Bad TV Night!!

It is snowing like crazy here in the Seattle area, much to my displeasure (this winter has made me loathe the snow). So with the weather being so yucky outside, all I want to do is hunker down and stay warm. Thankfully, the next cycle of America's Next Top Model is set to premiere tonight in a two hour special episode. Bring it on!! All the manufactured drama! All the immature, egotistical walking clothes hangers! All the Tyra self love! Woo-hoo! I can't wait. It's crazy--I usually like shows like Heroes, Law & Order, and Oz, but I just love a trashy hour of ANTM each week. It's one of my guilty pleasures and I can't wait to indulge.

I'll be doing a real post about beauty products tomorrow, but for now, it's TV time!

Oops, I Did It Again

How many times have you applied your makeup only to realize your colors are a bit, um, off? It's so frustrating to find your lipstick is too orange or your foundation is too dark. Here's how to fix some common makeup problems:

• Lipstick that's just a little too bright: If you need to turn down the volume on your lipcolor, try muting it with a pale, shimmery lipgloss. You can also nip the color problem in the bud by lightly lining and filling in your lips with a chocolatey lipliner before applying your super-bright color.
• Lipstick that leaves you blue: If your lipstick has too much blue in it for your taste, try warming up the color with a touch of bronzer after you apply your lipstick. Top your lips off with clear gloss or balm to seal everything up and blend it all in.
• Lipstick that's way too orange/brown: Cool down overly orange or brown colors with a layer of violet or purple lipgloss. You'll also get a nice shine out of the additional application.
• Eye shadow that's a bit too intense: So you love ultra-bright pink eyeshadow (yikes!) but you don't want to look like you have pink eye? Try this: first dust translucent powder over your lids, then apply the eye shadow using a brush (not that horrid foam applicator thing), and finish off with a final dusting of the translucent powder.
  
• Eye shadow that's too shimmery: Glittery shadow can make you look like a disco ball. Not good. To de-dazzle a shimmery shadow, first apply loose powder to your lids, then a matte color similar to the glittery one, then apply your shimmery shade. There! All better.
• Foundation that's too dark for your skin: Lighten up your foundation color by mixing it with your every day moisturizer. This way your color is less intense and you skin is beautifully moisturized in one quick step.

These are just a few hints for fixing makeup faux pas. If you have a favorite secret, leave me a comment!

What is It and Why Do I Need It? Tourmaline Hair Dryers

If you've ever been in the market for a new hairdryer (and it seems like I am often in need of a new one due to operator error and blatant abuse), you know that prices vary wildly and that some claim they have something called tourmaline in them. So what the heck is it and do you need to invest in a hair dryer with it?

Tourmaline (pronounced tur-muh-LEEN) is a type of stone that dries hair faster and adds shine. According to Sephora, tourmaline is "highly prized by those in the know, and is referred to as the "electric stone"—when it's heated up or under pressure, its unique molecular structure converts nearby atoms into negative ions. Luckily for everyday stylers, these negative ions speed up the evaporation process to help dry the hair in half the time. This, combined with the penetrative yet gentle infrared heat waves, converts dry, brittle, and frizzy into unbelievably smooth, silky, and shiny."

Basically, if you are a frequent heat dryer or heat styler, you may want to consider purchasing tourmaline tools to help protect your hair from the more damaging typical ultra-hot hair dryers.

But do you need to shell out a pretty penny to benefit from tourmaline's properties?

Not necessarily. Good Housekeeping magazine tested several different tourmaline hair dryers ranging in price from $29.99 to $300.00. Each dryer was judged on a series of criteria, including drying time, frizz output, noise level, and overall performance. Based on their testing, Good Housekeeping recommended the cheapest dryer, Revlon's Tourmaline Ionic 1875 Watt Hair Dryer. Click here for more about Good Housekeeping's tests with tourmaline dryers.

