Future Perfect Water-Optional Cleanser
Get More From A Face Cleanser And Spa-like Massage

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Review: Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Gel

DSC00972DSC00973

This is a second review in my series of the 3 little wonders set (a holiday set, these products are available separately from Ole Henriksen) that I received. The first was the truth serum collagen booster (http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-ole-henricksen-truth-serum.html). This is the second step after you apply the truth serum collagen booster. It is proclaimed as a powerful night gel that helps to get rid of fine lines, dark spots, and breakouts with the power of alpha-hydroxy acids.

This was created to work in synergy with the body’s natural repair system. It is an oil-free, lightweight gel that contains a concentrated complex of alpha-hydroxy acids to help brighten the skin. The Invigorating Night Gel is nourishing; it has remineralizing vitamins and botanicals to help hydrate the deepest layers of the skin, while smoothing and refining the surface texture for a more noticeably firmer complexion.

Algae extract nourishes the skin with vitamins and minerals; alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic acid and lactic acid) renew skin cells, diminishes fine lines and wrinkles, soothes texture and balances skin tone. They also regulate overactive sebaceous glands to minimize blemishes. Mucopolysaccharrides act as humectants and bind moisture to the skin, providing superior hydration. The gel is also paraben free.

I feel that I am getting too biased here! I am starting to have a real definitive passion for the Ole Henriksen line. All of the products that I have tried are top notch. The Invigorating Night Gel is one of those products too. I have been using this for about 4 weeks now. I really wanted to get a good feel of the product. The first thing I would like to say is that like the other products in the line that I have tried, you only need a tiny bit to use over the face and neck. I am serious! I have a 1 oz. jar and I have barely made a dent in it. Second I can tell there is a large concentration of alpha-hydroxy acids because it does have that good “sting” to it when applied over the truth serum collagen booster. I know you can get products without the “sting” that are just as effective but I feel that it is working when it has it. That is just me.

Since I have been using these Ole Henriksen products my skin has never looked so good. I had some time that I took off from use when I was sick but even then my skin still looked great. I got right back on the products and I had one small blemish that I had to treat but this product helped with that. Lactic acid is good for regulating blemishes. Glycolic acid is good for helping with dark spots and to brighten the skin. Those two ingredients are top on the list, just after water. But having them that high on the list means that the high concentration of the acids work better. The water is just there to dilute them. I can say for the first time that I feel all of these products work better as a system. The Sheer Transformation Cream, which I will review next is the final step in a good basic skin care regimen that helps to fight fine lines and hyperpigmentation. They do have some treatments, and I really recommend the truth is in the eyes eye peel. Great stuff!

The Invigorating Night Gel comes in 2 sizes. There is a 1 oz./ $30.00. and 1.7 oz. for $45.00. It is available at www.olehenriksen.com, www.sephora.com, www.beauty.com, and the various other skincare sites online. It is available at Sephora stores. If you have any questions about alpha-hydroxy acids, what they can do for your skin, some of the Ole Henriksen products or skincare in general, please contact me at: mariepapachatzis@gmail.com. Thanks!

 

(The product above was sent for consideration.)

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

I Am THE Makeup Junkie’s Look No.2 With MAC Archie Girls Collection

DSC00726

 

I had a heck of a time today doing my eyes with these colors. I used the Spoiled Rich x4 eye shadow quad Cheers My Dear pigment and Magic Spells Pigment. Let me tell you, I had to do my eyes three times before I settled on something that looked somewhat presentable in front of the camera. And I am still not happy with how they turned out! I just ran out of time and thought, “Well, it will have to do because I have other things I have to do today and my makeup is not the most important of them.” Yeah, I know. I can’t believe I said that either!

DSC00814DSC00815DSC00817DSC00820DSC00821DSC00895

Okay, I used the following products today: Spoiled Rich x4 eye shadow quad ($44.00), Cheers My Dear pigment ($23.00), Wholesome Fluidline (charcoal), Extreme Dimension Lash mascara, Prom Princess satin blush ($22.00) and Oh, Oh, Oh lustre lipstick ($16.50). Spoiled Rich x4 has the following eye shadows: Pin Up Purple (F, iridescent pink-purple), Spoiled Rich (F, medium shimmery bright purple), Ron Ron Run (S, shimmery navy blue) and Gravel (M, dark cement gray).Cheers My Dear is a beautiful lilac pink shimmer. And Magic Spells is a beautiful black with green glittery shimmer throughout. Prom Princess blush is a wow bright fuchsia pink. Oh, Oh, Oh lipstick is a nice coppery shimmer.

