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We had the great honor of co-hosting the Association of Bridal Consultant’s (ABC) Favorite Things Event on Wednesday evening at the one and only Prado in Balboa Park! I am working through sharing the featured apps, ideas, locations and products that I am most excited about. There were so many to select from. What’s a girl to do?
I was introduced to a company called, Ivory Sparrow which is right here in our backyard of San Diego. They customize the most decadent and heavenly wraps and robes for the pampering that comes before the merry occasions. I had the opportunity to introduce them and actually feel the softness of their fabrics and I am telling you ladies, it is amazing! Not only that but the packaging and presentation makes the perfect gift for your bridesmaids, moms, flower girls and even your groom. While you are at it, let’s not forget your wedding planner! Did I mention that they can be personalized?
They also offer Swarovski embellished flip flops packaged in a satin bag as well as two different options for a coordinating cotton totes. Wrap it all together and you have a gift that anyone would swoon over! Not to mention, how picture perfect would it be to have all of your ladies coordinated in style for any prep shots taken before you get into your gown.
I found that one of my savvy and stylish brides gifted these lovely wraps for her bridal party at her wedding. The one and only Miss Jessica is pictured with her girls below. Check out the full post on the Ivory Sparrow Blog!
Needless to say, there is no day like your wedding day! Your fiance waiting for you, your friends and family there to support you and the camera snapping away at every opportunity. It is tough enough to find the time to nosh never mind the necessary reapplication of the quintessential lips. Time to strategize and find the trick to long lasting lips that will carry you through a day of sips, smiles an kisses!
LIPS THAT LAST
- ONE
Use the layering technique. Apply your lipstick as you normally would, then lightly blot with tissue without rubbing the lipstick off or removing the color entirely. Then apply another full coat of lipstick.
- TWO
Apply lip liner the same shade as your lipstick over your entire lips, then apply a coat of lipstick over the layer of lip liner. Lip liner often lasts longer than lipstick, so you will have color for a longer period of time.
- THREE
Apply a mild, non-allergenic powder to your lips using a thin makeup brush, then apply a coat of lipstick over the powder. You can repeat the process once more for longer lasting color.
- FOUR
Keep your lips hydrated to extend the color of your lipstick. Drink plenty of water and eat
xoxo
muuaaah!
More than a billion eyes were on Kate Middleton as she stepped out of the queen’s 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI in front of London’s Westminster Abbey wearing a wedding dress of fairy-tale princess-esque proportions — a dress that will be immortalized in fashion history. The designer, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, was only named as the bride, 29, arrived at Westminster Abbey with her father Michael.
The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. Individual flowers were hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create an organic design with rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs. The train is just short of 9 feet. French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace to be hand-worked in the Carrickmacross needlework tradition which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.
The influences of Carrickmacross and Arts and Crafs on Middleton’s dress design are the “old,” says Palmer. The earrings, a gift from her parents, are the “new. ”The tiara is “borrowed,” and a blue ribbon sewn into her dress is the “blue.”
Officials released a statement that said: “Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work.” They also said that Middleton worked “closely” with Sarah Burton to formulate the design of her dress.
What comes to mind when you hear the word, “barbershop?” For some people, the picture of a barber pole pops into their head with images of old men giving a quick shave and buzz cut. Barbershops continue to pop up all over the country catering to men per usual, but with a modern spin. The stereotypical old-fashioned barber has been renewed with a fresh crop of young hip barbers with fading skills that would make their predecessors proud.
So ladies, you can have your manicures and pedicures while the guys can have their own variation of pampering. Hot towel shaves, straight razor shaves, a trim, styled cut, beard shaping, style consultations, facials, MANicures are just the beginning. If you man is not the type to schedule this for himself, get it as a gift and make the appointment for the morning of the wedding for a close shave and a relaxing facial. Most places cater to grooming events for pre-wedding pop ins and bachelor party events as well.
There are so many men that relish in the idea of being pampered and proper grooming but the concept of going to a spa is more than they can handle. I know this because I married one of those guys! These cutting edge MASCULINE barbershops are just the ticket…
These are some of our suggestions for local Barbershops…
Rayzors Barber Shop– Open Tuesday-Friday 10am-7pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. You are assured a great service in a comfortable, unpretentious environment at a reasonable price. They also cater to groups.
The Urban Shave Shop– By Appointment Only. The Urban Shave is a one chair barbershop based on the late 1800′s classic gentleman’s barber shop experience. This would make a specialized experience for the groom.
