Archive for the 'Beauty Tips' Category

I have several objectives in life, like stalking Christian Bale, watching as much bad reality TV as humanly possible and finding Nemo, but I’d give up all of those to find the perfect mascara, one that transforms my stick-straight eyelashes into dramatic uber-lashes. Here are a few of my recent mascara adventures. Welcome to the land of longer, thicker and more dramatic lashes!

• Get Long, Dramatic Lashes with Shu Uemura’s Precise Volume Mascara
  “I’m the type of girl who doesn’t care for drama, but I’ll take dramatic lashes any day! If you crave long, can’t-miss-me lashes like I do, get thee a tube of Shu Uemura’s Precise Volume Mascara ($23), stat!”
• 11 Luscious Lash Tips
  “For a soft, feathered look with great separation, use two brushes. After applying mascara with a regular mascara brush, run through your lashes again with a MAC 206 while your mascara is still wet.”
• MAC Makeup Reviews, Cosmetics - Invisible Set Powder; Natural Flare Loose Beauty Powder; Indianwood and Groundwork Paintpot; Plushlash in Plushblack
  “I’m usually a big fan of drugstore (aka cheap!) mascaras and makeup, but MAC Plushlash is actually worth spending your hard earned cash on. And, baby, I know you work hard for that money. Plushlash’s awesomeness begins with the huge brush. It’s all puppies and rainbows from that point on, ladies.”
• Clarins Wonder Mint Mascara: Rise of the Teal Terror
  “When I got home from work a few hours ago I applied a third coat, and that’s the one that took it from subtle-and-appropriate-for-work to you’re-totally-fired-you-crazy-green-lashed-lady. Stepping back several feet from the mirror, there was no missing the teal. I gotta admit, I liked the bolder color, but I’ll reserve the third coat for nights out dancing.”
• Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Mascara Review
  “Another issue I have with my lashes is that they’re stick straight (BOO), so I need a mascara that holds the curl I get from my lash curler. Ceramide mascara holds the curl all day (and night) long, giving me a wide-eyed look ’til the wee hours.”
• Stila Multi-Effect Mascara: A Brush with Destiny
  “I gotta hand it to Stila for the curved brush they packaged with Multi-Effect Mascara. The thing flat-out rocks, helping the product deliver amazing thickness. The arch fits perfectly into the curve of my lashes (and probably yours, too), better than any other curved brush I’ve used before. With it I can really get into the lashes and coat them from root to tip.”
• Lancome High Definicils Mascara: What a Difference a Brush Makes
  “While the new brush doesn’t save the whales or feed the planet, I have to say it’s a pretty nifty piece of makeup technology. It makes Definicils a far more useful product than it had been.”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I usually spend a lot of time outside in the summer, running up and down hills and bumping Jay-Z on my iPod. When my knees are functioning (sigh!), it breaks down to an hour or two in the sun at least every other day.

While I’m consistent about applying sunscreen before leaving the house for a run, I haven’t been as mindful when it comes to protecting my hair from sun damage. That summer sun gets hot, ya’ll. It’ll fade highlights in no time, so I’ve been on the lookout for products to protect my long, highlighted hair.

I found PureOlogy ColourMax ($18), a spray that protects against UVA and UVB radiation and prevents color fading.

About a half an hour before going for a run, I’ll spray ColourMax onto the sun-exposed parts of my hair from roots to ends, brushing it through. It smells a little like roses.

According to PureOlogy, the spray works to prevent color fading by some kind of nano technology. Hmm… I don’t know about that, but it does help to keep my hair from getting tangled and adds a little extra shine. The company also claims the product is 100% vegan and not tested on animals (I guess nanites don’t count).

I’ve been using it on my runs for about two weeks now (since returning from Hawaii) and haven’t noticed any fading of my caramel highlights in that time. I wish I had brought it with me to the islands because, over the short time I was there, I did notice some fading.

The real test will come after I get my roots done next month. I’ll keep you updated.

More Hair Products with UV Protection

If you spend a lot of time in the sun, consider using a hair product with UV protection. In addition to bleaching the color out of your hair, UV chemically breaks down the keratin proteins in hair, drying it out and making it more likely to break.

