05 Monday Sep 2016
Posted in Beauty belle, belle perks
Tags
It might be Labor Day…the “official end of summer”, but here in the south, the weather doesn’t EVER get that memo!
Enter our new secret weapon against the heat and humidity that will be hanging around for what seems like an eternity. It primes, it sets, it refreshes. Basically it’s the fountain of youth !!
Nordstrom supplies our next magical elixir
Belles really are the fairest of them all with this stuff…just sayin’
a&a
31 Thursday Mar 2016
Posted in Beauty belle
Tags
amazon, BareMinerals, Kevyn Acoin, Locked & Coated, mascara, nordstrom, waterproof, Youngblood, ysl
It’s time to bat those lashes ladies!!! This iconic mascara is at the top of our faves list. It thickens and lengthens. Two swipes and you’re good to go! If you have a little more time – or want to take it to the next level – swipe a few more times and get ready to be wowed! YSL SHOCKING FAUX CILS MASCARA. From Sephora, Amazon, and Nordstrom.
Next up on the block, a new but intriguing line for us. While out in San Francisco Nonie-belle introduced us to this fabulous Cosmetic line. Youngblood is one of our new favorite lines. The mascara is not as lush as the YSL but has an incredible brush that really grasps the lashes and coats them beautifully. It is more of a natural look when applied but can be layered for extra drama.
By the way we have also tried Youngblood translucent pressed powder, which is actually a finely milled rice powder. It won’t clog pores, is absorbent, and refuses to become cakey. We also purchased the Youngblood eye primer and looovve it. It makes a great base for shadow or can be worn on its own to even out tone on the eye and provide a smooth polish.
The next favorite on our list is our go-to when we are looking for curl, lift, volume and length. Kevyn Aucoin essential mascara delivers on all fronts. It doesn’t clump, transfer or get stiff. It may just be tied for the blue ribbon winner. Available at Sephora, Amazon, and Nordstrom
And with swim weather approaching (along with the summer heat and humidity), a waterproof option might be in order. However…we have yet to find one that we love. But wait…
Enter Locked & Coated from Bare Minerals! This bit of magic lets us use one of our favorites and then turns it into a waterproof version! Voila!
Let us know what you think, belles…and share your faves as well. We are always open to suggestions. Just sayin’
a&a
17 Thursday Mar 2016
Posted in Beauty belle
Spend a lot, spend a little…we just love a clean, fresh, not-dry-at-all face at the end of a long day. We seem to have collected quite an arsenal of cleansers (all in the name of R&D, of course) and thought it might be a good idea to share our thoughts on some of our favorites. Since very belle has slightly different skin and different goals, perhaps you will find just what you are looking for!
Luscious cream… 
Although it might be a bit of a splurge, this iconic EVE LOMcleanser is the crème de la crème. ( get it Here and Here) . Vogue calls it “probably the best cleanser in the world”. Now that’s impressive! It’s handy little muslin cloth is the perfect companion to quickly whisk away all traces of even the most stubborn (damn that waterproof mascara) of products. Best for: dry, aging skin and colder/dry weather. Worth it, belles…prepare the wallet!
Oil…
You. Will. Not. Believe. The. SMELL!!! Of course, being the Franco-belles that we are, we were instantly drawn to the brand – FRENCH GIRL. But once we took a whiff, we knew it was a must-try. We purchased this just as the weather turned wretchedly cold and found that we hardly needed moisturizer after using it! (Of course…we DID use a moisturizer because we were afraid we might age 10 years overnight. Not worth taking a chance, belles). Best for: dry to combination skin and colder/dry weather
Silky smooth…
We ran across this little gem while perusing the “highly edited” collection of products from GLOSSIER. The name intrigued us, so of course we went for it. (Yes, we are absolute beauty product suckers). The verdict? Silky smooth, super gentle, non-irritating (we mean, absolutely NO stinging or irritation in the eyes) non-drying and efficient. Will be keeping this one around! Best for: all skin types, any weather, and contact lense wearers
So practical and efficient it’s almost ridiculous…
Good old NEUTROGENA ! This bargain in a bottle gets our vote for drugstore all-star. It does the job beautifully with no irritation. We find that we use a bit more of this product than the others to accomplish the full-face-strip-down, but at it’s drugstore price, no biggie. Best for: all skin types, especially oily, and warmer weather.
Of course, we are still partial to the Jane Iredale “magic mitt” we told you about a couple of weeks ago. The choices are endless, belles!!
