Get Carried Away

It's finally here my beauties! Sex and the City 2 premiered last night in theaters! The fashion, the females- the friendship, I love that this series is such a testament to the power of friendship. I'm heading to a Stiletto party next weekend in honor of the movie. All over the country girlfriends will be getting together. Will you be braving the crowds this weekend to go see it? Cheers to a happy holiday weekend !
The Glamour Gal Cocktail Created for Carrie Bradshaw:
Splash of Creme de Cassis
1 Tsp. Sugar
2 oz. Skyy Vodka
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

1. Rim a martini glass with the sugar
2. Combine all ingredients except creme de cassis together in shaker with ice
3. Shake vigorously & strain into glass
4. Top the cocktail with a splash of the Creme de Cassis
5. Enjoy!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

The Make-Up Show

I had never really tried Shu Uemura before. With news that is it to be discontinued in the United States, I of course panicked & made sure I was not missing out on some great beauty love of my life. You know how it is, you always want what you can't have (or get anymore!)

Shu Uemura is known for their over the top lashes & their lash curler. Their lash curler is the gold standard among professionals & it actually comes in a gold plated version!

One of their head artists, the stunning Rita, showed me her must haves & helped steer me in the direction of some great products to try.

I picked up quite a few shadows, though I couldn't tell you the shades if I tried, the writing is so tiny on the compacts! Vice nice color intensity & blendability with the shadows. Their gel brow color & UV Mousse Primer also made the cut.

I also scored one their limited edition cleansing oils. I'm a sucker for pretty packaging & their cleansing oils have garnered a cult following. It takes a smidge getting used to - you apply it to dry skin, then add a little water to emulsify & create a milk. I use it to break down my make-up at night, then follow with another cleanser. There's free shipping over $50 online now, I would grab what you can while you can!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

The Make-Up Show

I almost blew by the Naked Cosmetics display counter because it gave off a bit of a mall kiosk vibe. Sorry if I'm a snob, but I'm allergic to all things kiosk! Alas the glimmer got the best of me & I went to investigate further. The minerals are beautiful & come in prepacked stacks. Above is the jewel toned stack I selected.

I also picked up a smokey eye stack. These are mineral products, so a little goes a long way. They are very affordable since a stack of 6 shadows will run you about $25-$30. You can get creative with the lighter shades & use them as a highlighter or mix them with a body lotion for a little summer glow. The one issue is the inexpensive packaging. No sifter = hot mess. You'll get this stuff everywhere if you're not careful!

I always tell my clients to experiment with looks right before they get in the shower, to get some practice on creating looks without any pressure for perfection. I'm no different! Though exhausted from just getting back from NYC, I was giddy like a school girl to try on all my make-up! I often look like a tranny right before I get in the shower! On the left is the aubergine shade & right is the emerald green.

Yes my darlings, it's was worth temporarily blinding my retina to show you the sparkle factor of the pigments! What I wouldn't do for my beauties! This is the emerald green up close. All in all if you're looking to expand your color wardrobe, pick up a set of these. You'll probably find them at a mall near you!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

The Make-Up Show

I've seen this line before at Sephora, but always thought Korres focused more on all natural skincare. At The Make-Up Show Korres was obviously trying to spread the word about their growing color collections to professional make-up artists. I had been wanting to try their silicone free primer, because as I know I mention time & time again- moi just doesn't like that slippery feel on her already slippery (oily) skin! The primer feels more like a lightweight lotion & provides a nice hydrating base for make-up. It does not give a mattifying effect so I would definitely use this on mothers of brides for glowing make-up. The gunmetal grey & shimmery white eye shadows I picked up, I was very pleased with. Rich, intense pigment that glides on. Their shadows also contain sunflower oil to help firm the eyelid- sign me up for that! A last minute add on of their Pomegranate Wipes turned out to be my favorite purchase of the lot. These antioxidant wipes refresh the skin while removing impurites & make-up - they also just plain smell delicious & are perfect for on the go. Korres is a line to keep your eye on!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files from the Brow Whisperer

Behold the power of brow powder when in a transition period with your brows, my beauties!

