Tag Archives: beauty

08/07/2013

Bling It On! With Hpnotiq: Submit Your Glammest Makeup To Win A Beauty Gift Certificate

Ready to Bling it On again? If you love glam things (particularly the hottest makeup looks), there’s still time to show Hpnotiq how you #GlamLouder for a chance to win fab prizes! From now until July 28th 2013, you can submit photos in different categories including the glammest makeup and overall look. Entries can be pictures you snap yourself or images you find online. The glamorous prizes that are still up for grabs include a $1,000 gift card to Sephora or Ulta, a handbag of your choice valued at up to $1000, and of course a grand prize trip for you and three friends to go shopping with a celebrity in Los Angeles.

To enter Hpnotiq’s Glammest Makeup Challenge, going on from now until at 11:59:59 a.m. EST on July 14th, submit a photo of your favorite head-turning makeup style. You can enter as many times as you want. Snap a picture of your own or share your favorite celebrity makeup look. For this round, 4 lucky winners will win a $1000 beauty gift certificate to Sephora or ULTA. If you’re one of the 4 winners, you’ll also be able to compete in the final round for a chance to win the grand prize trip for you and three friends to go shopping with a celebrity Hollywood style in Los Angeles. The grand prize winner will star in a professional photo shoot for the chance to be in a real Hpnotiq Ad. Once you’ve found your fav makeup look, just Click Here to enter, visit Hpnotiq’s Facebook page, OR follow @Hpnotiq on Twitter and tweet them your picture using the hashtag #GLAMLOUDER. You must be 21 to enter. Good luck!

Whenever I do my makeup, I always try to show off my Hpnotiq blue eyes so I love the glamour of a dark and dramatic smokey eye. Above is one of my favorite smokey eye pictures that I submitted to the contest. I hope to recreate this look for an evening event someday.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but the opinions are all my own.

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23/06/2013

Feel the Beauty of Cool Relaxation with skyn ICELAND

2012_skyn_brand_hires

New York may be a glamorous place, but when you’ve worked all day and stayed out all night, it can leave you stressed and exhausted. Stress doesn’t just complicate your life, it also does a number on your skin. When stress becomes chronic, hormone levels remain elevated triggering a combination of symptoms effecting your skin including unwanted irritation and inflammation. Stressed skin is often deprived of oxygen and the vital nutrients it needs for immune functions and healing. This can result in excess oil, breakouts, dehydration, and even premature aging. In Icelandic language, “skyn” means “senses,” reinforcing the direct link between the senses and skin.

skyn ICELAND is the first line of skin care designed to combat the physiological effects of stress on skin. It provides both instant relief from everyday stress and immense long-term benefits giving you mini spa treatments in between coveted spa days. Each formula contains skin-boosting actives and technologically advanced ingredients that help lessen physical and emotional stress. All skyn ICELAND products can be used in conjunction with your current skin care regimen for both internal and external stress relief. Each product is formulated with the biospheric complex that delivers the ultimate stress relief cocktail formulated from the basic elements of Water, Earth, and Air.

I Recommend:

Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels: After a long day or before an early morning, I love placing these cool gels under my eyes for instant relief from puffiness. The cool sensation from the gels, helps relieve mental stress.

Glacial Cleansing Cloths: skyn ICELAND’s cleansing cloths are perfect for cleansing and detoxifying stressed skin on-the-go. Infused with natural extracts and Icelandic glacial waters, they purify skin by removing dirt and makeup without water.

The ANTIDOTE Cooling Daily Lotion: The cooling lotion is best for combating premature aging by detoxifying and stabilizing skin with a cooling burst.

Arctic Face Mist: The face mist can be used in the place of toner and contains a natural preservative system that cools irritated skin and can help set makeup. Like the Cooling Daily Lotion, it also feels amazing on contact.

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05/06/2013

Embracing Natural Beauty & Greening Your Beauty Routine

Girl with brush for makeup

Beauty products are increasingly marketed to have all-natural, totally “green” ingredients that leave your face fresh and your conscience clean. With so many cruelty-free and earth-friendly products out there, why not overhaul your makeup bag for a renewed look that’s gentler on your skin and the planet?

Tool Kit Overhaul

Start your green makeover by updating the toolkit. Swap out your old plastic-based beauty tools for products made with sustainably harvested, naturally renewable materials, such as bamboo. Green-up your beauty kit with these solutions:

EcoTools: EcoTools are affordable, effective, and made from cruelty-free synthetic bristles and recycled aluminum. A set of six brushes sells for only $13, which makes this 2012 Green Product winner a solid steal for the green girl on a budget, spotlights Instyle Magazine.
Urban Decay: Urban Decay’s “Good Karma” blurring brush was recognized by the natural beauty blog, Gorgeously Green, as being highly effective at blending makeup without brush marks. Urban Decay has also led the eco-friendly cosmetic industry for years with its cruelty-free products, which identifies this company as a trusted source for superior green goods.

Mineral Makeup

As you perfect your skin every day with foundation, keep in mind that standard foundations contain harmful chemicals that damage the skin over time. Mineral makeup blends create that lustrous look, made with ingredients that are all-natural, antibacterial, and perfect for sensitive skin types.

Refinery29 recommends these top picks for the best up-and-coming mineral makeup brands:

Inika Mineral Foundation: Silky, soothing, and perfect for sensitive skin, Inika Mineral Foundation is an all-natural product made in Australia. Products are sold at several small online boutiques specializing in skin care, including www.adorebeauty.com.au and www.blush.com.
Lily Lolo: Made in England, Lily Lolo, is a pretty mineral blend power that has SPF 15 sun protection. It’s also backed by the brand’s commitment to anti-cruelty organizations.
Everyday Minerals: Everyday Minerals’ affordable, all-American mineral cosmetics prove that natural mineral blends can still be glamorous. The Texas-based company features all-natural, handcrafted vegan products, including shimmery eye shadows and flirty blushers.

Green Beauty Shopping Tips

Reflect on your green goals, and evaluate what beauty product ingredients are most valuable to you. Do you want to avoid animal ingredients and animal testing? Are chemical and additive-free ingredients out of the question? Do you need everyday essentials or crave glamorous on-trend products that take your style from day to night? With some research, you’ll be more prepared to navigate the widening world of green beauty.

Also, many green companies are startups and independent online boutique retailers. While shopping on these smaller ecommerce sites, make sure the company is a reputable company that values consumer privacy. According to Life Lock, retail was the sixth most targeted industry for online shopping identity theft. To avoid an online shopping disaster during your green makeover, create a pleasant experience by first looking for a website’s security seal and https in its URL. Search the web for reviews of green companies and take standard precautions while shopping online, such as storing strong passwords for each of your online accounts.

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Top Secret Beauty: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Having suffered from acne-prone skin from an early age, I’ve long been passionate about skincare and finding quality products that actually work. In my lifetime, I must have tried every over-the-counter product imaginable. Most either irritated my skin even more or did nothing leaving me unhappy and insecure. It wasn’t until I visited a dermatologist and was prescribed the prescription topical cream, Retin-A Micro, along with an oral medication that I finally gained the confidence that comes with clear skin. I’ve sworn by prescription skin treatments ever since using the proper precautions such as applying heavy amounts of sunscreen when spending long periods of time in the sun as prescription products cause your skin to be far more sensitive to the sun exposure.

Thought I still use skincare prescription treatments daily, I recently found a non-prescription product that I absolutely love. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, available through Mario Badescu directly and in the beauty departments of retailers such as Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor, literally erases blemishes overnight. After more than a decade of not trusting any skincare product that doesn’t come from a doctor, I didn’t believe it until I tried it. But, when I did, it was magic! To apply, you just drop a q-tip into the pink sediment, dab it on the pimple, and let dry overnight. Your instinct will be to shake the solution, but don’t shake it. When you wash it off in the morning, the blemish is either gone or significantly smaller. If only I’d discovered this miracle solution earlier.

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Vacation Flawlessly With Travel Tips and Summer Beauty Products From Elizabeth Arden

I’ve long been a fan of Elizabeth Arden‘s luxurious cosmetics and rich heritage. Even as a child, I couldn’t resist trying on a lipstick or a blush when stopping by the Elizabeth Arden counter with my mom at the department store. Now, I turn to her products to fight the early signs of aging and look flawless with long-lasting lip and eye colors. I’m especially obsessed with the Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum because it leaves my skin absolutely glowing by restoring its much-needed moisture.

Hydrating your skin is not only important when it comes to the anti-aging process, it’s also incredibly important to restore moisture while traveling. I never thought to bring moisturizer in my carry-on before. But, after getting amazing travel beauty tips from Elizabeth Arden‘s Global Makeup Artist, Rebecca Restrepo, there’s no way I’m heading to the airport again without a few Ceramide Capsules on hand. Be sure to check out the rest of Rebecca Restrepo‘s travel tips and top product picks for summer.

Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum delivers the right amount of hydration and ceramide benefits in an efficient way. Ceramides comprise 50% of the essential lipids found in the skin and are essential in maintaining defense against signs of aging. Since they’re individually packaged, these capsules are perfect for travel.

Elizabeth Arden’s NEW Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss offers high-shine along with increased moisture with Mango and Shea Butters with a light vanilla scent. The key ingredient, Maxi Lip, is clinically proven to increase lip volume by 40%! I love having multiple colors in my purse for quick touch ups throughout the day.

The legendary Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant was created by Elizabeth Arden herself in 1930 and the original formula still remains. This skincare classic is one of my favorite moisturizers because it absorbs so well into the skin. It can be used to treat dry skin, soothe sunburn, smooth cuticles, and even shape brows.

Beauty Travel Tips from Rebecca Restrepo, Global Makeup Artist at Elizabeth Arden:

Skincare is even more important when traveling. I love multi-use products and ones that can be packed in a carry-on bag. The Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum delivers so much moisture. I apply mine mid-flight for extra hydration and also use as a makeup primer when traveling.
Skin can get very dehydrated when flying, so Eight Hour Cream is essential! I apply to my lips before every flight and use it on my hands and elbows throughout flight. I like to warm up the product in the palms of my hands before applying to my skin, helping it activate and absorb quickly.
Someone once told me that solids travel better than liquids, so now I never go anywhere without my Flawless Finish Sponge-On Cream Makeup. It provides as much coverage as I need, without making a mess in my makeup bag.
Before I land after a long flight, the perfect pick-me-up is a touch blush to brighten the cheeks, a swipe of brightening shadow to open the eye and a dab of rosy lip gloss. To achieve this fresh and well-rested look, Ceramide Cream Blush in Nectar, Beautiful Color Eye Shadow in Innocence, and Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss in Sweet Pink are my go-to products.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but the opinions are all my own.

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