Blinc Mascara

Although the technology has started to spread to more mainstream cosmetic companies, the original 'Kiss Me' mascara (they've since changed their name to Blinc) was the first to feature their tube technology that has become an instant cult classic.

Only the name and packaging (thank God) have changed for this more modern looking mascara, the tubes still remain. Instead of brushing on color like with traditional mascaras, this formula creates tiny tubes that hug each strand of hair that make lashes invincible against water, smudging, running, clumping, and even rubbing your eyes.

It's not a waterproofing formula that holds it in place so special remover is not required, just lightly rub with a warm washcloth and you'll see the tubes detach themselves from your lashes. Easier yet, let the warm water from your shower loosen the tubes and they'll fall right off. It's really wild once you see them removed, and unique to anything I've ever used.

If having a a really soft, touchable lash is more your style, this mascara isn't for you. It does dry a bit stiff- it's like using a hair gel instead of a mousse, but the look itself isn't different. Also, if you're a 'builder' and like the look of a ton of mascara, you might not like the fact that you can't add more coats once it's dry, but you can work it up all you'd like until then. You can also 'tubify' your usual mascara by adding this on top of the one you use already, just make sure it's directly after when your lashes are still damp.

Bottom line; if even waterproof mascara still leaves you smudgy, Blinc's tiny tubes will not disappoint.

6 Shades, $24, Drugstore.com

Blinc Mascara

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Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions

Up until very recently, if you had troubled skin and were looking for a natural solution, you'd be stuck with tee tree oil- which is mild (and somewhat effective) but didn't really stand up to the problem on its own.

Of course I was surprised to see that Burt's Bees had join the fight against acne, but I was even more surprised of the line's gentle efficacy.

Their Scrub ($9) is creamy and cushiony with just enough exfoliation to be effective and not exacerbate any pre-existing breakouts you might have. It's also gentle enough to be used daily since jojoba microbeads are exfoliating and softening at the same time, a big plus for skin that's usually mistreated and dried out to an extreme.

Of course the requisite tea tree extract makes an appearance giving their Spot Treatment ($9) an antibacterial and anti-fungal boost to reduce redness and stop excessive bacteria, but it also has willow bark extract in place of salicylic to unclog pores and reduce inflammation.

Drugstore.com, Whole Foods and Select Drugstores Nationwide.

Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions



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Three Custom Color Specialists Opaline Creme Eye Definers

At first glance, I thought it was just a purple creme eye liner. But wait, that's not purple, it's actually...brown?

In one of the coolest uses of color theory, Three Custom Color Specialists take black and brown creme liners to a whole new level. They've noticed (like I have) that when a black or brown liner is applied to the lid, they often times dull out.

For instance, I love an ultra jet black liner, but sometimes after it dries, it looks sort of grayish. Then there's brown which can lose so much depth that I have to draw over the liner with a deep brown shadow to intensify it.

Their solution? Adding a hint of blue pearl to Aurora (their black liner) for a jet black that stays that way well after it dries, and some violet pearl to Jupiter (the brown) to brighten and deepen the brown chasing away any signs of dullness. Adding the blue and violet hues also make the whites of your eyes seem extra white because of the contrast.

To the eye, the shades look a little skewed but on the skin the colors are vibrant black and brown. Of course makeup artists wouldn't create just any formula for these one-of-a-kind colors- they're smudge proof, transfer resistant and carry a texture that binds to your brush in a way that virtually applies itself.

$22, 2 Shades, ThreeCustom.com

Three Custom Color Specialists Opaline Creme Eye Definers



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Vitamin D

So this isn't the usual beauty stuff, but this article on the importance of vitamin D is a really good read. It's by Dr Frank Lipman a.k.a Gwyneth Paltrow's doctor and he speaks of vitamin d's ability to protect our bodies from all sorts of illnesses like breast cancer, MS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even Alzheimer's Disease.

I started taking D3 about 2 years ago after Dr Oz recommended it on Oprah, but after 1 1/2 years of taking 1,200iu daily, I was still well below average- even here in sunny Colorado. Maybe it's my dedication to sunscreen, but I understand that low D levels are really common among women. I pumped up my dosage and am now well within a healthy range, but it took a few months to get back on track.

You'll find this well-written and well-organized article right HERE.



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Cosmopolitan's Kisses for the Troops

Hurray to Cosmopolitan Magazine for celebrating Veteran's Day the way a girly mag should. If you live in NYC, you're in for a treat, check out their 12-hour schedule to 'collect kisses' HERE and be a part of the fun!



