Beauty Blog » 2009 » April

I mean their hair is at least!  Apparently bangs are making a resurgence again this spring.  I can remember two years ago making the cut myself so I could have trendy look which at the time was to have them long and heavy so that they fall in your eyes and you almost cannot see…kind of like model hair.  Boy were those high maintenance.  If my hair was clean, my bangs were oily from usually touching them too much and most days I would have to just wash the bangs by themselves while trying not to get the rest of my hair wet.  This made for some interesting mornings.

I think this season’s bang trend will have less emphasis on the thickness and weight, and more on length and shape…which the aim is for natural looking bangs that just fall right above the eyelashes.  I warn those with naturally curly hair like mine:  bangs aren’t impossible, and you can make them look good when you straighten the hair and take the time to style it–this is the key.

Mischa Barton looks like she has great hair.  She easily transforms it and it has a natural wave to it that looks great with her new bangs (also make note of her smokey eyes and nude lips…what a hip gal!).  Stick straight hair with bangs is cool, but if you have a little wave to work with definitely take advantage of it since it will create a natural look with longer bangs.

Stray away from blunt cut bangs and instead have your stylist make them a bit choppy at the ends.  You could achieve the smoothness and even create some waves with a skinny flatiron like the T3 Mini Flatiron ($115.95).

J.Lo made the cut too.  I really think it suits her, the slicked back, ultra tight bun thing she does is so severe sometimes.  This new do makes her look more youthful, and playful.  Not so serious and uptight.

This is a revival of a retro 60’s look.  To achieve body like this, try round brushing your hair while your giving it a blowout.  This will give you loads of volume and a slight curl to the ends without having to use the curling iron.

Finish with a light hairspray like the Oscar Blandi Lacca Hairspray ($23).  This stuff has sugar in it!–a natural anti-static ingredient.

Image Source: instyle.com, people.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more flat irons and light hairspray.

I always enjoy seeing what celebrity style is like on the red carpet…although these people have personal stylists and a crew of hair and makeup people primping them before they venture out to events, its interesting to take of looks that they play it safe with or take a fashion risk with.  Beauty is no exception and by the looks of it, celebs like Eva Mendes, Vanessa Hudgens, and Leighton Meester are doin’ it up right.  Seen here at a Calvin Klein fashion benefit in New York City, Mendes–the new face of Calvin Klein–was glowing with natural looking skin, creamy pinkish cheeks, and a soft, semi-nude matte lipcolor–a trend for this spring season.  I like her hair this way too, it has volume, it looks healthy, and gives off a slight air of sex kitten hair. I also couldn’t help but notice that she really looks a lot like a younger Cindy Crawford here…and that’s never a bad thing!

The slightly grayish smoky eyes work well with the hair, to achieve this look, try to go with a dark gray shadow that has a bit of shimmer in it like MAC’s Satin Taupe ($13.55) or Ambiance.  Gray and pink are complimentary colors so this look on the eyes will be perfect with the lightest pink on the lips.

Leighton Meester…Gossip Girl gone good!  I think she looks so beautiful here at L.A.’s Milk Studios celebrating the launch of the new Chloe Melrose Ave. boutique.  Dressed in a peach Chloe dress of course, the budding young starlet kept her makeup palette matching that of her dress.

Nude eyes, shimmery peachy/pink lips and soft waves for the hair was all she needed to complete the look.  The perfect lip gloss to achieve the look would definitely be the infamous NARS Orgasm lip color ($24).  Perfecto!

Vanessa Hudgens rocked the nude glossy lips and coppery gold eyes here.  Her hair looks incredibly healthy and shiny to boot.  Now, she may be wearing false eyelashes, they just look so long that I can’t help but wonder if they are real.

Nevertheless, for this look…keep it super simple and brush on a shimmery gold shadow with a bit of bronze in it, and layer on a lengthening mascara like Clinique’s Long Pretty Lashes Mascara in Black ($14).  For the lips, pick up a cheapy clear gloss from the drugstore.  Now, if only we had all American boy Zac Effron to dangle from our arm…

Image Source: instyle.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more MAC eye shadow and NARS lip gloss.
Discounts on Clinique mascara.

This season’s beauty trends are definitely very corresponding with the looks I’ve seen on the streets lately: red lips, natural skin with little to no make-up, darkly lined “bedroom” eyes, and slightly messy long waves for hair.  I’m thinking that “low maintenance” is going to be the theme this year.  Casual up-do’s are making a little comeback as well ranging from a twisted crown style to a very wispy twist on the traditional french twists.  These trends make me happy because a lot of them are beauty styles that I feel remain classic through time.

Let’s start with the lips: I’ve heard more women tell me that they can’t pull off red lipstick, or they wish they could wear red lipstick, but just can’t or don’t know how.  Ladies!  There is never any reason to be intimidated by a small tube of color for the lips.  I have always remained very loyal to my red lipstick, the trick is finding the proper shade and applying properly.  Tried and true, MAC lipsticks are definitely my favorites.  This is because the range of colors is always fantastic, and no one does a matte lipstick better than MAC.  I’ve tried to stray, but always come back to their matte formula.  Ruby Woo is the truest cherry red you can find out there probably, and should look nice with most skin tones.  A lot of women think they need lip liner with lipstick, but these two don’t always need to go hand in hand. If you are going red for the first time, a little lip liner probably won’t hurt…it will aid in case the lipstick bleeds out of the lip line a bit.  MAC’s Cherry lip liner is a good one, just make sure it’s sharpened properly and don’t apply it with a heavy hand. Fill in with the color and blot.

Skin: Not everyone is blessed with glowing, clear skin.  It’s true.  What you can do though is make your best efforts to take care of the skin you do have.  If you work with it, it shall work with you.  Cleansing, toning, and moisturizing is key of course, making sure to wash your face before bed and in the morning when you wake…ALWAYS!  Applying any sort of face makeup, liquid in particularly is best to do immediately after moisturizing.  The result will keep your complexion looking smooth and fresh. I try my best not to use face makeup, but when I do, my top choice is Loreal True Match.  It has an SPF 17 in it, which is important and super affordable.  A little dab (blending with fingertips) on each cheek or on any reddish or trouble spots and leave it at that…that’s what I call bang for your buck.

Loreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup: $10.35

If you decide to go with the darkly lined bedroom eyes, keep it simple and use a well sharpened black eye pencil.  A medium sized line on top of the eye, and on the bottom inner rim of the eye is all you need…just be sure to smudge gently with your ring finger.  Top with a lengthening mascara.  A tip for removing stubborn eyeliner: a little dab of Vaseline underneath the eyes with a Q-tip will gently banish raccoon eyes.

Time for hair:  The secret to this season’s low-maintenance do’s are leaving it slightly messy.  Using a big barrel curling iron–1 1/2 barrels are best, take thicker pieces of the hair and rather than clamping them into the curling iron like you normally would, wrap the hair around the entire iron to create a larger, more natural looking wave. Apply a light styling cream after your done–like the Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream, then tousle with your fingers at the base of your scalp.

Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream with Pure Olive Oil 4 oz: $19.50

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop through a variety of MAC makeup, L’Oreal makeup, and Frederic Fekkai products.
Discounts on red lipstick, foundation and hair styling cream.

Pacifica products are rad.  You can usually find some of their body butters, candles, or fragrances at your local Whole Foods markets and other fine establishments.  The prices range anywhere from $2 to $32 so when I found a few travel sets for a mere $14, I was surprised at the sweet deal.  A little history on these fabulously packaged goods:  Pacifica was founded in 1996 by a young surf couple Brook and Billy Taylor.  Inspired by nature and the ocean they spent so much time in, Brook began concocting her own fine fragrances with natural oils and ingredients and put them into candles.  Needless to say they were a hit and twelve years later, Pacifica is a thriving little company with excellent products that they stand behind.  The packaging (made with recyclable content) is eye-catching to say the least, using bold and bright patterns and colors, they are inspired by multiple elements including surfing, sunshine, travel, romance, history, world cultures, art, kids, and flowers.  The products are made with natural ingredients, essential oils, consumer safe, sustainable raw materials. The company itself has high standards for quality, fairness, safety, sustainability, and anti-cruelty–no animal ingredients are used so it would be safe to call this company vegan friendly.

