Dynamic Duo

Today I have got to spread a little love to Lancome, because I am CRAAAZY for their eyeshadow duos from the Ombre Absolue duo line. Each duo pairs a bold matte color with a lighter complimentary color that adds a little highlight to your shadow. The true beauty of this product is two fold; 1) It’s all the eye shadow color you need for a day or night look and 2) It’s SUPER easy to apply (like seriously…it doesn’t get any easier than this). So put down your pencils - no need to take notes, you’ll get this one on the fly.

The use of two or three differently hued shadows leaves you with a more polished result, than using just one. However, to do this effectively, you must pair hues and textures that work with one another – not against. Lancome has done the work for you (merci beaucoup!) and paired shades and textures that perfectly suit one another. Therefore, you’re not left spending three hours of your day off at the cosmetic counter trying to create the perfect pair. Color selections range from brown neutrals to funky metallics and for those of you that like to pack a little color punch – there is an array of pinks, purples, greens, and blues. And may I suggest my personal fav – Jade Elegance, for anyone looking to add a little green to their shadow box (cause really, in this day and age, who doesn’t want to go green)!?!?

The darker matte color may be applied to the entire lid. The shadow is decently concentrated, but you'll still want to use the right tool for application. NARS Wide Countour Brush is the perfect tool for the job. It retails for $33.00 at Sephora locations. I know you’re probably thinking, “ay yay yay, that’s two cocktails and an appetizer at Friday happy hour.” But as with most things, having the right tools will make your job so very much easier and produce a better end-result. Make-up is no exception.

The lighter highlight color may be applied directly above the darker color. Extend this color vertically half-way between your crease (where the darker color stopped) and your eyebrow. You’ll want to blend this color in with the very top of the darker color so you don’t have, what appears to be, a visible line of two different colors. (Cue: Bare Escentuals Blending Brush). This brush is also available at Sephora locations and retails for $18.

The duo shadows are super lightweight, so you don’t have to worry about creasing or caking. And it’s long-lasting power is most definitely worthy of snaps. Add your liner, mascara, and you’re off!

Lancome’s dynamic duo takes the guess work out of pairing shadows, the brushes will do the heavy lifting and you…all you have to do is look fabulous.

Lancome Ombre Absolue Duo
$35.00 USD
More colors available at Lancome retailers and online

Image from www.lancome-usa.com

The Buffed and the Beautiful

So I’m a total pedicure princess. Even in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, I somehow manage to justify to myself, my husband, and my checking account that a pedi every two weeks is nothing short of essential. When the stock market tanked last fall and fiscal restraint became the new black, I cut my pedi dates back to once a month. That didn’t last long.

I think it’s the foot massage (7 minutes per leg) that does me in. It’s the only time in a two week span that I make myself relax. That’s right, I set down my iphone, Us Weekly, and hot tea and I do absolutely nothing for 14 fabulous minutes. And I would be remiss if I posted on pedicures and did not give a shout out to, in my opinion, THE best in the business – City Nails in Alexandria, Virginia. I’ve frequented City Nails since I was sixteen and have yet to find a salon that comes close to the pedicure pedestal on which I place City Nails. But as pedicure pressed as I am, I for whatever reason, can’t get down with the manicure.

I get why people like manicures and I have mad respect for those who maintain silk and acrylic nails because they are gorgeous and definitely add a certain something to your look. Furthermore, manicures are seemingly a better investment, as they’re less expensive than pedicures, but always available for the showing. We show our pedis maybe 5 months out of the year and that’s only if you’re a huge fan of flip-flops and peep toes.

I think if I got real psychological about this, I would find that my indifference towards manicures stems from my dismay of chipped nail polish. You know the scene – you’re on your way out for a total night on the town. You’re sporting some hotness and feeling very pleased at how fabulously your new dress fit with your Tori Burch old fav flats. And then, you look down and in a fit of horror you see that your sass-tastic red nail polish has chipped right off your right middle finger. Immediately you feel that your look is shot to hell and you begin planning on how to do left handed gestures all night. Chipped nail polish just unravels me so. Additionally, I think I must have high-chip probability nails because it never fails with my fingers. So I stick with nothing or clear.

