Tuesday, August 11, 2009

New Beauty

Here is a new beauty image from a shoot I had with Photographer Marcus Smith and model Leanne of Ford Models Chicago.

Tell me what you think. :)

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Sunday, August 9, 2009

HOT DRUGSTORE FIND: Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Clenaser












I'm a recent convert to Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Cleanser ($6.99), but I'm glad I found it. It's cheap, it's a pretty good makeup remover, and it washes completely off like a regular foaming cleanser. Best of all, it's easy. It's the kind of product that keeps you from falling asleep in your makeup after two mojitos too many, because while you many not have the energy (or coordination) to take off your earrings and heels, you can splash a little water on your face.

Plus, I can get tired of traditional makeup removers. Sure, sometimes pouring it drop by drop onto cotton balls feels sophisticated and more like a spa ritual than a chore, but at the end of a long day, I don't want to spend 15 minutes trying to get the mascara off my lashes, and I definitely don't want to use up 30 cotton balls doing it. So for me, this is a good solution. If you have a sensitive nose like me, though, I've got one caveat: I don't like the way it smells — at all. It's a kind of chemically sweet scent that makes me glad when it's washed off. Luckily, the smell doesn't hang around once water hits it, and using the cleanser only takes a few seconds. For right now, I'm happy to put up with a little cheap scent for a really clean face.


HIGHLIGHTS:

- Lifts away dirt, oil, and even waterproof makeup, without leaving behind an oily residue.

- Gentle enough for daily use.

- Rich lathering foam that won't over-dry skin.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT:

Some soaps can over-dry your skin. New CLEAN & CLEAR® Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser has a rich lathering foam that gently lifts away dirt and makeup without leaving an oily residue. This oil-free formula is gentle enough for daily use.


INGREDIENTS:


Inactive Ingredients

Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Polysorbate 20, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Citric Acid, Isoceteth-20, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Camellia sinensis leaf extract

More CLEAN & CLEAR Makeup Dissolving products:

where to buy

shopcleanandclear.com

CLEAN & CLEAR® full line of products are available for purchase at www.shopcleanandclear.com.

CLEAN & CLEAR® products can also be found in many food, drug, mass, club & speciality stores across the country. Listed below are various retail stores 

where you can find these products.


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Saturday, August 8, 2009

NEW España Collection by OPI


Nail polish is one of those things that we don't always have time for, but when we do make time, we totally wish we had thought of it before. There's nothing like typing away with glossy red nails, getting pepped up when you remember you're wearing a hot new shade of fuschia, or feeling dark and dangerous in a shiny mossy emerald hue. It's like finally remembering to call your mom, and then feeling so much better once you have.

And this new OPI collection? Very must-have, very 'make you feel better', very glamorous. I mean, we'd all like a little Spanish in our day, yes? And believe me, snapping up one of these babies is seriously guilt-free compared to working your way through a whole gallon of ice cream (which I've never done... promise... ok, maybe once). 

So here's the lowdown on the goods: There are 12 new shades in the Colección de España, and they all come with the signature OPI Pro-Wide™ Brush which means it takes a single stroke to coat your whole nail. Brilliant!

And of course, the colours. Ranging from luscious berries to mysterious blues and greens, from nearly nudes, to the brightest pinks and fuschias, there's a little bit of everything... sassy, saucy, and just a little bit spesh.

The shades in detail...

Barefoot in Barcelona: A luscious shade of beige nude with Spanish soul.
Manicurist of Seville: A rich burgundy sangria shade worth singing about.
Give Me Moor!: A stunning almost-black shade of wine purple.
No Spain, No Gain: Gain fashion points with this luscious rich berry shade.
Can You Tapas This?: A yummy shade of dark raisin.
Pamplona Purple: Pamper yourself with this precious shade of purple. 
Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees:
 A dramatic must-have dark cobalt blue.
Pink Flamenco:
 Sizzle in this vibrant hot pink.
Here Today... Aragon Tomorrow: Discover the riches of this dark dramatic green.
Ate Berries in the Canaries:
 Explore the Canary Islands in this delicious berry fuschia.
Conquistadorable Colour: A passionate 'take no prisoners' red.
Bullish on OPI: Seize the day in this bullfighter's red hot shade.





Friday, August 7, 2009

Allure's Top 10 Fall Beauty Trends








Rosy cheeks. 
Red lips. 
Dark eyes. 
Rough waves. 

Discover these and more of fall 2009's top ten beauty trends, straight from the runways. 

CLICK LINK BELOW TO SEE THE LOOKS:


Thursday, August 6, 2009

Pucker Up!

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(LEFT) Photographer: Charles Jackson; Makeup: India Cherese; Model: Lauren Mckiddy, (RIGHT) Photographer: Olesja Mueller; Makeup: India Cherese; Model: Mia Fields

Finding Your Perfect Shade

To find the best basic lip color, remove all makeup. The perfect shade will generally be close in tone to your natural lip color. 
The one that looks good on the bare canvas is the right neutral, everyday, mistake-proof color. 
It should not look ashy, orange, or pink but more of an enhanced version of your natural lips. 
Some women may need more color than others, and the shade that may be best may sometimes tend to be bright or dark.
When your skin tone is enhanced, your eyes look brighter, and gives your face a lift you have targeted your perfect match. 
Once you've found the right neutral or every shade of lip color, you've got the basis for selecting the "more fun" and dramatic colors. 
Most lip colors with the same undertone as your natural shade will look pretty.
What lipstick shade best fits your natural lip color?

Pales Lips: beige, sandy pink, light coral, pale pink, bright red

Medium Lips: brown, rose, pink, orange, warm red

Dark Lips: brown, deep red, plum, deep chocolate, deep raisin/berries

Two-Toned Lips: chocolate, blackberry, deep plum, deep raisin, deep red

Tips for Long-Lasting Color
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Some lip color products are long-lasting, but a lot of time those formulas tend to be far too dry. 
Here are some techniques the I use to provide extended wear to regular lipstick formulas.

Use a lip pencil that matches the natural color of the lip line and completely fill in the lips.
This acts as a base and helps hold lip color in place. Layer lipstick on top.

Use pencil on top of lipstick to create a wax-like barrier.

Blotting lipstick with your fingers presses color into the lips creating a stain that will last.

A bit of powder or blush patted on top of lipstick will keep it on longer.
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Monday, August 3, 2009

How can I make my eyeshadow colors really 'POP'?


Photography: Kent Squires; Makeup: India Cherese; Model: Cece-Elite Chicago


One of my favorite components to my daily beauty routine to make my eyeshadow really 'POP' are MAC Paints. The product can be used either for color or for priming the eyelids before application of eyeshadow; I use it most often for the second instance, and it works wonders. I have mine in Bare Canvas, a creamy nude beige color, but they are also available in a wide variety of other colors.

MAC Paints are a high tech eye shadow product that comes in a wide variety of shades. It has a creamy texture for easy application but then dries to a smooth, slightly shiny, reflective finish. Paint is a great product to use underneath regular eyeshadows to help them last longer and to prevent creasing. It’s one of my favorite eyeshadow primers I’ve tried. The paints intensify the color of your shadows, making them vibrant and true. Green is really green; blue is really blue.

Paint can be applied with a brush or just with your finger. Be careful not to try to apply to much at a time – A little goes a long way! Alot of people think the paints are messy to apply, but usually you only run into this problem if you have too much paint on your brush, or if you’ve applied to much of it to the eyelid.