Beauty and Fashion News

30 Days to Healthy Younger Skin. On Memorial Day, it’s appropriate to remember your skin, no?
Last post, I gave you a recipe for a youth-inducing serum.
This time, we’re going to add some active ingredients to the Fountain of Youth Serum to bump up it’s healthful qualities and increase your skin’s ability to maintain its youthfulness…and maybe even take a few years off.

First, use the recommended quantities. Period.
To 1-2 tablespoons of plain vegetable glycerin, add

• pinch Ellagic Acid - antioxidant, cancer preventive, anti-inflammatory, helps improve discoloration
  
• pinch Ferulic Acid - cancer preventive, protects the skin against UVB-induced erythema, skin lightener, increases stability of vitamins C (MAP) and E
• 1/8 teaspoon of Coenzyme Q10 - topical application restores mitochondrial activity, increasing energy production plus minimizing energy needed to make new collagen; antiaging, antioxidant, stimulating active, it will push your skin into “high gear”

Mix thoroughly until all actives are dissolved. If you have difficulty dissolving, microwave for 10-15 seconds and mix, mix, mix. Set aside.

Next, to the Fountain of Youth serum, add:

• 1/8 teaspoon Alpha Lipoic Acid** - (aka ALA) essential for youthful cell function; our bodies’ own production dimishes as we age
• pinch Beta Glucan - anti-aging, cancer-preventive
• pinch Carnosine - accelerates and improves healing. Prevents wrinkles and loss of elasticity brought about by aging and exposure to sunlight, .also an antioxidant and seems to improve immune response
• 1/8 teaspoon DMAE** - antioxidant, increases firmness and overall appearance of aging skin
• pinch Green Tea ECGC - antioxidant, repair of damage done by UVA radiation, cancer preventive
  
• 1/4 teaspoon Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate - (aka MAP) the “real” ester-C, a stable and soluble form of ascorbic acid, stimulates collagen synthesis, anti-aging, anti-oxidant, anti-acne, skin brightening, decrease appearance of sun spots
• 1/8 teaspoon Niacin - relieves itching, controls sebum products, skin lightening effects
  

Last, add the glycerin-active mix to the serum. Mix thoroughly. Put the mix into a glass dropper-top bottle or other non-reactive liquid dispensing container.

Some of the actives may never dissolve completely, but they will release their active ingredients continuously. If the undissolved ‘grit’ bothers you, strain your serum using CLEAN muslin, cheese cloth, nylon or any fine-sieve strainer.

DIRECTIONS: Use this super-active serum once or twice a day, after cleansing your skin, before you apply your moisturizer and sunscreen, and after 30 days, you will see smoother, brighter, clearer, younger-looking skin.

If you experience ANY irritation…

• either your skin doesn’t like one (or more) of the ingredients–in which case you should stop using it altogether and toss it
• OR your mix is too concentrated–dilute it with some distilled water until your skin can tolerate it
• OR your skin is simply adjusting to one or more of the ingredients–use your serum only once a day when you are not using any other products and if the irritation doesn’t subside after 3-4 days, stop using it and toss it

COSTS: The active ingredients is this serum are exactly the same as those found in the most exclusive, expensive skincare products on the market today. What you’ll spend: $87.00, plus shipping. If you don’t have glycerin, you can find it at most pharmacies or grocery stores, about $6 for 4 oz.

BONUS: You’ll have LOTS of the active ingredients leftover, which you can add to most any moisturizer (NOT sunscreen, NOT already-active cream…plain Eucerin, Olay, et al are okay) to make your own super-active skincare cream–way better than the high-dollar stuff at the department stores. Whether you use your mix on your face or body–or both–is completely up to you. But keep in mind with all these actives: A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG WAY.

**Many people experience mild stinging with Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE, especially when they first start using them. However, if the stinging is intense or if you experience ANY redness and irritation, OR if the stinging occurs for more than a few days, STOP USING THIS SERUM.

NOTE: If you have rosacea or sensitive skin, or if you want to avoid the irritation issue, DO NOT USE Alpha Lipoic Acid or DMAE.

AS ALWAYS: When mixing, take extra precautions to wash your hands and be sure to use sterilized mixing, measuring, straining implements and containers.

From: http://girlpaints.blogspot.com/

Schick Quattro for Women Review. Upon unpacking and attempting to organize my linen-turned-beauty closet, I made the realization that I own not one or two, but FIVE different kinds of razors. It seems like anytime a new one comes on the market, I have an overwhelming urge to run out and try it. Because maybe having five blades instead of four will make all the difference? Or because I don’t understand the logistics behind the creation of a vibrating razor. (I still don’t.)

Anyhow, I was asked if I ‘d like to try out the Quattro from Schick. Thinking this was something new and fabulous that I had to add to my collection, I was happy to give it a try. But when I received it, I realized it wasn’t a new razor–it was in fact my good old faithful fuchsia razor. The one I always end up going back to after a few weeks with a new razor. It has a no-slip grip, 4 blades, duo conditioning strips and a pivoting head. I think I keep going back to it because really, 4 blades is enough. It’s not big and bulky. And I rarely miss spots on my kneecaps, which, as I’m sure you know, is monumentally important.

From: http://beautywriter.blogspot.com/

Bikini Zone Review. I waited until the tail end of summer to try out Bikini Zone Crème, a medicated topical treatment that claims to give guaranteed results when it comes to getting rid of bikini bumps.

To be quite honest, I’d always seen this product on the drugstore shelves but had never thought I had much of an issue with bumps, ingrown hairs or redness in that general region. Until that was, this summer. Maybe my skin is starting to get sensitive now that I’m in my pre-mid-twenties? I’ve dealt with more body breakouts, ingrown hair and hair removal irritation this summer then I’ve ever remembered having to deal with. So I decided it was time to give this stuff a try.

The box tells me to apply immediately after hair removal. Which I do. And it stings something fierce. So after that first initial application, I wait a while before putting it on. The box also tells me I can apply up to 4 times a day, which I don’t find necessary (and which I wouldn’t remember to do that many times anyhow). After 24 hours you are supposed to see a noticeable difference, however I didn’t begin to see one until after a few days of use. The point being though—I could tell a difference with continued use. Although there still might be the occasional pesky ingrown or a bump, there was far less irritation then there had been before.

$6 will buy you a 1 oz tube. That doesn’t sound like much, but if you’re using it everyday it should last you at least a few weeks. And that’s the perfect amount to get you through the rest of summer.

From: http://www.beautywriter.blogspot.com/

Handbag Trend Watch Big Bags. The reports of the incredible shrinking handbag have been grossly exaggerated as evidenced by the amazing roving lens of The New york Times’ Bill Cunnigham. Once again, he has captured a great selection of New York women and their amazing handbags for his On The Street feature.

The big focus this week was on the ever growing and ever brightening selection of handbags. Doubtlessly, the Louis Vuitton Richard Prince duffel on the left and it’s ilk was the most popular look. Other styles included the large L.A.M.B. tote (interesting how similar to the Louis Vuitton it is when they’re side by side), and brightly dyed skins. You can view the entire gallery which includes Guccis, Balenciagas, and lots more LV, along with wonderful commentary by Bill Cuningham himself via a fabulous video slide show on the New york Times site.
But, obvious “IT’ bags aside, the most amazing big bag in the set is this Yohji Yamamoto worn by a woman who has a truly singular and amazing sense of style (I see her in my neighborhood often, and she will also be familiar to anyone who regularly reads On The Street).

Most closely resembling a coin purse, this ginormous red fabric frame bag is the best tongue in cheek take on the over sized craze. I’m not even sure how you’d go about finding your wallet in there without a flashlight and one of those extended grabbers…of course, with a bag this size, you have room for both!

From: http://inmybag.blogspot.com

Fall Trend Leather Jackets. It’s finally September! I can’t believe the clear blue skies and sunshine is about to come to an end so soon. On the bright side, we can now officially focus on our FW08 wardrobe! And the beauty of fall is that you can experiment with different FW outfits without worrying about the snow and freezing to death- yet. The first thing that caught my eye this season is the leather jacket.
No big surprise since it is one of the heaviest advertised looks by high street stores. Bebe went for the typical dark, cool leather jacket look.
While Express mixed the hardcore leather jacket with feminine flirty dresses and prints, creating a look which I absolutely ADORE! Thus I must now go and look out for the perfect leather jacket and floral dress to recreate this look.
First things first. I got to find that leather jacket. Urban Outfitters has this simple one (left) with ribbed trims and Vanessa Bruno Athe has this classic asymmetrical zippered one (right) which I especially love because it looks cute with this black dress (which I have a very very similar one of!) and it’ll look very cool with just jeans. The fact that they’re both brown makes them all the more interesting.
More ribbed leather jackets from Ted Baker (left) and Top Shop (right). The ribs make them less rock and more toned down and sporty, which is great if you want a softer look. Although I’m not sure about these two. It’s usually hard to tell quality with leather until you feel it, but from the LOOKS of these… they don’t look of very good quality. And you definitely don’t want to look cheap with leather.
So for styles with higher quality, I think it’s safe to say that at the >$600 price range these two from Marc by MJ (left) and Vince (right) is good. One is classic biker chic while the other is more toned down and ladylike.
Of course, not everyone can afford the >$600 price range and even though I believe that jackets are my best friends, even I’m not sure they’re worth that much (I’d be REALLY sad if I bought a leather jacket of exquisite soft leather and it got SCRATCHED). Thus I have my eye on this Aqua leather jacket I tried on the other day. The quality is not bad and it fits quite snug and well, with a bit of a crop. For $298, I thought it was priced reasonably, in the mid range of the worst and the best. Leather jackets are expensive things after all. Unfortunately, my bargain hunting instincts wouldn’t let me buy it until it is at least on some kind of tiny sale. Fingers cross there will still be one left by then!

