Unnecessary Drama - Where Pretty Meets Practical

Erin With The Christmas Win & December Birchbox!

2012-01-02T17:24:00.000-05:00

My Roommate Erin is beautiful:

This is her enjoying the sweet smell of summer back in 2010

But really.. We have been best friends since 9th grade & now live together. We are somewhat of an odd pairing seeing as to how I am clearly very into makeup and hair stuff and all that jazz and erin prefers to keep things pretty simple. Cite this picture for evidence... I refer to it as "the odd couple":

So when Erin got me something for Christmas that involves makeup.. I about died. And ON TOP OF THAT - it was something I had never even heard of and it is really quite awesome. It's called Birchbox & each month you get a little box filled with some "deluxe size samples" of various beauty products. You fill out a little profile of your hair and skin type and what you're most interested in, so every member gets something unique to them each month. Really a cool idea & I get to try new stuff every month which is big for me.

So my first ~shipment~ came & I was like HOLY CRAP THIS PACKAGING IS CUTE. Unfortunately, I ripped it off & ruined it before I could take a pic, but it came in a little UPS box that was pink and had white snowflakes all over it. But once you open it, the box that the products come in is really cute, too:

When you open it up, it comes with a little card that lists all of the items (including their price if you want to buy them full size) & a short description of each:

This month, this is what I got:

1. Yogini Perfume - Not really my thing. It smells a little "old woman-y" to me, but the card says it has notes of sandalwood, egyptian myrrh, and grapefruit.

2. Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo - I have tried this stuff before & was really excited to get the small can because it's easy to take with me when I travel. It's $23 for the big can, but I've found that with my sort of "combination" hair type - this is one of the best dry shampoos out there.

3. Jouer Moisturizing Lipgloss in Birchbox Pink - Check this out - a special color just for Birchbox... FANCY!! And I really love this stuff. It's a really pretty hot pink color that goes on just sheer enough that it doesn't look too overpowering with one coat, but if you double up it's a nice little pop of color.

4. I-Care Waterproof Eyeliner by Laura Geller in Caffe Mocha - I really really like this liner. It's a darker brown & doesn't have that reddish undertone that a lot of brown liners do. And I freaking hate that, so I was happy with this one. It also has the little smudge tool on the opposite end which is a big plus for me. Apparently (according to the card) it is ~laced with skin-soothers to nourish my eye area~.. So there's that, too.

5. Show Stoppers Designer Fashion Tape - Haven't had a chance to use them yet, but they're double sided tape strips that ensure your tits don't pop out of low-cut shirts. The card puts its a bit more elegantly saying that they "ensure your party dress stays perfectly in place" but let's be honest....

6. ReCharge EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster Mix - I cannot wait to try this whenever I go back to work tomorrow after Christmas break. Deep down I'm hoping I don't like it because its almost $30 for 20 packets, but it's a drink mix that you put into water that gives you a natural energy boost. I'll report back with my results, but I'm pumped to give it a whirl.

If you're interested in trying Birchbox, you can click here to check out their website. If you're shopping for a beauty lover, there isn't a more unique gift out there. Once my membership is up - I'm considering renewing just to keep a fresh arsenal of stuff to review on deck especially since they are partnered with awesome brands. I'll keep you updated with what I get every month. Shout out to Erin for the present. You didn't dun goof.

Excuses Excuses..

2011-12-29T19:14:00.000-05:00

Totally aware that the 12 days of bitching hit a major wall. I'd like to thank my dumbass for hitting a pole and causing myself a world of unnecessary car issues for that. Having to figure out crap with insurance and an auto repair shop and all that jazz in the few weeks before Christmas is absolutely no fun. I hope that you all understand that making and editing videos was quite possibly the last thing on my mind.

But since we're on the topic, the other things on the list were:

4. Orange Glow - no not the cleaning supply, the essence that your face gives off after you cake on bronzer that is 16 shades too dark for you.

5. Too Light Foundation - being afraid of your foundation being too dark is often the cause of this, but it being too light can be just as bad. Find a brand/shade that matches you and stick to it because you seriously look ridiculous in pictures when your head is a totally different color than your body.

6. Ugg Boots and Shorts - stop it.

7. Thick Black Eyeliner Around the Entire Eye - i swear to god this could be on the news as being illegal and girls would still do it. There is no reason you need thick black eyeliner on your lower lid. You are completely defeating the purpose of eyeliner and in the process, making yourself look as though you should be digging through my dumpster in the wee hours of the morning.

8. Streaky Hair - i never really understand chunk highlights, letalone chunk highlights in colors that make absolutely no sense like kool-aide red and blue. You are not edgy and honestly - your head looks very very trashy. Can you even consider a chunk of platinum blonde through black bangs a highlight? I don't think there is a word for it, honestly..

9. Lipliner - 1993 called....

10. Oh Where Are My Eyebrows? since when are having 6 hairs above your eyes considered eyebrows? and no, you cant just DRAW ON the hairs that you PLUCKED out of existence! I will never EVER get this trend. Unless you're really into looking like a latino hooker from 1990, I'm not sure what look you're going for. Don't take the Casey Anthony approach to things. If you have bushy eyebrows, you can tame them without totally eliminating the problem.

11. No Back Pockets on Jeans - it's like leggings but weirder.

12. Excessive Everything - nothing annoys me more than the girl at the mall with 4 necklaces, a ring on every finger, sky high hairsprayed hair, pounds of makeup, a purse that could fit a small child, and a fur vest. Less is more - always. And stop popping your gum, too.

Twelve Days of Bitching: Day 3

2011-12-07T19:29:00.000-05:00

If you're feeling this rant, remember to click the little tweet bubble right at the end of this post to share with your twitter followers. Really quick & easy. Save some lives, ladies! STOP SMOKING!!!

Twelve Days of Bitching: Day 2

2011-12-06T21:55:00.000-05:00

Twelve Days of Bitching: Day 1

2011-12-03T12:25:00.001-05:00

^ I apologize that this screen shot looks like this video was made on a 1998 Dell desktop, but I promise you the quality improves. Blogger's video uploader is really something special.

First World Problems: The Duck Face and The Snarl Face

2011-11-27T16:08:00.001-05:00

Social media is annoying as hell. I use the shit out of it, but it's freaking annoying. I always say that Facebook makes me hate people, because it does. Nobody wants to know your full week's agenda via your status and for the love of all things good in the world, stop posting pictures of yourself at the bar with the same people every freaking weekend.

I have significantly cut down on the number of people I friend on there, but there are some people that you have to keep around strictly for entertainment purposes. You know you do the exact same thing, too.

But anyways, moving on to why I'm writing this post. The phenomenon of self-portraits really started taking off with the introduction of Myspace like 6-7 years ago (yeah, how old did that make you feel?). And I'm not fronting at all, I take pictures of myself for my profile picture. I've tried asking my roommate to take 50-60 pictures of me while i tilt my head/smile in different ways before, but it ended up being awkward, so I figured I would just do it myself.

That was sarcasm, by the way.

I understand taking a picture of yourself every now and again. You look good? Awesome, that took effort. Take a cute picture and make it your profile shot. Whatever. You'll get compliments. That's what it's all about. So this is certainly not bashing that.

It is, however, bashing 2 faces that have somehow gained popularity. It is AMAZING TO ME that these have become a trend. Absolutely freaking astonishing that more than one, let alone THOUSANDS and POSSIBLY MILLIONS of people, have photographed themselves making one of these two faces and actually thought that they looked good.

The Duck Face: Ahh the duck face. A combonation between a kissy face and looking like you just smelled a pile of festering manure. I don't know what it is about enhanced marionette lines and a wrinkly upper lip that seems so appealing to females, but please believe me when I say that this is doing nothing for you. Pair it with a peace sign and you need to go right on ahead and sit the eff down. Nothing about the duck face will ever be okay. EVER. And I really need someone to explain to me how this got popular. Does it say "look at my lips. i don't give a fuck, i'm a bad ass", or is it meant to convey something like "look at my lips. i am sweet and pouty, buy me a diamond." Either way, target missed. What I'm picking up is along the lines of "look at my lips. i am immature and have way too much bronzer on. I am the reason social media sucks."

The Snarl Face: A relatively new phenomenon in the social media world is the snarl face. The snarl face is a combination of bearing your teeth like a rabid dog and curling your upper lip. I am going to thank Lady GaGa for this one. But here is a newsflash. You are not Lady GaGa, and unless it's Halloween - this isn't okay. If you're in front of your webcam wearing an Aeropostale hoodie with your hair in a messy ponytail making this face, go back to bed. And the worst part is, 90% of the people making this face do not need to be showing the world their teeth. And I am not being disrespectful, I am being honest. I don't need to see your braces stains, and if you have wonky teeth and you're making this face and making it your profile picture... just... *face palm*. A snarl has never been attractive. It never has been and it never will be. I don't know what the purpose of this one is. Is it - "I have to fart and it hurts?" or maybe something like "check out my gums". I can't even think of anything logical here so if you have any idea at all, clue me in.

Can we stick to smiles from now on.... please? I don't care if it's a closed mouth smile, one that shows a little bit of your teeth, one that is kind of crooked, one that is more of a smirk. ANYTHING SMILE RELATED WORKS. If you are ducking it or snarling at me - step away from the camera. Come back when you are in a more stable mindset. These are not trendy. They never will be. Can we please end this.

I'd actually love to see a family portrait featuring mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, kids, baby, everyone making either the duck face or the snarl. Stick that one on the Christmas card.

I'm Told I Look Like Jenna Marbles....

2011-11-25T18:45:00.000-05:00

... And the fact that we have literally the same exact dog is sort of creepy.

What Do You Hate?

2011-11-23T17:36:00.002-05:00

So I have decided to do something special this year for the ~Christmas holiday~. The reason I am telling you this now is because I want to kind of turn this event into a "by the readers, for the readers" type of deal. So in conclusion - I need all of your input in order to call this one a raging success.

I will be doing a 12 days of Christmas this year. And it's not a giveaway. It's inspired by Kingsley's "Overexposed" series (for those of you who are familiar) and it focuses on the top twelve things that my readers/friends/family/whatever are freaking sick and tired of idiot girls doing when it comes to hair/fashion/makeup.

You know you have those pet peeves. So let me hear them. Do you hate thick eyeliner? Think Ugg boots need to die forever? Sick of two-tone hair? TELL ME! TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU HATE! I'll take all of the votes and tally them and there will be twelve videos of me explaining why each one of the top twelve responses SUCK.

It's time we initiate some change here, ladies and gentleman. If we can prevent some terrible trends from continuing, well - then I would say we achieved a christmas miracle.

Comment below, email me (kelspot@gmail.com), or hit up the Unnecessary Drama facebook page. Dig deep, folks! I want those trends that have been eating you alive!!

Kudos!

Christmas Wishlist for Pretty People

2011-11-20T19:57:00.000-05:00

I don't care that it's before Thanksgiving. If you are one of those "OH MY GOD I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS CHRISTMAS STUFF OUT AND IT'S NOT EVEN THANKSGIVING YET" people, kindly see yourself out of here. If you can't deal with a few extra weeks of celebrating the most wonderful time of the mother effing year, then you, my friend, are a sourpuss who is no friend of mine.

When it comes to Christmas, my love for makeup comes into play. My friends know it, my family knows it... just about everybody out there freaking knows it. So when my mom and my boyfriend are all "what do you want for Christmas", I usually turn to the newest mailers from Ulta and Sephora.

So what do I want for Christmas? I'll let you know exactly what Kell wants for Christmas. And it might just give you a few ideas about what you want for Christmas, too. Aint nothin wrong with that.

1. Too Faced Sweet Dreams Makeup Collection: $52 from Sephora

I got the Enchanted FairyLand Too Faced set last year and it remains one of my favorite palettes. Too Faced palettes are always a great value since they usually feature new shades and they always come with fun little extras. I can't stand companies who continuously repackage the same EFFING \eyeshadows in new palettes (everyone knows who I'm talking about here) lol.. Plus who can freaking argue this packaging, holy shit, right????? Could it be any cuter? Such a great gift for any makeup lover. BOYS - TAKE NOTE.

2. Noir Eyeshadow and Lipgloss Palette: $49 at Sephora

So I know that I didn't have the best things to say about the other Hello Kitty palette but as a Hello Kitty freaking JUNKIE, I really don't think that I can resist this one. Sephora, GOD DAMNIT, you get me every single time with this adorable ass packaging and Hello Kitty themed stuff. This is a nice little set, though... and I'm liking the variety in colors.

3. Kat Von Tattoo Chronicles Candelabra Edition: $49 at Sephora

Well, shout out to my mom for already buying me this one (you accidentally sent me the receipt, Mother deartest), but it's definitely my top pick for Christmas this year. When I got Kat's Tattoo Chronicles palette last year, I fell in love. The bitch knows makeup. They are my absolute favorite shadows on earth and if you've never used them, a palette like this is the perfect way to introduce yourself to her line. It doesn't hurt that you get a full-size mascara with the set, too. Gorgeous colors, super pigmented, long-lasting... they're a makeup lovers dream.

4. Wonderstruck Perfume: $49.50 - $59.50 at Sephora

She's annoying but seriously? This stuff smells delicious.

5. Tokidoki 24 Karat Skate Deck Eyeshadow Palette: $39 at Sephora

So we all know I have an obsession with TokiDoki and this is their newest gem for the holidays. There is a whole collection that features that pattern on the front of this palette, so you can pair this with makeup bags, brushes, etc... if you're really digging it. Tokidoki shadows are the shit, they're on the less expensive end of Sephora's palettes and they're always really fun and really pigmented. If you're a fan of bright colors - you need some Tokidoki in your life. This set comes with a keychain of one of their signature characters (Adios), too.. BONUS!

Are any of you going to be asking for any of these under the tree this year? Let me know what your top picks are for this Christmas and maybe I'll make some edits to my list.

HANAair Professional Hair Dryer Review

2011-11-20T19:18:00.000-05:00

Hi Chickadees

Sorry it's been awhile. I will leave you with a picture of what has been occupying most of my time lately:

YES! I got a puppy!

As I speak, she is crawling all over my laptop, so as you can imagine - I have been a little bit preoccupied lately. But I have a review that needs posting. And it's one of the best ones yet.

So the great people from Misikko got in touch with me in order to review one of their professional hairdryers. Now I am going to be straight with you here, ladies. I effing hate blowdrying my hair. It's annoying. So when I got this inquiry, I basically said to myself: if this bomb-ass hairdryer can't change my mind about blowdrying my hair, then I will be an air-dryer for life.

I've had the shitty hairdryers before. The Revlon ones that are $30 and last for a year before they start smelling like you lit a cat on fire in the bathroom. So when I was given the opportunity to try one that was actually of professional quality - I said hey, rock my world, Hana. Change my mind about the hair drying game.

So Misikko has a ton of professional blow dryers up for grabs (you can view them all via that link), but I had the pleasure of rocking out with the HANAair Professional Hair Dryer. HANA is a great salon brand that is super high-end and if you have never used one of their hair dryers, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret: they freaking rule.

But spoiler alert here, they are pretty pricey. So while I had the honor of reviewing this little gem, keep in mind that they are on the higher end of the price spectrum. But if you're tired of paying $30 for hair dryers that leave your bathroom smelling like burnt hair after a few months of use, it's not a bad investment. This dryer runs $194 through Misikko's website, but that's a pretty significant discount since it usually runs over $300.

The number one thing that I like about this dryer is that is cuts your drying time down so freaking much. It typically takes me 30-35 minutes to dry my mop, but with this, I can dry it with a cooler heat setting (meaning I'm not frying my hair) and get done in a shorter amount of time. It took me under 15 minutes all three times I used it prior to writing this. It's beautiful. I didn't feel like I was drying out my hair with a fiery blast of heat, either. It does a great job of keeping the moisture alive and keeping frizz to a minimum. If you aren't a fan of drying and then straightening - this dryer will be a godsend since it prevents a poofy, frizzy finish.

It features three different heat settings, two fan speeds, a ceramic heater, a "cold blast", and (HERE WAS THE CLINCHER FOR ME) - ion technology that cuts down on static electricity. CAN YOU DIG IT LADIES??? DOES ANYBODY EXPERIENCE THE SAME PAIN THAT I FEEL WITH STATIC IN THE WINTER??!? Plus that same technology promotes healthier, shinier hair. So... consider that a definite win/win.

So my consensus? This dryer rocks. Sure it's pricey but I think there comes a point where it's worth it to pay a little bit more for a product if it means a longer lifespan and better quality. This dryer comes with a 2 year warranty, as well. So that's awesome, too. Misikko offers a ton of great products, and this is just one of them. Whether you're in the market for a new ceramic flat iron or hair care accessories, the site has got you covered.

I want to thank the folks at Misikko (here's looking at you, John) for the awesome package they sent me and for giving me this opportunity. The company is amazing alone and next time you girls need high-quality, professional hair styling tools, you'd be crazy to shop anywhere else. Thanks for reading!

Down with Dry Shampoo

2011-09-05T20:58:00.000-04:00

I like a good shower, yes. I don't enjoy smelling bad and being clean is something I would say I am particularly fond of. But there are days. And if you're sitting there like "ew" right now - shut the HELL up because I know you have them, too.

To cut straight to the chase, there are some days where my hair looks somewhat greasy and I just don't have time to take a shower. Plain and simple.

So when dry shampoo came into my life, I felt something like this:

I've tried my fair share of these little wonders and honestly - there has only been one that I have said "you suck" to and tossed in the can. The rest of them do a pretty good job. They're obviously not meant to tackle a mane that hasn't been washed in weeks. If that's the case, you need a hell of a lot more than a freaking aerosol can to solve your problems. But if you have greasy bangs syndrome or your roots need a boost so you can go about your day without being judged... well, these will do the trick.

Let me give you a rundown:

1. Ojon Rub Out Dry Cleansing Spray $24

2. Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo Spray $5

3. Oscar Blandi Invisible Dry Shampoo $23

4. Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo $6

5. Tresemme Fresh Start Foam "Dry" Shampoo $5

Ojon - It's the most expensive of the bunch and rightfully so. It does a pretty freaking good job and doesn't leave your hair feeling totally weighed down. It definitely leaves a little bit of a "white residue" so if you have darker hair.. probably not going to be your favorite. Smells like baby powder - not terrible. But to me, this one had the most grease sucking power. You absolutely have to brush it out though.. so if you have curlier locks - you might end up with some frizz. You can rub it out a bit, but I found that the whiteness is really only beaten with a brush.

Tresemme Spray - I have tried both of the Tresemme dry shampoos and this is definitely the better of the two, but I still wouldn't say I recommend it. After trying other brands, I don't even really use this one anymore. The things that turns me off about it is that #1 - it's SUPER white when it dries on and #2 - it actually goes on kind of.. wet. The other sprays are almost like a powder when they go on. This is like.. more of a hairspray? Yeah, it dries and sort of does what it's supposed to - but if you need a quick fix... not the best choice. The few times I've used this, I've ended up pulling my hair back and saying screw it... so it doesn't really do the trick for me.

Oscar Blandi - It's another of the more expensive options, but I'm a fan of it. The smell is sort of similar to Ojon and I used this one whenever my hair was on the darker side. The "whiteness" is not nearly as bad as most other dry shampoos. It does give you a little bit of a tint, but it's nowhere near the same as Tresemme or Ojon (especially not Ojon). It was definitely more than just a "bang fix" for me, meaning I would use it all over my head when I needed de-greased, and it did the job. It's quick drying and you can easily work out any "whiteness" with your fingers.

Not Your Mother's - By far the best cheap option when it comes to dry shampoos. For only $6 - it's a great product that does what it promises. However, the can I had ran out very very quickly. I don't know if I just got a dud or if this is how they all operate - but I only got about 3 weeks out of the entire can... and I wasn't using it daily. It makes your hair a little on the stiffer side, but for me, this isn't a huge deal since when my hair is greasy my roots need a little help anyways. Overall, for the price - it's a great dry shampoo. If you can't spend $20+ - this is the way to go.

