Files From the Brow Whisperer

Today is a super exciting day for me Beauties as the annual Best of Baltimore Issue of Baltimore Magazine hits the newsstands today & yours truly received the top honor of Best Waxing in it!!! I'm so thrilled, I can't even tell you. Here's a snippet of the article:

" ...the Brow Whisper and, we have to agree, it's a fitting moniker for Madeleine Homes, owner of La Papillon Spa & Gift Boutique. The MAC-trained Homes will work her magic to bring out your brows' natural curves. And if you're looking for more never fear: The bubbly Homes
will put you at ease while she skillfully, um, pulls off every feat of waxing wonder, from a simple lip tidy to the go-for-gusto Brazilian."

Woot Woot!!!

This week I waxed a new client who had met me at an off site event, I now wax the 4 daughters + their mom they loved their brows that much! While not wildly out of control, this client's brows had more bulk in the middle of her brow than in the beginning. I like it a little fuller in the beginning for more umphh {yes that's my technical term!}
All I did was taper & streamline her arch and then cleaned up above & below for such a better looking brow! A quick tutorial for the girls on what a difference brow powder can make in enhancing their shape & off the glammed up girls went!

Peace. Love. Brow Whisperer. M

Opening Pandora by Zoya

So many of you fellow beauty obsessed girls I'm sure are subscribing to Birchbox, yes? It's a nice little welcome once a month that breaks up my work day with a little play! Included in this month's offering- Zoya's Pandora nail polish. I am usually a creature of habit, I wear OPI's Midnight in Moscow pretty much exclusively on my fingers & toes.
However I was headed for a beach weekend getaway & thought let's lighten it up! I worry sometimes since I'm so pale that nudes can look blah on my skintone, but I got a lot of compliments. Our spa manager, Jodi kept telling me she was obsessed with the color!

I will say this nude was a dream to apply, usually with pale colors I'm chasing the streaks all over the nail. This creamy formula went on beautifully- I could have gotten away with one coat. I will be scooping up some more of their colors due to how well the polish went on.

However this is my dilemma- and not the Zoya brand's fault since it happens with most light color polishes on me. Whether it's dark denim staining it or in this case several applications of sunscreen, my light color always changes on me, though I seal my mainucre with a topcoat. It gets to the point where I feel like I look like I dug myself out of my own grave - it looks dirty! Any tips & tricks to prevent this from always happening? I'd appreciate it Beauties!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Lotus Jewelry Studio Summer Trunk Show

If any of you Beauties are Baltimore based, I would love to see you tonight! I'll be at Lotus Jewelry Studio's Summer Trunk Show from 5-10. La Papillon will be in the house representing with lots of our fabulous wares, as well as Tres Bon Bons with samples of our Death by Chocolate flavor!

I have to say one of the best perks of having a boutique is finding great vendors to stock it with. I love supporting local businesses & ironically enough Lotus' Studio is literally 100 yards down from our spa & gift boutique. They have amazing pieces- they're known for their initial necklaces which make great bridesmaid gifts. I fell in love with their Sierra Necklace- it's simple, yet unusual. I also adore green amethyst & get a compliment every time I wear it.

These are hands down my favorite pair of gold earrings- their Sasha Earrings, another piece of theirs that I had to have for myself! They're the perfect earring to throw on with your hair in a ponytail in the hot summer heat, I love that they're not heavy either. I'll be sporting these tonight! Hope to see you for nibbles, cocktails & great accessories!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Macadamia Infused Goodness

Yes, so this comb by Macadamia Natural Oil looks like your standard comb my friends I know- nothing to write home about. But wrapped in the comb is pure Macadamia nut oil goodness. Now I want a macadamia nut cookie, but I digress. John Fasan, the CEO of Macadamia Natural Oil explains, “We chose Macadamia Nut oil due to its uncanny similarity and its ability to mimic the body’s own natural oils, allowing for unparalleled absorption and rapid penetration into the hair and skin.”

