Contoured Beauty

Gone are the days when contouring your face was reserved for special occasions under the guidance of a professional makeup artist.  Thanks to the popularity of youtube videos, the (ahem) Kardashians, and more widely-available products, contouring is a now recognized as an easy way to bring out your best features while minimizing imperfections to craft a beautifully polished, sculpted look.  

I personally first saw contouring transform a face under the tutelage of Eugenia Weston of Senna Cosmetics and Christine Turner of Vanity Cosmetics.  It was inspiring to see their clients' beauty heightened through their features being highlighted.  

When trying to contour my own face at home, a few key things held me back, though. I'd seen all the most popular videos online and dutifully practiced in my bathroom mirror.  However, what I missed and failed to realized was the importance of contouring with the right products.  In my case, I was using a bronzing cream compact as my darker contour color. While it was effectively darker than my skin tone, it was too translucent and had too much shimmer to be effective in receding the necessary areas.  

Thankfully, as I was shopping for an all-in-one contouring kit, Senna re-introduced their Face Sculpting Kit as part of their Nude Ambition Spring/Summer 2014 release.  This 3-color cream-to-powder palate comes in fair or dark shades, and it contains contour, highlight, and concealer creams essential to creating the perfect contoured look.  There's a beautiful foundation brush included, as well as diagramed instructions.  

These kits have sold so well since their re-issue, they're hard to come by.  Vanity Cosmetics has a few left with more inventory to come.  And, if you pick up your compact at Vanity, you get the benefit of a professional artist answering any contouring questions you may have.  

Happy sculpting! 

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics 

beauty & brand loyalty

In my early 20s, I was introduced to two brands that I fell in love with and have continued to use for years.  Years.  Considering how fickle I am with most makeup as I hop from brand to brand, always looking for the perfect foundation or best "pop" of blush, I took note when it finally dawned on me that a few brands have been by my side as I went though school, my first job, marriage, having a baby, and everything in between.  It's also random but awesome - great minds thinking alike? - that these brands are favorites of Christine, and she carries them at Vanity Cosmetics.

The first one's obvious - Senna Cosmetics.  I met Christine at the original Senna Encino location where we both worked and continued to learn under Senna's founder, Eugenia Weston.  Senna continually offeres innovative, wearable, flattering beauty makeup that its wearers swear by year after year.  Some of their greatest hits are their lip lacquers, a product line I was personally obsessed with when working at the studio - I'd continually reapply the already long-lasting gloss just because it felt and looked so great.  Their line of eyebrow tools - pencils, powders, stencils - is what they're perhaps best known for, and for good reason.  Their brow tools are timeless, and I personally saw the transformative power of a polished brow on many a client with the help of these tools. 

When Christine opened Vanity and had the opportunity to carry makeup lines of her own choosing, it's a natural fit that she chose to offer Senna.  It's a product line that immediately inspires loyalty and makes women feel confident and beautiful wearing.  

Senna's Nude Ambition line available at Vanity Cosmetics 

I'm similarly loyal to glo-minerals, a brand I first saw at a dermatologist's office, also years and years ago.  I thought that "dermatologist-approved" makeup couldn't possibly offer the coverage and quality that I expected from department store brands, but I lucked out, and the doctor's assistant that day applied some pressed base to my acne-ridden skin, and I fell in love.  On that day, and for many days after, glo-minerals' products helped cover and conceal my acne and scars, and it's helped my skin stay healthy when other products were clogging my pores.  I've seen the glo line grow and expand since then, and it's even better now. 

When I saw Christine at Vanity Cosmetics recently, I commented her skin looked great - fresh and radiant.  She pointed to glo's Luxe Liquid Foundation, the latest add to their already impressive base & foundation line.  I was so excited to see the brand carried at Vanity, I forgot to ask Christine where she first heard of it.  No matter - I know her decision to pick that line for the salon comes from her same love of quality products that help women look and feel beautiful every day, and that inspires product loyalty. 

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics 

beauty & the baby

Why would a(n already erratic) blogger take so, so much time away from writing? 

To have a baby! 

As new moms know, and as do family and friends of new moms, just about everything goes out the window when baby is born.  Hair can go unwashed for an unmentionable amount of time, clothes can get re-worn for days and considered passible if there's no (obvious) spit up on them, and what used to be a perfected winged eyeliner with a bold red lip can easily become a swipe of some lib balm and a few dabs of tinted moisturizer - for a special occasion! 

And - that's OK! It's more than OK - it's beautiful and normal and appropriate!  Baby is the focus, and things that were once so important - like a detailed beauty routine - get tossed out the window without so much as a second thought.  

However, in my own very recent journey into motherhood for the first time, I was quick to notice something, so I'll be quick to admit it here.  The more tired sometimes frazzled I sometimes got, the more helpful it was to take a few minutes a day to make myself up and look (what I felt was) presentable.  There's probably a hefty dose of narcism in there, and I accept that.  But a few other reasons resonate, as well.  

