On the May 1 episode of The Talk, beauty expert and author of “Hollywood Beauty Secrets”, Louisa Graves came on the show with 5 simple tips to keep a youthful appearance using every day ingredients.
Her first remedy was for age spots and fine lines.
THE FACE REJUVENATOR
A Microdermabrasion Scrub Alternative - Instead of paying for costly microdermabrasion treatments, use this treatment that just costs pennies and will give you similar anti-aging results using baking soda. First wash your face, then while skin is still wet, scrub a handful of baking soda into the face in a GENTLE circular motion. Do this for about 30 to 60 seconds. It will remove dull surface skin and reveal those fresh, new skin cells. It will also help fade age spots and smooth fine lines for youthful looking skin. You can do this twice a week.
THE NECK TIGHTENER
Her next tip was to help tighten neck skin, so you can get rid of that turkey neck. Put some shea butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds (she recommends a 1 oz jar, with the lid off – I love shea butter from L’Occitane, but it is in a tin so don’t microwave the tin!), melting the butter. To that, stir in 2 tbsp. of emu oil and 1 tsp. of lemongrass. Apply this neck balm every morning and night for fast results.
* Please note the emu oil is not necessarily animal friendly. She said it is used as a carrier oil, so maybe you can use another carrier oil, such as grapeseed (which is a great anti-ager as well) or almond oil or jojoba.
THE LIP SMOOTHER
I get terrible chapped lips, so I think I will try this next one! To help smooth dry, cracked lips, warm some milk in a microwave for 10 – 15 seconds. Then, dip a cotton ball into milk and dab onto lips for a minute or two. The lactic acid in milk is a gentle exfoliator. Next, using a q-tip, apply some raw honey onto lips. Honey is a humectant (moisture magnet) and is naturally antibiotic. Next, poke open the Vitamin E capsule and apply over the honey to seal it in overnight. (Also – if you have extra vitamin E oil, try rubbing some into your cuticles instead of cuticle balm! It is great for nails!)
THE HAND REJUVENATOR
It’s also a nail brightener and cuticle banisher! – Apparently, Louisa knows what she is talking about for this next one, she is/was a hand model! To rejuvenate hands and banish those stained yellow nails combine 1 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice with 2 or 3 tbsp. baking soda, mixing it to a paste-like consistency. Scrub each nail for 60 seconds, then leave on nails for 5 minutes. Then take the remaining paste and scrub the tops of the hands to fade age spots. Leave on hand tops for 5 minutes before rinsing. You can then massage lip balm into the areas, to instantly rejuvenate and smooth wrinkled-looking knuckles and banish dry cuticles.
THE CELLULITE BUSTER
As we age, collagen breaks down and cellulite becomes more noticeable. A great way to draw out toxins and help tighten and smooth the look of dimples is to make a mask combining 1 cup of apple cider vinegar with 3/4 cup of bentonite clay (you can usually find this at the drugstore or natural health foods stores), and stir to a paste-like consistency. Apply the paste onto wet thighs and arms where you see cellulite and let dry. You’ll experience a pulling and tightening sensation. Wash the mask off in the shower with tepid water and a face cloth.
Please note that Hollywood Beauty Secrets is out of print, but it is available as a kindle edition:
On the Today Shows’s April 27 episode, celebs Makeup Artist Mally Roncal demonstrated the Best Makeup for Every Type of Woman. Since we all have different skin types, colours and facial features, we need to know how to best enhance those differences. Mally shared her tips to enhance your best features by complimenting your skin tone and features.
Asian Features
Contouring is your friend. Lift cheekbones and apply shadow in crease of eye to define and widen. The crease is right under the brow bone. When you blend it in, it opens up the eye and will make you look more awake.
Showing the eyelid crease on an Asian eye
Olive Skin Tones
Olive skin tones can look sallow and washed out, especially in winter months. Use a foundation to warm your skin tone. And use blush – it is your friend! Pink, Peachy or Coral coloured blushes are great. Smile to find the apples of your cheeks. Mally says she likes using the ‘Cinnamon Bun‘ method for applying powder blush – “A little in the middle and blend it up toward the cheekbone.”
