this or that: micellar water

I've blogged about my love for the bioderma micellar water before (check out that here), so I was excited to see garnier launch their drugstore version, micellar cleansing water. I'll admit- I was a bit skeptical if it would be as amazing as my beloved bioderma, but decided to give it a try. it's clear from the pink packaging that garnier wasn't messing around creating a dupe, but whatevs, I love a good dupe. (fyi there is another version for waterproof makeup remover that has blue packaging that is super oily and nothing like bioderma- be warned!) even though bioderma is much easier to get your hands on now (beautylish is my go-to, but amazon carries it as well for $$$), nothing beats being able to pop into a drugstore and picking up a bottle when you're running low. the garnier version is available at pretty much any drugstore, big box stores like target/etc, and online which is a major plus. the price point is also significantly cheaper ($7 - $8), which is nice since it is a product that you will be going through and repurchasing more regularly than your moisturizer or eye cream.

I used both versions on their own cotton pad and let them soak on my lash line and lids to break up the makeup, before wiggling and wiping it away (my preferred method). I love micellar water's ability to remove makeup without having to rub and cause damage to the delicate eye area, which is why I've repurchased the bioderma time and time again. the garnier version definitely removed the majority of my makeup in the first swipe, but my eyeliner (I've blogged about it's budgeproofness here) was still going strong. I was able to remove it completely by going back in with a q-tip soaked in the garnier, but was bummed that it didn't break the eyeliner down as easily as the bioderma. using micellar water to clean up any mistakes or smudged lower lash line is another favorite use, and the bioderma cap has an opening that is the perfect size of a q-tip. it makes it super easy to not waste any product/make a mess with the opening. the garnier top had a much smaller hole that made it a bit more challenging to get the perfect amount on the q-tip, and definitely isn't waste/mess proof. the garnier also specifically says that there is no need to rinse, but I found that I felt the product leaving a little something behind on my skin that I didn't love. I always rinse after using bioderma (there is no instruction saying that you don't need to) just because I like my skin to be fully clean, but even before rinsing I've never felt the residue I felt with the garnier.

the garnier version is definitely a solid micellar water. if I had never tried/fallen in love with bioderma than I would for sure integrate this into my daily skincare routine (I recently spotted it in my mom's medicine cabinet on a trip home #heygirl), but I've been to the promise land and know how good a product can be. if you're interested in trying a micellar water, and don't want to order online/deal with shipping/invest in a bit more expensive of a product- give the garnier version a try! but between the two- bioderma is hands down the winner.

have you ever used either of these micellar waters? which one is your favorite?

xx, marissa

hot spots: vintage faves

I was never one for vintage shopping before I moved to LA. of course every town and city has it's fair share of vintage clothing stores, but it took moving to a city like LA where the vintage shopping is seriously off the chain (yes, I really just used that term. it's seriously that good) to finally get me hooked. maybe it's because there are so many fashionable ladies and gents squeezed into one place, the vibes of old hollywood, or the industry that requires clothing from any decade or any style- but there's something in the water and I have made the most of it while living here. 

my best friend, and resident LA tour guide, is the one that got me hooked. she would bust out random pieces from her wardrobe, something that you weren't going to find at the mall or hanging in nordstrom, and name drop the same vintage spots over and over again. she would roll her eyes when I would be squeamish and grossed out, but once I made my first score, she knew she had a convert. 

gotta have it- this small shop is right across the street from the infamous venice lighted letters and is where I made my first serious vintage purchase. we had spent the day on the boardwalk, and popped in to check out their collection of vintage t-shirts (you can never have enough super soft vintage tees) when I saw it, the most amazingly ridiculous beige shearling-esque coat that had been on the floor for all of 5 minutes. the thing with vintage shopping, and the lesson I learned right quick that day, is if you see something you like (even if you're not 100% sure you want it), grab now and decide later. I could feel the eyes of every girl in the store glaring me as I hemmed and hawed over the coat; was it "too much", would I ever wear it, who needs a shearling coat in los angeles. thankfully the coat came home with me, and while it's definitely one of the most ridiculous things in my wardrobe, it's also one of my favorites.