Try one. Try all. Splurge. Save. Be clean
a&a
25 Thursday Feb 2016
Posted in Beauty belle
Tags
In the beauty realm, brows are everything right now. And they should be. A brow frames the face, and based on color, shape and arch can completely transform the face.
One key essential to creating the perfect brow is the perfect pencil.
While on holiday we were treated to a brow enhancement to beat the band!! A perfectionist in her field, she was kind enough to fill us in on her favorite brow pencil. So of course, we are sharing with you.
Precise, sharp, and the ideal color for all brows!! Voila!!!
Y’all will be amazed and thrilled. We promise. Our life is better for this Brow pencil and yours will be too.
Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Amazon.
Here’s looking at you belles…
a&a
03 Thursday Dec 2015
Posted in Beauty belle
We can be very fickle when it comes to beauty products…we are always game to try the next great product….lipstick, bronzer, eyeshadow…bring it on!
So, it should go without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that when we do hit on something we buy again and again, we become fiercely loyal. (See our Cle de Peau post for proof of commitment)
If you have ever battled with mascara spotting on to your lids, liner making marks in your crease and your shadow fading away by noon, we have found the holy grail of an answer. We have personally bought it repeatedly in full and travel sizes! We have permanently added this last step into our everyday makeup routine. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray is the ultimate answer…lightweight, no offensive smell, refreshing, and…most importantly…hard working!!
Via Pinterest
So, belles, hop to it before your face melts off! You can get this Urban Decay All Nighters Makeup Setting Spray at Sephora and Ulta (we usually try to link to Amazon as well if it’s available…because 99% of the time we love Amazon…but, in this instance, they are charging TWICE as much !! 😡)
We are all set! Are y’all??
a&a
23 Monday Nov 2015
Tags
A Jaffe, bags, bracelets, budhagirl, Christmas, Coordinates Collection, Croghan's Jewel Box, face brush, faux fur, fur, gifts, jewelry, Lenora Dame, Longchamp, makeup brush, Mark and Graham, necklaces, nordstrom, PJ Luxe, purse, rings, shopbop, Shrimps, socks, Stila, Tory Burch
It’s coming…ready or not! Christmas is just a few short weeks away, and those gifts aren’t going to buy themselves! We figured we would brainstorm some kick-ass ideas for you…’cause that’s what belles are for…
We have some ideas for him, her, the techies, the hostess…and we will share them all this week as we prepare to enter the “vortex”. First up:
Some ideas for her…
Ya know how we are always saying, “remember who you are and where you came from”?? These will help with that:
From A. Jaffe:
the 14k gold version
Choose any location in the world and A. Jaffe will engrave the map and place a diamond where “X marks the spot” for where her heart is (or should be)…(there’s a less expensive sterling version as well)
And from Coordinates Collection (above…we’ve told y’all about these before) use the coordinates of that special place to create a piece that will be all hers
For a comfy, daily-wear bauble, from Mark and Graham, this Ariel Gordon Semi-precious Stone Necklace will be sure to please
How about polishing up that ponytail ? Comes in gold or silver . A great stocking stuffer from Nordstrom.
And from BuDhaGirl…we are still big fans of these all-weather bangles…for a bit of mindful glamour!
From our fave belle-friend-owned jewelry store, Croghans, in Charleston, this crowning glory of a ring (above) is perfect for the princess or regal matriarch.
From Nordstrom she will love these Stila “sweet kisses”…an excellent stocking stuffer!
in “pebble”
For the travelin’ belle, Longchamp’s Le Pliage (also available at Nordstrom) is a classic that she will surely love!
and this lux face brush from Tory Burch will be treasured
The Lenora Dame Polar Bear or Orange Puff bag charms from Shopbop will add some whimsy to her adventures
From Shopbop, the Shrimps “Abatha” faux fur coat will keep her warm
And the feet stay warm with these Foxy Sox (also from Shopbop)
Stay tuned…there’s more to come!
a&a
14 Saturday Nov 2015
Posted in Beauty belle
Belles are always looking for a potion for parched skin…an elixir that will soak in rather than add shine and create a youthful glow.
We have both been long time adorers of Ole Henrikson. We have ordered on repeat the Pure Truth Youth Actvating Oil.
Ole Henrikson is offering a special promotion thru 11/18. Get a free 3-piece Deluxe Mini Set with orders of $50.00 or more. Use code GLOW.
This magical elixir is also available at Sephora and they have several variety packs if you want to test the waters. Not to mention , you may want to multitask and get a few stocking stuffers or a beauty gift or two.
We swear by this product….try it, you will too!!
How’s that for a belle beauty-bonus?!
a&a
28 Friday Aug 2015
Posted in Beauty belle
Tags
We have hesitated to do a post on this French beauty find as it is absurdly expensive…ridiculously so…embarrassingly so…
We need to tell you how we even ended up with this product in the first place…because while we like to shop (obvious) we don’t just throw caution and cash to the wind on a beauty product without trying it!
A while back, we found ourselves on a girls trip…shopping, tennis, cocktails and dining… At one point, we all ended up in a cos bar sipping champagne and getting impromptu makeovers. We all needed up taking a few goodies home and didn’t look at the receipts until the next day.
Well, you’d a thought the sky was falling when this particular belle had a look see at her purchases from the day before!!! So completely undone and plain furious that they would even put a foundation so pricey on said belle’s face, she was madder than a wet hen!
For a number of reasons the return was not to be made that day…and while the feathers were still ruffled, this belle experimented a little more with the precious potion. Cut to 8 months later and this magical, miracle makeup has become a foundation that we can’t live without ….
So let the justification begin…. It did last 8 months, you don’t need much. It gives a youthful glow without too much sheen. It provides great coverage and is so natural looking, the compliments come daily! Justified!
So what happened??? Purchased again. And again. It has become worth every penny. Sorry, but it’s true.
Via Pinterest
Available at Nordstrom
We promise that this is the most miraculous makeup you will ever try….
a&a
14 Friday Aug 2015
Posted in Beauty belle
We are not bragging when we say we know our hair products. Our hair is a priority. A hair appointment will take precedence over just about anything…just sayin. And we are very tolerant…unless you touch our hair…then the Tasmanian belle comes out. Don’t mess with the hair!!
We have thoroughly researched every hair product and procedure…mainly because one belle in this duo has an inordinate amount of hair that is thick, wavy and frizzy when in its natural state. Let’s be clear…since the invention of the flat-iron, Japanese hair straightening, Brazilain Blowouts and frizz-fighting products, it’s been a coon’s age since we’ve seen “the natural state”.
We don’t recommend many hair products because we are a bit particular, and there are very few that fit all the requirements or work to our satisfaction. But, we seem to have found a blue-ribbon winner, belles!
Blonde belle tried it on her aforementioned horse hair and was pleased. But since she has a Brazilian blowout, it really couldn’t be given the a-okay quite yet.
So, a beach-bound belle and her daughter were the next testers. No hair dryers or tools were used…just air drying. Results? Huge success!! So much so that mom came back empty handed because her offspring could no longer live without it.
The final tester was our very own baby belle. She has beautiful golden curls, but sometimes the frizz gets in the way. Unless she is straightening her lovely locks, she only air-dries to keep the frizz at bay. We have tried an inordinate number of products and methods to no avail. Until now that is…
The anticipation is killing you isn’t it??? Well, wait no longer…here it is :
Surface curls smoothing cream
This is a product that met the approval of 4 very hair-conscious belles…what more could you ask for? Off you go now…your hair will thank you!
a&a
03 Friday Jul 2015
Ahhh those hot summer nights….and days…and mornings! Sometimes a belle feels like she might just melt! So….before you melt completely this holiday weekend, check this list of hacks from the beauty high blog.
What a brilliant list of pertinent and helpful ideas to keep us belles looking pulled together and fresh-as-a-daisy. Some are great reminders, but plenty are tips we’d never heard. So read on and keep cool…inside and out!!
Go to beautyhigh.com
Not to be outdone, and certainly no less useful (especially for us messier belles) is a list of hacks …a veritable wealth of information…frankly a mass of miracles…to solve all of our stain dilemmas. Thank you whowhatwear.com, a blog that we love to check regularly with for all sorts of tips, tricks and advice for the fashionable, au courant belle.
And because whowhatwear.com has been on another level lately with their helpful tips, we had to give them another shout out and share their organizational tips. We can never be too informed on this matter and they have come up with some ideas so simple and plentiful that you’ll want to drop everything (in a tidy pile of course) and get to organizing.
So there are a few tips and tricks that we are sure to use and we sure hope by sharing that y’all will make use of them too. Here’s to a beautiful, clean, and well organized summah and beyond.
a&a
the RARE belle 