Jemma Kidd Undereye Brightener

As a doctoral candidate, my eyes are often looking worse for the wear.  Well, British beauty queen Jemma Kidd has a stellar line of products at Target and an interesting product caught my eye: Mannequin Skin Concealer in Medium/Dark.  I know what you’re thinking “you brought a product in ‘medium/dark’? that’s not even a shade!” You’re right–JK normally makes products for ivory ladies who are decidedly unlike me.  To be honest, I was expecting to hate it and to pawn it off on a fairer skinned friend, but to my incredibly surprise–it blew me away.

One end is a standard concealer stick; nothing special.  It looks light when you open it, but it truly is “medium/dark”! I slide it on under my eyes and while it’s lighter than the dark undereye area, its NOT much lighter than my actual skin tone, so it’s very blendable.  I wear it under pressed powder and use a sponge to blend, and it does indeed have a natural brightening effect.

But wait, there’s more!  The other side of this concealer stick is a translucent glittery “brightener”.  Yeah, I know.  Glittery, wtf?  But once again I say, I was pleasantly surprised–it doesn’t look glittery at all.  But it IS brightening liquid, and hey, it really makes that under eye area look alive.  Dab it on with the wand, and then pat it in with your finger tips.

Overall, this was a big surprise.  As a caveat, it’s probably not the best concealer/eye brightener available for darker skinned women.  If your skin color is closer to the medium dark range, as mine often is in the dead of winter, then you might find yourself pleasantly surprised as well.  Happy brightening!

 

Fit Me! Maybelline’s multicolor solution…

For the past few months, you may have noticed a whole new family of products from Maybelline.  The “Fit Me” line is designed to be almost weightless; no waxes, no oils, totally breathable.  Compared to “runway” make up like MAC or Make Up Forever, Fit Me is comparable to Cover Girl’s Nature Luxe line (without the cucumber, jobjoba and sundry mineral extracts) and goes on like moisturizer to allow your natural pigments to shine through.

The line is very extensive, which is great.  Unlike Nature Luxe, Fit Me features foundation, powder, blush, concealer and bronzer–the whole shabang.  The other excellent thing about the line is that the products complement each other; once you select a foundation shade, your matching powder and concealer are the same, so the line is really designed to go together.  This is not photo-finish glam-o-rama stuff, but excellent for daily wear in terms of coverage and comfort.

So, for a line that prides itself on finding you EXACT shade match, how brown friendly is it?  VERY!!

Well there’s three sets of shades: light, medium and deep, and 6 choices in each, so i’d say that’s a fair amount of variety, and certainly equal opportunity.  Plus, once you find the right shade, you just grab the matching powder and concealer, and the online shade finder will even give you suggestions for blush that goes with it!  I find the line to be very brown friendly.  My only gripe is that its not as weightless and light as it purports to be, so ultimately I actually find Covergirl’s Nature Luxe to be a little more comfortable for daily wear.  Shade wise, though, it’s great, so check it out, and report back ASAP

Happy painting!

 

Nosin’ Around: Blending beauty tip

Think for a moment about your daily make up routine.  Assuming it’s simple, lets say you go with a tinted moisturizer, pressed powder, eyeliner and lipstick, maybe even some blush.  Where are you focusing your energy?  T-zone, problem areas such as dark under eyes, etc. You’re probably such a pro by now, you do the whole thing in 2 minutes without even thinking.

So, are you getting the transition zones? These “t-zones” if you will, are areas where texture or tone changes, and more importantly, due to natural contours of your facial shape, light reflects differently.  They are tiny areas where if you don’t pay attention, you will end

OMG! Like, where's my personal make up fixer upper? My life is SO hard!

up with some pretty obvious lines a la Paris here…ok, so not THAT bad.

Use a blending brush or blending sponge  to pinch and connect the areas around the nose, like that tiny little part where the bridge meets the end.  Just a few strokes is all it takes to connect the color on your nose with the color on your face.  If you’re using foundation, this is especially important, but its relevant even with pressed powder–any kind of facial tinting will highlight these transition zones and result in obvious lines if you don’t blend them.  So tomorrow morning when you’re doing your regular routine, do some nosin’ around, and make sure you’re all pressed and blended

 

The Greatest Beauty Secret Ever….

