Star Wars: Fashion and Accessories

December 15, 2015December 15, 20155 Comments

Happy Star Wars week here on SassySweetSF! I hope you enjoyed Veronica’s post about Star Wars makeup by Covergirl (I know I did!).

For the last couple of weeks I have been searching [almost] endlessly trying to find something I can wear to the movie premiere on Thursday night. I ended up going to Target and finding some great Star Wars sweaters and shirts (and accessories!) and I wanted to share those (and more) with you.

Darth Vader Ugly Christmas Sweater in black, $19.60

Star Wars Episode VII Logo Vintage Tee, $14.99

Juniors’ Star Wars Character Graphic Tee from Hybrid, now $10.99 (originally $24)

Star Wars Women’s 2 Pack Knee High Socks – Darth Vader, $9.99

Women’s Star Wars Classic Logo Sweatshirt, $14.99

Disney Star Wars Episode VII Stormtrooper 3D stainless steel earrings, $49.99

Juniors’ Star Wars C3PO Foil Graphic T-Shirt, $29.00

Okay, so as you can see a majority of these are from Target, however, Macy’s Juniors’ department has a ton of graphic tees that are super cool. Looks like I’ll be stocking up on my Star Wars apparel today and tomorrow.

I can’t decide if I’m on the dark side or light side… I guess I’m on the “droid” side as I am a HUGE fan of C3PO and R2D2!

Which side are you on? Your graphic tee will tell all.

xoxo,

Leigh

Star Wars: CoverGirl Makeup Collection

December 14, 201512 Comments

It’s almost here…the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (opening in theaters this Thursday). Leigh and I both share a mutual love of the movies, and decided to pay homage this week by transforming the look of our blog and writing about all things Star Wars! First up, I’m talking about Star Wars inspired makeup.

CoverGirl recently released a limited-edition collection of makeup inspired by Star Wars. The collection includes 6 lipsticks, 3 nail polishes, and 2 mascaras (waterproof and regular in Very Black). The lipstick shades are a little out there for my personal taste, but I could see myself wearing the Nude 70 (last one, below) and maybe the Red 30 (3rd one, below).

All three nail polish shades are very wearable and perfect for this time of year in the colors (left to right): Speed of Light 200, Red Revenge 180, and Nemesis 195.

For a little inspiration, Iconic makeup artist and CoverGirl Global Creative Design Director Pat McGrath has created seven intergalactic beauty looks to go with the collection. See all of the looks and the face maps explaining the colors and techniques used for each below. I love the soft neutral palette for the Jedi look – definitely the most wearable of the bunch. But a less theatrical take on the “Droid” or the “Chrome Captain” looks could be fun for New Year’s Eve!

My question is: are you on the light side…or the dark side? I might be a little of both 😉

xoxo,

Veronica

Holiday Party Attire (and Makeup!)

December 10, 2015December 10, 2015Leave a comment

Veronica and I have our work holiday party tonight and I thought it would be a great time to share my outfit and makeup with you all today. I am obsessed with the blue feather dress I got from Express on Black Friday and am super excited to wear it tonight. Here’s my outfit (and makeup) for tonight:

Feather Print V-Neck Bell Sleeve Dress

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Kelly & Katie Macaw Boot from DSW

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Crystal stud earrings from Macy’s Fine Jewelry (wore these at my wedding!)

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My makeup will be simple, subtle and holiday-ish. With parties like these I tend to not go overboard with my glam, but am sure to add a little sparkle to my face with eyeshadow.

bareMinerals Pure Brightening Serum Liquid Foundation in Bare Beige 08 from Sephora

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Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette from Sephora

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After using Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer, here’s how I layer these colors:

Eyelid base: “Limit”

Eyelid color: After wetting the brush a little bit I use the color “trick.” Wetting the brush prior to grabbing the color allows for the glitter in the shade to stay on the brush and not get all over your foundation.

Brow bone color: “Naked Lunch” by MAC.

