A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Bulletproof Beauty: Summer Makeup That Stays Put

In New York City, there is a week in May where the ground is neither covered with snow nor emitting steamy poofs of humidity. It happens again in reverse sometime in October, but the rest of the time, the city is a danger zone of frizzy hair, smudgy eyeliner and a shiny t-zone.

If you’re not dealing with hairstyle destroying gusts of wind, you’re battling makeup-melt. Arriving at your destination, even if it’s only three subway stops away, becomes an exercise in style preservation. And while it’s next to near impossible to ensure your look will stay totally intact, these products can help you toward the goal of looking polished and put-together. Here are some handy summer makeup tips that will help you weather the weather!

1.) A no-nonsense base: Liquid makeup is a bit too malleable and soft to withstand summer swelter, and minerals can- although not always get cakey and settle into pores. (Although it bears mentioning that their sun protection factor is awesome.)

I’ve sung the praises of MAC’s Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation before, but it really does create a long-lasting, flawless look like nothing else. Apply with a brush for the thinnest, most controllable coverage with this foundation. Although brushes are always an excellent investment, e.l.f.’s Foundation Brush is a super steal at $1 each- and excellent quality.

2.) Waterproof tints: Stains and tints may seem counterintuitive for summer, as light balms and glosses often take center stage. But with a subtle hand and judicious color selection, they could be the difference between an enduring look and mid-day washout.

LORAC’s Sheer Wash in Sheer Magic is perfect for sun-kissed skin, and Sheer Emotion is a great choice for the fairer-skinned. This formulation works for both cheeks and lips. DuWop’s Pure Venom Pure Berry Lip Stain is a more moisturizing choice, with an intense, natural berry hue.

3.) Eye makeup austerity: When it comes to warm-weather smudging, eyes are one of the first casualties of an intense look. Waterproof and smudgeproof mascaras and liners abound, but a clean, set curled lash and neutral shadow are the least likely to cause a Courtney Love-like effect.

Shiseido The Makeup Lasting Lift Mascara is light and feathery, but still defines lashes well and holds a curl. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Bone is a nice, sturdy neutral for long, hot days, and it won’t slide all over like many cream shadows often do in warm weather.

Setting makeup with a soft spritz of toner and an anti-frizz serum should put the finishing touches on your sun-proof, heat-resistant look. Do you have any tips or tricks for hot-weather beauty?

Road Tested Self-Tanners, Perfect For Sundress Weather

By my calculations, it’s about two weeks and four days until the annual “oh, my God, I’m really pale” panic sets in. No matter what tone your skin is naturally, chances are around the start of June you just start feeling a bit pasty and wan. It seems the anticipation of summer blends with rapidly decreasing hem lengths to create a perfect storm of tan-frenzy.

As a NW15, I know the prospect of self tanner can be a bit like gambling- except when you lose a bet, you don’t have to have splotchy skin for a few days. The days of SPF 5 may be over, but no matter your natural skin tone, you can get a golden glow with a few simple tricks and tools.

1.) Exfoliate super thoroughly: This is something that most people learn from experience the first time- few things alert you to how much more thoroughly you can slough off dead skin than a newly-applied tanning gel or creme. Scrubs are good, but for ultimate precision, scrub gloves create an even, exfoliated service. (Or if you’re in the mood for a service, the scrubs at awesomest-place-ever Spa Castle are legendary.)

2.) Not every tanner works for every skin type: …however, fairer-skinned girls can get away with cutting pretty much any self-tanner with moisturizer for a more natural glow. It’s tempting to reach for the darkest formula first, but intense formulas on light skin can cause a jarring, orangey brown look that is especially noticable in photos. St. Tropez’s Bronzing Lotion is strong but a true brown, free of carroty hues. They even have a Tan Remover for slip-ups.

3.) Try to mimic the sun: Eyelids, the backs of hands and toes are all a bit tricky when it comes to a good home self-tan, and it’s always hard to reach your back. Invest in some good, tight latex gloves for accuracy, and blend out toward your back with a little lotion to avoid streaks. When applying product to your face, take care to avoid eyelids and diligently attack cheekbones and the bridge of your nose, where color naturally concentrates.

4.) Think outside the bottle: When self-tanner first came back, it was mainly lotions and mousses. Now several awesome options exist to tan like the pros at home. Sheer Tan has a nice wand-inclusive design that makes hard to reach areas less fussy, and ModelCo Airbrush Tan in a Can creates an even, realistic bronze tone on skin. (Be careful of splatters and errant sprays with home spray-tanning products.)

5.) Adjust and maintain: One of the best ways to call attention to an awesome tan is by adjusting your makeup. A peachy blush like MAC Peaches enhances even the slightest glow, and gold-themed shadows like Bobbi Brown’s Metallic Eyeshadow in Gold compliment freshly bronzed skin.

Have you mastered the perfect at-home tan? What gives you a realistic, sun-kissed glow?

Get The Look: Kate Middleton’s DIY Wedding Makeup!

Last week we eagerly anticipated, as did many beauty junkies, the unveiling (hee hee) of Kate Middleton’s wedding makeup at the biggest nuptials in recent memory. Prince William’s new bride has been much emulated in her understated and elegant yet youthful style, and speculation about her makeup and dress on perhaps the most photographed day of her life was rife on the internet.

