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The Lost Art of Summertime Beauty

Wednesday evenings are quite festive around our house. Why, you ask? Wednesday night is “Lost” night! Hello! Hubby and I really get into this; we wear our most summery tops and flippliest flops (okay, only I do this as I have yet to convince Hubby that it's a brilliant idea) and plop on the couch with our ultra-gourmet Hawaiian haystack dinners, fully prepared for whatever the Island has to bring to our table.

So anyway, I was watching the season finale of Lost this week (frown), which left me perplexed as to why Charlie didn't close the door from the opposite side and why he didn't just swim out the window (clearly could have fit); wondering how it was that Penny was communicating with the Looking Glass and if it's not her boat, why did Naomi have that cute photo of her and Des—all the while baffled as to how the women of Lost stay so gorgeous!? Thinking of “gorgeous” got me thinking about a comment from a coworker, which got me thinking about Hawaii, which then turned my thoughts to these exceptionally fabulous crops I recently acquired for my upcoming trip to Hawaii (and was in fact wearing for Lost Wednesday). Which reminded me that I really should be on the lookout for another great top to go with said crops (white is so versatile!) This is when I suddenly realized that summer is already here! When did that happen? Father Time has once again completely disregarded my lack of preparation for warmer weather and has gone ahead and changed the season behind my back. I'd be annoyed if I could prove this were due to anything other than my own, well, lack of reparation.

It was definitely time for a little wardrobe reconnaissance. Bermudas, crops and khakis—check. Flirty skirts, sassy sundresses and a truly amazing cocktail dress—check. Tanks, tees and tops—check. Summer wedges, sporty espadrilles and sassy sandals—check, check, and check. Whew! Well, apparently my recent shopping excursion was more successful than I had originally thought. I even remembered accessories! (I swear Rachael Ray was wearing this belt on yesterday's show! Only hers was black and patent, not suede. But still!).

So it looks like all I need to be completely ready for summer is an influx of fragrance and color (aka: shopping extravaganza for new scents and makeup goodies). My findings are reported below:

Summer Scents to Love

• My favorite new fragrance for summer is Brises de Vie Aqua from L'Bel Paris. This fresh clean scent evokes images of white sandy beaches and the aqua blue of the Mediterranean. Perfect for those warm, balmy days of summer.
• Other favorites of yours truly include Kenzo Flowers and L'Eau d'Issey Summer. Yes, partially because of my obsession with cute bottles, but honestly these are fresh, summery scents.
• Agent Provocateur Maitresse is an incredibly sexy fragrance, perfect for summer evenings. Another evening alternative: Aqua Allegoria Mandarine-Basilic. Very rich, “hot August nights” scent.

New Summer Makeup Finds

• Lips: Pocket-sized and shimmering Prescriptives Moonbeam Reflective Gloss caught my eye (wink). I'm a fan of Tarte's awesome 24/7 Lip Sheer with SPF 15—will keep your lips smooth and crack-free while adding a lovely, budge-proof hue (love it in Summer Fling, personally). Also found this über-chic and completely awesome Pucci-silk-turned-lipwear Guerlain Pucci Swirl Gloss. By Emilio Pucci himself, of course! Who knew he was the lipgloss type?
• Eyes: Well, we know that the galactic look is in as far as runway goes, but the toned-down version is entirely acceptable and entirely eye-popping. For summery eyes, go with something shimmery and light on the lids. I will never be one to consider the possibility of too much eyeshadow. Planning to stay up late during these summer months? Get yourself an eye cream to minimize dark circles. Oh, and fabulous eye-popping tip: use pink or white eyeliner. Sounds freaky, works like a charm.
• Face: Remember, it is summer which means seemingly endless daylight hours. Always moisturize and apply a trusty sunblock before skipping off for the day, as those sunny rays will cause skin to age more rapidly. Add some color with a super seasonal full-face makeup kit.
• Body: Philosophy Pink Lemonade Body Butter: yummmm. Nothing more to say here. There are all sorts of fabulous new shower products, from body wash that leaves you lemony fresh to anti-cellulite seaweed soap! Also, in these hot and dry times it is handy to carry a dryness fix-all in your purse to fix, well, all.
• Hair: Never neglect the coif, ladies! Keep oil under control with essential oils and get the silky look with olive paste. I make it a general rule to avoid all things green, but I've developed a trust for L'Occitane and have therefore succumbed to the olive collection.

Fabulous Summer Mani/Pedi colors:

Bright and hot is the style du jour for this season's mani/pedi. Personally, I like to go shimmery and delicate with the manicure and sizzling hot with the pedicure. When I was first engaged I went totally in-your-face bright with my manicure so I would draw the envious eyes of all my girlfriends to my gorgeous engagement ring. And while my engagement ring and wedding ring are still gorgeous beyond belief, I am now opting for more delicate hues on my fingers and dazzling tones on my toes. (Which draws the envious eyes of all my girlfriends to my newly acquired summer wedges, sporty espadrilles and sassy sandals. Natch!)

• Am loving this gorgeous sheer from OPI. The name says it all: Skinny Dip'n Lake Michg'n. (However, having lived in Chicago I wouldn't recommend the actual performance of said skinny dip—even in August Lake Michigan is beyond cold!)
• Fave new pedi color: Huckle Buckle by Essie, for an unexpected twist of glistening deep lilac.

Bits and Pieces:

• Gorgeous toiletry and makeup bags from Jimeale. Perfect for the jetsetting traveler, or even just to help keep your cosmetics organized. (Love the pink!)
• The most fabulous find of the summer! Flex Flops! These darling little “emergency” flip-flops fold in half and come packaged in a matching makeup-style pouch. Perfect for travel (who wants to go barefoot on scary hotel carpet?), pedicures, gifts. etc.

Enjoy catching up with summer, girls. Stay moisturized and stay spunky!

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