Archive for February, 2009
Feb
25
Beauty Review and Giveaway: Sigma Makeup Brushes - Face
Did you ever buy some expensive makeup only to be disappointed with the results? If it happened to you, it may not have been the make up which was to blame. It may have been the brushes you used.
Recently Sigma Makeup contacted me and asked if I was willing to review their makeup brushes. Willing? What fun I had!
I not only had a great time trying their brushes and falling in love all over again with my eye shadow, I developed an urge to shop for new makeup and experiment with new looks! Also, Sigma is letting me share the fun with you. Read this post to the end and learn how you can get a set of brushes from Sigma for FREE!
What made Sigma brushes special?
* They pick up the right amount of color and apply it exactly where (and how) I need it.
* They are soft and kind to the skin. My skin is sooo sensitive, but Sigma brushes treated me well. In the past, I had a couple bad experiences with brushes that were too tough and were not a pleasure to use. Sigma brushes were like butterfly kisses.
* Good brushes stay intact. Sigma brushes did well on shedding test, only the powder brush lost 2 bristles…
Sigma Makeup offers 2 sets of brushes: for eyes and face. First, I will review their set for face. Read the details on all the 5 brushes below.
SS150 Large Powder Brush
What makes a great powder brush? Soft dense fluffy fibers combined with good powder pick-up ability! All of this applies to Sigma Powder Brush. SS150 applies powder evenly and makes it appear natural and almost invisible. The brush is big and feels nice in the hand. You can also use it to apply blush.
SS190 Foundation Brush
Love this brush! Even though the bristles are firm, the brush is extremely soft and mild to your skin! It has a tapered shape, is thick but flat and is perfect not only for all-over application but also to access and apply foundation on the narrow areas around nose, mouth and eyes. Applies and blends foundation (and concealer!) without streaks. You can build coverage up or blend out any lines with this brush easily.
SS187 Duo Fiber Brush
Also referred to as a stippling brush. This brush features 2 length soft bristles and has a dual application. You can use it to apply liquid foundation or blush. I use it mainly for blush. SS187 Duo Fiber Brush picks up just the right amount of blush, distributes color evenly, buffs it in and diffuses the powder blush very nicely. The result looks very natural! I tried applying illuminating powder with it but, in my opinion, it is too fluffy for this.
SS168 Large Angled Contour Brush
This brush features angled shape and soft thick bristles. It is quite fluffy and due to this and porous goat fibers, it picks up color very well. You can use SS168 for contouring your face or to apply blush. This brush easily creates the right shadow in the right place and is great not only to apply but to blend and smooth out any seams.
SS194 Concealer Brush
This brush is flat, slightly tapered and has firm bristles which is great for precise application! Bristles are mild to the skin and do not scratch or tug. SS194 makes conceler glide smoothly and is great for under eyes application. Sigma Concealer Brush is also convenient for targeted coverage of certain skin imperfections (acne, scars) and expression lines.
I did a photo of me after testing Sigma brushes for face. Please, forgive me for not posting the “before photo”. The difference is too striking 
Brushes in this set are mostly goat hair excluding SS190 and SS194 that are synthetic just as Foundation and Concealer brushes should be.
I am impressed with Sigma Makeup Brushes set for the face and think this set is a great value for the price. But right now you have a chance to get it for free in our GIVEAWAY! Sigma Makeup offers a free brush kit to one of you. That is right!! Hurry now and go to Sigma Makeup website check out their wonderful brushes and select between 2 kits: for face or for eyes. Come back to this post and leave a comment stating your choice and your email address. If you are afraid of spam, leave a comment and send me your email address to beautyhealthinfo at yahoo.com (include the copy of the comment and your name as well). Please, only one entry per contestant!
The lucky winner will be chosen randomly in two weeks.
This giveaway is open till March 8, 22.00 GMT
Anyone can participate as this giveaway is international!!
Don’t miss! Tomorrow: review on Sigma makeup brushes for eyes.
Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog
Visit the original post at: Skin Care and Beauty
Feb
25
Beauty Review and Giveaway: Sigma Makeup Brushes - Eyes
This is part two of my review of Sigma Makeup brushes. Go to part 1 to read about Sigma Makeup brushes for facet. Today I will talk about eye makeup brushes.
SS239 Eye Shading Brush
I love this brush! It’s a must have! This brush is tapered and has rounded edge. Medium firm and very dense fibers make it an ideal brush to apply eye shadow on to the eyelid. It picks up shadow powder really nicely and the dense bristles allow you to pack on the color and build the right intensity. SS239 will be a great choice for those who use loose eye shadow powder as well.
SS252 Large Shader Brush
This brush is a bit similar to SS239, fibers are longer, firm but not so thick and fluffy, so the brush is flatter. It is used for shading and for application of emollient-based products. I prefer SS239 for shading with eye shadow, but use SS252 for a more precise application of a hightlight in the center of the eyelid or under the brow and for blending. I also liked using it for the crease when applying multiple shades.
SS219 Pencil Brush
Excellent brush! SS219 features soft, dense fibers gathered in a pencil shape. Great for precise shading right on the crease. The Pencil Brush picks up shadow powder really well which makes it great to apply intense color and create bold look. It’s an excellent tool for doing that outer V-shape when creating a smoky eye and to apply shadow strategically along the lash line. Also good for blending eyeliner into the eye shadow. Perhaps I would like it to be a bit “sharper” to apply shadow on the tear drop.
SS224 Tapered Blending Brush
This brush has a dome shape. The bristles are longer than in pencil brush, are soft and fluffy. It picks up powder quite nicely and is great to apply color on the lid or onto the crease for a nice but soft look and definition. It’s also an excellent tool to blend the shadow and to smooth out any sharp edges. To build intense color and for bolder definition use SS239 and SS219
SS266 Small Angle Brush
Another one of my favorites! Due to short, dense and firm bristles this brush does miraculous job when lining along the lashes! I use it to create a beautiful precise shade along the lower lash line. (see the photo below)
SS266 is also an excellent tool to shape and fill in your brows. As a result, you get natural looking defined eye brows.
SS275 Medium Angled Brush
This brush features dense soft and angled bristles. Great to create and nicely blend a highlight under the brow. SS 275 is also a good tool to define your crease line. It’s a personal preference but I would like it to be a bit less fluffy for the more accurate crease application.
SS209 Eyeliner Brush
Firm bristles combined with a thin tip allow precise, firm, even stroke when applying eye liner. SS209 allows you to get as close to the lashes as possible.
Here is a pic of my test makeup.
All the brushes in the eye kit are made from goat hair except from SS266 and SS209.
I really liked Sigma brushes kit for eyes. This kit costs about 40$ and is a great value for the price. But right now you have a chance to get it for free in our GIVEAWAY! Sigma Makeup offers a free brush kit to one of Skin Care and Beauty Blog readers!! Hurry now and go to Sigma Makeup website check out their wonderful brushes and select between 2 kits: for face or for eyes. Come back to this post or Part 1 of Sigma Brushes Review and leave a comment stating your choice and your email address. If you are afraid of spam, leave a comment and send me your email address to beautyhealthinfo at yahoo.com (include the copy of the comment and your name as well). Please, only one entry per contestant!
The lucky winner will be chosen randomly in two weeks.
This giveaway is open till March 8, 22.00 GMT
Anyone can participate as this giveaway is international!! Yay!
Don’t forget to read Part 1 of Sigma Makeup Brushes Review - Brushes for the Face.
Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog
Visit the original post at: Skin Care and Beauty
Feb
23
Beauty Buzz: YSL Makeup Collection Spring 2009
YSL Makeup Collection for Spring 2009 is a modern interpretation of beauty inspired by contemporary art. Discover the secret of dazzling spring beauty with YSL!
