Category Archives: beauty

Red Carpet Stunners: Oscars 2014

The best part of the Oscars happens before the show even starts. Really who cares other than the nominees who wins? And with that let’s go over the dressed and ensembles that prevailed on the red carpet outside of the Dolby Theatre tonight. Solid colors trumped patterns and prints this year and dominated the carpet. White, silver, pale pastels, nudes, and metallics were the favorite. Gatsby continues to inspire actresses and designers. Deep navy, plums, and reds also had a presence. To my dismay there were no swan dresses or mohawks spotted, as actresses seem to have gone for safe bets for one of the most anticipated red carpets of the year. I’ve selected my favorites here. Tell me your favorites?

Soft colors, nudes, and silver. These gowns wowed us.

Julie Deply

Penelope Cruz

Lupita Nyong’o

Kate Hudson

Meryl Streep

Cate Blanchette

Bold colors and deep tones still made an entrance.

Jennifer Lawrence. In what else but Dior!

Sandra Bullock

Olivia Wilde & Jason Sudekis

Karen O

Idina Menzel

Kevin Spacey makes Navy glam.

Glenn Close

Emma Watson

Charlize Theron

Ring in 2014 with Style and Confidence

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Sometimes it’s helpful to look back to see what we’ve accomplished through the year. It can be important to realize your trajectory and either make adjustments, or stay the course. This year I’m so excited to be moving on from 2013. You won’t see a review post by me, or my most popular posts etc. I’d like to inspire you to be excited for what lies ahead.

Instead of focusing on resolutions in the typical sense, I want you to focus on how you can love yourself and your style more. Embrace what nature gave you. Rock your day putting your best self forward. Yes it’s true, Pualana (me) stylist for hire can help you with that. But you can also encourage yourself to smile a little bit more, doubt yourself a little bit less, and love yourself a little bit more. Your gratitude will make you shine, even more than all those sequins can, and you know how much I love sparkle!

When I wake up excited to create an outfit, to walk out that door and conquer whatever my day has in store for me, that confidence shines through as great style. And to me that is the most important element in attaining great style, confidence. How do you get there? Fake it. Wearing a smile, holding your head a little bit higher, and walking proud will make you more confident in your individual style.

A confident woman can often be mistaken for arrogant, selfish, and ego-driven. Don’t let them fool you. Loving yourself and your look enables you to give others more. And soon you will be inspiring others to copy your look…and confidence.

’tis the season for glitz n’gold

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Everyday I resist the urge to cover my face is glittery shimmer or sporting a sequined something. I guess I missed my calling as a circus act. Maybe my friends are right, I should head to Burning Man one year just so I can parade in costumes without getting a second glance. Until that day comes, and I have a reason to wear the most outrageous girly glitz, shimmering toes will have to do.

If there ever was a time of the year to get away with glittery toes, it’s now during the holidays. Here I layered a base gold shimmer polish, with big chunky gold glitter polish on top. Gold is a better version of flesh tone. It’s flattering, and doesn’t shorten your toes the way darker tones like red do. It’s as if gold were the most naturally flattering color for a polish. Yeah that’s it.

Pucker up: sport red lips

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With summer almost ending, I decided it was time to sport some color on my pout. The best bright red I’ve found with an intensity that’s on the verge of being neon, but so not. It’s Tulipe by Chantecaille. You can find it at most high end department stores and boutiques. I like the quote from Sophia Vergara, “Unless you’re 19, or Giselle, you need some color on your lips,” or something like that. Stella gives her paws of approval.

Travel must: the perfect pouch

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It’s travel season, and what do women need more than a good travel organizer or make-up bag? I’m not sure. It’s always on my list of things I need to find, i.e. a better one than I’ve got. I’m usually using some freebie I got with my last “gift with purchase,” ugly but functions. And then I came across this…

Sound the horns, I can officially stop hunting. I found the perfect zippered pouch. It’s crafted by Meredith Bridges in Atlanta. Not in Georgia? Not to fret, you can find her well crafted goods on etsy.

Why is it so awesome? Let me count the ways. At 9″ long, it’s roomy enough for all my makeup brushes, so they don’t get crushed. And a good 4″ wide I can fit my large Bobbi Brown bronzer, Voluminous mascara, Nars multiple, and all the lip shimmers I need, plus it fits the kinda big Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer I wear daily (with SPF)!

At $75 it’s not a “bargain” but it’s as cute as it is durable thanks to industrial strength nylon threading and heavy-duty brass zipper.

Keep your musts on hand in your purse or in your suitcase. I can officially stop looking, I just want another one now.

I’m craving this mint one.

Bath me in sea salt soap!

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I’m somewhat of a beauty product “whore” in that I like to try everything and am rarely satisfied.

My latest obsession is this S wedish Dream Sea Salt soap. It’s slightly sweet yet fresh scent lathers up to a nice creamy shave worthy barrier. But the super special part of this bar is the chunks of sea salt crystals embedded in the circular white disk, simultaneously stimulating the skin and gently exfoliating it.

After an intense workout it’s the ultimate get me clean remedy. Lather up!

“Style is all about your individual sense of how you want to present yourself to the world. It’s about loving what you’ve got instead of wishing for what you’re not.”

-Stacy London

Fabulous in 5 minutes

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When I don’t have time (daily) to agonize over my makeup, this is my fast makeup ritual. You really can do all of this in just 5 minutes.

Here’s how to makeup your face in just 5 minutes!

Time saving tip: use your fingers to blend and apply creamy products. When you’re not fussing over tools, you can speed up the application process too.

I start with a clean face, then apply a generous dollop of Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer in Sand.
If I’m feeling particularly fair, I’ll add a little of Nars’ orgasm illuminator in orgasm or laguna for a fresh flush.
Nars’ blush powder in orgasm is a fave too, especially with the Nars Yachio brush. It’s light in the hand, and doesn’t grab too much pigment so you don’t end up looking like you put your makeup on without your contacts!
I’ll dab a little of the CHANEL Fantasme longwear eye base with shimmer,
then apply a hefty coating of thick black mascara (my drugstore fave is Voluminous by L’Oreal).
I usually do my eyebrows last, a couple of quick fill lines with my CHANEL pencil in brun natural, then smudge them with the brush end so they don’t look too perfect.
Just before I’m complete I apply a couple of quick clicks of YSL’s Touche éclat under my eyes, in the creases of my nose, and around my lips to “brighten” up.
A nice sheen of a universally flattering lip glacé in Rose Hips by Laura Mercier is my final touch. You can set your look with pressed powder, or if you prefer a dewy look, skip it.
And presto, my face is done!

For a list of all my favorites, check out my list on pinterest too.

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: Includes a sharpener and brush all in one.

: CHANEL ILLUSION D’OMBRE LONG WEAR is the best way to impart a little bit of freshness to the eyes. And the little bit of shimmer goes a long way.

: No-fuss, no streak, blends so easy, and you can apply it in the dark if you need to!

: My mother and me.

: Just on the apples of the cheeks, and then blend up to your temples. Can also be brushed onto your eyelids for extra warmth.

: My most coveted item in my daily makeup bag. A highlighter that you apply under your eyes, the corners of your nose, and around your lips for an added POP! I wear shade #2.

Makeup Must: Glamorous Eyes

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Amy’s eyes give off a subtle glow using this CHANEL cream shadow as the base.

Everyday I do a couple of things before I head out the door. For one I brush my teeth and tousle my hair with a little product. And aside from putting a few items of clothes on my body as to make sure I am never called a nudist, I also dabble a little of this on my eyes. I swear if there’s only ONE item I could have, it’d be this: CHANEL’s ILLUSION D’OMBRE, LONG WEAR LUMINOUS EYESHADOW for a mere $36.00. Ok so it’s no drugstore find, but OMG is it ever worth it, and it lasts a good long while because all you need is a touch of this mega-dose of shimmer.

Sure some would swear on their La Mer moisturizer or red Tom Ford lipstick, but this is the golden egg in my makeup bag. When I’m rushing I just use this on my lids, add a little mascara, and a little blush on the cheeks and then call it a day.

What’s your must have makeup item? Tell me!

Precision Perfect Hair: Joy at J Salon

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I take my recommendations seriously. I am without a doubt a super picky person. I wasn’t a princess growing up, but I was the only girl…so maybe that’s how I ended up this way. Just know I would never half-heartedly recommend anyone.

Joy at J Salon is without a doubt my favorite hair stylist in Hawaii. She’s fun, easy going, and takes what you want for your hair seriously, but then takes it up a notch in the right direction. She’s been trained in the Vidal Sasson method. I’ve got what she calls hoale asian hair … meaning stick straight hair that shows every mistake. Joy gets it, she gets hair, and she gets people. I love being in her chair, it’s a royal treatment to see her!

Years ago I was so scared to cut off my scraggly long locks, I searched endlessly to where I would go for a bob cut, this was in 2005! After finding Joe and Joy at J salon, I have only gone shorter and more fun and spunky. I haven’t regretted it for a minute. It’s now 2012 and J salon just celebrated it’s 9th anniversary!

J salon has maintained a list of loyal clients for a reason. The salon is sharp, gorgeous, and now serves you fabulous drinks made to order. You pay for it, but I believe it’s worth it 100%. Your hair is an accessory you wear everyday … so it’s less than $2/day if you go every 6-8 weeks.

Oh and they’re named one of Elle’s top 100 US salons for a third year in a row … no big deal right!?

J Salon

Cost: $85 haircut with Joy

Location: 1240 Ala Moana Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96814

Phone: (808) 550-4441