5 Mid - Summer Beauty Tips ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week #20

Are you getting bored with your summertime look yet? We are at the halfway mark now, so there is no time like the present to redial your beauty game, simplify and bring in some new beauty strategy.

Change To A Bold Lip

Bold lip colors are fun to wear. They brighten your face, make you look awake and alert, can spark your eye color (if you use a complimentary opposite), they make you look vibrant and they totally take the emphasis off all the makeup you usually wear.
My go-to look for summer is just brows, mascara and a bold lip. 
When you are fresh off the beach or just not in the mood to put on makeup, a bright, bold lip can pull your look together and have you looking polished and perfect.
Try MAC Lipstick in Crosswires, (a clean, pinky orange) or 
MAC Lipstick in Full Fuschia (a bright, warm, fun pink)

Pare Down To A Primer

If you're not in the mood for foundation (during the summer I never am) even out the tone and texture of your skin with a really good primer. Primer will minimize your pores, help you control oily shine and give your skin a lovely finish.
Try Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Color Base in lavender/pink to correct sallow skin, in yellow to add a little brightness to the skin or in pearl to add brilliance.

Add A Little Highlight 

One of the fastest ways to liven and brighten your look for summer is to get highlights to frame your face. They instantly lift your complexion and play beautifully with your (faux) tan.

Make A Tiny Wing

Even though an emphatic winged eyeliner is a big trend for summer 2015, I personally think that big eyeliner in the hot sun looks completely stupid. 
You should always opt for what looks fabulous over what is the biggest trend.
A small, subtle, refined wing however, can draw the eye out, add a little intrigue and drama without overwhelming your eye in the bold summer sunshine. 
If you go see The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (and I recommend you do!), check out the gorgeous makeup on Alicia Vikander. She wears the absolute perfect winged eyeliner for summer.

Combine Your Beachy Wave With Some Braids

Braids and beachy waves are the perfect pairing this summer.
If you have a thick head of hair braids not only look cool, but they keep hair out of your face. If your hair is heavy and tends to collapse and go flat in the heat, braids help keep the illusion of volume. And beachy waves are always fabulous in the summer!

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Fashion

Last night I was priviledged to go to a private screening of Guy Ritchie's fabulous new movie, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

The film stars Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer as CIA and KGB agents on opposite sides of the Cold War, and Alicia Vikander as an East German car mechanic, caught up in their caper.
Elizabeth Debicki is the villianess, and Hugh Grant is Hugh Grant, and wonderfully so.

Based on the 1960s TV show, Guy Ritchie has created a spy movie reminiscent of Bond movies at their best. 
Remember when James Bond was suave and debonair, the ultimate ladies man? Circa Sean Connery and early Roger Moore, when Bond was fun and a little campy, long before Daniel Craig's Bond-of-angst. This movie captures that fun.
And you just know this had to be a really fun movie to work on.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is visually luscious. The scenery is fabulous, much of it shot in Italy, the cars are glorious tributes to the 60s, and there are so many fantastic little visual details (such as villian Victoria's green exterior use telephone - I loved it!!)

Costume designer Joanna Johnston absolutely steals the show with her lavish wardrobe design. 

Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in The Man From UNCLE

While the men are endlessly dapper and always eye catching, the panache of the ladies' fashion is just jaw dropping.
Rather than take the expected and cliched route of a Mary Quant looking 60s fashion, Johnston took influence from 1966, '67 and '68 and created her own fashion, blowing away any academic correctness with a style of her own that is so stunning, so gorgeous and so on point that everyone will be clamoring to get their hands on identical pieces.

The Man From UNCLE at the Spanish Steps in Rome

That dress!!! And those sunglasses!!

There are so many fashion details that are just perfection.
From Debicki's Emilio Pucci leather trimmed cape to Vikander's belted coat.

Henry Holland White Sunglasses

The white Henry Holland sunglasses that Alicia Vikander wears in The Man From U.N.C.L.E are already one of the most sought after sunglasses of the season. 
Try getting them at www.houseofholland.co.uk

Hair and makeup are sensational too. I know this will be one of those movies that I watch over and over.