My pick? Paul & Joe Beaute's brow powder duo with brush.

One of our newer clients came in from a referral. The delightful new mom had avoided getting her brows waxed for several years due to a bad experience where too much was taken off.

I assured her I would be very conservative & focus on establishing her shape & balancing her brows since they were uneven.

I was very cautious to leave extra hair at the ends of the brow to see what we could grow back. It was an area that was not consistent with the strength of the rest of her brow.

I then showed her how to fill in her brows to make them look more uniform. I always use brow powder to help clients resist the urge to tweeze & help see the big picture of where we want to get the brows to be. The difference was night & day!

Peace. Love. Brow Whisperer. M

The Make-Up Show

I don't know about you, but I love the whole vibe of Stila. I love it's whimsical packaging, but I don't use a huge amount of their entire line- just a shadow here & multiple lipglosses there! I wanted to try their new One Step foundation so I picked that up. This new formula claims to be a primer, foundation, concealer & powder in one! The verdict? Pretty impressive! The texture is almost mousse like without feeling like a huge amount of silicone is in it. Silicone is what gives most primers their slippery, glass like feel. Oily skin people like moi don't tend to love that feeling. It covered beautifully with medium to full coverage. I did use my regular under eye concealer, because, well I have some serious sleep deprivation!

I also picked up three of their new Smudge Stick Waterproof Gel liners at the urging of fellow blogger, Gouldylox. She is obsessed with them, as were the make-up artists at the show. These were the only shades left out of eight! You can see the subtle, but beautiful sparkle in them.

Here are swatches from what I scooped up. The liners are great- creamy & intense. I'm still on the quest for a liner for the inner rim of my lower lash line that just won't budge. I have had bad allergies the last couple of days, but for the most part these liners are holding their own amidst watery eyes! I'm very happy with my foray into Stila land & will definitely be trying more of their new launches.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

The Make-Up Show

I know that brush cleaner doesn't sound that exciting of a purchase. But, I must adore Cinema Secrets brand to lug heavy bottles of it all day at the Make-Up Show. How often do you clean your brushes? Really clean them, not just a tissue wipe? Good brushes are an essential tool in creating flawless make-up application, but they're an investment. I still have a Virgin Russian Squirrel hair brush from over a decade ago that set me back over $100. My first question was, how do you know the squirrel was in fact a virgin, but I digress...

Regular cleaning maintains your brushes & keeps them in good shape for years of use. If you are acne prone like me, clean brushes will help keep your skin clear- most people don't think that dirty brushes might be a culprit. You can also use a gentle baby shampoo, but whatever you use make sure not to get liquid inside the metal portion that anchors the bristles...You don't want to loosen the glue or your brush will start shedding. Gently squeeze excess liquid out of the bristles, reshape if necessary, then lie flat on a paper towel until dry. When you get a good quality cleaner, you'll be both horrified & amazed at how much product comes out!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

The Make-Up Show

Well I'm back my beauties! NYC at the make-up show was a blur, but a great blur! The show just reinforced why I should be doing make-up for a living. I am in love with it. I must be if the train ride up didn't faze me. Gentlemen, when you are taking public transportation- you are not in your own home. Keep your shoes on!!! I'd also like to thank the woman who was on her cell phone the ENTIRE three hours. Kudos to your battery power sister, but take a breath & make it brief! But I digress... It's always after the show frenzy & the excitement dies down, that you realize you spent a wee bit too much money. Like your mortgage amount! So for the next several days, I'll be giving you a peek into what I picked up. First off Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. We have this line's airbrush make-up & compressor. They are very innovative & made the first water based airbrush make-up that was completely vegan. Other airbrush lines are alcohol based & can be tough on the skin.

I showed restraint on my purchases here, but I knew I wanted to pick up some of their Lip Tars. This product is a favorite of professional artists, especially for editorial work. The consistency is so interesting- incredibly light, yet intensely opaque. I picked up Conquest (L) that will be perfect for creating nude creamy lip shades & Hush (r) a pretty peach shade.

Sorry for the blurry image, but that's what you get I'm taking the picture myself in a rush to get the post up sans caffeine. I wanted to show the product on the lips, because it's so insane! It's such intense pigment, I'm going to have a blast playing with these! I also picked up a grey glitter of theirs called Slate, because even when I'm 80 I'm sure I'll still be rocking out the sparkle!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

The Makeup Show

We all have an idea of what heaven looks like. Mine usually involves endless amounts of beauty products at my disposal, calorie free italian food & unlimited cocktails. Today I'm in heaven at The Make-Up Show in NYC! Loads of professional make-up artists such as myself convene to learn the latest runway way looks, take master classes & get re inspired. Tons of make-up lines will be featured...Make-Up For Ever, Kevyn Aucoin, Smashbox, MAC as well as smaller "indie" lines such as Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I promise I will take tons of pictures & report back to you the latest & greatest finds!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Preakness Time!

It's Preakness this weekend! Being a Baltimore girl, I thought I would share with you beauties the official drink of this horse race: The Black- Eyed Susan (makes one cocktail)

3/4 ounce Vodka

1 1/4 ounce Early Times Kentucky Whisky

3 ounces sour mix

2 ounces Orange Juice

Shake & serve over ice. Garnish with an orange slice & cherry. Enjoy!

For those of you who prefer a classic Mint Julep while watching your horse races- here you go!

2 cups water

2 cups sugar
8-10 sprigs of fresh mint
Early Times Kentucky Whiskey

Make a simple syrup by boiling the water & sugar together for 5 minutes. Let cool, then add sprigs of mint & refrigerate mixture overnight.

Fill cups with ice, then add 2 ounces of Kentucky Whiskey & one tablespoon of mint syrup to each individual glass. Top with simple syrup, stir & garnish with fresh mint! Cheers to having a great weekend!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Press Event

Last night we had a press event at the spa to have local media check out our fabulous place! It was a smashing success & the whole set up looked amazing! I love using this oversized martini glass as a cooler! We also served Antioxidant Martinis which were a blend of white tea, blueberries, Acai berries & vodka- yum!

This is about as domestic as I get! I attempted to make my very own cake bon bons & they actually turned out pretty well. If you're a long term reader you know I'm obsessed with them! I daydream about them, they're so good. The vendor that introduced me to them closed, so in a panic I turned to a fellow blogger for the recipe & made them myself! I had some melting candy & decorations left over, so I made coordinating pretzel rods in the spa's signature color of baby blue!

Delicious mini chocolate cupcakes with creamcheese frosting rounded out the dessert section. The store was looking its best & we were thrilled to see such positive response for our little gem of a spa & gift boutique!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Beauty Bounty

I had a 20% off coupon for Ulta so of course I put it to good use! I scooped up 2 mascaras that I've been using lately, my favorite being Rimmel's new Max Volume Flash. Love the bright pink tube & I heart everything about the actual product, especially the price tag. Since I try to pitch my mascara every two months, I love finding affordable mascaras!

A friend had picked this Stila Jewel Box up & I had to have it! Four tiny (& I do mean petite) creamy powder shadows are packed full of glitter. The texture is quite fun & easy to work with. It's a great product to turn to when you want to step up the sparkle factor of your look, but it is a bit pricey at $38.

If you've never heard of NYX, be sure to check out the line. It's full of heavily pigmented, affordable products( love their shadows!) I picked up a beautiful lip glaze of theirs that retails for under $8. Love the brush applicator and the fresh color.

