Ever get dressed for class and find yourself standing in front of the mirror thinking something’s missing, but you just don’t know where to add that last minute accessory? After going through the whole day, you’re now headed out on a manhunt with your girls and you’re looking for an easy way to make your almost there outfit scream ‘do me!’ But instead of being super excited to get out and (hopefully) get some, you’re stuck standing in front of your mirror.

I’m that girl that’s always standing in front of the mirror, waiting for the missing piece to my outfit to magically appear. I’m entirely ready to go but there I am, just clicking my ruby red heels together, knowing that I’m not totally there yet.

You don’t have to raise your hand and tell me that you, too, are like me…there’s no punishment here for being short an accessory. Instead, I did some researching (a.k.a I looked at pictures of the most fashionable babes on the internet and just copied their really good ideas). The best part about most of these awesome last minute add-ons is that I’ve probably got all of these pieces laying around my closet somewhere, dusty from their lack of use.

Now that I’ve scanned the internet (and the deepest, darkest gallows of my closet) here are the top 10 last minute accessory ideas that take any outfit from drab to fab… Read More »

What It Is:
Clarins Rouge Prodige True Color and Shine Lipstick in Rosy Coral and Peach Sorbet

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Lipstick and lipgloss are the bare necessities of everyone’s makeup stash. Every brand makes a million lip products, in just as many shades, finishes, etc, making it difficult to sort through and find the quality ones!

Clarins is a great, yet underrated brand that puts out amazing stuff. Not only do they pay attention to packaging and design, but the product inside always matches the beautiful exterior. Clarins has a huge range of colors in this formula, two of which I’ve taken for a test drive here.

How To Use It:

These lipsticks are super moisturizing and creamy. This means that you’ll want to exfoliate your lips before wearing; any creamy lip products will cling to dead skin (yes, gross). After exfoliating with a lip scrub or plain old sugar, you’ll want to apply these straight from the tube. They are very thick and need the heat of your lips to warm them up! Be careful – if you roll the tube up too high, you risk breaking off the lipstick, as you do have to use quite a bit of pressure. Read More »

What It Is:
BITE Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Velvet

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I’m a lip product junkie. Maybe even a lip product whore. Seriously, I have a makeup drawer dedicated to lip gloss and another to lipstick! Lip products are the easiest way to pull a look together and take you from drab to fab. Throwing on a bright lipstick has been proven to improve your mood, and it being one of the easiest steps in any makeup routine, why not? Read More »

What It Is:
BECCA Fallen Angel Palette

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
One of makeup’s biggest mysteries is which lipsticks and lipglosses go together. Often, I think two colors will be complementary, but once I get them home and try them on, they couldn’t be farther from “matching.” BECCA has created a foolproof palette that contains a dual lip & cheek creme and lipgloss in matching shades, and they’ve also tossed in a highlighter, so your lip and cheek looks are completely covered.

In this palette you get a lip & cheek creme in Nectar (tawny peach), a lipgloss in Sunrise (sheer peach) and highlighter in Narcissus (opalescent peach). Clearly, BECCA is going with a peach theme here, but I think the color descriptions are pretty bang-on. Read More »

I have an obsession with all things lips: lip buffer, lip gloss, lipstick, lip balm, Ms. Lippy…  This obsession has resulted in me trying just about any kind of product I can get my hands (or should I say my lips) on.

After spending money on a lot of products that don’t live up to their promise, I can attest that the following four are definitely some of the best products on the market. If you know what’s good for you (and your kisser), get thee to the mall and stock up on these ASAP:

Lip Buffer: C.O. Bigelow’s Soothing Lip Buffer,  made with aloe extract and coco butter, will make your lips perfectly soft and smooth. If you apply the lip buffer onto your lips and take a warm wash cloth and rub the buffer in, you will not only exfoliate your lips, but you will rub in its relaxing peppermint extract. For $4.99 you can pick up a tube that will last you months and months. Although you can buy C.O. Bigelow products through their website, Bath & Body Works also carries them.

Lip Gloss: Nothing gets better than Yves Saint Laurent’s Golden Shimmering Gloss. This YSL lip gloss stays on for hours, and it actually protects the lips with natural oils instead of drying them out like most glosses do. Each tube of lip gloss has real 24-carat-gold flecks (baller!), which cause extra shine and luster on your lips. Although this lip gloss is expensive – $30 a tube – the quality and 31 different shades make it 100% worth every last cent.  Read More »

[Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.]

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Korres Raspberry Liquid Lipsticks

“Cooling, water-based liquid lipstick rich in line-smoothing, antioxidant Raspberry & Pomegranate extracts to protect against free-radical damage and smooth lip lines for softer, more youthful looking lips.” Comes in 5 shades.

Why this should be in your bag: I love lipstick and lipgloss and this new product by Korres is almost a hybrid. Korres is known for putting out great quality products using lots of natural ingredients, Raspberry Liquid Lipsticks included. They’re chock full of antioxidants and extracts to keep you looking your best. More compact than a lipstick, but delivering super intense color, they are a great option for those on the go. I also find they apply easier than a lipstick and, similar to lots of glosses, don’t require a mirror or intense concentration to apply. They leave your lips colorful and super-shiny. Read More »

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Gotta load on the makeup for the big night....in.

When it comes to beauty, I’m pretty low-maintenance. I never really learned how to put on eyeliner because I’m afraid I’ll poke myself in the cornea, I can’t get the knack of painting the nails on my right hand, and I’m too impatient to slap on anything more than Chapstick and maybe mascara, if I’m feeling fancy, in the morning.

So to me, articles (or even videos) about how to get the perfect smoky eye or choose the right mineral foundation for your skin tone or make yourself look like a tiger or whatever aren’t generally that interesting. Even so, I can understand that there are plenty of industrious girls out there who actually find beauty tips useful.

And I’ve certainly got nothing against beauty hounds. In fact, I envy their hand-eye coordination and perseverance—while I’m embarrassed about the bags beneath my baby blues but too lazy to actually do anything about them, those girls always look effortlessly put-together.

But a four-page photo spread that I came across in the latest issue of Glamour crosses the line between giving helpful pointers and doling out straight-up bad advice. The piece, which unfortunately isn’t available online, is called “Have a Gorgeous Night… In.” Here’s its introductory paragraph:

“You’re young, you’re hot—you should not be in a Snuggie! The next time you and your guy are just hanging out at home together, try these undeniably sexy beauty ideas. And have fun!” Read More »

I know it’s cold and dry where most of you are living, and your lips and skin are probably suffering just like mine. Well, I have something that can save your lips from the arctic tundra outside your door and make them just as kissable as they were when it was nice and toasty out! Move over, Aquaphor; there’s a new balm in town.

I’m sure you’ve seen this stuff on the store shelves and wondered if it was worth the money. Trust me – it is. And with the wide variety of these babies, you’ll definitely find one that will be the perfect addition to your beauty regimen this winter.

Oh, sweet November—overnight, Starbucks has switched to holiday cups, Christmas-themed commercials are beginning to air, and I’m starting to get a serious hankering for turkey. I can’t wait to get a spiffy new pair of mittens—maybe designed by Lady Gaga?—and enjoy my last winter in college.

In the meantime, though, this week has given me a lot to think about. Here’s what’s been on your favorite CC writers’ minds over the past seven days:

- Even though getting old might mean that Halloween gets a little less fun, it doesn’t mean that you have to get any less awesome. Unless you join the National Parents Council.

- Hot men covered in cheese? Sounds surprisingly delicious.

- We hope our girl Rihanna isn’t opening up now for less-than-noble reasons. Either way, we’ll still listen to her music—even if there is more ridiculous stuff out there.

- There’s no better time than now to get over your lipstick-phobia, put on a pair of heels (or not), make the first move on the first hottie you see, and take him back to your place for a little one-on-one that’s sure to please. Just don’t be that girl. Please.