Hair Repair

Bring your hair back to life with this intensive conditioner. 

Product: Mystique Divine Nourishing Masque

Nail Polish: Essie's Play Date

I love Essie nail polish! The company makes beautiful colors, with fun names, and the polish is easy to apply if you do your nails yourself. Compared to many other nail polish brands, I find the application process easy breezy. The brush is perfectly designed to deliver the right amount of polish. Right now I'm loving the color play date. It's a lighter purple color that looks great in the summer with a tan.

Don't underestimate the power of an eyelash comb.

Depending on which type of mascara you use, a lash comb can really come in handy. Some mascara brushes separate your lashes better than others but the right lash comb will remove any clumps or awkward areas where the lashes are stuck together. After I found the Sonia Kashuk Lash and Brow Comb, I never looked back, and it's the only one I use now. At first, the comb looks intimidating with the metal separators, but trust me, it gets the job done. The first time you use it, you may be worried about poking your eye out, but don't fret. After a few uses and a steady hand, it becomes easy and fun. The comb is also great for travel because it folds away nicely. Say goodbye to spider lashes!

All eye makeup removers are not created equal.

Have you ever used an eye makeup remover that makes your eyes sting? Ouch! Many eye makeup removers simply don't get the job done, and pulling on the sensitive eye area is a definite no-no. Below are two eye makeup removers that remove the makeup without the fuss.

1. Lancome Bi-Facial Double Action Eye Makeup Remover

2. Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

Both of these products remove stubborn waterproof eye makeup effectively without any stinging sensation.

Bronzed Goddess

Bronzer gives you a healthy glow. Especially if you haven't been in the sun in awhile, applying bronzer can make you look 100 times better.

Below are my favorite bronzing products:

1. Smashbox Bronze Lights - This bronzer comes in two shades. I adore this bronzer because it is matte and doesn't have any shimmer. Apply it anywhere for a natural sun kissed look.

2. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess - This bronzer is fabulous. I use it to contour the face. Also, the brush it comes with is the perfect tool for contouring.

3. I have a Lancome bronzer in a large disc that I love, but it isn't available on the manufacturer's website anymore. Who doesn't love a huge disc of bronzer! The more the merrier!

Makeup Monday

New Lotion Obsession 

I'm always on the lookout for a quality body lotion that has the right consistency. It's often hard to find a good balance. Some lotions are too thick and sticky, while others are not hydrating enough. I recently got a massage at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club Spa and discovered a new favorite lotion. The company is called Zents, and their story is really unique. Check out the website for more information.

www.zents.com

My favorite Zents scent is pear. I love this lotion because it smells divine and has a velvety consistency. Also, the body oils are amazing and great for a massage!

Pear Shea Butter Lotion

Mascara, Mascara, Mascara!

Once you find a favorite mascara, it's hard to switch to another brand. There is a plethora of mascaras available in the beauty market that promise to lengthen, separate, and define your lashes. I'm going to share with you one of my favorite mascaras that I always end up reverting back to. Depending on what you are trying to achieve, there is a mascara out there that's perfect for you. If you want volume, I recommend Loreal Voluminous Mascara. I think this product is amazing and have been using it for years! Also, if you want lashes that are super dark and defined, I recommend the Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara. Once I tried this mascara, I realized you don't have to buy pricey department store mascaras to obtain full and beautiful lashes. After I apply this mascara, I typically use a lash comb to separate the lashes and make sure there aren't any clumps.

Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

The Perfect Pop of Color ~ Pink Blush

Pink blush makes you look happy and awake. My all time favorite pink blush is Kevyn Aucoin in Shadore. When you first see the blush it looks shockingly pink, but once applied it complements many skin tones with a beautiful soft pink glow. The Pure Powder Glow in Shadore is a cult favorite and many makeup artists love it. I recently ran out of my coveted Kevyn Aucoin blush, so I picked out a pink blush at Target to hold me over. I purchased a Sonia Kashuk powder blush in Flamingo. I was looking for a color similar to the Kevyn Aucoin blush and this product worked out pretty well. Like the Kevyn Aucoin blush it gives you a nice, pretty, pink pop of color. I apply either of these pink shades just to the apples of my cheeks. Plus, pink blush is a staple beauty product for spring and summer!

Kevyn Aucoin Pure Powder Glow in Shadore

Sonia Kashuk Beautifying Blush in Flamingo

Jacksonville, FL Hotspots

If you're ever in Jacksonville, Florida below are some locals' favorite places to try out.

 
View Jacksonville Hidden Locales in a larger map

The Gold Standard in Eyelash Curling

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Have you ever heard stories about people accidentally losing lashes because of their eyelash curler? Not with the Shu Uemura curler! This makeup tool is one of my tried and true favorites. They last forever and perfectly prep and curl you lashes for mascara application.

