Category Archives: Beauty belle

bauble bar is looking out for the belles!!! 

22 Friday May 2015

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Attention, belle’s!  We have a limited-time offer that you do NOT want to miss!  Right now at BaubleBar, you can get any full priced item for 20% off!!  So pick up few goodies…

Use the link Baublebar to get your deal!  Code MA20EXCLY at checkout. 

A few faves:

This cuff.

And this one too.

Of course, it is all about the race to the elbow!

But we love the race to the knuckle too!

Who can refuse a feminine statement ring?  Not us, that’s for sure! 

Don’t worry belles, we know the lobes need attention too!

Sometimes they want a lot of attention…other times they want to have options!!

We wouldn’t dare leave you bare. Here’s a necklace that will do the talking for you !

This one will work it’s magic! 

Time to have a little fun belles.  Get shopping!

a&ha

la rose est belle…a belle beauty tip friday friend-1-1

10 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by in Beauty belle, what's ringin' our belle

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After reading our fave book of late, Forever Chic, we quickly adopted several habits of the French “women of a certain age”. Time was a-wastin’!

One such habit…a spritz of rose water to the face as often as possible…has quickly become an obsession (as can happen when belles find a real belle-ringer…just sayin’). It smells delightful…slightly reminiscent of our grandmothers, yet classic and oh-so-today!! Our fave so far:

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Shea Terra Organics Facial Spritz with Ester C Morrocan Rose Water

This particular version has the added benefit of Ester C (we’ve been told that vitamin C helps with the production of collagen)…so OF COURSE we had to try!! We are thinking you might love it as much as we do.

Hydrated, sweet-smelling skin…check. Collagen oozing from our pores…not quite yet, but a belle is always optimistic!

a&a

bareskin belle…a bare and beautiful friday friend-1-1

20 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Beauty belle, friday friend 1-1, what's ringin' our belle

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We know…there are lots of products out there promising that perfectly flawless skin every belle desires. BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturizers, serums, concentrates, plumpers, fillers…we can hardly finish one before we are tempted to grab another! The belles’ choix de la journée…

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bareMinerals BareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation!

Why we love it…

The “beauty-speak” version…It offers the anti-aging ingredients of a serum (vitamin C, plant stem cells) with “just the pigment part of foundation, leaving out the fillers (oil, silicone, water, para beans, fragrance)”…we quote from marie claire, the June 2014 issue.

The practical, belle-speak version…one little, tiny drop gives us the lightest-weight, practically bare-feeling coverage that looks more natural than anything we’ve tried to date (and, belles, due to our on-going giddiness over the latest and greatest products, we feel like we’ve tried ’em all!). Seriously…One. Little. Drop!!

And…word has it (that word being the March ’15 issue of InStyle mag) that Jennifer Anniston is a big fan of this little creation. Quite a stamp of approval!

Available at BareEscentuals stores as well as Ulta and Sephora, the wonder-product comes in a whopping 20 shades, so we encourage you to go get a professional color opinion (a bit hard to “wing-it” with so many options!).

Give this one a try, belles…after you’ve finished the tube, bottle or jar of whatever it is you’re “on” at the moment, of course! (wink, wink) We will be on this one for a while!

a&a

be warned, belles…your lipstick might be telling on you…your friday friend-1-1

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Beauty belle, friday friend 1-1

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We found this informative piece of info here recently and felt obligated to share…

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Photo via lauraleighbeauty.com

A fascinating and alarmingly on-the-money little tidbit, don’t cha think?? This might be a fun little pre-Valentines day check-up…just sayin’.

So pucker up carefully, belles. You may not kiss and tell but your lipstick will!!

a&a

“chanel”-ing our inner sun goddess…a glowy friday friend-1-1

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in Beauty belle, friday friend 1-1, what's ringin' our belle

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We love a good beauty product, but there are only a few that keep us coming back time after time…racing to replace. Well belles, this one is a keeper!!

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Chanel Soleil Tan. It is the reason for our healthy glow…our daily dose of sunshine without fearing age spots and sunburns.

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Now, we will put out a little disclaimer. It should be applied with a foundation brush and one should just start out with a tee tiny bit. Otherwise, you will feel like Cher in the 70’s!  Even so, you might panic at first swipe, but stay steady and trust us.  Start right below the cheekbones and keep blending out with the brush…blend, blend, blend (seriously…it doesn’t take long) and then brush over your forehead, nose and chin (just a touch). It blends like a dream and has staying power, and (most importantly) the ability to make you look luminous, healthy, and flawless.