Then blend with a blending brush.

Smashbox Limitless Liquid Liner Pen in black (I apply a thin line along my lash line)

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Benefit Cosmetic’s “They’re Real!” Lengthening and Volumizing mascara

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MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Blush in Rosy Outlook

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After I apply all my makeup, I apply Urban Decay’s All Nighter Long-Lasting makeup setting spray.

There you go! Now you have a sneak peek of my look for tonight’s shindig. Veronica and I will be sure to take a selfie tonight (as we always do at these things…) and share our looks with you all on Instagram.

xoxo,

Leigh

On Display: Holiday Windows

December 9, 20156 Comments

Saks Fifth Avenue

I was out doing a little holiday shopping the other night after work, and I started to look around and notice all of the amazing window displays in Union Square. They are always pretty fabulous, but there is something about the windows during the holidays that is just that much more special. Maybe it’s the extra sparkle, maybe it’s the magic of the season…I decided to photograph a few that caught my eye to share with everyone. At first I was annoyed that I kept getting so many reflections in the pictures, but after looking at them I think that’s kind of the beauty of the shots. You get a real sense of being in the city, making the storefronts uniquely San Francisco.

Saks Fifth Ave 2

{Detail of Saks Fifth Avenue display – this was my favorite!}

Saks Fifth Avenue accessories

{Saks Fifth Avenue accessories display}

Louis Vuitton

{Louis Vuitton – hard to see, but the circles of lights moved behind the clothing}

Macy's

{Macy’s window}

Macy's 2

{Close-up detail of the Macy’s window – all about the gold!}

Gap

{Gap window featuring a cable car made complete of denim}

Neiman Marcus

{Neiman Marcus window}

Neiman Marcus detail

{Detail of Neiman Marcus window – doesn’t the mannequin look like a real person?!}

Christmas tree Union Square

{The famous Union Square tree and Tiffany & Co. in the background}

Union Square menorah

{A giant Hanukkah menorah in Union Square}

Macy's SF SPCA

{By far the cutest display, the SF SPCA windows at Macy’s featuring adoptable pets!}

Macy's SF SPCA 2

{More SF SPCA cats playing in the window}

Do you have favorite holiday window displays? If you live in or near San Francisco, it really puts one in the holiday spirit to walk around at night and look at all of the windows lit up, and stroll through Union Square to look at the tree and ice skaters. And of course, make a stop by the Macy’s SF SPCA window and ooh and awww at the adorable pets (you might find a new fur friend to adopt and bring home).

xoxo,

Veronica

Leigh’s Holiday Gift Guide

December 8, 2015December 8, 20153 Comments

Whether it’s for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Years or any other winter holiday you celebrate, holiday shopping can be tough if you really don’t know what to get someone. I know I’ve been there numerous times, standing in a section of a department store or beauty store just trying to think of what someone would enjoy receiving as a gift. I’ve compiled a list of 10 gift ideas under $100 to help ease the process for you. Enjoy!

LeighGiftGuide

Nadri framed skinny cuff at Nordstrom, $58. This is a great accessory that can be worn again and again. It comes in gold and silver.
Vanilla Sugar Ring Candle by Diamond Candles, $24.95. This candle not only makes your home smell cozy, but there’s a ring in every candle!
Bosca “Executive ID” Nappa Leather Wallet at Nordstrom, $100. Sometimes men need an upgraded wallet, especially if they’ve had one for a while. Here’s a great leather wallet that will surely last another seven years.
S’well “Love” water bottle at liefshop.com, $35. For those who are constantly drinking water, this stylish water bottle keeps things cool for 24 hours.
Hand Food by Soap & Glory, $8. Great for keeping hands moisturized during the cold months and not oily.
Cat Study Mug at Anthropologie, $14 each. For those cat lovers in your life…
Renewed Hope in a Jar by Philosophy, $47. Great moisturizer for all skin types.
Eternity Now for Men by Calvin Klein at Macy’s, $80. Men are hard to shop for at times, but here’s a great cologne gift set from Calvin Klein.
Hudson Marble Mortar Pestle at Pier 1 Imports, $39.95. A must-have kitchen essential for combining herbs and more.
Amazon Kindle at Amazon.com, $80. Who doesn’t love a good book and a glass of wine on those cold winter nights? Kindles make reading books 10x easier.

I hope you like these picks. Let me know if you purchase any of these in the comments below!

xoxo,

Leigh

Veronica’s Holiday Gift Guide

December 7, 2015December 11, 2015Leave a comment

VeronicaGiftGuide

Customize a cozy sweatshirt for your bestie (they also have sequined emojis and fun icons you can add-on for free!).
A luxurious candle in a universally pleasing scent and the prettiest glass jar.
Shimmering drop earrings perfect for holiday parties or a night out.
An ingenious and stylish bracelet that keeps hair ties handy.
Hilarious tear-off desk calendar featuring funny e-cards.
This chic Bluetooth compatible speaker will please any music lover (also comes in black, white, and turquoise).
Party-perfect nail polish set in travel-ready mini bottles and fun, festive colors.
This cosmetic bag lays flat to display makeup, then drawstrings closed into a portable clutch (I’m obsessed with mine!).
For foodies, a gourmet sampler pack of six delicious oils and vinegar (any combo, your choice). Lime is my personal fav for cooking seafood and Mexican food!
A sleeping bag for your feet, literally. I live in these slippers during the winter months!

Hope you liked my picks! Almost all of the items I own and recommend, or they’re on my wish list. Do you have any favorite gifts to give or receive? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo,

Veronica

Winter Reads

December 3, 201515 Comments

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with my Kindle e-reader (Note to self: charge your Kindle!). You can usually find me during the winter months with a hot cider (or glass of wine) and my Kindle on my lap. Since it’s raining in San Francisco and Marin County tonight, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite winter reads – and some that I’ve been wanting to read. If you want to amp up your book collection and spend more time reading, look to see if there’s a book club you could join. I just joined one a few months ago and have read way more than I ever have.

Here are my top picks:

* = haven’t read yet

1. Harry Potter Series

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2. The Cuckoo’s Calling, Book 1 in the Cormoran Strike Series

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3. The Girl on the Train

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4. The All Souls Trilogy

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5. All The Lights We Cannot See *

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6. Ready Player One * (started but haven’t finished)

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7. The Rosie Project

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8. Game of Thrones*

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9. The Nightingale*

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10. Everything I Never Told You*

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Have you read any of these books? Do you have some suggestions for good winter reads? Let me know in the comments or follow me on Goodreads!

xoxo,

Leigh

POPSUGAR Must Have Box review (plus a coupon code!)

December 2, 2015Leave a comment

POPSUGAR Must Have Box - November

It’s no secret that I’m kind of obsessed with subscription boxes lately, and have been trying them out in search of the “perfect box” (for myself that is, obviously preferences vary!). I recently had the chance to try out the POPSUGAR Must Have box, and I have to say, it’s pretty amazing. So amazing in fact that I immediately signed up for a subscription!

I’m sure you’re familiar with POPSUGAR, the hugely popular website that provides up-to-the-minute content on entertainment, fitness, food, shopping and more. The POPSUGAR Must Have boxes are curated by POPSUGAR Editor in Chief Lisa Sugar and include full-sized items from the best in fashion, beauty, home, food, fitness and more. And this year, the boxes all have themes that relate to the month; January was all about warmth and health, February focused on Valentine’s Day love and pampering, March was all about spring travel etc, etc. As you can see below, November embraces entertaining and celebrating.

There are several reasons I really love this box:
1. Full-size products (no lame sample sizes here!)
2. It doesn’t just focus on beauty or fitness – it’s a fun grab bag of products from each sector of life.
3. Themed boxes – because who doesn’t love a theme?

