BSB: Beauty news, makeup swatches and pictures, nail polish articles, makeup tutorials, product reviews, and how-to's from a MAC-trained makeup artist.

MAC News, courtesy of Specktra.net and other sources

The gorgeous lassies and lads at Specktra.net have been posting away, letting us know about the upcoming collections at MAC. I've been waiting a bit to show you what's coming up, 'cause the collections don't release 'til next week or a few weeks thereafter, but I wanted you to have time to plan so today's the day!

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Naughty Nauticals, May:

A great seafaring collection, this is the big Summer releases typical in May. It includes the mandatory "let's pretend we sell bronzers" selection - and beware: it apparently is a bit better than last year's offering, but still isn't waterproof and still may transfer onto white/light clothing. Grrr...

Details provided by Specktra.net, of course. Read more here/color story, here/discussion, and here/swatches. Some of the swatches are amazing!

See some great pics of the promotional collateral for this collection here at Specktra.net.

Lipsticks $14.00USD

Ahoy, There! - (Lustre) (LE) ~ the nude
Buoy-O-Buoy - (Glaze) (LE) ~the pink
Port Red - (Frost) (LE) ~ the plum
Party Mate - (Lustre) (LE) ~ the red

Lustreglasses $14.00USD

Bateaux (LE) ~ the nude
Ensign (LE) ~the pink
Hey Sailor (LE) ~ the plum
Love Knot (LE) ~ the red

Eyeshadow $14.00USD

Meet the Fleet - (Matte) (LE)
Illegal Cargo - (Frost) (LE)
Pandamonium - (Lustre) Smoky Grey with silver pearlized pigments (LE) (Repromote from       Pandamonium Eyes in Balloonacy)
Submarine - (Frost) (LE)
Shore Leave - (Veluxe Pearl) (LE)

Pigments $19.50USD

Lovely Lily - (Frost) Lilac with red pearl (LE)(Repromote from Lingerie)
Bell Bottom Blue (Frost)
Larkabout (Frost)
Wave (Frost)

Techakohl Liner $14.50USD

Smoothblue- Ocean blue with frost (Repromote)-
Greyprint- Rich pewter grey with frost (Repromote)

Mascara

Prolash in Coal Black - Lengthening, thickening, non-flaking, non-smudging.

Nail Lacquer $10.00USD

Naughty Nautical - (Frost) Dark royal navy blue (LE)
Shirelle - (Cream) Classic she's a dame red (Repromote)

This collection includes a Nordstrom exclusive quad: Stowaways.

Awash (Frost) - Lightest tan off white with gold and pink pearl (LE)
Crest the Wave (Frost) - Light, frosty yellow with yellow and white pearl (LE)
Satin Taupe (Frost) - Taupe brown with silvery bronze shimmer (Repromote)
Sea-Cadet (Satin) - Grayed dark navy blue (LE)

See swatches here on Specktra.net.

The Skinsheen portion of the collection is the "let's pretend we're tan" part:

Skinsheen Leg Spray $22.50USD - A sprayable, light weight gel formula that provides a sheer wash of colour and glow to the legs. (LE)

Medium - Soft golden caramel with soft gold nuances ~ International only

Medium Dark - Soft bronze with golden tan pearl

Dark

Deep Dark ~ North America only

 

Body Buffer Brush $52.00USD

#179 - A short handled brush with large, flat, circular shaped top for efficient distribution of body makeup. Recommended for smooth application of Sundressing and other powder products. 6.5 cm long. (Repromote)

Specktra's Skinsheen discussion  and Swatches.

 

FCH must-haves for Naughty Nauticals: Larkabout, Illegal Cargo, Mutiny, and Bell Bottom Blue. I'm a pigment whore. :(

 

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Tendertones, end of May:

I loved Tendertones right from "go!". I thought the scent was incredible (kiwi and strawberry) and the color payoff was great, too, 'cause it was just so light and sheer. Doubters abounded, though, and I had a hard time selling the green one last year (fools, you!). So, according to Specktra.net and members mezzamy and Erine1881, here's the new Tendertones scoop:

 

Deep Sigh | Sheer bronze with red pearl (LE) (Repromote)

 

Pucker | Sheer raspberry pink (LE) (Repromote)

Sweet Tooth | Sheer coral w/ white pearlized pigments(LE)

Take a Hint | Sheer intense mid-tone pink (LE) (Repromote)

 

Hush Hush | Sheer peach with gold pearl (LE) (Repromote)

Hot n’ Saucy | Soft cherry red (LE)

Tread Gently | Soft lime green w/ yellow pearlized pigments (LE)

Honey Bare | sheer peach w/white pearlized pigments (LE)

E-Z Baby | Sheer milky pink (LE)

Sweet & Nice | Sheer red grape w/ red pearlized pigments (LE)

PS: Read the Specktra.net page carefully and you'll see that the rumor mill says we may see Tendertones as permanent additions to the Pro collection at some point. YAY!

