Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect Lipstick Review

As promised, here is my review of the Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect lipstick line, which I purchased in the color Cherry. The lipstick is a hypoallergenic formula that is offered in fourteen different shades, ranging from light nudes, to browns, to pinks, to reds. The average retail price for this lipstick is around $9.99 (US dollars). According to the Boots No. 7 site, you can purchase the Stay Perfect lipstick in person and online at Target or online at Drugstore.com.

The lipstick comes in a handy sized tube that looks pretty chic to me! I was pleasantly surprised at the creaminess and velvet feel of the lipstick. I apply straight to my lips, but you can also use a lip brush for a more even application if you desire. I applied the Cherry lipstick first thing in the morning before heading to work, and it wore well the whole day. I like the fact that it felt moisturizing on my lips, but not sticky or too thick. I only had to apply minor touch ups after eating, and I saw no bleeding. If you are looking for another quality standard red lipstick to add to your daily favorites, give Boots No. 7 in Cherry a try. I have found yet another new favorite red lipstick!

Sincerely, Crystal


Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect Lipstick in Cherry






End result: another new favorite red lipstick!

* I have, in no way, been paid or endorsed by Boots No. 7, nor asked to do a review for their product line. This review is simply my own opinion of the product.

Belle Blossoms Order Discount for Vintage Loving Mom Followers

For my readers who love all things vintage, pinup and rockabilly, I have some great news for you! Thanks to Heather at Belle Blossoms, she is allowing any of my readers who place a order with her before March 18, 2011, to receive 15% off their order.

Belle Blossoms is a wonderful site that creates and sells vintage hair accessories like seasonal belle blossoms, roses and tropical blossoms for all your vintage dos, various side combs, retro bows, wedding belles, snoods, and the Blossom of the month.

There are so many different wonderful selections on Belle Blossoms, sure to keep you looking vintage and fabulous every single day! I am excited to order a slew of products soon and hope that you will take advantage of the discount as well.

Be sure to check out Heather's large selection at Belle Blossoms and place your order soon before the discount ends! Simply enter the code BELLES at checkout to receive the 15% discount, available to followers of The Vintage Loving Mom!

XOXO, Crystal



Belle Blossom's Belles Bow Bobby Pins


Belle Blossom's Ivory Triple Rosebud Side Combs


Belle Blossom's Retro Cherries Deep Red Hair clip


Belle Blossom's Large Luscious Rose

*Images used courtesy of Belle Blossoms

Refurbishing vintage earrings

I absolutely love vintage earrings; the quirkier and unique, the better. I often find myself searching antique malls, estate sales, yard sales, flea markets, and various websites for the next perfect pair of vintage earrings. Too often, I would find a pair that were just gorgeous, completely authentic, and in wonderful condition, only to find that they were clip-on or screwbacks. I have tried and tried to wear these types of earrings, but they are just torture on my lobes. Alas, I can only wear hypoallergenic posts in my ears. After some creativity, however, I came up with a way to convert vintage finds to a modern-day pierced earring.

When looking for earrings, I always look for a set that are unique and appealing to my tastes, building upon a current wardrobe, as I don't think I would ever wear earrings that I didn't have anything to match them up with in some fashion. The most important feature to consider when you are going to convert vintage earrings to post earrings is if the back of the earring has a flat enough surface to hold a post. Sadly, there have been one or two sets that I have had to pass up, as the backs were in just too bad of a shape to convert and last.

