TOP KNOTS

Top knots.  A super high bun that is sometimes ballerina-esque - simple and classic, but sometimes messy and a bit undone.  In my opinion, the bigger and more messy - the better. I know... I'm a little late blogging about this.  It's been a trend for awhile now, but it shows no signs of letting up! 

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MAKEUP WITH MADOLYN - PART TWO

Here it is!  The second half of Maddie's current favorite products from Sephora {first group here}.  I'm so glad you all like the new makeup feature!  I'm definitely going to continue doing makeup posts... and if we're lucky, they'll include future recommendations from the gorgeous gal below! 

Thanks so much, Maddie!

In the words of the fabulous Madolyn Wagner...

1. Lips:  Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stains are available in 20 awesome shades. These are for the girl on the go that dont want to carry 3 different lip products in her purse! Its not only a non-drying stain, but its your lipstick and gloss all in one! YSL just launched some new shades so check them out - they are so great for fall!

2. Bronzer:  Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder is made with cocoa powder so it not only smells like amazing chocolate, but it's a matte powder that always keeps a natural brown tone - never orange!

3. Eyeshadow:  Urban Decay have some of the best shadow palettes! They have a new one called "The Feminine Palette" that includes 6 soft, neutral shades (lavendars, soft browns, pinks). It lets you express your girly side - I love it! It also comes with a mini lipgloss!

4. Mascara:  Korres Volcanic Mineral Obsidian Black Mascara - my new favorite! Who doesn't want curl, length, and volume (in 1 - 2 coats nonetheless)! Its one of the richest pigmented mascaras on the market using volcanic minerals from Korres Greece! Gives the lashes 600% more volume increase! Its so conditioning for the lashes, I have been using it a month already and I can NOT believe how my lashes have been growning! It is such a great product :)

5. Limited Edition:  Nars Andy Warhol Collection! I'm SO excited about this! For our artsy girls this collection is so fun! 5 long wear glosses, 4 shadow palettes, and some collectors items as well. All the colors are inspired by images from Andy Worhol :)

6. Body:  Josie Maran body products ROCK! Whipped Argan Oil... an all over body whip that smells like vanilla apricot. I can't get enough of this! It's super reparative; it protects your skin from getting dry and cracked all winter long. I layer mine on top of her Argan Balm (solid form of argan oil you emulsify in your hands and warm to spread) and the results are to die for! SO soft :)


Madolyn Wagner
Personal Beauty Advisor - Sephora Polaris
Madolyn.Wagner@Sephora.com // 614.785.9990 - ext 2 or 4

MAKEUP WITH MADOLYN

I have a few exciting features coming up on L+R.  Exciting to who, you ask?  Oh, come on!  I have another style at home feature lined up, a few style muses, will finally start sharing personal style posts again {I know... I haven't done one since June!}, AND... ta da - this post right here!

Once upon a time, my sister and I went to Sephora to buy make-up for my wedding.  We decided to have our makeup professionally done, then purchase those products to do it ourselves on the big day.  This is how we met the amazing Madolyn.  She spent at least an hour with me... asking me what I wanted my make-up to look like and carefully choosing products, then showing me how to apply it.  And then she spent the same quality time with my sister.  I have to tell you, I loved my make-up {and Kate's} on my wedding day.  We have both continued to use some most of those products Maddie chose. 

Since then, I have been back about three? times for different things... a concealer, an eyeliner... stuff like that.  I buy whatever Maddie tells me to buy.  Seriously.  I tell her what I'm looking for, and I 100% trust her recommendation on the brand and shade of whatever that may be.  Not to mention - she's gorgeous, and always has the coolest cool-girl haircut and personal style.

I have been wanting to start writing about beauty products once in awhile.  And what better gal to start us off, and share her favorites, than Maddie!  Below is the first half of her current favorite products, starting with complexion.  Look for the second half of her list next week!  Thanks, Maddie!

In the words of the fabulous Madolyn Wagner...

1. Primer: I LOVE the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer! It gives a beautiful subtle glow to the skin before you put on your makeup. If you're a powder foundation girl, this product is amazing because powder tends to be flat and dull, but this primer has an illuminosity to give the skin a hydrated youthful glow! So great for winter when we tend to be dry and dull!