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I'm not so sure about scented mascara...

What about you? That just freaks me out. Scented mascara?

What on earth am I on about, you ask? Take a look:

Thoughts?

Can you direct deposit paychecks to a cosmetics line?

Have you seen the Armani Privé collection? Or, more accurately, have you smelled it? It's not new... it has been around for awhile. In fact, despite wanting to check it out I have continually walked passed it in my Saks Armani boutique. How?

I have no idea what's wrong with me. But today I FINALLY saw it. And then I smelled it! Ah....

Armani Privé is a collection of fragrances created by Giorgio Armani by himself and for himself his friends. Naturally, this meant no holds were barred when it came to research, ingredients, and design. Mr. Armani also demanded natural ingredients to create a blend of complex unisex fragrances that represented important times in his life. Truly a personal collection!

Here are the scents:

1. Ambre Soie | Inspired by silk, and evoking the markets of Morocco and North Africa, this dark and ambery scent is full of cinnamon, clove, cedar and patchouli. Fairly standard fare for a perfume, but unique in its execution. Sadly, it faded almost immediately on me.
2. Eau de Jade | Armani was reportedly shooting for "clarity and purity" when he designed this one, and so he reached for bergamot and neroli and bourbon vanilla - more standard fare.
3. Pierre de Lune | Check out violet, iris, amber... why is this represented by the moonstone and not that Amethyst?
4. Cuir Amethyst | A sweet violet (oh, hey, didn't I just suggest a violet for Amethyst?), vanilla, benzoin, amber.
5. Éclat de Jasmin | Jasmine can be scary - I didn't sniff this one, but when I go back I'm checking it and the 3 above this one (I had to limit the snorting today- 3 sales associates and a heavy schedule made me too twitchy to stay and take my time). Anyway, here we have jasmine, bergamot, osmanthus, rose, patchouli, amber and vetiver - and possibly some plum. I'm sorry I didn't brave this one while I was there!
6. Bois d'Encens | I saved this one for last, though it was amongst the original 4 scents in this collection (see #1 - #3 in this list for the others). Why? Well, you know me: it's 'cause it's my favorite! This one blew me away. It's clearly an incense scent - and there's no avoiding that! If you don't like incense, then don't even pick this one up. It's not headshop incensey, though, and won't make you do a doubletake looking for Jerry Garcia. It's not Crazy Cat Lady "I'm trying to mask the litter box" incensey, either. In fact, I couldn't figure out exactly what it reminded me of, so when I got home I looked up the collection and then it hit me like First Communion! The inspiration for the scent was the Catholic Mass of Armani's youth. VOILA! And you know what? I love it - though I'm a completely lapsed Catholic. I'm so lapsed I don't even know where the closest Catholic church is... but I wold wear this scent daily if I could. PS: That's it, pictured above.

$185 USD for 50ml

Sniff this: Blushing Cherry Blossom

Bath & Body Works has had two cherry blossom scents already - so perfect for Spring! Have you seen the Spring  Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC yet? If not, make sure you plan a trip to DC to see them next year - you won't regret it. Anyway, the earlier two scents were Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cherry Blossom - both nice scents. In fact, I very much love Japanese Cherry Blossom (it launches with soft fruit scents, shifts to florals, and ends with delicious amber/musk/cinnamon/cedarwood/sandalwood/vanilla rice - my type of scent)! 

The newest member of the B&BW cherry blossom parade is Blushing Cherry Blossom. Here it is:

Pretty, huh?

Meant to represent the first scents of Spring, this was designed exclusively for B&BW by perfumer Jane Konnyou. "I chose to explore the pink, petally, textural floral nature of the flower in springtime, introducing other red and pink tonalities from peony, rosebuds, and fresh jasmine. The results is an extremely feminine expression of blushing pink petals as joyful and uplifting as a fresh spring morning," she said about the scent.

The breakdown:

Top Notes | mandarin, leafy green accord, sparkling quince, lush berries, and fresh melon.

Heart Notes | rose damascena, super hedoine, white jasmin, and rose juliette greco.

Bottom Notes | musk, violet, soft amber and creamy sandalwood.

The review:

I like this scent, though it's more floral than I usually am attracted to. I think because it's soft, it's  something I can handle.  The time of year may also be influencing me, since early Spring has me wanting a bit of a lighter, fresher mood - and perfume. If you like florals, you should definitely try this one!