I don't know that I really understand all the nuances of the technology behind them (science has never been my best subject), but tourmaline dryers and styling tools may be a hair saver. And since you don't need to buy the most expensive model to benefit from it, it's worth buying a tourmaline tool next time you're in the market.

Beauty By the Book

While reading the Seattle Times yesterday morning, I saw an article about a fun beauty book that's a must if you're a glam-girl: the Beauty Buyble by Paula Conway and Maureen Regan. For the low, low price of $19.95* you get this fun book that highlights the best beauty products of the year at any price. You also get 33 sample of items the authors recommend packaged with the book in a pretty little box. What else could you need? If you want a little light reading and a bunch of fun samples, or if you need a great girly gift, pick this book up today!

*Beauty Buyble and all the goodies sells for less than $14 at amazon.com!

Spring Forward!

Even though this has been a cold, snowy winter, spring is (thankfully) just around the corner. Everywhere I look, I see the pastels of Easter products. Though I don't celebrate Easter, all those bunnies and eggs are a welcome sign since they signify warm, sunny days ahead.

Spring is the time to think about lightening up...so, ditch your gothy black fingernails and try something new. According to Allure magazine, here are the 8 beauty trends for spring 2007:

• Hot Pink Lips: Steer clear from overly glossy pinks and instead choose a matte, hot, bright pink (if you're skin tone can pull it off). Allure recommends Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Wild Orchid paired up with Carousel Coral nail polish from Essie. You can't get much further from Chanel's Black Satin than this!
  
• Cobalt Blue Eyeshadow: Steer clear of the light, powdery and frosty baby blues and instead embrace darker shades like cobalt and sapphire for a smoky look that provide a surprising amount of depth. One word of caution: reserve this look for the evening, and be sure to keep the rest of your face (i.e., lips and cheeks) rather subdued. Wearing any deep, dark color during the day looks really weird--trust me. I've seen it done and it's never a good thing.
• Coral Blush: I so agree with Allure on the fact that coral is a great brightener. Just be sure to go for a coral with peachy tones, not red ones. Try this out for a soft, bright, refreshed look.
• Gold Lipstick: Unlike the hot pink lipstick mentioned above, if you opt for gold, be sure to have a sheer shade that has just a touch of shine. Just be sure not to get too crazy--gold glittery lips are not attractive! Allure suggests Chanel's Rouge Allure Lipstick in Luminous.
• Red Lipgloss: Add a bit of shine to a classic standby! Minimize color on the rest of the face (except for a bit of black mascara) and try a high gloss lipstick for a sexy, shiny red lip. According to Allure, you should check out Cover Girl's TrueShine Lipcolor in Fire Shine.
• Platinum Eyeshadow: Heavy metals are in for the spring, but it's time to move away from the dark side and instead lighten up! You can create a sultry eye without all that smoke. Instead, try a silver shadow swept up either to the brow or just over it. Finish the look with black eyeliner and mascara.
• Pastels and Soft Pinks: A hint of "baby pink" on the cheeks and lips creates a slightly flushed but healthy look. Opt for light colors that will create a soft and pretty look.
• Violet Eyeliner: According to Allure, lining the eyes with a shade of violet creates a romantic look. I've done this in the past, and I like the unexpected hint of color. Brown and black liners are great, but they get a little, well, boring. Violet is surprisingly neutral and really gives a great look.

Allure has a ten page spread on their picks for spring 07 in their March edition (Michelle Pfeiffer is on the cover). Pick up a copy for Allure's full list of color picks and to see what their makeup artists pulled together for the upcoming season.

What do you think of their picks? Do you plan to alter your makeup look with the change of seasons?

Beauty Product of the Week: Revlon Bedroom Eyes Powder Liner

What is it? Revlon has a whole batch of new, limited edition items hitting the market. Their Bedroom Eyes Powder Liner promises that "provocative, smoldering eyes are yours with Bedroom Eyes Powder Liner. The combination of our loose powder formula and sponge tip applicator creates a sexy, smoky eye look in one easy step. Available in an array of 6 rich, deep and smoky shades." Widely available at drugstores for about $8.00.

