Revlon Colorstay Mascara

I'm a big fan of Revlon's Colorstay family of products. Their eyeshadows rock, in fact I wish they'd launch more colors! Always in search of a mascara that doesn't end up making me look like like I'm on the football team, I picked up their new Colorstay Overtime Masacara.

Below I am sporting the mascara at the beginning of the day, which had a nice brush & smooth application.  I put more coats on the top lashes & less on the lower lashes.

Here's my mascara at the end of a busy day that involved yard work in muggy 90 degree weather, getting a massage (complete with my faced smushed into a face rest for an hour) & getting caught in a rain storm. I was pretty impressed it wasn't all over my face.

When I say, it stays on- it stays on. Here's a shot after cleansing my face twice in the shower & using my Almay Oil Free Make-Up Remover Pads & there's still mascara on my lashes! Thank goodness I had some Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil on hand or I would have been sleeping with it on!  This mascara doesn't list that it's waterproof on the package- but it pretty much is all things resistant! The only reason I'll continue my never ending quest in finding that perfect stay put mascara, is that I don't love mascaras that are so hard to get off it puts my actual lashes in jeopardy! If you use Lancome's BiFacil Remover- I'm sure you'll be good to go.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara

Is it wrong that I love going through people's make-up bags? With consent of course! I also love looking at products in friends' bathrooms, but I promise I really won't do it at your house unless I ask! You never know, hidden in your coworker's purse might be the answer to all of your prayers, when it comes to the perfect product you've been waiting for all your life. Alright, I might be being overly dramatic here, but it could be your next favorite thing! This was the case when I recently dug through our Diva of Dermatology's make-up bag at our last injectable event & discovered Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara.

I tend to be frugal when it comes to mascara since I pitch them after 2 1/2 months. Luckily I buy my Mally Mascara in bulk (yes I buy it in 6 packs.) Even luckier? I actually had a sample of this Lancome Mascara from a recent Lancome Gift with Purchase! Yes, it's true I have no account of my make-up stash- it's that out of control. Skeptical of it being all that, I must say the brush is divine. Mascara is a deeply personal make-up product & for me the brush can play as much a factor in my selection, as the actual formula. The amazing amount of bristles prevents clumping of any kind- hallelujah! The tapering at the end of the brush allows for precise application in the lash corners. The result? Feathery, lovely lashes- not at all creepy(which is what comes to mind when I think of doll's lashes.) Minimal smudging or flaking- two thumbs up my friends!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Polish Pic{k}s

I can honestly say I don't think I've ever purchased a Lancome Polish in my life- which is saying something! From looking at their website, however the fact that they had only 6 shade options probably explains why. When I caught a glimpse of Le Vernis 23, it had to be mine. The color in the bottle is a mesmerizing brown with golden shimmer. The bottle was so petite, I couldn't read its name, but if it had one it should be Sexual Chocolate- seriously it's that pretty. It was just different enough from everything else that's in my polish arsenal, that I scooped it up. As you can see, the bottle is quite tiny & I believe I paid $15 {or maybe $19} for it. I couldn't even find this shade on their website.

Trying to capture the gorgeous color in a photo proved very difficult & as I mentioned the shade isn't even on the Lancome site to link to. On the nails, it doesn't translate as richly as I'd hoped, either. To the naked eye it looks more like black, which I'm fine with- I love dark nails. I just really wished the dimension that appears in the bottle would have appeared on my mani. Maybe when the sun hits it, its beauty will be revealed. I'll post as to its wearability in the comments section in a few days. Has any else tired any Lancome polishes?

Peace. Love. Polish. M

Oscars Beauties

My pick for over all best dressed from last night's Oscars? Mila Kunis in Elie Saab. That dress made her look like a Goddess. Make-up artist Tracey Levy used Lancome products to create an ethereal with an edge look. Mila's pucker received a coat of Lancome Color Fever Gloss in Blazing Pink topped with La Lacque Fever Lipshine in Lucent Pink. Head over to Bella Sugar for a break down of the entire look!

What an improvement over the Golden Globes where poor Michelle looked like she was wearing a *ahem* tablecloth! In Chanel Haute Couture, she looks like an actress deserving of academy award nomination. Her platinum pixie haircut was complimented by incredibly soft and luminous make-up. Make-up Artist Jeanine Lobell used all Chanel products, completing the look with Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Rose Dentell. Michelle also held my favorite part of the night, along with Bestie Busy Phillips who was her date. A glimpse during the preshow showed them arriving holding hands, there's nothing I love more than a great friendship!

Natalie was a winner in many ways last night. Previous pregnancy gowns that she's worn have been rather blah if you ask me. They didn't conceal or flaunt her bump, rather she just looked pregnant. This violet Rodarte gown flowed over her curves beautifully. Her glow was due in part to her pregnancy & the rest Dior Beaute. On her pucker? Dior's Addict Lipstick in Infamous Pink, topped off Addict Ultra-Gloss in Apricot Cloche.

Jennifer Lawrence was captivating & definitely understands that less is more! Such the sexy screen siren in her Calvin Klein gown. Soft, touchable hair by stylist Mark Townsend & minimal accessories sealed the deal. So beauties, who were you picks for best & worst dressed? Thoughts on Cate Blanchett's gown? How did you feel the hosts did? I have to say I had expected more from Anne Hathaway, while James Franco did exactly what I thought he would!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Natural Beauties

Gorgeous gowns, stunning jewels & flawless make-up - it's officially awards season! Last night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards I fell in love with all of the nude gowns! Heather Morris brought her A game again in this Romona Keveza & earned my Best Dressed vote of the night!

Hilary Swank looked amazing in this understated camel colored Versace dress. Her make-up & hair were the perfect choices!

Lea Michele looked bombshell worthy in this sleek Oscar De La Renta gown. Her tousled waves complemented her radiant make-up created by artist Melanie Inglessis. The finishing touch to her look? Lancome Color Design Lipcolor in Pale Lip.

Eva Longoria looked like a Grecian Goddess in this plunging Georges Hobeika gown. She looked like perfection in her signature smokey eye & nude lip combination. I also love the confidence that she's been taking lately with her fashion choices & that she's been going stag to the shows! Bravo Girl!

Tell me beauties, who were your picks for best dressed?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nordstrom Gifts with Purchase

My beauties know, I am powerless to resist a good gift with purchase(& sometimes not even so good!) I don't know what comes over me, but I must have them. I love it when companies come up with a tricky dollar amount to hit, so I end up with 2 products I didn't really need & a gift full of stuff I won't really use. Luckily for the recent Nordstrom GWPs - I was pleasantly surprised! This Lancome gift has some great basics- who doesn't need eye make-up remover, as well as make-up in soft universal shades. I'm super picky about mascara, so I'll throw that in my kit.
This Estee Lauder gift with purchase is one of the best I've seen in a while. A nice sheer gloss & soft pink lipstick are perfect for summer time. The blush & highlighter trio is super wearable & great to help your skin achieve that summer glow. The trio can also easily double as eyeshadows. The cleanser is the perfect weekend getaway size, too!

All of those goodies came in this adorable bag, too when you spent just $29! I really don't use the Estee Lauder brand very much, so it was a smart move to put together such a great gift to attract potential new customers. The fabric of the bag is almost identical to Trish McEvoy's kits that start at $85. This is a fabulous find, so I'd scoop it up if you still can!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nordstrom Beauty Haul

In addition to picking up some sets at Nordstrom's sale which I'll show you tomorrow, I scooped up some singles. I was hitting pan on my MAC bronzer, so I went with this bronzer from Estee Lauder & I'm not going to lie- I was totally motivated by the free gift! Estee's current GWP at Nordstrom is awesome & I'll show all GWPs I got this week, too. This compact is actually much bigger than it looks in this picture, almost the size of a CD- so it should last me forever!

I went with Laura Mercier's single shadow in Sterling over Bobbi Brown's new Denim single shadow since the Bobbi one did not even show up on my hand. In the container, both shadows might look a little intimating shade of blue with sparkle...
But as you can see as applied to my lid, it's surprisingly very soft & gives a brightening effect. I actually wish this shadow had more payoff! I had considered returning it, then got complimented on it when wearing it the first day so it stays!

I also picked up another shade of my favorite undereye concealer from Clinique. This time I went for their lightest shade 01- I guess I truly am the fairest of them all since I'm so pale- ha ha! I stocked up on two Lancome Maquicomplet Correcteurs to score their free gift even though that & a Chanel shadow I advance purchased were already sold out on the first day of the sale by 3pm! What can I say the ladies at the Nordstrom sale, myself included, were doing our part to stimulate the economy!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Wishlist Wednesday

The Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale starts this Friday girleens & they have some amazing make-up collections! This Blue & Brown kit ($75)from Bobbi Brown has everything you need for a classic, yet gorgeous look. There's not a dud in the batch! If the blue in the eyeshadow kit makes you a little nervous, just use it as a liner.

I have to hand it to Trish McEvoy, she keeps coming out with her adorable planner collections (& did anyone catch her cameo on Gossip Girl this past season?!) These shadows are neutral, but with dimension & great texture to keep them from being boring. This small kit($85) also includes her new undereye concealer which I'm dying to try! Most of you know how much I heart her lid primers, a mini is included.

Here's the bigger bag ($95)that includes face shades, as well to give an all over soft sensual glow. Again everything in this kit is a winner with everything being very wearable. A little secret? Estee Lauder's GWP looks very much like this bag, so if you love it, but want to save some moolah- keep your eyes out for that. I couldn't find a picture to upload, but I'll be snatching it up! Also Lancome has a nice GWP as well, so I will be stocking up on some concealers. Have you seen the sale catalog? What will you be scooping up my beauties?
Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Gift With Purchase

You know this glam gal loves a free gift! I did a little investigating & am so glad I did! Right now at Nordstrom - Clinique's gift with purchase is stellar! The Trina Turk limited edition bag is chalk full of great summer essentials!

