Winter Lipstick Rules

Lipstick gets really fun in the fall and winter.

Kylie Jenner image via GetWorldMedia.com

We replace the soft, sheer, shimmery lip glosses of summer with big, full bodied lipsticks in bold reds and deep dark berries, burgundies and wine tones. Lips become a central focus in the colder months creating a look that is moody, sexy and frankly flat out fabulous!

There is however some maintenance required in order to pull this look off. Underneath these big lip colors your lips have to be smooth and super hydrated. Crusty, dry, flaky lips ruin your look at the best of times but a deep, or bold lipstick shade amplifies a dried out lip and just looks plain awful.

To keep your lips looking healthy and kissable when the barometer drops, gently exfoliate them with warm water and a wash cloth, being super careful not to rough them up or tear off lose skin. The stress here is on being gentle. Follow up with a really good lip balm. The lip balm part of this equation is super important as you need to not only keep your lips hydrated all the time, but also to give them a protective barrier against the cold weather.

I love this passion fruit lip balm 

I keep EOS lip balms everywhere - my nightstand, my handbags, my car, and apply them throughout the day and before bed at night, helping me to keep my lips supple year round, and preventing them from getting dry or chapped in the winter. EOS lip balms are paraben and petrolatum free and are packed with antioxidant Vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil. I buy these little spheres in all the different colors and different flavors because at $3 each, why not try them all? (You can find them at places like Target)

I also keep them in my pro makeup kit. When a model/actor/client gets in my chair the first thing I do regardless of the time of year is apply lip balm so that it can be soaking in and hydrate their lips throughout the makeup process, prepping their pouts for lipstick. Everyone loves EOS lip balm spheres and at only $3 they love that they can throw them in their handbag when we're done!

image by Kelly Capelli

  
We just shot a new winter lip tutorial for the upcoming issue of Luca Magazine . (you will love it!) My model had EOS lip balm soaking on her lips during makeup, getting them prepped and perfect for the story. 
The new issue of Luca hits newsstands December 1st.

image by Kelly Capelli

Take care of your lips, buy a killer dark lip color for fall and pucker up that pout!

5 Beauty Rules From Bella Hadid's Makeup Artist

Bella Hadid seems to always look flawless.
I found this article about her makeup and her makeup artist on Harper's Bazaar.com and I particularly love it because it echoes a lot of what I tell my audiences as I am traveling around the country for Luca Magazine, teaching my Beauty 101 class. (especially tip number 4!!) Read on and take notes!

5 BEAUTY RULES I LEARNED FROM BELLA HADID'S MAKEUP ARTIST

Ashley Graham's sexy evening eyes, Bella Hadid's porcelain doll skin, Olivia Culpo's insane glow–all courtesy of Vincent Oquendo.

Written by Julie Schott





You might not know makeup artist Vincent Oquendo–yet–but you have definitely seen his work. Ashley Graham's smoky eyes, Bella Hadid's flawless skin, and Olivia Culpo's lit-from-within glow are all courtesy of @makeupvincent. He's the makeup guru who It girls keep on speed dial for the beauty moments that matter most. Bella's birthday-night beauty look? That was Vincent. "Part of my brand is healthy, glowy, shining skin. Shiny, healthy, polished," he explains. Here, Vincent breaks down the secrets to photogenic skin, natural brows, fuller lips, and more.

1. WARM UP YOUR SKIN

I love a warm complexion. My girls never pay attention when I do their makeup, but I always go warmer with their foundation. And then the times that they've seen me do it when they pay attention in the mirror, they're like, 'Vincent, that's too dark! What are you doing?' Because women are always paler on their face than they are on their bodies, so when you're doing them for a red carpet you need to go a little warmer.

2. APPLY FOUNDATION WITH A BLUSH BRUSH (OR BEAUTY BLENDER)

I really hate when a makeup looks cakey, so this is the anti-cake. It just gives you that beautiful veil and it feels really nice on the skin. I also love the Beautyblender. One thing to remember with the Beautyblender, if you don't wet it, then it absorbs a lot of your product because it's a dry sponge. Example: If you're washing your dishes at home and the sponge is all dry, and then you put dish detergent on the dry sponge, you can't wash dishes like that because it absorbs.

3. CONTOUR YOUR FOREHEAD

If you're getting photographed, even with sheer foundation, when the flash hits it, it'll flatten out your forehead and you'll look like you're wearing too much makeup. So if you warm around the hairline it gives you the depth, because not everybody is all one color. The beauty of a face is the different tones; that's what makes a face so interesting—all that depth, all those freckles, all those high points, all those low points.

