it's that time of the month - today i drudged through the snow to get to sakura nail spa for some new calgels. this time i wanted tiffany blue - so megumi had to mix green, blue, and white calgel together to get my desired shade.
then i wanted studs -- inspired by my friend heather's nails (who turned me on to sakura) - but i got distracted by a rhinestone 3D bow i oversaw in a japanese nail magazine once i got there. so i figured, let's do both!
i got small gold balls and mini-pearls on my thumbs, middle and pinky fingers, plus 3D bows with rhinestones at the base of my middle fingers.
thank you X100 to megumi, my nail tech, who was incredibly patient while i sorted out exactly what i wanted! i think these may be my favorite nails yet!
there's a lot of new deodorants coming out this spring - many of them taking their cues from major trends throughout beauty, like rare ingredient scents and mineral base.
degree is taking antiperspirant into the gourmand - their nature effects line will introduce three new scents - honeysuckle & tea tree oil, olive leaf & pink pepper, and orange flower & cranberry. don't judge me - i really want to try the olive leaf & pink pepper.
the magic of minerals has been all over beauty for the last couple of years - but an antiperspirant is actually the perfect place for a mineral base. secret's sheer mineral line is formulated with tested level of talc for protection vs breathability. available in four scents - powder romance, green euphoria, citrus bliss and delicate bloom.
both new lines should be hitting shelves in the next few weeks and should run you under $5. what do you think of the new antiperspirant trends?
if you are under the impression that orly's foil fx nail polish is going to make your nails look just like minx, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. but if you think that, you probably also thought john mayer was the kind of guy who never talked sh*t, so hopefully are getting used to these sorts of letdowns.
two coats of orly foil fx is about as metallic as a nail polish can get, but it will never have the totally smooth effect of a minxed nail. however here's what foil fx may have over minx, depending on the user:
it's super affordable - under $8 versus around $45 for a minx-acure.
it's available all over the country. even if your local spa doesn't offer minx, you can get the metallic look by picking up foil fx at your local drugstore.
it has a rose gold! minx may have gold and silver (- and so does orly foil fx (shades - luxe and shine, respectively) but foil fx also offers that oh-so-hot rose gold (in a shade called rage).
for gorgeous pictures, of all three shades, visit my girl michelle at alllacquered.com.
editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that a sample of the products mentioned was provided to MakeupLovesMe.com.
read more...
for those of you who read regularly, you know that i color my hair at home, but i never pass up a chance to get professional color because no matter how good of a job you do at home, you may be missing sections on the back of your head without even knowing it.
last friday i went to salon aks, located right in the midst of 5th ave. from the moment you walk in you can tell that this is the place where park avenue wives go to become bergdorf blondes, yet the staff is well-versed on all cutting-edge color trends and has a down-to-earth attitude.
right away my stylist was honest with me. when i asked if i should go more red, but stated i wasn't interested in putting in more "upkeep work", she told me i better stick with my current shade. then she expertly colored it to my beloved red-brown shade, and applied a gloss treatment, so that it was at it's shiniest. i have to say, it shines way more than my home color does.
and while hair color may be what putssalon akson the map, i also highly recommend their pedicures. they have huge comfy seats and the nail techs are enthusiastic about indulging your creative whims. i got black toes layered with deborah lippmann's happy birthday on top - a confetti color large-chunk glitter. i went shoe shopping this weekend and people could not stop asking about my twinkle toes.
each season i look forward to the collaboration of lancome and chris benz, and for fall 2010 the look did not disappoint.
lancome's lead makeup artist daniel martin and benz agreed on a "gothic chic" look, reminiscent of seattle in the 90s -- but softer. the icon of the look was described as a bad high school girl sent to outward bound. for me, the look bought back memories of sleep-away camp in the 90s.
eyes and lips drew equal attention. skin was matte and flawless with a defined cheek, eyes were dark and shimmery - layering shades of charcoal and chocolate for a warm smoky eye - and lips were an updated 90s lined brown. rather than the clearly defined lip liner we are too familiar with from 1994, this liner was gradually blended into the lipstick, so there's no harsh lines. finally, redken styled the hair into a messy half-french braid loop.
