Aquatic Blue - #70

Hey, guys!  Let me just tell you all that I am soooo ready for summer!  Yes-sir-ree... I am so ready for all that the "sun season" has to bring: brighter days, warmer nights... a kaleidoscope of COLOR!  Now y'all know that I don't follow the rules when it comes to wearing certain shades during the seasons - I wear what I want when I want!  But I must admit that I haven't been wearing much of anything lately.  My "five minute face" has been my morning bestie for weeks now, but these nagging cravings I have for summer has me looking to shake up the monotony of my routine.  I think a little more color would provide a suitable cure, starting with the eyes.  And I've got just the shadow to fill the prescription.  It's Inglot's #70 and it is quite the shimmering stunner...  

#70 is an aquatic, cerulean blue with silver specks scattered throughout.  It is a staple in Inglot's lineup of Freedom System single-pan eyeshadows.  Soft to the touch, it is packed with pigment and yields a bounty of color with general ease.  The bright beauty performs well on the eyes, lasting all day while paired with primer, and boasts a matte finish.

So there you have it!  With its visual charge of sparkling deep blue, #70 effortlessly elicits the feel and tones of warmer times.  It is a throwback as well as a "throw-forward" to summer - a season that I'm absolutely longing for.  But until it arrives, I'm perfectly fine with painting my peepers in a wash of color that's reminiscent of beachside waters.  Bright and bold, it's got a lot more going for it than simple eye-appeal.  It's an unapologetic, arresting shade of blue...  A little splash of summer to tide me over until I'm able to experience the real thing!

Inglot #70 is available at Inglot boutiques as well as select Macy's, and retails for $7.

Barbie: Rosie O'Donnell

Last week, Barbie announced some significant changes regarding its fashion doll line.  Already the hardest working doll in the toy business with a wealth of cultures and nationalities deeply embedded in the collection, they are further diversifying the brand by including a new line of dolls with an expanded range of eye colors, skin tones and even body types - the latter garnering the most attention.  In addition to Barbie's traditionally lithe, model-esque body shape, the Fashionistas Line will also offer a tall, petite and curvy version of the beauty.  It's a move that left many shocked and surprised (pleasantly), but I wasn't.  I knew that these were waters that had been previously chartered.  Long before "curvy" Barbie, there was Rosie - a Barbie made in the likeness of well-known "funny girl" Rosie O'Donnell.  Full-figured with her signature smile to match, she was a perfect replica of the star... and a welcomed visual departure from its usual celebrity iterations.        

Best known as the brash "wise-cracker" Doris in A League of Her Own, Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell has quite the entertainment resume.  With prominent roles on both the big and small screen, the Long Island-born comedienne even helmed her own talk show - a snapshot in time that has been dutifully captured with this doll.  From her signature pantsuit and sneakers to her microphone and additional accoutrements, every detail has been provided and accounted for.

Even the back of the box has been recruited for the sake of authenticity, displaying a full mockup of the set of her talk show to serve as a backdrop during playtime.

Keeping in line with the raven-haired entertainer's simple approach to aesthetics, Rosie's makeup is kept to a minimum; her brown eyes are lightly lined in a burnt sienna, allowing her lips to take center stage in a bright cherry-red.

So there you have it!  When they made the Rosie O'Donnell Barbie, they broke the mold... and defied convention.  Long before all the hubbub over "Curvy", there was Rosie - a doll that lauded the comic's achievements as well as her physical attributes.  It's a doll that acknowledges and celebrates the fact that women come in all sizes.  It's a doll that served as the precursor of what was to come...  And I'm so glad to have her in my collection!