Hit the Town with Nars

In my last post, I told you about Pure Matte Lipstick from Nars.  I just got more info from the good folks over at Nars on how to use their products to get some awesome looks.  Here's a fun celeb/fashion/beauty read for you to start your day:

To celebrate The Town’s debut in theaters with Rebecca Hall, Blake Lively, John Hamm and Ben Affleck, NARS highlights Rebecca’s looks from the film’s recent premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival. Created by Stephen Sollitto for NARS Cosmetics, below are details on what she wore!

Venice International Film Festival (September 4, 2010)

To complement her printed Prada dress during the day, Stephen kept the look pretty but simple. For her evening premiere, Stephen turned to Pure Matte Lipstick, taking her effortlessly from day to night and complementing her teal Vionnet dress.

Products used: Sheer Glow Foundation, Douceur Blush, Daphne Eyeshadow (on the outer corners), Coconut Grove Eyeshadow (“a brilliant brown” to line lids) and Red Square Velvet Matte Lip Pencil lightly dabbed onto lips. For her evening look, Stephen added a mix of two shades to her lips: Vesuvio and Terre de Feu Pure Matte Lipstick.

Toronto International Film Festival (September 9, 2010).

Stephen kept her black and red Yves Saint Laurent look “modern and monochromatic for a vibe reminiscent of Studio 54.”

Products used: Sheer Glow Foundation, Douceur Blush, Melusine Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Holiday 2010! For now, try Daphne Eyeshadow in the outer corners for definition), and Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara, and Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick, “ideal for her sleek look.”

Reminder! To win a set of all 6 Pure Matte Lipstick shades, head to the Nars Facebook Page and take the Pure Matte-Inspired Dream Getaway Poll

Must See September Favorites 2010

I admit, I'm a bit nosey. I like to watch other girls on youtube do their "monthly favs". They talk about makeup or skincare products they love to use for that certain month. It can either be old or new makeup finds, new skin care products or new found product love. It gives me an idea on products that people are loving and for some reason these types of videos where people just ramble on entertains me lol ^_^

So here are my favorites for this month of September. It's mix of old and new makeup/skincare finds. I hope you guys find it helpful.

1. Say Yes to Cucumbers. I am all over anything that has cucumbers. I love the clean and fresh scent it has and I like to eat it and put it in my sandwiches too ^_^. I'm glad I picked this up because I see myself buying more of these in the future. It takes my whole makeup off pretty well and I use it to freshen up my face at work.

2. NYX Doll Eye mascara. How many times have i mentioned this amazing mascara in my videos and blogposts? A lot! This is the mascara that I use the most ever since I got it. It doesn't look anything special but it does some amazing things to my lashes. It lengthens and volumize my lashes like there's no tomorrow. Ok, I'm exaggerating but it really is really good!

3. Rimmel London Fix and Perfect foundation primer. I currently have a thing for foundation primers O_o. I sometimes use them by itself and always underneath whatever foundation I choose to wear. I bought this because I've been lemming on it for awhile and I saw many blogger friends who uses it so I got it when I was at my local CVS. I really like it. Like any other face primers, it keeps my foundation still for a long time. The texture is not as smooth as the Smashbox photofinish foundation primer but it's still smooth and works well.

4. Revlon lipstick in Peach. This is the only shade I got when this line of lipstick came out this summer and it's one of my fav lipsticks at the moment. It's a beautiful Peach color, beautiful on its own because of the nice sheen and finish it has. You don't need the help of a lip gloss to enhance the life of the color.

5. Rimmel London lipstick in Spotlight Beige. Every makeup addict needs a good nude lipstick that matches their skin tone and doesn't make them look like Snookie. This lipstick is a perfect nude for my medium skin tone. It doesn't wash me out and it looks very natural. Also, the texture is smooth and moisturizing. It's great for everyday use and smokey eyes for night time.

6. Revlon Color Stay liquid foundation in Golden Caramel. Who hasn't heard of this lovely foundation? If you haven't then get on board and get yourself one. It has great coverage and it really stays on my face regardless if I wear a primer or not. Like what it says..it's "color stay".







"The sweetest thing a guy said is that I look pretty with or without makeup".-Vanessa Hudgens

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Make-up Trend: Lavender Lips

On the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar Katrina Kaif complemented her Dior dress with shiny lavender lip gloss. Makeup artist Mickey Contractor used a full coverage lipstick, but topped it with shimmery lavender lip gloss. "I highlighted the lips with the gloss without overdoing it," he said. "They emphasized the colors in her eye makeup."

Rec: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipcolor in Ripe Fig; M.A.C Docile Tinted Lipglass

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Product Lust: Pure Matte Lipstick

There are some cosmetic companies that can seemingly do no wrong.  And Nars is one of those brands.  They always seem to have new products that are instantly lust-worth.  Their latest offering, Pure Matte Lipstick, is on my "must try" list and it's getting some rave reviews from A-listers. 

