Fake a Flush with Gel Blush September 14th, 2010 By

I love makeup and everything that has to do with it.  There’s something so fun about being girly and trying new, colorful things.  Gel blush and stains are a great way to get and keep your color all day long!  Haven’t triend one yet?  Here are my two favorites:

Benetint Cheek and Lip Stain from Benefit

Benetint Cheek and Lip Stain from Benefit

The original? It’s still the best. Benetint is an absolute MUST-HAVE when it comes to make-up, especially summer beauty products. A little bit goes a long way, so this bottle will last a couple of months without coming close to running out.  Plus, it stays on ALL day and looks great!

Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy

Some people prefer the texture of a gel over liquid, so for them, Tarte Cheek Stain is a great way to go. It’s a stick of gorgeous color that’s perfect for on-the-go applications!

Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Nesting Spot: Spring Cleaning March 30th, 2010 By

Time to pack up the sweaters to make room for the shorts, flirty dresses and sandals.  Along with my bedroom closet, I’ve begun to tackle my bathroom — organizing all my makeup and beauty products.  So, in my quest for organizational bliss, I’ve found some really fantastic products at beso. If you ready for spring cleaning, these products will definitely help:

1. Pretty Trays from Cherry and East
Great for designating an area for makeup, jewelry, perfume, and other pretty knick-knacks.

Taikamylly Tray from Cherry and East

Taikamylly Tray from Cherry and East

2. Wicker Works 6 Piece Set
We all dream of being organized, but organized AND coordinated?  Now, that’s a feat!

Wicker Works Baskets in Honey

Wicker Works Baskets in Honey

3. Classic Chrome Shower Caddy
This caddy even has hooks for hanging sponges and wash cloths, plus a razor holder!

Shower Caddy

Shower Caddy

4. Madison Avenue Corner Cabinet
This contemporary cabinet fits perfectly in the corner and adds a touch of sweetness to any room.

Madison Avenue Corner Cabinet

Madison Avenue Corner Cabinet

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Shop under $15: Flawless Foundations March 18th, 2010 By

Flawless Foundation under $15

Flawless Foundation under $15

We’ve all felt guilty after leaving the makeup counter with an empty wallet and only an item or two to show for it. This doesn’t have to happen anymore! Drug store makeup can be just as great as brand name makeup, and it won’t break the bank.  Here are a few great foundations I’d recommend, and they’re all under $15.00!

At prices like these, you can buy 2 shades to blend and customize coverage just like the pros.  Who knows, instead of spending $50 bucks a pop at the department store, you could find your dream foundation that’s exactly the right color.

1. Creamy, dreamy, and such a delight, Maybelline Dream Mousse Foundations are all you need for smooth foundation coverage that doesn’t feel caked on or heavy.

2. Find it impossible to match your skin tone? L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Powder promises to blend in perfectly so you get a flawless, natural look.

3. Prefer natural mineral foundations? This Neutrogena Mineral Sheers are hypoallergenic and perfect for sensitive skin.

4. I don’t use foundation unless it’s a special event, but I do like a good tinted moisturizer for daily coverage. Covergirl Smoothers Tinted Moisture is a nice amount of coverage for evening out your skin tone, and the bonus factor is that it has SPF 15.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

3 Ways To Lighten, Brighten and Highlight October 14th, 2009 By

Using the right makeup colors can make a lot of difference: accentuating or minimizing certain details, making one’s features “pop,” creating a mood. But did you know that the makeup people don’t see can have the most effect?

Highlighters not only help to camouflage flaws like fine lines and sun spots, but also add amazing definition and shave years off your look. Read below for my favorite skin brighteners and where to put them.  Don’t forget to blend well for maximum radiance!

EYES: Highlighters are not as opaque as concealers, so if you have dark circles, you might want to consider using both. However, after applying concealer, dabbing a small amount of highlighter in a “v” on the inner corners of the eye, underneath the eye, and on the brow bone will make the eyes stand out, appear several years younger and help deflect the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, and crow’s feet.

