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Winter Beauty Color Trends

November 17, 2012

Winter is here already, it’s almost as if we skipped fall and went straight to snow boots and thick scarves. But the good thing about the change of seasons is that we get to try different beauty looks!

Kristina Barricelli, expert hair colorist and owner of Gemini14 Salon, urges all her clients (including Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez) to toss out that the played-out, breezy ombré look and switch to a sharper style this winter. Kristina thinks that every woman should strive to achieve a look that reflects her strong personality. Here are some ways to perfect a look that is bold, confident and full of intrigue.

HAIR

Adventurous brunettes should try the dark auburn shade, which will deepen the dark hues while adding a dynamic auburn sheer.

EYES

For eyes with an iconic smolder use Smashbox Waterproof Shadow Liner To Go. Use Luminous Fig to upper and lower lash lines, smudging slightly. Then mix Aristocrat and Obsidian together and apply to lid, blending out at the outer edge to create a soft cat-eye effect. Finish off by revisiting Luminous Fig to re-line eyes for extra definition.

LIPS

Enhance your lips’ natural shape by subtly rounding out your upper lip around the cupid’s bow with a nude lip pencil for an iconic, heart-shaped pout. Use a deep, luscious color that keeps all eyes on you. A shade such as black plum lipstick (depending on your skin tone) to really enhance the sharp, dark style. Fill in the lips for a daring and famously bold look

BROWS

Balance strong lips with full, face defining brows. Fill in the natural shape of your eyebrows, and try adding a subtle arch to your brow line to add expression and depth to your face.

What are some of your favorite Winter beauty trends?

Smashbox Limitless 15 hour Wear Cream Shadow in Neptune with Swatches

May 21, 2012

I’ve always had a love for cream eyeshadow because it’s easy to apply, feels great on the skin and just seems to last forever. Cream eyeshadow is also super quick to apply. On days when I am feeling lazy or when I just can’t get my powder eyeshadow on right I reach for my cream shadow, apply a quick sweep a color and in minutes my eye makeup looks amazing.

Today I am taking a closer look at cruelty-free brand Smashbox and their cream shadow in Neptune. Here is what Smashbox had to say about their formula: “Specifically developed in studio to stand up to hot studio lights, this super creamy formula provides vibrant color that lasts up to 15 hours with no creasing, caking or flaking. And because it’s transfer, sweat and humidity resistant, your look will last long after the photoshoot is over.”

This vibrant blue-green ocean inspired teal hue is a beautiful shade for summer. Smashbox has not only created a beautiful shade for summer but also a long-lasting cream eyeshadow to weather the upcoming hot summer days.

What do you think of Neptune for summer?

Smashbox Limitless 15 hour Wear Cream Shadow in Neptune, $18

Disclosure: The product featured in this review was provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of this product did not guarantee review and all opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

My Day at The Makeup Show New York City 2012

May 16, 2012

Beauty addicts and professional Makeup Artists convened at The Makeup Show NYC this past weekend at the Metropolitan Pavilion. The event was packed full of dream seminars by top beauty industry leaders, exclusive product launches, and the latest makeup and beauty trends.

Renowned makeup brands like Smashbox, NARS, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Make Up For Ever and Stila were attendees as well as smaller brands like Biobliss and Naked Cosmetics. The show consisted of several floors that patrons had access to that consisted of presentations, vendor booths and live demonstrations. Attendees also had the opportunity to sit in on classes taught by their favorite makeup artists and to re-stock their kits or sign up for pro memberships.

A model shows off his lush lashes at the GrandeLASH^TM-MD booth. Isn’t he gorgeous!?! Back to the product…this serum promises thicker, longer lashes or eyebrows in a little as four to eight weeks. It’s Paraben free and contains vitamins, peptides and amino acids.

The Crown Brush booth is always a Makeup Show favorite, I got there early before the mad rush of people! I already have my full set of Crown Brushes no need to purchase any this time but it’s always fun to check out what’s new.

Of course I had to stop by the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics booth to check out their glamorous eyeshadow and new lip tars.

While walking through The Makeup Show I always like to check out new brands and I came across Biobliss and chatted with their representative. Biobliss is said to help rejuvenate and tighten skin as well as help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The product helps your daily serum penetrate deep into your skin in 45 minutes, shortening your overall treatment time; I think I need to try this!

