Archive for July, 2011

Tools of the Glam Trade

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

For every woman out there who is still applying makeup with her fingers (gasp!) or bemoaning the curse of bad brushes that shed and streak, I’ve rounded up the top tools of the trade, makeup brushes essential to a perfectly applied look for any season.

Before you buy brushes, whether purchasing a collection or just a few must haves, make sure you aren’t laying down your hard earned cash for tools that shed.  The shedding makeup brush is the bane of women everywhere.

Many good brushes may shed slightly during the first use, but a quality brush shouldn’t shed many hairs and it shouldn’t shed with continued use. To test the brush you’re considering buying, run your fingers through the brush hair and then brush it on your hand as applying blush. Do this several times. If you see more than 10 hairs on your hand, opt for a different brand.

The biggest mistake that women make with their makeup tools is not keeping them clean.

Brushes need to be cleaned frequently, since they harbor dirt and bacteria that can adversely affect your complexion. To clean, simply run the brush bristles under warm water and then apply your favorite facial cleanser. Work up lather and rinse with warm water until the water coming off the brush runs clear.  Frequent cleaning will also promotes some natural shedding; assuring that brushes won’t shed on you! Another option is a professional makeup blush cleaner such as Vincent Longo Hygienic Professional Brush Cleaner; $16 at CVS.

Vincent Longo’s Hygienic Professional Brush Cleaner

When looking for brushes, natural bristles such as boar hair or sable are best for most uses.  That’s because natural hair picks up more pigment, allowing more color to end up on your face where it’s intended. (The exception to this rule is brushes used to apply concealers and liquid foundations which are best as nylon, a synthetic, because nylon is less likely to cake.)

But if you’re allergic to animal hair or just opposed to it, there are some synthetic options that are comparable to high-quality natural hair brushes.

Base first

Opt for a nylon brush such as jane iredale’s Foundation Brush, crafted of Taklon Nylon. The shape of the brush allows for even coverage in hard to reach areas such as the sides of nose and corners of eyes; $39.50 at Nordstrom.

jane iredale’s Foundation Brush

 

Best in brow

Don’t neglect face framing brows; well groomed they really can change the look of your face. Using the right brush, well shaped brows are easily within reach. Tarte’s The Toolbox includes the perfect angled brow brush along with tweezers, a brow pencil, brow stencils and brow powder, wax and gel; $18 at dermstore.com.

On a roll: For those who crave the best of the best, Kevyn Aucoin’s The Brush Collection isn’t cheap at $350, but the set has a reputation as one of the best brush collections on the market. The handcrafted collection features 11 brushes including a powder brush, contour brush, sculpting brush, flat tip eye shadow brush and more. The brush roll itself has a separate pocket for each brush housed in a protective fabric flap with a Velcro closure. Available online at beauty.com.

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Posted in Glam Beauty Advice | 1 Comment »

Raising the Beauty Bar

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Every so often some old beauty trick resurfaces, gaining new advocates and renewed popularity.  That’s what’s happening right now with bar soap. Yes, bar soap.

And unlike the soap Grandma may have used, the latest bar soaps on the market, or beauty bars as they now prefer to be called, aren’t harsh or drying. In fact today’s beauty bars may be moisturizing, clarifying and even anti-aging.  I’ve been lathering up for weeks, putting fifty-one beauty bars to the test to bring you a list of the best beauty bars on the market today.

Terra Dolce Artisan Soap

Terra Dolce Artisan Soap

Hand-crafted in Florida of exquisite, natural ingredients and wrapped in eco-friendly packaging, Terra Dolce’s handmade products became a quick front runner in my shower. Jolt, one of my fast favorites, calls upon natural peppermint and eucalyptus to decongest, freshen, cool and soothe ($6 at terradolcespa.com).

Alison Cripps, the creator of Terra Dolce, is an esthetician whose experience in spas inspired her to discover an all-natural approach to skin care, minus irritating additives and parabens.  Each artisan soap is hand wrapped in recycled banana seed paper, and free of synthetic fragrances or dyes.  

Pink Champagne Soapy Soaps

Soapy Soaps

A succinct list of ingredients and expansive collection of must-have fragrances make San Francisco’ s Soapy Soaps collection a must have. Available in a variety of scents and packaging options and completely customizable, I fell hard for a luxurious bath soap from the “Cocktail Collection” called Pink Champagne.

This light, soft pink bar is effervescent with hints of grape and a rich base of chardonnay. Hydration is second only to the decadent scent of the soap, thanks to coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil and almond oil.  Browse the collection at soapysoaps.com or head to the company’s Etsy store to select your own signature soap for about five bucks.