Tresemme Foam - Throw it in the trash. Not only does it make your hair wet (obviously), that's about all it does. I don't know what they were going for here, but consider the target missed.

Hope I helped. Let me know your favorites xo

Light Summer Eyes by Rain Cosmetics

2011-08-13T18:57:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone!

I'm back from a little hiatus and very excited to start posting again. I wanted to kick things off with one of my favorite brands, and that is Rain Cosmetics.

Rain has a quad that I have been using a ton recently and just the other day I think I kind of realized why.

In hot weather, I just don't like wearing a ton of eye makeup, and honestly - I think that's why I don't post as much in the summer. Nothing sucks worse than spending all this time perfecting your eyes and then after 15 minutes outside, you're left with heavy-feeling lids and smudgy liner. It doesn't matter what brand you use, if it's hot enough, the stuff is going to melt. It's science. On top of that, my signature smokey eye just looks heavy to me in the summer time and I prefer a lighter look.

That's where Rain's quad comes into play. The company offers a range of quads - but I am particularly a fan of the "moon" quad, which houses a frosty beige, a matte plum, a matte mocha, and a frosty lilac. If you've got blue eyes, this quad is your friend:

A smokey eye using purples and browns instead of blacks and grays instantly creates a lighter and brighter look which is perfect for summer or if you're just not a fan of that heavy, black look. Use the lilac shade all over lids, choose the plum for your crease, and add a dab of brown on the outer thirds of your eyes for at dramatic edge. The beige tone makes a perfect highlight, too - so every color you need is packed into one convenient little package. Going on vacation? Throw this in your bag and you've got every color you need for a great day or evening look. Trust me, the lilac color on lids alone gives a pretty summery shimmer that won't have you feeling weighed down by shadow on a hot day.

Another tip to beat heavy, smudgy eyes in warm weather is to skip the eyeliner and opt for a jet black waterproof mascara instead. It will give you the definition on your lash line you want without the volatility of liner in the heat.

If you're interested in picking up the "moon" quad, you can order through Rain's website here. The quads run $38.

So if you're feeling weighed down by eye makeup in the summer, you are not alone. I'll jump back to my darker eyes once the weather cools down a bit, but for now - Rain to the rescue. By choosing lighter shadows and skipping out on the liner, you can revamp your look for summer and kiss smudge eyes goodbye :)

Lash Control Mascara Review

2011-04-18T21:39:00.005-04:00

I'm pretty sure every girl wants a good mascara. I know girls who could give a crap less about makeup and they still wear mascara. My friend Devney hasn't bought eyeshadow in like 5 years, but I'll tell you what she does text me about:

Mascara.

It's essential. I don't care who you are. Mascara can add that perfect amount of definition to your lashes without making you look over or under done. It's the great equalizer of makeup. The only issue is - it's really tough to find a good one. And after I tried the product I'm about to tell you about - I think I figured out where a lot of these mascara companies .. um .. screw the pooch? It all comes down to the wiper.

Meet LashControl. The mascara that lets you control how much mascara ends up on your brush. You can stop wiping it onto a tissue or fanning overly goopy eyelashes to dry them. It cleans up the mess for you before the applicator even comes out of the tube.

See those colored sections in the middle? You pinch them to remove excess product. Squeeze a little and you'll end up with a significant amount of product still on the brush. Squeeze a lot and you've got just enough product to coat your lashes and call it a day.

The formulas are great, too - my favorite is the pink tube, which is the "lengthening and conditioning formula".. It really does a nice job of fanning out lashes & making them look full without being clumpy. If you're using this mascara and you're getting clumps - something is wrong lol. It literally could not be easier to make sure you've got the perfect amount of product on your brush. They also have a clear gloss for eyebrows which I really like because it's super annoying when you go to put clear mascara on your brows and the brush is OVERLY FULL of product. Not anymore.

You can easily layer the product without it flaking, too - which was a major bonus for me. It's a really smooth consistency for mascara.

The company is looking to add retail locations, but the list of where LashControl is available now can be found here.. Tubes run $16. If you have any questions about where to buy or if a retailer is coming into your area - contact jennifer@lashcontrol.com. They also have plenty of formulas in development - which is awesome since the product is officially one of my favorites now. It includes a water resistant formula, too :) Me likey.

Thanks to LashControl for the awesome opportunity. Hope you guys will check them out! xo

Lipgloss & Lies

2011-04-17T19:51:00.001-04:00

Nothing ticks me off more than when a product is all about doing something and then you get it & it does nothing of the sort. It'd be like me buying a car and then realizing there's no way to turn it on.

Well, if I'd have known that - I wouldn't have bought the damn thing.. now would I?

But that's the glory of marketing. Glorious, glorious marketing. I can't hate on it too much since my college degree is in that glorious industry of persuasion and lies, but it doesn't make me any less pissed off when I pay money for something and it's marketing was a complete and total load of b.s. This tends to happen alot in the cosmetics industry. Just ask anyone who has bought drugstore mascara.

Today's featured bullshitter is Venom Flash by DuWop.

I've been intrigued by this brand for awhile. It's not that I'd necessarily heard amazing things about it - but for some reason it always caught my eye. I'd never seen it in a store or anything, so when I put in an order with Apothica recently, I threw it in my cart. It was on sale (sort of) for $13.60 down from $17. It's a plumping lipgloss, which I typically hate.. but THIS ONE promised me "bee stung lips without the pain".. It even stated it was ideal for "those who want full, plump lips with a warm shimmer without irritation."

SIGN ME UP, VENOM. YOU'RE SPEAKIN' MY LANGUAGE.

So the little shit comes in the mail in this cardboard tube,

I pull it out, and my face immediately goes like this:

The thing is smaller than my pinkie. It's TINY. Maybe my dumbass should've looked at the 0.12 fl oz listing on the description, but call me crazy for thinking I'd get a full sized lipgloss for $13. It's too small. It's almost laughably small. Sample size small.

So I put it on my lips. It's a smooth consistency, gives sort of a "nude/gold/pink" shimmer which is nice. The applicator is a brush which I wasn't expecting. Overall, it's a nice non-sticky gloss that looks pretty on lips. I was digging it at first, I really was.

Then I went downstairs.

OW. OW. OW. OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW.

No pain? No IRRITATION? None, Venom? Really? You said there'd be none. You didn't say "with slightly less irritation" or "less pain than others". You said NONE.

I'll tell you what two words I would use to describe the sensation that took place for about 20 minutes on my lips - painful and irritating. It wasn't really tingly - just more of a straightforward OUCH. It smells like cinnamon and it feels kind of like you're running a cheese grater covered in cinnamon over your lips. It's really refreshing. Especially first thing in the morning.

And there's the clincher. To me, my lips don't look any bigger, they just look shinier. The top one might have juiced up a smidge, but that's only after studying this picture closely. I asked my mom and she said she couldn't see a difference. With the sensation I was experiencing - I was honestly expecting to look in the mirror and see Angelina.

So overall, do I like Venom Flash? It could be worse. But you companies who get off charging $13 for a product the size of a goddamn SAMPLE ... and then on top of that, it doesn't even do what it promises? You kill me. That's irritating. How are you going to say your product doesn't irritate lips when it clearly does? I know it might not be as bad as some plumpers, but why can't they just say that!? Instead of saying "no irritation" say "significantly less".. people would still buy it! But since you chose to pick your words *not exactly wisely* - this happened. And I'll be singing your criticisms all over town.

Me, and my lips, are irritated.

TOKIDOKI GIVEAWAY!

2011-04-08T21:16:00.002-04:00

I finally came to a conclusion.

For those of you that read this post / watched this video - you know that I kind of .. umm .. bit my tongue when it came to Tokidoki. Yes, I said that I wasn't totally in love with the brand about a year ago.

Yes. I was wrong. Very, very, very wrong.

Truth is - I'm in love with the brand now. I think their makeup line at Sephora is the shit & I'm all about the cute, kitschy little thing they have going on. I am all in, Tokidoki. YOU WIN.

Sooooo.. since I feel like I did the brand somewhat of a disservice before, I figured I would make up for it by hosting the following little *gem* for all of my lovely subscribers:

it's happening.

The winner will receive their choice of Tokidoki Cromatico Eyeshadow. There are tons of colors to choose from & the packaging is *of course* freaking cute:

To Enter:

- You must be a subscriber. It's easy to do if you're not - look over to the right, click the "follow" button under "the pretty patrol" and sign up using whatever avenue you'd like.

- Like us on facebook. Click here to go directly to our fan page. You know you're already logged in - just click "Like":)

- You must leave a comment below with your name & email address. This is how I'll contact you if you win.

- If you want bonus points (aka 2 extra entries), simply tweet a link to this post & be sure to include @kelspot somewhere in the tweet. if you do this, just include your twitter username in your comment below :)

And that's it. You don't have to send me your first born or build a shrine to my website and take pictures of it like some other bloggers require. I don't play that. The winner will be announced on April 22, 2011. I'll contact the lucky chick via email to get shipping information. Spread the love, tell your friends & good luck, bitches.

The NuMe Silhouette Styling Iron!

2011-04-06T12:45:00.000-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of working with NuMe - a Europoean brand who just started offering their products to us folks in the United States. They're a salon brand & were made to fit the needs of stylists (aka - they've got it goin' on). I was given the opportunity to try out their Silhouette styling iron which promises to use this wild ion technology of the future that "seals moisture in the hair cuticle keeping your hair shiny, healthy and silky smooth." Sounds like something Judy Jetson would use & I am DIGGING IT.

Judy did have some kickass hair...

Anyhoo - The Silhouette iron has a "no-slip grip" so its got a rubbery texture on the outside, but it's really smooth at the same time. It's textured, too - so it looks pretty :) Has sort of a quilted vibe. It's an extremely high quality iron (hands down the best I've ever used) & it does have 100% ceramic plates. Another thing I noticed right off the bat was that the plates kind of .. float? I know it's specific to NuMe irons, but it's really cool because it allows for perfect alignment each and every time you clamp down. Pretty innovative.

The packaging is awesome, too. The box has a magnet closure and is made of sturdy cardboard - so it'll actually make a nice little storage bin, too. In the lid of the box (and in a pamphlet included under the iron), NuMe throws in some styling tips on how to use the iron to create different looks. This totally helped me since I was pretty clueless on how to do the curls :)

I dig an iron that can multitask because my vanity space is limited. If I have to have a curling iron and a straightener plugged in at the same time - one of them is getting knocked off of my minuscule dresser thing and directly onto my bare foot. The fact that this iron can not only straighten, but create volume-y waves and curls is freaking PERFECT. The barrels are rounded, so there's no weird kinky dent things going on, either. The Jetson's technology NuMe uses also reduces static. And GOD KNOWS I hate static more than anything. Know when you run a straightener through your hair and POOF - you pull it off and your hair sticks to your face and intrudes your lipgloss? Yeah. The Silhouette doesn't do that. It doesn't even think about doing that. Talk about winning.

So here are some examples of what the iron can do. And for the record, yes - half my head is different from the other in that first picture :P You can do big curls, flip ends under & amp roots up with volume, or just straighten for a nice sleek look. You can honestly tell the difference with this straightener as opposed to other brands in the sense that it really leaves hair shiny. Not greasy or flat - but all-around healthy looking.

This iron is definitely an investment piece. It currently retails for $300 (find it here on the NuMe site), but you've gotta keep in mind - this is a professional brand so you're going to get salon quality results each and every time you use it. You can adjust the heat & for as hot as it can get, it gets there pretty quickly. All around, I'm really impressed.

Coincidentally, my friend Sierra is running a NuMe giveaway on her blog right now. You'll get an iron and a bunch of NuMe products if you win, so if you're interested - definitely give it a shot. If you win and it's because you clicked my link - just know you owe me something somewhere along the line ;) You can click here to check out her post.

If any of you have any questions about the brand or the products or anything - always feel free to comment below or email me at kelspot@gmail.com. I hope you're all having a great week! Talk to you soon.

Sephora's "Say Hello" Hello Kitty Palette

2011-03-30T20:20:00.001-04:00

I am a Hello Kitty NERD. The ULTIMATE. I have a Hello Kitty build-a-bear, my iPod has a Hello Kitty skin on it, I have a Hello Kitty wallet/planner/glasses case, there is a Hello Kitty decal on my car, etc... While I am usually not a fan of cartoon character overkill - I like to think I do Hello Kitty in the classiest way possible. Nothing I own is tacky and I choose my battles with the sacred cat very carefully.

So when Sephora was like "hey we're gonna make a whole Hello Kitty line" - I just about crapped my pants. I trusted Sephora to do it in the non-cheesiest way possible & judging by the packaging, I'd say they accomplished that. They have some cute blinged out stuff, too - but I'm not paying $50 for a mirror shaped like Hello Kitty covered in rhinestones.

Anyways - I got two things from the collection. One is the "Say Hello" palette which includes 4 eyeshadows and 4 solid lipglosses. The other was a small bottle of the perfume which is apparently just called "Hello Kitty fragrance". I hope the marketing team didn't hurt themselves coming up with that one.

This is the Say Hello palette in SUPER FUN (lol).

It's available only at Sephora & if you want to buy it online,

it's available here through their website for $35.

So what did I think? Hmm.. Well. Honestly - I don't think it's worth $35. While I love the packaging to death (99.9% of the reason I chose this product over the others) - the colors are umm.. okay? I'm actually pretty sure I had this EXACT same quad in like 9th grade and it was from CVS. I was hoping that the line would produce some funkier, bolder shades but mmmmmnot so much. The other palette has all lighter shades (mint green, medium brown, lilac, & white) and didn't appeal to me at all - so I figured if I was going to try one, this would be it. I do think the sweet plum color is pretty, but the black & metallic gray are pretty standard and the sugarplum lilac color doesn't have a ton of pigmentation.

And uhhh.. where's the highlight color? I'm not putting lilac on my brow bone. Nice try, though. I know it's not a requirement to have a highlight color somewhere in the palette, but I'm just saying - it'd be nice. Especially since they kind of market this as an "all-in-one" kit.

The lipglosses don't get swatches. Because even though they have color in the picture - they have none on your lips. They all smell like grape & they claim to have like grape seed oil in them so I guess they're moisturizing & shit. Honestly, I'm probably never going to use them lol. Takes a good 3-4 swipes with the ol' finger to get a little bit of shine & since they're underneath the eyeshadows - I forget they exist.

Just being honest.

The perfume is alright. The bottle is shaped like her head, so once again packaging - YOU WIN. I got it with my beauty insider points, so it was free. Not sure if they still have that promo going on, but if you're interested - just ask your local Sephora chick. I got it in-store, not online. The website says it has "notes of green apple and Japanese fruits". They also claim that it will make you smile inside.Can't attest to the second one, but I can tell you that I definitely get a citrus vibe from it. Good not great - I'm more of a fan of light floral scents, honestly. But if you like citrus - maybe give it a shot.

Overall, Hello Kitty looks better on my car/planner/wallet/glasses case than she does in my makeup collection. It's $35 that you could spend on a better quality palette. Learn from my mistakes, pretty ladies. Don't let the packaging seduce you.

Toki Doki Robbery Palette!

2011-03-28T21:38:00.003-04:00

Watch the full video review below :)

^ deep in thought - _ -
i cannot win with still screens.

Swatches:

(Sorry that the bronzer/blushes are a bit hard to see -

remember that they're not shadows, so they're a little bit milder in pigmentation)

The TokiDoki Robbery palette is available at Sephora. I bought it for $49, but they actually lowered the price $10 since then - so you can score it for just $39. Lucky bitches!! :) Click here to take advantage & order directly through the Sephora website. They say it's a $149 value.. don't know how true that is but hey - sure makes it sounds like you're getting one hell of a deal ;) Let me know if you'll be picking it up.

Enjoy! xo

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Review

2011-03-09T20:42:00.002-05:00

I'm obsessed with doing my nails. It's extremely rare that my nails are the same color/pattern for more than a week at a time. If something chips, forget it - shit is getting repainted. I don't care if it's 2am.

So I was at wal-greens today just kind of browsing after work & I stumbled upon the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish strips. The bastards were sold out of both cheetah AND leopard print which was lame, but I kind of liked this flowery pattern they had in stock. They also had regular colors and glittery ones which I don't exactly understand. Paint your freaking nails that color. It takes WAY longer to apply these strips - trust me.

These run $9.99.. Like I said, I got mine at wal-greens.

There's enough for one set of nails. They do throw in a cuticle stick

and a teeny little nail file.

It took me like 15-20 minutes to put these on. You put them onto bare nails, kind of fold them over the end of your nail, and then file the excess off. They do apply pretty easily, but I'm wondering how long they'll stick around. They say 10 days, but even when I pressed them onto my nails, they don't really like.. STICK. If I accidentally set it down wrong, I could pick it right back up and reposition it. I threw a top coat over them for the hell of it - so hopefully that'll lengthen their lifespan. They say to rub the magical cuticle stick over top of them to kind of "seal them" down, so I did do that just for good measure.

They kind of give me a Katy Perry vibe :)

Overall, I was happy with how they came out. I'd recommend them for sure. The only complaint I have is that there's only enough in the pack for one set of nails. The nail sizes they gave me worked pretty well on my hands, and I feel like I have average sized nails. But for $10 - I was hoping to get more than one set out of them. If you've got short nails, it might be a little hard to file the excess decal off of the edges of your nail - so I'd make sure to grow your nails out, even if it's just a little, before you put them on.

I'll let you know if they all rub off the second I reach into my purse tomorrow morning :) lol - goodnight, guys!

Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Volume 1 Review

2011-03-06T17:20:00.002-05:00

Really? The worst still screen ever?

Ugh - Just click play.. lol

Swatches as promised :)

The Tattoo Chronicles Palette by Kat Von D is available

here (through Sephora) for $39.

What I've Been Up to Lately..

2011-03-05T22:51:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that I haven't been updating quite as much. I promise I'm going to get back into the swing of things, but I think we all have those times in our lives when we just get super busy. I thought those times were sort of over after college, but I've honestly found myself busier than ever recently. Can't say I totally hate it, either.

So what have I been doing? Hmm.. I feel it's only right that I let all of my followers know what has been preventing me from updating for you guys since you've taken the time to read and follow my blog.

First off, got super into the running game. I've been going to the gym regularly for like a little under a year now, but I just recently (probably within the last 6 months) become somewhat obsessed with cardio, but mostly running. I'm going to run my first 5k in May (the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure), so obviously I've been going pretty hard on the treadmill. It feels really good to be able to work towards something and have a goal to reach. I'm attempting to raise $250 for the cause (all proceeds go towards breast cancer), so if you'd like information on donating to me or any other participant, you can click the link I posted above.

Secondly... I have been fortunate enough to land myself some amazing freelance writing jobs. While they're just short blips on various websites, I'm writing quite a few of them a week - so they are pretty time consuming. I am absolutely head over heels in love with writing, so being able to actually get paid for it for the first time in my life leaves me, well, pretty ecstatic.

Don't you all worry your pretty little heads, though. Aside from (obviously) working, training for the race, and writing my ass off - I have been hot on the trail of some fabulous makeup palettes that I am going to be reviewing very, very soon. Probably in video form, just because palette reviews tend to be long. One of my absolute favorites, just as a heads up/spoiler alert kind of thing, is Kat Von D's Tattoo Chronicles Palette... JESUS SAVE ME I AM IN LOVE. So if you're ready to hear more about that, a Too Faced palette, an amazing Toki Doki box set, and the new UD Dark Palette.. Stay tuned, my babies. Stay. Tuned.

I love you all. Thank you for understanding blogger hiatuses and sticking with us through our "dark" times. I promise I'll be back and better than ever this week. I'm so ready to bring it for the spring and summer.

Smoky Shadow Blast Review... Puke.

