Secret Sale Code Alert!

Who loves J.Crew?  I do, I do!  As a result, I receive their e-mails and hence their special sale codes.  Lucky for you, I'm nice and I share.  To save an EXTRA 20% on J.Crew's sale goodies, enter the code extra20 at checkout.

Happy shopping!....................XOXO, Tiff.  

Your Summer Lippy

I cannot wait to try this new lip color by Nars - it is described as a pink mauve sprinkled with flecks of gold - Oh, la la!  This is sure to enhance those pouty little lips of yours while still maintaining that coveted natural look for the warmer weather.  Bonus -  gold is universally flattering - on lips, it will light up the rest of your face.  Especially your gorgeous little sun-kissed face - by faux tanning, of course.  

Check out Belize by Nars here.  

You're a natural beauty............XOXO, Tiff.  

Free Stuff Alert!

Smashbox has always had a special place in my heart - but lately, it is just completely winning me over.  Their products make your skin look amazing - and for good reason.  They are packed with skin-loving ingredients like vitamin C and numerous beneficial minerals and amino acids.  Basically, it's a one-two punch - you get to look all dewy and gorgeous while fighting the signs of aging - sounds like a win-win situation to this gal.  

And when I thought Smashbox could not get any more awesome - they go and do something like "Let's Do Lunch."  This is an awesome way to score free Smashbox gear - today's gift was a cream eye liner pencil worth $22.00.  

This is how to score your gift: simply place your order with Smashbox on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 9am and 2pm and VOILA!  Your free gift will be added to your shopping cart.  

Click here to see the free gift that is calling your name (on Tuesdays and Thursdays only!).  

You, my dear, are simply Smashing.....................XOXO, Tiff.    

Super Pretty Jewelry

What gal doesn't like to accessorize with gorgeous jewels? Well, being that I have AWESOME friends, one of my favorite girls has a cousin who happens to make the prettiest jewelry EVER. Her name is Diana Warner, and provides a large selection of pretty rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces...you get it. The pieces manage to combine vintage and contemporary in a very classy way - and, for you brides to be, there is a great selection of bridal jewelry and accessories. Check this out here.

We can all use a little more sparkle.................XOXO, Tiff.

A Really Great Deal

I came across this awesome deal at Splash Salon (off of 86th street, near DSW)...they are doing a promotion right now called "Double Feature Wednesdays;" apparently, you can grab a friend who needs a hair cut/color/highlight/eyebrow wax/whatever and you get both services for the price of one. What a great way to cut down beautifying costs!

Happy Grooming.......................XOXO, Tiff

Pure Genius

I know, I know, I KNOW! I've gone on and on about Bare Escentuals mineral powders, but it would literally be illegal if I didn't share this product with you. Like the Smashbox foundation I love so much, Smashbox HALO hydrating perfecting powder is completely packed with good for your skin ingredients. It contains pure gold, 48 minerals, and 11 amino acids to do some anti-aging dirty work while you're wearing it. The claim is that within 10 minutes, fine lines around your eyes decrease, and with prolonged wear, you should notice a significant decrease of lines all over.

As if that isn't enough, they decided to completely win me over with their packaging. If any of you use other loose powders, you understand the utter frustration at the messiness of the powders - you've paid a pretty penny for those cosmetics only to have them spill all over the place! Don't lie - you know you've run your makeup brush over the lost powder on your countertop - I'm not judging. I'm getting to the point - this powder is self-contained and you do not have to tap it and spill it, etc...you just twist the top and VOILA! You have shaved off the perfect amount of powder for your needs at that time. Now that deserves a BRILLIANT!!

The powder comes with a great little buki brush and a sample of the photo finish primer...trust me on this one - your skin will feel AMAZING with this product. Get it here.

No more spills!............XOXO, Tiff.

Your kitchen is not complete....

...until you can call these your own.  The super sassy goggles you spy are specifically to be donned while slicing onions.  If chopping the versatile veggie makes you look like a gal who just won her first beauty pageant, this might just be the solution.  If you are one who also happens to work up quite a sweat while chopping, dicing, slicing (I'm not judging), don't worry!  These goggles come equipped with anti-fog lenses.  Personally, I think these would make a great gift for someone filed under, "the gal/guy who has it all." 

Buy them here.  