From: http://iamfashion.blogspot.com/

Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes Mascara. Within the span of about 2 short weeks, several new mascaras have hit beauty counters and shelves. These new innovative, fluttering wands are causing quite the buzz and vibration in the beauty world…literally. Here’s the breakdown:

Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes Mascara - Even though it’s not polite to stare, in some cases you just have to. This new Sephora exclusive is one of those cases. Looking a bit like a mascara inspired by Pinhead from Hellraiser, it’s giving mascara a new face and starting from scratch. Those little spike/Koosh ball type things are designed to grip lashes at the root. The Beauty Bug hasn’t had the opportunity to try this mascara out yet, but Cavewoman from Blogdorf Goodman has. The entire review is a must read - she says “In less than one minute I saw every lash on my eye beautifully and evenly coated with mascara, bottom lashes too, invisible lashes I did not know I had, all coated and glossy and thickened and lengthened and even curled!”

Givenchy’s Phenomen’ Eyes Mascara is available exclusively at Sephora for $27.

Estee Lauder’s TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara - This brand-spanking new “performance mascara” is now available Saks Fith Avenue as of today. It talks a big game too, promising a “lash revolution.” The advantage of the micropulsing wand? It claims to combs through lashes quickly and more effecitvely. Housed in a flashy blue and gold striped tube, the vibrating LashSonic brush is automatically activated when the cap is unscrewed, releasing the gel formula. The Beauty Bug will have Her hands on one of these very soon. The anticipation is killing Her!

TurboLash is available now at Saks Fifth Avenue Estee Lauder counter and online for $30.

Ôscillation by Lancome - One day only! Get it while you can! Limited Edition! While supplies last! Be the first! Yes ladies, Lancome is pulling out all the one-liners to call attention to their new vibrating mascara that offers 7,000 micro-oscillations per minute. Do the math and that’s 116.67 micro-oscillations per second. Ridic. Famed Beauty Editor Jean Godfrey-June predicts that women everywhere will be throwing away their lash curlers after they try this, and Andrea, beauty colunmist from Glamour agrees. That’s a pretty bold statement.

If you want this, you really do have to act fast. This new power mascara will only be available on Lancome.com, Sephora.com, and at several Lancome counters. To see if your city is ones, click here. Once again, Boston gets no love. If your city isn’t one of the lucky ones, get those mice clicking at 9AM sharp - it’s ok if you’re a little late to work.

From: http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/

Shu Uemura Shimmer Liquid Eyeliner Review. This eyeliner is in a category of its own.

The Beauty Bug has been using this eyeliner for some time now, thoroughly enjoying the color and the sheen, the staying power, and how easily it comes off.

COLOR: The color has a sharp, unique sheen that adds sparkle to the eyes . The Beauty Bug has dubbed it the “patent leather eyeliner”. She’s been using the limited edition black liner, and it’s probably the darkest, boldest black liner that She’s used.

STAYING POWER: This liner does not budge unless you want it to - not even in the dog days summer. In most cases makeup can not be sweat-proof, however, out of all of products The Beauty Bug has tried, this product has come the closest. Then again, who has sweaty eyelids?

PRODUCT REMOVAL: Similar to “tubular” mascara that washes off in “tubes” (Clinque’s Lashpower and Blinc’s Kiss Me mascara), this liner practically peels right off like a string once it’s wet. This process reminded The Beauty Bug of elementary school when She used put a dab of Elmer’s Glue on Her skin and wait until it was almost dry and peel it off. The liner has that same stretchy consistency. The other huge benefit about the formula? It leaves absolutely NO residue behind on the lash line.

Now, some application tips. The eyeliner is housed in a in a pen-like tube. To activate the eyeliner, twist the bottom of the “pen” until the eyeliner loads into the brush applicator. The Beauty Bug likes to apply the liner to Her hand first to ensure that there’s not too much product on the tip. It’s a tip that Shu makeup artist Dani Wagener taught Her. It allows for more control, a smoother application and helps to achieve a thinner line on top of the lid.

Above all, the best tip that The Beauty Bug can give you is to be patient with this product. The first couple times She used it, the line on Her lid was thicker than usual just because it took a bit getting used to. It really has amazing staying power, and brings out the crafty first grader in Her who still secretly wishes She was making macaroni hats at school.

The Shu Uemura Limited Edition Shimmer Liquid Eyeliner is available at ShuUemura.com for $33.

From: http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/

Kate Hudson Fashion Style. Lately I’m loving Kate Hudson’s range of hippy chic dresses. They look so comfy and easy to wear yet stylish enough for a fashionista to be seen in.

On sunday evening, Goldie’s daughter was dining out at Nobu in a casual white festival dress complete with slouchy brown shoulder bag, silver sandals and layered beaded necklaces. This look would be perfect for a summer festival or a day at the beach, but with her hair scraped back Kate makes the look evening appropriate.

I would have gone a little easier on the necklaces though!

The following day Kate sported a little colour whilst leaving the City Bakery in Brentwood. Her strapless red dress, with it’s cute embroidery and drawstring waist, looked really pretty for casual everyday wear.

Kate reused her cool slouchy bag from the night before but kept her hair down for a relaxed look.

It seems Kate’s inherited mum Goldie Hawn’s cute, laidback, girly style, and it’s working for her!

From: http://www.omgiloveherstyle.com/

Top 10 Valentino Dresses - Fall-Winter Collection of 08/09. Alessandra Facchinetti, who led this year’s Valentino Fall 2008 Couture Collection design team, has definitely made quite an impact. This year’s much-awaited Valentino Fall Collection has all the ingredients of romance, classical style and even contemporary flavor. One look at these clothes and you’ll know they have that Valentino touch. Ah, the Valentino touch. And yes, it’s apparent that these numbers are couture and nothing but. Which one is your favorite?

1. Long Red Dress

2. Black One Shoulder

3. Billowy Lime

4. Sheer Grey

5. Strapless Tube Dress

6. White, Gold, Grey and Silver

7. Red Fruched

8. Billowy Cream

9. Black Sheer

10. Shimmery Gold Texture

From: http://allwomenstalk.com

Hair Trends the Low Braid. As the heat of summer dies down and cooler temperatures will (hopefully) start coming our way, it’s time to think about some sophisticated, chic hairstyles to take us from one season to the next effortlessly. I’m totally into the look Kate Hudson is rocking at left. Her loose low braid, accented with side-swept bangs, is absolutely gorgeous. (It doesn’t hurt that her chandelier earrings and sparkly gown are to DIE.)

Now, I’ve been fascinated with braided hairstyles for quite some time. (Click here to check out my love of the side braid.) But this is such a unique take on the style that I simply have to focus on it this week! I love that Kate’s hair brings together two different hairstyles in such a unique way. The top of her hair is blown out into sleek, lustrous smoothness, and flows so elegantly into a simple braid that travels down her back. And rather than tying it off with a boldly hued clip or ponytail holder, there’s a simple holder that matches her hair. The end result? Absolute flawless perfection.

Curious about how to rock the look on your own? It’s super-easy to recreate this look! Read on to find out how you can style your hair into the low braid!

First off, your tresses should be sleeker than sleek. Start with a shine-enhancing shampoo — I absolutely love Aveda Shampure Shampoo ($9.50 at aveda.com), which brings out shine like no other shampoo I’ve ever tried.

Next, you’ll want to get the shiniest blowout possible. And what better hairdryer to use than the T3 Bespoke Evolution ($300 at t3micro.com)? Whether you dry with a round brush or just your fingers, this hairdryer will get the job done. Of course, blowdrying with a round brush will get your locks to glisten and gleam — but if you’re short on time, this dryer will still accomplish that in only a few minutes!

Now for the fun part — the braid! You’ll want to gather your hair very loosely and split it into three wide sections. Starting at the nape of your neck, cross one section over the other — not too tightly, or the effect will be lost. The braid should be clean and finished — no pieces sticking out — but at the same time, don’t make it too polished or wound up!

Stop braiding about an inch from the bottom of your locks. Secure the braid with an elastic that matches your hair. The Sephora Snag-Free Hair Elastics ($3.50 each for a pack of 8 elastics at sephora.com) come in three different shades — Black, Brown and Clear — that will perfectly match most hair colors.

Finish with a shine spray that will bring out even more gleam. One like Ojon Shine & Protect Glossing Mist ($28 at sephora.com), which is formulated with wildcrafted Ojon oil and a UV inhibitor to really keep those strands glossy. And voila! An easy to create low braid that is just so simple and chic!

From: http://www.thebeautyoflifeblog.com