Applying blush onto an olive skin tone
Dark Skin Tones
Mally says it is all about choosing the right shade of powder, try a clear powder to avoid ashiness. Using translucent powder can look dry and sit in fine lines. You want to mattify your skin. Apply a primer to prevent skin tone from looking too grey. And using an eye shadow base will help shadow last all day. I believe she was using her own powder: Mally Beauty Poreless Perfection Skin Finisher
Applying mattifying clear powder to dark skin tones
Older Women
Bronzer is your friend. Avoid ones with shimmer in them, try a matte version instead. Black mascara will really define your eyes. And for a fuller lip, use a lip liner that matches your lip tone.
Sooo…. In the same vein as Rebecca Black (Friday), Double Take has a new single, Hot Problems, lamenting that Hot Girls have problems too. It is quickly becoming known as the worst song EVER!
I think the timing of the song is ironic considering a few weeks back their was a hailstorm of backlash for article on the UK Daily Mail by Samantha Brick about how women hate her because she is so beautiful.
Capture of Samantha Brick’s Article (from The Mail Online)
So what do you think?
Worst song ever or are you planning on buying this on iTunes? Do you have hot girl problems as well?
Or at least its website gets one! Head on over to Sephora to see their brand spankin’ new website.
Screenshot of New Sephora Website
Sephora has changed their website around, I never really had any problem with finding anything on the Sephora site (except for searching sometimes, hopefully their search function is more refined!), so even though I tried exploring it a bit, I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for, in terms of improvements.
The Differences according to them:
An Advanced Product Finder
It says you can search beyond just colour. To help you find the perfect product for you, items have been tagged with features (like anti-aging, their ingredients), so you can refine your search in different ways.
E-Zine
A new magazine called “The Glossy” is available in the trends section.
Advice and Other Beauty Resources
How to videos, advice and product suggestions from both Sephora pros and other website users.
Beauty Insider Central
A special section for beauty insiders to track their points balances and see available rewards.
Pre-Shop
I think this is the best part, you can now pre-shop for your trip online! Check what is in stock at your local Sephora and make a shopping list. This is especially good for something (like a specific colour) you would want to try out beforehand. Also, my local Sephora often disappoints with their out of stock products. Last week, for their Chic Week special, I wanted an Origins mask and Too Faced BB cream and a few other things… all out
Have you visited the new website yet? Do you like it?
As they say….
Makeup artist Bobbi Brown was on the Today show today to give some tricks and tips on the perfect foundation. Bobbi says it is the simplest thing when you get it right, and the trick is it needs to match your face, your neck, your hands; it just has to be the right tone. My mother has this problem finding foundation, as her neck is a different colour from her face.
Her number one tip for buying foundation is getting the proper colour. You need to get the one that blends into the side of your face. (Don’t use your hand – wow, I am so guilt of this sometimes!). Try to look in natural light, and try a yellow-based foundation. Yellow foundations get rid of redness, and it is tones we already have in our skin. Second tip is choose the right formula. She also loves tinted moisturizers, they are sheer and great for weekends. You need to adjust your foundation for spring, as your skin gets dryer or oilier. You can also adjust the formula by adjusting the moisturizer you wear underneath.
Dark Spots
The first model had some dark spots, so Bobbi suggested putting foundation on first, taking a touch up stick (not a concealer, because concealer is lighter than your skin, Bobbi applied this with a brush), go wherever there is a spot, let it sit and use powder on top to lock it in place. Bobbi says if you have dry skin, you can still use a mineral-based powder foundation.
Redness
The trick is to use a yellow tone foundation. Apply all over. Use a yellow powder. A translucent powder could cause ashiness. By using a good moisturizer underneath, you can still get a great dewy look, even when using powder. She also used a a cream blush on her cheeks, as well as a bronzing powder all over with a big brush, including a little on the neck.
Bobbi’s Tips:
Never apply foundation on the neck. Avoid over applying to cover dark spots. Apply foundation with fingers, sponge or brush. A brush will give you more coverage. Reduce redness with a tinter moisturizer. You can also correct redness with bronzer. Avoid using a product that is too dense.
