21!

Do you remember your 21st birthday?
I tried to remember mine, but I got nothing. I know I didn't have a big bash, because I was a senior in college and it was during school, but I vaguely remember celebrating at the school pub. Which is precisely why I don't remember much of it! I do remember being excited that I was finally of the legal drinking age and that I was the very last of my friends to turn 21, so drinking was the plan. That's what your 21st birthday is mainly about, isn't it?

Well my baby girl Frick turned 21 last week-which makes her not a baby anymore. She's all grown up and legal now! And we did have a big party for her....

Her birthday was last Thursday, August 13th, so she had decided that she wanted to paint the town of Boston red with her new LEGAL ID. My nephew is a club promoter in Boston, so he hooked us up in the city's most happening Thursday night spot with VIP treatment and bottle service with 12 of her closest friends. The plan was to start out at our house with a BBQ with friends and family then we would all grab a bus (that we rented) and go into the club.

The week before the party I spoke to my nephew and told him to expect us in Boston around 9 or 9:30. He nearly fell over laughing, "Auntie, the club doesn't open till 10:00," he said. My Guy and I were dumbfounded. 10:00 on a Thursday night is past our bedtime, so needless to say we were second guessing the entire night. But it wasn't about us, so we let it roll. Then our friends started to drop like flies.

"I've got a big meeting in the morning, so we will come to your house but we are going to pass on the club, " one friend said.
"That's kind of late for us, so if you don't mind we will see you at your house and then go home from there, " another told us.

Did I mention that we were feeling the same way? After a chat with Frick, she reluctantly agreed to go to the club with 12 of her closest friends sans her parents. After the BBQ, cake and a bit of merry making and  pre-gaming, the van/bus came to collect Frick, Frack and her friends and off they went! Funny thing was, once the kids left, those same friends who decided to opt out of the club ended up continuing the party at our house till about 1AM!! The kids were sending us pics and videos from inside the club and a few of my older nephews showed up at the club to celebrate with Frick! Which can be both a blessing and a problem when you weigh about 95 lbs like Frick does...

Poor Frick. I'm not sure she ever consumed that much alcohol in such a short time, but just as I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed I started getting text messages from her friends.
"We gotta get her home-she's not feeling good"
"She may need a dry cleaner for her outfit."

Oh boy, I thought, we've all been there but it's not fun once you get there. And I felt a bit guilty, like I sent her out to the lions...

Frick arrived home safely and without any major incident, but I think her dress and her dignity have seen better days. The silver lining in all of this? Frick continued to tell me what a wonderful brother she has! She explained that Frack totally took control of her predicament and took such good care of her. All in all I think that is the best present any one could ever ask for.

We Have Contact!

I have been wearing contact lenses now for about six months. I recently did something I've always wanted to do-I got colored contact lenses! My first pair arrived last week with my own prescription and I immediately put them in my eye. The result is not too different than that of the picture above. Needless to say, I love them! It's me, only slightly different, and with lighter eyes. I couldn't wait to show them off and get everybody's reactions but I had no idea what was to come. Everybody reacted alright-some positive, some not so positive.

My mom-"You don't look any different to me, but I love them!"

My dad noticed right away-"You have colored contacts on! They look great!"

Frick-"Mom, are you wearing colored contacts? You look awesome!"

A work colleague-"What did you do different? Did you cut your hair? You look fresh! Like you just came from the spa. Did you do botox?"

Some of my very good friends took a moment to notice only AFTER I pointed them out-"Oh yeah...I like them!"

But my boys? Not so much.

Frack- "Mom, something's wrong with your eyes!! Look in the mirror!! You look like a werewolf!!"

And most of all My Guy- "Honey, there's something wrong with your eyes! It doesn't look good. Like you look sick."

Everybody has an opinion. Safe to say, I'm having a great time freaking people out but My Guy is having the hardest time with them. Not one to adapt to drastic change, he told me that he does not like them at all. He even went as far to say that he loves my eyes the way they are naturally, and that you can't blame him for not liking his "beautiful wife" any other way. "OK honey", I said, "let's not lay it on too thick"..

Good thing I'm confident in who I am. Otherwise I would be second guessing my new contacts. I'm chalking it up to a fashion experiment with very mixed results, but I'll continue to wear them, just not every day. You can't blame me for wanting to mix it up a bit every now and then. Can you?

My Self Fulfilling Prophecy

A lady came into The Candy Bar last week and told me a story.  She said that she had gone to New York for the weekend and forgotten her makeup bag. She was devastated and after swearing at her husband for not checking with her to make sure she had all of her bags, she had to think fast.  The friend she was visiting was not a makeup wearer, so the option of borrowing makeup for the weekend was out the window.  She told me she went to the local mall and had her makeup done at the Bobbi Brown counter where she spent $150 on makeup products that she really didn't need.  Having just posted about makeup products I bought at CVS, I told her if it were to happen to me, I would have gone to CVS.

The reason I tell you this is because I kept repeating during her story "that would be my worst nightmare".  Well guess what? My worst nightmare came true!  In what I'm calling my self fulfilling prophecy, I did exactly the same thing this weekend when I went to Cape Cod.  Imagine my surprise when unpacking my bags I realized I had forgotten my makeup bag.  I swear I willed it to happen. So what did I do? I went pronto to CVS to replace what I needed.

I had managed to take with me a bag filled with my moisturizers and serums, so I was missing the complexion components in my makeup regimen. I had no foundation, no mineral powder, no bronzer, no mascara, no brow pencil, no blush and no eyeliner. My little experiment turned out to be a blogging blessing which allows me to share with you my findings. 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Foundation: 

This was a complete surprise to me because I got to tell you, I really like this!

Why I like it:

• Great coverage and finish which makes the easy to use foam applicator a breeze. 
• Gives a complete application and the coverage is build-able which I needed
• True to color 
• Natural finish with long lasting wear-ability

What I didn't like:

• Sheer application of product did not last all day

L'oreal True Match Mineral Powder:

This one didn't have a chance, I'm completely and totally obsessed with my Smashbox Halo powder so I knew this one was going to fall flat. 

Why I like it:

• Set my foundation
• Easy to use brush comes attached to product
• Finish gave my a skin luminous appearance

Why I didn't like it:

• Very Messy
• Screw top reveals sifter top
• If too much product on top of sifter, creates a messy storage and not ideal for a neat and clean application.
• Packaging is not luxe. Not even close.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara:

I have blogged about this product before, safe to say it's possibly my favorite mascara ever.

Why I like it:

• Wand is longer which allows a complete application on whole lash line.
• Formula is wet and thick which leaves lashes defined, lengthened and voluminous 

Why I didn't like it:

• There are no reasons why I don't like this product. Did I mention that it's my favorite mascara ever?

L'oreal True Match Naturale Blush 

This looked easy and the color was pretty, so I thought why not?

Why I like it:

• Natural plum color
• Gave me a luminous glow
• Lightly pigmented for natural finish so it wasnt a strong statement blush

Why I didn't like it:

• Very messy
• Screw top reveals sifter top
• If too much product on top of sifter, creates a messy storage and not ideal for a neat and clean application.
• Packaging is not luxe. Not even close.

Maybelline Eye Studio Brow Define and Fill Duo:

I'm someone who has been using the same eyebrow pencil for about 6 years. I have to say, this was the best purchase because it helped me realize it was time for a change.

Why I like it:

• Precision crayon allows for exact application, 
• Foam tip powder applicator on opposite end creates a thickened natural looking brow without too much product

Why I didn't like it:

• No spoolie brush to groom brows afterward

Maybelline Master Kajal Eyeliner:

Thought this would be an easy no-brainer but was pleasantly surprised

Why I like it:

• Super soft creamy black liner
• Coned shaped tip applicator creates easy line, 
• Waterproof

Why I didn't like it:

• Not opaque, to get opaque black line you have to compromise the longevity of your liner by using the fine point tip

Bottom line, my friend spent $150 at a mall makeup counter and got 3 products she kind of liked. I spent about the same, got a ton more and was truly surprised at how many of the products I really liked. I also discovered that cheap drugstore makeup isn't that cheap after all. 

The moral of this story is even though I enjoyed this little experiment, I doubt I'll ever forget to check, and then double check whether my makeup bag is with me again!

The Nanny Chronicles

Another one bites the dust...

It wasn't bad enough that our boy Ben lost his freakin mind and started banging the Nanny, but now reports have surfaced that Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale's marriage may have been doomed over the suspision that Rossdale cheated with....THE NANNY. 

