Pitch Perfect is…

I had to leave the title at that because I sat here so long thinking of the a witty title that would rival how witty this movie is and I came up blank. Guess that’s why I make jewelry and don’t write move scripts…So I realize I’m behind on this and I actually saw the movie right when it came out (and again last week…) and was (and still am…) obsessed!

But as my previous post explains, I’ve been a bit preoccupied. Yet it is time to give this genius blend of Glee-style covers and expert one-liners its due credit.

First of all, if you’ve read prior posts you know I’m a HUGE fan of Rebel Wilson so I knew I’d be seeing this movie even despite my hesitation. The commercials were awesome, but I was worried it was one of those movies that gave it all away in the previews – false! The moments captured in the trailers are just the tip of the comedic ice berg!

There are so many great subtle little one-liners that even when I saw this movie a second time I was dying because of all the little quips I missed the first time around, for example:

Aubrey: I can see your toner through those jeans*! 

Beca: That’s my dick…

*A musical boner

I mean I suppose it appeals very much to a particular humor, but I loved it, my boyfriend loved it, and my mom loved it so right there you’ve got cross-sex and cross-generational appeal!

No doubt, Rebel steals the show in the comedy department (although competition is fierce with some of her supporting ensemble!) but it’s Skylar Astin who shines as the leading man you can’t help but love. Something about him is just so damn charming!!

Astin got his start (as so many who have pioneered the Glee-style TV/movie niche) in Spring Awakening alongside Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff. He played Georg a classmate of the lead character Melchior who “lusts after his busty piano teacher” (youtube the song “bitch of living”).

Alongside Astin is Anna Kendrick who is quick to crack a joke, but barely a smile for Astin’s character who spends most of the movie chasing after Beca only to be rejected and humiliated time and time again.

Overall, I can’t say enough for this movie on a comedic scale. I don’t know much about singing so I can’t give you any critical feedback on that, but it’s so funny and the actors in it are flipping adorable – just go see it.

Related articles

• Fangirly Crush of the Week: Skylar Astin! (fangirly.com)
• Skylar Astin On Pitch Perfect And The Enduring Power of Ace Of Base (movieline.com)
• Skylar Astin: Five Things to Know About Pitch Perfect’s Love Interest (people.com)

Essie Nail Polish….am I doing it wrong?

I got Essie “To Buy or Not to Buy” and it literally took over an HOUR to dry and TWO HOURS later I bumped my hand on a table and took out a huge chip from my nail polish…what is going on?!? Check out the still wet results:

The arm candy featured in the pic are new, soon to be released mini silver cobras but you can always check out the colors we already offer!

SkinnyRist Mini Cobras

SR’s Top 10 Must Have Beauty Products

1. Neutrogena Foaming Facial Cleanser 

It’s gentle and works great, plus I’ve had like 5 different dermatologists recommend it! I don’t go to a weird amount of dermatologists I was just part of this health academy in high school and we had all these guest speakers and every dermatologist that spoke to us always had great things to say about Neutrogena products so I always go Neutrogena when in doubt! Love that it’s also a make-up remover so you save a step, and save money on make-up removers!

Since there’s no added acne-fighters or micro-scrubbers or anything weird you can use it everyday, sometimes I end up washing my face multiple times a day and I know it won’t over dry or damage my face since there’s nothing added. This cleanser is my hands-down go to cleanser and I always have some in stock in my bathroom.

2. Covergirl Lashblast

Easily the best mascara I’ve ever used for both thickness and length, and basically every roommate I’ve ever had has agreed 🙂 Just be careful you read what color you’re getting because I always end up grabbing  brown instead of black and then my eyelashes look weird. Okay so I’m probably the only one who notices that my eyelashes are slightly lighter than normal, but still.

3. Neutrogena Skin Clearing Make-up 

Good for your skin and it covers any existing blemish beautifully! I rarely wear foundation because I feel like since I have such fair skin it makes me look kind of cakey, but this stuff is super light and says it fights blemishes while you wear it. Mostly, I like how light it is and it’s easy to find your right shade so you don’t feel discolored….

4. MAC eye shadow base 

Eyeshadow base I’ve discovered is essential to a long lasting look and since I discovered that little gem I started my hunt for a base that really worked. MAC is great for long lasting wear, this stuff smoothes your lid to give you a clean, even palette to work with and provides mad staying power! My smokey eye looks cute all night and never hits that weird smudgy point were you start to look like a beat up prostitute..which can be super awkward..

5. MAC eyeliner

Stays on great for as long as you’re wearing it and it smudges just enough so you can smooth the lines and keep it from looking super clean, but it’s not going to rub off on everything and everywhere and make a mess, which only adds to the beat hooker look mentioned above…

6. Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Moisturizer

I LOVE this stuff, I swear my skin is perfect when I’m using it regularly and it’s gentle enough that it won’t over dry skin. I used to borrow it from my friend all the time when we’d go swimming at her house and my skin would get crazy dry from being in the water and then the sun. I finally got my own and I can’t go back to using anything else!

My face dries out so easily, but I also break out like anyone else so I have a really hard time finding a moisturizer that both fights acne and keeps me from being totally dried out.

7. Mr. Pumice 

I have a weird thing for pumice stones, I don’t know what it is but I’ve always counted them among my beauty must haves and Mr. Pumice makes my favorite! They’re lightweight enough so that you don’t actually feel like you’re using an actual stone on your body, which can be a bit much.

8. Seche Vite Base and Top Coat

I love this stuff! Okay it smells like chemical death, but I swear you use this stuff and your nail polish will never come off. Some people have problems with shrinkage, but as long as you use plenty you shouldn’t have a problem. My favorite thing about it though is the quick dry feature of the top coat.

Your nail polish dries in 5 minutes max, usually faster. It also dries all the way through not just the top so it still squishes and smudges the under layers like some polishes do. I’m definitely a fan and won’t be switching to any other brand for my base and top coat any time soon!

9. Crest Vivid White Toothpaste

I can’t really whiten my teeth because I have crazy sensitive teeth, but I also hate having  yellow teeth so I started using this toothpaste because my boyfriend uses it, and his roommates (which are his entire frat…).

I love it because it doesn’t make my teeth sensitive and painful like whitening strips, but I notice a real difference in the whiteness of my teeth! Whenever I don’t use it I can tell because my teeth start to look dingy and I loose that extra white look they normally have with Vivid White!

10. Flowerbomb Perfume 

Okay this is my #1 beauty weakness!! This perfume smells amazing, but it’s about $150 a bottle so I’m currently out until the next gifting holiday rolls around 😦 regardless I’m obsessed. I wear it so much people say they smell me before the see me…in a good way. It’s become my signature scent and I adore the mix of florals with subtle vanilla making it sweet without being nauseating.

I first started wearing it senior year of high school and it’s still my favorite. Everyone who smells it on me loves it and I get so many compliments, from both guys and girls.

More than anything I love it because its become something that reminds people of me and my friends always laugh because everything I own smells at least a little bit like flowerbomb.

It even got a shout out in an Owl City song:

“Flowerbomb perfume, all my clothes smell like you ’cause your favorite shade is navy blue”

What would you add to the list?? What are your beauty “must-haves”??

Baking Soda Exfoliant?

Yes baking soda! So recently I broke out with this god awful zit, I mean one for the record books and being who I am I started poking and picking it, thus angering the volcano god and creating some kind of cataclysmic event and I immediately whipped out my computer to start researching home remedies. See, last time I had a zit like this and I went to my dermatologist he snuck up on me with a syringe of cortisone and shot it in my face. Effective, but so painful.

Then, I came across this baking soda business and I’m a fan! Some people even wrote that they have struggled with acne for as long as 10 years and baking soda worked over all other harsh acne solutions. I made a baking soda-water paste and applied it to the mountain on my forehead and it immediately felt better, so I would be sold for the pain relief alone.

However, I also noticed a decrease in redness and swelling. I started mixing baking soda with face-wash for an exfoliating treatment that I read about online and my skin is so soft and smooth. The face wash treatment plus a little of the concentrated paste on real problem areas and I am proud to be acne free, even a week before my period 😉

I’ve also read you can add baking soda to bath water to soften skin, use it as an antacid, deodorant, itch relief, bee sting relief, canker sore treatment, breath freshener, and relieve heart burn. Guess I’ll always be keeping a box handy!

The Skinny: The Amazing Spiderman

A must-see and two thumbs up!

And I’m obsessing over more than just the ADORABLE Andrew Garfield! This version was much funnier and more lively than past renditions. It wasn’t just Mr. Garfield who brought much needed spark to the role, all those cast seemed to have bigger, more distinct personalities.

And Emma Stone? She plays Gwen Stacy who is a role model to put MJ to shame! I won’t give away too much, but Gwen does more than get dangled off balconies, she actually lends a hand to save the day.

Emma is just too cute as the outgoing, science-girl. Her and Andrew together are basically a dream team.

Another positive? This time around Parker is a bit of a genius, he even invents all of his own spidey-gear including the, for lack of a better name, wrist-web-shooters…you get a lot more background and better explanations this time around.

Now That’s Timing: Etsy Sees Me Through Again!

So I recently got an order on my Etsy shop for my “Uptown” Bracelet design which is a band of snakeskin looking leather connected to chain that is braided together with suede. After the purchase was made, the buyer asked if it was possible for me to do the bracelet in orange instead of the aqua-blue that the listing is for. Well, I didn’t have any orange suede in stock and I couldn’t find any locally, and she opted for a pale green suede instead rather than weight for me to order new suede.

So then today, as I’m packaging up the orders I need to send out today I get a package of charms I ordered from DIYandZAKKA and they include a customer appreciation gift with your purchase. My gift? Around 3 feet of ORANGE SUEDE along with some black suede, silver lobster clasps and silver cord ends!!

So not only were these gifts great and so thoughtful, but what perfect timing for me! And the suede is amazing, it’s incredibly soft and flexible unlike some suede cord that’s very stiff and requires a lot of work to wear in. Plus the charms that were what I actually ordered look great, and I can’t wait to start working them into new designs. I am definitely ordering from DIYandZAKKA again!!

Visit DIYandZAKKA

So in this case I thought the free gift was very tasteful and, well, came in totally clutch 🙂 But if not well done I think sometimes free gifts can come off as DTM (doin’ too much…abbreviation courtesy of my sorority house). And do you do these gifts for ALL orders? Just orders over a certain amount? What do you think?