american vintage (westwood) & american vintage (melrose)- love both of these locations, but they have different vibes, depending on what you're looking for. westwood has UCLA super close by, so there's a bit more of a college look to some of the things that they bring in, where as melrose is a lot more interesting/out there pieces. in westwood I found the coolest pair of levi's with amazing vintage barbie fabric covering the back pockets that were unfortunately too small to take home, but scooped up a fabulous dress from the 60's made in laguna beach that has become my go-to beach cover-up. on melrose I found an amazing rebecca minkoff that I had lusted after the season before, but never invested in, for almost 60% off retail and was in perfect condition.

wasteland- is my best friends go-to for amazing deals on denim. a lot of their pieces are super current, and in great condition. I have had great luck with vintage tee's, and found an amazing vintage celtics t-shirt from the 70's that I gifted to my nephew for christmas last year, and a vintage tank top from a st. patrick's day marathon in Ireland that I've rocked during my own st. patty's day celebrations.

melrose trading post- while this isn't a brick and mortar store, the collection of vendors selling vintage goods at this amazing flea market every sunday on melrose is a must see. besides my kate hudson "almost famous" coat, the coolest and prized possession of my vintage wardrobe came from here. there is a vendor who deals solely with vintage sports memorabilia/jerseys and it was my mission one day to find something boston related to take home. I found cool celtics jerseys, and patriots tees, but the red sox are the team that is nearest and dearest to my heart. the gentleman running the booth heard me bummed about nothing red sox, and pulled out the most amazing satin starter jacket that literally made me gasp. I find any occasion to wear it, and there is nothing that makes me feel cooler when I slip it on. can't wait to rock that in boston where I know it will be fully appreciated. there are tons of vendors there selling everything from vintage clothes and jewelry to furniture and home decor. even if vintage isn't your thing- melrose has something for everyone or is a fun place to spend a sunday poking around.

it's a wrap- this store is a mix of vintage and 'newish' pieces from movies and television shows that wardrobe and stylists sell after production is over. the store is organized by show or movie, so if there's a certain character that you like their style and are the same size as, you are in luck. their jewelry selection (that they keep up by the cash wrap) is definitely worth taking  peak at, I've found great (and brand new) house of harlow pieces, and fun costume pieces for super cheap. around halloween they completely transform the store into a mecca of halloween costumes since everything is movie/tv grade costumes. if you're looking for a group to dress up together, you're in luck since most outfits have multiples for filming.

what are your favorite places for vintage gems? any super special diamonds in the rough that you've added to your wardrobe?

xx, marissa

love it/hate it: butter london patent shine 10x

as a gal with a nail polish collection that rivals some salons, I have plenty of opinions when it comes to different brands and formulas. for me, the perfect one is something almost opaque in one coat, but not so thick that it gets goopy (I'm looking at you fiji), with a creamy consistency (shimmer or metallic- no thank you), that dries quickly without losing it's shine. butter london is a brand that I became very familiar with buying for the pharmacies. they were the brand that we carried at all of our locations, so I received my fair share of freebies whenever a new collection was released (one of the greatest perks of that job!). when they launched their new line, patent shine 10x, I wasn't too excited since I'm a firm believer that your topcoat is the ultimate factor in a polish's shininess (I've written about my all-time favorite topcoat here and here), but I gave it a shot. the patent shine line, which has silver metallic tops to differentiate from the rest of the standard line (and a slightly higher price point at $20 per bottle), has quite the list of claims besides just being shinier:

up to 10 days wear time: I don't think I've ever kept a manicure for 10 days, since I'm a perfectionist  and as soon as I see a single chip, it's all over. if you're someone who can deal with chips/edge wear then maybe this will last you up to 10 days, but I had my first chip after only a day (womp womp). the website even makes a claim as bold as "shock absorbing, chip resistance"- I'm sorry, but how in the world is nail polish shock absorbing... no, just no.

salon color coverage: these polishes go on amazing, which is the quality I've come to expect with all butter polishes, but in all honesty these are even better. super creamy consistency, opaque in one coat (but everything always looks better with two, IMO), and smooth when built up.

gel-like cushion: after two coats, they definitely have the look of a gel manicure, smooth and thicker looking then normal polish (in a good way). if you're someone with paper thin nails, this is a major selling point. it will give your nails some thickness so they're not constantly bending/breaking.

superior shine: right when you first paint them, the polish is super shiny even without a topcoat. but, like I said, I always always apply one. if you're someone who goes without a topcoat more often than not, this line would be great to get that super shiny look, without another step. save $$$, save time- win, win! however I will say, that after a few days, the polish has the usual look of a few day old manicure- still shiny, but noticeably less.

fade-resistant color: sorry butter, but no way. not only did my polish chip after a day, but the edge wear at the tip was also noticeable after a day. and that can't be blamed on my top coat, since I normally get through at least 2-3 days without seeing any edge wear. it's also important to note that I don't have a hands on job, so besides normal hand/dish washing, my nails aren't being beat up on the daily. if you are someone who is really tough on your nails/polish, you'd see it even sooner.

butter also claims that these smooth, strengthen, prevents breakage and peeling, and makes nails visibility brighter & more radiant. I'm lucky that I have strong nails that don't usually peel or break, so I didn't see any difference with using this line. and when removing the polish, my nails didn't seem to be any brighter or more radiant. claims like these are something that bother me about cosmetic products- it doesn't seem to be enough that the formula is good, and the colors are beautiful. companies feel the need to add on all of these crazy (and sometimes ridiculous) claims that just make me want to roll my eyes. they could be true, but I didn't notice anything special.

bottom line: a nail polish has to be pretty crummy for me to hate it, and this polish definitely isn't. I love the color choices, and certain aspects of the formula, but all of the ridiculous claims make it hard for me to justify the higher price point and fully love it. if you have weak/brittle nails that peel often, if you're someone who hates topcoats, or if you're trying to ween yourself off of gel-manicures this line may be perfect for you!

have you tried the patent shine 10x line from butter london? what are your thoughts?

xx, marissa

cheap date: cinespia

one of my absolute favorite things about living in LA, hands down, is cinespia. I've always loved outdoor movies (growing up with a drive-in movie theatre around the corner totally spoiled me), but cinespia takes it to a whole different level. combine a city with a deep love for films, amazing weather 360 days a year, the combination cool/creepy of an old hollywood cemetery and you have cinespia. I remember reading about it when I was still living in boston, and living vicariously through my favorite LA bloggers who were lucky enough to have it be a typical summer event.

during the summer, every saturday night the hollywood forever cemetery is transformed into a unique party environment complete with a DJ spinning themed music before the movie, an insane photo booth that's basically a scene straight from the set (and more than worth the wait in line), and blanket picnics surrounded by fun people. don't worry- you won't be pissing off any ghosts by partying on their graves- the area is a big open lawn in front of the scene. no bodies buried beneath ya. make sure you're prepared with blankets & pillows (to sit on and cuddle up with), drinks (the boozier the better & try for twist offs incase you forget the bottle opener), and a quality spread (you can go gourmet with a full meal, the lazy route with takeout, or a little bit of this and that with some yummy snacks). if you happen to totally spazz the day of the event, and have no time to stop at trader joes (a favorite of cinespia goers!), order a pizza and have it delivered to the gate- trust me, it works. it get's chilly as the sun goes down so dress accordingly, or if you're feeling extra fun, you can dress as a character from the movie and look even cooler in the photo booth. don't worry about being the only person dressed, you won't be. tickets are a bit more expensive than a traditional movie (around $16), but for the experience, it's totally worth it!

