Revlon Touch of Mauve Manicure

I have an interview tomorrow with two non-beauty related companies so I thought I would give myself a fresh manicure to add a little polish (haha pun intended)! 

Tonight I used a Revlon polish in 100 Touch of Mauve, which is really more of a dusty rose pink. I thought it was professional enough because it was a semi-neutral but still feminine. I even painted a little "good luck" heart on the thumb. What I love about all of the Revlon polishes I have used is that they are super opaque with one coat. They are also readily available and affordable. 

Once my fingers were complete I felt like going a little more glitzy on my toes... WARNING! Feet picture ahead!

I used a nail art pen I got from the beauty supply store to create the lattice design. Clearly not interview appropriate but hey! no one will see my toes in my 5" pumps.   

Lastly I just wanted to post this because I found it in my camera as I was uploading these nail pictures. Let me introduce you to my sister Naomi. 

This was taken in my dorm room over the summer in Brooklyn. My sister has a mohawk and we wanted to do a little feminine twist on the spiky traditional rocker look. She totally isn't a rocker though so we curled her hair and put in a bandana like an old fashion housewife! 

Off to finish my project for GAP. I'm creating a pretend business to add to their brand portfolios. 

XOXO

Kelsey 

New HD Camcorder (my love!)

In early October tragedy struck when my trusty Sony handycam was lost. I like to think that it is in a new loving home with someone who will cherish it like I did. Losing it was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to guiltlessly upgrade to a new Sony Handycam HD camcorder. Check out this baby!

Introducing the HRD-CX160. I got mine at Best Buy. What's great about this camera is that it has built in memory so you don't have to worry about using a memory card. It also has a super easy to use touch screen. One of my favorite features is the built in USB connectivity. It stores in the hand strap!

You can even charge the camera using the USB in a pinch. No more carrying around a ton of unnecessary cables. 

When I first tested it out I was amazed at how detailed the image quality was. You could literally count the baby hairs on my cheek... which also means you could see every detail of the face (ideal for makeup tutorials). I can't wait to start cranking out more videos for my YouTube channel. Its been feeling neglected lately. 

I'm off to study for my Entrepreneurship midterm. Senior year is kicking my butt!

XOXO

Kelsey

Nail Trend: Beige for Fall

You can find it in the drug store, in your nail salon and in the department store. What is it you ask? Beige nail polish (or nail lacquer if your being fancy). 

When there is a little downtime at Macy's (my part-time gig) I browse the new launches from all the cosmetic lines and I had to do a double take when I came across Oyster Shell nail lacquer from MAC.  This polish is a little pricy at $15. You can purchase it online here http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/6843/641/Nail-Lacquer/index.tmpl

If your thinking "Hummm that looks familiar" your right.

Loads of brands have been coming out with this beige color this fall. Magazines call it mannequin hands. I have to admit. I do find it to be rather fresh and a great neutral to add to your collection. 

OPI's version of the mannequin hand is with Skull and Glossbones (I love OPI names!). My co-worker was wearing Skull and Glossbones yesterday and while I painted my fingers with MAC's Oyster Shell and they are almost identical. In fact, she ended up buying Oyster Shell to touch up her manicure. 

If your looking for a drug store brand, Essie has you covered. Its fall collection "Brand New Bag" features a slightly warmer brown tone called Case Study. This little bottle will set you back around $8.

What do you think about mannequin hands? Will you be trying it out this fall? I know I will!

XOXO,
Kelsey

Sofia Vergara Emmy Makeup by CoverGirl

Sofia Vergara is a hot commodity in Hollywood these days. She is an Emmy winning actress, spokes person for numerous brands including Pepsi, and on the hit show Modern Family. Most recently, Vergara signed on with CoverGirl to be a spokes model... move over Drew Berrymore!

Over the weekend stars flocked the red carpet in designer gowns to the 2011 Emmy award show. Sofia Vergara stunned in a bright coral dress with matching coral lipstick. The great thing for us college students trying to recreate this look? All the products used were from CoverGirl.

Celebrity makeup artist Kayleen McAdams focused on the lips using CoverGirl LipPerfection Lipstick. Check out Temptalia's review of LipPerfection here.

CoverGirl Queen collection eyeshadow in Hot Toffee was then used on her eyes to create a smokey brown look with lots of lashes. Of course, rock-star product Lash Blast mascara in very black was used to enhance her flirty eye fringe.

Vergara's CoverGirl campaign will launch in early 2012. Keep an eye out for her signature latina flare as it influences CoverGirl's marketing techniques. Way to go P&G... you struck gold!


Back to paying attention to this African history professor...

XOXO!
Kelsey

Top Cosmetic Companies to Work For

Now that school is in full swing for the last time I really need to take a moment and think about what I want to do with the rest of my life... I know... a daunting task!
I'm still waiting to hear back about a position at L'Oreal luxury products division but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do and this girl is making plans B, C, D etc.

I've narrowed it down to the top 6 beauty companies I would like to work for. In no specific order...

1. L'Oreal 
2. Este Lauder
3. Revlon
4. LVMH
5. P&G (CoverGirl)
6. Coty

Today I applied to 3 positions at Coty, a marketing position at P&G, emailed the recruiters at Revlon and looked to see if there were any openings at LVMH (There are but they are all in France and require you know the language).

What do you guys think? What other beauty brands would you like to work for full time? I was thinking about maybe Allure magazine or becoming a cosmetic buyer for Sacks or Nordstrums.

I'll fill you in on the job hunt as I know more.

Your worried and stressed friend,
Kelsey
P.S. I saw this and it made my laugh. Next time your stressed click back to this post lol

Wish List: Carol's Daughter Monoi Strengthening Line

Friday was my first day at Macy's and I got to know more about the products I was working with at Carol's Daughter. Everything is free of sulfates and synthetic compounds that damage and leave build up on your hair. Also, each line has an intoxicating fragrance. Black Vanilla is that grown up vanilla that I love and Almond Cookie smells just like the Jergen's original cherry almond lotion. Yummm!

Of all the products available I can not wait to try the Monoi strengthening hair line. It comes with a shampoo, conditioner and a repairing hair mask.

This line claims to strengthen hair 13X after one use. For those of us with long hair, or over processed, over heat styled hair... this could be the miracle we have been waiting for!

If you want to learn more about this line and other Carol's Daughter products, click here for carolsdaughter.com

I have samples of the products which I will try out and report back on. Usually my hair has lots of breakage in the shower which end up on the shower wall. My test will be if that breakage stays the same or decreases. (any other suggestions as to how I can measure breakage?)

I'm off to work this afternoon as well. Sunday's are supposed to be pretty slow so hopefully I hit my sales goal. I've never worked retail like this before where you have to sell X amount each day or else! (no one ever says what the else is, they just tell you to make it haha) 

Enjoy the long weekend!

XOXO

Kelsey

Trend Alert: Matching Makeup

Perhaps you have noticed this trend popping up all over magazines, your classrooms, or on television lately. Trust me, it will be all over the runways during fashion week coming up in September. What is it?

Matching Makeup

Nails + Lips

Now nails and lips are not the only combination being seen. An even bigger trend is eye shadow matching lips or blush matching eyes. 

If you think about it, this trend can be quite the money saver. Many products can be used in multiple ways even if it is labeled "blush" who says you can not use that powder on your eyes? Take it one step further... you can mix a clear gloss (or even some petroleum jelly) with a loose pigment or crushed eye shadow to create a matching lipgloss. 

In this photo I'm matching my favorite red lipstick Revlon's Certainly Red and the only red nail polish I currently have Revlon's Candied Cherry 46

Want to read more about this trend? Check out one of my favorite bloggers Lisa Eldridge and her take on this trend http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/18744/runway-trend-matchy-make-up/

Let me know if you try this trend out in the comments!

XOXO

Kelsey

Macy's New Hire!

Last I checked in with you I was sitting in my new dorm room applying for jobs. Fast forward a week and I'm still in my new dorm room but I have been hired by Macy's department store. I am actually very excited about this because it will allow me to get a 360 degree view of luxury cosmetics from product development and marketing strategy (this past internship) to the final customer interaction and point of purchase experience. 

Starting Friday (I know so soon!) I will be working at the Carol's Daughter counter which specializes in hair care and body products. 

I know, I know... Where is the makeup right?

Not to worry my friends! At this Macy's Carol's Daughter shares the floor with Bobbi Brown so I get to be trained and help with both but officially I will be working for Carol's Daughter.

Not at all sure what to expect but I do know that for 15 hours a week, I'll be there helping ladies of DC get beautiful hair, skin and face!

XOXO

Kelsey

Back to College (for the Last Time!)

So I made it back on campus to start my senior year.

GOSH TIME FLIES!

So what have I been up to since my last post?

I have spent a ton of time moving into the dorm and getting the ground work in place for this year's American Marketing Association calendar. We met with the freshman and it was so exciting to see how enthusiastic they were about coming to Howard to see them pick my brain about working in the beauty industry. Its crazy how it is coming more and more full circle.

Right now my next move is to finally get all of my stuff from storage (including all of my makeup!) and then to apply for jobs like crazy! This morning I applied for a part time position at Macy's in cosmetics. Now I've gotten rejected from them once before but I'm hoping my experience at L'Oreal will help and also my increased availability. Who knows... Nordstrums might also be the move but it is is farther away so the commute would be annoying.

What sounds so silly but I can not wait for is it have all of my kitchen stuff back! I can not wait to chop my own veggies and grill some tofu scramble!

I miss New York already though. I won't hear back about a full time offer until September but if it is not in the cards for me (as the fortune teller said it wasn't) then I'll move another company that is the right fit. either way... I'll make it in the industry!

From my very disorganized room,
XOXO Kelsey

Summer at L'Oreal Winding Down

It has been an intense summer and as I reread my last blog post (July 4th!) I realize I have been neglecting my duty as a "writer" to keep this blog up to date with the events of the summer. So in a nutshell...

• Presentation on the 2011 Expert Wear restage went well
• Its the last full day of working with Maybelline
• Interview set up with luxury products division
• Waiting to hear back regarding a full-time offer

This experience has taught me so much on presentation and independence. At L'Oreal, everyone is extremely busy so often times there is no one to tell you what to do and how to complete a task therefore you have to be self sufficient and figure out on your own. Some things I have figured out this summer:

• How to pull IRI database queries
• The intense creativity needed to generate shade names
• How to create a product board when you have no money to buy products!

This is definitely the industry I want to be in so now it is just a matter of figuring out where I fit into the equation. I promise to keep you updated.

XOXO
Kelsey