If you read my blog, you know how much I love to try all of the best salons in Los Angeles and Gavert Atelier in Beverly Hills is no exception.  I was kind of sick of the darker blonde I'd been sporting so I decided to go back to my lighter shade, and I couldn't be happier with the results.  The service at Gavert Atelier was exceptional and the colorist really listed to what I wanted to change, which is always appreciated and, believe it or not, sometimes rare in a colorist.  So I'm back to lighter blonde for now but we'll see what happens in another month or so ;)

Photo: me, Micah Jesse and Sydne at Michah's LA birthday celebration!

So I might be a little biased because the host of MyStyle.com's new 3-Way web series is one of my besties...but I have to tell you, the new web series from MyStyle.com is pretty fabulous.  Sydne Summer takes you through the latest fashion trends and shows you how to wear them in a functional way.  First up?  How to wear flare denim.  I can remember when I first wore flare jeans...it had to be around 7th grade, and I loved every inch of them.  Flare jeans are super flattering and, according to Sydne and MyStyle, you can wear them to work, on the weekend and for a night on the town.  Make sure you check out MyStyle's new web series for even more functional fashion tips.  LOVE.

So this past Tuesday I attended a very special event: ThinkThruFashion's Accessory Swap Soiree with Michael Stars, which celebrated the first six months of the year-long ttF Fashion Staple Series.  You've probably seen my posts that reference Sydne, my partner in crime but you probably didn't know that every time we go out, I'm also taking photos of her amazing outfits for her blog, ThinkThruFashion.com - smart styling for today.

100 of LA's top fashion and beauty bloggers, editors and tastemakers mingled and traded accessories poolside at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills.  And I have to say, I helped out with check-in for a bit and the accessories that people brought were actually really good!  Lots of Lia Sophia and other designer goodies, a lot even still had tags on them.  I scored an awesome gold necklace with two charms- one the state of California and the other charm, an apple.  Bi-coastal, baby.

Yes, the event was to celebrate 6 months of of the ttF Staple Series but there was also a charity raffle that benefited Mariska Hargitay's The Joyful Heart Foundation.  $680 was raised and Sydne and Michael Stars each matched the amount, bringing the grand total raised to $2,000!  Here are some more pics from the event:

The gift bags

Pics from ttF's Staple Series

Jen, me, Dahvi and guests

Everyone has them...they're your dark little beauty secrets that you don't share with anyone.  There are certain things that a woman has to stick to, even when society (or a highly acclaimed stylist/makeup artist) tells you differently, and guys, I've somehow convinced some of the top beauty and style bloggers to share their dark secrets right here on my blog.

As for me?  Well, I absolutely REFUSE to bleach my eyebrows or use an eyelash curler...oh, and I wear makeup to the gym.  Yeah, I said it.  Let's start with eyebrow bleaching.  I'm not a natural blonde (and it is NO SECRET) but, for some reason, certain colorists become obsessed with trying to convince me that my brows need to match my hair color.  NO, just no.  Back in my formative blonde years, I let myself get convinced once or twice and every time, you know what I got?  Orange eyebrows.  So now, whenever some celeb colorist tried to change my mind I just simply ask "have you ever heard of a little rock star/fashion icon named Gwen Stefani?  Thank you and, yes, I'll take another glass of champagne."  Eyelash curlers - I consider them modern day torture devices.  I always thought that I just didn't really know how to use one or the one I had wasn't good quality -- NO.  I bought the Shu Uemura version that everyone raves about and you know...I still hate curling my eyelashes.  Granted, I am blessed with naturally long, dark lashes (poor me, I know) so perhaps I would deem it necessary to curl them if I was in a different sitch BUT, for now, I'm down on eyelash curling.  Lastly, I look my derm straight in the face when I tell him that I wear makeup to the gym.  Countless derms and beauty editors will tell you not to do it.  "It will clog your pores!"  "You will break out!"  Well you know what?  I have rosacea and post-acne marks (aka hyperpigmentation) and there are hot dudes at the gym.  So what if I wear a little mineral foundation or a tiny bit of tinted moisturizer (with SPF!)?  Last night's eyeliner is only included by default, mind you.  In the famous words of Deena from Jersey Shore, "Get off me."

Aly Walansky, MyGloss.com:

I have a million cleansers I could/should use, but two or three nights a week, I come home tired/drunk/lazy and don't wash my face before going to bed. (Shameful, I know!)

Amber Katz, BeautyBloggingJunkie.com:

I RARELY wear body lotion. Only when I know I'm making out or on the weekends when I have time to let it fully absorb before putting on clothes. Jeans over damp lotion makes me want to DIE.

Andrea Arterbery, GlamazonsBlog.com:

I refuse to wear blush. I hate it. I will highlight the shit out of my cheeks with bronzer and illuminating powder but that's about it. I feel like that's all I need in life anyways. Blush just makes me look clownish. Ew.

Andrea Lavinthal, UsMagazine.com:

I wash off everything but my eye makeup when I have a sleepover with my (newish) boyfriend. I don't know if seeing me without my eyelashes curled and whatnot is a dealbreaker for him, but I'm not taking any chances. #freshandsexy

Anne Fritz, TheJetSetGirls.com:

I hate conditioner. My hair is fine and without a little texture and damage, it can't hold a style. I have relented a bit and use it on my ends, but woe to the person who comes near me with a hair mask.

Annie Tomlin, BellaSugar.com:

I get manicures only when I really have to. I just don't have the time or inclination. L-A-Z-Y, I ain't got no alibi.

Dina Fierro, Eye4Style.com:

I'm admittedly blessed with hair that just sort of does what it does, if you know what I mean. That said, I DO use a flat iron on my bangs daily, and god forbid I ever a) use a heat protectant or hey, b) wait for them to dry. Patience is not a virtue in my world.

Jeannine Morris, BeautySweetSpot.com:

I rarely ever wash my makeup brushes (ew, I know).

Kaitlyn Dreyling, BeautyBlitz.com:

I never use hand cream. I've self-diagnosed myself with hyperhidrosis, so I fear adding any hydration to my already clammy palms, thus my cuticles suffer, but acetone is the best.

Kristen Turner, GlitterNGlue.com:

Sometimes I get lazy and instead of removing my nail polish, I just paint over it. By the time I get to the salon the manicurist is shooting me major side-eye as she's removing layer upon layer upon layer of different nail polish colors.

Kristin Booker, FashionStyleBeauty.com:

I will never get laser hair removal on anything but my face - Someone told me that Kim Kardashian gets her whole body lasered. YIKES. No, the chin and jaw line are enough for me, thanks. I cannot image the pain. You'd have to dip me in aloe vera from my armpits afterwards. NO THANKS.

Nadine Jolie, NadineJolie.com:

I haven't used shaving cream since college. Back when I was younger and more precious about my skin, I'd run a hot shower, let the steam and water do its thing, use a fresh razor every 2 or 3 shaves... Now, I swipe the razor (inevitably a month and, like, 20 uses past its prime) all over in about 8 seconds and then call it a day. My thighs, meanwhile, have not been shaved since I was 16 (thank God for blonde hair). I haven't downgraded to shaving in the sink yet, but it's probably the ghost of Christmas future.

Rachel Adler, BeautyHigh.com:

Even though it's a major faux paus, I always leave my apartment with my hair wet. Hardly ever sopping, but always a tiny bit wet. I have curly hair and spending time diffusing it in the morning is just time I don't want to waste.

Sydne Summer, SydneStyle.com:

I refuse to use eye makeup remover. I don't even own any! I secretly love waking up with night-before-makeup. I just wipe the smudges under my eyes away and bam! It's a Kate Moss smoky eye without trying.

Tell me and the girls, what are YOUR beauty rebellions?

As you read here, I had a fun birthday dinner on my actual birthday but, because I'm basically a birthday baby, I decided to have a "going out" birthday party with Sydne (her birthday is March 20th) and we decided on a Woodstock 1969 theme.  We had the party at my friend's bar in Hollywood, L Bar, which I highly recommend, by the way.