At Macy's, Lancome has a fun beach bag full of great goodies as well! I love concealers from both of these lines -so it's a great time to stock up. Score a couple free gifts with purchase & set them aside for the holidays! Who's always looking out for great deals for her beauties?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.
M

What Are You Trying to Hide?

From the looks of my concealer collection girleens- quite a lot! Today in particular, it's my red nose from allergies! When clients come in to the spa -they ask all the time, what do you use? What have you tried? I'm going to go over what resides in my make-up drawer at the moment, what's good for what & where! Touche Eclat has earned a cult following, but this is strictly a luminizer- not to hide or conceal. It brightens & gives a candle lit effect where you place it.

The newest launch from Benefit offers a lot of coverage & is dense in texture- it's great for larger areas . However, it's thicker consistency makes it a little more difficult to control and manipulate if you're trying to hide a pimple.

Ditto in terms of consistency with the master, Kevyn Aucoin's, the sensuous touch concealer. This little pot will last you forever! A tiny drop is all you need to pat over a blemish. Overuse and you'll struggle a bit with maneuvering it around. I would always recommend using this product with a brush. (stay tuned for a review on his Airbrush foundation)

Another winner from Urban Decay's 24/7 line, this pencil lets you literally draw over the imperfections on your face! A great all in one product in terms of versatility, this one is great to have in your purse for touch-ups wherever they may pop up.

A client turned me on to yet another impressive Lancome concealer. Though, I wouldn't say it's waterproof, this product offers nice coverage without having a pancakey feel. For my acne prone skin, it's also worth mentioning that it's never broken me out!

The new buzz word is HD everything-yes? So why not make-up? Cargo launched this Blu-Ray concealer with promises of skin being ready for high def close-ups. Is it any different from any other concealer? Not that I've noticed...it's swivel up sponge tip applicator also makes it a smidge difficult to control where you're placing it if it's a tiny area...

Being True's concealer offers a trifecta of options. Though I'm usually a little lazy when it comes to concealers in compacts or pots, being able to custom blend is a huge plus as our skin tone usually varies throughout the year. Infused with my beloved antioxidant idebenone, this concealer also helps fade blemish marks and discoloration over time. Two thumbs up! To help any concealer's staying power, lightly dust over it with translucent powder. Hope this helps you gals with going under cover!

Peace. Love. Conceal. M

Concealers available here

The Glammies!

Happy New Year's Eve my beauties! Are my gorgeous girleens getting gussied up for this evening's festivities? What are your go to products for glamming it up? Welcome to the 1st annual Glammies, my glamour awards featuring products that I couldn't live without this year! I try a LOT of beauty products, I just can't stop myself! This year's top honors go to:

Urban Decay's 24/7 liners(above). At last count I had over a dozen of these lip & eyeliners known for their amazing staying power. Perfect for lining the inner rim or waterline of your eye, which I feel is a must in creating the perfect smokey eye.

J'adore Illamasqua's cake liner- it's rich & decadent. I get the most fabulous jet black cat eye ever from this line from the U.K. that recently made its debut stateside. I am tapping my foot impatiently waiting for the launch of new colors, as I have all 3.

Being True Mineral Foundation (above) for it's natural gorgeous coverage, SPF 17 & anti-aging anitoxidants that are infused with the minerals. My go to for each & every day!

Being True Blush in Apricot- this imparts the most perfect peachy glow, while the esthetician in me loves that it's mineral makeup & good for my skin!

I recently discovered this finishing powder due to its rave reviews across the board from fellow make-up artists. It glides on, reduces the appearance of your pores, fine line & wrinkles- all while leaving your skin touchably soft!

Don't let the bright yellow of the Correcteur shade fool you. This Lancome concealer is perfect for neutralizing the redness resulting from pimples or broken capillaries, while having the sheerest of texture. I always have a few tubes on hand.

After recently trying several shadow primers(stay tuned for my review), I am sold on Trish McEvoys. It leaves the lid smooth while offering enough coverage to use it without shadow. On my days off I throw this & mascara on...it makes such a difference.

This undereye concealer from Clinique packs a lot of coverage in a tiny tube. Even the most stubborn undereye circles are no match! Added bonus? It moisturizes while helping with puffiness. Woo hoo!

This lip lacquer from Paul & Joe is our latest obsession at the spa. It brightens the face instantly with a super glossy, yet sheer wash of color. It is delicious & a best seller.

The Matte side of this highlighting pencil is heaven. Use it on the brow bone to wake up your eyes or on the lid as a shadow base. I heart this pencil so! Tell me gals...what is your most favorite product? What deserves a Glammie in your book? Comment & be entered to win a mini brow kit from Anastasia that includes a mini of my beloved Camilla Highlighting Pencil. Have fun tonight Gorgeous Girls!

Peace. Love. Glammies. M