This is different from the previous creaseless concealer, which didn’t seem to get the best reviews online. From Tarte’s website:
“Need a full coverage waterproof concealer that won’t crease? Look no further. tarte’s maracuja creaseless concealer is the perfect combination: it offers long-lasting, full coverage in a rich and velvety texture with pure, skin-soothing ingredients.”
Starting on 4/6, the first 200 customers to buy this concealer will receive a free creaseless concealer brush! No promo code needed. The brush will automatically ship with eligible orders..
The April 5, 2012 episode of “The Talk” had beauty expert Jamie Krell. She showed off some of the best new products for getting gorgeous!
Skincare
Radical Skincare Jamie says the entire line “Works wonders for the skin”. She showed off their Peptide Infused Antioxidant Serum. It has 15 antioxidant rich fruits. She claims this makes it clinically proven to be 300% more potent than any other brand right now.
Smashbox
Jamie says she does not leave home without this; and all women need it in their beauty bag. Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer. (P.S. whenever a makeup artist sees my makeup bag, they always seem to notice the primer and say something about how all women should use primer). It will smooth skin and prep it for foundation. Your makeup will have extra staying power!
Body
Rodial
Claiming it will keep you slim, she suggests trying Rodial Skincare Tummy Tuck Gel. She claims you can lose up to 1 inch in 8 weeks. Hmmm, wonder if that is true?
Anti-Aging
LightStim
Reduce and eliminate wrinkles and give an overall youthful look with the LightStim Tool for Wrinkles. This red-light producing tool is actually FDA cleared.
Except for the Smashbox primer, these tools seem kind of pricey, but no one said getting gorgeous was cheap!
So today I went to Sephora to pick up a few things….. and I was so happy when they told me it was a VIB event, today only, where I saved 15% off everything! Wooo HOoo! So I did end up getting a few more things that I went there for, but I am definitely happy with my haul today. I never got any email about this (although the salesgirl assured me that at least 3 emails had gone out regarding it, several other people in line said they didn’t receive any emails about it either). So…. expect some more product reviews coming your way really soon!
Here is my Haul….. did I mention I got a big bag of samples and an umbrella?!
My Sephora Haul
I love it when you go to buy something, and you get an extra bonus off!
My Beauty Booty Loot:
Phyto 9 Nourishing Day Cream with 9 Plans for Ultra-Dry Hair. Post-winter hair is unhappy :(
Bumble and Bumble Mending Shampoo and Mending Conditioner. Again, post winter hair is unhappy. Hopefully I can get a trim to get rid of the really damaged ends and this will take care of the rest of my hair!
Bliss Starter Set – Triple Oxygen. Contains travel sizes of “Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Cleansing Foam, Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask (which I have ALWAYS wanted to try!), “Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Gel, and Triple Oxygen +C Energizing Cream. Because my hair isn’t the only winter casualty… my skin has taken a beating as well!
“The Original BeautyBlender” makeup sponge – I need to blend better
Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil. I hope this lives up to the hype, I only got the small bottle (15 mL/.5 fl oz.) But we will see if it seems to work….
Murad Acne Spot Treatment. Just to have on hand.
Tarte Beauty and the Box – Amazonian clay eye shadow quad and Lights, Camera, Lashes! mini-mascara. I will have no shortage of mascaras to review! I also needed some brown everyday shadows. These look a bit shimmery, but I think they’ll work! and finally….
Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Fair. I was torn between getting Fair and getting Light, but I decided to go with Fair (the lighter one) and I can always get another one in Light come summer when my skin tans a bit. I had wanted to try the Too Faced BB cream, but they were all out of the light colours. Trying the sample, it did seem a bit shimmery though, so maybe the smashbox one is better to try first!
My samples packet contained:
Samples Packet
Sephora Full Action – Extreme Effect Mascara
Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash – Extra Black Mascara
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner samples
Perfume Sample – Viva La Juicy
Perfume Sample – BCBGMAXAZRIA
Givenchy Mister Light – Instant Light Corrective Pen sample. This one is on since it says it is a pen, the picture is of a pen, except it is in a little packet. Weird :)
When I checked my email later that night, I HAD received an email from Sephora regarding their “Chic Week” from March 30 – April 5. Weird, since when I was in the store they said it was a “Today Only!” type of thing. But whatever :) Maybe VIB’s got an advanced day before regular Beauty Insiders did?
