The At-Home-Mani Must Have

Today I’d like to take a brief moment to hail the wonders and magical powers of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.

This stuff is AMAZING. It’s an at-home-manicure total game changer. Let me tell you why: 

1. It almost instantaneously dries your nails. One swish of the top coat, wait 60 seconds, and you should be good to go, even if you’ve put several layers of nail polish underneath. Just to check its wonders, after painting my nails with 3 layers of paint and then topping it with the Seche Vite top coat, I waited a minute and then pressed my nails into the couch to see if it would make any fabric impressions - it didn't! 
2.  It makes your mani last! I test-drove this stuff for 7 days on my nail polish – I remained completely chip free! It probably could’ve gone longer, but I was getting anxious to switch to a new color.

WARNING: The state of California warns that this may cause birth defects, so if you’re preggers, stay away (doesn’t this make you wonder what the state of California knows that the rest of the country doesn’t?) It kinda smells like paint thinner.

Totally worth the $9.95. Awesome! 

I Am Woman, Hear Me... Cry?

I am painfully human. Scratch that. I am painfully woman. I watch the Notebook over and over and I cry every time. I hate spiders. I turn to Haagen-Dazs and peanut butter cups in my time of need. I collect shoes and go totally Lady Gaga over the newest fashions. I have a closet full of clothes, and constantly feel, “I have nothing to wear.” And, sadly, as a woman, I allow myself to engage in a cycle of self-abuse.

DO NOT FEAR! I’m not crazy, and I won’t be visiting the school therapist to prescribe me some Zoloft. No, my dear readers, that is not the case. What I do is this: I stand in front of the mirror, pick myself apart, and bully myself until my nose is red and my eyes are watery. This sounds… Zoloft worthy, doesn’t it? But it’s not! It’s what we women do. We are taught to do it. We even engage in contests with our friends of who can say the worst things about themselves.

Friend #1: I hate my thighs. They are so jiggly!
Friend #2: OMG, no! I have the hugest thighs. Plus, I’m totally broken out right now. Gross.
Friend #1: At least you have boobs.
Friend #3: You are both crazy. I need to immediately lose 20 pounds, defrizz my hair, and figure out some way to magically reduce the size of my giant nose.
. . . etc.

Have you ever had this conversation? You know you have. You know you have. And I’m willing to bet that, aside from Samantha Jones, you’ve never heard a woman (even one who you think is “perfect”) pronounce, “I love my body!” Instead, we pick on ourselves, telling ourselves that “we could be so pretty IF…!” We compare ourselves to those who seem to have better hair, a cuter nose, a firmer butt, flatter abs, until we have no choice but to feel inadequate. And we think that this is normal. You know what? It is the norm. But it doesn’t have to be.

Today I went to the gym (and burned 870 calories, according to the little calorie reader – go me!) and I looked around at the dozen or so women exercising. I thought about how each of them were beautiful, and how I absolutely adore strong, confident women. As they exercised, they all looked strong and confident – the little old lady with the toner sneakers next to me and the perm, who kicked upping the incline on her 2.5 mph treadmill; the 13-year-old brunette who kept mouthing the words along to her iPod, while wearing her school basketball shorts; the middle-aged Latina woman with no makeup,  laugh lines around her lips, and an inspiring look of determination. I love the way my mom looks when she comes back from a long run – so strong and healthy and positively glowing. Those women are beautiful. And I’m willing to bet that, at some point, they have all remarked on their need for “improvement.”

So today, I make a pact: with myself, with my friends, my mom, my sister, my cousins, my aunts, my grandmothers, with all women –

•          I will not disparage myself. I will look myself in the mirror and remind myself that, in the words of John Mayer, “I am bigger than my body gives me credit for.” And by bigger, I mean that I am bigger in the very best sense – my heart, my mind, my soul, my need to dance to and sing along with every song that comes on the radio. I will accept compliments with grace and ease, instead of the usual, incredulous, "Really? I'm totally having a fat day." 
•          I will not allow those around me to disparage themselves. I will remind you that you are beautiful and that you are loved, and that no amount of exercising and dieting will change the fact.
•         I will love myself. When Mark Darcy told Bridget Jones that, “I love you. Just the way you are,” every woman in the audience swooned. Let’s all be Mark Darcys to our very own Bridget Jones – let’s love ourselves, just the way we are.
•          I will take care of myself. I will not wallow in a sea of tears and ice cream. I will exercise. I will eat whole grains and lean meats. And yes, sometimes, I will eat cupcakes. I will enjoy the heck out of that cupcake. And then I will exercise.