Palette D’Artiste - Collector Powder for the Complexion
Palette D’Artiste - Collector Powder for the Eyes
Blush Variation - Variation Blush (N° 18 Coral Sand)
Ombres Duolumieres - Eye Shadow Duo (N° 17 Ivory Beige - Deep Black, N° 19 Oatmeal - Petroleum Blue)
Everlong Mascara - Lengthening Mascara in N° 7 Ever Steel Blue
Easy Liner for Eyes / Eyeliner Automatique (N° 2 Easy Brown, N° 3 Easy Blue)
Pure Lip Gloss (N° 1 Pure Nude, N° 2 Pure Rose, N° 3 Pure Coral, N° 4 Pure Raspberry, N° 5 Pure Fuchsia, N° 6 Pure Plum)
Pure Lipstick (N° 143 Blazing Red, N° 144 Silky Apricot, N° 145 Paradise Pink, N° 146 Romantic Pink, N° 147 Hazelnut, N° 148 Tea Rose)
Nail Touch - Nail Lacquer Brush Pen (N° 5 Tender Pink Touch, N° 6 Coral Touch)
This is a nice collection but I am not excited about any item in particular. So I think, Guerlain’s collection is still my favorite.
Related Posts
Chanel Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Estee Lauder Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Guerlain Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Makeup Trends Spring 2009 - Complexion
Makeup Trends Spring 2009 - Lips
Makeup Trends Spring 2009 - Eyes
Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog
Visit the original post at: Skin Care and Beauty
Feb
23
Beauty Buzz: Chanel Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Chanel makes us fantasize about bohemian beauty with their spring 2009 Collection “Bohemian Fantasy”
Chanel’s exclusive creation for this collection is an impressing palette for lips: Chanel Double-C Logo Lip Palette. Satin Lip Cream forms the legendary double C Chanel logo.
Another centerpiece product is Chanel’s spring palette for eyes: Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow: Mystic Eyes: plum, pink, beige and bronze.
Further Chanel spring collection includes:
Face:
Poudre Universelle Compact: Beige
Joues Contraste Powder Blush: Brun: subtle brown
Eyes:
Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer: Brun Cuivre (brown)
Ombre Essentielle Eyeshadow: Magic Night (plum shimmer), Liberty (beige shimmer)
Ombre D’Eau Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow: Delta (gold)
Inimitable Waterproof Mascara: Brun (brown)
Lips:
Rouge Hydrabase Crème Lipstick: Rosa Rebelle (pink), Euphoria (intense pink), Fiesta (apricot), Fuego (coral red), Beige Desire (beige), Gipsy Scarlett (red)
Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine SPF 15: Malta (copper), Positano (beige)
Levres Scintillantes Glossimer: Wild Rose (rosewood), Beige Guitare (taupe)
Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Colour: Alexandrite (red), Opal Rose (pink)
Nails:
Le Vernis Nail Colour: Vendetta (dark violet), Django (beige pink)
The product I like most in this collection is the eye palette. Other products seem nice but not very excitig to me. Lips palette looks beautiful from the design point of view! But I don’t usually like lip palettes so much.
Related Posts
Chanel Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Estee Lauder Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Guerlain Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Makeup Trends Spring 2009 - Complexion
Makeup Trends Spring 2009 - Lips
Makeup Trends Spring 2009 - Eyes
Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog
Visit the original post at: Skin Care and Beauty
Feb
18
Spring 2009 Makeup Collections
As Robin Williams said: Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”
Photo by Zaara Kohime at flickr.com
I agree! New spring makeup collections are out and I’m determined to get something nice this time! I have been on a strict budget past autumn-winter as I’ve been doing some redecoration work on a room. I didn’t buy anything from the past holiday collections and limited editions… sigh… I wanted Guerlain Butterfly collection, especially that Sublime Radiant Powder, so bad…
As a result of such “makeup diet”, I am “starving” now and ready to shop. So for the next several posts I will take a look at the new makeup collections and looks for spring 2009! I’m already drawn to Guerlain (again!) or maybe Givenchy… But we’ll see!
Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog
Visit the original post at: Skin Care and Beauty
Feb
18
Beauty Buzz: Guerlain Makeup Collection Spring 2009
Guerlain promises Exotic Paradise with their new makeup collection for spring 2009.
