Makeup and Beauty Blog: Makeup Reviews, Beauty Tips and Drugstore Beauty Finds

Girfriend, I’m busy frolicking today, but you know I couldn’t leave you hangin’! Pastels aren’t usually my style, but today the makeup gods chose to bestow enough courage upon me to attempt this pink and blue eye, inspired by Shiseido’s spring makeup look.

Here’s the Shiseido version:

And here’s my attempt:

Excuse the big hair. It’s looking very ’80s Jersey shore, I know, but when I wear it wavy it has a mind of its own!

To get this look I used…

Lid and crease
- MAC Rollicking Paint Pot
- MAC Parrot eyeshadow

Brow bone and in the crease
- MAC Girl Friendly Paint Pot
- MAC Frisco eyeshadow
- MAC Fafi Quad 1 - Pink Venus eyeshadow

Continue Reading…

I’ve still got the fever!

Pink fever continues with Three Custom Color Specialists Dahlia Gloss. How do I love this blue based hot pink gloss?? Let me count the ways.

Color: Blue based tones work well with my coloring, and I love this pink’s vivid brightness. The glitter-free shade is highly pigmented and looks very, very, very pink on my lips… and I like it! It’s definitely not for the pink shy.

Product: Three Custom Color Specialists Dahlia Gloss
Price: $18.50
Use: As a lipgloss
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Shine: Typically, lipgloss formulas radiate a high shine when applied. Unlike MAC Lipglass’ high shine formulas, Three Custom Color Specialists Gloss has a subdued shine that’s less reflective than usual for a lipgloss, resulting in a finish more like a lipstick than a gloss.

I like its subtle shine because of how suitable it is for day wear. And if I want a sassier look for evenings out, I’ll just add a layer of MAC Clear Lipglass and then bam! Ready for a night out at the club with the girls.

Texture: As much as I loves me some gloss, I can’t stand it when my hair sticks to my lips. That doesn’t happen with Dahlia. It’s nonstick, light and long-lasting.

I’m really impressed with this gloss and intend to snag a few more shades. The Three Custom Color Specialists Web site breaks down the gloss colors into three families — warm, cool and neutral — to help you find the right shade. You can purchase your gloss online or from a store near you .

Ya’ll gotta bear with me as I work through this pink lip phase… Maybe one of these days I’ll be healed!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Parking spots are hard to come by in San Francisco, so I maintain a list with a few choice parking garages in my favorite neighborhoods. When I went dancing last week, I parked in my favorite Chinatown parking garage, which is not only open 24 hours/day, but it’s also just across the street from a police station (safe). That, and there are fortunes painted in each stall, which I think is a nice touch. Here was mine:

Last night I got about two seconds of sleep and woke up this morning feeling super cranky. I needed something to snap me out of my funk, so I tried to think positively (so corny, I know, but it works). I thought about my parking garage fortune and wrote this little list. Slowly, but surely, the fog of grumpiness lifted…

9 Reasons Why I’m Happy Today

1. It’s sunny outside and warm enough to wear sandals.
2. The first song I heard today was Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order. It always puts a smile on my face.
3. I get to work on a really fun writing project later today in which I can write about makeup.
4. The cherry trees are blossoming on my street, blanketing the pavement with pretty pink petals.
5. MAC Girl Friendly Paint Pot!
6. Having El Hub, who woke up with me at 2:30AM and got out of bed to pour me a glass of water and rub my hair until I fell asleep.
7. Coffee.
8. Bookstore runs — I’m going after work to treat myself to a new book (I just finished and recommend Pretties by Scott Westerfeld).
9. My Shu Uemura at-home manicure still remains relatively chip free.

Now how about you? What happiness can you share with others today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Just in case it makes you happy, too…

The list of beauty products containing either (or both) alpha or hydroxy acids (AHAs or BHAs) is longer than Flavor Flav’s quest for true love on reality television. (Sidenote: Seriously, when is it gonna end? I don’t think I could deal with a Flavor of Love 4.) I know I can’t be the only girl who’s stood in the skin care aisle scratching her head, wondering which hydroxy acid-containing product to snag. Their names may sound alike, but these two compounds work in different ways.

So, what’s the big difference between the two? Two words: lipid solubility, aka a substance’s ability to dissolve in oil. AHAs are water soluble, meaning they’re able to dissolve in water. BHAs, on the other hand, are lipid soluble, meaning they’re able to fully dissolve in oil (or fat). This distinction makes BHAs better at penetrating pores, pores chock full of oh-so-delicious oily sebum (ew!).

Do you have oily skin? Frequent blackheads or whiteheads? If so, take a look at products containing BHA. But if breakouts aren’t your big skin problem, and you’re looking for help dealing with sun damage, consider AHAs instead.

Got black heads and white heads? Try BHA products like…

1. Stridex Triple Action Acne Pads with Salicylic Acid (about $6)
2. Stridex Essential Care Triple Action Acne Pads with Salicylic Acid, Regular Strength ($4)
3. Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing Daily Cleansing Pads ($5.29)
4. L’Oreal Pure Zone Tightening Astringent ($6.59)
5. Biore Triple Action Astringent ($7)
6. Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($11)
7. DHC Salicylic Acne Toner ($14)
8. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment ($7)
9. Paula’s Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel ($17.95)
10. DHC Salicylic Face milk ($19)

Got thickened, sun damaged skin without breakouts? Consider AHA products like…

1. Alpha Hydrox Oil-Free Formula ($10.99)
2. Gly Derm Lotion Plus with Glycolic Acid ($24)
3. Aqua Glycolic Toner ($11.69)
4. Kiss My Face Peaches & Creme Moisturizer with 8% Alpha Hydroxy Acids ($6.44)

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion Night ($9.44)

5. Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Ageless Firming Night Cream ($19.99)
   
6. M.D. Forte Facial Lotion I ($45)
7. Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Hydrating Gel ($48)
8. DDF Glycolic 10% Exfoliating Moisturizer ($46)
9. DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex ($32)
10. N. V. Perricone Advanced Face Firming Activator ($120)

How AHAs work

Both BHAs and AHAs make excellent exfoliants (removing dead skin cells), but AHAs work by reacting with the upper layer of the epidermis, weakening the binding properties of the lipids that hold dead skin cells together. This allows the outer skin to “dissolve,” revealing the underlying skin. Exfoliants jump-start the production of new skin cells, and we like new skin cells. AHAs are also believed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, roughness and blotchy pigmentation, and may even stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.

As a general rule of thumb for AHA products, look for ones with alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) listed as the second or third product on the ingredient list. That way, the product is a little more likely to contain the recommended concentration of 5-8 percent AHA and a pH (acidity) of 3-4. To work their magic, AHAs must be absorbed into the skin, so you can probably skip cleansers containing AHAs that will be washed off or rinsed away before this absorption can occur.

There are several different kinds of AHAs, most derived from fruit and milk sugars. Five major types with common natural sources are…

1. glycolic acid - sugar cane
2. lactic acid - milk
3. malic acid - apples and pears
4. citric acid - oranges and lemons
5. tartaric acid - grapes

Glycolic acid and lactic acid penetrate skin a little better than the other varieties, so you’ll see these AHAs in products more often than you’ll see the others.

Unfortunately, AHAs have side effects (boo!), with the worst ones being skin irritation and increased sun sensitivity. Darker skinned folks may also experience a higher risk of scarring pigment changes.

Because of this increased sun sensitivity, sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 is a must when using any AHA-containing products. Don’t be chintzy with the sunscreen, either! Experts suggest applying sunscreen liberally, every day, and using formulas with both UVA and UVB protection (look for avobenzone, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide for UVA protection).

How BHAs work

There’s really only one kind of BHA in widespread skin care use, and it’s salicylic acid. Like AHA, BHA works well as an exfoliant by penetrating deep into pores, sloughing off dead skin cells to make room for new ones. After six months of daily application, BHA is reported to decrease the appearance of wrinkles, roughness and mottled pigmentation caused by sun-damage. Dermatologists often prefer BHAs to AHAs because they’re generally less irritating.

Unlike products containing AHAs, in which you want the AHA to be listed in the top three ingredients, BHA does its best work at lower concentrations, so keep an eye out for products listing BHA (aka salicylic acid) in the middle or toward the bottom of the list of ingredients. BHA in skin care products generally works best at around 1-2 percent concentration, with a pH of 3-4.

Like AHAs, BHAs need to be absorbed into the skin to work their mojo, so skip cleansers with BHA and opt instead for toners, gels and lotions that won’t be washed off right away.

While beta hydroxy acid may be able to reverse some of the damage caused by photoaging (Eek! The sun!), it simultaneously makes skin more susceptible to photoaging. Weird, huh? In some people, this sun sensitivity can increase by as much as 50 percent.

If you’re going to use either type of hydroxy acid, be sure to wear sunscreen, and plenty of it. Don’t be shy about really laying it on, either. And don’t forget to use it on your neck!

For more information on AHAs and BHAs, visit Web MD or About.com.

How was your Monday, my friend? I was super busy at work (hence the late post), but I didn’t mind because it made the time pass. Tonight, I’m going to hip hop class to work it out. My dance teacher has us doing a routine with a lot of B-girl moves, and, um… I’m not as agile as I used to be. Now, I have to mentally prepare myself for any upcoming booty shaking, LOL. Trust me, being a 32-year-old wanna-be breakdancer is no easy task.

I hope your week is off to a faboolicious start!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen