The Daily Beauty Break

Hi beauties! As some of you know, hubby and I were treated to a couple of nights out-on-the town last weekend here in Dallas by my wonderful, amazing mother and step dad.  Now, I’ve only been here in Dallas for the last 5 years ( that’s like 5 minutes in kid-raising time)….and since I was pregnant with a 2 year-old in tow when we moved here from Seattle, needless to say exploring local neighborhood shopping districts didn’t get to the top of my list….

And I have to say…I mean, I LOVE where we live….we are like 10 minutes from downtown; but in order to get your kids into a DECENT school district in Dallas ( private school is SO not an option for us), you have to live just far enough away to have to kiss local, independently-owned businesses goodbye and say hello to big-box shopping…I SO miss the cute little boutique shopping days of old when I could put the kid in the jogging stroller and walk and shop!!!

So off we went on Sunday to The Bishop Arts District……a DARLING little neighborhood a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Downtown Dallas…this cute little cultural area has everything I miss about Seattle….original architecture and cute little gift shops, art galleries, restaurants and vintage stores run by folks that are friendly and warm…not a HINT of pretension or attitude that other neighborhood shopping districts in this city exude…..rich, poor, gay, straight, brown, white, young, old…they were all there in the peaceful coexistence I crave……

And wouldn’t you know it? We pulled in and parked DIRECTLY in front of The Shambhala Body Gallery…an artisan bath and body gallery that custom makes all their own bath and body products ( i swear everything happens for a reason)! The owners started their journey making soaps as gifts for friends and family and before they knew it they had their own storefront!! All of Shambahala’s body products scents and formulas have been painstakingly developed by hand…and believe me, you can TELL. Of course, I was overwhelmed as I tried to devour the entire store (they also have candles in each scent, darling little wind chimes and trinkets you won’t find anywhere else) but these were the standouts:

1. Shambhala Lotion Stick in Nefertiti Soap ($7.50). Seriously, this shea butter and beeswax lotion stick smells a little bit like heaven….The studio’s number one selling flavor, this “good for a guy or a gal” scent combines Amber, Frankincense with notes of Myrhh and Chocolate….and the scent lingers so there’s no need for your regular scents!

2. Shambhala Foaming Sugar Scrub in Morning Mint ($14.95).  I’ve yet to see anything like this bad boy…it’s a sugar scrub so you get great exfoliation and all the essential oils for maximum aromatherapy AND moisture, AND it  FOAMS so that you can actually use it daily to get clean…no “special occasion” to feel pampered here!!! It left my skin super smooth and smelled exactly like some of those more pricey (non-handmade) Origins products I’ve loved in the past…..plus hubby went ga-ga over the scent…(anything to help that boy get clean..lol)!

But really, what a JOY to find Shambhala Body Gallery so close to my neck of the woods….Kieth was a total doll I felt so comfortable in his store…and their prices are absolutely affordable…I will DEFINITELY be doing my Xmas shopping at Shambhala and Bishop Arts this season….and heck, if I get too lazy ( I hope I won’t) all of their beauty booty can be purchased online at their website store.

Be Beautiful Ya’ll…..(and support your local businesses)!

Okay Dallas beauties…now you have NO excuse to miss out on all the fun at fashion at Fashion At The Park this season. Due to an amazing stroke of generosity (and not low ticket sales..) the folks at Northpark Center have decided to lower ticket prices…and all shows will run between $5-$25 bucks!!!

So now even you lightweights can drink your tickets worth in free alcohol……(just make sure you get there early enough!).

Tickets can be purchased here.  Be sure to let me know what shows you are going to…..Be there or Be square Y’all!!!

So did you watch  Lipstick Jungle last night my beauties? I had to of course……..even though I feel like there is just something “off” about the show (storyline, acting..)  I think part of the problem was that I was completely distracted by Mary Tyler Moore’s sad-looking face (she played Brook’s mom on the show)……that poor woman has had so much work her done her eyes are different sizes!!!! It’s just so sad when the celebrities we turn into ICONS can’t even seem to accept thier own aging…….and let’s face it…there seems to be a magical line drawn when it comes to getting procedures done…too much and you just look OLD AND FREAKY.

Alas, vain as all get-out, I am a known SUCKER for watching not so good shows for the hair and makeup….and the hair and makeup artists for Lipstick Jungle do an AMAZING job….  I get MAJOR inspiration from this show….the look of  Lipstick Jungle is totally day, soap opera. Their makeup is strong and confident….reminiscent of old times (can you say Melanie Griffith in “Working Girl”) and I just DIG it….

Check it out next week if you are looking to change up your look for fall…..

Watch beautifully Ya’ll…..

So they say all artists have their own “style”….and I’ve thought long and hard on this one and realized over the years that no matter what, I don’t EVER do a “makeup” without highlighting the brow bone and inner corner of the eyes….EVER. We ALL need a little help sometimes when we miss our beauty sleep,no?

That being said, I am constantly on the lookout for new highlighting products and just happens that my favorite Beverly Hill’s Brow Guru just came out with a new one…. Anastasia’s Brow Duality ($23). This double ended pencil contains an amazingly blend-able, creamy formula….one side matte and one side shimmer. Duality comes in two sticks….Duality 1 in Matte Camille/ Shimmer Sand, a pink-based tone good for the pale girls and Duality 2 in Matte Shell/ Shimmer Lace..more golden and for darker complexions.

So needless to say these amazing sticks do the job of highlighting extremely well, but upon experimentation I found 2 additional uses…..1. The matte side of these pens work very well as an eyeshadow base…it really helped my shadows go on smooth and wear longer.  2. (This is the one I’m really excited about) the Matte Shell of Duality 2 COMPLETELY hide my under eye circles!!!….the peach undertones of this shade completely counteracts the blue in my circles so they go Bye,Bye!!!!…literally just draw it over the circles and blend slightly…the texture of the pencil is so creamy there is absolutely no caking or flakiness at all!!!!

