Lorac Little Black Palette

Would you like some caramel chocolates my beauties? After the crazy couple of weeks I've had, I decided to treat myself to some new candy. There are few shadows that make me as giddy as Lorac shadows. They are creamy intense flavors for your eyes! The four mineral infused baked shadows in this palette are simply gorgeous!
The kit comes with an eye primer, but again these shadows don't even require one their payoff is so true. Seriously, I dare you to touch your finger to them & not fall fall in love!

Here are 3 of the shades lightly swept lightly on my lid for a natural day look. This kit would also makes a gorgeous smokey eye. The coppery shade in bottom left corner was not in this look.

This is the next Lorac collection I have my eye on- they have some great sets out right now. Wearable colors & go to products in a kit under $30! I say you treat yourself to some chocolates without calories!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-Up Must Have Monday

Sleek, upscale, unique packaging is what you notice when spotting an Hourglass product. Their new Illume Creme to Powder Bronzer Duo is no exception. It comes housed their signature almost cell phone looking gunmetal compact that rotates 360 degrees.

Though I love the natural, "flush from within" look of cream blush- I often tend to shy away from them due to my acne prone skin. But Hourglass's product is surprisingly oil free & wax free. A little goes a long way with this intensely pigmented product. The creme glides on & blends down to a velvety finish. With the pinky blush & peachy bronzer, you can customize the perfect summer glow!

The esthetician in me loves make-up with skincare benefits & this duo is infused with antioxidants from vitamin A & E. Hourglass continues to come up with fragrance & paraben free products that would make you think you had to cut back on luxe style, but good for your skin extravagance is still yours for the taking!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Sunglasses Search!

I am so needing a new pair of sunglasses, well alright not needing but wanting. I can't seem to find the perfect pair at all lately! I love oversized sunglasses, not just because of the glamour factor, but because I want to protect my eyes from sundamage! I also tend to look like a mosquito in aviators. Why am I having such a hard time finding good ones- are large glasses going out of style? Quel Horror! I like wide side pieces as well to prevent crows feet- what can I say I'm obsessed with aging! It's my job! I like these Guccis, but fear the side is not wide enough!
These Fendis are probably at the top of the list

I like these Roberto Cavallis since they're wide on the side, but is there too much going on?

What about these Gucci's? Help a gal out & let me know you favorite pick! Who are your favorite go to sunglasses made by? Have a good weekend!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files From the Brow Whisperer

I could not wait to get my hands on these brows! This is a younger client of mine. Often moms will ask me what the appropriate age for their daughters to start getting their brows waxed. My response is it's once your daughter starts feeling self conscious about them. There's no right or wrong age.

That being said, when dealing with younger clients- I try to be conservative. I tend to not always wax above, but in this case it was necessary. I opted to use a hard wax above the brow for a softer line. My client left with much more confidence & brows that beautifully accented her gorgeous blue eyes!

Peace. Love. Brow Whisperer. M

Sweat Proof Summer Make-Up

What made the cut for my news segment on sweat proof summer make-up? I have such oily skin, finding products that really have staying power is actually a year long struggle for me. Any one of these items is a great choice if you know you'll be outside for several hours, but you still want to look polished. What to start with? I tend to cut down on the amount of products I use if I know I'll be out in the heat, since I don't want them sliding down my face! This great multi purpose product from Paul & Joe Beaute hydrates, primes the skin to hold onto your make-up and has an SPF 30+.
Mineral Make-up is a smart summer choice since it's a powder foundation & it helps cut down on shine. I love that it also offers a physical sunblock- so you can dust it over your eyes (an often neglected area for SPF), the tops of your ears, as well as into the hairline & onto your part. This is great for outdoor athletes- if you've ever burned the part in your hair(like moi), you'll never do it again! I love Being True Mineral Make-up since it's infused with Idebenone, the antioxidant with the highest proven EPA factor.

I tend not to be a fan of most of long wearing lip products since they tend to feel 'grainy' on my lips after a while. I know stains can be an intimidating product, but there are tons of new user friendly versions out in the market. The trick with stain is that you have to work quickly. My pick? The Balm's Stainiac is gel like in texture since it's more forgiving to work with, yet still has serious staying power on lips & cheeks. I use this on brides all the time, and it leaves a beautiful flush on the cheeks & the just eaten cherry popsicle hue on the lips. Stains tend to be vibrant, so you can tone them down with a nude gloss if you prefer.


Any time I'm teaching a make-up lesson, I send the client home with a fine angled liner brush. Just wetting the brush with water can turn any eyeshadow you have into a eyeliner. I honestly think once you get the hang of it, that it's easier to line with a brush then a eye pencil(& it tugs less on that delicate skin.) A sealer liquid, like this one from Make-Up For Ever, turns any shadow or cake liner into a waterproof version - love it! Make-Up For Ever also gets an honorable mention for their new Aqua Creams, a cream pigment that comes in over 15 shades for eyes( lips & cheeks too) that when applied just won't budge!

Tired of looking look a football player when it comes to mascara? Lash tinting (& brow tinting) at the spa is incredibly popular during the summer. If you're going on vacation and will be getting in & out of the pool a lot, this might be perfect for you. A vegetable dye safe for the eyes is applied to the lashes for about 10 minutes & voila deep black lashes are revealed. It's painless (even relaxing!) and is perfect for those with fair hair.

Lastly, blotting papers are a must have in my purse at all times. Sweating is inevitable during the summer, since it's our body's natural cooling mechanism. Instead of caking on more powders throughout the day & clogging my pores, I just blot my t zone. So there you have it my beauties, these are my picks for staying gorgeous in the sweltering heat. What are your favorite long wearing products?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Sweat Proof Summer Make-Up

I had the amazing opportunity to be the beauty expert this past weekend on WBAL, our #1 local news channel!

It was a thrilling, yet nerve racking experience. But I am proud to say that I did not faint or stutter( even when a dog barked from another segment!) I was up at the crack of dawn to get myself beautified before my 6:30 AM call time. It was so neat seeing the behind the scenes of how the news is filmed. It's actually very mellow, calm and quiet on the sound stage(besides my heart that was thumping a mile a minute!)
I had expected camera men, but all of the cameras are motorized, so it was just the anchors, one producer, 2 other guests and little old moi on the set. The segment was on sweat proof summer make-up, so make sure to check back tomorrow to see the products that made the cut to be one of my picks!
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Bubbles & Baubles Event

Our Bubbles & Baubles Event was such a blast! Fabulous jewelry designers & fabulous clients, who can one go wrong?

Champagne glasses filled with Chambord blackberry liquor or Canton Ginger Liquor awaited a fresh pour of bubbly upon the arrival of our guests...

I'm becoming quite the domestic goddess- yes? Bon Bons & pretzel rods in La Papillon's signature blue were the confections I lovingly made.

Our debut of the Virgins, Saints & Angels line became the focal point on our make-up bar.

Another artisan shot of the line.

Rachel Abroms' necklaces were saturated with semi precious stones, while her horsebit bracelets were a fan favorite.

Striking Sumaris pieces can start a conversation.

Our gorgeous Medusa's Heirlooms hair accessories had girls ohhing & ahhing! It was like a breath of fresh air being able to bring in some new designers for the night. So much so, that Bubbles & Baubles might become an annual event. So if you couldn't make it out to this one, there's always next year! Have a good weekend beauties!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Bubbles & Baubles Event

Today's the day my beauties! I will be off & running, but be sure to follow @lapapillonspa for behind the scenes pics & I'll have even more for you tomorrow. Have a great day!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Bubbles & Baubles Event

Ah it's the day before our big Bubbles & Baubles Event- aka crunch time! I've been up to my elbows in Bon Bon making, but I wanted to introduce 2 other lines that will be featured at our jewelry trunk show! First is Wax Insignia, a beautiful line of cast initial & symbol jewelry. At La Papillon we always say "we hold the key to better skin", so it was love at first sight when I saw their key pendants! I also adore all things Fleur de Lis- so again I was sold. I love how customizable this line is- you can layer & choose the style of chain.

Sumaris is a bold line of one of a kind jewelry built around vintage brooches. They are literally pieces of art & can make the simplest of outfits really pop.

I've actually worked with this line before when a stylist brought some pieces to a photo shoot I was working on, this is another signature piece type of line. I hope any of my Baltimore area gals will be popping by- I would love to meet you!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Medusa's Heirlooms

Medusa's Heirlooms are like confections for your hair. They always add a little sparkle and a little glam to your coif! I love everything about the line, including its fabulous owner Nicole.

I now have an official wardrobe of headbands because I love theirs so much! While working, I'm often waxing clients. To avoid possibly waxing some of my own hair off, I often have my hair up- Medusa's headbands always make me feel more polished.
Medusa's Heirlooms is a huge vendor for my beloved Henri Bendel in NYC- which is known for setting the trends. I wonder if this is the next big trend- since all of the girls at work were pining for these stone ponytail holders. I fended them off since no one is allowed to purchase anything until our Bubbles & Baubles Event this Wednesday! We hope to see you there!
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Virgins, Saints & Angels

Oh Girleens, the day has finally arrived! Our first shipment of Virgins, Saints & Angels jewelry came in yesterday at the boutique & I was doing the happy dance. This is the line that led to the idea behind our whole Bubbles & Baubles Event next week. I wanted to have a launch party to debut it, and it grew from there to include some other amazing designers & a reason to get our fabulous clients together over cocktails.

So what if I felt like I basically needed to have a retina scan & a blood test to even be considered to bring in this line- it's so unusual & gorgeous I was happy to do so! All of the handcrafted pieces come in these exquisite little boxes to keep them in.

I love turquoise- it's so fresh & the color looks good on all skin tones. This necklace is so romantic- swoon!

How striking is this cuff? Intense, yes? This is the cuff that becomes someones signature piece of jewelry.

This is the necklace that began the love affair with this line. I love the old world feel of this piece, and I love how it drapes on the neck. I can't wait for everyone to see the magic of this jewelry in person next week. Have a great weekend my beauties!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Rachel Ambroms Studio

Rachel Abroms started out in the entertainment industry as a casting director. Now she adorns stars with her designs. She has built her brand with stylists all around the globe with these delicate Mad Coin medallion necklaces. They have a lovely a bohemian feel that can be layered or worn alone.

But her line offers so much more depth. I am loving these leather wrap bracelets featuring cool chunks of aqua & blue chalcedony intermingled with chrysoprase.
What can I say? I absolutely heart this piece. It is such statement making power, but is also incredibly elegant.
You know this gal loves anything Fleur de Lis & I love how Rachel combined the medallions with horsebit pieces for a Gucci feel. I'm running out of appendages to accessorize- I love so many of her pieces! Maybe I'll save one or two things for you gals, when we display her collection at our Bubbles & Baubles Event- what can I say? I'm a giver!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Bubbles & Baubles Event

So a week from today will be the first time we've had a jewelry trunk show at the boutique & I'm beyond excited! We always have a great array of accessories on hand, but for the event we will be launching a new line, as well as bringing in several other designers in just for the night. I'm like a kid in a candy store at the moment as I'm dealing with vendors & for the next couple of days I'll be giving you a sneak peek at some of the creations we'll be featuring from the designers. And if you're in the area next Wednesday night, we'd love to see you at the boutique!
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Girls Night Out

I went to the cutest SATC 2 themed party over the weekend after seeing the movie. Have you guys seen the movie? I thought it was cute, though it wouldn't win any Oscars! What did you think? Here's the backyard at the party- including a pink runway at the entrance!

The candy bar was so cute & had delicious confections in every shade of , you guessed it- pink!

Martini glasses with pink polish as our favors awaited us upon entry.

Here's our adorable hostess with the mostest, Heidi serving up signature Cosmopolitans!

The night was such a blast complete with a stiletto competition in honor of Ms. Carrie Bradshaw! I met a great group of girls & I think that's why I love SATC so much- it's truly a love story about friendship! Hope you get to see it with an awesome girlfriend!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M