But I do love the shape and shine your nails get from a manicure. That’s where this week’s RML product spotlight comes in. Ladies, allow me to introduce Sephora’s 4-Step Buffer. In five miraculous minutes, this little tool leaves your nails looking like you just spent an hour at the salon. Each side of the cube has an express purpose 1) File 2) Buff 3) Polish 4) Shine. No tricks or technique tips needed. You simply move the buffer back in forth, covering the entire surface of your nail, in 1 - 4 order (which is denoted on the cube – thank you Sephora!). And if it can’t get any buffer better, this tool retails for $5 dollars at Sephora. Or you can splurge and the get Colorful Buffers 3 - Pack for $8. So skip the pricey buffing tools they sell at the mall kiosks ($40 – are you kidding me?) and save your manicure money. This buffer is all you need. Polish is purely optional, as the buffer leaves your nails so shiny, it totally looks like you have a coat of clear polish on anyhow. So go ahead, make your way to Sephora – it’s hands down – or in this case “nails” down the best $5 bucks you’ll spend.

Sephora's 4-Step Buffer
$5.00 USD
Available at Sephora stores and online

Sephora's Colorful Buffers 3-Pack
$8.00 USD
Available at Sephora stores and online
Images from www.Sephora.com

As if you needed more convincing...Buffer Reviews

Get Your Shine Off

The heat is on…and so is the shine. As summer sets in and the days of dining al fresca and lounging poolside are among us, we’re only too happy to break out the sundresses, shades, flip flops, and boat totes to complete our summer sun goddess look. But the ladies with combination to slightly oily skin know that summer months bring more than mojitos and margaritas….they bring shine. Not just sunshine – skin shine.

You know what I’m talking about…you’re out with the ladies having a drink or two on a rooftop bar somewhere and you take a few self-shots with your best Mary-Kate and Ashley pout (cause that’s just what we do). When you review the shots, you’re stunned to find that while the cheeks, eyes, and lips still look stunning, the forehead and nose look like a reflecting pool. Summer skin shine.

Today’s post is in response to a special request from one my nearest and dearest who rages against the shine every summer. So if you’re T-zone is in search for a little anti-shine action, try out some of the favs described below.

Smashbox Anti-Shine is a versatile gel to powder product that can be applied before or after your foundation. It should be applied directly to the high-shine areas and buffed into the skin, preferably with a foundation brush. (SIDE NOTE: Using brushes with foundation products vs. sponges not only give you a better, less cakey result, it also saves you money in the long run. Sponges soak up more product and release less. So what that means is your foundation stays in the sponge, instead of on your skin and you end up at the cosmetic counter much more frequently buying foundation). Smashbox’s Anti-Shine purpose is to keep your typically “shiny spots” looking matte. Smashbox’s website indicates that the product is made to withstand harsh studio lights, which means that this product will keep your skin looking matte even in the harshest of shine-prompting scenarios. Use after moisturizing, before or after your foundation, and touch up as need throughout the day.

Smashbox Anti-Shine
$27.00 USD
Colors and retailer information available at Smashbox

Images from www.smashbox.com

Smashbox may in fact have the market cornered on the anti-shine products. My good friend swears by this next product. She’s a frugal fanny until it comes to her Smashbox Photo Finish and she’s got no problem dropping $36 on this bad boy. Apparently she's not the only photo finish fanatic, as this product won the coveted distinction of being named one of Allure magazines “Best of Beauty Award Winners.” The components in Photo Finish Foundation Primer combine to absorb oil and diffuse light, which reduces the appearance of shine and skin imperfections. Photo Finish is to be applied to recently moisturized skin prior to your foundation. The formula is so concentrated that only one pump of Photo Finish is needed at a time (which should also make you feel better about the $36 price tag)!

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
$36.00 USD
Retailer information available at Smashbox

Images from www.smashbox.com

The beauty of MAC’s blot powder is it doesn’t add any additional color or texture to your existing make-up (i.e. you don’t want it to look as though you have on primer, concealor, foundation, powder, and blot powder). You’ll recognize this when you go to the MAC store to try it on as the powder is essentially color-less. It’s simply meant to reduce the presence of oils and shine. MAC’s blot powder can be used on top of all over face powder and should primarily be applied to your shiny spots. Throw it in your purse and reapply as needed.

