A Delightful Solution

I've always been something of a Francophile.

I took French in high school and college, spent a semester in Paris, the whole nine.

And I've always been obsessed with French beauty products. I love the way the French women look so undone, yet put-together. Like the just walk out the door looking like they do, with zero effort. But given my high maintenance tendencies, I was more than a little afraid to take the plunge and buy stuff.

So, the last time I got a hair cut, my stylist recommended that I take immediate action to staunch some dry ends I've been having and suggested Phyto 7 as a leave-in conditioner.

I flat out RAN to the store to pick it up. And I've been using it ever since.

I rub a tiny bit on damp hair and either let it air dry or use the blowdryer and it really makes a difference. My hair is soft and shiny. I've actually liked the way my hair looks just air dried.

And I never like the way my hair looks air dried.

I feel very Gallic. And I save about 20 minutes in the morning. Maybe that's the real secret.

More sleep.

What, You Were Going to Work?

Wondering how to pick the right booties?

Curious about what gauge knit is in this fall?

Just baffled on how to pair your eggplant tights with tweed jackets?

Want to know how to turn three suits into 21 outfits for the epic healthcare markups?

Well, fret no more!

Tomorrow (Friday, September 25th) at noon, join the editors of Fashion Washington Jennifer Barger and Betsy Lowther will be on hand to answer all your burning questions on fall fashion during their live chat.

Hit up this link tomorrow at noon and get expert answers to all your questions: http://fashionwashington.com/septchat.html

Gossip Girl: Reversals of Fortune

Ha! You thought I forgot? No! I'm just late.

It's a new fall people. And Serena's boobs have learned nothing over the summer.

But this Alice + Olivia dress on Blair? So cute! The weird role playing games with Chuck? Not so cute. Summer can be boring though.


The Burberry Prorsum coat worn as a dress? Fab! Chuck's newly thick hair? Uh-mazing.

Oh. And Serena wore this Creamsicle Notte by Marchesa dress. Wohn, wohn, woooohhhhnnn.

Also, why is she kissing Blair's boyfriend?

But then! Blair wore this cute Walter dress and Louise Green hat! And all was right in the world.

And a few more things....Nate's bizarro Romeo & Juliet subplot with that CW village bicycle?

No good.

Little J and her Twihard look?

Yick.

Eric?

As you are. You rock.

Next week! College! NYU! So much to make fun of!

Wanna Buy A Bridge Too?

There are some products in the makeup industry that I truly believe are just hocus pocus.

Clear mascara? Hair gel for your lashes.

Under eye creams that claim to get rid of dark circles? Take it from the daughter of a plastic surgeon, sure, I also know of a sugar-free fat-free ice cream that tastes as good as Ben & Jerry's.

Primers? Honestly, I've never been a big fan.

I'm sure that some people are going to cry foul. That they help makeup go on smoother, more evenly, and use less product.

But to me, it's always just been an extra layer of stuff that doesn't do a whole lot. Very Emperor's New Clothes.

So, when a Trish McEvoy sales rep sat me down on a day I was feeling particularly ornery and started regaling me with how FABULOUS their Eye Base Essentials primer was, my bullshit meter went wild.

But the thing was, it was FABULOUS. Not really because of its "priming" ability, but as a basic everyday shadow.

I tried the Sheer Gold, and by itself it is a great once over base when I am just too terribly lazy to do anything else. A little in the corner of the eyes lightens everything up and makes me look far more awake. I am working my way through the tube at what is, frankly, an alarming pace.

It does make a good base for additional shadows, but I usually just use it alone.

So...I still stick to my maxim that primers aren't worth it, but a primer that is really just a great cream shadow? I'll buy into that.

I Knew the 80's were back but really???

OMG.

American Apparel brought back Hypercolors.

Mind. Blown.

Can they do Freaky Freezies?!?! Please!!!

Nailed to the Wall

It was one of those hot summer days after work and I was store hopping in Georgetown.

Not out of any real shopping need, mostly because there was free air conditioning and the mall-like layout of M Street allows me to cool off twice or three times a block on my way home.

Of course, if browsing happens, I just go with it.

In Sephora, I skimmed over the usual array of tweens prepping for a night out and fanny packed tourists until the OPI line caught my eye.

I was smitten by two totally different collections.

First, the Digital Diva collection stunned me with the bright fuschia pinks and corals.  I was envisioning toes painted bright pink peeking out of tough open toe shooties.  It was like summer throwing one last big "eff you"to the advancing cold season.

Second, the Autumn & Eve Collection.  The main one that called my name was the dark purple.  It said, take me home!!  Wear me on the Hill!  I will make boring hearings better!  I will get health care reform passed!  Yes, friends.  This is the miracle nail polish.

The beige was pretty cool too.  

My main problem?  I hate buying nail polish.  I like getting manicures and getting a different color every time.  What's a girl to do?

After all, health care reform seems to depend on it.

They Sparkle?

In which I reveal how deeply behind the times I am...

Confession time.

I totally don't get the vampire boomlet.

When the hubub about the Twilight saga coming to an end, I had to resort to much internet googling and legal research skillz to figure out who this Edward person was and how sexy he is and why thirteen-year-olds all over were hoping someone would suck their blood.

  

Imagine how disappointed I was to learn that the whole thing was an allegory for abstinence.

But...from every perplexing teen trend can come some beauty.  

(ok, that's totally not true.  I can find no silver lining to the Hannah Montana cloud.)

Glamour Magazine put the stars of the upcoming Twilight Saga movie in a great photo spread for September.

And they mercifully leave out the sparkly faces.

Trust Me, I'm a...

I have a good friend who is going on her third year as an OB/GYN resident.  In case you haven't been watching "16 and Pregnant" or "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" or any other baby shows, you know that babies aren't usually born when it is convenient for the doctor.  This means lots of late nights and little sleep for the residents who deliver them.

On a rare day off for her, we sat at her pool and she revealed that she was simply desperate for something to cover the dark circles that residency hath wrought.

Now, I can't give advice on how to deliver a breech baby or how to improve bedside manner, but under-eye circles?  Come into my office and sit down!

First, I told her, you need a good concealer.  Now, I have always heard nothing but praise for the Cle de Peau product, but at $65 a tube, a little out of a GME-funded budget and there are lots of options that won't require moonlighting.  

My current favorite is MAC Select Moisturecover and I like that MAC has several coverage options and lots of colors.  Another good brand with options is Clinique, and I went through a Quick Corrector phase that lasted through law school.

The next option is a brightener, to lighten up the area under the eye and distract from the darkness.  Now, every makeup artist worth her brushes will tell you that the best product for this is the YSL Touche Eclat.  I love that it comes with a brush attached for easy application (perhaps in a call room?).  

Another, less expensive option, is Bobbi Brown's Corrector.  Functioning on the same principles of color correcting, it neutralizes the dark circles and works with concealer to make it look like you've gotten more than an hour of sleep.  (P.S. check out Bobbi's newly resigned website and Twitter feed!)

And my last tip and for faking a well rested look?  Since I'm guessing a change of profession isn't an option...a bright cheery blush and a clean application of black mascara.

But don't call me in the morning, I need my beauty sleep.

Share and Share Alike

A few weeks ago, my sister came down from New York to visit me.

And, as has become ritual, the second she comes in, she starts to tear through my closet and makeup drawer looking for things to play with and abscond with.

Thankfully, I had just gotten a delivery of L'Oreal HIP Color Presso lip gloss in two colors which my sister immediately seized upon.  

The Color Presso lipgloss reminds me a lot of Mentadent Toothpaste from the 90's.  The main problem with that product was that you always got more of one type of paste than the other.  The problem continues with the Color Presso, but it does allow you to customize the color of the lip gloss.

So, as my husband played Wii with my sister's boyfriend, we took turns trying on the two lip glosses in Trendy and Swanky.  We both agreed that we liked the candyish smell and the light texture of the glosses.  We also appreciate the relatively non-sticky-ness.

(Relatively.  The claim that any lip gloss is nonsticky is a lie on the order with "non-painful bikini wax")

Since I had already had time to try them out, I knew my favorite was the Trendy, a combo of a light pink and a rose color.  So I breathed a sigh of relief when my sister settled on the Swanky, a gold and pink duo.  

I mean, she's my sister and I'm happy to share...but not really.

NARS Sheer Matte and Sheer Glow Foundation

I have been faithful to my Kiehl's Tinted Moisturizer for a while, but have been thinking about upgrading my coverage to a full foundation.  When I go, I will definitely check out these new NARS foundations...

NARS SHEER MATTE FOUNDATION - $42

While transparent enough to allow skin’s natural hue to remain visible, it is still matte at heart, which means weightless, luster-free coverage. This velvety oil-free formula boosts brightness and radiance, improving skins texture. Packaged in a stylish frosted bottle, it distinguishes itself from its Sheer Glow counterpart.

NARS SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION - $42

An ideal solution for those looking for a foundation that is more dewy than Sheer Matte. The formula glides on easily and imparts a satin-soft, glowing finish. Skin will even-out and gleam with overall brightness; radiance and sleek texture will be restored.

