Must. Have. These. Shoes.

Ok, so actually I want the grey suede ones I saw at the store today. I think the suede material will be much more soft and flexible (meaning won't cut into my toes the way the patent leather material might). I didn't buy them when I saw them today b/c I have a 10% off coupon for Target and I didn't have it with me at the time (it was an unplanned venture to Target with a friend). But you better believe I'll be going back, possibly tomorrow, and making my purchase then.

These adorable peep-toe platforms are available in black and red shiny patent leather, and suede leopard print (also in suede zebra print and grey, in-store), $29.99. Or click here to see the rest of Target's selection of adorable peep-toe shoes.

M by Madonna

Rumor has it clothing store chain H&M will be unveiling a clothing line later this year designed by Madonna called M by Madonna.

I already adore H&M, and am getting pretty excited about this new line. At right is one of the just-released promo pictures, along with our dear Madge wearing a pair of M by Madonna sunglasses, and some sketches of soon-to-come clothing (click on image to enlarge).

BTW, I totally want those sunglasses.


(thanks, PITNB!)

Spa Towells

I received a sample in the mail recently of these nifty new Spa Towell towelettes, which are "lightly scented 8” x 8” body moisturizing towelettes drenched with a rich blend of natural oils, antioxidant rich vitamins and moisture attracting humectants that leave skin feeling smoother, softer and more supple."

Intrigued? Well, I was! So I tried one this morning after getting out of the shower. They come in individually wrapped packages, so I opened one up and noted that the towelette did indeed feel like it was loaded with lotion. I slathered the towelette on my legs first, as they usually are the part of my body that needs the most moisture during this time of year. The towelette was a bit awkward to use as I tried to spread the lotion evenly onto my skin, but I think that's a result of it simply being a towelette and would simply require some practice to figure out how to handle it. I was a bit dissappointed to note that most of the lotion seemed to have gotten used up on my legs. You probably need 2 towels to really get your entire body.

The lotion did absorb quickly, with no greasiness. The scent is light, not overpowering as with some scented body lotions. I wouldn't rely on these for everyday use, if nothing else because of the waste of throwing away the towelette each time, but they're brilliant for travel! You could pack them in your carry-on without having to worry about the liquids restrictions.

You can order packs of 10 ($19.95), 20 ($39.95), or 30 ($59.95) towelettes online, or go to the website to find stores near you.

New Posts at TargetCulture.com

Check out 2 unbelievably awesome purses I found at Target online, then find out how to save on shipping when buying them! ; )

Beauty Expiration Dates

Courtesy of the February issue of Real Simple magazine:

Your products won’t last forever, but here’s a comprehensive list of cosmetics and how long you can expect to keep them:

Anti-aging and acne treatments: Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.

Body lotion: Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.

Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel: About three years.

Bath oil: One year.

Sunscreen: Check the package for an expiration date.

Mascara and liquid eyeliner: Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.

Eye and lip pencils: Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.

Lipstick and lip gloss: Two to three years.

Foundation: About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.

Perfume: About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.

Nail polish: One year.

Hairstyling products: Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.

Bar soap: Up to three years.

Shaving cream: About two years.

Deodorant: Up to two years.

Swiss Miss!

Hello all, sorry for the lack of posting all last week. I was actually on a trip to Geneva, Switzerland, and things were so crazy before I left that I forgot to post an announcement about it.

However, I can write a short post about one thing I noticed in Switzerland, and I think this is something common throughout Europe-- women seem to wear their hair naturally much more there. I've heard this said before about women in Paris, for example. Here in the states, it seems everyone's gravitating towards this ultra-styled look-- everywhere you look, most women look perfectly blown-out, or with super-straight, sleek styles that can only come from slaving away with a flat iron, or with bouncy, beautiful curling-iron ringlets. It probably stems somewhat from how every movie and sitcom showcases women who seem to wake up every morning looking perfectly groomed. Everyone's hair is styled, and you can always tell.

But in Europe women seem to instead learn how to work with their own hair texture. They don't end up looking like frizzy messes-- instead they embrace their curly or wavy-haired-ness, and get good cuts that seem to suit their hair type. They must find products that make the most of their hair texture, rather than fighting it. Or they find chic ways to wear it up and out of their face, without having to spend hours on their hair.

I must say, I find this somewhat inspiring (and not just because I happen to be flat-iron-less at the moment, after foolishly burning mine out with the wrong type of power adapter). It's a relief to know that it's ok to just wear my hair naturally. This is silly, of course, because really I've always known this, but it does feel like there's pressure here to "do your hair," making one feel as if she's not properly grooming herself otherwise. When other women around you wear their hair in the curls and waves that only come from Mother Nature, it feels more "ok" to allow yourself to do the same. Maybe I should grow my bangs out, instead of continuing to wear a style that dictates the need for straightening them out. Maybe I should invest in a good haircut that will allow me to make the most of my curly hair, rather than fight it most days.

