Posts Tagged ‘Beauty products’

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Beautyfix Spotlight- Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

When I found out that the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel would be joining the list of Beautyfix products this season, I experienced what can only be described as an emotion beyond excitement.  I’m a pretty basic product user, my beauty routine is bare bones, and unlike some of my peers, eye creams, serums and masks just don’t do it for me. Give me a great face wash, moisturizer and some makeup remover and I am a happy girl. Which is why I was so ecstatic over the addition of the Special Cleansing Gel- it’s rumored to be one of the best non-fuss and all around amazing products out there.

Dermalogica receives tons of love and rave reviews from the press, celebrities, blogs and my coworkers. I’ve tried a few of the Dermalogica products before and really enjoyed them (the makeup remover is the best!) but hadn’t had the pleasure of trying the Special Cleansing Gel until a few weeks ago. And an obsession is born.

The Special Cleansing Gel is so mild and effective at the same time, removing impurities without disturbing the skin’s natural moisture balance. It lathers quickly, removes the majority of my makeup and doesn’t irritate my skin at all- on the contrary, my skin actually seems refreshed after I use it due to the anti-inflammatory balm mint. It’s a face wash that can be used twice a day with no problem or fear of drying out and it is light enough that there is no residue or greasy feeling. Plus, I haven’t had one zit!

The only downside? My boyfriend has also decided he is obsessed with it. My supply is quickly diminishing.

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Advanced Vitamins for Healthy Glowing Skin

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

By Liz W
Everyone wants to be beautiful, and although we all have our own definition of what is attractive, having healthy, glowing skin is almost always on the list. No matter how strikingly gorgeous a person’s features are, if their skin looks bad, they won’t look good.

Vitamins for healthy skin

stock.xchng user Patti

You can use all the best products in the world, but the real secret to great skin is what you put in your body. Priori has come out with the perfect skin supplement to go along with their Alpha Hydroxy Acid skin care line. Priori’s Advanced AHA Dietary Supplement is an advanced formulation of nutrients and vitamins for healthy skin, that when taken daily, give skin everything it needs to look top notch.

These once-a-day supplements contain Lactic Acid, which is the key to optimal Hyaluronic Acid production. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the most vital pieces of the perfect skin puzzle. This superior humectant can hold over a thousand times its own weight in water, and keeps skin cells lubricated so they can more easily absorb nutrients, and heal themselves more quickly. Learn about Hyaluronic Acid at Priori’s website.

The supplements also provide you with your daily dose of omega-3s, which are one of the most important foods for healthy skin. Omega 3s are full of polyunsaturated fats, which help repair dry or flakey skin, and also reduce inflammation that can cause redness and even eczema.

When taken in combination with a healthy diet, these supplements can really boost your skin’s overall health and appearance.

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How to get Perfect Eyebrows

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

By Liz W

Eyebrow shaping has been around for centuries, and in the modern day quest for perfect eyebrows, too many of us have experienced some (often hilariously) bad brow-days.

perfect eyebrows

From Stock.xchng user heidijean

If you are like me, then looking back at old pictures can be an eye opening experience. High school portraits and family photos bring back flooding memories of brow disasters. Like that summer when you decided to try the (almost always unacceptable) shave-off-and-draw-in method; Or the next summer when you made up for it by developing a phobia of all hair removal devices, and allowed your eyebrows to not only unite as one, but also let the other ends reacquaint themselves with your hair line.
With so many ways to go wrong with this delicate facial feature, it is no surprise that women worldwide have given up on trusting others with tweezers, wax, and dye near their face.

The best eyebrows are the ones that look naturally groomed, shape the face without overwhelming the eye area, and look so good, they go unnoticed to the untrained eye. Celebrity eyebrows that fall into the awesome category are those of Hayden Panettiere and Megan Fox, and ones that may need a little lesson in color theory, and perhaps tweezer intervention, are available for your viewing pleasure at this bad brow blog.

