Love Party: One Month Down

It has been exactly one month since my last confession (ahem) post. My sins include not updating my Teases on a regular basis like I promised regarding wedding plans, thinking way too much about my big day makeup and not enough about my vows, and eating a sinful dinner the other night book-ended by two very, very dirty vodka martinis.

Phew. I feel better already. Now on to the good stuff.

I have been blessed with amazing friends and family who have stepped up to the gold-lined charger plate to help with all my wedding questions and needs. This past month has been spent figuring out and solidifying three huge decisions - ceremony location, reception location, and photographer. And alas Teases, I have succeeded in finding all three. 

The ceremony location is a beautiful old chapel located in the beating, bleeding heart of midtown Nashville - Wightman Chapel at Scarritt Bennett.

The reception will be held in the Phoenix Room at the Bound'ry, just a two-minute walk from the chapel and coincidentally, the site of our engagement. Think old, dark wood, fireplaces, lots of candles and lace and fringe. Sigh. I can't wait.

My photographer was recommended to me by my future sis-in-law, Sarah. Ms. Stephanie of La Photographie will no doubt capture the sexy elegance I hope comes through on our big day. Her boudoir esthetic is right in line with all that Tease Me Beauty stands for and I can't wait to see what she does with it.

Speaking of future sisters and sisters of the heart, check out a few of these Pinterest boards Sarah and my lovely lady of style Andrea created to help organize my visions.

My own Pinterest board is lacking at the moment but I promise to fill it with all things amazing once I get this post published. In the meantime, I wanted to pass along the inspiration for the wedding so I can get your minds turning...

Imagine what it would look like if a "gypsy lady of the night married into money in Paris during the 1920s."

OK. Ready. Set. Send me ideas!

Fan Favorite: Gettin' Hitched!

My Dearest Teases,

I have been absent. I know, I know. I hang my head shame. But I come to you with amazing, incredible, over-the-top news ... I'm ENGAGED!

What?! What?! Here's the proof.

That's OPI's new gel color in Bubble Bath, btw. This color and Passion are my two OPI favorites right now and I'm pretty sure one of them will win out as the wedding color. Oh, and the ring? It's a rose gold band lined with black diamonds and topped off with a regular diamond. Just perfection for my non-tradional tastes. The boy did good ;)

So, with all that being said, the blog might take a slight detour towards wedding beauty for a few months while I brainstorm awesome ideas. Send any and all suggestions, my sweets! I am counting on my favorite people to inspire my most special of all nights.

Let the inspiration start now ...

Fan Favorite: Nature Called ... It Loves Coral Lipstick!

So, check it. Recently I was at the family farm in east Tennessee taking a much needed break from reality. And as I was sitting out on the back deck overlooking one of the prettiest views in town, I noticed a color theme popping up everywhere and it reminded me of something ...

My favorite lip colors for spring - coral and deep pink!

It's so all the rage at the moment, Teases. And nature totally called it.

The top pic is of this badass plant called the Red Hot Poker plant, sometimes referred to simply as Torch Lilies. Yup, definitely my new band name. Loving that flame coral color. Do you think it was an inspiration for Sephora's Color of the Year? Mmmm...yummy.

I am also loving the new lipstick colors from MAKE UP FOR EVER's Rouge Artist Natural line. They have so many hues to choose from. I'm looking into getting the Soft Fushia.

I love using nature as an inspiration. Especially if it's an excuse to buy more makeup...

Icon: Curves & Ms. Ashley Graham

So, that just happened. And you're welcome.

Here's the thing. Ashley Graham, a hugely successful plus-size model who can rock a black lace bodysuit like she was freakin' born with it on, might have just saved my sad little heart today. Here I was, sulking around Nashville trying to find a place to live and generally feeling down on myself. Teases, I have to admit: I was feeling neither sexy nor confident. I know! It was tragic. So I decided to stop by a coffee shop for a cafe au lait refuel and some Internet inspiration. Lo and behold, I came across an interesting link which led me to another interesting link which led me to her ...

Hello. Here is this beautiful girl putting it all out in front of the camera. Curvaceous, vivacious, and confident. Just what I needed to jumpstart my lame "woe is me" attitude. Enough feeling sorry for myself, I say! I am going to head out, buy some black lingerie, spritz on my new favorite perfume and go tackle the boy in a good way.

For Ashley's voluminous, textured hair, I recommend my newest hair obsession - Bumble and bumble's Texture.

This "(un) dressing" creme is my new best friend. I use a dime size dollop on my hair when it is still damp, making sure to scrunch it up at my roots first then spreading through the length of my hair, separating pieces as I go. I then spend just a few minutes diffusing and I'm good to go. Because this product is thicker and a little on the heavier side, no need for any finishing products. It gives my hair amazing lift and just the right amount of grit and messiness.

Ashley's healthy glow can be achieved by using a gradual self-tanner. Lately, I have really been liking Moist Hemp Bronzing Moisturizer.

It smells more like a lotion than a self-tanner. Plus, it provides a nice, natural color. No more crazy orange. You can tell a little difference in color after just one use, but it is a gradual build, which I definitely recommend for all self-tanners.

Ashley seems to rock a pretty nude lip a lot of the time. The one I have been wearing around recently is Maybelline's Super Stay 14HR Lipstick in Beige Forgood.

Keep all of these products and more in an Ashley-inspired black lace train case. So pretty!

Need more inspiration from other incredibly sexy ladies? Click here and thank me in the morning.

Classic: The Morning After...

I recently saw two movies where in very similar scenes, the main female characters get up early in the morning from a presumed hookup and sneak into the bathroom to brush their hair, apply some lip gloss and dab some toothpaste on their tongue before their bed buddies see them all "morning-like." I'm talking about the impossibly funny and amazing girl crush Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids and the equally adorable Anna Faris in the maybe not as awesome What's Your Number?

Why the insane morning rituals, ladies?!?

Am I crazy or do other Teases out there not think that morning is the sexiest time of day? I'm not kidding. I have always found early morning sunlight to be very flattering, not to mention the tousled hair, smudged eye liner, lightly flushed skin and bedroom eyes. A few days ago, I came across this beautiful photo of sex educator, performance artist and writer Chloe Camilla.

Now, how can anyone not find that sexy? Complete with coffee breath. It got me thinking about how to recreate this look without too much fuss. I think it all begins with the hair.

I absolutely love this Bumble & bumble Surf Spray. It provides the perfect amount of grit to create such an awesomely messy style. Just a couple of spritz then run your fingers through to create some separation. Definitely make sure to get a little at the roots so you have some great morning-after volume.

Next step is a great bedroom eye. Try Revlon's Luxurious Color Smoky Crayon. Jumbo eye pencils like this one are not meant to be exact. They are meant to be manipulated and smudged. So, take advantage! Use as much or as little as you want. Just remember whatever you wear the night before, you will be taking most of it off before you head to bed, except for that perfect little amount on your top lash line. That will help you create the smoldering look Ms. Chloe is sporting above. Speaking of removing makeup, for mornings when you want to look your sexiest, I recommend using good ole' Vaseline.

Not only does it leave a nice glow but it will also act as your lip balm, cuticle treatment and light moisturizer. Apply sparingly! You can always add more if needed. Now that your hair and face are in place (or more appropriately, out of place) concentrate on the rest of your skin. To make sure you wake up with kissably soft, bright skin, use a very light, non-greasy formula that does not have an overwhelming scent.

AVEENO's Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion lasts for a long time and blends lavender and ylang-ylang oils for a calming scent. Perfect for bedtime lounging.

Now, considering all of the above, there is just one rule for looking amazing in the morning: Use all of these products THE NIGHT BEFORE. No waking up before the sun rises to "fix" anything. Hit that snooze button as many times as you need to, open your eyes to a new day, turn over to your honey in bed and smile. You look amazing just as you are in all your hot, sexy morning glory.

Sleep well, Teases.

Fan Favorite: Egyptian Magic

I first read about this amazingly simple product on one of my personal fav beauty blogs, Into The Gloss. On the site, I found that more than one beauty junkie recommended Egyptian Magic for everything from dry cuticles to stretch marks to that dreaded "winter face" (i.e. dry, red, irritated, sensitive skin). And once I started to do more research online, I found the magic was everywhere!

As if the rave reviews weren't enough to entice my debit card out of hiding, once I read the ingredient list, it was a no-brainer. Egyptian Magic is made from %100 all-natural ingredients like beeswax, olive oil, bee pollen and honey. It is fragrance-free and absorbs quickly into the skin to create a soft, non-greasy feel.

I got my tub in the mail last week and have not had a day since when Egyptian Magic was not on my skin. For day time use, I mix just a little bit of it with my daily moisturizer and SPF. It adds this awesome glow without looking shiny. For the night times, I put it on little heavier over my spot correcting serum. When I wake up in the morning, my skin looks and feels amazing. I can already see a noticeable difference in my skin tone and moisture. Even others are noticing, which is always a great sign.

