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Archives for July 2008

Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment: Declare Your Independence from Acne

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Clean & Clear makes a pretty bold statement on each and every $7 tube of Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment…

“100% of people showed clearer skin in just one day.”

Even though I have to disagree with them, because for me it took a little longer than one day to see results, I gotta give credit where it’s due. Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment works, and it works without benzoyl peroxide. This stuff’s got some serious anti-acne game.

The active ingredient is salicylic acid, 2%. The instructions suggest applying the milky, non-stick formula up to three times per day. Because it dries quickly and completely vanishes once massaged into the skin, it can be used as an on-the-go spot treatment when time’s of the essence.

I’ve been using it for about a month now, once in the morning before applying sunscreen, and then once again at night before moisturizing. An amount the size of a pea covers all of my acne hot zones — forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. With daily use, a single tube should last between one and two months.

Pimples just hate this stuff. Usually, right after (*ahem*) “Aunt Flo” pays a visit, tiny pimples erupt on my forehead and remain there for about two weeks. This time around, my forehead still broke out, but it was much clearer within four days of using the spot treatment; by the end of a week, my forehead was smooth and zit-free.

My face is an equal opportunity pimple factory and has been since my late teens… Whenever I’m feeling stressed out or don’t get enough sleep I get painful red pimples, especially around my nose. Most of the time, they’ll take at least a week to go away, but Clean & Clear has cut that down to three days. I just hope it continues to work as well as it has.

Other Anti-acne Stars

Ironically, I’ve gotten mixed results from products containing salicylic acid. That’s why I was so surprised by this one. Up until I hit my 30s, I was strictly a benzoyl peroxide user.

Patience
If Acne Spot Treatment doesn’t work for you, don’t get discouraged. Every acne sufferer I’ve ever known has had to try a BIG number of different products to find ones that work for them. Acne can feel like a weight on your shoulders (I know from experience), but if you feel you’re looking for answers (also try acne.org) yet haven’t made much progress on your own, consult a dermatologist if you can. They may be able to offer suggestions you haven’t considered before.
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Who Else Wants Great Hair?

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The road to accepting my hair fate has been long and filled with bad haircuts and products that delivered heartache and frizz. If I had a dime for every time I cursed my wavy hair I’d be a rich woman. I swear, I’m filing a request with the powers that be for straight, wash-and-wear hair, LOL.

On my seemingly never-ending quest for more manageable hair, I’ve found a few products and tips that have helped, and here are some of my favorite ones. What are yours? What are your hair care power tips? Do share in the comments — I need all the help I can get!

  • Fight Frizz with Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control
    “Zero-Frizz isn’t just a hair smoothing spray. It smells great (like coconut and citrus) and even contains a UV protectant Fekkai calls Solarshield, designed to prevent sun damage and lightening. And no alcohol here, which is a big plus, as hair products containing alcohol tend to be drying.”

  • Tips for Breast Cancer Patients: Staying Beautiful Inside and Out!
    “One of the many challenges for Mary Anne was navigating the world of makeup and beauty as a cancer patient. How do you deal with losing your eyebrows? What do you when you feel a hot flash coming on? These are just a few makeup/beauty issues that she had to deal with.”

  • Hair Tip for Dry Hair: Skip the Shampoo and Wash With Conditioner Instead
    “It does take time to get used to not having bubbles. You may want to transition by alternating the conditioner wash with your regular shampoo for a few weeks, and then going every two days, then three days, etc., and thus slowly weaning yourself off your shampoo…”

  • Not Your 80s Hairspray: Bumble and Bumble’s Spray de Mode Makes Me Want to Use Hairspray Again
    “I’ve been wearing my hair big and wavy lately as a homage to my 80s pre-teen self. Spray de Mode’s worked wonders in keeping the waves in check without leaving my hair feeling sticky or crunchy. I can even run my fingers through my mane, and it keeps its shape. And Spray de Mode dries quickly. I remember 80s hairspray taking forever to dry.”

  • Innovative New Remington Shine Therapy Flat Iron Straightens and Conditions at the Same Time
    “…the straightener’s ceramic plates are porous and infused with a blend of conditioners and avocado oil. With the heat cranked up, the plates evenly emit their conditioning blend during styling to protect and moisturize hair. Neat, yah?”

