Make-Up Must Have Monday

I have been a fan of Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliners & lipliners forever- they've even won spots in my Glammie Awards. Urban Decay has now added a new collection of Glide-On Shadow Pencils to the mix. This discovery had me doing a little dance at Ulta.
I scooped up their cult favorite shade Midnight Cowboy. It's the perfect little pick me up if you're headed to happy hour from work & want a little more somethin' somethin'. Here it is placed on my lid on top of my existing shadow. What I am so happy to report, is that I have very little fall off of glitter onto my face- the stick really helps it stay in place. Nothing annoys me more than when I want a little sparkle just on my eyes & it ends up all over!

I also gravitated to shades that I thought would make a sexy, summer bronzed smokey eye. From the top: Lit, Midnight Cowboy, Sin, Rehab & Barracuda. {Love the names!}I wanted them all, but what can you do- mama has a budget!

Movie Girl who was with me leaned much more to the greens & aquas. She scooped up three to take home & play with. Top left was Mercury, bottom color was Clinic.

These shadows stay put, here's my hand after vigorously rubbing with a tissue for at least 20 passes. I'm also thrilled that there was no need for a brillo pad to get them off, however- which is normally the case for a lot of long wearing make-up. My normal cleanser did just fine.
So go ahead & get your sparkle on, these shadow pencils will be a great go to in hot summer months.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday

I scooped up this mini Trish McEvoy kit when I was headed off to Punta Cana this past January.{*sigh* wish I was there now!} I wanted an easy brush set that I could travel with & it fit the bill, while coming in the adorable champagne quilted zip case to boot! This set was around $85, though it also included a credit card size compact with 4 shadows & a powder blush.

The brushes are basically the length of my palm & include a liner brush, an all over powder brush, a contour eye brush & a retractable lip brush.

But looky at what we just got in at the boutique! Almost the exact same brush kit in classic Chanel quilted black. It's the perfect size to grab & go for quick summer weekend getaways!

Here's the kit next to a quarter so you can get a true feel for the size. I actually like ours better since ours has a shadow brush that can double as a contour brush, as well. Having the liner brush on such a petite handle also makes it easy to get into the corners of the eye. Best of all-

our steal of a deal price is only $18. Who doesn't love Fabulous Finds! Happy Friday Girleens.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files from the Brow Whisperer

My client has the most amazing eyes, they are a piercing gray blue. Baby blonde hairs, though very subtle, often distract from their awesomeness. I see this in a lot of my fairer clients, they often forget what a difference waxing can make on the 'baby fuzz.' Waxing also helps your make-up go on smoother & easier.

I always leave her brows full & gently shaped, as she lives far away & can't get in as often as she would like to see me due to her busy schedule. It would be a struggle for her to keep up with an extreme arch at home. Her brows just needed a little grooming to highlight those gorgois peepers!

Peace. Love. Brow Whisperer. M

Sara Happ Pink Grapefruit Lip Scrub

Those who know me know that lipgloss is one of my favorite things in this universe, hence my blog's title. But to wear lipgloss & have the perfectly glossy pout, one must properly exfoliate their pucker! Sara Happ Lip Scrubs are pretty much the cutest, yet most decadent treats out there! Adorably packaged, the scrubs leave your lips feeling like a baby's bottom, while tasting & smelling divine, too! When I saw the pink box for Sara's new limited edition flavor- I squealed with delight. Sara wants your lips to be at their most beautiful this summer, that's why she's giving away one of her new limited edition Pink Grapefruit Lip Scrubs to one lucky reader!

How to enter? Just leave a comment in the comment section of my blog.

Make sure to tweet about the giveaway mentioning @peacelovegloss & 'Like' us on our Facebook pages {both La Papillon's & PeaceLoveLipgloss's} as well for extra entries! If you do so- just please tally up your entries in the comments section! Good Luck Beauties!

Peace. Love. Lip Scrub. M

Behinds the Scenes with IPL

Spots really on look cute on a Dalmatian! Though hyperpigmentation or sun/age spots are a common frustration with most women- I know they are for me. My freckles were cute & I dealt with them until I hit 25. But who doesn't want a more luminous & even skintone? Yes please! Research shows that people equate pigmentation with age & you know this girl is allergic to aging! There are several topical approaches to lightening the skin- vitamin C, Kojic Acid; as well as prescription methods such as Hydroquinone. Our Skin Medica chemical peels are a very popular treatment at the spa for evening out pigmentation concerns; while also improving skin texture and reducing the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles. The next step we suggest {& often we suggest pairing it with a chemical peel) for stubborn spots is IPL.

Untitled from Madeleine Homes on Vimeo.

So I wanted to take you behinds the scenes & show you what a treatment with Dr. Noelle Sherber with Intense Pulsed Light entails. Take a peek! IPL is often most successful when performed on skin that isn't tan- which is why our last laser event until the fall will be on June 21st! The laser can feel like little rubber bands snapping on the skin, but is very tolerable. For the next few days following the treatment, your spots will actually get a little darker before they flake off. The result? An amazing overall improvement in the brightness & evenness of your skin! Feel free to leave wither myself or Dr. Sherber a question in the comments section if you have one!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

It's Time for Girl's Night Out!

I'm soooo excited for our Girl's Night Out Event tomorrow night! Who doesn't love a night with girlfriends? I'm in the midst of making a batch of Tres Bon Bons for it as we speak! We will also be having a fabulous Medusa's Heirlooms hair accessories trunk show that night. We love their stuff- hey if it's good enough for my beloved Bendel's in NYC, it's good enough for La Papillon!

Our Diva of Dermatology, Dr. Noelle Sherber will be offering an amazing special on Botox for Girl's Night, we added some hours on Girl's night since our day long Derm Event on the 21st is quickly booking up. We're offering to any new Botox patient 30 units for $100- the deal is bananas since the regular value is $390! Those that already love Botox will enjoy $100 off a minimum of 30 units.

Lastly, we have a really exciting guest joining us! Kaylin will be on hand doing lip readings! What is a lip reading? Just as someone can read your palms, they can read your lips & she will do so with the purchase of any lipstick or lipgloss tomorrow night. It's the perfect compliment to the official launch of our very own lipgloss line- 10 shades this lipgloss obsessed make-up artist custom created to suit any girl's fancy! The more the merrier, however spaces for Dr. Sherber & Kaylin are limited so please call to reserve your space! Hope to see you tomorrow!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Baby Girl Gifts!

So Partner in crime just welcomed a second little girl- I had little doubt as that girl is all things girly! So of course I had to have some cute things to bring to the hospital to meet her little girl, Reese! First off a flower arrangement that looked like her Maltese, Bentley! Though I'm not normally a carnation lover- I thought the basket turned out adorably & will last a long time thanks to those hardy flowers.

So Partner in Crime is obsessed with cupcakes, so I had some made with little pink bows in honor of her little one's new arrival & to give her a sugar fix. Hospital food leaves much to be desired.

To continue the cupcake theme, I also made two little onesies for Reese. They turned out fabulously & I loved the silhouette one so much, I made extras to sell at the boutique- move over Martha Stewart!

Another great idea that I would have brought if I had known about it? This clever gift our massage therapist Lindsay said she saw on Ellen- Rock A Bye Baby CD's. Lullabies based on current music. We were cracking up, there is nothing like hearing the baby version of Kayne West's Gold Digger- go take a listen! We were seriously contemplating buying some cd's to play at the spa. This is the cutest shower gift for any music lover right?! It's an especially cute little treat for Father's Day- they have Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Bob Marley & more! There are just so many adorable baby girl gifts, I had to show some restraint!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Adios My Beloved Traverse!

This is me jumping on the hood of the Traverse at the thought of having to part ways. All right, well it wasn't really that dramatic & the people at Win Kelly Superstore are awesome. They were super nice & didn't really need to physically pull me off of the car. But still, cue the instrumental music. Alas the day has come where it's time to give back my Chevy Traverse, whom I've been affectionately calling Pearl for the last month while I've been a Baltimore Chevy Girl. Pearl {yes, she's a girl} & I have spent some amazing moments together.

Closeness: as the Beauty Team & I napped and lounged in the cargo area in the back of the Traverse while watching DVDs & having quality girl time...

Anxiety: as I had to drive my dog to the animal hospital after a seizure.

{Though here the handsome man is during a fun car ride & all is well now!}

Victory: that both Pearl & I felt when indeed everything fit in the Traverse after I *ahem* shopped a little more than I planned on

Happiness: on sunny afternoons with the sunroof open listening to The Pulse on Sirius FM.

Joy: when OnStar informed me there was a HomeGoods in the area I was traveling in. {Of course I used it for very important other stuff like when I was lost- who me?!}

Laughter: when I couldn't stop having the 'giggles' for our Chevy Girl mission video shoots

Yes, you have been a good friend to me Pearl & I hope your next owner loves you & appreciates this Traverse as much as I did. Thank you so much Baltimore Area Chevy Dealers, I so enjoyed coming along for the ride!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Yes I'm a Smooth Operator!

I equate a great bronzer the same as I do a great pair of black pants- they both hide a multitude of sins! Any make-up artist will tell you, a great bronzer will wake up the face, give a healthy vibrancy to the skin- all the while concealing imperfections like uneven skintone or a pimple.

When Tarte launched their Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder- I knew I wanted to get my hands on it, especially because Sade's Smooth Operator is my theme song!{ha ha} As a skin care professional, I love that Tarte's products are free of parabens, mineral oil, phthalates & synthetic fragrance- it's a big help in eliminating possible irritants that could cause my finicky skin to breakout!

