Thursday, March 27, 2008

L'oreal HIP Color Rich Cream Crayon

I just had to try the new L'oreal Cream Crayons. The ads for the products look so inviting, and the colors can give the intensity of a Department Store Brand minus the pain to your "pocketbook." Plus, I have used the foundation and pigments and loved it!!! So, I picked up three one in Attentive (Gold..perfect for Spring/Summer beauty and on trend), Authentic (Rich Hunter Green...good for a day when you want a pop of color), and Intricate (Rich Navy...nice option for a smokey eye). Needless to say that I LOVED them!! The colors were so rich and creamy and they had just the right amount of shimmer!!These can be used as liner or directly on the lid as an eyeshadow. I did a quick little test as soon as I left the store on the back of my hand just to see how long they would last. After a couple of hours, they were still there and hadn't smudged!! I can't wait to try the the new glosses!!!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Facial at The Aveda Institute


My "momma" is in town all this weekend!!!! She is a low maintenance type of gal when it comes to beauty products. The only thing she needs is a moisturizing cream, cleanser, and a little foundation on days when she feels she needs it. So ....I wanted us to have a mother-daughter beauty night. WIth me being on a budget, I decided to schedule an appointment at The Aveda Institute in DC, because of the reduced rates (the services are performed by qualified students). It was the best experience I have ever had!! She started by gently cleansing my skin, then an assessment to see which service would benefit me most. My area was the whiteheads around my nose. Next, she exfoliated my skin with a little rotating brush (wonderful). Placed a hot towel to open my pores to make the extraction easier and to cleanse. After the cleansing she placed a hydrating gel mask all over....It was lovely!!! In addition to the wonderful facial, Sheila also incorporated massage. She left no pore unclogged and no muscle untouched!!! She was sooo gentle and her voice was sooo comforting. For the entire hour, I was in paradise. When my mother and I were reunited at the end of the experience, her skin looked equally amazing!! I asked her aesthetician what my mother's skin type was and she said, "normal....she has really beautiful, smooth skin (which I already knew)." I smiled and said, "thanks momma....I guess I get it from you." This was confirmed by Lakeisha's nod (my mom's aeshetician). I quickly booked another appointment with Sheila for next month !!! My skin was glowing and I felt relaxed. This experience was priceless!!!

Well, I'm off to another shopping field trip with mom in Philly. We have lots of ground to cover. She is leaving tomorrow afternoon.

Book an appointment there!! They now offer the skincare services at night now!! What are you waiting for??

Thursday, March 13, 2008

My Grandma's Rouge

This week has been an eventful one. I have been busy, and being busy means no time for a full face of makeup. I have literally had only 5 minutes to do my makeup before leaving the house. With such little time, Bobbi Brown Velvet Plum Pot Rouge has been my saviour. It goes on the lips and cheeks, adding a natural hint of color and glow to the cheeks and lips. The pot rouge comes in like 10 different colors all wearable for EVERY skin tone. It comes in a cute little pot, so you can use your fingers for a quick application. The texture reminds me of my grandmother using her lipstick back in the day for blush. Cute idea!!!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

White Out


Holla Chicas!!!!

Today was a down day, but was quickly brightened by a chance encounter with a fellow beauty junkie, like myself, eager to learn about great beauty finds and tips (Vonetta, I hope you're reading). She actually gave me a great idea to wear on Saturday (that's the day that I do my creative looks). It is on trend which is a plus, and I know it will look GAW-GUS (Lianne) on me!! Ok so here is the look:

1. Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow in Glacier (shimmery white with champagne shimmer)
2. Urban Decay Matte Eyeshadow in Yeyo (matte powdery white)
3. Christian Dior BLack Out Mascara



No Liner. The White shadow is enough!!

To balance out the rest of the face just a nude lip (Bobbi Brown Tinted Balm in Brown...gives me a polished, natural lip without the shine), and Bobbi Brown Bronzer in Deep (matte deep reddish brown).

Don't be afraid to try this look!!! It sounds scary, but beauty is about constantly bringing something new and fresh to the table!!! I hope to see lots of gals walking about with White shadow on this weekend!!

Sunday, March 2, 2008

SHocking Pink Lips

Sorry for the brief hiatus, but I didn't have any inspiration coming from the world of beauty lately....well not until this past Thursday. I just happened to come upon the best fuschia colored lipstick-gloss duo. Before I tell you the brand, I just want to say how I love Chanel Cosmetics. Not only is this brand responsible for most of the beautiful faces that grace the red carpet at the Oscars, but Chanel always produces some of the best beauty trends on the runway. As much as I love the brand, I wish they would formulate foundation and concealer shades for women with deeper complexions (not everyone has indian in their family...lol...I couldn't resist). We want to be able to enjoy the velvety smoothness of your foundations as well.


Okay so it isn't surprising when I announce that the shade is a product of Chanel. Ladies, I really cannot help myself. I try to stay away from the chanel counter and from their website, but "every time I try to leave something keeps holding me back, me back....telling me I need you in my life" (LOL).
So with the weather starting to break, I felt it was time to go ahead and find my perfect pink/fuschia pout for spring.Now I love drugstore brands like MAC just like the rest of you, but sometimes quality and color just plays a bigger part in my brand selection. I wanted something that didn't have any shimmer (fuschia +shimmer= too much), vibrant like myself, had a moisturizing feel, and had cute packaging. I don't worry about "something that will complement my skin tone" ( i hate when women ask me that), because I can mix in a liner color or lipgloss to alter the color and make it work. First I applied Rouge Hydrabase in Coco Pink(a shocking pink), then applied Glaze Glossimer(a sheer pink) on top. Gorgeous!!!! The color felt sooo light on my lips and lasted for so long that I even forgot that I had anything on.