Winter Skin Rx

So by now, many of you non-makeup up wearers are LOVING your easy new makeup routine right?! RIGHT!?!?! Ok well, we trust that you are. ;) Another issue we have been hearing lots about is dryness....even for those with oily skin - and no wonder! This year's record setting artic blasts are enough to take even La Mer to task.

Here are some essentials for whipping winter skin back into shape...(keyword: MOISTURE):


1. Water - ahhh...Mother Nature's greatest gift never fails to deliver. While a good moisturizer is key to Giving Good Face, so is hydrating from the inside out. Not only is this precious gift great for helping skin look and feel its best, it is also great for hair too. Just like your skin, your hair also needs moisture to thrive so why not start from within. Trying to shed those post-holiday pounds? Water makes an excellent "hunger buster". For a fat burning effect, try adding fresh lemon slices (or freshly squeezed lemon juice) to your water - it has the same impact as eating a 1/2 of grapefruit because of the citric acid!

2. Moisturizer - In addition to hydrating your skin from the inside, having a really good moisturizer on-hand helps quench thirsty skin. Clinique's Moisture Surge Thirst Relief is just what the doctor ordered. This lightweight, non-greasy, cream-gel smooths fine lines and banishes flakey dryness. The cream-gel formula is quickly absorbed by skin - leaving a silky smooth texture and making it a cinch to apply makeup over it. Blemishes got you nervous about giving this hydrating wonder a try? Rest easy - it is known to help fight breakouts too! If your skin requires a more heavy duty cream formula, check out Moisture Surge Thirst Relief's Cousin - Moisture On-Line.

3. Mask It! - As we have mentioned before, some of the best remedies for hydrating wind-whipped skin can be found in your kitchen (or local grocer if you are like us and hear an echo when you open your fridge). Avocado not only makes for excellent "guac", it is very hydrating and provides intense moisture to dry skin. Here is a quick & easy "Rich Avocado Facial" recipe courtesy of "Natural Beauty at Home" by Janice Cox:

• 1 Tbsp ripe avocado, mashed
  

• 1 Tsp honey


• 3 drops apple cider vinegar


• A little sesame oil

Mix the first three ingredients and add enough sesame oil to create a spreadable consistency. Smear on with clean hands. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water and pat skin dry. If desired, finish off with a light application of rosewater (spritz it on and gently pat in or apply it with a cotton pad) to tone, then apply moisturizer.

Credits: Clinique Laboratories, LLC.

New Year...New You

Many clients have told us they skip make-up as part of their daily routine because they: (a) do not have the time and/or (b) do not know where to begin. We think the following sets are a perfect way to put "Add Make-Up to Daily Routine" on their New Year's "To Do" lists (aka New Year's Resolutions for those who make them).

Cargo's "7 in 7" helps you Give Good Face in a snap! Designed to "...get you gorgeous in 7 steps in under 7 minutes", this kit is packed with the following "can't miss" glam essentials:

• OneBase lightweight concealer and foundation;
• Essential Eye Shadow Palette - each part of the eye lid is imprinted on each color for "can't miss" application & and includes an easy to follow diagram;
• High Pigment Eye Pencil - rich in color, helping eyes really "pop";
• LashActivator mascara - gives lashes extra volume & length;
• BeachBlush - combining blush and bronzer for that "from within" glow;
• Reverse Lip Liner - to help give thinner lips a fuller pout; and
• Classic Lip Gloss with Timestrip technology - non-sticky & paraben free, this silky smooth gloss nourishes lips, while the Timestrip technology lets you know when it is time to "toss the gloss" and get a new one.

"7 in 7" is available in "Light Medium", "Warm Medium", and "Dark Medium". While we do not think the Reverse Lip Liner is great for all skin tones, or is necessary for all lips, we think this package is overall worth the investment. Not sure if you want to commit to the full package? Check out the the mini version available at Ulta.

The Too Faced Natural Eye Neutral Eye Shadow Collection is touted as "an all-inclusive kit that includes nine [9] essential shadows for all-over lid color, highlighting, smudging, and more" and we agree! Complete with: color-rich, long wearing eyeshadows; 3 easy to follow "How To" cards for creating 3 flawless & easy natural looks; and a double sided brush/wand, your eyes will go from drap to fab in a blink! The "pure pigment" formula of the eyeshadows allow for effortless blending so you have no excuse for not adding this collection to your beuty bag.

Credits: Cargo Cosmetics Corp.; Two Faced Cosmetics, Inc.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We would like to take a minute to wish each of you a very safe and Happy New Year! Remember to drink lots of water and that mildly brewed caffeinated tea bags are a quick & easy fix to those late night party eyes! :)

Here's to all the best this New Year holds.

Cin Cin!

B.F.F.: Beautiful.Flawless.Face. Make-up Artistry

It's the Most Wonderful Time of The Year....

We hope each of you had a beautiful.flawless.holiday and got everything you wanted - whether it be lazy days lounging in your fave robe and/or pj's, to taking the hordes *we mean mall* by storm, to cashing in on some of those unbelievable deals!

As we have mentioned several times before, retail seasonal changes are the best times to update your beauty arsenal and find great cosmetic deals. If you are anything like us, you can NEVER have too many cosmetic bags and travel cases. The following great bags/sets + unbelievable post-holiday prices = absolute "MUST HAVES".

Clinique's Lash Impact Gift Set is a true "gem"! As if the cute purple cosmetic bag is not reason enough to buy it, the 4 travel sized mascaras will have you "SOLD"! Each of the mascaras will solve just about any lash dilemma: The "High Impact" Mascara volumizes and lengthens; "High Impact Curling" Mascara coaxes lashes to their most upturned look; "Lash Power" Mascara vows to keep lashes looking their best for 24 hours; while "High Definition" Lashes delivers extreme length and definition.

What is better than one gift? Two gifts in one! That is what you get when you purchase Lorac's Double Booked Full Face Collection. Celebrity make-up artist Carol Shaw (Lorac = Carol backwards) took the guesswork out of knowing what shades go best together in this two palette set - making it a cinch to create the perfect day and evening looks. The set contains 16 eyeshadows (8 cool and 8 warm respectively), 2 blushes, 2 lip glosses, 1 lip liner, 1 bronzer, 1 highlighter, 1 face mirror, and Lorac's exclusive dual-sided shadow/liner brush. This book style palette set comes in a faux crocodile case (in silver at Sephora and Black Patent Leather at Lorac.com that can be used a jewelry box or travel case.

Indulge your inner make-up artist with the Limited Edition Smashbox Eye Wish Palette. Create an endless array of "soft & simple" or "smokey eyed vixen" looks with any of the 4 cream eyeliners, 12 eyeshadows, and Photo Finish Lid Primer. Follow the step-by-step techniques in the "Eye Wish Look Book" for perfect party eyes or to find your new signature look.

Credits: Clinique Laboratories, LLC; Lorac Cosmetics, Inc.; Smashbox Cosmetics

Happy "Chrismahanukkwanzakuh"

As we wrap the last of our gifts & take out that last batch of cookies we thought would NEVER finish baking, we want to take a moment to wish you all the best this season brings!

May your "Hanukkah Harry", "St. Nick", or "Kwanzaa Prince C. Pal" deliver your beautiful heart's desire!

xoxo,

B.F.F. Make-Up Artistry

Credits: Image courtesy of snowcrystals.com

Doin' the Dash

If some of you are like us, you may still be shopping for that "perfect gift" for your loved ones or yourself. Here's a run down of some "Deals & Steals" that may make your hunt a little easier:

What better way to find the perfect addition(s) to your make-up treasure chest than to hit up beauty wonderland Sephora! With gift sets galore, we are sure you'll find the perfect gift that's too fab to part with. Don't want to deal with the hordes of last minute shoppers? No problem, check out Sephora.com - orders placed TODAY will arrive to your door by 12/24! As if this deal could not get any sweeter, you get to pick 3 Free Samples with EVERY ORDER!


Giving with a Purpose? Check out the "WISH" collection over at Smashbox.com. $1 of each purchase of a "WISH" gift set will be donated to the Children's Miracle Network, "a non-profit that grants the wish of life to millions of sick or injured kids by providing care and investing in life-saving research." The good folks at Smashbox are also offering free Jumbo Samples and Free Shipping (if you don't mind getting your gift after Christmas).

In addition to DELICIOUS holiday pallets, NARS is offering Free FedEx Shipping on all purchases of $25 or more (sooo very easy to do once you see these pallets). Want more than make-up? Be sure to check-out the heavenly scented candles and Essential Oil-Infused Therapy Soak.

Rounding out our last minute holiday "Deals & Steals" are some great finds for "Under $55" over at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. We are sure you will find that perfect "stocking stuffer" (or cosmetic bag stuffer) in the array of gloss trios, pallets, and cream shadow sets available. You have to hurray though, because the Free 2 Day Shipping offer ENDS TODAY. Running out of wrapping paper? No problem - Bobbi offers complimentary Gift Wrapping & 2 Free Samples.

