Anyone else still hung over from New Years? (Try a little yoga!) If you’re lucky, you’re probably still cuddled up on the couch with leftover pizza. But if you are in the unfortunate bunch that has to pull yourself out of bed and function in the land of the living, here are the beauty steps you need to look a little less “morning after all-you-can-drink,” and a little more “I’m lookin’ damn good in 2009.”

Ole Henriksen Blue Blackberry Enzyme Mask – sephora.com $32

So your whole body is dehydrated (hence that pounding headache) but while you are rehydrating with vitamin water don’t forget to replenish your skin too! This mask has loads of antioxidants from blueberries and blackberries. Bonus feature – this mask is gentle enough to use under the eyes, where you need it most!

Clinique All About Eyes – clinique.com $28.50

New year’s was a blast but now your eyes look like you are a reject from the Thriller video. Clinque helps you out with this fantastic eye gel. Not only does it depuff but also gets circulation going which means it brings a little light to those dark circles. Read More »

What you use to put your makeup on is just as important as what kind of makeup you are using. When you apply makeup with the wrong brush, or one of poor quality, it can ruin your entire beauty queen look. Whether you’re preparing a rockstar look for a night out, a daytime look for class, or just trying to cover up your hangover, your brush’s shape, texture and quality is vital. Here are a few types of brushes that should be on every girl’s vanity (or wish list, hint-hint).

Kabuki Face Brush: Kabuki brushes are huge and perfect for all over face coverage, whether you are applying foundation or bronzer. This kabuki brush is from Too Faced and is made with “teddy bear hair bristles” so it’s soft on sensitive faces. Yes, it’s a little pricey but the texture and longevity make it worth the splurge. If your’re looking for something a little cheaper but still quality you can check out The Balm’s mini version of the kabuki brush.

Concealer Brush: When applying concealer to cover up your blemishes or under eye marks, it can be tempting to skip the brush. But by getting a concealer brush like this one from Bare Escentuals you are keeping your skin clean and getting a fully blended look.

Angled Blush Brush: Using round brushes for blush can create a Bozo-like look, but angled brushes make the cheek color look more natural. A soft angled blush brush like this one from Benefit works best when applied on the apples of the cheeks in an upward sweeping motion. Read More »

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You pry your eyes open as the blaring sound of your alarm clock echoes the throbbing in your head and wonder why your alarm is going off at such an ungodly hour on a Sunday when you suddenly realize, “Sh*t! Brunch with the ‘rents!”

You fling yourself out of bed as quickly as your hungover ass will let you, and as you glance at yourself in the mirror you realize that hangover is written all over your haggard face. You’ve got 10 minutes to pull yourself together and look fabulously fresh so that your folks don’t know the amount of liquor you consumed the night before (and don’t forget that greasy pizza at 2 a.m.). What do you do? Don’t fret – with a few products from Clinique, this feat is a lot easier than it sounds.

I’m personally a fan of Clinique because it’s non-comedogenic (which means it has ingredients that do not clog the pores or lead to breakouts), allergy tested and fragrance free. It’s the first skin care line developed by a dermatologist and has been using the same formulas since it was first released in 1968. I also love that it’s a more budget-friendly prestige line and offers up high-end products at much lower prices than many other upscale lines. Read More »

It’s no secret that drinking takes a toll on your skin. Dehydration, blotchiness and puffiness are just a few of the wonderful effects of alcohol–a moisture zapping diuretic– on your epidermis. So what’s a girl to do when faced with a serious liquor induced skin issue? Quit drinking? I think not.While that would obviously be the most effective move, it’s not one I plan on making any time in the near future (near future including this semester and every one after that until I graduate). Luckily, the makeup gods determined long ago that girl-kind should be able to have her cake (flavored mix drink) and eat it too (um, have nice looking skin).

The following products will salvage your face be you hungover and desperate for a quick fix, prepping for bed after drinks with the girls, or planning ahead for a night of partays (you overachiever, you). Read More »

Like most ladies, the way my face looks is pretty important to me. I like to minimize bright red zits, reduce the black circles under my eyes after a long night at the ‘brary, and generally not look like a 45 year old woman at the ripe old age of 22.

And like most ladies I load up on every product that will keep my face looking fresh, clean and daaaamn good.

But according to a recent article in The New York Times, most ladies are pretty dumb for buying into all that facial cream mumbo jumbo.

No matter how smart we are, we all want to believe that a skin cream can fix all of our problems. Yes, even relationship issues. And it doesn’t hurt when the beauty companies throw scientific terms into the mix, furthering our beliefs that this product is different, and that one really will work!