If you are searching for a product that will fill in the little spaces between your hairs without making you look like Princess Jasmine, either see an expert, or search for a brow filler that is the same tone and a few shades lighter than your natural brows. We all share the fear of looking like that heavy-handed makeup artist sporting Dracula brows, but with the right tips and tools, filling in your eyebrows doesn’t have to be so scary.

  • For dark brown hair, a medium grey-brown shade is usually better than charcoal black (which is how you achieve the Elvira effect) or a chestnut brown (which can look way too red on most complexions).
  • If you are blessed with scarlet locks, chances are your eyebrows are a less intense version of your hair’s red hue, so opt for a slightly golden brown, instead of a crimson shade fit for the circus.
  • For blonde hair, there are 2 obstacles you must overcome
  1. If you are VERY blonde and have white eyebrows, take them down a few notches by dying your eyebrows a light ash-blonde.
  2. Blondes tend to have very sparse hair all over their body, so when it comes to eyebrow shaping, never over-tweeze, just work with what you have and only remove the completely unruly hairs that have no contact with the bulk of your brows.
  • For truly black hair, a dark grey pencil/powder is a great option, and for darker complexions, the charcoal black looks natural.

If you are currently trying to re-grow your brows from an overzealous plucking session, the only advice I have is to wait; and for heaven’s sake STAY AWAY FROM MAGNIFIED MIRRORS. They make every hair appear as if it is miles away from the one next to it, and you could end up with a microscopic row of wisps when you are finished tweezing.

All in all, the best thing to do is to see a professional every other week, but if you must divulge yourself in at-home maintenance, try an eyebrow stencil to achieve the perfect shape every time.

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The Best Beauty Trends (and the worst!) of 2010

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Flickr user limonlucikolata

flickr user chicagophotoshop

2010 was a pretty beautiful year, literally speaking. Aside from a few missteps and casualties (Bump-its anyone? Jersey Shore-esque tans? Anything from the Taylor Momsen makeup bag?), this past year has ushered in some gorgeous new looks and brought relevance to retro trends as well. Below is a list of some of the best beauty trends 2010 had to offer.

  • Ombre Hair- Good news for those who despise the monthly trips to the salon for touch-ups! Perfectly maintained hair is out and ombre hair is in!  Celebs like Nicole Richie and Rachel Bilson started bucking the beauty rule of root maintenance this summer.
  • Retro hair- Think beehives, a la Scarlet Johanson, and Veronica Lake waves made popular by beauties such as Megan Fox and Angelina Jolie.
  • Cat eye makeup and winged eyeliner- A favorite of everyone from Lauren Conrad to the make up artists at fashion week, this easy-to-achieve look dominated the beauty pages in 2010.  With a steady hand and an easy-to-use liquid eyeliner (I prefer Hourglass Cosmetics Calligraphy Liquid Eyeliner) anyone can perfect this subtle, yet sexy come-hither look. Again, please remember, you are going for subtle, not Little J!
  • Pixie cuts- For the past couple months, stars have been chopping off their long locks one-by-one to reveal a gamine and gorgeous, yet classic do. Celebrities such as Michelle Williams, Ginnifer Goodwin, Carey Mulligan, Emma Watson, Elisha Cuthbert and Rihanna have all made the cut, literally. Beware though; this hair trend is not for everyone.
  • Braids- The braided hair style is my personal favorite look from this year. The mixture of simplicity and versatility, mixed with my laziness and unruly mane, has turned the braid into my go-to hair style.

The worst? There were some doozies! The aforementioned Bump Its, Oompa-Loompa tans, raccoon eye makeup, also snuggies, neon makeup and scraggly extensions (again, bad year for Taylor Momsen) … but the absolute worst beauty trend of 2010? Vajazzling!

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Beautyfix Product Spotlight: Bioelements Sleepwear

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

By Jenna

Routine can be a word to describe our sleep regimen at night. You get dressed for bed, brush your teeth, wash your face, hydrate your skin (hopefully) then climb into bed. What many don’t know is that time spent in slumber land is the perfect time to use an anti-aging cream as a wrinkle treatment. While you sleep, your body is hard at work in rejuvenation mode and there’s no better time to infuse your skin with anti-aging products. This season Beautyfix has given you an amazing anti-aging cream to use at night from Bioelements.

Source: Flickr User peasap

Sleepwear from Bioelements is an overnight rejuvenation treatment designed to infuse your complexion with a complex of topical calcium, time released retinol, protein peptides and cranberry seed oil. This formula supplies antioxidants, boosts collagen and elastin production, improves moisture retention and combats fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also somewhat exfoliating so your skin is working overtime during the night to help you get clear skin.  After cleansing your skin at night, warm a small amount between your fingertips and apply to your face and neck.

We are always on the search of clear skin and the products that will help achieve that. This is as easy as slipping into a silk nightie. My skin is sensitive, and for the most part pretty clear, but I’m very concerned about aging and will do everything to prevent wrinkles and fine lines. After using this product for a couple weeks, I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my complexion. Instead of breaking out with a few pimples because of the usual holiday stress, I haven’t at all! Every morning after using Sleepwear, my skin is soft and glowing. My complexion has definitely evened out a bit over the past few weeks as well. Because of sensitivity, I’ve been using it about 2-3 times a week and my skin does get red upon application, and then fades away by the morning. This product has an amount of retinol, so if you’re in the same boat as I am with sensitive or sensitized skin, I would recommend only using a couple times a week. For everyone lucky enough not to have sensitive skin, feel free to use more often at night. In my book, this product is a keeper and I’ll continue to use in the future. Using this for a few weeks will have your skin baby soft.

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Working Overtime- Eye shadow can play almost every role in the makeup bag

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Flickr user Jacklyn DL

As you might be able to tell from some of my other blog posts, I’m not exactly the biggest of beauty junkies. Don’t get me wrong, I do like makeup and feeling feminine but I simply detest spending time, energy and money on pampering. My makeup bag is pretty bare, not because I don’t need that much makeup, but because I have found my no-fail products that work double and sometimes triple duty- cutting down on clutter, cost and time. The MVP of my makeup bag? Eye shadow! There are so many different uses for eye shadow that with a few different shades and pigments, you could practically toss half of your beauty product arsenal! Read on to learn about them.

  1. Eyeliner- Eye shadow is a great substitute for actual eyeliner, plus there is a far greater selection of shades! Simply wet an angled or pointed brush, dip into your eye shadow and voila—custom eyeliner!
  2. Eyebrow pencil- Very similar to the previous tip, applying eyeliner, eye shadow may also be used as a great eyebrow pencil.
  3. Blush- Red and pink eye shadows are not the most popular shades, but if you happen to have a color that suites your skin tone (perhaps it came in an eye shadow palette with various colors) it can be a great blush.
  4. Lip gloss- Making lip gloss with eye shadow can be really fun and produce great results! Start with Vaseline on the back of your hand and start mixing in different shades of eye shadow until you create the perfect color
  5. Nail Polish- This use of eye shadow was news to me and I have yet to try it. However, one of my cosmetically gifted coworkers told me about this little trick and swears that it works wonderfully! Simply mix your favorite color of loose eye shadow with clear nail polish to create your desired shade. Try a vampy burgundy or purple, one of this winter’s hottest trends!

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Longer Lashes in the Blink of an Eye

Friday, September 17th, 2010

I, like most women, love the look of luscious, long eyelashes. (Wouldn’t we all love to walk around every day with Kim K’s stunning lashes?)  Although, due to clumsiness, laziness and lack of time, I rarely make an effort.  My unsteady hand generally results in mascara on my nose and eyeliner smudged on my lid and cheek (don’t even ask how it gets there, I have no clue). Fake eyelashes? Please, there is NO WAY I trust myself with eyelash adhesive around my eye region.  I toyed with the idea of trying a product such as Latisse or RapidLash—but I don’t want to deal with a prescription and both of these products contain Prostaglandin, which can alter the color of your eye. Even though I don’t have gorgeous blue or green peepers, I’m kind of partial to the boring brown eye color that I was given.

