Fall Favorites!

Hi Everyone!

I really love Fall.  The weather is not too hot, or too cold.  I love watching the leaves change color, and when they fall, the little crispety crunch beneath your feet can bring a smile to anyone's day.  I love the feeling that the holidays are coming up, but you're not quite at the ZOMG WHAT AM I GOING TO GET EVERYONE stage.  It's such a great time of the year.

Now that we're towards the end of Fall, I wanted to tell you all about some things I've been loving this season.  Let's get to it!

1.  Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

I LOVE Starbucks in general.  The food is tasty.  The drinks are amazing.  The service is, usually, great.  And I always leave feeling like I had an experience, instead of feeling like, "eh, I grabbed a coffee."  But this Fall, Starbucks has left me with THREE favorites, the first being the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

The PSL has the perfect amount of pumpkin, cinnamon, caffeine, and creamy goodness...and it's delicious hot or iced.

2.  The Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice

I loved the Caramel Apple Spice in High School, but haven't had one in such a long time.  Recently, I was craving a tasty warm beverage with no caffeine, and voila, the CAS was reintroduced to my life.  They're so tasty and are amazing for times when you're not in the mood for caffeine.

3.  The Starbucks Gingerbread Latte

Now that it's red cup season, Starbucks has released the Gingerbread Latte.  To be honest, I've never been a fan of it, but when they burst out the holiday drinks, I noticed the store sign boasted a new recipe for the GBL.  I figured it couldn't hurt to try it.  And I'm SO glad I did.  The taste is delicious, just the right amount of gingerbread and cinnamon flavor, without being overpowering.  Way to change a bad thing, Starbucks!

4.  UGG Ansley Slippers

These "slippers" are great for indoors OR outdoors, as they have the sole of a driving moccasin.  They're super comfortable and have the coziest wool lining ever.  They're great for running errands and pair the comfort of a flat with the warmth needed for the cooler weather.  Mine are pink, and I love them.

5.  Benefit Erase Paste

I have been developing a completely new foundation routine over the past few months, and the Benefit Erase Paste is KEY to combating my dark circles.  I still use my beloved Cle de Peau concealer, but now I put the Erase Paste UNDER my foundation (to brighten up the dark circles), then apply foundation, THEN use the Cle de Peau concealer to handle blemishes and getting the under-eye area to match my skin tone.  This product is a Godsend, and just a little dab will go a long way.

6.  Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara

I feel bad even sharing this product with you...because it is so overpriced.  But this mascara, oh this mascara.  I originally got this mascara as a deluxe sample size from Sephora using my VIB points.  First mistake.  And now I'm in love with a mascara that's $30 a tube.  Oops.

This mascara is lengthening AND creates unbelievable volume...a combination most mascaras fail to successfully achieve.  It's a must try.  Even if it's just once.

7.  Cozy, Knitted Cold Weather Accessories

I love gorgeous, comfortable, warm accessories to wear now that it's getting chilly.  My friend Ashley, of Great Scott Knits, knits great hats like this that I wear all the time!

8.  My Family

By "my family", I also mean the friends that have become my family.  They give me a constant source of unconditional love, guidance, support, and even some pretty good laughs.  I would not be where I am, or who I am, without them.  I know that seems like such a silly thing to put in a Fall Favorites blog post, but this Fall, and especially recently, I have been thinking about how lucky I am to have these amazing people in my life.  :)

 9.  My Husband, Jeremy 

I am incredibly blessed to have the best husband a girl could ask for.  He is the best friend, partner, and person I have ever known.  He makes me laugh.  Every.  Single.  Day.  He makes me laugh, even when I want to cry.  He listens to me.  He respects me.  He does everything he can to make sure that I am happy.

2013 has been a tough year for us, complete with a cross country move and a tough job search in Chicago for me.  Every step of the way, Jeremy supported me in every way that someone can support someone else.  Every step of the way, he came home with a smile on his face, and showered me with love and support.  No matter what happened, Jeremy always made me feel lucky to wake up next to him.  He is the best part of my day, every single day.

Sooooo, now that I've gone all mushy gushy on you, tell me.  What are your favorite things for Fall?

Xoxo,

Cathy

Caldo Verde

Hi Everyone!

I'll be really honest.  This week, I haven't been super into makeup.  Shocking, I know.

You see, I've been battling a really nasty cold all week.  I've been congested.  I've had headaches.  I've had trouble sleeping.  And my lips are chapped from sleeping with my mouth open.  It hasn't been fun, or cute.

So today, instead of coming up with a half-hearted attempt to talk about beauty, which couldn't be further from my mind lately, I thought I'd share with you the recipe of one thing that always makes me feel better:  Caldo Verde.

Caldo Verde is an iconic Portuguese soup whose name literally translates to "Green Soup".  It's delicious, nutritious, and one of the most well-known traditional Portuguese dishes.  When I first got engaged, I asked my family for a book of all of the family recipes I'd ever need as a married woman.  Thankfully, the recipe for Caldo Verde was included in the book I received at my bridal shower.

Now without further ado, here is my family's recipe for Caldo Verde:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves coarsely chopped garlic
10 ounces linguica (Portuguese smoked sausage) to slice after cooking and before serving
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in pieces
8 cups cold water
1 pound collard greens (flat leaf greens), cut into very fine julienne
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  In a large pot, add the potatoes, garlic, olive oil, and linguica and cover everything with water.  The water should be about 1 inch above the potatoes.  (You can add more water later, if needed.  The potato base should have a creamy thickness, instead of thin water.)

2.  Bring to a boil then lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are cooked.  About 30 mins.

3.  Remove the linguica from the pot and slice.  Puree the remaining ingredients in the pot with a hand blender until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  If too thick, you can add a little water at this point.  (Remember, it SHOULD be creamy!)

4.  Add the greens and the sliced linguica to the potato base in the pot and bring everything back to a boil.  Then reduce to simmer for another 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 6 to 8.

Enjoy!

Xoxo,

Cathy

August 2013 Favorites!

Hi Everyone!

Now that it's September (When did THAT happen?!), I wanted to post a video of my favorite products from August.  Some of them shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that follows my blog, but some of them are new.

Check out my video and let me know what you think.  Don't forget to subscribe to my channel!

Thanks for watching.  Stay tuned in the coming days for a video of my makeup storage/collection!

Xoxo,

Cathy

Beauty Secrets that Cosmetics Companies Don't Want You Know!

Hi Everyone!

Today I wanted to share some makeup tips and secrets that you'll never hear uttered behind a makeup counter, or by a cosmetics company.  Let's be real here.  Makeup companies are in business to make money.  They make money by selling consumers as many products as possible, at as high a price point as they can justify.  As a result, there are many times when the makeup associate behind a counter, or the PR person behind a desk, will either omit or flat out lie about certain rather valuable facts.  So, I've decided to expose some very important facts about our cosmetics and the industries that produce them.

1.  High End Brands Are Owned By the Same Companies as Drugstore Brands!

Many high end brands are owned by the same parent company as drugstore brands.  As a result, the products are often manufactured in the same factories, with very similar, if not identical, ingredients.  The packaging is undoubtedly fancier for the high end brands, but is the price justified?

Let's take the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows, for example.  The product, shown below, boasts "a formulation that lies between the comfort of a cream and the ease of application of a powder [for a] ... a luxurious, velvety texture."  It retails at drugstores for $7.95 for 3.5 grams of product.

Now, let's compare this product to the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Silk Eyeshadow.  Giorgio Armani cosmetics, also owned by parent company L'Oreal, describes this product as having an "innovative hybrid texture, which is not a powder, nor a cream."  This product retails for $33 for 4 grams of product.

I bet you'd be shocked to know that the difference in ingredients between these two products is that Armani has Calcium Aluminium Borosilicate first and L'Oreal has Calcium Sodium Borosilicate first.  Otherwise, the ingredients on the back suggest that the formulations are nearly identical.  

Aside from the fancy packaging, how different are these products REALLY?  Save your money.  Buy the L'Oreal.  (For a full list of cosmetic "parent" companies, click here.)

2. "Hypoallergenic" Schmypoallergenic

“Hypoallergenic” technically means “below normal” or “slightly” allergenic, but there is no standard in any country that provides an official certification or testing that an item must undergo before being labeled as hypoallergenic.

3.  They're NOT FDA Regulated

Claims on skin care and cosmetics are NOT regulated by the FDA.  Nor are there any regulations on words like "natural" or "safe".

4.  Many of their products are interchangeable.


In fact, many body lotions have the same, or similar, ingredients as much more costly facial lotions.   Take, for example, the ingredients in Olay Quench Age Defying Body Lotion compared to Olay Regenerist Nighttime Recovery facial lotion.  The body lotion retails for less than $1/oz., whereas the face lotion is over $13/oz.  If you look at the first 5 ingredients, you'll notice that both contain a high concentration of niacinamide, which has been proven to hydrate, eliminate age spots, and soften facial lines (Dermatologic Surgery, 2006).

5.  You don't need both.

You don't need to buy a brow powder.  Use a matte brown eyeshadow that is the same shade as your brows.  It will work exactly the same.

Want to try a cream blush, but don't want to spend the money?  Use a dab of your favorite lipstick.  That's how cream blushes got started in the first place!

You don't need to buy an expensive brow gel.  Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara is under $6 per tube and works just as well.

6.  Their Anti-Aging Products Suck

If their product boasts about it's anti-aging qualities, but doesn't contain sunscreen, it sucks.  Sunscreen is one of the FEW things that has proven to have anti-aging effects on skin.  So if your $300/tube anti-aging facial moisturizer doesn't have sunscreen, you got taken for a ride.

7.  The Salespeople Behind the Counter Have an Agenda

If you're going to a one brand makeup counter, the sales people will try their hardest to sell you as MANY of their products as possible...regardless of whether or not that product is the best you could get for your money.  They work for the cosmetics company, not for you.

Even at Sephora, where there is no brand loyalty, the salespeople on the floor get monthly bonuses that correspond to the store's monthly sales.  So they may steer you towards products that you don't actually NEED.  I'm not saying they all do it...but be aware.

Also, if a salesperson criticizes all of your favorite products, don't listen to another word they say.  They're trying to sell you their entire line.  YOU know what you like, and what works for your skin, better than any salesperson does.  And if you're happy with your product, don't be bullied into buying something you don't want or need.



Xoxo,

Cathy

How-To Eyeliner Series #1: Pencil Liners

Hi Everyone,

Many of you have requested some formal "How To" videos, particularly when it comes to eyeliner.  I've been thinking about the best way to show you my eyeliner techniques, and I decided the best way to explain this would be in a short series of videos.  After all, there are lots of different types of eyeliners:  pencil, liquid, gel/cream, mechanical, color, and glitter.  There are also LOTS of different ways to wear eyeliner, such as "regular", winged, cat eye, tight lining, and lining your waterline.  Needless to say, all of this could not be appropriately explained/demonstrated in one blog post, or video, of an appropriate length...so I decided a series of how-tos would be the best thing for everyone.

For the first "how to" eyeliner video, I figured we should start with the basics.  I have shown how to apply a pencil eyeliner in a standard, NON winged liner look.  It's a fundamental building block that everyone should know how to do.

I really hope you find this video to be entertaining and instructive.  If you like what you see, please be sure to subscribe to my channel!

Until next time...

Xoxo,

Cathy