Eyebrows

As I am home for the holidays and am short on time, today I am reposting an oldie but a goodie. This entry was originally posted 6/7/06. Over six months later, I am still using both products and loving them every bit as much.

I've been battling my eyebrows for years. I began plucking at 18. My brows had always been... big. However, strange as it may be although they covered a large amount of space, there was actually little hair doing so. This has made shaping a buit tricky, and has made it necessary to use brow pencils or powder of some kind. I've been using a Revlon eyebrow powder kit for longer than I care to confess (it's only been recently that I started paying attention to those so-called make-up expiration dates), but have been wanting to find something new.

I recently got a gift card to Sephora and as I was browsing around in the store yesterday one of the lovely ladies who works there pointed me towards Stila's Brow Set. She recommended it highly, and helped me pick out the best color for me. I also picked up a Sephora Eyebrow Brush to go along with it.

I used my new brow powder and brush this morning for the first time, and immediately fell in love. It went on nicer and smoother and looked more natural than my old powder ever had! I don't know if it was the powder, the brush, a combination of both, or simply using something that was nice and new and fresh, but I'm loving it. I'm not in the habit of splurging on make-up like this (the brow powder was $16 and the brush was $9) but the brush will last me for quite some time and the powder for a good 2 years or so, so I'm satisfied. I have to say, the appeal of knowledgeable staff to help you out and being able to test the products before buying are starting to convert me to slightly pricier products over the drug store brands. Plus (such a frivolous thing) the packaging tends to be so much cuter.... =P

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

As someone who has suffered from dry, cracked hands every winter for the past, oh, as many years as I can remember, it seems I'm always on the look-out for great hand lotions. My most recent find is a good old-fashioned inexpensive drugstore find-- Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Hand Cream! ($4.39 at drugstore.com)You only need a dab, and it immediately makes my hands feel soft and uber-moisturized (without feeling too greasy). And it's inexpensive enough that you can buy several tubes and keep them stocked anywhere you might need them. I unfortunately left mine in California, and I've been dying without it. I will definitely be hitting Target up tomorrow and grabbing some of this stuff.


There's also a new fast absorbing formula out, if the regular cream feels too greasy to you (it doesn't at all to me).

Apologies

Hello dear readers, sorry for my lack of posting this week. I've been driving with my sister from California to Texas to spend the holidays with my family. I meant let y'all know ahead of time but forgot to post anything before leaving sunday morning. I've published a new post below, and will have some more coming next week.

Happy Holidays!

While You Were Sleeping...

I'm always on the look-out for goo travel-size beauty products, as it seems I travel a lot. Knowing that I would be spending the holidays in Texas again this year, I was delighted when I saw Kohls selling 2-week sample supplies of Grassroots night and day face creams for $5.

I immediately fell in love with their night cream, While You Were Sleeping Overnight Moisture Cream($17). Though I think it's the scent that did it more than anything. Infused with Madagascan vanilla, I just love slathering this stuff on after washing my face at night! It has also left my face feeling soft and well-moisturized, without feeling oily in the morning. The cream version is for normal-to-dry skin, there is also a lotion formula available for normal-to-oily skin. Each of these, along with all other Grassroots products, are available at Kohl's stores and www.Kohls.com.

Perfume Sets at Target!

Target has got some GREAT deals on perfume gift sets right now! For example, you can get a fabulojs deal on a Live by Jennifer Lopez 3-piece gift set that's much less than the price of the perfume bottle alone at Sephora. You can read more in my post at Target Culture.

American Beauty Super Plush 10-Hour Lipcolor

On a trip to Kohl's recently, I got seduced by American Beauty's Super Plus 10-Hour Lipcolor ($16.50, now on sale for $14.85) in Blushing Rose (a deep-yet-bright rosy pink color that I've somehow come to associate with the holidays). I've been weary of long-wear products in the past as I've had bad experiences of them sucking my lips totaly dry, but lately I've been feeling annoyed by how quickly my normal lipstick or gloss rubs off (especially when I'm blowing my nose with any sort of frequency).

So I tried it. The verdict? Quite good, actually. I applied the color and as it dried 9the instructions say to give it 1 full minute) my lips started feeling a bit dry, but once I put the gloss on top they felt instantly better. The gloss is ok... not great, but not bad either. It actually lasted for several hours, which was impressive. But you can just as easily keep your favorite gloss or balm handy for re-moisturization rather than havw to carry the big lipstick-and-gloss combo here.

The color stayed true for a good 12 hours, with very limited flaking or looking wierd in any other way. By the end of the day I had to use eye makeup remover to get the color off, but it came off faily easily that way (which is nice-- I want something that sticks when I want it to, but comes off easily when I want it to).

So, yeah, I'm happy enough with this that I may go back and buy another color or 2. It's the long-lasting lipstick I've liked the most of the few that I've tried.

Lip Scrubs

I've been hearing a lot lately about "lip scrubs" and "lip exfoliators" lately. I've used the bristles of my toothbrush in the past to help get rid of flaky dry skin on my lips, but that can be awkward and rough so I was actually considering buying one of these new lip products.

Then I was lying in bed this morning and thought "Wait a minute... can't I just make one myself?!?" Now, I'm not normally your DIY beauty product person. I'm not sure why, but I just don't get around to making my own concoctions of stuff. But this one seemed like it could be so easy. So I tried it out. Here's my "recipe":

1. Squeeze some of your favorite thick lip balm onto your finger (I used my Philosophy Kiss Me lip balm).
2. Sprinkle some sugar on top of your glob of lip balm.
3. Gently scrub your lips with the mixture.

It's that easy. Since you're using sugar, it even tastes nice if you get some into your mouth. Then, simply rinse off and- TaDa!!- you'll have gorgeous, soft, plump-looking lips.

Dear Katie Holmes/Kate Cruise/Whatever your name is these days,

Katie, Katie, Katie... what's happened? You're young. You're adorable. Yes, you just had a baby, but you look FABULOUS for it.