Tip: When concealing under eye circles make sure the pick the right toned concealor!  Use peachy-orangy colors for bluish circles and pink-rose based shades for greenish circles….otherwise you run the risk of making your circles look worse (and GREY)…..Been there, done that!!!

Anastasia’s Duality Highlighter pens hit counters October 23!!! Be sure to check them out next visit to Ulta or Sephora…..

Keep those Brow’s Beautiful Y’all!!!

Good Day my beauties…..Well, not only did I have to do the annual foundation switch for fall but I had to do the same with my bronzer…. Just in time for Cargo’s New PlantLove Baked Illuminator in Wind ($28). This cool product is multi-use…it’s a blush, bronzer and highlighter in one! It has some pink in it so it blends better with my paler skin than my summer shade.

Tip: Want the JLO glow?…Using a medium brush apply bronzer in a “horseshoe” shape, blending directly INTO the hairline all along the entire forehead….continue outside the temples and onto the tops and sides of the cheekbones.(and don’t forget to apply blush to the apples of your cheeks to complete the glow) Then, if you want to get real fancy apply under the jawline, to your collarbone and decollete!

Warning, PlantLove Baked Illuminator has some SERIOUS pigment in it  (a little goes a ways) so use a big, fluffy brush to apply and slowly build the color….it’s way easier to add than to take away my friend!

All of Cargo PlantLove products meet the rigorous standards demanded by ECOCERT™, an international certification that guarantees products are eco-friendly through all aspects of product and production, dramatically reducing its environmental footprint. Their compacts are made from CORN and are biodegradable, all the formulas are 100% natural and are produced in a carbon-neutral facility. Now, that’s some “Good For You Beauty” right ‘chere girls!

Bronze Beautifully Y’all…and do comment if you have any application questions!!!!!

Hello beautiful people! So this is the time of year when I try to pretend like it’s not still 90 degrees here in Texas and do whatever I can do transition my summer wardrobe to a more “fall-ish” look…so I switch from Havaina’s to flats (BIG whoop)!

Well I got the cutest pair recently… but for some reason the Peds that I usually wear with them catch on the heel and end up in a ball inside the shoe…ANNOYING.  I just HATE the stinky, sweaty feet you get going bare…but only Dorothy can get away with socks with her flats…lol!

Problem solved though. I found this…. Certain Dri FEET Microsponge Powder ($<8).  I sprinkle a tad bit in my shoes before I take off for the day and don’t miss my Peds for a minute! My feet stay super dry without getting a nasty film and I don’t clear the room when I take my shoes off at the end of the day……

So pick some up at your nearest everything store and try it out next time you decide to go out sans socks……. your roommate/boyfriend/girlfriend/etc will thank you!!!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll………..

Psycho-Fan alert Ya’ll!!!! I am so excited….one of my favorite makeup artists of all times…Carmindy from TLC’s What Not To Wear just wrote a new book called, “Positively Beautiful” and will be doing a book signing on  Wednesday October 15 @ 7pm at the Barnes and Noble book store at 7700 Northwest Highway in Dallas,TX 75225.

I have her last book titled The 10 Minute Face and it was so good I think I read it front to back in one day (lots of pictures, but you know what I mean). Anyways….Positively Beautiful should prove to be even better read because in it Carmindy goes a little bit deeper into the reasons why women have such a hard time accepting and embracing their own beauty….Heck, I need all the help I can get at this!!!

And let’s face it…have you ever seen a makeup makeover that she has done on What Not To Wear that turned out bad? Nevah-Evah………So yeah, I will be in line and the good ol B&N on Wednesday, Oct15! Let me know if you are in town and would like to join me…Jess and I are going to go early for a pre book-signing glass of wine!!!

Read Beautifully Ya’ll…..

Hello my beauties!!! I had a photo shoot last week with a model that had particularly UN-cooperative eyebrows….you know, the kind that grow DIRECTLY downwards? Ugh!!!! Brow gel and hairspray just didn’t cut the mustard and I found myself fixating on her brows the entire shoot….talk about annoying ( luckily she was a doll and perfect in every other way…lol)!!!

Well, as I was perusing Sally Beauty’s latest mineral makeup line named Femme Couture I came upon this….Femme Couture Brow Couture Grooming Wax ($<7). It looks awesome….wax is heavy enough to weigh down the crazy brow hairs that gels and sprays can’t….plus it adds bulk if your brows could use extra volume (first use the wax and then add shadow w/ an angle brush for a natural look)…. And since this wax is clear it looks as if you could just literally slick those puppies into place………..

We’ll see…..looks like I’ll be picking one up next visit. I’ll let you know how it works out!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll!

Holy Heck girls!!!! Allure magazine is giving away the entire set of Bobbi Brown Fall 2008….go sign up to win here! These colors are amazing…..and you just never know unless you enter! My girlfriend Jessica just won the new Chanel mascara ( I expect a review..) so go check it out!!!

Win Beautifully….

A partner in beauty crime turned me on to this little bad boy….Osis Dust It- Mattifying Powder. This silicone powder instantly provides lift and separation to fine, flat hair. You can sprinkle it directly on the roots for instant volume or shake it onto hands and run through hair for full-on BIG HAIR. I’ve been using it at photo shoots and it ROCKS!!!

I love this stuff because it eliminates the need to backcomb…gives you all the volume you want without hurting my already “chemically-challenged” mane…….NICE!!! OSIS Dust It retails for around $20 bucks (all little goes a long way….). I would recommend getting it from SleekHair online because I searched out all the big box beauty supplies with no luck!

Be Beautiful…….