Did you get to participate in the “Chic Week” event? What did you get???
Burt’s Bees Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin
The Moisturizer and Cleanser
So I received a kit to review the Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin moisturizer and cleanser from Burt’s Bees. The letter that came with the kit says:
“It puts an end to redness and over drying with gentle, natural ingredients including Cotton Extract to soften, Rice Extract to moisturize and Aloe to soothe”
I am sometimes wary about “natural” products, but Burt’s Bees is a line I trust; I like quite a few of their products (especially their Tinted Lip Balm and Baby Bee Nourishing Baby Oil). The Facial Cleanser is a soap-free one that is supposed to moisturize sensitive skin while gently cleansing it without over-drying or causing redness or irritation. It also contains Quillaja (an extract from soap bark trees) to provide natural foaming lather; and Yucca (a desert plant high in saponins, which are traditional cleansing agents. The Daily Moisturizer is a day cream that is meant to provide nourishing moisture to sensitive skin without causing redness or irritation, and is labeled as non-comedogenic. It also contains the rice extract and aloe.
First Impressions
so I put a bit of moisturizer on my hand, and the texture was smooth and blended easily. I liked the fact that they basically smelled like nothing. One thing that I did not like right away was the disproportionate package sizes. The cleanser is 170g and the moisturizer is only 50g. So you will probably have to buy about two packages of moisturizer for every tube of cleanser. I was also a little bit put off that they had a separate box for the moisturizer. It seemed a bit superfluous. I don’t really like excess packaging. I did like the packaging choices of a tube for the cleanser and the pump for the moisturizer. It made them both easy to apply! One caveat – the pump puts out too much product, use only half a pump.
The Moisturizer is on the Left, Cleanser on the Right
Using the Product
Unfortunately, these products just did not work for me. I think it has something to do with the cotton extract. I had a similar reaction to the Ultra Comforting Organic Cotton line from L’Occitane which is also supposed to be a great product for sensitive skin, just not mine.
Cleanser
The cleanser I didn’t really like. It made my skin kind of itchy. It is a weird putty colour, and is almost the consistency of putty. It is very thick, and I found I needed to rinse A LOT to get it all off. I also had to rub my face, which I don’t think is suitable for sensitive skin. I usually prefer a sudsy cleanser (which I know is not the best for sensitive skin, but I like the feel of it!) and this one is very creamy. Just not my taste.
The moisturizer is nice (even though I had a reaction to it!). it is silky smooth, bright white and absorbs quickly. Perfect for applying makeup over it in the morning. Skin feels nice afterwards, but it did not get rid of my dry patches. I think this would be better for normal to normal-oily skin, as I just didn’t feel it moisturized my dry skin enough. Burt’s Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream
Overall
Unfortunately, when it comes to sensitive skin you need to go through a lot of trial and error. You just can’t please everyone, since their sensitive skin can be caused by an infinite number of reasons. This product line just did not work for me. It caused my skin to get red and itchy, and I even ended up with a few blemishes and dry patches. That being said, I think if you have sensitive skin, you should feel free to try it out. What works for me might work for you. For example, I prefer a foaming type of facial cleanser but if you like creamy cleansers, this might be the perfect product for you. I think I am sensitive to cotton in my products, but maybe you won’t be.I do like the silky texture of the moisturizer, the fact that it is fragrance free, and that it was fast absorbing and non greasy. The line also has Burt’s Bees Sensitive Eye Cream and Burt’s Bees Sensitive Night Cream (which I did not get to try). So if you are still searching for the right sensitive skin line for you, this could be one you can try out.
Some more info from Burt’s Bees on their line:
“The folk’s at Burt’s Bees have formulated their new Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin line with Cotton Extract because its gentle touch is perfect for sensitive skin. It includes seven “oligosaccharides.” or sugars, that help support the skin barrier, reduce the appearance of skin redness and promote the production of keratin. Keratin is actually the key material making up the outer layer of skin, and it gives skin its strength, flexibility and water retaining capabilities. It also helps carry moisture where it’s most needed….. it can provide all kinds of benefits including:
Moisturizing the skin
Increasing the softness and suppleness of skin
Supporting the skin’s barrier function
Helping to maintain skin’s natural moisture
Helping to even out skin tone.”
Disclosure: I received a sample of this product to provide a review. It in no way affected my review, and this review is honest and true to me – Sarah
I received a product sample, coupon, collateral or other special premium from BzzAgent.
On the March 19 episode of Live! with Kelly, Prevention Magazine’s Jennifer Goldstein was on to share some Double Duty Beauty Foods aka foods that have beauty benefits by eating them or applying to the skin. One caveat is to make sure you have no food allergies first! If you can’t eat almonds, don’t apply them to your face either! Kelly had a little too much fun applying these foods to co-host Nick Lachey.
Avocados
Yummy!
Avocados are a great anti-ager, mostly due to their essential fatty acids (and Vitamin E!). They help plump skin and keep it smooth. Hooray for Guacamole!
Apply
Applying avocado oil to the skin may stimulate collagen and elastin production. To create a great mask, mix with 1/4 cup sour cream (which is a terrific skin exfoliator due to Lactic Acid – hey another great double duty beauty food!) and leave on for 10-20 minutes. Then rinse with cold water.
Tea
Yummy!
Teas contain skin-boosting antioxidants (especially but green and white varieties) that may protect skin from damage caused by environmental pollutants and sun exposure.
Apply
First, you can put cooled tea bags on your (closed) eyelids to depuff the skin around your eyes, as the tannins can constrict blood vessels.
You can also boost your hair colour and get some subtle highlights going by applying a rinse. Use black tea for brunette hair, chamomile for blonde, and redheads can use red zinger. Prepare the tea, let it cool, then apply the solution to your hair. Put on a shower cap, wait for 15 to 30 minutes and rinse with cool water.
Almonds
Yummy!
Got Grey? Almonds contain high levels of catalase enzymes that can help counteract the buildup of hydrogen peroxide present in greying hair. Who knew?! I’ll be reaching for almonds more as a snack now!
Apply
For a skin smoothing scrub, pulverize about 1/4 cup of almonds in a food processor and mix in some coconut oil (also a great double duty beauty food!). Use about 2 tablespoons to make it into a paste. Use on your hands, elbows, knees, or anywhere else you need to get rid of rough skin.
Yogurt
Yummy!
Great for teeth and skin (high in calcium), yogurt is also high in protein, to help build your hair and nails.
Apply
Yogurt contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid that can get rid of dead skin cells. Try using full-fat, plain yogurt as a mask. Just apply a thin layer to clean skin and leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing.
Or make a hair mask. Mix together 1/4 cup full-fat yogurt, 3 tablespoons honey and an egg yolk. Apply the protein rich mask to hair, put on a shower cap, and rinse after about 15 minutes.
Strawberries
Yummy!
Strawberries have high levels of vitamin C and ellagic acid. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen. It also acts as an antioxidant to prevent environmental damage. High Vitamin C intake is associated with a lower likelihood of wrinkles and skin dryness. Ellagic acid increases skin’s ability to hold moisture, and has been shown to help fade dark spots.
Apply
Make a brightening face mask with pureed strawberries, yogurt and a squeeze of lemon juice (also high in Vitamin C). Leave on for about 20 minutes before rinsing. Nick seemed to really like eating it.
Coffee
Yummy!
Full of antioxidants to protect skin from sun damage and help prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin (which results in wrinkles and sagging).
Apply
Cooled coffee grounds are a way to treat cellulite due to its high caffeine content. Caffeine is a diuretic, and pulls water away from fat cells to smooth skin. It is also grainy, so will exfoliate like a scrub. So take some used coffee grounds with you into the shower and rub on your butt, thighs or whoever that dimply skin is hiding.
. It has 15 antioxidant rich fruits. She claims this makes it clinically proven to be 300% more potent than any other brand right now.
with interchangeable barrels.
