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Tinted Moisturizer for Women of Color!! Finally

Laura Mercier has been a pioneer in the make-up biz for years, but now she has really done a great thing.  Tinted moisturizer for darker skin tones.  Nice consistency, I tried it on my hand.  I'll be adding this to my kit!!  read more here.

Make-up..When to toss and buy new!

Here are the rules:

Mascara: 3 months from opening the tube.  Gross bacteria accumulate, toss it!!

Blush: Creme cheek color, 1 to 2 years.  If you have acne or any other skin condition, 6 to 8 months safe bet.  Powder can last longer, 2 years, but if you have said conditions, clean with dry tissue 1x a week

Foundation- Liquid: Up to one year unless it starts to look funky and smell.  Creme: 1 year

Powder(dual finish variety) 1 year.

Lipstick: If you take good care of it, 2 years or more.  Once you smell that oily smell, toss it!

Gloss: 1 year(If you have any type of cold sore, toss all lip items you used before the outbreak.)

All pencils for face: Sharpen before each application (tip: Keep them in the fridge to get a good sharpening action.) Again:  Toss any  item that may have contributed to a sty or any other infection.

RE:Bumble&Bumble spray on color powders..Finally

Question of the day:  From Jen G. From a Post about Bumble&Bumble spray in color

"So I am consistently frustrated with the options available to me with regard to color and I wonder how this product would work on very very dark brown hair? It is so expensive to make color changes that look natural and to keep up with them- I would love to find a reliable product that I can play with to bring out reds or light browns that will be OK for my hair, not come off on my clothes, and look fabulous. Generally I am a huge fan of B& B products. What d'ya think?"  Thanks Jen.  You are not alone.   So many of us want to enhance our color, or just refresh the color services we've had a few months before.  Getting a head full of high and low lights, or getting an all over color with high-lights can run you $250 a pop.  I have not yet tested this product, so I can't comment on it's performance.  But I too love the B&B line.  My thinking is this:  If you purchase it, and I think it's worth it, use a little at a time.  Less is always more when using any product.  You can always add more.  Start small, a few spritzes, run your fingers through, then a wide toothed comb.  Do a leave in conditioner before you blow dry. 

Gadget of the week..Tweezers with built in light and magnifier

LumaTweeze

I came across this and thought it was a cool idea.  I haven't tried it yet, but at under 10 bucks, why not?

A new breed of tweezers with the built in light. It spotlights hairs and magnifies them too! It cost $9.99 and is available at Bed Bath and Beyond, CVS, Linens and Things, Walgreens and other discount stores.  For demo click here

Bumble&Bumble spray on color powders..Finally

Powdering is a centuries old technique that B&B session stylist Lauren Philippon made modern with these magic, multi purpose sprays. Use them to create instant fullness, enhance color, blend roots, add grip (when pinning up) and dry cleanse (correct over zealous product use orget an extra day or two from a blow-dry). 1oz Bumble and Bumble.  What a treat!!  Bumble&Bumble

Red Heads...Keep it intense

Finally redheads have a way to prevent their color from fading, and even protect the intensity of their scarlet locks.  I happen to like all of John Frieda's products, and use a few of them with some nice results.  A name you can trust, and a price most can easily afford.

Hair:The In Between Length Blues

I wish I had stock in this company, but I don't.  Ojon.  Love it.  I have turned a few clients on to the line.  It's a higher end product and an investment, but well worth it.  You can actually use less product than if you were to use a less expensive brand.  This line works well to tame thick, frizzy, hair, and it works just as well to build body into fine hair.  I know I've written about this stuff before Click!  I've been using it myself, I can't rave enough.   Stacey's question:(thanks for the question, Stacey, good one!), Stacey wanted to know how to tame thick, sometimes frizzy hair when it's going from a short, short do, and one is patiently waiting and trying to grow it out.  Tough situation.  First of all, don't work against  your hair. What the heck does that mean?  Don't use more products thinking their going to make it better. Use better products for the problem.  I think leave in conditioners are great for thick hair.  I also like a product by Revlon marketed for ethnic hair.  Emphasis on the word "marketed". It's called Creme of Nature, and it smells like a dream, more importantly, it detangles as it cleans.  I would use it 2x a week if you shampoo every other day, and perhaps alternate with the Ojon Shampoo. Or, if you're on a budget, try  LOREAL's Vive line.  All of them are great for hair that tends to be frizzy, grab the conditioner that goes with it too, at those prices. TIP:  In the ethnic section:  Beeswax.  It's cheap, you use a little, and it's a great way to smooth hair, after it's been dried, as a finishing pomade.  You can also enhance waves, sculpt, etc.

Let me know it works out for you!!!

Smashbox Primer, say YES!

This Primer is more than just an underneath the make-up
base.  The texture is dreamy, it actually feels nice, and not sticky and weird, like many primers.  A little goes a long way, and by itself it can give your skin a smoothness.  It seems to fill in the lines(temporarily, of course) and it has some nice ingredients.  Check it out! at SEPHORA, BLOOMIES and other stores that carry Smashbox.  Thumbs up from Chic Ilan..93 ounces@ $36.00 a bottle, fair price.

Whitening Strips...eh

Rachel wanted to know about whitening strips, and what I thought of them. I have tried a few of them now, and I must say, I don't like them.  They are never the right size for your back teeth, they only fit the first bunch on the top and bottom.  This leaves the others darker, and it looks weird.  If you must try them, I recommend Crest whitening strips, and then use the paint on variety for the back teeth. That's what fixed my problem.  I tried the light you bite on, don't waste your money.  I think the best would be the paint on at night.  But if you are a water drinker, as I am(10 glasses a day), it's not for you. Tip from Marie Claire :  Burn a Tortilla, save the ash.  Mix the ash with your toothpaste.  It scrapes off a lot of stain, and the chemical compound in the ash seems to fade stains.  Cool, right? Oh, another tip with the white strips, dry your teeth with a cloth first, it's a strange sensation, but the strips adhere much better. And if you use a paint on, stay away from your gums, they will turn red and get sore, we don't want that!