Motherhood is and was astoundingly beautiful.  And it is and was exhausting. So, I felt and feel like if I spend a few more minutes on making myself up, I am more prepared to face the day's challenges while also welcoming its baby kisses and smiles.  

I also used to move about my life without meriting any attention in public.  I could easily sneak into and out of a store without being noticed, even if I was unwashed wearing ratty sweatpants.  But, now I have my adorable, attention-getting little monkey with me, and people stop to talk to us constantly! I love it - it's made me more open and communicative as a person, but having the powerful conversation starter of a new baby also invites comments from strangers who mean well but perhaps over-share: "Oh, you look so tired, dear," and "Did you get any sleep?" (No, I didn't.  Thanks.  Maybe one day.)  And in these situations, it helped me feel a bit more...'together' if some concealer and blush steered those comments instead into "Wow - you look good for just having a baby!" Now, I know I can go home and very quickly undo the "looking good" with a swipe of makeup remover, revealing the dark circles under my eyes again.  But, for just a minute - I felt a small twinge of hope that I really did have it 'together' when I looked a bit more made up. (And it helped hide the unwashed hair and spit-up adorned clothes). 

I rarely wear makeup when I'm home all day with my son, and I cherish his sticky baby hands touching my face (not so much when he grabs a fist-full of my hair and yanks it out.  I have a small bald patch now, and he had a huge smile when he realized his tiny baby hands held such power!) 

Makeup is amazing in its transformative power, and each woman and new mommy will undoubtedly reevaluate her relationship with makeup in the wake of a baby.  I applaud women who go bare-faced, and I admire them.  For me, a dab of concealer and some lip gloss helped me be more confident in public and helped share my inner joy and glow on the outside.  

All things in balance can be beautifuly simple, 

Nicole @Vanity Cosmetics 

Vanity Cosmetics' Newest Addition! 

Thinking Pink(ing)

The title "Think Pink" popped into my head, but I'm pretty sure that's been taken by, like, Victoria's Secret, or someone. 

I regularly read advice that a woman's best daily-wear lipstick shade is the one that matches her natural skin color, but better.  This makes me scratch my head a little, and I admittedly haven't found the right shade that makes me think my lips are simply "better" with a quick swipe. 

Now, I'm not quite 100% sure (92%?), but I think I've found a shade that can closely embody that statement, so I wanted to share.  And - it's under $8!  

I found the company Flower Beauty while reading a Lucky magazine a month or two ago.  Drew Barrymore was featured on the cover, and the article inside was mainly about her new beauty line and the philosophy behind it - Flower Beauty.  In some of the products highlighted, a lipstick was called out as the perfect pink.  I'm a sucker for pink, and I'm a sucker for inexpensive, so I went on a hunt for this lip color (LS2) Petal Kiss.  I say "hunt" because my local WalMarts (the retailer for Flower) have typically ravaged makeup aisles that look like toddlers were unleashed on them after being sugared up for hours.  My store was out of stock for over a month, but I thankfully found the product across town at another location (and have since realized I'm pretty late to the party, as Makeup Alley was already abuzz with this product).  The color is pretty, and it's "pretty natural," too.  That is to say, on my fair, pink-and-yellow-undertoned skin with dark hair, this color looks like my lips...but maybe a little better. Can this be what all the makeup advice articles are talking about? For me, it's the closest I've come so far, and I'm happy to buy something new at such a fair price. 

For a stronger pop of color, and perfect for summer, is Senna Cosmetics' Chic Pink gloss.  I fell in love with this immediately while at Vanity Cosmetics.  I've always liked Senna's glosses - their wear is long-lasting (albeit a touch sticky, but hey - there's where the long-lasting comes from), and this color instantly brightened my face.  I could see from a quick look around at the other people in the salon wearing Chic Pink that it was universally flattering and really brightened the face.  

Either of the two products would be a no-brainer for summer lips, and both are so versatile, they'd work with almost any coloring.  

Cheers to a beautiful summer and gorgeous lips! 

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics 

beauty - treating an oil slick

I wrote last time (and sorry it’s been so long!) about cleansing an oil slick – aka my face, and possibly your face, too, if you fall into the interesting profile of “combination skin that’s probably not really all that combination.”   After cleansing with an oil-based product at night, as I’ve now been doing for a few months, I do what I once thought was unthinkable – add more oil.  Argan oil, to be exact.  And not the fancy-pants argan oil that’s $45/bottle at Sephora.  There’s not anything wrong with that, and if you’ve got the money, buy it.  I don’t, and I find with essential oils, their core essence does the trick juuuuust fine before tons of price-hiking additives & packaging come into play.

