How to not look like total $#!% when you are sick.

In a perfect world no one would ever get sick. And if for some bizzarre reason they did, they would never have to go out and face the world until they are 100% better.

But, this is not a perfect world, and we all get sick. This winter has been particularly harsh. I have just spent roughly the last two weeks battling the mother of all colds and so I thought I would take a minute and share my tips for not looking like total shit when you are sick.

First off, get rest, drink lots of water and hot tea. Eat soup, take meds, etc. But in the event that you have to go out, go to work or attend some event where the "I look like I'm dying" look isn't appropriate, I recommend the following.

Wear bright colors. When you are sick you tend to be washed out and look pale, and purple-y (esp. under the eyes). Wearing gray and black will only make it worse. Try a bright green or orange sweater. A bright cobalt blue cardi and tank. You get the idea. Also, wear a statement jewelry piece. It will take people's focus off of your face.

As for make-up I recommend using a medium to full coverage foundation. Apply with a brush or sponge, but not your cold, clammy fingers. Once that has had time to set in, apply under-eye concealer, with a light hand, under your eyes. Waiting until your foundation sets (about a minute or two) will allow you to see how much coverage it will provide and not cake on the concealer. Do NOT bother with concealer around your nose. You're blowing it every 30 seconds, concealer is a waste of time there.

As for blush, if you are pasty and pale, I say it's okay to swipe some on. But go easy, when you are that sick a ton of blush (read: the normal amount you apply) can look weird. If you are feverish, skip blush all together as it will only enhance the feverish glow.

Use a nude eyeliner on the bottom waterline of your eyes. This will cancel out any redness you have going on and help you look less sickly.

Then I recommend eyeliner to define your eyes. When you are sick your eyes are red, puffy, sleepy, etc. so eyeliner (I use liquid just on the top) will help carve out those gorgeous peepers. I would also recommend NOT using eyeshadow, unless it's a brighter, flesh toned concealer to help cancel out any red or purple veins that are super visible. But a smoky eye is no bueno when you are sick.

Finally I recommend the holy grail of all lip salves. Smith's Rosebud Salve. I have been using this since high school and it is the original bomb dot com. I'm not kidding. It's $6 and comes in other scents and even in a tube, but the classic salve in the tin is where it's at. You can use this on your lips to keep them hydrated AND you can put this around your little red nose to help it heal and prevent major peeling as you get better. Another fun fact is that you can use this on your eyebrows to keep them in place, you can put this on dry patches all over your face. The possibilities are endless.

And once you have done all of that, pop some cold meds, and smile. You're sick, no one expects you to look like Giselle. It's okay.

Sunday Bonus: Books I Love

So I've been sick the last week and a half. I had/still have the winter cold from hell. It's gross and disgusting and I think I am finally getting over it. BUT during that time, I had a lot of time to rest (which is good, obviously.) and read. I love to read. I have always loved to read, since I was little. And so I thought it would be fun to pull together a list of some of my faves along with what I am currently reading right now.

If I had to pick one favorite book of all time, it would be Matilda by Roald Dahl, tied with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I first read Matilda in the fourth grade and have loved it since. Pictured above is my original copy of Matilda. It's followed me through four states and has lost the cover but is otherwise intact. About 10-15 years ago they made a movie based on the book, and it sucked. I didn't like the actors and the whole thing was just crap. But maybe it's because that book is so special to me and since I've had it playing out in my head since the 4th grade, it's pretty hard to mess with the visions of the characters I have created.

Anyhoo, if you haven't read it, do it. Read it with your kids, read it yourself, whatever, just read it. I was reminded about how much I love this book from my friend Celeste who is/did read this just recently with her daughter. Celeste also has an awesomely fabulous blog, you should check it out. http://leapfrogandlipgloss.com/

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic, we read it for the first time in 9th grade and I have read it a thousand times since. Incidentally, they made a movie out of this, and it's fantastic.

I am also a huge fan of Being Emily. It's a newer book, and I just so happen to know the award-winning, best-selling author. And she, like the book, is awesome. This book will open your eyes in ways you never thought possible, and blow your mind to the moon and back. It was a quick read but I've re-read it several times and each time I find something new. Amazing.

The Harry Potter series is another classic. I jumped on the HP train a little late (the sixth book was being released before I picked up the first one), and these are phenomenal. I laughed, I cried, I yelled, I ignored my friends and family to finish reading a couple of them. They're great, and if you haven't read them, you are clearly a lame muggle and need to pick them up and get going. You won't be disappointed.

