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

New: Givenchy Naivement Couture Collection- Spring/Summer 2011 (swatch, images, review)

Givenchy,'s Spring/Summer collection (called Naivement Couture)  can post several marks in the Win Column.

• Amazing visuals (see right)
• Orange, the "It" color
• Gorgeous textures
• Over-the-top PR rhetoric

Aside from the last item in the list (you can find said hyperbole after the cut), the collection is breathtaking. That is, unless you dislike orange.

I got to play with the shadow palette and eyeliner. For my review, swatches, and more pics, keep reading.

Hello, Vintage compact, 3 Custom does nude lips, Guerlain does tropical, and MAC & Lady Gaga do good...

Hi, everyone! I haven't posted all week becauseI've been busy. My Mother came for a visit and we've been playing with the girls, shopping, and eating. We've had a blast. :)

Take a look at this neat compact she brought:



It belonged to either my grandmother or her sister, my great-aunt. It's a lovely black enamel and goldtone pattern. The best I can tell it, it's from the 40's or 50's. It's huge, bigger than my hand, and has a nice heft. Even the back/bottom is exquisitey patterned and lovely. Despite the fact that every particle of powder has been used, it's in excellent condition - even the mirror! The tag on the puff is marked "Rex Fifth Avenue". Pretty cool, huh? Kind of makes my MAC powders look stupid... ;)






Other things that have caught my eye lately:

Three Custom Color Specialists have released a lovely coral-beige nude lipstick that escapes all of the problems other nude lippies have (namely: chalkiness, too orange, too pink, too yellow, washing out the complection). It's called Nude Attitude, and it will work on everyone ( and it's moisturizing and long-wearing - and only $21.50).





Guerlain's Terracotta Inca collection has me itching for a tropical trip! It's releasing at the end of March, so book your Tahitian vacay accordingly. Here's the jasmine-scented (!) Sublime Radiant Powder and the Terre Indigo Four Shade Eye Shadow. See some more lovelies over at British Beauty Blogger!




A few snapshots from Vivienne Westwood's Fall '11 fashion show, to give you a head start on practicing this makeup look _(via):


Have you gone to MAC lately? I mentioned the 3 Custom nude lip, which I've yet to sample, but MAC also has a new lippie in the same vein. It's the latest Lady Gaga + Viva Glam shade, in lipstick and Lipglass. The shade looked frightfully beigey to me, but I had a chance to work with it (and wear it) last weekend and it's really, really flattering and wearable! Just the right dose of pink to keep it lively. Give it a shot, won't ya? All of the proceeds go to support people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Also, check out the new Viva Glam site - it's pretty rad.




So that's what new here, aside from a few swatches and reviews I've got pending and a couple of boxes that just showed up on the porch today. What's new with you?

xoxo,
*jen

Make-up-Designory (MUD) Love at First Sight set makes my heart pound.

Lookie what I got! A special little bag of goodies from Make-up Designory (MUD). This is so pretty. I can't wait to show you some looks and swatches. The set is called Love at First Sight.

China Glaze: Anchors Away collection - Life Preserver & Sunset Sail

Remember "Mannequin Hands"? That was last year's trend of polish that matched your skintone. I still say I can only carry this off if my polish has a bit of peach to it. Enter China Glaze's Sunset Sail (from their Anchors Away collection). It's the prettiest peachy-nude I've seen in ages. Just a tiny bit of shimmer keeps it lively, though it's so subtle it only serves to prevent a chalky look (I can only see it in the sun). Lovely! Warning: the first coat is a streaky mess. I found one thin coat followed by a second thicker coat is ideal. The result is smooth and even. _{(shown above left)}

I have a weakness for orange, even though it's not always flattering on my pale, pinkish skin. Life Preserver is a particularly Fall-like shade, which sounds weird for Spring but is actually spot-on trend and a refreshing change from pastels! It's a pumpkiny rusted shade China Glaze calls "poppy". Amazingly pretty, perfectly wonderful to apply. _{(shown above right)}

These shades make me feel like this:

PS: I'm so stuck in the accent nail rut at the moment! I did one mani with Sunset Sail + Life Preserver as the accent, and another with Life Preserver + Sea Spray as the accent. A full display & review of Sea Spray is coming soon.

 

<sub>These products were furnished for consideration by the manufacturer or a representative thereof.
Please read our review policy on our About tab for more information.

