Billboard Awards Fashion

As I was sitting down to write future posts for DOC my own curiosity (call it procrastination if you will) got the best of me and I couldn't resist checking out the fashions from last night's Billboard awards. I was pretty shocked to find that there weren't very many places to find the information. I thought I'd change all that. Here's my take on the looks of the night.

Britney Spears looks the best she's looked in years. I love the satin trim on her bandage dress, it really adds interest to an otherwise overdone look. The strappy shoes keep with the bandage, caged-in feel of the outfit.

Beyonce, also wearing black, failed to impress me on the red carpet. While I think the dress is great, it's a little understated for Ms. B. I would have liked to have seen something more wild and fun for such a free spirited event. Also, as much as I love the natural hairstyle she's sporting, I can't get on board with the peroxide blonde hair. Not for me!

Hilary Scott of Lady Antebellum really rocks this black dress (see a pattern here?) with rouching and a jeweled neckline. This is a very flattering silhouette on a fuller figure and I think she looks great. Gold shoes add a leg lengthening effect and the straight hair slims a rounder face. I could learn something from Hil.

While something can be said about fun dresses, I think Fergie's is a little too out there. With the cutouts and the leather and the pleating, it's a little over the top. In this case I'd rather see Fergie in something a little more classic or perhaps just a little less busy, the plain black pumps look out of place with such a wild outfit.

The Billboards also brought Ke$ha looking the best she's every looked. I love the color of the dress, the cutouts and sparkles and I'd saw off her leg with a spoon for those shoes. Of course, it wouldn't be me without a negative, lose the train, it kills the whole look. If I were doing a Good, Bad, Ugly list, the train would have veered this from Good to Bad in a heartbeat.

I feel like the bandage dress has had it's day, really. It's a gorgeous look, one that could become a classic if it wasn't worn to death already. That said, I still thought Kelly Rowland looked great in Barbie pink. Hey, you gotta have something to show off the boob job. Am I right?

Keri Hilson is always hit or miss for me and this was a miss. Still not digging her blonde hair either (not to mention three inches of roots) and the yellow does nothing for her. Perhaps, a darker hairstyle would have let the color shine then I'd be complaining about the sheer sleeves instead of the unflattering color. Pass!

Kylie Minogue looks like she's gearing up for a stripper's funeral. Black lace, peekaboo portions paired with ankle boots. Correct me if I'm wrong but Kylie doesn't need any help looking shorter. I probably would have adored this in another color and with better shoes.

Mary, Mary, Mary. I wanna love this look, really, I do. It's almost there, so close, just inches from perfection. Her hair really threw me off though. Talk about fug. A shorter hem on the dress, paired with a simplier, sexier hairstyle would have won major points for me. The dress itself is pretty fierce though.

Nicki Minaj, wow! The color is gorgeous, I really love that. The outfit is awesome as well. However (you knew that was coming didn't you?) I really don't like them together. I think this jumpsuit would have been sexy as hell in a darker shade. I know she's proud of her body, we all do, but this flashy outfit is doing her no favors. Black would be great, royal purple, a darker shade of blue, perhaps. Also, WTF is up with her hair. Why did they bleach the roots and leave the rest pink? It just looks off.

The other night Matt and I were talking about Michelle Williams (she came up because of the other Michelle Williams but still) and he mentioned that she looks a lot like his friend Bobby. Agreed! I feel like she's too thin and that only accentuates her man-face. I see where she's trying to go with the dress but she didn't quite get there.

Nicole Kidman always looks happy these days and I couldn't be happier for her. I love how she's embracing fashion and taking risks, plus I am so excited she's back to being a strawberry blonde. However, I feel like this dress is a little too Little House on the Prarie meets Funeral Couture. It looks comfy and with two little ones at home (not to mention a hubby with a wild past) to care for, something can be said for comfort. Love the side braid, but would have loved to see some of her gorgeous long legs.

Rihanna's still holding onto the red hair and I must admit, I like it a lot better when it's short. This cut is classic and really pairs well with her all white suit, it really pops. This is a very fashion forward look and I can appreciate it for what it is. It's not crazy or out there like some of her other fashions but I fell like it's a mature look for her. It's a risk that I feel paid off.

Speaking of mature, how grown up does Selena Gomez look? I love this look on her. The cutouts are sexy without being risque, her hair is simple and the shoes really stand out. It's a fun look that makes her look like a class act.

Last but not least, my favorite look of the night, Taylor Swift. Wow! She floored me. Taylor could be a model in this gorgeous shimmering gown. The shape is simple and defined and she toned down the curls into a more romantic and grown up wave and her bright red lips are the perfect accent for the whole outfit.

Rimmel Volume Flash The Max Bold Curves Mascara

Phew, that is a long name! Really, all you need to know is that it's in the lime green tube with pink writing, the complete opposite of Maybelline Great Lash, thankfully in more ways than one. First of all this mascara works. The brush is big enough to really change the look of your lashes, not just darken them with a smidge of tint and clump them together, always a plus. Also, unlike Maybelline, I could really see the lift and curl my lashes had when I applied this mascara. As you can see, I'm not a huge Great Lash Fan and that will never change, especially not when there are so many better products out there. But back to Rimmel.

I'm not to proud to say that curved brushes kinda scare me, I mean, which way do you hold it, round part up or down? Once I got past that hurdle (it's always up for me!) I liked this mascara. Curl is important to me. It's one of those really overlooked aspects of mascara, one of the things everyone loves but most mascaras don't even pretend to provide, you'd need a lash curler for that. Not this girl. Of course I own one but do I ever bother to use it? No! Also, this mascara fattens my lashes right up, lengthens them to the max and leaves them super dark even though the formula is only straight up black, not extra black or very black, just plain ol' black. I love that.

Now for the cons. One huge thing that gets me, possibly so much so that I wouldn't re-purchase this product, is that too much mascara dispenses on the wand. Way too much! I find myself cleaning off not only the tip but the whole wand in order to avoid the clump city I can see coming from a mile away. That's a big bummer. I wish it didn't have to be this way but I see no way around it, nothing I can do to make it work better for me, that's all up to Rimmel. Are you listening Rimmel?

Also, even though I didn't remove my mascara at night (I rarely do) I still expect not to have dark smudges under my eyes two days later when I didn't wear any makeup on the day in between. I can still feel it on my lashes days later. Call me what you will because to many this may be a good thing, to me it's not. I want to be able to be lazy enough to leave my mascara on overnight and not have it running and flaking all over my face for two days, even after only one use.

Lastly, another con for me, was that I did get flakes of mascara after a few hours of wear. If you're going to work (and you're not an excessive eye rubber or contact wearer) you might not have a problem with it. It's just that for me, I'm always touching my lashes, call it vanity or sheer silliness but I call it dedication, anything for my readers and Mascara Monday. I'd often get flakes in my eyes (or at least it felt like it), maybe that's why my eyes have been so irritated lately when I had no other signs of allergies.

Honestly, when wearing this mascara I liked it but now that I'm sitting down to write the pros and cons I can see it's not the best fit for me. At least I came to this conclusion now, better late than never, right? I probably wouldn't repurchase and with the way my eyes have been lately, I might even have to concede and toss this one in the garbage.

Summer Style

As we get closer and closer to the summer, even if it doesn't feel like it with all this rain, I can't help but get excited for summer fashion, most of which I'd never be able to pull off or wear in my regular life. That doesn't stop me from dreaming and wishing though. Take a peek at some of the looks I loved this week.

I could never see myself wearing orange, it just isn't going to happen. Peach, yes. Orange, no! That didn't stop me from adoring these next two looks, an older picture of Zoe Saldana that I just can't get out of my head and the always beautiful Jordin Sparks totally rocking an orange dress with a peekabo black bra underneath. Beautiful. If I had a body like hers I'd be flaunting it too. As for Zoe, I just adore the belt and the ruffles that add to her thin frame.



Speaking of always beautiful, Brooklyn Decker tops my list this week with her adorable light denim-style shirt and metallic skirt. It's not a look I'd put together for myself but Brooklyn makes it look fun and feminine at the same time. Bravo! Next time I'd like to see some more summery shoes though.


Wow! I was utterly speachless when I saw Helen Mirren in this funky, should-be-too-young-yet-somehow-she-pulls-it-off look of a leopard print maxi dress and leather jacket. If I have style like this at her age (or hell, even at my age now) I'd be very proud. I love the boldness of the look even though it's completely covered up. It has me wanting a printed maxi dress pronto! Any chic, cheap options available in plus sizes you guys know of, let me know!


Black can sometimes read too funeral-ly for real life but sex it up a little and we're talking drop dead gorgeous, much like the look that knocked me off my feet when I spotted it on Gwen Stefani. Check out that awesome halter neckline. It looks like a haute couture bridal gown only black. I can't say enough great things about it, especially paired with her perennially platinum hair and dark smoldering eyes.


What about you? Any fashion looks you wish you could afford pull off like these ladies do? Honestly, I find myself more drawn to the looks I probably would never wear than the ones I could easily see myself strutting down the street in if I were about 10 sizes smaller.

The Roommate Beauty

This week, the movie The Roommate was released on DVD. Have you seen it yet? I'm not ashamed to admit I saw it at the cheap seats and loved it. It was a great movie but I liked it for two other reasons 1) because it reads like a who's who of the CW network with Leighton Meester, Aly Michalka (from the now cancelled HellCats), Nina Dobrev and Kat Graham from Vampire Diaries and Daneel Harris (now Ackles, formerly of One Tree Hill). Plus, you can't go wrong with the beautiful Minka Kelly. They had me at that. But 2) the beauty was incredible, I would just adore to look anywhere near as gorgeous as these girls. It really gave me inspiration for my own look and of course, inspiration for Face-off Friday.

This week's edition is a two parter with the two stars of the movie, Minka Kelly and Leighton Meester. Let's dive right in.

Minka is a gorgeous woman and it seems that the more the press says that the sexier she gets. It was nice to see her looking casual in the film. She looks beautiful and I love the slight ombre look in her hair, grown out highlights at the ends. I wasn't a huge fan of the trend but I think when done properly, like Minka, it looks great. Look at those lips. Honestly, I thinks she and Leighton could be sisters.

Personally, I'm not usually a fan of Leighton with lighter hair, even though it is her natural shade. Here though, I really liked it. I admit in the movie it looked a lot darker than it does in this picture and the highlights were exquisite. I have to say it really brings out her eyes, I never realized how dark they really were.

Finally, here's a picture of the two of them together at the premiere. I think both ladies look good but really, they looks more approachable in the first shots, more real girl, not the bombshells they are.
Minka's fishtail braid doesn't really seem like it fits her but I love the way it looks. Also, I love her makeup I just wish they toned it down quite a bit, she's wearing entirely too much blush as is Leighton.
As for Leighton's look, I normally like her dark hair but this severe style really makes you realize it's a shade too dark for her. Plus, what is up with the too-light concealer around her eyes. That look really needs to die, as I read somewhere recently, it just looks like you wore goggles in the tanning bed.

High vs. Low: Colored Lip Balm

You know, until a few years ago I wasn't a lip balm girl, at all. You could not get me to sacrifice color for a little bit of moisture. Now, I don't have to compromise and it feels so good.

There are products out there that really jump-started the trend. Fresh's Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments really brought attention to the genre. I love these, I really do but I'm also a huge cheapskate. Now, it's almost hard to resist the Honey shade as I've never seen anything like it anywhere in the category, it's a gorgeous peachy nude shade that works so well with bright eye makeup or flushed cheeks. Ahh, gorgeousness. But at $22.50, I just can't do it. I can't pull the trigger. I'd rather use my regular old lip balm with a smidge of concealer on my lips to get the nude color this one provides. Call me cheap, I don't care.

Well, I don't have to suffer for my frugality. Enter Nivea's a Kiss of Flavor Tinted Lip Care. When Matt mentioned his Nivea Energizing Face Scrub on Tuesday it brought to mind my favorite Nivea product, this one. I have it in the sheer red Strawberry shade (it smells exactly like Strawberry fruit snacks)and light berry Cherry. Seriously, how could you go wrong. Want to know the best part? These little guys cost just $2.99 for virtually the same size product, seriously, almost $20 cheaper than their upscale brothers. I just adore these, they smell so amazing and really nourish my lips with a light tint and just the right amount of moisture. They're not heavy in the least and they're perfect for summer as long as you remember not to leave them unattended in your hot car.

Urban Decay Palettes

You know how there is an influential album out there for you? One that makes you think that there is no way you could ever live without music? That's how Metallica's Black Album is for many people, younger me included. Now I couldn't possibly narrow it down to just one, not at all. That's how I'm sure many dark makeup lovers feel about Urban Decay's Black Palette. Not only is this palette beautiful but it's versatile as well. If you're a jewel tone lover you'll love this limited edition palette. There's matte black Black Dog for every day use, a sparkling black Barracuda(love that song by Heart), purple leaning black Jet (for Joan Jett, perhaps?), bluish black Sabbath (Black Sabbath, natch!), golden black Cobra, and Libertine, a greenish black sparkle. How could you not love it? For $36 you can have a perfect complete wardrobe of dark eye colors, a mini liner in Zero and a mini Primer Potion in matte Eden.

What if you're not into dark shadow, which I must admit I can completely understand even though I can't admit it too loud for fear that I could lose all street cred as a beauty blogger? Don't get me wrong I love dark shadow when done right but I also love a pretty feminine eye, less rocker chick more garden party. Urban Decay has you covered there as well with The Feminine Palette. The colors aren't timid but they aren't dark and moody either. There's Stray Dog, a pretty medium brown, a glittered light pink SWF, Midnight Cowboy, a sparkly champagne, bright teal Aquarius, Dark Horse, an eclectic mix of bronze and plum and bright pinkish purple Ecstasy. This palette also comes with a Greed mini Primer potion and a zero (black) eyeliner and retails for $34.

As a word of warning, if you're afraid of sparkles you may to be aware that these are quite sparkly and do leave slight fallout on cheeks which honestly is not a bother for me. If you're more into shimmer than sparkle you absolutely have to look into the Rollergirl Palette, also on my short list. Take a look at how beautiful it is.

With three subtle levels of brown based shades(Verve, Suspect and Darkhorse {the same shade in the Feminine Palette}) goodness and a bright pink pop (Woodstock). It also comes with Whiskey (brown) eyeliner and a bright pink Cooling Lipgloss in Crush for $32.

Or, a wonderful option for Vegans and people who generally want sustainable beauty products, The Vegan Palette, a simple name for a wonderful product. The colors in this palette, bright teal Minx, icy green Urb, gunmetal Gunmetal (simple, right?) and neutrals in Baked, Smog and Half-Baked. This palette comes with a mini primer potion in Sin (we know how I feel about this one) and a mini 24/7 liner in black Zero! You can't really go wrong for $34.

As a huge fan on Urban Decay I have to tell you, I don't think you can really go wrong with any of these palettes. I have a few of their palettes and they are perfect for travel or every day use, not to mention how beautiful they are to look at. Which one is your fave? If you had to pick which one would you take home with you today?

Urban Decay Makeup Setting Sprays

I've never been a makeup setting spray girl, not until I tried a facial mist from Kinerase and loved the way it held my makeup in place. I mean, come on, if MAC's Fix + does nothing for me, why would I expect lesser known products to? Maybe it was user inexperience but now that I've tried facial mists, I'm a convert. With summer coming I need everything in my arsenal to keep my makeup on during those hot, sweaty days.

Enter my favorite beauty brand, Urban Decay and their makeup setting sprays. With three formulations and super-cute names and packaging I have to give these a try.

For my super dry skin there's Dew Me (what an awesome name, huh?). Wake up, makeup and Dew Me! is the tagline for the product. Urban Decay claims this spray moisturizes skin for brighter, glowing skin and sets makeup to last all day. This product is best for dry or combination skin, right up my alley. You know how it is, mid day your face starts to feel dry and tight but this spray with moisturizers combats dryness to revive you. Plus, if you're like me storing this in the fridge is a great energizer for that mid afternoon slump.

For Oily skin types there's De-Slick for oil control. If you have normal skin or skin that reacts to the weather pick up All Nighter or 100% vegan SPF 8 Guardian Angel.

All Nighter, De-Slick and Dew Me retail for $29 for a 4 oz bottle. If that's too steep for you, or you haven't been converted like me, you can always try out the mini size All Nighter from Sephora, that retails for a measly $11 for .34oz, a great way to try it out without a huge commitment. I know that to me, it's the perfect addition to hit $50 free shipping on Sephora.com.

Have you ever tried this or any other makeup sprays? Do you have a favorite? Share with me, please!