Nars Cream Blush - 5210 Enchanted

The soft peachy blush with a bit of golden shimmer goes on sheer. When, I say sheer I mean it goes so sheer that I can barely see it on my skin. I think I am rather use this as a highlighter than a blush. The creamy blush goes on smooth and felt soft against my skin as it is enriched with vitamin E. The blush melted into my skin but stayed put for  2 or 3 hours although not that can I tell sometimes [all I see a glimmer here and there].

Every Day with Rachael Ray June 2013

Tea based perfumes to try this month-

Philosophy The Tea Party

Demeter Earl Grey Tea Roll on Perfume Oil

Indus by DSH Perfumes

Moroccan Tea Perfume Oil Concentrate by Alkemia Perfumes

L’Occitane The Vert & Bigarade

InStyle June 2013

How to find your perfect shorts -

“The mood -  these causal styles are strictly a weekend look, so relax - you can’t go wrong with silky boxers, flat front Bermudas or cool racer stripe trunks.

The fit - size up: shorts like these should graze not grab your shape. Try darker solids for a slimming effect or bright prints to highlight curves.

The mix - add structure to a flowy pair with a balzer, a button front shirt, and gladiators. Or match a tiny-print T with bottoms in a louder pattern.”

White nail polish is the new trend. Here are some picks -

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail lacquer in Sheer Bliss

CND Colour nail lacquer in Studio White

OPI nail lacquer in Alpine Snow

Deborah Lippmann nail lacquer in Amazing Grace

Editors’ Pick and Deals & Steals -

Dior Jelly Lip Pen in Copacabana

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Glow Moisture

Nars Radiant Creamy concealer in Cafe

Givenchy Le Vernis in Croisiere Mat Orange

Illume Essential Mini Tin in Oakmoss

Lulah Magnolia Fig body wash

L’oreal Paris True Match Super Blendable Crayon Concealer

Color Pop!

Cargo lip gloss in Bourbon St

Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm

Dior Addict gloss in Dolly Pink

Lancome Gloss in Love in Under the Spotlight

Make Up for Ever Aqua Rouge No. 16

Bobbi brown Tube Tint in Naked

Mark Glimmer Shine gloss in Nude Glimmer

Double Duty Makeup

Pixi Illuminating Tint & Conceal in Bare Glow

Votre Vu Bebe Duette in Framboise Lip Balm and Hand Creme

Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighting Creme Duo in St. Tropez

Ready to Wear Shadow and Liner in Chestnut

Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Olive Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

The sweet floral scented shampoo provides a generous lather. The conditioner was creamy and left my hair feel soft and glossy. My hair was bouncy, soft, luscious, and glossy! I couldn’t stop touching, feeling, and sniffing my hair. The only downside was trying not go overboard on the product otherwise your hair will get a bit greasy.

Julep Nail Polish - Valerie

 Julep describes this as teal with iridescent micro glitter. This looks more like hunter green with a bit of gold glitter to me. The full coverage formula goes on thick and leaves a glossy finish. I didn't like this polish at first but it is growing on me.
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EveryDay with Rachael Ray March 2014

The world’s oldest person when she died at age 115. Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper of the Netherlands swore she owe her longevity to drinking a glass of orange juice a day! [Her other secret - pickled herring]

Zest is Best - Don’t toss that peel! Did you know that orange rind has four times more fiber per ounce than the fruit? It’s also rich in flavonoids, which fight cancer and diabetes and lower cholesterol.

Make your own cleaner - the oil in orange rind doesn’t just smell great, it contains d-limonene, a natural solvent that can cut through grease. For a zingy cleaning spray, steep the rind of four orange in 1 cup distilled white vinegar for 2 weeks. Strain and dilute with 1 cup water. Put in a spray bottle and use as an all-purpose cleaner.

The Ultimate Scrambled Eggs

1. Crack 8  farm fresh or organic eggs into a medium bowl.

2. Add ½ teaspoon salt

2. Using a fork beat the eggs vigorously until they are smooth and well combined about 30 seconds.

4. Grab a 10 inch nonstick skillet

5. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet before you put it on the heat

6. Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped chilled butter [no heat yet]

7. Over medium heat, stir the eggs with a silicone spatula until the butter melts, about 2 minutes.

8.  Once the butter melts, begin to scrape the cooked eggs toward the center of the pan.

9. After about 1 minute and 30 seconds, when large curds form but a good amount of runny eggs remains, remove the pan from the heat.

10. Add 1 more tablespoon of chopped cold butter. Gently fold the eggs until the butter melts and the eggs are cooked but still shiny and moist, about 5 seconds.

Confectioners’ Sugar Hack

All you need is granulated sugar with a clean coffee grinder. Put a ½ cup sugar in the grinder, let it spin for 30 seconds and you’ve got  fluffy powdered sugar.

Allure February 2014

How to pick the perfect pink lipstick

If you have thin lips - avoid deep pink stains, which darken the center, where you need volume. Instead, choose a light shade and a dab thick, clear gloss on top.

If you have yellow teeth - coral colors are  a big no-no. But blue based shades give the illusion of a whiter smile.

If you have ruddy skin - nude pink or mauve lip colors help neutralize skin’s red undertones

If you have cracked lips - Matte lipstick makes fine lines more visible. Instead, uses a moisturizing tinted balm

If you have big lips - keep your mouth from taking over your face by pairing fuchsia lipstick with dark brown liner on the eyes.

Acid Table

Glycolic Acid is the smallest molecule, so it penetrates deepest. Derived from sugar, it’s the most effective but has a greater potential to irritate.

Lactic  Acid made from sour milk, is the second smallest molecule. It’s gentler than glycolic and draws moisture to the skin as it removes dead cells, so it’s hydrating, too.

Fruit Acids such as citric [from lemons and grapefruit] and malic [from apples], are larger compounds that work on the uppermost layer of the skin. They’re often combined with glycolic and lactic acids for faster results.

Salicylic Acids a beta hydroxy acid, is  ideal for treating acne. It penetrates and unclogs oily pores.

Trichloroacetic Acid or TCA is used by doctors for intense in-office peels that cause deep and ugly peeling before transforming skin.

Burn Notice

While many anti aging ingredients gradually lose their mojo sa sthey sit on your bathroom counter, acids can become more potent - and potentially more harsh - after you crack them open. No one agrees on exactly when this happens, but as a rule, if an acid product has been open for six months, toss it.

The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Soap

I received this gingerbread shaped tin for Christmas. I am sad that my camera deleted the photos of the cute bear tin and the photos of the other stuff from the set. The cute soap has a zesty ginger scent from the ginger root extracts. The heart shaped soap had bits of exfoliation bits, which I am guessing is pieces of ginger root [Thank you, Captain Obvious].  While, the soap gave a creamy lather, the exfoliation was a bit too rough on my arms and irritated it a bit. But it work wonders for my other dry spots, like my ankles, elbows and my feet.

SW Basics Cinnamon Organic Lip Balm

I can hardly think of something that is so great and it only takes 5 [yes, five!] natural ingredients to make [not including food]. I am not a big fan of cinnamon, truth be told I actually hate the scent and taste of cinnamon. You are probably wondering why bother buying this lip balm. Well, the method behind my madness, I noticed I put on a lot of lip balm and tend to lick it off during the day. I figured I wouldn’t be tempted to lick off lip balm that tastes like cinnamon. The lip balm does have a strong cinnamon taste and goes on smoothly. It left my lips feeling soft, moisturized and left a cinnamon taste. Overall, I did like it but I ended up liking the cinnamon taste so I kept putting more on. I also bought the cocoa and peppermint flavor and can’t wait to try those as well. I kind of wish they had a whipped cream flavor.

Moroccanoil Abundant Nourishment Body Butter

I had no idea, that Moroccanoil made more than hair products. Lo and behold, they do! The whipped body butter is packed with argan oil, vitamin E, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, squalane, argan butter, shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, olive oil, avocado oil, and pomegranate oil. [Boy, that’s a long list of good for you ingredients! They weren't kidding about the abundant part] The rich cream goes on thick but felt little greasy. I notice a little of the velvety body butter is all that is needed. My skin felt really soft, silky smooth, and delicately scented. The body butter smells like a bit like the original Moroccanoil, which is not my particularly favorite scent. The body butter is really good for the cold and harsh weather but it might be a bit too heavy during the warmer months.   

Rainbow Research French Green Clay Powder

Family reunion vacations are always stressful. That’s why I snuck away back to my room to unwind a bit. I couldn’t think of a better way to unwind then applying a clay mask, reading some magazines and drinking my favorite beverage [Shirley Temples!]. I came across this mask when buying some beauty products for my trip. I tend to buy new things so I have something to look forward to incase my vacation becomes everything but a vacation. I like this mask was powder form [it only had one ingredient - french green clay] that you can mix it with water [or if you have a certain skin type - for example - if you have dry skin you can use a tablespoon of olive or avocado oil or if you have oily skin add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice -- they include a bunch of suggestions]. You can also make it as watery or thick as you liked but they recommend using 1 oz of spring water [or chamomile tea or aloe vera juice].  The French Green Clay is known for absorbing dirt, oil and bacteria while cleansing your pores. I was very lazy to try the other substitutes, so I just used the water [ a bit more than 1 oz -- who has time to measure?!] and worked the mixture for about 4 minutes to make a nice creamy mask. I made it a bit too watery because I was too lazy to measure and it was a bit sloppy to apply.  I would recommend using a brush instead of a spatula to ensure an even application. I did realize there was more than enough to use the mask on face, so I used some on my neck and decolletage. After the 20 minutes I removed the mask, I did notice my face feeling tighter while I was waiting to wash it off.  My face was smooth, soft and radiant. I also like how this “cheap” [around $1 an ounce] left my skin feeling so great and amazing. I can’t wait to go home and buy the full size when I get home. Especially, since everyone thought I used got a facial and mask done at the hotel’s spa. I don’t blame them, it is hard to believe to get such amazing results with my dilapidated skills.  Just a side note to ensure you get nice results, stay away from the hairline and follow up with a moisturizer or facial oil to enhance your glow.