DSC00903DSC00827

Personally I think that Pin Up Purple could be a dupe of Stars and Rockets except it isn’t pigmented enough. I have to say that all of these shadow are not very pigmented, they are all sheer. If you look at the swatches you can see they even look sheer on my arm. I am extremely disappointed! I was hoping for some beautiful purples and when I put them on my eyes they looked awful. That is part of the reason why I had so much trouble this morning with my eye makeup. Another thing about these eye shadows is that they are not soft and they the brushes tug when you try to get product from the pan. That generally means they are cheap. The Caramel Sundae x4 quad shadows were of much better quality. The shadows are hard too, just getting a swatch was difficult. There is also a lot of fallout when you put brush to them. These are just all around disappointing eye shadows.

It was difficult finding a look that worked when the shadows were so sheer on. The pigments on the other hand are great. Cheers my Dear and Magic Spells are as very pigmented as was Lucky in Love was. The other items, the blush and lipstick are also great items. I had to be very careful with the blush, as it was too pigmented. As with all MAC lipsticks, Oh, Oh, Oh is quite beautiful. They really have the market cornered on great lipsticks!

DSC00882DSC00887DSC00872DSC00874DSC00876DSC00837

As I mentioned, it took me three tries just to get a look that I was thinking was presentable. I took the Cheers My Dear pigment and used a sealer to wet it and have it used we all across my lid and up to just under my brow. Then I used the bright purple Spoiled Rich in the crease and just laid some in there lightly. I used Pin Up Purple under my brow. I wanted to define my eyes so I used the Wholesome Fluidline and lined the upper lid and lower lid with it. It made for a very defined and dark eye look. I used two coats of mascara, as my lashes are long but very blonde. I used a light hand with the Prom Princess blush, and used a little bit of powder to blend it out afterwards. On my lips I used Oh, Oh, Oh lipstick and found it to be a lovely color that blended in well with the light coat of light brown lipliner I used.

I was much happier with the items I used in yesterday’s look. I still have a lipstick, a pigment and two lip glasses two use. So I might try those with the Caramel Sundae x4 quad. I will find one more look to do. Definitely! If you have the Spoiled Rich x4 quad I really want to hear what you think!

 

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Review: Mane Teeze

DSC00127
Mane Teeze by T&M Hair Perfume is the newest innovation in hair styling. When I first received it I thought, okay, this is just a gimmick. Hair perfume? You have got to be kidding. But I was wrong.

If you look around the hair styling aisles today you will notice that many brands have come out with powders that refresh your hair so that you can go another day without having to wash it. Mane Teeze does the same thing. It refreshes the hair and extends the life of a blow dry with just a few spritzes. Why is it better? Because it is not a powder! What I don’t like about the the powders is that they make the hair feel kind of flat and heavy after application. Mane Teeze kind of lifts the hair up, adding some volume and fragrance all at the same time. The scent isn’t too heavy and slowly mellows into a soft fragrance that smells uplifting rather than too cheesy. I have been using it for a couple of weeks now, specifically the Black Widow fragrance. I applied Mane Teeze and decided to wear my hair a little messy today. I would much rather wear this over hair powders any day! Late in the morning and I can still smell the scent that I applied first thing in the morning. This is a definite plus in the styling regimen. Sometimes I cannot wash my hair every day due to back problems so I need something like this to keep my hair fresh. I don’t find the scent too strong, the amber can be overpowering sometimes but it dissipates and becomes a softer version of itself that lasts in my hair for hours.

DSC00733
Mane Teeze contains a higher concentrate than average perfumes but it is more gentle for use on hair. The scent is noticeable for around 12 hours. One only needs a few spritzes and it doesn’t leave a greasy consistency, which is the key benefit over hair powders. The fragrance can even mask cigarette smoke.
Mane Teeze comes in three scents:
    • Black Widow-a foggy, luxurious, enchanting scent filled with undertones of dark amber
    • Haut Mess-a luscious mix of chocolate, caramel and dessert like scents that engulf the hair.
    • Social Butterfly-sweet, soft vanilla infused luxury that matches a busy, bubbly life.
It is available at various select boutiques in the US and Canada, such as Blow Dry and online at www.maneteeze.com and sells for $35.00/50 ml. The only thing that is holding me back is the price. Fifty milliliters is 1.69 oz., it’s not a large bottle.This product was developed by two strong, independent women, Tara McIntyre and Melanie Groom, who own salons in Toronto and then expanded into San Francisco. They felt there was a need for a product like this in the hair styling category, they launched it and it sold out within 6 months! Definitely something to be proud of in this market!

(The item above was sent for consideration)

I Am THE Makeup Junkie’s Look No. 1 With MAC Archie Girls Items

DSC00796

At first I was hesitant to get the MAC Archie Girls items. I never read those comics when I was little. I was strictly a Wonder Woman, Spiderman and Batman girl (yes, I read comic books when I was a young girl). However, when I took a look at the items online I changed my mind. They looked pretty good. Worthy of my attention. Darn. I didn’t all of it, just the things that jumped out at me. Today I am going to show you the first in a series of looks with the Archie Girls items.

 

For this look I used the Caramel Sundae eye shadow x4 ($44.00), Lucky in Love pigment ($23.00), Cream Soda blush ($22.00) and Girl Next Door lipstick (16.50). The Caramel Sundae eye shadow x4 eye shadows are: Cheryl Chic (frost, light pink), Dreammaker (f, light yellow), Caramel Sundae (s, taupe) and Showstopper (m, chocolate brown). Lucky in Love pigment is a very shimmery light clover green. Cream Soda blush is a satin finish light peach. Girl next door lipstick is a lustre finish Barbie doll light pink.

DSC00714DSC00716DSC00717DSC00719DSC00722

DSC00724DSC00725DSC00793DSC00794

I am extremely happy with the look I did today. Mainly I am happy with the Lucky in Love pigment, which really gave the look a nice pop of color. To achieve the look I took Caramel Sundae and used it judisciously in the crease, making sure it plainly seen. Then I took Showstopper and used it in the outer corner of the lid and underneath the lid, lining the bottom lid. I then used Lucky in Love pigment all over the lid and up into the crease. I used a ton of it. There was some fallout, but not as much as I expected. Normally MAC pigments have a ton of fallout. I then lined the bottom lid with it. Cheryl Chic was used under the brow and blended just a little into Caramel Sundae. MAC’s Smoky Heir (dark smoky purple) Superslick Liquid Liner was used to line the upper lid. I used In Extreme Dimension Lash from MAC mascara on my lashes.

I really used the Cream Soda blush on my cheeks, making them pop some. I lined my lips with a light nude lipcolor (not MAC) and then used the light pink Girl Next Door lipstick. This color really seals the look as a spring look. It would also look great with any nude color, or any pink and coral color.

 

DSC00775DSC00741DSC00771DSC00736DSC00764DSC00756DSC00805

As you can see from the swatches above, all of the items I used have pretty good pigmentation. Even the lightest eye shadows showed up okay on my arms. I am happy that the pigment didn’t have a lot of fallout on to my face as I was applying it. And It blended well onto my eyes, it was smooth and really made the look I was going for. So far I am happy with these items and I cannot wait to try the other Archie Girls items that I have. Tomorrow I will be trying the other eye shadow quad, pigments and lipglosses or lipsticks. Yay! So excited!!!!

DSC00726

 

Monday, February 25, 2013

Celebrity Eyebrow Stylist Joey Healy's Red Carpet Brow Hits & Misses

R   E   D      C   A   R   P   E   T       O   S   C   A   R      B   E   A   U   T   Y

CELEBRITY EYEBROW STYLIST JOEY HEALY ON THE OSCARS RED CARPET BROW HITS & MISSES

Tonight, A-list actresses glammed up the Oscars red carpet. Not only were their designer dresses the talk of the evening, but the stand out trend was beautiful brows. While some made the mark, others missed the cut. Celebrity brow stylist and Brow Police Joey Healy selects the hits and misses and reveals how to get these gorgeous looks.

