A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Pretty Things: Stila Garden Bliss All Over Shimmer Powder

I love gazing at flowers, their undeniable beauty, their intoxicating fragrance, who doesn’t love them? But I like to appreciate them in their natural environment so that they can grown and thrive. I guess that’s why floral prints are so appealing to me because I get to enjoy their beauty while allowing them the freedom to live.

So when I attended IMATS and came across the Stila Garden Bliss Palette, I had to have it. This small palette is literally a miniature work of floral art. And one of my favorite beauty purchases is a palette or a multi-use product because it’s easier to carry one product that does it all instead of several and two, so this is a great deal!

“Each palette is unique, as the technology used to create the design individually fills each palette and etches the flowers on the powder”

Stila Garden Bliss all over shimmer powder

The palette is so beautiful that I didn’t even want to use it, I held on to it for a while but now it’s time to break this beauty in. The blended pigments create a soft warm glow which can be applied as blush, highlighter, eyeshadow or all over the body. See – it’s multi-duty beauty! The powder has fine shimmery sparkles to give just the right amount of luminosity. Take a peek:

Stila Garden Bliss Palette Swatch

The swatch does not do the color justice but trust me it’s quite lovely.

I find that multi-use beauty products are a necessity since they make getting ready in the morning a breeze. When I don’t have time to put on my makeup I like to use a little bit of bronzer, mascara and lip gloss and I’m out the door. I can use this powder on my cheeks to give my complexion an instant pick me up that looks natural and healthy.

I love the subtle glow, what do you think?

 Stila Cosmetics Garden Bliss All Over Shimmer Palette,$28.

Summer Trend: Can You Wear Orange Lips?

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?

The Makeup Show NYC 2011

The booths at The Makeup Show NYC

The Makeup Show NYC descended upon the Big Apple for it’s 6th consecutive year bringing beauty professionals two days of lectures, workshops and the opportunity to stock their kits with some of the best products on the market. Some of the pro-focused brands present were Make Up For Ever, Stila, Face Atelier, Smashbox, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Kevyn Aucoin, Yves Saint Laurent, Becca Cosmetics and many, many others. The Makeup Show is more than just a trade show, it provides inspiration, community and necessary education to the artists that attend.

In addition to the pro workshops there are live demos where you can get up close, ask questions and even buy the products used. One of the most popular booths was Xotic Eyes Body Art, they had lots of models and they were VERY creative with their designs. Check out one of their models below (left).

Body art at The Makeup Show 2011

Another benefit of the Makeup Show is checking out the new products. One of my favorite discoveries is actually a something that I was looking for anyway, a summer lotion. I sampled the new Summer Shine Body Lotion by Mario Badescu and I was sold immediately. The lotion gives a subtle (not glittery) shimmer that just illuminates the skin.

Mario Badescu Summer Shine Body Lotion at the Makeup Show

This is my second year attending The Makeup Show and needless to say it did not disappoint,  you can check out the 2010 makeup show here and here. Have you attended The Makeup Show before, what was your experience like?

A day at IMATS New York City

IMATS officially landed in New York City for the first time this past weekend. If you’re not familiar with IMATS it stands for the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show and it’s hosted by Make-up Artist Magazine. Make-up enthusiasts and artists flock to this trade show for mix of products, demonstrations and education from recognized industry leaders like Eve Pearl and Lan Nguyen. The exhibitor list varied from well know brands like Stila and Inglot as well as newer brands like Naked Cosmetics.

One of my favorite part of the trade show is the special effects part. I spent a lot of time on the main floor observing the flawless execution of the special effects makeup. One piece that stood out the most was a prosthetic replica of Jake Gyllenhaal, it looked so life-like that I stopped by three times just to look at it. It amazes me how talented some make-up artists are.

Special effect fx makeup for Jake Gyllenhaal prosthetics

Special effect fx makeup for Sopranos prosthet

After I viewed all of the special effects presentations I headed to the vendor floor. As I began to walk around I noticed someone that I am a huge fan of. I am normally not star struck but Queen of Blending is kind of a big deal so when I saw her I had at the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics booth I HAD ask for a pic. She is absolutely one of the sweetest (and most talented) people that you will ever meet, she truly creates art.

Queen of Blending and Nicole Dantzler at IMATS

Even though I arrived early the trade show was extremely packed so unfortunately I was not able to capture all the demonstrations and the booths. However I was able to snap this picture of a make-up demonstration at the Mehron booth. Adorable huh?

Another major part of IMATS is the student competition where students from recognized make-up schools have applied and been accepted to take part in the contest. The Saturday contest was a beauty/fantasy competition with a tribal theme. When all the students completed their projects, attendees literally stood back in awe. The work was breathtaking.

Student Competition at IMATS NYC

Student Competition at IMATS NYC

Overall my first IMATS experience was a total success! Have you ever been to IMATS? What’s your favorite trade show?

Get the Look: 2011 Academy Awards Makeup Breakdown

The 2011 Academy Awards took place Sunday, and it while stars are always asked in the pre-game festivities who they’re wearing, no one ever asks, “who did your makeup?” This year’s Oscars had some truly stunning dresses- many of which were on host Anne Hathaway- but the red carpet saw some pretty amazing makeup looks, too. Here are five of the most impressive from last night’s show.

1.) Anne Hathaway: The youngest ever Oscars host, Anne Hathaway managed to exude a total Old Hollywood vibe throughout her many costume changes. Most show-stopping was the first look she sported on the red carpet, featuring creamy matte skin, defined brows and lips stained red. Anastasia’s Brow Powder Duo in Brunette/Dark Brown will suffice for similarly glam brows. For lips, apply a matte, true red like NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio, and blot. And blot again.

2.) Reese Witherspoon: As always, Reese Witherspoon looked perfect, demure and a little retro with her ponyfall. (Hopefully, ponyfalls will get a Q rating boost now.) Her combed back updo allowed her mostly-neutral face to take center stage, with a hint of bronzer, a nude lip and assertive liner. MAC’s Fresh Brew lipstick is a pretty neutral that won’t wash out most skin tones, and L’Oreal Paris Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner in Carbon Black is a bit more foolproof than liquid with a brush for this look.

3.) Gwyneth Paltrow: Gwyneth had a bit of a 70s vibe going with an all-white ensemble set off with pin straight hair and a tan. Smashbox Bronze Lights Bronzer comes in two shades and will give you a Gwyneth-esque glow, and Lipstick Queen’s Pink Sinner is long-lasting but subtle to offset sun-kissed skin.

4.) Amy Adams: At the Oscars last night, it’s like Amy Adams invented fresh-faced chic. Her blue eyes were played up with a smoky look, and rosy cheeks and pink lips gave her a formal, but not overdone vibe. Stila Smudge Pots in Black Cat lend an almost steely-black liner look, and Givenchy Blush Gelee in Candide Pink is pigmented but blendable. Yves St. Laurent Gloss Pur in Pure Redcurrant is a good, natural reddish pink for this look.

5.) Sandra Bullock: A year after her big win for The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock looked like Hollywood royalty in a stunning red frock and matching clutch. If Sandra’s look was your favorite, a dewy foundation like Clinique’s Superbalanced is creamy but not powdery, and Guerlain’s KissKiss in Flushy Beige merges a rose hue with a berry one for a nearly-red lip.

Which look from the 2011 Academy Awards was your favorite? Who had the best makeup on the red carpet?