Latest Beauty Products
Staying up to date with the beauty industry whether it’s makeup, skincare or haircare can be a chore. Lucky for our readers, we have a staff of guest bloggers dedicated to discovering the latest trends and styles taking shape in the beauty industry.
Fresh Sugar Lip Polish
11 years ago
I like to take care of my lips by using lip balms, not biting them and using lipsticks and lip glosses that won’t dry them out. And even with all that care, my lips sometimes feel dry and flaky, especially in the winter time. I’ve tried a few exfoliating products in the market and have even tried to make my own using natural ingredients, but the results haven’t been impressive.
I received a sample of Fresh Sugar Lip Polish and it does exactly what it says on the pot, “Gently exfoliates and conditions“.
This unique formula is enriched with real brown sugar crystals to gently buff away dry flakes. It nourishes the lips with the oils of meadowfoam seed, jojoba seed, and grapeseed while shea butter provides long-lasting moisture.
The brown sugar crystals are a tad bit rougher than most of the exfoliants I’ve use before, but at the same time it does not hurt my lips. I can immediately taste the brown sugar in the formula and after I rinse it off my lips are soft and moisturized, though I follow the treatment with a lip balm.
The cost is $22.50 for a 0.6 oz pot at Sephora.com, but a little goes on a long way. The sample I received is 0.28 oz and I’ve used it twice a week for the last month and the pot is still full! Love this product!
In case you’re wondering about my nails, I’m wearing Piccadilly, Fishnet Magnetic Polish by Nails, Inc. I gave it another try and still don’t like the results of the magnet.
Ciate Sequined Manicure Kit Review
11 years ago
So far I’m a big fan of Ciate and their kits, the designs are very unique and in the vanguard of the nail art scene. Now they bring us Ciate Sequined Manicure Kit, a super flashy design.
The concept is very simple. Use the Sequin Glitter Grip polish and dip your nail on the pot full of sequins and your nails will look like Disco Balls! This manicure is perfect for a night out, the nails truly shine and glitter. During the day they tend to be a little much.
What I did was add a silvery nail polish as a background color and on top of it used the Sequin Glitter Grip and the sequins. This way as the glitter snagged and fell off it wouldn’t be too noticeable. I used this manicure for a concert, my hands were in and out pockets, using my camera, getting things from my purse, etc. Overall I think they held well for one night.
Both picture show my nails the morning after, I was in such a hurry the night before I forgot to take a photo of the manicure when it was fresh. But you can get an idea of how it looks.
When it was time to take off the nail polish, I was worried it would be difficult like it is with most glitter nail polish, but it wasn’t. The sequins came right off with regular nail polish removal and I then I added a polish more suitable for the work week.
Get vegan nails!
11 years ago
Tweet them; Instagram them; Like them on Facebook because with one paint stroke you will want to shout-out this brand!
They are called: Sheswai pronounced (she-sway)
This nail lacquer is concentrated with color and goes on smoothly in one coat – Bam! (hard to come across with many polishes out there). If you are like me, when I’m painting my nails I’m looking for a few Oohs and Ahh’s such as: hue factor, gloss and most of all DRY time. Who wants to be a slave to their nails for hours on end, not me! We all have had those moments when we think the nail job we did is perfectly flawless and we’re ready to walk out the door….then you go to grab your keys only to find a smudged mark (hated it)!!
With Sheswai polish, this baby dries fairly quick and to a beautiful smooth finish without the babysitting of blowing your nails constantly like your twelve again;-).
This brand gets additional bonus points in my book for keeping the the formula formaldehyde, toluene and dps free!
The collection has a nice range but my favorite is WINESNOB.
For where to buy, click the link: http://www.sheswaibeauty.com/where-to-buy-2/
Price point: $16.
There are tons of nail polishes out in todays market, (some cost more some cost less) this polish should be your glam of choice.