Thank God Tom Cruise backed out of this movie. 
Even with Ritchie at the helm, Cruise would have ruined it.
He was originally slated to play the lead role, that of Napoleon Solo, which instead went to Henry Cavill who was superb.

Check out the trailer for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. here:

6 Things You Should Never Pack In Your Carry On

I have a very dear friend who is embarking on her first international trip in a few weeks, and is planning on only taking a carry-on bag.
This gives me borderline anxiety!
I could never survive a multi week trip with just a carry-on.
Not in a million years.

Anyway, for those of you flying anywhere this summer, or ever, here are things you should never pack in your carry on bag.

1. Smelly Foods or Snacks.
There are two reasons for this, the first being that your entire bag and everything in it will take on that smell, and depending on the food in question you may have a hard time getting rid of that smell.
Secondly no one else on the plane wants to smell it.
That goes for eating smelly food in flight as well! Be considerate of your fellow travelers because we really are stuck with that smell, in a confined space, for a long time.

2. Stinky Clothes.
Same as above - none of us want to deal with that stench! If you are traveling with stinky clothes (or shoes) and can't check the bag they are in, at least put them in ziplock bags or travel laundry bags such as Flight 001 Go Clean Laundry Bags.

3. Weapons.
As stupid as it sounds, people do it all the time. Just stand in line at a busy airport and watch what people send through X-Ray.
This also includes gag gifts and other items shaped like weapons.



4. Fluids Over 3.4 Ounces
You probably already know this, but sometimes you can still make mistakes. Be careful that you don't accidentally throw in a bottle of perfume at the last minute, or a bottle of anything expensive.
Another thing to consider is your Duty Free shopping. One of my friends recently bought Duty Free wine when flying back from New Zealand, but it was taken from her at LAX when she went to change planes. If you buy  Duty Free perfume, put it in your checked luggage when you go through customs before re-checking your bag. Don't try and take it on board your domestic flight with you.

5. Meats, Cheeses or Chocolate.
Grabbing a last minute wheel of Brie or a Calcio Cavallo at the airport, pre flight? Do't pack it in your carry on luggage. Some airport xray machines can't tell the difference between these foods and plastic explosive - they have the same density on xray.
If you are bringing them back, know you may get  searched at TSA.

6. Battery Operated Items.
If you are traveling with battery operated items, make sure you remove the batteries, or tape the on/off switch in the "off" position. They can turn on when bouncing around inside your carry on and cause you problems at TSA.
Also know that the TSA agent who is watching your bag go thru 
x-ray can see the shape of everything in your bag, and if you are packing naughty battery operated items in your carry on they probably will open your bag. In front of everyone in line. (and if I'm in that line I will die laughing!!)

The 6 Physical Features That Men Can't Resist

I couldn't resist reposting this article!

And who better to pair it with than sex-bomb Christina Hendricks?

I'm pretty certain most men would have a very hard time resisting her...

The 6 Physical Features That Men Can't Resist

via Redbook

We all know that every time a man gives us the once-over, he's probably thinking about sex. But now, science can explain why men are constantly checking us out. Turns out, there's a specific formula for their once-over. Some of it's silly, but most of it you can easily nail. According to Business Insider, every time a man checks out a woman, he's performing a reproductive fitness assessment. Men were designed to look for key features in women. These features make women attractive because they are associated with good health and fertility. When men notice these features, they are subconsciously thinking, she could have my babies! Making them subconsciously, or very consciously, attracted to you.

Science has proven men to be attracted to women with these 6 features. According to the data, here's what it takes to be "attractive:"

A Wider Waist to Hips Ratio.

A ratio of 7:10 is particularly pleasing, apparently. The waist and hips are related to childbirth, making men think, those big hips would be great for delivering my baby! This one's pretty obvious– men like small waists and big butts. I guess that would explain why waist-trainers and the Kardashians are trending.