Curling tips:
To achieve enviable lashes that are curled to perfection, I curl the lashes at different locations. First, start at the base of the lashes. Then curl the lashes in the middle. Hold the curler down for about the same amount of time at the different locations (I usually count to three). After that apply your mascara to create perfectly curled lashes. For everyday use, it's okay to curl your lashes at one location to speed up the process. The Shu Uemura curler is a classic staple that's always in my makeup bag.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow

Urban Decay eye shadow palettes are awesome and really make your eyes pop. My favorite shades are chopper and sin. Chopper is a good shade to sweep across your eyelids if you want a shimmery bronze effect. Sin is a lighter color that's good for using on the inner corner of your eyes. It finishes any eye makeup look and makes your eyes standout and appear larger. The palettes are amazing, but if you really love a particular shade, you can purchase it separately and get a larger amount of the product. Urban decay makes fun makeup products and these palettes are no exception.  

Favorite Urban Decay shades:

Chopper: Sweep it across your lid for a beautiful bronze shimmer. Gorgeous color in the summertime!

Sin: Tried and true favorite highlighter for the inside corners of your eyes.

Smog: Great for a night out. Use this color in the crease to create a more dramatic effect. 

"Makeup Shots," © 2014 Tim Hoggarth, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Fashion Find

Check out this cute Kate Spade Handbag from Calla Lily Closet. It's currently up for auction on eBay. The handbag is specially crafted and the perfect color for any spring or summer wardrobe, plus it's a great deal! The convertible clutch or shoulder bag is very unique and an amazing fashion find. The stingray-embossed handbag was handcrafted in Italy, spun from vegetable-dyed washed leather favored for its texture and beauty. The retail price is $528!

Kate Spade Handbag by Chelsea Baker is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Drugstore Find

Sometimes it feels good to purchase an expensive lip gloss, but there's a definite thrill when you find a drugstore product that's more than half the cost! Right now I'm loving L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Le Gloss. I recommend this gloss as a fun, flirty option that won't break the bank. Check out these little lip gloss gems!

My favorite shades are Baby Blossom 151 and Watermelon crush 154. The Baby Blossom is a light pink shade. If you are going for a Brigitte Bardot look, you could do darker eye makeup and then apply this gloss over whatever light pink lipstick shade you prefer. The Watermelon crush is a brighter pink color. If you wanted to go less heavy on eye makeup, you could apply this gloss to create a more finished, fresh-faced look. These glosses aren’t shimmery/glittery, so they produce a more natural shine. Also, both colors give your lips a nice shiny, glossy appearance. You could even mix the two shades together and make a whole different color! If you were ever a fan of the Lancome Juicy Tubes or MAC Tinted Lipglass, the L’Oreal lip gloss is worth a try as a less expensive alternative. They also smell divine. 

Pore Perfection

Exfoliation is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Once the dead skin cells are removed, your skin just looks more glowing and luminous. Not to mention your makeup will go on better and look fabulous. Dry, flaky skin just isn’t a good canvas for any kind of foundation. Also, if you exfoliate on a regular basis your pores will look smaller and more refined. There are different ways to exfoliate your delicate facial tissue. For example, you can simply manually exfoliate your skin with a washcloth and face wash. This will help you out if you don’t have any special products on hand. If you need a little more help and really want to see results, there are plenty of chemical options to do the trick. I’ve tried many exfoliators and definitely have a few favorites to tell you about. When you get in your thirties many dermatologists recommend using a retinoid to improve the appearance of your skin. Essentially retinoids exfoliate and speed up cell turnover. The result is brighter looking, more supple skin. Yes please!

Exfoliating miracle workers:

• Clarisonic
• Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads
• Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

These little miracle workers will get your skin in tip-top shape. The Clarisonic is amazing. If you use it on a regular basis, you will see the difference over time.

Peter Thomas Roth is a great product. It uses glycolic acid to chemically remove those dead skin cells. It also has soothing ingredients like Aloe Vera and Green Tea. If you have any blemishes this product will help heal them after one application.

Kate Somerville also makes a great exfoliation product. It uses natural papaya, pineapple and pumpkin enzymes to get your skin glowing in no time. There’s also an ExfoliKate Gentle if your skin is very sensitive.

Both of these products are great exfoliators and the Clarisonic is a nice addition to any skin care routine. After you find an exfoliator you like, it’s important to use it at least weekly or even twice a week. You don’t want to over exfoliate your skin either. After you see how your skin reacts to the product, you will know how often you need to use it. Exfoliating really makes such a huge difference, but people often neglect this step. Either of these exfoliators will polish your skin to perfection! Hurray for exfoliators!

Pretty in Pink

Happy V-DAY from Beauty Blackout!

