November Favorites

The holidays have really kicked into gear by now, and there are lots of favorites on my list, so let's jump in!

1. Acne Treatment
Even though I'm in my late 30's, I still get breakouts, whether due to hormones, stress or bad luck. However, I have a powerful product in my must-haves that keeps the damage minimal without drying out my face. It's the SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense liquid. Just a few drops on a blemish and it begins working to dry it up without drying aging skin.

Yes, it's a little bit of a splurge at $88, but it's worth it. One bottle will last months, and it's the best blemish treatment I've found in many years of looking!

2. Under Eye Circles
Whether the holidays have you stressed out to the point you're not sleeping, or you've been to too many holiday get-togethers, the under eye area can give us away so quickly! Jane Iredale's Enlighten under eye concealer is the way to go for covering up those dark areas. Unless you are very dark complected, I would choose shade 1. The trick is to use your middle finger and take the smallest amount and pat gently under the eyes.It will look a little reddish orange but that's ok! Then you can cover with a tiny speck of foundation, or a colored powder. Either way, your eyes will look more vibrant and alive! At $29, it's not exactly cheap, but not too pricey considering one pot will last a long time.

3. Smell Goods
It's that time of year again when LUSH ever so graciously shares with us the Rose Jam shower gel. A mixture of roses and lemon, this shower gel will become your instant favorite. As I looked today, it's out of stock online, but you may be able to find it in stores - if not, I'd suggest perusing eBay. It's totally worth it. I make sure to get enough each Christmas to last me (sparingly) throughout the next year. Haven't once regretted it! lush.com

4. Getting Rid Of Fine Lines
Yep, I've got them. Mine are mostly around my mouth, and I hate them! Short of doing some kind of injection, I've found the Rodial Bee Venom Moisturizer softens the deep crease I have on the right side of my mouth. I'll go ahead and tell you now - it's expensive. $190 a jar. But it's much less expensive than Botox or Juvederm or any other fillers. Maybe you can even score a sample - who knows?



I know, I know I owe you a December/End of the Year favorites. Working on that now! I love each and every one of you who stop by to read my thoughts on everything beauty, skin care and hair care. You are my people!

2016 Hair Forecasts

Whether you're looking for a new look, or want to freshen up the one you have now, Redken ambassador and owner of Cutler Salons, Rodney Cutler takes a look back at 2015 to share his top trends for the coming year. Hot off the red carpet, these looks will be the most requested, most Instagrammed styles in the coming months.

What looks like something you'll try in the next year? I'm loving Taylor Swift's textured lob.

CUT: Bangs / Textured Lob 

Growing out last season’s hot short shag cut? Ask your stylist for a bob outline with interior layers that will add texture to the lob shape, creating a more versatile cut and style. The soft, separated veiled bang was a big trend on the runway and red carpet this past year and will continue to dominate in 2016.

STYLE HOW-TO:

Prime hair with Redken Pillow Proof Express Primer before blow-drying to protect the hair from the heat and styling tools. Work towards smoothing the root down slightly – You want a little bit of volume at the crown but not much. A little Redken Guts 10 directly on the root should do the trick! Using a flat-iron, twirl small sections of the hair starting from below the bang line to create a ribbon curl with straighter ends. Finish with a light working hairspray like Redken Fashion Work 12.

PRODUCTS:

Redken Pillow Proof Express Primer

Redken Guts 10

Redken Fashion Work 12

CUT: Slick Sweepback 

The intention for this haircut is a chic, strong silhouette that is ideal for showing off your beautiful face. Tucked, smooth hair behind the ears to keep the focus on your features – strong cheekbones, stunning eyes, full lips. This cut is ideal for the stylish girl who doesn’t need to hide behind her hair!

STYLE HOW-TO:

Apply a small amount of Redken Diamond Oil Glow Dry Serum and blowout hair in root direction with a Mason Pearson brush while creating a strong side part. Tuck hair behind ears and finish with Redken Triple Take 32 for maximum hold and all-day control. 

PRODUCTS:

Redken Diamond Oil Glow Dry Serum

Redken Triple Take 32

STYLE: Top-Knot Updo Style

This easy top-knot updo is the perfect hairstyle for the girl-on-the-go, requiring minimal effort and maximum beauty!  