Turn that love/hate relationship with onions into love..................XOXO, Tiff.     

Adorable Note Cards

Let's be real with each other for a second.  Don't you love receiving mail - I mean, REAL, hand-written, personal note, mail?  My guess is that you don't get real mail very often, and probably send real mail even less.  Here's a reason to change that - these super cute note cards are a perfect celebration of spring and give you a great excuse to sit down (and RELAX!!) and write a loved one a little note.  It feels good to know you're brightening someones day a little, and let's face it - what's better than getting home from a long day at the office and finding a cute little note in your mailbox?  A touching little note always makes your daily stress seem a little less noticeable.  I already have the warm fuzzies.  And guess what - if you send a letter,  you might just get one in return.  Let's bring real and personal communication back, what do you say?  

Get these beautiful note cards here.  

Dear you, send someone a little note today!................XOXO, Tiff.     

Do you have trouble finding things in your handbag?

No matter how big or small my handbag may be, I CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING IN IT.  No, I didn't hit my caps lock accidentally.  It just really frosts my muffin when I have to dig around for 2-3 minutes to find my freaking keys.  I mean, they even jingle for crying out loud.  Anyway....I digress.  

The point of my little mini freak out here is that I found something that may solve all of my life's problems - well, at least the purse-related ones.  This little helper is called "The Drop In" and also seems to be referred to as a "Purseket."  Basically, it is a mini organizer that fits inside your purse, big or small.  It is little, but it looks like it can hold quite a bit...cell phone, glasses, KEYS.  

This will set you back $18.00 and can be found here. 

Here's to having a more organized hand bag.......XOXO, Tiff.  

A Super Cheap Insta-Makeup Collection

By now, we all know that I am an official beauty junkie.  A freak, really.  My linen closet?  Has NO linen in it.  Just perfume, makeup, body lotion, shower gel....the list goes on.  I realize that this is not normal.  And because I realize it is not normal, I have happened across a solution for those of you who like the idea of owning gobs of makeup but are overwhelmed by the purchasing process.  Enter Sephora's Color Play Palette...it should be something more like Color Romp - because this will take a while.  This "palette" is packed with 32 eye shadows, 12 lip glosses, 3 blushes, a bronzer, and 3 applicators.  For $22.  Did you catch that?  TWENTY TWO measly little dollars!  Amazing.  And, you're welcome.

Get it here.  

Who's the beauty junkie now?............XOXO, Tiff.  

Since we've been on the topic of "faking it," why not fake a clean house?

Real Simple, I love you. Now that I have THAT out of the way, I have yet another helpful article from the trusty Real Simple folks. I found this article and I actually let out a little giggle at the title, "How to Fake a Clean House." Because, let's be honest, when you're planning on having people over, cleaning your house appropriately can take a looooooong time - time that could be spent on preparing those adorable hors d'oeurves and fanning the cocktail napkins (you know you want to).

This article is full of seriously helpful hints - even if you don't want to fake the cleanliness of your abode, there are some good tips anybody can use. Check it out here.

Happy "cleaning"................XOXO, Tiff.

Party Planning Checklist

As the weather warms up, we will surely be increasingly social, right? Which means parties, parties, parties. I found this helpful checklist at Real Simple - it provides a great, organized approach to party planning to ensure a low-stress affair!

Check it out here.

Who has fun at their own party? You do..........XOXO, Tiff.

*photo by Rob Howard on Real Simple's website

Bare Escentuals - You're the Best!

I know I've mentioned that I completely heart Bare Escentuals - but I have to say what REALLY puts me over the edge are their amazing seasonal sets. They pack so many goodies into these sets (and a lot of times, numerous brushes - which, let's be honest, are not fun to buy), and at great prices to boot. They have some really fun new spring stuff I thought I'd share with you!

The newest sets are the "Free to BE:" collection, and consist of Naturally Elegant, Naturally Classic, and Naturally Adventurous. They all come with super cute bags and include BE's newest addition, natural lipgloss - which is AWESOME, might I add. They smell like vanilla icing - and are absolutely gorgeous. I think they'll have 13 new shades and those will be unveiled later this spring.

Check these out here, and buy them at any BE Boutique, Sephora, or Nordstrom. At $39.50 for a clutch, 3 eyeshadows, blush, and lipgloss - how can you say no??