4. RESIST THE URGE TO OVERFILL BROWS

One trend that I'd like to see go away is super overdone brows. I love to fill in sparse brows with powder. If you have serious holes, I like the Brow Wiz by Anastasia. Use that and just go in and define the brows. I like brows to stay up and look really feathered.

5. TRAVEL-PROOF YOUR MASCARA

I'm so obsessed with Marc Jacobs Ultra-Skinny Mascara. There's no clumps, it's just heaven. I put this on Ashley [Graham] before and she's gone on a plane to L.A., and she said her makeup didn't move from this.

Pattern Play ~ Luca Magazine

I love editorials where there is movement.
I love seeing models jump, slow skip and dance - it makes the story so interesting!

Here is an editorial I worked on with photographer Kelly Capelli for the fall issue of Luca Magazine.
Did you know that I'm the Beauty Director for Luca Magazine? You're going to love what we have coming up for you!

This story is all about prints and patterns for fall, mixing them up, breaking the rules and having fun with it! The makeup is a slightly more extreme version of one of my all time favorite themes for fall/winter, a red and gold eye. I love to see a gorgeous glow to the skin all year round, so I've been using Marc Jacobs Spotlight 700 Glow Stick to get a glow, instead of a crazy high shimmer highlight.

I hope you will engage in a little pattern play this fall!

XO

See the full editorial with credits here

Ouidad Mongongo Oil Giveaway!

This summer I had a giant love affair with Ouidad curly girl hair products. Let's face it - no one does curly hair products quite like Ouidad, a curly girl herself! See Ouidad herself, here.

(This is not a sponsored post. These are the hair products that I love and use. This post does contain affiliate links)

My Ouidad travel set

I normally waste tons of summer time (and summer vacation time) by having to blow out my hair. Left to it's own devices my hair looks like a really bad home perm. I don't have pretty curls, I have nasty curls. In some ways they are fantastic - they hold a blowout like no other, but they seriously can't be left unsupervised!

Until I got my hands on Ouidad products. I've written about Ouidad before, here   here, and here. This summer on the Glam Italia tours in Capri and in Puglia the Ouidad curly hair products were an absolute game changer. I was able to get away with not blow drying my hair, instead just going au naturel.

Curly girls will know what I mean when I say that salt spray type beach curl products just dry my hair out to breaking point, make it frizzy and strip away any color I've added, leaving me with hair that looks like straw. So the normal beachy wave options just weren't an option for me.
Then along came Ouidad with her fantastic products that super hydrate, defrizz and give you amazing curls.

Flirting with boys at sunset in Capri

Sometimes instead of blowing my hair out smooth, my hairdresser will create big, glossy, gorgeous, controlled curls with Ouidad products. She recently added Ouidad Mongongo oil to the products she uses on me, and I love it. (I wish I had had it this summer!)




Mongongo oil is a lightweight, multi use curl treatment product that leaves any type of curl, from loose waves to kinky hair softer, shinier, more manageable, and frankly - gorgeous!
I've been playing with it, using it on damp hair and on dry hair and the results are lovely. Most oils weigh my hair down and then make it look dull the second day.

Ouidad Mongongo Oil puts bounce back into my curls and makes my hair look luminous the next day.
Even though it is a curly hair product I also use it when I blow my hair smooth, because it is so lightweight and it gives such a lovely shine, almost from within the hairshaft.

7 Ways To Use Mongongo Oil

I am so in love with this product that I am doing a giveaway so that you can win a bottle and try it out yourself.  

To keep it legit the Corinna B's World Mongongo Oil Giveaway is being run by Rafflecopter. There are multiple ways that you can enter and get extra chances to win. 

Click on the Rafflecopter widget below to enter this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out these Mongongo Oil before and afters

Check out the Ouidad You Tube videos to see how to use Mongongo Oil on each of the different curly hair types, from wavy hair to curly hair to kinky curls.

The Modern Girl's Guide To Korean Skin Care

I talk about Korean skin care all the time.
I just taught another Beauty 101 class, and all the ladies were asking me about K-Beauty and which products I used and what all these things men, so in their honor, here is a blogpost dedicated to breaking down the parts of Korean Skin Care.

Korean women are considered to have the best skin in the world, and obsess over which products they use.
Making the change to Korean products has been the best thing I have ever done for my skin and it has never looked better.

South Korea is not only the mecca of skin care it is actually the world leader in research and development of skin care products. Korean skin care utilizes technologies we don't have yet in America, so these products are really high performance and give you absolutely amazing results.

