Parker Posey for Votre Vu at Sundance

Below freezing temperatures is never good for ANYONE'S skin. We get red

around the nose, chapped lips, and our skin becomes very dehydrated. Before

starting Parker's makeup this morning I had to take my time and replenish

the skin's moisture and nourish it with products that would last her all

day.

Today I really wanted to make sure I had Parker's skin hydrated and

protected for a full day out in the elements, and fully prepared to wear

makeup for a long day of press.

I started off by toning Parkers skin with Votre Vu’s Fleur Blanc Tonic. I used a cotton

round and moistened it with tonic and wiped it across the face and neck.

This refreshing first step leaves the skin silky soft and ready for the

following Votre Vu skincare

Tout Le Monde Antioxidant Eye Gelee was applied around the eye and lightly

massaged into this sensitive area until fully absorbed. This cooling gel

hydrates and comforts the area around the eye while firming and reducing the

appearance of fine lines and creases.

Tragic Magic was key today. I applied a generous amount all over the face

and neck. The lime in the creme clams the skin and reduces redness

Once Parker's makeup was finished I lightly dusted the face with Votre Vu

Mineral Powder to set the makeup, decrease shine, and complete the look.

Lush Valentine's Day 2012

Let LUSH help you set a sexy scene for your special someone this Valentine’s Day. This year’s offerings include a solid love potion, a perfume created for a very special LUSH wedding and the return of some fan favorites. Make this Valentine’s Day one to remember with LUSH!

 

The Ex-Factor Bath Bomb ~ $4.95 3.5oz

Sweet, vanilla-scented voodoo for spurned lovers.

Leap Frog bath bomb ($4.95)

Ladies the world over will be popping the question as 2012 is a leap year, and it’s the girls’ turn to do the asking! LUSH has created the Leap Frog bath bomb, made with the sultry scent of jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang, rose and neroli, to help ladies everywhere get a ring on their men. Once he gets a whiff, he’ll have to say yes

Love Potion massage bar ($9.95)

Give your love a little rub and cast a spell with this sensual massage bar. Delicately scented with the fragrance of Love perfume this heart stopper is sure to put you, and keep you, in the mood

Sweetheart soap ($4.95 for 3.4 oz)

This sweet smelling soap is chock-full of aphrodisiacs like jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang and bergamot to help lift the spirits and give you a boost of confidence to take your relationship to the next level.

Magic Mushroom Bubble Bar ~ $5.95 3.5oz

An enchanting toadstool for strawberries and cream bubbles.

Available now at LushUSA.com!

 

YBF Lip Lights

Light is an immaterial element, and yet, it has the power to change reality. It removes shadows and creates others. Under natural light, the world seems real. But an artificial light transforms it into a universe full of mystery. Light is compressed energy, ready to express itself! Glimmer, luminescence, reflections, pearly nuances, solar and lunar colors give your lips vitality and warmth to reveal the hidden magic of the power of light

ybf lip lights are revolutionary light-refracting lip glosses that offer extreme brilliance, leaving lips beautifully radiant without the weight. ybf lip lights are different in that you receive your pick of 3 different gorgeous colors for $19.80

  ybf lip lights are on the thick side, but light in weight. The color and shine goes on thick but once it's applied the color thins out on your lips and you are left with a beautiful color. These are almost like lip sticks but without the yucky taste. And the best part? The color lasts forever! When I did my swatches for the purpose of this review I swatched a bit of each color on my palm, and afterwards I could not get the stuff off my hand! Which for me means, "Yay!" Finally a gloss that will stay on for a little more then 15 minutes. I tried out Pearl Pink,  ( a light baby pink almost a lavender)Radiant Raspberry ( a slightly darker pink, just like a raspberry!)Crystal Crimson (A darker mauve color of pink)    

 

Crystal Crimson,  Radiant Raspberry,  Pearl  Pink

The color is intense right?  If you have tried Obsessive Compulsive Lip Tars, this is a bit like those but not as drying. These won't dry out your lips like other thick glosses or your usual lipstick. I think Radiant Raspberry is my favorite! The best part about the colors is you get to pick any three out of their color selection for less then $20.

ybf Lip Lights are available for $19.80 (set of 3) online at ybf's website.

Disclosure: A press sample was sent to me for consideration from PR for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. No monetary compensation was received.

Andrea Riseborough prepped by Nick Barose for Patyka at Sundance Film Festival

Nick Barose for Patyka created the look of Andrea Riseborough for the premiere of “Shadow Dancer” at the Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance is definitely the most hectic film festival, people are usually exhausted and not getting enough sleep, I usually spend more time prepping skin than doing the actual make-up.." if you prep it right, half the work is done"

For Andrea’s red carpet look, I gently massaged Patyka’s Biokaliftin Radiant Eye Contour under the eyes. "I put a little more on than you need because skin is so thirsty in winter, it’ll drink it right up and leave perfect texture for concealer"

Some clients are oily especially on the forehead and to keep skin from being oily so they look good in photos all day, I gently apply Patyka’s Rose Face Toner, which is alcohol free, to the forehead and nose area to control the oil, but not drying you out in the cold.

 

For skin, moisturizer alone is not enough, skin needs deep hydration so I always start with Patyka’s Huile Absolue Face& Body Serum. I massage it thoroughly on the face and neck as well as the hands too.

Lorac Spring 2012 collection

Coming this Spring! Do you love? I can't wait!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contest

Anastasia Beverly Hills presents Wish You Were Here! This beach inspired kit available exclusively at Sephora features the limited edition Pacific Coast Illumin8 Shadow Palette, HydraFull Gloss in Guava, and Clear Brow Gel to give you that cool LA look, no matter where you are.

To celebrate this cool new kit, one lucky winner will receive a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles, a two-night stay at a Los Angeles hotel, a brow appointment with Anastasia, a hair and makeup makeover featuring the Wish You Were Here! kit at the Anastasia Beverly Hills Salon, and a photo shoot with the ABH team!

Here’s all you need to do…

• Take a postcard-worthy photo of yourself in front of your favorite local landmark!
• Make a new post of the picture on Facebook and tag Anastasia of Beverly Hills (www.facebook.com/AnastasiaBeauty) in the photo to enter. You need to first LIKE the page on Facebook in order to tag us.
• Or email your name, home address, and photograph to “wishyouwerehere@anastasia.net”.
• One entry per contestant only by 11:59 PM PST on February 3, 2012
• You must be a United States citizen to enter.

The Anastasia Beverly Hills team will select a winner and fly you out for a Los Angeles beauty weekend with Anastasia! See anastasia.net/wishyouwerehere for complete contest rules and details

Good luck!

Interview with Dr Singh and Teeth Whitening Tips

Do you whiten your teeth at home? Or at an office? Here are some questions answered by Dr Singh on the ups and downs of whitening your smile!

1. Can you provide some insight into the difference between at home whitening vs. whitening you receive from your dentist? Ie what sort of results would one expect from one vs the other? What are the dangers for each procedure? What should you be aware of?

In office teeth whitening is the most thorough and quick way of getting the teeth their whitest. It is also the safest from the stand point that a dentist would have first done an examination and made sure everything was fine for the whitening and if there is any recession of the gums, that area is protected from the whitening gel. The concentration of the gel used is also much more than what can be found in an over the counter product and for that reason the over the counter products cannot give the same level of results in that short period of time. So for people who either don't have the lifestyle to dedicate an hour or two a day with the trays or strips for a few days at a stretch (it has to be every day for a few days and not one day on and one day off) or dedication to stick with the regimen as directed on the product label or want instant results, then for those people in office an hour treatment is great. The dangers of in office as compared with take home are that bc of the higher concentration of the whitening gel used in the in-office as compared with the take home or over the counter, there is also the increased risk of sensitivity during the session which could linger for a few days after. The danger of the take home or over the counter whitening gels is that one can use too much and swallow the extra that leaks out of the tray or from the strips, no major harm unless its a tube full, just unpleasant tasting.

1. What are the biggest mistakes people make when whitening teeth at home?

They tend to use too much material in the tray where the extra material leaks out of the tray and they swallow it. People also tend not to pay strict attention to the directions and either don't use it for the appropriate amount of time or not regularly enough. Also people tend to continue with the habits that cause staining to develop, countering the effects of the whitening on a daily basis.

1. What the most popular at home whitening kits and why? Which do you think are the best, safest, most effective?

Crest whitestrips and rembrandt are the most popular and that is only bc of the consistant branding and marketing of the product, in my opinion, they are no more or less effective than some other commercially available products with similar concentrations and duration of use.

It's really hard for me to state one products superiority over the others because they all accomplish the same task, perhaps one sooner than the other or one less expensive than the others.