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Laura Mercier Baked Eye Color Palette and Petite Eye Palette

Tis the season to get new makeup! Even pre-Thanksgiving you'll find that most cosmetic lines have their Holiday '09 value sets out on the counters looking for new homes for a fraction of what they'd sell for separately.

Laura Mercier's eye palettes were just too cute to pass up, here are the ones that I nabbed.






















































Mercier's Baked Eye Colour Palette has the best 5 shades to grace an eye palette for maximum wearability. They're all limited shades, meaning they aren't already part of their shadow collection, and best of all- they're wet/dry. With the recently re-formulation of LM's shadows came the implicit instructions not to wet them, but these are H2o friendly for optional heightened drama. Expect a hint of shimmer and a grittier texture that gives bold, blendable color- especially wet. I found the standout shade to be Mink (pictured in the middle), a rusty brownish shade that makes eyes completely pop with sultry romance.

You'll also love the double ended brush that's included, one side for dry use and the other for wet.

$48, 5 Shades and Double Ended Brush Included, Limited Edition, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Sephora






















































Available in both Warm and Cool, LM's Petite Eye Palette offers their most flattering shadows in each category to give you a complete wardrobe of color for the storage-challenged, and the jet-setter alike. Priced for both gift-giving and gift-keeping, you'll find this little mirrored palette gives you the right amount of shadows to hold you over until next year's money-saving sets are out.

$28, 4 Shades, Warm and Cool Palette Options, Limited Edition, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Sephora



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Intelligent Nutrients Anti-Aging Skin Care Collection

Horst Rechlbacker is considered by many to be the Godfather of hi-tech hippie beauty, meaning plant-based science that stands unchallenged in its approachable efficacy ever since he founded Aveda in 1978.  After Estee Lauder bought Aveda, and his time there was complete,  he moved on to a new revolution by creating Intelligent Nutrients, an innovative powerhouse that others will surely soon follow.

Of course Intelligent Nutrients (IN) has some of the best hair care available (I use and love it) insofar as plant-based technology is concerned, but I was pleasantly surprised when their skin care line proved to be just as stellar.

Before you fold open each carton, you'll find a wealth of  responsible choices IN has made in an effort to bring you the safest products possible. They use minimal, recyclable packaging, renewable energy sources, USDA certified organic food ingredients (many grown on Rechlbacker's own farm in Wisconsin),  they're against animal testing, and never used silicones, petrochemicals, or parabens.

Great. I get it- the products are safe, natural, (even edible!) but the question still remains; how do they perform?

Better than you could ever imagine.

IN has formulated a range for the skin that's so fantastic and well-tolerated, it's essentially a one-size-fits all. Known skin nourishing ingredients like Acai, Argan, Antioxidants, Fatty Acids, and Plant Sterols heal, protect, and calm the skin at a cellular level to reduce inflammation (a huge cause of skin aging) and allow the products to do exactly what they claim.

If you've always used an SLS laden cleanser that foams like crazy and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, IN's Anti-Aging Cleanser might take a little getting used to. It's a non-foaming cleanser with a firm, cushy consistency that completely cleanses the skin while keeping your moisture barrier fully in tact and ready to absorb the mist, serum and moisture.

My skin drinks up the water-based Anti-Aging Mist with its Seed Meal Complex that almost instantly banishes all traces of redness from my reactive skin that often shows up after cleansing.

All skins from oily to very dry will love the Anti-Aging Serum that lightly laces skin with Antioxidants, Acai, Argan Oil, and their own Intellimune Seed Oil Complex that softens wrinkles, evens out redness and texture, and increases radiance, firmness, and elasticity. I was using it at night only (my skin is more combination) but I like the way it makes my skin look awake and refreshed which helps me to use less foundation, so now I use it in the morning.

If ever there were a moisturizer that worked well on all skins, this is it. Anti-Aging Moisture is a creamy light lotion that sinks right into your skin like your face has been thirsty for it (which might be a fitting term since its second ingredient is organic apple juice). Their signature oil and antioxidant blends make it effective for optimal skin health, but the softness and calmness it creates will make it an instant classic.

$35- $60, IntelligentNutrients.com Beauty.com and Select Salons Nationwide

Intelligent Nutrients Anti-Aging Skin Care Collection



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Happy 2 Year Blog-iversary to me!

