Inspiration….Interpretation
I was inspired by Heidi Klum’s eyes in the top photo. My interpretation is below. For full details of Heidi’s look and my interpretation please visit http://www.bloom.com/beautybio/customer/view/id/25066/#photo-43159
Heidi Klum’s photo found here: http://www.glamour.com/beauty/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2010/07/lets-all-copy-heidi-klums-gorg.html
Nails
A new look for my Essie Bikini So Teeny. Two coats Bikini So Teeny plus one coat Essie Luxe Effects Set In Stone! Its a fun glittery/confetti look that is very forgiving. The confetti sparkles, looks great and hides any little imperfections in the polish. Visit http://www.bloom.com/invite/25066
***Essie Bikini So Tiny was provided to me by Klout. No expectation of review or opinion was expressed or implied.
Bloom Box Review!
So many good products to review this month from Bloom! This is box 1 with more to follow!
Let’s start with my hair! I tried the Glo-Essentials Firm Hold Hairspray and the Boost Root Volumizer. I used the volumizer on just slightly damp hair, applied to the sections at the root, set each section with my big velcro rollers and then hit each section with the blowdryer. After hair was set and styled, I used the firm hold aerosol spray and it is FIRM hold! But it isn’t sticky or tacky or “helmet head” looking (at least I didn’t think so.) It was very “touchable”. Because it is FIRM hold, you really don’t need a lot which is great too. My hair held up great all night with good volume and still looks pretty good the next morning. It still doesn’t look dirty or flat which is always a problem with fine hair like mine.
EYE BROWS! The years of over tweezing has taken its toll on my eyebrows, that and the few grey hairs that seem to be randomly popping up leave my eyebrows lacking in some areas! My eyebrow routine has consisted of using a toothbrush with some hairspray to shape and an eye brow pencil and powder to fill in the gaps. I don’t like the overly “fake” looking brow, I much prefer a more natural look. Therefore, my goal is to just fill in some thin areas and help get a good shape. I LOVED both of these products. The mousse is more of gel with a wand similar to a mascara wand. Great to shape the brow and hold it in shape. The Stila brow pen is perfect! Its a very very fine pen that allows you to make the gentlest, whispiest strokes to fill in. The light color worked great for me. I am so happy with the result of these two product. Stila never disappoints me.
I tried the Jemma Kidd Firming I-Silk in Pearl Rose. This is a creamy eye shadow that comes in a tube with a wand to apply. The color was a lovely shimmery pink that I used over my entire lid. I went back with some Stila shadows to contour and highlight. I like the consistency and color a lot. When given a choice, I will always choose anything that says “firming”! It did get a little lumpy when first applied but I think that had more to do with the primer (I think I used too much) The shadow brightened my eyes, had a nice shimmer but not overwhelming and lasted all evening. The Jemma Kidd finishing power is finely milled, very soft and worked well. I used the Fair color. It does not offer a lot of coverage, which is fine since I really wanted this as a finishing powder to keep everything in place and to keep a matte finish without looking like I’m wearing “granny’s face powder”. I did find it slightly difficult to actually shake the powder out in order to use it though. That would be my only complaint.
Oh Peter Thomas Roth how I love thee, let me count the ways! I am a true fan. I love his resurfacing and retexurizer products which I use religiously. I also love his FirmX line. I am using the face and eye FirmX here and for the first time, I used the FirmX Contouring Color Stick! It is full of great ingredients like Hyluranic acid that help plump and firm your skin. It has a sheer pinkish bronzing color. You can use this to contour cheeks and jaw line, to color and firm eyes, to color and soften lips, it does it all. The color is buildable so add more or use lightly. I think the results are subtle so you might need extra color if you want real dramatic contouring, but if you are looking for a fresh, sheer, firming, youthful glow, this can not be beat. On most days, when I am home doing my Mommy thing, I don’t wear much makeup. Maybe a quick brush of mineral powder, some concealer and bronzer. I could definitely see this easily added to my every day routine as my go-to product! I can honestly tell you I have been very impressed with all Peter Thomas Roth’s products.
Physician Formula Lip Plumping Potion in clear is a nice gloss! Again, if it says “plumping”, I am in! This is a high shine gloss which I loved. I used a lip pencil first in a color very close to my own natural color and then added the gloss. I really don’t know how plump my lips became but I loved the shine. It does feel a little tacky after a couple hours - but it didn’t look tacky or sticky, it still looked shiny. I did have to reapply a couple times over the course of the evening but that is to be expected especially since I was eating, drinking, talking, etc. Definitely worth it for the affordable price.
L’oreal Color Correcting Primer in Green…no, I am not auditioning for Wicked! Using a green primer helps correct the redness in my skin. At first, it looked pretty strange, but once I applied my foundation over the green primer, the results were great in terms of color correcting. My skin tone had a nice even appearance. My only complaint would be that I wish it did more to conceal pores. A little goes a long way and you can’t beat the results for the price.
Eyes By Cargo!
As a Bloom Ambassador I was given Cargo Color Eye Palette to review! And this palette is VERY colorful!
I love color!
Color is exciting and fun! I love looking at all the colorful eyes created in Magazines. BUT!! Generally speaking, bright bold colors are a young woman’s game. So I have to remind myself that I am a 51 year old woman and I don’t want to run the risk of looking like a starlet who can’t come to grips with her aging appearance. We all remember What Happened To Baby Jane, right?
How-to
I had had to use this color responsibly! I took the time to read some other notes on the product and visit the Cargo website. The eye shadow is “buildable” - you can layer it! So I started light! I first applied the light bone color in the palette to my eye lid (including inner corner!!) I then added a neutral cinnamon color along my brow bone. Now it was time for COLOR! I first applied the deep royal blue just along the crease and the outer corner of my eye. Then I added the bright teal green along bottom of lid and over the blue to blend it. It was color, but subtle. I then wanted to try using a wet brush and use the teal as liner. I have to say, I have had better success with other products for this trick. But, it still worked. I started at very inner corner and went all along lash to outer corner and just slightly bottom corner with the wet teal shadow. To finish the job I applied by brow powder, a little dark brown eye liner to top and mascara to top lashes.
Finishing touches!
I was pleased with this. However, I continued to play and added a little gold shimmer to center of lower lid and along brow bone just for fun. It added a nice dimension to look with the greens and gold. I would definitely add more of both if I were going out at night. But as a suburban mom, I can’t get too carried away during the day! As it was, when my son returned from school he asked where I was going, why was I so fancy? The one problem I did have was photographing the color. These pictures do not give the colors justice. The are much richer and more vibrant. I don’t know if its my camera or the way the color itself photographs… You will just have to take my word on it!
Back before school let out and Summer at the Jersey Shore started hopping, I began using NIA24 Rapid Depigmentation Serum. As a life-long, beach-loving, Jersey Girl, my skin has had its share of abuse. I now suffer the results of youthful tanning. My skin is uneven in tone with dark spots everywhere. Needless to say, I was very excited to try this product!
Product Features according the makers of Nia24:
-NIA24 Rapid Depigmentation Serum is a super concentrated serum that treats hyperpigmentation, including age spots, acne scarring, and sun damage
-It uses clinical-strength Pro-Niacin to diminish discoloration, brighten, and improve tone
-After 12 weeks, youll see a 21% improvement in skin tone and a 23% improvement in radiance
I applied the NIA21 Rapid Depigmentation Serum religiously every day for the past 3 months. Its a thin, light-weight serum and a little goes a long way. It goes on very easily. It does not feel heavy or thick, as a matter of fact, its absorbed very quickly and not noticable at all! It did not cause any irritation, break outs, etc… It was a simple addition to my morning routine.
You can see the fade of the dark areas and spots in the before and after pictures. Its not very obvious in the pictures however that the overall tone of my skin is definitely lighter/brighter. The important thing to remember that impressed me most is that it worked even though I used it through the Summer! I do use sunscreen regularly but I am out in the sun and at the beach and pool all summer long! Despite sun exposure, my skin looks better! I have every intention to continue using the product through the Winter, I suspect the results will continue to be even more dramatic!
ps - I feel it necessary to disclose that it was not easy for me to post pictures of my naked face!!! Especially the before picture! :)
http://www.bloom.com/new-nia24-reg-rapid-depigmentation-serum.html
Product Reviews:
1) Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel And
2) StriVectin SD Power Serum for Wrinkles
1) Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel: This is a daily use face peel and it could not be easier. I have used different “at home” face peels and this is by far the simplest to use. There are two packets with little wipes. You apply first wipe over entire face. Wait 2 minutes. Apply second wipe over entire face. I did not have a reaction. This is good and bad. I didn’t break out or dry out or have any negative reaction. I also didn’t see any GREAT result either after 5 days. I will say there were some subtle changes in very fine lines and I suppose at my stage in life was DRAMATIC results. I still noticed the lines and larger pores. Given that I didn’t have any negative reactions, I would be inclined to continue to use this and perhaps with prolonged daily use, I would see a more dramatic effect. I loved how easy it is to use.
2) StriVectin SD Power Serum for Wrinkles This is a really rich cream that I applied daily for 5 days to the problem areas around eyes, lips and forehead. I love how it feels and I did notice a better texture to area after use. I would be inclined to continue to use this too.
STILA!
It always my pleasure, truly, to have the opportunity review Stila eye shadows! As I have previously mentioned, I think Stila is GREAT! The shadows are so rich in pigment, the colors are phenomenal and last. Today I was working with the Stila “In the Know” eye shadow palette and liner kit. There are some nice, neutral safe colors in this palette and some intense, unpredictably fun colors too. I started out with a nice neutral base of desert all over lid, added some smoke and ebony along the crease and brow bone, I highlighted just under brow arch with wind. Since I was playing, I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try something I would never, ever have thought would work for me. I went for FIRE! I used a damp q-tip and applied the fire like a liner! I finished the eye with the included eye liner. Finally, I used LashFood conditioning mascara. What do you think? I LOVE it!
SUNDARI HAIR TREATMENT OIL
I have fine, highlighted hair. This presents certain hair care needs: my hair is dry due to the highlighting but because it is fine, it doesn’t do well if weighted down with oils. The Sundari oil smells divine. Its easy to use. I washed/repeat after 30 minutes and the results were less than remarkable. I didn’t notice a huge difference in texture or softness. This was however after only one use. What I am going to recommend and try myself is to use this in my hair at the beach, pool, etc…. Coconut oil is said to be great at protecting hair from sun damage and chlorine, etc. I am curious to see if using Sundari to protect my hair will also serve as a better hair treatment for me. Allowing it more time to soak in than the 30 minutes recommended on the packet might just be the key for success for me with my particular hair.
http://www.bloom.com/brands/sundari/sundari-neem-and-coconut-hair-treatment-oil.html
T’EEZ BUILD ME VOLUME SPRAY
I am always on the look out for great products. What makes a product great in my opinion? Easy to use, affordable and great result. This product meets all criteria! I love a spray in product - hate getting my hands all sticky and messy! I have fine, highlighted hair so I love any product that gives volume and this delivers with out that weird tacky sorta of feel some products leave your hair with.
T’EEZ BOUNCE ME STYLING CREAM
Love this product! I have fine, highlighted hair. I need products that give volume, bounce and control with out weighing my hair down. I also like a product that makes it easier for a “non pro” like myself to use. This was great and the best part for me, you only need a small amount for great results!