Blushing Cherry Blossom is only available at Bath & Body Works stores and at Bath & Body Works online. It comes in the typical gazillion formulas, including eau de toilette, body lotion, shower gel, body splash, and body cream, plus a limited edition Satin Body Veil.

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Cherry Blossom sign source - thanks!

Interview with Janice from Specktra

Here at Fifty-Cent Head, we love MAC and we love Specktra,net. In fact, I daresay I love Specktra more than I love MAC, because it's just such a great group of guys and gals who are gathered together to share an obsession/addiction/problem and have fun with it! We love that the newest scoop on MAC and many other lines can be found on Specktra, and we love the FOTDs and off-topic conversations.

For those who aren't familiar with Specktra, it's a fairly MAC-centric community, bulletin-board-style, that is constantly hopping and always in-the-know! It's not only MAC, though. I've had great discussions on many subjects - some of them not even makeup related!

I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Janice, founder and administrator of Specktra,net and the genius behind its spin-off successes: Specktra Beauty News and the very new Glam Soup.

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       We love Specktra and read it daily! Can you tell us how you got started with it?

Specktra was started when the beautiful Sarah, who maintained the original MAC color story archive, made a personal decision to close her site. I was an active member of MUA, had MAC fever, and utilized Sarah's site all the time as a MAC reference. When Sarah announced the closure I had an overwhelming feeling that I could not let the information disappear. I had befriended another MUA MAC addict and one night over IM I told her that I thought we should see if we could save the information and continue the legacy Sarah had created. When approached Sarah agreed to send us the MAC information she had archived until that point and the rest is history!

What inspired you to create a MAC-centric bulletin board?
I see forums as a very natural way to connect with like-minded people. For this reason they can be an excellent resource for information.

Were you ever a MAC employee? Is Specktra affiliated with MAC in any way?
I have never been employed by MAC, nor is the site affiliated with MAC Cosmetics.

What's your day job? Tell us more about you outside of Specktra!
I'm a Marketing Manager for a vertical network of family and women oriented forums. I am responsible for the marketing of the entire portfolio, but day to day I spend most my time administrating a handful of their forums. I apply much of what I learned over the past 4 years at Specktra to make them successful and happy communities.

What's your favorite part of running Specktra?
The members! I am blessed with 32,000+ of the most intelligent, beautiful, savvy and generous women (and men) I have ever had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with. I'm a host at heart, I enjoy making sure people are comfortable, having a good time and are taking something away from the party they can apply in their "real life".

Do you still get super-excited to get early peeks into MAC collections, or are we the only ones who get all geeked out?
Are you kidding?! My heart skips and I get this crazy flushed feeling each time I receive new information to share.

Is there an over-looked "secret gem" of Specktra that you want us to know about?
Video Tutorials! We have some of the hottest video vixens emerge from Specktra, or come to Specktra to share their Makeup Tutorials. There's an entire forum FULL of videos right in one place.

The blog! It's still growing, but we're working hard to make sure it's an easy way for those who prefer not to navigate the forum get their MAC Scoop!

We're also launching an internet radio show called "Glam Soup" where we'll discuss all things MAC and Beauty related. Our first show is Sunday April 20^th @ 10PM CST. Two Specktra Staff members who also write for the Blog will be joining me as hosts. I'm excited to get it out there, if anything people should tune in to hear us bungle our way through the first couple of shows. 

[Editor's Note: clearly this interview was conducted prior to the 20th - apologies for not giving you a head's-up for Glam Soup in advance. I completely flubbed that one!]

What's your favorite beauty tip?
Remember the brows Ladies and Gents! Brows can really make or break a look, groom them and fill if needed as a part of your regular beauty routine.

What product (or collection or product line or whatever) really stands out as a disappointment?
Call me crazy, but I thought Sweetie Cakes was disappointing collection. It was gimmicky and sparkly, pass!

Specktra Beauty News is a great source of information and delight for us. Do you enjoy it? Do you have other folks who help you keep it lively?
I do enjoy it, though I must admit being a blogger is seriously difficult! This year I added two additional Beauty Editors who assist with writing content and keeping the blog fresh. It was really a struggle for me to keep up with it when I was going at it alone. Balancing all the areas of the site became a little overwhelming, so rather than neglect anything I decided it was time to open up a couple of spots for editors. The great thing is, both of the ladies are amazing staff members on the Specktra Forum! Jamie is Shimmer, and Jen is MAC_Whore who by the way has an AMAZING collection of MAC Porn.

