West Coast West

Just in time for Mem-Day-Wee, (or as we beach house-less folks say “Mem-Day-Wahh),(wcw note: Posted this mad late because work’s been a bitch, sorry folks! and Molly!) here are my personal faves when it comes to finding the perfect foundation for summer. The challenge of wearing makeup in the summer, for me at least, is to not only look like you’re not wearing any, but to avoid feeling like you’re wearing any. Nobody wants to look like they’re wearing pancake makeup, and in the Summer even a little bit feels like the equivalent of spackle on drywall. I look for three things when I test out a new foundation:

1. Hydrate- I try to avoid anything that will make my skin look dry or flaky, I have enough trouble with that without makeup. You should always slap on some moisturizer before you start your makeup routine, but I like to go for a foundation that will give an added boost.

2. Hide It- I’m not a huge fan of concealer, I never really figured out how to use it properly and it always ends up magically disappearing as soon as I leave the house anyway, so I need my foundation to do the concealing for me. Now generally foundation is meant to even out skin tone and serve as a base for the rest of your makeup, but sometimes you can find a good one that will take care of that and also make your imperfections less noticeable. Plus, if you can find a foundation that will do both, that’s one less step in your makeup routine, and maybe you’ll be able to make it out of the house on time for once.

3. Hang On- I hate it when you waste your time puttin’ on your makeup only to have it all evaporate the second you leave the house. Especially in the summer with all the activities and the lovely NJ humidity a girl needs makeup that will STAY PUT. A good Primer will absolutely help to keep everything from melting off, but finding a foundation with some staying power is just as essential.

So there’s my foundation check list, (so clever with the H’s riiiight…) but we’re all different so you probably have your own needs too. I’ve tried a bunch of different options, so if you need some advice on what may work for you I’m happy to help!

Before you begin you should always start with a clean face, put on your moisturizer, (my preference is Kiehl’s), and if you can, use a primer. My go to is Smashbox Photo Finish Light, you hardly feel like there is anything there, and I’ve noticed that my makeup really will last a lot longer when I have this underneath. They also make a version with SPF 15, which I alternate in the summer. Utensils are up to you; (clean) fingertips, brushes, or sponges all can do the trick for applying foundation, just don’t forget to BLEND! Here’s a list of my favorites, enjoy!

1. MAC Face and Body Foundation- This is the first foundation I ever used, and the one I would most recommend. Despite the fancy brushes and beauty blenders that I own, I usually end up putting a dime size amount of this on the back of my hand and applying it with my fingertips. In my opinion, this has the best coverage, and you can layer it on without it ever feeling heavy. This has lasted me all day long, through many intense d’jais happy hours well into late night chickenfingercheesefries trips. (Can you tell I’m missing Belmar?) Usually, I’ll keep the rest of the routine simple, bronzer, mascara, highlighter- a must for the “dewy” look- and maybe a bright lip if I’m feelin’ fancy. Side note- IF you ever encounter Vincent Longo Thinstick lipstick in Priscilla make sure to stock up, and save me one! It is hands down the best bright fuchsia pink lipstick, plus it DOES NOT MOVE. It’s lasted through a full day’s work plus a trip to the gym, and I still have to use eye makeup remover to get it off after a shower. They used to have it at SpaceNK Apothecary, (aka heaven for product junkies like myself), but now it’s pretty much only available online.

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra Light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15 – Yes, I know this is a little fancy, and I will totally be on the sh*t list when my boyfriend reads this and finds out how much this teeny bottle actually cost, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless it was truly worth it. This is another water based foundation, like the MAC, so it helps to keep skin light and as natural feeling as possible. Make sure to shake this baby up before use, and remember- a little does go a long way here. I use the teeniest pea sized dot and apply with the equally fancy, Chanel foundation brush. (You don’t have to be an ass like me and use Chanel brushes, Sephora makes great ones and so does Sonia Kashuk at Target, just make sure to clean them once a week!) This foundation is a little more matte then the MAC, but it still does a great job with coverage and doesn’t feel heavy. My secret weapon for this foundation is to add a spritz of Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater before I walk out the door to set everything and add a little extra hydration. At $7 bucks, why not? It costs less then my good old Evian spritz, and is a lifesaver when your skin is going bizerk. (GREAT TIP! -xoxo)

3. Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream – I have to give credit where credit is due, and Cat Marnell is the one responsible for my discovery of this last item. (I also have the Dr. Jart BB, but I think it makes me look pale and we’ll have none of that.) BB Creams are the new “big deal” in beauty these days; almost every brand has or is coming out with their own version of the original Dr. Jart version. Garnier has created their version and it is a really great product, plus it is much cheaper then the rest. The great thing about BB’s is that they literally do everything. They prime, conceal, hydrate, protect, and can help fix acne and discoloration. This one in particular does a great job at evening out your skin tone, and brightening it up as well. I started using this during a particularly awful skin moment this winter when my skin was uber sensitive; this was the only thing that seemed to calm it down. It can be a little greasy, so I recommend using a small amount, and again a little goes a long way with this too. Since BB’s basically the over achievers of beauty products, you really don’t need more then this. For an extra fresh look, I add a little Stila Convertible Color in Lillium and Bobbi Brown lip gloss in Buff.

So there you have it dolls, my two cents on the wonderful world of foundation. Now, as promised, here is a life changing tutorial on perfecting the topknot – thanks to AK for showing me the sock bun!

Hope y’all enjoyed the tips and have a great weekend!

xoxo,

wcw

Anything Pitbull does is gold. Sorry.  Even if it’s for something as stupid as MEN AND BLACK 3????? I can’t even with that.

Except the Dub Step. I HATE DUB STEP!

This week has been puff the magic dragon aka: it’s been dragin’.  You must be thinking to yourself at this moment, wow, Liz has one too many pinot grigio white wine spritzers at lunch, but guess what? I didn’t have any! And for that I am sad.

Anyway– guess what is on the horizon?

LONG weekend.

HELL TO THE YEAH!

Aren’t you so excited to be able to drink your face off all Sunday and not have to deal with the adult consequences until Tuesday unlike our usually Mondays where we have bloated Rosie O’Donnell Face and the what’s my name agains?

I know for sure I am going to be making these at least thrice from my girl at skinnytaste!

Ingredients:

• 1 oz clear tequila
• 1/2 oz Contreau (or Grand Marnier)
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 lime (2 tbsp) fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup seltzer/club soda
• crushed ice

Directions:

Combine the tequila, orange liquor, fresh squeezed orange juice, and fresh squeezed lime juice. Pour into a glass with crushed ice and top with seltzer.

Can you tell I am on a spritzer kick? Don’t judge me when I meet you at the bar and order one, they are awesome.

Also, I say my girl like we are friends, but alas, we are not.  I simply reach out and use her recipes like healthy buffalo chicken dip and bangin’ crock pot stuff that are so easy even my friend J-9 can do it and she’s a pretty blonde and skinny so it’s awesome.

Cheesy, jalapeno popper chicken anyone? UH. Yes.

Also, this weekend might be the first time you girlies and dudies will be rocking out in your swim suits!

You will do fine, and if you are worried or scared, just eat fruit and yogurt for dinner the night before and don’t drink any water so you are dehydrated and look super skinny. Actually– that is a TERRIBLE idea.  DRINK WATER. This isn’t an episode of True Life! I’m a Wrestler Trying to Make Weight, but maybe add some lemon to it, it’s a diuretic!

This is my life line.

Also, just do some air brush self tanner before you go to do one final kick of confidence.

Duh, we love this:

Pretty much cannot eff this stuff up.  EXCEPT one thing. Do it standing on a towel or in the shower or something because when you get it on the floor and then walk around on top of it your feet turn the color of oranges and it is BAD. bad. bad. The bottoms of my feet are constantly so dirty anyway. I had friends in high school and college that used to call me Mowgli, no, not as in Ashlee Simpson’s baby’s middle name (she’s the worst,) but as in Mowgli from the jungle book who ran around dirty and barefoot. Because my feet were that sicko– still are.