  • Product Review: Bespoke Labs T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer
    “There are so many pluses to this dryer, but the best part is that it gets the job done fast, and now I get an extra an hour and a half every week. It used to take an hour to blow dry my hair with my old hair dryer. With the T3 the time is cut down to 30 minutes. And a good blow out on Sunday means that I won’t have to bother with my hair until Friday…”

  • Garnier Nutrisse Product Review Plus Tips For At-Home Hair Color
    “The smell is pretty strong, but in comparison to other at-home dyes it’s not bad. It also doesn’t dry my hair out, which is one thing I hated most about Feria, the dye I used in high school. If you have dark hair like me and want to go a few shades lighter, Garnier is a good choice…”

Oh, and thanks to Marisol for pointing out that Bella Sugar is doing a Friday giveaway today featuring the Fekkai Summer Hair product shown above. You have until 5 pm PDT today to enter; head on over to Bella’s blog for details. Good luck, bonne chance, held og lykke, viel glueck, etc., etc.

I hope you’re having a great Fourth of July!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog, July 3

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Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog,

I’ve read on your blog that you take hip hop dance classes. I want to start taking them too, and there’s a place near my house, but I have a problem. I absolutely have to wear eyeliner to look presentable out in public, but I sweat a lot when I exercise. I don’t want streaks of liner running down my face, and the thought of watching myself for an hour in those huge dance mirrors without eyeliner stresses me out. Can you recommend a good eye pencil that can stand up to someone who sweats a lot like me?

Love,

Eyeliner Lover in Emeryville

Dear Eyeliner Lover in Emeryville,

Girl, I am a huge fan of sweat-resistant makeup, especially when big mirrors are involved. I know I don’t want to look at smudgy eyes and dark circles while I drop it like its hot (well, like it’s warm; this 30-something booty can’t move like it used to). I *totally* feel your pain.

What you need is a good waterproof eye pencil. I’ve road tested some different brands in dance class and my favorite by far is Clarins Waterproof Eye Pencil ($22). It’s both sweat- and smudge-proof, even when I’m sweating buckets. And the texture feels creamy and soft, so the pencil doesn’t tug at my lids (a pet peeve) when I apply it onto my upper or lower lash lines.

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It comes in four lovely colors — black matte, bronze shimmer, violet matte and turquoise shimmer. I’ve worn all four in different combinations while dancing, and my fave combo is violet on the upper lash line, with bronze on the lower. The look packs just enough color to make my eyes pop.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal Hairstyle Celebrity Poll

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Mark your calendars, ladies, because it’s almost time for Christian Bale to strut his stuff on screen in the next Batman movie. The new flick, The Dark Knight (followup to 2005’s Batman Begins), opens Friday, July 18. I welcome any excuse to drool over C. Bale’s hot, muscled bod. Girlfriend, you know I’ll be there!

The fabulous and talented Maggie Gyllenhaal, one of my favorite actresses, takes over the role of Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes in the first film) playing opposite C. Bale as Batman’s love interest. I dig Maggie’s trademark brown tresses, especially when she wears her hair long. From the trailers and previews I’ve seen so far, that’s how she wears it in the film.

Although Maggie often plays brunettes, she has sported other hair colors and cuts in several of her films and on the red carpet.



Morning eye candy… Mmm… Christian…


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Gaga for Gold with Chanel Fall 2008

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Would ya’ll like to meet the newest members of Chanel’s family? This here’s little Delight (she’s a sweetheart), and that over there is Gold Light. They’re both shining stars in Chanel’s fall 2008 makeup collection.

Fall may be months away, but the collection just arrived at Chanel counters nationwide. I fell in love with five of the products in this release — two of the Glossimers (Delight and Gold Light), Facettes D’Or Highlighter in Gold Fever and two of the lipsticks (Pepeete and Formentera).

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Facettes D’Or Highlighter in Gold Fever

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Pepeete (on top) and Formentera, Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshines

In the Chanel fall 2008 sneak peak a couple weeks ago I talked about a few of the fall items — Rouge Hydrabase Lipstick in Great Copper, Jouse Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Dust and Pretty Pink Lip Definer. Here are swatches of the remaining products, all now available for purchase at Nordstrom and online through Chanel.com

From left to right: Denim Eye Definer, Simply Pink lipstick and Fantastic Plum lipstick
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From left to right: Fantastic Plum, Enthusiast, Formentera and Papeete lipsticks
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From left to right: Delight, Amberlight and Gold Light Glossimers
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From top to bottom: Gold Fever Facettes D’Or, Almond Poudre Douce
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Top row: Cristal-Dusk Irreelle Eyeshadow Duo
Bottom row: Bois Blue Soft Touch Eyeshadow, Le Bronze Soft Touch Eyeshadow
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Nars Mediteranee Face of the Day: Orange, Anyone?

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Ladies, thanks for your suggestions the other day on ways to wear the orange and gold shades from the Nars Mediteranee eyeshadow duo.

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Before heading to work, I did the following look with the Mediteranee shadows and incorporated products from MAC Cosmetics, Shu Uemura, Laura Mercier and Chanel.

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I began by applying a warm gold (MAC Indianwood Paint Pot) on the entire eye lid, layered beneath all of the other products.

The eyes…

  1. Nars Mediteranee gold shade on the browbone
  2. MAC Saddle eyeshadow (a warm brown) in the crease
  3. Nars Mediteranee orange shade on the lid and slightly into the crease
  4. MAC Jadeye Fluidline on the upper lash line
  5. MAC Uppity Fuildline on the lower lash line

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Beauty Snacks: Sites of the Day, July 2

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Petite Fashionista
I tower at exactly 5’2″ tall, and when you’re my height, clothing presents certain … challenges. Christa Jean at Petite Fashionista understands the plight of the vertically challenged. Her site gives shorter women everywhere the tools they need to dress in style.
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Nessasarymakeup.com
You can’t help but catch Vanessa’s exuberance for makeup when you pay a visit to her site. She does some really colorful looks, but beyond her skill with makeup she’s the cool cousin you wish you had, the really nice one you could go shopping with any time.
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The Daily Monster
Sometimes, inspiration comes in the form of an ink blot. Stefan Bucher creates art by dropping ink on a page and blowing it out with a straw until he sees the shape of a monster. Then, he fleshes out the creature with a pen. I know, it’s weird, but trust me; it’s also beautiful and cool. He records the entire process, too, and posts the videos on his blog.
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About.com: Beauty
Julyne Derrick has run the About.com Beauty Guide since 2005. The site maintains a huge library of how-to articles and general information about makeup and beauty. The easy-to-follow layout makes it a perfect resource for women testing the makeup waters.
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Play to Win with Lippmann Collection Fall Nail Colors

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Seeing these Lippmann Collection fall nail polish colors ($15 each) for the first time, I thought one thing: VEGAS, BABY! The red, black, white and black-purple colors remind me of playing cards.

Beyond the occasional slot machine (free drinks!), I’m not much of a gambler, but when it comes to nail colors, I will take chances. I’ll wear yellows, blues and even purples.

Some may feel these fall Lippmann colors are a bit tame, but I think there’s enough variety among the shades to keep things interesting.

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Stop and Stare, a blue-based matte red, looks like a sure bet. Picture a lounge singer in a smokey bar. She’s wearing a slinky, black dress and Stop and Stare on her fingertips. It’s a beautiful, classic red that would look great at dressy daytime events (meet me at the polo match, dahling), formal evenings out or even a day at the office. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

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Rhapsody in White takes me back. This frosty cool white looks exactly like a shade of Wet ‘n Wild I wore through most of the sixth grade. I wasn’t around for the 60s, but this reminds of that era, as in pale lips, bee hive bouffants and go go boots. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

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The inky Fade to Black is darker than night. I’m on the fence about black as a nail color because of how high maintenance the shade can be, but all of the Lippmann polishes I’ve used before have chipped less often than most other brands do. If this black matte is as durable as the rest, it could really make a name for itself. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

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Pump Up the Jam, a dark purple shimmer, looks almost like another shade of black from afar, but it reveals its true color when seen up close. It’s the deepest shade of eggplant imaginable. I’ve always dreamt of owning a Chevy El Camino in this exact color (and ridin’ dirty in it, haaay!). Is that weird? Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Lippmann Collection polishes have a reputation in the beauty world. They’re known for their durability, and that’s not hype, either; early last month I got a mani/pedi at the Lippmann nail bar in Hawaii, and the coral color on my toes is STILL fresh and intact. I’ve been reapplying top coat every five days, but even that, with most other brands of polish, would not have been enough to make the color last as long as it has so far.
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