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One of my biggest beauty battles has always been something prominent: my eyebrows.
I plucked my naturally thick brows nearly invisible when I was in high school, and then continued to over-pluck them for way longer than I care to admit. I rocked what I call the upside down Nike symbol, which is not a natural-looking shape.
With much patience (do you realize what it's like to grow dark brown eyebrows out? It's as bad as you imagine it would be) and a wonderful woman named Luda from Charles Ifergan, my eyebrows are well on their way to complimenting my face instead of distracting from it.
With all of Luda's wonderful arch skills, some areas refuse to grow correctly. After waiting 3 months for the brows to fix themselves, I decided it was time to invest in a brow powder to make my brows look less difficult than they are.
Thankfully, Benefit, 3450 N Southport Ave., has a kit with all the tools I need. Brows A-Go-Go retails for $38 and contains a brow shaping wax, two brow powders, a highlighting powder for eyebrows, a highlighting powder for eyes, an angled brush, a talent brush and tweezers. It's heaven in a box, and a cutely packaged one at that.
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
I keep items neatly tucked into their appropriate places: file folders for all life's little documents, coupons in a drawstring pouch in my purse so I never leave home without them and take-out menus sorted in a cabinet.
But my online life is much different. My e-mail and Favorites tab could make me a candidate for A&E's Hoarders. I keep my work e-mail organized effectively but my personal accounts are different: I can't seem to keep them neat.
I try to use e-folders, but pretty soon there are too many e-folders to manage. I send myself links of articles I want to read, I sign up for store and e-newsletters and ... I hope you're seated: I have six e-mail accounts. And when I emptied my main account, I found lost invitations (one to go to the circus with friends!) and other e-mails I didn't see through the sea of craziness, and that's my real frustration.
So, what's the best way to keep your online home organized? I guess the first step should be to actually organize e-mail (note to self).
Microsoft lists some effective ways to organize your inbox. According to an article, they say to set aside time each day to go through and categorize e-mail. Organize into one of four categories:
- Delete it, self-explanatory but this option is also used to file items you're keeping for reference so they don't clutter your inbox
- Do it, especially if it'll take 2 minutes or less
- Delegate it, I don't know if this is an option unless you have a personal assistant, but I get the idea
- Defer it, schedule to do it at a later date. Don't forget to actually schedule or you'll forget like me!
An option to keep that Favorites tab clear is Delicious, a free social bookmarking site that allows users to organize, manage and search Web bookmarks. Count me in!
And the final step in organizing my e-mails is feeding them all into one inbox. This can be done through some providers, like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
All the tools are out there (and free!), so I should have a clutter-free inbox in no time!
Which areas of life are you unable to keep clutter free?
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
... I'm the least domestic person I know. I cannot cook (you've seen my novice chef feature, it's ugly!); I wash laundry like a 4-year-old - dry clean only? Pshhhhh!; I do keep a tidy home but I don't especially like unloading the dishwasher or putting laundry away; I often forget to open the blinds for my plant; and I fix my hem with safety pins instead of thread and needle. To tell you the truth, I think this is as good as it's going to get and I'm proud of myself. I work hard to keep my baby apartment and myself looking fabulous but there are some things I would rather not do, so I don't. I do not clean my floors ... often. Anyone free next Sunday?
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
With the harshness of winter and sometimes life, a day of relaxation can be such a treat. Pretty City has teamed with area spas to make it easy for Chicagoans to get in from the cold and forget about tomorrow's to-do list.
Through Feb. 28, an array of Chicago salons and spas are offering $59 services for the Love You event. Mention you're booking a Love You treatment and you're on your way to a $59 one-hour massage, two private personal training sessions, a facial, highlights, hot cocoa body wrap or champagne and caviar facial (you drink the champagne and the caviar is part of the facial treatment!).
To view a full list of salons, spas, services and details, click here!