So for God sakes get a pedicure before you flash them toes.

How fantastic are the Essie Spring Colors?

That second one from the left makes me want to cry it’s so RICH looking.

I mean, rock that– a gold watch, sunglasses down low on your nose, some type of willowy top and some gladiator sandals. SO RICH!

What are your plans this weekend?? TELL ME!

Let’s try not to eat carbs or cheese until we have to be in a bathing suit and let’s meet back tomorrow and discuss everything else. Let’s really do it, ok? HELP ME!

xoxo,

wcw

I love starting off a post where Kim looks average:

So this week has been a doozy, am I right or wrong?

It BLEW!

The first half was all weird with weather, I think I counted about 25 million top knots.  The cold spring humidity is the worst, especially in New York.  How quickly we forget we live on an island and it’s MUGGY here people.  (side bar: one of my favorite lines ever is when Diddy says “buy you an island and call it cris-tal-land.”)

I know my girls down in philly were feelin’ the humidity and rain too.  My mom was so excited because she got to break out her new umbrella I got her for mother’s day.

Yeah, it says “shit it’s raining” in French because we are oh so very classy. Get one here.

Also, the week felt like it went on forevs.  I think we actually had two months in one here– like we were Ground Hog’s Day for 2 months every day the same same but a little dif or something and then the Men in Black people came in and erased our heads with that flashlight thing and we were like ehhh what the donkey hole just happened I am soooo exhausteddddd y’all?

So it’s almost over and I am so grateful for that.

What the hell also happened this week?

Oh yeah, Mark Zuckerberg and a bunchhhhh of nerds got real, real rich.  Now they all are 28-year-old billionaires and retired.  Maybe Justin Timberlake should have invested in some Facebook shares instead of metal bar stools, eco friendly golf courses and MYSPACE. What an idiot.  Like I said before, why didn’t he learn anything from playing Sean Parker? and like my grandmother on my mom’s side named Babs Hackett always said “*EEJITS!” (*idiots in Irish wasp.)

In lieu of this insanity, I decided to come up with a list of things I would do if I was sitting on 36 billion dollars.

1. wipe my ass with Hermes scarves

2. replicate this– that’s me in the middle floatin’ except all my friends know I don’t use rafts, I just float for hours in the middle of the pool like at Rehab in Vegas while everyone else is partying listening to “Call me Maybe,” and I’m JUST FLOATING!

3. Buy an island and call it “Cris-tal-land,” call Diddy from it say “HA!” and hang up.

4. Eat lobster rolls for every meal

5. Film an episode of cribs and have Mariah Carey taking a nap in one of the rooms

6. Make Snooki name her baby WestCoastWest

7. Carry around iPhones and throw them at people who annoyed me a la Naomi Campbell

8. Pay someone to invent a fat free cheese steak with extra wiz, WIT

9. Buy a yacht and race mine against Bill Gates’s with a cigar hanging out of my mouth dressed up as Kim Zosciak on her wedding.

10. Probably get some gel nails, those shits are like $30!

Also, I love that Zucks is with Priscilla still, I wonder if they will stay together.

UNRELATED!

If you haven’t gone to Nordstrom Rack in Union Square, do yourself a favor and hit it up.

It’s awesome.

I got so many things for so cheap, they have great sweaters/cardigans from this brand 14th and Union for $21 that I literally think they just make for that store and tons of other stuff and it’s never crowded so treat yourself and go.

Which brings me to today.

Last night was a little bit chaotic and somehow shots were involved, and let’s just say one shot of soco and lime sent me to a bar downtown where someone blatantly called me out for doing the robot and told me to “slow it downnnn, girl” and then you can just picture this: me sitting alone in Katz’s deli with a grilled cheese and getting a cab ride home with an Indian cabbie who was watching porn on his iPhone at all the red lights.