I recently decided to try Smartlash, a new eyelash enhancement which utilizes VisiLash Technology to create a gentle product that produces serious results. SmartLash is prescription-free formula that replaces harmful ingredients, such as Prostaglandin, with mild peptides to improve the look of lashes and brows without affecting the remaining eye area and skin. Although, what really sold me were the clinical results.

A 30-day independent clinical study yielded the following results:

  • 100% saw an increase in the appearance of eyelash length, fullness and thickness
  • Participants experienced up to a 68% increase in the appearance of lash length!
  • 100% said they feel like they need less mascara
  • 100% indicated superior performance compared to previously used eyelash enhancers

SmartLash is so incredibly easy to use. I just apply it to my lash line, as if I am applying eyeliner, twice a day and I’m done. I have only been using the product for about 4 days, so will check back in after a month and share my results!

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Blow Dryer Blues- Is the price tag always worth it?

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

flickr user rainpie

I have been without a blow dryer for over three months. This statement might shock you, as it did most of my co-workers, but it’s true. My last blow dryer (not the best hair dryer in the world but a trusty $29.99 drugstore brand) had a good run but ultimately went up in flames. Literally, flames…mid blow dry. I’m just not sure why I went all of three months without purchasing a new one. It could have been laziness, cheapness, or a subliminal nostalgia for my youth, when I was a competitive swimmer and had perpetually wet hair. Whatever the reason, I lived by way of air drying and declared a strike against purchasing a new blow dryer. I would even go as far as making a trip to the gym before a big meeting or event, specifically to use their hair dryers. Weird, I know.

Last weekend, I finally buckled. I had 45 minutes to shower and get ready for a wedding, which meant no time for a quick gym/borrowed blow dryer visit. Facing defeat, I made a visit to the beauty supply store by my house, where I stood in shock, taken aback by the overwhelming variety of blow dryers, features and technology. There were dozens of blow dryers, all boasting breakthrough science and revolutionary patents—and not one of them resembled my previous $29.99 model in any way, least of all in price. In a fit of pure frustration, I selected the cheapest (a mere $119!) blow dryer on display, paid, and left.

Grudgingly, I admit that my hair felt so much better after drying it with my new, expensive (relatively speaking) blow dryer. I began to wonder: is there some actual merit behind all the patenting and revolutionary technology?  Luckily, I have a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips, thanks to my extremely beauty-savvy coworkers (after all, our company is called Intelligent Beauty). For this particular question, I quizzed Jac, our non-official hair care expert.  She informed me that while it isn’t always the price tag that determines the best blow dryers, there are certainly key terms, technological aspects and features to look for when purchasing a blow dryer.

Here are some helpful tips:

  • Make sure your blow dryer is at least 1800 watts. This ensures adequate power to blow dry your hair. (Lower wattages = more time to dry, resulting in more heat damage to the hair.)
  • Ionic Technology is a fairly common phrase in the hair care world. It refers to a technology that generates negative ions that neutralize positive ions in the atmosphere. This process allows hair to dry faster, seals the cuticle, and reduces frizz, leaving hair smooth and shiny.
  • A ceramic hair dryer actually has a self-regulating system that senses if the dryer is getting too hot. The air flow is at the right temperature, and the coils are made out of ceramic as well.
  • Tourmaline blow dryers utilize a technology that speeds up the drying process by about 60%, which ultimately reduces damage caused by heat.
  • Another feature to look for in a good blow dryer: different temperature and speed settings, which allow you to adjust your preferences manually.

The moral of the story? There are several different options fitting for several different bank accounts.  The reigning king of the blow drying world is the T3 Featherweight Luxe, which actually nourishes the hair. For a more budget-friendly blow dryer, opt for something along the lines of the Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Ionic Styler. Just make sure your blow dryer has at least one of the features listed above. It all comes down to amount of time spent drying—less time, less heat, the better the blow dryer!

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Summer Makeup Palettes – Go Bold!

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

By Tasha Reiko Brown

Summer Color Palette - Bright Lips

Summer is here! As the days get brighter, so should your makeup palette.  Take a cue from the recent runways ….go bold.!  Choose a bold lip or bright eye — think shimmer, sheer textures and fun!

The key to a brighter palette for summer is knowing which colors to choose for your skin tone.  A good rule of thumb is the darker your skin tone, the brighter the colors you will be able to pull off.  Darker complexions can wear bright colors with ease without going overboard.   Think jewel tones, and for the adventurous, neons.  If you keep the texture sheer, the whole rainbow is yours to play with. Light to medium skin tones should try deep pastels to get their pop of color.  Keep in mind to only choose one feature to highlight.  Choose either bold lips or a bright eye but never both.

For lips, pick up pink and berry shades.  Save the nudes to balance your smoky eyes at the office holiday party.  CARGO lipstick in CeCe is a great summer berry shade.  Bonus points: the package is eco-friendly.  Skip matte textures and use satin or sheer lipsticks.  Glosses are always my number one pick for summer!  The shine makes lips look fresh and you can always find one with a lot of pigment to rival lipstick.  Check out Clearly Pretty from Tricia Sawyer Beauty. It looks like clear gloss in the tube, but turns your lips the perfect color for your own skin tone. For waterproofing at the beach, choose a lip and cheek stain.  You’ll get long lasting, easy-to-apply color.

For summer fun with eyes, choose either a bright shadow or an adventurous liner.  My favorites for summer are bright cream shadows.   Try a royal purple for darker skin tones and a bright lavender for medium skin tones.  Mascara is a must for all seasons but at the beach try a waterproof formula from your favorite brand.  Add ice cream, sand, and enjoy!

ABOUT TASHA REIKO BROWN:

Tasha is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist whose work can regularly be seen on the red carpet and on your favorite magazine covers. She is a member of the Beautyfix Panel of experts. Check out Tasha’s Portfolio here.

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Beautyfix Must Have Beauty Product: RAW Natural Minerals Active Veil

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

The Beautyfix Summer Season for 2010 is finally here! It feels like the last season’s kit was here long ago and the anticipation has been building up. If you’re one of our fabulous members make sure to check your email and select your kit! This season’s must have beauty product is RAW Natural Beauty’s Active Veil. This item you’ll be loving throughout the summer and be very lucky to have it in your kit. Here’s some beauty tips and tricks on what it does and how to use the must have beauty product.

Active veil SPF 18 is an ultra light formula designed to be worn over your foundation or mineral foundation. If you aren’t keen on wearing a base, you can lightly dust this over your face as the last step in your beauty routine. It’s formulated with nourishing and natural minerals and diffuses light with shimmer particles to give you a radiant glow. Not only does it provide SPF 18, but it’s used as a finishing touch to your makeup routine and help set your makeup.

How to apply RAW Natural Beauty’s Active Veil:

Step 1 – Open the container

Step 2 – Lightly shake the jar so a small amount appears at the top, but make sure that it’s enough to cover your face, neck and décolleté. (Your chest)

Step 3 – Using a makeup brush, touch brush into powder and apply to your entire face, neck and décolleté.

Side note – Remember, if you’re sweating or in water during the day, you’ll need to re-apply to be able to get the amount of protection you need from the SPF. Plus it doesn’t hurt to re-apply Active Veil SPF 18 throughout the day anyway to get rid of shine and add a healthy glow to your skin.

What it feels like: I’ve been incorporating RAW Natural Beauty’s Active Veil into my routine for quite a while now and I love it. It sets into my skin perfectly and it’s great for any skin color because it disappears when you apply it. The amount of shimmer in it is perfect. It’s enough to reflect light and add and shimmering glow to your skin for any occasion or time of day. I love that it’s light and it doesn’t overpower the other steps in my makeup routine. Overall it’s become a staple in my beauty regimen and we’re sure that you’ll love it too.

What do you think of Active Veil?

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