WTF? 

What gives? Do all these successful men have mommy issues? Or do all men have issues? Mom's hire nannies-especially working moms-so that they can contribute to the family financially, and socially so that they can have a life that is not centered around the kids. Moms need to feel good about themselves, and a good mom takes care of family first but then takes care of herself. When mama's happy, everybody is happy and a working mom needs both family and career to work cohesively to achieve domestic harmony. 

The nanny is key to the cohesiveness of those two worlds. But in today's crazy, sexed up, messed up world, do moms now need to worry about what goes on at home-with the nanny and her spouse-while she is working? So it would seem that any woman in her right mind would hire only Mrs. Doubtfire doppelgangers. Knowing what we now know, what are the options? 

Look, my kids are out of the nest and their "nanny" is still at my home 2 days a week taking care of household business. She has been with my family for 10 years and she's 28. AND did I mention that she looks like a Brazillian J LO? Am I worried? I wouldn't be human if I didn't let sinister thoughts creep into my head. Top that off with the fact that I was once married to a serial cheater and got my world rocked by the shit that he did. But I decided a long time ago that in order for me to live happily and not be completely devastated by a man and his extracirrucular activities, I have to love me more. Simple, I love me more and in the best case scenario he loves me more too. 

I don't know if simply loving yourself more is the answer, but it's a start. 

That and finding the agency that only employs women nanny's over the age of 75. 

WTF Wednesday

WTF NFL? ...Can we all please move. the. F. ON?? This whole Deflategate thing has been the most drawn out, over publicized and over analyzed thing EVER. Not sure why the NFL decided it wants to put the screws to Brady and dig it's heels in on this one. Whether he lied or not..it's freaking air pressure in a ball...it's not like he beat his wife or anything.

WTF Apple Watch?...What do you mean you don't work autonomously without the iPhone present? Really? Like you can't do every single thing the iPhone can by yourself? Completely free of one's cellular device? What if I want to run on the treadmill without my phone and listen to my music? What if I want to check an email or text while "unplugging" from my cell? What a rip off.

WTF Windows 10?...What ever happened to 9? I got lost somewhere between 8 and 9.  

WTF Summer Cold?....My Guy and I have a horrid summer cold. Mine is all in my head. Sinus pressure, congestion, runny nose, watery eyes. I have been down for 3 days too!! My guy has it all in his chest. A summer cold is the worst.

WTF Ben Affleck?....Cheated? Seriously? And with the nanny? Ok, everybody knows that Ben is my homeboy and all, being from Boston, but cheating with the nanny is a little too sinister for me. Good for Ben he's adamantly denying it-even threatening legal action.

WTF Weather?....I can't really complain about super hot and humid weather, can I? I'd much rather be complaining about this weather than the polar opposite. So I'm just going to take this hot, sticky and unusually uncomfortable hot weather and shut the F up. Ok?

Oh yeah, and today is National Lipstick Day! So go on over to that sidebar over to the right and click on the link to my store...treat yourself to a celebratory lipstick!

My CVS Haul

So I'm in CVS to get contact solution and I can't help but be lured to the beauty aisle. Like really, Candace? I happen to OWN an entire store of beauty products, yet I feel the pull of touch, feel, try and smell all that CVS, or drugstore brands, have over me. Coming in to spend $17.00 for the needed contact solution soon turns into $100.00 of beauty crap that literally fascinates me. I'm going to justify it as research and development-as I need to stay on top of all the beauty trends. Don't I?

My number one favorite this trip is:

Nivea-In-Shower-Body Moisturizer-Oh hell yes! Where has this stuff been my whole life? I am a girl who loves body products, and a daily user of body moisturizers. I never skip my lotion, if I can help it, and this stuff is my answer to skipping body lotion outside the shower. WHY I LOVE IT: It's so easy and about $6.00. After cleansing the body/hair with soap or gel and getting ready to exit, you step away from the stream of water and apply this gem directly to wet skin just like you would a regular body moisturizer IN THE SHOWER!. After fully immersing your body in the creamy goodness you then step back into the stream of water and rinse off. Voila! Moisture drenched skin that can go the day without applying moisturizer outside the shower. MY RECOMMENDATION: Apply moisturizer after drying off. Now I know you are thinking that it totally defeats the purpose here, but trust me, you skin will look moisture drenched all day long and be oh-so-supple to the touch.

Maybelline Rocket Volume Express Mascara- I had high hopes, really, but this one was an epic fail for me. Sorry Maybelline. (I'm going to stick to my Maybelline Lash Stiletto which I LOVE) This one just didn't hit the mark for me. At $7.99, it boasts "8x bigger, smother, explosive, most beautiful lashes ever instantly". WHY IT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME: It didn't deliver "bigger, smoother, explosive" lashes. As amatter of fact, the patented Supersonic Brush turned out to be goopy and messy, therefore the "instantly" part took twice as long as an instant to smooth out. When all was said and done, the formula didn't give me anything but pretty average looking lashes. 

Loreal Infallible Never Fail Lip Color- Never fail-for sure! Holy long lasting! If you are looking for a color that will literally not move all day, this is the lip color for you. I had heard about this product from my clients who are constantly asking me for "a lipstick that will last", so I was more than curious. The formula, infused with Marine collagen and Vitamin E, protects and conditions the lips while preventing moisture loss over time. The price is a real steal at $9.99 for all day color. The dual, mirrored compact includes two lip products in a 2-step process. You apply the lip color first, let it dry down (about 2 minutes) to a matte finish. Then apply the white, gloss over it and go! WHY IT DIDN"T WORK FOR ME: This product did everything it said it would do-a bonus for sure. The only re-applying I needed to do was the white gloss, maybe a few time in the course of a long day. But I'm a girl who wears nude/beige lipstick and glosses all day, every day. This was simply too much color for me for way too long! If that's a bad thing for you-like me- this product may well be better for you on a day that you can't get to your makeup bag easily. Other than that, this product is a great deal for ladies who want all day color. ALSO: Like I said, this stuff does not come off, so an oil based product for removal is recommended. 

Roc Daily Resurfacing Disks-I know I have blogged about this one before, because I love this product! I hadn't bought them in a while-(and My Guy stole my last batch) so I picked them up again. These dual-use pads are pre-moistened and a breeze to use. WHY I LOVE THEM: They are self-foaming! One side is textured to slough off dead skin cells and blur the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and the other side is smooth to gently cleanse and remove makeup and dirt. I use these babies at night, after a long day and swipe away everything them rinse. 3-5 times a week I will use the textured side to exfoliate my skin's surface so that my skin care products will be 50-60% more effective! What's better than that? at real bargain at $9.99.

Ponds Dry Skin Cream- This product is a no brainer for me; an absolute staple in my medicine cabinet and must have. I love this product so much that I would literally put a spoon in it and eat it if I could. 

WHY I ADORE IT: There are so many reasons but simply said, I use it for everything. Mostly as a fantastic body moisturizer but I do use it for my face, just not regularly. I always have Ponds Dry Skin Cream with me when I travel because it is so easy to transfer the cream into travel size jars and because it's a face and body moisturizer all in one! The Price varies due to jar size but safe to say you can get into one of these puppies for a mere $7.99. What can I say? My grandmother would be so proud!

I also bought a bunch of other stuff because I am a hapless, hopeless beauty junky who doesn't discriminate. Expensive or inexpensive, I have to try it all. Like it says on my Twitter profile, 

"If I can smudge it, buff it apply it and try it, then I gotta have it..."

Cleaning Out The IN Box

Uggh...

My desk at work is a clutter of crap! I can't believe I have let it get like this because it is so out of character for me. And I can't even stand it for one more minute. I guess it means I have been busy with other things, but a cluttered desk must mean a cluttered mind and my mind is clear.

Don't you hate it when things pile up on your desk? I have been focusing on the immediate things like everyday stuff that's necessary and INVENTORY! My focus has been to complete inventory before the big events of the weekend, which I almost did-but in the interim everything else landed squarely in a pile on my desk. Now I am back to work and it is looming over my head like a wrecking ball. I can't stand looking at it and I feel like I can't focus on anything else until I clean up that mess. I'm going to dig right in and destroy the clutter like nobody's business. I might even surprise myself.

Because my mind is clear, even if my desk is not.

p.s. This photo is not my desk..if it was-you might find me crumpled up in the fetal position somewhere near there.