I stopped by Naked Cosmetics to look at their latest loose mineral eyeshadows, they were gorgeous! I became a fan of Naked Cosmetics at the last Makeup Show, they always have a nice selection of shades.

Benefit Cosmetics has a new beauty book called Raising Eyebrows. The book is said to be The “go-to guide from the eyebrow experts at Benefit Cosmetics…everything you need to raise your brows to their beautiful best”.

Sienna Cosmetics revealed their new Mod Muse Summer 2012 collection which features five shades of lipstick, 3 blushes, five shadows, four lip glosses and two eyeliner shades.

Sienna Cosmetics is really channeling the 60s, hmmm who will be the new Twiggy?

It wouldn’t be The Makeup Show without super glamorous, over the top, fantasy eyelashes. Even though I wouldn’t wear these daily they’re like mini works of art.

…and more fantasy eyelashes!

The show was fantastic, as expected. If you’re not in New York City, check out when The Makeup Show is coming to a town near you!

Smashbox Shades of Fame Summer 2012 Makeup Collection

April 26, 2012

Smashbox Cosmetics introduces Shades of Fame, a summer collection featuring smoldering, bold, bright and shimmering colors! The colors are arranged in complementary trios and you can also mix and match them. This palette includes nine eyeshadows, two cream eyeliners, an eyeshadow brush and a mini primer.

The colors featured in the Shades of Fame Summer Palette are:

Bliss
Honey
Sandstone
Nude
Sherbert
Safari
Pacific
Praline
Mocha
Gold – eyeliner
Bronze – eyeliner

Smashbox Shades of Fame Reflection Lip Gloss Setis a set of five travel-sized glosses in an array of shades that can take you from day to night. The colors featured are:

Candy
Buff
Hibiscus
Papaya
Star

What do you think of this Summer palette and the mini travel glosses?

Smashbox Shades of Fame Summer Palette – $48.00

Smashbox Shades of Fame Reflection Lip Gloss Set – $29.00

Summer Trend: Can You Wear Orange Lips?

May 17, 2011

Some trends just look so complicated on paper. And of the colors that are a challenge to incorporate into a look, orange is pretty high up there. It might actually be top of the list, maybe topped only by canary yellow on the difficult-to-apply charts. But the flip side of orange is that when it’s impressive, you can kind of fall in love with it. (I have a muted yet vibrant orange Whole Foods tote that stays on a hook in the kitchen because it is so adorable.)

It’s not just orange that’s big this season, but orange lips. But as you take in the safety orange on some color stories this season, it helps to remember that runway looks are always super intense. Orange is actually wearable, at maybe a 20% saturation of what you see in illustrative, promotional pics. Here are five orange lip products that will set off your summery self-tan:

1.) NARS Lip Gloss in Babe: Color saturation is a big thing with wearing intense hues, which is not to say you can’t rock out a mega bright orange. But NARS’ Babe is a pretty muted coral, enough orange to invoke the trend and play up bronzed skin, but not enough to call to mind a traffic cone. A really nice, understated option for orange lips.

2.) Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain & Color Seal Balm in Guava: If I had to choose one single method of coloring my lips for the rest of my days, it would be a stain/balm combo. (Is that cheating?) Nothing lasts as long, adjusts as well and feels as natural as this particular pout power couple. Stains can also be a bit truer-wearing than lipsticks or lip glosses. You can get the general feel of the color’s undertones and be reasonably sure it won’t fade to an unintended shade. Smashbox’s Limitless Balm and Stain in Guava describes itself as a “bright coral orange,” but in truth, it’s an eminently wearable muted shade. Intense, yes, but still believably natural.

3.) Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola: Okay, this is not a product for shrinking violets. But the application method (it’s in a pan) is well-suited to building color, and the hue can be applied to cheeks, too. A light hand and a dusting of bronzer could seriously make this color work for summer.

4.) Guerlain Rouge G Série Noire in Orange Euphorique: This color is limited edition- but so is the orange lip trend. Compact envy is a huge part of this product’s appeal, but the hue is true orange yet soft. And a mirror is built in, eliminating the danger or over-application or too-bright lips.

5.) MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Gotta Dash: Billed as a coral, this shade is a fairly true, workable orange. The Sheen Supreme line is described as a lipstick/Lip Glass “hybrid,” and the glossy aspect will allow for indiscriminate touch-ups.

Have you given orange lips a try this season? Are you digging the look, or a bit apprehensive?