Credits: Sephora USA, Inc., NARS Cosmetics, Smashbox Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown Professional Cosmetics, Inc.

Down But Not Out

Hello GGF'ers,

We SINCERELY apologize for the massive lag since our last post. Unfortunately, we were hit with a nasty case of swine flu (or H1N1 virus for our more "P.C." readers) followed by some unrelated illnesses. Additionly, some potential opportunities have arisen that (unfortunately) require a great deal of our attention and efforts.

Again, sincere apologies and we PROMISE to resume posting on a more consistent basis later this month. Please bare with us and thank you in advance for your continued support!

XOXO & Stay Well - Beautiful.Flawless.Face (B.F.F.)

Credits: Image courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture

Think Pink 2.0

As we previously mentioned, we will be posting more "Pink" finds that support breast cancer research and awareness this month. The following are a few that we found at one of our "wonderlands" - Sephora!

Sephora will donate $1 from your purchase of this limited-edition Super Shimmer lip gloss in "Forever Pink" to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). This sheer gloss is ..."packed with holographic shimmer and mega-watt shine".

Looking for a gloss that moisturizes, is not too sticky, and gives lips a boost? Check out Balmshell's lip gloss in "1 in 8". This sheer "milky" pink gloss is perfect for all skin tones. Balmshell's "...unique formula creates a smooth high gloss finish" that gives the "...appearance of full supple lips". Slightly "fruity vanilla" in flavor, "1 in 8" comes in Balmshell's signature story line packaging. The "1 in 8" gloss shade name was chosen to help reinforce the fact that "approximately 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer." The clever packaging symbolically illustrates that breast cancer affects different types of women. As with the Super Shimmer lip gloss in "Forever Pink", Sephora will donate $1 from the purchase of this gloss to the BCRF.

Shiny lips = Sexy. Shiny Face = Not so sexy. Keep your "shine" in check with this refillable powder brush. Made with natural hairs, this brush provides a smooth finish and works especially well with mineral powders. As if it couldn't get any better, the brush is also retractable - so you can take it on-the-go and not worry about damaging the bristles! Sephora will donate $2 from your purchase of this brush to Breast Cancer Awareness.

Credits: Sephora USA, Inc. Balmshell Inc.

Passionately Pink

Having recently battled breast cancer, beauty expert and professional make-up artist Sonia Kashuk decided to support breast cancer research by adding the following limited-edition brush sets and lash curler to her beauty collection, exclusively sold at Target. 15% of the purchase price of each item will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

The chic brush sets are available in two styles:


"Brush Up on Pink" is a 4-piece travel sized brush set that is perfect for purses. The set contains beauty arsenal essentials like a Powder brush and Eye Shadow brush.

The 6-piece "Brushed to Perfection" set not only contains "must haves" like Eye Shadow and Powder brushes but a Lash/Brow groomer (which one can never have too many of). Additionally it comes in a cute "clutch" style case.

Rounding out this collection is the "Curl for a Cause" Eyelash Curler. True to her beauty expert and professional make-up artist roots, Sonia designed this with an extra thick pad to minimize damage to lashes. This lash curler also comes with a drawstring pouch that goes perfectly with the "Brush Up on Pink" case.

Credits: Sonia Kashuk Beauty at Target; Target Corporation (via Target.com).

Think PINK

From the NFL to some of our "fave" cosmetic brands, everyone is going "Pink" this month in honor of it being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Consequently, we will be posting great finds and/or offers, like the ones below, that support this more than worthy cause.

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics is offering a limited edition "Pink Ribbon" lip set that consists of a "Blush Pink Creamy Lip Color" (which was Vanity Fair's "Hot Looks Benefiting the Cure" pick) and "Pink Crystal Glitter Lip Balm". Your purchase will go towards Bobbi Brown's $35,000 donation (in North American sales) to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Additionally, you will get "Free Shipping" when purchased online via http://www.bobbiebrowncosmetics.com/ and receive a Pink Ribbon made from recycled materials.

Like Bobbi Brown, Perscriptives will put a portion of your purchase of their limited edition "Pink Ribbon Palette for Cheeks and Eyes" towards their $20,000 donation (in North American sales) to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The Palette features "four eye colors and two cheek colors" that perfectly compliment your fall look.

Credits: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Inc.; Prescriptives, Inc.; The Breast Cancer Research Foundation