MAC Blot Powder
$21.00 USD
Colors and retailer information available at MAC


Images from www.maccosmetics.com

Okay ladies so when you’re ready to kick your shine to the curb and get you’re matte on, take these products for a test drive. You’re T-zone will thank you.

Liner Love - Part 3

Okay ladies, get ready to channel your inner-diva, cause it’s time to dish about the most daring and defined liner on the market - liquid liner. Now before we go any further, let’s be real – liquid liner is intimidating. We steer clear of it at the cosmetic counter. If we had the nerve to actually buy it, we avoid it like the plague in our cosmetic cases, and we just become overwhelmed at the thought of application, almost as if someone just put a paintbrush in our hand and said “okay Van Gogh recreate Starry Night.” We just feel so out of our liner league.

But admit it, when you flip through the latest copy of your fashion mag of choice, you can’t help but adore the look liquid liner leaves. Its precision, definition, and overall drama are just unparalleled. So if you’re down for a little make-up application outside your comfort zone, take off the eyeliner training wheels and read on, because I know you can do it!

The key to liquid liner success is finding an applicator with which you are most comfortable. Most often liquid liners come with a pointed-tip sponge applicator or an ultra-thin brush applicator. In my experience, the sponge tip applicator will provide you with a thinner line than the brush, however, it is also a bit more challenging to use. Make sure if you decide on a sponge tip applicator that you find one that has some give. In other words, make sure the sponge will give a little as you apply it. The give eases the application when you get to lining the curved part of your eye. Regardless of which application tool you use, be sure to use the side of the tool and use the point as your guide, just as if you were using a paintbrush.

Just like all the liners we have discussed in this three-part series, liquid liner may be applied above your eyelid lash line and/or underneath your eyes. No matter what you choose (sponge tip v. brush), I would suggest starting on the outside corner of your eye and work your way in. Be sure to get plenty of liquid on the applicator and wipe off any excess liquid on the sides before applying. Once you get to the half-way point of your eye, you will most likely need more liquid. So dip again, wipe off any excess, and then either start from the inner corner of eye until the line connects in the middle, or continue at the mid-point until you get to the other side. I find it easiest to start from the outer corner, get more product, and work your way in from the inner corner. But you choose what is most comfortable for you.

Since most liquid liner has incredible staying power, like house guests that have overstayed their welcome, you’ll want to have your eye make-up remover and Q-tips handy until you get super comfortable with the application process. If you slip up (it’s okay!) and your line becomes a bit too thick or squiggly, simply put a few drops of remover on the Q-tip and clean up the mess. You’ll want to make sure that the eye surface is completely dry and free of the remover before trying the liner again. You can speed up this process by using the other side of the Q-tip (the dry side) to go behind yourself and sop up any remaining remover.

So all in all, it takes some getting used to. I wouldn’t advise that you make your first attempt at liquid liner while prepping for a cocktail party to which you’re already 15 minutes late. When you have a free night at home and The Bachelorette isn’t on, take some “you time” to get comfortable with the product. Even if you decide to reserve the dramatic look solely for dates and cocktail parties, it’s nice to have a liquid liner in your repertoire to take your look to the next level. So if you’re looking for a little drama in your liner life, introduce yourself to liquid liner…because who knows? You might just fall in liner love.

My Favs:

MAC's Liquidlast Liner
$16.50 USD
More colors available at MAC


Image from www.maccosmetics.com

Estee Lauder's Double Wear Liquid Liner
$19.50 USD
More colors available at Estee Lauder

Image from www.esteelauder.com

Liner Love - Part 2

“All I want is an eyeliner that will last all day.” Sound familiar?! As truly fantastic as eyeliner is, one shortfall of many liners is longevity. You apply your liner in the morning, check yourself in the mirror and think “gorgeous and ready to go.” You head off to the office, work tote and blackberry in hand, with some pep in your step because you look good, and you know it. A few hours and two skim lattes later, you pop into the ladies room for a mid-morning restroom break. You glance at yourself on the way in and think, “still looking pretty good, no wonder that metro hottie was checking me out longer than usual on this morning’s train.” Then the pre-lunch bathroom break comes and you again, check yourself in the mirror and the look is shot to hell. How did we fall so far so fast?! In disbelief you lean in closer to the mirror almost as if you’ve been duped by disappearing ink, “I know that liner was there this morning.”