It’s a wee bit pricey at $48.00, but well worth it…and it lasts forever (well at least 9-12 months).  Another perk…this bronzer is a creme-powder version so it gives us a glow that straight powder just can’t deliver…no matter how hard the poor dear tries. Some of us are old enough to need a lil dewy glow…not shine…glow…just sayin’.  It’s available at Nordstrom, so get clickin’.

In this instance, y’all have our permission to get a little “spendy”.  We can all pretend we have been to the islands, basking in the warm sunshine…ahhhhh!

Go on and get your glow on!!

a&a

move over harry…the belles have met sally!

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by in Beauty belle, what's ringin' our belle

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Sally Hansen that is…

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Ever wish you had the flawless legs of your youth? No bruises or scars (or if you had them back then, they just looked better on the younger, collagen-enhanced skin) and certainly no discoloration from…we hate to say it…AGE! Well, we belles have learned how to fake perfection in a pinch!

We discovered Sally Hansen’s “airbrush legs” back when it was a spray. And even though it was a bit tricky to apply, the results were impressive enough to keep us intrigued. So…when we found it in the creme formula, we got all giddy! This stuff is a perfect-leg miracle in a bottle! It goes on easily, dries quickly, and doesn’t (easily) rub off on clothing or furniture. (Just try not to roll around on someone’s white couch until you have tried it on yourself…just a wee disclaimer).

Some examples…

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Note the top, ghostly leg…then check out the Sally-enhanced one on the bottom!

And about those bruises (yes…even belles can have slight imperfections)…

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Tennis ball to the shin perhaps?

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No problem!

So…we highly suggest you at least give it a try the next time you have to do the whole dress-up-like-a-lady kind of thing (dress…heels…the whole nine yards). You…and your legs…will look like a million bucks!! You might just decide you want to fake perfection on a daily basis…just sayin’.

You’re welcome, belles. Join us in our happy dance…perfect legs and all!!
a&a

the belles give curls a whirl…your friday friend-1-1

20 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by in Beauty belle, what's ringin' our belle

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Frankly my dears, we belles give a damn…about our hair…a lot! We are never quite satisfied with our tresses au naturel, so the hair salon is a shrine. Appointments with our hairdressers are not to be missed….ever.

Good hair day: we see everything through rose colored glasses
Bad hair day: look out, the glass is half empty, Eeyore is our best friend and the world is just plain out to get us.

Over the years, we have tried it all and embraced any brush, comb, flatiron, curling iron and product that will tame our tresses.

We have highlighted, low lighted, permed, Japanese straightened, relaxed and Brazilian blowouted (don’t care if that’s not a word…and, by the way, still love the Brazilian blowout and their hair care products are by far the best we have tried to date…just sayin’)

Until recently we have been fans of having smooth, soft, straight hair. Actually, we are still fans of the look and thanks to the Brazilian blowout and the flat iron we achieve this look with a fair amount of ease. But sometimes we feel a little flat and our locks fall forward into our faces…good for hiding wrinkles, but not so good for say…walking?!

Enter curlers….yes we mean hot rollers!! Back to the days of old…who would’ve thought? Might seem a bit retro, but we have found that a really good set of curlers can tame the frizz, add a touch of volume, keep your hair out of your face, give you a nice side swoosh and a soft bend on the ends…all in a snap! We’ve been experimenting and like the results.

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These pics are taken right after removing the curlers, and this head of hair can be quite frizzy and unmanageable. As y’all can see, we achieved almost a beachy look. After a bit, it falls a little but still has nice bend and looks even more natural.

Now to the specific equipment. Since we are only hair experts in our own minds, we reached out and had another belle try out our chosen hot rollers. This belle’s hair also has some frizz issues and she wanted to get some volume without getting “big” hair. So how did it go? She loved them so much that she already has her own set purchased and in hand!

We found THE hot rollers beyond all others to be the T3 Voluminous Hot Roller Set. Available here and here.

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And, of course, we belles love that quilted black case it comes in!!! Très chic….

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And one more very important thing…while those curlers are in you can be doing something else! (Do your makeup, shave your legs, check your email, eat a bon bon or two…). Multitasking and efficiency…gotta love it!!

