Blog Archives
Runway to RealLife: Marc Jacobs Beauty
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Marc Jacobs enters the world of color cosmetics with a new beauty brand and collaboration with Sephora.
The new range covers sixteen different categories—from foundation, powder, bronzer, and lipstick to twenty-four shades of plasticized nail lacquers, including the high-gloss Jezebel (oxblood) and Shiny (clear) that debuted on Jacobs’ Fall runway. What makes these nail polishes—and the eye liners and concealers that are displayed beside them—different from all the others, of course, is Jacobs himself. “The passion does come through,” he insists of the very active role he played in the creative process. “You’re left with something appealing and seductive because there’s heart in it.”
The first product tried and tested: Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner – Gel Crayon – crazy good. Ro (Cocoa) is the perfect bronze eyeliner. Not too shimmery, this color defines and enhances the eye.
The Highliner is waterproof, long-wearing and richly pigmented. The formula applies like a gel pot but with the precision of a pencil. Super-malleable, this eyeliner glides on smoothly then sets in place for all-day wear.
Swatching all the colors, I noticed the shimmer is more of a sheen/reflection rather than tiny particles of glitter. Color looks almost “shiny.”
A built-in sharpener makes sure the crayon always has a perfect point for an instantly sharp look on the go. A true breakthrough product that provides easy application with intense color.
Tried & Tested: Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35
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The newest BB Cream to hit our counters is Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35. Exclusive to Nordstroms, the formula combines moisturizer, skincare, foundation and SPF into one.
Features & Benefits: Water-attracting molecules boost hydration. Light-reflecting pearls brighten dull skin. Botanical extracts and caffeine reduce discoloration and redness. Pore-reducing peptides minimize fine lines. Broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection and antioxidants fend off future damage.
Bobbi Brown’s BB Cream SPF 35 is available in five shades: Extra Light, Fair, Light, Medium and Medium to Dark. I was certainly intrigued by this, due to the fact that Bobbi Brown Cosmetics are primarily yellow-based shades. Many BB Cream (especially asian brands) are based on cooler-tones, such as pinks and greys.
As I sampled the different shades, I was persuaded by a sweet Bobbi Brown representative to try the darkest shade, Medium to Dark. This shade looks quite dark, almost bronzer-like. But, I took her advice and purchased.
APPLICATION: Smooth and easy to apply. Goes on quite dry, but feels nice and extremely light on the skin. (Unless you have very oily skin, a moisturizer is needed in addition to this BB Cream.)
COVERAGE: Sheer.
FINISH: Skin appears matte with a subtle sheen. Very healthy-looking. However, like most BB Creams, after a couple hours the oils will come-out and skin will look too glowing. A finishing powder is recommended.
COLOR: Initial application, the color appeared too dark. Let dry and after a couple minutes, the color adapts to the skin and the color is perfect. It might be a smidgen too dark – but I am loving the subtle-tan look for summer.
VERDICT: Like many of the US BB Creams, this is much like a tinted moisturizer. But, I love the finish it leaves on the skin and the feeling is remarkably lightweight. For a high-SPF product, this cream wears like you have nothing on. The shade choices are great and warm-up the complexion beautifully. Leaves skin looking fresh and healthy. A great option for the summer months – SPF, lightweight, easy.
(When testing these BB Creams, before deciding on a shade, I suggest waiting at least 5 minutes for the color to oxidize and adapt to your skin tone.)
For other BB Cream reviews:
Festival Beauty Essentials
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Be prepared for hot and sticky situations with Glow-T’s Festival Beauty Essentials:
Tory Burch Double Zip Train Case: A great travel case with cool ikat design.
Supergoop! Sunscreen Swipes SPF 30 (21 count): These sunscreen wipes are individually packed, perfect for throwing in your bag. The pre-moistened towelettes are formulated to calm and soothe the skin while providing complete UV protection. Great for sensitive skin, these wipes can be used all over the body.
Coola SPF 30 Unscented Matte Finish Tint: This lightly tinted moisturizer delivers broad spectrum SPF 30 protection. Infused with antioxidants, shea butter, plankton, borage seed oil and evening primrose extract, this lotion will rejuvinate, hydrate and protect. The water-resistant formula and matte finish is great for long days in the sun.
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25: My favorite lip balm to date, this product is incrediably soothing and moisturizing – provides SPF 25 and lasts. Enriched with superior skin conditioners and antioxidants, this emollient balm relieves dry, chapped and irritated lips.
Donna Karen Cashmere Mist Deodorant: Keep dry and odor-free with Donna Karen’s Cashmere Mist Deodorant. Delicately scented with perfume, this advanced formula controls wetness and perspiration.
