Thursday Three - Noella's Picks

On this gloomtastic Thursday I am going to talk about some real pick-me-ups, for these reasons: My girly bits are in knots, my face is broken out and I feel about as pretty as a Chinese Crested (see left). So in the spirit of still putting a little effort in, even when you're not feeling so hot, in hopes of maybe feeling slightly prettier, here are a few of my favorite things.

Stila Wonderful in Waikiki Palette

Nothing brightens up my face/day more than using this handy kit. It has four eyeshadows: Wahine (a nice shimmer cream shade, perfect for highlight), Sarong (a metallic peachy/orange/pink that is quite flattering for my baby blues, thanks Melissa!), Coconut (very versatile brown with just a hint of shimmer), and Surf (a matte, BOLD, bright blue that is perfect over my UD Flipside eyeliner). North Shore, (peachy blush, very nice) and Hanauma Bay (bronzer) finish out this set. Now, I would love these colors regardless, but the $14 price tag for all of this is just too good to pass up! What value! And Stila’s quality is second to none. The formulas are smooth, pigmented and easily blendable. The packaging is cute, to boot. I can’t resist anything with a hula girl on it!

Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Natural Pink

This is my favorite everyday lipstick. Trust me, I would wear it EVERY day if it hadn’t been so expensive. I’m savoring it! The formula is very moisturizing and lip softening but it has a much nicer, more “mod” finish than just a lip balm or gloss. The natural pink color is very nude on me, which I like for feeling put together but not necessarily looking all made up. The finish is dewy but not shiny, no shimmer, no stickiness. I will definitely add more of these to my collection in the future!

Sonia Kashuk Eye Make Up Remover 

So this isn’t really a “pick-me-up” except that it makes you happy that you aren’t wiping residual mascara on your nice new white face towel. This is seriously the best remover I have found. It is one of the dual layered, “shakey” kind that has to be mixed up, then applied to a cotton pad. It needs a moment to do its job, but if you are patient and gently dab away, your eye make up will be totally gone. It doesn’t sting, it doesn’t feel greasy, (it’s oil free) and you get 4oz for $10. 

Melissa's Thursday Three and Camping Adventures

What do you mean, "it's Sunday?" I know, I know. I am a few days late.

I had to do a bunch or errands after leaving the office on Thursday and fully intended on writing this after, but I was running super behind and by the time I got home I had to rush to get ready to go see my brother-in-law's band, Powers, play their last show ever. Originally I planned to leave after their set, but you know how it is. You have one drink, and that leads to two, then three, and before you know if you're wobbling home at one-thirty in the morning sending obnoxious texts to everyone you know.

I had to get up early on Friday and run around like a headless chicken all morning before heading off into the woods of Hartford, Maine for a few days. Let me tell you, it was COLD. Cold doesn't even begin to describe it. I am a fairly tough chick, but i do not do cold. I had to get up at midnight to pee last night, and the thought of leaving the sleeping bag and blankets made me burst into hysterical tears. I fumbled around in the dark to find my phone, wandered until I found some bars and promptly sent a text to Thomas, who was home in our warm bed with our cuddly kittens.

Despite the frigid temps, I had a splendid weekend of no work, no computers, no phone calls, and no bullshit! I got to spend three days with some of my favorite women. It was a weekend full of good food, good laughs, and good medicine.

So... that is why I am doing this so late! On the bright side, this means you will get two Thursday Threes this week! One from me today, and one from Noella on Thursday!

Keeping in the spirit of things, my Thursday Three will be Three Things to Take Into the Woods...

1. Dr. Bronner's
Dr. B's comes in a variety of scents, but you have got to stay old school and stick with that minty-fresh tingle we all know and love. This is the perfect soap for camping because you can use it in the lake or in a solar shower without worrying about contaminating Mama Earth with a bunch of nasty chemicals. You can also use Dr. Bronner's to wash your dishes and your clothes! Take a minute to check out their web page or look up Emanuel Bronner on Wikipedia. If you have Netflix, put Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox in your queue. Dr. B was a wildly interesting fellow.

2. Sunblock
Just because it is negative one-hundred degrees doesn't mean the sun isn't out to get you. Protect your skin! Personally I am a fan of the Alba Botanica Green Tea Natural Sunblock. Don't forget to reapply your sun protection throughout the day, especially if you are going to be in water or you are camping somewhere with a lot of open, sunny spaces. Not only can you prevent an ugly, ouchy burn, you will prevent unwanted wrinkles and protect your skin against harmful, cancer causing rays. Remember your sensitive lips! Alba also makes some awesome lip balms with an SPF of 25!

3. Hair Accessories
You can never have too many barrettes, bandanas, hair ties or headbands out in the woods. Not only will you want to get the hair off of your face and neck when you are working up a sweat on a hike or hunting for firewood, but a cute hair barrette or some braids are the perfect way to feel pretty whether you are renting a cabin or roughing it. If you can't shower for a few days, a headband will hide your greasy bangs and a pony tail will keep the oils from getting all over your face. Invest in a good shower caddy, like the EcoTools by Alicia Silverstone Hanging Valet or an L.L. Bean Personal Organizer. This is a great way to carry all of your essentials, and maybe even sneak in a few girly things, without taking up a half of your tent.

xoxo Melissa

Thursday Three - Noella's Picks

Hi WPs (stands for Wicked Pretties), Happy Labor Day Weekend! 

This week I’m going to get a little biased and go all AVON on your asses. Yes, I know it was just a matter of time since I signed up to sell, but I am now for real crazy about AVON’s offerings. I treated myself to some “research related” purchases with my first order and wanted to say a little bit about my favorites from the bunch.

Nailwear Pro Polish in Vintage Boutique

Not only is the muted grayish brown color quite chic right now, but the formula also happens to rock. It applied evenly and smoothly, dried quick and hasn’t chipped (yet). A nice, opaque finish after three coats. An added bonus which has recently become trendy in upscale nail companies is “Three Free” meaning that this polish is non-toxic, (made without three known harmful ingredients, Formaldehyde, Toulene and DBP). Also paraben free, this polish is on par with designer ones that cost literally five times as much!

Super Extend Mascara

I’ve never been one for the new-fangled, nubby, uniform, rubbery mascara wands, but I wanted to give this a chance. Whaddya know-- It’s great! I’m left clump-free, rocking demure, featherlike lashes. And no smudges even though I sweat like a sow in heat, (*pause* for mental image of Noella wallowing, panting in the sun-baked mud, very much as a sow would). I’m very stubborn about new mascaras and I don’t like to waver from my two Clinique favorites. I like this one though, and I will delight in using it as an every day staple.

Super Shock Liquid Lip Shine in Melon

So, besides this lip gloss’s supreme shine and lovely scent, I could basically kill a man with the packaging. So that’s an added safety feature. I’m not kidding around here, it’s literally the size of an Oscar Mayer Wiener (My baloney has a first name…). So part billy club, part cosmetic, hmmm are we onto something here, Avon? Maybe next it will be a switchblade eyeliner? Kidding aside (It's HUGE), this is a highly pigmented, shiny, un-sticky gloss. The wand is honestly so massive I could easily paint the house (2 coats) and that makes it a little clumsy to apply. I'll live though-- I still really recommend it.




Avon's products so far seem to be the poster children of affordable quality. Though the packaging isn't as sleek or sexy as some of my favorite brands and I am still an Avon beginner, I look forward to trying more bits and letting you all know what's what! 
Want some Avon delights of your own? http://www.youravon.com/noelladelaney has all the products I've mentioned and waaay more!


-Noella

Melissa's Thurday Three

Much like last time, I wanted to make my Thursday Three into a video. But after work I had to run some errands, then make dinner, then clean all my brushes, then watch Colbert, and then laugh at Anderson Cooper for an hour.

With that being said, Wicked Pretty is having a video shoot tomorrow with some of our beautiful friends, so keep an eye on the blog and our YouTube page this weekend!

Melissa's Thursday Three...

MAC Wonder Woman palette in Defiance

Okay, so maybe this is so last season, but whatever. I remember talking to one of my dude friends, who happens to be a huge comic book nerd, when I mentioned something about MAC. He was like, “Oh. I think they’re the ones who are going to be making a line of Wonder Woman makeup.” What?!!! Amazing! So I patiently stalked the MAC website, just waiting and waiting for them to release the line. I actually didn’t end up buying much, as tempting as it was. Truth be told, I didn’t really dig most of the colors or palettes, but the awesome packaging was too hard to resist. I did, however, fall head over heels for the Defiance palette. Shiny! Pretty! I just had to have it or I was going to die! I ended up using the thing one time before it went in ye olde train case and hid under some of my more neutral, frequently used palettes. That is until this week. Don’t you love rediscovering things you already own? Its like that album you haven’t listened to in a year, and when you pop it in you wonder, “Why the hell don’t I listen to this every single day of my life?!” Defiance is like the cosmetics equivalent of So Tonight That I Might See. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface

Dollface is the perfect name for this shade, because that is exactly how it makes you feel. I just want to throw on some Victorian garb and take my place on that shelf in your grandmother's house where she keeps all her porcelain dolls. I think this is a lovely color for any skin tone. It’s soft and rosy, and it really helps even out redness. I was afraid of blush for a long time, on account of my rosacea, but that was before I realized how much it can help hide rosacea. Dollface is gorgeous and it is definitely my new go-to.

Double Liner

This spring, Urban Decay and Stila both came out with some super bright, fun liquid liners. Generally I am a neutral or classic black kind of a gal, but these things are way too gorgeous to resist. I desperately covet Urban Decay’s liquid liner in the color Woodstock. I have that shade eye shadow pan, but it’s not the same. Maybe that will be my next cosmetic purchase. I think I look a little weird when I wear a colorful liner on its own, so I have been doubling up! A line of black along the lash line and a thin line of something bright above it for some pop looks really nice. There are also a few color combinations that I have been liking a lot. Like Urban Decay in Smog along the lash line with Stila’s Electric above it, and Urban Decay’s Retrograde with a line of Stila’s Bora Bora. Apparently double lining is in right now, so give it a try! And please ignore my poorly groomed brows.

xoxo Melissa

The Thursday Three-- Noella Style

There are too many products I love right now to just choose three favorites, but Melissa said "The Thursday Thirty Threes" might get a little long winded so here goes:

The Naked Palette

This is frankly the Holy Grail of neutral palettes. Urban Decay really outdid themselves with this collection of twelve shadows ranging from light pearlescent cream to smoky, sparkly gray. There are matte shades, satin finishes, shimmery ones…pretty much all you could ask for as a blue eyed gal like myself. Most of the colors are very nicely pigmented and the more sheer ones are easy to build up if you desire. I feel that for practical every day use and even practical getting dolled up and hitting the town this is the only palette I will ever need. The combination possibilities are just shy of endless and you can use these colors for both natural and smokin hot eye make up endeavors.

 Clinique Even Better Liquid Foundation SPF 15

This has been a recent switch up for me, as the Clinique Superfit Liquid Foundation has been discontinued. I love that it is oil free, has an SPF of 15 and is actually quite good coverage. The benefits do not stop there, however.
This is a make up that claims to improve clarity, even skin tone and correct dark spots over time even without make up on.
 I have been using this for about 2 weeks and I daresay my skin is doing remarkably well! I find that the redness in my cheeks is more easily toned down when I apply it, (this can be attributed to the higher level of coverage too though), and my face overall feels fresh and even the slightest bit less oily. So magic, in my opinion. Clinique's foundations are quality, come in a $#!%-ton of shades and are quite reasonably priced compared to many prestige brands. I think if you are going to splurge on one high end beauty item and one only, it has to be good foundation. It can make or break your face. Harsh but true reality.

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner for Eyes in Flipside

This eyeliner may be one of the top three things that has ever happened to me, (the other two things being sliced bread and Nick). It is the brightest turquoise color, soo-ooo smooth and creamy and these pencils, folks, they stay put. I love having fun with with a bright color in a safe, eyeliner environment.
Flipside can go on top of the lash line in a nice thick flick or it can go on the lower waterline for a subtle pop. It's best to leave other shimmery eyeshadows or liners out when using such a bright product, as that gets a little clowny.
This pencil works as a vibrant base for other bright blue eyeshadows in the event of the need for an electric blue look, (80's night, anyone?) and basically just makes the bluest statement a girl could ask for. When you are feeling frisky and fun, try this!

-Noella

the Thursday Three - Melissa's Picks

Hi, pretties! We have decided to take turns doing Thursday Threes, where we will talk about three products or beauty related items that we are crushing on every week. It's almost midnight, so I better kick things off while it's still Thursday!

Un: Urban Decay Liquid Liner in Smog
This color is so beautiful that it's ridiculous. It really doesn't look like the Smog colored shadow, which is more of a golden brown. The liquid liner looks more like a golden green, and it's just gorgeous. These liners, like most Urban Decay products, are simply amazing and they don't budge. It looks just as good at the end of the day as it does when you apply it.



Deux: Lights, Camera, Splashes by Tarte
I had heard nothing but awesome reviews of this mascara, so I thought I would give it a go. I'm really glad I did, because I love it. I bought the waterproof formula, and waterproof it is. Maybe even more so than Urban Decay's Cannonball. The best part about Lights, Camera, Lashes is that it makes your lashes look curled without having to use a curler. If you want dramatically full lashes, this is not the mascara for you, though it does make them look dark and long. I think this is perfect for more of a natural look.




Trois: Lula # 12
So, this is obviously not a beauty product, but if you are into dreamy fashion and magical photography, you will love it. My all time favorite magazine regularly features indie it-girls like Zooey Deschanel and Tennessee Thomas, both of whom I am in love with. The newest issue features my hero, Julia Hill. When I opened the magazine and saw her gorgeous face I was so excited. I am not the most fashionable girl, mostly because I am really self-conscience about my body, but I love fashion. If you do, too, check out Lula. It is expensive and sometimes hard to find, but totally worth it.


xoxo Melissa