HITS

annehathawayy2ANNE HATHAWAY

I dreamed a dream of perfect eyebrows! The Les Miserables starlet dazzled the red carpet with bold, brunette brows which worked perfectly to balance her short pixie cut.  I would have loved to see her sweep those bangs aside even more, to really showcase her flawless, bold brows.

brows browgel

Get the look with The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection: Brow Architect Stylo in Molasses | Brow Structure Clear Set

 

 

adele2ADELE

Adele’s brows definitely made the Skyfall (in a good way)! Her brow color perfectly complimented her sandy blonde locks and her beauty look is all about the eyes.  I love this soft, yet finished brow to complete her look, it says "glamour" all the way.

blondebrow

Get the look with The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection: Brow Architect Stylo in Wicker

 

 

charlizetheronCHARLIZE THERON

With Charlize Theron’s newly cropped coif, there was no hiding those brows. She set her own trend for the evening, stepping away from thick, bushy brows, and went for a streamlined, elegant arch that work flawlessly with her bone structure. The ashy, taupe tone of her brows, really brings out the emerald green in her eyes.

browpowder

Get the look with The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection:Luxe Brow Powder in Corduroy | Duo Brow Brush | Elite Sculpting Tweezer

 

kerrywashingtonKERRY WASHINGTON

Kerry Washington wowed the crowd with her luscious, thick brows. This Django Unchained actress looks like she just stepped off the New York Fashion Week runway. For someone with a prominent mouth, high cheek bones and large eyes, her brows harmoniously balanced the rest of her features. Her eyebrows play into her youthful appearance and enhance her fresh-faced look.

browpowder_molasses

Get the look with The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection: Brow Architect Stylo in Molasses |Brow Structure Clear Set

 

 

MISSES

jessicachastain3JESSICA CHASTAIN

Jessica Chastain’s role in Zero Dark Thirty was all about the search, yet the search is still on for her eyebrows. To balance out her bold lip color, she needed a bold brow to keep her face in high/low proportion. She missed the mark on achieving a polished brow look and should have opted for a soft cinnamon powder.

For better brows, Joey Healy suggests The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection:Luxe Brow Powder in Equestrian | Duo Brow Brush

 

 

 

 

 

jenniferlawrence3JENNIFER browpowder1LAWRENCE

Oscar golden girl Jennifer Lawrence looked like Hollywood royalty, although her brows were not the stars of her beauty look. While her Oscar nominated role was bold and daring, her brows did not follow the Playbook. Whisper light and thin, her eyebrows are not up to my standards of perfection.

 

For better brows, Joey Healy suggests The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection:Brow Architect Stylo in Wicker

 

 

 

jennifergarnerJENNIFER GARNER

Jennifer Garner showed support for hubby Ben Affleck on the red carpet, but her brows did not glam up her look. Jennifer’s eyebrows would benefit from being darker, especially with her light, airy makeup. Her shape is on-point, but the resulting brow looks patchy and sparse.

powder_tobaccobrowbrush

For better brows, Joey Healy suggests The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection:Luxe Brow Powder in Tobacco | Duo Brow Brush

 

 

amandaseyfriedAMANDA SEYFRIED

Amanda Seyfried’s brows are so Miserables. The awkward, brassy tone is too light and looks disjointed from her hair color. A triumphant start to her shape sadly fizzles to an underwhelming tail. Her beauty look was simply not red carpet worthy.

 

Get the look with The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection: Luxe Brow Powder in Corduroy | Duo Brow Brush | Brow Renovation Serum

 

 

 

 

joeyhealy

 

About Joey Healy: A triple threat in the beauty industry, Joey Healy is a prominent eyebrow stylist, professional makeup artist and licensed esthetician. With his skill and unique approach for creating the ideal arch, Joey launched his mobile eyebrow styling division in late 2009, The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection in 2011 and The Joey Healy Eyebrow Studio in December, 2012. The result, a chic way for men and women to tame and maintain exquisite eyebrows. Utilizing his talents, Joey has become a favorite among celebrities and companies including Kyra Sedgwick, Aviva Drescher, Jill Zarin and Carole Radziwill of The Real Housewives of New York, Andy Cohen of Watch What Happens Live, Sean Young of Blade Runner, the New York City Ballet, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bravo!, Neiman Marcus, Dress for Success, MTV and many more.

For more information on Joey Healy or The Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection visit www.joeyhealy.com.

Images available via Wire Image

(The item above is a press release)

Featured Post

Review: SEPHORA PRO Palette in Warm #SEPHORA #PROPaletteinWarm

(product photo courtesy of www.sephora,com )  SEPHORA PRO Palette in Warm $68.00 This deluxe eyeshadow palette with 38 warm color...

Girl Up

KVD Vegan Beauty