Office Hours for 9/27/13

Above: Completely random…if it is even possible, I adore Jethro more each day…he’s such a loving little lamb!
Happy Friday to you!  This post marks my next installment of Office Hours…a variety of musings, both beauty and non-beauty related.  Kindly scroll on for a carefully-curated collection of randomness ; )
Above: Two coats of Fluorescent Beige in natural lighting…a clean and sophisticated nude.

This may be my most professional nail polish picture ever…clean lighting, a careful application and, most importantly, a divine nail lacquer shade.  Marc Jacobs Fluorescent Beige is a new favorite for both fingers and toes…truly a unique nude.

Above: Since my wonderful grandmother is a breast cancer survivor, I have a special place in my heart for this cause.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and one delightfully fragrant way to contribute to the cause is to consider purchasing the Nest candle in Passion.  For each candle sold, Nest will donate 10% of the purchase to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  
Above: The Nest candle in Passion…a brilliant hot pink wax in a sturdy glass jar.

Inspired by the tireless efforts of Evelyn Lauder, this candle smells divine; a lush blend of roses, sandalwood and pittosporum (her favorite fragrance note), this potent creation fills my house with an intoxicating fragrance, even when it is not lit!  

Above: The textbook I use for my mediation course. Thorough and concise!

In addition to my normal teaching schedule, I am lecturing a new class this semester.  Focused on the intricate process of mediation, it’s my aim to teach my students the constructive art of negotiation and problem solving. My class is full of individuals who are passionate about both communication and the concept of mediation; this collective energy is yielding a fantastic dynamic of lively discussion and applied practice!

Above: The Oakland Booties in action (or relaxation, should I say).

Boots, boots and more boots…I cannot seem to get enough.  This most recent pair (called Oakland Booties) came from Anthropologie and features a slightly painted toe, distressed cream leather patina and perforated ankle section.  I love wearing them with both shorts and jeans and know they will be an integral (and comfortable!) wardrobe asset in the coming months.

Above: My Loren Stewart Itsy ID bracelet flanked by a Santa Fe one of a kind and vintage Cartier Love Bracelet.

Gold and silver harmoniously residing side by side on my wrist brings me great joy.  The latest addition to this “arm party” comes in the form of a delicate (yet sturdy) Loren Stewart ID bracelet…the chain is sterling silver while the tiny ID bar is 14k gold, complimented by a single tiny diamond.  I love how understated it is and the fact that it is made entirely of precious metals means I never never have to take it off!  I am a solid devotee of the Loren Stewart line; the pieces are simultaneously edgy, classic and chic, a design trifecta that is difficult to find.

Above: Behold the purple glory of a gorgeously packaged Hana styling tool.  

Recently, I became acquainted with an online haircare retailer called Misikko.com.  In turn, I was privileged to try a couple of styling tools from the Hana line and am completely impressed with both the  presentation and performance of these products.  I will reserve future blog posts and videos to properly discuss the straightener and hairdryer I’ve been testing, but in the meanwhile thought I’d feature a picture of how the items are sent.  Each styling tool is accompanied by a plethora of color coordinated little gifts…from an eyelash curler to a manicure set, the bonus items are pure sunshine.

Above: Sibu Beauty specializes in Sea Buckthorn Oil products.

The restorative properties of Sea Buckthorn Oil have been abuzz in the beauty world in recent months. I had the chance to try a Sibu Beauty supplement featuring this hallowed ingredient and am infinitely pleased with  the Omega-7 rich gel caps and their power to positively enhance my skin hydration and digestion process.  Prolonged usage promises major anti-aging benefits…I cannot wait to continue taking this supplement and will weigh in on my experience again in the near future!

Above: A single gel cap. 
Above: A quick screen shot of the post!
As a RoC Skincare Ambassador, I was honored to be featured on the RoC Skincare Facebook page offering “Ageless Advice” from my lovely mother.  Her “hands off” face approach in engrained in my psyche and I completely attribute my clearer and healthier skin to my adherence to this rule.  