A neat tongue-in-cheek reminder of how perception becomes reality….;)

 

 

Via Portender

 

Salma Hayek’s Nuance: a subtle celebration of color

Hi beauty lovers,

This blog has really taken a back seat for the past several months as I’ve focused on my career–I’m finishing my PhD and have so much going on that I decided to slow down the posts.  I have recently received emails from readers asking me to return and wow–I’m flattered. I am going to do my best to get back on the horse and keep the updates coming!  Make up is more fun than my dissertation any day

If you’ve been to CVS this past holiday season, you probably noticed a big display with Salma Hayek’s beautiful face on it.  She has started a line of make up and beauty products inspired by her own culture and her cosmetologist grandmother, designed with brown girls in mind.  Salma herself is Mexican, and recognizes the value of melding old fashioned beauty secrets with modern cosmetology to create something for ladies who may not be getting all they need from their mainstream beauty suppliers.  Props to Ms. Hayek, as this is a VERY extensive line, and it is very brown-friendly.  There are hair products, body washes, facial cleansers, and of course, make up.

Within the make up line, I highly recommend the Tinted Moisturizer.  It’s rare to find tinted moisturizer in so many shades, and I often use it instead of foundation on my light-make up days.  There are several shades of brown to choose from, from medium to deep, and it makes an excellent make up base.  I will admit to being less thrilled with the shade options for concealer; the darkest shade was too dark for me, and the one right before was too light, but the line is new and growing and I’m sure Salma will be adding to it.

I also enjoy the Cucumber and Rose Water make up remover; it’s very gentle and is full of interesting organic ingredients that are indigenous to Salma’s Mexican homeland including blue agave, mimosa and prickly pear–pretty cool huh?  I always say you don’t see enough prickly pear in make up these days

So check out the line, and please return to supporting BGBB–I’m sorry I neglected you my beauty lovers, but I’m ready to start playing dress-up again

Via

 

Ins and Outs of Gel Nail Polish

Summer is in full swing, which means its time for the toenails to come out to play.  A slow growing trend that suddenly seems to have all my local Brooklyn nail salons in a choke-hold is gel nail polish.  Touted as better, faster, stronger, new and improved, and any other ad-man catch phrase you can think of, this type of nail lacquer promises long-lasting chip free perfection.

Chip free perfection....

So, what’s the real deal? Well, this type of polish works just like standard nail polish; it’s painted on over a base coat and layered with a top coat, BUT unlike regular polish you allow it to dry and “cure” under ultra-violet light rather than air dry under those standard blowers.  If you’re familiar with gel nail tips, the curing process is the same, but this is a polish, not a nail extension, and can be applied on fake OR real nails.

Pros: A bunch, most obviously, the curing process for gel nails takes 30 seconds, so no worrying about chipping nails on your way out, or smudging those toes as you slide them into shoes (perfect for winter pedicures!).  2nd, the gel polish lasts 2-3 weeks, as opposed to standard mani pedis where chipping can occur in as little as 2-3 days. Also, if you’d like to get a new color you can just paint it over the existing one–no removal process where you worry about leaving tiny bits of the old color behind.

Cons: Of course, there are always negative, the first one being price.  You can’t do this kind of thing yourself, unless you have a handy

...but be prepared for visible nail growth...

dandy UV light, and even still, I haven’t heard of anybody doing it themselves. So, prices can start at 30 bucks, and that’s JUST for hands, and just polish, not the full manicure treatment.  Now, since the look will last a few weeks, you can argue that its worth it, especially for people who regularly get mani/pedis, but you should go into a salon being prepared to pay.  The other and related con is that you have to run to the salon for anything; changing color, removal, etc–it’s not really a DIY thing.  Lastly, if your nails themselves chip or grow, it will be VERY obvious–like a fake platinum blonde showing dark brown roots, and it definitely sticks out.  With lighter polish shades, it will be less obvious, but no matter what a newly grown nail is going to look different from a pre-painted one.

But, if you’re looking for a long lasting smooth color and you’re willing to fork over the dough, it’s good stuff, and I recommend it.

Tried it? Like it? Hate it? Comments appreciated!

 

Go Beyond with Beyond Natural Cream Lipgloss

Some time ago, I posted about Revlon’s Beyond Natural line of products.  Remember, these are ones that purport to automatically adjust to your personal skin tone?  While I had explored their foundations, I only recently took a peak at their lipgloss, and I’m pleased with the results.

