Everyone knows that we love a great deal, whether it's fashion or beauty, we search high and low for the best products at the best prices. And even though we love indulging in $300 jars of face cream, we get just as excited about drugstore finds like Almay's eye make up remover pads. This is a must have for travel snobs who jet set around the world frequently, I used to keep it in my bag on airplanes so I could freshen up and be night club ready anywhere I land. Nowadays the only place I jet set to is the Wiggles center but I still use it at night after my cleanser (the one and only Shu Uemera cleansing oil which we'll talk about later) and it wipes away every single bit of eyeliner and mascara. I like the moisturizing version but if you wear contact lenses, you should use the oil free version which does not leave a greasy residue. The oil free version is also great to keep in your desk at work cuz you can wipe away smudges and look refreshed all day long! You can find this at any local drug store or order it at Drugstore.com for $4.95. With the money you save you can splurge on Natura Bisse's Diamond Bio Lift eye cream!
January 2007 Archives
The best investment for your cosmetic collection is getting the best makeup brushes money can buy. And there is no other than Shu Uemura for the best of the best. You will hear otherwise but take my word for it, you spend wisely on a nice set and you are set for life. I got my first Shu Uemura brushes as a gift from my mom when I was 16. She got me the powder brush, a cheek brush and a shadow blending brush. All in sable or kolinsky (kolinsky is a kind of mink). Almost twenty years later, the paint on the brush handles have peeled away but there is not one hair out of place on the brush itself, it is in mint condition. (I have continued to collect brushes and now have over 20, all of which look brand new. I clean them religiously and keep them in a leather satin lined pouch.) So you might be asking, OK so these brushes last forever but what does it do to make me beautiful? Well, natural fibers adhere to powder because they are porous so when applying, it goes on evenly and smoothly, instead of having a heavy first stroke. You get the truest color from your makeup. Synthetic fibers act like a broom, the makeup just sits on the surface of the brush and it sweeps around, you can use a Q-tip or the eraser end of your pencil to get the same effect (the sponge applicator that comes up your shadow is just as useless). Shu Uemura has natural and kolinsky, the difference is the natural is either squirrel, badger or pony (or a blend) and the kolinsky is pure mink and oh-so-soft. To start your set, I recommend the following (trust me, you will get hooked and buy every brush they make).
Chantecaille is by far the best line I’ve ever used. Tina will fight me to the death on this and swears Natura Bisse is better but I am so hooked on Chantecaille I can’t even be objective anymore. I was a strict La Mer freak for years and it still has it’s place in my skin repertoire. (It was developed by a chemist to heal his skin after he burned it during a lab accident!). Chantecaille has a much more diverse and full range of products. For a moisture treatment, there is the Flower Harmony for basic hydration (with no firming qualities). But they are known for their miraculous anti-aging products, especially the Biodynmic Lifting Cream. It rebuilds the collagen and elastin in the skin, promotes cell regeneration and the most amazing thing is that it has 83% active botanical ingredients, meaning the botanicals are doing stuff for you and not just there to smell good. There is no other line on the market with this high concentration of botanicals. Think of it this way, if you are buying all organic meats and produce, it only makes sense to treat your largest organ, your skin, with the same amount of care.
The holidays are over but there’s always someone left to get a gift for. I love this Limited edition Pretty Charm lip gloss from Dior. It’s sort of a silly concept for an adult, but it takes me back to my middle school days when I actually wore charms with lip gloss hidden inside. It’s the perfect size to fit on your keychain so you’ll have some lip gloss wherever you go. The only downside is that it only comes with shades of pink lip gloss, so if that’s not your color, you’re out of luck. But lucky for me cuz pink is my signature color, along with anything Hello Kitty. At Sephora for $55
What Hollywood actress was overheard saying that after applying expensive creams to her face, she uses the leftover cream on her bum? According to our Beauty Spy, it was Allison Janney of West Wing fame! Apparently it really works and she has a bum soft as a baby :) Our Beauty Spy is a high profile celeb herself and will be sharing lots of beauty secrets of Hollywood stars with our readers so stay tuned!
I usually put left over face cream on the back of my hands but putting it on the derriere is an ingenius idea! What didn't I think of it? Try it out and let us know how it works for you!
So, I feel like I can be pretty confident in saying that a lot of us have, at one point in our life received a bad eyebrow wax. It’s a tragic and tear-inducing event that usually ends with you trying to convince your hair stylist that you desperately need longish bangs that will cover your eyebrows. The good folks at Paula Dorf have come up with a better fix for you. Their 2+1 is two complementary colors and a lightweight wax that together form a pretty natural looking brow. It comes in three different shades so no matter your hair color, with a little mixing you should be able to find one that matches you. The best part about this is the lightweight wax that comes with it. The wax mixes with the powder and helps it stay firmly put on your eyebrows so it doesn’t rub off anytime your hand or hair gets near them.
