Guest Post

A Bad-@ss Blush Saves the Essence How to Make Your Face Glow Makeup Box for Me

June 17th, 2016 by Jen Clark 7 Comments

Essence Makeup Boxes in How To Make Your Face Glow and How To Make Bright Eyes — Essence Makeup Boxes in How To Make Your Face Glow ($9.99) and How To Make Bright Eyes ($9.99)

What up, people! Let’s talk about some affordable makeup today. I’ve been low-key obsessed with Essence for the past little while. I mean, this is only like my third post about them in the last couple months.

I’ve already reviewed the Essence All About Bronze Eye Shadow Palette and the Liquid and Sheer & Shine Lipsticks, and SPOILER ALERT! I love them both.

Next up, a couple of the Essence Makeup Boxes — How To Make Your Face Glow, and How To Make Bright Eyes ($9.99 each at Target). I have lots to say about these, so let’s get started, shall we?

My favorite of the two, by far, is the How To Make Your Face Glow Makeup Box. It’s got a blush, bronzer, and highlighter, and it also comes with cute little instruction cards to teach you where to place the products. That’s always nice for beginners!

I am OBSESSED with the blush, and I would totally spend the $9.99 just to get it by itself.

You know how when a blush is just the most perfect color for you in the world and it makes your face look so bright and awake? I feel like this one does that for me!

The Essence How To Make Your Face Glow Makeup Box ($9.99)

Can you see that blush? Mmm.. so dang good! — Can you see that blush? Mmm… So dang good!

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How I Strobe With Pur Strobe/Highlight Palettes

June 16th, 2016 by Adia Goss 20 Comments

If you’ve read some of my posts, then you probably know that I LIVE for a good highlight. I am all about that glow! — whether it’s super intense or a bit more subtle.

I’ve been looking forward to trying these two strobe/highlight palettes from PUR Cosmetics since the very first time I heard about them. I’ve been a fan of the brand since I discovered their Hydrafluid Water Serum Foundation.

First up is the Moonlight Glow Strobe Palette, which is the lighter, cooler-toned of the two. From left to right, the colors are Twilight, Lunar and Eclipse.

pur-strobe-palette-moonlight-glow — The PUR Cosmetics Moonlight Glow Strobe Palette

pur-strobe-palette-moonlight-glow-swatches — Swatches of the PUR Moonlight Glow Strobe Palette (L to R): Twilight, Lunar and Eclipse

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With John Frieda Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse and Forever Full Hairspray, a Blowout at Home Is Easy and Affordable!

June 16th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 7 Comments

hairspray, john frieda — These products may make you feel blazin’ hot, but don’t handle them near an open flame! The John Frieda Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse ($6.99, left) and Forever Full Hairspray ($6.99, right)

If you live in the NYC area or, well, any area that has a few hair salons, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a blowout. Blowout salons are VERY popular around these parts, and for good reason. Your hair looks fabulous afterward! — and the style lasts for days.

But blowouts get expensive after a while, which is why I only get them when I get my hair cut/colored.

What’s a thin-haired girl to do?

When I wash my hair, I don’t blow dry it often because of its texture, but sometimes I still crave a finished, full hair look.

When I do improv and give myself a “blowout” at home, here are the products I use to help get my baby fine hair looking voluminous and shiny.

Here’s my hair right after a wash…

wet hair, thin hair, — Fresh out of the shower, my thin hair is already almost dry.

Now, I don’t do my home blowouts like many people do because I don’t use a round brush. Because round brushes cause more knots in my hair (yes, it’s that cranky). Instead I use a comb and my hands.

Lately I’ve been washing my hair with Loreal Everpure Volume Shampoo. It’s color-safe and has lovely notes of rosemary and juniper, and I don’t find it to be stripping at all.

Next is the actual drying, and I always make sure to spray a heat protectant in my hair before I start, as well as a little bit of Dove Serum in Oil.

Flipping my head upside-down, I dry my hair until it’s about 80% dry, then turn to part one of this duo…

I wasn’t impressed by earlier iterations of this line, but these I like. Mousse is always SUPER tricky for me, it either weighs my hair down to the point that I need to wash my hair again the next day, or it makes my haircrunchy, but the Perfectly Full and Forever Full formulas from the Luxurious Volume line have been doing a great job for me lately.

mousse, john frieda, luxurious volume, — I tried very hard to get this in the shape of a meringue, which is what mousse always reminds me of…

As far as fragrance goes, well…it smells like mousse. Less like hairspray (not as heavy on the chemicals), and more like a light mix of clean and floral.

The product itself feels very light and almost a little too watery, so be careful because it might just melt in your hands.

After scrunching a bit into my hair, especially at the crown of my head, I finish by blowdrying on low with the diffuser attachment, and to avoid knots, I continuously comb/finger-comb my hair while I’m drying.

I’ve been OBSESSED with this comb right here, and I was devastated when mine broke a few days ago. Even more tragically, my Target hasn’t been stocking it anymore. 🙁 Thank goodness for Amazon!

And here’s what my hair looks like when I’m done…

thin hair, luxurious volume, — A decent bit of volume for a thin-haired gal!

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5 Bright Pink Lipsticks to Brighten Your Complexion and Mood This Summer

June 15th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 33 Comments

Bright Pink Lipsticks Summer — My favorite bright pink lipsticks

My very first lipstick was a bright fuchsia-pink from Maybelline… I can’t remember the name now, but I think it was supposed to have diamond powder in it? (Yeah, right!)

I was 16 at the time, and my best friend Giorgia gave it to me before I left to go to school on the French Riviera for a month. She had the same lipstick, and we used to share it before going out on Saturday night.

Ahhh, good times… 🙂

Since I was a little sad to leave her for a whole month, she gave it to me and said, “Never underestimate the brightening power of bright pink lipstick.”

You know what?

She was totally right!

Not only is bright pink lipstick one of my favorite ways to brighten up my complexion, it also never fails to brighten my mood!

Seriously, try it sometime, and if you need some ideas, here are five of my bright pink lipstick summertime faves.

1. YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in Fuchsia Fetiche ($37)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats 208 Fuchsia Fetiche Swatch — What’s my all-time favorite lipstick? It’s YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche.

So, in my Orange Beauty Edit post I mentioned that Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame is the one lipstick I’d keep if I had to give up all of my lipsticks but one, but can I take that back? LOL!

Just kidding! I think I’d still choose that one, as not only is it a great lipstick, but it also has sentimental value for me, because I got it last time I was in San Francisco, which is a city I’ve been completely in love with since I spent a year at Cal as an exchange student.

But my favorite, favorite lipstick of all time is YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche.

I absolutely adore EVERYTHING about this lipstick. I love how luxuriously long-lasting, beautiful and extremely comfortable it is.

Not to mention, I love the shade! It’s the brightest, most gorgeous raspberry fuchsia I’ve ever seen.

Seriously, gurl, if you’ve never tried the YSL Rouges Pur Couture The Mats, I highly, highly recommend checking them out next time you’re at a counter.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry ($32)

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Lost Cherry Swatch — Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry has such a lightweight texture that I usually forget I’m even wearing it!

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The Dior Milky Dots Collection for Summer 2016 Is Making Pastel Dreams Come True

June 15th, 2016 by Anna Oh 13 Comments

dior shimmering loose powder 001 — Diorskin Nude Air Summer Glow Shimmering Loose Powder 001

Before I became an illustrator/designer, I worked at Dior. It was one of my part-time jobs in college and a rewarding experience that sparked my love for fashion, luxury, and well…Dior.

I’ll always have a soft spot for the brand. I feel like they do everything with an understated (or, an amazingly dramatic!) elegance.

dior polka dots eyeshadow bain de mer 366 — 5 Couleurs Polka Dots Eyeshadow Palette in Bain De Mer 366

Their Summer 2016 Milky Dots Collection has a playfully elegant edge that I find refreshing for the classic brand, and here’s a look at some of my favorite pieces from the launch.

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I’m OBSESSED With These Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blushes

June 14th, 2016 by Adia Goss 38 Comments

becca luminous blush — I need help picking a favorite!

OK, so I’ve been eyeing these $34 Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blushes for the longest time. There are six of them now, and I actually fell in love with the shade called Blushed Copper back when it was sold as a “blush topper,” also known as a super intense highlighter, last summer. I bought it when it was limited edition and promptly fell in love. It was super pigmented, super shimmery and just…super smooth and blendable. Very super. So when I heard that Becca was expanding the “Luminous Blush” collection this year, I cheered!

These six shades do not disappoint, and when I think of this year’s spring makeup launches, for me, this one’s top three. It’s the formula. It’s incredible!

I tend to stick with the same group of basic blushes for my workday wear, but I think as far as shimmery blushes go, these really stand out for their unique formula. I know that MAC has some frosted blushes…but these Becca Luminous Blushes blow them out of the water.

They’re insanely pigmented and smooth, and the color payoff is brilliant. You barely need to tap your brush on one of them to get this level of pigment, and because they are so pigmented, you don’t need to put a lot of product on your face. It’s not like you have to cake these blushes onto your face or do a ton of layering to get true-to-pan color.

And the sheen? SO beautiful, and so, so perfect for this time of the year.

Well, who are we kidding? These work any time of year, but I do like to go crazier with glow and shimmer in the warmer months.

I could go on and on about these blushes!

But I won’t. I’ll just give you the details…

There are six shades, so if you’re into shimmering or luminous blushes, you should be able to find one that works for you. I have a hard time picking a favorite, so maybe you guys can help!

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How I Fake a Natural Sun-Kissed Glow With Makeup

June 14th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 18 Comments

Sunkissed Makeup Look How-To — Wanna know how I get this natural sun-kissed look? 🙂

Wouldn’t it be great if we could somehow choose what we inherit from our parents?

Like, for instance, I would’ve been very happy to get my dad’s olive complexion instead of his shortish muscular legs.

BUT, oddly enough, I didn’t get a say in that, so I got my mom’s light complexion with an added Mediterranean twist that makes it pretty sallow and sickly. Throw my permanent dark circles into the mix and you get the perfect base for a zombie look.

NICE.

Despite the fact that zombies are quite popular these days, unless it’s October 31, it’s not exactly the look I like to go for, you know.

So, over the years I’ve perfected a makeup routine to make sure no one thinks I have an appetite for their brain. 😉

Here’s what I like to use!

A Bronzing Primer: Givenchy Mister Radiant ($43.50)

Givenchy Mister Radiant Sunkissed Makeup Look How-to — Apply your bronzing primer all over your face, neck, and décolletage. Oh, and don’t forget your ears!

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The Avene Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar Isn’t a Soap at All

June 10th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 6 Comments

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to skin cleansers, I like mine liquid, but it doesn’t matter if they’re gels, foams, etc. I’m not extra picky, but I just like to put some on a washcloth or rub them into my face with my hands. As far as cleansing bars are concerned, I usually steer clear.

But then I tried the Eau Thermale Avene Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar…

Avene Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar

“Combining the ultra-rich, softening properties of Cold Cream with the soothing, anti-irritating properties of Avene thermal spring water, this ultra-rich cleansing bar gently cleanses and nourishes the most sensitive skin. Its well-tolerated new formula respects the skin’s natural pH and provides a rich, smooth and lightly fragranced lather. Skin is soft and supple again, its comfort is restored.”

– From the packaging

cold cream, cleanser, cleansing bar, avene, — Eau Thermale Avene Cold Cream Ultra Rich Cleansing Bar ($10)

Let me be clear — this is not soap, and it’s not drying at all.

Ingredients:
sodium cocoyl isethionate, stearic acid, sodium laurate, sodium stearate, paraffin, sodium myristate, water, fragrance, peg-45 palm kernel glycerides, avene thermal spring water, beeswax, bht, c20-40 pareth-10, cetyl alcohol, cetyl phosphate, glyceryl stearate, methylparaben, mineral oil, sodium hydroxide, titatium dioxide, triethanolamine

It’s a deeply moisturizing soap-free cleansing bar that leaves a protecting film (but no greasy or sticky residue) and maintains your skin’s natural pH.

For my temperamental skin, the white beeswax and mineral oil are just the ticket. The bar creates a magnificently rich, creamy lather with a wonderful powdery scent when I rub it into my face and body in the shower.

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