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DuWop Private Lipstick Collection Provides Your Perfect Personal Shade!

Unless you’re one of those ridiculously lucky gals who can pull off basically any shade of lipstick flawlessly, you’ve likely experienced what a pain it can be to find your perfect lip color. Sure, you see the various trend reports with every passing season that claim to help you find the perfect red, pink, coral, or purple lipstick to suit your specific skin tone and hair color, but despite the helpful hints, you inevitably end up holing up at Sephora for a good two hours before finally leaving with a hand full of lipstick test marks and a shade you’re hardly enthusiastic about. Well, you can officially thank the geniuses at DuWop for making a bold attempt at shortening your search for the perfect lip color! Best known for their fan-favorite Lip Venoms, which has helped the non-Angelina Jolies of the world get their own attempt at bee-stung lips, DuWop is making waves again with their Private Lipstick Collection. This innovative new series of shades – ranging from perky pink to deep burgundy – incorporates three different kinds of natural pigments (annatto, hibiscus, and henna) to create a color-changing formula that morphs into your most suitable, flattering version of the shade within five minutes after applying to your lips. I’ve yet to test these lipsticks out myself, but any shade that claims to be smart enough to find my perfect shade for me and spare me the search is worth a try in my book!

- Alexandra Gambardella

Beauty Innovation – Sonia Kashuk Complexion Perfector

This is a brilliant idea from one of my favorite budget beauty lines, Sonia Kashuk!

For those of you who alternate between a foundation brush and a makeup sponge, the Sonia Kashuk Complexion Perfector is the perfect tool. I used the brush for my foundation and then simply turned it around and used the sponge to blend a bit more on the outer edges and around the nose.


The brush has great smooth bristles (synthetic) that really work to blend foundation streak free, and the sponge is firm but is still pliable and soft enough to apply makeup to smaller and larger areas of the face, as well as buff and blend makeup.

It’s also great to use with cream blushes. Saves space and saves time too, so it’s a big winner for me. – RLB

From our friends at Palacinka Beauty Blog

Essence I Love Extreme Mascara

Finding the best mascara is like finding the perfect black dress or the perfect jeans. The hunt can take you from super cheap to cult status prices. Essence’s I Love Extreme mascara ($3.99) may be on the low-priced end, but it rivals with the likes of Dior Show mascara, which costs six times more. I Love Extreme is an ultra-black pigment mascara that does not smudge or smear with wear. The plush brush was a bit challenging to work with due to its thickness compared to standard mascara wands. However, the shorter bristles allow the mascara to get in between the lashes and really coat them. Apart from the brush, Essence I Love Extreme is an exceptional mascara for its value. I find it a little heavy for day, but fantastic for evening or editorial looks, or if you like channeling Tammy Faye.

From our friends at Short and Sweet NYC

Givenchy’s Gorgeous Pastel Luminizer For Spring!

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

When it comes to face-enhancing makeup, like blush, bronzer, and luminizer, I’m typically less adventurous than I am with lipgloss, eyeshadow, and the like. Instead of stocking up and experimenting with any and all of the newest shades, finishes, and formulas (okay, some may call it hoarding), I typically find a finishing powder I like and stick with it… until it gets discontinued or shatters in my purse, of course. The one exception is that I am a sucker for pretty palettes… and Givenchy’s new-for-spring Le Prisme Visage Bucolique sets the standard relatively high up there in terms of prettiness! Infused with four different pastels, the shades are arranged and layered within the compact to apply evenly (so clumsy makeup-appliers don’t need to worry about showing up in public with unsightly green-tinted cheeks!) and the overall finish is subtle with just a slight neutral, flattering iridescence. With minimal shimmer, but just the right amount of light-reflecting radiance, this luminizer seems like the ultimate universally-flattering addition to anyone’s makeup regime this spring!

- Alexandra Gambardella

A Sweet Sprinkle-Effect Manicure, Courtesy of Ciaté!

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

Ever since becoming quite the Pinterest enthusiast, I’ve developed an obsession with pinning all sorts of awesome nail designs. And while I’m mostly far too lazy (not to mention not nearly dextrous enough) to recreate all my creative findings on my own nails, I still can’t help but to click through to cool tutorials to see how the Pinterest pros pull it off. That said, I’ve still always wondered how certain nail art prodigies manage to create that awesome “sprinkle” effect on their nails. Do they actually pour sprinkles on their nails after slathering them in a healthy coat of lacquer? Dip them in the spill-over after a particularly messy baking frenzy? Well, our friends at London-based Ciaté have the answer, and it’s certainly much easier (and much more glamorous) than raiding your pantry! The just-released Caviar Manicure kits, available now at Sephora for $25 a pop, provide a 2-part process to achieve the editorial-worthy effect you see in the picture above (though I’d recommend sticking to just your nails – not your lips)! Available in rainbow, black, and white, this awesome nail art manicure lasts just 48 hours… but that’s 2 days of envious glances, rad-looking nails, and of course, your own collection of uploaded Pinterest pins that will definitely get you a few dozen more followers… am I right?

- Alexandra Gambardella

5 Glossy Pencils For The Boldest, Shiniest Smoocher!

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

As if I needed something new to obsess over, I’ve recently developed a big appreciation for glossy lip pencils. There’s something so unexpected, fun, and surprising about applying using a pencil and getting rich, shiny, glossy color rather than the waxy finish you’d normally expect from a pencil. Sure, they might not be quite as practical when it comes to actually needing to sharpen these bad boys (glossy color all over your sharpener, plus too much precious product wasted!), but they’re still fun to collect and use when they’re not making a mess out of your beauty tools! In celebration of these fun lip colors, I’ve rounded up a few celebrated favorites that pack a three-in-one punch: rich, saturated, lipstick-quality color, high-shine gloss, with the application precision of a pencil. Whether you prefer your lips bold and bright for spring, or like to keep things subtle with soft pinks and peaches this season, get your fill with the best of the best!

From left to right: Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil, Milani Lip Flash, Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color, Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil, and Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil.

- Alexandra Gambardella

Spidey Sense For Your Nails! OPI’s Upcoming Spider-Man Collection

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

Even if you’re not much of a comic book follower, or wouldn’t typically label your style “geek-chic,” it’s hard not to avoid all the buzz surrounding the upcoming Spider-Man reboot starring Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield. And even if you’d rather avoid the box office lines like the plague come opening weekend this summer, beauty mavens like us can still take advantage of all the hype from afar, courtesy of OPI’s new Spidey-inspired collection! Due out next month, the six-piece Amazing Spider-Man collection features a slew of both shimmery and matte shades in coordinating comic book influenced colors, plus a limited-edition Shatter shade called Shatter the Scales. Personally, I love the mix of peppy pinks and oranges with murky, moody, shimmery greens and blues, but when it comes to trend-setting nails for this season, I have to say the stark white lacquer (called My Boyfriend Scales Walls) takes the cake, surprisingly enough! What do you think, polish fans? Will you be snatching up these Spidey shades?

- Alexandra Gambardella

Spotted: Gossip Girl & Birchbox Join Forces!

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

I just signed up for Birchbox last week and have yet to receive my first package, so I can’t quite vouch for its awesomeness yet, but let me just say: I chose the right time to jump onboard! For those who have been living under a rock like I have (until last week, of course), Birchbox is a subscription service that sends you a custom-selected batch of hand-picked beauty samples each month for $10 each month. And if you’re a huge beauty addict like me, that’s a pretty cool deal. And in honor of Gossip Girl’s upcoming season 5 finale, the beauty gurus have teamed up with the CW series to deliver new and existing subscribers a batch of goodies curated by the show’s hair and makeup mavens, Amy Tagliamonti and Jennifer Johnson. I’m not even a fan of the show, but I do know that if these samples are good enough for Blake Lively (ahem, I mean Serena van der Woodsen), they’re good enough for me to give a whirl!

- Alexandra Gambardella

Heated Lash Curlers: Love ‘Em Or Leave ‘Em?

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

Heated lash curlers are hardly new on the beauty gadget scene, yet they tend to fly under the radar. They’re not dangerous (unless you really try to singe yourself), and in most cases, fairly inexpensive… so why haven’t they caught on? After all, beauty trends are hardly ever limited to tradition – just take talon-shaped nails for example – so are the old-fashioned lash curlers really that superior in terms of function? I’ve rounded up a couple takes on the heated curler so you can be the judge – are they a suitable upgrade from your clamp curler?

The one obvious con to heated curlers in general is that you actually have to wait for them to heat up… and of course, make sure they’re equipped with sufficient battery life. Assuming that’s all in order, the wand-style heated curler like the Japonesque version is the most common (and usually the most affordable). Once it’s warm enough, simply brush through your lashes, making a “curling” motion. It can be a bit awkward (especially if you have thick, dense lashes that won’t fit within the curler’s wand), but it does eliminate any unsightly dents or painful pinches on your eyelid. It gets hot enough to curl your lashes significantly (and keep them curled!), but not too hot to burn or damage!

Blinc’s take on the heated wand is similar, but with a more sophisticated angled design, granting you more control as you curl. With a built-in temperature control mechanism, you know when it’s hot enough to use, and its slim wand is designed to help you reach even the tiniest lashes in your inner and outer corners. Again – it’s pinch-free!

Lastly, Talika Heated Eyelash Curler is the priciest one I’ve seen at about $30-36, and it’s also the only heated curler I’ve seen in clamp form. It’s designed to function similar to the traditional curler, while using mild heat to deliver a curl that actually holds. It looks state-of-the-art, but without the pinch-free simplicity of the wand versions, I’m not convinced it’s worth the significantly higher price tag.

What do you think, beauty mavens? Are you a fan of heated lash curlers? If so, what’s your favorite?

- Alexandra Gambardella

Gorgeous Gold Eyeliner Inspired By The Hunger Games!

  • posted April 1st, 2012
  • Beauty

Lenny Kravitz may have done a marvelous job at pulling off a surprisingly masculine take on gold liner for his role as District 12′s stylist Cinna in The Hunger Games, but all I could think about during his scenes is how I couldn’t wait to try the trend on my own lids! When used in moderation – in this case, a simple yet bold line on the top lid – gold eye makeup can look sleek and sophisticated and gorgeously fresh for spring. Unlike a full-on metallic smoky eye (which is probably best saved for New Year’s Eve or other winter-festive soirees), a downplayed take on gold-accented liner provides a more subtle, light-reflective gleam that brings out your eyes and makes lashes pop. Keep the rest of your makeup minimal – we’re going for statement-making simplicity here – and finish off with a few healthy coats of your favorite mascara for a look that’s fresh yet fierce! After all, Cinna would never steer us wrong, would he?

Pictured above: Smashbox Long Wear Liquid Liner in 14K, Milani Liquif’Eye Liquid-Like Eye Liner Pencil in Gold, Stila Smudge Stick Eye Liner in Koi, and Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Gold.

- Alexandra Gambardella

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