So why do you insist on wearing clothing that makes you look like you're 80 years old?

You used to dress all sorts of cute, not that long ago. What's happened since then?

Both the outfits in the pictures here are from wedding-related events. The gold outfit on the right (I know you cant't see it all, but it's seriously something I'd expect my grandma to wear) was from the Rehearsal Dinner. The frumpy black top with polka-dot skirt on the left are from a recent post-wedding party back here in the States. Now, most brides would take care to look their best for their wedding, and the events surrounding it. You have all the time, money and resources in the world and THIS is what you come up with?

I can only assume one thing. This must be a Crazy Tom influence.

It makes me sad. It's a shame to have such a beautiful young woman go around looking this bad. Please, Katie. Wake up. Leave this insane Scientology wierdo. Come back to the real world.

Sincerely,
Everyone

Got Mom Jeans?

Reverse Fit Jeans-- "High-quality denim. Sits just above the waist, full through the hip and thigh, tapered leg opening."
$39.50.

Get them now, at Gap.com!



Dear Lord, WHY????

Good Skin Megabalm Ultra Soothing Lip Treatment

I LOVE this stuff. Good Skin's Megabalm Ultra Soothing Lip Treatment$9.50) is the BEST. It's so thick that it actually has staying power, and is so amazingly glossy so can be worn during the day as a gloss on its own. I usually slather some on each night, and it's definitely helped stave off dry-lips syndrome. All last week I was fighting a cold that rendered my nose useless as a breathing device. Normally the breathing through my mouth would leave me with dry, cracked, bleeding lips. But thanks to my awesome Megabalm, all I got was a bit of dryness.

Yes, it's a bit pricey for the small tube, but I swear it's worth it!

Set your TiVo's, ladies!

I got this email today:

"Victoria’s Secret PINK makes its runway debut on CBS, December 5th at 10/9C. PINK models, including Jessica Stam, strut their stuff on the catwalk to the tunes of Justin Timberlake who delivers a breakthrough must-see performance. Sleeping bag shrugs, fitted varsity jackets and sexy boy-shorts rule the first-ever PINK section of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show*. This year’s show is being touted as Victoria’s Secret’s best to date, so PINK Girls – be sure to set your TIVOs for this can’t-miss event."

Several weeks ago when a friend of me dragged me into a Juicy store (WAY out of my price range) I finally realized that the VS Pink! collection is totally emulating Juicy Coutour. Well, it's cute, and much more affordable, so more power to them! ; ) I'm actually becoming quite a fan of the VS Pink! line. I really like my yellow sweat pants, and their thongs are the only kind I wear now.

PS- While you're at it, check out Victoria's Secret's Top 10 Beauty Gifts, all of which are on a special 25% off sale right now.

Dressing for the Holidays

Head on over to Target Culture to read my post of hot holiday dresses at Target, and how to dress up an old dress with fun, new accessories.

SALE!

Click THIS LINK and you'll get 20% your order at drugstore.com. Expires at midnight, wednesday Nov 29.

Maryam's Soap Nook

I recently recieved a wonderful little goody bag from Maryam's Soap Nook. This is a brand of bath & body products that are all hand-made with natural ingredients, and infused with aromatherapy to entice the senses as well. Maryam's inspiration for this line of products was the birth of her daughter in 1999. Since then, she's been making her own hand-made bath and body products, and using only these on her daughter (nice story, isn't it? And you know the stuff's high quality if she's using it on her own kids)

Here's a quick review of a few of the products I recieved and have had a chance to play around with:

Whipped Shea Monoi Herbal Body Butter ($15/8oz)- This is a thick, luxurious body butter made up of shea butter, monoi de tahiti oil, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, goat milk, vitamin E, and silk fibers. It takes some getting used to at first-- the concoction felt grainy as I first scooped it out of the tub, but then I realized that the "grains" are little bits of shea butter that melt on contact with your skin. My skin felt incredibly soft and silky after slathering this body butter all over. I recieved the Lavender Rosemary scented butter, which smells nice (smells moisturizing, if that's possible) though it's a bit overpowering for me-- I used this lotion right before bed once and my sheets smelled like it for days. However there's many scents to choose from and even an unscented version.

Exfoliating Body Wash with Kukui Nut Oil & Jojoba Beads($10/8oz)- The kukui nut oil promises to heal, renew, and moisturize dry skin, while the jojoba beads exfoliate dead skin cells away. I first tried to use this body wash by pouring some into my shower pouf, but most of the mixture simply dissappeared into the pouf rather than going onto my skin. It's probably better to use it with your hands or a washcloth. The Pomegranite & Wild Berries scent smells incredibly refreshing. This wash also comes in a variety of other scents, as well.

Shea Butter & Dead Sea Salt Glow Scrub($15/8oz)- The claims: "Helps circulation and is a great way to invigorate and rejuvenate your skin. The deep pore cleansing and exfoliating effects will leave your skin feeling baby soft, and refreshed." I have to admit, I've been loving this trend of sugar and salt scrubs. I love feeling the exfoliating action of the sugar or salt beads, plus feeling the oils truly lubricate my skin to make it uber-moisturized. It feels like just what I need during these dreary, dry winter months. Although this body scrub and the above exfoliating wash in many ways are quite similar (exfoliation + oils to moisturize), I like the scrub better as it;s thicker and more substantial. Beware, however, as the oils in this scrub (and any other) will make your tub more slippery!

Bottom Line? I'm not sure if I'd seek out these products on my own as opposed to going with other brands where I can easily waltz into a store to pick them up. However, if you like having natural, hand-made products to use on your skin, then these are definitely a good thing for you.

Good Skin All-Calm Redness Tamer

I don't know if it's winter dryness or what, but I've been noticing more redness and blotchiness on my face lately. As a result, I've been using Good Skin All-Calm Redness Tamer($15, now on sale for $13.50 at Kohls) almost every day. This is a product that I actually bought months ago, but noly really started using a lot lately.

It's a tube of green paste, with an applicator very similar to a sponge-tip lipgloss applicator. You dab a touch of the green stuff on your skin, wherever you happen to have a pimple or just some redness, and use your finger to pat the cream in, blending it in. Redness is gone, there's no obvious greenness, and skin looks fabulous. I've been using it a lot around my nose, and just above my eyebrows (I seem to have a red spot just above them, perhaps from plucking?).

If you need all-over face coverage for redness, this stuff may not be the best option. However if you have pimples or smaller red spots on your face that you want covered up, this All-Calm Redness Tamer works like a dream.

By the way, Kohls is currently offering a 10%-15% discount on all beauty items (online, not sure about in-store).

How NOT to Overeat on Thanksgiving

We're all too familiar with the situation-- it's Thanksgiving Day. You haven't eaten much all day in anticipation fo the day's feast. You go to pile up your plate and, of course, want to try EVERYTHING. So you pile it on and, afterwards, end up feeling more stuffed than the turkey itself. Now you're left with not only indigestion, but the guilt of having consumed one too many servings of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.

So what do you do?

Well, here's a bit of advice. I know with me, often in situations like these the food will be so good that I just want to keep eating it-- even once I'm already full and am not enjoying the taste as much anymore. And that's the key to focus on-- the first few bites of your food are the ones that taste best, anyway. So go ahead and try a little bit of everything-- just make it only small portions. You only need a few bites of each of the various dishes available. This way you get to try and enjoy everything, but you keep your overall food intake to a reasonable level.

And, of course, you might actually have some room left to enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie, as well. ; )

By the way, I also suggest not worrying too much about fat content, or trying to use low-fat versions of your favorite Thanksgiving comfort foods. I'm a firm believer in allowing yourself to indulge in the good stuff (meaning things like REAL sugar) and simply limiting portion size to make up for it. Remember, Thanksgiving only comes around once a year anyway. If you induklge a bit more than usual, it's not the end of the world. You can always go for a run tomorrow.

Happy Turkey Day!

Clinique Color Surge Impossibly Glossy

I was at Sephora the other day and noticed that some aisles had been moved around... and then I saw the new Clinique aisle! I was browsing around and spotted their lip glosses. Just as I was thinking to myself "Now there's NO WAY I need to be spending $14.50 on lip gloss" I went ahead and started trying out some of their Color Surge Impossibly Glossy glosses.

Oh. My. God.

They weren't kidding when they put "color surge" in the name. Usually colored glosses only look colored in the tube, and the color is sheer at best once on the lips. Not these guys. It seriously looks more like lipstick with a high gloss shine over it than regular lip gloss. And as for the "impossibly glossy" part? Yup, that's true too.

I instantly fell in love with Braisin, a deep brown color with some rosy undertones that just looked so fab with my complexion and brown hair. Of course, this happened to be the one color for which they had a tester but no actualy merchandise yet (how cruel!). So I went to the Clinique counter at Macy's, and was told that that one particular color was discontinued. WHAT?! Just when I discovered it?? They said that many recently discontinued Clinique items would be sold by Sephora (I guess untill they run out).

Feeling quite defeated, I went home and searched for my discontinued lip gloss color online. Turns out it's still being sold at Clinique.com, so I immediately bought it. The best part? I signed up to be in the Clinique Club (took about 2 minutes and was free) and got free shipping on my order. Woot! I think as soon as I get this gloss in the mail I'lk be wearing it, like, every day.

Do you want to be So...? Desirable

A week or 2 ago I recieved a sample of So...? Desirable perfume spray. The accompanying note mentioned that this perfume supposedly smells just like Salvatore Ferragamo's Incanto Charms fragrance. Seeing as So...? Desirable retails at $15.25 (on sale at Kohl's!), and the Ferragamo scent is $55 for the equivalent 1.7 oz bottle, I figured this was something worth checking out. So I finally got my butt down to Sephora (I know, I can't figure out what took me so long, either) and brought home a sample of Ferragamo Incanto Charms. And ya know what? I honestly cannot tell the difference. They both have a funky, feminine, fruity/floral scent. Unfortunately I'm not s huge fan of what it smells like one it's mixed with my body chemistry (I seem to have this problem with most perfumes, though-- I'll love how it smells just out of the bottle, then something wierd happens when it's on me), but the scent itself is quite nice and surely would smell dreamy on many others.

Dear Readers,

Man, I'm looking forward at the next few months, and realizing that I'm going to be super-busy. I love writing this blog, but it also at times feels like a chore when I have little time to devote to it. So I think I'm going to start posting less frequently.... maybe closer to 2-3 times a week, instead of 5.

If any of you would like to help contribute to this blog to fill in the other days, I'd love to have your help. Email me at mightymarce@gmail.com and we can figure stuff out.

Till then, y'all can look forward to the following upcoming posts:

• Max Factor MAXwear Lip Color
• So...? Desireable perfume
• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisture Lotion

Purity Made Simple: Update

Last week I gushed over how much I've been loving Philosophy's Purity Made Simple facial cleanser. However, I have something to add:

Do not take this bottle with you when travelling.

This past weekend I drove to Lake Tahoe with a bunch of my family. I took my 4oz bottle of Purity Made Simple with me. When we got there and I started unpacking all my toilettries, I found that a bunch of Purity Made Simple had leaked all over the bag. I gues it just got squished, or something with the altitude.... I don't know. However none of my other liquid toilettries leaked.

I probably wouldn't have thought much of it, expect I then remembered TheMakeupGirl having a similar experience several months ago.

This makes me sad, as this is the one facial cleanser I know of that takes off ALL makeup (including heavy eye makeup) easily, and I was so excited to finally have a good way to remove all my eye makeup from nights out when travelling without having to bring separate eyemakeup remover or deal with raccoon eyes. I think I'll have to find a new travel bottle to use, that won't leak. I don't know if the larger-sized bottles have this same problem. I'm just kinda dissappointed. Oh well. Again, I'll just find a different bottle to put it in for when I travel.