2. Foundation: I'm loving the NEW Urban Dacay NAKED.  Its the newst innovation for foundation! Its Ultra Definition - which means all the color molecules in it are so finely made that as soon as it hits your skin it melts right in, and never looks like makeup. It's made to mimic your skin! Its weightless and has great skincare benfits to it also (lifts, plumps, diminishes fine lines and wrinkles, and gives radiance).

3. Powder: Benefit Hello Flawless can be used as a setting powder or a powder foundation.  It too (like the above) is finely milled giving the effect of skin! It's so easy to travel with, and includes a brush and a sponge for both applications.  It also gives a satin finish :) One of my favs!

4. Concealer: Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer is not only extreamly long wear, it's never dry and gives the perfect amount of luminosity for the under-eye.

5. Blush: Tarte also wins my favorite blushes. The Amazonian Clay blushes wear for 12 hours and they come in 16 amazing shades! These are some of the most pigmented blushes Sephora carries, and they are the best selling blushes nationwide (next to Nars Orgasm!).


Madolyn Wagner
Personal Beauty Advisor - Sephora Polaris
Madolyn.Wagner@Sephora.com // 614.785.9990 - ext 2 or 4

THE HAIR DIARIES

Hello friends, I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Saturday I went to CD102.5 Summerfest, and got to hear the Lumineres sing my favorite song of the moment {Ho Hey}. I also made a quick 24 hour trip to my hometown to help my sis and mom with our garage sale, AND get my hair done - which leads me to this... 

The photos below are examples of my dream hair. I've always wanted those rocker-chic bangs and beachy "I just woke up this way" waves. 

When my sister, Katie, and I were little I wanted her hair. Really bad. {I still do.} She had this perfectly pretty, straight hair with shiny bangs. And mine was naturally curly and out of control. In high school and college I swear I had super long 80s hair-band hair, à la Jon Bon Jovi. It wasn't until I was 22 that I found a flat iron that actually worked, and I spent the next four to five years battling Chicago weather trying to keep my hair straight. Finally, around age 27 I found my answer in a big barrel curling iron. I think it just took me longer than the average person to get it all figured out. Yep, I curl my naturally curly hair with a curling iron. Kind of ironic, I know. I don't even remember the last time I left my hair naturally curly, but I can tell you the result is somewhere between Felicity, Melina Kanakaredes... and Curly Sue. But not in a good way. Naturally curly hair basically rules out cool haircuts, so I've always colored my hair when I got bored. It's been blonde, blonder, brown, red, ombre, and everything in between. I really should have put together a "my hair over the years" timeline for you... Or not. No one needs to see that. 

So... bangs. Do any of you have naturally curly hair with bangs? How do you control them in rain or humidity if you're hair is naturally curly? Do they spring up like Little Orphan Anne? Unfortunately, I've never imagined bangs and natural curl playing well together... 

Well, this Friday when I was sitting at Katie's station at the salon - she got tired of hearing me talk about my bang wishes and worries, and she decided we should just give it a shot. And so she cut. She cut before I could second guess myself. 

I have bangs. I haven't had bangs since 90's mall bangs. 

Kate followed it up by putting a global keretin treatment on my bangs, which is basically a miracle product. I haven't been allowed to get my bangs wet, which made for some entertainment at Summerfest on Saturday when it started raining. I reacted so fast - slapping my hand over my forehead and throwing my jacket over my head. My bangs were the only thing that stayed dried.

For now, you can see a picture on my new hair via my instagram. Because I just can't bring myself to post a picture of moi in the same blog post as Kirsten Dunst.

{photo credits: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5}

I HEART BRAIDS

Lately braids are everywhere... television, magazines, and making the rounds on pinterest. I wrote about them here as one of the biggest trends of 2011. It's always interesting to me when something so classic becomes a "trend".

There is something about braids that I have always loved. They always seem so bohemian and romantic to me. I was very tempted to incorporate a braid for our wedding, but in the end I did not. I am dying to learn to fishtail braid my hair. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could braid your own hair like this top image... so lovely it makes me sigh.

image credits:   one / two / three