Pedi-Scrub: 60 Seconds Each Morning Equals Smooth Feet

What is that green star shaped thing? It's a product infused sponge, with a scrubbing side. Spending about 30-60 seconds using this in each shower will help make (and keep) your feet soft and sandal ready, regardless how long it has been since your last pedicure.

The sponge is infused with a special soap meant to help penetrate skin and help moisturize. The soap is lightly foaming and smells faintly herbal. There is quite a bit of it in the sponge, and it was about 5 uses before the soap was fully off of the sponge. While the package states 15+ uses, I've easily over 30 and the sponge still has a ton of soap in it. I wash my feet with the regular sponge side, and then flip it over to use the scrubbing side (similar to a rough Buff Puff) on my feet. Everything rinses off easily.

While this sponge won't help the worst of cracked heels (you should use a file or a Ped Egg for that), it definitely helps even out the rough spots and has greatly reduced how often I'm using my Ped Egg.

Spongeables

CND Shellac: The Manicure that Won't Quit

When I first heard about Shellac this spring via my friend Michelle over at All Lacquered Up, I was pretty much a non-believer. How could a product that went on like polish (with the added curing under a UV light after each coat) last for a full 2 weeks? Once Michelle tried it out and reported her results to me, I admit I was impressed. Michelle's success usually translates over into my own.

Fall 2010 Maternity Style

I've been really concentrating the blog on beauty products lately, but I felt the need to do a few seasonal fashion posts. I tend to do these a few times a year, and while I'm a bit on the conservative side with my style (You would be too if you had my job, who wants their kid's ICU doc to show up in a mini skirt and 5 inch heels? Seems a bit wrong..), but I definitely want to be updated and not frumpy.

Anyways, I've been in a bit of a slump during my pregnancy. One of the first things I did when I discovered I was pregnant is run to the bookstore and buy pregnancy books. Bump it Up was one of my purchases, and while I loved Amy Koch's tips for concealing my belly pre-bump (seriously, I looked like I ate a few too many donuts until about 20 weeks, there was no bump), I'm having a bit of an issue transitioning to Fall.

Why? Because I keep looking at the fall trends and realizing that some of them will be difficult to translate to pregnancy. So, I've decided to do a bit of shopping research in an effort to not only wear a t-shirt and jeans every day. I figure there are likely more pregnant women out there in the same dilemma as me, so I'm sharing here.

Read on to see what the fall trends are, and if I'm even going to bother tackling them.

Prada Infusion d’Iris Eau de Toilette, A Subtle Iris for Everyday

A few years ago (I think it was 2007 if my sources are correct), Prada released their Infusion d'Iris in an Eau de Parfum. The scent was a hit, and eventually added to their permanent line of fragrances. However, there were some who wanted a lighter version, and now Prada is responding with an Eau de Toilette version.

However, rather than simply taking the same notes and changing the concentration of the fragrance, Prada went one step further. They worked with Daniela Andrier, who created the first fragrance, to create a companion to the EDP that creates a lighter feeling. The notes are very different, but I think that she's succeeded!

Top Notes: Neroli, Lily-of-the-Valley, Violet
Middle Notes: Iris, muget, Galbanum
Base Notes: Heliotrope, Cedar

Overall this is a very light and airy fragrance. I almost want to describe the scent as powdery (and some on-line have called the Violet top note powdery), though for me only the initial dry down period is powdery. When I first apply this scent it is a fresh, sweet fragrance that is definitely powdery. The initial dry down is a tad more Violet than Iris on me, though I do definitely have some hint of the Iris note.

After about 30-45 minutes the violet does fad a bit (and the scent becomes less powdery). This is when the fragrance takes on more depth. The Iris comes out a little more (finally overpowering the violet, though that does not completely fad into the background), and I can get a hint of the Heliotrope and Cedar. The scent stays fairly light, though definitely more floral than the EDP version. The scent lasts most of the day on me, and as the day wears on (think late afternoon) I am once again picking up the Violet note quite a bit.

Overall, this is a very pretty and light floral fragrance. I think that it is a bit heavier on the Violet than the Iris notes throughout most of the day. However, since Violet is definitely one of my favorite notes, I have to say that I'm in love! I've found this fragrance to be the perfect late summer/early fall fragrance. I'm not quite ready to transition into the heavier scents, but I don't want the same super sweet summer scents either. I've loved this for days at work, out running errands or just hanging out at home.

Prada Fragrances

Yup, I'm a Strivectin Insider

You may not have heard yet (though, I do think that the news is getting a bit hard to avoid), but Strivectin has completely revamped their product formulas and is embarking upon a major campaign to make sure you know about it. There are clever ads, placements of product in stores, and there was even an article in the NY Times about the re-release.

(I have to say that I did think the article was a bit unfair as they only mention one of the active ingredients, there is no real mention of the anti-oxidants or peptides included in the formula, as well they didn't seem to understand that Strivectin's research on the new product was done with the product in it's final form, not just parts of the products.)

Regardless, Strivectin has decided that part of the release would be a panel of bloggers trying out the product and sharing with their readers. Yup, I was picked to be one of the bloggers. What does that mean? They asked me to try out the products, write about them a few times, and I get to hold a giveaway. There was no mention that I should have a particular opinion about the products, no pressure to like the products, but they did want me to understand what is in the products, so they held a very informative webinar to teach everyone about the technology.

All of this makes me kinda love Strivectin. I admit that I've long been curious about the brand, but didn't want to spend the money on the products myself to try them out. I jump all over opportunities to give products away to my readers. But best of all, they openly told us to be honest about our opinions with our readers!

Read on to see what exactly is in this stuff.

Derek Lam Spring/Summer 2011

If you're anything like me, you have a big collection of very pretty eye liners and eye shadows at home that you can't really wear everyday. That bright purple? The navy with silver shimmer? Can you really incorporate them into your every day life? Or, at least the part of your life where you do things like go out for dinner to CPK with your husband, maybe not the part where you are raking the leaves in your yard? Though, the navy idea would be really great for the season football tickets I now have for games in a very big, big college stadium that shall remain nameless.

Anyways, my whole point is that sometimes it can be hard to see ways to work these fun colors into our normal lives. Once you hit about 26, it seems like the approach to makeup changes. There's less color and sparkle. Why? Who wants to look like a teenie bopper or Vegas Showgirl when really you're a lawyer or stay at home mom? You want to be taken seriously. So, the makeup is less exciting and we forget how to incorporate color into our everyday lives. Unless it is taupe.

Well, Estée Lauder Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux is coming to our rescue with this look he created for the Derek Lam Spring/Summer 2011 runway. Yes, the color is rather bright, but think of how easily this can be adapted with any color! I'm picturing a navy, plum or even a dark gray-green. You could do this with almost any color, the point is that Tom is showing how to balance the rest of the face around the color. (Apparently the answer is a little color on the rest of the lid, perfect skin and light nude lips. I don't know about you but these pictures make me want to run to my nearest Estée counter and buy every face product Tom used. I also must have that lipstick when it comes out this spring!)

Read on to see what Tom used to create this look.

Selena Gomez at the 2010 VMA Awards

I have to be honest. I am not 100% sure who Selena Gomez is. I know she has a movie coming out (I seem to recall seeing her name in a commercial for it), and I think she's one of those girls that has a show on the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. (Ah Ha! A quick check of her Wiki page reveals she is from the Disney Channel. And was born when I was in high school. Sigh.)

I wasn't a huge fan of her VMA dress, but I think from the neck up her VMA look was amazing! Her makeup is fresh (look at how perfect her skin is!) but doesn't age her, is appropriate for being only 18, and yet also works for the Red Carpet. Her hair is young, but not your typical "running errands" pony tail. Overall, it worked for me!

Makeup Artist Karan Mitchell for Nyx Cosmetics created her makeup, the directions are below!

For Eyes
Karan started with Nyx Concealor Jar in Fair as a base on the lid and then added a shade of ‘Highlight’ and blended from the crease up to the brow. She then applied the highly pigmented sapphire blue shade from Nyx Cosmetics Eye Shadow Trio in Aquamarine on the lids as well as slightly above the crease. Karan then blended the deep blue in the I Dream of Antigua Nyx Cosmetics 5 Color Eye Shadow Palette on the outside corners of her lids. Over that Karan lined the entire eye with Magic Kohl eye liner pencil by Givenchy. Two coats of Nyx Professional Mascara in Black finished the look.

For the Lips
The lip look was finished with Nyx Cosmetics Lipstick shade #174 nude, and Nyx Mega Shine Lipgloss in #104 Sweet Heart for that soft fresh nude lip look!

For Face
Karan created a fresh faced healthy glow for Selena by using Nyx Cosmetics Tango with Bronzer Stix #2 in Merengue Flush. This was applied to the apples of her cheeks.

Image Credit: Wireimage.com
NYX Cosmetics