In response to the post on the upcoming Sephora Friends and Family Event (Nov. 6-10th), Tracy wants to make sure we have our facts right.   Enter FF2008 for 20% off your entire purchase!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I went to the Westfield Valley Fair Sephora this morning, and the gals there told me the in-store promo is on the 17th only. They had no idea about the online promo. Anyone have any more info on this??”

Believe me, if someone has the facts correctly, it would be Tasha (a top reviewer at Megsmakeup.com)!  Tasha just sent this ad as well.  Seeing is believing!

“I did leave with only one lipstick, but two pages of stuff written down to order online for friends and family!!  (Which lipstick did you end up with?)  Any info on the following, Jen: (more…)

I idolize Ginger Rogers.  So this year I am attempting a Starlet look for Halloween.  I think I still need to kick it up a notch and possibly run to the store for some false eyelashes and a feather boa! 

Classic Starlet Features:  Precisely defined eye brows, flawless skin, dark matte lipstick, black mascara with dark top eyeliner, and beautiful cheekbones.  Its all about Glamour!

My Starlet Look:  Laura Mercier’s Bleu Marine Eye liner applied with a flat eyeliner brush, L’Oreal’s Telescopic Mascara in Black, Cargo’s blu-ray Pressed Powder (all over face and on eyelids), ECO Nvey Lipstick in Dark Ruby,  Anastasia’s All About Brows Kit, Sugar’s Blush and Bronzer duo (used extra bronzer in hollows of cheeks to emphasize cheekbones). (more…)

Raging Rouge recently wrote a post about many beautiful purples being featured in cosmetics as a trend this season.   The six spectacular nail shades shown at her post are worth your time alone, and I have to add my blessing to the purple trend! 

Here’s a fact, I love purple.  My birthstone, amethyst.  My favorite flower, lilac.  Favorite Tootsie Roll Pop flavor, grape.  My passion for things purple could go on and on, and Urban Decay must have sensed this because they created the most decadent purple shades this season.

Urban Decay’s Matte Eyeshadow in Heist ($16):  a dusty purple that adds a subtle gorgeous matte purple to your lids.  And if you wanted a more bold purple color, you could always opt for Purple Haze or Eggplant.

Urban Decay’s Lipstick in Vinyl ($22):  How on earth did I miss hearing about this shade?   An incredibly multi-dimensional dark purply-plum lipstick.  This is on my must get list. (more…)

Is there anything prettier for fall than a shiny copper lipstick accompanied by a deep plum eye shadow? Together they are simply beautiful autumn hues.

Because of my very cool pink skin undertones, I generally wouldn’t wear a copper shade lip color because it would look orangey. So I was somewhat surprised and very pleased when I used the “Pretty Penny” lipstick from LooseLipsNY. It has a bit of burgundy combined with the copper, and really looked great. The formula is very smooth and moisturizing lipstick. To add some shine and dimension to this color, LooseLipsNY Lumi-Shine lip gloss in FATE goes very well on top of the Pretty Penny lipstick, a coppery sheer shine with pink sparkles.

LooseLips Indelible Creme Eye Shadow in Plumkin looks very dark in the container, but goes on smoothly and adds a deep brownish plum shade with a bit of pink sparkle. This is a waterproof and long wearing creme-to-powder eye shadow that is a drop dead gorgeous! I love it.

LooseLipsNY is generously giving away this Copper and Plum Trio to one lucky Mythbuster Beauty reader! The Copper and Plum Trio consists of: a LooseLipsNY Lipstick in Pretty Penny ($12), a LooseLipsNY Lumi-Shine Lip Gloss in FATE ($15), and a LooseLips Indelible Creme Eye Shadow in Plumkin ($16). Combined these items would retail for $43. (more…)

Tuesday I wrote about using a sheer red lip gloss instead of a full color red lipstick called, “This ain’t your Momma’s Lipstick: Going Red.” I go for the sheer red lip look because of feeling intimidated by a true lipstick in red. With many lipstick shades I feel like a kid that sneaked into my mother’s pocketbook and tried on her lipstick.

So my friend Marilyn asked, “Wait a minute! Where’s the photo of YOU in that lipgloss?” My response, “Isn’t the one I posted of Christina Aguilera so much better!? I am a beauty blogger, not a beauty model.” It is always difficult for me to pose and demonstrate a product or shade in a picture. To please Marilyn here is my attempt at taking a picture of myself wearing Becca’s Glossy Lip Tint in Cherrybomb. To intensify the color and keep “in bounds” I first lined my lips with the newly released and fabulous 24/7 Glide-on Lip Pencil by Urban Decay in a shade called “Wicked.” It’s wicked pretty together with Cherrybomb don’t you think?

