IMATS 2010 - Part 1

I have sooo much to share from IMATS, but I just can't hold it all in!! I decided to tell you all about my experience over several different posts, because I have so much to share, and though I can't write about everything just yet, I had to share a few of the photos and tell you a little bit about this wonderful event. For starters, IMATS stands for International Makeup Artist Trade Show. It is a convention intended for makeup professionals, but is open to the public. IMATS is usually held in Los Angeles at the Pasadena Convention Center, which is in the heart of Pasadena, across from a great outdoor mall. Most convention centers are kind of prison-like with the cement floors and all-gray walls, but the Pasadena Convention Center is one of the cleanest, most modern looking convention centers I have ever visited.

IMATS 2010...Coming Soon!!!

Hey lovelies!! I went to IMATS LA 2010 in Pasadena yesterday and it was amazing!!! I have lots to share....photos, new tips and tricks, and my thoughts on some new products!! Stay tuned for more!!

Does Living Proof No Frizz Leave-In Conditioner Really Eliminate Frizz?

A few months ago when I started seeing the No Frizz products hit the shelves of Sephora....I was intrigued. Could there really be a product out there that eliminates Frizz? My skepticism got the best of me, as I have been failed numerous times by John Frieda's Frizz Ease and other frizz-fighters on the market. Alas I received an opportunity to try out the new brand's leave-in-conditioner:

The No Frizz line is based on the patent-pending PolyfluoroEster, discovered by top MIT scientists to create a weightless shielf on the hair to prevent moisture flux in and out, and coat the cuticles to reduce the friction between fibers. This innovation in frizz-fighting is the first of its kind. With its snazzy flip top cap and this miracle scientific ingredient, I had high hopes that my wavy, fro-like, frizzy hair had finally found its match.

Why I am not liking UD Primer Potion in Sin

Even though Urban Decay's Primer Potion is considered a Holy Grail makeup product for many beauty addicts and novices alike, it just doesn't float my boat. I decided to show you why:

The above picture was taken 7 hours after makeup application. I used the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin, and topped that with a few neutral colored eyeshadows. As you can see, there is creasing, there is splotchiness from where makeup has faded, and all of the eyeshadow is uneven. I don't have oily lids, and I have tried using both thin and thick layers of this product, and each time I get the same results.

I am officially retiring this product from what my hubby calls "the transformer box" aka my train case. I will keep the primer in the original color because I don't have a problem with that, but my results with Sin make me not want to use either of them.

So what are my favorite primers? I love the MAC paint pots and as of late I am really liking the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer. What is your favorite eye primer?

Exclusives - Nordstrom, MAC Dazzle Lipsticks, and More!!!

As of late everyone has been talking about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that starts in July, and I have already seen a couple of the beauty exclusives and I can tell you....if makeup was a food, my mouth would be watering!

All I can say is if you have a few favorite beauty brands, I recommend stopping by your local Nordies to ask the counters what specials they have for the Anniversary Sale or checking out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives online . They are taking pre-sales right now and there are limited supplies of some of the best ones. Hello Bobbi Brown Full-Size Brush Set that is $75 (retail price $175) and my store said they are only getting 30 of them! There is another Bobbi makeup set, the Chocolate & Navy Set,  that is a great value, some fantastic Laura Mercier deals, good deals on Philosophy, including a large Purity Made Simple (with a pump!!), and of course, the ever popular MAC deals.

In addition to the usual MAC color and brush sets, Nordstrom is also releasing limited edition MAC Dazzle Lipsticks, which are creamy lipsticks that have high-shine and tons of sparkle. I was able to swatch these and although I like the sparkle effect,  I wasn't too impressed by the shades.

Here are the colors (I only swatched 9 of the 13, since 4 of them were missing from the display):

Top Row Colors: Naughty You, Win-Win, Troublemaker, Snazzy, Hot Sass

Bottom Row Colors: Baby's On Fire, Infused with Glam, Wham, Smash Hit

In the second pic you can get a better idea of the sparkle and shine factor. The colors are decent but they are very bright and I wanted a bit more variety. Since sparkle is hard to wear, most people might not want to do both sparkle and a bright color lip. In any case, I picked up Wham since I thought it would pair well with Indian clothes. I have enough dazzleglasses and the color variety of the new ones didn't do anything for me so I didn't even bother swatching them.