At first I was a little bit apprehensive since, well, I like to look sexy on my birthday but I ended up finding a dress that I really liked along with amazing hair, courtesy of Drybar West Hollywood and makeup by Blushington!

Fergie sipping on "The Ferguson" by Voli Light Vodka at the Don A Matrix Launch at Confidential Beverly Hils

I didn't end up celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year since I was honestly exhausted after my Woodstock-themed birthday party with Sydne (more on that later) but that didn't stop me from making this amazing cocktail in celebration.  And, as a bonus, it's only 118 calories!

The Ferguson

• 1.5 oz. Voli lemon vodka
• 3/4 oz. apple pucker
• 2 fresh lemon squeezes
• Top with soda and add apple slices for garnish

The Oscars are the piece de resistance of awards season...and in LA, you really want/need to view the show somewhere cool (unless you're actually attending the awards...hey, you never know!).  I was invited to the Mercedes-Benz viewing party at Soho House (my fave!) and, along with my girls Sydne and Jeannine, we had a blast watching the show, drinking champagne and taking many a hilarious photo.

Jeannine, me (in this Cynthia Vincent dress and SoleSociety shoes), Sydne

image "borrowed" from Jeannine!

So I was recently invited to a fun girls' night out thrown by Nadine Jolie and sponsored by Caress.  We all met at Nadine's house and took a limo over to the W Hollywood to their rooftop club/bar, Drais.  Once we got there, we were escorted over to our exclusive cabana bed by the pool where we got bottle service, mingled and danced the night away.

Our girls' night out was probably one of the funnest nights I've had in awhile and, as an added bonus, I got the amazing Rebecca Minkoff Claudia dress that I'm wearing at Intermix on SALE for only $197 (marked down from $530)!  Sydne and I were at the MAC store across the street for a press event so our makeup was already done (check) and I was stressing out about what I was going to wear.  Sydne pulled the dress off the sale rack and demanded that I try it on, even though I was skeptical.  Funny enough, I kept commenting that I felt like a Kardashian and Sydne informed me that a Kardashian never wore the dress...but Paris Hilton did.  AND she wore it, ironically enough, at the Us Weekly Hot in Hollywood party held at Drais, which I also attended.

So who wore it better? LOL.

Paris Hilton in Rebecca Minkoff, me in Rebecca Minkoff

Roxy, Sydne, me

me and Robin lounging in the cabana

Sydne, me

Here's Nadine's coverage of the Girls' Night Out

Ah, Memorial Day weekend.  I've never been one to really enjoy a holiday weekend, with the exception of the extra day off from work, naturally.  Don't get me wrong, in theory a long weekend should be glorious but in my experience, they are always built up to be "the best time ever" and you ultimately end up being let down.  This past weekend, however, was super fun.  Sydne and I were practically glued at the hip and we had a blast going out in Hollywood and getting sushi at Omi (aka our favorite cheap sushi spot), going to a fun Hollywood Hills BBQ and then ending the holiday weekend with a little biking/drinking on the strand in Hermosa Beach.  Seem like a lot to fit into three days?  Yeah, it was.  I'm exhausted but perhaps a little optimistic that future holiday weekends won't be the disaster that they've been in the past.

Biking, on the way back from The Strand

photo credit: Sydne "I don't break for babies" Summer

Hermosa Beach

So I attended the launch party celebration for a new shoe membership club, JustFabulous at Eveleigh in Hollywood hosted by celebrity stylist, Jessica Paster.  I brought my friend Sydne as my plus one (make sure to check out her fab fashion coverage of the event) and aside from the fun event, we were shocked we had never been to Eveleigh because it was so pretty!

Pretty Hollywood venue aside, we got the chance to pick out a pair of JustFab shoes (I went with a gold platform heel that Sydne spotted for me) and the celeb spotting was just as good as expected thanks to the host of the night, Jessica Pastor.  Look at how grown up Dakota Fanning is now!  God, I feel old.

Jessica Paster with Dakota Fanning