Turbolash Won't Stop Buzzing Around Your Brain?

Hey gals!

If you read my post about vibrating mascaras and decided you wanted to take the $32 plunge and try out Estee Lauder's TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara, then I've got a little good news for you! Estee Lauder is offering FREE shipping on that product (along with a few other products that were selected as "Editor's Picks" by the beauty editors at Cosmopolitan Magazine!) Just enter the offer code "COSMO" at checkout.

http://www.esteelauder.com/promotions/cosmopicks.tmpl?cm_mmc=email-_-July-_-07_28Cosmos_Editors_Picks_NoMobile-_-picks2

Happy Shopping!

All that Glitters isn't Always Gold!

Hello there, beauties! Me again; here to set the record straight on all things glimmery, glittery, shimmery and sparkly.

It’s almost August, which, if you’re on this side of the equator means soaring temperatures and flaunting some flesh. And while I’m sure at this point you’re no longer pasty, there’s nothing more eye-catching than skin that “glows.” Still, knowing how to achieve beautiful, J.Lo-like luminescence can be a bit of a challenge; search for “glow” on Sephora.com and you’ll find 238 product results, all promising to make you look fresh-faced, dewy, youthful and lit-from within! So what’s a gal who loves gorgeousness to do!? Following, my lovelies, are a few tried-and true glow-getters to enhance your natural radiance, along with some words of warning…

Dewy vs. Discoball

What we want: A dewy radiance like a Hollywood starlet.

What we definitely don’t want: A slick, Shaquille O’Neal-at-the-foul- line, shine

How to get it:

Highlight skin with a subtle (keyword there, gals, SUBTLE) shimmery bronzer or blush- you might want to try Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick Bronzing Compact ($38) or, for a more affordable version that’s just as fabulous, try CVS’s 24.7 Skin Care Mineral Anti-Aging Highlighting Bronzer Palette ($16.99)

Avoid heavy foundations on hot/humid days- you’ll just end up looking like a hot mess. Use an oil-free concealer on discolorations (feel free to use an oil-based concealer under your eyes, where your skin has no oil-glands).

Shimmery vs. Stripper(y)

Okay, so our faces are perfectly dewy and fresh- now let’s get those lovely legs, arms and décolleté looking like you’ve been summering on the yacht with Beyonce and Jay-Z.

What we want: Skin that catches the light and looks lit-from-within.

What we don’t want: The kind of glittery sparkle that pairs well with clear high heels and a stage name like Bambi Cinnamon.

How to get it: First, use your favorite sunless tanner to give your skin a more golden tone. Then, try a product that imparts an instant shimmer or tint- my fave is Michael Kors Leg Shine. It’s amazing- I use it on my arms, legs, shoulders and collar bone. It smells fabulously alluring (scented with “Michael” fragrance) and imparts a perfect, golden radiance on your skin. It makes your legs look longer, your arms look slimmer and your skin look perfectly gorgeous! It comes in three shades, so go to Sephora and try them out to see which you like best. It’s $32 but trust me, this baby lasts and lasts!

To keep the glow going- I love Olay Body Wash plus Tone Enriching Ribbons in the shower. It smells delicious, leaves your skin incredibly soft, and contains a ribbon of mineral shimmer to give skin a subtle radiance. At first, you may wonder where the shimmer is (it’s VERY understated after just one or two uses), but use it for a week and go out in the sun and you’ll notice a stunning, subtle shimmer reflecting light from your skin! GORGEOUS and only $5 at drugstores!

Remember gals, when it comes to shimmer, just keep it under control. Save the glitter for middle-school dances and pimps-and-ho’s themed parties. Now, start peeling off layers and revealing gorgeous, glowing skin! And feel free to swing those layers around your head and toss them into the closet a lá Bambi Cinnamon…if you’re into that sort of thing. I don’t judge ;)

Good Vibrations!

Hey girls, gather round. Yes, you too- don’t be shy. Today's chat is concerning something you’re probably curious about. Maybe your friend has tried one and told you about it, or maybe you’ve tried one yourself – you know what I’m referring to: Those shiny, hand-held, vibrating devices that many forward thinking gals already have in their boudoirs…

Woah, hey there reader, get your mind out of the gutter- this is a family blog! I’m talking about the slew of vibrating mascaras that have hit the market in the last year! My goodness, you are feisty ones, aren’t you!

Brands from the department stores to the drugstores have enticed us with these new lash enhancers that supposedly will “change the way we apply mascara,” but are these little gadgets worth they hype (and the extra bucks)? Or are they just a passing trend like snap bracelets or Topsytail (you know you wanted one).

The first vibrating mascara to tickle my lash fancy was Estee Lauder’s Turbolash All Effects Motion Mascara. This was by far my fave- the wand is lush and magical, leaving lashes long, full and clump-free; even when you swipe it on again and AGAIN and AGAIN! It’s pricey at $32 but I can totally see it being worth the splurge. A true pleasure-giving device. I give it five “G’s” for being STOPS TRAFFIC GORGEOUS.

The next buzzing beautifier I tried was the Lancôme Oscillation Power Mascara. This one just didn’t do it for me, if you know what I mean. The problem wasn’t the mascara’s formula, but the wand.

It left my lashes clumped together all over the place a la Tammy Faye Baker – it totally worked for her, but it’s so not cute on me. I’d rather spend those $34 on booze and a NYC Firefighter Hunks Calendar. Everyone’s more gorgeous after a couple of dirty martinis and some eye candy. Lancôme Oscillation Power Mascara gets two G’s – Kinda Gorgeous.

Last but not least, for a cheap thrill, try Maybelline’s Pulse Perfection by Define-A-Lash. If you get your kicks from

Maybelline’s Define-A-Lash mascaras, then give this baby a go. It’s built just like the Lancôme version, for less than half the price- so you can vibrate all the way to the bank. My only qualm- the vibrating button is a little tough to press, which- if you ask me – sort of negates the purpose of these mechanical mascaras – if we wanted to work, we could get the job done manually, these are supposed to make it easy to reach peak eyelash performance!

I give it three G’s – Head-turning Gorgeous.

Pick your pleasure, gals!

Goodbye to the “City that Never Sleeps;” Hello to the city where Clay Aiken sleeps (oh yes, he’s one of Durham’s most famous residents)

Hi there you beautiful things, you. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve recently left my home in Manhattan to spend two years in Durham, North Carolina – a lovely place, really – but quite a change (as you can imagine). As a former employee of the bustling New York beauty industry, I decided to start this delicious little beauty blog to help me obtain my daily fix of beauty chat in a world where, frankly, my peers just aren’t bursting with a love for all things beautiriffic.

You and me, my fellow beautifiles, are about to embark on an extended conversation about all things gorgeous! Shall we, darlings?