Tom's of Maine Beauty Bar Relaxing

Tom’s of Maine

Leave it to Tom’s of Maine to create a natural collection of beauty bars that are at once soothing, skin-softening and hydrating. The dermatologist tested beauty bars come in formulas to suit your every need and mood including Moisture, Deodorant, Relaxing, Sensitive, Energizing and Exfoliating. One to try is “relaxing,” infused with soothing lavender.  And, as always, the Tom’s of Maine product line is free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives; get ‘em for about $2 each at local drugstores.

Sella Nano Natural Premium Cleansing Bar and Make-Up Remover

Sella 

Sella’s Nano Natural Premium Cleansing Bar and Makeup Remover ($36 at sellausa.com) is the “bar soap” that sold me on the idea that skin care could be upscale and effective yet uncomplicated.

According to the Sella, the key to this beauty bar’s efficacy has to do with nanosized ingredients, the process of reducing particle sizes to 10-100 nanometers. Once ingredients are nanosized, Sella says they are able to deeply penetrate all layers of the skin. I say this cleansing bar delivers on its promise to diminish fine wrinkles and even skin texture all without the use of irritating surfactants, polymers, preservatives, additives or artificial colors.

Natural Honey Facial Cleansing Bar

B.Witching Bath Company

While the intricate design of the Natural Honey Facial Cleansing Bar caught my attention, delicate honey bee designs are etched into the underside of this delicious soap, the gentle, therapeutic formula kept my interest. This all-natural cleansing bar ($4.85) is designed to neutralize skin irritations thanks to ingredients including organic honey and safflower seed oil.

Inspired by the founders great grandmother, B.Witching Bath Company’s facial cleansing bar is made in the USA and sold at hundred of retailers across the country as well as online at bwitchingbathco.com. 

In addition to the affordable price tag, one big bonus I’ve noticed when turning to beauty bars is that they last and last, seemingly much longer than the liquid cleanser I’m accustomed to using. Turns out Grandma was right again; skin care doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective.

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Chocolate may be the key to Beauty

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

I’ve just about gotten this beauty thing figured out.

I drink tons if water, opt for regular facials and apply eye cream nightly. And just when the habits required to look great have become second nature, chocolate — that acne-inducing lover from the past — is back. Did I mention it’s also supposed to be good for us?

That’s right; experts say cocoa infused beauty products stimulate circulation, thanks to trace amounts of caffeine, while serving as a natural skin soother that is choc-full of antioxidants. I’ve rounded up some of the most chocolicious products on the market-all taste-tested and approved, of course!

Lush Lip Balm

Whip Stick Lip Balm by Lush

You gotta love Lush. Committed to natural ingredients long before it was hip to do so, Lush’s International beauty boutiques serve up homegrown products with a sophistication not found at your local farmer’s market. I’m enamored with the Whip Stick Lip Balm ($6.95), choc-full of tasty ingredients such as olive oil, honey and chocolate, because it lives up to the claim on the packaging, “A Tasty Chocolate Lip Balm.” And it’s so fresh it actually comes with a made on and use by date. 

Phytosesame Express Hydrating Conditioner by Phyto

The packaging of Phyto’s Phytosesame Express Hydrating Conditioner ($28) is more clinical than decadent. But my skepticism ended when I pumped the first application of this hair-saving conditioner into my hand. The scent is amazing, thanks to a high concentration of cocoa butter, a natural fat that is actually extracted during the chocolate making process. And, as promised, the conditioner, recommended for dry and over-processed hair, soothed my long curly locks without weighing them down. Log on to www.phyto-usa.com to locate a salon retailer near you.

Perlier Dark Chocolate Nourishing Hand Cream

Made in Italy with all natural ingredients, Perlier’s Dark Chocolate Nourishing Hand Cream blends intense moisture with the decadent scent of dark chocolate all in an elegant, and portable, 3.4 oz tube. Locking in moisture, this product leaves hands soft and supple. The natural cocoa base not only smoothes skin, but is said to be a mood enhancer. The addition of vitamin E nourishes skin keeping it feeling smooth and looking young; $15 at perlier.com.

Chocolove Ginger Crystallized in Dark Chocolate

Sometimes a girl’s just gotta have her chocolate and eat it too. Chocolove’s Dark Chocolate bars of the edible kind not only satisfy a sweet tooth but can also do wonders for your health. Antioxidant-rich, dark chocolate is believed to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, something that its milk-laden counterpart cannot do. Coupled with the energizing effects of ginger, this snack treats more than just your hunger pangs. Packaged handsomely and complete with a love poem printed on the inside of the wrapper, there is nothing not to love about Chocolove’s Ginger Crystallized in Dark Chocolate bar. Chocolove products are available at Whole Foods Market, Target Stores and Wild Oats.