2011-01-21T19:02:00.003-05:00

Well hello there everybody. I realize it's been about a month and a half since my last post, and while I do apologize for that, it was nice to take a break from blogging and reviewing products. Not only has it given me a chance to really try out stuff and add some new favorites to my arsenal to tell you guys about... it's given me a chance to miss writing. So it feels good to be back.

I have alot of shit to talk about, but I'm going to start with a post I've gotten alot of freaking questions about.

I had gotten emails about trying the whole Covergirl "Smoky Shadow Blast" stick before, but it wasn't until one of the girls I nanny asked about it that I considered giving it a try. Ana is 13 and just starting to get into makeup. She's the oldest of the bunch so she doesn't have an older sister to steal stuff from or ask what does and doesn't suck. That is where I come into play. The bottom line is, some people want no frills no fuss makeup solutions. The easier the better. This totally intrigued Ana since they made it seem so simple and awesome in the commercial. They had Drew Barrymore running around making out with the stuff, wearing fake eyelashes and giggling. So being the kickass nanny that I am - I went out and bought one of these little $7 wonders from wal-greens to try for myself.

This one is "silver sky".. They have a bunch of colors but to me, this one seemed the most.. practical. The base color is basically platinum and the other end is a dark plummy color for the crease.

Number one - upon uncapping I noticed the crease color had like .. a waxy buildup on it. Immediately off to a bad start. I swatched the colors and I mean, while I didn't have to scribble on my hand for hours - I certainly didn't get alot of color with one swipe. Be prepared to inflict alot of pressure on your precious eyeballs to get any sort of pigmentation.

The colors are super shiny looking, too.. Which doesn't always come to mind for me when I think "smoky eye". It's another turn off in my book.

Bottom line, the product feels greasy and creases like it's nobody's freaking business. I even used a primer (kat von d's - which is like freaking PUTTY, so if you're creasing on that... shit is bad) and everytime I blinked - I had a line. I put the crease color on and .. I just got mad. When I think SMOKY EYE - I don't think of HARSH LINES. with this... you have no choice. If you try and blend it out, say peace out to the color because it's going to wipe right off. The applicator on the crease color is shaped in a manner that there is no "subtle" application. It's either stab your eyeball's crease with a wedge shaped wax stick or go home. And it's just as oily feeling as it's silver friend. Perhaps they should call this stuff "grease ball shadow blast" instead, because that's the result you end up with.

Check out that sharp line in the crease lol.. I tried to blend it out a teeeeny tiny bit and here's what I ended up with:

Where has the purple gone???? Oh there it is. All over my effing finger.

Honestly - if you want a good smokey eye, buy an eyeshadow palette & a decent makeup brush and practice. With a little bit of blending, you can end up with a way nicer look than this mud stick will give you. Trust.

miracle zit treatment? i wouldn't go that far..

2010-11-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

We've all been there..

You wash your face before you go to bed, moisturize to perfection, & do everything you're "supposed to do" to have clear skin... yet whenever you wake up in the morning - there it is. Freakin' staring at you.

El pimple.

Regardless of your skin type or how clear your skin is, we all know that there are certain zits you just can't deal with. They're red, they hurt, and they're ugly. There is no other option for them besides getting them the hell off of your face and getting them the hell off of there now. PRONTO.

I had one of these aforementioned wonders about a week ago & when I stopped into the grocery store, I figured I'd swing past the cleansers and check out all of the "spot treatments" that I've seen advertised. I'm a fan of clean & clear and after I read the directions on all of the different brands, they all said the same thing: make sure your face is clean and apply a thin layer of medication 1-3 times daily.

I have a few issues with this: 1. Applying 1-3 times daily to clean skin is all well and good if it's a Sunday and I don't plan on doing anything. I know you shouldn't put makeup on over a pimple, but who follows that rule? You want it staring everyone in the face all day? No, you don't. So the fact that I need squeaky clean skin everytime I put it on is a downfall for me. and 2. Obviously for max results, they want you doing this 3 times a day. I guess it's not reasonable - but I would like a spot treatment that follows the "one and done" rule. But you can't always get what you want.

Anyways, I got the Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

Runs you about $7 at drug or grocery stores

Overall, it did the trick and reduced redness and pimple size (didn't completely demolish it) within about 3 days. I still have a little bump there, but obviously I was just using it before bed and then again in the morning before I put my makeup on since I didn't have time to wash my face & apply it again at work 2 more times. They boast on the tube that 100% of people saw improvement in just 1 day and I'll tell you what I saw after one day: a whole shitload of redness, but not as big of a bump. I guess there's some type of trade off there, but I was shocked that it actually made it way more red. The second day, both redness and size had seriously gone down - so I guess the rudolph effect was just an initial reaction. It didn't dry out or irritate my skin which was nice since it's always risky putting something that's "medicated" onto freshly scrubbed skin. I wasn't expecting a miracle treatment for $7 - and I'd say for the price it's not a bad buy. If you've got something big on the weekend and something pops up on wednesday that you don't want hanging around - this could probably fix you up & seriously reduce size/redness. But if picture day is tomorrow and you've got a bright red third eye.. well.. I hope you have a good concealer.

Hot Lips for Chilly Weather

2010-11-08T19:59:00.001-05:00

Hola Ladies!

I've had some product reviews building up that I've been needing to do, and when it dawned on me that 4 of the products that needed reviewing were lippies, I figured I'd roll them all into one post. Before I even start, I wanna thank Duchess, Crazy Rumors, and Senna for sending me the following products to check out.

With cold weather upon us and the holidays right around the bend (47 days until Christmas) - there are two things that you need to be worried about when it comes to your luscious lips:

Number one - keeping them protected. Dry, cold air is a bitch & chapped lips are an even bigger bitch. Even if your lips aren't chapped right now, keeping them moisturized all the time will prevent this painful and seriously unfortunate looking epidemic from striking you.

Number two - looking hot. You're going to be going to holiday parties and all that jazz. You need something for Thanksgiving dinner that won't make Grandma think you're a hussy AND you need something that turns the heat up a couple notches when Gram isn't around. I've got you covered on both ends.

"Crazy Rumors" is a fun company that prides itself on using all natural ingredients and fun flavors. They sent me 2 of their lip balms - a Mocha from their "perk" line and an Orange Bergamot from their "brew" line. Coffee and tea lovers, get down, because you're going to love these. They're definitely a bit more scented than most lip balms, but I like them because there are no funky ingredients - which I think is super important if you're going strictly for the benefit of your lips. Plus, they smell way better than those medicated, store brand balms & let's face it: they're fun! They have a ton of varieties and they're all reasonably priced, too ($3.99 per balm). Check out their all natural, cruelty free, vegan brand here.

Here's my Thanksgiving dinner friendly suggestion, which is brought to us by the lovies over at Duchess Cosmetics. I love Duchess lip glosses because they:

1. are not sticky at all, but they're still glossy without feeling oily

2. smell like citrus and vanilla had a delicious love child

and 3. feel and look lightweight,

which is perfect if you don't want to feel/look overdone.

Let's admit that while I may love hot pink lip gloss with gold glitter in it, it's not always practical. This particular color is called "Kate" and if you have a fair skin tone like I do - this is kind of that happy medium plummy color that compliments everything. It's great for fall because it's not too intense, but it definitely gives you a pop of color. They run $18 a tube, so they're more of an investment, but it's a great go-to lipgloss that won't let you down. See all the colors on the Duchess website.

And now my friends, it's time to get Saucy. This lipgloss is freaking hot. The picture does not do the color justice, but it looks to me like your lips are throwing a hot holiday banger and whoever looks at them will want to be invited.

It's that good.

The color is called "LUSH" and Senna describes it as a "gold flecked berry". It's a little bit thicker than most glosses, meaning it is a little stickier - but if you plan on doing a lot of talking, drinking, eating - you need something a little bit more heavy duty. It's a brand new color for fall and even though these pups are $19 a tube, you will get compliments on this gloss - it even looks sexy in the tube. Check it out & the rest of Senna's unreal colors on the Senna website. You've gotta have at least one in your collection.

Well, my ladies - there we have it. I hope those suggestions will come in handy when stocking up for the cold winter months. As always, questions and comments are welcome & I hope all of you have a great week ahead!

Halloween: A Reflection & What I've Learned

2010-10-31T22:44:00.000-04:00

Well, ladies - Halloween has officially come and gone. Kind of crazy to think that stores can now officially start selling Holiday merch without looking like they're jumping the gun. Where's the time gone?

We all know that Halloween is my shit - so I figured I'd do a little wrap up post here for you all to show you some of my own personal Halloween accomplishments, as well as list for you all some things I realized I've learned this year.

I put some of my makeup skills to work this year, on both the kids that I nanny & my boyfriend's brother who decided he was going to be "guy in flannel shirt with zombie makeup" :

Chloe was a vampire & unfortunately, the fangs were a little too big for that teeny little mouth of hers! She still looked pretty spooky & cute, though :)

Graci rocked the zombie look & she had the creepy facial expression DOWN. She was scaring the crap out of me everytime she looked at me.

..And here we have Nick looking like a fool, as usual :)

His little head scar thing turned out pretty good, though.

Boyfriend & Myself were the "Leg Lamp" & Ralphie as the "Pink Nightmare" from the movie "A Christmas Story". If you've never seen it.. well.. I'm not sure where you've been for the past 25 years.

Standing on one leg for all those pictures was harder than you'd think.. And yes, we made both of the costumes! The pink sleeper thing was bought at Target but we obviously had to altar the crap out of it so it looked like Ralphie's pajamas. I love being creative on Halloween :)

But anyways, we all know how much I love uncreative hoes on Halloween. Probably one of my favorite things is watching them get sloppier and sloppier as the night progresses and they eventually vomit/spill on their $70 "dresses".. I'm all about being creative on this holiday, and honestly - it's way cheaper to be creative than it is to be slutty. But thanks to these lovely ladies, I've learned quite a few things that I've never known before. So I figured I'd share my top 10 favorites:

1. Female devils always wear bow ties. This is a requirement in the underworld. It is even more realistic looking if the aforementioned bow tie contains sequins and/or glitter.

2. The Raspberry girl is alive and well. And GOOD NEWS! She has a new friend this year & she's $60.00 worth of Blueberry girl wonder.

3. You aren't truly a "firefighter" or "the queen of hearts" or anything else with a skirt above the buttcheeks UNLESS you are wearing knee high stockings with bows on them and/or boots. Nobody will understand your costume if you do not wear these.

4. On Halloween weekend ONLY - your gut disappears. So XS spandex sailor costumes for EVERYONE! Just be sure to change before midnight on October 31st or you'll look like a shiny stuffed sausage.

5. Pile on that eyeliner, because you can't be a slutty bumble bee or ladybug without 6x more eyeliner than you usually wear. This is obvious. Insects love eyeliner.

6. The Naughty Schoolgirl costume is and always will be the most original thing you can ever be. PERIOD. But please - be sure to wear your hair in pig tails because every girl I've ever known who has slept with a teacher has always had her hair in pig tails.

7. When you have your picture taken, people will have a tough time figuring out what you are unless you pose in a manner that displays your ass. Whether it be bent over to the side, a backshot while looking over your shoulder, or anything along those lines - it will help us understand that you're a cheerleader, princess, lady gaga, etc...

8. If you want people to think highly of you - be a playboy bunny. Enter a costume contest with that one, too - not many people are creative enough to come up with something that unique.

9. A green dress makes you Robin Hood, a white dress makes you an Angel, and a black dress makes you a Gangster. Don't let anybody tell you differently.

10. And finally - I still hate the referee costume more than anything. Ever.

Hope you all had Happy, CREATIVE, Halloweens!!

The Halloween Post

2010-10-21T11:04:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to do a halloween post for a little while now. I love this holiday & it's safe to say that it is indeed my favorite. I got an email from one of my readers on my way to work this morning asking that I do another post like last year's halloween post.

For those of you who are new - the aforementioned halloween post is hard to top. It's one of my all-time favorites. So I decided that since it got a great response last year when my reader base was a lot smaller - why not bring it back this year and let all you newbies take in the glory of it, too?

So I proudly present to you all - the Bitchy Halloween Post:

Good morning, ladies & gents. Let me just kick this post off by saying that I am thrilled - actually, I am BEYOND THRILLED that fall is here. Boyfriend & myself live for fall and more specifically - Halloween. We take our haunted adventures very seriously and we have a list of Haunted Houses in the area that we must hit. It doesn't hurt to have a gaggle of friends that also love the Spookin' time of year, so we always have something to do on October weekends.

I made a facebook status update regarding this last night and I have been thinking about it ever since. There are two Halloween costumes that I HATE. I don't know how familiar any of you are with the classy foundation known as "Leg Avenue" - but they are the producers of those slutty costumes that have been becoming more & more popular each year. You know the ones, the series of Wizard of Oz characters gone whore-ish, and who could forget the series of "storybook characters" that are all the SAME DRESS in different colors with a stamp of clip-art on the apron of the dress signifying which "character" the girl is supposed to be (ex. Little Bo Peep has a lamb. Little Miss Muffet has a spider. Mind blowingly creative). These wouldn't bother me so much if:

1. They weren't $40 - $75 .. these things are made with the quality of.. a dollar store water gun.
2. EVERY SINGLE GIRL ON THE PLANET DIDN'T WEAR THEM
3. They actually FIT. There is no happy medium here, people. I've seen a maximum of maybe 5 people pull these off without looking like either a stuffed sausage or the complete opposite, and having it hang off of their body in the most unflattering ways.

I won't leave you hanging any longer, here are the two that I want to simultaneously scream, cry, and laugh all at the same time when I see them being paraded around:

Ahhhhh, the referree. Let me start out by telling you that this costume is made out of that tissue papery fabric that does not stretch, so it wrinkles very easily. This makes it even more hilarious when slutty Sally's skirt is bent in every direction and she looks like a hot mess. Let's not ignore the "69" on the boob, either. The reason I hate this costume so much is that I am 100% convinced that when girls resort to this get-up, it is solely to make men think that they are remotely interested in sports. The facebook pictures that follow are my favorite though.. The whistle is always in the mouth.. they find a guy dressed like a football player and have their friend (who is probably dressed like Little Miss Muffet, you'll be able to tell if there's a clip art iron on of a spider on her apron) take a picture of them WITH THE WHISTLE IN THE MOUTH, spanking him. Oh, the creative options really are endless. And for some reason, the hair is ALWAYS in pigtails. I knew that was standard in the NFL & NHL that the refs wear their hair in pigtails, but lighten up girls! You don't have to do everything by the book - it's Halloween, have a little fun! -_-

This is my second favorite because seriously.. what the fuck are you? The description on the website reads "Raspberry Girl". Seriously, I get that they're probably trying to channel a strawberry shortcake vibe - but this is probably one of the dumbest costumes ever. The best part ever is that this elaborate outfit retails for SEVENTY FREAKING DOLLARS. Tell me.. how badly do you want to be a raspberry girl? At least the ref was only $40.. but this?! SEVENTY?!?! Where do these people get off charging that much money for this catastrophe?? Are you willing to spend TEN HOURS of minimum wage work in order to acquire this brilliant costume? Actually, if you had $1 for everytime someone asked you "What are you supposed to be?" - you'd probably make your money back, and then some. So maybe go for that strategy.

Alright, I'm done.. Really. I can't wait to go out on Halloween (2010 EDIT - this year we're being the leg lamp and the pink nightmare from the movie "A Christmas Story") & see these two gems out in full force. I'll be sure to go up to raspberry girl & tell her what a wonderful raspberry girl she makes. She looks just like the real one! Oh wait.. there is no real one? You're just a girl in green and pink with a stupid hat on? My bad.

And to any of my followers who were ever either of these costumes. Don't take offense, just please make better choices in the following years regarding who you'll be dressing up as. Remember that Raspberry Girl doesn't exist & that you don't need to spend $40 on a cheaply made referree dress in order to make men think you like football. In the words of Hannah Montana - "everybody makes mistakes.. everybody has those days".

xoxo

A Clean Face is a Happy Face

2010-10-09T10:45:00.001-04:00

Well thanks to the wonders of my sinus infection - I'm up bright and early on my day off. So instead of laying in my bed tossing and turning, I figured I'd drag myself over to the computer & do a post I've been meaning to do for awhile now.

I think it's pretty common that us chicks are always looking for a good face wash/makeup remover. I can't even tell you how many I've tried - I've bought everything from drugstore brands to brands that cost wayyy more than they should. And to be honest with you, the ones that have impressed me the most are the ones that are reasonably priced and easy to get your hands on. I'm a strong believer in the fact that you don't have to pay alot for a good product. You don't need to spend $50 for makeup remover. And your face wash does not have to require you to take out a loan.

Now, for the record - I'd describe my skin as combination. I don't have a serious acne problem - but I am prone to breakouts if I don't seriously take care of my skin. If I go to sleep with makeup on, my skin will be a mess in the morning, so I can't afford to mess around.

Clean & Clear 3 in 1 Exfoliating Cleanser

($8 at drugstores)

Balms Away Eye Makeup Remover

($19.80 at Apothica.com)

The thing I like most about the Clean & Clear cleanser is the fact that the exfoliants in it don't make it feel like you're slowly ripping your skin off with sandpaper. It's a super gentle formula, and when you wash it off, it makes your skin seriously feel cold - and it's super refreshing. I use it a lot in the shower and my skin feels tighter, smoother, and softer afterwards. I like the fact that it doesn't only clear breakouts - but it helps prevent future breakouts. I can honestly say that in the month I've been using this, my skin has never looked better. It's a pretty thick cream, too - so it's easy to apply and doesn't feel runny. The cream itself doesn't feel greasy or thick, so if you have oily skin, don't fear.

Balms away was kind of a risk I took just because I was looking for something different to take off my eye makeup. Regardless of how awesome your face wash is, if you wear makeup - you need to use an eye makeup remover, too. Balms Away is in a balm form (obviously) and you just put a little the tips of your fingers, and then you rub the shit out of your eyes (which feels AMAZING). I usually do this before I wash my face since the formula is a bit greasy (it's full of lipids and vitamins which are great for keeping your lashes pretty), but even if you do it afterwards - just make sure you wipe it all off. If you plan on looking sexy while taking your makeup off - I will warn you that this makes you look a bit like a raccoon before you wipe it all off, but it does a great job at removing even clumpy mascara. It's also really convenient to take on trips because you don't have to worry about it spilling and the can is pretty compact. I slip it right in my makeup bag.

So if you're like every other girl who is constantly on the lookout for new products, give these two a try. I've been using both for a little over a month and my skin feels fantastic. If you guys have any questions or any other product recommendations - feel free to leave them in the comments below or just shoot me and email. Enjoy your weekends & try not to get sick like I am!! >:(

Disney Magic FAIL

2010-10-03T21:07:00.001-04:00

So now that my life has finally slowed down a little bit - I can finally jump back onto blogger & entertain you all once again. Things have just been busy busy busy lately - I've been enjoying my job (hellloooo Sophie & Ana I know you're reading this!), loving this crispy fall weather, & most importantly - trying out some sweet new products to tell you guys about. I'm not into doing half-ass blog posts, so now that I finally have the time to sit down at the end of the day and update, I can officially say I have plenty to talk about :)

While I have some great product reviews on deck for you guys - I would like to take this opportunity to discuss something I'm not exactly pleased about. Because let's admit, we all love bitching.

It's not breaking news that MAC has released the Venomous Villains collection for this fall. MAC's new lines are always real hyped.. us bloggers get our panties allll up in a bunch over them and we anticipate what colors they'll come out with, if there'll be anything super unique, and MY PERSONAL FAVORITE: the goddamn packaging.

Another thing that isn't breaking news is the fact that I am packaging obsessed. If the outside looks good, I'm interested. Such a sucker for shelf appeal.