Here's what Dita von Teese had to say about it: “Matte red lips are always chic and also easy to keep in place! Right now I love Nars Pure Matte lipstick in Vesuvio which is the perfect classic cherry red,and Terre de Feu which is a beautiful rich burgundy for wintertime.”

Here's some info about the new matte lipstick:

Bright. Bold. Vividly Matte. This innovative, matte lipstick has intense, stay-true color so lips look lush and vibrant. An exquisitely blended formula strikes a perfect harmony between optimal color, an ultra-matte finish and hydration.

A super-rich, super-pampering, super-sexy lipstick in six sumptuous shades. Pure drama.

• Glides on effortlessly, without drag or resistance.
• Defying traditional long-wearing lipsticks, Pure Matte will not dry out lips
• Wild Mango Butter’s advanced moisturizing properties work to repair lips from dryness and scaling, leaving lips supple and soft.

Nars Pure Matte Lipstick is available online, for $25 per tube.  It comes in six awesome shades, each named for far off places (like Tonkin, Volga, etc.). If you want a chance to enter to win Pure Matte Lipstick, head over to the Nars facebook page.

LOOK: Summer to Fall Makeup

Yesterday, Los Angeles hit a 113-115 degrees and it was the hottest day ever recorded in the history of L.A.  OMG, my skin felt like it was literally burning under the hot sun, I was sweating like crazy, the metal buckle on my purse was burning my arm and, I felt like I was dying. I've never killed so many water bottles in one day. At one point, I  didn't even want to leave to work where the a.c. was full blast lol

I don't know what's up with this weird weather but I hope this heat goes away soon and I am so ready for fall. With that being said, here is a makeup look combining burnt orange, shimmery burgundy and dark plum eyes with peach lips, colors that represents the transition from Summer to Fall. There is no video tutorial since it was too hot to film but I still hope you guys like it.

Mark Face Xpert liquid foundation in Golden

I used a burnt orange e/s on the inner 1/3 of the lid, shimmery burgundy e/s in the center and a dark plum on the outer corner and crease.

Revlon lipstick in Peach

face:

-The Body Shop Vitamin-E Intense Moisture cream (to moisturize the face)
-Mark Face Xpert Flawless Touch Makeup in Golden (liquid foundation)
-Almay Line Smoothing concealer in Medium and Med/Light (for under eyes and blemishes)
-Mac Mineralized Skin Finish natural in Medium Deep (to set the makeup)

eyes:

-Milani e/s in Flare (on the inner 1/3 of the lid)
-Glamour Doll eyeshadow in Taylor (on the center of the lid)
-Natural Girls e/s in Burgundy Rose (outer 1/3 of the lid)
-Mac e/s in Sketch (on the outer V and crease)

cheeks:

-Milani Mineral blush in MaiTai (brushed on the apples of the cheeks)
-Milanu Mosaic Powder blush in Afterglow (to contour the face)

lips:

-Say Yes to Carrots in Melon (to moisturize the lips)
-Wet and Wild lip liner in Willow (to line the natural lip line)
-Revlon l/s in Peach



"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye"-Miss Piggy 

Getting Health, Another Update

Me, Sept. 2010

In August, I mentioned that I'm currently on a health kick.  Although, to be honest, I am not sure I'd call it a "health kick."  That seems to imply that I'm just making temporary changes, and that's not the case. I've been working very hard on making changes, and in doing so I've noticed that I'm overhauling major aspects of my life.

I said I'd check in monthly to tell you how I've been doing on my quest to get healthy...to lose weight, to eat better, exercise, and adopt healthier habits.  Here's my latest update.  Since my August getting healthy update, I...

• Lost another 15+ pounds
• Have had to buy a lot of new clothes--my pants were falling off and almost everything in my closet is too big.  Go me!
• Continue to love exercise.  I generally exercise 5 to 6 times a week and I credit exercise to major changes in the shape of my body.  I can see the muscles in my arms bulking up (in a good way) and my leg muscles seem longer and leaner.

I feel good and eager to get out and do new things.  I'm still following the Weight Watchers program because...well...it works.  And I like that you can eat "normal" food and still lose.  My portion sizes have come way down and I don't feel like I'm deprived of anything.

I'm glad I'm finally waking up and paying more attention to food, to exercise, to how I respond to stress...to life in general.  It's amazing for me to look back on myself before committing to getting healthy--I feel like I was sleepwalking through my life.  Now that I am waking up and making changes, every day is an adventure...a chance to learn, to improve, to grow.  It's nice!

I'll give you another update next month.  Like I said, doing so makes me a little bit more accountable.  Also, if any of you are fighting the battle of the bulge or if you're also on a quest to get healthy, leave me a comment.  What's working for you?  What are your setbacks?  Leave me a comment and let me know--maybe we can all help each other in this journey!

It's Way Too Light...Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

Every time I go to my local drugstore, the first section I visit is the makeup section ^_^ Regardless of what I need, my feet automatically takes me to makeup right away lol. Last week, my local Walgreens was

having 40%off on a lot of their makeup products and I spotted the Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Honey on sale. I've been seeing it in youtube videos raved by many makeup gurus and, I'm all about anything that will make my face matte so I purchased one for myself.

I notice there were only 4 shades available. Weird and disappointing if you ask me. The shades were from light to medium and that's it. I asked the sales lady if there was more but she said that's it.What about the other beautiful women with darker skin tones huh? Anyway, the shade Honey is the darkest and, I know it was way too light for me but I still purchased it thinking maybe I can make it work. Walgreens has 30 days return policy so I wasn't too worried.

Like a little kid, I played with my new toy right when I got home. I swatched it with my finger and to my disappointment, I found the shade way too light than I expected. For some reason the shade looked warm in the store but it really looks cool once swatched and photographed. This is the problem with drugstore makeup. You can't test the makeup before you buy them and, a lot of women end up buying the wrong shade of foundation O_o

I compared it next to my Mark Powder Buff foundation in Golden. It's one of my favorite powder foundation and, it's a pretty good match for my skin tone. Maybelline is obviously way too light as you can see in the photo...yikes!

Halloween has about a month to go, unless I plan on looking like Casper everyday then this foundation would be perfect lol. But seriously, there was no point of keeping it any longer so I returned it the next day O_o.  I'm sure it's an awesome foundation. It's recommended by many women but for now Maybelline if you are reading this, I hope you guys make more shades for us women who has medium to dark skin tone...pleaaase!!!

“Kiss and make up - but too much makeup has ruined many a kiss.” -Mae West

Makeup Mondays With Mario: Nose Job

Celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic is answering your burning beauty questions!!! Every Monday, he will answer a beauty/skin care question as part of a weekly column on Spoiled Pretty, Makeup Mondays with Mario.

Hello Mario!

I have a roman nose with the classic bump on the bridge. I've been searching on how to minimize this problem, but can only find tips on how to minimize a wide or long nose. I understand that dark recedes and light makes things more pronounced. I got so frustrated with my lack of contouring skills that I decided to cancel out my whole nose and just shade the whole thing. Boy was that a mistake - haha. For some reason my nose was even more pronounced! Can you offer a some kind of makeup suggestion for this beak of mine? Thank you so much, and I love your work!

xoxo,
Susan

Hi Susan,

I’m no stranger to the beak, especially being of Albanian decent! My mother and father both actually have "the roman nose," as do so many men and women in eastern Europe. Unfortunately, makeup will not make such a big difference in decreasing the bump on the bridge. You will see best results in a photo once contoured properly rather than in person. Here's how to give your self a mini nose job...

You were right about dark shades receding and lighter shades emphasizing and bringing things out. Keep that in mind and with a small shadow brush, apply your lighter shade below and above the bump in the center. Make sure the bump is matte and with the darker, matte shade, very lightly sweep over it. There should be no harsh lines visible. Again, using the darker shade, you're now going to apply it to the tip of the nose that hangs downward so when you're looking straight at yourself in the mirror it should appear as if your nose ends where the dark shadow on the tip begins. Contouring takes a lot of practice so I advise that you try this out many times before you go out. Good luck!

Thanks for visiting Makeup Mondays with Mario!

xo,
Mario

Got a question for Mario? Email your makeup and skin care queries to spoiledprettyquestions@gmail.com, and check back next Monday to read Mario's expert advice!

Vogue India: Shraddha Kapoor's Beauty Secrets

• DAILY BEAUTY ESSENTIALS: Lots of water, kajal, face wash, moisturizer.
• THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: Wallet, cell phone, keys.
• IN YOUR HANDBAG: Cell phone, wallet, lip balm, hand sanitizer, facial tissues.
• MAKE-UP MUST HAVES: Water proof kajal, mascara, concealer, tinted lip balm.
• EVERYDAY BEAUTY RITUAL: Make sure I have a lot of water, stay optimistic and enjoy every moment, dull moments reflect on the face instantly. Everyday I wash my face on average twice and moisturize it as per the weather conditions. I have very moody skin.
• MOST CHERISHED BEAUTY TIP: Its very difficult to just leave your face alone but I think thats the best thing you can do. Constantly make it go through face masks, scrubs etc. can irritate it more than help it.
• MOST VALUABLE MAKE-UP TRICK: Concealing.
• TRANSFORM A DAY LOOK INTO AN EVENING LOOK: Add drama to the eyes. It always works.
• SKIN CARE RITUAL Cetaphil facewash, Thalgo moisturizing cream.
• HAIR CARE ROUTINE Any good reputed shampoo for oily hair, The Body Shop makes good shampoos as does L'Oreal. L'Oreal hair serum to minimize frizz. A good traditional head oil from Khadi.

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