Each box retails for just $39.95 but contains products valued at over $100. Plus, if you buy more than one month, discounts apply (3 months = a $10 savings, 6 months = $25 savings). To sign up now click here! And better yet, I have a coupon code for you! Use code MUSTHAVE5 at checkout for $5 off any new subscription.

If not for yourself, I think it would make the perfect gift for a friend or family member. There is the option to send it as a one-time only gift (no subscription needed), just make sure to check the box under gift options (“I’m shipping to multiple addresses or sending a one-time gift”) during check out.

Details from the November box:
Tarte Cosmetics Beauty & the Box Eye Shadow
Deepa Gurnani Katie Crystal Headband (my fav from this box – wear to holiday parties!)
West Emory Bingo Set
Capri Blue Mercury Jewel Box in Rain
Terrapin Ridge Farms Pecan Honey Mustard
Gramr Gratitude Co. Exclusive Thanksgiving Postcard Pack
Inkdot Gift Card
– Over a $130 value!

Do you subscribe to the POPSUGAR Must Have Box? Do you have other favorite subscription boxes? Let us know in the comments!

xoxo,

Veronica

A Ring in a Candle?

December 1, 2015Leave a comment

This time of year calls for the fireplace going, dim lighting and lots and lots of candles burning. While I am an avid fan of Yankee Candles and the vast array of scents they have, I also purchase at least a few Diamond Candles during the year (especially this time of year).

What makes Diamond Candles unique? Well it’s the fact that there’s a ring waiting for you when you burn the wick low enough. Wrapped in a goldish foil, a random $10 ring waits for you. While it’s just a $10 ring, your candle comes with a reveal code that you enter on Diamond Candles’ website to find out if you’ve won another ring worth $100, $1,000 or $5,000. I have yet to win, but I just purchased some more candles with hopes that I win on the “wheel of reveal” as I like to call it. Most of their candles run for $24.95 and you can almost always find a coupon.

Here are my five favorite scents from Diamond Candles:

1. Vanilla Cream Ring Candle

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2. Pumpkin Chai Ring Candle

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3. Apple Slice Ring Candle

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4. Orange Blossom Ring Candle

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5. Lilac Blossom Ring Candle

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If you think this concept is cool and end up purchasing one, too, let me know in the comments and snap a photo of your ring and tag @SassySweetSF on instagram to share!

xoxo,

Leigh

Spray On Nail Polish?!

November 30, 2015November 30, 2015Leave a comment

Nails Inc Paint Can

When I first heard about the Nails Inc. Paint Can (aka “spray on nail polish”) I was highly skeptical. How on earth could that not be horribly messy, and how do you apply it without getting it all over your hands?

However, being the beauty junkie that I am, I was intrigued. And when I started to see major beauty websites and blogs reviewing the product, I knew I needed more info. The basic gist of the product is that you are able to spray on an even coat of nail polish in just seconds, and with a quick wash of your hands to remove the excess paint, you’ll have a perfect manicure! But is it really that simple? After reading several reviews (like this one), I’ve observed some similarities in advice and have put together the following tips:

Use an old towel or newspaper (or something similar to that) to cover the surface you will be spraying on, as it can adhere and damage the surface.
The particles from the spray can float in the air, so also be careful of the outfit you’re wearing.
You must apply a base coat first for the polish to adhere to (otherwise it will just wash off). However, it doesn’t have to be the Nails Inc. base coat – any will do.
Don’t paint the base coat on your cuticles, or the polish will adhere to your cuticles as well.
It works best to wait approximately 2 minutes for the polish to dry before washing off the excess.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get my hands on the product (it’s currently sold out everywhere), but you can sign up here to be on the wait list to be notified when more stock becomes available (currently there are only two colors offered – bright pink and silver). It officially launches in March 2016 in the US, and Nails Inc promises to have more colors available at that time. I’d love to see a pale pink and an opaque white for spring, and a deep red is always classic.

What colors would you like to see? Have you tried this product? I’d love to hear from you!

xoxo,

Veronica