The Diva Survival Checklist

 What you'll need:

·  adhesive bandages

·  antacid

·  antibacterial ointment

·  bobby pins

·  body spray

·  breath mints/gum

·  clear nail polish

·  compact mirror

·  contact solution

·  deodorant

·  dress tape

·  earring backs

·  facial tissues

·  feminine products

·  hair brush/comb

·  hand lotion

·  hand sanitizer

·  hair spray

·  lip gloss 

·  lint roller

·  mascara

·  mending kit

·  mouthwash

·  nail file

·  nail polish remover

·  pain relievers

·  safety pins

·  sanitizing wipes

·  Sharpie

·  stain removing pen

·  static remover

·  tooth brush

·  toothpaste

·  tweezers

We've all had those days when it seems like the world is out to destroy you. And it never fails that on every one of those days, you aren't prepared for the worst, and you're left with a tear in your skirt, a splitting headache, or stinky onion breath.

It's time for us to put an end to being caught unprepared and looking/feeling anything less than fabulous. So, I've compiled a list of must have items to stash in your purse/car for those desperate times when you're praying for a miracle to save you from embarrassment.

For medical preparedness keep things like adhesive bandages, antibacterial ointment, antacid, contact solution/eye drops, and pain relievers on hand. Remember, keeping germs at bay can help prevent you from getting sick. Always have hand sanitizer and/or sanitizing hand wipes in your bag, for the times when the flu and other bugs are going around. Few things are more unattractive than a snotty nose—tissues are a must.

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Life's everyday oopsies, even ones involving clothing, can also be prevented. Ripped hems and small tears can be easy fix as long as you have things like safety pins, clear nail polish (runs in a pair of sheer tights or pantyhose), and a travel-size mending kit. To keep your outfit in tiptop shape, have a stain removing pen, travel-size lint roller, and static remover handy. Dress tape (double-sided tape for clothing) can help you avoid a humiliating wardrobe malfunction. Sharpies are great for small scuffs on shoes.

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For looking your best, pack things such as bobby pins, a small hair brush/comb, a nail file, tweezers, a compact mirror, lip gloss, and spare earring backs. Travel-size versions of hand lotion, nail polish remover,  mascara, and hair spray will make great additions to your survival kit. 

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For smelling your best, add a travel-size toothbrush, tooth paste, mouth wash, deodorant, and body spray. If you don't want to hassle with toothbrush, products like the Colgate Wisp are great for cleaning teeth on the go. Breath mints and gum are great temporary fixes for bad breath as well.

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Don't be the girl that's unprepared for Mother Nature's monthly "gift". Always have feminine products and related pain relievers like Midol or Pamprin.

Hopefully my Diva Survival Checklist will help you always be prepared to strut your stuff!

Audrey Hepburn's Fashion Legacy

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"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

—Audrey Hepburn

Where would the world be without the legacy of Audrey Hepburn? A world with less appreciation for pixie cuts, printed ball gowns, little black dresses, and enormous horse racing hats. 

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Audrey has inspired bits and pieces of every aspect of the fashion world, including luxurious accessories for every occasion.  

My favorite Audrey-esque accessory would be the sleep mask she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). She could have worn a simple eye mask, but this is Audrey Hepburn we're talking about. It's really no surprise she donned a gold-trimmed, Tiffany blue mask, with a matching set of glamorous gold eyelashes. There are countless reproductions of the Holly Golightly sleep mask to this day.

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Pair a mask of this caliber with a luxurious pair of tassel earplugs, and you'll be catching your Z's in style. However, blocking auditory and visual signals could lead to being defenseless when attacked by a psychotic cat, like the one pictured above.

Although Audrey splurged on bold accessories like oversize sunglasses, opera gloves, and tiaras, she is best known for bringing sophistication to simple silhouettes.

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Many of you may know Audrey and Givenchy started the little black dress craze, but without Audrey's blessing, we could be missing fashion staples such as ballet flats, tapered capris, and the feminized button-down shirt.

