Beauty Blog

If you are trying to maintain that awesome tan you’ve been working on for the last few weeks, you may need to do some some soothing before you create some serious damage to the epidermis.  I will admit, I had my days as a sun bathing beauty, and still love to get in a session here or there (I am definitely not referring to the tanning booth).  But now, after literally having had spent years in the sun getting a deep, dark tan, I take it a bit easier on my poor skin and actually wear sunscreen instead of slathering on oil which will leave anyone, not just me, cooking like a chicken.  I try to stay between an SPF of 15 to 30.  This coverage allows me to both tan and stay protected.  If you opt for the tanning oil and think sunblock is for fools, OR if you accidentally fall asleep and the burn was inevitable, its good to have an after sun skin soother on hand…Burt’s Bees–creator of almost all things good, natural and sweet-smelling has their own after sun soother,

Burt’s Bees Aloe & Linden Flower After Sun Soother $6.25

This quick absorbing body and face lotion has aloe in it, the magic ingredient for sunburns and overexposure as some of you may know.  What’s the difference between this stuff and the bottle of green aloe vera gel you can get for two bucks at the local drugstore?  This lotion is packed with other aiding ingredients that will help the healing faster and may even be more moisturizing for the skin.  I have found that I enjoy the cooling factor of pure aloe vera gel on my skin, but don’t find it moisturizing.  I actually think it makes my skin feel sticky and have the urge to wash it off once I’ve slathered it on.  Linden flower has been said to be used in medical preparations, there is also coconut oil, and bee pollen in the formula to help restore the natural moisture to your parched skin.  Aside from all the good ingredients, this is a lotion that can be used year round for those of you who are in the sun on a daily basis (This applies to you coastal/beach town people).  Burt’s Bees can be found almost anywhere these days and I recommend that this would be one bottle worth picking up this summer.

Lancome recently introduced its new Juicy Tubes Pure for all you gloss gurus out there.  Inspired by Elettra Wiedemann, a socialite, environmentalist, and Lancome spokesperson–not to mention she is a model as well as the daughter of actress Isabella Rosselini–Lancome has launched Juicy Tubes Pure Premium Unique Raw Elements, a ten piece collection that includes a new formula of the gloss made with ninety five percent natural ingredients and one hundred percent natural flavors certified by EcoCert without sacrificing one bit of the original sparkle and high intensity shine.  The new formula includes natural oils and shea butter emollient, it is also paraben free.  Being a Lancome first, the carton the glosses come in is 100% recyclable.  Okay, these are all great baby steps for the French company!  Unfortunately the eco-friendly glosses are only temporary since they are limited edition.  Shades include Sweet Soy, Ginger Root, Bare Honey, Lavendar Zen, and Rose Water…names to make Mother Nature proud.

Limited Edition Juicy Tubes PURE: $18, lancome-usa.com

Since we’re on the topic of green glosses, here are few others that may tickle your fancy:

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss ($6.29) is made with almond oil, simultaneously making your lips luscious, juicy and really moisturized.  Burt’s Bees are pros at this stuff.  They’ve been making natural, eco-conscious personal care products since 1984. The Super Shiny gloss is flavored with natural citrus oils and comes in four different colors including Pucker Berry, Sweet Pink, Zesty Red, and Nectar Nude.

Smashbox has created O-GLOSS, lipgloss with Goji Berry-C Complex ($22).  The naturally pink hued lip gloss is made with ginkgo biloba, pomegranate seed antioxidants, marine botanicals, moisturizing avocado oil and an exclusive formula of Goji Berry-C Complex.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Lancome lip gloss and Burt’s Bees lip gloss.
Discounts on Smashbox lip gloss.

It’s Summer! It’s HOT, its HUMID, its SWEATY!! Why would you choose this season to bust a creative, artistic makeup face?!!

I want to preface with I have nothing against originality and artistry. If you have the juevos to sport a unique look than more power to you, BUT…there are two things I can NOT stand:

• chicks that wear a full face of makeup at the gym!
• chicks that are literally sweating off their layers of makeup in the summer heat!

If you notice the common thread in both of my pet peeves is SWEAT! Sweat is the enemy of makeup. I literally saw a girl the other day that had sweat streaks along her hairline that cleared a path through her foundation. Barf!