Maybe we should all consider doing the same, and save ourselves the time (and our hair the heat-damage) of everyday styling.

Eureka!!

Last night I was planning on going out to this bar to celebrate friend's birthday. I decided to curl my hair with my curling iron, which I've done several times before. But I seemed to have a hard time getting the curls to really "stick" so, taking a magazine tip I'd recently read, I tried out this new technique: after curling each section of hair I coiled the curl back up and pinned it against my head with a bobby pin (I also sprayed each section with some of my new Paul Mitchell Spray Wax before curling). This only added a couple of seconds each time I curled a strand of hair, and it allows the hair to cool off while still curled. Which, when you think of it, totally makes sense-- when hair's hot or warm it's still very pliable and shapeable, but once it cools the style becomes more "set." This is the reason you use the cold shot button on your hair dryer after drying/styling sections of your hair-- it locks the style in place.

So I went around my whole head spraying, curling, coiling, and pinning (btw, I used a 1" curling iron). After I was done I did my makeup, then took all the bobby pins out. Here's what my hair looked like: (click on each picture to enlarge)



Pretty sweet, huh? =P As I took the pins out the curls almost stayed in place, barely uncoiling (the pictures above are after I shook my hair out a bit). I've never had them turn out so tightly coiled. It actually stayed pretty well curled throughout the night (so much so that one of my friends kept marvelling at it lol). The pictures below are of what my hair looks like this morning, after having slept on it and everything:



This is normally what my hair looks like a couple of hours after curling it, and it's still holding! It's also really nice an bouncy-- even after the wax (and light dustings of hair spray) my hair never felt sticky or hard or anything. I think the coiling helps make the curls look softer and a bit more natural (as opposed to the obvious curling iron ringlet). I think I could just wear my hair out the way it looks now-- I feel like I've got the Jessica Simpson loosely curled bob. ; )

So there ya have it, girls. Feel free to experiment with this at home!

Simply Adorable

I was on a mission today to find a new purse, something smaller than what I currently have (which is huge and, though I love it, its size encourages me to throw everything but the kitchen sink inside, meaning my left shoulder's seriously considering ceceding from my body), and maybe something with a long strap that I can sling accross my body. While on this search, I found this incredibly adorable and oh-so-cute clutch at Old Navy ($12.50). And I wanted it. But I didn't get it. Perhaps next time... However if you're looking for a new going-out purse, go check this baby out. It's very slim, but b/c of its length it can hold a cell phone, slim camera, and your ID and keys. Perfect? Just about. It's also available in black with a black ribbon, for those of you that want a more subdued purse. ; )

What did I buy? Well, I happened by this cute little number from Target that I just had to have (for $14.99). Why? Because it just so happens to match my black and white mary janes that I bought a while back, and that I plan on wearing out tonight along with my black and white polka dotted headband. The outfit just came to me as I looked at this cute little purse, and now I'm very excited about it. I like the silver buckle on this purse, it looks like a more modern take on the Fendi buckle trend that's taken over Hollywood lately.

Dramatically Different... Plus!

I was searching for a new face lotion a while ago and decided to give Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion ($11-$23) a try since I'd heard so many good things about it from people.

There's a part of me that still feels slightly apprehensive about splurging on this, rather than finding something at Walgreen's, but I do like the Clinique lotion. It's light and absorbs well, and it doesn't have any funky smell. It doesn't make my skin feel greasy afterwards, nor too dry. The only thing is it doesn't have any sunscreen in it, so I've been mixing a drop of lotion with a drop of Clinique Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25 ($16.50) every morning. The Super City Block was an impulse buy while I was browsing airport Duty-Free shops this past summer. I like it, but I think when I run out I'll just buy a drugstore sunblock for face rather than splurge again. SPF is SPF and they should all work about the same.

At night I've been using Grassroots While You Were Sleeping Overnight Moisture Cream ($17, click here for my previous post). I used a trial-sized tube during my travels in Texas over the holidays, then bought my own full-size jar as soon as I got back, and I swear my skin looks better because of it-- much smoother and more even. And, as I mentioned before, it smells absolutely divine.

