July 2010 Archives

Once in a while, a product comes along that is so amazing, it quicky gains a cult following and icon status. The Shu Uemura curler, MAC’s infamous 187 “skunk” brush, and Eve Pearl’s Salmon concealer are just a few of the must-haves that come to mind.

One of our favorites is the beautyblender. This hot pink, egg-shaped, latex free super sponge has revolutionized the way we apply our foundation. A staple in many a top artist’s makeup kit, the sponge’s elliptical shape allows for reaching every crease and contour of your face, eliminating streaks and ensuring a flawless finish.

The beautyblender has it’s own special cleanser, which smells AMAZING, and prolongs the life of the sponge. Blendercleanser is a lightly lavender-scented cleanser that’s free of dyes and skin irritants. It’s soothing soy-based, low-suds formula breaks down rapidly, making it earth-friendly and fun to use.

To ensure the best application, it’s recommended that you dampen the sponge, squeeze out the excess water, and lightly tap and roll, or “bounce” the sponge over foundation to smooth it out and blend into the skin. Whether cream, liquid, cake, or tinted moisturizer, the beautyblender’s suede texture gives a perfect finish every time.

Try it once, and you’ll see why celebrity makeup artists are never without it (One of our personal heroes, Mary Erickson, carries at least two at all times).

$9.95 - $39.95, beauty.com

Summer heat got you bummed? Add these refreshing mint-infused products to your repertoire for the ultimate beauty cool down.

1. Clarins Water Purify One Step Cleanser with Mint Essential Water, $24. Gently yet effectively removes light makeup and impurities; Contains toning and purifying properties of mint; Instantly revitalizes skin; Leaves skin clean, clear and luminous.

2. Kiss My Face So Refined Jojoba & Mint Facial Scrub, $11. Exfoliate and polish the skin’s appearance with organic ingredients. This non-drying, natural humectant gently exfoliates and purifies skin by removing dirt with organic jojoba beads and other natural and organic herbs and plant oils. Helps skin look visibly younger and refreshed.

3. Townsend Bay Soap Company Gardener’s Grits Mint Soap, $16.50. Mint soap with grits for serious scrubbing power. Made with saponified olive, coconut, palm kernel oils; beeswax; mint and rosemary essential oils; grits; mint leaves; vitamin E.

4. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Hair Mint-Infused Invigorating Shampoo and Conditioner, $12. For all hair types. Imparts incredible shine, bounce, moisture and nourishment. Energizes hair. Formulated with peppermint extract.

5. Evolution of Smooth Sweet Mint Lip Sphere, $3.29. 95% organic, 100% natural organic lip balm that’s petrolatum & paraben free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps lips moist, soft, and smooth.

6. Fizzy Baker Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake Bath Bomb, $5.50. This scrumptious bath fizzy is hand decorated just like a real cupcake, with frosting and chocolate chip decorations made of soap! In the tub, the ‘cake’ fizzes and releases skin softening coconut oil and glycerin, while the frosting floats free to use just like soap.

It can be hard to look chic in the summer heat, especially for those of us with longer tresses. We barely can stand anything more than a messy bun or lazy pony.

Looking for something a little more polished, yet still want to be cool? Take a cue from some of our favorite celebs and copy their stylish summer braids!

A good scrub can be hard to find: this little scrub is too grainy, this little scrub is too gentle, and this little scrub will take your face off if you aren’t careful.

When it comes to exfoliation, it’s hard to know which end is up with all of the contradictory chatter— peels vs grains, beads vs shells, it’s enough to drive you up a wall. The best scrubs are gentle enough for everyday use, tough enough to give you a really smooth result, and most importantly, make your skin glow.

One of our new faves does just that. Lierac Microabrasion claims to help deliver “brand-new skin” in just 2 minutes. The cream works to exfoliate the skin deep-down and prevent and correct the appearance of visible signs of skin aging, such as loss of radiance and tone, fine lines, and dehydration. Results are visible from the very first session: skin feels smoother, toned and moisturized; the skin’s texture appears more refined, the complexion more radiant and fine lines diminished.

The smoothing cream definitely delivers on it’s promise. Our skin was amazingly smooth and glowing after our first use. We have a winner!

$38, Skinstore.com