Again, don’t forget to shout out to your social community. Trust me, it’s worth the keyboard pecks and while typing I guarantee someone nearby will notice your nails!
DIY Skincare: Raspberry Honey Oat Mask
11 years ago
Over the past month I’ve been trying out a couple different DIY facial scrubs. My favorites so far are ground coffee + olive oil (equal parts) and sugar + honey (equal parts). Both seem to work very well for my skin (combination skin type) and have become part of my weekly routine!
I wanted to step up my DIY skincare routine notch. So, today I made a raspberry mask. After a full week of eating raspberries for breakfast I was tired of the taste, plus they were about to go bad. I figured the next best use of them would be on my skin. And boy was I right.
Raspberries are rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and folate. They are loaded with antioxidants and essential fatty acids all of which are good for those of us with combination skin because their properties help control oil and dryness.
The easiest raspberry mask I could find online was the Raspberry Honey Oat Mask. It uses just three ingredients, in equal parts.
- ½ a cup of red raspberries (if you can’t find fresh red raspberries, try frozen ones instead)
- ½ a cup of honey
- ½ a cup of rolled oats
Place the ingredients into a food processor, and process until the mixture looks like a puree (note: my oats didn’t puree, so my mask was a little clumpy). Next steam your face with a hot wash cloth for 1-2 minutes to open the pores. Then take a handful of the homemade mask and lather it all over your face. I used about 2 tablespoons. Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes. Be careful if your mask is clumpy like mine, you might lose a couple of oats around your house!
This mask is packed full of antioxidants, natural antibiotics and moisturizers, and helps exfoliate, tone, and cleanse the skin and face right up. The honey helps moisturize your skin because it contains natural moisturizers in it, and it helps fight acne and prevent it because it contains natural antibodies in it that kill the germs that cause the acne in the first place. The rolled oats help absorb unwanted oils and impurities from the skin while also lightly exfoliating it. I was impressed with how soft and oil free my skin felt after removing the mask. It also looked a little more toned and firm.
Masque*ology -Brightening with Arbutin Product Review
11 years ago
I recently tried a sample of Masque*ology, a mask “Researched and Developed by Top Dermatologists in Korea.” The one I used was Brightening with Arbutin which is formulated to diminish the appearance of dark spots.
A rayon cellulose single use facial mask saturated with advanced multi-functioning ingredients that contours to your face leaving your complexion brighter and refreshed.
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his mask contains ingredients to revitalize and even out the appearance of your complexion. It diminishes the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Immersed with more than one ounce of ingredients, it is a luxurious, intense treatment that softens skin’s overall texture and enhances the appearance of your complexion.
I opened the packet and extracted a very slimy thin sheet, carefully I unraveled it and put it on my face. The picture in the package looks pretty, this is what the mask actually looks like:
The mask does have opening for the eyes and mouth, but you can close those flaps if you want the ingredients to work in all your face. Once you put it on, you will lie down and rest for 20 minutes, then take it off. It was weird to put it on my face since its saturated by a gel-like substance and it’s cold, I felt a very slight tingle after the first 10 minutes. The convenience of this mask is that once I take it off there is no need for rinsing, just throw away the mask, and massage the remaining product into face and neck. The end result is a softer, very refreshed and relaxed face.
The Brightening Mask is just one of the products Masque*ology offers, this is their complete line:
- Collagen Hydro Gel Masque With 7-Dehydrocholesterol – Refining the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Revitalizing Eye Gel Masque With Pearl Powder – Contours to your eye area leaving them refreshed and moisturized.
- Pore Miniminizing Masque with Mushroom Extract – Face hydrated with less visible pores.
- Anti-Blemish Maque with Tea Tree Leaf Extract – Leaves the face soothed and calm of irritations and redness.
- Cell Renewal Masque with Snail Secretion Filtrate – Hydrating skin and stimulating collagen production.
- Lifting and Firming Masque With Peptides – Skin feels lifted and firmer and smoother.
