Kim K and MAC have partnered up to give two lucky people a goody bag filled with products selected by Kim herself. Click here for more details.
MAC Giveaway...
Tina's Transformation...
F.Y.Eye...
An eye shadow base by Benefit that brings out the true color. A Sephora makeup artist put me on to it last year and I've been using it ever since. Just smear on a little bit on your lids, let it dry about a minute or two and put on your fav eyeshadow.
Here's a before & after shot:
3 Makeup Tips From A Stila Pro...
Stila's director of artistry and education, Sarah Lucero appeared on Tim Gunn's Guide to Style last night and worked on some of the girls for the camera. Here are three simple makeup tips she shared:
Tip #1 - Apply foundation on 10% of your face, then blend it from there. This prevents you from having that overdone makeup look.
Tip #2 - Apply eyeshadow with a damp brush. Mist the brush with water before applying powder eyeshadow. This makes shadow creamier, intensifies the color, and makes it wear longer.
Tip #3 - Replace your mascara wand with a flat liner brush to paint your lashes. Dip the brush into your mascara, then paint your lashes starting from the base and working up. This gives a smokey eye effect for lashes.
Product Review: Stila Hydrating Primer...
When I got wind of Stila's new primer, I was so excited to try it. With hyaluroic acid in it along with spf, I thought, great, killing a couple of birds with one stone. Hydration, sun protection and base all in one.
Claims: Hydrating Primer SPF 15 is Step 1 in Stila's 4-steps to a purely flawless face. This good-for-you primer provides time-released skincare benefits and maintains hydration levels in the skin for a perfectly-prepped palette. The innovative formula contains Dermaxyl for anti-aging and hydration benefits, and time-released Hyaluronic Acid spheres that plump the skin for a soft, moisturized feel. Perfect for all skin types.
Well, first off, the consistency of the primer was a little thicker than primers I have tried in the past. Not thick like a cream, but more of a lotion. In the a.m. I applied my moisturizer, then the primer. I usually wait a few minutes for the primer to "set in" before applying makeup, but this one didn't disappear into my skin. Anyway, I then buffed, tapped and swirled a little Bare Escentuals foundation on, a little blush and I was off. My face looked fine when I left the house. Mid-day, however, my face was way too shiny, especially my forehead area. I'm thiking this primer is too much hydration and not enough priming. I didn't feel like it kept my makeup in place and flawless. Also, I noticed a few little bumps on my forehead when using this (very tiny, nothing MAJOR, but they were still there).
Since I thought it was too much hydration, I decided to skip my moisturizer and just apply the primer after washing my face. Nope. Now my issue was parts of my face weren't hydrated enough. And still, later on in the day, it looked like my makeup was wearing off.
This primer is too much work and too much figuring out. I don't agree that it is great for all skin types. It did not agree at all with my combination skin. Overall, me no likey!
The Science of Beauty...
On Tueday, Oprah got together Dr. Oz, Dermatologist Dr. Evans, and product tester Paula Begoun for a Science of Beauty show. The show was about inner and outer beauty from head to toe and touched on some of the most common beauty concerns. OMG...talk about heaven! I was glued to the tv. From skin to hair to nails to foot care, it was a very informative show. Below is a recap of the major topics covered along with product suggestions.
SKIN:
We spend billions of dollars on beauty products that simply do not work. Often times, to address problems we're having with or skin, simple, inexpensive products are recommended that will do the job. Also noted, a lot of times we tend to use too harsh products on our skin, which is stripping our skin of oil. So what ends up happening is, your skin thinks it's not producing enough oil, so it over compensates and produces even more oil which then leads to breakouts. This one audience member used regular Anti-Bacterial soap on her face thinking it would kill the bacteria on her face that caused her acne...YIKES!
Adult acne - a simple regimen should be used:
A gentle cleanser,
an oil- free moisturizer,
a retin (vitamin A) product,
and an spf, preferrably a gel spf
Wrinkles - Dr. Oz says the top three things you need for younger looking skin and to help fight wrinkles:
Vitamins A, C, and E - key antioxidants that help the "bad" things from happening; rejuvinate cells which in turn produces more collagen and elasticity
Niacin rich cream - Niacin prevents melanin from getting to the skin. Look for products with this ingredient
Exfoliate - self explanatory. Your skin needs to "renew"
Eating right - include the following in your diet:
Legumes, Avocado, Soybeans and nuts all contain biotin, which is needed for healthy skin
Salmon provides needed antioxidants and gives skin its elasticity
Pomengranite produces more collagen
Tomatoes contain lycopene which helps prevent sun damage to our skin, should be eated with oil
Tomatoes contain lycopene which helps prevent sun damage to our skin, should be eated with oil
Cellulite is pretty much here to stay, once you've got it. There is NO CURE for cellulite! None, zip, zero! Products that claim to elimate it are temporary fixes. Creams, Lasers and such provide a temporary solution by plumping up tissue and muscles which makes the skin smoother TEMPORARILY!
Under eye bags - short term solution - ice packets, cucumbers
long-term solution - plastic surgery
Recommended Products:
Cleanser - CeraVae and Olay foaming face wash. Both are gentle cleansers. Paula says one way to determine if a cleanser is "gentle" or not, is to see if it stings or irritates your eyes. If it doesn't, chances are it's a gentle cleanser. (I'm sticking with my Purity Made Simple btw )
Exfoliate - Alpha Hydrox Lotion. Contains high levels of glycolic acid which aids in exfoliation.