What did you think? Oh my. Where to start. First let me state the obvious: I know how to apply eyeliner. I've been doing it for years and I've used almost everything--pencils, liquids, creams, even eye shadows. It's never been a problem for me. Let me also say that for a drugstore brand, I adore Revlon since they don't test on animals (unlike almost every other drugstore brand) and their products are usually pretty nice. However, Bedroom Eyes is a glaring exception.

According to the directions, you're supposed to gently shake the product, then tap the applicator to remove any excess powder. This was a problem. There's no way to tap off the excess powder without getting it all over the place. If you do buy this product, make sure you grab a tissue (or two) to catch all the powder that will fall off.

Once you've shaken and tapped, you're supposed to apply the liner to the top and bottom lids, against the lash line. Not a problem, right? Wrong--so very, very wrong. Despite all my tapping, the second the applicator touched my lid, a thick flurry of brown powder landed on my nose and cheek. Charming. The applicator itself is way too thick to get a decent looking line of color. Instead, you end up with raccoon eyes. The liner is too thick, too smudgy, too messy.

The final verdict? Save your money, your time, and your face. While Revlon may promise sexy "bedroom" eyes with this product, you'll just end up looking like you were playing a little too rough in the sack. Unless you really want to look an abuse victim with black eyes, steer clear of this product. Revlon is really missing the mark--at least this is only a limited edition product!

Recipe for Beauty: Combination Skin

If your skin is tight and dry in spots and oily in others (namely the T-zone--your nose and above your eyes) you have combination skin. The key to taking care of combination skin is to find a balance of grease-busting products that won't dry out your skin. Not the easiest of tasks.

For homemade remedies, try one of these masks.

VALENTINE'S MASK

You'll need:

• 1 rose
• 1 Tablespoon rosewater
• 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon honey

Wash the petals of the rose in water. Soak them for a few minutes, then crush them in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Apply to cleansed skin for at least five minutes. Rinse well with lukewarm water.
BREAKFAST MASK

Mix together until smooth:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Spread mixture evenly over face and neck. Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Have fun mixing up some homemade masks if you have some time on your hands. The ingredients are inexpensive and usually on-hand, which makes homemade masks easy and economical.

Recipe for Beauty: Oily Skin

Those who deal with oily skin often seek harsh treatments that whip oil production into submission. Instead of punishing your skin for being oily, try treating it with one of these homemade, gently masks.

FRUITY MASK

Mix together:

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 egg white, whipped
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup mashed strawberries

Apply this yummy mask to clean skin. Leave on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing off.

CUCUMBER AND YOGURT MASK

Blend together in a food processor:

• Half of a cucumber, cleaned and peeled
• 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt (you may need to add a bit more to make a thicker, more mask-like mix)

Apply to face and neck area and leave on for up to 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water.

LEMONY OATMEAL MASK

Blend together in a food processor:

• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt

After cleaning skin, apply this mask and leave on 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Next time: Homemade masks for combination skin

Recipe for Beauty: Dry Skin

Because I work in education, I have this entire week off. Lucky me! So, since I'm at home being as much of a domestic goddess as I can stomach, I thought I'd do a few entries on homemade skin cleansers and masks. Since it's winter and dry skin is a huge problem this time of year, I'm starting with masks for dry skin.

The ingredients in these simple masks are rich in moisturizing properties and should nourish your skin, leaving you beautiful. Try one out when you get a chance.

AVO-HONEY MASK

Mash together:

• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup honey

Apply the mixture to your face. Relax for about five minutes and then remove the avo-honey mask with a washcloth and warm water.

EGG AND OIL MASK

Mix together:

• 1 egg yolk (beaten)
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Vitamin E (pop 1 vitamin E gel tab and add liquid to the mixture)

Apply mask to face and leave on several minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

MILK AND HONEY MASK

Combine:

• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Apply to face and throat, coating well. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse.

