Tuesday, February 24, 2009

A Belated Triple Awards Post

I was so touched to be nominated by the lovely Happy Face, Happy Wallet that I (almost) forgot to mention it here. Better late than never, right? This award really made my day and I'm grateful for the opportunity to nominate some of my favorite bloggers. Without further ado, here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.
3. Be sure to link your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

I nominate, in no particular order...drum roll please...

1. The Lip Print
2. Blogdorf Goodman
3. Lipsticks & Lightsabers
4. All Lacquered Up
5. Padmita's Makeup Blog
6. Nessasary Makeup
7. Fashion Under $100
8. Scrangie
9. Babyassface
10. Fabuless Beauty

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

These Are a Few Of My Favorite...Tools

The crux of human evolution revolved around our ability to use tools. Before you go stabbing yourself in the eye with the same pair of dull tweezers you’ve had since the sixth grade, consider these options, listed in order of appearance.

  1. Clean Spoolie, Clean Mascara Wand or Lash Comb: You will need this to brush your eyebrow hairs up to see if any of the hairs are too long. I recommend trimming your brow hair prior to tweezing so to avoid accidental bald spots. This way, you can groom your eyebrows conservatively and with minimal collateral damage. I prefer to brush my brows in the direction I’d like them to go (rather than up) and only trimming the hairs that disrupt the shape. Trim in small sections (rather than one fell swoop) to avoid cutting the hairs too short and creating too severe a shape.

  1. Small, Sharp Cuticle Scissors: You didn’t think you could trim with the spoolie alone, did you? You will need a pair of scissors that is small enough to single out each hair. I have tried scissors (with an attached comb) designed especially for eyebrow grooming but the comb made it difficult to see which hairs were being trimmed and the resultant gaps in my eyebrows were not pretty.

  1. Mini Razors: I know you see them at your local drugstore and think they look scary. Fear not, my dears. You will not shave off your epidermis or your eyebrows (unless you’re too aggressive) but you will achieve that clean, waxed look without having to neither pluck maliciously nor pay through the nose. I don’t have a preference as to brand but the smaller, the better. Razors will allow you to get all of those tiny hairs that you don’t see around your eyebrows in one go.

  1. Tweezerman Slant Tip Tweezers: All the hype about these babies is spot-on. I really don’t know how I groomed my brows without them. They can be pricey but they stay sharp for an insane amount of time (mine haven’t been sharpened in at least three years) and the best part? Tweezerman offers to sharpen them for free. The slanted tip allows you to get at the tiny hairs without ripping out the majority of your eyebrow in the process. Since you likely have only a few stray hairs, the tweezing step should be last to avoid going overboard.


Please don’t groom your eyebrows after a trip to the bar, a breakup, or a very long, exhausting day. The results will be on your face for the next few weeks so it helps to be of sober mind and body.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

All About Brows

Before I say anything further, I have a confession to make: my eyebrows aren’t twins. In fact, even calling them cousins would be a stretch. Each could happily reside on another person’s face without so much as missing her counterpart. The quest for perfectly matching brows has driven me to the very edge of sanity; in high school, I allowed a friend to pluck me into a very surprised, Ronald McDonald wannabe which brought my mother to tears. Nevertheless, I persisted in my quest only to conclude that only brow powder or pencil can make my brows look similar. If you suffer a similar affliction, I urge to put down the tweezers and pick up some brow gel. You may find solace in the fact that even celebrity eyebrows aren’t identical.

The next controversy is the debate of thinner brows versus the fuller, more voluptuous option. We are so shocked to see anything thicker deemed trendy that we automatically jump on the bandwagon whether it flatters our facial features or not. Again, I will be the first to admit my own wrong doing. I am obsessed with Brooke Shield’s full, perfectly groomed, straight eyebrows and have tried to replicate the look on myself. Unfortunately, not own do my brows grow with a natural arch but they aren’t nearly as thick. Most of my attempts at channeling Brooke have resembled Graucho instead.

What’s my point? You can’t fight your natural features. If you are blessed with naturally full brows, please, keep them a (groomed) version of full. However, if you have a petite face and naturally thinner brows, Mother Nature might be trying to tell you something. I find that the best eyebrow is a refined, enhanced version of the one we have naturally.

In celebration of all things eyebrow, I plan to discuss tips, tricks and products to improve the brows you have and fix some of the mistakes that may be keeping you from full eyebrow satisfaction.

Wet n' Wild Creme Eyeliner: A Review

I stumbled upon an entirely new display of Wet n’ Wild products at my local Walgreens. I was curious at first but stricken in awe when I saw a bevy of beautifully packaged, colorful products. In my humble estimation, this is the jackpot of all Wet n’ Wild collections so be on the lookout for more reviews; I purchased a few products.

The focus of this post is the coveted Mega Eyes Crème Eyeliner. If you can look past the superfluous repetition of the word “eye” on the label, this cream eyeliner is quite a bargain at $3.99. I purchased the Eggplant but this is also available in Black for those seeking a more traditional option. Eggplant is a blue-toned, blackened plum without a hint of red; nearly an indigo. For reference, I’ve taken a picture of Eggplant along with my other purple cream liners. If you’d like to try a purple liner but find that it accentuates redness, this is the liner for you. I found that this color makes eyes appear whiter and brighter and made my (normally blue-green) eyes look a vivid blue.

There is a liner brush included but I found it too wide. However, it is the perfect size for shading eyebrows.

My only qualm with the liner, one which some may find beneficial, is that it does not budge! It took several Jojoba Oil soaked cotton pads to get it off. In fact, I was scared that it stained my skin but luckily, that was not the case.

This can be purchased in various drugstores and if all else fails, you’re sure to find it at Kmart!