• Frederick Fekkai Coiff Defense UV Protectant ($25) — a leave-in conditioner that protects hair against damage from UV rays and heat styling.
• John Frieda Thermal Protection Serum ($9) — a drugstore hair product that prevents UV fading, provides heat styling protection and makes hair smooth and soft.
• Re|center Anti-Frizz Serum ($10) — a hair serum that not only protects against UV rays and color fading but also smooths hair, adds shine and defrizzes. All that, and it’s 100% vegan and made from certified botanicals, too.
• Terax Finishing Spray ($18) — a medium hold hairspray with UV protectant.
• Mark Anthony Brilliant Color Color Lock Shampoo ($8) — a drugstore shampoo with vitamin C and UV sunscreens.
• Oscar Blandi Capri Sun-Shield Spray ($20) — a UV protectant spray that boosts shine while preventing fading from sun and chlorine.
• GHD Guardian Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair ($29) — a moisturizing conditioner with UVA and UVB protection for color-treated hair.
• Rene Furterer Okara Restructuring Mask ($28) — a deep conditioner with UV filters.

Sun or no sun, there will be no running outside for yours truly today. My bum knee is feeling much better now (thanks to your well wishes and loads of ice), but it doesn’t feel strong enough to attempt a run. Looks like I’m forced to continue relaxing at home.

Last night I did a whole lotta nothing from the comfort of the couch and watched a random sample of late-night 90’s movie fair. First, I watched American Pie, which I hadn’t seen in years (since band camp), and the second was Rounders. I forgot how much I liked Rounders. You can’t really go wrong with Ed Norton, Matt Damon and John Malcovich all in the same movie.

How’s your weekend coming along? Do you have any plans for today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen
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Hey, I know how it is to be color shy. For years I stuck to shades of brown and beige makeup because I didn’t feel bold enough for brights. If you long for color but don’t feel ready for hot pinks or bright reds, take a look at some of the subtle color ideas below.

• Lip Look: Crushing on Three Custom Colors Papaya Crush!
  “…I’m wearing two coats, which was just enough to achieve a subtle pop of coral color without going over-the-top. If you’re color shy but have been wanting to try a cute coral lipgloss, Papaya Crush should be a good way to get your feet (lips?) wet.”
• Laura Mercier’s Creme Eye Duo: Pink Has a New Friend
  “You might be wondering, “Um, is girlfriend actually wearing any eyeshadow at all in this pic?” Yup, I am! As part of the Dreamy Collection, the pink and violet shadows in the Fairytale duo are almost translucent upon application. I think they’re soft and pretty, but if you prefer bold and flashy eyeshadows, this duo might not be your cup o’ tea.”
• Face of the Day: A Smokey Eye with MAC Club
  “I had a lot of fun with MAC Club eyeshadow today. Its versatility makes it great for creating quick, daytime smokey eyes. I had about three seconds to put on my makeup this morning, and I owe this look to MAC Club. Paired with a few new products from Fafi and the N Collections, MAC Club helped me finish this look in 10 minutes.”
• Stila Strikes Again with Stila Silk Shimmer Gloss in Kitten, Silk Eye Shadow Wash
  “Fellow Stila fans, I just let out a big ol’ MEOW! Guess what? The company has just introduced two new products in Kitten, their cult classic shimmery shade of pink… Kitten is one of those pinks that looks good on a range of skin tones. Kitten’s flexibility helped make Stila’s original Kitten eyeshadow the companys best selling product.”
• Sheer Ecstasy: MAC Strobe Lip Conditioner Sticks
  “Imagine a nearly transparent version of your favorite brightly colored lipstick — what you’d end up with would look a lot like MAC’s new Strobe Kiss and Strobe Current Tinted Lip Conditioner Sticks, two little lovelies from MAC’s new Strobe Collection. In stick form both look bold and bright, but they apply unexpectedly sheer. Picture a transparent wash of color.”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

“I’m on my way, I’m on my way, home sweet home.” — Motley Crue

Today is my last full day in Hawaii. I head home tomorrow, and, as is the case after most vacations, I feel both a sense of sadness (crap, I have to go back to the real world?) and extreme relief (I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed).

