On The Shelf

Overview:

Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub

Purchase Price $26

Retailer www.mariobadescu.com

Check out www.mariobadescu.com for product info

Product Review:

Earlier this year I attended the Makeup Show NYC and I wish I had gone sooner, as this was their 10^th anniversary in NYC. One of the many great brands in the skincare and beauty world, Mario Badescu, was there to sell everything that was available, even before some products were to be sold by other retailers. In this case it happened to be the Botanical Exfoliating Scrub that caught my attention as it was seated front and center. The sales representatives were extremely polite and knowledgeable answering any questions I had.

Having a good facial scrub is a necessity in my book as I use it two to three times a week. I will apply this scrub either right before I hop into the shower in the morning or after I have removed my makeup at night. The Botanical Exfoliating Scrub is made with a combination of great ingredients that help promote a brighter complexion, unclog pores, which will leave skin feeling supple. The exfoliator in the scrub is ground Ecuadorian palm seeds that aid in removing dead skin cells. There is a truly fresh botanical scent that is light and pleasant as the clear gel formulated from coconut, aloe, green tea, and ginger work harmoniously to achieve revived new skin.

This is such a great product for everything it offers but another huge advantage is its cost savings. Many competitive products either have harsh exfoliators or you have to use a large amount of product for it to be effective. Using less means saving money. And that means buying more of Mario Badescu’s products! Obviously this is a new addition for the shelf that will be repurchased as needed. 

Brand Updates, Launches and Events…

Dana and Lora creators of Melt cosmetics did it again. The Nood Collection launches online tomorrow at 12pm pst . With a limited release at this past June's Phamexpo this became a instant hit across social media. Instagram lovers could not get enough of this perfect foursome.

A beautiful range of nudes that took three years in the making in hopes of achieving the perfect shades/color to complement a range of skin tones.

Expect the same great vegan quality with these and set your alarms as they will surely sell out.

Photo credit: IG -@meltcosmetics 

On The Shelf

  

Overview:

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette

Purchase Price $46 + tax

Retailer Sephora

Check out www.sephora.com for product info

Contouring and highlighting has been a raging beast of beauty with no signs of stopping, as clearly it is to stay. This technique can be applied with a cream or powder. Since I feel powder comes off more natural and application is easier, for me, I knew what powder was needed; enter, Kat Von D. I already had my eyes on this palette during its initial release and knew it would eventually be on my shelf.

For those who may be new to contouring; do not feel overwhelmed as the palette may look to be a bit much. There are three large varying color “Shade” pans which are great giving a diverse range of color depending on your skin tone and time of year. Sombre, an almost chocolate shade, can be used during your tannest summer days. Shadowplay, a golden brown, for winter. And Subconscious, a peachy brown, for the transitions of fall and spring. The only Shade I could not really use is Subconscious since I am so fair skinned. I opted to use it as an eyeshadow which has worked great for me!

Moving on to the three smaller pans, the “Light”, these are you highlighters. Lucid, is almost peach in color, Lyric is a cool tone, whereas Levitation is a warm tone. Those with a beige to olive skin tone will have much success with these colors versus those with very fair skin. Ebony skin tones could use these as intended as strictly just a “highlighter”, however, proper application would need to be learned.

Overall this is a great investment for any makeup lover, period. The pluses about its simple design with awesome integration of magnetic lid and mirror are wonderful! The amount of product is great and even better than the quantity is the quality. Once applied this product lasted all day without any touch-ups. Whether you are a beginner or a pro this palette gives you choices. Shade + Light is certainly going to be on my shelf or in my kit!

FYI: Brand Updates, Launches and Events…

Jeffree star cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick UPDATE:

August 15th 12 noon (pst) Blow pony and Posh Spice will make their debut! These two new shades are sure to sale out so make sure to save the date.

Unicorn blood and celebrity skin will also be restocked. If that wasn't enough to entice you, free US shipping for 24hrs, limit 2 per customer.

Photo credit:IG @jeffreestar @missjazminad

FYI: Brand Updates, Launches and Events…

NUR Makeup Artistry Workshop

Cost: $100

Selda with me on her shoulder :)

Last month, June 7^th, I attended my first ever hands-on workshop, with demonstration and instruction, given by Selda Asan-Rodriguez owner of NUR Makeup Artistry. The main goal of this workshop was for a photo ready look. This was a great experience as you were allowed to bring your own model to apply your work.

Selda was at the front of the class with her barefaced model projected on a monitor for all to see. Twenty women, with makeup and tools at the ready, watched and listened intently as Selda began giving her demonstration. As she was worked, starting with the eyes, Selda was eager to answer any questions while we followed along. Next came a primary focus, the foundation and selecting the best shade for you or your model’s skin tone. She recommended to swatch three colors that appear close to the desired shade on the chest and pick the one that blends without hard defined edges. This is where allowing time for the foundation to set if it needed to be built was crucial. Having set the foundation Selda moved onto contouring, my crux as I never learned how to properly use this technique (learned so much from Selda though). Then, as this was completed she moved back to the eyes and finished them with a personal touch of red shadow to give the look a sultry finish.  

There was a definite weak spot for me in this workshop and that was attempting to use techniques that were unfamiliar to me while watching and listening. Taking notes in between applying makeup to my model and following along was a tad difficult for me. However, this was an awesome experience that I learned so much more than watching a ten minute YouTube video could ever have taught me. Selda is naturally an excellent teacher and even commented on how her techniques are what she uses to apply makeup. She definitely thinks about the bigger picture and spreading not only the love of makeup but the true artistry behind it.

As we finished all the participants were given a certificate of completion and a bag of merchandise that more than covered the actual price of the workshop. Not to mention there were refreshments and the casual and friendly environment was such a great girl’s day out for me and one of my besties! Also, Selda had a raffle which was unbelievable for jewelry and makeup products. Believe me this class was informative and I can’t wait until she has another one.

On The Shelf

Overview:

Bdellium Tools Maestro 974 Tapered Powder

Purchase Price $24

Retailer www.bdelliumtools.com

Check out http://bdelliumtools.com/maestro for product info

Product Review:

Being a diehard fan of Bdellium’s colorful bamboo (Bambu) brush lines I decided to add one of their Maestro brushes to my ever growing collection. The brush has the typical gloss black finished handle and aluminum ferrule with a combination of natural and synthetic hairs.

As stated on Bdellium’s website: “Designed to sculpt and shape cheeks and temples using powder, blush, or highlighter”, which I can attest to using all three products with this brush. I found while using this brush it holds plenty of product for blush and highlighter application without the need to double and triple dip into product. The unique shape made it possible to perfectly apply makeup under my eyes. The bristles are extremely soft and easy enough to hand wash, and after doing so, the shape comes back with no irregularities.

The only issues I had have been when using this brush for contouring. Like mentioned previously this brush holds product, so I end up having an asymmetrical end result which requires a lot of blending. However, the primary function of this brush, for me, has been as a blending and setting tool. The price is reflective of the overall quality of this brush. I would definitely recommend it for blending after contouring. There is a high possibility of repurchase of this individual for my shelf. 

FYI: Brand Updates, Launches and Events…

 The much anticipated Everlasting Liquid Lipstick from Kat Von D beauty has finally launched at sephora.com  . You can now find 16 shades including these personal favorites of mine there. Hurry and get yours now as these are still coming soon to your local malls, in store release date is July 24th.

Photo credits: @thekatvond IG