Thursday, January 27, 2011

Too Cute Or Too Scary: Walmart Offers Tween Makeup Line


Is it okay for tweens to wear makeup?!

Remember now, a tween is between the ages of 8 and 12. And giant retailer Walmart has just launched GeoGirl makeup, a 69-piece makeup collection, including products for face, lips, cheeks and eyes, also skin and body care, in the $3.98-$5.98 range. The tween line should be available in all Walmart stores on February 25th.

According to GeoGirl, the makeup is colorful but goes on very sheer, and it's formulated with natural, healthy green tea and pomegranate, for instance. Oh yeah, chock-full of anti-aging ingredients for the young ones. As we like to say, "It's never too late to begin taking care of your skin."

More good news about GeoGirl--- the packaging is eco-friendly, too, with all of it being recyclable. Carmen Bauza, Walmart Stores Inc.’s vice president and divisional merchandise manager of beauty and personal care explains it like this:

"GeoGirl is about teaching this generation about beauty care in a responsible way. This [line] is a great learning experience for us to determine how to communicate with this generation."

By the way, the GeoGirl line will replace the space vacated by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen cosmetics in Walmart.

Well, we don't have a daughter, but we first started applying too bright blue eyshadow when we were 13 and attending junior high school. We then added some black mascara and thought we were pretty cool. Our parents cringed every time we walked out the door, but we were not reprimanded. Other 13-year-old girls were wearing makeup, too.

We think it's okay to introduce another tween makeup collection to the young masses, and we might just sneak a little GeoGirl in our makeup bag one of these days.

If you're a concerned parent, check out GeoGirl here.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Chanel's Latest Mani In Black Pearl Polish Sold Out


If you're looking for Chanel's newest, sold-out nail color, you are not alone.

Le Vernis Nail Colour in Black Pearl #513 is one hot trend in a bottle for Spring 2011. Sure, there have been comparisons to Chanel's $23 bottle of lovely, iridescent greenish silver hue. But after seeing it in person, nothing can compare.

And now we know why Ashlee Simpson just had to get her hands on some Chanel Black Pearl pronto! Oh, yeah, the edgier Simpson sister has already been showing off her hands, and we are 'green' with envy. Don't worry--- if you can't hunt down this latest Chanel nail polish at your fave beauty counter, you can find some here on Ebay for a few more dollars, more like $40 a bottle.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Dab On One Of These Oils For Thicker Stronger Lashes




Thicker, stronger and of course, longer lashes.

We all desire perfect eyelashes. And when we see celebrities like the Kardashian sisters, Angelina Jolie, and Oprah and many others batting super long eye-fringe, well, we want some, too!

Maybe you're all thumbs when it comes to putting on the faux lashes, And maybe you just don't have a professional makeup artist on call like famous folks do.

And let's say, that prescription lash grower, Latisse, is not in your budget at $130.

Try one of these two healthy oils---Olive or Castor.

Thing of them as lash conditioners. All you have to do is take a cotton swab and sweep some olive oil or castor oil on clean lashes before going to bed. And simply wash off in the morning.

Both oils have hydrating polyphenols that prevent lash breakage. And with some patience, over time, your lashes will become thicker and stronger.

We can't promise you longer lashes, because we are not sure, however, the way we look at it, if your lashes are healthy and strong, they will grow at their optimum best and will resist brittleness.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Don't Give Up On That Beauty Product Yet: 2-3 Months To See Results


You keep looking in the mirror, waiting for that wrinkle cream, acne treatment, firming serum and any other beauty product, to show results.

Frustrating when the beauty items you bought don't seem to be working.

We have a friend who was getting a big pimple on her chin. She begged us for a quick solution. We offered her a new acne treatment we had done research on, and she immediately grabbed the little tube out of our hand.

One day later, she complained to us, that this pimple potion was a piece of junk. Her pimple was still there. Why didn't it work, she asked.

