Hello Lovelies.

A painter paints pictures on canvas.

But musicians paint their pictures on silence.

-Leopold Stokowski

Sula Perfumes

A few days ago, while shopping in Fremont with Berit and her mother,

I ran across some GLORIOUS little oil perfume rollers.

(There is also the option of an Eu de Parfum spritz bottle,

but I like the roller because of it's portability and controlled application,

plus the rollers are oil based, so they last longer and smell better)

The fragrances are:

Blackberry Blush-blackberry, cassis, osmanthus, rose, soft musk, vanilla

Butterfly Kiss-sweet pea, pink peony, freesia, blackberry, gardenia

Stiletto Musk- musk, amber, flora

Vanilla Blossom-vanilla, tonka bean, cherry blossom

Sun Kissed Citrus- tangerine, lemon, orange, grapefruit, bergamot

and Champagne Sugar- champagne, ginger, cotton candy, sugar cane

Every single one smells amazing, simple and light

I personally LOVED the Blackberry Blush

(I actually got so excited I broke this one in the store... oops!)

They are not too pricey, and come in a variety of lovely scents.

Berit's mom even bought one!

I don't remember the name of the little boutique we were in,

but you can find them at online at Sula Beauty,

at Anthropologie, or at Ulta

"Break rules,

Set Trends,

And always play pretty."

-from Susane Lang, the founder of Sula Beauty

<3

Claire

Made Up?

Why do I love makeup?

Well, lots of reasons,

but one reason is that cosmetics allow us to see parts of ourselves in a new way,

to bring out the beauty that might have gone unnoticed,

to reach within ourselves and find a new person that wasn't being seen.

Inspiring, I know.

Fashion Models are by no means perfect.

They are chosen for their distinctiveness, their unconventional attributes...

Their slightly strange qualities make them noticeable.

But what sets them apart is their ability to wear any look, any makeup, rock any style.

Every time they work, an aspect of their beauty is discovered.

As a makeup artist, it is my job to look into a face and see those different possibilities.

By now we should all know that adjectives like:

"Beautiful" and "Ugly" and "Normal" and "Weird"

they have no place in the fashion world,

the art is in the blurring of the line, in not limiting ourselves

And I LOVE that!

I have no idea who this is, but the transformation is remarkable

Natasha Poly has the most lovely lopsided mouth and delicate bone structure

Karolina Kurkova is famous and desired for her wide mouth and narrow nose

Jessica Stam reminds me of a cat. With INSANE eyes.

Lily Donaldson is more or less Britain's prized poodle right now,

and she has a crooked chin!

I have talked about my love for Lara Stone.

She is so weird looking, her eyebrows are BOMB.

But hey!

Don't leave it up to the makeup artists of the world to find beauty in your weirdness-

Find it in yourselves!

LOVE yourself

Be a supermodel, the world is your runway

Do not wear a mask, but rather accessorize your beauty

YOU are the superhero, your beauty is the sidekick,

and makeup should be just one of the things in your tool belt.

<3

Claire

Oh Yeah...

All those people who DO look perfect...

LOL they aren't.

<3>

Claire

Prada Resort Collection/Capsule Collection 2011

In 2005 I was lucky enough to travel to Spain and Portugal with my mother and some friends. One of my favorite places that we visited was the Portuguese town of Sintra, home to the Palacio Nacional and its beautiful "azulejos," or blue tile murals.

Flashback from the weird geography lesson: I was delighted to find out that Prada not only included azulejo-inspired designs in their Resort 2011 collection, but created an entire blue-and-white capsule collection based off of them!

Prada's designs as of late have been a really great mix of classic mid-20th century America/pinup mixed with a little Lolita, and I wiiiiiiiiish I could have found a good photo of the beautiful three-quarter-sleeved, full-skirted dress made in this same print. So beautiful!

It's so wonderful to see designs that evoke deep emotions or memories in a fashion world where so many designs are judged based on their shock factor.

Hope you're all having wonderful holidays! I still have a food baby!

-B

The Holidays Can Be a Lonely Time

Single Ladies put your hand up...

This time every year,

with all the fairy lights and mistletoe and fireworks,

I get a little sad about being single...

But then I remember:

i have a family that loves me

i have bomb-tastic siblings

i have the best, most beautiful friends in the world

that makeup is waaaay to much fun

tigers are awesome

So my single friends, be happy!

And always remember:

<3

Claire

WTForever 21: Best Laugh You'll Have All Day

One of my friends recently directed me towards a glorious blog called WTForever 21, a heavenly url that hilariously skewers the more insane designs done by Forever 21, Inc.