STYLE HOW-TO:

Start with a great dry shampoo like Redken Pillow Proof Two-Day Extender and spray throughout the hair. Brush through removing all knots, but not too smooth – you still want a disheveled starting point. Create a high top-knot at the very top of your head, wrap around and secure knot with long bobby pins for maximum security. Leave out a few inches and smooth down this tail. Spray hair generously with Redken Triple Take 32. For a special touch, add a small accessory to add a little sparkle or shine to this effortless style!

PRODUCTS:

Redken Pillow Proof Two-Day Extender

Redken Triple Take 32

COLOR: Bronde 

Coined “chocolate chip cookie hair color” by Cutler Soho colorist Ryan Pearl, “bronde” highlights have been creeping into the hair lexicon for much of the past year. Expect this low-maintenance color to continue to populate on Instagram feed and Pinterest boards throughout 2016. This is the perfect color for the indecisive fashionista – the ideal mix of light and dark with minimal damage to the hair allowing for future changes without compromising the integrity and health of your locks. Plus, it’s gorgeous!

PRODUCTS:

Redken Blonde Idol Custom-Tone for Warm/Gold Blondes – This toning conditioner is perfect to maintain the warm, golden hues while minimizing brassiness between color appointments.

COLOR: Opal 

After the Rainbow-Brite Technicolor dreamscapes of 2015, expect avant-garde hair color to take a softer, more iridescent transition in the New Year. Opal color with its blend of pearl, light pink, blues and purples will be the go-to trend on the red carpet and front row at the hottest fashion shows. However, this color trend is definitely NOT for everyone. Expect your initial appointment to run anywhere between 3-6 hours depending on your existing color situation. We suggest seeing an experienced colorist for a complimentary consultation first to review their portfolio (most great colorists will have an Instagram feed featuring their recent work) and gain some professional insight from them. This is a big step and you should have a trustworthy relationship 

PRODUCT:

Redken Extreme Strength Builder Plus Masque – If your hair is in a distressed state after all of the bleaching, try this protein-based masque to restore strength and vitality to your thirsty locks. 

READY TO BUY?
Find all of your Redken products on Beauty.com and click the link to get $15 off!

$15 off Beauty.com orders of $75+ w/ code BEAUTY15

August Favorites!

August, you've come and gone, but I couldn't ignore the favorites I discovered and continue to love throughout the month.

First and foremost: My feet. Let's just say my heels are pretty much in bad shape all the time. Scratchy, scaly, rough heels are not attracting anyone. But using the Amope Pedi Perfect has made a huge difference. Used on dry skin, the rotating file grinds down the tough skin, leaving it smooth and ready for lotion. It's not a one and done deal, but with regular use in between pedicures, you'll be able to keep your feet looking nice and soft. It's a little pricey, but if you think about how often you'll use it, it's worth the cost. You can find it anywhere from the grocery store to the drug store to probably even drugstore.com or Ulta.

Wrinkles - be gone! I've been lucky to not have many wrinkles, and I believe it's due to the fact that I moisturize and use sunscreen daily. However, Caudalie's Anti-wrinkle Eye and Lip Cream is a crazy duo that I really love. It's a great moisturizer, and is safe for the tender skin around the eyes and the mouth. It's not greasy - it melts into skin instantly, offering moisturizing benefits and skin plumping ingredients to keep eyes and lips looking youthful. Because let's be honest, the crows feet and lip lines are a dead giveaway we're not 19 anymore! Available at Sephora.

 Last but not least, I've found a line of makeup brushes that are reasonably priced, and work really well. They're from the Drew Barrymore collection, FLOWER. I'm obsessed with the powder brush. It's soft, picks up powder easily and places it evenly on the face. I can't vouch for the longevity of the brush, but the prices are so reasonable, even if you only get 6 months to a year out of it, you're in good shape. It's definitely worth checking out. I think it's important to save where you can, so you can splurge on that one item you can't live without! The FLOWER line is available exclusively at Wal-Mart.

That's all I've got for August favorites. Let me know if there's anything else you're dying to hear about. Happy to share and love to hear your comments.

xoxo,
Brett

July Favorites

Hi all! I know this is a little late, but considering the circumstances, I hope you'll forgive me this time. (Ok, so I'm usually late anyway, but I was trying to be on time with this one!)

I love a good cleanser - and especially one that exfoliates, yet is safe for sensitive skin. The Suki Skincare Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser covers all the angles. Its bright lemon fragrance, gentle exfoliation and generous lather leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and refreshed. It has become my staple cleanser because it preps skin perfectly for moisturizing.
I go to an Aveda salon, and they always have little samples of things to take home and try. One in particular has become a favorite and it's the Botanical Kinetics Intense Hydrating Soft Creme. I like it because it's good for all skin types, it isn't greasy, it melts into skin fast, yet leaves skin with a moisturized feeling for hours.If you have dry skin, they also have a "rich" formula. Same great product, just more moisture for those with skin that needs a little more moisture.


