Beauty Countdown / Rihanna + MAC

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Mika

YES! It seriously doesn’t get better than this much anticipated beauty collaboration between the gorgeous Riri and MAC. From brushes to lashes, the Riri hearts MAC collection will be multi season and will most likely sell out. The 31 piece collection will incorporate various color palettes and looks absolutely adorable. With bold lip colors and several eye palettes, the collection will satisfy the beauty needs for all types of styles!

The collection will be available for purchase online and her May concerts at the Barclays Center.

Drugstore Beauty Battle / Eye Makeup Remover

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Mika

Every girl needs an eye makeup remover. Whether you use minimal mascara or go all out with smokey, it is crucial to remove all traces every night. I was always loyal to the Neutrogena and Lancome liquid removers until I realized how often I went through the product and how much I was spending. I even tried the eye makeup removing wipes but felt they weren’t gentle enough for my lashes. I went ahead and tried three different drugstore liquid removers and found quite a difference in each one. Here is the order of my preference…

Walmart’s Equate Eye Makeup Remover

Never buying again. I had to use so much liquid on my cotton pad for the product to even take my mascara off. Due to the excessive amount needed, the product simply burned my eyes. It was especially annoying if I had to change my look mid day because the burning sensation would leave my eyes a little red. Therefore, never purchasing again.

Walgreens Eye Makeup Remover

The Walgreens remover was a step up from Walmart’s but also pricier. I did remove makeup easier and did not leave my eyes burning as much. Although I did not mind this specific product, I most likely won’t purchase again.

CVS Eye Makeup Remover

By far my favorite! This is definitely closest to the Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover and doesn’t leave a burning sensation afterwards. It is gentle enough on the eyes and removes all of my mascara.

Out of the three, I would recommend purchasing the CVS remover. The product goes a long way for the price and more importantly leaves my lashes feeling clean.

What’s your favorite drugstore brand?

Beauty Girl’s Investment / Clarisonic Mia 2

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Mika

Everyone loves that good clean feeling at the end of a long day and after recently coming across the Clarisonic Mia 2, nothing does the job better. With a timed vibration, the Mia 2 lets you know when to target the next area and does so with great depth.

Even after removing my makeup with liquid eye makeup remover and a makeup removing wipe, I still manage to see residue from the day left on the Clarisonic bristles, ewwww. That just goes to show how much makeup is left everyday on our skin before bedtime. Skin does it’s most repair work and restoration while you sleep so it is crucial to make sure all dirt/oil/makeup is removed for the full effect of your night cream and/or moisturizer.

Available in awesome colors, patterns, and not to mention cute carrying cases, the $150 price tag seems steep but sure is worth the money.

Prescriptives is Back with a New Way to do Foundation

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Mika

With Prescriptives revolutionary “colorprinted” beauty line at its prime more than a decade ago, they’re back with what seems to be the newest way to purchase foundation. Known for their custom-blended foundation, this beauty brand was definitely a favorite for a lot of women who wanted that perfect shade for their skin tone. So, they have decided to continue their custom tradition in a new way…

Today, Prescriptives is selling their custom foundation and powder online with a process that allows users to virtually chat with beauty experts for the perfect custom product. They start by asking for a photo for research and proceed with questions like the finish you would prefer, the products you use now, dislikes within foundation/powder, and even options for anti-aging. The products take more than a week to receive, which is somewhat of a bummer, and costs $48-$70. The custom products come with a satisfaction guarantee that can be altered if not satisfied. A definite plus is reordering because everything is saved within your user profile.

I have always loved the custom-blended foundation/powder idea and truly admire the new step they are taking with technology. However, I don’t know how many women are going to take the time to sit in front of their computer and trust the inspection with a virtual chat. It seems to cut time by not actually having to go to the makeup counter but the process of waiting ten days and praying for a match seems a bit much for me. They are still selling other beauty products and creams online so I’ll most likely check those out.

Call me old-fashioned, but there is and always will be something special about visiting the makeup counter. Hopefully there will will be a Prescriptives counter soon…

Beauty Kits Worth Paying For

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Mika

The new Anastasia Bold & Beautiful kit is amazing with one book for the bold brows every girl needs and the other for neutral everyday wearing eyeshadows. The compact case allows for easy grooming on the go with mini tweezers and a mini brow pencil. For only $36.00 this kit is for sure worth it.

For only $16.00 the BH Cosmetics 120 eyeshadow palette is one to get your hands on simply because they offer a couple of varieties to choose from and the 120 color choices let you play around with different styles and looks throughout the year. It’s pretty compact and easy to store. Definitely worth the money.

Although the $64.00 price tag on Josie Maran’s complexion collection may seem like a lot, it’s definitely worth the splurge because A. they last forever and B. every product shown on it’s own costs about $40.00. It’s also great because it includes an everyday moisturizer with an SPF of 40 and a deeper Argan Oil to moisturize with while you sleep.

Fashion : Penelope Cruz for Loewe

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Mika

Photo: Loewe

Anything with Penelope Cruz is absolutely gorgeous, so when her new contract with Spanish fashion house Loewe hit the media I knew I would be swooned. The Spanish beauty told WWD, “It’s a really, really Spanish brand. It has always taken inspiration from the Spanish tradition, Spanish culture and Spanish history…I’m really proud to be working with a brand where everything’s done here and almost everybody is Spanish.”

The smoldering look and beautifully staged photography is the perfect campaign for Loewe and the three-year contract means there is more to come…

Obsessed.

Photo: Loewe

2013 Must – Skin Resolution

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Mika

Okay, so I know everyone is tired of hearing anything to do with New Years Resolutions but if there is one thing I most definitely need to promise myself this year it is to make skin care a priority. At only 24 years old I can’t help but notice the transformation my skin has been taking. Especially living on the East coast during the winter, certain steps need to be added to the usual day-to-day skin ritual. it is so important to pay attention to skin in your twenties so that regret does not follow in your thirties so I decided to make some RULES to make sure I stay on track…

Wear SPF every single day. (I have been using Neutrogena’s Healthy Defense Mousturizer and like it so far)
Take off all traces of makeup every single night! As obvious as this might sound, makeup and oil are definitely left if extra care and steps are not taken to completely remove every speck of makeup. I would recommend a waterproof eye makeup remover, makeup wipes, and face wash.
Tone, Tone, Tone. After you feel like you have stripped everything off of your face it is very important to restore your skins pH balance to reduce wrinkles and ensure your skin is being protected. I would definitely say to choose a toner based on preference (whether it be alcohol-free, oil-free, etc.) and to not splurge too much.
M o i s t u r i z e. Just do it, every night and every day. I personally am obsessed with Argan Oil at night and choose one with an SPF during the day.
Become best friends with Retinol. It’s the anti-aging miracle worker. It re-energizes, prevents, and brightens–what more is there to say?
Choose Hyaluronic acid. Look for products with this ingredient to retain moisture, prevent wrinkles, and increase elasticity.
Don’t forget about your neck! Make sure to slather on moisturizer and SPF for the neck ages as much as your face.
Under-eye cream! A must-do!
Cut back on the booze. Period. Amp up the H2O. Period.
Pay attention to your hands. Make sure to leave a cuticle cream and hand lotion on your bedside table as a reminder every night!

While it is definitely a lot to keep track of, taking the extra time now every day and night will pay off in the long run. Nobody wants to age so it is crucial to pay attention now before it is too late. Also, while this might also make a dent in your wallet, a lot of stores and boutiques have samples of the pricier skin products they carry. I would recommend to play around with several until you find the perfect matches for your new routine!

Let the pampering begin…

image source

Nail Trend: Leather Nails vs. Louboutin Nails

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Mika

If there is one thing to mention about beauty in 2012, it’s definitely nail art. I could seriously spend all day just looking at the infinite scroll of Pinterest’s nail tycoons. From seasons to colors, nails have taken all shapes and forms this past year. I am so happy that during this current vampy season two new trends are about to make some serious moves.

Alexa Chung took matte nail laquer to the next level by teaming up with Nails Inc. for the ultimate badass look: leather. Although it might appear to be just an ordinary matte black, she made sure to team up with experts for the realistic appearance of leather. The waiting list is rising as we all anticipate this awesome new nail lacquer to hit the stands!

Since we’re on the dark side of things, I couldn’t help but bring up the other nail trend that can’t leave my mind…Louboutin nails! A sexy approach to the average manicure, this two-toned finish gives an extra something and is easy to do at home!

I still don’t know which I like more… >:)

Trend / Color Changing Nails

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Mika

With Nail Art all the rage this year, it should come of no surprise that The Color Club would design an awesome palette for color changing nail hues. What’s pretty awesome is the color changes in the sun and returns to its original when back indoors. Activated by UV rays, these colors are definitely worth showing off this summer.

Available in August.

NEW Beauty / LUSH Emotional Brilliance

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Mika

Everything about LUSH cosmetics is simply amazing. From their philosophy to the products themselves, you can’t go wrong with choosing these rich organic products. They also just got a whole lot better by adding emotional makeup to their collection. From liquid eye liner to face powders, LUSH is putting a twist on to things by displaying a tag on the packaging to play on the wearer’s emotions–hence the name Emotional Brilliance.

The brains behind it all are co-founder Rowena Bird and strategic behavioral therapist, Lady Kennedy. The two teamed up to create a line of 30 products intended to work with the emotions and needs of the customer. For example, rather than choosing a lip color based on your outfit, the tag on the bottle would therapeutically help the customer decide which emotional state they would want.

“The color that represents your strength you wear when you want to accentuate this. The color that resonates with your subconscious need – what your subconscious desires the most – you should wear to remind yourself that you need this. And the color that represents your talent, you should wear to help achieve your subconscious need. These are not things that anyone else can predict – it’s all down to you,” explains Bird.

I am simply fascinated and truly cannot wait to try out these products.

See what your colors mean here

C o f f e e + C a t e y e

I like it fancy and a little stirred

Category Archives: Beauty