so working at a company that is the “leading expertise in beauty” i see many things during the day.  i see ladies come in all the time with their dirty fingers rubbing in shadows and blushes, people with growths on their lips slathering on lip gloss with the wand that comes in the tube as well as applying lipstick directly from the tube without consideration and ladies trying on a myriad of mascaras ,again, with the wand that comes in the tube.  with that said, cleanliness and sanitization is major a concern.  i just want to share with you a few tips on how to protect yourself and others when you visit stores that have an open sell environment…

mascara:  use the disposable mascara wands that have been provided (use a different wand for each eye.  double dipping is a no no)

lip gloss:  if you are trying on stick gloss (you know the ones that you screw off the top and the wand is attached) use the disposable lip wands that are provided and again no double dipping).  if you are trying on a lip color that comes in a pot, first wipe off the top layer of uncertainty with tissue then take a lip wand to dip into the pot and apply the color.  if you using a lip gloss that comes in a tube, squeeze out a little of the product onto a tissue, then spray some alcohol on the tip of the tube and rewipe the tip, throw the tissue away and then use a disposable lip wand to apply the color.

lip sticks:  take a tissue to wipe off the layer of uncertainty then alcohol the lipstick and then wipe again

eye shadows:  use a tissue to wipe off the layer of uncertainty then take a disposable eye shadow applicator to apply your eyeshadow. and again do not double dip.

also when you go into these stores for makeovers, the artist should be sanitizing their hands, using brush cleaner for their brushes before they touch the product and your face, wiping off layers of uncertainty, wiping off the mouths of foundation bottles with alcohol so on and so forth.  and (gasp) if they ever blow on their brushes, product or you, run for the nearest exit because that is so gross!!!!!

i hope this tidbit of information helps to raise your level of awareness about issues of cleanliness.

a while back i wrote a post on wearing shoes that are ill fitting.  add this onto the list of shoe offenses…

so i was in the grocery store the other day when i heard this loud clicking noise.  i was wondering what it was as the sound seemed to be coming closer and closer.  could it be someone with a cane or a crutch or even a walker?  surely it couldnt be a horse!  no…it was a woman who had worn her shoes down.  im having a hard time understanding why people do this when there are shoe repair shops everywhere and if i am not mistaken, some dry cleaners still do shoe repairs as well.  it is not expensive at all to get new lifts  put on your shoes when the heel starts wearing away. (depending on the shoes and where you go, lifts only cost about $5 per shoe)  it is so not cute to wear your shoes down so much that the white part starts showing and the leather/fabric starts shredding and splitting.  so take my advice…get new lifts put on your shoes when they start wearing away.  no need in sounding like a thoroughbred when you walk.

ok so i have a new love in my life.  first just let me tell you that i am very stubborn.  im not always open to new things.  if i am happy with how things have been going, i dont change.  guess i should.  anywhoo.  i dont believe in foundation primers – not for myself anyway- even though i teach my clients about the benefits of such a product and i use them when im on location.  well that was until now.  Too Faced has just launched their new foundation primer called Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer and I have been changed!!!  this sumptuous formula which is actually good for your skin (vitamins a and c, mulberry extract, retinol) smooths, hyrdrates and firms, preparing the skin for flawless application of complexion products.  you can even wear it alone as the nude color disappears into any skin tone.  i love how this product improved the texture and tone of my skin.  it even looked glowier (not sure that’s a word but anywhoo).  even my co-workers kept telling me that my skin looked extra nice.  i told them what it was and now they’re on board and you should be too!  toodles :0)

i am so loving the ladies of LITTER, a sister duo from beautiful san fransico.  these fashion artisians are serving it up with a delicious mix of  danger, class, grunge, beauty and major attitude.  be sure to check out their apparel, shoes, and jewelry for unexpected places.  (hey that’s not what i meant  :0) )    http://www.littermb.com/        http://shop.moxsie.com/litter

hey check out the new Crescent Row Collection of fragrances recently launched by Benefit Cosmetics.  im in love with the inspiration behind the collection and the packaging so i will be collecting all three fragrances :0) http://www.sephora.com/browse/section.jhtml?categoryId=C21219

so i was skimming through an april issue of instyle magazine (ok…and…what??? i know it’s almost august) and came across an article ‘10 ways to wake up beautiful’ that i must have skipped over but just caught my attention (pg 165-166 if you still have the issue).  anywho… i want to share 3 of those points with you that i found very interesting….

• sleep on your back.  the average head weighs 7-8 pounds so that is a lot of pressure you are putting on your face every night.  the article also stated that doctors can tell which side of the face that people sleep on because of the number of wrinkles. 
• get a lift.   sleeping with your head slighly elevated (2-4 inches) will help gravity to allow blood and lymph flow so it wont accumulate.  who knew.  well maybe my mum, who years ago, told me to sleep with my head elevated.  she never really gave me a concrete reason but she did say that maybe it would help me not to get deep circles or puffiness under my eyes.  just a thought.
• avoid carb face.  huh?  bad enough to just be called ugly but a carb face?  anywhooo.  it was stated that to wake up with defined cheekbones, eat a high protein low sugar dinner (salmon, asparagus).  according to Dr. Nicholas Perricone doing so will lower glycemic carbohydrates so that our features dont take on a soft doughy appearance (skip rice, pasta, and potatoes).  now i dont have high cheekbones but i would like to think that eating a healthier diet will help the skin look better and and help you to feel physically better, just to name a few benefits.

good stuff if i must say so myself.

to all my fair skin beauties…this one’s for you

benefit cosmetics  has an awesome product (well they have many awesome, amazing products but anywho) called lemon-aid that does double duty for the eyelids.  it primes the eyelid for flawless shadow application but even more exciting, if you have issues with red eyelids, the yellow color counteracts (or neutralizes) the red for a more even tone on the eyelids.  just warm the product between your fingers and apply.

so i’ve searched the world over to find a hand cream that actually works.  ok.  not the world over but it seems like it because i have definitely spent a lot of time, money, and energy looking for perfection in a tube or a jar -  something that will make my hands smooth, supple, and soft.  i mean who wants crusty hands? and you know the type – lotions and creams that claim to moisturize, restore or renew only to leave your hands worse than they were before you applied lotion.  at one point i even swore off lotions and committed to just putting vaseline on my hands only to leave hand prints all over the place.  well that all changed when i discovered Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream.  this anti-aging cream contains nourishing shea butter and moisturizing avacado in a beatifully scented, light creamy formulation.  i am very impressed because i wash my hands a lot and this cream does a fab-mazing job of keeping my hands and cuticles soft and hydrated without being greasy.  Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream $19.      

so i discovered a very interesting product specifically formulated for those who suffer from hyperdrosis – a condition that causes one to sweat excessively regardless of activity.  what, do you ask, is this product?  MED e TATE by DERMAdoctor.  instead of the botox shot that the 3% of americans who suffer from this disorder would use to keep this problem at bay, you would instead take one of these towelettes and swipe on sweat prone areas such as armpits, hands, soles of feet, under the bust and even on the face.  what is it in MED e TATE  that makes it effective?  it contains antipersperant therapy which includes a blend of ingredients that mimic Botox Cosmetic.  even better, you dont have to have hyperhydrosis to use this wonder.  use before a date, an interview or situation that may cause you to sweat a little more than usual but less than if you were a running faucet.  so go ahead.  dont sweat.   just MED e TATE.

listen – crusty lips are not acceptable.  ever.  there is no reason why lips should look like corn flakes.  not cute.  to exfoliate, you can use a washcloth, a toothbrush,  a pestle, chisel or sander. or even better you can use tarte’s  FRXtion – a two sided wonder.  one side has sugar crystals that exfoliate and the other side is a soothing vitamin e balm.  it also has a built in mirror on the cap.  so go ahead.  do your lips a favor.  use tarte’s FRXtion today.