Dear Readers,

I'm going to take a long weekend. It's been a busy week, there's just a lot going on right now, and I've got family in town, so I will take a break from posting for a few days. I should be back on tuesday. In the meantime, check out my links section and the Beauty Blog Network Blogroll to get your beauty fill. Thanks, y'all.

Sincerely,
Marcy

Go Urbn

I did some jewelry shopping at Urban Outfitters recently. I couldn't find the necklace I bought online (it's silver, with a tiny heart locket and a shell dove hanging off it as small charms), but I got this ring($16), and I love it. I really adore Urban Outfitter's jewlery, especially a lot of their recent necklaces. It's all just so funky.

Boi-ing!

To be honest, I've kinda been scared to try concealer. I've heard such horror stories about it caking and cracking and basically looking obvious (which kinda ruins the whole ffect of using it to begin with). So I've kinda stayed away for a while.

But then I started looking through Benefit catalogues and such, and I have such a hard time resisting their products.... So one day I went to Sephora and just tried a ton of their products (the staff there mujst've thought I was nuts, I kept running back and forth from the Benefit aisle to the mirrors to where they stashed the cotton balls and q-tips, etc). And when I tried Boi-ing($18), I was quite pleasantly surprised to notice a difference. A good one. And suddenly I just had to have it.

I got the middle shade (02) which is the one suggested for anyone who isn't super light- or dark-complected, and I've been gloriously happy with it. It has NEVER caked or creased or cracked on me. By the end of the day it usually looks the same as it did when I put it on that morning. Sometimes I use my fingers to dot it under my eyes, sometimes I use my concealer brush, the effect is mostly the same either way.

Basically.. this stuff is awesome. And it certainly was a lifesaver for me recently, when my girl friend and I went to Vegas for the weekend and I had to cover up the massive circles under my eyes from getting absolutely no sleep. ; )

PS- In case you need an excuse to buy Benefit products, they're currently giving away a free Color Plump pencil with any orders of $65 or more. Check out the website for more details!

Pure and Simple

I've traditionally been a drugstore face wash girl. I just couldn't really justify spending big bucks on fancy face wash, since my skin is, overall, pretty normal. But a few weeks ago I noticed that I kept finding myself feeling irritated by red splotches on my face, or dry/oily spots, etc. So, on a whim, I decided to splurge and brought home a small bottle of Philosophy Purity Made Simple($10-$32).

I'd heard great claims about this product. I liked the idea of it being an all-in-one cleanser, eliminating the need for seprate makeup removers or toners. I also feel an affinity towards Philosophy's stuff, since their products and packaging are just so damn cute! lol

Anyway, so I started using Purity Made Simple to wash my face with. At first I noticed that I got some funny bumps on my face (very small and colorless, so only I could tell they were there when I felt my face). I'm not sure if this was caused by the new facewash, or by the new lotion I was using, or what. I switched to an old face wash for a few days, and then gave Purity Made Simple another try. I have been a very satisfied customer since. My skin feels sooo soft and smooth. If I forget to put lotion on right after washing, my face doesn't feel all tight and dry like with other cleansers. And it takes off makeup like a dream!! Many times after a night out, I'd use eye makup remover and then wash my face, and I'd still end up with black smudges under my eyes from leftover liner and mascara. Purity Made Simple takes it ALL off, no issues.

I have to say, I'm kinda perplexed by Philosphy. They make such yummy smelling 3-in-1 washes and lip glosses, etc, yet their skin care products all have kinda funky smells. Purity Made Simple isn't too bad, but I couldn't get past the "scent" of their Hope in a Jar moisturizer (as much as I loved the way it made my skin look and feel). I also have their Kiss Me Red lip balm, and I've gotten used to it now but it also smells funky. I guess they're trying to be unique? I don't know. I've read others complain about this, too, so maybe if we all compalin together Philosophy will take notice and change this?

Sorry about not posting on friday, everyone. I went out of town and forgot to post early. To make up for it, we've got double posts today. Enjoy!

Marcy

MAXimize Your Eyes, Pt 2

Let's talk some more about the beauty bounty The Makeup Fairy sent me last week. ; )

Max Factor Lash Perfection mascara($6.89 at drugstore.com) The first thing I noticed about this mascara is that it has the same funky, new wand as Cover Girl's Lash Exact mascara (seems other brands are already jumping on the bandwagon! Interestingly, even the tube shape and style looks similar to the Cover Girl mascara...). As you readers know, I loved Cover Girl's mascara and quirky new wand, so I had an inkling already that I was going to like this mascara, as well.

I tried it out, and basically had the same results as with Cover Girl Lash Exact-- long, beautiful, full lashes with no clumps. They are the same price, too, so I'm not sure if there's really an advantage to one over the other. However I did buy Cover Girl Lash Exact in Black Brown, and my Max Factor Lash Perfection came in Black, so now I have one for daytime and one for nighttime. =P

I also got Max Factor MAXeye Liner in 100 Night Club ($5.89 at drugstore.com). It's one of those autmatic liners that don't need to be sharpened (you just twist up from the bottom), which is nice and easy. I find that kind often glides on better than regular pencil liners (at least when talking about drugstore makeup). Sure enough, when I tried it the liner went on smoothly and evenly, allowing me to make a fine line for daytime wear. Once applied, it is also fairly budge-proof.

Next up: The last item I need to write about is Max Factor's MAXwear Lip Color. Stay tuned for that review!

Cirque de Beaute' at Sephora!

Beauty gift sets galore! Whether you're shopping for yourself, or getting an early start on your holiday gift list, you're bound to find beauty sets to please! So head on over to Sephora.com to check out The Greastest Gift Show on Earth! Let's see, I can already think of one friend who'd greatly enjoy the LipFusion Perfect Pout set ($39), and Philosophy's The Holiday House ($35) has already made it onto my Amazon.com Wishlist. Or how aboput Nars Multiple Orgasm ($49)? ; ) Oooh! And how about Stila The Gift of Glaze($28)! I've been wanting to get my hands on one of their Lip Glazes for a while now!



My goodness.... It's too much! Anyway, get your booties over there now to check out all these goodies!

MAXimize Your Eyes

I recently recieved a gift package from The Makeup Fairy full of samples of some of Max Factor's latest and greatest beauty items. Wheeee! I will be gracing all of you with reviews of each of the products I got to try. Today, we'll be taking a look at Max Factor MAXeye Shadow ($4.69 at drugstore.com). The shadows I got are Baja Bronze (yellow, with light and darker brown shadows along with it) and Smooth Sailing (a trio of blues). The colors can look a bit intimidating in the compact (especially the blues) but they are SUPER sheer when applied. As in, the lighter color in each of the trios can be barely-there-subtle. I haven't tried applying the shadows wet, I'm sure you'd get stronger color that way. But I'm quite happy with each of these sets. I like playing around with blues eyeshadow when I'm wearing something blue, and I love the yellow in Baja Bronze, especially when I use one of the brown shades for contour. And, scrolling through the other shades available, I'm quite drawn to a few of them (like Vintage Vixen and Compass Rose) and so may be adding to my Max Factor eyeshadow collection soon.

New Labels

Hello Readers! I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm tweaking the Labels section a bit. I'm working on categorizing posts by brand name, as well as type of makeup, etc. I've already sorted through some of them, but haven't added all the brands yet. Hopefully this will be helpful to some of you if/when you're looking for posts about a particular product.

Marcy

I know it's november already, but....

Breast Cancer Awareness Month may have just ended, but I wanted to link one last great post about it today. Beauty Chick over at Beauty Hatchery has some great tips for helping out the Breast Cancer cause, as well as links to places where you can find awesome products that help support Breast Cancer research.

I will heed a small warning-- I just read an article recently about how so many products claim to support the fight against breast cancer but often don't really do much. So it's worth it to do your homework sometimes. If the product you're thinking of buying is something you'd get anyway, then go for it. But if you're buying it in the name of "helping the cause" try to check up on how much of the funds actually go towards research, and what foundations it supports. It may be more worthwhile for you to make a direct donation to The Breast Cancer Foundation, Susan G Komen, or the Avon Foundation (just a few examples).

MeltProof Makeup, Pt 3

This is the third and final installment of my MeltProof Makeup series! After this, I should hear no more complaints about makeup fading mid-day. ; ) Let's get to it, shall we?

Ok, so once you've got a good base for your makeup, and applied beauty products that have substantial staying power, you've done most of the work. All that's left now is to find a little something to "set" the look, keep it fresh and vivid all day long. This is the job of a good face powder. Loose or pressed, it's your choice-- I have always preferred pressed as it's more compact and easier to tote around, but I think it all comes down to personal preference. Once your makeup has been applied, a dusting of powder will take care of nay leftover shine, and help set your makeup so it won't budge. My current fave is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Transluscent Oil Control Powder ($10.99 at drugstore.com). Many people also swear by Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil ($19).


While perusing the latest Benefit catalogue I came accross an interesting beauty tool- She Laq ($28), a liquid "sealant" that can be brushed over eyes or lips after makeup aspplication to seal in your makeup and keep it in place. It comes with a nifty brush set so you can easily apply the stuff over your eyeliner, shadow, mascara, or lipcolor. I have not tried this stuff and am not sure what to think of it-- I'd love to hear reviews from any of you who may have tried it.

Well, ladies, that's all I've got. I hope this post series has been helpful to some of you. As always, let me know if you've got extra tips for us! Other than that.... have a safe and happy halloween, everyone. =)

Meltproof Makeup, Pt 2

We've already taken a look at how to prep your skin in order to help your makeup stay put longer. Now let's take a look at the kinds of makeup items themselves that have great staying power.

Eyes

Let's start with the eyes. I find that a cream-to-powder eyeshadow formula tends to have better staying power than regular powder shadows. I don't have particular recommendations for this category, so I invite you to leave yours as comments! I know Revlon also has a line of Colorstay eyeshadows that may be worth a try.

For eyeliners, liquid or gel liners are almost completely budge-proof. I have yet to master the art of liquid liner application, but adore MAC Fluidline ($14.50) and Bobbi Brown Long Wearing Gel Liner ($18). Depending on the kind of brush (and color) you use to apply, you can make the line thick and dramatic, or fine and subtle.

Cheeks

I've heard claims that powder blush stays better than cream, and vice versa, so this is a bit more trial and error (and may have more to do with the texture and oiliness of your skin). But if you really want flushed cheeks that last, your best bet by far is a stain. Benetint($28) by Benefit is amazing. Another good choice that's a bit mor economical is Sonia Kashuk's Lip and Cheek Tint($7.99 at Target stores). Be careful when using either of these, they're called stains for a reason. Also, be sure to start out with just a little bit (a dot or 2 on the apples of the cheeks) and blend quickly. You can always add more color if you want a deeper flush.

Lips

If you want subtle color that lasts, dab a bit of Benetint (or any other stain) onto your lips. This will be more of a rosy look. But if what you crave is true color that stays put all day long, your best bet is a long-wearing lipstick such as Cover Girl Outlast Double LipShine ($8) or American Beauty Super Plus 10-Hour Lipcolor ($16.50, though currently on sale for $13.20). These can be a bit drying on the lips, so keep the accompanying gloss (or your favorite gloss or balm) on hand for touch-ups. It may also help to put on some lip balm about 5-10 minutes before you apply the lip color.

To help your regular lipstick stay on better, find a lipliner that either matches your lipstick or your natural lip color and fill in your lips entirely with it. This will give your lipstick a little something to cling to. Then apply lipstick with a lip brush. Go for thin coatings of lipstick, and more of them, rather than slathering on a thicker coat. I've been impressed by Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth Lipcolor (approx $8 or $9 at drugstores) and MAC lipstick($14).

MeltProof Makeup, Pt 1

Discom asked how to keep makeup from fading. In typing an answer, I realized it was going to be a long one, so.... she has inspired what will be a 3-part post on how to keep your makeup from melting by mid-day. Today we will take a look at prepping your face for makeup by using primer and foundation. Part 2 will look into long-wearing makeup products, and finally part 3 will be about powders and other products meant to keep makeup in place once it has been applied.

So, let's get on with it!

First off: Primer. This is a new concept to me, and still seems a relatively new idea in the makeup world (or, well, it was only recently that I started hearing about it). Primers are meant to smooth out your face, filling in any lines and wrinkles, so as to create a smooth working surface for your foundation and other makeup. They help absorb oil, to help keep your skin matte and shine-free (oil is often a culprit in makeup melt-down, as it's harder to make makeup stay on a slippery surface). Many primers also have vitamins in them to help keep your skin healthy and happy. I have already blogged about my experience with Philosophy's The Present clear makeup ($25), but I'm definitely curious about trying other brands as well and seeing how they work. I've heard wonders about Benefit's Dr. Feelgood ($26), and Smashbox's Photo Finish Color Correcting Face Primers ($38) look very intriguing.

Second: Foundation. A good foundation will even out your complexion, hide imperfections, but still keep your skin looking "real." It will also provide a great base for your makeup, to help keep it in place. Put a bit of foundation directly onto your eyelids or lips before applying lipstick or eyeshadow to give them a bit more lasting power. Foundations come in liquid, cream, and powder formulas. It's best to go to Sephora or your favorite department store makeup counter for your foundation-- you need to be able to talk to someone about what kind of formula is best for you, what kind of coverage you want, and, most importantly, be able to test the colors to find the one that best matches your skintone. A popular pick is BareEscentuals bareMinerals Powder Foundation ($25, though I strongly suggest getting the Get Started Kit for $60), and Benefit's Some Kind-A Gorgeous ($26) is supposed to be amazing.

That's what I've got. If any of you have suggestions about certain products or experiences to share, please feel free to leave comments with them! And stay tuned for next week, when I'll be posting parts 2 and 3 of my Meltproof Makeup Series. ; )

Wishlist: MAC Holiday Collections

After reading TheMakeupGirl's review of MAC's new holiday gift sets, I think I just may have to run out and get some! I think my favorites are the Lip Kits (in fringe, pleat, beaded, and ruffle). Two lipsticks and a lipglass and a cool clutch for $32?? How do you say no to that?

There's also a Viva Glam lip palette ($32) with all 6 Viva Glam colors in it. I actually remember hearing about this when they had it last year but when I tried to buy it they had already sold out. Perhaps I will make another try at getting my hands on it this year.

Boy, my makeup tastes have been expanding onto more expensive territory, and my wallet ain't gonna be very happy with me...

Wishlist: Holiday Gift Sets!

Ok, so as I was looking through the Sephora website for yesterday's post, I stumbled upon all sorts of new, incredibly yummy-sounding goodies that Philosophy is offering as Holiday Gift sets. And... I want them all!!!

Let's see, first there's The Ski House ($35), which includes a 4 oz Double Rich Hot Cocoa ultra rich, award-winning 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, a 2 oz Marshmallow Body Souffle, and a .5 oz Kiss Me Pink peppermint lip balm. I mean, my god, who doesn't want that? If I had Hot Cocoa body wash and marshmallow lotion, I don't know if I'd ever leave the bathroom. Ever.

Then there's Holiday Rescue ($25), complete with an 8 oz 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, plus a 3.5 oz Exfoliating Hot Salt Scrub. Another reason not to ever leave your shower.

And let's not forget some of the men that can make the holidays so sweet... Like The Ice-Cream Man, The Milk Man, and The Gingerbread Man. Each kit contains an 8 oz 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, a 2 oz Pampering Shimmer Body Souffle, and a .5 oz. Delicious High-Gloss Lip Shine, for $38. If you're not a one-man kind of wioman, there's always A Few Good Men ($25), a lipgloss trio including one lip gloss in each of the scents above.

I've already added a few of these to my Amazon.com wishlist, and am considering getting them as gifts for friends and family. They just look too cute (and sound way too yummy) to pass up!

No Time Like The Present

I've been hearing a lot about makeup primers lately-- they're supposed to help mattify the skin, and keep your makeup from fading throughout the day. I wasn't quite sure how much to believe these claims. But then a couple weeks ago I couldn't resist and wound up bringing home Philosophy's The SchoolBook kit($35), and when I tried The Present clear makeup ($25 on its own)... I was amazed.

I actually didn't even take note of the difference at first, which, looking back, is amazing in itself. It was only later in the afternoon that I noticed that my normally shiny forehead was not shiny at all. The next morning I used The Present again, and after waiting the 2 minutes to let it sink in I looked at my face and, sure enough, the shinyness that had been there, that was normally there, was completely gone. I was left with beautifully matte skin, that lasted all day long. I didn't even need any powder at all, as there was no shine to try to cover up with it.

This is my first foray into the world of makeup primers, and I'm curious as to what other brands are like. But Philosophy definitely has me very impressed so far!

Psssssst!

I read about Psssssst Instant Spray Shampoo ($5.49) in InStyle over the summer-- supposedly Ken Paves uses this on Jessica Simpson's hair to get extra volume out of it. I've been on a quest for a dry shampoo for a while, yet was unwilling to shell out the big bucks for Bumble & Bumble's version (especially after reading mixed reviews online). So you bet my ears perked up a bit at hearing about this supposed wonder-product that cost a mere $5 bucks!

Before trying it, I did some research online... and I found several reviews that complained that, while this product was pretty amazing, the bottle seemed to be faulty and most of the product would leak out after the first use. Eventually, I decided to try it out anyway. And, well, my experience pretty much echoed the reviews I read at the time-- it worked great at de-greasing my roots, but the 2nd time I tried to use it hardly anything came out at all.

However, tonight as I was looking for a link I found some newer reviews on drugstore.com from the past couple months and they claimed that their bottle last through several uses, so I'm tempted to go buy another bottle and try it out again. I think I can spare another $5 on the hope that they'll have fixed the leakage problem.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I've been noticing some very cute coats and jackets lately, especially over at Old Navy (one of my favorite stores). And as it turns out, they're having a sale on their jackets already! So go check out some of their winter goodies here. My two favorites are the Women's Cropped belted Trench Coats ($58, left) and the Long Belted Trench Coats ($68).

Target also seems to have some really great coast online, for even better prices! I like the Mossimo® Black: Wool-Blend Coat with Portrait Collar ($49.99, right)-- get it in basic black, charcoal, or khaki, or for a fun kick go with Venetian Red! I'm also loving the Wool-Blend Tailored Pea Coat, though unfortunately at $99.99 the price isn't quite so cute.

For some more warm-and-fuzzy outerwear options (such as the Emma Coat, $78) head over to Delias.com, or for some edgier, funkier options (such as this Faux-Leather Military Jacket, $48) check out Kohl's (stores probably have a better selection than the website).

Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara

I've been hearing so much about this amazing new mascara (and brush) by Cover Girl-- the brush is apparently made from a different type of plastic and desgined so that it's virtually impossible to get clumps on your lashes. Really?? hmmm. A quick google search found many raves, but also a few angry rants about this product. Well, there's noyl one way to find out whether this beauty breakthrough really is as fantastic as everyone claims it is!


The verdict? I'm in love! My lashes looks long and luscious (my sister has commented on my mile-long lashes each time I've used it). I have gotten a couple teensy clumps, but nothing like with most thick, lenthening mascaras. I kept staring at my lashes all day long yesterday, amazed at how long and natural they looked. And I haven't had any flaking or eye irritation, which has been a problem with other mascaras. This may replace my trusty Neutrogena Lash Tint as my daily mascara... (and that says a lot).

Cover Girl Lash Exact is available at drugstore.com for $6.89. I'm telling you, gals... this stuff is worth trying.

Benetint and BadGal Lash and Dandelion... Oh My!

I was at Sephora yesterday (bad Marcy! You know only bad things, and spending too much money, come of this!) and found this adorable and awesome gift set of The Best of Benefit. You get Dandelion (a "ballerina-pink facial luminizer", $26), Benetint (a rose cheek and lip stain, $28), and BadGal Lash mascara ($19), ALL in an adorable little keepsake box. This is a $73 value, folks, for (wait for it) all of $42!!! (Also available at www.BenefitCosmetics.com)

How was I expected to resist this?? ; )

Ok, so I had already been contemplating buying Dandelion, and I bought Benefit's PocketPal a while back so I know of the wonders of Benetint (and am starting to run out, by the way) so this really was a great value.

I used Dandelion today, as part of a neutral and light pink makeup day, and I have to say it is quite nice. Gives a very soft hint of pinkness. On those with medium to darker complexions it might be too light to show up well as a blush, but it might still work well as an all-over face powder, lending that hint of a pink glow that warms up your whole face. I think I'm much more likely to use Dandelion as an all-over face powder (as opposed to Dallas, which I use more strictly as a blush since I don't think the color is that great for a full-on bronzer. BTW check out the incredibly adorable limited-edition Dallas makeup palette! $28).

I must admit, I'm almost a bit scared of trying the BadGal mascara. That wand is huge! lol It's definitely a mascara for big nights out on the town. But my best gal friend and I are going to Vegas for a long weekend in November, so I will definitely be putting it to good use then!

Perceptions

Oh my gosh... I saw this over at The Beauty Brains, and it's amazing. I've seen before/after pics of celebrities once or twice from photo shoots, but it's still amazing, espceially the part where they photoshopped her. It's like models can't even say it's their own face or body anymore. This video was made by Dove as part of their Campaign for Real Beauty, which I am a HUGE fan of. Yay Dove!



(YouTube link)

Revlon Colorstay Soft & Smooth Lipcolor

With my affinity for Revlon lip products, I have to say I was a bit curious about this new set of Revlon Colorstay lipsticks that hit the market recently. So I broke down last week and bought Revlon Colorstay Soft & Smooth (non-sheer, in the black tube) in Mocha Silk at Target. I apologize that I do not have a price to go along with it, I can't remember exactly what it was and all I could find online was a walgreens website that claims it was $9, but i swear it was cheaper than that at Target... but anyway.

When I applied the lipstick, I noticed that it was indeed quite smooth and soft and creamy. I liked it. The color is a nice soft brown, great for fall. I was also quite pleased at how well it stayed on. The color wasn't quite as true or strong as with other long-wearing lipsticks (generally the kind with the gloss to go along with them), but I had a nice subtle color to my lips all day long, and my lips never felt dry or uncomfortable at all. I found an article online explaining the new SoftFlex™ Comfort technology behind this marvelous little lipstick, which is what allows it to stay on but feel comfortable as it does so.

Bottom line, I think I'll be investing in some more of these little lipsticks.

Lend Me a Hand

My hands always get dry and chapped every winter. I mean, they get bad-- to the point that putting lotion on stings. It must be a combination of the cold weather, heaters, and washing my hands every 10 minutes at work every day. Thus every winter I'm faced with the struggle to find a hand lotion that could work small miracles for me, but usually to no avail-- I still end up with chapped, cracked hands.

Last year I made a startling discovery though-- Hemp Hand Protector ($6 for 1.25oz) from The Body Shop. When I spread some of the tester onto my chapped hands, I felt immediate relief, that lasted. I used it constantly after that, though by then temperatures were already rising again and I was needing it less and less.

Well, as of this month I started noticing my hands feeling dryer again. I tried to put hand lotion on after each time I washed my hands at work (Bath & Body Works Hand Repair Healing Hand Cream, $12 or buy 3 get 1 free) which helped, but couldn't do enough. Then I re-discovered my Hemp lotion, and started using it every night before I went to bed-- and immediately I noticed a difference in my hands. Now I hardly even need to use lotion during the day, even after washing my hands so often. I'm amazed, to say the least. Now, this hand lotion can feel a bit greasy after I put it on, but that's why it's perfect for beditme-- I let it sink in overnight, and I get to enjoy soft, happy hands all day long!

Hemp Hand Protector, you are my savior.

Discount Retailers Setting Up Shop in NY!

Hey gals, check out this article-- great news for frugal fashionistas! =)

(Thanks, Sales Rack Raider)

CoverGirl Outlast Double LipShine

A girlfriend of mine recommended I try CoverGirl's new Outlast Double LipShine ($8 at drugstore.com). Always up for a new beauty item to play with, I soon ran out to Target to buy me one. I have to say, I wasn't immediately impressed with the ad campaign-- the signs in the store advertised this lipstick as lasting "5x longer than the leading lipgloss!" Which made me wonder "what does that even mean??" We all know lipgloss, as fabulous as it is, isn't know for its staying power.

Alas, I wanted to follow up on the recommendation and bought it anyway (in Rose Quartz, a fun. somewhat bold pink color). I tried it the next day, and, well.... I'm not sure it'll be come a favorite. Yes, it did stay on all day long, and didn't rub off onto anything. I mean, this stuff stayed put!

However, it also made my lips feel dry. When I put it on, as soon as the color dried I felt it on my lips-- that feeling of something kinda thick on them, making them feel dry and parched. Even with the gloss applied on top I could feel the drynes underneath (I don't know if that makes sense, but yeah). All afternoon I had perfectly pink lips, but really I was itching to get home and take the stuff off. Maybe I've gotten too used to just wearing light lipgloss, I just didn't like the feel of this long-wearing product on my lips.

So, if you're looking for something that will stay put all night long no matter what, try CoverGirl Outlast Double LipShine. But if you're a girl who prefers having soft, free lips and don't mind reapplying every so often, find yourself something else.

PS- Hop on over to Lipstick, Powder 'N Paint to check out what's in my beauty bag (scroll through past entried from this week to uncover the beauty secrets of other blogging fashionistas)! And have a great Friday 13th, y'all. ; )

Revlon Super Lustrous Goodies

I've been a fan of Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick ($7.99 at drugstore.com) for ages. I've had at least a couple tubes of it in my makeup bag ever since I started accumulating makeup (my current faves are Smoky Violet and Plum Baby). It's smooth, creamy, has beautiful colors to choose from, and has great staying power. What's not to love?

So really, it should be no real surprise that when I finally got around to trying their Super Lustrous Lipgloss ($6.19 at drugstore.com), I fell in love with it, too! I'm not sure why I hesitated for so long... maybe because of my ability to immediately become incredibly undecisive when faced with several color choices when trying a new product? I don't know. Anyway, I finally bought it (in Shine City), and I love it! Very light and non-sticky. I think this may be my new favorite lipgloss. I've been considering going out and buying another tube, just so I can keep one with my makeup at home and one in my purse. Which, at $6, won't break the bank... something I always appreciate in makeup! ; )

Back to Basics

Sometimes the most brilliant beauty solutions are the simplest ones. I have to send a bit Thank You! to The Beauty Brains for reminding me of what a useful little product good ole petroleum jelly can be, and pointing me over to this site full of pointers for how to use it. Such as....

Moisturize your lips and more--If you don't want to pay a lot for expensive lip balm, makeup remover, or even facial moisturizer, then your answer is a tube of petroleum jelly. It can soothe lips, take off foundation, eye shadow, mascara, and more. It will even act as a moisturizer on your face. (I've also heard it can be great as a conditioner for your eyelashes).

Lengthen the life of perfume--You've picked out a great scent to wear on your night out, but it's got to last. Worry not. Dab a bit of petroleum jelly on your pulse points. Then spray on the perfume. Now you can dance the night away and not worry about your perfume turning in early.

Soften chapped hands--If you're constantly applying hand lotion to your tired, chapped hands, but then taking it off again so you can get more work done, try this tip. Apply a liberal amount of petroleum jelly to your hands just before you go to bed. By morning, they'll be soft and smooth.

No more messy manicures--During home manicures, it's hard to keep the nail polish from running over on your cuticles. Petroleum jelly can help your manicures look more professional. Dab some along the base of your nails and the sides. If polish seeps off the nail during the manicure, all you do is wipe off the petroleum jelly and the sloppy nail polish is gone.

Smooth wild eyebrow hairs--If you have runaway eyebrows -- the ones where the hairs won't lie flat but curl up instead, control the wildness with some petroleum jelly. Rub a dab into your brows. They'll calm down and behave.

Stop hair dye runs--There's nothing more embarrassing than a home hair color job gone awry. Imagine finishing applying that new auburn shade to your tresses when you notice that you've dyed your hairline and part of your forehead too. Next time, run a bit of petroleum jelly across your hairline. If dye seeps off your hair, the petroleum jelly will catch it.

Heal windburned skin--You've just had a glorious hike through the countryside in autumn. And as much as you enjoyed the changing colors of the season, the hike has left you with an unpleasant souvenir: windburn. Grab a jar of petroleum jelly and apply it liberally to your face or wherever you've been chapped. The jelly helps relieve the pain.

Click here to see even more uses.

I actually feel silly realizing that I don't have any Vaseline in my home at the moment, but I think I'll have to go out and buy a tub of it.

Neutrogena Mineral Sheers for Eyes

Several weeks ago I bought Neutrogena Mineral Sheers for Eyes in Shell ($7.99). I swear, I have used it almost every day since then! I LOVE the lighter color of the duo, I apply it to my lips and they instantly looks perked up, more awake, yet it's natural enough that it could potentially pass as no makeup at all. Last week I went ahead and bought another Mineral Sheers eyeshadow, in Stone (a purpleish duo) and have been very pleased with it, as well.

The colors are true to their name-- they are very sheer. But it's kinda nice that way, they just give a nice, light wash of color. And the staying power is pretty decent-- I put my makeup on at 8am and it's still there by mid-afternoon, and later.

I'm also partial to the packaging, with the slide-out cover. It's quite cute. ; )