My little Becca even joined me during the photo shoot! I think that is another reason why I love the Becca Cosmetic line so much; it has a beautiful name.

Hope this inspires you Marilyn!

Want an instant pop of brilliant red color on those lips, but a little leery of wearing a full colored red lipstick shade?  I highly recommend trying a sheer red lip gloss.  My favorite fun look for summer has been to wear Becca’s Glossy Lip Tint in Cherrybomb.   It adds a bright, pure shade of red to my lips and lots of long lasting shine, and I don’t feel like this gloss is overpowering and screams to everyone, “Hey look, I am wearing my Mom’s red lipstick!”

For you who can boldly wear the bright red lipstick, I envy you!  But for those like myself who are feeling timid about wearing red lipstick, but are still craving the ”little red corvette” color to your lip palette, Becca’s sheer bright red Cherrybomb lip gloss is a great alternative.  I usually think of a red lipstick as a winter shade, but picture this, how nice a red lip compliments a tan (or sunless tan) complexion?  

I gave Becca’s Glossy Lip Tint a “9 out of 10″ stars on the Total Beauty site.  I gave this product a “9″ simply because of its price.  $23 is a little steep for even a fabulous lip gloss.

Stila has a deep red lip and cheek stain called “Cherry Crush” which I have heard wonderful things about.  You can also try Stila’s limited edition “Rock the vote Red” lipstick.  Wearing red lipstick to the polls seems like a very patriotic thing to do.  

Check out my friend Kate’s picks for fabulous fall red lip color at her post, “That time of year again:  Saturdays at Sephora,” at Megsmakeup.com.

Which ever way you choose; have fun with some red!

I first met Alyson this January at the Alive! Green Expo at the Sundance Film Festival.  In April 2008, Alyson’s group made a successful trip to New Orleans and took on the enormous task of providing free makeovers and services at the V-Day Superlove event in New Orleans.  Authentic Beauty provides makeovers and beauty advice to women to help them achieve their best selves, and find their authentic beauty.

“After a certain point in a woman’s life, she isn’t concerned about trends.  She wants to look great.  She wants to feel great.  She wants professional guidance not one more trip to the department store to be sold another bag of goods that may or may not be what she needs.” - Alyson Hoag

“I truly believe that every woman is beautiful. When she looks in the mirror, she should recognize her inner-self shining through, rather than a face dominated by makeup.  I love guiding her through that journey.  Watching a woman fall in love with herself is the best job anybody could have.” - Alyson Hoag, Authentic Beauty

Spring colors that are light on your face AND easy on your pocketbook.

Since you already spent most of your cosmetics budget on some Naughty Nauticals or a way to be safe in the sun, it’s about time I step up with some great summer products that are easy to find and easy to afford.  Mass market products are plentiful, and with rows and rows of colors and formulas spread out before you, it can be hard to know where to start, not to mention exhausting trying a ton of things that don’t work just to get to the one that does.  If only there was somewhere you could go to find out about products like:

Almay Smart Shade foundation. My  husband saw a commercial for this and told me I had to try it. Who am I to argue with such a smart man? Smart Shade works by, aw heck, I don’t know how it works. But somehow this lightweight foundation turns from white to a perfect tint of color while you smooth it on with your fingertips. Slightly heavier than my favorite MAC tinted moisturizer, it offers a nice natural coverage that evens skin tone and feels great.  Let me just say, 3 different people with 3 different skin tones, yet we all used the Light and we all got a great match? I’m sold.

For a portable eye shadow in fun spring colors, try:

Max Factor’s Vivid Impact eye shadow duo. This loose eye shadow has a sponge applicator attached to the base for each of the two colors. This makes it easy to apply either color on the fly, though you’ll need to tap off excess before attempting to blend.  I’ve only tried one combination, but they seem to be fairly matte, with a hint of sparkle throughout. Not quite as smooth as the loose pigments I’m used to, but the color is very true and stays well when used with a base. Several color combinations to choose from let you be mild or wild.

Found, the perfect red lipstick!!

I have invested so much time, effort, and money into finding the perfect red lipstick. Without fail, $20 tubes of red lipstick become $20 tubes of berry lipstick when applied to my pucker. I had given up until a friend gave me her most recent find. L’Oreal Colour Riche lipstick in Target Red. A true red lipstick that is worth every little penny you’ll spend on it! Light and shiny, it garnered compliments from 3 separate people during one shopping trip alone. This is it people, with a quick trip to Target your search can come to an end. Remember to pair it with a lip liner for perfectly placed, lasting color. This is a must have!

