Beauty

What is Beauty?

Beauty comes in many forms. Here are a few of our favorites...

Get Lux Lashes with Neova Advanced Essential Lash

March 24, 2011 · Leave a Comment

I was on Folica.com the other day and saw that Neova Advanced Essential Lash Eyelash Conditioner was on sale, so I thought I’d give it a try.

This purchase was partially spurred on by my lashes being shockingly short and brittle that day – while into every lash line a short cycle must fall, I’m rarely as short as that. We’re talking so short that I had trouble threading my lashes into a curler. So lash conditioning product + short lashes + sale priced = let’s give it a try!

I immediately liked the formula. It has great conditioning agents – AHK Copper Peptide Complex, Panthenol, Lysine, Keratin, and plenty others. And unlike some lash conditioners that I’ve tried, it doesn’t cause irritation, which is great. Just apply the clear formula to the upper lash line at bedtime and you are set.

Now, the Neova writeup contains a disclaimer that the product does not promote the growth of lash hair. But is stands to reason that a conditioned, healthy follicle will produce a thicker lash hair for a longer period of time, so your lashes will probably gain length, and as I mentioned, Neova does it without irritation, which is a definite plus in my book.

In my somewhat unscientific study of the efficacy of the product in the past week, I can say with certainty that my lashes are longer and thicker than they were before I started using the product. Now, with past eyelash conditioners, I tend to get results far quicker than the package states is typical, so you may not have results as quick as I have, but Advanced Essential Lash definitely produces longer, fuller lashes with continued use. And while my lashes usually grow in all sorts of crazy directions, they seem to be growing in smooth and straight, not randomly pointed down or clumped together like normal.

The pic below was taken after four days of use. I wish I had taken a picture to show where I started when my lashes were really short, but I didn’t think that Advanced Essential Lash would work so quickly (and speed up my natural growth cycle as much). I’ll post pics as I continue usage in the next few weeks…and hopefully I’ll get better at taking a picture with my eyes closed or get someone else to do it for me so the pic is a little less fuzzy. 🙂

Find Neova Advanced Essential Lash at Folica.com.

Neova Advanced Essential Lash Eyelash ConditionerAs a side note, I had applied Stream Cosmetics Foundation in F2 as my concealer on my undereyes. It’s a fairly dewy, bright look, isn’t it?

How to Do Lipstick with the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System

March 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment

I’m a butterfingers. So I was a little skeptical that I would be able to use the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System for lip color without getting it outside the lip line.

Sometimes, I love being wrong. This is one of those times.

Today I tried using a Stream Cosmetics blush, Soft Violet, on my lips, mixed in with a drop of Pearlizer (we will talk about how to mix colors in the Stream Cosmetics airbrush stylus in the next few days).

It’s amazing how easy it is to get sharp precision and intense lip color from an airbrush. I would recommend the medium setting held close to the lips, and start in the middle of the lip until you get used to the feeling of the stream of air on your lips (it’s a little weird feeling, which surprised me since I really didn’t notice it when I used the system on my eye area), and then do the outline of your lips when you are more comfortable.

Find the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System and Stream Cosmetics Soft Violet Blush at StreamOfBeauty.com!

Soft Violet Lips from the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System

Meet the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System

March 21, 2011 · 2 Comments

Are you new to using foundation? Interested in the elusive flawless “airbrush” look that models have? Want to have that kind of look everyday? You might be interested in the Stream Airbrush System.

As much as I love makeup, I’m not a fan of heavy makeup. So when it comes to foundation, I’d really rather have a weightless feel and light coverage. I’m not looking to cover, just give my skin a little edge. That’s a bit difficult with standard foundation, especially for very fair skin. That’s where airbrush makeup comes in. When the lovely Lisa sent me a Stream Airbrush System to review, we were all excited to test this new option in the consumer airbrush market.

If you aren’t familiar with airbrush makeup, here’s a quick rundown: instead of applying makeup with sponges or brushes, you put a few drops of liquid makeup into a small “cup” on a pen shaped stylus (usually, as is the case with the Stream Cosmetics line, there are specialized formulation to work with the system, e.g. water based or silicone based product), then you pull a lever back to release a stream of makeup that is distributed gently onto your skin (and evenly, if done correctly) in a light layer.

The Stream Airbrush System is a great airbrush system for those new to airbrush makeup since it is so intuitive. Once you watch a short instructional DVD, you are ready to get started. The first step is choosing which foundation is right for you out of the color range included in the kit. I’d recommend experimenting with this part. I was a bit skeptical that even the lightest shade would be a good match to my skin, but since it is such a fine mist of makeup that goes on the skin, it was a great match. It’s like nail polish or lipstick – for good or bad, it never is as intense on as it looks in the container. On my first trial, I put on two coats of foundation and it looked pretty good. I really like how much my eyes stand out when my skin is evened out with the airbrushed look – the foundation even did a great job covering the dark circles under my eyes!

Before applying the foundation, I’d highly recommend using the moisturizing primer first. It adds a dewy look to the skin, and the foundation applies in a far more natural way. I tried the system both with and without applying the primer first, and it definitely looks better with the primer. I thought since I was wearing a moisturizing sunscreen underneath that a moisturizing primer would be redundant, but it really serves a different purpose and doesn’t leave the skin too wet if you have a hydrating product on underneath.

The Stream Extreme Airbrush Cosmetics System kit includes the following:

Professional multi-speed airbrush system
Airbrush Cosmetics Starter Kit (4 Foundation Shades in your choice of Fair, Medium, or Dark, a Primer, a Bronzer, a Pearlizer/Highlighter, and a Blush)
Cute Gold Travel/storage bag
110/220 AC power source (a battery pack is available separately)
Airbrush Stylus
Training DVD

But the Stream Airbrush System does far more than just foundation – this week we’ll be talking about blush, concealer, highlighting, contouring, and more!

But if you are ready to give the system a try, check it out at Lisa’s page at StreamofBeauty.com!

Here’s a quick youtube tutorial on the Stream Airbrush System:

(of note: like any other review you see on Style Chicks, we’re not affiliated with the company, we are just sharing a great product with you! We do not profit from the sale of this product)

New Product: Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK

March 18, 2011 · 2 Comments

I’m a pale skinned gal. There is no debating this point, it is just an absolute truth. And if you are practically transluscent like me, no matter how careful one is with sunscreen, it’s pretty likely that sun damage will crop up at some point. And it isn’t limited to us pale chicks either – Allure magazine has a several page article this month on various techniques to get rid of uneven skintone.

And if, like me, you are a long-term retinol user, it can be a double-edged sword: retinols lighten age spots, but they also increase photosensitivity. So, it’s possible to end up with some skin tone variance that you’d prefer to get rid of regardless of whether you use retinols or not.

There are several excellent products on the market right now to combat hyperpigmentation. I was thrilled to try out Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK, another great product in the Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase line. This is a reasonably priced serum that produced jaw-dropping results.

When I first starting testing Skin Tone Perfecting Serum out, I put it on and a few hours passed. When I went by a mirror, I noticed my skin was tighter and more dewy. On the third night, I noticed an ever so slight lightening of a dark spot on my cheekbone. I thought I was imaginging things – it just seemed far too soon to have any effect. But sure enough, over the course of the next two weeks, the spot continued to lighten (I’d estimate about 10% in the 14 days) and is progressively lightening still. I’m really excited to see over time how much change occurs. On the whole, my skin seems far more even, including in spots where I don’t have obvious hyperpigmentation issues – my skin looks a bit airbrushed before I even put a speck of makeup on!

Skin Tone Perfecting Serum has great ingredients: Kinetin, the staple of the Kinerase and Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase line, the oh so hydrating hyaluronic acid, Sepiwhite MSH, which is a pigmentation inhibitor, Sepivinol, a potent anti-oxidant, and SymWhite, an effective skin lightener that targets UV-induced skin pigmentation. That’s a great lineup for a great price.

Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK has made it into my daily routine. I think I”ve found the perfect non-irritating hyperpigmentation sacking combon: I use Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum in the morning under makeup, Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK at night under moisturizer, and Retin-A a few nights a week (right now my skin gets irritated if I use Retin-A more than that), and my skin is getting all the more even day by day.

Find Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK at Walgreens.com.

Get free shipping on any order over $10 at Urban Decay

March 16, 2011 · Leave a Comment

To celebrate their new website, UrbanDecay.com is offering free shipping on any order over $10. This is a great time to test out some new products or score some deals on their sale section – I like the Summer of Love Shadow Palette for $15, which contains 4 great shadows (Flash is surprisingly wearable, and really brings out the green in eyes when used as an eyeliner), a 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Burbon, and the fabulous Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin (a perfect color all on it’s own).

Urban Decay Summer of Love Eyeshadow Palette