Saturday, February 23, 2013

All About Brows

Hello,  I am lucky to have born with full brows.  But as time passes with over plucking and tweezing, I am left with some miniscule bald spots.  For the most part, I can live without filling in my brows.  But there are times when I want to achieve a more polished and youthful look, having fuller brows to frame the face is key. 


Image via Google
Image via Google
Image via Google
Image via Google

I mostly rely on brow pencils over the years.  Occasionally, I also like using brow powder or eyeshadow because it creates a natural look that is not as harsh looking as you would get from pencils.  Therefore with pencils, I prefer to use ones that have a powdery finish to achieve a softer look.  I have been using three different brow pencils lately and they are all great in their own little ways...




Same order in both pictures:

Top - Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel - Warmest brown out of the three pencils.  Great for brunettes with warm or golden highlights or redheads

Middle - Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in 02 Taupe - Cool grayish brown.  I blogged about it here last year.  The flat slanted tip is the best.  This sculptor is also the most water resistant

Bottom - MAC Veluxe Brow Liner in Brunette - Neutral brown that leans warm.  This is the softest and has the most powdery finish out of the three

From drugstore to high-end, I currently love all three.  They all come with a brush on one end for blending.  Have you tried these brow pencils?  What is your HG brow product?

Until next post......

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Up and Coming Beauty Bloggers Weekly Report

  

Lola of Lola's Secret Beauty Blog showcases how she stores her lip products in a special by request post.

Rachel from Rachel's Makeup and Skincare tries out La Licious Bath and Body Collection in their new Valentine's Day Scent and finds she is in love!

Olivia of The Unknown Beauty Blog has a fabulous giveaway featuring Luscious Argan Oil products from Eden Allure!

Rola's Fountain of Youth is now on Instagram, go see what she has been loving and doing lately!

Lindsay of The Beauty Think Tank shows off an oldie but a goodie in MAC Illegal Purple nailpolish, perfect vampy tips for Valentine's Day!

If you would like to be featured in a future Up & Coming Beauty Bloggers Weekly Report, please e-mail Lindsay at beautythinktank(at)gmail(dot)com!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Collective Instagram

Hello, Since I started Instagram three weeks ago, I have been very active and posting pictures almost daily.  

Inspired by so many beautiful things around me, I think I found my new playground...























Come follow me on Instagram!  Thanks for looking!

Until next post......

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Up & Coming Beauty Bloggers Weekly Report


Lola of Lola's Secret Beauty Blog reviews Alba Botanical's Natural Very Emollient Body Lotion.

Jeneille of Beauti by Jinjer swatches all of her extensive Nude lipstick collection.

Harriet at Little Miss Student Beauty shares her tips on how she thickened her fine hair!

Rachel from Rachel's Makeup and Skincare compares Burberry's Velvet and Luminous foundation. Which did she like best?

Olivia of The Unknown Beauty Blog wants us to sweeten our cheeks with Manna Kadar Sweet Cheeks!

Rola from Rola's Fountain of Youth had Random Sightings of Spring 2013 Makeup Displays and the colors are gorgeous!

C.Jazmyne reviews both Loose and Pressed NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powders.

Lindsay at The Beauty Think Tank talks about finally purchasing YSL Rouge Pur Couturs Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain in Pourpre Preview.

If you would like to be featured in a future Up & Coming Beauty Bloggers Weekly Report, contact Lindsay at beautythinktank(at)gmail(dot)com.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Best of January Roundup - The Organic Pharmacy, Kevyn Aucoin, Tres Semme

Hello, Beauties, Hope you are all doing well.  January flew by too quickly, but I had fun venturing out and tried some wonderful new products.   This is just a sneak peak of the best in the bunch, let's see what made me such a happy camper this month...

Skincare


Since I haven't been in Barneys New York in a while, I dropped in to see what's new on the shelves in 2013.  They had switched around the counters and displays in the cosmetic department in order to make room for new brands.  Excitement sets in...

I circled around not looking for anything in particular, then I stumbled upon The Organic Pharmacy line.  I have seen some write ups on this UK line before, but it was the first time for me to touch and feel the products.  I was really pleased to find another organic and natural line at Barneys, so I decided to give it a go.  

I have heard from many bloggers rave about Rose Hip Oil, the hype surrounding this oil peaked my interest.  Honestly, I have been using The Organic Pharmacy Virgin Cold Pressed Rose Hip Oil for a little more than one week and I am convinced that this is the best thing you can add to your skincare regimen.  Especially for those with dry and sun damaged skin.

Here is a brief description of The Organic Pharmacy Virgin Cold Pressed Rose Hip Oil from  the company website:

This amazing oil is imported by us directly from Chile. It is well known for its rejuvenating and repairing properties both for the skin and hair Because it is organic and virgin cold pressed, it retains its precious actives that make this oil so special. A high percentage of Essential Fatty Acids, Tretinoic Acid and major carotenoids Betacarotene, Lycopene, Rubixanthin, Gazaniaxanthin, Betacryptoxanthin and Zeaxanthin are largely responsible for making this oil fantastic for scarring, acne scars, sun wrinkles, sun spots.

I add a few drops of this oil to my favorite moisturizer and apply the cocktail to my face and neck.  I get an instant glow to my skin.  Not only that, the oil absorbs quickly and it smooths, hydrates, and plumps my skin more so than using a moisturizer alone.  This oil has truly transformed my skin and nursed it back to health in a short time.  It can also be used on hair.  I highly recommend it!

Makeup




My love for Kevyn Aucoin continues, this time in the form of The Sensual Tinted Balm.  Thanks to Beauty Professor for tempting me into this one!  Check out the sleek packaging, very cool and good for travel.  It comes in only four shades and I have it in the color, SB01.  When I swatched the colors, SB02 is actually lighter and more yellow than SB01.

Here is a brief description from the Space NK website:

BENEFITS:
  • Treats with botanical rice extract, rich in peptides
  • Increases cell longevity
  • Induces a delay in ageing
  • Derivative of liquorice soothes and calms the skin
  • Conceals imperfections with light-weight pigments versus dense compounds
  • Protects against UVA and UVB rays with a theoretic SPF 20
  • Oil-free, paraben-free and D5-free  


  • The creamy formulation provides sheer to light coverage, it will not cover major blemishes.  If you want more coverage and flawless finish, you can mix in a tiny amount of The Sensual Skin Enhancer (Amazingly high coverage foundation and concealer in one!).  The tinted balm by itself provides a protective barrier for the skin with a wash of color, I like using it on causal days.  It has a natural finish, not too dewy or matte.  The downside is that it lacks SPF in the product, but it does not bother me that much because I can always layer it over a sunblock. 

    Here are some swatches of SB01:







    Hair Care

    Via Google images



    In 2012, Tres Semme Split Remedy line was a favorite amongst bloggers and beauty editors alike.  I have been using the shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioning treatment for a few months.  The line is really amazing because it does what is claims.  I used to have a huge issue with split ends from over processing and my hair looks so much healthier and better after using this line.  I definitely see a reduction in split ends which used to be quite obvious and unsightly, virtually unnoticeable these days.

    Tres Semme Split Remedy line is accessible and affordable, why not give it a try?  It is available at most drugstores near you.

    What were your holy grail products in January?  I would love to hear from you.

    Until next post......