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Beauty Buzz: Shine Bright Like a… Garnet

By |January 16th, 2014|Beauty Buzz|

garnet makeupYour clothing isn’t the only place that could benefit from this month’s dedicated color of garnet.  Your eyes, lips, and nails could all also use a healthy dose of the hue.  An update to fire engine red, garnet gives a more goth look to lips, a sultrier shade to your nails, and won’t leave your lids looking like you’ve come down with a case of pink eye.  Use the images above for inspiration and go ahead and give garnet a spot in your makeup bag.

maroon makeup1. Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Polish in Enchanted Garnet, 2. Badger Lip Tint & Shimmer, 3. Lancome Le Crayon in Garnet, 4. Dior Sérum de Rouge Treatment in Garnet, 5. Nyx Cosmetics Glam Shadow Stick in Exquisite Garnet, 6. Too Faced La Créme in Bumbleberry, 7. Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Garnet, 8. RGB Garnet Nail Polish, 9. L’Oréal Infallible Eyeshadow in Glistening Garnet, 10. NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Garnet

 

 

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

Beauty Buzz: Find the Light

By |December 18th, 2013|Beauty Buzz|

metallic eye makeupDuring the holidays and especially with New Year’s Eve quickly creeping ’round the corner, some of us look for ways to amp up our standard makeup routines for swanky evenings out on the town and special seasonal celebrations.  Some may opt for the classic statement making bold lip (good choice) and others go for the more “Golden Girl” approach (also a great choice).  But beauty beware: there is a big difference between glowing like the lights of Paris (the city, not the socialite) and glaring like the neon signs of Las Vegas.  Let’s keep glitter where it belongs: on art projects, Halloween costumes and strippers.  Strippers can wear glitter.

Come to think of it, a guy I was dating once showed up late one night after work, which should have been reason enough to dump him, but he was covered in glitter.  Seeing as he doesn’t work at a Michael’s craft store, he must have procured his shimmering accents somewhere.  Hanging out with another lady is bad enough but, hanging out with another lady who dons glitter is grounds for permanent exile.  But I digress…

To achieve a glowing holiday look, invest in a few beauty products with flecks not flakes of shimmer in them.  You could go for a dramatic foil for your lids, a metallic manicure or something as simple as adding some extra shine to your tresses.  Be sure not to go overboard with your gilded look though.  A gorgeous glow is one thing, but looking like a greased up walrus won’t get your dance card filled up any faster… if at all.

nye makeup1. Caudalie Divine Legs, 2. ELLIS FAAS Light, 3. Ulta Metallic Automatic Eyeliner, 4. Kevyn Aucoin Set of Four Loose Shimmer Shadows, 5. Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine Shampoo, 6. Ilia Gold Box Illuminator and Lip Gloss, 7. Formula X for Sephora Sparklers in Light My Fire, 8. Illamasqua Liquid Metal Cream, 9. RMS Beauty Living Luminzer, 10. Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eyeshadow, 11.Leighton Denny Hynotic Nail Polish

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

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Beauty Buzz: Go Naked

By |July 18th, 2013|Beauty Buzz|

artistic nudeWe’re all already obsessed with Urban Decay’s Naked Palette (and Naked 2 Palette) with good reason.  And if you’re not, well, get obsessed.  One day, while picking up some essentials from Sephora, I got sucked into the sample section.  It’s like the Bermuda Triangle for beauty junkies.  Steer clear or risk having no groceries for the next week.  Along with a purse size tube of L’Occitane Hand Cream, I snagged a sample of Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Beauty Balm.  I mean, why not?

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm

The claim is that it’s an “instant retoucher in a tube.”  With five different skin benefits including SPF 20 and anti-aging ingredients, this balm is like one stop shopping.  As mentioned, I don’t love a lot of makeup on my skin and this beauty balm, goes on so smooth and light that sometimes I feel like I haven’t put enough on.  However, when I peer at my reflection in the mirror, my skin literally does look like it’s been photoshopped.  It quickly evens skintone and reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines,  although you will probably still need a concealer to hide any unsightly behemoth blemishes, like the one I use from Miracle Skin Transformer.  The only thing I found a bit odd about this formula was the slightly minty scent.  It’s not offensive.  It just sort of seems off.  If you’re looking for the perfect lightweight summer skin smoother, grab a tube… but steer clear of the samples.

