Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Keeping It Clean

So now you've (hopefully) started paring down and tossing out your old skin care products that are no longer serving you well.
If they ever did
.

Have you noticed how the great claims they make on their advertising don't seem to find their way to your skin?
I often wonder exactly who are thes
e test groups that they get their data from?
They certainly don't seem to be anyone like you or me...

So anyway, today we're going to look at how you're cleansing your skin.
Because believe it or not, plenty of women get this part wrong.



The first thing you have to do is analyze your skin, and figure out your skin type.
And this is where women get it wrong.
I can hear a bunch of you out there saying "oily".
And I bet you're n
ot.

You see most of us getting a tad oily/shiny through our T zone
and have normal/dry cheeks.
This is in fact, normal/combination skin.
If you wipe your finger across your ch
eek and it comes up wet,
you're probably oily.

If not, you're not.

And the big mistake I see over and over
is girls thinking they're oily and using a cleanser for oily skin, thereby stripping their skin of essential oils and moisture.
And when this happens you are drying your skin out and prematurely aging it.

When you've cleansed your skin it should never feel pulled or tight. It should feel supple.

So.
Unless you are really, truly oily, avoid foaming cleansers.
Like the plague.


Instead, I want you to invest in a really good milk cleanser. And I will introduce you to a few. Some oil cleansers too.
Your cleanser needs to dissolve make up and clean your skin. Most milk or oil cleansers will also dissolve even the most stubborn eye make up.
But I'll show you som
e good eye make up removers tomorrow.


Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser costs under $10
And its a great little cleanser.


Clarins skin care products are a bit more expensive, but are fabulous.

I don't advocate too many Lancome products, but here and there they have something I like, and Galatee is one of them. Its been around forever, and it is a really good cleansing milk.



And now for the oils.
Many people cringe at the thought of using oil to cleanse your skin, but actually, its pretty fab!
The MAC oil cleanser is often found on set for either pre-make up cleansing or for post make up removal. Its very gentle, and really quite lovely.

Shu Uemura makes truly amazing oil cleansers. They have quite a few for all different skin types, so get the girl at the counter to help choose which is right for you.

Oil lifts away oil, so an oil cleanser can be great fro the oily skinned girls too!

When you are building your skin care wardrobe make sure you are staying within your budget. Find the price point that works for you and work from there.
That way you can maintain some consistency.

And unless you are one of those genetic mutants who were born fabulous, having great skin is like getting great thighs. It takes work and consistency.

xo

C

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

There's nothing quite like a brand new year and a brand new decade to get a girl to evaluate all that she has going on.
Time to get some new goals on the table, time to sort out finances,
and time to give your make up and skin care a thorough clean out.

Today we are going to start reviewing your skin care.


The first thing I want you to do is to get all your skin care products out, line them all up and see what condition they're in.
Anything that you haven't used in ages, or anything thats looking
(or smelling) icky needs to go.

There is no time like right now to pare your supplies down, and really get set up with the essentials. Think of building your skin care wardrobe like building the perfect clothing wardrobe. You want good, classic, well built products as your building blocks.

I've found from talking to vast numbers of women from all over that
A) too many of you don't believe that you can have flawless, beautiful skin
B) too many of you are mis-diagnosing your skin and consequently using the wrong products
C) too many of you are misunderstanding what various products do and can do for you.

So I am going to devote tons of blog space to going over all these things over the next few weeks,
and making sure that you all can get the gorgeous skin you deserve.

There are also going to be some fabulous giveaways coming up.


But for now what we want to do is get rid of products that are old/past their prime/not right for you. And together we are going to start transforming your skin!


Sunday, December 27, 2009

Alice!

As a make up artist, I have to say there are certain movies that you see that leave you gasping for breath, and lamenting the fact that you ever stopped doing movies!
Big gorgeous make up movies, like Chicago, Dreamgirls, Memoirs of a Geisha... (I actually have a huge list of big make up movies).

