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

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.

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!

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

Last Call for Sephora Beauty Insiders!

Hey ladies! Just wanted to make sure you knew that today was the last day for Sephora Beauty Insiders to go and get their FREE Benefit Push-Up Liner mini, with any purchase. I did, and I'm loving it. And yes, it does stay and stay and stay!

You should have received an email with the coupon code in it. If you're not a Beauty Insider, sign up! They always have something going on for those in the know. (They're having a Benefit even next weekend!)

I love being able to try things before committing
to buy them!

So go, pick up your liner today!

xoxo,
Brett

Urban Decay Naked Lip Gloss - First Impression

 I love a good lip gloss, don't you? But I hate the overly sticky feeling of many and the way my hair gets caught in my lips when the wind blows. Yuck.

I recently got to try the new lip glosses from the Urban Decay Naked line. I was pretty excited!

First, they are so so pretty! All of the colors are in the neutral/naked range - so they are light and perfect for spring. I tried a few and personally, some were a little too light for me - I preferred those with a tiny bit more color - something closer to my natural lip color. Rule34 and Beso fit the bill nicely. Naked is pretty, but just too nude for me.

Second - They smell nice. I'm generally off put by lip products that have funky and/or a chemical smell. Naked glosses smell fresh, with a hint of mint. But nothing so strong it's all you can smell. It's just a nice, clean fresh scent.

Third - They're not overly sticky. This is huge. Glosses appeal to me (and maybe you) because they're easy to apply, give some color and moisturize. But sometimes that moisture comes with stickiness. No thanks. The Naked glosses feel slick when applied - a definite selling point.

Fourth - The applicator is great. It's a paddle applicator and it picks up just the right amount of product so you don't have to double or triple dip to get the right amount of gloss.

Want to get yours? Visit Urban Decay and pick a few up. They're $20 each and come in nine nude shades.

Beauty Deals and Gifts

I know we're down to the wire here, but you've got to get to an Ulta store, because they've got some great makeup sets at awesome prices that are perfect for a last-minute gift or an indulgent splurge for yourself.

Cargo Cosmetics is offering a Let's Meet in Paris Eye Shadow Palette - it's gorgeous and includes 12 metallic shades in the lovely brocade compact. But the best part? It's only 19 dollars!
Also included is a dual ended eyeshadow brush.

I love this palette and I love these colors. The holidays are the perfect time to add some shimmer to your eyelids.

Lorac is my new favorite brand for mascara. Lorac Pro is so awesome I wish everyone could experience it. The wand is sort of egg shaped and tapers at the end, making it easy to get the lashes in the corners of your eye. But the fact that you get amazing volume and length from a mascara that is Ophthalmologist approved, makes my eyes so happy. Normally, by the end of the day my eyes are watering non-stop because of my mascara. But not with the Lorac Pro! Rockin' Red Hot Lashes set is boxed with a Lorac Pro mascara and a pretty red eyelash curler. You also get a free gift. All for only $23 (I think I paid $25 for the mascara by itself, so I consider this a great deal!)

Smashbox also has an introductory set of their favorites: Eye Liner, Mascara, Primer, Lip Enhancing Gloss and a few more goodies that are well-loved from the brand. There are 6 products total in the kit and it's only $19 as well.

What a great way to try a new brand, or try several products at a low low price.

I also love Ulta because they have an amazing return policy - if you don't like it, take it back. No questions asked. Just hang on to your receipt!

Nails Dry, Lickity Split!

For those of us who don't have an hour to spend on a regular basis to indulge in a manicure (or even just a polish change!), I have found an amazing product that has made my at home mani/pedi experience so much easier.

After I've picked out the color for my nails or toes and give them at least two good coats, I break out the Jessica Quick Dry. This is a little bottle of magic. Simply use the dropper and drip a drop onto each nail and Jessica instantly goes to work, providing a barrier for smudges, dents and helps nails dry within 60 seconds.

No more going to bed with wet nails only to wake up with hair marks embedded in your polish! So go ahead, no excuses, paint those pretty little fingers any time, day or night!

www.jessicacosmetics.com $13.90