4 Simple Steps

I recently decided that I needed to start putting some effort in wearing some of the makeup I keep finding myself buying. Unfortunately doing this is really hard for me as it requires more effort than I tend to extend in the morning. Most of the time I just apply the simpliest of make up before heading out of the door.

About a week ago I was so inspired by the "mistake proof" 4 simple step application instructions on Maybelline New York's Eye Shadow collections that I ripped the page from the magazine I was reading and taped it up on the bathroom mirror for morning inspiration. Since then I have been following the steps using the eyeshadows I already own - Mid-range color all over lid, deeper color in crease, highlight color on brow bone and the deepest color on outter eye corner and rimming the eyes. Keeping the pattern in mind and changing up the colors has resulted in some interesting but always lovely results! Now I am putting the effort into learning to recognize the full made up face staring back at me ...

Please Kill Me...

Should you ever hear that I paid $125 for a tube of mascara. I do not care if it promises to grow my lashes and make them thicker. Luckily I have lashes long enough to keep the dust out of my eyes and to bat while flirting but even if I didn't I could never justify spending this much money on mascara or any make-up for that matter. Can You?

Neutral Weather

As the season warms away goes the reds, wine and burgundy and out comes the coral, pinks and orange. If you don't know that I am speaking of make up you may be on the wrong blog (I kid, I kid!).

Each season I look forward to grabbing my first shimmer of spring in a tube, but this year I have decided to continue to use Sonia Kashuk's Perfectly Neutral Eye Palette and just add a bit of color on the cheeks and lips. The kit sells for $12.99 at Target and includes 8 colors and a base that allow you to go from natural to intense without reaching for any other shadow. But should you choose to add a bit of color you can do so without fear.

Worth the try!

Eying A Bargain

Last night I received a last minute invite and wanted to add a little more sparkle to a plain faced day so after work I ran into Duane Reade, found my way to the make up aisle and stumbled upon the N.Y.C. Make-Up display. Much to my delight I discovered N.Y.C's Metro Quartet Eyeshadow sets and purchased the "Union Square "set, which contains highlight, contour, defining and base color shadows that are clearly marked for position, glide on smoothly, were even in tone and color and lasted all evening. For $3.99 this shadow set, which come in 5 pallets, is worth the try.

Sleeping Beauty

I have been told that I am neglecting sharing luxury items for men on this site. Unfortunately it's a truth I can not deny, so today's post is about a certain someone who finds that he sleeps best when wearing a certain silk fushia eye mask that was not purchased for his use, which clearly shows men can find some use in the items I write about. Though no Holly Golightly this certain male someone highly recommends wearing a sleeping mask for a guaranteed restful night's sleep because it can help block out distracting light and other visual stimuli. And as an aside it allows those of us not wearing one to make certain hand gestures that will go unnoticed by said wearer.

Today I purchased a black satin and silk sleep mask for $1.99 from my favorite sell out store, Lot-Less. Maybe tonight I will be able to reclaim my fushia mask.

Raising Eyebrows

I like a manicured brow, one that follows the natural line and thickness of an eyebrow and find that stringing achieves this better than waxing and faster than plucking. Stringing your eyebrows involves the obvious, a string, and a well trained technician that can swiftly remove the eyebrow hairs by twisting the thread around them and quickly pulling so that it's almost..errrr..painless. When I need to tidy up my own eyebrows I find my way to the 2nd floor location of Unique Threading Salon at 727 Sixth Avenue and with $6 plus a tip I walk away happy and groomed. After 10 sessions you even receive a freebie and they also offer other economically priced services which include waxing, henna tattooing and facials.

For more information go to http://www.uniquethreading.com/

Doctor's Orders

As an artist I am drawn to make up products that are bright in color and grouped as a pallet of options because of the possibility of expression they seem to promise, but I must admit that many of the odd colored eye shadows, lipsticks and blush often go unused because I tend toward a more naturally enhanced face rather than a made up one. Because of this I am a big fan of Physician's Formula beauty products. Even their shimmery colorful items naturally enchance rather than paint your face. One of the items you will find in my make up bag is Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadows. Using it gives me the best of both worlds (http://www.physiciansformula.com/en-us/productdetail/02219.html ) since it has a row of complimentary color options that are both natural and enhancing regardless of the shadow's color. (this photo doesn't show how pretty the pallets truly are)

Physician's Formula economically priced cosmetics are available in most Targets, Duane Reades, CVS and other chain drug stores. Check them out next time you happen by their display.

The Eye's Have It

Once upon a time I loved wearing false eyelashes, then I discovered eye lash curlers and I happily let go of the falsies. So when I found Flirt Big Flirt Thickening Mascara in Kohl’s I purchased the special edition, which came with a full size bottle of Flirt See-Ya Eye Makeup Remover, for $12.50 with hope that I could replicate the false eyelash look. Unfortunately the product did not deliver as promised. My lashes were no more lush or long than when I use my favorite staple Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. Use the $8.00 you can save by buying Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara at your local drug stores to buy yourself an eyelash curler or if you're feeling extra adventurous a pair of false eyelashes for that added eye fringe.

Do It Yourself Luxury - Hair and Nails

Given our busy lives most of the women I know, including my self, tend to snatch 5-10 minutes at a time to maintain our beauty routines. Today I am going to post about 2 small items that can make ten minutes of maintaince seem like 10 minutes of luxury.

To make applying nail polish easier during a pedicure most salons usually twist and turn strips of linen or paper between your toes. Some places even have special slippers for you to wear during this process. If you do an at home pedicure try using a pair of these toe separators. They can prevent even the most not to delicate home pedicurist from smearing a none too delicate application of nail polish on even the tiniest of toe nails. I bought this one and 3 others, which found their way into people's Christmas stockings, at Cosmetics Market for $0.50 each

I usally get my eyebrows done at an Eyebrow Stringing place on 24th Street but when I can't find the time to venture to 6th Avenue I gladly and delicately use one of these razors to tidy up the brow line at home. With a little patience and practice they are good for tidying up other areas as well. This is another goody I picked up for $1.00 at the C.M. I've also seen them in the 99cents stores.

Eyes Wiped Opened

I wear contact lenses and because I do I don't use as much eye make up as I probably would if I didn’t. I know there are tons of eye makeup products out there specifically made for lens wearers but it's the eye makeup removers I have issue with not the water proof mascaras and liners. I find most removers to be too oily. They leave a filmy residue on my lens (and just how I am supposed to see what I am doing without them?). I end up using tons of cotton pads to wipe off the excess remover and still my white wash clothes are destroyed by black inky residue. The pre soaked pads are no better. If they aren't overly oily they tend to be too dry and I use way more than the recommended number just to remove even the minimal amount of mascara and eyeliner.

There was a time when none of this bothered me. It was when Klorane Eye Make Up Remover was still packaged and sold in dark blue glass bottles. I was infatuated by those bottles but never took into account that the product did the job. When the manufacture switched to plastic bottles using it just wasn’t as fun for me. I moved on. So you can imagine how giddy with excitement I was when I pulled out the glass medicine bottle filled Huiles & Baumes Cleansing & Make-Up Remover Oil from the loot bag. First of all the label is in both English and French which made me tingle even more. Each language advises that 99.74% of the remover's plant based ingredients are produced by organic farming, 100% of its ingredients are of natural origin and 98.71% of all ingredients are produced by organic farming (confused here). The product is a mix of jojoba, sunflower, sweet almond and rose hip oils with daisy and fig extracts thrown in. All that oil I should have known better than to think it would work for me. The instructions ask that you apply to the face with a slightly wet cotton pad and then rinse off with warm water. Following them still left me with oiled up eye areas that as I feared became big dark circles in the morning. For those of you with dry eye areas this product might work well.

If you are interested in trying it, here is the site that keep coming up when I googled the product http://www.spacenk.com/product/shop+by+brand/huiles+&+baumes/200001522+cleansing+and+makeup+remover+oil.do

I also did a google search and found the re bottled Klorane Eye Make-Up Remover. It is a lotion that has cornflower extract as one of its main ingredients. Despite being bottled in plastic I am going to give it another try. I have one of the old blue glass bottles around here somewhere, if not I know my friend Hugh MUST have one in his collection of 10000 little tiny-too-small-for-preserves collection. I have seen Klorane Eye Make-Up Remover in a number of stores around the city but if you want to buy it on the net it’s cheapest at amazon.com –
http://www.amazon.com/Klorane-Eye-Make-up-Remover/dp/B0000YUXQ2