Available in 20 shades, Sheer Matte and Sheer Glow, will be available at Nordstrom beginning August 1st and on www.narscosmetics.com beginning September 1st.

The Plain White Tees

I'm not sure if it was born of simply finding what works for me or just sheer laziness, but this morning I realized that the outfit I was wearing had rapidly become a "uniform" for me.

Pencil skirt.

White tee shirt.

Statement-y necklace.

Heels.

Cardigan. (my office is freezing!)

It has all the elements to fit the mold for a summer uniform. It's dressy enough for the office and for an occasional meeting, but comfortable enough for drinks afterwards with non-work folk.

But for me, the key to making it look pretty instead of sloppy was the right tee shirt wardrobe. And believe you me! It took some work to finding the right ones. I tried on ones from J. Crew, Forever 21, American Apparel, Gap, etc. And what I found is that they are not all created equal. Some are so thin as to be see-though. Some are too long. Some are belly-button baring. Some are too thick, ok, whatever, you get the point.

So you can avoid the search yourself, see my top three picks below...

Lacoste

Definitely the priciest of the bunch and perhaps jumps outside the tee shirt category, but an essential, especially in prepster-dominated DC. Just please, keep your collar down.

American Apparel Deep V Neck

My current obsession. The cotton is soft and thin from day one, and it's gotten better with washing. The deep V neck is slightly sexy, but not obscene. The sleeve is a little on the long side, making it slightly androgynous. Which is cool. Or at least that's what the American Apparel ads tell me.

Petit Bateau

An oldie but a goodie. I stocked up on these puppies when I lived in France and the exchange rate was favorable. Oh yeah, BEFORE THE EURO. That's right, I've had my stash of these since 1999. That shiz is durable. They are made from a thicker gauge cotton and the crew necks have a little rickrack trim that elevate it to work appropriate status. They are also fitted, but not tight. A key distinction.

So, go forth and clothe my good friends. White tees are staples, even if you haven't settled into a style rut like me...oops, I mean, uniform.

Laying Down the Law

So, that Internet.

It's a wild world out there filled with crazies and pervies.

While I do love twitter for constant updates from some awesome people, I don't love it for the creepy stuff from the unknown weirdos.

Therefore, I'm announcing a policy for my twitter and reserve the right to change at any time, at my own whim, etc.

(It's the lawyer in me)

If you follow me, congrats! You've just made a great decision and your life will now be complete with updates about fugliness on the street, my foibles in life and alerts about sales...probably in Georgetown.

I understand your choice to keep your twitter feed private instead of public. You are not Chuck Grassley and do not need everyone in the world to know what you think about Obama eating dinner instead of fixing the economy.

Wait...ARE you Chuck Grassley? Then get back to fixing health care! And dude, moisturizer. For realz.

Anyhoo. If you choose to block your twitter and follow me, I will request to follow you. If you don't comply, I reserve the right to block you.

That's the way the cookie crumbles, folks.

Also, if you are creepy and post stuff that makes my skin crawl, I might block you too.

But seriously, follow me!

Gossip Girl: Seder Anything

This episode began with a Ralph Lauren attired dream sequence inspired by My Fair Lady.

Seriously, if anyone under the age of 15 who watches this show isn't getting an education on the complete works of Audrey Hepurn, well, they are not paying attention and should just concentrate on school or some other useless skill.

At least Man-Bangs up there slicked them back in her dream. Dig the ascot, bro.

In a far less anachronistic setting, Blair gets ready for school in a silk D&G blouse. WANT.

I'd also like to think of this episode as the clash between WASP culture and Jewish culture in NY society, but I don't really think there is that kind of subtext here.

So, I prefer to think about Blair's D&G printed halter dress.

Mmm, yes. That's much better. Thinking makes my head hurt. Probably just like Serena's.

Until the next recap....stay classy and keep your bangs out of your eyes.

Gossip Girl: Remains of the J

(desperately trying to catch up on my Gossip Girl posts)

This episode revolved around Jenny. Which means that it was TERRIBLY boring and frought with bizarre class controversies and social hierarchy.

Well, there will be no mention of Jenny's bang-mullet or whore eyes here.

But! They covered Serena's boobs!

With this gold Phillip Lim Racerback tank. Wow. She actually looks mildly age appropriate.

But, once again, Blair's outfits take the cake. First, in this Milly back bow shift (currently unavailable on the interwebs except ebay.)

Then in this DVF Little Ann dress in blue (altered for straplessness) and a gorge necklace of unknown origin.

Later, for a bizarre scene which melds the worst of Catcher in the Rye, Sleepless in Seattle, and Romeo and Juliet, Blair berets it up with a fab pair of Sperry Top-Sider Pelican Wedge Sadie Rubber Boots.

I dare you to say that ten times fast.

Then, in a display of shockingly poor judgement befitting a teenager, she gets back together with Nate.

Right, let's move on, shall we?

Hot N' Kohl

Don't you love my terrible cliche post titles? I'm like the cheesiest person ever.

Here's the thing.

I really wanted to like the L'Oreal HIP Kohl Eyeliner. Like, for realz, I wanted to like it.

The shadow itself was a great intense navy blue with shimmer and I was having all kinds of fantasies about my smoky eyes and whatnot. The applicator was interesting, basically a conical stick to which the loose powder sticks and then you apply it to your eyelids.

Well.

Let's just say it was a big FAIL.

Normally, when I go out with my husband, I'm given maybe ten minutes to apply makeup and if I start futzing around with a new product, let's just say the questions never end.

Men seem generally confused by makeup. Why is that? Every woman uses it. There are ads everywhere. Yet they still seem baffled by the fact that you have to put it on every day and take it off every night.

Anyways, I was going out with a girlfriend and decided it was the perfect time to try this out.

Let's just say it's a good thing I started early, because I got so much blue eyeshadow on my face it looked like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.

I actually had to wash my face and try again.

Eventually, I managed to get a nice smoky eye, but it involved many Q-tips, eye makeup remover, and a reapplication of blush. And I'm still not sure people didn't think I was secretly involved in a fight club.

So, bottom line?

Not worth the hassle. Although, being a suspected fight clubber is pretty badass.

Unless there is a secret to kohl liner that I was never taught in my school of beauty hard knocks.

Plus, don't even get me started on how confused my husband was when he saw blue sparkly powder all over the bathroom sink.

You Be the Fudge: Battle of the Brownies

You know that time in the afternoon when your stomach feels particularly empty?

The grumblies take over and you begin to wander over to whatever interest group is having a reception in Rayburn (sure, my boss is interested in the National Association for Pencil Pushers who wear Green on Tuesdays!) and graze on the non-outside caterer crudites to stave off certain doom.

Then you see it.

A brownie.

It looks awesome, but once you grab it you realize that it is a chocolate looking triangle of not-worth-it.

Disgusted that you wasted the calories on that crumbly mess, you drown your sorrows in four glasses of white wine and wind up at home sitting on your couch eating toast with mustard for dinner.

DON'T LET THE VICIOUS CYCLE CONTINUE.

(this had never happened to me. i swear.)

Bliss Spa, which realizes that you should waste your time on a brownie not worth the calories, is inviting DC to vote for the brownie supplier who gets the Royal Warrant.

The brownie squad will be stationed around town giving out samples! Voting is open now (I'm partial to Baked and Wired) and will continue until June 30th.

Vote early and often! Don't let anyone at a spa ingest a brownie of regret and shame.

For All the Dudes in the House

The following is a totally true story.

I arrived home one day to find one of those UPS "we tried to deliver a package, but you weren't home in the middle of the day because you have been working like crazy and don't live in a nice doorman building like your mom and dad wanted you to, so we'll just leave this message instead of the package so your crazy neighbors don't wank your stuff.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but yeah.  That happened."

Having not ordered anything, I asked my husband.  And he confirmed that he had been waiting for a package.  Assuming it was a new set of Family Guy DVDs or an Ovechkin jersey, I asked what it was.

"Ummm, just stuff.  Face wash.  You know, from Sephora."

At which point I almost hit the floor.

Yes, my darling manly non-aesthete husband spent one evening in my absence perusing and placing an order for men's cosmetics stuff on sephora.com.

But hey, who am I to judge?

So, the loot?  Zirh Wash Mild Face Wash.  And with Father's Day right around the corner, I offer it up as a suggestion for a gift!  Because, if my husband takes time out of his busy Stanley Cup Finals/NBA Finals/regular baseball schedule to wade through the eyeshadow filled website of Sephora, it must be good.

Also, here are some other Zirh products which he might like!

Show Face

Cleansing your skin is one of the first steps in any skincare regimen and ZIRH makes the experience a refreshing one with Clean, an alpha hydroxy face wash that cleanses skin without stripping it of necessary oils. For a deeper clean, Scrub is a gentle, aloe based exfoliator that works to remove surface dead skin cells to reveal newer, younger looking skin. Lastly, Refresh is an invigorating astringent that not only tones and cools skin but helps to reduce excess sebum.


Protect Skin With SPF

Protecting skin from the sun’s harmful rays is necessary for protecting a healthy complexion. ZIRH facial moisturizer Defend is light for everyday use and suitable for sensitive skin types. Defend contains an SPF 15 while also helping to maintain skin’s natural elasticity. For the ultimate lip protection with SPF 15, ZIRH Lip Balm is made with beeswax and natural oils to maintain a hydrated pout. Available in four flavors: Vanilla, Black Cherry, Peppermint and Unscented.

The Ultimate Shower Gear

Summer days require the need for a revitalizing shower and ZIRH has the perfect gear. ZIRH Warrior Shower Gel Collection features five gels based on ancient warriors – each offering a sexy, yet masculine scent. Try Julius Caesar – this blends citrus notes with sweet almond fruit extract.



The ZIRH Cocktail Bar Collection can make any shower a happy hour. A classic body bar with a fun twist! Each bar is formulated after a signature cocktail – whether he fancies a Long Island Iced Tea or a Sake Bomb, his skin will feel detoxified and nourished. The light scents and vibrant colors make the perfect summer body pairing.

Insert Obvious Bliss Joke Here

Hello.

I'm Capitol Hill Barbie.  And I'm a bad blogger.

Yeah, but seriously?  Healthcare reform.  Oh, she is a cruel cruel bitch.

And very bad for the health of all the lobbyists in DC.

There are other reasons for my recent hiatus, a vacation, a massive project at work, generally just feeling yuck and not in the mood to write about beauty.

So, consider this my peace offering...

BLISS SPA IS OPENING!!!!!

That's right chicas!  Almost three thousand feet of pure relaxation pampering awesomeness!

This summer!!!

And there will be brownies!  

(A total overuse of exclamation marks!!!)

Are you doing the Charlie Brown happy dance yet?  I am.

Check out Bliss World for a preview of the services and budget accordingly.  There is something about a 75 minute massage that sounds like it will be perfect after the week of July 27th.

more to come, I promise!!

Bliss Out

That's right boys and girls, DC is finally getting its very own Bliss Spa.  I've had to endure my mother and sister brag for years about how they gave and got certificates for oxygen facials, Blissage, and the like while sticking out down here and buying my products at Blue Mercury.

(this isn't really tragic, but I have a bent for the overly dramatic in me.)

Well, Bliss is having a hiring spree (it includes some of the other vendors in the brand new W hotel as well).  It started yesterday, but goes until tomorrow, so stop by and apply!

What: Bliss Spa Hiring Spree at the W Hotel Talent Center

When: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, May 3-5, 10-6 pm each day

Where: W Hotel Talent Center, 3307 M Street NW in Georgetown (the former Staples space). The W Talent Center, designed to look (and even smell!) exactly like the W, is the hiring center for the W Hotel, Bliss Spa and Jean-Georges restaurant, J&G Steakhouse, that will all be opening this summer at 515 15th Street, NW; the new W will be the closest hotel to the White House when it opens this summer.

How: The talent team will be hiring for 30+ Bliss Spa jobs including licensed estheticians, massage therapists and nail technicians as well as guest service associates and spa attendants. Applicants must have valid license with them for positions that require (all but spa reception); on the spot interviews will be conducted!

This hiring program is in addition to the 200+ jobs that the W is hiring for the hotel and restaurant, ranging from mid-level “talent coaches”, Welcome and Whatever/Whenever and several F&B positions for J&G and destination rooftop bar, wine bar, and living room bar and banquets. Applicants that bring significant Wow with them need apply.

Gossip Girl: The Grandfather

Ok, this episode was full of good outfits.  Even one from Serena that didn't show her pneumatic breasts.

Blair shopping in a Diane von Furstenberg trench coat.  Alas, people are a-wailing on the interwebs that it is sold out form the resort collection.

Serena's outfit here was nice.  Sparkly, but not as boobi-licious as usual.  Well played.

The top is 3.1 Philip Lim.

But the winner in this episode?  Blair's outfit at the party.

Dress by Herve Leger, cardigan by Joie.

Now, right after this episode aired, I got an email from my sister who said a friend had pleaded with her to find the necklace that Blair is wearing in this shot.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, I started searching.  But this was not easy.

My best guess is that it is actually two necklaces, a double strand of pearls intertwined with a nautical themed necklace.  I thought the necklace was Betsey Johnson's Nautical necklace, which apparently was also featured in Confessions of a Shopaholic.

However, more searching and better eyes than mine have pegged it as Tomassini.  While it's also unavailable, I like the idea of layering the necklaces.

Until next time...well, you know the drill.