Exotic Paradise was developed by Olivier Échaudemaison and is like a hymn to spring. Colors for this luxurious collection have been inspired by the Garden of Eden. They range from shimmering emerald green to rich pinks and oranges. Limited Edition Eye Shadow Palette Ombre Éclat 4 Shades is a work of art! The colours are rich and sensual. Each shadow is embellished with pearly green leaf prints. Gorgeous!
Ombre Éclat 4 Shades
Paradis Exotique (404)
KissKiss Gloss
Orange Interdite (804)
Cerise Tentation 805)
Pomme du Desir (806)
KissKiss Couleurs Precieuses
Flushy Beige(557)
Forever Beige (558)
Corail Passion(559)
Rose Miami (579)
KissKiss Maxi Shine
Candy Shine (624)
Honey Shine (646)
Grenadine Shine (647)
Baby Shine (671)
Ombre Éclat - Single Shadow 10 new shades
Ombre Éclat Eye Primer
Guerlain Ombre Eclat Eye Primer is used as a base for eyeshadow and promises to ensure long-lasting color and no creasing.
I am so impressed… I definately will get something from this collection. Most probably the limited edition palette Ombre Éclat 4 Shades and maybe Eye Primer…
Photos by Sephora.com and bergdorfgoodman.com
Copyright: by Skin Care and Beauty Blog
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Feb
17
Perfume Review: Ageless Fantasy
Ahhh… Youth… to what lengths don’t we go to look younger… All the sophisticated creams we religiously use, all the lifting, light reflecting, contouring makeup we apply, even the plastic surgery we resort to in despair… In our endeavors to reverse the time we overlook something very obvious that’s right under our noses – figuratively and literally speaking. The way we smell! That’s right, the essence of youth is not limited to the way we look…it is not only how young we feel and act… it’s also how young we smell. How is that you ask? Smell is a very important sense of perception. Any smell is a message which immediately gets deciphered by the brain (on conscious or unconscious level) and can trigger a certain reaction or emotion. As we age, the body starts to produce a chemical known as “noneal”, “which occurs as a result of the chemical breakdown of a fatty acid known as palmitoleic in the skin.” As a result of the complicated chemical process triggered by “noneal” skin emits an unpleasant greasy odor that experts say is the natural “body odor” scent of aging. Armed with this information and research findings on scents associations, Harvey Prince set out on a search for a formula for the Fountain of Youth. As a result Ageless Fantasy was born, the first anti-aging perfume ever.
So what is the secret of Ageless Fantasy? How does it manage to rewind the years and make you seem younger? To turn back time Ageless Fantasy had not only to “mask” the “scent of aging” but also to send the brain a message of youth, vitality and joy. Several studies, including the one conducted by Harvey Prince, showed that citrus fragrances effectively counteract the “scent of aging” and are strongly associated with youth, energy and vitality. While rose and lavender, for example, are on the contrary associated with the scent of an “old lady”. Other findings proved that tropical flavors of pineapple, mango and leafy greens bring a “feeling of comfort often associated with positive childhood memories, thus giving a sense of coziness, youth and joy”. Pink grapefruit combined with antioxidant rich pomegranate achieves “powerful euphoric properties, sets off a feeling of youth and excitement”. Based on these findings Harvey Prince developed the first anti-aging perfume Ageless Fantasy. Research proves that women wearing the perfume are perceived on an average 8 years younger!
Photo by StevenKrause, Elle.com
I was looking forward to experiencing this fragrance since its launch at the end of 2008 and to prevent any influence on my perception I tried to stay away from reading reviews on Ageless Fantasy. But whatever information I did consume made me expect a cool fragrance with cold leading citrus notes. So my first thought when I breathed in Ageless Fantasy was that it is not at all cold… it is quite hot! With the first breath your senses are hit with a wave of tropical cocktail - the Top Notes of mango, apple, pink grapefruit, pomegranate, and pineapple. When you breathe it in again, you feel some lightly spicy notes that refresh your senses, seem to tease you and make you want breathe it in again to feel those tropicals again. These are the Base Notes of precious woods and musk. You also feel florals which become more obvious and seductive on your skin with some time. The floral Heart Notes include cherry blossom, pink jasmine lily of the valley & peony.