For those of you who are artistically challenged (and trust me, it does take an artist to shape a natural looking brow) there is Dorf’s brow shaping kit. Complete with three stencils (natural, fine or full) and a brow brush, the kit is idiot proof. Use it with the 2+1 powder and nobody will be able to tell that your waxer was taking out all her hidden aggression on your brows!
Everyone wants to know beauty secrets of the Fabulous so we've decided to interview a Beauty Diva each week to get all of their beauty tips! Our first profile, Makeup Bag's Erika, shares her secrets:
When did you start the beauty blog and why? Makeup Bag is not quite six months old. I started it last August after nearly two years of wanting to do it, but just not making the time. It's a lot of work to research and test beauty products, but I'm loving it.
I was getting my usual manicure at the Cooper spa last Friday and my manicurist convinced me to try a new nail polish. It's from CHI - the makers of the fabulous straightening flat iron, I was kind of hesitant as I am a creature of habit and have been using a pale pink shade called Passion from OPI for a long time but the color was comparable and the name (Oh baby baby) was too cute to resist. At first the color looked a bit mottled but once it dried, it was shiny and gorgeous. With OPI or Essie nailpolish, I usually need a change within 4 days (I have natural nails, polish does not last as long but I refuse to use any acrylics or anything synthetic on my nails). But I just realized today that it has been ONE WEEK! And my nails still look nice! My cuticles are in need of attention but the polish is still good, no cracking or peeling so all I needed is a bit of cuticle oil. And I am not careful with my nails, it's hard to be careful with a toddler so I think this polish is everything it's boasting to be. According to CHI, there are three ingredients that make this nail polish so amazing. Ceramic for strength and longwear, Silk for shine and Nano Silver to kill bacteria and fungus. CHI Nails is available at Cooper Spa at Craig Ranch. Call 214-383-1010 and ask for an appointment with Shauna or Amanda. I just had a pedicure with CHI yesterday and will let you know how my toes fare!
I had lunch with three of my favorite girlfriends yesterday and one of the girls said she felt tired because she'd been out late the night before. She asked us if we could see her dark circles but as far as I could tell, she looked well rested. I mean, let's be honest here, after a certain age (over 25) anyone who doesn't get a good night sleep will look haggardly but she looked the picture of health with glowing skin and bright blue eyes (I guess it helps that she's blond and gorgeous but we'll get to that later). She then pulled out a tube of Natura Bisse's Eye Illuminate and said, "You've got to try this, it's the latest from Natura Bisse. I was looking so tired but I put this on right before lunch!" Of course I grabbed it and started swiping it on the back of my hand and dabbed it under my eyes right at the table. It is the most subtle golden hue that disappears into your skin and leaves a glowing sheen that deflects light away from your unsightly dark circles. I was really impressed with how it blended into my skin and I like the gel consistency, I especially liked the fact that it is made with botanical products. It's meant to be used over your make up so you can keep it with you all day long to stay refreshed.
Needless to say, I am now in posession of that tube and will be carrying it with me everyday. It's so new that I can't even find a photo of it online so I had to snap a photo of the tube I took from my friend. I really LOVE Natura Bisse's line of products, it is really one of the best skincare companies in the world (if not the best). This is a company that has been owned by the same family since day ONE and they have never advertised! I have nothing against cosmetic giants but at the same time I am always suspicious of how much of my money is spent towards paying the salary of celebrity spokesmodels and how much of it is really going into skin research. With Natura Bisse I feel like I am getting my money's worth. Check with the Natura Bisse counter at your local Neiman Marcus for this must have item.
Let’s talk about hydration for a minute. We all know that one of the keys to flawless skin is to drink a lot of water. The fact that properly hydrated skin leads to a much better complexion has never been a secret. BORBA drinkable skincare has taken that idea and ran with it. They have created six different flavors of water, each designed to produce a different effect on your skin. The waters are specially formulated with vitamins such as A,C and E and minerals that are naturally found and are supposedly helpful in acheving clear skin. The directions say that to see results in 28 days, drink two 16oz bottles a day. This is my logic though – if I was to drink two additional 16oz bottles of regular water a day for 28 days, wouldn’t my skin be a little clearer and firmer than when I started out?
I’ve tried the Clarifying (Pomegranate) and Replenishing (Lychee) waters and they are tasty. I’m just doubtful of their effects. If anyone out there has tried the system for the full 28 days, please let us know! For those of you brave enough to try it, the water is also avaliable through Sephora in crystalized to-go packages. Just mix with 16oz of cold water and drink your way to clear skin. $100 for 60 packets. BORBA Aqua-Less Crystalline - Clarifying - Pomegranate