MOUTH: Often overlooked, tracing the entire lip line with a highlighter (right next to your regular lip liner) will give the mouth a much more youthful, pouty appearance. If that’s too much for you to handle all at once, try just a dab on the cupid’s bow for a flattering effect.

CHEEKBONES: A touch of radiant or shimmery color or skin highlighter will really make your cheekbones stand out and give your skin an all-over glow.  After applying your regular blush, start on the apple of your cheek and blend up and out toward the temple.  This is a quick way to make your skin look lovely and lively, and is a contouring trick used by the pros!

NOSE:  One quick sweep straight down the center will create the illusion of a thinner, straighter nose in seconds.  Be sure to blend!

My favorites:

Pink-golden luminescence

Pink-golden luminescence

BENEFIT MOON BEAM: For cheeks, above eye brows and bridge of nose. Gives a youthful glow under cheek color.

My favorite lightening/brightening pen

My favorite lightening/brightening pen

TRISH MCEVOY CORRECT & BRIGHTEN: My top choice to highlight, brighten and even conceal. I use it everywhere: Around my mouth, on the lines from my nose to mouth, bridge of nose, under my eyes, on brow bone and above brows, too.

Award-winning and one of the best

Award-winning and one of the best

YVES SAINT LAURENT TOUCHE ECLAT: Often hailed as the very best of the skin brighteners, YSL’s Touche Eclat blends like a dream to take years off one’s appearance by hiding fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration and those give-aways that show you haven’t been sleeping.  It does wonders around the entire eye area.

Beauty tool or anti-aging weapon? YOU decide!

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Dark Days Ahead September 16th, 2009 By

dark lipstickAt last!  The moment I’ve been waiting years for has finally arrived!  No, Doritos have not been declared a nutritional supplement. Even better: dark lips are finally in again.

Inspired perhaps by the recent cultural infestation of vampires, New York Fashion Week is teaming with seductive, sultry, heavily-pigmented pouts.  And I couldn’t be more pleased.

In celebration of the return of the femme fatale look, I present to you some of my favorite dark lipcolors for fall:

NARS GothikaNARS Gothika: This one has been around forever, and has become a classic NARS color.  Despite the intense-sounding name, this lip gloss is actually very modest-looking, and tends to flatter almost everyone.  Sheer plum with pink undertones and just the slightest bit of gold shimmer, Gothika is a great way to ease yourself out of the nudes we’ve worn for ages now and dip into darker shades.  This is also a great wear-anytime lip color.

Aveda Hot PepperAveda Hot Pepper: This is another good one for the as-yet uninitiated vixen.  With Hot Pepper, Aveda took the boldness of a true red lipstick, and added gold overtones which somehow makes this color vibrant but utterly wearable.  It’s almost like flying under the radar while still standing out.  OK, that didn’t make a lick of sense.  But it’s a great color and works with most complexions.  I also love the minty taste and feel Aveda adds to their lipsticks.

Benefit Ms. BehavinBenefit Ms. Behavin: This is a recent addition to my dark-color cache, and I love it.  And to add some truly vampish street cred, apparently this is the color that actor Robert Pattinson wore in the film Twilight while playing Edward Cullen.  This lipstick is from Benefit’s Silky Finish Lipstick line, and is a buildable color.  This means that the plum-y, mulberry color goes on fairly sheer to begin with, and you can continue swiping to go as deep as you dare.

Laura Mercier Mulberry Lip StainLaura Mercier Mulberry Lip Stain: This gorgeous color looks like a stain but wears like a gloss.  It’s deep brick-red with a hint of sheen, which looks rich and incredibly sophisticated.  I don’t love that it comes in a pot, because I’m usually too lazy to fiddle with brushes for lip color.  But for this one I’m ready to make an exception.  To wear such a grown-up color, I guess I’ll need to behave like a grown-up… At least in terms of applying my makeup.

nars victoireNARS Victoire: Another knockout from the good folks at NARS.  Surprisingly opaque for a gloss, this color is not for the faint of heart.  A deep, dark mix of brown and brick red, this is a nighttime color – especially if you’re not planning on doing much sleeping.

Tags: , , , , , , ,