Tomorrow: Homemade masks for oily skin!

What's My Palette?

Finding the right palette for your coloration is one of the most important parts of learning how to wear makeup. But knowing which colors will make you look beautiful and which colors will make you look frightful is a difficult task. I've had several people ask me what colors are best for them, and I finally have time to do a post about everything you need to know when it comes to finding your palette.

First, you need to determine your skin tone. The best way to do this is to hold your wrist up to a white wall or piece of paper. What shades do you see? If you have any shades of white, pink, blue, or gray, you have a cool skin tone. If your skin has yellows or browns, you're a warm. Now that you know if you're cool or warm, look at your current hair color and refer to this list below:

Blonde/Light Brown Hair and Cool Skin

• Best eye colors: grays, blues, lilacs, plums, navys, gray mascara
• Best blush colors: sugar or rose pink
• Best lipstick colors: sugary pinks, heathers, pinky browns
• Colors to avoid: Warm yellows and oranges

Blonde/Light Brown Hair and Warm Skin

• Best eye colors: warm browns, shimmery golds and greens, pale yellows, peach
• Best blush colors: apricot or tawny brown
• Best lipstick colors: golden browns, corals, peachy pink, bronze
• Colors to avoid: bluey pinks or purples

Red Hair and Cool Skin

• Best eye colors: peach, orange, khaki, light green, bronze
  
• Best blush colors: tawny pinks or light apricot, only if necessary
  
• Best lipstick colors: orangey reds, heathery pinks, terracotta, apricots
  
• Colors to avoid: black mascara--instead, go with a brown

Dark Hair and Cool Skin

• Best eye colors: gray, black, ivory, silver, plum
• Best blush colors: sugar or rosy pink
• Best lipstick colors: fuchsia pinks, crimson red, plum, mauve
• Colors to avoid: corals
  

Dark Hair and Warm Skin

• Best eye colors: olives, rust, beige, chocolate, earthy red and oranges
• Best blush colors: tawny browns, apricot
• Best lipstick colors: rust, raisin, chocolate brown, orangey red
• Colors to avoid: pinks and blues

Dark Hair and Light Black Skin

• Best eye colors: charcoal, chocolate, pale pinks, lilac, blue
• Best blush colors: shimmery pinks, caramel
• Best lipstick colors: nude, chocolate, shimmery pinks, warm, browny pink
• Colors to avoid: bright primary colors
  

Dark Hair and Dark Black Skin

• Best eye colors: navy blues, plum, dark brown, reddish brown, golds
• Best blush colors: plum, dark brown
• Best lipstick colors: raisin browns, plum, deep red, chocolate
• Colors to avoid: blues, pinks

As always, take these recommendation with a grain of salt. If, for example, you have dark hair and warm skin and you love the way you look with blue eyeshadow, by all means keep it up! Makeup choices are very personal, and your signature color can make you feel confident and looking beautiful, even if it's not supposed to look good on your skin tone. There are also a lot of colors that are universally flatting, like nudes, browns, etc.

Choosing makeup requires a great deal of trial and error--just remember to try to have fun in the process. It's just makeup, after all! Hopefully, this little list will help you find which colors are best for you.

Bang Bang, Shoot Shoot

So, as I mentioned, I went shooting for the first time in my now 31 years. Though I was admittedly a little (ok, a lot) nervous, I managed to blow through a bunch of rounds with a (not so) cute Glock 9mm. With shooting, as in life, I tend to pull to the left. But I did manage to repeatedly shoot my target right in the chest, though apparently my preferred place to hit was the elbow or the armpit (ouch!). It was an interesting experience, and I must admit that I loved it! I can't wait to go again and try out other guns. Yikes...what have I become?

