Cali Girl

Two weeks ago my mother & I touched down at LAX.

Sunny L.A from above.

Although this move has been in the works for over a year the moment you leave the only home you've ever known, to create a new one, is a moment that cannot be prepared for.  The choice to leave the east coast behind was unexpected yet it felt oddly natural.  The New York/New Jersey area no longer felt exciting & full of possibility but beyond that it no longer felt comforting. 

My new town!

The feeling that I'm on vacation has not gone away. A part of me feels like I'll be on a plane in a couple of weeks to go back "home" & when I catch myself in those moments I'm always relieved to remember California is home now. Analyzing all the differences between east coast & west coast life at this point would be silly. It'll be some time till I can really call myself a Cali Girl but for the time being I'm looking forward to that day! 

A lamp post in Venice.

My niece Val lives in L.A!

Succulents are planted everywhere in L.A!

Here I am poolside & loving life!

XO 

Kara Rose

Summer Hats I Want Now!

With my move to California getting closer & the temperatures around the country getting hotter I found myself thinking the time has come to start talking about the summer hat. It only takes one good sunburn on the old part to make you want to invest in these five bad boys & it doesn't hurt that they are so damn cute! 

• The two tone weave & the leather cord make this floppy hat from Anthropologie fresh & bohemian. 

Two-Note Floppy Hat from Anthropologie.

Two-Note Floppy Hat from Anthropologie.

• This beanie by Neff still works in summer due to the fun bright color. I'm loving the look for chilly beach nights! 

  

  Neon Green Beanie by Neff

• Rock a Fedora in a rich berry tone & keep the sun at bay while looking hot! ASOS got the memo with their felt version! 

  

  ASOS Felt Fedora Hat 

• ASOS gave this boater hat a summer makeover by using straw. I'm drooling! 

  

  ASOS Straw Roll Brim Boater Hat

• Kick back in this snapback by American Apparel. The dainty flowers make this, ordinarily tomboy, style feminine & fun. 

  

  The Floral Printed Cap by American Apparel

I hope you all enjoyed this little post & stay burn free this summer! To purchase any of these looks click the links I've added throughout. 

xo Kara Rose 

5 YouTube Videos You Need To Watch Now!

If loving YouTube is wrong I don't want to be right. If you need to kill time today, or maybe procrastinate a cheeky little bit, this post is for you!

• Ed Sheeran just released his music video for Sing... I know, I know I'm a dork but just watch this video & then see who's judging! Spoiler alert* it features a puppet Ed. 

• If you aren't familiar with the YouTube channel Jack's Gap then today is your lucky day! Jack is a hottie (with a TWIN) but beyond that he creates videos with really interesting content. Watch Jack, his brother Fin & friends complete a rickshaw run across India to raise money for The Teenage Cancer Trust.  A hottie with a hear of gold... I'm melting! 

• This next gem, presented by Buzzfeed, is called "Can You Watch This Without Giggling?" my answer is no... can you? 

• I'm super late to the game with this one but Sia's video for Chandelier is off the hook. I've been a fan of Maddie (the featured dancer) since Dance Moms debuted but DAMN this video is powerful!  

• Last but not least is the latest addition to Jimmy Kimmel's "Celebrities Read Mean Tweets" series. Sit back and enjoy the lolz in the 7th installment of this fan favorite! 

I hope you all got as much joy out of these videos as I did (and still do)! Happy friday!!

Xo Kara Rose

5 Must Have Swimsuit Trends of 2014!

Beach weather is almost here! I'm not going to lie... swimsuit season provokes a wee bit of dread for me but to tame the "beach body" anxiety I always turn my sights on shopping! Here are my fave swimsuit looks right now.

The High Waisted Two Piece

Why I love it: Flattering to all body types, you will never be a don't in this classic yet fashion forward look!

Get the look here!

Chevron

Why I love it: While classic, chevron still feels fresh on swimwear. Warning, this fabulously on trend look can be difficult to pull off so take extra care to pick up a suit with a flattering cut.

Get the look here!

A Bathing Beauty One Piece

Why I love it: Once again our ancestors got it right. This suit is universally flattering and comes in so many cute colors and prints. Bonus points if you also get the two piece version! 

Snap it up right here!

Straps & Graphic Prints

Why I love it: Both of these trends are so fun and fresh! You might not see them around next year but consider these the fashion equivalent of a summer romance.

Get the look here!

Mix & Match

Why I love it: Mix and match suits can be classic or fun and will be in your summer wardrobe till they come apart. Be bold and choose a neon top with a classic black bottom! Be simple and match a solid color... do whatever you want!

Get the look here!

Now lets get shopping! See you at the beach.

XoXo Kara Rose

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer reviewed!

Warmer weather has arrived and with it came the bug bites... so I found myself in Rite Aid (looking for some hydrocortisone cream) when I stumbled upon "Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer" on sale. For $2 I couldn't say no!  Impulsively and a little greedily I scooped it up in the shades "Pretty in Peach #115" and "Frozen Over #315". Now here I am (itch free) ready to tell you about my new nail swag!

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in #115 & #315

Color: 10 You can't see very well in this picture but Frozen Over is actually a sheer shimmery pale blue however,  I only tried Pretty in Peach (#115) but it was true to the bottle and absolutely stunning! 

Formula: 1 This polish is clumpy, streaky, full of air bubbles and separates after it's dried on the nail creating nasty little cracks!

Application: 5 The brush is a nice thickness but unfortunately that can't save this horror of a formula.

Staying Power: 1 After wearing the polish for one and a half days I'm already sporting little chips.

Overall I'm really disappointed in this line! It was a nightmare to apply due to the formulation. While I managed to get all the clumps that were trying desperately to emerge out I was not able to stop air bubbles from forming. When it comes to nails there are two things I can't stand. Number one is AIR BUBBLES. Number two is cracking polish. Sadly I've been left with both. The only reason I might use this again is the color of "Pretty in Peach" I've been looking so long for a good polish in that color and while I continue to look I might get desperate and crack it out again! As the old adage says "you get what you pay for" maybe next time I'll splurge! 

Have you guys tried this stuff? Have you found a petter bright, poppy peach? Let me know! 

xo Kara Rose 

Flats, Flats and MORE FLATS!

What goes up must come down! Spring 2014's ready to wear collections were all about flats and (in some cases) flatforms. I've already stocked up on flats for the warmer months and I would advise you all to follow suit. Comfort is in so let us rejoice! Peep some of the runways latest flat offerings.       

Peep toe flat booties at 3.1 Phillip Lim

Sneakers at Comme Des Garçons

Pointy toe flats at Helmut Lang

Leather wrap around sandals at Jason Wu

Lace up ballet flats at Jean Paul Gaultier

Moccasin style sandals at Jonathan Saunders 

Classic pointy toe flats at Rochas 

Milani Nail Lacquer Review

After a little hiatus I'm back and ready to review, so lets talk nails! Recently I've been branching out in the nail department. Not only have I been using regular polish (not gel) I've also been shunning Essie (my go to non gel)! The first stop on my new budget nail adventure was Milani Nail Lacquer in "Power Periwinkle".  Read on for the results!

Milani Nail Lacquer in Power Periwinkle

It's been brutally cold in the northeast so I was immediately drawn to this spring like shade. Milani is not a brand I've seen reviewed too often but once I got past my skepticism, into my cart it went!

• Color - 10: The color was true to the bottle & beautifully vibrant 

• Application - 10: This bad boy went on like butter! The formula is so smooth, not too watery or too thick. Even a nail noob can apply this flawlessly. The brush is also nice & flat but not too small which is just the way I like it! 

• Staying Power - 10 Non gel nail color never lasts more than four days on me without chipping... if I'm lucky but Milani Nail Lacquer lasted about a week without a single chip! Once the chipping commenced I was able to squeeze about two days worth of wear before it got real raggedy looking.

  

  Milani Nail Lacquer in Power Periwinkle, after about a weeks wear.

  
  All and all it was a pleasure to wear this fab spring color and I can't wait to try some more shades from Milani. Have you tried this brand? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Let me know in the comments below!  

xo Kara Rose 

Olympic Figure Skating Costume Roundup.

Time really got away from me last week & as a result I missed my "Monday Update" post.  A thousand apologies for that but I'm trying my best to make up for it now! While the Sochi Olympics might be controversial there is one thing we can all agree on... figure skating costumes are the stuff of dreams! Here are my faves.

Ashley Wagner  of the United States

Tongues have been wagging over Ashely Wagner but one thing that has gone largely unnoticed is this gorgeous costume! Ashley, I would never give you a "bullshit" score for fashion!

Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada

Kaetlyn's costume was gorgeous from the front but my favorite detail was the cascade of jewels on her back! 

Akiko Suzuki of Japan

Akiko Suzuki sported on of my favorite looks. The detail and the fairy vibe stole my heart the moment she stepped onto the ice. 

Tessa Virtue of Canada

Tessa looked like a queen in this gold embellished red dress. 

Meryl Davis of the United States

Meryl Davis rocked this beautiful number which was inspired by the ballet Scheherazade. 

Gracie Gold of the United States

Last but not least is Gracie Gold. Adorable, talented & stylish. What more could you ask for? 

 

Mini Drugstore Haul Video!

It's finally here!!! Watch my mini haul blogpost's corresponding video over on my YouTube channel & let me know in the comments what you think! I'm almost done testing out all the products and I can't wait to film the results for you guys. 

xo Kara Rose 

Monday Update

I've finally given up on writing a cleaver opening line. Here's the truth... I've spent most of this week procrastinating BUT fear not! Instead of blabbing on about my week I'm going to introduce you to a very special friend of mine! Meet Daisy! She is my beautiful kitty (who isn't really a kitten) and quite possibly the love of my life.   

In order to keep her introduction relevant to a beauty blog, she is pictured in a Christmas bow. She hated that bow but it looked fabulous on her! 

I hope you all had a great week! Let me know all about it in the comments + keep an eye out for my next YouTube video that is DEFINITELY going live this week!

xo Kara Rose 

Beauty Faves

Experimenting with new looks has been an obsession of mine for as long as I can remember.  Naturally I'm always seeking new beauty products to keep up with my ever evolving style! While I love to test the beauty waters, there are a few products I always come back to. I decided to film a "Beauty Favorites" video and this is my corresponding blog post.  Read up!

Skin Care

• Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser . Ask any derm what drugstore cleanser they recommend & I'm sure the answer is this one. Formulated for normal to oily skin types, who are sensitive to harsh products, you won't find any fragrance in this bad boy! Be warned you won't get a lather with this product but it does leave your skin squeaky clean (without a trace of makeup left).  

• Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Night Cream. I've tried several nighttime moisturizers & I am absolutely in love with this one. While I tend to have normal to oily skin, I do get some surface dryness from time. With nightly use, not even surface dryness can touch my face! The texture is strange, with a slightly watery yet rich feel, but the refreshing sensation you experience after application is unparalleled. You won't find any fragrance, parabens or animal testing involved in this product. Natural ingredients make up 99% of this cream including aloe & rice extract! 

• Kiehl's Creme de Corps Light-Weight Body Lotion. This lotion is a bit pricy but totally worth it. It's super light weight & absorbent leaving your skin instantaneously soft! Seriously, I think my hands owned the title of driest in the land but this lotion has ended that. I also love that it's fragrance free so it doesn't clash with my perfume!    

Hair Products

Batiste Dry Shampoo. Because I have color treated/fine hair i'm always looking for a good dry shampoo. I've tried all the fancy/pricy brands but Batiste is my fav! It's amazing at extending time between shampoos, which I love due to all the damage my hair suffers at the hands of dye, & it serves as an amazing styling tool to boost volume! In case you're wondering... my favorite scent is cheery but there are many to choose from!

• Bumble and Bumble thickening hairspray. Not only is this hairspray non aerosol it HOLDS your style! It's totally heat and sweat proof! I love it for my blunt bangs & as a nice bonus it smells great!  

Makeup

 

• Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream. My main skin problem is redness & this BB cream is just enough coverage to even out my skin tone without looking cakey. It's light as air, non greasy, moisturizing & it has an SPF 35 which is prefect for my pasty face! How could you not love a product that does all that in one step? 

• Smashbox High Definition Concealer. I didn't include this in my favorites video due to time but it's certainly worth a mention. While my BB cream is great most days, I do get a spot or two from time to time. On my spotty days nothing beats this lovely concealer + I use it daily to eliminate the dark under eye circles that I'm prone to. 

• Cover FX Bronzed in Pink Topaz. Unfortunately since posting my favorites video I've discovered that this blush appears to be discontinued. It was a beautiful dusty rose color with a subtle shimmer & I will definitely be scrambling to find a replacement when I run out.

• Maybelline Expert Eyes Expert Wear Twin Brow & Eye Pencils. I only use this as a brow pencil (I don't recommend it as an eyeliner!) & a wonderful brow pencil it is! Blonde is the shade I use. It's a subtle ash blonde which I love because so many light brow pencils are way to warm/red for my taste. One of my pet peeves are brows filled in with a warm/redish shade! Another nice bonus is how cheap it is & it comes with two in a pack! 

• Urban Decay original Naked Palette & Naked 3 Palette. So much has been said about these palettes that don't think I even need to go into why they are great... you guys all know! 

• Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in 13. This is perfect on days when I have zero time for my makeup but I need to look fab. Once you apply this it's not going anywhere, seriously I have to fight to get it off! They have so many colors but 13 is my go to. I love to wear it alone with some mascara and a bold lip! 

• Benefit They're Real Mascara. Unlike most mascaras you don't have to choose between length or volume! This one truly gives you both without looking clumpy or spidery. With the special domed brush, equipped with bristles on the tip, you can easily reach every lash! 

P.S.  Make sure to watch the corresponding video HERE  to see some bonus faves! 

Monday Update... on Tuesday

One thousand apologies to all my sassy peeps. Things have been a bit busy for me but now I'm back and ready to recap the week!

Fashion

Lets kick it off with GRAMMY FASION! I haven't always been the biggest fan of Tay-Tay however, there is no denying her place as the best dressed at the 2014 Grammy Awards. She was absolutely stunning from her hair, to her makeup, to her jewelry to that dress. Well done Taylor *claps*

Taylor Swift in Gucci 

Now lets talk about Ciara. This awards season seems to be filled with pregnant women who look better than me...sometimes the best thing to do is sit back, admire and move on. 

Ciara in Pucci

Moving on, Rita Ora can do no wrong in my book & last Sunday was no exception. 

Rita Ora in Lanvin

That hair, that makeup, that beautiful lime dress! She's absolutely gorgeous. I wanna know where I can sign up to be her? Honorable mentions go to Christine Teigen, Anna Faris, Kelly Osbourne & Giuliana Rancic.

Entertainment

Every year I try really hard to see as many Oscar nominated movies as I can. This week I chose "August Osage County" I'm really sorry to say it but it wasn't one of my favs. The acting was excellent, especially Julia Roberts, but it was three long & depressing hours filled with people I didn't even want to spend fifteen minutes with! Literally every character was a despicable person that I just didn't want to root for. Of course, this is only my opinion & I'm in no way a qualified film critic but if I'm to be honest this is my least favorite of all the nominated movies (I have seen) this year.

Wellness 

Last Tuesday my cousin texted me, she started doing a beginner Pilates workout regimen found online. I've been wanting to get into better shape so naturally when she told me to do it with her I agreed... fast forward to next week & I'm so sore that I can barely move! I'm sure it will be worth it in the end but for now I'm hurting!! Are you interested in joining us? I know it sounds crazy but if you are heres the link! Pop Pilates for beginners workout calendar! 

That's all I have for this week's "Monday Update". Keep on the lookout for my next YouTube video that will go live this week! Be well my lovelies, & have a fab week! 

xo Kara Rose

Another drugstore haul!

I've done it again... I've done a little drugstore damage.  As always I will be reviewing the products I got and sharing that review with you all. Here's a photo sneak peek of the goods!

Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick, Revlon blush in 002/Haute Pink & the Balm blush in Argyle

Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids in 875/Vivid Rose, Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids in 885/Vibrant Mandarin & Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 440/Cherries In The Snow

The haul video I filmed will be up next week & as soon as I've tested all the goods I'll be filming the my review!

xo Kara Rose

The Liebster Award!

Hello Beauties! The Liebster Award has finally landed on my blog! I've been oh so kindly nominated by the lovely Lizzie, author of xBeautyMagic, so go check her out. Her blog is fab & so is she! Many thanks to you darling!

The rules

1. Link the blog that nominated you for the award 

2. Choose 11 bloggers to nominate who have less than 200 followers

3. Answer the 11 questions given to you

4. Let the people you have nominated know you've done so

5. You can't nominate the person who nominated you

6. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate to answer

7. You must follow the blog that nominated you 

Here are the questions Lizzie asked me

1. What was the first makeup item you wore daily?

Lip Smackers by Bonnie Bell! I don't even think they make those anymore but being a 90's child I loved them! For those of you who aren't familiar with Lip Smackers, They were very oddly flavored lip balms in tacky colors. As a bonus they usually came strung on a lanyard! 

2. Do you have any siblings?

Yes! One sister, two brothers and me. I'm the youngest. Does that explain a lot?

3. What is your favorite movie(s)? 

This is so hard. Cabaret (starring Liza Minelli) has always been a favorite of mine. It's got awesome music, beautiful style and heavy subject matter. What more could you want? Dazed and Confused is also stellar as well as I <3 Huckabees. Oh gosh, there are soooo many more but I'll stop now! These were my lighter selections however, I do enjoy many others with more thought provoking material. 

4. What is your favorite fashion trend at the moment?

High waisted jeans. I only wear high waisted jeans.

5. If you could only buy one item of makeup for the rest of your life, what would it be?

LIPSTICK! Hands down. I. CAN'T. LIVE. WITHOUT. LIPSTICK.

6. One clothing item you couldn't live without?

High waisted jeans!

7. What is your favorite season and why?

Fall. The weather is beautiful and the fashion is so versatile. You can wear anything in the fall and not be too hot or too cold.

8. What place would you love to visit?

London or India. I couldn't pick just one!  

9. Is there anything beauty related that you wish you could do but you can't?

I've always wanted silvery, over toned hair BUT I've dyed my hair so many colors & have finally achieved a good shade of blonde! My poor hair just can't stand anymore damage.

10. Who is your celebrity crush?

Harry Styles or Jack Harries (does he count as a celeb?). I know what you're thinking! Yes, I'm a chicken hawk. 

11. What is your favorite clothing store?

Top choices are Urban Outfitters, Topshop and ASOS.

Here's who I nominated!

1. Faithfully Emma

2. Whiskey & Proper

3 Pizza Flavoured Lipstick

4. Under the Blush

5. Kaute Kouture 

6. Bubbly B

7. The Make Up Diary

8. That Denim Purse

9. Blushing Rose

10. Elephant Stories And More

11. Kelsie Lauren

Here's my questions

1. If you could have one persons wardrobe in it's entirety, whose would it be?

2.  Who is your favorite Beatle?

3.  What's your favorite lipstick?

4. What's your go to outfit?

5. How many colors (if any) have you dyed your hair and what were they?

6. Who is your favorite YouTuber?

7. Instagram or Twitter? 

8. What's your favorite nail color? 

9. Who are your top style inspirations at the moment? 

10. What's your go to shampoo and conditioner?

11. If there was no chance of failure what career would you choose? 

Best wishes to all you fabulous ladies!

xo Kara Rose 

Nails of the moment

If you are anywhere in the New York area chances are you've been snowed in.  To pass the time, I took to my polish and gave myself a good old fashion manicure (with a twist)! Take a peep and get the look for yourself. Happy painting!

The look

The products 

Step One
Apply one coat of your favorite base coat. I used Sephora by O.P.I 3 in 1 (which is no longer made). I'm actually not the biggest fan of this bottom/top coat but it's what I had laying around... desperate times call for desperate measures!  

Step Two
Apply two coats of Nails Inc. nail polish in Baker Street. Nails Inc. is pricy at $9.50 a pop however, the quality is amazing and the colors are to die for.

Baker Street 

Step Three
Add one generous coat of Nails Inc. Feathers Effect Nail Polish.

Feathers Effect 

Step Four
Finish off with one coat of your favorite top coat & enjoy your fabulous mani!

The big finish!