Dapper Jay’s Barber Shop – Open 7 days a week from 11AM to 7PM. Appointments taken. Specializing in all mens cut and hot towel shaves. They also book shave and grooming events for weddings.
Two Roses Inc.– Open 7 days a week from 11AM to 8PM. This blend of barbershop, caffe and tattoo parlor offers a unique 1940’s style vintage experience, with an emphasis on the finest details.
The Barber Surgeons– By Appointment Only. The Barber Surgeons are full service barbershop that can offer a classic old-fashioned shave and still deliver todays most modern haircut styles. Where else could you confidently order up a Lobotomy and look forward to it?
As much as we love watching the Oscars, we love watching the red carpet even more. This year certainly did not disappoint. We definitely had our favorites and who doesn’t? Mila Kunis rocked the runway in Elie Saab and I loved Michele Williams in Chanel. You could not miss the stunning Jennifer Hudson in Versace or Gwyneth Paltrow in a sleek Calvin Klein. There were, of course, some that we found less than favorable but we love that fashion is an individual statement and we appreciate everyone for making one!
Enough about what we love, take a look for yourself. We can’t wait to see how these trends are transitioned from the red carpet to the aisle!
If you can’t tell by now, we love the holiday season! So, for the month of December we are creating our own list of our five favorite things that we will post each Friday. This week is all about all things pretty when it comes to beauty. Whether you are looking make yourself up this holiday or gift it, we have listed some of the best in beauty.
Friday Five- Our Five Favorite Beauty Gifts
1. L’Wren Scott for Lancôme Le Vernis Nail Polish
L’Wren Scott’s emblematic grey is captured in Le Gris L’Wren. Originally developed exclusively as the finishing touch for the designer’s Fall-Winter 2010/2011 runway look, this unique it-shade is now available to all aficionados of high-fashion manicures. The L’Wren Scott collection is available at the Lancome boutiques, Bergdorf Goodman and select Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus locations.
2. Jo Malone Cologne Collection
Six best-selling scents from the London perfume house with universal appeal. Each of the six harmonious 9ml scents in the Cologne Collection can be mixed and matched to suit your mood or reflect the sensibility of the season, just like you would with your clothes and fashion accessories. The Cologne Collection is a delightful gift for men and women and is packaged in a Jo Malone signature gift box.
This one even made Oprah’s Favorite Things list this year and we love it too. The Microdelivery is a two-step, in-home peel that resurfaces and rejuvenates sun-damaged, hyperpigmented and aging skin. the kit includes vitamin c/peptide crystals and lactic/salicylic acid activating gel.
Sephora’s limited-edition palette lets you create virtually any look. Its high-quality formulas are divided into two categories for easy application: warm tones on the right and cool tones on the left. In celebration of the fifth anniversary of Sephora’s Blockbuster launch, 13 new products have been added making this the biggest collection yet.
5. Kate Spade Polka Dot Cosmetic Bag
Fun and flirty! This sherbet-inspired polka dot cosmetics bag is the perfect place to stash your beauty supplies and and travel with style. Love the inner pink liner as well! This one is on my wish list.
Happy Shopping!
Happy Friday!
LBE is smitten with Corinne of Zenbi Salon. Our brides love what her and her team create when it comes to fabulous hair. The salon is in Rancho Bernardo but we also find the Zenbi team on location.
Always professional, always styling… Thanks Corinne!
What is your favorite part of the industry?
Where do I begin….. Working in the beauty industry, and in our salon in particular, is so incredibly rewarding! To have the opportunity to invoke confidence in a persons life through the way they look is priceless. The trends are ever changing and for us, its constant stimulation to continue our education and offers a new opportunity to “re-light” that fire within. We really have great people who work at our salon and they all have a distinct passion for certain areas of the beauty industry. What’s great about our working relationships is that any technique, style or product concoction we learn as individuals, we are all willing to share to help each other succeed; in the salon world that’s actually quite rare.
In all honesty, I believe that beauty is only a portion of what you should walk out of a salon with. At our salon we want to create an “experience” and I believe our salon really captures the essence of a “day-cation”. When you drive through the gates that open up to our business complex you really feel like you have escaped your morning of hustling the kids to school, your grocery list or your job and have arrived… relaxation!
