welcome to elaney!

“Just tryin’ to get paid.” – ebrother

Do we still like braids?  Lauren Conrad is so beautiful.  Still haven’t figured out how with emulate her hair.  Too late? Or es fiiine?

Working in technology, you begin to get used to the idea of “newer, better, faster.”  Knowing and loving the next big thing (or in elaney’s case, sort of faking it) is not just self-indulgent, it’s also sort of part of the job requirement.  That’s why sometimes there is so much pleasure in the things that don’t change.  The things in your life that you know what you’re gonna get and you love they way they are (ie, Columbus GA, Reader Isa’s clothing choices, emum’s advice, Subway sandwiches, Romantic Comedies, and…Smith’s Rosebud Salve).  We thought we might like this perfect product we noticed that they sold it at drug stores and Anthropologie.  Smith’s Rosebud salve is a cure all of winter woes – softens lips, defrizzes hair, shapes eye brows…don’t let this product from the 1800′s leave your side from December to February.  It’s like Chicken Soup for the Winter Beauty Needs.

Attention all victims of flat iron fried hair.  We have officially discovered the cure for common (s)tresses.  As a devotee of the Chi straighter (still the best straighter), we randomly discovered the Porcelain Ceramic Babyliss PRO.  Dum dum dum….hair babyBliss!  Now, it’s not cheap.  It’s about $80, but since Bed, Bath & Beyond employees a unique pricing model and mails 20% coupons every 2 days, you can get it for $64!  Not only will your hair look and feel better than it ever has (including comparing yourself to normally not applicable 17 year old stage), you will never use a straightener again.  Just ask the interns who can’t stop touching their hair.  We dare you to try it. 

It’s the recession, and money is tight, but’s still important to look your best.  We’re sharing our two favorite budget products out there:

1.  Queen Helene Grape Seed Peel Off Mask.  Used to like the clay mask, until they were out and we got the peel off.  If you don’t mind getting a little purple goo in your hair, you put the mask off, wait 15-20 minutes, peel off and think to yourself “Wow, I’m really pretty,” circa 7th grade makeover at the Clinque counter.  Under $4.

2.  Neutrogena Triple Moisture Conditioner.  We’ve written about this before but it is truly the best conditioner we’ve ever used.  Better than Aveda.  Better than Bumble and Bumble.  And under $7.  Can’t beat that.

“If I had to teach someone just one thing about lip color it would be this: Find a lipstick that looks good on your face when you are wearing absolutely no makeup.” — Bobbi Brown, Beauty

Finding the perfect lipstick can be a challenge.  After wearing the same lipstick for 3 years, we realized that it was time for a change (switched from Mac Viva Glam to a glossy pink).  So how do you do it?  The most flattering lip tones will be one or two shades darker than your natural lip color, according to makeup artist Bobbi Brown.  Need more?  Here’s a good guide:

• Women with fair skin, look great in lipstick shades such as nudes in a slightly apricot shade, pinks and light corals. Stay away from browns, which will appear blah.
• Those with a medium skin tone can go a bit darker. You’ll look great in roses, mauves and berries. Skip the bright reds and consider a deep burgundy instead.
• Deep plum, chocolate or red is fabulous with dark or black skin. According to the editors of Allure’s “Confessions of a Beauty Editor,” women with dark skin “can go in one of two directions: toward brown or purple. Think caramel or walnut for day, and plum or wine for evening.”

What lipstick do you recommend for your look?

They say the average woman is a size 12, and the average model is a size 0.  For the most part, we’d observed that most members of our peer group (girls in their mid twenties) no longer make themselves crazy to be a size 0, but we don’t think the battle with body image is ever completely won (or really, even close).

Glamour Magazine published this picture of “plus size” size 12 Lizzie Miller, and everyone has an opinion.  What do we think?  Is something like this in the media the first step for alleviating some of the pressure women have on their bodies?  Or is there nothing we can do?  Does this picture surprise you?  Do you think this is what models should look like?  Thoughts?