So TONIGHT! we all have the chance to unwind, eff the week so blast some Call Me Maybe, down some vodka soda splash of OJ (thanks for that one ru!) eat some snacks and chill the eff out! We did it! WE MADE IT!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoy some eye candy!

xoxo,

wcw

Who is Justin Timberlake’s agent or who does his representation?

I’m curious because he keeps popping up in the news for making crazy investments and I just wonder who’s behind it??

About a year or so ago, Mr. Timberlake invested 35 million into the purchase of myspace.

Just because you played an internet mogul in a movie doesn’t mean you have the know how to buy a failing company and bring it back to a money profiting social network.  And didn’t you learn anything from playing Sean Parker?  Not everything on the internet wins.  He completed revolutionized how people buy music, and he still lost.  He could have been iTunes.  It could have been NapsterTunes.  And we would have had an NapsterPod.  But we didn’t, because he didn’t think about it fully before execution.

Myspace is never coming back, sorry JT, and you just lost about 35 million dollars to Tom who is now 42 and retired.

And now, today, I find out Mr. Justin has started a furniture line.

WHAT?

Why did you start a furniture line? What about furniture lines is bringing sexy back?

Nothing!

What do you know about furniture? Nothing!

I just can’t with this latest investment and I really wish JT would cut the bull, stop investing in so much and even stop acting because he SUCKS and just go back to being the white boy with soul and sing me sweet love songs and bumpin’ tunes with Timberland.

Because I will never stop listening to “Love Stoned,” but I haven’t been on myspace since 2007 and I really don’t want to even see any of your furniture.  It’s probs all black lacquer and dark cherry wood anyway.

xoxo,

wcw

As a New Yorker, convenience outweighs costs daily.

Dropping off your laundry is about $2 more a week then doing it yourself, but it’s one of the best parts about living in NYC.  And as my friend Lize says, “I can never make my lunch taste as good as someone else can,” so when it comes to packing lunch vs: buying, buying wins!  It’s easier, it tastes better, so why not indulge!

I’ve been recalculating my expenses lately and I have realized that grabbing that cup of coffee on the way to work most days is costing me about $10 a week.  Which in the scheme of the week is nothing, considering a salad here costs about $11.50, but everything in life is cause and effect and everything in New York is COST and effect and I have realized that I love cabs and want to use them more often, so how am I going to work that into the budget? I’m going to pack myself some coffee in the AM!

There are a few things I hate about coffee, however, so let me break that down and tell you how I have dealt with it.

First, caring a hot cup of coffee on the subway makes me hot– even if it’s 25 degrees and snowing, I’m bundled up and drinking that first sip, worrying about it falling out of my hands or landing on someone’s lap is just too much for my extremely neurotic  being to handle.  It makes me sweat, I’m worrying– it’s just really not enjoyable for me.

Secondly, I am so lazy in the morning I can barely shower.

So I had to devise a way to make an iced coffee, that isn’t going to spill in the morning fast and make it so I can carry and not really worry about it.

I know– I sound like such a basic bitch.  The problem at hand is not that hard, but still it took some engineering and I like being honest on here.

So last night, I went to the dollar store in my neighborhood and purchased one of those hard plastic double walled cups, like a fake tervis tumblr.

Then, before I went to bed, I brewed one extra strong cup of coffee and poured it in the tumblr without milk or anything.

Then, right before work, very carefully– I am wearing white today– I put in a tray of ice and some coffee creamer and boom!

A relatively free cup of coffee!

So the moral of the story is–I am going to try to do this most mornings and then take cabs everywhere.

Cost and effect.

So figure out something you love to do– yoga, going to the movies twice a week, buying the $17 bottle of wine and then figure out a way to make it happen.  Maybe do you own nails twice a month instead of weekly, that will save you $20, or pack lunch twice a week, that could save you #20 too!

Live your life the way you want too, you only got one!

xoxo,

wcw