Month: November 2017

Feeling Glam in Fall

| kristencastillo

Fall is such a great season. Even in San Diego, the temps are cool(er) this time of year and it’s fun to wear cozy clothes and accessories in rich, autumn colors. I’ve been layering more and wearing knits and velvet.

Wearing Jane Iredale Fall Glam collection. Love this lipstick!

My accessories and makeup have taken on fall tones as well. I love burgundy, crimson and deep shades of brown.

Jane Iredale Fall Glam

Jane Iredale sent me their Naturally Glam beauty collection to try out and I’m loving it.

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There’s a five-color eye shadow palette featuring shimmery neutrals, as well as a bubblegum pink blush which has delicate gold shimmer.

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They also sent this soft makeup mitt, which is so useful to wipe off the day’s makeup.

 

My favorite items? The gorgeous, seasonal lip colors: PureMoist lipstick in Gwen, an apple red and Just Kissed lip plumper in Paris, a sheer light port wine.

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These lipsticks have been the star of my fall. I’ll continue to wear them during the holidays.

 

 

Cheers to Thanksgiving!

| kristencastillo

Setting the table for Thanksgiving is always so much fun. On the table this holiday: these two sparkling wines from Alsatian winery, Dopff & Irion.

They’re made from different grapes, like Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois, in a traditional champagne method. These well-balanced sparkling wines have fine and lasting bubbles.

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The Brut Blanc de Blancs NV, is ideal for dinner and even dessert. It’s light and bubbly with green apple or lemon aromas. The Brut Rosé NV, suited for cocktails, has a red berry fruit taste.

Thanks to Dopff & Irion for sending me these wines to try! I’m looking forward to sharing them with my guests this holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Put a Ring On It!

| kristencastillo

As a wedding editor and writer, I’m always following wedding trends. One of those trends is wedding jewelry.

There’s nothing traditional about wedding rings these days.  Like never before, there are more colors, styles and metal choices for women and men.

According to The Knot, in 2016, couples said they spent over $6000 on engagement rings. There’s another jewelry expense – wedding rings for both spouses, which can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

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The next consideration is style. Gold, silver, titanium, tungsten and more metals, as well as colors and looks like simple bands, beveled designs and adding diamonds of other stones.

IMG_2157While brides often know what they want their wedding band to look like, men can be frustrated by the process. And even fashionable guys, can have a tough time finding a ring that fits their personal style.

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That’s why I was eager to check out Manly Bands, which promise to fit different personalities and budgets, all while being sophisticated.

Manly Bands sent me a few complimentary bands: The Gentleman, (below) a polished band made with tungsten carbide, 18K rose gold plated; and The Surfer, a modern ring made with tungsten carbide featuring dark Koa wood and genuine turquoise.

“The Gentlemen” Manly Band

My husband tried both rings and modeled them. His fave? The Surfer (below) for its bold color and how it popped against his skin tone. This ring is very hip and a fit for his lifestyle. After all, my husband is a California native.

The rings, available in sizes five to 17, are all under $200. Wedding or not, some of these rings (like The Surfer my husband likes) can be worn as an everyday accessory.