Well, this started out as a post just about Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, and it turned into a Marcy's Skin Routine post. I guess that's just as well. ; )

Paul Mitchell Spray Wax

I've been trying to stay away from buying more hair products, as I already should have any type of hair styling concoction I could ever need. However I recently broke down... While in Austin I went with my sister to get her hair cut. I was watching the guy style her hair, and saw that he was spraying something on her hair before flat-ironing each section. I looked on their shelves for what it was-- Paul Mitchell Spray Wax.($15 at amazon.com, I got mine at Ulta for $12.95) "Hmm," I thought, "this looks interesting...." I noticed that her hair looked really nice afterwards, her layers looked all separated and piece-y yet still light, moveable, and soft. I couldn't resist, I had to try it for myself. So n my much-anticipated trip to Ulta (I don't have one anywehre close to me here in Cali, so I'm always very excited to go when I'm in Austin) I snagged a bottle.

I used it for the first time on fresh, clean hair the other day-- I sprayed a bit of the wax on sections of my hair before flat-ironing, trying to be careful to hold the bottle a good arm's length away. I noticed that my hands and hair felt a little sticky as I was using it and got a bit worried, but that feeling went away after a few minutes (I guess once the extra wax evaporated?) and I was left with really smooth, piece-y hair. The true test? I had 3 different friends tell me they really liked me hair that day. =) Woot! I've liked using waxes and pastes in the past, but sometimes it feels like they're better suited for short hair, and can be a bit too goopy. This spray wax gives a lighter application that's easier for the rest of us to use. Next, I'll have to try it with a curling iron... I wonder what kind of hold it'll give curls, and if it could be a less-sticky alternative to hair spray? hmm... ; )

Good Skin Soft Reflections Illuminating Loose Powder

I've been intrigued by the new trend on "illuminating" powders and shimmers, etc. So when I went on a shopping trip to Kohls and perused the Good Skin counter (one of their 4 beauty product lines), I felt the need to buy their Soft Reflections Illuminating Loose Powder ($18). It was a splurge, yes, but I just liked this stuff for some reason, and had to have it.

The label claims this :"water-infused" powder will "provide a barely-there luminosity that instantly refreshes and delicately minimizes the appearance of lines and wrinkles for a silky smooth radiance." I didn't really know what they meant by "water-infused" and just kinda sdhrugged my shoulders at it.

(As an aside, this idea of a shimmer powder minimizing the appearce of fine lines is complete bull. Wearing shimmer on your skin is like wearing a tight, satin dress-- any and all odd bulges or lines WILL show up, and will be magnified to proportions you were previously unaware of. Shimmer is still good, but you have to choose wisely where you will apply it).

As soon as I got home I opened up the box to try out my new powder. I was pleased to find a small travel brush inside the box (very handy). I sprinkled some of the powder onto the jar lid, swiped a large blush brush over it, and applied it to my cheeks. "Wait a minute," I thought, "why does my brush feel wet?" I touched swiped the brush on my hands, but felt nothing. Then I dusted more powder onto it and tried again.. and again it felt wet! Then it clicked-- that's what they meant by "water-infused!" I have no idea how they did it, as the powder is clearly a dry powder, or what the advantage is... It does feel kinda wierd at first, so be warned.

The shimmer itself is very subtle, which is nice-- none of this in-your-face, bright shimmer. I've found myself using a touch of this over my blush for a bit of luminosity. Again, one must be careful where to apply shimmer as it can make skin imperfections more obvious. But it can add a nice touch, especially if everything else you have on is matte.

BodyGlide

(another repost [from 5/17/06]... sorry, guys, I'm flying back to California tomorrow, I promise I'll have some original content later this week!)

Ok, so this isn't exactly what you'd immediately call a "beauty product" but bear with me here for a moment and you'll thank me later...

Several months ago I signed up for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. This will involve me walking up to 39 miles over 2 days (insane, yes). As I've been training many experienced walkers have shared with me the wonders of this fantabulous little products called BodyGlide. It looks like a deodorant stick, but is actually this stuff that you put on your feet when you're running or walking long distances to prevent blisters, or can be used to prevent chaffing in other parts of your body (surfers use it under their wetsuits for this purpose).

Well, if it works when wearing sneakers, why not when wearing heels? I tell you, this stuff is AWESOME. Rub a bit on wherever your shoes may rub you the wrong way and you'll be set all night long, enjoying your beautiful and sexy new stilettos rather than suffering in agony because of them! I've tested it out several times, and I've been so happy with the difference it makes. Seriously, awesome.

You can find this BodyGlide at drugstore.com, REI, Sports Basement, or any other sports/running store out there. It's about $7 for a stick (REI has mini ones for less), and also comes in a formula with SPF 25.