I have tried several of Pacifica’s products including their solid fragrance, soap, candles and body butter.  The Mediterranean Fig and Tibetan Mountain Temple fragrances are among my favorites.  This past winter while shopping for Christmas gifts, I picked up a jar of the Winter Solstice Body Butter that smelled of lavender, bergamot, and cardamom.  I loved this stuff!  It was smooth and incredibly moisturizing, not greasy like many body butters out there.  I wore it all winter long and always received compliments on how great I smelled which leads me to the conclusion that when a company can perfect a body butter, you know their doing something right.

I’m planning on picking up a few of these Pacifica travel sets soon…they will make for perfect Mother’s Day gifts ringing in a great price, $14 sephora.com. I like the Tuscan Blood Orange, but it’s the Lotus Garden that is the newest scent addition to the family, smelling of lotus blossom, cassis, green violet leaf and pink pepper.  Packaged neatly in a beautiful box, the set comes with a soy candle, body butter, a solid fragrance  and some matches.  Mom will love it!

Pacifica Lotus Garden Travel Set: $14

Tuscan Blood Orange Travel Set: $14

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more body butter.
Discounts on fragrances.

We are all aware of the bad effects of phthalates in hairsprays, lead in lipsticks, parabens in moisturizers, and countless other toxic chemicals in skin care and makeup lines that are harmful to the human body. Non-profit health organizations like The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have worked diligently to urge the cosmetic market to make full disclosures of ingredients, conduct pre-market safety tests and move away from harmful chemicals.  Many leading brands have come up with their versions of eco-friendly lines.  But we have to remember that since there is no government regulated authority to certify organic or natural products, there is no guarantee that the product line is 100% natural and safe.  Here are eight promising eco-friendly skin care and makeup lines that I found recently that are worth looking into:

1) KaiaHouse.com

An online beauty retailer who carries products that are safe, animal and environmental friendly.  It consults with the Environmental Working Group to verify the safety of every ingredient that goes into the products.  Kaiahouse has a wide assortment of makeup, hair care, skin care, anti-aging and vegan products. Every bottle of its “Save Your World” product saves an acre of rain forest in one year.  Another noteworthy product is “Speak Freely for Humanity” Vanilla lip balm (pictured above), every purchase of which contributes $1 to humanitarian organizations such as the Carter Center to help war and human rights victims around the world.

2)  CosmeticsDatabase.com is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products compiled by researchers at the Environmental Working Group.  It has a searchable database of cosmetic and skin care lines with scores of 1 to 10 for product safety and levels of toxicity. So we can either type in the name of the product we are interested in and verify it’s safety level it or simply search for a safe product line from the listed categories for hair, skin, nail etc.

3)  TeensTurningGreen.com is a non-profit organization that educates young women to make healthy choices and commit to a healthy environment.

A division of the org called Teens for Safe Cosmetics works to bring about greener alternatives in cosmetics.  They have been vociferously active in trying to ban the presence of lead in lipsticks which is associated with learning disabilities, miscarriages, low IQ and behavioral problems.  Teens Turning Green collection of safe cosmetics consisting of facial masks, body butters, cleansers, toning mists etc is sold at Whole Foods Market (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/).

