Make Your Lipstick Last
Lipstick woes. I’m sure we’ve all had them. Before you left the house, your lips were painted pretty. But by the time you got to work or finished your morning latte, it was long gone or fading fast. I get asked a lot, “Why does my lipstick wear off so quickly?” “Is there something I can do to make it stay put?” You bet there is. Here are some tips to ensure your lipstick makes a lasting impression.
PREP YOUR LIPS I can’t stress this enough because it really makes a difference in how your lipstick wears. Lipstick holds up best on a smooth surface. When I need to gently buff lips, I use a damp washcloth and Lip Polish to exfoliate. Then I pat on clear lip balm (Episilk is my favorite), let it sink in for a few minutes, then blot with a tissue.
PENCIL IT IN One of my favorite makeup artists, Sam Fine, says he always uses a lip pencil. I couldn’t agree more. Lip pencil adds a layer of pigment and helps color last. The key is to choose one that matches your lipstick. If your lipstick is very dark, then go one shade lighter. Lightly trace the pencil along the inside edge of your lips, then fill in your mouth and blot.
SEMI-MATTE & SATIN FINISH The good thing about many matte lipsticks: They are long-wearing. The bad thing: They can dry out your lips. A happy medium I’ve found are semi-matte and satin-finish lipsticks which are highly pigmented and non-drying. Satin lipsticks yield a creamy, silky finish; Semi-mattes a velvety finish. My faves: ARTISTRY and NARS.
GO BOLD Don’t be afraid of strong color. Go for a bright or dark shade because they have more pigment and they tend to last longer than soft ones.
SWIPE IT ON I like lip brushes for precision application but skip the brush and apply it straight from the tube for richer color payoff. Blot the first coat with a tissue, then add another layer.
FINISH WITH POWDER Don’t worry. The powder won’t dry out your lips if you don’t use too much. Close your mouth, smile and then dust a little face powder on your lips with a fluffy brush. And definitely don’t reapply your lipstick because it could get cakey.
Smooches!
Read More »FUN Friday: Tokidoki Makeup
The creators of new cosmetics line Tokidoki want you to “immerse yourself in the magical world of criminally cute beauty.” Express your inner artist with vibrant, high-pigment eyeshadows and liners, glosses and shimmering eye pencils. It’s anime art but edgier. The products are playful and quirky elements abound such as skull-and-crossbones cases and detachable charms.
View the collection at Sephora.com and check out four colorful looks created with the line including this one:
Have a great weekend!
Read More »Covergirl Outlast Lipstain
credit: Covergirl.com
I love the concept of Covergirl’s Outlast Lipstain: A pen-like applicator that makes it easy to define your lips and draw on color without any hassle. Think: A marker for your lips. It’s a cool idea but the formula needs some tweaking.
Covergirl says “the water-based colorants of Outlast Lipstain give lips a beautiful, lightweight flush of color that won’t come off, lasting for hours without the heavy look or feel of an ordinary lipstick.”
True, you do get a lightweight flush of color. Lasting for hours? Well…it does last for hours as long as you don’t eat, drink, lick your lips, kiss anyone…You get the picture. My technique was to blot my lips with a tissue after applying the stain. I repeated this until little color came off on the tissue. The color payoff was great on two of the three colors I tried, but the stain started to wear off as soon as I drank something. So any moisture (even licking your lips) seems to break it down. I did like the conditioners that soften and smooth your lips, and you can feel the effect of this when applying it. Unfortunately, it’s not lasting and I did experience some dryness to my lips. The stain does fade pretty evenly from your lips though. Covergirl Outlast Lipstain is available in 10 shades. I tried three: Scarlet Pucker, Saucy Plum (love the vibrancy of both colors) and Flirty Nude (barely showed up on me). Again, a great concept; okay results.
Read More »Show and Tell: LashBlast Fusion Mascara
credit: covergirl.com
I can count my favorite mascaras on one hand: ARTISTRY Total Mascara and L’Oreal Voluminous. I love them both for the same reasons: They add volume, lengthen, separate and lift. I never get my hopes up when trying a new mascara because many are just hype. I wasn’t wowed by Covergirl’s LashBlast Fusion, but it didn’t totally disappoint either. First, what’s with the big, chunky packaging for these newer mascaras? LashBlast is in a fat tube and it’s not the first I’ve noticed like this. I know it’s a marketing tactic: Thicker, bigger tube = thicker, bigger lashes, right? I’m nitpicking, but I don’t like fat tubes of mascara. They just don’t look right. LOL! And the brush in LashBlast is a little off-putting and too oversized. I just knew I’d get mascara everywhere except on my lashes. The saving grace for the brush is its fine bristles. They really define every lash. I strongly suggest dabbing excess mascara off before applying. Because it’s such a big brush, it holds way more product than you’ll need. What this mascara did do was make my lashes longer; it didn’t clump (when applying multiple coats), flake or smudge. Great waterproof formula. I would have loved more volume and fullness. For now, I’ll stick with my two that are tried and true. Next review: Covergirl Outlast Lipstains
Read More »Show and Tell: Covergirl Liquiline Blast Eyeliner
Covergirl recently sent Blended Beauté some of their latest products which I have played with and tested. Now the verdict is in…
credit: Covergirl.com
This is a definite keeper! This eyeliner gives you the intensity and staying power of a liquid with the ease and blendability of a waterproof pencil. You can use the liner for intense definition or smoke it out with the built-in smudger. I don’t usually care for dual ended tools with smudgers but this smudger I like and it allows you to create a subtle, smoky look. These liners are also a great base for layering eyeshadow and building intensity. They come in six pigment-rich colors (CG sent them all) which I have added to my kit: Blackfire (I’m a softie for rich black eyeliner pencils), Brown Blaze, Silver Spark, Violet Voltage, Blue Boom and Green Glow.
Liquiline Blast is a versatile eyeliner. So versatile that makeup artist Pat McGrath (I ♥ her work) created several different looks using the eyeliner during Milan fashion shows for Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Lanvin. Here are some of those looks which I read about recently in Allure. You may not go to this extreme, but the pictures and pointers just might inspire you.
Bottega Veneta
For a punk look at Bottega Veneta, McGrath smudged on a thick stripe of black cream shadow and darkened the creases and corners with LiquiLine Blast. She then topped it all with black shadow.
Gucci
At Gucci, McGrath drew the pencil along the inner rims of the lids, then traced a razor thin line of it along the top lashes. On top of all the pencil, she swept a soft brown eye shadow.
Lanvin
For Lanvin’s tough makeup look, McGrath rimmed the eyes over and over with the pencil, then with black shadow, and dragged the mix out at the corners before dusting a sparkly antique-gold shadow on top for a “flash of light.”
Photos: Allure.com; makeup descriptions: Pat McGrath via Allure June issue.
Next review: LashBlast Fusion Mascara and Outlast Lipstain
Read More »Beauté Crave: OPI’s Cuckoo for this Color
I’m not trying to rush summer, but I am excited about fall’s color palette especially for nails. I was flipping through the August issue of Marie Claire and OPI’s Cuckoo for this Color ($8.50) immediately caught my eye. It’s a gorgeous shimmery dark green that I can’t wait to try.
credit: alizarineclaws.blogspot.com
Hair Beauté: Naomi Campbell Traction Alopecia
I’m sure by now many have seen this recent picture of supermodel Naomi Campbell who is suffering from a severe case of traction alopecia. How this happened to Naomi is pretty obvious: Years and years of stress and tension on her hair and scalp from wearing weaves. How can this be prevented? How should you take care of your hair and scalp while wearing added hair? I have had many hairstyles including weave so to answer these questions and more, I reached out to my own hairstylist, Nakia Spriggs of Concepts The Salon & Spa.
Q: How long have you been a hair care professional? I have been a professional hair stylist for nine years and a master stylist for four years.
Q: What areas of expertise are you known for? My expertise is in hair health and care, cuts, color and hair addition (weaving).
Q: How would you describe your style? It took me several years to develop my own personal style or what I like to call my signature. My signature consists of a trendy cut that has movement and attitude but can be easily maintained. My short styles are feminine yet sassy, have high shine and minimal hair spray but longevity. As a stylist, my passion is to make women feel beautiful, confident and sexy; keeping them current with the trends while incorporating their own attitude and lifestyle, without compromising the health of their hair.
Q: How do you impress upon your clients to have healthy hair? I am very serious about the health of my clients scalp and hair because without that, you can not have a beautiful result. I always suggest that chemical relaxing [touch-ups] should be done no sooner then 8 to 10 weeks and that the hair should not be made bone straight. This prevents premature hair thinning and hair breakage. Thermal styling should be kept to a minimum. Hair should be maintained through pin curling or wrapping the hair (in opposite directions) and securing with pins and a satin or silk scarf nightly.
Q: If a client wants a weave, do you consult with them first? What’s your process? When it comes to weaving and hair coloring consultations are a must. This ensures that the health of the hair is maintained and or restored and that it fits the clients lifestyle. During the consultation, we discuss if the client has any allergies to animals or fibers, the style they are trying to achieve and the maintainance of the weave.
Q: Of the various ways to add hair, do you prefer one technique over the other? Is one technique less damaging than another?
