Boscia Skin Refining Treatment

Boscia Skin Refining Treatment is a luxurious skin refiner that is guaranteed to renew the skin with a youthful appearance by minimizing  pores, fine lines and giving you a even skin tone. 

This is a treatment to be used day and night under moisturizer / makeup. 

The way it works - Amino Acids, Alanine and Glutamine create a rejuvenating effect. Mulberry extract evens out UV damaged skin by creating an even skin tone, while Lavender minimizes pores. 

I personally love this treatment, because of my huge pores. I use it under my moisturizer and it creates a flawless palette so I can apply makeup. I can't live without this!! 

What puts the cherry on top of this treatment? 

It contains NO:

*Parabens

*Sulfates

*Synthetic Fragrances

*Synthetic Dyes

*Petro-Chemicals

*Phthalates

You can find this product at: 

www.boscia.com

www.sephora.com

Shadow Insurance

I have been working on an art exhibit, and was inspired by "Dia de los Muertos". 

My cousin, Sheena and I, got together to accomplish this look and I didn't exactly have all the makeup needed for the look. Hence, the white cream!!!! 

I had to think fast and use what I had, so I mixed together Too Faced Shadow Insurance with white eyeshadow and mixed it until the powder became a cream, and applied it with a foundation brush. 

I was blown away by the results because it came out so creamy, and it stayed on!! Sheena could literally not take it off. 

All in all, I personally think that Shadow Insurance is the best!!! I love the packaging because it comes in a tube so you can squeeze every last drop out of it, and I like that I can use it to keep powder shadow on, turn powder shadow into a cream, and use it to keep eyebrow pencil or powder on! 

You can find this product at:

Sephora.com

Gia Urena

I'm really digging the "Mod" look and I worked with my gorgeous friend Gia and did a look that was inspired by Clockwork Orange. 

The inspiration was very clean and streamline, while being very geometric and feminine. 

Special thanks to Gia for being so pretty and to Sheena for being such a great photographer!!!! 

B Dust

This is a quick fix anti- frizz miracle cream! 

Created by Brandon Martinez, this is said to be "magic fairy dust" specifically for hair! When you rub this powder between your hands, it magically transforms into an ultra light pomade to control unruly fly aways and add texture to hair. 

You can find this at:

BTheProduct.com

Bizarre Beauty / Snake Venom

I have heard and seen of some pretty interesting beauty regimens, but this one was pretty cool and bizarre all at the same time! 

Sonya Dakar's UltraLuxe - 9 Age Control Complex uses a synthetic version of snake venom to diminish the fine lines and pronounced wrinkles, while keeping your skin smooth and hydrated. 

The way it works - snake venom is a complex concoction of proteins, peptides, toxins and enzymes. In the UltraLuxe - 9 Age Control Complex, the peptides mimic only the component of the venom that relaxes face muscles and keeps it from contracting, sort of what snake venom does to its prey - paralyzes it. Don't worry there are no toxins included, just all the good stuff.

You can find this product at:

Sonya Dakar

Beauty and the Priests

I am now freelancing for Fresh, and when I was being trained on the products, I was blown away when I learned about Fresh's Creme Ancienne. 

It is a super rich age delay cream, that reduces the depth and length of wrinkles, increases the skin's elasticity and provides hours of hydration.

The recipe for this creme is literally the first form of written skin care that we know of, and dates all the way back to the second century.

 The creme was invented by a Greek physician Claudius Galen, who back then was a sports doctor at the Roman school for gladiators. He would use a mixture of rose water, almond oil and beeswax and use as a balm for burns and wounds. 

Now, 2000 years later, Fresh has re-re created the cream adding a few more ingredients such as :

-Meadowfoam seed oil which improves overall elasticity

- Vitamin E which will protect your skin from free radicals 

- Rosewater that will calm redness or inflammation

-Chamomile will banish dry spots and soften the skin

Now, what really puts the cherry on top is that this cream is hand made by monks in a monastery two hours outside of Prague!! Thats right, these monks pray for eight hours of the day and then the rest of the day they spend making this cream! Holy cream! 

To read more check out this article:

Elle's Article on Creme Ancienne

To get this cream, you can go to:

Fresh

Sephora

Sephora by OPI "Mermaid in the Shade" Collection

Sephora just came out with this awesome new collection of blues. They look just as good as they do in the bottle plus they are chip resistant!

Make Your Own Body Scrub!

I have done this so many times, and it really does work as well as the scrub you buy in the stores! 

This is perfect for weekly exfoliation or before you apply your sunless tanner.

Ingredients: 

-1 Box of Rock Salt

-1 Cup of Olive Oil

-5 drops of any essential oils of your choice. ( I personally love lavender )

Just mix all of the ingredients together in a container, and keep in your shower and use once a week! 

Sue Devitt's Microquatic Blush

After trying the Microquatic Finish Mist, I was itching to try more of the Microquatic Line and in doing so, I came across a blush that I fell in love with! 

Sue Devitt's Microquatic Blush in "Malay Reef" is a gorgeous coral tone for the summer. It glides on the face as a gel but dries to a long lasting powder. This blush is guaranteed to last through any summer fun! I know this product is amazing from my experience with it, and I was reading allure yesterday and saw it in the Editors' favorites! 

