Beauty Blog » 2007 » June

Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Cleanser + Facial Fuel SPF 15 = Great Skin

Kiehl’s is treasured and adored by beauty enthusiast far and wide for its high quality skin and hair care products. The vibe of Kiehl’s is “old world apothecary,” and the stuff they make actually does what it’s supposed to. Imagine that. One Kiehl’s combination that the women in the Smarter offices swear by is Blue Herbal Cleanser, which is actually a pre-shave cleanser for men, followed by Facial Fuel SPF 15.

Everyone I quizzed about it said the same thing–the cleanser leave pores squeaky clean and vanishes traces of makeup while still be surprisingly gentle as well as non-drying, and the moisturizer gives the face a nice lift and refrains from being greasy. The SPF aspect of the Facial Fuel also earned rave reviews.

The price isn’t bad either considering the results. The Blue Herbal Cleanser is $20.50 (8.4 oz)/$14.50 (4.2 oz) and the Facial Fuel is $24.50 at Nordstrom.

New Ad: MAC Viva Glam VI-Makeup Bag

The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Man-Beauty Snob

Beauty Marked: DYI Wax Kits- Bella Sugar

MAC Viva Glam Party:Dita Von Tees Shows Us What She’s Made of-Kiss and Makeup

Detroit Hair Wars: Mr. Little- Makeup Beat

Burt’s Bees Natural Remedy Kit, $11.98 (was $13.98)

Rarely do you find an affordable product that works like a champ, but Burt’s Bees never lets me down. I love this Natural Remedy Kit–it’s one of the smartest things you can add to your suitcase or backpack. It was my best friend this summer when I was in the Yucatan. Seriously, those mosquitoes buzzed away quick when they recognized the Lemongrass Insect Lotion on my skin. The Hand Salve is also a friend of mine since I’m the keeper of the world’s driest hands. I might even be addicted to that stuff!

My favorite thing about the Burt’s Bees line is that it’s totally biodegradable and non-toxic, which is always nice when your putting something on your skin.

Electric makeup, nude lips, and organic products are all big in the beauty world right now, but one of the most interesting makeup trends is happening on youtube. That’s right. I heard about this happening, but I didn’t realize it was such a phenomenon until I read about the hundreds of makeup lessons being given via youtube in the New York Times. Models, college students, housewives, etc. are all getting in on the act, teaching viewers how to apply eyeliner, glue on false lashes, and pluck eyebrows.

It’s no wonder that this has become so popular–it’s so much easier to learn by watching than by reading about a technique in a magazine. It will be interesting to see if these youtube makeup tutorials cause trends to catch on more quickly.

Here’s a youtube lesson I found on how to get a smoky eye from sandygold25:

YouTube - Watch 

There’s a serious bright color revolution happening right now, and electric makeup is just the latest evidence of the trend. MAC recently caused quite a stir with the release of its C Shock collection, which includes Blast O’ Blue lipstick, Going Bananas eyeshadow and She-Boom Lipgelee, and everyone’s raving about Eve’s C Shock look in her new “Tambourine” video:

The key to doing this look successfully is to choose hues that compliment your coloring. In short, if purple doesn’t flatter you when it’s in the form of a sweater, it’s not going to work on your face. But there are lots of great brights to choose from, so you will find your perfect match. If the look feels too wild for you, start slow–mix a bright eyeliner with subdued nudes or pair an over the top lip with a less shocking eye. But, all bets are off, if you’re ready for the trend–experiment with how bright your face can take, and just go for it. You only live once. Although, I caution against overdoing it if you’re also sporting the Shu Uemera Tokyo Lash Bar Collection.

It’s hard to beat MAC, but here are some other brights worth a buy:

Nars Rated R, $31

Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow, $17

Sue Devitt Electric Sheen, $18

Toss Design, $22.40

Confession time: I keep all of my makeup in one of my bathroom drawers. It’s pretty deep, so you can imagine the intense disorganization–I haven’t seen my MAC Lipglass in months! So, now I’m looking for a new makeup bag, and I wish I hadn’t waited so long because there are some great ones out there. Here are some contenders:

Kate Spade, $60

Cris Notti, $45

Harajuku Lovers, $26.00

Marc Jacobs, $295

Danielle Eclipse, $9.98

Bella Brand: Nature Girl-Bella Sugar 

Would You Buy Pefume from this Woman ? -The Beauty Addict

Barbie Loves Bonne Bell- Beauty Snob

MAC C-Shock- Blogdorf Goodman

Tweezerman Goes Wild- Makeup Bag

Fact or Fiction Natural Hair Care Remedies- We Love Beauty

Kate Hudson, of super cute fame, is now in the shampoo business. The actress has teamed up with stylist David Babaii to produce the eco-friendly David Babaii for WildAid hair care line, which nixes sulfates, parabens, animal products and animal testing from the formulation process. A percentage of the sales will be donated to WildAid, an endangered wildlife conservation organization.

Here’s the ad for L by L.A.M.B, Gwen Stefani’s new perfume. The early buzz about the fragrance, set to come out at the end of this month, is that it’s a “fusion of masculine and feminine with a luscious floral scent that bursts with sparkling freshness and then wraps you in the warmth of sensual musks.”

Well, if this ad and the bottle is any indication of L, then I can’t wait to get a sniff.

They’re taking pre-orders at Nordstrom. : 3.4 oz is $70, 1.7 oz is $55. Orders ship on 6/25.

Photo: Source

Old Price= $55, New Price=$19.99

A good mask can hydrate your skin and leave you glowing, and that’s what Thierry Mugler’s Angel Replenishing Mask does. Plus, you can also use it on your hair to replenish moisture. What a great boost for sometimes dull summer skin and locks, both of which can always use some invigoration.