Makeup Roundup: Rita Reviews PixiGlow by Pixi Beauty

Petra Strand (the creator of Pixi Beauty) has launched a new line called PixiGlow. Inspired by Disney's Tinkerbell, this stunning collection is light, airy and shimmery. The packaging is beautiful and takes this line to the next level while still keeping it at an affordable price point. This six piece collection is perfection in terms of substance. They kept it short and sweet and did not skip a beat.

There are four items that really stand out in this collection:

The Fairy Face Palette, which provides you with five eye shadows (.03 oz each), five lip creams (.02 oz each) and a full size blush (.35oz), is a full face kit for just $34!

The Catching Shadows Crayon is a gorgeous neutral shade which is great for all skin tones and has phenomenal lasting power.

The Pirouette Pink Nail Color, though not incredibly unique, is absolutely gorgeous on the nails and is the perfect shade for Spring.

And my favorite of them all, the Magic Tink Tint. Not only is it incredibly smooth and moisturizing, it is a true your-lips-but-better tinted balm. As Pixi Beauty says, it delivers a “perfectly personalized pink tint.”

With these new additions to your makeup bag, you can take Spring head-on with your best face forward!

The Art of Fashion: Chicago Designers Bring a Little Couture to the City

Chicago is famous for many things; one of those being the city's budding fashion scene. Nothing says fashion quite like Chicago's bi-annual runway show featuring the latest collections of a few of the city's hottest designers, The Art of Fashion hosted by StyleChicago.com. This season, fashion goers gathered at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago's River North community to preview the Autumn/Winter 2012 collections of some of the city's best established designers: SWABY, Barbara Bates, Lara Miller, Cettina, Borris Powell, ZAMRIE, Eva Pazola, Miriam Cecila, Nora del Busto and Nade Baer.

From 5 until 10 p.m., guests enjoyed the ultimate designer shopping event, FashionChicago, which spanned the second and third floor of the building and featured 30 of Chicago's top accessories, apparel and jewelry designers. During the shopping event, I bumped into Anna Hovet, one of my favorite emerging designers, selling a few of her signature tees and an eye-catching piece called the 'Convertible Sophia Tunic' ($79). The tunic was loose fitting, but it had a snap that could be changed to make it form fitting. The top also featured a transparent mesh yoke with hearts on it. I'm not just talking it up; check it out for yourself!

CONTINUE READING...

ChiTown Fashionista's Newest Member Brings the Beauty

As the worlds of fashion and beauty continue to merge even more closely together, I felt it was time to bring on a contributor to keep us on track with all things beauty.

Luckily for me, a beauty vlogger Margarita 'Rita' Milton and I connected instantly on Twitter.  After spending hours watching her YouTube videos (yes, they are addictive) and chatting with her in cyberspace about everything from fashion to music, I knew she would be the perfect addition to the ChiTown Fashionista family!

Margarita's passion for skincare, nails and makeup will definitely make ChiTown Fashionista's transition into the world of beauty an easy one.

Stay tuned for some impressive content, both video and text, from this beauty diva. And join me as I welcome Rita to this space!

Are you ready to get beautified?



To learn more about Margarita Milton, read her bio on the ABOUT page.

Feel free to also check out Rita's YouTube Channel and follow her on Twitter.

Nude Shoes for Brown Girls (2012 Edition)

I can't believe it's been two years since my original Nude Shoes for Brown Girls post! Since it continues to rank high amongst my "most viewed" and "most searched" posts,  it is definitely time for an updated version.

For women of color, the term "nude" spans a myriad of tones. After searching high and low for the best shoes in all shades of brown, here are my top picks for those seeking a great neutral shoe in 2012.

Enjoy... and Happy Shopping!

1. Seychelles 'Solo' Sandal | 2. MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Toni' Pump | 3. GUESS 'Geng' Platform Pump | 4. MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Toni' Platform Pump | 5. DV by Dolce Vita 'Bridgette' Pump | 6. Kooba 'Sloan' Platform Pump | 7.  Charles Jourdan 'Elegant' Pump | 8. Mark + James 'Draco' Sandal | 9. Plenty by Tracy Reese 'Zoe' Shoe

 

1. KORS 'Malone' Wedge Pump | 2. Ralph Lauren 'Pam' Mary Jane Pump | 3. Nine West 'Hingisfo' Sandal | 4. Kate Spade 'Tilly' Pump | 5. B. Makowsky 'Fari' Platform Sandal | 6. Miss Sixty 'Dawn' Pump | 7. ZiGiny 'Penelope' Pump | 8.  Boutique 9 'Caurah' Sandal | 9. Boutique 9 'Lelaina' Platform Sandal | 10. L.A.M.B. 'Meredith' Pump

Fun Umbrella Options from the MoMA Store

An umbrella is a required accessory in the Spring.  With that being said, it seems as though most of us simply reach for the typical black umbrella or you know, the one with the company logo that you received as a gift.  I'm certainly guilty of the latter. But this year, I made a vow to purchase an umbrella that has a bit more spunk.

To start my search, I headed straight to one of the top sources for unique items, the MoMA Store.

Affiliated with the Museum of Modern Art, the MoMA Store is filled with products that will creatively ramp up your wardrobe, living area or workspace. Quirkiness and eccentricity are the MoMA Store's strong suit. So, I knew the umbrella selection would not disappoint.

They range from architect-inspired to just plain fun.

Frank Lloyd Wright Waterlillies Umbrella - $32 | Frank Lloyd Wright Butterfly Umbrella - $32
Sky Umbrella - $48 | Goggles Umbrella - $28


Now, I can't attest to their ability to withstand the gusty Chicago winds. However, these are definitely perfect for those drizzly and mild rainy days.

Click HERE to view the entire inventory of umbrellas. Feel free to navigate the rest of the site (particularly the watches) and check out the other charming items the MoMA Store has to offer.


What do you think? Do these convince you that it's time to update your umbrella stash?