Beauty Blog

I really try not to buy “cheap” mascara.  I hate calling them cheap, but drugstore mascaras $10 and under fall into this category for me.  Of course, what girl doesn’t like buying the good stuff like Clinique, Dior, and Lancome?  But lately, I’ve not only needed to make a few sacrifices when it comes to splurges but taking the time to go to the make up counter at the mall is kind of a hassle.  So, I picked up a cheapie at my local drugstore the other night and I was totally impressed with what I found.  L’Oreal has created a new formula for the lashes, Bare Naturale Mascara…

The new mineral enriched formula is specifically geared towards lengthening and is made with 86% natural orgin-ingredients like jojoba oil, vitamin E and aloe vera.  This mascara is totally eco-friendly and paraben free, plus it only cost me about $10.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more mascara.
Discounts on L’Oreal cosmetics.

The Good and the Bad Tan: Elizabeth Hurley and Donatella Versace
Photo: Taken from best-spray-tanguide.com

With every star worth his/her salt embracing the tanned look, it has become an undeniable summer requirement.  And now that we are all aware of the inherent dangers of sun tanning, self tanners are more popular than ever.  All self-tanners are not created equal.  There is that dreaded orange hue that some leave behind.  Some have positively made women swear off them due to their nasty smell.  Some are messy to apply…the list is long.

We have compiled here a list of some of the most popular self tanners in today’s beauty market to address the needs of different women:

1) Bare Escentuals Faux Tan: $22 - The Bare Escentuals Faux Tan has been a top performer the past few years and has accumulated quite a number of dedicated fans.  Women love it as it is hydrating and does not clog pores.  Best of all, its built in color lets you see where the product goes to avoid mess ups.

2) Liz Earle Sun Shade Botanical Self Tan Spray: $31 - This British product is great for girls who crave for more natural products without harsh chemicals.  It has been receiving rave reviews from many editors in the business.

3) Peter Thomas Roth Natural Looking Self Tanner: $28 - As the name suggests, it delivers a streak free natural looking glow which is completely fragrance free and enriched with botanicals and moisturizers.

4) Neutrogena Sun Fresh Sunless Foam: $9.99 - For a lady on the go, this fast absorbing foam that promises to dry in 5 minutes might just do the trick.  Has a pleasant grape fruit and nectarine scent.

5) Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Cream: $42 -If you are a girly girl and love the luxury of rich chocolate pudding like texture and scent on your skin, you will like this.Its caramel color makes it mistake proof while delivering an even honey glow.

6)  Dove Energy Glow Body Lotion: $15.19 - For women who don’t want to transition overnight into dark brown from pale white, Dove’s gradual tanning is the answer.  For subtle results and a natural gradation, this is the way to go.  Some ladies who want more intense results mix in the Dove lotion with their regular tanner for in between maintenance.

7)  L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes: $ 8.99 - Perfect for summer travel. Quick, convenient and best of all no mess!

8)  St. Tropez Whipped Bronze Mousse: $34.99 - This instant 60 second self tanning mousse is an all time favorite for its great color and staying power.  This is also a good idea for men due to its neutral herbal scent and non sticky application that makes for easier application over body hair.

Of course for the greatest of self-tanners to work, be sure to adhere to all the self tanning wisdom like:

1)  Set aside enough time. Rushing could lead to goof ups.
2)  Shower and shave before hand.
3)  The most important rule of self tanning remains exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate before application.
4)  Don’t forget to wear snug gloves to avoid tell tale orange palms.  At the end, take it off to apply product to back of hand and wash off the palms quickly.
5)  A wet cotton ball could be very handy to wipe out excess product that tends to build up near hairline and eyebrows.
6)  Wait 4-6 hours before swimming or showering and wear loose fitting dark colored clothing for the rest of the day to prevent any color transfer.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more tanning supplies.

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.