I know…it’s so ugly that it’s beautiful. When I saw this post by the girls at ShopTalk, I knew I HAD to HAVE it. I’ve yet to try the polishes by the legendary Rescue Beauty Lounge…but this polish aptly named, “No More War” ($18) is sooo for me!!!!
Hmm…sounds like a great stocking stuffer too!
Be Beautiful Ya’ll….
Now I must admit…..Courtney Cox has NOT always been my favorite celebrity….especially after her WAY over-Botoxed face pretty much ruined what (could have been ?) a great show...DIRT. Seriously, the woman’s face did not move…..I was really turned off. But after reading her latest interview in Marie Claire over the holiday weekend, I have SO changed my TUNE about dear Courtney….
In regards to her over “Botoxification” she says…..
“Botox? I think it’s fantastic and also horrible. I mean, they’ve come up with this stuff that can make you not look angry. But you have to use it sparingly. I went to this doctor once, and he was like, ‘Oh, let me do it just here and here and here.’ And I was miserable. I mean, I’m an actor, I’ve got to be able to move my face. When people start messing with their foreheads and can’t lift their eyebrows, that’s weird. It’s not that I haven’t tried Botox — but I hated it. You know you’ve messed up when people who are close to you say, ‘Whoa, what are you doing?’”
I agree…Botox is definitely something you need to tread lightly with…( and I know from experience, YIKES!)….
But bottomline, this is why I AM IN LOVE WITH COURTNEY COX. She is a self-professed product junkie and when it comes to beauty Courtney believes (as I do) that:
“Let me tell you, there’s a lot of pressure,” she continues. “Which is why I always think women should be totally open with other women about what they do to make themselves look better.”
Hallelujah sister….. Sharing my tips and tricks is what I love most about being a professional makeup artist and beauty blogger….Not only do I get to touch the faces of beautiful women…but I get to write about it and (hopefully) show every woman how she can feel and look her best…regardless of her circumstances…I trully believe that EVERY WOMAN deserves to realize her own beauty (inside and out….)!
Be Beautiful Ya’ll….
Hello my beauties….hope you had an AMAZING Turkey Day…..I was blessed to be up in Seattle with my family…doing nothing but enjoying the beauty of being together. BUT I must say it feels pretty darn good to be back in the ol’ D. Dallas may not offer much in the way of topography (or independent espresso bars) but the sunshine actually woke me up this morning.
Well, being with family DEFINITELY got me motivated to start perusing Holiday Beauty gifts….and I was lucky enough to have found these little balls of joy just in time….Verikira Naturals Aroma Shower Steamers ($22) in Eucalyptus Revival. Just unwrap from the foil package, set in the corner of your shower and ENJOY stimulating your senses…..My sinuses were instantly opened and it made a routine shower feel TOTALLY LUXURIOUS…..
And the real beauty? They come 5 to a pack…..perfect stocking stuffer….you can “Share the Love” with another while stealing one for yourself (if you can manage breaking up the darling packaging)!
Even better, all Verikira products are Certified Vegan, Cruelty-Free and All Natural……
Be Beautiful Ya’ll….
Hello there my beauties….thought I’d give ya a quick update on my “War on Acne”..(and wrinkles and sunspots,etc). Although I have been seeing tons of improvement since I started Spironoacltone, I still would get a good crop of the nasties monthly…and while the suckers hurt less, it’s still tough to be a makeup artist with acne. And unfortunately (for dear hubby), the spirono killed my already pathetic libido…I know, I know, TMI…
So my lovely dermatologist, Dr. Turner (you should see this woman’s skin…porcelin perfection) lowered my Spironoalctone from 150mg daily to 100 mg…..She also upped my Differin from the 0.1% strength to a more hardcore 0.3%…and I gotta say (knock on wood, because everytime I talk about it I break out again)…but my skin looks FABULOUS my darlings. I’m peeling a tad bit, but just enough to know that this STUFF IS WORKING!!!!
So between the stronger, better Differin, the Om Aroma & Co samples and my good ol’ ZO Skin Health Grow Serum, I think I’ve stumbled upon a magic combination!!!
More adventures in vanity to come soon…(hey, if I can’t admit it here what’s a girl to do?)…..Actually, I think about my looks way less when I don’t have a mountain range on my face….
And if you’re like me and wage your own “War on Acne” do tell. I would love to know what works for you…
Be Beautiful Ya’ll……
Hello my beauties! Well I’m in Eastern Washington State right now at my little brothers for Turkey Day…it’s in the low 20’s…BRRRR……but thanks to Om Aroma and Co my skin ain’t feelin’ it a bit……….
Lucky for me the good folks at Om Aroma and Co sent me samples of thier amazing products just in time for the winter months and my face is thanking them….
If you haven’t heard of Om products yet you will. The brainchild of concert pianist Angela Jai Kim (check out the beautiful music on thier website)….. Om products were born out of her own sensitive skin’s reactions to the loads of chemicals and perservatives in traditional skincare products. Angela experimented in her own Manhattan kitchen until she came up with a cream that did her skin right….after (literally) a thousand tries she came up with a hit and began sharing her discovery with friends and family….and “Sexy Green” born!!!
So here’s my review:
1. Elixir de Beaute ($48). An Allure magazine Editor’s Favorite….This yummy cleanser exfoliates with Champagne Grapeseeds and microscopic Powdered Pearls…it’s kind of hard to describe this totally sensory face wash but it feels very “active” and bubbly…it left my skin feeling incredibly clean and flake-free without drying or irritating…and shoot! Anything good enough for an Allure editor is good enough for moi!
2. Creme Luxe 2 ($95). White Truffle Age-Defying Face Cream for Normal/Combo skin contains Organic Shea Butter for optimum moisturization, Japanese Silk Protien for peptides and collagen and Rice Bran Oil for UV protection. My dry, irritated winter skin has been thanking me for this bad-boy…it feels and smells AMAZING and my skin literally drank it up (without it’s usual reaction to rich cremes….NO BREAKOUTS).
3. Extrait de Caviar ($72). I’m always on the lookout for a good eye cream….my problem is that it seems impossible for me to find a rich enough eye cream that gives my poor dry, sensitive eyes the SUPER moisture they need without making the skin BURN like FIRE. Well apparently my eyes have a affinity for Caviar because they feel and look fantastic….Extrait de Caviar also contains organic Honeysuckle Extract and CoQ10 to repair and stimulate collagen around the ol’ eyes…Even better, a little dabble do ya’…
My winter skin is definitely thanking me for these amazing formulas……and sorry girlfriends but I WON’T be “sharing the love” with these samples…I COVET Om Aroma and Co Skincare!!!!
You can find Om Aroma and Co products on thier website and at fine spas accross the country.
Be Beautiful Y’all (and stay warm…)!!!
Good Lord my skin is dry…….. I sit here in front of the computer typing away and itch, itch, itch….Luckily my pals at Futurenatural (my favorite online organic beauty source that happens to be based in Austin..) sent me over this little one-stick wonder…Deep Steep Moisture Stick ($5)..
Clean, Pure, Natural…the wonderfully moisturizing cocoa butter, echinacea and Vitamin E formula kind of liquefies once it hits skin… so it absorbs really well. I hit the entire neck then do my lips…and what I really love is that it gives my poor neck the love it needs without making me breakout (why god am I still fighting acne at 33?)……AND it’s “Good for you Beauty”…no scary ingredients and the not tested on the cute bunnies.
Be Beautiful Ya’ll….
Have you always wanted a consultation with a dermatologist but are too cheap (or have bad insurance) to get one?
Well Dallas Beauties….Dr. Obagi is coming to town!! He’ll be at my favorite store THIS weekend….He’ll be at the Northpark Nordstrom, Sat. Nov 22 from 10am- 5pm. Dr. Obagi will be giving PERSONAL CONSULTATIONS for $50 (normally they are $300..OUCH!)
Luckily that $50 will immediately go toward any purchase you make in the department……(hopefully on ZO Skin Health of course..)! Oh, and you’ll also receive a complementary mini Oclipse Primer + Sunscreen spf 30! I’ve heard tons of good things about this bad-boy and can’t wait to try it myself…..
Call 214.231.3900 ext.1417 to make YOUR appt. with the good doctor…and be sure to let me know because I’ll be there!!!!
And if you can’t pull yourself away from the computer (or the couch)…don’t forget to “Ask Dr. Obagi”!
Be Beautiful Ya’ll…..
Hey my beauties….So did ya’ll watch yesterday? I DID. Honestly, I was on pins and needles the entire TIME! As a makeup artist myself, to watch a show judging and rating my fellows artistry ability was oddly unsettling….. This must be how a clothing designer feels watching “Project Runway”……
But don’t get me wrong I loved the show…Very entertaining…I mean, we makeup artists aren’t exactly known for our “emotional stability” ( myself included..I’m a Gemini)…So there was plenty of entertaining drama on Lifetime TV’s BLUSH.… It was SO great to meet the cast….aren’t they cute? (of course I was looking at all their makeup…boys included).
I LOVED the first challenge….to create a look with FOOD (note to self: Don’t ever put curry around the eyes…lol!) and some of the results were stunning….My girl Jessica from Texas went home this round….but I gather she learned A LOT while staying true to her personal aesthetic and “vision”….Once the show is over and done, I’ll be picking her brain here at The Daily Beauty Break….Can’t wait to learn her tips & tricks!
So if you are in love with the art of makeup, you gotta watch this show……I’d love to be a fly on that studio wall..(or just be able to nose through everyone’s kits..)
Watch Beautifully….
How to pay for Holiday gifts when your INFLOW of cash doesn’t quite meet your OUTFLOW of people to buy for? ME, TOO! Well, my Sephora Holiday Catalog came in the mail last week and I took it upon myself to scour it (and my favorite beauty blogs) for good Holiday Beauty Values…..
And guess what I found from my “Favorite Star-Plucker” and Brow Expert….Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini-Brow Kit ($25). Is this not the cutest little thing you’ve ever seen?
You KNOW I love anything my favorite Hollywood Brow Guru creates…the Mini-Matte Highlighter is a brow-lift in a stick (apply to the tops of the brow bone and in the inner corners of the eyes for an INSTANT lift)…Anastasia Tweezers are the only ones I use on myself and my clients, AND the Clear Brow Gel always seals the deal beautifully…
And the best part? You get all three for the same price of one pair of Tweezerman Tweezers ($25 bucks)…NICE, REAL, NICE.
Anastasia’s Mini-Brow Kit is THE perfect gift for your plucking-obsessed pals….(you know who you are..lol!)
Be sure to check it out next time out at Sephora, Nordstrom or Ulta….
Give Beautifully Ya’ll!
So maybe it was the plastic surgery magazine that was placed on my doorstep (hey, I am in Dallas ya’ll!) yesterday or just my own “adventures in aging”….But did you see Jennifer Aniston on 30 Rock Thursday night? BEAUTIFUL…I am just so proud of her (like I know her or something)….I mean, Jen looked fabulous of course but you know what I really loved? SHE LOOKED HER AGE….I mean, I am sure (like moi) she does everything in her means to keep what she’s got, but she hasn’t gone OVERBOARD….and by OVERBOARD I specifically mean FILLERS…(you know like, Juvederm, Restalyne,etc)…
Especially after looking at all the artificially inflated, tight and tucked faces in that plastic surgery mag….I mean, some of the photos that were supposed to be “afters” featured women who were SO gorgeous BEFORE…all thier NATURAL beauty was replaced and they looked more like bloated chipmunks than “young and refreshed”!
(sorry Joan, you know I mean no harm………)
I don’t know…I mean, I know I am “part of the industry” but just like you (dear readers) I fall prey to the “marketing machine” just as hard (maybe even harder actually)…. It was refreshing to see a star who I’ve followed through the aging process the last 20 years (okay, can you BELIEVE the 90’s was 20 years ago?)…maintain her natural beauty without messing it up with “procedures”.
I’m just SAYIN’.
Be Beautiful Ya’ll………