The button-down shirt stopped being a mens only item when Audrey sported one in her breakout role as Princess Ann in Roman Holiday (1953).

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The Audrey Hepburn legacy isn't clothing items and accessories alone. She proved to the world that bold, dark eyebrows and boyish, short hairstyles can be flirty and feminine when styled correctly. Her thick eyebrows framed her beautiful doe eyes, and her pixie cut in Roman Holiday had women across the nation shearing off their locks.

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Audrey was a beauty of many talents, and should not be remembered for her style alone. Take a night out to watch a few of her classic films. You won't regret it!

Easter Hair and Makeup

With Easter just around the corner, now is the time to plan your holiday hair and makeup. Easter is a great opener to spring and it's array of makeup and hair looks. Soft and youthful hair and makeup are perfect for whatever you do this Easter, whether it's the morning church service, or dinner with the family.

Spring hair is not only a blast to style, but can be easy and effortless as well. Soft, feminine curls are an adorable look for spring. Aim for touchable, natural looking waves and ringlets.

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This style can be achieved with the use of a 1" or larger curling wand, hot rollers, or even your handy dandy straightener, with the right curling technique of course.

You'll want to curl all of your hair first, while staying away from the hairspray. Remember, you want soft curls that you can run your fingers through. After all the hair is curled, use a wide tooth comb or your fingers to separate the curls. This creates a natural, wavy look that's as soft as an Easter lamb's coat.

When you have your curls loosened to a nice wave, you can lightly spritz the hair with hairspray to lock in that gorgeous texture. If the curls are a bit frizzy, spray the hair with a light layer of heat protection or shine spray and smooth out the frizz with a paddle brush. When using a paddle brush on curls, brush the curls around your wrist to lock in a glossy, frizz-free style.

Now for my favorite part the Easter look, the makeup. With very step of the application process, use light strokes. You definitely want to avoid weighing the face down with a lot of makeup. Spring is all about fresh and innocent beauty, so use minimal makeup and play up your best features.

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For flawless spring baby skin, apply face powder with a kabuki brush. This will keep you from over applying powder while giving your skin an airbrushed look.

You can also skip the powder completely and blur imperfections with a BB cream. BB cream is a great product to use in the spring because it makes the wearer appear to have no makeup on, and it usually provides a little protection from the sun as well.

Blush is the key part of spring makeup. You'll really want to highlight your cheeks with a hint of blush in soft, feminine shades of peach and pink. For a fun, young look, really focus on the apples of your cheeks when applying your blush.

Everything else should be kept to a minimum. Use neutral tones of eye shadow  minimize eyeliner, and apply just a few swipes of mascara. Applying a highlighting powder or light eye shadow to the inner corners of your eyes will give you a pretty doe eyed appearance that's spot on for spring.

The lips should be kept light as well. Pinks, peaches, and nudes are the ideal lip color for this makeup look. To maintain the fresh, airy feel of the rest of our makeup, I suggest using a matte lip gloss or a velvety lip stain for a petal soft pout this Easter.

As long as you keep everything light and fresh, you will be sure to turn heads with all the natural beauty you have to offer this spring!

Lash Problems

Having the urge to lash out to get the most flirtatious lashes in town? It doesn't take expensive eyelash extensions, growth serums, eyelash perms, or even the beloved falsies to get an attention grabbing lash look.

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Knowing the area your lashes are lacking in is the first step to finding the perfect mascara, lash tools, and application technique to build your best eyelash look. 

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For stubby, barely there lashes, it's important to use the right tools to apply mascara. A thin mascara brush is ideal for lengthening lashes, because it gives the wearer easier access to the base of her lashes.

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When I want my lashes to look extra long, I hold my mascara brush at the base of my lashes and slowly blink my eye. This technique extends my lashes with every blink, and it prevents me from over applying my mascara. 

Mascaras that promise length are typically slicker than others, which can cause lashes to stick together. So, make sure you have a an eyelash comb, found on the other side of an eyebrow brush, to separate any fused lashes. 

For long, fluttering eyelashes, I swear by Benefit They're Real mascara. This mascara features an applicator with a domed tip that reaches every one of my lashes, even the little baby ones at the inner corner of my eyes. This is my favorite makeup product at the moment because the length was so convincing, friends asked if I got lash extensions put on.

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Another common lash problem is lackluster, sparseness at the lash line. Thick brushes, with plenty of bristles, are the best way to plump up lashes. The larger brush will define the lash line and fan out the lashes into a full, fierce effect.

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When applying the mascara, sweep the brush in a zigzag motion over the lashes. This technique insures that every lash is fluffed out and ready to go. Another quick trick for faking fuller lashes is to tightline the eyes. This means lifting your top lashes and applying eyeliner at the root of your lashes, under the lash line.

If you're looking for volume, get a mascara with a waxy formula. The wax will build up your lashes with every swipe, while acting as a spacer between lashes for added thickness. 

Any time I'm need extra volume, usually when I'm wearing a smoky eye look, I use Too Faced Lash Injection mascara. This formula is a rich, inky black that instantly makes my eyes pop. I like this mascara because it forms tubes around the natural lashes, pumping up the volume, without harming my eyelashes.

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Stick-straight eyelashes can also be fixed with the right mascara and the correct application technique. A curved mascara brush really makes a difference when trying to curl lashes.

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Before applying mascara, curl lashes with an eyelash curler. It doesn't take a fancy electric curler to bend the lashes. Using a hairdryer, shoot some warm air over a regular eyelash curler, allow a few seconds for the curler to cool (Use the touch test!!!! You do not want to burn your eyelid!!!!), and gently squeeze the curler onto your lashes. To avoid the bizarre-looking, straight up lash look, walk the curler from the base of your lashes to the ends.

My lashes never cooperate with the use of a curler alone. I have to depend on a strong curling mascara to finish the job. Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara helps retain the curl my eyelashes curler provides, and the curved brush is magnificent. 

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Now that you know which mascaras and application techniques are best for your eyes, you are finally free to put your greatest lash fears to rest. Hopefully, this post will have you batting those beauties all day long!

Putting Some Spring into Winter Hair

Is your hair dull and dry with wintry woes? A little color and a fresh cut will have your beauty in bloom with the upcoming season.

There are hundreds of fun ways to liven your hair up this spring. If you're a hair color virgin, a simple cut can still completely change your look.

For those of you brave enough to take the plunge, short pixie cuts are still dominating the short hair scene. Stars like Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron are rocking the cropped look.

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Extremely short styles look great on women with pronounced facial features. This style can be just a flexible as long hairstyles with the use of different products. A little mousse can give this sleek look a fun messy effect.

For those of you wishing to keep il your locks long and flowing, bangs and layers will transform your look and maintain your length.

Flirtatious brow and lash-grazing bangs are everywhere this season. Celebs such as Jessica Biel and Emma Stone have been sporting soft bangs with their spring cuts.

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Layers, long and short, are always a great way to give your hair some shape and movement. Amanda Seyfried's hair falls way past her shoulders, but her long layers give her hair the healthy, touchable look long hair needs.

Another way to bring brittle winter hair to life is a nice color treatment. Spring hair color options are about as limitless as the spring fashion. Fashionistas are splitting down two very different paths this year, with either natural-looking highlights or jaw-dropping pops of bright colors.

The ombré is still alive and well for spring. However, instead of extreme fading, women are opting for more subtle ombré looks that give hair a healthy shine.

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Dip-dying is taking the hair color scene by storm this spring. From girly pastels, to blazing neons, colored ends are giving ladies endless options for changing the look of their hair.

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Whether you're looking for a slight spring trim or a bold cut and color, your hair should reflect your unique personality and flair. Happy spring styling!