I love a little luminosity on my face. Milani's Illuminating Face Powder in Hermosa Rose does a great job of making my face look lit from within, warming up my face with a hint of bronzer - without being too sparkly or shockingly highlighted. It just leaves a gorgeous all over glow. I use the Hermosa Rose, but there are two other shades, so lighter and darker skins can take advantage as well. Milani is a drugstore brand, and I typically get mine from CVS, because they have promotions a lot of the time. When I repurchased mine, it was Buy 1, Get 1 50% off. Not too bad!

Looks like I'm due for an August favorites - so keep your eyes open for that! ( I promise to get that finished before the end of September!)

xoxo,
B

Urban Decay: Free Shipping!

This doesn't come around often! Take advantage! Urban Decay (www.urbandecay.com) is offering FREE SHIPPING this week with NO MINIMUM purchase! How awesome is that?

It's time to pick up the new Naked Smoky Palette, Perversion Mascara (which is now coming with a free sample size of Subversion Lash Primer - I love this stuff!), or whatever else you need to stock up on. You can't beat it! I'm shopping as we speak!

Celebrity Makeup Artist Shares Drugstore Must Haves

When buying makeup and skincare at the drugstore, it is ideal to know when to splurge and when to save. Believe it or not, drugstores carry “cosmetic gems” and “skincare saviors,” according to Tomy Rivero, celebrity makeup artist. Tomy shares his favorite drugstore must haves that won’t break the bank:

Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eye Liner
A great long lasting eye liner with an extra thin tip for a clean and sleek application and look, with a felt tip which allows for easy application, and won't dull. Ideal for an everyday look or a dramatic cat eye for a night out.

ELF Studio Complexion Brush
Use this versatile brush with wet or dry powders or foundations. It works perfectly with any loose setting powder to create a flawless look

Neutrogena Night Calming Makeup Remover
These cleansing pads remove makeup easily and are perfect for sensitive eyes and skin.The night calming formula leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated. Whether removing a full face of makeup or touching up a smudge, these removers are great.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
This face lotion is great for evening skin tone and eliminating dark spots. The SPF 15 protects skin all day long. The non oily lotion leaves skin ready for any makeup application

 

What are some of your coveted drugstore finds?

Rivero’s talents have been credited on the pages of coveted magazines, feature films and television as well as collaborations with New York Fashion Week.  Rivero has worked extensively with elite models including Dorota Kollova (Prada) and Arlenis Soso (Lancome).  Highly skilled in all areas of makeup, including hi def, runway, print, red carpet and body makeup, Rivero also works with celebrity clientele including Barbara Corcoran from NBC’s hit show, Shark Tank and Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones.

My Burberry: Prestige at its finest

Burberry - with its iconic trench coat and gabardine knot, has created another prestigious Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette- My Burberry.

A contemporary floral, with the heart of Rose and Geranium Leaf. While this sounds like the floral of your mother's era; it's not. The overall feel of My Burberry is fresh and clean, as if there had been a recent rain, as notes of Rain-tipped Damask, Patchouli and Golden Quince round out the scent.

As if the bottle and its beauty wasn't enough, you're now able to make it your own with the monogramming service available at myburberry.com

Read more details  of this delightful fragrance at poshglam.com

Skincare in your 40's and 50's

Quick Tips for Skincare in your 40s and 50s

 

In your forties and fifties, you are most likely not working crazy hours at the office and the kids are almost, if not already out of the house. This means more time to spend on yourself, and specifically your skin. Enter Dr. Amy Wechsler, acclaimed dermatologist and psychiatrist, who advises slews of patients in their forties and fifties on all things skin and sanity.

Here, she shares her top tips:

Skincare in your 40s:

·         Wrinkles are a main concern for patients in their forties. Talk to your doctor about a topical retinoid prescription, these have been shown to help increase collagen production leading to firmer skin.

·         This particular decade can be challenging for many as anxiety levels and mental health issues tend to rise significantly. Incorporating good exercise habits into your everyday routine is vital during this time. Try yoga combined with meditation for thirty minutes to one hour every day. This exercise promotes breathing and positive mental health, which lead to a happier lifestyle.

