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New Glasses, or, How My iPad Attacked Me

I first purchased my glasses when I still lived in Florida. Considering I live in New York now, it’s been quite some time since I’ve had a new pair.

I was solely a contacts girl for a while, though, so they didn’t have much wear, really. Eventually, though, all of my years of wear and tear took a toll on them, and an adjustment made them a bit fragile.

So last week, I was lying in bed with my iPad propped on my chest. It’s in a case that will allow the iPad to stand up when horizontal.

My phone beeps. Oh, a message? I reach over to get it.

And then.

It happened.

*cue Psycho-esque horror music*

My iPad flips forward, and clocks me square on the bridge of my nose as I shift to grab my cell. I laid there, dazed. Then I thought, “Ow, dammit! I’m gonna have a knot on my nose in the morning.” Then I adjust the iPad, and go to reach for my phone. As I turned my head…half of my glasses fell next to me.

“What in the hell…wait, are they broken?!”

Yep. iPad snapped them clean in half.

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I had an emergency pair of contacts to use the next day (I’d transitioned back to glasses as every day use, and contacts on special occasions), as I was fresh out of superglue.

Luckily it was a clean break with no extra bits strewn about, so gluing them together was easy. But I worried. What if the iPad attacks me again? Can they hold up to it?

I couldn’t take a chance. Besides, it had been nigh on 9 years (!!!) since I last got a pair of glasses. So, I went on down to the eye doc for a fresh prescription and a new pair. Being a retro girl at heart, I settled on this pair of Michael Kors glasses:

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They’re a larger frame, and they’re in my favorite color: blue! Love! And the makeup looks I can do with this. For example, I put on the purple lipstick (Revlon’s Violet Frenzy) for the sole purpose of taking these selfies (the before is the top right hand side.) I’m happy I can still pull off a bold lip with such bold frames.

*rubs hands together* Good, good. Fin.

I do so love a happy ending. 🙂

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Review: Jolly Vox Box

Hi Lovelies!

Sorry this was so late, but I took the weekend to get some new glasses, as my iPad managed to mangle the old ones (that story is coming tomorrow!)

So, as I mentioned in the teaser, I am a part of Influenster. This is a network of folks that share their expertise in a plethora of different things: food, beauty, fashion, and the like. Depending upon your certain expertise, you can get chosen for certain promotions, or VoxBoxes, full of goodies to try. I got the Jolly Vox Box. As a reminder, here’s the whole thing:

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Goodies!

I got a box of Skinny Cow chocolate, a mini pack of Puffs, a mini Duck Tape (they’re called Ducklings! So cute!), a NYC shadow palette, and a Rimmel lipgloss.

Skinny Cow: so I mentioned I have a mild chocolate allergy (it just makes me a bit itchy if I have too much.) I popped a Benadryl and dug in. OMG, so good! I don’t do diets, so I wouldn’t be using these as part of a diet plan, per se. But I do make an effort to cut back on sugar, and this gives you enough of a fix that you don’t want to eat the whole box. These are peanut butter filled, but they have caramel clusters and crunchy ones too.

Puffs: fancy lil pack, right? I keep these in my bag, especially here in the frozen north where wind makes both eyes and noses run. And they have lotion for that extra softness.

Duck Tape Duckling: OK. I have no clue what to do with this, at least not yet. I would have used it to fix my glasses had they not had a paint splotch print on them. On the upside: they have paint splotch print on them! I can use it for…things! I haven’t figured it all out yet. But when I do, it’s gonna be taped, mark my words.

And now? On to my favorite part of the box: the makeup!

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So, the palette is the NYC HD Color palette number 781 Long Beach Sands. Its a really pretty neutral kit with high pigment. Here’s a swatch of the three colors:

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That’s without primer, so it’ll be a great basic set of colors with. But that lipgloss?

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Ewww. So the pros: creamy consistency, non sticky, high shine, and opaque pigment. The con? Holy Moses, that color! It looked as though I’d been gnawing peach Crayolas. Not sexy. But I would try it again, if the color was different. The formula is awesome though, so I’d give it a try. Just not this color (it’s called Luna, by the way.)

And that’s the Jolly Vox Box! Questionable colors notwithstanding, it was a pretty awesome collection of goodies to try. Next up? I got some new glasses and a funny story to share with y’all. Until then, stay beautiful!

Full disclosure: all items in this post were provided to me, complementary, by Influenster for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

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Quick Hit: I Got a VoxBox!

Hi Lovelies!

Just wanted to give you a little teaser into the weekend. I am a part of a website called Influenster (if you’re already a part of the site, I’m here), and they send out boxes of things for folks to try and review (interested in learning more? Click here!) They’re called VoxBoxes, and one must first qualify to receive one.

I qualified for the holiday one, known as the Jolly Vox Box. Here it is:

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I received a box of Skinny Cow chocolates, a packet of Puffs (such cute packaging!), a mini roll of printed DuckTape (it’s little paint splotches!), a NYC Cosmetics eyeshadow palette, and a Rimmel lip lacquer. The full details and opinions are coming tomorrow, but the initial reaction? Pretty cool stuff!

