Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Mineral Wear® Correcting Concealer



Suffer from dark under-eye circles? Try Mineral Wear® Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Concealer
This cream concealer trio provides medium coverage for any and all imperfections.
1. Soft Yellow- Color Corrects dark circles & other bluish imperfections.
2. Natural Light- Conceals imperfections
3. Pink Highlighter- Illuminates brow bones & temples

Light reflective pigments optically blur skin imperfections and diffuse the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Ultra convenient and portable vials snap together and pull apart for easy touch-ups on the go!

Not bad for $8.95, if you ask me! Grab yours today

Dress Up Band-Aids: Cynthia Rowley for Band-Aid Brand








I thought these were the cutest and if you are a tad bit clumsy like I am, they are right on time!

Designer, Cynthia Rowley pairs with Band-Aid Brand to give us limited edition "Dress Up Band-Aids". The "Dress Ups" come in whimsy designs like sequins, bows, jewels and chains fit for the girliest of girls.

Got $10? Get yours here
One dollar from the sale of each tin will go to Design Ignites Change, an organization that engages high school and college students in design and architecture projects that address social issues in their own communities.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Tweeze with Style: Betsey Johnson meets Tweezerman



Betsey Johnson and Tweezerman join forces to transform the perfect tweezer into a must-have brow tool fit for only the funnest, flirtiest gals!
This limited-edition series of slanted tweezers come adorned in Betsey's signature skull, rosebud and baby prints. Get yours at Sephora today.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Brow Essentials



I speak/write an awful lot about brows and cannot stress enough the value a well-groomed/shaped brow can add to your face; they frame and highlight the face. The face is the first thing people see; why distract them with an unruly/unkempt or misshaped brow?

Fear not! Here are some of my favorite tools to help keep your brows in order:

If you are trying to grow in sparse brows that have been waxed too much or tweezed to oblivion, try Ardell's Lash and Brow Growth Accelerator. Typically, I recommend an application twice a day (morning and evening) to help accelerate growth.

Admittedly, creating the perfect brow can sometimes be a task but with Ardell’s Brow Perfection Stencils it is much easier. They work well for those who need help shaping or recreating and those who don’t have much hair. Stencils come in Delicate, Elegant, Glamorous and Classic. Use the stencil that best matches your natural arch.
or
To add precision and definition choose from either the Lorac Creamy Brow Pencil or the Benefit Brow Zings applied with MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush. The Lorac Creamy Brow Pencil is perfect multi-tasking tool. Brush and tame unruly hairs with one end and fill-in, shape and define your brows with the specially formulated textured pencil. The Benefit Cosmetics Brow Zings allows you to custom blend the perfect shade to create a natural look. Available in light, medium and deep. You can use the angled brush included in the it. However, I prefer to apply the powder using the MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush. It is the perfect width so it allows a more natural application of the powder. (Note: the brush included in Brow Zings is a bit thicker than preferred. The thicker the brush, the thicker and less-refined the application will be)

For the girl-on-the-go, the Tarte Cosmetics Toolbox Brow Know-How Eyebrow Kit is the perfect all-in-one mini toolkit. Contains brow pencil, wax, powder, gel, tweezers, stencils, mini-angled brush and a mirror. Kits are available in three different shades (light, medium, dark) to match pencil and powder to your hair color.

Anastasia's Clear Brow Gel
is a necessity in my kit and the finishing touch. For quick grooming or after you have created the perfect brow, use the brow gel to keep hairs in place.

Lash (and Brow) Tint


The inspiration for this post stems from an inquiry I received on twitter the other day: "I didn't know people dyed their eyelashes as an alternative to wearing mascara @Nicole_Alexis please educate me on this one."

It’s true! Eyelash (and brow) tinting is becoming more and more popular these days. I have been tinting lashes and brows for 4 years and have seen it catch on more within the last year or so.

Most people who have their lashes tinted do it to achieve the look of wearing mascara without the fuss of daily application, washing it off at night and smudging. Typically, those with naturally blonde or light brown lashes get them dyed to add drama and the illusion of thickness. Brow tinting is a great option for someone with fine, pale or sparse; adding dimension and depth. Both are great for those with active lifestyles that involve playing sports, swimming or chasing kids.

Lash/brow tinting is temporary. The most common tinting applications involve the application of vegetable-based dyes in order to minimize irritation to the eye and surrounding area.

Typically, the tinting process takes about ten to fifteen minutes and lasts approximately 3-5 weeks. Pricing typically ranges from as little as $15 to as much as $40.

I have performed both lash and brow tinting safely for years. However, neither is approved at this time by the FDA for obvious reasons. Tinting may cause itching, stinging and in rare cases temporary blindness.

My suggestion is to do your research. Ensure the salon is reputable and is not just introducing tinting as a service because that usually means the esthetician is new to the process.

Morticia's Nails



Bebe Neuwirth, who plays Morticia in The Addams Family musical, has teamed up with Essie to design a limited-edition nail polish set inspired by her character. Morticia’s Nails Kit includes three sinister hues — Bone Chilling White, Blood Curdling Red, and Midnight Tango — and all proceeds benefit the actress's favorite charity, The Actor’s Fund.

Retails for $30.00 at the Addams Family Musical Store

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Jemma Kidd Pro Finish Moisture Tint SPF 20


Strolling through Targe' (Target), I was drawn to a new cosmetic display. It was Jemma Kidd's JK line exclusively for Target. It was one of those lines that made you want to try everything just because of the packaging!

So anyway, I was looking for a new tinted moisturizer to try out. I cannot say it enough...I loooove the packaging.

Moving on...JK Pro Finish Moisture Tint only comes in 3 shades (fair, mid and mid-dark). I wear 03 Mid-Dark, which was the darkest shade that seemed to be available. For those of you who know me, you know I am not dark at all so this is not the best product for darker skin tones.

It was a little heavier than any tinted moisturizer I've ever worn (my usual is Laura Mercier's) and provides a bit more coverage. It also contains some oil so it may not be the best choice for already oily or combination skin (like mine). I do, however love my final look, but I opt not to wear it on the hottest days. I am a huge advocate for using spf EVERYDAY, so I love the fact that is SPF 20. It does minimize your pores and provides a smooth application.

Would I spend another $28 bucks on it? Probably not. I believe it is a great product for someone with dry, fair skin. I will continue to use it as long as I have it in my makeup bag, but will most likely sue my $30 bucks elsewhere.