Whatever opinions you may hold about Forever 21, take a look at this website and enjoy a chuckle or two!

Here's a taste:

WTForever 21 writes of this blouse: "Ladies, unless you are a light-skinned, petite, mulatto gentleman with an ass as tiny as his vocal range is wide, do not attempt this look."

Lolz.

-B

P.S. If you live anywhere East of the Pacific time zone, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Rain City Stylistas is Now on Bloglovin'!

Follow my blog with bloglovin

It's a great way to see posts by all the blogs you follow in one place!

Winter Necessities Part 3: Driving Gloves

I've been lusting after driving gloves ever since Rihanna started rocking them when she first exploded on the fashion scene. They're edgy, sassy, and versatile. They're made of one part biker gang, two parts 80's music videos, and a small pinch of a drunken bar fight. Ironically, none of these things really involve driving a fancy sports car.

Here's a few affordable options, including a vegan pair:

(Land's End- $22.99)

(Deena & Ozzy Macrame Leather Gloves- $28.00)

(Nixon "Already Gone" Sheepskin Gloves- $30.00)

(82 Nation Vegan Glove- $16.98)

And for the not-so-expensive...

(Burberry Studded Driving Gloves- $250.00)

P.S. If you're looking for a great holiday cupcake recipe try these gingerbread cuppies with cream cheese marshmallow frosting here! The recipe can be found at #28!

-B

Holiday Gifts For Your Girlfriends

HELLO everyone!!!!!

I'm home in Seattle now, having survived finals and taken a few days to recover once I arrived home :)

The holidays are GLORIOUS but can be fiscally stressful, especially when you're in college!

Here's a great way to make some cute little gifts on a budget for your girlfriends- I did this for mine when we got together for our Christmas exchange.

1) First you'll need to take a little trip to the thrift store and find some wine/champagne glasses, one for each friend. They don't have to match, and honestly I think it's cuter if they don't! Make sure you wash them, though...

2) Now you get to decide what you want to fill the glasses with- candy, a cute little accessory, or if you're me... matching Betsey Johnson undies! ($2.99 each at TJMaxx!) Decorate the glasses however you wish, with plenty of bows and ribbons!

3) Purchase a bottle of your favorite bubbly, be it alcoholic or non-alcoholic to serve once the presents have been opened!

(It's Martinelli's, c'mon)

How do you celebrate the holidays with your peeps? What kind of DIY gifts have you been crafting this season?

Time to go wrap some presents! :)

-B

A Guide to Happy Hair

as per request (sorry it has taken so long! finals killed...)

Truth: Hair is difficult.

But here are some tips to make it easier!

*Wash your hair as little as possible.

Brush your hair lots to distribute oils and stimulate your scalp.

Always follow Shampoo with conditioner

Mixed Chicks

BEAUTIFUL for curly hair!

Pantene Relaxed and Natural

If your hair has been chemically treated at all, this is your line

Head and Shoulders

DANDRUFF DANDRUFF DANDRUFF... BE GONE!!!!

Aveda

For dry, coarse, split end-y hair

EverPure

Berit turned me on to this vegan color protection line, it's amazing

*in between washes, use a dry shampoo

(plus= superbly great texture and volume!)

Just spritz into roots and massage through and brush out the extra!

Oscar Blandi

AMAZING, plus it's not an aerosol can!

*Deep Condition every three days

-unless your hair is frighteningly dry (SWIMMERS!)

then just use it every wash

Joico

K-Pak is awesome jawsome for curly whirly hair

Garnier

smells AHHHHMAZING, and works great on dry hair

S Factor

my sister's hair is thick thick thick and coarse and wavy

I feel bad because I got amazing straight soft japanese hair

Her stylist recommended this,

and she loves loves loves it!

It softens and smooths and delights

ORS

for dandruff, a tea tree oil scalp treatment is a must

*If you use heat, use a protective product to shield your strands from DEATH

Nexxus

what can i say? this stuff is bomb!

Paul Mitchell

consistently a favorite in the beauty community

*Use a great styling product for optimal BOWCHICAWOWOW

Bumble and Bumble Styling Lotion

for hair that obeys

Fekkai Curls

the best curl cream I have come across, not greasy or crunchy at all

Miss Jessies

this brand is owned by two african american women,

and is all around amazing for hair that has any texture other than straight and smooth.

it also smells good enough to eat.

*Get your hair cut.

Keeping your ends trimmed up is the only way to get rid of split ends.

Uncle Jesse and his prized hair

Keep on glowing!

<3

Claire

Précieux!

How adorable does Michelle Williams look at the premiere of Blue Valentine?

(Incidentally, I REALLY want to see this: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams!)

<3

Claire

Happy Saturday

*cushioned headboards

*square cups

*light eyes in a dark face

*pineapple

*italian sodas

*saunas

*carl sagan

*roman arches

*snow

*saturday mornings

<3

Claire

Socks For Winter!

Upon request, this next post for winter clothing staples will again regard footwear!

I don't like socks. I hate the way they feel on my feet, how the seam never lines up... but alas, winter requires them sometimes, be it thick wool or just some playful ones to pair with heels and a dress.

To wear under boots:

(DKNY Cable Boot Topper- $24.00)

(Hunter 'Welly' Pattern Cuff Socks- $40.00)

These would be great under regular boots, too!

(Smartwool 3-Pack- $69.85)

Smartwool socks are WARM and they wear well- a seriously good investment!

(Betsey Johnson Sweet Heart Crochet- $24.00)

To rock with sneakers or heels:

(Lace Ankle Sock- $8.00)

(UO Patterned Socks- $8.00)

(Pinky Toe Socks- $14.99)

Or if you're feeling really crazy...

(Unisex Wigwam Socks- $10.00)

Hope this helps keep your toesies warm!

-B

ModCloth Wins Again

How COOL is this dress on ModCloth?!

(Queen Of the Cosmos Dress- $69.99)

It looks to me almost like a colorful McQueen piece- the print is similar, no?

Just got back to school last night and I'm already procrastinating... here's to finals!

-B

Winter Necessities: SWEATER TIGHTS!

Sorry for the blogging hiatus, I've been feeling really boring and inspiration-less lately.

I've decided to do a little series on the fashion side of winter necessities, starting with sweater tights! They are a wonderful, warm staple to a lady's wardrobe during the cold(ish) months of the year.

They're really affordable and last a lot longer than regular tights. No runs or tears unless you've had a fight with a blackberry bush!

You can go with plain:

(Hue Flat Knit Sweater Tights, $18.00)

Ribbed ones add a little fun texture (that's what she said!):

(Frenchi Ribbed Tights $12.00)

Or you can throw crazy patterned ones under a sequined black LBD for a holiday party!

(Nordic Fair Isle Sweater Tight- $18.00)

Some great places to find sweater tights for cheaper are places like Nordstrom Rack, TJMaxx, or Ross!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

-B

Saving Winter Skin

Winter is not nice to your skin.

Keep it glowing!

Tips:

-When it snows, sunscreen is a must, because the white magnifies and reflects the suns rays.

my ultimate winter pick- suuuuper gentle on weather ravaged skin

-Exfoliate get rid of ashy dry surface cells

Queen Helene is a great drugstore brand, I love this face scrub because it is so mild.

Lush Ocean Salt is my newest purchase, and it makes me skin so happy. I also have used it on my sister who has SUPER sensitive eczema prone skin, and it makes her skin happy too!

Mario Badescu is pricey, but worth every penny. This scrub will have your face feeling like a baby butt after one use.

(a great alternative to a store bought product is mixing epsom salt with honey- I do this at school because it is easier than buying products!)

-Moisturize using a heavy duty product day and night

Dr. Haushka is a WONDERFUL organic brand, and this lotion is super gentle and extra humectant.

This is my favorite moisturizer of all time. It super soaks your skin but is really light and non sticky.

This is the best for really ruined skin. It soothes redness, plumps up cells, and if you use it over night, your skin will be like new in the morning. Also, it actually PREVENTS future irritation.

-Keep lips happy using a superpowered lip treatment

This popular favorite is great, but the menthol is very strong and can sting or be annoying tasting after a while. It depends on what you are up for.

My go to balm, works fast and long term, is cheap and smells nice. Also try Rose salve for a thicker product

For advanced dryness, this creates a moisture barrier, sealing in moisturizing agents and protecting lips.

-Use a cream blush to put some color back into your face

Tarte is an organic brand, and I love it.

Their cheek stains are wonderful, long lasting, nice smelling and versatile. The best colors for winter are Tipsy and Flushed. They work on any skin tone!

MAC creme blushes are beautiful, but have a unique dewy feel.

If you are sensitive to the feel of products on your face, try this out in the store first.

It can feel sticky to some people.

I love Lillicent for olive yellowy skin tones,

Lady Blush for lighter warm skin

and posey for cooler skin tones (dark or very light)

Nars Orgasm is a universal favorite and looks amazing on everyone.

Questions in the comments!

Stay lovely!

<3

Claire