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: Star Spangled Beauty

By |July 2nd, 2013|Beauty Buzz|

american flag makeupAlright, so you can’t even begin to stomach strapping on a star studded tank top or holiday color coordinated outfit.  That’s fine.  Just don’t be a totally Sally Suckpants refusing to play along whatsoever.  Incorporate a little bit of your American pride this Fourth of July by wearing the colors of our flag on your face (and nails).  Navy liner rimming your lids, cherry red lips, and a slick white manicure will have people believing Lenny Kravitz wrote American Woman for you- and why shouldn’t they?

1. Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in True Red, 2. Ciaté Paint Pot in Mistress, 3. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Red Orange Shellac, 4. Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Scorch, 5. Makeup Forever Glitter Eyeshadow in Iridescent White, 6. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner in Yeyo, 7. Dior Diorshow Iconic Mascara in Deep Blue, 8. NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Mandchourie Golden Infused Deni/Rich Navy, 9. butter LONDON 3 Free Lacquer in Blagger

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: Clean Slate

By |November 15th, 2012|Beauty Buzz|

used makeup wipeSo, this probably isn’t going to win me any extra credit points with cosmetic companies round the globe, but that’s the chance you take when spreading the good word.  For years and years, basically since I was permitted to play in the makeup aisle at the drugstore, I’ve been fascinated with makeup.  I’ve gone through the phases of cake face, glitter shadow, frosted lips, and all the other makeup calamities that are a woman’s rite of passage.  We are taught and then it is pounded into our pretty little heads that makeup is the key to fixing any flaw and without it, we are just plain Janes not glamorous goddesses.  And while I do enjoy playing around and experimenting with different lotions and potions (that’s half the fun, afterall), it recently came to my attention that I’ve been wasting a lot of money and time fudging with my face.

On one particularly hilarious evening in, a friend saw a photograph in a frame on my (alphabetized) bookshelf from when I was living in LA and said, “Wow! You look like a real whore!  So much makeup!  And  so blonde!”  I wanted to be insulted, but he was right.  I looked like a different person, a Barbie.  It’s not that I looked bad, per se, but by doing “so much” to look good, I ended up looking just like everyone else.

When I met a girlfriend out one evening haven’t having had time to spruce myself up, she informed me that I’d never looked prettier.  I was confused at first and wondered how many cocktails in she was already, but I started toning down my look and received the same compliments about my fresh face.  And while I won’t reveal my actual age (today), most people’s guesses include me still being a co-ed.  Funny thing is you know how we wear makeup as pre-teens to look older?  Well, it works, doesn’t it?  So when we actually are of legal drinking age, we probably don’t want to look any older, right?

Here’s a little secret I’m going to let you in on: less is, in fact, more.  In my old(er) age, I’ve toned down the bright white highlights (aka, I haven’t colored my hair in over a  year), and given up all the extra beauty products.  My hairdresser leaving the US is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to my tresses.  I actually know what color my natural hair is and it’s never been healthier.  Turns out the shade I was given suits my skin tone (without heaps of self tanner and sun), which only brings out the blue eyes that are luckily and thankfully God given.  It’s like I’d been fighting against mother nature all these years and finally gave in.  My best guy friend is somewhere smirking to himself saying, “Told you so.”  Speaking of which: another bonus, guys who are actually of value (as in you may actually want to hub them up), prefer a woman with a natural face.  They don’t wanna worry about washing oompa loompa off their sheets or holding their breath in fear of what may wake next to them.

So, what’s the key to a clean polished fresh face?  Other than starting with a serious skincare routine (your dermis is the most crucial part of the look), here it is in four steps (five when I’m feeling fancy):

five minute face

1. Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer, Bronze, $27, 2. Benefit Benetint, $29, 3. Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ash Blonde, $20, 4. Benefit They’re Real! Mascara, $23, 5. Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner in Golden Ivy, $19

So, who’s hiding out under there?

xx,

WhyDid