So obviously, when I heard MAC was teaming up with freakin DISNEY - I was expecting big things. I was expecting to open up the eyeshadows and have "it's a small world" start playing and perhaps some streamers come shooting out at me. MAGIC, PEOPLE. DISNEY MAGIC.

I did not receive magic.

Did MAC fire their graphic designers? Did they just say - "ehhh make em black and throw a picture of the villain on the lid - boom, done." I mean, some of the villain decals on the packaging look like straight up stickers. I could have made a Venomous Villain's collection a long time ago by hitting up Party City, buying some Cruella DeVille stickers, and sticking them on my tube of Saint Germain. Limited Edition.

I guess my main problem here is that the reason we makeup lovers buy these limited edition products isn't really because we love the color (we might, but that's not what intrigues us). It's not because we need another lipstick. And it's definitely not because we want something ordinary. It's because we want something from the Venomous Villains collection and we want it to be KICK ASS. I have Disney Princess chapstick from the dollar store that has more shelf appeal than these things. It's just a big bummer for me.

And who the hell is Dr. Facilier? I mean, I know he's from the Princess & The Frog Movie... But was Ursula not GLAM enough for her own lipstick that we had to throw a DUDE in there? That movie just came out like a year ago and I'm pretty sure the target market for MAC makeup is more into the classics rather than the brand new stuff.. It's whatever, just hit up Tink for some pixie dust and get back to me, MAC. For now, I'm mad at you.

Back With Avengence ... And a Giveaway from Apothica!

2010-09-14T00:13:00.000-04:00

Hola Chickas!

It's been quite some time since I hosted a giveaway. Reasoning? I haven't had anything super fabulous to give away - and clearly I'm not going to give you guys crap. That's not how I roll. I choose my giveaway battles wisely.

But guess what? I finally have something super fabulous and I am soooo ready to jump back onto the giveaway bandwagon.

The folks at Apothica got in touch with me and to be honest - I had never heard of the website before. So obviously, I jumped onto the site to check things out and boyyyyy was I surprised. Basically - Apothica is like a one stop shop beauty outlet. They've got some of the best makeup brands alongside some of the trendiest beauty brands with products ranging everywhere from hairspray to candles to perfume. Let's just sum it up by saying there's nothing on this website you wouldn't want. I was pretty pumped when I saw that they carried Too Faced - which is one of my favorite brands ever. Me & their "Pink Leopard Bronzer" are married ;)

So onto what you're really thinking: "What are you giving me, Kell?"

Let's talk.

You can win a $25 Apothica gift card just by being an Unnecessarydrama.net subscriber. If you're not already a subscriber - become one by clicking the SUBSCRIBE button in the sidebar to your right. Aside from that - Apothica has given you plenty of opportunities to gain entries and here they are:

* One entry for becoming a fan of APOTHICA on FaceBook

* One entry for following @Apothica on Twitter (Earn an extra entry by retweeting the Apothica tweet about this giveaway!)

* Include a comment about Apothica in your comment below for 2 extra entries!

* Opt into the Apothica newsletter (found at the bottom of the Apothica website)

* If you want BIG bonus points - 7 to be exact - post a blog entry about the giveaway and include a link using the word MAKEUP to http://makeup.apothica.com

The most important step! Leave a comment below with your name & email address, along with what you've done to enter. If you don't leave an email - I cant get ahold of you :( so don't forget that part, please!

So there we have it! A few simple steps are between you and all the Apothica makeup and beauty goodness you can handle. The contest will close Tuesday, September 28th! Good luck to everyone & as always - thanks for reading!

Hair Change!

2010-08-21T00:29:00.000-04:00

So as you know - the hair has been bothering me lately. I don't want to do anything too wild and crazy, but I did make somewhat of an impulsive change to my mop-top after coming home from the mall today. I don't know whether it's fall creeping up on me that's making me want to do crazy things - or that I'm just sick of looking the same. Attention span of a fly, folks.

So yes - I rocked the bangs as a young'n:

try not to be too intimidated..

But around I would say - 9th grade - I started doing the side swept thing. I realized today that everyone does the side swept thing... which is fine - but that's soooo not me. Gotta stand out. I'm the idiot who gets the jersey of the hockey player that nobody else has and then he gets traded 4 months later all because I HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT. Why get the star player when eeeverryyoonnee elsseee has the star player's jersey. That's my logic... So as I was innocently trimming my bangs today, I kind of brushed them to the side and they kind of fell in this somewhat-cute way and I thought to myself... well what the hell - what do you have to lose, kell? So I pulled a little snip snip here and a little snip snap there and (now that everyone is thinking of vasectomies):

VOILA!

I'm really diggin' them :)

Suggestions Welcome!

2010-08-12T23:36:00.000-04:00

I get bored easily when it comes to my look. I think it's part of the reason I love makeup so much - I can do something different every single day. I think my desire to constantly be altering things has a lot to do with the fact that I'm just a downright creative person. It's in my blood.

Most of you know that I've had the long blonde locks for quite some time. I like my long hair, and it's not really the length I'm interested in changing. To be quite honest - I'm not really sure what it is that I'm interested in changing. I don't know much about hair, but I know that I want something different.

So what would you ladies suggest? If there's anybody I trust to give me advice on what I should do with my head, it's you beautiful chickas. Color suggestions? Highlights? Lowlights? If you've got hair knowledge - definitely throw your two cents in! So gimme whatcha got, I'm looking to schedule something in the next week or so. Best believe I'll post pictures once the deed is done :) Here's a quick one of what the mop looks like as of late... Nothing too exciting:

Let me know what you guys think!

Comment below or e-mail me at kelspot@gmail.com!

Do You Believe in Miracles?!

2010-08-05T19:44:00.000-04:00

First of all, for those of you out there who read the title of this blog post and thought hockey -

1. i love you

and 2. here is a treat for you:

Moving on - clearly our topic today is miracles. And when we think of makeup - miracle takes on a whole new form. Us gals always want that "miracle" product. That one that's going to make us look flawless, ease our routine, and .. well .. make us look flawless. Bottom line.

Easier said than done, right? I know I've tried about a zillion products that promise to turn me into a walking Marilyn Monroe but I've yet to be mistaken for her on the street. While I can't promise that the product I'm about to talk about will earn you the cover of Cosmo - I can tell you that it will certainly take you closer to that "flawless face" we all crave.

BEHOLD - The Miracle Skin Transformer!

The purpose of this product is to hydrate, enhance skin tone, and protect your skin. You can think of it as kind of a primer/moisturizer/foundation all in one. The consistency reminds me E.L.F.'s mineral primer, except it's colored instead of being clear. Feels very velvet-y. It applies super smoothly and gives your skin that matte, air brushed look in seconds. Pretty sweet, actually. In terms of being able to do full coverage to hide blemishes and dark circles - nottttttt the best.. but if you don't struggle with anything like that - all you'll need is this and your face will look amazing. I just used some concealer over top of it on my trouble spots and I was good to go. Obviously it has benefits like filling in lines and tightening skin, too - but I'm gonna guess 98% of you don't struggle with those issues just yet.

But hey - if mom does, hook her up with this URL.

I was extremely impressed with it, though. It does make your skin look and feel healthier (just sorta gives you a glow) and it does have an SPF in it, too. Love things that have it built in for me since I suck at remembering to put on sun screen. You can order a free sample here and if you really fall in love, you can buy it directly through the same website. Pretty pricey at $48 - but I'd certainly recommend checking out the sample if it sounds like something you'd be into. Different skin tones are available - I tried "light" and it matched me nicely.

Miracle Skin was nice enough to send me out a little sample and some information about the product - so I wanted to give you all the heads up on this sweet new product. Hope you'll check it out (can't beat a free sample) & have a great rest of the week!

Pretty Packaging + Must Have Fall Shades!

2010-08-02T21:20:00.003-04:00

I'm all about packaging - this point has been made numerous times when I walk into the store and buy something strictly based on how it looks. Makeup companies gain major points with me when they create a line that has coordinated & cute packaging. Call me materialistic - but I'm into it. Lately I've been a big believer in the theory that less is more - so the simpler the better.

Two companies stand out to me when I think of that sleek, simple look. Personally, I think the packaging makes these two very affordable brands look and feel very high end. Plus the products inside kick some major boo-tay. These two companies are mark & the studio & mineral lines from e.l.f. and I'm happy to report on 3 products from each that I've been loving lately.

Get A Tint Tinted Moisturizer - $9

Powder Buff Natural Skin Foundation - $10

Save the Day Anti Acne Concealer - $8

First off - how cute is the packaging? I love the lowercase font, the trendy colors, and just how simple everything is. It seriously makes it look like it costs way more than the $8 - $10 prince range they actually run. The products rule, too. The tinted moisturizer is something I've talked about before that gives lightweight coverage while doing your skin good. It's perfect if your skin tone just needs a bit of "evening out". Powder buff is not only great for setting liquid foundation in place - but it's got great, even coverage that it works amazingly solo, as well. Save the day actually works to zap your zits while it's covering them. Ever felt like you're smothering your pimples with more CRAP by putting makeup over top of them? Fear no more - this amazing little concealer stick has magic in it and helps clear your skin while you wear it. Pretty innovative, eh? It's about damn time.

BABY I LIKE IT! I-I-I LIKE IT!

(p.s. everything is available on the mark website)

***

Blushing Rose Studio Blush - $3

Pebble Studio Eyeshadow - $3

Bare Brown Mineral Lipstick - $5

I chose these three colors because I think they're absolute must haves for fall. They've all got that warm undertone to them and since they're all neutrals, they work great with any look - whether it's back to school or business casual. I think warmer colors look so pretty in fall - so I've been searching for some new additions to my collection for the upcoming chilly months :) The little transformation e.l.f. underwent about a year ago is absolutely unreal. Their packaging is INCREDIBLE now - it reminds me a ton of mac. And did you get a load of those prices? I'd never believe those products cost UNDER $10. If you're looking to build up your color arsenal - the studio and mineral lines are absolutely fantastic since you get great stuff for the price tag.

Everything is available online on the E.L.F. website

Have a great rest of the week, chickas!

The Falsies.. And We're Not Talking Boobie Implants

2010-07-30T15:58:00.003-04:00

I don't typically fall for mascara commercials. I don't know if it's the fact that they all promise the same thing, or the fact that you can tell all of the models are wearing fake eyelashes, but I'm usually not inclined to run out and buy a tube. But for some reason, the commercial for Maybelline's newest creation - "The Falsies" - intrigued me big time. Everytime we buy a new mascara, we want one thing - to look like we're wearing fake lashes without actually wearing fake lashes. The falsies promised this and shit - they even incorporated it into their name, so I figured they meant business..

Cut to two days later and I've got it in my posession:

I paid around $6 at CVS because they were having a sale -

but I think it typically runs about $7.50 - $8ish

The brush to this mascara is pretty sweet. This picture doesn't really do it justice - but it curves so that it perfectly curls your lashes while you use it. It's also a lot longer than a typical mascara brush, so it gets every lash. It's not too skinny or too thick, and I didn't have any issues with clumping. It does a good job lifting and separating. Maybelline nailed it with this applicator.

So there's the results for you. My lashes aren't exactly teeny tiny to begin with - but I think "The Falsies" definitely gives you that curled, elongated look that so many of us hope our mascaras can pull off. Since the brush doesn't have super, rubbery bristles like lash blast & doesn't have the big, fluffy brush like badgal lash - I was pretty sketch when I pulled it out of the tube. But like I said, the fact that it's curved & long really helps. I put on about 3 coats here, but you can see that the results are preeeettyy dramatic. I really loved how it looked.

I even wore it to the gym and I didn't notice any flaking or smudging. It is waterproof - which is an absolute must have for me. The only real "dislike" I had was that the curved brush makes it a little bit hard to maneuver to get the bottom lash line, but that wasn't a huge downfall for me since I usually don't even put anything down there. I hate to say it - but I might like this formula a little bit better than lash blast.I've been a loyal lash blaster for what feels like ever, but it might have to step down from the throne. So if you're looking for that full, long, separated lash look - I'd definitely pop into the drug store and pick up a tube. Just don't announce to everyone before you leave that you're heading out to get "falsies".. you might get some weird looks.

July 2010 Favorites Video!

2010-07-21T18:21:00.002-04:00

Don't forget to subscribe to our youtube channel!

5 Beach Vacation Must Haves!

2010-07-20T13:52:00.000-04:00

Well kids, I'm packing up shop & heading to the shore with one of my best friends in the weeee hours of the morning on Thursday. We'll be driving down to Ocean City, MD for the long weekend & I couldn't be more pumped. I haven't been to the beach in a good 3 years - which is way overdue if you ask me. Sure, I went to Vegas 2 summers ago which was crazy, but nothing beats sitting in the sand soaking up the vitamin d. This is the part where we hope the weather doesn't suck.

Either way, I have come up with 5 must have products if you're planning on heading beach-bound this summer, as well. They're 5 easy things to throw in your bag & you can officially declare yourself a beach babe. Now let's remember, kids - just because I don't have the normal things in here like.. CLOTHES, sunscreen, underwear, etc.. does not mean you can forget about bringing them. If you go onto the beach in the nude with no sunscreen on - you will pay the price. And possibly do jail time.

From Left to Right:

Tigi's "Totally Beachin" Body & Waves Styling Mist, Mark's "Get a Tint", Milani Runway Eyes in "Beach Sand", MAC's "Snob", and finally Goody's "Spin Pins"

Totally Beachin is a styling mist by Tigi that is perfect for wet beach hair. I know that if I simply let my hair air dry after the pool, the results are anything but cute. This gets sprayed into damp locks for that texturized, tousled, and full beach hair look without all the frizz. Just spray it in and scrunch. It is a bit tough to find in stores, but you can get it here for $11.39. It's 82% organic, too .. so forget about weird chemicals in your hair. It also has a very beachy scent to it, which I'm a fan of.

Get a Tint is yet another awesome product from Mark. It's a tinted moisturizer that contains SPF15 and evens out your skin tone without the feeling of having a heavy foundation on. Tinted moisturizers are great for summer in general because they keep your skin hydrated and most of them offer sun protection, as well. I hate putting regular sunscreen on my face (feels like smearing chemicals across my nose), so this is a great alternative. If you've got an uneven skin tone, this is going to even out your complexion and keep you feeling confident while you catch rays. Lord knows it can sometimes be tough to go outside with no foundation on, even if you plan on swimming. This will have your back. Get it here for only $9.00!

Beach Sand is from Milani's Runway Eyes collection and is the perfect sparkly neutral for a day in the sun. I'm not much of a HARDCORE SWIMMER, so I still like to have some shimmer on my lids when I go to the pool or the beach. These shadows are crazy sparkly, but the glitter is extremely fine - so you won't look overdone. Light, Shimmery, Neutral colors on your eyes are not only great for enhancing the look of your tan, but they give you that clean, put together look without being over the top. Get it here for $5.99.

Snob is my favorite tan enhancing lipstick ever. This muted light pink color looks great on every skin tone and adds an instant *POP* to even the simplest makeup look. This is great for evenings out when you might not feel like putting much on your sliiightly sunburned face, but you still want to jazz it up a little bit. It's available on the MAC website for $14 and is also a great lippie to try if you've never owned one by MAC before! Such a cute, summery color.

and Finally Spin Pins are the absolute BEST for wild, summer hair. I know I absolutely HATE putting wet hair into a pont tail. It never ever looks cute and I don't know if it's just me but after doing so, I typically feel as though I just completed a weight lifting competition. My arms burn. These spin pins have been discussed by me before - but basically you twist your hair into a bun (low or high), twist these in, and everything stays in place. It's like voodoo magic. You can get them here for $5.99 & I promise you'll thank your lucky stars you did. Even with dry hair that you just want off your neck, these create such a cute little bun that takes 2 seconds to pull off.. Truly an unbeatable hairstyle solution.

Well folks, I'm ready to throw on my shades and catch some rays. Here's to hoping my SPF doesn't fail me.. Enjoy your week/weekends!

Exposed Organics LOTD + Review!

2010-07-17T20:34:00.002-04:00

I have talked about the awesome, all natural beauty brand Exposed Organics on the blog a couple times now. The girl who owns it, Celeste, has become a great friend of mine and above all - they have some seriously amazing products. If you're looking for a brand that's free of harsh chemicals or downright weird ingredients, look no further.

Celeste sent me 4 of her newest shadows to try out and I am in love with these little biotches. I am a big fan of very sparkly shadows that also have great color payoff.. and just for the record - they are slightly tough to come by. So anyways, here are the four colors swatched for you so you can see JUST how colorful and beautious they really are:

The colors are:

Stiletto - a crazy sparkly dark color PERFECT for smokey eyes

Raw - a frosted "almost nude" orange-y pink shade

Platinum - a GORGEOUS glittery silver

Tutu - a frosted pink-y purple with iridescent flecks of sparkle

So I mean, just by the descriptions - you can tell that these are some seriously unique shades. You can wear them either wet or dry and they're all available for purchase on the Exposed Organics website. They're loose pigments, too - so feel free to mix them into nail polishes, lip glosses.. anything your heart desires:

frickin' cute as crap!

So I did a quick look for you guys just to show you how WHAM BAM sparkly "stiletto" and "platinum" are. I'm still convinced the pictures don't do them justice, but I think it gets the point across.

Another lesson learned - turning the flash off gives you a really great "tan".. Just ask Casper the Friendly Ghost over there to the left..

I did use a primer underneath (it's Senna's "totally transforming"), which always helps when you're using loose pigments since it gets them to adhere much better. Another big perk was the fact that I didn't look like I tried to use disco blush after I was done doing my eyes. Some of these glittery shadows get all over my face and then I end up attacking my cheeks with masking tape trying to pull it off. I'm thrilled to announce my cheeks are tape free and my eyes are sparkly and wonderful.

I'd strongly suggest you guys check out the Exposed Organics site since they carry everything from bomb pigments to crazy all natural bath products that you're gonna wanna marry. You can also follow them on twitter (@exposedorganics) for updates on the brand. Thanks to Celeste for the kickass shadows & don't forget to give our website your vote in the Cosmo Blog Awards! We'd love to take the cake in the Beauty Category & it only takes 2 seconds to vote. Mucho appreciated-o.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend, bb's!

Cosmo Blog Awards!

2010-07-17T13:58:00.001-04:00

Hello Ladies!

Upon doing some browsing online during work today (it's been a really busy one.. TRUST ME) - I noticed that the UK version of Cosmo is hosting a little "blog awards" competition and one of the categories *just so happens* to be beauty.

My competitive edge came out.. full force.

I'm asking all of my lovely readers to take the time to go to THIS SITE and enter http://www.unnecessarydrama.net/ for consideration for the beauty category. I know it's a long shot because I know that there are a bajillion beauty blogs out there on the web - but wouldn't it be sweet? Let's represent for all the sarcastic pretty bitches out there, shall we? I like to think my blog is much different than alot of the other "beauty" websites out there, so getting the name out there would be nothing short of phenomenal

So tweet the link (http://tinyurl.com/38mchom), repost on your blog, make a t-shirt - I don't care! Just take the 3 seconds to give us a quick nom in the competition and you'll have my undying gratitude. Which is way better than lipgloss.. Okay - ALMOST better.

A Little Foundation Secret for Summer!

2010-07-15T17:08:00.001-04:00

Since it's been so hot out.. Actually - let me rephrase that. Since it's been so UNBEARABLY SWELTERING outside for the past .. oh .. month a half - I haven't been wearing too much of anything on my face in terms of foundation. Typically, I'm very loyal to the illuminare liquid mineral foundations. They cover great and match my skin tone really nicely. But let's be honest - wearing full coverage, liquid foundation when it's pushing 95 degrees outside with extremely high humidty levels is no walk in the park. You need something lightweight.

So what I've been using has been a combonation of a few items, but the main idea here in the coverage technique I've been using. I've been combining Rain's Dual Mineral Foundation with Clean and Clear's Morning Glow moisturizer and it's absolutely PERFECT for not only hydrating my face, but providing that light coverage without the thick, gloopy feeling of liquid foundation.

Rain's foundation run's $32 and the moisturizer retails for about $5 at most drug stores. Basically, you just need to put a little bit of the lotion on the back of your hand, dip your sponge into it, swipe it into your foundation (this foundation works both wet and dry, so it's a good one for this job), and then apply it to your face. You don't need to go all crazy here, though. I usually apply mine where I'm prone to redness, like my nose, chin, and forehead. The matte quality of the powder will help reduce shiny-ness and the lightweight coverage provides just enough to give your skin an even tone without looking or feeling cake-y. The great thing about the morning glow is that it has a very very subtle pearlescent quality to it that gives your skin a natural looking, healthy glow. It's really a great combonation for summer. The sun can definitely dry out your skin, so this little trick will not only keep your skin hydrated and healthy - it'll allow you get the look you want without feeling like your face is melting off the second you step outside.

Aside from that, I usually hit my under eye circles with some Erase Paste ($26 by benefit) and touch up any pesky blemishes with benefit's industrial strength concealer "Boi-ing" ($18). You can even go eyemakeupless and still achieve an even skin tone by simply applying some eyelid primer to your naked lids. Eyelids can tend to look red and discolored (especially if you suffer from allergies) - so choose a skin toned primer like Senna's Totally Transforming Eye Primer ($22). You can go for some bronzer for definition but if you're doing this little trick right, your skin should still show it's naturally tanned glow!

I hope you all are staying cool in this hot hot heat!

Go Girl Energy + An Exciting Announcement!

2010-07-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

Me and energy drinks have a rocky past. I remember when I first tried red bull back in like 10th grade - I took one sip and I was like ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I thought it tasted terrible! And I mean, it still does taste terrible, I guess I've just kind of gotten used to dealing with it. I've tried the monster and all the other crazy brands and although I've found a few that don't taste like total crap - I feel like they all kick me into overdrive & I wind up feeling like I'm seconds from stepping onto stage at Radio City Music Hall naked all day long. Can't deal with that.

So when "Go Girl" sent me a big ol' box in the mail full of their energy drinks designed especially for women - I was really excited to give them a go. And even better - they support breast cancer awareness, as well as ovarian cancer research. Really an awesome company to support. Here are their 3 amazing flavors and a little review on each of them:

Go Girl: The original go girl is a sugar free energy drink that has a light carbonated, almost strawberry-ish taste and doesn't feel heavy and syrupy like most energy drinks do. It has less than 5 calories, 1 gram of carbs, and it contains a mild apetetite supressant that's all natural (no weird chemicals here). It absolutely gave me a little boost, but I didn't get that overwhelming, heart racing jolt that most other "energy" drinks promise. I also love that it doesn't have that weird after taste that alot of the competitors do. It's actually very refreshing and would even be great for after a workout.

Go Girl Glo: First off, the flavor combo here is unbeatable: starfruit and pomegranate - it is SO light and delish. The nice thing about this one is that it has slightly less caffeine than the original Go Girl, but more than your typical can of pop - so it's great for a mid day boost when you don't want to be bouncing off the walls at 9pm when you're trying to wind down. Never once did I feel jittery. 35 Calories, plus it's got herbal elements that are good for your heart, body, mind, and even your skin! Who said energy drinks couldn't make you beautiful, eh?

Go Girl Bliss: This awesome peach tea flavored drink isn't carbonated, but still provides you with a little kick of energy like the carbonated ones above. This is a great choice for those of you who prefer an all natural route to energy since the "caffeine" element comes from special tea leaves. The caffeine (since it comes from a plant) gets distributed evenly throughout your body and gives what the website calls a "blissful feeling".. Doesn't that just sound awesome? It's sweetened with agave and once again only 35 calories. Great for those of you who are looking for a non-carbonated option.

Go Girl is available online and there's also a product locator tool to see if it's sold in any stores near you. There is a $10 sampler pack of all three I mentioned above if you wanna give all of them a little try. I hope that you guys will give them a go & if you do - let me know what you think!

And aside from that - ol' kellster over here has a new job! Just found out this morning & I couldn't be happier. I'll be leaving my desk job and going back to doing what I love - working with kids! I have a job as a full time nanny starting August 2nd & I'm very excited :) Thanks to all of you who sent me good vibes on twitter - you really came through in the clutch for me! xo Love you guys.

Eyeko Nailpolish & Graffiti Eyeliner!

2010-06-20T15:38:00.001-04:00

The cutest company on earth (better known as Eyeko) sent me a couple things from across the pond to try out and report on for you guys. I had never tried the brand before, and I had only heard it mentioned on other blogs a few times - so I was pretty excited to see what it was all about. They sent me over some of their "must have" nail colors, as well as one of their new products - the graffiti eyeliner pen.

I am a huge fan of liquid eyeliner pens. It's seriously like lining your eyes with a marker - you get awesome control and the color payoff is usually fantastic. It's great for people who like the look of liquid liner but might have trouble keeping their hand steady enough to apply it with a brush. Personally, my hands shake uncontrollably - so this works out for me :o)

Available here for $8.00 .. I tried out the Navy Blue one.

Like I said, you get great color pay off and the navy blue really POPS. It's not a typical navy that borderlines the look of black once you put it on. It's a deep blue, but it's not dark by any means. I've got blue eyes and it enhances them really nicely. The tip of the pen is sort of flexible, as well. So it's great for doing winged out edges because it's easy to "flick". If you're looking to try out liquid liner pens for the first time - this is a great product to start with. The lid snaps on, as well - which keeps it from getting dried out too quickly, which is a major bonus for me.

Now although I had never tried them before - all of the blog posts I read in the past about Eyeko have focused on their nail polishes. Apparently these little buggers have become somewhat of a "cult classic" product and I'm happy to say that I agree to how awesome they are. I tried out 3 shades:

Posh Polish, Tea Rose Polish, & Petite Polish

(all 3 are available in a set with 2 others here for $21)

I really loved these polishes because of how well they covered in just one coat. I didn't notice any streakiness or anything, and I actually painted over a french manicure that I'd gotten with the Tea Rose polish & check out after just one coat (there is a glitter topcoat overtop):

You really can't see the white tips AT ALL! And please bear with the fact that this is a blackberry pic because my camera battery is currently charging :) I was very impressed with the color payoff & the 3 colors are extremely WEARABLE shades. Tea Rose is a beautiful dark pink, Petite is a very girly light pink (which is one of those colors that gives you an instant HAND TAN), and Posh is a very chill brown color that's an awesome neutral to have in your collection. Brushes aren't too fluffy and the bottles are cool, too since they're not the "typical" nail polish bottle shape. Loved these polishes & I'd reccomend all 3 of these pretty pretty shades :)

If you're inerested in checking out Eyeko - make sure you enter the code E8814 when placing your order for a free gift! They've also got some pretty good free shipping deals going on now, as well! Let me know what you're planning on trying & I'll talk to you all soon! MWAH xo

Clean Teeth Courtesy of Toothsoap!

2010-06-17T10:56:00.002-04:00

Let me start this post off by saying that when I was contacted by the company I'm about to talk about, I was skeptical. A brand called tooth soap? It was pretty hard to shake the following image out of my head for some reason:

"ohhh..... fuuuuuuu..dge."

Regardless, I am happy to announce that reviewing this product did not involve me sucking on a bar of soap. What Tooth Soap is is an all natural product that you use on a wet toothbrush that cleans teeth and gums perfectly, and actually improves your dental health. It's not your traditional toothpaste either. It comes in a bottle that reminds me of something that a mad scientist would have:

You just put a few drops on your toothbrush, and brush regularly

I'll warn you guys that this doesn't have the MINTY FRESH BLAST that most toothpastes have. I have the spearmint kind (there's a shit ton of different flavors, so you'll find something you like) and while I can get a "hint of mint", you don't walk away from the sink smacking your numbed, tingly, mint-stricken lips. I don't really mind it though because seriously - I can't explain to you how clean your teeth feel. I know this sounds weird, but when I first used it - I sat at work all day running my tongue over my teeth because they legit felt cleaner than after I go to the dentist (minus all the gum pain from the hygienist violently flossing my teeth). Another thing I noticed was that it brightens your teeth naturally, and if you use it before bed - your mouth feels about half as disgusting as it usually does when you wake up in the morning. It honestly CLEANS your entire mouth because it foams up pretty good and isn't in a paste form that just gets dragged across the surface of your teeth. I hope my explanation does it justice because it's some seriously wonderful stuff..

I also had the pleasure of trying out their natural whitening product called tooth brightener. I've been using it every other day and I can already notice a difference. Not only does it get rid of common, everyday stains (from coffee, tea, wine, etc..) - you can mix up a little paste with it and apply it to the stains that have been there for awhile (taunting you everytime you look in the mirror.. those little sonofabees). It's just in powder form - so once again, you sprinkle it on a wet toothbrush and go to town:

So whether you guys are looking to take a little bit better care of your pearly whites or you're just looking for something new and cool to try - you've got to get some tooth soap in your life. You can visit their website and check out their whole line of awesome products (there's plenty more than the 2 I just mentioned). I'd absolutely positively reccomend both the tooth soap and the tooth brightener if you need some suggestions. I hope that you guys enjoyed the review and obviously (as always) let me know if you have any questions about anything! Oh and follow toothsoap on twitter at @toothsoap. They always have cool stuff going on!

Love!

Dollar Store Luxury for Lips

2010-06-14T12:21:00.003-04:00

I have a pretty kickass dollar store nearby to where I work. It provides the sweet ass candy bowls on my desk, as well as the amazing laffy taffy that goes into the sweet ass candy bowl. Like many other retailers, the dollar store has used the "hey look at this this sweet stuff right next to the register that you could easily add to your haul while you stand in line" tactic. I see you, dollar store. I see you.

So anyways, went there last week to stock up on the good ol' laffy taffy & BOOM - they got me. And after a week of using this little gem, boooyyy am I glad that they did:

Blistex "Raspberry Lemonade Blast"

Clearly, this only cost me $1

Now typically I hate the smell of Blistex and was never really a big fan of it. A little too much of a "medication" scent for me. BUT - I am an avid lover of anything raspberry scented and when you combine it with my favorite beverage.. you have a winner. I figured it was only a buck so I bought it. If it sucked, I could pitch it and there would be no hard feelings between me and the dollar store. Luckily, I opened it and used it once and the smell alone was enough to make me cherish it. Not only does it smell exactly like raspberry lemonade (we're talking absolutely NO weird aftersmell or anything), it has a little bit of a fruity taste to it, as well. Nothing too overwhelming, but it's better than the taste of bland, chemically wax on your lips, right?

I have a problem with the.. like - inner part of my lip getting flaky. It's hard to explain, but I'm sure there are others out there who have a similar gripe. Anytime I put any type of lipstick on, the part of my lip going in towards my mouth looks a little flaky. It's annoying and quite a bitch to get rid of. Well - it was a bitch to get rid of because after a week of using some magical raspberry lemonade blistex wonder, IT'S GONE! It's a goddamn miracle! My lips have never been softer or smoother and I am really happy that this product not only smells great, BUT WORKS! It also has SPF 15 in it, so this is absolutely my new go-to summer lip balm. Amazing smell, actually does what it says, and sun protection.

You got me.

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There's Absolutely No Excuse

2010-06-07T16:55:00.008-04:00

Some of you may have heard about this, but when I saw this earlier today - I was seriously infuriated.

For those of you who are unaware of the store, Urban Outfitters is a retailer that sells everything from clothes to shit for your apartment. I never had a real problem with them, but it bothers me how they try really painfully hard to be trendy in that artsy, "oh-look-at-me-wearing-a-blazer-with-pajama-pants-because-I'm-so-hippie-chic" type of way. If you shop there, that's all well and good, but they've officially ticked me off in a whole new way.

Although they pulled this lapse in judgement from their website, the fact that it even happened says enough about their company to make me forget they ever existed. Let's not forget that it can still be purchased in stores, though:

Eat. Less.

Are you seriously kidding me???

If anyone has any connections to the company,

PLEASE feel free to send them the following words

COURTESY OF KELL:

Dear Urban Outfitters (and Richard Hayne - your noble chairman),

As an extremely popular retailer not only in the United States, but in several other countries around the world - I would think you would have a grip on who makes up your main customer demographic. You focus in on the 18-30 age group and obviously, you've taken interest in "connecting" with your shoppers since your website states: Our established ability to understand our customers and connect with them on an emotional level is the reason for our success. So you understand your customers, right? You know what they like and what types of lifestyles they lead, correct? Would you say you realize that people in that age group, especially women, are extremely impressionable - especially when it comes to brand names and the media? I know - you probably know all of this since you have already established the ability to connect with them on an emotional basis ... but if you don't mind, I'd like to share something with you that you clearly do not know about your target demographic:

- 1 out of every 100 young women between 10-20 years old is starving herself, sometimes to death.

- Four percent (4%), or 4 out of 100, college-age women have bulimia.

- Approximately 1-2% of late adolescent or adult women suffer from bulimia.

- During the last 30 days, 6.3% of students nationwide had taken diet pills, powders, or liquids without a doctor’s advice to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight.

- Nationwide, 12.3% of high school students had gone without eating for 24 hours or more to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight during the last 30 days.

(courtesy of sadd.org)

I know you've pulled the shirt from the website, but just like you can't unsay something stupid that's already come out of your mouth - I will make sure people don't forget about this little "oopsie daisy". What exactly was the point of this shirt? You're doing business in a world that is constantly trying to reassure the 18-30 year olds to embrace their inner beauty, live healthy lifestyles, and be confident ... and you're selling this? Are you trying to set us back? Eating disorders kill thousands of people every year - mainly females in your demographic. So before you open your mouth and start spouting to the public that you understand your customers on an emotional level, try not to sell a shirt that promotes a potentially deadly disorder that over 8 million Americans alone suffer from everyday.

I will never set foot into one of your stores again.

Sincerely,

Kell

Early Birthday Presents I'm Loving!

2010-06-05T15:20:00.002-04:00

I say all the time that I have had the best luck when it comes to blogging. I meet awesome people, I get to work with awesome companies, and it's just been such a great experience overall. I got to know a reader a little while back named Anita (www.youtube.com/fyiexplains) and we got to be pretty good buddies, e-mail each other regularly, and all that jazz. Well Miss Anita was super sweet enough to send me a birthday (which happens to be tomorrow - June 6th!) present and I about died when she sent me two of my most wanted items.

I have had my eyes on Dr. Feel Good (by Benefit) since I tried it out in Ulta like 2 months ago and about died about how awesome it is. For those of you unaware, it's basically like a balm for your face that makes it smooth as silk, matte, and just all around amazing. It's got vitamins and all that jazz in it, so it's good for you, too. It comes with a sponge so you can pat it on over makeup without smearing anything, but it's great to apply to a bare face since it makes your skin feel SUPER soft. I'll definitely be putting this on after the pool or at the beach when I skip on the foundation because it gives your skin a really smooth, clean look without any color. It smells a little bit like citronella which is weird, but I don't mind it. Kind of summery. They call it a "complexion balm" which makes total sense because it is definitely a "perfecting" product. If you have an Ulta nearby, stop in and try it out. Seriously wonderful stuff.

Me and the NYX "Milk" pencil have been playing hide n seek for the past.. oh.. year or so? I hate ordering stuff online when there is a retailer near me and I only want one thing. Sorry, but I wasn't paying $10 for this pencil when I could get it for $5 if I just put some effort into finding it. Problem was, apparently Pittsburgh and NYX have a contract where their displays are not allowed to be any bigger than a matchbox car. Weird, right? There also must be some kind of clause that says that 9 out of 10 of the products in the display MUST be manhandled by a toddler with a sinus infection. Another one that seemed odd to me. So needless to say, I could not find this son-of-a ANYWHERE. And when I did.. not sanitary. Thanks to Anita, I now own it and WOW, probably one of my favorite eye products ever. It's a matte white and it goes on VERY opaque. The great thing about it is that it blends out (or "smokes out") very easily. It's really creamy once the heat of your skin hits it. Great as a base, great for the corners of your eyes, great for basically everything. Just one of those sweet multi-purpose products that I am so happy to call my own now. I rave about these jumbo pencils all the time, and if you don't own one - now's the time.

Aside from those, Anita sent me some kickass lipgloss which have wandered their way into my heart, as well. I want to say thank you to her once again & encourage you all to check her out on youtube at www.youtube.com/fyiexplains. She does product reviews and OOTD's and fun stuff like that :o) I hope you're all enjoying your weekends & I'll talk to you all soon!

Smell My Finger. No Seriously, Smell It.

2010-06-03T15:37:00.002-04:00

Let me first take a brief moment to appologize for that disgusting title, but seriously - I couldn't resist. We're going to move on from that temporary lapse in judgement and get to the reason that it even happened.

The Revlon "Scents of Summer" Nail Collection

Apparently these aren't exactly "new" since the article states that this is the 2nd year for these, but it's all very fresh to me. Not gonna lie - I think the scents are pretty appealing since there's a cotton candy and a bubblegum one (two of my FAVORITE schmells ever), but I am still skeptical. Nail polish is probably one of the most strong, chemically smelling substances on the planet earth. I can't count how many times I've been painting my nails and my mom comes home and asks me if I'm embalming a body. I'm skeptical that these are going to smell kind of like how your house smells after you cook fish and then spray cheap air freshner. It smells like fruit with a lovely undertone of rankness. Nothing like the sweet smell of rankness.

I mean obviously I'm hoping for the best here because I would love nothing more than to sit here smelling my nails at my desk all day, but one can't help but have their predetermined opinions when it comes to shit like this. They claim you'll still be able to smell it even through a topcoat, but I'm almost positive you'd have a side of rankness if you tried that. I am smelling the smell right now in my head and I am sensing a headache. Nothing like the sweet scent of chemical injected cotton candy on a hot summers day. They're coming out in July 2010 and trust me, I'm buying one. You'll be hearing about it.

In other news, let's talk about how Revlon hasn't updated their packaging since 1993.

Winners & Weekends!

2010-06-01T20:38:00.000-04:00

Well ladies.. it has been quite the memorial day weekend for your girl over here. I'm not sure that I have ever been busier in my entire life.. seriously. It's not a bad thing - but it sure did make my 3 day weekend fly right on by. I kicked off the madness Friday by doing makeup for some absolutely beautiful ladies for prom & I'm proud to say that Kelli ended up with a gorrrgeous look thanks to a little bling courtesy of glamour doll eyes .. we did almost a little hybrid of the two looks I posted before, and I think it turned out really pretty:

and obviously - her dress was gorgeous as all hell ..

and yes, I am grabbing her boob in that middle picture.

I'm gonna miss doing her makeup every year :(

THEY GROW UP SO FAST! .. WAAAHHH!!

Anyways, the rest of the weekend was picnic packed, and for the first time ever - me and my girls Julia and Molly cooked for all of the boys. Would have helped to know that the grill was broken before we made 30 hamburgers and then had to cook them all on a goddamn skillet on the stove - but HEY! We pulled it off. I'd like to thank these two divas for their wonderfulness this weekend:

Love 'em.

And in conclusion, I'm going to announce the winner of the MAC lipstick giveaway which issssss..

Ashley of Lipstick & Candy Cigarettes

Congrats, my love! Thank you to everyone who entered & keep your eyes peeled for more giveaways coming up real soon. I also have some amazing reviews coming up for you guys & some videos, as well! My birthday is on Sunday - so I'm gonna do some hauls, too (since my wonderful love Anita already sent me some goodies! :D) .. I'll be talking to you lovely ladies soon xo

TokiDoki Bastardino Palette Review

2010-05-24T18:37:00.003-04:00

I seriously need to go to therapy for my packaging addiction. I swear to god, if Ulta sold dog terds in pink sparkly tubes with fake diamonds on the lid - I would probably consider. It's a serious serious issue that I've developed.

