Five for Friday…

Trader Joe's rose hand lotion via besotted blog

Wow! Did this week fly by or was it just me? I can’t believe that it’s already Friday and I am here to share some of my five favorites this week. Michelle was busy with a huge (good) surprise email this morning, so this is just my lips flapping my gums, we’ll get her awesome input next week!

I. Trader Joe’s is getting into the beauty game in a big way with these beautifully packaged rose oil infused products. The fragrance seemed a little heavy for me (but I am very particular with scents). If you are looking for photo props I think they are totally worth having. I also got a rose face oil and I LOVE how only the tiniest drop comes out, I will use it just so I can re-use the bottle in the future.

II. I am loving the concept of this cooking space. In their own words, “Cook Space Brooklyn is a culinary studio designed to foster and build confidence in the kitchen – in an atmosphere where guests feel welcome, inspired, and emboldened to experiment.” I am no where near Brooklyn, but I am hoping this concept catches on cross country, because it’s brilliant. They even have a class where you can cook your meals at their kitchen for the month, just brilliant!

III. I have been having a hard time with my curtains, and this post helped me tremendous amounts. I will be shopping for new rods this weekend, because my curtains although lovely do look like ‘a well put together woman with pants that are too tight’, to quote the indomitable Emily Henderson.

IV. My 4 year old daughter is a prolific artist and has taken over the entire dining room with her creations. I am thinking that I need to figure out another solution for quick + clean display options. I found this one and I think I may just bite the DIY bullet.

V. I am always, always, on the search for new picture books, because I am addicted to them (and of course I read them to my child…sometimes). This one is stunningly beautiful, the colors, the patterns the creativity! The story was a little on the dark side, in a true folklore style, so I’ll wait a while to share with my daughter, but so worth getting a look at if you love picture books too!

Gift Guide: Beauty the Wishlist Edition

beauty wishlist gift guide via besottedblog

I am a self professed beauty junkie, truly.  I don’t buy as many beauty products as I used to (not even close) but I still covet many. When Michelle and I were working in L.A. a couple months back, we were lucky to meet with the esteemed doyenne of beauty Jean Godfrey-June  formerly Lucky mag fame and now the beauty director of Goop. It was a thrill to be able to ask Jean what her current fave beauty products were, which of course many made on to this gift guide, others are products we would love to add to our beauty arsenal if Santa was feeling generous.

//BEAUTY GIFT GUIDE //

01. Byredo – Gypsy Water Hand Cream, 30ml

02. Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum (the world has gone bonkers for this supposed miracle worker)

03. Herbivore Coconut Set

04. Rodin Lip Balm

05. Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigments Ultra-Natural Mascara (Jean swears this is the best mascara ever!)

06. Grown Alchemist Deep Cleansing Facial Masque: Wheat Germ, Ginkgo & Cranberry

More honorable mentions…

Le Labo Discovery Set
Foreo Luna(TM) Mini Compact Facial Cleansing Device

Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

May Lindstrom The Youth Dew Hydrating Facial Serum

Aesop Concord Set

Butter London ‘Patent Shine 10X’ Nail Lacquer – Steady On

Goop Beauty Products

Penhaligons fragrance at Lucky Scent!

flock of fragrance via besotted blog

Bird Trivia: The collective noun for a group of peacocks (peafowl) is often known as a ‘party’. Peacocks can actually fly despite their long train of feathers. Their feathers are covered with microscopic crystals which gives them their brilliance.

Can you believe I plucked another bird inspired beauty product from the ether? No, me neither. I found these wonderful charming fragrances at the renown Lucky Scent, there is an owl, eagle, and cock as well, for the bird fancier in you. It is from Penhaligons ‘Portrait Saga’. They are incredibly charming all with a little ‘back story’. This is Clandestine Clara, ‘the illicit mistress to Lord George. And true to form, Clara’s fragrance could be described much the same way, as a boozy, smoky, smoothly woodsy feminine scent that’s not for the faint of heart, but is sure to command the attention of sophisticated thrill-seekers.’

We are thinking a little flock of some fine feathered fragrances could be just the key to feather your nest (or at least your vanity). Okay, I am almost done with the bird references, almost.  We are doing this bird themed week in anxious anticipation of our soon to launch Rare Bird Fonts Foundry!

//RESOURCES//

Rare Bird Fonts

Penhaligons available at Lucky Scent

photo via luckyscent

Tristan B. is the co-creator of the world’s best + easiest product photography editing tool-Foto Rx | Shopkeeper’s Helper and one of the writer’s of this delightful blog.

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Marc Jacobs Feather Noir

Marc-Jacobs-Feather-Noir-Mascara-via-Besotted-Blog

marc jacobs feather noir mascara

Bird trivia | feathers: 1. All birds, and only birds, have feathers, although a few species of dinosaurs had them. 2. Feathers are essential to flight; they provide insulation, sunblock, and waterproofing, and can be important in providing camouflage, social dominance, and reproductive success.

Continuing with our ode to our impending Rare Bird Font launch…What would a week of bird inspo be without some feathers? Not much of a bird week at all. By the way, is it weird to devote a week to bird inspiration? Isn’t that so 2011, ‘Put a bird on it’ (ala Portlandia) and all? Oh well, everything new is old again. Like blogging, it went the way of the Dodo and here we are making a comeback, am I right? Back to the mascara, you know I love me some lashes and of course what’s not to love about Marc Jacobs packaging? So sleek, clean, modern and photographable (is that a word?) Their Feather Noir mascara is for ultra lengthening and the best part (besides the packaging) is that it has a special brush tip for your lower lashes, something I never do, but if I had a special brush, who knows what I could be capable of?

Have you tried this mascara yet? If so any feedback? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?

//RESOURCES//

Rare Bird Font Foundry

Feather Noir Mascara

Portlandia Put a bird on it

Tristan B. is the co-creator of the world’s best + easiest product photography editing tool-Foto Rx | Shopkeeper’s Helper and one of the writer’s of this delightful blog.

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Luminous natural beauty

NATURAL-BEAUTY-TIPS-FROM-A-PRO-BESOTTED-BLOG-1206

Michelle and I did a photoshoot for our client PHOEBE a couple of weeks ago and ever since then I have been dying to share some of the new to me green make-up options the talented makeup artist Heidi Mark used (her work has been featured in Elle, Vanity Fair, and she has huge commercial clients like Nordstrom and Top Shop, so she knows her stuff). First, I will make the disclaimer that our model Paisha was naturally beautiful with poreless skin, but still, the makeup was equally as flawless and I do think that it would work beautifully on anyone wanting to create a natural luminous look.

One of my fave techniques Heidi did was add a gloss at just the ends of our model Paisha’s lashes to give them some length. For weeks now I have been doing the same, just adding my mascara to the tips of my lashes for length, this gives the illusion of not wearing any mascara and just having naturally long lashes. It’s perfect for everyday, especially now that the temps are rising! Heidi also applied the foundation with a silicone blender, the finish to my foundation fanatic eye was pretty flawless, but I have heard both rave reviews and bad reviews on the new silicone blenders. Heidi liked that they didn’t soak up too much foundation and that they were super easy to clean, thus more hygienic.

I have listed the make-up used with links. Do you have any favorite green products to add?  Just leave the suggestions in the comments we are always on the hunt for great beauty finds!

//RESOURCES//

Makeup artist Heidi Mark

Silicone make-up applicator (similar).

French Girl Organics Serum 

Sibelle lip in tourmaline and roseline

Sibelle luminzer for highlighter

Beauty Counter blush (in hibiscus)

Gressa Minimalist Corrective Foundation (I am totally getting samples, it has almost 300 5 star reviews, so I am pretty sold!!!)

Edited with Photoshop and Foto Rx First Aid Kit (we are giving away a copy over a Going Home to Roost this week!)

photo by michelle p.

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