10 Things A Girl's Gotta Have For Summer

For the northern hemisphere girls summer is halfway over. You've no doubt got a little color to your skin, you've got that fresh faced glow happening, maybe you're coming home from a vacation, maybe you're getting ready to go on one.

Here are 10 Things A Girl's Gotta Have For Summer

Facial SPF
Don't use your regular sunscreen - it will break your skin out.
Instead select a non greasy, non pore clogging Facial SPF with
a protection factor of at least 30. I use 85 and 100.

 



Add Some Shine To Your Hair
Chlorine, salt water, dry air can all leave your locks looking less than lusterous.
Spritzing on a little Bumble and Bumble Shine On
will not only give you some glossiness, but will tame the frizz
and let you have a little definition to the ends.

 

Skin Rescue Spray
Hot weather can add extra stress to your skin, whether its sunburn (gasp!)
windburn, dry air, humid air, travel - you name it.
Keep a rescue spray on hand, such as skynICELAND's amazing Arctic Mist Spray.
It gives your skin instant relief while fortifying it with nutrients.





Bright Nails

Liven things up a little with a bold, bright nail color.
Leave the nudes and the dark shades behind - they'll be back in the fall!
Bright, vibrant nails look fantastic with a summer tan.


Raspberry Lipgloss

You've got a gorgeous summer golden complexion (hopefully from a bottle)
now compliment it with a raspberry popsicle kiss.
The blue undertones in raspberry will make your teeth look super white
and your lips look super ripe!
(shown here, Smashbox Lipgloss in 24/7)


 

Add A Gold Accent
And I do mean accent.
A soft gold shadow, or a little gold pressed into the inner corner of the eye
can wake the eye up and compliment your tan.
When adding gold to your look choose one area and stick to it.


Big Sunglasses
Big, dark glasses not only look uber chic, but the protect the skin around your eyes
from the sun's harmful, damaging, aging rays too....

Makeup Forever Aqualiners

Searing hot temperatures, a dip in the pool, diving into the ocean -
regardless of what you're doing, these waterproof, sweatproof, tearproof liners
can stand up to anything, and keep you looking vibrant, chic and glam!

Illuminate!
Give your skin a sexy glow with Nars Illuminate in Orgasm.
And frankly, who can ever get enough?
Mix into your foundation or moisturizer, or maybe just add a little to your cheeks.
It looks straight up gorgeous along your collar bones, over your bare shoulders and down your bare shins too!








A Fabulous Big Hat
Take fabulous to a whole new level with a super stylish big hat!
Protect your hair, your haircolor, your ears and your skin and rock a little glamor while you're at it.

image source Naperville Magazine, photographer Michael Dar

Fabulous Flawless Skin with Vespera Bionic Serum

If you've been following this blog you will know that I have absolutely no time whatsoever for skin care products that don't give you a high speed, discernible result.
If I'm going to use your product you need to wow me very quickly, then keep my skin looking amazing. Otherwise I'm leaving you and moving on.

In my product junkie opinion, most brands don't live up to their hype. They're all talk and no action. They lure you in with glossy marketing campaigns and slick packaging, then don't deliver on their promises.
So when something comes along that really, truly does magic, I tell everyone!

Such is my experience with the amazing Exuviance Vespera Bionic Serum.
Vespera Bionic Serum is a concentrated intensive treatment serum that works wonders on stressed skin, tired skin, pretty much everyone's skin.

This one was developed by Dermatologists, has alpha hydroxy and poly-hydroxy acids, pro vitamins A, C and E and powerful antioxidants to protect the skin from environmental oxidative damage. (think pollution, harsh climate etc).
It visibly reduces fine lines and wrinkles, improves texture and has been clinically proven to improve clarity by 212% in just 6 weeks.
 You can use it daily under your moisturizer to boost its performance, and it is also complementary to glycolic peels, microdermabrasion, non ablative laser treatments. Formulated with marine botanicals it is ideal for all skin types, even the most sensitive.

Normally I shut down when they start throwing out percentages, but I can honestly say the difference in my skin has been astounding. And I have pretty good skin to start with.
What I saw  in the first week with my own skin was a drastic change in the texture and clarity. My skin firmed up, looked smoother, and just glowed. It looks super healthy. To the point where I have scarcely worn any foundation for the past few weeks. (even with good skin I love wearing foundation, so this has been a big change for me).

In my product obsessed mind this is the next generation of skin care.
Its fabulous.

Vespera Bionic Serum, 1 oz, is available for $60.00

at www.exuviance.com, ULTA stores, or by calling 1-800-225-9411

1200 Pairs of Shoes???!!!

Are you kidding me???

I got this from the UK's Daily Mail (see link below)
I either need a new goal, or need to learn how to play a killer game of poker.
Or both.

Imelda Marcos Eat Your Heart Out

One pair of Louboutins is a dream for many girls, let alone a staggering 700 pairs.
Beth Shak - whose 'name is synonymous with shoes' - has the enviable honour of being one of killer-heel designer Christian Louboutin’s best customers.
And, at last count, the poker champion owns a colossal 1,200 pairs of shoes.

She says the French shoe maestro ‘has an eye for design and he knows what a woman wants’ – and has sunk a fortune into her admiration of some of the world’s top fashion houses.

A professional poker player, Ms Shak started buying designer shoes in 2004, amassing the enormous collection in just seven years.
She treats herself to a pair of red-soled Louboutins each time she plays a poker tournament, but also wears Lanvin flats and ‘goes through Havaianas on a daily basis.’

The proud owner of a specially-designed closet housing the fruits of her obsession - and her career - Ms Shak displays red encrusted Alexander McQueen heels at the centre of her collection. 
Even if Ms Shak used a different pair of shoes every day for three years, she would still have ample fresh heels to look forward to wearing
And, with Louboutins averaging $500-900 per pair, Ms Shak is likely to have spent over $420,000 on the French brand alone.
One pair of Louboutin alligator pumps cost Ms Shak about $4000 and accounts for her most expensive footwear purchase

The mother of three has appeared on MTV Cribs and cites Jenifer Lopez as the celebrity she most admires.
It’s likely, though, that even J-Lo would be envious of Ms Shak’s heels, which include a pair of one-off spade-emblazoned Walter Steiger pink pumps, that she wore to the Poker World Series last year.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2018747/Imelda-Marcos-eat-heart-Beth-Shak-1-200-pairs-shoes.html#ixzz1TQXyh1ru

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2018747/Imelda-Marcos-eat-heart-Beth-Shak-1-200-pairs-shoes.html#ixzz1TQXqgs6z

Skin Care & Makeup Tips To Hide Fine Lines And Wrinkles

Back to the issue of crows feet.
Most of yesterday's blogpost remedies require a significant financial commitment that doesn't always work with a girl's budget. Or they take a little time to kick in. So what can the girl on the go do right now to make a difference?





Here are 4 Skin Care and Makeup Tips to help hide your fine lines and wrinkles.





1. Use a really good, extra hydrating eye cream.

Chances are your eye area is dehydrated.Every morning use an eye cream. Choose an eye cream that contains Hyaluronic acid, (which will use moisture to plump up the skin, smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles) as well as antioxidants such as green tea or idebenone.
Apply it with your ring finger (the ring finger will create the least amount of dragging on that delicate skin around the eye) and start from the outer corner, working your way in.
Never pull or wipe the skin, always be super super gentle!
Give it at least 2 minutes to absorb into the skin before putting anything else on.
Before you begin applying makeup use a facial SPF product, and make sure you get it on your crows feet (without getting it in your eyes!).

2. Use a Silicone Based Primer
Smooth the primer not only over your T zone and cheeks, but also up through your crows feet. Keep it sheer and blend it in.
Primer will act like caulking, and help fill in the lines. It will also help the makeup you're about to put on to stay in place.
Silicone particles are spherical, and bounce light off them selves, and in the process diffuse the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

3. Use A Light Hand With Makeup!
Getting heavy handed with your makeup through the area will only make your crows feet look worse!
Instead use a silicone based foundation like FACE Atelier Ultra Foundation, gently working a small amount through the area with your fingers. Blend it well, and keep it sheer. FACE Atelier Ultra foundation won't need powder, but will set on its own, and look luminous and beautiful.
NOTE: Avoid Like The Plague: matte foundations, oil free/dry finish foundations, crushed mineral foundations and any heavy concealers. They will all make the lines around your eyes look worse!!

Sidenote: Use a cream blush, working it into the cheeks and blending it well. Cream blushes make the skin look dewy and fresh, and will help create the illusion we are after! Powder blushes sit on the surface of the skin, making it look dry. By virtue of being right next to your eye area they will make your lines and wrinkles look more pronounced.

4. Do Some Nighttime Repair Work

First up use a good eye makeup remover, and gently remove all traces of the day's makeup.
Next apply an eye cream that again is super hydrating, but that also contains retinol (proven to work on fine lines and wrinkles). Alternatively use a free standing retinol product as well as an eye cream.
Retinols can take a little getting used to, so if its your first time, use gradually - every 3rd day, working up to every 2nd day then daily.

Final note: drink more water and get more sleep. Both will help your eyes to look less tired and your skin to look glorious!

5 Best Treatments For Crows Feet

Crows feet are those pesky fine lines that show up around the outer corners of your eyes.

They take years to develop and are generally caused by the repetitive motion of contracting the muscles around the eye area. The skin crinkles up when you smile, and it wrinkles up when you squint.

These fine lines are incredibly aging, but luckily there are many options available to get rid of them.

Here are the 5 Best Treatments For Crows Feet:

The fastest and most long term results require the big guns - injectibles such as dermal fillers or botox, laser treatments or thermage. With all the non surgical remedies now available, fewer women utilize the other big gun, which is plastic surgery.

Botox is the most popular way to get rid of fine lines and really turn the clock back quickly and efficiently.
Botox works through a botulinum A-based formula that effectively paralyzes facial muscles that lead to wrinkles by blocking nerve impulses to the muscles.Generally it takes these magic injections about 72 hours to show results, and they last on average 3 months, although some people do report a cumulative effect that lasts longer  in between treatments.

Dermal Fillers
Injectible dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane use hyaluronic acid to plump out the wrinkles and smooth the skin from the inside out. Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the skin, but it diminishes as we age. As our natural stores of it deplete our skin starts to sag and wrinkle.
The results of dermal filler injections are virtually immediate and last for 6 to 9 months on average.

Laser Treatments

Laser skin resurfacing removes the outer skin cells leaving a smoother, softer complexion.
One ofthe most popular laser treatments for crow's feet is Fraxel, which uses a non-ablative laser that creates less damage to the skin and less downtime for the patient.
Fraxel treatments take approximately 30 minutes to perform in the doctors office, and most patients require 4 to 6 treatments spaced 2 to 4 weeks apart. Repeat procedures are requires to maintain the results.

Thermage

thermage before and after

Thermage is a non invasive procedure that uses a radio frequency device to resurface the skin. The tool heats the layers of skin beneath the surface, stimulating the production of collagen for a tighter, smoother appearance. The procedure can be done in a doctor's office, has no significant downtime and discomfort during and after the procedure is minimal.  The full results of the procedure will be seen within three to six months, and the results may last several years. In addition to minimizing the appearance of crow's feet, Thermage can also improve the look of the upper and lower eyelids.

Chemical Peels and/or Microdermabrasion
Two other popular ways to minimize fine lines and wrinkles around the eye area are Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion.
Chemical peels use a light alphahydroxy acid to remove the surface skin cells, leaving you with a smooth, vibrant skin. This should be performed in a doctors office or a medical spa (when treating the delicate eye area)
Microdermabrasion uses crystals to sand off the surface skin. Again, when working with the eye area you are safer to have the procedure performed in a doctors office or medical spa

Nars New Website - NarsCosmetics.com

NEW YORK, NY JULY 21, 2011 – NARS Cosmetics, a division of Shiseido Americas Corporation, announced today the relaunch of the brand’s e-commerce website, narscosmetics.com.

The brand collaborated with CREATETHE Group—a digital agency that focuses on strategy, commerce, and creative content for luxury and fashion brands—to develop a one-of- a-kind website that engages users, brings to life the essence of the brand, and is technically and creatively innovative. The result is a high-impact luxury shopping and comprehensive brand experience for makeup experts, tastemakers, and the culturally curious.

The new website embodies an elevated tone and feel, inspired by the brand’s strong ties to and foundation in fashion. Featuring modern design elements, stunning product photography, and rich graphic swatches (at three different-size scales), it provides the most accurate shade and texture depictions currently available for online shopping. Exclusive application tips, product suggestions, how-to guides, and expert insight from François Nars and leading NARS artists are seamlessly woven throughout the user experience. A faster, more streamlined check-out process, optional credit card storage, robust search functionality, and iPhone/iPad compatibility provide a higher level of customer service.

Complementing the luxe retail experience, narscosmetics.com reveals an elevated editorial approach in the “World of NARS.” The section dedicated to showcasing lush and engaging brand content will delight brand enthusiasts and novice customers alike, with exclusive vision and insights from François Nars and NARS artists, stylized brand videos, behind-the-scenes videos from Fashion Week, current and vintage NARS campaigns, and a look at François’ Tahitian island Motu Tané and dog Marcel. Additionally, a special section spotlights François Nars’ inspiration behind the brand’s iconic product names.

The NARS Wardrobing concept comes to life online, allowing visitors to create personalized makeup Wardrobes for any occasion. Users can compare products and shop directly from their Wardrobes, which feature social functionality so they can share these Wardrobes with friends. via NARS Cosmetics

Love it!

Waterproof mascara

Well it's that time of the year again. The only time of the year that I'm OK with waterproof mascara. As a rule I'm not a big fan.

Overuse of waterproof mascara can lead to broken lashes and thinning lashes. I can normally spot an habitual waterproof user the minute they sit down in my makeup chair.

But at this time of year, walking through that thick custard of humidity, you kinda need the stuff.
Or if you're into swimming whilst still looking glamorous. Or marrying a philandering Monegasque prince against your better judgement - there are actually valid reasons for wearing waterproof mascara.

Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco. Which one looks more miserable??

 

The problem is that it's not the kindest product to use on your lashes. And if you don't remove it properly, it's not the kindest product to the delicate skin around our eyes.

So here's how to do it:

   * Use a really good eye makeup remover.
This is crucial. You need to make sure that every last trace of waterproof mascara is removed, everytime you wear it.

My personal favorite, and the product I actually use both on myself and in my makeup kit is SensEyes from Makeup Forever.
SensEyes not only dissolves all traces of makeup, but as the name indicates, it is perfect for even the most sensitive skin and eyes.
(A cool side benefit of Senseyes is that you can use it to remove any stubborn makeup, including deep red and berry lipstains etc)
Lancome Bi-Facial is another good option. I like the oiliness of it.

If you can't afford, or don't have a good eye makeup remover on hand, use good old fashioned baby oil.

* Use It Properly

The whole idea is to a) dissolve the mascara and b) not rough up the delicate skin around the eye.
Soak a cotton ball or cotton pad with the product, then hold it against your closed eye for a couple of minutes so that it can work on the dissolving part. The more stubborn the mascara, the longer you need to keep it there.
Once the mascara has been dissolved you can gently (read: gently) sweep away any product residue.
Do rub or scrub. And ideally work from the outer eye in toward the nose so that you are not inadvertently stretching and pulling the skin and fast tracking yourself to looking 100.
If needed dampen a Q tip with eye makeup remover and work it through any remaining mascara.

*Use An Eye Treament Product

Once all eye makeup is removed give your eye area some extra lovin with a super gentle, extra hydrating and soothing eye cream.
If the waterproof mascara has irritated your eye, sooth it with some eye drops.

Finally, if you are venturing into the waterproof arena, firstly decide if you really do need a waterproof mascara, or if a water resistant mascara will work instead. If waterproof is absolutely the way to go, invest in a good one. Instead of a drug store mascara spend an extra few dollars and get a quality mascara. There are plenty around that wont break the bank - or your lashes!