Tag Archives: ModlyChic

Friend Friday: Summertime is for Strawberries!

For today’s Friend Friday, we are sharing our favorite seasonal dish. My favorite is one that is best made whenever strawberries are in season, which is really anytime of the year. One of my signature dishes is making cheesecake. But I feel like for the summer, it’s a bit too hot to use the oven. I searched the world-wide web and found this fresh and light alternative, and I have been making this dish for around 4 years now (original recipe found here). I’ll do a step-by-step demo of this sometime soon. Have a great weekend!

Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: None
Serves: 14

Ingredients

2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup sugar, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 cups whipping cream, whipped (or 1 tub of Cool Whip)
1 (10.75 ounce) loaf frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, grated
Chocolate curls (optional)
Additional strawberries (optional)

Cooking Directions

In a bowl, toss strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, orange juice and remaining sugar until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream; set aside.
Drain strawberries, reserving juice; set the berries aside. Gently toss cake cubes with reserved juice. Place half of the cake in a 4-qt. trifle dish or serving bowl. Top with a third of the cream cheese mixture, half of the strawberries and half of the grated chocolate. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Garnish with chocolate curls and strawberries if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Note: Instead of using a 4 qt trifle dish or serving bowl, you can also use a 2 inch deep serving dish/pan and put the layer of pound cake cubes on the bottom, spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake, and add the strawberries to the top.

(Image courtesy of Taste of Home)

Fashion Beauty Friend Friday is a Google group for bloggers to converse on a given topic each week. Katy from ModlyChic sends the questions, bloggers post their responses and then add their post to the list of people sharing their thoughts on the subject matter. To get started, check out this great tutorial on Grit & Glamour here.

Friend Friday: Peeves & Pets

I didn’t get a chance to participate in the May 6 Friend Friday post about shoes because I committed to participating in the Full Time Fabulous blog event. But I just couldn’t pass up the chance to talk about one of my favorite fashion subjects, other than purses. I’m also combining it with this week’s topic, which is based on Beautifully Invisible’s “10 Things About Your Blog That Drive Me Crazy “. I’ll start with the peeves, then I’ll move on to my pets.

Five Things That Drive Me Crazy About Your Blog

1. Not being able to comment

I just feel that if you have a blog out there, you want people to read it. Don’t you want to encourage discussion?

2. Comment sections that make it difficult to leave a comment

There have been times where I can see that people are leaving comments, so why am I the only lame one who can’t? I think leaving a comment should be an easy task, not a frustrating one. Previously, I had the settings on my blog set higher to block unwanted content, but that meant a lot more moderation on my part. Wordpress is good about detecting spam, so now I’ve relaxed the comment moderation to allow more people to leave comments that can be seen instantaneously.

3. Grammar gaffes

I think this is on everyone’s list, and it should be. Lack of spell-check and good grammar really gets under my skin. I will mull over a post for a while before I put anything out there in the open. I recently attended a writing class at work that opened my eyes to my grammar mistakes. I even had the instructor look at my blog to let me know how I can make improvements. I write my posts as if I’m writing for a major website or publication. I hope that it comes across that way.

4. Lackluster headlines

In the writing class I spoke about above, we also learned about how to write efficient emails. This included writing subject headings that accurately describe what will be discussed in the attached email. I think that the headline/title to a blog post should do the same, but with a twist. I love clever headlines, even if they are only one word. In this time of Twitter where we try to be as eloquent as possible in 140 characters, why can’t you do the same with your headline?

5. Make it personal

I love blogs that interject a little bit about the writer’s personality, without revealing more than is necessary. It allows us to see that we can all relate in some way, and that the person on the other end of the computer is just like me.

Shoes, glorious shoes!

1. What is your go-to pair of shoes?

Rather than a go-to pair, I have a go-to color: Black. I have more than enough pairs of black shoes, but I just can’t seem to stop getting them. In fact, I just bought another pair of black mary-jane pumps from Gilt called “Sinful” by Gunmetal.

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions?

Versatility and uniqueness. I need to wear them with several different wardrobe pieces, and I want them to be show-stoppers. I may have over 10 pairs of black shoes, but none of them are the same and each has a unique shape or are a different take on a basic shoe design.

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?

Black!

4. When it comes to design shoes what are your favorite brands and why?

Right now, I’m in love with Jeffrey Campbell shoes. I love that most are platform and are a bit unusual in design. I also really enjoy Poetic Licence shoes. They are so very pretty, girly and whimsical.

5. If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?

Several pairs of Manolo Blahniks because they are simply just beautiful shoes. Ever since that episode of “Sex and the City” called “A Woman’s Right to Shoes”, I have wanted the Sedaraby Open Toe d’Orsay pump in silver, just like Carrie’s (pictured above). If you are not familiar with the episode, it’s the one where Carrie wears them to a baby shower, only to have them stolen. Then the hostess refuses to replace them and Carrie does a creative thing to get them back. After then seeing the first SATC movie, I fell in love with the jeweled pump called “Something Blue” that Carrie wore to her civil wedding to Big (pictured below in grey satin). I confess that I do own a couple, but they were purchased from eBay and not the ones pictured in this post. I would love to walk into Bloomingdale’s or Neiman Marcus and buy the one’s pictured here outright. *sigh*

(Images courtesy of Zappos.com here; Lori’s Shoes from my post here; and Nordstrom.com here & here)

Friend Friday: Outside Wants In

This week’s FBFF is about outside influences, asking what else influences fashion bloggers other than just other fashion blogs. It’s hard to really pinpoint what influences me, but maybe these questions can help hone in that answer. What are your outside influences when it comes to fashion?

What magazines do you subscribe to?

Lucky, People Style Watch, Vogue

Do you watch any fashion TV shows?

I used to watch Project Runway quite religiously and also the first season of The Fashion Show, but I’ve since lost track. I’ve also watched a few episodes of The Rachel Zoe Project. I guess the two shows that I’ve seen more episodes of would be Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and What Not to Wear (both the British and American versions).

Beyond blogs, what websites do you frequent for fashion inspiration?

I frequent a lot of online stores to get inspiration, mostly British sites like ASOS, Topshop and Plumo. I like looking at online shoe store’s lookbooks, like those of Sole Struck and Jeffrey Campbell. Since I frequent those sites to buy their clothing, I look to see what they pair their items with and then draw from my own wardrobe.

When I need an inspirational boost because I’ve got a “fashion/wardrobe block”, I just pop in a few of my favorite “Sex and the City” episodes or movies like “The Devil Wears Prada”, “Confessions of a Shopaholic” & “The September Issue” and I’m instantly inspired.

Advertisements play a huge role in forming public opinion about a product or brand… what ads do you like and why?

Coming from a media background, I’m very critical when it comes to advertisements and commercials. I like clever ads, that aren’t necessarily humorous, but usually end up being pretty funny. I really enjoy some of the Geico commercials lately (the “Is the pen really mightier than the sword?” and the “Hey woodchucks, quit chuckin’ my wood!” ones are very funny and clever).

I can’t really think of any magazine ads that are attracting my attention right now. When I’m flipping through a magazine and see a striking ad, I’ll pay attention for the moment. Then I move on to the actual content of the magazine. I must say, that I do enjoy the European ads quite a bit. When I went to Europe, the ads are just so much more bold, in both words and imagery.

Do you own any fashion books?

I only own a couple of books. I own an older “Chic Simple” book and a Doc Marten book. I own more paperback and hard cover novels, poetry books and concert/musical programs than anything else.

Friend Friday: Inspiration

FBFF continues to celebrate its one year birthday by asking questions that were asked a year ago. I had not started fashion blogging back then, so I will have to go back and see the responses from a year ago. It will be interesting to see how things have changed, or how they have stayed the same.

Which celebrity (celebrities) do you look to for fashion inspiration?

In thinking about this question and as I am writing, I’m finding a lot of my fashion inspiration comes from movies. When I was in my mid to late teens, I followed Molly Ringwald, especially when “Pretty In Pink” was released. I emulated her style in that movie because she didn’t wear any flourescent colors, anything ripped or sliced, and her style was very vintage with the floral vests, crocheted sweaters and granny boots. Her style in that movie complimented the music I was listening to at the time and the soundtrack of that movie could have been the soundtrack to my life at that time.

I then turned to Meg Ryan after seeing “You’ve Got Mail” and “French Kiss”. Her style in both of those movies was easy, not fussy and classic. I think my love for the cardigan sweater and the shift dress really developed after seeing those movies.