You're a natural.......XOXO, Tiff.

Flawless Face Extras

Now you've got your perfect-looking skin - you can stop there. But if you're anything like me, you don't. Here are some fun extras to really add some "ooomph" to your look.

Bare Escentuals makes all-over face powders that add a lot of glow to your skin. I'll begin with the least overwhelming plan - which is to snatch the complexion enhancers kit. I'm sure I will blog at some point about how utterly amazing B.E. kits are (you get great brushES - plural - not to mention a great amount of makeup for an unbelievable price), and this is no exception. This kit comes with four enhancers (well-rested for under eye brightening, pure radiance for a healthy glow, faux tan for a sun-kissed look, and feather light mineral veil for a translucent finishing powder) and 3 amazing brushes, in addition to a tutorial on how to use the products. The entire kit is $49 - which is an unbelievable deal, considering the brushes alone are at least $20 each.

In all, there are at least 20 different shades you can choose from to enhance your complexion. My favorite is flawless radiance (maybe I just like the word "flawless") - it is a beautiful shade that complements any skin tone and gives you that "lit from within" look that we're all searching for.

Check out all of the shades here...and promise not to be overwhelmed. In all honesty, you cannot go wrong with any of them. Use the same swirl, tap, buff method with these as you do with the foundation powder...you will not be sorry.

You glow girl (sorry, couldn't help it)........XOXO, Tiff.

Fake a Flawless Face - My Favorite Components: Step 4

OK, I have to admit that this my favorite step. This is the part of the equation that takes your flawless canvas to the next level - and leaves it looking airbrushed. I'm talking about loose powder foundation; Bare Escentuals i.d. bareMinerals, more specifically. Like the Smashbox foundation, this product is very light and buildable. This means you can achieve the coverage you desire, from sheer to full cover.

My favorite brush to use with this product is the Handy Buki Brush by Bare Escentuals. This brush is super easy to control, and helps blend areas that are usually difficult, like the area around your nose. Again, it allows you to choose the level of coverage you want.

If you are a fan of B.E., you know that their phrase regarding how to use their makeup is "Swirl, Tap, Buff." As simple as it sounds, it really delivers great results. To get the most bang out of this product, pour some powder into the lid (you don't need much), swirl your brush in the powder, and then tap the excess back into the lid. To buff appropriately, begin from the outside of your face and buff inwards (i.e., start at your jaw-line and move inward). To buff, you just make circular motions with the brush on your face - which actually feels pretty good. The result is even better - your skin literally looks airbrushed....so smooth and even. This is also where appropriately prepping your face (Remember? With the primer?) really comes in handy - your makeup brush will glide over your skin. Here is a little tutorial for you from the B.E. website:

Try practicing your Swirl, Tap, Buff^® technique

1. Swirl

   a small amount of bareMinerals in the lid with the Flawless Application Face Brush until all the bareMinerals are tucked into the bristles.

2. Tap

   away excess. There should be no visible bareMinerals on the outside of the brush.

3. Buff

   bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation onto the skin in a circular motion, starting on the outside of your face near the cheekbone and swirling as you go. Buff around your face and then approach your forehead, cheeks and nose. Buff until you are satisfied with the coverage. Less is more.

For more info about this product, click here.

Who's the gal with the flawless skin?? XOXO, Tiff.

Fake a Flawless Face - My Favorite Components: Step 3

I used to HATE liquid foundation - it always felt so heavy, looked cakey (because, let's face it, the point of wearing makeup is to look as though you're NOT wearing makeup), and clogged pores. After this discovery, I am a changed woman. I used a little sample of Smashbox's High Definition Healthy FX Foundation and quickly fell in love. This stuff is super light and highly blendable - and buildable, for that matter, so that you can achieve the perfect amount of coverage for your skin without that caked on look. My skin feels so soft and hydrated when I use it, and it's packed with goodies for your skin, like the skin-loving anti-oxidant Vitamin C and SPF 15. I never feel as though I am even wearing makeup, and my skin appears bright and healthy. I don't think you can ask for much more when it comes to foundation! For more info, go here.

PS - If you EVER want to sample any products - Sephora will gladly give you a generously sized sample. All you have to do is ask.

Here's to non-makeup makeup........XOXO, Tiff.