head artist, daniel martin, describing the look with a model
model's finished face
the finished hair on a model getting her makup done by michelle phan, newest addition to the lancome family
makeup products used -- mostly available through lancome-usa.com:
Lancôme Ombre Magnétique in Black (NEW for Fall 2010)
Lancôme Color Design Eye Shadow in Guest List
Lancôme Le Stylo Waterproof EyeLiner in Noir
Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara in Excessive Black
Lancôme Le Crayon Poudre brow pencil in Sable (used as lip liner)
Lancôme Color Design Matte lipstick in Bronze Show (available in mid-March, exclusively at Macy’s)
Lancôme Juicy Tubes in Hallucination
Lancôme Photôgenic Lumessence foundation
Shu Uemura Sheer loose powder
Lancôme Blush Subtil in Mauve Coquette
Lancôme Blush Subtil in Cappuccine (for the contour)
Lancôme nail polish in Sweet Nude (part of a mini trio, new for fall)
i've been meaning to test out some updos for the two weddings i'm going to be in this summer, so i was delighted when billy dee williams of red door spas readily agreed to give an updo, rather a blowout at the fashion week suite sponsored by the makeup girl and red door spas on saturday.
in under a half hour (which has to be some sort of record), billy dee transformed my straight mop into a curled, side-swept style that earned my compliments all day and into the nite (because it held up that long). multiple people described it as "red carpet hair". this is definitely how i'll be wearing my hair in the upcoming weddings.
a special thanks to shannon from a girl's gotta spa for grabbing these photos - i'm sure you'll especially enjoy the one "mid-styling" - and no special thanks to me for once again forgetting my camera - boo, marina!
getting calgel nails at sakura is becoming an addiction - 90% of my recent thought-content is now devoted to what my next nail design will be.
this week i took advantage of the seouldiva.com + fashion week 20% off discount and went for a light pink base covered in red and pink leopard spots outlined in black. each spot was painted by hand for another 2 hour calgel nail experience. but the end result? earning my compliments backstage left and right.
clinique and milly have collaborated a 2nd time to create a limited-edition makeup bag filled with bonus time goodies. the milly for clinique bag is available exclusively at bloomingdale's nationwide and bloomingdales.com. click here to find out what's inside.
to celebrate the collaboration milly's spring 2010 line had a runway show featuring clinique makeup looks at bloomingdale's 59th street. behold the pictures below:
very floridian cute, no?
lynne greene, president of clinique, origins and ojon with milly designer, michelle smith, at bloomingdale’s 59th celebrating girls’ night out.
the absolutely adorable michelle phan of youtube is joining lancome.
michelle is a self-taught makeup artist who has captured the eye of many with her detailed web-based makeup tutorials. now this 22 year-old student has announced she will be making video tutorials for the lancome site. in fact, her first video is scheduled to be live on www.lancome-usa.comlater today.
a few months ago i had the chance to see lady gaga and cyndi lauper in person when MAC announced that they are the 2010 viva glam spokeswomen. both ladies were just as radiant and outrageous in person as they are on the computer screen.
the two new shades - viva glam gaga (light blue pink) and viva glam cyndi (light reddish coral) - premier on mac counters and at maccosmetics.com today(!). 100% of the selling cost ($14 a lipstick) is donated to the MAC AIDS fund.
my thoughts? good colors, great cause, why not get a new lippie in time for your valentine's day kiss?
if you've opted to skip your expensive valentine's day wax this year, be sure to follow these steps for a smooth and bump-free shave, especially if this is going to be a DIY brazilian.
years of practice, combined with some new tips i picked up on tuesday nite from a gilette venus expert have helped me to come up with this 5 step plan:
exfoliate the region the day before you plan on shaving.
have a game plan - know if you want to be bald after or have some hair - aka a landing strip - left. if you plan on leaving some hair, trim before you get in the shower so you know exactly what your working with. gilette recently introduced a bikini trim tool - the venus bikini trimmer - but tiny scissors work fine too.
choose a creamy shave gel and a fresh blade or razor (i have the venus breeze refillable, so i just pop a new head on).
shave in the direction your hair grows to minimize irritation.
i just finished a bottle of cetaphil and i have the new proactiv and the new noxzema washes in my beauty arsenal. both have been getting a lot of press lately, so i want to know from you...
until seeing bobbi brown's spring collection, cabana corals, i had no idea how many shades of coral there are.
bobbi herself said, "this spring there is a beautiful selection of coral shades perfect for lips and cheeks. the shade range spans from fresh new pink corals to universal nude corals to true coral shades - every woman can find the coral shade that's right for her."
metallic lip color ($22):
coral reef (swatched below)
coral glaze
calypso glaze
lip color ($22):
cabo coral (swatched below)
guava
shimmer lip gloss ($20):
sunset beach
golden nectar
coral sand (swatched below)
shimmer brick ($38):
nectar
pink quartz
california coral pot rouge ($22):
cabo coral
from left to right: coral reef, cabo coral, coral sand
like the title says, my favorite mLm contributer, mara is back! and she met lauren conrad from the hills on tuesday nite at an event for mark's m.powerment campaign.
starstruck next to LC's perfect cat-eye
last night i previewed the new have a heart necklace, part of mark's m.powerment campaign to prevent dating abuse and intimate partner violence. lauren conrad of the hills, celebrity spokeswoman for the campaign and designer of the accessories, was there to speak about the cause and to launch her public service announcement (see below). 100% of the proceeds for the necklace pictured in the psa and its dainty new bracelet companion ($22 and $12, respectively at meetmark.com) go to support abuse awareness education and prevention services. philanthropy and social consciousness, much like plain silver and gold, go with every outfit. the jewelry serves as a reminder that intimate partner violence is never acceptable or normal. remember, beauties, that you have the right to a healthy relationship.
on the lighter side, you have the right to soft, shiny lips, which is why LC teamed up with mark to create the glow baby glow lip glosses($6 a piece, also to benefit the campaign). i like the straightforwardly-named "peach": it's miami-ish hue is helping me stay in denial about this ny winter (and it's not as obnoxiously sparkly as it looks in the tube).
for some strange reason, acne scarring is one of the few things about my appearance that i've felt no sense of control over. my policy had been the only things that heal acne scars are a good concealer (thank you, benefit erase paste!) and time.
i waited until right after a facial to begin the new regimen - when my skin is at it's best. for the past three weeks i've been applying the even better skin tone correcting moisturizer spf 20 twice a day - morning and nite - religiously. truth be told, i have only been using the serum when i remember, about twice a week.
it's been a mere few weeks and i can already see the spots on my chin are only glimmers of their former selves. i recommend following the twice a day moisturizer ($42.50) strategy, and skipping the serum ($39.50).
editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that a sample of the products mentioned was provided to MakeupLovesMe.com.
Salon uniforms don’t have to look like lab coats. Brighten up beauty uniforms with a splash of bold colour. Choose from our stylish beauty tunics and beauty tabards in a range of colours, or opt for the classic black or white.
Salon uniforms don’t have to look like lab coats. Brighten up beauty uniforms with a splash of bold colour. Choose from our stylish beauty tunics and tabards in a range of colours, or opt for the classic black or white.
Whatever your business, we’ve got the workwear to suit. Kit your staff out in protective clothing, or provide them with workwear trousers. If you’re buying in bulk, we offer great deals on wholesale clothing.
Keep the entire team looking smart and presentable with our extensive range of tasteful office wear. With work suits for men and women, as well as work shirts, knitwear, and work ties and scarves, we’ve got corporate clothing covered.
Work uniforms help present a united front to your customers. Plus, with quality business clothing, robust and hard-wearing medical scrubs made from high quality fabrics, and smart and stylish maternity work clothes, workers can look sophisticated in any situation.