- Advanced 7D Solution With 7-Dehydrocholesterol – A set of four syringes featuring a patented, highly-concentrated formulation to reduce signs of aging.
Sephora Lash Stash
11 years ago
A few weeks ago I mentioned the holiday mascara collection Sephora Favorites Lash Stash, I was running low on mascara so I decided to buy the collection and as I did in previous years I will use them all, rate them and tell you which one I thought is best. And in this case you can trust me, I have the worst eyelashes ever and what works well on me will work wonders in normal eyelashes. These are the mascaras I will be trying on:
This vitamin-enriched formula deepens, darkens, and thickens from root to tip. The curvy hourglass-shaped brush holds the ideal amount of mascara to ensure every lash is coated evenly with our silky, clump-free formula.
Waterproof Volumizing Mascara
Stay All Day Waterproof Volumizing Mascara is an innovative, long-wearing mascara that contains a special polymer with an extremely high resistance to water. The rich formula pumps up the volume of lashes, is buildable, and unlike other waterproof mascaras, leaves lashes soft, supple, and shiny without smudging or flaking. The unique 3-D triangular brush utilizes three wells to dramatically load a generous coat of mascara onto lashes for extreme volume and three rows of combing bristles to lift, lengthen, and define each and every lash for eye-popping results.
Korres – Athens
Volcanic Minerals Volumizing Mascara
This Obsidian black is formulated with volcanic minerals for the deepest, darkest color and an explosive increase in lash volume. These rich pigments blend with natural film formers to create a flexible yet strong coating that covers every lash. Volcanic Minerals Volumizing Mascara provides a glossy, luminous finish with a flexible conditioned feel, without any smudging or flakes for optimal, long-wearing benefits. The tapered brush head with unique cross-hatch bristles ensures smooth, clump-free application that grabs even the tiniest microlashes.
Benefit
This mascara features an exclusive brush specially designed to maximize the performance of the long-wearing, glossy formula revealing lashes you never knew you had! Staggered bristles grab close to the root, boosting length and volume beyond belief. The precision bristles on the custom-domed tip lift, define, and curl even your tiniest lashes. The end result is luxurious, silky lashes that won’t smudge, clump, or dry out.
Lancôme
Instant Full Body Volume Drama
Hypnôse Drama creates full body, high-volume lashes in a single stroke. The full contact brush, with its S-shaped curve, grasps and loads lashes for a fanned out, eye-popping, full body fringe. It works magic on tiny lashes. Even dramatizes corner lashes other brushes miss—or worse, mess.
Sephora Collection
This mascara’s unique triple load brush intensely coats lashes in one easy stroke for a full, luscious look. The thick, Ultra Black formula is enriched with hyaluronic acid—an ingredient recognized for its moisturizing properties. Use the brush’s reservoirs to intensify lashes from root to tip, separate lashes with the “spiked” areas, or achieve a curved effect by pressing the brush lightly against the tips of the upper lashes.
Clinique
Get instant drama! Pump up the volume and length of each lash for a look that’s lusher, plusher, and bolder. Dress your lashes in pure, deep color—wear it once and you’ll feel naked without it.
Tarte
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! 4-in-1 Mascara could be considered a push-up bra for your lashes—a 4-in-1 (lengthening, curling, volumizing, and conditioning) dermatologist- and clinically-proven to increase the appearance of lash volume by 424% after applying giving dramatic, thick and sexy lashes.
Smashbox
Inspired by Smashbox’s on-set technique of layering fiber mascara over volumizing mascara for the biggest, longest lashes on camera, Full Exposure Mascara creates a 104% increase in lash volume for scene-stealing lashes at every angle without smudging, clumping, or flaking.
d.j.v. beautenizer
This glossy, black formula contains double the fibers to lengthen lashes. As the formula goes on smoothly without clumping, it gives the appearance of naturally longer lashes and forms a film coating that prevents smudging caused by oils and perspiration. The active ingredients consist of several natural botanical essences, a silky fiber ingredient, and panthenol to help nourish and strengthen lashes.