What cosmetics regimen would be complete without a good makeup remover for the end of the day? If you love Lancome’s Bi-Facil (as you should, it’s great) but can’t afford to replenish regularly, how about:

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. Word on the street is that this is just as effective and gentle, for a fraction of the price.  Also helpful in removing every last bit of those long last lipcolors you can never get to come off.

 I guess sometimes you really can have your makeup and remove it too!

A package arrived earlier this week in an ordinary brown box.  My 14 year old daughter Amanda asked if she could open it up for me while I was upstairs getting dressed.   As I was coming down the stairs she met me half way with an inquisitive look.  “What is this?” she said while holding up a strange white plastic cosmetic container.  It was unlabeled with a small pink clump of something unrecognizable in it.  Was this a joke?  Was this terrorist activity?   You might also be asking, “What the heck is Amanda wearing in this picture?”

That’s when I checked the packaging label on the box and remembered that Lancôme had offered me a sample of their newest spring lipstick shade Pixel Pink.  Ahh-ha!  That is what it was, a sample blob of Pixel Pink!

Thank Goodness we figured that out!   But what about Amanda’s fashion statement?  That is and will always be a mystery I’m afraid.

So, here is a picture of me wearing Lancôme’s newest shade launched for this spring, “Pixel Pink.”  My feelings?  This shade would look spectacular on someone with a tan or a darker shade.  The formula is very sheer and moisturizing.   It could also be a great shade for everyday, subtle and and very natural looking. 

I personally would opt for one of Lancôme’s newest Christopher Kane World Tour Juicy Tubes in “Red Hot New York !“

What is it about red lipstick? I mean, it’s like womankind as a whole has a love/hate relationship with the stuff. We’d love to wear it, but we hate trying to find the perfect shade.

Through the ages women have used color to accentuate their lips.  From crushed jewels and beetles to wetted jelly beans (really!), we’ve looked for the perfect color to show strength and fertility. Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor just wouldn’t be themselves without a perfectly drawn red lip. Thousands of goodbye messages couldn’t be dramatically scrawled across mirrors without a tube of the bright stuff.  Boardrooms and brothels alike would cry aloud in despair if it were suddenly wiped from the face of the earth.

But where to begin?! A quick glance at and cosmetics counter shows you the depth of red choices out there. I myself have personally tried at least half of them. Some quick rules of thumb: Almost everyone can pull off a true red, so it’s really your safest bet. Think Red crayon or London phone booth.  Yellow undertones should stick with warm reds.  For example, Tomato, Tawny, Brown Golden, or Orangey reds.  Pink undertones look for the cool reds with bases like Pink, Berry, Brick, Blue and Plum tones.  Blue tones have the added incentive of brightening the appearance of teeth.  Not sure which skin tone you have? A quick trick is to check the color of your nail beds for either a pink or yellow hue. Or you can just head to your favorite cosmetics counter and ask someone in the know.

One of the drawbacks to that brilliant ruby red is that it has a tendency to creep. Even the youngest and most supple lip can experience bleeding of color into fine lines around the mouth. There are a few quick steps to avoid this. First, a light layer of foundation, concealer, or powder over your lips as a base before you apply your lipstick can really help everything stay put. Second, find a good lip liner. If you’re not so keen on colored liner than find a nude liner that matches your natural lip color or buy an invisible liner. They are out there, from inexpensive brands like Sally Hansen to slightly more expensive brands like Bourjois. If you’re not big on lip liner the invisible liners are your best bet since they can be used with any color you have. If you use a liner to match your lip color than apply it all over as your base. This will help your color stay and it won’t leave a line of color if your lipstick starts to wear off. Be sure to keep lips hydrated and smooth to pull red off perfectly. A quick swipe of sugar or sea salt across your lips exfoliates beautifully.

Even with these tips you might find that discovering your perfect red can be a challenge. Something about my skin finds the slightest hint of pink or orange and brings it raging to the forefront. I have been searching for years. If I hadn’t had a friend with me to witness my last red lipstick attempt, I might start to think it was all in my head. We hit up every counter, from MAC to Chanel, only to find that the most gorgeous reds turned to hideous versions of themselves once applied to my waiting lips. And still the perfect shade of bluish red continues to elude me.

Red needn’t be saved just for a night out or a special occasion.  It can be worn as an everyday color.  The rule of thumb is to simply tone down everything else.  Red already says “Hey, look at me!”, you don’t want the rest of your face screaming for attention as well. A light cheek, some eye liner and a swipe of mascara will do just fine. You’re still you, only more so! And don’t be afraid to glam it up at night for a little extra Oomph! After all, Oomph is my motto honey!