Items you'll need to convert vintage earrings
Two-part epoxy (make sure to check label that solution is safe on metal and/or plastic)
Q-tips
Wire snips
Metal file
Flat back earring posts (typically found in any crafts store)
Rubber or metal earring backs (typically found in any crafts store)
Cardboard piece (thick enough to work on with the epoxy)

The first step in converting to post earrings is the removal of the old hardware on the back of the earrings. I use wire snips or a pair of needle-nose pliers to twist off the clips or screwbacks at the very base of the surface, as close as you can get. I then use a metal file to wear down any left over stump from the clip or screwback. This may take a little time, but not as much if you got as close as possible to the flat surface on the back of the earring. You want to have the surface flat so that the post will lie flat and adhere better to the backing. I then snip off the head of a q-tip, which works great in mixing the epoxy and applying it to the backing. Next, I mix the two parts of the epoxy on the cardboard piece and get right to setting the posts on the back of the earrings. You will have to work in a timely manner, since the epoxy will start to set if you leave it for too long. I dab the cut end of the q-tip in the epoxy and swirl a small amount on the flat surface of the earring post, then apply directly to the earring back. I set the posts in the very center of the earring back, though you can go higher if you desire. You will still have a minute or two for moving the back around to get the placement just where you want it. Lastly, I set the earrings back-side facing up on a flat surface to dry untouched for about 24 hours, when the epoxy will be fully set and dry. The earrings are then ready to wear!

I have purchased many sets over the years that have found a wonderful new home where they will be cared for and used each and every day. Some can be purchased for only a few dollars if you find a good deal; others I have paid more for but they were well worth it. In my opinion, you just can't find the selection, quality and craftsmanship in today's reproduction earrings like you can with the real deal!

Happy crafting, all!

Sincerely, Crystal


A vintage find from a flea market, unconverted.
I'm a sucker for green and polka dots!


The earring posts and backings that I use.


Just a few of the vintage finds I have located and
converted to pierced earrings.

Finding the perfect one...red lipstick, that is!

I am always on the search for the perfect shade of red lipstick. Something about the color and the combination of light skin with a contrasting, dark lip always draws me in. For someone with a light complexion and very dark hair, locating said red lipstick has been tiresome in the past. The shades that I found were either too orange, too little blue undertones, or I simply didn't like the feel of the lipstick. Is it too much for a girl to ask to find a red lipstick that moisturizes, looks good, stays in place, and wears well? Over the years my search led me to ultimately finding Mac's Viva Glam I, which has been my favorite up until now.

I recently purchased and tried out Revlon's Just Bitten lipstain and balm in the shade of Gothic, which is a classic shade of bright red. The stain comes in a handy, all-in-one stick with the lipstain felt-tip applicator at one end and the clear lipbalm at the other end. What I like about this lipstain, besides the beautiful color, is the fact that you can get a pretty precise application with the tip, it contains Vitamin C, is lightweight, and provides protection for a good majority of the day without major touch-ups. I applied it first thing in the morning after getting ready for the day, and only had to do minor touch-ups after eating during the day.

This lipstain has become one of new favorite red lipsticks and I plan on using it indefinitely. The Just Bitten line has several other shades, ranging from pinks, to browns, to red. You can use the lipstain with just one application for lighter coverage, or build up with a few applications for a darker shade, as I typically do (just make sure that you let the lipstain dry for about 30 seconds before applying the balm once you've achieved the darkness you desire).

Please see photos below of the application process that I did.

To view Revlon's Just Bitten line, all the shades that are offered, and information about the formulation of the lipstain, click here.











Coming up soon...a review on Boots No 7 lipstick in Cherry!

Sincerely, Crystal

* I have, in no way, been paid or endorsed by Revlon, nor asked to do a review for their product line. This review is simply my own opinion of the product.

Overhaul and Updates on Vintage Loving Mom

I would like to let my followers know that I will be updating the Vintage Loving Mom blog shortly and plan on doing some beauty tips, how-to's, and reviews in the near future. I also plan on doing some giveaways if time allows, so long as I gain more followers. So, if you have a love of the vintage life, want to channel the inner pin-up within, and adore everything rockabilly, then stay tuned and follow the Vintage Loving Mom!

Love, Crystal

M.I.A.

Yes, I have been Missing In Action, but I have a really good reason...I'm in the very early stages of starting my magazine.

I knew this was going to be a lot of work, for one person to get off the ground, and it totally has been. I know though that it will be worth every minute of it. All of my years doing fashion styling for editorial has been very fulfilling, but extremely difficult due to life and money. I loved every minute of it, but alas, there is only ONE Rachel Zoe.

My life has always revolved around magazines since as far back as I can remember. As a little girl believing I was going to live as a forest ranger in Yellowstone National Park, I had a subscription to Ranger Rick and Highlights. As I got older I became very involved in fashion and in my mothers Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar subscriptions. The rocker girl hit me with puberty and after receiving my own subscriptions to my favorite fashion magazines, I also received Metal Edge, Rip, and Circus.

In a nut shell, I am one of those people out there that has ink running through my veins. Logically the next step in my life is to start my very own magazine that just oozes everything I am about.

Below is the link to the early stages of my website, but I hope you will follow and eventually add my magazine to the list of the others you look forward to receiving each month (or in this case 4 times a year). I will keep you posted, and try my damnedest not to let my blog fall into the shadows. Until next time!

www.pistol-magazine.com

The Girl Code

HELLO! No, I didn’t fall off the face of the earth. Life has bent me over and sodomized me repeatedly, not fabulous when you are an unwilling participant, if you catch my drift. So I haven’t exactly found myself in much of a writing mood lately, my apologies!

I’m here to tell you about a silly book I heard about, and just ordered. It’s not directly about fashion, but it does contain a little fashion bit in there. The book is called, The Girl Code: The Secret Language of Single Women (On Dating, Sex, Shopping, and Honor Among Girlfriends) by Diane Farr. I have recently found myself single again, and after all these years, “The Girl Code” is emblazoned on my brain. There are so many women out there that don’t have a conscious and are out for themselves. They don’t have any appreciation for the real friendship one should have with girlfriends. I’m positive you have run across a few and know exactly what I’m talking about.

Some women think they know the girl code; some simply don’t give a shit. If you are a female and you find that you have at least a handful of girlfriends that have been around since high school/college and you have never had a fight over a man or even a dress…you all know The Girl Code and you live by it. If a majority of your friends are guys (with the exception of the girl you met at work a year ago that never hangs out) you need to run out and buy the book, download it, Kindle the damn thing and learn it inside and out!

It really baffles me how some women can be “fine” without really deep female friendships. There is no way in hell that I would be the woman I am today without the support and advice I have gotten from my dearest friends.

So here is about the book, I think I’ll do a Part 2 with the "Girl Code" my friends and I live by. Anyway…the Table of Contents and an excerpt from the book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How Do You Know a Single Girl's Home When You See One? 9

Introduction: Get On Your Broom and Go 11

I. Speaking in Code
Titles 20
Types of Dates 29
Stages 38
Long-Distance Operators 47
Seasonal Lovers 56
Before, During, and After 65
Hairy Situations 72
Fighting 78
Gifts 86
When the Fat Lady Sings 95
II. The Code of Behavior and Ethics
Girls' Night Out 106
Making Your Move 114
First Date Forget-Me-Nots 121
Rules of the Wild 128
Shopping at the Mall 133
Wedding Party Politics 139
Lines to Never Cross 145
Tests 153
Kinds of Love 158
Chick Tricks 164
III. The Boy Code
What They Say 170
What They Do 178
IV. The Mother Code
The Top Five Laws of The Girl Code 188

In Closing: One Sentence of Advice 192

AN EXCERPT

I. Speaking In Code

You know those little disclaimers on the sides of cigarettes and alcohol? Well, if your next date came with a warning label, it would contain the following information down the side of his leg. This is the common language of girlfriends who've been there.

Titles: "We don't see things as they are,we see them as we are."- Anaïs Nin

THE BOY: If you change suitors so fast that they rarely achieve name status, a man must be around for at least six weeks before you make your friends bother to learn his first name. Until such time, he should be referred to by this generic title.

For Women Who: Need to explain to numerous people what's going on in their love life, are between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one or over twenty-seven, have overbearing mothers and aunts in their life, have called off more than one engagement.

As a Modifier: "It's been two months now; I think the boy has reached name status: his name is Dick, and I'm pretty sure he isn't one."

MR. RIGHT NOW: This is the guy friend of yours who doesn't have a real job, and is always ready and available when you want to party till dawn, and do things you wish you didn't remember in the morning. He's not "Mr. Right," but he may be good enough to be "Mr. Right Now."

When to Retire Him: Immediately after college,when you're not so afraid of a real man,When he asks you for cab fare home, after a particularly lonely holiday season.

As an Excuse: "It's not that I'm afraid of a committed relationship; at the moment all I need is to find a new keg and to pull Mr. Right Now out from underneath the empty one."

THE [fill in the blank] GUY: When you've just met a man and know little to nothing about him but you need to identify him during girl talk, so you use one example of who he is, something he has, or what he does, and he becomes... that guy.

Best Types of References: The kind of car he drives (The Camaro Guy), his occupation (The Personal Trainer Guy),where you met him (The Four a.m. in the Taxi Guy),the way in which he behaved in the morning if you've already woken up with him (The Cuddle Guy, The Bad Breath Guy, The Up and Run Guy, etc.).

As an Object: "He's the guy that slipped the maître d' twenty dollars for the table, spoke to the waitress like a human, and never had to use his napkin through all of dinner-you know, the Good Manners Guy."

THE TAKE-HOME PROJECT: When you feel like ignoring some larger issues in your own life, so you invest in a fixer-upper guy-who will cost you nothing but time, money, energy, and happiness. Inevitably, you learn that someone else has recouped his resale value. Hello!

You Will Never: Fix him to your liking, change anything but the window dressing, turn him into the guy who got away, build the bionic man (...Farrah tried and she couldn't do it, even with all that hair).

As a Reminder: "Forget him, he can't even dress himself and you don't have the patience for a take-home project."

A BENEFACTOR: This is a polite title for that 35-45-year-old man who dates 19-25-year-old women. Having one always seems so original (and economical) at first, because he takes you to many more exciting places than guys your own age do and, of course, he pays for everything. (But don't think you invented this: In the old days they just called him a Sugar Daddy.)

Things to Look Out for: A wife, some kids,the fact that you're a grown man's Barbie doll, that anyone who can hang out with someone who's fifteen years younger than him is a loser.

As a Reprimand: "No, he's not my father... he's my benefactor; and who cares if he's bald, he pays!"

P.D.A. BOY: The guy you go out in public with and agree to hold hands with, kiss, hug, sit on the same side of the booth with, or show any other Public Display of Affection, before determining boyfriend status.

Usually Causing: Your friends to abuse you, your feelings for him to escalate unrealistically, one person to suspect the other likes him or her too much too soon, an inappropriate use of the boyfriend title or "I love you" phrase.

As an Error: "So there's me and P.D.A. boy making out in the pizza place, and in walks my boss: Kill me now."

A WELCOME MATT: his is what your friends call you when you keep taking back the guy who only comes a-knockin' on your door for one thing: sex, drugs, or rock 'n' roll. (We could have just called you a doormat, but you're always so damn friendly when he shows up.)

When Did You Decide: To act like AstroTurf? That he's so much better than you are? That you didn't need therapy anymore? That the girl who tortured you in grammar school was right? As a Wake-Up Call: "Yeah, I'm sure he meant to call you, because everyone wants to check in on a welcome mat after they tread on it."

LUGGAGE: After you or your man has told the other to get lost and you keep finding each other at events of mutual interest. If you tossed him, he's the luggage, and what's required is a game of ditch. If he tossed you, then you're the luggage, and this is a game of looking as though you're having a good time without him.

Necessary Requirements: At least one ally to help you ditch or save face, A mineral water because alcohol will kill you here, A good seat for viewing or hiding, a ladies' room to escape to if the game gets too intense.

As a Plea to God: "I must have 'Samsonite Customer Service' stamped right on my forehead, because I cannot lose this luggage for the life of me."

Copyright (c) 2001 by Diane Farr

Please email or comment YOUR "girl codes", I'd love to add them to my list.