I swear I have ten of these lip glazes & I hadn't been reaching for them lately. But the lipgloss addict in me picked up another! I fell back in love with the product after discovering the Banane shade. It is the perfect hue to top over any liner or lipstick to make it a glossy nude and it smells deliciously of fresh bananas (not in an obnoxious way) All in all I was really happy with everything I picked up. What's your latest favorite find from Ulta my beauties?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files from the Brow Whisperer

One of our fabulous new clients brought her daughter in for her first brow wax just in time for her prom! She wanted to look her best for the night & her unruly brows took away from her beautiful eyes. It's always a good idea for young girls to have their brows professionally shaped initially, so they can then maintain it. Without an established shape over plucking ensues-we've had to do a good amount of tweezer interventions!

In just a couple of quick swipes, her brows were beautifully shaped. She was thrilled & promised to bring in her prom pictures showing off her new fabulous brows!
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday

Last year we had a signature flower bracelet that we sold out of- this year I think we've topped it! How whimsical & fresh & slightly retro is this bracelet? It's perfect for summer! Here it is in the gold tone & pink version that I had to have with its matching ring. I'm not normally a gold tone kind of gal, but I loved the soft color.

Here's the bracelet in more earth tones with silver metal. It's so comfortable to wear throughout the day & easy to get on and off due to it's hinge.

Here's the vibrant blue version in silver tone- I love how it looks like the flowers are actually floating on the wrist! These beauties are at the boutique now & will be uploaded on PeaceLoveLipgloss over the weekend- so grab one while you can. Speaking of weekends- I hope all my girleens have a great one!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files from the Brow Whisperer

Here's another perfect example of a fair skinned client that might be on the fence about getting her brows waxed. Some clients with extremely fair hair, as well don't think the hair is visible enough to make a difference...

What a difference it makes, though! I feel especially on fair complexions with light hair that the face can become almost one dimensional if the brows don't create the frame. This client has the most amazing eyes that get hidden when her brows aren't groomed. I would also suggest she fill in her brows with a soft taupe powder to give the brows a little bit more substance & really make her eyes pop!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fashion Fever

This weekend I went to the Fashion Fever fashion show to benefit Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital. My thoughts are fashion + philanthropy= win win. It was a packed house! Partner in Crime & I had a great time browsing vendors at the show, nibbling on a light lunch and enjoying a glass of vino while catching up and admiring the clothing.

Since Baltimore is such a small town, I wasn't surprised to run into Barbie (the model from a bridal shoot I worked on earlier this year) who was there to strut her stuff on the runway. Stunning & stylish as always!

Here's Barbie ready to step up & walk the catwalk!

I was in love with this major bib necklace- it's huge! Look how it totally transforms a basic black dress, though. Lori K, a local clothing store provided wardrobe for the fashion show.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Deborah Stone, a local news anchor who's now making her foray into the beauty scene. Her new venture Beauty GPS, takes her experience for having to look great on television into guiding her clients towards the right beauty provider(such as our fabulous La Papillon Beauty Team!) for them. Genius idea, if you ask me! You know we're always on board when it comes to beauty! It was a great day for a great cause!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Monday Make-Up Must Haves

Swoon! How gorgeous is this collection from Smashbox?! This is the type of ethereal glowing skin I strive to create. I'm in love with this look. Since I shun the sun, I probably will be one of the only girls that will be this pale during the summer!

This set of 8 mini glosses is a steal of a deal at only $25! Though I feel like I'm bordering on 'hoarder' levels when it comes to my make-up stash, I really do need this. Smashbox glosses have the perfect non tacky texture for summer, which means your hair won't get stuck in them!

For a glow that looks like it comes from within, you can't beat a cream blush. This blush/ highlighter combo is perfect for easy summer looks. In a pinch you can put the highlighter on your brow bone & cheekbone, then the blush on cheeks & lips! This collection has my name all over it- what do you think my beauties?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M