cocktails and candy…an irresisti-belle combination

25 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in belle-icious, what's ringin' our belle

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We recently spent a little time on the west coast and wandered into a little boutique called SUGARFINA. It just draws you in with its bright clean beauty…and samples…how is a belle to resist?

Teen belle was enamored by a few treats….

and this wall of goodies…

No wonder her eyes were as big as saucers!!

But then what did we spy ?!?! Could it be ?!?!

Yesssssss!!!!! A cocktail/candy combo…and they taste just as beautiful as they look! We should know…just sayin’…

And remember these…

We mentioned these Champagne Bears last week…and one belle got right on it! …

Lined up and ready for some “grown-up” Easter baskets!

Loved these as well…

A bento box of faves…and you can customize, too!!

Gorgeous packaging, divine flavors, and a multitude of choices make SUGARFINA a great gift idea for others…or a treat for yourself, sugar!

a&a

bathing weather is just around the bend, belles…

24 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward

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6 Shore Road, bikini, ElleJay, Lenny Neimeyer, maillot, Mara Hoffman, Revolve Clothing, RVCA, swimsuits

Time to treat ourselves to a new bathing suit… Love the colors of this one

From Revolve Clothing by Mara Hoffman

Loving the clean look and crisp cut of this bikini…

Via Revolve clothing by ElleJay
We have always been fans of the bandeau….

Via Revolve clothing by RVCA

If y’all prefer a Maillot…

Via Revolve clothing by 6 shore road
And this one with the fringe on top…

Via Revolve clothing by Lenny Niemeyer

And this elegant flattering number

Via Revolve clothing by Lenny Niemeyer

And remember this one we shared just a few days ago? Time to put your water wings on, belles…

a&a

what’s ringin’ our belle…round 46

22 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in what's ringin' our belle

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coverup, house of turquoise, risotto milanese, saks fifth avenue, serious eats, swimsuit, traditional home, vix by paul hermanny

Dying to try this Risotto …
A bit of design inspiration

Given that everyone around us is a walking Petrie dish, we think these Healthy ginger shots are in order. Keep those bugs at bay!!

But if it’s anywhere near cocktail hour , we are going with the aptly named Penicillin.

That being said …a little Soup is in order

Which is going to be tasty and detoxing so then….

Get this Swimsuit ….which means you’ll want

A cute Coverup
Back soon!

a&a

a monday perk that will make us proud as a peacock!!!

21 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward

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earrings, Intermix, jewelry, peacock

Belles are always in the mood for a bit of perking up. And as the saying goes…belles of a feather…

Via Intermix
Part boho, part urban chic, two parts just plain cool!

They tickle our fancy… Available at Intermix

a&a

could it be?

20 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in just sayin'

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just sayin', PMS

just sayin’

a&a

belle-worthy hacks…a squeaky clean friday friend-1-1

18 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in friday friend 1-1

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cleaning, Croghan's Jewel Box, jewelry, laundry, tips

We recently ran across a belle-ringing list of fashion and household hacks and thought it a must to pass on…’cause we care, belles…we care about you and all of your little pretties!

photo from marthastewart.com

For removing stubborn stains and odors from clothing…

1. The household cleaner 409 removes lipstick beautifully (but check the shade first 😉

2. White vinegar added to your wash can help remove sweat stains (although belles don’t sweat…just sayin’)

3. Baby shampoo can be used to hand-wash delicates including silk (baby those babies)

4. Dish liquid removes grease/oil-based stains from fabrics (gently massage into stains, launder, be amazed)

5. Cornstarch or baby powder will remove oil from leather (sprinkle on, allow to sit overnight, be wowed)

6. A mix of vodka and water sprayed on clothing will remove most odors (we prefer to save the vodka for other purposes, but if you must…)

7. Baby wipes will remove makeup from clothing (hmmm…wonder what this is doing to baby’s bottom?)

8. Hairspray and a clean toothbrush will remove ink (resist that urge to wet or pretreat before grabbing the hairspray)

these pretties can be found at Croghan’s Jewel Box in Charleston

For other household hacks…

1. Beer cleans gold jewelry (again…if you must)

2. Ketchup cleans silver jewelry (wonder who tried this first??)

3. WD-40 removes paint from hands (and pretty much everything else)

4. Suede can be cleaned/revitalized with a toothbrush (clean…please)

5. Vaseline can be used to polish shoes (and a banana peel will apparently do the same, but the smell…)

The tips-n-tricks can be endless. We’ll share ’em as we find ’em, belles.

a&a

a bevy of belle-worthy cleansers

17 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by theRAREbelle in Beauty belle

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Anthropologie, cleansers, Eve Lom, French Girl, Glossier, makeup remover, Neutrogena, sephora

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