They say that what goes around comes around so for now, I’m willing, even eager, to accept chocolate back into my life. But keep that scrunchie away from me. There are only so many trends I’m willing to embrace again in this lifetime.

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Paradise Mist Spa at KeyLime Cove Review

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

 

Paradise Mist Spa at KeyLime Cove

On a typical spring day in Chicago (read cold and overcast), I grabbed the kids and hubby and headed North of Chicago, just miles from Six Flags Great America, to Paradise Mist Spa at KeyLime Cove, a five-star spa housed within a mind-blowing resort and indoor water park.

We arrived in Gurnee to indulge in a two night break at KeyLime Cove Resort. The kids were, clearly, over the moon at the thought of spending two nights and three days splashing in KeyLime Cove’s wave pool, paddling through the warm waters of the lazy river and navigating adventurous indoor slides and rides.

But what they didn’t know was that I too was ecstatic at the thought of spending quiet afternoons within the sea-green walls of Paradise Mist Spa at KeyLime Cove, an unexpectedly world-class spa that boasts services like the Six Layer Deep Sea Custom Facial, Lava Shell Massage, pedicures, manicures, waxing and more in an upscale atmosphere that’s, frankly, a surprise find amongst KeyLime Cove’s less serene — but more splashy — offerings.

Upon entering KeyLime Cove, one is instantly greeted by the sights and sounds of a tropical getaway. And while the Resort has seemingly spared no expense in making guests feel as if they are in the Florida Keys, this is no low key vacation destination.

KeyLime Cove is literally packed with activities from the indoor water park to the RipTide Reef Arcade, Leapin’ Lizards artistic adventure spot, Pinki’s Pet Palace, and a brand new, open-air kids’ spa, called The Enchanted Lagoon Kids Spa, just steps from the indoor water park. (Yes, my three year old now knows firsthand why mommy — and daddy — loves pedicures.) Guest rooms are clean and spacious, replete with flat screen TVs, refrigerators, coffee makers and high-speed Internet access.

Amazingly, all of that adrenaline melts away as one steps into the tranquil retreat that is Paradise Mist Spa. I immediately began booking spa services for my husband and I (we’re both spa connoisseurs of sorts). He would enjoy a Deep Tissue Massage, Six Layer Deep Sea Custom Facial and Captain Dave’s Manicure and Pedicure while I took the kids to KeyLime Cove’s  65,000 square foot “Lost Paradise” Water park. Then, my favorite part, we’d switch spots and I’d head to Paradise Mist Spa for a muscle-melting massage, skin-smoothing facial and oh-so-pretty pedicure of my own.

Continue reading my review here…

 

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Freebie Friday: Goods from the Beauty Closet

Friday, July 1st, 2011

The Beauty Closet — our exclusive “closet” full of beauty deals — reopens the Monday after July 4th and, in its honor, today’s Freebie Friday is a bevy of my favorite beauty items that I personally pulled from past closets.

Tell me which one, or ones, you want to win (and why) and I’ll be sure to see what I can do about winning you some beauty deals of your very own.

Borlind of Germany’s Orange Blossom Energizer (normally $35.99)

Annemarie Börlind’s Orange Blossom Energizer is a Facial Moisturizer and Treatment ideal for poorly moisturized, tired, stressed and sun-damaged skin. Used after cleansing and toning, Orange Blossom Energizer smoothes wrinkles and fine lines while revitalizing and strengthening skin.

LaROCCA Skincare’s Daily Hydrating Moisturizer (normally $90)

A weightless invisible veil containing hyaluronic acid and LaROCCA’s revolutionary cellular gold complex, made with 24K gold that creates an ideal environment to boost the energy for the regeneration of new skin cells and protecting them from free radicals. Your skin will be hydrated throughout the day and night helping in minimizing the signs of aging and resulting in noticeably firmer revitalized skin. Works amazing with or without makeup.

Sella’s Nano Natural Premium Cleansing Bar and Makeup Remover (normally $36)

 

The Science behind a perfect complexion starts with nanotechnology, the process of reducing particle sizes to 10-100 nanometers. One nm is equivalent to the size of four atoms, or one ten thousandth of a human hair. Once ingredients are nanosized, they are able to deeply penetrate all layers of the skin. That’s the science behind Sella’s Premium Nano Natural Facial Cleansing Bar.
 

To win, send me a tweet @prettycity, leave a comment below or post a comment on our prettycity facebook wall.

And mark your calendar for our next beauty closet.

Keep livin’ the pretty life by subscribing to my blog via email or RSS. Plus, be amongst the first to know about weekly features + deals on Mani Monday and giveaways on Freebie Friday.


 

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Posted in Freebie Friday | 9 Comments »