SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Jessica Runway Style Nail Colour Collection -- Sirens, Nymphs, And Temptresses Galore!

Iridescence. That's the unifying concept in the new Jessica Runway Style nail lacquer collection ($7.50 each at JessicaCosmetics.com), which incorporates six colors ranging from Seductress, a deep, luminous magenta, to Goddess, a glistening, nacreous white shade.

All of the lacquers were anointed with alluring names that underline their bewitching powers. Aside from Goddess and Seductress, then, there's Coquette, a stormy gray with baby pink, white, and silver micro particles that lend it a pearly iridescence; Enchantress, a creamy cantaloupe orange with silver, pink, and white glimmer; Alluring, an opalescent, sheer baby pink with purple, blue and lilac glimmer; and Temptress of the Sea, a nude-ish peach shade with gray, pink, and violet undertones to lend it an iridescent sheen.

Below, you'll find close-ups of the Coquette, Temptress of the Sea, and Goddess lacquers, as well as pictures showing how they look on nails. Will these iridescent colors seduce you? Read on and see!

Goody Modern Organica Collection -- Nature's Best

 

Goody Fringe Benefits Headband, $5.99 each

 

 

Goody Aqua Inspired Barrettes, $5.19 each

 

Goody Nature's Inspired Headwrap, $6.39 each

 

 

 

Goody Beaded in Bloom Headband, $6.99 each

 

Goody Metallic Bloom Ponytailer, $4.79 each

 

After being subjugated to the cramped insides of wool caps, cashmere berets and knit beanie hats for a seemingly endless winter season, your hair can finally hang loose — literally. To celebrate the liberation of our tresses, Goody invites us to jazz up our summery hair looks with shell-adorned, braided headwraps; flirtatious, flower-accented headbands; chic animal print, scarf-style headwraps; elastic ponytail holders adorned with metallic flower embellishments or wrapped in sea-inspired prints; bobby pins adorned with miniature daisies bearing pearly beads at their centers; iridescent, two-toned barrette; and headbands with romantic, ruffled chiffon strips or Carmen Miranda-worthy, oversize floral details. The Goody Modern Organica collection, then, incorporates handy accessories that keep those beachy, loose waves away from your face and allow you to infuse a playful vibe into high ponytails and loose chignons. All of the offerings pay homage to the wonders of nature — from blossoms to seashells, coral reefs, freshwater pearls, exotic animal skins, and earth stones.

The collection of affordable and fashion-forward hair accessories spans a range of motifs – there are pieces with mother-of-pearl details and an under-the-sea vibe, such as the Pearlized Shell Headwrap (shown directly below) or the Mother of Pearl Claw Clip, which looks like the inside of a sea conch; urban-flavored styles like the fishnet-accented, metallic-tinged Girls Night Out Headwrap or the Nature's Wild Headwrap (pictured third above), a scarf-like piece with a faint, snakeskin-inspired print; romantic, chiffon-like pieces like the Fringe Benefit Headwrap (shown above, at top), which features a strip of ethereal and ultra feminine ruffles; and accessories with a Flower Power vibe, ranging from the Beaded in Bloom Headband (pictured above, third from top), a slim metal headband with pearly, sculpted flower accents that resemble impatiens blooms, and the Metallic Bloom Ponytailer, an elastic band with a leather-y flower detail (pictured last above). 

The Goody Modern Organica collection is available at Target stores through June 11th, so boogie over to Target to stock up on some summer hair essentials. With prices ranging from $2 to $7, you can snatch up quite a few pieces without breaking the bank.

Below, you'll find more photos of pieces from the collection, as well as some shots of me rocking them so you can get some ideas of how to incorporate them into your own summer looks

 

Goody Pearlized Shell Headwrap, $6.99 each

Here's a shot of me wearing the Goody Modern Organica Pearlized Shell Headwrap in black. As you can tell, the headband is made of a slim braided fabric and features two shell rings that fall at the side, right by the ear.

 

Here's me modeling the Fringe Benefits Headband, one of my absolute favorite pieces since it really looks so sophisticated and romantic.

Coquettish and dainty, the Beaded in Bloom Headband makes you feel young and oh so pretty. It's the type of headband you can wear with your hair down or in a whimsical updo. Check it out:

 

Still want to see more goodies from Goody? Peep some additional picks from the Modern Organica collection after the jump!

L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Makeup Collection Day And Night Challenge

You may associate L'Occitane with delicious shower gels, hand creams, and body butters (I've been known to carry a tin of shea butter in my roomy purse) formulated using the finest natural ingredients, but the botanically inclined brand continues to flower as time passes — and now, it's hoping to entice more fans with its newly launched paraben-free Pivoine Flora Makeup collection.

Inspired by the graceful, fragrant, and romantic peony flower, the Pivoine Flora Makeup collection consists of lipsticks, glosses, eye shadows, and creamy cheek colors in the rose, baby pink, fuchsia, plum, lilac, peach, and violet range, so that the convergence of hues resembles a spring bouquet. Formulated using natural mineral pigments, color-boosting oils, and peony extract, which softens and soothes the skin and gives the eye shadows compacts a velvety soft texture, the Pivoine Flora eye shadows offer just a hint of luminous color that can be used to create understated, natural, feminine looks or can be layered and blended with other hues for a more dramatic effect. All the powder-based products are made using micronized mica talc to give them a satiny soft feel and Lauroyl lysine powder to give them greater longevity and hold. The lipstick hues, meanwhile, include antioxidant-rich grape seed oil and vitamins C and E so that they moisturize your pout while providing free radical protection.

After the jump, you'll find stills of all the products in the collection (yes, ladies, all of them!), as well as swatches and thorough descriptions of how each product performs. Best of all, I created three looks using products from the collection: a subtle day look, a coquettish day-to-night look, and a smoldering evening look. Read on!

Five Not-To-Miss Memorial Day Deals

Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone! Hopefully, you're all lounging on a beach soaking up the sun (with some SPF protection, of course!), grilling some burgers at a cookout, taking a dip in a pool, strolling through the park with friends, or enjoying Mojitos at an outdoor restaurant.

A long weekend is reason enough for us to feel like saluting, but here's yet another celebratory bit of news: the savings on beauty and fashion buys this weekend are a-ma-zing! To save you the time of scouring the web for deals, we've amassed some of our favorite offers. Check them out below!

 

 

Take 20% off your purchase at Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Until Monday at 11:59 p.m. PST,  you can log onto a special Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics page with a secret login and password and get 20% off your order. You can shop the brand's entire range of cosmetics — from their highly pigmented Loose Colour Concentrates (shown above in Cherry Bomb, Saturate, and Burning) to its delicious Lip Tars and flashy nail lacquers. To enjoy this discount, visit http://www.OCCMakeup.com/disc.php and, when prompted, enter the username guest and the password 0530. You must be logged in to redeem the 20% discount, so make sure you visit the site through this link – once you've entered your username and password, you can shop the site as usual and you'll automatically have 20% shaved from your total!

 

 

Everything 15% off at Junkprints.com

Stock up on funky graphic tanks, collage-style handbags and backpacks, and laser-cut acrylic rings and earrings with words that cleverly reference hip-hop culture. Through Monday, May 30th at midnight EST, you'll get 15% off your purchase at Junkprints.com when you enter the code FIFTEEN at checkout.

 

 

Shop for Kendra Scott jewelry and get 20% off your order

Need to spice up your jewelry box? Don't miss the chance to score some of Kendra Scott's Boehmian-flavored pieces, like the amazing Aflow golden rose filigree teardrop earrings pictured above, at a discounted rate. Throughout the holiday weekend, you can get 20% off your order at KendraScott.com when you enter the code salute20 at checkout.

 

Get 20% Off Pacifica's Solid Scents And Rollerball Fragrances at PacificaPerfume.com

Until Monday, you can stock up on some delicious, travel-friendly scents that can be tossed into your purse or beach tote without taking up almost any space. This weekend, enjoy 20% off all solid perfumes and rollerball fragrances at PacificaPerfume.com when you enter the code Summer20 at checkout. Our recommendations for summer: California Star Jasmine, Tahitian Gardenia, Brazilian Mango Grapefruit, Indian Coconut Nectar, Hawaiian Ruby Guava, and Tuscan Blood Orange. Yum!

Up To 60% Off During Hayden-Harnett's Daily Flash Deals

To kick off the summer season, Hayden-Harnett is launching a series of daily flash deals online, during which some hand-picked pieces — handbags, jewelry, scarves, and accessories — will be available for up to 60% off retail price. The scarlet red, buckled Angelica cuff pictured above, part of the brand's Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired collection, is available today for $39.20 as opposed to the regular $98 price.

Dior "Les Marquises" Eyewear Collection -- Bali Ha'i Style

 

 

TAHUATA FRAME STYLES:

 

 

 

HATUTAA FRAME STYLES:

 

 

Memorial Day Weekend is finally here and, hopefully, all of you have some fun activities planned for the holiday. Whether it's a trip to the beach, a cookout with friends, or a picnic at the park, one thing you'll definitely need to pack is some killer shades. Consider a pair of frames from the new Dior Les Marquises collection, inspired by the idea of setting sail to a South Pacific island. With shaded lenses in aquatic green, sunny gold, or the standard brown or gray paired with funky acetate frames in vibrant hues like turquoise, red, and violet, these sunglasses are bound to make you feel as regal as a marquise — albeit way naughtier.

Dior's Les Marquises collection consists of four frame styles: Tahuata, Hatutaa, Mohotani, and Motuone. Most of the silhouettes in the collection (Hatutaa, Mohotani, and Motuone) are imbued with the coquettish allure of 1950s pin-up girl illustrations by the likes of Earl Moran and Zoe Mozart, with retro shapes like oversize, Brigitte Bardot-esque butterfly sunglasses; traditional square frames like those rocked by Betty Draper on Mad Men; and smaller butterfly frames with pointed ends creating an almost cat eye-like effect.

At top, you'll find photos of the Tahuata style, which draws upon '80s-style aviator frames with its flat top ridge, exaggerated teardrop-shaped lenses, metal temples, and slim metal arms, but thrusts the model into a fun-loving technicolor universe through the innovative materials and color combinations employed. The bi-layered acetate frames are available in: red mother of pearl with mirrored brown lenses (my favorite!); emerald mother of pearl with green mirrored lenses; violet mother of pearl with gold mirrored brown lenses; grey mother of pearl with gray shades lenses; beige mother of pearl with gold mirrored brown lenses; and black with gray lenses.

Next, you'll travel back in time to the '50s as you check out the Hatutaa frame family, a playful take on the pin-up style sunglasses. These square-ish acetate frames are available in: red mother of pearl with gradient, gold mirrored brown lenses; emerald mother of pearl with gray shaded lenses; stark, shiny black with gray lenses; and more.

After the jump, you'll find more photos of the two remaining frame styles in the collection: Dior Motuone, an exaggerated butterfly frame with upturned, cat-eye like ends that's dramatic, retro, and eccentric enough to entice even those with tastes similar to those of Peggy Guggenheim; and the Dior Mohotani, my favorite silhouette in the collection, which is a traditional butterfly shade style reinterpreted using semi-translucent, iridescent mother of pearl acetate in electrifying colors like Maraschino cherry red or exotic styles like a spotted Havana pattern.

All shades retail for $295 and are currently available at Dior boutiques. Visit Dior.com or call 1-800-929-DIOR for more details.

 

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss Makes Mouths Feel Shiny And New

Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to prefer lipsticks over lip glosses — the latter are usually packed with way more pigment, which is a huge factor in their appeal, plus they typically last longer, and their formulations tend to be creamier and hence feel more pleasant than the plethora of overly sticky glosses that feel like they're gluing your top and bottom lip together. That, being said, the new Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss range ($18 each at Sephora.com) is making me reconsider my stance.

Make Up For Ever never half steps, upping the ante with each and every single new product or collection released. The Lab Shine Lip Gloss range is no exception. Each of these glosses features camelina oil, which conditions, nourishes and protects lips from harmful free radicals thanks to its high omega-3, omega-6, and vitamin E content, and hylauronic acid, which hydrates your pout and yields a more gel-like consistency that adheres to lips without feeling overly viscous and gummy. Minuscule mother-of-pearl particles, meanwhile, reflect light when it hits your lips for a dose of shimmer that's bold but sophisticated.

The Lab Shine Lip Gloss collection incorporates 35 shades divided into three families: Diamond, Star and Metal. The 12 Diamond glosses focus on light, sheer tints that are saturated with sparkle (hence the diamond reference). The 14 Star glosses offer a bit more coverage and a pearlescent shimmer that's fresh but not quite as flashy. And last, there's the Metal collection, which includes heavily pigmented glosses with an all-over, chrome-like sheen.

I'm particularly fond of the Metal Collection offerings since these shades are way more robust than the tints you'd find in most traditional glosses, plus their mirrored finish feels classier and not quite as adolescent and glittery. There are 9 shades in this particular gloss family, and it's definitely a "collect them all" situation!

 

Small Wonders -- Cross-Bodies, Camera Bags, And Itsy-Bitsy Purses That Are Big On Style

They say good things come in small packages — or, at least, that's what I enjoy telling people when they taunt me about my short stature. When it comes to handbag styles this season, it seems designers turned to that very same adage, toying with petite and refined silhouettes but making them more practical by incorporating long shoulder straps that allow each piece to be draped over one shoulder and across the chest. Unlike clutches, which literally require a "hands on" approach, these miniature bags allow you the freedom to interlace the fingers on one hand with those of with your beau while holding a savory Frappuccino in the other hand.

Check out some of our favorite cross-body and camera bag styles below!

 

Kate Spade New York Bitsy Flower Straw Mini Bag, $195. Available at Saks.com

As soon as summer rears its heads, heavier fabrics like tweed, leather, and suede fade to the background a bit, making room for breezy, island-ready straw, raffia, and canvas fashions and accessories. At times, however, straw bags can seem a bit too kitschy, like castaways from a store inside a Tijuana airport. But this bite-sized Kate Spade purse shows just how far designers have come in their efforts to better the reputation and standing of these plant fibres. Featuring a zip-top closure and a slim black leather and metal chain strap measuring 23" in length, this cross-body bag (which measures  6½" in width, 5" in height, and  1½" in depth) is shaped like a tropical flower, with overlapping petal shapes and contrasting tan and black stripes circling the rounded edges of each petal shape.

 

Matt & Nat Hendrix Nirvana Bag, $165. Available at RevolveClothing.com

Throughout the years, vegan handbag line Matt & Nat has continued to experiment with new animal-friendly, environmentally sound materials — from Japanese rice paper to recycled canvas and vegan leather — as well as silhouettes that incorporate plenty of pockets, zippers, and interior compartments. The Hendrix Nirvana Bag shows just how far the Matt & Nat has evolved. This canvas bag features a triangle-shaped top flap with three staggered, V-shaped rows of vegan leather piping and tonal stitching. A magnetic closure secures the top flap in place and, once you unzip the purse, you'll find a lining made of 21  recycled bottles. Measuring 9" in width, 7" in height, and 0.5" in depth, this Hendrix cross-body style is available in a black ikat print that's pitch-perfect for any tribal-flavored look you want to pull off this season.

 

 

Paul & Joe Perlee Beaded Cross-body Bag, $315. Available at Net-a-Porter.com

There's a lovable Janis Joplin-esque vibe to this Bohemian beauty from Paul & Joe, a handmade, beaded, open-top pouch featuring a braided white leather shoulder strap, teal suede tassel accents at each side a beige leather trim at the top and cream accent stitching. Measuring 4" in width and 6" in height, this folksy piece is big enough to carry the vitals: be they credit cards and lipstick or a harmonica and a peace pipe.

 

Treesje Spokes Cross-body Bag, $215. Available at Zappos.com

You can be the head mistress of your own School of Rock Style with the Treesje Spokes bag, an envelope-shaped clutch made of glossy, slightly crackled, premium Italian leather. The fold-over top flap features  a pointed bottom edge, tonal stitching along the borders, and chunky silver chain links woven into the leather in an arrow-like shape. Strips of leather are woven into the chain shoulder strap which spans 24" in length, adding to the Joan Jett-esque spirit of the bag. 

L.A.M.B. "Signature Seaforth" Zip Top Cross-body Bag, $148. Available at Nordstrom.com

The ink-y, kaleidoscopic, navy-and-white batik print of this PVC bag recalls island destinations, but the tan leather accents (the belt-like shoulder straps and the trim framing the zippered compartment along the front of the bag) bestow a functional, urban vibe to the design. Because it's so very slim measuring only 1 1/2" in depth, this particular tablet-shaped design is best for toting non-bulky items.

 

 

Prada Canvas Strap Messenger, $795. Available at NeimanMarcus.com

Playboy bunny naughty meets Blondie rocker cool with this new canvas mini messenger bag from Prada, which features horizontal stripes in hot pink and black and a tan leather closure in a shield-ike shape.  Measuring 5 1/2" in height, 8" in width, and 2" in depth, this bag features a sturdy wide web shoulder strap that can be detached with a simple press of the lobster-shaped clasps at its ends.

 

Burberry Patent Cross-body Bag, $1195. Available at NeimanMarcus.com

Sure, you may associate Burberry with traditional tartan prints, but that doesn't mean the brand doesn't know how to let its hair down and cut loose. This aqua blue, patent leather purse features a top flap that widens as you move from the top to the bottom and features rounded edges. A slim shoulder strap with several perforations and a belt buckle accent attaches to golden metal rings at the sides of the purse, so you can sling the bag across your body and brighten your whole ensemble. 

 

Katherine Kwei Donna Sling Bag Batik in Orange/White, $600. Available at KatherineKwei.com

By giving her beloved Donna Sling Bag style a tie-dye look, New York-based handbag designer Katherine Kwei updates the style for summer, giving it a surfer chic vibe. This hand-dyed lambskin piece features slashed leather strips along the front and a row of Chinese eternity knots along the bottom ridge, while the combination of tangerine orange and crisp white recall a gorgeous sunset sky at a beach destination.

 

 

 

 

Sylvia Tcherassi for Payless Collection -- A Rock Star Ballerina's Footprints

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If a Degas painting came to life and the graceful ballerinas pictured therein headed to the Blacks and Whites' Carnival in the Colombian city of Pasto, where they trailed a group of comparasas (costumed artisans parading through the streets dancing and singing) while executing grand jetés and pirouettes, you'd get a feel for the folksy ballerina feel of designer Sylvia Tcherassi's work. A native of Barranquilla, Colombia, Tcherassi is known for jubilant, colorful, celebratory ready-to-wear pieces, jewelry, and handbags that reference Colombian folk music and art and choreographed ballet opuses, but are infused with a sprinkle of rock-n-roll bravado.

Now, Tcherassi is stepping into the footwear realm, becoming the latest fashion luminary to joining the Payless family of guest designers. New for Spring 2011, the  Sylvia Tcherassi for Payless collection features three basic silhouettes: a strappy sandal, a hard-edged mesh and faux leather heel, and a ballerina slipper with ribbon ties.

First, there's the Genova Elastic Strap Sandal (pictured at top in a red, fuchsia, and purple colorway and then second from top in an all-black color scheme), which takes the bandage look that Herve Leger made so popular with his figure-hugging dresses and transforms it to suit the footwear arena. Featuring a 4.5" heel wrapped in patent leather, the sandal incorporates multi-colored elastic strips that stem outward from one central vertical strip, a naughty peep toe, and a zipper along the back of the shoe.