This was my first ever review written 2 years ago today. I remember thinking that maybe a few of my friends might check my little blog and see what I like from time to time. Never did I imagine that I would have a voice so big that readers from all over the globe would check in daily to see what I have to say. Most of all, I didn't think this forum would bring me such fantastic opportunities that continue to come my way.


I was able to chat about beauty products in 3 different states as a TV Beauty Expert, even reporting live from the Fox Studios in NYC where I was covering Fashion Week.









































I got to meet interesting people like Jeremy Bloom while waiting in the Greenroom at Fox.





































I did Trista Sutter's makeup for her cover on Women's World Magazine, and OK Magazine.



















































I met and interviewed Ted Gibson backstage at the Lela Rose show at Fashion Week NY.






























































































































I snapped photos of designers (from top) Lela Rose, Thakoon Panichgul (Thakoon), Pamela Rowland (with her daughter and Amanda Bynes), and Max Azria.











Then there were the celebs all running around backstage for the shows that I was able to capture.


























I got my very own column for ShoeStringMag.com.




















































I was the makeup artist for Austin Scarlett's runway show for his wedding gown collection here at the Ritz Carlton Denver.




























Then there was Nickelback. I was the makeup artist for Chad Kroeger for an interview he had when they were playing here in Denver.

And the best part of all is that I was able to share it with you.

Thank you for reading, commenting, suggesting, and supporting something I love to do.

Carissa




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Orly in Mirror Mirror

I always keep my nails short, it's casual and modern, but it's also practical when my job is putting my hands in people's faces- having claws coming toward their eyes to blend eye concealer probably isn't the best idea.

Shorter nails also have more options when it comes to wearing bold colors. As a rule, the longer the nails, the more muted the polish should be- it starts to look a little witchy.

I typically shy away from polishing my nails since it always chips so quickly, but I've found that Orly polishes last the longest on my fingers and this color- Mirror Mirror has been my fall go-to.

It's a creamy, sparkle-free gray that's chic without being too young. Surprisingly, the gray goes with everything I wear and people go crazy over it. I have strangers ask me what color it is every time I have it on, and it lasts for well over a week without any signs of chipping or dulling.

I think it's only part of a seasonal color story, so if you want it, you should get it soon.

$7.50, OrlyBeauty.com Sally Beauty Stores, Ulta Beauty Stores Nationwide

Orly Mirror Mirror



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Latisse; Is it safe? What does continued use look like? How long does a bottle last?

Of all the questions I'm asked, the most common one is about Latisse- well, maybe not directly, it's usually more like, "Are you wearing false lashes," or "What mascara do you use?" Of course I'm not wearing false lashes, and the mascara has little to do with the overall appearance of my lashes, it's simply the growth from Latisse that they're (always) noticing.

Questions that follow the revelation that I'm using Latisse are usually based on concerns surrounding the  FDA's stern warnings to Latisse the quit misleading consumers on its safety. I've read the warnings as well as the marketing, and I have to say that Latisse isn't misleading consumers on its safety claims.

So is it safe?

We know that its main ingredient was first used to treat glaucoma, and the side effects of that treatment were lash darkening and growth. During the course of that treatment, patients irises would sometimes darken from a light color to brown which is permanent and irreversible- but the treatment solution for glaucoma was put directly into the eyes versus very sparingly along the lash line like directed for Latisse users.

Could it happen? Yes. Is it likely? No.

Anything is possible, but from my understanding you'd have to get quite a lot of the solution into your eyes repeatedly in larger quantities for this to take place.

I use it, I trust it, I like it. I do have some minor itching from time to time after I apply it, but it's so minor that I didn't even take note of it until I read that it was a possible side effect.

What does continued use look like?

Like they say with the hair on your head, hair length could be largely predetermined by genetics. Some people just can't get their hair to grow no mater what they try. My lashes grew to a certain point, then plateaued- same with thickness, so don't worry about growing lashes so out of control they reach circus proportions. I saw a big improvement really quickly, and now I'm at a maintenance phase to keep what was created.

How long does a bottle last?

The bottle I bought in March just offered its final drop last night, so about 8-9 months. Although they're specific about its application, I've found that just 1 drop into the bottle's cap makes a little pool of liquid easily absorbed by the brush which is enough for both eyes, so I use about half of what's suggested with the same great result.

Bottom line:

It works. It's worked for me and countless other women, but talk to your doctor to see get their take on it and see if it's right for you.

Latisse



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