As I rifled through the bag I’ve been living out of for the past week, I realized I learned quite a few things on this trip, some of them beauty-related. Most were born out of my bad habit of waiting until the last minute to pack.

What I Learned on Summer Vacation

• Bring Wet Ones Travel Packs to clean makeup brushes. These are convenient no matter what kind of vacation you’re planning. In humid locales, brush heads used with moist products like concealers never completely dry out and become breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. I’m so glad I remembered to toss a few of these travel-sized anti-bacterial wipes into my makeup bag for the trip. The packaging didn’t take up lots of space, and I can clean all of my brushes with a single wipe.
• Body lotion can double as shaving cream in a pinch. In my last-minute frenzy to pack, I forgot a few things, one important one being shave cream. I had to improvise because hairy bikini lines are totally not cute. Out of desperation I tried shaving with Curel lotion and my trusty Venus Breeze razor. Lo and behold, it actually worked pretty darn well. No bumps and a close shave, too.
• Face lotion doubles as eye makeup remover. Would you believe I also forgot to pack eye makeup remover? I had travel samples of both Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar ($28) and H2O+’s Night Oasis ($36) moisturizer and both did a fine job removing waterproof mascara. To use it I worked a dollop onto my lashes and lids with my fingertips, and then wiped it off with a cotton ball.

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Yes, Virginia, there is Chanel Heaven, and thy name is the Chanel Makeup Studio.

One of three Chanel Makeup Studios in the US (Honolulu, Hawaii; Costa Mesa, California; and Seattle, Washington), the Honolulu studio, located at Nordstrom in the Ala Moana shopping center, not only lets Chanel junkies play with the company’s full domestic makeup, fragrance and skin care lines but also allows them to get their Chanel-addicted hands on exclusive international products not normally carried by Chanel’s regular US counters.

Some European Chanel products currently available at the Ala Moana Chanel Makeup Studio

• Chanel Irreellee Blush in Snow ($40)
• Chanel Irreellee Blush in Sable ($40)
• Chanel Les 4 Ombres De Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Beiges Velours ($55)
• Rouge Allure Lipstick in Reve ($30)
• Rouge Allure Lipstick in Discrete ($30)
• Hydrabase lipstick in Sahara Beige ($30)
• Glossimer in Muscat ($25)
• Chanel Les Vernis Nail Color in Viollete ($20)

Non-Hawaii Chanel-aholics needn’t despair because nirvana is just a phone call (and a credit card) away. US residents may order Chanel’s international products by calling any of the three US Chanel Makeup Studios. Reach the Honolulu studio at (808) 953-6100. Ask for Sheila, the studio’s fabulous Chanel makeup artist, and tell her “Hi!” for me.
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I did a little post-birthday beauty indulging yesterday at the new Nordstrom store (only three months old) in Oahu’s massive Ala Moana shopping center. Visitors to Oahu often miss or skip Ala Moana, but it’s really quite impressive as malls go.

Beyond the beautiful layout, with open-air sections, koi ponds and indoor palm grottos, Ala Moana is a retail paradise. It houses more than 260 stores and restaurants (making it one of the largest malls in America) and includes a great mix of ultra-high end, Rodeo Drive-esque stores like Chanel, Prada and Tiffany; consumer-friendly shops like Old Navy, Gap, Sephora (aka, home away from home); and larger department stores like Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

Before coming out to Hawaii, I was told by a friend that the new Oahu Nordstrom store was the only one in the United States with a Lippmann Collection Nail Studio. Uh … when I heard that, I booked a manicure and pedicure with a quickness only known to animals in heat and hopelessly addicted beauty junkies.

Lippmann polishes, designed by celebrity nail manicurist Deborah Lippmann, are recognized for their durability and color. With Nordstrom’s help, Lippmann created the Lippmann Collection Nail Studio (referred to as The Lippmann Nail Bar by the Nordie’s staff). She got her start after makeup guru Bobbi Brown discovered her polishes, which are known as much for their fun names (Lippmann is also an accomplished jazz singer and names her polish colors after song titles like Tiny Dancer) as they are for their strength and quality.