So of course when Sephora introduced this new brand to their arsenal called "tokidoki".. I took one look at their little portion of the website and BOOM. Hook line SUNK. Apparently this brand has other crap aside from makeup but I've never heard of it. It reminds me of like a punk-ish glam-rock japanese brand. Very colorful, very fun, and very eye catching. It's not the norm, and god knows that I'm all about things that aren't the norm.

So I decided to get one of their quads just because I felt like it was a good way to try everything and you got a little keychain thing with it, so that was cute. They have a bunch of weird little characters that their products are named after - so that makes it fun. The keychain is about the size of a thumb-tack, though - which was very disappointing to see in person since I saw it on the website and convinced myself that it was fairly large. WRONG. This is why I stop myself from buying everything online. ANYWAYS, Went and picked up the "bastardino" (who is a small dog/cactus looking creature) quad today for $25 and here are some shots for you:

The palette itself is pretty bulky because the little bottom compartment is where they put the keychain thing. Since it's the size of a thumbtack - it could probably have a small party down there with the rest of it's miniature keychain friends. I guess you could put something down there (like.. umm.. some change?) but it just seems a little unnecessary to me. But whatever - I'll find some use for it. Hair ties. There we go. Oh and peep bastardino himself on the palette lid.

This is definitely a neutral kind of "earth tone" palette. They call it a "cromatico" palette, I'm assuming, because 3 out of 4 of the colors have sort of a "chrome" look to them. You get a little brush with it - but I'll never use it because it's teeny tiny. The shadows are a decent size, though - which is nice.

Now I was seriously expecting these to be way way wayy more pigmented - but they sort of let me down. I know I didn't apply them over a primer or anything, but judging by the way the brand promotes itself - I expected these to be BAM POP POW colors. They're more muted, which I guess isn't a bad thing since it makes them more wearable - but whatever. Just not what I expected. The carnivora color is good for highlights since it's a sheer, frosted beige color. Riposino is a lot like midnight cowboy from Urban Decay - just the glitter specks aren't as big .. it's more a subtle shimmer. Probably my favorite color in this palette. They gave you a nice matte brown color (mummetto) and topped you off with the pop of color that is bastardino. It's a sheer green color that has flecks of gold through it. It's a pretty color - I just expected it to be more pigmented.

If I had bought this and loved it - I was totally mentally prepared to buy the other 2 quads they have (one is a smokey black/white/silver and the other is a funky black/pink/purple). I'm not sure if I'll be scooping up other tokidoki palettes now just because they're.. good not great. They're fun packaging and they seem like a cute brand - but I'm not blown away by the quality. They have some cool eyeliner pens in funky colors and some pretty glitter pencil liners - but I'm sketch! Definitely wanted something from them to add to my sweet packaging collection but unfortunately - I don't think I'll be building up this arsenal :o\

Great Products to Create Beachy Waves!

2010-05-24T18:12:00.000-04:00

Quick video post on 3 products I've recently been loving that allow you to create quick and easy beach waves! These obviously work best if you already have a bit of a wavy texture to your hair, but if you purchase curl goddess (available on www.meetmark.com) - it'll help to activate any wave you have, even if you have fairly straight hair.

Help Kelli Choose a Prom Look!

2010-05-21T17:44:00.000-04:00

So for those of you who haven't been readers for awhile, I do makeup every year for a few girls for prom and homecoming. The dance is coming up next week and my good friend Kelli (sweet name, right?) had me do a "trial run" to try and decide what direction we wanted to go in terms of eye makeup.

I did two different looks on her and we're having a tough time deciding - so I figured who better to turn to than my loyal and gorgeous readers, right? RIGHT. Here's a a picture of her dress so you have an idea of what we're trying to match to:

Hotness!

So onto the good stuff.. Here are the two different looks.

Let us know if you like "Darker" or "Bluer" better by commenting below!

Oh! And remember - she'll have fake lashes on, too..
We just threw a little liq liner on the edges
to darken up her lash line for the pictures :)

Here's a little closer look -

(we had to throw a little vogue in there)

We appreciate your help, bb's! xo

The 3 Deadly Sins of Eyeliner

2010-05-20T15:00:00.002-04:00

Eyeliner is a great tool when it comes to enhancing your eyes. Let's clear that up before this post takes a turn for the worst. It's meant to enhance your eyes, not smother them. It's a great way to darken up your lash line, add definition, and make your eyes appear wider.

I am starting to think that states need to start making girls take a test in order to be allowed to wear eyeliner - because holy CRAP. I have seen some flippin' DISASTERS.

I understand that eyeliner is a hard one to master. I'll admit that when I first started wearing makeup, I avoided liner like the plague because of one bad experience. It's not exactly natural to place a pencil basically IN your eyeball - but like everything else, practice makes perfect. My issue here isn't with the girls who openly admit they suck at eyeliner, it's with the ones who think they are good at eyeliner and are actually the ones committing these beauty-related felonies. If you can't do eyeliner and you know you can't do eyeliner, baby - it's gonna be okay. Breathe. Right now, I'm going to show you right now the 3 things you need to avoid in order to maintain somewhat of a decent look going on in and around the eyes. As long as you steer clear of these masterpieces, you're gonna be fine just fine.

Sin Number 1 - The Cat Tail

There is a big.. and I mean BIG.. difference between doing a winged out edge and committing the sin I prefer to refer to as "the cat tail". The cat tail consists of simply drawing a line anywhere from a half an inch to an inch STRAIGHT outward from your lashline. It's not thick and it's not thin.. it's just - a stupid LINE. A "winged out" look is meant to give your eyes more shape and define them. You keep it close to your lashline and you just angle the liner up SLIGHTLY upwards. It's meant to look chic. I'm curious as to what the girls wearing this look think this does for them. The only shape it's creating is a random horizontal line poking out from the corner of your eyeball and the only thing it's defining is the fact that you might have no idea what you're doing with an eyeliner pencil. I also want to add that many a chick who commits this sin are also guilty of the disco on my browbone trend. A true match made in heaven if you ask me.

Sin Number 2 - The Close But No Cigar

This one is my personal favorite. Basically, the "close but no cigar" consists of a mysterious floating line positioned way too far above the lash line. I am 100% confident that this is due to the fear of stabbing yourself in the eye with the pencil - but I can promise you that the number of girls who have gone blind due to eyeliner stabs to the cornea is probably pretty low. In fact, it's probably 0. This does nothing flattering at all. ever. period. It's downright confusing. And the funny thing is, I see a lot of older girls do this (and by older I mean like 20's & 30's). It's just lazy to me. You couldn't have taken the additional 15 seconds to concentrate on what you were doing to make even a little tighter of a line? Was it worth it? Did you spend that extra time you saved by drawing a random line 1/4ths of the way up your eyelid doing something AWESOME???? Touching your eyelashes with the pencil is not going to make them spontaneously combust - that I can assure you of.

and finally -

Sin Number 3 - The Black Line of Death

I don't like hooker-esque eye makeup, ESPECIALLY eyeliner. Personally, I think a TON of eyeliner looks trashy and it actually makes your eyes look SMALLER, totally defeating it's purpose. The "black line of death" is probably the most common amongst those who think they are makeup gurus when in fact they're committing heinous felonies like this on a daily basis. A line.. actually, excuse me - CHUNK of jet black eyeliner that goes halfway up your eyelid is not okay. I see that you winged it out, nice touch - but you still look like an idiot. I'm not sure who put it into the heads of these divas that a lot of eyeliner is sexy (we can probably thank Jenna Jameson) - but I can assure you that it's a very dated look and it makes you look like you have creepy little raccoon eyes in pictures. Lay off.

I hope that some of you agree with me on these looks and for those of you who struggle with liner - I'll do a little tutorial soon that offers up some tips and tricks that might make it easier for you. Remember that you can touch your eyelashes with the pencil and that less is almost always more. Hang in there, bb's, & I'll talk to you soon!

Rain Cosmetics Review!

2010-05-19T21:11:00.000-04:00

I've had the best luck in the world when it comes to companies asking me to review products. I usually am holding my breath HOPING that whatever they send me doesn't suck - and I've yet to be let down. Rain Cosmetics is the maker of probably some of the hottest looking makeup packaging to ever exist. I opened the box and my eyes freakin' lit up. They say they make the "prettiest makeup in the world" and shit, they are not lying. They're out of Vegas so their products are humidity and heat friendly, too - which I think is so so so cool and innovative. They are a high end brand so their prices are a bit higher than most, but you get great quality products in beauuuutiful packaging.

I decided to do a video on these products since I feel like videos show off packaging more than just regular ol' pictures do. My favorite products was their Rain Proof Mascara which made my lashes look BEAUTIOUS. It's a lifting mascara that also has some of the best separating qualities I've ever seen. Just a super great brand all around & I hope you guys enjoy the review below!

Products Can be Purchased at www.raincosmetics.com !!

Subscribe to our youtube channel here <3

Super Easy & Cute Hair Thanks to Spin Pins

2010-05-18T15:04:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you guys, but when I wake up in the morning at 7:30 for work - I typically don't feel like spending an hour curling my ends to perfection just so I can sit at my desk all day. Who do I have to impress at work - my 72 year old co-worker? Sure, I want to look nice - but I don't need prom hair. I go for simplistic hair styles that I can do in a couple minutes and I'm good to go with a few spritz's of hairspray.

This is where the bun comes into play.

I'm not a fan of regular ol' ponytails cuz either I feel like I'm 11 when I have them in or I look like I'm going to the gym. I do the messy bun most of the time at home, but I can't really show up to work with something atop my noggin that looks like a cross between a furball and an octopus. I like the look of low buns just because you can dress them up or down. The problem is - without the right equipment, you can also end up with a head full of hairspray and bobby pins which totally defeats the whole "simple and cute" theme we have going..

This is where my new obsession comes into play:

BEHOLD! The Almighty SPIN PINS!

($5.99 at drugstores & wherever you typically buy Goody products)

I did a segment on these in one of my videos a little while ago and I've been in love with them ever since. You can get them in blonde, brunette, or red & they work great with all types of hair. I'd say you'll need at least shoulder length to make them work, though. Basically what you do is twist your hair into a bun (kind of around itself) and then corkscrew one of these little suckers down through. You don't need a hair tie or additional pins because the spiral shape grabs all the hair and holds it to your head. I'll admit - it took me a few tries to get it perfect, but once you get the hang of it - you're gonna be hooked. They're perfect for summer when you just want your hair up off your neck and you can easily sass your bun up with hair accessories for a dressier look.

I just threw a bow in there since I had a pink undershirt on & I'm a matchy matchy freak, but you could easily do the bun alone if you wanted to. You can't see the pin at all and it's such a cute way to wear your hair. Mine is a bit off to the side & I always pull a little bit of hair out just cuz I'm not a big fan of the "perfect" hair look, but you could easily make it sleek. I think these are such a great investment & for only $5.99 (for two!) - you seriously can't lose!

I Seriously Have a Crush on These Brushes

2010-05-17T19:36:00.000-04:00

Makeup brushes aren't typically items I spend my time ooh-ing and aah-ing over. Sure, I love them and they're pretty essential in my daily life.. but usually I'm obsessing over lipgloss or eyeshadow or some other wonderfully sparkly product. But thanks to the folks over at Cliche cosmetics - I am officially in love with this brush set they sent me to review. Big time love. The real deal kind.

I'm a packaging whore, we all know this. So if you want to guarantee that I'll love something - make it cute and even better - make it zebra print:

... are you trying to seduce me, Cliche???

This super adorable brush set runs $25.00 and I am happy to announce that they're quality brushes, as well. Love when things are cute and they don't suck. They remind me a lot of E.L.F. brushes (which just so happen to be some of my favorites) and they come in a super convenient clear carrying case. But seriously - how hot are these? I've been using the eyeshadow brush everyday & the face brush is great for doing highlights and contouring since it's not too too fluffy. Super soft, too - which always makes me happy :o) A great set to pick up if you're looking to expand your brush collection & get a little bit of everything.

Cliche also took the time to send me a few other products to try, including one of their customizable eyeshadow palettes & a sample of their minty fresh lip glaze. They have a ton of shadow colors available to customize palettes and they're super pigmented and long lasting. A 6 pan palette (2 large and 4 small) is only $35.00 which is a great deal for a full palette. They do have a few professionally designed ones already made if you're looking for coordinated color schemes. They have a bunch of "HD" colors, too - which are SUPER bright and have glitter in them - making them perfect for dance teams, cheer squads, performers, etc...

Lip Glaze is a clear, fresh, minty lipgloss that is PERFECT for going overtop of matte lipsticks to add a little bit of sheen. Plus, the mint scent is pretty intense - so it gives you fresh breath, too! A full size tube is $10.00 and makes a great addition to any makeup collection since it's so versatile.

So if you guys are interested - head over to www.clichecosmetics.com and check out all that this fun brand has to offer. And for goodness sakes - get a set of those schexy brushes!!

Products for a Flawless Face

2010-05-13T13:10:00.002-04:00

You guys ask me a lot of questions about what "daily routine" products I use. Even though I don't stick to the same foundation and bronzer and concealer and what not all year round - I decided to make a video going over my swear by (and most used) face products that I think help me achieve what I consider to be a "flawless face". I hate doing long posts on multiple products, so I wrapped everything into one neatly packaged video for you. I'll post links below on where to purchase all the products seen in this video and I hope that it answered some of your questions. Let me know if you have any comments or concerns and don't forget to subscribe to our youtube channel at www.youtube.com/unnecessarydrama .. Love ya, bitches!

Products used: Veil Mineral Primer: www.hourglasscosmetics.com
Illuminare Mineral Foundation: www.illuminarecosmetics.com
Some Kind of Gorgeous: www.benefitcosmetics.com
Confessions of a Concealaholic: www.benefitcosmetics.com
Translucent Mattifying Powder: www.eyeslipsface.com
Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzer: www.toofaced.com
Gotta Glow Blush: www.eyeslipsface.com
High Beam: www.benefitcosmetics.com Thank you for reading, babes!

Disco On My Browbone.. YOU'RE INVITED!

2010-05-09T12:48:00.005-04:00

Now I'm all about experimenting with your makeup looks every now and then. If you wanna try a new color, do something different with the eyeliner, etc... I'm all about that. I love playing around with different looks and it's always nice when you discover something new actually looks really fantastic on you. But as me and my friend Julia sat at Primanti Brothers last night watching the pens game - she brought up a subject that we both agreed we hated and we both agreed is plauging facebook pictures left and right.

This brings me to my main point: there is a fine FINE line between putting a highlight color on your brow bone and transforming yourself into something along the lines of, oh, say.... this:

or maybe even ...

I'm pretty sure even Snooki would be ashamed.

Thankfully, I do not know these gems in real life (you can thank Google Images), but I see their loyal followers every freakin' day. Repeat after me ladies: metallic silver does not belong on the brow bone. A shimmery SUBTLE silver color used simply as a highlight up there that you can hardly see because it's a freaking HIGHLIGHT? Yes, this is ok. Take this for example, it's a silver highlight without looking like she let her 5 year old sister do her makeup in the dark:

IT'S SUBTLE! Do you see that ladies? The lovely Jen from frmheadtotoe.com still has a highlight going on, but it's not giving me the - "there's a disco on my browbone .. grab your platform shoes and HUSTLE ON OVER." It compliments her look - doing exactly what it's supposed to. APPLAUSE APPLAUSE APPLAUSE!

Sometimes even the more opaque white-ish colors up there don't look nearly as bad.. but when you're going for full on WHITE or full on SILVER - sorry, bby - but you're not looking cute. I'm not even positive about the look that platinum brow bones is attempting to create. Like, are you thinking "okay, I will totally look like a mature club-goer if I wear this to a party. Guys will look at me and say - yeah look at her hot sexy metal brow bones. Break me off a piece of that." In reality, those girls in the corner are calling you "bozo" and that kid you thought you were seducing just told his friends that your shiny new brow bones were blinding him everytime the light hit them the wrong way. There's nothing cute about this look. Nothing. Im all about a dramatic smokey eye on the lid, but keep the party down there. There's no need to add a second floor. And what kills me is that 90% of the girls that do this don't even bother with another color. They use the same BRIGHT ASS SILVER color on the lid, in the crease, and then they just take it ALL the way up to the eyebrow. WHAT IS THAT?!?!? It's not quite as bad when there's at least a darker color in the crease or something to break up the madness - but it's still not okay. The entire point of highlighting your brow bone is to brighten your EYES and give your look some depth. When you throw all the action up there, you do the total and complete opposite. You fail. Don't pass go, don't collect $200, just go home and wash your face.

I know you ladies know what I'm talking about, too. So share with me what you think of this look that needs to be banished to the underworld. Cheers to knowing how to correctly highlight your browbone & not taking part in this horrid, terrible trend. It doesn't make you look older. It doesn't make you look hotter. It just makes you look like you don't know how to do your flippin makeup.

Kell's Favorite Things Giveaway Winner

2010-05-08T10:33:00.000-04:00

First off, I wanted to thank everyone who entered the giveaway. I've had the pleasure of talking to so many of my wonderful readers via e-mail and comments and you are all such lovely, lovely girls. I could not ask for a better following, which makes giving you guys free stuff even more rewarding :o) With that being said, it really makes my day when my random number generator chooses the number of a girl that I feel is totally TOTALLY deserving of winning one of my giveaways. She seriously put her heart and soul into entering this giveaway (trust me, I read every single one of her tweet entries) and it makes me very happy to announce that the lovely Anita (aka fyiexplains) is the winner of my "Favorite Things" giveaway.

I'm going to ask Anita to pwetty pwetty pleaseee make a video for me talking about all of the products she was sent so I can link it on here! And all those extra entries bloggers always talk about gaining by tweeting & posting - they pay off, friends! Just ask Anita ;o)

Thanks a TON to everyone that entered & I look forward to hosting another one of these puppies for you guys super super soon! Thanks for reading & enjoy whats left of the weekend!

Glamour Doll Eyes Review!

2010-05-07T12:55:00.001-04:00

For anyone who makeup stalks on the internet, you've definitely heard of this brand I'm about to talk about. Glamour Doll Eyes is like the cult classic brand of beauty bloggers and youtube gurus. I'm proud to say that thanks to the lovely Vee - I am now a member of the cult. Never thought I'd say that, but as long as I'm not being convinced to drink poison kool-aid or anything, I think this is my kind of cult.

I had the opportunity to try 6 shadows of GDE shadows & WOW - I was so impressed with not only the quality of the shadows and how pigmented they were, but how much work Vee puts into these little buggers. Each one comes in an individually labeled pot and they say the color on the LID, which makes me so happy since I hate when companies put the color name on a sticker on the side of the pot that I rip to shreds whenever I open it :o) Here are the colors in the pots:

Fabulous is a really summery, light blue color that reminds me of the beach. It's one of the more frosted shadows out of this bunch. Immature is a greenish blue color that's combined with some light reflecting specks of silver. Such a unique and fun color. Brown eyed girl is my ABSOLUTE favorite! It's a gorgeous brown pigment that has sparkly purple flecks in it. Such a unique combination of color and it's so multi-dimensional. Dusk is a gorgeous dark blue with various sparkles in it (I see mostly light blue and silver), and it makes a great crease color. Violent is another of the more "frosted" shadows and it's a really subtle violet color. Great for highlights and putting in your inner corners since it's so sheer and pretty. Finally, Grease Lightning is an amazing dark, dirty gold color that is SUPER pigmented and reflects light CRAZILY - making it appear about a billion different shades of gold. Such an awesome color and unlike any other gold shadow I've seen before. I swatched so you guys could get a better idea of the descriptions:

Glamour Doll Eyes are only available online (click the link to go to the site) and are also available in sample size pots if you'd like to try before you commit to a full size. Either way - samples are like $1.50 and full size are onlt $6 - so seriously, these are some of the best "bang for your buck" products you'll find out there. These are great shadows to build your color collection and having pigments around is always a great idea since they're so multi-functional. I want to thank Vee BIG TIME for allowing me to try out these products and also curse her because now I'm addicted and will be purchasing every single color she makes :o)

My GDE Look Using Dusk & Grease Lightning

Cosmoholic Liquid Lipstick Review

2010-05-05T20:14:00.000-04:00

Every chick likes simplicity. I don't care who you are. If you are thinking in your head right now: "Actually, Kell, I am a complex and deep person and I certainly enjoy challenging myself" - you're a lying bitch. I'm going to do you a favor right now and show you just how wonderful simplicity can be.

It's tough to get that perfect glossy lip AND color that you want. Usually, this look requires using a lipgloss and a lipstick and typically when combining two different products, the end result isn't as drop dead sexy as you imagined it to be. You end up with a weird smell or a weird texture or something along those lines. Simplicity. I crave simplicity. I don't want to use two products to achieve ONE look. Wouldn't it be wonderful if some company would create a glossy liquid lipstick that isn't sticky and doesn't smell like artificial bullshit?

The wait is over. Thank you, cosmoholic:

These GORGEOUS liquid lipsticks not only give you the pigmented color of a lipstick, but they also combine the glossiness of a lipgloss... IN ONE PRODUCT! It's a hybrid of wonderfulness! They're available in 7 sexy colors and I had the pleasure of trying out "Prudish Pink" and "Gold Digger" which I swatched for you guys:

Gold Digger is the only color Cosmoholic has that has 'sparkle' in it - so it makes a great top coat to take your lips from a day look to an "I'm ready to get my par-tay on" look. You can also wear it alone for a sheer, shimmery look. Prudish Pink is a gorgeous medium-pink color and it worked GREAT with my skin tone. It's not sticky at all whatsoever and it smells like natural vanilla. There's nothing artificial feeling or smelling about these products. And guess what? They contain vitamins and antioxidants - SO THEY'RE GOOD FOR YOU! They're like sexy vitamins for your lips.

I really, really super encourage you guys to check out Cosmoholic and pick up one (or 5) of these amazing products. If you need practical lipcolor that simplifies your life and doesn't require you to carry around a gloss and a lipstick - meet your match, baby. I also posted a video review over on our youtube channel, so if you need visual aid .. I gotcha covered.

Thanks for reading, babydolls :o) Don't forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel! xo

Lipgloss Worth Lusting Over

2010-05-04T12:04:00.002-04:00

I'm picky when it comes to lipgloss. If I buy a lipgloss and it sucks - the bitch is going in the garbage can. I don't tolerate sticky and I don't tolerate weird smells. So obviously, when I come across a lipgloss that is damn near close to heaven in a tube - you best believe I'm going to share the love.

Now consider this a little sneak peek since this color isn't going to be available until a little bit later this month, but the lipgloss formula itself RULES. Hourglass has sent me stuff in the past, but this is by far my favorite. It's Extreme Sheen lipgloss (this specific color is called "Fortune") and it's available both via the Hourglass website and through Sephora (and Sephora online).. There are quite a few different colors available so browse browse browse!

Fortune is a super pretty pink/gold color and it's surprisingly pigmented for a lipgloss. You can see in the swatch that it gives you that pretty light pink color and the gloss aspect of it is more of a translucent gold. Really pretty and really summery. It smells like cookie dough (shout out to my Aunt Lain for figuring that out for me) and it's soooo smooth - absolutely no stickiness whatsoever. Another great aspect of the gloss itself is how it doesn't feel "heavy" (if you know what I mean). Some glosses feel like they weigh your freakin' lips down - this stuff is light as a feather. It's also water resistant, which I think makes it super unique. It's $28 but (as always) with Hourglass, you get an amazing quality product. You truly cannot go wrong with this stuff.

Let me know if you'll be trying it and if you've ever tried Hourglass in the past. Such a fun brand, and they make seriously kick-ass makeup :) Thanks for reading, dolls!

Oh Just Some Bitching About Fashion..

2010-04-30T15:27:00.001-04:00

I haven't done a bitchy post in a long time. Too long, if you ask me. I ranted a good 3 month's ago about the Urban Decay "All Over Your Goddamn Face" Shadow & it's been a good 6 months since I told you how much I hate Michelle Tanner and her eye makeup. Basically, we were all due for a good rant.

I posted about this on twitter earlier. For those of you who don't follow me - @kelspot .. jump on it. Anyways - I don't get this white tights trend that I seem to be seeing so much of these days. What set me off was seeing some girl post a twitpic of her outfit of the day and she was seriously like 28 years old and wearing white tights and maryjane shoes. Obviously, my first assumption was - "Oh, She's probably going to work. Clearly she is a Little Bo Peep Impersonator" - then I realized, probably not.

There's a trend between these 3 images. Would you like to know what it is?

I will tell you!

All 3 of these girls are AT LEAST 18 years old, but thanks to their choice in legwear -

They successfully look 11!

CONGRATULATIONS, GIRLS!!!!!!

Seriously, though! At 22 years old, I do not want to look exactly like I did in 1996 going to church on Easter. You don't have to agree with me and if you are thinking "but omg I just bought white tights and I look so chic and classic in them!" - that's fine. Wear them to prom for all I care. I'm just telling you that I think they're a great way to make yourself look like you're going to your 6th grade graduation.

I'm not big into this whole like RISKY FASHION thing. Some of the mannequins at Forever 21 make me double take and say "Really? You want me to wear a jean jacket with a sheer t-shirt underneath with a pink bra over top of the t-shirt? With ripped leggings? And cowboy boots? Oh and don't forget the tutu style skirt. That's perfect for work - my boss will love that." And the thing is - all those girls up there would have looked really cute if they'd have just skipped rocking the casper legs. There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself with fashion, but just remember that if you look dumb - I'm going to tell you. And wearing white tights past the age of 11 is unacceptable in my book. Aside from giving you Benjamin Button syndrome - they are not flattering at all! If you think your legs look big outside of tights, wait until you slip them into the white wonders. They'll look like marshmallows. SKIP THE TIGHTS, PEOPLE. SKIP THEM.

CUTE!

PASS!

Just say no.

Dont forget to enter!! Click here for rules & how to enter!

Kell's Favorite Things GIVEAWAY!

2010-04-29T10:48:00.002-04:00

Well folks, I haven't done a giveaway in a hot minute. Perhaps even a scaulding minute. It's certainly been awhile. I don't like to do lame giveaways like some bloggers who have one every freaking week and they giveaway a barette and a lipsmacker and wonder why nobody enters. Well gee I wonder - probably because I have both of those items somewhere in my couch right now. When I do giveaways - I don't fool around.

So what better things to give away to my lovely readers than my FAVORITE items? There are none better! You're going to get a gaggle of goods that I can assure you do not suck & have been kell tested (& kell approved). Here's what will be included (colors will be picked at random, but I can assure you they'll be sexy ones):

Lash Blast Mascara

Spin Pins by Goody

Milani Runway Eyes Eyeshadow

ELF Mattifying Powder

Almay Makeup Remover

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color

Jesse's Girl Eye Dust

Kiss Color Changing Nails

Kiss Nail Art Polish

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lipgloss

SO BANG! That's 10 amazing products! So how do you enter, you ask?

I'll tell you:

To enter - you must be a subscriber of both THIS BLOG and our YOUTUBE CHANNEL (subscribe by clicking here)! I will check! After you've subscribed to both .. leave a comment below with your name & e-mail address [this is your physical ENTRY, so it is required].

If you'd like a bonus entry (or two) - you can either tweet a link out (include @kelspot in the tweet so I see it) or link this giveaway on your blog (feel free to use the banner above). If you do either - make note of it in your comment and I'll give you an additional entry for each one.

The giveaway ends next Friday (May 7th) - so you have a whole week to enter and spread the word and gain yourself some entries. I hope you are all as excited as I am! Good luck, lovies! xo

Video Post: Drugstore Favorites!

2010-04-28T21:29:00.000-04:00

I had this requested a few times and finally did a video for you guys! If you have any recommendations of great drugstore products for me to try - please leave a comment and let me know. You can also e-mail me at any time at kelspot@gmail.com with requests for posts/videos in the future. Make sure you subscribe to our youtube channel at www.youtube.com/unnecessarydrama, too :o)

Thanks for reading / watching, babydolls! xo

Humidity Stricken Hair is Not Cute.

2010-04-26T21:30:00.000-04:00

I have the pleasure and honor of being blessed with wavy-ish hair. Wavy-ish in the sense that it's not totally wavy, and it's not really curly, either. It's just a weird ass texture. I'll tell you what it totally is, though - a huge pain in the ass.

I can't just let it air dry and be on my way. Oh hell no. If that happened - I would look somewhere along the lines of this:

..and that's actually putting it lightly.

So obviously, I'm always looking for great products to help keep my humidity prone locks "in check", so to say. There's nothing that pisses me off more in the summer than when I straighten my hair and then it suddenly rains somewhere throughout the day and the SECOND I step outside (without even so much as looking at a raindrop), my hair expands to 10 times it's preferred size. Super glad I spent 45 minutes making my hair look good so Mr. Heatmiser could fuck up my day.

I appreciate it, asshole.

Well thanks to the great people from Tigi & Garnier - there are 2 products that have made my life just a little less stressful. "Some like it hot" anti-humidty serum & "anti-humidity" hairspray have officially come to save the day.

The "Some Like it Hot" anti-humidity serum is the absolute best way to prevent hair from becoming unruly before it even has a chance. You put it in towel-dried hair, style normally, and boom - you've given your hair a little shield of armor against unavoidable conditions. If you're planning on spending a lot of time outdoors (think amusement parks, picnics, graduation parties, etc...) - this is a great way to plan ahead. It's super lightweight, too - so if you have oily hair, you're not going to have to worry about this weighing you down and giving your hair a greasy look. Remember, though - with any serum - a little bit goes a long way.

The Garnier hairspray has been a favorite of mine for awhile now. It's absolutely perfect if you have issues with your ends poofing up since it's available in the "flexible hold" formula (which is the one I use). You can use it without giving your hair that "hard and crunchy" feel, so it's great for "spot treatments". If you're doing a pony-tail or another style that requires your hair being pinned up - poofy edges can totally ruin the look for you. By doing a quick once over with this stuff - you're good to go. And it's a great flex hold hairspray, as well, if you do need it for actually keeping things in place. You can get stronger hold formulas, as well.

I don't want you guys looking like electrocuted house cats this summer. So please - do me a favor and pick these up. They're available at drug stores and I promise, they'll be a staple in your summer haircare arsenal :)

Eyes, Lips, Face, & Hair New Product Favorites !!

2010-04-23T20:05:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to subscribe to the youtube channel! www.youtube.com/unnecessarydrama xoThank you guys for watching & stay tuned for a giveaway coming up this week..Gonna be wondahful ;o)

Hourglass Cosmetics Quick Review

2010-04-22T09:36:00.000-04:00

I've really been lucky with getting products to review that seriously are amazing. I'm always worried I'll get something and I'll absolutely hate it and then I won't know what to say. Luckily, that hasn't happened too many times. I love letting you guys know about companies you may have never heard of & it's even better when their products work miracles.

Hourglass Cosmetics is a really innovative company that has a line of amazing luxury-style products. They have really unique packaging and I think their approach to make-up is kind of a .. sophisticated Kat Von D type of deal. They've got everything from self-tanning primer to waterproof bronzer (which is such a good idea). So like I said - innovative! I had the opportunity to try out 2 different hourglass products and I love both of them:

Just when I think I've found a great primer, this comes along. It comes out looking and feeling exactly like a lightweight moisturizer, but I have never experienced anything that makes your skin as matte as this one. And being the matte freak that I am, I was overjoyed. "Veil" is a great name for it since it's really lightweight and feels like you're wearing nothing. When I lay low on the foundation in the summertime, I am totally going to wear just this for a nice matte look. It has an SPF15 & it definitely does it's job with making my makeup last. It's a little pricey at $52 - but it's a fantastic primer and I would definitely reccomend it if you've struggled with finding a primer that actually works for you.

These are seriously SO freaking cool to me. They're lipglosses, but look how super thin they are! I know how ANGRY I get when I have a lipgloss in my pocket and it's bulging out looking all weird and tampon-like. This is ideal to slip into a jeans pocket, that little pocket in your purse that fits NOTHING else and you're confused why it's there, your freaking BRA, your boot.. WHATEVER! It's adorable! You pop the lid off and the front part that shows the color is actually squishy so you just squeeze it out of the tip to apply it. Very unique. The colors are long lasting & not sticky either. I like that since they're so dark, they go on with definite color - but they're on the sheerer side (they are a gloss, afterall). Not an overwhelming look for those with a light skintone like moi. They're called "Prodigy" and they're available for $26 each. They're good conversation pieces :) Pull that sucker out and everyone's gonna be all "OMG"!

Hourglass is such a unique and cool brand and I really hope that you guys check them out. Their full line is available on their website & you can sign up for their newsletter there, as well. Look for them in Sephora or Barney's (if there's one in your area). Lemme know whatcha think. Love you all xo

Viva New York,Suckas!

2010-04-21T12:34:00.001-04:00

So I'm finally back from my nice long weekend in the city that never sleeps & I already want to go back! Like I said, last time I was there was in 7th grade (for band, mind you. I played the saxophone and yes, I was awesome) so I didn't really get to do a lot. We did all kinds of sweet, touristy things & although I didn't get to spend an entire day haggling in Chinatown, I did manage to get an awesome Hello Kitty necklace down from $18 to $8, an amazingly cute crown ring for $10, and a couple of leopard print scarves for $3 each. Successful. Anyways ..

We took a carriage ride through central park with a very angry carriage driver who got in a fight with a cab driver at a red light. I think it was his way of saying: "Welcome to NYC, Kell".. Welcome, indeed..

We took a ton of pics with cute NYC landmarky things. Clearly, JP over there was a little hesitant to climb his ass to the top after boyfriend announced that it was much harder than it looked. Still a cute picture :)

My main goal was to see Strawberry fields in Central Park which was really amazing & gave me and Moll goosebumps. There was a guy there playing "Imagine" on an acoustic guitar which made it even better. For those who don't know - S.F. is a memorial for John Lennon who was shot pretty nearby to where this is located. Def worth checking out.

For those of you familiar with SNL & Andy Samberg's amazingly hilarious digital shorts - they say a line in "Lazy Sunday" that goes "let's hit up magnolia and mack on some cupcakes." Well I just about FAINTED when I saw this. Hit it up we did, and macked we most certainly did. They were AMAZING.

Our buddy Matt was supposed to come along on this trip, but unfortunately the Navy doesn't give much sympathy when you say you wanna go on vacation with your friends when they have other plans for you. So we did this for him as a nice little reminder that we wished he could come with us :)

And of course.. me and boyfriend had to hit up the top of the empire state building. AMAZING.

But through all of these amazing experiences, there was one thing that took my breath away when I saw it. I gasped, I stepped back in awe. My jaw dropped open..

A MAC STORE. NOT A COUNTER. A STORE.

WITH A GIANT GAGA PLASTERED OVER TOP OF IT.

AM I DREAMING????????????

...let's just say it's my favorite souvenier [ xo ]

Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are MADE OF!

2010-04-14T17:51:00.000-04:00

While I may be sad about leaving you little boogers high and dry until next week..

I am most definitely not sad about spending my long, much needed weekend in the city that never sleeps with the boyfriend & friends that never fail to amuse me:

Haven't been there since 7th grade so I'm planning on having the time of my life :o)

I'll take lots of pictures! And we're planning on going to Carlo's Bakery since it's relatively nearby where we'll be.. Hellloooo - Cake Boss?!?! Anyways, don't miss me too much - stay pretty - and I'll talk to you lovely specimens next week.. MWAH!

Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff Approved Blush

2010-04-13T10:45:00.001-04:00

Alright.. Now although the Fresh Prince & his fly-ass side kick didn't PERSONALLY put their seal of approval on these next 2 products..

There is a method to my madness.. Just.. Follow my lead -

Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff ..

They had a little diddy called "Summertime"

These next 2 products,

perfect for Summer.

Therefore, I like to think they'd be into them.

I've been on the lookout for amazing products for Spring & Summer since like the beginning of February. I was the asshole at Target buying jean shorts during the blizzard. So now that the weather is on the warmer side, I'm becoming even more excited about these finds & these 2 are absolutely in need of sharing. Cuz I'm in love. Lahve Lahve Lahve, I want your Love. Lady Gaga. We have a music theme today, ladies.. WORK WITH ME:

E.L.F. Studio Blush - $3 each

colors : Fuschia Fusion (sassy) & Gotta Glow

First off, let's talk about Fuschia Fusion & how sexy it is. It's got JUST ENOUGH sparkle that you don't look like you stepped out of Studio 54, but you have that whole "sexy healthy glow" thing going on. If you're fair skinned, I think this is the perfect blush that's just a smidge bolder than your natural blushing would be, so it's great if you're doing like .. neutral eyes and lips but want a little POP of color. So pretty.

Gotta glow doesn't have so much of a glittery quality than it does like.. a light frosted look. This is an absolutely GORGEOUS highlight color and because it's more on the translucent side, it'll work with any skin tone. I've also been using this as a highlight on my brow bone.. so this little bitch is totally multi-purpose which is unbelievable since it's $3 and it RULES. Great for summer when you have a tan and don't want to apply foundation, but you want your skin to have that pretty, natural looking glow. Probably why they called it "gotta glow". I'm a GENIUS.

Both of these products have a HUGE pan, so you get a ton of blush for $3. I really hope they keep these colors around, because they're both absolutely gorgeous. Pick them up asap on the E.L.F. website just in case they do end up getting rid of them for some reason after the season is over. You will not be sorry!

And just for kicks -

Flawless Skin with Illuminare Cosmetics

2010-04-10T23:09:00.001-04:00

Every girl wants flawless skin. I don't care who you are. If you ask a girl what she wants most in life, she might say some shit like "oh I totally want world peace and for all puppies to have good homes". That would be nice bitch, but let's be serious..

You want sexy skin.

I had the opportunity to try out one of the most kick-ass products to ever exist on the planet, and that's no understatement. Illuminare Cosmetics is seriously high up on my "I don't think I'll ever find anything better than this" list. If you're unfamiliar, you need to click on that link & check out the site (after reading this, of course). Basically, Illuminare makes mineral makeup - but the unique thing about it is that its in liquid form. We're talking full coverage, flawless face, healthy glow, etc... This stuff is liquid gold in my opinion. All of my colors were in the "portofino porcelain" shade - so if you're similar to my skintone, that's going to be the best for you. The biggest bonus about these is that you need the teeniest tiniest amount to do your entire face, so you're going to get TONS of use out of each tube:

The extra coverage foundation/concealer runs $27 and is an amazing semi-matte formula that contains SPF21 & is oil free. The coverage is amazing and the formula is pretty lightweight for a matte foundation. I applied it all over my face and then concentrated it in spots that needed extra coverage (dark circles, blemishes, etc...) and I was amazed at how even my skintone was. It has natural oil absorbing qualities, so if you struggle with oily skin - this is going to be your savior. One tiny dot on each cheek, forehead, and nose and my entire face was flawless. It's unlike any drugstore or even MAC foundation you'll ever try and the matte quality makes it absolutely ideal for summertime.

The fantastic finish foundation (also $27.00) is a bit different from the extra coverage formula. It's a bit lighter (reminds me of the consistency of a light moisturizer) and does not feel thick like most foundations do. It creates a "dewy" look - so you'll have a bit more of a glow with this one. Perfect for the winter when your skin might be a little dryer! The coverage is still awesome and if you follow up with the extra coverage concealer in your tricky spots, you're good to go. If you don't like the feel of having foundation on, this literally feels like you're wearing nothing - it's really amazing. You get SPF20 with this & it's also oil free.

Once you choose a foundation color, choosing a blush shade is a no-brainer since they're meant to be paired with the foundations to mimic your skin tone's "natural blushing". Perfect Color Blush is basically fool proof , ladies. You're not going to end up with something too dark or too light - it's the most natural looking blush I have EVER tried. It's $18.00 for the tube and just like the foundations, it has sun protection, is oil free, and you need a teeny tiny dab to do both cheeks.

This is my favorite part!! The fast application pad runs $10.00 and is an absolute must have! It's made of washable material and applies this makeup FLAWLESSLY! And it's freaking leopard print, what more do you want???????

Thank you SO MUCH to Teresa & Ruthie for this amazing opportunity! Check out Illuminare and if you have specific product questions - you can always e-mail me (kelspot@gmail.com) for a direct response! Thank you dolls for reading and if you want a visual aid - check out the youtube review of these products on our youtube channel.. & don't forget to subscribe while you're there:

New Video! Make Shadows Last Longer & Look Brighter!

2010-04-09T22:37:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to subscribe to the Youtube Channel here for more Unnecessarydrama.net!

Purchase the products mentioned in this video:
Benefit Cosmetics Lemon Aid
Mac Zoom Lash Mascara
Jesse's Girl Stardust Powder
Urban Decay Sustainable Shadow Box 1 set
NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil

A Little Slice of Heaven for your Eyeballs

2010-04-08T09:26:00.002-04:00

I'm the queen of tired eyes. You guys know how much I love concealer, it's a given. I've never really been one to "seek out" tired eye treatments, I just kind of always rolled with the punches and covered up my "purple baggies" (which is what my mom refers to them as.. lol) as much as I could with makeup.

Recently, I was sent a product called eye slices. They're designed to soothe eyes in a couple of different ways, which is why they have different styles available. I got to try out "inVogue eyes" and "Happy eyes". I'll give you the run down on what each slice is designed to do:

- inVogue eyes are designed to help soothe and restore tired and red eyes.. so if you are employed ANYWHERE, these are going to be your best friend after a long ass day. These little buggers also contain minerals and other magical things that tighten the skin around your eyes naturally, so if you have any fine lines - those are going to be taken care of. Puffiness, redness, dark circles... you name it - these are going to basically give your eyes a pep-talk & get them back in the game. I used them last night & my eyes just felt so awake afterwards.. it was awesome. Both inVogue & Happy eyes feel cool when you put them on your face, even if you haven't had them in the fridge - and that part alone feels AMAZING.

- Happy eyes are made for those who suffer from evil allergies like myself. They're perfect for this time of year and the great thing about them is that since they're relatively small - I can throw them in my purse so if I get one of those *oh so fun* allergy attacks (where my eyes won't stop itching and watering) - BAM - 5 minutes with the slice on each eye and I'm feeling like a new woman. There's also an anti-inflammatory ingredient in there (once again, an all natural one) that will prevent you from puffing up and looking like Shrek. If you suffer from seasonal allergies - you gotta get these. I woke up with bloodshot eyes this morning from sleeping with my windows open and after using these, I don't have to go to work looking like I got 0 hours of sleep :)

The slices themselves are really unique and when I first got them I was expecting them to be like .. almost eye makeup remover pads? But they're not at all, they're made of a really durable gel material & you can reuse each slice up to 10 times. I took a super flattering picture of myself with inVogue eyes on so you can see how they mold to your face:

Catch my drift? It kind of gently suctions to your face so it gets every little

nook and cranny for ultimate soothe-i-fication.

So if you've got allergies or you just work long hours, you are absolutely going to benefit from these amazing little products. They cost $15 & come with a cute little case, too :) You can buy them from the eyeslices website & while you're there, check out their other slice styles (Legendary eyes & Candy eyes). As always, let me know what you think & enjoy the rest of your week!

3-D Movies.. 3-D TV.. 3-D LIPS???

2010-04-07T11:15:00.005-04:00

This whole 3-D phenomenon isn't really my cup of tea. I don't dig paying $6 extra to experience increased depth perception & I've yet to see a 3-D movie that has made my head explode due to it's awesomeness. But alas, the 3-D trend is sweeping the freaking globe & unfortunately, I cannot stop it.

There is one thing, though, that I have recently disocovered that has used the "3-D" title in it's name & I can officially say that I don't hate it. In fact, I love it. I love it a lot. And if you haven't guessed by now - the aforementioned mystery product is indeed a makeup item. To be specific - a lipgloss.

A magical one.

BEHOLD. MILANI 3D GLITZY GLAMOUR GLOSS.

(and no I did not make that name up)

I'm aware that I should probably stop tip-toeing around the fact and just makeout with Milani already, but I can't help it! I seriously love this brand and their ability to manufacture glittery products that don't suck! I picked up one of these little glossy wonders yesterday and of course, I put it on as soon as I got in the car. LOVE IT. The color I got is "starshine" which is a smidge lighter than the pink that is shown above. I get where they're going with the 3-D thing, too.. The glitter in the gloss is different shades, so it does kind of create a "3-D" look. I mean, don't take that and run with it, though... your lips aren't going to appear as if they're floating off your face - but you get my point. Another major plus is that the glitter doesn't feel super gritty, so you're not going to be exfoliating everytime you smoosh them together. All around, I dig this gloss & it looks great over lipstick, too.

And another bonus? Not super sticky. It wouldn't even be here if it was.

You can definitely see how sparkly it is in the swatch and kind of get the 3-D thing going on, too. The color is gorgeous, but it is available in other shades. 90% sure I'll eventually own all of them. You can look at all the colors on the website here or look for them next time you're in your local drugstore. I found mine at CVS. It only ran me $6.99, so it's definitely worth it. Packaging is sweet, too!

Confessions of Concealaholic Review!

2010-04-04T22:06:00.006-04:00

Surprisingly enough - I do not look like a goddess upon awakening. I know this is extremely shocking to all of you, but take a deep breathe and keep reading. I'm always (and i mean always) on the lookout for a good concealer, and when I heard about the product I'm about to review - I was extremely intrigued. For those of you who have never heard of Benefit cosmetics or have never had the opportunity to try them, they're a company based out of San Fran & have taken somewhat of a "fun" approach to make-up.

If you don't like to spend a ton on makeup, I'm going to forewarn that they are a wittle bit pricey. I was skeptical at first, too ... trust me. But the thing that kind of swayed me was their mission statement (just a heads up that I am a huge marketing nerd who reads mission statements hahaha.. it's what I went to school for). The line that said "who said makeup has to be serious to be good?" kind of stuck with me & I decided to throw in the towel and try them out. Besides, I work my ass off for my moolah & this truly seemed like a worthwhile product for me:

Confessions of a Concealaholic - $36

includes - "that gal" brightening face primer

"erase paste" (aka jesus in a pot) concealer

"boi-ing" concealer/blemish fix

"lemon aid" eyelid primer

and

"eye bright" eye brightener

That Gal Brightening Primer - Not my favorite product out of this kit but it's still a good travel size primer. The major turn off for me is that it's scented and that it's pink. Doesn't do wonders or anything, but it's a primer. I'm not sure about the "brightening" aspects (I didn't see much) - but it did tighten up my skin a little which was a plus. My skin seemed to absorb it pretty quickly so I had to use more product than I normally do with my other primers. But just ignore this because the rest of the products are amazing...

Erase Paste - I am going to do a video on this because I love it so much. If you are looking for a good concealer - you will not find anything better than this. PERIOD. I have tried so many concealers that don't have the gusto to cover up dark circles, especially on the inner corners of the eyes. This glides on so easily, covers COMPLETELY, and the best part is - if you have dry skin, it smooths on right over top of it instead of CLINGING to it like so many other concealers do. If there is one reason to buy this kit THIS IS IT. If you struggle with dark circles, you literally will want to marry this product. If you do - let me know how that goes for you.

Boi-Ing Concealer/Blemish Fix - Ladies, if you want to SCREAM thanks to those little red specks on your face every few times a month, I understand your pain. If you've got any type of scarring, be it from acne or stitches or whatever, it can be extremely frustrating to even out your skin tone. Foundation doesn't fully cover them and those other concealers can sometimes make them look even worse since they're so hard to blend in. The great thing about boi-ing in this kit is it gives you a dark and a light shade to mix together to find the perfect shade for you. It's perfect for concealing those goddamn little spots on your face for a flawless look and it blends effortlessly. Seriously, a few pats with your finger & you'd never even know you had a zit. Another awesome, high quality concealer.

Lemon-Aid Primer - They advertise this as a primer in the kit, but I researched it a little and learned it's true hidden talent (which I noticed when I used it). Ever not really feel like putting makeup on, but it bugs you that your eyelids aren't the same color as your skintone? Me, too. This evens out your eyelid color, regardless of how dark or light your skin tone is, and brightens up the area at the same time. So if you don't feel like putting shadow on overtop, no big deal.. you're still going to look alert thanks to lemon-aid's super powers. Perfect for summer, biotches!

Eye Bright - Well judging by the name I think you can guess what this magical purple stuff does .. but it typically comes in pencil form and is meant for the inner corners of your eyes. Seriously, a few dabs of this stuff and it does some magical tricks with light and BAM! The difference is really incredible. You'll have brighter, larger looking eyes in just a few quick seconds. It's not intense like a white shadow or a silver one that a lot of girls turn to for that "big and bright" look - and it's long lasting (mine stuck around all day). Another great product for when you don't feel like doing much but still want to look pulled together.

So if you're looking for a flawless face - you're not going to find better products, and that's the honest to god truth. This is perfect for summer when you don't feel like doing a lot in terms of color but you still want to conceal problem areas and even out your skintone. If you're just a foundation, concealer, and mascara kind of girl - this will be your new best friend, too. I promise you guys will love it.

You can get Benefit Cosmetics Confessions of a Concealaholic through amazon by clicking on that link right there :) Making it nice and easy for you guys.. heh heh heh. I'm going to do a video on this kit for you guys soon to show you it's true amazingness, but in the meantime - I hope this review sufficed. As always, any questions can be left here in the comments or e-mailed to kelspot@gmail.com .. And of course, thank you for reading, dolls & have a great week!

Saint Germain IN THE BUILDING!

2010-04-02T10:05:00.000-04:00

I have been internet stalking Saint Germain for a good 4-5 months now. I've posted about my struggles in attempting to find a color similar to it and failing every time. I've posted about how frustrated I am that my local mall doesn't have a mac counter. And I've posted about how I drove to the shitty mall that does and they told me they discontinued this color.

WRONG. NOT DISCONTINUED. STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE, IDIOT.

I almost let that metrosexual male mac employee ruin my day. almost.

Honestly I don't know why I didn't buy it off the website sooner. I guess I hated the idea of paying for shipping for one measely little lipstick, but thankfully I found a free ship code and that was no longer an issue. I was also somewhat enjoying the hunt of trying to find something comparable - as frustrating as it was. But obviously, everything I found was too dark & made me look like a washed out ghosty ghost.

Well the little bitch came in the mail yesterday (and also let's talk about how I went home on my lunch to get it once I saw it was delivered because it was hot outside and I was afraid it would melt. I am pathetic) & I am happy to report that it's everything I dreamed and more...

EXCITED.

Perfect color of pink for me. Not too dark and not crazy light that I look like I dipped my lips in powder. I also love that it's matte - so you don't get the frosted-1985-extra-in-footloose look going on. When I first expressed ~~obsession~~ interest in this color, I had so many girls e-mailing me like "no! it makes you look like a hooker!" .. but I'm not really getting that vibe? Or maybe I do look like a hooker and I'm in denial?

Either way, I love this color so much & I may possibly use the entire tube by the end of summer. I'm happy to announce that this officially makes two lipsticks that I love and can actually wear without feeling like I look overdone (the other being "natural nymph" by E.L.F. cited here). If you're looking to pick up St. Germain - head to http://www.maccosmetics.com/. I used the coupon code "lash410" & got free shipping plus a free sample of zoomlash mascara.

VIDEO TIME! Spring & Summer Favorites for 2010

2010-03-31T13:51:00.001-04:00

So in order to fill all the requests I was getting via e-mail (you can always send them to me: kelspot@gmail.com) - I figured I'd make a video on my top 10 "must haves" for the warm weather this year. Everytime I do posts on these kind of things - they're long and drawn out and I don't even want to read them :P So enjoy the video below.. hopefully I gave you guys some good new stuff to try and as always - feel free to leave your questions, comments, and snark below.

Love you all!

Mango Tango = Perfect Spring Lipgloss

2010-03-25T10:27:00.000-04:00

In celebration of the fact that I'm no longer up to my ass in snow, I wanted to post about what I would safely call my new favorite lipgloss. It doesn't happen often that I get product that I'm so in love with that I have to post about it the day after I receive it - but I'm pretty into this stuff.

In my opinion - you need a perfect spring lipgloss. It's similar to needing shoes when crossing a road full of broken glass and needles. I mean, you could still go on without them, but let's admit that it'd suck really bad.

And this, my friends, is the perfect spring lipgloss:

The one I speak of is the 2nd one from the left,

referred to as the elusive MANGO TANGO.

and also if you haven't picked up on this yet -

it's available through meetmark.com for $6.50

Swatch time:

It's like the perfect peachy nude pink that isn't pink enough to make you look like a hooker and isn't too nude that it blends into your lips & pisses you off because you just paid money for something that's the same color as your lips. Not super sticky either which is always a major concern of mine, as you know. Doesn't smell like much, but that's okay with me since I have yet to love the scent of a lipgloss that isn't a Beauty Rush from VS.

Don't know how long this is still going on for, but the best part about this little gem is that I paid $0 for it because my googling masterful self found a coupon code for free shipping and a free juice gem (when you spend $15 which was not a problem for me). The code is juicegem10, so try that little sucker out & let me know if it still works for you ;)

Getting inducted into the "still the one" hall of fame?

Don't jump the gun just yet.

Brushlove.com Coupon Code for UD.net Readers!

2010-03-24T15:02:00.001-04:00

So I did a review on brushlove.com about a month ago and have really fell in love with the company since then. They have such a huge selection on the site and they carry everything from regular, everyday brushes to appliances like straighteners and curling irons. If you've never just browsed around their site - I would totally recommend doing so.

If you're anything like me, you know very little about hair brushes. The thing that always frustrates me when it comes to picking a brush is that I don't know which ones are meant for what. There's a million different sizes, styles, bristle types, etc... it's sort of overwhelming (also maybe why I used the same brush for 6 years before brushlove showed me the light). The fantastic thing about their site is you can click on the side bar where it says things like "straightening" or "curling" and BOOM - it pulls up the perfect brushes for you. No more guess work. And trust me, once you have the right brush - it's amazing how much easier it is to work with your hair.. especially when it comes to styling.

Okay so here's the good news and probably the only reason you're reading this: Thiago from brushlove.com has sent me a code especially for my readers that you guys can use on the site for 25% off PLUS a free tote bag! Enter the code BB30 at checkout.

How awesome are free gifts? Really freakin' awesome. So hurry over to brushlove.com since the code is only good through 4/21/10! And if you're going to order something, let me know what it is :) You can check out the review I posted if you need some suggestions and as always, my inbox is always open (kelspot@gmail.com) if you need more personalized advice.

Thank you all for reading & have a fantastic day, ladies!

Gotta Keep It Sparkly..

2010-03-19T13:14:00.001-04:00

If you guys haven't gotten the memo just yet - I freaking love sparkly things. Similarly to a squirrel or perhaps a raccoon, I am drawn to all things shiny - especially if the aforementioned shiny item involves glitter or rhinestones.

Especially rhinestones.

So when my package from dinodirect.com (I'm completely aware this sounds like a website where you buy things like rock tumblers) was here when I came home for lunch - let's just say I ripped it open as fast as humanly possible and upon doing so - my eyes widened. we're talking 6-year-old-on-christmas-style ..

all I had to do was pay $8 including shipping &
i instantly transformed my blackberry

into a sparkly, sass master of sexiness.
it even has them on the front. it's some kind of wonderful, ladies.

AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

OPI's "Mad As A Hatter" = Obsessed

2010-03-17T20:34:00.000-04:00

First of all, I'm going to apologize about posting about the sexiest nail polish ever because I'm pretty sure you can't get this little bitch anywhere anymore. OPI needs to learn that limited edition shades aren't cool. Especially when they're as hot as this one. I just about peed my pants when I saw my nail salon had it, so of course I barreled in front of the other girl picking her color and snatched it before she could lay her grubby little paws on it. But don't get it twisted. I am determined to get this. Even if it means paying some hustler on eBay twice the amount it's worth. I don't care. I need this to call my own.

...And that, my friends, is only after TWO COATS.

TWO FREAKING COATS ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

in the words of Buddy The Elf -

i'm in love i'm in love and i don't care who knows it.

The shade is called "Mad As a Hatter" and it's part of OPI's LIMITED EDITION Alice In Wonderland Collection. They have some other colors, but none are quite as saucy as this one is. If you can still hunt this down in your local OPI retailer - run - do not walk - and purchase it. I checked my ULTA and Sephora and neither one of them had it, and the salon didn't have any extras for sale. Bitches. And of course it's out of stock on the website, too. I just checked ebay and saw one for .99 and was like "SWEET!" and then the $10.99 shipping charge punched me in the face.

The sad thing is, I will probably pay it.

Okay so I'll be sitting here in my bed staring at my hands.

Love you guys! xo

$1 Liquid Liner

2010-03-15T10:42:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday pretty ladies :) I'm happy to be kickin off the week with a little product review since I haven't done one in a little while since I've been too busy giving stuff away to you guys ;) haha.. I do appologize for my lack of posts, though. We've been doing some cross training bullshit at work & it's gotten the best of me so I've been spending my evenings bitching, watching Lost, watching the Office, & sleeping.

But I swear I'm back to the grind now! Spring has sprung & everybody knows being a bitch when the weather is decent outside is against the rules. Totally uncalled for.

Anyways, E.L.F. and me are besties. They sent me over some liquid liners last week & I've had a chance to try them out and let you guys know what I think. I get a lot of questions about liquid liner & to be quite honest - I've never been the biggest fan of it. It's typically an issue with the brush being too flimsy or too thin & the great thing about E.L.F.'s is that the applicator is really unique. It's in the shape of a pointed brush, but it's not a brush, meaning the bristles won't spread on you. The applicator bends just enough to allow you to create a perfect winged out edge and it's not too thin that you have to go over it 6 times in order to get a decently sized line.

The black one worked FANTASTICALLY. The product itself isn't too thick or too thin and it's not like you're going to have to go over it a few times in order to make it look a solid color (had some issues with Hard Candy's liquid liner in that department). One coat and you're good to go. The product pot is a liiiittttlllee small, but seriously people - it costs $1. So buy 5 of them. Cheapskate.

Now I also got the silver one to try (it looks like it's chock full of sparkle on the website) & I wasn't quite as impressed. I had on a medium shade of gray on my lids with primer and I couldn't get it to show up, really :o\ mildly disappointing since it looked so sparkly and pretty on the website. It's pretty transparent, so if you want it to show up - you're going to have to apply a coat, let it dry, apply another coat, let it dry, etc... Definitely did not go on as easily as the black one did. What I did do with it was applied it OVER the black and it added a little bit of sparkle which was nice. Using it alone might be a little tricky. But for $1, it might be a nice addition to your collection for spicing up plain black eyeliner or using it along your lower lashline for some subtle bling. If you're going to pick one to try out, though - I'd go for the black.

One thing to always remember when using liquid liner is to let it dry! If you want to apply multiple coats, you're going to be wasting your time if you start going over a still-wet line with more product. You'll end up with a smudgy mess when it's all said and done. Patience is a virtue, my ladies. In life and in makeup.

If you'd like to try out some of E.L.F.'s liquid liner, you can purchase it here. As always, if you have any questions - holler at your girl. And I mean that in the least ghetto way possible.