Beauty Blog

I have been searching for the perfect mascara since I was old enough to wear it.

I have found so many “nearly perfect if…” mascaras, tried about 3 dozen completely dreadful mascaras and have just plugged along with some good ones. My short list of “good” mascaras over the years has been Yves St. Laurent Faux Cils, Lancome Intencils, Maybelline Full N’ Soft and L’Oreal Voluminous. While good, they all have ingredients I choose to avoid.

Finding a paraben-free, phthalate-free and palm oil free mascara is HARD. Most “natural” mascaras, including L’Oreal Bare Naturale Mineral Mascara, still contain palm oil derivatives. If you’re an animal lover like I am, then you’ll want to skip palm oil in your products because the palm oil trade is singlehandedly responsible for probable extinction of the orangutan population within the next decade.

At a recent trip to Sephora , I came across Tarte Lash Hugger Eco-Friendly Mascara. It has everything I was looking for (or not looking for) on its ingredients list: no parabens, no phthalates, no mineral oil, no palm oil derivatives! With all of those requirements met on just the package, was it possible that this be a match made in cosmetics heaven?

I’ve been using Lash Hugger for about 3 weeks now. I am in love. I think it was love at first sight. It’s everything I have searched for in a mascara. It really adds volume to my lashes. I have naturally long lashes, but they are pretty light and fine. Lash Hugger lengthens without looking artificial. I do my makeup by 6am. I don’t take it off until 10 or 11pm. This lasts all day without flaking. It doesn’t smudge. My eyes are very sensitive and can water easily. I also have allergies. This normally causes my mascara to get into my eyes when that happens and then my eyes get red and burn. Zero, zip, nada redness. This truly is mascara perfection.

I should also mention that this eco-friendly mascara comes in a recycled aluminum tube as well.

If Tarte ever discontinues this $18 gem, I am going to be lost without it. It is a truly phenomenal product. I honestly thought I’d have to keep settling for decent mascaras. Now I have found “the one.”

Check out the Tarte Lash Hugger Eco-Friendly Mascara, click here. 

If you are still searching for your favorite mascara, click here!  

Are you a finicky mascara user? Not even halfway done with the tube and your already eyeing bigger and better products at the makeup counter? Well then this deal is for you..

Try the Lash Stash from Sephora! It’s 7 of Sephora’s bestselling mascaras for $28 dollars.

(Source: Beauty and the Blog)

The incessant press coverage of Obama’s family could be argued that it comes with the territory of “Running for President” but the focus on his wife and children angers me. Especially when a racial perspective is added:

“i thought i might give the obama’s a tip. although hip-hop is more popular with suburban than urban youth in the u.s., no one in the apalachians gets cornrolls.” - ACCESS HOLLYWOOD

First of all it’s corn-ROWS stupid, not corn-ROLLS and more importantly what does that have to do with ANYTHING?!!

(Source - Afrobella)

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Read about how Natural Products are Gaining in Popularity

Well you can think of this post as the second part to another post written by Wendy Korn about Tweezerman Beauty Tools - The Perfect Tweezer.

Well for you gals that loved the variety of colors provided by Tweezerman they are currently selling Limited Editon animal print versions of the high quality tweezers.

You now have your choice of leopard, zebra, crocodile and giraffe! Grrr-eat stuff.

You still get the same quality and lifetime sharpening provided by Tweezerman.

Price - $25

To purchase the Limited Edition Animal Print Tweezers from Sephora, click here.

Well this is me, with freshly cut bangs and I dyed my once black hair RED! You can’t tell to much about the color here but trust me it’s red or at least it use to be. Which is why I pose the question, how does one sustain the vibrant salon fresh red hue when you are not naturally a red head?

I was actually trying to refrain from showering my tresses for fear of the veritable blood bath that would appear on my towel after every shower. Shoot, the color would even leave slight smear stains on my pillows! Problem is I think the rich mahogany color does wonders for my pale skin. Brings out what little color I have in my cheeks! But lordy, the maintenance is proving impossible. It’s only week 2 and I already feel that the hair color has morphed into a reddish brown at the roots.

Does any of this stuff work?

Anyone try the Redken Color Extend Hair Care line? Does it help?

Other tips people have told me are:

- Stay out of the SUN! Apparently the sun warps the color of any dye job and strips the color faster. Well I do this anyway because of my fair skin, but one of my favorite parts of dying my hair a different shade is seeing it glow in sunlight, so I find this news dis-heartening. Who wants to hide in the dark with freshly dyed hair?

- Upgrade your water! Additives (such as chlorine) that make tap water safe can also strip dye. Try new shower heads designed to remove color-dulling agents. Try iWater Shower Purification System ($50) or Jonathan Beauty Water Shower Purification System ($95, Sephora).

- Shampoo Less and Condition More! Apparently shampooing hair strips the color faster and leaves your cuticles open, thus making the strands rougher and less shiny. The conditioner locks in color by sealing the cuticles and making your locks shinier. Shiny hair reflects color better. The only probably I have with this advice is I have very fine hair and if I skip shampooing my hair gets greasy really fast. But I shall try my best to modify my showering regime to test out this theory.

Well wish me luck, and please if you have heard of a product or a method that helps maintain red hair color by all means SHARE!