Beauty Blog

Bold colors will be big for the remainder of spring…usually summer palettes fade into lighter, shimmery shades to compliment the suntan you’ve gotten on your face.  I like bold colors for the face, its fun to do a little risk taking when it comes to makeup and current trends.   You’ll make yourself the freshest in the bunch. I will admit that I’m not one usually drawn to blue eyeshadow, at all, but blue eyeshadow and nude lips are a new look meant to go together.

The secret to this look is to not coat your eyelid with blue shadow, but instead smudge on some navy eyeliner, and then top that with a bright blue shadow like Revlon’s Venetian Blue ($4.99), keeping it on the center of the lids, not the entire lid.  This will keep it from looking like a bad 80’s makeover.

Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Venetian Blue: $4.99

MAC’s Eye Kohl in Blooz would be good to start with, it will go on smoothly. Don’t spend a lot on the shadow, Revlon will do the trick with its matte formula. If you accidentally over-do it on the eyeshadow, pat lightly with your ring finger to even it out…this usually works for me.

MAC Eye Kohl in Blooz: $13.55

Now for the lips…a good shade of nude or light pink will do for this.  Benefit Cosmetics has created a new line of Full-Finish lipstick for Spring ‘09. Try the “Ladies Choice” shade.

Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in Ladies Choice: $18

Combining the bright blue eyes with neutral lips is perfect.  The lipstick balances out the boldness of the eyes and will actually have you looking quite chic.  I don’t know if I would wear this look in the daytime, but it would certainly make for an excellent “night out” look when you want to be a bit more adventuresome with your beauty regiment.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more blue eyeshadow and blue eyeliner.
Discounts on MAC cosmetics and Benefit cosmetics.

1 . Philosophy ‘Shelter’ Tinted SPF 30 Sunblock: $20

This antioxidant-rich, broad-spectrum sun protection moisturizer tops as an absolute summer must have for it not only provides basic moisturization, but also incorporates anti-aging benefits of peptides and protects us from the harmful effects of the sun with SPF 30. Wait there’s more- it even provides sheer coverage with a universally flattering tint that compliments most skin types.

2. Nars Monoi Body Glow II and South Beach Multiple Set: $49

Who does not crave for that sensuous Jennifer Lopez glow? The South Beach Multiple set helps you achieve that bronze goddess look by giving your eyes, cheeks, and lips a sun kissed radiance while the Minoi Body glow lends a luminous sheen to the whole body to achieve that perfectly stylish summer chic.

3. Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15: $22.50

Remember, lips need SPF too!  Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 blends reparative oils and waxes together with real sugar for an intensely moisturizing sun protection.  Sweet and tart blackcurrant oil cushions the lips with essential plumping fatty acids, while antioxidant grapeseed polyphenols and vitamins A, C and E provide extra protection.

4. Bare Escentuals Perfect Bronze 100% Natural Lip Trio: $ 30

This all natural paraben free lip trio is all you need to give your pucker that sexy, bronze pout.  The lip liner, gloss and lipcolor set come pre-matched for you in a creamy, moisturizing formula that is sure to help you pack a punch in your summer look.

5. Guerlain ‘Le 2 de Guerlain’ Waterproof Mascara: $35

Summer definitely calls for a water proof mascara.  Who better to deliver it than the legendary Guerlain?  It comes with two brushes: the main brush provides volume, length and curls the lashes, while the mini-brush helps to precisely define all small lashes and lower lashes.  It contains polymers to first surround the lash with a flexible coating by encasing natural waxes and then a humid resin a humid resin, to form a setting film over the first coating as it dries to protect curl and maintain hold .

6. MAC ‘Fix+ Rose’ Mist: $17

This rose water mist formulated from spring water, rich in added minerals hydrates and conditions the skin.  It is the perfect finishing touch for your summer makeup.  Smells great.  Feels so refreshing against the skin.  A real summer pick me up!

7. Matte Cover FX Oil Absorbing Powder: $22

While we love the seductive summer heat, we can certainly do without the oil and grease that make our faces look shiny and our makeup blotchy.  The sweat and dirt of summer days require this mineral rich oil absorbing pressed powder compact to absorb the oil and deliver an evenly matte appearance..

8. Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Marine Clean Detox Shampoo: $23

We all know that the sun can do a number on the hair.  Add to it all the chloride in the pool and the salt water in the beach-you definitely need extra help!  Frederic Fekkai Marine Summer Hair Marine Clean Detox Shampoo contains marine botanicals to moisturize and gently detoxify chlorine, residue and other impurities. The Aqua Nutrients infuse deep hydration into sun-exposed, moisture-thirsty hair, and the UV shield helps prevent fading.  Moreover the summery smell just gets you into the mood.

9. Blot Away! Oil Absorbing Sheets, $2.99 on sale!

These troopers from Avon at just under $3.00 are the handiest things you could ever have in your handbag during those long hot perspiring summer days.  These portable, disposable compact blotting papers that come in sets of 50 help you blot away oil and sweat through out the day without messing with your makeup.

10. Marc Jacobs Splash - Lemon: $68

Have you put away your winter perfume yet?  It is time to get into the spirit with Marc Jacobs Splash in Lemon.  It promises to capture the essence of summer with the fresh, crisp scent of sun-drenched citrus.  Even its yellowy sparkling tint is reminiscent of the warm, sensuous days of summer.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more tinted sunblock, SPF lip treatment and waterproof mascara
Buy absorbing face powder, detox shampoo and Marc Jacobs fragrances.
Discounts on NARS beauty products and Bare Escentuals products,

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.

This is how Mac Cosmetics describes the new Mac Skinsheen: Legs…bronzed to distraction. Seductive and cruise-worthy. A sprayable lightweight gel that unlike your fancy, never drifts. Brushes lightly and flawlessly over the skin…undetectable. For the ultimate secret application and smoothest sheen, try the 179 Body Buffer Brush. Skinsheen Leg Spray applies like a soft mousse to provide a quick, highly blendable application of colour to legs, arms, shoulders and decolletage.

Hmmm, wonder if it makes your legs ghostly pale like mine are and this model in the photos are?

Finish reading the full article at Talking Makeup Blog!

Well yet again, my year is chalk full of friends tying the knot! Let me tell you it never ceases to shock me the things that can and do go wrong. I am not trying to scare you but when I came across this article about how to create the ultimate “Wedding Day Survival Kit” well I felt it was my womanly duty to spread the word to you lovelies.

See how to create your own Wedding Day Survival Kit at The Beauty Addict Blogspot!

OK HELLO!! Had to say it Joan Collins is looking fierce!! No joke, this lady is 78 years old guys! 78!! What the hell? Umm…whatever magic kool-aide she is slurping she needs to share the wealth. Plus the diva is dating a guy that is 30 years her junior. Nice, now that’s aging gracefully…

Finish reading about Joan Collins and all her gloriousness at MyBeautyMatch Blog!

Meanwhile in the land of Smarter Beauty here is a quick RECAP:

We are all trying to find the magic formula to get rid of these bloody tiger tears in our skin, also known as stretch marks! But before you shell out the dough, let’s discuss what works? Does StriVectin SD work? Read more by clicking the link or image.

In honor of Earth Day I chose to highlight some Organic Cosmetic choices! Check out hemp lipstick, vegan lip gloss and organic hair color kit! I dunno whether to smoke it, eat it or wear it! (click on image or link to read full post)

I share yet another one of my many crazy secrets! Mainly my OCD habits and how they effect my life and work flow. Lucky for me my friend Valentina introduced me to the wonder that is “Gloves in a Bottle” … read full post by clicking image or link.

That’s all Folks!

Michelle

Interesting finds in Beauty …

MAC makeup has a line of bold and colorful makeup designed by Heatherette. Take the weekend pop quiz at BeautySnob.com and win the Heatherette MAC makeup collection for FREE! It’s easy, just guess who is the celebrity featured in the photo.. contest ends on March 30 (11:59pm)!

Take a sneak peek at the new Starry Eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trios from LORAC at Beauty and the Blog!

Physicians Formula is giving away 1,000 FREE Organic Wear Blushes! Find out how you can receive your free blush at Makeup Blog’s post called: “How green is your makeup?”

Good luck with the contests and free giveaways, thanks always for reading! - Michelle