It’s happened to all of us. We reapply the lipgloss (because we expect to reapply lipgloss periodically, so we pack it in the work bag) and hope that our glossy puckers will detract the attention from the sorrowful remnants of the liner that once was. Ladies this exact story is why I love crème liner.

Crème liner - let me rephrase, good crème liner, will last all day long. While liquid liners generally pack a good amount of endurance as well, crème liners are easier to use, more pliable (read: if you slip up, you don’t have to wash your face and start all over again), and in general, are softer looking than the lines we create with liquid liners. Don’t get me wrong, liquid liners have a TON to offer liner ladies (which will be featured in part 3 of the liner postings), but for all-day work-wear, crème liner wins out in my book.

Most often, crème liner comes in two forms; crème stick and potted crème. Crème sticks, like the one shown below by MAC, can be applied just like a pencil liner, yet (and this is just so fabulous) this particular product doesn’t require sharpening! With one twist, more liner pops up, ready to use. Because of the relative ease of application, if you’re a newcomer to the eyeliner scene, crème sticks are a good place to start.

The potted crèmes require an angled brush for application. NOTE: If you don’t yet have an angled brush, skip out on this week’s manicure and spend the beauty cash on this product – it's a must have. Simply dip the angled brush into the potted crème, wipe off any access product on the sides of the brush, and apply to the desired area. Do your best to keep your hand steady, but trust me when I say that the brush will do most of the work. If mid-application, it becomes difficult to get more color out of the brush, dip it back into the pot and pick up where you left off. To intensify your look, you may add powdered eye shadow on top of the crème liner.

MAC's Technakohl Liner
$14.50 USD
More colors available at Technakohl Liner


MAC's Fluidline
$15.00 USD
More colors available at Fluidline


Images from www.maccosmetics.com

In summary, crème liners are great for an everyday look. They require little to no maintenance in terms of reapplication, they glide on with super ease, and the result is defined without being super high-impact.

Liner Love – Part 1

Pencil? Crème? Liquid? How do you line? Eyeliner in all its fabulousness comes in many colors and forms, each with a different purpose and the utmost potential to enhance your finished look and make those eyes pop.

Many have an aversion to eyeliner thinking that lining the eyes results only in the likes of Cleopatra and Adam Lambert. While both are tremendous trendsetters in their own right, most would opt for a more understated look…which is totally do-able. The next three posts will highlight the benefits of each form; pencil, crème, and liquid, as well as, provide tips for application. Read on to find out which liner fits your look.

Eyeliner Pencils: The most common liner of all, eyeliner pencils offer the greatest selection of color. In addition to the traditional blacks and browns, eyeliner pencils can be found in pastels, bolds, metallics (I LOVE these), and for those days where you feel like channeling your inner – 80’s diva, there are pencils in colors infused with glitter (can you even deal?!) These vast color options give you the ability to liven up your look and play with colors that are a bit out of your comfort zone. Go ahead, pair a lavender liner with neutral pink shadow and see what ya think?! I’m confident you’ll fall in love with a color you would have never expected. I for one, tend to default to blacks, browns, sage greens, and bronze as my primary liner loves, but I experimented with a cerulean blue and forgive the pun, but it “blue” me away and now it’s one of my absolute favs.

Enough with the color. Moving on to techniques. Pencils are ideal for smudging out and smoky eyes. You know that dark, dreamy look where the lines are softer, but the effect is still super dramatic? That’s prime pencil usage ladies and just the reason for you to keep a slew of your favorite pencil colors in your make-up kit.

Before I go much further let me insert a quick tip: eyeliner pencils are a thousand times easier to use when they are sharpened. Remember back in elementary school when your #2 BIC pencil was newly sharpened, it left a much more defined line on the paper? Same idea. However (and this is new – you probably didn’t do this part in grade school), after you sharpen your eyeliner pencil, rub it once or twice over the side of your hand to dull the tip just a bit. This prevents the super fine tip from chipping or breaking during application. Additionally, it prevents you from getting lines of two different widths. If you apply the pencil directly after sharpening (without dulling the tip) you’ll notice that the beginning of your line is much thinner than the end of your line. So here’s a super quick remedy for you to stick in your bag of make-up tricks.