Are there other blogs or sites you visit regularly?
I do visit several blogs regularly, they are mostly celebrity gossip and paparazzi blogs though! It's my secret boredom outlet. I am in love with GalaDarling.com. She is so amazing, smart, beautiful and talented.

[Editor's Note: Now I'm addicted to and in love with GalaDarling, too. She's amazing and I just love the purple brows!]

What are the best things about being a Beauty Blogger?
Connecting with other Beauty Bloggers! They are such an exciting group of women, the men are jewels when you come across them too.

And the things that bum you out?
Competitiveness for no reason, (the internet is big enough for all of us!) why be cut-throat competitive and burn social bridges when we can support one another and rejoice in our successes as women?

What collection are you most excited about right now?
Right now I would have to say that I have reached my peak with Heatherette. It is such a FABULOUS collection, the packaging was so gloriously tacky. Dress Camp is seriously hot too, everyone will want to get their hands on that one!

What are your current must-have MAC products?
The new moisture lush moisturizers! They were a lifesaver earlier this year when my skin was so dry from winter. I also am digging Strobe Liquid because I wear a crème foundation and it adds a subtle luminescence.

Is there anything else you want us to know about you or Specktra?
I'd love for your readers to stop by and visit with us. Specktra is a diverse, intelligent, and extremely supportive community full of Beauty Addicts!

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Hands Down! Hand lotions that actually work...

I was planning on doing a feature on hand lotions that actually work, and sadly there aren't many contenders. Basically, this story just became a short list of items I'd actually recommend. There's not much point belaboring it, so let's just jump in with both... hands?

1. Ole Henriksen ~ Hands Forward | This product was sent to me by PR folk and for some reason I was just figuring it wouldn't work. It has actually become a staple and I get really twitchy when I can't quickly find it. Go figure! It's got shea butter, so it's really moisturizing but not greasy; mushroom extracts that help fade discolorations and prevent/correct pigmentation issues that make your hands look old; cyclomethicone, a natural silicone that helps your skin stay soft; sugar maple extract, which makes hands smooth. Love this stuff! PS: they are natural and plant-based yet come from a mind schooled in chemistry and they are animal cruelty free. I think I need to try some more Ole Henriksen products, dude. Hands Forward is $28 USD and available at Sephora online or Ole Henriksen online.
2. Curel ~ hand and cuticle cream | Soy milk, monoi oil, and Vitamin E are key ingredients that help keep skin and cuticles soft through a few hand washes. I don't know about that, but it was definitely nice and hydrating. Of course, I'm really tough on my hands, what with the constant hand washing and sanitizing (I'm a mom and a makeup artist, so that's a lot of cleaning!).  Available at grocery stores and discount stores, and at drugstore.com, where it is currently $4.79 USD.
3. LUSH ~ Handy Gurugu | I will always love you, Handy Gurugu but when my hands are truly dry I must use the other products listed. Otherwise, I prefer your silky smooth cushiness. I love that you are animal cruelty free, made of all natural ingredients, and you use fair trade ingredients. And you smell ok, too!  Pumpkin seed butter, organic almond butter, and organic peanut butter mix with shea butter to create this divine hand silk. $16.45 USD online or at Lush boutiques. Honestly, I think I'll always buy you and use you except on the roughest of days, even if I go through you quickly because you're not quite as hydrating - but you're LUSH and you're the one that feels the best when I slip my fingers across you...
4. Le Couvent des Minimes ~ Repairing Hand Cream | I reviewed this once before and still love it. It's great and that smell - that amazing honey smell... it's still a great product. $10 - $22 USD.

That's it, folks. Those that didn't make the cut were other items from LUSH (which may be good for those who aren't so tough on their hands), Keihl's, Vaseline, L'Occitane, Neutrogena,  Eucerin, Creabtree and Evelyn, The Body Shop and  Burt's Bees.

And there you have it: the Hands Down round-up!

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MAC's Dazzleglass is online now - and possibly at some stores soon.

I told you in March that I was looking forward to the Dazzleglass collection - and I still am. Especially since some swatches have started to appear online. Rumor has it the MAC Stores (freestanding only) will launch early: tomorrow, April 24th! The collection is also online now.

[Editor's Note: I'd call ahead if you're planning on dropping by your store - MAC internal communication is notoriously bad and some stores may not have heard that they're launching early. *rolls eyes*]

I'm still thinking I "need" Rags to Riches, Date Night, Pleasure Principle, Spanking Rich, and Comet Blue (c'mon - it's a blue lipgloss! who doesn't need it!?). Then again, if the glitter is too chunky, I'm going to pass on it all - I'm almost 40 and don't really have a lot of need for glitter-lips. How 'bout you - what do you "need"!?

Tip: Judging by the buzz online, if you think you're interested in Sugarrimmed, I'd go buy it immediately because it seems that's going to be one of the ones that goes fast.

They're $16.50 USD each, which translates into... ummm... I'm bad at math, so bear with me... *mutters*... er... a lot of money coming out of my wallet and into the tills at MAC. Damn.

As always, you can visit our friends at Specktra to get the most current buzz on MAC products. The color story description for Dazzleglass is here; the discussion thread is here; the swatch thread is here.

Tweeze for the environment...

That's right, you heard me sistah. Tweeze for the environment. I'll explain in a moment...

I may be the only makeup artist in the world who does not own a Tweezerman tweezer. In fact, most have more than one (two for on set, and another for home). I hope to rectify this situation shortly, and plan to start with this great tweezer offering from the legendary company:

This is the Go Green Mini-Slant tweezer, a smaller version of the very popular Slant Tweezer. The Slant Tweezer has won plenty of kudos, including being an InStyle Best Buy and consistently being mentioned in Allure's Editor's Choice Awards. This mini has all of the features of the grown-up sized version: quality craftsmanship, precision plucking, hand-filed tips, free repair/replacement of damaged equipment, free sharpening, and repair of items you may have broken (for a nominal fee).

The bonus, though, my friends, is that Tweezerman will donate $1 of the purchase of any Go Green Mini-Slants to the National Arbor Day Foundation. Doesn't sound like much, but that translates to one tree being planted per purchase, which is stellar!

Oh, and by the by, Tweezerman has packaged these Go Greens in 100% recyclable paper, printed in soy ink.

Go Green Mini-Slant tweezers are available at Tweezerman retailers and online at drugstore.com.

Question of the day: What could make a MAC girl switch lipglosses!?

I only tag a few products as Obsessions (usually they are from Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs!). I've got a new one that falls into this category now, and I'm about to tell you about it. But first, did you find the subject line compelling? I mean, how many die-hard MAC girls walk away from Lipglass? I never thought I would - I tried Chanel Glossimers, and found them too weakly pigmented. I tried Bobbi Brown lipgloss, but thought the color selection was too poor. I even tried "the other artist line", Make Up For Ever, and returned the glosses to Sephora because they were so pale and transient (disappeared WAY to quickly!). So what could make me ignore my beloved Lipglasses for the last few weeks!?

Clinique, you have really been stepping it up lately! Now, with these Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 lip glosses, you have a new permanent customer. (Imagine me walking past MAC to Clinique! I still can't get over it!)

Let me tell you about the Long Last Glosswears...

With this new lipgloss, you get a kazillion (aproximately) benefits:

• An SPF 15, which is great year round, but especially nice with warm weather coming
• Long-lasting shine
• Lots of choices when it comes to colors (there's one for every outfit!)
• Soft lips

The deal is this: special film-formers make a seal that holds this sucker on your lips for longer than any gloss I've seen - and it doesn't feel so tacky that dust is sticking on it as you walk through a room! In fact, it's very comfortable to wear.

Clinique says this gloss can wear up to 8 hours, a boastful promise that may not be too far off. I'm pretty good about not chewing off my lip products (working at MAC will teach you that, 'cause you have to look great but are too busy to touch up!) and unless I'm eating or drinking I can get almost 8 hours out of this gloss. A Starbucks will shorten that time, though, but I don't mind reapplying this gloss. Certainly, I do so less than any other gloss I've ever tried.

I mentioned that these are comfortable - in fact, they're so nice on the lips that I haven't had to worry about dry lips since I started wearing them. Lips will be improved immediately and conditioned over time; the special moisturizing formula makes this one of the most moisturizing lip glosses on the market. And in my experience, the ones that are "hydrating" don't usually last for terribly long.

Since these are from Clinique, they are 100% fragrance free and allergy tested. 

They're on counter now and available at Clinique.com, too. And only $14 USD!

[Editor's Note: I'm not kidding- I have exclusively used these glosses for the last 2 weeks, and even went to pick up a few new shades over the weekend. Honestly, it shocks the crap out of me to admit that I haven't touched my lipglasses or even lipsticks in so long! I own: Whisper, Rock Violet, Kissyfit, and have Fireberry + a backup. Yes: a backup of a non-MAC product. Who am I!? ]

The colors are, from left to right, Fireberry, Rock Violet, Whisper, and Kissyfit. The kind of crappy swatch is of Fireberry. Below, my assistant helps me take pictures...