A High Voice.

According to a study cited in the video, a high-pitched voice evokes youthfulness and signifies a small, feminine body, both of which are attractive to men. Let's just say our high-pitched shrieks at the scandalous happenings on the Real Housewives is a sign of evolution at work.

Healthy Hair.

Shiny, full, and long hair is very attractive. Again, it's a sign of health and fertility. And thankfully, very fake-able with regular salon visits and blowouts. Remember, it's for the future of the human race.

Smiles.

Well obviously, happy people are attractive people. But science has also proven the whiter the teeth, the better.

Less Makeup.

You may think that contouring, layers of eye shadow, and bold lips are making you more beautiful, but it turns out, the natural look is more appealing to men. The video says that men prefer women who use up to 40% fewer cosmetics. But it shouldn't take science to tell you that the natural you, is the best you.

Wearing Red.

There's a reason red is associated with lust. Scientists have proven that wearing red enhances attraction. In fact, they've found this phenomenon to hold true in other animals as well. Note to self: dry clean red dress for Saturday date night.This all said, there's plenty of counter research that men are just happy to be getting laid at all. One thing's for sure– they're lucky to have us, just the way we are.

How To Buy A Strapless Bra

Don't you just love summer clothes?
All those strapless, shoestring strap, sleeveless, haltered tops and dresses, low backed, arms and shoulders free?
All of you that is, except for the girls with big boobies.


You see for she of the perky A and B cup, she of the firm and youthful C cup, and she of the righteously augmented California/Scottsdale-style breast (you know, the gravity defying power breasts who's nipples point skyward no matter what position the body is in), summer clothes are a dream.

Jennifer Lopez in a strapless dress

But for she of the full breast, she of the round breast, the heavy breast, the large breast and she of the pendulous mammaries any and all of the above mentioned clothing styles are more like a nightmare.
Generally gravity calls to all big breasts like a siren song, luring them ever downward, making the strapless styles and their brethren all but an impossibility unless said boobies are bound into an industrial strength hoisting contraption, also known as a strapless bra.

Helena Christianson in a strapless dress

For those of us who don't have their own personal Howard Hughes, or who are not married to an architect who can custom design an ergonomically correct, aerodynamic support structure that provides both the caging and raising of the beasts and perfection in aesthetic balance, the world of the strapless bra is pretty much a no fun zone.

They squeeze and corrupt, don't stay in place, make you nervous to bend over, terrify you at the mere thought of raising your arm and leave you at the end of the day with red line road maps marking their turf.

Unless you get a really good one.
A great strapless bra that is perfectly sized for you is a wonder to behold.

So today on the blog we are going to explore the fundamentals of How To Buy A Strapless Bra.

1. Avoid VS.
They have no end of fun lingerie, but when you need a workhorse to do a serious and important job, this is not the place to go.
Unless you are super lucky you will find most department store lingerie departments, such as Macy's and Dillards are a total waste of time too.
You can't be certain that the girl who is fitting you (assuming they actually have a girl there to fit you) wasn't working in the toaster department last week,  or that she knows what she is doing. 
They all say they are trained in fitting, but start asking questions about said training, or ask questions about bra construction, fabrics or shape and more often than not you will find yourself facing a blank stare.

Le Mystere strapless bra

2. Go To A Bra Specialist and Get Properly Fitted.
Either find a lingerie specialty store in your area, or Nordstrom tends to have really well trained and knowledgeable bra fitters. They also have quality merchandise.
Once you have been fitted by a pro you will be able to spot an impostor a mile off.
Strapless bras have a big job to do, and they cannot do it without being properly fitted.

3. Invest In High Quality.
You are not going to find a great strapless bra for big breasts at bargain prices. Look at your strapless bra as an investment, and be prepared to pay more for it. Quality is everything in strapless bra land.

