November Favorites and Unfavorites

Hey Everyone,

I know I'm late on this, but better that than never, right? I have a few favorites to share with you and one unfavorite. So, let's get started!

My first favorite is the Philip Kingsely One More Day Dry Shampoo:
 What could be better than not having to wash your hair every single day? Second day hair rules and Philip Kingsley's One More Day gives it to you with ease.
Just spray this delicious-smelling formula at the roots, let it sit for a few minutes and then brush through. You might see a little whitecast, but nothing a good brushing can't remove.

Goodbye, oil-slick, hello body!

 I'm also loving this EOS Winter Trio

With lips as chapped as mine tend to be in the fall and winter months, this is a life saver. I use it during the day and before I go to bed to soothe and moisturize my lips.

With fragrances like Sweet Mint, Limited Edition Vanilla Bean and Pomegranate Raspberry, there's enough to get you through the cold and chilly months.

 Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel

I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. This shower gel rocks! The great Lemon/Rose fragrance fills the shower with scent and it lingers beautifully on skin. This is limited edition, so you'll want to make sure you pick one up or order it before Christmas!

Makeup For Ever Midnight Glow Palette

This wintery snow inspired palette is a great mix of shimmers and matte colors - giving you options to create soft or smokey looks. Give lids a simple wash or color, or experiment with 2 or more colors for a cool, frosty look.


And my one Unfavorite:

I wanted to like this - I really did. I had heard great things about the Too-Faced Better Than False Lashes Mascara. But, it was not for me. I found it clumped, and my upper and lower lashes stuck together and it's hard to get off.

After removing it before bed I though I was fine, but I woke up the next morning seeing that my lashes were clumped together still and very coated.

I just couldn't get it right, despite the time and chances I gave it. What a bummer.

Know something I should add? Let me know on twitter @BeautybyBrett I'd love to hear from you!

September Favorites

Here are a few things I've discovered, rediscovered, or have just really been enjoying the last month. A little late, but better than never!

1. Dry Shampoo - such a time saver! I'm pretty much in for all dry shampoos I've tried, but current faves are Oscar Blandi and Keratin Complex. One's a powder formula that you shake on, the other is a spray. Both work nicely and smell good. Just make sure you brush well after applying to remove any white cast. Or, try Batiste's dry shampoo for dark hair. I'm pretty sure you can get all of these at Ulta shops or online.

2. Jordana's Twist and Shine Balm Stains - so cheap, so pretty. Available in so many colors at Walgreens, these balms leave a slight stain on lips. For a balm, they have a huge color payoff. (Not as much with the lightest shades, though) I love the amount of moisture they give lips. I've been loving Honey, but there's a Cranberry color I'd like to try this month.

3. Rose Jam shower gel from Lush. Oh my. It smells SO good. Like Roses, but better. A hint of lemon. Sweet, but not overly so. It's heaven in a bottle. And it moisturizes with argan oil. Not too heavy. Just right. And did I mention it smells awesome?! Sadly, it's limited edition, so you must go now to get yours. I believe it's available through Christmas and that's it. Stock up, everyone. It's that good.

Fight Flaky Dry Skin

While the changing of the seasons from summer into fall feels great, it can be stressful to our skin. Sometimes moisturizer alone just doesn't cut it. If you've been noticing dry, flaky patches on your face (probably in the t-zone) don't worry. You're not alone! And, thankfully, it's a fairly easy fix. 

Here's what you'll need:

1. Your favorite facial cleanser

2. An exfoliating sponge like the one I found at CVS. 

3. A good moisturizer. (A night cream works well)

As you may have guessed, you're going to wash your face with your cleanser and rinse with warm water. Using your hands is fine for this step. 

Once your face is clean, wet your exfoliating sponge, add some cleanser to it and buff lightly in circles in your face. There's no need to be rough. You just want to go over the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin to increase the circulation and remove some dead skin cells. Avoid your eye area, as the skin there is the most delicate. 

Once you've rinsed and dried your face, apply your moisturizer. I prefer to do this in the evenings, so my face has a chance to rest and soak up the moisturizer before I put it through the paces with makeup again. 

You'll probably already notice a smoothness to your skin, but the next morning it will be even better. 

Try this once or twice a week, and say goodbye to patchy dry skin for good! Your makeup will look fresher and your skin will be radiant. 

Holiday Nail Art With Dermelect

 I know it's a LITTLE early to be thinking about Christmas, Hanukkah or Winter in general. But these cute holiday nails just wouldn't wait, so stash this away until you need a little holiday cheer!

Moon Kissed

Phenom

I love Dermelect ME Peptide-infused polishes because not only do they look good, your nails actually benefit from using them. They have a pure protein peptide that helps strengthen nails, contain vitamins and lock moisture in. They're the anti-aging darlings of the nail world! And because the first coat bonds to the nail and the second coat fuses to the first, your manicure will last longer than other traditional polishes. You can pick them up on their website and have them shipped to your door. Right now each polish is $14, and they offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Red-iculous

To get these fun looks you'll need the polishes and a striping or detailer brush. You can pick these up at a place like Sally's Beauty Supply very inexpensively. The brushes are the key to getting the lines of the Candy Cane and Snowflakes thin and precise.

Have fun and enjoy!

Mascara Magic

I've searched high and low to find a mascara that does everything I want it to. It's harder than you might think. Some give volume, but look clumpy. Others give length, but not volume. I want both!

Volumizing Mascara

Late one night I was channel surfing and I stopped on QVC. Mally Roncal was on showing off her Mally Beauty line. Her models had amazing eyes. So I watched like a star-struck teenager. I wanted to try this bullet-proof mascara. I had to get my hands on it. And I did.

It truly is amazing. With one coat, my lashes have length and volume. No clumps. No teary eyes! (I have very sensitive eyes who tend to water profusely when they dislike the eye makeup I've chosen) No flaking off during the day onto your under eye (that is such an ugly look). Mally's Volumizing Mascara gets 5 stars from me! Once you try it, I know you will agree. (It also comes in a waterproof version, but I have not tried that, so I can't speak to whether it's as good as the original.)

You can purchase this from QVC here. Last time I checked it was a great deal - you get two tubes of mascara for $28, plus something like $5 shipping. Keep one for later, or bless a friend with beautiful lashes!

You can also buy Mally at the Ulta store online for $20 (but I honestly think the QVC deal is better, since you're getting two tubes for only $8 more.)

Soapy Fun with Van der Hagen

I love these glycerin soaps from Van der Hagen. (www.vdhent.com) They're handmade, clean exceptionally well with lots of good for your skin ingredients and have fragrances suited for everyone (and even a fragrance free!)

They remind me of the beloved glycerin soaps from Bath & Body Works. How I loved those soaps! They are hard to find and pretty much retired now, so when I got the opportunity to try the Van der Hagan soaps, I was excited. Fruity is my favorite! It lathers great, smells amazing, like a juicy fresh mandarin with maybe a hint of mango. Heaven in a bar!

Get these for yourself or an awesome stocking stuffer. With the four scents, Fruity, Floral, Fresh and Free, there truly is a scent for everyone, even those with sensitive skin. 

You can pick a bar (or more) up at your local CVS or Walgreens or you can check out the list of online retailers on the Van der Hagen website.

Choosing a Fragrance

Il Bacio

It may sound simple, but it actually takes a little work to find the perfect fragrance for you. A fragrance is broken down into three components that together, make the accord or scent profile.

Top Notes (head) - are the notes you smell as you first spray the perfume. These notes last for only 10-20 minutes.

Middle Notes (heart) - appear 10-20 minutes in, just as the top notes are fading out. These notes will last approximately 3-6 hours on the skin.

Base Notes (dry down) - you'll begin to notice them a half hour in and these notes can stay with you for up to 24 hours.

Perfume is a very personal purchase. We have memories associated with certain fragrances which of course, will affect our choice. But we also have to consider our body chemistry and the fact that fragrances will change slightly once in contact with our skin, and fragrances smell different on each and every body.

Viva La Juicy

So - how do you go about choosing a perfume right for you?

Start with what you know - is there a certain perfume you have worn before or like on someone else? Start there. Chances are, you will probably choose a new fragrance in the same category as something you have worn (and liked) before.

I'll use an example of my own. Back in college, I wore a perfume called Il Bacio by Borghese. It falls into the fruity/floral categories with an oriental feel in the dry down. It was a scent I wore for years and probably the first fragrance that I really loved. I still wear it every once in awhile. I get complements on it almost every time I wear it.

More recently, I have worn Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture -  believe I found it by browsing the fragrance counter and really enjoying it. It's also a floral with a gourmand base or dry down.

I've noticed that I gravitate to fragrances that begin bright and dry down more oriental or gourmand.

Here is a list from www.fragrantica.com that I found to be informative and helpful in deciphering the different groups of fragrances. The characters will help you when choosing a new fragrance. For example, if a fragrance is described as "outdoorsy and fresh" is ging to be an aromatic herbaceous scent. Where as something "warm and sensual" is likely to be a heavier oriental.

Aldehydic perfumes contain chemicals belonging to the aldehyde group. Character: pure and fresh. Example: Chanel N°5 (Chanel)

Aromatic perfumes are made of various herbs, e.g. rosemary, basil or thyme. Character: outdoorsy and fresh. Example: Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca (Guerlain)

Aquatic perfumes will have a base of synthetic ingredients that evoke the sea, mountain air or fresh linen. Character: clean and modern. Example: L'Eau d'Issey" (Issey Miyake)

Citrus/fruity perfumes include bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, sweet orange and fruits such as peach, red berries, watermelon, etc. Character: fresh and light. Example: Dior Addict 2 (Dior)

Floral perfumes contain flower extracts, such as rose, lily or jasmine. Character: sweet and delicate. Example: Pure Poison (Dior)

Green perfumes, formerly known as chypres, are made of bergamot, labdanum, patchouli and oakmoss. Character: woody and floral. Example: Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel) 

Gourmand perfumes contain notes like vanilla and tonka bean, chocolate or caramel. Character: sweet and edible. Example: Delices (Cartier)

Oriental perfumes have a base of amber, musks, vanilla and other exotic plants. Character: warm and sensual. Example: Dior Addict (Dior)

Woody perfumes are made of woods such as cedar, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver. Character: earthy and masculine. Example: Mediterranean (Elizabeth Arden)
Once you have a place to start go explore the fragrance counter of your local department store or Ulta store. Pick 3-5 that you like and ask if they have a sample you can take home. If you decide to try one, make sure you just try one and try it on clean skin. One spritz on the inside of the wrist and elbow and that's it! You won't know for a couple of hours how it dries on your skin. Let the fragrance develop and you'll know if you're close to a new signature scent or not.