Having a passion for creating beauty in a complete strangers life, whether that be through an amazing hair or makeup creation or through a 2 hour bout of relaxation (or what I like to call a hair-apy session) is truly amazing. We’re just down to earth people who love what we do and love sharing our passions with and through our clients.
If you weren’t in the event industry, what would you be doing?
I would love to explore the world of photography. Witnessing countless transformations, emotions, and so many other amazing events in the salon, I have developed a passion for capturing those moments. For now, they are simply photos kept in my head, but I would love to actually capture that, “I cant believe… I look so good, I’m getting married, my hair can do this!” in photographs. Those moments we encounter in the salon are so inspiring, it makes what we do so much more fun. So, for now, Ill continue with awesome hair creations and being a part of making those moments happen.
Where do you draw your inspiration? Are their specific resources?
There is inspiration everywhere…. magazines, through the product lines we use, endless education and academies across the world, our fellow stylists and just in the everyday conversations with our clients. As someone with a MESS of hair, I often find inspiration in the morning styling my own hair. What would make my life easier and potentially transition into making that possible for our clients?
What is one piece of advice you would give a bride?
Schedule a trial run for your hair and makeup, We’re always confident that you will walk out of the salon looking picture perfect, but we never assume we know what that means to YOU. It’s your big day and a chance to see what you will look like is priceless. It also gives you the opportunity to wear that look for a day and send us any revisions or raves about what was done to ensure we get it just right! Oh, and have a mimosa!
What are some of the trends you see for 2011?
Volume is never out of style! Channeling the 60’s with a more modern, textural effect is all the rave. Simple curls, partnered with a texturizing product (like Bumble and Bumble’s Surf Spray) to “mess” with the glam of the 60’s, makes this a perfect look going into 2011.
There are some seriously fabulous nail polish trends for this summer! Here are a few we are loving at LBE…
Matte Shades: These velvety finishes are rocker chic and definitely make a statement, no shiny top coat needed. The OPI Matte Collection has great colors to choose from.
Bright Shades: Nothing says summer love like vibrant colorful nails. Chanel has tons of bold options for you to hit the beach with.
Gray Shades: Gunmetal to charcoal these neutral hues are stylish and versatile. Dior’s Silver Pearl is sexy and modern. 
Soft Shades: The Wedding Collection by Essie is simply swoon worthy. “Classically chic with a touch of modern sheen, the palette of shades was created to compliment the beauty of wedding day nuptials.” With six different hues there is a perfect tint for every bride.
Need help getting that perfectly manicured look? Glamour has great tips on how to do your nails like a pro!
We really appreciate it when brides use their wedding day as a way to show their style and personality. Whether that means selecting a dress that is very “you” or accessorizing in such a way that you will look back on the day and be happy with your selection — colored shoes, your grandmother’s brooch, distinctive eye makeup, or a fabulous hair piece and long delicate necklaces like our bride below…
… find a way to show who you are.
(Photos by Anouk Vashe Photography)
Red Lips are in. They were in for the winter holidays and they’re in for Valentine’s Day. Ideal for a night out, a big date night, your rehearsal dinner, or just for fun. Red lips have come and gone over the years and have always made a statement. InStyle put together a helpful guide to show how to wear red lipstick depending on your hair color and skin tone:
blonde hair + fair skin = true red (hint of blue in it to cool down the shade a bit)
blonde hair + medium skin = most reds are okay from orangey to purple. Lucky you!
blonde hair + dark skin = orange-red
red hair + fair skin = corals and orange-reds (love this look!)
dark hair + fair skin = cherry reds and burgundy, not orange-reds
dark hair + medium skin = true red (with subtle blue undertones) or berry tones
dark hair + dark skin = tomato red with yellow undertones
NARS and MAC make some great red lipsticks and pencils. Have fun trying different colors on and ask for help when you’re shopping for that perfect red. If you’re not into the idea of wearing matte red lipstick, try out a red gloss instead. Christopher Drummond Beauty offers a natural red lip gloss called Lucious (made with coconut oil, vitamin E, soybean oil, and orange essence). Alba’s lip line TerraGloss and TerraTints have some nice eco-friendly options too, such as Blaze and Garnet.
If you want to do even more red lips reading, ELLE had an awesome spread just before the new year on 21 red lip colors to try: ELLE’s Red Alert article. Love it.
(photo credits: lips – Closet Charm’s Blog, Kristen Bell and America Ferrera – InStyle)
Bustle Blog By Liz Beck 