Okay so back to application. Pencils may be applied at the lash line on top of your eye, via the eyelid and/or just below the lash line underneath your eye. Some liner ladies opt for both. I find that lining both all the way across tends to make my eyes look smaller. However, on some – it’s totally fabulous. I altered my application method a bit by lining all the way across the bottom and just on the outer corner of my eyelid. Imagine just lining a quarter of the way into the eyelid. This gives me more definition, than just lining the bottom, but it also opens my eye, as opposed to making it look smaller. Another great trick is to have the lines from underneath the eye connect to the line (if any) from above the eye. You don’t have to fishtail it out too much, like you’re the leading lady on Broadway’s Cats, but if you just connect them at the very corner of your eye, it provides a great frame for the eye, as well.

On a rainy day (ugh like today in DC) when lounging poolside or dining al fresca just isn’t an option, take a moment to experiment with this and see what works best for your eyes. I often find that taking a self-shot (think teenagers on Facebook) picture of myself gives me a great opportunity to examine different looks. So set aside some “you” time, experiment with different lining colors and techniques, all while having a photo shoot simultaneously.

To achieve the oh-so-desirable smudged out and/or smoky eye look, the smudge/blending brush is key. These can be purchased at Sephora or MAC and most cosmetic counters. I’ve included a link to a smudge/blending brush below by Bare Escentuals.

Blending Brush

Once you have lined your eyes, simply take the brush and gently rub it over the liner. You will see that doing this will soften the harsh line, and sort of “smudges out” the liner, but overall it will increase the impact. Continue to smudge until the liner suits your desired look. Lastly, if you wanna kick the smudging up a notch to achieve a smoky eye (who doesn’t love a great smoky eye?!), simply dip your smudge brush into a potted powder eyeshadow, that corresponds with the color of your liner and use the smudging technique described above. Including the shadow will significantly enhance the drama of your look.

And it’s totally just that easy.

Lash Out

Okay ladies I've decided to devote Read My Lipgloss (RML’s) first product spotlight to two of my favs, lovingly refered to as the miracle mascara combo. Most women - the cosmetic connoisseurs with their impressive spread of preppers, primers, color, and finishing products, as well as, those that consider chapstick to be the extent of their make up regimen, and all those in between can identify the advantages of wearing mascara. Lengthening, thickening, volumizing (not to mention that with a quick mascara application, you can go from the epitome of sleepiness to bright-eyed and ready to take on the world).

Admit it, we’ve all done it. Slept in, rolled out of bed, brushed the teeth, and slung our hair up into a ponytail (telling ourselves the whole time, “the messy bedroom look is so the new black”), and then a touch of lipgloss and mascara and in 15 minutes or less, we are good to go. But the mascara is really the genius of this whole scenario, as with one or two strokes of the mascara wand our eyes are wider and brighter and our look is polished. Furthermore, the two most common uses for the word “wand” in the English language are reserved for fairy godmothers and mascaras. Coincidence? I think not.

In summary, our lashes set the stage for our eyes, one of the most fabulous and expressive parts of us. One of the primary purposes of make-up is to accentuate our favorite features and if you are at all interested in drawing attention to your eyes via luscious lashes, I’m telling you, these products will not disappoint.

Product # 1
Rilastil Volumizing Mascara
Sold at Bella Cara in Old Town Alexandria and various online sites (just google the product)




Photo from Skin and Hair

Product # 2
Estee Lauder Projectionist Mascara
Sold at Estee Lauder retailers

Photo from Estee Lauder

The Rilastil is to be applied first and then the Estee Lauder Projectionist. I’ve selected two mascaras to be used in tandem as I have found that, despite various advertising promises of a mascara that does it all, two work better than one. Get one mascara that volumizes (Rilastil) and one devoted to definition (Estee Lauder Projectionist). Very often, when you attempt to combine two types of mascaras, the products will clump together. However, these two products compliment one another perfectly and provide lasting volume, definition, and length to your lashes throughout most of the day. Should you head out to a happy hour or dinner date after work and need a little “lash lift,” just apply one or two strokes of the Projectionist and you’re again, ready to lash out.