Essie nail polish in lovie dovie is the perfect pink color to get you in the holiday spirit!

How to Frame Your Face with Beautiful Brows

Product Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brows Wiz

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is a fantastic eyebrow pencil. I love it because you never have to sharpen it, and that makes everything easier! This mechanical pencil is one of my favorite tools to define and shape your eyebrows. In makeup terms, your eyebrows essentially frame your face. The brow wiz is the perfect tool to create naturally beautiful and perfectly arched eyebrows. The goal is to focus on the outer edges of your eyebrows after your arch and also fill in any sparse areas you see. Then use the spooley on the other end of the pencil to blend everything together and create the perfect shape.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz

You can use this product alone or in conjunction with a brow powder. For example, I use the brow wiz in ash blonde to fill in and sparse areas and accentuate the outer brow. After that I further define the brow with a light colored eye shadow. I apply the powder/eye shadow with a small angled eye brush. I use this process if I want a really finished look and perfect brows. But if you are in a rush, the pencil alone will do wonders. You can also set the brows in place with a clear/colorless eyebrow gel, but for everyday use, I don't think it's a necessity. That's all you need to create beautiful brows! Check out the video below on how to use the Anastasia Brow Wiz: 

From Anastasia Beverly Hills:
Ideal for filling in sparse brows with the ultimate natural look, Anastasia’s ultra-fine pencil tip mimics the appearance of tiny hairs. The dual-ended mechanical pencil and essential Spooley Brush make creating a fuller brow look not only easy, but convenient too. The mechanical lead saves product and never needs sharpening, and the built-in spooley brush on the opposite end brushes and blends in Brow Wiz to natural brows seamlessly. 

Available in 6 shades: 
Ash Blonde – Suggested for light to dark blonde hair.
Caramel – Suggested for light brown hair with warm undertones, auburn, and strawberry blonde hair. Great for highlights.
Medium Ash – Suggested for light to medium brown and silver hair.
Soft Brown – Suggested for medium brown hair.
Brunette – Suggested for medium brown to black hair.
Ebony – Suggested for dark brown to black hair.

Create the Perfect Canvas ~ Foundation Favorites

The ultimate goal of any foundation is to achieve flawless coverage. Beauty gurus and aficionados apply foundation so it is not extremely noticeable. Therefore, getting a color match close to your skin tone is important. Skilled makeup artists can apply makeup so it looks like you aren't wearing any. Your skin just looks perfectly airbrushed. Voilá!

Right now, my two favorite foundations that I've been using are Chanel Vitalumière Aqua fresh and hydrating cream compact and Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H. 

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H

I apply the Chanel foundation with a foundation brush instead of the included sponge applicator. The key is to start at the center of your face and work the foundation outward. I use the color 32 beige rosè and it really looks stunning. This foundation is fabulous but I go through it like crazy!
The Lancôme foundation is amazing too, especially if you have combination skin. The company also offers a large range of colors for many skin tones. Both foundations have SPF 15, which is an added bonus. I set both foundations with Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder in translucent. I use the Laura Mercier velour puff to apply the powder, gently pressing it into the skin. After applying the velvety powder, your foundation will be set and good to go! Below are the company product descriptions.

From Chanel: This water-based formula blends effortlessly and offers the lightness and radiance of a fluid with the ease and convenience of a compact format. The complexion is immediately hydrated and smoothed, with a look of natural, flawless radiance and a comfortable feel that lasts all day.

From Lancôme: The full coverage you need – flaws, pores, redness and all imperfections visibly disappear. The velvety finish you love for 24-hour lasting perfection and comfort. Full coverage. Velvety matte finish with no powdery effect.

To tan, or not to tan? That is the question.

Self tanning is an essential part of my beauty routine especially during the winter months. Sometimes your skin just needs a little pick me up. Many self tanners are not the right consistency, or worse make you look orange! Oompa Loompa! Who wants that? With the right product, you will look glowing and fabulous. 

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel is my "go to" tanner because it requires very little dry time and gives you a natural sun kissed look. 

You can apply it, get ready, and go on with your day. The consistency is very viscous, so you really can feel where you are applying it. To get a deeper bronze, you will have to apply it several nights in a row, but one application will give you some color. This self tanner is always in my makeup bag. Sometimes I apply it just to the face and decolletage if your skin is looking a little pale. Also, it acts almost like a primer and provides a canvas for your foundation. Love it!

Recently, I have been trying to go more au naturel, so I started using Tarte's Brazilliance. It is a great self tanner as well, but the application isn't as seamless. Basically, it just takes a little more time for the application process. After you apply it, you will see a gorgeous bronze glow immediately. If you apply this self tanner the night before, you will be a bronze goddess in the morning. Below is a video on how to apply the Brazilliance self tanner: