Stocking Stuffers

Stockings are soooo my favorite part of present opening! But boy do those little presents add up price wise! Throughout the year I set aside little things from Gifts with Purchases & samples that aren't right for my skin or coloring for my sisters & mom.  That way they get a custom compilation that makes them feel special. I also make sure to utilize any Sephora & Ulta discounts that come my way;)

Worth scooping up: Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray mini ($19.) I'm obsessed with this product & it really works on all hair types- who doesn't want a little more volume in their lives? I also use it as a dry shampoo- not a trace of residue is left so my brunette self isn't left looking like Cruella DeVille!

I first saw this L'Oreal eyeshadow compilation in Italy & they were sold out. Devastated, I hopped online to find it to no avail. Luckily, they have now arrived in stores stateside! This is a perfect neutral palette for everyone on your list & under $10. The textures have enough dimension to appeal to younger crowds, while the classic shade selection will appeal to the older crowd.

I always implement a buying in bulk strategy as a cost saving measure when there are 3 stockings I need to do. Then I break up the set & wrap individually. These lip butter from La Licious smell divine, feel fabulous on & are perfect for this time of year when our puckers get particularly parched. One retails for $12.50- this set is a bargain at $25.

This kit alone could have your stocking needs taken care of in one fail swoop! 16 mini OPI best selling shades plus a free jewel top coat to boot. Regularly $49- it's now on sale for $33 at Sephora- I say run! Mally Beauty put out some amazing value collections this year worth mentioning, but since we're down to the wire in terms of shipping days- your best bets for value sets I feel are from Anastasia of Beverly Hills & Tarte. Get creative with your treats-my mom also puts lottery tickets in ours as a fun bonus. You gotta play to win!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Dr. Jart BB Cream

Well the BB craze is in full effect across the country. Never have I seen companies jump on a skincare trend as quickly as this.  Every one from Dior to Garnier has launched a BB cream this year, with L'Oreal & Maybelline joining the group with launches this month.  Dr. Jart was introduced to me at the CEW Product Demonstration this year. This BB cream boosts a high SPF of 45PA++ which gets a thumbs up & appeals to the skin care specialist in me. 

The texture is moisturizing, the coverage it offers is medium to full. It imparts a slightly dewy finish so I would steer normal to drier skin types to it.  I reached for it over a lazy weekend & though the tint is supposed to be universal, my best friend laughed at me when she saw me.  I thought I looked like a bronzed Goddess, I guess I looked more like a Florida Grandma whose face does not match her neck. She literally said, "we can't leave with you looking like that." I keep telling myself I'll be one good looking 70 year old, because I stay out of the sun!  I then handed the product off to both my mother & a friend- with the first saying it was too light & the other saying it was too dark.  I felt like Goldilocks, then my friend Gouldylox ironically said it matched her perfectly!  Lesson learned: always test 'universal' tints when possible before purchasing.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss

5 Things

What a delightfully lazy weekend I've spent with friends.  What have I reached for time & again over the last few days? Always, my trusty Tory Burch sunglasses.  I'm also 'that' girl obsessively protecting her skin while out on friends' decks. What can I say? I'm an esthetician, plus just last week I had the Clear & Brilliant laser treatment. Though I would like to be wearing a full bee keeper's uniform, reaching for Physicians Formula's Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation & L'Oreal's Colour Riche Balm SPF 15 helps me feel protected.

A little Patron Silver on the rocks with a lot of lime wedges = crisp, refreshing heaven.

I totally fibbed & passed off pasta salad I brought to a cookout yesterday as my own. "Sure I made it from scratch."  As in, yes I opened the box, cooked the pasta & added mayo. Done & delicious. How have you spent the holiday weekend Beauties? 

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadow

I was ecstatic the moment I saw L'Oreal's Infallible Eye Shadow, because it reminded me of Chanel's Illusion D'Ombre Eye Shadow & I immediately justified that I could have 4 for the price of 1 of Chanel's! Yes, that's how I truly think- I kind of want one of every make-up product out there in the world. I know...issues.

From the start, the medium of this product just didn't work for me very well. Not a cream & not a powder, it proved to be a crumbly hot mess when trying to use it as an eyeliner. You can get a feel for how crumbly it was, by spotting the fall out beneath my eye. Normally I do my foundation first & then my eyes, while some artists do the exact opposite. For this I would do the eyes first, as I had to use make-up remover several times & had to reapply my concealer. I would also recommend using your fingers to apply or at least a short synthetic brush to really grab the product & minimize the mess.

Since L'Oreal's Infallible was being so uncooperative & I was running late for work I ended up with an intense blue lid with the remnant of my wing from just trying to use it as an eyeliner! Even more frustrating is that you can see, within minutes the shadow had smudged into my crease- not so much Infallible in my eyes. I had to set it with navy shadow. The color garnered oohhhs from co-workers, but at that point I was exasperated. The product offers intense pigment & shine, but with all the additional steps I had to take with it- this is not the shadow I'll reach for when I'm time crunched in the morning.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-Up Must Have Monday

You beauties often ask what mascaras I use on my peepers & often it is a 'sandwich' of products. Currently I start with the first 'slice' of bread being L'Oreal's Voluminous Mascara, then comes the 'meat'- which is always my beloved Mally Volumizing Mascara, topped with the last 'slice' of bread which at the moment is Revlon's Grow Luscious Mascara.

I do this for a few reasons, first because my skin is so oily{& I loathe waterproof mascaras} that I find certain mascaras transfer less. Those end being the last step in the sandwich. Certain mascaras & their brushes separate & coat each individual lash better- those end up being the first slice in the sandwich. The meat, well Mally's mascara just multiplies the appearance of lashes like none other I've found.
When clients ask me what I recommend mascara wise, I always hesitate because mascara is such a personal preference. The brush is often just as important as the actual product! A staple for most make-up artists is Maybelline's Great Lash, but you will never find that in my kit. I call that brush the 'frozen yogurt swirl' brush & it just doesn't separate lashes enough for me. There is a new concept entering the market though, that just may be on to something. MAC's new Haute & Naughty Lash basically offers 2 different brush experiences in one. By pulling the pink brush out, you have a very good brush at separating & defining your lashes without delivering a lot of product.

You then can add some extra oomph to the outer lashes by pulling the purple sparkly brush which offers considerably more product. One could also use the pink for daytime looks & the purple for night. Definitely an interesting idea, that works very well. I will be curious as to whether all that brush interchanging will dry out the mascara quicker, but as of now- it gets two thumbs up.

Peace. Love. Lashes. M