The Korean skin care system is based on layering products and targeting very specific skin concerns. I added each category of product in one at a time so that I could see if they made a difference, and if layering them was worth it. It was.

The following post is a break down of each of the main components that make up the Korean skin care regimen. You can use them all, or if that is too overwhelming just pick and choose the parts that work for you.

You can find Korean skin care in various stores (such as Sephora), or you can order them online. I buy online from Memebox, the largest purveyor of Korean skin care products. They are based in the San Francisco area so everything ships out quickly and arrives in 3 - 5 days. 

I write about Korean skin care and Memebox often, and normally post about my orders when they arrive. If you go to the search bar and type in either Memebox or Korean skin care you will get a list of them all. 

West Face East, How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean-Style

Korean Skin Care - Where Do You Begin??

Disclaimer: Memebox does not sponsor this blog and does not give me free product. I buy every product I talk about, show you, or use. 
I do have affiliate marketing with Memebox through a third party. This means that if you order from any of the links in this post my blog may earn a few cents.

One of my recent Memebox orders. All these amazing products for around $100!

1. The Cleanse

The Korean skin cleanse is actually a two step process. One cleanse to dissolve makeup, the second to clean the skin.
Personally I just do a single step cleanse, using a cleansing oil. I use I'm Cleansing Oil from Memebox. It dissolves makeup (even waterproof mascara!) and leaves my skin feeling super soft and supple.
You should cleanse your skin with a product designed for your skin type. If you have oily skin or get breakouts you need cleansing products designed to lift away excess sebum and help deep cleanse the complexion.
If you have dry, irritated or sensitive skin you need very gentle cleansing products.
Find Korean cleaning products here.

2. The Exfoliation

The next step in the Korean skin care system is the exfoliation.
From scrubs to enzyme masks to peels, the pathway to smooth, glowing skin is exfoliation. Be careful not to exfoliate too frequently or too aggressively, and choose the formulation you need to meet your skin type. 
Sensitive and irritated skins need to be especially careful because aggressive or abrasive exfoliators can make skin even more sensitive and irritated. Exfoliating every couple of weeks is ideal for most skins.
Explore Korean exfoliators here

3. The Refresher

After cleansing your skin the next daily step is a refresher. That can be a facial mist (my favorite) or a softening toner. The refresher softens and prepares the skin for the treatment and moisturizing products that follow.
See Korean refreshers here

4. The Essence

Korean women consider this to be the most important step in their skin care regime. Essences combine multiple intensive ingredients into a super concentrated form (you really only need one drop) and then transports them deep into the skin. They are lightweight in texture, so the surface of your skin doesn't feel slimy or oily, and they are skin concern specific, so you target the issues that you want to work on. Aging/dehydration/acne/excess oil/lightening and brightening - you name it there's an essence for it. You can also layer essences and tackle multiple skin issues at the same time.
Find essences here

5. The Ampoule

An ampoule is a super-charged, highly concentrated serum that again you only need a tiny amount of and that go super deep into the skin (much deeper than the average serum or moisturizer). 
Again this product is skin concern specific. You look at what you want to fix about your skin, whether its smoothing the texture, brightening, super hydrating, anti aging - you name it there's an ampoule for it.
The results are sensational and your skin will love you for adding ampoule into daily routine! If you are using both an essence and an ampoule the essence goes on first.

6. The Emulsion

So far if you are doing all the steps in the Korean system you have been targeting skin concerns and deep treating them. Now it's time to start moisturizing the skin. Emulsions are lightweight moisturizers. You can use them alone, or as the next step after your ampoule. They give you all the moisturizing that you need without being really heavy on the skin.
During the day you would follow this with an SPF product and then put on your makeup. (but when your skin gets all glowy and healthy from using this skin system you will find that you both want and need much less makeup than you currently wear!)

7. The Sleeping Pack

Korean women really understand the importance of super moisturizing the skin to keep it soft, supple, glowing and healthy, so at night after all these steps they apply a sleeping pack, which seals all the prior products in for the night. A sleeping pack has a similar texture to a night cream, but is slightly more gel-like. It doesn't leave a film on your skin, doesn't mess up your pillow case, it just absorbs in and makes the magic happen!
Find Sleeping Packs here.

8. Sheet Masks

Every week you should do a mask, whether it's for hydration, brightening, clearing blackheads, cleaning your skin, or whichever issue you want extra help with.
Sheet masks are great because they get a completely even coating of product and seal it into the skin. Also they're not messy, which I love.
If you are not a sheet mask girl Korean skin care is full of regular mask options too.
See Korean skin care masks here

Find Korean skin care products for oily skin and breakouts
Find Korean skin care products for normal and dry skins

My Latest Order From Memebox!!