I have long hair that I'm trying to grow about 4 inches longer{that's what she said- sorry I couldn't help myself!}. Though my hair is healthy, it tangles easily. When your hair is wet, it's actually weaker, so it's important to be gentle with it to prevent breakage. I use this after the shower- it glides thru untangling effortlessly. It's great for long or curly hair & perfect for your beach bag. I must admit I didn't think I'd love this comb as much as I do when I got it for Christmas. But I just bought my second one- the oil infused in the comb lasts for me about 4-6 months, then I noticed it wasn't working as effectively. Does this pique your interest Beauties? Will you be 'combing' the stores for it? Seriously I'm on a roll today!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Wish List

Wow- I'm in the mall so infrequently I almost forgot about Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale going on now! Though I'm trying to cut back on my beauty purchases since I have enough make-up to last me my lifetime, the offers are too good to pass up! Let's start with this Clinique kit- if you love soft pinks & purples, this is right up your alley! This kit offers both skincare & make-up for only $45 {I would set these aside for great holiday gifts!}

Often it kits there's a dud or two, Bobbi Brown's is a slam dunk if you gravitate towards peaches & browns- all great wearable colors & basics that won't gather dust. This kit is very affordable for her line coming in at only $80.

I'm a sucker for anything quilted & I go thru liner like no one's business wearing my cat eye almost everyday. The credit card sized cream liner compact builds your make-up wardrobe & a girl can never have too much gloss or mascara! This Smashbox collection is a steal of a deal at $59.


I adore Trish McEvoy's Eye Base Essentials & a deluxe travel size is included in her Timeless Beauty kit, complete with red bow organizer for $125. Have you popped over to the Nordstrom page & taken a peek? What caught your eye- do tell! Worth noting- Estee Lauder has a nice GWP so if you already use their stuff, it's time to stock up! Happy Shopping!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Atralin Gel

Those who know me, know that I consider myself the Queen of exfoliation. We're not talking scrubs here people- but AHA's, enzymes, peels: the good stuff. I tell all of my clients that in order to fight the signs of aging & to be blemish free, you must be using an exfoliant. It also ensures the rest of your skin care regimen will be working that much more effectively, since it's not sitting on dead skin. That being said, I can usually spot someone using Retin-A from a mile away. Their skin is red, raw & peeling. No thank you. Vitamin A is the gold standard for Dermatologists for anti- aging, though. So when I heard about Atralin I was intrigued. Vitamin A blended with my fave hyaluronic acid to minimize irritation & to hydrate. The texture is like a whipped gel that sinks in instantly- I love it! I topped it with one of my favorite moisturizers (Jan Marini's Transformation Face Cream) and woke up to smooth, radiant glowing skin.
Summer is not the time for most to be trying new prescription exfoliants, but since I shun the sun like a vampire & am always fully dipped in SPF, it's ok. If you know you'll be by the pool a lot this season, hold off integrating it into your regimen until fall. Whenever you introduce a new potent exfoliant into your skincare regimen I always suggest doing it 2X the first week, then 3x the next week and easing into using it every night to minimize irritation & possible peeling. An added plus? There's an awesome rebate for Atralin that I found out after I initially purchased it {I about fell over at the @$215 price tag!} Just go to their website, fill out your email & you can get Atralin for only $25 this year! That's a steal of a deal- you'll be on your way to gorgeous skin Beauties!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-Up Must Have Monday

You know this girl loves lipgloss- what gave it away? Maybe the name of my blog?!? Nothing makes me giddier & the glossier, the better! When it comes to my lips, I always say they're the one thing I want bigger on my body...{Not to be confused with mouth, I'm sure no one wants me to have a bigger mouth!}
Often I've picked up plumping glosses that end up irritating & chapping my sensitive lips- leaving me using Aquaphor to soothe them. LipSavvy Lipgloss promises to instantly & painlessly plump my pucker with hyaluronic filling spheres- an added bonus is that hyaluronic acid is know to hydrate & moisturize, as well. But what I love most about this product, besides being girly & glam, is that it offers serious skincare benefits to an often neglected area of our face. Lip provides their trademarked 'Complete Free Radical Protection Technology' in all of their glosses. This technology protects your lips from all three known types of free radicals.
Free radicals are what age us- so I'm always a fan of anti-aging beauty products!

Sho Bunny is gorgeous on its own (bottom), but also the perfect finishing gloss. Here it is topped on La Papillon's Lip Enhancing Liner (center) & on my beloved YSL Rouge Volupte in R8JAA (top.)

LipSavvy comes in 2 different color intensities: Star Studded Shine is sheerer, while ColorGlam is more opaque. I'm sporting Sho Bunny in this post.

Here's Sho Bunny on its own on my pucker- it's a beautiful soft shimmer. I must say my lips look nice & full in this shot:) It's not at all tacky & feels lovely on- without any burning or tingling. LipSavvy is launching this summer & will retail for $20.

Peace. Love. Lipgoss. M

*This gloss was gifted for review