We’re All Family and Friends

MyOwnJudgeWhen one family and friends discount goes, another one appears. Nothing beats the sale marathons going on throughout the holidays.

SkinCareRx (brands like La Roche-Posay, Dermalogica, and Revitalash, among many others) and Apothica (Bobbi Brown, Napoleon Perdis, Smashbox, etc.) are sharing the discount to their Family and Friends Sale.Your discount? 25% off the sister sites.

Use Code ‘FF25’ to get your savings before December 1, 2010. (Some brands excluded from the discount)
Let me know what you get!

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You’re Invited!

Tomorrow, I will be spending my money and getting a slight buzz on as I meet new brands – such a difficult task! Purchase tickets here or read about other dates across the country.

MyOwnJudge Will you be joining me?

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Beach Bunnies Galore

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Beach Bunny Swimwear have taken over the aquatic market. Okay, they may not be a huge empire or a household name, but they got all the Kardashian sisters creating collections (check out Kim‘s, and Kourtney‘s) as well as Sports Illustrated model Irina Shayk. Kim recently did a Barbarella inspired shoot (also the inspiration for her capsule line) to promote her line and no word on whether Kourtney will do one based on her Bridgette Bardot inspiration (or if Khloe will get her own line!), but I’m more into Irina‘s shoot.

Photo Credit: Phun

MyOwnJudge
Which line do you like most?

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Sephora VIBs get extra time

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Are you a Sephora VIB? Today is the last day you can use code ‘VIB20‘ to save 20% off your order. This is no different from the family and friends sale, except this time not everyone gets it. Only the big spenders! Not a VIB? I’m sure you know one or two. We can even work on something, you and I ;).

Getting anything?

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Green Queens

MyOwnJudgeIt’s not just the environment that is waiting for everyone to go green – the dresses are patiently waiting too! A fresh color for the fall/winter wardrobe comes in a variety of shades – take olive, bright green, pastel, or a mix of green and blue as just a few examples. Then of course, we have to consider that this is one of those colors to flatter all skin types and body shapes. It has now entered the purple and black group.

Check out celebs Olivia Munn, Rose McGowan, Monica Cruz (yes Penelope‘s sister) and the Hilton sisters strut their stuff in green at various functions this November.

Photo Credit: Phun and Zimbio Graphics Courtesy of MyOwnJudge.net

If you want to break out some green for your holiday camera screen (sorry I just had to make it rhyme), remember that the cold weather cannot get you down. Don some opaque black leggings (or even yellow or turquoise if you dare) with booties or heels and a jacket. When you relinquish your outerwear, the crowd will surely ooh and ahh as if you are the holly straight off the tree. Don’t have any of the sort? Check out the below selection to get your shopping cart rolling (they’re all under $50 to take into mind your holiday shopping list needs).

All the above looks are below $50 and each image is linked to the appropriate retailer. Anything catch your eye? Let me know!

Do you have anything green in your closet to rock for the holidays?

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Affordable Eyeshadow Palettes

I’m usually very skeptical of uber cheap cosmetics. Why should 28 colors ever cost under three dollars? What did they save money on? Was it color? Quality? Safety? Packaging? What’s the secret!?!MyOwnJudgeMy last trip to Walgreen’s had me come face to face with a Profusion wallet palette, retailing for $2.99. My suspicions were only halfway put to rest by my previous experience with the brand and their lipgloss, and I thought the brand may be a sister company (or even the same?) to the Profound $5.00 palette. Plus, I thought, how much damage can you do with $2.99 I already decided to spend on unneeded items like gum and chocolate (I put them down in favor of cosmetics!)?MyOwnJudgeThe beauty wallets are very space friendly and boast a plethora of different colors. The wallets are in various color combinations and correspond to the color of the packaging. I purchased the violet and lime green, but there were others available. The size of these is slightly smaller than a cd case overall, but pretty much as thick as a cd case is.MyOwnJudgeMyOwnJudgeAs you all may continue to read, I am a packaging junkie. I really like their ‘Beauty Wallet’ premise, but opening the packaging had me verging on temporary insanity. What I thought would be an easy plastic case to remove turned into a rage of ripping up the packaging.

This could have damaged the shadows had I not aimed away, or if I dropped the darn thing (happens often to me). If you decide to purchase this palette, take it from me and use scissors to open it up.MyOwnJudgeMyOwnJudgeThe sleeve on the packaging doesn’t contain much information other than the ingredients. The palette doesn’t name any of the colors (which isn’t the greatest idea, because I’d like to know if they’ve been reused in other palettes), but does have a chart on the back of the sleeve numbering the colors – which aid in depicting swatches for me.MyOwnJudge
I took inventory of how the colors come off by swatching them on paper and then applying with a wet brush to my skin.MyOwnJudgeMyOwnJudgeSome of the colors look very similar to one another, but after trying them all out, I can say I like the combinations and that there is variety to the palette, compared to others having preference to neutral or blush colors.MyOwnJudgeThe wallet looks most attractive without the product sleeve and doesn’t look like a palette from the outside at all.