4)  Kahina-GivingBeauty.com

Kahina Giving Beauty is a line of natural skin care whose main ingredient is argan oil, derived from the Argania Spinosa tree indigenous to Morocco.  Argan oil has come into wide prominence recently for its anti-aging properties due to high content of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, ferulic acid, sterols, polyphenols, and vitamin E.  Argan oil is even suggested to protect against skin cancer and improve the appearance of some skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.  The ingredients of the Kahina line come from women’s cooperatives from around the world and 25% of the profits go toward initiatives that improve the lives of the women. The line includes serum, cleanser, lotion and plain argan oil which is said to be the secret weapon of Moroccan women to reverse signs of aging.

5)  100PercentPure.com

As the name suggests , 100% pure is a line of skin care and makeup derived from 100% pure, vegan ingredients without addition of any synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances, artificial colors, harsh detergents or unhealthy toxins.  Their exhaustive collection includes tinted moisturizer with SPF 20, lengthening and conditioning mascara, caffeine eye cream, pure peach pigmented concealer to name a few and can be found at ULTA , Skin-One (with free shipping) or its website.

6)  JosieMaranCosmetics.com

This line of pure, gentle but effective makeup founded by the well known model Josie Maran, claims to be different from other earth friendly lines in the sophistication and luxury that it delivers.  It comes complete with bio-degradable packaging and is talc, paraben and petrochemical free.  You can check out this collection at Sephora and Barneys.

7) IAmaPeacekeeper.com

Peacemaker Causemetics ‘s line of eco and health friendly cosmetics was founded in 2002 and has been featured in numerous magazines like Marie Claire, Teen Vogue and The Oprah Magazine.  It is the first cosmetics line that donates 100% of its profits after taxes to women’s health and human rights advocacy organizations.  Shipping is free on all their orders.

8)  JuiceBeauty.com

Juice Beauty, offers organic beauty solutions created from an antioxidant rich organic juice base backed by age-defying technology.  All its ingredients are 95% certified organic and are procured from sustainable and organic farms from around the globe.  It offers a wide array of products including it’s best selling Apple Nutrient Eye Cream and SPF 30 Mineral Light Moisturizer. Featured in Allure, Vogue Japan, Elle and other top Magazines, Juice Beauty can be ordered online from the website or can be found at Sephora.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more organic makeup and organic skincare.

We are thick into a cultural phenomenon that will be practiced and celebrated hopefully for the rest of time…of course you guessed it, the Green Movement!  Green this and that, eco-friendly this and that.  You’ve heard it over and over and probably “get it.”  But many often wonder, are my small efforts making a difference?  Am I contributing?  The answer is YES my friends, whether its recycling or wearing beauty products that won’t harm the environment…you’re efforts help!  Eco-Beauty is just something that is fun and interesting to consider, especially if you are one of many beauty junkies.  I’ve had excellent results with natural products, and of course there will always be some that aren’t so excellent.  Some of my favorite eco-brands that create products that are environmentally conscious are Burt’s Bees, Weleda, Thayers, The Super Salve Co., and Pacifica.  All of these companies makes great products for skincare, some of which I use on a daily basis.

Witch hazel has been used for centuries as a neutralizing toner for the skin, Thayers Natural Remedies creates an Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner that is awesome! Made with certified organic aloe vera and vitamin E, the toner is ultra moisturizing and will leave your skin smelling like roses.  Along with being alcohol-free, it is also paraben-free too.  Not only is this stuff perfect for all skin types, but you can dilute it with a bit of water and fill a small spray bottle, creating a refreshing spritzer to use throughout the day.  Witch Hazel is also good to smooth onto shaving cuts, or scrapes.

Thayers Rose Petal Witch Haze Toner - 12 oz. bottle $6.36 -Lowest Price on Smarter.com

After toning, I moisturize with Weleda Skin Food ($5.95), good for dry and rough skin.  This German based company creates some of the best, all natural moisturizers and oils out there.  The best part is you don’t have to trek to a health food store to find them because they are now sold at Target (for cheaper prices I might add!)  Skin Food is made with certified organic pansy, rosemary, and calendula flower extracts.  All of which soothe skin irritations, and inflammation.  It’s working wonders with my roseacea for any of you red cheeky gals.

Okay skin freaks…the following is a product that I recently purchased upon a visit to Flagstaff, Arizona and I am obsessed with it!  The Super Salve Co. is a small company that makes herbal skincare products that are 100% natural, does absolutely no animal testing, and is completely chemical free. I am hooked on their Scent of the Comfrey Leaf Hand and Body Lotion. Made with African shea butter and hemp seed oil, this stuff not only smells amazing but will leave your skin glowing…I swear!

8 oz. $18, supersalve.com

Now that you’ve given your skin an excellent dose of nature’s gifts, treat yourself to the Smashbox Mother Earth Palette. The palette contains four certified organic eyeshadows and blush packed neatly inside a compact and sleeve both made from sustainable materials. With each purchase, a tree will be planted by non-profit organization Trees for the Future creating sustainable environments through forestation around the world. Beauty with a benefit!

Smashbox Mother Earth Palette: $45, sephora.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more organic beauty products.

So apparently, curls are big for spring.  As a curly haired girl myself, nothing could make me happier!

Give the blow dryer a rest and wrap the cord around the flat iron for now, the goal here is to get some volume, shine and shape.  Whether you were born with the curly tendrils or can achieve them by letting your hair dry au natural, work with whatcha got!  If all else fails there are tons of fabulous products to get your hair going in the right direction…a curling iron helps too!

For those who already have curls and just need help managing, one of the keys is starting at the beginning when you are shampooing and conditioning.  The conditioner you choose is actually more important.  The more moisturizing the better since curly hair is typically drier than other hair types.  I have been a fan of Bumble & Bumble products for quite some time now and have tried almost everything that B&B creates.  The products smell great and work well but I haven’t loved the way the conditioners leave my hair…never enough moisture!   Fortunately, Bumble & Bumble recently launched their Curl Conscious line of products and after trying the Smoothing Conditioner, I fell in love!  It of course smelled fantastic, but most importantly it left my tangled mane soft and easy to comb through once out of the shower.  I truly recommend this for all you curly gals this spring.

8.5 oz $22, bumbleandbumble.com

Another important factor is applying product when your hair is still wet in order to avoid frizz situations.  Shea butter and almond oil are nice, natural ingredients that are good to look for.  Not all products are going to have these ingredients though, and sometimes you just wanna grab something from the nearest drugstore.  In this case, my recommendation would be the Garnier Fructis curl-sculpting cream gel.  Now, there is probably a lot of alcohol in this product, but whatever it is it worked. I’ve slicked it on my hair and gotten well shaped, frizz free, touchable ringlets–but I did let it air dry.

Garnier Fructis Style Curl Sculpting Cream Gel: $4.29

One more line of products that I’m curious to try are the Living Proof No Frizz curl shaping products. Apparently the ingredients in these little bottles contain a molecule that repels humidity, keeping the hair shielded and cuticles coated. Sounds good to me!

Living Proof Wave Shaping Curl Defining No Frizz Styling Cream and Spray, $24 sephora.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Bumble & Bumble products and Garnier Fructis products.
Discounts on other curl control products.

Image Source: style.com

Although it may sound ridiculous, make-up products pull disappearing acts.  Crushed blushes that just couldn’t take another accidental purse drop on the ground, missing eyeliner (just when you need it the most!), and of course all of us have experienced the devastation of finding your favorite lipstick melted into mush.  Sometimes all this simply means…time for new products! And what better time to do it then now, with Spring in full force.  Pale pink lips and bright coral nails are being sported by the likes of Katy Perry, Drew Barrymore, and hot mess Lindsay Lohan.

The trick with the lips is to make sure the lip color you are choosing is matte.  If it does have a creamy or glossy texture to it, just blot a few times with a tissue.  Some shades of pink have a touch of blue in them, this is something that is said to make your teeth look a little whiter…a good thing! Just make sure the shade you choose will work well for your skin tone, Barbie-esque bubble gum pink isn’t for everyone.

NARS lipstick in Catfight-$24 –a semi-matte nudish mauve color should do the trick, just be on your best behavior when your wearing it.

Now usually, pale pink lips go hand-in-hand with big, sex kitten hair, but save time and nix the teasing and curling–for now at least. Spring is a time for simplifying your look and rejuvenating, so smooth it down!  Big flat paddle brushes usually work well for smooth-outs, and will style bangs decently. If you absolutely must have more volume, go with a round brush for the ends, and don’t even think about using it on your bangs…unless you want to look like Kelly Taylor from the original Beverly Hills 90210.

The Aveda wooden paddle brush is good for all hair types. $18: Aveda.com

Jessica Alba took it to the next level of hair simplification and just chopped her hair into a sleek bob with bangs, as did Katy Perry. In celebration of Earth Day today…opt for an eco-friendly hair product to smooth out your tresses.

Carol’s Daughter hair products are made with all natural ingredients including essential oils, fruit extracts, and vitamins!  The hair balm adds shine with shea and cocoa butters, toasted palm kernel oil and natural scents of gardenia, vanilla, brown sugar and honey.  It’s like dessert for your hair. $12 www.sephora.com

Carol’s Daughter Hair Balm: $12

Zoya nail polishes are formaldehyde free and only six bucks!  Try Tobi–a fresh shade of bright pink.

Image Source: People.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more pink nail polish and Carol’s Daughter products.
Discounts on paddle brushes and pink lipstick.

We keep hearing commercials non-stop about getting our bodies swimsuit ready by summer, but how about our feet?  Dry, cracked feet with calluses tend to stick out like a sore thumb in pretty summer sandals.  Here are some great products that I found to be very handy to get your feet flip-flops ready.  A combination of two or more of these depending on the condition of your feet can work miracles to make your feet your best summer asset.

1) Ped Egg Foot File, $9.99:  This is one of the best foot files out there. Diligently scrub away at your dead skin and calluses with these ergonomically designed stainless steel files. Concentrate on the heels, and any other dry and cracked areas of the foot.

2)Avon Foot Works Pedi-Peel, $5: Glycolic acid in these treatment pads helps to slough off the rough, callused layer of skin that covers the heel so your moisturizer can more effectively penetrate the area.

3) Philosophy Soul Owner, $14: Exfoliate your skin with this rich cream filled with salicylic and glycolic acid which is designed to reduce flakiness.

4) Barielle Foot Cream, $22: This luxurious formula works to soften and eliminate calluses as well as heal chapped areas of the feet. Apply twice morning and evening. Wear 100% cotton socks after bedtime application for best results.

5) Footloose Loofah Pedi Slippers, $29.50: These exfoliating pedi slippers made out of terry cloth are designed to ward off dead skin and stimulate a healthy one just by wearing them. This is a great one for lazy souls!

6) Zoya Nail Polish, $5.40: You got to top it all off with some pop of color!  Zoya’s spring 2009 collection of nail polishes reflect the colors seen in the RTW Spring Runways and are long-wearing, natural and best of all free of harmful industrial chemicals like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Now, there is no excuse not to treat yourself to one of those sexy gladiator style or fringy sandals that are making the rounds this spring!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more foot care products.
Discounts on nail polish and foot cream.

YouTube - Watch Susan Boyle - Britain’s Got Talent

My friend sent me this and like everyone else I was skeptical but also like everyone else - I WAS SO WRONG!! I think Susan Boyle is BEAUTIFUL!!! She literally made me cry and reminded me not to be so cynical and judge anyone based on looks…

I just watched it ‘again’ right now and I started to cry - again!!! So sweet.

A good BEAUTY LESSON for us all if I say so myself!

Good luck Susan, I’ll buy your CD and I haven’t bought a CD in years!!

While in the land of Smarter Beauty Blogging:

Delicious Dental Health - Cupcake Dental Floss
Green Beauty Products - Yes to Carrots and Good Health
AXE Body Sprays - Commercials Aside, Does this Smell Good?