Tarte
MultiplEYE Clinically-Proven Natural Lash Enhancing Primer
Prep, prime, and for the first time increase the appearance of lash volume by 739%, while also increasing the appearance of lash length, with multiplEYE™ Natural Lash Enhancing Primer. The groundbreaking, high-performance natural formula combines natural plant waxes and film formers to extend and volumize the appearance of lashes, while the proprietary and clinically proven HydroPlant™ peptide (a soy-amino super protein) helps improve the appearance of lash length and growth. For even more volumized and lengthened lashes, use with multiplEYE clinically proven natural lash enhancing mascara for an incredible 1102% increase in the appearance of lash volume! The precision bristles of the cone-shaped brush separate and evenly coat every last lash, while also delivering conditioning nutrients to stimulate lashes from root to tip.
Sephora Collection
Because the eyes are the windows to the soul, we thought they deserved some extra glamorous options when it comes to lashes. From classic black flares to glitter-encrusted, beaded, or foiled finishes, these must-have accessories for eyes will instantly transform your look from ordinary, to extraordinary in seconds.
This will be fun!
Nail Colors for Winter 2012
11 years ago
New nail polish colors….need I say more? Let’s start:
OPI
Absolutely gorgeous shimmering metallic colors in homage to the new James Bond movie. As part of the collection OPI is featuring “The Man with the Golden Gun” a top coat with real 18k gold flakes that adds a gold leaf texture to any color.
Nails, Inc
A great way to add embellishment to your nails, I have similar kits and from experience I can tell you that people will touch your nails!
Sephora by OPI
Glimmering mix of purple, silver, magenta and turquoise top coats to be used on top of any color or on the bare nail.
Sephora by OPI
This amazing set will get you ready the holidays with a mix of Sephora by OPI’s bestsellers, trend shades, and basics.
Lovely and perfect for the holidays a top coat with red and green glitter. This would be perfect to enhance Christmas nail art!
Ciate
This is such a great value, in this set you get four nail polish colors and four caviar pots, great to mix and match!
So far I’m drooling over the Skyfall collection, I’m powerless, I need to get some of them!
Eyeshadow Palettes – Winter 2012
11 years ago
Each person has their own weakness, some people can’t have enough shoes, books, bags, nail polish, pets, you name it. This post is for the make-up artist in your Christmas list, the one who can’t have enough eyeshadow colors.
Urban Decay
The Vice Palette
This palette contains 20 eyeshadow colors, it contains a few matte and neutral colors, but the majority have shimmer or glitter. This palette would be appropriate for someone who loves to sparkle.
Sephora + Pantone Universe
Precious Metals Shadow Palette
This one contains 35 colors with a wide range of colors from soft neutrals to darker colors meant for impact!
Inspired by Pantone’s 2013 Plus Series Metallic Book, this season is all about the rich gleam of rose gold, the chilled shine of silver, and the fiery glow of bronze.
Cinderella
A 20-piece eyeshadow palette that will be something fun and different for Princesses of all ages. Since the colors are made to represent the Cinderella story, this collection has many hues of blue, gold and pearl plus a few darker colors.
Begin a journey with this dazzling collection of fairy tale-inspired shadows.
Sephora Collection
Color Daze Blockbuster
This one contains 148 different items in the palette, including 64 waterproof eye shadow, 48 lip gloss, 3 blush, and many more products for eyes, lips and cheeks. This palette has a little bit of everything!
Mascaras will make eyeshadows pop even more and here is a great collection, I bought a similar one two seasons ago, and I just finished with the last mascara on the collection…time to get it again! This collection offers 8 sample and 2 full size mascaras from Lancome, Clinique, Buxom, Tarte, Sephora as well as false eyelashes and glue. Very hard to resist!
All the palettes in this post range from a retail price of $45 to $60…and one can never have too many eyeshadows!