Photo by Esther Kirby
Note, all of the compounds have their special mission: tropical notes bring the positive childhood associations and give the feeling of youth and joy. Cherry blossom and pink jasmine have a calming, relaxing effect. Lily of the valley & peony trigger happy emotions, heighten feelings of life satisfaction and excitement. The feeling of euphoria comes from the combination of pink grapefruit and pomegranate. Even though Ageless Fantasy is a very complicated scent, has many floral compounds it is not too sweet, too heavy or overwhelming… it is light and warm. I love this combination!
I liked the fragrance a lot. My husband told me I smelt yummi 
(read “sexy”). And tonight, is the night to use the charms and powers of Ageless Fantasy to the full! Happy (and passionate) St.Valentine’s Day!
Sources:
Ageless Fantasy website
Economist
NY Daily News
Cosmetics Design
Related Posts:
Beauty News First Ever Anti-Aging Perfume
Strange Fragrances of 2008
Feel like shopping?
You can buy Ageless Fantasy online at agelessfantasy.com or buy Ageless Fantasy on Amazon.
Visit the original post at: Skin Care and Beauty
Feb
13
Beauty News: Appetite Suppressing Lipgloss?
We always want more from our beauty products so in response to demand more and more products-multitaskers hit the market. The most recent one combines lipgloss and appetite suppressing extract of hoodia in one!
Photo by Jimmie xx at flickr.com
Huge Lips Skinny Hips lip gloss to be launched in Europe (UK) and in the US in March was developed by the brand called Purple Lab. Vitamin B3 contained in the gloss helps to create fuller pout by stimulating blood flow to the lips. The gloss is formulated with meadow foam for moisture and lemon peel oil to cool the lips when you get that burning sensation from the plumper. Even though Huge Lips Skinny Hips contains appetite suppressing hoodia, Purple Lab doesn’t claim it will definitely help you slim down. So you cannot rely only on the gloss to control your appetite, but it may serve as a nice glossy reminder to watch what and how much you eat.
As Karen Robinovitz, founder of the brand and creator of the lip gloss, says: “When I wear it, it keeps my intention on being healthy and I call it my secret weapon because when I go to an event where I could be tempted to overeat, this gloss on my lips helps me feel more able to resist. And what woman doesn’t want an extra little something, even if it’s just in her mind?”
Karen Robinovitz is not the first to attempt to help women to control their appetite with a lip product. Joey New York lipFIT Lipsticks promise to curb your appetite with a blend of peppermint, grapefruit, and spearmint fragrances.
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Feb
11
Celebrity Beauty: Best and Worst Dressed at Grammys 2009
I didn’t have a chance to watch Grammy Awards show, so the first thing I did in the morning is check out all available red carpets photo albums online.
Here are my favorite looks… followed by what-were-they-thinking ones!
1. Carrie Underwood wearing gold beaded dress by Zuhair Murad looked glamorous and glowing with beauty. Nice combination of the gold dress, blond hair and tanned skin.
Photo: eonline
2. I am not a huge fan of asymmetrical dresses very seldom but this one worn by Sheryl Crow did impress me! Sheryl looked stunning in this gown by Toni Maticevski.
Photo: glamour.com
3. Loved this beautiful burst of pink on the red carpet. Letoya Luckett looked tall, sexy and glamorous in this mini dress. And the multi-color snakeskin envelope clutch was the best accessory choice.
Photo: celebutopia.net
4. I think the best elegant gown was worn by Taylor Swift. This black dress with wrap around leather strapping is by Kaufman Franc. I also liked Taylor’s hair and makeup!
Photo: eonline
My favorite makeup:
Taylor Swift and Jennifer Hudson
Translucent shimmery eye shadow combined with eyeliner and just the right intensity of color on the lips – the look is sophisticated and flirty at the same time.
This silver-black smoky eye looks perfect!
Photos: eoline
What were they thinking?
1. Is Paris wearing a nighty?
2. Does this look like a Halloween costume only to me?
3. Looks like inspiration for this dress came from a doll store…
Photos: eoline
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