Marilyn Monroe for M.A.C

The highly anticipated Marilyn Monroe Collection (for M.A.C) will be hitting stores worldwide next week, October 4th to be exact. I had a chance to get a sneak peak at the launch event last night thanks to my friend, Citabria. What a decadent little invite this was, thanks gurrrl! XO
I have always admired Ms. Monroe and her effortless beauty.  She is timeless, like diamonds, and what I love most about her image is the fact that she looked best without makeup. I believe she looked stunning just fresh faced with tousled hair and no jewelry. Oh and some perfume maybe :-)
I know M.A.C events can be over the top so of course I went in semi-costume! Lol! I'm clearly far from a blonde but it was a great excuse to do some Marilyn inspired makeup because I love her signature look: red lips, liquid eyeliner and la-la-lashes!

My hair's too long to sit on my shoulders (like Marilyn) so I went for more of a Veronica Lake look. Partly because I'm not a hair stylist but it's glamour just the same! Lol!
I blew my hair out and set it in pin curls (roll the blown out sections and tuck them under w/pin curl clips) This achieves a "set" look without having to use actual rollers. A little trick I picked up from my friends at Bumble & Bumble (HI Sloane, Michael & Zuleika!!! XO)
It's important to roll the sections up while they're still warm so they can keep the desired form for longer. Also, I spray each section w/hair spray after each section and againwhen they're all rolled up. Today I used CHI Infra Texture dual action hair spray. I love the CHI line of products b/c they smell amazing AND they work SO well! This spray leaves no residue and never gets clumpy. I have a huge bottle of it in my beauty closet at all times. ;-)
I did my hair like 4 hours before the event so it would have time to hold the curl. I'm sure I could've used my huge curling iron but I had the time today to let it sit w/out adding extra direct heat, which isn't that great for the hair...Just saying :-/

*Hair & Makeup*

I went on to do the typical Marilyn/pin up style look. Taupey/Neutral eye shadows, lashes, liquid eyeliner and red lips.
I wanted to shnaz it up a bit so I added some shimmery white loose shadow on my lid ("Purest" by Pinnacle Cosmetics Pinnacle Cosmetics )
I applied NYX black glitter liquid liner over the plain black to add sparkle, defined my brows, added white (Kevyn Aucoin) pencil on my water line,  blush and I threw on my favorite faux lashes...demi whispies.
Marilyn's makeup artist, Allan "Whitey" Snyder, was known to mix up to 5 different shades of red liners and lipsticks to get that perfect red lip. I did the same this time & used Cherry lip liner (M.A.C) to line & fill my lips, filled them in with Ruby Woo (M.A.C Matte lipstick) and a top coat of INGLOT Slim Lipstick #44.

I got there a few minutes late (it was from 7-9) and saw a huge line. You'd have thought she was there in person, it was ridiculous! But I wasn't leaving & I got in 15 minutes later. It was packed! Like wall to wall madness.
There was a line to view the collection, there was a line to have your products picked out and there was a line to pay. At one point I turned around to walk away and ended up going in a full circle because there was no place to go! Lol!
I don't know about any of you but this is torture for me. Lol! Oh, and in this small space they also had waiters serving food and drinks...but they were gorgeous so who cares? :-)
The soft sound of Marilyn's music was playing in the background and I felt right at home as I sang along to "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"...because they are!
I finally managed somehow to view what was left of the products. It wasn't even 8:00pm and all the red lipsticks, along w/the champagne eye shadow I wanted (Preferred Blonde), were gone. It was sad but it's all available next week so I know I still have time.
Plus, I have a few friends who work for M.A.C, that always helps in cases like these! :-)
I was not leaving empty handed so I ended up getting a Dazzleglass lip gloss in the shade "Little Rock"...this pays homage to a song in Gentleman Prefer Blondes. There are 2 in this collection (Phiff! is a creamy gloss w/gold flecks and Little Rock the same except it has silvery teeny sparkles)
I wanted Phiff! but by the time I got to the register it was sold out too (I'm telling you it was nuts!) Finally I said, "just give me what you have. I'm a beauty blogger, I need something to write about for tomorrow!"
The guy that was helping me was very cooperative and stood over an almost empty drawer and opened box after box of the remains trying to find something I'd like. What a sweetie!

*Little Rock* Dazzleglass- $21.50

I was a little hesitant because I have a few Dazzleglass glosses and they're nice but I can always feel the glitter in them when I rub my lips together. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the texture is super creamy and I can't feel anything. I LOVE this gloss! I want 2 more, at least!

It goes on clear but w/just enough shimmer. I can see myself using this alone (because the shine factor is insane) or over other products as long as I keep the applicator brush clean so it won't change the color. I wish this came in a tube!

The packaging is gorgeous! Everything has Marilyn's picture on it and since she never took a bad shot, she looks beautiful as always. The gloss is in a case that's in the box so when you pull it out and open it, you see a small set of red lips staring at you. Cute! 

Also, everything has Marilyn's signature so it looks like each item is autographed. Love it!!

I got home and immediately pulled my lashes off & wiped away any trace of my red lipstick so I could try my gloss on. I wasn't going to take a full pic but I thought it was good to show the same look would work with red lips or the new gloss.

*Packaging w/kiss inside & gloss*

Ok, so now I've had a chance to see the whole line up close and although the makeup artist in me wanted 2 of everything, I felt like it wasn't much of anything I didn't already have, 2 times over. The blushes are beautiful but I have so many just like them. I actually have duplicates of all 3 lip liners (Beet, Redd and Cherry-which, as I mentioned, I was wearing) The "Forever Marilyn Beauty Powder" was tempting but it was way too light for me. Like, I don't get that light even on the coldest day in winter. It will, however, be huge w/all of the porcelain skin ladies (and gents) out there!

I am going to look more carefully when it hits stores next week so I can take my time without a stampede of people behind me but from what I saw, I still want 2 red lipsticks..."Love Goddess" & "Scarlett Ibis",  the nail polish called "Flaming Rose" and definitely more Dazzleglass!

Marilyn Monroe is a legend and real beauty. Before she was famous, when she was simply Norma Jean, she was still a gorgeous woman. Like millions of others, I have learned so much by watching her and I'm thrilled to have even a teeny bit of her legacy.

I hope you all have fun shopping her collection and please let me know what you think of it!

Keep it Prettie!

*Stephanie*

Nail Of The Week- "Save Me" By OPI

Hi Glitter Dolls!

This week I chose one of my favorite party polishes. I got this in a gift bag at an event I went to a few months ago and just threw it on yesterday. I've been feeling very "fall" lately so I've been wearing some darker colors but I wanted something different this time. I'm over the bright colors from the summer so this was a good in between. 

I call this "party" polish because it has small specs of silver glitter with blue & gold prismatic confetti, so it literally looks like a New Year's Eve party in a bottle! Lol! 

It just reminded me of something really festive and showy. It's part of the Nicki Minaj collection which had some cute colors. I have Pink Friday also which is a sweet, soft pink. 

Anyway, we all love glitter so it's always a good time for some! 

XO

Keep it Prettie!

*Stephanie*

COVERGIRL + Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation

These are the kind of products that make being a BzzAgent really fun! I wrote an introductory blog a few months ago saying I was a BzzAgent and explaining what it was all about.

I received the COVERGIRL + Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation & Pressed Powder kit recently and was so excited to try it. One of the first pieces of makeup that I can remember buying was a COVERGIRL Pressed Powder called Classic Tan. My friends & I were like 14 and didn't need it or know how to use it but it made us feel like grown ups. That and we liked the smell of it. True story.
Fast forward to today & I still love the smell! I remember my Grandma standing in her hallway mirror applying the same compact before leaving the house. I liked their powders, loose & pressed, because they never seemed heavy. Plus, we'd unknowingly use it as bronzer. Lol!

As we know, I'm not a huge "Foundation" type of girl but it's just makeup. It can easily be washed away if I don't like it so I never take any of it too seriously. I tried the 2-in-1 Tone Rehab Foundation w/an open mind. I liked it. The texture is light and blends well. The powder has a silky feel and works in unison with the foundation. This combo is something I wouldn't mind using when the weather gets cooler.
There are added benefits to these as well. They're both 2-in-1 products so they combine foundation (COVERGIRL) & Hydrating Serum (Olay) The foundation is supposed to reduce appearances of fine lines and any discoloration while the hydrating serum will protect and hydrate the skin while brightening your skin tone over a period of time. I didn't have to use them for 2 weeks (as suggested) to notice a difference. They went on with ease and I was left looking polished and simple. Very fresh faced.
The Bzz Kit also came with a booklet (called a BzzGuide) explaining what everything was and how it works.

I got 20 coupons to keep and hand out to friends. They're $2 off coupons and considering the foundation retails at $14.99, that's pretty good.

I gave some to my friends and I'm waiting to hear back.
I got the shade Soft Honey for the foundation and 350 Medium for the pressed powder.
I swatched the foundation just so you could see what it looked like. Even though it shows them mixed in the tube, it comes out mixed. Kinda cool! ;-)

**I am partnered with Ulta so you can shop NOW by clicking the photo below & it will take you directly to the Ulta Website where you can purchase this item for $14.99! 

Enjoy! XO**

Keep it Prettie!

*Stephanie*

"The Nicky Paris Experience"

Hello Sugar Plum Fairies!

I hope you've all been doing well! I wanted to kick off my return with a blog about someone I adore so here goes...For the few of you who don't know, Nicky Paris (yes, like the Hilton sisters but not really) is a NYC based comedian. He's the full enchilada; young, captivating, witty, has great stage presence and the guy is a stone fox! Yep, he's gorgeous! I'm not a huge comedy buff but I’ve come to like who I like. 