4. It's All In The Band.
The band of your strapless bra is going to do all the work. This is where you get your hold, your support and your security.
The band has to fit you firmly without squeezing you. If it is too tight you will get fat rolls over the edges, even if you're not fat. If it's not firm enough you will have no support.
This is where a really good bra fitter is priceless. She will not only make sure it is sized correctly, but will look for unsightly overflow. It's important that your back looks smooth, so if you have large, weighty or fuller breasts a wider band is best.

5. The Gore must Be Flush To Your Chest.
I was told this yesterday. The gore is the flat part between the cups, and it needs to sit flat against your breastbone. If it is lifting away from the skin the bra isn't fitting you properly, and the cups will lift at the outer corners, or pull away from the top of the breast.

6. No Side Gapping.
If the band feels good, and the gore is flush with your skin but you are seeing gaps between the side of your breast and the cup of your bra you either need a different size, or that bra isn't right for your breast.

7. Choose A Molded Contour Cup.
For a bigger breast, especially a natural big breast or a fleshy big breast, cups that are molded will give you a smoother line in your clothes. Molded cups have a fit that feels more snug.

8. Beware Boob Ridge.
Check the line of your breast as it meets the top of the cup and make sure its smooth. Top boob rolling over the cup or spilling out of the cup both looks awful and means the bra doesn't fit you correctly.

9. Bring A Lightweight Top Or Dress.
The best way to test the fit is by trying on the sheerest fabric you are likely to wear with your new bra. Sometimes the bra will look great, but when you put your top or dress on you see the line of the top of the cup. A quality bra is expensive, so you need to make sure it looks good with everything you are going to wear it with.

10. Move And Groove.
With your perfect fit strapless bra on try a variety of movements.
If you are going to wear it dancing, bust a move and see if the girls get out or stay in place.
Try everyday movements that would normally be scary in a strapless - bend over, reach your arms out in front of you, raise your hands above your head. Twist and turn your body and see if your boobs stay in place.
With the exception of the monkey bars at the park you should be able to do most things in a strapless bra and not have your breasts slip out or fall out, or have the band and/or the bra itself slip down toward your waist.

5 Hard Lessons You Learn Traveling The World

I first started traveling overseas in my teens. I would make vacation runs to Australia from my native New Zealand, and it made me feel very cosmopolitan and international.

Mount Cook in my beautiful homeland, New Zealand

When I was 20 I moved to London to become a makeup artist and my wanderlust started in earnest, London being the ultimate base for a world traveler. Since then I have traveled as much as possible, both for work and for pleasure, the line between the two being blurred at best and non-existant at second best.

Travel is the greatest education you can be blessed with. To really understand the world and its people, their different customs and religions, to really comprehend the magnificence of this planet you need to venture out, explore and experience as much as you can.
The world is the greatest classroom of them all.

But it's not all easy, and it's not all wonderful. 
Here are 5 Hard Lessons You Will Learn While Traveling Overseas

1. You Won't Like Every Place You Go.
Some places are awful. Some places are scary.
There are places your friends have loved and found fascinating or that have looked amazing in books, but when you get there they are disappointing. Or dirty. Or full of bugs that see you as the ultimate smorgasbord. 
There are oceans that look beautiful in travel magazines, but when you get there are un-swimable. It can be really disappointing.
But.
You can learn something from every place you travel to, you can gain new perspective, and the ones that disappoint you only serve to make the wonderful places seem more sensational.

Mazatlan, Mexico. I got so sick here that I actually wanted to die.

There are also places that seem good at first, but have a perilous underside. 
A few years ago I went to Mazatlan to shoot a workout video for a few days. On the last night I got so violently ill I just honestly wanted to die. Lying on the cold floor of the Mazatlan airport I swore I would never set foot in Mexico again. (For years I didn't, but now I go all the time!) The flight home was hell, and it took me weeks to get better. Safe to say not all trips go as planned...