What's a beauty treatment or product you can't live without? I can't live without my jojoba oil. I use it to remove my makeup, moisturize my face and treat my skin after I've accidentally slept with my makeup on - opps! I even add the oil to my bathwater sometimes, which makes my skin silky and smooth. It's my best beauty find!
Happy Valentine's Day, loves!
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
Some things I've learned:
* Sometimes enjoying the ride is more important than planning for it.
*Having a job and working toward your dream job is better than having no job. Is there a dream job anyways?
*It's still possible to throw tantrums (this is best done in the privacy of your home).
*Yes, family can get on your nerves but every creature has a pack. Don't lose yours.
* It's stupid to talk when you're angry. It is very likely that you'll say something you don't mean.
*It's still hard to share.
* I cannot go out with the same vigor I had when I was in college. Repeat: I will not go out and get "college weird." This leads to massive headaches and the inability to move for 24 hours.
* Turns out you won't make a $mil$ for your hard work. $20K? I'll take it! Being "poor" is a rite of passage. Living thrifty and realizing money is just, well, money is well worth it.
*Girl time and retail therapy are the best cure-alls. Combine the two and you'll feel better instantly.
* Relationships really haven't evolved since grade school. But maybe that's a good thing?
*It's important to color outside the lines. Take this statement as literally or as metaphorically as you wish.
Your turn.
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
Photo courtesy of john faherty
It's the month of love, so celebrate! Here are some Chicago-based ways you can treat him, her and for all my single ladies, yourself.
- Head to the Art Institute. It's free all day, every day for the month of February, so go gaze at the art and at each other. Since it won't cost a penny, maybe you can talk your date into buying these bracelets from the Museum Shop. Adorable! There also are free February events and programming.
- If you're OK with waiting 'til the last minute, shop at The 900 Shops tax-free Feb 13-15. Bring this passand shop at one of the participating stores and you'll get a 10.25 percent discount. Located at 900 N Michigan Ave., there are more than 45 participating stores, including J. Crew, Michael Kors (!) and United Colors of Benetton, and most stores will apply the discount to sale items. Plus, if you get your parking ticket validated, parking will cost $10 for the entire day. Tickets will be validated with purchases at the sixth floor concierge.
- If you still aren't sure how to celebrate, visit UnScene. It's an online urban navigator that emphasizes independent business. They believe in exercising individuality, building a stronger community and supporting independent businesses and I do, too! You won't find any franchises here. It's broken down by city, so click on Chicago and make a selection by business type. Want to buy your Valentine flowers? There's a store for that. Get a tattoo? There's a store for that, too! There's also apparel, books, coffee, cuisine and wine, furniture, galleries and theaters, gifts, hair and beauty, health, home decor, hotels jewelry - whew! And even more categories than that. Support your community and show someone you care.
What are your plans?! Staying at home with ice cream, movies and your girl friends does count! Actually, it sounds like the perfect evening.
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
February is the second month of the year, the month of love to some and to Chicagoans, the month of Toast.
From today through Feb. 28, the Magnificent Mile will "celebrate life's moments" with its Toast event. Discounts and deals at retailers, restaurants , hotels, galleries and spas are one of the perks, and at 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays in February, city-dwellers can watch fireworks over the Chicago River, 401 N Michigan Ave.
Some of the deals include:
P.J. Clarke's, 1204 N State Parkway, complimentary dessert with any order $25 or more
Park Grill, 11 N Michigan Ave, $5 Thursdays, select bar menu items, cocktails, beer, wine and food menu for $5 from 5 p.m.-close. Valid in the bar and lounge only.
Filene's Basement, 830 N Michigan Ave, mention its toast to its 100-year anniversary and you'll get 15 percent off one item
Spa Nordstrom, 520 N Michigan, is offering a couple's massage for $220, which includes a sparkling drink and 60-minute massage.
MCA, 220 E Chicago Ave, has complimentary admission for February birthdays and anniversaries.
To see a full list of participating Toast deals, click here. Here's to you!
xoxo,
Lisa Marie