It’s said that Middleton took the brave step of doing her own makeup for the event, a choice that paid off in a graceful and flawless look:

“She’s had about three or four lessons with Kate at her private flat in Chelsea and has also gone, very privately to Clarence House. Arabella was [supposed] to be coming on the day as well but now she isn’t, because Kate’s comfortable and confident in doing it herself.”

Many commoner brides fear the prospect of doing bridal makeup without professional assistance, despite the lack of paparazzi at most weddings. But if you’d like to get a look like Kate’s, here are some key pointers:

1.) Eyes: If there’s one area Kate’s look is really bold, it’s her daytime smoky eyes. Relatively heavy liner was a huge component- Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner stays put but gives eyes dramatic definition. A slate-y violet like Mac Eyeshadow in Crystal is similar to Kate’s choice. Definitely curl lashes to get this look, and a mascara like Lancôme’s Définicils will define and hold a curl without smudging.

2.) Cheeks and Base: Kate’s matte skin finish didn’t rely heavily on bronzer or tanner, and just looked fresh. Clinique’s Superfit is both dewy and long-lasting, and Clinique Blushwear in Rosy Blush lends the same pinky, petal-bright finish. Blend mainly on apples of the cheeks without contouring for a similar healthy glow.

3.) Lips: The lip component is probably the most subtle of all in Kate’s wedding day look, with no reliance on super-pigmented color or thick gloss. The royal bride selected a pale pink (rumored to be Bobbi Brown Sandwashed Pink lip colour) that allowed her eyes to take center stage without washing out the rest of her face- a difficult balance to strike. Choose a creamy yet long wearing creme formulation to get this look, like Yves Saint Laurent Pur Couture in Beige Tribute. For longevity, line lips and fill in the entire lip area with a nude-pink liner like Chanel’s Aqua Colour Lip Crayon in Spice.

Did you get out of bed early to watch the wedding live? Were you impressed by Kate’s look?

Six Products For a Beauty Junkie’s Easter Basket

Spring is finally here, and Easter, which is late this year, rapidly approaches. Pre-fab Easter baskets are crowding makeup off the shelves in drugstores, full of inexpensive toys and questionable quality chocolate bunnies with a single, staring sugar eye. Sometimes big girls get a decent quality box of chocolates or pretty flowers, but what would go in a beauty junkie’s ideal basket? Here are six things the Easter Bunny should consider in lieu of marshmallow chicks.

1.) Bubblegum pink Tarte TEN Natural Cheek Stain: Nothing is springier than bright pink blush, and this limited edition stain comes in an attractive, jeweled package. The saturated, wearable shade within is subtle enough to wear to work but adds a noticeable amount of cheek color in a creamy, blendable formula. A proprietary “super fruit complex” on the ingredient list contains goji, açaí and pomegranate.

2.) Super Chocolatey Angel by Thierry Mugler: I’ll admit that I’m pretty much a lifetime wearer of this controversial yet perennially popular fragrance. The unique blend of patchouli, honey, bergamot, vanilla, caramel- and yes, chocolate- certainly isn’t for everyone. Fans of subtle or clean-wearing fragrances generally don’t take to Angel, but if you want a sophisticated, foodie scent and like getting compliments on your perfume, this is possibly the most refined, grown-up and intoxicating chocolate perfume in fragrance history.

3.) Sweet Urban Decay Sparkling Lickable Body Powder in Marshmallow: It’s not bunny-shaped or chocolate covered and being “lickable” and flavored, it’s probably a product that’s really only for grownups. But Urban Decay’s Sparkling Lickable Body Powder in Marshmallow lasts way past when their Easter counterparts would have become stale and inedible, and leaves skin with a surprisingly subtle, sweet scented shimmer on exposed decolletage. The packaging, with a zebra print and tassled lid, is adorable, too.

4.) Grass-infused Bobbi Brown Hydrating Gel Cream: This hydrophilic, skin-plumping moisturizer has the added bonus of not getting strewn through every corner of the room and stuck to your jellybeans. In addition to nourishing tropical grass extract, it also contains reparative Vitamin E. But the high concentration of water-binding properties is really where this moisturizing gel shines.

5. and 6.) Adorably sweet Philosophy Sugar Chick and Philosophy Orange Jelly Bean Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath: Philosophy’s famously multi-tasking bath products come in a massive range of limited edition and standard options, but these two would be absolutely perfect for a skincare and makeup themed easter basket. Who would have thought skincare and Peeps could converge so perfectly?

A pastel tinted pedi and mint-green facial mask would be cute additions to a beauty basket, too. What beauty products would you like the Easter Bunny to hide in your eggs this year?

Bobbi Brown Friends & Family Sale – Get 20% off!

Bobbi Brown Friends & Family Sale 2011 – 20% off!

Bobbi Brown Friends & Family Sale – Get 20% off!

Starting tomorrow Monday, April 11th is the Bobbi Brown’s Friends & Family Event. Makeup lover everywhere will get 20% off all products from April 11th through 13th at bobbibrown.com.  So go ahead and stock up on some of your favorites (no code necessary).

What Bobbi Brown products do you plan on getting?