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Sniff this: Blushing Cherry Blossom

Bath & Body Works has had two cherry blossom scents already - so perfect for Spring! Have you seen the Spring  Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC yet? If not, make sure you plan a trip to DC to see them next year - you won't regret it. Anyway, the earlier two scents were Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cherry Blossom - both nice scents. In fact, I very much love Japanese Cherry Blossom (it launches with soft fruit scents, shifts to florals, and ends with delicious amber/musk/cinnamon/cedarwood/sandalwood/vanilla rice - my type of scent)! 

The newest member of the B&BW cherry blossom parade is Blushing Cherry Blossom. Here it is:

Pretty, huh?

Meant to represent the first scents of Spring, this was designed exclusively for B&BW by perfumer Jane Konnyou. "I chose to explore the pink, petally, textural floral nature of the flower in springtime, introducing other red and pink tonalities from peony, rosebuds, and fresh jasmine. The results is an extremely feminine expression of blushing pink petals as joyful and uplifting as a fresh spring morning," she said about the scent.

The breakdown:

Top Notes | mandarin, leafy green accord, sparkling quince, lush berries, and fresh melon.

Heart Notes | rose damascena, super hedoine, white jasmin, and rose juliette greco.

Bottom Notes | musk, violet, soft amber and creamy sandalwood.

The review:

I like this scent, though it's more floral than I usually am attracted to. I think because it's soft, it's  something I can handle.  The time of year may also be influencing me, since early Spring has me wanting a bit of a lighter, fresher mood - and perfume. If you like florals, you should definitely try this one!

Blushing Cherry Blossom is only available at Bath & Body Works stores and at Bath & Body Works online. It comes in the typical gazillion formulas, including eau de toilette, body lotion, shower gel, body splash, and body cream, plus a limited edition Satin Body Veil.

 

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Cherry Blossom sign source - thanks!

Interview: Ramy, brow guru

I had the distinct honor of interviewing Ramy Gafny, known as "Manhattan's Brow Guru". His spa is on East 31st, between Park and Madison, and his line of cosmetics is growing steam in the industry.

Not sure you've heard of Ramy? You may have seen this makeup artist, whose theme is "minimum makeup, maximum impact," on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, or E!. Or perhaps you read about him in Vogue? In Allure? InStyle? Shape? Self? Town & Country? (I'm a confessed magazine junkie, so that's how I first heard of him) He has worked with Britney, Lindsay, Nicole, Halle, Regis, Ivanka, Naomi, Mariska, and a bunch of other folks whose names you'd recognize even if I do have to use their last names!  Hullo, Katherine Heigl, Liev Schrieber, Rhianna, Emme, Carol Burnett, Julia Stiles, Ray Romano - random much? - Barbara Walters, Debra Messing, Renee Zellweger and the Queen of the Red Carpet: Joan Rivers.

Now that we've established his credentials, let's talk philosophy. He believes that women don't need tons of products that languish in their cabinets or drawers. (He would shudder at my makeup collection, no?!) Ramy beauty therapy - that's the name of his line - was created to give women multi-purpose products that will give them a quick way to enhance their natural look. And he also believes that brows are important - so important that he's picked up that moniker: Manhattan's Brow Guru.

So here's what he had to say. Hopefully I'll have some Ramy product reviews for you soon...

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How did you come to be known as a specialist in eyebrows?

I was hired to be Makeup Director at a top Fifth Avenue salon and they said "You're going to be in charge of eyebrows too" and I said "OK" and started practicing on the staff. It turned out that I had a natural eye for brow shaping and people started lining up. Then the salon started booking me clients and next thing I knew, I was written up in Vogue as New York's Best brow shaper!

Are there trends in brows? If so, what is the next trend you see on the horizon?

The current trend is having very full, strong brows that look polished and arched. I happen to think this look is classic and that brows should be classic and not trendy. You don't want to see a picture of yourself in ten years and have to say, "That was the trend back then" I think brows should always be as full as possible with a nice arch. The next trend will probably be too go a touch thinner - which will then lead to overly thin brows and come back full circle to the full brow.

What is the worst faux pas one can commit with her brows? What about for men?

 Making the brows too thin or creating the dreaded hook shape (or both!) are horrible and common mistakes. No one should ever wax, but men especially look overdone and like drag queens when their brows are waxed.

How do you feel about brow color? When one changes one's hair, should the brow color change as well? 

Your brow color can be up to two shades lighter or darker than your hair color, but no more than that. Your brows do not have to match your hair color exactly, but you don't want a huge discrepancy, like black eyebrows with blonde hair or blonde eyebrows with red hair.

 
What's best: waxing, threading, tweezing? Why?

Tweezing is best because it's the most precise method that offers the most control. Waxing is the worst as you're just indiscriminately removing rows of hair and one wrong move means "bye-bye eyebrow". Waxing is also aging and bad for the delicate skin around the eye area. Threading is what was done before tweezers were invented and its a trend. I hear it's more painful than tweezing and that sometimes hair breaks instead of being removed from the root, so it may not grow back in a uniform manner.

Advise us on how to fill brows in for a most natural look, please. And tell us what products you like for this task.

You can use a pencil, a powder or a pomade to fill brows. As a rule, choose a color a shade or two lighter than your brow color. Lighter looks more natural, darker, more artificial and heavy. When in doubt, choose taupe. Whatever you use to fill brows, always brush it through to remove excess product and blend. This leaves you with a natural looking borw, not a made up looking brow. My favorite products are my Miracle Brow Compact ($28.) which has two universal shades that work on most everyone, my Neutral Impact eyeshadow, and coming in April, My Perfect Brow Wand, which will be a double ended pen witg a neutral brow filler on one end and a highlighter on the other!

Taking advantage of this opportunity, I'd like to ask about my own brows. They used to be full but are more sparse now (overplucking, age, and a touch of trichtillomania). What's the best way to encourage them to grow back, or is it too late? Do I go in stages or just not touch them for a few weeks/months? 

The fastest way to grow them back to former glory is to touch NOTHING for up to three months. Really go back to square one. Be sure to take a good multi-vitamin to ensure your body has all the nutrients it needs for optimum hair growth and try a product like my Eye GROW Brows! which can be applied nightly to help hair grow faster and fuller.

 
Is there something you want to tell the world about eyebrows?

Having your eyebrows professionally shaped is the fastest way to improve your appearance without plastic surgery. A proper shaping  can make you look younger, more sophisticated, and generally more perfect!

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Thanks to Ramy for his time and expertise!

Keep our kids (and world) safe!

Visit the lovely Healthy Child Healthy World
to learn how to make things safe and healthy for our kids-
and our world!

Learn about:
Safe toys
Eating right
Common hazards
Green baby shower ideas
Harmful chemicals you may have around the house
and so much more!


Thanks to Total Beauty for bringing this organization to my attention so I can spread the word!

Natural Beauty Remedies for Earth Day!

I thought that maybe we'd be interested in sharing some natural beauty remedies or homemade products for Earth Day. Easy ways to save the earth and look pretty while doing it...

1. Got dingy nails? Slice a lemon in half and squoosh your fingers into it for 5 or 6 minutes. Voila! Healthy and white nails!
2. Try some masks:
   
   1. Oily skin? Smear on some milk of magnesia, then rinse it off once it's dry.
   2. Normal or combination skin? Make breakfast: crack an egg into a bowl, mix in a handful of oatmeal, and a bit of olive oil (a teaspoon or thereabouts). Stir it up 'til it's smooth, sploosh it onto your face for 20 minutes, then rinse it off.
   3. Dry skin? Honey and olive oil, swirled together and smoothed onto the skin will take care of that - leave it on for 15 minutes then rinse it off. If you need follow-up, gently pat a bit of olive oil on the face - and it's also good for cleansing, believe it or not!
3. I love the aspirin mask! Have you tried this before? If not, you're missing it. Take some non-coated generic aspirin, put them in the palm of your hand, drip some warm water in until you have a paste. The paste can be scrubbed into the skin for a bit, or just placed on the face and left to dry. Rinse off. Voila! The salicylic acid cleans the pores nicely, and evens the skin making it appear a bit brighter. Sweet! If you feel like this is a bit drying, or just hate the powdery residue as it dries, mix the aspirin with honey or olive oil. I personally put it on as a mask, then wet it down a bit and scrub before rinsing.
4. Tea Tree Oil is great for minor cuts, acne spots, minor nail fungus or itchy spots (but if these things don't go away after a few days see your doctor!).
5. Dry skin? Try jojoba oil. It's eerily similar to human sebum (skin oils) so it's fabulous to clean the face, moisturize the skin, and act as a carrier for scented oils (make your own massage oil!).
6. Avocados, mooshed with some yogurt, are fabulous for the skin or hair! For skin, let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse. For hair, wait the same amount of time before shampooing and conditioning as usual.

What are your homemade beauty remedies!?

Oh, and happy Earth Day!

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Earth Week: GORGEOUSITY

I do not buy cosmetic products just to keep them and look at them. I do not. I can't afford it, nor do I think it's practical. However, if I won the lottery today (even a fairly small one), I'd buy these next two products in a heartbeat and never touch them: just display them somehow. They're so pretty I'm not shrinking these images for this post. Take a look:

Maybe it's the Pisces in me, but I love the imagery on these. Don't you!?

