A Shade Of Orange: No Kid Hungry Back-To-School Influencers Brunch Eve

Posted on September 1, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Getting ready to host the No Kid Hungry Back-To School Brunch for Influencers in LA tomorrow. *Custom No Kid Hungry Manicure by Note at Enamel Diction

We’re in an orange matchy-match mood over here at @TheCupcakePalaceLA today. But, ummm, Miss Ellie, can you puhleez get off my @HossIntropia dress for the @NoKidHungry Influencers Brunch I’m hosting tomorrow? No?

I’m a proud ambassador and advocate for No Kid Hungry because all kids need to be fed to be fueled to flourish. After all, breakfast and lunch should be a requisite for all, not just a luxury for a choice few.

If you’re interested in getting involved with @NoKidHungry, head over to www.NoKidHungry.org, where helping can be as simple as hosting a bake sale for the whole month of October, like I am, when Domino Sugar is matching registered bake sale donations dollar-for-dollar up to $75,000.

SO excited to raise awareness tomorrow with my editor, blogger, writer, host and actor friends!!

And, stay tuned for more ‘tails on my Bake Sale announcement. Hint! There may be a Texas element…

xoxo,
Dawn

Make It Count Monday: Wear A Shirt To Spin Class & Help Out A Charity

Posted on August 24, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Partied with Walk With Sally Saturday night, and advocated today.

Helping out a charity can be as simple as buying a shirt or hat, and wearing it to your spin class…like I did here with my Walk With Sally tank at SoulCycle

And, all I had to do was throw on a shirt. Did you know that you can help a nonprofit simply by taking an Instagram picture of you wearing one of their apparel pieces? This afternoon, I hit @SoulCycle Beverly Hills (to try to balance out some of that shrimp’n’grits & biscuits I had earlier today at @HandtheH, AND the pasta dinner I had last night), and sported my new #WalkWithSally tank I picked up yesterday for $25. See, doing good, giving back and paying it forward doesn’t have to be just about volunteering or giving money, it can be about increasing awareness, too. Nonprofits depend on it. 3 new people found out about WWS today, thanks to this tank. So spend a few bucks, look sporty for your spin class, and get the word out about your favorite non-profit. Done and done. #DreamItDoItDone – See more at: http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/1058274151935095772_29991131

Honored To Attend: The 6th Annual Beauty Bus Drive

Posted on June 29, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

What’s better than playing with beauty products?

Always love supporting the beautiful Beauty Bus Foundation at the Beauty Bus Drive2015, esp when the honoree is my friend, Shawn Stavakoli, CEO of Beauty Collection Stores, being honored. Tank & Skirt: Anthropologie, as styled by Rachel Fox *Photo by Terry Hoard of Crown Pictures

How about a beautiful non-profit that brings beauty, dignity, hope and respite to the chronically or terminally ill, and their caretakers? Now, THAT is what I call beautiful.

And, that’s why I was beyond honored to attend the the 6^th Annual Beauty Bus Beauty Drive, benefitting the Beauty Bus Foundation, at the Skirball Cultural Center a few Sundays ago. As the inaugural Beauty Collection Celebrity Beauty Curator, I was delighted to be a guest of Beauty Collection, so I could cheer on my friend – the CEO of Beauty Collection and a BIG Beauty Bus supporter, Shawn Tavakoli, as he was honored with the Beauty Bus Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shawn accepting the 2015 Beauty Bus Lifetime Achievement Award.

To date, Shawn has raised over $50,000 and done so much more to help enrich the beautiful organization that is Beauty Bus.

One of the highlights of the day was when Shawn’s little daughter crashed her dad’s acceptance speech – a sweet day made even sweeter!

Fun events at this family-friendly, pampering afternoon included complimentary beauty stations for men and women, a kid’s corner, opportunity drawing, a fabulous silent auction, and plenty of opportunities to hang out with my friends!

Loved getting to sip some vino and bid for a good cause at the auction with my girls, Amy Davidson and Ashley Jones!

It was a beautiful afternoon, celebrating a beautiful organization, and honoring a beautiful man. And, I even picked up a cute date while I was there!

I had the cutest date there. He might be a “little” found for me, but my-oh-my, is he charming!!

Oh, it’s not THAT scandalous. Blake is the sweet (and sassy) son of my dear friend, pr maven, Yvette Masterson of Y PR. Boy’s got game!!