So, to you apple-bottomed, big nosed, frizzy-haired, small-boobed, big boobed, curvy, skinny, sexy and beautiful women, stand with me and pronounce:

I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME CRY ROAR!!

I leave you with just a few pics of my beautiful friends and family, all whom I love, just the way they are. 

My law school friends: as brainy as they are beautiful, and stylish to boot (don't you just love Amy's lipstick color?)

My little Mom: A marathoner. A master chef. With perfect skin. I have great genes. 

Liz, proving that blondes can be just as smart and powerful as anybody! And yes, she cooks, too. 

My Grandma and Grandpa: 55 years married and in LOVE!  What's more beautiful than that? I just love the chocolate on her face!

The super sexy Jo Ann: with rosy cheeks and Megan Fox-esque lips. She'll dance circles around you in 4" pumps without even breaking a sweat. 

The lovely Nina: she cooks and bakes up a storm, rocks at the craft table, and does it all in complete and total girly style. And check out that hair!

Aren't they gorge?

This is me: I'm kinda funny.

(Hopefully) Helpful Tips from a Yo-Yo Dieter

I am -15 pounds sexier than I was a month ago. And the thing is, my first thought was, “Well, I reached 15 pounds, but I’ve still got another 35 to go.” I was… disappointed. Disappointed that I’ve spent the last 5 weeks tracking every bite I’ve eaten, exercising 5x per week, and I’m still at the beginning stages of this journey. And then, I changed that. I reminded myself that the exercise and dieting is paying off – I feel better, my clothes fit better, I look better! All good things. Which made me think about how important and vital it is to be both psychologically AND physiologically prepared for this journey. With absolutely no arrogance or pretention or disillusionment into believing that I am some sort of fitness guru (I’ve still got 35 lbs to go, after all!), here are some tips to real success for us “real girl” yo-yo dieters (disclaimer: this is primarily written as a reminder for myself).

1)      YOU DO HAVE WILLPOWER. I’ve always kinda believed that “willpower” is one of those things that you’re either born with or not born with – not unlike those blessed with Cleopatra-like eyelashes. I’ve always been envious of both groups. I’m only just starting to come to terms that I can’t make my eyelashes magically grow to Kardashian lengths. BUT – I have realized that I, yes I, Rachal Jenson, yo-yo dieter extraordinaire, do have willpower. Willpower, my friends, is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. Just like once upon a time, I struggled at doing 10 girly pushups, I’ve strengthened my lats and delts and now I can pound out 15 pushups (still breaking a sweat, mind you – but dammit, I can do them!). And, once upon a time, I heard every piece of bread/cake/French fry calling my name – and don’t get me wrong, they still call my name. But I flex my willpower muscle, and I resist (almost all the time).

2)      CELEBRATE EVERY ACHIEVEMENT. This is a hard one. It really is. It sounds easy, but it’s not. Raise your hand if you’ve ever said to yourself, “I’ll feel confident when I lose __ pounds” or “I’ll celebrate when I reach __ pounds.” Raise your hand – you know you’ve done that. Okay, well I’ve done that. I do that all the time. But here’s the problem – when you do that, you set yourself up for failure, because every time you weigh yourself and you discover that you’re not at your final end goal, you feel discouraged. You feel like quitting. You think, “I’ll never make it, so what’s the point?” Rethink that statement. Seriously – rethink it. Cliché as it may be, everything we do that is worthwhile is hard. And it takes hard work. If we celebrate only when we’ve reached the end, and don’t take time to “stop and smell the roses” along the way, we will be fraught with disappointment and heartache. Will I love myself more when I get my JD? Absolutely not. Do I celebrate every A? Of course!! The principle applies to weight loss too. We can’t wait until the end to congratulate ourselves and beam with pride – celebrate your successes. Every time you grab a piece of fruit instead of a scoop of Haagen-Dazs; when you up the resistance on your elliptical; when you do sit-ups while watching TV. Whatever it is, note it and be proud of yourself for making the right decisions. Because it is a series of these good decision that will bring you your ultimate success.