This is a must have item for your summer beauty bag

It can be purchased at:

Ulta.com

Beauty.com

Sue Devitt's Microquatic Finishing Mist

This finishing mist will give you all the amazing benefits of anti aging regardless of what you put on your face!! 

I purchased this finishing mist and let me tell you, it moisturizes my skin and gives me the appearance of a  "dewey look". 

You can literally use anything or nothing, and this finishing mist will offer you amazing benefits! It is loaded with ceramide 2, MDI complex, and it has light reflectors in it to brighten you up anytime of day or night! 

I was blown away by this product and the results it offers! 

You can purchase this at:

Ulta.com

Cover FX 170 Brush

A necessary staple brush in any artist's kit, the Cover FX #170 Precision Foundation brush is perfect for concealing tight corners such as around the nose and the inner eye. 

I used this brush the other day to cover a rather large tattoo and I dipped it in liquid and stippled it on the skin and it gave such coverage the first time around! 

P.S. I will be posting the video tutorial on how to cover tattoos with Cover FX!  

You can find this product at:

Sephora.com

Nordstrom.com

Cover FX Clear Prep

Guaranteed to keep your makeup on all day, keep the oil at bay and make your skin look flawless!!!! 

Paraben, Fragrance and Cruelty free - this product have 0.5% Salicylic Acid which will heal any existing blemishes and keep any from appearing.  

Must have! 

You can find this product at:

Sephora.com

Nordstrom.com

Case Study: Roots

Come check out our opening on june 5th at the east side community center (in the ironbound section of newark). there will be music, art, and a movie screening all by local artists :)

wine and snacks will be provided by mompou!

art will be sold throughout the run of the show. donations will be collected at the door to benefit the production of case study literary magazine.

can't wait to see everyone!!!

Miracle Esthetician!!!!

So I rarely have the time to get facials or any treatments for my skin, but I had this killer pimple that would not go away for anything, until Amanda Gordon came along that is!  

I met Amanda when I was at the Ulta in Edgewater and she did an electric wave treatment that literally banished my pimple that very same day!!!!!  

Amanda Gordon, in my opinion is a super talented, educated, dedicated and phenomenal esthetician! On top of doing great treatments and facials she gives awesome advice and can recommend a skin care regimen for any concern! She makes you feel comfortable and so good about yourself!

I think everyone's face should be touched by Amanda! 

You can make appointments for Amanda Gordon at:

Ulta 

City Place at the Promenade

82 The Promenade 

Edgewater, NJ 07020

(201) 313-0049

Tuesday 11-7

Wednesday 11-7

Friday 11-7

Saturday 11-7

NYX 50% OFF!!

This is amazing news! 

In honor of NYX's 10th Anniversary they are having a blow out sale. 

Everyone must take advantage of this

The Most Amazing Lotion!

I almost had a heart attack when I saw this at Sephora. 

First off let me start off by saying that I am in love with Urban Decay's "Midnight Cowboy" eyeshadow and lipstick and now they have a body lotion!!!! 

I wore it today and I had a skirt and tank top on and it looked so pretty on the arms and the decleotage. 

I went home and kept experimenting with it, and it actually makes stretch marks look like their not even there and it makes your skin look luminized and even. 

This is a summer must have!! 

It sells for $28.00, and you can find it at:

www.sephora.com

www.urbandecay.com

Nars just came out with this HOT new Summer 2009 Collection, and the colors are gorgeous! 

The tones are this beautiful pacific blue with glitter, and all golds! 

I am going to be doing a video using this new collection in the near future! 

You guys can find this at:

NarsCosmetics.com 

Sephora.com 

Sun Safety Kit

May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so in honor of that, I am posting this awesome Sun Safety Kit from Sephora.

I came across this kit, when I was doing some research for this blog and not only is the set awesome, but the value is sick, and 100% of the proceeds goes to  Skin Cancer Foundation!

The set sells for $22.50 and is valued at $110.00! 

Sun exposure is the main cause of wrinkles and sun damage. With the products in this kit, you are sure to avoid all of those nasty side effects and be able to enjoy the outdoors. 

Here are a list of products that come in the kit:

- 0.14 oz Murad Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15
- 0.23 oz DDF Protect and Correct UV Moisturizer SPF 15
- 0.5 oz Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20
- 0.25 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Lotion SPF 30
- 1.0 oz Anthony Logistics Facial Moisturizer SPF 15
- 0.1 oz Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF 40
- 0.34 oz Korres Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30
- 0.33 oz Cosmedicine Medi-matte Oil Control Lotion SPF 20
- 0.08 oz Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55 PA+++
- 0.25 oz Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Cream SPF 15
- 0.4 oz Philosophy Hope in a Jar SPF 20
- 0.25 oz Smashbox Photo Finish UVA/UVB SPF 15
- 0.01 oz Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Well-Rested for Eyes SPF 30

To top everything off, the kit also includes a bright yellow expandable bag made from recycled plastic! 

You can only get this set at Sephora.com

 

Instant French Manicure

I just came across this awesome time saving nail tip!!!! 

If you want a french manicure in less than 60 seconds, take a white eyeliner pencil and run the pencil on the inside of your nail for a white and elegant look! 

I tried this in the car on my way to work, and yes driving ( not advisable ) but, IT WORKS! 

I just bought a cheap white eyeliner from Wet N' Wild and did it. Keeps you looking polished from the face even down to the nails!