My, my, we laughed. Give the stuff some time to work. And that is the point of our BeautyTipToday:

We're all anxious for the quick fix. We want results ASAP, or as soon as possible. That's why beauty treatments like Botox and Juvederm are so crazy popular around the globe. Poof! And wrinkles are flattened and smoothed away.

Make certain that you are applying the product exactly as the directions tell you to use the treatment. If it is used primarily for nighttime, as you sleep, then, that is the time to use the product.

And be certain your beauty treatment has been researched through clinical studies, and has some solid science behind it. In other words, do your homework.What if we suggested to patiently wait for your beauty treatment to work. At least a few months. That's what the professionals tell us. Beauty treatments take time to work.

Dr. German Todorov, an expert researcher in anti-aging science wrote this article: "What To Do If Nothing Seems To Improve Your Wrinkles:"

"Another potential pitfall is a lack of patience. Skin changes do not happen rapidly. Keratinocytes, the cells of the epidermis, the skin's outer layer, are replaced about every four weeks. Changes in the dermis, the deeper layer where wrinkles originate, usually take longer. Even under the best of circumstances (i.e. proven treatment and responsive patient), changes are usually barely noticeable after one month. Most experts feel that 2-3 month is a reasonable trial period for anti-aging/anti-wrinkle products.
Keep in mind that slow and gradual changes are hard to notice. Sometimes, a person may think that a product is not working even when it does. Unfortunately, objective measurements of treatment effects are hard to perform without a research lab. Some people resort to split face testing but that may be impractical over a span of 2-3 month.
Another alternative is to take before and after photos. However, such photos are useful only if taken in reproducible, well-controlled lighting and camera conditions. This is doable but requires a substantial degree of diligence."

Sunday, January 23, 2011

BeautyTipToday's Favorite Bizarre Beauty Remedies That Really Work


When it comes to skin, makeup, hair, and all-around beauty, women will spend big bucks to be pretty. But sometimes, these beauty products fall short when it comes to results like---clear skin, weight loss, long lashes, healthy bodies,, etc.

Here are some of BeautyTipToday's Favorite Bizarre Beauty Remedies That Really Work"

1. Stop acne, when nothing else seems to zap your zits?! Try dabbing on a little Milk of Magnesia, as a topical acne treatment.

"A letter in the Archives of Dermatology (January 1975) suggested that topical application of milk of magnesia nightly could help reduce redness and inflammation associated with acne. Other readers also have shared their success with this remedy."

2. Lose weight the healthy way with the Morning Banana Diet. It began in Japan, and soon everyone seemed to be on the plan.

"The Morning Banana Diet consists of one or more bananas with room-temperature water for breakfast; an optional snack at 3 p.m.; and anything you want for lunch and dinner. The catch: You can't eat desserts after meals, dinner has to be consumed by 8 p.m. , and you have to go to bed by midnight."

Bananas are rich in potassium and a yummy 100 Calorie treat. Packed with fiber, iron, and protein, Vitamins B6 and C, bananas also stop your craving for sugar. And the fruit is high in minerals that reduce cholesterol.

3. Wash out brassy over-processed hair with this childhood fave:
All you need is one packet of Grape Kool-Aid Powder:

1. Wash hair with a mixture of the Grape Kool-Aid powder (just a pinch) and 4 Tablespoons of your regular shampoo. Rinse. Style as you always do
2. The purple blue cancels out the brassy gold orange over-processed shades because it is on the opposite side of the color spectrum.


4. Plump up lips the natural way, with a $5 bottle of peppermint or cinnamon leaf oil.

Dermatologist David Bank of Mount Kisco, NY

, advises women to "dab your pout with peppermint oil" for a natural way to plump lips.

But we would like to exercise some caution here. First, make sure you are not allergic to peppermint or cinnamon to begin with. And secondly, a tiny amount goes a long-ggggg way.

And be prepared for the burn!! We advise you to add the peppermint oil or cinnamon leaf oil to your favorite lip gloss or lip balm. Do not add the oil directly to your naked lips, or you will feel the pain.

5. Keep breasts healthy with the mushroom connection. Strange but true:

Eating just one white button mushroom daily, can lower your risk of developing breast tumors by a huge 64%. That's according to a new study in the International Journal of Cancer.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Are You Cotton Swab Q-Tip Obsessed When It Comes To Beauty?





Cotton swab. Q-Tip obsessed.

Yes, we are hooked, and can't get off the Q-Tip beauty train. We go through tons of cotton swabs weekly, and we'd be ashamed if the trash collector ever saw how many swabs we have disposed of.

So, what are we doing with all those hundreds of cotton swabs?

Lots of things. And find us one professional makeup artist who travels without a few Q-tips, and we would be amazed.

If you put on makeup, then you probably use them. Most women use cotton swabs for eye makeup help. For instance......a moistened Q-Tip can help extend your eyeline pencil stroke into a sexy cat eye wing. You can also remove eye makeup with a few cotton swabs dipped in baby oil or makeup remover lotion. And you can remove the gunk that sometimes builds up in the inner corner of your eyes with a Q-tip stick. You can sweep your eye shadow beautifully with a swab, and remove smudges that come from mascara mishaps.

We have used them to remove hair color during the dye process when a little runs on to our skin. We've also taken a few swabs dipped in acne cream to dab on our break-outs. Q-Tips also take off excess eyebrow powder without messing up the arch you've created. We've often dunked a swab in lemon juice and applied to our decollete freckles. And the list goes on and on.

For us, the cotton swab is a humble, but wonderful beauty invention. And oh yeah, you can even use a Q-Tip to poke around in your ear, although that isn't recommended any longer. Just be gentle, and don't get too busy in the ear canal.

Cotton swabs. Q-Tip brands. Even dollar store swabs. They all work wonders in the line of beauty.

In fact, we need to stock up on more ASAP!

Friday, January 21, 2011

How To Get That Smooth Airbrushed Look From Mineral Foundation

Foundation. We all need some coverage, even those with almost flawless skin.

But then again, the complaints we hear about wearing foundation-----feels like a mask.....doesn't last......too drying.......too oily......can't match the shade properly to skin tone, and so forth.

Then there's mineral foundation. And if you get this one right, your complexion can look red carpet ready. Smooth and airbrushed.

But not all mineral foundations are alike. Sure, the powder-y texture is wonderful, in that it is long-lasting and all-natural. Both high points. But some mineral foundations can produce a few problems. The application can be messy. And the results can look cakey, and yes, even heavy.

We'll admit, we have been a longtime liquid foundation user. It's easy to put on. Not always easy to get the perfect skin tone match, but still, the coverage is great, and it hides our imperfections.

However, we do want to try this one by Lancome. It's been out for a while, and still getting high marks from beauty editors. Allure magazine named Lancome Oscillation Power Foundation with SPF21 ($48, find dept. stores like Nordstroms), as one of its Best of Beauty 2010 products.

You can achieve that flawless no-makeup look by just turning on the button. Just dip the sponge into the mineral powder, press the handle's ON button, and experience a unique makeup session. The sponge tip vibrates 7,000 times per minute. How cool is that?!

Then simply rub the sponge applicator across the skin, as it massages the powder in smoothly and evenly. No clumpiness. The oscillating sponge helps break down the mineral powder into even the very finest particles. This motion allows the foundation to fill in fine lines and give that airbrushed look. The pros say that a regular brush cannot equal the more uniform finish that the Lancome vibrating applicator achieves.

Sure, it's a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way, and the Lancome Oscillation Power Foundation seems to do all the heavy lifting, so to speak. If you're all thumbs and really want that pretty no-makeup look without the mask feeling of a liquid foundation, then this one looks like a great bet.