3)      SPLURGE SOMETIMES. Here’s a common situation: You’ve been good all week, heck, all month, and you go out to dinner. The “healthy” thing on the menu just doesn’t sound anywhere near as tasty as the cream-covered goodness that the person sitting across from you is about to order. You cave. You order the cream-covered goodness…  and gosh darn it, a side of butter smothered potatoes, too. And the cheese filled puff pastry thing. And the fried chocolate moussey buttery thing for dessert. It tastes so good.  Until you go home, realize you just consumed 5,000 calories, and feel like total crap. Feel like you should give up because, “Hey, I’ve blown it anyway.” If I can be so presumptuous, let me tell you something: One meal does not a diet break. Yes, it was a huge meal. Yes, it was incredibly indulgent and delicious and full of butter and carbs and cream. Did you enjoy it? Good for you! That meal is over, move on. You’ve had your slice of cake – leave the rest of the cake for another time. Don’t wallow in the guilt. Thank God that you have the opportunity to splurge, savor the taste, and make a dinner reservation a few weeks from that date to enjoy creamy, buttery foods again. One unhealthy meal does not a diet break.

4)      LOVE WHO YOU ARE TODAY. Okay, that sounds lame. But I totally mean it. One of the best compliments I ever got was, “No matter where you are or what you’re wearing, you always look confident.” And the reason is, I think, I do try to be happy with who I am today. Not that I couldn’t be better – if I could immediately lose the next 35 pounds (okay, 40), grow 6 more inches of hair, have perma-blonde highlights, immediately graduate and pass the bar, all while rocking a 4-carat wedding ring while perusing dream homes with my realtor and wearing a DVF wrap dress and 4” Jimmy Choos that never hurt my feet… I would. But that isn’t me. My feet hurt after wearing 4” heels too long, I have 35 (okay, 40!) pounds to go, I’m getting dark roots in my hair, and I’m pretty darn scared of graduating and taking the bar. Here’s what I DO have: 5 successful semesters of law school under my belt, a one-of-a-kind bohemian glam (well I think it’s one-of-a-kind anyway!!) style, shiny hair, one big cute dimple, and an awesome family and friends who love me… even when I wear weird things and even though I have 35 40 pounds to go. And those things make me love myself, and I know that it’s okay, but not preferable, that I’m not at my goal weight yet. I am who I am, and I like it. No, scratch that. I LOVE it.

And with that, I return to my Progresso Lite Chicken Noodle Soup before getting my booty kicked at the gym today. Yes, I will be congratulating myself on those things. Go Rachal. 

Best Drugstore Mascaras

To my 4 loyal followers, I apologize. I haven't blogged in quite some time. Winter leaves me completely uninspired, and I find myself wearing some version of the same thing everyday: skinny jeans, sweater, scarf, and flats. But the little groundhog told me that spring is well on its way, giving me hope that I will soon be able to release my beautiful collection of awe-inspiring, and currently dust covered, sandals; that I will once again be able to channel the bo-chicness of a flower adorned tank and twirly maxi skirt. Alas, the blinding sun and lovely blue sky keeps fooling me into believing that spring is just around the corner; the 40 degree temperature brings me back to reality.

And that, dear followers, is why I haven't been able to write. Today, I start anew. And since my fashion has been suffering, I'm taking a different route and I'm going to let you in on something that is very near and dear to my heart: best drugstore mascaras for those suffering from serious lash envy.

#1: Maybelline Falsies

Why you should love it: it's in a super pretty purple bottle, it lengthens like you wouldn't believe, even the non-waterproof version stays on through an intense, sweaty workout, it magically makes your eyelashes appear longer, even after you've removed it

Why you *might* not love it: it's a very "wet" formula

#2: Cover Girl Lash Blast

For makeup lovers, this pick should come as no surprise. When Drew Barrymore batted those lovely eyelashes while swearing this mascara did the trick, many of us immediately rushed to the nearest drugstore to find the magic orange tube with the interesting plastic wand.

Why you should love it: Drew Barrymore loves it, the plastic wand keeps you from getting any clumps everywhere, it volumizes, keeps your lashes awesomely separated without being "spider like"

Why you *might* not love it: it is not a lengthener, after a couple weeks after opening the bottle, it starts to flake

#3: Neutrogena Healthy Volume 

Why you should love it: if you're in need of some serious volume, this will give it to you. The big fluffy brush coats every lash, it's perfect for daytime wear because it gives you a "soft" look, it's very similar to Dior Show mascara

Why you *might* not love it: some find the giant brush to be difficult to use without getting it on your eyelid

#4: L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion

Why you should love it: it separates your lashes like no other brush can thanks to the tiny, innovative mascara brush, it gives you the ultimate "doe-eyed" look

Why you *might* not love it: it takes a while to use because it can only grab a few lashes at a time, it's slightly awkward to use

#5: Rimmel Sexy Curves

Why you should love it: it curls your lashes without needing an eyelasher curler, it doesn't clump, makes them very "plump"

Why you *might* not love it: the formula is thin, so it takes more than one coat, it is definitely NOT smudge proof

Fall 2010 Must Haves

Fall is here. It’s official. Leaves are falling, the air is getting cold and crisp, pumpkins are everywhere… mmm, fall. I’m tempted to say it’s my favorite season. How can you not love the readily available pumpkin spice lattes, cranberry scones, hearty stews? And in addition to the great weather and great food, I absolutely love fall fashion. Fashion and hot, hot weather don’t generally go hand in hand – the need to beat the heat often takes priority over any layering or stylish accessories. And the winter is a great time for sparkly party dresses, but so much of our time is spent bundled in heavy winter coats. That brings us to fall – the season of sweaters, scarves, boots, hats. Cold enough for creative layering, not so cold that our creative styling remains hidden by our practical coats. So with that, I’d like to name my 2010 Fall Must-Haves.

A classic trench coat. It’s timeless, endlessly stylish, and goes with anything. Plus, when worn with the collar turned up, with a little red lipstick and sky high pumps, it makes you feel like you’re a heroine in a classic detective movie. Belt it and button it, and you’ve got a chic dress. Invest in a good one – you’ll have it forever.

Boots. I love boots – unfortunately, boot makers and I don’t always get along. My Viking calves do not always fit into the beautiful, buttery soft leather and I am often relegated to “booties.” But I am not a quitter! I try and I try, and I even have one go-to pair of brown boots that I can’t live without.

A scarf. I love scarves – skinny ones, chunky ones, silky ones. Floral print, geometric, bold, subdued… I love them all. And as you may know, fall is the season of neutrals. Don’t let yourself get lost in this sea of neutrals, and add a pop of color to any outfit with a great scarf. It will elevate any basic black long-sleeve shirt and jeans. Throw on the aforementioned trench and boots, and you are one stylish lady!


Most of us have jean styles that we live in. Personally, I’m a fan of skinny jeans and hippie-esque flared jeans. Not for everybody, I know. But regardless of your body type, skinny jeans can work! I’m absolutely convinced of this fact. And they’re so autumn appropriate – you can tuck them into boots (there’s those great boots again!), wear them slouchy with some fun wedge booties, throw on a great big chunky sweater over the top and some flats. The styling options are endless.

Perhaps these aren't the most practical, but they sure are fun!

If you’re a dress girl like I am, tights are an I-can’t- live-without-them-item. And I love tights. I admit to being a little afraid of patterned tights – I’m worried about them stretching out in weird places – but I take them for a spin nonetheless. I absolutely love a girly, slightly summery dress worn with dark tights and dark accessories. It instantly stretches the life of those summer dresses, while giving you an “I took and aced Fashion 101” cool girl look and attitude.

I have heard/read/watched that this season is all about the leopard print. But you know what? Leopard print is, in a way, a timeless accessory. It’s a constant cool girl touch to any outfit. If leopard print isn’t your thing, try any other animal print. It’s always fun, stylish, and a little sassy. This season, I’m partial to my animal print scarves (yes, leopard included). I’d love a great leopard print clutch, but my wallet doesn’t allow for that. Go ahead. Give the animal print trend a go. You might be pleasantly surprised. As my mom always says anytime she has any animal print on, “Ooooh. I feel like a wild lady.” Go wild.

Finally. My last fashion must-have of Fall 2010 is a red lipstick that matches you perfectly. Red lipstick looks good on EVERYBODY – not the same shade of lipstick, of course, but there is definitely a great red lipstick that looks good on you. The funny thing about red lips is that they seem to always be in style but you almost never see anybody wearing them in real life. I admit, red lipstick is a little irritating – you have to reapply constantly, worry about getting it on your teeth, regularly check for bleeding. But you know what? It’s worth it. I love the inner vixen it brings out in me.

And there you have it. The great thing about all these pieces is that they can all be worn together for one very stylish outfit. 

Great Vintage Find!

I dream of have heard that it's possible to find a great vintage designer piece with a tiny price tag. I've scoured little shops in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Portland... and I've found some great things, but I have never found one with such a tiny price tag. But lo and behold! I went into an antique store in little Salem, Oregon yesterday. My eye saw a cute little black saddle bag, and I thought "Eh, must be a cheapy. Why else would it be here?" But the $15 price tag kept me interested, and I had to admit that it did seem to be a well-made bag of genuine quality leather. I had a $20 in my wallet, pulled it, and decided to purchase it. I did, after all, need, yes need a saddlebag, after seeing this picture:


among other pictures of the rich and famous (and gorgeous!) women with cute, cool saddlebags. As I may or may not have mentioned, I am a Trendoid. I love the classic style of the bag, the way it adds an "I'm cool and don't need your approval" attitude, the leather finish, and its easy breezy carryall functionality.

Turns out, I got myself a great little bag! I admit to liking it immediately, but I (hate to) admit that I absolutely loved the bag when I found out it was from luxury brand from Australia called Oroton. I found it on Ebay for $200 and a new one retails for over $500!

Cute, right? It's cuter in person, and yes, it does need a little shoe polish to buff out some of those scratches. But still!

Have you ever gotten a really great vintage find? Any favorite vintage or antique shops? Share!

Yes, I am a Trendoid

I’m the first to admit it. I am a trendoid. Beauty trends, fashion trends, jewelry trends… I love them all. Every time I look at the People’s style section of “Would You Wear This Trend?”  a little part of me always usually says “Yeah, I could rock that.” When Glamour beauty editors inform me that “plum lips were all over the fall runways”, it takes everything in me to not run to the nearest drug store and purchase a plum lipstick ASAP. Yes, dear friends. My name is Rachal, and I am a trendoid.

The thing is, this is actually a recent realization for me. I asked my friend recently, “Why didn’t you tell me that I’m a trendoid?” She looked at me with a sideways glanced, laughed (actually, guffawed a little), and said, “Well, Rachal. I assumed you knew.” And although I can mark my childhood years by what outfit I was rocking (most notably, around 5^th grade I simultaneously was into the Spice Girls and grunge, resulting in permed hair with bright pink bows, baggy jeans, flannel shirts, all tied together with some platform sneakers), I had never considered myself a trend devotee. When I was about 14, my dad told me “You don’t really have style if you only follow 'what's in.'” Funnily enough, that stuck with me and for the first 2 years of college I was determined to NOT FOLLOW TRENDS. I tried, really really tried, to develop my “personal style” and avoid whatever fashion craze was sweeping America. And while I think that my “personal style” is evolving, I must admit to myself (and to my dad) that I. Love. Trends.

Yes, I’ve made fashion mistakes along the way. Yes, I will continue to make them. I’ve looked back at outfits, and the only excuse I have is “Well, it was in style at the time…” But in the name of fashion, I will continue to test out trend after horrible trend. And when I fall, I will pick myself up again, put on my stilettos, and walk out the door in plum lipstick and harem pants. Why you ask? Because I’m young, I’m fabulous, I’m fun, and dammit, because I can. This is my pledge.

While my budget can’t afford the peep toe oxford wedge bootie shoe trend I’m dying to rock,

I can paint my nails in homage to Skittles, a la Kelis: 

I'm a trendoid, and I don't care who knows.