Famous Fridays: Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood is completely adorable, it’s true…but I feel like her lower half and upper half don’t quite match in this look from the American Idol finale!

What are your thoughts on this look?

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Kimmie’s Pre-Weekend Pretty-Up: Military Mojo

Attention: Military looks are storming off the runways and invading the everyday fashion population…this means you, Indy!  Khakis and pleats and shiny buttons usually make me feel like I’m back in my high school dress code (nightmare), but I’ve been determined to work this look into my summer style.  Here are a few of my tips and picks to help you pull off this trendy look…without looking like GI Jane.

Nails: Inspired by khaki safari attire, OPI for Sephora Caught With My Khakis Down is the perfect color for a so-right-now manicure.  I just bought this color; it’s a creamy dark brownish green khaki color with a high-shine finish.  The rules of this summer’s style say you can mix your neutrals with your brights, so pair this polish with a day-glo top and some light khaki shorts.

Clothes: Military-inspired style doesn’t have to be all khakis and camo…and it definitely doesn’t mean combat boots.  I’ve been obsessing over feminine military jackets since this spring, and you can still sneak them into your wardrobe as long as you look for light fabrics (100% cotton is best).  For a casual look, I love this Lucky Brand Shrunken Military Jacket (pictured).  Try belting it for a more girly sillouhette.  For a dressier, more structured look, look for something like this Apostrophe Military Jacket.  Bonus: This one is only $18!  Cheap chic?  Yes, please!  Pair with boot-cut jeans and bright wedges.

Shoes & Accessories:  Wedges are back, comfort and all!  Mix some military into your shoe style with a natural wedge.  I love the Gabbie by Jessica Simpson and the Midtown from Bakers (pictured).  Not feeling the neutrals?  Pair some khaki shorts or skirt with a bright sandal, like this one from Michael Antonio at DSW. No military gal is complete without her aviator sunglasses.  Can’t afford the RayBans?  Discount websites like Sunglass Warehouse (which is LOCAL!) have pairs for as low as $8.  I’m also loving these Mark Aviator Shades.  The brown-to-green tint has a retro feel that I just adore.

Makeup: Nude lips may be a trend of last winter, but neutral eye looks are still going strong.  Any brown or green shadow can be used for a smoky look that blends with your military look and lets you experiment with bright lips (fuschia, anyone?).  I recommend MAC Eye Shadow in GreenSmoke — perfect for smudging.  Another great pick: Laura Mercier in Sherazade — a khaki green with gold undertones.

Celebrate Memorial Day in style and pay homage to our troops in a super-cute way!

Cheers,

@KimmieTrubiro

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Event to Love: Lottie Dottie Ladies Night Out

Looking for something to do tomorrow night?  Lottie Dottie Boutique in Greenwood is having its first ever Ladies Night Out event Thursday, May 26, at 6 p.m.  Lottie Dottie is a small, locally-owned boutique for the contemporary woman and child that sells everything from dresses to tanks, from handbags to perfume.

The Ladies Night Out event will be hosted by Lottie Dottie and will feature over 20 local vendors.  Everyone will be entered into a drawing for free door-prizes donated by participating vendors at the door.

Bring your girlfriends or come by yourself but don’t miss this great event and for heaven’s sake, don’t leave empty handed.

Featured Vendors include:

Urban Euphoria
Feather Locks & Accessories with Ashley Stamper
Girls in Grey
PunkyBear Couture
Bowlicious & Hair Candy
Reiss Nichols
31 gifts
Rodan & Fields Skin Care
Scentsy
Stella & Dot
Premier
Little Miss Joclyn’s Bowtique…and many more!

This is an event you do not want to miss.  Head over to the event page on Facebook to RSVP!

Lottie Dottie Boutique

789 US 31 North Ste E

Greenwood, Indiana 46106

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Tarte: You Know You Love Me

Tarte has gone all Gossip Girl and created 3 different kits for the inner socialite in you – the Blair, the Serena, and the Lily.

The Tarte Blair kit features a brown EmphasEYES aqua-gel eyeliner, a fabulous watermelon-y cheek stain in True Love, blotting papers (because we wouldn’t want to be shiny at that champagne brunch, right?), and a lip exfoliator/balm duo.  This kit comes in an adorable quilted case will get you through every one of your elaborate schemes and prime you for taking over the world.  Blair would definitely approve.

The Tarte Lily kit has everything you need to rock a powerful red pout combined with tools that make it look like you just roll out of bed looking gorgeous.  A gala until 5:00 am?  No sweat.  Trying to rescue my daughter from some psycho who has kidnapped her?  Done.  All while looking perfectly put-together.  This kit contains a black aqua-gel eyeliner, multiplEYE lash-enhancing mascara, rest-assured brightening wand, and a lipstick in revive – all in a classy little clutch.

And for you trend-setting party girls out there, we have the Tarte Serena kit.  Complete with a fabulous gold clutch, this kit contains 3 aqua-gel eyeliners in teal, bronze, and plum – use them by themselves or together for an especially sassy look.  A swipe of rise-and-shine lip stain/gloss duo in nectar and some park avenue princess bronzing powder will finish off the look and have you ready for that date with your flavor of the month in no time.

So the question is…who are you?  A Blair, Lily, or Serena?

xoxo.

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Kimmie’s Pre-Weekend Pretty-Up: All That Glitters…

I’ve always been wary of sparkly beauty products.  I don’t know if it’s my aversion to getting glitter in my eyes or my deep-rooted fear of looking like Ke$ha, but I tend to stay away from anything super-scintillating.  Fortunately, there are some beauty products out there that specialize in subtle shimmers, and even boast precious gems as ingredients!  Here are some of my faves.

Glossy Glam: I love a great lip gloss, which explains the 10 or more floating around my purse at the moment.  One of the best sparkle-rich glosses out there has got to be Girls Dig Pearls by Too Faced.  These glosses are infused with real crushed pearls, leaving your lips super-shiny with a hint of color.  The minty flavor also tastes great and has a slight pucker-plumping effect.

Hidden Bling: Concealers come in all shapes and sizes, but TEMPTU Under Eye Concealer is the only one that comes packed with…wait for it…genuine diamond dust.  This double concealer boasts vitamin-packed coverage with a diamond core, designed to reflect light away from your flaws and make your skin look luminous.  I won’t lie, this stuff tackled my under-eye bags like nobody’s business.

Lustrous Lotion: Olay is the jack-of-all-trades brand when it comes to effective drugstore skincare, so its no surprise they’ve jumped on the sparkles bandwagon.  Quench Daily Lotion Plus Shimmer takes the original deep-moisturizing formula and adds just a touch of twinkle, leaving your skin looking oh-so-touchable.  The glitter-making ingredients here aren’t luxurious (mica and titanium dioxide are in most shiny cosmetics) but at 6 bucks for a 12-ounce bottle, its definitely a bargain!

Shower Shimmer: Although body wash is one of the great mysteries in my life (I’m just not a fan) I’ve heard rave reviews about Nivea Touch of Sparkle Cream Oil Body Wash.  Diamond powder promises a light, after-shower sheen and the cream oil locks moisture into your skin — perfect for keeping that summer tan!

This weekend, get out there and get your shimmer on!

Cheers,

@KimmieTrubiro

Trending Tuesdays: Bright Lips

Who’s loving the bright lip trend?  Gwen Stefani is seen here with a bright pink pout and I am loving it.  She looks fresh and glowy and somehow manages to pull off a smokey eye + bright lips.  This is one of those trends I see on other people and adore, but when I put a bright lipstick on I just think I look crazy.  What do you gals think?  Is this a trend you’re rocking these days?

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Kimmie’s Pre-Weekend Pretty-Up: Beauty Oopsies

It’s a typical Sunday morning.  You step out of your car, walk two blocks to brunch, and *poof!* your hair suddenly looks you’ve run it through a frizz machine.  What’s a girl to do when her frizz serum is sitting uselessly on the bathroom counter?  Thankfully, there are a few simple solutions (with stuff you probably have on hand) to some of life’s most common beauty faux pas.

Puffy Eyes: If you wake up looking like you lost a prize fight with puffiness, a little under-eye cream just isnt gonna cut it.  The fix: Caffeine is your best bet in the fight against red, swollen eyelids.  Soak a washcloth in coffee and stick it in the fridge for 10 minutes, then use it as an eye mask until it’s no longer cool.  Another alternative is green tea; wet two teabags and pop them in the freezer until cool (about 5 minutes).  Set them over your eyes for 5 minutes.  Try these remedies after your shower, pre-makeup.  I’ve tried several de-puffing products (including Garnier’s caffeine-infused eye roller) but nothing has worked as well as the at-home fix.

Runaway Makeup: Rarely do I take beauty tips from the girls on the Jersey Shore, but every now and then they have some bright ideas.  To keep their makeup from running while they get their fist-pump on at the bars, they “set” their look with hairspray.  While this can obviously clog pores, I tried this trick this week and was amazed at the sudden staying power of my makeup!  It works great in a pinch when you really want your look to last through a hot day or a long night.  A complexion-friendly everyday alternative?  Use a setting product like Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray.

Frizz Fest: It doesn’t matter how much straightening serum or smoothing hairsrpay I use; when I walk outside in the notorious Indiana humidity, my style is fried in a matter of minutes.  The fix: Got some hand cream in your purse?  Frizz problems solved!  While not made specifically for hair, a little hand cream will tame those flyaways in no time.  Just put a little on your hands, rub them together and lightly distribute the cream over your hair.  I recommend Avon Silicone Glove hand cream; great on chapped hands, and the silicone doubles as a silkening hair treatment.

Beauty oopsies don’t have to be the end of the world, or the end of your style!  Do you have a fave quick fix?  Break it out this weekend!

Cheers,

@KimmieTrubiro

The Average Joe: Royally Raising Eyebrows

Despite my best efforts to avoid it, I did catch a glimpse of last month’s Royal Wedding. And, if I’m completely honest, I was an ickle bit intrigued (spoken in my best British accent).

Not by the guests, the dress or the kiss—as I’m sure most Pretty Indy readers were—but by the amount of time and energy spent meticulously fussing over the minutest of details. From hand-stitching the 100-year-old livery uniforms to ensuring all the flowers opened at the time of the ceremony. It was barmy to say the least!

Unfortunately, there was one rather important, rather un-fairytale-like detail that was missed…that of the Bishop of London’s eyebrows.

Did you see those things? I’m not sure how you couldn’t see the bushes overshadowing the face of Richard John Carew Chartres, but here’s a pic just in case…

And for a closer look…

Come on. Seriously? No one thought to tell the guy standing center stage to weedwhack those things before the biggest event of…well, of April? I mean if you can style your eyebrows, then it’s time for a trim.

Indy women, please make sure this isn’t your man! At a certain age, a man’s hair just stops growing in all the right places and starts flourishing in all the wrong ones. It can be tough to keep up with the growth sometimes, and we need your help to make sure we’re keeping it all under control through regular manicuring.

Keep your chap classy.

— AJ

(I’m all tweeted up now. Follow me:  @AverageJoePI)

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Your Honey-Do List

Is it just me or does every beauty product seem to have honey in it lately?  Not that it’s a bad thing – honey happens to be one of my favorite things.  Check out some of the latest and greatest honey-infused products:

Urban Decay Lip Love Honey-Infused Lip Therapy

These luscious lippys are gorgeous and good for your lips.  They’ve got vitamin C to boot, which helps boost collagen (you know, the stuff plump lips are made of) and also even out the skintone of your lips.  The colors are bright but very sheer, super glossy and not sticky at all.

Honey Bronze by The Body Shop

The Body Shop just launched a complete bronzing line laced with honey – products include a shimmering dry oil (pictured) that gives you just a hint of sparkle with a non-greasy finish – something I haven’t found in other tan-enhancing products.  There’s also a honey bronze lip nectar in coral or bronze, a bronzing gel for the face, a bronzing powder compact, and a bronzing powder in brush form.

Fresh Sugar Honey Tinted Lip Treatment

The cult fave’s gone honey!  This fabulous and much-loved lip treatment has just been released in a gorgeous nude-honey tint.  It’s super sheer and it’s the same formula you know and love – with a fresh new tint.

Carol’s Daughter Sweet Honey Dip Chocolate Brown Sugah Scrub

Want a honey-liscious treat for your body?  Check out this luxurious scrub from Carol’s Daughter.  The real brown sugar crystals will have your skin summer ready in no time.

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Pura Body Naturals Review + Giveaway!

I recently had the pleasure of trying some amazing products thanks to the generous people at Pura Body Naturals and I could not wait to share my thoughts with you all.  I literally came home from work to a package of goodies, opened it and tried everything immediately.  Pura sent me the chocolate milk facial (yes, it is as amazing as it sounds), mint lip scrub, chocolate mint lip butter, Amazon hair and body butter, and MuruMuru moisture milk in Tahitian Vanilla.  Do I really need to tell you about these products to make you want them?

First things first.  Let’s talk about the Chocolate Milk Facial.  WOW.  It comes in a small, round tin in powder form.  I mean, it’s just like opening a tin of Hershey’s Cocoa – it smells SO good. And it gets better.  I poured some powder into the lid to mix it with water and form it into a facial mask and I could really smell the coconut at that point.  Chocolatey-coconutty goodness – it is amazing, and just what I need at the end of a long day.  I put it on, and besides the fact that it looked like a spray tan session gone wrong (and please disregard my awesome scrubs) it was so soothing.  I let it dry (about 10 minutes or so) and then removed it to uncover the softest, glowiest skin I’ve seen in a while.  My skin looked great the next morning too.  I am a HUGE fan of this one, so if you choose to get anything, get this.  Also, it’s $7 – your checking account is already wondering why you haven’t purchased a couple.

The lip treatments didn’t disappoint either.  I adore the Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub – it has just the right amount of grit and smells so good.  To take your lip exfoliation to the next level, try using a soft toothbrush to apply the scrub.  Followed by the Cocoa Mint Lip Butter, you can guarantee that your lips have never been more kissably soft.

Last but certainly not least, we have the MuruMuru Moisture Milk in Tahitian Vanilla and the Amazon Hair and Body Butter.  At this time, I have not tried either product in my hair and am looking forward to doing so.  On the skin, both are super hydrating and smell amazing.  The moisture milk is a more lotion-like product and is thinner than the butter.  MuruMuru is especially great for people with kinky hair and will increase manageability by adding moisture and nutrition to your locks.  As I said, the Amazon Hair and Body Butter is much thicker – as you would expect a butter to feel.  This is extremely hydrating and can be used on hair or skin to lock in moisture and keep your skin supple and smooth.

**GIVEAWAY!!**

Pura Body Naturals is giving away a set of the Chocolate Milk Facial, Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub, and Cocoa Mint Lip Butter to one lucky winner!  Simply become a fan of Pura Body Naturals on Facebook and tell them Pretty Indy sent you.  Not a Facebooker?  Leave us a comment here and let us know why you should win such a treat.  :)

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