they release the line-up in two parts, the first half of the summer, and then (around the middle/end of august) the second half. tickets definitely sell out for movies, so if you see something you like buy it quick! I've had more than a few movies sell out before I got around to ordering a ticket and while there's always the craigslist route, you'll end up paying more & I'm always weary of it. it's a fun idea for a summer birthday, cute date night, or just a fun thing to do that different from the typical bar scene. if you stop by the photo booth (which trust me, do!) the pictures are available for purchase, and they're posted online after the event so you can grab the digital copy.

the past two summers I've gone the hollywood route, but if you happen to be in LA during the winter or can't wait until next summer, they do offer events at various theaters throughout the city. I can't speak to the level of coolness for these events, but if it's cinespia- I'd bet my bottom dollar that it's going to be pretty damn cool. check here for info on the downtown events and keep your eyes & ears peeled by joining their mailing list. sometimes they even add pop up shows after the summer season is over! fingers crossed there's one more before "LA winter" sets in.

have you ever made it to cinespia?

xx, marissa

ps. a whole SLEW of "secret" shows were added between now and halloween! if you missed to on the regular season, make sure and check out the new additions. my personal favorite? "death becomes her" on october 15th - get your tickets here

like it/love it/gotta have it: glam glow

if you've been in the beauty world for a hot minute, then the glam glow line is no stranger. they have a variety of masks that will suit any and everyone's skin care issues, each with a different type of mud to target your needs; exfoliation (try youthmud tinglexfoliate treatment), purification (the supermud clearing treatment- their claim to fame) or hydration (thirstymud hydrating treatment). my favorite trick with masks? I used a bit of each one to target the different problems in each area of my skin- exfoliation for my forehead and purification for my nose and and chin. perfect mask for my specific skin every time.

like it: youthmud tinglexfoliate treatment

I like this mask, I really like it. but my super sensitive skin can only do with so much exfoliation. I bust this out when I have drier patches of skin (the dry air in LA and weekends in vegas do not help) and it works perfectly at slogging off dead skin. 

love it: thirstymud hydrating treatment

when I reach for this mask, my skin is having some serious hydration issues. usually after a bit too much time in the sun (I know, I know) or after/during a long flight. after a day at the beach it feels cool and soothing (even better if you pop it in the fridge), and is my best friend on a red eye flight when the moisture in the air goes to 0% (goes on and dries clear so no one will even know!). may or may not have used it as an intensive moisture treatment all week after spending the fourth in Malibu and leaving just a wee bit pink, and it saved me from a dreaded sunburn (and subsequent snake-ish shedding) #blessed

gotta have it: supermud clearing treatment

this mask is their claim to fame for a reason. nothing works like it at getting gunk out of your pores, and leaving everything feeling tight and clean. it satisfies my inner esthetician since it dries down to a light green and stays dark in the areas with the most gunk- I love seeing a product really working. I have used it all over my entire face before, but I definitely prefer it for more targeted areas (nose and chin) and spot treatments. If I feel a blemish coming, I will sleep with a dab of this and it calms the spot.

have you tried any of the glam glow line? which mask would target your specific problem area?

xx, marissa

love it/hate it: maybelline the rocket volum' express mascara

now I don't know about you, but mascara is hands down my favorite/desert island makeup product. forget the rest of your face- lashes are the piece de resistance of any look. I love the look of long, dark, and curled lashes- the longer the better. while some people are all about volume, and love the look of a super thick lash that is full through the base and along your lash line, that really isn't my cup of tea. when I'm trying out new mascaras I want one that is going to separate all the way down to the root, give me long stretched out lashes that make people second guess if I'm wearing falsies, and that are patent leather black. mascaras like benefit they're real and maybelline colossal cat eyes are some of my favorites and give me that perfect flirty lash look- long throughout, with just the right amount of something special in the outer corner. usually mascaras with rubber wands and short spikey bristles (like any of the covergirl lash blasts which I've forever sworn off, but to each their own) leave me with short stubby lashes and mascara streaked across my eyelid (not a good look), so when I first opened this tube of maybelline the rocket volum' express mascara I was immediately disappointed. the wand looked almost identical to the covergirl versions, and after one horribly awful failed attempt, I cursed it and put it away. fast forward to a few weeks later when I was testing out some Halloween makeup looks and decided to layer it with my other current mascara, and I realized that the formula had changed (going from super wet and messy to drier and stiffer). I was left with thick roots that could be combed through (thanks to the short spiked plastic wand) to create separated, super long lashes. normally when a formula changes it isn't for good (nail polish separating, top coats thickening, foundation oxidizing, or perfume changing scents), but with mascara it seems to usually be the opposite. take a wet and impossible formula and give it a couple weeks to dry out with the help of a little air to the tube, and you have yourself a whole different product. what started as a hate it, turned into a love it- a makeup miracle.