The sifter on Smooth Operator has only one hole in it which I haven't seen before- but it's genius! What a welcome relief, since dealing with & especially traveling with loose powders is always such a hot mess! I often tell clients to leave the seal over most sifters on loose powders & poke thru only a hole or two with an earring post- why didn't I invent this?!?

Thanks to the Amazonian clay, Smooth Operator minimizes the appearance of my pores while having a blotting powder like effect in mattifying my skin. Hooray for a radiant glow that will stay put during hot & humid summers in Baltimore!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

*Product gifted for review

Two Paws Up on the Traverse

Canines Can't Get Enough of Chevrolet! from Baltimore Chevy Girls on Vimeo.

If you own a dog, you know that for the majority of them- nothing makes them happier than a car ride! My lab mix, Bailey doesn't know what to do with himself when he knows he's getting ready to go on one!

The Traverse is Given Two Paws Up from Baltimore Chevy Girls on Vimeo.

I shall interpret his close up interview for you as Bailey saying, "I love riding in the Traverse & that my windows roll all the way down for optimal ear floppage in the wind when sticking my head out. I give it two paws up!"

I've mentioned before how much I love the hands free tailgate, but on the weekend I shot these videos Bailey ended up having a seizure. It was one of the scariest moments of my life- I was scrambling to get him to the animal hospital as fast as humanly possible. Carrying a 70 lb Lab kept my hands full - I truly appreciated the automatic tailgate opening so I could lay him down & be on our way! I know I've said it's a life saver, this time it actually was one.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files From The Brow Whisperer

So it is Prom season beauties & lots of girls are hopping in for spring clean ups after a busy semester. This client had worked hard on growing in her brows & giving me something to work with after an at home shaping mishap. You'd be surprised at how many tweezer interventions I've had to stage! Put down those tweezers girleens!

I whipped her right into shape for her prom which was that night. I trimmed her brows & then created a clean arch by waxing both above & below- what a night & day difference right?!? Our client brought in her dress & her Louboutins {swoon!} to show us her complete look. She even picked out a new pair of earrings form our boutique to complete her outfit. I hope she felt like a princess, she sure looked like one!

Peace. Love. Brow Whisperer. M

My Adventures with Chevy OnStar

For as long as I can remember I have been navigationally challenged. It started innocently enough, when presented with a fork on the beltway I would go East when it should have West. In a panic to prevent getting lost, I would completely ignore previous directions & just take the exit with the word 'Baltimore' on it. The official diagnosis was not made until one day (granted I was 16) when I went to go to a local mall & ended up in Pennsylvania. Vitamins have helped & once I'm familiar with an area there is little chance for relapse. However, now they've finally developed a cure for chronic sufferers: Onstar!

I don't need to stress any more when I'm in the midst of being lost & fumbling to type in addresses while also trying to drive & find my way! Now with the touch of one button a calm, friendly OnStar Representive will come on the line & help me find my way! Hallelujah!
Directions are then sent via satellite from OnStar to my navigation screen for a visual guide & audio cues prompt me when turns are coming up that I need to take.

Earlier in the week you saw OnStar take me to my old flame's concert. {Alright so Joey McIntyre & I never dated- I was just a teenager lying to myself!)

But on another music note, I also got a last minute invite to go see one of my favorites artists, Matt Nathanson perform in front of 20 lucky listeners. It normally would have overwhelmed me, the thought of driving to DC alone- but it was a no brainer with OnStar. Here I am happy as a clam, having arrived early without being frazzled having to find my way, with my pass!

It was such an amazing day! I arrived fluster free & early thanks to OnStar. Here I am with fabulously talented Matt Nathanson - swoon! I foresee many more adventures on the horizon thanks to OnStar. I'm curious Beauties- when was the last time you were really lost?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Get Your Gleam On!

Last weekend, going to the Preakness Race was a last minute event. As in, oh Lord what am I going to wear & I need a to get a fabulous hat STAT! Never mind the state of my legs, I seriously could be an extra in the Twilight series I'm so pale! Enter Gleam by Melanie Mills. Melanie is the former head make-up artist on Dancing With The Stars- you know the show with all the stars with the gorgeous gams? It was all thanks to her magic touch {alright & maybe a smidge due to the stars working out 10 hours a day!} Melanie developed Gleam for us mere civilians so our skin can 'gleam' just like her celebrity clients!

Swatches from left: Deep Gold, Bronze Gold, Rose Gold & Light Gold
The esthetician in me loves that the lotion has skin nurturing olive oil and jojoba oil, as well as antioxidant green and white tea extracts. Gleam also helps hide imperfections when you're baring more skin in the summertime- it gives a candle light glow to the skin. Best of all, it's transfer resistant! It comes in 4 shades to match any skin tone.

Here are the shades blended more into the skin, still in the same order. Since I'm so pale I just assumed that Light Gold would be my shade, but my favorite cocktail is the Rose Gold with a little dollop of Light Gold mixed in for my very own custom gorgeous Gleam!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

*Samples were sent so I could get my Gleam on!