August 2009 Archives

If you pay attention to trends, you’ve noticed that the shape and fullness of eyebrows has gone back and forth between bold and full to sleek and thin. While the former is more popular this season, we all agree that defined and properly shaped brows really make a difference to the face. Take a look at some brow-loving products we love for keeping our eyes’ frames in tip-top shape.

 

 

 

 

Anastasia Brow Ex-press

This travel kit includes everything you’ll need to create fabulous-looking brows, anytime, anywhere: four brow stencils to suit your brow shape; two brow powders, choose from blonde or brunette, to give your brows the most natural look; an angled brush for clean application; cream highlighter for application along the brow bone to lift and accentuate the eyes and wax cream created to hold a perfect shape all day. $38, sephora.com

 

 

Revlon ColorStay Brow Enhancer

For full and natural-looking volume, Revlon has produced one of our top drugstore brow product picks. This two-sided brow styler has a tinted wax on one end and a highlighter on the other end. The result is soft, long-lasting definition for our brows and an accentuated brow bone, giving our eyes a more lifted appearance. $8.99, drugstore.com

 

 

 

LaVaque Tweezers

Creating a clean, well-groomed brow requires using a really good pair of tweezers. We were recently introduced to these LaVaque tweezers and already love them for being so precise and easy to use. To add to the glam factor, these tweezers are also available with 13 colors of Swarovski Crystals. Every pair comes with a lifetime guarantee: “you break ‘em, you dull ‘em, we replace ‘em. No questions asked”. From $14.95, lavaquetweezers.com

 

 

 

Sephora Brand Eyebrow Trimmer/Brush

Trimming the length of brow hair will keep them looking more polished and . It can be overdone, but Sephora’s trimmer with fabulous brush attachment makes it virtually impossible to do so. $18, sephora.com

 

 

 

Tweezerman After Tweeze Soothing Cream

After waxing or tweezing, skin can become sore, so we treat it with this. Formulated with moisturizers, honey and rice bran extract, this calming cream cools and comforts skin. $7.99, drugstore.com

Frederic Fekkai’s resident hair guru, Adir Abergel, gave Sienna Miller a very glamorous, old-Hollywood look a la Veronica Lake for her appearance at the Los Angeles premiere of G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra. while the look was a throw-back, it still had softness and movement.

To get the look:

Adir started by creating a very strong side part. He then applied Fekkai Zero-Humidity Frizz Control ($23, nordstrom.com) from the roots to ends. Next, he applied Fekkai Coiff Bouffant ($23, nordstrom.com) only at the roots to add a little body. Using a round brush, he dried her hair, creating the perfect texture.

 

Once the hair was completely dry, Adir took a 1 1/4” curling iron (We recommend Hot Tools Professional Ceramic Marcel Curling Iron, $39.95, folica.com) and curled her hair, and then pinned it in place. He did not curl the hair at the root, because he wanted the top of the hair to stay smooth and give the rest of the hair body.

 

 

After curling, he then let the hair cool down for 10 min and took out the pins. He brushed out the curls with the Classic Brush ($95, sephora.com) for the perfect smoothness, softness, and bounce.

 

To finish this look he applied Fekkai Nonchalant Cream ($23, sephora.com) to top of her head, to smooth away all those tiny flyways, and added a little bit of Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray ($23, nordstrom.com) to lock in the style.

 

When we think of face primer ingredients, silicone is typically the one that comes to mind first. Such is not the case with Korres Vitamin E Face Primer. This silicone-free primer is 99% natural and acts more like a moisturizer rather than the typical pre-foundation product. We love it’s fresh, citrus scent and the way it makes our skin so soft and smooth. It also fills in fine lines, all while keeping makeup in place all day. $28, korresusa.com

 

 

Use promo code STYLEBAKERY to receive 30% off your entire purchase through September 15, 2009

Unfortunately, not everyone wakes up looking refreshed after a night’s rest. We’ve all been there — waking up to see the dreaded puffy eyes. In most cases, it’s caused by lack of sleep, consuming too much salt or not drinking enough water. When this happens, don’t panic. We have an age-old recipe for banishing them. 

Start by applying a cold compress to your peepers. Some at-home remedies include:

 

Cooled green tea bags: the caffeine and antioxidants in green tea will assist with reducing the swelling.

Cucumber slices: the cucumber has astringent properties which will reduce puffiness.

Ice pack— not too fancy, but the cold factor does reduce the puffiness. If you’re a mom of a baby, frozen teething rings work well, too.

 

 

 

We also like Sephora Brand Pearl Ice Cooling Eye Mask by Inka: This mask is kept in our freezer for those “just in case” situations. Filled with tiny glass beads and enclosed in thermal plastic, this mask can also be warmed by placing it into a bowl of warm water. $26, sephora.com

 

 

After relaxing with one of these on for 10 to 15 minutes, follow with the application of a lightweight eye gel or cream  (steer clear of “hydrating” creams that will only trap the water under the skin).  Be sure to look for ingredients like caffeine, Vitamin K and chamomile. 

Great puff-banishing eye gels:

 

 

L’Oreal Dermo Expertise Defense Eye— Our drugstore favorite, this gel treats our puffy eye symptoms with caffeine and other ingredients to sooth and combat signs of aging.  $13.49, drugstore.com

 

 

 

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels are perfect for travel when puffiness due to lack of sleep is common. Cooling and refreshing, your eyes will thank you for this de-puffing treat. from $45, sephora.com

 

 

Benefit Depuffing Action Eye Gel soothes our eyes with chamomile and red raspberry extracts while a “secret” ingredient gives puffiness the boot. $28, benefitcosmetics.com

Full-volume looks are always great when it comes to making a statement. Celebs like Beyonce* and Kate Becksale* love to rock the “bump” style for everything from red carpet events to everyday outings. With this pumped-up style comes a tough reality that can damage hair: teasing.

 

Divado hair accessories are an alternative way to give your hair the lift for creating the look you want without the putting your hair through any added stress.

 

 

Available in two styles, the Bridgette and the Audrey, Divado stays in place until you take it out and compfortable to wear. We find this item to be a bit funny looking, and were skeptical at first, but the results speak for themselves. We can create styles like our favorite celebs and know our tresses will love this better than being teased. from $25, divadohair.com

*no celebrity endorsement implied