I just got a new shipment of skin care from Memebox! 

I didn't get anything new this time around, it's all replacing products that are running out, but there are some really cool products here that you need to know about.

For the ladies who came to hear me speak at the Pinner's Conference in Dallas, (and those I will be speaking to at Pinner's Conferences in Arizona and Utah) these are the products I was telling you about - magnificent Korean skin care!

Anyway, here is what I bought:

Ariul Spa Water 24 Hour Moisturizing Mist

I swear by the Korean skin mists.

I spritz them on after cleansing and any time my skin needs juicing up. 

They are great to spritz on over makeup during the day, especially if you sit in front of a computer screen all day, or if your complexion just needs a breath of fresh air.

I've tried a bunch of them and have never had a bad one. If the one I'm using is out of stock I just buy whatever else looks good.

Scinic Snail All In One Ampoule

It took me a long time to get on board with using a product called snail slime.

It took me a really long time.

But then I eventually tried it and can honestly say my skin has never ever looked better. Scinic Snail All In One Ampoule makes your skin look smooth and glowing and really really healthy.

I use it morning and night after cleansing and spritzing and before moisturizing. My skin has never looked smoother and it just glows! I haven't actually finished my first bottle yet, but the product is so incredible I really don't want to chance it being sold out when I'm ready for more.

Scinic Snail Matrix Cream

I don't actually know what this one was intended for, but as a girl who skin tends to lean towards dryness I use this one at night and at the moment during the day too. It's very concentrated, so a little goes a very long way.
Scinic Snail Matrix Cream is a fabulous moisturizer that doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy, but makes it look radiant and healthy. (and only costs $12!!) The texture is quite different, and of course there's the whole snail equation going on, but again the results are just amazing! Now that I'm back from Italy I'm going to order some back up bottles of it - none of these products are even slightly expensive, so it's not a problem to order up several of anything you try and love. And I really love this one.

I'm Cleansing Oil

I swear by oil cleansers. They are just the absolute best. Memebox has two oil cleansers, this one for normal to dry skins and another one for oily skin, both are called I'm Cleansing Oil

What I love about oil cleansers is that they dissolve makeup, give your skin a gentle cleanse, and leave it feeling soft and supple.

For oily skin girls - don't be afraid! Oil lifts away oil, so you get cleansed without stripping your skin.

For normal or dry skinned girls an oil cleanser won't strip your skin or leave it feeling dried out or sensitive. It just feels like silk.

Again, the Memebox product is not only super good, it's also super inexpensive.

Memebox products ship out of California, so arrive within about 3 days.

Delicious Fruit Infused Water Recipes via Tanesha Awasthi

I hate to admit it, but for the most part I really don't enjoy drinking plain water. I drink water all day long, but I generally have to doctor it up one way or another to make it palatable.

I found this next story while cruising around on Bloglovin. It's from the website Tanesha Awasthi.
The recipes look fabulous and I'm planning on making them all.

image via TaneshaAwasthi,com

4 Fruit Infused Water Recipes

by Tanesha Awasthi

Before I gave up caffeine in my teens, I rarely drank water.  

If pepsi wasn’t available I’d drink 2% milk- preferably ice cold, no matter what time of day it was! The only time I reached for a water bottle was on the soccer field (I played forward, defender and goalie for years!) but as soon as I got home it was pepsi or milk.

After suffering extreme headaches, which my doctor concluded were a result of caffeine withdrawals, I started paying attention to how terrible I felt every day at the same time of day. With nothing to lose, I cut out caffeine at eighteen, minimized my milk intake and discovered the importance of water. It’s been my drink of choice for seventeen years now (in addition to the occasional Sprite, thanks to indigestion during my pregnancy and a craving for sparkling lime that never completely went away)! But while water is refreshing on its own, I like to switch things up a bit sometimes by infusing it with fruits and herbs, especially when I can’t bring myself to drink enough.

If you’re guilty of not drinking enough water throughout the day, remember that water flushes out toxins and is key for healthy, glowing skin. The importance of daily water intake is often overlooked, and the fact that it isn’t as exciting to most as coffee, tea or soda, drinking enough is really hard for most people, although it makes a huge difference in how you feel and your overall health.

Here are 4 of my favorite fruit infused water recipes:

Strawberry + Basil | 12 sliced strawberries, a handful of fresh basil leaves, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Watermelon, Mint + Cucumber | 1.5 cups of sliced watermelon, 10 cucumber slices, a handful of fresh mint leaves, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice. 