Rudolph Carl Gorman-Woman With Poppies via</sub>

 

China Glaze: Anchors Away collection - Ahoy!

How pretty is Ahoy! From China Glaze's Anchor's Away collection? I love this raspberry color. Ahoy! is going to be in constant rotation around here. The glass flecks are incredible and really catch the light nicely. This was my Valentine's Day manicure. I love China Glaze!

odd

Hi ya'll. I'm prepping some articles with looks and swatches.
This picture was on my camera, which is an iPhone 4 and has no weird lenses.
How'd it happen?! lol

When life gives you lemons... Crabtree & Evelyn’s Citron bath and body care range

_{image via}

There are days when only pixie dust or a refreshing bath are going to help. I can't help you with the pixie dust, but I do have a tip for the rereshing thing.

I got some samples of the new Crabtree & Evelyn range for bath and body. It's called Citron, and it's scented with lemon extract, honey and coriander.

If you're anything like me, you see "lemon" and assume it smells like furniture polish or dish soap. Not so fast! These products have just the right dose of refreshing citrus. You will feel cooled-off, clean and refreshed and not at all like a fake lemon. The honey and coriander are subtle and help take any edges off of the citrus.

I got to try the body bar, scrub, and body cream ("souffle"). All three are fabulous! The bar is an uplifting shade of yellow and really feels nice on the skin. The scrub is gentle but effective. The souffle is thick and yummy, but sinks in quickly. It really moisturizes nicely. For all three, even when layered, the scent that remains is soft and subtle and fades over the course of about an hour.

The lines also includes a shower gel and body lotion. The prices range from about $10 - $28 and are available now.

I am trying to save these for Summer. I think they're going to be a great way to cool off and also will work great as a base for some of my Summer citrus scents. The thing is, I somehow keep using them every time I shower. Looks like I'll be buying more!

Do you use Crabtree & Evelyn bath and body products? Which are your favorites? Do you 
any scents with lemon notes?

_{This product was furnished for consideration by the manufacturer or a representative thereof. Please read our review policy on our About tab for more information.}

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China Glaze: Anchors Away collection - images

OooooooOOOOooooh! AaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaahhh!!!!!

Swatches on the way.

 

Eight makeup steps to skip if you want your eyes to look tired

 
Streamlining. It's the way I get mornings done. But there's stuff that can be skipped and stuff that shouldn't. Skip the baby's diaper and the kid's snack for school? No. Skip cleaning the bathroom? For now, yes. Clean undies & brushed teeth for everyone? Yup. Another viewing of Toy Story? Not today, we've gotta go! Whether you have kids or not, you make the same kinds of judgement calls each morning about what is and what isn't going to get done.

But all of us want to look and feel great, no matter how hectic the mornings are. Just as it's important to have a plan of attack for your morning, it's helpful to pick and choose your makeup battles.

Here are eight important steps to consider when you're planning your makeup.
Skip them, and risk looking tired all day. If you want to see a perky-looking you when you glance in the mirror, not skipping these things (and a coffee) will help.

1. Hydrate the area around the eyes
   Skip this step if you want to see every tiny line and crease under your eyes. By bypassing the eye cream, you also enhance those shadows!
   
   
2. Conceal and correct darkness
   By pretending there's no green, blue or grey tones under the eyes, you drag down the eye and make yourself look tired. A salmon-toned concealer would cancel out those shades and a skintone concealer over that would brighten.  PS: this means you! We all have a bit of darkness here and in the inner corner of the eye (next to the nose).
   
   
3. Frame your eyes with groomed brows
   Definitely skip this if you want droopy, non-committal eyes that fade sleepily away. A little color or quick comb brings brows and, consequently eyes, into focus.
   
   
4. Highlight browbones
   Skip this step to make eyes smaller and more exhausted. A slightly-lighter-than-skintone color would open up the whole eye, brighten the face, and act as the finishing touch for eye makeup.
   
   
5. Brighten the corners of your eyes
   Darkness here is aging and makes the eyes look tired. A tiny pat of a soft shimmery tone on the inner and outer corners of the eyes will make eyes look awake and open.
   
   
6. Curl your lashes
   It's so easy to skip that darn curler! Do, and lashes subtly block the eyes, making them appear smaller, droopier.
   
   
7. Apply mascara
   Skip mascara if you want to look half-done. Putting on eye makeup without topping lashes with mascara is like going to work with all of your zippers open. You aren't done getting ready!
   
   
8. Color on cheeks
   By skipping a sweep of color on the apple of the cheek, you're dragging the whole eye downward and undoing all of the work you've put in. A dusting of a slightly shimmer pinky-peach blush puts a twinkle in the eye and brightens the whole face.

So, what do I skip when I want to do my eyes but am pressed for time? I forgo fancy shadings and gradations, complicated eye liner, and eye makeup "statements". A little color, a smudge of liner, and doing the steps above only take a few minutes but make all of the difference in how I feel once everything settles down and my day gets going.




What are your streamlining tips and tricks?

Sick? Simply Pretty makeup tips for when you have a cold.

<sub>Hi, Pretties!

Don't mind the cough medicine and hand sanitizer. I've got a cold. No... a cold has got me! Ugh. Awful.

What a great opportunity to make a handy little guide on how to fake it 'til you make it when you're sick! That's me: always making lemons into lemonade.

I hope you're doing well and that you don't need these tips. But if you do, c'mon over. I've got plenty of tissues to spare.

xoxo,
*jen</sub>

Man, there's nothing more pesky than a bad cold. Ok, let me dial down the drama a little bit... There are a lot of peskier things, but colds do suck. And you know, the best thing to do when you're sick is stay home and get some rest!

Unfortunately, there are times when we have to get out of those stained PJs and pretend we're well enough to socialize with others. What's a gal to do when she's sporting a red nose, watery eyes, and a pallor that would make Edward jealous?

Here are my tips for when the contract must be signed, the appearance must be made, or when they just can't do it without you (and your dirty tissues).

The Critical Analysis
First, you have to figure out what your issues are. No, not your fear of commitment and addiction to shoes! I'm talking about identifying which symptoms are showing upon your face.

The usual suspects:

_{I didn't even mention flat, lifeless hair! I'm no stylist. May I suggest a nice hat?}

The Plan of Attack

1. Hydrate, Sister!
   Drink lots of water. Apply moisture to hands and face regularly. Don't forget your eye cream!
   
   Moisturizers for the face A) plump up those fine lines, B) help makeup sit on your skin nicely and C) give "slip" on stubborn areas (like around your poor battered nose).
   
   _{Suggestions:  Hands - I pretty much exclusively use Eucerin Plus Intensive Hand Repair Cream now (I can even get it in three-packs at BJ's!); Facial moisturizers - Bobbi Brown, Liz Earle, Mario Badescu; Eyes - Bobbi Brown}
   
   
2. Look Luminous (not sweaty from fever)
   Healthy skin is radiant. Fake it with some shimmer added to your moisturizer, primer or foundation. I prefer liquids or creams because they add more hydration and tend to look more natural. Less is more, friends. Too much shimmer looks tacky, shiny, immature, greasy or worse: all of the above.
   
   _{Suggestions: MAC Strobe Lotion or Cream, Armani Fluid Sheer, Stila Hydrating primer (no shimmer - just glow)}
   
   
3. Blot
   Generally, added moisture and a bit of glow are helpful for faking a healthy tone. However, if you're feverish and/or sweating (do you really need to be out of bed, young lady?), a silica-based powder will help tone-down your shiny bits.
   
   _{Suggestions: MAC Blot, Blotting papers (any)}
   
   
4. Taking the Red Eye
   Visine or other eye-whitening drops can be your friend short-term. Just make sure you never touch the applicator to your eye, and just to be safe please pitch the vial once the cold is gone.
   
   
5. Get the Blues
   I love using a dark blue or blue-black pencil or powder to line the top lashline. The blue gives a brightening illusion to the eye, and the added definition doesn't hurt! If you've got runny eyes as a symptom, use a water-resistant pencil.
   
   _{Suggestions: Urban Decay's 24/7's, Make Up For Ever's Aqua Eyes, Smashbox's Limitless Liner, or Pixi's Endless Silky Eye Pen (but it's a pencil; available at Target)}
   
   
6. Whiten Up or Go Nude?
   Some people swear by a white eyeliner on the lower waterline (inner lashline). Advocates of this technique swear it makes the eyes whiter, brighter, larger, and more awake. I swear it looks like a stripe of white under the eye (read: weird).
   