Chantecaille has made these gloriously delicious compacts for the upscale line that focuses on using healthy, natural and organic ingredients. In the words of the founder, Sylvie Chantecaille, "If you're going to have a luxury makeup line, the least you can do is to make it do something good for you."

5% of the proceeds go to the Pew Institute for Ocean Science - so you can have this gorgeous makeup and help support marine conservation efforts! (For those who really want the details: the money specifically goes to "five $150,000 awards to ocean experts around the world each year to develop solutions to critical ocean challenges." Who can't get behind that!?)

Both compacts are made with incredibly finely milled pigments supported with silk proteins and silicones that help it feel extra silky and sit nicely on the skin.

The green compact is for the eyes. The green you see is actually an overspray - the shadow is gray underneath. Chantecaille suggests using the Aqua fish to line the eyes and the coral one, Rose Gold, to highlight.

The pink compact is for the face. The main color is Pink Sand, perfect for lending a gentle and brightening glow. The small fish is Sunrise, and great for highlighting the cheeks, while the bigger fish is Coral, a lovely cheek color.

Each compact is $90 USD and can be purchased through Bliss or Neiman Marcus (the Chantecaille website is, as of this writing, not live, but may offer the products later-- who can tell?)

Don't have the desire to own these compacts? Or maybe the pricetag is more hefty than you can swing? Donate to the Pew Institute directly, here.

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Take a look at these amazing tips I found on the Pew Institute site. Learn how you can better take care of those glorious oceans we know so little about:

                  

Modern industrial fishing practices and other significant human activities are destroying ocean ecosystems at an alarming rate, depleting our fish populations and devastating coral reefs. Consumers can take several steps to help protect the marine environment, conserve ocean biodiversity, and give threatened fish species a better chance of long-term survival. Here are a few to consider:
               

1. Purchase a Protected Paradise compact from Chantecaille Beaute. Five percent of the proceeds from the sale of each eye and face makeup compact will be donated to support the Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation program. The mission of the program, administered by the Pew Institute for Ocean Science, is to advance protections for the ocean environment by providing fellowships to outstanding individuals across the globe who are working to identify and implement solutions to critical challenges facing marine waters, wildlife, and habitats.
   
                                            
2. When eating out or purchasing fish, send a text message to FishPhone at 30644 with the message “fish” and the name of the fish you are ordering (i.e., fish sword). Within seconds, you will receive a reply affirming the sustainability of your choice or an alternate suggestion. The text message will let you know of any human health advisories against consuming the fish, and the extent of environmental concerns over the fish’s harvesting.
   
                                            
3. Support the creation of a network of marine reserves by writing to the Secretary General of the United Nations and demanding that 40 percent (and no less than 20 percent) of the high seas be designated as marine reserves in each ocean. These reserves are vital to ensure the preservation of our seas for generations to come.
   
                                            
4. Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change and coral reef destruction by considering alternative transportation options, such as public transportation, bicycling, and walking. You can also maximize the fuel-efficiency of your automobiles by keeping your tires inflated, which improves gas mileage.

I am SO putting that FishPhone number in my phone and using it when I'm ordering fish. And I'm telling everyone I know to do the same! What will you commit to doing to conserve our marine resources!?

                  

It's that time of the month!

No, not that time of the month! Geez! We're tight, but we're not tight like that! Pull it together, girl! I mean it's time for A Little Lunacy!

Every full moon brings special tricks and treats to Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs (BPAL), and this month is no exception. Until April 22nd and not a second later, get your Dragon Moon swag...

A LITTLE LUNACY
DRAGON MOON 2008
 
In some cultures, the Dragon is benevolent, bestowing blessings and granting wishes. In others, the Dragon is an icon of destruction and harbinger of catastrophe. In all its incarnations, both baneful and benign, the Dragon is a symbol of strength, authority, and the raw power of nature. Our Dragon Moon represents the forces of rebirth and the vigor that springtime brings: dragon's blood resin, galbanum, blue sage, lavender, peppermint, sweetgrass, frankincense, moonglow magnolia, bergamot, and green cedar.

$17.50 and available online or at the Lunacy events.

Dragon Moon is also live at Black Phoenix Trading Post! Get the t-shirt so everyone knows you were there!

Artwork by Jennifer Williamson. If you haven't checked her out yet, you're foolish.

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Please note: The Atomic Luau Lounge collection hits the road on April 22nd, too, so if you've been dilly-dallying about those scents you need to jump now!