what mascara works best for your lashes- a wet formula that you can rake through, or a drier formula you can really build up?

xx, marissa 

makeup madness- sephora VIB sale

as an official card carrying member of sephora's VIB program I finally get to take part in the fun that is their annual shopping event (i.e. 20% off of items that are never on sale!) I've been poking around the interweb, and the super snazzy holiday catalogue that arrived in my mailbox, for the past few days and have narrowed my must haves down from just about everything to a select few. now for those of us that are more forward thinking/less selfish, this would be a great time to start your holiday shopping (starting early and getting things on sale = win, win) and pick up some pretty things for your makeup obsessed bestie, you newbie little sister, or your 'never indulges herself' mom.

the holiday sets are always my go-tos this time of the year. they offer you opportunities to try a bunch of different products a single line (like this option) or a variety of products from a mix of different brands (like this one). last year I opted to try the Tarte holiday gift set and was turned on to an amazing eyeshadow formulation (with an entire pallet of everyday to smoky colors to choose from), and test out a few of their other best selling products that had been on my list. this year the Too Faced Le Grand Palais definitely caught my attention (with its mix of products for eyes/cheek/face and minis of its most popular mascara, primer, and lipgloss) and the Le Grand Chateu would make a great gift for a few girlfriends since the mini pallets can be split up and shared! the packaging is seriously the cutest- tie on a pretty bow and you're good to go (I'm picking this up for my younger cousins and splitting the three pallets out amongst them!) if you're more in the market for a set that will let you sample a little bit of this and a little bit of that from a bunch of sephora heavy hitters, the Sephora Favorites Superstars is the MVP. every year they compile the best selling products throughout the store to offer a mix of full size and deluxe sample sizes to try out. it hits every note- from mascara to primer, and contour to highlight, from many of your favorite brands (like nars, tarte, smashbox, benefit, and laura mercier), in shades that you actually want to try. we see you monthly subscription companies and "gift sets" that are dumping grounds for all the colors that were flops- no one wants a bunch of those, kthanks. sephora offers a gift set for every type of beauty junkie; slave to skincare, eyeliner officianado, mascara fiend, lip product lover, or hair goddess. do you self a favor and take a peek at the sets from sephora- check, check, check on that shopping list.

there are also those products that you find yourself always repurchasing- the perfect liquid eyeliner (I'll be picking up a backup of my holy grail since I know I'll be needing a new one eventually), your go-to foundation (either in the color you're currently wearing or shade/two down to prepare for the coming months and impending paleness), a rollerball of your signature scent (I try and keep this one from Elizabeth and James always in my purse), or the first step for any look (primers for face, lips or eyes- I'll be picking up this one from Too Faced to try). these are the products that you know you'll be buying in the new future, pick them up now for 20% off and it will be like shopping your stash when you finally need them.

the VIB sale is also a great time to invest in the more expensive beauty products you use/have been meaning to try- quality skin care (I'll be picking up the moisturizer from my like it, love it, gotta have it post about sensitive skin moisturizers), fragrance (you know you'll be going through a perfume within the year. use this as the time to stock up on your signature scent, or explore and try something new. layering scents is always fun, or picking a special occasion/nighttime scent), or beauty tools (beauty blenders, clarisonic/brush heads, or new brushes) and save some pretty pennies.

have you ever shopped the VIB sale? what's on your list for beauty goodies this year?

xx, marissa