·         Branch out and experiment with new ingredients! Try Niacinamide, which is a component of vitamin B3, is known to prevent skin from losing water content and encourage circulation. This anti-aging ingredient is also linked to lightening skin discolorations and reducing acne.

Skincare in your 50s:

·         As you age, skin has a difficult time maintaining its moisture. Consider incorporating safflower oil into your daily beauty routine. Slather on after the shower to prevent super-scaly legs, or use as a deep conditioning treatment in your hair. Best of all, the ingredient won’t break the bank and can be found at most grocery and health food stories.

·         In your fifties, brown spots are guaranteed to make an appearance on your skin. A popular way of dealing with them is through laser treatment. Talk to your doctor about options that will work best for your skin. In addition, applying sunscreen daily is an effective way to keep them from reappearing.

  Many of my patients also complain that during this decade, falling to sleep can be a challenge. Catching your zzz’s is critical to allow your skin time to repair and rest. In addition to deep breathing exercises, and of course, unplugging from all electronics at least thirty minutes before bed, you can also snack your way to sleep. Reach for item such as whole wheat crackers and goat cheese, a banana with one teaspoon of nut butter or a small bowl of whole grain cereal with low-fat skim milk.

Post the Perfect Selfie

Now that everyone has an HD camera in their pocket, “selfies” are quick and easy. But have you mastered the art of taking a good selfie? When we post a selfie for the world to see, we eagerly await for the likes and comments to show up from friends and strangers. Celebrity trainer, Golden Moeras, known for her body sculpting techniques and mind blowing instagram pictures, gives 3 tips to achieve flawless beach selfies.
Here are three tips on how to look instagram-worthy from Golden Moeras:

1. Take the shot right after you get out of water. It will look sexier and more natural, like you’re not trying too hard.

2. Everyone looks better in sunglasses. Plus, you wont be squinting.

3. Lying down at an angle and placing he camera from boobs down gives you a longer sleeker look. Plus, the angle looks really cool.

Enjoy!

My Latest Labor of Love

I'm excited to share with you all my latest labor of love: my column in Atlanta Social Season Magazine (www.seasonmagazine.com). This spread is all about creating that shimmery sun goddess look for these long, warm days.

Also, it's important to protect your hair and skin, so they will be luminous from being healthy!

Here's a direct link to my spread online: Shimmery Summer I hope you enjoy it!

June Favorites

It's true! I'm actually compiling my June favorites on time! Are you as excited as I am? I'm pretty excited. 

First up is a new dry shampoo that I have really been enjoying - Alterna's Bamboo Style Cleanse Extend Dry Shampoo (it comes in both Lemon Sugar and Bamboo Leaf - both smell great). I love this brand of dry shampoo because it's practically translucent. Unless you go WAY overboard on it, you will not get that white cast that us dark headed beauties run into much of the time. So, that's a definitely plus. It also helps with some body, but doesn't feel unnatural as I've noticed with some other brands. You can find this baby at Sephora.

Next up - GlamGlow's Bright Mud 3-minute eye treatment. Please and thank you. Whether you've pulled an all nighter, partied too hard, had an ugly crying session -it doesn't matter. This 3 minute treatment will calm those nasty puffy under eyes and leave you feeling back to normal. And they're small enough to carry with you, in case you need an emergency treatment! Just pat on, wait 3 minutes and gently wipe off. So easy. What did I do before these? Also available at Sephora. I've always been pretty good at protecting my face from too much sun. I guess that's party of the reason that at 37 (soon to be 38), people mistake me for being much, much younger. A blessing and a curse - well, more of a blessing now.

Anyway, Skinceuticals Physical Matte SPF 50 cream is great. It helps keep your oil at bay (although, you will still sweat, gotta mention that!) and protects skin at SPF 50! Win-win!

You can wear this alone (it's slightly tinted) or under your usual makeup. Definitely something to consider this summer. Available at skinceuticals.com
 

 I'm in love with the new L'Oreal Le Matte Lipstick Pens. They have incredible pigmentation, a little moisture, a matte finish and while they may not be touted as "long wearing", I think they do pretty well in that area, too. My favorite color is the bright pink. It makes me feel
confident and sassy, and what could be wrong with that??

These are available now that it's July! I'd stock up! Check your local drugstore  or other big box store that carries cosmetics.

That's all I've got for my June favorites. I hope you enjoyed hearing what I'm loving right now, and perhaps are inspired to try one or more of these products yourself!

February Favorites

Hey everyone! It's time for February Favorites. I've got some tried and true, plus some brand new favorites for you to check out!