Dane Cook, Chris Rock, Mario Cantone, Kathy Griffin, D.L Hughley, the late, great Sam Kinison and Chris Farley are among my favorites but Nicky is unlike anyone I've ever seen before. The bottom line is I just love to giggle. So I usually find myself drawn to funny people. 

When I was little my Mom would call me "Giggle Beak" because I was usually giggling with my friends, like little chirping birds! Hahaha!

I'm not sure who it is that I follow on twitter that was ReTweeting his tweets but I owe them a HUGE THANK YOU! I started noticing his sense of humor was spot on. So much so that I found myself ReTweeting his jokes & sending them to my sister because I knew she'd find them just as hilarious as I did, which of course she did, so we giggled together. :-)

I subscribed to his blog back in June, which is on his website: www.NickyParis.com & as a writer myself, I always pay attention to what the author is really saying. His blog is open, honest and intriguing. It reveals just enough of who he is mixed w/the perfect amount of comedy to keep it light. Before I even heard his voice I could hear “how” he was saying things. His delivery is so spellbinding that whether you're a man or a woman, preferably for Nicky’s sake Zac Efron, you will fall in love with him! 

I was staying with my Mom during the summer and knew I wanted to go to one of his shows. He’s performed at Caroline’s Comedy Club, which is huge for comedians. I was so impressed by this, I mean he’s only 19 but is so driven and focused, it’s really very admirable. I sent him a tweet asking if he’d be performing any time in July and where could I get tickets. He wrote back right away saying he usually performs weekly and to let him know when I was thinking of coming. He then did something so sweet and unexpected... 
He realized somehow that I wasn’t going to be around all summer and booked himself to perform just for ME! I might have actually done a little happy dance, no, I definitely did a happy dance. Lol! I called my Mom right away and told her we were going. She’s a “Giggle Beak” too so I knew she’d love it! 

Nicky was adorable & sent me some emails to confirm and set everything up. He was performing at the Broadway Comedy Club on west 53rd street. It was an intimate setting, which was perfect because we sat right in front. I threw on my shiniest lip gloss and sipped my drink as we waited for the show to start. There were a handful of other comedians, some of which were funny, but none of them came close to Nicky! He jumped on stage full of energy and his routine was flawless. He didn’t miss a beat! He winked at me and I felt like a 12 yr old girl at a Justin Bieber concert. Lol! My Mom too!! We were so enthralled by his performance. The man’s a comedic genius, a true entertainer. He’s smart and you see it right away because he’s so quick you don’t have time to think. He pulls you into the moment with him and before you know it, your face is hurting & your stomach is sore from laughing and you’re tearing! It’s intoxicating, so to speak. 

Right as he got off stage he came over to give me a quick hug and smooch on the cheek, I nearly died. Lol! Seriously though, I felt like the Prom Queen! :-)

After the show, he gave us big hugs and took some pics w/us. One of which he put on his Instagram, I was honored. I had to put this one up on mine too :-) I usually don't smile this big in pictures but I think my cheeks were frozen from laughing so hard! Lol!

His energy is such that even though we didn’t even know each other a few months before, it felt like we were old pals. He’s very inviting and extremely humble yet really grounded but not about to take any sh*t...so technically we could be related :-)

He brought along his good friend, Tasha who was just as cute as he was (Hi Tasha girl!! XoXoXo) We then all went to a nearby diner and talked for a few hours. I was trying to remain calm as I told the story of how this all came to be until my Mom put me on blast and said, “You didn’t say it like that. You started jumping up and down saying he was doing a show just for you!” Lol! 
Thanks Mom! (Big Mouth) 

But she was right, I was thrilled to meet the person who had made me laugh for so many months at this point, it was all very exciting.

As the time went by, we told funny stories and nibbled on desserts. It was one of the highlights of my year, for sure. And for the record, as cute as he is in pictures, he’s SO much cuter in person! Are you listening Zac Efron?! Or a Zac Efron impersonator...Lol! Me & My Mom were like wtf?! He’s adorable. :-)

I feel so blessed to have had this experience and I really encourage all of you in the NYC area to go check him out. I promise you won’t be disappointed. That’s why I called this whole thing “The Nicky Paris Experience” because this whole encounter, from start to finish was an unforgettable experience. He’s not someone you forgot you met. To me and the now 66,000 people that follow him on twitter plus countless others, he’s already a shining star but he will be world wide. You heard it here first! ;-)

Now go get your giggles on and follow him...NOW! XO

Browse his Website, read his Blog & stay up to date on Appearances---> http://www.nickyparis.com/

Send him a tweet and follow him on Twitter to laugh out loud...in public, like I do and have random people stare at you like you’re crazy---> www.twitter.com/TheNickyparis

Subscribe to his YouTube, watch videos he’s made & catch up with some of his routines---> http://www.youtube.com/user/NickyParisComedy

Keep it Prettie! Or as Nicky would say..."PEACE, LOVE AND CAMERA FLASHES"

*Stephanie*