So let’s go retro! A little bounce in your hair might just put a little bounce in your step!!

See ya…these belles gotta bounce!!

a&a

Word to your mother…gifts that keep on giving…your friday friend-1-1

02 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Beauty belle, belle-icious, fashion forward, friday friend 1-1, healthy belle, what's ringin' our belle

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and finding an appropriate and worthy-enough gift can be quite a trial. To make this undertaking infinitely less taxing we came up with the ultimate gift idea……

Monthly Gift Boxes!!!!!

They come in all price points, a limitless variety to suit any mother’s taste, and best of all, your momma will remember how thoughtful you are each time she gets a special delivery!

So without further ado ….

 

For the mom on the go:

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“Delivering boxes of fun to the travel-obsessed…and busy people on-the-go”…this might just be the perfect choice for the mom who always has a bag packed, passport in hand!  Examples of items she can expect:  foreign language tools, portable phone chargers, sleep masks, portable sunscreen, and snacks from around the world.  From GoTravelBox.com

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For the mom who loves to “escape” even when she is forced to unpack that bag and stay home for a while, try escapemonthly.  They will send destination-inspired luxury products to help mom relax, renew, and escape.  So order, and leave her alone already!

 

For the gourmet mom:

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From Gourmet Spotting, mom can expect to receive 4-6 full-size gourmet products each month.  Bonus…for each box they ship, they donate one meal to charity.  Showing love to mom and those in need…beautiful!

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Help mom discover brands she will love with personalized boxes from the folks at tastetrunk.com.  You will be sure to find the perfect match for mom with their smart categories…gourmet, sweet, BBQ, and health.

 

For the gourmande mom:

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The “World Chocolate Club” from mysubscriptionaddiction.com…um, need we say more?!  We hope the junior belles are paying attention to this one, hint, hint!

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Starting at just $10 per month, the boxes from lovewithfood.com are packed with natural or organic snacks.  And the dears at Love with Food donate a meal to feed a hungry child in the U.S. for every box they ship.  Now that’s love!

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Choose a box from a variety of categories (New England, Cocktails, Sweets…) or subscribe to the “Small Batch by Season” plan to help mom maintain her “tastemaker” status among her friends.  Go to shop.eatboutique.com.

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For cocktail recipes, curated by world-class mixologists, and all of the required spirits and mixers delivered right to mom’s door, check out julibox.com.  Maybe mom will invite you over for a taste…cocktails anyone?

 

For the fit mom:

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The “KLUTCHclub Women” boxes are filled with items sure to delight the fitness-and-health-type mom.  Products range from fitness DVD’s to healthy snacks and beauty products.  Find it at mysubscriptionaddiction

 

For the mom who loves her non-human babies:

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Help mom spoil her sweetest, most obedient, and adoring “child” with spoiledrottenbox.com.  They have 3, 6, and 12-month plans as well as a pay-as-you-go option with boxes filled with toys, treats and more…and no worries, all treats are manufactured here in the U.S.

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BarkBox is another excellent choice for mom’s sweet, furry baby.  Every month she will receive four or more products, carefully selected by dog-size…from toys and bones to hygiene products and gadgets…that will be sure to please Fido (and the cardboard box is a bonus!) Oh, and mom will love this…10% of the proceeds are donated to dogs in need.  From barkbox.com.

 

For the fashionista mom:

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The Style Box from socialbliss.com is perfect for the on-trend mom!  Each box contains a selection of one-size-fits-all fashion accessories, hand-picked by stylists who are “in the know”.

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The stylists at wantable.com navigate the world of fashion and beauty to bring mom the latest trends.  Select a category (makeup, accessories, or intimates), and wait for the adoration to begin!

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For fashion-oriented items, another excellent choice is the Coco Rocha Fancy Box from mysubscriptionaddiction. Past boxes have included magazines, jewelry, sunglasses…wow!!

 

For the beauty-pro mom:

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The “Must Have Box” from popsugar.com will treat mom to hand-selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food…and they are all full-size products from premium brands.  Go for it!

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And last, but far from least, mom will practically tackle the delivery-man each month (don’t tell dad) to tear into her latest shipment from BirchBox.  Boxes contain high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples, customized just for her.  Make her ever-so-happy…click birch box.com.

Whew!!! As y’all can see, the options are endless, but we think this is a great variety to get you inspired. So treat mom and be her favorite…every month.

a&a