Orange + Cranberry | 4 sliced oranges, a handful of cranberries, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Strawberry, Cucumber, Lime + Mint | 8 sliced strawberries, 8 cucumber slices, 6 lime slices, handful of mint, 10 cups of water and 4 cups of ice.

Each recipe makes approximately 1 gallon. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before drinking, in order to bring out the flavors.

All images in this post are via TaneshaAwasthi.com

Find mason jars like these at The Container Store

The Dangers Of Buying Counterfeit Beauty Products

The concept of buying makeup for cheap, the thought of getting one over on the expensive line that you think is ripping you off with their high prices, or maybe just the idea that you are getting a smoking deal can be all you need to get you clicking the button and buying those bargain priced beauty products.

image via Lipstains and Lace.com

I often see makeup enthusiasts online posting "dupes" - cheap copies of popular brand products and I have to tell you it drives me crazy. Not just because some super cool brand who have created a quality product are being ripped off, but also because unsuspecting consumers are buying very poor quality, often toxic beauty products and running all kinds of risks.

I have seen some horrendous skin reactions to cheap, made in China makeup products over the years. Believe me you would never, ever want that to happen to you.
Counterfeit beauty products frequently contain dangerous levels of ingredients such as arsenic, lead, and copper, and even have been found to contain urine and rat droppings. Don't believe me?
Check out this article from Huffington Post Canada:

Counterfeit Makeup: The Dangers Of Buying Knockoff Beauty Products

by Julianna McDermott

You may want to think twice about skimping on your cosmetics.

When you find deals online on some of your fave beauty and skincare lines, such as MAC or NARS, it’s likely too good to be true -- they’re knockoffs.

Now you may be wondering, “What’s the big deal? People buy knockoff shades, purses and clothing all the time!”

Well, just remember those counterfeit cosmetics go on your skin, and what goes on your skin gets absorbed into your body. And as it turns out, those counterfeit cosmetics contain some harmful and DISGUSTING ingredients.

A report released by the City of London Police that is aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of purchasing fake beauty products online, revealed that some fake eyeliners, mascaras, lip glosses and foundations are laced with arsenic, mercury, lead and even -- wait for it -- RAT DROPPINGS!

And that counterfeit perfume? It was found to contain cyanide and human urine. Applying these harmful products on your skin can lead to allergic reactions, burns, irritation, rashes and long-term health problems.

inside a counterfeit perfume factory

Now how does rat excrement and poisonous substances end up inside these phony cosmetics? They’re manufactured in unregulated and unsanitary factories, and are not subject to rigorous safety tests.

Other fake beauty products the report warns against include fake sunscreens that won't protect you from UVs, and electronic devices such as hair straighteners that can overheat.

The RCMP has also warned Canadians about the dangers of purchasing counterfeit beauty, skincare and other health products in the past. A woman was even hospitalized after having a serious allergic reaction to a MAC product she purchased at a flea market in Mississauga.

According to the report, UK consumers spend about £90 million (about $172 million CAD) on fake products every year. City of London police said more than 5,500 websites selling fake luxury products have been suspended, and more than £3.5 million ($6.65 million CAD) in fake items seized.

counterfeit cosmetics seized by PICPU

To guarantee you don’t end up with counterfeit cosmetics and smearing hazardous chemicals and rat poop on your face, your best bet is to purchase products from reputable stores or from the manufacturer's website.



Not horrified enough yet? Check out this story from the Daily Mail

One of these mascaras from Benefit is genuine. The other,  bought online, is a counterfeit containg dangerous levels of arsenic.

Want to see some really disturbing images of what can happen to your face if you use counterfeit beauty products? Check out this post from Lipstains and Lace

Throw And Go ~ 5 Minute Hairstyles For The Girl On The Run

I haven't really talked about it here on the blog until now, probably because I thought it was too good to be true, but I'm super excited to tell you I'm the new Beauty Director for Luca Magazine!!!

Luca is for girls aged 16 to 22 (and is read by girls from 12 to 26!). It has fabulous fashion, beauty, fitness and much, much more. If you could see me as I'm writing this I am smiling from ear to ear - I am so proud of this magazine, and so very proud to be a part of it!

Today I want to show you an editorial from the newest issue. 

The story is Throw and Go, quick yet chic hairstyle ideas for those mornings when you are running late and have to throw and go!

Photographed by Isaac Bailey

Hair by Andy Biggs

Makeup By Corinna Cooke

Get the low down on what Andy did and which products he used here

Check out the cover story with gorgeous Sadie Robertson here

Subscribe to Luca Magazine here

Follow Luca on Instagram here