If you're looking to walk on the wild side, check out the dominatrix-flavored Milano Ankle Wrap Sandal, which features a black mesh fabric secured with corset-like lacing along the ankles. The rounded opening at the back of the foot and the open vamp area add to the provocative feel of this design, as does the gold hardware spicing up the the faux leather at the toe area. With a 4.5" wrapped heel and platform, this is one big boss of a shoe.

And last, there's the Siena Ribbon Flat, a classic ballerina slipper style with satin-like uppers and a rounded but sturdy toe that nod to classic pointe shoes. To give the shoes a bit of pop, Tcherassi chose contrasting colors for the trim (gold for the black model and orange for the bronzed brown style) and for the ribbon that crisscrosses over the foot and wraps along the ankle and calf.

 

Sylvia Tcherassi for Payless Genova Elastic Strap Sandal in Red or Black, $69.99 each; Sylvia Tcherassi for Payless Milano Ankle Wrap Sandal, $69.99; and Sylvia Tcherassi for Payless Siena Ribbon Flat in Brown/Orange or Black, $44.99. Available at Payless.com

 

 

Peace Images "I Got It Made" Earrings -- Lucky Bamboo Style!

My homie Camille over at Peace Images has an impeccable record when it comes to crafting innovative jewelry designs that reference urban culture without ever lampooning it. Part of her latest genial batch: the "I Got It Made" earrings pictured above, which nod to '80s hip-hop fashions with a shape modeled after the massive door knockers worn by everyone from Roxanne Shanté to the Salt-n-Pepa gang. But the mammoth, bulbous silhouette of this classic hip-hop style accessory has been streamlined here and given a more angular, geometric shape, with lines so steep they could have been drafted using an architect's protractor triangle tool. These ultra fresh earrings are so narrow in width that they feel like slithers, adding to their modern edge.

These lightweight earrings, named after the classic Special Ed cut, are available in black acrylic or a walnut-like wood and measure 3.5" in height.

Time to knock on heaven's door with these updated door knockers!

Peace Images Jewelry "I Got It Made" Earrings, $28. Available at PeaceImages.BigCartel.com

Get Some Polish With Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator

 

Usually, the word "scrub" gives me pause— partly because I listened to the TLC "No Scrubs" anthem a bit excessively, but mainly because my skin is so sensitive that body polishes grate my skin like a paper shredder on speed. But I overcame any trepidation  to test out the new Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator, hoping it wouldn't inflame my skin and leave it looking like a slab of tenderized meat. To my surprise, this body polish has trumped every exfoliator I've ever tested and secured a VIP spot in my shower. The Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator has a lightweight consistency that's a gel-and-cream hybrid, and the polish beads in the formula are so microscopic they're barely noticeable, making the exfoliating experience ultra gentle. 

What makes this exfoliator so delicate? In keeping with its reputation as a skincare innovator, Shiseido developed a formula that incorporates a cream base, then infuses it with two different types of micro beads: amorphous particles that remove dead skin cells along the top layer of the epidermis and spherical particles that roll onto the skin gently and gingerly, smoothing the skin surface without being abrasive. When you massage the Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator onto damp skin, you won't have to suffer through that unpleasant scratchy sensation that tends to accompany most sugar- or salt-based body scrubs.

The blush pink body polish smells so delicious that, if it were bottled and sold as a shower gel or perfume, I might just invest in the entire range. The fragrance is a nod to the ancient Japanese scent Kuroha, once heralded by aristocrats, which combines clove, musk, frankincense, and sandalwood notes. This spicy scent is then combined with a feminine cherry blossom aroma. The marriage of these notes is beyond harmonious so that you literally feel like a sex goddess as you massage your skin, making the bathing and exfoliating ritual feel all the more indulgent.

 

Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator, $38.50. Available at Sephora.com, Nordstrom.com, and Barneys.com