Moisturizer - Olay Regenerist, Clinique Moisture In-Control Oil-Free Lotion , Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement
Lip Care - L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale Gentle Lip Conditioner , Prescriptives Lip Specialist Triple Action Therapy
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HAIR:
A quick way to test the health of your hair is to do the following:
"Grab some hair, about as much as you would put in a straw. Grab it at the very bottom, right where it comes off the scalp, and pull up," he says. "Now look at how many hairs you have in your hand. A straw amount of hair is about 60 hairs. If you're pulling out more than six hairs, then you're starting to lose hair a little rapidly."
One of the simplest and least expensive things you can do for your hair is to purchase a Charcoal Water Filter. Place this in your showerhead and it will pull out the chlorine that is in the water. Chlorine strips the hair of it's natural oils.
(The charcoal water filters for your shower head can be purchased at stores like Home Depot, Loews or Bed, Bath and Beyond)
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FOOT CARE:
One of the simplest and least expensive things you can do for your hair is to purchase a Charcoal Water Filter. Place this in your showerhead and it will pull out the chlorine that is in the water. Chlorine strips the hair of it's natural oils.
Wear a hat when in sunlight and only wash your hair when it is dirty.
Washing hair every day is not necessary and just dries out your hair even more.
Washing hair every day is not necessary and just dries out your hair even more.
Again, y
our outer beauty often reflects your inner health. Adding omega 3 fats to you diet is great for the hair. (example: salmon)
Always use a wide tooth plastic comb to detangle hair.
Always use a wide tooth plastic comb to detangle hair.
When using a brush, make sure to use one with rubber tips.
Recommended Products for styling your hair:
Citre Shine Color Prism Anti Frizz Serum, Got2Be Dazzling Shine Spray, Remington Wet 2 Straight Flat Iron, Revlon RV544 1875 Watt Tourmaline Ionic Lightweight Dryer
(The charcoal water filters for your shower head can be purchased at stores like Home Depot, Loews or Bed, Bath and Beyond)
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FOOT CARE:
Foot Fungus - keep feet dry and allow feet to get some sun. Sunlight kills fungus. Our hands are more exposed to sunlight than our feet, which explains why the nails there are less likely to develop fungus. Solution is oral medication, however, these meds can cause liver failure.
Sometimes the problems we're having with our feet is not fungus at all. Often times it's some type of infection thats around the nailbed. Try soaking feet in vinegar or tea tree oil to see if that helps.
Bunions - 90% hereditary and the other 10% is from wearing high heels and shoes with a narrow front. Surgery should only be done if the bunions are painful.
(sidenote: I won't lie, my vain behind had bunion surgery on one foot. My mom had them really bad and I saw the start of one and wanted to nip it in the bud ASAP! It was so worth it! )
Got cracked heels? Paula suggests the following:
At bedtime, rub a Stridex Pad over your heels, slather on some Cocoa Butter or Vaseline and slip on some socks. Do this for a week and your heels will be smooth as silk! The Stridex pads contain 2% Salicylic Acid, which is an execellent exfoliator.
Blush: The Next Great Makeup Artist...
Vanessa Marcil (GO BRENDA - from General Hospital) hosts the new reality series, Blush. 9 makeup artists compete to win a contract as a professional makeup artist with Max Factor, a cash prize of $100,000 and be the makeup artist for an InStyle photo shoot.
The series premiers tonight at 10pm on Lifetime.....BE THERE!!!
Here's a sneak peak:
NYC: Shecky's Beauty Week...
Need a little pampering? This week (November 10th - November 16th), New York salons and spas are participating in Shecky's Beauty Week. Massages, facials, 'cures, haircuts and other beauty treatments and services at up to 75% off. Click image below for a complete list.
The Supernatural...
Philosophy has theeee best concealer out there. Their customizable concealer palette
is a trio of colors that you can mix for that perfect flawless shade. This is especially great for when your skin tone changes color from season to season. Who wants to have to buy different colors all the time? Just mix these colors and coverup those minor flaws like under eye circles, blemishes and discolorations. I've tried several concealers and this by far is the best and matches my peanut butter skin perfectly. Available in light, medium and dark.
Sephora no longer carries Philosophy's makeup line, but you can purchase the palette at Philosophy's website or Nordstrom for $25.
Save at Sephora...
Stock up on your favorite beauty items with Sephora's Friends and Family savings. From now until Monday, November 10th, save 20% off everything on Sephora.com! Just enter FF2008 at checkout.
Obama Nails It!...
I was praying for Obama to win so I could post this pic!...lol. For the last few weeks, celebs like Bey, Solange and Eve have been seen with Obama nails. I'm sure a lot of people will be jumping on the Minx bandwagon now.
Made of film, Minx is a nail coating that comes in foil and sparkly metallics, photo-quality designs and several colors. Completely customized nails!
Usher's Greatest Hits...
In a recent Allure Magazine interview, Usher lets us in on his daily beauty regimen. It's so refreshing to know that some gents have "routines" just like us!
Face Cleanser: Arcona Toner Tea Bar Cleanser 
Toner: Arcona Men Triad Pads
Moisturizer: Aveeno Moiusturizer
Toner: Arcona Men Triad Pads
Moisturizer: Aveeno Moiusturizer
Lip Balm: Kiehl's Lip Balm #1
Deodorant: Degree Men Anti - Perspirant
Shampoo: Fekkai Shea Butter Shampoo
Body Wash: Usher Clean Shower Gel
Deodorant: Degree Men Anti - Perspirant
Shampoo: Fekkai Shea Butter Shampoo
Body Wash: Usher Clean Shower Gel
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