Just watching the trailers for the new Tim Burton Alice In Wonderland has me wishing I'd stayed with film! (As opposed to most of the time, where I have no regrets!)

Check it out:






So anyway, with a big, gorgeous, creative spectacular like this on the very near horizon, you just know that some cool companies have brought out some cool products for the girl who loves a little color in her life.

Nail polish genius OPI has their Alice In Wonderland Collection







Fun!

And check out this new Alice In Wonderland Collection from Urban Decay!


The colors here are superb! A girl can do a lot with a set like this!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!





Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Hey Santa!

So, big guy.
I've a few more things to add to my list.

And you've still got time to pick them up
And throw them in the back of your sleigh
.


Can you swing through Top Shop in London,
and pick me up
this Kate Moss dress?
I want to wear it Christmas night


and then there's New Years Eve to dress for.
These boots and this dress would be ideal.
Will can take care of the hairdo.
If you throw in the light boxes
I can lounge around on them
and look pensive, yet moody.




I want movie star skin.
Please bring me the Clarisonic Ultra Plus
Limited Edition.
If you buy it 50% of the profit will go to Susan G Komen
So keep the elves out of this one



I want a new handbag too.
I love this Tutti Frutti Maryanne
from Kate Spade.
It comes in many colors.
I love this papaya.
They call it orange.

Oh the fun a girl could have in a chain mail headdress!
Like the one Rihanna wore





I think my list is now complete.

Thank you Santa.
See you Thursday night.
Late.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas/Holiday Wishes For you!!

So I made a little video for you

To wish you all

A very Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

and Happy New Year.








This little blog of mine

Gets read in so many languages.

I wanted to try to give each of you

a holiday greeting

in your own language.


If I messed yours up, or missed your language,

forgive me!

xoxo



Frohe Weinachten

Glaedelig Jul

Joyeux Noel

Feliz Navidad

Buon Natale

Gledelig Jul

God Jul

Wesolych Swiat

Selamat Tahun Baru 1 Januari 2010

Feliz Natal

Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar

Vrolijke Kerstmis

سنة جديدة سعيدة!
Честита Нова Година

明けましておめでとう!

新年快乐!
Manigong bagong taon!
onnellista uutta vuotta!
καλή πρωτοχρονιά!
नया साल मुबारक हो!
新年あけましておめでとうございます!
새해 복 많이 받으세요!
С Новым годом!
גליקלעכן נייעם יאָר!

Namaste

xo


C





















Monday, December 21, 2009

10 Stocking Stuffers Under $25

Back to Ulta
(because most of you have an Ulta or some
thing similar nearby)
for more stocking stu
ffers.
This time under $25.
Or thereabouts.



Stila Lip Glaze $22.00
I'm loving it in Cranberry.
There's a gift set of all of them in a smaller size.
I was too excited to get the price...



OPI Nail Polish in Thrill Of Brazil $8.50
Smokin hot, sexy red!

VitaBathTriple Treat Gift Set in Spring Green $15.00
Who needs to smell like winter?
Smell like spring instead.

n.a.p. breast cancer awareness fluffy socks $20

When not on a beach in Mexico, let your senses take you there.
Yankee Candle in Sun & Sand $14.99



Ulta brand heated lash curler.
$15.00
I love these!


Grace Shower Cream by Philosophy $22
I adore this fragrance
Begin your day in a state of Amazing Grace




Smashbox PhotoFinish Travel Size $16
Lots of colors to choose from - get the clear one.





OK, so these last two aren't at Ulta.

But you have to know about cult classic CamelliaBalm
from Julie Hewett. (website for locations)
It's a make up artist favorite!
I have it both in my makeup kit and at home.
In fact, I'm wearing it in ruby while I'm writing this!


John Mayer Battle Studies.
Download or CD.
I love him so!


if you're on Twitter he's @johncmayer

He's singing Heartbreak Warfare to me right now.
oooh!

xo

C