*All photos by credit Terry Hoard from Crown Pictures.

Stepping Up: The 12th Annual Step Up Inspiration Awards at the Beverly Hilton

Posted on June 11, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Dawn McCoy (ummm…me) at the 12th Annual Step Up Inspiration Awards at the Beverly Hilton

Have I mentioned how much I love Step Up? I know, I know. I have – and have again.

The stars of Step Up with star, Lea Michele. Their lights all shine equally bright!

The Step Up logo is more than just a logo…it’s a mantra.

But it’s just because that’s how deeply it lives in my heart, and impacts my everyday life. I was introduced to Step Up by my best friend, actress Sarah Jane Morris 3 years ago, and I quickly became a member, changing my life – and my heart – for the better.

My best friend, Sarah Jane Morris, & I at the 12th annual Step Up Inspiration Awards at the Beverly Hilton on Friday, June 5th, 2015.

This past Friday, June 5th, 2015 was my second year to attend the Step Up Inspiration Awards – and their 12th year of hosting this awards luncheon, so full of heart.

But this year, I didn’t just attend as a guest, I was also honored to be the announcer of the show – or as they call it – their “Voice of God.”

Are you there, God? It’s me, Dawn.

And yes, you can call me that from now on. I’m kidding. Kinda.

Behind the scenes action at the Inspiration Awards. Generated by IJG JPEG Library

No, it really was a dream come true, and not just because it was the first time I had been the announcer at an awards show.

Being interviewed on the red carpet. That’s me. Always straddling the line between talent and press. Literally. I mean, we took down the rope so we could do interviews for #Dear15Me.

As I sat there with 850 others in the room, feeling my own dream come to life, I got to hear the stories of dreams coming true for so many others, including Julie Bowen…

The ridiculously impressive – and kind – Julie Bowen. Generated by IJG JPEG Library

Cristela Alonzo…

Our charming emcee – and my fellow Texan (holla!) , Cristela Alonzo.

Lea Michele…

The lovely Lea Michele at the Step Up Inspiration Awards. Generated by IJG JPEG Library

honoree Peter Kim of Hudson Jeans…

Honoree, Peter Kim, CEO of Hudson Jeans, as photographed by Amy Tierney

and honoree, actress & director, Elizabeth Banks.

Honoree, Elizabeth Banks, as photographed by Felix Salzman

But, I also got to see the girls of Step Up, whose dreams are coming true – like honoree Maria – simply by being able to graduate high school and attend college, thanks to Step Up, so that they can pursue their dreams.

Step Up Honoree, senior Maria Soto. This girl is everything we wish we were at that age!

Step Up believes all girls should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential, and the Inspiration Awards raises 55% of the funds Step Up needs to serve its Los Angeles community for one year. Know how much we raised this year? Over $400,000!! We went well past our goal of $75,000!

Speaking of raising money, I have never seen anyone in entertainment work so hard (while being SO adorable and full of heart) as Modern Family’s Julie Bowen did, while trying to raise that money. I wish I could say every celebrity put this much heart into their work with charities!

I’ve always really, really liked Julie Bowen, but after seeing her work her heart out? I can honestly say that I LOVE this woman!!

It was a day that I will always will remember, not just because I was surrounded by the most talented people with the most generous of hearts, but because for the first time, I actually could count myself as one of them. Thank you for letting me be a very small part of the magic, Step Up.

So incredibly honored to be in this company. Wow.

Memories like those never die.

xoxo,
Dawn

#StigmaFree : The Hope & Grace Luncheon at The District

Posted on May 31, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Dawn McCoy at the NAMI & Philosophy hope & grace Luncheon at The District. *dress by Band of Gypsies/shoes by Latigo Footwear

In today’s social media age, we’re all about shedding skins and being honest about what makes us unique as individuals. So, it’s surprising to me that, for many, mental illness still carries a stigma with it. Well, Philosophy’s hope & grace initiative is hoping to change that with their #stigmafree campaign.

Katrina Gay, Catt Sadler, Morgan Stewart and Tiffani Carter at the NAMI #stigmafree lunch sponsored by hope & grace fund *Photo by Eric Charbaneou

In celebration of May as mental health awareness month, and to raise awareness, Philosophy has partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to launch the stigmafree campaign, a national effort focused on shattering the stereotypes associated with mental illness. NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. On May 28th, I was honored to join E!’s Morgan Stewart, Catt Sadler and Natasha Bedingfield at The District for the Hope & Grace #StigmaFree Luncheon to help spread awareness on this initiative.

Dawn McCoy and Natasha Bedingfield at the hope & grace luncheon with NAMI and Philosophy at The District

A Few Facts From NAMI :

1 in 5 Americans are affected by mental illness in a given year.
Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with mental health condition received mental health services in the past year.
22 veterans die by suicide every day.
Approx. 26% of homeless adults staying in shelters live with serious mental illness.
Approx. 50% of students age 14 and older with a mental illness drop out of high school.
Suicide is the 10^thleading cause of death in the U.S.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death of our youth – 90% of those who die by suicide had an underlying mental illness.

Here’s to hoping that we can make a difference and that we all can live our lives #stigmafree…

Deserving High School Girls “Say Yes To The Prom” Thanks To TLC, BCBGeneration & JC Penney

Posted on May 13, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Prom, fashion, beauty, and doing good for girls who do good all in one room???!!
Well, count me in.

Me, Prisila Cisneros and Say Yes To The Dress’s Monte Durham. She was straight up Peaches ‘n’ Cream Barbie, y’all. A dream come true!

I was proud to join TLC, part of the Discovery Communications family, when they joined forces with BCBGeneration to bring its SAY YES TO THE PROM initiative to the west coast for the first time on Wednesday, May 6.

The program, designed to build courage and self-confidence among young women, welcomed a select group of deserving high school girls from Los Angeles School of Global Studies and Manual Arts Senior High School to the BCBG Corporate Headquarters for a day of mentoring, prom dress shopping and makeovers. Joyce Azria, Creative Director for BCBGeneration, and Edwina Findley Dickerson, star of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG, also joined the fun – and confidence-boosting – festivities.

Monte Durham, fashion director and star of TLC’s SAY YES TO THE DRESS: ATLANTA, hosted the day’s events, where each girl was paired with a mentor who served as coach, personal shopper and style assistant throughout the day. I got to witness this magic, and it was truly something special that I will never forget.

Girls selected from nearly 3,000 donated dresses as well as nearly 300 BCBGeneration dresses hand-selected by Creative Director Joyce Azria.

Prom dreams – and so much more – were fulfilled as each of the girls had the opportunity to select from nearly 300 BCBGeneration dresses, specifically selected by Joyce Azria for the event.

Dress selection time!

After selecting their accessories, the girls’ looks were custom-outfitted with hair styles and makeovers courtesy of JCPenney salon experts, beauty guru Cris Ordaz of Discovery Familia’s GURUS DE BELLEZA, Ruby Makeup Academy and StyleSeat. For many, it was the dream-come-true of a lifetime.

Primping: Makeup & hair for the girls

Makeup mayhem! But all for a good cause!

Then? Why, it was time to show off the gorgeousness! The girls strutted their stuff, by showing their new prom-ready looks during a red carpet runway reveal show. They may have looked beautiful, but the inner joy these girls were radiating was just the most beautiful thing you could ever see.

In addition to the day’s style sessions, mentoring events and a red carpet finale, First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the students with a special video message.

The Los Angeles event marked the final stop on the 2015 SAY YES TO THE PROM tour, which this year more than doubled the impact of previous years by touching the lives of deserving girls from coast to coast. The tour kicked off in NYC on March 16 and continued with additional events in Denver, Washington, D.C. and Miami before making its way to Los Angeles.

Monte, “The Fairy Godfather” & his girls!

xoxo,
Dawn

The #Dear15Me Challenge

Posted on May 4, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

How did you feel at 15-years-old? And what do you wish you could tell yourself at 15 if you could go back now?

#Dear15Me : Helping teens tackle their teenage years with the confidence, grace, wisdom and ease we wish we’d had.

That’s what #Dear15Me is all about. Dawn McCoy (host, creator of BeautyFrosting, and lifestyle and life empowerment expert) has created a movement where we can share our stories and struggles of when we were 15-years-old – and share our hindsight vision – to encourage teens to love and accept themselves, just as they are right now at this very moment. *Helping teens tackle their teenage years with the confidence, grace, wisdom and ease we wish we’d had.*

So many of us say, “If I had known then, what I know now….”, so why don’t we tell teens while they’re still in it? Our goal is to start a viral movement that helps ease what can be a tough time in a teen’s life. Post a picture of yourself at 15 and your #Dear15Me message, and let teens know how you felt at 15, and what you would say to yourself if you had the chance now. Because you do. You have a chance now to help them get through this challenging time, with confidence, grace and ease. No picture of you at 15? No problem. Just post a pic of you now, holding the sign “Dear 15 Me…”and write your story and what you wish you could tell 15-year-old you in the caption.

Seeing the struggles that we went through then, how we got through them, and what we know now that we wish we had known then will inspire them to live their best lives now.

****

From Dawn:

Listen. Being a teen was hard. I remember it so clearly: the insecurities, the doubts, the fickleness, the fear, the fights with friends, the crushes, trying to please your parents, trying to impress your teachers, all of it. HARD.

But, today’s teens have it even harder. They have all of that above, plus the added pressure of social media. If there had been social media when I was in high school, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have graduated, and I think my parents would agree with me on that.

I realized just how tough it is for teens these days on a recent trip to Little Rock, Arkansas. There, I talked to the mom of a 15-year-old daughter who told me about the pain she has to see her daughter go through daily when she compares herself to others on social media. Remember that party you didn’t get invited to in 9th grade? Well, imagine having to see pictures of it on Instagram the next day. Remember the guy you had a crush on who asked out your best friend? Imagine having to see pictures of them hand-in-hand on Facebook. SUPER HARD.

That next night, I drove to my Dad’s house in Hot Springs, Arkansas and saw a picture of me at 15 years old, hanging on his wall. I saw this gorgeous girl and was shocked, because that was not the girl that I remembered. The girl I remembered was chubby, with braces and filled with nervousness and insecurity. She was scared of being too much – and not enough – all at the same time.

I ended up writing a post about it, and was overwhelmed by the comments, Facebook messages, texts and emails that I received in response. My feelings of wishing I could go back and speak to 15-year-old-me really had struck a chord. Hundreds of women wrote to me, expressing that they too look back and wish they could tell their 15-year-old selves that they were perfect as is, and that everything was going to be okay. Sometimes, that’s all we need to hear: “You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay.”

So, I’ve decided to do something about it, and start a movement. It’s called the “Dear 15 Me Challenge,” or #Dear15Me for you hashtaggers out there. #Dear15Me is a movement where we can share our stories and struggles of when we were 15-years-old – and share our hindsight vision – to encourage teens to love and accept themselves, just as they are right now at this very moment. Helping teens tackle their teenage years with the confidence, grace, wisdom and ease we wish we’d had. Here are the details. I really hope you’ll be a part of it, and that we can help make the journey a little smoother for teens out there today.

#Dear15Me : To inspire teens and women and men, at every age, I encourage you to share what you would say to yourself at 15, having the hindsight, wisdom and experience that you do now. I urge you to 1) post a picture of yourself at 15, with a caption saying: “Dear 15 Me…” and follow it with 2) what you were feeling at that age, and most importantly, 3) what you wish you could tell yourself at 15. It’s that easy.

No picture readily available of you at 15? No problem. Any pic of you as a teen will do, or just post a pic of you now, holding the sign “Dear 15 Me…” and write your story and what you wish you could tell 15-year-old you in the caption.

While there’s no time machine to take us back to 15 to correct our thinking then, we hope our past experiences and heartfelt words will help inspire – and make the road a little easier – for teens today. Tag 5 of your friends and ask them to do the same. Together, we can make a difference in the confidence of today’s teens. And be sure to tag @Dear15Me and @BeautyFrosting so we can share your experiences with our social media channels.

“I wish you could see what you look like to me. Don’t you know you’re made of stars? You can do anything – dance, laugh and sing. You’re carried by love. All that you see will come to be. So, what will you do, beautiful you?” (Dawn McCoy)

xoxo,
Dawn

Audrey Hepburn: Her Loving Heart Inspires Me Every Day

Posted on May 4, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

This original Jo Almeida painting of Audrey Hepburn hangs in my foyer.

Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, by Jo Almeida - one of my favorite artists

It’s the first thing everyone sees it as they walk into my home, and that is no accident. Audrey’s at the heart of my home – in the foyer as you enter, to welcome guests, and in the kitchen, the heart of the home.

In my home, Audrey is at the heart of it: in the foyer as you enter to welcome guests, and in the kitchen, the heart of the home.

While she played the seemingly free-spirited Holly Golightly, Audrey was anything but.

As a child in post-World War II Holland, Audrey never forgot her humble beginnings of carrying smuggled Allied notes in her ballet slippers, and the help she received from UNICEF.

Young Audrey Hepburn

As a UNICEF ambassador herself in later years, Audrey worked tirelessly to help children all over the world, the way UNICEF had helped her.

Audrey Hepburn and her giving heart

My painting of Audrey hangs in a corner where it is reflected in an antique mirror, where I can see both her and myself, as I pass by. That, too, is no accident. It’s to remind me that as my dreams come true, my job is to help make dreams come true for others.

Audrey as UNICEF Ambassador

I am so thankful to have been introduced to the lady and legend who is Audrey Hepburn at a tender age by my big brother David McCoy, as it taught me early on that your life must be balanced with giving back as much as you get. Every time I see this painting, I am reminded of that as her external beauty was only overshadowed by her beautiful heart. I aspire to give as much.

Audrey Hepburn: Her love had no limits.

Later today, I’m announcing a movement that I hope will inspire girls and women all over the world. I don’t think it’s an accident at all, that we’re launching it on what would have been Audrey’s 86th birthday. Happy, happy birthday, Audrey Hepburn. Thank you for inspiring us all with your beautiful heart. May we help others half as much as you did.

A "deer" heart.

xoxo,
Dawn

Reward Rosy Day

Posted on September 19, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

As with many inspirations in my life, it started unexpectedly…with a text. From Rosy (accompanied with pictures): “Do you know of a salon with a good colorist? I’m looking to change my look a bit.”

Oh, Rosy, you don’t even know the heavenly hornet’s nest you just stirred up.

If you checked out my post yesterday, you learned all about Rosy Garcia – a very inspiring girl and special friend of mine whom I met through my involvement with Step Up Women’s Network, an organization that I just love to bits. That one innocent text led me to deciding that instead of just taking her to afternoon tea, as I had planned, to celebrate her hard work and UC Berkeley acceptance, I needed to give this girl a day of pampering before she took off to begin her new collegiate chapter.

But I knew I couldn’t do it alone. So I gathered some of my top-tier beauty friends and salons, who were excited to help, and we ended up giving her a day to remember. As much as I had meant for it to be a gift for her, it ended up being an even bigger gift for me. I got to spend a day with Rosy and get to know her not only as a mentee and Step Up alumna, but also as a friend. Learning more about Rosy led me to respect her even more than I already did, and made me very giddy about the future she has ahead of her. Now, every time she texts me or posts on social media, it’s like connecting to a member of my family. The pride I feel for her accomplishments? There’s nothing like it. Pure joy.

Here’s what Rosy experienced on Reward Rosy day, thanks to my talented and generous friends in the beauty world. Let it inspire you to take a “Reward You Day” of your own at these, a few of my fabulous beauty meccas.

Tuesday, August 19th, 2014: Reward Rosy Day

#EverythingsComingUpRosy

8 am Gagik of Uber started the day off on the right foot by picking Rosy up at her home in an Uber Black car.

The queen has arrived! Reward Rosy Day begins with the help of Uber

8:30 am Then he dropped her off to meet me for a quick breakfast at Blu Jam Cafe, where we had the sweetest waitress, Chloe, who made sure the breakfast was a delight! Rosy needed to fuel up for the big day ahead! And I, unfortunately, had to hot-step it over to Santa Monica to record some voiceovers for Marshall’s!

Rosy and I at Blu Jam Cafe for breakfast

9:30 am I dropped off Rosy for 3 hours of pampering at Zenii Skin and Nails, where the ladies of Zenii made her feel like a queen. I’ve been going to Zenii myself for a while for all sorts of services. So what keeps me going back? It just feels like home. It’s comfy, quick and everyone’s courteous and, thankfully, creative. On the agenda for our girl, Rosy? They started with their Classic Laddi Facial ($60) by esteemed esthetician, Candace, whose facials and waxing are SERIOUSLY legendary. She was left with clean, gorgeous and glowing skin – just what a UC Berkeley student needs to get her on the right path of a lifelong skincare regimen. Next, they shaped her brows, giving a defined frame to her already beautiful face. And lastly, she enjoyed a gel manicure ($40) and a Classic Ladii pedicure ($25).

And, lastly, those lovely ladies of Zenii gifted her with a beauty kit of her own to maintain her look, complete with exfoliating gloves and nail care kit. Zenii is zeee best!

Queen Rosy getting her Ladii pedicure at the fabulous Zenii Skin and Nails. What's she thinking, you ask? "I could get used to this."

Rosy getting her gel mani at Zenii Skin and Nails

12:30 pm Next on Rosy’s agenda? The hair she was dreaming about at Maven Beverly Hills, with my friend – and fellow southern belle – Meredith Morris. After consulting with Meredith and showing her Rosy’s ombré inspiration pics, she decided to do some of her famous melted highlights and ombré to create Rosy’s dream look. Now, here’s what you have to know about Maven Beverly Hills. It reminds me of the salons I grew up going to in Dallas…except, well, a bit more chic. Besides Meredith’s visionary talent, when it comes to the coifs she creates, her design aesthetic is straight off of my favorite Pinterest inspiration boards. So, not only are you getting a great color and cut, but you’re doing it in the most pretty, pristine environment in town. And Meredith’s beautiful blue eyes and charming accent certainly don’t hurt.

Here is Rosy, PM (Pre-Meredith):

Rosy: Pre-Meredith (side)

Rosy: Pre-Meredith (back)

And during. (I had to include this, y’all. Rosy sent it to me with this caption, “I feel like Storm from X-Men!!!”)

Storm, er, I mean Rosy during her Maven experience

Aaaaaaand Post-Meredith (PM). Oh shoot, I already did that! Okay, we’ll go with Post-Meredith.

Post-Meredith: Rosy with melted highlights and the ombré she craved

After this pic, Meredith moved on to her next appointment (she's a busy gal) but she was kind enough to let our next surprise take place at her studio!

2 pm: In comes my friend – and suuuuper talented makeup artist, and all-around sweet gal – Colleen from Pixi Beauty to give Rosy a makeover.

Colleen pixifying our girl, Rosy at Maven Beverly Hills

And not just a makeover. Pixi also gifted Rosy with all of the beauty essentials she’d need as a busy UC Berkeley babe! Here’s Rosy with her favorite Pixi shadow palette!

Rosy with her new friend and beauty guru, Colleen from Pixi. Just LOOK at those brows!!

3 pm: I had planned one last surprise for Rosy – afternoon high tea at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. And, it was a treat for me too because I’d never had afternoon tea there before in its entirety! It was luxe, y’all. But the more luxe part was getting to just sit…and relax after a busy day…and really catch up and connect with Rosy. For more of what we talked about, read yesterday’s post. Be sure to read what Rosy has to say about why she’s one of the most confident people I know. I promise it’ll inspire you, like it did me. As for the yummy stuff? Ohhhh. It. Was. Good.

Teatime with Rosy. Cheers to many more! At The Peninsula Hotel's Afternoon Tea with Rosy on Reward Rosy Day

No big deal. Just Rosy and I sipping some tea and showing off our gorgeous Zenii gel manis.

Um, did I mention that it was yummy?

6 pm: Now, here’s the thing. It was time to take Rosy home. But, well, I didn’t want to. Nope. Not yet. No, I’m not talking about kidnapping, but it did feel like a shame for her to be dressed up with no place to go. Soooooo…

6:30 pm: We went to The London West Hollywood rooftop pool! Not just randomly. I had an American Brand Project event to attend, and I had the prettiest date in town! We took in the sights of the city and snapped a few pics before taking Rosy home.

I thought I looked like Cher from Clueless in this pic. Rosy LOVED it. I think because it's funny? Or ironic? Or both. But now, I love it, too. Because it's the perfect pic for the end of our perfect day. Really. A PERFECT day. When can you say that?

And I have to tell y’all this. Sorry to out you, my friend, Rosy. But my favorite part of this whole day? Rosy just couldn’t stop looking at herself in the mirror. She’s a humble girl, so don’t get me wrong. But it speaks volumes about what an impact Zenii, Maven and Pixi Beauty had in making her feel her best as she headed off to UC Berkeley that week. At one point, I was asking her a question repeatedly, and she was so distracted by her own beauty, she didn’t even hear me. My heart just melted. It really was my favorite moment because I knew we’d made something special happen, which is exactly what I wanted for this girl, Rosy, who makes special things happen for everyone all the time.

The note I wrote for Rosy on the Cover Girl Inspiration wall at a VMAs event the next night.

xoxo,
BF

High-Low 12/16/13: Santa For A Day & Maturity?

Posted on December 16, 2013 by BeautyFrosting

HIGH: Santa For A Day

I am not exaggerating when I say that I had one of my favorite days ever last Friday. I got to be Santa for a day. Yes. Really.

Santa for a day at the Toys and More! Holiday Toy Drive Shopping trip for Saint Joseph's at Target

So how did this come about?

My super generous and thoughtful friends, Michelle Lankwarden and Mike & Lauren Hissrich have hosted a Toys and More! toy drive for Saint Joseph’s kids for the past 3 years.

Michelle & Lauren - dreamers, magicmakers and Santas

But the one they hosted this year on Crowdrise went above and beyond all of the expectations and goals. They raised over $14,000 to buy toys for the kids of Saint Joseph’s!!

Well, I may be exaggerating a bit but it was IMPRESSIVE!!

So we all met at Target in Burbank on Friday morning. I received my dream assignment of buying toys for girls ages 4-12 and my partner and I set out with shopping carts to fill. We had almost $3,000 to spend on our group.

Meet my new little friends…don't tell Miss Ellie!

As I made my way down the Barbie aisle, I felt the magic of Christmas take hold.The Barbie aisle is one of my favorite places on earth. Don’t judge.

In my happy place - the Barbie aisle at Target

It reminds me of the little girl I used to be, the creativity that Barbies brought into my life (I wrote EPIC storylines for them) and it just is my happy place when I need a little pick-me-up at Target. To think of the countless wide, glee-filled eyes and smiles that these Barbies, Care Bears, dolls and colorful, crafty toys were going to bring into the lives of these kids – and the various ways they might be inspired by their new toys – was almost too much for this heart of mine to handle. It seriously felt like it was gonna burst! It put a huge smile on my face and it didn’t go away all day long.

The smile wouldn't stop...

I was so proud – and honored – to be included in such a warm, generous and fun group of people as we shopped for these special kiddos, enjoyed the spirit of the holiday season and enjoyed the special luxury of having our own cash register ringing up all of our treasures. Thanks, Target!

I’m pretty sure that the unparalleled joy I felt that day must be what heaven feels like. I already can’t wait for next year!!!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

LOW: Maturity?

What other people think of me is none of my business…yep.

I pride myself on being sensitive to the feelings of others. Mix that with the fact that I’m a sensitive soul and sometimes things can get tricky. So when someone I love expresses an opinion about me that’s a little, um, unflattering and a little hard to hear, I really try to listen and look at it from all angles. Especially when it’s someone I dearly respect and greatly admire. In the past – in my youth – I would take someone’s opinion as fact without questioning where they were coming from, what their motivation was or what my own feelings were about it. I would take it in, let it wreck me, torture myself over it and never forget it.

The beautiful gift of getting older is that you start trusting yourself and start listening to your instincts more. Another beautiful gift is that you relinquish a little bit of the need to please everyone. Because folks – you’re never gonna please everyone! And that golden nugget, my friends, is coming from a people pleaser! Learning that not everyone will like you, you will not always love everything that people have to say about you and that other people’s opinions truly are none of your business are all beautiful things about getting older – and, hopefully – wiser.

So today, I sit in peace with the fact that I have a few friends who may not love or understand my life as it is right now but I am comforted to know that they always want the best for me. And while I appreciate their input and love, I appreciate the choice I have to either listen and take it in or listen, trust my gut and simply say thank you. I think this might be what they call – what’s the word again? Oh yeah. Maturity.

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week?

*So what exactly is a High-Low, you ask? High-Low is the BEST & WORST part of your day, week, month, etc. I started this tradition with friends & family after I discovered it through a movie decades ago. Not only is it useful for reflection sake but it is also an excellent way to communicate with your spouse, kids or friends over the dinner table. By introducing this tradition to folks, parents have told me that their kids have opened up more and friends have told me that their spouses have become more communicative. Try it for yourself and let me know what your experience is!