Go to School and get Rewarded! Stila Lip Glaze

We all know there are just some days we do not want to get out of bed for anyone or anything especially work or school. There usually isn’t an additional incentive to showing up beyond getting paid or getting schooled, but fortunately for one of my classes last quarter we held a raffle for people who had perfect attendance. We all were really eager to see who would win the luck of the draw because we knew the prize was full of amazing products. Can you guess who won? =)

I was really excited when I got a little gift bag of filled with products just begging for me to try, but there was one item that I’ve grown really attached to these past few weeks – Stila’s Lip Glaze in Strawberry. It has become a staple in my makeup bag this season and I think I’ll use it to the last drop!

I love this lip gloss, it’s a translucent red that has medium thick thin consistency to it. It smells amazing, I usually don’t like lip glosses with a strong fragrance but this one is definitely okay in my book. This color may look intimidating in the tube, but the coverage is sheer and it gives your lips an effortless pop of color without looking overdone. I like wearing it for a day time look since it’s not too offensive at 8:00am when I leave my apartment.


You can find Stila at many retailers; 22$ at Sephora.com

Fall Trend: Plum Lips Maybelline Color Sensational

This year, plum isn't just a color for your favorite cozy sweater. Its the new trend in lip color and can be found in just about every beauty magazine. I absolutely love the look - its bold, daring, and unconventional. It gives an instant 'punch of attitude' once applied which can definitely attract double looks!


Maybelline New York has a huge marketing campaign going on right now for their new Color Sensational Lipsticks shown in tv commercials with that unmistakable tune "At Last" that you recognize while looking in your fridge 50ft away from your tv screen, and print ads that flood beauty and lifestyle magazines. Well Maybelline's major efforts certainly paid off, they were the first brand I thought of when shopping for a new lipstick. I bought their Color Sensational Lip color in 435 Plum Perfect a few weeks ago, and it was well worth it as it is my new current obsession. It glides on smoothly and the color lasts without fading. I'm really impressed with that packaging, its so sophistocated you would never know that paid under $10.00 for it!


When I apply this lipstick I use a lip pencil in a color similar to the natural color of my lips to prevent color bleeding, and I apply the with a lip brush. I then blot with a paper towel and reapply the lip color once more to allow the color to stain. This minimizes color transfer to things your lip comes in contact with, and keeps your color lasting longer.


Check out this website to read about Plum as the new lip color trend.
http://fashionista101.com/home/2009/10/19/fall-2009-beauty-plum-lips/

Holiday Magic Philosophy

The holiday season is just around the corner, and before you know it December will hit and we'll be shopping for our new Christmas trees. We can't forget about all the pretty wrapping paper and bows to cover the gifts for our friends and family with. Personally I go crazy for bows of all sizes, especially the gold ones! This holiday season, many retailers are gearing up the heavy promotion of this year’s best beauty value kits. As winter time approaches, we will be seeing more and more of beauty brands promos in fashion & lifestyle magazines, your email inboxes, and throughout retailers.

I received my issue of Allure in the mail about a week ago, and one particular brand’s advertisement caught my eye because of its pretty showcased arrangement of products. Philosophy is releasing a variety of gift sets that are simply so cute and comforting, I am sold and ready to snatch up a few for gifts for my friends and family. (Maybe even one for myself!) Philosophy introduced three brand new holiday gift sets; The Bake Shoppe Set, Classic Cookbook, and the Winter Escape set.

The Bake Shoppe Set is a bath and body set inspired by baked goods, which is perfect for your friend with a sweet tooth, and a mutual love for shower gels and glossy lips. The Classic Cookbook is six mini versions 3 in of 1 multi-purpose cleansers, this is for someone who enjoys variety and doesn’t to be boring when it comes to scents. The Winter Escape Set is a trio of products inspired by warm hot cocoa by the cozy fireplace. It includes a 3 in 1 multi-purpose cleanser in Peppermint Hot Cocoa, Marshmallow Lip Shine and Body Soufflé.

The Winter Escape Set is my favorite; I’ve already decided that is the one I will buy for myself. I have already justified the purchase because the idea really captures the scents of winter it emotionally appeals to me since I am such a sucker for the holiday season. It is the best time of the year can you blame me?

Philosophy has many other gift sets available and they are great easy gifts for everyone, minus your man. The best place to pick up these gift sets are at a Sephora store, or online at Sephora.com as some gift sets are exclusive to Sephora. Grab them before they’re gone!


Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.
- John Boswell

Glitz and Glam Tigi's S-factor

It was exactly 11 weeks from the last time I have gotten my hair cut. Since I’ve recently moved to Los Angeles, I didn’t want to have to find a new stylist and experiment to find the right one, so I decided to wait until I went back home. I made an appointment with my regular stylist, Amber Paschall from Wild Orchids, as she never disappoints me. I just went in for a trim, and longer layers framing my face. What really caught my eye were the new styling products she used in my hair. She applied TIGI’s S Factor Smoothing Lusterizer to defrizz and tame my hair. After she applied it, I noticed she had tiny specks of sparkles in her hand which just happened to be the mica added into the product. It makes your hair shiny especially if you have darker hair, so my jet black hair was looking oh so pretty.

The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin word micare, meaning "to glitter", in reference to the brilliant appearance of this mineral (especially when in small scales). – Wikipedia

As a beauty major, I embrace anything shiny, sparkly or glittery and mica is used commonly in cosmetics and personal care products. There are different grades of mica, and sometimes it can be in matte form, but I prefer the shine and glitter. In one of my courses at FIDM I’ve had the opportunity to test and examine several different types of mica in powder form. The color can range from pure white to a light grey, each having a different feel and some are smoother than others.

Needless to say I was excited about the smoothing lusterizer, and I happily purchased it from the salon. (Support Anti-Diversion!) I especially like to use it when I straighten my hair, since it makes my hair less frizzy my hair is easier to manage, plus it makes my locks extra shiny. I always delay washing my hands after I apply it because I love seeing the pretty little glitter specks in the palms of my hands. Too bad I’m a sucker for all things shiny.


If you would like to try TIGI S-Factor’s Smoothing Lusterizer, please look for it at your local salon.

The Original Makeup Saver

We all know what it's like when midday are faces aren't looking as fresh as this morning. Well now tat problem can be solved. Skindinavia has a Makeup Finishing Spray that does wonders for your makeup. Just spray this mist 2-4 times on your face to set your makeup, and you're good for the day. This mist prevents creasing and fading of your makeup, meaning less time spent reapplying. You can find more information on Skindinavia at http://skindinavia.com

Save the Lip Drama, Create Long Lasting Color

Ever wish your lip gloss would last longer? Between running out the door and juggling with time throughout our busy days, sometimes lip glosses simply just don't have the staying power we'd like them to have. When reapplying is out of the question, a helpful hint to try is layering a sheer to full coverage lipstick that is similiar in hue or matches your lip gloss. Applying the lipstick first, and finishing with a layer of lipgloss will not help your color last longer, but also give you lips dimension giving the illusion of a fuller lip. Don't want too much attention drawn to your lips? Just dab a tiny bit of gloss in the center of your lip for a more subtle look.

My favorite lip color pair is Sephora's Color Attitude - Chic Lipstick in Rich Rose 19 ( $12 exclusively at Sephora), and Revlon's Super Lustrous LipGloss in 110 Life's A peach ($6 at Target, available at mass retailers prices vary)

The lip gloss is really the star of the show, the color is a perfect blend of pink, peach, and gold. The Lipstick creates a base for the lipgloss and helps the color last throughout the day increasing the glosses staying power.

Look Dazzing in Eye Shadows That Don't Break the Bank; Coastal Scents

During these hard economic times, people have definitely cut back in spending on their favorite luxuries. Gone are the days of mindless spending, and for now it's all about value for your dollar. The good news is women will continue use cosmetics in a down turned market, but it's more of the every day essentials and less of the splurging. But not to worry, you can still look fabulous while spending less of those pretty pennies with Coastal Scents Eye Shadow Palettes.

These palettes come fully loaded with 88 different eye shadows to create a variety of different looks from day to night. The shadows can be applied wet or dry and are highly pigmented, which compensates for their size. This palette is perfect for beauty junkies who love to play with their looks. Even if you only use this palette occassionally, it pays for itself. Pretige brand individual eyes shadows are usually $20.00 and up while this entire palette is available for less than that. Deal or steal?

Tips:
-Use an eye shadow primer such as Urban Decay's Primer Potion ($17 at Sephora) or Too Faced Shadow Insurance (17$ at Sephora) to keep the shadow from creasing and to prevent the color from fading.
-Apply shadows wet to make shades more vibrant and dramatic by wetting eye shadow brushes with a mixing medium like MAC's Fix + Spray ($18 at Maccosmetics.com), Visine eye drops, or just plain water.

You can get your palette from Coastal Scents' website at http://www.coastalscents.com