Kerastase Fusio-Dose

So I've never been much of a hair product girl- I know that's shocking. Actually, let me clarify: I buy tons of hair styling products, tools & the occasional bump it- but nothing works. My hair is fine, though I have a lot of it. But as I'm getting older & I've spotted the occasional *gasp* grey hair, I've been focusing on hair health. I do a hair mask every Sunday night, as my hair is pretty long. I also put protective product in my hair before blow drying or straight ironing it. But there's a new weapon in my arsenal. My hairdresser, the fabulous Erin of Fraiche Studio has been adding these high tech vials by Kerastase called Fusio-Dose to my salon visit. Completely customizable depending on the state of my hair, this go around she choose the Concentre Sunstantif (purple vial) to improve my hair elasticity & the Booster Ceramide (green cap) to strengthen my hair fiber. After shampooing, she applies the formula & combs it through- letting it sit for 5 minutes. She then rinses it & styles it. The result is seriously healthy feeling hair. Yes, the Kerastase line has always overwhelmed me a bit, but when these two pieces attach the perfect cocktail results. Also since I don't speak French, I've now gotten a grasp on the color group breakdown of the line: Pink=Color Protection, Orange=Nourishment for Dry Hair, Green= Strengthening & Purple=Density/Thickening. I must say, Kerastase is like skincare for hair!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files From the Brow Whisperer

Have you ever been driving along in the car, take a glimpse in the rear view mirror & think, "Holy @#*! I have to get my _____ done!" More often than not, what fills in that blank has something to do with hair- whether it's your brows, roots or a whisker or two. Yes, it's that time of year my friends ~ time for a little Spring Cleaning!

I don't know about you all- but these first few months of 2012 have been quite hectic for me, as well as my clients. I have some regulars who are meticulous about scheduling their appointments, then I have the regulars who call in a panic after a traumatizing rear view mirror situation. If it's been a while since you've had your brows professionally shaped, besides doing spring cleaning at your home- clean up your brows! What a difference 15 minutes of grooming can make when it comes to your face!

Peace. Love. Brow Whisperer. M

Fabulous Finds Friday

So my sparkly shoe search started with a pair of Jimmy Choo flats I was obsessed with! Alas they weren't meant to be as when I tried to treat myself to them for my birthday, they gave me a Cinderella's step sister complex. I couldn't even squeeze into the 41! However those shoes made both myself & Breezy Style (our spa manager) obsessed with getting some sparkle in our lives. She, being a bargain shopper found these Maria Sharapova for Cole Hann flats on sale for @ $90. I loved them so much they had to be mine, but of course they were sold out at Nordstrom where she found them. I am not a quitter, however. I tracked them down in Iowa, but paid full price for them at $178. Worth it in my eyes. Plus, I justified that I technically still saved over $300 not getting the Jimmy Choos!

So imagine my surprise & delight when good old LC { oh how I miss The Hills} or rather Ms. Lauren Conrad had these beauties in her Kohls Collection! Though not as comfy as the Air Haans for sure, they're still super cute- plus I got them on sale for $34.99! Now I have both gold & silver bases covered style wise- they look soooo cute with skinny jeans!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

TopShop Cosmetics

While I was in Chicago this past weekend, I wanted to explore TopShop- for cosmetics, of course! I have to say the packaging of the line, for what it was pricepoint wise- felt a little juvenile to me. Never the less- because I'm such a giver & I want to report back to you guys, I scooped up some lip products to add to my ever expanding nude glossy lip wardrobe.

TopShop Lip Liner in Ceramic (top), TopShop LipStick in Enamored (middle), TopShop Glaze in Dash (bottom.) I could only find the price for the Lip Stick $15 online, as I couldn't find my receipt- hey it was St. Patty's weekend! I think my total for all 3 products was at least $38. I also wonder if the Kardashians are annoyed with that name of the Glaze, but I digress...

While I must say nothing in particular stood out to me in terms of fabulousness formula wise- the color combination I put together is pretty stellar- so I must give myself props! The standout product of the trio is the chubby lip pencil they call LipStick. It's is a nude shade that feels nice and has a concealer like effect in taking some of the color out of the lip to build the nude, but doesn't completely wash you out in that I look like a corpse kind of way. The gloss adds a opaque, creamy shine that pulls everything together quite nicely. The combination looked beautiful on my friend who has light hair & blue eyes- so I think it can be a winning look on anyone with medium to fair skin.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Memoire Liquide

I don't know about you, but even with loving my job as much as I do, often I daydream.....About being an interior decorator... Of one day giving up waxing for the love of opening a cupcakery bakery. One that I've always dreamed of doing, is also being a perfumer. Since a very young age, I've had the nose of a bloodhound. I've said it before, I could be used to help solve crimes! I associate memories vividly with scent. So imagine my surprise & joy when our Diva of Dermatology mentioned that they had opened a little Memoire Liquide Perfumery studio in my beloved Henri Bendel!

So I decided to give myself an early birthday treat when I was up in NYC for business. A Memoire Liquide Scent Specialist, in my case the divine Vijay, helped me customize a signature fragrance from a selection of at least over 75 different notes.

Your individual fragrance can also be added to lotions & bubble baths- isn't the packaging swoon worthy?!Of course I can't give away all of the secrets to my custom scent, but here are two notes that were included in the winning formula: Yuzu Fruit & Aquarelle- a marine scent which added a beachy vibe to the fragrance. Don't we all need a little more of a vacation feeling in our lives?