When it comes to lipgloss, I find that people either love it or hate it.  So, whatever camp you’re in, I’ll tell you right now, this product is probably not going to change your mind.  It’s nothing special in terms of its consistency.  BUT, if you are somebody who likes lipgloss, I encourage you to check it out because it does offer something new in the way of color.

First off, it’s creamy, so the color, true to its name, appears more natural.  There are no fancy glittery pigments; it wears like a liquid lipstick rather than a high-shine gloss.  Secondly, the shade adjusting technology (which really isn’t about the pigment in the make up but rather the light reflecting technology that creates the illusion of color) is actually effective.  The color is natural but bright enough (given the glossy consistency) that the final look is smooth and organic.  If you’re looking for a dramatic effect, this product is not for you.  But, if you want smooth color with a tiny bit of liquid luster without all of that glittery nonsense, you may find this works for you!

It’s available in a handful of colors from light nude to what they call “Deep Spice”.  Each color is fairly versatile because it’s intended to blend in with its surroundings, so even for darker ladies, you don’t necessarily need to grab one of the darker shades.  The “Berry” shade in the middle of the spectrum gave me a mauve tint, so experiment and select what works for you!

Happy painting

 

Product Fail: L’Oreal Voluminous Mistake Proof Marker Eyeliner

As you can see, this angled tip is great for writing calligraphy and lousy for eye-lining!

Forever in the market for solid liquid liners, I picked up L’Oreal’s Voluminous Mistake Proof Marker Eyeliner the other day. Oh, the irony–what a waste of 8 bucks!  This product is absolutely NOT mistake proof.  It is exactly what it sounds like:  a marker.  I am a fan of felt tip liquid liners and find them easier to work with than brush tip liners.  However, the felt tip on this product is wide and clunky, and drawing a fine, elegant line is almost impossible.  So I thought to myself, “Ok, it’s better for a more dramatic effect” and I swept it shadow style across my lid, but the result was almost cartoonish!  The tip is simply too far and too hard to do anything other than spread dark paint over your lid.  Furthermore, the “black” looked more like a slate or gray, a color that does not complement brown skin.

So, this product is a fail on all levels–stay away!  Disagree?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

Get Smart–It’s Allergy Season!

This is the worst allergy season NYC has seen in years.  Gentle readers, I do not know where you live, but if your climate is anything like me and your allergies are flaring up, it spells trouble for make-up!  Eye-make up doesn’t exactly stay put with itchy, watery eyes, and it’s simply safer and better for you to keep as many pollutants and irritants away from your eye area as possible.  So yes, that means going with little or no eye make up, if possible.

Don’t worry–you can still brighten up those peepers!  Curl your eyelashes, apply some blush and lip gloss, and take the focus away from the eyelids.  You’ll look great even though you’ve skipped the liner, as long as you keep the lashes curled it opens up the part of the eye that people should actually be seeing–your pupils.

Beyond that, the best thing you can do to protect your eyes during allergy season is keep them clean, and that means face washing.  I’ve been washing my face 5-6 times a day (yes, I keep face wash in my purse just in case).  Right now, I’m using Aveeno’s Smart Essentials Pore Purifying Facial Wash.  Smart Essentials is a new line from Aveeno aimed at light cleansing and restoration with no extras.  Formulated with antioxidants and free of soaps and dyes, it’s a great product to use multiple times a day because it truly cleans the face without drying out the skin.  So Get Smart, stay clean to protect your eyes during allergy season!

 

Fly me to the moon with Chandraveria Cosmetics

Direct from India comes a skincare line that melds modern consciousness with ancient Ayurvedic skincare, and the result is Chandra, the Sanskrit word for Moon.  They offer everything from face care to baby care, including their own line of herbal supplements.

Chandra boasts using nothing but basic organic ingredients such as cucumber, melon, pomegranate and various herbs and roots.  Combining modern science with ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, Chandra’s master scientist Dr. Mohan Behl uses his background in phytochemistry (plant stuff) to promote the use of botanicals and organics in cosmetic products across the globe.

While all of their products are organic and infused with various botanicals, they also host a specific Ayurveda line, with skin care products made from saffron and fenugreek.  At present the products are ONLY available in India, but if you know somebody who is heading east and may be stopping by a major Indian city, maybe they can pick something up!