   Instead, try a peach or flesh-toned pencil. It works like a charm! I have two of Cargo's Reverse Liners - one exclusively for my eyes, the other for lips as intended.
   
   Never go back and forth between eyes and lips with the same brush or pencil: you'll spread germs faster than Lindsey Lohan can steal a necklace!
   
   _{Suggestions: Cargo's Reverse Liners, Pixi Eye Bright Liner}
   
   
7. Circle the Wagons for Undereye Help
   Use a salmon shade for your under eye concealer - it will counteract blue-greens in your sleepless circles. Top it with skin-colored concealer or foundation.
   
   _{Suggestions: Bobbi Brown Corrector is worth every penny}
   
   
8. Out, Out, Damn Red!
   If you have a red nose issue from too much tissue time, the first key is using a balm or salve on it when you can. You can try a tiny bit of green primer or concealer to cancel out some of the redness but go easy so you don't end up looking like Elphaba.
   
   Top that with -or only use- a lightweight foundation or skintone-correct concealer. This is why I always keep a stick foundation on-hand: they double as concealers, can be mixed with moisturizer to make a more liquidy version, and can be tossed in a purse for touch-ups whenever (like when I blow my nose again!).
   
   _{Suggestions: Stick foundations - Bobbi Brown, MAC; Green concealers - Dermablend, Almay, Clinique}
   
   
9. Lip Service
   Oh, how my lips suffer when I'm sick! I'm constantly putting balms on those poor chaps (rimshot!).
   
   When it comes to lip color, I stick with natural pinks - my lips but better. Moisturizing formulas are best, glosses are fine, and shimmer can help (but avoid glitter and mattes: both will draw attention to roughness).
   
   A pinch of sugar mixed with a dollop of olive oil works as a great do-it-yourself lipscrub.
   
   _{Suggestions:  Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm, Jurlique Love Balm (review pending), LUSH Ultrabalm, Nuxe lip balm (and my favorite: MAC Naked Honey Salve which was sadly a limited edition and I save for times like this.)}
   
   
10. Smooth Things Out
    Flushed cheeks, sickly cast... Skin tells the tale when you're sick! Once you've hydrated and concealed, slick a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer over the skin to even-out your tone.
    
    _{Suggestions: MAC Face and Body Foundation, Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Mousse, Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer, Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15, or your regular foundation (stick?) mixed with moisturizer.}
    
    
11. Colorize
    I think simple is better when it comes to makeup on a sick face. Bright or dark makeup can take a wrong turn quickly on skin with a sickly cast!
    
    I already suggested nuetral pink for lips, and a dark blue liner on eyes, but what else? Try soft, skintone-complementary beiges and taupes on eyes, or pale and glowy golds.
    
    Cheeks could benefit from a gentle nude or pinky-peach blush (if you aren't flushed already!), and a big brush will lightly deposit the right amount of bronzer to add a little life back onto your face.
    
    
12. Lashing Out
    Mascara is a great finishing touch, but sneezing and watery eyes can foil that master plan. Skip waterproof formulas which can make lashes brittle and damaged. Instead, try "thermal mascaras". They're marketed under different names, but they are all water-resistant at normal temperatures (and sweat- and oil-proof) but remove simply with water slightly warmer than skin temp!
    
    _{Suggestions: Clinique , Bobbi Brown}
    
    

  The final result may not be perfect (mine isn't!)
but it should be a more presentable you.
Feel better soon!

but wait, there's more...


Clean Up Your Act
  After the germs are gone and you're feeling better, give all of your brushes a good cleaning! Also...

• Dip eye and lip pencils in Isopropyl Alcohol, sharpen with a clean sharpener (use a cotton swab to clean it with said alcohol), then dip again. Let dry.
• Use a clean, dry tissue to gently wipe the surface of your powder products (shadows, blush).
• Ditch (or wash) sponges.
• Lightly wipe lipsticks and cream products with an alcohol-soaked wipe (But don't let the alcohol drip into the base of a lipstick - it will break! Hold the bullet upside down.).
• If you didn't use disposable mascara wands, pitch your mascara and get a new one!
• Replace your toothbrush and wash your sheets, pillowcases, washclothes, and towels!

My number one tip: Stay away from sniffling kids when at all possible! Not too easy when you're their mom...

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