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Back to School (2)
The Latest In
Beauty-licious (4)
In the Bag (12)
Oh No! (6)
Designer Dreams (5)
Sale Rack (5)
Mini-Me Style (7)
FantasTech (17)

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Eye Opening

I was just introduced to some very popular beauty products for eyes, both for lashes and lids. Everything sounded so amazing that I couldn't resist spending some of my own hard earned money to try them out. I've had a chance to use each a few times...

The first item was the Shu Uemura Mini Eyelash Curler, $17

Shu Uemura Mini Eyelash CurlerI am a big fan of the original cult favorite Shu Uemura eyelash curler and been happily curling my lashes with it for years. This new mini eyelash curler caught my attention for two reasons:
1. It was by Shu Uemura
2. It promised to curl the hard to reach inner lashes and outer lashes the original can miss

I used my mini for the first time this morning and was quite surprised when I took it out of the box... it's very small! I know it's called the mini, but it's about 1/2 or a 1/4 of the original and therefore a bit awkward to use. It is much easier to reach the inner and outer lashes and I think that with practice, I will come to love the mini as much as the original. However, the mini will not replace the original, instead it should be used along with the original, to beautifully curl ALL of your lashes!

The second item was DiorShow Mascara by Christian Dior, $24

DiorShow MascaraI firmly believe "you get what you pay for" and that, in general, items of a lower price are often lower in quality. But I gave up on high priced mascara found at the counters of the department stores, as I didn't see a difference in the quality. I switched to a drugstore brand that received great reviews and was present on many top beauty product lists, Maybelline Great Lash mascara (the pink and green one).

I decided to abandon my $4 mascara and try DiorShow because of the rave reviews it received from co-workers and friends. I was immediately impressed when I pulled the brush out of the tube... it's very full and certainly gives the impression of a super mascara. I have used the mascara a couple times and really like it. I'm not convinced it's worth the extra $$, but I encourage everyone who LOVES make up to give it a try.

The third and final eye related item was Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion, $16

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer PotionEvery girl needs a primer under her make up, I never leave home
without it! I just tried a great product from AVON, called Magix, that functions as a primer, but also can be worn alone. This "magic" product actually does what it promises -- minimizes pores, and makes your skin look smooth and flawless. But I digress! The minute I discovered a primer for eyeshadow, I had to have it.

The first thing I noticed was the adorable bottle, just the thing you'd want a potion to come in! The primer potion kept my eyeshadow in place all day long! And didn't want to quit when I washed the rest of my make up off at the end of the day. I highly recommend this product to anyone who wants their make up to look the same at 9 pm as it did at 9 am. This is a must have for any bride!

Have you tried any of these products? Share your experiences or recommend other products that you love.

Designers in the Making

We all hate getting caught with the same thing as someone else and if you're a kid who's about to head back to school, you may be worrying more than ever. That's why I'm loving these products here that let you make a truly one-of-a-kind piece and get you noticed come the first day of class (and in a good way). I'm talking about a Color Your Own Canvas Bag from Hurley, which comes with a set of multi-colored markers that lets you decide how you want your carryall to look. No one else will be toting that to class and I'm sure you'll get plenty of compliments along the way!

Or take these Graffeeti Sneakers (what a cool name by the way). The shoe becomes your easel. You'll be the buzz of the class for sure, you mini-Picasso, you. And if you need to tweak your "art" or start from scratch (hey we all mess up), you can. The shoe's surface is made of dry erase paneling, so your drawings come right off.
This Design Your Own Lamp from Discovery Channel is a great piece to have in your dorm. You can insert all sorts of stuff in the lamp shade including photos, dried flowers, notes... anything you want.

I also found this Invent Your Scent Collection from the Body Shop, which lets girls create their very own perfume. The kit comes with six fragrances which can be combined to make all sorts of scents.

Now Moms, got little ones who are painting just about everything in your house including your precious white walls? Get their hands on a Paint Your Own Polo Shirt from Polo Ralph Lauren. The shirt comes with all the essentials including fabric paint, sponge brushes and a rubber stamp. The price ($45) may be a bit steep considering you can get a Hanes shirt and do the same thing, but a 100% of the proceeds go to charity. These is also perfect for your preppy or artsy teen.

Now that you're in the mood for designing, check out more Create Your Own and Design Your Own products >>

For more for Back to School, including our daily Fab Five picks, click here >>

Wall Candy

Searching for a cheap, easy way to update a room? Behold: Wallies Peel & Stick cut-outs. They are stickers to decorate your wall, although they can be used for much more -- on furniture, cabinets, doors, ceilings, wherever you get inspired. These are especially great for a children's bedroom. What a fun project to do now with your little ones to freshen up their room for the new school year! The stickers are removable too, so now when your kids want to change the look and feel of their room, which comes more often than you wish with kids who are growing up, it'll be painless. Wallies come in all sorts of designs, from flowers and animals to polka dots and choo-choo trains. My favorites are the Chalkboard and Dry Erase Wallies, which you can scribble and jot notes on. I almost forgot to mention that they start at only $7.50! Some are packaged as a set for $18.95 like this Chalkboard House, which comes with 6 other cut-outs and even chalk. Sure beats stenciling right?

Workplace Wardrobe Malfunctions

Office attire can be tricky business. Nowadays most work environments are pretty casual, which can be good and bad. With the freedom of being able to dress casual, comes the responsibility of being able to maintain a professional work environment.

I am a true believer that everything is not for everybody and that certain things are best left at home. Do your coworkers really need to see all of your non work related "business" in a mini skirt, plunging neckline, or pants that are too tight? Not only does it look unprofessional it borders on inappropriate. Wearing a t-shirt that says "Baby Mama" or "I Love Beer" is not only immature it is tacky and shouldnt be worn at all in public, much less your job.

Have you seen one of your office mates wear something that you felt would be better suited for the athletic or night club? Or are you guilty of one of our office malfunctions? Let us know what you think.

Fashion Rules For the 40+ Set

Is it fair to have to certain trends for certain ages? We felt that some trends are just not suitable for women who are over 40. Does a 50 year old woman really need to wear "Key West" or anything else for that matter, across her backside?

Let us know if you think that certain trends are only OK for certain ages or if we should all just toss the rules of fashion out the window and wear what you want to wear... no matter how old you are.

Upgrading your wedding ring? "I do" or "I don't"

This has been a very controversial topic in my own home. My husband and I just celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary and I have been planting the seed that when our 10th anniversary rolls around, I want a new ring.

We got engaged 8 years ago and while I do like my ring, I am ready for something different and more in line with who I am today. Although my husband did pick out my ring, even his tastes have evolved. He went from a fun loving beach bum to an ambitious guy who is a great husband and father. He traded in wild motorcycle riding days for road trips in our minivan.

He is of the mind set that a wedding ring, should not be viewed as costume jewelry and that it has sentimental history attached and that it is nice to look at the ring and see how far we have come and how far we can go.

Blah Blah Blah. My feeling is that a ring is just jewelry and not a true testament of our marriage, so there is nothing wrong with getting a new one. I think that upgrading your ring, is a nice way to celebrate your anniversary.

I have 4 more years to state my case and defend it, I will let you guys know in 2012 what the verdict is.

What do you think? Is it OK to upgrade your wedding ring?

Apple Announces the Next iPhone

Apple unveiled its next version of the hugely popular iPhone today, confirming the many rumors that have been surrounding the already-legendary phone for months. The iPhone 3G will feature 3G data speeds – far outpacing the current iPhone's Edge network speeds, and very closely rivaling Wi-Fi speeds.

In addition to the faster speeds, the iPhone 3G will have GPS, a flush headphone jack (so you can use your favorite headphones, instead of needing iPhone-specific headphones), a choice of colors (black or white back), and improved audio.

Thanks to the iPhone 2.0 firmware upgrade (also available for original iPhones), the iPhone 3G will have Exchange support and VPN for corporate users, as well as access to third party software and games via the Apps Store.

The iPhone 3G's battery life will actually improve on the previous iPhone, supplying 300 hours of standby, 10 hours of standard talk time, 5 hours of 3G talk time (most of any 3G phone), 5-6 hours of Web browsing, 7 hours of video watching, and 24 hours of audio playback.

The price for the iPhone 3G is drastically lower than the previous iPhone, starting at $199 for the 8GB model (available in black), and $299 for the 16GB model (available in black or white).

The iPhone 3G will be simultaneously released in several countries around the world, including the United States, on July 11, 2008.

Licensed to Shop
Licensed to Shop™ Blog is your ultimate online shopping blog. Shopping for a living, we let you in on what to buy and what not to but, what to wear and what not to wear. We discover the products and deals you’re looking for – everything from the hottest fashion and chic home décor to the newest gadgets and best toys – and put it right at your fingertips.

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