CleanWell All Natural Hand Sanitizing Spray: Thousands of people and porta-potties… hand sanitizer is a must. This all-natural formula is made with thyme oil that kills all germs and the portable spray makes it easy to carry everywhere.
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo (Travel Size): Extend time between washes with a dry shampoo. This gentle formula smells nice and absorbs oil and dirt – an instant refresher. Infused with oat milk, it also nourishes the hair while creating volume and texture.
Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes: Remove makeup, dirt and oil quickly with these all-natural wipes. Formulated with aloe vera, cucumber, chamomile and vitamin E, the easy-access wipes cleanse and refresh the face and body. Bonus: When purchased, these biodegradable wipes support to protect the endangered Polar Bear.
RMS Cream Eyeshadow – Solar: Perfect for the desert princess, this cream eyeshadow reflects a sheer wash of gold. A great all-in-one eye product, it doubles as an eye cream to nourish and moisturize the eye area.
NARS Cream Blush – Cactus Flower: The name alone implies desert beauty. This bright coral/spicy pink cream blush can be used on both the cheeks and lips. A very subtle gold shimmer leaves the skin flushed, dewy and healthy.
Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Waterproof Mascara: Waterproof mascara is a must-have. I assure you Givenchy’s will not budge or smudge. The spiked-ball wand takes a little to get used to but defines, separates and lengthens exquisitely. Tip: With your finger, smudge on the lashline for an instant liner effect that will last.
Laura Geller Balance-n-Bronze: A genius design, adding bronzer and foundation, all-in-one. The color-correcting foundation is sheer but never looks powdery. The baked bronzer is infused with layers of color to achieve the perfect sun-kissed shade. Swipe separately or swirl together to get a glowing, sun-goddess look.
How To: Contour w/ Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit
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Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit
Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit is a palette of two complementary powders, dark and light, that help contour, sculpt and correct the face structure.
Contouring provides definition to the face by accentuating and/or minimizing features. By simply adding shadows, which create dimension, one can sculpt cheekbones, thin/lengthen/shorten the nose and/or make face look thinner.
Needed:
- Angled Brush
- A dark matte powder or cream (2 shades darker than skintone)
- A light matte powder or cream (1-2 shades lighter than skintone)
1. In order to find the contours of the face – make a fishy-face.
2. See diagram and apply where dark shade is placed. The diagram is for placement purposes only. Do not just draw a streak of color down the cheek. Blend…Blend…Blend…
3. See diagram and apply where highlighter is placed. Blend…Blend…Blend…
Contouring all of these areas is not necessary on everyone. Each face structure is different. Find the problem areas you would like to correct and go from there.
Tropical Punch: Cargo Blush Key Largo
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Cargo Blush Key Largo
Cargo Blush in Key Largo is a bright tropical punch shade. This matte blush adds a vivid pop of color to the cheeks and instantly brightens the face.
Key Largo is a bold coral tone with some pink notes. The silky blush is extremely pigmented and blends nicely. This color can be worn alone for a bright flushed look or with bronzer to emphasize a summer glow.
Key Largo can be used on both the cheek and eye area. Brush a bit of this color on the lid or use as a liner and keep the rest of the eye area bare.
Cargo blushers come in a large silver tin containing 0.31 oz of product. They contain aloe, vitamin E and antioxidants to nourish the skin. The matte finish is a great option for those with large pores (shimmer tends to exaggerate the size).
This season experiment with fun bright colors and add a bit of punch to your look.
Dynamic Duo: Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo
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Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo
The Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo uses two products to create radiant skin. The two different shades, Blushed and Bronzed, instantly enhance the cheeks appearance.
The formula consists of a gel-like texture that smooths beautifully over the skin to create a flawless canvas. Silicone-based, this silky gel reduces the appearance of redness and discoloration, enlarged pores, fine lines and shine. The formula also contains Niacin (Vitamin B3) which helps increase circulation, Caffeine, Vitamin A and E, antioxidants that protect from free radicals.
The Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo provides both a bronzer and blush product. The colors of these products are quite intimidating. The bronzer is a dark green-based brown and the blusher, a deep rosy red. I prefer to mix the two products to create a warmer pink-flushed cheek. A drop of product is all that is needed for application, the gels are extremely pigmented but blend easily.
These products are not the simplest to apply, some precision and control is needed. I prefer applying the product with a brush because it renders more control. I use a dense contour brush (MAC 109), and stipple the product on the skin in circular motions.
The Cheek Perfection Duo can also be used on the body, try a little bronzer on the décollage for a sun-kissed appearance. When applied Per-fektly, these products are a great option for the cheeks, however, if not heedful it can end up a duo-disaster.
Glow-T 