Several other books I love include:

The Round House, Louise Erdrich
The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton
The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls
What the Dead Know, Laura Lippman

And what am I reading right now? Insurgent, Veronica Roth. It's like the Hunger Games, it's another dystopian trilogy, and I'm not in love with it, but I will finish the series. The first book was by far the best.

Hair Styling Tools

As I've said before, I don't know a lot about styling my hair, but I know what I don't like and what I do. And above are my three favorite (read: only) tools for styling my hair. I used to religiously use hot rollers, then I cut my hair and haven't really gone back to that. Those are great and Conair makes some of the best, most affordable ones on the market. But before I get off track, let's talk about my fave tools. Hair styling tools that is.

First up is my flat iron. The Infinity Pro Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron. I love that this heats up fast, and really makes my hair shiny and straight. Tip: only run each section of your hair through the flat iron ONCE. Anymore than that really risks burning the sh#& out of your hair and will lead to breakage or literally burning your hair. Do small sections of an inch or less, depending on the hair type you have. 

Next up is my Chi Curling Iron. I don't know the exact name of this or exactly how big it is, as I got this through Avon rewards when I used to sell that. Sorry I don't have better info, I even tried searching for it but didn't find anything. But this is a popular style of curling iron, which are actually called wands or clip-less but I love this thing. It heats up in no time and gives my hair a long lasting curl (seriously with hair spray it lasts up to 3 days, longer if I wasn't too lazy to do touch ups).

And finally, which this should really be first as your hair should always be dry BEFORE you run it through a flat iron or curling iron/wand. I know there are some on the market that promise to dry and flatten your hair, and I know they say they're safe, but really if your hair is soaking wet and you run it through an iron, how is that not ruining your hair? Seriously. Just think about it. Anyway I digress yet again. This is Conair Cord Keeper dryer and I have had it for years (the words have rubbed off so you can't even read the sides anymore.) This has three settings and the cool-shot button that I use once my hair is totally dry I push down on that button and go through my hair quick. It's supposed to help with shine, and it's also convenient when it's hot outside to blast yourself in the face with cold air. If you have long hair and it's hot, you know what I'm talking about. 

Favorite Hair Styling Products

I thought I would take a break from make-up for a couple of posts and talk about hair. I will apologize in advance for the less-than-stellar photos, I'm having camera issues this week. I don't know a lot about styling my hair, but I do know that some products are better than others at achieving the look I go for. Below are my faves (and by faves I mean these are the only products I use.) I've tried a lot and these are my best of the best.

Heat Protectant. If you blow-dry, flat-iron, hot-roll, curling iron or wand your hair you HAVE to use a protecting spray. Have to. You are burning the ever-loving daylights out of your hair each time you use one of those tools so you need to protect it as best as you can so it doesn't fall out or burn. This is like sunscreen for your hair. Except it doesn't have actual sunscreen in it (although there are products like that on the market). Anyway, there are many heat protectant sprays on the market and this one from Tresseme is my fave. I love this brand and they make a ton of amazing products for CHEAP. You can purchase this at Target, Walmart, Walgreens,etc. And the spray nozzle does lock for traveling or just when you aren't using it. It smells good, but not overpowering and I can really tell a difference when I use this. My hair is softer and shinier and feels healthier.

Moroccan Oil. Also known as liquid gold. I wrote a post on this a few years ago, and I am still in love with this. Let me say it this way, if you have hair, you need this. It smells divine, and makes your hair shiny, and beautiful. All you need is a small pump and you run it through your hair (I do it when it's wet) focusing on the tips and working your way to the roots and ta-da! Magic. I kid you not. This is about a $40 bottle, but for my mid length hair this will last at least a year if not longer. When I had short hair, this was all I used on it. Amazing. Buy it. Done.

Hair spray. Almost everyone and their mama uses hair spray and no joke, this stuff is the bomb dot com. It's from mark. and it's called Locks In Place. It's a buildable formula and it has a mild, clean smell. It's $14 for the bottle, which is a little spendy, but it's worth it. So worth it. I use this on my hair when I curl it and it lasts for two to three days. Yeah, days. I said it. Awesome in a bottle.

And speaking of awesome in a bottle. This is the Batiste dry shampoo for darker hair. If you don't have blonde hair then you get the ashy, dandruff-y look that most dry shampoos give your hair. My hair is greasy, I don't need it looking like I have severe dandruff too, right? This is a fantastic product and has the strongest smell of the ones in this post, but it's still not over-powering. I only use this on two or three day hair and usually only have to use it around my face. They do make one for blonde hair too along with a ton of other options. I got mine from Ulta.

What are your go-to hair styling products? Have one I should try? Tell me in the comments below.

Hair Care Basics: Shampoo & Conditioner

Great hair is a lot like great make-up in that it starts with the basics. If you don't have a great foundation of skin care or hair care, all the products in the world won't matter. You can't create a beautiful masterpiece on a bumpy, dry, ripped canvas right? So here's what I use to keep my hair in tip-top shape.

First thing's first. Shampoo. You need to find a formula that will work for your hair type. If you have fine, thin hair or color treated wavy hair, or coarse dry hair that makes a difference. Figure out what hair type you have and look for products that will enhance it. For me I bounce between three or four different shampoos, but the one I am using now is the Vidal Sassoon (let me just say I am so glad this brand is back with a vengeance, they have amazing products!) Color-Finity Shampoo. I color my hair at home and just recently had highlights put in so this is a must for me. My hair is dry as a bone and needs all the help it can get. I love the smell on this, it really lathers up nicely and rinses clean. 

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle. This can be used weekly as a treatment or in my case I use this everyday as a conditioner. Come summer I probably won't but between the winter apocalypse we are experiencing in Minnesota and the fact that I color my hair and heat style it, this is a great conditioner for my hair. I love the smell and after I shampoo I put this in and clip my hair up while I wash up and shave and then rinse this out. Also, it's like $3 at Target. 

Finally, I do use a weekly mask and this is my new favorite. It's the L'oreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm. I got this for $6 at Target and this tub is full of product so this will last me awhile. I use this once a week in place of my conditioner and holy balls this makes a divine intervention like difference. It smells nice, but won't overpower you or any additional scented body products you use and it really makes my hair shiny and soft and looks and feels so much healthier. 

What are your fave hair basics? Tell me in the comments below.

Sunday Bonus: Spring Nail Polish Faves

Ah spring time. Flowers in bloom, green grass is growing, birds are chirping. It's my second fave season. And right now we can't see the flowers or the grass and the birds are staying the hell inside because this is Minnesota and spring is 10 degrees above zero with a chance of snow. The only thing chirping right now is the snow plow going in reverse.

That being said, I'm a dreamer, and right now I'm dreaming of spring. So to put us all in a better mood I am sharing with you my fave nail polish picks for spring.

Nudes! I love nude polish, maybe more this year than in years past. But these colors are just so fresh and clean and such a change of pace from the deeper, darker winter colors. Pictured above are Essie's Ballet Slippers and Zoya polishes in Rue, Brigette and Marley. I love the nudey purple hues from Zoya and Ballet Slippers is always a classic.

Brights and pastels are a classic spring trend. I am in love/borderline obsessed with what I am calling "Classic Movie Star Red" polish right now and Zoya's Carmen is a great choice! I also love classic pastels shown above in Zoya's Shelby and Blu (Um, not sure if it's intentional but Steel Magnolias is my fave movie of all time and Shelby's fave color was pink. Coincidence?), Essie's Mint Candy Apple and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in White On. I don't know what the deal is with my camera today, it's just not interested in focusing.

Last but not least, I love weird finishes on manicures, I was a huge fan of the OPI Black Shatter, and the Pixie Dust Collection from Zoya. And this is my new obsession, matte finish top coat. This one is from Wet N Wild and was 89 cents at Walgreens. So far my fave way to wear this is with black nail polish because it gives your nails a leather-like finish. Maybe not the most spring-y but I'm loving it anyway.

What are you faves for spring? Tell me in the comments below.

Most Used Brushes

After doing my go-to makeup look, I thought it made sense to do my go-to/most used brushes as a follow-up to that post.

Go-to face brushes are the Real Techniques Blush Brush, the Sigma F80 Flat top kabuki brush (I use this for my foundation) and the Sign P82 brush for concealer. The pointy tip on the blush brush really picks up a lot of product (so beware) and blends it into your cheeks. The foundation and concealer brushes are amazing for blending in face products and giving it a flawless and natural finish.

Go-to eye brushes: Up & Up eyelash comb/eyelash, Up & Up (I think?) spoolie brush, E.L.F. eye shadow brush, mark. eye shadow brush, Sigma E25 blending brush and the E.L.F. fan brush. I use the E.L.F. shadow brush is great for packing shadow all over my lids and the mark. brush is great for the outer V area. The blending brush is pretty self-explanatory and the E.L.F. fan brush is a great way to get rid of any fall-out after I'm done applying my shadows.

You can purchase all brushes at the following links:

Real Techniques

Up & Up

E.L.F.http://www.eyeslipsface.com/makeup/tools/single-brushes

mark.

Sigma

Go-To Face of the Day

Whenever I am in a hurry or don't have a lot of time to think about what I want to do with make-up, I have a few go-to products that always give me (what I feel is) a polished look. 

I love the Cover Girl Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation, the Cover Girl & Olay under eye concealer, Wet N Wild Blush in Pearlescent Pink, the Lorac Pro Palette, Rimmel Scandal-Eyes in Nude, Maybeline Line Stilleto in Black and Maybelline the Rocket in Blackest Black. 

I absolutely love all of these products, and would recommend them to anyone. And I love the Lorac Pro Palette! There are so many shades in here from everything to nude colors to the deepest smokey colors. You can really create a million different looks with this. 

All of these products have long lasting power, and I can go about my day and not have to worry about touch-ups or or melt-downs. 

What are your go-to products? 

January Top 5 Beauty Faves

January 2014 Top 5 Beauty Favorites

I love nail polish! And Zoya polishes are one of my favorite brands. These four are from their new Naturel Collection. I am usually a dark polish girl, but these are just so fresh and I love the shine they give my nails. All of these are office-appropriate and would look great on a variety of skin tones. My two faves are Rue and Brigette.

This is an oldie but goodie. I had a coupon for Loreal makeup and was in need of mascara. I love the length this gives my lashes! It doesn't do much for volume but I like the finished look. I have it in blackest black. It comes in waterproof and other shades too.

Wet N Wild Blush in Pearlescent Pink is so gorgeous. It's a pinky-peach tone blush that is super pigmented. It is a dead-ringer or dupe for NARS Orgasm. AND......it's $2. Yep. $2 at Walgreens. I love this color. It's great with a variety of looks and a great everyday go to shade.

The Tangle Teezer. I love this brush. I have only used it on wet hair but you can use it on dry hair too. It is amazing how well this runs through my hair and gets all the tanlges out without hurting my head. I have a separate post on this if you want more.

This is a new product for me. I have only had it the last two weeks of the month but it is such an awesome product, I had to include it. I recently colored my hair and it has been sooooo dry. Partially because of the dying but I think partially because it's winter. But I swear in one use this made my hair so soft and shiny that you would never know how dry it was minutes before use. It smells good too! I use this once a week as a treatment (usually on the weekend because I don't have time during the week.)

What are your faves this month? Have you tried any of the products I listed?

Sunday Bonus: The Tangle Teezer...It's Life Changing

If you have shoulder length hair or longer you need to own this. It is seriously life changing. I have always had long hair until about two years ago when I cut it into a pixie cut. And now that it's starting to grow out again, the tangles are back. I used to use Suave tangle free something or other spray for kids. It smelled like apples and worked, but THEN I was browsing at Target and I came across this miracle.

I have heard several people on YouTube and in the beauty blogger world talk about this before, but honestly I never really paid too much attention.

This is $10 and from what I can tell from the packaging it came out or is from/originated from the UK and we now have it here in the US. It was $10 and there are a couple of other brands that have a version of this, but I wanted the original.

Anyhoo, I picked this up and brought it home and once I got it out of the package I didn't have high hopes. The plastic teeth didn't seem like they would hold up to my thick hair. I have very thick hair and I have a lot of it.

BUT then I used it on my wet hair (you can use this on wet or dry, I haven't tried it on my dry hair)  I was blown away. This brush was able to brush through my tangles and snarls without hurting me and without pulling out all of my hair. Seriously if you have tangly hair you know how much it hurts to comb it out after washing it. I would recommend this brush to anyone, male or female, young or old, if you have longer hair, you need to buy this. I am sure you can find it online, but Target sells them and I think they only come in pink.

Have you tried this or have you tried another version of this? What did you think?