1. The Aveda Institute 
I love this place. You get great service from cut to color to highlights in a professional space, but performed by students either graduating in 6 months (mid-level) or 3 months (master level). The prices are unbelievable and they really listen to what you're looking to do and make the magic happen. Of course, educators check-in and make sure things are running smoothly, but I've yet to encounter a problem.I was very happy with the price and the service. Definitely recommend!

2. AdvoCare SYS Day
I love a good day cream. One that hydrates without making skin feel greasy, has ingredients that are good for the skin, and can help keep wrinkles at bay. AdvoCare's SYS Day lives up to it's name Supplement Your Skin. Get yours here.

3. Nivea's In-Shower Moisturizer
Ok, I was a little skeptical at first. I have super dry skin in the winter. Despite all my efforts to moisturize, I always ended up disappointed. But when I saw the commercial for this new product, I had to hunt it down. They have 3 versions, and I went ahead and got the one for very dry skin. After you cleanse your body, you rub this on the areas you want extra moisture (for me, arms and legs) and then rinse off, pat dry and go. It works! I could definitely tell the day of the shower, but also the next day. I love it. I think it will be great in the warmer months, too. You can find it in the lotion aisle.

That's it for now, but don't forget I'll have a great eco-beauty spread in the next issue of Atlanta Social Season - Spring issue!

The Sweetest Thing

With Valentine's Day coming, the discussion always turns to chocolate, amiright? And while chocolate is good, very good, we both know that our resolutions centered around healthier eating and less scarfing chocolate. So bless Too Faced heart for creating their newest sweet thing in beauty. The Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar. It even sounds delicious, doesn't it?

Full of antioxidants and infused with cocoa-powder, these 16 shades are cocoa powder-infused and a mix of matte and shimmery shades with sumptuous names that make you think of caramels, mochas and a surprise pop of blueberry. You have to see it to believe it.

What else, you ask? Well, I'm glad you did - starting TODAY! Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is offering the MAD LOVE’ LIP TAR & STAINED GLOSS TRIO SET, $39.50 ($72 VALUE).   Available exclusively on occmakeup.com  the trio set includes a trio of textures to play with:  Matte, Metallic, and Stained Gloss.  Wear each shade alone for seductively simple pouts or mix shades and textures together to take your lips to new heights of color sensation. Look at those lips! Amazing!

I LOVE a Good Sale!

There's something special about the rush I get when scoring a great deal. I hate paying full price for anything. Coupons, yes! Sales, yes! Sales with coupons? Hell Yes!

10k Gold Earrings,
Citrine Round Stud Earrings (3/4 ct. t.w.)

Orig. $300.00
Was $260.00
Now $78.00

10k White Gold
Blue Diamond Round Stud Earrings (1/5 ct. t.w.)

Orig. $475.00
Was $379.00
Now $113.70

For the next couple of days, macys.com is offering an extra 15% off both sale and clearance items.

These beauties I found are at amazing prices - and when you use the code FRESH at checkout (they'll remind you), you get an extra 15% off the lowest price - that brings these gorgeous Blue Diamond stud earrings to UNDER $100. You really can't beat that, can you?

Of course, there are sales and clearance items in all departments, but these lovelies caught my eye, and I wanted to share them with you before they're gone. (just kidding, I already bought them all for myself!)

So bust out those gift cards and get to shoppin'! Sale ends 1/15.

Life.Syle Store in Melbourne Has Hair-Brained Idea

Napoleon Perdis in his gorgeous Life.Style store. Melbourne.

And it's working! Napoleon Perdis, native Australian, has been quietly creating his Life.Style stores across the country. These stores are an all-inclusive, total immersion in everything beauty, fashion and style. And that is apparent from the moment you walk into the store. It's the center of chic.

Blond Wig Chandelier. Really.

With a massive blonde wig chandelier hanging proudly from the ceiling, Perdis' Life.Style stores open customers with welcome arms to peruse items that Perdis has found interesting and therefore decided to share with the public. Items range from ready-to wear jewelry to housewares. But it doesn't stop there. You didn't think Perdis would open a store without including his world famous makeup and beauty services, did you?

A sampling of the available items in Life.Style

Now we just have to convince him to come stateside so we can get in on the fun! Or, just book a ticket to Melbourne and check it out now!

More samplings from Napoleon's personally curated collection.

If you can't make it to Melbourne, you can at least enjoy wearing his makeup by purchasing your own stash at napoleonperdis.com