Winter skin-care tips!

As the seasons change, and the weather becomes colder, keeping one’s skin under control can become quite a challenge. Personally my skin is in itself a challenge year round as I battle adult acne, redness, hyperpigmentation, and signs of aging. I have to admit, I am not one who loves creams or moisturizer for my skin personally because I already produce enough oils as it is. However, in the winter I do become a bit surface dry, my skin is visibly dry and sometime flaky.

Last year the senior aestheticians convinced me to give Dermopurifiante by Biologique Recherche a try. This cream is very purifying for oily/ combination skin which leaves my complexion unified and hydrated without feeling greasy.

Dermopurifiante:

*Purifies the skin with antibacterial active ingredients

*Helps to regulate sebaceous secretions

*Helps tighten pores

*Softens skin blemishes

I actually love this cream to date and use it religiously as my night cream year round. However, I feel sometimes that it can be a bit much for daily use, this is when I discovered EMULSION GEL BIOSENSIBLE S.R. by Biologique Recherche. I have used this gel daily for the past two weeks and I am loving it! After cleansing my skin, I apply P50, Serum VG Tensil (for firming), and finish with Emulsion Gel Biosensible S.R. This preps my skin perfectly for my daily makeup application.

Emulsion Gel Biosensible S. R.:

*Reduces redness and relieves tight skin

*Regulates oil production

*Illuminates and evens out the complexion

This system seems to be working great for my skin type which has been called very difficult by some of the best Aestheticians, but it is the truth. I also practice what I preach and get a facial every four weeks. This is a must to keep my skin on track, and away from the Dr. with all his/her medications, creams, and pills. Last but not least I must mention, I also continue to mask my skin once a week with mask VIVANT and use Retinal 1 by ENVIRON once a week at night!

Fun Summer Hair!

Are you loving the headband trend? This beautiful piece is from Anthropology,  and cost around $35USD. The quality of this headband is totally worth the money, and wears super comfortable.  (No headaches here) I knew it had to be made in India after seeing all the ornate detailing.  The designer’s name is Deepa Gurnani, if my eyes see correctly. 
The headband is a perfect touch to any outfit. My hair is medium in thickness, so tucking it up in the back was not a problem without any bobbi pins. This is great for a hot summer day, to look polished, without to much fuss! I also plan to wear my hair down, and in a bun with this headband.  So many options! Please feel free to comment on how you wear your hair, and any added tips are always welcomed!!!
Cheers

Back To Black

Even though I work within the SPA industry, and dark nails are not the norm, I love them. A more rounded tip seems to be proper, while I feel the square tips may be a little passe’. I am a big fan of the shellac manicure, although I put spf lotion on my hands before curing my nails, and take breaks from time to time from shellac.  Shellac does not chip for at least two weeks, and in a busy life-like today, who has time for touch-ups.

Shellac gives a natural look, unlike some gels, nail tips, powders, and other caustic nail products.  When Shellac is ready to come off, just soak in nail polish remover and it will easily peel away, leaving nails unharmed.  Some may argue that shellac is occlusive, and does not let the nail breath, but from my years of experience, it has not been harmful to my nails at all.

Black  nail color is worn by many in-the-know fashionistas, fashion forward, and fashion conscious women.  It’s fun, flirty, and powerful look transcends all trends and nationalities.  So the next time you get your Mani., consider black or a dark color, and consider a round tip instead of the square tip.  It may feel wrong at first, but once the deed is done, it’ll look OH-So-Good, I promise!

Cheers!

BUTTER

Do you know about this London brand nail Polish???

Butter hails from London, and promises a long finish wear just like shellac. This promise is kept provided you use their top, and under coat. Butter says that by using their polisher formulated for long wear, you won’t be let-down, and stay chip free.

The sales associate in Barney’s NYC claims that shellac, gel, and other nail products are harmful, and cause long-term nail damage. She offered to do a quick nail polish change to prove how awesome her brand is. I kindly declined as I know my clothes would be the ones demoing the stylish lacquer, and not my nails.

I could see that the packaging was thoughtfully done, and the colors were like candy to a kid’s eyes. I chose “slapper”, the color was like none I have seen before, and currently trending on my toes.  (This is also the color lacquer shown in the picture.)   A bottle of butter will cost $14 USD. The base and top coat runs $18 USD.

Three of the classic best sellers are “all hail the queen”, “blogger”, and “union Jack”, although the list goes on and on. I Hope you have the time to try this funky nail lacquer line. The money is well worth the long wear, especially if you are good at doing your own nails!

Happy Halloween!!!

http://www.butterlondon.com/lacquers/grid

Here He Is…..

Ladies let me introduce you to Peter Phillips, Creative make-up director for Chanel!  Cheers!

Unleash The Beauty!!!

Okay ladies, so we all love Chanel, but do you know about Peter Phillips?  Chanel 2012-13 Fall/ Winter Haute couture show was graced by his craftmanship, and boy do I love color!  The way Phillips, Creative Director for Chanel makeup used these products to create this look has me floored.  I feel that in the winter, I intensify my eyes the same way that Phillips has created in this look above.  I am loving the soft lips with a gentle pinch of color.  I believe that if we make our eyes stand out, that the lips still need a little punch, as displayed here. 

This look for 2012/2013 is still soft, but makes a big impact.  In these pictures this look can be achieved with any shape eye, or skin tone.  I love how Phillips chisels out the cheek bones with a splash of color, giving the face the definition it asks for. 

The model’s skin is prepped with HYDRA BEAUTY SERUM Hydration Protection Radiance

Complexion
VITALUMIERE AQUA Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15
ECLAT LUMIERE Highlighting Face Pen
CORRECTEUR PERFECTION Long Lasting Concealer
POUDRE UNIVERSELLE LIBRE Natural Finish Loose Powder

Eyes
OMBRE ESSENTIELLE Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Furtif
LE CRAYON KHOL Intense Eye Pencil in Clair
INIMITABLE WATERPROOF Mascara in Noir

 Cheeks
JOUES CONTRASTE Powder Blush in Rose Initiale

Lips
ROUGE ALLURE Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Evanescente
LE CRAYON LEVRES Precision Lip Definer in Natural

Cheers!

Beauty tips on the go for international travels!

If you happen to find yourself in another country like India than do yourself a favor and only drink bottled water, and eat only foods that are cooked. International travel can be hard on the human body not only from the long flight but also from potential food aversion. Always check with the US international website for any questions on vaccines, emergency information, and other important information for your travels.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html 

When I travel to other countries I always make sure I am current on all my vaccines such as hepatitis A and B. I find that I rarely fall sick, although its better to be safe than sorry. Cheers!

NAKED 2 by URBAN DECAY

This palette is amongst my favorites! It can be used year round for an everyday look and transition into evening for any skin color. The shadow lasts long and is not irritating where sometimes I find if I layer MAC eye shadows there is an ingredient that makes my eye lids itchy. The pigments in these shadows are made with a punch so a little goes a long way.

Naked palette 1 and 2 are similar but I believe 2 to be a little more versatile, although I love both. They are great for women on the go or if you travel a lot. These palettes come with a brush that is good for blending and all over color deposit. Naked 1 and 2 will cost around $50 USD and is worth every penny.

I find that I gravitate towards this particular palette more so in the fall/winter because the neutrals are so fun to pair with the charcoals and black, where in the warmer months I like to experiment with brighter colors.  I usually don’t wear a lot of makeup, but I do like to wash a neutral from my lash line to brow line and then blend a darker color to give some depth to the eye.

When I am feeling adventurous, I may use more than two colors which on clients I generally use the two or more rule.  This palette is a great find and will last a long time which makes it worth the money. You won’t be disappointed with this shadow’s staying power, but if you are a die hard for primer I won’t stop you! Cheers!

Diptyque solid perfume.

I am a huge fan of Diptyque, and these solid perfumes are just an added luxury must! Diptyque was founded by three friends in 1961, and opened their first store on 34 St-Germain Boulevard, Paris. They launched the first scented candle in 1963, and a few years later introduced their first line of fragrance.
I have been a fan of Diptyque since I have found them many years ago. The sensual, alluring fragrances crafted by these world traveled artist combined a sense of luxury, comfort, and intrigue. I find it crafty that the same scent in a Diptyque candle can be worn as a personal fragrance, genius! (I believe Joan Malone has cornered this market as well.)
The solid perfume that is featured is called L’Ombre, and is a unisex scent which is also one of the first fragrances introduced by Diptyque. I am a fan of this potion infused with clean moss notes, roses, and a sensual mix that caresses my skin in the fall. The solid is great to carry if you travel or simply are not a fan of spray on perfumes. I don’t normally like fragrances, as I’ve mentioned in other posts because I get headaches quickly, but not in this case!
If you are not familiar with Diptyque please click through the picture and explore a world of luxury I have fallen in love with years ago! Cheers!

DOT by Marc Jacobs

DOT is Marc Jacobs latest fragrance launched, (summer 2012) and boy is it yummy! This fragrance is made for the modern woman who is up-beat, and confident. Made with notes of jasmine, coconut water, orange blossom, vanilla, wild berries, and more this perfume hits the perfect combination without being to sweet. I hate when a headache is the result of expensive, designer promises bottled in pretty package. (that’s definitely not the case here.) This fragrance will carry through the rest of the summer and into the fall without fail.

The bottle is super fun and makes me smile when I see it on my dresser. It has a funky shape and the polka dot is a signature of the fashion designer. If you’re looking for a new scent I can promise DOT will deliver!

“There is never a wrong time for polka dots.” _Marc Jacobs