Pros:

  • This is a definite win if you’re trying to mask your “I need nothing to look like this” plan.
  • The price of $2.99 cannot be beat.
  • The color payoff is pretty good, especially when applied wet.
  • There is a mini tutorial on the inside cover.

Cons:

  • It is not an organic product (meaning it contains talc, mineral oil, and synthetic wax among others).

Verdict:
Skip a machiato or a soda for the day and grab this palette.

Have you tried this? Do you want to?

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There is No New Black

MyOwnJudgeAlmost every ‘it’ color has experienced a period of time when it was proclaimed to be the new black. Bright hues, duller variations, everything has had it’s day, but black? Black is an everlasting constant. No matter when and where someone may announce a color as the new black, black itself never loses it’s place or recognition.

Photo Credit: The Phun and HotCelebsHome                                 Graphics Courtesy of MyOwnJudge.net

As fall is rapidly threatening to transform into winter any day now, the flimsy bright fabrics that were a summer staple flap in the wind as the temperatures drop. Longer sleeves and sturdier fabrics like wool are warranted. The lucky fashionistas closer to the equator probably don’t ever have to worry about significant drops, but closets feel it universally.

When the weather switches, collections often take a turn to darker tones for fabrics. Black is frowned upon in the summer because of it’s propensity to attract sunlight and thus, heat, but in the colder months, well – that’s optimal! But how do you stand out in a sea of black pantsuits and dresses? It’s all in the details. Whether you want an architectural twist with sharp angles and nips in unexpected places (see Kourtney above, or Eva below), or you’re more of a shine girl with belts and sequins (Khloe, Kim, Olivia), the standout feature is the detail on the outfit. The contrast of one detail to the other is what draws the eye to the outfit (and the pretty face rockin’ it!). If your outfit lacks details, but is warm and/or slimming (as black garments often are), make up for it with some killer accessories.MyOwnJudgeEva Longoria-Parker was showing some serious leg at the European MTV Awards, while the Kardashian sisters battled the chilly weather in New York for the launch of their Northeast Dash addition.

Both divas adhered to the rule of showing skin on one half of the body and covering up the opposite, but with a twist. The dresses have peekaboo backs, with sheer insets. The best about baring so much leg is the elongated effect you have when pairing the short length with sky high heels. You could even take a page from Eva‘s book and add some serious gold shimmer or a bronzer to the front of your legs for even more attention and definition.

With that said, I’d like to know who rocked the black mini dress better. Was it Eva with the satin shine and updo or Kim with the sequin number and casual long locks (even longer than usual, too!)?MyOwnJudgeA closer look at the makeup. The two rocked similar looks, though Eva‘s contains more gold in the powder and the gloss, whereas Kim‘s has more of a peach undertone on the cheeks. The lashes are also different, with Kim rocking her signature all over, extra lash.

Who wins in your book; Eva or Kim?

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Rihanna Style Diary

MyOwnJudgeRihanna has had quite a travel schedule as her album has hit shelves recently. There’s all over the US, London, and most recently Madrid. Sometimes she graces different continents with each coming day.

Photo Credit: The Phun and HotCelebsHome

Recently, her stylings have been both highs and lows for me. Her low was in Madrid, when she paired high waist shorts, knee high knit stockings, and oxford heels with an oversize shearling (check out my best picks for the trend here) coat. The coat is way out of proportion and swallows the usually fashionable gal, making her look of a size that she definitely isn’t.

The win was her interesting pairing of a side cut-out heather grey corset with an architectural mini skirt. Her neutral suede heels had a thinner than thin heel, and just like that, I was in love. The skirt looked like it needed more upkeep than just simple wear – it needed two hands, one in each pocket, to get the overall effect. Once Riri got that down, the look was flawless. Do you agree?

Whose style do you like?

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Rosie! … err Pink!

MyOwnJudgeThe release of Pink‘s new video for Raise Your Glass(remember my anticipation?) has been refreshing. Common to the previous videos she did, where she is tackling popular topics, people, and institutions, she does it again. This time, apart from being the working man fighting sumo style against the corporate world, she is also a vengeful bull and Rosie the Riveter. The last character may fit into the scheme of things, but no one really put their finger on the similarities or the singer’s ability to pull of the role so well (at least in looks).

Photo Credit: Cover Awards

Check out the video and tell me how you like it:http://www.vevo.com/VideoPlayer/Embedded?videoId=USLV41000033&playlist=false&autoplay=0&playerId=62FF0A5C-0D9E-4AC1-AF04-1D9E97EE3961&playerType=embedded&env=0

What do you think?

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Watson Channels Twiggy

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British darling (although she’s supposed to be on the east coast going to Brown, right?) Emma Watson graced the pages of UK Vogue for their December issue, channeling model great Twiggy. From her sleek crop ‘do to the mod white shift she wore, it looked like a back in the day photograph.

Photo Credit: The Phun

The star, who is also in the Burberry campaign and a November Seventeen cover across the pond in Mexico has been making very wise fashion choices, and it’s a pleasure to see a starlet on the right track fashionwise and careerwise as well. Of course there is also the Harry Potter franchise no one could forget. The next flick from the series is hitting theaters this month. Are you excited?

Do you like it?

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