Another deal I wanted to tell you about is the MAC Lash & Lined Set from Nordstrom. This is a special set that Nordies created for their cosmetic trend show events, and some stores have extras so you may be able to find them, or you can purchase it online. It has full sizes of Zoom Lash Black, Prep + Prime Lash, Technakohl Liner in Graph Black and a travel-size Pro Eye Makeup Remover (1 oz.). Everything comes packed in a clear zip-around makeup bag that is perfect for the purse or travel.

Speaking of, have you been to a Nordstrom Cosmetic Trend Show? I am going to my first one this weekend and I will let you know how it is! BTW you can call your local Nordies to inquire about the trend shows at the stores near you.

NBA Champs!!!

I have always been a Lakers fan, but my hubby is a die-hard Lakers fan and married life has turned me in to a crazed fanatic....sorta. As I was watching Game 7 of the NBA championship last night, I think my heart skipped a few beats. I was seriously stressed out, sitting at the edge of the couch, screaming and yelling at the referees. I am not usually this crazy....

....but they won the championship!!!!

GO LAKERS!!!

Hope you can share in the excitement! If you don't care about basketball, then go team USA in the World Cup!!! If you don't care about sports, then go eyeshadow!!! =D

The Coral Trend - Quick and Simple Coral Eyes

Coral is HOT this spring, both in fashion and in the makeup world. It is easiest to wear coral on the lips or on the cheeks, but coral is also a great shade for eyes, as long as you don't over do it...cuz then you'll look like you were in a rumble....kapow!

This is a quick coral eye look I did the other day using the following:

1. MAC Goldmine shadow on the inner lid
2. MAC Vanilla shadow in the inner corner
3. MAC Coral shadow (PRO product) on the entire upper lid and lower lid
4. MAC Swiss Chocolate shadow in crease
5. MAC Blitz and Glitz Fluidine to line the upper id
6. MAC Plushlash mascara on upper lashes

Since I use a joe-schmo camera, the definition in the crease looks a lil funny, but you get the idea. 

I know coral is difficult to pull off on the eyes, but hopefully this gives you a fun way to pull it off. What do you think? What colors do you find hard to wear on the eyes?

RareMinerals™ Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser Review

Since I was getting married, I didn't take any risks with my skin and stopped trying out new skin care and face makeup products several months before the big day. Now that all the wedding celebrations are over and I don't have any photographs to worry about, I can work my way through the packages of skin care samples stashed in what the hubby calls "the fufu closet."

The last few days I have been trying out the RareMinerals™ Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser:

According to Sephora, it is considered a "natural" product because it doesn't have a lot of those chemical ingredients that are bad for the skin. RareMinerals™ is the skin care line that is part of the Bare Escentuals (BE) family. BE has not done too much to impress me so I usually pass, but this cleanser intrigued me.

The main reason I wanted to try this was because the cleanser is a powder and you mix it into wet hands to make a milky cleanser. The directions say to wet face and hands, then take a small amount of the powder cleanser into wet hands, rub together to form a lather, then massage on to face. The cleanser should then be thoroughly rinsed off with water.

This is what it looks like out of the package:

When mixed with water, it becomes a milky paste:

The verdict? It works pretty well!! It is not lathery or foamy, but that is due to the lack of sulfates, and I will happily give up the foam factor if that means not putting sulfates on my skin. My skin was very clean and fresh after using this, and the cleanser even removed all my face makeup. I found that after I cleansed, if I went over my face with a makeup wipe, there were no traces of makeup left behind. However, you do need to use a separate eye makeup remover beforehand to make sure that mascara, liner, and other eye makeup is completely gone. I also liked that the cleanser has tiny exfoliating granules mixed in to the powder that exfoliate the skin so gently that it removes dead skin cells while leaving the skin super soft. The exfoliants are not harsh at all so you can use the cleanser everyday.

The only negatives? It has a funky smell...sort of like clay...which I am sure I could get used to, and it really isn't that bad. Also, it can be a bit messy. When you mix the powder with water, the milky paste starts to spread and gets all over your fingers. I have nothing bad to say about the effectiveness of the cleanser. =)

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: A-

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: This product gets props for ingenuity,  having lots of natural ingredients, and for performance. I gave it a minus for the smell. If you are searching for a new cleanser, check this one out...if you are a believer of BE products, you might really like this!

Have you tried any RareMinerals™ products? Your thoughts?

Korres Friends and Family Sale, and The Body Shop Sale

The Korres Friends and Family Sale started today and will be going on June 8 - 16, 2010. Check it out:

If you are looking for some recommendations, check out the following:

1. Ginger and Vitamins Foundation - As if I haven't raved about it enough....I LOVE this foundation. Check out my full review here.
2. Lip Butters - Super moisturizing without being sticky, and the flavors are great! I reviewed the Jasmine flavor here.
3. Shower Gels - Korres has a large selection of scents (I love Jasmine and Guava), and these give a nice lather, are non-drying, non-sticky, leave you feeling squeeky clean, and actually leave your skin feeling moisturized after your shower. I love em!
4. Body butters - Again, Korres hit the mark as these are thick, but absorb decently fast, and are non-sticky. Since Korres makes these is many of the same scents as the shower gels, you can layer them for a more fragrant effect.
5. Body milks - I have been meaning to review these for ages. If you like light moisturizers, especially for summer, then these are fabulous! They absorb very quickly into the skin (great when you are in a hurry), are light, but still effective at moisturizing the skin, and smell great! 

I also wanted to let you know that The Body Shop is having a big sale in stores and online. I happened to stop in yesterday and was so excited to see one of my faves on sale:

I picked up a couple bottles of the Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion for only $4! I love this stuff because the smell is natural yet a little sweet, so you can wear it alone or with perfume on top. It has cocoa butter (great for skin problems, including dryness and stretch marks) and other natural ingredients, absorbs quickly into the skin, and the moisture lasts all day. It didn't show up as being on sale online, but my local store did have it on sale so try checking in-store if you want this.

I also like the company's body butters, and they have a few on sale for $10. Not all scents are on sale, but the Vitamin E Body Butter is, and it is one of those that I always like using year round!

There are many more, but these are just a few of my faves. Let me know if you pick up anything!

Tidbits from the Honeymoon

Hey gals! I am back to doing a few blog posts on the Indian wedding website Maharani Weddings. I recently wrote a few thoughts about my honeymoon to Tahiti and posted some pics. I previously mentioned that I had a fantastic time, but to read a few more of my thoughts, click here.

Current Fave: MAC Pro Longwear Lipstain Marker Review and Swatch

Because of my wedding and getting settled in to married life, I haven't had a chance to tell you about some of my fave products that I am loving and helped get me through all the wedding events. Well, here is one of them: MAC's Pro Longwear Lipstain Marker in Sunset. I used it a lot on the honeymoon since I didn't want to use sticky lipstick or gloss, and it still gave my lips some color.

This item got mixed reviews in the blogging world, but I will give you my two cents worth: I absolutely love it! This marker adds a stain to the lip that provides your lips with color that doesn't fade and looks natural. I picked up a couple but this one in Sunset is the one I have been using very often. Here is a swatch:

It doesn't look that spectacular on my hand, but on my lips, it looks so natural and juicy:

A lot of bloggers said this product was drying, but I don't believe it is that drying. I have used the MAC Pro Longwear Lipcolors (the double ended liquid lipstick) and those are may-jahly drying. This lipstain not so much. The marker deposits color evenly, though with some you may have to go over your lips twice to get a darker color. I think it's a great thing because you can customize the intensity. I recommend applying this not using the tip, but by gliding the sides against the lip, kinda like when you apply old school kajal to the waterline. Sometimes I use just this, sometimes I layer gloss on top, or for fancy occasions, I will use this as a base, then add lipstick and gloss on top. This is great for that because even when your lipstick fades, you still have color on your lips!

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: A

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: A great lipstain that leaves a hint of color, without the stickiness or mess of lipstick or gloss. Great for using on its own or for layering. Now only if they made this permanent....

Estee Lauder to Acquire Smashbox

Since I am still stuck in wedding la-la land (aka oohing and aahing over pics and video), I have been a bit slow in being on top of cosmetics news. I recently learned that Estee Lauder is purchasing Smashbox! Smashbox will still continue to produce their great products but the acquisition is going to help EL attact a younger consumer base. It's interesting how EL owns most of my fave cosmetic brands...

If you want to read more about the official press release, click here.