So here are my Summer tips:

1. Lighten the Make-up - Skip the heavy foundation, skip the heavy eyeliner, skip the false lashes, skip the dark eyebrows! I am not saying go out there bare faced but just well lighten up. My advice for the foundation is to mix your regular foundation with your regular moisturizer. Should add a touch of coverage, some SPF protection and it will give you a nice summer glow. Not to be mistaken with a dewy sweaty face.

2. Metallic Eyeshadows Rock - A touch of gold or silver shadow along your crease and some waterproof mascara should be the beginning and the end of your Summer makeup. Wait, feel free to add some tinted chapstick or some lip gloss too.

3. Melted Makeup - Don’t be an idiot like me and leave your makeup bag in your gym bag in a 100 degree weather! I can’t count how many lipsticks I have discovered morphed beyond recognition because of this…

4. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize - Well if you don’t already prep your skin with moisturizer you are living in a dream ozone protected world. But in the Summer heat moisturizer and chapstick is a girls best friend! I use Burt’s Bees on the lips and I am currently using Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer on the face. (Great stuff, light and not heavy.)

Thus concludes my lecture, remember I rant because I care. - Michelle

I woke up this morning and found my lips chapped and peeling, suffice to say not my sexiest moment. Being a supreme bonehead I took a pair of tweezers from my make-up bag and began peeling the dead skin off my lips, now their bleeding! Just grreat.

Culprits of my current dilemma:

• I have been on a matte dark red lipstick stint, (about a week and counting…matte lipsticks dry the lips)
• The fluctuations in weather is doing a number on my hair and skin. Dry, dry, dry…
• When I experience any sort of flaw on my face, I pick at it. Ugh! Thus the bleeding.
• I lost my mandatory stick of Burt’s Bees Lip Balm and have been too busy to buy a new one. (again, my fault..)

So yeah, my bloody lips are all my fault. But here’s how you can save yourself from the same hassle. I looked up what seems to be the Top 3 Best Chapsticks according to YOU!

1. Satin Lips by Mary Kay

Satin Lips, Lip Mask contains miniature buffing beads that gently exfoliate dead surface skin cells that cause lips to appear dull and lifeless. Anyhow, it seems to come highly recommended for chapped, dry lips. I personally have never tried it, but now I am more than a little curious myself.

Price - $9.50

(click on image or link to purchase)

2. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

This natural lip balm moisturizes lips with ingredients like ultra-emollient lanolin, coconut oil and sunflower oil, and seals in hydration with beeswax. This is my personal choice and my fan favorite. I live for this stuff. Leaves your lips smooth and leaves a little peppermint tingle. Take your pick of an old-fashioned yellow tin or a recycled plastic tube. It’s their most popular product and for good reason.

Price - $3.00

(click on image or link to purchase)

3. Moisture Therapy, Intensive Lip Treatment by Avon

Glide on this emollient-rich formula to help protect lips from chapping and dryness, with the added benefit of SPF 15 to protect lips from the sun’s harmful rays. Here’s a direct quote from a fan:

“Moisture Therapy from AVON–cheap cheap cheap but the best I’ve found. No scents or flavors ,doesn’t sting, just moisturizes and stays on. Both in stick form for convenience and a potted ointment. ” - Unknown

Price - was $1.49 on sale $.79 cents!

(click on image or link to purchase)

Wow! This I ordered right now, read the comments and for 79 cents, I’m giving it a try. - Michelle

Interesting fact:Burt’s Bees was just purchased by Clorox in November for close to $1 billion. That may seem like a lot, but since 2000, the company known for natural products and lip balm that dreams are made of, brought in around $164 million. Apparently, the bleach giant sees even bigger potential in ‘ol Burt, and plans to make the brand a household word by selling it in Wal-Mart and the like.

The price of entry is based on more than just the brand’s ability to bring in big bucks, though. Clorox also wants to learn a thing or two about being green, and they want the Burt’s people to teach them. It’s no secret that eco-consciousness is where things are going, and what better way to learn the ins and outs of sustainable business practices than buying up a sustainable business? Pretty savvy, and pretty amazing if Clorox is willing to incorporate some of the policies of Burt’s Bees into their own business (i.e. rewarding hybrid-driving and carpooling employees, offsetting 100% of their carbon emissions and keeping waste out of landfills).

That’s what Burt’s Bees is telling their once devoted fans who feel a little put off by the company’s new owners. For their part, they’re asking their legions to take a wait and see attitude and have even promised to report on whether Clorox is taking to the green initiatives on the Burt’s Bees website.

We’ll see.

Read the full story at NYTimes.com