1. There are many techniques for hair enhancement or addition. Some are temporary like bonding which is good for trying out various highlight colors or to add volume or a dramatic touch to a hair cut. Bonding should not be a regular routine because it can cause thinning and permanent hair loss if not removed properly.
2. Sewn-in weaves can be beneficial to clients if done properly and can in fact aid in maintaining or achieving healthy hair. By braiding the hair up (putting the hair away and giving it a break), the client can achieve various styles and colors without compromising the health of their hair. The hair should be braided with minimal tension and in a pattern that mimics the direction of hair growth. This prevents premature hair loss and hair growth disorders. This type of weave should be kept in no longer than three months and no shorter than two months. Most of the time I suggest that clients at the max do three cycles of three months to get them into another season that their hair is the most manageable, and during that season is when they wear their own hair. During this “rest,” hair is conditioned and the scalp is kept clean for optimal results. This method is one I prefer because it enables the client versatility, aids in hair restoration and is easy to maintain.
3. Another type of hair addition is infusion and micro-links. Both of these methods require the hair to be at optimal health and is beneficial to only certain hair textures that are medium to course in texture, and have a high elasticity (ability to maintain the added weight of the hair). These methods consist of adding strands of hair to the clients hair strands at about a 10-to-1 ratio by bonding the fibers with a protein-based resin substance that hardens (infusion) or by very small metal cylinders that are bent with a tool to secure the added hair to the clients hair (micro links). Both methods are good for adding color effects, fullness and length and last from five to six months with proper maintenance.
4. Lastly, lace wigs are another type of hair addition that is beneficial to those who have alopecia, which is a disorder of the scalp that causes permanent hair loss, or those who have lost their hair from various illnesses or medication. This method is very natural-looking and painless. The wig is attached to the head by adhesives in either a glue or tape and can be removed nightly or kept on as long as 6 weeks. This method is only meant for those with major hair loss issues and is not recommended for those with a full head of hair and with a healthy hairline because improper use can cause permanent hair loss.
Q: What are your thoughts on the pics of Naomi? When [weave] techniques are done properly and with care they can be very beneficial to the client; however, too much of one thing can also be detrimental. Such is the case with Naomi Campbell’s hairline. Constant tension from braiding has caused self-inflicted alopecia to the extent that the whole hair follicle was removed from the scalp leaving smooth edges and the inability for hair to regrow. This is becoming the ultimate outcome for many who constantly apply tension to their hair through braiding. But even in this, there are many other ways to restore the hair and incorporate a healthy routine.
Q: This is great information. Thanks for your time Nakia. How can people reach you and see your work? They can call Concepts The Salon & Spa at 301-952-9550; email niksconcept@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook under Concepts The Salon and Spa.
Read More »FUN Friday: MAC Look in a Box
Get em while it’s still hot and before summer is gone! Choose your personality with MAC Look in a Box sets ($59.50) — three complete makeup looks that capture the season. Each set includes Beauty Powder, Powder Blush, Mineralize Eyeshadow, Lipglass or Lustreglass and Zoom Fast Black Lash Mascara. A how-to face chart is also included. The sets are exclusively available at their travel retail stores and Nordstrom.com.
TAWNY Look Box
- Refined Golden Bronzing Powder
- Coppertone Powder Blush
- By Jupiter Mineralize Eyeshadow
- Love Nectar Lipglass
- Zoom Fast Black Lash
FRISKY Look Box
- Pretty Baby Beauty Powder
- Well-Dressed Powder Blush
- Mercurial Mineralize Eyeshadow
- Nymphette Lipglass
- Zoom Fast Black Lash
MISS VIOLET Look Box
- Rose Beauty Powder
- Desert Rose Powder Blush
- Lovestone Mineralize Eyeshadow
- Lovechild Lipglass
- Zoom Fast Black Lash
Image credit: Specktra.net
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HAUTE Beauté: Dior Fall/Winter Couture Collection
Mary Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
Dior Dior you do not bore
How does your garden grow?
With psychedelic colors and poufy petal skirts
Dramatic ball gowns that flow, flow, flow.
Love the makeup and hair too! View other pieces from the collection at Jezebel.com.
Images via Jezebel.com
Read More »FUN FRIDAY: Fluff Cosmetic Mirrors
These charming, cute compacts are a steal at only $3.99. The two-sided metal mirrors with hinged lock were created by L.A. artist Claudette Barjoud and were inspired by 20′s glamour, mid-century modernism, vintage pinup girls, couture fashion and an eclectic mix of art. The artsy assortment includes such inspirations as “Vintage Dolly,” “Dollface,” “Silver Shoe,” “Red Hot Devilette” and “Dolce” to name a few. Check out all the mirrors while supplies last at www.BeautyTicket.com.
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