See y’all Saturday with the full details. Until next time, stay beautiful!

Legal Stuff: all items in this post were provided to me by Influenster for reviewing purposes.

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Quick Hit: Julep Birthstone Polish

Hi Lovelies!
I got access to Julep’s secret store this month and decided to get the first in a series of 12 birthstone polishes.

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January’s birthstone is garnet, and this color, named Betty, is a beautiful mix of deep red and purple sparkle. It’s hard to pick up on the purple in the pic, but in person, you can see the shift in the light. It’s just gorgeous.

Happy birthday to the January babies! I am anxiously awaiting April’s polish…I bet it will be awesome. Until next time, stay beautiful!

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Nail Adventures: Julep January Box

Hi Lovelies!

I know, I know. I need more nail polish like I need a hole in my head. But, I figure nail polish is a healthy addiction. It makes things pretty! And it makes me smile.

Ok, ok. I have a problem. But I’m not interested in fixing it. 🙂

This month’s box focuses on finishes:

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I have two colors, the Ta Da! Quick Drying Drops, and two buffing blocks. A close up of the colors:

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From left to right: Mona (grey creme, dries shiny), and Abigail (champagne pink shimmer, dries semi-matte). I am working on a look with these colors. I’m thinking rhinestones! (ok, when am I NOT thinking rhinestones? Sparkle makes my life!) I’m looking forward to trying the drying drops, as I’ve grown weary of using my oil sheen to dry my nails (seriously though, it’s an awesome option if one happens to have it on hand.)

Until next time, stay beautiful!

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Quick Hit: Julep Pop Up Shop

So, when the Julep Pop Up Shop was in NYC a couple of weeks ago, I got to go visit the day before it closed.

I was not disappointed.

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Dun dun dun!!!!!

That there is a tower of nail polish. At the risk of looking sacrilegious, I didn’t kneel before it and bow, but damned if it didn’t cross my mind for a moment. True story. 😉

When I walked in, a lovely woman with an iPad asked if I wanted to take a style survey (for the uninitiated, if you sign up for Julep you take one then, too). Because styles change, I took it again to see if I would get the same result.

I am normally Boho Glam, and came out a Bombshell. Meh, same difference. 🙂

I got a free polish for taking the survey again. Yay! From there, there was a testing station:

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Colors!

All of the shades were separated in to purples, blues, greens, glitters, metallics…oh, my. I felt my pulse quicken. Even though I had nail polish on, there were cotton pads and nail polish remover at my disposal. So I got down to playing with the colors, and picked out three colors. More on that later. But first:

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Empire!

They came up with a color to honor the city they placed their pop up shop in. Empire is a gorgeous silver color.  And now: the four colors I walked out with (for $20!):

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Nail Polish Haul!

From left to right: Trina (dark purple microglitter), Sylvia (violet creme), Ciara (iridescent purple with blue microglitter), and Paris (gold/multi holographic glitter). Paris was featured in my nail look for New Year’s, and Sylvia was the free polish. 

I had an awesome time shopping, and I hope that Julep will consider doing a pop up again!

Until next time, stay beautiful!

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So, Before the Snowpocalypse Came…

I attended a wedding and got to dress up!

With my work schedule, it doesn’t happen often, so I decided to take as much advantage as I could. I had time to shop a massive sale at Lane Bryant and picked up some dresses. The dress I wore in yesterday’s New Year’s post was one dress, and this was the other one I picked up:

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I had to add a cami underneath (because, helloooo, boobs! also, cold), and put on a wrap (because sleeveless, and, again, cold). It’s black with copper dots on it, and it’s so pretty.

It’s a rarity for me to get to wear heels too, because retail+heels=bad day for Char. So, I picked up these beauties:

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Got ’em from Payless! Copper, gold, and a smidge of green, so pretty!

And I’m gonna take a minute here to vent a bit: hi, shoe stores? Some of us wear 10 1/2 to 11 shoes. Some of us also want said 10 1/2 to 11 shoe to be PRETTY, dammit. Don’t be giving me clodhoppers because I have big feet. There is NO reason for that. Please to have that in stock, for the love of all that is glittery. Thanks.

The day’s makeup: neutral as usual. But I love how it came out.

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The best part was I finally got to use my Urban Decay Vice 2 palette. The lip is a Sephora lipstick that’s probably past it’s prime but I love it so.

And finally? The nails, of course! There’s no way I go to a wedding and not have them done! But again, nice and neutral:

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Apparently, this outfit was all about the black, brown, and metallic. Whole mani is Julep, and I’m sure you’ll recognize the gold flakes as Gianna. I have gotten more mileage out of that polish than I thought I would. It’s an awesome touch of sparkle where you need it.

And there you have it! I’m gonna go bury myself under the covers until it thaws outside (or until I have to get dressed in the morning. -_-) Until next time, stay beautiful!

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