I’ve recently been using Acure Organic 100% Certified Organic Moroccan Argan Oil instead of my previous chemical-ridden, heavy duty night treatments, like retinoids.  I take a generous dropper-full, probably about 5 drops worth, rub lightly in between my hands, and press the oil into my face in gentle patting motions.  I add an extra drop to for my eyelids and eyebrows, as I struggle with eczema in this area of my face (yeah! for eyebrow dandruff!).  I rub the leftover oil into my hands for softer skin and cuticles, and that’s it - done.  I let it sink in for a quick minute before connecting with my pillow, but I don’t think it’d stain a pillow, anyway. 

While I understand straight-up oil is scary, like I mentioned with the oil-based cleanser, pure oils on the skin have the opposite effect of what one may fear.  Instead of furthering the oil slick, they can work to balance skin while eliminating dryness and controlling oil. 

Natural oils are having their moment right now – check out this article on Huffington Post that explains their glory way better than my feeble attempt.

If you’re still leery, that’s understandable, but start with the brand I mention above.  At less than $13, even if you find it’s not for you, it’s not too bad of a loss.  

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

beauty - cleansing an oil slick

I've always thought the term "combination skin" is a joke.  Since that's the category I allegedly fit into, I  often find it maddening that I suspect many companies don't really know what to do with combo skin.  I guess they make hydrating products that won't dry me out?  I'm pretty sure being dubbed combination skin is the beauty industry's way to say "Bummer. Sucks for you."  

Over time, I've come to find that combination skin needs the TLC that comes from the most unlikely of places - more oil (aka moisture).  Adding selective but intense moisture to combo skin not only helps the dry patches, but it also helps balance the oily patches, helping them to neutralize.  

But, mercy, it's completely counter-intuitive to put heaps of oil on top of skin that's mostly already oily! 

To start my slick skincare journey, I first dabbled in Shu Eumura Cleansing Oil.  I was an idiot, and I tried this product while traveling for work - never a good time to change one's skincare routine, but hey - free samples travel well, so I gave it a whirl.  And....cystic acne.  Fancy! Came home, switched back, got a facial or two, and swore off cleansing oils.  

Then Dermstore sent me their adorable little sample packets with a purchase recently, and inside was DHC Cleansing Oil.  I'm just too much of a sucker for free products, so I gave it a try and crossed my fingers.  

And I was completely pleased with the results.  And I still am.  

I know and completely understand this product has mixed reviews, and it tends to fall into the "love or hate" category, and that can scare off buyers.  The horror stories are pretty bad.  But! The success stories, of which I'm one, are worth getting a small bottle of this and giving it a try.  Overall, I've found that cleansing and removing make up with an oil-based cleanser helps balance my skin - both oily parts and dry. And, it's a great feeling knowing that my face is seriously clean and makeup-free when I go to bed.  Deeply cleansed pores alone helps skin's tone, texture, and clarity. 

Added bonus? When I switched away from my previous glycolic cleanser to the DHC, I reduced a bit of the scarring that popped/picked breakouts caused due to the ingredients in glycolics.  

One more bonus! The DHC can be used as a makeup remover for stubborn eye makeup, too, so just dab an extra drop onto ring fingers and gently massage onto eyes.  You can save on whatever eye makeup remover you're currently using, or at least use a lot less of it. 

Note - I use the DHC once a day - at night.  As it's designed to be a deep cleanser, there's little need to use it in the morning, too. 

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

beauty & the budget - drugstore foundation

I had two things against me when I read that CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous was a good drugstore foundation.  One, I've hated CoverGirl since I was about 12 and their lipgloss disappointed me by drying out my lippies.  Two, I ventured into the world of drugstore foundation with Revlon ColorStay about six months ago, and the end result was cystic acne so bad, I had to buy expensive CoverBlend by Exuviance, which is basically medical-grate, tattoo-covering foundation, just to hide the horror caused by Revlon.  

Thus, I wasn't thrilled to try CoverGirl (again). 

But I did.  

And after 2-3 weeks of wear, I am genuinely surprised to say that this is a solid drugstore foundation, and I find myself going to it more than my Makeup Forever HD Foundation (mostly cause I'm cheap, and I count the dollars I'm pumping out whenever I use foundation over $30).  

It's matte, it doesn't settle (much) into fine lines, and it does really last a minimum of 8-10 hours - more if you add a primer (though it claims to contain one) and set it with powder.   Irrespective of wear, plan on setting it with a light dusting of powder, anyway, as it helps to create a more polished look. 

It's main drawback, I've found, is it can be drying, and it does't wear as well on dryer skin.  I have dryness on my forehead and some eczema around my eyebrows (facial dandruff, anyone?), and it can highlight these issues quite a bit.  (This is lead me to pouring argan oil on my face at nite religiously).  

Other than the dryer texture, it's more than worth a try - I suspect it may become a new favorite of many.  With most drugstore products, it's pretty hard to find a good color match in the middle of WalMart, so buy @ a place with a decent return policy like Ulta (coupon!!) or WalMart. 

And then smile knowing you look pretty fancy for under $10. 

Beautifully Simple, 

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics