The Hot List

Buy this Basic!

When you find that perfect basic, it is nothing short of a crime to keep it to yourself. So, without further adieu, I want to introduce you to the perfect basic layering tank.

AnthropologieTankTop — The perfect layering piece.

I came across it on a recent shopping trip as an afterthought, already elated over the blouse I’d found on sale at Anthropologie. Now, dare I say, I am much more excited over this tank top. So excited, I had to wear it the day I got it.

The fabric is so comfortable and soft you could sleep in it, but trust me, you won’t want to. The tank is long enough to tuck into a skirt and stay in place so you don’t end up with bunched fabric that makes you look like you may have gained 5 fat rolls in a twenty minutes. Anthropologie markets it as a “reversible” tank since one side is a vneck and the other is a scoop neck. However, there is a tag in the scoop neck side, making it difficult to really reverse. I’m going to try my hand at cutting out the tag when I wear it next because let’s face it, everyone loves a two for one deal. It is perfect on its own or as a layering piece to add a pop of color or coverage under a sheer shirt.

The top comes in nine colors online and I saw another two in the store, ranging from brights to basic. They are $24 a pop, which is a tad pricier than i’d like to pay for a basic, but if it lasts (which remains to be seen since it is a new purchase) then it is worth it. I’ll be purchasing another 2-3 colors, checking out the quality over the next few months and then hopefully acquiring a few more.

Tips:

The top is very form-fitting, so you might want to go a size up if you don’t want it too tight.
Since it is form-fitting, make sure you consider the bra you wear. Lace might show through the fabric.
The comments recommend to wash the top in a delicate cycle to prevent pilling.

The Perfect Pant

Finding a really fantastic pair of pants is no easy task. Particularly if you are gifted in the same way as Kim Kardashian. And no, I don’t mean gifted in the absolutely gorgeous, having millions of dollars, an amazing wardrobe, two failed marriages and courtship with Kanye West kind of way. I mean gifted in the large-ass department, which I so happen to be.

Well, have no fear my fellow baby-got-back lovers, your perfect pant exists! J Crew’s Minnie pant is cute, slightly cropped and totally cool. The slight stretch fabric makes them work appropriate and easily transitionable to play. They pair perfectly with a blazer and button-up or your favorite supper sleeveless top. Wear them in any season, with pumps, flats, boots or sandals, a sweater or a tank top. The Minnie pant is endlessly versatile and a wardrobe staple. Perfectly on trend, J Crew offers them in a variety of bright colors, as well as necessary neutrals. My advice – get yourself a pair in a neutral color and then pick up the red or orchid to add a pop of color that will last through the Fall Season!

J. Crew Minnie Pant by kerrychannon featuring j crew pants

J.Crew j crew pants
$90 – jcrew.com

J.Crew vintage pants
$90 – jcrew.com

J.Crew j crew pants
$90 – jcrew.com

Put your best face forward

I love makeup. I’ve never been one of those people who has to “put my face on” every time I leave the house. I go to the gym makeup-free. My husband sees me in all my makeup-less glory.

But, I love makeup. MAC, Stila, Lorac, Covergirl, Maybelline, TART – they all found their way into my makeup bag, basket and drawer. Yes, I have all three. A girl never knows which trend she is going to rock on any given day. She must be prepared to be dewy and fresh-faced or bronzed and smokey-eyed.

Any good look starts with great skin. My skincare regime used to be simple. Wash my face with some water before bed and dab on some tinted moisturizer by day. Ah, the ease of being young. Now that I am in my late twenties (gasp!), things have gotten significantly more complicated. I see the traces of wrinkles forming and no matter how much sleep I get I still look like I’ve pulled an all-nighter. Like any good quarter life crisis-er, I’ve been trying any and every product I can that claims to fight age, wrinkles, or insert-any-minor-imperfection here. I

I am still on the search for my fountain of youth product. However, my late-twenties skin has also left me in need in the makeup department, which is significantly more fun for my makeup-loving self than this wrinkle business. I’ve noticed I need a bit more coverage than offered by tinted moisturizer, but I absolutely hate, hate, hate foundation. I’ve tried so many variations, but they always feel heavy, look fake and make me look like a Vegas showgirl. After doing some exploration and some excess purchasing, I finally found my savior – Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream!

You might have heard of the B.B. trend – the B’s stand for Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm, depending on the product. It’s a product concept that made its way over from several Asian countries (namely Korea).

Garnier’s B.B. Cream combines “advanced skincare” along with “immediate skin perfecting coverage.”

What the heck does that really mean?

The cream promises to cover, quench, protect (SPF 15 – a must!) and perfect dullness, redness and splotchiness.

OH – and it is only $12.

Too good to be true? Maybe. All I can attest to so far is that this product provides just the right amount of coverage to function as a light foundation, without feeling like a foundation. I’d liken it to a step up from a tinted moisturizer and a step down from foundation. For all of us ladies who are fall in the Goldilocks category of face makeup, this cream is just right! Since I’ve been using the product (about a month), I have noticed an overall improvement in the brightness of my skin, but in all fairness this could be due to any of the other aforementioned products I’ve been trying.

After reading the product reviews, I’ve noticed some women use this before applying a foundation, which might be worth a try if you are a foundation kind of gal. If you’re not, use this with a bit of bronzer and/or blush and you will be ready to take on the day.

Some tips:

A little goes a long way! I usually only need about 2 pea-sized dollops, one for my forehead and nose, another for my cheeks.
It comes in two colors – light/medium and medium/deep. The light/medium works for fair to tan complexions, just layer the product. The medium/deep works on darker skin tones, but I came across several complaints that the medium/deep does not work for African American skin tones.
If you have oily skin, this product might not be for you. My skin is pretty normal, not oily, not dry, a bit on the sensitive side. I haven’t had any issues, but some reviewers mentioned it made their skin more oily.
The product is scented. I find it pleasurable and it disappears after just a few minutes. However, if you do not like scented products, steer clear!
It is sold out in many local CVS stores. Friends have told me they’ve had trouble finding it, so you might want to purchase online if you know which complexion category you fall into. Check out drugstore.com.