Opal Stevens

You’ve drank the champagne and made the New Year Resolutions, but do you still feel like you’re stuck with the 2008 version of yourself? While New Year’s usually signals in a clean slate and heady optimism, it can also remind you of how much the years haven’t been any different from each other either. If you’re craving for a drastic change, one of the best ways to start off is to revamp your look. The physical change will signal the need to overhaul the rest of your life as well. While the make over sequence in your favorite movies seem to take all of three minutes, you have to understand that a new look might take a lot more than a day to achieve. But take your time, do your research and mentally prepare yourself for the gasps that you will be subject to. Are you ready? Read on for a couple of suggestions on how to launch a more fabulous version 2.0 of you. 1.) Get a Head Start on Spring Cleaning Before you can rev up your make over, take stock of what’s in your closet and mak...

All the stores in the mall are decked with Christmas trimmings, yet there's no doubt that shopping during the holidays is still a stressful experience. While it’s easier than ever to make purchases online and avoid the maddening mall rush, the true dilemma is in mastering the art of gift giving. You have friends you’ve known for years, but you still have no idea what they’d want to see under the Christmas tree. Rather than buying a gift at random, and including a gift receipt for return, it’s time to flex your creative juices, in the spirit of holiday cheer. Chances are you have a girl friend (or three!) that has been your resident guru for all things beauty related. You just know, that they’d love to receive something they can use to primp during the holidays. Here’s a handy guide on the perfect gifts for each type of beauty personality! The Classic Beauty This girl would be lost without her Lacoste Polo Shirt and pearl earrings. She’s a sucker for the no-make up look and ...

For most working women, the holiday season seems to have crept up, leaving our wardrobes unprepared for the dozens of parties happening left and right. Chances are, you’ve exhausted all your outfit options during the first tide of Christmas parties, and now you’re scrambling left and right to come up with outfits without committing the dreaded holiday faux pas: outfit repeating. So what’s a woman who’s RSVP-ed too much to do? Get inspired and get creative! It's a good thing the Internet has made inspiration only a couple of clicks away. Celebrity style icons are your best source for innovative ways to make your wardrobe holiday appropriate. Celebrities spend thousands of dollars for stylists to make them look positively alluring during holiday events, and you can definitely cop their style at almost no cost. We’ve chosen four celebrities who have been making rounds in holiday best dressed list for their smart and flattering sartorial choices. Great make-up and accessories are...

  Hey girlies! The holidays are now upon us :) So what better way to celebrate than by entering to win A TON of beauty products?! One person will win a large variety of beauty and bath products! Prizes include an e.l.f. Beauty Book - Smoky Eyes, Green Tea & Verbena Hand Cream, a Green Tea & Verbena Bath Soap, a Que Bella Dead-Sea Mud Mask, a Quince Replenishing Coffee Pumpkin Body Butter, a Quince Antioxidant Blueberry, Pomegranate, and Almond Body Butter, and a Sinful Colors' Nail Polish in Sugar Sugar. What you need to do..  enter the rafflecopter below! Best of luck :D a Rafflecopter giveaway

When temperatures drop, it’s time to up the heat with sizzling lip hues. Bold lips were definitely popular in the fall catwalk, and we've rounded up 4 shades that would guarantee kissable lips all throughout winter. The best part about lipstick is it’s easy to swipe on, yet it has megawatt impact on your overall look. Now, you really don’t have an excuse to get caught under the mistletoe in an unflattering lip hue. 1.) Bright Red The holidays are the perfect time to bring out this festive color. A bright red pout is just enough to add punch to an outfit without going overboard with color. This season, a popping vibrant red is all the rage. Pair it will flawless skin and a couple of coats of dramatic black mascara and you’re ready for a night out of town. Our favorite reds include the classic Ruby Woo by MAC for those with bluish undertones. If you want a warmer shade, try Lady Danger a bright red with tinges of orange. Shu Uemura’s limited edition Shu Shu Red from its ...

Cold weather has been known to take a toll on the skin. Sometimes your skincare rituals need to take an overhaul too to accommodate the sudden drops in temperature. If you find yourself waking up to more skin problems than usual, you’re not alone. Men and women everywhere are more prone to allergies, dry flaky patches and even acne every winter. If these problems sound familiar to you, read on for a run down of the most common winter skin problem, and how to solve them. 1. Dry Flaky Patches What’s Happening? Chilly winds and indoor heating have sapped the moisture off your skin leaving it parched. You now have peeling skin in patches, and since skin is thinnest on the face, your T-zone looks dull and flaky as well. How to solve it: Since dry patches are caused by a loss in moisture, make sure you moisturize every chance you get. Switch to an extra rich body wash, such as Dove Beauty Wash, and opt for luxurious body butters instead of the usual lotion. Other culprits of dry ...

When the temperatures start to drop, your color choices automatically turn frigid too. Your happy yellows and bright pinks somehow seem inappropriate for the somber seasons. So you unhappily put your acid colors in storage in favor of the blacks and browns that everybody seems to be wearing. While colder climates are scientifically proven to dampen spirits, wearing dull colors definitely won’t help in your battle against the cold weather blues. Good thing that fashion rules are practically made to be broken. You entire summer wardrobe doesn't have to gather dust till next June. A lot of colorful pieces can be easily incorporated to your roster of winter coats. Aside from that, bright hues bring a lot of impact, so an acid colored clutch or a bright orange cocktail ring can do wonders for your look too. Read on for a few tips to escape the dreary winter wardrobe spell. The sun might not be shining as brightly these days, but that doesn't mean that you can’t up ...

Hey Bloggers! The holidays are now upon us :) So what better way to celebrate than by giving away A TON of beauty products?! One person will win a large variety of beauty and bath products! Please join in this awesome giveaway event hosted by Opal Stevens which will run from December 17th – December 23rd! Everyone who signs up to host this giveaway on their blog gets either a Facebook or Twitter link on the Rafflecopter FREE ! What you need to do..  Make sure to post on time! Anyone participating must post on time. If I don't see your post up by 1am after the start of the event, you will be removed from the Rafflecopter until you do. I will send emails to keep you updated about this event and I will make sure to send you the html a week or two before the start of the event. You get one FREE entry. Your choices of entries are:  Facebook Twitter Pinterest GFC Email RSS Feed If you'd like more entries in the giveaway widget, it would be $3 for an extra entr...

MAC's Russian Red has been a cult favorite for a very long time and after purchasing it, I can see why! MAC lipsticks are sold for 14.50 for .10 oz, and I think the price is a perfect mid-range that is appealing to all budgets. The cool tone of the red makes this lipstick very appealing as it is dark enough to be worn in the day and night, it is the perfect "mid-tone neutral red". The coolness of it also makes it nice to wear because it makes your teeth look whiter ;) MAC's Russian Red is a matte finish lipstick that is mostly a mid-tone red but it does appear cooler against my warm skin tone, the undertone really depends on the person. It is very opaque and the staying power is amazing, although a bit drying. I usually apply a lip liner all over my lips and then apply the lipstick, this ensures the lipstick will stay all day. The lipstick is part of the permanent line and I would definitely recommend it if you are on the lookout for an amazing red. MAC also o...

Best Dressed First Lady with attainable Style   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States appears in Glamour, Reader's Digest and Essence in 2011. Michelle Obama, our current First Lady seems to easily transform herself, a shape changer if you will, to fit the mood or occasion. More than any recent First Lady, Michelle Obama has embraced fashion on all frontiers. She has made "off the rack" fashion cool, she is not afraid to "re-wear" clothes, she supports many American designers, yet she will "cross the pond" and wear other non-American Designers as well. Michelle Obama is a smart, Harvard educated lawyer who embraces the role of First Lady, supporting her husband, rather than upstaging him. She uses that keen intelligence when travelling in our nation or abroad to present the First Lady role in an elegant light. Yet, she is not afraid to exercise, (Michelle Obama kicks off a Guinness World Record Jumping Jack Event on the Whit...

Hey Girls! I have been researching about the natural benefits of Epsom salt and I was surprised to find that it is not only beneficial for our skin but also for our nervous system. Epsom salt is made of the mineral magnesium sulfate, which is known to be absorbed through the skin and draw toxins from the body. As well as sedating the nervous system, reducing swelling, and relaxing muscles. It is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more.  Muscle Tension or Dry Skin.. Add a cup of Epsom salt to warm water in the tub and soak in it for at least fifteen minutes. After you get out make sure to moisturize. This is called Talassotherapy, and it is proven to help psychological problems and help you sleep better.  Get Rid of Those Toxins Girl!  Living in the twenty-first century can take its toll on our body, not only are we exposed to chemicals in the air, we also have very tempting unhealthy food around us always. Epson salt works in marvelous ways to detox your b...

Spongeables® Pedi-Scrub™ is the best thing to happen to feet since Manolo. One side is soft and gentle, infused with soap and aromatic botanicals to leave feet clean, fresh and sweet smelling. But the other side is where the action is. It’s pure bliss.  Made to buff away dry, rough skin on heels and soles, shine up the toenails, and exfoliate dry skin, Pedi-Scrub’s scrubby-texture provides a stimulating massage that revives tired feet and leaves them tingling. The perfect antidote to stiletto pumps! Two appealing fragrance choices -- aromatic Lavender & Tea Tree Oil (pink Pedi-Scrub™), or revitalizing Citron-Eucalyptus (green Pedi-Scrub™), provide a touch of aromatherapy rejuvenation, leaving a hint of clean, herbal freshness on the skin. Pedi-Scrubs™ are available at drug, discount and chain stores around the world (MSR $6.99) or visit the website at www.spongeables.com The pedi scrub is an amazing product that will cleanse, exfoliate, massage, and moisturize your fe...

Zoe Saldana  Ashley Greene

<a href="http://opalstevens.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyNpJ1BKkOnPRzSaUmF2SgiHDZoef6iCBQbT03u5qJs1lbd5IYJ1iTvFqpxCBDy8Ft4bpu8UbPzZCFnNWbX9tzzRjvexk-mvh1e4Z9CDnJ7FffvtQuHYhLh32bn-RIUp1aZFOZxbKAv9P/s1600/giveawayeventbutton.jpg" /></a> I just ask that you follow these simple rules: Follow this blog (I will follow you back! Just please leave a comment below letting me know that you are following me!) Try to follow as many people on the list as possible :) Feel free to let the followers of your blog know about this blog hop! (you can copy and paste the code above and put the image in your sidebar or somewhere on your blog) Please only link up the network that is being hopped that specific day No spam please. It will be removed. If someone follows you please feel free to follow them back! There will be a new list every Tu...

Battling sun damaged, dry, wrinkled, aging skin and acne is easy and extremely affordable with Alpha Hydrox. Alpha Hydrox alpha hydroxy anti-wrinkle skin creams, lotions, oil-free formulas and body washes help to prevent and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and creases. They also even skin's tone and unclog pores, helping to banish acne and problem-prone skin. At a fraction of the cost of discount and department store brands that aren't even close to being as effective, Alpha Hydrox will help your skin look & feel younger, fresher, smoother, softer, clearer, more radiant and healthier. The Glycolic Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) used in Alpha Hydrox products are advanced natural exfoliants that gently and gradually “peel away” dead surface skin cells, allowing fresh, new cells to emerge. AHAs, particulary glycolic, are recommended by Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons throughout the world because they actually improve the skin. Great skin begins wi...

2011 was filled with much joy, surprises, and some sadness... It went by so fast, just like every other year. In this post I will be sharing my favorite or most used beauty products of 2011. SKINCARE Philosophy Purity Cleanser:  A non-foaming one step facial cleanser. It removes makeup, cleanses your face, and is also a toner. This cleanser was love at first use for me, I received it in my Birchbox and immediately went to Sephora to buy another bottle. Clarisonic Mia:  I received my Clarisonic Mia and immediately fell in love, I use it along with the Purity cleanser and I have never felt my skin so soft. The fast moving bristles help to clean your skin and wash away impurities. Sweet Pea Body Spray:  Bath and Body Works has released many new scents but Sweet Pea will always hold a special place in my heart. It is the first scent I think of when thinking of B&BW, this year I went all out and I bought the whole set (body spray, lotion, and body was...

Lauren Conrad Jessica Alba

<a href="http://opalstevens.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyNpJ1BKkOnPRzSaUmF2SgiHDZoef6iCBQbT03u5qJs1lbd5IYJ1iTvFqpxCBDy8Ft4bpu8UbPzZCFnNWbX9tzzRjvexk-mvh1e4Z9CDnJ7FffvtQuHYhLh32bn-RIUp1aZFOZxbKAv9P/s1600/giveawayeventbutton.jpg" /></a> I just ask that you follow these simple rules: Follow this blog (I will follow you back! Just please leave a comment below letting me know that you are following me!) Try to follow as many people on the list as possible :) Feel free to let the followers of your blog know about this blog hop! (you can copy and paste the code above and put the image in your sidebar or somewhere on your blog) Please only link up the network that is being hopped that specific day No spam please. It will be removed. If someone follows you please feel free to follow them back! There will be a new list every Tues...

Welcome to the New Year, New Reads Grand Prize Giveaway! Sponsored by HowardComputers.com Hosted by Formula Mom , Tales From the Nursery , & ShePromotes We hope you are enjoying yourself, finding new blogs to follow, and entering to win some great prizes! We are very excited to partner with HowardComputers.com to bring you some fabulous grand prizes as part of New Year, New Reads! We also thank all of the participating blogs for sponsoring the 3 Amazon gift cards! Be sure to show them some love and earn additional entries into the giveaway! Grand Prizes (open to US/Canada): Kindle Fire from HowardComputers.com & $50 Amazon Gift Card $25 Amazon Gift Card $25 Amazon Gift Card How to enter: You must fill out the Rafflecopter form to be entered to win. You must complete the referring blog (who told you to come?) entry but the rest are optional extras for liking, following, and entering the giveaways of the participating bloggers, an...

“This moisture rich formula hydrates conditions and softens on contact for silky smooth lips. Instantly beautiful, healthy-looking lips designed, formulated and tested by our professional team of makeup artists.”  The description E.L.F provides is pretty much dead on! I am in love with the formulation of this lipsticks. They glide on smoothly and feel like butter on my lips, and at only $1 they are a definite steal.  E.L.F offers a variety of 12 colors, 6 of which are new. I own two: Gypsy & Classy.  Gypsy is a beautiful berry colored pink, while classy is more of a cool toned natural pink.  I have bought Classy two times because I love it so much, it is one of those colors that looks like my natural lip color...BUT BETTER :) You receive a total of 3.5 g of product and it comes in your average lipstick twist-up tube. The container is made of plastic but I have found that it is resistant and does not break easily.  The color pay off is ...