But if what all the experts in this article say is true, we could get the same effect from a wash cloth and some basic soap that we would get from purchasing a $40 bottle of “rejuvinating night cream.” The same goes for all those “cellular level cleansers,” “biomolecular” eyecreams, and that “microsmoothing” face serum. Read More »

First there was Guy Liner.

Now, we have Manscara.

Looks like makeup for the male species is making its mark and not going anywhere. I suppose we have Pete Wentz to thank for that. Perhaps all you dudes should go a little easy on him? I mean, he is totally doing you a service right now. And ladies…don’t hate on the Dude Makeup just yet; there are so many wonderful things that come from it!

1. Cover up those imperfections. The idea of your man wearing a little makeup is far superceded by the fact that you don’t have to be embarassed about his narsty skin anymore.

2. You can share! We are all looking for ways to save a little moolah these days, and this is a great one! You only have to pay for half of a mascara, and Lord knows how expensive that stuff can get.

3. He finally understands why you take so long to get ready. And he will be right there next to you slowly applying that Guy Liner.

4. He will appreciate just how much it takes for you to spruce up for him. Putting on makeup gets old (fast) and guys never understand just how much work it is. Give them a little to play around with and the will learn (fast) that it is not such a cakewalk.

5. Blackmail: Even if makeup for men is becoming more popular, there is a (large) chance your boy may not want his boys to know. But you know. And he knows you know. And he knows you could spill the beans if things don’t go your way. Mwahahahahaha.

Summer, for me, is a blessing and a curse. As much as I love cute little dress season, my skin isn’t quite as easy to please. This time of year is when I start chucking my foundation or tinted moisturizer, because there’s no way a liquid is going to do anything more than melt and cause breakouts. I’ve been a faithful Bare Essentials user for years, but as I’ve tried to manage my budget and seem to go through it ridiculously quickly. The time has come to move on and try something new.

Fortunately, Sephora has an array of mineral powders to choose from, both pressed and loose. I decided to stay with this product, because it does seem to keep me relatively fresh-looking even on the beastliest of hot days. I like the texture, its ability to double as a concealer, and also that it’s SPF 15. Let’s face it, no one wants to be a bag of wrinkles by age 30.

As I perused various brands, Laura Mercier’s Mineral Powder Foundation grabbed my attention. For one, it’s a loose powder that sells in 0.34 oz containers, so while it’s $35.00, there’s no question that it’s going to last. Also, the top has a swivel closure, so even without a lid you can keep your foundation from spilling. I tried a little at the store and fell in love. Another fun fact is that you’re not limited to Sephora. You can purchase this product online through www.lauramercier.com, or at department stores. Read More »

When I woke up this morning and looked in the mirror – at my blotchy skin, the dark circles under my eyes – I thanked God for my drawer filled with makeup. It’s amazing what a little concealer and black eyeliner can do for a girl. Sometimes even I can’t believe the daily before and after transformation to my face.

I almost feel bad for the men in the world who wake up every day and have to take that face out into the world. They don’t have the luxury of covering up that zit or the evidence of a late night out at the bar.

Until now, that is.

It has been rumored that Clinique will be adding to their Clinique M line; their products for men. Instead of their usual face scrubs and moisturizers to prevent problems, the newest additions will include products to cover problems.

Yes, ladies, Clinique is making male foundation! Read More »

I’ve heard it a million too many times: “Wear makeup so that it doesn’t LOOK like you’re wearing makeup!”

Too often, the advice is being given but no one is hanging around to do the instructing. Painting your face (and yes, I will stoop to this level) so that it looks natural is actually quite an artistic gift that one needs to work long and hard at honing.

It requires actually understanding the difference between your real lip color and candy apple red. It requires putting your purple eye shadow in detention until that glamorous-hipster-weekend party rolls along. (Or not so glamorous groupie rock show…either or). But if you can bear to face your day without these neon signs that scream “She might be UGLY under all of this!“, you’ll succeed in not only looking hotter than you actually do when you wake up, but also in fooling a whole lot of people that you’re ridiculously naturally gorgeous.

So here are some tips I’ve got for you. I do not bring them to you in vain. These tips have collected themselves in the beauty corner of my brain only after numerous glitter spills and eyeliner smears.

1. Mascara. You’ll need it. But lets keep it real, shall we? Your eyelashes aren’t blue. G et a color that makes sense for your natural complexion. If you’re one of those born blonde babes, try a light brown.

2. Concealer. Sometimes you simply have some stuff you wanna…ugh….CONCEAL. Dark circles. Pimples. Yeah, they’re the “real you”, but who needs to know? Try dabbing the makeup around the area you’re covering instead of wiping it in. Making sure you cover the area under your eyes can really lift them and make you seem way more awake than you probably are. Read More »