Since Lippmann began in the business by catering to on-the-go starlets, several of her nail treatment products can be used quickly and without water. The studio is also known for its waterless manicure.

While I had “some work done” at the nail bar, Aimee (pronounced eye-me), the store’s Lippmann counter manager and manicurist, filled me in on the philosophy behind the Lippmann services.

A Lippmann manicure is less painful than a typical mani/pedi treatment. Cuticles aren’t cut, hands and toes are soaked in large bowls of warm water rather than spa tubs with jets, and the nails are only filed in one direction to prevent breakage. It’s more of a holistic approach to nail care. A Lippmann manicure focuses on improving the health of your nails over time. During a mani/pedi, the nail technician asks you about your personal nail care habits and will also recommend treatments and techniques that you can apply at home.

Six Degrees of Mariah Carey

The singer is currently on Oahu to shoot a new video. The first thing Aimee said when I sat down for my manicure was that she was currently on-call to do Mariah’s nails and might have to leave at any second. Consequently, all I could think of during my manicure was, “I’m with Mariah Carey’s manicurist, holy frickin’ crap!”

The Lippmann Nail Bar offers several different nail treatments. I really wanted to indulge myself, so I went for the Star Treatment Manicure and Pedicure, which includes an exfoliating scrub, as well as a hand-and-foot massage.

Partial menu of services…

Star Treatment Manicure ($40)
Nail and cuticle care, scrub with heated mitts, hand massage, polish (55 minutes)

Star Treatment Pedicure ($60)
Nail and cuticle care, foot soak, exfoliation of callused skin, exfoliating scrub to knee (oy! I’m so glad I shaved my legs), foot massage, polish (60 minutes)

Studio Manicure ($30)
Nail and cuticle care, hand massage, polish (50 minutes)

Studio Pedicure ($50)
Nail and cuticle care, exoliation of calloused skin, foot massage, polish (50 minutes)

Aimee helped me pick out shades for my hands (Tiny Dancer, a pale pink) and my toes (It’s Delovely, a bright coral) and described several of Lippmann’s famous nail treatments.

I really enjoyed both the manicure and the pedicure, but the pedicure took the cake. You’re treated like queen for a day, reclining in a comfortable, squishy chair while your toes get pampered and painted.
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What to look for when buying a product with SPF

Most experts recommend checking the list of ingredients for two things: the first is to see if the product provides broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) coverage; the second is to see if the broad-spectrum sunscreen contains avobenzone, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. All provide excellent UVA protection.

What’s the deal with UVA and UVB?

Both are types of sun radiation. UVB damages the outer layer of the skin and causes sunburns, boo!

An SPF number refers to the UVB burning protection a product offers (one with an SPF of 15 allows the wearer to stay in the sun 15 times longer than she would otherwise be able to).

But now we know that UVA rays, while they don’t cause sunburns, do damage the skin’s deeper layers. They work insidiously, wrinkling and spotting skin from within, destroying its elasticity. Like UVB rays, UVA rays are also believed to be a potential cause of skin cancer (melanoma).

Use it or lose it…

Don’t be chintzy with your sunscreen! The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using at least one ounce (about a shot glass full) of sunscreen on exposed skin every day. And don’t be shy about reapplying throughout the day. Experts say frequent application is key to maintaining good sun protection.

The American Academy of Dermatology Seal of Recognition

It can be overwhelming to choose a sunscreen because of all the choices available. To help consumers choose products that provide the sun protection recommended by dermatologists, the American Academy of Dermatology has started a program called the “AAD Seal of Recognition.”

But the program has attracted a certain amount of controversy. When applying for the seal, manufacturers are obliged to pay $5,000 for the application, $10,000 on approval of the application and a further $10,000 a year later. Your best bet remains knowing (because knowledge is power!) which ingredients to look for (the most effective ones being avobenzone/Parsol 1789, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) when shopping for a product with sunscreen.

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