavy train case with me when I’m flying. It weighs too much. But, I can take this with me. It’s so easy to pack!

It’s part of their cosmetic bag collection. It’s a soft train case and it’s so awesome! Inside the case there are three separate organizable cases. I used it when I went to Las Vegas and it really came in handy. All my make up fit and then some. I haven’t had to clean it yet, but it’s seems like it’s easy to clean. And don’t worry about spending too much on this, it’s only $17.99. Sounds good to me!

Review

Carmakoma Wish List

I’ve been eyeing the Danish brand Carmakoma lately. OK…I’ve always had my eye on them. Ever since I saw their latest video starring one of my favorite models and friend Fluvia, I kind of want everything. I couldn’t help but create a wish list. Their line definitely has that classic European style. I miss that. I seriously can’t pick just one piece. So, if you want to buy me anything please feel free. LOL!

 

Bauble Alert: Cosmic Thread

Cosmic Thread is bringing handmade geometric shaped jewelry to another level. I discovered them during MAGIC’s Pool Tradeshow and instantly was in awe. You might have seen these photos in a previous post. The designers are two sisters, Taryn and Megan, from Colorado. I really admire unique and creative jewelry like this. 

The collection experiments with the fusion of synthetic and reclaimed organic materialsinto highly conceptual designs. Each piece of jewelry is handcrafted with a forward thinking focus on the future,manifesting the inspiration of space into wearable geometry.

Make sure you check out the Cosmic Thread collection. 

Blogaversary Giveaway #4: $150 IGIGI Gift Card

Hello my loves!!

We are finally on the last blogaversary giveaway. This is my way of saying thank you for two amazing years! You know I <3 you ladies! And you know I had to go out with a bang. I wish I could win this giveaway too. OK…I wish I could win all of these giveaways.

This last giveaway is courtesy of IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel. I remember the first time I ever saw one of her dresses in person, it was a wedding dress on the beautiful Rosie Mercado at FFFWeek(end) in Los Angeles. IGIGI is a designer plus size line and the collection is very chic! Don’t believe me? Take a look www.igigi.com!

One very lucky reader will win a $150 IGIGI gift card!
 

You know the drill…enter via the widget below.
 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Dolce Vita Spring 2012 Lookbook

You all know about my love for Dolce Vita. In fact…I love them ever more, because I won a free pair from them on their Facebook page! I don’t know what pair I’m getting, but hey it’s free. If you haven’t entered, why not? If I can win, maybe you will too! But hurry, because it’s only until the end of February. Read more

Beauty Buzz: L’Oreal Paris EverCreme Hair Care

L’Oreal Paris has done it again…winning me over with the EverCreme hair care collection. This is especially for you ladies out there that are tired of fighting with dry hair. You know who you are.

This collection stands out because it’s a Sulfate-Free Moisture System. If you’re like me, then you probably didn’t know that sulfates are very harsh on your hair and can leave the fibers dry, dull, lifeless, and weak. It’s also free of heavy waxes that can coat your hair and weigh it down. It’s also Paraben-Free (yay!) and 100% Vegan.

I’ve been using the EverCreme Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner for two weeks now. I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to tell a difference in my hair, but I was so wrong. My hair not only feels soft and looks shiny, but it instantly felt lighter. It was a crazy feeling. I never noticed how weighed down my hair felt before.

I’m not a fan of the vanilla, amber, and cedar wood scent, but I’m picky about that. It doesn’t smell bad or anything, I just love hair products that smell clean or fruity. And it doesn’t lather up as much either. Hmmm…maybe that’s what weighs our hair down too? OK…I’m not sure about that, but it’s something to think about.

Despite me being extra picky (LOL), I really like this shampoo and conditioner. It’s caught my attention and if you’re curious, I’d really recommend trying it.

Review

Handbag Delight: Stripes

Looking at handbags online is not easy. I thought it would be, because it’s not like looking at them in a store. I was wrong…I want them all. And as you can see, I’m kind of in a stripe mood right now.  I’ve seen people wearing them like crazy. But, I’d like to be a twist on it and go with a striped clutch or handbag.

What do you think? Are stripes for you?

1. Sydney Love 2. Charlotte Russe 3. Muze 4. Forever 21 5. Sonia Rykiel 6. TopShop 7. Old Navy 8. Rebecca Minkoff 9. MANGO 10. Pour La Victoire 11. Brooks Brothers

MAGIC, Project, and Pool Tradeshow Photos

Here are the rest of my photos from MAGIC, Project, and the Pool Tradeshow. Like I had said before, these spaces were so huge! There was such an array of clothes and accessories. Once again, we didn’t get to see everything.

MAGIC and Project were home to fashion brands, while the Pool Tradeshow was more of the indie designers and brands. It was amazing. Ivory (www.ivoryjinelle.blogspot.com) and I had a chance to chat with the ladies over at Nation LTD. They’re really passionate about their plus pieces that you can find at Nordstrom. That’s very inspiring! I also fell in love with the fringe handbags from Ember Skye at Project. I loved the colors!

And I died over the jewelry from Cosmic Thread  and Designs by Alicia P. at the Pool Tradeshow. The jewelry was very unique! Loved it.  I had such an amazing time and I can’t wait for my next WWDMAGIC visit!

KAMI SHADE

EMBER SKYE

COSMIC THREAD

NATION LTD.

DAREEN HAKIM

DESIGNS BY ALICIA P.

MAGIC’s FN Platform: Part 2

Here are more photos from MAGIC’s FN Platform. I don’t think you ladies understand how many shoes there were! We didn’t even cover the entire thing. I know my feet would’ve of been dead at the end of that day!

I was most impressed with Betsey Johnson and Charles Whittington. Of course I always love a fun shoe like Betsey Johnson, but I was loving the double stiletto by Charles Whittington. Isn’t it cool? It’s trademarked people…so don’t try to steal it! Just love it!

Betsey Johnson

Charles Whittington

Baby Phat

Kelsi Dagger

NYLA

OOTD: MAGIC’12 Outfits

Guess who overpacked for MAGIC? I told my hubby it was a good thing I wasn’t flying because I would have been paying for that extra weight. LOL! Have you ever done that? Overpacked, but hated almost everything in your suitcase? That was definitely me.

So, what does any girl do when they don’t like their clothes? Go shopping of course. I stopped by the outlets on my way to Las Vegas and bought this beautiful asymmetrical BCBG Max Azria sweater. Thanks for convincing me Ivory! LOL! She’s always right. I wore it on the first day of MAGIC. Later that night, we decided to dress up a bit to go out. I wore this purple off the shoulder sweater dress, with these BCBG Max Azria ankle boots I snatched up on Ideeli.com. Love that web site! I just might have a thing for BCBG!

On Valentine’s Day, I wanted to commemorate the holiday with this heart sweater from Forever 21. I know…I’m corny like that. I was missing my hubby. I wore it with a pair of black Mossimo skinny jeans from Target. They really stretched out by the end of the night. Be careful if you buy them. I’d go a size smaller.

Now it’s time for the fun part of traveling…unpacking. Ugh!

Sweater: BCBG Max Azria. Denim: Torrid. Boots: Dollhouse.

Sweater: Forever 21

Dress: purchased at the Curvy Girl Closet Raid. Necklace: Forever 21. Ring: Torrid. Bracelets: Lane Bryant. Leggings: Bali. Ankle Boots: BCBG Max Azria.

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