2. Not Everyone Will Like You.
It can be jarring at first, but not everyone will like you, even though you are planning on liking them. 
In general I find most people are wonderful, wherever you may be in the world. But when you meet some un-friendlies it can be awful. I've had people shout at me about being American and starting wars (I'm not American, I'm a Kiwi and I am anti war, but that's irrelevant), I've been held at gunpoint in the middle of the night in the Malaga airport because I looked like someone on a wanted list, (years ago and at the time I thought it was madly exciting), and more recently I have run into some really surly, tourist hating restaurant workers at Bar Papisca on the Sicilian island of Lipari.
It can be a really discomforting feeling at first, but ultimately it's just part of the real world experience.

3. Not Everything Will Go As Planned.
That's an understatement!
You can't be married to your itinerary, and when you are traveling you have to realize that things will go wrong, and for a variety of reasons. Flights get delayed, bookings get misplaced, luggage doesn't arrive.
It can be absolutely devastating when you have been looking forward to seeing something, someplace, someone and you have traveled clear across the world to a country you may never come back to again, and your one opportunity is lost.
Even if you do have a plan B and even if you do keep a flexible mind and a great attitude it can really knock you sideways.
There have been many times during my travels when things have gone wildly awry, but I try to always have backup plans that I can put into action. Often you find that when things go wrong the opportunity that vacuum creates actually leads you to something better anyway.

This is Helsinki. When I was there it was completely overcast and grey, not beautiful and colorful.
The weather didn't go as planned!

4. Reverse Culture Shock Is Often Worse.
It's normal to experience some measure of culture shock when you travel. In fact seeking a new experience is the main reason we leave our own shores and go explore somewhere new. 
You adjust to, embrace or at least experience the country you have traveled to, it's customs, it's people and it's foods, and that is part of the magic of travel. But what you don't expect is what a huge shock to the system the return home can be.
It takes me a long time to re-adjust to the red, white and blue, every time I come home.
The endless chain restaurants and chain stores feel so homogenized, the abundance of everything feels decadent, the lack of languages spoken feels numbing. The absence of simple things such as starting the day with a really good espresso or the endless human interaction that you find in the great walking cities of the world as well as the small, hidden villages can leave you aching.
For me, reverse culture shock is always worse.

Abu Simbel, Aswan Egypt. I want to explore more of Egypt, but the time never seems right.

5. There Is Never Going To Be Enough Time To Do It All.
When I was younger I thought I would absolutely be able to go to all the countries I wanted to visit, experience everything I wanted to in the world, live for a time in some of the magnificent locations on my list.
But life gets in the way, and as you get older and maybe a little wiser you start to realize that the more you travel, the more there is to see. You will in all likelihood never get to do it all.
Sometimes I can't come to terms with the fact that I've never lived in the south of France, Sicily will probably only ever be a holiday destination for me, not a home, and my lifelong plan to spend a year in Paris may not eventuate. My list of travel destinations grows longer and longer, but unless I hurry up and win the lottery I will probably never get to do it all.

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ~ Sneak Peak Early Access!

Are you a Nordstrom shopper?
I love Nordstrom. Love.



And I'm excited about their annual Anniversary Sale. We are only halfway through summer, so there is still tons of time to wear all the amazing items you can buy, and being that its Nordstrom's sale there are serious bargains to be made!

So here's what's cool. Corinna B's World readers are getting early access to this year's Anniversary Sale, starting July 9th!
Just click on any of the sale banners below and you are in!!



* If you are a Nordstrom card holder you can shop their most popular sale of the year 8 days early, and get first dibs on all the best stuff.
* Non cardholders can view products and their prices and add them to their wish list, but can't actually purchase them until July 17.
* Non cardholders can apply for a Nordstrom card, get an instant decision and start shopping the sale right away.
* There are also Beauty Exclusives and gift with purchase on beauty products.



What I didn't realize before is that from July 17 until August 3 you can also buy new season's fall arrivals from top brands at big savings. Prices go back up on August 3rd.

So Check the sale out as of July 9.
Buy everything you want from the sale immediately if you have a Nordstrom card, or wishlist it for July 17 purchase if you don't have one.