My most recent and most significant fashion inspiration has come from “Sex and the City”. This is the most creative I have been with my wardrobe, because I realize that I no longer have to provide excuses for who I am at this point in my life. Watching “Sex and the City” just confirmed this fact for me. I am younger than all of the ladies in SATC, so seeing the clothing they were wearing really inspired me to be more daring, more bold and to truly not be afraid to reflect your personality in your clothing style and fashion sense.

When it comes to your own personal style, what inspires you?

Creativity inspires me. I consider myself a creative and artistic person, and I like for those things to come out in the way I dress. I’m inspired by music, art, film, travel and photography. I’m always looking for an interesting element to stand out of my outfit, and sometimes it’s because of something I’ve either seen, a place that I’ve been to, or something I’ve read about. It could be a color, a photograph of a great pair of shoes or a favorite song. Then I am inspired to create and develop an outfit around that.

How do you hope to inspire your readers?

I hope that I can inspire my readers to be creative with everything that they do in life. This creativity can carry through to all aspects of everything you do, not just with style and fashion. Meals, activities, vacations, party planning, or even a lazy day at home with your children can be incredibly creative.

Outside the realm of fashion who/what inspires you?

My son and husband inspire me all the time with their love and laughter. My friends and family inspire me as well because of their warmth and loyalty. But one of my true passions outside of fashion is music. I was in a few different choirs from elementary all the way up to college and beyond. I also have been playing piano since the age of 5 all the way up to around 14. I resumed piano in high school, and played regularly until I directed my own choir (from 1995 to around 2003).

I surround myself with music no matter where I am and what I’m doing. I must always have a music device with me at all times, whether it’s my iPod, satellite radio, or car stereo. I have been an avid concert goer since I was 14, and still attend concerts as often as I can. My husband does deejaying on the side, and is a musician himself (sax). When I was pregnant I used to take my headphones or mini speakers and hold them to my stomach so that my son could hear the music I listen to. Now, he sings all the time and loves to dance and I have to think that it’s because his parents are musically inclined. To me, music not only inspires, but also unites.

And since Idol is ending… Which songs inspire you?

This is actually a nice transition from my previous answer, isn’t it? I am heavily into 80’s alternative and pop music right now, so anything from that era is inspirational to me. I remember listening to those songs during their heyday, and it’s fun to listen to them again and see where I’ve been and where I am now. I’ll hear a song like “Melt With You” by Modern English and think “I wasn’t even driving when this song was released, and here I am now driving my son to the park with my husband…” Those are always “Ah ha!” moments.

(Photo taken last year in Times Square)

Friend Friday: Gratitude

Happy one-year anniversary to FBFF! I know I’ve only been doing this officially for two months now, but it truly has been great to be a part of this blogging community. This week’s Friend Friday is all about gratitude and who do we thank when it comes to who we are, both personally and as bloggers.

When it comes to be personally – I owe a lot of who I am to:

My friends and family. They keep me grounded and make me deliriously happy. They allow me to be who I am, and although it’s not always pretty, they accept it all. But, they also never let me get away with too much craziness and they always reminded of where I came from.

When it comes to be professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to:

My father. He always taught me to always give everything I do my best shot and never do anything half way. That way, whether you succeed or fail, you know that you never gave anything less than everything you had at the time you were giving it.

When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:

Really, I want to thank my husband first and foremost for understanding the need for me to use my blog as a creative outlet. He is often my photographer and also my sounding board for ideas and thoughts.

But as far as the blogging community, there were so many inspirational people. However, these bloggers come to mind when I think of influences and revelations of my blogging style: Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere, Kelly of The Glamourai, Kristy of Full Time Fabulous and Vahni of Grit & Glamour.

When I first re-started my blog, I sent an email to Emily and she wrote back (you can see her response in my “About” section), which was very sweet of her because I did not realize then how popular her blog was at the time. I was flattered that she was touched by my email and thoughtfully wrote back. She made me realize that not everything is about fashion and you can include your personality and other aspects of your life in your blog.

My favorite all-time blog is The Glamourai. Kelly is really a dare-devil when it comes to fashion, and she reminds me that fashion is supposed to be fun, but can also be very glamorous at the same time. Her “mixology” has inspired me to really mix it up when it comes to prints and colors. I’m always pleasantly surprised at her creativity and fashion spontaneity.

Kristy has always been so sweet, right when I joined IFB, through her participation in the contest for FTF and to this very day. She has made me realize the value of community when it comes to blogging and I am forever grateful to her for that!

I discovered Vahni’s blog through Kristy, and it has truly become my go to blog Bible for anything and everything that has to do with smart blogging. Not only does she have great style, but sound advice. I’m still reading through all of her posts and have had many “ah-ha!” moments. I’ve learned a lot, and I’m still learning from V’s blog.

One last thought post-script: I owe quite a bit to Independent Fashion Bloggers. What a great network and community of like-minded people, not to mention all of the great blogging advice articles and of course the Links a la Mode. I owe a lot to them for showing me some of the ropes, and introducing me to so many blogs I wouldn’t have otherwise known were out there.

One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was…

Starting over. My first blogging experience was very tough because it solely had to do with the passing of my father. I was so sad and that was constantly reflected in my first blog. I stopped writing back then because I had lost direction after the sadness had dissipated. I’m so glad that my friends and family encouraged me to write again and now I find it fulfilling and so much fun.

To my readers, I’d like to say…

Thank you SO much! I have been hearing a lot of great feedback from my friends and those of you in the blogging community. There are times when I feel like saying “Is it really worth it?” because of the time it takes to keep up a blog. But this has been such a great creative outlet and I’m glad that so many are interested in the things that I have to say, the things I create and about my style. I hope you all continue to follow along!

(Image courtesy of Valentina Ramos)

Friend Friday: Rules of Engagement

A number of bloggers have reached out to me recently about how to deal with Tweets, emails, DMs etc… from people who seem to be only pushing their own blog. It got me thinking – for a new blogger the rules of engagement with others in the blogging world is uncharted territory. We learn a lot about how to do it from trial and error. – Katy of Modly Chic

I’m not a new blogger, but I definitely am a newbie to the fashion blogging world. So this week’s FBFF questions really made me think about what I do and why I’m doing it. Maybe it will prompt others out there to do the same blogger soul-searching.

Guest posts are a good way to gain new exposure. What do you think is the appropriate way to go about securing a guest spot?

The first time I got a “guest spot”, I did it purely by accident. If I do a review or feature on a product, service, band, artwork or another blog, then I will email that person and let them know that I did a feature post. I do it just to let them know I enjoyed whatever service they provided. In turn, my blog post is shared with their company or friends and that gives my blog just a little more exposure. For example, I wrote a review regarding my experience at a night club after seeing Alan Wilder perform a show and sent it to the publicity department of the venue. This was just to let them know what a great time I had at their beautiful club and nothing else. The publicity person contacted me back to ask if it was ok to feature my post in their concert review section (see the post here).

Leaving comments is essential to growing your blog. But how can you leave a comment without coming across as ‘Follow Me. Follow Me!’?

I don’t leave a comment with the intent of anyone following my own blog or to sprinkle my link around. I do it because I like the blog I’m reading and I am making a comment in support what that person said. I think if you comment with only the intent of getting your blog “out there”, then you will come across as if you are desperate to have people follow you.

We’ve all gotten a mass email at one time or another asking for blog exposure, a link exchange, etc… But the mass emails don’t work. How do you make your email stand out from the crowd?

I believe that I only sent any mass emails through Facebook when I was first getting my blog started so that my friends could see my new endeavor. I really believe that if you are genuine in your intentions, that will shine through in your correspondence. Check out my answer in the first question because I think that answers how I make my emails stand out.

In interacting with other bloggers where do you draw the line between seeking support and begging for exposure?

I think what Kristy (of Full Time Fabulous) did is a perfect example of how to gain support without begging for exposure. When she was in the final 10 for the Sunglass Hut blogger contest, I remember getting just 1 email from her through IFB, and that’s all I needed to get behind her so that I could show support. She did all the rallying through her blog, and I didn’t feel like she was begging.

What’s one rule of engagement error you made and how have you remedied that?

Not knowing when to quit. I was trying to get an album/CD review read by an artist’s publicity person so that it could be added to their official page somehow. I received a response back regarding my first email, and tried to keep corresponding with her to make sure she didn’t forget about me. After the 5th email, she finally said, “Do you know how many bloggers are requesting the same thing? I’ll get to you when I can…” That stopped me dead in my tracks. It was then that I realized I can request twice at the most, then just stop. If you don’t hear back, you don’t.

(Image: Be true to yourself by sighgee on Polyvore.com)

Friend Friday: Feminism

This weeks FBFF asks the deeper questions about feminism and fashion. How would you answer these questions?

Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion?

I don’t think so. I think there is an incompatibility in the idea of it, not in the actuality.

There is more to each of us than a love for fashion, how do you incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog?

I just do it. I post pictures of the events that are happening in my life, which includes my family and friends. Although I have a love for fashion, it can’t be everything that I think about and I want my blog to show that I incorporate it into my everyday life. As a mother, wife and creative and intelligent individual, everything that touches my life touches my blog, which happens to include fashion.

With the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession, how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role?

I currently work in an environment where women are in the more prominent positions, and I feel the decisions wouldn’t be made any differently had it been male dominated. I think the same would be for the fashion industry. If I as a consumer am making the ultimate decision to purchase, regardless of the gender who created them, how would that make a difference if women played a larger role? The choice is ultimately mine. I purchased Rodarte and Tucker clothing before realizing these were lines designed by women. But that doesn’t mean I won’t still buy clothing by Alexander McQueen or Zac Posen. One of my favorite designers is Alice Temperly, but because she has good designs, not because she is female. If the design is well-done, I feel it shouldn’t matter if a male or female designer creates it.

How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself (in)formed by your beliefs?

I think modesty does play some part in how I dress. There is a time and place for a certain way of dress. When going to church, I try to make my outfits slightly more dressy and I try not to expose too much skin. I avoid short skirts or tank tops. But when going to the beach or park, it’s appropriate to wear strapless tops or clothing that shows bare arms and legs. All these things that come to mind when I dress are a direct influence of my Catholic upbringing.

Do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth about yourself or are those things superfluous add-ons?

Very much so! How can it not? I was watching an episode of “What Not To Wear” where a new doctor refused to care about her clothing and appearance because she thought that it would detract from her ability to be taken seriously as an intelligent woman in her profession. Once Clinton Kelly and Stacy London showed her that she can feel good about herself without feeling guilty of being superficial because it’s “just clothing”, her whole demeanor changed and her ideas of fashion and beauty therefore changed. It’s not a crime to want to look and feel good about yourself. I think people can not only showcase their personalities through clothing and beauty, but it can also show creativity. People should let go of the notion that fashion is only for a certain set of people and embrace the fact that it can be fun and can make you feel worlds better.

(Image courtesy of Valentina Ramos, available at her Etsy shop here)

Friend Friday: In The Beginning

(This post was originally scheduled for last Friday, but was postponed until today due to my participation in the “Bloggers Day of Silence” for Japan)

This week’s topic for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday asks: So far, what has been the 5 hardest blogging lessons you’ve learned during this process and what has helped make you a better blogger as a result? These aren’t really hard lessons, but moreso things I’ve discovered during my blogging journey that definitely have made me a better blogger. If you’re a blogger, what lessons have you learned?

1. Be Not Afraid – I was a bit apprehensive about putting my outfit pictures out there for the world to see because I wasn’t sure how I felt about possible criticism. But I love to play dress up, so part of the reason I started this blog was because I get asked quite a bit “where did you get those shoes?” or “where do you get your clothes?” This seemed like an easy venue to showcase my style and give up the goods on where I shop. Everyone has their own taste and style, so criticism will come with the territory if someone doesn’t quite like what they see. But I have been so fortunate to see and experience that the blogging community is so very kind and everyone is extremely supportive. It has been fun so far!

2. Community – Getting to know other bloggers and spotlighting others is something else that I’ve discovered is very important. We all share the same internet space, so why not make the most of it and get to know your neighbors?

3. Finding Your Voice – With so many fashion bloggers out there, it seems like it’s easy to get lost. But I remember reading a post on The Citizen Rosebud when Bella interviewed Collette of “Statements in Fashion” (see post here). She mentioned that “finding your voice” is something that is very important, and that really hit home. I’m a 40-year-old woman who still loves to stay stylish, even with being married with a child and busy career. Why “phone it in” only to be something that you’re not? Be yourself, and your voice will be loud and clear.

4. Planning Ahead – One of the most valuable things I have learned about blogging is the need to plan ahead. Even if something “breaking” happens that should be posted right away, the majority of what I post is something that occurred a few days ago. This allows me to really plan what gets posted, and allows for creativity.

5. Get Creative – Whether through clothes, DIY or a recipe, I found it important to get creative with posts. I do it to stay inspired. I haven’t posted about it as much lately, but I do have a couple of DIY projects that I need to complete. They’re fun and they show my crafty side.

(Image courtesy of Allroundart.net)

Friend Friday: Get the Balance Right

This week’s Friend Friday asks the question “How do you find balance between life and blogging?” My friends are always asking me this same question, especially since I’m very busy at work full-time as an Operations Supervisor, then I come home to be a wife and mother. How important is it that I make time for blogging? Maybe the answers to these questions can shed some light. How do you all find the balance in your lives, whether or not blogging is involved?

When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?

I make time for it, but it I make sure I take care of my family and household first. This means that I’m usually blogging after my son and husband are asleep. There are times when I come home from work where I can get in some time on the computer early. But if my little boy comes tugging on my leg while I’m on the computer, wanting to dance with mommy…I will stop everything to dance.

We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?

I really try to get the whole week done ahead of time. My outfits are not necessarily what I wore the day they are posted, so I’m able to post things well in advance. I type out lots of ideas and titles of posts with just a paragraph or two of what I intend to write about, and flesh it out later if I still like the topic. My draft list is crazy right now, but it’s chock full of ideas that are ready to be turned into posts at anytime.

Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?

Yes! Scheduling entries to post at midnight everyday. I know it’s common knowledge that posts can be scheduled, but I didn’t know that until a friend and fellow blogger turned me onto it. It has made my life infinitely easier. Plus, as I mentioned above, coming up with a weeks worth of posts ahead of time and typing lots of draft ideas really is a time saver.

Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?

I actually started to do that just recently. Mondays are usually dedicated to what I did over the weekend. Tuesday and Wednesdays are outfit days. Fridays were my “Randomness” entries, but that has moved to Thursdays now that I am a part of FBFF. It makes it SO much easier to plan out my posts. If there is something that I want to post in a more timely manner, I will push an outfit post to another day.

If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?

If I had more time, I would devote it to learning more about the fashion industry. I’m only really reporting on what affects me and what I buy and wear, rather than the latest trends, the seasons and what designers are doing. To jump-start this part of my blogging experience, I’m shooting for going back to New York City in the fall for Fashion Week because I think it’s important to be right there “in it” as a fashion blogger. I know I can’t do that every year, but I think this year will be an important year for me to do so.

(The fantastic image was used with kind permission from artist Valentina Ramos. Click on the picture above to view her blog and shop!)

Friend Friday: Beauty Products

Today’s Friend Friday from ModlyChic is all about the products that help us stay pretty once we wake up in the morning. I’m fairly simple when it comes to everyday make-up and beauty products: I cleanse, mosturize, add a bit of power, do up my brows, line my eyes and wear a light gloss or sheer lipstick. No matter how simple I keep things, I definitely have my favorites. What are yours?

What’s your favorite drug store makeup product and your favorite higher-end product?

I love the UK brand, Boots for skin care products. I tried the Boots brand in London and have been hooked ever since. One can imagine the elation I felt when the line came to Target. Now, it’s the only product I use. Being an Anglophile, I gravitated towards the Rimmel London line for make-up. As far as high-end products, I used to like Clinique and Estee Lauder, but now I really just stick to the Boots and Rimmel lines.

Is there one type of product that is your go-to, can’t live without?

I need some kind of everyday exfoliant or light facial scrub. I also love facial wipes when traveling. I consider the Boots Cleansing and Toning Wipes a girl’s best friend! I just like products that keep my face feeling refreshed, since it tends to get oily quickly. Oh, and my Brow Fix kit by Milani Cosmetics (seen here).

What’s the best hair product you’ve ever used?

Joico K-PAK conditioner and Joico Brilliantine pomade.

Fess up, what’s the worst beauty look you’ve tried to rock and look back at now with a little shame or apprehension that you actually did that?

I tried the tanning salon to even out a tan right before a wedding I was in. I will never go to a tanning salon ever again as long as I live.

When it comes to beauty products, we all use the same basic products. What do you use that helps show off your personal flare and personality?

I don’t usually use beauty products to show off my personal flare. I use my hairstyle and clothing to do that. I simply use beauty products to keep my skin healthy and to maintain a clean, fresh look. I’ll just brighten and accentuate my make up for evenings out or parties, but really, I’m quite simple when it comes to beauty.

(Images courtesy of Target and Counter Culture Beauty)

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