"Whatcha got in that Bag" Wednesday - Bonus Edition

I'm getting a head start because tomorrow will be BUSY! That being said, this week, it's my Top FIVES! Yes, plural. Buckle up!

TOP 5 things you'll always find in my handbag of the day

1. Blackberry (I have two, a work one and a personal one)
2. Some type of chapstick or lip gloss. (look through ALL my purses you'll find Burts Bees Beeswax lip balm or lip shine)
3. Notepad or paper - I'd be a baaad journalist without it
4. Pens - same reason as #4.
5. Gum or Candy


TOP 5 Beauty Items I can't live without

1. MAC Studio Fix powder
2. Eyeliner (right now, MAC Greasepaint sticks)
3. Lip Gloss (Burt's Bees Lip Shine)
4. Tweezers
5. Ponytail holder


TOP 5 things I always pack even for 2 week trips overseas in my CARRY-ON. (Hate is not a strong enough word for Check-in bag)

1. Round Brush, because every hotel nowadays has a hairdryer, but I don't want to blow my CHI in a weird outlet.
2. Mini-Perfume (I have Sarah Jessica Parker's "Lovely" in a roll on tube)
3. One pair of my best jeans
4. A non-wrinkling dress
5. A great jacket or coat that goes from day to night

TOP 5 things in my toiletry bag when I travel

1. Make-up, take off wipes
2. Eye-make up Remover
3. Contact Lense Solution
4. Zit Lotion (ProActiv)
5. My own hair conditioner. While most hotels have okay shampoo, the conditioner sucks!

Slave for a Thousand Lashes

We learn what's pretty and flirty at a very young age. If you watch any children's cartoon, most of the female characters have these long, curled eyelashes. I mean, why else was Pepe Le Pew always chasing around his "petite femme skunk"? Did you ever get a load of her lashes? And helloooo - Daphne from Scooby Doo?

Yeah, it made an impression. Sadly for me, I wasn't born with anything close to that feminine ideal. I've always envied those girls who said, "Oh, Maybelline Great Lash Is. THE. BEST. Mascara. It's inexpensive and works so well!" Well excuse me, but I have those short, straight and sparse Asian eyelashes. I'm great at faking though. (You'll soon learn that faking is a very important theme and exercise in this blog.)

I didn't wear mascara until after college. (GASP). I mean, I didn't think it did anything. My lashes were so ridiculously short, I didn't think it'd even make a difference. Boy, was I stupid. Enter the world of TV make-up artists and consultants and wonderful friends who were born with liner brushes in their hands. The first time I ever wore fake eyelashes, I swear I was a different person...like a real WO-man. whoo-hooo! Those little Ardell 110s changed my whole demeanor. I felt Sex-AY! Appearance Coach Patti Shyne (www.pattishyne.com) did the impossible. She taught me how to slap those babies on my eyelids in 5 minutes! The Ardell #110 eyelashes can be found at Target or any drug store (runs about $3.50). The number on the packaging indicates the length and thickness. The 110s are the most natural looking.

My mascara arsenal includes two options:
DIOR Show "Iconic" at a very expensive $27.50 a bottle (Sephora). I wear this at work. Great brush, goes on thick without being clumpy, separates and curls.
My everyday "non-work" mascara is Loreal " Double Extend" (any drug store or grocery store). It's NOT totally cheap at around $14.50 a tube. This comes with the foundation lash base coat on one end, then the actual mascara on the other end. Now, I'll actually spend money on my eyelashes because I truly, truly believe it's what makes my peepers totally pop. Jackie-O knew how to work her features to her best advantage.

So ladies and gents, in an effort to reduce my fak-ery, I just ordered "Rapid Lash" online. It's this serum that's received fabulous reviews for both lengthening and thickening eyelashes. It's pricey at around $40 a bottle but much, much cheaper than Latisse, which requires a doctor's prescription and can run into the hundreds of dollars. So, we'll see - I'll keep you posted. Word is, "Rapid Lash" takes about 4 weeks of daily use to see results.

I'm embarrassed to reveal which celebrity I heard uses this stuff...but she is an older, older (not my style) woman. And hey, if it makes my lashes look a fraction of the way it does hers, then I. AM. SOLD.

Nude skin....IN?

Do you dare to go bare? C'mon! Everyone's doing it. Models and actresses right now are making it a point to pose/flaunt their make-up free faces in magazines lately. (Oh, and the blowout helps, doesn't it?) Some see it as liberating and being confident in their own skin...for others, it's just reality. There's just not enough time in the day to "do their face". I guess I swing both ways :)

As a girl growing up in the South, it's extremely hard for me to walk out in public, totally bare faced. At minimum, I'll wear powder (MAC's Studio Fix), big sunglasses and lip gloss. I mean, who has perfect skin? I still get pimples for goodness sakes! On the other hand, 5 days a week, I wear so much make-up it takes three types of cleanser to get it all off, so a break is much needed.

On Thursday (5/13) the TODAY Show hosts all gave women across the country hope by showing us their make-free faces. I call them courageous. They're just "like us". I couldn't have done that.

Obviously, it all starts by taking care of your skin. I use ProActiv products daily along with Aveeno sunscreen. It's so weird to be in this stage of trying to prevent pimples AND aging skin! Ugh. Recently, I tried a sampler of Dr. Perricone products. There's a fabulous little item called, "Dr. Perricone's No Foundation Foundation". It's like a serum that helps fine lines, dark spots, etc. I also got Perricone's tinted moisturizer/sunscreen as well. AWESOME! I'd call it great, not amazing but I definitely felt comfortable to go out with my "bare face". When these nifty products ran out, I continued with my old skin care regime. And when I want to go minimal, I mix my liquid foundation with my sunscreen then blend into my face. Powder. Gloss. Oh, and a tiny bit of eyeliner. DONE!

"Whatcha got in that Bag?" Wednesday

Every Wednesday on this blog, find out which products the busy and the beautiful can't live without. "Whatcha got in that Bag?" I can't take credit for this idea - I saw it somewhere else and am always curious to find out what they have in their purses/bags! Maybe I'm just nosy :)

One of my dearest friends, Nicole Hockin is a Travel Personality who has appeared on numerous national programs such as, E's That Morning Show, Rachel Ray, The Daily Buzz, The Mike and Juliet Show and several TV affiliates. She has been quoted in USA Today, The Washington Post, New York Times, LA Times and much more. Nicole is also a busy wife and mother to two small children. As long as I've known her, no matter HOW busy she is, Nicole always looks impeccable.

Here's what she tells us, "I've learned a lot of tricks from make-up artists around the country. Every time I go to a new show and sit in the make-up chair, I always ask for their favorites and best tips and try to incorporate them into my routine."

Nicole Hockin's Top 5 Beauty Products:

1. Dior's "Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen" Concealer

2. Laura Mercier, Eye Liner in Blue Marine - When you learn to put this on with a brush, it does wonders for your eyes.

3. Lip Fusion, Lip Plumper Gloss - Makes your lips look and feel great!

4. Jonathan, Stylist Professional Series, Straightening Lotion - This hair product controls frizz and flyaways without being heavy.

5. Loreal, Skin Genesis Wet Cleansing Towelettes - It feels so good to get that make-up off at the end of the day.


Top 5 Must Have's in Nicole Hockin's Bag:

1. My iphone. Loaded with travel apps to help me wherever I am. My favorite apps are: The Weather Channel, Around Me (which tells you everything around you), hotels.com, and urbanspoon.

2. A pen.

3. Sunglasses.

4. Something to eat.

5. Contact drops.

For travel tips and deals, follow Nicole on her blog at www.travelsmartblog.com. You can also find her on Facebook! Thanks Nicole!

It's good to be SURLY!

I never, ever pay full price for anything I wear or carry. Well, okay, that's 95% true. I'll give myself a pass to indulge if:
A. I will get super pissed off if I pass on the object of my desire and it's gone forever the next day.
B. The piece of clothing/accessory/shoes, whatever can not be found anywhere in America.

The truth is I like nice things that you can't find anywhere else. I think we can all relate. I'm not talking about basics. I'm talking about those really special pieces that make people stop in their tracks. So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this little boutique! I was in LA...and I wanted to check out the stretch of shopping along Robertson Boulevard. Kitson, The Ivy - they're starlet haunts and paparazzi hangouts. Surly Girl Studios, across the street from the Ivy, specializes in these totally HAWT clutches, purses and accessories. It Girls, A-List actresses, pretty much every major chick in Hollywood carries their stuff.

Check out www.shopsurlygirl.com You can "shop by celebrity" and buy the same hobo or tote that Cameron Diaz carries. Or the patent day bag seen on "Gossip Girl". The founder and owner, Alison Muh was there when I was shopping and totally helped me out. It didn't matter that I wasn't famous, she was super cool and treated me as warmly as some who spends a lot more money than I did! HERE'S THE SECRET. Surly Girl has great sales! I picked up the Gold Metropolitan Python Clutch, a tank top and headband for a fraction of the original price. I'd say more than half off. There's a Sale section on their website. And it's fabulous quality leather.

And I must admit. I'm a sucker for good marketing. I'm the poster child for that "target demo". Surly Girl. High End. High Maintenance. Or at least, I wanna be and now you can be too!

Grease and Paint to make your EYES pop?

I bought my first make-up kit in 7th grade.  I was a voracious reader of "Teen Magazine".  Slipped inside the back was a small advertisement for a small, black, plastic case filled with 20+ eye shadow colors - ALL for $1.95!  Hey, I couldn't lose!  So, I carefully filled out my information, sent in my two dollars and waited the mandatory 4-6 weeks.  I was so excited when I saw that package. I ripped it open and oohed and ahhed over all the wonderful colors.  Sparkly, glittery, pinks, greens and purples.  Colors that had NO business being on an asian girl..but perfect for the 80's.  I didn't care.  Let's just say I looked like a freak show for at least the next two years.  :)  The hair did NOT help.

Fast forward a decade or so and I've gotten a little better at choosing more natural, complementary colors for my face.(aka boooring)  Recently, I decided to go back to that shiny time in my life and try again.  I couldn't resist as I saw it all laid out before me at the counter.  Meet MAC's Greasepaint sticks!  They're eyeliners that come in 8 colors.  Mostly basics, but I bought a purple (Charred Mauve) and a blue (Uniformly Blue), along with a gold-ish Brown color (Below Ground).  Oh, and (Brown Now) a reddish-brown and of course, Black.  I couldn't resist!

Here's why they totally rock.  They're super soft, glide on smooth, basically like Kohl...and (wait for it)...you never have to sharpen them!  Just twist.  And the color is intense...all the colors have a hint of glitter in them.  Like GREASE and PAINT, get it? :)  They're also jumbo sized if you can tell at all by the picture.  All of this means that if you don't have a ton of time, just do a couple of swipes, smudge and voila!  Did I mention it's super soft?  It's great for smokey eyes, so if you want a more defined line, this may not be for you.  And if you layer eye shadow on top, it's set.  For the past two weeks, I've been sporting the purple and blue....to work :)  

Each Greasepaint stick will set you back $17.50.  Thank goodness for my MAC discount!  A less expensive alternative, is Rimmel Kohl eyeliner for a fraction of the cost at around 3 bucks.  I love it too, but man, I h-a-t-e sharpening!  You can find Rimmel at Target.

I also use MAC's Fluidline liquid liner, but I'll save that for another day.  Okay, ladies.  Give it up.  Let me know what makes your eyes bright and beautiful!!!