Above: Empty trays full of foundation promise!

New foundation sighting…since reading about its release in Europe a few months ago, I have been stalking the arrival of the Giorgio Armani Maestro Compact Foundation and spied this empty tray at my local Nordstrom Armani counter, just begging to be filled with testers.  I am told that it will arrive at stores by early October but discovered that it can be ordered on the Giorgio Armani Beauty website right now!  I will be waiting to swatch the shades in person before buying my perfect match ; )

Above: By Terry Sheer Expert #7 + Ardency Inn Custom Color Concentrate together on the face.
 In the midst of some recent travels, I was experimenting with customizing a foundation formula and discovered the many merits of mixing By Terry Sheer Expert #7 with Ardency Inn Custom Color Concentrate in Light-Medium Olive.  The combination is insanely excellent…glowy, full coverage, a spot on color match and a lasting skin finish.  Wholly inspired by this mixture, I even filmed a video on this process that should be live in the very near future!
Bottom Line: There is so much on my beauty radar right now…from the recap of last week’s Neiman Marcus event (in the midst of crafting the post) to the impending arrival and review of new products including Muji acrylic boxes (to organize my makeup stash), a bevy of Lipstick Queen pinky nude shades, Givenchy Teint Couture Foundation, and Peau Vierge powder (!),  I am excited to create these future posts for the blog!  
I hope you enjoyed this round of Office Hours and will be properly responding to comments on previous posts very soon (it’s been crazy busy!).  Have a gorgeous weekend and thanks for being such a lovely reader!
xoxo,
–The Beauty Professor
**PR samples provided for review, however, as always, all of my opinions are expressly and unequivocally my own.  This post contains affiliate links; my disclosure policy contains additional details on how these work.

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Comments (14)

  • Anonymous Reply

    GORGEOUS!! LOVE IT!! Can't wait for your reviews on your recent purchase!

    September 28, 2013 at 4:50 am
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      So glad you enjoyed this crazy little post ; ) Keep me posted on if/when you get the Suqqu…I am dying for mine to arrive!!!

      xoxo,

      –The Beauty Professor

      September 28, 2013 at 5:51 am
  • Unknown Reply

    Hi,
    What a great post!
    Jethro is soooo cute, what breed is he? I have 3 dogs at home.
    My wonderful mother in law is also a breast cancer survivor so it is also a cause that is close to my heart and it is so fantastic to see so many company releasing products to donate some of the profits from their sales.
    The lip colour yet again is just perfection and the mix of foundation gives a beautiful finish.
    Now I am in quandary as to which shade of Cover expert to purchase. As I have mentioned I was getting 9 but after seeing this on you and my skin colour looks nearly identical to yours I'm really wondering if maybe I should get 7?
    Or even 8 looking at your swatches on your other posts. But that maybe a bit peach/pink & I have yellow undertones but most foundations I go for neutral. What would you recommend? I'm worried 9 maybe a little dark.
    Your opinion would be great.
    Hope everything is great with you and keep these sort of posts coming they are great.

    Julie

    September 28, 2013 at 7:15 am
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      Hello Julie,

      Thank you ever so much! Jethro is a Peke-a-Poo (half Pekinese, half Poodle) and such a sweet boy. What kinds of dogs do you have? That is excellent that your mother in law is a breast cancer survivor…the amount of lives this disease effects is tragic, and it is always important to celebrate survival!!

      Thanks also for your words about my lip/foundation combination. With regards to your question about the By Terry, I think you could likely get away with the #7 if your skin is the same shade as mine…I wear #7 from early Fall through Spring and only have to jump to the #9 in the summer when my body has picked up a tan. #7 is a lovely light beige for skin with yellow undertones and is a seamless match for me right now. Hope that helps!

      I hope you had a lovely weekend and look forward to chatting soon…xoxo,

      –The Beauty Professor

      September 29, 2013 at 10:48 pm
    • Unknown Reply

      Hey there,

      Thanks for the advice regarding the foundation I'm going to start with 7 now I think and if I need to later into summer I'll possibly step up to 9.
      The 3 dogs we have are 2 American Bulldogs and a Jack Russell terrier. 1 of the American Bulldogs and the Jack Russell are very old now, we even bought them over from New Zealand to Australia when we moved.
      They are all fantastic with the kids and great guard dogs.

      I hope that your week is going well and thanks again for all the hard work you put into your blog and videos you must be very busy and it's really appreciated.

      Take care and talk soon.

      Julie

      October 2, 2013 at 4:06 am
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      Hello Julie,

      I hope your week is going well! I've been traveling quite a bit lately and my ability to respond to comments has been slightly challenged as of late ; ) I think starting with #7 is a good move and it mixes well with #9 should you need to step it up a notch in the summer.

      Your three dogs sound adorable and sweet…love it!

      Thanks for your sweet comment and continued support of my blog…it means a great deal to me!

      xoxo and talk soon,

      –The Beauty Professor

      October 8, 2013 at 8:00 pm
  • Bella Reply

    I love Office Hours! And your booties :).

    September 28, 2013 at 10:01 am
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      Thanks, Bella…so happy to hear it! I so appreciate you stopping by!

      xoxo,

      –The Beauty Professor

      September 29, 2013 at 10:48 pm
  • Lynn127 Reply

    Hi B.P another great Office hours post. Although they may be random, they do a wonderful job of keeping the reader interested & excited to scroll on to see whats next! Bravo!! Love it. And the boots! And Jethro!! I wonder if u can tell me more about the Ardency Inn foundation…where to get it, how to get swatches. It looks crazy good with the By Terry sheer. Also how much do u mix in with other foundations, moisturizers ect.? Thanks xoxo Happy Saturday!

    September 29, 2013 at 1:46 am
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      Hello dear Lynn!

      Thank you…I am so glad you find the randomness compelling ; ) The Ardency Inn Custom Coverage Concentrate is pretty fantastic…it is a super pigmented product, much like the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, but this formula agrees with my skin much more (it's unscented and non-poreclogging)! I mix a bit with either the Peau Vierge or By Terry Sheer Expert and it makes the most perfect full coverage formula. I still adore the Kanebo Sensai CP Cream foundation and Jouer Cream but this is a lovely addition to my favorites ; )

      I just did a video on the combination and it should be live in a day or two if you're interested! As far as I know, Ardency Inn can only be purchased at select Sephora stores right now!

      xoxo and hope your weekend has been lovely thus far,

      –The Beauty Professor

      September 29, 2013 at 11:01 pm
    • Lynn127 Reply

      Thanks, I jut viewed the video. Also checked out sephora. I'm thinking light medium shade but may talk to an advisor. Thank you for taking the time out for the video on your trip. Much appreciated. Have a good week & don't work too hard. Haha

      September 30, 2013 at 4:36 am
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      Glad it was helpful, Lynn…happy to help ; ) Keep me posted on what you decide…xoxo and have a lovely Monday!

      –The Beauty Professor

      September 30, 2013 at 6:02 am
  • Anonymous Reply

    Hi, I was wondering what you thought of the By Terry Sheer Expert in comparison to the Kevin Aucoin sheer tinted skin balm. Is one better than the other or are they very different in your opinon? Also do you still like the Rouge Bunny Rouge foundation? Thank you!

    October 1, 2013 at 8:59 pm
    • The Beauty Professor Reply

      Hello Anon,

      Thanks for the question. I prefer the By Terry Sheer Expert to the Kevyn Aucoin Sheer Tinted Skin Balm; I think it gives a better glow and, even though it is sheer, has more buildable coverage overall and a prettier finish. Also, I do still like the Rouge Bunny Rouge foundation. It provides medium coverage that is slightly luminous and ultra light!

      I hope that helps…xoxo,

      –The Beauty Professor

      October 2, 2013 at 1:17 am

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