As is the case in almost every situation, there are beauty products that are perfectly tailored for a day at the gun range. And the next time I go, I'll have to try some of these out--most notably:

• Pistol Packin' Pink by OPI. I'm sure that having my nails painted with OPI's pretty, springtimey pink would really make them look nice next to the dull black metal of my 9mm as I squeeze off a round or two. I already own this color, and it's a very feminine, girly shade. I love OPI--just like Ben and Jerry's ice cream (gotta love the Chubby Hubby!) they always have the best names for their products.
  
  
• Urban Ammo Eye Palette by Urban Decay. Here's what Sephora had to say about this little kit: "Covered in touchable, matte black paper, the compact features a mesmerizing assortment of UD elements - animals, hearts, skulls, and flourishes - gently wafting from a pistol in overlapping textures of violet metallic foil and rich velvety flocking. Upon opening the kit, you're met with endless eye options: 10 best-selling shadows are arranged as five sets of coordinating duos, running the gamut from subtle to sexy. The slim case is complete with a perfectly sized mirror, applicators, and a magnetic closure, so it's sure to stay closed in your handbag." I knew I could rely on Urban Decay to have a set of eye shadows that would look great under a pair of shooting goggle thingys! Who could resist colors like Smog, Polyester Bride, Mildew, or Oil Slick?

You don't have to be a gun nut or (like me) up for spending a day with a bunch of scary men at a gun range to enjoy these two products. Check them out for an update to your everyday look, and you'll be right on the mark!

It's My Birthday Too, Yeah!

I'll be away from my blog over the weekend since Friday is my birthday. Woo-hoo! I'm off to Sephora to get my free birthday gift from Philosophy (it pays to be a Sephora Insider!), then I'll be busy with some family stuff. The one weird thing I'm doing to celebrate my birthday is to go shooting. Yup, Lydia, the uber-liberal is going to go embrace the 2nd amendment for the first time in my life. Yikes! So, once I get the GSR off my hands, I'll be back with all sorts of makeup news. Have a good weekend!

Beauty Product of the Week: Teamed Up Shadow Collection

What is it? Bare Escentual's Teamed Up Eye Shadow collection is "an all star line up of four distinctive BareMinerals eye color textures. (Use it to) create a highly-stylized, multi-dimensional look. The four textures work together as one to create a winning combination of rich, layered color. The team consists of: Explore Soft Focus Eye Shadow (soft warm brown) for a sheer wash of color, Cocoa Eye Shadow (chocolate brown) for a slightly darker, opaque wash, Nude Beach Glimmer (light warm ivory) for a multi-faceted glisten, and Bark Liner Shadow (dark brown) to provide a deeply-pigmented frame for the eyes." Available at Sephora for $42.

What did you think? The four colors in this collection are beautiful. The dark liner and the lighter complimenting shades are very attractive, and really set off my blue eyes. I don't typically like wearing tons of eye colors at once, but this set does allow for some mixing and matching if you only want to wear a shade or two. The mineral-based eye shadow doesn't feel heavy like some shadows, and has a shimmery quality that adds just the right amount of sparkle.

There is a downside, though. It might just be me, but it seems like these shadows flake a bit when I applied them. It could be that I didn't "swirl and tap" quite enough, but my cheeks had a faint dusting of shadow on them after brushing on the shadow (god, I hate that!). Also, because there are so many colors, I find I don't have time to apply this product for my everyday look. Instead, I save this for occasions when I have more time to fuss with my makeup.

The final verdict? Like all Bare Escentual products I've tried, this shadow collection is very high quality. I love the colors, but I hate the time it takes to apply this product. If you're looking for an everyday shadow collection, I'd certainly pick something else. But if you have the time and the money, you'll appreciate Teamed Up.

Valentine's Quote

This is going to be a fast entry since it's Valentine's Day and I have more pressing matters to take care of than writing in my blog. Here are a couple love-related quotes for today's Hallmark holiday:

"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time."
--Anonymous

"Love is like war:
Easy to begin, but hard to end."
--Anonymous

That's it for today--I'll be back tomorrow with a normal entry. Til then, happy Valentine's day!