The consistency of Egyptian Magic is initially like Vaseline but as soon as you rub it between your fingers, it becomes a very manageable oil. Once applied to the skin, it will take a few minutes to absorb so be conscious of this when putting on makeup or laying your face on a pillowcase.

Use this product wherever you need some healing - rough elbows, scarring, stretch marks, etc. It really is a great catch-all. It can run a bit pricey, so do some research online for the best offers. I have found it for around $37 on most sites. However, keep in mind this product will last you a long time so it is totally worth the cost.

And don't bypass the Dr. Bronner's-esque rambling on the packaging. There is nothing better than a beauty product that embraces the simplicities of life like love and blessings.

Fan Favorite: Recent Sephora Purchases

After a few glasses (read: almost the entire bottle) of Allure's Pink Moscato the other night, I decided there was no better time than the present to make a few essential purchases from my mistress, Sephora.com.

There were a few items in my cart I had been holding off buying until the right time. What better time than when you're toasted? Right? Right.

I got the package in the mail the other day and have been trying out everything daily. Here are my favorites so far!

How gorgeous is this color? Here is what it looks like in real life ... 

I have worn this a few times already and every time I do, I get compliments on the shade. I usually wear this as a smoky eye. I smooth it over my top lid and blend it in with a blending brush so that it melts away as it gets closer to my brows. I then use a small brush to apply the color very, very close to my bottom lashes. I have a purple kohl eyeliner by Laura Mercier called Purple Sapphire I use to line my top and bottom lashes. It darkens the color just a bit and adds a nice purple tone.

When doing a smoky eye, I always line my lower waterline. I think it creates such a sexy, powerful look. Scared about poking yourself? Check this lady out. She gives a good tutorial.

Like most people, I have a problem with uneven skin tone. Because I lean a little more on the olive side, I hyperpigment very easily. So I am constantly fighting against sun damage, acne scars, etc. I needed a corrector and fast. After research, I decided on Murad's Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum.

I have used the Murad line before and was pleased with the quality. It can be an expensive brand but I feel it really delivers results. The reason why I chose this particular product is because it contains two great ingredients, hydroquinone, one of the top ingredients for skin whitening and glycolic acid, an awesome exfoliating agent. I have been using the serum for about four days now and can already see a little improvement, especially with the discoloration from old breakouts. I will let you know the final result once the bottle is empty.

I also got a new eyeliner brush for my Aqua Black. Love it! It makes great, controlled lines, perfect for cat eye liner.

Lastly, check out this science! Sephora's Color Reveal Lip Balm blends with your personal pH to create a unique pink specially for you. How cool? 

This is perfect when you don't want to wear a color but want a little more punch than just Chapstick. I love the custom pink it creates on my pout.

More to come!

Icon: John Waters & The Mighty Divine

I have been wanting to write a post about John Waters for a while now. Because he is vile and creepy and I love him. I went through a major John Waters phase a bit ago when I watched all the movies I could get a hold of and read all of his published works. I highly recommend Role Models. It's crude, rude and extremely inspiring.

Waters is the king of pulp and cult. And he is still living up to it today. I could go on and on about his genius, but this is a beauty blog so let me get right to the point.

It is not just Waters himself that inspires me. It is his constant cast of outcasts called the Dreamlanders. And the fairest of them all is the queen of the most awesome of awesomeness, Divine.

Those eyes. That hair. Those brows! It might be my love of over the top glamourdom, but there is just something so grotesquely majestic about him. Divine was a constant muse and best friend to Waters and stood by the crazy son of gun until Divine's untimely death in 1988.

Although best known for his roles as an exaggerated drag queen, Divine considered himself (according to Wiki) to be a character actor and performed roles as men just as much as his more famous female characters. But it is his over the top righteousness that has me on my knees, praying to the Queen of Drag.

Now, I'm not sure if this product was around when Divine was in all his glory, but I after brainstorming all the products I could list to help emulate these mighty fine looks, I decided to go with the ultimate all-in-one makeup kit that every makeup artist totes around as their go-to fix - MAKE UP FOR EVER's 12 Flash Color Case.

This thing is AWESOME. You can literally do your entire face with just a few of these colors, including concealer, lip color and eyeliner. Amazing. I am sure Divine would have had a ball (or two) with this kit.

I know Divine's look is out of control. But I truly feel there is inspiration here, teases. Tomorrow, just highlight your brows like crazy and leave the rest of your face minimal. Or rock some sky blue eyeshadow highlighted with canary yellow. Whatever you do, just own it.

Fan Favorite: Billionaire Boyfriend

I have been looking for a new fragrance and discovered one recently I think I will stick with for a while. Billionaire Boyfriend, endorsed by the actress Kate Walsh.

Sephora's site says it best: 

"Private jets, superyachts, diamonds and roulette. It’s a dream of wealth and glamour where every whim is indulged. This floral-oriental fragrance opens with succulent fruit notes, including bergamot and tangerine wrapped in lush green leaves. The scent intoxicates as it blooms into a provocative blend of black jasmine, velvet orchid, gardenia, and a touch of patchouli flower. As the fragrance dries down, it exudes an addictive, sensual, warmth and a sense of wealth with hints of vetiver, cistus, sandalwood, and golden amber."

Simply put, it smells like your wearing your boyfriend's work shirt the morning after mixed with some sweet flowery shower gel and sex musk. Yeah, put that one in your pipe and smoke it. Or don't because that sounds dangerous. Anyway, I like this scent. I have gotten some compliments and the boy toy seems likes it which is definitely important.

I tend to favor heavier, sexy oriental scents over flirty and lighter smells but it is hard to find one that mixes well with my body's natural chemistry. I will probably switch to something a little lighter as summer gets closer but for right now, I am left completely satisfied.

Classic: Nude Nails

I go through many phases when it comes to my beauty obsessions - bright cheeks during the cold winter months, smudged black liner when I'm feeling feisty - but the one constant in my life has always been nude nails. As I was brainstorming my Valentine's Day look the other day, I was confident that I already knew what color would adorn my nails - OPI's Malaysian Mist.

This color is oh so very sexy. It does not wash out the skin tone like some other nudes. It has a slight peachy-pink hue to it that really makes it stand out. This is definitely my top choice. But don't feel limited to just this one. OPI has some amazing nude hues that would work for anyone. Sheck 'em out below.

There are some really great ones for Valentine's Day - Sweet Heart, Bubble Bath, Samoan Sand . . . Uh, well you get the point.

I can't do a nail post without also mentioning nail polish powerhouse Essie. She has got some amazing colors definitely worth trying. Don't be afraid to experiment until you find the right shade just for you. Just as with that bulky sweater dress on the hanger, a shade can look totally different when it's on.

Nude nails, y'all! Guaranteed to get you nude. Need I say more?

Fan Favorite: Start the year right with Kat Von D, Falsies and More!

Well, hey there good-lookin'. Hope your holidays were quiet, relaxing and quick as shit.

The end of 2011 found me in my new old hometown of Nashville (more on this later) celebrating with great friends and a greater man. Not. Too. Shabby.

You know what else is not too shabby? Receiving a gift card to Sephora for Christmas. And then spending it all at once in a disgusting flurry of sweaty samples and gross consumerism. No one said looking pretty was pretty. I will take you off your pins and needles now and share with you a few of my favorite discoveries for the beginning of 2012. It's going to be one sexy year, y'all.

Kat Von D's Foiled Love Lipstick. Specifically Adora.

This is not a picture of it but it is the closest I could find. The color is this beautiful deep magenta red with a hint of gold that makes an amazing day time crimson lip. And it stays on like a lovelorn bitch. No joke. I am excited to try some of her nudes next. I don't think they will disappoint. The Kat Von D brand is actually owned by Sephora, so I am not surprised I love this so much. As you all surely know by now, I think the Sephora brand itself is quite awesome.

Next up is Benefit's Confessions of a Concealaholic. Yeah, I totally fell for the packaging on this one.

It's just so damn cute. The other and more logical reason why I decided to go this route instead of the basic cream coverup I tend to gravitate towards is because it offered an all-in-one pack with every one of my concealer needs met. And they all actually work! I love the Lemon Aid (for under eye circles) and the Eye Bright (a pale pink I use as a lazy eye shadow). The two Boi-ing colors mix very well together to match my skin exactly and stay put. With primer and Benefit's famous Erase Paste included, I would say it is totally worth the $36.

OK, this next fav of mine might come as a surprise. Because it totally goes against one of my previous posts outlining my all-time classic mascara, L'Oreal's beloved Voluminous. I have discovered another mascara that I (gasp!) LOVE. And it is still of the drugstore variety. Maybelline's new mascara, The Falsies, is great.

The brush is curved and allows for a good amount of product to stay on the tip. I use two coats of it in the morning and add another one later on if I plan on going out for the night. My eyelashes look thick, dark and defined. While doing some research, I found this lovely lady's review at All Things Makeup. She loves Voluminous too so I trust her. Check out her before/after photo. I would say it makes a pretty good case for at least trying it out. At around $7, what do you have to lose?