Here is the scentsational (yes, I know that was lame) Vijay whipping up my custom blend. The custom blend session can be as quick as 15 minutes if you are a decisive gal or up to an hour if you have a hard time committing to particular notes!
I must admit I used to associate perfume oils with hippies, but the ones that I've tried since broadening my horizons, including this one have left me pleasantly surprised at their staying power. This was a truly unique experience- wouldn't this be an amazing thing to do with bridesmaids or sisters as a gift? I was also pleasantly surprised at the reasonable pricepoint for the half ounce coming in at $65. I definitely suggest you create a liquid memory of your own.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Take a Peek Inside My Beauty Bag

So tonight at the spa, Dr Noelle Sherber, Dr. Ariel Rad & yours truly will be talking in depth about what celebrities really do to stay looking so young & fabulous. While I will be explaining chemical peels, dishing make-up tips & tricks, as well as giving brow guidance -even I am excited to hear the break downs in terms of laser, injectables & other procedures Hollywood's elite turn to! As promised after showing you Dr. Sherber's make-up bag last week, here's a glimpse into mine(though it varies color wise.) I found it very interesting to see how different the contents are due to our skin types being at total opposite ends of the spectrum. Having oily skin that's prone to break outs, I try to touch my face the least amount possible throughout the day. That's why the majority of my products are lip related & hence the name of this blog!

From Bottom:
Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss in Naked Plum:
An impulse buy while strolling through Saks, this isn't so much plum- rather a pretty shimmery pink. The color of my lips, but better & with more sparkle.

Paul & Joe Limited Edition Lip Gloss 002:
No longer available(don't beat me) this gloss adds almost a soft veil of pixie dust to the lips- gorgeous alone or for adding extra dimension.

Paul & Joe Eye Gloss N 01:
Though Paul & Joe Eye Glosses currently only come in duo options, they are my favorite pick- me- up to place a little candlelight on my lid. I always reach for it when freshening up to go out to dinner straight from work.

Make-Up For Ever Aqua Lip 2C:
A great neutral color that I fill my entire lip with in the AM. It packs some serious staying power.

Cle De Peau Beaute Touche de Rouge 129:
Though the price tag of this line is hard to swallow, this balm like lip product gives a sheer wash of color that feels like butter on the lips!

Mally Liquid Lip Color in Mally's Look:
This color is the perfect semi opaque nude to go with an intense smokey eye. Normally that takes several different products to create- Mally nails it with just one!

Becca Glossy Lip Tint in Island Dream:
Soft & iridescent this shade is perfectly named. A little birdie told me it's soon to be discontinued- so scoop it up now if you're intrigued!

Lorac Couture Shine in Elite:
A surprise hit that came in a kit, this shade is a pinky nude that's semi opaque & full of high shine. Another great pairing for a strong eye.

Joey New York AntiOxidant Super E Lip Pencil:
Another tease, as this pencil is discontinued. This product was a best seller before the line went under. I bought as many as I could get my hands on, since it is the perfect nude lip pencil ever:(

Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss 19:
A die hard fan of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills & anything Bravo TV related, I had to have the same divinely smelling peach gloss Adrienne Maloof plumps her pucker with.

Guerlain Natural Shine 661:

I scooped this up after a spa day at The Breakers. This sheer pink tint is gorgeous on its own or as a building block.

Lorac 3D Liquid Lustre:
Another intense shimmering product that I use to add omphh to my eyes with a simple patting of my finger.

Paul & Joe Botting Papers:
I am never without my blotting papers! Gently pressed against my T zone, they are perfect for removing excess shine, while keeping my make-up intact.

Wow- no wonder my purse is so heavy! Full disclosure, I'm also never without a tube of Aquaphor. A lot of these products I've done posts about in the past- so try the search box for more info on a particular one.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Must Have Make-Up Monday: Tarte's Miracle of Maracuja

Is it wrong that whenever I hear the word 'miracle' in reference to a make-up or skincare product, my ears perk up? Let's face it, we all could use more miracles in our lives- especially in the morning when getting ready! Behold the new buzz worthy ingredient & Tarte's new Golden Child, Maracuja Oil. In my head I'm hearing a snarky teen voice announcing, '"Argan Oil is so last year."

Maracuja Oil (a bottle of the multi-purpose pure oil is included in the kit) comes from the Maracuja fruit. The oil is high in Vitamin C & EFAs and perfect for radiant skin. The Miracle of Maracuja Kit, which launches on QVC exclusively March 16th, makes me giddy. Why? Because, well everything is so pretty. I can often take joy in just the packaging of make-up. I knew I was keeping this collection, whether or not I even used the products- just because it's that lovely. It's also a great value with 8 full size pieces coming in at $59.96.

Though the shades look rather intense in the Evoke the Smoke compact, they're very wearable.

I did a sheer wash of the soft pink shade all over, then used the silver in the crease. The purple shadow in the quad was gorgeous swiped on as an eyeliner- used dry it still delivered a pop of pigment. Also included are Tarte's new Cashmere Waterproof Gliding Liner in Black Magic & Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara to complete your peepers.

The Airblush Maracuja Bouncy Blush in Amused looked a little intimidating when I first opened the compact, but when used with the Airbrush Finish Bamboo Blush Brush gives the perfect flush. I always steers clients to dual fiber brushes like this for bronzer & blush, because it is goof proof. It prevents picking up too much color & looking like a clown. Rather you can build the shade to your liking & oh did I mention it feels like heaven on your skin?
The Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss in Peaceful is the perfect soft, sheer color to balance out the eye shades. Things to know? This kit has shades that are cool toned, if you gravitate towards warm shades- this compilation isn't for you. Also though the concealer is for all skin types, I would say it's probably more for normal to dry skin types. I say get a kit for yourself, as well as one for your mom for Mother's Day. These flowers beat a bouquet any day!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

*Can't wait? Pre-order like I did: item #A225240 or item#A220216 on March 16th